The Palestine Chronology

Pres. Mubarak meets with Chmn. Arafat in Cairo. (MM 3/29)

Two Palestinians stab Gaza settler to death, settlers riot; Israel seals Strip as of 3/29. Palestinians fire on IDF from car in Gaza City; IDF shoots 1 dead, wounds 2. (Qol Yisra'el 3/28 in FBIS 3/29; MM 3/29; WP 3/29)

New York Times prints letter from the "Liberation Army Fifth Battalion" claiming responsibility for 2/26 World Trade Center bombing. The letter, received by the Times 4 days after the bombing, says U.S. aid to Israel is the bombers' main grievance. (NYT 3/28)

Knesset elects Ezer Weizman president of Israel, 66 to 53. (Qol Yisra'el 3/24 in FBIS 3/24; NYT, WP 3/25)

Egypt turns over Mahmud Abu Halima (arrested 3/14 in roundup of Islamic militants) to U.S. officials. The 4th suspect in 2/26 World Trade Center bombing is then flown to New York. Bilal al-Kaisi, Jordanian national living in New Jersey, turns himself in and is charged with aiding and abetting the bombing. (MM 3/24, 3/26; NYT 3/25)

IDF shoots 2 Palestinians dead in o.t. Two other Palestinians die of wounds inflicted 3/22, 3/23. (MM 3/24, 3/25)

IDF soldier who shot boy 3/22 receives 14-day jail sentence pending further investigation. (MM 3/25; WT 3/31)

Israeli planes raid Hizballah target north of "security zone" in first such air raid of the year. (Radio Lebanon 3/24 in FBIS 3/25)

Speaking to Muslim clerics in Damascus, Pres. Asad says he seeks comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace, not a separate deal. (SARR 3/18 in FBIS 3/18; MM 3/18; NYT 3/19)

IDF kills 2, wounds up to 90 Palestinians in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip. Settlers rampage near Nablus, setting fire to Palestinian-owned gas station, to avenge 3/15 killings. (MM 3/17; NYT 3/18)

Federal grand jury indicts Muhammad Salameh and Nidal Ayyad on charge of carrying out 2/26 World Trade Center bombing. Ibrahim al-Gabrowni is charged with obstruction of justice and fraud. (WP, WT 3/18)

U.S. and Russia invite parties to resume peace talks 4/20. Palestinian delegation refuses to accept letter of invitation in Jerusalem. Multilateral water talks are scheduled for Geneva 4/27. (AFP 3/10 in FBIS 3/10; MM 3/10; NYT, WP 3/11)

PLO pol. dept. head Faruq al-Qaddumi meets with Syrian FM Shara' in Damascus. Qaddumi says Arab states may go to the talks without the Palestinians to "test U.S. intentions." PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Mahmud Abbas meets with Egyptian FM 'Amr Musa in Cairo. (RMC, SARA 3/10 in FBIS 3/10; MENA 3/10 in FBIS 3/11; MM 3/11)

Hamas and Fateh agree to establish intifada "joint command," other committees to enhance cooperation. (WT 3/11)

Israel lodges formal complaint with UNRWA over an official's alleged negligence during 3/2 incident in Gaza Strip (see 3/6). (Qol Yisra'el 3/10 in FBIS 3/11)

IDF shoots Palestinian youth dead near Jerusalem. IDF soldier stabbed, critically wounded in Nazareth. (Qol Yisra'el 3/11 in FBIS 3/11; WT 3/11)

Fateh official assassinated in Tyre, Lebanon. (Radio Lebanon 3/10 in FBIS 3/11)

New Jersey resident and chemical engineer Nidal Ayyad is arrested in connection with 2/26 World Trade Center bombing. (WP 3/11)

U.S. amb. to Israel William Harrop criticizes pace of economic reform in Israel, and warns of possible U.S. aid cuts. (WT 3/5)

New York Times op-ed says Pres. Asad told Secy. of State Christopher that he would agree to implement a peace agreement "gradually" (see 2/21). (NYT 3/4; MM 3/5)

Hamas spokesman in Amman Ibrahim Ghawshah says it was Hamas that suspended talks with U.S. when the latter did not agree to a 3rd meeting with its amb. in Amman, and that the 2 meetings with lower diplomats focused on the deportees (see 3/2). (Sawt al-Sha'b 3/5 in FBIS 3/5)

Belgium raises status of the PLO mission in Brussels, still short of full diplomatic recognition; Israel protests. (Algiers VOP 3/4 in FBIS 3/5; MM 3/5)

Yeshiva student stabbed in Jerusalem's Old City. (Qol Yisra'el 3/4 in FBIS 3/5)

Palestinian-born Muhammad Salameh is arrested and charged in connection with 2/26 World Trade Center bombing. Also arrested is Ibrahim al-Gabrowni, a relative of Sayyid Nusayr (imprisoned on crimes connected with assassination of Rabbi Meir Kahane 2 years ago) and an official at Egyptian Islamic leader Shaykh 'Umar 'Abd al-Rahman's mosque in Brooklyn. 'Abd al-Rahman was tried in connection with Pres. Sadat's assassination in 1981. (WT 3/5; NYT 3/8)