The Palestine Chronology

Arafat, Barak both return home. Arafat's homecoming is comparatively celebratory whereas Barak's is more muted. Each leader blames the other for the summit's failure, but both vow to continue negotiations, possibly as early as 7/30. The U.S. says it will not reveal details of the Camp David negotiations, but vows to keep pressure on Arafat to accept the deals offered at the summit. Special envoy Ross will return to the region to nudge the sides closer to an agmt. U.S. Asst. Secy. of State Edward Walker will tour Arab states brief leaders, urge them to press Arafat to compromise on Jerusalem. (MM 7/26; MENA 7/26 in WNC 7/27; CSM, Israel Radio [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 7/27; MENA 7/27 in WNC 7/28; al-Quds 7/27 in WNC 7/28; MM 7/28; al-Quds 7/29 in WNC 8/3)

In Washington, Israeli amb. David Irvy suggests that given the failure of the Camp David summit, it is "the right time for the United States to move its embassy to Jerusalem." (MA [Internet] 7/27; WP 7/28)

U.S. congressmen introduce bills in the House, Senate that would require aid to the PA be suspended if Arafat unilaterally declares a Palestinian state. (JP [Internet], WT 7/27; MM 7/28; DUS 7/30 in WNC 8/1; WJW 8/3) (see 7/25; JP 8/4)

Palestinian landowner Mahameed obtains a stop-work order fr. the Israeli authorities, suspending IDF bulldozing of his property nr. Bethlehem until a final decision is made. (LAW 8/10) (see 7/23)

Arab League says it will form a comm. of legal experts to assist the Palestinians in drafting a constitution. (MENA 5/6 in WNC 5/7; al-Ayyam 5/6 in WNC 5/10)

U.S. Amb. Edward Walker meets with Israeli Public Security M Avigdor Kahalani to urge Israel to show restrain over the Orient House issue. (MM 5/6; CSM, WT 5/7) (see 5/5)

Jordan's King Abdallah calls on Western governments to cancel half of the kingdom's $7 b. foreign debt to ensure political, economic stability. (NYT 5/7; MM 5/14; MEI 5/21)

In Jericho, the Palestinian-Israeli Steering and Monitoring Comm. (PISMC) discusses disputes over prisoner release, settlement expansion, confiscation of Palestinian land for bypass roads. (NYT 11/30; MEI 12/11)

In Washington, Arafat meets with Pres. Clinton, Commerce Secy. William Daley, Arab American business leaders. (NYT, WT 11/30)

On the eve of the Washington donor mtg., the Sunday Times of London reports that $20 m. in EU aid earmarked for housing projects for needy Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza has been used to build luxury apartments for Arafat supporters. (WT 11/30; PR 12/4; MEI 12/11; JP 12/14)

PM Netanyahu convenes special cabinet session to reassess Israel's occupation of s. Lebanon amid public outcry over increasing number of IDF casualties there. (20 soldiers have been killed in s. Lebanon this year, including 7 in the past 2 wks., compared to 39 last yr.) U.S. Amb. Edward Walker warns Netanyahu against harsh retaliation against Lebanon. Lebanese pres. Lahoud says Israel is only testing the new regime, he will not submit to Israeli blackmail. (WP, WT 11/29; ITV, RL 11/29 in WNC 12/1; MM 11/30; MM, WT 12/1; MM 12/2; WJW 12/3; JP 12/7; MEI 12/11)

In Gaza, PA police block Israeli trucks carrying building supplies to Netzarim settlement. IDF counters by blocking VIP entrance to Gaza to PA officials, while settlers block road nr. Netzarim to Palestinian traffic. (NYT 11/30)

IDF demolishes Palestinian home in East Jerusalem. (LAW 11/30; PR 1/8)

U.S. Amb. to Israel Edward Walker hosts mtg. at his home btwn. cochairs of the Palestinian-Israeli Steering and Monitoring Comm. (PISMC), which last met 6 wks. ago, to discuss Rafah airport, Qarni industrial estate. (WT 6/8)

In Amman, King Hussein, Israeli DM Mordechai discuss Israeli plans for 2d FRD. (ITV, JTV 6/7 in WNC 6/9; MM 6/15)

Lebanon's Beirut, s. Lebanon districts hold the 3d of 4 rounds of municipal elections. 13 persons are arrested in minor election-related scuffles, but no large-scale violence is reported. (RL 6/7 in WNC 6/9; MM, WP 6/8; AFP 6/8 in WNC 6/9; WT 6/9)

In Tel Aviv, Israel, Jordan hold talks on water, Jordan Valley development. (RJ 2/19 in WNC 2/24; Globes [Internet] 2/22 in WNC 2/26; JP 2/28)

Palestine-Israel Steering and Monitoring Comm. (PISMC) cochairs meet at U.S. Amb. to Israel Edward Walker's home. (IGPO 2/18; WJW 2/26; JP 2/28)

Syrian VP `Abd al-Halim Khaddam, FM Faruq al-Shara` leave Cairo after 2 days of talks on peace process, Iraq crisis with Pres. Mubarak, FM `Amr Musa. (MENA, SATN 2/18 in WNC 2/21)

U.S. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright, Defense Secy. William Cohen, National Security Adviser (NSA) Sandy Berger hold 90-min. "town meeting" at Ohio State University on potential strike on Iraq, which is broadcast globally on CNN. Audience heckles official and asks pointed questions on U.S. policy, some saying no military action should be taken, others questioning why goals do not include ousting Iraqi Pres. Saddam Hussein. After mtg., Berger warns Hussein that he should not misinterpret the audience reactions because "Ultimately there's only one man who decides, and he decides not based on the polls . . . but on our national interest." (CSM 2/18; NYT, WP, WT 2/19; WT 2/20; al-Ahram 2/21 in WNC 2/26)

PA Information Min. orders all 34 television, radio stations to obtain licenses fr. the Information Min. as well as Interior Min.; closes 9 West Bank stations that do not have such licenses. (LAW 2/19; NYT, PR 2/20; MEI, PR 2/27) (see 2/16)

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum forces its director, Walter Reich, to resign. Mishandling of Arafat invitation to visit the museum (see 1/23) is cited as precipitating factor ending troubled tenure. (NYT 2/19)

New U.S. Amb. to Israel Edward Walker presents his credentials to Israeli pres. Ezer Weizman. (WT 12/25)

Chinese FM Qichen arrives in Egypt for 3-day visit, calls for land for peace. (MENA, RE, Xinhua [Beijing] 12/24, Xinhua 12/25, RE, Xinhua 12/26 in WNC 12/29).

In response to a Hizballah attack on an IDF patrol in s. Lebanon, IDF shells villages just north of the self-declared security zone, killing 1 civilian, wounding 2, damaging several homes. (RL, VOL 12/24 in WNC 12/29)

U.S. Defense Secy. William Cohen receives official Israeli delegation. (NYT 10/10)

In Damascus, Iran, Syria hold talks on agricultural, research cooperation. (IRNA 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In Halhul, IDF arrests 10s of Palestinians after clash, which began when IDF troops demolished 10s of "illegal" vegetable stands along the main roads. (PR 10/17)

 U.S. Amb. to Tel Aviv Martin Indyk is confirmed as asst. secy. of state for Near Eastern affairs. He will be replaced by Amb. to Cairo Edward Walker Jr., who will be replaced by Daniel Kurtzer. (Near East Report 10/20)

Results of the vote by American Jews for U.S. delegates to the World Zionist Congress are released: Reform and Conservative slate pulls 72.7%, Orthodox 10.8%, Labor 3.4%, Likud 1.9%. (NYT 10/10)