The Palestine Chronology

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/lsrael: Israel says it has begun jamming Radio al-Quds broadcasts [WP 2/14]. Other Countries: Ibrahim Khalid, Palestinian involved in 1985 attack on Rome airport, receives 30-year prison sentence. Sabri al-Banna (Abu Nidal) and Rashid Hamida are sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment [NYT 2/13].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: In Nablus, soldiers fire tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition in battle with violent crowd throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails; 2 Palestinians are killed. At least 5 are wounded by gunfire, another 12 by beatings [NYT, WP 2/13]. Soldiers break into Nablus' Ittihad Hospital, beat and detain 4 Palestinians giving blood [WP 2/13]. Military-imposed curfews continue in Tulkarm, Tulkarm camp, Qalqiliyyah, 'Anabta, Bayt 'Ur al-Tahta, and Bayt Ummar. Am'ari, Jalazun, Beach, and Dayr al-Balah camps are placed under curfew following demonstrations [FJ2/14].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Palestinian youth from Beach camp wounded in 12/11 clash with Israeli troops dies in Gaza hospital [NYT 12/22; FJ 12/27]. Def. Min. Rabin returns from U.S. visit [NYT 12/23]. Al-Fajr Arabic daily resumes publication after 10-day closure [FJ 12/27]. Arab and Israeli Hebrew U. students demonstrate outside Knesset in solidarity with Palestinians in W. Bank and Gaza Strip [FJ 12/27]. Military extends closure of Gaza's Islamic U. and Palestine Religious Institute until 12/27 [FJ 12/27]. Israel releases 60 Gazans arrested during recent demonstrations [FJ 12/27].

Arab World: In Cairo, 'Ayn Shams U. students demonstrate in support of Palestinian uprising in the occupied territories [FBIS 12/29].

Other Countries: UN Security Council meeting on recent violence in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip, W. Bank adjourns after PLO and some Arab governments push for more strongly worded resolution against Israel [NYT 12/22]. Midhat Hilali, Arab League official, is shot, wounded by unknown assailant in Athens [FJ 12/27]. Ibrahim Khalid, Palestinian gunman who survived December 1985 attack on Leonardo da Vinci airport, refuses to attend his trial [FJ 12/27].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Inside the green line, hundreds of thousands of Arabs join general strike in solidarity with Palestinians in occupied territories. Israeli police, border guards respond to large demonstrations with tear gas, water cannons. About 200 Palestinians are arrested; 17 Israeli police, border guards injured [WP 12/22; FJ 12/27]. Stone-throwing, tire-burning crowds of demonstrators are reported in Jaffa, Nazareth, Lydda, Ramlah, and Abu Ghawsh. IDF troops fire on West Bank Palestinian crowds throwing Molotov cocktails, killing at least 2 in Jenin-area town of Tubas and 1 in Jenin. At least 22 are wounded by gunfire [NYT, WP 12/22]. Official Israeli death toll of Palestinians killed since 12/9 is now at 19 [CSM 12/22].

Arab World: Israeli and SLA forces raid Hizballah-held villages in S. Lebanon [FJ 12/27].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Minister of Industry and Trade Ariel Sharon moves into apartment in Muslim quarter of Jerusalem's Old City; merchants close shops in protest [LAT 12/16]. Complete commercial strike closes stores in E. Jerusalem, Nablus, Jenin, Ramallah, al-Birah, and other W. Bank towns [FJ 12/20]. Israel bans distribution of al-Sha'b in W. Bank and Gaza Strip for 12 days [FJ 12/20]. Khan Yunis youth shot 12/12 by Israeli soldiers dies in Barzali Hospital [FJ 12/20]. Palestinian journalists from occupied territories hold sit-in at Arab Journalists' Association's Jerusalem office to protest administrative detention of Radwan Abu 'Ayyash [FJ 12/20]. Israeli police announce capture of 2 Palestinians charged with murder of Israeli soldier [FJ 12/20].

Arab World: Arab League calls for emergency session to discuss Israeli actions in occupied territories [CSM 12/16].

Other Countries: Trial of Ibrahim Khalid, only survivor of 4-man team that attacked Leonardo da Vinci Airport in 1985, opens in Rome. Abu Nidal and Rashid Hamida are being tried in absentia [LAT 12/16]. U.S. calls for Israeli restraint in handling disturbances in W. Bank and Gaza Strip [NYT 12/16]. Israeli Def. Min. Rabin meets with U.S. congressional leaders in Washington [WP 12/19].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: IDF soldiers fire on Palestinian demonstrators at Gaza's Shifa Hospital, killing at least 2, wounding more than 11. Dozens are arrested. Palestinians at hospital attack Western journalists. UN reports 2 Palestinians are shot, killed: 1 at Bayt Hanun, in northern Gaza Strip, and 1 at Dayr al-Balah refugee camp. Palestine Press Service reports another demonstrator is killed by soldiers during protest march from Beach refugee camp to Shifa Hospital [LAT, NYT 12/16]. In W. Bank, demonstrations are reported in Nablus, Bir Zeit, Abu Dis village near Jerusalem, and Qalandiya, Am'ari, and Jalazun refugee camps [FJ 12/20].

Arab World: With tank and helicopter support, Israeli troops move north of S. Lebanon security zone, raid Shi'i villages of Maydun and Kafr Hunah. Lebanese sources report 6 fighters are wounded, 20 captured [NYT 12/16].

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: P. M. Shamir says releasing Arab prisoners in accord with demands of Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine is "out of the question." Other Israeli officials said SLA may release some of its prisoners [PI 2/6].

Other Countries: Italian officials end year-long investigation of terrorist attack at Rome's' Leonardo Da Vinci airport and request indictment of Sabri al-Banna (Abu Nidal) and 2 other Palestinians [WP, NYT 2/6]. U.S. announces abandonment of plans for meeting on counterterrorism strategy. U.S. also announces reduction in naval force in Mediterranean [WP 2/6].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Fourteen-member al-Quds Committee concludes meetings in Morpcco with call for "Jihad in all its forms" until East Jerusalem, occupied territories are liberated [JP 1/24].

Other Countries: Italian prosecutors issue arrest warrant for Abu Nidal, charging him with mass murder in Rome airport attack [NYT 1/24].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: Washington Post reports Yasir Arafat accused Syrian and Libyan intelligence services of instigating wave of terrorism that swept Mediterranean in recent months [WP 1/5; MG 1/6]. Libya officially denies involvement in 12/27/85 Vienna, Rome airport attacks [PI 1/5].

Military Action

Arab World: Israeli troops, SLA militia comb 3 S. Lebanese villages north of security zone, firing rocket-propelled grenades and searching for guerrillas [PI 1/5]. Israeli troops are reported to have moved 30 tanks into S. Lebanon security zone [BG 1/5]. Syria is reported to have withdrawn SAM-6, SAM-8 anti-aircraft missile batteries into Syrian territory from Lebanon's Biqa' Valley [NYT, WP 1/5].

Social/Economic/Political

Arab World: In Damascus Nabih Birri, Walid Jumblatt, Elie Hubayqa sign peace agreement brokered by Syrian V. Pres. 'Abd al-Halim Khaddam over past 3 months [NYT, WP 12/29]. Plan increases Syrian supervision over Lebanon, gradually gives more power to Muslims [WP 12/30]. Sulayman Khatir, Egyptian policeman charged with killing 7 Israelis in the Sinai last October, is convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor [WP, NYT 12/29]. Organization of the Oppressed of the Earth threatens to kill 3 Lebanese Jewish hostages unless Israel and SLA release 300 Shi'ite hostages from Khiam detention camp, stop shelling S. Lebanese Shi'ite villages [NYT, WP 12/29].

Other Countries: Note found in pocket of gunman who attacked Rome airport states the airport attacks were reprisal for 10/1 Israeli bombing of PLO headquarters in Tunis, that 7 attacking gunmen belong to "Martyrs of Palestine" organization, previously unheard of [NYT, WP 12/29]. Italian police find Moroccan passport in pocket of dead attacker which came from same stock as those used by Malta hijackers [OB 12/29]. Pres. Reagan sends message asking Israel not to be deterred from the peace process in wake of airport attacks; White House official says Israel is being asked not to retaliate [NYT 12/29]. 

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Ariel Sharon accuses P.M. Shimon Peres of "withholding information about important diplomatic talks from the govemment" [BG 10/18]. Knesset votes 39-22 to limit partially MK Muhammad Mi'ari's parliamentary immunity following speech he made in E. Jerusalem in which he expressed solidarity with Fahd Qawasmeh and Yasir Arafat [JP 11/7]. Nazareth district court finds Golan Heights Druze man Rafik Kalani, 20, guilty of giving information on Israeli army strength to Syria; Kalani allegedly confessed to the charges UP 10/16]. Galilee Palestinians demonstrate outside P.M. Shimon Peres' office while members of the Regional Committee of Arab Local Council Heads meet with Interior Ministry officials over $8 million in budget deficits plaguing the Arab councils inside the green line; Umm al-Fahm town has not been able to pay municipal employees for 5 months [FJ 11/18].

Arab World: King Hussein states there is "no truth at all" to PLO claims that last minute changes had been introduced toa statement Britain said 2 PLO delegates had agreed to sign; Hussein acknowledges that PLO rep. Muhammad Milham "was not aware, apparently, ofthe details" in the statement, negotiated by Jordan on behalf of the PLO, until it was shown to him in London [WP 10/16]. About 1,000 Sudanese demonstrators march on the U.S. embassy in Khartoum, buming the U.S. flag, after speech there by Yasir Arafat [NYT 10/16].

Other Countries: Pres. Reagan states he will "never" apologize to Pres. Mubarak for the interception of the Egyptian plane [NYT, WP 10/16]. British cabinet ministers have categorically denied the U.S. exerted any pressure to have the joint Jordanian-Palestinian delegation meeting cancelled [CSM 10/16]. Italian Defense Ministry spokesman states U.S. evidence allegedly implicating Muhammad 'Abbas in the Achille Lauro affair arrived in Italy 30 minutes after 'Abbas had already been allowed to leave and it originally came from Israeli intelligence sources [WP 10/16]. Italy announces arrest and charging of 2 additional Palestinians for alleged involvement in the Achille Lauro hijacking [CT 10/16]. U.S. federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. begins hearings on Achille Lauro hijacking [LAT 10/17]. Friends and family of Leon Klinghoffer announce formation of memorial fund in his name to "fight international terrorism" [LAT 10/18].

Military Action

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Gasoline bomb thrown at Israeli bus causes no injuries [JP 10/16].

Arab World: 2 Palestinians killed in clash with Israeli troops in security zone; no Israeli casualties reported [JP 10/16]. 2 Arabs on flight from Iraq are arrested in Rome airport carrying suitcase bombs; they carry false Moroccan passports [CT 10/16].