The Palestine Chronology

Israel releases 500 Palestinian prisoners in gesture to bring PLO back to negotiations. PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Samir Ghawsha calls action "cosmetic surgery." Exec. Comm., Palestinian negotiators continue consultations for 3d day. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 3/2)

Israeli govt. says it will pay compensation to families of victims, but that final amount will be less than that paid to families of Israelis killed by Palestinians. Social security official Yosef Tamir says discrepancy due to lower standard of living in o.t. as compared to Israel. (NYT 3/2)

Israeli Police M Moshe Shahal says "less than 100" settlers targeted for disarming, administrative detention. (NYT, WP, WT 3/2)

IDF accidentally shoots dead Ariel settler nr. West Bank town of Bidya. (MM, NYT 3/2; CSM 3/4)

Secy. of State Warren Christopher, testifying to House Appropriations Comm. subcomm. on foreign operations, says PLO Chmn. Arafat "indispensable" to peace process, calls him "the flag and 'The Star-Spangled Banner' all wrapped up into 1 person" for Palestinians. Asst Secy. of State for Near Eastern Affairs Robert Pelletreau tells House Foreign Affairs Comm. subcomm. on Europe and Middle East Israel must go "beyond tokenism" in restraining militant settlers, terms settlements "a complicating factor," not "an obstacle to peace." (NYT, WP, WT 3/2)

PLO Chmn. Arafat meets Greek FM Karolos Papoulias, Russian Dep. FM Igor Ivanov to discuss international response to Hebron massacre. (MM, NYT 3/2)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Jamal Hindi petitions Ramallah military objections com. to cancel his deportation order [FJ 12/6]. In Gaza City, Palestine Religious Institute and UNRWA's vocational school reopen after 2-week military-ordered closure [FJ 12/6].

Other Countries: Israeli officials acknowledge that several Western governments have urged Israel to avoid military retaliation for hang glider attack during U.S.- U.S.S.R. summit; Israeli sources also report Israel has not yet retaliated because of Greek F.M. Karolos Papoulias' visit [WP 12/6].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israel extradites William Nakash, French Jew convicted of 1983 murder of Arab, to France [WP 12/3]. Imprisoned al-Najah U. student Jamal Hindi is served expulsion order [FJ 12/6]. Greek F.M. Karolos Papoulias meets with 20 Palestinians in E. Jerusalem, pledges continued Greek support for Palestinian national rights [Fl 12/6]. Lawyer for Husayn Thulthayn files appeal with military objections com. against Israeli confiscation of land [FJ 12/6]. At Tel Aviv U. 70 Arab students protest housing discrimination [FP 12/6]. Israel announces it has uncovered DFLP cell in Nablus region [FJ 12/6].

Other Countries: U.S. court upholds State Dept. order closing PIO in Washington, D.C.; ACLU plans to appeal ruling [WP 12/3].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli soldiers raid Bethlehem University, closed since demonstration 10/29 [FJ 12/6]. Near Nablus, Israeli forces use live ammunition to disperse Palestinians protesting Israeli demolition of houses allegedly built without permits; 3 are injured [FJ 12/6].