The Palestine Chronology

Rabin govt. defeats 4 no-confidence motions in Knesset by vote of 59 to 51. The ultra-Orthodox SHAS party agreed to stay in coalition in exchange for an apology from outspoken secularist ed. min. Shulamit Aloni, more influence in public school curricula, and restrictions on import of non-kosher meat (see 10/28). (NYT 11/3)

Palestine National Salvation Front condemns 10/28 Israeli-Jordanian agenda for talks as a sellout of Palestinian rights and a legalization of Israeli aggression. (QPAR 11/3 in FBIS 11/3)

General strike in Gaza, early business closures in W. Bank, and widespread disturbances throughout o.t. mark 75th anniv. of Balfour Declaration. (al-Fajr 11/9)

Israel shells, machine-guns Litani River basin, Jabal Safi, western Biqa' regions in Lebanon. Lebanese army fires at Israeli planes overflying Tyre at low altitudes. (Radio Lebanon 11/2 in FBIS 11/3)

At economic summit in Britain, Group of Seven leaders (U.S., Canada, France, Italy, Britain, Japan, and Germany) endorse U.S.-led peace efforts, call for end to both Arab boycott of Israel and Israeli settlement-building. Prime Min. Shamir reacts to linkage of two issues with "disgust." (LAT 7/17; WP 7/20)

Fateh central committee mbr. Khalid al-Hasan criticizes PLO leadership for supporting Iraq in recent Gulf war, urges formation of provisional government comprised of Palestinian independents. He urged restoration of Palestinian-Arab relations. (MEM 7/17)

Hizballah fighters ambush Israeli troops in Kufr Huna, north of Israel's "security zone" in S. Lebanon. Three Israelis killed, including two officers; four others were wounded. One Hizballah fighter died. Clash was most lethal for Israeli troopsince Nov. 1990. Israel has recently begun dispatching patrols north of the "security zone" to engage anti-Israeli forces before their arrival in zone. (WP, MEM 7/18)

Lebanese Def. Min. Michel al-Murr accuses PLO of hiding medium and heavy weapons in refugee camps near Tyre, vows continued blockade of camps until weapons are surrendered. PLO denies it holds such weapons. Issue centers on definition of "medium" weapon: Lebanese army considers rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) as medium weapons; PLO does not. Lebanese army now has some 10,000 troops deployed in S. Lebanon. (MEM 7/16, 7/18)

PLO committee meeting in Tunis agrees to convene Palestine National Council (PNC) within three months, urges PLO executive committee to seek rapprochement with Hamas, Palestinian National Salvation Front groups, which boycotted the meeting after PLO invited only those PNSF groups which had membership in the Palestine National Council before 1983 to participate. PNSF, Islamic Jihad, Fateh-Revolutionary Council (Abu Nidal) later call on committee to "reconsider" call for convening PNC in order to preserve "unity of Palestinian ranks." Committee also urged greaterepresentation from occupied territories within PNC. PNC currently has 637 seats, including 186 allocated to representatives from the occupied territories. PNC meeting would be first since August 1988, when it declared existence of independent Palestinian state, accepted U.N. Security Council resolution 242. (MEM 7/18, 7/26)

Egyptian-Syrian commission agrees to formulate joint foreign policies between the countries. (LAT 7/18)

Meeting of 6 March Damascus Declaration signatoriesnds. The eight states indicate "total agreement" about amendments to declaration but refuse to state what they are. Observers see move as signalling the effective end of the Syrian-Egyptian-led Gulf security plan. (MEM 7/17)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Jewish underground defendant Menachem Neuberger pleads guilty to charges of plotting to blow up al-Haram al-Sharif [WP, PI 5/24]. PM Peres asks Attorney Gen. Yitzhak Zamir for legal opinion concerning release of Jewish underground defendants; opposes executive branch interference in legal process [JTA 5/24].

Arab World: Officials from Amal, Palestine National Salvation Front meet in Mukhtara, Lebanon to seek resolution of Shi'ite-Palestinian fighting in Beirut [NYT 5/24]. PFLP, DFLP, Chmn. Arafat accuse Shi'ite fighters of massacres against Palestinian civilians in Beirut camps; Arafat also accuses Nabih Berri of making secret agreement with Israel to hinder anti-Israeli resistance in S. Lebanon [WP 5/24, LM 5/25]. Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara accuses Chmn. Arafat of provoking recent Amal-Palestinian fighting in Beirut [MG 5/24].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Settlers attack homes of Talib Gheith in Hebron, Muhammad Abu Kishik in Askar camp (both former prisoners releasd 5/20) [NYT 5/25].

Arab World: Action in Lebanon: fighting continues between Amal, Lebanese Army's 6th Brigade and Palestinian fighters in Beirut camps; Palestinians launch Katyushas against Shi'ite areas of city; 33 killed, 193 wounded [NYT, MG 5/24]. Amal stages searches for Palestinians throughout Beirut; at least 200 arrested [PI 5/25].