The Palestine Chronology

U.S. Secy. of State Christopher cancels plans to visit Middle East this wk. due to Haiti invasion, should arrive after 9/20. (MM 9/12)

U.S. VP Gore announces U.S. will loan Palestinian private sector $87 m. for 9 projects planned to create 1,800 temporary and permanent jobs in Gaza, West Bank. (MM 9/13; JP 9/24)

At Labor Party caucus, PM Rabin says if Knesset passes law requiring special majority for withdrawal fr. Golan, it will torpedo talks with Syria, divert money fr. welfare to defense; calls proposal "racist move, aimed at minimizing . . . the Arab vote." Most Labor hawks defer to Rabin. Likud Party chmn. Moshe Qatzav says Likud will not honor withdrawal agmt. if national referendum is not held. (ITV 9/11 in FBIS 9/13; MM 9/12; QY 9/12 in FBIS 9/13; JP 9/17; MM 9/21; JP 9/24) (see 9/7)

Israeli-Palestinian Security Comm. meets to discuss release of Palestinian detainees, safe passage, joint patrols. No agmts. reached. (QY, VOP 9/12 in FBIS 9/13)

Israeli Finance M Avraham Shohat meets Arafat in Gaza, gives PNA $5 m. in VAT taxes on goods imported to the self-rule areas via Israeli ports, says Israel will speed up transfer of tax funds as goodwill gesture. (IDF Radio, QY, VOP 9/12 in FBIS 9/13; MM 9/13; JP 9/24)

Jordanian-Israeli talks on borders, water, security, energy, environment, tourism, economy continue in Tiberias. Jordan-Israel-U.S. trilateral comm. continues talks on development of Jordan Rift. (RJ 9/11 in FBIS 9/12; MM 9/12)

Israel PM Rabin, Pres. Clinton hold joint teleconference with American Jews at 70 sites around U.S.; discuss peace process, threat from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Iran. (MM, WP, WT 9/13; QY 9/13 in FBIS 9/13)

2d IDF officer arrested in connection with illegal extremist right-wing organization. Lt. Qobi Pino, settler fr. Qiryat Arba, is 10th arrested for anti-Arab activity. (IDF Radio 9/12 in FBIS 9/14)

Israeli police arrest 2 settlers fr. Hebron area (bringing total arrested 9), say more arrests are expected in crackdown on anti-Arab extremists. Settlers claim detainees have been tortured by Shin Bet, Israeli AG opens investigation. (MM 9/12; WT 9/13; NYT 9/15)

Hamas, DFLP, PFLP, Islamic Jihad hold mtg. in Gaza, issue statement criticizing Arafat, recent arrests, Oslo and Cairo agmts. (QY, QPAR 9/11 in FBIS 9/12; QPAR, VOP 9/12 in FBIS 9/13)

Israeli PM Rabin publicly outlines timetable for early withdrawal fr. Golan for 1st time: proposes initial "very slight" pullback for 3 yrs. (preserving all settlements) in exchange for full normalization of relations, inc. exchange of ambs. Syrian FM al-Shara` replies Syria is ready for a "warm peace," but long period of withdrawal is unacceptable. (MM 9/8; ITV 9/8 in FBIS 9/14; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/9; JP 9/17)

IDF says it will change patrol routes in southern Gaza after study shows 1 soldier wounded in earlier attack was shot accidently by Palestinian police. New roads will be built for IDF use only; joint patrols will "only meet at junctions." (HA 9/8 in FBIS 98)

Arafat meets with Hamas leaders for 1st time, says PNA will give financial aid to Islamic University in Gaza, a Hamas stronghold. (AFP 9/8 in FBIS 9/9; JP 9/17)

Israeli FM Peres says Orient House is open for political meetings with diplomats, contradicting previous government statements. (Al-Hamishmar 9/8 in FBIS 9/8)

IDF arrests 1 settler fr. Qiryat Arba, 1 fr. Hebron on charges of harassing Arabs. (IDF Radio, QY 9/8 in FBIS 9/9; MM 9/9)

Hizballah fires on IDF patrol in Marj `Uyun in southern Lebanon, kill 1 soldier. 2 hrs. later, 2 Lebanese civilians wounded by IDF retaliatory fire. (ITV 9/8 in FBIS 9/9; WP 9/9; WJW 9/15)

Palestinian police release 10 Islamic Jihad mbrs. arrested 9/6. (QY 9/8 in FBIS 9/9)

American Jewish Comm. release survey showing 77% of American Jews approve of Israel's handling of peace negotiations; 53% believe PLO's true intent is to destroy Israel; 44% believe Palestinians are interested in "lasting peace." (Near East Report 9/19)

Syrian FM al-Shara` calls Israeli proposal of 8/23 recipe for resumption of Lebanese civil war; rebukes Rabin for saying Israel would agree to continued Syrian presence in Lebanon, saying that is a matter for Syria, Lebanon to discuss. (MM 9/7) (see 8/23, 9/5)

Arafat meets with World Bank officials in preparation for Paris mtg. of donor countries 9/9. World Bank says it will release $30 m. of $180 m. slotted for development of autonomous areas. (VOP 9/7 in FBIS 9/7; JP 9/17)

MK's Shimon Shetrit, Avigdor Kahalani meet with 6 MK's fr. Labor, Yi'ud, Shas, draft bill that would require any withdrawal fr. Golan to have broad national backing, be supported by special majority of 70 MK's. (ITV 9/9 in FBIS 9/13)

Hamas says it is forming a political party so its mbrs. can take political posts in PNA, take part in elections. (CSM 9/13)

Arafat permits senior Hamas figure, Imad Faluji, to start daily newspaper Al-Watan. (MM 9/8)

DFLP SG Nayif Hawatmeh says crackdown on Islamic Jihad, DFLP paired with Hamas rapprochement is Arafat's divide-and-rule tactic. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, DFLP each issue leaflet demanding release of mbrs. recently arrested by Palestinian police. DFLP claims 14 mbrs. arrested in past wk. (MM 9/7, 9/8)

Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi says he is considering deporting 30,000 Palestinians to Gaza now that it is autonomous. Palestinians in Libya report many have been fired from jobs recently, lending weight to the threat. (Al-Quds 9/7 in MM 9/7; MM 9/15)

IDF shells Iqlim al-Tuffah in southern Lebanon, arrests 4 civilians accused of aiding Hizballah. (RL 9/7 in FBIS 9/8)

Jordanian PM `Abd al-Salam al-Majali meets with PNA Transportation M `Abd al-`Aziz al-Haj Ahmad, Dir. of CAA Fayiz Zaydan on technical assistance in building PNA infrastructure. (RJ 9/6 in FBIS 9/7)

Palestinian police detain 49 Islamic Jihad mbrs. in Gaza after attack 9/4, say they discovered faxes to Islamic Jihad fr. Iran (some via 3d parties) during raids. (QY 9/6 in FBIS 9/6; MM, QPAR, VOP 9/6 in FBIS 9/7; WT 9/7; MM 9/8; CSM 9/13; JP 9/17)

Syrian government criticizes Morocco for normalizing relations with Israel. (WT 9/7)

Israel lifts ban preventing 44 PNC mbrs. from entering self-rule area, hoping they will convene mtg. to revise PLO charter. (WT 9/5)

Islamic Jihad kills 1 soldier, wounds 2 in drive-by shooting of IDF patrol on Gaza-Israel border. In separate incident, Palestinians injure 2 Israelis in stabbing in Jerusalem. (WT 9/5; QY, VOP 9/5 in FBIS 9/6)

Israeli FMin. issues formal apology to Pakistani PM Bhutto regarding dispute over her trip to Gaza. (MEI 9/9)