The Palestine Chronology

In Gaza, an IDF jeep intercepts a car bomb, absorbing the blast before it can ram a settler school bus. IDF seals the Gaza Strip. Hamas claims responsibility. PA places Shaykh Yasin under house arrest, detains more than 100 alleged Hamas activists. (MM 10/29; AFP, IDF Radio 10/29 in WNC 10/30; ITV, JTV, QY 10/29 in WNC 11/2; MM, NYT, PCHR, WP, WT 10/30; SA 10/30, JT 10/31, al-Ahram 11/2 in WNC 11/6; NYT 10/31; PR 11/6; JP 11/9; MEI 11/16)

In Ankara, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, U.S., Uzbekistan sign a "political declaration of support" for construction of a Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. (Interfax 10/29 in WNC 11/2; MM 11/6) (see 10/22)

After a brief 3-way mtg. at the White House, Pres. Clinton, Arafat, PM Netanyahu, their delegations head to Wye Plantation in Maryland for negotiations. (MM, WJW 10/15; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/16; YA 10/16 in WNC 10/19; al-Akhbar 10/16 in WNC 10/20)

Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, Jordan's King Hussein discuss Wye talks by phone. In Cairo, Jordanian PM Tarawnah briefs Mubarak on Crown Prince Hassan's mtgs. with Arafat (10/12), Netanyahu (10/14). (MENA 10/15 in WNC 10/16; JTV 10/15 in WNC 10/19)

Lebanese parliament elects (118-0, with 10 absentees, including Druze leader Junblatt, his bloc) Gen. Lahoud as Lebanon's new pres. He will take office 11/24. (MM 10/15; RL 10/15 in WNC 10/16; SATN 10/15 in WNC 10/19; al-Nahar 10/15, RL 10/18 in WNC 10/20; NYT, WP, WT 10/16; RL 10/16 in WNC 10/19; al-Ittihad 10/18 in WNC 10/23; IRNA 10/19 in WNC 10/21; MM 10/28) (see 10/13)

Turkey rejects Syrian offer to discuss water sharing, says Syria must first drop support for Kurdish separatists. (NYT, WP 10/16; HUR 10/16 in WNC 10/19) (see 10/14)

PSF detains 2 Israelis outside PA negotiator Abbas's home in al-Bireh. The Israelis, who turn out to be settler security guards dressed in civilian clothes, claim they entered th PA area to pursue stone-throwers. (PR 10/23)

30 Jewish settlers led by a Molodet party MK occupy a vacant Palestinian home in East Jerusalem, sparking scuffles with Palestinians. 100 Israeli policemen are brought in to quell the disturbances. (IDF Radio 10/15 in WNC 10/19; NYT 10/16; PR 10/23)

Unidentified assailants fire bomb several Palestinian homes in Bethlehem, seriously damaging 1. Palestinians blame local Jewish settlers. (AFP [Internet] 10/17)

PM Netanyahu meets with his security cabinet to discuss upcoming Washington talks; for the 1st time presents Ms with 2 2d FRD maps. (ITV 10/8 in WNC 10/14; NYT 10/10)

U.S. envoy Ross, Palestinian-Israeli Steering and Monitoring Comm. (PISMC) heads Saeb Erakat and Dani Nave discuss security at Gaza airport. (ITV 10/8 in WNC 10/14)

U.S. Asst. Secy. Indyk phones Syrian FM Shara` fr. Cairo to discuss crisis btwn. Syria, Turkey. Shara` calls on the U.S. to adopt a clear stand, back mediation efforts. Indyk publicly calls on Turkey to exercise self-restraint, then heads to Jordan to brief Crown Prince Hassan on Albright trip. (MENA 10/8 in WNC 10/9; SATN 10/8, RJ 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In Moscow, Arafat briefs Russian Pres. Boris Yeltsin, PM Yevgeny Primakov, Duma Chmn. Gennady Seleznev on his recent mtgs. with Pres. Clinton, Secy. Albright. (Interfax, ITAR-TASS 10/8 in WNC 10/14)

Iran reports clash with Taliban troops along the border with Afghanistan, marking the 1st significant military incident in their 2-mo.-old standoff. Taliban denies any clash took place. 270,000 Iranian troops are facing 10,000 Taliban troops along the border. (NYT, WP, WT 10/9; MEI 10/16) (see 9/12)

Iranian FM Kharrazi arrives in Syria for talks with senior officials on lowering tensions with Turkey. (IRNA, SANA 10/8 in WNC 10/9; MM 10/9; IRNA, SANA 10/9 in WNC 10/14)

In a ceremony attended by Israeli mayor of Jerusalem Ehud Olmert and 50 mbrs. of the Ateret Cohanim settler group, 3 Jewish settler families move into a home in East Jerusalem. Israel also announces that 150 new housing units will be added to Ma'ale Mikhmas settlement nr. Ramallah. (AFP 10/9 [Internet])

In continuing clashes in Hebron, IDF troops open fire, killing a Palestinian protester, seriously wounding a news photographer, 20 other Palestinian protesters. (MM 10/8; CSM, NYT, PR, WT 10/9; WP 10/10; MEI, PR 10/16; JP 10/29)

Israel seals borders with the occupied territories to prevent what DM Mordechai claims are plans for an "unprecedented, horrific" attack by Hamas. (MM 10/2; ITV 10/2 in WNC 10/6; WT 10/3)

Syria calls for dialogue with Turkey on security issues, accuses Israel of being behind Turkey's recent belligerent tone. (MM 10/2; SANA 10/2 in WNC 10/5; Sabah, SATN 10/2, ATL, JT, SA, SATN 10/3 in WNC 10/6; WP, WT 10/3; NYT 10/4; Anatolia 10/5 in WNC 10/7) (see 10/1)

A British analysts claims that Israel is the government referred to in a passage of the Starr report (see 9/19) in which Lewinsky testified that Clinton said that he suspected a foreign emb. of tapping his phones. The analyst claims that Mossad installed the tap after the FBI began looking into reports of an Israeli mole, Mega, in the administration (see 5/6/97); used its recordings of more than 30 sexually explicit calls btwn. Lewinsky, Clinton to force Clinton to call off the Mega investigation. A Washington source confirms that Israeli bugging, blackmail halted the FBI hunt. (MEI 10/2; see also MM 9/18)

In Hebron, 7 Palestinians are injured as clashes with the IDF continue. (WT 10/3)

Jewish settlers fr. Yitzhar settlement nr. Nablus fire on Palestinians in the neighboring village of Burin. In East Jerusalem, settlers throw molotov cocktails at a Palestinian home causing light damage. (PR 10/9)

PM Netanyahu's security cabinet holds session to discuss the "growing Palestinization and religious radicalization among Israeli Arabs." (MA 7/7 in WNC 7/13)

Israeli pres. Weizman, PM Netanyahu meet for 1st time in over a mo., agree to halt their public debate over the peace process. (MM 7/1; CSM, MM, WP 7/2; JP 7/11) (see 6/30)

Israeli air force (IAF) cmdr. Eytan Ben-Eliyahu says that most of the present aircraft fleet is outdated, the IAF needs 100 modern fighter jets. (YA 7/1 in WNC 7/6) (see 6/28)

1st civil guard is formed in the Jewish settlement of Beitar Ilit. Other guard centers are being set up in Kiryat Arba, Ma'ale Adumim, Givat Ze'ev settlements. Units are planned in Efrat, Har Hadar, Oranit settlements. (PR 7/10) (see 6/11)

Syrian FMin. Undersecy. Adnan Umran arrives in Turkey for 2-day visit to discuss normalizing diplomatic relations. (WT 7/1; Anatolia 7/1 in WNC 7/2; Anatolia 7/1, 7/2 in WNC 7/6; WT 7/3; Milliyet 7/4 in WNC 7/7; MEI 7/31)

In Cairo, Egypt, Iran discuss enhancing media cooperation. (IRNA 7/1 in WNC 7/6)

Group representing 800 U.S. finance officials threatens to boycott Swiss banks unless they settle Holocaust era claims. U.S. administration opposes the threat of sanctions, which could disrupt U.S.-Swiss relations, trigger free trade dispute. (WT 7/3)

Israel reinforces troops in s. Lebanon, sending in more than 20 vehicles, including Merkava tanks, 175-mm. guns, surveillance cameras. (RL 7/1 in WNC 7/2)

In Cairo, Pres. Mubarak, Saudi FM Prince Saud al-Faysal discuss peace process, possible Arab summit. (MENA 6/10 in WNC 6/11; MENA 6/12 in WNC 6/15)

In Gaza, Arafat, Jordanian PM Majali discuss peace process, possible Arab summit. Majali hands Arafat a letter fr. King Hussein, outlining Netanyahu's position on FRD as transmitted to the king via Israeli DM Mordechai on 6/7. (JTV 6/10 in WNC 6/12; Shihan 6/27 in WNC 6/30; al-Dustur 7/1 in WNC 7/2) 

Syrian FM Shara` meets with PLO Exec. Comm. mbr. and Arafat adviser on refugee affairs As`ad `Abd al-Rahman to reopen discussion on refugee issues. (RMC 6/12 in WNC 6/15)

During their 2d day of talks, Iran, Turkey sign memorandum of understanding on setting up a joint chamber of commerce, beginning engineering and technical cooperation on natural gas. (IRIB Television 6/10, MENA 6/11 in WNC 6/12; IRNA 6/11, 6/13 in WNC 6/17)

In Hebron district, IDF bulldozes 70 dunams of Palestinians orchards, saying it has warned Palestinians not to farm "state land." Trees on the land were 5+n10 yrs. old. (Christian Peacemaker Teams press release 7/14)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli peace activists protesting settlement activity clash with Israeli police. (CSM 6/11)

Some 50 Christian human rights activists stage sit-in to protest settler's occupation of Silwan homes 5/8. (WT 6/11)

PC gives Arafat until 6/15 to reshuffle the Executive Authority (EA; the PA's cabinet) or face no-confidence vote (he has not faced a no-confidence vote since the 1996 elections). (WP 6/12; MEI 7/3)

In Cairo, U.S. Asst. Secy. of State for Near East Affairs Martin Indyk briefs Pres. Mubarak on U.S. efforts to persuade Israel to accept the U.S. FRD proposal. (MENA, RE 6/9 in WNC 6/10; ITV, MENA 6/9 in WNC 6/11; MENA 6/9 in WNC 6/17)

In Vienna, Jordan's Crown Prince Hassan discusses peace process with Chancellor Viktor Klima, who assumes the presidency of the EU on 7/1. (RJ 6/9 in WNC 6/10, 6/11; Der Standard 6/12 in WNC 6/15)

In Tel Aviv, Jordan, Israel discuss import of Jordanian agricultural goods, farm products to Israel, PA self-rule areas. (JT 6/11 in WNC 6/12)

Iran, Turkey convene economic summit in Tehran. (IRIB Television 6/9 in WNC 6/11; IRNA 6/10 in WNC 6/12)

In keeping with UN Res. ES-10/5 of 3/17, Switzerland opens in Geneva a 3-day experts-level mtg. btwn. Israel, the PLO, with the International Comm. of the Red Cross, to examine measures that would contribute to the effective application of the Fourth Geneva Conventions in the occupied territories. (Palestine and the UN 6/98)

Israeli Interior Min. approves construction of 58 housing units for Jewish settlers nr. the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem. (Palestine and the UN 6/98)

U.S. government arrests without charge Muhammad Salah, a naturalized U.S. citizen once arrested in Israel for being a mbr. of Hamas; seizes his home, bank accounts worth $1.4 m.; hopes its investigation will lead to an indictment on charges of funding Hamas "terrorism." (NYT 6/14; JP 6/20; Shihan 7/11 in WNC 7/14)

PM Netanyahu arrives in China for 3-day visit. (MM 5/26)

In Cairo, Arafat attends Arab League mtg. called to commemorate the 50th anniversary of al-Nakba; calls for Arab summit on the peace process. (MENA, RE 5/26 in WNC 5/27)

Egyptian FM `Amr Musa arrives in Amman for talks with King Hussein on Mubarak's trip to France, possible Arab summit; says Pres. Mubarak is discussing summit idea with other Arab leaders, including Morocco's King Hassan, who arrived in Cairo today for 3-day official visit, and Syria's Pres. Asad. (MENA, RE, RJ 5/26 in WNC 5/27; MM 5/27, 5/28)

In Tel Aviv, Israel's DM Yitzhak Mordechai meets with Turkey's dep. chief of staff, Gen. Cevik Bir, for talks on the peace process, furthering military cooperation, possible joint arms projects. (WT 5/27)

Saudi Arabia's FM Prince Saud al-Faisal arrives in Iran for 2-day talks on improving bilateral ties. (WT 5/27)

Hamas's Shaykh Yasin visits Syria's Yarmuk refugee camp, where he receives warm welcome fr. Palestinian refuges. (WP 6/11) (see 5/25)

In East Jerusalem, Israeli border policemen clash with Palestinians protesting illegal construction by Jewish settlers (see 5/25). To halt violence, Israel's Jerusalem mayor Ehud Olmert bans the construction in the name of Israel's Antiquities Dept., orders the demolition of the settlers' illegal dwellings. (ITV 5/26 in WNC 5/27; MM, NYT 5/27; WJW 5/28; MM 6/3; MEI 6/5; WT 6/9)

Yemen reports that over the past 2 days, Saudi troops have seized the island of Harim in the Red Sea as part of an attempt to pressure Sana' to make territorial concessions in the 2 countries' border demarcation negotiations, which just resumed last wk. The island is 1 of 3 uninhabited but strategically significant Red Sea islands in dispute. (MM 5/26)

3 SLA mbrs., 3 Hizballah mbrs. are killed in 2 clashes in s. Lebanon. 4 civilians are injured, over 100 flee their homes. (ITV, RL, VOL 5/26 in WNC 5/27)

Secy. of State Albright travels to Bahrain, Egypt to discuss Iraq issue. Bahrain agrees to allow U.S. forces to stage strikes fr. its air bases if necessary. Both Bahrain, Egypt call for diplomatic solution but agree to U.S. phrasing that if the U.S. attacks Iraq it would be Saddam Hussein's fault. (MM 2/3; MENA 2/3 in WNC 2/4, 2/6; MM, WP, WT 2/4; MEI 2/13) (see 2/2)

Turkey's army chief Gen. Hussein Kizriko_lu begins 4-day visit to Israel to discuss military cooperation. (WT 2/4; see also MM 1/12)

Iran's Majles speaker Ali Akbar Nateq-Nuri arrives in Syria for 3-day visit; discussions on developing economic, commercial ties. (IRNA, SATN 2/3 in WNC 2/4; IRNA 2/3, IRNA, SATN 2/4, IRNA 2/5 in WNC 2/6; IRNA 2/5 in WNC 2/6)

To mark end of Ramadan, PA grants pardons or early releases to 31 Palestinian prisoners, including 2 convicted in connection with the 1/22/95 Beit Lid bombing that killed 21 Israelis. Israel similarly releases 23 Palestinian prisoners. (WP 2/4; JP 2/7)

In the West Bank, Palestinians protest Israel plans to confiscate land for expansion of Modi'in settlement. (PR 2/13)

In Hebron, 400 Palestinians protesting Israeli settlement policy announced 1/9 clash with IDF troops for several hrs., stopping occasionally to let pedestrians pass. 7 protesters, 1 soldier are injured. (ITV 1/10 in WNC 1/13; WT 1/11; PR 1/16)

Turkey, Iran name new ambs., ending 11-mo.-old diplomatic rift over Iran's alleged support of Turkish Islamists. (VIRI 1/10 in WNC 1/13) (see 9/22/97)

U.S. special envoy Ross meets with PM Netanyahu. (ITV 1/7 in WNC 1/11; WP 1/8; ITV 1/8 in WNC 1/11; RE 1/9 in WNC 1/12; JP 1/17)

In Amman, King Hussein meets with Labor Chmn. Barak. No details of mtg. are released. (JT 1/10 in WNC 1/13) (see 1/4)

Israel approves construction of 574 new housing units in Efrat settlement, 94 units in Elkana settlement, both in the West Bank. (ITV 1/7 in WNC 1/10; MM, WP 1/8; ITV 1/8 in WNC 1/11; WP 1/9; al-Dustur 1/9 in WNC 1/12; MEI, PR 1/16)

Israel, Turkey, U.S. begin naval maneuvers in the Mediterranean, which will last until 1/9. Jordan is the only country to accept Turkey's invitation to send an observer. (RJ, SANA 1/7 in WNC 1/10; MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/8; MA, YA 1/8 in WNC 1/11; MENA 1/9 in WNC 1/12; MEI 1/16) (see 1/5)

Iranian pres. Khatami uses CNN interview to address the U.S. people, urging them to break down the "wall of mistrust between us." He calls for cultural exchange with the U.S., expresses regret for 1979 hostage-taking but criticizes U.S. policies, says there is no need for political ties. State Dept. responds by proposing direct talks. Khatami also calls Israel a "racist terrorist state," denounces terrorism (which harms innocents) but expresses support for "peoples who fight for the liberation of their land." (MM, NYT, WP 1/8; MM 1/9; MEI 1/16)