The Israeli cabinet releases a statement saying that "in the absence of agreed-upon changes, the countdown for implementation of the [Wye] agreement will begin on September 1." Arafat welcomes...
Rep. Gephardt nominates 2d Arab American, Juliette Kayyem, to U.S. panel on terrorism. Kayyem is Christian, whereas the previous candidate, Marayati, was Muslim. (NYT 7/31; MM 8/6; WJW 8/12) (see...
Israeli PM Barak meets with Arafat at Erez crossing to discuss Wye implementation, allay Palestinian fears that Israel will prioritize talks with Syria over negotiations with the PA. Barak asks...
Arab Liberation Front, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Fatah, FIDA, Palestinian Liberation Front, Palestinian People' Party (PPP), Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF...
Arafat goes to Cairo to discuss with Pres. Mubarak the outstanding issues blocking an agmt. with Israel on Wye implementation. After Arafat leaves, Egyptian FM `Amr Musa phones French FM Hubert Vedrine to brief him on the peace process. (NYT 8/31; MENA 8/31 in WNC 9/1)
Jordan issues arrest warrants for 4 senior Hamas officials (Ibrahim Ghawshah, Musa Abu Marzuq, Khalid Mishal, Muhammad Nazzal). Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Ahmad Yasin condemns Jordan's crackdown on Hamas as appeasement of Israel, the U.S. in advance of Secy. of State Albright's visit to the region. (AFP 8/31 in WNC 9/1; WP, WT 9/1; JT, SA 9/1 in WNC 9/2; Tehran Times 9/1, AFP, QA 9/2 in WNC 9/3; AYM 9/1, 9/2, 9/4, al-Sabil 9/7 in WNC 9/8; MM 9/2; MEI 9/3; QA, SA 9/3 in WNC 9/7; MM 9/6; QA 9/8 in WNC 9/9; WJW 9/9; SA 9/10 in WNC 9/13)
PLO Exec. Comm. convenes national unity mtg. in Ramallah, attended by reps. of the Arab Liberation Front (ALF), DFLP, Fatah, FIDA, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Hamas, Islamic Jihad do not attend. PFLP urges PA to halt negotiations with Israel. DFLP recommends that all groups agree on "red lines" that the PA would not cross in final status negotiations. (AYM 9/1 in WNC 9/8; al-Istiqlal 9/2 in WNC 9/9; al-Ra'i 9/5 in WNC 9/7) (see 8/28)
In s. Lebanon, Amal shells an SLA post, wounding 1 SLA mbr. (RL 8/31 in WNC 9/1)
The Israeli cabinet releases a statement saying that "in the absence of agreed-upon changes, the countdown for implementation of the [Wye] agreement will begin on September 1." Arafat welcomes Israel's plan to resume implementation in 9/99, but still does not approve of Barak's plan to draw out the Wye schedule. (CSM, MM, WT 8/9; CSM 8/10)
At the request of Israeli PM Barak and after consulting with Arafat and Asad, Secy. of State Albright postpones her trip to the Middle East, which was to start next wk. (IDF Radio 8/8 in WNC 8/9; MM, WP, WT 8/9; MM, NYT, WP 8/10; WJW 8/12; JP 8/13) (see 8/6)
Shaykh Hamad Bin-Khalifa al-Thani, emir of Qatar, meets with Arafat in Gaza, making him the 1st Gulf leader to visit the occupied territories since the PA was established. The emir is on a regional tour, which will also take him to Lebanon (8/8-9), Algeria (8/9-10), Morocco (8/11). (RL 8/8 in WNC 8/9; al-Quds 8/9, MAP [Rabat], TT 8/11 in WNC 8/13)
In Damascus, the PFLP briefs 8 Syrian-based opposition groups on its reconciliation talks with Arafat in Cairo 8/1-2; some groups recommend halting contacts with the PFLP if it holds further mtgs. Fatah, the PA. DFLP is not invited to the briefing; it has been banned fr. opposition mtgs. since Nayif Hawatimah shook hands with Israeli pres. Weizman at King Hussein's funeral in 2/99. (AFP, MBC, 8/9 in WNC 8/10) (see 8/6)
IDF lifts curfew on Palestinians in the Israeli-controlled sector of Hebron. (LAW 8/8) (see 8/4)
PA announces that it has arrested 3 Hamas leaders in Gaza. Israel has pressured the PA to crack down on Hamas since the Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for shooting 2 Jewish settlers in Hebron on 8/3. (WP 8/9) (see 8/7)
Rep. Gephardt nominates 2d Arab American, Juliette Kayyem, to U.S. panel on terrorism. Kayyem is Christian, whereas the previous candidate, Marayati, was Muslim. (NYT 7/31; MM 8/6; WJW 8/12) (see 7/8)
Habash convenes the PFLP Political Bureau in Amman to discuss a PFLP Central Comm. paper on possible dialogue with the PA. (WA 7/30 in WNC 8/2) (see 7/27)
Amal attacks an SLA post in s. Lebanon, injuring 2 SLA mbrs. (RL 7/30, 7/31 in WNC 8/2)
Israeli PM Barak meets with Arafat at Erez crossing to discuss Wye implementation, allay Palestinian fears that Israel will prioritize talks with Syria over negotiations with the PA. Barak asks Arafat to delay implementation of Wye FRDs until a final status agmt. is close to completion, but says he would implement Wye as signed if the PA objects. Arafat says he prefers Wye to be implemented in full as soon as possible, but agrees to Barak's request to have a PA-Israeli comm. examine ideas for a delay over the next 2 wks. before giving a final answer. (MM 7/27; MA, QA 7/27 in WNC 7/28; CSM, MM, NYT, WP 7/28; MENA 7/27, MENA, RMC, SA 7/28 in WNC 7/29; al-Quds, QA 7/29 in WNC 7/30; CSM 7/29; AYM 7/29 in WNC 8/2; MEI 7/30; JP, MM 8/6; MEI 8/20)
Israel, the PA agree to begin work on a joint industrial park, modelled on Gaza's Qarni industrial zone, to be located along the Israel-West Bank border in Jinin. (WT 7/28)
Georgia, Israel sign a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation. (Radio Tbilisi 7/27 in WNC 7/28)
Israel, Uganda sign an agmt. to expand economic relations. (Radio Uganda 7/27 in WNC 7/29)
Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, awards Hillary Clinton, who is considering a run for New York's Senate seat, its highest honor for humanitarian service. Some Hadassah mbrs. protest the decision to honor Clinton, given her statements in 5/98 in favor of a Palestinian state. (WP, WT 7/27; WT 7/28; WJW 7/29; see also WJW 7/15; WJW 8/5)
After 2 days of talks in Damascus, the PFLP Central Comm. recommends accepting Fatah's invitation to engage in national unity talks. (al-Dustur 7/27 in WNC 7/28) (see 7/24)
Hamas says it is not opposed to taking part in national unity talks with the PA, but says it will not take part in final status talks, since doing so would imply Hamas accepts the Oslo process. (al-Dustur 7/27 in WNC 7/28)
Arab Liberation Front, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Fatah, FIDA, Palestinian Liberation Front, Palestinian People' Party (PPP), Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF), Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hold unity mtg. in Ramallah, call on PA to hold municipal elections before the end of the yr., urge Palestinians to confront Israeli settlement construction. (HJ 6/10 in WNC 6/14)
Israeli mayor of Jerusalem Ehud Olmert announces bid to lead the Likud party. Other contenders to replace Netanyahu as party head are outgoing FM Sharon, outgoing Finance M Meir Shitreet. (WP, WT 6/9; MM 6/10; JP 6/18; MM 6/30)
Israel, the U.S. call on Iran to immediate release of 13 Iranian Jews who have been jailed since 4/99 on charges of spying for Israel. (MM 6/8; MM, NYT, WT 6/9; IRIB Television, IRNA, TT 6/9 in WNC 6/10; NYT 6/10; WT 6/11, 6/13; JP, MEI, NYT 6/18; GIU, WP 6/22; WP 6/23, 6/29; IRNA 6/30 in WNC 7/1; WJW 7/1; WP 7/3)
In an unprecedented attack, unidentified gunmen open fire on a Lebanese courtroom in Sidon, killing 3 judges, a prosecutor, wounding 5 others, but not freeing any of the defendants in the room. (NYT, WP, WT 6/9; RL, al-Safir 6/9 in WNC 6/10; NYT 6/11; RL 6/11 in WNC 6/14; al-Riyad, Tishrin 6/12 in WNC 6/15; al-Thawra 6/12 in WNC 6/16; MM 6/14; MEI 6/18, 7/16) (see 5/24)
