Chronological Review of Events/September 1993 – DPR review

CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW OF EVENTS

RELATING TO THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE

September 1993

Monitored from the press by the

Division for Palestinian Rights

1 September The Israeli Cabinet voted on late 31 August, 16 to 0, with two abstentions, to approve the "Gaza-Jericho agreement", which Foreign Minister Shimon Peres worked out in secret with officials of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).  [Christian Science Monitor]  The draft text of the agreement was published by The New York Times.

PLO officials said that there are intensive behind-the-scenes talks that could lead to an Israeli recognition of the PLO.  [The New York Times]

In a press release, the United Nations Secretary-General welcomed the Israeli-Palestinian accord and expressed the readiness of the United Nations to assist in every possible way (SG/SM/5073).

King Hussein of Jordan, who had said that he had not been consulted on the Gaza-Jericho agreement, arrived in Damascus, Syria, for talks with President Hafez al-Assad.  [The Washington Post]

2 September Israeli and Palestinian negotiators ran into difficulties trying to work out a formula for mutual recognition.  Neither side described the problems as insurmountable but their talks in Norway have adjourned.  [The New York Times]

Mr. Shimon Peres, Israel's Foreign Minister, arrived in Brussels to discuss assistance to the Palestinians with Mr. Jacques Delors, European Commission President.  [The Financial Times]

In Amman, Mr. Abdul Salam al-Majali, Jordanian Prime Minister, said he expected a Jordanian-Israeli declaration of principles to be signed during this round of the Middle East   peace  talks  in  Washington.  [The Financial Times]

A pro-agreement (Gaza-Jericho) Palestinian rally in Gaza was disrupted by Islamic militants from the Hamas group and then degenerated into a fist-swinging free-for-all.  [The New York Times]

3 September The African Regional Seminar and NGO Symposium on the Question of Palestine, with the theme "Africa, the Middle East and the  Question of Palestine", ended today in Dakar, Senegal.

4 September The Central Council of the Al-Fatah movement (main faction in the PLO) approved the Agreement on Principles after three days of meetings in Tunis. King Hussein of Jordan has given his full public support to the agreement.  [The New York Times]

Tens of thousands of Israelis filled a square in central Tel Aviv to call for peace and to show support for the agreement with  the  PLO.  [The New York Times]

An Israeli soldier fatally shot a Palestinian who had stabbed a soldier in front of an army base in Gaza.  [Reuters]

6 September In a communiqué issued today the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh agreed to support the accord between Israel and the PLO "as a first step toward reaching a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement" in the region.  [The New York Times]

7 September Tens of thousands of Israeli protesters surrounded the offices of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, accusing him of treason and of creating a future Palestinian State through the agreement with the PLO.  [The New York Times]

8 September The European Commission unveiled plans for a five-year $575 million aid package for the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.  [The Financial Times]

Clashes in several areas of the Gaza Strip left five Palestinians shot and injured by Israeli gunfire.  A Palestinian man died in Nusseirat camp of wounds he sustained earlier from shots fired by Israeli troops.  [The Jerusalem Press]

9 September The United Nations Secretary-General established a Task Force for economic, social development of Gaza and Jericho (SG/SM/5077).

Letters of mutual recognition were exchanged between Mr. Yitzhak Rabin, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Mr. Yasser Arafat, the Chairman of the PLO.  [The New York Times]

189 of the 411 Palestinians deported in December 1992 returned to the occupied territories from southern Lebanon.  [Al-Quds]

A new economic report, prepared by 34 Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian economists, recommended the establishment of open economic relations between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian entity to be established in the occupied territories.  [Ha'aretz]

10 September In Brussels, the European Community promised to discuss at the meeting of foreign ministers a plan to spend £400 million (approximately $600 million) on helping the Palestinian administration in the territories. [The Guardian]

11 September The Executive Committee of the PLO approved the Israeli-Palestinian draft agreement.  [The Washington Post]

13 September Mr. Shimon Peres, for the Government of Israel, and Mr. Mahmud Abbas, for the PLO, signed a Declaration of Principles at a ceremony held at the White House in the presence of U.S. President Clinton, Foreign Minister Kozyrev of the Russian Federation, Prime Minister Rabin of Israel and Mr. Arafat, PLO Chairman.  The accord provides for Palestinian interim self-rule in the Gaza Strip and Jericho and a framework for negotiating a permanent settlement   based  on  Security  Council  resolutions  242  (1967)  and 338 (1973).  [The Washington Post]

14 September Mr.  Yasser  Arafat,  the  Chairman  of  the  PLO,  conferred  with Dr. Boutros-Ghali, Secretary-General of the United Nations at the United Nations Headquarters.  [The Jerusalem Press]

In the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, spontaneous marches and demonstrations took place to celebrate the accord.  Israeli troops did not interfere.  [The Jerusalem Press]

15 September Palestinian armed youths opened fire at an Israeli military jeep accompanying a settler bus near Yatta village.  Israeli soldiers returned fire and as a result, one Palestinian was killed and four Israeli soldiers were injured.  [The Jerusalem Press]

In a clash between Palestinian demonstrators against the agreement and Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip, eleven Palestinians were shot and injured.  [The Jerusalem Press]

The Israeli military chief of staff decided to impose a security siege on the Gaza Strip during the Jewish New Year celebrations beginning today and continuing until 19 September.  [Davar]

Senior Israeli security agents held discussions in Washington with PLO officials.  [Maariv]

16 September As part of the United States administration's commitment to help carry out the Israeli-Palestinian agreement, President Clinton proposed that the United States hold a special conference for donor countries.  [The New York Times]

Israeli soldiers opened fire at Palestinians celebrating in support of the Israeli-Palestinian accord in Halhoul village and as a result, a young Palestinian was injured.  A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israeli soldiers in Nablus after not stopping at a check post.  Hundreds of Jewish settlers, protected by Israeli soldiers, prevented residents of Nablus from reaching the village of Salfit to celebrate the accord.  A molotov bomb was thrown at the headquarters of the Israeli civil administration in Jabalia refugee camp.  A young Palestinian was shot dead by three masked youths in Gaza.  [The Jerusalem Press]

Mr. Yasser Arafat, the PLO Chairman, flew to Egypt for talks on setting up a Palestinian police force and an Israeli team made plans to visit Tunis for talks on refugees.  [The Financial Times]

17 September Israeli soldiers opened fire at demonstrators and injured four Palestinians. Seven Palestinian youths were arrested at their homes in Gaza.  [The Jerusalem Press]

19 September Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin met with President  Hosni  Mubarak  of  Egypt in Alexandria and discussed with him the Israeli-Palestinian accord.  [The Washington Post]

20 September Mr. Yasser Arafat, the PLO Chairman, met in Amman for three hours with King Hussein of Jordan.  [The New York Times]

A "suspected collaborator" was shot dead in his car in the village of Beit Lahia.  A 16-year-old Palestinian boy from Rafah died of wounds sustained earlier from Israeli gunfire.  Israeli undercover units raided several houses in Gaza city.  [The Jerusalem Press]

21 September A senior Palestinian activist and prominent lawyer, Mohamad Abu Shaaban, was killed in Gaza by unknown gunmen during a rally supporting the Israeli-Palestinian accord.  [The New York Times]

A "suspected collaborator" from Rafah refugee camp was shot dead by unknown armed youth.  A molotov bomb was thrown at an Israeli vehicle in Betonia town.  No injuries were reported.  [The Jerusalem Press]

The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued orders to its ambassadors abroad allowing them to meet with PLO representatives in the countries which do not recognize the State of Palestine.  [Ha'aretz]

22 September A young Palestinian from Qarara village was shot dead by Israeli police after resisting arrest.  Israeli troops raided several houses in Bethlehem and arrested several Palestinians.  A curfew was imposed on the Shekh Radwan area in Gaza city.  [The Jerusalem Press]

23 September Israel's Parliament voted in favour of the agreement with the PLO.  The vote was 61 to 50, with eight legislators abstaining and one absent.  [The Washington Post]

A young Palestinian from the Jabalia refugee camp was shot dead by Israeli troops.  A molotov bomb was thrown at an Israeli jeep in Gaza.  No injuries were reported.  [The Jerusalem Press]

25 September Mr. Yasser Arafat, the PLO Chairman, visited Turkey and held two official meetings with President Demirel of Turkey.  Two days earlier he visited China and met with President Jiang Zemin.  [The Jerusalem Press]

26 September A molotov bomb was thrown at an Israeli military jeep in Gaza street and another one thrown at the Israeli civil administration headquarters in Gaza city.  Israeli settlers uprooted 60 olive trees in Haris village.  [The Jerusalem Press]

The governor of the Bank of Israel met in Washington with the Saudi Arabia Bank's governor.  [Yediot Ahronot]

Dutch and Belgian companies began preparing architectural designs to build a new port in the Gaza Strip.  [Hadashot]

27 September According to the daily Maariv, a secret meeting took place between Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan.  Both Governments denied that the meeting took place.

Three molotov bombs were thrown at military patrols in different spots in Gaza.  Israeli troops shot and injured three Palestinians during clashes with demonstrators in Nusseirat refugee camp.  A "suspected collaborator" was shot and injured by an unknown gunman in Gaza city.  [The Jerusalem Press]

28 September According to the daily Ha'aretz, Israel has rejected an American-Egyptian proposal to move part of the multinational peace-keeping forces stationed in the Sinai to the Gaza Strip to replace the withdrawing Israeli forces within six months.

Five young Palestinians were shot and injured by Israeli troops in Gaza and Khalil city.  [The Jerusalem Press]

29 September Mr. Yasser Arafat, the PLO Chairman, met in Tunis with Mr. Ilter Türkmen, the Commissioner of UNRWA.  He also met for the first time with the United States Ambassador to Tunisia.  [The Jerusalem Press]

30 September Representatives of the Arab States at the United Nations deflected a plea by United States Secretary of State Warren Christopher to end their economic boycott of Israel.  [The Washington Post]

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