The Palestine Chronology

U.S. asks Arab states to give it a wk. to announce the outcome of American peace proposals before making a decision on holding an Arab summit. (al-Quds al-Arabi, RJ, RMC 6/2 in WNC 6/3; MM, WT 6/3; al-Quds 6/4 in WNC 6/9; al-Ahram 6/5 in WNC 6/8) (see 6/1)

In Beirut, Egyptian FM Musa discusses possible Arab summit with Lebanese PM Rafiq Hariri. Separately, Qatar voices support for summit. (AFP, MENA 6/2 in WNC 6/3)

At Mubarak's invitation, Israeli DM Mordechai flies to Cairo for talks on the FRD issue, s. Lebanon conditional withdrawal proposal. (MM 6/2; IDF Radio, MENA 6/2 in WNC 6/3; ITV 6/7 in WNC 6/9; ITV 6/18 in WNC 6/19)

IDF demolishes 6 Palestinian homes, 2 in Jerusalem, 4 in the West Bank just n. of Jerusalem. (ITV 6/2 in WNC 6/3; LAW 6/16)

Israeli legislature votes to dismantle the shrine to Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 29 Palestinian worshipers in Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in 2/94, which has become a pilgrimage point for Jewish extremists. Settler leader Baruch Marzel vows "to go to battle, to war" if the government touches the site. (WT 6/2, 6/9)

In Washington, Secy. Albright, PM Netanyahu hold 2d day of fruitless talks aimed at restarting peace talks. Lower-level teams headed by U.S. special envoy Ross, Israeli Cabinet Secy. Nave will work over the weekend. Netanyahu spends rest of day making courtesy calls to mbrs. of Congress, attending lunch in his honor hosted by the Comm. on International Relations; does not lobby mbrs. to pressure administration to moderate its position. (MM 5/14; NYT, WP, WT 5/15)

100,000s of Palestinians across the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem turn out for 2-minute moment of silence, nonviolent "March of 1 Million" to mark 50 yrs. of dispossession (known as al-Nakba). Marches in several areas (including, Bethlehem, Gaza, Hebron, Jericho, Jerusalem, Jinin, Nablus, Ramallah) devolve into clashes with IDF, which fires live ammunition, rubber bullets, killing 5 Palestinians, wounding 200-400, making this the worst day of violence in the territories since 9/25/96. 20 Israeli soldiers, policemen and 2 civilians are also injured. Netanyahu calls demonstrations a PA "pressure tactic." (LAW, MM 5/14; IDF Radio, ITV 5/14 in WNC 5/15; NYT, WP, WT 5/15; JTV 5/14, Anatolia [Ankara], Corriere della Sera [Milan] 5/15 in WNC 5/18; LAW 5/18; WP 5/19)

50,000 Palestinians in Syria hold march in Yarmuk refugee camp to commemorate al-Nakba. (JP 5/23)

In Jerusalem, fire damages one of the wooden doors of the al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Israel police suspect Jewish extremists. (RJ 5/14 in WNC 5/15; WP 5/15)

In Ankara, Iran, Turkey hold talks on expanding ties. (IRNA 5/14 in WNC 5/18) (see 5/4)

In Ankara, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey hold follow-up discussions on the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline project. (Anatolia [Ankara] 5/14 in WNC 5/15) (see 4/26)

IDF expels 3 Lebanese civilians fr. s. Lebanon security zone for celebrating release of relative fr. SLA custody. (AFP 5/14 in WNC 5/15; RL 5/15 in WNC 5/18)

U.S. special envoy Ross holds separate mtgs. with Arafat in Gaza, Netanyahu in Jerusalem. (WT 3/29; JP 4/4)

In a conference call to 10's of American Jewish leaders, Secy. Albright says that the U.S. is frustrated by the delays in the peace process but will not give Israel an ultimatum for redeployment fr. the West Bank. Malcolm Hoenlein, exec. dir. of the Council of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, says that Albright has been holding conference call briefings on the peace process with Jewish leaders every 2 or 3 months. (MA 3/29 in WNC 3/20; MM, NYT 3/30; RE 3/30 in WNC 3/31)

In Aqaba, Jordan, Israel agree on "Aqaba-Elat Tourism Program" to encourage travel packages for large tourist groups; discuss recent decision by 2 tourist transport companies to cancel daily routes to the area because of low demand. (JT 3/28 in WNC 3/31)

In Ramallah, Jordan's Dep. PM Jawad al-Anani, Arafat discuss U.S. FRD initiative. (JTV 3/27 in WNC 3/30; al-Ra'i 3/28 in WNC 3/31)

In Ankara, PC delegation led by Speaker Qurai` discusses peace process with Pres. Suleyman Demirel. Qurai` says that PA respects Turkey's military cooperation agmt. with Israel. (Anatolia 3/27 in WNC 3/30)

In Amman, bomb explodes outside Modern American School, causing material damage but no injuries. No one takes responsibility. (RJ 3/28 in WNC 3/31; RJ 5/10 in WNC 5/13)

PM Netanyahu sends media adviser David Bar-Ilan to Washington to call on Jewish-American leaders, Christian Right, allies in Congress to fend off expected U.S. government initiative to press Israel for an FRD. (MM 3/3; WT 3/4; WJW 3/12)

Alerted by Jordanian security, IDF intercepts 2 boatloads of arms being smuggled to the West Bank via the Dead Sea, detains 1 Palestinian, claims the arms were intended for the PA. PA denies charge. (WT 3/1; WT 3/2; PR 3/6; JP 3/7)

Jordan lifts curfew on Ma'an. (WT 3/1) (see 2/22)

1 Hizballah mbr. is killed in an attack on an SLA post in s. Lebanon. (RL 2/28 in WNC 3/5)

In Washington, Clinton meets with Arafat, encourages him to accept U.S. FRD proposal (see 1/20). Arafat refuses, saying that he expects Israel to hand over 91% of the est Bank before the final stages of the permanent status talks. Arafat agrees to renegotiate the 12/17 MOU on security, gives Clinton 2 letters: one, requested by the U.S., formalizing Palestinian recognition of Israel's right to exist, spelling out for the 1st time which of the 33 articles of the 1968 PLO charter were annulled in 1996; the other saying that a "time-out" on Israeli settlement construction should extend to every place on the West Bank that is not within 50 meters of an existing settlement structure. After mtg., Clinton says that he hopes that land for peace will prevail in the Middle East that "the Palestinians can realize their aspirations to live as a free people." (NYT, WP, WT 1/23; ITV, MENA 1/23, JT, RE 1/24 in WNC 1/27; MM, WT 1/26; MEI 1/30; MA 2/3 in WNC 2/4)

CIA Dir. George Tenet meets with Arafat at his hotel to discuss security issues, 12/17 MOU on security. (NYT, WP 1/23)

Israeli Interior Min. approves 2 building plans for the Palestinian neighborhood of Ras al-Amud in Jerusalem: "Arab sector" plan includes the construction of "additional public space," 1,020 housing units; "Jewish sector" plan includes 132 housing units. Construction permits are not issued automatically; Jewish, Arab landowners must apply to the local authority for permits. (IGPO 2/4; MM, NYT 2/5) (see 9/14/97)

U.S. orders deportation of Hani al-Sayigh, a Saudi Arabian suspected of involvement in the 6/96 bombing of the U.S. barracks at al-Khobar. Sayigh fled Saudi Arabia for Canada (3/97), which then extradited him to the U.S. (6/97) at Washington's request to provide testimony linking Iran with the bombing. Sayigh failed to provide such information, and the U.S. was forced to drop charges of collusion against him for lacked evidence. He faces possible execution if he is sent back to Saudi Arabia. (NYT, WP) (see 9/9)

IDF opens fire with rubber bullets, live ammunition, teargas, percussion grenades on Palestinians protesting bulldozing of land nr. Neve Dalim settlement, injuring 4. (PCHR 1/24) (see 1/21)

Israel launches Ofek-4 satellite to spy on Iran, Iraq, Syria, but it disintegrates before entering orbit. (ITV 1/23 in WNC 1/27; WT 1/24; MM 1/26; JP 2/7)