Friday, February 26, 1999

PM Netanyahu angers Jordan by giving a speech warning Israelis that Jordan could form an alliance with Iraq if Baghdad attacked Israel. (WT 2/28; JP, PR 3/5; MEI 3/12)

PA executes PSF officer condemned to death 2/25. (NYT, WP, WT 2/27; JP, PR 3/5; MEI 3/12)

Iran holds 1st local elections since 1979. More than 280,000 candidates run for 200,000 seats nationwide. So many people turn out to vote that some polling stations run out of ballots, hrs. for voting are extended. (NYT, WP 2/26; NYT, WP 2/27; WP 2/28; CSM, MM 3/1; MM 3/2)

To protest Israel's annexation of Arnun on 2/18, 2,000 Lebanese students, residents of nearby villages break through an IDF military cordon, cut through barbed wire, cross suspected minefield, enter the village. IDF fires warning shots fr. outside Arnun, but does not try to expel protesters. Students leave at nightfall; IDF does not attempt to reenter the village. (NYT, WT 2/27; RMC 2/28 in WNC 3/1; MEI 3/12)