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  • October 12, 2000

    Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate again. In Ramallah, 2 IDF reservists--"at least partially in uniform," driving a private vehicle, most likely armed--stray deep into area A, cross paths with a...

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  • August 7, 2000

    VP Al Gore selects Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, who drafted the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act, as his running mate for the presidential elections. Lieberman, who is Orthodox, is...

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  • September 15, 1995

    In Gaza, Arafat meets with South African FM Alfred Nzo, asks South Africa to pressure Israel on Palestinians' right to self-determination, signs cooperation agmt. (VOP 9/15 in FBIS 9/18)

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  • May 8, 1986

    Social/Economic/Political

    Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops and police halt an effort by about 100 ultranationalist Israelis to etablish an unauthorized settlement in the occupied...

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Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate again. In Ramallah, 2 IDF reservists--"at least partially in uniform," driving a private vehicle, most likely armed--stray deep into area A, cross paths with a funeral procession. The crowd, assuming the soldiers are on an undercover operation, attack them and set their car afire. (Some reports say a body burned beyond recognition, possibly a 3d IDF soldier, is found in the vehicle.) PA police intervene and take the 2 reservists into protective custody, removing them to a nearby police station. When news of the incident spreads, 1,000s of Palestinians descend on the station (manned by 21 officers), break in, and kill the soldiers, injuring 15 policemen in the process. Declaring that the PA has "crossed the line," Barak seals borders with Egypt and Jordan, authorizes IDF air strikes against Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah and Gaza, the Palestinian Broadcasting Center in Ramallah, the Gaza port, various PA police stations, including those in Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah. When the strikes occur, Arafat is in his Gaza office waiting for CIA Dir. Tenet to arrive to discuss the possibility of convening the U.S.-Israeli-PA trilateral security comm. (formed in 1998) to explore ways of halting the violence. Neither Arafat nor Tenet is injured, but 43 Palestinians are wounded. In Gaza City, Palestinians pack belongings into cars, prepare to flee. In Jericho, Palestinians set fire to a 6th-century synagogue. Jewish settlers attack, fire on Palestinian cars nr. Bethlehem, Jinin. In retaliation, IDF helicopters fire rockets at the PA police academy in Jericho. During the Israeli air strikes, the PA releases around 60 Hamas, Islamic Jihad prisoners for their safety. (ADM, AP, LAW, MM, NYT 10/12; ATL, AYM, IRNA, LPA, MENA, XIN 10/12 in WNC 10/13; MENA, XIN 10/12, SA 10/13 in WNC 10/16; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/13; WP, WT 10/14; MENA 10/16 in WNC 10/17; WJW 10/19; JP 10/20; MEI 10/27; MA 11/6 in WNC 11/9)

In Yemen's port of Aden, a small, explosive-laden boat rams the USS Cole, an Aegis destroyer in port for refueling, killing 17 U.S. servicemen, injuring 35. (AP, MM 10/12; AFP [Internet], CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/13; NYT, WP, WT 10/14, 10/15, 10/16; MEI 10/27)

In the U.S., the primary concern of the public, government, and media is the attack on the USS Cole, while Israel's attacks on the Palestinian infrastructure, PA offices are viewed as a limited military response to the death of Israeli soldiers in PA custody, if not at the hands of the PA. Clinton, Albright express outrage over the murder, call on both sides to halt the violence. Clinton says he appreciates Palestinian frustration, but "there can be no possible justification for mob violence." 96 senators send Clinton a letter urging him to express solidarity with Israel "at this critical moment." (NYT, WP, WT 10/13; MEI, MM 10/27; MEI 11/10) (see Doc. D4)

Mubarak invites Arafat, Barak, Clinton to Sharm al-Shaykh for a summit. Mubarak also meets with King Abdallah of Jordan on the escalating crisis, upcoming Arab summit. (MENA 10/12 in WNC 10/13; MM, NYT, WP 10/13)

In Biarritz, France, Pres. Chirac convenes an emergency EU mtg. to discuss the escalation of Israeli-Palestinian violence, implores both sides to halt the fighting. (MM 10/13; AFP, EFE [Madrid] 10/13 in WNC 10/16; WP 10/14; SA 10/15 in WNC 10/17)

UN Secy.-Gen. Annan, in Lebanon to discuss the Hizballah kidnapping of 3 IDF soldiers, cuts short his visit, returns to Israel to try to calm the situation. (WP 10/13)

The Arab League denounces the Israel air strikes, warns that "all options" are open to the Arab world if the escalation continues. In Cairo, angry crowds march through the streets demanding Egypt take military action against Israel. In Beirut, demonstrations break out on university campuses. Elsewhere in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria--including in the Palestinian camps--the streets are quiet; the governments release no official statements on events but heighten visibility of police, military. Anti-Israeli, anti-U.S. demonstrations are noted in Indonesia, South Africa. In the U.S., demonstrations are held in Boston, Dearborn, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh, San Diego, Washington. In France, numerous acts of anti-Jewish vandalism, including attacks on synagogues, are noted in Lille, Paris, Rouen. (AP 10/12; AFP [Internet], WP 10/13; JT 10/13 in WNC 10/16; WP 10/14)

At the UN, U.S. Amb. Holbrooke warns Arab, nonaligned diplomats they may "jeopardize" relations with the U.S. if they push for a special session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to censure Israel, for a UNSC res. calling on Israel to cease hostilities. (TT 10/12 in WNC 10/13; MM 10/13; NYT, WP 10/14)

VP Al Gore selects Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, who drafted the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act, as his running mate for the presidential elections. Lieberman, who is Orthodox, is the 1st Jew to be selected to run on a national ticket for a major party. (CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/8; MM, WT 8/9; WJW 8/10)

A day after formally taking over the FMin. portfolio fr. Levy, who quit on 8/2, PM Barak withdraws Israel's envoys to Britain, France, South Africa because they are Levy loyalists and recalls the Israeli envoy to Switzerland who is a mbr. of NRP, which quit the coalition on 7/9. (JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WT 8/8; MM 8/9)

IDF soldiers fire across the border with Lebanon at youths throwing stones, bottles at them. 1 youth, 2 journalists are wounded. (NYT 8/8; WJW 8/10)

Palestinians in Dura al-Qari' village receive a military order for the confiscation of 9 dunams of their land. Jewish settlers have made repeated attempts over the past 25 yrs. to grab the same plot. (LAW 8/10)

In Gaza, Arafat meets with South African FM Alfred Nzo, asks South Africa to pressure Israel on Palestinians' right to self-determination, signs cooperation agmt. (VOP 9/15 in FBIS 9/18)

Widespread clashes between Palestinians, IDF continue in Hebron. (NYT, WT 9/16; CSM 9/18)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops and police halt an effort by about 100 ultranationalist Israelis to etablish an unauthorized settlement in the occupied Gaza Strip near Tal Sultan [CSM 5/9].

Other Countries: West African state of Gabon and the PLO have announced they will establish diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level [JP 5/8]. A shipment of 50 U.S. Stinger ground-to-air missiles clandestinely bound for South Africa disappeared during shipment from Europe last year and was diverted to Libya, Syria, and Iran, according to sources close to the arms trade [BG 5/8]. An appeals court in Genoa, Italy upholds convictions of 3 Palestinians accused of hijacking the Achille Lauro last fall; court reduced some of the sentences and ordered that the fourth defendant, who was a minor at the time of the incident, be retried in a juvenile court [NYT 5/9].