The Palestine Chronology

Shin Bet uncovers "Hamas squad" near Bethlehem, arrests 15 suspects, confiscate weapons. (Qol Yisra'el 6/29 in FBIS 6/30)

British construction co. Mivan is awarded 4.84 million Jordanian dinar contract to restore Dome of the Rock. Awqaf and Islamic affairs min. 'Izz al-Din al-Tamimi thanks King Hussein for his 4/29 $8.25 million donation for restoration, says UNESCO (financed with Saudi $10 million pledge) should not interfere with the work, scheduled to begin 7/10. (Jordan Times 6/28 in FBIS 6/30)

Israel resumeshelling around Nabatiyya and Litani river valley, S. Lebanon. Islamic Resistance detonates bomb near al-'Ayshiyya in northern "security zone" of S. Lebanon, wounding 4 IDF soldiers. Israel escalates shelling of Kafr Rumman area, killing 4, as well as sniper and machine-gun fire throughout Nabatiyya area. (Radio Lebanon, VOL, ITV 6/28 in FBIS 6/29)

State Dept. says U.S. supports UN Gen. Assembly Res. 194, passed 11 December 1948, which upholds right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. Israel demands explanation. (NYT 5/13)

Multilateral talks on economic development end in Brussels. (MM 5/13)

Palestinian negotiators Zakariya al-Agha, 'Abd al-Rahman Hamad are denied entry at Rafah border crossing by Israeli authorities after they refuse to submit to a search of documents they were carrying as they returned from recent round of bilateral talks in Washington. (MM 5/15)

As Saudi-Jordanian tension mounts over which country's monarch will assume responsibility for paying for repairs to Islamic shrines in E. Jerusalem, Saudi television reasserts Saudi Arabia's intention [made 4/29] to finance repairs to sites such as al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock [Jordan has stated it will assume repair costs. See 5/5, 5/11]. (NYT 5/14)

Israeli jets, helicopters attack Islamic Resistance positions in Iqlim al-Tuffah region of S. Lebanon. Raids were first Israeli air attacks in S. Lebanon since 2/16. (Voice of the Mountain, Radio Free Lebanon 5/13 in FBIS 5/13

Chmn. Arafat, Fateh leaders meet with Nayif Hawatima, leader of one faction of DFLP, and other DFLP officials to discuss differences in advance of PLO Central Council meeting [see 5/4 for similar talks between Fateh, PFLP]. (al-Ray 5/6 in FBIS 5/6)

PFLP leader Riyad Malki and DFLP-Hawatima faction leader 'Ali Abu Hilal, hold joint press conference in Jerusalem at which they state their conditional support for municipal elections, which have been proposed in different form by Israel but rejected by Fateh and Palestinian delegation to peace talks [PFLP, DFLP-Hawatima and Hamas have now called for supporting municipal elections if held under international supervision, a condition which Israel has rejected. See 4/27, 4/28, 4/30]. PFLP, DFLP also issue joint statement in o.t. calling for unified Arab position regarding participation in multilateral talks [PFLP had formerly opposed the talks]. (al-Ray 5/6 in FBIS 5/6)

Following 4/29 Saudi disclosure that King Fahd will pay for repairs to Islamic sites in E. Jerusalem, Jordanian cabinet announces Jordan will pay for repairing Dome of the Rock [Jordan has traditionally assumed responsibility for shrine's maintenance]. (Jordan Television 5/5 in FBIS 5/6; MM 5/6)

Amnesty International issues report criticizing conditions in al-Khiyam prison camp run by SLA in Israel's "security zone." (MM 5/5)

4 Israeli citizens arrested by Egypt in February on charges of espionage are released, deported to Israel [see 3/10]. (Qol Yisra'el 5/6 in FBIS 5/6; MENA 5/6 in FBIS 5/7)

3 IDF troops injured by a Palestinian wielding a knife at a roadblock. The attacker is killed. (Qol Yisra'el 5/6 in FBIS 5/6)

Palestinian delegation presents counter proposal in response to 4/27 Israeli suggestion that municipal elections be resumed in o.t. calling for elections for a Palestinian legislative assembly. Delegation also demands abolition of military decrees No. 2 (which granted IDF power to issue laws in o.t.), No. 92 (concerning Israel's control over water in o.t.), and No. 291 (which prohibited registration of land in W. Bank). Delegation also demands Palestinians be given access to public records such as land and population records. Israeli delegation proposes plan which would allow Palestinians to run o.t. hospitals. (NYT, MM 4/30; al-Nahar 4/30 in FBIS 5/1; Qol Yisra'el 4/30 in FBIS 4/30)

Israeli ambassador to U.S. presents compromise proposal to Secy. of State Baker dealing with Israeli objections to participation of diaspora Palestinians in multilateral talks on refugees, economic development [see 4/28]. Under the Israeli proposal, diaspora Palestinians who have residency in other Arab countries would be allowed to participate as members of the delegations from those countries and not as members of the Palestinian delegation. (WP 4/30)

U.S. announces it will give $80 million to Jewish Agency for absorption of immigrants in Israel, nearly double the size of a similar grant extended last year. (MM 5/1)

Classes resume at Bir Zeit University for first time since IDF closed it in January 1988 [see 4/20]. (MM 4/29)

King Fahd pledges to pay costs, estimated at $70 million, of repairing al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock in E. Jerusalem after receiving reports from UNESCO concerning state of the shrines [team of Egyptian architects recently recommended spending $10 million to repair Islamic monuments in o.t. See 4/26]. Announcement comes in midst of continued poor relations between Saudi Arabia and Jordan, the latter of which has traditionally assumed responsibility for the shrines' maintenance. (Saudi Press Agency 4/29 in FBIS 4/30; MM 4/30; NYT 5/14)

Nazareth court sentences 4 Palestinian citizens of Israel to life imprisonment for 2/15/92 attack on IDF camp which killed 3 soldiers [see 2/26, 3/3, 3/6]. (NYT 4/30)

Undercover units kill 2 Palestinians in Janin area, one in Yamun and second in 'Arraba. IDF claimed both had threatened troops with guns. (MM 4/30

Team of Egyptian architects returns to Cairo after week-long trip to o.t. where they inspected Islamic holy sites. Delegation states sites such as al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock are suffering from neglect and Israeli diggings near them. In report prepared for Egyptian ministries offoreign affairs and housing, architects state $10 million is required to repair shrines. (MM 4/27, 4/29)

Court in 'Akka sentences poet Shafiq Habib, Palestinian holding Israeli citizenship, to 8 months imprisonment, 3 years probation, and a fine of approximately $3,100 for poems he published which dealt with the intifada. Court claimed poems violated 1949 "Antiterror Act" by offering "praise for murderous violence behind the guise of poetry." (HaAretz 4/27 in FBIS 4/28)