May 21, 1994

PM Rabin warns that negotiations on expanding Palestinian self-rule areas jeopardized by attacks on Israelis in existing self-rule areas.  Palestinian police, IDF mount joint patrols, establish checkpoints in Gaza Strip in response to 5/20 killing of IDF soldiers at Erez checkpoint.  PLO condemns Erez killing as "pointed at Palestinian security."  (Qol Yisra'el 5/21 in FBIS 5/23; NYT, WT 5/22; CSM, MM 5/23)

IDF commandos abduct Lebanese Shi`ite leader Mustafa al-Dirani fr. Qasr Naba in Biqa` Valley.  Dirani, a frmr. Amal leader and head of Hizballah affiliate "Faithful Resistance," is thought to know whereabouts of IAF navigator Ron Arad, missing in Lebanon since 1986.  (NYT, WP, WT 5/22; CSM, MM 5/23; WJW 5/26; JP 5/28)