The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Military authorities order Gaza's Islamic University closed for 10 days [FJ 2/27].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Grenade explodes during changing of Israeli border guard at Jerusalem's Damascus Gate, wounds 12 soldiers, at least 2 Israeli citizens, 3 Palestinians. PLO claims responsibility [FJ 2/27]. Explosion destroys soldiers' hitchhiking station at entrance to new Jewish settlement town of Efrat, midway between Jerusalem and Hebron [JP 2/27]. At Jalazun refugee camp near Ramallah troops use tear gas to disperse protestors who had blocked roads, thrown stones. Merchants strike in Gaza City to protest continued detention of over 135 university students [FJ 2/27].

Arab World: Syrian troops enter W. Beirut [BG 2/23].

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].