The Palestine Chronology

Israel apologizes to Switzerland for spying in its country. (Swiss Radio International [Bern] 2/27 in WNC 3/4; WP, WT 2/28) (see 2/26)

Hizballah, IDF clash in s. Lebanon, killing 3 Hizballah mbrs. wounding 4 IDF soldiers. (VOL 2/27 in WNC 3/4; WT 2/28)

In last effort to achieve a "diplomatic solution" preventing a U.S. airstrike, UN Secy. Gen. Annan leaves for Baghdad for weekend of talks with Iraqi officials. U.S. warns that it will challenge any agmt. that does not allow unrestricted access to all Iraqi sites, including 8 "presidential palaces," which Iraqi pres. Saddam Hussein has deemed off-limits to inspectors as symbols of national sovereignty. (CSM, MM, WP, WT 2/19; MM 2/20)

Pres. Clinton calls on the UN to set a deadline for Iraqi compliance; orders VP Al Gore, Defense Secy. Cohen to cancel trip to South Africa set to begin 2/23 to keep them in Washington. (NYT, WT 2/20)

Secy. of State Albright travels to Tennessee State University to give 2d televised briefing on Iraq to some 200 hand-picked honors students, coached by the school's administration to "give the opposite impression that was given at Ohio State" 2/18. Before Albright arrives, campus security removes all demonstrators fr. camera view. The secy. then heads to University of South Carolina for 3d, similarly controlled briefing. (NYT, WP 2/20)

UN begins evacuating staff fr. Iraq. All personnel should be out of the country by 2/21. (WP 2/19)

U.S. sends 10s of Patriot missiles to Israel as part of an "emergency aid" package. (MM 2/19; YA 2/19 in WNC 2/21)

Opponents of military action against Iraq stage demonstrations outside the U.S. embassies in Egypt and Belarus, British PM Tony Blair's residence in London. Palestinians hold similar demonstrations in Dura, Bayt `Umar. (RE 2/19 in WNC 2/24; WT 2/20; PR 2/27)

Jordanian "popular delegation" heads to Baghdad to show solidarity with the Iraqi people. Reps. fr. all Jordanian political parties and professional organizations and fr. each governorate have agreed to make staggered trips to Baghdad over the next wk. (al-Dustur 2/19 in WNC 2/24)

Swiss police catch 5 Mossad agents in the process of installing a wiretap in a "foreigner's" house in Bern. For unknown reasons, 4 agents are released, only 1 is detained. No mention of the incident is made public. (ITV 2/25 in WNC 3/3; MM, NYT, WT 2/26; MM, NYT, WT 2/27; WT 3/16)

Hamas spiritual leader Shaykh Ahmad Yasin arrives in Egypt to undergo surgery for bone infection. (MENA 2/19 in WNC 2/24; WP 2/20)

Secy. of State Albright meets with Arafat in Bern, Switzerland. (NYT 11/15)

Israel, Turkey, U.S. begin 11 days of naval exercises in the Mediterranean. (WT 11/9)

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Yasir Arafat leads thousands of moumers in funeral for 17 Palestinians buried in Tunis. Arafat accuses Pres. Reagan of complicity in the plot to assassinate him but vows to continue with peace process [NYT 10/6]. Tunisian Pres. Bourguiba praises U.S. abstention in UN Security Council condemnation of Israeli raid [BG 10/6]. Egyptian Minister of Culture Ahmad Haykal announces Israel will be barred from the 1986 Intemational Book Fair in Cairo to be held in January [BG 10/6].

Other Countries: Two thousand protesters in Paris demonstrate against Israel's 10/1 raid on PLO headquarters in Tunis. Similar demonstration is held in Bern, Switzerland [BG 10/6].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli soldiers trap 5 Palestinian commandos in Hebron hills, kill 4 of them in shoot-out. Army announcement on 10/7 states that the group was responsible for killing 5 Israelis, wounding 18 others in last 17 months. A number of Palestinians in the area arrested on suspicion of aiding the cell UP 10/8; CSM 10/9]. Two Israelis missing since 10/2, Edna Harari, 22, and Mordechai Suissa, 28, are found shot to death near Jerusalem. A caller to a Westem news agency on 10/4 claims responsibility for the murders on behalf of Fateh's Force 17 [NYT, WP 10/6].

Arab World: Egyptian policeman fires his automatic gun at group of Israeli tourists, killing 8 (including his Egyptian commander) and wounding 4. Shooting occurs at checkpoint at Ras Bourka, 25 miles south of Egyptian-Israeli border crossing at Taba in the Sinai. Egyptian authorities say the policeman "went berserk" [NYT 10/6].