The Palestine Chronology

Bilateral talks in Washington adjourn until 11/9. (Qol Yisra'el 10/29 in FBIS 10/29)

Two-day multilateral conference on economics opens in Paris, with World Bank suggesting establishment of Middle East reconstruction bank modeled on similar European bank. Dr. Fayiz al-Tarawina, head of the Jordanian delegation, says the Arab states will reject any joint projects with Israel before withdrawal from the o.t. Syria and Lebanon boycott, London-based businessman Zayn Mi'asi heads the Palestinian team, and Bank of Israel gov. Ya'akov Frenkel heads the Israeli delegation. (Qol Yisra'el 10/29 in FBIS 10/29; MM 10/30)

Chmn. Arafat sends Madrid conf. anniversary messages to leaders of U.S., Russia, China, France, Japan, Austria, Great Britain and Sweden urging them to help remove Israeli obstacles to progress in peace talks. (Akhbar al-Usbu' 10/29 in FBIS 10/29)

Fateh Cent. Comm. mbr. Hani al-Hassan issues statement praising Saudi Arabia's support of the Palestinian cause and the kingdom's treatment of its Palestinian community. (Saudi Arabian TV 10/29 in FBIS 10/30)

King Hassan of Morocco meets with Pres. Asad in Damascus. (MM 10/30)

Israel shells Iqlim al-Tuffah, western Biqa' regions, overflies Sidon and surrounding refugee camps. SLA soldier is wounded in bomb attack north of "security zone," southern Lebanon. (Qol Yisra'el, Radio Lebanon 10/29 in FBIS 10/29)

In joint interview with al-Hayat and Le Monde, PM Rabin says there are "better chances" for peace with Syria than with the Palestinians because in that country "there is somebody who can take decisions." He stresses that an agreed-upon PISGA does not foreclose the Palestinian "right to negotiate the permanent solution on the basis of Resolutions 242 and 338." (MM 10/20; Le Monde 10/21 in FBIS 10/22)

Two Fateh officials are killed and 2 wounded in attack on cafe in Sidon, Lebanon. Fateh-FRC (Abu Nidal) violence has claimed 21 lives over the last 3 months. (VOL 10/20 in FBIS 10/20, 10/21)

New Lebanese parliament holds opening sessions, elects pro-Syrian Amal leader Nabih Birri parliament speaker by vote of 105 to 14. (Former speaker Hussein Husseini had resigned 8/24.) (Radio Lebanon 10/20 in FBIS 10/20; NYT 10/21)

King Hassan 1I of Morocco embarks on tour of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Syria, and Egypt, to promote Arab unity and the peace process. It is the first extensive tour of Arab states he has taken in 30 years. (MM 10/20)

Israeli Police Min. Moshe Shahal meets with Palestinian lawyers, agrees to minor concessions on prisoner demands (see 10/11), rejects the prisoners' major demands, including closure of some solitary confinement wards. Israel reports 240 prisoners are still on strike at Nafha jail; Palestinians claim figure is higher and that strike is still on at other jails. (Qol Yisra'el 10/13 in FBIS 10/14)

Dozens of settlers from Kiryat Arba try to break into structures at "Giv'at Haharsina," a settlement they tried to establish 8/9 in defiance of IDF orders. IDF and Border Police seal roads to the site, declare "Judea district" a closed military zone, detain about 20 settlers. Hebron rabbis call on settlers to disobey army orders. (ITV 10/13 in FBIS 10/14)

Palestinian gunman is killed, IDF soldier wounded in shootout in Khan Yunis. 13- year-old boy wounded in 10/10 clashes dies in Tel Hashomer hospital. Curfew remaining in force in most of Gaza Strip since 10/11 brings some quiet. (Qol Yisra'el 10/13 in FBIS 10/14; MM 10/15)

"Heavily armed" 3-man DFLP (Hawatima wing) squad is captured by IDF forces as they approach the Israeli border at the far eastern end of the "security zone" in southern Lebanon. (MM 10/14; Qol Yisra'el 10/14 in FBIS 10/16)

Rockets are fired into the air to celebrate arrival of PLO official Ahmad Mansur 'Azzam in 'Ayn al-Hilwa camp, Sidon, Lebanon, who is on a mission to quell FRC-Fateh violence in the camps. Bombs explode outside the homes of 2 Palestinians in Sidon, 1 of whom is an FRC official. (VOL, Radio Lebanon 10/13 in FBIS 10/14)

PLO rejects all statements favoring permanent settlement of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, and reaffirms applicability of UNGA Res. 194. (Algiers VOP 9/23 in FBIS 9/25)

Palestinians stage general strike in o.t. to protest autonomy talks. Strike widely honored, in o.t., but response is strongest in Gaza Strip, Syria, and Lebanon; weaker in E. Jerusalem and W. Bank, negligible in Jordan. (MM 9/24; WP 10/14)

FM Shimon Peres and UN Secy. Gen. Butrus Butrus Ghali meet in New York, agree to raise UN from observer to participant status in multilateral negotiations. They also discuss the "extraneous and bizarre resolutions that the UN reaffirms year in and year out"; Butrus Ghali promises to help Israel "strike those... .off the agenda." (ITV 9/24 in FBIS 9/25)

In meeting with acting U.S. Secy. of State Eagleburger, Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara' refers to "total peace" in exchange for total Israel withdrawal from Golan Heights. (IDF Radio 9/23, SARR 9/24. in FBIS 9/24; MM 9/24)

Israeli education min. Shulamit Aloni says PM Rabin is prepared to return the entire Golan Heights in exchange for a peace agreement with Syria. Speaking to Golani settlers, PM Rabin refers to private "red lines" concerning the Golan, rules out leasing Golani territory, as that would concede its sovereignty to Syria. (MM 9/24; NYT 9/26; Yedi'ot Aharonot 9/25 in FBIS 9/25; Hadashot 9/25 in FBIS 9/28)

Test flight of Israeli Arrow antiballistic missile is deemed successful. (IDF Radio 9/23 in FBIS 9/24; MM 9/24)

Fateh mbr. Nimr Dib Shibli (Abu Kayyid) is assassinated in Sidon, Lebanon. (Radio Lebanon 9/23 in FBIS 9/25)

Pres. Bush announces that James Baker will leave his post as secy. of state 8/23 to become chief of staff at the White House. Baker will bring his 4 closest aides with him, will continue to direct the peace process, and will leave Lawrence S. Eagleburger as acting secy. of state. (WP 8/14)

In private meeting with top AIPAC executives, PM Rabin sharply criticizes the lobby for steering Israel toward an unneeded confrontation with the U.S. over the loan guarantees. According to the New York Times, Rabin said the organization "should not pursue their own initiatives, but rather take instructions from the Israeli embassy in Washington." (WP 8/16; NYT 8/22)

IDF shells Iqlim al-Tuffah, Litani River regions, overflies Nabatiyya and Sidon, S. Lebanon. (VOL, Radio Lebanon 8/13 in FBIS 8/13)

Pres. Bush, PM Rabin hold news conference. Pres. Bush announces he will send Congress a new Israeli loan guarantee proposal, which stipulates that the amount Israel spends after 10/1/92 on construction in the o.t. will be deducted from the $10 billion. (Congress can debate the bill at the earliest 9/8, after a recess that begins 8/12.) Pres. Bush also announces his intention to pursue $5 billion sale of F-15 jets to Saudi Arabia. (NYT, WP 8/12)

DFLP head Nayif Hawatima arrives in Amman for several-day working visit. (AlRay 8/11 in FBIS 8/11)

Fateh mbr. Husayn Tamari is assassinated in 'Ayn al-Hilwa camp, near Sidon, Lebanon. (VOL 8/12 in FBIS 8/13)

Israel, SLA shells Iqlim al-Tuffah region, S. Lebanon. (Radio Lebanon 8/10 in FBIS 8/11)

Israeli soldiers surround al-Najah University in Nablus. Some 3,000-4,000 students and others refuse to submit to searches; IDF imposes curfew on Nablus and 4 nearby refugee camps. (WP 7/16; NYT 7/17)

PLO Exec. Comm. issues statement criticizing Rabin's "iron fist policy," and calling for int'l. action to lift the siege. (Algiers VOP 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

Construction and housing min. Benyamin Ben-Eliezer "cancel[s] endorsement" of approved but unsigned contracts for 3,000 housing units in the o.t. Council of Jewish Settlements of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza considers this a "declaration of war." (Qol Yisra'el, IDF Radio 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

Fateh official Abu-Nidal al-Asmar narrowly escapes death as a bomb destroys his car in Sidon. (AFP 7/15 in FBIS 7/15)

Israeli undercover unit shoots dead Hamas-'Izz al-Din al-Qassim faction mbr. in Gaza City. (MM 7/16)

Amal claims an attack on an SLA patrol in al-Qantara, S. Lebanon, kills 6 Israeli soldiers and 1 Amal militiaman. SLA responds by shelling "security zone" border villages of al-Qantara, al-Qabrikha. (VOL 7/15 in FBIS 7/15; Radio Lebanon 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

PM Rabin "rules out" Palestinian legislative elections as outlined in Camp David Accords. (WP 7/16)

Pres. Herzog leaves for 2-day visit to Turkey, firstrip to Turkey by an Israeli president. (Qol Yisra'el 7/15 in FBIS 7/16)

Former Soviet Pres. Gorbachev arrives in Israel, meets with PM Shamir, attends dinner at Pres. Herzog's residence. (Qol Yisra'el 6/14, 6/15 in FBIS 6/15)

At Erez Crossing, Gaza, Israeli troops fire warning shots and drop gravel from a helicopter to disperse crowd of Pal. workers who rioted after being blocked from entering Israel for work. (WP 6/15)

Israeli long-range artillery inside the "security zone" heavily bombard villages in Iqlim al-Tuffah region, S. Lebanon; Israeli aircraft stage mock raids over Sidon refugee camps. (Radio Lebanon 6/14 in FBIS 6/15)

Russia agrees to allow Jewish immigrants to fly to Israel aboard regular El Al and Aeroflot flights. (Qol Yisra'el 6/14 in FBIS 6/16)

Israeli air force chief Maj. Gen. Herzl Bodinger on ITV calls for "disruption" of Iranian nuclear effort;ells reporters this means "international political action, and aggressive action, if needed." (WP 6/15)