The Palestine Chronology

Five thousand Palestinians celebrate the return of 15 post-1967 deportees and their families, among them former Birzeit U. pres. Hanna Nasir (NYT, WP 5/1; MM 4/29, 4/30)

B'Tselem calls on Israeli govt. to compensate Palestinians unemployed because of o.t. closure, allow freedom of movement in o.t. (MM 4/30)

Ten Palestinian rejectionist orgs. end 4- day meeting in Tehran. Iran is reportedly disappointed that it could not motivate the factions to set up an anti-PLO leadership. (al-Sharq al-Awsat 5/1, Sawt al-Sha'b 5/5 in FBIS 5/5)

IDF helicopters attack PFLP-GC base in 'Ayn al-Hilwa camp, Sidon, Lebanon. (QPAR 4/30 in FBIS 5/3)

U.S. State Dept. releases annual report on terrorism, with Hamas included on "major groups" list for 1st time. (DOS)

Israeli and Palestinian delegations agree to form 3 working groups to explore land and water, self-rule, and human rights. Two diaspora Palestinians - Ahmad Khalidi and Camille Mansour - will be present at main bilateral negotiations. (ITV 4/30 in FBIS 5/3)

Saudi interior min. bans Islamic groups from soliciting funds unless specifically authorized, to stave use of Saudi money for political violence in other countries. (NYT 5/1)

Islamic Conference Org. (ICO) FMs end 5-day meeting in Karachi, form working group to define terrorism and call for UN conf. on the issue. PLO is "disappointed" over ICO grants of $90m to Bosnia, $10m to Palestinians. (MM 4/29, 4/30)

Israel allows 5,000 diaspora Palestinians to reunite with their o.t. families. Due soon for their summer visits, they will be allowed to stay on. (Qol Yisra'el 4/29 in FBIS 4/29; MM 4/29, 4/30)

IDF shoots 5 Palestinians dead in o.t. (NYT 4/29)

Secy. of State Christopher opens ninth round of peace talks in Washington, urging parties to focus on substance, not procedure. Syrian delegation head Muwaffaq al-'Allaf and Palestinian delegate Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi say separately that Israel presented nothing new to their respective delegations. (SARR 4/27, Qol Yisra'el 4/28 in FBIS 4/28; WT 4/28)

Israel proposes transferring some powers, including budgetary and police, to o.t. authority as talks proceed, to demonstrate to Palestinians that talks produce tangible results. (MM 4/29)

Two-day UN-supervised Israeli-Palestinian conf. on status of Jerusalem ends in Athens. Labor MK Ya'el Dayan and PLO official Sami Musallam were among the participants. (Qol Yisra'el 4/28 in FBIS 4/28)

Strike in o.t., Palestinian camps called by 10 Palestinian rejectionist factions is widely observed (see 4/25). (RFL 4/27 in FBIS 4/27; WT 4/28)

Head of U.S. State Dept. Policy Planning Samuel Lewis meets with PM Rabin, FM Peres in Jerusalem. (MM 4/27)

Deportees march to Zumayriyya crossing-point in southern Lebanon, stage sit-in. (Qol Yisra'el, QPAR 4/28 in FBIS 4/29)

IDF shoot Palestinian boy dead in Gaza Strip. (Qol Yisra'el 4/26 in FBIS 4/27)

Sidon personalities call for end to intra-Palestinian fighting. (VOO 4/27 in FBIS 4/27)

Ten Palestinian rejectionist factions issue statement condemning resumption of peace talks, call for strike 4/27. (QPAR 4/25 in FBIS 4/27)

IDF open fire on car ignoring orders to stop in West Bank, wounding 2 Israeli children. (MM 4/26)

Hizballah fires 6 rockets into "security zone"; IDF shells villages north of zone. SLA kill 2 DFLP gunmen in clash inside zone. (AFP 4/25, VOL 4/26 in FBIS 4/27; NYT 4/26)

Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi resigns from Palestinian delegation, but is coaxed back by other delegates and Gaza supporters. 'Abd al-Shafi disagrees with PLO decision to resume talks. (Qol Yisra'el 4/24 in FBIS 4/26)

IDF shoot dead unarmed Iraqi infiltrator just north of 'Aqaba. (MM 4/26)

FM Peres announces proposal to establish Palestinian police force, talks of "full self-government" for Palestinians. (MM 4/23)

Israel imposes total closure of o.t., allowing in no Palestinians until 4/27, after 2 holidays. (Qol Yisra'el 4/23 in FBIS 4/23)

U.S. announces amb. to Israel William Harrop has resigned. He will be replaced "for an interim period" by former amb. to Israel William Brown (see 3/4). (MM 4/28)

IDF shoots 1 Palestinian dead, wounds 65, in Gaza Strip. (NYT 4/24)

Hanan Ashrawi says Israel will allow 30 post-1967 deportees to return following resumption of talks 4/27. (AFP 4/22 in FBIS 4/22; MM 4/26)

PM Rabin meets with Egyptian pol. adv. 'Usama al-Baz, hands him message to deliver to Pres. Mubarak. (IDF Radio 4/22 In FBIS 4/23)

Hizballah, Palestinian groups fire rockets from southern Lebanon into Israel (largest barrage in 6 months), wounding 2 Israeli women. Israel, SLA shell villages north of "security zone." (NYT 4/23)

Washington Jewish Week reports that 4 U.S. congressional reps. have resigned from 15- mbr. task force that published report on terrorism 3/23, questioning the quality of the research. (WJW 4/22)

FMs of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and the PLO end 6 days of meetings in Damascus, agree to resume talks 4/27, a 1-week delay (see 4/17). Haydar 'Abd al-Shafis "surprised" by the PLO decision to resume. (SARR 4/21 in FBIS 4/21; JTV 4/21 in FBIS 4/22; MM 4/21; NYT, WP 4/22)

Israel announces it has "no plans" to deport Palestinians, while reserving the right to do so, allows East Jerusalemite Faisal Husseini to head Palestinian delegation. (NYT, WP 4/22)

Palestinian Peoples' Party mbr. and delegate Ghassan al-Khatib announces he and fellow PPP mbr. Samir Abdallah will boycott the next round of talks. (RMC 4/21 in FBIS 4/22; WT 4/22)

At news conf., Secy. of State Christopher calls Palestinian decision to resume talks "courageous"; through negotiations, Palestinians 'can see occupation give way to selfgovernment." (MM, NYT, WP 4/22)

Fateh issues warning against attacks on Palestinian negotiators. (Jordan Times 4/24 in FBIS 4/26)

Hamas spokesman Ibrahim Ghawshah rules out violence against Palestinian negotiators, calls resumption of talks a "cheap sellout," the PLO's "biggest historic mistake" which will have to be corrected because of popular opposition; because of its stand, Hamas is gaining popularity in o.t. (MM 4/21; Jordan Times 4/24 in FBIS 4/26)

IDF shoots 2 Palestinians dead, wounds over 50 in Gaza Strip in worst clashes since o.t. were sealed 3/31. (MM 4/21; WP 4/22; Qol Yisra'el 4/21, 4/22 in FBIS 4/22)

Arab Monetary Fund reports Arab states lost $676 billion during Gulf crisis and war. (MM 4/21)

U.S. State Dept. sends letter to Intl. Steering Comm. on Freedom of Trade with Israel stating that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have pledged to lift their boycott of companies doing business with Israel. (MM 4/30; WT 5/5)

IDF rains over 100 shells on villages north of "security zone" as resistance fighters launch over 50 rockets into northern Israel from Lebanon. (MM 4/21, 4/22; Qol Yisra'el 4/21, 4/22 in FBIS 4/22)

Chmn. Arafat meets with advisors, PNC and delegation mbrs. in Amman to decide on resumption of talks. (MM, WP 4/21)

Arab League Ministerial Council ends 2- day meeting in Cairo. (MENA 4/18 in FBIS 4/20)

IDF destroys 4 houses, shoots armed Palestinian dead in Gaza Strip. (MM 4/20; NYT 4/21; WP 4/22)

Islamic Resistance clash with IDF, SLA in 4 separate attacks, killing 2and kidnapping 2 SLA gunmen in "security zone." Israel, SLA shell villages north of zone. (Radio Lebanon, VOL 4/20 in FBIS 4/21)

Pres. Asad meets with Chmn. Arafat, PLO officials, and delegation mbrs. in Latakiafirst Asad-Arafat meeting in over a year. PLO group then travels to Amman. (WP, WT 4/20; RJN, SARR 4/20 in FBIS 4/20)

Peace Now calls on PM Rabin to seize the moment for peace, presents 10 principles. (MM 4/19)

Ten Palestinian rejectionist factions issue statement condemning current diplomacy seeking to resume peace talks. (QPAR 4/19 in FBIS 4/20)

Palestinian dentist, an UNRWA and Red Crescent official, is assassinated in Sidon, Lebanon. Fateh blames FRC, Mossad. Two FRC mbrs. are found dead in Sidon. (RFL 4/19 in FBIS 4/20; Voice of the PLO [Baghdad] 4/20 in FBIS 4/21)

Saudi FM Prince Saud Faisal calls on Gulf states to release funds to PLO, including the 5% "PLO tax" on Palestinian workers halted after the Gulf war. King Fahd pledges a contribution to the Jerusalem Fund. (MM 4/20; WT 4/20; SPA 4/19 in FBIS 4/20)

IDF undercover units shoot 1 Palestinian dead in West Bank, 1 in Gaza Strip. (MM 4/20)

PFLP Red Eagles, in retaliation for 4/16 IDF attack on leader's car in Lebanon, kill Israeli lawyer and EC consultant in Gaza City, 1st Israeli killed since o.t. were sealed 3/31. Govt. votes to maintain closure; about 9,000 Palestinians are being allowed in daily. (Qol Yisra'el 4/18 in FBIS 4/19; MM, NYT, WP 4/19)

At Arab FMs meeting in Damascus, Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara' receives call from Secy. of State Christopher. FMs delay decision on resuming talks until after Arab League meeting 4/20. PM Rabin tells Israeli delegation to delay departure for Washington. (AFP, MENA, SANA 4/17 in FBIS 4/19; NYT, WP 4/18)

"Hundreds" of Druze in Majdal Shams, Golan Heights, demonstrate on Syrian independence day. Stonethrowers wound 11 Israeli police, dispersing the crowd with tear gas. (Qol Yisra'el 4/17 in FBIS 4/20)

Hizballah, Amal shell SLA positions in "security zone," killing 1 SLA soldier. Israel, SLA shell villages. (NYT 4/18)

PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. Yasir'Abd-Rabbuh, delegation spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi say some obstacles to Palestinian participation in 4/20 talks remain; Palestinians will seek delay to resumption. (MM 4/16; NYT, WP 4/17)

Southern Lebanon deportees sign wills, don funeral shrouds, stage "death march" towards Israel, are driven back by over 20 Israeli shells. (VOM 4/15, IDF Radio 4/16 in FBIS 4/16; MM 4/16)

Hamas car bomb near West Bank Israeli settlement kills the driver and 1 other Palestinian, wounds 8 IDF soldiers. (MM 4/16; IDF Radio 4/17 in FBIS 4/20; NYT, WP 4/17)

IDF helicopters attack PFLP cmdr. Samir Suwaydan's motorcade, killing his wife and daughter, 1 other civilian, just north of the "security zone." (NYT 4/18; AFP 4/16, HaAretz 4/18 in FBIS 4/19)

Former Pres. Bush ends 3-day visit to Kuwait, where he received an honorary Ph.D. and standing ovations for defending Kuwait. (MM 4/15; NYT 4/16)

British Foreign Office Min. Douglas Hogg calls on Arab states to lift tertiary boycott of Israel. (MM 4/15)

Pres. Mubarak meets with PM Rabin in Ismayliyya, Egypt. In news conf., Rabin says Palestinians have already decided to resume talks, conflict will ultimately be settled through land for peace. (MM 4/14; ARER, MENA 4/14 in FBIS 4/15; NYT, WT 4/15)

Head of Palestinian negotiating team Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi leads Palestinian delegation in meetings with State Dept. officials in Washington. (RJN 4/15 in FBIS 4/15; WP 4/17)

Jerusalem Post reports concessions worked out between Israel and U.S., to be announced if Palestinians agree to resume talks: (1) over 101 12/17/92 deportees returned immediately; (2) up to 100 (of 1,200) post-1967 deportees allowed to return; (3) Israeli statement against deportations except in "extraordinary" cases; (4) Faisal Husseini to head Palestinian delegation; (5) liberalize o.t. financial/building restrictions (see 2/24, 3/3, 3/26). (MM 4/14)

IDF opens fire in crowded Nablus market, wounding 4. Target was 3 masked men reading statement on 5th anniv. of Israeli assassination of Khalil al-Wazir (Abu Jihad). (IDF Radio 4/14 in FBIS 4/15; WT 4/15)

Fateh gunmen assassinate FRC official and 6-month-old son in Sidon, Lebanon. (RMC, VOL 4/15 in FBIS 4/15)

Pres. Mubarak meets with, receives list of demands from Chmn. Arafat, Faisal Husseini in Cairo. Meeting with PM Rabin 4/14, Mubarak hopes to shore up gaps between Israel and Palestinians as 4/20 date for talks nears. (NYT 4/14, 4/15)

Hizballah roadside bomb kills 3 IDF soldiers on northern edge of "security zone"-heaviest IDF casualties in Lebanon since 10/25/92. Israel unleashes up to 200 shells on villages north of zone. (VOL 4/13 in FBIS 4/13; IDF Radio 4/13 in FBIS 4/14; MM 4/13, 4/14)

Hamas issues statement in Amman denouncing "behind-the-scenes moves" by Palestinian negotiators "chosen by Rabin and Christopher" in "flagrant violation of the national will," regarding efforts to resume peace talks. (MM 4/13)

In interviewith al-Hayat, Kuwaiti FM Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah says that Kuwait can not mend fences with the PLO, differentiating between the Palestine cause and Yasir Arafat, "whose name the people of Kuwait can't bear to hear." Reconciliation with Jordan will be easier; hints at possible lifting of parts of Arab boycott of Israel. (MM 4/13)

Israeli shoots Palestinian dead near Jerusalem. (Qol Yisra'el 4/12 in FBIS 4/12)

Israeli cabinet endorses PM Rabin's 3/30 decision to seal o.t. indefinitely and sharply reduce number of Palestinian workers in Israel, deciding weekly how many to admit (7,000 "essential" permits approved today). Training programs are approved to replace 20,000 Palestinians with Israelis. (Qol Yisra'el 4/11 in FBIS 4/12; WP 4/12; MM 4/13)

Israel approves 1993 o.t. development budget of NIS 450m ($164m), nearly 4 times the 1992 budget. NIS 140m will be spent immediately, with new work starting 4/18. CIVAD demands yearly increase of NIS 300m. (Al Hamishmar 4/13 in FBIS 4/13; JP 4/24)

Deportees spokesman 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Rantisi calls Faisal Husseini an "outright traitor" for his 4/10 statement on deportees issue. (WT 4/12)

Davar reports EC has approved Israel's "observer" status. (FBIS 4/13)

Faisal Husseini says immediate return of all deportees is no longer a condition for Palestinian participation in next round of talks. (AFP 4/11 in FBIS 4/12; NYT, WT 4/12)

At U.S. urging, FM Peres says Israel will allow East Jerusalemite Faisal Husseini to become head of Palestinian delegation. (Davar 4/7 in FBIS 4/7; NYT 4/8; WP 4/10

About 3,000 o.t. Palestinian workers are allowed to enter Israel. (Qol Yisra'el 4/8 in FBIS 4/8)

IDF shoots 13-year-old Palestinian girl dead in Gaza Strip. (Qol Yisra'el 4/8 in FBIS 4/9)

Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara' meets with U.S. congressional delegation. (Syrian TV 4/8 in FBIS 4/12)

Housing Min. begins selling 250 apartments in large Golan Heights settlement Qatzrin at greatly reduced prices. 1,500 other units on the Golan are to be sold by govt. soon. (Qol Yisra'el 4/7 in FBIS 4/7)

Al-Hayat reports that Hamas's 1988 charter is being revised. (MM 4/7)

Pres. Clinton meets with Pres. Mubarak in Washington. In news conf., Clinton says Israel has done enough to coax Palestinians to the table, U.S. will not seek further Israeli concessions. Mubarak says the "Palestinians will come," and will appeal to Chmn. Arafat to resume talks. (MM, WP, WT 4/7)

UNLU issues call no. 94. (Algiers VOP 4/6 in FBIS 4/7)

IDF shoots Palestinian dead in West Bank. (Qol Yisra'el 4/6 in FBIS 4/7)

Extended Palestinian leadership suspends 4 days of meetings in Tunis, postpones decision on resumption of talks until 4/18-19 FMs meeting in Amman. Hamas declined invitation to attend. (RMC 4/3 in FBIS 4/5; Radio Algiers 4/5 in FBIS 4/6)

Palestinian Christians demand access to East Jerusalem on Easter. O.t. have been sealed since 3/31. (WT 4/6)

Fateh commander in Lebanon accuses Lebanon and Syria of aiding Fateh Revolutionary Council (Abu Nidal) to force Palestinians to resume talks with Israel, declares open war on FRC. Fateh fires rockets at Israel, landing harmlessly in"security zone," in retaliation for 4/1 assassination-lst Fateh attacks on Israel since 10/91. (WT 4/6; AFP, VOL 4/6 in FBIS 4/7)

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) labor. mins. meet in Amman, first such meeting in Jordan since the Gulf war. Kuwait announces it will honor its compensation pledges to Jordanians and Palestinians who lost their jobs after the war. (MM 4/2, 4/14)

PM Rabin receives, accepts invitation to meet with Pres. Mubarak "anytime" -- the two will probably meet in Egypt before the scheduled 4/20 resumption of talks. (IDF Radio, Qol Yisra'el 4/5 in FBIS 4/5)

Israel cabinet sets up special comm. to suggest ways to "radically" reduce the number of Palestinians working in Israel. Env. Min. Yossi Sarid says Israel should increase investment ino.t. and pay unemployment benefits to o.t. workers. Tourism Min. Uzi Baram says Israelis realize that political solution is needed to separate Israel from the o.t. (Qol Yisra'el 4/4 in FBIS 4/5)

IDF mistakenly shoots Israeli policeman dead, wounds 2 others, as their car avoids 2 roadblocks in West Bank. (MM 4/26)

Two Hizballah fighters die in attack on Israeli position in Marjayun, inside the "security zone"; Israel shells villages. (AFP 4/3 in FBIS 4/5)

Meeting with EC delegation in Jerusalem, Faisal Husseini says Israel has created a new obstacle to resuming talks by turning the o.t. into a "massive collective prison" (sealed 3/31). EC reps. then meet with Israeli officials. (ITV 4/1 in FBIS 4/2; NYT 4/2)

Responding to an agricul. min. request, IDF orders 1,500 soldiers to work on farms hit hard by lack of Palestinian workers from o.t. (MM 4/2)

IDF gunboats, helicopters attack PFLP-GC, Islamic Jihad bases in Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, Tripoli, Lebanon, wounding 3. Palestinians repel Israeli troop landing at the coastal bases with heavy gunfire. Bomb inside "security zone" kills 2 SLA soldiers; Israel shells targets north. Fateh blames Israel for assassination of its top security official in Beirut. (AFP, RFL 4/1 in FBIS 4/1; IDF Radio 4/1 in FBIS 4/2; Algiers VOP 4/3 in FBIS 4/7; MM 4/1)

Four Palestinian suspected Abu Nidal mbrs. living in the U.S. are indicted on charges of conspiracy to smuggle money and weapons, and plan attacks on Jews and the Israeli embassy. (MM, NYT 4/2)