Tuesday 2, January 1996: The head of the Israeli delegation to the Israeli-Syrian negotiations in Maryland, Uri Savir, declares that there can be no peace agreement without a meeting between the Syrian president, Hafiz al-Asad, and the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres; meanwhile, several Israeli ministers reveal, on condition of anonymity, that Mr. Peres may call for early elections if an agreement with Syria is not forthcoming.
Wednesday 3, January 1996: : The Lebanese army increases its security measures around the Palestinian refugee camp at 'Ayn al-Hilweh near Sidon; this comes as the Palestinian suspected of masterminding the assassination of Shaykh Nizar Halabi, Ahmad 'Abd al-Karim al-Sa'di, known as Abu Muhjin, refuses to appear before an investigating magistrate.
Thursday 4, January 1996: : The U.S. State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns, declares that peace between Syria and Israel is not yet at hand, although there remains a chance that an agreement will be reached in 1996.
Friday 5, January 1996: : In a speech made soon after his arrival in Beirut, Philippe Seguin reaffirms France's ties with Lebanon, noting also that Lebanon must be granted its place in any regional peace settlement; in a significant sign of French support for wide participation in Lebanon's parliamentary elections, Mr. Seguin remarks that only such participation "will reinforce the legitimacy and representativity of parliament."
Saturday 6, January 1996: : According to informed sources, the French National Assembly speaker, Philippe Seguin, urges the Maronite Patriarch, Nasrallah Sfayr, to encourage strong Christian participation in the forthcoming elections scheduled for next summer; the recommendation is reminiscent of a similar one from the French president Jacques Chirac, when he visited Beirut as mayor of Paris in 1993.
Sunday 7, January 1996: : The head of the Syrian negotiating team with Israel, Walid Mu'allim, declares that if the difficulties with Israel are solved the two sides may arrive at a peace agreement; Mr. Mu'allim also notes that an agreement exists between Syria and Lebanon for the two sides to sign an agreement with Israel at the same time.
Monday 8, January 1996: : The Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, proposes that the Lebanese army deploy to sections of the occupied 'security zone' where it can prove that it is capable of insuring security in the area; observers link the statement to the current deployment of the army around the 'Ayn al-Hilweh camp near Sidon, which precludes any deployment further south, and suggest that Mr. Peres is seeking to discredit the army's capacities.
Tuesday 9, January 1996: On the eve of the arrival in the Middle East of the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, it is announced that Syria and Israel will resume negotiations on January 21 in Maryland; meanwhile, the Lebanese foreign minister, Faris Buwayz, declares that Lebanon refuses to accept the principle of a partial Israeli withdrawal from the south; at the same time the Israeli foreign minister, Ehud Barak, declares that despite Syrian influence over Lebanon, the Israelis will, at the proper moment, negotiate with the Lebanese.
Wednesday 10, January 1996: The U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, arrives in Jerusalem on the first leg of a Middle East tour; he declares that the U.S. will intensify efforts to bring about a Syrian-Israeli peace agreement before the Israeli and U.S. elections later this year.
Thursday 11, January 1996: The French president, Jacques Chirac, declares that France is willing to participate in security guarantees between Syria, Lebanon, and Israel; the statement comes at a time when France is seeking to redefine its role in the Middle East and has been reasserting its presence in the Levant.
Friday 12, January 1996: The U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, achieves partial success in Damascus as he gains agreement on a January 24 resumption date for talks between Syria and Israel; both countries' delegations will reportedly include military experts.
Saturday 13, January 1996: At the Riviera Hotel in Beirut, a national congress of labor and professional unions, representing some 117 associations and unions, demands a 75% increase in salaries in the public and private sectors and a minimum salary of L£500,000; the congress rejects the government's recent proposals on the audio-visual media and on a new rent law.
Sunday 14, January 1996: A day after the announcement of a resumption of talks between Syria and Israel, both countries express their reservations with the progress achieved on Warren Christopher's tour; meanwhile, Israeli sources reveal that the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, intends to call for early general elections.
Monday 15, January 1996: The Syrian foreign minister, Farouq al-Shara', briefs President Hrawi on the results of the Middle East tour of the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, and notes that the U.S. would like to see a breakthrough in the Syrian-Israeli talks in 1996; meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, notes that there has been progress in talks with Israel, while the foreign minister, Ehud Barak, declares that Israel will continue to control Golan water, even after an Israeli withdrawal.
Tuesday 16, January 1996: The French foreign minister, Hervé de Charette, begins a 24-hour visit to Lebanon; like Philippe Seguin earlier in the month, Mr. de Charette calls for "active participation" in the forthcoming parliamentary elections this summer.
Wednesday 17, January 1996: The French foreign minister, Hervé de Charette, announces that the French president, Jacques Chirac, will visit Lebanon in April.
Thursday 18, January 1996: The Syrian president Hafiz al-Asad, tells the French foreign minister, Hervé de Charette, that peace with Israel is possible if the rights of all the parties are respected; meanwhile, the Syrian foreign minister, Farouq al-Shara', declares that Syria hopes to arrive at a "common concept" of mutual security arrangements based on equal and parallel security measures with Israel, when the Syrian-Israeli talks resume on January 24.
Friday 19, January 1996: The military prosecutor asks for the death sentence in the case of the head of the former Guardians of the Cedars militia, Etienne Saqr, for alleged collaboration with Israel.
Sunday 21, January 1996: Elections to the Autonomous Council of the Palestinian autonomous territories lead to a clear-cut victory for the PLO; meanwhile, Yasser Arafat is elected head of state by 88% of electors.
Monday 22, January 1996: After a 13-year interruption, the Beirut Stock Exchange resumes trading; this comes nearly four months after the formal re-opening of the exchange.
Tuesday 23, January 1996: The parliamentary debate on the 1996 budget is delayed for a day, allegedly because of the failure of the minister of state for finance, Fouad al-Sanioura, to present a summary of the budget on time.
Wednesday 24, January 1996: Talks resume between Israel and Syria at Wye Plantation in Maryland; the foreign minister, Ehud Barak, declares, however, that unless a breakthrough is achieved, Israel will interrupt the negotiations to hold early elections.
Thursday 25, January 1996: It appears that the initiative by some 30 deputies to freeze application of the new law on the audio-visual media is destined to come to nothing; observers note that, in part, this is due to support for the law from the speaker of parliament, Nabih Birri, who is expected to open a station of his own under the law.
Friday 26, January 1996: On the eve of the annual meeting of the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council, the body's secretary-general, Nasri al-Khoury, declares that the great challenge for Syria and Lebanon will be to form "a solid unit politically, economically, socially, and educationally."
Saturday 27, January 1996: The Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council holds its annual meeting in the presence of the Syrian and Lebanese presidents; the two sides discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, including the regional peace talks, joint water and electricity projects, and economic matters.
Sunday 28, January 1996:At the conclusion of the annual meeting of the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council, the two sides initial three economic agreements: one on joint border posts; one on the abolition of double taxation; and one on the promotion and guarantee of investments; according to some sources, the two sides also discuss the new election law to govern parliamentary elections next summer.
Monday 29, January 1996: The Egyptian foreign minister, 'Amr Musa, calls for a resumption of the Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, noting that no problem exists between Lebanon and Israel; this comes as the Syrian and Israeli negotiators in Maryland appear to have achieved little progress in their talks.
Tuesday 30, January 1996: The minister Walid Junblat announces that he will visit Damascus on February 5; observers note that the visit may be designed to bring about a reconciliation between Mr. Junblat and the Syrian leadership, which has recently shown signs of its displeasure with the Druze leader.
Wednesday 31, January 1996: President Hrawi proposes a new two-tier electoral system at the level of the qada' in the first round, and Lebanon as one electoral district in a second round; the key to the plan is that in the second round, the list winning a simple majority will win all seats.
Thursday 1, February 1996: The Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, declares that while there has been no breakthrough in the Syrian-Israeli negotiations in Maryland, both Israel and Syria appear ready to make peace with each other; this comes as it seems increasingly likely that Mr. Peres will call for early Israeli elections.
Friday 2, February 1996: Sources reveal that President Hrawi's proposal for a new electoral law was discussed more than once by the leadership troika in Damascus, although the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, denies this; the revelations lead observers to suggest that Mr. Hrawi's proposal was designed to seize the political initiative from the other members of the troika.
Sunday 4, February 1996: A labor union coordinating committee presided by the president of the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (GCLW), Elias Abu Rizq, announces that a "national meeting in support of freedom and defense of democracy and daily bread" will be held at the Carlton Hotel on February 7; the call comes at a time of increasing tension between the government and labor.
Monday 5, February 1996: The U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, begins a diplomatic shuttle mission between Israel and Syria; the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, declares after meeting with Mr. Christopher that, even if Israel holds early elections, this will not affect the dialogue with Syrian.
Tuesday 6, February 1996: The interior minister, Michel al-Murr, declares that parliamentary elections will take place in September and that the government has until March 15 to prepare for it; Mr. Murr also notes that President Hrawi's election law proposal is "serious," adding that his ministry must give some sort of form to the proposal.
Wednesday 7, February 1996: An assembly of labor representatives, opposition deputies, and representatives of the audio-visual media meets at the Carlton Hotel in Beirut; the assembly, held a day after the government passes the controversial new law on the audio-visual media, attacks the government's efforts to curb basic liberties and calls for demonstrations against the government on February 29.
Friday 9, February 1996: The Israeli Labor party and the prime minister, Shimon Peres, hold a 10% lead in opinion polls over the rival Likud party and its leader Benjamin Netanyahu; this despite a recent electoral alliance between Likud and the Tzomet party of Rafael Eytan.
Saturday 10, February 1996: The former prime minister, Omar Karami, tells a delegation of representatives of the audio-visual media that Lebanon risks seeing a "social explosion" due to the fact that the Lebanese are "oppressed"; the statement comes as criticism of the government's socio-economic policies has increased.
Sunday 11, February 1996: Private and public school teachers announce that they will hold a warning strike on February 13 in protest against the government's non-implementation of an agreement providing for a new salary scale.
Monday 12, February 1996: The Israeli government announces that early elections will be held in May; the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, declares that the elections will represent a mandate to negotiate with Syria, and reaffirms that a referendum will be held to approve any withdrawal from the Golan.
Tuesday 13, February 1996: Public and private school teachers hold a one-day protest strike against the government's non-implementation of a pay-scale agreement; the government responds by promising that the agreement will be implemented and will retroactively cover the period beginning on January 1, 1996.
Wednesday 14, February 1996: The government takes a number of social and economic measures, including the approval of a new salary scale for teachers.
Thursday 15, February 1996: At an iftar held at the Ba'bda presidential palace, President Hrawi declares that he is opposed to any election law which could provoke dissension; while the statement comes at a time of growing coolness to the president's election law proposal, observers suggest that the proposal has a chance of being passed.
Friday 16, February 1996: The prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, travels to the Vatican for a meeting with Pope John Paul II; the meeting, which is opposed by the Maronite Church, is reportedly to persuade the Pope to play down some of the more controversial aspects of the final document of the Synod in an apostolic call on Lebanon which he is preparing.
Saturday 17, February 1996: The prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, meets for 25 minutes with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican; sources suggest that Mr. Hariri was likely got nothing from the Vatican in the way of concessions the Pope's apostolic call on Lebanon.
Sunday 18, February 1996: At the LNC meeting in Paris, participants outline the movement's conditions for participation in Lebanon's forthcoming parliamentary elections; observers remark that the conditions are less stringent than those set in the past by General Aoun.
Monday 19, February 1996: The new U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Richard Jones, arrives in Beirut, replacing Mark Hambley, who left Lebanon reportedly for health reasons; sources suggest that Washington had pulled out Mr. Hambley in protest against Lebanon's unwillingness to agree to a meeting between Presidents Clinton and Hrawi.
Thursday 22, February 1996: The LNC issues a final communiqué, in reality the outlines of a political program, after its meeting in Paris; among other things, while the congress fails to indicate whether it will participate in the elections, it calls for monitoring of the election process by international organizations and Lebanese NGOs.
Friday 23, February 1996: Hizballah proposes an exchange deal, whereby it will exchange 19 South Lebanon Army (SLA) militiamen for 200 prisoners of the Khiyam prison; Israel, meanwhile, rejects another deal whereby Hizballah agreed to return the bodies of two Israeli soldiers for the release of two leading Islamist militants abducted by Israel.
Sunday 25, February 1996: Sources reveal that while the government may accept to compromise on some of the socio-economic demands of the GCLW, it will not do so on the political demands: these include an end to the ban on demonstrations and revision of the new law on the audio-visual media.
Monday 26, February 1996: A confrontation between the GCLW and the government appears inevitable as both sides refuse to compromise on the main bone of contention dividing them: the revocation of a government ban on demonstrations; the government is expected to call in the army to impose its ban on the February 29 GCLW demonstration.
Tuesday 27, February 1996: The prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, announces that the army will be called in to impose a ban on the GCLW demonstration of February 29 and will be in charge of security for a period of three months; observers note that the three-month deadline indicates the government's intention to use the army in the future to prevent opposition to its decisions.
Wednesday 28, February 1996: Hours before a general strike and demonstrations scheduled by the GCLW, the Lebanese army announces that Lebanon will be under a curfew on Thursday; the move, which is seen as a means to avoid a confrontation between the army and labor, is embarrassing to the government which had hoped to use the army to break the will of the GCLW; the GCLW announces the postponement of its demonstrations
Thursday 29, February 1996: Beirut and much of Lebanon is affected by a general strike and curfew; the members of the leadership troika meet in the evening to examine ways to end the confrontation between labor and the government.
Friday 1, March 1996: Official sources in Paris reveal that President Jacques Chirac will visit Beirut in the first week of April; the announcement is a boost to Prime Minister Hariri, coming a day after the general strike called by labor.
Saturday 2, March 1996: At a study session called by the Nadwet al-'Amal al-Watani, the deputy and former prime minister, Salim al-Hoss, declares that President Hrawi's election proposal is "unjust for the voter and the candidate."
Monday 4, March 1996: Two separate attacks by Hizballah and the Palestinian Revolutionary Muslim Army in southern Lebanon cause the death of four Israeli soldiers, including a colonel; the attacks take place following a suicide bombing by Hamas in Tel Aviv, and not for the first time appears to show coordination between Palestinian and Lebanese militant Islamic movements.
Tuesday 5, March 1996: A day after a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, Israel, the PLO, and the United States, accuse Iran of assisting Hamas and take measures to curb further attacks by Islamists; Islamist organizations in Beirut brace for possible Israeli retaliation against Lebanese territory.
Wednesday 6, March 1996: Samir Franjiyyeh, an advisor to the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, and secretary-general of the Permanent Congress for a Lebanese Dialogue, calls for the establishment of a "third force" in Lebanese politics, between the supporters of the state and the opposition; while close to Mr. Hariri, Mr. Franjiyyeh is known to have had his differences with the prime minister.
Thursday 7, March 1996: It is announced that an international conference on terrorism will be held at Sharm al-Shaykh on March 13; meanwhile, the Lebanese army reinforces its positions along Israel's self-declared 'security zone' to prevent any expulsion of militant Islamists by Israel to Lebanon.
Friday 8, March 1996: For the first time in six months, the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, meets with the secretary-general of the GCLW, Elias Abu Rizq; the meeting appears to be the first sign of the seriousness of the dialogue between the government and labor, although major obstacles remain between the two sides.
Saturday 9, March 1996: It becomes increasingly apparent that the Sharm-al-Shayk conference will center around providing a new impetus to the Middle East peace negotiations rather than merely seeking to isolate states accused of supporting "terrorism" like Iran.
Sunday 10, March 1996: In messages to the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, and the Russian foreign minister, Evgeny Primakov, the Syrian government calls for a reactivation of the Madrid conference; while the statement does not make reference to the Sharm al-Shaykh conference, it is seen as an effort to avoid Syria's growing isolation which Sharm al-Shaykh may initiate.
Monday 11, March 1996: Lebanon officially declares its intention not to participate at the Sharm-al-Shayk conference; meanwhile, the Lebanese prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, is received by President Asad in Damascus to coordinate the Lebanese and Syrian positions.
Tuesday 12, March 1996: It is reported that disagreements exist between the U.S. and European states on whether the Sharm-al-Shayk conference should seek to isolate Iran; similarly, Israel and Egypt are said to disagree over whether the conference should be centered on condemning terrorism or revitalizing the regional peace negotiations.
Wednesday 13, March 1996: The Sharm-al-Shaykh conference, held in the presence of Arab, Israeli, and world leaders, issues a final declaration reconfirming the support of all the participants for the peace negotiations and their opposition to "terrorism"; one of the more notable events at the conference is a meeting between the Saudi foreign minister, Sa'ud al-Faysal, and the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres.
Thursday 14, March 1996: The Israeli foreign minister, Ehud Barak, declares that Israel will not resume a dialogue with Syria unless it unequivocally condemns "terrorist activities."
Friday 15, March 1996: The Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, declares that Israel is not ready "to dance to the tune of Hizballah"; meanwhile the deputy-defense minister, Ori Orr, notes that Israel intends to reinforce its military activities in south Lebanon.
Saturday 16, March 1996: The coordinator of Israeli activities in Lebanon, Uri Lubrani, declares that if Hizballah continues to raise the tension in southern Lebanon, then modifications to the unofficial 1993 agreement between the organization and Israel will be inevitable.
Sunday 17, March 1996: On the second day of an official visit to Egypt, the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, meets with the Egyptian president, Husni Mubarak; Lebanon and Egypt sign three economic agreements.
Monday 18, March 1996: The U.S. embassy in Beirut issues a strongly worded statement criticizing the release of two individuals involved in the 1976 murder of the U.S ambassador, Francis Melloy; the statement, which against diplomatic protocol was sent to newspapers first, implicitly sees the release as a reaction to the Sharm al-Shaykh conference.
Tuesday 19, March 1996: The Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, declares that the likelihood of an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon is low; this comes after Israeli television reports that the United States had intervened to prevent such an attack.
Wednesday 20, March 1996: A Hizballah militant carries out a suicide bombing attack on an Israeli convoy, killing an Israeli officer; meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, declares that there can be no resumption of negotiations with Syria unless its ceases supporting Hizballah.
Thursday 21, March 1996: The Israeli foreign minister, Ehud Barak, calls on Lebanon to dismantle Hizballah; the Hizballah secretary-general, Shaykh Hasan Nasrallah, responds that the resistance will continue until the end of the Israeli occupation.
Friday 22, March 1996: The United States invites Lebanon to participate in a follow-up meeting on terrorism scheduled to be held in Washington by states participating at the Sharm al-Shaykh conference; Lebanon declines the invitation.
Sunday 24, March 1996: Syria officially rejects an Israeli demand that Damascus cease assisting Hizballah as a precondition for a resumption of talks between Syria and Israel; meanwhile the Syrian ambassador in Washington announces that Syria will not participate in the Washington follow-up meeting on terrorism scheduled at the Sharm al-Shaykh conference.
Monday 25, March 1996: Differences appear between the United States and Israel on the one hand, and European states, notably France, on the other over the negotiating agenda of the follow-up session to the Sharm al-Shaykh conference; France is reportedly displeased that the agenda will concentrate on terrorism and not political issues.
Tuesday 26, March 1996: The former U.S. president, George Bush, arrives in Beirut at the end of a ten-country tour of states which participated in the anti-Iraqi coalition; Mr. Bush's visit was organized by the businessman 'Isam Fares.
February 1996
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March 1996