The Palestine Chronology

Israel rejects PA proposal for Israel to hand over Tubas area to create geographic link with Jericho, joint patrol of Jericho-Tubas road as part of redeployment. (QY 6/2 in FBIS 6/5)

PLO Exec. Comm. closes 2-day meeting in Tunis, vows to fight Israeli land seizures, calls on international community to pressure Israel to meet 7/1 deadline on extending self-rule, gives Arafat mandate to continue negotiations. (VOP 6/3 in FBIS 6/5; WP, WT 6/4) (see 3/17)

Arafat announces that 3 senior PLO mbrs. will be returning to self-rule areas fr. Jordan in the next few wks to take over security operations: `Atallah `Atallah to head West Bank security; Mahmud al-Natur to head Force 17; 'Abbas Zaki to oversee Fatah operations. (MA 6/9 in FBIS 6/14)

IDF shells house in Hebron, killing Palestinian suspected of being a Hamas mbr. who killed several Israelis in West Bank. (QY 6/2 in FBIS 6/2; QY, VOP 6/2, QY 6/3 in FBIS 6/5; NYT 6/6; MEI 7/21)

Arafat meets with French Pres. François Mitterrand, FM Alain Juppé in Paris, calls on EU to pressure Israel to break impasse in talks. (WP, WT 2/21; MEI 3/3)

Arafat flies to Tunis to prepare for PLO Executive Comm. mtg. 2/21. In what is largely seen as snub to Arafat, no sr. PLO mbrs. meet him at airport; Mahmud Abbas leaves country hours before arrival; Faruq al-Qaddumi forces Arafat to come to his office for mtg. (WT 2/22; MM 2/28)

1,000 Palestinians are allowed to return to jobs in Israel. PM Rabin says 10,000 will eventually be allowed back in. (MM 2/2)

Israeli Atty. Gen. Mikhael Ben-Ya'ir confirms IDF reports Israeli undercover police have been carrying out joint patrols around Jericho with armed settlers for past 2 wks; says patrols exists, are a problem, but will continue. (IDF Radio 2/20 in FBIS 2/23; HA 2/27 in FBIS 2/28)

Israel's West Bank Border Police Cmdr. Yitzhak Aharonovitz says joint Israeli-PA patrols have assumed many IDF duties in Jenin, Nablus, Hebron, will soon be given responsibilities in Bethlehem, Tulkarm as part of separation plan being finalized by army. (JP 2/21 in FBIS 2/23)

Likud files no-confidence motion against Rabin government for deciding to ease closure on o.t. to reduce tension with PA, says it threatens Israeli security. (QY 2/20, JP 2/21 in FBIS 2/21; QY 2/22 in FBIS 2/23)