Middle East Hourglass























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• 20 February 2000: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak sets May deadline for final-status framework.
• 20/2: Experts predict Iranian support for Hizb’Allah will not end, despite reformist gains in recent elections.
• 20/2: Israel to market Arrow-2 abroad.
• 21/2: Shas MKs vote no-confidence for first time against Barak over Jerusalem policy.
• 21/2: European Union president tells Knesset Palestinian state will be established.
• 21/2: Megiddo Forest murderer gets two life terms.
• 22/2: US special Mideast envoy Dennis Ross, Palestinian Authority chairman Yasser Arafat meet in Ramallah after anti-US riots by Palestinian students.
• 22/2: Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh says Israel must retain Hermon listening post.
• 22/2: Arafat rearrests Abdel-Sattar Qassem, author of anti-PA manifesto.
• 23/2: Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy delivers "blood for blood" warning in Knesset.
• 23/2: British Prime Minister Tony Blair admits Lord Levy is personal envoy to Mideast.
• 23/2: Israeli pop music queen Ofra Haza dies of AIDS at forty-one.
• 24/2: French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin labels Hizb’Allah as "terrorists."
• 24/2: Vatican says Pope John Paul II will visit baptism sites on both sides of Jordan.
• 25/2: Annual US report on human rights abuses finds Israel improved, PA deteriorating.
• 25/2: Arab world and French President denounce Jospin’s straight-talk on Hizb’Allah.
• 25/2: Hamas praised at Hebron rally marking Machpela Cave massacre.
• 26/2: Palestinian students at Bir Zeit University stone Jospin; Arafat calls attack "barbaric."
• 26/2: Pope urges religious tolerance at Mt. Sinai mass.
• 26/2: Iraq, Syria renew diplomatic relations after twenty-year freeze.
• 27/2: Barak suggests giving entire Golan back, but keeping Kinneret.
• 27/2: Israel releases Adolf Eichmann prison memoirs to Deborah Lipstadt for use in libel suit by Holocuast-denier David Irving.
• 27/2: Three SLA soldiers wounded by Hizb’Allah roadside bomb.
• 28/2: Ross leaves Israel without breakthrough in Palestinian talks.
• 28/2: Joerg Haider resigns as head of Austria’s Freedom Party, remains governor of Carinthia.
• 29/2: Palestinian police ban unlicensed demonstrations.
• 29/2 FM Levy says PA allows terrorists to operate.
• 29/2: SLA soldiers defuse several Hizb’Allah roadside bombs.
• 1 March: Likud bill for special majority in Golan referendum passes first reading.
• 1/3: Education Minister Yossi Sarid to introduce works by extremist Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish in Israeli schools.
• 1/3: Five SLA soldiers killed in Hizb’Allah ambush in zone.
• 1/3: Trial of 13 Iranian Jews on spy charges set to begin April 13.
• 2/3: Israeli forces raid Hamas hideout in Taiba: four killed, one escapes, one captured.
• 2/3: Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara terms unilateral IDF withdrawal from Lebanon "suicidal."
• 3/3: Palestinian legislature declares September 13 as deadline for statehood.
• 3/3: Israeli poll reveals majority favor Likud Golan referendum bill.
• 3/4: Nationwide terror alert and search for Hamas fugitives grips country.
• 3/4: US President Bill Clinton admits Israel-Syrian deal in the works.
• 3/5: Barak cabinet votes to leave Lebanon by July.
• 3/5: Israeli Treasury turns down aid request for northern settlements pending IDF withdrawal.
• 3/6: Barak predicts gaps with Syria may never be bridged.
• 3/6: PA releases Bir Zeit students who pelted Jospin with stones.
• 3/6: SLA leaders meet Israeli officials over IDF pullout.
• 3/7: Cabinet Minister Yitzhak Mordechai takes temporary leave over sexual harassment charges.
• 3/7: Barak, Arafat, Ross try to restart peace talks.
• 3/7: Vatican statement apologizes for past failures of Catholics.
• 3/7: Two SLA soldiers killed in security zone.
• 3/7: Syrian cabinet resigns.
• 3/7: Arafat vows to declare Palestinian state before end of year.
• 3/8: Barak, Arafat agree to re-launch talks in Washington.
• 3/8: High Court overrules bar on Arab residents in Jewish community.
• 3/8: Garbage piles up in Nazareth as municipal workers strike.
• 3/9: Doctors declare warning strike to protest wages.
• 3/9: MK Haim Ramon visits Vatican to discuss itinerary for papal visit.
• 3/10: Arab League meets in Beirut to denounce Israel.
• 3/11: Israeli-PA negotiations formally meet for first time in a month.
• 3/11: Italian police confiscate Nazi–theme float in Mardi Gras parade.
• 3/12: Pope asks forgiveness for Catholic sins at papal Mass.
• 3/12: Barak says Jerusalem will never be divided.
• 3/12: PA releases eighteen prisoners in Muslim holiday goodwill gesture.
• 3/13: Shas, NRP, Yisrael B’Aliyah vote against Barak in no-confidence vote.
• 3/13: Family of American Jewish victim of Hamas terrorism files $250 million lawsuit against Arafat, PA.
• 3/14: IAF receives final components of first Arrow-2 missile battery.
• 3/14: Barak cancels turnover of Anata in 6.1% withdrawal from Judea/Samaria.
• 3/14: Eighteen injured in Carmel Druse protest over antennas.
• 3/15: Security cabinet approves 6.1% YESHA withdrawal.
• 3/15: Via Dolorosa improvements unveiled in run-up to Pope’s visit.
• 3/15: Lipstadt counsel says Irving was exposed as a fraud during trial.
• 3/16: Barak warns Lebanon of harsh response to post-withdrawal violence.
• 3/16: Military sources say Hizb’Allah has long-range Katyusha rockets.
• 3/16: PA captures two Hamas fugitives after Israeli tip-off.
• 3/17: PA police discover 32kg of Hamas explosives in Gaza kindergarten.
• 3/17: US lifts import ban on Iranian luxury goods in bid to renew relations.
• 3/18: Shas rabbi Ovadia Yosef compares Sarid to "Haman."
• 3/18: Separatist voted in as next Taiwanese president.
• 3/19: Full cabinet approves 6.1% YESHA withdrawal.
• 3/19: Israeli attorney general considers probe of Yosef for incitement.
• 3/20: Israel, Jews mark Purim holiday.
• 3/20: Ten Palestinians convicted of attempted murder and killing Israelis and collaborators released by Barak.
• 3/20: Pope begins historic Holy Land visit in Jordan.
• 3/20: Three Israelis wounded by terrorists in drive-by shooting.
• 3/21: Pope arrives in Israel for first-ever official visit.
• 3/21: Israel-PA open new round of final-status talks in Washington.
• 3/21: Israel turns over 6.1% of YESHA to PA control.
• 3/21: Hizb’Allah assassinates SLA security official in his home.
• 3/22: Pope visits Bethlehem and Dehaishe refugee camp, restates support for Palestinians; riots erupt in Dehaishe.
• 3/22: Hizb’Allah shells land in Galilee.
• 3/22: Israel protests Arab "incitement" to UN.
• 3/23: Pope visits Yad Vashem; evades specific Shoah apology; Inter-faith session marred by Muslim cleric’s tirade.
• 3/23: SLA soldier killed in Hizb’Allah attack.
• 3/23: Meretz threatens to leave coalition over feud with Shas.
• 3/24: Pope celebrates Galilee Mass for 100,000; meets Barak again.
• 3/24: Lebanese paper calls for Syrian army pullout.
• 3/25: Pope holds Mass in Nazareth as Muslim activists keep low-profile; Jerusalem mufti degrades Holocaust.
• 3/25: Arafat meets Sarid in Ramallah; urges Meretz not to quit coalition.
• 3/25: Lily Sharon, wife of Likud leader Ariel Sharon, dies.
• 3/25: Yosef calls Sarid "Pharaoh"; tensions soar again between Shas and Meretz.
• 3/26: Pope visits Temple Mount, Western Wall, Church of Holy Sepulchre before leaving Israel.
• 3/26: Clinton fails to sway Assad at Geneva summit.
• 3/26: Vladimir Putin wins Russian presidential elections.
• 3/27: A/G decides to investigate Yosef for anti-Sarid remarks; Shas stays in coalition, but thousands rally in support of Rabbi.
• 3/27: Major Yonatan Begin, Menachem’s son, dies in F-16 crash off Haifa.
• 3/27: Government survives five no-confidence votes.
• 3/28: Police recommend indicting former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and wife on charges of fraud, theft of gifts.
• 3/28: Clinton says "ball is in Assad’s court."
• 3/28: US pledges to help with Lebanon withdrawal.
• 3/30: Israeli High Court allows Arab cave-dwellers to return to controversial Maon Farm area; settlers demand same.
• 3/30: Hizb’Allah gunmen hit Israeli outposts near Upper Galilee.
• 3/31: "Land Day" riots leave dozens injured.
• 3/31: Barak blames Syria for Geneva summit failure.
• 3/31: Two SLA soldiers wounded by long-range Hizb’Allah assaults.
• 3/31: Israeli leftists oppose Syrian presence on Kinneret.
• 1 April: Lebanese defense minister suggests Syrian troops fill void after IDF withdrawal to threaten Tel Aviv with missiles.
• 4/1: Poll shows boost in Netanyahu’s popularity after police advise indictment.
• 4/2: US Defense Secretary William Cohen arrives in Israel to start regional tour.
• 4/2: European Union envoy campaigns to break Syrian track deadlock.
• 4/2: Shara acknowledges for first time Bashar Assad will succeed his father Assad.
• 4/3: Barak defends sale of AWACS system to China against US pressure.
• 4/3: Barak admits renewal of Syrian talks now improbable.
• 4/3: SLA commander Gen. Antoine Lahad says SLA will stay and fight after IDF pullback.
• 4/4: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan promises FM Levy support for Lebanon redeployment.
• 4/4: Yosef submits evidence in incitement probe.
• 4/4: Arab students riot at Haifa University over "Land Day" incident.
• 4/5: Lebanese president warns UN of constant border wars after IDF withdraw.
• 4/5: Thousands attend pro-Yosef rally at Western Wall.
• 4/5: Lebanese detainee Ghassan Dirani released from Israeli detention after 14 years.
• 4/6: Sneh admits Lebanon withdrawal could be bloody.
• 4/6: Police recommend closing Weizman case due to lack of evidence and statue of limitations.
• 4/6: IDF again evicts Jewish settlers from Maon Farm.
• 4/7: EU supports unconditional Lebanon withdrawal.
• 4/7: Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz says no IDF bases will be left in Lebanon.
• 4/8: Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien arrives in Israel for regional visit.
• 4/9: Barak tells cabinet Jerusalem will stay united, but excludes Abu Dis from capital.
• 4/9: Hizb’Allah anti-aircraft shell damages border moshav.
• 4/9: Interior Minister Natan Sharansky visits 26,000 Falsha Mura in Ethiopia.
• 4/9: Chretien apologizes for Canada’s Holocaust errors at Yad Vashem.
• 4/10: Lebanon criticizes UN plans to aid IDF pullback.
• 4/10: PA officials warn of violence if Jerusalem area settlements annexed.
• 4/11: Barak meets Clinton in Washington to discuss PA track, Lebanon withdrawal.
• 4/11: British court verdict slams Irving as "Holocaust-denier", "racist", "anti-Semite."
• 4/11: Arab student protests mar opening of Hebrew University’s 75th anniversary.
• 4/12: High Court orders release of 13 out of 15 Lebanese detainees held as bargaining chips for Israeli MIAs.
• 4/12: SLA soldier killed, two wounded in Hizb’Allah attacks.
• 4/12: Chinese President Jiang Zemin begins first official visit to Israel amid AWACS controversy.
• 4/12: Canada’s PM offers to absorb 15,000 Palestinian refugees.
• 4/13: Barak lifts Golan building freeze.
• 4/13: Trial for 13 Iranian Jews is suspended until May 1.
• 4/13: Two roadside bombs explode near Netzarim in Gaza.
• 4/14: Barak stands firm on sale of one AWACS plane to China.
• 4/14: US stock markets record huge one-day points loss.
• 4/15: PM source says Barak ready to cede 70-80% of YESHA for Palestinian state.
• 4/15: Austrian Jews file $18 billion restitution suit in US.
• 4/16: Police recommend indicting Mordechai for indecent contact on three women.
• 4/16: Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) posts largest one-day loss in history.
• 4/16: Lebanese prisoner release postponed.
• 4/17: Israel officially notifies UN of IDF pullout from Lebanon pursuant to resolution 425.
• 4/17: Five convicted for criminal negligence in Maccabiah bridge disaster.
• 4/17: Barak to submit Knesset bill allowing detention of "illegal fighters."
• 4/17: PA rejects Barak proposal to move up part of last interim withdrawal.
• 4/18: Lebanon finally welcomes IDF exit from security zone.
• 4/18: Release of Lebanese detainees delayed by Arad family petition.
• 4/19: Jewish Passover begins.
• 4/19: Hizb’Allah launches strikes to spoil holiday mood in North.
• 4/20: Clinton hosts Arafat at White House to spur sluggish talks.
• 4/20: Nation let down by Maccabiah Tel Aviv loss to Greek team in European basketball final.