The Palestine Chronology

Firmly in control of Gaza, Hamas declares amnesty for Fatah leaders, except National Security Advisor (NSA) Dahlan, with the aim of quelling violence, releasing several of the 10 senior Fatah political security officials captured earlier in the day; orders all mbrs. of the PA security forces in Gaza to continue to report for duty to provide law and order, albeit under Hamas cmdrs. Hamas also calls for the immediate release of kidnapped BBC correspondent Johnston. With fighting suspended, Palestinian crowds loot abandoned Fatah buildings, targeting in particular Dahlan’s home and Abbas’s presidential compound; Hamas mbrs. surround and prevent looting at Abbas’s Gaza residence. Some violence persists, with a Fatah mbr. thrown to his death from a high building by the family of a man he killed earlier; a Fatah security official commits suicide after learning that he was on a Hamas wanted list. Meanwhile, Egypt reinforces its forces on the border with Gaza with riot police, APCs, and water cannons, fearing that Palestinians will attempt to flee Gaza for Egypt en masse at the first opportunity. Israel temporarily opens the Erez crossing to allow Fatah officials to escape Gaza for Ramallah. In the West Bank, Abbas names Finance M Salam al-Fayyad as his new PM, charging him with forming a government; issues a presidential decree suspending articles of the Basic Law (the interim Palestinian constitution) requiring the new government to receive a vote of confidence from the PC (currently controlled by the Hamas-affiliated Change and Reform party). Fatah-Hamas tensions remain high in the West Bank, where heavily armed Fatah mbrs. patrol in Ramallah in a show of force; Fatah mbrs. ransack Change and Reform offices, Hamas-run charity organizations in several cities; kidnap at least 9 Hamas mbrs. AMB mbrs. fatally shoot a Hamas mbr. in Nablus. Inside Israel, the Israel Prisons Service separates Fatah, Hamas detainees to prevent rioting. Meanwhile, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches, patrols in villages around Jenin, firing on residential areas, causing no injuries. In Gaza, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches in Dayr al-Balah; fires rubber-coated steel bullets, percussion grenades, tear gas at Palestinian, Israeli, international activists attending weekly nonviolent demonstrations against the separation wall in Bil‘in, injuring 2. (AP, HA, WP, QA 6/15; NYT, WP, WT 6/16; Interfax 6/16 in WNC 6/17; PCHR 6/21; NYT 7/9)

PA negotiators Erakat, Dahlan leave for New York for 2-days of consultations with the U.S. peace team and Israeli negotiators Ben-Ami, Sher. (AYM 9/14 in WNC 9/18)

In Washington, Ben-Ami briefs U.S. National Security Adviser (NSA) Sandy Berger, the Senate minority and majority leaders, the House International Relations Comm. on the latest developments in the PA-Israeli peace process; calls for upgrading U.S.-Israeli strategic ties, which he stresses should not be conditional on progress on talks with the PA. (MM, WT 9/13; AYM 9/13, Globes 9/14 in WNC 9/18; MM, WP 9/14; MM 9/15, 9/25)

In Gaza, a dispute btwn. rival Fatah factions erupts into a demonstrations, stone-throwing. (NYT 9/14; SA 9/14 in WNC 9/18; SA 9/17 in WNC 9/26)

Nr. Netzarim settlement in Gaza, IDF soldiers, PA police disperse Palestinians throwing stones at passing settler vehicles. No one is injured; 1 car is damaged. (VOI 9/13 in WNC 9/18)

In Gaza, the PLO Central Council (PCC) opens debate on statehood declaration, with 96 of 124 mbrs. attending. Arafat opens the mtg. by affirming Palestinians' right to independence, but recommending against declaring a state on 5/4. Hamas sends a 4 mbr. observer group led by Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, marking 1st time it has participated in a PLO mtg.; the move is criticized by Hamas political leaders in Jordan. Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine boycott. (MM 4/27; AFP, IDF Radio, JT 4/27 in WNC 4/28; MM, NYT, WP, WT 4/28; IDF Radio, MBC 4/28 in WNC 4/29; al-Ayyam 4/28, 4/29 in WNC 5/3; PR 4/30; MEI 5/7; al-Istiqlal 5/7 in WNC 5/17; CSM 5/17)

In Nablus, 1,000 Fatah mbrs. march in support of a statehood declaration on 5/4. (WT 4/28)

A Palestinian arrested by Israeli police on burglary charges on 4/27 is admitted to a Tel Aviv hospital having been beaten so severely that one of his kidneys stopped functioning. (Reuters [Internet] 5/6)

Without explanation, the GIS orders the Hamas weekly newspaper al-Risala closed "until further notice." Under pressure fr. unnamed PA officials, the paper is allowed to reopen several hrs. later. (AFP 4/27 in WNC 4/28; al-Hayat al-Jadida 4/29 in WNC 5/3; PR 4/30)

In Geneva, the UN Human Rights Commission passes (52-1) a resolution reaffirming the Palestinians' right to self-determination, right to return. The U.S. votes against. (ADC press release 4/28; Xinhua 4/28 in WNC 4/29; Prime Minister's Report 4/30) (see 4/23)

Israel claims that the PA has released 3 Hamas prisoners involved in attacks in which Israelis were killed. PA, Hamas deny the story. (IDF Radio 4/27 in WNC 4/28; NYT, WP 4/28; al-Ayyam 4/28 in WNC 4/29; PR 4/30; JP 5/7)

In Washington, Israeli DM Moshe Arens meets with Secy. of State Albright, NSA Berger, Secy. of Defense Cohen for talks on Arrow missile program, Israeli receipt of 60 new F-16D fighters, regional issues. Albright, Berger criticize Israeli settlement policy. (USIS Washington File 4/27; MM 4/28; IDF Radio, MA 5/3 in WNC 5/4; WJW 5/6; JP, MEI 5/7)

Lebanese security personnel arrest an Israeli woman, Mary Vizeman, on suspicion of spying after she is found in Tyre without a passport. Vizeman, who speaks Arabic well, claims that she came fr. Nazareth to visit a friend in Beirut. (VOL 4/28 in WNC 4/29; JP 5/7)

Hizballah attempts to capture 2 IDF/SLA posts in s. Lebanon, wounding 8 IDF soldiers, 3 SLA mbrs. IDF shells Hizballah targets in response, wounding 2 civilians. (VOL 4/27 in WNC 4/28; MM 4/28)