The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Shimon Peres has asked the Bush administration to provide $400 million in loan guarantees to construct housing for the 100,000 Jewish immigrants Israel expects from the Soviet Union over the next three years [NYT, WP 10/2].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 5 Palestinians are shot, killed, 3 others are wounded in clashes with IDF troops in O.T. General strike in Nablus, 2 Palestinians wounded. 3 IDF soldiers wounded from stones. Palestinian suspected of collaboration is found dead [FBIS 10/3].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Labor party leader Shimon Peres states that Israel must give up Gaza as part of peace process [FBIS 6/1]. Soviet F. M. Shevardnadze calls Israel's plan for elections in O.T. "interesting" [FBIS 5/30]. D. M. Rabin states that standard of living in O.T. has dropped 40% due to uprising [FBIS 6/1]. Palestinian workers in W. Bank settlement, Ariel, must wear badges identifying them as foreign workers [NYT, FBIS 6/1].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Tulkarm soldiers open fire, wound 4 Palestinians. In Nusayrat troops seriously wound Palestinian [FBIS 5/31]. Arab World: SLA troops open fire, kill guerrilla in south Lebanon; SLA soldier is injured [FBIS 5/31].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel lifts curfew on Nablus [WP 5/18, NYT 5/18]. Curfew is lifted on Beach camp in Gaza, but area is later declared closed military zone. Israeli officials announce W. Bank schools will reopen in 3 phases, with first phase starting 5/23. Merchants observe near total strike marking second day of three-day feast at the end of Ramadan [WP 5/18].

Other Countries: Iraeli F.M. Shimon Peres visits Washington for talks with Pres. Reagan and Soviet ambassador to U.S. Yuri Dubinin. [NYT 5/18].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops wound, capture an Arab gunmanear the Jordanian border [5/18]. IDF troops wound man in Qalandiya refugee camp after man tried to seize gun from a soldier [WP 5/18, NYT 5/18, FJ 5/22]. Israeli police enter Maqassad hospital in East Jerusalem, arrest 3 visitors [FJ 5/22]. Israel reprimands 2 soldiers for firing on a village where a Palestinian was killed on 5/26. One soldier is "severely scolded"; the other is given a suspended 35-day jail sentence [NYT 5/18]. Soldiers sweep through jabalya and Bayt Hanun making arrests [FJ 5/22]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: Reports indicate F. M. Peres has rejected U.S.S.R. offer to establish low-level diplomatic ties and is pressing for full diplomatic relations with U.S. S. R. [NYT 10/2]. Druze local councils in 10 villages begin 2-day warning strike protesting Israel's refusal to disburse funds as promised [FJ 10/4].

Other Countries: Egyptian F. M. 'Ismat 'Abd al-Magid holds talks with Israeli F. M. Shimon Peres in New York [FBIS 10/2].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops shoot at car allegedly refusing to stop at roadblock in Gaza Strip, killing 3 Palestinians [FJ 10/4].

Arab World: Clashes between Palestinian and Amal forces are reported east of Sidon [FBIS 10/2].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: P.M. Peres tells reporters in France he is ready for direct negotiations with Syria, reiterates refusal to meet with PLO [FT 10/26]. Jewish Press reports 2 convicted Jewish underground defendants refuse to testify against 2 Israeli army officers on trial for their part in the attack on the heads of the National Guidance Committee in 1980 [JWP 10/25].

Other Countries: Israel and U.S. cast only votes against UN Gen. Assemb. resolution proposing strengthening ties between UN and Arab League UP 10/27]. P. M. Shimon Peres states France has offered to help Jews emigate from the Soviet Union by flying them directly to Israel if the Soviets were to permit expanded emigration [NYT 10/26]. Italian police arrest another Palestinian in connection with the Achille Lauro hijacking; 2 of the 4 hijackers are said to be cooperating with the police [NYT 10/26]. Two Arabs and 1 Briton are charged in Cyprus with murder of 3 Israelis last month [MG 10/26].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops reportedly find guns and ammunition in Yatta village, south of Hebron; 2 houses are destroyed, curfew is imposed, house-tohouse searches are conducted. Houses belonged to 2 Palestinians arrested several weeks ago [JP 10/28].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: P. M. Shimon Peres denounces Arafat's offer of "land for peace," characterizes the PLO as "talking peace in Jordan [while] killing people in Israel" [JP 9/9]. Soldiers fire rubber bullets and tear gas on a group called An End to Occupation as they demonstrate in Ramallah to protest Israeli deportation and administrative detention practices; 21 protesters are detained. Army declares the area a closed military zone [GU 9/18]. Ariel Sharon begins suit against Time magazine in a Tel Aviv court. Under Israeli law, Sharon need not prove malice to substantiate his claim [JP 9/9]. Charges have been filed against Israeli joumalist Amnon Kapeliouk for visiting Jordan in March and April. Under the 1948 Emergency Defense Regulations, Kapeliouk could receive up to a year in prison for entering acountry in a state of war with Israel [JP 9/8].

Other Countries: New York Times reports the Soviet Union has begun a new campaign to encourage Palestinians to reject American-sponsored efforts at Arab-Israeli peace talks. In recent weeks George Habash, Nayef Hawatmeh, Khaled al-Fahoum, and close Arafat aide Salah Khalaf (Abu lyad) have visited Moscow. Soviet leaders have expressed "total opposition" to the 11 February accord between Arafat and King Hussein [NYT 9/8].

Military Action

Arab World: Fighting continues for the 6th straight day between 2,500 Palestinian fighters inside Burj al-Barajinah refugee camp and Amal militiamen outside [NYT 9/9]. Lebanese officials meet with Syrian Vice Pres. 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam in Damascus to ask for Syrian military intervention to stop the fighting [LT 9/9].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli Supreme Court upholds military authorities' 12/4 decision not to allow local elections in occupied territories [JTA 12/26]. PM Peres visits Bethlehem, attends Christmas reception hosted by Mayor Freij [1st visit to Bethlehem by an Israeli PM] [LAT 12/25]. Trial of Shimon Barda, member of plot to bomb al-Aqsa and other holy sites, begins in Jerusalem [JP 12/25].

Other Countries: Diplomatic sources indicate US and Israel close to agreement on establishment of Voice of America radio transmitter in Israel for broadcasts to USSR [WP 12/25].

Military Action

Arab World: Action in S. Lebanon: bombs explode near IDF convoy south of Sidon; no injuries. Fire fight between resistance forces and SLA unit at Akiya Bridge, Litani River; RPGs fired at SLA roadblock near Nabatiya [JP 12/25].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Nat'l. Religious Party leader Burg agrees to join unity gov't. under Peres, but opposes freeze on settlements.

Arab World: From Tunis, Fateh Central Com. calls urgently for Arab summit meeting. Lebanese PM Karami meets Soviet envoy to discuss USSR's peace conference proposal.

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Municipal bulldozers demolish home inhabited since 1931 by Salman Arab in al-Salib near Jerusalem; authorities claim he doesn't own the house.

Arab World: 3 IDF soldiers wounded by remote-control bomb at roadside near Ansariya, S. Lebanon.

Military Action:

Syrians and Israelis exchange tank and mortar fire east of Beirut for first time in 4 months; gun battles in Tripoli between rival militias; Beirut offices of Arab Deterrent Force closed, premises handed over to Lebanese Army.

Casualties:

Lebanese doctor shot and killed at roadblock by Fiji UNIFIL soldier in South Lebanon; 3 killed, including Syrian soldier, 6 wounded in Tripoli.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Land Day demonstrations in Israel, West Bank, Gaza, 3,000 extra police on duty; 10-20,000 make Land Day march from Sakhnin to Deir Hanna; tear gas fired at demonstrators in Sakhnin; Peace Now demonstrates outside government exhibition in Tel Aviv of residential construction and housing finance opportunities for Jews on the West Bank; Labor Party chairman Peres says position of Haddad forces must not be infringed by troop withdrawal agreement, Israel should not submit to any preconditions, such as settlement freeze, prior to peace talks with Hussein; Habib meets Arens and Shamir who reject notion that Lebanese Army, without Haddad, can provide effective security on northern border; 7 year-old boy killed, 2 children wounded in Shefar Am when hand grenade they find explodes; commercial strike in East Jerusalem; IDF shoots, kills 18 year-old in Tarqumiya, near Hebron, during demonstration; curfews imposed in Nablus, 4 refugee camps; 2 molotov cocktails thrown at IDF vehicles in West Bank; 2 molotov cocktails thrown at IDF vehicles in West Bank; 2 grenades thrown at IDF vehicles in Gaza; 13 persons injured by stones; Al-Fajr editor-in-chief arrested; director of West Bank public health services says clinical symptoms of 53 girls from Arraba, taken ill on March 21, point to something more than a case of mass hysteria.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat, in Damascus, tells rally he rejects Reagan plan, and Fez summit resolutions are only basis for solution to Palestine problem.

US and Other Countries: Soviet Union accuses Israel of planning a piratic strike against Syria, warns it would be playing with fire.

Military Action:

Israelis move troops experienced in street fighting into hills around West Beirut; IDF artillery repeatedly shells Syrian positions near Hammana.

Casualties:

Hundreds live in Beirut parks, lacking food, water, medicine and basic hygiene; garbage piles up in West Beirut streets (most trucks are in East Beirut); more shops close throughout city as fear of IDF attack grows; Baalbek now has 35,000 refugees; Palestinian refugees reportedly receive less aid than Lebanese; Israeli unsubsidized prices for sales to Lebanon about 3 times Lebanese prices.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Former head of Israeli military intelligence, in US, says casualty figures inflated; Israeli Knesset debate ends with Likud/Labor parties agreeing not to vote against each other's resolutions, only to vote for their own; Begin offers to let PLO leave with personal weapons (claims Reagan said USSR might intervene if there were a war with Syria); Sharon says he informed Haig, Weinberger that IDF invasion of Lebanon was virtually inevitable 2 weeks before actual invasion; Sharon announces 271 Israelis killed, 1470 wounded, 13 missing; government charges UN schools used by PLO for training, as arsenals; reports that IDF used new anti-tank weapon similar to US Sadarm; Sharon speaks at Knesset on scope/aims of war (Peres strongly opposes any entry into Beirut); government officials accuse Habib of false optimism; Israeli Cabinet ratifies June 27 ultimatum, but softens departure possibilities (by land or sea); 4 reservists call on Sharon to resign, call on other released soldiers to join their vigil; 600 demonstrate in favor of war; 30 protest effect of war on the poor in Israel; petition with signatures of 40 who fought in Lebanon printed opposing war; Supreme Islamic Council of Jerusalem states support for PLO, denounces silence of Arab regimes.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Habib meets with Wazzan, Butros; Lebanese disagree on whether PLO leaders can return to Lebanon to visit; Lebanese papers attack USSR, accusing it of complicity with US; Druze leader Jumblatt expects attack on Beirut within 24- 36 hours, predicts coexistence of Muslims, Christians in Lebanon is finished; Bashir Gemayel predicts Israel and Syria will have full-scale war; reports of de facto strike in Sidon area following Israeli mistreatment; Phalangists reject plan to incorporate PLO units into Lebanese Army, Phalangist troops enter Aley, threaten to kill 12 Druze (Druze leader is killed by Phalange members, allegedly mistakenly); PLO stiffens demands as talks deadlocked over timing and method of PLO withdrawal (PLO seeks own police in refugee camps, PLO units attached to Lebanese Army); Arafat addresses PLO rally; Fateh Central Committee reportedly says no more concessions.

Arab Governments: Saudi Arabia reportedly explores flying PLO out of Lebanon; Egypt sends Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ghali to Paris for talks.

US and Other Countries: US expressed satisfaction with cease-fire; former US envoy to Lebanon, Dean Brown, says US blessed IDF invasion, that Reagan does not know much about the Mideast and "probably does not want to know"; EEC calls for PLO to be involved in peace negotiations, asks immediate IDF withdrawal (arms sales informally suspended to Israel); Austrian Jewish group presents open letter to Israeli Ambassador decrying invasion, asking for peace negotiations with Palestinians; International Socialist delegation, headed by former Portuguese prime minister Soares, visits mayor of Bethlehem; EEC refuses to sign £22 million financial protocol with Israel (does not agree on trade sanctions); Habib requests formal guidance from Washington for negotiations, Haig drafts 9-point proposal in response.