The Palestine Chronology

Sec. Baker tells NATO allies he expects Saddam Hussein to take dramatic step, such as partial pullout from Kuwait, just before UN resolution authorizing use of force goes into effect on 1/15. NATO ministers issue statement saying "there can be no partial solutions" [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 12/18; CSM 12/19].

Iraq asks European Community to go ahead with scheduled high-level meeting on 12/20 in Rome between European leaders and Iraqi F.M. Aziz [NYT, WP 12/18].

Fourteen former senior gov't. officials, including former NSC advisers Richard Allen and Robert McFarlane, urge Bush admin. to use military force shortly after 1/15 deadline if Iraq does not leave Kuwait [NYT 12/18].

After meeting with Algeria's Pres. Benjedid in Cairo on efforts to find Arab solution to Gulf crisis, Pres. Mubarak says "we have not yet found a way for a solution" [CDS 12/17 in FBIS 12/18; NYT 12/18]; Pres. Benjedid then travels to Libya, while Jordanian P.M. Mudar Badran goes to Syria in further diplomatic activity [APS, DDS 12/17 in FBIS 12/18; NYT 12/18].

Ishak Mousa Husseini, noted Palestinian writer and teacher who sought to explain Arab history to the West, dies in Jerusalem at age 86 [NYT 12/23; FJ 12/24].

Shmeul Goren, coordinator of gov't. activities in o.t., tells Knesset committee that Gulf crisis has cut in half annual aid of $140 million from Gulf Palestinians to o.t. Palestinians; that o.t. exports have been cut by 50%; and that citrus exports from Gaza have been reduced by 80% [IDF 12/17 in FBIS 12/20].

Senior Jordanian official says Amman has rejected proposal by Israel for bilateral negotiations on water and other territorial disputes, declaring Jordan would enter talks with Israel only in international peace conference on Middle East [MEM 12/18].

Israeli police bar thousands of Palestinians from entering Jerusalem and send hundreds of officers into the Old City to prevent clashes caused by heightened tensions [NYT, LAT, WT, WP, CSM 12/18; FJ 12/24; MET 12/25].

Jerusalem Post reports that the Jewish Agency about a month ago ordered all Agency and World Zionist Organization institutions to stop employing Palestinians from o.t. for "security considerations" [JPD 12/18 in FBIS 12/18; MEM 12/18]. 

Zamir Commission, appointed by P.M. Shamir to investigate Haram al-Sharif deaths, publishes report placing responsibility on Palestinians [JDS 10/26 in FBIS 10/26; MEM 10/26; NYT, LAT, WP 10/27].

Bush admin. says Jordan is entitled to "generous" economic aid from world community for its compliance with UN-imposed sanctions against Iraq [LAT 10/27].

Soviet envoy Primakov returns to Cairo to meet with Pres. Mubarak about Gulf situation [MENA 10/26 in FBIS 10/26]. 

Sec. Baker says U.S. will release $400 million in loan guarantees for housing Soviet Jewish immigrants as a result of Israeli assurances [JDS 10/2 in FBIS 10/3; NYT, LAT, WP, MEM 10/3].

Joint resolution expressing Congress' approval of Pres. Bush's handling of Gulf crisis passes Senate by vote of 96-3 [WP, LAT, NYT, WT 10/3].

Soviet Union complains Iraq is delaying exit visas for Soviet specialists whose contracts have expired and who want to return home [LAT 10/3].

Senate Appropriations subcommittee on foreign operations approves admin. proposal to forgive Egypt's $7 billion military debt; also authorizes Israel to redirect up to $200 million of U.S. economic assistance to "defense purposes" during the Gulf crisis [CDS 10/3 in FBIS 10/5; WP 10/3].

Chief of Soviet General Staff, Gen. Mikhail A. Moiseyev, says economic sanctions against Iraq are working and that no force should be used in Gulf unless it is approved by the UN [NYT 10/3].

Addressing UN Gen. Assembly, Saudi F.M. Prince Saud al-Faisal urges Iraq to leave Kuwait in order to strengthen rights of Palestinians [NYT, MEM 10/3].

Bethlehem University reopens, becoming the 1st university to open after 30 months [IDF 10/2 in FBIS 10/2].

Japanese P.M. Toshiki Kaifu arrives in Cairo for meeting with Pres. Mubarak [MENA 10/2 in FBIS 10/3; WT 10/3].

IDF troops shoot dead 3 W. Bank Palestinians, another dies from wounds received last week, in one of the highest single-day death tolls in recent months [MEM 10/3].

Jordan reopens its borders to Gulf-bound trucks; ban had interrupted flow of Lebanese, Syrian, and Turkish produce and meat to Gulf states. Jordan says it lifted ban to "test the good intentions" of Saudi gov't, implying ban would be reimposed if trucks were not given passage through Saudi Arabia; Saudis claim Jordan "caved in" to Syrian pressure [MEM 10/3]. 

Iraq extends administrative border of Bas- rah several kms. south into Kuwait and declares the rest of Kuwaiti territory its 19th province, renaming it after Saddam [MEM 8/28; INA 8/28 in FBS 8/28; LAT, WT 8/29; MET 9/11].

Saddam decrees foreign women and children may leave Iraq beginning 8/29 (cf. 8/29, 8/30) [INA 8/28 in FBIS 8/29; NYT, LAT, WT, WP 8/29; MET, MEM 9/11].

Morocco elects to keep its Kuwaiti embassy open, says personnel there have become "hostages like a number of other foreigners"; Morocco expels 2 Iraqi diplomats in response to Iraq's measures against foreign embassies in Kuwait [MAP 8/29 in FBIS 8/30].

Jordan informs Iraq that it will abide by UN resolutions and enforce embargo to protest invasion of Kuwait [AFP 8/29 in FBIS 8/30].

On visit to N. Africa, Pres. Asad arrives in Alexandria and meets with Pres. Mubarak to discuss Gulf crisis [MENA 8/28 in FBIS 8/28; MET 9/11]. 

Unnamed U.S. official says small guerrilla bands in Kuwait have killed or wounded "a couple of hundred" Iraqi troops and have destroyed handful of tanks and trucks [NYT 8/30; MET 9/11].

Saudi civil defense authorities order more than 2 million gas masks for distribution to population in event of Iraqi chemical attack [LAT 8/29; WP 8/31]. 

Islamic Conference Organization, meeting in Cairo, issues statement condemning Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; 6 of 30 states "refrained from approving" the resolution: Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, and Mauritania [MENA 8/4 in FBIS 8/6].

Washington Post reports Iraqi invasion of Kuwait has created complex problems for Palestinian leadership; worries that popular Palestine support for Saddam Hussein will overshadow intifada [WP 8/ 5].

Yasir Arafat arrives in Alexandria and meets with Pres. Mubarak [MENA 8/4 in FBIS 8/6].

New York Times reports that housing shortages in Israel have forced 1,576 families to live in tents; gov't. officials say 17,135 immigrants arrived in July, of which 15,294 were from USSR [NYT 8/ 5].

Egypt's Pres. Hosni Mubarak meets with U.S. Sec. of State James Baker in Egypt's embassy in Moscow to discuss Middle East events [CDS 5/16 in FBIS 5/ 17; MEM 5/17].

Palestinian leaders from O.T. present Israel with list of 17 demands aimed at creating atmosphere conducive to negotiations [YA 5/17 in FBIS 5/18].

Israeli peace activist Abbie Nathan, returning to Israel after meeting with Yasir Arafat in Tunis, is arrested for violating law prohibiting meeting PLO members. Nathan was released from jail last February after serving 6 months for previous meeting with Arafat (cf. 5/17) [MEM 5/16, 5/18].

Asharq al-Awsat, citing Palestinian sources, reports PLO has begun regrouping its military forces. Last week, 1,600- 1,800 fighters began move from Jordan to Iraq, while some units in Algeria and Sudan will move to Libya and North Yemen [MEM 5/16].

Israel Central Bureau of Statistics reports economic slowdown for 1st quarter of 1990; cites more unemployment, fewer exports, increased imports, and growing consumption as reasons UPD 5/17 in FBIS 5/17].