The Palestine Chronology

PM Netanyahu meets with his security cabinet to discuss upcoming Washington talks; for the 1st time presents Ms with 2 2d FRD maps. (ITV 10/8 in WNC 10/14; NYT 10/10)

U.S. envoy Ross, Palestinian-Israeli Steering and Monitoring Comm. (PISMC) heads Saeb Erakat and Dani Nave discuss security at Gaza airport. (ITV 10/8 in WNC 10/14)

U.S. Asst. Secy. Indyk phones Syrian FM Shara` fr. Cairo to discuss crisis btwn. Syria, Turkey. Shara` calls on the U.S. to adopt a clear stand, back mediation efforts. Indyk publicly calls on Turkey to exercise self-restraint, then heads to Jordan to brief Crown Prince Hassan on Albright trip. (MENA 10/8 in WNC 10/9; SATN 10/8, RJ 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In Moscow, Arafat briefs Russian Pres. Boris Yeltsin, PM Yevgeny Primakov, Duma Chmn. Gennady Seleznev on his recent mtgs. with Pres. Clinton, Secy. Albright. (Interfax, ITAR-TASS 10/8 in WNC 10/14)

Iran reports clash with Taliban troops along the border with Afghanistan, marking the 1st significant military incident in their 2-mo.-old standoff. Taliban denies any clash took place. 270,000 Iranian troops are facing 10,000 Taliban troops along the border. (NYT, WP, WT 10/9; MEI 10/16) (see 9/12)

Iranian FM Kharrazi arrives in Syria for talks with senior officials on lowering tensions with Turkey. (IRNA, SANA 10/8 in WNC 10/9; MM 10/9; IRNA, SANA 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In a ceremony attended by Israeli mayor of Jerusalem Ehud Olmert and 50 mbrs. of the Ateret Cohanim settler group, 3 Jewish settler families move into a home in East Jerusalem. Israel also announces that 150 new housing units will be added to Ma'ale Mikhmas settlement nr. Ramallah. (AFP 10/9 [Internet])

In continuing clashes in Hebron, IDF troops open fire, killing a Palestinian protester, seriously wounding a news photographer, 20 other Palestinian protesters. (MM 10/8; CSM, NYT, PR, WT 10/9; WP 10/10; MEI, PR 10/16; JP 10/29)

In Luxembourg, EU FMs call for full, rapid implementation of trade cooperation agmt. with the PA, support European Commission's efforts to ensure that exports fr. Israeli settlements do not enter the EU with "Made in Israel" labels. (MEI 7/3) (see 5/20)

In Jerusalem, PM Netanyahu attends fundraiser for Ateret Cohanim settler group, expresses solidarity with settlers in East Jerusalem. Ateret Cohanim says that it will use the proceeds fr. the $200-a-plate dinner to take over more East Jerusalem properties. (MM 6/30; IDF Radio 6/30 in WNC 7/1; ITV 6/30 in WNC 7/2)

Israeli pres. Ezer Weizman says that since PM Netanyahu has dropped idea of holding national referendum on FRD (see 6/25), the only solution to the stalemated peace process is to call new elections; says that he will no longer perform missions on behalf of the PM. Netanyahu says he will not call elections, accuses Weizman of politicizing the traditionally ceremonial office of the president. (MM 6/29; IDF Radio, ITV 6/29 in WNC 6/30; CSM, NYT, WT 6/30; ITV 6/30 in WNC 7/2; JP 7/4)

Israeli FMin. legal adviser Alan Baker presents legal opinion that concludes that upgrading the PLO's status at the UN to that of a "superobserver" would not constitute a violation of the Oslo agmts. (MM 6/29; MA 6/29 in WNC 6/30)

Jordanian Planning M Rima Khalaf arrives in Kuwait for talks on improving bilateral relations. She is the 1st Jordanian minister to visit Kuwait since the Gulf War. (al-Dustur 6/28 in WNC 6/30; Petra-JNA 6/29, JT, SA 6/30 in WNC 7/1; JT 7/1 in WNC 7/2)

Hizballah, SLA clash in s. Lebanon, leaving 2 SLA mbrs. dead. In a separate incident in s. Lebanon, 2 civilians are injured by Israeli shelling. (RL 6/29 in WNC 6/30; RL 6/30 in WNC 7/1)

In a predawn operation carried out with Israeli police protection, Jewish settlers affiliated with Elad take over 5 Palestinian apartments in 2 buildings, a plot of land in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem, fighting with Palestinians who try to stop them. Israeli police drag away 20 Peace Now mbrs. who arrive to protest the confiscation. (MM 6/8; LAW, NYT, WP, WT 6/9; JT 6/10 in WNC 6/11; PR 6/19, 7/3)

With Mayor Olmert's permission, Ateret Cohanim begins "archaeological dig" at same 2,000-sq.-m. plot of Palestinian land in East Jerusalem that it occupied 5/25. The same settlers evicted 5/26 are allowed back on the disputed site to work as "guards" and dig "volunteers." (WT 6/9; JT 6/10 in WNC 6/11; MM 6/11; JP 6/13; ITV 6/13 in WNC 6/17; LAW 6/16)

Israeli Education Min. Dir. Gen. Ben-Tziyon Dal recommends that the Israeli curriculum be enforced in East Jerusalem schools in order to block the Palestinian education system. (YA 6/8 in WNC 6/10)

Jordan rejects 2d request for Hamas's Shaykh Yasin to visit the kingdom. Fr. Amman, Hamas spokesman Ibrahim Ghawshah says that Iraq also rescinded an invitation to Yasin 4 days after it was extended, giving no explanation. (SA 6/9 in WNC 6/10; SA 6/14 in WNC 6/17) (see 5/25, 5/29)

Results of Lebanon's 3d round of municipal elections show supporters of PM Hariri, Speaker Nabih Birri winning 23 of 24 seats in Beirut. (WT 6/9; RL 6/9 in WNC 6/10; al-Hawadith 6/12 in WNC 7/13)

30 Jewish settlers from the Ateret Cohanim group accompanied by Israeli police and guard dogs evict a Palestinian woman fr. her rented home in East Jerusalem, lay foundations for 9 new buildings on adjacent 2,000-sq.-m. plot (apparently without permits). (IDF Radio 5/25 in WNC 5/27; LAW, NYT 5/26; MM, NYT 5/27; PR 5/29; ITV 6/3 in WNC 6/4; MEI 6/5; PR 7/3)

Arafat returns to Cairo to meet with Pres. Mubarak. (MENA 5/25 in WNC 5/27) (see 5/24)

Iran, Syria sign mining cooperation agmt. for development of phosphorus, ferrous mines in Syria. (IRNA 5/25 in WNC 5/27)

Jordan refuses to grant entry to Hamas's Shaykh Yasin, who planned to arrive 5/27. Meanwhile in Damascus, Yasin meets with Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) leader George Habash on ways to strengthen relations btwn. their groups. (AFP, MENA 5/25, AFP, RJ 5/26 in WNC 5/27; WT 5/26; al-Sabil 6/2 in WNC 6/3; MEI 6/5; JP 6/6; Shihan 6/6 in WNC 6/8) (see 5/24)

At the owner's request, PA security forces evict tenants of a Palestinian house in Ramallah and demolish the building, which has been the focus of a rent dispute. (Birzeit press release 5/25; JP 6/6)

In s. Lebanon, 1 Hizballah mbr. is killed, 1 SLA mbr. and 4 civilians are injured in several clashes. (VOL 5/25, RL 5/26 in WNC 5/27)