The Palestine Chronology

Anticipating protests following Friday prayers, Israel seals the West Bank and Gaza, allows plain clothes PA police to deploy in the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount to form a cordon to prevent Palestinians fr. throwing stones. The PA police, Waqf officials largely succeed in restraining the crowd, but when a handful of the 8,000 Palestinian worshipers do throw rocks, Israeli forces open fire, killing 2 Palestinians, wounding 60. At sundown IDF troops raid the Haram al-Sharif to chase off Palestinians, lower a Palestinian flag. In total, 9 Palestinians are killed, 450 injured during the day; a 10th dies of wounds received earlier. (AP, JP [Internet], LAW, MM 10/6; MENA 10/6, IRNA, TT 10/7 in WNC 10/10; NYT, WP, WT 10/7; AYM 10/7 in WNC 10/12)

The largest rally in support of the Palestinians is held in Amman, where 30,000 Jordanians, Palestinians attempt to march on the Israeli emb. but are dispersed by Jordanian police firing tear gas. In Baqa` camp, Jordanian police fire on 2,000 Palestinian demonstrators, killing 1, injuring at least 50. The incidents prompt the government to ban public protests. In Damascus, Syrian police use tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to march to the U.S. emb. In Tunis, Arafat, Pres. Zine Abidine Ben Ali participate in a rally attended by 10,000 Tunisians. Crowds also demonstrate in Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Oman, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Yemen, as well as in Berlin, Canberra, Geneva, the Hague, London, Prague, Reykjavik, and Vienna. In Canada, rallies are held in Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, and Windsor. In the U.S., protests are staged in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dearborn, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Ottawa, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Tampa, Washington. (BBC, MM, REU, UPI 10/6; AFP, CTK [Prague], EFE [Madrid] 10/6, JT 10/8 in WNC 10/10; Toronto Star, WP, WT 10/7; al-Quds 10/7, AFP 10/11 in WNC 10/12; REU 10/8; WP 10/10; MM 10/11; Daily Star 10/12 in WNC 10/13; MEI 10/13; SA 10/16 in WNC 10/18; Le Monde 11/7 in WNC 11/8)

The UNGA passes (134-3, with 11 abstentions) a resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction. (NYT, WT 4/26; ITV 4/26, SANA 4/27 in WNC 4/29; MM 4/28, 4/29; MEI 5/2)

In New York, Hamas political leader Abu Marzuq signs an agmt. that he will not contest the terrorism charges against him, will give up his residency status; in return, the U.S. will drop exclusion proceedings, release him to Jordan, which has agreed to grant him asylum. (AFP, RJ 4/30 in WNC 5/1; NYT, WP 5/1; NYT 5/2; WP 5/9) (see 4/22)

Israeli police find bodies of 2 Israeli women in a West Bank nature reserve nr. Jerusalem, suspect Palestinian assailants, but offer no proof. (WP 4/26; MM 4/28; WJW 5/1; JP 5/10)

Israeli court extends by 10 days the remand of businessman Manbar while it considers whether to charge him with selling arms to Iran. (ITV 4/25 in WNC 4/28) (see 3/27)

For 3d time, Iraq violates the U.S. no-fly zone to ferry pilgrims fr. Saudi Arabia to Iraq. (WP 4/26; CSM, MEI 5/2) (see 4/23)

In Miami, Palestinian refugee fr. Lebanon who hijacked an Iberian plane fr. Madrid to Miami on 7/26/96 is found guilty of federal air piracy charges, will be sentenced 8/11/97. (WT 4/26) (see also 7/30/96)

2 IDF soldiers are wounded by mortar fire nr. the Israeli, s. Lebanon border. IDF claims soldiers were hit while in Israeli territory; Lebanon, SLA claim soldiers were in s. Lebanon. (MM 4/25; RL 4/26 in WNC 4/29)