The Palestine Chronology

Secy. of State Christopher meets PLO Chmn. Arafat in Tunis, 1st visit by a U.S. secy. of state to PLO hq. Christopher delivers invitation fr. PM Rabin to Arafat for mtg. in Cairo, says both should reach "agreement so the accord will move forward." Christopher also says he is "impressed" by PLO plans for economic development ino.t. Later Christopher meets in Rabat with Moroccan King Hassan II. (NYT, WP, WT 12/11; NYT 12/13)

3 Palestinians killed by settlers in ambush nr. Hebron. Kach movement claims responsibility for attack. (NYT, WP, WT 12/11)

Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi resigns fr. her PLO posts to form Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights. Ashrawi had earlier been nominated to head PLO office in Washington, D.C. (NYT, WP, WT 12/11)

PFLP mbr. Zaki Ahmad Najar killed in Jabaliya camp, Gaza Strip. PFLP says he died in gun-cleaning accident; other sources blame factional fighting or IDF undercover units. (NYT 12/14

Secy. of State Christopher meets PM Rabin, reports on talks with Syrian, PLO leaders. Christopher reportedly tells Rabin Syria ready to resume negotiations. Rabin says 1st priority is implementing Israel-PLO DoP. Christopher calls that priority "entirely appropriate," but notes U.S. seeks "comprehensive solution in the region." Christopher also meets Palestinian delegation including Faisal Husseini, Ghassan al-Khatib, Zakariya al-Agha, and Hanan Ashrawi. (NYT, WP, WT 12/8; Qol Yisra'el 12/7 in FBIS 12/8)

PLO Chmn. Arafat, in Bonn, says 12/13 deadline for start of Israeli withdrawal "a sacred date," but a PLO source says Arafat told PLO Central Council and Exec. Comm. to expect a delay of 1 to 2 weeks. (NYT 12/8)

Thousands turn out for funeral procession fr. Tel Aviv through Jerusalem to Hebron of settlers killed 12/6. Settlers shoot at Palestinian houses and break car windows in Hebron. (NYT, WT 12/8; WT 12/9)

Shaykh Khalid Zakaria Sakallah, 45, killed by masked gunmen in Gaza. Both Hamas and Fateh condemn killing. (MM 12/8)

Palestinian delegation spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi accepts appointment as PLO rep. in U.S., according to PLO officials in Jordan. Recent changes in U.S. law allow PLO to reopen office in Washington, officially closed since 1988. (WP 11/7)

WP reports that Clinton administration is seeking ways to avoid assessing $437 m. penalty on Israel for continued settlement activity, required by legislation implementing U.S. loan guarantees for Israel. Options include having Israel spend the funds to help implement Palestinian self-rule under Gaza-Jericho accord. (WP 11/6)

PLO Exec. Comm. meeting in Tunis. PFLP threatens walkout of 7 comm. mbrs.- 3 independents, reps. of PFLP, DFLP (Hawatmah), PLF, and ALF - if Chmn. Arafat blocks discussion of financial, political crises. PFLP rep. 'Abd al-Rahman Malluh, independent Bishop Ilyas Khuri, and Shafiq al-Hut do not attend. Mahmud Darwish, who had resigned, says he will attend to show resignation fr. Exec. Comm. "does not mean resignation fr. the PLO." DFLP (Hawatmah) rep. Taysir Khalid says he will demand resignation of all PLO leaders responsible for negotiations with Israel. (MM 8/26, 8/27)

PLO Information head Yasir 'Abd-Rabbuh passes message fr. Chmn. Arafat to French govt. on provisional PLO-Israel accord. 'Abd-Rabbuh later tells RFI "we think that now there is a possibility of an historic breakthrough btwn. us and the Israelis." (MM 8/27)

Al-Sharq al-Awsat quotes delegation spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi as saying delegation cut to 7 negotiators, 1 asst. due to PLO financial straits. (MM 8/26)

PLO Exec. Comm. rejects resignations of negotiators Faisal Husseini, Hanan Ashrawi, and Sa'eb Erakat, appoints them and 4 other mbrs. of delegation to official PLO steering committee. (NYT, WP, WT 8/13)

U.S. and Russia issue invitations for 11th round of Arab-Israeli peace talks, to be held in Washington at end of August. (NYT, WP, WT 8/13)

Egyptian FM 'Amr Musa, at press conference, claims there has been unfair criticism by Palestinians of Egyptian "interference" with Palestinian response to U.S. document, warns if it continues Egypt will reveal details of Palestinian dealings with Israel. PLO delivers message to Musa saying "Egypt did not exert any kind of pressure on the Palestinian leadership." Meanwhile, al-Sharq alAwsat publishes purported excerpts from Palestinian delegation's meeting before going to Tunis for consultations with PLO. "Excerpts" claim delegation protested PLO leadership's decision-making monopoly and "interference in everything," Egyptian "tutelage over the PLO leadership." Delegation spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi denies reports, saying "We have never criticized the Egyptian position." (MM 8/12; Cairo Voice of the Arabs 8/15 in FBIS 8/16)

Syrian Pres. al-Asad, in interview with al-Safir, says "there was no deal" to end "Operation Accountability." He maintains there was "no sellout of the [Lebanese] resistance," and asserts the necessity "to preserve the resistance and to protect it." (MM 8/12)

Pres. Clinton, in meeting with Pope John Paul II in Denver, CO, expresses his "commitment and his support for full diplomatic relations" between the Vatican and Israel, according to U.S. amb. to Vatican Raymond W. Flynn. (WP 8/13)

Israeli settlers wind up 5 days of demonstrations against Rabin govt. with rally in Tel Aviv attended by "several thousand." Settlers' slogans include "Giving up the territories means katyushas on Tel Aviv," and "We won't move from the Golan." (JP 8/21)

Palestinian negotiators Faisal Husseini, Hanan Ashrawi, and Sa'eb Erakat threaten to resign from negotiating team in dispute with PLO over response to U.S. draft "declaration of principles." Delegates travel with Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi to Tunis to discuss issue with Chm. Arafat. (CSM, NYT, WP, WT 8/9)

10th round of peace talks ends in Washington. Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi expresses "strong resentment" of "totally unacceptable" current U.S. working paper. (RMC 7/1 in FBIS 7/1; WP 7/2)

PM Rabin comments on U.S. document, saying, "any changes [to the 12 May document] will not be received by us with great sympathy, but with a disappointment." (MM 7/1)

2 Palestinian gunmen fire on Israeli bus in Jerusalem, killing 1, then hijack a car; IDF shoots, kills them and the Israeli woman driver at a roadblock. (Qol Yisra'el 7/1 in FBIS 7/1; NYT, WP 7/2)

Jordan Bank reaches agreement with Israeli officials to open branches in Ramallah, Nablus, and Hebron. (al-Nahar 7/1 in FBIS 7/2)

AIPAC VP Harvey Friedman resigns after Washington Jewish Week quotes him calling Israeli Dep. FM Yossi Beilin "a little slimeball" in disagreement over Israeli govt's approach to peace process. (NYT 7/2)

U.S. Senate passes by unanimous consent S. Con. Res. 28, calling on Syria to withdraw its forces in Lebanon to the Biqa', Syria and Lebanon to disarm Hizballah, and characterizing 9/92 Lebanese elections as unrepresentative of "the full spectrum of the body politic of Lebanon." (Congressional Record 7/1)

U.S. presents new "working paper" to Israelis and Palestinians, angering the former for allowing final-status discussion of Jerusalem, the latter for focusing on functional rather than territorial jurisdiction in the o.t. At a press briefing, Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi reveals that at outset of 10th round, U.S. officials told Palestinians that Secy. of State Baker's letters of assurance before Madrid conference were "not enforceable," and that letter of invitation was only term of reference. (NYT 7/1; CSM 7/7)

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)

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)

FMs of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the PLO end 2-day meeting in Damascus, delay decision on resuming talks with Israel 4/20 in their final statement. (Radio Lebanon 3/29 in FBIS 3/30; NYT, WP 3/30)

Hanan Ashrawi says Palestinians rejected 3/26 U.S. offers, adds that such assurances are basic rights, "not issues for blackmail, negotiations, or pressure." (MM 3/30)

PLO amb. in Cairo Said Kamal says Pres. Asad and Chmn. Arafat have entrusted Pres. Mubarak to negotiate a solution to the deportees and raise new peace talks ideas during his 4/6 talks with Pres. Clinton in Washington. (MM 3/29)

Jordanian PM Sharif Bin-Shakir tells MPs that his govt. does not accept Israeli-Jordanian draft agenda negotiated by the respective delegations and publicized 10/27/92. It is missing some key points, particularly on Jerusalem. (MM 3/30)

IDF shoots 1 Palestinian dead in Jalazun camp, West Bank. Palestinian worker kills settler near Khan Yunis. Settlers burn down mosque in Gaza Strip. (IDF Radio 3/29 in FBIS 3/30; Qol Yisra'el 3/30 in FBIS 3/31; WP 3/30)

PNC Secy. Muhammad Subayh says PLO is prepared to establish national authority in Gaza Strip, on the basis of a 1974 PNC decision calling for such establishment on any part of o.t. to be liberated. Hanan Ashrawi echoes the statement. (Ha'Aretz, MENA 3/23 in FBIS 3/24)

Meretz faction approves plan for Gaza withdrawal drawn up by Energy Min. Amnon Rubinstein. (Qol Yisra'el 3/23 in FBIS 3/23)

Palestinian stabs settler in West Bank, is shot 10 times and killed by settler after being bound hand and foot. (MM 3/23; NYT, WT 3/24)

UNSC Pres. urges Israel to implement "as soon as possible" UNSCR 799, stresses the importance of resuming the peace talks. Palestinian UN delegate Nasir al-Kidwa called "completely meaningless" the UNSC's "rubber-stamp" (Hanan Ashrawi's word) of the 2/1 U.S.-Israel "100" offer. (WP 2/13)

Undercover IDF soldiers raid Palestinian wedding party in West Bank, shoot and wound the bride's father and arrest her brother. (WT 2/13)

PM Rabin meets with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), chmn. of the foreign operations subcomm., to discuss U.S. aid to Israel. Rabin says afterwards that "Israel is more than entitled to receive the full aid." Issue of aid cut did not arise in Leahy's earlier meetings with Fin. Min. Shohat (Qol Yisra'el 2/8 in FBIS 2/8; MM 2/8; WT 2/9)

Itamar Rabinovich takes office as new Israeli amb. to Washington. (Qol Yisra'el 2/9 in FBIS 2/9)

Hanan Ashrawi and head of Palestinian delegation to multilateral talks on refugees Muhammad Hallaj meet with State Dept., NSC officials involved in the peace process (with follow-up meetings 2/11). PLO pol. adv. Nabil Shaath reiterates 1/12 Palestinian conditions for resumption of peace talks. (MM 2/8)

IDF soldiers disguised as Arabs shoot dead 2 Palestinian youths near Jenin. (Qol Yisra'el 2/8 in FBIS 2/9; WP, WT 2/9)

As part of U.S.-brokered deal, Israel offers to allow 100 Palestinian deportees to return, to reduce the exile period to 1 year and allow relief to the remaining 296. U.S. Secy. of State Christopher says "further action by the UNSC is unnecessary"; Israel's offer came with a U.S. pledge to block any sanctions. (MM, NYT, WP 2/2)

PLO, Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi reject Israel's "100" offer. (Algiers VOP 2/1 in FBIS 2/2; WP 2/2)

Chmn. Arafat meets with King Hussein in Amman, then leaves for Baghdad. (Radio Jordan 2/1, Jordan Times 2/2 in FBIS 2/2)

Israel announces it has arrested a 3rd Palestinian-American connected to Hamas (see 1/31). (Qol Yisra'el 2/1 in FBIS 2/1)

EC FMs meeting in Brussels welcome Israel's "100" offer, but have yet to determine whether it is sufficient to resume negotiations on extending economic cooperation with Israel. FM Peres is attending. (NYT 2/2)

U.S. announces it will include the actions of Hamas in its annual global terrorism report, officially labelling the org. as "terrorist." (WT 2/3)

PM Rabin says that if the PLO and Hamas announce a complete halt to the intifada and pass a 9-month test-period of calm he would begin allowing back the deportees at a rate of 100/month. Hanan Ashrawi terms the offer "unfeasible." (IDF Radio 1/1 in FBIS 1/4)

Lebanon rejects 12/31 Israeli proposal to allow the 10 mistakenly deported Palestinians to return to Israel through Lebanese-controlled crossing points. Lebanon says they must return the way they came, via Zumayriyya, which has been closed and mined by Israel and the SLA. (AFP 1/1 in FBIS 1/4)

Deportees spokesman 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Rantisi welcomes French proposal to put UNIFIL in provisional care of the deportees, as long as it is a temporary solution until UNSCR 799 is implemented. (Radio Lebanon 12/31 in FBIS 1/4)

PM Rabin tells Red Cross officials that Israel will allow passage of relief to the deportees only if Lebanon does also. (AFP 1/1, Qol Yisra'el 1/2 in FBIS 1/4)

Dahaf Institute poll of 523 Jewish Israelis finds 68% feel Israel should not allow a Red Cross convoy of supplies to pass through the "security zone," 32% feel passage should be allowed. 47% feel Israel should agree to PLO participation in peace talks, 53% oppose. (Yedi'ot Aharonot 1/1 in FBIS 1/4)

Demonstrations throughout o.t. mark Fateh Day. (MM 1/1)