The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Hebron, estimated 150 Jewish settlers occupy Ibrahim Mosque's main hall during Muslim prayers [FJ 11/22].

Arab World: Kuwait and Morocco renew diplomatic relations with Egypt [NYT 11/15].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israeli navy patrol seizes Nadijah, boat flying Honduran flag, off Israeli coast. Israel alleges crew, who are detained, are members of Fateh [FBIS 11/16].

Arab World: Amal and Palestinian fighters trade gunfire east of Sidon [FBIS 11/16].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Prime Minister Peres states only 2 of 7 names on list are acceptable to Israeli government: Hanna Siniora and Fayez Abu Rahmeh. Other 5 are rejected because they representhe PLO or its "constituent bodies" [LAT 7/23]. Large sit-in protest is staged outside Hospice Hospital in Jerusalem's Old City to protest closure of its surgery unit. Press conference held at the hospital announces a general strike for 7/24 to protest impending closure [FJ 8/26]. Israeli soldiers break into homes in Dheisheh camp in West Bank, harass residents, and damage property. No arrests reported [FJ 7/26].

Arab World: Reuters reports 4 Israeli warships shelled Sidon, targeting militia [FT 7/24]. Honduran-registered cargo ship sinks during the shelling; 3 civilians are wounded during shore bombardment. Israeli navy asserts the merchant ship fired first [NYT 7/24].

Military Action:

Lebanese cease-fire shattered as Israeli troops move on Baabda to control Beirut-Damascus highway and close last exit from city; repeated Israeli air strikes against Beirut; fierce fighting south of city; Israeli troops advance to within yards of Lebanese presidential palace (no fighting with Lebanese Army reported, as well as no resistance from units guarding Baabda); Palestinian camps and neighborhoods hit for seventh day, as well as Beirut Barbir district (not a Palestinian area, it suffers many casualties); Israel claims hundreds of PLO guerrillas surrender south of Beirut near Khalde; battles go on in Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp outside Sidon; Israeli ship intercepts Lebanese passenger ship leaving Beirut, diverts it to Haifa.

Syrian units hit by Israelis along highway, despite cease-fire; Syrians disappear from Beirut streets, leaving Palestinian units in their place.

Casualties:

Israeli casualties approach 150 dead, 900 wounded; ICRC says 600,000 made home-less by fighting (20 percent of Lebanese population); Lebanese Army sources say 1,500 Beirut residents, mostly civilian, killed so far and that Israeli cluster bombs have been dropped on Palestinian refugee camp (Burj al-Barajneh) near airport, as well as Armenian hospital 16 miles SE of Beirut; hospitals in Christian Beirut refuse to handle casualties among Palestinians or combatants; correspondents report bodies buried 30-deep in mass graves at southern Beirut refugee camp; bodies stacked up decomposing at Barbir hospital (Sharon denies numbers of dead, dislocated); conditions in Beirut deteriorate as garbage rots, water main is broken, raising fears of epidemics.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: Some Israelis feel US troops in Lebanon would restrict Israeli moves, give de facto US recognition to the PLO on a day-to-day basis; Israel announces revenue-raising measures to pay for the war (costs estimated at $600 m. and may fuel inflation); as condition for withdrawal, Israel demands removal of Palestinian and Syrian forces from Lebanon, an internationally su-pervised demilitarized zone to guarantee security of Galilee; Israeli philanthropist Abie Nathan announces plans to take chocolate to Palestinian children as other Israelis offer to help rebuild Lebanon; several hundred Israelis demonstrate against invasion, massacre of civilians.

Palestinians/Lebanese: a 7-member committee is named by Sarkis to handle negotiations with the Israelis; Hasbaya merchants do business in Israeli shekels.

Arab Govemments: Saudi King Khalid dies; Egyptian President Mubarak flies to Saudi Arabia to give condolences; Syrians withdraw from Beirut.

US and Other Countries: Ships sent to Jounieh to evacuate Italians and French; Assistant Secretary of State Elliot Abrams, addressing the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, accuses the PLO of providing arms, training to guerrilla forces in El Salvador, Guatemala, perhaps Honduras.