The Palestine Chronology

John Major is selected as next prime minister of Britain [NYT, LAT, WT, WP 11/28; CSM 11/29].

Bush admin. announces that Chinese F.M. Qian has been invited to Washington for talks with Sec. Baker, in what appears to be compensation to Beijing for its support for draft UN resolution authorizing force against Iraq [NYT, WT 11/28].

Saddam Hussein tells reporters that Iraq does not have nuclear weapons; International Atomic Energy Agency reports Iraq's small stock of highly enriched reactor fuel has not been diverted to build nuclear weapons [NYT, WT, WP, MEM 11/28].

2 PFLP fighters and 5 Israeli soldiers are killed, 6th is wounded during firefight near Shabaa, S. Lebanon. Hours later, Israeli air force bombs PFLP and DFLP bases east of Sidon, and Israeli long-range artillery hits villages north of "security zone" [AFP, IDF, BDS, JDS 11/27 in FBIS 11/27; MEM 11/27; NYT, LAT. WT, WP 11/28; CSM 11/29; JPI 12/8; MET 12/11].

Rear Adm. Gene La Rocque (Ret.) tells congressional committee that 6-month Gulf war would result in deaths of 10,000 U.S. soldiers, wounding of 35,000 others, and cost $80 billion [LAT 11/28].

In Tunis, Yasir Arafat confers separately with ambassadors of the 5 permanent members of UN Sec. Council, discussing Gulf crisis and situation in o.t.; Arafat tells ambassadors to demand Sec. Council issue same ultimatum to Israel that it intends to address to Iraq [MEM 11/28; MAP 11/28 in FBIS 11/29].

Saudi official says his country's gratitude toward USSR for its support in Gulf crisis has motivated Saudi Arabia to lend Moscow as much as $1 billion as part of GCC "financial cooperation program" [MEM 11/27, 11/29; WP 11/29]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli police arrest Faisal Husayni and charge him with aiding illegal Palestine Popular Army. Charges stem from 1/18 trial in which Husayni's name was mentioned [FBIS 1/19; NYT 1/20].

D.M. Rabin returns from Washington after talks, says he met a "sympathetic audience" [FBIS 1/19].

Fateh candidates win 9 of 11 seats in the Gaza physicians' association, the first of several upcoming trade union elections [FBIS 1/23].

Arab World: Egyptian F.M. Ismat Abd-alMajid concludes talks in Washington, flies to New York for meeting with UN Sec. Gen. Perez de Cuellar [FBIS 1/19].

Other Countries: Bush administration condemns Israeli arrest of Husayni, saying "such actions discourage Palestinian confidence in the peace process" [NYT, WP 1/20].

United Jewish Appeal launches Operation Exodus, fund-raising effort designed to raise $420-$480 million from American Jews to help resettle Soviet immigrants to Israel [NYT, WP 1/20].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: About 500 Palestinian youths attack with stones and bottles a Gaza police station. Police use tear gas to break up crowd [FBIS 1/22].

At least 11 Palestinians are wounded in clashes throughout the O.T. [FBIS 1/22].

Arab World: Israeli Air Force attacks targets in S. Lebanon, killing 3 and wounding 18. Fighter-bombers attack PFLP positions near Sidon, and Hizballah strongholds in Iqlim al Toffah district [FBIS 1/19; NYT, WP 1/20].