Tuesday, March 14, 2000

After criticism fr. right-wing MKs, Barak removes the West Bank village of Anata, in jointly controlled area B nr. Jerusalem, from the list of possible areas to be transferred to PA-controlled area A under the 3d stage of the 2d FRD. (MM 3/14; MENA 3/14 in WNC 3/15; CSM, MM, NYT, WT 3/15; CSM, MM, WJW 3/16; CSM 3/21)

Israel formally deploys the Arrow 2 missile system, culminating a 14-yr., $13-b. joint development project with the U.S. (NYT 3/15)

Israeli air strikes on s. Lebanon continue. The Lebanese army says there have been 20 raids in the past 24 hrs. (MENA 3/14 in WNC 3/15; NYT 3/15)

Kuwait announces that it has started accepting job applications fr. Jordanians, Palestinians, Yemenis for the 1st time since accusing their leaders of supporting Iraq during the 1990-91 Gulf conflict. (WT 3/15) (see 2/21)

U.S. congressional staffers who traveled to Iraq in 8/99 release a report denouncing the U.S., British sanctions regime, delineating the negative effects of sanctions, and calling for support in Congress for pending legislation to lift sanctions. (MM 3/16)