2.4.95 Seven people, including some
members of Hamas, are killed in an explosion in Sheikh Radwan in
the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) claims
that an explosive charge which they were prepar¬ing exploded.
Hamas accuses the Israeli security forces and the PNA of
responsibility for the explosion.
8.4.95 Arafat announces that Peres
has proposed the establishment of a Palestinian state in the Gaza
Strip and that he [Arafat] has rejected the pro¬posal since
its implementation would delay progress in the negotiations on the
West Bank.
9.4.95 Eight are killed and 60
wounded in a suicide attack in the Gaza Strip. Hamas and the
Islamic Jihad claim responsibility for the attack, "as a reaction
to the Mossad's (Israeli Intelligence) action in blowing up the
building in Sheikh Radwan." Palestinian security forces arrest
about 150 Hamas people.
On 11.4.95 The PNA announces that all those possessing arms in the
Gaza Strip must submit requests for a permit. Those who fail to do
so within a month will have their arms requisitioned. A month
later, after conciliatory contacts between the PNA and the
opposition organizations, no information on the requisitioning of
arms was received.
As part of the PNA's activity against terror, a "supreme military
court for state security" is set up in the Gaza Strip for quick
trials of opposition people accused of sabotage activity. Human
rights activists, journalists and lawyers protest against these
quick and secret proceedings.
11.4.95 A joint team of the IDF, the
Israeli Security Services and the Israeli Police present to Yitzhak
Rabin the plans for separation between Israel and the West Bank on
which they have been working since the Beit Lid attack in January
1995. The main recommendation is for 18 transit points along the
separation line in order to enable close supervision of traffic
from the territories to Israel. No steps were in effect taken for
the implementation of the recommendations.
12.4.95 The Israeli ministerial
committee supervising the activities of the security services
decides to extend for three months the permission grant¬ed to
interrogators to use increased physical and psychological pressure
in dealing with members of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad when the
service claims that "there is information on an attack about to be
carried out." This is the third extension, each confirmed after an
attack in which many Israelis were killed.
13.4.95 At the Allenby Bridge,
Israel confiscates over 4,000 passports which the PNA had issued at
the request of Saudi Arabia, in order to facil¬itate the
entrance into its territory of Palestinians making the pilgrimage
to Mecca. Israel claimed that issuing Palestinian passports to
residents of the West Bank who are not residents in the self-rule
areas is against the Cairo agreement.
On 22.4.95 Saudi Arabia agrees that Palestinian pilgrims will
present Jordanian permits on entering Saudi Arabia.
25.4.95 Abed el-Samed Heirizat, who
was arrested by the Israeli Security Services (Shabak) on suspicion
of working for Ezzedin al-Qassam Units (the military wing of
Hamas), died from brain damage shortly after inter¬rogation.
The results of the investigation, which had been demanded by the
PNA, and took place following an Israeli court order, showed that
he was tortured to death by "shaking" (in which the suspect is
violently shak¬en back and forth). It is determined that the
interrogators "deviated from interrogation regulations" and will be
tried in a disciplinary, not a crimi¬nal, court. No principled
decisions on torture were made, or permission for special
interrogation given.
26.4.95 The Israeli Government
publishes an announcement on the expro¬priation of 133 acres
of land in East Jerusalem for the purpose of expand¬ing Jewish
residential neighborhoods. The announcement is strongly
criti¬cized: the PNA and the leftist Israeli factions declare
that they will start a struggle for the cancellation of the
expropriations. Parallel to this, it emerges that the IDF has
started expropriating thousands of acres in the West Bank for
building bypass roads in the framework of the redeploy¬ment of
troops in the West Bank.
On 2.5.95 Jordan, Syria, and Morocco condemn the expropriation
plans. On
6.5.95 the Arab League calls for a
meeting of the Security Council on the subject.
On 12.5.95 a strong reaction comes from the Vatican against an
announcement by the Civil Administration of the intention to
expropriate land belonging to the Cremisan Monastery in order to
build a road. It is decided to build the road on land belonging to
Palestinian villages near the monastery, and not on its land.
On 14.5.95 the Israeli Government confirms the expropriation
decision and announces that additional land will not be
expropriated in East Jerusalem for residential purposes.
On 16.5.95 all the delegations, except Israel, to the steering
committee of the multinational discussions, demand placing
Jerusalem at the center of the deliberations.
On 17.5.95 the USA vetoes the demand by 15 member countries in the
Security Council to officially request Israel to abrogate the
expropriation decision.
On 22.5.95 the Hadash and Arab Democratic factions propose a vote
of no confidence in the government. The government, fearing it will
fall, announces the freezing of the decision on expropriations in
East Jerusalem.
22.5.95 The IDF raids the Hebron
offices of the Preventive Security Forces Apparatus led by Jibril
Rajoub, arrests people and confiscates equipment. This is the first
activity of its kind, following months of semi-official
recogni¬tion by Israel of Rajoub's work.
27.4.95 The donor states sign a
commitment to cover the deficit in the bud¬get of the PNA.
Israel repeats its commitment to transfer to the PNA the tax
rebates it owes.
25.95 Arafat opens the first
headquarters of the election committee in the territories.
2.6.95 It is announced that the
placing of international observers in Gaza and Jericho, as agreed
in the Oslo and Cairo agreements, is frozen. The rea¬son - a
lack of readiness among the states which were asked to send
observers, and differences of opinion between Israel and the PNA on
the character of their functions.
5.6.95 Dr. Haidar Abdel Shafi
announces the establishment of "The Movement for the Consolidation
of Democracy," stressing that the new movement is a part of the
PLO, and does not discount the possibility of it participating as a
party in the elections for the independent governing council.
The European Community announces that European foreign ministers
visiting Israel will accept invitations of a political nature to
Orient House while prime ministers, presidents and monarchs will
send lower-grade officials to such meetings.
6.6.95 Israel announces its
acceptance of the Palestinian demand that the transfer of civilian
authority by the Civil Administration will be of an over¬all
and not a gradual nature. Parallel to this, it ensues that the
discussions on the interim agreement will not be completed by the
target date of 1.7.95.
10.6.95 The PNA announces the
renewal of the activities of the East Jerusalem municipal council
which operated until June 1967, and unoffi¬cially until 1988,
the year when Jordan broke off its connections with the West
Bank.
Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert says he will not permit this council to
operate. The Israel Police publish a list of 12 institutions in
East Jerusalem connected to the PNA and doing work of a political
nature.
On 30.6.95 the Jerusalem Municipality starts taking legal steps to
close Orient House. Municipal inspectors are requested to declare
"an irregular use of the area" (usage contrary to its permit as a
hotel) and to threaten the imposition of fines and closure if the
nature of the activity at Orient House is not changed. Olmert says
"there is no other building which so denies the authority of the
Municipality and of the State in any part of the city."
Israeli demonstrations take place opposite Orient House and
opposite Orient House director Faisal Husseini's home. They are
frequently violent and shots are fired in the air, at Husseini's
home, and car.
At the same time, discussions are being held with the USA on the
pos¬sibility of moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to
Jerusalem, an act which would strengthen Israel's claim to the
whole of Jerusalem. The sug¬gestion is not completely rejected
but its consummation does not look likely.
13.6.95 The Council of Judea and
Samaria (settlement council) announces the "Eretz Yisrael first"
operation in protest against the coming implemen¬tation of the
interim agreement in the West Bank. The plan is to seize state
lands, populate empty neighborhoods in the settlements and build
new roads.
The government does not intervene at this stage, not seeing this as
a change in the status quo. In the following month the settlers
forcefully take over lands which do not belong to established
settlements, and clash with Palestinians.
Following clashes between soldiers, wrecking crews and homeowners
in Jerusalem, the minister of justice announces that the demolition
of "ille¬gal buildings" in the Eastern part of the city will
be stopped. Data from the Municipality shows that the scope of
illege1l. building in East Jerusalem is not larger than the
relative proportion of the Palestinian residents in the
popu¬lation (29%), yet 88% of destruction orders are for
Palestinian buildings.
14.6.95 The information is released
that the Israeli censor regularly reads letters from residents of
the PNA to addresses abroad, and reports to the prime minister, the
Foreign Office and the Security Services on the Palestinian mood -
their attitude to the PNA, to Israel and to the peace process. It
was determined in the Cairo agreement that the Israeli Postal
Authority would direct the international mail contacts of the
residents of the PNA.
France, the USA, Britain and Spain recognize the PNA passport. The
Jordanian ambassador to the PNA presents his credentials to
Arafat.
18.6.95 Israeli intelligence sources
claim that the PNA ordered the estab¬lishment of a real-estate
company for the acquisition of assets in East Jerusalem so as to
strengthen its position in the city. The PNA denies this on the
same day and claims that the documents are forged; the finance
minister (the company's ostensible head) sues for libel.
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails start a hunger strike to
back the demand for their release. The PNA asks them not to strike,
in order not to agitate the public mood in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip.
On 21.6.95 a general, one-day fast is called in the OPT, in
solidarity with the hunger strikers. A planned general strike is
cancelled by the PNA. In many demonstrations over the following
week, Palestinian demonstrators calling for the release of
prisoners clash with the IOF.
On 8.7.95, under pressure from Fatah leaders, the prisoners cease
their hunger strike, and are promised that, in view of the
understanding on the subject reached between Arafat and Peres, such
actions will not be necessary.
22.6.95 Hamas and the Islamic Jihad
accuse Israel of murdering a senior member of Jihad. They announce
their intention to revenge the killing, thus putting an end to a
two-and-a-half month period of quiet following their talks with the
PNA after suicide attacks in the Gaza Strip.
In this period, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, 14
Palestinians, including one police officer, were killed by Israeli
security forces, and seven members of the Israeli security forces
were killed by Palestinians. (Figures from B'Tselem).