The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Speaking to Likud members, P.M. Shamir responds to comments about increasing Soviet Jewish immigration, saying "big immigration requires Israel to be big as well" [FBIS 1/22, 1/30].

Maj. Shay Talmon, commander of IDF battalion in W. Bank, tells Jerusalem judge that some soldiers insert live bullets into magazines for plastic bullets. IDF spokesperson reports that between 20 July 1988 and 8 July 1990, 125 Palestinians were killed "by plastic bullets." [FBIS 1/26].

Arab World: Arafat returns to Cairo for second visit in less than a week to meet with Pres. Mubarak [FBIS 1/16].

Other Countries: Italy's ambassador to Israel, Alberto Bartoli, files protest on behalf of the European Community with Israeli Foreign Ministry over police handling of 12/30 Peace Now rally. [LAT 1/15].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 2 Israeli border policemen are suspended and ordered to stand trial for fatally shooting 18-year-old Palestinian on 12/28 after military authorities viewed ABC News videotape of shooting [LAT 1/15].

Israeli military demotes Lt. David Lior to sergeant and sentences him to 45 days in prison for mistreating a Palestinian prisoner [LAT 1/15].

IDF closes Jericho-area al-Buhturi secondary school on grounds that students threw rocks at soldiers; all UNRWA schools in Jalazun camp are closed for the same reason [FJ 1/22].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Representatives of EEC countries are summoned to Israeli Foreign Ministry and told they will be supporting terrorism if imminent meeting in Tunis between Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van den Broek and PLO Chairman Arafat takes place [LT 5/21]. Muhammad Ahmad Tus of Jaba, leader of group that killed 5 Israelis and wounded 16, is given life sentence by military court UP 5/23]. P.M. Peres proposes in the Knesset tripartite summit with Hussein and Mubarak, opposes dismantling of Jewish settlements in the territories apart of a future peace plan. Forty Jewish families abandon settlement near Jericho due to bankruptcy [JP 5/22].

Other Countries: In Washington, Israeli envoy Ezer Weizman asks U.S. Secretary of State Shultz to return to active role in peace process, particularly to help improve Israeli-Egyptian relations [NYT 5/22].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Egyptian Pres. Husni Mubarak calls for intl. conference, stresses PLO is sole legitimate representative of Palestinians [JTA 1/29]. Fighting breaks out in Sabra and Shatila refugee camps between Palestinians and Shi'ite Amal militia; at least 3 are killed [CT 1/29].

Other Countries: Asst. Sec. of State Richard Murphy testifies before House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe and the M.E. that Israel and Jordan have narrowed gap on M. E. peace talks, King Hussein still won't move without PLO; Murphy urges approval of $1.9 billion arms sale to Jordan [JTA 1/29]. W. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl tells P.M. Peres only a compromise solution supported by the PLO can bring peace to the M.E., that Germany would not deny other peoples a right it claimed for itself [MG 1/29]. European Common Market agrees to ban arms sales to countries "clearly implicated in supporting terrorism" [NYT, WP 1/28]. New York State Legislature passes resolution condemning UN Zionism Equals Racism resolution [JTA 1/29].

SOCIAL/POLITICAL:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli FM Yehud Ben-Meir resigns. During visit of Italy's FM Giulio Andreotti, PM Shamir voices alarm at potential damage to Israel's exports if Spain and Portugal admitted to EEC. Israel's High Court refuses recently-imprisoned conscientious objector's challenge to re-mobilization orders issued immediately on his release from prison. Muslim cemetery in Jaffa vandalized; tombstones spray-painted with threats to Arabs, signed "TNT."

Arab World: Arafat meets Pres. Mubarak in Cairo; DFLP criticizes move; Khaled Fahum terms it "flagrant violation of rule of PNC;" Saleh Khalaf calls it a personal move by Arafat.

Other Countries: US hails Mubarak-Arafat mtg. Venice prosecutor issues warrant for Arafat's arrest on charge he had knowledge PLO supplied weapons to Red Brigade.

MILITARY ACTION:

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hebron curfewed after grenade thrown at Usama Ibn Munqeth School, occupied by Jewish squatters. 

Military Action:

Five minute clash between Lebanese Army and IDF convoy.

Casualties:

2 Lebanese soldiers killed, 1 IDF soldier wounded in clash.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Number of Jewish settlers on West Bank to double to 50,000 in next 3 months as housing units completed.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PFLP leader Habash comes out against Arafat strategy; President Gemayel meets Egyptian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Butros Ghali and presidential advisor Osama el-Baz in Beirut (first official visit since diplomatic relations were broken in March 1979), message from Mubarak expresses Egyptian willingness to press US and EEC to press Israel for speedy withdrawal from Lebanon, praises Lebanese refusal to hold talks in Jerusalem; Egyptian charge d'affaires and Egyptian newspapers return to Beirut for first time in three years.

US and Other Countries: Nicaragua concerned over proposed Israeli arms sales to Honduras; State Department says Israeli- Lebanese clash underscores urgency of troop withdrawal; Habib and Draper brief White House staff; AFL-CIO leader Lane Kirkland pledges continuing US labor support for Israel.

Military Action:

IDF reportedly spent lS215 m. in past 4 months building new roads linking military installations to Lebanese roads in South Lebanon; US Sixth Fleet soldiers on shore leave in Haifa for first time since June.

Casualties:

Israel reportedly seeking alternative homes for 640 non-Arab detainees it wants to free from Ansar, but whose home countries refuse to admit them.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Begin, in first public appearance since his wife's death, meets Haig in Tel Aviv; Sharon confers in Israel with US General Starry, urges US to provide arms, IDF training for Lebanese Army; Economics Minister Meridor tells Knesset committee South Lebanon, refugee camps will be back to preinvasion conditions in one month, says UNRWA will give each displaced refugee family $450; Tehiya MK protests resettlement of refugees so near border; Haaretz publishes poll showing Likud support down to 30 percent from 41.5 percent before Beirut massacre, but Labor Party support rises only marginally; Jaffa Arabs protest new housing plan and relocation; Sulha (peace-making meeting) held between Nablus Chamber of Commerce and Elon Moreh settlers; Colonel Yigal Karmon meets with heads of three West Bank universities to clarify wording of new work permit for foreign lecturers (several West Bank lecturers dismiss change as "cosmetic"; Israeli official indicates those deported may return to teaching after signing new work permits); Karmon directive to pressure "extremist mayors" and neutralize pro-Jordanian West Bank Palestinians published in greater detail (dated October 29, it contains notes from October 24 conference and is signed by Ravi Avisar).

Palestinians/ Lebanese: West Bank Mayors Mohammed Milhem and Fahd Qawasme meet with Shultz in Washington, reportedly float two proposals for negotiations-one would have joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation with Palestinians not directly identified with PLO but authorized by them to negotiate, other would have same forces within broader Arab delegation; Lebanese foreign ministry asserts Iranian revolutionary guards involved in yesterday's attack on Baalbek city hall, as Foreign Minister Elie Salem meets Iranian ambassador to protest.

Arab Governments: Syria criticizes US role as Habib arrives for talks on troop withdrawals from Lebanon; Egyptian Foreign Minister Hassan Ali and Israeli Ambassador Sasson meet on bilateral issues, including Taba; on eve of Mitterrand's visit Mubarak says France and Egypt will give Reagan plan precedence over their own initiatives; reports that Egypt extradited 5 Palestinian students to Israel in early November after alleging their involvement in Sadat's assassination.

US and Other Countries: US official says Shultz needs more information on new work permit requirements to ensure that his concerns have been resolved; over 400 academics from 20 colleges and universities nation-wide sign petition to Congress to suspend military and economic aid to Israel; French President Mitterrand, in interview, says Palestinians should have their own state; EEC sends Danish envoy to Israel to seek halt to settlements.

UN: Arab governments fail to unseat Israel at special UNESCO session in Paris.

Military Action:

IDF enters Phalange-held areas of Beirut; Israeli jets make reconnaissance flights over city for first time in 3 days; sporadic fighting around Sidon; Israeli Cabinet agrees to extend 48-hour cease-fire requested by Habib; Syrians/PLO abandon airport terminal to shorten lines; PLO takes journalists on tour of defenses near airport; tension high in Beirut; Syrians reposition artillery near Lake Karoun.

Casualties:

In Sidon, main shopping district was oblit-erated and one quarter of city totally destroyed; bodies remain buried under rubble; still no electricity; water only 1 hour per day; Lebanese government says 1,100 killed in Sidon; IDF use Sidon informants to identify potential PLO suspects (suspicious Lebanese marked with black X on back, suspected PLO members with white, some Lebanese charge old grudges being settled by informants); many Palestinian refugees remain on Sidon beaches as they have nowhere to go; Tyre reported two-thirds destroyed, with port damage heavy.

Israel explores reviving bank, rail links in Lebanon; Israeli Trade Minister says 3 proposed banking and customs centers would aid Israeli exports to Lebanon; 4 Norwegians, 1 Canadian doctor released by Israel; Israel offers to help repair Sidon refinery.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: 4 Israeli professors attack invasion, ask Israeli soldiers to refuse to serve beyond Green Line in Beirut; Israel says invasion is open-ended and excludes negotiations with the PLO; Begin calls for international peacekeeping force in Lebanon with US troops; Sharon says Israeli aims will not be met until PLO headquarters in Beirut are eliminated; Begin says participants in multilateral force would have to make detailed, individual agreements with Israeli, Lebanese governments.

Palestinians/Lebanese: Lebanon's National Salvation Council, in first meeting, makes no progress-Gemayel, Sarkis, Wazzan, Butros reportedly demand PLO surrender, Jumblatt rejects; PLO asks for IDF pull-back, guarantees of PLO safety in return for allowing Lebanese Army to enter West Beirut.

Arab Governments: Syria rejects Sarkis' request for troop withdrawal, saying it is made under duress, instead suggests joint US/USSR peacekeeping force under UN auspices to get Israelis out; Iraq announces unilateral withdrawal from Iranian territory, following June 10 unilateral cease-fire; South Yemen demands strong Arab stand against US support for Israel; Mubarak supports idea of PLO government in exile, would allow it temporary home in Egypt, if it restricted itself to political activities; Kaddoumi in Geneva, says Egyptian offer not being considered now.

US and Other Countries: Weinberger says US investigating possible violations of US law by Israelis using US arms in Lebanon; Greeks show support for Palestinians with strike, protests, blood donations; Greece is the only EEC member to offer diplomatic recognition to the PLO.