The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: D.M. Rabin says his ministry authorized and paid for meetings between relatives of Israeli soldiers captured during invasion of Lebanon and representatives of PLO. Meeting supposedly took place a year ago [NYT, LAT 12/19].

French P.M. Michel Rocard meets with 13 Palestinians from O.T. and E. Jerusalem to discuss the peace process [FBIS 12/15].

Other Countries: NBC Nightly News reports Israel has purchased $36 million of Iranian oil to encourage Iran to help free 3 Israeli hostages in Lebanon. Israeli Ministry of Energy disavows knowledge of transaction [WP 12/19, NYT 12/20].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Nablus woman accused of collaboration and prostitution is beaten to death [MET 12/26].

In three separate trials, Israeli military courts in Gaza, Nablus, and Lydda, sentence 4 Palestinians to life in prison for killing accused collaborators [FJ 12/25].

Israeli authorities demolish 2 houses in Jerusalem-area villages of Hizma and al-Ram [FJ 12/25].

Arab World: 3 people die in clash between SLA and Lebanese commandos in Israel's "security zone" [FBIS 12/19; MET 12/26].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: The Washington Post reports Hamas made considerable gains in O.T. at expense of Fateh [WP 12/17].

Israeli government says missing air force navigator Ron Arad, shot down over Lebanon in 1986, is still alive and being held captive by Iran [MET 12/26].

French P.M. Michel Rocard arrives in Israel for meetings with Shamir and Peres [FBIS 12/15].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: 7 Palestinians, including 10-year-old girl, are wounded when bomb is thrown into E. Jerusalem store [FJ 12/25].

Military closes indefinitely al-Tufah School in Gaza for stone-throwing incident [FBIS 12/19; FJ 12/25].