| January
11:
The annual State Comptroller's report severely criticizes the
Labor Party in the realm of party financing, accusing it of
"purchasing control of the government."
January
14: Ezer
Weizman is put forward as the Labor candidate for president
of the state.
January
14: The "sizzling cassette" affair emerges.
Likud MK Benjamin Netanyahu announces on TV that he is being
blackmailed as a consequence of an affair. He implies that David
Levy's camp is responsible for the blackmail.
January
17: Controversial Professor Yeshayahu
Leibowitz is designated a recipient of the Israel Prize,
eliciting public criticism over granting the prize to an advocate
of conscientious objection to military service in the occupied
territories. Ultimately, Leibowitz relinquishes the prize.
January
19: The Knesset annuls the law prohibiting meetings
with the PLO.
January
20 - 22: The first round of talks with the Palestinians
takes place in Scarpsborg, near Oslo. There are five participants:
Yair Hirschfeld and Ron Pundak on the Israeli side, and Abu
Ala'a, Maher el-Kurd and Hassan Asfour representing the Palestinians.
A three-point proposal is outlined whose basic approach is "Gaza
first".
January
21: MK Yair
Levy is sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment for fraud, forgery
and theft.
January
23: A road mine explosion in Lebanon causes the death
of two IDF soldiers.
January
28: The Supreme Court rules that the deportation of
the Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists in December 1992 was illegal,
yet the deportees are not allowed to return.
January
30: Two IDF soldiers are killed in an ambush set by
Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
February
1: As a result of an agreement with the US, Israel
will accept back 100 of the Islamist deportees in Lebanon immediately
and the rest in a year.
February
9: A comment by the governor of the Bank of Israel
that "the Israeli stock market is a bubble ready to burst"
plunges the market into a free fall.
February
11 - 12: The Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet
again in Scarpsborg. They draft a declaration of principles
together with a paper setting out "Guidelines for a Regional
Marshall Plan" and an Israeli-Palestinian "Cooperation
and Working Program". The talks on the declaration run
into trouble on four
issues.
February
17: France beats Israel in a soccer match in the Ramat
Gan Stadium, 4:0.
February
21: Two new chief rabbis are elected: Eliyahu
Bakshi-Doron (Sephardi) and Israel
Meir Lau (Ashkenazi).
February
26: During a NATO-meeting in Brussels Norwegian foreign
minister Thorvald Stoltenberg informs US secretary of state
Warren Christopher about the Oslo back-channel.
March:
A spate of terrorist acts throughout the country including stabbings
in the Aliyah Market in Tel Aviv, stabbings and stonings of
Jews in the Gaza Strip, the stabbing of pupils by a terrorist
who bursts into a school in Jerusalem, and the murder of two
policemen outside Hadera. The public is tense. Critics call
upon Yitzhak
Rabin, functioning both as prime minister and defense minister,
to resign.
March
16: Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin cuts short a visit
to the US and returns home in light of the proliferation of
terrorist incidents.
March
20 - 22: The third Scarpsborg meeting takes place.
The two sides reach solutions for some of the "thorny"
issues.
March
24: The Knesset elects Ezer
Weizman president of the state by a vote of 66 vs. 53 for
the Likud's Dov
Shilansky.
March
31: A total closure is imposed on the West Bank and
Gaza Strip in the wake of the proliferation of the terrorist
acts.
March
31: A new police inspector general is appointed: Rafi
Peled.
April
13: Three IDF soldiers are killed in southern Lebanon
by a road mine explosion.
April
19: Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin addresses a national
memorial ceremony in Poland commemorating the 50th anniversay
of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
April
21: Katyusha barrages land in the Galilee.
April
27: The country's teachers call a strike which continues
until May 10.
April:
The Palestinian delegation at the Washington talks proclaims
a boycott in response to Israel's expulsion of over 450 Hamas
and Islamic Jihad activists from the West Bank and Gaza. Yasser
Arafat insists that the talks are resumed.
May
2: A government crisis erupts over remarks attributed
to Meretz Minister Shulamit
Aloni that are viewed by Shas as insulting. Shas threatens
to leave the coalition.
May
11: The country's nurses declare a strike which lasts
a week.
May
14: In a private talk with Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Rabin
agrees to give the Oslo negotiations a chance.
May
14: Uri
Savir, Director-General of the Foreign Ministry, is appointed
chief negotiator in Oslo. The "Gaza
first" approach begins to evolve into "Gaza
and Jericho first."
May
16: Fatah and Hamas terrorists kill two Israeli fruit-and-vegetable
wholesalers in Gaza.
May
19: The Meretz-Shas crisis continues. Rabin temporarily
takes over the interior (Deri's) and education and culture (Aloni's)
portfolios.
May
22: The Guns 'n Roses rock group draws an audience
of 50,000 at a performance in Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park.
May
24: In a tragedy in Lebanon, two IDF paratrooper units
fire at each other, resulting in 4 fatalities and 3 wounded.
May
28: A Yeshiva student is murdered in Hebron on his
way to his prayers in the Makhpelah Cave.
May
30: The government crisis is resolved by means of a
rotation of portfolios. Shulamit Aloni becomes minister of communications,
science and technology; Shimon
Shetreet - economy and planning; Amnon
Rubinstein - education and culture; and Moshe
Shahal - energy, in addition to police which he already
holds.
June
2: Jerusalem Mayor Teddy
Kollek, aged 82, announces that he will run for another
term despite a previous commitment to retire.
June:
Abu Ala'a proposes the subject that Jericho will become the
administrative center of the autonomous Palestinian territory.
He suggests "a symbolic withdrawal from Jericho or another
place in the West Bank." The PLO's point is that the first
phase of the agreement must signal that the self-government
will be taking effect on the West Bank and not only in Gaza.
June:
Attorney Yoel
Singer joins the peace team in Oslo.
June
10: Meeting between Prime Minister Rabin, Foreign Minister
Peres and Oslo negotiators Yossi Beilin and Yoel Singer. It
emphasizes the need to ensure that the IDF's redeployment, first
in Gaza and Jericho and then in the whole West Bank, be clearly
defined in the Declaration of Principles as a matter for Israel's
sole discretion.
June
14: The Oslo team meets again in Scarpsborg.
June
15 - 16: Pop star Elton John arrives in Israel and
performs for an audience of tens of thousands in Tel Aviv's
Yarkon Park.
June
20: Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri is charged
with breach of trust and fraud.
June
28: Katyusha missiles land in Kiyat Shmonah, wounding
6 persons.
June
28: In an attempt to halt the free fall of the stock
market, Finance Minister Avraham Shohat announces stock market
profits will not be taxed. The market revives.
June:
Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitzky visits Israel. In a speech
at the Knesset he admits Austria’s "moral responsibility,
because many Austrians welcomed the "Anschluss", supported
the Nazi-regime and helped it to function" and asking "for
forgiveness of those who survived and forgiveness of the relatives
of the victims"
July
1: Hamas terrorists kill two women in Jerusalem and
wound one man.
July
7 - 21: The public sector strikes over a demand to
raise salaries.
July
8 - 10: The security situation in the north deteriorates.
Five IDF soldiers are killed and 8 are wounded in two attacks
from Lebanon.
July
20 - 25: Tension continues in the north. Katyushas
barrages target the Galilee, resulting in fatalities and injuries,
while the IDF is attacked unremittingly in southern Lebanon.
July
25 - 30: Operation Accountability is launched by the
IDF in southern Lebanon. Hesbollah concentrations are bombed
intensively. More than 55 villages are severely damaged and
300,000 civilians are displaced. Many residents of Kiryat Shmonah
leave for the south. The operation evokes criticism from some
quarters, including US President Bill
Clinton. The Americans mediate a cease-fire on July 30.
July
29: The Supreme Court acquits John
Demjanjuk of crimes against the Jews during World War II
on the basis of plausible doubt, and rules that he be deported.
July:
Norwegian Foreign Minister Johan Jorgen Holst meets Yasser Arafat
in Tunis. Arafat observes that Gaza has no religious significance
for the Israelis. To withdraw solely from Gaza would be construed
as signifying that Israel intends to hold on to all the areas
that do have religious significance for Judaism - the entire
West Bank. Arafat would find it impossible to convince his people
of "Gaza first" without Jericho.
July:
Throughout the Oslo process, Israel is determined not to make
any political concessions on Jerusalem. During a meeting with
Norwegian mediators Terje Larson and Mona Juul, Foreign Minister
Shimon Peres warns that if the Palestinians insisted on dealing
with Jerusalem in the Declaration of Principles, they would
destroy the negotiations.
August:
Terrorist incidents targeting both soldiers and civilians continue.
August
12: The Israeli government declares its willingness
to negotiate publicly with the PLO.
August
15: 400 of the deported Hamas activists agree to Israel's
proposal to return in groups until December.
August
18: In a telephone marathon Norwegain Foreign Minister
Johan Jorgen Holst explains Israel's position to the PLO headquarter
in Tunis. The main points of the declaration are accepted.
August
17: The new central bus station in Tel Aviv is inaugurated.
August
19: The IDF suffers a heavy loss of 9 fatalities in
a series of incidents in southern Lebanon.
August
20: The "Declaration
of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements"
is signed in Oslo by the Israeli negotiators, the PLO and the
Norwegian mediators. Most Israelis welcome the agreement, with
the exception of the rightist camp and the settlers of the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip. Within the Palestinian population,
more people approve it than oppose it.
August
30: The government approves the "Declarations
of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements"
(later known as the Oslo Accords). The Right demonstrates against
the agreement.
September
1: Foreign Minister Shimon Peres confirms the reports
about secret negotiations with the PLO.
September
2: An IDF intelligence colonel, Shimon Levinson, is
convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and is sentenced to
12 years in prison.
September
4: The central committee of the Fatah
approves the Declaration of Principles. Jordan and the Gulf
States declare their readiness to support the Oslo process.
September
8: Minister of Interior, Aryeh Deri, resigns.
September
9: A group of 181 of the Islamist deportees in Lebanon
are permitted to return to their homes in the West Bank and
in Gaza.
September
10: Israel and the PLO exchange mutual recognition
letters.
September
12: A wave of terrorism deluges Israel, obviously timed
to precede the signing of the Declaration of Principles with
the PLO.
September
13: The "Declarations
of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements"
is signed in Washington, DC. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres signs
in behalf of Israel, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) in behalf of
the PLO. Yitzhak Rabin, Yasser Arafat and Bill Clinton shake
hands.
September
14: The Common
Agenda signed in Washington constitutes the blueprint for
a peace treaty with Jordan, comprising the following components:
security, water, refugees and displaced persons, borders and
territorial matters.
September
19: American pop star Michael Jackson perfoms in Tel
Aviv's Yarkon Park for an enthusiastic audience of 70,000.
September
21: John Demjanjuk is deported from Israel after a
series of petitions to the court to prevent his release is rejected.
September
24: Yasser Arafat orders the end of the military actions
of the PLO against Israel.
October
1: Peace activist Abie Nathan closes his "Voice
of Peace" radio station, declaring: "The goal has
been achieved."
October
4: A booby-trapped car rams a bus carrying IDF soldiers
near Bet El, wounding 29.
October
5: Rock star Madonna performs in Tel Aviv's Yarkon
Park for an audience of 50,000.
October
6: Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat meet in Cairo.
October
10: Two hikers are murdered in Wadi Kelt east of Jerusalem.
October
12: The central committee of the Fatah approves the
Declaration of Principles in Tunis.
October
13: The Declaration of Principles is implemented. Negotiations
on the self-government in the Gaza Strip and in Jericho begin
in Taba.
October
14: Another trial launching of the Israeli-made Arrow
missile results in what experts call "80% - 90% success".
October
23: Dr. David Alexander is appointed director general
of the Habimah
theater, and Gari Bilu artistic director.
October
24: Two reserve soldiers are kidnapped and murdered
in the Gaza Strip.
October
29: A resident of Bet El is murdered.
November
2: Local elections are held throughout the country.
Ehud
Olmert defeats veteran Mayor Teddy
Kollek in Jerusalem; Roni
Milo beats Avigdor
Kahalani in Tel Aviv; Amram
Mitzna is Haifa's new mayor.
November
4: Israeli television's commercial Second
Channel begins operations.
November
7: Yeshiva head Rabbi Chaim
Druckman is wounded and his driver is killed by shots fired
by terrorists near Hebron. The settlers riot in the wake of
the incident.
November
8: King Juan Carlos of Spain visits Israel.
November
15: The US Senat approves the annulment of sanctions
against the PLO.
November
28: Abie Nathan scuttles his "Voice of Peace"
ship for lack of funds to maintain it.
December
2: Yitzhak Rabin visits Germany.
December
7: PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat visits Germany.
December
5 : Terrorist attacks continue. President Ezer Weizman
for the formation of a national unity government in the wake
of the critical situation.
December
13: The withdrawal of the Israeli troops from the Gaza
Strip and from Jericho is postponed after disagreements about
the extent of the self-government in Jericho, the responsibility
for the controls at the borders to Egypt and Jordan and the
security of the Jewish settlers.
December
15: Israel permits approximately 200 of the Islamist
deportees to return from southern Lebanon to the West Bank and
Gaza.
December
30: Israel and the Vatican agree to establish diplomatic
relations.
December:
Rabbi Shlomo
Goren, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and Chief Rabbi of the
IDF, publishes a ruling forbidding Jews to evacuate any settlement
in the biblical Land of Israel, which includes Judea, Samaria
and Gaza, and declares that Israeli soldiers should disobey
any such evacuation orders.
December:
Inflation in 1993 is 11.2%.
|