The Palestine Chronology

PA Planning M Nabil Shaath receives Jordanian FM Abdallah Khatib for talks on the peace process, briefs him on Arafat's recent visit to Washington. The 2 men also discuss holding a 3-way (Egypt, Jordan, PA) and 4-way (including Israel) ministerial mtgs. on displaced persons. (DUS 10/7 in WNC 10/11)

Orient House head Faisal Husseini hosts delegation of 20 Jordanian parliamentarians, urges Jordan to support the PA in its final status talks with Israel. (MM 10/7)

Israel's Education M Yossi Sarid urges Israeli teachers to mark the anniversary of the 1956 Kafr al-Qasim massacre in their classrooms for the 1st time this yr.; says Israel owes it to its Palestinian citizens to commemorate the incident in which the IDF shot dead 47 Israeli Arabs (including 15 women, 11 children) as they returned to the village of Kafr al-Qasim, unaware of a military curfew that barred movement after dark. (NYT, WT 10/7; MM 10/12; WJW 10/14)

Saying that the incident had nothing to do with Iran, Iranian pres. Khatami rejects a request fr. Pres. Clinton for help in investigating the 1996 Khobar barracks bombing in Saudi Arabia in which 19 U.S. soldiers were killed. Clinton secretly sent a letter to Khatami in late 8/99 asking for assistance. (WP 10/7; see also MM 9/10)

Jordan's State Security Court issues new charges against detained Hamas political chief Mishal, spokesman Ghawshah, 2 of which can carry the death penalty. (MM 10/7, 10/8; MEI 10/15)

In s. Lebanon, 2 civilians are wounded by IDF shelling. (RL 10/6 in WNC 10/8)

PM Netanyahu presents 4-page list of new security demands that the PA must fill before it will be given control over any more land, other concessions. (WT 9/10)

En route to Tel Aviv, Secy. of State Albright says that the goal of her 1st trip to the Middle East will be to "establish the importance of mutual responsibility," that she cannot accept Israel's view that the Oslo process has failed and should be scrapped in favor of final status negotiations, that Israel must implement interim arrangements. (CSM, WP 9/10; MEI 9/12)

Under heavy Israeli, U.S. pressure, PA detains some 200 alleged Hamas mbrs. fr. Gaza for questioning, jails 50+n100 of them. (NYT 9/10)

In Gaza, 1,000s of Palestinians hold rally to protest proposed cuts in UNRWA services. The rally coincides with a donor mtg. in Amman to raise emergency funds for the agency. (WT 9/10) (see 8/19)

UN announces that at the end of this yr., host contries will end a large resettlement program for Iraqi refugees fr. the 1990+n91 Gulf War, leaving in question the fate of the 6,800 refugees still in camps in Saudi Arabia. (WT 9/10)

After the U.S. Justice Dept. drops charges against him for lack of evidence, Saudi Arabia asks the U.S. to extradite Hani al-Sayigh, a suspect in the 1996 al-Khobar barracks bombing. (WT 9/10) (see 7/30)

ILMG concludes 2-day mtg. on 9/5 Israeli commando raid; does not term raid a violation of the 4/96 understanding but warns all sides against targeting civilians, operating fr. civilian-populated areas. (RL 9/9 in WNC 9/10; RL 9/10 in WANC 9/11)

2 suicide bombers dressed as ultra-Orthodox Jews detonate explosives in a crowded market in Jerusalem, killing 13 Israelis, wounding more than 170 Israelis, Palestinians. IDF immediately seals the West Bank, Gaza, preventing even town-to-town movement; suspends recognition of Palestinian passports; sends troops to seal the PA-controlled cities. A letter signed by Hamas's military wing, Izzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, takes responsibility, but Israeli security question its authenticity, Hamas political leader `Abd al-Aziz Rantisi says Hamas was not involved. (MM 7/30; IDF Radio, ITV, RE 7/30 in WNC 7/31; IDF Radio, ITV, JTV 7/30, MA, RAI Uno Television [Rome], RE, YA 7/31 in WNC 8/1; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 7/31; ITV 7/31 in WNC 8/6; CSM, WT 8/1; AFP, MAP [Rabat], VOA 8/1 in WNC 8/4; NYT 8/3; al-Dustur, al-Majd 8/4 in WNC 8/7; CSM 8/5; WJW 8/7; MEI, PR 8/8; JP 8/9; CSM 8/11)

In the wake of the bombings, PM Netanyahu, FM Levy phone Secy. of State Albright, demand that the U.S. put pressure Arafat. The Israeli cabinet suspends all contacts with the PA until Arafat acts against Islamists "with determination," destroys their infrastructure. However, 1 mtg. btwn. Israeli, PA security officials is held. Over night, an IDF helicopter hovers over Arafat's Gaza headquarters, an Israeli warplane circles the Gaza Strip. (MM 7/30; ITV 7/30 in WNC 7/31; MM, NYT, WP, WT 7/31; YA 7/31 in WNC 8/4; WT 8/1)

As a result of the bombings, U.S. special envoy Ross cancels plans to leave today for the Middle East to meet with Arafat, Netanyahu. (MM, WT 7/30; NYT, WP, WT 7/31)

In Amman, King Hussein receives Israeli Knesset "Coalition Bloc for Peace," comprising Gesher, Third Way, Yisra'el B'Aliya, Shas MKs and the dir. of Israel's International Center of Peace in the Middle East. (JTV 7/30 in WNC 7/31)

State Dept. lifts the 12-yr.-old ban forbidding Americans to travel to Lebanon after that government agrees to take new steps to improve security at various locations, pledges to ratify an international convention against hostage-taking. The decision does not include lifting the ban on flights by Lebanese carriers to the U.S. or by U.S. carriers to Lebanon. (MM, WP 7/30; RL, RMC 7/30 in WNC 7/31; WT 7/31; al-Safir 7/31 in WNC 8/1; RL 8/4 in WNC 8/5; WT 8/6; al-Safir 8/6 in WNC 8/8; MEI 8/8)

Saudi Arabian dissident Sayigh backs out of a plea agmt. with the FBI to cooperate in the al-Khobar bombing case; says that he is innocent of any wrongdoing; was pressured by Canadian immigration officials to make statements on the bombing to avoid being deported to Saudi Arabia, where he faces execution. (NYT, WT 7/31) (see 6/30)

ILMG opens 2-day mtg. to discuss 1 Lebanese, 3 Israeli complaints. (VOL 7/30, RL 7/31 in WNC 8/1)

UN extends the UNIFIL mandate for 6 mos. (RL 7/30 in WNC 8/1)

Israeli naval forces detain 5 Lebanese fishermen off the coast of s. Lebanon, interrogate them before releasing them. (RL 7/29 in WNC 7/30) (see 7/28)

Hamas holds rally at Birzeit University to mark the 1996 Yahya Ayyash assassination. (ITV 1/10 in WNC 1/14; WT 1/12)

The Israeli cabinet approves Roni Bar-On's nomination as atty. gen. Labor places an injunction against the appointment, saying Bar-On, an obscure Jerusalem lawyer known as a Likud activist, was selected for political reasons, not his abilities. (ITV 1/10 in WNC 1/14; JP 1/18; MEI 2/7) (see 12/4)

A Saudi Arabian Islamist group, the Islamic Movement for Change, says it carried out the Damascus bus bombing 1/2 in retaliation for Syria's execution of a mbr. of its group fr. participation in the 6/25/96 Khobar barracks bombing. Syria discounts the claim. (MM 1/10; AFP 1/10 in WNC 1/13; al-Nahar 1/10 in WNC 1/16; NYT 1/11; WT 1/12)

ILMG meets to discuss an Israeli complaint concerning the launching of a rocket into n. Israel 1/8; issues statement saying that 1 rocket was fired in violation of the 4/96 understanding, but that the group could not determine who fired it. (RMC 1/10 in WNC 1/13; RL 1/11 in WNC 1/14; IGPO 1/12) (see 12/16)

The Iranian Fencing Federation invites the Israeli Hadar Yosef fencing association to participate in a world cup competition in Tehran 2/12+n14. Although invitations to the international meet are traditionally sent by the host country, the invitation was sent with the knowledge of the Iranian government. (YA 1/12 in WNC 1/14)

Israeli, PA negotiations on Hebron resume in Jericho. (RJ 11/18 in WNC 11/19)

IDF eases closure, allowing 7,000 Palestinians fr. Gaza, 8,000 fr. West Bank into Israel to work, raising the total number of Palestinians allowed into Israel to 50,000. (WT 11/17)

Israel accuses Syria of developing with Russia nerve gas, other chemical weapons. (MM, WT 11/18)

In Ramallah, PA releases 3 Hamas mbrs. fr. jail to mark the 8th anniversary of the Palestine National Council's declaration of independence. (MM 11/18)

Shin Bet announces that it has detained Hamas mbr. Khadar Mubarak, is interrogating him on suspicion that has information that could prevent an attack. The detention is revealed after Mubarak's lawyer files a petition with the High Court, claiming that Mubarak is being tortured. (ITV 11/17 in WNC 11/19) (see 11/14)

PLO delegation led by Political Dept. head Faruq Qaddumi arrives in Beirut for 2-day talks on regional political developments. (RL 11/17, 11/19 in WNC 11/19)

Turkey inaugurates 2d bridge on the Turkish-Iraqi border at the al-Khubar border post. (Iraqi Television Network 11/17 in WNC 11/19)