The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Responding to charges in U.S. Senate Intelligence Com. report, Defense Minister Rabin denies offering to ship Soviet arms to Nicaraguan contras [JP 2/7]. Employees of Jerusalem's financially troubled Arab Women's Federation, which runs schools and child care centers, begin general strike [FJ 2/6].

Arab World: The Los Angeles Times reports that Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite, who has not been seen since 1/20, is being detained by Hizballah in Lebanon [LAT 1/31]. Druze leader Jumblatt offers to trade places with Terry Waite if the envoy has been kidnapped [WP, BG 2/1].

Other Countries: Lisbon weekly Expresso reports that Portugal refused to aid U.S. and Israel ship arms to Iran [WP 1/31].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Jerusalem press conference, staff and student representatives of West Bank universities condemn closure of Najah Nat'l. U. (since 7/30/84). Military orders ban Gaza table tennis tournament (scheduled for 9/21).

Arab World: Portuguese & Eritrean labor delegations visit Chrmn. Arafat at Tunis HQ. PDR Yemen leader Ali Nasser Mohammed arrives in Damascus for talks with officials on PLO-Syria reconciliation.

Other Countries: Israel announces appointment of Benjamin Netanyahu as its amb. to UN.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 2nd anniversay of massacres at Sabra and Shatila camps; Israeli troops respond with tear gas to demonstrations in Jalazoun and Dheisheh camps. Israeli bus ambushed near Bethlehem, 5 Israelis, 2 Palestinians in nearby car injured; police search, impose curfew on Dheisheh camp & al-Khidr village. Arab World: IDF position near Jezzine shelled by Katyushas fired from south of Awali River.

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Karp report criticizing Israeli law enforcement practices toward Arabs in West Bank made public; report reveals Jewish settlers who kill West Bank Palestinians enjoy high degree of immunity from police investigation. Israeli gov't. announces no intention of intervening to salvage Gemayel presidency in Beirut, in spite of reported pleas from Phalange emissaries. Interior Ministry official attacks Jerusalem Mayor Kollek for accusing political motives behind gov't. refusal to approve 5 replacement generators for Arab-owned Jerusalem Electric Co. Spokesman for Council of Jewish Settlements ("Judea & Samaria") reveals IDF commander Aluf Ori Orr instructed settlers not to cooperate with civilian police after attacks on Arabs. PM Shamir and US amb. Lewis meet for urgent talks on LAF setback. Gaza-Majdal Road checkpoints withdrawn by Israel, thereby removing only visible demarkation of 1948 border.

Other Countries: US Pres. Reagan announces plan to withdraw Marines from Beirut to warships offshore. European Parliament Pres. Dankert, speaking to Knesset, suggests Israel coordinate efforts with Morocco and Tunisia to protect agricultural exports to Europe if Spain and Portugal admitted to EEC. 

Military Action:

Lebanese customs agents confiscate nearly $1m. worth of commercial and agricultural products, mainly smuggled from Israel, during first day of crackdown on illegal imports.

Casualties:

Lebanon carries out first state execution since 1972 by public hanging of man convicted of 1979 murder in Beirut; government gives UNRWA authorization to restore refugee camps to pre-June 1982 condition.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Jerusalem magistrate turns down police request to remand 8 yeshiva students arrested during fight yesterday with Arab residents of Muslim quarter, releases them on bail; Jewish-American immigrant who shot and killed guard while attempting to enter the Dome of the Rock on April 11, 1982, sentenced to life imprisonment, shouts "liquidate the Arabs" as he is led from courtroom.

US and Other Countries: ICRC recommends full inquiry into West Bank illnesses; Washington Post reveals that former Secretary of State Kissinger met secretly last November with member of PLO Executive Committee in Morocco; American Jewish Committee says UN Resolution 242, as applied to West Bank and Gaza, ought to lead to territorial compromise through negotiations; Socialist International congress begins in Portugal, Israeli Labor Party delegation headed by Shimon Peres lobbies to deny official recognition to PLO delegation headed by Issam Sartawi