The Palestine Chronology

In Aqaba, Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, Jordan's King Hussein hold talks on the peace process. (RJ 5/24 in WNC 5/28; JT 6/5 in WNC 6/6)

In the 1st official criticism of corruption within the PA since self-rule began in 1994, a PA General Control Office (GCO) audit ordered by Arafat shows that the PA misused $326 m. in public funds in 1996, $223 m. thus far in 1997. (NYT, WP 5/25; MM 5/27; MM 6/4; CSM 6/18)

Israeli High Court rules that a sale of land in the Palestinian village of Silwan to the Jewish settler land acquisition company Elad was illegal, based on fraudulent documents; orders the property to revert to the Palestinian inheritors. (LAW 5/24)

Palestinian journalist Kuttab begins a hunger strike to protest his continued detention without charge. (WP, WT 5/25; WT 5/26; MM 5/27) (see 5/22)

Turkish military officials say that during the army's offensive into n. Iraq, 1,445 of the estimated 4,000 PKK mbrs. have been killed, 184 wounded, 121 captured. 10's of Turkish soldiers, at least 27 KDP mbrs. have also been killed. At least 25,000 and possibly more than 50,000 Turkish troops may now be in Iraq. (WP 5/26; AFP 6/13 in WNC 6/17) (see 5/20)

PM Netanyahu's personal atty. Yitzhak Molho (acting as the PM's special envoy), PA Local Government M Erakat meet in an attempt to create momentum for higher level mtg. No progress is made. (QY 5/20 in WNC 5/21)

In Doha, Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` asks Qatari emir Shaykh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani to suspend, or at least not invite Israel to, the Middle East and North Africa economic summit scheduled to open in Doha 11/16. The emir refuses but says it supports Syria's negotiating position. Shara` then leaves for Saudi Arabia to joint VP `Abd al-Halim Khaddam for similar talks with King Fahd. (MM 5/19, 5/21; al-Nahar 5/21 in WNC 5/23; al-Watan al-Arabi 5/30 in WNC 6/9)

Following rumors that the PM, FM are dissatisfied with his performance, Israeli amb. to the U.S. Ben-Elissar returns to Israel to meet with PM Netanyahu, FM Levy to "clarify his situation." (ITV 5/19 in WNC 5/22)

For the 1st time since 1981, when the border btwn. Syria and Iraq was closed, a private-sector delegation representing Syrian trade unions travels to Iraq to establish trade links. (RMC 5/19 in WNC 5/22; MM 5/20; SA 5/20 in WNC 5/21; MM 5/21, 5/22; RMC 5/22 in WNC 5/23; NYT 5/25; MM 5/28; SA 5/30 in WNC 6/2)

The pro-Iraqi Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) joins forces with the Turkish military; attacks rival PKK offices in Irbil, killing 58 PKK mbrs., losing 53 men. (NYT 5/20) (see 5/17)

Lebanon's Constitutional Council voids the election of 4 parliamentary deputies, including a government minister; orders new elections for their seats; rejects the 15 other appeals submitted by defeated candidates after last summer's elections. (WP 5/20; RL 5/20 in WNC 5/21) (see 8/18/96)

To protests Israel's naval blockade of s. Lebanon, Amal attempts a suicide attack against an Israeli patrol boat off the Lebanese coast, blowing up its own boat but causing no Israeli injuries. (AFP 5/19 in WNC 5/22)