The Palestine Chronology

In Washington, Israeli Finance M Yaakov Neeman, DMin. Dir. Gen. Ilan Biran meet with senior U.S. officials to assure them that the $1.2-b. aid that the U.S. plans to give Israel will not be used directly for settlements. An Israeli-U.S. team is formed to complete details of the aid package within 1 mo. for submission to Congress in mid-1/99. (Globes [Internet] 11/22; MM 11/23; Globes [Internet] 11/23 in WNC 11/30) (see 11/19)

Israel, Jordan discuss bilateral trade issues, Israeli obstacles to Jordanian trade with the occupied territories. (JT 11/23 in WNC 11/30)

Jordan, Syria open 2-day mtg. on Yarmuk River water. (JT, Petra-JNA 11/23 in WNC 11/24; JT 11/24, 11/26 in WNC 11/30; WT 11/25)

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails begin hunger strike to protest Israel's release of criminals, rather than political prisoners. (CSM 11/23; MM 11/25; IDF Radio 11/26 in WNC 11/30; MEI 12/11) (see 11/20)

Israel approves construction of high-tech industrial center, engineering school at the Kiryat Arba settlement. (AFP [Internet] 11/22; PR 11/27)

Jewish settlers demand that the Israeli government provide armored busses for schoolchildren, build lookout posts along key roads, construct helicopter landing pads, issue military equipment (e.g., machine guns, tear gas, rubber-coated bullets) to settlements. (MM 11/23)

Jewish settlers occupy abandoned rail station at Sebastia in the West Bank; demand government permission to open a religious seminary, museum there. Settlers also occupy hilltops nr. Bethlehem, nr. Nablus. (ITV 11/22 in WNC 11/24)

IDF demolishes Palestinian home in Taybeh nr. Hebron. (PR 1/8)

A wk. after avoiding U.S. airstrikes by resuming cooperation with the UN (see 11/15), Iraq rebuffs a UN request for documents. U.S. warns that withholding documents alone could trigger airstrikes. (NYT 11/23; WT 11/24)

With government permission, Jordanian women's groups, opposition parties stage 2d pro-Iraq rally in Amman. (JT 11/23 in WNC 11/24) (see 11/17)

In East Jerusalem, unidentified gunmen fire on 2 rabbinical students, killing 1, seriously injuring the other. (MM, NYT 11/20; MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/21; WJW 11/27; PR 11/28; JP 11/29)

Citing lack of evidence to convict, Israel's State Attorney's Office, IDF decide not to prosecute the 3 PA policemen arrested 7/14. They will be held as administrative detainees. (IDF Radio 11/20 in WNC 11/25)

Following talks with Russia, Iraq announces it will allow UNSCOM inspectors to resume their search for weapons of mass destruction. Pres. Clinton says he will "wait and see whether [Saddam Hussein] does, in fact, comply." Russia promises Iraq it will push for easing of sanctions. (MM, WP 11/20; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/21; al-Dustur 11/21 in WNC 11/27) (see 11/18)

In Amman, Russian FM Primakov meets with King Hussein, Crown Prince Hassan. (ITAR-TASS [Moscow], JT, RJ 10/28 in WNC 10/29; MM 0/19; RJ 10/29 in WNC 10/30)

Iraq, Syria hold water talks in Damascus, again urge Turkey to join in 3-way discussion. (INA 10/28 in WNC 10/30; al-Thawra 10/31 in WNC 11/6) (see 10/22)

At the close of 4 days of mtgs., Iran, Lebanon have signed 4 agmts. covering land and maritime transport, dual taxation, boosting trade, encouraging investment btwn. the 2 countries. Iran also agrees to request to provide Lebanon with crude oil at preferential prices. (SA 10/29 in WNC 10/30; see also MM 10/27, IRIB Television [Tehran] 10/27 in WNC 10/29)

PC mbr. Musa Abu Sabha is detained by Israeli police at Gaza checkpoint for driving a car reported stolen in Israel. PA atty. gen. demands that Abu Sabha's immunity be lifted, but PC Legal Council refuses, saying that he cannot be tried while in Israeli detention, he must be extradited to PA. (PR 11/7)

IDF demolishes 3 Palestinian homes nr. Bethlehem. (LAW 10/29)

IDF clashes with Hizballah in s. Lebanon, leaving at least 2 Hizballah mbrs. dead. (ITV 10/28 in WNC 10/29)

PISMC resumes mtg. (ITV 10/31 in WNC 11/10)

Israeli-PA joint patrols resume in Janin, Jericho. Qarni crossing point opens for entry of food, medical supplies fr. Israel; export of agricultural products fr. Gaza. Israel increases number of Palestinian merchants allowed into Israel fr. 100 to 500. (HA, QY 10/31 in IL 10/31; PR 11/8; JP 11/16)

Russian FM Primakov arrives in Israel; meets with PM Netanyahu, Pres. Weizman, FM Levy. (QY 10/31 in IL 10/31; ITV 10/31 in WNC 11/4; MM 11/1; HA 11/1 in IL 11/1; ITV 11/1 in WNC 11/5)

PM Netanyahu cancels mtg. with settler leaders planned for today after reports that such mtgs. have become regular weekly events. (IDF Radio 10/31 in WNC 11/1; MM 11/1) (see 10/27)

In Ankara, KDP, PUK sign truce, committing them to reconciliation aimed at reestablishing the power-sharing agmt. that collapsed in 1993 and which gave the KDP an upper hand in a coalition government in n. Iraq. (CSM, MM 11/1; MM 11/4) (see 10/30)