The Palestine Chronology

Lebanese army, civilians begin returning to southern Lebanon. Inf. Min. Michel Samaha states Beirut will negotiate with UN over Lebanese army deployment in UNIFIL zone. Guerrillas skirmish with SIA in "security zone." (NYT, WP, WT 8/2)

Iranian Pres. Ali Rafsanjani reaffirms Tehran's support for Hizballah, blames US for Israeli attack on Lebanon. (WT 8/2)

Egypt reportedly arrests 6 Israelis for smuggling weapons at Rafah border crossing. (al-Safir 8/3 in FBIS 8/10)

Israeli cabinet issues statement warning guerrillas in southern Lebanon that Israel will retaliate for recent attacks in "security zone." Lebanese Pres. al-Hirawi replies that "lf peace is not achieved in the south, the entire Lebanese people will join the resistance in fighting Israel." (Qol Yisra'el 7/18 in FBIS 7/19; CSM, WT 7/19)

Israeli warplanes overfly lqlim al-Tuffah and Beirut as tensions on Lebanon-Israel border mount. (MM 7/19)

IDF wounds 6 Palestinians, including a 10-year-old shot in the head, in clash at Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza. (WT 7/19)

Fateh Central Committee and Revolutionary Council meet in Tunis. (Sawt al-Sha'b 7/20 in FBIS 7/21)

British helicopters fly Red Cross officials into the "no man's land" in southern Lebanon to evacuate 17 Palestinians: 4 who are sick, 13 deported by mistake (11 of whom to be returned to jail). There are now 396 left. (NYT, WT 1/24)

Pres. Clinton telephones PM Rabin, expresses hope that the deportees issue will be solved as soon as possible. (NYT 1/29)

Syrian, Egyptian, Lebanese, and Jordanian ambs. to the U.S. brief Asst. Secy. of State Edward Djerejian on the Arab League position on deportees. (Saudi Arabian TV 1/23 in FBIS 1/26)

IDF shoots Palestinian dead near Ramallah. (Qol Yisra'el 1/24 in FBIS 1/26)

Roadside bomb wounds 1, kills 2 IDF soldiers in "security zone"; Israel shells Hizballah target villages 25 mi. south of Beirut. (NYT, WT 1/24; MM 1/25