The Palestine Chronology

In Cairo, Russian FM Primakov announces that Dep. FM Posuvalyuk has been named to the new posiition of Russia's special envoy to the Middle East, on a par with U.S. special envoy Ross, EU special envoy Moratinos. Primakov also outlines 12-pt. "code of conduct" for achieving peace. (MENA 10/30 in WNC 11/3; MENA 10/31 in WNC 11/4; JP 11/8)

Iraq forbids entry to 2 American UNSCOM mbrs. (see 10/29)

Afghanistan's Taliban, the militia which controls 2/3 of the country, says that it is holding Saudi dissident and alleged "terrorist financier" Osama Bin Laden under house arrest. (WP 10/31) (see 7/31)

PM Netanyahu, DM Mordechai, Infrastructures M Sharon secretly fly to Amman to discuss attack on Hamas's Mishal. King Hussein refuses to meet them, sends Crown Prince Hassan instead. (NYT 10/10) (see 9/25)

U.S. Secy. of State Albright, Israeli FM Levy, Arafat adviser Abbas meet on the sidelines of the UNGA session in New York. (NYT, WP, WT 9/29; MEI 10/10)

Egyptian pres. Mubarak receives Israeli pres. Weizman in Alexandria. (MENA 9/28 in WNC 9/30; MM 9/29; JP 10/11)

PM Netanyahu tells his cabinet that he has spotted the "first, preliminary steps" by the PA to crack down on Islamists; releases $17 m. of tax money withheld fr. the PA since the 7/30, 9/4 bombings; allows 8,000 more Palestinian workers into Israel. (CSM, NYT, WT 9/29)

At a Labor convention, party leader Ehud Barak asks forgiveness fr. Sephardic Jews for the way the party treated them in the early years of statehood. (NYT 9/30; JP 10/4; MM 10/22)

IDF demolishes 53 dwellings of 70 Jahalin bedouin families, a school nr. Azariyya in Jeruslem. (PHRIC 10/21) (see 8/19)

The 3 companies fr. France, Malaysia, Russia sign $2 b. deal to explore for  gas in Iran, challenging for the 1st time a 1996 law sponsored by Sens. Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY), Edward Kennedy (D-MA) requiring the U.S. to impose sanctions on any company that violates a 1996 law against investing more than $40 m. in Iran. (NYT 9/29; NYT, WP, WT 9/30; NYT 10/1; MEI 10/10) (see 7/26)

In Tehran, Iran, Jordan discuss expanding bilateral relations in trade, tourism, transportation. (RJ 9/28 in WNC 9/30; JT 10/1 in WNC 10/2)

500,000 Israeli workers honor an 8-hr. strike called by Histadrut to protest the Likud government's refusal to honor a Labor-initiated pension plan. (WT 9/28, 9/29)

Defying Secy. of State Albright's plea (9/11), PM Netanyahu anounces approval of plan to expand the West Bank settlement of Efrat by 300 units. State Dept. spokesman says that the decision is not "consistent with the environment [Albright] hoped to create." (MM, NYT, WP, WT 9/25; ITV 9/25, IDF Radio, JP 9/26 in WNC 9/30; CSM, NYT 9/26; YA 9/28 in WNC 9/30; MM 9/29; PR 10/3)

Egyptian pres. Mubarak returns fr. 3-day visit to Russia. (MENA 9/24 in WNC  9/25)

Turkish FM Ismail Cem, Israeli FM Levy meet in New York. Both men express concern over reports that Russia has agreed to sell Syria long-range S-300 missiles. (WT 9/24; Bayrak Radio [Nicosia] 9/25 in WNC 9/26)

PA arrests 20 suspected Hamas mbrs., tightens security around jailed Hamas activists. (WT 9/25; ITV 9/26 in WNC 9/30)

Attorneys report that the number of Palestinian administrative detainees at Israel's Megiddo prion has doubled to 400 in the last 2 mos. (LAW 9/24)

Turkish military offical confirms that 15,000 Turkish troops, with tanks, over 100 armored vehichles, entered n. Iraq over the past 4 days to attack PKK forces. (NYT 9/25; MM, WP 9/26; MEI 10/10) (see 6/19)