The Palestine Chronology

As the Knesset begins debate on ratification of the 10/23 Wye River Memorandum, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu suspends the agmt.'s implementation, saying he will not carry out the 1st of 3 stages of further redeployment (FRD) required by Wye until PA head Yasir Arafat retracts his 11/15 threat to stage an uprising against Israel if Palestinian access to Jerusalem is blocked. (MM 11/16; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 11/17; WJW 11/19)

U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross meets with Arafat in Jericho. (ITV 11/16 in WNC 11/18; WT 11/17)

In Cairo, Netanyahu political adviser Uzi Arad discusses Wye agmt. with Egyptian FM `Amr Musa, who criticizes Israeli implementation delays. (MENA 11/16 in WNC 11/17, WNC 11/18)

In Gaza, Israel, Jordan, the U.S. meet to discuss the Irbid industrial zone project. (Petra-JNA 11/17 in WNC 11/19; JT 11/23 in WNC 11/24; Petra-JNA 11/23 in WNC 11/30)

In Cairo, Russia, Egypt hold high-level experts mtg. on defense cooperation. Russian DM hopes deepening military ties "will become an important factor of peace and stability in the Middle East." (Interfax, ITAR-TASS, MENA 11/16 in WNC 11/17; MENA 11/17 in WNC 11/18)

After 3 days of talks, Oman, Iran reach military cooperation agmt. to enhance Gulf security, which will include joint exercises. (IRNA 11/16 in WNC 11/17)

PM Netanyahu announces creation of Birthright Israel program, which will pay for any Jew aged 15+n26 to visit Israel in hopes of rebuilding Jewish identity of youth, who more frequently marry non-Jews, are nonpracticing. The program, expected to cost $300 m., will be funded by the Israeli government, major North American Jewish donors, the Council of Jewish Federations. (NYT 11/16; WJW 11/19, 11/26, 1/7)

Citing Israeli FM Ariel Sharon's 11/15 call for settlers to "grab" disputed West Bank land, 30 settlers fr. Keddumim set up "presettlement" on nearby hilltop. (MM 11/17; MA 11/17 in WNC 11/18; WT 11/19)

Palestinians in al-Khader protest confiscation of land for bypass road. (CSM 11/17)

Israel Defense Force (IDF) convoy triggers roadside bomb in s. Lebanon, killing 3 soldiers, wounding 4. Hizballah claims responsibility. (AFP, ITV, RL 11/16 in WNC 11/17; MM, WP 11/17; WT 11/18; MEI 11/27; JP 11/30)

PM Netanyahu meets with his security cabinet to discuss upcoming Washington talks; for the 1st time presents Ms with 2 2d FRD maps. (ITV 10/8 in WNC 10/14; NYT 10/10)

U.S. envoy Ross, Palestinian-Israeli Steering and Monitoring Comm. (PISMC) heads Saeb Erakat and Dani Nave discuss security at Gaza airport. (ITV 10/8 in WNC 10/14)

U.S. Asst. Secy. Indyk phones Syrian FM Shara` fr. Cairo to discuss crisis btwn. Syria, Turkey. Shara` calls on the U.S. to adopt a clear stand, back mediation efforts. Indyk publicly calls on Turkey to exercise self-restraint, then heads to Jordan to brief Crown Prince Hassan on Albright trip. (MENA 10/8 in WNC 10/9; SATN 10/8, RJ 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In Moscow, Arafat briefs Russian Pres. Boris Yeltsin, PM Yevgeny Primakov, Duma Chmn. Gennady Seleznev on his recent mtgs. with Pres. Clinton, Secy. Albright. (Interfax, ITAR-TASS 10/8 in WNC 10/14)

Iran reports clash with Taliban troops along the border with Afghanistan, marking the 1st significant military incident in their 2-mo.-old standoff. Taliban denies any clash took place. 270,000 Iranian troops are facing 10,000 Taliban troops along the border. (NYT, WP, WT 10/9; MEI 10/16) (see 9/12)

Iranian FM Kharrazi arrives in Syria for talks with senior officials on lowering tensions with Turkey. (IRNA, SANA 10/8 in WNC 10/9; MM 10/9; IRNA, SANA 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In a ceremony attended by Israeli mayor of Jerusalem Ehud Olmert and 50 mbrs. of the Ateret Cohanim settler group, 3 Jewish settler families move into a home in East Jerusalem. Israel also announces that 150 new housing units will be added to Ma'ale Mikhmas settlement nr. Ramallah. (AFP 10/9 [Internet])

In continuing clashes in Hebron, IDF troops open fire, killing a Palestinian protester, seriously wounding a news photographer, 20 other Palestinian protesters. (MM 10/8; CSM, NYT, PR, WT 10/9; WP 10/10; MEI, PR 10/16; JP 10/29)

Egyptian pres. Mubarak meets with Syrian pres. Asad in Damascus on 1st leg of shuttle aimed at reducing avoiding military conflict btwn. Syria, Turkey. Syria also accepts Iran's offer to mediate. To reassure Syria, Israel scales back its routine maneuvers in the Golan. (IRIB Television, Radio Kuwait, SATN 10/4, ATL, MENA, RL, VOA 10/5 in WNC 10/6; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/5; HUR, Sabah 10/5, MA, al-Quds 10/6 in WNC 10/7; al-Quds al-Arabi 10/5 in WNC 10/14; MM 10/6, 10/7; WP 10/8) (see 10/3)

U.S. holds 1-day naval exercise with Algeria as part of a quiet effort to rebuild ties; says maneuvers are a reward to Algeria for allowing foreign groups to investigate human rights allegations, not backing of it's war against Islamists. However, State Dept. says that "we're not going to . . . join their war until we're sure they are for reform and the human rights situation gets better." (WP 11/12)

Clashes btwn. Palestinians, IDF continue in Hebron, spread to Halhul. IDF says curfew will remain in place indefinitely. PSF arrests 2 prominent Hamas activists, 10 other suspected Hamas mbrs. in Hebron. (ITV 10/4 in WNC 10/6; HA [Internet] 10/6; PR 10/9)

Jewish settlers at the Ma'ate Hever settlement nr. Hebron move their boundary fences to enclose another 7 acres of Palestinian land. (MEI 10/16)

Arafat returns to Washington to meet with Pres. Clinton, then briefs Egyptian FM Musa. (MM 9/29; MENA 9/29 in WNC 9/30; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/30; MM 10/1)

IDF places 2-day closure on occupied territories for Yom Kippur holiday. (NYT, WT 9/30; MM 10/1; PR 10/2)

1 Palestinian is killed, 2 are wounded in Beitunia, West Bank, when a bomb blows up in their car. PA police say the 3 alleged Hamas mbrs. had just collected a bag they believe to contain weapons, which detonated as they left the rendezvous. Later, the PSF arrests 4 Israeli Arabs in the Hebron area for selling arms to the men. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 9/30; ITV 9/30 in WNC 10/2; PR 10/2, 10/9) (see 9/21)

PA security forces raid a suspected Hamas building in Hebron, find 640 lbs. of explosives. (ITV 9/30 in WNC 10/2; MM, WT 10/1)

Clashes btwn. Israeli Arabs, police in Umm al-Fahm continue for 3d day, spread to Nazareth (Israel's largest Arab city). Arabs throughout Israel strike to protest police brutality. Palestinians Bethlehem also hold solidarity protest, clash with IDF. (MM 9/29; NYT, WT 9/30; MM 10/1; MA 10/1 in WNC 10/2; MEI, PR 10/2; Shihan 10/3 in WNC 10/5; ITV 10/2, 10/3 in WNC 10/6; MM 10/5; JP 10/10; JTV 10/19 in WNC 10/21)

U.S. asks Arab states to give it a wk. to announce the outcome of American peace proposals before making a decision on holding an Arab summit. (al-Quds al-Arabi, RJ, RMC 6/2 in WNC 6/3; MM, WT 6/3; al-Quds 6/4 in WNC 6/9; al-Ahram 6/5 in WNC 6/8) (see 6/1)

In Beirut, Egyptian FM Musa discusses possible Arab summit with Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri. Separately, Qatar voices support for summit. (AFP, MENA 6/2 in WNC 6/3)

At Mubarak's invitation, Israeli DM Mordechai flies to Cairo for talks on the FRD issue, s. Lebanon conditional withdrawal proposal. (MM 6/2; IDF Radio, MENA 6/2 in WNC 6/3; ITV 6/7 in WNC 6/9; ITV 6/18 in WNC 6/19)

IDF demolishes 6 Palestinian homes, 2 in Jerusalem, 4 in the West Bank just n. of Jerusalem. (ITV 6/2 in WNC 6/3; LAW 6/16)

Israeli legislature votes to dismantle the shrine to Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 29 Palestinian worshipers in Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in 2/94, which has become a pilgrimage point for Jewish extremists. Settler leader Baruch Marzel vows "to go to battle, to war" if the government touches the site. (WT 6/2, 6/9)

PM Netanyahu arrives in China for 3-day visit. (MM 5/26)

In Cairo, Arafat attends Arab League mtg. called to commemorate the 50th anniversary of al-Nakba; calls for Arab summit on the peace process. (MENA, RE 5/26 in WNC 5/27)

Egyptian FM `Amr Musa arrives in Amman for talks with King Hussein on Mubarak's trip to France, possible Arab summit; says Pres. Mubarak is discussing summit idea with other Arab leaders, including Morocco's King Hassan, who arrived in Cairo today for 3-day official visit, and Syria's Pres. Asad. (MENA, RE, RJ 5/26 in WNC 5/27; MM 5/27, 5/28)

In Tel Aviv, Israel's DM Yitzhak Mordechai meets with Turkey's dep. chief of staff, Gen. Cevik Bir, for talks on the peace process, furthering military cooperation, possible joint arms projects. (WT 5/27)

Saudi Arabia's FM Prince Saud al-Faisal arrives in Iran for 2-day talks on improving bilateral ties. (WT 5/27)

Hamas's Shaykh Yasin visits Syria's Yarmuk refugee camp, where he receives warm welcome fr. Palestinian refuges. (WP 6/11) (see 5/25)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli border policemen clash with Palestinians protesting illegal construction by Jewish settlers (see 5/25). To halt violence, Israel's Jerusalem mayor Ehud Olmert bans the construction in the name of Israel's Antiquities Dept., orders the demolition of the settlers' illegal dwellings. (ITV 5/26 in WNC 5/27; MM, NYT 5/27; WJW 5/28; MM 6/3; MEI 6/5; WT 6/9)

Yemen reports that over the past 2 days, Saudi troops have seized the island of Harim in the Red Sea as part of an attempt to pressure Sana' to make territorial concessions in the 2 countries' border demarcation negotiations, which just resumed last wk. The island is 1 of 3 uninhabited but strategically significant Red Sea islands in dispute. (MM 5/26)

3 SLA mbrs., 3 Hizballah mbrs. are killed in 2 clashes in s. Lebanon. 4 civilians are injured, over 100 flee their homes. (ITV, RL, VOL 5/26 in WNC 5/27)

Netanyahu sends top aides to brief Arafat, Clinton, Egyptian pres. Mubarak on 11/30 cabinet decision. Arafat sends PA Planning M Nabil Shaath to Cairo to brief Mubarak on the PA's view of the decision. (IDF Radio, MENA, QY, RE 12/1 in WNC 12/9; MM 12/2; NYT 12/3; MEI 12/5)

In Amman, Austrian chancellor Viktor Klima, Jordanian PM `Abd al-Salam Majali discuss peace process, bilateral relations. (JTV, RJ 12/1, JT 12/2 in WNC 12/9)

An adviser to Netanyahu says that Israel would "feel free" to annex the West Bank if Arafat unilaterally declared statehood there and in Gaza. (ITV 12/1 in WNC 12/9; MM 12/2; CSM, WP 12/3)

Israeli cabinet approves construction of 900 housing units in the West Bank settlement of Alfe Menashe. (CSM 12/2)

With all regular ballots in the Israeli elections counted, Netanyahu is ahead by 21,399 votes (0.7 percent); Likud, Labor are losing Knesset seats; religious parties are gaining seats. 150,000 absentee and military ballots, which in the past have gone overwhelmingly to Likud, have yet to be counted. The Israeli stock market drops 5 percent, value of the shekel falls. (MM, WP 5/30; IDF Radio, QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/30; MENA, QY, SARR 5/30, JP, QY 5/31 in FBIS 5/31; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 5/31; MEI, PR 6/7)

Netanyahu says that if he wins he will work to strengthen peace btwn. Israel, "Arab states with whom Israel already has peaceful relations." (QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; NYT 5/31)

Aides describe Pres. Clinton as "crestfallen" over Netanyahu's probable win, believing it to be a setback to his image as a peacemaker. Yet, Clinton says that, whatever the results, the U.S. will continue its support for Israel. (MM 5/30; NYT, WP, WT 5/31) (see 5/28)

PA says it will deal with any election outcome; if Likud wins, it must still continue the peace process. (JMCC, ITV 5/30 in FBIS 5/31)

Hamas says Netanyahu win would be a declaration of war against Palestinians, Arabs. (QY, RMC 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; AFP 6/2 in FBIS 6/3)

In Tel Aviv, Labor's M Ehud Barak, Finance M Avraham Shohat, Housing M Binyamin Ben-Eliezer meet to discuss party's future. Some see mtg. as an attempt to oust PM Peres from the party; others see it as an attempt to outflank Interior M Hayim Ramon's bid for party leadership, assuming Peres will resign. Peres is furious with Barak for holding the mtg. (IDF Radio, QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/30; IDF Radio, ITV 5/31, IDF Radio 6/1 in FBIS 6/3; NYT 6/4; IDF Radio 6/5 in FBIS 6/7)

Likud opens unofficial contacts with ultraorthodox parties regarding formation of a coalition government. PM Peres says he would not consider joining a Likud-led coalition; other Labor mbrs. say they would. (QY 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; WP 5/31)

Tsomet leader Rafael Eitan says Oslo agmts. must be reopened, because the winning camp's views differ from those of the previous government. PA denounces his statement. (IDF Radio 5/30 in FBIS 5/30) (see 3/12)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah detonates 2 roadside bombs, killing 4 IDF soldiers, wounding 7 IDF soldiers, 2 journalists, 1 SLA mbr. (VOL 5/30 in FBIS 5/30; ITV, VOL 5/30 in FBIS 5/31; MM, NYT, WT 5/31; JP 6/8)

Knesset approves Oslo II accord. (MM 10/6; NYT, WP 10/6; QY 10/6 in FBIS 10/6; WJW 10/12; JP 10/14)

Outside the Knesset, Israeli protesters attack car of Housing M Ben-Eliezer and his aides, yelling "Get them! Kill them!"; do not injure the group but badly damage the car. (MM 10/6)

Israeli Pres. Weizman refuses to sign the releases of 2 Palestinian female prisoners convicted of murder. (QY 10/6 in FBIS 10/6; WP 10/7; MM 10/9, 10/12; MEI 10/20)

Egyptian FM Musa, Libyan Col. Qaddafi meet at border, discuss expulsions; Musa gives Qaddafi letter fr. Mubarak. 900 Palestinians stranded in the border camp burn tires, stone passing cars, demand they be allowed into the Palestinian self-rule areas. (MENA 10/5, 10/6, 10/7, 10/8, VOP 10/9 in FBIS 10/10; WT 10/8) (see 10/4)

Israel allows 4 Hamas mbrs (Isma'il Hanniyya, Khalid al-Hindi, `Abdallah Muhanna, Sa'id al-Naruti) to leave the West Bank for Jordan, then Sudan to consult with exiled Hamas leaders (incl. Imad al-Alami, Muhammad Nazzal, Munir al-Sa'id) regarding forming a political party. (QY 10/6 in FBIS 10/6; ITV 10/6 in FBIS 10/10; MM 10/11)

Syrian-Israeli talks end with sides agreeing on general needs but, to the U.S.'s chagrin, not discussing specifics. Pres. Clinton briefly meets with Syrian, Israeli generals at the White House. (WT 6/28; QY 6/29 in FBIS 6/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/30; AFP, Davar 6/30, SARR 7/1 in FBIS 7/3; SATN 6/29, AFP 6/30 in FBIS 7/5; MEI 7/7; JP 7/8)

In Cairo, Israeli-PA talks on transfer of authority, elections, redeployment close. In transfer talks, sides agree on principle of giving PA control of all civilian spheres before elections, but talks stick on agriculture, electricity. Elections talks stick on size of council, Jerusalem. (MM 6/29; MENA 6/29 in FBIS 7/3)

A 2d briefing paper prepared by the IDF Planning Branch for the Israeli-Syrian talks is leaked to the press. (ITV 6/29, HA, IDF Radio, ITV 6/30 in FBIS 7/3; SARR 7/5 in FBIS 7/5; Davar 6/29 in FBIS 7/7)

Jerusalem City Council passes Mayor Ehud Olmert's decision to give PLO 2 wks. to request rezoning for Orient House or face legal action for violating the building code by running an office in a building zoned for a hotel. (JP 6/30 in FBIS 7/3)

In Hebron, Israeli border police kill wanted Hamas mbr. Taher Kapisha. IDF then orders neighboring Palestinian families to leave their homes, bulldozes their houses, destroys 100s of trees. (MM 6/29; QY 6/29 in FBIS 6/30; MEI 7/7; JP 7/8; PR 7/9)

PM-designate Rabin announces new cabinet to the Labor party Cent. Comm. He named himself DM, Mordechai Gur dep. DM (in charge of "day-to-day" affairs), Avraham Shochat fin. min., Benyamin Ben-Eliezer construction and housing min., Shulamit Aloni education min. Labor has 13 minister portfolios, Meretz 3, and Shas 1-interior. (NYT 7/13)

Labor issues separate letters of commitment on social and political matters to HADASH (Democratic Front) and Arab Democratic Party, two Arab parties supporting but not part of new coalition who have a total of 5 Knesset seats. (ITV 7/12 in FBIS 7/13)

Chmn. Arafat meets with Pres. Mubarak in Cairo. (MM 7/13)

PLO political advisor and delegation advisory comm. mbr. Nabil Shaath says Egypt is "the" Arab state capable of restoring Arab solidarity and boosting Palestinian negotiating strength, aswell as materially aiding the Palestinan people. (MENA 7/12 in FBIS 7/14)

Palestinian delegation spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi is detained for several hours upon crossing the Allenby bridge from Jordan, regarding the delegation's 6/18 public meeting with PLO Chmn. Arafat. (Qol Yisra'el 7/12 in FBIS 7/13; NYT 7/13)

Israel, SLA heavily shells Iqlim al-Tuffah region in S. Lebanon, reportedly in retaliation for bomb attack on Israeli patrol. (MM 7/13)

UNLU issues addendum to call no. 84 (issued 7/4) commending and supporting efforts to end intra-Palestinian violence in Gaza Strip.