U.S. special envoy Ross meets with Arafat in Ramallah. Before the mtg. Arafat receives a written message fr. Barak that says Israel will adjust its map for the 3d stage of the 2d FRD but will not give the PA control of any of the villages it wants in the greater Jerusalem area. (MM 2/22; CSM, MM 2/23; MM 2/25)
Kuwaiti FM Shaykh Sabah travels to Beirut, to show Kuwait's solidarity with Lebanon in light of Israel's recent air strikes. (MENA 2/22 in WNC 2/24; NYT 3/4; MEI 3/10) (see 2/19)
Israel cuts its budget for security for Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza fr. $34.5 m. to $6.2 m., in keeping with overall reductions in the defense budget. (NYT 2/23)
Arafat chairs the 1st mtg. of the PA Higher Council for Development (HCD). Participants begin work on consolidating PA departments for improved financial accounting, form a group to explore ways of attracting foreign investment, agree to draft a working paper on a privatization strategy by 4/25. (al-Quds 2/22 in WNC 2/29)