The Palestine Chronology

In advance of Secy. of State Albright's upcoming visit, U.S. special envoy Ross arrives in Israel for a wk. of talks with PA, Israeli negotiators on possible compromises on final status issues that would bring the sides close enough together to make a 3-way summit possible. (IsRN 6/22; State Dept. press briefing 6/26; AYM 6/26 in WNC 6/29; HA [Internet] 6/27; WP 6/28)

Israeli planes overfly Beirut and Tyre, violating Lebanon's airspace. (NYT 6/23; JP 6/30)

The PSF frees teachers union leader Omar Assaf (detained on 5/5), joumalists Mahir al-Alaimi (detained on 6/6) and Fathi Barkawi (detained in early 6/00), and dir. gen. of the PA Youth and Sport Min. Abu Ali Muqabil (detained in 4/00), who all were detained for criticizing PA corruption. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 6/22; JP 6/30) (see 5/22)

An IDF unit shoots, seriously wounds Islamic Jihad activist Radi al-Safi outside Bayt Sahur, in area C. Palestinian witnesses say Safi was ambushed; IDF says Safi pulled a gun at an IDF roadblock and threatened to shoot soldiers. (al-Quds 6/23 in WNC 6/27; JP 6/30)

Jewish settlers fr. Barkha settlement in the West Bank shoot, wound 4 Palestinian farmers attempting to take down a fence that settlers had erected on their property to expand Barkha's boundaries. (Palestine Chronicle [Internet] 6/23; al-Quds 6/23 in WNC 6/27)

On his way home fr. the Vatican (see 2/15), Palestinian Authority (PA) head Yasir Arafat stops in Amman to meet with King Abdallah of Jordan. (MM 2/16)

Israel PM Ehud Barak phones Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak to discuss obstacles blocking the Palestinian, Syrian tracks of the peace process. (MENA 2/17 in WNC 2/18)

Reacting to the flare-up of violence in s. Lebanon in the past 3 wks., Israel empowers a 3-man team comprising PM Barak, FM David Levy, Transportation M Yitzhak Mordechai to authorize immediate reprisals for attacks on Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers, reiterates intention to hit civilian targets. 2,000 Lebanese students block Hamra street in Beirut's main shopping district to protest against Israel for its recent air strikes, the U.S. for allegedly giving Israel the "green light" to attack. (MM 2/16, 2/17; RL 2/17 in WNC 2/18; AYM 2/17 in WNC 2/22; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/18; NYT 2/19; MM 2/21; MEI 2/25)

U.S. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright tells the House International Relations Comm. that she is exploring ways to help victims of state-sponsored terrorism collect on judgements returned by U.S. courts even though Pres. Bill Clinton has blocked collection, citing foreign policy concerns and worries that other countries could use the precedent to seize U.S. properties abroad. (WP 2/17; Guardian Weekly 2/24)

PA General Intelligence questions Palestinian journalist Khaled Amayreh for the 2d time in a wk. regarding his new weekly paper, Hebron Times, which is critical of the PA. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 2/21) (see 2/15)

On the 5th day of Arafat's visit to Vatican City for mtgs. with Pope John Paul II, the Vatican and the PA sign an agmt. on bilateral relations and protecting religious freedom in Jerusalem. Israel calls the agmt. "deplorable." (ANSA 2/15 in WNC 2/17; MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/16; MM, WJW, WP 2/17)

Hebron Times editor Amayreh is questioned by the Israeli District Coordination Office, warned against publishing "inciting" material. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 2/21) (see 2/11)

A 2d UN agency chief, Jutta Purghart, head of the World Food Program in Iraq, quits to protest sanctions, the failure of humanitarian aid programs in Iraq. (CSM, NYT, WT 2/16; MM 2/17) (see 2/14)

Hizballah attacks an IDF base in s. Lebanon, killing another IDF solder, triggering another round of Israeli airstrikes on Hizballah targets. PM Barak orders his reps. to leave an ILMG mtg., where France, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, the U.S. are discussing the recent clashes. Israel accuses Syria of using Hizballah to gain concessions in negotiations. The State Dept. accuses Hizballah of trying to derail the peace process, calls the continued strikes on the IDF/SLA "particularly egregious in the context of Israel's repeated commitment to withdraw from southern Lebanon by the middle of this year." (MM 2/11; AFP, MENA, RL 2/11, AFP, RL 2/12, RL 2/13 in WNC 2/14; NYT, WP, WT 2/12; MM 2/14; JP 2/18)

PA General Intelligence calls in for questioning Palestinian journalist Khaled Amayreh regarding his new weekly paper, Hebron Times, which is critical of the PA; threatens to close the paper if he does not begin publishing material favorable to Arafat. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 2/21)

Likud convention opens. Netanyahu aides lobby for abolition of party primary election system, which would give Netanyahu more control over selection of candidates. Netanyahu gives speech, condeming concessions to the PA. (NYT 11/10)

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's King Fahd, Iranian FM Kamal Kharrazi discuss improving bilateral relations. (NYT 11/10)

Italy's Pres. Scalfaro arrives in Syria to discuss EU-Mediterranean partnership, bilateral economic ties, cooperation in various fields. (SATN 11/9 in WNC 11/12)

Iran ratifies the CWC. (WP 11/10) (see 11/3)

Palestinian prisoner dies in PA custody, reportedly as a result of a heart attack. Family charges medical negligence. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 11/11) (see 10/14)

2 Iraqi planes violate northern U.S. no-fly zone. (WP 11/13) (see 11/2)

In s. Lebanon, an exposive device detonates as SLA car passes, injuring 3 passengers, 1 civilian nearby. (VOL 11/8 in WNC 11/12)

Russian FM Primakov arrives in Israel for 2-day visit, meets with PM Netanyahu, FM Levy. (IDF Radio, ITAR-TASS [Moscow], QY 10/26, Interfax [Moscow], ITV 10/27, YA 10/28 in WNC 10/29)

PA's Arafat, Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, Yemen's Pres. Ali `Abdallah Salih hold talks on peace process in Cairo. (MENA 10/26, RE 10/27 in WNC 10/29)

YESHA settlers council decides to build a new settlment west of Gush Etzion settlement nr. Bethlehem if Isarael accepts any sort of settlement freeze at the upcoming Washington talks; says general plan for the new settlement was approved in the 1970s by PM Golda Meir, but  exact location would be kept secret until the government's stand on settlements is clarified. (MM 10/27; JP 11/8)

PA Preventive Security Force arrests journalist and human rights worker Khalid al-Amayreh following the publication in an Israeli Arab newspaper of his report on the torture of Hamas activists arrested by the PA over the past few mos. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 10/27)

Israel commutes to 24 yrs. the life sentence Alan Goodman, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen found guilty of killing 2 Palestinians, wounding 9 at al-Aqsa Mosque on 4/11/82; releases him after he agrees to spend the remaining 8 yrs. of his sentence in the U.S. (WT 10/27; WP 10/30)

IDF shells strike medical center affliated with PFLP-GC in s. Lebanon, killing a nurse. (MM 10/27; RL 10/27 in WNC 10/29)

Israel releases $57 m. of tax money owed the PA. (MM, WT 10/15; MA 10/15 in WNC 10/16) (see 9/28)

Israel, Jordan hold 2 mtgs. in Israel (Jerusalem, Ma'ale Efrayim) aimed at enhancing security cooperation, especially to prevent border infiltrations. (ITV, QY 10/14 in WNC 10/15; al-Ra'i 10/16 in WNC 10/20) (see 10/10)

PA prisoner dies in PA custody, reportedly as a result of a heart attack. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 11/11)

IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in al-Arub refugee camp nr. Bethlehem; also plans to demolish homes of relatives of 3 suicide bombers identified 9/23, seal home of 4th bomber. (LAW 10/14; NYT, WT 10/15)

SLA Cmdr. Antoine Lahd warns that his men are likely to turn against Israel if the IDF unilaterally withdraws fr. s. Lebanon; thinks half would joint Hizballah, half would form new anti-Israeli militia. (MM 10/14; ITV 10/14 in WNC 10/15; MM 10/17)

Israel air force attacks Hizballah radio station in s. Lebanon, causing extensive damage. (RL 10/14 in WNC 10/15)