The Palestine Chronology

Israel releases 500 Palestinian prisoners in gesture to bring PLO back to negotiations. PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Samir Ghawsha calls action "cosmetic surgery." Exec. Comm., Palestinian negotiators continue consultations for 3d day. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 3/2)

Israeli govt. says it will pay compensation to families of victims, but that final amount will be less than that paid to families of Israelis killed by Palestinians. Social security official Yosef Tamir says discrepancy due to lower standard of living in o.t. as compared to Israel. (NYT 3/2)

Israeli Police M Moshe Shahal says "less than 100" settlers targeted for disarming, administrative detention. (NYT, WP, WT 3/2)

IDF accidentally shoots dead Ariel settler nr. West Bank town of Bidya. (MM, NYT 3/2; CSM 3/4)

Secy. of State Warren Christopher, testifying to House Appropriations Comm. subcomm. on foreign operations, says PLO Chmn. Arafat "indispensable" to peace process, calls him "the flag and 'The Star-Spangled Banner' all wrapped up into 1 person" for Palestinians. Asst Secy. of State for Near Eastern Affairs Robert Pelletreau tells House Foreign Affairs Comm. subcomm. on Europe and Middle East Israel must go "beyond tokenism" in restraining militant settlers, terms settlements "a complicating factor," not "an obstacle to peace." (NYT, WP, WT 3/2)

PLO Chmn. Arafat meets Greek FM Karolos Papoulias, Russian Dep. FM Igor Ivanov to discuss international response to Hebron massacre. (MM, NYT 3/2)

Soviet F.M. Shevardnadze tells Sec. Baker in Copenhagen that USSR will not curtail or halt emigration of Soviet Jews [WP, WIT 6/7].

Soviet legislature postpones final approval of law relaxing emigration restrictions which was condition for Congress to ratify new U.S.-Soviet trade agreement [WP 6/6].

PLO rep. Hakam Balawi meets in Tunis with U.S. ambassador Robert Pelletreau, who delivers letter to Arafat from Bush admin. explaining U.S. 5/31 UN veto [TDS 6/5 in FBIS 6/6].

Israeli army and intelligence officials tell Knesset For. Affairs and Defence Committee that they believe 5/30 attempted raid by PLF members was directed at military, not civilian, targets (cf. 6/6) [JDS 6/5 in FBIS 6/6].

General strike called for by UNLU to commemorate 23d anniversary of 1967 war is observed in W.Bank; 2 Palestinian youths in Nablus are killed by IDF bullets [IDF, JDS 6/5 in FBIS 6/7; WT, LAT 6/6].

IDF lifts collective bans on travel to Jordan that had been imposed on some 25 W.Bank communities for periods up to 2 years [JPD 6/5 in FBIS 6/6].

Clashes in S.Lebanon between Shiite militiamen and SLA and Israeli soldiers; no injuries reported [BVL 6/5 in FBIS 6/6].

Yasir Arafat says PLO's institutional and official forces had no connection with 5/30 attempted attack on Israeli beach; sees "no reason" U.S. should end dialogue with PLO; says he cannot expell Abul Abbas from PNC, as PLF leader was elected democratically [NYT, WP, LAT, WT 6/1; WAKH 5/31 in FBIS 6/1 AVP 6/1 in FBIS 6/4]; U.S. sends message to PLO, outlining actions State Dep't. wishes Arafat to take [NYT, LAT 6/1]; PLO representative Hakam Balawi meets in Tunis with U.S. ambassador Robert Pelletreau to discuss 5/30 attempted attack [KUNA 6/1 in FBIS 6/4].

U.S. vetoes UN Sec. Council resolution to send special commission of inquiry to O.T. (cf. 6/1) [WT 6/1, LAT 6/ 2].

Private Israeli security specialist, Lt.Col. Yair Klein, ret., is indicted on charges of illegally exporting military equipment to drug cartel in Colombia [WP, LAT 6/1].

Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox patriarch Diodorus I is overcome by tear gas as Israeli police disperse group of clergymen protesting Jewish nationals' occupation of church building in Old City's Christian quarter [WP, LAT, WT 4/13; JDS 4/12 in FBIS 4/13]; Jerusalem magistrate court issues evacuation order to settlers in church building [IDF 4/12 in FBIS 4/13].

PLO formally requests membership in World Health Organization. PLO made same request last year, was denied membership after U.S. delegation walked out in protest (cf. 4/23) [WP 4/13].

PLO rep. Hakam Balawi meets with U.S. ambassador Robert Pelletreau to discuss latest developments [TDS 4/13 in FBIS 4/18].

Arafat arrives in Czechoslovakia for state visit [NYT 4/13].

Chrmn. Arafat arrives in Baghdad on official visit; will meet with Pres. Saddam Hussein [BVP 2/25 in FBIS 2/27].

PLO envoy Hakam Balawi meets with U.S. ambassador to Tunisia Robert Pelletreau [TDS 2/26 in FBIS 2/28].

General strike called for by Hamas is observed in O.T. [HAD 2/26 in FBIS 2/ 27].

Israeli Employment Services tells representatives of UN International Labor Organization (ILO) that unemployment in O.T. is 4.5% compared to 9% inside green line [MAA 2/26 in FBIS 2/27].