The Palestine Chronology

Israel, PA hold security mtg. to discuss coordination in wake of 11/6 car bombing. Israel asks PA to ban Islamic Jihad, Hamas as political groups. PA refuses. (AP [Internet] 11/8)

Islamic Jihad's Damascus spokesman takes responsibility for 11/6 car bombing, but Gaza headquarters denies it. PA says it has jailed several mbrs. of Islamic Jihad, closed a nursery school in Bethlehem run by the group. (NYT, WP 11/8; SA 11/8 in WNC 11/13; NYT 11/9; JP 11/16) (see 11/6)

Cyprus arrests 2 Israelis caught in a sensitive military area, charges them with spying on behalf of Turkey. (ITV 11/7, MA, QY, YA 11/9 in WNC 11/12; WP, WT 11/8; MM, NYT 11/9; MM 11/10; WJW 11/12; NYT 11/13) (see 6/17, 11/2)

In Amman, King Hussein discusses peace process with Labor Chmn. Barak. The king then leaves for the U.S. for an irregular medical checkup to treat a fever he has been suffering for almost 2 wks. (IDF Radio, JTV, RJ 7/14 in WNC 7/15; JTV 7/14, JT 7/15 in WNC 7/16)

Zalman Shoval replaces Eliahu Ben-Elissar as Israeli amb. to the U.S. (IDF Radio 7/17 in WNC 7/20; WJW 8/6)

Lawyers for Nahum Manbar, an Israeli convicted of selling poisonous gas material to Iran, seeks to have his case declared a mistrial after learning that PM Netanyahu phoned the presiding judge during the proceedings to demand a harsh sentence for Manbar. (MM 7/14; WT 7/15) (see 6/17)

PA State Security Court (SSC) sentences PSF agent Fahmi al-Tawil to death for the murder of another PSF officer, Hamdi al-Krajha. The SSC is outside the PA civilian, military court system; frequently holds secret trials, without legal representation. (LAW 7/15)

After 2 days of high-level talks in Damascus, Iraq, Syria sign oil pipeline agmt. (WT 7/13, Iraqi News Agency 7/14 in WNC 7/15; MM 7/15; al-Quds al-Arabi 7/15 in WNC 7/16)

In Damascus, Pres. Asad receives congressional delegation led by Rep. Tom Campbell (R-CA), fmr. congressman Wayne Owens for talks on the peace process. U.S. Amb. to Syria Ryan Crocker also attends. (SANA 7/4 in WNC 7/7)

Egypt, Iran agree to set up joint company to market, export pharmaceuticals. (MENA 7/4 in WNC 7/7)

3 Jewish settlers ride horseback through the Palestinian sector of Hebron, smashing Palestinian cars with chains, iron bars. (WT 7/5; MM 7/6; WJW 7/9; JP 7/11)

Hizballah shells SLA post in s. Lebanon, wounding 2 SLA men. (VOL 7/4 in WNC 7/7)

Pres. Clinton, Secy. Albright, special envoy Ross discuss ways of reviving peace process in light of Ross's failed mission, possibility of publicly presenting 13.1% FRD proposal. (MM 4/6)

Lebanon, Syria hold summit in Damascus to draw up plans to counter Israel's moves to promote its conditional s. Lebanon withdrawal offer. (MM 4/6)

Pres. Clinton receives letter fr. 33 House reps., praising their Middle East policy. (WJW 4/2; NYT 4/7; MM 4/8; WJW 4/9; MEI 4/10; WT 4/13; NYT 4/26)

PA concludes that Hamas's Sharif was killed by a rival Hamas faction; says it has detained 30, arrested 5 Hamas suspects in the murder, is looking for a 6th accomplis. Hamas rejects report, saying PA is seeking an excuse to can crack down on the movement as Israel demands prior to an FRD. PM Netanyahu says investigation proves the PA is capable of fighting terrorism. (ITV 4/6 in WNC 4/7; MM 4/6; VIRI 4/6, Corriere della Sera [Milan] 4/7 in WNC 4/8; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 4/7; MM 4/8; MM, WT 4/15; PR 4/17; CSM 4/21; MEI, PR 4/24; YA 4/26 in WNC 4/30) (see 4/4)

1,000s of Israeli Arabs hold general strike, protest march in the Galilee to denounce government discrimination against Arab citizens. In Um al-Sehali, Israeli police watch, do not interfere as 3 bedouin families rebuild their homes. (MM 4/6; MM, WP 4/7; WT 4/8; MM 4/9; PR 4/17) (see 4/4)

Hrs. after being summoned to appear before the PA General Intelligence Service (GIS), Palestinian Muhammad Anqawi, previously arrested by the PA on suspicion of being a collaborator, is found shot dead in Ramallah. (PR 4/17; JP 4/25)

Russia says it has proposed building a nuclear research reactor in Iran in addition to the atomic energy plant currently under construction. Israel, U.S. protest. (WP 4/7)

Iran-Iraq POW swap ends. (CSM 4/6; WT 4/8; WP 4/20)

Federal judge in Manhattan jails Ismail Elbarasse, a Palestinian American, for refusing to testify before a secret grand jury investigating Hamas fundraising in the U.S. (NYT 4/18) (see 2/23)

Pres. Clinton announces ban on foreign-made assault rifles that closes loophole in a 1994 weapons ban that allowed the continued import of Israeli Uzis, Galils. Israeli Military Industries, which planned to sell 10,000 of the guns in the U.S. over the next 3 to 4 yrs., is considering manufacturing the guns in the U.S. to avoid the restriction. (Globes [Internet], YA 4/7 in WNC 4/8; WJW 4/9)

Roadside bomb detonates nr. the Lebanon-Israel border, killing 1 civilian, injuring 3. 1 IDF soldier is injured, 1 Hizballah mbr. is killed in separate incident nr. the border. (RL 4/6 in WNC 4/7; WJW 4/9)

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)

In preparation for Netanyahu's mtg. with Clinton 1/20, the Israel cabinet agrees not to carry out any FRD until the PA meets 12-page list of conditions (see 1/4), including extraditing PA prisoners; sets up interministeral comm. to monitor PA compliance with these demands. PA accuses Israel of stalling. (IDF Radio 1/13 in WNC 1/14; CSM, MM, NYT, WP 1/14; MA 1/14 in WNC 1/15; MM, WJW 1/15)

Arafat arrives in Amman for 2-day visit; discusses Ross visit, Arab positions on the peace process with King Hussein. (RJ 1/13 in WNC 1/14; JTV 1/13, RJ 1/14 in WNC 1/15; PR 1/16)

In Damascus, French FM Vedrine meets with Pres. Asad. (RFI 1/12 in WNC 1/14; SARR, SATN 1/13, RMC 1/14 in WNC 1/15)

Jordanian team led by FM Fayiz Tarawnah leaves for U.S. for talks on the 1999 economic, military aid package to the kingdom. (JT 1/14 in WNC 1/15; al-Aswaq 1/18 in WNC 1/21)

Iraq again blocks UNSCOM inspection team. (NYT, WP, WT 1/14) (see 1/11)