The Palestine Chronology

At the invitation of the White House, Syrian FM Shara` takes time out fr. the UNGA session York to meet with Pres. Clinton in Washington. Shara` then returns to New York to meet with Albright. (MM 9/30; JT 10/2 in WNC 10/4; JP, MEI 10/15; JP 10/22)

Israeli DM Ephraim Sneh says that Israel may not withdrawal fr. Lebanon by early next summer as PM Barak has promised, because the PM's time line assumed that Israel would be well into negotiations with Syria by that time, but there has been no movement on the track thus far. (MM 9/30)

In his address to the UNGA, Israeli FM Levy says that UN intervention in the peace process would be detrimental, that Syria should restart talks quickly. Nasser al-Kidwa, head of the PLO mission to the UN, walks out during Levy's speech. (MENA 9/29 in WNC 9/30; MM, WJW 9/30; JP 10/8; MEI 10/29)

Jordanian police release fmr. MP Abu Zant on bail, but arrest Azzam Yunis, editor of al-Arab al-Yawm, on incitement charges for publishing Abu Zant's articles. Later in the day, police rearrest Abu Zant. (MM, NYT 9/30; JT 9/30 in WNC 10/3; JT 10/3 in WNC 10/4; JP 10/8; MEI 10/15) (see 9/28)

Israeli amb. Zalman Shoval addresses opening of Israeli exhibit at Disney World; praises Disney for not bending to Arab, Muslim demands to remove Israel's Jerusalem display. The content of the exhibit is unchanged, though the title is no longer "Jerusalem, Capital of Israel." (CSM, WJW, WT 9/30, 10/1; NYT 10/2; MENA 10/2 in WNC 10/4; al-Ahram 10/4 in WNC 10/8; MM 10/6; WJW 10/7; JP 10/8; CSM 10/20) (see 9/17)

Hizballah detonates a roadside bomb in s. Lebanon, killing 1 SLA mbr., wounding 2. (RL 9/29 in WNC 9/30)

PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Mahmud Abbas (Abu Mazen) arrives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend acelebration at the Palestinian embassy 1/11, the first official visit to Saudi Arabia by a PLO official since the Gulf crisis. Abbas says he hopes to start restoring ties between the PLO and the Gulf. (al-Hayat 1/10 in MM 1/11)

UN special envoy Chinmaya Gharekhan meets with Palestinian reps., headed by Faisal Husseini, in East Jerusalem. (Qol Yisra'el 1/9 in FBIS 1/11)

Israeli amb. to the U.S. Zalman Shoval says State Dept. assured him that "in no case" will U.S. allow the UNSC to pass a res. leading to sanctions against Israel for theirefusal to implement res. 799. (NYT 1/10; MM 1/11)

Red Cross reps. visit deportees. Two deported Palestinians are evacuated; 1 for health problems, the other, a 16-year-old who was deported by mistake. Lebanon allows the 1-time airlift from UNIFIL-controlled territory, but says 9 deportees allowed to return must go back the way they came (see 12/31, 1/1). (NYT, WP 1/10; Qol Yisra'el 1/9, 1/10 in FBIS 1/11)

Israel has information on Palestinian and Islamic elements in the U.S. that funnel supporto Hamas in Israel and the o.t., and will pass it on to the U.S. if U.S. will "take action againsthese elements." (Davar 1/10, 1/11 in FBIS 1/12)

Pres. Bush gives Saddam Hussein "until noon Saturday [2/23] to ... begin his immediate and unconditional withdrawal" or face huge ground attack; Bush gives Iraq 7 days to complete withdrawal. Baghdad calls demand "disgraceful" [BADS 2/22 in FBIS 2/25; MEM 2/22; NYT, LAT 2/23].

Soviet Union and Iraqi F.M. Aziz radio Saddam Hussein with proposals for new Iraqi concessions in effort to forge settlement before Pres. Bush's deadline [NYT, LAT 2/23].

King Hussein endorses Soviet peace plan at news conference in Amman; Arafat offers positive but guarded response; 9-country Western European Group gives full backing to Pres. Bush's ultimatum, as does majority of Congress [JTE, AVP 2/23 in FBIS 2/25; ADS 2/22 in FBIS 2/27; NYT 2/23].

Allied fighter-bombers attack Iraqi troops in Kuwait, flying record number of sorties despite heavy black smoke from oil well fires that cover almost 1/4 of Kuwait [WAKH, IRNA 2/23 in FBIS 2/25; NYT, LAT 2/23].

U.S. announces that about 51,000 refugees who fled upheavals in Kuwait, Lebanon, and Liberia will be allowed to remain in U.S. for at least another year [NYT 2/26].

Israeli ambassador to U.S., Zalman Shoval, submits to State Dep't. Israeli gov't.'s formal request for $1 billion in emergency military assistance to cover outlays stemming from Gulf war [JPD 2/25 in FBIS 2/26; MEM 2/25].

For 1st time in 20 years, DFLP holds public rally in Amman to celebrate its 22d anniversary. Reports say about 20,000 people attend [JTE 2/23 in FBIS 2/28].

UNLU issues 2d addendum to call no. 67; 2d is more moderate than 1st, indicating tactical differences within UNLU leadership over PLO Gulf war policy [JPD 2/26 in FBIS 2/28].