The Palestine Chronology

Pres. Bush unveils proposal for arms control in Middle East, his first concrete policy initiative dealing with region since end of Gulf war (see JPS 80, doc. D3). Proposal includes call for: U.S., USSR, China, France, Britain to halt certain arms transfers; freeze on acquisition of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons-grade uranium & plutonium; regional acquiescence to global ban on poison gas weapons; commitments to abide by 1972 treaty on biological weapons and 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Proposals do not call for specific treaties but rather encourage self-restraint. Administration confirms that Israel, which has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, has objected to provisions on nuclear weapons. Israel reportedly possesses some 100 nuclear warheads. (NYT, WP, LAT 5/30)

Israeli government admits paying $35 million to government of former Pres. Mengistu Haile Mariam's government in Ethiopia for release of Ethiopian Jews flown to Israel 5/24 and 5/25, confirms that two senior officials of deposed government were given temporary asylum in Israel as part of deal. (NYT 5/30)

Following talks with Jordanian For. Min. Tahir al-Masri, PLO Pol. Dept. Head Faruq al-Qaddumi states that Jordan and Syria have responded positively to PLO proposal for coordinated stand among Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and PLO toward U.S. peace efforts in region. (MEM 5/29)

U.S. Def. Secy. Richard Cheney arrives in Israel for talks on arms sales. Israel has complained recently that U.S. is delaying delivery of $700 million in arms promised to Israel. Cheney states Washington remains committed to assuring Israel's military advantage over Arab states. (LAT 5/30) 

Top-level PLO delegation, comprising Pol. Dept. Head Faruq al-Qaddumi, Information Dept. Head Yasir 'Abd Rabbuh, Exec. Comm. members Mustafa al-Zibri (Abu 'Ali Mustafa), Sulayman al-Najab, meets with Pres. al-Asad in Damascus, Meeting seen as part of recent efforts to improve PLO-Syrian relations in wake of diplomatic setback faced by PLO after Gulf war. (NYT 5/29)

Delegation also meets with officials of dissident Palestinian National Salvation Front in Damascus. Meeting centers on reconciliation between PLO and PNSF. At PLO insistence, Col. Sa'id Musa Muragha's (Abu Musa) Fateh-Uprising group not represented. Reconciliation efforts come during increased PLO-Syrian dialogue. (MEM 5/17; NYT, MEM 5/29; CSM 5/30)

Hizballah leader 'Abbas al-Musawi claims his group holds two Israeli prisoners, but Israel has failed to meet conditions for their release. States Israel willing to release Lebanese prisoners it held only; Hizballah demanded release of Palestinian prisoners as well. Israeli Def. Min. Arens expressed optimism over prospects for possible prisoner exchange. (WP 5/28)

Israel convicts Palestinian Fu'ad Hasan al-Shar' of participating in 1983 attempt to blow up airliner belonging to Israeli state airline El Al. Al-Shari' sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. (WP 5/28)

Greek appeals committee upheld Italy's request to extradite 'Abd al-Rahim Khalid, Palestinian sentenced in abstentia to life imprisonment in 1987 by court in Genoa for alleged role in October 1985 hijacking of Italian ship Achille Lauro. Khalid, arrested 5/5 in Athens, faces two more avenues of appeal before extradition can proceed. (NYT 5/29) 

Sec. of State Baker, in testimony before U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs subcommittee, calls continued building of Israeli settlements "largest obstacle" to convening proposed Middle East peace conference. Remarks come in wake of four new settlements established in occupied territories since Baker began his recent peace initiative. (See JPS 80, doc. D2)

More than 200,000 Israelis now live in occupied territories. (NYT, WP, LAT 5/23)

Pres. al-Asad and Lebanese Pres. Ilyas al-Hirawi sign a "Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination" in Damascus. (See JPS 80, doc. B9). Treaty establishes joint Syrian-Lebanese institutions for coordinating defense, security, foreign and economy policy, under authority of higher council comprising the two country's presidents, prime ministers and parliamentary speakers. Treaty transforms Syrian influence in Lebanon into formal role.

Treaty calls for Syria to redeploy its 40,000 troops in Lebanon in Biqa' valley. Syrian troops currently effectively control two-thirds of Lebanon.

Lebanese Maronite Catholic Patriarch Nasr Allah Sufayr opposes accord, stating that it would lead to Syrian domination of Lebanon. Israel voiced opposition to the accord as well. (NYT, WP, LAT 5/23)

Israeli def. ministry confirms that Polish Pres. Walesa promised Def. Min. Moshe Arens that Poland will not sell tanks to Syria out of deference to Israel. (LAT 5/22)

Knesset erupts into shouting match when Knesset Speaker Dov Shilansky (Likud) calls on Israeli peace activist Abie Nathan to halt his 25-day fast. Nathan began fast 3/25 to protest Israeli law forbidding Israelis to meet with members of PLO. Shilansky's statement came in wake of failed motion to abolish law. Nathan has publicly met Yasir Arafat several times since law was passed, serving 122 days in prison in 1990 as result. (NYT 5/23; MEM 7/15)

Los Angeles Times reports that Coca-Cola Company was removed last month from list of companies boycotted by Arab League for their dealings with Israel. Japanese car manufacturer Toyota also reported last month that it will begin selling cars in Israel in 1992, a departure from its policy of dealing solely with Arab countries. (LAT 5/22) 

While visiting Israel, Polish Pres. Lech Walesa apologizes for Polish anti-Semitism in speech to Knesset. Walesa is first Polish president to visit Israel. (NYT 5/21)

PLO Pol. Dept. Head Faruq al-Qaddumi meets with King Hussein in Amman to discuss recent U.S., Soviet peace efforts, Palestinian issues. (MEM 5/21)

Israeli government approves new settlement to be built on occupied Golan Heights. (WP 5/23)

U.S. Secy. of State James Baker departs Israel for Washington after talks with Israeli leadership, which still rejects U.N. role in proposed Middle East peace talks. Two sides reportedly agreed to include Palestinian participants in negotiations through joint Palestinian-Jordanian delegation comprised of Palestinians living in Jordan. The trip is Baker's fourth to region within two months. (NYT, WP 5/17)

PLO Pol. Dept. Head Faruq al-Qaddumi meets with Lebanese For. Min. Faris Buwayz in Cairo over PLO disarmament in S. Lebanon as directed by Lebanese government. Al-Qaddumi, while stating PLO will cooperate with government in establishing state's sovereignty, noted that PLO will not disarm, offering instead formation of Palestinian brigade which could coordinate with Lebanese army command. Buwayz rejected proposal. (MEM 5/17; NYT 5/18)

Al-Qaddumi also meets with Syrian For. Min. Faruq al-Shar' in Cairo to discuss U.S., Soviet peace initiatives. (MEM 5/17)

Arab League ministerial meeting opens in Cairo; in unopposed election, Arab League chooses Egyptian F.M. Esmat Abdel Meguid as its Sec.-Gen. for the next 5 years [MEM 5/15; WP, NYT 5/16; CDS, RMC, MENA 5/15 in FBIS 5/16].

Meeting in Israel, Sec. Baker and P.M. Shamir draw up confidential document that acknowledges the obstacles to holding regional peace conference, but points toward fresh attempt to start Israeli-Palestinian talks [WP, LAT 5/16]. But Israel rejects Sec. Baker's proposals for bridging differences with Syria [MEM 5/15; NYT 5/16].

U.S. diplomatic and intelligence sources say that roughly 10 days ago, Israel told American military attaches in Tel Aviv that Israeli military action in southern Lebanon was possible; warning is seen as message to Lebanon and Syria not to take action against Israel-backed SLA [WP 5/16].

34-member team of international specialists arrive in Baghdad for week of on-site inspections of Iraq's nuclear facilities to ensure compliance with UN resolutions prohibiting Iraqi possession of weapons of mass destruction [MEM 5/15; WP, NYT, LAT 5/16].

Palestinians who met with Sec. Baker say that he told them American initiative did not envision eventual creation of Palestinian state: "Less than a state, more than autonomy," is how one participant put it [NYT, MEM 5/16].

On conclusion of 5-day meeting in Tunis Fateh Revolutionary Council calls for meeting of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and PLO to coordinate stands on Middle East issues [MENA 5/15, DUS 5/16 in FBIS 5/16].

Speaking at joint press conference, Pres. Mitterrand, Pres. Gorbachev express support for international peace conference and Palestinian statehood [MEM 5/8].

Israeli officials and Western diplomats say Gulf states are weighing relaxation of Arab League economic boycott against Israel and firms that do business with Israel [WP 5/7]. Palestinian and PLO editorials attack Kuwait for planning to ease boycott [MEM 5/7].

Arriving in Riyadh, Def. Sec. Cheney opens efforts to negotiate sweeping changes in U.S.-Arab military relationship that would include permanently stationing weaponry and deploying large numbers of troops during rotating exercises in the Gulf region (cf. 5/9) [WP, NYT 5/7; SPA 5/6 in FBIS 5/7].

Syrian officials say that Lebanese guerrilas fighting against Israeli-backed militias in southern Lebanon should not lay down their weapons under Beirut's plan for disarming all militias: "Weapons of resistance groups ... cannot be touched until the Israeli enemy abandons the border strip" [NYT 5/7].

In letter to UN Sec.-Gen., Iraq asks for 5- year delay on paying war reparations so as to first rebuild its economy. U.S. ambassador to UN Thomas Pickering says Sec. Council is unlikely to ease that part of cease-fire agreement [NYT 5/7].

New York Times reports that Israeli gov't. is acknowledging for 1st time that tens of thousands of Soviet Jews are postponing or canceling their moves to Israel because of the lack of employment for those already there [NYT 5/5].

For 1st time since PLO established foothold in Lebanon, gov't. authorities have begun to prosecute Palestinian fighters on charges of illegal possession of weapons, according to Lebanese officials. Military prosecutor brings charges against 6 PFLP and 2 Fateh members [NYT 5/5].

Allied forces push 35 miles farther east into Iraqi territory to the town of Amidiyah, more than doubling size of security zone for protecting Kurdish refugees. Saddam Hussein orders the destruction of 1 of 3 state palaces and villas located within the zone because it could be used by allies for military purposes [WP, NYT 5/3].

Commander of UN Iraq-Kuwait observer force says all UN troops will be in place by 5/6 and that the remaining 4,800 U.S. soldiers would be out of southern Iraq by 5/8 [WP, NYT 5/3].

Israeli gov't. protests to U.S. over "snubbing" of Housing Min. Sharon, who, refused an "official" gov't. meeting, met 5/1 with HUD head Jack Kemp at Israeli embassy [WP, NYT 5/3].

Meeting in Cairo, PLO rep. Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian F.M. Esmat Abdel Meguid agree that no Middle East peace process could lead anywhere without "a role for the PLO, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" [MEM 5/3]. 

Senior Bush admin. officials say U.S. wants Iraq to pay for American-led effort to help Kurds; operation is expected to cost over $500 million over 6 months [NYT 5/2].

Kuwaiti gov't. announces that the more than 400,000 Kuwaitis who have spent last 8 months in exile could begin returning home on 5/11 [WP, LAT 5/2].

Israeli Housing Minister Ariel Sharon meets with HUD Sec. Jack Kemp, but at White House insistence to avoid "official" meeting because of Sharon's pro-settlement views, talks are moved from Kemp's HUD office to the Israeli embassy (cf. 5/2) [WP 5/1, 5/3; NYT, LAT 5/2; CSM 5/3; IDF 5/2 in FBIS 5/2].

PLO spokesperson strongly condemns 4/30 stabbing death of French tourist in Bethlehem. Faisal Husseini sends victim's family cable of condolence. 19-year-old Palestinian surrenders to Israeli authorities and is charged with the stabbing [MEM 5/1; RMC, AVP 5/1 in FBIS 5/2].

Absorption Min. Yitzhak Perez says 17,700 immigrants arrived in Israel during April, and that some 55,000 immigrants arrived during 1st third of the year [IDF 5/1 in FBIS 5/2].

UNLU issues call no. 70, appealing for unified Palestinian response to Sec. Baker's peace initiative, warning that U.S. is trying to "impose an American solution to Palestine question," and condemning 4/30 stabbing of French tourist [MEM 5/2; AVP 5/2 in FBIS 5/3].

Israeli human rights group B'Tselem reports Israeli security forces killed 6 Palestinians during April, a 7th died after exposure to tear gas [FJ 5/6].