The Palestine Chronology

In the Gaza Strip, IDF troops conduct a limited incursion nr. Bayt Hanun to level land close to the border fence. In the West Bank, Israeli troops shoot and kill a Palestinian in Qabatya village nr. Jenin, during clashes sparked by an arrest raid. The IDF conducts house searches and arrest raids in Bethlehem and nearby Dahaysha r.c., in al-Bireh, and 1 village each nr. Jenin and Ramallah at night. In East Jerusalem, Israeli security forces demolish a 3-story building containing shops and residential apartments, home to 8 family mbrs. It is the 2d such demolition in Bayt Hanina in consecutive days. (MNA, PCHR 10/30)

Israel announces the construction of 1,500 new homes in the East Jerusalem settlement of Ramat Shlomo, following shortly after the Palestinian prisoners release. The govt. also advances plans for a national park on the slopes of Mount Scopus and the establishment of a visitor’s center in the settler-run “City of David” national park in Silwan. Israeli officials brief that both the U.S. and Palestinians knew in advance that such announcements of construction would accompany prisoner releases. Likud dep. minister Ophir Akunis also claims that there was approval for plans for 2,000 further units in settlements outside the blocs. UN Secy.-Gen. Ban Ki-moon calls the news “an obstacle to peace,” while U.S. State Dept. spokesperson Jen Psaki responds by saying that the administration views “continued settlement activity” do not serve to “create a positive environment for the negotiations.” PA Pres. Abbas spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudayna says that the move “destroys the peace process.” (AFP, JP, YA 10/30)

Unnamed Western and Arab diplomats are reported as saying that it is unlikely the “Geneva 2” conference about the future of Syria will take place in 11/2013, as previously mooted. One of the main complications is the question of representation of the opposition, with opinions divided about whether the SNC should be the umbrella under which the opposition enters the negotiations. (REU 10/30)

Israeli military begins handing out gas masks and chemical warfare defense kits that it plans to distribute to Israelis over next 2 months. Palestinians in O.T. will not be given kits but will be allowed to purchase them [NYT, WP 10/2; NYT, LAT, WP 10/8].

Facing dwindling oil reserves and commercial imports, Jordan orders austerity measures to save fuel to begin on 10/13. Measures call for reduced work days, mandatory closing times for shops, and decreased electrical use [NYT 10/8].

EC foreign ministers agree that there could be "no compromise" with Iraq over UN resolutions on the Gulf, and that pressure must be kept up on Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait [LAT 10/8].

At inauguration of new E. Jerusalem Jewish religious school, P.M. Shamir announces plans for major new housing project in E. Jerusalem built for Orthodox Jews on undeveloped ridge between Mt. Scopus and the Mount of Olives [LAT, WP, MEM 10/8].

Yasir Arafat meets with Soviet envoy Primakov in Baghdad to discuss Gulf crisis [SVP 10/7 in FBIS 10/9].

Maj. Gen. Ali Habib, commander of Syrian forces in Gulf, tells Saudi newspaper that his troops will only defend Saudi Arabia, not attack Iraq (cf. 10/8) [MEM 10/8; WP 10/9]. 

Military Action:

Israeli troops seize Beaufort Castle, Nabatiyeh, Hasbaya; fighting continues in Tyre and nearby Palestinian refugee camps; air battle over Beirut suburbs between Israeli and Syrian jets; Israeli troops converge on Sidon from 3 directions after airdropping leaflets to residents asking them to leave their homes within 2 hours; three waves of Israeli planes bomb and strafe southern Beirut; Begin and Ariel Sharon tour Beaufort Castle; Tyre is finally captured, in house-to-house combat, though pockets of resistance remain; UN re-ports 57 Israeli sorties flown over Lebanon; Israeli armored column pushes to within 12 miles of Beirut; assault on Jiye power plant cuts electricity to Beirut.

Two Syrian jets shot down over northern Israel, .2 in northern Lebanon; Israeli jets bomb and strafe Syrian positions at jezzine, east of Sidon (at least 5 Syrian soldiers killed); fierce battles fought with Israeli jets over Beirut; Syrian peacekeeping units in Beirut move equipment and ammunition to positions guarding highways to Bekaa valley.

PLO units resist in heavy fighting in Tyre and Sidon and at Saadiyat, 12 miles south of Beirut; Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) says 45,000 Israeli troops involved apd 400 killed since the invasion began; claim 45 Israeli tanks and 45 armored cars knocked out; personal security headquarters for Arafat reported hit; PLO accuses UNIFIL of "collaboration" with Israel in failing to counter invasion; Lebanese National Move-ment militias take positions near seafront to guard against Israeli invasion of Beirut.

Casualties:

Apartment buildings and structures at Arab University hit, hospitals report at least 60 wounded; refugees stream into Beirut; electricity cut off to Beirut; Israelis estimate Palestinian casualties at 2500; radio reports say hundreds of bodies litter streets of Sidon; fierce firefight on edge of Sidon reported, as fires rage on hillsides. Israel reports 25 killed, 7 missing, 1 captured, 96 wounded; PLO estimates Israeli casualties at 400.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: Begin turns over Beaufort Castle to Major Haddad, meets with Habib, rejects US call for restraint; Army Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan says taking of Beaufort Castle pushes guerrillas out of range of all Galilee settlements except near Golan Heights; blackout on news of troop movements maintained; Foreign Minister Shamir says Israeli aims go beyond pushing the PLO away from the border to "the PLO's final destruction as a terrorist and political factor"; Israel reportedly pressuring Haddad and the Phalange to join in attacks on the PLO (Bashir Gemayel resists); Peres and Rabin (Labor Party) meet with Begin over remarks of Sharon, and Peres calls for speedy end to the conflict; Mapam demands a halt to Israeli air attacks and a return to the cease-fire; Knesset meets to consider no-confidence motion introduced by Democratic Front for Peace & Equality; 60 left-wing students demonstrate near prime minister's of-fice; 150 march to Mt. Scopus campus. Israeli military police tighten border patrols to prevent goods looted from Lebanese homes coming into Israel.

Palestinians/Lebanese: PLO accuses UNIFIL of "collaboration" with Israelis; Bashir Gemayel resists Israeli pressure to attack PLO; WAFA reports Israeli troops number 60,000.

Arab Governments: High-level Iranian delegation, including heads of Iranian army and revolutionary guards, visits Syria.

US: Pentagon sends 5 US warships to the eastern Mediterranean in case the 4,000 Americans in Lebanon need to be evacuated.

UN: UN resolution calls for unconditional and immediate Israeli withdrawal and an end to all military activity within Lebanon and across its border with Israel (Israel's Ambas-sador says Israel will not comply); ABC reports UNIFIL officer received orders from UN headquarters not to resist Israeli forces.