January 17, 1997: Washington Times reports that a "revolutionary reassessment" by Israeli intelligence has
concluded that PLO chairman Yasser Arafat is far more dangerous than previously realised.
18/1: Hebron's Jews accuse PLO security chief Jibril Rajoub of inciting violence by calling for entire city to be brought
under PLO control.
19/1: Yasser Arafat visits Hebron, tells 20 000 supporters Palestinians seek no confrontation with Hebron's Jews; also
predicts Palestinian state, with Jerusalem as its capital.
19/1: PM Binyamin Netanyahu tells CNN his government's opposition to relinquishing any control over Jerusalem
or the Golan Heights remains unchanged.
19/1: Sources in Jerusalem say they expect the agreement on Hebron will improve relations with the Gulf and North
African Arab states.
20/1: Zionist Organisation of America president Morton Klein says the Clinton administration had officially
acknowledged that the PLO has not yet changed its Covenant calling for Israel's destruction, and should therefore
suspend its US$500 million in aid to the PA.
20/1: Netanyahu: No sovereign Palestinian state.
20/1: Thousands of Jews visit Hebron, rend their clothes in symbolic mourning ceremony.
21/1: US calls on Arab states to reward Netanyahu for Hebron deal.
22/1: South Africa defers controversial plan to sell weapons worth US$650 million to Syria.
22/1: Netanyahu says his February meeting with US President Bill Clinton will help restart peace talks with Syria.
22/1: Israel TV claims that Netanyahu's short-lived appointment of Roni Bar-On as Attorney-General was part of a
corrupt deal: Shas leader Aryeh Deri demanded Bar-On be appointed, in return for his party's support for the Hebron
redeployment deal. In return for Deri's securing of the AG's post for him, Bar-On promised to agree to a plea-bargain
in fraud charges Deri is facing. Netanyahu and others named deny the allegations.
25/1: Israel TV says Netanyahu may not himself be linked to "Bar-On affair".
25/1: Arafat tells French newspapers PLO will not amend its Covenant until Israel gets a constitution.
26/1: Joint Likud-Labour document seeking consensus on Israel's "final status" demands in talks with Palestinians
is released.
26/1: Police begin investigating "Bar-On affair".
27/1: Netanyahu says Israel is searching for "bridging formula" to restart peace talks with Syria.
27/1: Government denies new allegations by Islamic Wakf that Israelis are digging tunnels under the Temple Mount
mosques.
28/1: Clinton says his meeting with Netanyahu in February will focus on kickstarting Israel-Syria peace talks.
28/1: Roni Bar-On, under investigation, files police complaint against Israel TV.
29/1: Israel Broadcasting Authority head says he will resign if "Bar-On" story proves untrue.
29/1: Hamas leader Abu Marzook, jailed in the US, says he will end efforts to resist extradition to Israel, where he
is wanted on murder and conspiracy charges. Hamas threatens retaliation.
30/1: Three Israeli soldiers killed by Hizb'Allah roadside bomb in southern Lebanon.
30/1: US calls on Syria to restrain Hizb'Allah.
February 1: Arab man dies in PLO custody, the ninth whose death has been attributed to torture.
2/2: Israeli, Egyptian and PA leaders meet separately during World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
3/2: Netanyahu meets Pope John Paul II, who responds positively to invitation to visit Israel before 2000.
4/2: 73 Israeli soldiers and airmen killed in helicopter collision.
5/2: Day of mourning observed as burials of 73 begin; inquiry into collision launched; Hizb'Allah says disaster was
an "act of Allah".
5/2: Nazi gold scandal: three major Swiss banks agree to establish Holocaust fund to compensate survivors.
5/2: EU Mideast envoy Miguel Moratinos calls for Israel to withdraw from Golan.
6/2: Hizb'Allah calls on Lebanese government to expel US ambassador to Beirut Richard Jones, for expressing regret
for the loss of 73 Israeli lives.
7/2: More than 200 000 Muslims visit Temple Mount on last Friday of Ramadan.
8/2: Political figures debate the question of a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon; Netanyahu and
Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai are opposed.
9/2: Netanyahu, Arafat meet, agree that eight committees dealing with further steps in the Oslo process will meet
within a week.
9/2: Seven Israeli soldiers wounded in firefight with Hizb'Allah in southern Lebanon.
9/2: Row over Israeli plan to release Arab women prisoners escalates; Justice Minister Tzahi Hanegbi says he won't
sign recommendations to pardon three convicted of murder and attempted murder.
10/2: Israel High Court says it is unable to stop planned release of female Arab security prisoners.
10/2: Two small parties in coalition threaten to pull out if Netanyahu doesn't give go-ahead for controversial new Jewish neighbourhood in south-eastern Jerusalem.