The Palestine Chronology

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].

Iraq says it will abide by UN resolution calling for Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait but only if allies meet conditions including: withdraw of allied forces, withdrawal of Israel from o.t., payment of war reparations to Iraq, and removal of Sabah family from power in Kuwait. In Baghdad, civilians celebrate what they believe is end of war; Pres. Bush rejects offer as "a cruel hoax" [BADS 2/15 in FBIS 2/15; MEM 2/15; LAT, NYT, WP 2/16].

About 30,000 Algerians hold pro-Iraq march in Algiers; demonstrators attack UN office and offices of Italy's and Egypt's airlines [LAT 2/16; MEM 2/18].

Pres. Gorbachev sends letter to Pres. Bush, Pres. Mitterrand, P.M. Major, asking allies to hold off on ground offensive until talks scheduled early next week in Moscow with F.M. Aziz are completed [NYT, WT, WP 2/16].

In unusually blunt statement, White House criticizes Israeli ambassador Zalman Shoval for making public comments about U.S. economic aid to Israel. Shoval complained on 2/14 that U.S. had not moved forward on $400 million in loan guarantees and that Israel "had not received one cent in aid" from allies to compensate for missile damage." U.S. says comments are "outrageous and outside the bounds of acceptable behavior" [NYT, WP 2/16]. Fateh troops loyal to Yasir Arafat split into 2 rival camps in S. Lebanon and fight fierce battle leaving as many as 28 dead, and 42 injured [LAT, NYT, WP 2/16; MEM 2/18].

UN Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar condemns allied bombing raids on highway from Baghdad to Jordanian border; calls Jordan "an innocent victim" of war [LAT 2/5].

In 1st policy address to Knesset on Gulf war, P.M. Shamir vows that Israel will never take part in an international conference on the Middle East, and denounces PLO as "the biggest supporters of the murderer from Baghdad" [IDF 2/4 in FBIS 2/5; NYT, LAT, WP, MEM, WT 2/5].

EC sends experts to Gulf to help contain oil slick; France's new D.M. Pierre Joxe flies to Saudi Arabia; Soviet Communist party calls on Pres. Gorbachev to launch fresh diplomatic initiative to end war [LAT 2/5].

Pres. Rafsanjani of Iran offers to mediate Gulf war; Iraq has no comment, U.S. response is cool [MEM 2/4; NYT, WP 2/5].

PLO says that it will stop its rocket attacks against Israeli troops in S. Lebanon "security zone," and will use other means to assist Iraq in Gulf war [RFL 2/4, BVL 2/5 in FBIS 2/5; NYT, WP 2/5]

After day of multinational force bombing successes against Iraq, Baghdad fires as many as 8 SCUD missiles at Israel, hitting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and less populated areas [NYT, LAT, WT, WP, MEM 1/18].

Saddam Hussein defies 2d day of bombing in Baghdad by touring Iraq's capital; vows to defeat multinational force and liberate Palestine; calls on all Arabs to help resist U.S. [NYT, LAT, WP, MEM 1/18].

Anti-U.S. demonstrations erupt in Algeria, smaller protests in European cities but European gov'ts. give full backing to war effort; Iran condemns U.S.-led invasion; Pres. Gorbachev blames Iraqi intransigence for war, but only after trying to get Pres. Bush to postpone attack long enough for Soviet diplomats to try to speak to Saddam Hussein; Japan pledges additional aid for allied effort [MEM 1/17; NYT 1/18].

Turkey's parliament authorizes U.S. fighters and bombers to launch attacks on Iraq from Incirlik Air Base near Adama on the Mediterranean [NYT, LAT, MEM 1/18].

New York Times reports of CIA's psychological warfare against Iraq: broadcasting anti-Saddam propaganda into Iraq, circulat- ing audio and video cassettes depicting Saddam's regime as corrupt, and smuggling radios into Iraq to receive American broadcasts [NYT 1/19].

Curfew in Gaza continues; Israel places West Bank under curfew [JDS, IDF 1/17 in FBIS 1/17].

PLO Executive Committee issues statement decrying U.S. for beginning Gulf war and calling for worldwide resistance [AVP, MAP, AFP 1/17 in FBIS 1/18; MEM 1/17; WP 1/18].

Arab-Americans object to FBI policy of questioning business and community leaders of Arab descent [MEM 1/11; NYT, LAT 1/12].

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater says Gulf military operation cost U.S. $10 billion in 1990, and that U.S. has received $6 billion "in cash and in-kind support from our allies to defray this cost" [NYT, LAT 1/12].

Pres. Saddam Hussein tells conference of Islamic leaders that he is preparing for holy war against multinational forces that could only be averted if greater priority is given to solving Palestine problem [NYT, LAT 1/12].

Senior UN officials urge Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar to ask Saddam for pledge to leave Kuwait immediately in return for international conference to address Palestine problem. Before leaving Geneva, Perez de Cuellar meets with EC leaders who offer peace proposal that includes stationing UN peacekeeping force in Gulf and convening international conference [MEM 1/11; NYT, LAT 1/12]; en route to Baghdad, Perez de Cuellar stops in Amman for meeting with King Hussein [ADS 1/11 in FBIS 1/14].

Pres. Gorbachev telephones Pres. Bush, and twice dispatches Soviet ambassador to White House to discuss Soviet's last-minute Gulf peace initiative [LAT 1/12].

Washington Post/ABC News poll finds 66% of respondents say U.S. should agree to international conference on Arab-Israeli issues if Iraq agrees to withdraw from Kuwait; 68% think if Iraqi doesn't withdraw, U.S. should go to war; 86% believe war is inevitable [WP 1/11].

4 PFLP fighters are killed in shootout with IDF troops in S. Lebanon [JDS 1/12 in FBIS 1/14].