Free Sample Essays > Middle Eastern History
War on the Middle East
the West Bank and Gaza. No Palestinians are killed, but at least 43 are reported injured.
October 16-17
Sharm el-Sheik peace summit
In the first international effort to halt the violence, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Jordan's King Abdullah II, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and E.U. foreign policy chief Javier Solana attend a peace summit in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt. At the conclusion of the summit, Clinton announces that Barak and Arafat have reached a cease-fire agreement. However, the violence on the ground continues. An international fact finding commission-- led by former U.S. senator George Mitchell-- is formed to investigate the cause of the clashes.
November 2
Car Bomb
Two Israelis are killed by a car bomb in an open market in Jerusalem.
November 9
Targeted gunship shooting
Fatah militia leader Hussein Suyef Abeyat is killed when his vehicle is blown apart by a missile fired from an Israeli gunship near the West Bank village of Beit Sahur. Two bystanders are also killed.
November 20
Attack on school bus
A mortar attack on an Israeli school bus kills two and wounds dozens.
November 20
Israeli Response
Israel bombards Palestinian security targets in Gaza.
November 22
Car Bomb
A car bomb kills two Israelis and wounds dozens during rush hour in the coastal city of Hadera, Israel.
November 22
Fatah members killed
Israeli troops shoot dead four individuals associated with Fatah.
December 10-14
More militants killed
Israel hit squads kill at least four militant Palestinian leaders.
December 19-23
Peace talks in Washington
At separate Israeli-Palestinian talks at an air force base near Washington, D.C., U.S. President Bill Clinton proposes a peace plan that includes conditional Palestinian sovereignty over the holy sites in Jerusalem as well as 95 percent of the West Bank. Both sides have reservations about the plan. On December 28, a second summit between Mubarak, Arafat and Barak is cancelled.
2001
January 21-27
Taba Peace Talks
In Taba, Egypt, marathon talks are held in the hope of achieving a peace accord. They are also unsuccessful.
March 4
Suicide bomb
A suicide bomber kills three people and himself in a rush hour explosion in Netanya. Hamas claims responsibility.
March 7
Sharon takes office
Hard-line Likud leader Ariel Sharon becomes prime minister.
March 8
Arafat moves to resume peace talks
Arafat sends a letter to new Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, asking to restart peace talks.
March 12
Blockades in West Bank stepped up
As part of Sharon's strategy to isolate violent areas of the occupied territories, the Israeli army imposes a total blockade on the West Bank city of Ramallah, surrounding the city with tanks and imposing road blocks between the city and neighboring areas.
March 27-28
Three bombs in 24 hours
Four Israelis are killed and dozens injured in three bomb blasts, two in Jerusalem and one in the West Bank.
Also, a Palestinian gunman shoots dead a 10-month-old Israeli girl.
March 28
Air raids
Israel begins helicopter gunship raids on Gaza and the West Bank. At least two are killed [next page]