The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Two-day conference on unemployment among Palestinian university graduates in the occupied territories, held in East Jerusalem, concludes by selecting 6-member committee to study the growing problem [FJ 5/2]. A study by Abraham Cohen, published by the Institute of Arab Studies in Givat Haviva, found that Palestinians inside the Green Line earn 66% of what Israeli Jews earn, and have families about twice as large as Jewish families [DW 4/25].

Other Countries: U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston stays lower court order allowing Zuhdi Labib Tarzi, PLO permanent observer at the UN, to travel to Cambridge for a debate at the Harvard Law School Forum with law professor Alan Dershowitz [BG 4/26; WP 4/27].

Military Action

Arab World: U.S. embassy communications officer Arthur Pollick is shot and wounded by unidentified assailant in San'a, N. Yemen [LAT, LT 4/26].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: King Hussein has frozen all West Bank funds in Jordanian banks and has suspended all aid to public institutions in the territories, according to a report in 'Al Hamishmar [JP 4/18]. Inspectors of income tax and VAT departments, assisted by a strong force of police, raid Palestinian villages of Kafr Qasim, Jaljuliyyah, and Kafr Bara to collect debts; they impound TV sets, furniture, and 2 motor vehicles [JP 4/21].

Arab World: Radio Monte Carlo broadcasts that Yasir Arafat has notified Jordan that Amman-based Fateh military officer Abu Za'im has been relieved of his duties and that Jordan should suspend all contact with him [JP 4/18].

Other Countries: A U.S. federal judge rules that PLO Permanent Observer to the UN Zuhdi Tarzi may travel from New York to Cambridge, Mass. for a debate with Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, despite State Department travel ban [PI 4/20]. UN Security Council votes to extend UNIFIL mandate in S. Lebanon an additional 3 months; Soviet Union concurs in vote for first time since UNIFIL's creation, states it will begin contributions to UNIFIL budget [NYT 4/19; WP 4/20].