PASSIA: Jerusalem Chronology
1987 - Palestinian Intifada
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 soliders 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".
- 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, whiel
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,
refering 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
recognised; (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, outisde
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 from a house occupied in Silwan.