Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Following Israeli promises to meet their demands, Palestinian political prisoners suspend hunger strike [FJ 12/20]. Israeli contractor Avraham Gindi is charged in Tel Aviv district court with fraud and theft in West Bank land scandal case, attempts to jump out 6-story window [NYT 12/14].
Other Countries: U.S. customs officials make highly publicized raids on 3 Napco Inc. factories, probing Israel's acquisition of electroplating technology for tank cannon barrels, say Israel had no permit to export the technology; Israel issues denials [WP, NYT 12/14; JP 12/22]. New York Times reports new director of UNRWA, Commissioner General Georgio Giacomelli, has stated agency is $20 million short of $191 million budget, the minimum needed to maintain services at 1985 levels [NYT 12/13]. A Briton and 2 Palestinians are convicted of murdering 3 Israelis aboard a yacht in Lamaca, Cyprus in September; they are sentenced to life imprisonment [NYT, WP 12/14].