The Palestine Chronology

Georgian Pres. Eduard Shevardnaze meet with Pres. Weizman, PM Rabin, says Georgia will open embassy in Jerusalem before end of the yr. (QY 6/18, 6/19 in FBIS 6/19)

Russian Dep. FM Posuvalyuk meets with King Hussein in Amman, discusses peace process. (RJ 6/18 in FBIS 6/19)

FM Peres, DM Mordechi Gur brief Irish FM Spring on status of Jerusalem, Israeli relations with Lebanon, Syria; try to dissuade him fr. visiting Palestinian officials at Orient House. Spring then meets with Arafat in Gaza. (ITV, QY 6/18, HA 6/19 in FBIS 6/19; MM 6/19; IGPO 6/19 in FBIS 6/20)

David Levy, who quit Likud on 6/6, announces he will run for PM as head of his own party, tentatively called New Way. Party should have strong pull with pro-Likud North African, Arab Jews. (MM, NYT 6/19; QY 6/18, MA 6/19 in FBIS 6/19; MM 6/20; CSM 6/27)

IDF stops settlers fr. building road nr. Hashmona'im settlement. (IDF Radio 6/18 in FBIS 6/20)

Hizballah ambushes IDF patrol in s. Lebanon, killing 3 soldiers, wounding 7, losing 2 of their own. IDF shells Nabatiyya area in response, killing 1 Lebanese civilian. (QY 6/18, HA 6/19 in FBIS 6/19; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/19; BT 6/29; JP 6/24)

PA rejects an Israeli redeployment deal that would divide West Bank into 3 zones: Zone A (Palestinian cities), Zone C (Israeli settlements, military installations), and Zone B (btwn. A and C, incl. Palestinian villages, camps). Israel would redeploy fr. Zone A only, be responsible for security in Zones B and C. PA would be left with control over 15% of West Bank. (JP 6/17; MENA 6/22 in FBIS 6/23; JT 6/28 in FBIS 6/28)

Irish FM Dick Spring arrives in Israel on 1st official visit by Irish FM. (QY 6/18 in FBIS 6/19)

6,000 Palestinian prisoners begin hunger strike for their release fr. Israeli jails. Arafat takes part. (WT 6/18; VOP 6/17, AFP, QY, VOP 6/18 in FBIS 6/19; MM, NYT 6/19; CSM 6/21; MEI 6/23; MEI 7/21)