PM Rabin implies Israel is willing to return part of the Golan Heights to Syria, expresses tacit acceptance of "land-for-peace" regarding Golan in speech to Knesset. (NYT 9/10)
After meetings with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo, Sec. Baker arrives in Jeddah; says he is trying to organize 2-phase peace conference, with Israel and its bordering Arab states negotiating their...
Iraq's deputy P.M. Ramadan says Iraq prefers war to capitulation and that any decision to pull out of Kuwait must be linked to Israeli withdrawal from O.T. [WP 10/5].
Kuwaiti and Western...
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Arafat, Shin Bet head Ami Ayalon meet to discuss security coordination. (NYT 8/21) (see 7/10)
PA Planning M Nabil Shaath returns fr. offical visit to Egypt, says Egypt will lead an intensive effort to unify the Arab position on the peace process before Secy. of State Madeleine Albright arrives in the region. (al-Ittihad [Abu Dhabi] 8/20 in WNC 8/21)
Israel allows 130 West Bank Palestinians, who have been trapped in Gaza since the 7/30 suicide bombings, to return to their homes. 4 Palestinians are forbidden to return. (PCHR 9/22)
IDF forcibly removes 15 mbrs. of a Jahalin bedouin family fr. their home nr. Azariyya in Jeruslem to facilitate expansion of Ma'ale Adumim settlement. (PR 8/22) (see 2/11)
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) informs Arafat that it must make cuts, reduce services to Palestinian refugees because of inadequate financing, $20 m. debt last quarter. (UNRWA press release 8/19; MEI, PR 8/29; PR 9/5; JT 9/5 in WNC 9/8)
Iraqi, Syrian industrial delegations meet in Allepo to discuss expanding trade relations. (SANA 8/19 in WNC 8/21)
Saudi Arabia announces that Iran Air will resume weekly passenger flights btwn. Jiddah, Tehran on 9/30. (MM 8/19)
In response to the SLA's 8/18 attack on Sidon, Hizballah fires 10s of katyusah rockets into n. Israel, slightly injuring 3 people. Netanyahu orders Syria to restrain Hizbullah, says that he is prepared to launch massive retaliatory strikes if shelling continues. (MM 8/19; AFP 8/19 in WNC 8/21; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 8/20; YA 8/20 in WNC 8/21: WP, WT 8/21; MEI 8/29; JP 8/30)
Fateh Central Comm. approves DoP at meeting in Tunis by 12-6 vote. (M1NA 9/4 in FBIS 9/7; NYT, WP, WT 9/5; MM 9/6)
U.S. sets 9/13 as date for Washington signing of DoP. (WP, WT 9/5)
Islamic Conference Organization (ICO) endorses DoP, statement by ICO Sec.-Gen. Hamid al-Ghabid in Jeddah calls agreements "bold 1st steps towards achieving the goal of a just and comprehensive settlement." (MM 9/6)
Demonstration supporting PLO-Israel accord held in Tel Aviv; organizers claim 200,000 attend, police say only 50,000. (MM 9/6; NYT 9/8)
Iranian FM condemns Israel-PLO agreement, expresses Tehran's "opposition to the negotiations btwn. the Arabs and the Zionist regime." (Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran 9/4 in FBIS 9/7)
Israel allows deported Palestinian-American pacifist Mubarak 'Awad to return for a conference. (WT 9/5)
PM Rabin implies Israel is willing to return part of the Golan Heights to Syria, expresses tacit acceptance of "land-for-peace" regarding Golan in speech to Knesset. (NYT 9/10)
PFLP, PLF, DFLP (Nayif Hawatima wing), and Palestinian Popular Struggle Front reiterate 9/5 rejection of Palestinian autonomy plan in Damascus. (RMC 9/10 in FBIS 9/10)
Israeli undercover forces open fire on group of Palestinians near Janin, kill masked youth reading nationalist statement over a loudspeaker. (MM 9/9)
Gulf Cooperation Council ends 2-day meeting in Jidda, issues final statement strongly condemning Iranian claim of sovereignty over island of Abu Musa, which is UAE property. Statement also criticizes Iraq, offering tacit support of Western imposed "no-fly zone." The 6 GCC members then meet in Doha, Qatar, with FMs from Egypt and Syria to discuss their March 1991 Damascus Declaration. Egypt is taking the lead in calling for an Arab joint military command and rapid deployment force for the Gulf war coalition members. (MM 9/9; SPA 9/9 in FBIS 9/10)
After meetings with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo, Sec. Baker arrives in Jeddah; says he is trying to organize 2-phase peace conference, with Israel and its bordering Arab states negotiating their differences in main talks. In 2d phase, Israel and other Arab nations would discuss regional issues [NYT, MEM 4/22; MENA, RIDS 4/21 in FBIS 4/22].
Saudi Arabia confirms that it will not take part in any Middle East peace conference with Israel, and there are growing signs that Arab gov'ts. want to limit negotiations with Israel to only Palestinian problem [WP, LAT 4/22].
PLO Central Council - the link between PLO Exec. Committee and PNC - opens meetings in Tunis to assess repercussions of Gulf war of PLO's relations with Arab and European states (cf. 4/23) [MEM 4/23; TDS 4/22 in FBIS 4/22; AVP 4/22, TDS 4/23 in FBIS 4/23]
Construction of new settlement, Talmon Bet, outside Ramallah, is completed allowing settlers to begin to move in (cf. 4/23) [HAA 4/23 in FBIS 4/23].
U.S. ambassador to UN Thomas Pickering tells Jewish group in New York that Kuwait has agreed to stop participating in Arab League boycott of U.S. firms that do business with Israel, at least during reconstruction of the emirate [MEM 4/23; CSM 4/24].
Israeli soldiers shoot dead 2 Palestinian fighters who had cut through Lebanon border fence; in Damascus, Fateh Uprising group claims responsibility [MEM 4/22; NYT 4/23; JDS 4/22 in FBIS 4/22].
Beset by challenges from within Conservative party, British P.M. Margaret Thatcher announces her resignation [NYT, LAT, WP 11/23; CSM 11/26].
Pres. Bush visits U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia, says they may have to face "some pain now to avoid even worse pain later," then flies to Cairo [NYT, LAT, WP 11/23; MET 12/4].
D.M. Tom King says Britain will send 14,000 more troops and additional tanks, aircraft, and ships to the Gulf by the end of the year, bringing total number of British troops there to more than 30,000 [NYT, LAT, MEM 11/23].
Visiting Sanaa, Yemen, Sec. Baker is rebuffed in efforts to persuade Yemen, only Arab country on UN Sec. Council, to support resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq. Pres. Saleh criticizes buildup of foreign forces in Gulf [SDS 11/22 in FBIS 11/23; SDS 11/23 in FBIS 11/26; NYT, LAT, WP, MEM 11/23]; Baker then flies to Jeddah [SPA 11/22 in FBIS 11/23].
PLO leader Yasir Arafat arrives in Baghdad, says he strongly supports Saddam Hussein's assertions that Iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait must be tied to overall settlement of conflicts in region; adds there is no alternative to negotiations between Iraq and U.S. [BVP 11/22 in FBIS 11/27; NYT 11/26].
D.M. Moshe Arens instructs IDF to expand enlistment of Bedouins into its ranks [MAA 11/23 in FBIS 11/23].
Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek and E. Jerusalem Arabs praise Jerusalem district planning committee's decision to build 7,500 new apartments for Palestinians northwards from French Hill junction towards Ramallah [JPD 11/23 in FBIS 11/23; MEM 11/23; JPI 12/1].
Kuwaiti gov't.-in-exile extends $550 million medium-term loan to the Soviet Union on favorable terms; "observers" point to "political aspect" of loan [MEM 11/23].
Soviet Union and Israel sign agreement on scientific cooperation and exchanges of scientific information [TASS 11/22 in FBIS 11/28].
Iraq's deputy P.M. Ramadan says Iraq prefers war to capitulation and that any decision to pull out of Kuwait must be linked to Israeli withdrawal from O.T. [WP 10/5].
Kuwaiti and Western officials report Kuwait's underground resistance movement is giving up much of its armed struggle after wave of executions by Iraqi troops that has left up to several hundred civilians dead [WP, LAT 10/5].
Soviet envoy Primakov arrives in Baghdad with message from Pres. Gorbachev, meets with F.M. Aziz and is to meet with Saddam (cf. 10/6) [INA 10/4 in FBIS 10/5; MEM 10/4; NYT, LAT, WT 10/5]; F.M. Shevardnadze meets Saudi F.M. Saud al-Faisal in New York [SPA 10/4 in FBIS 10/4].
Japanese P.M. Kaifu meets in Amman with Iraq's deputy P.M. Ramadan, then with King Hussein and offers Jordan $250 million in development loans [MEM 10/4; NYT, LAT, WT 10/5].
Pres. Mitterrand meets King Fahd in Jeddah, assures Saudis of French solidarity against Iraq NYT, LAT, MEM 10/5].
Aircraft carrier USS Independence leaves the Gulf after 3 days [LAT, NYT, WT 10/5].
British F.M. Hurd and Italian F.M. de Michelis say in separate interviews that Israel must move quickly to make peace with Palestinians as soon as Gulf crisis is over. "Algeria has told us: 'Within one minute of the end of the crisis, we Arabs, including the moderate, will demand that the UN impose exactly the same sanctions on Israel as on Iraq.' They have a right to do so and plenty of reasons.... Israel must open up on this" says de Michelis [WT, MEM 10/5].
