Arafat sends PM Netanyahu a letter urging Israel to halt settlement expansion. Netanyahu says he will forge ahead with settlement plans. (IDF Radio 11/25 in WNC 11/26; NYT 11/26; PR 12/6)
PM Netanyahu cancels visit to the U.S. to personally take charge of Hebron negotiations; agrees to a PA demand that Israel include a written pledge to honor all agmts. with the PA with a Hebron...
IDF eases general closure, allowing 20,000 Palestinian workers fr. West Bank, 15,000 fr. Gaza into their jobs in Israel. Qarni crossing point is opened to imports, exports without restriction....
In Hebron, more than 8,000 Israelis march in support of Jewish settlers. IDF beats counterdemonstrators; bars Muslims fr. praying at al-Ibrahimi Mosque; arrests 8 Palestinian, 4 Israeli protesters...
Palestinian home in Hebron is fire bombed, injuring 5 Palestinians, 1 critically. PA police suspect settlers. (MEI 11/8)
Israeli Infrastructure M Sharon unveils plans to build 2 new...
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In Hebron, Palestinians clash with settlers, IDF. Several Palestinians are injured, 9 are arrested. (WT 12/1; ITV 12/1 in WNC 12/3; JP 12/7)
The Jordanian Interior Min. grants a license to operate to a new human rights organization, the Jordanian Human Rights Society, headed by Sulayman Suways. (al-Dustur 12/1 in WNC 12/3) (see 10/19)
Iraq sentences 4 Iraqis to death, 1 to life imprisonment for committing crimes against Jordanians. (al-Dustur 11/30 in WNC 12/3)
IDF kills 2 Hizballah mbrs. in s. Lebanon. (ITV 11/30, RL 12/1 in WNC 12/3)
Arafat sends PM Netanyahu a letter urging Israel to halt settlement expansion. Netanyahu says he will forge ahead with settlement plans. (IDF Radio 11/25 in WNC 11/26; NYT 11/26; PR 12/6)
Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` arrives in London for 4-day official visit. (IDF Radio 11/27, SANA 11/28 in WNC 12/2; MM 11/29)
Iraq accepts conditions set by the UN for implementing the oil-for-food agmt. Secy. Gen. Butros-Ghali must still give the formal go ahead to implement the deal, which would allow Iraq to sell $2 b. worth of oil over 6 mos., with proceeds used to buy food, medicine. (MM 11/25; MM, WP, WT 11/26; WP 11/27; al-Ra'i 11/27 in WNC 11/29; INA 11/29 in WNC 12/2) (see 9/1)
Nr. Jazzin, s. Lebanon, Hizballah mbrs. open fire on car carrying SLA Brig. Gen. Toni Nahrah, killing him. (RL 11/26 in WNC 11/27; al-Nahar 12/27 in WNC 12/2)
The Multilateral Working Group on Refugees opens a 2-day mtg. in Petra. (RJ 11/24 in WNC 11/26; JT 11/27 in WNC 12/2)
In Amman, Jordan, PA hold meeting on economic relations, increasing trade btwn. Jordan, self-rule areas. (JT 11/25 in WNC 11/26)
Saudi Arabian sources say investigators are working on the possibility that the 6/25 Khobar barracks bombing nr. Dahran was carried out by a Hizballah faction, with the aid of Syrian military intelligence. (WT 11/25; WT 11/28; WP 12/1)
In s. Lebanon, 1 SLA mbr. is slightly injured in a clash with Hizballah. (RL 11/25 in WNC 11/27)
PM Netanyahu cancels visit to the U.S. to personally take charge of Hebron negotiations; agrees to a PA demand that Israel include a written pledge to honor all agmts. with the PA with a Hebron agmt., if the PA upholds all of its agmts. (MM 11/13; IDF Radio, ITV 11/13, RJ, VOA 11/14 in WNC 11/15; MM, NYT, WP 11/14; MM 11/15; JP 11/23)
Israeli High Court rules that the Shin Bet may not use force while questioning Muhammad Hamdan, an Islamic Jihad mbr. arrested 10/24, to extract information about any planned anti-Israeli attacks. (WP 11/15; MM 11/18)
Hizballah attacks SLA post in s. Lebanon, killing 1 SLA mbr. (RL 11/13 in WNC 11/14)
IDF eases general closure, allowing 20,000 Palestinian workers fr. West Bank, 15,000 fr. Gaza into their jobs in Israel. Qarni crossing point is opened to imports, exports without restriction. Merchandise may transferred fr. Gaza to Jordan. (NYT 11/11)
IDF clashes with Palestinians protesting expansion of Kiryat Sefer settlement nr. Ramallah, wounding 12 and killing Atallah Amira, who had papers proving his ownership of the disputed land and had been fighting a legal battle with the Israeli government to reclaim it. (MM, NYT 11/11; WJW, WP 11/14; NYT 11/15; MEI 11/22) (see 9/22)
Jordan, U.S. sign aviation agmt., giving American, Jordanian national carriers the freedom to travel to and fr. any location within the boundaries of both countries. It is the U.S.'s 1st "open skies" agmt. with a non-EU country. (JTV 11/10 in WNC 11/14)
In s. Lebanon, 2 IDF soldiers are wounded in clash with Hizballah. (RL 11/10 in WNC 11/13; MM 11/11; WJW 11/14; JP 11/16)
In Hebron, more than 8,000 Israelis march in support of Jewish settlers. IDF beats counterdemonstrators; bars Muslims fr. praying at al-Ibrahimi Mosque; arrests 8 Palestinian, 4 Israeli protesters. (RMC 11/9, ITV 11/10 in WNC 11/13; NYT, WP 11/10; MEI 11/22)
In Amman, Laith Shubailat, pres. of the Jordan Engineers association and a leading opponent of normalization with Israel, is granted amnesty, released fr. prison. Shubailat was arrested 12/9/95 on charges of sedition for his statements during a press conference and was given 3 yrs. in jail. (NYT 11/10; MM 11/12; MEI 11/22) (see 3/17)
In s. Lebanon, Hizballah shell hits IDF tank, killing 1 soldier, wounding 3. (ITV, RL 11/9, RL 11/10 in WNC 11/13; MM 11/11; WJW 11/14)
Palestinian home in Hebron is fire bombed, injuring 5 Palestinians, 1 critically. PA police suspect settlers. (MEI 11/8)
Israeli Infrastructure M Sharon unveils plans to build 2 new settlements that would double the number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank. (ITV 11/3 in WNC 11/5; MM 11/4; CSM, MM, WP, WT 11/5; PR 11/8; WP 11/19)
In s. Lebanon, Hizballah detonates roadside bomb and SLA convoy passes, killing 1 SLA mbr. In response, IDF shells highlands n. of Israeli occupied zone, wounding 1 civilian. Israel admits responsibility for mistakenly firing at a village. (RL, al-Ra'i 11/3 in WNC 11/5; WP 11/4; JP 11/16)
