Modern Israel & the Diaspora
(1990 - 1999)
1990 |
Life magazine's list of the 100 most important
Americans of the 20th century included 15 Jews: Irving
Berlin, Leonard
Bernstein, Bob Dylan, Albert
Einstein, Abraham Flexner, Betty
Friedan, Milton
Friedman, Edwin Land, William Levitt, Louis B. Mayer, J.
Robert Oppenheimer, William Paley, Jonas
Salk, Alfred Stiegitz,
and Walter Winchell. |
1990 |
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR),
the rabbinical schools of the Reform movement, removes obstacles to ordination of gay and lesbian rabbis. |
1990 |
Persian Gulf War: 1990-1991 |
1990 |
About 200,000 Soviet immigrants arrive. |
1990 |
Israel and the USSR sign a trade pact after a 23-year break. |
January 8 |
Israel and the U.S. sign a cooperation agreement on medicine. |
January 17 |
Foreign Minister Arens visits Portugal, the first such visit
of an Israeli minister. |
February 4 |
Nine Israelis are killed and 16 wounded in an attack on a
tourist bus in Egypt. |
February 9 |
Foreign Minister Arens signs a protocol in Prague renewing
diplomatic relations between Israel and Czechoslovakia. |
|
Czechoslovakia restores
diplomatic relations with Israel. |
February 11 |
Nelson Mandela is freed from prison. A month later he meets
with Yasser Arafat,
who wishes him success in fighting apartheid. |
February 27 |
Poland retores diplomatic
relations with Israel. |
March 15 |
Break-up of the national unity government following a vote
of no-confidence in the Knesset.
The peace process is effectively in abeyance. |
March 24 |
U.S. Senate adopts a resolution recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital. |
April 3 |
Israel and Bulgaria sign a protocol to restore diplomatic
relations. |
April 23 |
Israel launches the Ofek 2 satellite into space. |
April 24 |
The U.S. House of Representatives adopts a resolution recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. |
May 3 |
Israel and Bulgaria restore full diplomatic relations. |
May 20 |
Ami Popper murders seven Arab workers at Vradim Junction in Rishon Lezion. |
May 21 |
Greece grants a
de jure recognition to Israel and establishes full diplomatic
relations with Israel. |
May 30 |
Two motorboats manned by PLO terrorists land in central Israel. IDF repulses the attackers. The Palestine Liberation Front assumes
responsibility for the raid. |
May 31 |
The U.S. vetoes a draft resolution in the Security Council
to send an observer to the territories. |
June 8 |
Yitzhak Shamir presents his government to the Knesset. David Levy appointed foreign
minister and Moshe Arens defense minister. |
June 20 |
The U.S. suspends its dialogue with the PLO for its failure
to condemn the May 30 attacks on Israel. |
August 2 |
Iraq invades Kuwait. |
August 6 |
The Security Council imposes economic sanctions on Iraq. |
August 7 |
The U.S. begins to send troops to the Persian Gulf. |
August 8 |
Iraq annexes Kuwait. |
August 9 |
Saddam Hussein says that military action against Iraq will be met with a strike
on Israel. |
August 18 |
Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz says Iraq will use chemical
weapons if Israel uses nuclear arms. |
September 3 |
Foreign Minister Levy visits Washington, meets with Secretary
Baker. It is agreed that there be no linkage between the resolution
of the Gulf crisis and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Agreement is
reached on granting of U.S. loan guarantees of 400 million dollars. |
September 17 |
Saudi Arabia and USSR
sign agreement in Moscow restoring diplomatic relations after
52-year hiatus. |
October 8 |
Disturbances on the Temple
Mount in Jerusalem kill 21 Arabs. |
October 9 |
Saddam Hussein threatens Israel with new missiles “when the time comes.” |
October 12 |
The Security Council adopts a resolution condemning
Israel and sending a fact-finding mission to Jerusalem. |
October 24 |
The Security Council unanimously deplores Israel's refusal to permit a fact-finding
mission. |
November 5 |
Rabbi Meir Kahane,
founder of Jewish Defense League and Kach Party, assasinated in New York City. |
November 29 |
The Security Council authorizes use of all necessary means against Iraq unless it withdrawls by January 15, 1991. |
December 11 |
Following a meeting with President Bush in the White House,
Prime Minister Shamir says that he was promised that there would
be no deals at Israel's expense. |
December 20 |
The Security Council approves a resolution condemning Israel's policy of expulsion calling lands occupied
by Israel in 1967 including Jerusalem,
Palestinian territories. |
December 23 |
Saddam Hussein tells Spanish Television that Tel Aviv will be Iraq's first target
if war breaks out. |
December 24 |
Prime Minister Shamir threatens retaliation if Israel is attacked. |
December 31 |
Israeli jets strike PLO bases in Lebanon. |
January 10 |
First Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries
arrive in Israel. |
January 14 |
Civil defense authorities instruct Israelis to begin preparing
sealed rooms. |
|
PLO's second-ranking
official Abu Iyad (Salah
Khalaf) is assassinated in Tunis. |
January 15 |
Beginning of the Gulf
War. Israel goes into state of alert as war breaks out. |
January 18 |
Israel attacked by eight Iraqi Scud missiles during the Gulf
War. Two missiles hit Tel Aviv and a third lands near Haifa,
causing great damage in residential areas. |
January 19 |
Four Iraqi Scuds launched at Israel. |
January 22 |
A Scud missile hits Ramat Gan. 96 are injured,
400 apartments are damaged. |
January 23 |
A Scud missile is intercepted over Haifa; as it fell it shattered
windows in the Haifa area. |
January 24 |
Eight Scuds are fired at Israel. One person is killed, 45
are injured in Ramat Gan, 144 apartments are heavily damaged,
400 other apartments are lightly damaged. |
January 25 |
Four Scud missiles are fired at Israel. 3 are
intercepted over Haifa and one over Tel Aviv. Slight damage is
reported. |
January 28 |
A Scud missile lands in the Galilee,
causing no damage or injuries. |
January 31 |
A Scud lands in the West Bank causing no injuries or damage. |
February 2 |
A Scud missile lands in Israel causing no injury or damage. |
February 3 |
A Scud missile lands in Israel causing no injuries or damage. |
February 8 |
A Scud lands in the center of Israel. 25 civilians are injured,
400 apartments are damaged. |
February 11 |
A Schud lands in the center of Israel causing no injury or
damage. |
February 12 |
A Scud missile lands near Tel Aviv injuring 6 residents and
damaging dozens of homes. |
February 19 |
2 Scuds are fired at Israel. One lands in the Negev, the other
in the Galilee. Both cause no injuries or damage. |
February 20 |
US releases $400 million loan guarentee to Israel for housing
for Soviet
Jewish immigrants. |
February 23 |
A Scud lands in the center of Israel causing a fire to break
out, but no injuries or damage are reported. |
February 25 |
Two Scuds land in the Negev desert causing no injuries or
damage. |
February 28 |
Gulf War ends. |
February 28 |
Israel congratulates President Bush as the Gulf War comes
to an end. Israel demands the elimination of Iraqi weapons of
mass destruction. |
April 1 |
Ehud Barak apointed
twelfth IDF Chief-of-General Staff. |
|
Middle East peace conference convened in Madrid. |
May 24-25 |
Operation
Solomon brings Jews
from Ethiopia to Israel. About 14,500 Ethiopian Jews are rescued and airlifted
to Israel with 24 hours, just hours before the Mengistu regimes collapse. |
July 14 |
The Congo restores diplomatic relations with Israel. |
August 19 |
Albania's foreign minister visits Israel. Diplomatic relations
are established. |
September 4 |
Israel recognizes the independence of Latvia, Lithuania,
and Estonia. |
September 13 |
U.S. President George Bush criticizes Israel's friends in
the U.S. and asks Israel to delay its request for $10 billion
loan guarantees. |
September 18 |
Peace activist Abie Nathan is sentenced to 18 months in jail for contacts with the PLO. |
October 18 |
Secretary of State Baker visits Israel and together
with Soviet Foreign Minister Bessmertnykh delivers a letter
of invitation to the Madrid Peace Conference. |
October 18 |
Soviet Union restores full diplomatic relations with Israel. |
October 24 |
Israeli embassy in Moscow is rededicated. |
October 30-31 |
Madrid Peace Conference. |
October 31 |
Bilateral talks are held in Madrid between Israel and Syria, Lebanon and a Palestinian-Jordanian delegation. |
November 3 |
Israel ratifies UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. |
|
Albania's last 11 Jews arrive in Israel. |
|
Riots break out in Crown Heights, NY after a seven-year old
black boy is killed by a car driven by Hasidic
Jews. |
December 9 |
Second round of the Middle East bilateral talks begins in
Washington. |
December 16 |
United Nations rescinds
resolution equating Zionism with racism. |
December 23 |
Soviet Ambassador Alexander Bovin presents his credentials
to President Herzog. |
December 26 |
Israel and Zambia restore diplomatic relations. |
1992 |
Conservative synagogue arm, United Synagogue of America, changes its name to United Synagogue of Conservative
Judaism. |
January 3 |
Israel decides to expel 12 Palestinians following the murder
of an Israeli settler in the Gaza Strip. |
January 10 |
Security Council condemns Israel for the expulsion of the Palestinians. |
January 18-22 |
Another round of peace talks is held in Washington. |
January 24 |
Israel and the People's Republic
of China establish diplomatic relations. |
January 28-29 |
The multilateral Middle East peace talks are held in Moscow. |
January 29 |
Diplomatic relations established with India. |
February 16 |
Hezbollah's
chief Abbas Musawi is killed in an Israeli air strike in Southern Lebanon. |
|
Kiryat Shemona comes under heavy katyusha fire from
Lebanon. |
February 27-March 4 |
Another round of bilateral talks held in Washington
ends inconclusively. |
March 10 |
Islamic Jihad terrorists assassinate an Israeli security officer in Ankara. |
March 17 |
Five killed and 106 wounded in attack on Israeli embassy
in Buenos Aires. |
March 18 |
Knesset passes law for direct
election of the prime minister. |
March 20 |
The U.S. accuses Israel of transferring to China information
on the Patriot missile. Israel denies the charges. |
April 12 |
Kazakhstan establishes diplomatic relations with Israel. |
April 16 |
Angola establishes diplomatic relations with Israel. |
April 26-29 |
Another round of peace talks is held in Washington |
May 1-8 |
Another round of peace talks is held in Washington |
May 4 |
Armenia establishes diplomatic relations with Israel. |
May 10 |
King Hussein announces he will donate $8.25 million to restore Al-Aqsa and the Dome
of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem. |
June 8 |
Acting PLO security head Atif Basaysu assassinated
in Paris. |
June 23 |
Elections for Thirteenth
Knesset. Labor wins
majority for the first time since 1977. Labor gains 44 seats, Likud 32, Meretz 12. |
July 10 |
New government headed by Yitzhak
Rabin of Labor party. |
July 20 |
Israel formally requests loan guarantees from the
U.S. |
July 30 and 31 |
Israel wins first Olympic
medals, silver and bronze in Judo. |
August 21-23 |
A Memorandum of Understanding on trade, economic affairs
and tourism is signed |
August 23 |
Israel announces the release of 800 Palestinian prisoners.
280 houses sealed since 1987 in teh areas would be unsealed. |
August 24 |
Round Six of the bilateral peace talks resumes in
Washington until September 3 |
|
Prime Minister Rabin cancels 11 deportation orders against PLO activists. |
August 25 |
Israel presents a detailed autonomy plan, defining
the role of the Palestinian Administrative Council controlling civilian
matters. |
September 10 |
Rabin announces that Israel is ready to accept territorial
compromise on the Golan Heights in return for peace. |
September 13 |
Gambia restores diplomatic relations with Israel. |
September 14-24 |
The second session of Round Six of the bilateral peace
talks is held in Washington. |
September 15-17 |
Round Two of the Arms Control and Regional Security
multilateral talks is held in Moscow |
September 16-17 |
Round Two of multilateral talks is held in Washington. |
September 26-27 |
Round Two of the multilateral talks on Environment
is held in The Hague |
October 5 |
Nicaragua restores diplomatic relations with Israel. |
October 5 |
U.S. Congress approves the foreign aide appropriations
for fiscal 1993, including the annual $3-billion military and economic
aid package and the $10-billion loan guarantees |
October 21-29 |
Session One of Round Seven of the bilateral talks
is held in Washington. |
October 28 |
Israel and Jordan announce that they had almost completed
a full agenda on peace treaty, water and land claims, arms control
and Palestinian refugees in Jordan |
October 29-30 |
Multilateral talks on Economic Development are held
in Paris |
November 9-19 |
Session Second of Round Seven of the bilateral peace
talks is held in Washington |
November 11-12 |
Multilateral talks on refugees are held in Ottawa.
Syria and Lebanon boycott the talks. |
December 7-17 |
Round Eight of the bilateral peace talks is held in
Washington. |
December 13 |
An Israeli Border Policeman is kidnapped and killed
by Hamas terrorists. |
December 16 |
The cabinet approves deportation of 415 Hamas activists. |
December 17 |
Israel expels 415 Hamas activists, 251 from the West
Bank, and 164 from Gaza to Lebanon. The US State
Department “strongly condemns the action of deportation.” |
|
The Arab delegations suspend the bilateral talks in
Washington in protest over the Hamas deportations. |
December 18 |
The Security Council adopts Resolution 799 which
condemned Israel's actions. |
|
New Supreme
Court building is opened. |
1993 |
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opens in Washington,
DC. |
1993 |
Avraham Biram finds ancient inscription in Tel
Dan about the dynasty of King
David; it is the first time his name appears outside the Bible. |
January 13 |
Israel ratifies an international
convention banning chemical weapons. |
January 19 |
The Knesset repeals
a 1986 law banning meetings between Israelis and members of terrorist
organizations, opening the way for talks with the PLO. |
January 28 |
In a unanimous decision, the Israeli High Court of Justice rules
that the Hamas deportations were legal. |
February 16 |
Jordan appoints Sheikh
Sulayman al Jabari Mufti of Jerusalem. |
February 28 |
Arrow missiles is successfully test-fired. |
March 13 |
Ezer Weizman is sworn in as President, succeeding Chaim
Herzog. |
March 16 |
Prime Minister Rabin visits Washington for talks with President Clinton and other political
and religious leaders. |
March 30 |
Israel's Inner Cabinet decides to seal off the Gaza Strip and
Judea and Samaria for an indefinate period. Some 100,000 Palestinians
are prevented from working in Israel. |
April 14 |
Prime Minister Rabin and President Mubarak hold talks in Ismailiyah. |
April 27 |
The suspended Eighth Round of bilateral peace talks is resumed
in Washington, ends on May 13 |
April 28 |
Israel to allow the return of 30 deportees, expelled between 1967-1987
for PLO membership. |
May 13 |
The Eighth Round of talks in Washington ends in deadlock when
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators fail to reach an agreement on
Statement of Principles. |
May 30-
June 1 |
Some 200 Libyans arrive
in Jerusalem for three
day visit to holy sites. Pilgrims call on Muslims to "topple Zionist entity" and establish Jerusalem as the capital
of a Palestinean state. |
June 15 |
Bilateral peace talks are resumed in Washington. This round lasts
until July 1. |
June 30 |
Prime Minister Rabin starts an official visit to France. That country announces an end
of arms sales embargo on Israel. |
July 11-14 |
Visit to Israel of the deputy foreign minister of Vietnam. During
his visit Israel and Vietnam sign a Memorandum of Understanding
on the establishment of diplomatic relations. |
July 25 |
Israel launches “Operation Accountabity” with aerial
strikes at Hizbollah and PFLP bases. Two Israeli
civilians are killed in Hizballah shelling of Kiryat Shmonah. |
July 29 |
The Supreme Court overturns the conviction of John Demjanjuk. |
July 31 |
“Operation Accountability” ends with an understanding arranged
by Secretary of State Christopher, Syria,
and Lebanon to ensure that
Hizballah will not shell Israel. |
August |
The Supreme Court overturns the conviction of John Demjanjuk |
August 20 |
Israel-PLO agreement is signed (in secrecy) in Oslo. |
August 30 |
Announcement is made of an Israeli-PLO agreement. |
September 10 |
Israel and the PLO exchange letters formally
recognizing each other. |
September 11 |
The U.S. resumes ties with the PLO suspended in 1990. |
September 12 |
Sheik Ajlun, Gaza: Palestinian
Islamic Jihad (PIJ) suicide
bomber crashes car filled with explosives into a bus of soldiers.
The car does not explode and only the driver dies. |
September 13 |
Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements for the Palestinians signed
by Israel and PLO,
as representative of the Palestinian people. A historic handshake
is made between Prime Minister Rabin and PLO leader Yasser
Arafat. |
September 14 |
Israel and Jordan sign a formal “Common Agenda” for
negotiations in Washington. |
September 19 |
Prime Minister Rabin holds talks with President Mubarak in Cairo. |
September 19 |
UEFA (the European football Union) grants Israel provisional membership. |
September 21 |
Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yisrael
Meir Lau meets in Rome with Pope John Paul II. |
September 23 |
Knesset ratifies the Oslo Agreeement 61-50 with 8 abstentations. |
September 29 |
Gabon and Mautius re-establish full diplomatic ties with Israel. |
September 29 |
Amitai Kapach killed by terrorist. |
October 4 |
PIJ car bomb exploded
next to bus on no. 173 line. Thirty people mildly injured. |
October 9 |
Dror Forer and Aran Bachar are killed in Wadi Kelt by Islamic
Jihad terrorists. |
October 13 |
Israel-PLO talks for implementing the Declaration
of Principles begin in Taba. |
October 24 |
Two small bombs explode near the French Embassy in Tel
Aviv. A member of the Jewish extremist Kahana Hay group claims
responsibility, saying the explosions were in protest of PLO leader Yasser Arafats's
visit to France and agreements
he signed there. |
October 26-28 |
Multilateral talks on water are held in Beijing. |
October 30 |
Bet El resident Chaim Mizrachi stabbed to death by Arab terrorists. |
November 2 |
Local elections held. Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek ousted by Ehud Olmert. |
November 2-4 |
Arms control multilateral talks are held in Moscow. |
November 8-9 |
Economic development multilateral talks are held in
Copenhagen. |
November 9 |
Suleiman al-Hawashle is run over and killed by terrorists at Shagai
Junction. |
November 11 |
Ephraim Olevi killed by Hamas terrorists in Hebron. |
November 11-18 |
Prime Minister Rabin visits the United States for talks with President Clinton and senior
officials. |
November 15-16 |
Multilateral talks on environment are held in Cairo. |
November 17 |
Israel-PLO Economic Coordination Committee talks open in Cairo. |
November 17 |
Sgt. Chaim Drina stabbed to death by Islamic
Jihad terrorists in Gaza. |
December 1 |
Shalva Ozana and Yitzchak Weinstock shot to death by Hamas terrorists in el-Bireh |
December 5 |
IDF soldier
David Masherti is shot to death by Islamic
Jihad terrorists at Holom Junction. |
December 6 |
Mordechai and Sholom Lapid are killed by Arab terrorists in Hebron. |
December 15 |
Steven Spielberg releases Schindler's
List. |
December 15-17 |
Meeting of Steering Committee on multilateral talks is held in
Tokyo. |
December 22 |
Eliyahu Levin and Mayer Mendolovitz are shot
to death by Hamas terrorists in Betunia. |
December 23 |
Anatoly Kolisnikov is stabbed to death in Ashdod by Fatah terrorist. |
Decmber 24 |
Lt.-Col. Meir Mintz is killed by terrorists in Gaza. |
December 29 |
Yuval Golan is killed by terrorists in Adorayeem |
December 30 |
Israel and the Holy See sign a Fundamental Agreement in Jerusalem. |
December 31 |
Chaim Weizman and David Booblil are killed by Fatah terrorists in Ramle. |
January 12 |
OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Nechemia Tamari and three other officers
are killed in a helicopter crash. |
January 14 |
Gregory Izanov stabbed to death by Hamas terrorists at Erez crossing in Gaza |
January 16 |
President Clinton meets with President Assad in Geneva. |
January 29 |
A Jordanian diplomat was shot and killed outside his home in Beirut.
Members of the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO)
were arrested and prosecuted by Lebanese government. |
February 9 |
Foreign Minister Shimon
Peres and PLO Chairman Yaaser
Arafat sign an agreement on security arrangements of Jericho and the Gaza Strip. |
February 25 |
Baruch Goldstein kills 29 Muslim worshippers at the Cave
of Machpelah in Hebron. |
February 27 |
The Government appoints a Commission on Inquiry to investigate
the events in Hebron. |
February 28 |
Knesset votes 93-1-7
to condemn the Hebron massacre |
March 8 |
State commission of inquiry into the Hebron massacre begins holding hearings. |
March 13 |
“Kach”
and “Kahane Chai” are outlawed by the Government. |
March 15-19 |
Prime Minister Rabin holds talks in Washington with President Clinton and senior U.S.
officials. |
March 18 |
The Security Council
adopts a resolution condemning the Hebron massacre and calling
for an international presence in that city. |
March 31 |
Israel-PLO agreeement on Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH)
is reached. 160 observers (35 Danish,
35 Italian, 90 Norwegian)
are deployed to Hebron for three months. |
|
IDF cadet Shachar Simoni kidnapped and killed in Jerusalem by Hamas terrorists. |
April 6 |
9 Israelis killed and 45 wounded in car explosion
next to a bus in the northern city of Afula. Hamas claims responsibility. |
April 13 |
Hamas claims responsibility for suicide bomber blowing up a bus in Hadera,
in central Israel in which 6 Israelis were killed and 45 wounded. |
April 16 |
At a roadside block at Mehola, Israel in the Jordan
valley, a car bomb claimed by Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) denotes, killing one and wounding
nine. |
April 25 |
Reflooding of 6,000 dunams of Lake Hula- dried up
in the 1950's- is begun. |
April 29 |
Israel and the PLO sign an Economic Agreement in Paris. |
May 4 |
Israel and the PLO sign an
agreement giving autonomy to Jericho and the Gaza Strip. |
May 8 |
A 160-member Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) begins its mission. |
May 10 |
An independent list headed by Labor MK Chaim Ramon
wins the Histadrut elections. |
|
Knesset approves Gaza-Jericho Agreement by a vote of 52-0. In a speech in a mosque in Johannesburg, Arafat calls for a jihad to
liberate Jerusalem; compares
Gaza-Jericho Agreement to a temporary agreement made by Mohammad with the tribe of Kuraish. After Israel protests, Yasser
Arafat says he had referred to a religious jihad, which has
no military significance. |
May 13 |
Israel hands
over the Jericho area to Palestinian police. |
May 18 |
Israel completes its withdrawal from the Gaza
Strip |
May 19 |
Prime Minister Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan hold secret talks
in London. |
May 20 |
IDF commandos kidnap Hizballah leader Mustafa Dirani, who in 1988 sold Navigator Ron
Arad to the Iranians for $300,000. |
May 26 |
Britain lifts its 12 year old embargo on arms sales
to Israel. |
June 15 |
Vatican and Israel establish first ever diplomatic
relations |
June 26 |
State commission of inquiry into Hebron massacre releases its report. |
|
David Mishali killed by Fatah terrorists in Tel
Aviv. |
July 1 |
Yoram Skori was killed by Hamas terrorist in Netafim. |
July 1-4 |
Arafat visits Gaza |
July 5 |
Arafat visits Jericho and
swears in the Palestinian Council. |
July 6 |
Premier Rabin and Foreign Minister Peres receive the UNESCO Peace Prize in Paris. They also meet with Arafat. |
|
IDF soldier Aryeh Frankental killed in Beersheba by Hamas terrorist. |
July 7 |
Sarit Prigal killed in Harsina by Hamas terrorists |
July 17 |
Border Policeman Jacques Atias killed at Erez Checkpoint
by PA police. |
|
Israel and Cape
Verde establish diplomatic relations. |
July 18 |
Israel and Jordan start talks in the Arava. |
|
A car
bomb destroys the Jewish Community Center in Buenos
Aires, killing 102 and wounding others. A radical Moslem organization
linked to Iran claims
responsibility. |
July 19 |
A commuter plane explodes over the Santa Rita Mountains
in Panama, killing 21 persons, including Israelis, dual Israeli-Panamanian
citizens, three Americans, and 12 Jews. |
|
Lt. Guy Ovadia shot to death in Rafiach by Hamas terrorists. |
July 20 |
Foreign Minister Peres,
Secretary of State Christopher and Jordan's Prime Minister Majali
meet on the Jordanian side of the Dead
Sea to launch the Israel-Jordan talks. |
|
Implementation
of Palestinian self-government in Gaza Strip and Jericho area. |
|
Full diplomatic relations with the Holy
See. |
July 23 |
Two unknown Palestinians escape after stabbing and
seriously injuring an American woman in the Arab quarter of Jerusalem's Old City. |
July 25 |
Israel-Jordan
Peace Treaty signed. |
July 25-26 |
Prime Minister Rabin and King Hussein meet
at the White House; they sign the Washington
Declaration ending the state of war between Israel and Jordan. |
July 26 |
In two car bomb explosions in London, the Israeli
Embassy and the offices of the Joint Israel Appeal are damaged. |
July 27 |
Five are injured when a car bomb detonates in front
of a building that houses Jewish Attackers in London. |
July 30 |
Uganda and Israel re-establish diplomatic relations
severed in 1972. |
August 3 |
The Knesset ratifies the Washington Declaration, 91-3-2. |
August 4 |
Israel and Senegal
restore diplomatic relations, suspended in 1973. |
August 8 |
Israel and Jordan open a border crossing post north of Eilat. King Hussein and Prime
Minister Rabin meet
in Aqaba. |
August 9 |
Israel and Ghana
restore diplomatic relations. |
August 14 |
Ron Sobel shot and killed by Hamas terrorists in Kissufim. |
August 24 |
Agreement between Israel and the PLO on Early Empowerment
in the West Bank initialed in Cairo. |
September 1 |
Israel and Morocco announce the opening of interest
offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv. |
September 8 |
Rabin tells the Cabinet of a plan for limited withdrawal
on the Golan over a three-year
period. |
September 25 |
Rabin and Arafat meet
at Erez checkpoint and agree to start preliminary talks on Palestinian
elections and IDF re-deployment. |
September 30 |
Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States announce lifting of Secondary and Tertiary Economic
Boycotts against Israel. |
October 1 |
Tunisia interest offices set up. |
October 9 |
Two Hamas terrorists began shooting with automatic
weapons in Jerusalem's
Nahalat Shiva'a business district. Fourteen were injured, and an
off-duty Israeli soldier and Israeli Arab were killed in the attack.
One gunman was shot by bystanders and the other was captured. |
October 9 |
An Israeli soldier is abducted by Hamas terrorists. Two Israelis are killed in Jerusalem by Hamas. |
October 10 |
Israel and Rwanda resume diplomatic relations. |
October 13 |
An IDF attempt to free abducted soldier fails. |
October 14 |
Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Yassir
Arafat are awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize. |
|
Cpl. Nachshon Wachsman and Captain Nir Poraz are killed
by terrorists in Bir Naballah. |
October 17 |
Israeli and Jordanian negotiators initial a peace
treaty, which is unanimously approved by the government. |
October 19 |
Twenty-two Israelis and one Dutch citizen are murdered
and 48 injured when a suicide
bomber strikes on the No. 5 bus in Tel
Aviv. |
|
Israel announces completion of Jewish immigration
from Syria. |
October 23 |
The Cabinet unanimously approves the Israel-Jordan
peace treaty. |
October 24 |
Sgt. Ehud Roth and Sgt. Ilan Levy are kidnapped and
shot to death by terrorists in Khan Yunis |
October 25-27 |
President Clinton visits Israel. |
October 25 |
The Knesset ratifies the peace treaty with Jordan, 105-3. |
October 26 |
The Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty is signed in the Arava
in the presence of President Clinton. |
October 27-28 |
Visit to Israel of President Clinton. He addresses
the Knesset, holds talks with President Weizman, Prime Minister Rabin and Foreign Minister
Peres. |
November 1 |
Israel opens a liaison office in Morocco. |
November 7 |
The Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron reopens. |
November 8 |
Israel ratifies the peace treaty with Jordan. |
November 9 |
In a meeting between Rabin and Yasser
Arafat at the Erez checkpoint, it is decided that the Palestinian
Authority will assume additional responsibilities in the civilian
sphere. |
November 10 |
King Hussein of Jordan makes his first
public visit to Israel. |
November 11 |
Palestinian
Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for an attack by a Palestinian
suicide bomber on a bike in the Gaza
Strip which killed three Israeli soldiers. |
November 21-22 |
Prime Minister Rabin holds talks in the White House with Clinton. |
December 1 |
Israel transfers authority to the Palestinians in
the fields of health and taxation, completing the process of early
empowerment. |
December 10 |
Prime Minister Rabin,
Foreign Minister Peres, and chairman of the Palestine Liberation
Organization Yasser
Arafat are awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. |
December 11 |
Israel and Jordan open embassies in each other's counties. |
December 19 |
The European Union announces finalization of principles
of the new Israel-EU agreement. |
December 25 |
A Palestinian suicide
bomber kills 12 Israelis in a bus bombing in Jerusalem. Hamas claims responsibility. |
December 26 |
Prime Minister Rabin visits Oman. |
January 2 |
Prime Minister Rabin halts new construction in a West Bank settlement, stating that Israel's
future lies in territorial compromise with the Palestinians. |
January 8 |
The government votes to establish a state commission of inquiry
into the disappearance of Yemenite
immigrant children between 1948-1954. |
January 15 |
Prime Minister Rabin orders construction of bypass roads in the West Bank. |
January 22 |
PIJ claims responsibility
for a bombing in Beit Lid junction in central Israeli by two Palestinian suicide bombers in which 21 Israelis were killed. |
February 2 |
Mubarak, Rabin and Yasser Arafat meet in a Cairo summit to promote Israeli-Palestinian negotiations
on the Interim Agreement. |
February 23 |
Tanzania restores diplomatic relations with Israel. |
February 24 |
Israel and Burundi
resume diplomatic relations. |
March 21 |
Rabin reiterates the separation plan through a fence manned by IDF and dogs. |
April 6 |
Israel launches
its first spy satellite into orbit. |
April 9 |
Two Palestinian suicide
bombers set off bombs outside two Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and
kill 7 Israeli soldiers and one American. Hamas and PIJ claim responsibility. |
April 27 |
Israel confirms
its intention to confiscate 130 acres of land in East Jerusalem. |
May 18 |
U.S. vetoes a Security Council draft resolution condemning Israeli seizure of
land in East Jerusalem. |
May 22 |
The government suspends its plan to confiscate land
in East Jerusalem. |
May 24 |
Israel and Syria make small progress in talks on future security arrangements. |
June 9 |
Prime Minister Rabin holds talks in Cairo with President Mubarak. |
June 25 |
A PIJ member
detonates cart filled with explosives near an I.D.F. vehicle, wounding three soldiers. |
July 2 |
Worst fire in Israeli history hits Jerusalem,
near Shoresh and Neve Ilan. |
July 24 |
Hamas claims responsibility for Palestinian suicide bus bombing in Tel
Aviv in which 6 Israelis were killed and 28 injured. |
August 11 |
Israel and the
PLO reach an agreement on redeployment of forces in the West Bank. |
|
Broadened Palestinian
self-government implemented in West
Bank and Gaza Strip; Palestinian Council elected. |
|
Shimon Peres becomes Prime Minister. |
|
Treaty of Association is signed with the EU. |
August 21 |
A Palestinian suicide
bomber blows up a bus in Jerusalem,
killing 4 Israeli soldiers and 1 American, and wounding over 100
Israelis. Hamas claims
responsibility. |
September 4 |
Jerusalem 3000 celebrations begin. |
September 24 |
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators intial the Oslo
II agreement in Taba, Egypt. |
September 27 |
The government approves the Oslo
II agreement 18-0-2. |
September 28 |
Oslo
II signed in Washington. |
October 6 |
The Knesset approves the Olso
II agreement 61-59. |
October 24 |
U.S. Congress approves a bill calling for the transfer
of the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem no later than 1999. |
October 29-30 |
The second Middle East North Africa Economic summit
is held in Amman. |
November 4 |
Prime Minister Yitzhak
Rabin assassinated by Yigal Amir at a peace rally in Tel Aviv. |
November 6 |
Representatives and heads of state from all over the
world , including King Hussein and President
Mubarak attend Rabin's funeral in Jerusalem. |
November 8 |
High
Court of Justice rules that the air force cannot bar Alice Miller
from its combat pilots' course based on her gender. |
|
The PA takes
over Jenin, and deploys forces to surrounding villages. |
November 19 |
The state commission of inquiry into the assassination
of Prime Minister Rabin begins. |
November 20 |
Israel and the EU sign a trade agreement in Brussels. |
|
The IDF withdraws from six West Bank towns. |
November 22 |
The Knesset votes confidence in Shimon
Peres' new government. |
December 5 |
Yigal Amir indicted for murdering Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. |
December 9 |
A Jewish vehicle is fired upon by terrorists in Gush
Etzion. One girl is shot in the back. |
December 11 |
IDF pulls out of Nablus a day
earlier than scheduled. Palestinean forces arrive in Ramallah. Samiha
Khalil announces her candidacy for presidency. |
December 12-13 |
Prime Minister Peres holds talks in Washington with President Clinton. |
December 19 |
Trial of Yigal Amir begins. |
December 21 |
Israel evacuates Bethlehem,
Palestinean police enter. |
December 26 |
Israeli army pulls out from 5 villages near Hebron:
Dura, Yat-ta, Bani Naim, Thahariyeh, and Nuba. |
December 27 |
IDF leaves Ramallah. |
|
Israeli and Syrian negotiators meet at Wye
Planation near Washington. |
January 6 |
Hamas master bomb-maker, Yihya Ayash (the Engineer), is killed in Gaza by a booby-trapped cell phone. |
January 10 |
King Hussein of Jordan visits Tel Aviv,
holds talks with Prime Minister Peres. |
January 17 |
Israel redeploys from Abu-Dis.
Ahmed Qur'ei raises the Palestinean flag, and declares the city
free. |
January 20 |
First election of Palestinian Council, Arafat becomes president with 90% of the vote. |
January 28 |
Israel and Oman issue a joint statement. |
February 5 |
Prime Minister Peres decides to call early elections for the 14th Knesset to be held
on May 29. |
February 12 |
Yasser Arafat sworn in as first elected President of Palestine. |
February 25 |
Twenty-five killed and about 90 wounded when Hamas suicide bombers
attacks the #18 bus in Jerusalem and the hiking post at Ashkelon Junction |
February 26 |
An American Arab drives a rental car into a Jerusalem bus stop, killing one Israeli and injuring 23. The driver is shot
and killed. Hamas claims responsibility, though the man seems to have acted on his
own. |
February 28 |
Peres warns Israel may delay its redeployment in Hebron as a result
of the wave of suicide bombings. |
March 2 |
Hamas suicide
bomber blows up a bus in Jerusalem killing 20 Israels. |
March 3 |
Palestinian suicide
bomber blows up bus stop in Jerusalem,
killing 8 Israelis and wounding 10. The Students of Yehiye Ayyash,
a breakaway group of Hamas,
claims responsibility. |
March 4 |
A Palestinian suicide
bomber blows himself up in the midst of a holiday shopping crowd
in a Tel Aviv mall killing 14, wounding 130. Both Hamas and PIJ claim responsibility
for the attack. |
March 5 |
President Clinton pledges to help Israel with high
technology bomb detection devices. |
March 13 |
An anti-terrorist summit conference, called the Summit of the
Peace Makers is held in Sharm-el-Sheikh, attended by 25 world leaders.
Syria boycotts the summit |
March 14-15 |
President Clinton visits Israel. |
March 27 |
Yigal Amir convincted for the assasination of Yitzchak Rabin.
He received life and six additional years. |
|
Fundamentalist Arab terrorism against Israel escalates. |
|
Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox wage battle against Shabbat traffic on Bar Ilan Street, Jerusalem. |
April 11 |
Israel lanuches “Operation Grapes of Wrath,” retaliation against Lebanon for Hizbullah terrorists' attacks on northern Israel. |
April 18 |
A stray Israeli shell kills 100 Lebanese at Kafr Qana. |
April 22 |
Palestine National Council (PNC) meets for first time since 1964
in Gaza. |
|
PNC votes to amend the PLO
Covenant by 504 votes to 54, with 14 abstentions. |
April 28 |
A cease fire in Lebanon is arranged by the U.S.. |
April 30 |
President Clinton and Prime Minister Peres issue a joint statement at the conclusion of talks in Washington. |
May 3 |
Israel decides to postpone redeployment in Hebron. |
May 4 |
The PLO announces
it amended its National
Covenent to remove anti-Israel sections. PLO refuses to announce
changes and no changes appear on PLO website |
|
Yeshiva student David Reuvein Boim shot and killed by terrorists
near Bet El. |
|
Jerusalem celebrates
its 3,000th anniversary as the capital of the Jewish state. |
|
Israeli trade representation offices set up in Oman and Qatar. |
May 5 |
Final Status Talks between the PA and Israel begin in Taba. |
May 13 |
Near the Beth El settlement, a Hamas shooter opens fire on a bus and a group of Yeshiva students, killing
a dual US/Isaeli citizen and injuring 3 Israelis. Hamas is suspected
to be responsible but has not confirmed it. |
May 29 |
Benjamin Netanyahu wins the first direct election for Prime Minister. |
May 30 |
Likud forms government after elections for the Fourteenth
Knesset. |
June 2 |
President Arafat's plane inaugurates Gaza International Airport,
coming from Sinai |
June 9 |
A dual US/Israeli citizen and an Israeli are killed by an unidentified
gunman while in their car near Zekharya. The Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) is suspected to
be responsible. |
June 9 |
Efrat and Yaron Unger shot to death by arab terrorists near Bet
Shemesh. |
June 22-23 |
Egypt host the first Arab League Summit in
six years |
Summer |
Israeli wins bronze medal in windsurfing competition at the Atlanta
Summer Olympics. |
July 2 |
Israeli jets bomb a base of Abu Moussa's Palestinian National
Liberation Movement in Lebanon. |
July 3 |
Israel eases the closure on the territories. |
July 9 |
Prime Minister Netanyahu holds talks in Washington with President
Clinton. |
July 10 |
Prime Minister Netanyahu addresses the U.S. Congress, saying Israel
will gradually ease its dependence on U.S. economic aid. |
July 21 |
The bodies of two IDF soldiers missing since the 1982 war in Lebanon are returned to Israel.
Israel and the SLA release 45 Hizbollah prisoners and return the
bodies of 123 terrorists killed by the IDF over the years. |
July 26 |
President Clinton denies clemency to Jonathan Pollard. |
August 2 |
The cabinet decides to terminate the freeze on construction in
Judea-Samaria and GAza placed by the previous government. |
August 8 |
The five-nation committee monitoring the Israel-Hizbullah cease-fire
in Lebanon holds its first meeting in Naqura. |
August 11 |
Oman opens a trade office in Tel
Aviv, becoming the seventh Arab state to have an official presence
in Israel. |
August 14 |
Talks between Israel and the PA resume after eight months' suspension. |
August 20 |
In a test, an Arrow 2 missile successfully intercepts and destroys
a target missile. |
September 4 |
Netanyahu and Yasser
Arafat meet for the first time at Erez Checkpoint. Both reiterate
their committment to implementing the 1995 Interim Agreement. |
September 9 |
Sgt. Sharon Edri kidnapped and shot to death by Hamas terrorists. |
September 22 |
Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs says his country postponed
its decision to open a trade office in Israel. |
September 23 |
Israel opens a new exit to the Western
Wall tunnel. Prime Minister Netenyahu announces this in London. This triggers off a wave of Palestinian
violence in the territories and Jerusalem. |
September 23-27 |
In a wave of violence 14 Israelis and 56 Palestinians are killed
in clashes |
September 25 |
Violence erupts after the opening of Hasmonean Tunnel alongside
the Temple Mount and Western Wall. |
September 28 |
The UN Security Council adopts a resolution condemning Israel
for opening the tunnel. The U.S. abstained in the vote, which was
carried by 14-0. |
October 1-2 |
Clinton holds bilateral talks with Netanyahu, Yasser
Arafat, and King Hussein. |
|
Arafat secretly
marries Suha Tawil in Tunis. Their daughter Zahwa is born July 24, 1995, in Paris. |
November 6 |
Azzam Azzam, an Israeli Druze working in an Israeli-Egyptian plant
in Cairo, is arrested and charged with spying for Israel. |
December 13 |
The Governmnent reinstates financial subsidies to all settlements
in the territories. |
December 24 |
Prime Minister Netenyahu and Yasser Arafat hold talks in Erez. |
1997 |
Agreement Between
the State of Israel and the Holy See. |
January 5 |
Netenyahu and Yasser Arafat meet
again in Erez. |
January 12 |
King Hussein visits Gaza and Tel
Aviv for talks with Yasser
Arafat and Netanyahu |
January 14-15 |
Hebron Agreement signed
by Netenyahu and Arafat. |
January 14 |
Christoph Meili, a guard for Switzerland's largest bank, reveals
documents of transactions with the Nazis. |
January 15 |
Israel redeploys troops
in Hebron. |
January 16 |
The Knesset approves
the Hebron Protocol by 87 to 17 (one abstentation). The
IDF completes its redeployment in Hebron. |
February 4 |
Helicopter crash kills 73 Israeli soldiers. |
February 11 |
Israel releases 30 Palestinian women prisoners. |
February 13 |
Prime Minister Netenyahu and President Clinton meet in the White House. |
February 23 |
Prime Minister Netenyahu meets King Hussein in Amman. |
|
A Palestinian gunman opens fire on tourists visiting the Empire
State Building in New York City, killing a Dane and injuring tourists
from the United States, Argentina, Switzerland,
and France. He then shoots
himself, leaving a note saying that the attack was to punish the
'enemies of Palestine.' |
February 28 |
Ministerial Committee on Jerusalem approves construction in Har Homa. |
March 13 |
Seven school girls are murdered by Jordanian soldier at Naharayim |
March 16 |
King Hussein pays
condolence call to families. |
March 21 |
Suicide bombers kill 24 people in three separate attacks, one in Tel
Aviv and two in Jerusalem. |
April 1 |
An Arab League meeting
calls on the Arab states to freeze ties with Israel. |
April 7 |
Prime Minister Netenyahu meets with President Clinton at the White House. |
May 27 |
Israel and Jordan sign
a water agreement |
Summer |
Israeli wins silver medal at European Swimming Championship. |
July 30 |
Two consecutive suicide
bombings in the Mahane Yehuda market on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem kill 16 people
and wound 178 wounded. Hamas claims responsibility. |
August 21 |
Israel and Croatia establish diplomatic relations. |
September 4 |
Three Palestinian suicide
bombers set off explosions on Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall in Jerusalem, killing 4 Israelis
and injuring nearly 200. Hamas claims responsibility. |
September 24 |
Mossad agents botch an assassination attempt on Khaled Mashaal, a Hamas official, in Jordan.
Israel releases Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in return for
its agents. |
November 10 |
Israel and the Holy See sign a Legal Personality Agreement. |
November 16 |
Israel and Jordan sign an agreement on Irbid Industrial Zone. |
November 16-18 |
Prime Minister Netenyahu visits the United States. |
November 20 |
A Hungarian Yeshiva
student is killed and an Israeli student is injured by an unknown
gunman in Jerusalem's Old City. No one
claims responsibility. |
1998 |
Israel celebrates its 50th anniversary. |
January 7 |
Israel, Turkey, and the U.S. begin joint naval maneuvers in the
Eastern Mediterranean. Jordan sends an observer. |
January 14 |
A booby-trapped videocassette explodes at the Israel-Lebanon border near Metulla,
injuring 3 Israelis and 3 Lebanese. The intended target was a senior
Israeli intelligence officer. Al-amal claims responsibility. |
January 20 |
Prime Minister Netenyahu meets President Clinton in the White House. The U.S. presents a
plan for a three stage FRD of at least 10% of the West Bank. Netanyahu
also meets twice with Secretary of State Albright. |
January 22 |
Yasser Arafat holds talks with President Clinton. He rejects the 10% FRD plan.
In a letter to Clinton he states which PLO Covenant clauses were
annuled in May 1996. He also demands time out on Israel settlement
expansion |
January 27-28 |
Finance Minister Neeman holds talks in Washington on phasing down
the $1.2 billion of America's economic aid to Israel |
January 29 |
In view of mounting tension over Iraq,
Israel and the U.S. Defense Department inaugurate an emergency hot
line. |
January 31 |
The PLO Executive Committee claims to approve by voice vote the
annulment of offensive PLO
Covenant clauses given to President Clinton. In 2004, PLO Foreign
Minister Farouk Kaddoumi denied that the charter was ever annuled. |
February 8 |
King Hussein sends
President Weizman a check for $1 million for compensation to families of seven girls
slain by a Jordanian soldier in Naharayim in 1997 |
|
The U.S. offers Israel defense weapons and says it will provide
Israel with an early warning sytem in case of an attack on Iraq. |
February 19 |
The U.S. sends 10 Patriot missile batteries to Israel. |
February 27 |
Israel apologizes to the Swiss government for the incident involving
its agents. Mossad head Danny Yatom resigns. |
March 1 |
Netenyahu offers
Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in return for adequate
Lebanese security guarantees. Lebanon rejects the proposal. |
March 4 |
Ezer Weizman is re-elected for a second term as Israel's president. |
|
The UN General Assembly,
in an emergency session on the Har Homa issue, condemns Israel by
a vote of 120 for, three against, five abstentions. |
March 24 |
Israel and Turkey sign a trade protocol in Ankara. |
April 2 |
An Israeli vehicle is shot at near Telem, Israel. There were no
casualties. |
April 3 |
In a letter to Clinton, 81 senators urge him not to issue the
FRD plan. The PA announces acceptance of the U.S. proposal for 13%
FRD |
April 28 |
Prime Minister Netenyahu holds talks in Caito with President Mubarak - their first meeting since May 27, 1997. |
April 30 |
In Amman, Jordan, a firebomb is thrown at the Jerusalem Hotel's
parking lot. The Jordanian authorities arrest 8 members of a foreign-financed
Islamic group accused of being behind a number of arson attacks. |
May 3 |
A pipe bomb causes a fire in the stairwell in the apartment building
of three Arab students in the Massrara neighborhood of Jerusalem.
There is little damage and right-wing extremists are suspected. |
May 6 |
21 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives call on Clinton
not to pressure Israel on the FRD plan. |
June 1 |
Two Palestinians ambush and fire 6 bullets at an Israeli vehicle.
No casualties were reported. |
July 22 |
The Knesset adopts
a bill requiring an absolute majority of Knesset members, and referendum majority before any territorial concessions
are made on the Golan Heights. The bill won final approval on January
26, 1999. |
July 27 |
Netanyahu says that Israel is now proposing a new FRD proposal
based on 10% + 3% nature preserve in the Judean desert. |
July 30 |
Israel transfers to Jordan the $50 million it owes under the Peace
and Stability Fund agreement |
August 7 |
The U.S. embassies in Nairovi and Dar es Salaam are destroyed
leaving 256 dead and thousands wounded. The IDF dispatches a drescue team to Nairobi. |
August 20 |
Rabbi Shlomo Raanan is stabbed to death in his Tel Rumeiyda home
by a Hamas terrorist
who came in through a window and escaped after setting fire to the
house with a Molotov cocktail. |
September 4 |
Larry Page and Sergey Brin file papers with the State of California to start a company called Google |
September 24 |
Hamas blows up
a bus station near Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
An IDF soldier is injured and the station is destroyed. |
September 28 |
Netenyahu, Clinton and Yasser Arafat hold a meeting in the White House clearing the way for summit talks
in October. |
September 30 |
A Hamas terrorist
throws two grenades at a border police jeep in Hebron and injures
14 IDF soldiers and 11 Palestinians. He is shot in the leg and pursued
by the patrol into the Palestinian-control area of Hebron,
but escapes. |
October 1 |
A Hamas grenade
attack in Hebron injures
13 soldiers and 5 Palestinians. The Palestinian terrorist from the
Palestinian-controlled H-1 area threw two grenades at IDF soldiers. One injured several Palestinian bystanders, soldiers,
and border policemen. The other hit two parked cars and hurt several
Palestinians. Two policemen and one soldier were moderately wounded
and 10 others were only slightly injured. Five Palestinians were
taken to Hebron hospitals. The attacker managed to escape to the
H-1 area despite being chased by soldiers and shot in the leg. |
October 15-23 |
Israel and the PA negotiate an agreement
at the Wye River Plantation. |
October 19 |
During rush hour at Central Bus Station in Be'er Sheva, two grenades
are thrown into a crowd of civilians. At least 59 Israelis are wounded,
two of whom seriously. The terrorist is captured and turned over
by a number of bystanders to civil guard policemen. Hamas claims responsibility. |
October 23 |
Netanyahu and Yasser
Arafat sign the Wye River
Memorandum in the White House in the presense of President Clinton and King Hussein. |
October 27 |
Mohmoud Majzoub, a senior member of the Islamic Jihad Attacker
in Lebanon, survives an Israeli car bomb assassination attempt.
He is seriously woundedand his wife, 9 month-old son, and a Syrian
pedestrian are also hurt. |
October 29 |
A Hamas suicide
bomber attempts to collide head-on with a school bus of children
from the community of Kfar Darom going to a school near the Gush
Katif Junction. The bus is being escorted by army jeeps, and the
lead jeep cuts off the terrorist's car to block him from reaching
the bus. The bomber then detonates the explosives near the jeep,
killing at least one of the soldiers and himself. Two passengers
of the jeep are seriously injured and six people have light-to-moderate
injuries, including three young people and three children. |
October 31 |
Khaled Kurdiyeh, a Fatah activist, survives an assassination attempt in Lebanon.
The car bomb goes off at a Palestinian
refugee camp and no one is hurt. |
November 6 |
Two suicide bombers drive a car bomb inot the Mahane Yehuda market
in Jerusalem and injur 20 people. Palestinian
Islamic Jihad claims responsibility. |
November 14 |
In a speech in Nablus, Yasser Arafat calls
for the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital on May 4, 1999. |
November 17 |
The Knesset adops the Wye River Memorandum by
75 in favor, 19 against, nine abstentions and 13 absent. |
November 20 |
The IDF carries
out the first of the three FRDs outlined in the Wye agreement. Israel
releases 250 Palestinian prisoners. |
November 24 |
Israel allows the opening of Gaza International Airport. |
December 14 |
The Palestinian National Council in Gaza reaffirms the annullment
of the anti-Israel provisions of the PLO Covenant, in the presence
of President Clinton. |
December 21 |
The Knesset votes 81-30,
four abstentions and five absent, to dissolve itself. Next elections
to be held on May 17, 1999. |
1999 |
Reform Movement's
rabbinical body (CCAR) adopts new platform of principles which shows
some openness to Jewish ritual, while reaffirming Reform's ideology
of personal autonomy. |
1999 |
Fifteenth Knesset elections. |
February 7 |
Death of King Hussein of Jordan |
May 17 |
Ehud Barak is elected
Prime Minister. One Israel party wins 26 seats, Likud - 19, Shas
- 17, Meretz - 10, Shinui, Merkaz and Yisrael b'Aliya - 6 each.
Arab parties win 10, the NRP - 5, UTJ - 5, National Union and Yisrael
Beitenu - 4 each, and Am Ehad - 2 |
| June 24 |
After Hizbullah fires
rockets into Israel, the IDF strikes bridges and power stations
nearand in Beirut. Hizbullah fires 36 rockets into Israel killing
two civilians. |
| July 23 |
King Hassan of Morocco dies and is succeeded by his son King Mohammed VI. Barak attends his funeral on 25 July. |
| July 27 |
Israel and the Republic of Georgia sign a Memorandum
of Understanding on defense cooperation. Israel and Uganda sign
an agreement to expand economic ties. |
August 10 |
At about 7:55 a.m. a driver, inspired by Hamas literature, drove twice into a group of civilians and soldiers at
a bus stop in Central Israel. He injured 6 people before police
shot and killed him. |
|
A gunman goes on a shooting rampage at a Jewish community center
in Los Angeles, injuring five. |
August 30 |
Sharon Steinmetz, 21, and Yehezkel Shai Pinpater, 26 were hiking
several kilometers from the autonomous Palestinian town of Jenin
when they were murdered by two Israeli Arabs. The two Islamist group
members were later arrested. |
September 4 |
Barak and Yasser
Arafat sign the second Wye
Accord in Sharm el-Sheikh. Secretary Albright, President Mubarak
and King Abdullah also sign as witnesses. |
September 5 |
Less than 24 hours after the signing of the Sharm
el-Sheik Memorandum, two car-bombs went off at around 5:30 in Tiberias and Haifa.
The blasts killed three terrorist bombers and seriously injured
a 73-year-old woman. |
September 9 |
Israel releases 199 of 350 Palestinian prisoners in the framework
of the Wye II Accords. |
| September 10 |
Israel transfers 7% of the West
Bank land from Area C to Area B. |
October 5 |
Israel and the PA sign
the Gaza-West Bank Safe Passage
Protocol. |
| October 12 |
Barak orders dismantling
of 15 of 42 unauthorized settlements built since October 1998. Eleven
are to remain; in 16, no new buildings are to be allowed. |
| October 15 |
Israel releases additional 151 Palestinian prisoners. |
| October 18 |
Former South African President Nelson Mandela holds talks in Jerusalem with Israel's leaders. |
| October 25 |
Israel opens the safe passage road from Gaza to the West Bank. |
| October 28 |
Israel and Mauritania raise their missions to embassies. |
| November 1 |
President Clinton holds talks in Oslo with Barak and Yasser Arafat on final status negotiations. Barak and Yasser Arafat also have a private meeting. Clinton meets with both the next day. |
November 11 |
Yasser Arafat refuses to sign the map for the next FRD. |
November 11 |
Journalist Jacobo Timmerman dies |
November 14 |
Barak and Yasser
Arafat meet but fail to reach an understanding on the next FRD.
Israel decides to delay the second stage of the Wye II FRD. |
December 13 |
Barak tells the cabinet
that an Israel-Syria agreement is possible within a few weeks. Addressing
the Knesset, Barak says Israel may have to pay a “heavy territorial price” for peace with Syria. He wins a vote of confidence 47 for, 31 against,
24 abstentations and 18 absent. |
December 15 |
Israel and Syria resume talks in Washington, DC. Barak, Clinton, and Syrian
Foreign Minister Shara hold an opening ceremony at the White House. |
December 16 |
Israel-Syria talks end
in Washington, DC. They will resume near Washington in early January. |
|