The Palestine Chronology

The IDF continues massing tanks, armored vehicles on the n. Gaza border; Sharon instructs security officials to take “all measures, without restrictions, in order to stop the wave of terrorism,” though his advisers suggest that any push into Gaza likely would not happen until after Condoleezza Rice’s visit on 7/22. An IDF sniper (reportedly firing fr. a nearby Jewish settlement) assassinates senior Hamas cmdr. Sa‘id Siyam (not Shaykh Sa‘id Siyam, the Hamas spokesman) outside his home in Khan Yunis. The IDF also lifts the curfews on Tulkarm and surrounding areas imposed on 7/13; fires missiles at a Palestinian vehicle in Bayt Lahiya, injuring 1 Hamas mbr., injured 2 bystanders in an apparent assassination attempt; fires on stone-throwing youths in Tulkarm, wounding 1; shells residential areas of Khan Yunis; conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Bethlehem, Ramallah and in ‘Azun, Hebron, Kafr Thuluth, Qalqilya, Saida nr. Tulkarm, Wadi al-Silqa. In retaliation, Hamas fires Qassam rockets into Neve Dekalim (hitting a house, injuring 6 settlers), Sederot (causing no injuries). Israel bars indefinitely all visits to Palestinian prisoners as punishment for the 7/12 Netanya bombing. A Palestinian injured in the IDF assassination of 3 Hamas mbrs. in Salfit on 7/15 dies. (HA, IMEMC, PRCS, XIN 7/17; VOI, VOP, YA 8/17, Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation 7/18 in WNC 7/18; NYT, WP, WT 7/18; XIN 7/18 in WNC 7/19; OCHA, PR 7/20; PCHR 7/21)

Member of advisory committee to Palestinian delegation Ziyad Abu Zayyad confirms the existence of an eight-page document discussing the eventual transfer of power from Israeli occupation forces to Palestinians in the o.t. during the "transitional period" of self-rule envisioned as part of the peace process. The document, which he states is only a draft proposal, was written by residents of the o.t. and suggests establishing management committees to oversee administration of the territories. (Qol Yisra'el 11/12 in FBIS 11/14)

Five members of the new political committees in o.t. resign, but 25 new members are added. Move seen as part of behind-thescenes conflict between the original founders of the committees and the PLO, members of the Palestinian delegation over the nature of the committees. (Qol Yisra'el 11/13, Ha'Aretz 11/13, Israel Television 11/12 in FBIS 11/14)

Faisal Husseini holds debate with Riyad al-Maliki, leading PFLP supporter in West Bank and opponent of the peace process, at Bethlehem University. (MEM 11/12)

Syrian VP 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam meets with delegation from Palestinian National Salvation Front, including PNSF head Khalid al-Fahum, PFLP-GC Gen. Secy. Ahmad Jibril, Fateh-Uprising leader Sa'id Musa Muragha (Abu Musa), other top PNSF figures. Meeting comes in wake of improved Fateh-Syrian, PLO-Syrian relations. (al-Quds Palestinian Arab Radio [clandestine] 11/12 in FBIS 11/14)

Pres. Bush, speaking before ameeting of Jewish American leaders in New York, regrets language he used during his 9/12 comments about the loan guarantees to Israel [in which he obliquely referred to the power of the Jewish lobby]. (MEM 11/13, 11/14)

Meeting of Israeli Labor party, called by Labor party leader Shimon Peres in an attempt to bridge gap among hard-liners and moderates within the party on foreign affairs and security matters, fails to reach agreement. Meeting comes in wake of rightward turn within Labor party toward security issues, evidenced by the tough 11/10 draft of the party's political platform adopted by the party's political committee and by the support given by several hard-line Labor parliamentarians to an 11/11 Knesset resolution that called for permanent Israeli control over Golan. (MEM 11/13)

Meeting of the "Damascus Declaration" nations ends without agreement on ways to turn their Gulf war alliance into a deeper multi-lateral relationship. (MEM 11/12)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hamzah Turkmani resigns as mayor of Gaza City [WP, NYT 3/27]. Palestinian shot by Israeli troops 3/25 in clash in Zawata village near Nablus dies of wounds [WP, NYT 3/27]. Military administration orders all government and UNRWA schools in Gaza Strip closed [FJ 4/3].

Other Countries: Sec. of State Shultz meets with 2 PNC members, Prof. Edward W. Said and Prof. Ibrahim Abu-Lughod, to discuss his peace proposals [WP 3/27].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In al-Birah Israeli soldiers fire tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition to disperse Palestinian protesters demanding city council resign [WP 3/27]. Troops clash with Palestinian demonstrators in Kafr Thulth village near Nablus; 2 Palestinians are shot dead [WP, NYT 3/27]. At least 3 Palestinians are wounded by army gunfire in clash at Dhahariyyah. UN officials report at least 6 children suffered fractured limbs in Burayj refugee camp [WP 3/27]. Curfew continues in Balatah refugee camp. Palestinian sources report demonstrations also erupted in Bethlehem and Nablus [FJ 4/3].

Arab World: Battles between Fateh and Fateh Revolutionary Council (Abu Nidal organization) forces continue in S. Lebanon's 'Ayn al-Hilwah refugee camp; Lebanese police report 5 have been killed, 4 wound in clashes [NYT 3/27].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli army announces it has arrested Yusuf Muhammad Abu Armanah, 22, and Sa'id Fakhri Ibrahim Afanah, 23, both from Rafah, who have allegedly confessed to the 9/5 stabbing of an Israeli truck driver in Gaza. Their families' tar-paper residences have been destroyed [LAT 9/7; FJ 9/13]. MK Meir Kahane's Kach movement forms new group "Hatzala" (Parents for their Children) to oppose Min. of Education's plans to sponsor meetings between Israeli and Palestinian children. Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef strongly opposed the Ed. Min.'s plan last week, saying he would urge religious parents to remove their children from the national religious school network if it is implemented [JWP 9/6].

Arab World: Jerusalem Post reports 6 kidnapped members of the Lebanese Jewish community are being held by the Hizballah group [JP 9/61.

Other Countries: Congressional sources say administration has tentatively decided not to propose selling advanced F-15 fighter planes to Saudi Arabia. U.S. Sec. of State George Shultz announces U.S. is releasing the first $750 million of $1.5 billion in special economic aid approved last month by Congress for Israel. $250 million is going to Egypt, $53 million to Jordan, and $3 million is planned for aid to Palestinians in the occupied territories [WP 9/7]. Jewish Press reports the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC) in the U.S. called on major Jewish groups and federations to condemn MK Meir Kahane during his upcoming visit to the U.S. and is putting pressure on the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. and television shows to cancel their invitations to Kahane to speak while here [JWP 9/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Bomb explodes seriously wounding the man trying to place it in an Israeli market; 20 Palestinians are detained [LAT 9/7].

Arab World: Palestinian and Shi'ite gunmen battle for the 4th straight day around Burj al-Barajinah camp in south Beirut; 23 killed and 70 wounded ovemight. Shi'ite militia is backed by Soviet T-54 tanks. The DFLP issues a statement from Damascus accusing Amal militia of executing 17 Palestinian civilians in the street. The Druze and Murabitun militias have joined forces with the Palestinians against Amal militia [NYT, DT, WP, LT 9/7].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli daily Hadashot reports U.S. gave Israel unofficial list of 9 Palestinian candidates for Jordanian-Palestinian delegation to tentative ME peace talks three weeks ago. 9 are: Walid Khalidi, Harvard U. political science professor; Edward Said, Columbia U. English professor; Hisham Sharabi, of Georgetown U.; Rashid Khalidi, visiting fellow at Washington's Wilson Center; Bethlehem Mayor Iliyas Furayj; Hikmat al-Masri, former speaker of Jordanian Parliament; Rashad Shawwa, deposed Gaza mayor; Anwar Nusseibeh, former Jordanian minister and head of East Jerusalem Electric Co.; and Ahmad Sidqi al-Dajani, former senior official in PLO executive committee, now living in Cairo. PLO spokesman says [AP 6/5] PNC speaker 'Abd al-Hamid al-Sayih is also under consideration.

Arab World: IDF and SLA (Israeli-backed South Lebanese Army) raid 2 Shi'ite villages, arrest about 40 men and destroy 5 homes in Majd al-Salim as punishment for hiding weapons or shielding fighters [LAT 6/4].

Other Countries: Foreign Min. Shamir, in England, tells P. M. Thatcher and Foreign Min. Geoffrey Howe that Israel opposes Jordanian scheme for peace talks. Thatcher supports Jordanian plan [LT 6/5].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF bulldozes ten houses in villages near Hebron; expels residents [AF 6/7]. Security forces announce arrest of 9 in connection with killing of Rafah Mayor 'Abd al-Hamid Kishta, 65, in September; of Isma'il al-Khatib, 38, head of the al-Azhar Islamic College in Gaza in November; and with grenade attack on bus near market in Tel Aviv [JP 6/4]. Arrests of 9 Palestinians and Israelis were made "several months ago" in Gaza. Others were arrested for supplying 9 with weapons stolen from IDF. IDF uproots 1,300 olive trees, illegally planted in army firing area near Bethlehem [JP 6/4].