The Palestine Chronology

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving a total of 6 Palestinians, 2 Israelis dead. A Palestinian suicide bomber detonates a nail bomb at a bus stop just inside Israel, nr. Qalqilya, killing 2 Israelis, wounding 4. Hamas, and a previously unknown group named the Popular Army Front Return Battalions claim responsibility. Israeli sappers disarm bombs in the Israeli cities of Petah Tikva, Netanya. This evening, after the Arab summit ends, Sharon orders air, land, sea strikes against Force 17 targets in Dayr al-Balah, Jabaliyya, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Ramallah, killing 3 Palestinians, injuring 62. Nr. Beitunia, a Palestinian woman is shot dead by IDF troops. In Rafah, a Palestinian boy is killed when he triggers unexploded IDF ordnance. The IDF reinforces its troop presence around Abu Sunayna in Hebron with 8 tanks, 15 troop carriers, numerous military jeeps and 3 new outposts; shells residential areas in Nablus; confiscates 28 dunams of Palestinian land in Beitunia to expand an IDF post; bulldozes Palestinian land in Mount Jarzim, Wadi Silqa. Israel issues demolition orders for 19 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem for construction of the "ring road" linking the Jewish settlements around Jerusalem; 658 dunams of Palestinian land is slated to be bulldozed for the project. Jewish settlers attack Palestinians and their property in Bayt Furik, Hebron, Silat Dahir. Settlers fr. Ma'ale Adumim, Kefar Atsion reportedly move into the Israeli controlled section of Hebron to reinforce settlers there. In Hebron, the PSF arrests a local Fatah mbr. for the 3/26 shooting that killed a settler baby. (BBC, CNN, HP, MM, REU 3/28; AFP, ATL 3/28 in WNC 3/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/29; AFP, Interfax, MENA, al-Quds 3/29 in WNC 3/30; LAW, MM, WP 3/30; MA, MENA, al-Safir 3/30 in WNC 4/2; MM 4/3; JP, MEI 4/6; al-Quds 4/15 in WNC 4/16; WP 4/23; al-Ahram [Internet] 4/26)

The Arab League summit closes. Arab states approve a $240 m. emergency aid for the PA over the next 6 mos. (MM 3/28; HJ 3/28 in WNC 3/29; MM, NYT, WP 3/29; JT 3/29 in WNC 3/30; HJ 3/29 in WNC 4/3; al-Ra'i 3/30, Star 3/31, JT 4/1 in WNC 4/2; JP, MEI 4/6; al-Quds 4/10 in WNC 4/12)

Israelis elect One Israel's Ehud Barak as PM with 56.1% of the vote, meaning no 6/1 runoff is needed. In the Knesset, 6 of the 15 parties to win seats are new, including the anti-Orthodox Shinui, formed 2 mos. ago, which won 6 seats. Control of right-wing parties shrinks, as Russians, other centrists gain, changing the balance of power. The ultra-Orthodox Shas, however, gains 7 new seats for total of 17 seats, security its place as the 3d largest party after Labor/One Israel (27, down fr. 34 seats), Likud (19 seats, down fr. 32 seats). The 1st Israeli Arab woman, Husniyya Jabara of Meretz, is also elected to parliament. Israel seals the West Bank, Gaza for the elections. Arab, Asian, European states, the U.S, and Russia welcome Barak's victory, hope it means the peace process will resume soon. (MM 5/17; AFP, LPA 5/17 in WNC 5/18; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/18; AFP, al-Ahram, Chungang Ilbo [Seoul], Interfax, JT, Kyodo [Tokyo], MENA, MKR, RE, RNE-1 Radio Network [Madrid], SANA, SAPA [Johannesburg], Taiwan Central News Agency, VOL, Xinhua [Beijing] 5/18 in WNC 5/19; al-Akhbar 5/18 in WNC 5/21; MENA 5/18, Athens News Agency, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, JT, LPA, RE, Sueddeutsche Zeitung [Munich] 5/19 in WNC 5/20; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 5/19; CSM, NYT, WJW 5/20; CSM, MEI, MM, NYT 5/21; JP 5/28; CSM 6/17)

In a victory speech, PM-elect Barak lists 4 "red lines" for peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA), promises to put any final status agmt. to a referendum by the Israeli public. (MM 5/18; JT 5/19 in WNC 5/20; MEI 5/21)

On the 3d day of his Washington visit, King Abdallah of Jordan meets with U.S. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright, calls for lifting sanctions on Iraq. U.S. urges France, Germany, other creditors to cancel Jordan's debt; encourages Jordan to seek additional U.S. economic assistance. In the afternoon, the king discusses trade issue with U.S. Commerce Secy. William Daley, receives reps. of various American Jewish groups at Blair House. (JT 5/17 in WNC 5/18; WP, WT 5/18; al-Ra'i 5/18 in WNC 5/20; MM 5/21)

Venezuela signs $20 m. deal to buy Israeli antiaircraft defense system. (YA 5/18 in WNC 5/19)

In s. Lebanon, Israeli Defense Force (IDF) shelling kills 2 civilians. (RL 5/17 in WNC 5/18; NYT, WP 5/18; RL 5/18 in WNC 5/19; WT 5/19)

After 21 straight hrs. of talks with Pres. Clinton, Israel, PA reach an agmt. at Wye. Following a delay caused by Netanyahu's last minute claim that the U.S. backed out of a promise to release spy for Israel Pollard as part of the deal, the agmt. is signed at the White House. (MM, PR 10/23; IDF Radio, ITV, MENA 10/23 in WNC 10/26; IDF Radio, ITV, JTV, MENA 10/23, ATL, ITAR-TASS, JT, MENA, RE, RJ, al-Thawra 10/24, al-Ahram, al-Aswaq, ITV, MENA, al-Ra'i, RL, YA 10/25, MA, RL, al-Wafd 10/26 in WNC 10/27; NYT, WP, WT 10/24; WT 10/25; al-Ahram 10/25. al-Akhbar, al-Ba'th, al-Jumhuriyya, MENA 10/26, AFP 10/27 in WNC 10/28; MM 10/26; WJW 10/29; MEI 10/30; SA 10/30 in WNC 11/6; JP 11/2; NYT 11/11; WT 11/12; MM 11/13)

At Wye, Pres. Clinton, King Hussein meet with Arafat, Netanyahu. Talks break at 1 a.m., having made little progress. On the sidelines, FM Sharon meets with reps. of Victims of Terror (see 10/18). Clinton phones Egyptian pres. Mubarak to brief him on talks. (MM 10/20; AFP, RJ 10/20 in WNC 10/21; ITV, MENA 10/20, al-Ahram, MA, RJ 10/21 in WNC 10/22; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/21; al-Quds 10/21 in WNC 10/23; al-Ra'i 10/21 in WNC 10/26; NYT, WP 10/25)

Israeli Finance M Yaakov Neeman says that Israel will not pay the costs of redeployment fr. the West Bank, money "should come from abroad." (WT 10/21)

Hamas claims responsibility for 10/19 grenade attack in Beersheba. PSF detains 20 alleged Hamas mbrs. in PA-controlled Hebron. (AFP 10/20 in WNC 10/22; NYT, WP, WT 10/21; LAW 10/22; PR 10/23)

Overnight, shots are fired, Molotov cocktails thrown at IDF post in Hebron, causing no damage or injuries. (IDF Radio 10/20 in WNC 10/21)

After 2-days of talks, Syria, Turkey reach agmt. under which Syria promises to halt all support to the PKK; arrest, bring to court any Kurdish rebels found in its territory; deny entry to PKK leader Ocalan, who, according to Turkish PM Yilmaz, has been in Russia for over a wk. (ATL 10/20, ATL, HUR, MENA 10/21 in WNC 10/22; MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/21; MM, NYT, WP 10/22; al-Ahram, MENA, RJ 10/22 in WNC 10/23; SATN 10/22, MIL 10/23 in WNC 10/26; MIL 10/23 in WNC 10/27; MEI 10/30) (see 10/19)

In s. Lebanon, SLA opens fire on a civilian car, injuring 1. In a separate incident, a child is injured by IDF shelling. (RL 10/20 in WNC 10/21)

In retaliation for the 8/7 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, the U.S. launches 79 Tomahawk cruise missiles striking 6 training camps in Afghanistan reportedly connected to Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden; a pharmaceutical plant in Khartoum, Sudan, in which Bin Laden possibly holds stock. U.S. claims that "terrorists" at the sites were planning attacks on U.S. interests. Sudan says plant was a legitimate medical drug company. Sudanese stone the U.S. embassy in protest. (ITV 8/20 in WNC 8/21; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/21; AFP, IDF Radio, ITV, JTV, MENA, News [Islamabad], RE, RJ, VIRI, VOL, YA 8/21 in WNC 8/24; NYT, WP, WT 8/22; al-Dustur, MENA, Petra-JNA, RE, RJ, SANA, VOL 8/22, JT, MA, MENA, al-Ra'i, RJ 8/23, al-Ahram, MENA, al-Ra'i 8/24, MENA, al-Dustur, al-Wafd 8/25 in WNC 8/26; MM 8/24; MM 8/28; MEI 9/4)

King Hussein replaces PM `Abd al-Salam al-Majali with Chief of the Royal Court Fayiz al-Tarawnah after Majali officially resigns over recent water pollution scandal. Tarawnah is replaced by FM Jawad al-Anani. Abdallah al-Khatib is named FM. (MM 8/20; AFP, JT, JTV, RJ 8/20 in WNC 8/21; JTV 8/20; CSM, WP 8/21) (see 8/16)

In Tal Rumayda, one of the most tightly guarded Israeli enclave, an unknown assailant stabs to death a Jewish settler rabbi, wounds another before setting fire to the settlers' home. Settlers take to the streets, attack Palestinians. IDF seals Hebron, places curfew on Israeli-controlled sector of Hebron. (MM, NYT, WP 8/21; IDF Radio 8/21 in WNC 8/24; NYT, WT 7/22; ITV 8/22 in WNC 8/26; CSM 8/25)

IDF demolishes 7 Palestinian homes in Samu`a village in the West Bank. (PR 9/4)

Israeli, U.S. officials say that they expect a conclusion to FRD negotiations by the end of the mo. Secy. Albright has spoken with PM Netanyahu 7 times in the past wk.; some conversations have been "heated." (NYT 7/12)

Egyptian FM Musa arrives in Washington for 4 days of high-level talks with the U.S. on bilateral relations, the peace process, including possible reduction in aid to Egypt. (RE, SA 7/10 in WNC 7/13; MENA, VOA 7/11, RE 7/12 in WNC 7/14; al-Riyad 7/12 in WNC 7/16; MM, WT 7/13; al-Ahram 7/14 in WNC 7/15; WP 7/15; WT 7/16; MEI 7/17)

In Amman, 2 days of elections for the Muslim Brotherhood's 45-mbr. Shura Council end. Preliminary data suggests that traditional balance of power in the movement will be maintained despite solidification of a new centrist grouping. (JT 7/11, al-Aswaq, al-Dustur 7/12 in WNC 7/14; JT 7/14 in WNC 7/15; MM 7/15; JT, SA 7/25 in WNC 7/28; al-Ra'i 8/3 in WNC 8/6; MM 8/6)

Discouraged by their mtg. 4/16, King Hussein sends PM Netanyahu a letter criticizing his hard-line policies. (MM 4/20; RJ 4/20 in WNC 4/21; MM 4/21; JT 4/21 in WNC 4/23; al-Ra'i 4/21 in WNC 4/30; al-Aswaq 4/22 in WNC 4/27; MEI 4/24; SA 4/26 in WNC 5/1)

British PM Blair, the current EU pres., arrives in Cairo on the 1st leg of his 1st Middle East tour; discusses with Pres. Mubarak the status of peace process, EU role. (MENA 4/17 in WNC 4/20; ESC Television [Cairo] 4/17, al-Ahram, ESC Television 4/18 in WNC 4/21; al-Quds al-Arabi 4/22, MENA 4/24 in WNC 4/27)

UNSCOM reports to the UNSC that it has made virtually no progress over the past 6 mos. in verifying that Iraq has destroyed any remaining weapons of mass destruction. (WT 4/18) (see 3/26)

In s. Lebanon, 4 IDF soldiers are wounded in attack by Amal. In 2 separate incidents, 1 civilian, 3 IDF soldiers are injured by Hizballah shelling. (RL 4/28 in WNC 4/21)

UN Secy. Gen. Annan reaches agmt. (signed 2/23) with Iraq on resuming unrestricted inspections under which UN Special Committee (UNSCOM) teams of technical experts will be accompanied by senior diplomats appointed by Annan to act as observers. The UNSC must approve the agmt. U.S. expresses cautious optimism. (RJ 2/22, ITV, MENA, RJ 2/23, al-Ahram, al-Ra'i, RL 2/24 in WNC 2/26; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 2/23; Le Soir [Brussels] 2/25 in WNC 3/3; MEI, PR 2/27)

Violent clashes continue in Ma'an, Jordan, for 3d straight day. (JTV, MBC, RJ 2/22, JT, JTV, RJ 2/23 in WNC 2/26; MM, WP, WT 2/23; WP 2/26; MEI 2/27) (see 2/21)

In Cairo, 15,000 students fr. `Ayn Shams, Cairo university demonstrate against U.S. policy toward Iraq. (MENA, RMC 2/22 in WNC 2/26)

3 Palestinians are injured when IDF breaks up "pro-Iraq" demonstration in Birzeit. Another protest is held at al-Najah University in Nablus. (ITV 2/22 in WNC 2/26; PR 2/27)

Jordan arrests 3 Jordanians for plotting attacks on Israeli targets, possession of explosives. (SA 2/23 in WNC 2/26)