3 / 15150 Results
  • October 23, 1991

    Prime Min. Shamir indicates he will head Israeli delegation to the peace conference, not FM David Levy. Invitations sent to the parties by the U.S., USSR had called for talks at the "ministerial...

    Read more
  • September 6, 1985

    Social/Economic/Political

    Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli army announces it has arrested Yusuf Muhammad Abu Armanah, 22, and Sa'id Fakhri Ibrahim Afanah, 23, both from Rafah, who have...

    Read more
  • July 5, 1982

    Military Action:

    IDF gunboats/ artillery bombard Palestinian camps, residential areas (shells fall in non-Palestinian areas of Verdun and Corniche Mazraa); blockade creates serious food,...

    Read more

Prime Min. Shamir indicates he will head Israeli delegation to the peace conference, not FM David Levy. Invitations sent to the parties by the U.S., USSR had called for talks at the "ministerial level," a diplomatic phrase usually interpreted to mean participation by officials holding rank of foreign minister or below. (NYT 10/24)

Arab foreign ministers representing Syria, Egypt, Jordan, along with representative of Lebanon's foreign ministry and head of PLO political department meet in Damascus to discuss strategies for peace conference. They were later joined by foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, representing the Gulf states, and Morocco, representing North African states (except Libya). (MEM 10/23)

Strike called for 10/22 by three groups in o.t. partially observed in E. Jerusalem, elsewhere in West Bank, but not in Nablus, Jenin. Residents of Gaza city observe strike, but not those in the refugee camps. (MEM 10/25)

Members of the Jewish Ateret Cohanim seminary move into a house in the Muslim quarter of E. Jerusalem. Group claims the house was owned by Jews driven out by Palestinian rioting in 1929. Settlers occupying a building in Silwan seized 10/9 from Palestinian residents petition Israeli high court of justice to allow them to remain. Group also seeks permission to move into four other buildings from which they had been evicted by police. (MEM 10/24)

European Community official announces EC, Israel have reached agreement over long-standing dispute over status, place of residence of EC official who will be sent to monitor EC economic aid to Palestinians in the o.t. EC had sough to post the official in the territories; Israel objected, seeking to place the representativen Tel Aviv instead. The EC has set aside $100 million in aid for Palestinians in the o.t. (MEM 10/24)

Human rights organization Middle East Watch issues report on condition of 18,000-20,000 stateless Palestinians in Kuwait. The Palestinians, who were either born in Gaza during the British Mandate, during the period of Egyptian administration of Gaza (1948-67), or who are descendants of those born there, have lived in Kuwait for decades but do not hold citizenship in any country. They do not carry Israeli Gaza identity cards but merely hold Egyptian travel documents, and are thus unable to legally live anywhere. According to the report, Kuwait intends to expel these persons to Iraq 11/15. (MEM 20/24)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli army announces it has arrested Yusuf Muhammad Abu Armanah, 22, and Sa'id Fakhri Ibrahim Afanah, 23, both from Rafah, who have allegedly confessed to the 9/5 stabbing of an Israeli truck driver in Gaza. Their families' tar-paper residences have been destroyed [LAT 9/7; FJ 9/13]. MK Meir Kahane's Kach movement forms new group "Hatzala" (Parents for their Children) to oppose Min. of Education's plans to sponsor meetings between Israeli and Palestinian children. Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef strongly opposed the Ed. Min.'s plan last week, saying he would urge religious parents to remove their children from the national religious school network if it is implemented [JWP 9/6].

Arab World: Jerusalem Post reports 6 kidnapped members of the Lebanese Jewish community are being held by the Hizballah group [JP 9/61.

Other Countries: Congressional sources say administration has tentatively decided not to propose selling advanced F-15 fighter planes to Saudi Arabia. U.S. Sec. of State George Shultz announces U.S. is releasing the first $750 million of $1.5 billion in special economic aid approved last month by Congress for Israel. $250 million is going to Egypt, $53 million to Jordan, and $3 million is planned for aid to Palestinians in the occupied territories [WP 9/7]. Jewish Press reports the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC) in the U.S. called on major Jewish groups and federations to condemn MK Meir Kahane during his upcoming visit to the U.S. and is putting pressure on the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. and television shows to cancel their invitations to Kahane to speak while here [JWP 9/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Bomb explodes seriously wounding the man trying to place it in an Israeli market; 20 Palestinians are detained [LAT 9/7].

Arab World: Palestinian and Shi'ite gunmen battle for the 4th straight day around Burj al-Barajinah camp in south Beirut; 23 killed and 70 wounded ovemight. Shi'ite militia is backed by Soviet T-54 tanks. The DFLP issues a statement from Damascus accusing Amal militia of executing 17 Palestinian civilians in the street. The Druze and Murabitun militias have joined forces with the Palestinians against Amal militia [NYT, DT, WP, LT 9/7].

Military Action:

IDF gunboats/ artillery bombard Palestinian camps, residential areas (shells fall in non-Palestinian areas of Verdun and Corniche Mazraa); blockade creates serious food, gasoline, medical shortages and brings negotiations to a halt; Wazzan says all water, electricity cut and all roads into W. Beirut closed; IDF tanks try to move on airport (4 vehicles hit in fierce PLO resistance); 2 shells land near Presidential Palace at Baabda; Lebanese officials say IDF forces 3 engineers to remove key piece of pumping machinery from water works serving West Beirut; fifth cease-fire called at 4 PM by IDF, though shelling continues beyond deadline (last cease-fire June 25); IDF forces advance to edge of airport runways; IDF only advances block by block against fierce PLO resistance (despite pleas, no PLO members surrender); now an estimated 90,000 IDF troops in Lebanon; Phalange cuts off port road on IDF orders.

Casualties:

Four cars of ICRC and convoy of 14 food trucks turned back from W. Beirut; residents of city line up at stores in panic buying of food; gasoline scarce; American University Hospital has only 2 days of oxygen; gunfights at gasoline stations reported; few of W. Beirut's estimated 200,000 Lebanese and Palestinian residents leave; ICRC protests lack of protection for and access to prisoners; severe housing shortage develops at Nabatiyeh as refugees arrive from north.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: BenPorat of Telem joins Cabinet; Sharon, Kimche, Habib reportedly meet; Mapam Secretary-General calls for end to water and food blockade (joined by Labor Party's Yossi Sarid); special regulations passed around June 9 reportedly allow for 3 months detention with no provisions for legal counsel or informing detainees' families; 6 wounded outside Hebron by Village League members; Vatican-sponsored Bethlehem University reopens (closed since June 11 after student protests of invasion).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Groundswell of Lebanese resentment of IDF and support for Wazzan reported; PLO reported to send contribu-tion to Nicaragua for children affected by May floods; Lebanese officials protest IDF cutoff of water.

Arab Governments: Egypt accepts Iraq's invitation to summit meeting in September (after 3-year total isolation); Egypt says US role in Lebanon vital, that Israeli invasion is under-mining peace process and stability of region; PLO, Moroccan, Kuwaiti leaders meet USSR leaders; Syrian President Assad returns after talks with Saudi King Fahd; only Algeria and Syria reportedly willing to take PLO.

US and Other Countries: US officials say cease-fire essential to negotiations, pressures IDF to ease pressure on Beirut, following strong message from Saudi Arabia; USSR Foreign Minister Gromyko rules out military involvement in Lebanon; Arab women begin silent vigil outside White House; Nicaragua says it is sending solidarity mission to Beirut.