The Palestine Chronology

Israeli-Palestinian violence continues, leaving 1 Jewish settler dead. Palestinians fire 3 large mortars at a Jewish settlement in Gaza, causing no damage. The IDF tightens the closure on Tulkarm; flies helicopters over Bethlehem. Jewish settlers block roads, stone passing Palestinian vehicles nr. Qalqilya; shoot at water tanks on buildings in Ramallah; vandalize Palestinian homes in Silat al-Dahir, which is under its 10th day of curfew. (HP 6/28; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/29; Between the Lines 7/01)

After mtg. separately with Arafat and Sharon, Powell announces that the sides have agreed that after 7 days of "complete quite," they will observe a 6 wk. cooling-off period, followed by a "several mos." of confidence building, only after which negotiations would resume. FM Peres says that if even 1 Palestinian attack takes place during the 7-day or 6 wk. periods, the clock would reset to zero. At least 3,000 Palestinians rally in Gaza City to protest Powell's visit. (AP, CNN, USIS Washington File 6/28; XIN 6/28 in WNC 6/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/29; HJ 6/29, MENA 6/30, 7/1 in WNC 7/2; AYM 6/30 in WNC 7/6; WP 7/1; MM 7/2; WJW 7/5; MEI 7/13)

Islamic Jihad mbrs. fire on the Jewish enclave of Hebron, causing no injuries; the IDF tightens its closure on the Palestinian section of the city. The IDF also sends 5 armored vehicles into Silat al-Dahir (under curfew for 7 days) to occupy several homes under construction for use as military outposts; confiscates 100s of dunams of Palestinian land nr. Morag settlement; bulldozes Palestinian land in al-Qarara; conducts arrest sweeps in Dayr Istya (occupying 1 home as an observation post), Kfar Dik; reinforces the closure on Nablus by digging a trench across a road, establishing a new checkpoint; recloses the Birzeit+nRamallah road. Jewish settlers destroy Palestinian olive groves in Bizarya, Burqa, Ras Karkar, Tulkarm; attack a Palestinian farm in Bani Odeh, killing 50 sheep; throw stones at Palestinian cars on the Qalqilya-Nablus road. (HP, MM 6/26; NYT, WT 6/27)

In Washington, Bush, Powell hold "an unusually blunt" mtg. with Sharon on how to proceed with the cease-fire plan. Sharon says he will not move onto the 6 wk. cooling-off stage until violence completely ceases for 10 days; only after 8 wks. of total calm would Israel make any confidence-building gestures. Bush stresses the PA's progress in reducing violence to date, urges Sharon to be "more receptive" to the cease-fire proposals, recommends that the cooling-off period begin immediately. (AP, MM 6/26; AYM, al-Quds 6/26 in WNC 6/27; BBC, HA, JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/27; NYT, WJW, WP 6/28; MA 6/29, 7/1 in WNC 7/2; JP 7/6; see also WP 6/20)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes increase slightly. A faction of Fatah claims responsibility for the drive-by shooting deaths of 2 Jewish settlers in the West Bank. In response, the IDF reimposes the blockade on Silat al-Dahir, Tulkarm. Palestinians fire mortars at Israeli targets in Gaza, causing no damage. In Haifa, the IDF disables 4 pipe bombs discovered hidden in a motor bike. The IDF dismantles roadblocks, eases restrictions on Halhul and Qalqilya, but sets up barriers on the Betin-`Ayn Yabrud road, tightens the closure on Hebron, confiscates 10s of dunams of Palestinian land nr. Ofra settlement, conducts an arrest sweep in Aqraba. Most secondary routes in the West Bank remain sealed. Jewish settlers burn 10s of dunams of Palestinian fields in Luban al-Gharbiyya, raze agricultural land in al-Zawiya, assault 3 Palestinian children (ages 8, 11, 13) in Hebron. (PMC 6/18; MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/19; NYT, WJW 6/21; MEI 6/29)

28 survivors of the 1982 Sabra-Shatila massacre in Lebanon bring a war crimes case against Sharon before a Belgian court. Earlier this mo., 2 other survivors submitted a similar case to the same court. (REU 6/18; Guardian, HA, Independent, WP 6/19; MM 6/20; WJW 6/21; AFP [Internet] 6/26; WJW 6/28; MM 7/11; MEI 7/13, 7/27)

A Hamas suicide bomber detonates a device outside a nightclub in Tel Aviv, killing 16 Israelis and injuring more than 80, mostly teenage Russian immigrants on a Friday night out. Arafat's spokesman condemns the attack, calls on all parties to show restraint. The PA orders Palestinians to close offices and stores and return to their homes, fearing a massive retaliation. Israel seals the West Bank and Gaza; reinforces internal closures on all Palestinian population centers, dividing the West Bank into 8 enclaves, Gaza into 4. Meanwhile, Jewish settlers set up a new enclave on Batn al-Masi hill in the West Bank. A Palestinian known for selling land to Jews is found murdered in Bethlehem. (CNN, HA, IGPO, JP [Internet] 6/1; NYT, WP, WT 6/2; MA 6/2, JT, SA 6/3 in WNC 6/4; NYT 6/3; MM 6/4; DUS 6/4 in WNC 6/5; WJW 6/7; AFP [Internet] 6/8; MEI 6/15)

Before the bombing, Israel allows 10,000s of Palestinians into Jerusalem to attend Faisal Husseini's funeral in Jerusalem. He is buried in a family tomb in the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. As Israeli police stand back and watch, Palestinians make their largest open display of Palestinian nationalism in the city since 1967. Some Palestinians throw stones at Sharon's East Jerusalem residence, and a Jewish tourist fires a teargas canister at mourners, but generally the event is peaceful. (AP, HA, YA [Internet] 6/1; MA, Radio France International 6/1, al-Quds 6/2 in WNC 6/4; HP, NYT 6/2; WJW 6/7; JP, MEI 6/15)