The Palestine Chronology

Shas becomes 7th party to agree to joint PM-elect Barak's government, cementing a broad-based coalition (mixing left- and right-wing, secular and religious parties) that should give Barak a strong majority in the Knesset. After details of the coalition agmt. are finalized, Barak will formally present the government. (Xinhua 6/30 in WNC 7/1; NYT, WP, WT 7/1; WT 7/)

U.S. signs 3 new grants for Jordan, giving the kingdom $134.7 m. to support balance of payments, technical and training assistance, water and sewage projects. (Petra-JNA 6/30 in WNC 7/1)

King Abdallah of Jordan phones U.S. Secy. of State Albright to urge the U.S. to halt Israeli aggressions against Lebanon. France condemns Israel's 6/24 attack an "overreaction," dispatches a special envoy, FMin. Dir. for the Middle East Yves Aubin de la Messuziere, to Lebanon, Syria, Israel, the PA areas to examine the Lebanese situation, current status of the peace process. (JTV 6/25, AFP, RMC 6/26, AFP 6/27 in WNC 6/28)

Iranian FM Kamal Kharrazi arrives in Amman fr. Lebanon for talks with Jordanian FM `Abdallah Khatib on expanding bilateral political, economic relations. This is the 1st high-level visit by an Iranian to Jordan in 30 yrs. (IRNA, RL 6/19, IRNA, JTV, RMC 6/20 in WNC 6/21; WT 6/20; `Ukaz 6/23 in WNC 6/28)

In Cairo, Egypt, Yemen sign 12 cooperation agmts. (MENA 6/19 in WNC 6/21)

In Cairo, Egypt, Slovenia discuss expanding political, defense, economic relations. (MENA 6/19 in WNC 6/21)

Pres. Clinton waives the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act requiring the State Dept. to relocate the U.S. embassy in Israel fr. Tel Aviv. If Clinton had not acted, the State Dept. would have forfeited about $500 m. in current funding for security, improvements at other embs. around the world. (WP, WT 6/19; RJ 6/19 in WNC 6/21; MM 6/21; JT 6/21 in WNC 6/22; MEI 7/2)

PM-elect Barak says that he will move quickly to construct the s. safe-passage route linking Gaza, West Bank. (MM 6/18; NYT, WP, WT 6/19; MM 6/21; AYM 6/23 in WNC 6/28; JP 6/25; MEI 7/2)

Mtg. in Cologne, the G-8 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, U.S.) decides against forgiving Jordan's debt, moves instead to forgive debt of the 33 poorest debtor nations. (NYT, WP 6/19; MM 6/25)

Iraq rejects the British-Dutch proposal, presented to the UN on 6/16, to ease sanctions in exchange for a new weapons inspection regime. (MM 6/18; NYT, WP 6/19; MM 6/22, 6/24, 6/25)

Jordan imposes austerity measures to reduce the budget deficit, ordering ministries to cut their budgets by 5%. (NYT 6/18; JT 6/19 in WNC 6/21)

Iranian FM Kamal Kharrazi arrives in Lebanon for talks on upgrading bilateral ties in all fields. (IRNA 6/17 in WNC 6/18; IRNA, RL 6/18 in WNC 6/24; Iran News [Internet], IRIB Television, IRNA 6/19 in WNC 6/21; MM 6/25)

In Damascus, Iran, Syria sign an energy cooperation agmt. (IRNA 6/17 in WNC 6/18; Jomhuri-ye Eslami, TT 6/20 in WNC 6/21) (see 6/15)

In Tehran, Egyptian, Iranian officials discuss expanding cultural, political relations. (IRNA 6/17 in WNC 6/18)

IDF demolishes 2 Palestinian homes in Ramallah, damaging an adjacent house in the process. (LAW 6/21)

The Abu Dhabi daily al-Ittihad reports that Arafat has asked King Abdallah to intervene with Fatah mbrs. in Jordan to dissuade them fr. taking part in an "internal conspiracy." Arafat reportedly alleges that senior Fatah leaders in Amman, Cairo, Damascus, Tunis have begun a serious movement, supported by Hamas and Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, to overthrow Arafat for having made too many concessions to Israel. PA denies the report. (al-Ittihad 6/14 in WNC 6/15; al-Ittihad 6/18 in WNC 6/21) (see 6/10)

In Damascus, Iranian, Syrian officials discuss cooperation in water, electricity industries. (IRNA 6/14 in WNC 6/15)

Iraq sends delegation to Iran to discuss accelerating the release of POWs fr. the 1980+n88 war. (WP 6/15)

Multilateral Refugee Working Group begins 5 day gavel mission to refugee camps in Jordan. (JT [Internet], Petra-JNA [Internet] 6/17)

At the close of 2 days of mtgs., the Egyptian-Moroccan Joint Comm. issues a communiqué calling on Israel to implement the Oslo, Wye agmts. and resume peace talks quickly. (MKR 6/13 in WNC 6/14; RE 6/14 in WNC 6/15; MM 6/16)

Israel bans the return to Ramallah fr. Amman of fmr. PLO guerrilla and current Palestine National Council mbr. Muhammad Oudeh who publicly admitted (5/3) to planning hostage-taking of Israelis at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Oudeh, who has lived in Ramallah since 1996, says that Israel's move contradicts an Israel-PA agmt. not to prosecute violent acts that predate the Oslo peace accords. Germany also has issued a warrant for Oudeh's arrest. (RMC 6/13 in WNC 6/14; NYT, WP, WT 6/14; JT, SA 6/14 in WNC 6/15; JT 6/26 in WNC 6/28)

In Aqaba, King Abdallah of Jordan receives Shaykh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain for 2 days of talks on bilateral, regional issues. Both men express support for an independent Palestinian state. (WT 6/13; RJ 6/13 in WNC 6/14)

In Algiers, Egypt's Pres. Mubarak, Algeria's Pres. Bouteflika hold talks on bilateral, regional issues, including the peace process. Mubarak then heads to Morocco for 2 days of similar talks with King Hassan. (MENA 6/12 in WNC 6/14; JUM, RE 6/14 in WNC 6/15; MM 6/15)

In Amman, King Abdallah of Jordan, Crown Prince Abdallah of Saudi Arabia call on Israeli PM-elect Barak to exchange land for peace with the Palestinians. The crown prince then heads to Cairo, where he meets with Pres. Mubarak. (MM 6/4; MENA, RJ 6/4 in WNC 6/8; WP 6/5)

Lebanese PM Salim al-Huss makes 1st visit to Jazzin in 17 yrs. by a top Lebanese official. (VOL 6/4 in WNC 6/8; NYT, WT 6/5; al-Ba`th 6/6 in WNC 6/11; MEI 6/18)

PLO Executive Committee (PLOEC) meets in Ramallah to discuss resumption of the 4/27+n29 PLO Central Council (PCC) mtg., which will continue discussion on possible declaration of a Palestinian state. (al-Ra'i 6/2 in WNC 6/3; al-Quds 6/4 in WNC 6/11)

In Paris, King Abdallah of Jordan holds talks on the peace process, debt forgiveness with Pres. Jacques Chirac. (AFP, RJ 6/2 in WNC 6/3)

In talks with Syrian pres. Asad in Damascus, Crown Prince Abdallah of Saudi Arabia offers to mediate btwn. Asad, Arafat if it would help coordinate a unified Arab stand on the peace process. (al-Nahar 6/2 in WNC 6/3; MM 6/3, 6/4)

IDF suspends export licenses of the Israeli company Orlil based on reports that Orlil stole U.S. night-vision equipment purchased for the IDF, sold it to "Far Eastern" countries. (Globes [Internet] 6/2 in WNC 6/3)

In Cairo, Egyptian FM Musa holds talks on the peace process with EU special envoy Moratinos, who says that the EU expects Israeli PM-elect Barak to restore confidence btwn. the parties to the peace process by freezing settlement activity, urges him to restart talks with Syria. (MENA 6/1 in WNC 6/2; al-Quds 6/2 in WNC 6/8; MEI 6/18)

In Tunisia, King Abdallah of Jordan holds talks with Pres. Zein al-Abidine Ben Ali on the peace process, bilateral relations. (Tunis-7 Television 6/1 in WNC 6/2; Tunisian Republic Radio Network 6/2 in WNC 6/3)

For 2d day, Hizballah strikes SLA mbrs. evacuating Jazzin, killing 2, wounding 1. In response, the IDF shells Hizballah targets. Hizballah returns mortar fire, injuring 2 more SLA mbrs. In separate raids, IDF injures 1 Lebanese army soldier, 3 civilians. (MM 6/1; RL 6/1 in WNC 6/2; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 6/2; RL 6/2 in WNC 6/3; `Ukaz 6/2 in WNC 6/8; WT 6/3; JP 6/11) (see 5/31)