The Palestine Chronology

Allied forces, led by Saudi troops, try to liberate small Saudi border town of Khafji after 1st major Iraqi ground assault had captured the town; reports say 12 Marines, perhaps as many as 500 Iraqis are killed in the battle (cf. 1/31) [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/31].

Responding to questions about 1/29 joint U.S.-Soviet statement, U.S. officials say it was intended as gesture to keep Moscow's backing for coalition, and not a softening of previous demands for ending war. P.M. Shamir bitterly complains that he was not given advance notice of joint statement [NYT, LAT, WP 1/31].

U.S. commander Gen. Schwarzkopf tells reporters that 75% of Iraq's command, control, and communications facilities have been bombed, and that the Iraqi air force is no longer a viable military threat [LAT, WP 1/31].

Jordanian F.M. Taher Masri accuses U.S. of violating Geneva Convention by bombing civilian traffic near the Jordan-Iraq border, killing 4 Jordanians and 1 Egyptian; some refugees claim allies have deliberately targeted oil tankers, buses, and refugee convoys [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/31].

Jordanian officials say since 2 August, about 323,000 men and women have volunteered for Jordan's Popular Army; many have expressed desire to fight for Iraq [LAT 1/31].

As part of psychological war, U.S. has dropped at least 4 million leaflets on Iraqi troops, promising them safe passage if they wish to surrender [LAT 1/31].

Pres. Mubarak makes unannounced visit to Tripoli to meet with Libyan leader Qaddafi [LAT 1/31].

EC decides how to divide $685 million in loans and grants to Egypt, Turkey, and Jordan to help compensate for Gulf crisis losses: Egypt will receive $240 million grant; Jordan, a $205 million grant; and Turkey, an interest-free loan of $240 million. Individual EC states earlier gave the 3 nations $1.37 billion [NYT, LAT, WP 1/31].

Breaking long-standing official policy against shipping weapons to areas of tension, German gov't. announces $700-million military support package to Israel [LAT, WP 1/31; NYT 2/1]; Germany also offers Britain $535 million and military equipment for its role in Gulf war [WT 1/31; NYT 2/1].

Israel shells 2 villages in S. Lebanon's Biqqa Valley after rockets struck Israeli positions in "security zone"; no injuries are reported [LAT 1/31]; Israeli officials believe that PLO has begun operations against Israel on behalf of Iraq [WP 1/31]. 

After day of multinational force bombing successes against Iraq, Baghdad fires as many as 8 SCUD missiles at Israel, hitting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and less populated areas [NYT, LAT, WT, WP, MEM 1/18].

Saddam Hussein defies 2d day of bombing in Baghdad by touring Iraq's capital; vows to defeat multinational force and liberate Palestine; calls on all Arabs to help resist U.S. [NYT, LAT, WP, MEM 1/18].

Anti-U.S. demonstrations erupt in Algeria, smaller protests in European cities but European gov'ts. give full backing to war effort; Iran condemns U.S.-led invasion; Pres. Gorbachev blames Iraqi intransigence for war, but only after trying to get Pres. Bush to postpone attack long enough for Soviet diplomats to try to speak to Saddam Hussein; Japan pledges additional aid for allied effort [MEM 1/17; NYT 1/18].

Turkey's parliament authorizes U.S. fighters and bombers to launch attacks on Iraq from Incirlik Air Base near Adama on the Mediterranean [NYT, LAT, MEM 1/18].

New York Times reports of CIA's psychological warfare against Iraq: broadcasting anti-Saddam propaganda into Iraq, circulat- ing audio and video cassettes depicting Saddam's regime as corrupt, and smuggling radios into Iraq to receive American broadcasts [NYT 1/19].

Curfew in Gaza continues; Israel places West Bank under curfew [JDS, IDF 1/17 in FBIS 1/17].

PLO Executive Committee issues statement decrying U.S. for beginning Gulf war and calling for worldwide resistance [AVP, MAP, AFP 1/17 in FBIS 1/18; MEM 1/17; WP 1/18].