Chronology: 16 February-15 May 2000 Author(s): Michele L. Kjorlien

Chronology: 16 February-15 May 2000
Author(s): Michele L. Kjorlien
Source: Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Autumn, 2000), pp. 168-187
Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Institute for Palestine Studies
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CHRONOLOGY
16 FEBRuAY-15 MAY 2000
Thissectionispart sixty-six
of a chronology
begunin JPS23, no. 3 (Spring1984). ChronolEasternStandardTime.For moredetail on eventsrelatedto thepeace proogydates reflect
cess,see thePeace Monitorin thisissue.
16 FEBRUARY
On hisway homefr.theVatican(see
2/15),Palestinian Authority(PA) head
Yasir Arafitstopsin Ammanto meetwith
King Abdallh ofJordan (MM 2/16)
Israeli PM Ehud Barak phonesEgyptan pres. Husni Mubarak to discussobstaSyriantracksof
cles blockingthePalestinian,
thepeace process.(MENA2/17in WNC
2/18)
of violencein s.
Reactingto theflare-up
Lebanon in thepast3 wks.,Israel empowBarak, FM
ers a 3-manteamcomprising
David Levy,TransportationM Yitzhak
Mordechai to authorizeimmediatereprisals
forattackson Israel Defense Forces (TDF)
to hitcivilian
intention
soldiers,reiterates
targets.
2,000 Lebanese studentsblock
HamraStreetin Beirut'smainshoppingdistrictto protestagainstIsraelforitsrecentair
theU.S. forallegedlygivingIsraelthe
strikes,
"greenlight"to attack.(MM 2/16,2/17;RL
2/17in WNC 2/18;AYM 2/17in WNC 2/22;
CSM,MM,NYT,WP,WT 2/18;NYT 2/19;
MM 2/21;MEI 2/25)
U.S. Secy. of State Madeleine Albright
Relations
tellstheHouse International
Comm.thatshe is exploringwaysto help
collect
terrorism
victimsof state-sponsored
returned
on judgements
by U.S.courtseven
thoughPres. Bill Clinton has blockedcollection,citingforeignpolicyconcernsand
worriesthatothercountriescould use the
abroad.
precedentto seize U.S. properties
(WP 2/17;Guardian Weekly2/24)
PA General Intelllgence questionsPalesnian journalist Khaled Amayrehfor
his new
the 2d timein a wk. regarding
weeklypaper,Hebron Times,whichis critical of thePA.(PalestinianHumanRights
Grouppressrelease2/21)(see
Monitoring
2/15)
17 FEBRUARY
The Popular Front for the Liberation
of Palestine (PFLP) saysitwillresumefull
in thePLO Executive Comm
participation
and Cental Council, whichithas boycottedsincethesigningof the 1993Oslo Accord.(NYT 2/18;AYM2/21in WNC 2/28)
Atan American Comm. on Jerusalem
on CapitolHill,eminent Pal(ACJ)briefing
estinian historianWalid Khalidi reveals
provingthat
of a 3-yr.investigation
findings
theownershipof theproposedsitefora U.S.
emb.inJerusalem,as mandatedby ConEmb.Act,is largely
gress's 1995Jerusalem
(some of whichcan be
privateproperty
claimedby U.S. citizens)and waqf land that
by Israel.
have been illegallyconfiscated
(ACJpressrelease2/17)
PA teachers go on striketo protesttheir
had promisedpay raises
low salaries.Arafat
as partof thecivilservicelaw,butthesalary
increaseswerenotworkedintotheFY 2000
budgetapprovedon 1/26.(MENL2/18;LAW
2/22;MEI 2/25)(see Peace Monitor)
continuein Beirut,where
Demonstrations
2,000 Lebanese hold a protestoutsidethe
U.S. emb.;severalare injuredwhen army,
police unitsbreakthemup. (MM 2/17;CSM,
MM,NYT,WP,WT 2/18;MM 2/21)
In s. Lebanon, an IDF soldieris killedby
a
Hlzballah shelling.In a separateincident,
roadsidebomb plantedby Hizballah ex1 South Lebanon Army
plodes,injuring
(SILA)mbr.Israeldoes notstagemajorretaliatoryattacks.(RL 2/17in WNC 2/18;MM
2/21)
18 FEBRUARY
In Beirut,around5,000 Lebanese protest
nr.theUN headquarters
againstIsrael's retheU.S.'s
centairstrikeson civiliantargets,
Israel.Atanotherrally
failureto restrain
outsidetheCNNbureau,3,000 studentsare
teargas and
confronted
by police firing
watercannons.The U.S. makesits 1stcomwhichbegan
mentcriticalof Israel'sstrikes,
2/8,saying"we do notbelievethatIsraeliatand poputacksagainstcivilianinfrastructure
latedareaswillsolve theproblem."(NYT,
WP 2/19;MM 2/21;MEI 2/25)
Journalof PalestineStudiesXXIX,no. 4 (Summer2000),pp. 168-187.
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169
CHRONOLOGY
In protestoverIsrael's threats
to continuestrikesagainstciviliantargets
in s. Lebanon (see 2/16),King AbdaflahofJordan
cancelsa plannedvisitto Israel (WP 2/19;
MEI 2/25)
Iran holdsthe 1stroundof parliamentary
elections,withsome 6,000candidates,including400 women,vyingfor290 seats.Reform-minded
supporters
ofPres. Mohamed
Khatami overwhelmingly
defeatconservawith80% voterturnout.
The
tivecandidates,
2d roundofvotingwilltakeplace on 5/5.
(CSM,MM 2/18;NYT,WP,WT 2/19;MM,
NYT,WP 2/21;MM,NYT,WP,WT 2/22;
AYM2/22,al-Quds2/24in WNC2/29;MM
2/23;JP,MEI 2/25;WJW3/2;NYT 3/9)
The PA arrestswithoutchargeal-Najah
Universityprofessor'Abd al-Sattar
ofthe
Qasim, one of the20 signatories
11/99anticorruption
statement.
(LAW2/20;
AFP 2/21in WNC 2/23;MEI 2/25;JP3/3)
(see Doc. B1 inJPS 115)
19 FEBRUARY
PA head Arafatcalls forresumption
of
withIsrael on hold since2/6;
negotiations
agmt
saysteamsshouldforgoa framework
on permanent
status(FAPS)and focuson
completingthefinalstatusagmt.by the9/13
targetdate.Israeli chief negotiatorOded
can be
Eran saysa FAPSis important,
reachedby end of 3/00.(WP,WT 2/21)
Pres.Mubarak makesthe 1sttripto Beirutby an Egyptianleadersince 1952to meet
withLebanese pres. Emile Laoud to
show solidarity
withLebanonin thewake of
reiterate
Israeliattacks.Bothpresidents
Hizbaltahs'srightto resistIsrael's occupation. (MENA, RL 2/19 in WNC 2/22; NYT,
WP, WT 2/20; AFP, MENA 2/20 in WNC
2/23; MM, WT 2/21; MM 2/22; GIU 2/23;
AYM 2/24,MENA 2/26,Der Spiegel 2/28 in
WNC 2/29;JP,MEI 2/25)
The PA shutsdown Nawras TV in Hefor
bronfor1 wk on chargesof incitement
(MENL
coveringtheongoingteachersstrike.
2/20) (see 2/17)
In s. Lebanon, 1 civilian is injuredby
IDF shelling.(RL 2/19in WNC 2/22)
20 FEBRUARY
The UNRWAends a 2-dayworkshopon
thefateof theagencyfollowinga finalstatus
agmt.(PalestinianRefugeeResearchNet [Internet]4/17)(see Peace Monitor)
21 FEBRUARY
U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross returns
to theMiddleEastto tryto revivethestalled
meetswithPM
Israeli-PAnegotiations,
Barakproposes5/00
Barak upon his arrival.
as a new targetdate forcompletinga FAPS;
saysIsraelis willingto offerthePA a confipackage,includinga release
dence-building
paymentof some taxes,minor
of prisoners,
changesto maps ofthe3d stageof the2d
further
redeployment
(FRD). (MM,WT 2/21;
AYM2/22in WNC 2/28;WT 2/22)(see 2/19)
In Cairo,Pres.Mubarak receives
Kuwaiti FM Shaykh Sabah al-AhmadalSabah fortalkson Israeliattackson Lebanon Kuwaitsaysitwould attenda pan-Arab
also
even ifIraq wereto participate;
summit,
saysitdoes notoppose Arabstatesopening
a dialoguewithIraq,thoughitwould notdo
so untilBaghdadapologizesforthe 1990invasion.(MENA2/21in WNC 2/23)
22 FEBRUARY
U.S. specialenvoyRoss meetswith
Arafatin Ramallah.Beforethemtg.Arafat
messagefr.Barak that
receivesa written
saysIsraelwilladjustitsmap forthe3d stage
ofthe2d FRD butwillnotgivethePA controlof anyof thevillagesitwantsin the
area.(MM 2/22;CSM,MM
greater
Jerusalem
2/23;MM 2/25)
KuwaitiFM Shaykh Sabah travelsto BeiwithLebarut,to show Kuwait's solidarity
non in lightof Israel'srecentairstrikes.
(MENA2/22in WNC 2/24;NYT 3/4;MEI
3/10)(see 2/19)
for
Israel cutsitsbudgetforsecurity
Jewishsettlersin theWestBankand Gaza
fr.$34.5m. to $6.2 m.,in keepingwithoverin thedefensebudget.(NYT
all reductions
2/23)
Arafatchairsthe 1stmtg.of thePA
Higher Council forDevelopment (HCD).
PA
beginworkon consolidating
Participants
forimprovedfinancialaccountdepartments
ing,forma groupto explorewaysof atagreeto drafta
foreigninvestment,
tracting
strategy
by
workingpaperon a privatization
4/25.(al-Quds2/22in WNC 2/29)
23 EBRUARY
In a speech to theKnesset,IsraeliFM
violentlanguage,
Levy,usingparticularly
threatens
Lebanon thatifn. Israelis attacked,theIDF willretaliate"blood for
blood,soul forsoul,childforchild."Israeli
Araband leftist
MKs,Arableadersdenounce
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170
JOURNAL
oF PAEmNE STUDES
his statements.(MM, NYT 2/24; MENA 2/24
in WNC 2/28; WP 2/26; AYM 2/26 in WNC
2/29;JP,MM 3/3;JP,MEI 3/10)(see 2/16)
Israeli securityofficialssay thatIn recentwks.,Israeland thePA have arrested
severalHamas mbrs.on chargesofplotting
to blow up a buildinginJerusalem.
Some of
thosearrestedare also chargedwithplanningthefailedattacksin Natanya(11/7),
Hadera(1/17).(MM 2/23;NY 2/24)
24 FEBRUARY
U.S. specialenvoyRoss makes1-daytrip
to Cairoto consultwithEgyptianFM'Amr
Musa. (MENA2/24in WNC 2/28)
PM Barak defendsFM Levy's speech to
theKnesseton 2/23,sayinghe is a voice of
moderation,
"hiswordsillustrate
theweighty
responsibility
we feelforIsrael'ssecurity
in
thefaceof dangersthatlie in waitforus
whenwe enterthedecisivestageofthe
peace process."(MM,NYT 2/25;WP 2/26;
AYM 2/26in WNC 2/29;MEI 3/10)
The Arab Leagueannouncesthatitsnext
regularFMs mtg.willbe held 3/11-12in Beirut,insteadof Cairo,as a gestureof solidarity
in supportforLebanon's"steadfastness
in the
faceof ongoingIsraeliaggression."
(MM
2/24; al-Musawwar 3/3,MENA 3/5 in WNC
3/6;MM 3/8)
Pope John Paul II arrivesin Egyptfor
3-dayvisit,meetswithPres.Mubarak,calls
forunityand toleranceamongall religious
groups.Meanwhilein Israel, a groupofsenlor rabbis asks thepope to cancelplans
to hold a daytimeSaturday
masswhenhe
visitsNazarethon 3/25,sayingitwould
of theJewish
cause "massivedesecration"
sabbath.Far-rightJewishgroups putup
postersinJerusalem
callingthepope "the
wickedone,"sayingprayerservicewould be
in theheartofJeruan act of "massidolatry
salem."(ANSA[Rome],MENA2/24,MENA
2/25in WNC 2/28;MM,NYT,WP,WT 2/25;
MENA2/26in WNC 2/29;WT 2/27,2/29;JP
3/3)
After
a mtg.with.BarakinJerusalem,
French PM Lionel Jospin saysthat"France
condemnsHizballah's [recentattackson
theIDF in s. Lebanon],and all typesof terroristattackswhichmaybe carriedout
againstsoldiersor possiblyIsrael's civilian
population."Firenchpres. Jacques Chirac
reprimands
Jospin.(MM 2/25;WT 2/27;WP
2/28;Le Monde 2/28in WNC 2/29;AYM
2/28in WNC3/1;al-Quds2/29in WNC3/3;
WJW3/9;JP,MEI 3/10)
25 FBRUARY
After
a lullof abouta wk.,theIDF,
Hlzballah exchangefirein s. Lebanon. A
mortar
landsin a fieldin n. Israel but
causes no damageor injuries.(ITAR-TASS
2/25in WNC 2/28;NYT 2/26)
26 FEBRUARY
FrenchPMJospin,In Ramallahto meet
withArafat,is chased intohis limousineby
a rock-throwing
crowdof BlrzeltUniversitystude , angeredbyJospin'scharacterization(2/24)of Hizballah attackson the
IDF in s. Lebanon as "terrorist
attacks."
PA
police arrest12 students,
shutBirzeituntil
2/29.(MENA2/26,Le Monde 2/28in WNC
2/29;NYT,WP,WT 2/27;CSM,LAW,MM,
NYT,WP,WT 2/28;al-Quds2/29in WNC
3/3;JP3/3;MEI 3/10)
27 FEBRUARY
In an Israeli cabinet mtg.,PM Barak ad-
mitsthat4 past PMs (Yitzhak Shamir,
Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Benjamin
Netanyahu)had effectively
guaranteedto
withdraw
fr.theGolan Heights to the
6/4/67borderwithSyria; sayshe willnot
"erasethepast."(MM,NYT,WP 2/28;CSM,
MM 2/29;X[N 2/29in WNC3/1;WJW3/2;
AYM3/5in WNC3/9;JP,MEI 3/10)(see
Peace Monitor)
In Ramallah,Palesnians marchto PA
headquarters
to protestthearrestof a totalof
69 Blrzelt stdents sincethe2/26attackon
FrenchPMJospln 3,000 Palestinian students in Hebron,Lebanese in Sidonhold
demonstrations.
anti-Jospin
(LAW,NYT,WP,
VW2/28;al-Quds2/29In WNC 3/3;MEI
3/10)
28 FEBRUARY
a wk of mtgs.,U.S. specialenvoy
After
Ross returns
to Washington
havingfailedto
revivePA-Isreli talks.(CSM,NYT,WP 2/29;
AYM 2/29in WNC 3/1;XIN 2/29in WNC
3/2;al-Quds2/29,DUS, al-Quds3/1in WNC
3/3;WT 3/1;AYM3/1in WNC 3/6)(see
Peace Monitor)
ThePoliticalComm.of thePalestin-
Ian Council (PC) condemnsFrenchPM
on Hizballah,the atJospln's 2/24statement
tackon Jospinby BirzeltUniversitystudents,thePA's arrestof studentsand closure
of theuniversity.
The comm.calls on thePA
to reopenBirzeit,
to turnoverstudentsto
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171
CHRONOLOGY
theuniversity's
disciplinary
comm.(al-Quds
2/29in WNC3/3)
Withthenumberof popularand labor
protestsin theWestBankand Gaza growing,
thePA declaresthatall demonstrations,
public mtgs.mustreceivepriorauthorization
of
thePA police. (LAW2/29;NYT,WT 3/1;
LAW3/2;MEI 3/10;alQuds 3/28in WNC
3/29)
In Ramallah,PA officialsdiscussthe
ongoingteachers strike,
promiseto seek
fundsforpay raises.In additionto notreceivingsalaryincreases,some teachershave
notbeen paid in mos.,have been fired,or
have been transferred.
(MENL2/29)(see
2/17)
In s. Lebanon, Hizballah attacksIDF
2 IDF soldiers,1 civillan The
posts,injuring
IDF respondswithairstrikesagainstHizballah targets.
(WP 2/29)
29 FEBRUARY
In Israel,Egyptianpresidential adviser
Osama Baz holdsdiscussionswithPM
Barak, otherseniorIsraeliofficials
on the
peace process.(MENA2/29,3/1in WNC3/2;
al-Quds3/1in WNC3/3)
Crown Prince Abdallah of Saudi Arabia arrivesin Cairoon a 2-dayvisitto discuss thepeace process,inter-Arab
withPres.Mubarak (MM 2/29;
coordination
MENA2/29in WNC 3/1;MM3/1;MENA3/1
in WNC 3/2)
1 MARCH
The Knesset, includingmuchofBarak's
governing
coalition,approves(60-53)a draft
billdesignedto block a Golan withdrawal
thata referendum
on a peace
by requiring
agmt.withSyria win supportof 61 of the
120 MKsand 62.5%of all eligiblevoters,
whetheror nottheyactuallyvote.JusticeM
Yossi Beilin denouncesthebillas racist,because itwould neutralizethevotesof Israeli
Arabs,who makeup justover 10%of the
electorate.
The draftis sentto comm.,is unlikelyto become law soon. (MM 3/1;MM,
NYT,WP 3/2;al-Quds3/2in WNC3/6;JP,
MEI 3/10)
SaudiArabia'sCrown Prince Abdallah
arrivesin Damascusfora 2-dayvisitto discuss withSyrian pres. Hafiz al-Asad the
peace process,conveningan Arabsummit.
RumorshintthatAbdallahmaydelivera
messageconveyingguaranteesfromWashington,proposinga Clinton-Asad
mtg.in Ge-
neva.(MM 3/1,3/3;NYT 3/4;MENA3/4in
WNC3/6)
In s. Lebanon, Hlzballah attacksan SLA
patrol,killing5 SLAmbrs.3 SLAmbrs.are injuredin a separateHizballahmortarattack.
An exchangeof shellingbtwn.the2 groups
afterward
killsa Druze cleric,injures2 civilIans. (MM 3/1;ANSA[Rome]3/1in WNC
3/2;NYT 3/2;JP,MEI 3/10)
2 MARCH
In theIsraeliArabvillageof Taibeh,Isreli comm -nds, actingon information
fr.
thePA, raida Hamas safehouse.In theen4 Hamas mbrs.are killed,1 is
suinggunfight
captured,1 commandois injured.Israelipolice thenbulldozethehouse.Barak claims
themenwereplanningan attackon Israelis
to derailthestalledpeace process.(MM 3/2;
MM,NYT,WP 3/3;MM3/7;JP,MEI 3/10)
BirzeitUniversitystudents,
teacherssuspend classesindefinitely
to protestthePA's
arrestof studentsduringand following
FrenchFMJospin's visitThe PA is still
holdingaround30 students.
(NYT 3/3;WP
3/5;MEI 3/10)(see 2/28)
SaudiArabia'sCrown Prince Abdaflah
arrivesin Lebanon on a 2-daysolidarity
visit,meetswithPres.Lahoudand parliamentary
mbrs.representing
Hlzballah. (MM
3/3;NYT,WP 3/4;MEI 3/10)(see 2/24)
3 MARCH
ArafatreceivesKnesset speaker
thehighestlevel
AvrahamBurg,marking
PA-Israeli
mtg.in 1 mo. BurgpresentsArafat
to achievea
withBarak's"fullcommitment"
permanent
agmt.,butPA saysthemtg.does
of talks.(NYT
notrepresent
a resumption
3/4)
4 MARCH
In Cairo,Russian FM Igor Ivanov,
FM Musa discussthepeace proEgyptian
cess,bilateraland regionalissues.Ivanov
also meetswithPres.Mubarak in SharmalShaykh,
Arab League secy.-gen.Ismat
MENA3/4,ITAR'Abd al-Majid (Interfax,
TASS,MENA3/5in WNC3/6)
Some 100 prominentPalestinian diaspora figuresissue a statement
emphasizing
theimportance
to thePA-Israeli
negotiations
of therefugeeissue,theconcernsof diaspora Palestinians.
(MM 3/15,3/22)(see Doc.
B1)
Hizballah shellsan IlDF outpostin s.
Lebanon, wounding1 IDF soldier.(WT 3/5)
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172
JOURNAL
OF PALESrIrESTUIES
5 MARCH
Barak winsunanimousapprovalof his
cabinetto pullthe IDF out of s. Lebanon
by 7/00,even withoutan accordwithSyria.
Israelalso promisesto "honoritscommitments"to theSLA (MN 3/5,DUS, Interfax
3/6in WNC3/7;XIN 3/5,3/7in WNC3/8;
MM,NYT,WP,WT 3/6;al-Quds3/6in WNC
3/9;MM3/7;CSM,MEI 3/10)
PA police releaseall Palesthnia stuin
dents stillbeingheld forparticipating
demonstrations.
(NYT,WP 3/6;
anti-Jospin
MM3/8)(see 3/2)
In s. Lebanon, 2 Hlzllah mbrs.are
killedduringan operationagainstthe
IDF/SIA (MEI 3/10)
6 MARCH
In Sharmal-Shaykh,
Arafat,Mubarak
discussthepeace process.Mubarakalso discusses thepeace processby phonewith
Barak. (MENA3/6in WNC3/7)
Lebanon welcomesIsrael's 3/5decision
to withdraw
itstroopsbutsaysitwillnot
giveanyguaranteesforpeace untilIsrael
comes to an agmt.withSyria overtheGolan
Heights.(MM 3/6;WT 3/7;MEI 3/10)
Israel parolesa Jewish settlersentencedto lifein jail fortheexecution-style
slayingof a Palestiian in theWestBank7
yrs.ago. (NYT 3/7;WT 3/8)
7 MARCH
to the
U.S. specialenvoyRoss returns
MiddleEastto tryto restart
talkson theIstrack.(AYM,al-Quds3/7in
raeli-Palestinian
WNC 3/9;WP,WT 3/8)
meetin Tel Aviv
Arafat,Barak secretly
to discussdifferences
blockingrenewalof
theirpeace talks,especiallyimplementation
of the3d stageof the2d FRD outlinedin
WyeII. Ross does notattend.(MM,NYT,
WP,WT 3/8;al-Quds3/9in WNC 3/13)
Syria's cabinetresigns.Pres.Aad names
AleppogovernorMuhammad Mustafa
MIru as thenew PM,charginghimwith
to "modernize
a new government
forming
Thisis seen as a move
theadministration."
by Asad to accelerateeconomicand social
reform,
to reducetheBa'thparty'spolitical
to inrole (Miruis a low-levelBa'thofficial),
jectnew blood intothecabinetand is not
withIsrael.
expectedto affect
negotiations
(CSM,MM,NYT,WP 3/8;MM 3/9,3/10;JP
3/17;MEI 3/24;al-Majallah4/10in WNC
4/14)
Israell police beginto investigate
a
complaintthatTransportation
M Mordechai
sexuallyassaulteda femaleemployee.
Mordechaideniesthecharges,takesa leave
of absencefr.his postto speed theinvestigation.(MM3/7;MM,NYT,WT 3/8;WJW3/9,
3/16;JP3/17)
8 MARCH
After
anothermtg.btwn.Arafiatand
Barak in Ramallah,thistimeattendedby
U.S. specialenvoyRoss, Ross announces
thatIsraeL thePA willresumenegotiations
in theU.S. aftertheId al-Adhaholidayends
on 3/20.The sides stillaim to concludea full
finalstatusagmt.by 9/13.Ross saysthere
havebeen "constructive"
talkson interim
issues. (MM 3/8;NYT,WP,WT 3/9;ITAR-TASS
3/9in WNC3/14;al-Quds3/9,DUS 3/11in
WNC3/13;CSM 3/10)
Lebanesepres.Lahoud saysLebanon
wouldguaranteesecurity
along thes. border
aftertheIDF withdraws,
butonlyas partof
an overallMiddleEastsettlement;
warnsthat
Palestinian
guerrillas
opposed to Arafat
might
attackn. Israelfr.s. Lebanoniftherefugee
issueis notsolved.(XIN 3/8in WNC 3/9;
CSM,WP 3/9;NYT 3/12;Le Monde 3/17in
WNC3/20)
Israel's High Court rules(4-1) thatan
cannotbe barredfr.livIsraeli Arab family
ingin a cooperativeJewishcommunity.
thedecisionaffects
the 1 family
Although
thatseparate
only,thecourt'sdetermination
are "inherently
ArabandJewishcommunities
unequal"and discriminate
againstArabssets
legal precedentthatmaybe used in future
cases. (NYT,WP 3/9;WJW3/16;JP3/17)
In s. Lebanon, 2 SLA mbrs.are killedin
a clashwithHlzballah (MEI 3/10)
9 MARCH
to
Arafat,Barak go to Sharmal-Shaykh
meetwithPres.Mubarak in advanceof PAlaterthismo. AfIsraelitalksin Washington
terward,
theypubliclyannouncetheunderstandings
theyhave reachedin orderto
resumetalks.(MM 3/9;ITAR-TASS
3/9in
WNC3/14;NYT,WT 3/10;MENA3/10,DUS
3/11in WNC3/13;WJW3/16;JP3/17;MEI
3/24)(see Peace Monitor)
10 MARCH
Czech Republic announcesplansto
missionto thePA in
open a permanent
Ramallahin the comingmos. (CTK [Prague],
Noviny[Prague]3/10in WNC 3/13)
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173
CHRONOLOGY
11 MARCH
Some 850 Israeli Arabs attenda rallyin
Nazarethsupporting
thePalestinian
refugees'
rightof return.
(BDL 3/13)
12 MARCH
The EDF presentsBarak witha proposal
called MorningTwilight,
underwhichthe
IDF would withdraw
fr.all but8 strategic
sitesin s. Lebanon in 7/00.Whenthegistof
theplan is leakedby theIsraelipress,LebanonASyria,UN InterimForce in Lebanon
(UNFIL) termita "doomsdayoption"
(UNIFILadviserTimurGoksel'sterm)that
would exacerbateinstability
and violence.
(MM 3/13,3/15;MEI,MM3/24;MEI 4/7)
Attheclose of a 2-dayArab League mtg.
in Beirut,FMsdeclaretheirsupportofLebanon's rightto resistIsraeli occupation,urge
Arabstatesto uniteand resistnormalization
withIsraeluntila comprehensive
peace is
achieved.Israel considersthestatement
exhostileto thepeace process.(NYT,
tremist,
WP,WT 3/12;IRNA,MENA3/12in WNC
3/13,3/14;MM,NYT 3/13;MENA3/13in
WNC 3/15;MM3/14;AYM3/14in WNC
3/20;WJW3/16;MEI 3/24)(see Doc. B3)
lOs of Palestinians demonstrate
outside
thePC in Ramallahto protestthePA's decision to raisefuelpricesgivenworldwidegas
pricehikes.(MENL3/12;AYM3/14in WNC
3/20)
13 MARCH
Barak narrowly
winsa no-confidence
in theKnesvote (47-42,with3 abstentions)
set,whichwas called afterheatedpublicdebate overEducaton M Yossi Sarid's
decisionto include5 poemsby Palestinian
nationalist poet Mahmud Darwish in
school curricula.
(MM 3/13;MM,NYT,WP,
WT 3/14;AYM3/14in WNC 3/15;NYT 3/15;
MENL,WJW3/16;MEI 3/24)
In apparentresponseto theArab
Israel stepsup
Iague's 3/12statement,
bombingcampaignsagainstAmal,FatahUprising,Hlzballah, thePopular Front
for the Liberationof Palestine-General
Command (PFLP-GC), Lebanese army
targetsin s. Lebanon and nr.theLebaneseSyrianborder,killing1 Lebanesesoldier,1
civilian,woundingseveralothers.The attackson Fatah-Uprising
and PFLP-GCare the
firstsince 1986.(MM 3/13,3/14;MENA3/14
in WNC3/15;MM,NYT 3/15)
Prince Hassan of Jordan saysthathe
willnotbe able to makea previously
ar-
rangedtripto Israel todayto receivean
honorary
doctorate.(DUS 3/14in WNC 3/15)
PA Social AffairsM Intisar al-Wazirresignsto protestcutsto herbudgetforstipendsto familiesof Palestinians
killedby
Israeliforcesor jailedin Israel,thePA's failure to fundpay raisesforcivilservants.
Arafatrefusesherresignation,
appointsa
panel to investigate
waysof meetingthese
budgetneeds.(MENL3/21;MEI 3/24;PR [Intemet]3/29;MENL4/3)
As a goodwillgesturebeforetheId,
ArafatordersthePA PreventiveSecurity
Force (PSF) to release18 Hamas activists
beingheld as administrative
detainees.(alQuds 3/13in WNC 3/16)
SyrianPM Mimipresentshis new government.FM Faruq al-Sham', DM Muswtaa
Tas, Interior M Muhammad Harba, Finance M Muhammad Khalid al-Mahaini,
Economics M Muhammad Imadi, 8 other
Ms retaintheirposts;22 new mbrs.are all
technocrats.
(MM,WT 3/15;MM 3/20;MEI
3/24)
Lebanese Shi'i leader Mustafa Dirani,
jailedin Israelsincebeingabductedfr.Lebanon by theIDF in 5/94,filesa $1.5-m.lawsuit against the Israeli government,
durallegingthathe was rapedand tortured
(WP 3/14;WT 3/15;IRNA
inginterrogations.
3/15in WNC3/16;WJW3/16)
14 MARCH
After
fr.right-wing
criticism
MKs,Barak
removestheWestBankvillageofAnata,in
jointlycontrolledarea B nr.Jerusalem,from
to
thelistof possibleareas to be transferred
PA-controlled
area A underthe3d stageof
the2d FRD. (MM 3/14;MENA3/14in WNC
3/15;CSM,MM,NYT,WT 3/15;CSM,MM,
WJW3/16;CSM 3/21)
Israel formally
deploystheArrow 2 misa 14-yr.,
sile system,
culminating
$13-b.joint
development
projectwiththeU.S. (NYT
3/15)
Israeli airstrikeson s. Lebanon continue.The Lebanese army saystherehave
been 20 raidsin thepast24 hrs.(MENA3/14
in WNC 3/15;NYT 3/15)
Kuwait announcesthatithas startedacceptingjob applicationsfr.Jodanians,
Palestinians,Yemenis forthe 1sttime
sinceaccusingtheirleadersof supporting
Iraq duringthe 1990-91Gulfconflict.
(WT
3/15)(see 2/21)
U.S. congressional stafferswho traveled to Iaq in 8/99releasea reportdesanctionsregime,
nouncingtheU.S.,British
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174
JOURNAL OF PALESINE
STUDIES
thenegativeeffects
delineating
of sanctions,
and callingforsupportin Congressforpendinglegislation
to liftsanctions.(MM 3/16)
(see Doc. Cl)
al-Safir3/18in WNC3/21;NYT 3/19;MM
3/21;WP,WT 3/22;MEI 5/5)(see 7/31/97)
15 MARCH
In Gaza, PA police detainan IDF jeep
escortinga convoyof settlersthrough
Netzarim
junction,
claimingitcutoffa Palestiniancar.After
intervention
by seniorofficers,
thejeep is allowedto pass. Israelfiles
a complaintwiththePA,notingthatPAIsraelisecurity
agmts.forbidPalestinian
vehicles to cutintoan Israeliconvoy.(Hatzofe
3/19in WNC 3/21)
Israel, thePA agreeon areasto be transferredin the3d stageof the2d FRD. Israel's
security
cabinetapprovesthemapsand a list
of 15 PalestInian prisoners to be released
forId al-Adha.Jewish settlershold 3 demonstrations
againsttheFRD plans.(MM 3/15;
NYT,WT 3/16;JP3/31)(see Peace Monitor)
As fighting
in s. Lebanon continues,
Hlzbalah firesrocketsinton. Irael in retaliationforIDF attacks3/13-14thatkilled,
woundedcivilians.Rocketscause no damage, injuries.(NYT 3/16)
16 MARCH
In Washington,
23 retred U.S. generals
publisha letteropposinganyU.S. military
or
civilianaid to Syria as partof a Syrian-Israeli peace agmt.(MM 3/29)
In Nablus,PA police arrest2 Palestinians
suspectedof plotting
bombings,confiscate
88 lbs.of explosives.(NYT 3/18)
17 MARCH
The U.S. announcesa "majorgesture"to
Iran, acknowledging
(butnotapologizing
for)pastmeddlingin Iran,includingthe
1953CIA-backedcoup thatrestoredthe
monarchy;
promising
stepstowardthereturn
of assetsfrozensincethe 1979revolution;
a ban on importsof Iranianluxury
lifting
on Iranianacademgoods; easingrestrictions
ics and athletesvisiting
theU.S. Secy.of State
Albrightadds thattheU.S.willalso consider
theupcomingtrialof 13 IranianJews as a
"barometer
of U.S.-Iranrelations."
(NYT,WP,
WT 3/17;NYT,WP 3/18;IRNA3/18,3/19in
WNC 3/21;NYT 3/19;MM3/20;AYM3/21in
WNC3/23;CSM,MM3/24;NYT 4/27)(see
2/2)
Lebanon grantsasylumto 1 of 5 Japanese Red Armymbrs. who justcompleted
prisontermsforpassportforgery.
The other
4 mbrs.are deportedtoJordan,which
handsthemovertoJapanese officialsfor
extradition
to Tokyo,wheretheywillstand
trialforbombingstheycarriedout therein
the 1970s.Whentheyhearthenews,angry
demonstrators
rallyoutsideLebanese PM
Salim al-Huss's home.Huss claimsLebanon
did nothave an agmtwithJordan,
Japanto
send the4 back to Tokyo.(NYT,WP 3/18;
18 MARCH
19 MARCH
Jewishextremistsvandalize
Overnight,
thehelipadand welcomingvenue thathas
been speciallybuiltforthepope's visitthis
w}c,spraypaintingsymbolsequatingthe
crosswiththeswastika.(NYT,WP 3/20;MM
3/21)
20 MARCH
Pres. Cllnton announces thathe will
meet Syrianpres. Asad in Geneva on 3/26 in
hopes of restartingSyrian-Israelitalks. (MM
3/20; CSM, MM, NYT, WP, WT 3/21; MENA
3/21 in WNC 3/22; MM 3/22; MENA 3/21, Le
Monde 3/22 in WNC 3/23; MM, WJW3/23;
MEI 3/24;JP 3/31) (see 3/1)
Pope John Paul U arrivesinJordan on
the 1st leg of a 1-wk. Middle East tour,meets
with King Ab lalih The pope's theme for
the tripis thatregional leaders should do
more to reach a lastingpeace, to promote
Christian-Jewish-Muslim
understanding.(MM
3/20;al-Quds3/20in WNC 3/22;CSM,NYT,
WT 3/21;al-Quds3/21in WNC3/23;MEI
3/24)
IIDF soldiers open fireon a Palestinian
car at a West Bank checkpoint, killinga woman, wounding her husband. The IDF shooting, which was apparentlyunprovoked,
followed a drive-byshooting at nearby Tsurif
settlementthatwounded 4 Jewish settlers.
(WP 3/21; WJW3/23; MEI 3/24; NYT 4/21)
21 MARCH
Egyptian
pres.Mubarak saysthatIsrael,
Syria have neareda peace agmt.in behindthe-scenestalks(through"specialenvoys,"
U.S. and British
thathave continued
officials)
sincetalkswere formally
suspendedin 1/00.
(WP 3/22)(see 3/20)
PA,Israeli negotiating
teams,led by
Yasir 'Abid Rabbu and Eran, respectively,
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175
CHRONOLOGY
resumefinalstatustalksat BoilingAirForce
undera media
Base (AFB) nr.Washington
blackout.U.S. specialenvoyRoss, his assistant,Aaron Miller,willoverseethetalksbut
willnot,at thisstage,presentU.S. proposals.
(CSM 3/21;MENA3/21in WNC3/22;NYT,
WP,WT 3/22)(see Peace Monitor)
the3d stageof the2d
Israel implements
6.1%of area B to area A In
FRD,transfeffing
total,thePA now has fullcontrolof 18.2%of
theWestBank,partialcontrolof 21.8%.(CSM
3/21;CSM,NYT,WP,WT 3/22;JP3/31)
The pope celebratesmassfor30,000
Catholicsin Amman,visitsseveralreligious
sitesbeforeheadingto Isral. (MM 3/21;
NYT,WP,WT 3/22;MEI 3/24)
22 MARCH
Barak phonesUN Secy.-Gen.Kofi Annan, Frenchpres.Chlrac, U.S.Amb.to
IsraelMartinIndyk to discussscenariosfor
a unilateral
s. Lebanon pulloutifAsad does
negotianotagreeto resumeSyrian-Israeli
tionsin his mtg.withClHntonon 3/26.(MM
3/24)(see 3/12)
wherehe
The pope visitsBethlehem,
meetswithArafat,conductsmass,visits
Dahaysharefugeecamp,and toursreligious
sites.The pope pauses hismassfor2 minutesof silenceduringtheMuslimafternoon
theaccommocall to prayerto demonstrate
dation,respectnecessaryamongreligious
groups.(MM 3/22;CSM,JP,MM,NYT,WP,
WT 3/23;MEI 3/24;PR [Internet]
3/29;MEI
4/7)(see Doc. A2)
After
thepope leaves Dahaysha refugee
camp (wherealmost10,000refugeesliveon
less than1 mi.2of land),Palestinians angry
of PA police enoverthehigh-handedness
forthepope's visitclash
forcingsecurity
withthepolice in an exchangeof rock
beatings,weapon fire.Some 60 inthrowing,
mostlycaused by rocks.
juriesare reported,
(NY, WP,WT 3/23;LAW3/27;MEI,MM
4/7)
After
overseeingthepope's visit,Arafat
heads to Cairoto hold talkswithMubarak
on thepeace processin advanceof
Mubarak'stripto Washington
beginning
3/25.(MENA3/22in WNC3/23;MENA3/23
in WNC3/27)
Giventheskyrocketing
gas pricesin the
agreesto allow laq to
U.S., Washington
exdouble itsspendingon maintaining,
to $1.2 b. a yr.(WP
pandingitsoil industry
3/23,3/25;MEI 4/7)(see 3/14)
23 MARCH
BeforeleavingCairo,Arafatdiscussesthe
peace processwithArab League secy.-gen.
Ismat 'Abd al-MaJid.(MENA3/23in WNC
3/27)
SyrianFM Shara', RussianFM Ivanov
by
negotiations
discusstheSyrian-Israeli
3/23in WNC 3/27)
phone.(Interfax
The pope spendstheday in Israel,visitingYad Vashem,meetingwithPres. Ezer
Welzman and Israel's chief rabbis, leadThe pope also hostsa
ingmassinJerusalem.
mtg.to whichhe
"healingand reconciliation"
invitesChief Rabbi MartinLau, Grand
MuftiofJerusalem ikramSabri Sabrirefusesto siton thesame podiumas Lau and
so refusesto attend.The PA sendsShaykh
i in his place. In their
Taysir Tm
speechesLau,Tamimibothstresstheirpeo(MM 3/23;CSM,
ples' rightsoverJerusalem.
MM, NYT, WP 3/24; NYT 3/26;JP 3/31; MEI
4/7)
24 MARCH
Israeli FM Levy, Russian FM Ivanov dis-
cuss thepeace processby phone.(Interfax
3/24 in WNC 3/28) (see 3/23)
The pope meetswithPM Barak, holds a
youthmassattendedby 100,000persons,visitsreligioussitesin theGalilee.(MM 3/24;
NYT,WP,WT 3/25)
Nr.Petra,Jordanian securityforces demolisha Jordanian's home, whichhad
for4 yrs.and was
been underconstruction
nearlycompleted,claimingithad been built
touristarea."
withouta permitin a "sensitive
The demolitionsparksa riotduringwhich3
Jodanians are shotdead by thesecurity
forces.(MEI 4/21)
In reactionto recentgas pricehikes,the
U.S. House of Representativespasses a
thatwould urgetheadministration
resolution
sales to OPEC counto cutoffaid,military
triesthattryto pushup oil pricesby condemand.Pres.Clinton opposes the
straining
measure,whichhe saysis too heavy-handed.
(MM,WP 3/27)(see 3/22)
The U.S. DistrictCourt ordersIran to
pay $341 m. in damagesto journalst Terry
Anderson,sayingtheevidencewas overwhelmingthatIranwas behindhis kidnappingin Lebanonin 1985.(NYT,WP,WT
3/25)(see 2/16)
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176
JOURNAL OF PALESINE
25 MARCH
Israel, thePA reportedly
hold the 1st
mtg.in whattheyhope to be a seriesof
"back-channel"
contactsto establisha "real"
trackto drawup solutionson majorfinalstatusissues.Israelis supposedlyrepresented
by Tourism M Amnon Shahak, Intemal
SecurityM Shlomo Ben Ami,thePA by
PC speaker Ahmad Qural' and Oslo negotiatorMahmud Abbas. (MM 3/30;AYM4/1
in WNC4/6)
The pope conductsmorningprayersand
mass at theBasilicaof theAnnunciation
in
Nazareth.He also meetswithGreekOrthodox patriarchs
and bishops,urgesChristian
communities
to resolvetheirdifferences.
(NYT,WP,WT 3/26)
26 MARCH
In Geneva,Pres.Clinton presentsSyrian
pres.Asad, FM Shara' witha maximalist
proposalfr.IsraeliPM Barak fora Golan
withdrawal
thatwould place thefinalborder
east of the 1923international
borderaround
LakeTiberias.Asad rejectstheproposaloutright.
After
themtg.,theU.S. saysthatit
would notbe productive
forIsrael,Syriato
resumetalksnow,since "it'snotobviousthat
. . . differences
can be bridged."(WP 3/26;
al-Quds3/26in WNC3/28;MM,NYT,WP,
WT 3/27;al-Quds3/27,DUS, Le Monde 3/28
in WNC 3/29;XIN 3/27in WNC4/12;CSM,
MM,NYT,WP,WT 3/28;AYM,al-Quds3/28
in WNC 3/30;WP 3/29;WJW3/30,4/6;alQuds 4/6in WNC4/11;JP,MEI 4/7)(see
Peace Monitor,
Docs. A4,C2)
The pope ends his MiddleEasttripby
holdingSundaymass at theBasilicaofthe
Churchof theHolySepulcher,joiningworwiththe
shipersat theWesternWall,visiting
ofJerusalem,
grandmufti
meetingwithLatin
and bishops.(NYT,WP,WT 3/27;
patriarchs
WJW3/30;JP3/31)
27 MARCH
AtBollingAFB,Secy.of StateAlbright
teams.
meetswithPA, Israeli negotiating
(WT 3/28)
U.S. specialenvoyRoss arrivesin Israel
to briefBarak on Clinton's3/26mtg.with
Asad. Afterward
BaraktellstheKnesset that
Asad is "notreadyforthetypeof decisions
thatare necessaryto reacha peace agreement."(WP 3/27;MM,WP,WT 3/28;WJW
3/30)
SyrianFM Shara' saysthattheIsraeliproposals Pres.Clinton broughtto Genevanot
STUDIES
onlywere notnew or betterbutwere actuallyworsethanpreviousproposals.(MM
3/27;WP 3/28,3/29;WT 3/31;MEI 4/7)
In an unprecedented
move,Israel's Interior M Natan Sharnsky announcesthat
he willrestoreto theIsraeli Arab village of
Kafr Kaslm 250 acresof itsland thathad
been takento developtheneighboring
Jewish town of Rosh Ha'ayln The stepis intendedto promotedemocracy,
social justice,
and equal opportunities
forall citizens.(NYT
3/28;MM3/30)
Israel'satty.gen.opens a criminalinvestigationof Shas spiritualleader Rabbi
Ovadia Yosef to determine
whetherto
chargehimwithincitement
fora 3/18sermonin whichhe said thatEducationM
Sarid shouldbe "extirpated"
and his memforrecommending
oryobliterated
Palestinian
poetrybe includedin Israelicurricula(MM
3/27;NYT,WP 3/28;JP3/31;CSM 4/4)(see
3/13)
In theKnesset, 5 no-confidence
votes
againsttheBarak government
fail.The most
seriousmotionattackedBarak'spresumed
intentto giveawayArabneighborhoods
abutting
Jerusalem (NYT 3/28)
28 MARCH
The 1stroundof PA-IsraeliFAPStalksat
Boilingends.The State Dept. saystheteams
to achievea
spentthisround"attempting
of each other'sneeds
betterunderstanding
and requirements."
No progresswas made
on narrowing
thegaps in theirpositions.
Teamsagreeto open a 2d roundof talksat
Bollingon 4/6.(NYT,WP,WT 3/29;AYM,alQuds 3/29in WNC 3/30;AYM4/1in WNC
4/6)(see Peace Monitor)
Barak phonesEgypt'sMubarak in
to briefhimon Israel'sviewson
Washington
the3/26Clinton-Asad
mtg.in Geneva.EgyptianFM Musa phonesSyrianFM Shara' to
discussSyria'sview of the3/26mtg.(MENA
3/28in WNC 3/29;MEI 4/7)
In Washington
fortalkson bilateralrelations,Pres.Mubarak meetswithPres.Clinton to discussthepeace process.Clinton
callsfor"intensifying"
PA-Israeli
negotiations,
saysthat"theball is in [Asad's]court"regardingmovementon theSyrian-Israeli
track.(MENA3/28in WNC3/29;MM,NYT,
WP,WT 3/29;MENA3/29in WNC 3/30;MM
3/30;DUS, MENA3/30in WNC 3/31;MM
4/3;MEI 4/7)(see Peace Monitor)
Jordan indicts28 Arabs allegedlylinked
to SaudidissidentOsama Bin Laden on terto attackU.S.,
rorismchargesforconspiring
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CHRONOLOGY
177
Israeli targetsduringNew Year'scelebrations.15 suspectsare in custody;13 others
are at large.Mostof thesuspectsare
Iraqi,Palestinothersare Algerian,
Jordanian,
ian,Yemeni.(DUS 3/28in WNC3/29;NYT,
WP 3/29;DUS 3/29in WNC 3/30;NYT 4/11)
Israeli police
After
a 7-mo.investigation,
recommendthatfmr.PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his wffeSara be indictedon
of
theft
criminalchargesoffraud,bribery,
of
700 stategiftsworth$100,000,obstruction
justice.(MM,NYT,WP,WT 3/29)
OPEC agreesto
Bowingto Washington,
boostoil output.(Iran refusesto signthe
agmt.in protestto theU.S.butagreesto
Clinton calls themove
complyin effect.)
"good news ... fortheAmericanconsumer,"
complainthatthe
butmanyOPEC officials
U.S. pressure(especiallyfr.
heavy-handed
who hopes to
EnergySecy.BillRichardson,
matefor
be chosenas VP Al Gore'srunning
the 11/00U.S. elections)makestheirown
moreawkpoliticaland economicsituations
ward.(CSM,NYT,WP 3/29;WP 3/30;MEI
4/7)(see 3/24)
29 MARCH
Pres.Clinton saysthatat the3/26Gefr.
to withdraw
neva mtg.,Israel had offered
a "significant"
portionof theGolan Heights;
itis inifSyria cannotacceptIsrael'soffer,
cumbentupon Damascusto come up with
an alternative.
(MM 3/30)(see Doc. C2)
The Israeli High Court rulesthatsome
730 Palestlnians who challengedtheirexpulsion(11/16)fr.theircave homesnr.Yatta
untilthecourt
in theWestBankmayreturn
thecase and issueda final
has investigated
ruling.(WP 3/30)
30 MARCH
Israeli Arabs observetheirannual1-day
the 1976incidentin
strikecommemorating
Israeliland
which6 Palestinians
protesting
were shotdead by Israelipoconfiscations
lice.For the 1sttime,3 Druze communities
observethestrike.LandDay demonstrators
storman IDF base beingbuilton landexfr.theArabvillageof Sakhnin.Ispropriated
raeli police dispersethecrowdusingtear
20 and resulting
in thedeathof
gas, injuring
woman.(MM 3/30;HA [ntemet]
a 72-yr.-old
3/31,4/5;WJW4/6;JP4/7)
Land
In Gaza, 500 Palestlnians marking
Day block theentranceto theJewish settlement of GushKatif.PA police keep the
containedto preventIDF intervenprotesters
tion.(MM 3/30)
Some 150 Jews fr.Rosh Ha'ayin
M Sharanskys
againstInterior
demonstrate
3/27decisionto return250 acresof land to
theArabvillageKafr Kaslm (MM 3/30)
For unclearreasons,an IDF soldier
shoots,killsa Palestinian driverat a checkpointoutsideShu'afatrefugeecamp in the
WestBank,arrestshis passenger.(IAW 3/31)
31 MARCH
Egyptianpres.Mubarak phones Syrian
pres.Asad to briefhimon his meetingwith
on 3/28.
Pres.Clinton in Washington
(MENA3/31in WNC4/5)
Iraq givesPalesdnians who have lived
some 30,000
in Baghdadsince 1948(totalling
but
therightto own property,
individuals)
stressesthatrightscannotbe passed on. (JT
[nternet]3/31)
1 APRIL
Lebanese DM Ghazi Zaytirsuggests
thatLebanonmayask Syria to deploy
borderif
troopsalongtheIsraeli-Lebanese
AlthoughZayunilaterally.
Israel withdraws
his personal
reflect
tirsayshis statements
views,Israelexpressesconcern,suspecting
theidea is backedby Syria.(CSM,WP 4/2;
MM,WP 4/3;AYM4/3,al-Quds4/4in WNC
4/6;MM4/4;JP,MEI 4/7;CSM4/19)
2 APRIL
'Abid Rabbuh says
PA chiefnegotiator
thatIsrael has droppeditsoppositionto a
Palestinian
state,whichArafathopes to declarein 9/00,butthePA rejectsIsrael'svision of thatstate:two clustersof areas
connectedby a landpassage,alongwith
totalsome WestBanksuburbsofJerusalem,
ling50% of theWestBank,withIsraelcontheborderwithJordan.(MM 4/3)
trolling
SyrianFM Shara' denouncesLebanese
DM Zaytrs suggestion(4/1) thatSyrian
troopsguardtheLebaneseborderwhen
Israel pullsout.(MM,WP 4/3)
In Ramallah,5 armedmenbreakintothe
officeof PA EnvironmentalM Yusif Abu
Saflyya,beat himseverely.The PA police
Min.
arrest5 suspectsplus theEnvironmental
theattack.(MENL
dir.gen.fororchestrating
4/3;AYM4/8in WNC4/12)
In a separateincidentin Ramallah,PC
mbr. Qaddura Faris, mbr.of a new PC
and HumanRightsComm.,is
Monitoring
beatenbyAraft's guards outsideArafat's
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178
OF PALEsrmESTUIES
JOURNAL
to enterfora comm.
officewhenhe attempts
whichis stillbemtg.on theteachersstrike,
ingobservedin some areas(see 2/28).
FarisreArafathas the7 guardsarrested.
(LAW,MENL
signsfr.thecomm.in protest.
4/4;AYM4/4in WNC4/6;AYM4/8in WNC
4/12)
3 APRIL
After
a mtg.withPM Barak in Israel,U.S.
Defense Secy. Wlliam Cohen saysthat
defensepacthave
plansfora U.S.-Israeli
been puton hold since thedeal is continfr.theGolan,
gentupon Israeliwithdrawal
whichdoes notappearlikely.Cohenalso
discussesIsrael'splannedsale of sophistito
catedU.S.-developedAWACStechnology
China (MM,NYT,WP, WT4/4;WP 4/5;
WJW4/6;MM4/10;WP 4/11)(see Peace
Monitor)
Israeli Arab studentsat Halfa Univerto protestthe
sitystagea demonstration
deathof a womanduringLandDay protests
4/5)
in Sakhninon 3/31.(HA [Internet]
To protestsanctionson Iraq, an Italian
EU parliament mbr. Vitplane carrying
torlo Sgarbi,an Italian journalst, and a
French Catholic priest leavesJordan's
Ammanairportand fliesto Baghdadwithout
UN permission.
(MM 4/4,4/7;JT4/7in WNC
4/11)
Turkeysends 1,000troopsinton. Iraq
to huntKurdish separatist, makesair
strikeson Kurdishbases. Turkeyhas previouslycarriedout springcampaignsagainst
of troops,supSince 1,OOOs
theseparatists.
portedby mbrs.of Iraq'sKurdistanDemocratic Party,began massingon theborder
withIraq in 3/00,therehave been a few
butthisis the 1st
cross-border
skirmishes,
largeincursionintoIraq.(NYT 4/4;WT 4/5;
see also WP 3/27)
4 APRIL
In Geneva,IsraeliFM Levy assuresUN
Secy.-Gen.Annan thatIsrael willwithdraw
with
fr.s. Lebanon in 7/00in coordination
theUN. Annansaysthathe willdiscusswith
theUN SecurityCouncil (UNSC) possibly
force.(MM
expandingUNIFIL's 4,500-mbr.
4/4;MM,WP, WT 4/5;WJW4/6;Mm4/7)
In Amman,U.S.DefenseSecy.Cohen,
King Abdallah discusscooperationefforts
to modernizetheJordanian
army,improve
livingconditionsin thekingdom.Cohenalso
complainsabouttheviolationof theem-
bargoon Iraq by an Itlan plane thatdepartedAmmanon 4/3.(MM 4/4)
breaks
AtHaifa University,a fistfight
out btwn.severalIsraeli Arab and rightwing Jewishstidnts overinsultsby the
an IsraeliArab
Jewishstudentsregarding
on campus4/3.Israeli podemonstration
detain1 Araband 1 Jewish
lice intervene,
Iratestudentsattack
studentforquestioning.
thepolice,sparkinga riotthatlasts2 hrs.
4/5)
(HA [Internet]
Jordanian police clashwith
In Amman,
a
UniversityofJordan stuents protesting
to apdecisionby theschool administration
pointhalfof the80 studentcouncilmbrs.so
stuas to reducetheinfluenceof pro-Islamist
dentgroups.(WT 4/5;JT4/7in WNC 4/11;
MM4/12;MEI 4/21)
5 APRIL
The donors'JointLiaison Comm and
Local Aid Coordination Comm. bothmeet
in Gaza. (WorldBankpressrelease4/19,
5/4)(see Peace Monitor)
Israel releasesGhassan Dirani, nephew
ofMustafaDlrani (see 3/13),to theRed
to Lebanon.Lebanese
Cross forrepatriation
Chrisdan mlltla men kidnappedDiraniin
1986,hopingto tradehimwithIsrael,who
would wanthimas a bargaintheythought
to findout whathapingchip in itsefforts
pened to IDF airman Ron Arad,who was
downedoverLebanonearlierin 1986,allegedlyby mbrs.of MustafaDirani'sgroup.
Israeltookcustodyof Ghassanin 1990 and
had sinceheld himwithoutcharge.(NYT,
WP 4/6;WT 4/20)
To protesttheIsraeliHighCourt's3/29
to
to return
decisionallowingPalestinians
theirhomesnr.Yatta,Jewish settlersreoccupytheWestBankhilltopwheretheillegal
outpostHavat Maon was dismantledin
11/99as partof an agmtbtwn.PM Barak
and theYESHA settlerscouncil (NYT 4/6)
the
TheJordanian air force intercepts
Italian plane thatdefiedUN sanctionson
tripand forcesitto
Iraq on 4/3on itsreturn
land.The plane is impounded,thepilotarand Italianfilmrested,and theEU official
makerdeported.(MM 4/6,4/7;JT4/7in
WNC4/11;DUS 4/23in WNC4/24)(see 4/4)
6 APRI
PA,Israeli teamsresumeFAPStalksat
BoilingAFB.(WJW4/6;WP 4/7)(see Peace
Monitor)
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179
CHRONOLOGY
In Beirut,Lebanesepres.Lahoud, UN
special envoy Terje Larsen discussIsrael's
plansto pullout of s. Lebanon in 7/00.
LahoudgivesLarsena letteroutlining
Lebanon's concernsregarding
a unilateral
IDF
withdrawal.
(MM4/6;MM,NYT 3/7;MEI
4/21)(see Doc. B4)
Rep. Sonny allaan (R-AL),chmn.of
theHouse Appropriations
Subcomm.,vows
to block $250 m. in FY 2001 aid to Israel to
offsetitsprofit
fr.theplannedsale ofAWACS
technology
to China, ifthesale goes
through.
(WP 4/7,4/11;WJW4/13,4/20)
(see 4/3)
After
a 2-mo.investigation,
Israel police
concludethatPres.Welzman committed
fraud,breachof trustby acceptingunreportedfundsand favorsfrom2 privatebusinessmenbutsay he cannotbe indicted
has runout.
because thestatuteof limitations
(MM,NYT,WP,WT 4/7;MM,WT 4/10;WJW
4/13;JP4/14)(see 1/20)
The IDF evacuatesJewish settlersfr.
HavatMaon.(NYT 4/7)(see 4/5)
Jordanian riot police standby as UniversityofJordan studentsstagea peaceful
2-hr.sit-into protesttheuniversity's
decision
to appointhalfof thestudentcouncil.(JT4/7
in WNC 4/11)(see 4/4)
7 APRIL
In Damascus,UN specialenvoyLarsen
discusseswithSyrianFM Shara' Israel's
fr.s. Lebaplansfora unilateral
withdrawal
non, thepossibleroleof UN forces.(NYT
4/7;MENA4/8in WNC 4/11)
8 APRIL
The White House announcesthat
Araft, Barak willcome to Washington
separatelyto meetwithClinton on finalstatus
talkswillalso address
talks.Clinton-Barak
theSyriantrack.(NYT,WT 4/9;XIN 4/9in
WNC 4/11)
SyrianFM Shara' arrivesin Cairowitha
messageto Pres.Mubark fr.Pres.Asad rewithgardingIsrael's proposedunilateral
drawalfr.s. Lebanon; sayspubliclythat
even if
Syriawould welcomea withdrawal,
unilateral.
(MENA4/8in WNC4/11;NYT
4/10; USIS Washington File [nternet] 4/12;
WP 4/14; al-Musawwar 4/14 in WNC 4/17;
AYM4/18in WNC 4/20)
In an editorialin theLondon-baseddaily
al-Hayat,Britishjournalist and Asad biographer PatrickSeale offersan independentproposal,whichIsrael interprets
as
floatedby Syria,fora compromisesolution
issue.(MM 4/8;
to theGolan withdrawal
NYT 4/10;see also MM4/7)(see Doc. A3)
In the 1stmajorpubliceventon thePalestinianrefugeeissue,lOOs of activists,students, scholars fr.aroundtheworldattend
a conferencein Bostonaimedat developing
actionplan to support
an international
Palestinians' rightof retbn. lOOsmore
are turnedawaydue to limitedspace. Speakers are respectedsenioracademicsand politincludingEdward Said, Noam
ical analysts,
Chomsky.(BDL 4/19;al-Safir Internet]
5/1)
9 APRIL
In s. Lebanon, IDF artillery
fireinjures3
In retaliacivilians,1 Lebanesearmyofficer.
tionfortheciviliancasualties,IIlaIlah
firesa rocketinton. Israet causingno damage or injuries.In a separateclash in s. Lebanon,Hizballahwounds2 SLA mbrs.(NYT,
WP,WT 4/10;WJW4/13)
10 APRIL
AtBolfing,
theIsraeli, PA teamsexchangepaperson thecomponentsof a FAPS
agmt.,discussthe3d FRD. U.S. specialenvoy
Ross sitsin. (AYM4/11in WNC 4/12;AYM
4/12in WNC4/14;AYM4/15in WNC4/17,
4/18)
Barak stops
On hisway to Washington,
in Cairoto meetwithPres.Mubarak on the
peace process.(MENA4/10in WNC 4/11;
MM 4/11;al-Musawwar4/14
HA [nternet],
in WNC4/17)
Israel saysithas been briefedon Syria's
responseto Clinton's3/26proposalsand that
the"detailedanswers"fr.Damascusare "very
negative."(MM 4/10)(see 4/8)
freezein the
Israel liftstheconstruction
Golan Heights,allowingworkto beginon
200 new housingunitsin Qatzrin;also anof workon 12 West
nouncesresumption
Bank bypass roads, whichhas been suspendedforthepastfewmos.The U.S. does
notcomment.(LAW,MM4/11;NYT 4/12;
AYM, MENA 4/12 in WNC 4/13; MM, WJW
4/13;WP 4/14;JT4/14in WNC 4/17;JP,MEI
4/21;MM4/27)
In Amman,
Jordanian riot police, plain
of
clothes police surroundtheheadquarters
theIslamic Action Front,wherea rallyis
takingplace in supportof theUniversityof
Jordan studentswho clashedwithpolice
on 4/4.(MM 4/12;MEI 4/21)
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180
JOURNAL OF PALETINE STUDnS
11 APRIL
In Washington,
Clinton holds4 hrs.of
talkswithBarak on PA-Israeli
finalstatus
talks,IDF withdrawal
fr.s. Lebanon,theSyrian-Israelinegotiations,
Israel'splannedsale
of AWACStechnology
to China.(MM 4/11;
MM,NYT,WP,WT 4/12;al-Anwar4/12in
WNC 4/17;WJW4/13;MM,WP 4/14;WJW
4/20;JP,MEI 4/21)(see Peace Monitor)
The U.S. State Dept. confirms
receiptof
a Syrianresponseto theproposals
presentedby Pres.Clinton in Genevaon
3/26.Secy.of StateAlbrlghtsays"thereis
notmuchgive"in theSyrianposition,"butI
do thinkit'simportant
thattheyresponded."
(MM 4/11;USIS Washington
File 4/12;WP
4/14)(see 4/10)
Jewish settlersin theWestBank,angry
overIsrael'srejectionof 60-70 requeststo
authorizenew setdement
construction,
say
theywillstartcarrying
out expansionsillegally.Theybeginbulldozingon Olive Hill
nr.Efrat,
witha plan to build230 housing
units.(NYT 4/12;AYM4/12in WNC4/13;
NYT 4/13;MEI 4/21)
Jordan becomes a mbr.of theWorld
Trade Organization (NYT 4/12)
12 APRIL
Immediately
upon Barak'sreturn
fr.
Israel saysitwillwithdraw
Washington,
fullyfr.s. Lebanon, evacuatingall fortified
outpostsjustinsideLebanon,acrossthe
Israel-Lebanon
to restany
border,putting
of the)IDFs MorningTwilight
consideration
proposal.(MM 4/14;MEI 4/21)(see 3/12)
Israel's High Court rules(6-3) against
in thecase of 15 Lebanese
thegovernment
men heldwithoutchargeor afterthecompletionof theirterms,concludingthata 1979
law does notauthorizethetaking
emergency
of hostageswho pose no riskto IsraelinaThe Israeli prison authortionalsecurity.
ity agreesto releasethe 13 detaineesin its
custodyby 4/17in compliancewiththeruling.The IDF, however,refusesto freethe2
men itholdsin military
prisons:Shaykh
'Abd al-Karim Obeid, a Hizballahspiritual
leaderkidnappedin 1989,and Mutafa
DiranJ1fmr.Amalsecurity
chiefkidnapped
in 1994.(MM,NYT,WIP,WT 4/13;MM4/14,
4/18;WP 4/19)
13 APRIL
In Geneva,the 176 mbrs.of theInternational Red Cross agreeto granttheIsraell
relliefagency Magen David Adom ob-
serverstatusuntila finaldecisioncan be
reachedon adoptinga new neutralemblem,
in additionto its2 official
symbols,thered
crossor red crescent,
whichIsraelrefusesto
use. (NYT 4/14;WP 4/15;WJW4/20)(see
Peace Monitor)
14 APRIL
AtBollingAFB,PA,Israeli teamsend
their2d roundof FAPStalkswithoutagreeingon theoutlinefortheFAPSagmt.Teams
return
hometo brieftheirleaders,agreeto
hold a 3d roundof talksin theMiddleEast.
(AYM4/15in WNC 4/17,4/18;WT 4/17;
AYM,al-Quds4/18in WNC 4/19;WJW4/20;
AYM4/22in WNC 4/26)(see Peace Monitor)
15 APRIL
Lebanesepres.Iahoud arrivesin Saudi
Arabia on the 1stleg of a 7-nationtourto
buildsupportforLebanonin advanceof an
Isreli withdrawal.
(Daily Star [nternet]
4/17)(see Peace Monitor)
The New York Times runsextensive
coverageof a classifiedCIA reporton theinnerworkingsof the 1953Iranian coup,
orchestrated
by theU.S. and UK, that
broughtShah Mohammed Reza Pahlevi to
power.Accordingto thedocument,which
was obtainedfr.an unnamedsource,theaim
of thecoup was "tobringto powera government
whichwould reachan equitableoil
settlement
. . . [and]vigorouslyprosecute
thedangerously
strongCommunist
Party."
(NYT 4/16)(see 3/17)
in theWestBank,6
Nr.Brackasettlement
armed Jewishsetders assaulta 71-yr.-old
to buryher
Palesdnian woman, threaten
motorist
alive.A passingPalestinian
stopsthe
attack,takesthewomanto thehospitalfor
forbruises,shock.(LAW4/17)
treatment
16 APRIL
Barak forthe 1sttimesaysthatIsrael
would notannexPalestinianvillagesnr.Jerusalem butwould seek to annexmost
Jewishsettlementsin a finalagmt.;says
on fuIsraelmightmakea "downpayment"
turelandtransfers,
possiblyhandingover
Palestinian
villagesnr.Jerusalem.
(MM,NYT,
WT 4/17;WJW4/20;WP 5/4)
Another4 senior Israell officialsconfirmthatundertherightconditions,
Israel
would formally
recognizea Palestinianstate.
who have made statements
The 5 officials
M Ben Ami,
since4/15are InternalSecurity
Regional Cooperation M Shimon Peres,
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CHRONOLOGY
M Without Portfolio Haim Ramon, Education M Sarid, Dep. DM Ephralm Sneh
(WP 4/17)
IsraeliFM Levy arrivesin Paristo meet
with French offidals. (Le Monde 5/6in
WNC 5/10)
Israel postponesthereleaseof 13 Lebanese detainees afterthefamily
of IDF airmanArad filesan appeal of theHighCourt's
4/12ruling.(NYT,WT 4/17)
After
a 6-wk.investigation,
Israeli police
recommendthatTransportation
M
Mordechai be indictedon chargesof having
sexuallyassaulted3 womenover8 yrs.Police say thatthestatuteof limitations
has expiredon "several"otherincidents.
(NYT,WP,
WT 4/17;WJW4/20)(see 3/7)
17 APRIL
Syrianpres.Asad's son and heirapparent
Bashar al-Asad saysthatpessimismfollowingthe3/26Geneva mtg.is unrealistic,
thata
Syrian-Israelipeace agmt.is stillpossible.
(MM 4/17;NYT 4/18)
Israel's Amb. to the UN Yehuda Lancry deliversa letterfr.FM Levy to Secy.Gen.Annan formally
Israel'sinreaffirming
tentionto withdraw
fr.s. Lebanon (MM,
NYT,WT 4/18;CSM4/19;XIN 4/20in WNC
4/21)
The Israeli High Court dismissestheapordersthe
peal submitted
by Arad'sfamily,
releaseof 13 Lebanese detainees by 4/19.
(MM 4/17;NYT 4/18)(see 4/16)
Palestinians in theoccupiedterritories
IDF
markPrisonersDay. In Bethlehem,
bulletsat demontroops firerubber-coated
strators.
(WT 4/18)
18 APRIL
Israel demolishes3 Palestinian homes
in Issawiyya,
in WestBankarea C, outside
Jerusalem.
(LAW4/18)
19 APRIL
En routeto Washington,
Arafatholds
talkson thepeace processwithPres.
Mubarak in Cairo.(MENA4/19in WNC
4/20)
The UNSC adoptsa statement
fr.Secy.Gen.Annan informing
thecouncilof
Israel's intentions
to withdraw
fr.s. Lebanon in keepingwithUN Res. 425 and 426
and initiating
to enable theUN
preparations
to carryout itsresponsibilities
underthose
in orderto avoid a deterioration
resolutions
181
of thesituation
in Lebanon.(X[N 4/20in
WNC4/24)(see 4/17)
Israel releases13 Lebanese detainees,
returns
themto Lebanon.2,000friends,
relatives,supporters
greetthemat theborder.
The remaining
2, Obeid and Dirani, willbe
held at leastuntila hearingon 5/8to determinewhethertheypose a security
threatto
Israel.(MM,NYT,WP 4/19;CSM,NYT,WP,
WT 4/20;WW 4/27;JP4/28)(see 4/17)
20 APRIL
In Washington,
Clinton holdstalkswith
Arafaton finalstatusnegotiations,
whichthe
U.S. announcesare set to resumeafterPassoverends on 4/27.The U.S. saystherehas
notbeen enoughprogressin theBoilingsessionsto meetthe5/13FAPStargetdate,so
all efforts
willbe directedtowardthe9/13
deadline.Attherequestof bothsides,the
U.S. agreesto takea "moreintensified
role."
(MM 4/20;XIN 4/20in WNC 4/24;NYT,WP,
WT 4/21;AYM4/23in WNC 4/26)
The UN saysitmaynearlydouble the
size ofUNFIL fr.4,500to 8,000troopsto
preventformation
of a security
vacuumin s.
Lebanon followingan IDF withdrawal.
Annan dispatcheshis special enSecy.-Gen.
voy Larsen to theregionto coordinateplans
withIsrael, Lebanon, Syriak(MEI,WP 4/21)
Jordan opens thetrialof 15 alleged Bin
Laden associates chargedwithconspiring
to attackIsraeli,U.S. targets.
(CSM,NYT,WP
4/21;MEI 5/19)(see 3/28)
21 APRIL
King Abdallah ofJordanapprovesa
plan to establisha low-taxeconomiczone in
tourismand technology
Aqaba to attract
companies,hopes to create70,000jobs.
(NYT 4/22)
In Sarvestan,
Iran,150 Inians clash
withriot police forthe3d day in protestof
theannulment
by theGuardian Council,
led by Ayatollah
comprisedof conservatives
candidate'selection
Khamenei,of a reform
in the 1stroundof theparliamentary
race on
2/18.Since 2/18,thecouncil,whichholds ultimatepoliticalauthority,
has nullified
the
electionof severalcandidatesalignedwith
reform-minded
Pres.Khatami, apparently
to
reinin thereform
movementin advanceof
run-off
electionson 5/5.(WP 4/22)
22 APRIL
Arafatarrivesin Cairoon hisway home
to briefPres.Mubarak on his
fr.Washington
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182
STuuS
oF PALESnxM
JOURNAL
talkswithPres.Clinton (MENA4/22,4/23
in WNC4/24)
23 APRIL
King Abdallah ofJordanmeetswithPM
Barak in Elat.Talksfocuson bilateralissues.
In an interview
withIsraelTelevisiontaped
beforethevisitbutairedafterward,
theking
callsfora dual capitalsolutionforJerusalem (DUS 4/23in WNC 4/24;CSM,NYT,
WP, WT 4/24; MM 4/25;WJW4/27) (see
Peace Monitor)
Armedwitha new presslaw thatbans
criticism
of theconstitution,
theTehran
court,controlledby conservatives,
orders8
daily,4 weeklynewspapers thatsupportreform-minded
Pres.Khatami to cease publicationimmediately.
2 journalists are also
arrested.(CSM, NYT 4/25; WP, WT 4/26;
NYT 4/27; MM 4/28; MEI 5/5) (see 4/21)
In Issawiyya,the IDF demolishes at least
5 Palestnian homes, 21 tents,a water reservoir.(MM 4/25; LAW 4/26; MM 4/27) (see
4/18)
24 APRIL
U.S. Secy. of State Albrightannounces
thatshe will go to the Middle East in 6-8
wks. to arrange a summitmtg.btwn. Barak,
Arafat (MM, WT 4/25)
All 26 mbrs. of the UN's WesternEurope and Other Group (WEOG) agree to
offerIsrael fullbut temporarymembership
in theirregional group while it continues to
work for admission to the Asian grouping.
(WJW 5/4; MEI 5/5) (see Peace Monitor)
In Tehran,lOOs of universitystudents
at KhajehNaseerTechnicalUniversity
cut
classesto demonstrate
againsttheTehran
courts crackdownon pro-Khataminewspapers.(NYT,WP,WT 4/26)(see 4/23)
26 APRIL
Arafatfliesto Paristo discussthestatus
of thepeace processwithPres.Chlrc. (MM
4/27;al-Quds4/27in WNC 5/2)(see 4/25)
UN specialenvoyLarsen meetswithPM
Barak, FM Levy to discussIsrael'splansto
pull out of s. Lebanon (MM 4/27)
In Paris, the UN Comnu. on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) opens a 2-day
internationalconference on Palestinian refugees. It is a precursorto CEIRPP's annual
mtg.of NGOs on the question of Palestine,
which begins in Paris on 4/28. (UN press release 4/27) (see Peace Monitor)
27 APRIL
At a PFLP congress in Damascus, party
head George Habash announces his plans
to retirefr.the organization. He is expected
to be replaced by Abu Ali Mustafa (NYT
4/29; AYM 4/29 in WNC 5/2; WT 5/3; alQuds 5/7 in WNC 5/10; MM 5/8, 5/9) (see
JPS's interviewwith MustafainJPS 114)
Iranian conservatives close the last 3
pro-reformnewspapers stilloperating,including 1 owned by Pres. Khatami's
brother,1 by a Khatami adviser. (MM, NYT,
WP, WT 4/28; NYT 4/29; WP 5/1; MM 5/2;
WT 5/6) (see 4/25)
28 APRIL
25 APRIL
SyrianFM Shara' flies to Paris to hand
Pres.Chirac a letterfr.Pres.Asad and to
fr.s.
discussIsrael's plannedwithdrawal
MM 4/25;MM 4/27,
Lebanon (JP[Intemetj,
4/28;Le Monde 5/6in WNC 5/10)(see 4/16)
King Abdallah ofJordanfliesto Ramallah to meetwithArafatfortalkson thePAIsraelitrackof thepeace process,bilateral
relations.(MM 4/25;JT [Intemetj
4/26;DUS
4/26in WNC 4/27;NYT 4/27)
IsraeliPM Barak phonesEgyptian
pres.
Mubarak to discussrecentdevelopments
in
thepeace process.(MENA4/25in WNC
4/26)
UN specialenvoyLIrsen arrivesin
Israel to meetwithseniorofficials
regarding
Israel'swithdrawal
fr.s. Lebanon (MM 4/25,
4/27)
In s. Lebanon, Hizba11ah attacks an SLA
outpost, killing3 SLA mbrs.,wounding 4.
(NYT 4/29; WJW5/4; MEI 5/5)
29 APRIL
PA officialsaccuse Israel of attempting
to undermine foreigninvestmentIn the Palestinian economy by refusingto grantvisas
or reentrypermitsto the administrative,technical, professional staffof Egyptianfirms
working on contractsin the West Bank and
Gaza. (AYM 4/29 in WNC 5/3)
30 APRIL
PA-Israeli FAPS talks resume in Elat but
are delayed by 5 hrs. while the PA flles a
complaint against Barak's authorizationof
new settlementconstructionjust a few hrs.
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183
CHRONOLOGY
before.Palestinians rallyto protestBarak's
decision.(NYT,WP,WT 5/1;LAW5/2;AYM,
al-Quds5/2in WNC 5/4;WT 5/3;AYM5/3
in WNC 5/8;WJW5/4;MEI 5/5)
The PFIP closes itscongressin Damascus withoutdecidingwhetherto accept
Habash's 4/27resignation.
The partycalls
fora Palestinian
nationaldialoguewithall
factions,
organizations.
(WT 4/3;MM 5/8)
In Hebron, IDF troops forcibly
remove
militant
settlersfr.a new encampment
they
were stakingout in thecenterof a Palestinian neighborhood.
(NYT 5/1)
1 MAY
In Beirut,UN specialenvoyLarsen
meetswithLebanesepres.Lahoud, PM
Huss to discussa new mandateforUNIFIL
fr.s. Lebafollowingan Israeliwithdrawal
non. (Le Monde 5/6in WNC 5/10)
In Shiraz,numerousforeigndiplomats,
observers fr.internationalhuman rights
groups attendtheopeningof thetrialof 13
Iranian Jews accused of spyingforIsrael
(8 Muslims were also arrestedon thesame
chargesbutwillbe triedseparately.)1 defendantconfessesto thecourtand on nationaltelevision,
buthumanrightsgroups
are skepticalof thevalidity
of his statement.
(CSM 5/1;IRNA5/1in WNC 5/2;CSM,MM,
NYT,WP,WT 5/2;WP,WT 5/3;NYT,WJW,
WP,WT 5/4;JP5/5;WP,WT 5/9;NYT,
WT 5/11;IRNA5/15in WNC 5/16)
WJW,
(see 3/17)
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails
begina hungerstriketo protesttheirconditions.(WT 5/3)
Forthe 2d day,IDF troopsforcibly
rein
move setders fr.a makeshift
encampment
sectionof Hebron (NYT 5/2)
thePalestinian
2 MAY
On the3d day of mtgs.in Elat,Israel for
the 1sttimepresentsthePA withmapsthat
show how itenvisionsthefinalstatus.The
PA walksout,sayingthemaps show Israel
plansto annexlargeareasof theWestBank,
leaving3 noncontiguous
parcelsto thePA
and preserving
numerousWestBankand
Gaza settlements.
U.S. specialenvoyRoss arrivesin Elatthisevening.(MM 5/2,5/3;CSM
5/5;NYT, WP 5/8;Financial Times, MA
5/11;AYM 5/11in WNC 5/12;MEI 5/19)
UN specialenvoyLarsen fliesto Paristo
meetwithPres.Chlrac regarding
Israel's
fr.s. Lebanon Franceis
plannedwithdrawal
expectedto providethebulkof extratroops
ifUNIFILis expanded.(Le Monde 5/6in
WNC 5/10)
The PC postponesdiscussionson implementingthecivilservicelaw until4/5.In response,West Bank Palestinian teachers
resumetheirstrikeforhigherwages,which
was calledoff3 wks.ago; schoolsin Gaza
are notaffected.
(MENL5/2,5/3)(see 4/2)
Jordanian parliamenan
Ishaq
Farhan, a university
presidentand prominentmoderateIslamistpoliticalleaderwho
receivedhis Ph.D.fr.ColumbiaUniversity,
arrivesatJFKairportin New Yorkwitha
multiple-entry
diplomaticvisa issuedby the
U.S. StateDept. thatis validuntil2003.Nonetheless,he is heldby theImmiation and
Naturaization Service (INS) for6 hrs.of
questioningon his "terrorist"
connections,
forced to buy a $2000 returnticketto Jordan,
and deported. The State Dept. says it revoked Farhan's visa last yr.withoutinforming him and gives no furtherexplanation.
U.S. emb. In Jordan says it considers
Farhan an importantmoderatingpolitical
force,cannot comprehend the INS or State
Dept.'s actions. (MM, NYT, WP 5/5; DUS 5/5,
5/7 in WNC 5/8; DUS 5/5, 5/8 in WNC 5/10;
MM 5/9; WT 5/13)
3 MAY
U.S. special envoy Ross convinces Israel,
PA to resume FAPS talks in Elat. Negotiators
complain thatreportersare gettingin their
way. (MM 5/3; NYT 5/4; al-Quds 5/4 in WNC
5/8; MEI 5/5) (see 5/2)
The FMsof Egypt,Saudi Arabia, Syria
open a 2-day mtg.in Palmyra,Syria,to coordinate theirstands on the peace process, explore the possibilityof holding an Arab
summit.(MM, NYT 5/3; MENA 5/3 in WNC
5/4; MM 5/4; MENA 5/4 in WNC 5/5; MENA
5/6 in WNC 5/8; MM 5/8) (see Peace
Monitor)
The Israeli DMIL saysthataround
10/00,Israelwilldeploya $250-m.laserbased airdefensesystem,
developedjointly
withtheU.S., to protectagainstmissilesfired
intoIsraelfollowinga withdrawal
fr.s. Lebanon. (MM 5/3;WP 5/4)
PA Dep. Education M Naim Abu alHumus resignsin protestof thefailureof
thePA to respondto teachers'demandsfor
pay increases.Teahers fr.Hebron hold a
largesit-instrikeoutsidethePA Education
Min.officesto protestthePA's inactionregardingtheirsalaryincreases.(MENL,PCHR
5/3;MENL5/4;PR 5/10)(see 5/2)
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184
JOURNAL OF PALESTINE STUDIES
The PA High Court suspendsthe2/28
decreerequiring
all demonstrations,
public
mtgs.to receivepriorauthorization
fr.thePA
police.(PCHR 5/3)
In Iqlimal-Tuffah,
outsideIsrael'sself-declaredsecurity
zone, an Israefliplane drops
a 660-lb.bomb on thehomeofAmal regionl cmdr. Abbas HaflaI injuring
his
mother,14 civlians (including6 children).
Israelclaimstheshellingwas a mistake.In 2
otherIDF and SIA attacksin s. Lebanon, 3
HizbalIah mbrs.and 2 civians are killed.
(NYT 5/4;MM,NYT,WP 5/5)
In theNetherlands,
thetrialof 2 Libyans
chargedin the 1988bombingof Pan Am
103 opens. The Libyansplead notguilty,
blamethecrimeon thePEP-GC and the
Palesdnian Popular Strugle Front Both
groupsdenythecharge.(MM,NYT,WP 5/4;
MEI 5/5;CSM 5/9)
4 MAY
In retaliation
forIsraeli attackson 5/3
thatkilledand injureda numberof civilians,
Hlzballah firesrocketsinton. Israel,killing
1 OF solider, 28 civiliansare slightly
injuredby flying
glass.(MM,NYT,WP 5/5;InIRNA5/5in WNC 5/8;al-Quds5/7in
terfax,
WNC 5/10;WJW5/11)
In Beirut,UN specialenvoyLarsen holds
talkswithLebanesepres.Lahoud, PM Huss
withregarding
Israel's plannedunilateral
drawalfr.s. Lebanon (MEI,MM,WP 5/5;alSafir5/9in WNC 5/15;MEI 5/19)
In Cairo,Egypt,Israel,Jordan,thePA
hold a technicalcomm.mtg.on displaced
persons.(AYM 5/6in WNC 5/10)(see Peace
Monitor)
5 MAY
In retaliation
forHlzbaflah rocketattacks
on nmIsrael5/4,the OF carriesout air
shells
strikeson Lebanesepowerstations,
hitsHizballah
theBeirut-Damascus
highway,
Atleast1 Lebanesecivilianis injured.
targets.
Largeareas of Beirutand n. and e. Lebanon
are leftwithoutpower.The repairson the2
powerstationscaused by Israel'slastair
strikesin early2/00werejustcompleteda
wk ago. Hizballahfiresa 2d roundof rockets at n. Israel,butIsraeldecidesnotto respond.(WP 5/5;NYT,WP,WT 5/6;al-Quds
5/7in WNC 5/10;MM 5/8;JP5/12;MEI
5/19)
Iran holdsmn-off
elecparliamentary
allied
tions.Initialresultsshow reformers
withPres.Khatami taking52 of the66 re-
mainingopen seats,givingthema totalof
around200 of the290 seats.(NYT 5/6;NYT,
WP 5/7)(see 2/18)
Turkeyelectsreformistjudge Necdet
Sezer as itsnew pres.He willtakeoffice
whenoutgoingpres.Suleyman Demlml's
termends on 5/16.(MM 5/5;ATL5/5in
WNC 5/8;WP 5/6)
PA police detainOmar Assaf,head of
the Palestinian teachers' union in the
WestBank,and close Love and Peace Radio in Ramallahforairingan interview
with
himon 5/3.(WorkersAdviceCenter[Ramallah]pressrelease 5/5;LAW5/8;JT [Intemet]5/11)(see 5/3)
6 MAY
U.S. specialenvoyRoss, U.S.Amb.Indyk
meetwithsenior PA, Israei negotiators
(includingthePA'sAbbas and Qurai',Israel's
FM Levy)to discusstheimpassein theFAPS
talks.Later,Ross meetswithPM Barak (WT
5/7)
FollowingIsrael's latestroundof attacks
on Lebanon, theArab League convenesan
sessionin Cairo;calls fora freeze
emergency
in normalization,
a haltto all Arabparticipationin themultilateral
until
negotiations
thereis substantial
progresson all tracksof
thepeace process.(MENA5/6in WNC 5/8;
JT[Intemet]
5/7;MENA5/9in WNC 5/10)
AllPalestinian teachers resumetheir
generalstrikeaftera PA ExecutiveAuthoritymtg.5/5failsto move themcloserto
theirgoal of higherwages,betterworking
conditions.
(MENL5/7;LAW5/8)(see 5/2)
Iran's Guardian Council saysithas
foundevidenceofvoterfraudin the5/5
elections,raisingspeculationthatitmaynullifyvictoriesofreformcandidates. The
councilhas alreadyannulled12 reformist
victories
fr.the2/18roundof elections.
(NYT,WP,WT 5/8)
7 MAY
In a late-night
mtg.in Ramallah,Barak,
Arafatagreeto resumepeace talkson 5/8at
an undisclosedlocation.After
themtg.,Barak
announcesto thepressthathe has decided
to cede controlof 3 West Bank villages nr.
withina fewwks.or mos. (MM,Le
Jerusalem
Monde,NYT,WP,WT 5/8;al-Quds5/8in
WNC 5/10;MM,WT 5/9;Le Monde 5/10in
WNC 5/11;WJW5/11;al-Quds5/11in WNC
5/12;MEI 5/19)(see Peace Monitor)
In theearlymominghrs.,100 PA riot
police raidBureij refugeecamp in Gaza,
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185
CHRONOLOGY
affesting
50 Palesdnians who wereallegedlybehinda fightat a basketballmatchin
observea
thecamp on 5/5.Bureijresidents
generalstrikefortherestof theday to pro(PCHR
testthePA's handlingof thesituation.
5/7;MENL5/8)
IsIn theIsraeliArabvillageShafa'amr,
day
raeliJews holdingan "independence"
clashwithlocal Palestinians
celebration
Israeli
holdinga Nakbacommemoration.
intensifying
theconflict
police intervene,
beforebreakingitup, leaving20 Palestinians
30. (BDL 5/9)
injured,arresting
8 MAY
PA-Israeliteamshold a finalroundof
FAPStalksbeforerecessing5/9-10while
Israelmarksitsmemorialand "independence"days.U.S. specialenvoyRoss returns
to Washington
to briefPres.Clinton and the
U.S. peace teamon theElatroundoftalks.
He reportedly
sees a lotof hardworkahead
forprogress."
butalso a "potential
(MM,NYT
5/9)
In thewake of recentcross-border
clasheswithHizballah,Israel saysitmay
withdrawal
fr.s. Lebanon
makeitsunilateral
before7/00.(NYT 5/9)(see Peace Monitor)
Syrianpres.Asad fliesto Cairoto meet
withPres.Mubarak to coordinatepositions
with
on Lebanese,PA,Syriannegotiations
fr.
Israeland on Israel'splannedwithdrawal
s. Lebanon.(MENA5/8,IRNA5/9in WNC
5/10;MENL,MM 5/9)
IsraeliPM Barak phonesEgyptianpres.
Mubarak to discussthevarioustracksof the
peace process,briefshimon his mtg.with
on 5/7.(MM 5/8;MENA5/8in WNC
Arafat
5/10)
Palestinian studentsclashwithIDF
troops in BethlehemduringPA-organized
forthereleaseof Palestinian
demonstrations
are inprisonersheld in Israel.6 Palestinians
juredby rubberbulletsfiredby theIDF.
(MENL5/8;NYT 5/9)
9 MAY
Arafatarrivesin Cairoon a 2-dayvisitto
briefMubarak on thestatusof negotiations
withIsrael.MubarakupdatesArafat
on his
mtg.withAsad 5/8.(MENL5/9;MENA5/9in
WNC 5/10;MENA5/10in WNC 5/11)
Dir. of the Russian FMIn Dept for
the Middle East and NorthAfrica,Alexander Saltanov, arrivesin Syria fora 2-day
visiton the 1stleg of a regionaltourto assess thepeace process.He holdstalkswith
with
FM Shara' on thestatusof negotiations
5/9in WNC 5/10;ITARIsrael.(ITAR-TASS
TASS 5/10in WNC 5/11;RAI[Moscow]5/11
in WNC 5/15)
In Cairo,UN specialenvoyLarsen briefs
theArab ILague on his contactswithIsrael,
Israel'splanned
Lebanon,Syriaregarding
withdrawal
fr.s. Lebanon (MENA5/9in
WNC 5/10)
parliaThe State Dept. issuesJordanian
Farhan a new multipleentrydipmentarian
lomaticvisa.The U.S. emb. in Amman
but
overtheincident,"
reiterates
its"regret
theStateDept. saysonlythatiterredby not
Farhanthathis originalvisa had
informing
been revoked.(MM,NYT 5/10)(see 5/2)
The ActingCouncil of the Palestinian
Bar Association revokestheaccreditation
of 37 Palestlnian lawyers workingfor
groupscriticalof thePA. (PHRC 5/10;LAW
5/11;PCHR 5/14)(see Peace Monitor)
10 MAY
After
a 2d roundof talkswithSyrianFM
Saltanov goes
Shara', RussianFMin.official
to Beirutto meetwithPM Huss regarding
fr.s. Lebanon.
Israel'splannedwithdrawal
5/10in WNC 5/11;RAI[Mos(ITAR-TASS
cow] 5/11in WNC 5/15)
Some 5,000 Israeli Arabs markIsrael's
in a "right
independenceday by participating
of return
march"fr.thevillageof Kabul in
theGalileeto thesiteof thevillageof alDamun,nr.Haifa,thatwas destroyedby Zionistforcesin 1948.Another1,000 Israeli
Arabs and displacedresidentsof UmmalZaynathold a memorialat thesiteof thatdestroyedvillage.(BDL 5/12)
some
AtthemainBethlehemcheckpoint,
500 PalestInans
demonstratefor the re-
prisonersfr.Israelijails.
lease of Palestinian
IDF soldiersfirerubberbulletsat thecrowd,
5/11)
(MA [Internet]
injuring5 Palestinians.
The PA allows Love and Peace Radio in
UT [InRamallahto resumebroadcasting.
ternet]5/11)(see 5/5)
as a resultof SyrianheirapApparently
camparentBashar al-Asad's anticorruption
paign,fmr.PM Muhammad Zu'bi, who
was replaced3/13withthenew government,
is expelledfr.theBa'thpartyand indictedon
unspecifiedfinancial,
chargesof committing
(MEI 5/19)
politicalirregularities.
11 MAY
Residentsof theIsraell town of
Metulla, nr.theLebaneseborder,observea
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186
OF PALESTNE STUDIES
JOURNAL
generalstrikeand demonstrate
to protest
government
plansto withdraw
fr.s. Lebanon. (NYT 5/12;WJW5/18)
Israel's High Court overturns
a decision
to parolea Jewish settlerwho had initially
been sentencedto lifeimprisonment
forthe
execution-style
slayingof a Palestinian.
(NYT
5/12)(see 3/6)
In Amman,50 UniversityofJordan
studentsstagea sit-inoutsideparliament
to
protestthegovernment's
4/4decisionto appointhalfof theirstudentcouncil.(JT5/12in
WNC 5/15)(see 4/10)
12 MAY
Israel,Jordan signan agmt.to proceed
withlong-delayed
plansforexpansionof the
Aqaba-Elatairport.
(NYT 5/13;WJW5/18)
(see Peace Monitor)
13 MAY
Speakingin Kuwait,Qatari FM Shaykh
Hamad Bin-JassimBin-Jabbaral-Thani
calls foran initiative
by GulfArabstatesto
normalizetieswithIraq, liftUN sanctions.
(MM 5/15,5/17)(see 3/22)
14 MAY
Ata PC mtg.,PA chiefnegotiator
'Abid
Rabbuh resignsin protestafterlearningthat
secretPA-Israelifinalstatustalksrecently
The Stockholm
talks
startedin Stockholm.
are beingheld btwn.Israel'sInternalSecurity
M Ben Ami,lawyer Gilead Sher and PC
speakerQuai', PC mbr. Hassan Asfour,
PSF chief Muhammad Dahlan (MENL
5/15;MENA5/15in WNC 5/16;NYT,WT
5/16)
U.S. Consul GeneralJohn Herbstdeliversto Arafata letterfr.Pres.Clinton regardingthepeace process.No detailsare
released.(MENL5/15)
issue teammeet.PA
PA, Israeli interim
interimaffahs negotiatorSaeb Erakat
himto discussonly
saysArafatinstructed
theimmediate
demandthat230 Palestinan
prisoners be released.Israelinegotiator
Eran,however,asks thatthePalestinian
in supportof theprisoners
demonstrations
be haltedso thetalkscan be held in a positiveatmosphere.
(NYT,WT 5/15)
AcrosstheWestBankand Gaza, Palesdnians marlingthe52d anniversary
of the
Nakba hold demonstrations
to protestthe
continueddetentionof Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jailsand to demandthatthe
PA pushtherefugeeissue in negotiations
withIsrael.In severallocations,theIDF
clasheswithprotesters,
openingfirewithlive
ammunition
and rubberbullets,killing1 Palestinianand woundingat least30. 2 IDF
soldiersare also injured.The worstclashes
are nr.Netzarim
junctionin Gaza and in Nablus,Qalqilya,and Ramallahin theWest
Bank (AYM5/14in WNC 5/17;NYT,WP,
WT 5/15;MEI 5/19)
Some 150 Palestinians fr.Dahaysha,
Aida, Azza refugeecamps nr.Bethlehem
makea symbolicvisitto thesitesof theirvillages of origin,whichwere destroyedby Zionistforcesin 1948:BaytNattif,
Zakriyya,
and BaytJibrin.
(BDL 5/15)(see 5/10)
The PA and Israe announcethatthePA
has capturedMuhammadDaygf,a leaderof
Hamas's Izeddin al-Qassam Brigades
who is Israel'smostwantedforallegedlyorganizinga seriesof suicidebombingsin
2-3/96.IsraelreleasesSalah Shihada, a
Hamasleaderwho has been jailedfor12 yrs.
It is uncertain
whethertheShihadarelease
and Dayifcaptureare partof a reciprocal
agmt.relatedto negotiations.
(MM,NYT,WP
5/15;NYT 5/17;WJW5/18)
15 MAY
In a scathing4-pageletter,
'Abid Rabbuh
as PA
publiclyannounceshis resignation
chiefnegotiator
forthefmalstatus,revealing
talks.(MENL5/15;
thesecretStockholm
MENA5/15in WNC 5/16;MM,NYT,WI'
5/16;AYM5/16in WNC 5/18)
U.S. specialenvoyRoss arrivesin Israel
fr.Stockholm,
alongwiththenew PA, Israeli finalstatusteams.Allpartiesrefuseto
commenton thesuccessor failureof the
Stockholm
talks.The StateDept. does not
or denythatRoss was in Sweeven confirm
den,saysonlythatthePA and Israel"are
talkingto each otherin different
ways at different
levels."(StateDept. dailypressbriefing 5/15;MM,NYT,WT 5/16;StateDept.
WT 5/17;al-Quds5/17
dailypressbriefing,
in WNC 5/18)
AcrosstheWestBankand Gaza, 1,000s
of Palestinins commemorating
theNakba
and protesting
thestalledpeace processand
Israel'scontinueddetentionof Palestinian
prisonersclashwithIDF troops and borsince9/96.2
der police in theworstfighting
civilianare
PA policemenand 1 Palestinian
killedand lOOsare injuredby rubberbullets,
liveammunition,
and teargas; 14 Israeli
are also injured.
soldiersand police officers
forcesexchange
PA police,Israelisecurity
gunfire.
Arafat,Barak are in contactvia
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187
CHRONOLOGY
theday,speakby
theiradvisersthroughout
phone in theevening.(LAW,MM 5/15;BDL,
LAW,NYT,WP,WT 5/16;ITAR-TASS
5/15,
MENA5/16in WNC5/17;AYM,al-Quds5/16
in WNC 5/18;WJW5/18;MEI 5/19)
Despiteclashes,theIsraeli cabinet votes
(15-6) to transfer
3 Palesthnianvillages
outsideJerusalem
(Abu Dis, Azariyya,
fr.area B to area A.
Sawaharaal-Sharqiyya)
Laterin theday,theKnesset approves(5648, with1 abstention)
thecabinetdecision.
Barak, however,sayshe willnotturnover
thevillagesuntilhe receivesan explanation
fr.thePA fortoday'sclashesin theterrito-
ries.(MM 5/15;MENA5/15in WNC 5/16;
MM,NYT,WP,WT 5/16;MM 5/17;WJW
5/18;MEI 5/19)
ofJewish settlersrallyinJeru1O,OOOs
salem'sZion Squareto protestfurther
territorialconcessionsto thePalestinians.
The rally
was plannedby Shas lastwk.,beforetoday's
Knessetvotewas announced.(MM 5/15;MM,
NYT,WP 5/16;WW 5/18)
In s. Lebanon, theIDF turnsoverits
Taybiyya
postto theSLA,markingthe 1st
stepin itswithdrawal
fr.Lebanon.(MM,WT
5/17;NYT 5/18)
SOURCEABBREVIATIONS
CHRONOLOGY
MA
MEI
MENA
MENL
MM
(Agence France-Presse,Paris)
(Anatolia, Ankara)
(al-Ayyam,Ramallah)
(BADIL Resource Center,Bethlehem)
(Christian Science Monitor, Boston)
(al-Dustur, Amman)
(Global Intelligence Update, Austin)
(Ha Aretz, Tel Aviv)
(Islamic Republic News Agency,Tehran)
(Jerusalem Post International Edition, Jerusalem)
(Jordan Times, Amman)
(Palestinian Society forthe Protectionof Human Rightsand the Environment,
Jerusalem)
(Ma'ariv, Tel Aviv)
(Middle East International, London)
(Middle East News Agency, Cairo)
(Middle East Newsline, Internet)
(Mideast Mirror,London)
PCHR
PR
RL
WJW
WNC
WP
(Palestinian Center forHuman Rights,Gaza)
(Palestine Report,Jerusalem)
(Radio Lebanon, Beirut)
(WashingtonJewish Week, Rockville,MD)
(World News Connection [nte4net],Washington,DC)
(Washington Post, Washington,DC)
AFP
ATL
AYM
BDL
CSM
DUS
GIU
HA
IRNA
JP
JT
LAW
NYT
wT
XIN
(New YorkTimes,New York)
DC)
(WashingtonTimes,Washington,
(Xinhua-New China News Agency,Beijing)
Chronology compiled by Michele L. Kjorlien
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