The Palestine Chronology

In Gaza, National Islamic Salvation Party (NISP) leaders hold "get-acquainted" mtg. with Arafat. PA police detain NISP dep. head Fu'ad Nahal on his way home fr. the mtg., question him for 20 hrs. on alleged fund-raising for Hamas. (QY 3/23, AFP 3/24 in FBIS 3/25; WT 3/24; PR 3/29) (see 11/18/95)

Arafat says that since the recent wave of bombings the PA has detained 900 Hamas, Islamic Jihad mbrs., incl. 35 of 37 wanted by Israel. (QY 3/22 in FBIS 3/22)

In al-Fawwar refugee camp in the West Bank, IDF blows up the family home of the Palestinian who carried out the 2/25 Jerusalem bombing. IDF also blows up home in s. Lebanon where a Hizballah suicide bomber hid. (AFP, QY 3/22 in FBIS 3/22; ITV 3/22 in FBIS 3/25; WT 3/23)

Police in Spain capture escaped Achille Lauro hijacker Molqi in Seville. U.S., Italy both seek his extradition. (NYT, WP, WT 3/23) (see 3/13)

Top-level PLO delegation, comprising Pol. Dept. Head Faruq al-Qaddumi, Information Dept. Head Yasir 'Abd Rabbuh, Exec. Comm. members Mustafa al-Zibri (Abu 'Ali Mustafa), Sulayman al-Najab, meets with Pres. al-Asad in Damascus, Meeting seen as part of recent efforts to improve PLO-Syrian relations in wake of diplomatic setback faced by PLO after Gulf war. (NYT 5/29)

Delegation also meets with officials of dissident Palestinian National Salvation Front in Damascus. Meeting centers on reconciliation between PLO and PNSF. At PLO insistence, Col. Sa'id Musa Muragha's (Abu Musa) Fateh-Uprising group not represented. Reconciliation efforts come during increased PLO-Syrian dialogue. (MEM 5/17; NYT, MEM 5/29; CSM 5/30)

Hizballah leader 'Abbas al-Musawi claims his group holds two Israeli prisoners, but Israel has failed to meet conditions for their release. States Israel willing to release Lebanese prisoners it held only; Hizballah demanded release of Palestinian prisoners as well. Israeli Def. Min. Arens expressed optimism over prospects for possible prisoner exchange. (WP 5/28)

Israel convicts Palestinian Fu'ad Hasan al-Shar' of participating in 1983 attempt to blow up airliner belonging to Israeli state airline El Al. Al-Shari' sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. (WP 5/28)

Greek appeals committee upheld Italy's request to extradite 'Abd al-Rahim Khalid, Palestinian sentenced in abstentia to life imprisonment in 1987 by court in Genoa for alleged role in October 1985 hijacking of Italian ship Achille Lauro. Khalid, arrested 5/5 in Athens, faces two more avenues of appeal before extradition can proceed. (NYT 5/29) 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: P.M. Peres, in Washington, announces Israel is prepared to extend "the hand of peace" to Jordan [NYT, WP 10/18]. Peres begins high-level talks with U.S. officials to convince them the PLO must be kept out of the peace process, Jordanians and "moderate" Palestinians should be drawn in instead [MG 10/18]. Four Palestinians from the Gaza Strip are jailed for up to 7 years for allegedly planning agrenade attack on the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv last year [NYT 10/18]. Israeli officials announce Israel will partly restore ties with Poland, broken off 18 years ago, by opening diplomatic interest section in Warsaw. Poland will do the same in Tel Aviv [CT, LT 10/18]. Al-Bayader al-Siyassi is banned from distribution for 2 weeks following publication of an interview with Yasir Arafat [FJ 10/25]. "Arab Culture in Israel Week" begins in various cities under auspices of Min. of Education [JP 10/17].

Other Countries: U.S. Justice Dept. issues arrest warrants and announces $250,000 reward for information leading to arrest of 3 men charged with murder and piracy in June hijacking of TWA Flight 847 [NYT, WP 10/18]. Italian prosecutors say they lean toward the theory that the hijackers' original target was in fact the Achille Lauro [NYT, WP 10/18]. Aide to Italian P.M. Bettino Craxi says U.S. has still failed to prove Abu 'Abbas masterminded the hijacking, says transcript of radio conversation is unsufficient proof and the U.S. claim is "completely ridiculous at times" [WP 10/18].

Military Action

Arab World: Four suicide bombers attack and demolish fundamentalist Christian Voice of Hope radio station in S. Lebanon, killing 2 workers there and themselves. The Lebanese Communist party takes responsibility for the attack [WP, NYT, LT 10/18].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Jerusalem Post reports Amnesty International's recently published annual report for 1984 records that during 1984 "dozens of regular, border and military police" were charged with offenses against detainees and 17 were subsequently sentenced. Report also notes use of various forms of ill treatment and torture of detainees by Israeli forces in both the occupied territories and S. Lebanon, as well as extensive use of town arrest orders [JP 10/9]. Def. Min. Yitzhak Rabin states 5 Palestinians recently captured or killed in Hebron hills received assistance from PLO headquarters in 'Amman [JP 10/10]. Palestinian students at al-Najah U. go on 1-day hunger strike in solidarity with administrative detainees' hunger strike inside prisons [FJ 10/11].

Arab World: Four hijackers of Achille Lauro surrender in Egypt. Yasir Arafat asks that the 4 be tumed over to the PLO for trial [NYT 10/10]. The 4 hijackers leave the ship after negotiating with PLO representatives. The agreement to let them go was based on early reports that no hostages had been harmed [WP 10/10]. Italy then announces American passenger Leon Klinghoffer, confined to a wheelchair, is missing, his body believed to have been thrown overboard [NYT 10/10]. Palestinian source in Cyprus says the 4 originally intended to "go to Israel and carry out some tasks there," and disobeyed orders by hijacking the ship [WP 10/10].

Other Countries: UN Sec. Council unanimously condemns hijacking of Achille Lauro [NYT 10/10]. Draft resolution to invite Yasir Arafat to address UN General Assembly during 40th anniversary celebration is circulated at UN [BG 10/10].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli forces demolish homes of 5 members of Palestinian cell captured or killed in hills south of Hebron 10/6. Surif village placed under curfew during demolitions [JP 10/9].

Arab World: Two senior PLO officials leave for Cairo to help Egyptian officials negotiate with the Achille Lauro hijackers [LAT 10/9]. Arafat tells Italian P.M. Bettino Craxi he "entirely condemns" the hijacking and does not know who is responsible [MG 10/9]. The Damascus-based faction of the Palestine Liberation Front, headed by Tala'at Ya'qub, denounces the hijacking of the Achille Lauro as piracy. An anonymous caller to Agence France Presse says the Abu al-'Abbas faction of the Palestine Liberation Front, allied with Fateh, is responsible for the hijacking [NYT 10/10].

Other Countries: U.S. seeks to obtain worldwide guarantee that no country will allow the Achille Lauro to dock in its port while the hijackers are still in control. Italy rejects use of force to try to rescue passengers on Achille Lauro [LAT 10/9]. Dutch Def. Min. Job de Ruiter announces Dutch troops will be withdrawn from UN peacekeeping force deployed north of Lebanese-Israeli border because of "concern for their safety" [MG 10/9].

Military Action

Arab World: Achille Lauro steams toward Syria, then Cyprus; is refused entry at both. Ship retums to Egyptian coast, hijackers begin negotiations with Egyptians [NYT 10/13].

Other Countries: U.S. guided missile destroyer Scott cuts short shore leave in Haifa to monitor hijacked Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in Eastem Mediterranean [NYT 10/9].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Funerals of 2 Palestinians killed in Israel's air raid on Tunis spark anti-Israel demonstrations in Cairo. Hundreds of students shout anti-Israel and anti-American slogans as the 2 are buried at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Cairo, where the families of the 2 men live [MG 10/8]. Pres. Mubarak sees Arafat's political advisor Hani al-Hasan in an unscheduled meeting; al-Hasan conveys thanks for Egypt's position on Israel's Tunis air raid [JP 10/8].

Other Countries: Diplomatic sources say the U.S. decided not to veto UN Sec. Counc. resolution condemning Israeli air raid because of fears Tunisian govt. would break diplomatic ties with the U.S. [LT 10/8; NYT 10/7].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: WAFA news agency claims PLO responsibility for blast destroying Jerusalem apartment building, claims 20 killed, including Israeli lintelligence agents. Israeli police say 1 died and 11 were injured in the explosion, which was caused by a gas leak [TS 10/8].

Arab World: Four heavily armed Palestinians hijack an Italian cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, carrying 400 passengers off the shore of Egypt. Officials at Port Sa'id say the hijackers, who identify themselves as members of the Palestine Liberation Front, demand the release of 50 prisoners held in Israel, including Samir Qantari, in exchange for the ship's passengers; they threaten to blow up the ship if their demands are not met. Yasir Arafat denies any PLO responsibility in the hijacking, vows to try to use his influence to end it [NYT 10/8, 9; WP 10/9]. Fighting breaks out again around Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Radio stations say the fighting is between Lebanese Muslim and Palestinian militias; Amal states it is an intemal Palestinian problem. Tankfire is used against the camps and at least 1 person is killed [FT, BG 10/8].