The Palestine Chronology

Multilateral Refugee Working Group opens 2-day mtg. in Aqaba. (JT 12/4, 12/6 in WNC 12/9)

Netanyahu and ministerial team on FRD created by the cabinet 11/30 hold their 1st mtg., begin discussions on areas to be retained in final settlement. (MM, NYT 12/3; IDF Radio, ITV 12/3 in WNC 12/9; MM 12/4; YA 12/4 in WNC 12/9, 12/17; WT 12/5; PR 12/12)

Russian special envoy Viktor Posuvalyuk arrives in Jordan to discuss the peace process. Posuvalyuk is following up on tour (10/24-30) of FM Yevgeny Primakov (ITAR-TASS, RJ 12/3, JT, RJ 12/4 in WNC 12/9)

Most Israeli banks, hospitals, airports, government agencies, public transportation, telecommunications services, the stock exchange shut down as 700,000 Israeli workers observe general strike called by Histadrut labor federation to protest government labor policies, including controversial pension deal. (MM 12/3)

The group Jews for an Exclusively Jewish State and Rule, which is associated with Kach, sends death threats to 3 Arab MKs. (MA 12/5 in WNC 12/9)

In London, Jordan's King Hussein, Israel's PM Netanyahu meet for the first time since Israel's attempted assassination of Hamas political leader Khalid Mishal in Amman 9/25. (MM, WT 11/18; SA, JT 11/19 in WNC 11/21; al-Dustur, JT, Star 11/20 in WNC 11/25; JP 11/29)

Doha economic summit ends. All participants sign final communiqué, including Israel, which unsuccessfully tried to block section stressing that Oslo negotiations are based on land for peace. 2 major Jordanian, Qatari investment companies sign $25-m. partnership, industrial investment agmt. (MM 11/18; WP, WT 11/19; JT 11/19 in WNC 11/21; SA 11/19 in WNC 11/25; WJW 11/27)

At the end of a 3-wk. evaluation following a sharp rise in casualties in s. Lebanon, top IDF officials unanimously reaffirm decision to stay in s. Lebanon until an agmt. on redeployment is achieved with Lebanon, Syria. (MM 11/19; YA 11/19 in WNC 11/21)

Knesset threatens Israeli banks with prosecution if they persist in refusing to identify owners of dormant Nazi-era accounts holding an estimated total of $57 m. (WT 11/19)

In Bethlehem, a Palestinian boy is shot dead by IDF sniper guarding DM Yitzhak Mordechai on visit to Rachel's Tomb. (MEI 12/5)

IDF demolishes Palestinian home, workshop in al-Ram, n. of Jerusalem. (PR 11/21)

Employing a "dual-track" strategy of military and diplomatic pressure, Russian FM Yevgeny Primakov opens talks in Moscow with Iraqi Dep. PM Tariq `Aziz, while U.S. pres. Bill Clinton sends 12 additional military aircraft to the Gulf, authorizes cmdrs. to deploy 30 more if they deem it necessary. (MM 11/18; CSM, MM, WP, WT 11/19) (see 11/17; ITV 11/19 in WNC 11/21; MEI 11/21)

In Amman, Russian FM Primakov meets with King Hussein, Crown Prince Hassan. (ITAR-TASS [Moscow], JT, RJ 10/28 in WNC 10/29; MM 0/19; RJ 10/29 in WNC 10/30)

Iraq, Syria hold water talks in Damascus, again urge Turkey to join in 3-way discussion. (INA 10/28 in WNC 10/30; al-Thawra 10/31 in WNC 11/6) (see 10/22)

At the close of 4 days of mtgs., Iran, Lebanon have signed 4 agmts. covering land and maritime transport, dual taxation, boosting trade, encouraging investment btwn. the 2 countries. Iran also agrees to request to provide Lebanon with crude oil at preferential prices. (SA 10/29 in WNC 10/30; see also MM 10/27, IRIB Television [Tehran] 10/27 in WNC 10/29)

PC mbr. Musa Abu Sabha is detained by Israeli police at Gaza checkpoint for driving a car reported stolen in Israel. PA atty. gen. demands that Abu Sabha's immunity be lifted, but PC Legal Council refuses, saying that he cannot be tried while in Israeli detention, he must be extradited to PA. (PR 11/7)

IDF demolishes 3 Palestinian homes nr. Bethlehem. (LAW 10/29)

IDF clashes with Hizballah in s. Lebanon, leaving at least 2 Hizballah mbrs. dead. (ITV 10/28 in WNC 10/29)

Russian FM Primakov arrives in Israel for 2-day visit, meets with PM Netanyahu, FM Levy. (IDF Radio, ITAR-TASS [Moscow], QY 10/26, Interfax [Moscow], ITV 10/27, YA 10/28 in WNC 10/29)

PA's Arafat, Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, Yemen's Pres. Ali `Abdallah Salih hold talks on peace process in Cairo. (MENA 10/26, RE 10/27 in WNC 10/29)

YESHA settlers council decides to build a new settlment west of Gush Etzion settlement nr. Bethlehem if Isarael accepts any sort of settlement freeze at the upcoming Washington talks; says general plan for the new settlement was approved in the 1970s by PM Golda Meir, but  exact location would be kept secret until the government's stand on settlements is clarified. (MM 10/27; JP 11/8)

PA Preventive Security Force arrests journalist and human rights worker Khalid al-Amayreh following the publication in an Israeli Arab newspaper of his report on the torture of Hamas activists arrested by the PA over the past few mos. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 10/27)

Israel commutes to 24 yrs. the life sentence Alan Goodman, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen found guilty of killing 2 Palestinians, wounding 9 at al-Aqsa Mosque on 4/11/82; releases him after he agrees to spend the remaining 8 yrs. of his sentence in the U.S. (WT 10/27; WP 10/30)

IDF shells strike medical center affliated with PFLP-GC in s. Lebanon, killing a nurse. (MM 10/27; RL 10/27 in WNC 10/29)

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)