Social/Economic/Political
Occupied Palestine/Israel: Israeli authorities bar delegation of 13 prominent West Bank and Gaza Palestinians from crossing into Jordan to discuss PLO's stance on UN resolutions 242, 338 with Yasir Arafat [LAT, WP 12/16; FJ 12/20]. Avi Tzur, former aide to former Agriculture Min. Michael Dekel, is charged with issuing false documents, accepting more than $50,000 in bribes. (Tzur is first Israeli official charged with fraud in land sales) [WP 12/17; OB 12/15]. Pro-Fateh student lists win elections at Birzeit and Hebron universities [FJ 12/20].
Other Countries: UN General Assembly votes 86-23, with 37 abstentions, to condemn Israel for committing "war crimes," to isolate it completely because it is "not a peaceloving state [PI 12/17; NER 12/23].