The Palestine Chronology

Iraq accepts Pres. Bush's terms for meeting of military commanders to discuss full cease-fire, leading admin. officials to hope for quick release of POWs and end of Gulf war [BADS 2/28 in FBIS 2/28; NYT, LAT, WP 3/1].

Iraq's ambassador to the UN formally notifies Sec. Council that Iraq intends to comply with all 12 Sec. Council Gulf resolutions [INA 2/28 in FBIS 2/28; LAT, WP, CSM 3/1]; U.S. proposes draft resolution for permanent cease-fire, draft is accepted in principal by 4 other permanent members of Sec. Council [NYT, WP 3/1].

Prominent Kuwaiti opposition figure Hamid Yoaan is wounded in apparent assassination attempt in Kuwait City, raising fears that instability will continue until emir visibly assumes control [WP 3/1; MET 3/12].

U.S. Justice Dep't. indicts Iraqi gov't. officials and former executive of an Italian bank thought to have been used by Saddam Hussein to finance part of his weapons buildup [LAT 3/1].

Gulf war allied losses: 126 killed in combat, 79 of which were U.S. soldiers; 56 MIAs, including 35 Americans; 13 POWs, including 9 Americans. 213 Americans were wounded. Iraqi losses: U.S. military says allies destroyed or otherwise defeated 42 Iraqi divisions, leaving only 1 division intact; allies destroyed or captured more than 3,000 Iraqi tanks, 1,857 armored vehicles, and 2,140 artillery pieces. More than 80,000 POWs were taken; no counts are issued for Iraqi dead [NYT, LAT 3/1].

Soviet F.M. Bessmertnykh praises liberation of Kuwait: "for the first time, the international community showed its unified will. . ."; adds that "time is ripe" for renewed efforts to solve Israeli-Palestinian conflict [LAT, NYT 3/1].

Other European countries welcome cease-fire; several Arab nations express relief, call for healing; Israel lifts state of emergency [NYT, LAT, WP 3/1; JPI 3/9; MET 3/12]; PLO Exec. Committee welcomes cease-fire and says war "has revealed the urgent need for a solution to all the region's problems" [MEM 3/1].

UAE Pres. Shaykh Zayid donates $500,000 to al-Maqassed hospital in E. Jerusalem [WAKH 2/28 in FBIS 2/28].

U.S. begins investigation into allegation that Jordan defied UN embargo and smuggled weapons into Iraq during Gulf war (cf. 3/15) [NYT 3/1].

Egyptian Armed Forces Central Command reports that to date 9 Egyptian soldiers have been killed and 74 have been wounded [CDS 2/28 in FBIS 3/1].

Israeli Treasury reports that Gulf war caused estimated $3.5 billion in economic losses to Israel [MAA 3/1 in FBIS 3/5].

EC says it is donating $700,000 as emergency humanitarian aid to buy water purification equipment for Iraq [MEM 2/28]. 

Iraqi SCUD missile hits American barracks outside Dhahran, killing at least 12 U.S. soldiers, wounding at least 25, and leaving 40 unaccounted for (cf. 2/26) [NYT, LAT, WP, WT, MEM 2/26; MET 3/5]; SCUD missiles land in southern Israel; no damage or casualties [IDF 2/25 in FBIS 2/25; MET 3/5].

Baghdad radio announces Iraq's armed forces have been ordered to make an orderly withdrawal from Kuwait in accordance with UN resolution 660; Iraqi tanks and trucks are reported heading north from Kuwait. White House dismisses broadcast, saying there has been no authoritative communication from Baghdad and that to end war Iraq must accept all 12 UN resolutions concerming Gulf crisis [BADS 2/25 in FBIS 2/26; NYT, LAT, WP, WT 2/26; MET 3/5].

Pres. of UN Sec. Council calls on Iraq to officially inform him of its willingness to leave Kuwait so that Sec. Council could convene to discuss cease-fire [NYT 2/26].

Iraqi resistance to quickly advancing allied ground troops toughens slightly, but American command reports "tremendous success" all across the front, that allied forces control more than 50% of Kuwait; Saudi and Kuwait forces, backed by U.S. Marines prepare for assault on Kuwait City. Iraqi troops continue to surrender en masse, with POW total now about 20,000-25,000 [NYT, LAT, WP, WT 2/26].

P.M. Shamir is quoted in French newspaper as saying that Pres. Asad is Israel's "real enemy" [LAT 2/26].

French For. Ministry announces Kuwait will pay to France $1 billion, or about 40% of French expenditures in Gulf conflict [LAT 2/26].