Arab World: Two Muslim Americans in Beirut to negotiate for release of American hostages leave country after militiamen ransack, rob their hotel rooms [NYT 2/20]....
Occupied Palestine/Israel: P. M. Shamir reiterates his opposition to international Middle East peace conference [NYT 2/12]. Shamir also states U.S. should continue...
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hundreds of W. Bank Jews and W. Bank Palestinians gather in Sur Bahir to protest Israeli government's plan to uproot Arab olive trees on...
Occupied Palestine/Israel: F. M. Peres indicates willingness to discuss exchange of 400 Palestinian prisoners for Israeli pilot but not publicly or under ultimatum...
Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: Al-Fajr reports the Merkovitch Committee, formed to investigate issue of unlicensed construction in the occupied territories,...
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hebrew University suspends and fines 5 Arab and Jewish students for their roles in organizing demonstrations protesting December...
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Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Authorities close Hebron University for 3 days [FJ 2/27].
Arab World: Reports indicate PLO has received UAE permission to move Palestine National Fund from Amman to Abu Dhabi [FJ 2/27].
Other Countries: In report on human rights, U.S. State Dept. issues "generally mild critique" of Israel's treatment of Arabs in the occupied territories [CSM 2/24]. European Economic Community officially states support for international conference on Middle East peace [FJ 2/27].
Social/Economic/Political
Arab World: Two Muslim Americans in Beirut to negotiate for release of American hostages leave country after militiamen ransack, rob their hotel rooms [NYT 2/20]. SLA commander Lahad rejects plan to swap Arab prisoners for foreign hostages, states willingness to swap them for Israeli soldiers [WP 2/20].
Other Countries: Israeli P. M. Shamir, on visit to U.S., says he will accept an international Middle East peace conference if U.S.S.R. and "militant" Arab states are excluded [PI 2/20].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Troops use tear gas to break up group of stone-throwing demonstrators in Ramallah; use tear gas and live ammunition against protestors blockading streets in Rafah, Khan Yunis, and refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, wounding at least 3 [FJ 2/27].
Arab World: Police in S. Beirut report "de facto truce" around Burj al-Barajinah and Shatila refugee camps [LAT 2/20].
Social/Economic/Political
Arab World: Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine withdraws offer to trade U.S. hostages for 400 Arab prisoners held in Israel [BS 2/15].
Other Countries: Lebanese Pres. Jumayyil arrives in London after EEC ministers deny his request for financial support [LT 2/15].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli patrols use tear gas, rubber bullets to break up demonstrations in Nablus and Ramallah, arrest 18 students during protest at Hebron University. In Majdal Shams, hundreds of Druze youths gather for rally marking 5th anniversary of imposition of Israeli law on Golan Heights; 13 are arrested following violent clashes with Israeli police, 5 Israeli police injured UP 2/21; SG 2/15].
Arab World: Amal temporarily halts siege of Rashidiyyah refugee camp, south of Tyre, to permit UNRWA food trucks and ambulance to enter camp [CSM 2/17; NYT 2/15].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: P. M. Shamir reiterates his opposition to international Middle East peace conference [NYT 2/12]. Shamir also states U.S. should continue effortso reestablish contact with Iran, indicates disapproval of Israel's role in shipping U.S. arms to Iran [WP 2/12].
Other Countries: Two of the 6 Arabs arrested in Los Angeles 1/26 on charges of membership in PFLP claim prison officials are denying them basic rights [LAT 2/12].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli troops use tear gas and rubber bullets to break up group of approximately 120 women marching to Nablus. The women are relatives of Balatta camp youths arrested 1/20. Students at Nablus' al-Rawda College blockade campus-area roads, pelt Israeli soldiers with stones and empty bottles. Troops respond with tear gas and live ammunition; district military commander orders college closed for 2 weeks. Israeli troops arrest 30 Hebron University students after violent campus confrontation [FJ 2/13].
Arab World: Amal forces refuse to allow trucks of food to enter Burj al-Barajinah refugee camp in Beirut [IN 2/12].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hundreds of W. Bank Jews and W. Bank Palestinians gather in Sur Bahir to protest Israeli government's plan to uproot Arab olive trees on government expropriated land [NYT 2/11; FJ 2/13]. Abba Eban, chair of Knesset panel investigating U.S.-Israel-Iran arms deals, acknowledges Israel first put U.S. in touch with Iranian radicals [WP 2/11]. Amal militia indicate negotiations with Israel are underway; P. M. Shamir says Israel would deal with terrorists in some cases if demands were made through official channels, not the media. Defense Minister Rabin indicates Israel may require the release of 6 Israeli servicemen missing in Lebanon [WP 2/11].
Other Countries: Christian Science Monitor reports W. Germany is likely to try Muhammad 'Ali Hamadi on explosives charges before formally deciding whether to extradite him to the U.S. [CSM 2/10]. Kenyan woman arrested in Los Angeles 15 days ago on charges of overstaying her visa is accused of subversive activities linked to PFLP [LAT 2/11].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Al-Najah U. students defy closure order, hold small demonstration on campus. Balatta curfew is lifted; residents gather to demonstrate but disperse peacefully when confronted by Israeli troops armed with tear gas and machine guns. Ramallah secondary school students march through city in support of those injured during 1/9 al-Najah and Balatta protests. Pres. of Hebron University receives official warning following student march outside campus. Secondary school students in Gaza City boycott classes, stone Israeli troops. Estimated 100 youths are taken into detention after late night raid by Israeli troops; military spokesman says youths are suspected of inciting demonstrations and threatening army collaborators [FJ 2/13].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: F. M. Peres indicates willingness to discuss exchange of 400 Palestinian prisoners for Israeli pilot but not publicly or under ultimatum. Kidnappers of 4 professors reiterate threat to kill their hostages if the Palestinians are not released by 2/9 [LAT, WP 2/9]. Four Israelis who met with PLO representatives in November are charged under controversial new law banning unofficial contacts with terrorist organizations [IN 2/9; FJ 2/13]. Israeli military court sentences 3 Palestinians to life imprisonment for October grenade attack on Israeli soldiers and their families in Jerusalem [IN, BG 2/9]. Estimated 150 landowners from 2 Tulkarm area villages file complaint with Israeli Military Objections Com. charging Arab dealers forged sales of their land [FJ 2/13]. Minister of Housing David Levy inaugurates new Jewish settlement in Hebron [FJ 2/13].
Arab World: Union of Palestinian Writers and Journalists opens 4-day unification conference in Algeria [FJ 2/13].
Other Countries: Report cites memos of meeting between U.S. Vice Pres. Bush and Amiram Nir, indicates U.S. knew arms deals were with Iranian radicals, Israel was "running the operation at the strategic, tactical, and logistic level" [WP 2/8].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/lIsrael: Al-Fajr reports the Merkovitch Committee, formed to investigate issue of unlicensed construction in the occupied territories, recommends that, of 5,400 unlicensed Arab homes currently scheduled for demolition, 2,600 be given legal status, 300 be destroyed immediately, and 2,500 be scheduled for demolition at a later date [FJ 2/6]. Israeli military authorities order al-Najah University closed for 1 day to prevent possible campus protests [FJ 2/13].
Arab World: Starving residents of Beirut's Burj al-Barajinah refugee camp ask religious leaders for dispensation to eat human flesh [IN 2/7].
Other Countries: Arab-American groups charge 1/27 arrests of Palestinians in Los Angeles are beginning of U.S. plan to round up and deport Arabs [WP 2/7]. Amnesty International spokesman reports Arab prisoners held in S. Lebanon's SLArun al-Khiyam Detention Camp were tortured with electrical shockwaves [FJ 2/13].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Two Israeli soldiers are injured by stones thrown at them while they patrolled Balatta refugee camp [FJ 2/13].
Arab World: Israeli navy stops Maria R., freighter enroute from Cyprus to Lebanon, arrests 8 Egyptian crewmen, 50 unarmed Palestinians [LM 2/10; WP 2/8]. SLA and Israeli forces engage in heavy fighting with Hizballah forces in Israel's "security zone" in S. Lebanon. At least 8 Hizballah, 1 SLA fighters are killed [IN 2/7].
Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Hebrew University suspends and fines 5 Arab and Jewish students for their roles in organizing demonstrations protesting December shooting of 2 Palestinian students [FJ 2/6]. Minister of Religious Affairs orders resumption of excavations under Jerusalem's Western Wall. Digging was halted by former minister because it threatens Arab houses in the area [FJ 2/6].
Arab World: Jordan bars head of W. Bank Dentists' Union from traveling to conference in Jordan [FJ 2/6].
Other Countries: Washington Post reports England, France, and W. Germany oppose U.S.-planned summit on terrorism and have warned U.S. against military attack on Lebanon [WP 2/5]. U.S. officials disclaim reports of imminent atack on Lebanon while U.S. naval force remains off Lebanon and Iran [WP 2/5].
Military Action
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Three Palestinians are wounded when Israeli troops fire at their car at military checkpost near Jizzin village, in Nablus region. Israeli army claims soldiers shot after car refused to stop [FJ 2/6].
