The Palestine Chronology

Reps. of Israel, PLO, and donor countries hold talks in Oslo on creation and funding of Palestinian police force. PLO official Nabil Shaath says $100 m. needed for task. (MM 12/21)

UNGA passes resolution supporting peace process and calling for Israeli withdrawal fr. "the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and fr. the other occupied Arab territories." Resolution, which calls settlements "illegal and an obstacle to peace," adopted by vote of 92 for and 5 against, with 51 abstentions. (MM 12/21)

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Monsignor Michel Sabbah, in interview, urges Israel to "rethink" position on sovereignty over Jerusalem, free Hamas leader Shaykh Ahmad Yasin as a goodwill gesture. (MM 12/20; WT 12/21)

Israeli govt. official confirms that govt. intends to annex "several hundred" dunums of West Bank land to extend Givat Ze'ev settlement toward Jerusalem. Settlers' council says 136,415 Israelis live in o.t. (MM 12/21)

Fateh Uprising, in statement fr. Damascus, warns Christian pilgrims they may not be safe if they visit Jerusalem or other holy sites in o.t. during Christmaseason. (AFP 12/20 in FBIS 12/21; WT 12/21)

3 Hamas mbrs. returned fr. exile 12/15- 'Abd al-'Aziz Rantisi, 'Abd Allah Dukan, and Muhammad Sham'a-placed under administrative detention for 6 mos. (Qol Yisra'el 12/20 in FBIS 12/21)

Israeli cabinet endorses PM Rabin's 3/30 decision to seal o.t. indefinitely and sharply reduce number of Palestinian workers in Israel, deciding weekly how many to admit (7,000 "essential" permits approved today). Training programs are approved to replace 20,000 Palestinians with Israelis. (Qol Yisra'el 4/11 in FBIS 4/12; WP 4/12; MM 4/13)

Israel approves 1993 o.t. development budget of NIS 450m ($164m), nearly 4 times the 1992 budget. NIS 140m will be spent immediately, with new work starting 4/18. CIVAD demands yearly increase of NIS 300m. (Al Hamishmar 4/13 in FBIS 4/13; JP 4/24)

Deportees spokesman 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Rantisi calls Faisal Husseini an "outright traitor" for his 4/10 statement on deportees issue. (WT 4/12)

Davar reports EC has approved Israel's "observer" status. (FBIS 4/13)

PM Rabin says that if the PLO and Hamas announce a complete halt to the intifada and pass a 9-month test-period of calm he would begin allowing back the deportees at a rate of 100/month. Hanan Ashrawi terms the offer "unfeasible." (IDF Radio 1/1 in FBIS 1/4)

Lebanon rejects 12/31 Israeli proposal to allow the 10 mistakenly deported Palestinians to return to Israel through Lebanese-controlled crossing points. Lebanon says they must return the way they came, via Zumayriyya, which has been closed and mined by Israel and the SLA. (AFP 1/1 in FBIS 1/4)

Deportees spokesman 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Rantisi welcomes French proposal to put UNIFIL in provisional care of the deportees, as long as it is a temporary solution until UNSCR 799 is implemented. (Radio Lebanon 12/31 in FBIS 1/4)

PM Rabin tells Red Cross officials that Israel will allow passage of relief to the deportees only if Lebanon does also. (AFP 1/1, Qol Yisra'el 1/2 in FBIS 1/4)

Dahaf Institute poll of 523 Jewish Israelis finds 68% feel Israel should not allow a Red Cross convoy of supplies to pass through the "security zone," 32% feel passage should be allowed. 47% feel Israel should agree to PLO participation in peace talks, 53% oppose. (Yedi'ot Aharonot 1/1 in FBIS 1/4)

Demonstrations throughout o.t. mark Fateh Day. (MM 1/1)