Israeli, PA teams open 2 sets of talks nr. Washington: final status issues at Andrews air force base (AFB) and interim issues at Bolling AFB. (MM, WT 6/13; NYT, WP, WT 6/14; WP 6/15)
PM Netanyahu, Arafat adviser Mahmud Abbas meet secretly at Netanyahu's home for brief talks on the peace process before Netanyahu leaves for China. (MM 6/12)
Secy. of State Albright leaves Israel for Syria, saying that she has not made progress toward resuming Israeli-PA talks, she will not return until Israel, the PA "have made hard decisions." After...
At a time when Likud's PM Benjamin Netanyahu is presenting himself as a "mainstream" candidate for PM, Likud's Ariel Sharon writes a strongly-worded article for JP outlining Likud's hard-line...
IDF declares Jericho a closed military zone after a settler is slightly injured by rocks thrown at his car. (QY 2/18 in FBIS 2/20)
Hizballah initiates a series of cross border raids into...
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Israeli, PA teams open 2 sets of talks nr. Washington: final status issues at Andrews air force base (AFB) and interim issues at Bolling AFB. (MM, WT 6/13; NYT, WP, WT 6/14; WP 6/15)
Funeral ceremonies for Syrian pres. Hafiz al-Asad are held in Damascus, Latakia, and Asad's childhood home of Qardaha, where he is laid to rest in the family mausoleum. Attending are the heads of state of Egypt, France, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Turkey, and Yemen; the heads of the PA and Hizballah; plus senior reps. from Iraq, Russia, the U.S. Secy. of State Albright meets alone with Bashar al-Asad for 15 mins., says he is ready to continue discussions on talks with Israel. (MM, WT 6/13; ATL, DUS, HINA [Zagreb], Interfax, IRNA, ITAR-TASS, MENA, al-Quds, Rompres [Bucharest] 6/13 in WNC 6/14; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 6/14; MA, al-Quds 6/14 in WNC 6/15; JP, MEI, MM 6/16; Sabah [Istanbul] 6/15 in WNC 6/21; MIL 6/19 in WNC 6/27; MM 6/20; MEI 6/30)
After a wk. of coalition bargaining to keep his government together following the 6/7 Knesset vote, PM Barak's main partner, Shas (17 Knesset seats), announces it will quit the coalition at the next cabinet mtg. unless Barak agrees to bail out its financially strapped schools, to remove its schools fr. Education Min. oversight, and to legalize its pirate radio stations. Shas's departure would leave Barak with a minority government. (MM 6/13; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/14; MM 6/15; MA 6/16 in WNC 6/19; WP 6/20; WJW 6/22)
The IDF bulldozes a Palestinian home in East Jerusalem to make way for a road. This is the 13th house demolition in East Jerusalem this yr. (WT 6/14)
PM Netanyahu, Arafat adviser Mahmud Abbas meet secretly at Netanyahu's home for brief talks on the peace process before Netanyahu leaves for China. (MM 6/12)
To mark Jerusalem Day, Israel stages largest military parade (13,000 troops) through West Jerusalem since 1973, attended by U.S. congressional delegation. Groups of right-wing Israelis try to enter al-Aqsa Mosque, march on Orient House. IDF bans Palestinian entry into Jerusalem for the day, sparking clashes btwn. IDF, Palestinians in Bethlehem. (al-Dustur, RJ 5/24 in WNC 5/27; WT 5/25; PR 5/29; MEI 6/5)
In Amman, Israeli FMin. Dir. Gen. Eytan Bentzur, Jordanian FM Fayiz Tarawnah discuss Israeli proposal for conditional withdrawal fr. s. Lebanon. Jordan stresses need for Israel to unconditionally implement UN Res. 425. (JT, al-Quds, al-Ra'i 5/25 in WNC 5/27)
In Cairo, Pres. Mubarak briefs Arafat on his trip to France. Arafat then heads to Saudi Arabia to discuss possible Arab summit. (MENA 5/24, RE 5/26 in WNC 5/27)
Syria asks Iran's help in constructing steel mills. Both countries agree to expand cultural, art exchanges to pave way for closer bilateral relations. (IRNA 5/24, 5/25 in WNC 5/27)
In Damascus, Hamas's Shaykh Yasin meets with Pres. Hafiz al-Asad. (AFP, al-Majd 5/25 in WNC 5/27) (see 5/23)
1st Lebanese municipal elections since 1963 begin. Elections are held on 4 consecutive Sundays. (RL 5/25, 5/26 in WNC 5/27; MM 5/26; al-Safir 5/27 in WNC 6/1; WP 6/1; MEI 6/5)
Secy. of State Albright leaves Israel for Syria, saying that she has not made progress toward resuming Israeli-PA talks, she will not return until Israel, the PA "have made hard decisions." After arriving in Damascus, she holds a 4-hr. talk with Pres. Hafiz al-Asad to assess possibility of resuming Israeli-Syrian negotiations. (MM 9/12; SATN 9/12 in WNC 9/16; NYT, WP, WT 9/13; MM 9/15; CSM 9/17; SA 9/17 in WNC 9/19; MEI 9/26)
PA presents a plan to break the infrastructure of Islamist groups to U.S.-PA-Israeli tripartite security panel. CIA, Israeli officials say they are pleased with PA initiative. (WP 9/16; CSM 9/17)
Israel suspends all joint economic projects with Russia following reports that Russia is aiding Iran's missile development. U.S. State Dept. says that Pres. Clinton will soon send a special envoy to Moscow to discuss the issue. (MM 9/12 in WNC 9/15; WT 9/13) (see 9/11)
Heavy IDF-Hizballah clashes take place along the n. border of Israel's self-declared security zone in s. Lebanon, leaving 4 IDF soldiers wounded, 2 Hizballah mbrs.--including the son of Hizballah Secy. Gen. Hassan Nasrallah--dead; IDF troops seize the bodies of the Hizballah mbrs. Soon after, the IAF hits Lebanese army positions n. of the self-declared security zone, killing 6 Lebanese soldiers and 1 civilian, wounding 5 soldiers. (WP, WT 9/13; ITV, RMC 9/13 in WNC 9/16; NYT, WP, WT 9/14; JP 9/20)
At a time when Likud's PM Benjamin Netanyahu is presenting himself as a "mainstream" candidate for PM, Likud's Ariel Sharon writes a strongly-worded article for JP outlining Likud's hard-line views. He says Israel should not accept Oslo; IDF should be allowed to operate anywhere in the West Bank, Gaza; negotiations with Syria should be postponed until Pres. Hafiz al-Asad is out of power; Golan should never be returned. (NYT 5/25)
In an interview published simultaneously in Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, PM Peres calls on Gulf states to join forces with Israel against Iran. (MM 5/17)
IDF shoots, wounds most-wanted Hamas mbr., Hassan Salameh, as he flees fr. a vehicle inspection point nr. Hebron; later captures him at the Hebron hospital; also arrests passenger in Salameh's car, Raziq Rajub, a relative of PA Preventive Security Forces (PSF) head Jibril Rajub. Salameh is suspected of ordering, planning 3 of the 4 2+n3/96 suicide bombings. (QY, VOP 5/18 in FBIS 5/20; NYT, WT 5/19; PR 5/24; JP 5/25)
Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades issue leaflet, calling for national unity dialogue with the PA. (JMCC 5/17 in FBIS 5/20)
3,000 Palestinians attend National Islamic Salvation Party (NISP) rally in Gaza in support of Hamas political leader Musa Abu Marzuq, currently detained in the U.S. Speaking at the rally, Hamas leader Mahmud Zahhar calls on Qassam Brigades not to take any violent actions before the Israeli elections 5/29, calls on leaders abroad to be sensitive to conditions in the territories. (VOP 5/17, AFP, QY, RMC, VOP 5/18 in FBIS 5/20) (see 11/18/95, 3/7)
Arab Parliamentary Union Council closes its 27th session in Qana, Lebanon; issues statement condemning Israel's attack on Lebanon, refusal to sign Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, occupation of s. Lebanon. (RL 5/17 in FBIS 5/20)
IDF declares Jericho a closed military zone after a settler is slightly injured by rocks thrown at his car. (QY 2/18 in FBIS 2/20)
Hizballah initiates a series of cross border raids into Israel fr. s. Lebanon. IDF attacks Hizballah positions in retaliation. (WT 2/18)
In Damascus, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan meets with Pres. Hafiz al-Asad. Farrakhan is on a controversial 27-day tour of the Middle East and Africa. Stops include, Libya, Iraq, Iran, the Sudan. State Dept. threatens to confiscate his passport upon his return. (WP, WT 2/18)
