Thursday, February 13, 1992

PM Shamir's chief of staff rules out any freeze in settlement activity in order to obtain U.S. loan guarantees. While conceding that Israel would be forced to accept U.S. penalties for its stance, he expresses confidence that it would still receive at least part of the amount it was requesting. (NYT 2/14)

Police ministry issues report clearing Shin Bet of wrongdoing in 2/4 death of Mustafa 'Akkawi. (NYT 2/14)

Police minister announces first Jewish civil guard unit in o.t. will be formed in Ma'ale Adumim settlement [233 1/28]. (MM 2/14)

Interior ministry expands area of Jerusalem municipality by annexing some 15,000 dunums [approx. 3,750 acres] of land s. and w. of the city. (Qol Yisra'el 2/13 in FBIS 2/13)

Likud party sponsors bus tour of o.t. given to 350 Soviet immigrants as part of prograrm designed to explain to them why Likud feels Israel must continue to occupy the territories. Both Likud and Labor are competing to attract recent Soviet immigrants to their parties in time for 6/23 Knesset elections. (MM 2/14)

Chmn. Arafat decries human rights abuses in o.t. to UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva. (MM 2/13)

In a separate incident, Arafat insists that portions of a 1/30 telephone conversation between him and PLO rep. in Paris Ibrahim Sus., which contain derogatory comments about Jews, were fabricated. Tapes of the conversation were broadcast by an American television network 2/11 after it received them from what it described as a Western police agency. (NYT 2/14)

PLO delegation arrives in Amman to prepare for upcoming peace negotiations. (al-Ray 2/14 in FBIS 2/14)