The Palestine Chronology

Hamas fires 5 Qassam rockets into Sederot, killing an Israeli man and a 3-yr.-old boy, seriously injuring the boy’s mother in the 1st fatal Palestinian rocket attack inside Israel. Sharon convenes his security cabinet, which declares that the IDF will respond with “harsher measures than in the past” in Gaza. During the day, the IDF blows up 2 abandoned 5-story apartment buildings in al-Qarara hiding the entrance of the tunnel to the IDF post attacked on 6/27; bulldozes 21 Palestinian homes, 101 dunams of agricultural land; demolishes a cement factory. The IDF also fatally shoots a mentally handicapped Palestinian who enters a closed military zone nr. Rafah; rockets the empty al-Jil press office in Gaza City, injuring 2 bystanders; fires on residential areas of Khan Yunis, Rafah. Late in the evening, IDF tanks roll into Bayt Hanun in n. Gaza, launching Operation Active Shield, allegedly meant to prevent Qassam rocket fire. In the West Bank, the IDF destroys 80 wells in Yamun nr. Jenin; fires on residential areas of Jenin town and r.c.; conducts arrest raids nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Ramallah. An Israeli businessman who frequently travels to the West Bank is found fatally shot in Bayt Rima nr. Ramallah; the AMB claims responsibility, alleging that he conducted illegal business with corrupt PA officials. (MM 6/28; VOP, MA, VOI 6/29 in WNC 7/1; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/29; MM, PR 6/30; PCHR 7/1; MEI 7/9)

Under extreme pressure fr. the U.S., Israel agrees to pull tanks, troops out of and away fr. PA-controlled areas (including Jinin), halt assassinations. Arafat orders the PSF to use "maximum self-restraint," hold their fire even if attacked; threatens opposition groups with harsh reprisals if they stage any attacks inside Israel. Sharon still demands 48 hrs. of complete quiet before he will authorize Peres-Arafat talks. Israeli-Palestinian clashes taper of dramatically, but incidents are still reported. The IDF fatally shoots 1 Palestinian nr. Nablus; demolishes equipment, buildings in the Gaza port; fires on 6 Palestinian schools in Hebron, injuring 11 students, parents. (MM, NYT, PR, WP, WT 9/19; ATL, Interfax 9/19 in WNC 9/20; WJW 9/20; SA 9/20 in WNC 9/26; Jerusalem Times, WP 9/21; MEI 9/28; LAW 9/29)

Military Action:

Shell lands near Jordanian airliner at Beirut airport, fails to explode, Lebanese Army detains neighborhood residents.

Casualties:

UNRWA head says 73 Palestinian families have fled their homes in South Lebanon, says UN knows of 15 cases of murder.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin rejects settlement freeze, other Jordanian pre-conditions for entering talks; Eliahu Lankin refuses to accept post of Israeli ambassador to Britain; Israeli President Navon reportedly concerned about danger of civil war in Israel; Sharon files request with Treasury for a bureau in Tel Aviv and one in Jerusalem, in his capacity as Minister without Portfolio; IDF reports 5 Bedouin killed, 4 injured when their van hits land mine near kibbutz Zeelim in northwest Negev; Israel reported to have used more than 100 weapons systems in Lebanon that had not previously seen full-scale combat, such as F-15 and F-16 fighters, Sparrow AIM-7F missile; IDF reports recent demolition of four houses in Gaza belonging to Palestinians accused of throwing grenades in Tel Aviv and Gaza; bomb explodes outside mosque in Hebron, injuring two and damaging two cars.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Lebanese Cabinet meets to discuss Habib proposals, reportedly calling for two security zones in South Lebanon.

Arab Governments: Egyptian Foreign Ministry announces meetings next week with Israel to discuss Sinai border dispute over Taba, normalization of commercial relations.

US and Other Countries: State Department officials reportedly believe Arafat, after PNC, still has running room to continue dialogue with King Hussein; 40-page analysis of Israeli settlement policy, prepared by US Consul General in Jerusalem, recommends blocking each of five stages of settlement process if freeze is to be truly effective.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: US envoy Habib and Prime Minister Begin hold 90 minute meeting during which Habib presents Begin with letter from Reagan; Defense Minister Sharon postpones departure to Zaire, takes 100 Herut Party members on tour of Israeli military positions in Lebanon, Sharon meets Saad Haddad in Marjayoun, says any peace agreement will have a role for Haddad as he is trustworthy friend of Israel; Sharon holds afternoon press conference in Kiryat Shemona, simultaneously with official press conference announcing agreement on Lebanon talks agenda, creating tension with Foreign Minister Shamir, Sharon notes de facto normalization has preceded diplomatic normalization, that since Nov. 15, 12,000 people and 1,100 vehicles have entered Ilsrael from Lebanon and 1,100 Israeli vehicles transported goods to Lebanon; Labor Party political bureau approves Histadrut companies involvement in construction of settlements in occupied territories; Energy Minister Yitzhak Modai urges strong posture on US pressure, says control of Judea and Samaria is vital for security; Civil Administration declares as state land 20,000 dunums in Dahariya, south of Hebron, gives Palestinians 21 days to appeal, area planned for land reserve along 1967 green line; 30 Kach members break into Hebron home of Moshe Levinger, demanding that Meir Kahane's Kach settlement nearby receive support and services from Kiryat Arba as does Levinger's group in Hebron.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Chairman Arafat in Moscow press conference releases communique that Soviet Union shows understanding of the PLO position on confederation on the basis of voluntarity between an independent Palestinian state and Jordan; following Habib-Begin meeting, Israel and Lebanon, in talks held in Kiryat Shemona, agree on agenda for talks (including concurrent discussion on "termination of the state of war; security arrangements; framework for mutual relations, including issues such as liaison, ending hostile propaganda, the movement of goods, products and persons, communications, etc.; program of complete withdrawals, conditions for Israeli withdrawal, within the context of the evacuation of all foreign forces; possible guarantees"); Lebanese Parliament delegation visits Amman seeking Jordanian support in talks with Israel.

Arab Governments: Foreign Minister Abdel Halim Khaddam, at non-aligned conference in Nicaragua, says Syria will resist any agreement which does not call for Israeli withdrawal from all occupied territories and does not recognize inalienable rights of Palestinians.

US and Other Countries: Pentagon refuses to sign draft agreement on US access to Israeli military data due to unreasonable restrictions; secret plan revealed for mini-Rapid Deployment Force in Jordan to guard internal stability, respond to emergencies in friendly Gulf States, and possible use in inter-Arab wars; Henry Kissinger says Lebanon crisis has consequences helpful to prospects for peace, shows USSR can supply arms but not solutions, rout of PLO restores US military credibility; Representative Council of French Jewry protests French Middle East policy, says Foreign Minister Cheysson's recent statements show anti-Israel bias, asks government to close PLO Paris office and expel PLO representative Ibrahim Suss.

Military Action:

Tripoli fighting continues; heavy artillery exchanges in Chouf.

Casualties: 5 killed, 10 wounded in Tripoli, including 4 dead from artillery shell in Palestinian refugee camp.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Government seeks to patch up rift with US on eve of Habib's return to Israel; Sharon says Israel insists on direct negotiations with Lebanese authorities concerning withdrawal; Sharon says Israel does not intend to annex West Bank but would retain security responsibilities for at least next 50 years, vows there will never be a Palestinian state; Village League leader Duddin claims US acts against Palestinians wishing to negotiate with Israel.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO and Jordanians announce agreement on "special and distinctive relationship" between Jordan and future Palestinian entity; PLO reportedly divided over federation proposals.

Arab Governments: Jordan reportedly concerned that time is running out for Middle East settlement, looks to US pressure on Israel to halt settlements on West Bank; Mubarak and West German leader Hans Kohl join in calling for talks based on the Reagan peace plan.

Military Action:

Cease-fire collapses as Israeli tanks, planes, artillery hit Syrian positions along Damascus highway, fighting reported at 9 points along highway; IDF claims Iranians join fighting near Aley; major tank battle in eastern Bekaa clashes around Lake Karoun, fires burn out of control along highway; Israeli jets hit PLO/Syrian positions near Beirut airport as IDF gunboats hit W. Beirut, IDF continues bombings past new 6 PM cease-fire; car bombs in Beirut kill 50 near seafront, others along Hamra shopping district; fighting focused in Mansouriya area as Israelis try to take heights; IDF takes Bhamdoun.

Casualties:

High casualties as Palestinian areas between airport and city limits take heavy pounding; Acre Hospital in Sabra camp takes direct hits; garbage piles up in Beirut and food prices have doubled in many cases; Rashidiyeh refugees reject clothes offered by IDF, demand their detained sons; 48 IDF soldiers wounded in clashes with Syrians.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israel rejects PLO proposal, insists on expulsion of PLO "core" to country not bordering Israel; Sharon argues camps are outside Beirut city limits and exempt from Cabinet restrictions; Israeli leaders fear France too friendly to PLO; Women's Committee Against the War in Lebanon demonstrates outside Knesset; Ziad Abu Ein, extradited from US to Israel for trial, gets life sentence; Begin, returning from US, rules out UN presence in southern Lebanon, Mapam opposes entry into Beirut, but supports war.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Habib gives US proposal to Wazzan to relay to PLO, Jumblatt characterizes proposal as asking for complete surrender of PLO; no new meetings of Council planned; Jumblatt says US refused to make guarantees against IDF assault on Beirut; Lebanese Ambassador to the UN Tueni makes bitter address at UN Special Session on Disarmament; Bashir Gemayel reportedly talks to Arafat by phone.

Arab Governments: Hussein of Jordan leaves for visit to USSR, reportedly angry at US support for Israel.

US and Other Countries: US embassy closes, ships arrive to evacuate nationals of US, UK, FRG; Senator Biden (D-Del) supports cut-off of aid to Israel if it continues to build settlements on West Bank.

UN: West Beirut headquarters of UN closed, moved to East Beirut.