PM Peres says Jerusalem will not be on the agenda during May's final status talks. (CSM 1/29; JP 2/3) (see 12/6)
PA reaches reconciliation agmt. with Hamas; releases 12 Hamas mbrs. (incl. Shaykh Ahmad Nimr, who was arrested 3/3/95 for giving an anti-Arafat sermon) as a confidence-building gesture. (AFP, QY 1/28 in FBIS 1/29; CSM 1/29; RE 1/29 in FBIS 1/30)
Following reports that Israel has secretly discarded nearly all blood donated by Ethiopian immigrants for fear of spreading AIDS, 1,000s of Ethiopians demonstrate in Jerusalem to protest racial discrimination. When protesters converge on the PM's office, throw rocks at police, police attack crowd with rubber bullets, batons, water cannons, tear gas; 17 protesters, 30 policemen injured. (MM, NYT, WP, WT 1/29; WJW 2/1; NYT 2/4; CSM 2/7)
Jordan denies entry to Hamas mbr. Shaykh Jamil Hamami. Hamami was to speak on the Palestinian elections at Jordan University. (JT 1/29 in FBIS 1/29 al-Bilad 1/30 in FBIS 2/1)
Confessed assassin Yigal Amir takes over his own defense after 1 of his lawyers resigns, 2d lawyer (an American immigrant) cannot be understood by the court because his Hebrew is too poor. (WT 1/29)