The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, unidentified assailants opened fire at a military post and at a settler vehicle near Huwwara; no injuries were reported. Israeli forces demolished 3 structures in 'Arab al-Rashayida. 19 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Hizma, Hebron, al-Arroub refugee camp, Yatta, Sa‘ir, Beit Umar, Talfit, and al-Shuyukh. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces raided the home of director of al-Aqsa Mosque Shaykh Omar Kiswani in al-Tur, seizing a laptop and documents and detaining Kiswani for several hours at a police station before releasing him. 4 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids. (HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/19; MEMO 9/20; PCHR 9/22; UNOCHA 9/30)

Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem observed a general strike in protest over Israeli attempts to censor Palestinian textbooks and introduce Israeli curriculum in the schools. According to the head of the parents committee union, between 90% and 95% of the some 280 Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem observed the strike. (WAFA 9/17; NA, WAFA 9/18; AJ, HA, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 9/19; MEMO, PCHR 9/20; CNN 9/30)

It was revealed that Israel had installed a remote-controlled gun at a checkpoint on Shuhada Street in Hebron, capable of shooting baton rounds, stun grenades, and tear gas. The gun, which looks like a surveillance camera, was developed by the company Smart Shooter and can target people using artificial intelligence. (HA 9/24; DT, TOI 9/26 MEMO, VICE 9/27)

2 Palestinians were convicted of terrorist offenses for throwing stones at an Israeli car in East Jerusalem in May 2021. 1 baby was injured by a stone during the incident. (HA 9/19)

Representatives from Fatah and Hamas arrived in Algiers for reconciliation talks mediated by Algeria. (MEMO 9/20)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with prime minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, UN secretary-general António Guterres, and president of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder at the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. (WAFA 9/20)

In Syria, Israeli forces made incursions from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights into areas controlled by Syria, shooting 1 person who was said to be part of a group that threw objects at the border fence. The man was flown to a hospital in Israel for treatment of his injuries. (HA, JP, MEE, TOI 9/19)

Israeli historians Benny Morris and Benjamin Z. Keder published an article “’Cast Thy Bread’: Israeli biological warfare during the 1948 War” in Middle Eastern Studies, saying that declassified materials in the Israeli archives have revealed that Israel used biological weapons against Palestinians and Arab armies during the Nakba. The codename used for the biological weapons campaign used by the Zionist leaders, including David Ben-Gurion was “Cast Thy Bread.” Zionist militias were given typhoid bacteria which they were to put in water wells. Morris and Keder did not specify the number of casualties caused by biological weapons used during the Nakba. (HA 10/6; MEMO 10/11; HA 10/14; NA, WAFA 10/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces razed a water pipeline connecting homes in Duma to a well. Israeli forces also razed 6 dunams (1.5 acres) of Palestinian-owned land near Ni‘lin. Elsewhere, Israeli forces razed agricultural lands near Burin, uprooting some 50 olive trees. (WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 7/5; PCHR, WAFA 7/7; UNOCHA 7/22)

Haaretz reported that Israeli police downgraded the charge against the Israeli settler who stabbed 1 Palestinian to death on 6/21 from murder to reckless homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years. (HA 7/5)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas and political chief of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh met in Algiers at a meeting hosted by Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The 2 leaders were in Algeria for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Algeria’s independence. Aside from a picture of the 2 shaking hands, there was no information about what was discussed during the meeting, which was the 1st between the 2 since 2016 during reconciliation efforts in Doha. (WAFA 7/4; TOI 7/5; AJ, WAFA 7/6; ALM 7/8)

Israeli prime minister Yair Lapid met with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris. President Macron urged Lapid to restart peace talks with Palestinians, saying that there is no alternative to political dialogue. (REU 7/5; ALM, AP 7/6)

Ben & Jerry’s sued its parent company Unilever to block the sale of Ben & Jerry’s business interests in Israel to the Israeli company American Quality Products. Ben & Jerry’s complaint in U.S. court said that the sale undermines the company’s brand integrity. (AJ, HA, MDW, REU 7/5; AJ, AP, CBS 7/6; HA 7/31)

In the West Bank, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian protesters in Kafr Qaddum, injuring 6 with rubber-coated bullets and others with tear gas. 2 Palestinians were arrested, including 1 during a late-night raid in Qalqilya and 1 at a checkpoint in Kafr Qaddum. In East Jerusalem, 5 Palestinians were arrested in the Old City. In the Naqab desert, Palestinians continued to protest, for the 5th day in a row, the forestation project that is seeking to displace Bedouins near Sawa by throwing stones at vehicles, injuring 1 police officer at the Nevatim air base southeast of Beersheba. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 1/14; PCHR 1/20)

Hamas official Basem Naim said Hamas and Fatah officials are meeting separately with Algerian mediators in Algiers to reconcile their divisions. Naim said meetings could continue until February and that Hamas has not ruled out direct meetings with Fatah. (MEMO 1/17)

The Israeli Defense and Security Forum, led by 3 former Israeli generals, wrote an op-ed in Haaretz, saying that Israeli leaders need to address the growing issue of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. (HA 1/14)

U.S. ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said he would not be visiting West Bank settlements during his tenure as ambassador, restoring the norm from before the Trump administration. Former ambassador David Friedman was an outspoken settler activist. (MEMO 1/15)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers uprooted 50 olive trees in Tarqumiyah as part of an effort to make a road to the Telem settlement. Israeli forces shot and killed 1 Palestinian man near a checkpoint in the Nablus area; Israel claimed that the man had attempted ramming soldiers with his car; no soldier was injured. Israeli forces demolished a 2-story house in Nahalin; Israeli forces also violently dispersed Palestinians protesting the demolition, causing tear-gas related injuries. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a house raid in Jericho. In East Jerusalem, 1 Palestinian family demolished their own home in Jabel Mukaber, displacing 5. Israeli forces detained 3 Palestinian minors and seized their Palestinian flags after they had raised the flags on the Haram al-Sharif compound. 4 others were arrested in the Old City. In Israel, the Israeli member of the Knesset from the Religious Zionist party Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened 2 Palestinian Israeli parking garage employees with a gun when the 2 told Ben-Gvir not to park in a prohibited zone. (AP, HA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 12/21; MEE, MEMO, WAFA, WAFA 12/22; MEMO, PCHR 12/23)

Israeli media reported that Israel had handed over 2 Palestinians to the PA. The 2 were allegedly wanted by the PA when they were arrested in Israel. (MEMO 12/23)

PA president Mahmoud Abbas met with U.S. acting assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs Yael Lambert in Ramallah. (WAFA 12/21)

The Fatah central committee convened without making any significant announcements. (WAFA 12/21)

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri said Hamas supports reconciliation talks with Fatah sponsored by Algeria. The talks were 1st announced by Algeria during a meeting between president Abdelmadjid Tebboune and PA president Mahmoud Abbas in Algiers on 12/6. (MEMO 12/22)

United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas said during a conference hosted by the Hebrew newspaper Globes that “Israel was born as a Jewish state. And that was the decision of the Jewish people, to establish a Jewish state. The question is not ‘what is the identity of the state?’ That’s how the state was born, and so it will remain.” Leader of the Joint List coalition Ayman Odeh criticized Abbas’s remarks, saying that “the state’s identity should interest every citizen.” PA president Mahmoud Abbas also criticized Mansour Abbas for his comments, saying that he has abandoned his own people to side with the “Zionist colonial project.” (JP, TOI 12/21; ALM, WAFA, WAFA 12/22; HA, MEMO 12/23; HA 12/25)

U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan met with Israeli president Isaac Herzog. President Herzog had said before the meeting he would raise with Security Advisor Sullivan his desire to have the yeshiva in the evacuated settlement outpost Homesh remain. 1 Israeli settler was killed at the Homesh outpost on 12/16. Meanwhile, Israeli Channel 13 reported that U.S. president Joe Biden ignored a request from Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett for a phone meeting. (TOI 12/22; ALM 12/28)

AP reported that former head of the Israeli military intelligence directorate Tamir Heyman acknowledged that Israel took part in the U.S. assassination of Iranian general Qassim Soleimani on 1/2/2020. (ABC, HILL, MEMO 12/21)

The Washington Post reported that the UAE had planted NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s then-fiancée’s phone prior to the killing of Khashoggi. The Post reported that Hanan Elatr’s devices were hacked while she was in Dubai airport due to her job as a flight attendant. While in Dubai airport, Elatr was detained and questioned as agents planted the Pegasus spyware on her devices. The Citizen Lab research group confirmed that the Pegasus spyware had been planted on her phone prior to the killing of Khashoggi. AP also reported that Citizen Lab had found Pegasus spyware on phones belonging to a Polish lawyer and a Polish prosecutor known to publicly oppose the right-wing Polish government’s attempts to undermine the judicial branch of government. (AJ, AP, HA, WP 12/21)

UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process Tor Wennesland called on Israel to cease settlement activities and displacement of Palestinians in East Jerusalem during a UN security council meeting. Special Coordinator Wennesland also warned that an increase in settler violence in the West Bank could ignite tensions between Hamas and Israel. (MEMO, MEMO 12/22)

Britain's MI6 says Iraq's Deputy PM Tariq Aziz met secretly with an Israeli delegation headed by Housing M Binyamin Ben Eliezer in Rabat 1 mo. ago to try to draw up a peace treaty. Israeli FMin. denies the report. (Sunday Times 9/18 in WT 9/19, FBIS 9/21; CSM 9/19; WT 9/21; WJW 9/22; MEI 9/23)

Israeli police extend ban on Kach, Kahane Chai for 6 mos. (QY 9/18 in FBIS 9/19)

Palestinian Amb. to Iraq `Azzam al-Ahmad says PLO has stopped VOP transmissions fr. Baghdad, Sana`a', Algiers; will now rely solely on VOP Jericho. (Al-Dustur 9/18 in FBIS 9/20)

IDF kills 1 Palestinian, wounds 1 when car fails to stop for roadblock nr. Ramallah. In separate incident, 1 IDF soldier wounded in knifing by Palestinian nr. Tel Aviv. (WT 9/19)

Hamas issues leaflet denying association with men who shot a Palestinian policeman 9/17, blame PSF men who were also at the scene. Arafat calls in PSF's Gaza head Muhammad Dahlan to explain. (MM 9/19; QY 9/19 in FBIS 9/19; MEI 9/23)

IDF shoots and wounds 3 Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza Strip, after youths stone IDF post in Rafah, fled into self-rule area where IDF pursued and fired.  (WP 6/8)

IDF declares Wadi Shubash, nr. Janin, closed military area, sealing off 32,000 dunams (approx. 7907 acres) of farmland belonging to West Bank villages of Maghir, Raba.  (TJT 6/17)

PLO Chmn. Arafat meets U.S. Amb. to Tunisia John McCarthy, discusses international aid to Palestinians.  (Algiers VOP 6/7 in FBIS 6/8)

U.S.-Jordanian-Israeli Trilateral Economic Comm. concludes mtg. in Washington, opening negotiations on boundaries, cooperation in economics, tourism, and civil aviation.  Jordan and Israel also agree in principle to build highway to link Aqaba, Eilat, and Taba, Egypt, establish joint cultural park on common border.  U.S. agrees to consolidate Israeli, Jordanian plans for Jordan Valley development.  (MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/8; JP 6/18)

Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, head of 25,000-mbr. NY-based anti-Zionist Hasidic sect that considers State of Israel sinful, arrives in Jerusalem on 14-day visit.  Teitelbaum, who arrives with 2,000 followers, is greeted by 10s of 1,000s.  (MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/8; JP 6/18)

Fateh gains 43.6%, Hamas 42.3% of vote in student council elections at al-Najah University in Nablus.  Vote gives Hamas 11 seats on council.  (MM 6/8)

PLO Chmn. Arafat arrives in Algiers accompanied by Faisal Husseini for talks with head of state Ali Kafi, PM Redha Malek. (MM 10/5)

Hamas mbr. Kamal Bani Odeh, 20, of Tamoun, West Bank, drives car bomb into Israeli commuter bus outside IDF hq. in Beit El, West Bank. Attack kills Odeh and wounds 30 Israelis. Beit El settlers hold prayer protest at attack site until IDF forces them to leave. (NYT, WP 10/5)

Funeral of Israeli Druze leader Amin Tarif attracts "tens of thousands" of mourners, including 1,300 Druze fr. Lebanon and Syria. PM Rabin appeals to foreign visitors to be messengers of peace." (MM 10/4)

Israel reestablishes diplomatic relations with Cambodia, Burkina Faso (Upper Volta). (MM 10/5)

PLO Exec. Comm. releases official statement approving DoP. (Algiers VOP 9/12 in FBIS 9/13)

PLO Chmn. Arafat arrives in Washington for signing of PLO-Israel Declaration of Principles, 1st visit to U.S. since address to UN in New York in 1974. Arafat is greeted by Asst. Secy. of State Edward Djerejian on behalf of U.S. govt. (NYT, WP 9/13)

Islamic Jihad claims fatal attack on 3 IDF soldiers in Gaza, Israeli bus driver in Israel. Other sources place responsibility on Hamas. Attacks also mounted on Israeli bus in West Bank. Pres. Clinton calls upon PLO Chmn. Arafat to condemn attacks. 3 Palestinians die in other incidents. (RMC 9/12 in FBIS 9/13; MM, NYT, WP 9/13; CSM 9/14)

EC FMs meeting in Belgium approve 5- year, $604 m. Palestinian aid package. (NYT 9/13)

Fateh delegation led by 'Abbas Zaki meets with 7 Palestinian factions opposed to peace process in Damascus. Organizations represented are PPSF, PLF, PFLP, DFLP, PFLPGC, al-Sa'iqah, and Islamic Jihad. Delegation is to proceed to Amman for meeting with Hamas. (Algiers VOP, al-Rayv 7/14 in FBIS 7/15)

FM Peres proposes opening negotiations on final status based on Palestinian-Jordanian confederation in meeting with U.S. envoy Ross. (Ha Aretz 7/15 in FBIS 7/15)

U.S. delegation holds 2d meeting with Israeli leadership. Official statements are terse, but it is speculated discussions included tensions between Israel and Syria following escalation of violence in southern Lebanon. (MM 7/13)

2d U.S.-Palestinian meeting held at U.S. consulate in Jerusalem. (Qol Yisra'el 7/13 in FBIS 7/14)

Israeli rights group B'Tselem says 232 Palestinians under 17 killed by IDF since start of intifada, 38 in last 6 months. IDF calls such deaths "unavoidable," claims intifada casualties have declined, saying 166 Israelis, 1,859 Palestinians killed since outbreak of uprising. Report also states 100,000 Palestinians detained, 60,000 incarcerated over same period. (MM 7/13; Qol Yisra'el 7/13 in FBIS 7/15; WT 7/14)

Israeli police arrest 4 teenage members of "Kahane Lives" for the 11/92 grenade murder of a Palestinian in Jerusalem. (NYT 7/14)

Palestinian motorist shot dead by Border Police, second wounded in Hebron. (ITV 7/14 in FBIS 7/15)

PLO reconciliation meeting held in Damascus grouping representatives of Fateh, PFLP, and DFLP (Hawatmah faction). (al-Dustur 7/13 in FBIS 7/13)

PLO joins with Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Tunisia, and Turkey in offer to send peacekeepers to Bosnia. (WP 7/14)

Extended Palestinian leadership suspends 4 days of meetings in Tunis, postpones decision on resumption of talks until 4/18-19 FMs meeting in Amman. Hamas declined invitation to attend. (RMC 4/3 in FBIS 4/5; Radio Algiers 4/5 in FBIS 4/6)

Palestinian Christians demand access to East Jerusalem on Easter. O.t. have been sealed since 3/31. (WT 4/6)

Fateh commander in Lebanon accuses Lebanon and Syria of aiding Fateh Revolutionary Council (Abu Nidal) to force Palestinians to resume talks with Israel, declares open war on FRC. Fateh fires rockets at Israel, landing harmlessly in"security zone," in retaliation for 4/1 assassination-lst Fateh attacks on Israel since 10/91. (WT 4/6; AFP, VOL 4/6 in FBIS 4/7)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) labor. mins. meet in Amman, first such meeting in Jordan since the Gulf war. Kuwait announces it will honor its compensation pledges to Jordanians and Palestinians who lost their jobs after the war. (MM 4/2, 4/14)

U.S. amb. to Israel William Harrop criticizes pace of economic reform in Israel, and warns of possible U.S. aid cuts. (WT 3/5)

New York Times op-ed says Pres. Asad told Secy. of State Christopher that he would agree to implement a peace agreement "gradually" (see 2/21). (NYT 3/4; MM 3/5)

Hamas spokesman in Amman Ibrahim Ghawshah says it was Hamas that suspended talks with U.S. when the latter did not agree to a 3rd meeting with its amb. in Amman, and that the 2 meetings with lower diplomats focused on the deportees (see 3/2). (Sawt al-Sha'b 3/5 in FBIS 3/5)

Belgium raises status of the PLO mission in Brussels, still short of full diplomatic recognition; Israel protests. (Algiers VOP 3/4 in FBIS 3/5; MM 3/5)

Yeshiva student stabbed in Jerusalem's Old City. (Qol Yisra'el 3/4 in FBIS 3/5)

Palestinian-born Muhammad Salameh is arrested and charged in connection with 2/26 World Trade Center bombing. Also arrested is Ibrahim al-Gabrowni, a relative of Sayyid Nusayr (imprisoned on crimes connected with assassination of Rabbi Meir Kahane 2 years ago) and an official at Egyptian Islamic leader Shaykh 'Umar 'Abd al-Rahman's mosque in Brooklyn. 'Abd al-Rahman was tried in connection with Pres. Sadat's assassination in 1981. (WT 3/5; NYT 3/8)

On 1st day of 8-day visit to the U.S., FM Peres meets with UN Secy.-Gen. Butrus-Ghali, UNSC Pres. Ahmad Senoussi (Morocco), terms Israel's "100" offer "rather consistent" with UNSCR 799. Senoussi agrees not to convene UNSC for the time being. (MM 2/11; Qol Yisra'el 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)

Chmn. Arafat blames U.S. for surging violence in the o.t. (Algiers VOP, AFP 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)

Press reports that Israeli o.t. military commanders recently issued a "sweeping and comprehensive" decree forbidding settlers from construction (including additional rooms), drawing up master plans for settlements, or any preconstruction activities. (HaAretz 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)

Israel releases 1 of 3 detained Palestinian-Americans on insufficient evidence. The detainee consistently denied any connections with Hamas, and accuses his interrogators of beating him during his 3 weeks in captivity. (MM 2/11; WT 2/12)

While capturing 4 wanted Hamas suspects, 200 IDF soldiers stage 12-hour raid in Khan Yunis, firing automatic weapons and anti-tank rockets at houses after ordering families out, badly damaging 20 homes of up to 35 families. Palestinian gunmen wound 2 IDF soldiers in separate drive-by shootings in Gaza Strip. (MM 2/12; WT 2/13)

Poll of 1,140 Jordanians reveals that 54.2% oppose any form of confederation with a Palestinian entity in the event of Israeli withdrawal, 44.6% favor; 23% support Jordanian withdrawal from the peace talks if progress is not made on other tracks, 72% oppose; and 72.5% supporthe military option if talks fail. (al-Nahar 2/11 in FBIS 2/12)

PLO and the deportees reject Israeli "100" offer. (MM 2/2; WT 2/3)

Chmn. Arafat meets with Pres. Saddam Hussein in Baghdad, second such visit since the Gulf war. (Baghdad INA, Algiers VOP 2/2 in FBIS 2/3)

Amnesty International "deplores" the 12/17 deportations, calls on Israel to repatriate all of them. (MM 2/2)

Hamas rep. in Jordan condemns U.S. for labelling the org. as terrorist, stating that Hamas is an Islamic national liberation group, whose aims and methods are sanctioned under intl. law. (WT 2/3)

As part of U.S.-brokered deal, Israel offers to allow 100 Palestinian deportees to return, to reduce the exile period to 1 year and allow relief to the remaining 296. U.S. Secy. of State Christopher says "further action by the UNSC is unnecessary"; Israel's offer came with a U.S. pledge to block any sanctions. (MM, NYT, WP 2/2)

PLO, Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi reject Israel's "100" offer. (Algiers VOP 2/1 in FBIS 2/2; WP 2/2)

Chmn. Arafat meets with King Hussein in Amman, then leaves for Baghdad. (Radio Jordan 2/1, Jordan Times 2/2 in FBIS 2/2)

Israel announces it has arrested a 3rd Palestinian-American connected to Hamas (see 1/31). (Qol Yisra'el 2/1 in FBIS 2/1)

EC FMs meeting in Brussels welcome Israel's "100" offer, but have yet to determine whether it is sufficient to resume negotiations on extending economic cooperation with Israel. FM Peres is attending. (NYT 2/2)

U.S. announces it will include the actions of Hamas in its annual global terrorism report, officially labelling the org. as "terrorist." (WT 2/3)

PLO Exec. Comm. issues statement denouncing 1/28 Israeli High Court decision on deportees, supporting UN efforts to resolve the crisis and place observers in the o.t. (Algiers VOP 1/30 in FBIS 2/1)

Two Hamas mbrs. open fire on 3-man IDF jeep patrol, killing 2, inside Israeli settlement in Gaza Strip. (NYT 1/31; MM 2/1; WP 2/3)

UN Security Council "strongly condemns" the 12/17 deportations and demands the deportees' "safe and immediate return" in res. 799. Arab League and Islamic Conference Organization issue similar condemnations. (NYT 12/19; MENA 12/18 in FBIS 12/18; SPA 12/19 in FBIS 12/23)

UNIFIL announces its support of Lebanon's decision not to allow the 415 deportees into Lebanese-controlled territory; will prevent them from entering UNIFIL areas. (VOL 12/18 in FBIS 12/21)

PLO Exec. Comm. issues statement condemning the deportations. Chmn. Arafat calls on Lebanon not to admit the deportees. Hamas spokesman in Amman Ibrahim Ghawshah says the PLO's response to the expulsions "fell far short of what the Palestinian people expected." (MM 12/18; Algiers VOP 12/18 in FBIS 12/21)

Meretz Knesset faction backtracks from 12/17 approval of deportations as a "necessary evil," passes res. stating deportations are a "gross violation of human rights and intl. law." (Qol Yisra'el 12/18 in FBIS 12/18)

Israeli Dahaf poll shows 91% of Israeli Jews support deportations. 55% felt deportations would "reduce the scope of terror attacks," 26% felt they would increase such attacks. (Yedi'ot Aharonot 12/18 in FBIS 12/18; MM 12/18)

IDF shoots Palestinian man dead in al-Arrub camp, W. Bank. (MM 12/21)

U.S. Amb. to Israel William Harrop says "Israel should not be asked to express readiness to withdraw from the Golan Heights before Syria makes clear its position on the substance of peace." (Ha'Aretz 9/22 in MM 9/22)

UNLU issues addendum to call no. 86 (see 9/1) calling for unity in the Palestinian ranks under the PLO, and criticizing different factions' declarations rejecting the peace process. (Algiers VOP 9/22 in FBIS 9/23)

FM Shimon Peres meets with EC FMs in New York. (Qol Yisra'el 9/22 in FBIS 9/22)

Palestinian gunman disguised as an IDF soldier shoots and kills Israeli policeman in East Jerusalem. Hamas claims responsibility. (MM 9/22; NYT 9/23)

Reporting an interview with FM Peres in the Italian paper II Messaggero, Deputy FM Yossi Beilin announces that Rabin gov't. will ask the Knesset in October to legalize meetings with the PLO, as long as they are not considered harmful to Israel. Rabin promised during the campaign to change the 1986 law. (Qol Yisra'el 8/9 in FBIS 8/10; NYT, WP 8/10)

Settlers attempt to build new house in defiance of partial settlement freeze, clash with IDF over its construction near Kiryat Arba, W. Bank. With police protection, 15 Jewish families occupy, claim legal ownership of 7 houses in Muslim quarter of Old City of Jerusalem. Rabin criticizes actions of settlers at both sites. (IDF Radio 8/9 in FBIS 8/10; NYT, WP 8/10)

Masked men kill 2 suspected collaborators in Gaza Strip. (Qol Yisra'el 8/10 in FBIS 8/11)

Fateh-affiliated candidate defeats Hamas candidate for leadership of o.t. Union of Engineers, but Hamas candidates win local branches in Janin, Hebron. (Qol Yisra'el 8/9 in FBIS 8/12)

Fateh Revolutionary Council concludes 2-day meeting in Tunis, issues final statement. (Algiers VOP 8/12 in FBIS 8/12)

Israel shells central S. Lebanon "security zone" and targets north. (VOL 8/9 in FBIS 8/10)

Israeli govt. declares 1-week freeze on signing contracts for govt.-subsidized housing, including those affecting construction i the o.t. Freeze also is called on planning and early proceedings of new roads in o.t. About 3,000 units in early stages in o.t. are affected by the freeze, and govt. is still unsure about what to do with 4,000 completed units unattached to infrastructure, 12,000 in various stages of construction, and about 500 completed units that have been populated in the o.t. About 60% of these 16,500 scheduled units are in "political settlements." Financial incentives encouraging settlement will be ended. (Qol Yisra'el, HaAretz 7/16 in FBIS 7/16; MM, NYT, WP 7/17)

The Jerusalem Report states that 100 of the 142 settlements in the o.t. are "political settlements" according to PM Rabin, and can therefore expect significant cuts in govt. aid. These include all 16 settlements inthe Gaza Strip, as well as large W. Bank settlements of Qedumim, Elqana, and possibly Ariel. (Likud MK and Ariel mayor Ron Nahman claims freeze will have "opposite result" in his settlement, plans to increase its pop. from 11,000 to 20,000 in a year.) (Al Hamishmar 7/16 in FBIS 7/16; HaAretz 7/17 in MM 7/17)

Fateh gunman shoots, wounds 3 unarmed Hamas supporters in Rafah, Gaza. Hamas gunmen shoot, wound 1 unarmed Fateh supporter. Some 1,000 Fateh supporters then raid mosque in Yibna camp, Hamas gunmen inside open fire, wound 8. IDF troops impose curfew on Yibna. Two-week total for Fateh-Hamas violence is 1 dead, about 150 wounded. (MM, WP 7/17)

Palestinians throughout o.t. stage commercial strike called for by PLO-backed UNLU to protest seige at al-Najah University. Palestinian-Israeli leaders including all 6 MKs meet to discuss strategy, form delegation to meet with PM Rabin concerning al-Najah. Some 250 prominent Palestinians begin hunger strike in Nablus to protest siege. (MM 7/16, 17; Qol Yisra'el 7/16 in FBIS 7/17)

U.S. State Dept. calls for "restraint" from Israel in its handling of situation at al-Najah University, Nablus. IDF soldiers continue to surround campus, searching all students who leave; students refuse to leave until army withdraws. (WP 7/17)

Faisal Husseini announces Israeli defense establishment proposal to deport wanted men in al-Najah University for 3 years as step to lifting siege; Palestinians are drafting counter-proposal, and have sent a letter to PM Rabin to lift siege and curfew of Nablus. (Qol Yisra'el 7/16 in FBIS 7/17)

PLO representative calls on UN Secy. Gen. Butrus Ghali to provide int'l. protection for Palestinians in o.t., implementation of res. 681 to deal with siege at al-Najah University. (Radio Algiers Network 7/16 in FBIS 7/17)

PM Rabin agrees to meet with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo after U.S. Secy. of State Baker's upcoming visit; meeting would be first such visit since 1986. (WP 7/17)

Palestinian "rejectionist" groups - Hamas and the Palestine National Salvation Front (PFLP-GC, Fateh Uprising, Communist Revolutionary Party, and Sa'iqa) - meet in Damascus to discuss strategy of blocking the peace process and escalating the intifada. (MM 7/16)

King Hussein arrives in Damascus for visit with Pres. Asad. (Syrian Arab Republic Radio 7/16 in FBIS 7/16)

Islamic Resistance attacks Israeli, SLA roadblock in Kafr Huna, S. Lebanon. Israel overflies Arqub region, strengthens positions in al-Qantara, al-Tayyiba with armored vehicles. (Radio Lebanon 7/16 in FBIS 7/17)

Syrian VP 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam says Syria will not withdraw to eastern Lebanon in September, states that Taef accord requires withdrawal within 2 years of constitutional adoption of political reforms. (VOL 7/16 in FBIS 7/16)

Israeli soldiers surround al-Najah University in Nablus. Some 3,000-4,000 students and others refuse to submit to searches; IDF imposes curfew on Nablus and 4 nearby refugee camps. (WP 7/16; NYT 7/17)

PLO Exec. Comm. issues statement criticizing Rabin's "iron fist policy," and calling for int'l. action to lift the siege. (Algiers VOP 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

Construction and housing min. Benyamin Ben-Eliezer "cancel[s] endorsement" of approved but unsigned contracts for 3,000 housing units in the o.t. Council of Jewish Settlements of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza considers this a "declaration of war." (Qol Yisra'el, IDF Radio 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

Fateh official Abu-Nidal al-Asmar narrowly escapes death as a bomb destroys his car in Sidon. (AFP 7/15 in FBIS 7/15)

Israeli undercover unit shoots dead Hamas-'Izz al-Din al-Qassim faction mbr. in Gaza City. (MM 7/16)

Amal claims an attack on an SLA patrol in al-Qantara, S. Lebanon, kills 6 Israeli soldiers and 1 Amal militiaman. SLA responds by shelling "security zone" border villages of al-Qantara, al-Qabrikha. (VOL 7/15 in FBIS 7/15; Radio Lebanon 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

PM Rabin "rules out" Palestinian legislative elections as outlined in Camp David Accords. (WP 7/16)

Pres. Herzog leaves for 2-day visit to Turkey, firstrip to Turkey by an Israeli president. (Qol Yisra'el 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

EC grants ECU 29 million (about $35 million) for o.t. housing projects to Palestinian delegation's Housing Council. Accord sets precedent of intl. actor dealing directly with the o.t. as a distinct political entity. EC rep. Thomas Dupla meets with Dani Rothschild, coordinator of Israeli govt. activities in the o.t., who indicated that state-owned lands may be for the firstime allocated for Palestinian housing needs. (Al Hamishmar 7/9 in FBIS 7/9; MM 7/9)

Ten Palestinians are hospitalized in Gaza Strip as a result of Hamas-Fateh violence. IDF imposes curfew on Rafah. (WP 7/10)

Reps. of National Reconciliation Committee (NRC-4 Fateh and Hamas mbrs. each, 3 W. Bank leaders, 3 Palestinian Israelis) meet with Hamas leaders at Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi's home in Gaza, meet later with Fateh leaders at Red Crescent Society to investigate and halt violence in Gaza Strip. (MM 7/9)

Undercover IDF soldier is killed accidently by another undercover unit near Barta, W. Bank. (Qol Yisra'el 7/9 in FBIS 7/9)

Outgoing Fin. Min. Yitzhak Modai rejects all demands by housing min. officials to expedite his signature on 1,000's of new o.t. contracts-does not want to "impose a fait accompli" on new govt. Move rescinds 7/5 agreement with housing min. (IDF Radio 7/8 in FBIS 7/8)

Islamic World League issues statement in Mecca urging end to Fateh-Hamas violence in Gaza Strip. (SPA 7/8 in FBIS 7/9)

Fateh, PFLP, Arab Liberation Front, DFLP, and Palestinian People's Party issue statement warning Hamas to halt "attacks and excesses." (Algiers VOP 7/9 in FBIS 7/10; Sanaa VOP 7/10 in FBIS 7/13)

Number of military officers purged and/or executed by Iraqi Pres. Saddam Hussein since 6/29 reported coup attempt estimated at 200. (NYT 7/9)

U.S. informs Israeli and Arab delegations that bilateral talks will resume 8/28 in Rome. (Al-Quds 7/6 in FBIS 7/7)

MK 'Abd al-Wahhab Darawsha (Arab Democratic Party) expresses desire to be included in Labor coalition, "surprising" Labor negotiators. Darawsha also charges Rabin with racism in continuing the ban on Arab parties participating in govt. Arab parties won 5 seats in the 6/23 elections, and the Arab vote accounted for at least 5 Labor and Meretz seats. (IDF Radio 7/6 in FBIS 7/7; MM 7/7)

New York Times reports Iraqi Pres. Saddam Hussein has purged 135 military officers in wake of coup attempt that reportedly began 6/29. Washington Post reports at least 140 officers have been executed. (NYT, WP 7/7)

King Hussein flatly denies Iraqi allegations that Jordan was involved in staging 6/29 coup attempt. Jordan has been host to an increased U.S. intelligence contingent monitoring Iraqi actions. (WP 7/7)

Fateh and Hamas distribute leaflet of agreement to end the violence in the Gaza Strip; 2 Palestinians are killed in Gaza Strip as a result of the current violence. (Algiers VOP 7/7 in FBIS 7/8; WP 7/10)

Association for Civil Rights in Israel releases 1991-92; report cites progress, central problems in o.t. still "rampant." (HaAretz 7/7 in FBIS 7/10)

Palestine National Council meeting begins in Algiers. Chmn. Arafat, calling meeting a "decisive point in the history of the Palestinian cause,' asserts PLO willingness to cooperate with moves to hold peace conference, but without submitting to Israeli "blackmail." Following recent failures to agree on proposed new formulas for PNC composition, either Hamas nor constituent groups of the PNSF are in attendance. PNSF Chmri. Khalid al-Fahum denounces "authoritarian, irresponsible manner" in which composition of PNC was decided, states present composition does not represent all factions. Nayif Hawatma attends the meeting despite 9/21 statement. PNC reelects Shaykh 'Abd al-Hamid al-Sa'ih chairman of PNC after his nomination by Chmn. Arafat, despite al-Sa'ih's earlier statements that he would not seek reelection. PNC also approves expansion of PLO executive committee from 15 to 18 members. (MEM, NYT 9/24; Radio Algiers Network 9/23, al-Quds Palestinian Arab Radio 9/23 in FBIS 9/24)

In Jerusalem, 24 Knesset members from Labor, Mapam, Ratz, and Shinui issue statement urging PNC to authorize Palestinian participation in peace talks. (MEM 9/23)

In Jeiusalem, prominent figures from o.t. hold press conference calling on UN to pressure Israel into allowing residents of the territories who are members of the PNC to attend meeting. (Qol Yisra'el 9/23 in FBIS 9/24)

In leaflet issued in o.t., Hamas denounces PNC as "conference to sell Palestine." (al-Ribat 9/24 in FBIS 10/17)

Pres. Bush addresses UN general assembly, calls for repeal of General Assembly Resolution 3379, adopted in 1975, which calls Zionism aform of racism. Move seen as attempt to improve U.S.-Israeli relations in wake of public dispute over U.S. loan guarantees sought by Israel. (NYT, WP 9/24)

Israeli troops kill three fighters identified as belonging to DFLP (Hawatma faction) who were trying to infiltrate Israel from Syrian front. (NYT 24/9)