The Palestine Chronology

Turkish MP Yildirim Aktuna of the True Path party resigns, leaving the Erbakan government with 275 seats in the 550-mbr. parliament, 1 short of those needed to win a confidence vote. (2 seats are vacant.) Early elections may be called. (WT 5/31)

In the Golan, 2 Austrian UN soldiers are shot dead most likely, according to the UN, by smugglers traveling btwn. Lebanon, Syria. Syria accuses the Mossad; Israel denies involvement. (Der Standard [Vienna] 6/1 in WNC 6/3; RMC 6/5 in WNC 6/6; Wiener Zeitung [Vienna] 6/10 in WNC 6/11; Kurier [Vienna] 6/19 in WNC 6/23)

IDF soldier is killed in a Hizballah mortar attack in s. Lebanon. (VOL 5/30, 6/1 in WNC 6/3; JP 6/7)

In a 3d incident, 7 Hizballah gunmen halt 2 UNIFIL vehicles in s. Lebanon; disarm, threaten the UN soldiers. (AFP, RL 5/30 in WNC 6/2) (see 5/29)

The Israeli navy removes 2 Lebanese fishermen fr. their boat off the coast of s. Lebanon, interrogates them for several hours before releasing them. (RL 5/30 in WNC 6/2)

PA, Israel continue negotiations on Hebron. PA wants Israel to commit to completing further redeployment by next fall, as set out in the Oslo II agmt. U.S. special envoy Ross meets separately with Arafat, Netanyahu. (NYT, WP, WT 1/1; PR 1/3)

For 2d time in 1 wk., Jewish settlers break into Palestinian market area in Hebron, claim it as Jewish property. Israeli police arrest 15 settlers, eject them fr. the site. (WP, WT 1/1)

Bomb explodes on Damascus bus, killing 11, wounding 44. Citing Lubrani's statements 12/23, Syria accuses Israel of planting the device. U.S. calls charge "wild and irresponsible," demands proof of Israel's complicity. (RMC 1/2 in WNC 1/3; MBC, RJ, SATN 1/2, RMC 1/3 in WNC 1/6; MM, NYT, WT 1/3; ITV, RMC 1/4, al-Dustur 1/5, JT, QPAR, RJ, SATN 1/6 in WNC 1/7; al-Urdun 1/6 in WNC 1/16; MM 1/7; SANA 1/8 in WNC 1/9; MM, WJW 1/9; MEI 1/10; JP 1/11; NYT 1/28) (see 12/19)

The mandate for Operation Provide Comfort, set up by the U.S. and its allies after the Gulf War to protect the Kurds in n. Iraq, expires. Turkish parliament passes an extension of the mandate, though the title "Operation Provide Comfort" will no longer be used in order to stress that the project now is largely American, rather than international. France ceases participation, stating that the UN oil-for-food deal provides adequately for aid distribution in n. Iraq. (MEI 1/10)

Joint EA, PLO Exec. Comm. mtg. convenes. (VOP 6/29 in FBIS 7/1; PR 7/12)

IDF changes its open-fire rules for the West Bank, Gaza, permitting soldiers to shoot PA policemen if they feel their lives are threatened. (QY 6/28 in FBIS 6/28)

Turkey's Islamic Welfare Party leader, Necmettin Erbakan, becomes PM, head of ruling coalition with fmr. PM Tansu Ciller's True Path party. The parliament has 2 wks. to give the government a vote of confidence. Erbakan has vowed previously to annul Turkey's military pact with Israel. (WP, WT 6/29; NYT, WP, WT 6/30) (see 6/11)