The Palestine Chronology

Conference supporting intifada ends in Beirut following address by PFLP-GC Gen. Secy. Ahmadjibril. (Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran 12/27 in FBIS 12/27)

PM Shamir chairs ministerial meeting to discuss formation of Jewish "civil guard" in o.t. (ITV 12/25 in FBIS 12/26)

Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek leads demonstration against settlers who moved into contested homes in Silwan. (MM 1/2)

Shiite cleric Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah addresses Beirut conference on intifada. Representatives from Fateh-Revolutionary Council [Abu Nidal], PFLP, Iranian Revolutionary Guards also speak. (Voice of Oppressed 12/26 in FBIS 12/27)

GCC ends summit, reaffirms commitment to "Damascus Declaration." Meeting also issues "Kuwait Declaration" supporting peace talks based on UN Sec. Council resolutions 242, 338, 425, affirming GCC support of multilateral talks with Israel. (MM 1/2)

Israel, Zambia renew diplomatic ties broken since 1973. (Qol Yisra'el 12/25 in FBIS 12/31)

Third International Conference in Support of the Islamic Intifada in Palestine opens in Beirut. Speakers include Fateh-Uprising's Sa'id Musa Muragha (Abu Musa), Hizballah Gen. Secy. 'Abbas Musawi, representatives from Islamic Jihad [in o.t.], Hizballah Palestine. (Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran 12/24 in FBIS 12/26)

DM Arens warns settlement leaders that IDF will not tolerate settlers taking law into their own hands. (Qol Yisra'el 12/23 in FBIS 12/27)

Chinese vice FM arrives in Israel, most senior Chinese official to visit Israel to date. (ITV 12/23 in FBIS 12/24)

Body left alongside road in Beirut 12/21 is identified as that of American hostage William Higgins, whom Organization of the Oppressed on Earth claimed it executed in July 1989 but whom UN officials believed died of torture in December 1988. (WP 12/23, 12/24)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) begins annual summit in Kuwait. (MM 1/2)

Islamic Jihad releases American hostage Alann Steen in Beirut. (NYT 12/4)

After meeting Syr. Pres. Asad, PLO Chmn. Arafat meets with Palestine National Salvation Front (PNSF) head Khalid al-Fahum in Damascus. (Radio Monte Carlo, SANA 12/3 in FBIS 12/4)

Palestinian delegates finally join Jordanians in leaving for peace talks in Washington after 10-hour delay at Amman airport during which negotiations continued between Palestinians and U.S. officials over whether or not certain PLO officials would be allowed visas to enter U.S. along with delegation. Palestinians eventually dropped the matter and left for Washington. (Jordan Times 12/3 in FBIS 12/3)

American hostage Joseph Cicippio released in Beirut by Revolutionary Justice Organization. (NYT 12/3)

Arafat holds talks with King Hussein in Amman. Usama Baz, advisor to Pres. Mubarak and most senior Egyptian leader to visit Jordan since Gulf war, also arrives for talks. Arafat later flies to Damascus. (MM 12/2)

IDF establishes Rachelim, a paramilitary Nahal camp, at site where two settlers were ambushed and killed 10/28. (MM 12/5)

UN Secy. Gen. Perez de Cuellar calls for UNIFIL troops to replace Israeli, SLA forces at certain locations in S. Lebanon to avoid future clashes like 11/15 incident in which Irish UNIFIL soldier died in a clash between UNIFIL, SLA. (MM 12/3)