Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. A 2d, ailing Palestinian dies at an IDF checkpoint after soldiers bar him fr. crossing to reach a hospital in...
Palestinian delegates finally join Jordanians in leaving for peace talks in Washington after 10-hour delay at Amman airport during which negotiations continued between Palestinians and U.S....
IDF jeeps and APCs come under RPG attack near Shuweifat; artillery, machine gun exchanges between Druze and Phalange in Aley, IDF rushes 50 APCs and tanks, 500 troops to...
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Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. A 2d, ailing Palestinian dies at an IDF checkpoint after soldiers bar him fr. crossing to reach a hospital in Ramallah. The IDF directs shells, heavy machine gun fire on residential areas of Hebron, Qalqilya, Tulkarm. Jewish settlers bulldoze Palestinian land around Ashkalot settlement, place new caravans on the site. Settlers are also reportedly moving boundary fences, adding trailers, bulldozing Palestinian land around Beit Hagay, Gush Etzion, Karme Tzur, Nahal Najhout, Tene settlements. (HP 2/26; HJ 2/26 in WNC 2/27; LAW 3/1)
U.S. Secy. of State Powell meets with Sharon in Israel, PA head Yasir Arafat in Ramallah (marking only the 2d time Israel has allowed Arafat into the West Bank since 9/28/00); urges them to halt violence, resume security cooperation, improve Palestinian economic conditions in the West Bank, Gaza; ensures Sharon that the U.S. commitment to Israel's security will remain solid under the Bush administration. Powell then stops in Amman to meet King Abdallah of Jordan, heads on to Kuwait for celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the end of the Gulf War. (AP, HA, REU 2/25; MM, NYT, WP 2/26; JT, MA 2/26 in WNC 2/27; AYM 2/26 in WNC 3/5; HA 2/27; MM 2/28; QA 2/28 in WNC 3/1; MA 3/1, SA 3/4 in WNC 3/5; JP, MEI 3/9)
Palestinian delegates finally join Jordanians in leaving for peace talks in Washington after 10-hour delay at Amman airport during which negotiations continued between Palestinians and U.S. officials over whether or not certain PLO officials would be allowed visas to enter U.S. along with delegation. Palestinians eventually dropped the matter and left for Washington. (Jordan Times 12/3 in FBIS 12/3)
American hostage Joseph Cicippio released in Beirut by Revolutionary Justice Organization. (NYT 12/3)
Arafat holds talks with King Hussein in Amman. Usama Baz, advisor to Pres. Mubarak and most senior Egyptian leader to visit Jordan since Gulf war, also arrives for talks. Arafat later flies to Damascus. (MM 12/2)
IDF establishes Rachelim, a paramilitary Nahal camp, at site where two settlers were ambushed and killed 10/28. (MM 12/5)
UN Secy. Gen. Perez de Cuellar calls for UNIFIL troops to replace Israeli, SLA forces at certain locations in S. Lebanon to avoid future clashes like 11/15 incident in which Irish UNIFIL soldier died in a clash between UNIFIL, SLA. (MM 12/3)
Military Action:
IDF jeeps and APCs come under RPG attack near Shuweifat; artillery, machine gun exchanges between Druze and Phalange in Aley, IDF rushes 50 APCs and tanks, 500 troops to area, imposes curfew and cuts traffic between Chouf villages; IDF forces withdraw from Yarze area housing Lebanese Army command and home of US Ambassador Dillon.
Casualties:
UNRWA begins distributing cement and stoves in Ain el-Hilweh; 1 attacker killed, 1 IDF soldier wounded in Shuweifat.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Sharon tells Knesset committee Israel will withdraw to 40 miles above border only after PLO and Syria withdraw troops and Israeli prisoners are returned, but will stay there until Lebanon signs security agreement allowing direct IDF involvement in security arrangements; Shamir tells US Jewish leaders in Israel that multinational peacekeeping force is unnecessary for ensuring safety of South Lebanon; Jerusalem Post poll shows Sharon support dropping since massacre; Commission of Inquiry interviews Yiram Yair, IDF commander in area of camps during massacre, behind closed doors; Statistics Bureau puts price rise at 106 percent since start of year, and inflation rate may reach 138 percent by end of year; two week old memo revealed which ordered Israeli military governors to "neutralize to the maximum" pro-Jordanian elements among West Bank Arabs and to step up support for Village Leagues, in apparent attempt to block options for peace settlement involving Jordan; Likud MK Dror Zeigerman says government initiative in issuing memo would imply plan for ultimate annexation of occupied territories, and warns such a plan would turn the West Bank into "Israel's Viet Nam"; Peace Now issues statement condemning Civil Administrator for implementing "corrupt colonialist policies"; heads of Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian churches in Jerusalem threaten to close holy places over Christmas unless expulsion order against Armenian Deputy Patriarch Karanjian is rescinded, but Interior Ministry refuses to reveal basis for decision to not renew visa; Tehiya Party, at annual meeting, demands that Israel annex West Bank and Gaza; Nahal plans five outposts, three settlements in West Bank in coming year; Bethlehem University student council leader put under town arrest for six months.
US and Other Countries: French President Mitterrand, in Paris meeting, tells Arab League delegation headed by King Hussein that Arabs and PLO should recognize Israel; State Department issues unusually strong 2 page statement that Israel's deportation of teachers from West Bank universities (which are partly funded by US foreign aid) undermines peace negotiations.
