The Palestine Chronology

Presidential elections are held in the U.S., but the race btwn. VP Al Gore (D) and Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R) is too close to call. The election rests on some 1,500 votes in Florida, where ballot errors could swing results. At the least, Florida absentee ballots must be tabulated and regular votes recounted, meaning it could be weeks before the new president is declared. (MM 11/7; NYT, WP, WT 11/8; al-Quds 11/8 in WNC 11/9; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/9; AYM, al-Quds 11/9, HJ 11/10 in WNC 11/13; MM 11/10)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 1 Palestinian dead, 150 injured. A 2d Palestinian dies of wounds received earlier. Jewish settlers block roads, attack Palestinians, damage property in Hebron and nr. Nablus, Rafah, Tulkarm. Off Gaza, a fishing boat laden with explosives detonates nr. an Israeli patrol ship, killing the suicide bomber. The IDF shells areas of Bayt Jala in response to Palestinian sniping at Gilo settlement. IDF chief of staff Mofaz says the IDF is preparing contingencies for the evacuation of all 7,000 Jewish settlers in Gaza. Barak allows the Gaza airport, closed since 10/22, to reopen. (ADM, LAW 11/7; al-Quds 11/7 in WNC 11/9; NYT, WP 11/8)

In keeping with the 10/17 Sharm agmts., the White House names fmr. senator George Mitchell (D-ME) to lead an inquiry into the causes of the Israeli-Palestinian clashes. Also named to the panel are fmr. Turkish pres. Suleyman Demirel, Norwegian FM Thorbjoern Jagland, fmr. senator Warren B. Rudman (R-NH), EU foreign policy dir. Solana. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/8; AYM 11/9 in WNC 11/13; MEI 11/24)

The Arab League closes its 2-day emergency session, issuing a nonbinding resolution calling for a $1 b. Palestinian aid fund, recommending Arab states postpone further normalization with Israel. Tunisia orders Israel to shut its representative offices it Tunis. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/23; MENA 10/23; HJ, IRNA 10/24 in WNC 10/25; HJ 10/24, 1025 HJ, SA 10/26 in WNC 10/30; WJW 10/26; MEI 10/27)

Barak formally suspends the peace process. In response, Arafat states that Palestinians have a right to an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital and "to accept it or not to accept--let [Barak] go to hell." Meanwhile, Israeli-Palestinian clashes escalate further, leaving 4 Palestinians dead, over 100 injured; 2 others die of injuries received earlier. The most violent exchange is nr. Bethlehem, where the IDF orders residents of Aida camp, Bayt Jala, Bayt Sahur to evacuate their homes before ordering machine guns, tanks, and helicopter gunships to fire into the area, targeting buildings fr. which snipers shot into nearby Gilo settlement and destroying 2 Palestinian factories, several houses, a power plant. The gunfire continues overnight. In Gaza, the IDF bulldozes Palestinian agricultural land along roads leading to Morag settlement. Israel also recloses the Gaza airport, reinstates the internal closure on PA areas, shuts crossings into Egypt and Jordan. (ADM 10/22; BDL, LAW, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/23; MM 10/24; MA 10/24 in WNC 10/25; MEI 10/27; AYM 11/12 in WNC 11/13)

In Cairo, 1,000s of Egyptian students protest the failure of the Arab League summit to cut ties with or to call for military action against Israel. There are also reports of at least 1 Palestinian protest in Bethlehem denouncing Arab leaders, especially Mubarak, for the weak Arab League statement. Other rallies in support of the Palestinians are held in Bahrain, London, Ottawa. (WP 10/23; HJ 10/24, SA 10/26 in WNC 10/30; Bahrain Freedom Movement press release 10/25; MM 10/26)

Barak announces an inquiry will be held into the deaths of Israeli Arabs during the recent clashes and a 4-yr. development plan for Israeli Arab areas. Israeli Arabs complain that the inquiry's recommendations will be nonbinding. (NYT 10/23; WJW 10/26; MM 10/30)

International mediation efforts continue, with UN Secy.-Gen. Annan, Russian FM Ivanov, EU foreign policy dir. Javier Solana each meeting separately with Arafat, Barak. Egypt's Musa flies to Damascus to confer with Syrian pres. Asad, who phones Arafat to express Syrian support. Mubarak also phones Arafat and rejects Clinton's proposal (10/8) for a summit in Egypt, saying Israel must 1st agree to pull its troops back fr. PA areas, stop threatening Lebanon and Syria (see 10/8), bar official Israeli visits to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, agree to an international inquiry. (ATL, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, MENA, XIN 10/10 in WNC 10/12; CSM, MM, NYT, WP 10/11; Milliyet 10/11, al-Quds 10/12 in WNC 10/13; CSM, WJW 10/12)

Meanwhile, Israeli-Palestinian clashes abate somewhat. Inside Israel, Israeli Jews stab to death 2 Israeli Arabs nr. Tel Aviv, set fire to 3 Arab apartment buildings in Jaffa, and set fire to 3 Palestinian homes and a Jewish-owed restaurant that employed Palestinians in Tel Aviv. Clashes btwn. Israeli Jews and Arabs are also reported in Haifa, Tiberias, and Acre, where Israeli police intervene, firing tear gas and live ammunition, wounding 1 Israeli Arab. (Israeli police say they have arrested some 400 Israeli Arabs, 200 Israeli Jews since clashes began.) Jews fr. West Jerusalem damage Palestinian property in East Jerusalem. In Gaza, the IDF demolishes another apartment building in Netzarim Junction, which was evacuated earlier because it had been hit by IDF shells. Jewish settlers reportedly attack Palestinians in Hebron, Khan Yunis, Rafah and outside Jinin, Nablus, Ramallah; some incidents involve settlers firing automatic weapons. In Rafah, a 12-yr.-old Palestinian is shot dead by the IDF. Nr. Ramallah, IDF soldiers wound a Palestinian ambulance driver with live ammunition. (ADM, BBC, MM 10/10; ADM, MM, NYT, WP 10/11; AFP 10/10, MA 10/11, Le Monde 10/12 in WNC 10/12; MM, WJW, WP 10/12; MEI 10/13; WP 11/30)

Protests in solidarity with the Palestinians are held in Brussels, Cairo, Madrid. In the U.S., rallies are held in Ann Arbor, New Haven. (RL 10/10 in WNC 10/12; WT 10/11)

Citing "compelling national security interests," the State Dept. restores Amb. to Israel Indyk's security clearance. (NYT, WT 10/11; WJW 10/12) (see 10/4)

In Sharm al-Shaykh, Albright, Arafat brief Mubarak on the 10/4 Paris talks. Israeli and PA officials meet with U.S. special envoy Ross on the sidelines. (MM, MENA, IRNA 10/5 in WNC 10/6; MM, WP, WT 10/6; AYM, al-Quds, XIN 10/6 in WNC 10/10; AYM 10/11 in WNC 10/12; MEI 10/13)

In the West Bank and Gaza, the IDF pulls back tanks and some troops fr. major Palestinian cities, and the PSF clears Palestinian protesters fr. major Israeli outposts, implementing the 1st steps of the Sharm al-Shaykh agmts. Some clashes still take place in the West Bank and Gaza (including at Netzarim Junction), leaving 2 Palestinians dead; a 3d Palestinian dies of wounds received earlier. (MM 10/5; MENA 10/5 in WNC 10/6; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/6; DUS, JT, MA, al-Musawwar 10/6 in WNC 10/10; AYM 10/6 in WNC 10/13)

At Wihdat camp, Jordanian riot police fire tear gas Palestinians protesting Israeli violence to keep them fr. marching out of the camp. Anti-Israeli, anti-U.S. demonstrations are held in Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan. Rallies in solidarity with the Palestinians are held in London, Princeton, St. Louis, Toronto. (MM 10/5; REU, UPI 10/6; REU 10/8; MEI 10/13)

The board of directors of the Israel Broadcast Authority (IBA) agrees to "not provide a stage for the leaders of the Palestinian inciters and rioters and not give excessive voice, exposure, or coverage to radicals" during the clashes. The IBA includes state-run and independent media. (MK Azmi Bishara press release 10/6)

297 SLA mbrs. and dependents who fled to Israel in 5/00 return to Lebanon. (al-Nahar 10/6 in WNC 10/10)

PA, Israeli peace teams hold a "businesslike" mtg. on the peace talks. (MM 9/20; MM, NYT 9/21)

French pres. Chirac phones Arafat to discuss the peace process, especially the Jerusalem impasse. (AFP 9/20 in WNC 9/26) (see 9/19)

PA Planning M Shaath forms a team to draft plans to transform the Min. of Planning and International Cooperation into a foreign ministry, to otherwise standardize the Palestinian diplomatic network. (al-Quds 9/21 in WNC 9/27)

In Alexandria, Arafat, Mubarak discuss the Jerusalem issue, Arafat's planned mtg. with Pres. Clinton on the sidelines of the UN millennium summit in New York on 9/6. (MENA 8/26 in WNC 8/28)

In area B outside Jerusalem, 3 IDF soldiers are killed, 1 is wounded by friendly fire in a botched raid on the hideout of Palestinian Mahmud Abu Hanud, wanted for allegedly staging a 1997 Hamas bombing in Jerusalem that killed 21 Israelis. Abu Hanud is wounded but escapes to Nablus, where he is arrested by the PSF. The PA, angry that Israel did not give it advance notice of the raid, says it will try Abu Hanud in a PA court, not extradite him to Israel. (NYT 8/27; CSM, LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/28; MM, NYT 8/29; MM, Palestine Report [Internet] 8/30; JP [Internet], MM, WJW 8/31; JP, MEI, NYT, WP 9/1; WJW 9/7; JP, MM, NYT, WP 9/8; JP 9/15)

Arafat, Barak both return home. Arafat's homecoming is comparatively celebratory whereas Barak's is more muted. Each leader blames the other for the summit's failure, but both vow to continue negotiations, possibly as early as 7/30. The U.S. says it will not reveal details of the Camp David negotiations, but vows to keep pressure on Arafat to accept the deals offered at the summit. Special envoy Ross will return to the region to nudge the sides closer to an agmt. U.S. Asst. Secy. of State Edward Walker will tour Arab states brief leaders, urge them to press Arafat to compromise on Jerusalem. (MM 7/26; MENA 7/26 in WNC 7/27; CSM, Israel Radio [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 7/27; MENA 7/27 in WNC 7/28; al-Quds 7/27 in WNC 7/28; MM 7/28; al-Quds 7/29 in WNC 8/3)

In Washington, Israeli amb. David Irvy suggests that given the failure of the Camp David summit, it is "the right time for the United States to move its embassy to Jerusalem." (MA [Internet] 7/27; WP 7/28)

U.S. congressmen introduce bills in the House, Senate that would require aid to the PA be suspended if Arafat unilaterally declares a Palestinian state. (JP [Internet], WT 7/27; MM 7/28; DUS 7/30 in WNC 8/1; WJW 8/3) (see 7/25; JP 8/4)

Palestinian landowner Mahameed obtains a stop-work order fr. the Israeli authorities, suspending IDF bulldozing of his property nr. Bethlehem until a final decision is made. (LAW 8/10) (see 7/23)

Pres. Clinton announces that Arafat, Barak will come to Camp David, MD, on 7/11 to hold 3-way summit on final status issues. Talks are expected to end before Clinton leaves for a G-8 mtg. in Japan on 7/19. U.S. officials say that the PLOCC's 7/3 "threat" to declare a state as of 9/13 influenced Clinton's decision to hold the summit now. (MM 7/5; MENA 7/5 in WNC 7/6; XIN 7/5, ITAR-TASS, al-Quds, XIN 7/6 in WNC 7/7; NYT, WP, WT 7/6; AYM, XIN 7/6, ITAR-TASS, Le Monde, al-Quds, SA 7/7, DUS 7/8, JT, SA 7/9 in WNC 7/10; CSM, MM, NYT, WP 7/7; MEI 7/14)

In London, PM Barak urges British PM Tony Blair to press Arafat not to declare unilaterally a Palestinian state. Barak then leaves for Paris to hold similar talks with French pres. Chirac. (CNN [Internet], MM 7/5; MM 7/6)

Arafat invites the Palestinian opposition parties to accompany the PA delegation to the Camp David summit, participate on the sidelines. Hamas, the PFLP decline. DFLP, Palestinian People's Party (PPP), Palestinian Popular Struggle Front (PPSF) accept. (AYM 7/8, 7/9, DUS 7/11 in WNC 7/17; SA 7/9 in WNC 7/11 al-Quds 7/14 in WNC 7/18)

The Knesset lifts the immunity of MK Yitzhak Mordechai so he may face sexually assault charges. (NYT 7/6) (see 5/25)

In advance of Secy. of State Albright's upcoming visit, U.S. special envoy Ross arrives in Israel for a wk. of talks with PA, Israeli negotiators on possible compromises on final status issues that would bring the sides close enough together to make a 3-way summit possible. (IsRN 6/22; State Dept. press briefing 6/26; AYM 6/26 in WNC 6/29; HA [Internet] 6/27; WP 6/28)

Israeli planes overfly Beirut and Tyre, violating Lebanon's airspace. (NYT 6/23; JP 6/30)

The PSF frees teachers union leader Omar Assaf (detained on 5/5), joumalists Mahir al-Alaimi (detained on 6/6) and Fathi Barkawi (detained in early 6/00), and dir. gen. of the PA Youth and Sport Min. Abu Ali Muqabil (detained in 4/00), who all were detained for criticizing PA corruption. (Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group press release 6/22; JP 6/30) (see 5/22)

An IDF unit shoots, seriously wounds Islamic Jihad activist Radi al-Safi outside Bayt Sahur, in area C. Palestinian witnesses say Safi was ambushed; IDF says Safi pulled a gun at an IDF roadblock and threatened to shoot soldiers. (al-Quds 6/23 in WNC 6/27; JP 6/30)

Jewish settlers fr. Barkha settlement in the West Bank shoot, wound 4 Palestinian farmers attempting to take down a fence that settlers had erected on their property to expand Barkha's boundaries. (Palestine Chronicle [Internet] 6/23; al-Quds 6/23 in WNC 6/27)

Arafat flies to Paris to discuss the status of the peace process with Pres. Chirac. (MM 4/27; al-Quds 4/27 in WNC 5/2) (see 4/25)

UN special envoy Larsen meets with PM Barak, FM Levy to discuss Israel's plans to pull out of s. Lebanon. (MM 4/27)

In Paris, the UN Comm. on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) opens a 2-day international conference on Palestinian refugees. It is a precursor to the CEIRRP's annual mtg. of NGOs on the question of Palestine, which begins in Paris on 4/28. (UN press release 4/27)

Barak for the 1st time says that Israel would not annex Palestinian villages nr. Jerusalem but would seek to annex most Jewish settlements in a final agmt.; says Israel might make a "down payment" on future land transfers, possibly handing over Palestinian villages nr. Jerusalem. (MM 4/10; Hatzofe 4/12 in WNC 4/13; AYM 4/12 in WNC 4/14; MM, NYT, WT 4/17; WJW 4/20; WP 5/4)

Another 4 senior Israeli officials confirm that under the right conditions, Israel would formally recognize a Palestinian state. The 5 officials who have made statements since 4/15 are Internal Security M Ben Ami, Regional Cooperation M Shimon Peres, M without portfolio Haim Ramon, Education M Sarid, Dep. DM Ephraim Sneh. (WP 4/17)

Israeli FM Levy arrives in Paris to meet with French officials. (Le Monde 5/6 in WNC 5/10)

Israel postpones the release of 13 Lebanese detainees after the family of IDF airman Arad files an appeal of the High Court's 4/12 ruling. (NYT, WT 4/17)

After a 6-wk. investigation, Israeli police recommend that Transportation M Mordechai be indicted on charges of having sexually assaulted 3 women over 8 yrs. Police say that the statue of limitations has expired on "several" other incidents. (NYT, WP, WT 4/17; JP 4/14; WJW 4/20) (see 3/7)

PA chief negotiator `Abid Rabbuh says that Israel has dropped its opposition to a Palestinian state, which Arafat hopes to declare in 9/00, but the PA rejects Israel's vision of that state: two clusters of areas connected by a land passage, along with some West Bank suburbs of Jerusalem, totalling 50% of the West Bank, with Israel controlling the border with Jordan. (MM 4/3)

Syrian FM Shara` denounces Lebanese DM Zaytir's suggestion (4/1) that Syrian troops guard the Lebanese border when Israel pulls out. (MM, WP 4/3)

In Ramallah, 5 armed men break into the office of PA Environmental M Yusif Abu Safiyya, beat him severely. The PA police arrest 5 suspects plus the Environmental Min. dir. gen. for orchestrating the attack. (MENL 4/3; AYM 4/8 in WNC 4/12)

In a separate incident in Ramallah, PC mbr. Qaddura Faris, mbr. of a new PC Monitoring and Human Rights Comm., is beaten by Arafat's guards outside Arafat's office when he attempts to enter for a comm. mtg. on the teachers strike, which is still being observed in some areas (see 2/28). Arafat has the 7 guards arrested. Faris resigns fr. the comm. in protest. (LAW, MENL 4/4; AYM 4/4 in WNC 4/6; AYM 4/8 in WNC 4/12)

After a wk. of mtgs., U.S. special envoy Ross returns to Washington having failed to revive PA-Israeli talks. (CSM, NYT, WP 2/29; AYM 2/29 in WNC 3/1; XIN 2/29 in WNC 3/2; al-Quds 2/29, DUS, al-Quds 3/1 in WNC 3/3; WT 3/1; AYM 3/1 in WNC 3/6)

The Political Comm. of the Palestinian Council (PC) condemns French PM Jospin's 2/24 statement on Hizballah, the attack on Jospin by Birzeit University students, the PA's arrest of students and closure of the university. The comm. calls on the PA to reopen Birzeit, to turn over students to the university's disciplinary comm. (al-Quds 2/29 in WNC 3/3)

With the number of popular and labor protests in the West Bank and Gaza growing, the PA declares that all demonstrations, public mtgs. must receive prior authorization of the PA police. (LAW 2/29; NYT, WT 3/1; LAW 3/2; MEI 3/10; al-Quds 3/28 in WNC 3/29)

In Ramallah, PA officials discuss the ongoing teachers strike, promise to seek funds for pay raises. In addition to not receiving salary increases, some teachers have not been paid in mos., have been fired, or have been transferred. (MENL 2/29) (see 2/17)

In s. Lebanon, Hizballah attacks IDF posts, injuring 2 IDF soldiers, 1 civilian. The IDF responds with air strikes against Hizballah targets. (WP 2/29)

In Ramallah, PA, Israeli final status teams hold another round of talks on the FAPS. The PA demands that Israel allow Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, provide them with compensation. Israel rejects the demand. PA chief negotiator `Abid Rabbuh says that the FAPS should include Israel's recognition of its "ethical responsibility regarding he displacement of the Palestinian people and their homelessness." (WP 1/11)

In Shepherdstown, Israeli, Syrian teams adjourn negotiations, with plans to resume talks on the U.S. working paper on 1/19. The entire delegations return home; earlier the sides had discussed having the comms. stay on to work while Barak, Shara` returned home (see 1/8). (CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/11; al-Quds 1/11 in WNC 1/13; WJW 1/13; MEI 1/14; AYM 1/14 in WNC 1/21)

In Tel Aviv, 100,000 Israelis, many of whom are West Bank settlers, rally to protest any withdrawal fr. the Golan Heights in a peace deal with Syria. (MM, NYT, WP 1/11; CSM, MM, NYT 1/12; al-Quds 1/13 in WNC 1/18; MM 1/17; WJW 1/21)

More than 150 Reform Jewish leaders visit the Israeli emb. in Washington to show support for peace talks with Syria, countering recent demonstrations by ultra-Orthodox Jews who oppose trading land for peace. (WP 1/11; WJW 1/13)

PA Finance M Nashashibi announces the establishment of the PA Higher Council for Development, chaired by Arafat, to insure the transparency of the public finance system. (AYM 1/13 in WNC 1/18)

Israel lowers the minimum age for Palestinians to work inside Israel fr. 25 to 21, increases the number of Palestinians allowed to drive their own cars into Israel, cuts fees for commercial traffic entering Gaza through Qarni crossing. (WT 1/12)

Israel says that Oman has decided to reactivate bilateral trade links. (WP 1/11)