Chronological Review of Events/May 2000 – DPR review

Chronological Review of Events Relating to the
Question of Palestine

MONTHLY MEDIA MONITORING REVIEW 

May 2000

1

Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails began a hunger strike to protest their conditions. (The Washington Times)

Scores of Israeli settlers were removed from an outpost in the Palestinian-controlled section of Hebron (H-1). A well-known militant settler, Elyakim Haetzni, later declared the confrontation at the site the start of a ''civil war.'' He provoked uproar by saying that soldiers should refuse orders to evacuate settlements and that settlers should fight back, building a private militia if necessary.(The New York Times)

Oded Eran, the senior Israeli peace negotiator, said in Eilat that a Palestinian State would be the outcome of the final-status peace talks. The Prime Minister's Office issued a statement, clarifying that what Mr. Eran meant to say, was that if there was a Palestinian State it would be as a result of negotiations. (The New York Times)

2

For a second day in a row, IDF troops forcibly removed settlers from a hilltop in the West Bank. The short-lived, makeshift encampment, reflecting a growing protest movement by the settlers, was in the Nablus area. (The New York Times)

Negotiations in Eilat paused for a siren marking a moment of silence in commemoration of victims of the Holocaust. The Palestinian delegation paid their respect by observing the moment of silence together with their Israeli counterparts. During the talks, Israel for the first time presented the PA with maps that showed its vision of the final status. Palestinian negotiators walked out of the meeting, saying the maps showed Israel’s intentions to annex large areas of the West Bank, leaving three non-contiguous PA cantons and preserving numerous West Bank and Gaza settlements. US Special Envoy Dennis Ross arrived in Eilat in the evening to join the negotiations. Mr. Ross was also scheduled to meet with Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jerusalem and Gaza. (Ha’aretz, The New York Times)

3

US special envoy Dennis Ross convinced Israel and the PA to resume talks in Eilat. (The New York Times)

4

American envoys stepped up their involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks as they, for the first time, directly took part in final-status negotiations. In Eilat, US Special Envoy Dennis Ross said the two sides were entering a ''new and intensive'' phase of deliberations that should indicate, over the next six to eight weeks, whether a framework agreement was possible. (The New York Times)

PA Head of the Civil Aviation Authority Fayez Zeidan announced that planes would resume their routes after Israel intercepted a Palestinian plane flying to Jordan from the Gaza International Airport, saying it followed an unauthorized flight path. Israel had intercepted an Egyptian plane on 3 May and a Moroccan plane on 2 May, saying the planes landing at the Palestinian-controlled airport had also used unauthorized flight paths and endangered Israeli fighter jets. The crisis reportedly started when Israel rejected an alternative shorter flight route proposed by Egypt. (PASSIA, Reuters, The New York Times)

6

US Special Envoy Dennis Ross and US Ambassador Martin Indyk met with senior Palestinian and Israeli negotiators, including Mahmoud Abbas, Ahmed Qurei, Foreign Minister Levy and Mr. Barak's senior adviser Danny Yatom, to discuss the impasse in the final status talks. Later, Mr. Ross met Prime Minister Barak. (AP, the Washington Times)

7

Prime Minster Barak and Chairman Arafat met in Ramallah and agreed to resume peace talks the next day at an undisclosed location. Mr. Barak's office said in a statement that the meeting ''was conducted in a good and businesslike atmosphere and was characterized by the participants as productive and useful.'' After the meeting, Mr. Barak told reporters that he had decided to transfer to PA control three villages near Jerusalem (Abu Dis, Izzariyya, Sawahreh Sharqiyya) within a few weeks or months. (The New York Times) 

8

Palestinian students clashed with IDF troops in Bethlehem during PA-organized demonstrations demanding the release of 1,650 Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Israeli soldiers shot and wounded six Palestinians with rubber-coated bullets during clashes with stone-throwers. (The New York Times) 

Prime Minister Barak said he was likely to delay handing over the three Palestinian villages near Jerusalem as a ''down payment'' on a future territorial transfer. His statement soured a final round of negotiations, which were to be suspended for Israeli Memorial Day and Independence Day. US Special Envoy Dennis Ross returned to Washington to brief President Clinton and other US officials on the Eilat round of talks, reportedly seeing a lot of hard work ahead and a ''potential for progress.'' (The New York Times)

9

Ha'aretz reported that Prime Minister Barak had approved the construction of 1,000 housing units in West Bank settlements, less than 50 percent of what was presented to him for approval. The Prime Minister's Office denied that such a decision had been made.  MK Mossi Raz (Meretz) stated that tenders for 1,185 new housing units in the West Bank and Gaza Strip settlements had been published since the beginning of the year. (Foundation for Middle East Peace, Ha’aretz)

11

The Tel Aviv District Court sentenced Gul Hamel, a West Bank settler, to life in prison for killing Muhammad Zalmut, a 66-year-old Palestinian farmer.Mr. Hamel admitted to police that he killed Mr. Zalmut on 26 October 1998, claiming that he had acted in self-defence after Mr. Zalmut attacked him. The court rejected the defence’s contention that Mr. Hamel was mentally deranged when the crime took place.(Foundation for Middle East Peace, WRMEA)

The Israeli High Court of Justice overturned a decision to parole Yoram Skolnik, 31, granted in March 2000 on the ground that he did not pose a danger to the public. His sentence had been commuted twice, first to 15 years by President Ezer Weizman, then to 11 years by Justice Minister Tzahi Hanegbi. Mr. Skolnik’s planned release was held up by a petition to the Supreme Court by MK Zehava Galon (Meretz). Ruling on the petition today, a seven-judge panel headed by the Chief Justice Aharon Barak said the parole board had acted unreasonably by failing to give appropriate weight to the danger posed by Mr. Skolnik, who the judges said had acted out of ''profound hatred'' stemming from a dangerous ''nationalistic ideology.'' The judges ruled that Mr. Skolnik should serve out the remaining four years of his term. On 23 March 1993, Mr. Skolnik killed Musah Abu Sabha, a Palestinian who had been caught near the “Susia” settlement, south of Hebron, carrying a knife and a hand grenade. Mr. Abu Sabha was subdued after trying to stab a settler, and as he lay face down with his hands bound behind him, Mr. Skolnik shot him with nine rounds of an Uzi submachine gun. Ms. Galon said after today's ruling: ''The Supreme Court is essentially saying that a murderer cannot go free after seven years. The price for murdering an Arab is not seven years.'' (The New York Times)

Ha’aretz reported that the IDF had authorized the construction of a bypass road leading to the “Tekoa” and “Nokdim” settlements, southeast of Bethlehem. Palestinian land in the area of Za'atra and Beit Sahour would have to be expropriated to build the road. (Foundation for Middle East Peace, Ha’aretz)

12

Yerushalim reported that Minister of Housing and Construction Yitzhak Levy had budgeted US$37.5 million for the upcoming development of new settlement areas at “Ma'ale Adumim,” the “Etzion” block, and “Har Homa.” (Foundation for Middle East Peace)

14

US Consul-General John Herbst delivered to Chairman Arafat a letter from President Clinton regarding the peace process. No details were released. (MENL)

The PA and Israeli negotiating teams met. PA negotiator Saeb Erakat said Chairman Arafat had instructed him to discuss only the immediate demand that 230 Palestinian prisoners be released. Israeli negotiator Bran asked that the Palestinian demonstrations in support of the prisoners be halted so the talks could be held in a positive atmosphere.(The New York Times) 

Across the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians marked the 52^nd anniversary of the “Nakba.” Demonstrators protested the continued detention of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, while prisoners rioted in Megiddo in northern Israel, burning the tents in which they were kept as Israeli guards used tear gas and rubber-coated bullets to control them. Refugees, firing their weapons into the air, marched through Ramallah to demand that the refugee issue not be shunted aside in the peace negotiations. A general commercial strike was declared by Palestinians to coincide with the official day of mourning. In several locations, the IDF clashed with protesters, opening fire with rubber-coated bullets and, according to witnesses, some live ammunition.  In Qalqilya, one Palestinian civilian was killed by a rubber bullet in the chest and at least 30 wounded. Two IDF soldiers were also injured. The worst clashes took place near the “Netzarim” settlement in the Gaza Strip, as well as in Nablus, Qalqilya and Ramallah in the West Bank.The IDF and PA police reportedly cooperated to control the demonstrations. (The New York Times, The Washington Post)

Some 150 Palestinians from the Dheisheh, Aida and Azza refugee camps near Bethlehem made a symbolic visit to the sites of their villages of origin, which were destroyed by Zionist forces in 1948: Bayt Nattif, Zakriyya, and Bayt Jibrin. (Badil)

The PA and Israel announced that the PA had captured Muhammad Dayif, a leader of Izz Al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, who reportedly was on Israel's most-wanted list for allegedly organizing a series of suicide bombings in February-March 1996. Later in the day,Israel released Salah Shihada, prompting speculation that his release and Dayif’s capture were part of a reciprocal agreement related to Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.  Mr. Shihada, the first commander of the military wing of Hamas, had been held for two years without charges after serving a 10-year sentence. The IDF reportedly had declined to renew his detention. (The New York Times, The Washington Post)

15

US Special Envoy Dennis Ross arrived in Israel from Stockholm, along with the Palestinian and Israeli final status teams. Mr. Ross met Chairman Arafat in Ramallah and Prime Minister Barak in Jerusalem. All parties refuse to comment on the success or failure of the Stockholm talks. The State Department neither confirmed nor denied that Mr. Ross had been in Sweden, saying only that the PA and Israel were “talking to each other in different ways at different levels." (The New York Times, www.state.gov, The Washington Post)

Commemorating the Nakba and protesting the stalled peace process and Israel's continued detention of Palestinian prisoners,thousands of Palestinians clashed with IDF troops and border police across the West Bank and Gaza in the worst fighting since September 1996. Two PA policemen and one Palestinian civilian were killed and hundreds injured by rubber-coated bullets, live ammunition, and tear gas.Fourteen Israeli soldiers and police officers were also injured. PA police and Israeli security forces exchanged gunfire at a junction near Ramallah. Chairman Arafat and Prime Minister Barak were in contact via their advisers throughout the day, and spoke by phone in the evening. (ITAR-TASS, LAW, The New York Times, The Washington Post)

The Israeli Cabinet voted 15-6 to transfer three Palestinian villages outside Jerusalem from Area “B” to Area “A,” under Palestinian control. Later, the Knesset approved the Cabinet decision (56-48, with 1 abstention). Prime Minister Barak, however, said he would not turn over the villages until he received an explanation from the PA for today's clashes in the territories. (The New York Times, The Washington Post)

Tens of thousands of Israeli settlers rallied in Jerusalem's Zion Square to protest further territorial concessions to the Palestinians. The rally was planned by Shas last week, before today's Knesset vote was announced. (The New York Times, The Washington Post)

16

Hamas officials confirmed that the PA had arrested Mohammed Dayif, who had long headed Israel's most wanted list for terror attacks. He was seized and went quietly when Palestinian agents stormed a Gaza City house. Palestinian officials have refused to confirm the arrest publicly because, as one official said, ''The people are giving us enough grief about refugees and prisoners.'' (The New York Times; see 14 May 2000)

17

Sporadic clashes between the IDF and Palestinians continued for the fourth day in the West Bank and Gaza. No injuries were reported. (The New York Times)

US Special Envoy Dennis Ross returned to Washington. ( www.state.gov)

Two opposition bills that could tie Prime Minister Barak's hands in negotiations with the Palestinians passed preliminary votes, although both required three more readings to become law. They would require absolute majority approval of the Knesset to change the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem and to allow the right of return of Palestinian refugees to Israel.  MKs approved, however, the Cabinet's 15 May decision to transfer three Palestinian villages near Jerusalem to PA control, expected to take place before Mr. Barak leaves for the US. (The New York Times)

Israel’s Land Administration published a tender in Yediot Aharonot for the construction of 582 housing units in the “Har Homa” settlement.Tenders for 1,500 units at the site had already been tendered, and many homes were in various stages of construction.The Ministry of Housing was also offering additional subsidies and incentives for homes in the “Ariel” settlement, with an advertisement for the units, which range from $92,000 to $105,000, saying: "Take an apartment, pay only $4,600, and pay off your mortgage with only a $390 monthly payment.” (Foundation for Middle East Peace)

18

PA and Israel resumed their Stockholm channel of final status talks. (The New York Times)

Palestinian and Israeli soccer players planned to play together against a team of Italian pop stars in Rome. The idea came from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Papal Nuncio in Israel, who had contacts in Italian show business. Uri Savir, the Israeli organizer, said: ''Palestinians and Israelis have never competed against each other, at least not in soccer. It is no small matter that they will play on the same team.'' (The New York Times)

19

Kol Ha'ir reported that Israel's Ministry of Religious Affairs had declared a cave located on private land in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem to be a holy site for Jews, thereby ensuring State support for public access to the site. Kol Ha'Zeman reported that the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wanted to evict nine Palestinian refugee families from houses on property owned by the University in order to expand student dormitories and parking. (Foundation for Middle East Peace)

20

Prime Minister Barak postponed a planned trip to Washington for a meeting with President Clinton because of continuing violence in southern Lebanon and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In a statement released by his office, Mr. Barak said that the trip was being delayed, and gave no alternate date. Mr. Barak's spokesman, Gadi Baltiansky, said it was unlikely the Prime Minister would be able to travel later in the week. The announcement followed a late night security cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv. (The New York Times) 

Samuel R. Berger, President Clinton's National Security Adviser, met Chairman Arafat in Ramallah. Some Palestinians said they thought the visit helped calm the situation. Saeb Erakat said ''the Americans affirmed their readiness to hold a trilateral summit'' with Chairman Arafat and Prime Minister Barak and insisted that progress in negotiations be made first. That would require talks to resume. Mr. Berger, speaking at Tel Aviv University the next day, seemed to be urging the parties to rise above the moment and take the long view: ''Today and in the months ahead, we have a historic opportunity that we must not allow to slip away — a chance to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian problem, the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The alternative to a peaceful compromise is not the status quo, it is something very different and, I am convinced, far worse.'' (The New York Times)

21

A firebomb thrown at a car passing through Jericho critically injured a 2-year-old Israeli girl. The little girl was severely burned and her mother and aunt had less serious burns.The attack prompted Israel to ban all Israelis and foreign tourists from Palestinian-controlled areas, including Bethlehem, and delay the handover of three Palestinian villages near Jerusalem. Prime Minister Ehud Barak also recalled his peace negotiators from Stockholm. Calling it an ''irresponsible decision,'' PA Secretary-General Ahmed Abdel Rahman said it would lead to ''further deterioration and increased tensions.'' Mr. Barak's office said he viewed the incident in Jericho ''with the greatest concern'' and demanded that the PA track down those responsible. (The New York Times, the Washington Times, WRMEA)

22

Palestinian medics announced that six Palestinians had been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the West Bank and Gaza during clashes the preceding nine days. An IDF spokeswoman said that 40 IDF soldiers and 22 Israeli civilians had been wounded in the fighting.(Foundation for Middle East Peace)

Prime Minister Barak told his cabinet that the transfer of three villages near Jerusalem to full Palestinian control would be postponed "until we see the clear results of the investigation of the incidents that took place and the promise of real control by the PA over its people." (Foundation for Middle East Peace)

Jerusalem's Planning and Building Committee approved the establishment of an Israeli neighbourhood on 64 dunams of land within Jerusalem's boundaries in the Palestinian village of Abu Dis. The settlement, “Kidmat Zion,” would have 220 apartment units.(Foundation for Middle East Peace)

23

Dozens of settlers from “Netzarim” closed the “Karni” crossing, a major commercial juncture between areas in the Gaza Strip under PA control and Israel. The demonstration was in retaliation for the continued closing of the “Netzarim” junction by Palestinian demonstrators. (Foundation for Middle East Peace)

25

Authorities lifted a ban on travel to Jericho imposed on 21 May 2000 after the firebombing there of an Israeli car. Palestinian authorities said they had arrested three men in connection with the attack, which left a 2-year-old girl hospitalized with severe burns. Palestinian-ruled Jericho is heavily dependent on Israeli tourism, primarily to a casino there. (The New York Times, WRMEA)

27

Israel was offered a four-year temporary membership in the UN’s informal regional Western European and Others group, subject to several conditions. (WRMEA)

29

Shimon Riklin, the leader of the Next Generation settler movement,declared: "If Barak evacuates settlements from YESHA (West Bank and the Gaza Strip), he will be murdered. I don't intend to accept a decision to evacuate, even if it is accepted in a referendum."  (Foundation for Middle East Peace) 

Ma'ariv reported that settlers near Nablus had extended their patrols around settlements in the region, in some cases travelling by horseback with night vision goggles and accompanied by dogs.(Foundation for Middle East Peace)

30

PA negotiator Saeb Erakat and Israeli negotiator Oded Eran held talks in Jericho on the issue of Palestinian prisoners. Mr. Erakat reportedly threatened to suspend talks unless Israel agreed to release more prisoners and improve their conditions. After Prime Minister Barak and Chairman Arafat discussed the issue by phone, Mr. Eran announced that Israel agreed in principle to carry out another release, and still planned to carry out the third further redeployment by 23 June, as required under the Wye II accord. (Journal of Palestine Studies)

Israel’s Interior Minister Natan Sharansky sent a letter to Prime Minister Barak demanding a security cabinet discussion of a reported negotiating offer that would eventually give the PA control of up to 95% of the West Bank and would require up to 50,000 Jewish settlers to be relocated into Israel and award the Palestinians sovereign control over border crossings into Jordan and Egypt. Mr. Barak's spokesman Gadi Baltianski said the position ascribed to the Prime Minister ''does not represent the government's posture or the agreement that we are working on.'' (The New York Times)

Israel agreed to accept temporary membership in the UN's informal regional Western Europe and Other Group while it worked toward permanent membership in its natural regional block. (The New York Times, The Washington Post) 

31

Israeli security services reported that Al-Haram Al-Sharif was coming to overshadow the Orient House as a focal point for PA activities in Jerusalem. They also reported incremental increases in the PA's presence in Jerusalem –  insecurity, East Jerusalem's chamber of commerce, the tourism council,intelligence, real estate, and criminal matters. They surmised that the transfer of Abu Dis to Area “A” would intensify these trends. (Foundation for Middle East Peace)

Palestinians prisoners in Israeli jails ended a month-long hunger strike, averting a further round of street protests that many had feared could derail peace talks between Israel and the PA.  In a compromise negotiated by the PA Ministry for Prisoners Affairs, Israel granted the inmates more liberal family visitation and moved five out of solitary confinement, among other concessions. Some 500 prisoners who had been on a liquid diet for 31 days called off the protest, though they continued to demand that other inmates be freed from solitary confinement.  (The New York Times)

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