The Palestine Chronology

PA chief negotiator Erakat delays his trip to Washington to meet with U.S. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright, originally set for 8/26, until 8/27, saying that the PA, Israel appear close to a compromise on the Wye implementation timetable. (MM, NYT 8/26)

In Amman, Jordan, Israel hold technical comm. mtg. to discuss ways of providing Jordan with water directly fr. the Yarmuk River to ease drought effects. (JT 8/25 in WNC 8/27)

Setting aside objections of religious parties, Israeli High Court orders giant electrical components to be moved on the Sabbath to avoid traffic problems. United Torah Judaism threatens to withdraw fr. Barak's ruling coalition in protest. (MM, NYT, WP 8/26; NYT 8/27) (see 8/15)

A group of 13 American scholars working in Iran is ordered to pull out of Tehran 10 days ahead of schedule. Under orders fr. "the highest authorities in Washington," they are ordered to leave on the 1st plane available and are instructed not to discuss their travel plans with Iranian friends, contact anyone to cancel appointments, send e-mail, or call home. U.S. officials refuse to comment, saying the situation is "very sensitive." (WP 9/3, 9/4)

American Arab organizations issue a report documenting a pattern of cases in which the State Dept. did the bare minimum for Arab Americans detained by Israel, but rushed to the aid of non-Arab Americans detained by other foreign governments. (WP 8/26; MM 8/27; al-Riyad 8/28 in WNC 9/1)

The Turkish separatist group, the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), begins to pull out of Turkey a wk. ahead of schedule. Over the past yr., the PKK has suffered major military defeats at the hands of the Turkish military, lost Syria as its patron, suffered the arrest of its leader, Abdallah Ocalan. On 8/5, the party agreed to heed the call of Ocalan, who has been sentenced to death by Turkey, to end its 14-yr. insurgency for self-rule, take its cause to the political arena. (WP 8/26)

PM Barak expands his cabinet to 23 mbrs., appoints MK Nawaf Masalha (One Israel) as 1st Arab dep. FM. Barak's One Israel party holds 12 of the 23 cabinet seats. (MM 8/5; MM, NYT 8/6; al-Riyad 8/6 in WNC 8/10; WJW 8/12) (see 8/1)

Arafat orders the Palestinian press to stop printing pieces that insult Syria, particularly DM Mustafa Tlas, who has been attacked in the press for accusing Arafat (on 8/2) of selling out the Palestinian cause. (al-Wafd 8/5, MBC 8/7 in WNC 8/9; WT 8/6; MM 8/9)

In Gaza, PA police detain Palestinian human rights activist Eyad Sarraj for questioning regarding an article in which he criticized the PA's human rights record. Sarraj is released after 2 hrs. but is forbidden to travel abroad until further notice. (LAW 8/5, 8/7)

PKK says it will heed Ocalan's 8/2 call to abandon its 14-yr. insurgency for self-rule, pull out of Turkey by 9/1. Turkey dismisses PKK's announcement as an attempt to convince Turkey to stay Ocalan's execution, vows not to negotiate with the PKK. (CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/6; MM 8/9; WP 8/10)

Turkish officials visit Iranian border camp to investigate Iran's claims that Turkish jets attacked the area on 7/19. They conclude that the area was hit by accident during a strike on nearby PKK base inside Turkish territory, apologize for the incident, promise compensation. (MM 7/28; WT 7/29; IRNA 7/29 in WNC 7/30; MM 7/30)

A joint mtg. of the donors's Joint Liaison Comm., Local Aid Coordination Comm. is held in al-Barid, nr. Jerusalem. (AYM 6/30 in WNC 7/1; AYM 6/30, 7/1 in WNC 7/6)

Arafat meets with King Abdallah in Amman for talks on the peace process, coordinating positions in advance of final status talks; also reportedly undergoes medical checkup. (RMC 6/29 in WNC 6/30; al-Ra'i 6/20 in WNC 7/2)

In Washington, Egyptian pres. Mubarak meets with Secy. of State Albright, encourages U.S. to support 7/14-15 mtg. of the signatories to the Fourth Geneva Convention. U.S. says it still opposes the mtg. (NYT, WT 6/30; MEI 7/16)

IDF Chief of Staff Shaul Mofaz announces that outgoing DM Arens has issued instructions to the IDF to ignore the 1996 April understandings, suspended Israel's participation in the Israel-Lebanon Monitoring Group (ILMG), claiming that Hizballah's 6/24 rocket attacks on n. Israel voided the 4/96 agmt. The April understandings, which ended Israel's 1996 Grapes of Wrath campaign against Lebanon, called on all parties in s. Lebanon to avoid harming civilians. (RL, RMC 6/29 in WNC 6/30; MM, WT 6/30; RL 6/30 in WNC 7/1; RL 7/3 in WNC 7/6; MM 7/5; JP 7/9)

Turkish court finds PKK leader Ocalan guilty of treason, a charge that automatically carries a death sentence and is automatically appealed. Turkey has not carried out an execution since 1984. Public response is muted as the verdict was widely expected. (AFP, ATL, La Une Radio [Brussels], LPA, MTI [Budapest], NTV [Moscow], RAI Televideo [Rome], RNE-1 Radio [Madrid], SAPA [Johannesburg], Xinhua [Beijing] 6/29 in WNC 6/30; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/30) (see 6/21)

Without any security guarantees from Lebanon, SLA forces begin unilateral pullout fr. Jazzin, an area n. of Israel's self-declared security zone that the SLA has occupied on behalf of the IDF since 1985. This is the 1st major Israeli retreat in 14 yrs. 1 SLA mbr. is killed when a roadside bomb goes off soon after the pullout begins. (VOL 5/30 in WNC 6/1; RL 5/31 in WNC 6/2; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/1; MEI 6/4; JP 6/11)

Turkey opens treason trial against PKK leader Ocalan, who asks court to spare his life, says he is willing to work for peace with the government. PKK supporters are divided over whether to support Ocalan's statement or view it as a betrayal of the Kurdish cause. (CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/1; NYT 6/2; AFP 6/2 in WNC 6/3; MM 6/3; MEI 6/4; MM 6/8; WP 6/16; MEI 6/18)

In s. Lebanon, an Irish UN peacekeeper is killed, 2 are wounded when a shell fired by the SLA lands inside a UN compound. (LPA, RL 5/31 in WNC 6/1; NYT 6/1; Irish Times 6/1 in WNC 6/2; Interfax, RL 6/3 in WNC 6/8)

In his 1st major statements since elections, PM-elect Barak reiterates promise to seek withdrawal of IDF fr. s. Lebanon within a yr. (MM 5/20; YA 5/20 in WNC 5/21; al-Sinnara 5/20 in WNC 5/25; NYT, WP, WT 5/21; NYT 5/23; MM 6/3)

Turkey sentences to death top aide to Abdallah Ocalan, head of the Turkish separatist group the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK). The aide, Semdin Sakik was convicted of treason for masterminding 191 PKK attacks that killed 283 people. (WP 5/21; Zaman 5/26 in WNC 5/28) (see 3/11)

In Paris, Jordanian Finance M Michel Martu meets with the Paris Club, which agrees to reschedule $1.15 b. of Jordan's debt. (RJ 5/20 in WNC 5/21; JTV 5/27 in WNC 6/1; MEI 6/18)

Jordan, Syria sign agricultural cooperation agmt. (SANA 5/20 in WNC 5/21)

In Beirut, Iranian, Lebanese officials discuss expanding bilateral relations, resuming direct flights btwn. Tehran, Beirut. (IRNA 5/21 in WNC 5/25)

At the end of Khatami's 2 day visit, Iran, Qatar sign 8 cooperation agmts. (IRNA 5/20 in WNC 5/21; IRNA 5/22 in WNC 5/28; MM 5/24)

Labor Chmn. Ehud Barak pledges to withdraw fr. Lebanon, resume negotiations with Syria within a yr. if he wins 5/17 elections. Center party candidate Yitzhak Mordechai vows to be out of Lebanon even sooner if he wins. (MM 3/2; WP 3/3; MM, WJW 3/4; MA 3/4 in WNC 3/5; MM 3/5; NYT 3/6; MM 3/8; JP 3/12)

Washington Post reports that during the U.S.'s 3 yrs. of intelligence work inside the UN Special Comm. (UNSCOM) weapons inspection team in Iraq (admitted 1/6), the U.S. rigged UNSCOM equipment to intercept Iraqi communications, sent burst transmissions fr. the UNSCOM headquarters to U.S. military without the knowledge of or sharing the information with the UN. UN Secy. Gen. Kofi Annan says U.S. actions could undermine other disarmament programs. (WP 3/2; WP 3/3; MM 3/5; MEI 3/12)

Turkey's Dep. Chief of Staff Hilmi Ozkok leaves Egypt after 3 days of talks on expanding bilateral military cooperation, heads to Jordan to discuss joint military exercises planned for 5/99. (ATL 3/4 in WNC 3/5)

Turkey allows 15-mbr. EU torture prevention group to visit PKK leader Ocalan to inspect the conditions under which he is being jailed. (NYT 3/3) (see 2/25)

The PA rejects Israel's offer to partially implement the expired Wye agmt. by opening the open s. safe passage route, releasing more criminal prisoners; says that any proposal for partial implementation must include transfer of land. (NYT, WP 2/26)

In a 1-hr. trial, PA military court finds Palestinian Col. Ahmad Abu Mustafa guilty of kidnapping, raping a 6-yr.-old boy; sentences him to death for "inciting the public against the Palestinian Authority." 2,000 Palestinians stage demonstration in Gaza to demand Abu Mustafa's punishment. (NYT 2/26; NYT, WT, WP 2/27; PR 3/5; MEI 3/12)

Bashar al-Asad, son of Syrian pres. Hafiz al-Asad, goes to Amman to offer condolences to King Abdallah on the passing of King Hussein. (MM 2/26)

Israeli High Court rules (3-2) that American Samuel Sheinbein, charged committing murder in the U.S. in 9/97, is a citizen of Israel, cannot be extradited, will be tried in Israel. The decision reverses a lower court judgement that Sheinbein did not qualify for automatic citizenship through his father, who was born in Mandated Palestine. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/26; WJW 3/4; JP 3/5) (see 9/5/98)

Saudi businessman Salih Idris, whose pharmaceutical plant in Sudan was bombed by the U.S. in 8/98 for allegedly housing chemical weapons for Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden, files suit against the U.S. Treasury Dept. for freezing his London assets without formally declaring him linked to a designated terrorist, as the law demands. The U.S. has never given proof of Idris's ties to Bin Laden. (WP 2/26; WT 2/27; see also WP, WT 2/4)

Turkish officials allow 2 lawyers for Ocalan to see the jailed PKK leader for the 1st time. The mtg. lasts 20 minutes; jailers confine the discussion to Ocalan's health, forbid discussion of his case. Afterward, 1 lawyer is arrested for maintaining ties to the PKK. The other, Ahmet Zeki Okcuoglu, quits, saying his life is in danger. (NYT, WT 2/27)

Rockets are fired fr. s. Lebanon into n. Israel, damaging a house but causing no injuries. Israel blames Hizballah, which denies responsibility. (AFP 2/28 in WNC 3/1; MM 3/1)

In Washington, the U.S.-Palestinian Bilateral Comm. opens its 2d mtg., focusing on economic issues. (al-Quds 2/16 in WNC 2/18; al-Ayyam 2/17 in WNC 2/19; PR 2/19; al-Hayat al-Jadida 2/21 in WNC 2/22; MEI 2/26)

Overnight, Abdallah Ocalan, head of the Turkish separatist group the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), who has been searching for a safe haven since he left Italian custody 1/16, is seized by Turkish commandos in Kenya after the Greek emb. in Nairobi denies him refuge. Kurdish demonstrators stage protests in Turkey and anti-Greek rallies across Europe and in Scandinavia, Russia, Armenia, Australia, Canada. Israel, U.S. deny charges that they aided in the capture. (CSM, MM, WP, WT 2/16; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/17; Le Soir 2/17 in WNC 2/18; MM 2/18; YA 2/18 in WNC 2/19; JP, MEI, PR 2/26)

Funeral for King Hussein is held in Amman. 10s of world leaders attend, including large Israeli, U.S. delegation. On the sidelines, Clinton meets briefly with King Abdallah, Asad, Arafat, Netanyahu. DFLP head Nayif Hawatmah shakes hands with Israeli pres. Weizman. (MM 2/8; ATL, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, Kyodo, LPA, Weiner Zeitung 2/8 in WNC 2/9; MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/9; MM 2/10)

Turkey rejects Iran's call to resume tripartite talks with Syria on situation in n. Iraq, other regional issues. Tripartite talks began in 1992 but were halted by Turkey in 1994 to protest Syria's alleged increase in support to the PKK. (ATL 2/8 in WNC 2/9)

Egyptian FM Musa speaks with FMs of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria regarding 1/24 Arab League mtg. on Iraq. (MENA 1/16 in WNC 1/20)

Italy allows PKK leader Ocalan to leave for an undisclosed location to seek asylum. Italy has been under diplomatic pressure fr. the U.S., economic pressure fr. Turkey to turn Ocalan over to Ankara. (NYT 1/17, 2/19) (see 11/25)