The Palestine Chronology

PLO delegation suspends participation in talks with Israelis at Taba, Egypt, complaining Israeli proposals on withdrawal fr. Gaza Strip and Jericho are a redeployment, not withdrawal. (NYT 11/4)

PFLP delegation holds talks in Baghdad with Iraqi Dep. PM Tariq 'Aziz, next day with VP Taha Yasin Ramadhan. (INA 11/2, 11/3 in FBIS 11/2, 11/3)

Israeli Mayor of Jerusalem Teddy Kollek defeated in mayoral election by Likud's Ehud Olmert by 60%-34% vote. Kollek had served for 28 years. Likud also wins Tel Aviv mayoralty with Ronni Milo defeating Avigdor Kahalani. Israeli local elections were seen in part as referendum on 9/13 PLO-Israel accord. Israeli PM Rabin comments, "I think what happened, especially in Jerusalem, has a negative aspect for us. I neither deny it nor hide it. It's a reality, and it's a very unpleasant one." (NYT 11/3, 11/4)

Multilateral talks end in Moscow. Participants establish five working groups to discuss various topics in April and May in several venues. Groups and venues are: economic development, in Belgium; environment, in Japan; arms control and security, in Washington; refugees, in Canada; water resources, in either Turkey or Austria. Palestinian delegates send request to U.S., Russia, to create additional working groups on Jerusalem and human rights. (MM 1/29)

Secy. of State Baker meets with Faisal Husseini, Hanan Ashrawi, tells them U.S. and Russia will support expanded Palestinian participation in working groups in which Palestinians have a clear and important interest. (WP 1/30)

India, Israel announce establishment of diplomatic relations. (NYT 1/30)

Amnesty International issues report documenting Israeli torture practices in o.t. to UN Commission of Human Rights in Geneva. (MM 1/30)

Labor, Likud negotiators agree to hold elections 6/23; decision is subject to final approval but appears certain. Decision comes after three parties recently resigned from government, depriving it of a parliamentary majority. (IDF Radio 1/29 in FBIS 1/30)

Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek suggests Jerusalem could be divided into boroughs to accommodate Palestinian desire for increased self-rule. However, Kollek stresses that such a plan would not provide for full autonomy. (MM 1/30)

German navy intercepts German ship transporting 16 Czech-made, Soviet-designed T-72 tanks to Syria near Strait of Gibraltar, forces it to return to Germany, where investigation will be launched to determine whether or not German laws governing shipment of military materiel were violated. Syria and Czechoslovakia finalized deal involving 320 tanks in September 1991; U.S. and Israel later pressured Czechoslovakia to cancel the deal, but it refused. (WP, MM 1/31)

New York judge sentences Egyptian-born al-Sayyid Nusayr to 7 1/2 to 22 years in prison. Nusayr was acquitted 12/21 of murdering Rabbi Meir Kahane in New York, but convicted of several lesser charges. (WP 1/30)

Likud leader Yitzhak Shamir wins his party's near-unanimous approval to form new gov't., which he will present for Knesset vote on 6/11 [JDS 6/10 in FBIS 6/11; WP, LAT, WT 6/11].

U.S. Jewish delegation, concerned about anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela's statements supporting PLO, meets him in Geneva for reassurances, reports Mandela says African National Congress "accepts unequivocally the existence of the State of Israel, not only de facto but also its legal right to exist. . .within secure borders." Satisfied, delegation gives approval for warm welcome for Mandela on his arrival to U.S. on 6/20, a welcome that had been in doubt until meeting [WP, LAT, WT 6/ 11].

Arafat receives message from Mikhail Gorbachev detailing outcome of U.S.- Soviet summit, reaffirming Soviet support for Palestinians [BVP 6/10 in FBIS 6/12].

Israeli police discover 80 desecrated graves in American section of Mount of Olives cemetery in Jerusalem; Mayor Teddy Kollek warns incident may further disrupt Arab-Jewish relations in the city [LAT 6/11].

SLA forces in S.Lebanon report capturing 3 Fateh soldiers inside "security zone" (cf. 6/11) [AFP 6/11 in FBIS 6/12]