The Palestine Chronology

After 6more hrs. of debate, the UNSC endorses Annan's certification of Israel's withdrawal fr. Lebanon, but notes "serious concern" regarding Lebanon's protests. (XMN 6/18 in WNC 6/21; NYT, WP, WT 6/19; MM 6/20; JP 6/23)

PM Barak cancels a planned cabinet mtg. to avoid Shas mbrs. submitting their resignations. Instead, he convenes his security cabinet to brief them for the 1st time on the secret Stockholm talks. (HA [Internet], YA [Internet] 6/18; MM 6/19, 6/20) (see 6/13)

King Abdaliah of Jordan dismisses conservative PM 'Abd al-Rauf Rawabda, replaces him with Ali Abu Raghib, a liberal leaning politician with strong business credentials. The main reason behind Rawabda's dismissal reportedly is his refusal to endorse the king's pet project to turn Aqaba into a special economic zone to attract foreign investment; Abu Raghib has been heading the task force overseeing the project. (MM, WP, WT 6/19; DUS 6/20 in WNC 6/21; WT 6/21; JT 6/22 in WNC 6/27; MEI 6/30; see also MM 6/15, 6/16) (see 4/21)

U.S. Amb. to Israel Martin Indyk, U.S. Consul General John Herbst meet with Arafat to assess the gaps btwn. the Israeli, PA sides on final status issues. This evening, Pres. Clinton phones Arafat to discuss plans to meet with him soon in Washington. (MM 6/1; NYT, WP 6/2; AYM 6/4 in WNC 6/8)

Some 500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails end their 31-day hunger strike under pressure fr. the PA, which feared that the death of a hunger striker could lead to mass popular protests that could derail final status talks, which the sides hope to resume within days. In return, Israel grants prisoners more liberal family visitation, moves 5 prisoners out of solitary confinement. (AYM 5/31 in WNC 6/2; NYT 6/1; JP 6/2, 6/9) (see 5/30)

Kuwait holds parliamentary elections. Liberal candidates win 14 seats, up from 4, in the 50-mbr. parliament, making the approval of the 5/16 cabinet decision to grant women the right to vote almost certain. (NYT, WT 7/4; MM, WT 7/5; M 7/14)

In Paris, Egyptian pres. Mubarak discusses the peace process with Pres. Chirac. Mubarak makes a brief stop in Algeria before returning to Cairo in the evening. (MENA 7/3 in WNC 7/6; NYT 7/5)

France, the U.S. assure Lebanon that the April understandings are still in force, will not be amended. Lebanon says it will continue to abide by the 1996 agmt. (RL 7/3 in WNC 7/6) (see 6/29)

Israeli ministerial team on FRD meets again, without Levy. (MM 1/6) (see 1/4)

U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross arrives in the Middle East, meets separately with Arafat, Netanyahu to prepare for individual mtgs. each will have with Pres. Clinton in Washington later this mo. (MM 1/6; IDF Radio 1/6 in WNC 1/7; CSM, MM, WP, WT 1/7; ITV 1/8 in WNC 1/11; JP 1/17)

In Paris, Pres. Chirac, PM Lionel Jospin, FM Vedrine discuss the peace process with Syrian VP `Abd al-Halim Khaddam, FM Shara`. (SANA 1/6 in WNC 1/7; Iraq Television Network 1/8 in WNC 1/12; MM 1/16)

Smithsonian removes cosponsor of its upcoming lecture series on Israel's 50th anniversary under pressure fr. conservative American Jewish groups (such as the American Jewish Comm., the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the Zionist Organization of America) and Congressman Michael Forbes (R-NY), who claim that the tentative schedule (including speeches by 2 Likud reps.) reflects only the "biased," anti-Likud views of the series cosponsor, the New Israel Fund, a liberal philanthropic organization that supports reconciliation btwn. Arabs, Jews. (NYT, WP, WT 1/7; WJW 1/8; MEI 1/16)

8th round of multilateral talks open in Amman. Multilateral Working Group on the Environment meets. (IGPO 6/19)

Irish FM Spring meets with Faisal Husseini at Orient House in East Jerusalem, discusses 7/1 deadline for agmt. on transfer of authority. Israeli Pres. Weizman cancels scheduled mtg. with Spring in protest; 100s of Israelis demonstrate. (QY 6/18 in FBIS 6/19; MM 6/19; VOP 6/19, QY 6/20 in FBIS 6/20)

Arafat arrives in Turkey for 2-days of talks with Pres. Sulayman Demirel, PM Tansu Ciller; encourages Turkey to give PA economic aid, put pressure on Israel. (VOP 6/19 in FBIS 6/19; VOP 6/20, MENA 6/21 in FBIS 6/21)

Jordanian Bar Association orders lawyer Ahmad al-Zu'bi to appear before disciplinary board for possible disbarment for leading Liberal party delegation on visit to Israel 6/12. (al-Majd 6/19 in FBIS 6/20)

After wks of negotiations btwn. Arafat and Imad al-Faluji, al-Faluji's pro-Hamas weekly al-Watan is permitted to reopen. Editor Sayyid Abu Musamih remains jailed. (HA 6/20 in FBIS 6/21; PR 7/25) (see 5/14)

Israeli lawmaker Avraham Burg is elected new chairman of Jewish Agency, calls assimilation the biggest threat facing the Jewish people. (WT 6/21; JP 7/15)

For 2d day, IDF moves reinforcements into Biqa` valley, raising tensions in s. Lebanon. (RL 6/19 in FBIS 6/20)

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Gush Emunim squatters establish settlements Nachliel and Givat Helevona (a.k.a. Eli) north of Ramallah. Jewish squatters add 4 caravans to settlement at Tel Rumaida in al-Khalil (Hebron). In exchange for Progressive List for Peace (PLP) votes to support Shlomo Hillel as Knesset speaker, Labor agrees on 3 issues: to legislate against apartheid practices toward Palestinians, to approve proposed change in Umm al-Fahm's status to full township, and to consider favorably establishment of an Arab university in Israel. Canadian and British delegates meet with Palestinian mayors and community leaders in Jerusalem on eve of Int'l. Liberals Congress in Tel Aviv (9/13-16).

Arab World: Chrmn. Arafat returns to Tunis, meets Soviet delegation there. Nabih Berri & Walid Junblatt boycott weekly Lebanese cabinet meeting to press gov't. to discuss political reforms and conditions in S. Lebanon.

Other Countries: In US, representatives of 11 relief and community service organizations meet State Dept. officials to protest Israeli policy toward Palestinian universities.

Military Action

Arab World: Beirut Radio reports 4 IDF troops killed in 2 S. Lebanon bomb attacks; IDF soldier injured by land mine in S. Lebanon (9/10) dies of injuries.

Military Action:

Lebanese Army units take control of Sabra and Shatila camps; IDF imposes 5 PM to 5 AM curfew throughout West Beirut, enters Sabra to protect population, Drori ordered by Sharon not to enter Shatila; Gemayel family member acknowledges involvement of Phalange forces in massacre; Phalange militia withdraws through IDF lines with truckloads of Palestinian prisoners.

Casualties:

Casualty figures being put at 1,800; Lebanese Army, ICRC begin to recover bodies of massacre victims.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet meets behind police barricades in emergency session at Begin's home for 3 ?h hours, unanimously rejects any Israeli responsibility for massacre, calls for national unity, issues statement that charges of IDF complicity in massacre are "blood libel"; Cabinet agrees to accept UN observers in Beirut and to continue IDF withdrawal from city; police use teargas to disperse several hundred demonstrators at Begin's Jerusalem home; Labor Party, Peace Now, some Knesset members protesting outside Begin's home chant "Begin is a murderer," "Fascism will not take over," 7 arrested, later released; 400 Peace Now members demonstrate at Lebanon border; 50 arrested in Tel Aviv demonstration called by Committee Against the War in Lebanon; liberal Likud deputy Zeigerman calls for Sharon resignation; General Eitan claims Morris Draper and Wazzan hindered IDF efforts to make direct contact with Lebanese Army, says "we don't give the Phalangists orders, and we are not responsible for them"; heavy traffic along Haifa-Tel Aviv road because of demonstrations by kibbutzniks protesting massacre.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO Central Committee meets in Damascus; Arafat receives message from Brezhnev; Wazzan calls on Reagan to send back US Marines, charges US with "material and moral responsibility" for killings.

Arab Governments: Egyptian Foreign Minister Ali threatens to recall Egypt's Ambassador to Israel in protest, asks immediate IDF withdrawal from Beirut and redeployment of multinational peacekeeping force; Jordanian paper al-Dustour blames 13S for massacre.

US and Other Countries: Reagan insists IDF withdraw from Beirut, considers redeploying US troops in Beirut as part of new temporary peacekeeping force; State and Defense Departments' working groups study options; France, Italy express willingness to send back troops.

UN: US joins in unanimous approval of Security Council resolution which condemns 'fcriminal" massacre of Palestinian civilians in Beirut, orders 50 UN observers sent to Beirut area.