The Palestine Chronology

Palestinian home in Hebron is fire bombed, injuring 5 Palestinians, 1 critically. PA police suspect settlers. (MEI 11/8)

Israeli Infrastructure M Sharon unveils plans to build 2 new settlements that would double the number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank. (ITV 11/3 in WNC 11/5; MM 11/4; CSM, MM, WP, WT 11/5; PR 11/8; WP 11/19)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah detonates roadside bomb and SLA convoy passes, killing 1 SLA mbr. In response, IDF shells highlands n. of Israeli occupied zone, wounding 1 civilian. Israel admits responsibility for mistakenly firing at a village. (RL, al-Ra'i 11/3 in WNC 11/5; WP 11/4; JP 11/16)

Scattered incidents of Palestinian-Israeli clashes occur, but no deaths or injuries are reported. (ITV, RMC, VOA 9/28, IDF Radio 9/29 in WNC 10/1; NYT, WP, WT 9/29; CSM 9/30; MEI, PR 10/4; JP 10/5)

UNSC passes a resolution (14-0, with 1 abstention) regarding the recent violence in the occupied territories, calling for the "reversal of all acts which have resulted in the aggravation of the situation." (IGPO, WP 9/29; RL 9/28, IDF Radio 9/29 in WNC 10/1; MM, WT 9/30; al-Quds al-Arabi 9/30 in WNC 10/2; MEI 10/4)

In Amman, some 1,000 Jordanian students demonstrate against Israel's 9/24 tunnel opening, actions in the West Bank, Gaza. (al-Aswaq [Amman], RMC 9/29 in WNC 10/3)

In s. Lebanon, IDF mistakenly opens fire on group of off-duty SLA soldiers, killing 1. (ITV 9/28 in WNC 10/1)

PM Netanyahu visits Israeli self-declared security zone in s. Lebanon; warns that continued attacks by Hizballah could trigger strong Israeli retaliation. Hrs. later, 1 SLA mbr. is killed by roadside bomb. (MM 8/20; RL 8/20 in WNC 8/23; WT 8/21; RMC 8/21 in WNC 8/27) (see 8/16)

In Beirut, Pres. Ilyas Hrawi, Kuwait's Shaykh Sabah discuss peace process, Arab unity. (RL 8/19 in WNC 8/22)

After receiving notices that their land lies in area C and has been designated a military area, Israel demolishes 4 50-yr.-old Palestinian homes nr. Nablus. (LAWE 8/21)

Israeli Housing Min. drafts plan to approve construction of 5,000 new housing units in the West Bank, along the Green Line, over next 2 yrs.; increase West Bank settler population by 70,000 over next 5 yrs. (IDF Radio 8/19 in WNC 8/22; WT 8/21; MM 8/28; JP 8/31)

In the Golan, Israeli police arrest Human Rights Watch worker Bashar Tarabiyya, a U.S. resident, on suspicion that he threatened national security, engaged in pro-Syrian activity. (MM 9/23, 9/27; JP 9/7)

Jordanian security forces round up 100s of people around the country following 3 days of bread riots. 500 have been arrested in Karak alone. Opposition leaders call on PM `Abd al-Karim Kabariti to resign. (JTV, RJ, RMC 8/19, al-Ra`i 8/20 in WNC 8/22; MM, WP 8/20; MEI 9/6) (see 9/18)

Iraq calls on Turkey, Syria to resume as soon as possible tripartite talks on distribution of the Euphrates, Tigris waters, halted since 1992. (Mother of Battles Radio [Baghdad] 8/19 in WNC 8/22) (see 6/30)

FBI announces plans to open 23 new offices around the world--incl. in Ankara, Cairo, Riyadh, Tel Aviv--that will focus on combatting terrorism, drug trafficking that affects the U.S. (WP 8/20)

PM Peres returns VIP cards to 3 senior PA officials (Sufyan Abu Zayida, `Abd al-Rahman Hamad, Intisar al-Wazir), which were revoked because the officials tried to bring Palestinian students into Israel with their entourages. (QY 6/16 in FBIS 6/19)

Israeli PM-elect Netanyahu releases vaguely worded government policy guidelines. PC Speaker Ahmad Qurai` and Justice M Frayh Abu-Madayn, condemn guidelines as declaration of war. Syria calls guidelines a "coup against the peace process." (QY 6/16 in FBIS 6/17; NYT, WP, WT 6/17; IGPO 6/17, ITV, VOP 6/18 in FBIS 6/18; MM, WP, WT 6/18; SARR 6/18, 6/19 in FBIS 6/19; WJW, WT 6/20; CSM, PR 6/21)

In last stages of building a government, Israeli PM-elect Netanyahu signs several coalition agmts. with National Religious Party (NRP), Shas, Third Way, assuring support of 55 of the 120 MKs. All 3 parties support negotiations with the Palestinians, oppose compromise on the Golan. In contradiction to Israeli High Court rulings, these agmts. bar Reform, Conservative Jews fr. serving on religious councils controlling Israel's religious life. Discussion with United Torah Judaism (UTJ), Yisrael BaAliya continue. (QY 6/16 in FBIS 6/17; NYT, WT 6/17; NYT 6/18; JP 6/29)

Arafat personally releases top Hamas mbr. Jamal Mansour fr. custody, promises to release more Hamas prisoners in conciliation gesture. Mansour spent 80 days in solitary confinement in the PA's Nablus police station, following the 2-3/96 suicide bombings. (YA 6/16 in FBIS 6/17; WT 6/17)

In West Bank, unidentified gunmen fire on Israeli car, killing 1 man, wounding his wife. IDF places the nearby Palestinian village of Biddiyya under curfew, closes stores until further notice. (QY 6/16 in FBIS 6/19; CSM, NYT, WP 6/17)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah attacks SLA convoy, killing 1 soldier. (QY, RL 6/16 in FBIS 6/17; CSM 6/17)

British PM John Major sends letter on peace process to Israeli PM-elect Netanyahu. (MA 6/10 in FBIS 6/10)

In Damascus, Pres. Asad, Iranian FM Ali Akhbar Velayati open 2-day mtg. (SARR 6/9, 6/10 in FBIS 6/10; RMC, SARR 6/10 in FBIS 6/11; AFP 6/16 in FBIS 6/17)

Qatari, Syrian FMs meet in Damascus. (SARR 6/9 in FBIS 6/10; MM 6/10)

Israeli couple is killed in an apparent drive-by shooting in Zekharia, a rural area of central Israel. In belief the assailants are Palestinian, IDF closes shops in Hebron, searches Palestinian cars. PA condemns the killing. (AFP 6/9, QY 6/10 in FBIS 6/10; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/10; CSM, NYT, WP 6/11; WJW 6/13)

In s. Lebanon, 1 SLA soldier is seriously wounded by roadside bomb. IDF responds with heavy artillery bombardment of Hizballah targets in Nabatiyya, Iqlim al-Tuffah, killing 1 Lebanese army soldier; describes situation as very tense. (QY 6/9, MENA, QY, RL 6/10 in FBIS 6/10)

With all regular ballots in the Israeli elections counted, Netanyahu is ahead by 21,399 votes (0.7 percent); Likud, Labor are losing Knesset seats; religious parties are gaining seats. 150,000 absentee and military ballots, which in the past have gone overwhelmingly to Likud, have yet to be counted. The Israeli stock market drops 5 percent, value of the shekel falls. (MM, WP 5/30; IDF Radio, QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/30; MENA, QY, SARR 5/30, JP, QY 5/31 in FBIS 5/31; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 5/31; MEI, PR 6/7)

Netanyahu says that if he wins he will work to strengthen peace btwn. Israel, "Arab states with whom Israel already has peaceful relations." (QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; NYT 5/31)

Aides describe Pres. Clinton as "crestfallen" over Netanyahu's probable win, believing it to be a setback to his image as a peacemaker. Yet, Clinton says that, whatever the results, the U.S. will continue its support for Israel. (MM 5/30; NYT, WP, WT 5/31) (see 5/28)

PA says it will deal with any election outcome; if Likud wins, it must still continue the peace process. (JMCC, ITV 5/30 in FBIS 5/31)

Hamas says Netanyahu win would be a declaration of war against Palestinians, Arabs. (QY, RMC 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; AFP 6/2 in FBIS 6/3)

In Tel Aviv, Labor's M Ehud Barak, Finance M Avraham Shohat, Housing M Binyamin Ben-Eliezer meet to discuss party's future. Some see mtg. as an attempt to oust PM Peres from the party; others see it as an attempt to outflank Interior M Hayim Ramon's bid for party leadership, assuming Peres will resign. Peres is furious with Barak for holding the mtg. (IDF Radio, QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/30; IDF Radio, ITV 5/31, IDF Radio 6/1 in FBIS 6/3; NYT 6/4; IDF Radio 6/5 in FBIS 6/7)

Likud opens unofficial contacts with ultraorthodox parties regarding formation of a coalition government. PM Peres says he would not consider joining a Likud-led coalition; other Labor mbrs. say they would. (QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; WP 5/31)

Tsomet leader Rafael Eitan says Oslo agmts. must be reopened, because the winning camp's views differ from those of the previous government. PA denounces his statement. (IDF Radio 5/30 in FBIS 5/30) (see 3/12)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah detonates 2 roadside bombs, killing 4 IDF soldiers, wounding 7 IDF soldiers, 2 journalists, 1 SLA mbr. (VOL 5/30 in FBIS 5/30; ITV, VOL 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; MM, NYT, WT 5/31; JP 6/8)

In al-Fawwar refugee camp, the IDF blows up the homes of the 2/25 Jerusalem and Ashkelon suicide bombers, homes of 2 Palestinians suspected of involvement in 8/21/95 bus bombing. (MM 3/20; QY 3/20 in FBIS 3/20; QY 3/20, 3/21 in FBIS 3/21; CSM 3/21)

In s. Lebanon, a Hizballah suicide bomber kills 1 IDF soldier, 1 SLA soldier, wounds 1 Israeli civilian [as reported], 7 IDF soldiers. IDF shells areas n., s. of the self-declared security zone, injuring 1 farmer. (MM 3/20; QY, RL, VOL 3/20, RL 3/21 in FBIS 3/21; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/21)

PM Peres, FM Barak hold late-night mtg. on s. Lebanon, how to handle escalating attacks. PM Peres then briefs U.S. Amb. Indyk. Following that mtg., the U.S. relays sharp message to Syria, demanding it curb Hizballah. (IDF Radio, MA, QY 3/21 in FBIS 3/21; ITV 3/22 in FBIS 3/25)

Iraqi war hero Lt. Gen. Nizar Khazraji, fmr. army chief of staff, defects to Jordan by escaping through the Kurdish enclave in n. Iraq. (MM 3/20; WT 3/21; JP 3/21, al-Ra'i 3/22 in FBIS 3/22; NYT, WP 3/22; JT 3/23, JT, al-Ra'i 3/24 in FBIS 3/25; MM 3/25; JT 4/4 in FBIS 4/5)

German FM Kinkel meets with Arafat in Gaza. On his return to Israel, IDF soldiers at Erez checkpoint demand to search his car to ascertain that no "extremist elements" are "using" his entourage to carry out attacks inside Israel, delay car for half hr. before letting it pass unchecked. Kinkel protests to the Israeli FMin. Israeli officials complain the diplomats "failed to show understanding for Israel's security problems." (QY 3/9 in FBIS 3/11)

PA security forces expand crackdown on Hamas, raiding Islamic organization, clubs, welfare organizations; confiscating equipment; detaining anyone on hand. PA says it has arrested over 600 individuals in Gaza alone over the last wk. (NYT 3/10)

Hamas spokesman in Lebanon says Qassam Brigades will not disarm or halt attacks on Israel. (AFP 3/9 in FBIS 3/11) (see 3/5)

In Qalqilya, IDF delays ambulance at checkpoint for 1 hr., allowing Palestinian infant to die. IDF officials say officer in charge will be tried. (NYT 3/14)

Hizballah attacks IDF, SLA positions in s. Lebanon, killing 1 IDF soldier, 1 SLA soldier; wounding 2 IDF soldiers. IDF, SLA fire back, killing 2 Hizballah mbrs. (NYT 3/11)

Arafat is sworn in as pres. of the PA; takes his oath on the Qur'an in front of PNC head Salim Za'nun, while PA police band plays Palestinian national anthem. (CSM, NYT, WT 2/13; WJW 2/15)

U.S. State Dept. says start date of next round of Syrian-Israeli talks has been moved to 2/28 because of scheduling conflicts. (MM 2/13)

After 1st banning Palestinians fr. Qalqilya, Ramallah fr. entering Israel, the IDF seals the West Bank, Gaza until further notice, citing security concerns related to the end of the 40-day mourning period for Ayyash, coming end of Ramadan. (QY, VOP 2/12 in FBIS 2/12; VOP 2/12, 2/13 in FBIS 2/13; CSM, MM 2/13; NYT 2/14)

200 Palestinians protests IDF construction at Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem. (WT 2/13)

2 SLA soldiers are killed, 1 wounded in roadside bombing in s. Lebanon. (QY, VOL 2/12 in FBIS 2/13)