Palestinian Intifada Chronology
1987
Dec. 9: The Palestinian uprising (intifada) breaks out throughout the OPT, including Jerusalem.
Dec.15: Min. of Industry and Trade Ariel Sharon moves into apartment in Muslim quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.
1988
Jan. 15: Israeli police fire tear gas into al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock wounding over 40 worshippers.
May 12: Israeli soldiers attack Palestinian demonstrators after Friday prayers, injuring at least 100.
July 2: The Israeli Ministry of Religious Affairs begins digging a tunnel near al-Ghanmeh Gate.
Nov. 15: The PNC declares the Palestinian Independent State with Arab Jerusalem as its capital.
1989
Jan. 12: The third curfew in the history of Israeli rule in East Jerusalem remains in force all day as police continue to search houses in Silwan arresting over 20 people.
Feb. 15: Israeli Industry Min. Ariel Sharon calls for the arrest of the "East Jerusalem Arabs who form the political arm of the PLO."
Feb. 27: Leaflet 35 of the Unified Leadership of the Uprising urges "the masses of our people in Jerusalem, the capital of our State, to boycott the elections to Teddy Kollek's municipality, during which the strike groups will paralyze public and private transportation."
July 5: Israeli PM Shamir endorses the Likud ministers Sharon, Levy and Moda'i’s demands, that "there will be no participation of East Jerusalem Arabs in elections... There will be no negotiations as long as violence continues... There will be no foreign sovereignty in any part of the Land of Israel... and settlement in Judea, Samaria and Gaza will continue... There will be no negotiation with the PLO and no Palestinian State in the land of Israel."
July 6: Abdelhadi Suleiman Ghneim of Gaza's Nuseirat camp, seizes the steering wheel of No. 405 Jerusalem-bound Egged bus from Tel Aviv and sends it crashing over a steep precipice, killing 14 passengers and injuring at least 27.
Dec. 23: South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu arrives in Jerusalem for Christmas pilgrimage, announces support for Palestinian state and Israel's "Independence and territorial integrity".
Dec. 30: At least 15,000 Jews and Palestinians form human chain for peace 2.5 miles long around walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Israeli police try to break up crowds by firing water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets.
1990
Jan. 1: IDF demolishes unfinished home in Jerusalem on grounds that stone-throwing incidents took place nearby.
Jan. 19: Israeli police arrest Faisal Husseini on the charge that he aided illegal Palestinian popular army. US condemns the arrest as "discouraging Palestinian confidence in the peace process"
March 8: Sarah Kaminker of Jerusalem's City Planning Board says municipality has plans to build new settlement in Mt. Homa area of East Jerusalem, despite US opposition.
March 10: Some 500 Palestinian and Israeli women march in Jerusalem, call for peace negotiations.
March 13: At a press conference, Pres. Bush says "I don't regret" [March 3] statement calling into question Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem.
March 22: US Senate adopts by voice vote resolution recognizing undivided Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
March 27: Knesset adopts resolution saying united Jerusalem is under Israeli sovereignty and there will be no negotiations on its status.
April 8: Jerusalem Committee in Morocco condemns Soviet Jewish settlement in OPT and US senate March 22 resolution on Jerusalem.
April 12: Israeli court issues evacuation order to settlers in Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Church building.
April 14: US Senate delegation, led by Bob Dole, meets with 10 Palestinian notables at the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem; Palestinians give Dole memo detailing Palestinian position on Jerusalem.
April 19: Bob Dole tells his Senate colleagues they made "dangerous" mistake in passing resolution recognizing undivided Jerusalem as capital of Israel.
April 27: Church of the Holy Sepulchre locks its doors for first time in 800 years, and all other Christian Shrines in the country also close in protest over presence of Jewish settlers in St. John's Hospice in Jerusalem.
May 17: Israel establishes new police unit, Gid'onim, to deal with security problems in Jerusalem; 30-man team, from IDF elite units, will "engage in intelligence missions in Jerusalem".
Oct. 7: At inauguration of new East Jerusalem Jewish religious school, PM Shamir announces plans for major new housing project for Orthodox Jews on undeveloped ridge between Mt.Scopus & Mt.of Olives.
Oct. 8: Haram al-Sharif Massacre: at Al-Aqsa mosque, Israeli forces kill 18 Palestinians and injure 150 more as Palestinians protest against the attempt of extremist Gershon Solomon's "Temple Mount Faithful" to enter the compound and place a cornerstone for the building of "a Jewish third temple".
Oct. 8: Housing Min. Ariel Sharon announces a plan to increase the pace of construction in East Jerusalem from 2,000 to 5,000 units annually. East Jerusalem's population includes 150,000 Arabs and 120,000 Israeli settlers.
Oct. 12: UN Sec. Council Res. 672 condemns Israeli actions at Al-Aqsa mosque, recommends the dispatch of a fact-finding mission to investigate the circumstances.
Oct. 14: Israeli cabinet decides to defy the UN Sec.Council and not to cooperate with the UN delegation, while Palestinians express willingness to cooperate.
Oct. 21: 3 Israelis stabbed to death allegedly by Palestinian in response to al-Aqsa mosque massacre.
Oct. 22: Israeli police surround Jerusalem with roadblocks to keep Palestinians from West Bank out; thousands of forces are stationed at intersections and along boundaries between East and West Jerusalem. It is the first time that whole city is closed to Palestinians.
Oct. 23: US Pres. Bush sends personal letter to PM Shamir urging Israel to accept UN envoy and stating intention not to pursue debate about East Jerusalem housing; Shamir rejects appeal.
Nov. 19: Israeli Housing Min. Ariel Sharon says special effort is being made to build housing in East Jerusalem, indicating that of 17,000 new units planned, 15,000 will be built over green line.
1991
Jan. 17: Israel imposes curfew on West Bank, East J’lem and Gaza.
March 15: Israeli authorities plan to build, approved by Religious Affairs Ministry and government, a Jewish cemetery in the West Bank. Plan violates international rules governing use of occupied territory, and reflects attempt to make Israel's hold on West Bank irreversible.
- Israel reimposes ban on Palestinian entry into Jerusalem.
May 11: Pres. Arafat criticizes US Middle East peace efforts, says US is trying to ignore Jerusalem issue.
July 18: Israeli judge Ezra Kama issues report stating Israeli police provoked October 1990 violence at Jerusalem's Haram al-Sharif.
July 21: Sec. of State Baker reaffirms US belief that East Jerusalem is part of OPT, and that Palestinians are entitled to choose their own representatives.
- British PM John Major tells Egyptian Press that Israeli settlements (incl. in East Jerusalem) are "illegal" and "damaging" the peace process.
July 25: French Foreign Min. Roland Dumas calls on Israel to accept East Jerusalem Palestinians as part of Palestinian delegation to peace conference.
Aug. 6: In statement to US press, King Hussein says not every OPT city needs to be represented at peace conference, referring to PLO demand that East Jerusalem Palestinians be allowed to participate.
Aug. 8: Egyptian Pres. Mubarak asserts PLO must be involved in peace conference; issue of Jerusalem cannot be excluded from agenda.
Aug. 26: Al-Haq issues report on increased Jewish settlement in OPT, numbers OPT settlers at 104,000, plus 127,700 in East Jerusalem.
Aug. 28: Arafat agrees to participation in peace conference if (1) Palestinian right to self-determination is recognized; (2) PLO decides on participants; (3) Palestinians from East Jerusalem are allowed to participate and Jerusalem question is on conference agenda; (4) Israeli settlement activity stops and Palestinians are internationally protected.
Sept.16: US Sec. of state Baker sends letter to Palestinians saying US agrees to put Jerusalem question on peace conference’s agenda.
Oct. 1: Israeli Transport Min. Moshe Katzav announces plans to improve road system of East Jerusalem, incl. building of a beltway around the city.
Oct. 9: Hundreds of Jewish settlers invade Silwan, outside the Old City, occupy 8 Palestinian homes.
Oct. 16: Palestinians reject Israeli demand that Palestinian delegation must not include Palestinians from East Jerusalem, a demand which Sec. of State Baker has urged Palestinians to accede to in order that the Palestinians not be left out the peace process.
Oct. 23: Members of Jewish Ateret Cohanim group move into a house in the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem.
Nov.18: Israeli forces raid Islamic court offices in East Jerusalem, seizing documents, including court records documenting Palestinian land and property rights.
Nov.25: Israeli Attorney General notifies Supreme Court that Jewish settlers occupy 8 Palestinian homes in Silwan and should be evicted.
Dec. 13: Following Jerusalem court ruling, Israeli police evict settlers
Other links:
Special Edition on Gaza “Genocide of Humanity”
Zionism - the Greatest Danger
Gaza In Pictures Photo Gallery
