The Palestine Chronology

King Hussein leaves the Mayo Clinic after 6 mos. of cancer treatment, goes to his home in Washington. He will also spend time in London before returning to Jordan. (JTV 12/29 in WNC 12/31; NYT 12/30; al-Watan al-Arabi 1/8, al-Majd 1/11 in WNC 1/12; JP 1/11)

Israel's Environmental M Rafael Eitan announces that he is leaving Tsomet to form a new party, challenge Netanyahu. (WT 12/30; NYT, WT 12/31)

Jewish settlers begin work on 15,000-sq.-m. recreation, tourist center in Qatzrin on the Golan Heights. (Hatzofe 12/29 in WNC 12/30)

Jordan reports gas shortages due to halt in supplies fr. Iraq during the U.S.-led attack, but says new shipments are already on their way. (JT 12/30 in WNC 12/31; JT 1/3, 1/4 in WNC 1/5)

Jordanian government stops large solidarity mtg. to be held in Amman tonight btwn. the Iraq's National Assembly Speaker Sa'dun Hammadi, in town for the 12/28 APU mtg., and Jordanian political, unionist, independent figures. (al-Bayan 12/29, JT, SA 12/30 in WNC 12/31; SA 1/13 in WNC 1/14) (see 11/27)

Israel assassinates a top Hizballah explosives expert Zahi Ahmad Haydar in s. Lebanon. The British Foreign Report claims that the target was actually spiritual leader Shaykh Hassan Nasrallah, but Hizballah discovered the bomb, Haydar was killed trying to dismantle it. (WP, WT 1/2; SA 1/3 in WNC 1/5; MA 1/13 in WNC 1/14; RL 1/16 in WNC 1/20)

Iraqi F.M. Tarik Aziz arrives in Moscow and meets with Pres. Gorbachev and F.M. Shevardnadze; Soviet Union demands that Iraq release more than 3,000 Soviet citizens stranded there, charging for 1st time that Baghdad was preventing them from leaving [FNS, MEM 11/26; TASS 11/26 in FBIS 11/26; PRA 11/27 in FBIS 11/27; NYT, WT, WP 11/27]; Pres. Gorbachev warns Saddam Hussein that "time is running out" and that USSR will agree to tougher UN action if Iraq does not leave Kuwait [LAT 11/27].

Saddam orders release of 3 American hostages; National Assembly votes to free all 58 Swedish hostages [BADS, AFP 11/26 in FBIS 11/27; LAT 11/27; MET 12/4].

U.S. army orders 10,567 more reservists into active duty in Gulf [LAT 11/27].

Israeli police report number and gravity of "terrorist" incidents perpetrated by Negev Bedouin have risen sharply since 10/8 Haram al-Sharif killings [DAV 11/27 in FBIS 11/27].

Police also report the arrest of 3 Meir Kahane followers for attacking Jewish shops that employ Palestinians [WT 11/27; MET 12/4; JPI 12/8].

P.M. Shamir's gov't. survives 2 no-confidence motions in Knesset brought about by Shamir's 11/18 "sea to Jordan" remark [JDS 11/26 in FBIS 11/28; MET 12/4].

22-year-old Egyptian police conscript is arrested in Suez and charged with 11/25 shooting deaths in Israel [MEM 11/27].

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Representatives of 31 Palestinian institutions in West Bank meet at BZU to issue statement strongly rejecting moves by Jordan to recall National Assembly with Palestinian participation as conspiracy undermining PLO achievements. Israeli Cabinet approves 1984 budget of $20.1 billion providing for $169 million cut in military spending. Leader of "Sons of the Cedars" militia, Etienne Saqr (a.k.a. Abu Arz), meets with PM Shamir in Jerusalem.

Other Countries: US and Israeli officials meet for 2 days of talks in Washington on expanded military and political cooperation. Joseph Churba, Dir. of Center for International Security, NY, asserts Israel's military involvement with pro-Western Central American forces is part of Israeli state policy to prevent US becoming bogged down defending the western hemisphere.