The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers contaminated a water container with poisonous material in Yatta south of Hebron. Elsewhere, in the village of al-Jib, Israeli settlers with military escort stormed an archeological site while closing the main road to the village for 2 hours. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces escorted some 300 Israeli settlers while touring Haram al-Sharif. Meanwhile, Israeli forces set up checkpoints and roadblocks impeding access for Palestinians in the Old City. In Gaza, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinian farmers; no injuries were reported. (MNA, MNA, PNN, WAFA 4/25)

The Israeli foreign ministry announced that Israel would participate in the World Expo in the United Arab Emirates in 2020. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Israel’s participation an expression of Israel’s “rising status in the world and the region.” (HA 4/27)

A federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked the enforcement of a Texas state law that prohibits boycotting Israel as a condition of public employment. The judge cited the 1st Amendment as a reason for his decision. The ruling comes after 2 federal judges in Kansas and Arizona blocked similar state laws last year. (WP 4/26)  

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov warned in a report that the financial crisis due to Israel withholding 6 percent of the PA tax revenue, and the PA refusing to accept any of the revenue as long as it is not 100 percent, “threatens the stability of the West Bank and the very survival of the Palestinian state-building effort.” (MNA, UNSCO, WAFA 4/25)

The PA hardens its position on Hebron deal after 1/1 shooting, demands Israel commit to a deadline for withdrawing troops fr. rural West Bank areas. (HA, IDF Radio, QY 1/2 in WNC 1/6; CSM, NYT, WT 1/3; NYT 1/4; JP 1/11)

Israeli Internal Security M Avigdor Kahalani warns that "the Jews in Hebron must be protected. They are in great danger, despite Noam Freidman's shooting spree." (MEI 1/10) (see 1/1)

Israeli police detain IDF soldier Yuval Jibli on suspicion that he knew of Friedman's plans to attack the Hebron market 1/1. IDF reinforces troops in the city. (NYT, WT 1/3; JP 1/11)

The Washington bureau of the London-based Saudi daily al-Hayat receives 5 letter bombs, which are detected before they explode. 2 similar bombs are sent to the federal penitentiary in Levenworth Kansas, where Jordanian Muhammad Salameh is serving time for his part in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Though all bombs are postmarked Alexandria, Egypt, authorities believe that they were mailed domestically. (MM, WP, WT 1/3; MBC 1/3 in WNC 1/7; SA 1/8 in WNC 1/9; MEI 1/10)

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].