Monday 1, April 1996: The General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (GCLW) decides to organize a protest sit-in before parliament on the occasion of a speech to the body by the French president, Jacques Chirac, on April 4; an increasing number of people, including many deputies, criticize the decision.
* According to the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR),
Lebanon's reconstruction effort has brought in some $2.7bn in foreign
financing, of which 85% are loans.
Tuesday 2, April 1996: On the eve of the arrival in Beirut of Jacques Chirac, the spokeswoman of the Elysée Palace, Catherine Colonna, declares that, during his visit, Mr. Chirac will express France's support for Lebanese sovereignty and will call for widespread participation in the forthcoming legislative elections.
Wednesday 3, April 1996: The speaker of parliament, Nabih Birri, declares that unless the government presents a new election law by the second week of April, the parliament will present a law of its own; this comes at a time of divisions within the political hierarchy over the nature of such a law.
* At a conference organized jointly by Lebanese NGOs and the UNDP, the
minister for social affairs, Estephan Douayhi, declares that some 1m Lebanese
live below the poverty line.
Thursday 4, April 1996: The French president, Jacques Chirac, arrives in Beirut on a three-day visit; in a speech before parliament, he expresses his faith in Lebanon's future, calls on the Lebanese to participate in the forthcoming elections, and declares that France will not allow a regional settlement that fails to guarantee Lebanon's independence and sovereignty.
* The army prevents the GCLW leadership from holding a protest sit-in near
parliament; the widespread opposition to the sit-in is seen as a significant
setback for the confederation.
Friday 5, April 1996: On the second day of his visit to Lebanon, President Chirac meets with the Maronite patriarch, Nasrallah Sfayr, and visits UNIFIL headquarters at Naqoura in the occupied `security zone' in the south; Mr. Chirac is also invited to dinner at the residence of the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, at which several social and economic agreements are signed.
Saturday 6, April 1996: President Chirac ends his three-day visit to Lebanon and goes on to Egypt; the visit of the French president is seen as a success by a wide segment of the political class.
* In an interview with Le Figaro, the former army commander, Michel
Aoun, declares that Mr. Chirac's speech to parliament on April 4, while it "was
favorable to Lebanon," threatened to "prolong the present situation."
Sunday 7, April 1996: The Maronite patriarch, Nasrallah Sfayr, condemns the decision of the security forces to prevent northern villagers from coming to Bkirki on April 5 to greet President Chirac; he declares that a climate of "repression and coercion" exists in the country.
Monday 8, April 1996: A bomb kills one adolescent and injures two others in Bira`shit in the south central part of Israel's self-declared `security zone'; Hizballah accuses Israel of having violated the July 1993 understanding which prevents attacks against civilians.
* In Cairo, the French president, Jacques Chirac, defines a new French
policy towards the Middle East; he notes it this will be built around promoting
a regional peace settlement, a new Mediterranean policy, economic cooperation,
and recognition of both the rights of all states in the region to be
independent and secure and of the Arab states to be united and to live in
mutual solidarity with each other.
Tuesday 9, April 1996: Hizballah fires three salvoes of katyusha rockets at the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona in retaliation for the death of an adolescent on Monday; some 30 Israelis are injured, and Israeli aircraft bombard several villages near the `security zone.'
* Opposition representatives present President Hrawi with a memorandum
outlining the opposition's conditions for participation in the forthcoming
parliamentary elections; this represents the first serious effort by the
opposition to open up towards the post-Ta'if leadership.
Wednesday 10, April 1996: The tension remains high in southern Lebanon as a Hizballah attack leads to the death of one Israeli soldier and the injury of two others; this comes as several Israeli officials suggest that a major Israeli operation against Lebanon may be forthcoming.
* The parliament speaker, Nabih Birri, goes back on a previous statement
and suggests that there is no hurry to come up with an election law; meanwhile,
the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, declares that he will not participate in
the parliamentary elections.
Thursday 11, April 1996: Israeli air and ground mounts bomb Hizballah positions throughout Lebanon, including, for the first time since 1982, positions in the southern suburbs of Beirut; the attacks are seen as the beginning of a major Israeli effort to change the July 1993 understanding prior to the Israeli elections of May 29; the Clinton administration accuses Hizballah of being responsible for the attacks.
* Twenty deputies meet at the home of the former speaker of parliament,
Husayn al-Husayni, and demand that a new election law be based on the five
muhafazats as electoral districts.
Friday 12, April 1996: On the second day of the Israeli military operations against Lebanon, codenamed Grapes of Wrath, 13 people are killed and 39 others are injured; 150,000 people are estimated to have left the south; the Israeli objective appears to be to force Syria and Lebanon to disarm Hizballah.
* Hizballah calls for an electoral law which will create nine electoral
districts; the move is seen as an effort to consolidate the party's electoral
base in the Ba`lbak-Hermel region.
Saturday 13, April 1996: After meeting with Syrian officials in Damascus, the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, begins a diplomatic tour to build up opposition to the Israeli attacks against Lebanon; Mr. Hariri is to visit Cairo, Paris, Rabat, and Riyadh.
* In the ongoing Israeli military operations against Lebanon, the
Israeli navy blockades the ports of Beirut, Sidon, and Tyre; meanwhile, the
Israeli army instructs the inhabitants of Tyre to evacuate the city before it
is bombarded.
* UNIFIL announces that 5,000 Lebanese civilians have sought refuge in the
force's bases in southern Lebanon.
Sunday 14, April 1996: According to reports from the foreign ministry, the ambassadors of the U.S., Great Britain, and Russia asked the Lebanese government to disarm Hizballah; meanwhile, Hizballah rocket attacks against northern Israel continue, despite the Israeli bombardments.
* Israeli aircraft bombard an electrical transformation and distribution
station at Jamhour, southeast of Beirut.
Monday 15, April 1996: Despite regional and international diplomatic efforts, notably the beginning of a "fact-finding" mission to the region by the French foreign minister, Hervé de Charette, Israel continues its attacks against Lebanon; a special session of the UN Security Council meets to discuss developments, although U.S. diplomats note that Washington will veto any resolution hostile to Israel.
Tuesday 16, April 1996: For the second time in two days, Israeli aircraft bombard an electricity transformation and distribution station, this time in Bsalim, east of Beirut; the electricity minister, Elie Hubayqah announces that power will be rationed down to four hours a day.
Wednesday 17, April 1996: In the first sign of diplomatic progress since the beginning of Grapes of Wrath, France and the United States present separate plans for the resolution of the conflict; the French plan seeks a return to the July 1993 understanding, albeit in a more formal way, while the U.S. plan aims to limit Hizballah attacks even against the `security zone'; this comes as reports suggest that the U.S. is also attempting to involve Syria in security in the south.
* The prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, travels to Britain where he meets
with the prime minister, John Major; this follows a statement by the British
foreign minister, Malcolm Rifkind, supporting Grapes of Wrath.
Thursday 18, April 1996: The south suffers its bloodiest day of fighting since the beginning of the Israeli attacks against Lebanon as 115 people are killed in separate Israeli bombardments of a UN position at Qana and a home in Nabatiyyeh; Israel declares that its bombardment of Qana, which led to the death of 102 civilians, was a mistake, although the UNIFIL spokesman, Timur Göksel, casts doubt on the allegation.
* Eighteen Greek tourists, apparently mistaken for Israelis, are
assassinated in Cairo in what appears to be a revenge operation for the Grapes
of Wrath operation.
Friday 19, April 1996: The U.S. coordinator for the Middle East peace talks, Dennis Ross, travels to the Middle East to prepare for the arrival of the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, on April 20; U.S. urgency appears to be linked to the Qana massacre and a growing sentiment that Grapes of Wrath is getting out of control.
Saturday 20, April 1996: The U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, arrives in the Middle East and holds talks with the Syrian president, Hafiz al-Asad; Mr. Asad is reported to have asked for a written reaffirmation of the July 1993 understanding, which is a central proposal of the French plan which the U.S. has opposed.
* A gathering of representatives from most political and religious
persuasions is held at the Alexander Hotel in East Beirut to express solidarity
with the south; notably absent from the gathering are representatives from the
Maronite Patriarchate, Aounists, and members of the National Liberal Party.
Sunday 21, April 1996: In the ongoing search for a solution to the crisis in Lebanon, the French, Italian, and Russian foreign ministers travel to Beirut; it is increasingly apparent that the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, is having difficulty bringing about a cease-fire.
Monday 22, April 1996: Reports suggest that agreement may be reached by April 23 for a written but unsigned understanding to put an end to the Grapes of Wrath operation; meanwhile, a national day of mourning is held for the 102 civilians killed at Qana.
* The Assembly of Maronite Patriarchs issues a communiqué calling
for a cease-fire and requesting that government authority be re-established in
the south; in a similar vein, the Higher Shi`a Council also calls for a
settlement, but insists that unlike 1993 the Lebanese state be involved in it.
Tuesday 23, April 1996: President Elias Hrawi makes a speech before the U.N. General Assembly condemning Israel's attacks against Lebanon and demanding that compensation be paid to the victims.
* The Syrian president, Hafiz al-Asad, refuses to see the U.S. secretary of
state, Warren Christopher, on his arrival from Israel; the move is seen as a
Syrian effort to heighten the pressure on Israel and the U.S., who are eager to
come to a quick settlement to the Lebanese crisis.
Wednesday 24, April 1996: President Hrawi meets with President Clinton at the White House where Mr. Clinton reaffirms that all foreign forces must leave Lebanon; meanwhile, as an agreement continues to be awaited, the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, holds talks in Shtaura with Prime Minister Hariri and the speaker of parliament, Nabih Birri.
* In a historic move, the Palestine Liberation Organization amends the
clauses of its charter calling for the destruction of Israel.
Thursday 25, April 1996: As an agreement to the Lebanese crisis continues to be negotiated, Israeli military pressure mounts in the south and centers on cutting off road communications between towns and villages; the coastal road between Beirut and Sidon is closed for the seventh consecutive day by naval bombardment.
* The Israeli Labor party changes the clause in its platform rejecting the
establishment of a Palestinian state.
Friday 26, April 1996: An understanding is reached between all sides to put an end to the crisis in Lebanon; the written but unsigned understanding is effectively a return to the July 1993 understanding, but also calls for the formation of a commission to monitor the understanding, to include Lebanon, Israel, Syria, the U.S., and France.
* The deputy secretary-general of Hizballah tells the daily
L'Orient-Le Jour that the party will not pay the cost of a settlement in
the south; he also denies that the agreement being negotiated may be a first
step in controlling Hizballah's military activities.
Saturday 27, April 1996: Attempting to draw some benefit from the `April understanding,' the Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, notes that the decision to establish a cease-fire commission with Israeli and Syrian participants represents a full-fledged agreement between the sides.
* As refugees begin returning to their villages, preliminary
estimates put the cost of the Israeli attacks against Lebanon at some $500m.
Sunday 28, April 1996: The Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, begins an official visit to the United States amid visible U.S. efforts to buttress his position in the forthcoming Israeli elections; the U.S. defense secretary, William Perry, announces that several military agreements have been concluded between Israel and the U.S.
* Electricity rationing in Beirut is ended amid indications that the
government purposely dramatized the effects of the Israeli air attacks against
two distribution stations near Beirut to avoid further attacks.
Monday 29, April 1996: At a press Beirut press conference, the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, declares that the April understanding applies also to the civilians in the Israeli-occupied `security zone'; Mr. Hariri adds that the resistance "is not an end in itself" and that only the Lebanese state can define what is in the national interest.
Tuesday 30, April 1996: The victims of the massacre at Qana are buried near the U.N. base where they were killed by Israeli shelling.
* On his return from the United States, President Hrawi visits the French
president, Jacques Chirac, in Paris to thank him for France's efforts in
Lebanon; President Chirac stresses that measures must take place to implement
resolution 425 and disarm Hizballah.
Wednesday 1, May 1996: The Council of Ministers raises private-sector salaries by an average rate of 11%; the measure is opposed by the main independent labor union, the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (GCLW), which had demanded a 75% increase.
* According to Jane's[dieresis] citing a preliminary version of the
U.N. report on the bombing of Qana, the Israeli action was premeditated and
designed to kill as many civilians as possible; the U.S. State Department
spokesman rejects the conclusions of the report.
Friday 3, May 1996: In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, declares that he believes that Syrian suspicion of Israel is such that he no longer is convinced that President Asad will be able to conclude a peace settlement with Israel; Mr. Christopher adds that although he was snubbed by Mr. Asad in April, he could not walk away from the negotiations to end the crisis in Lebanon.
* Representatives of employers reject the government's average 11% increase
private-sector wages; while the government decision is binding, employers argue
that the measure will limit economic growth.
Saturday 4, May 1996: President Asad and President Hrawi hold a summit meeting in Lataqiyyeh and discuss, among other things, the monitoring commission established by the April understanding; Syria is privately wary of making the commission appear to be a confidence-building measure between it and Israel.
Sunday 5, May 1996: The National Progressive Front in Syria, a coalition of several parties that in formal terms serves as the government's highest authority, issues a statement noting that U.S. support for Israel contradicts Washington's role as mediator in the Middle East peace talks.
* As final-status talks begin between the Palestinians and Israel, the
Palestinians note that they will seek the establishment of a Palestinian state
in the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Monday 6, May 1996: Israel makes public a letter from the U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against Hizballah attacks in case of a violation of the April understanding; the letter, which is understood to be an addendum to the understanding, goes some way to maintaining Israel's margin of military maneuver in the south.
Tuesday 7, May 1996: Several Israeli political figures, including the prime minister, Shimon Peres, try to discredit a yet-to-be-published report by the United Nations which contradicts the Israeli claim that the Qana massacre was a mistake; according to U.N. sources, a member of UNIFIL filmed a reconnaissance drone flying over the area at the time of the bombardment.
* The foreign minister, Faris Buwayz, announces that the monitoring
committee established by the April understanding will hold its first meeting in
Washington on May 10; meanwhile the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, goes to
Rome to gain support for the creation of a European fund to help Lebanon's
reconstruction.
Wednesday 8, May 1996: The U.N. releases its report on the Qana massacre and concludes that, although there was a possibility that Israel committed an error in bombing the U.N. camp, there was a strong likelihood that the bombing was intentional.
* Hizballah takes several journalists on a tour of its military positions
in the Iqlim al-Touffah region east of Sidon; the effort is seen as both a show
of force by the party, and a message that it will not pay the price for a
Syrian-Israeli settlement.
Thursday 9, May 1996: A day after the U.N. releases its report on the bombing of Qana, Israeli officials issue statements questioning the credibility of UNIFIL; an Israeli representative at the U.N. goes so far as to suggest that the international body should reconsider whether to extend UNIFIL's mandate.
* Two South Lebanon Army (SLA) members are injured in a bomb blast in the
central sector of Israel's `security zone'; while this represents the first
break in the cease-fire since April 26, it does not appear to violate the rules
of the April understanding.
Friday 10, May 1996: In Washington, the first meeting is held of the committee established to supervise the implementation of the April understanding; while the atmosphere is described as "constructive," no substantial progress takes place.
* An SLA member is killed in a resistance attack near Jizzîn, the
second such attack since the imposition of the April understanding.
Sunday 12, May 1996: Five Israeli soldiers are injured in a Hizballah attack in the `security zone' in southern Lebanon; the attack, which provokes repeated Israeli bombardment of areas in the Iqlim al-Touffah and the western Biqa`, appears to be an effort to affect the outcome of negotiations in Washington for the formation of a committee to supervise the implementation of the April understanding.
* A summit meeting is held in Cairo between President Mubarak of Egypt,
King Husayn of Jordan, and Yasir Arafat; the three leaders note that they have
formed a "sacred alliance" to combat militant Islamism.
Monday 13, May 1996: In a major, though unofficial, change in the government's reconstruction program, the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, tells EU foreign ministers that Lebanon needs to spend $5bn in the next five years for its reconstruction program; this is a substantial reduction given the government's initial intention to spend up to $13bn by the year 2002, and appears to be a response to a World Bank report that the reconstruction program needs to be cut back.
* It is announced that an extraordinary session of parliament will be held
in June and July, in all likelihood to pass a new parliamentary election law.
Tuesday 14, May 1996: In Washington, participants in the committee to monitor the April understanding agree that the committee's headquarters will be situated in Naqoura, the formal location of the Israeli-Lebanese armistice commission; this represents a success for Lebanon and Syria, which had tabled the demand.
* Lebanon agrees to extradite the a Palestinian, Yasir Shraydi, to Germany
for his alleged involvement in the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque in
1986; the bombing had been blamed by the U.S. on Libya.
Wednesday 15, May 1996: The minister for the displaced, Walid Junblat, meets with the Maronite patriarch, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfayr; the meeting is described as "positive."
* Following a meeting with President Hrawi, the deputy Suleiman
Franjiyyeh declares, in reference to the forthcoming elections, that "the
Christians should not exclude themselves from the system."
Thursday 16, May 1996: Participants in the committee to monitor the April understanding agree on a draft document setting down the modalities for the committee's actions; the document must be approved by the governments of the countries involved.
* The U.S. ambassador in Beirut, Richard Jones, meets with the Maronite
patriarch, Cardinal Nasrallah Sfayr, in Bkirki; he declares that the
parliamentary elections must take place on time, and must be free and fair.
Friday 17, May 1996: President Hrawi visits Qana with representatives of Arab parliaments, who arrive from Damascus where they held a general meeting, and calls on the Arab states to stand by Lebanon.
* Prime Minister Hariri is received by Pope John Paul II and asks him to
intervene to prevent a recurrence of Israeli attacks against Lebanon; it is the
second meeting between the two men this year.
Saturday 18, May 1996: Patriarch Sfayr visits President Hrawi at his newly-built residence in Ba`bda to discuss the controversial election law proposal that would organize elections at the level of the muhafaza throughout Lebanon, except in Mount Lebanon, where the qada' would be the electoral district; Patriarch Sfayr reaffirms his call for an equitable division of voting districts.
Sunday 19, May 1996: The foreign minister, Faris Buwayz, holds a meeting in Syria with the Syrian president, Hafiz al-Asad; both men are said to have discussed the ongoing negotiations in Washington to set up a committee to monitor the April understanding.
* Hizballah militants attack Israeli forces in the central district
of Israel's self-declared `security zone'; Israeli forces respond by bombing
Kfartebnit and injuring a civilian; both Lebanese and Israeli officials accuse
the other of violating the April understanding.
Monday 20, May 1996: Negotiators in Washington participating in the committee to monitor the April understanding continue to disagree over two issues: the period of retaliation in case of violations, and the voting procedure within the committee.
* A 24-hour strike by Middle East Airlines and Trans Mediterranean Airlines
employees closes down Beirut airport.
Tuesday 21, May 1996: The French authorities prevent the former army commander, General Michel Aoun, from speaking at the European parliament in Strasbourg; the French government declares that the general's participation would violate the conditions under which he was exiled.
Wednesday 22, May 1996: A row between General Michel Aoun and the French government leads to the removal of the French security detail which guarded the general's house; this comes after General Aoun issued a formal complaint that he was being "arbitrarily sequestered."
* Israel and the South Lebanon Army (SLA) hold joint military maneuvers in
Israel's occupied `security zone'; the maneuvers, which involve some 300 men,
come as Hizballah has resumed attacks against Israeli soldiers and SLA members.
Thursday 23, May 1996: Parliament votes in favor of an amended version of a law on the audio-visual media, which had set a two-month deadline for stations to apply for licenses; the amended law delays the deadline date until September or October, when a new government is expected to be in place.
* A Palestinian, Yasir Shraydi, is extradited to Germany to face trial for
his alleged participation in the bombing of the La Belle discotheque in West
Berlin in 1986; the extradition comes as the foreign minister, Faris Buwayz, is
in Germany on an official visit.
Friday 24, May 1996: After weeks of deliberations, lawyers begin making their final statements in the Zouq bombing trial; the public prosecutor, Adnan `Addoum, calls for the death penalty against, among others, Samir Geagea and Gerges Khoury, and for a life sentence against Fouad Malek; a verdict is expected on July 13.
Sunday 26, May 1996: A Greenpeace official, Fouad Hamdan, declares that the cement factories in Chekka and Sel`ata are a major source of pollution in the Mediterranean; the environment minister, Pierre Pharaon, responds that the environmental group is trying to destroy the tourist season in Lebanon.
Monday 27, May 1996: The prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, travels to Brussels to meet with officials of the European Union; Mr. Hariri is particularly keen to activate the international consultative committee on reconstruction established by the April understanding.
* Lebanon's Shi`a community commemorates `Ashoura, with demonstrations in
the south and the southern suburbs of Beirut; the Hizballah secretary-general,
Shaykh Hasan Nasrallah, uses the occasion to attack the Prime Minister Hariri's
critical attitude towards the party.
Wednesday 29, May 1996: Israel holds general elections for a new Knesset and prime minister; early results show that the current prime minister, Shimon Peres, leads his Likud rival Binyamin Netanyahu by a slight margin.
* A remote-controlled bomb explosion kills two members of the SLA in the
central sector of the `security zone' in south Lebanon.
Thursday 30, May 1996: In a turnaround in the Israeli elections, the Likud candidate, Binyamin Netanyahu, edges out ahead of the Labor candidate Shimon Peres.
* A Hizballah attack near Marja`youn causes the death of four Israeli
soldiers; this comes as the fate of the committee to monitor the April
understanding looks increasingly uncertain.
Friday 31, May 1996: The Likud candidate, Binyamin Netanyahu, is formally elected prime minister of Israel; in the Knesset, however, both Likud and Labor lose seats to the religious parties.
* Israeli aircraft bomb a Hizballah base near Ba`lbak, injuring four
civilians; Hizballah accuses the Israelis of violating the April understanding.
Sunday 2, June 1996: Following the election of Binyamin Netanyahu as Israeli prime minister, President Asad of Syria and President Hrawi hold a meeting in Lataqiyyeh to coordinate their positions.
* Binyamin Netanyahu reaffirms before Likud militants his desire to
continue the peace negotiations with Israel's Arab neighbors; he fails to
specifically mention Syria and Lebanon, however.
* As the time approaches to present a new parliamentary election law,
debate over a proposal to have elections at the level of the muhafaza,
except in Mount Lebanon, sparks controversy; several leading Christian
deputies, including Faris Buwayz and Nassib Lahoud, argue that the proposal
would be inequitable.
Monday 3, June 1996: In Cairo, the Egyptian and Syrian presidents, Hosni Mubarak and Hafiz al-Asad, call for an Arab League summit to establish a unified position towards the new Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu; Mr. Mubarak adds, however, that the Arabs should take time to see how the Israeli prime minister acts.
Tuesday 4, June 1996: The U.S. State Department announces that several bomb explosions took place in Syria in May, but does not specify their origin; sources suggest that the explosions were the work of Turkey, which has been increasing pressure on Syria to cease its support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Wednesday 5, June 1996: King Husayn of Jordan, President Mubarak of Egypt, and Yasir Arafat meet in Aqaba to consult on the next phase of relations with Israel; the three leaders take a moderate position and agree that the new Israeli government must be given time to see what direction it will take in the regional negotiations.
* A SLA member is killed by a remote-controlled bomb explosion in the
central sector of the `security zone'; this brings to four the number of SLA
members killed since the April 26 cease-fire which ended Grapes of Wrath.
Thursday 6, June 1996: Binyamin Netanyahu declares that he desires the continuation of talks with Syria, but that this does not imply that Israel will give up the Golan; he adds that "there are other ways of establishing a climate of confidence [with Syria]."
* After a meeting in Ba`bda presided over by President Hrawi, and including
the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, and the parliament speaker, Nabih Birri,
it is agreed that the capital of Middle East Airlines will be increased by
$225m.
Friday 7, June 1996: In Riyadh, Crown Prince Abdallah of Saudi Arabia, President Mubarak, and President Asad meet amidst ongoing Arab efforts to define a common position after the Israeli elections.
* Negotiations continue in Israel for the formation of a new government; in
a significant development, the former defense minister, Ariel Sharon, a Likud
hard-liner, is refused the finance ministry, which he had demanded.
Saturday 8, June 1996: Yet another meeting is held between Arab leaders in Damascus, and includes President Asad, Crown Prince Abdallah, and President Mubarak; Lebanon is notably absent from the Damascus summit.
Sunday 9, June 1996: Arab leaders meeting in Damascus announce that an Arab League summit will be held in Cairo between June 21 and 23; this would represent the first summit in six years between Arab states.
* The Israeli prime minister-elect, Binyamin Netanyahu, announces that the
next Israeli foreign minister will be David Levy, who held the post under the
previous Likud prime minister, Yitzhak Shamir.
Monday 10, June 1996: Five Israeli soldiers are killed and another eight injured in a Hizballah attack in the central sector of the `security zone'; meanwhile, Hizballah announces that it will transform the occupied area "into a volcano."
* The U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, asks the Arab states to
avoid taking steps which may slam the door on the peace negotiations.
Tuesday 11, June 1996: Following a series of devastating attacks against its forces in southern Lebanon, Israel threatens to retaliate against Lebanese civilians; this would represent a violation of the April understanding, which, to date, Hizballah has respected.
* In its policy statement, the Netanyahu government calls for negotiations
with Syria on the future of the Golan "without prior conditions"; this appears
to represent a concession in that Mr. Netanyahu had ruled out withdrawal from
the Golan as a basis for negotiations.
Wednesday 12, June 1996: A day after the visit of the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri to Damascus, President Hrawi holds five hours of talks with President Asad; the two men are said to have discussed a number of issues, including the regional situation, the elections in Lebanon, and the situation in southern Lebanon.
* The former deputy, Yahya Shamas, is sentenced to seven years in prison
for drug trafficking; Mr. Shamas has already been in prison for two years.
Thursday 13, June 1996: The Maronite League accuses the government of seeking to marginalize the Christians through its proposed election law; this comes as the interior minister, Michel al-Murr, holds meetings with regional administrative officials in initial organizational steps for the elections.
* The Arab League secretary-general, Esmat `Abd al-Meguid, declares that
the Arabs are not looking for a confrontation or escalation with Israel through
the Arab League summit, "but want to obtain a just and durable peace."
Friday 14, June 1996: At a conference on Jerusalem organized by the Near East Council of Churches, religious leaders reject the "judaization of the city" and Israel's claim that Jerusalem is the unified and eternal capital of Israel; among the participants are the pope of the Copts, Chenouda III, and the patriarchal vicar of Jerusalem, Hilarion Capucci.
* The U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, declares that he hopes
he can build a relationship with the new Israeli government that is as strong
and productive as that with the Rabin-Peres government.
Saturday 15, June 1996: Ahmad Hallaq, who is standing trial for planting a bomb in the Sfayr district of the southern suburbs of Beirut in December 1994, admits to having been recruited by the Israeli intelligence services.
Sunday 16, June 1996: Turkey's Anatolian press agency confirms that Syrian troops are massing on the Turkish-Syrian border; this comes at a time of increased tension between Turkey and Syria.
* The Israeli army confirms that it is detaining a Lebanese journalist, Ali
Diya, for alleged collaboration with Hizballah.
Monday 17, June 1996: The Israeli government's political program is made public and is built around the following principles: no to a Palestinian state; yes to the expansion of settlements in occupied Arab territories; and yes to continued Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.
* The tension between Syria and Turkey decreases as both countries play
down the importance of troop movements along their border.
Tuesday 18, June 1996: Binyamin Netanyahu's new government is approved by the Knesset; it includes David Levy as foreign minister, Yitzhak Mordechai as defense minister, and Rafaël Eytan as agriculture minister; a super-ministry of infrastructure is offered to Ariel Sharon, who asks for time to consider the offer.
* At the end of a meeting in Paris between General Aoun, Dory Chamoun, and
Amin Gemayel, the three opposition figures declare that the forthcoming
parliamentary elections will apparently be "neither free nor fair"; they avoid
calling for a boycott, however.
Wednesday 19, June 1996: In a surprise move, the committee to monitor the April understanding holds a meeting in Washington presided over by the U.S. coordinator of the Middle East peace negotiations, Dennis Ross; the parties reportedly discuss only technical issues.
* The government fails to pass a draft election law as a proposal is
floated to raise the number of parliamentary deputies from 128 to 132.
Thursday 20, June 1996: The decision to increase the number of deputies in parliament is criticized by most politicians; the proposal was apparently an effort by the parliament speaker, Nabih Birri, and the prime minister, Rafiq al-Hariri, to increase the number of seats under their control or that of their allies.
Friday 21, June 1996: Arab leaders arrive in Cairo for a three-day Arab League summit; a meeting of Arab foreign ministers to prepare the event is marked by a verbal altercation between the Jordanian and Syrian foreign ministers.
* The U.S. ambassador in Lebanon, Richard Jones, declares that some minor
details need to be resolved before the activation of the group to monitor the
April understanding.
Saturday 22, June 1996: Arab leaders hold a first day of talks at the Arab League summit in Cairo; despite a meeting between King Husayn of Jordan, Yasir Arafat, and President Asad of Syria, the continuing tension between the Palestinians and Jordanians, on the one hand, and Syria, on the other, is evident.
Sunday 23, June 1996: The Arab League summit issues a final statement in which it declares that peace is a "strategic option" for the Arabs, and warns that any breakdown of the peace negotiations will be Israel's responsibility; the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, rejects the statement, noting that the "peace process must continue without prior conditions."
* King Husayn declares that he had "clarified the situation and the matters
of attacks aiming to destabilize Jordan," with President Asad; Jordan has
accused Syria of backing Palestinian organizations opposed to the regime.
Monday 24, June 1996: The Council of Ministers sends to parliament a controversial draft law for parliamentary elections scheduled for this summer; the law outlines a mixed electoral system, with all of Lebanon voting at the muhafaza level, except for Mount Lebanon.
* In the second day of a congress of the Kata'ib party, the party
secretary-general, Joseph Abu Khalil, declares that only more democratic
management of the party can put an end to its internal divisions.
Tuesday 25, June 1996: The U.S. secretary of state, Warren Christopher, meets the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem; Mr. Netanyahu refuses to make his intentions on the peace negotiations known to Mr. Christopher, noting that he will wait until his meeting with President Clinton in early July.
* The draft election law is criticized by several political figures,
including the former prime minister Salim al-Hoss, and, indirectly, the
parliament speaker, Nabih Birri.
* The Israeli defense minister, Yitzhak Mordechai, visits the occupied
`security zone' and declares that the Israelis will remain in the zone "to
protect their Lebanese allies and insure their own security."
Wednesday 26, June 1996: Amid mounting criticism, the government takes back its draft election law from parliament for further discussion; it appears that the members of the leadership troïka disagree over several clauses, including the permanency, or lack of permanency, of the electoral districts outlined in the law.
* A large bomb explosion in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, kills 11 U.S. servicemen
and injures nearly 400 others; the attack is thought to be the work of the
Saudi Islamist opposition.