The Palestine Chronology

Allied forces seize more than 500 Iraqi prisoners in 2 days of clashes near the Saudi town of Khafji; allies continue to bomb Iraqi positions along Saudi-Kuwaiti border [LAT, NYT, WT, WP, MEM 2/2].

Marines report that some of 12 U.S. casu- alties of 1/31 fighting may have been killed by friendly fire [LAT, NYT, MEM, WP 2/2].

IDF artillery again shells PLO targets north of S. Lebanese "security zone" [IDF 2/1 in FBIS 2/1; MEM 2/1; NYT, WP 2/2].

UNLU issues intifada call no. 67, "The Call of Steadfastness and Defiance" [AVP 2/2 in FBIS 2/4].

Iraqi F.M. Aziz sends letter to UN Sec.- Gen. Perez de Cuellar decrying allied bomb- ing of civilian targets; Aziz complains that previous letter of 1/24 was ignored [BADS 2/4 in FBIS 2/4; NYT 2/5].

P.M. Shamir signs coalition agreement with Moledet faction, terms of which provide for Rehavam Zeevi, who has openly called for "transfer" of Arabs out of Israel and the o.t. to be named minister without portfolio (cf. 2/3) [NYT 2/2; JTS 2/1 in FBIS 2/4].

State Dep't.'s annual report on human rights says Iraq's "abysmal record" of violations worsened during 1990; report also criticizes Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and Kuwait. State Dep't. also "remains concerned about continuing violence, death and injuries on both sides" of Israeli-Palestinian conflict [MEM 2/1; NYT, WP 2/2]. 

Federal District Court judges rule against 54 Democratic members of Congress who had sought an order forbidding Pres. Bush from going to war without first seeking con- gressional approval, but also rule Congress could force Bush to seek declaration of war if it chooses [NYT, WP 12/14].

Last U.S.-sponsored evacuation flight out of Iraq and Kuwait arrives in Frankfurt, carrying U.S. ambassador to Kuwait and 31 other Americans [AFP 12/13 in FBIS 12/13; ADS, INA 12/13 in FBIS 12/14; NYT, WP 12/4; LAT 12/15].

American official says U.S. wants to keep some UN sanctions against Iraq in place even if Saddam withdraws from Kuwait; sanctions would continue to ensure Saddam "can't keep up his massive military machine" [NYT 12/14]; U.S. officials accuse Saddam of stalling on setting dates for talks [WP 12/14].

New York Times/CBS News poll finds 45% of respondents believe U.S. should start military actions against Iraq if it does not leave Kuwait by 1/15; 48% say U.S. should wait for sanctions to work; 62% say sending troops to Saudi Arabia was correct thing to do [NYT 12/14].

Concluding 2-day meeting, OPEC ministers in Vienna agree to maintain present production levels and reinstate production ceiling of 22.5 million barrels per day once Gulf crisis is over [IRNA, AFP 12/13 in FBIS 12/13].

French F.M. Roland Dumas says Iraqi pledge to leave Kuwait would not be enough to satisfy UN, but it could move Gulf crisis towards peaceful solution [MEM 12/14].

Tel Aviv military court convicts Col. Yaacov Sadeh of causing death by negligence of Palestinian teenager during clash 17 months ago [MEM 12/14].

Labor party leader Shimon Peres says P.M. Shamir's gov't. has moved into W. Bank and Gaza hundreds of new trailer homes imported to ease housing shortage [JTS 12/13 in FBIS 12/14; MET 12/25].

U.S. and Iraq again fail to agree on dates to send respective F.M.s to Washington and Baghdad [NYT, LAT 12/13].

Pres. Chadli Benjedid of Algeria meets with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad after stopover in Amman for talks with King Hussein [INA 12/12 in FBIS 12/13; NYT, CSM 12/13; MET 12/25].

Maj. Gen. Saadi Tuma Abbas, battle-hardened hero of Iran-Iraq war, is appointed new Iraqi D.M., replacing Gen. Shanshal who leaves at age 70 [BADS 12/12 in FBIS 12/12; NYT, LAT, WT, WP, MEM 12/13; MET 12/25].

P.M. Shamir meets in Washington with Soviet F.M. Shevardnadze to discuss Israeli-Soviet relations; Shamir says Shevardnadze promises not to bring up international peace conference as precondition for renewing ties [IDF 12/12, JDS 12/13 in FBIS 12/13; NYT, LAT, WT, WP, MEM 12/13].

D.M. Moshe Arens says Jewish settlements in o.t. "are growing and blossoming" and their population has increased to 100,000 despite intifada [WT 12/13].

Israeli Interior Minister Ayre Deri bars Palestinian nationalist Sari Nusseibah from leaving Israel for 3 months [JTS 12/12 in FBIS 12/18; MEM 12/14; MET 12/25].

At meeting on solidarity with intifada, Yasir Arafat says Gulf crisis has cost Palestinians more than $10 billion, and that $1.4 billion annual contributions from Palestinians in Gulf to Palestinians in o.t. have ceased [AVP 12/13 in FBIS 12/14; MAP 12/13 in FBIS 12/17].

Los Angeles immigration judge refuses to deport Palestinian student Bashar Amer, 1 of 7 Palestinians arrested in January 1987 for subversion. Justice dep't. maintains the 7 (and 1 Kenyan) should be deported because of their alleged association with PFLP. All 8 deny belonging to PFLP [LAT 7/17].

Amnesty Intermational issues its 1990 report detailing human rights abuses for 1989. Amnesty criticizes Israel for excessive force and deliberate killings; report mentions for first time killing of accused collaborators by Palestinians [WP, NYT 7/11]; report is criticized by Israeli Justice Ministry UDS 7/10 in FBIS 7/11].

Soviet ambassador in Tunis gives Yasir Arafat message from Mikhail Gorbachev [KUNA 7/11 in FBIS 7/11; AVP 7/11 in FBIS 7/12].

Due to illness, F.M. David Levy postpones planned Paris meeting with U.S. Sec. of State Baker [JTS 7/10 in FBIS 7/11; MEM 7/11].

Lebanese foreign ministry asks its UN mission to submit strongly-worded complaint against Israel for repeated air attacks in S.Lebanon [BDS 7/10 in FBIS 7/11].

P.M. Shamir invites Syrian Pres. Asad "to come, to talk, to conduct negotiations and maybe to get to peace." Shamir also criticizes U.S. for delaying decision on whether to continue U.S.-PLO dialogue [WP, NYT, LAT 6/19; JTS 6/18 in FBIS 6/19].

White House spokesperson Marlin Fitzwater says Pres. Bush has written "lengthy" letter sent to Shamir over past few days offering congratulations on new gov't. and discussing U.S.-Israeli relations [WP, WT 6/19; MEM 6/22 (details of letter in MEM 7/27)].

Tel Aviv court charges Israeli Ami Popper, 21, with the 5/20 murders of 7 Palestinians. Five-man psychiatric panel rejects notion that Popper is "derranged," as Israeli authorities had first claimed [IDF 6/18 in FBIS 6/18; LAT 6/ 19].

Cairo declines Shamir's 6/15 call for Israeli-Egyptian summit, saying Egypt expects "concrete actions towards peace and establishment of dialogue in Cairo with Palestinians and not mere messages conveying good intentions" [MAP 6/18 in FBIS 6/19].

In letter to Israeli Pres. Chaim Herzog released today, Theo Klein, former head (1983-89) of France's 700,000-strong Jewish community, says Israel should meet PLO [MEM 6/19].

European Community issues 2d statement in 2 weeks calling for greater UN involvement in O.T. and for international conference  [JTS 6/3 in FBIS 6/4].

Pres. Mubarak cables Pres. Bush asking for explanation of U.S. 5/31 veto [RMC 6/3 in FBIS 6/5].

PLO official Salah Khalaf says of U.S. demand to condemn 5/30 PLF attempted raid and expel Abul Abbas: "We reject the [demand] because it considers any military act a type of terrorism. This is not support or rejection of the Abul Abbas operation. It's a question of principle" [NYT 6/3].

Leaders of Christian churches in Israel and O.T. announce they will close all shrines for 1 day beginning at 9 A.M. on 4/27. The first-ever closure is to protest Israeli gov't. funding for Jewish settlers at Hospice of St. John [NYT, WT, LAT 4/ 24; FJ 4/30].

JTS reports 24,200 Soviet Jews have emigrated to Israel since start of 1990, JDS adds total number of immigrants is 28,740 [JTS, JDS 4/23 in FBIS 4/24].

Lebanese cleric Hussein Musawi and Iranian F.M. Ali Akbar Velayati suggest second Western hostage will be released soon, but reiterate that 4/22 freeing of Robert Pohill should be met with similar "goodwill" response [WP 4/24].

U.S. mission UN in Geneva says U.S. will stop paying contributions to UN bodies that admit State of Palestine or upgrade PLO's status; statement comes 2 weeks before opening of World Health Organization's assembly, to which PLO has applied for full membership [WT 4/ 24].

U.S. State Dep't. sharply criticizes Israeli gov't. for financing Jewish nationalists' takeover of church-owned hospice in Jerusalem; calls move "an insensitive and provocative action" [WP 4/24].

Pres. Bush telephones Pres. Asad to express appreciation for Syria's role in 4/ 22 release of Robert Pohill. Bush also telephones Jordan's King Hussein to discuss Middle East peace issues [WP 4/24]. 

U.S. Senate delegation, led by Bob Dole, meets with 10 Palestinian notables at the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem; Palestinians give Dole memo detailing Palestinian position on Jerusalem [jTS 4/14 in FBIS 4/16].

PLO urges UN to send special delegation to Jerusalem to monitor settlement; another message is sent to Pope John Paul II urging him to help end Jewish settlements in Jerusalem [BVP 4/14 in FBIS 4/19].

Pres. Chaim Herzog asks Shimon Peres to try to form new Israeli gov't. [JTS 3/20 in FBIS 3/21; NYT, WT, WP, LAT 3/21].

Israeli gov't. press office head Yosi Olmert says 3/19 U.S. State Dep't report to Congress is "not relevant to reality" and that PLO continues to engage in terrorism [IGP 3/21 in FBIS 3/21].

IDF will interrupt new recruits' basic training to send them to O.T. for short tours of duty, beginning at end of March [JPD 3/20 in FBIS 3/20].

Jimmy Carter cancels visit to Tunis as Arafat is in Namibia [RMC 3/20 in FBIS 3/21].

General strike called for by UNLU is observed in O.T. [JDS 3/20 in FBIS 3/20].

Israeli housing minister David Levy calls for building 2,000 new W. Bank apartments this year to house Jewish immigrants (cf. 3/12) [WT 3/9].

Ruth Kaminker of Jerusalem's City Planning Board says city gov't. has plans to build new Jewish neighborhood in Mount Homa area of E. Jerusalem, despite U.S. opposition [WT 3/9].

In interview with Le Figaro, King Hussein blames U.S. for helping facilitate Soviet Jewish emigration to Israel [ADS 3/8 in FBIS 3/9].

Pres. Asad denounces political changes in E. Europe as beneficial to Israel [NYT, WP 3/9]; says U.S. is encouraging Soviet Jewish emigration, pledges to continue war against Israel "for as long as time" (cf. 3/9) [LAT 3/10].

Attacking what he calls Arafat's "strategy of compromise," PFLP leader George Habash calls for "mobilizing all our energies" to foil proposed Israeli-Palestinian negotiations [NYT 3/9].

Hamas issues statement explaining it does not intend to join national leadership in O.T., nor any Palestinian-Israeli dialogue; says it is not part of PLO, therefore PNC resolutions are not binding on Hamas [JTS 3/8 in FBIS 3/12].

PLO advisor Nabil Sha'ath says it is important the U.S.-PLO dialogue continue, and that PLO keep all channels open [RAY 3/9 in FBIS 3/9].

Pentagon officials say U.S. will sell to Israel (at a cost of over $200 million) sophisticated new weapons system capable of shooting down tactical ballistic missiles [LAT 3/9].

Israeli forces outside self-imposed "security zone" in S. Lebanon shoot dead 5 Arabs, allegedly members of Hizballah [IDF 3/8 in FBIS 3/8; NYT, LAT 3/9].

Meeting with Moshe Arens, Sec. Baker says it is time for Israel to accept his compromise formula for opening talks between Israelis and Palestinians [NYT, WP, LAT 2/24].

In letter to Jerusalem's International Center for Peace in the Middle East, Yasir Arafat writes PLO has "once more leaned over backward and approves the idea of a dialogue between representatives of the Israeli government and representatives of the Palestinian people" [NYT 2/ 23; LAT 2/24]; message also states emigrating Jews should be allowed to choose their destination, providing they do not displace another people [JTS 2/23, HAA 2/25 in FBIS 2/26].

Unnamed Capitol Hill sources say USSR's decision to bar direct commercial flights to Israel may spark congressional effort to maintain U.S.-Soviet trade restrictions [WP 2/24].

W. Bank Civil Admin. recently issued new regulation forbidding camp residents to build two or more stories on any house among first 3 rows adjacent to main Israeli highways. Several injunctions banning construction are issued, including one halting UNRWA's $250,000 community center in Duhayshah [HAA 2/23 in FBIS 2/23].

Israeli jets bomb PFLP base in Kfar Jara, S. Lebanon; no injuries [JDS 2/23 in FBIS 2/23; MET 3/6-12].