Chronology 16 August-15 November 2000

16 AUGUST
    In Amman, Israeli PM Ehud Barak discusses the final status talks with King Abdallah of Jordan. (MENL 8/16; WP 8/17)
    In the 1st senior-level talks since the Camp David summit ended on 7/25, Israeli chief negotiator and acting FM Shlomo Ben-Ami and Barak adviser Gilead Sher meet with senior Palestinian Authority (PA) negotiators, Local Government M Saeb Erakat, and Preventive Security Force (PSF) head Muhammad Dahlan. The 5-hr. talks focus on Jerusalem, but neither side expresses willingness to compromise on its position. (MENL 8/16; NYT, WP, WT 8/17)
    Around 3 a.m. nr. Ramallah, in area B, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) patrol fatally shoots a 73-yr.-old Palestinian American man who had heard the troops operating nearby and thought they were burglars. When he ran to the roof of his house, shouted a warning, and shot a gun into the air to frighten them off, the soldiers returned fire, wounding him. The patrol prevented an ambulance fr. approaching the house for at least an hr., while they searched the area for other "attackers." The man dies en route to the hospital. (CSM, LAW, MA [Internet], NYT, WP, WT 8/17; NYT, WP 8/18; WJW 8/24; JP [Internet] 8/31)
    The Israeli Interior Min. reports that nearly twice the usual number of East Jerusalem Palestinians applied for Israeli citizenship during the 1st half of 2000. Figures show that of 200,000 East Jerusalem Palestinians, only 3,300 have Israeli citizenship, 10,000 have applied. (JT [Internet], MENL 8/16; JT [Internet] 8/18)
17 AUGUST
    U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross arrives in Israel to explore holding another round of Camp David talks; he meets with the heads of the PA, Israeli negotiating teams. U.S. officials say that Pres. Bill Clinton is not prepared to hold another session with PA head Yasir Arafat, Barak unless they are ready to make decisions on Jerusalem. (MM, NYT, WT 8/17; WP, WT 8/18)
18 AUGUST
    U.S. special envoy Ross meets separately with Israeli PM Barak and with PA negotiators Erakat, Dahlan. Neither Israel, the PA see a possibility for convening another summit mtg. soon. (NYT, WT 8/18)
    Lebanon accuses Israel of committing 4 new violations of the blue line, the nonborder marking the UN certified IDF withdrawal fr. s. Lebanon (see Peace Monitor in JPS 117), including moving the separation fence into Lebanon at one point nr. Metulla. (RL 8/18 in WNC 8/21; MEI 9/1)
19 AUGUST
    In Alexandria, U.S. special envoy Ross discusses the PA-Israeli impasse over Jerusalem with Egyptian FM `Amr Musa, then returns to Israel to meet with Israeli chief negotiator Ben-Ami. Musa says Egyptian officials are drawing up proposals for a compromise on Jerusalem. (MENA 8/19 in WNC 8/21; WP 8/20; WJW 8/24; AYM 8/24 in WNC 8/28)
    10s of Jewish settlers, angry over an accident in which a Palestinian motorist lightly injured a Jewish boy, rampage through the Hebron market, overturning Palestinians' stalls, sparking a riot. The IDF intervenes, injuring 3 Palestinians with rubber bullets, arresting 7 Palestinians and 3 settlers. (WT 8/20; WJW 8/24; MA [Internet] 8/25; VOI 9/10 in WNC 9/12)
20 AUGUST
    In Jerusalem, U.S. special envoy Ross meets with PA negotiators Erakat, Dahlan. (MM, WP 8/21)
    In a hasty attempt to forge a new secular coalition after losing his Knesset majority (see Peace Monitor in JPS 117), PM Barak announces plans for a "secular revolution." (MM, WT 8/21; MM, NYT 8/22; MM, WJW 8/24; CSM, JP, MM 8/25; JP 9/1; NYT 9/17)
21 AUGUST
    In Alexandria, Egyptian pres. Husni Mubarak holds separate talks with Arafat, Meretz MK Yossi Sarid on the Jerusalem impasse; with Syrian FM Faruq al-Shara` on the Syrian, Palestinian tracks and possibly holding a mini-Arab summit on the peace process. (MENA 8/21 in WNC 8/22; MM 8/22; MENA 8/23 in WNC 8/24; WJW, WP 8/24)
22 AUGUST
    King Abdallah of Jordan holds talks on the Jerusalem impasse with Arafat in Ramallah, Barak in Tel Aviv. (MM 8/22; MM, NYT, WP, WT 8/23; JT 8/23 in WNC 8/24; AYM, HJ, al-Quds 8/23 in WNC 8/28; WJW 8/24; DUS 8/26 in WNC 8/30; JP 9/1)
23 AUGUST
    In the 1st 3-way mtg. since Camp David, U.S. special envoy Ross meets with the PA's Erakat, Israel's Ben-Ami in Jerusalem. (AYM 8/25 in WNC 8/28)
24 AUGUST
    PM Barak says that if peace talks with the PA fail, he would ask the Likud party to join a national unity government. Likud head Ariel Sharon, who opposes Barak's peace policies, says he would reject the offer. (NYT 8/25; WP 8/31; MA 9/7 in WNC 9/8) (see 8/20)
    In Alexandria, Israeli negotiator Ben-Ami, Egyptian pres. Mubarak discuss the Jerusalem impasse. Ben-Ami says Mubarak offered 2 compromise proposals, but Egypt does not confirm. (WP 8/24; MENA 8/24 in WNC 8/28; JP [Internet] 8/25; MENL, NYT 8/26; MM 8/29; MEI 9/1)
25 AUGUST
    In Amman, 5,000 Jordanians attend a rally calling for an Arab/Islamic summit in support of Palestinian and Muslim sovereignty over East Jerusalem. (JT 8/27 in WNC 8/28)
26 AUGUST
    In Alexandria, Arafat, Mubarak discuss the Jerusalem issue, Arafat's planned mtg. with Pres. Clinton on the sidelines of the UN millennium summit in New York on 9/6. (MENA 8/26 in WNC 8/28)
    In area B outside Jerusalem, 3 IDF soldiers are killed, 1 is wounded by friendly fire in a botched raid on the hideout of Palestinian Mahmud Abu Hanud, wanted for allegedly staging a 1997 Hamas bombing in Jerusalem that killed 21 Israelis. Abu Hanud is wounded but escapes to Nablus, where he is arrested by the PSF. The PA, angry that Israel did not give it advance notice of the raid, says it will try Abu Hanud in a PA court, not extradite him to Israel. (NYT 8/27; CSM, LAW, NYT, WP, WT 8/28; MM, NYT 8/29; MM, Palestine Report [Internet] 8/30; JP [Internet], MM, WJW 8/31; JP, MEI, NYT, WP 9/1; WJW 9/7; JP, MM, NYT, WP 9/8; JP 9/15)
27 AUGUST
    PA negotiators Dahlan, Erakat meet with Israeli negotiators Ben-Ami, Sher to discuss gaps on final status issues. (al-Quds 8/28 in WNC 8/30)
    The PA Local Government Min. begins planning West Bank Gaza municipal elections. (PA Ministry of Information press release 8/27)
    Lebanon holds the 1st of 2 rounds of parliamentary elections, covering n. districts. Candidates opposed to Pres. Emile Lahoud take 33 of 63 seats. (WT 8/27; NYT 8/28; MM, NYT 8/29; al-Safir 8/29 in WNC 8/31; MM, WP 8/30; MM 8/31; MEI 9/1)
28 AUGUST
    Morocco hosts a mtg. of the Jerusalem Comm. of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to discuss PA-Israeli final status talks on the city. (AYM 8/28 in WNC 8/29; MM, WP, WT 8/29; JT 8/29 in WNC 8/30; MM 8/31; JT 9/10 in WNC 9/12) (see Doc. A1)
    In Paris, French FM Hubert Vedrine briefs Israel's Ben-Ami on Pres. Jacques Chirac's talks with Syrian FM Shara` on 8/27. Afterward, Ben-Ami says Israel cannot hold talks with Syria now. (AFP 8/28 in WNC 8/29; Globes 8/28 in WNC 8/30)
29 AUGUST
    On their way home fr. Africa, Pres. Clinton, special envoy Ross stop in Cairo to discuss with Pres. Mubarak ways to restart the PA-Israeli talks. Also in Cairo, Egyptian FM Musa receives PA Planning M Nabil Shaath for talks on the peace process. (MM 8/29; AYM, MENA 8/29 in WNC 8/30; WP 8/30; al-Quds 8/30 in WNC 8/31; MEI 9/1; AYM 9/9 in WNC 9/12)
    The IDF bulldozes 3 Palestinian homes in Shufat refugee camp. (LAW 8/29; WT 8/30)
30 AUGUST
    Israel agrees that as of 10/1, Jordanian exporters may transport goods to the PA areas without switching haulers at the border. (JT [Internet], MENL 9/13; JT [Internet] 9/25)
31 AUGUST
    In Washington, the U.S., Israel open another round of talks toward drafting a memorandum of understanding codifying their strategic relationship. (WT 9/1; MA 9/1 in WNC 9/6) (see Peace Monitor in JPS 117)
Chronology Source Abbreviations
ADM (Addameer--Prisoners Support and Human Rights Association, Ramallah)
AFP (Agence France-Presse, Paris)
AIC (Alternative Information Center, Jerusalem)
ANSA (Associated National Press Agency, Rome)
AP (Associated Press, Internet)
ATL (Anatolia, Ankara)
AYM (al-Ayyam, Ramallah)
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation World Service, Internet)
BDL (BADIL Resource Center, Bethlehem)
CSM (Christian Science Monitor, Boston)
DUS (al-Dustur, Amman)
HA (Ha'Aretz, Tel Aviv)
HJ (al-Hayat al-Jadida, Ramallah)
IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency, Tehran)
IsRN (Israel Radio News, Internet)
JP (Jerusalem Post International Edition, Jerusalem)
JT (Jordan Times, Amman)
LAW (Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, Jerusalem)
LPA (London Press Association, London)
MA (Ma'ariv, Tel Aviv)
MEI (Middle East International, London)
MENA (Middle East News Agency, Cairo)
MENL (Middle East Newsline, Internet)
MEZ (al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, Jabaliyya)
MM (Mideast Mirror, London)
NYT (New York Times, New York)
PCHR (Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Gaza)
RL (Radio Lebanon, Beirut)
RMC (Radio Monte Carlo, Paris)
SA (al-Sharq al-Awsat, London)
REU (Reuters, Internet)
TT (Tehran Times, Tehran)
UPI (United Press International, Internet)
VOI (Voice of Israel, Jerusalem)
WJW (Washington Jewish Week, Rockville, MD)
WNC (World News Connection [Internet], Washington, DC)
WP (Washington Post, Washington, DC)
WT (Washington Times, Washington, DC)
XIN (Xinhua-New China News Agency, Beijing)
YA (Yedi'ot Aharonot [Internet], Tel Aviv)


Chronology compiled by Michele L. Kjorlien