The Palestine Chronology

UN Sec. Council passes resolution 678 by vote of 12-2, with 1 abstention, to authorize "all necessary means" to force Iraq to leave Kuwait, setting 1/15 as deadline after which Iraq faces possible military response. [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 11/30; INA 11/30, BADS 12/1 in FBIS 12/3].

House Republican and Democratic leaders advise Pres. Bush not to call for special session of Congress to authorize use of force against Iraq, as they could not guarantee strong bipartisan support for such a resolution [NYT, WP 11/30].

Pentagon orders 300 additional warplanes to Gulf region, increasing U.S. total there to 1,200 [LAT 11/30; NYT 12/1].

Jerusalem magistrate court convicts army reserve Lt. Col. Yair Klein of illegally exporting military weapons and expertise to Colombia. Klein reportedly sold arms and provided training to members of drug cartel (cf. 1/3) [NYT, WT 11/30; JPI 12/8; MET 12/11].

UN Committee for the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People celebrates "international solidarity day with Palestinian people"; letters from Yasir Arafat and Pres. Mubarak are read to committee [AVP, MENA 11/29 in FBIS 11/30].

General strike is observed throughout o.t. on occasion of 43d anniversary of UN resolution to partition Palestine [FJ 12/3; MET 12/11].

Ryan Crocker, new U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, presents his credentials to Pres. Hrawi; U.S. embassy had been closed since 9/89 [NYT 11/30].

Iraq announces it will release all foreign hostages over 3 months starting Christmas Day "if nothing happens to disturb the atmosphere of peace." U.S. calls offer "cynical manipulation" [BADS 11/18 in FBIS 11/19; LAT, NYT, WT, WP, MEM 11/19; CSM 11/20; MET 11/27].

In Rome for audience with Pope John Paul 11, Soviet Pres. Gorbachev says he is "convinced" Gulf crisis could be solved without war [NYT 11/19].

In Tel Aviv address, P.M. Shamir speaks of the need "to keep the land of Israel from the sea to the Jordan for the generations to come . . . " (cf. 11/19, 11/20, 11/21, 11/26) [JDS 11/18 in FBIS 11/19; WT, MEM 11/19; CSM 11/20; FJ 11/26].

After meeting with King Fahd in Jeddah, Soviet envoy Belonogov arrives in Damascus for unscheduled talks with Pres. Asad [TASS 11/18 in FBIS 11/19; AFP 11/18 in FBIS 11/20; WT 11/19; MET 11/27].

Following brief meeting in Germany on Gulf crisis with Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Pres. Bush arrives in Paris, discusses crisis with Pres. Mitterrand [WP, MEM 11/19].

Israeli cabinet announces establishment of interministerial committee for Jerusalem, to be headed by P.M. Shamir. The committee, which must be approved by full Knesset, will replace just-established interministerial panel on "Temple Mount," which was advocated by Zamir Commission inquiry into 10/8 killings [MEM 11/19].

In Brussels for international economic meetings, Sec. of State Baker rejects Soviet envoy Yevgeny Primakov's suggestion that solution to Gulf crisis be linked to Palestine question [LAT 11/17].

Soviet envoy Alexander Belonogov meets in Cairo with Pres. Mubarak to discuss Gulf crisis; Belonogov then leaves for Saudi Arabia [MENA 11/16, CDS 11/17 in FBIS 11/20].

Ultra-Orthodox Agudat Israel party joins P.M. Shamir's ruling coalition; belated agreement increases Likud majority from 62 Knesset seats out of 120, to 66 seats [JDS 11/16 in FBIS 11/16; NYT, LAT 11/17; CSM, MEM 11/19; JPI 11/24; MET 11/27].

Arab and nonaligned nations introduce Sec. Council resolution calling for UN observer force in occupied territories (o.t.) and for conference of 164 signators of Fourth Geneva Convention [LAT 11/17; MEM 11/19].

Iran and Iraq announce agreement on series of steps to end major disputes lingering from 8-year war; Iranian F.M. Velayati says he detects willingness by Iraq to end crisis by withdrawing from Kuwait [NYT 11/17].

700 members of U.S. Council of Jewish Federations pass without dissent resolution backing Bush admin. policy in Gulf, but say they will fight U.S. plans to sell weapons to Saudia Arabia [NYT 11/17].

IDF bars Gaza Strip and West Bank residents from Jerusalem as preventive measure against anticipated protests following prayers on Haram al-Sharif [FJ 11/19].

Israeli Immigration Minister Yitzhak Peretz ignites political row by calling for curbs on Soviet immigration, saying 4 of 10 newcomers are not Jewish [MEM 11/1].

Sec. Baker arrives in Moscow for talks with Pres. Gorbachev, F.M. Shevardnadze about possible Soviet backing of UN Sec. Council resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq [WP, NYT 11/8].

After meeting with former W. German chancellor Willy Brandt, Saddam orders release of 100 German hostages and 20 more Europeans and Americans [WP 11/8].

Israeli officials says their gov't feels increasingly sure Israel will be drawn into any armed conflict in Gulf and is disturbed because there is no agreement with U.S. about how the 2 nations will coordinate military operations [WP 11/8].

Japanese P.M. Toshiki Kaifu, yielding to deep anti-military feelings in Japan, gives up his effort to pass legislation authorizing dispatch of Japanese troops to Gulf [WP 11/8].

Pres. Mubarak says international coalition allied against Iraq should wait "at least 2 to 3 more months" to determine whether economic sanctions will force Saddam out of Kuwait, and warns Iraqi leader that if he does not remove his troops, war would be inevitable [NYT 11/8].

GCC ministers end 3d extraordinary meeting held in Jeddah; issue statement condemning Iraq's invasion of Kuwait [SPA 11/7 in FBIS 11/8].

Thousands of Israelis turn out for Meir Kahane's funeral in Jerusalem, hundred seek revenge by rampaging through downtown streets breaking shop windows and beating Palestinian bystanders [JDS 11/7 in FBIS 11/8; WP 11/8].