The Palestine Chronology

Arafat, King Hussein reject Netanyahu's proposal for Camp David-style talks. (WT 2/25; JT 2/25 in WNC 3/3) (see 2/23)

Mossad chief Yatom resigns under heavy pressure from within the agency to accept responsibility for failed assassination attempt on Hamas's Mishal. PM Netanyahu accepts resignation "with regret," praising Yatom's "personal integrity, self-sacrifice, and deep commitment to the country's security." (MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/25; JT 2/25 in WNC 3/3; MM 2/26; WT 3/2; CSM 3/5; JP 3/7) (see 2/19)

100 mbrs. of Refah party, banned by the Turkish government 1/16, form new Virtue party. (WP, NYT 2/25; NYT 2/26; MEI 2/27; Zaman [Istanbul] 3/8 in WNC 3/10)

3 Lebanese homes in s. Lebanon are damages during Israeli air force raid. (RL 2/24)

U.S. State Dept. says that Israel's 12-page list of conditions for FRD are its own interpretation, U.S. does not recognize it as binding. (WT 1/18) (see 1/15)

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum officials reject Arafat's request to make official visit the museum during his visit to Washington 1/22, say he can come "but as no more than a common tourist" forced to stand in line to wait for a ticket. (NYT, WP 1/17; NYT 1/18; MM 1/19; MEI 1/30)

EU Commissioner Manuel Maris issues a 23-page report, adopted unanimously by EU mbrs., calling on EU, as largest donor to the PA, to take a more active role in the peace process, blaming Israel for strangling Palestinian economy. (MEI 1/30; IGPO 1/19)

Turkey's Constitutional Court bans the Islamist Refah party, ruling that it harbors a subversive agenda, is working to replace the nation's secular order; bans 7 party leaders, including fmr. PM Necmettin Erbakan, fr. participating in politics for 5 yrs. (NYT 1/17; MA 1/20 in WNC 1/21)

Joint EA, PLO Exec. Comm. mtg. convenes. (VOP 6/29 in FBIS 7/1; PR 7/12)

IDF changes its open-fire rules for the West Bank, Gaza, permitting soldiers to shoot PA policemen if they feel their lives are threatened. (QY 6/28 in FBIS 6/28)

Turkey's Islamic Welfare Party leader, Necmettin Erbakan, becomes PM, head of ruling coalition with fmr. PM Tansu Ciller's True Path party. The parliament has 2 wks. to give the government a vote of confidence. Erbakan has vowed previously to annul Turkey's military pact with Israel. (WP, WT 6/29; NYT, WP, WT 6/30) (see 6/11)