The Palestine Chronology

Barak extends indefinitely his 48-hr. deadline for Arafat to halt Palestinian riots passes in light of international mediation efforts. Clinton, Albright spend the day on the phone, discussing with Arafat, Barak, Mubarak, various EU leaders ways of halting the violence. UN Secy.-Gen. Annan, Russian FM Ivanov meet with Barak in Tel Aviv, Arafat in Gaza. Arafat goes to Cairo to confer with Mubarak. (MM, NYT, WT 10/9; Interfax, IRNA, MENA 10/9 in WNC 10/10; Interfax 10/9, Le Monde 10/10 in WNC 10/10; MENA 10/9, DUS 10/10, MA 10/11 in WNC 10/12; HA [Internet], CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/10; WJW 10/12; MEI 10/13)

Meanwhile, Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue throughout the West Bank and Gaza and inside Israel. The IDF extends the West Bank-Gaza closure indefinitely, cancels all permits issued to Palestinians working in Israel. 100s of Israeli Jews fr. Upper Nazareth rampage through Arab Nazareth, firing automatic weapons and wielding clubs, injuring 50 Israeli Arabs, damaging homes and shops. Israeli police break up the ensuing riot, firing tear gas and rubber bullets. 2 Israeli Arabs are shot dead with live ammunition either by Jews or the police. In Tel Aviv, 500 Israeli Jews attack Arab apartment buildings, set Arab-owned stores on fire. In Jaffa, Israeli Jews set fire to 2 mosques, a number of Palestinian homes. In East Jerusalem, Jewish settlers attempt to vandalize the Latin Patriarchate Church. In the West Bank, 2 Palestinians are found dead, both apparently killed by Jewish settlers avenging the murder of a rabbi on 10/8 (1 is later judged by international experts to have died in a car accident). 2 Palestinians die of injuries received earlier. (Gush Shalom press release, MM 10/9; AYM 10/9, MA 10/10 in WNC 10/12; ADM, LAW, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/10; WJW 10/12; MEI 10/13)

10,000 Kuwaitis rally in solidarity with the Palestinians. Smaller rallies are held in Canada, Egypt, Italy, and the UK, as well as in Chicago. (MENA 10/9 in WNC 10/10; MM, WP 10/10; MEI 10/13; MM 10/17)

Anticipating protests following Friday prayers, Israel seals the West Bank and Gaza, allows plain clothes PA police to deploy in the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount to form a cordon to prevent Palestinians fr. throwing stones. The PA police, Waqf officials largely succeed in restraining the crowd, but when a handful of the 8,000 Palestinian worshipers do throw rocks, Israeli forces open fire, killing 2 Palestinians, wounding 60. At sundown IDF troops raid the Haram al-Sharif to chase off Palestinians, lower a Palestinian flag. In total, 9 Palestinians are killed, 450 injured during the day; a 10th dies of wounds received earlier. (AP, JP [Internet], LAW, MM 10/6; MENA 10/6, IRNA, TT 10/7 in WNC 10/10; NYT, WP, WT 10/7; AYM 10/7 in WNC 10/12)

The largest rally in support of the Palestinians is held in Amman, where 30,000 Jordanians, Palestinians attempt to march on the Israeli emb. but are dispersed by Jordanian police firing tear gas. In Baqa` camp, Jordanian police fire on 2,000 Palestinian demonstrators, killing 1, injuring at least 50. The incidents prompt the government to ban public protests. In Damascus, Syrian police use tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to march to the U.S. emb. In Tunis, Arafat, Pres. Zine Abidine Ben Ali participate in a rally attended by 10,000 Tunisians. Crowds also demonstrate in Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Oman, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Yemen, as well as in Berlin, Canberra, Geneva, the Hague, London, Prague, Reykjavik, and Vienna. In Canada, rallies are held in Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto, Waterloo, and Windsor. In the U.S., protests are staged in Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dearborn, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Ottawa, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Tampa, Washington. (BBC, MM, REU, UPI 10/6; AFP, CTK [Prague], EFE [Madrid] 10/6, JT 10/8 in WNC 10/10; Toronto Star, WP, WT 10/7; al-Quds 10/7, AFP 10/11 in WNC 10/12; REU 10/8; WP 10/10; MM 10/11; Daily Star 10/12 in WNC 10/13; MEI 10/13; SA 10/16 in WNC 10/18; Le Monde 11/7 in WNC 11/8)