The Palestine Chronology

Uruguay recognizes an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 lines. (XIN 3/16)

Egypt completes repairs to its natural gas pipeline damaged during the 2/2011 Egyptian unrest (see Quarterly Update in JPS 159) and resumes sending natural gas to Israel. The Israeli navy detains a ship, the German-owned and Liberian flagged Victoria, en route fr. Syria to Egypt, 200 mi. off the Israeli coast that Israel claims was attempting to deliver arms to Gaza fr. Iran, taking it to Ashdod for further inspection; Israeli authorities said the ship carried 4 crates holding some 70,000 rounds of ammunition for Kalashnikov rifles, 1,000s of mortars, 6 Chinese C-704 antiship missiles, and 2 radar systems. Iran denies smuggling arms. The IDF makes a brief incursion into c. Gaza to level lands e. of al-Bureij r.c. to clear lines of sight. On the Rafah border, 2 Palestinians are killed, 4 are injured in an explosion in a smuggling tunnel. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that another 4 Palestinians have been killed in tunnel accidents since 3/2. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts late-night patrols in Jenin and surrounding villages; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Hebron. Jewish settlers attempt to enter Kafr Laqif village nr. Qalqilya but are prevented by the IDF and stone nearby Palestinian homes instead. In separate instances, Jewish settlers fr. Karnei Shomron and Keddumim settlements, both nr. Nablus, stone passing Palestinian vehicles. Across the West Bank and Gaza, 1,000s of Palestinians turn out for candlelight vigils calling for national reconciliation. Hamas security forces violently break up the biggest rally (as many as 100,000) in Gaza City, injuring 5 protesters. In the West Bank, PA security forces (PASF) fire tear gas at some 8,000 protesters in Ramallah, briefly dispersing them and injuring 20; some protesters return, vowing to stay in Ramallah’s Manara Square until the West Bank and Gaza are reunited (they stay until 4/17). Meanwhile, Hamas’s acting PM in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh invites Abbas to Gaza for reconciliation talks; Abbas responds favorably. Inside Israel, 2 cars owned by Israeli Palestinian students at Safad Academic College were torched during a campus event to promote Arab-Jewish dialogue. Anti-Arab graffiti also was sprayed on the wall of the college, saying: “Arabs get out,” “Death to Arabs,” and “Kahane was right.” (General Delegation of the PLO to the United States letter, IFM, National Public Radio 3/15; JAZ, JP, JTA, MNA, NYT, WP, WT 3/16; PCHR 3/17; OCHA 3/18; JPI 4/1)

In Bahrain, protesters ramp up demonstrations in response to Saudi Arabia’s incursion, while the king imposes a 3-mo. state of emergency, deploys the military, and closes schools and govt. offices. (NYT 3/16)

Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Sulayman secures a pledge by Hamas, Islamic Jihad to suspend rocket fire fr. Gaza unilaterally while he works to obtain a more formal bilateral cease-fire agmt. with Israel. In Jerusalem, an armed Palestinian enters the library of Mercaz Harav, Israel’s leading Zionist yeshiva and the ideological home of the far-right religious settler movement, and opens fire on students with an AK-47, killing 8 Israelis and wounding 9 before an IDF soldier and 2 undercover policemen enter the building and shoot him dead; Israeli security officials identify the attacker as a bus driver for the school and an East Jerusalem resident who apparently acted alone. Israeli police later raid Jabal Mukabir neighborhood, detaining 9 Palestinians for questioning. In Gaza, Islamic Jihad, Hamas mbrs. ambush an IDF patrol that enters Gaza through the Kissufim crossing, detonating a roadside bomb and firing on the vehicle, killing 1 IDF soldier, wounding at least 1. In response, the IDF shells an Islamic Jihad site nr. al-Qarara, killing 3 Islamic Jihad mbrs.; makes an air strike on an Islamic Jihad rocketlaunching site nr. Dayr al-Balah, killing 1 Islamic Jihad mbr. A 5th Islamic Jihad mbr. is killed when a rocket he is preparing to fire into Israel explodes prematurely. The IDF also bulldozes land inside the Gaza border fence e. of al-Qarara. The Israeli navy fires on Palestinian fishermen off the Rafah coast, heavily damaging 1 boat, causing no injuries. Palestinians fire 7 rockets fr. Gaza into Israel, damaging 2 houses, lightly injuring 1 Israeli. Egypt begins replacing some stretches of barbed wire along the Rafah border with a 10-ft.-high stone and concrete wall. In the West Bank, the IDF demolishes the Bethlehem home of a wanted Palestinian; conducts late-night arrest raids, house searches in and around Tulkarm r.c., nr. Jenin (raiding and sealing al-Majd TV and al-Salam Press offices for allegedly aiding Islamic Jihad), Salfit. (HA, IFM 3/6; AP, HA, NYT, WP, WT 3/7; NYT, WP 3/8; OCHA 3/12; PCHR 3/13)

When 2 AMB mbrs. are halted by soldiers at an IDF checkpoint into Jerusalem, they detonate a bomb, killing only themselves. Unidentified gunmen open fire on a car on a road typically used by Jewish settlers, killing 2 mbrs. of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) observer force, wounding 1; the car is clearly marked as a TIPH vehicle. The wounded TIPH mbr. says the gunman wore a PSF uniform and carried a Kalashnikov rifle; the PA denies any connection. (AP, HA, MM 3/26; NYT, WP, WT 3/27; AFP, ATL 3/27 in WNC 3/28; ATL 3/29 in WNC 4/1; JP 4/5)

Under strong pressure fr. the U.S., Sharon agrees to allow Arafat to travel to Beirut for the Arab summit but says he must call for a halt to the intifada and asks the U.S. to agree that Israel could bar him fr. returning if violence continues while he is in Beirut. (In interviews with the press, Sharon also says he regrets having promised Bush that he not physically harm Arafat.) The U.S. refuses Sharon's demand. Arafat says he will not go, fearing exile. In response, Pres. Husni Mubarak of Egypt, King Abdallah of Jordan say they will not attend the summit. (AP, MM 3/26; ITAR-TASS, MENA 3/26 in WNC 3/27; HA, NYT, WP, WT 3/27; MENA 3/27 in WNC 3/28)

Zinni cancels a trilateral security comm. mtg. to discuss his 3/24 bridging proposals, saying the sides are too far apart to bother meeting. (HA 3/26; NYT 3/27; al-Quds 3/31 in WNC 4/2)

On a trip to Washington btwn. treatments at the Mayo clinic, King Hussein meets with Asst. Secy. of State Pickering for talks on the peace process, regional issues. (RJ 8/11 in WNC 8/12)

On a 3-day visit to South Africa, Arafat meets with Pres. Nelson Mandela. (SAPA [Johannesburg] 8/11 in WNC 8/12; WT 8/12, 8/13)

Lebanon announces plans to reopen its embassy in Iraq for consular, trade activity. (Iraqi News Agency 8/11 in WNC 8/12)

Under U.S. pressure, Israel drops its opposition to UN talks on halting production of nuclear weapons material. Israel was the only mbr. of the 61-mbr. UN Conference on Disarmament to oppose discussion of the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty. PM Netanyahu emphasizes that the decision "does not mean we are taking a position on the treaty and its contents," which could force Israel to open Dimona to inspectors or face sanctions. (MM 8/11; MA 8/11 in WNC 8/12; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/12; Muslim [Islamabad] 8/13 in WNC 8/14)

Israel rounds up 2,000 Palestinians caught working inside Israel illegally. All but 2 are released, returned to the West Bank in a few hours. (WT 8/12)

YESHA council announces plans to place 100 "temporary structures" in settlements across the West Bank to be uses by schools in the fall. The Israeli Civil Administration fears the trailers will be used to expand settlements. (IDF Radio 8/11 in WNC 8/12)

A Hizballah mbr. armed with a Kalashnikov infiltrates the IDF's Sujud outpost in s. Lebanon, ends up in fist fight with soldiers in a tent, who manage to restrain him. Critics decry lax security at the base, question why soldiers did not kill the infiltrator. (IGPO 8/11; MM 8/13)

Israel suspends all negotiations with PLO after Hamas announces it is holding an IDF soldier hostage. Hamas says it will kill the soldier 10/14 if 200 Palestinian prisoners--inc. Shaykh Ahmad Yasin, Shaykh Salah Shehadeh, Shaykh `Abd al-Karim Obeid, Mustafa al-Dirani--are not released. PM Rabin calls emergency cabinet mtg., suspends transfer of aid fr. donor countries, seals Gaza, says he holds Arafat responsible. Arafat condemns abduction, calls mtg. of PSF. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/12; AFP, ITV, JP, Al-Quds radio 10/11, MENA, VOP , QY 10/12 in FBIS 10/12; CSM 10/13; HA 10/14 in FBIS 10/14)

Jordanian, Palestinian officials conclude talks in Amman, announce broad agmts. on trade, customs, banking, civil aviation; agree to draw up position papers on Awqaf, refugees. (JT 10/12 in FBIS 10/12; JTV 10/12 in FBIS 10/13)

U.S. FM Christopher meets with Syrian Pres. al-Asad, says both Syria, Israel have made significant movements towards peace, says he has been pleased al-Asad has taken U.S. advice and made public gestures showing he is serious. (SARR 10/11 in FBIS 10/11; WP 10/12)

FM Christopher leaves Syria for Amman, meets with King Hussein, Crown Prince Hassan to discuss U.S.-Jordanian relations, peace talks, Iraqi maneuvers. (JTV 10/11 in FBIS 10/12, MM 10/12)

PM Rabin confirms that rifles used in Hamas attack 10/10 were AK47's belonging to the Palestinian police. (NYT 10/12)

The Nobel committee decides to award the Nobel Peace Prize to PLO chmn. Arafat, Israeli PM Rabin. (MM 10/11; NYT, WT 10/12; CSM, WJW 10/13; MM 10/14)

U.S. Commerce Sec. Ron Brown holds mtg. with mbrs. of Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC) delegation of Palestinian businessmen on 5-day visit to seek American funding for projects in West Bank, Gaza. (WT 10/12; JP 10/15)

Iraqi retreat is detected by U.S. intelligence. Pres. Clinton says it is too early to reach conclusions on Saddam Hussein's action, U.S. will continue reinforcement of the Gulf, may press for enlarging demilitarized zone along Kuwaiti border. (NYT, WP, WT 10/12)

IDF, SLA continue shelling southern Lebanon, "deport" 26 Kufr Hunah villagers fr. self-declared security zone. Lebanese FM Buwayz asks UN to act. (RL 10/11 in FBIS 10/12; MM 10/12)