U.S. and Iraqi admins. air differences over when Bush-Aziz and Baker-Saddam meetings should take place; Iraq suggests Baker come to Baghdad on 1/12, but U.S. says it is too close to UN deadline of...
Sec. Baker arrives in Brussels to continue discussions with other members of UN Sec. Council about possible resolution authorizing use of force in Gulf [WP 11/16].
Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israeli officials say they are satisfied with Egyptian reaction to 2/4 bus attack, will not shift diplomatic course away from Cairo. [...
Other Countries: Soviet deputy foreign minister Gennadi Tarasov says that the USSR "has no plans to establish direct air links" between Tel Aviv and Moscow,...
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli D.M. Rabin leaves for Washington and meetings with Baker [FBIS 1/12; MET 1/23].
Military reopens all Gaza Strip schools...
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U.S. and Iraqi admins. air differences over when Bush-Aziz and Baker-Saddam meetings should take place; Iraq suggests Baker come to Baghdad on 1/12, but U.S. says it is too close to UN deadline of 1/15 for Iraqi troops to leave Kuwait [NYT, WP 12/11].
For 2d time, U.S. postpones Sec. Council vote on resolution endorsing Middle East peace conference; hopes to change text so that it can avoid using in Israel's defense veto that could weaken Arab support for U.S.-led coalition in Saudi Arabia [NYT, WP, MEM 12/11; CSM 12/12; JPI 12/22].
Sec. Baker asks F.M. Shevardnadze to commit token Soviet troop contingent to multinational force in Gulf; Shevardnadze says USSR cannot do so [WP 12/11].
Kuwaiti officials says Iraq owes them $64 billion for stolen property, unpaid debts, and damage caused by 8/2 invasion [IRNA 12/11 in FBIS 12/12].
Israeli army steps up 3-month-old policy of deploying hidden snipers along highways in the West Bank with authorization to shoot Palestinians seen throwing stones at Israeli cars. Snipers use live ammunition and are permitted to fire without warning if they be- lieve the stone throwers are endangering lives [HAM 12/11 in FBIS 12/11; MEM 12/12; NYT, WT, CSM 12/13; MET 12/25].
Israeli military prosecutors are ordered to demand harsher sentences for those Palestinians convicted of stonethrowing; D.M. Arens sets maximum sentence at 20 years in prison [JDS 12/11 in FBIS 12/11].
Labor MK Yossi Beilin presents initiative of dovish Mashov Circle group, calling for "negotiations between Israel and a Palestinian delegation with a primary purpose of bringing about Israel's evacuation from the Gaza Strip, to create in the Gaza Strip a Palestinian state. . . ." [MEM 12/11].
28 American Jewish community leaders, celebrities, and law professors send letter to Pres. Bush urging him to raise at his 12/11 meeting with P.M. Shamir the human rights cases of Palestinian journalists Radwan Abu Ayyash and Ziad Abu Zayyad, who were placed in administrative detention on 11/13. Letter urges they be either formally charged with a crime or else released. Copy of letter is sent to P.M. Shamir [MEM 12/11].
EC says it will give $6 million to help 8 hospitals in o.t. keep functioning during Gulf crisis [MEM 12/11].
Sec. Baker arrives in Brussels to continue discussions with other members of UN Sec. Council about possible resolution authorizing use of force in Gulf [WP 11/16].
Pres. of National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, writes to Pres. Bush that offensive action against Iraq would likely violate criteria Catholic tradition considers essential for a "just war"; National Council of Churches issues statement raising moral objections to possible war, calling for troop reduction in Gulf, and call- ing for international conference to develop comprehensive Middle East peace [WP, NYT 11/16].
Palestinians in O.T. celebrate 2d anniversary of declaration of Palestinian state with parades and fireworks; minor clashes with IDF are reported [WP 11/16].
Saddam Hussein tells ABC News he wants to negotiate peaceful settlement to Gulf crisis, but refuses to withdraw from Kuwait as precondition for talks [WP, NYT 11/16].
Following 2d round of talks between Pres. Mubarak and Pres. Asad, both announce rejection of call for Arab summit [RMC, MENA 11/15 in FBIS 11/16].
Soviet envoy Primakov calls for delaying introduction of Sec. Council resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq to give time for final negotiating effort [NYT 11/16].
Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off on mission allegedly to deploy spy satellite over Gulf [WP 11/16].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israeli officials say they are satisfied with Egyptian reaction to 2/4 bus attack, will not shift diplomatic course away from Cairo. [NYT, WP 2/6; MET 2/13].
PLO supporters in the O.T., including Sari Nusaybah, denounce 2/4 bus attack, say such attacks do not serve Palestinian interests and that the PLO is not responsible [FBIS 2/6].
Arab World: Islamic Jihad movement claims responsibility for 2/4 bus attack north of Cairo [LAT, NYT 2/6].
Egyptian officials express shock and embarrassment a2/4 bus attack, pledge to pursue peace efforts with Israel [WP 2/ 6].
Arab League, meeting in Tunis, decides to send 60-member high-level delegation to Washington, Moscow, and Dublin to argue that increased Soviet immigration to Israel will increase tensions and reduce the prospects for peace [NYT 2/8].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF closes boys secondary school in Baytunia [FJ 2/12].
15-year-old Palestinian dies after fall while fleeing IDF troops [FBIS 2/6; FJ 2/ 12].
Palestinians kill 3 people suspected of collaborating with Israeli officials [FBIS 2/7; MET 2/13].
Social/Economic/Political
Other Countries: Soviet deputy foreign minister Gennadi Tarasov says that the USSR "has no plans to establish direct air links" between Tel Aviv and Moscow, despite commercial agreement of 2 months ago [NYT 2/5].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: IDF closes 3 schools in the Hebron area for stone throwing at IDF vehicles [FJ 2/12].
IDF arrests at least 100 Palestinians in Ramallah area in 24-hour sweep [FJ 2/12].
Arab World: At least 25 people are killed in intra-Christian fighting in Beirut. [NYT 2/4].
Israeli and Palestine Liberation Front forces clash on S. Lebanon; each side claims to have killed several of the other [FBIS 2/5; MET 2/13].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel says it will give the U.S. a timetable for the expiration of its military contracts with South Africa [WP 2/3].
Jerusalem Domestic Service reports that Israel is sending 150,000 aliyah invitations per month to USSR [FBIS 2/14].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF closes 2 gov't-run schools in Khan Yunis indefinitely for rock-throwing incident [FJ 2/ 12].
Israeli army bulldozes 4 Palestinian homes in Bethlehem area, 1 in Shaqba village, near Ramallah [FJ 2/12].
Army places Bayt Anan, northwest of Jerusalem, under curfew [FJ 2/12].
At least 4 Palestinians wounded in clashes with IDF throughout O.T. [FJ 2/5].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli D.M. Rabin leaves for Washington and meetings with Baker [FBIS 1/12; MET 1/23].
Military reopens all Gaza Strip schools except al-Tuffah secondary school, 4 days earlier than anticipated [FJ 1/22].
Arab World: Egypt and USSR sign trade agreement increasing volume of trade between the 2 nations [FBIS 1/12].
Military Action
Arab World: Abu Fadi, PLO commander of Fateh force located near Sidon, Lebanon threatens to retaliate against Lebanese Shi'a Muslim militiamen for overnight clash in which a Fateh commando is killed, 3 others wounded [FBIS 1/11; NYT 1/12; MET 1/23].
Israeli army reinforces positions in S. Lebanon "security zone" with additional troops. Fateh has also reinforced positions due to increased hostilities between Hizballah and Amal [FBIS 1/12].
