The Palestine Chronology

PM Netanyahu angers Jordan by giving a speech warning Israelis that Jordan could form an alliance with Iraq if Baghdad attacked Israel. (WT 2/28; JP, PR 3/5; MEI 3/12)

PA executes PSF officer condemned to death 2/25. (NYT, WP, WT 2/27; JP, PR 3/5; MEI 3/12)

Iran holds 1st local elections since 1979. More than 280,000 candidates run for 200,000 seats nationwide. So many people turn out to vote that some polling stations run out of ballots, hrs. for voting are extended. (NYT, WP 2/26; NYT, WP 2/27; WP 2/28; CSM, MM 3/1; MM 3/2)

To protest Israel's annexation of Arnun on 2/18, 2,000 Lebanese students, residents of nearby villages break through an IDF military cordon, cut through barbed wire, cross suspected minefield, enter the village. IDF fires warning shots fr. outside Arnun, but does not try to expel protesters. Students leave at nightfall; IDF does not attempt to reenter the village. (NYT, WT 2/27; RMC 2/28 in WNC 3/1; MEI 3/12)

Arafat meets with representatives fr. the donor states and UNRWA in Gaza to discuss PA financial problems (VOP 3/6 in FBIS 3/7)

PA Local Government M Erakat gives Council of Ms draft law on Palestinian local rule for review. (VOP 3/6 in FBIS 3/6)

UK rejects Israeli request not to hold high-level mtgs. at Orient House in East Jerusalem during PM John Major's visit next wk. (QY 3/6 in FBIS 3/7; Times of London 3/8 in FBIS 3/8; QY 3/9 in FBIS 3/9; MM 3/10)

U.S. Christian leaders send letter to Clinton, urging him to press Israel to stop annexing land in Jerusalem. Letter angers Israel leaders, U.S. Jewish groups. (MM 3/8, 3/14)

Labor MK Avigdor Kahalani arrives in U.S. to lobby congressmen against stationing U.S. troops in Golan in framework of Syrian-Israeli peace agmt. (MM 3/6)

Tourism Ms fr. Israel, Egypt, Jordan hold joint press conference at ITB conference, the largest annual tourism conference, announce plans to launch joint marketing campaign in Europe. (HA 3/7 in FBIS 3/9; JP 3/18)

2 Israeli tour buses are stoned as they pass through Karama, Jordan, injuring 1 Israeli. (al-Majd 3/6 in FBIS 3/10)

Israel launches Earth-orbit satellite 1 day after Iraq's leader warned he would use chemical weapons against Israel. Labor party leader Peres says satellite should tell Saddam Hussein "that if he wants to deal with Israel, he should look for means other than the military one" [NYT, WP, LAT, WT 4/4; JDS, IDF 4/3 in FBIS 4/4].

Israeli human rights organization "In the Image" reports IDF soldiers killed fewer Palestinians in first quarter of 1990 than in any 3-month period since intifada began. 30 Palestinians were killed by IDF; 35 Palestinians were killed by fellow Palestinians over the same period, according to group [NYT 4/4].

Saddam Hussein's 4/2 statement angers Pres. Bush, who says "This is no time to be talking about using chemical or biological weapons. This is no time to be escalating tensions in the Middle East" [LAT 4/4].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel's Rabbi Baruch Abu-Hatzera, Sephardim Jewish leader, tells tens of thousands of followers that Israel should negotiate with the PLO to bring about peace. Speech angers Shamir [NYT 1/30; JP 2/3].

IDF reports an increase in the number of suicides among soldiers; 25 in the last 6 months, compared with 11 over the same period in 1988-89 [FBIS 1/29].

Arab World: Georges Saadeh, president of Lebanon's Phalangist Party, resigns from the Syrian-backed cabinet of Hrawi [NYT, WP 1/30; MET 2/6].

PLO Executive Committee holds emergency meeting in Baghdad to discuss Soviet Jewish emigration to Israel [FBIS 1/31].

Other Countries: UN Sec.-General Javier Perez de Cuellar asks UN Sec. Council to renew Unifil mandate in S. Lebanon [MET 2/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF demolishes 5 Palestinian homes in Hebron-area village of al-Samoa [FJ 2/5].

B'Tselem reports that 38 Palestinian homes have been demolished or sealed for security reasons this month, more than in any previous month, except for June 1989 [FBIS 1/29].

8 Palestinians are wounded in clash with IDF forces in Ramallah; 9 are reported wounded in Gaza clashes; 2 Israelis autos are torched in Jerusalem [FBIS 1/31]