The Palestine Chronology

Across the West Bank and Gaza, clashes subside btwn. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian demonstrators as the IDF, Palestinian Authority (PA) police cooperate to disperse the protesters, who are marking the 52d anniversary of the Nakba and demanding the release of Palestinians held by Israel. Around 50 Palestinians suffer light injuries. (CSM, WP 5/17; MENA 5/16 in WNC 5/17; WJW 5/18) (see 5/15)

U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross meets with PA head Yasir Arafat in Ramallah, Israeli PM Ehud Barak in Jerusalem. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 5/17; al-Quds 5/17 in WNC 5/18)

In preparation for a withdrawal fr. s. Lebanon, the IDF turns over its naval radar station at Ras Bayada on the Mediterranean to its proxy militia, the South Lebanon Army (SLA), and begins moving heavy equipment out of Surayqi post nr. Marja'uyun. (WT 5/17; NYT 5/18) (see 5/15)

Also in s. Lebanon, an elementary school in Arab Salim is hit by 3 IDF shells. Fortunately, the strike occurs during recess, when children are outside the building, so there is some material damage but no injuries. A similar incident at the same school on 12/16/99 injured 20 students. (MM, WT 5/17)

U.S. special envoy Ross convinces Israel, PA to resume FAPS talks in Elat. Negotiators complain that reporters are getting in their way. (MM 5/3; NYT 5/4; al-Quds 5/4 in WNC 5/8; MEI 5/5) (see 5/2)

The FMs of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria open a 2-day mtg. in Palmayra, Syria, to coordinate their stands on the peace process, explore the possibility of holding an Arab summit. (MM, NYT 5/3; MENA 5/3 in WNC 5/4; MM 5/4; MENA 5/4 in WNC 5/5; MENA 5/6 in WNC 5/8; MM 5/8)

The Israeli DMin. says that around 10/00, Israel will deploy a $250-m. laser-based air defense system, developed jointly with the U.S., to protect against missiles fired into Israel following a withdrawal fr. s. Lebanon. (MM 5/3; WP 5/4)

PA Dep. Education M Naim Abu al-Humus resigns in protest of the failure of the PA to respond to teachers' demands for pay increases. Teachers fr. Hebron hold a large sit-in strike outside the PA Education Min. offices to protest the PA's inaction regarding their salary increases. (MENL, PCHR 5/3; MENL 5/4; PR 5/10) (see 5/2)

The PA High Court suspends the 2/28 decree requiring all demonstrations, public mtgs. to receive prior authorization fr. the PA police. (PCHR 5/3)

In Iqlim al-Tuffah, outside Israel's self-declared security zone, an Israeli plane drops a 660-lb. bomb on the home of Amal regional cmdr. Abbas Hallal, injuring his mother, 14 civilians (including 6 children). Israel claims the shelling was a mistake. In 2 other IDF and SLA attacks in s. Lebanon, 3 Hizballah mbrs. and 2 civilians are killed. (NYT 5/4; MM, NYT, WP 5/5)

In the Netherlands, the trial of 2 Libyans charged in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 103 opens. The Libyans plead not guilty, blame the crime on the PFLP-GC and the Palestinian Poplar Struggle Front. Both groups deny the charge. (MM, NYT, WP 5/4; MEI 5/5; CSM 5/9)

The Knesset, including much of Barak's governing coalition, approves (60-53) a draft bill designed to block a Golan withdrawal by requiring a referendum on a peace agmt. with Syria win support of 61 of the 120 MKs and 62.5% of all eligible voters, whether or not they actually vote. Justice M Yossi Beilin denounces the bill as racist, because it would neutralize the votes of Israeli Arabs, who make up just over 10% of the electorate. The draft is sent to comm., is unlikely to become law soon. (MM 3/1; MM, NYT, WP 3/2; al-Quds 3/2 in WNC 3/6; JP, MEI 3/10)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdallah arrives in Damascus for a 2-day visit to discuss with Syrian pres. Hafiz al-Asad the peace process, convening an Arab summit. Rumors hint that Abdallah may deliver a message conveying guarantees from Washington, proposing a Clinton-Asad mtg. in Geneva. (MM 3/1, 3/3; NYT 3/4; MENA 3/4 in WNC 3/6)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah attacks an SLA patrol, killing 5 SLA mbrs. 3 SLA mbrs. are injured in a separate Hizballah mortar attack. An exchange of shelling btwn. the 2 groups afterward kills a Druze cleric, injures 2 civilians. (MM 3/1; ANSA [Rome] 3/1 in WNC 3/2; NYT 3/2; JP, MEI 3/10)

Hizballah attacks an IDF base in s. Lebanon, killing another IDF solder, triggering another round of Israeli airstrikes on Hizballah targets. PM Barak orders his reps. to leave an ILMG mtg., where France, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, the U.S. are discussing the recent clashes. Israel accuses Syria of using Hizballah to gain concessions in negotiations. The State Dept. accuses Hizballah of trying to derail the peace process, calls the continued strikes on the IDF/SLA "particularly egregious in the context of Israel's repeated commitment to withdraw from southern Lebanon by the middle of this year." (MM 2/11; AFP, MENA, RL 2/11, AFP, RL 2/12, RL 2/13 in WNC 2/14; NYT, WP, WT 2/12; MM 2/14; JP 2/18)

PA General Intelligence calls in for questioning Palestinian journalist Khaled Amayreh regarding his new weekly paper, Hebron Times, which is critical of the PA; threatens to close the paper if he does not begin publishing material favorable to Arafat. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 2/21)

In Elat, Israel, the PA begin 10 days of intensive FAPS talks. (WT 1/30; AFP, AYM 1/30 in WNC 1/31; al-Quds 1/30 in WNC 2/1; NYT, WP, WT 1/31; MM 2/3)

At Pres. Clinton's recommendation, Barak goes to Cairo to discuss with Mubarak ways to speed the multitrack peace process. Mubarak briefs Barak on his recent mtgs. with Arafat, Asad, King Abdallah. (MENA 1/30 in WNC 1/31, 2/7; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/31; MM 2/1; WJW 2/3) (see 1/22)

In Davos, Secy. of State Albright meets separately with PA's Arafat, Jordan's King Abdallah, Egypt's FM Musa, Israel's Regional Cooperation M Peres for talks on the peace process. Peres also meets with Bahrain's crown prince Shaykh Salman Bin-Hamad al-Khalifa. (AFP 1/30 in WNC 1/31; MM, NYT 1/31; MM 2/1, 2/2)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah detonates a large roadside bomb, killing the SLA's 2d in command Col. `Aql Hashim. Israel considers the assassination a significant blow since Hashim was the only likely successor to SLA Cmdr. Antoine Lahd, who is expected to retire soon. The IDF makes a limited counterattack on Hizballah targets, killing 1 civilian. (RL 1/30 in WNC 1/31; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 1/31; MM 2/2; WJW 2/3; al-Safir 2/3 in WNC 2/4; MEI 2/11)