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  • May 17, 1999

    Israelis elect One Israel's Ehud Barak as PM with 56.1% of the vote, meaning no 6/1 runoff is needed. In the Knesset, 6 of the 15 parties to win seats are new, including the anti-Orthodox Shinui,...

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  • September 12, 1997

    Secy. of State Albright leaves Israel for Syria, saying that she has not made progress toward resuming Israeli-PA talks, she will not return until Israel, the PA "have made hard decisions." After...

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Israelis elect One Israel's Ehud Barak as PM with 56.1% of the vote, meaning no 6/1 runoff is needed. In the Knesset, 6 of the 15 parties to win seats are new, including the anti-Orthodox Shinui, formed 2 mos. ago, which won 6 seats. Control of right-wing parties shrinks, as Russians, other centrists gain, changing the balance of power. The ultra-Orthodox Shas, however, gains 7 new seats for total of 17 seats, security its place as the 3d largest party after Labor/One Israel (27, down fr. 34 seats), Likud (19 seats, down fr. 32 seats). The 1st Israeli Arab woman, Husniyya Jabara of Meretz, is also elected to parliament. Israel seals the West Bank, Gaza for the elections. Arab, Asian, European states, the U.S, and Russia welcome Barak's victory, hope it means the peace process will resume soon. (MM 5/17; AFP, LPA 5/17 in WNC 5/18; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/18; AFP, al-Ahram, Chungang Ilbo [Seoul], Interfax, JT, Kyodo [Tokyo], MENA, MKR, RE, RNE-1 Radio Network [Madrid], SANA, SAPA [Johannesburg], Taiwan Central News Agency, VOL, Xinhua [Beijing] 5/18 in WNC 5/19; al-Akhbar 5/18 in WNC 5/21; MENA 5/18, Athens News Agency, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JT, LPA, RE, Sueddeutsche Zeitung [Munich] 5/19 in WNC 5/20; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 5/19; CSM, NYT, WJW 5/20; CSM, MEI, MM, NYT 5/21; JP 5/28; CSM 6/17)

In a victory speech, PM-elect Barak lists 4 "red lines" for peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA), promises to put any final status agmt. to a referendum by the Israeli public. (MM 5/18; JT 5/19 in WNC 5/20; MEI 5/21)

On the 3d day of his Washington visit, King Abdallah of Jordan meets with U.S. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright, calls for lifting sanctions on Iraq. U.S. urges France, Germany, other creditors to cancel Jordan's debt; encourages Jordan to seek additional U.S. economic assistance. In the afternoon, the king discusses trade issue with U.S. Commerce Secy. William Daley, receives reps. of various American Jewish groups at Blair House. (JT 5/17 in WNC 5/18; WP, WT 5/18; al-Ra'i 5/18 in WNC 5/20; MM 5/21)

Venezuela signs $20 m. deal to buy Israeli antiaircraft defense system. (YA 5/18 in WNC 5/19)

In s. Lebanon, Israeli Defense Force (IDF) shelling kills 2 civilians. (RL 5/17 in WNC 5/18; NYT, WP 5/18; RL 5/18 in WNC 5/19; WT 5/19)

Secy. of State Albright leaves Israel for Syria, saying that she has not made progress toward resuming Israeli-PA talks, she will not return until Israel, the PA "have made hard decisions." After arriving in Damascus, she holds a 4-hr. talk with Pres. Hafiz al-Asad to assess possibility of resuming Israeli-Syrian negotiations. (MM 9/12; SATN 9/12 in WNC 9/16; NYT, WP, WT 9/13; MM 9/15; CSM 9/17; SA 9/17 in WNC 9/19; MEI 9/26)

PA presents a plan to break the infrastructure of Islamist groups to U.S.-PA-Israeli tripartite security panel. CIA, Israeli officials say they are pleased with PA initiative. (WP 9/16; CSM 9/17)

Israel suspends all joint economic projects with Russia following reports that Russia is aiding Iran's missile development. U.S. State Dept. says that Pres. Clinton will soon send a special envoy to Moscow to discuss the issue. (MM 9/12 in WNC 9/15; WT 9/13) (see 9/11)

Heavy IDF-Hizballah clashes take place along the n. border of Israel's self-declared security zone in s. Lebanon, leaving 4 IDF soldiers wounded, 2 Hizballah mbrs.--including the son of Hizballah Secy. Gen. Hassan Nasrallah--dead; IDF troops seize the bodies of the Hizballah mbrs. Soon after, the IAF hits Lebanese army positions n. of the self-declared security zone, killing 6 Lebanese soldiers and 1 civilian, wounding 5 soldiers. (WP, WT 9/13; ITV, RMC 9/13 in WNC 9/16; NYT, WP, WT 9/14; JP 9/20)