Sunday, January 21, 2001

In Taba, Egypt, Israel, the PA open marathon negotiations on a comprehensive final status agmt., spend the day discussing ground rules for talks, which will be based on Clinton's parameters. There is no Egyptian or U.S. mediation. (IsRN 1/21; MM, NYT, WP 1/22; MENA 1/22 in WNC 1/23; al-Quds 1/23 in WNC 1/24; WP 1/23; MEI 1/26)

Israel suspends cooperation with the Mitchell Comm. over the technical experts visit to Jerusalem on 1/13, demands the comm. get a new mandate fr. the new Bush administration. (HA, NYT 1/22; al-Quds 1/22 in WNC 1/24; BDL 1/31; WJW 2/8) (see 1/17)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue at a low level, leaving 1 Palestinian dead. With Israeli industry in need of workers, Barak instructs the IDF to revive plans to allow some 16,000 Palestinian laborers into jobs in Israel. (JP [Internet] 1/22; MENA 1/22 in WNC 1/23; MEI 1/26; al-Ahram [Internet] 1/28) (see 12/18)