The Palestine Chronology

PM Netanyahu says that he wants PA-Israeli negotiations to be expanded to include issues other than FRD. PA says that it entered the latest round of talks with the understanding that they would address 2 issues only: FRD, the PLO charter. No progress has been made in the talks thus far. (ITV 7/21 in WNC 7/23; WT 7/22)

Arafat, Israeli DM Mordechai separately consult Egypt's Pres. Mubarak regarding the latest round of negotiations. (MENA, RE 7/21 in WNC 7/23; WT 7/22; NYT 7/23)

EU special envoy Moratinos meets with Israeli FMin. officials. (WJW 7/23)

King Hussein announces that tests fr. his last visit to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, on 7/14 indicate that he has lymphatic cancer. (RJ 7/21, 7/22 in WNC 7/23, WT 7/22; RJ 7/22 in WNC 7/24; MM, WP 7/23; MEI 7/31)

At Rep. Gingrich's invitation, a PA delegation led by PC Speaker Qurai` arrives in Washington to meet with congressmen. This is the 1st time that Palestinian lawmakers have been invited to Capitol Hill since the PC was elected in 1/96. (WT 7/21; MM 7/23)

The Senate proposes same reductions in Egyptian, Israeli aid as the House did 7/15. Debates on the House and Senate versions will not be completed until 9/98 at the earliest. (WJW 7/23)

U.S. Principal Dep. Secy. of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch returns fr. leading delegation (including Turkish officials) on 5-day trip to n. Iraq to attempt to reconcile the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The U.S. hopes to unite the 2 groups to increase pressure on Iraqi pres. Saddam Hussein. (GIU 7/17; MM 7/20, 7/30) (see 6/17)

Amal, Hizballah meet to discuss ways of coordinating their actions against the IDF, SLA in s. Lebanon. (RL 7/22 in WNC 7/23)

In s. Lebanon, an SLA convoy triggers a roadside bomb, killing 1 mbr., wounding 2. (VOL 7/21 in WNC 7/23) (see 5/10)

In Washington, Pres. Clinton discusses Israeli-Syrian, Israeli-Lebanese talks with King Hussein, Pres. Mubarak. Mubarak then meets with Defense Secy. Perry, congressional leaders. (JTV, MENA 9/29 in FBIS 10/1; NYT 9/30; JTV 10/9 in FBIS 10/10)

In New York, Israeli FM Peres meets with Qatar's Shaykh Hamad. (MM 10/2)

Jordanian opposition parties, independents attend antinormalization conference in Amman. This mtg. was originally scheduled for 5/29, but was banned by the government hours before it occurred. Organizers skirted the ban by holding the mtg. in private offices, rather than in a public forum. (JT 9/30, SARR 10/1, JT 10/2 in FBIS 10/2) (see 5/18, 5/29)

Kiryat Arba leader Zvi Katzover says he is forming a settler militia to take over IDF posts as IDF withdraws fr. Hebron, says 100s of settlers have already signed up. (WT 9/30)

2 days after he was arrested by 4 PSF mbrs, Palestinian-American Azzam Muhammad Ibrahim Muslih becomes the 4th to die in PA custody. (QY, VOP 9/29 in FBIS 10/2; NYT 10/1, 10/2; JP 10/7)

The Maronite Bishopric in Tyre lodges complaint with the UN observers in s. Lebanon, saying IDF forces confiscated and levelled 20,000 sq. m. of its olive groves nr. al-Duhayra. UN confirms the IDF has cordoned off the land with barbed wire. (RL 9/29 in FBIS 10/2)