The Palestine Chronology

Arafat, FM Peres meet for 8 hrs. at Erez in unsuccessful last-minute attempt to reach an agmt. before 7/1 deadline passes. Peres rejects PA demand for control of security in villages, refugee camps nr. Jewish settlements, joint patrols on roads to settlements; says Israel must maintain "overriding responsibility" for all security. Arafat calls for redeployment over 2 mos fr. all major West Bank towns, incl. Hebron, to be completed 3 wks before elections. (WP, WT, NYT 7/2; IDF Radio, ITV, QY 7/2 in FBIS 7/3; CSM, MM, NYT, WT 7/3; al-Quds 7/3 in FBIS 7/5; MEI 7/7; JP 7/8)

In several towns throughout the West Bank, IDF clashes with Palestinians demonstrating in support of prisoners; 150 Palestinians are injured, 1 killed. Israel says it is willing to quickly release over 1,000 prisoners but is arguing with the PA over precise numbers, timing, conditions for release. (ITV 7/1 in FBIS 7/3; NYT, WP 7/2)

Hamas accuses the PA of shaving off the hair, beards of 3 leaders (Mahmud Zahhar, Ahmad Bahar, Salama Safadi) who have been detained since 6/25 explosion. (NYT 7/2, 7/10)

Referring to the SLA as "Lahd's militia," PM Rabin accuses the SLA of creating problems for Israel by shelling Shi`ite villages in s. Lebanon, provoking Hizballah to respond by firing rockets at n. Israel. Coming before the resumption of negotiations with Syria, many see the statement as an offer to trade Syrian crackdown on Hizballah for Israel's dropping of the SLA. (MM 7/4)

Nr. Jneid prison, Nablus, IDF opens fire with live ammunition on 1000s of Palestinians rallying for release of prisoners, killing 2, wounding 50. In Gaza, an alleged Hamas mbr. detonates an explosive-laden cart nr. an IDF patrol, killing himself, injuring 3 soldiers. PA police arrest 50 Hamas mbrs., incl. leaders Mahmud Zahhar and Ahmad Bahar. Hamas denies responsibility. (CSM, MM, WP, WT 6/26; AFP, HA, QY 6/26 in FBIS 6/27; WP 6/27; MM 6/28; WJW 6/29; PR, WP 7/2; MEI 7/7)