The Palestine Chronology

In the West Bank, Israeli forces delivered a demolition order for a health clinic in Birin near Yatta. Israeli forces injured 1 Palestinian using live ammunition during a raid in Sa‘ir; others suffered tear-gas related injuries. 7 Palestinians were arrested during raids in and around Ya‘bad, ‘Araba, Bayt Fajjar, Hebron, and ‘Ayn Qiniya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers led by Israel’s housing minister Yaakov Litzman raided the Haram al-Sharif compound. Israeli forces rammed with a car and lightly injured 1 Palestinian minor who was riding a bike with a Palestinian flag in Ras al-Amud; the child was briefly detained before being allowed medical treatment. 1 Palestinian was arrested during a house raid in the Old City. Off the coast of Gaza, Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen within 3 nautical miles west of Bayt Lahiya; no injuries were reported. In Israel, 1 Palestinian from Gaza was shot and injured after he allegedly stabbed and lightly injured 1 Israeli security guard in Sdei Avraham after entering Israel through the Gaza fence. (MEMO, WAFA, WAFA, WAFA 5/30; HA, MEMO, MEMO 5/31; PCHR 6/3)

Head of Egyptian general intelligence Abbas Kamel met with PA leadership in Ramallah, including PA president Mahmoud Abbas, to discuss a long-term ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. Intelligence Chief Kamel also met with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. (HA 5/29; AJ, HA, MEMO, WAFA 5/30)

Israel foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi met with Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo to discuss a long-term ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Foreign Minister Ashkenazi said that Israel “won't allow the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip let Hamas rebuild its terror capabilities, without resolving the issue of the return of Israeli MIAs and civilians” held by Hamas. (HA 5/29; AJ, AJ, AP, MEE, MEMO, REU 5/30; ALM 5/31)

Israel summoned the ambassador of the Philippines to Israel because of the country’s vote at the UN Human Rights Council on 5/27 to investigate potential Israeli war crimes. (MEMO 5/31; JP 6/1)

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked 1 Palestinian man, causing fractures and bruises, and set 1 vehicle on fire in Khirbat Tana. Israeli forces handed notices to several Palestinian families in the Qalqilya district notifying of land seizure totaling 160 dunams (39.5 acres). 16 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in and around Bayt ‘Anan, Yatta, Hebron, Qabatiya, Jenin, Bayt Furik, Tubas, and Ramallah. In East Jerusalem, 3 Palestinians were arrested during late-night raids in Issawiyya. In Israel, Israeli forces violently dispersed Palestinian citizens of Israel protesting against the planned demolition of an 18th-century Muslim burial ground in Jaffa. (HA, WAFA, WAFA 6/10; PCHR, WAFA 6/11)

The lawyer of a Palestinian man accused of killing 1 Israeli soldier with a rock in Ya‘bad denied Israeli news reports that his client confessed to the killing. (WAFA 6/10)

The German foreign minister Heiko Maas met with the Israeli foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi. After their meeting, Foreign Minister Maas said he expressed Germany’s “serious and honest concern” over Israel’s planned annexation of the West Bank. Mass was set to travel to the West Bank for meetings with PA leadership, but Israel prevented him from traveling there, citing that he would have to quarantine for 2 weeks after going to the West Bank because of COVID-19, despite that Maas’s next destination was to be Jordan. It is worth noting that Israeli settlers, Israeli soldiers, and Palestinian workers do not have to quarantine when traveling between the West Bank and Israel. Israeli MK from the Meretz party, Tamar Zandberg, called Maas’s prevention from going to Ramallah “sabotage” and “ridiculous.” After meeting Foreign Minister Ashkenazi, Mass had a video conference with Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi and PA prime minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, after which they released a joint statement, saying “that it is now a matter of priority to prevent” Israel’s annexation plans. The statement further read, “any future negotiations to reach the final status agreement must be based on International Law and the relevant UN resolutions.” (HA 6/9; AJ, German Foreign Ministry, HA, HA 6/10; HA, WAFA 6/11)

According to the Spanish newspaper El País­, the Spanish government vetoed selling 2,000 handcuffs to the Israeli police over fear that they would be used for human rights violations. (JP 6/10)

A Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) suicide bomber dressed as an IDF soldier detonates a device in a Netanya market, killing 2 Israelis, wounding 50. The PFLP says the attack is to protest the PA's continued detention of the group's leader, Ahmad Saadat, under U.S.-British supervision in connection with the 10/01 PFLP assassination of Tourism M Rehavam Ze'evi. The IDF sends tanks, APCs into Ramallah after shots are fired at a Jewish settler driving nearby; troops withdraw to the outskirts of the city a short time later. The IDF also makes incursions into several villages nr. Hebron, Tulkarm; partially demolishes 2 factories, bulldozes a strip of agricultural land, 7 greenhouses nr. Qarni crossing in Gaza; lifts a week-long 24 hr. curfew on the al-Mawasi area of Gaza. (AP, Palestine Media Center 5/19; AFP 5/19 in WNC 5/20; NYT, WP, WT 5/20; Interfax 5/20 in WNC 5/21; WT 5/21; LAW 5/22; JPI 5/31)

Israel releases tenders for the construction of 957 housing units in Jewish settlements. (HA 5/19; WT 5/21)

The European Union (EU) says that Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain have agreed to take the 13 Palestinians deported to Cyprus on 5/10 as part of the Israeli-PA deal to end the Church of the Nativity stand-off. (AFP, CNA 5/19 in WNC 5/20; NYT 5/20)

Around 90 Peruvian converts to Judaism are airlifted to Israel to take up residence in Alon Shvut, Karmei Tzur settlements. The Ashkenazi chief rabbinate sent a delegation of rabbis on a 2 wk. mission to impoverished rural areas Peru in early 5/02 to convert anyone "who said they were willing to immigrate to Israeli immediately." (HA 7/19; WT 7/24)

Israeli High Court publicizes 4-mo.-old secret ruling that condones as a "vital interest of the country" Israel's kidnapping, continued detention of 21 Lebanese men solely as "bargaining cards" for future prisoner exchanges, deals with Lebanese resistance; admits men, some of whom have been held for a decade, pose no security threat to Israel. (NYT 3/5; WT 3/11; MM 3/13; JP 3/14)

U.S. acknowledges that the CIA, FBI have been training PA security services with Israel's knowledge since mid-1996. (NYT 3/5; JP 3/14)

Israeli pres. Ezer Weizman is reelected (63-49) in race against Netanyahu-backed Likud candidate Shaul Amor, who ran a controversial campaign based on support to Sephardic Jews against discrimination by Ashkenazis. (MM 3/4; NYT, WP, WT 3/5; WT 3/9)

PM Netanyahu names Efraim Halevy as new head of Mossad. (MM 3/4; MM, NYT, WP 3/5; SA 3/8 in WNC 3/10; WT 3/31) (see 2/24)

Egypt says it will host economic summit in Cairo in 11/12-14 as planned. (MM, WP 9/13; al-`Arabi 9/16 in WNC 9/27) (see 8/22)

Acting on a tip (possibly fr. the U.S.), Hong Kong customs impounds Syria-bound, N. Korean cargo shipment marked "finished goods," found to contain heavy artillery (incl. Howitzers, Russian made M-46 field guns). It is legal to ship arms through Hong Kong but illegal to falsely declare goods. (Kong Standard, South China Morning Post 917, 9/18 in WNC 11/12)

Iraq again fires surface-to-air missiles at U.S. warplanes in the expanded s. no-fly zone, causing no damage. U.S. announces it will position stealth bombers at airfields in Kuwait. Turkey agrees to allow 2,500 Iraqi oppositionist transit through Turkey as part of U.S. plan to evacuate its allies fr. the Kurdish enclave, provided none were connected with the CIA, PKK; U.S. says if those sponsored by the CIA can escape fr. Iraq, it will "certainly look sympathetically" on their appeals for asylum. U.S. dispatches 2d aircraft carrier to the region. (MM 9/12; NYT, WP, WSJ 9/13; WP 9/17, 9/18; al-Ahram 9/19 in WNC 9/30; MEI 9/20) (see 9/11)

Hatzofe reports that changes to Oslo II maps were agreed to and signed in 1/96 but have been kept secret. The 5 changes were only of several dozen meters. 3 favored the Israelis: moving the access road for Qedar settlement and the forests west of Ma'ale Adumim fr. zone B to C; moving the Ashkenazi Jewish cemetery of Hebron fr. zone A to C; moving the Ramallah and Bir Nabala oxidation pools, which incl. parts of the land designated for the Psagot-Kokhav Yi'aqov bypass road, fr. zone A to C. 2 changes favored the PA: moving a strip of land n. of Janin fr. zone C to A; expanding the zone B area of Abu-Dis e. to the Israeli municipal boundary of Jerusalem. (Hatzofe 9/12 in WNC 9/16)

Israeli officials say 6 Fateh Hawks killed by IDF undercover unit 3/28 killed in error. Officials say the 6 were not fugitives and did not fire on Israeli soldiers, and were part of security apparatus being established by Fateh in anticipation of IDF withdrawal. Witnesses tell press, B'Tselem Palestinians shot in the head at close range after being wounded. (MM 3/29; CSM, NYT, WP 3/30)

Riots erupt in o.t. in response to 3/28 killings. 17-yr.-old killed by IDF, 70 Palestinians, 4IDF soldiers wounded in al-Burayj r.c. 70-yr.-old Israeli attacked nr. Tel Aviv by 2 Palestinians with axes. Army closes o.t. schools for 2 days in response to violence. (MM 3/29, 3/30; WP 3/30)

International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) issues report on 2/25 Hebron massacre, urges Israel to investigate its arming of settlers and commission of inquiry to charge all culpable in massacre and to appoint counsel for victims. (MM 3/29)

Conference of 200 rabbis in Qiryat Arba, including frmr. Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapira, decides IDF soldiers should defy any orders to evacuate settlements, threatens to mobilize resistance to any evacuation moves. (MM 3/30; WT 3/31; NYT 4/1)

Israeli cabinet discusses removing settlers fr. Hebron. Frmr. Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren issues ruling saying ending Jewish presence in Hebron "requires us to resist it to the death, all of us, every Jew." FM Peres says closing Hebron settlement "not necessary," but tells CNN curfews will be applied to Jewish settlers as well as to Palestinians. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/7)

British Foreign Secy. Douglas Hurd, after mtg. with PLO official Nabil Shaath, says Britain agrees to take part in "international presence" to protect Palestinians in o.t. Foreign Office later says UK contingent would be civilian, not military. Norway also agrees to participate. EU Commissioner Hans van den Broeck calls for prompt Israeli action to enhance Palestinians' security. PLO "FM" Faruq Qaddumi says PLO still insisting on international protection, but not necessarily as part of UNSC resolution. (WP, WT 3/7)

Israeli and PLO delegations complete 2 days of talks in Norway on implementation of DoP. No progress reported. (NYT, WP, WT 12/20)

Frmr. Israeli Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren says IDF soldiers must disobey any orders to evacuate settlements in o.t. Justice M. David Libai reviews Goren's remarks to see if he should be charged with sedition. (Qol Yisra'el 12/19 in FBIS 12/21; MM, NYT, WT 12/20)

PLO Chmn. Arafat leaves for tour of China, Malaysia, and Indonesia after brief stopover in Cairo following talks with King Hussein in Amman. (MENA 9/21 in FBIS 9/22)

Fateh leader Muhammad Abu Sha'ban killed in Gaza. The treasurer of the Gaza Bar Association, head of Gaza Center for Human Rights, and former head of Fateh-affiliated Political Comms. is shot by unknown gunmen on his way home fr. a rally in support of PLO-Israel agreement. (NYT 9/22)

Knesset debates ratification of Israel-PLO accord. PM Rabin calls agreement "hope for an end to tears," says "we will no longer live by our swords alone." Rabin calls pact with PLO "the victory of Zionism, which has also won the recognition of its most sworn and bitter enemies." Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu, opposing accord, says "this agreement abandons security of Israeli citizens," argues "We want to give peace a chance, but first we want to give life a chance." (NYT, WP 9/22)

Rally in Jerusalem against PLO-Israel accord called by opposition parties, settler and religious groups, draws 20,000, mostly yeshiva students, according to Israel Radio. (NYT 9/22; WP 9/23)

Pope John Paul II meets Israeli Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, 1st meeting ever be tween a Catholic pontiff and either of Israel's chief rabbis. Vatican stresses that meeting is purely religious, but speculation is rife that it represents progress toward Vatican diplomatic recognition of Israel. Rabbi Shlomo Goren, former Ashkenazi chief rabbi, denounces meeting as "blasphemy beyond expression," a "mockery," and "meaningless." (NYT 9/22)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Eighty prominent rabbis, led by former Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi and former Israeli Army Rabbi Shlomo Goren, formally call for the construction of a Third Temple on the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount); state survey maps drawn up by Israeli army engineers in 1967 indicate the ideal place for synagogue is on the site of the Dome of the Rock Mosque [NYT 8/6; FJ 8/8].

Arab World: Jordanian Prime Minister Zayd al-Rifa'i announces Jordan has drawn up $1.3 billion 5-year development plan for the occupied territories [FJ 8/8]. U.S. V.P. Bush ends Middle East tour [NYT 8/7].

Other Countries: U.S. Justice Department withdraws subpoenas issued to Israeli officials in investigation of illegal export of U.S. cluster bomb technology to Israel, after Israeli government promised to cooperate in investigation [NYT 8/6].

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Ethnic conflict between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews explodes after fatal shooting by policeman in slum area of Tel Aviv, Sephardic Jews spray-paint swastikas and slogans against Ashkenazim on cars and walls, including Jerusalem home of Interior Minister Burg; direct cost of Lebanon invasion put at $1.1 billion, based on assumption that IDF will stay in Lebanon through end of February 1983.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: First Israeli-Lebanese negotiations since 1949 begin at Khalde, 40-minute opening ceremony followed by 4 hours of secret talks, deadlock reporter over Israeli insistence on talking about political and security arrangements before details of withdrawal.

US and Other Countries: Kreisky of Austria indicates he is mediating exchange of prisoners between PLO and Israel at request of families of POWs.

UN: Britain informs UN it will contribute 80 ment to peacekeeping force.