U.S. officials say government is pushing Israel to come up with a "serious and credible" plan for further redeployment (FRD) fr. 10-15% the West Bank so that talks with the Palestinians in 12/97...
In the early morning hrs., Israel stages a naval commando raid on Insariyya, deep inside Lebanon, most likely targetting Amal headquarters there. Amal mbrs., Hizballah mbrs., Lebanese army...
PM Netanyahu's personal atty. Yitzhak Molho (acting as the PM's special envoy), PA Local Government M Erakat meet in an attempt to create momentum for higher level mtg. No progress is made. (QY 5/...
Palestinian Council closes 2 days of debate on a draft civil service law without approving the draft. Deliberations focus on the scales for promotions, allowances for employees. (PR 1/17)
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U.S. officials say government is pushing Israel to come up with a "serious and credible" plan for further redeployment (FRD) fr. 10-15% the West Bank so that talks with the Palestinians in 12/97 can show progress, may present its own position on FRD if necessary. (NYT 11/24; MM 11/25)
Netanyahu accepts resignation of dir. gen. of the Prime Minister's Office, Avidgor Lieberman, who, during the Likud convention 11/9-11, led the campaign to change the party primary process, which almost split the party. (MM, NYT, WP 11/24; Globes [Internet], ITV 11/24 in WNC 11/26; WP, WT 11/25; MEI 12/5) (see 4/15)
Iraq insists that UNSCOM inspectors avoid 63 sensitive sites, including 8 "presidential palaces." (NYT, WP 11/24; MM 11/26)
Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` makes unexpected trip to Riyadh reportedly to discuss Iraq with Saudi Arabia's King Fahd. (MM 11/24; SA 11/24 in WNC 11/26; VIRI 11/24 in WNC 11/27; MM 12/1) (see 11/21)
Hizballah, Amal clash with IDF nr. Bayt Lif village in s. Lebanon. 7 civilians are killed; 6 civilians, 2 IDF soldiers are wounded. Several rockets land in n. Israel, causing no injuries or damage. (RL, VOL 11/23, VOL 11/24 in WNC 11/26; NYT, WP 11/24; al-Safir 11/28 in WNC 12/9)
In the early morning hrs., Israel stages a naval commando raid on Insariyya, deep inside Lebanon, most likely targetting Amal headquarters there. Amal mbrs., Hizballah mbrs., Lebanese army soldiers intercept the commandos, killing 11, wounding 4, leaving 1 missing and presumed dead; 2 Lebanese civilians are killed and 6 civilians, 6 militia mbrs., 1 Lebanese soldier are wounded in the fray. Fighting lasts several hrs. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/5; IDF Radio, VOL 9/5 in WNC 9/8; MM 9/8; IDF Radio, ITV, RL 9/5, VOL 9/6 in WNC 9/9; WP, WT 9/6; WT 9/7; CSM, NYT 9/8; al-Safir 9/8 in WNC 9/10; MEI 9/12; JP 9/13; NYT 9/19; WT 9/21; CSM 10/1; WT 10/15)
Israeli cabinet holds tense mtg. on 9/4 bombing, 9/5 commando raid; issues statement, vowing to act against Islamists' infrastructure, freezing any further redeployments (FRDs). (MM, NYT, PR, WP, WT 9/5; RE 9/10 in WNC 9/11; PR 9/12)
U.S. Secy. of State Albright calls on the PA to take unilateral action "to create a political climate where there is no tolerance for terror." (WT 9/9)
Iran, Syria sign protocol for construction of Damascus metro. (al-Ba'th 9/5 in WNC 9/10)
PM Netanyahu's personal atty. Yitzhak Molho (acting as the PM's special envoy), PA Local Government M Erakat meet in an attempt to create momentum for higher level mtg. No progress is made. (QY 5/20 in WNC 5/21)
In Doha, Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` asks Qatari emir Shaykh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani to suspend, or at least not invite Israel to, the Middle East and North Africa economic summit scheduled to open in Doha 11/16. The emir refuses but says it supports Syria's negotiating position. Shara` then leaves for Saudi Arabia to joint VP `Abd al-Halim Khaddam for similar talks with King Fahd. (MM 5/19, 5/21; al-Nahar 5/21 in WNC 5/23; al-Watan al-Arabi 5/30 in WNC 6/9)
Following rumors that the PM, FM are dissatisfied with his performance, Israeli amb. to the U.S. Ben-Elissar returns to Israel to meet with PM Netanyahu, FM Levy to "clarify his situation." (ITV 5/19 in WNC 5/22)
For the 1st time since 1981, when the border btwn. Syria and Iraq was closed, a private-sector delegation representing Syrian trade unions travels to Iraq to establish trade links. (RMC 5/19 in WNC 5/22; MM 5/20; SA 5/20 in WNC 5/21; MM 5/21, 5/22; RMC 5/22 in WNC 5/23; NYT 5/25; MM 5/28; SA 5/30 in WNC 6/2)
The pro-Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) joins forces with the Turkish military; attacks rival PKK offices in Irbil, killing 58 PKK mbrs., losing 53 men. (NYT 5/20) (see 5/17)
Lebanon's Constitutional Council voids the election of 4 parliamentary deputies, including a government minister; orders new elections for their seats; rejects the 15 other appeals submitted by defeated candidates after last summer's elections. (WP 5/20; RL 5/20 in WNC 5/21) (see 8/18/96)
To protests Israel's naval blockade of s. Lebanon, Amal attempts a suicide attack against an Israeli patrol boat off the Lebanese coast, blowing up its own boat but causing no Israeli injuries. (AFP 5/19 in WNC 5/22)
Palestinian Council closes 2 days of debate on a draft civil service law without approving the draft. Deliberations focus on the scales for promotions, allowances for employees. (PR 1/17)
Two pipe bombs explode in Tel Aviv, wounding 13 Israelis. No one takes responsibility. PM Netanyahu breaks off a mtg. with U.S. special envoy Ross; says that if the bombing proves to have been staged fr. the PA areas, he would suspend negotiations, respond with "great severity." Israeli police say that bombs were small, unsophisticated; they have not determined a motive for the attack. (IDF Radio, ITV, QY 1/9 in WNC 1/13; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/10; JP 1/18)
IDF says that the number of attacks on Israeli troops in s. Lebanon dropped significantly in 1996 (414 attacks), compared to 1995 (584 attacks). (MA 1/9 in WNC 1/10)
3 Amal mbrs., 1 IDF soldier are killed in clash in s. Lebanon. (RL 1/9 in WNC 1/10; CSM 1/10)
