The Palestine Chronology

This morning, the IDF begins pulling back reinforcements fr. the West Bank, Gaza after reaching a new agmt. with the PA. Initially, clashes abate, but fighting continues at old hot spots (e.g., Hebron, Nablus, Netzarim Junction, Ramallah, Tulkarm). Within hrs., the IDF sends reinforcements back in, firing antitank missiles and deploying helicopter gunships, tanks against Palestinians, killing 3, injuring 40. In Nablus, 27 Palestinians are injured when and IDF helicopter fires rockets at an apartment building. 1 Palestinian injured last wk. dies. Inside Israel, massive demonstrations continue across the Galilee following 2 funerals for Israeli Arabs killed by the Israeli police earlier in the wk. (MM 10/3; AFP, IRNA, MENA 10/3, JT, Le Monde 10/4 in WNC 10/6; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/4; AYM 10/4 in WNC 10/10; MEI 10/13)

Barak meets with Israeli Arab leaders to "ease concerns about the neglect of their community," agrees to set up a special cabinet comm. to address Arab concerns. Under pressure fr. Israeli Arab MKs, he bans police fr. using live ammunition against Israeli protesters unless there is "clear and immediate danger to life." The Israeli government also releases plans to improve roads in schools in Israeli Arab towns, raise the standard of living of the Arab minority. (MM 10/3; NYT, WT 10/4; MEI 10/13)

In Beirut, 20,000 Palestinians, Lebanese march to UN House to protest Israeli actions. Some 10,000 Palestinian refugees demonstrate in camps in Rashidiyya, Sidon, and Tyre. In Amman, Jordanians observe a strike in solidarity with the Palestinians, and Jordanian riot police wield clubs against 100s of stone-throwing demonstrators marching on the Israeli emb. In Norway, some 100 Norwegians take part in a violent protest outside the Israeli emb. in Oslo, burning flags, throwing bottles, breaking windows. Rallies are also reported in Egypt, Greece, Oman, Pakistan, the UAE. In the U.S., anti-Israeli protests are held in Austin, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Raleigh, San Francisco, Washington, and outside the CNN offices in Atlanta, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Toronto. (JP [Internet], MM 10/4; JT 10/4 in WNC 10/6; Daily Star [Internet] 10/5; MM 10/6; MEI 10/13)

The IDF admits that its soldiers fired the shots that killed a Muhammad al-Dura at Netzarim Junction on 10/1 but blames Palestinians for the "cynical use" of children in confrontations with IDF troops. (WP 10/4; NYT 10/5) (see 10/2)

King Abdallah of Jordan flies to Damascus to hold talks with Syrian pres. Hafiz al-Asad before heading to Washington to meet with Pres. Clinton next wk. (IsRN 5/21; DUS 5/21 in WNC 5/22; MM 6/8)

In the PA-controlled West Bank city of Jericho, a molotov cocktail is thrown at a car, critically injuring an Israeli child. In response, Barak recalls his negotiators fr. final status talks with the PA in Stockholm; postpones today's transfer of 3 Palestinian villages nr. Jerusalem (Abu Dis, Azariyya, Sawahara al-Sharqiyya) fr. jointly controlled area B to PA-controlled area A; and bans Israeli travel to Jericho, which makes its revenue fr. a casino that is popular with Israeli tourists. (CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/22; AYM, al-Quds 5/22 in WNC 5/23; AYM 5/22, al-Quds 5/23 in WNC 5/24; WT 5/23; MEI 6/2)

Israel begins its withdrawal from s. Lebanon, 6 wks. before its target date of 7/7. The SLA begins to disintegrate, leaving IDF positions exposed. (MM, NYT, WP 5/22; Politiken [Copenhagen] 5/22 in WNC 5/23; CSM 5/24; MEI 6/2)

The PA Preventive Security Force (PSF) shuts al-Watan TV, accusing the station of inciting violence with its broadcasts of recent Palestinian protests. (al-Haq press release 5/22) (see 5/10)

Fmr. Syrian PM Muhamad Zu'bi who had been replaced when the new government was installed on 3/13 and who had been expelled fr. the Ba'th party on 5/10 for financial corruption, commitsuicide in Damascus. (MM 5/22, 5/23; MM 5/30; MEI 6/2; al-Majallah 6/4; MEI 6/16)

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)

PA-Israeli FAPS talks resume in Elat but are delayed by 5 hrs. while the PA files a complaint against Barak's authorization of new settlement construction just a few hrs. before. Palestinians rally to protest Barak's decision. (NYT, WP, WT 5/1; LAW 5/2; AYM, al-Quds 5/2 in WNC 5/4; WT 5/3; AYM 5/3 in WNC 5/8; WJW 5/4; MEI 5/5)

The PFLP closes its congress in Damascus without deciding whether to accept Habash's 4/27 resignation. The party calls for a Palestinian national dialogue with all factions, organizations. (WT 4/3; MM 5/8)

In Hebron, IDF troops forcibly remove militant settlers fr. a new encampment they were staking out in the center of a Palestinian neighborhood. (NYT 5/1)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah attacks an SLA outpost, killing 3 SLA mbr., wounding 4. (NYT 4/29; WJW 5/4; MEI 5/5)

Secy. of State Albright announces that she will go to the Middle East in 6+n8 wks. to arrange a summit mtg. btwn. Barak, Arafat. (MM, WT 4/25)

All 26 mbrs. of the UN's Western Europe and Other Group (WEOG) agree to offer Israel full but temporary membership in their regional group while it continues to work for admission to the Asian grouping. (WJW 5/4; MEI 5/5)

In the Israeli-Arab village of Taibeh, Israeli commandos, acting on information fr. the PA, raid a Hamas safe-house. In the ensuing gunfight 4 Hamas mbrs. are killed, 1 is captured, 1 commando is injured. Israeli police then bulldoze the house. Barak claims the men were planning an attack on Israelis to derail the stalled peace process. (MM 3/2; MM, NYT, WP 3/3; MM 3/7; JP, MEI 3/10)

Birzeit University students, teachers suspend classes indefinitely to protest the PA's arrest of students during and following French FM Jospin's visit. The PA is still holding around 30 students. (NYT 3/3; WP 3/5; MEI 3/10) (see 2/28)

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdallah arrives in Lebanon on a 2-day solidarity visit, meets with Pres. Lahoud and parliamentary mbrs. representing Hizballah. (MM 3/3; NYT, WP 3/4; MEI 3/10) (see 2/24)

U.S. special envoy Ross meets with Arafat in Ramallah. Before the mtg. Arafat receives a written message fr. Barak that says Israel will adjust its map for the 3d stage of the 2d FRD but will not give the PA control of any of the villages it wants in the greater Jerusalem area. (MM 2/22; CSM, MM 2/23; MM 2/25)

Kuwaiti FM Shaykh Sabah travels to Beirut, to show Kuwait's solidarity with Lebanon in light of Israel's recent air strikes. (MENA 2/22 in WNC 2/24; NYT 3/4; MEI 3/10) (see 2/19)

Israel cuts its budget for security for Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza fr. $34.5 m. to $6.2 m., in keeping with overall reductions in the defense budget. (NYT 2/23)

Arafat chairs the 1st mtg. of the PA Higher Council for Development (HCD). Participants begin work on consolidating PA departments for improved financial accounting, form a group to explore ways of attracting foreign investment, agree to draft a working paper on a privatization strategy by 4/25. (al-Quds 2/22 in WNC 2/29)

Just before U.S. special envoy Ross arrives in Israel to oversee intensive FAPS talks, the Israeli cabinet approves the 3d stage of the 2d FRD, which was to haven take place by 1/20. (MM 2/2, 2/3, 2/4)

In Gaza, the PLOCC opens a 2-day national dialogue mtg. to discuss unilateral declaration of statehood, red lines for negotiations with Israel, PLO directions and strategy. (AYM 2/2 in WNC 2/4; AYM 2/3 in WNC 2/7)

The Knesset holds its 1st public debate on Israel's nuclear policy. The request for the debate, made by Israeli Arab MK Issam Mahoul, was initially rejected on security grounds, but Speaker Avraham Burg reversed the decision when Mahoul took the petition to the High Court. The debate last less than 1 hr.; most MKs walk out in protest, 6 are ejected for disrupting the proceedings. (NYT, WT 2/3; WJW 2/10; JP, MEI 2/11)

Israeli police raid Shu`afat refugee camp n. of Jerusalem, arrest 4 Palestinians for possessing illegal weapons. Several days ago, police carried out a similar raid on Qalandiyya refugee camp. (al-Quds 2/3 in WNC 2/4)

Iran releases on bail 3 of the 13 Iranian Jews arrested last yr. on charges of spying for Israel, the U.S. (IRNA 2/3 in WNC 2/4; WJW 2/10; JP 2/11) (see 6/8/99)

In s. Lebanon, an SLA mbr. is killed in a Hizballah attack. The SLA responds with indiscriminate fire, hitting 5 UN posts, several homes, a mosque. Senior adviser to the UN forces, Timur Goksel, warns that exposed UN positions may have to be abandoned if they continue to be endangered by random SLA fire, the launching of Hizballah attacks fr. nearby sites. (AFP 2/2 in WNC 2/3; MM 2/3; MENA 2/3 in WNC 2/4; MEI 2/11)

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)