The Palestine Chronology

Arafat, Barak, Clinton, Mubarak, King Abdallah, the UN's Annan, the EU's Solana meet in Sharm al-Shaykh. Talks continue for 16 hrs., stretching past midnight, without success. A separate, very heated mtg. is held among Secy. of State Albright, Israel's acting FM Ben-Ami, the PA's Local Government M Erakat, Egyptian FM Musa to draft an outline of the rules of disengagement. (MM 10/16; ITAR-TASS, MENA, RL 10/16 in WNC 10/17; al-Quds 10/16, JT 10/17 in WNC 10/18; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/17; AYM 10/17 in WNC 10/9)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue at the same level of the past few days, with most clashes occurring on the outskirts of Palestinian cities, which are encircled by IDF troops. 2 Palestinians are killed by Israeli gunfire; 1 Palestinian dies of illness after being denied access to medical treatment by the IDF for 2 days because of the internal closure; 190 Palestinians are injured. The IDF expands its Netzarim Junction base, begins clearing agricultural land along roads nr. Khan Yunis. (ADM, LAW 10/16; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/17; Globes [Internet] 10/25)

In Gaza, Fatah, Hamas stage demonstrations against Arafat's participation in the Sharm al-Shaykh talks. Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, hold similar protests in `Ayn al-Hilwa, Baalbek, Tyre. In Iran, 1,000s of students march to the local UN offices to urge UN support for the Palestinians, condemnation of Israel. Smaller rallies in solidarity with the Palestinians are held in Amman, Ankara, Tokyo. In the U.S., demonstrations are held in Madison, San Francisco. (UPI 10/16; ATL, RL 10/16 in WNC 10/17; JT 10/17 in WNC 10/18)

The UNGA, citing a rule that allows it to take up matters of international peace and security when the UNSC proves unable or unwilling to do so, begins preparing for an emergency session to debate a resolution condemning recent Israeli violence. U.S. Amb. Holbrooke protests. (WT 10/17; WP 10/18; WJW 10/19; MEI 10/27) (see 10/12)

Hizballah says that Tenenbaum, the 4th IDF solider taken captive, approached Lebanese contacts in Europe, claiming to be an intelligence agent for a country other than Israel. He was lured to Beirut, traveling on a fake passport, on the pretense of meeting with a Hizballah official. Israel does not comment. At the request of Shin Bet, the Israeli High Court imposes a ban on publishing information about the affair. (NYT, WP 10/17; WJW 10/19) (see 10/15)

Secy. of State Albright meets with Netanyahu in Paris on her way to Africa to discuss his new FRD proposal. Netanyahu holds separate mtg. with French PM Lionel Jospin, FM Vedrine; stresses that EU must take back seat to U.S. for the peace process to succeed. (MM 12/5; HA, IDF Radio, LCI Television [Paris] 12/5 in WNC 12/8; IDF Radio 12/5 in WNC 12/17; NYT, WP 12/6; HA, IDF Radio 12/7, YA 12/8 in WNC 12/9; WT 12/8; MM 12/9; JP 12/13; PR 12/19)

 Mossad officer Yehuda Gil admits relaying false information on Syria to the government for at least 6 of his 20 years at the agency. (MM 12/5; WP 12/6; ITV 12/6, IDF Radio, ITV 12/7 in WNC 12/9; NYT, WP, WT 12/7; al-Ba`th [Damascus] 12/7 in WNC 12/17; MM, WT 12/8; JP 12/13; see also MM 12/4)

 Russian special envoy Posuvalyuk arrives in Lebanon for talks with PM Hariri, Hizballah Secy. Gen. Hassan Nasrallah. Posuvalyuk then returns to Damascus. (ITAR-TASS, VOL 12/5 in WNC 12/8)

 In Gaza, IDF opens fire on Palestinian demonstrators, critically injuring a toddler, wounding 5. (WP 12/6)

 A day after the UN renews the old oil-for-food deal for 6 mos., Iraq stops pumping oil through its main pipeline to Turkey, says flow will resume when UN approves new plan for distribution of humanitarian goods bought with oil revenues; blames U.S. for blocking contracts to buy goods. (WP, WT 12/6)

In s. Lebanon, 3 Lebanese civilians are killed, 1 is wounded by IDF land mines. Hizballah responds by shelling IDF posts. (RL, VOL 12/5 in WNC 12/8; MEI 12/19)

In Beirut, unidentified gunmen open fire on car of Higher Islamic Shiite Council (HISC) head Imam Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din, wounding 1 bodyguard. HISC, Lebanese security claim incident was not an assassination attempt. (MENA, RL, VOL 12/5 in WNC 12/8; VOL 12/6 in WNC 12/9)