The Palestine Chronology

British PM John Major warns Israel no to inflame tensions by expanding settlements. (MM 12/19)

PA State Security Court convicts 3 PFLP mbrs. for killing 2 Jewish settlers 12/11. 2 are given life sentences; the 3d, the getaway driver, is given 15 yrs. PA says it will not extradite the 3 to Israel. (IDF Radio, YA 12/18 in WNC 12/19; MM, WP 12/19; JP 1/3)

Nr. Tabarja in n. Lebanon, unidentified gunmen open fire on a bus carrying Syrian workers, killing the driver, wounding 7 passengers. Lebanon, Syria claim Israel enlisted Lebanese Maronites to carry out the attack to create a rift btwn. Lebanon, Syria. (MM 12/19; RL 12/21 in WNC 12/24; al-Thawra [Damascus] 12/28 in WNC 1/3; MEI 1/10)

In s. Lebanon, IDF fires on Hizballah mbrs. entering the self-declared security zone fr. the north, killing 3. (CSM 12/19)

PM Netanyahu arrives in London on 1st stop of 3-day EU tour to garner support for his hard-line attitude toward the peace process; meets with PM John Major. (MM 9/24; LPR 9/24 in WNC 9/27; MM, WP, WT 9/25)

Under heavy police guard, Israel undertakes a surprise predawn excavation to complete a long disputed archeological tunnel that runs along the al-Aqsa mosque compound. The 12-yr.-old project was completed only on the personal orders of PM Netanyahu, who intended it as a message to Palestinians that Israel is the sole sovereign in Jerusalem. PA denounces tunnel work, calls for general strike 9/25. During the day, Palestinians at the mosque clash with police, hurl stones at Jews at the Western Wall. Jordan's King Hussein is furious that Gold did not warn him of the tunnel opening in their mtg. 9/22. (MM 9/24; JTV, RJ 9/24 in WNC 9/27; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/25; WJW 10/3; MEI, PR 10/4; MM 10/9; WT 10/11)

In Hebron, IDF orders 6-mo. closure of 2 charity organizations allegedly linked to Hamas. Palestinians clash with IDF over reopening the central market (see 9/16). (HA 9/24 in IL 9/24; RMC 9/24 in WNC 9/27)

Following Israel's Yom Kippur holiday, ILMG reconvenes in Naqura to discuss complaints filed by Lebanon, Israel. (ITV, RL 9/24 in WNC 9/27; NYT, WT 9/25; JP 10/5) (see 9/22)

IDF, Amal clash in s. Lebanon, leaving 2 Amal mbrs. dead. (RL 9/24 in WNC 9/27; CSM, MM, NYT, WT 9/25; RL 9/25 in WNC 9/27; JP 10/5)

British PM John Major sends letter on peace process to Israeli PM-elect Netanyahu. (MA 6/10 in FBIS 6/10)

In Damascus, Pres. Asad, Iranian FM Ali Akhbar Velayati open 2-day mtg. (SARR 6/9, 6/10 in FBIS 6/10; RMC, SARR 6/10 in FBIS 6/11; AFP 6/16 in FBIS 6/17)

Qatari, Syrian FMs meet in Damascus. (SARR 6/9 in FBIS 6/10; MM 6/10)

Israeli couple is killed in an apparent drive-by shooting in Zekharia, a rural area of central Israel. In belief the assailants are Palestinian, IDF closes shops in Hebron, searches Palestinian cars. PA condemns the killing. (AFP 6/9, QY 6/10 in FBIS 6/10; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/10; CSM, NYT, WP 6/11; WJW 6/13)

In s. Lebanon, 1 SLA soldier is seriously wounded by roadside bomb. IDF responds with heavy artillery bombardment of Hizballah targets in Nabatiyya, Iqlim al-Tuffah, killing 1 Lebanese army soldier; describes situation as very tense. (QY 6/9, MENA, QY, RL 6/10 in FBIS 6/10)

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)

General strike is upheld throughout o.t., and Arab delegations in Washington suspend today's meetings, to mark 5th anniv. of intifada. IDF shoots Palestinian youth dead near Jenin. (MM 12/9; SARR 12/9 in FBIS 12/9)

PM Rabin meets with PM John Major in London. (MM 12/10)

British Prime Min. John Major sends letter to Prime Min. Shamir urging token release of some Lebanese. (LAT 8/14)

PFLP-GC head Ahmad Jibril claims Hizballah sources told him Hizballah holds three Israelis captive. (WP 8/14)

DFLP offers to trade body of Israeli soldier it claims it holds in return for prisoners detained by Israel. (MEM 8/13)

As Secy. of State Baker prepares to leave Amman for Jerusalem, King Hussein announces Jordan will participate in peace conference, support end to Arab League boycott in return for halt in settlement-building. Hussein states he has contacted Palestinians about joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation. Action brings together Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan in support of U.S.-led efforts to convene Middle East peace conference. Baker meets with Palestinian delegation (Faisal Husseini, Hanan Ashrawi, and Zakariya al-Agha) in E. Jerusalem concerning formation of joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation to peace talks. Baker tells them PLO can have no direct relationship with Palestinian delegation to peace talks, nor can Palestinians from E. Jerusalem participate in initial stages of talks because of categorical Israeli refusal to accede to any gesture which might suggest that sovereignty of Jerusalem negotiable. Baker reaffirmed U.S. belief that E. Jerusalem is part of occupied territories, and that Palestinians alone have right to choose their own representatives. (NYT, WP, 7/22; MEM 7/23)

Baker next begins talks with Prime Min. Shamir in Jerusalem on peace talks in wake of numerous Arab commitments to agree to U.S.-proposed terms for such negotiations. Baker states that Arab assent to attend conference means willingness to engage in face-to-face negotiations with Israel. Pres. Bush again calls on Israel to curb settlement building, urges Israel to accept Arab offer to end economic boycott in return for settlement freeze. Seven Arab nations have now agreed to such linkage. (NYT, WP, MEM 7/22)

In interview with Egyptian press, British Prime Min. John Major calls Israeli settlements "illegal," "damaging" to peace process, including those in E. Jerusalem. (MEM 7/22) 

NATO announces that Germany, Belgium, and Italy will send 42 jet fighters with at least 470 support personnel to Turkey to reinforce that nation's border with Iraq [WP, LAT, NYT 1/3].

After meeting with Saddam Hussein, Yasir Arafat indicates in interview that neither he nor Saddam is insisting that Israel withdraw from o.t. as requirement for Iraq to leave Kuwait [BADS 1/2 in FBIS 1/3; NYT 1/3].

Senator Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) releases letter signed by 127 law professors insisting Pres. Bush has constitutional obligation to "obtain prior express congressional authorization" before ordering U.S. troops into war in the Gulf [WP 1/3].

IDF troops shoot dead 30-year-old Palestinian, wound at least 16 others in Gaza clashes arising after curfew is lifted there [MEM 1/2; LAT 1/3].

Kuwaiti embassy in Washington reports about 500 Kuwaiti nationals in U.S. are being drafted by Kuwait's gov't.-in-exile for training as translators to be assigned with U.S. military units in the Gulf [LAT 1/3].

Foreign ministers of Egypt, Syria, and Libya meet in Cairo to discuss Gulf crisis [MENA 1/2 in FBIS 1/2, 1/3; WT 1/3].

Jordan's King Hussein arrives in London for talks with British PM John Major [MEM 1/2; WT 1/3].

Arab League ass't. sec.-gen., Salah al-Mukhtar, resigns in protest of League's move to Cairo; he is replaced by Egyptian Ahamd 'Adil [INA, MENA 1/2 in FBIS 1/3].

Maj. Gen. Antoine Lahad, commander of Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army, reaffirms SLA independence of newly strengthened gov't. of Elias Hrawi until gov't. shows it is free of Syrian control [LAT 1/3]. 

Tens of thousands of Iraqis conduct mock evacuation drill in Baghdad as part of increased civil defense efforts [AFP 12/21 in FBIS 12/21; NYT, LAT 12/22].

British P.M. John Major meet with Sec. Baker in Washington; Baker says he is no longer optimistic that Gulf crisis can be resolved peacefully [LAT, WP 1.2/22].

Israel announces it is using every available plane and even allowing flights on the Sabbath to bring in additional Soviet Jews fearing political turmoil in USSR [LAT 12/22].

U.S. postpones meeting of UN Sec. Council, trying to press for changes in draft resolution that would endorse international conference on Middle East [NYT 12/8, 12/9; LAT, WP 12/8].

State Dep't. says it will not schedule meet- ing between Iraqi F.M. Aziz and Pres. Bush until Baghdad agrees on date for meeting between Saddam Hussein and Sec. Baker [LAT 12/8].

Egypt Defense Ministry says it will increase its military forces in Saudi Arabia and UAE, bringing its total to 27,000 men [LAT 12/8].

Los Angeles Times reports increased pressure or, PLO to allow intifada activists to use firearms against occupation authorities [LAT 12/8].

Israel widens curfews to include nearly all towns and refugee camps in o.t. to prevent unrest and demonstrations ahead of 3d anniversary of intifada on 12/9 [JDS 12/7 in FBIS 12/10; LAT 12/8; FJ 12/10; MET 12/18].

P.M. Shamir flies to London for meetings with British P.M. John Major [JDS 12/7 in FBIS 12/10].

John Major is selected as next prime minister of Britain [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 11/28; CSM 11/29].

Bush admin. announces that Chinese F.M. Qian has been invited to Washington for talks with Sec. Baker, in what appears to be compensation to Beijing for its support for draft UN resolution authorizing force against Iraq [NYT, WT 11/28].

Saddam Hussein tells reporters that Iraq does not have nuclear weapons; International Atomic Energy Agency reports Iraq's small stock of highly enriched reactor fuel has not been diverted to build nuclear weapons [NYT, WT, WP, MEM 11/28].

2 PFLP fighters and 5 Israeli soldiers are killed, 6th is wounded during firefight near Shabaa, S. Lebanon. Hours later, Israeli air force bombs PFLP and DFLP bases east of Sidon, and Israeli long-range artillery hits villages north of "security zone" [AFP, IDF, BDS, JDS 11/27 in FBIS 11/27; MEM 11/27; NYT, LAT. WT, WP 11/28; CSM 11/29; JPI 12/8; MET 12/11].

Rear Adm. Gene La Rocque (Ret.) tells congressional committee that 6-month Gulf war would result in deaths of 10,000 U.S. soldiers, wounding of 35,000 others, and cost $80 billion [LAT 11/28].

In Tunis, Yasir Arafat confers separately with ambassadors of the 5 permanent members of UN Sec. Council, discussing Gulf crisis and situation in o.t.; Arafat tells ambassadors to demand Sec. Council issue same ultimatum to Israel that it intends to address to Iraq [MEM 11/28; MAP 11/28 in FBIS 11/29].

Saudi official says his country's gratitude toward USSR for its support in Gulf crisis has motivated Saudi Arabia to lend Moscow as much as $1 billion as part of GCC "financial cooperation program" [MEM 11/27, 11/29; WP 11/29].