The Palestine Chronology

Hamas gunmen fire on IDF jeep near Hebron, killing 1, wounding 2 soldiers. Israel lifts Gaza Strip curfew in force since 12/7; 1 Palestinian killed, up to 90 wounded in ensuing clashes; curfew then reinforced. (NYT 12/13; MM, WP 12/14)

IDF shoots Palestinian youth dead in Hebron. (Qol Yisra'el 12/11 in FBIS 12/11; MM 12/11)

After speech commemorating 1947 UN partition res., PM Rabin says Chmn. Arafat is blocking peace talks for personal, not ideological reasons, because the PLO, like the World Zionist Organization after the founding of Israel, will become marginalized when a political settlement is reached. (Qol Yisra'el 11/29 in FBIS 11/30; MM 11/30)

On this UN-sponsored Day of Solidarity with the Palestinians, general strike observed in the o.t., King Hussein, Chmn. Arafat call for expanded UN role in peace negotiations. (Qol Yisra'el 11/29 in FBIS 11/30; MM, WT 11/30)

Russian amb. to Tunisia meets with Chmn. Arafat in Tunis, delivers message from Russian Pres. Yeltsin. (Algiers VOP 12/28 in FBIS 12/30)

IDF shoots Palestinian youth dead in Hebron. (Qol Yisra'el 11/29 in FBIS 11/30)

Israeli delegation rejoins refugee talks in Ottawa, after receiving written U.S. assurances that Palestinian delegation head Muhammad Hallaj is no longer a member of the PNC. Palestinians begin talks with demand for discussion of right of return for all refugees, including those from 1948. (Qol Yisra'el 11/12 in FBIS 11/13; WP 11/13)

Bir Zeit University (near Ramallah, W. Bank) holds student council elections. Pro-Fateh faction "shelved their differences" over the peace talks with a pro-PFLP faction and a pro-DFLP (Hawatima wing) faction, to form a united pro-PLO front, which defeated the pro-Hamas candidates by 66% to 33% of the vote. In winner-take-all election, 5 seats go to Fateh, 3 to PFLP, 1 to DFLP. (WP 11/12)

Hizballah lose 1 gunman, kill 1, wound 3 IDF soldiers, kill 1 UN soldier, in rocket and machine-gun attacks in "security zone." Israel attacks from the air and heavily shells Hizballah target villages north of "security zone." (Qol Yisra'el 11/12 in FBIS 11/12; Radio Lebanon 11/12 in FBIS 11/13; WT, WP 11/13)

U.S. Amb. to Israel William Harrop delivers message to PM Rabin urging "continue[d] restraint" vis-a-vis Hizballah, as long U.S. diplomatic efforts to quell the violence continue in Beirut and Damascus. (MM 11/13)

IDF fatally shoots Palestinian youth in Hebron, W. Bank. IDF opens fire on Khan Yunis demonstrators, injuring 19; 2 suspected collaborators are killed in Gaza Strip, under curfew since 11/11 (MM 11/13)

King Hussein announces amnesty in honor of his 58th birthday (11/14) that will free 140 political prisoners, including those sentenced 11/10. (WP 11/13)

One IDF soldier is killed and 1 wounded by Hamas gunmen near Hebron, W. Bank. Curfew is clamped on the town. Settlers in Hebron and nearby Kiryat Arba demand better security in demonstration at Jerusalem's King David Hotel, where PM Rabin was meeting with the Portuguese PM. (Qol Yisra'el 10/25 in FBIS 10/27; MM, WP 10/26)

Palestinian workers riot and burn buses at Erez checkpoint, Gaza, in clash with Israeli troops, who wounded 6 with rubber bullets. (Qol Yisra'el 10/25 in FBIS 10/29; WP 10/26)

Five IDF soldiers are killed and 5 wounded when a bomb explodes beside their convoy in S. Lebanon "security zone." Hizballah claims responsibility for this deadliest attack in 2 years. (WP 10/26; Qol Yisra'el 10/26 in FBIS 10/26)

Seventh round of Arab-Israeli negotiations begins in Washington, D.C., to continue until 11/20, with a 1-week break around the U.S. elections. Israeli chief negotiator with the Palestinians Elyakim Rubinstein gives letter to Palestinian delegation head Haydar 'Abd al-Shafi focusing on recent wave of violence in o.t. 'Abd al-Shafi responds with comments about Israel's handling of the Palestinian prisoner hunger strike. U.S. tells Palestinian negotiators they should drop insistence on full Israeli withdrawal from the W. Bank and Gaza Strip. (MM 10/21, 10/22; Qol Yisra'el 10/22 in FBIS 10/22; NYT 10/22)

Israel presents Syria with "fresh paperwork" to frame discussions of Golan Heights that reflects not new proposals, but more forthcoming language-talk of "territorial dimension" is replaced by explicit use of the word "withdrawal." Syrian delegation head Muwaffaq al-'Allaf says the Israeli ideas are "old and unsatisfactory." (MM 10/21, 10/22; Qol Yisra'el 10/22 in FBIS 10/22; NYT 10/22)

PLO pol. dept. head Faruq al-Qaddumi meets with French FM Roland Dumas in Paris. Chmn. Arafat meets with Spanish FM in Tunis. (Algiers VOP 10/22 in FBIS 10/23)

Israel accepts Tunis' offer to host next round (beginning 1/93) of multilateral talks on refugees. Israel rejects a proposal to include the issue of family reunification at upcoming refugee talks in Ottawa, saying it is an attempt to introduce the Palestinian right of return through the back door. (Ha'Aretz 10/22 in FBIS 10/22)

Tsomet party joins Likud and National Religious Party in submitting motion of no-confidence to be debated when the Knesset winter session opens 11/2. (Qol Yisra'el 10/21 in FBIS 10/22)

Palestinian gunmen attack IDF vehicle, wounding 2 soldiers, in drive-by shooting near Hebron. (MM 10/22

Israeli Police Min. Moshe Shahal meets with Palestinian lawyers, agrees to minor concessions on prisoner demands (see 10/11), rejects the prisoners' major demands, including closure of some solitary confinement wards. Israel reports 240 prisoners are still on strike at Nafha jail; Palestinians claim figure is higher and that strike is still on at other jails. (Qol Yisra'el 10/13 in FBIS 10/14)

Dozens of settlers from Kiryat Arba try to break into structures at "Giv'at Haharsina," a settlement they tried to establish 8/9 in defiance of IDF orders. IDF and Border Police seal roads to the site, declare "Judea district" a closed military zone, detain about 20 settlers. Hebron rabbis call on settlers to disobey army orders. (ITV 10/13 in FBIS 10/14)

Palestinian gunman is killed, IDF soldier wounded in shootout in Khan Yunis. 13- year-old boy wounded in 10/10 clashes dies in Tel Hashomer hospital. Curfew remaining in force in most of Gaza Strip since 10/11 brings some quiet. (Qol Yisra'el 10/13 in FBIS 10/14; MM 10/15)

"Heavily armed" 3-man DFLP (Hawatima wing) squad is captured by IDF forces as they approach the Israeli border at the far eastern end of the "security zone" in southern Lebanon. (MM 10/14; Qol Yisra'el 10/14 in FBIS 10/16)

Rockets are fired into the air to celebrate arrival of PLO official Ahmad Mansur 'Azzam in 'Ayn al-Hilwa camp, Sidon, Lebanon, who is on a mission to quell FRC-Fateh violence in the camps. Bombs explode outside the homes of 2 Palestinians in Sidon, 1 of whom is an FRC official. (VOL, Radio Lebanon 10/13 in FBIS 10/14)

Palestinian prisoners suspend hunger strike for one week after Israeli official promise to begin investigation of their demands 10/12. (ITV 10/11 in FBIS 10/13; MM, WP 10/12)

Palestinian delegation head Faisal Husseini "rejects" conditions Israel is trying to place on Palestinians participating in multilateral negotiations (see 10/8). (al-Quds 10/12 in FBIS 10/14)

Hamas announces it will meet with PLO Chmn. Arafat in Khartoum 11/10 in attempt to curtail intra-Palestinian violence. (al-Sharq al-Awsat 10/12 in FBIS 10/19)

Israeli visiting a Gaza settlement is killed by unidentified assailant; IDF troops kills 2, wound 40 in clash with stonethrowers in Nusayrat camp, Gaza. Curfew clamped on Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Rafah, and 3 camps in the Strip. (MM, WP 10/12; ITV 10/11 in FBIS 10/13)

IDF shoots, kills 2 infiltrators from Jordan, armed with knives, north of Jericho. Jordanian sourcesay the 2 were 17-year-old Palestinians from Hebron living in Amman. (MM 10/12; Qol Yisra'el, RMC 10/12 in FBIS 10/13)

U.S. officials elaborate on acting Secy. of State Eagleburger's 10/1 letter to American Jewish leaders announcing new efforts to end Arab boycott against Israel, saying U.S. ambs. in the Middle East (mostly in the Gulf ) have-been instructed to encourage Arab govts. to make gestures that could boost the peace process (see 9/24, 10/1). (WP 10/12)

Over 80 PNC mbrs. living in Amman sign memo to PLO Central Council supporting the intifada, the delegation and negotiation process, and resolutions of the 19th PNC, and calling for Palestinian and Arab unity in the peace process. (Sawt al-Sha'b 10/12 in FBIS 10/13)

Acting U.S. Secy. of State Eagleburger meets with Amb. Shoval, gives him letter for PM Rabin stressing U.S. commitment to sustaining current levels of military aid to Israel. (Qol Yisra'el 10/3, Ha'Aretz 10/4 in FBIS 10/6)

FM Shimon Peres meets with EC Commission Pres. Jacque Delors to discuss updating 1975 economic accord. (Qol Yisra'el, ITV 10/2 in FBIS 10/6)

Israeli Border Police shoot dead 15-year-old stone-thrower near Hebron, W. Bank. (MM 10/3)

Reporting an interview with FM Peres in the Italian paper II Messaggero, Deputy FM Yossi Beilin announces that Rabin gov't. will ask the Knesset in October to legalize meetings with the PLO, as long as they are not considered harmful to Israel. Rabin promised during the campaign to change the 1986 law. (Qol Yisra'el 8/9 in FBIS 8/10; NYT, WP 8/10)

Settlers attempt to build new house in defiance of partial settlement freeze, clash with IDF over its construction near Kiryat Arba, W. Bank. With police protection, 15 Jewish families occupy, claim legal ownership of 7 houses in Muslim quarter of Old City of Jerusalem. Rabin criticizes actions of settlers at both sites. (IDF Radio 8/9 in FBIS 8/10; NYT, WP 8/10)

Masked men kill 2 suspected collaborators in Gaza Strip. (Qol Yisra'el 8/10 in FBIS 8/11)

Fateh-affiliated candidate defeats Hamas candidate for leadership of o.t. Union of Engineers, but Hamas candidates win local branches in Janin, Hebron. (Qol Yisra'el 8/9 in FBIS 8/12)

Fateh Revolutionary Council concludes 2-day meeting in Tunis, issues final statement. (Algiers VOP 8/12 in FBIS 8/12)

Israel shells central S. Lebanon "security zone" and targets north. (VOL 8/9 in FBIS 8/10)

Chmn. Arafat receives "important message" from King Fahd, delivered by Saudi amb. to Tunis Ibrahim Saad al-Ibrahim; meeting is first in 2 years between Arafat and Saudi official. (MM 7/30)

Palestinian girl attacks settler with knife in Hebron, settlers riot, curfew is imposed by IDF. (Al-Fajr 7/6)

State Dept. issues statement claiming U.S. has uncovered information implicating Iran in 3/17 bombing of Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, although it possesses "no conclusive evidence" to this effect. (NYT 5/9)

IDF kills Palestinian youth in Hebron. Clashes break out afterwards, and merchants close shops in mourning. IDF also ends blockade of o.t. imposed 5/6. (MM 5/8)

PLO Central Council begins meeting in Tunis. Faisal Husseini, Hanan Ashrawi secretly address meeting. (Jordan Times 5/10 in FBIS 5/11)

Emile Habibi receives prestigious Israel Prize for Literature from Pres. Herzog, PM Shamir [see 3/17]. Tehiya party leader Yuval Ne'em'an disrupts ceremony by rising from the audience and announcing he was returning the Israel Prize awarded to him 23 years ago to protest awarding of prize to Habibi, whom he described as anti-Israeli. [Habibi had been urged by many Palestinian writers in Israel, o.t., and abroad to refuse the award. He stated that he decided to accept it, however, to pay tribute to achievements made by Palestinian population of Israel]. (MM 5/8)

Undercover unit shoots, injures Palestinian youth in Sa'ir near Hebron. Second Palestinian tries to drive youth to a hospital but is chased by the troops, who open fire on his car, killing him. (MM 5/8)

Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi criticizes Israeli proposal to hold test municipal elections in o.t. but states Palestinian delegation has not rejected the proposal outright. Lebanese, Israeli delegations disagree on anti-Israeli resistance in S. Lebanon. (WP 4/29; Voice of Lebanon, Beirut Radio Lebanon 4/29 in FBIS 4/29; Israel Television 4/29 in FBIS 4/30)

FM Levy informs Secy. of State Baker Israel will not attend upcoming multilateral talks on refugees, economic development, if Palestinians from outside o.t. participate [see 4/7]. (Israel Television 4/28 in FBIS 4/29)

In interviews published in E. Jerusalem press, Nayif Hawatima, leader of one faction of the DFLP, expresses support for municipal elections if they are held under international supervision throughout o.t. and not in selected towns as Israel proposed. Hawatima also criticizes PLO leadership for allegedly exceeding bounds set by Palestine National Council, PLO Central Council resolutions, calls for reforms within PLO, and urgesuspending Palestinian participation in peace talks. (Sawt al-Sha'b 4/28 in FBIS 4/30; MM 4/28)

Faisal Husseini sends letter to 2 members of anti-Zionist Orthodox Jewish movement Neturei Karta appointing them to advisory committee of Palestinian delegation. (Yedi'ot Aharonot 4/29 in FBIS 4/30)

Syrian FM Faruq al-Shar' announces hindrances on travel abroad by Syrian Jews have been removed [see 4/13, 4/23], but stresses difference between "travel" and "emigration." Al-Shar' also states Syrian Jews have no desire to emigrate from Syria. (MM 4/29; Syrian Arab Republic Radio 4/29 in FBIS 4/29)

Israel Television announces work has begun on 12-km. road linking Jerusalem with settlements in Gush Tzion. Road will allow settlers to bypass Palestinian villages between Bethlehem and Hebron, and is described as largest road project ever carried out by Israel. (MM 4/29)

Israeli police announce arrests of 12 Palestinian citizens of Israel whom police accuse of membershipn Islamic Jihad. (MM 4/29

Fifth round of Arab-Israeli peace talks open in Washington. Israeli proposes agreement for municipal elections in selected o.t. localities. Israel insists such a plan is not a substitute for continued negotiations regarding Palestinian autonomy. Israeli-Jordanian talks center on water use. (MM 4/28; WP 4/29; NYT, MM 4/30; Jordan Television 4/28 in FBIS 4/29)

U.S., Russia issue invitations for upcoming third round, multilateral talks. Meetings dealing with five different topics are scheduled to be held in May in different world capitals: arms control, 5/11 in Washington; economic development, 5/11 in Brussels; water, 5/12 in Vienna; refugee problems, 5/13 in Ottawa; environmental issues, 5/18 in Tokyo. (NYT 4/29)

State Dept. announces Syria has informed U.S. it has lifted travel ban and restrictions on purchase and sale of property formerly applied to Syrian Jews [see 4/13]. (NYT, MM 4/28)

Israeli state comptroller issues report criticizing mismanagement, waste, and corruption in numerous government agencies. Report recommended criminal investigations in several instances of corruption within housing ministry, headed by Ariel Sharon [atty. gen. began investigating housing ministry 4/26 after comptroller informed him in advance of report's findings]. (NYT, MM 4/28)

Supporters of Hamas win all 10 seats in elections for student council of a teachers' academy in Ramallah. Hamas also calls on merchants in o.t. to observe strike in protest of resumption of peace talks. Strike observed in some localities in Gaza; in W. Bank, only shops in Hebron were closed. (MM 4/27, 4/29)

IDF states it has apologized for disturbing church services in Ramallah 4/24, but continues to dispute priests' account of what happened [see 4/24]. (MM 4/27)

Palestinian Popular Struggle Front's Central Committee ends meeting in Damascus [begun 4/25] in which it deposed Secy. Gen. Samir Ghawsha and replaced him with Khalid 'Abd al-Majid. (Radio Free Lebanon 4/28 in FBIS 4/29; al-Quds Palestinian Arab Radio 4/29 in FBIS 4/30; Sawt al-Kuwait 5/1, al-Hayat 5/2 in FBIS 5/8; INA 5/3 in FBIS 5/4)

State Dept. announces all parties to peace negotiations have agreed to hold future, sixth round of talks in Rome. No date has yet been set [upcoming fifth round will take place 4/27 in Washington]. (NYT 4/22)

First Israel-Gaza water pipe is opened in refugee camps in central Gaza. (Israel Television Network 4/21 in FBIS 4/22)

Undercover unit dressed as Arabs shoots and wounds 3 Palestinians painting slogans on a wall in Tura, near Hebron. Controversy erupts over what actually occurred. IDF claims soldiers called upon youths to halt and fired warning shots before shooting them. An Israeli couple who witnessed event, however, state soldiers fired without warning. In separate incident, undercover unit shoots, kills Palestinian in 'Illar, W. Bank. (MM 4/21, 4/22, 4/27; NYT 4/22)

Meeting in Beirut, for. ministers of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, PLO approve Arab participation in upcoming round of peace talks in Washington. (MM 4/2)

U.S. Congress passes foreign aid bill for rest of fiscal year which does not include $10 billion in loan guarantees to Israel. (MM 4/3)

State Dept. inspector general issues report stating that the department has failed to heed intelligence reports suggesting that an important U.S. ally-widely understood to be Israel-was making unauthorized transfers of U.S. military technology since about 1983. (NYT 4/2, WP 4/3)

EC "troika" arrives in Beirut for talks with Lebanese leaders on regional issues, upcoming multilateral economic talks [Lebanon has already announced it will not participate in multilateral talks]. (Radio Monte Carlo 4/1 in FBIS 4/2)

Security forces kill at least 4 Palestinians and wound 50 in Rafah, Gaza-most serious clash in o.t. in months. Rafah is curfewed shortly thereafter. In separate incident, 13 year-old boy is killed during confrontation with IDF in Tarqumiya, near Hebron. (NYT, MM 4/2; IDF Radio 4/5 in FBIS 4/6)

Former PM Menahem Begin dies in Tel Aviv. (WP 3/9)

Nayif Hawatima, head of one faction using the name DFLP, states in interview published in German press that he favors opening an "immediate dialogue" with Yitzhak Rabin and the Labor party. (Berliner Zeitung 3/9 in FBIS 3/18)

N. Korean ship which U.S. officials thought might be transporting ballistic missiles (Scud-1D missiles, also called Scud-C) from N. Korea to Syria and Iran docks at Bandar 'Abbas, Iran, after eluding U.S. naval search for the vessel [U.S. Defense Dept. officials state navy had been searching for the ship after receiving Israeli intelligence reports]. Incident is most recent example of growing Western readiness to intercept arms shipments to Syria, Iran. In October 1991, another N. Korean ship carrying equipment for Scud missiles turned back before reaching Syriafter Israel indicated it might stop it [see also 1/29 and 2/3]. (NYT, WP 3/11)

Lebanese police issue first official casualty report from Lebanese civil war. Report states 144,240 died and 197,506 were wounded during fighting from 1975-90. An additional 17,415 are missing and presumed dead, including 13,968 kidnapped by various militias. The figures did not include an additional 6,630 Palestinians killed and 8,000 wounded in related conflicts. (NYT, MM 3/10)

Palestinian youth killed in 'Asirat al-Qibliyya near Nablus. Palestinians claim he was shot by a settler and not by IDF. A second youth killed by soldiers during clash in 'Arrub refugee camp near Hebron. (MM 3/10)

Palestinian stabs border guard in E. Jerusalem. In separate incident, IDF states soldier accidentally shoots and kills Palestinian suspect south of Hebron. (NYT 1/19)

Hundreds of Islamic militants march in 'Ayn al-Hilwa refugee camp near Sidon, S. Lebanon, to protest intra-Palestinian violence in the camp which has continued since December. (NYT 1/19)

Heads of Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian delegations in Washington agree on a "two track" approach by which separate Israeli-Jordanian, Israeli-Palestinian talks would be carried on condition that two Palestinians be present with the Jordanian team and two Jordanians with the Palestinian team. Israeli-Palestinian talks commence later, center on proposals for Palestinian self-rule in o.t. Israeli-Syrian talks also resume, but Israeli-Lebanese talks are postponed after chief Lebanese negotiator falls ill. (Qol Yisra'el 1/13 in FBIS 1/13; MM 1/13/, 1/14; NYT 1/14)

IDF courts in Gaza, Hebron, hear appeals by Palestinians trying to reverse deportation orders. (NYT 1/14)

Knesset votes to hold proposed bill al-lowing direct election of PM in abeyance. (NYT 1/14)