Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah arrives in Damascus for talks with FM Shara` on possible Arab summit. (MM 6/1; MBC 6/1 in WNC 6/3; al-Watan al-Arabi 6/12 in WNC 6/15)
PM Netanyahu, Arafat adviser Mahmud Abbas meet secretly at Netanyahu's home for brief talks on the peace process before Netanyahu leaves for China. (MM 6/12)
In Cairo, Mubarak adviser Baz is briefed by Israeli Cabinet Secy. Nave, Netanyahu adviser Uzi Arad on Netanyahu's mtg. with Secy. of State Albright and, separately, by PA Local Government M Erakat...
Israeli cabinet approves 8 loosely defined zones, locations in the West Bank as areas of "vital national interest" that will not be returned under any deal with the PA. (MM 1/14; ITV 1/14 in WNC 1...
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In Damascus, Syrian Pres. Asad, FM Shara`, Saudi FM Prince Saud al-Faysal discuss bilateral cooperation, peace process. (SATN 6/16 in WNC 6/18)
In Washington, Lebanese PM Hariri meets with Pres. Clinton, Secy. of State Albright, Asst Secy. of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering, Asst. Secy. Indyk, National Security Adviser Sandy Berger. (WP 6/17; RL 6/17 in WNC 6/18; WT 6/18; RL 6/18 in WNC 6/19; al-Safir 6/20 in WNC 6/23)
Iran, Jordan sign accords on shipping, resuming flights btwn. their countries. 1st Jordanian flight in 18 yrs. lands in Tehran. (IRBD Television 6/16 in WNC 6/17; Petra-JNA 6/16 in WNC 6/1)
After several unsuccessful attempts, Jewish settlers occupy a vacant, Palestinian-owned home adjacent to, but not in, Hebron's Jewish enclave. The Norwegian contingent of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) files a protest with Israeli authorities, who try but fail to evict the settlers. (MA 7/3 in WNC 7/7)
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah arrives in Damascus for talks with FM Shara` on possible Arab summit. (MM 6/1; MBC 6/1 in WNC 6/3; al-Watan al-Arabi 6/12 in WNC 6/15)
During 2d round of Lebanese municipal elections, fighting breaks out in 2 locations in n. Lebanon, leaving 6 persons wounded, 30 under arrest. (WP 6/1; MM 6/2)
PM Netanyahu, Arafat adviser Mahmud Abbas meet secretly at Netanyahu's home for brief talks on the peace process before Netanyahu leaves for China. (MM 6/12)
To mark Jerusalem Day, Israel stages largest military parade (13,000 troops) through West Jerusalem since 1973, attended by U.S. congressional delegation. Groups of right-wing Israelis try to enter al-Aqsa Mosque, march on Orient House. IDF bans Palestinian entry into Jerusalem for the day, sparking clashes btwn. IDF, Palestinians in Bethlehem. (al-Dustur, RJ 5/24 in WNC 5/27; WT 5/25; PR 5/29; MEI 6/5)
In Amman, Israeli FMin. Dir. Gen. Eytan Bentzur, Jordanian FM Fayiz Tarawnah discuss Israeli proposal for conditional withdrawal fr. s. Lebanon. Jordan stresses need for Israel to unconditionally implement UN Res. 425. (JT, al-Quds, al-Ra'i 5/25 in WNC 5/27)
In Cairo, Pres. Mubarak briefs Arafat on his trip to France. Arafat then heads to Saudi Arabia to discuss possible Arab summit. (MENA 5/24, RE 5/26 in WNC 5/27)
Syria asks Iran's help in constructing steel mills. Both countries agree to expand cultural, art exchanges to pave way for closer bilateral relations. (IRNA 5/24, 5/25 in WNC 5/27)
In Damascus, Hamas's Shaykh Yasin meets with Pres. Hafiz al-Asad. (AFP, al-Majd 5/25 in WNC 5/27) (see 5/23)
1st Lebanese municipal elections since 1963 begin. Elections are held on 4 consecutive Sundays. (RL 5/25, 5/26 in WNC 5/27; MM 5/26; al-Safir 5/27 in WNC 6/1; WP 6/1; MEI 6/5)
In Cairo, Mubarak adviser Baz is briefed by Israeli Cabinet Secy. Nave, Netanyahu adviser Uzi Arad on Netanyahu's mtg. with Secy. of State Albright and, separately, by PA Local Government M Erakat on Arafat's mtg. with Albright. Erakat then heads to Amman to brief Jordanian FM Tarawnah. (JTV, MENA, RE 2/2 in WNC 2/4; IGPO 2/3)
In Damascus, EU special envoy Moratinos, Syrian FM Shara` discuss peace process. (SATN 2/2 in WNC 2/4)
Palestinian Nasir al-Hurub dies in PA custody just hours after his arrest. He is at least the 16th Palestinian to die in PA custody. (LAW 2/3; WT 2/4; MEI, PR 2/13)
Palestinian clashes with IDF continue at entrance to Bethlehem. (NYT 2/3)
After 7 hrs. of talks with Secy. of State Albright, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdallah agrees only to say that if the U.S. strikes Iraq, it would be Saddam Hussein's fault. (MM, NYT, WP 2/3; MEI 2/13)
UN Secy. Gen. Annan asks the UNSC to raise to $5.2 b. fr. $2 b. the amount of oil Iraq is allowed to sell in the next 6 mos. of the oil-for-food program. (NYT 2/8) (see 1/31)
UN extends mandate of UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for 6 mos. (RL 2/2 in WNC 2/4)
Israeli cabinet approves 8 loosely defined zones, locations in the West Bank as areas of "vital national interest" that will not be returned under any deal with the PA. (MM 1/14; ITV 1/14 in WNC 1/15; NYT, WP, WT 1/15; SA 1/15 in WNC 1/20)
Egyptian pres. Mubarak makes unscheduled trip to Damascus to discuss peace process, regional issues with Pres. Asad. (MENA 1/14 in WNC 1/15; MENA, SATN 1/14 in WNC 1/20; Tishrin 1/15 in WNC 1/21; NYT 1/16; al-Ittihad al-Usbu`i [Abu Dhabi] 1/16 in WNC 1/23; al-Dammam al-Yawm 1/25 in WNC 2/2)
In Amman, Shas leader Deri discusses peace process with King Hussein. Later the king meets with the board of the American Israel Public Affairs Comm. (AIPAC), stresses importance of Israeli adherence to Oslo agmts. (ITV, JTV 1/14 in WNC 1/20; MM 1/15; JT 1/17 in WNC 1/21) (see 1/8)
Georgian pres. Eduard Shevardnadze makes 1-day trip to Israel to discuss trade issues, sign Tbilisi-Jerusalem sister-city agmt. with PM Netanyahu. (Interfax [Moscow] 1/14 in WNC 1/15; Radio Tbilisi Network [Tbilisi] 1/19 in WNC 1/21)
Arab Parliamentary Union ends session in Luxor, Egypt; issues statement condemning "terrorism" in all its forms, affirms a people's right to national struggle to liberate occupied territory and regain national rights. (ESC Television [Cairo] 1/14 in WNC 1/15; RE 1/15 in WNC 1/20)
In Amman, Jordanian-Palestinian Transportation Comm. agrees on procedures for moving goods across the border. (JT 1/14 in WNC 1/15) (see 12/25)
In Tel Aviv, 30,000 Israelis, many bussed in fr. West Bank settlements, demonstrate against any FRD. (MM, WP 1/15)
U.S. Supreme Court begins to hear Akins vs. Federal Election Commission (FEC) case, culminating a 9-yr.-old battle in which a group of Washingtonians led by fmr. U.S. Amb. to Saudi Arabia James Akins has tried to convince the FEC that AIPAC should be regulated as a political action comm., subjecting it to strict campaign finance laws. (WJW 1/15; WJW 1/22)
