The Palestine Chronology

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. The IDF shells residential areas of Brazil refugee camp, damaging a school. Israel says it will begin allowing Palestinians with VIP passes (e.g., PC mbrs.) to travel btwn. the West Bank and Gaza providing they request permission of the IDF in advance, submit to searches. The PA says Israel should honor the VIP passes without restrictions as per signed agmts. (MA 2/25 in WNC 2/26; HJ 2/26 in WNC 2/27; LAW 3/1)

U.S. Secy. of State Colin Powell arrives in Egypt on the 1st leg of a 3-day tour to meet regional leaders, to discuss the Bush administration's proposal to modify the sanctions regime on Iraq to eliminate many economic restrictions, refocus sanctions more narrowly on Saddam Hussein's military. After meeting with Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak, Powell heads to Israel, where he confers with Barak on bilateral, Israeli-Palestinian relations. Powell will also visit Ramallah, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria. (NYT, WP, WT 2/25; al-Ra'i 2/25 in WNC 2/27; WP 2/27; MA 3/1 in WNC 3/5; MEI 3/9)

In Amman, 1,000 Jordanians attend a rally organized by the Jordan professional associations to protest the U.S. Secy. of State Powell's visit to the kingdom on 2/25 in light of the U.S. position toward the Palestinians, Iraq. (JT 2/25 in WNC 2/26; JT 2/26 in WNC 2/27)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue. A remote-controlled car bomb goes off in Mea Sherim, West Jerusalem, injuring 1 Israeli; the Palestinian Popular Resistance Forces claim responsibility. IDF soldiers raid Marda village nr. Nablus, entering homes, photographing and interrogating Palestinian men, harassing their families, tossing 60 percussion grenades. The IDF also shells residential areas in al-Bireh and Satah Marhaba, severely damaging or destroying 3 Palestinian homes, 15 apartments, al-Hayat al-Jadida offices, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society headquarters. (LAW 2/8; MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/9; QA 2/9 in WNC 2/13)

The Bush administration formally abandons Clinton's 12/23 peace proposals, saying they belonged to the fmr. pres. and are irrelevant now that Sharon has been elected PM of Israel. Barak also sends a letter to Bush stating that proposals raised by Pres. Clinton at Camp David and afterward are no longer binding. Secy. of State Powell says the Bush administration will look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the context of its impact on the region, not as an isolated issue. Incoming National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice says future negotiations should be left to the Israelis, Palestinians. Bush, Powell phone Arafat for the 1st time, urge him to reduce violence. Sharon says he is encouraged by the U.S. actions. (HA, JP [Internet], NYT, WP 2/9; AFP 2/9 in WNC 2/13; NYT, WT 2/10; HJ 2/12 in WNC 2/15)