The Palestine Chronology

In Bethlehem, the IDF fires on 3 Palestinians who attempt to leave the Church of the Nativity, killing 1 Palestinian, severely wounding 2 others; the dead, wounded are evacuated later in the day. The IDF continues arrest raids in Tulkarm, detaining at least 5 Hamas mbrs. In Rafah, 1 Palestinian is mortally wounded by IDF gunfire in her home. (B'Tselem press release 5/9; MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/3)

Arafat emerges fr. his Ramallah office for the 1st time since 12/3/01, tours Ramallah to assess the damage. (HA 5/2; MENA 5/2, AKH 5/3 in WNC 5/6; NYT, WP, WT 5/3; WP 5/4; al-Nahar 5/4 in WNC 5/6; al-Quds 5/8 in WNC 5/9)

In Washington, the quartet (represented by Annan, Ivanov, Powell, Solana) announce plans to convene a FM-level "regional peace conference" in summer 2002 to secure a cease-fire and revive peace talks, rebuild the Palestinian security apparatus, boost humanitarian aid to and economic conditions of the Palestinians. (AP 5/2; HA, MM, NYT, WP, WT 5/3; Interfax 5/3 in WNC 5/6; MM 5/7; al-Safir 5/10 in WNC 5/13)

A Hamas suicide bomber (a Jenin resident) detonates a device on a bus in Haifa, killing 4 IDF soldiers, 4 Israeli civilians, wounding 14. In Jenin, the IDF bulldozes "whole stretches" of Palestinian homes in the area where 13 soldiers were killed on 4/9; unconfirmed reports accuse the IDF of burying bodies during the demolitions to hide evidence of a massacre. Villages around Jenin reportedly have taken in 1,000s of Palestinians fleeing the camp in recent days. In Nablus, medical workers say 11 Palestinians were killed in overnight clashes with the IDF, another 63 injured, bringing the toll since the incursion in the city began to around 60; the IDF destroys 4 alleged bomb-making factories, then pulls back fr. the old city market area, eases attacks in Nablus and nearby al-`Ayn r.c. (where 25 homes reportedly have been destroyed), calls on survivors to surrender. In Bethlehem, the IDF shoots, wounds an Armenian monk standing at the window of his room in the Church of the Nativity complex; shoots dead 2 Palestinians who attempt to sneak out of the church to get food, medicine for those inside. Israel rejects an appeal by the Vatican, Greek Orthodox Church, Armenians for a "safe conduct" agmt. to end the standoff. The IDF bars a UN relief convoy fr. bringing food, emergency supplies into Ramallah. A World Bank delegation says it obtained access to the PA Central Bureau of Statistics, PA Education Min. and found both ransacked, computers stripped of hard drives, files purged, safes blasted open, some $10,000 stolen. Late this evening, the IDF pulls out of Qabatiyya, Samua, Yatta. (AP, CNN, HA, JP [Internet], MM, PMC 4/10; MM, NYT, WP, WT 4/11; al-Quds 4/11 in WNC 4/12; MEI 4/19; WP 4/20)

After 3 days of consultations with Arab leaders, Powell meets in Madrid with senior quartet reps. (EU foreign policy dir. Javier Solana, Russian FM Igor Ivanov, UN Secy.-Gen. Annan), who issue a statement fully backing his mission. (RMC 4/10 in WNC 4/11; MM, NYT, WP 4/11)

Israel-Palestinian clashes in the Bayt Jala-Gilo area continue to escalate, spread to neighboring Aida refugee camp, leaving 13 Palestinians wounded. European Union (EU) foreign policy dir. Javier Solana shuttles btwn. Arafat and Peres, discussing the idea of a limited cease-fire that would incorporate an IDF withdrawal fr. the area. (Arafat, Peres speak directly by phone; Powell phones Sharon, Arafat.) This afternoon, the PSF sets up new roadblocks around Bayt Jala to deter Palestinian gunmen fr. entering. After 5 hrs. without gunfire, the IDF begins to leave Bayt Jala. Solana urges Arafat, Peres to discuss expanding the Bayt Jala-Gilo understandings into a full cease-fire. (BDL, HP, MM 8/29; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/30; WJW 9/6)

Meanwhile, the settler group, the Committee for Road Safety, fatally shoots a Palestinian in the West Bank. Nr. Tulkarm, tanzim mbrs. fatally shoot an Israeli civilian; the IDF fires on Palestinians, killing 1, wounding 4. The IDF also sends tanks into Rafah; bulldozes 2 Palestinian homes, agricultural land in Dayr al-Balah; reinforces tanks, bulldozers outside Khan Yunis; demolishes a PSF post, erects a new IDF checkpoint on the Rafah-Khan Yunis road. 15 Jewish settlers (mostly women and children) attack Palestinian vendors in the Hebron market; IDF soldiers watch but do not intervene. (HP 8/29; HP, NYT, WP, WT 8/30)

Arafat, Barak, Clinton, Mubarak, King Abdallah, the UN's Annan, the EU's Solana meet in Sharm al-Shaykh. Talks continue for 16 hrs., stretching past midnight, without success. A separate, very heated mtg. is held among Secy. of State Albright, Israel's acting FM Ben-Ami, the PA's Local Government M Erakat, Egyptian FM Musa to draft an outline of the rules of disengagement. (MM 10/16; ITAR-TASS, MENA, RL 10/16 in WNC 10/17; al-Quds 10/16, JT 10/17 in WNC 10/18; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/17; AYM 10/17 in WNC 10/9)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue at the same level of the past few days, with most clashes occurring on the outskirts of Palestinian cities, which are encircled by IDF troops. 2 Palestinians are killed by Israeli gunfire; 1 Palestinian dies of illness after being denied access to medical treatment by the IDF for 2 days because of the internal closure; 190 Palestinians are injured. The IDF expands its Netzarim Junction base, begins clearing agricultural land along roads nr. Khan Yunis. (ADM, LAW 10/16; CSM, NYT, WP, WT 10/17; Globes [Internet] 10/25)

In Gaza, Fatah, Hamas stage demonstrations against Arafat's participation in the Sharm al-Shaykh talks. Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, hold similar protests in `Ayn al-Hilwa, Baalbek, Tyre. In Iran, 1,000s of students march to the local UN offices to urge UN support for the Palestinians, condemnation of Israel. Smaller rallies in solidarity with the Palestinians are held in Amman, Ankara, Tokyo. In the U.S., demonstrations are held in Madison, San Francisco. (UPI 10/16; ATL, RL 10/16 in WNC 10/17; JT 10/17 in WNC 10/18)

The UNGA, citing a rule that allows it to take up matters of international peace and security when the UNSC proves unable or unwilling to do so, begins preparing for an emergency session to debate a resolution condemning recent Israeli violence. U.S. Amb. Holbrooke protests. (WT 10/17; WP 10/18; WJW 10/19; MEI 10/27) (see 10/12)

Hizballah says that Tenenbaum, the 4th IDF solider taken captive, approached Lebanese contacts in Europe, claiming to be an intelligence agent for a country other than Israel. He was lured to Beirut, traveling on a fake passport, on the pretense of meeting with a Hizballah official. Israel does not comment. At the request of Shin Bet, the Israeli High Court imposes a ban on publishing information about the affair. (NYT, WP 10/17; WJW 10/19) (see 10/15)

As Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, UN Secy.-Gen. Annan announces that Arafat, Barak have dropped preconditions and agreed to meet with Pres. Clinton, Mubarak, King Abdallah, EU foreign policy dir. Solana on 10/16 in Sharm al-Shaykh. In Gaza, 1,000s of Hamas supporters urge Arafat not to attend. (NYT, WP, WT 10/15)

Anti-Israeli, anti-U.S. protests are reported in France, India, Indonesia, Scotland, South Africa, the UK. In U.S., rallies are held in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Francisco. (Times [London; Internet] 10/14; AFP 10/14 in WNC 10/16; SAPA [Johannesburg; Internet], NYT, WP 10/15)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue for the 13th straight day, leaving 3 Palestinians dead, 185 injured. The most severe exchanges are outside Nablus, where a mosque is torched, allegedly by Jewish settlers, and Palestinians throw stones a funeral procession for a Jewish settler. IDF troops and helicopters escorting the funeral procession respond with gunfire, call in extra attack helicopters, tanks. The riot degenerates into a gunfight btwn. the PA police and IDF and armed Jewish settlers. The IDF also deploys attack helicopters against Palestinian gunmen nr. Bethlehem. In Hebron, 1 IDF soldier is shot, seriously wounded. Israeli border police prevent an ambulance fr. taking 4 seriously wounded Palestinians into Jordan for treatment. (ADM, LAW, REU 10/11; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 10/12; JT 10/12 in WNC 10/16; JT 11/9 in WNC 11/13)

International mediation efforts continue. UN Sec.-Gen. Annan extends his stay in Israel to meet again with Arafat, Barak. British FM Robin Cook, Russian FM Ivanov, the EU's Solana, Norwegian FM Thorbjoern Jagland also meet with Barak, Arafat. Solana then holds talks with Mubarak in Cairo, King Abdallah in Amman. Russian FM Ivanov goes to Damascus to meet with Syrian pres. Asad, FM Shara`. Mubarak phones Arafat, King Abdallah; receives calls fr. Annan, Turkish pres. Ahmet Necdet Sezer. (Interfax, ITAR-TASS, LPA, MENA 10/11 in WNC 10/12; MENA 10/11, ATL, LPA, al-Safir 10/12 in WNC 10/13; WP, WT 10/12)

Barak, Dep. DM Sneh present the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Comm. with a detailed "disengagement plan" to be implemented if Israel determines that the peace process has totally collapsed. (MM, YA 10/12)

In Ramallah, 1,000s of Palestinians take part in a candle-light vigil calling for a halt to the violence. In the U.S., rallies in solidarity with the Palestinians are held in Kalamazoo, New York. (ADM, LAW, REU 10/11)

International mediation efforts continue, with UN Secy.-Gen. Annan, Russian FM Ivanov, EU foreign policy dir. Javier Solana each meeting separately with Arafat, Barak. Egypt's Musa flies to Damascus to confer with Syrian pres. Asad, who phones Arafat to express Syrian support. Mubarak also phones Arafat and rejects Clinton's proposal (10/8) for a summit in Egypt, saying Israel must 1st agree to pull its troops back fr. PA areas, stop threatening Lebanon and Syria (see 10/8), bar official Israeli visits to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, agree to an international inquiry. (ATL, Interfax, ITAR-TASS, MENA, XIN 10/10 in WNC 10/12; CSM, MM, NYT, WP 10/11; Milliyet 10/11, al-Quds 10/12 in WNC 10/13; CSM, WJW 10/12)

Meanwhile, Israeli-Palestinian clashes abate somewhat. Inside Israel, Israeli Jews stab to death 2 Israeli Arabs nr. Tel Aviv, set fire to 3 Arab apartment buildings in Jaffa, and set fire to 3 Palestinian homes and a Jewish-owed restaurant that employed Palestinians in Tel Aviv. Clashes btwn. Israeli Jews and Arabs are also reported in Haifa, Tiberias, and Acre, where Israeli police intervene, firing tear gas and live ammunition, wounding 1 Israeli Arab. (Israeli police say they have arrested some 400 Israeli Arabs, 200 Israeli Jews since clashes began.) Jews fr. West Jerusalem damage Palestinian property in East Jerusalem. In Gaza, the IDF demolishes another apartment building in Netzarim Junction, which was evacuated earlier because it had been hit by IDF shells. Jewish settlers reportedly attack Palestinians in Hebron, Khan Yunis, Rafah and outside Jinin, Nablus, Ramallah; some incidents involve settlers firing automatic weapons. In Rafah, a 12-yr.-old Palestinian is shot dead by the IDF. Nr. Ramallah, IDF soldiers wound a Palestinian ambulance driver with live ammunition. (ADM, BBC, MM 10/10; ADM, MM, NYT, WP 10/11; AFP 10/10, MA 10/11, Le Monde 10/12 in WNC 10/12; MM, WJW, WP 10/12; MEI 10/13; WP 11/30)

Protests in solidarity with the Palestinians are held in Brussels, Cairo, Madrid. In the U.S., rallies are held in Ann Arbor, New Haven. (RL 10/10 in WNC 10/12; WT 10/11)

Citing "compelling national security interests," the State Dept. restores Amb. to Israel Indyk's security clearance. (NYT, WT 10/11; WJW 10/12) (see 10/4)

In Amman, technical comm. on refugees opens 2 days of talks. (WT 9/13; CSM 9/15)

PM Rabin arrives in Moscow for 3-day visit. (MM 9/12; QY, YA 9/12 in FBIS 9/12; DAVAR 9/17 in FBIS 9/20)

Arafat holds emergency mtg. in Alexandria with Pres. Mubarak, FM Musa to discuss Libyan expulsions, peace process. (VOP 9/12 in FBIS 9/13; NYT 9/13; CSM 9/15) (see 9/10)

In Madrid, Arafat adviser Faisal Husseini meets with FM Javier Solana. (EFE [Madrid] 9/12 in FBIS 9/13)

In Amman, Spain's PM Gonzalez meets with Jordan's King Hussein, PM Bin Shakir; heads to Damascus to meet with Pres. Asad. (RJ, RNE-1 Radio [Madrid], SARR 9/12, SARR 9/13 in FBIS 9/13; MM 9/13; RJ 9/12 in FBIS 9/15)

In Washington, Pres. Clinton awards Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, acting on behalf of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Congressional Gold Medal, honoring moral and educational inspiration. Congress mbrs voted unanimously to award the medal (one of only 100 ever bestowed) to the late rabbi. (WJW 9/21; JP 9/26)