Speaking before Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sec. Baker tones down 9/4 suggestion of NATO-style security arrangement, which had touched off controversy, by saying "any such arrangement...
Islamic world leaders from more than 30 nations, joined by Iran for first time in years, meet in Cairo. They call for Muslim unity against Soviet Jewish emigration to O.T. [LAT 8/1].
Heads of state of 12 EC countries end 2-day summit in Dublin, issue statement on Middle East opposing Israeli settlement policy, calling for international conference, and for strengthening trade...
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Israel's ministerial forum on Hebron reconvenes to discuss redeployment issue. (ITV 8/18; MM 8/19; IDF Radio, YA 8/19 in WNC 8/21) (see 8/15)
Hebron settler leaders hold mtg. to discuss how they will react if the government goes through with plans to redeploy. Kach mbrs. propose attacking Palestinians in the city after a pullback. (ITV 8/18 in WNC 10/3; YA 10/17 in WNC 10/22)
Israeli Interior M Eliyahu Suissa says his min. is working out a plan to be submitted to the government for approval that calls for expanding Jerusalem's area by annexing many settlements abutting it, incl. some that lie across the Green Line such as Ma'ale Adumim, Giv'at Ze'ev. (MM 8/19; MA, QY 8/19 in WNC 8/21)
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, FM David Levy meet to resolve differences; agree to set up negotiations oversight comm., steering comm. for talks with Syria that will both incl. the PM, FM, DM. Netanyahu also agrees to redesignate all the head of the "Jordan desk" in the PM's office as "staff"; do the same for all geographic desk officers in the PM's office, so there is no overlap with the FMin.; improve coordination btwn. the PM's office, FMin. (MM, NYT 8/19; WJW 8/22; JP 8/31) (see 8/14)
PA Preventive Security Forces (PSF) bulldozes 5 Palestinian houses in Khan Yunis, saying the houses were build on government property that will be used for housing projects in the future. Owners of the homes said they received building permits fr. the PA Housing Min. (PR 8/23)
Bread riots continue in Amman, nearby Jordanian villages. In the past 3 days, 300 have been arrested, 40 injured in the countrywide protests. Many of those arrested are mbrs. of leftist political groups, such as the pro-Iraqi Arab Socialist Ba`th party (ASB), Jordan People's Democratic party (JPD), Jordanian Communist party. (RMC 8/18, 8/19 in WNC 8/21; JT, JTV 8/18, al-Ra'i 8/20 in WNC 8/22; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/19; MEI 9/6) (see 8/17)
Lebanese parliamentary elections begin with Mount Lebanon district. Hizballah's 1 candidate is defeated, as is influential Greek Orthodox opposition figure Albert Mukheiber. 32 of the 35 seats go to progovernment candidates. There will be voting on 5 consecutive Sundays in separate regions. The last elections, boycotted by Christians, were held in 1992. (VOL 8/18 in WNC 8/21; WT 8/19; RL 8/19 in WNC 8/21; CSM 8/19, 8/20; MM 8/21, 8/28; MEI 9/6; CSM 9/10)
Israel's National Oil Exploration Company announces it has discovered oil in s. Israel, nr. Beersheba. The site, which could produce 600 bpd, is a sign oil could exist in significant quantities in the area. (WJW 8/22; JP 8/24)
Speaking before Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sec. Baker tones down 9/4 suggestion of NATO-style security arrangement, which had touched off controversy, by saying "any such arrangement would have to fit regional realities. We have no particular model, such as NATO, in mind" [WP 9/6; FJ 9/10].
Britain agrees to contribute to U.S.-sponsored fund to aid Middle East countries hurt by the trade embargo against Iraq [LAT 9/6], while West German gov't decides not to supply funds for multinational force in Gulf, but will offer use of planes and ships to transport troops to the region [WP 9/5].
Iraqi F.M. Aziz meets with Pres. Gorbachev in Moscow over Gulf crisis amid signs Moscow is losing patience over Iraq's refusal to leave Kuwait [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 9/6; MET 9/18].
State Dep't reports U.S. citizen is shot and wounded trying to evade capture by Iraqi troops in Kuwait City [LAT, WT, WP 9/6; MET 9/18].
Bush admin. offers to mount international effort to provide economic aid to USSR in return for Moscow's pulling its military advisers out of Iraq and agreeing to join multinational force in Middle East [LAT 9/6].
Israeli and American sources report F.M. David Levy, visiting Washington for talks with Sec. Baker, asks Bush admin. to forgive Israel's $4.5 billion military debt and dramatically increase military aid [WT 9/6; JDS 9/6 in FBIS 9/6; JPI 9/15; MET 9/18]; Baker and Levy say U.S. and Israel will work to establish "credible" Arab-Israeli peace process to demonstrate alternative to Saddam Hussein [NYT 9/6].
King Hussein meets with British for. sec. Hurd in Amman [JTE 9/6 in FBIS 9/6], then flies to Baghdad to discuss Gulf crisis with Saddam [BADS 9/5 in FBIS 9/6; CSM 9/7].
Jerusalem Post reports 195,000 elementary school children begin year's studies in West Bank. Intermediate and high schools will open in stages over next 2 weeks [JPD 9/6 in FBIS 9/7].
Pres. Mubarak and Saudi F.M. Prince Saud al-Faisal hold talks in Cairo on Gulf crisis [MET 8/28].
French gov't, alarmed by reports that its citizens are being detained in Baghdad, orders its Gulf fleet to use force if necessary to ensure compliance with UN sanctions [WP 8/20].
PLO issues first official statement on Gulf crisis, saying it will continue to seek Arab solution that would "preserve everyone's dignity, and not in favor of one party at the expense of another" [MEM 8/20; CSM 8/21]; Chrmn. of Palestine National Fund and PLO Exec. Committee member Jawayd al-Ghusayn calls Iraq's occupation of Kuwait illegal; says PLO should not take sides in the crisis [SPA 8/19, AFP 8/20 in FBIS 8/20; WT 8/20].
Israeli F.M. David Levy calls for gas masks to be distributed immediately to the population [JDS 8/19 in FBIS 8/20].
Israeli Supreme Court rejects a petition calling on army to lift permanent nighttime curfew on Gaza Strip, saying it was not convinced the army's reasons for imposing curfew were wrong [MEM 8/20; JPD 8/20 in FBIS 8/24; FJ 9/3].
IDF troops shoot, kill Jordanian soldier, injure another in skirmish just inside W. Bank [IDF 8/19 in FBIS 8/20; NYT, LAT, MEM 8/20; MET 8/28].
Islamic world leaders from more than 30 nations, joined by Iran for first time in years, meet in Cairo. They call for Muslim unity against Soviet Jewish emigration to O.T. [LAT 8/1].
UNLU issues call no. 60, concerns growing factional strife in O.T., attacks Egypt as a U.S. puppet (cf. 8/2) [MEM 8/1; JPD 8/1 in FBIS 8/3].
Soviet F.M. Shevardnadze invites Israeli counterpart David Levy to meet with him in Sept. either during UN Gen. Assembly session in New York or in Moscow [JDS 8/1 in FBIS 8/1; MEM, WT 8/1].
Heads of state of 12 EC countries end 2-day summit in Dublin, issue statement on Middle East opposing Israeli settlement policy, calling for international conference, and for strengthening trade links with O.T. [TDS 6/27 in FBIS 6/28; MEM 6/28].
Jean-Claude Amrie meets with 5 Palestinian academicians, is presented with 12- point memorandum outlining situation in O.T. [RMC 6/26 in FBIS 6/27].
Internal IDF paper recommends that chief of staff and defense establishment change criteria for reporting incidents in O.T. so that daily occurrences are more accurately portrayed [HAA 6/26 in FBIS 6/26].
Egypt's F.M. Esmat Abdel Meguid meets with Pres. Bush in Washington, no "breakthroughs" on peace process are reported, but U.S. interest in reviving process is affirmed [WP 6/28].
Bethlehem Mayor Elias Frayj meets with D.M. Moshe Arens to discuss situation in O.T. [JAA 6/26 in FBIS 6/28].
F.M. David Levy rejects Sec. Baker's formula for Israeli-Palestinian negotiation, echoes Shamir in saying talks cannot include deportees or E. Jerusalem residents [JPD 6/27 in FBIS 6/27].
B'Tselem issues report "Violence against Minors in Police Detention," which claims teenagers interrogated by police and Shin Bet agents are routinely beaten, chained in awkward positions or in "punishment cells" for hours at a time [JPD 6/26 in FBIS 6/27].
Syria rejects invitation from P.M. Shamir for Pres. Asad to go to Jerusalem for peace talks, calls the offer "a trick" [NYT 6/27].
