The Palestine Chronology

Talks in Washington btwn. Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestinians resume in undisclosed locations, 1st since 9/93. Israeli official says Israeli-Syrian session, btwn. delegation heads Itamar Rabinovich and Muwafaq al-Allaf, held in "good and positive atmosphere." (CSM, WT 1/24; NYT, WP 1/25)

PLO-Israel negotiations in Taba, Egypt resume with mtg. of Civilian Affairs Comm. Security Affairs Comm. postpones session pending next Arafat-Peres mtg. (MENA 1/24 in FBIS 1/24, 1/25)

PLO Chmn. Arafat meets in Riyadh with Saudi King Fahd, DM Prince Sultan, and Gov. of Riyadh Prince Salman. Aide to Arafat characterizes mtg., 1st since Gulf war, as "friendly and warm." Saudis pledge assistance to Palestinian "institutions and infrastructure" according to PLO official Ahmad Qurai'. (CSM, WP, WT 1/25)

King Hussein of Jordan holds 1st public mtg. with 30 American Jewish leaders in Washington, expresses desire for "warm peace" with Israel. (NYT, WP, WT 1/25)

Reuter reports Israeli businessmen have invested $5 m. in experimental farm at al-Jadida, Morocco, and are supplying irrigation equipment to farms in Hawz area nr. Marrakesh. (MM 1/24)

Secy. of State Christopher eulogizes Norwegian FM Johan Jorgen Holst at funeral in Oslo, meets separately with Israeli FM Peres, PLO Chmn. Arafat, urges them to reconcile differences. Peres and Arafat meet twice, report progress, Peres saying "there is a chance we can reach an agreement," Arafat that "we have overcome some bridges." Peres and Arafat agree to meet again 1/30 in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss security issues of Gaza-Jericho autonomous regions. (NYT, WP, WT 1/23; CSM 1/24)

PLO official Hakam Balawi announces PLO Chmn. Arafat will meet Saudi King Fahd after making 'umra pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina in 1st visit by Arafat to kingdom since Gulf war. (WP 1/23)

Secy. of Commerce Ron Brown meets 26 Palestinian businessmen in Gaza City. 1st U.S. cabinet mbr. to visit Gaza Strip says "the economic situation in Gaza is unacceptable, and we should work to improve it." (WT 1/23)

100,000 Syrians attend funeral in Qurdaha, Syria, of Basil al-Asad, killed in car crash 1/21. Syrians in occupied Golan Heights observe 24 hours of mourning. U.S. represented at funeral by amb. Christopher Ross. (WP 1/23; CSM 1/24)

600 students at Gaza's al-Azhar university march to PLO office in Gaza City to protest intra-Palestinian violence. (WT 1/26)

U.S. military begins to transfer responsibility to the UN for major Kurdish relief effort as separate violent incidents involving allies, Iraqi troops, and Kurdish demonstrators occur [MEM 5/13; WP, NYT, LAT 5/14].

Meeting in Cairo, Soviet F.M. Bessmertnykh tells Sec. Baker that Moscow would be reluctant to support larger UN security role to protect Kurdish refugees [WP, NYT, LAT, MEM 5/14; MENA 5/13 in FBIS 5/13]. Bessmertnykh then flies to Saudi Arabia for meeting with King Fahd [SPA 5/13 in FBIS 5/14].

Washington Post reports on West Bank village of Artas, the villagers of which, while under curfew during the Gulf war, had most of their agricultural lands confiscated by Israeli authorities [WP 5/14].

Bush admin. has prepared arms control plan that would ban Israel from producing nuclear material for weapons and would require Arab nations in Middle East to give up chemical weapons, according to admin. officials [NYT 5/14].

Protests are planned on behalf of steadily growing anti-war movement in U.S. embracing every major religious denomination in country and 9 major unions [NYT, LAT 1/11].

Arab diplomats at UN say they believe Saddam Hussein plans initiative soon after 1/15 deadline expressing support "in principle" for leaving Kuwait while simultaneously calling for international conference to address Palestinian grievances against Israel [NYT, WP 1/11].

Sec. of State Baker meets with King Fahd; they reportedly discuss timing of allied attack on Iraq [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 1/11].

New York Times reports Saudi Arabia earned roughly $15 billion in windfall oil profits from August to December, and has pledged $30 billion in Gulf-related commitments, effectively mortgaging part of future oil profits [NYT 1/11]; Kuwait has disbursed nearly $7 billion to help finance coalition effort [WT 1/11].

Congress opens debate on whether to authorize war with Iraq; Democrats accuse Pres. Bush of rushing toward use of force [LAT, WP 1/11].

Pres. Bush telephones P.M. Shamir, asks again that Israel "remain low" during Gulf crisis [WP 1/11].

U.S. Justice Dep't. orders immigration authorities to begin fingerprinting and photographing anyone entering the U.S. with a Kuwaiti or Iraqi passport as part of an effort to combat potential terrorism [MEM, WP 1/1 1].

Pres. Mubarak tells CNN that "if Iraq launched an attack at Israel without any Israeli participation [in war], she would have the right to attack it [back]" [MEM 1/11]. 

Saddam reportedly visits Kuwait for 1st time since invasion [LAT, NYT, WT 10/4].

Pres. Mitterrand leaves for 36-hour visit to Gulf to review French troops, meet UAE leaders and King Fahd [ATS 10/3 in FBIS 10/4; MEM 10/3; NYT 10/4].

Soviet envoy Primakov arrives in Amman to meet King Hussein and Chrmn. Arafat [MEM 10/3; NYT 10/4, 10/5].

Foreign ministers or envoys of all Arab nations except Iraq meet at UN in informal session to discuss Gulf crisis; no progress is reported [LAT, NYT 10/4]; F.M.s of GCC nations meet UN Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar [WAKH 10/3 in FBIS 10/5].

Bush admin. says proposed $7.3 billion arms package to Saudi Arabia is vital to long-term strategy to deter attacks against Saudis after Gulf crisis [NYT 10/4].

Amnesty International issues report accusing Iraqi troops of carrying out torture and extrajudicial killings to crush resistance in Kuwait [MEM 10/3]. 

Pres. Bush accepts offer from Baghdad to speak on Iraqi television, says 10-15 minute speech would provide "real opportunity" to explain why he has sent U.S. troops to Saudi Arabia [LAT, WP 9/7].

Iraq acquiesces to U.S. demand that U.S. consular be given access to American wounded by Iraqi gunfire in Kuwait [LAT, WP 9/7].

Jewish and Roman Catholic leaders, meeting in Prague, agree to forge closer relationship and combat anti-Semitism in E. Europe [LAT 9/7].

UN acknowledges shortcomings in its relief efforts for tens of thousands of refugees who fled Kuwait and Iraq for Jordan [LAT 9/7].

Saudi Arabia announces it will cover virtually all of the hundreds of millions of dollars in monthly operating costs of U.S. forces; Saudis will also contribute several billion dollars in aid to Middle East nations that have joined the coalition against Iraq [NYT, WP 9/7; MET 9/18].

Several nations, including China, India, and Tunisia, say they are considering sending emergency food and medicine to Iraq despite embargo [NYT 9/7].

Britain announces it will send additional forces to the Gulf region, and will provide about $4 million in aid to refugee relief organizations [NYT, WP 9/7].

Pres. Bush telephones Pres. Asad to discuss Gulf crisis; Asad also meets with delegation from European Parliament [DDS 9/6 in FBIS 9/7].

Qatar deports 15 additional Palestinians; this is 3d group of deportees [RAY 9/9 in FBIS 9/10].

Sec. Baker meets in Jeddah with King Fahd to discuss Gulf crisis [WP 9/7; RTS 9/7 in FBIS 9/10].

Ending 2-day meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss crisis, foreign ministers of 6-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) demand immediate Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait [SPA, RIDS 9/5 in FBIS 9/6; MET 9/18].

General strike called by Hamas is observed in Gaza Strip; commercial strike is observed in parts of W. Bank [FJ 9/10].

In testimony to House Foreign Affairs Committee, Sec. Baker calls for creation of U.S.-led NATO-style security structure in Middle East to prevent renewed Iraqi aggression even if present crisis ends without warfare (cf. 9/5) [LAT, NYT, WP, MEM 9/5; CSM 9/6].

Speaking in Vladivostok, Soviet F.M. Shevardnadze calls for international conference on the Middle East that would include the Gulf crisis, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and Lebanon [WT, WP 9/5]; Israel sharply rejects the idea [JPI 9/15].

Washington Post reports that U.S. commander in Saudi Arabia Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf complained to Defense Dep't and White House about Saudi Lt. Gen. Khaled bin Sultan's remarks on 8/29 that any decision to use U.S. forces deployed in Kingdom would have to follow consultations between King Fahd and Pres. Bush. Bush conveyed to Saudi ambassador "military concern that U.S. forces be unquestionably under U.S. command," and ambassador reiterated what Saudis contend was original agreement between Fahd and Def. Sec. Cheney that U.S. forces were invited to Kingdom to defend Saudi Arabia from attack by Iraq [WP, MEM 9/4].

Cheney says U.S. would "consult closely" with Saudis before launching offensive action from Saudi territory, but stops short of saying whether Saudi approval would be required [MEM 9/5].

Bush admin. begins asking economic allies for at least $25 billion to help defray American military expenses and support countries that have been hurt by embargo on Iraq and Kuwait [LAT, WP 9/5].

Israeli finance minister Yitzhak Modai says if U.S. forgives Egypt's debt, Israel will demand that most of its $4.6 billion debt also be erased [LAT 9/5; MET 9/18].

Qatar expels more than 70 Palestinian families, including several PLO members, apparently because of Palestinian support for Iraq [NYT 9/5; MET 9/18].

Media report of growing crisis in Jordan as hundreds of thousands of refugees flee Kuwait and Iraq for the Hashemite kingdom [NYT, WP 9/5; MET 9/18].

As'ad al-As'ad, ass't sec.-gen. of Arab League, is named as acting sec.-gen. until replacement for Chedli Klibi is determined [TDS 9/4 in FBIS 9/5].