Monday, May 5, 1986

Social/Economic/Political

Occupied Palestine/Israel: Six Palestinian lawyers from the West Bank petition the High Court for permission to establish a local bar association. (In 1979 a bar association was set up in Gaza for the lawyers working there) [JP 5/6]. Israeli military court in Lod sentences 2 Palestinians from inside the Green Line to 21 years imprisonment for planting bombs in Israeli neighborhoods, finds them guilty of membership in the PFLP [JP 5/6]. Nablus military court sentences another Palestinian to 21 years imprisonment for stabbing an Israeli soldier in the chest on 12/14/85 [JP 5/6]. Presidents of Uruguay and Israel issue joint statement affirming the friendship between their countries and support for the M.E. peace process [JTA 5/6].

Arab World: Syrian Pres. Hafiz al-Asad arrives in Amman for talks with King Hussein, his first visit to Jordan in 6 years [NYT, WP 5/6].

Other Countries: The leaders of the 7 largest industrial democracies, meeting at the Tokyo summit, adopt a joint statement condemning terrorism as an international scourge that "must be fought relentlessly and without compromise"; Libya is specifically mentioned as a source of terrorism [NYT, WP 5/6]. U.S. State Dept. calls on Syria to expel Abu Nidal organization from territory under its control [NYT 5/6].