The Palestine Chronology

The U.S. says it has more evidence linking Bin Laden to the 9/11 attacks. Laying the groundwork for a military response, Bush labels the attacks "acts of war," begins to rally "an international coalition to combat terrorism." The U.S. presses Pakistan in particular to cooperate with any U.S. military action against neighboring Afghanistan, Bin Laden's base of operations. Congress adopts (100-0 in the Senate, 408-0 in the House) a joint resolution that the admin. says frees the White House from having to seek a formal declaration of war to carry out military action. (AP 9/12; NYT, WP, WT 9/13; MENA, al-Ra'i 9/13 in WNC 9/14; Dawn [Islamabad] 9/17; MM 9/19; MEI 9/28)

Israel sends 22 tanks into Jinin and nearby Arraba and Tamun. Tanks shell targets while F-15s, F-16s drop bombs, killing 8 Palestinians, wounding 50, leveling the PSF headquarters and 2 Force 17 office in Jinin, 2 PSF offices in Arraba and Tamun. Among the dead are 3 suspected Islamic Jihad mbrs. who barricade themselves in a building in Arraba during an IDF arrest sweep, are killed when the IDF shells the building. IDF soldiers also open fire on 2 taxis nr. Gaza's al-Mahatin Junction, killing 2 Palestinians, injuring 8; arrest Palestinian Council (PC) mbr. Ahmad Zagayr (Fatah) in his Jerusalem office, take him to the Russian Compound prison; direct heavy machine gun fire at residential areas of al-Khadir, Khan Yunis; bulldoze Palestinian land for a new settler bypass road to Gush Katif; reinforces troops around Nablus; conduct arrest raids in Arraba, Hizma. A Jewish settler is killed by a Palestinian sniper nr. Qalqilya. (HP, MEZ, MM 9/12; AP, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/13; MENA 9/13 in WNC 9/14; al-Quds 9/13, SA 9/14, al-Majallah 9/16 in WNC 9/17; WP 9/14; PMC 9/15; MEI 9/28)

PM Rabin and Secy. of Defense Cheney meet, agree to transfer $700 million worth of surplus U.S. military hardware to Israel, including training aircraft, attack and transport helicopters. Rabin later meets with Democratic candidates Clinton and Gore. Rabin expresses his opposition to proposed U.S. sale of F-15s to Saudi Arabia. (MM, WP 8/13; MM 8/14)

Israeli housing min. halts all govt. purchase, renovation, and settlement of properties in East Jerusalem; private purchase is still allowed. (NYT 8/13; Qol Yisra'el 8/12 in FBIS 8/12)

Israeli fin. min. announces that loans raised with U.S. guarantees will be deposited in special bank account, will not be used to augment regular budgets. (Qol Yisra'el 8/13 in FBIS 8/13)

Settlements in occupied outskirts of Jerusalem-Ma'ale Adumim, Giv'at Ze'ev, Etzion Bloc, Efrat, Betar, Kfar Adumim, and Adamorganize "Greater Jerusalem" forum to safeguard their interests, encourage govt. to annex greater Jerusalem area to Israel. (Davar 8/13 in FBIS 8/13)

MK 'Abd al-Wahhab Darawsha leads delegation of Arab Democratic Party to Egypt to express FM Peres' desire to visit Egypt, negotiate lifting of Arab boycott. (MM 8/12)

Israel reports that Syria test fired 2 North Korean Scud-C missiles recently. (IDF Radio 8/12 in FBIS 8/13; WP 8/14)

Fateh mbr. Hamzah Mubarak is assassinated in 'Ayn al-Hilwa camp, Lebanon. (VOL 8/12 in FBIS 8/13)

IDF shells, overflies Iqlim al-Tuffah region, S. Lebanon. (VOL 8/13 in FBIS 8/13)

Pres. Bush, PM Rabin hold news conference. Pres. Bush announces he will send Congress a new Israeli loan guarantee proposal, which stipulates that the amount Israel spends after 10/1/92 on construction in the o.t. will be deducted from the $10 billion. (Congress can debate the bill at the earliest 9/8, after a recess that begins 8/12.) Pres. Bush also announces his intention to pursue $5 billion sale of F-15 jets to Saudi Arabia. (NYT, WP 8/12)

DFLP head Nayif Hawatima arrives in Amman for several-day working visit. (AlRay 8/11 in FBIS 8/11)

Fateh mbr. Husayn Tamari is assassinated in 'Ayn al-Hilwa camp, near Sidon, Lebanon. (VOL 8/12 in FBIS 8/13)

Israel, SLA shells Iqlim al-Tuffah region, S. Lebanon. (Radio Lebanon 8/10 in FBIS 8/11)