Washington Report, November 4, 1985, Page 8

Facts For Your Files: A Chronology of U.S.-Middle East Relations

September 29:

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan ibn Abdul Aziz declared his government's continued interest in purchasing U.S. F-15 fighters, despite its recent purchase of 132 military aircraft from Britain. The Prince, speaking during a visit to London, reaffirmed Saudi determination not to accept a U.S. sale which placed restrictive conditions upon use and deployment of the aircraft.

September 30:

Jordan's King Hussein, in a meeting at the White House, assured President Reagan that he was willing to pursue with Israel a "negotiated settlement, in an environment free of hostile and belligerent acts," but insisted that such talks take place as part of an international conference which would include the Soviet Union. The King also declared "Jordan's unwavering position in condemnation of terrorism, irrespective of its nature and source." Reagan praised the King for "moving steadily and courageously forward in the search for peace." The meeting took place at a time of considerable Congressional opposition to the President's proposed sale of $1.9 billion in weapons to Jordan, an act viewed by the Administration as an essential demonstration of American support for the King's peace initiative.

October 1:

American-made Israeli planes launched a surprise bombing raid on the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization near Tunis, destroying the complex and leaving more than 50 dead and 100 wounded. Israel said the 1500-mile raid was in retaliation for the slaying of three Israelis in Larnaca, Cyprus the previous week, though PLO officials consistently denied any PLO involvement in the incident. In Washington, President Reagan quickly condoned the act as a "legitimate expression of self-defense."

October 3:

Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba expressed "profound regret and great astonishment" at the initial White House reaction to the Israeli strike on PLO headquarters in Tunis as "understandable as an expression of self-defense." In a meeting with U.S Ambassador to Tunisia Peter Sebastian, the 82-year-old Bourguiba stressed the need for America to "reconsider its negative and unexpected position" on the surprise attack.

October 5:

The U.N. Security Council adopted, by a vote of 14-0 with the United States abstaining, a Tunisian-sponsored resolution condemning Israel's raid on PLO Headquarters in Tunis. The U.S. abstention was in apparent contrast to initial White House statements condoning the attack. Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Benjamin Netanyanu expressed his disappointment that the U.S. had "contradicted" President Reagan's view of the raid. Israel also voiced concern that the resolution made no mention of the three Israelis killed in Larnaca, Cyprus which the Israelis had been citing as legitimate pretext for the raid.

October 7:

Four heavily armed men claiming to be members of the Palestine Liberation Front hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro en route from Alexandria, Egypt to Port Said with more than 400 passengers on board. The hijackers vowed to kill the passengers if Israel did not release 50 Palestinian prisoners. Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yassir Arafat "totally disassociated himself" from the hijacking, according to the Italian Foreign Ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres saw the hijacking as an effort to sabotage King Hussein's peace initiative.

October 9:

Four Palestinian hijackers relinquished control of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro to Egyptian authorities in exchange for an Egyptian agreement to escort them safely out of the country. The two-day siege ended after PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat agreed to accept custody of the hijackers for punishment. After the agreement was reached it was discovered that Leon Klinghoffer, a 69-year-old American passenger, had been murdered by the hijackers. After their surrender the hijackers, accompanied by the two Palestinians who negotiated the settlement, boarded an Egyptian 737 bound for Tunis. After Tunisian authorities refused it permission to land, four U.S. F-14s intercepted the Egyptian aircraft and forced it to land at a U.S. military base in Sicily. Although the U.S. sought the extradition of one of the accompanying Palestinians, Mohammad Abbas, on charges he planned the shipjacking, he was released by Italian authorities and fled to Yugoslavia. The interception, which won President Reagan broad public support in the U.S., was sharply criticized by Egypt.

October 11:

Alexander Odeh, a Southern California coordinator for the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), was killed by a bomb rigged to explode when he opened the door of his Santa Ana, California office. It was the first death suffered by an ADC staff member, although the organization's Boston headquarters had been bombed and a number of threats had been received during 1985.

October 18:

Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, ended a three-day visit to Washington by indicating that he would accept direct negotiations between Israel and Jordan under international auspices, if Moscow would first reopen diplomatic relations with his country. He added that he does not believe the Soviet Union is prepared to do so. Mr. Peres saw an international conference as "not a good idea on the merits of the case," but noted the incentive it could provide King Hussein to continue the peace process. Mr. Peres stated that he believes Hussein "will decide to go forward without the PLO." The Prime Minister also offered his praise to President Reagan for his handling of the Achille Lauro hijacking.

October 24:

The Reagan Administration, trying to avert imminent Congressional defeat, agreed to postpone its desired $1.9 billion arms sale to Jordan until March 1, unless a breakthrough occurs in the stalled Mideast peace process. The measure, approved by the Senate by a vote of 97-1, was the result of the efforts of Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to avoid an embarrassing defeat for the Administration.