The Palestine Chronology

Arab League, Bahrain, Morocco, UAE announce that they will not attend the Doha economic summit. Oman says it will send a low-level delegation. Israeli FM Levy says Israel will send a delegation, but he himself may not attend as previously planned. Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria already have said that they will not attend. (MENA, Radio Oman [Muscat] 11/12 in WNC 11/14; CSM, NYT 11/13)

Israel lifts quotas on Palestinians working in Israel. (YA 11/12 in WNC 11/14)

In Amman, Jordanian security arrests an Israel Arab businessman on suspicion of being a Mossad agent. The man's office is located in the same building as Hamas leader Mishal's. (YA 11/12 in WNC 11/14)

UNSC votes unanimously to ban international travel by Iraqi officials, to postpone review of sanctions until Iraq cooperates with UNSCOM by allowing Americans on inspection teams. Resolution does not threaten use of force, but U.S. Amb. to the UN Bill Richardson says U.S. is considering a military option. In the last 10 days, Iraq has turned back UNSCOM teams with American mbrs. 9 times. (NYT, WP, WT 11/13) (see 11/2)

U.S. says that over the past wk. and a half, it has moved 4 F-16s fighters, 5 KD-135 tankers to Incirlik air base nr. Adana, Turkey, to expand monitoring of n. Iraq no-fly zone. (WP 11/12)

At the close of its 3-day mtg., the Arab League issues a final communiqué, praising efforts by Secy. of State Albright to restart peace talks; denouncing Israel's continued settlement expansion, particularly Ras al-Amud; ignoring Turkish-Israeli military maneuvers scheduled for 11/97; leaving it to individual mbrs. to decide whether to boycott the upcoming Doha econommic summit (see 9/13). FMs also vote to ignore UN sanctions against Libya. (CSM, MM, NYT, WT 9/22; al-Ittihad, MENA 9/23 in WNC 9/24; MM 9/25)

Palestinian owner of 1 Ras al-Amud house occupied by rabbinical students, Fuad Hadiya, returns from Romania to reclaim his property, asserting that he never sold it. Moskowitz claims that the Palestinian family willingly sold the building to Jews, who in turn sold it to him. (CSM, NYT 9/22; WT 9/24; PR 10/3) (see 9/18)

Israeli cabinet secy. Dani Nave leaves for Washington to prepare for FM Levy's mtg. with Arafat adviser Mahmud Abbas, Secy. of State Albright 9/28+n29. (MM, WT 9/22)

The Geneva-based World Council of Churches issues a letter condemning Israel's "intransignet" policies toward Palestinians, including collective punishment. (WT 9/22)

Israeli elite paratrooper, undercover units arrest nearly 100 of West Bank Palestinians in an extensive crackdown (concentrated in the area of Assira) on alleged Islamists. Until now, Israel has reported no leads in the 7/30, 9/4 suicide bombings. At the same time, IDF allows 4,000 Palestinian construction workers to enter Israel. 10,000 Palestinians were allowed entry last wk. (NYT, WT 9/22; WP 9/24; MEI 9/26)

Jordan releases Hamas spokesman Ghawshah. (MM 9/22; al-Quds 9/23 in WNC 9/25) (see 9/8)

In Cairo, Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak, Arafat discuss deterioration of the peace process. (RE 5/21 in WNC 5/22; RE 5/22 in WNC 5/23)

In Moscow, Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara`, Russian FM Yevgeny Primakov discuss bilateral relations, peace process. (SANA 5/21 in WNC 5/22; Interfax [Moscow], SATN 5/21 in WNC 5/23)

In Abu Dhabi, Syrian VP Khaddam discusses with UAE FM Shaykh Hamdan Bin Zayid al-Nahayan the peace process, Doha economic summit, Turkish incursion into n. Iraq. Khaddam then leaves for Oman. (MM 5/22) (see 5/19)

Under pressure fr. Trade M Natan Sharansky (Yisra'el B'Aliya) and Security M Avigdor Kahalani (Third Way), PM Netanyahu replaces top foreign-policy adviser Dore Gold, appointing him amb. to the UN (a position left unfilled for over a yr.), replacing him with Uri Arad, head of Mossad research. (MM, WT 5/22; YA 5/22 in WNC 5/23; WJW 5/29; JP 5/31)

Palestinian prisoner in Israel custody, Khalid Abu Da'iyya, dies hrs. after being brought to a hospital fr. jail. PA accuses Israel of torturing him. (LAW 5/22; LAW, WP 5/23)

In s. Lebanon, an IDF soldier is wounded by a Hizballah mine. (VOL 5/21 in WNC 5/22)