The Palestine Chronology

PA signs contract with Islamic Waqf to lease the Allenby camp in west Jerusalem for 99 yrs. Israel already has leased the site to the U.S. for a future embassy. Palestinians claim the land is Waqf land that was illegally confiscated by Israel. (HA 7/11 in FBIS 7/11)

Israeli Pres. Ezer Weizman visits SLA troops in s. Lebanon, promises Israel will not abandon them; says government is willing to withdraw to international border of Golan (see 4/18, 4/20) in exchange for peace, only sticking point on extent of withdrawal is over four small enclaves within 1967 Syrian border. (VOL 6/12 in FBIS 6/12; WP 6/13)

4 mbrs of Jordan's Liberal party arrive in Jerusalem for mtgs. with Pres. Weizman, FM Peres, Police M Shahal, other FMin. officials. (QY 6/12 in FBIS 6/13)

VP Gore swears in Harriet Zimmerman, AIPAC's VP, as board mbr. of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). USIP is an independent federal organization created and funded by Congress to promote international peace. (USIP News 6/12)

In advance of the probable renewal (6/30) of the waiver permitting U.S. aid to the PLO, Sen. Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY) introduces bill to amend MEPFA so as to halt direct aid to the PA, limit aid to humanitarian assistance channeled through federal agencies or volunteer groups. World Zionist Organization applauds bill; AIPAC denounces it. (WP 6/14; MM 6/19, 6/20; WJW 6/22; MEI 6/23)

Anti-Arafat Fatah mbrs allied with Khalid al-Shayib attempt to drive Arafat supporters out of `Ayn al-Hilwa r.c. in Lebanon. 2 Palestinians killed, 10 wounded in clashes. (VOL 6/12, AFP 6/13 in FBIS 6/13; MM 6/13)

PLO Chmn. Arafat, Israeli FM Peres open talks in Cairo aimed at implementing Palestinian autonomy in Gaza and Jericho. Both sides report progress. (MENA 2/7, 2/8 in FBIS 2/8; WP, WT 2/8)

Israeli Dep. FM Yossi Beilin meets in Washington with Qatari, Omani officials to discuss Qatar-Israel natural gas deal, multilateral mtg. on water set for 4/94 in Muscat. (MM 2/9)

Hizballah guerrillas ambush IDF patrol in southern Lebanon, killing 4 IDF soldiers and wounding 5. Ambush triggers IAF strikes on 3 villages, SLA, IDF shelling. (MM 2/7; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 2/8)

Meretz MKs Naomi Chazan and Benny Temkin demand that PM Rabin, in capacity as DM, ban travel of 40 IDF elite force veterans to Congo to act as military trainers. Leftist legislators view veterans as mercenaries being used to support Brazzaville regime. (WT 2/10)

Knesset recognizes "Yi'ud" faction made up of frmr. Tsomet MKs. (see 2/2) (MM 2/7)

Sens. Connie Mack (R-FL) and Alfonse D'Amato ask Pres. Clinton to withdraw nomination of Strobe Talbott as dep. secy. of state because of his "extreme views" on Israel, which "go beyond common criticisms to a systematic attack upon the foundations of America's close relationship with Israel." (WT 2/8)

Pres. Mubarak meets with U.S. Senate delegation headed by Robert Dole (R-KS) and including Nunn (D-GA), Warner (R-VA), Garn (R-UT), D'Amato (R-NY), Nickles (R- OK), Symms (R-ID), and Mack (R-FL)
[MENA 8/28 in FBIS 8/28]; Sen. Nunn calls for more Arab military involvement in Gulf [WP 8/28].

Saddam meets with Arafat at Arafat's residence in Baghdad to discuss Gulf crisis [BADS 8/27 in FBIS 8/28]; PLO reports Arafat and Saddam have agreed on plan to solve Gulf crisis within Arab framework [MET 9/4].

Sources says P.M. Shamir is "concerned" and "astonished" over Washington's refusal as of yet to give Israel $400 million in loan guarantees for housing Soviet immigrants. U.S. wants assurances that no immigrants will be settled beyond the green line [HAM 8/27 in FBIS 8/28].

Jerusalem Post reports Gaza lawyers are informed by Civil Admin. that all prisoners under age 16 will be released from detention centers [JPD 8/28 in FBIS 8/30].

Bush admin. expels 36 of Iraq's 55 embassy staffers in Washington, urges 34 other nations with embassies in Kuwait to take similar steps [LAT, WT, WP 8/28; MEM 8/29; MET 9/11].

State Dep't white paper supports Israeli charges that Libya gave "crucial support" to PLF attempted raid on 5/30, but concludes the operation was directed primarily at Tel Aviv beaches and not at military targets, as Israel had claimed [LAT 8/28].