The Palestine Chronology

According to New York Times, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states have suspended some $40 million in monthly contributions to the PLO because of PLO's support of Iraq [NYT 10/18].

Expressing concern that U.S. could go to war against Iraq while Congress was in recess, Senate Foreign Relations Committee demands Pres. Bush obtain congressional approval before taking military action. Demand is rebuffed by White House and Sec. Baker, who says the pres. will "consult" with Congress if need be [NYT, LAT, WP, WT 10/18].

For. Sec. Hurd says he failed to convince Israelis to accept UN team investigating Haram al-Sharif incident; 28 prominent Palestinians cancel scheduled meeting with Hurd after local press reports 10/16 comments; Hurd says papers misinterpreted his comments [MEM 10/17; NYT, WT 10/18; JDS 10/17 in FBIS 10/17, 10/18].

Egypt's most prominent newspaper Al-Ahram assails King Hussein as co-conspirator with Saddam, saying King Hussein acknowledged in an interview with New York Times he knew in advance of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Al-Ahram's version of the interview is at odds with the Times article, which says King Hussein knew of the invasion only at 6:00 am on 8/2 [NYT 10/18].

Arab League emergency session, called for by Palestine to discuss Haram al-Sharif shootings, opens in Tunis (cf. 10/18) [SPA 10/17 in FBIS 10/18].

In first interview with U.S. newspaper in nearly 6 years, Iraq's Saddam Hussein says another Mideast war is "inevitable" unless U.S. deters aggressive Israeli policies against Palestinians; that Iraq will stand up to any Israeli military aggression in the area [WSJ 6/28].

Joint Jewish Agency and gov't. coordinating committee on immigration and absorption approve annual budget of $2.3 million for absorbing 150,000 immigrants a year for next 3 years; plan includes construction of 45,000 new apartments [IGP 6/27 in FBIS 6/27].

Esmat Abdel Meguid, Egypt's F.M., meets in New York with UN Sec. Gen. Javier Perez de Cuellar to brief de Cuellar on Meguid's meetings with Pres. Bush, Sec. Baker [MENA 6/27 in FBIS 6/28].

UN envoy Jean-Claude Amie tours Gaza Strip and meets with Palestinian officials there who request UN protection [JDS 6/28 in FBIS 6/28].

West Bank Civil Admin. allows 2 colleges to reopen: al-Najah University in Nablus and Science University in Abu Dis; studies will resume in mid-July [JDS 6/27 in FBIS 6/28].

Soviet Pres. Mikhail Gorbachev sends letter to Egyptian Pres. Mubarak, stressing need for continued peaceful efforts and declaring suspension of U.S.- PLO dialogue as harmful to peace process [RMC 6/28 in FBIS 6/29].

Concluding 3-day visit to Israel, speakers of East and West German parliaments say they have received P.M. Shamir's unconditional approval of reunification of Germany. Shamir says he expects Germany to influence other EC members to adopt more understanding attitude toward Israel [JDS 6/28 in FBIS 6/28; WT 6/28].

Pres. of European Parliament, Enrique Baron Crespo, meets in Tunis with Arafat, according to WAFA [MEM 6/28].