The Palestine Chronology

Israel offers to allow back 10 Palestinians mistakenly deported. The 10 say they would like to return immediately, but that the only crossing point has been mined by Israel. Israel offers to allow an intl. org. to escort them back through 1 of 3 Lebanese-controlled crossing points. (NYT 1/1; Qol Yisra'el 12/31 in FBIS 12/31, 1/4)

Lebanon rejects 12/30 French proposal to place the deported Palestinians under the provisional care of UNIFIL in Lebanese-controlled territory. PM Rafiq al-Hariri meets with Russian then U.S. amb. to Lebanon. (NYT 12/31; VOL 12/31 in FBIS 1/4)

Al-Quds reports that the Palestinian delegation to peace talks has unanimously rejected PM Rabin's 12/27 invitation to an informal meeting. (al-Quds 12/31 in FBIS 1/5)

Four Palestinian factions (PFLP, DFLP-Hawatima faction, PPSF, PLF) issue statement criticizing Palestinian leadership's 12/27 statement for its lack of a plan of political action to counter the 12/17 deportations. (QPAR 1/2 in FBIS 1/4)

PLO advisor and Palestinian delegation steering comm. head Nabil Shaath says the deportations and the peace process are "two battles which have to be led separately," and the Palestinians may have to "bring it [the deportations] to the table of negotiations." (AFP 12/31 in FBIS 1/4)

Ha'Aretz reports that the o.t. security service Shin Bet initially gave PM Rabin a list of 6 Hamas leaders to be deported, and came up with 1 more name when asked to expand the list. Shin Bet was later surprised at the scope of expulsions the IDF was then ordered to carry out. (WP 1/1; Ha'Aretz 12/31 in FBIS 1/4)

IDF and Border Police clash with Palestinian demonstrators throughout o.t., wounding 62 and killing 1 (in Bayta, W. Bank). Thousands march from Red Cross headquarters to the Civad building in Gaza City in solidarity with prison hunger strikers; ensuing clash wounds 41. Similar clashes erupt in Janin and E. Jerusalem. (MM 10/12; Qol Yisra'el 10/11 in FBIS 10/13)

Chmn. Arafat meets with King Hussein in Amman. (Radio Jordan 10/10 in FBIS 10/13)

The PFLP, DFLP, Popular Struggle Front, and Arab Liberation Front call for postponement of PLO Central Council meeting, scheduled to convene 10/15 in Tunis. (Algiers VOP 10/11 in FBIS 10/13

Fifth round of Arab-Israeli peace talks open in Washington. Israeli proposes agreement for municipal elections in selected o.t. localities. Israel insists such a plan is not a substitute for continued negotiations regarding Palestinian autonomy. Israeli-Jordanian talks center on water use. (MM 4/28; WP 4/29; NYT, MM 4/30; Jordan Television 4/28 in FBIS 4/29)

U.S., Russia issue invitations for upcoming third round, multilateral talks. Meetings dealing with five different topics are scheduled to be held in May in different world capitals: arms control, 5/11 in Washington; economic development, 5/11 in Brussels; water, 5/12 in Vienna; refugee problems, 5/13 in Ottawa; environmental issues, 5/18 in Tokyo. (NYT 4/29)

State Dept. announces Syria has informed U.S. it has lifted travel ban and restrictions on purchase and sale of property formerly applied to Syrian Jews [see 4/13]. (NYT, MM 4/28)

Israeli state comptroller issues report criticizing mismanagement, waste, and corruption in numerous government agencies. Report recommended criminal investigations in several instances of corruption within housing ministry, headed by Ariel Sharon [atty. gen. began investigating housing ministry 4/26 after comptroller informed him in advance of report's findings]. (NYT, MM 4/28)

Supporters of Hamas win all 10 seats in elections for student council of a teachers' academy in Ramallah. Hamas also calls on merchants in o.t. to observe strike in protest of resumption of peace talks. Strike observed in some localities in Gaza; in W. Bank, only shops in Hebron were closed. (MM 4/27, 4/29)

IDF states it has apologized for disturbing church services in Ramallah 4/24, but continues to dispute priests' account of what happened [see 4/24]. (MM 4/27)

Palestinian Popular Struggle Front's Central Committee ends meeting in Damascus [begun 4/25] in which it deposed Secy. Gen. Samir Ghawsha and replaced him with Khalid 'Abd al-Majid. (Radio Free Lebanon 4/28 in FBIS 4/29; al-Quds Palestinian Arab Radio 4/29 in FBIS 4/30; Sawt al-Kuwait 5/1, al-Hayat 5/2 in FBIS 5/8; INA 5/3 in FBIS 5/4)

PLO issues statement authorizing participation in multilateral talks in Moscow but only if Palestinians from E. Jerusalem, diaspora are included in delegation. (Radio Monte Carlo 1/26 in FBIS 1/30; MM 1/27)

PFLP-GC, DFLP, PPSF, PLF, Fateh-Uprising [Abu Musa], al-Sa'iqa, Hamas, Islamic Jihad in Palestine, Palestinian Revolutionary Communist Party meet in Damascus to urge Arab boycott of Moscow talks. PFLP was reported ready to attend, but decided not to. DFLP abstains from signing communique issued by the meeting. (al-Quds Palestinian Arab Radio 1/26 in FBIS 1/27; MM 1/27)

PM Shamir rules out any freeze on settlement activity aspart of compromise to obtain U.S. loan guarantees. (WP 1/27)

Delegation of American Jewish leaders which has been touring Middle East holds press conference in Israel, states that U.S. decision to provide loan guarantees to Israel is dependent upon freeze in settlement activity. (MM 1/27)

Seven-hour battle near Bayt Layf, inside "security zone," leaves one IDF soldier, two Islamic Resistance Movement fighters dead. IDF artillery afterwards shells numerous villages in s. Lebanon. (NYT, MM 1/27; Ha'Aretz 1/27 in FBIS 1/29)