The Palestine Chronology

Overnight in Gaza, the IDF sends troops and tanks, supported by helicopters, into areas around Khan Yunis and al-Qarara, searching and occupying homes, temporarily detaining 150 Palestinians, bulldozing 66 d. of agricultural land, clashing with and shelling local gunmen, killing 4 armed AMB and Hamas mbrs.; troops withdraw in the afternoon. In central Gaza, 6 Islamic Jihad mbrs. attempt to break through the border fence to attack an IDF post inside Israel but are shot dead by IDF soldiers. In the West Bank, the IDF conducts arrest raids, house searches nr. Tulkarm, in Jenin (firing on residential areas and stone-throwing youths who confront them, wounding 3 children ages 10–13). Some 30,000 Hamas supporters rally in Gaza City in support of ousted PA PM Ismail Haniyeh. ESF officers raid al-Hadath press office in al-Bureij r.c., confiscating documents, computers. (BBC 9/6; NYT, WP, WT 9/7; OCHA 9/12; PCHR 9/13)

Overnight, the IDF sends at least 5 war planes over Turkey and into n. Syria to make an air strike on an industrial building under construction in an open area nr. the Euphrates river, causing no injuries. Syria responds with antiaircraft fire, causing no damage. Syria denounces Israel’s actions and says it is measuring its response, while Israeli PM Ehud Olmert’s office imposes a news blackout. By late in the day, Israel, Syria issue statements declaring that neither side intends to be drawn into a war. (BBC, REU 9/6; NYT, WP 9/7; WT 9/8; WP 9/13; NYT 9/18; HA 11/22)

In Amman, Arafat consults with Crown Prince Hassan on upcoming Washington talks. (RJ 10/12, al-Dustur 10/13 in WNC 10/14)

Egyptian FM Musa shuttles btwn. Ankara, Damascus to mediate their dispute. Turkey, Syria say that they see signs of defusing the crisis. (MM 10/12; ATL, al-Hadath, MENA, SATN 10/12, MENA 10/13 in WNC 10/14; WP, WT 10/13; AFP, MENA, Sabah 10/13, SA 10/14 in WNC 10/15; MEI 10/16)

In Tehran, Iran, Turkey set up comm. to demarcate their common border. (IRNA 10/12 in WNC 10/14)

In 3d mtg. with U.S. envoy Ross, PM Netanyahu presents proposal for an "escrow" arrangement for FRD (see Peace Monitor). After presenting the idea to PA officials, who reject it, Ross returns home, having made no progress. (IDF Radio, ITV 5/10, IDF Radio, Les Echos [Paris] 5/11 in WNC 5/12; WP, WT 5/11; CSM, NYT 5/12)

PM Netanyahu does not raise U.S. FRD proposal, Washington invitation for discussion in weekly cabinet mtg. (WP, WT 5/11) (see 5/6)

DM Mordechai appoints Maj. Gen Shaul Mofaz over Maj. Gen. Matan Vilnai to replace Lt. Gen. Amnon Shahak as IDF chief of staff. Netanyahu openly preferred Vilnai but would not overrule Mordechai's choice. Previous chiefs of staff have all served for 4 yrs., but Shahak informed Mordechai in 7/97 that he did not want to return after his 3d yr. ended in 1/98 because he does not like working with Netanyahu. (MM 5/11)

Jordan's General Intelligence Dept. announces arrest of 7 Jordanians, 1 "Arab national" on charges of carrying out 5 bombing in Jordan over the past 2 mos. (MM 5/11; al-Hadath [Amman] 5/11 in WNC 5/12; JT, al-Ra'i 5/11 in WNC 5/13)

Nr. Tyre in s. Lebanon, physical fight breaks out btwn. Hizballah, Amal mbrs., leaving 5 injured. After mtg. on recent clashes (see 5/8), the 2 groups issue a joint statement saying that the incidents were isolated, nonpolitical; they will turn brawlers over to Lebanese authorities, abide by judicial ruling. (RL 5/10 in WNC 5/12)

After mtg. with Arafat late 5/2, VP Gore holds unscheduled 2-a.m. mtg. with Netanyahu to discuss peace process; then heads to Cairo for pre-dawn mtg. with Pres. Mubarak regarding London talks, bilateral economic relations. Later in the day, Arafat flies to Cairo to meet with Mubarak before heading to London mtgs. (WP 5/3; ESC Television, MENA, RE 5/3 in WNC 5/6; NYT, WP, WT 5/4)

Jordan's Crown Prince Hassan travels to Turkey to participate in mtg. of new Atlantic Initiative Group, which stresses human rights as the basis for security, stability in the Middle East. Conferences discusses peace process, Iraq. (JTV 5/3 in WNC 5/6)

Group of 17 German army cadets arrives in Israel for 1st joint training program. (NYT, WT 5/4; ITV 5/4 in WNC 5/8)

Iran calls on Turkey to expand bilateral economic relations. (IRNA 5/3 in WNC 5/6)

Jordan Information Min. says that police have detained 50+n60 suspects for questioning in connection with 4/29, 4/30 bombings. (AFP 5/3, al-Quds al-Arabi, al-Ra'i 5/4 in WNC 5/6; al-Hadath 5/4, al-Hayat al-Jadida, JT, al-Sabil 5/5, RJ 5/6, al-Ra'i 5/7 in WNC 5/8; RJ 5/10 in WNC 5/12; al-Hadath 5/11 in WNC 5/13)

Israeli military court convicts, sentences Palestinian Riyad Abu Hamdiyya to 4 life terms in prison for participation in 1/9/97, 3/21/97 bombings in Tel Aviv. (NYT 5/4)

In Amman, local Hamas leader Khalid Mishal is admited to hospital with convulsions apparently the result of an altercation with 2 Canadian tourists. His condition mysteriously worsens overnight, suggesting possible poisining. Hamas claims Israel attempted to assasinate Mashal in retaliation for attack on embassy guards 9/22. (RJ, RMC 9/25 in WNC 9/26; NYT 9/26; RMC 9/26, al-Quds al-Arabi 9/27, al-Ra'i 9/28 in WNC 9/30; WT 9/28; MM, NYT 9/29, 10/1; NYT 10/2; al-Ra'i 10/5 in WNC 10/7; JP 10/11; NYT 10/15; MM 10/23)

At the UN, Secy. of State Albright says that Israel's decision to expand Efrat settlement "is not at all helpful" to the peace process, calls on Israel to "honor the time-out" on construction. (MM, NYT, WT 9/26; YA 10/8 in WNC 10/9) (see 9/24)

PA shuts a Hamas television station; seals more than 20 Hamas-owned charities in Gaza offering social, welfare, education services; arrests 13 suspected Hamas mbrs. in Qalqilya. (LAW 9/25; ITV 9/25 in WNC 9/26; NYT, WT 9/26; PCHR 9/29; PR 10/3)

In Amman, Jordan, U.S. sign agmt. forgiving the remaining $63.4 m. of Jordan's debt to the U.S. Since 1994, the U.S. has written off $700 m. of Jordanian debts. (RJ 9/25 in WNC 9/26)

Jordan orders 7 newspapers (al-Bilad, al-Hadath, Hawadith al-Sa`a, al-Majd, al-Mithaq, al-Sayad, Sawt al-Mara`a) to suspend publication for failure to comply with Article 24 of the new press law, which requires all weekly newspapers to raise their capital to JD300,000. (JT 9/25 in WNC 9/26; MM 10/21)

2 SLA mbrs., 1 civilian are wounded by Hizballah shelling in s. Lebanon. (RL 9/25 in WNC 9/26)

In Ramallah, the PC votes (56-1) to urge Arafat to dissolve the EA within 1 mo., appoint a new cabinet. After the session, Israel prevents 18 PC mbrs. fr. returning to their homes in Gaza. (CSM, WP, WT 8/1; LAW 8/7; PR 8/8)

With less than 24-hrs. notice, Syrian Pres. Asad travels to Iran as head of a delegation comprising his VP, FM, several senior military cmdrs.; discusses Syrian-Iranian relations with outgoing Pres. Rafsanjani. (MM 7/31; RMC 7/31 in WNC 8/1; MM 8/1; SATN 7/31, IRIB Television [Tehran] 8/1 in WNC 8/4; MA 8/3 in WNC 8/5; MEI 8/8)

Jordan's Crown Prince Hassan, FM Tarawnah meet with EU special envoy Moratinos. (RJ 7/31 in WNC 8/1)

Following a mtg. with his inner cabinet, PM Netanyahu threatens to send commandos into PA areas to preempt any new anti-Israeli attacks, to halt transfer of all tax revenues to the PA, to jam all Palestinian radio and television broadcasts; calls on the U.S., international donors to halt aid to the PA. (MM 7/31; RMC 7/31 in WNC 8/1; CSM, WP, WT 8/1)

IDF detains 2 Palestinian families fr. the West Bank town of Dahariyya whose sons have been missing for over a yr., but they are unable to identify the 7/30 bombers' bodies. Israeli cabinet orders the arrest of PA's Gaza police cmdr. Brig. Gen. Jabali for encouraging attacks on Israeli settlements (see 7/23). PA police arrest 28 Hamas mbrs., including Rantisi. PA, Israeli security forces hold 2 mtgs. during the day. (MM 7/31; IDF Radio, QY, RMC 7/31 in WNC 8/1; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 8/1)

New York City police seize 5 pipe bombs, arrest 1 Egyptian, 2 Jordanians in a raid on a Brooklyn apartment. Police were tipped to the bombs by a Pakistani, Muhammad Shindli, who believed that his friends, Ghazi Ibrahim Abu Mayzar and Lafi Khalil (who both identify themselves as Palestinian), were planning to bomb the New York subway. Abu Mayzar had stated in his application for asylum in the U.S. that he had been arrested in Israel on charges of "being a mbr. of a terrorist organization." The 3d man, Egyptian `Abd al-Rahman Musabah, is detained as a witness. Hamas denies any connection to the men. (NYT, WP, WT 8/1; RJ 8/1 in WNC 8/4; NYT, WP 8/2; AFP 8/2 in WNC 8/5; NYT, WT 8/3; al-Hadath [Amman] 8/4 in WNC 8/5; NYT 8/5; WJW 8/7; MEI 8/8)

Unnamed Gulf diplomats reveal that Sidi al-Madani al-Ghazi Mustafa al-Tayyib, financial director for Saudi dissident and alleged "terrorist financier" Osama bin Laden, has been in custody in Saudi Arabia since 5/97. Saudi authorities have passed some of Tayyib's revealed information to the CIA, FBI to track militant groups in Detroit, New York. (WT 8/1)

Lebanese court sentences 5 Japanese Red Army mbrs. to 3 yrs. in jail on charges of forging official stamps, illegal entry into Lebanon, forging passports. (VOL 7/31 in WNC 8/1; CSM, WP 8/1) (see 7/29)