MIDDLE EAST HOURGLASS:

September 1, 1996: Israeli FM David Levy meets Egypt's Hosni Mubarak to discuss negotiations crisis.
2/9: Egypt threatens to cancel important November economic summit unless Israel makes concessions.
2/9: PLO's Faisal Husseini insists Israel must withdraw from "all of east Jerusalem".
2/9: PLO officials say Arafat released 120 Hamas and Islamic Jihad supporters from prison in the past month.
2/9: Islamists lose ground to pro-Syrian factions in third round of Lebanese general elections.
3/9: US launches missile strikes against Iraqi targets.
4/9: Long-awaited Binyamin Netanyahu-Yasser Arafat meeting draws mixed reaction.
4/9: Opposition leader Shimon Peres hails Netanyahu-Arafat meeting as "victory for our way of thinking".
4/9: Hundreds of Palestinians reported to be applying for Israeli citizenship, fearing Arafat's security forces.
5/9: Three Islamists convicted in New York court for plotting to blow up 12 US planes.
5/9: Netanyahu tells disgruntled Likud ministers he will fire those who oppose his policy. He also commits government never to allow a Palestinian state, never to divide Jerusalem, and to promote Jewish settlements.
5/9: Arafat says issue of Jerusalem's status will "make or break" Mideast peace.
5/9: Jewish settlement council says it will launch major expansion - legally or, if necessary, illegally.
5/9: EU turns down Israeli request that European foreign ministers not visit the PLO's Orient House.
7/9: Media reports say Iraq's attack on Kurdish safe haven undermined CIA plot to topple Saddam.
9/9: Former IDF chief of staff Ehud Barak announces he will stand for Labour Party leadership.
9/9: Netanyahu, visiting US, says he wants to resume talks with Syria, but Damascus appears disinterested.
9/9: Islamic wakf ignores court order interdicting it from unauthorised building activity on Temple Mount.
11/9: After Iraq fires missile at US warplanes, US warns of further retaliation.
11/9: International Monetary Fund says Labour government caused Israel's current economic crisis.
12/9: IDF reported to be watching unusual Syrian troop movements in Lebanon and near Golan Heights.
12/9: Egypt conducts major military manoeuvres.
12/9: Netanyahu hints he will boycott EU foreign ministers who insist on visiting Orient House.
12/9: Syria says it will not negotiate with Israel until Netanyahu accepts previous Labour government's unofficial offer to withdraw from entire Golan Heights.
12/9: After election period lull, Hizb'Allah resumes attacks on IDF in southern Lebanon.
15/9: Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo warn Israel they will freeze ties if Oslo process did not proceed.
15/9: 3 500 more US troops sent to Kuwait.
16/9: As Syrian troop deployments continue, US urges restraint from Israel and Syria.
16/9: Israel to increase from 32 000 to 50 000 the number of Palestinians allowed to work in green-line Israel.
17/9: Jerusalem municipality demolishes illegal building in Old City.
18/9: Shimon Peres rules out running again for PM.
18/9: PLO protests against Israeli decision to approve 1800 new settlement housing units.
18/9: Syria says Israeli policies could lead to war.
19/9: Two Israeli soldiers killed, eight wounded in Hizb'Allah attack. Israeli airforce retaliates, Netanyahu warns retaliation will follow every Hizb'Allah attack.
21/9: Islamic Jihad promises more suicide attacks soon.
21/9: Arafat appeals to German businessmen to invest in PA area, cites 2000th anniversary of Jesus' birth as opportunity for them to contribute.
22-23/9: Yom Kippur passes quietly.
23/9: Israeli opening of exit to an excavated Hasmonean Tunnel near Temple Mount sparks PLO protests.
24/9: FM Levy complains to Egyptian ambassador about barrage of anti-Israeli criticism from Cairo.
24/9: Netanyahu visits Britain, France and Germany.
25/9: Rioting in Ram'Allah sees Israeli troops coming under PLO police fire for first time; five Arabs killed.
26/9: Jordanian newspaper Sot Elmaraa says the PLO and Syria have signed a military pact, agreeing to act in unison against threats, especially in Lebanon.
26/9: Conflict spreads across Gaza, Judea-Samaria; six IDF soldiers killed guarding Joseph's Tomb in Shechem.
27/9: Sixty Arab and 15 Israeli lives have been lost.
28/9: Netanyahu: the tunnel will remain open.
28/9: Security Council resolution calls indirectly on Israel to close tunnel. US also urges it be closed.
29/9: Netanyahu, Arafat agree to summit in Washington.
30/9: Netanyahu pledges continuous talks with PLO until Hebron and other outstanding issues are resolved.
30/9: Mubarak boycotts Washington summit. Netanyahu rejects firm Hebron pull-back deadline.
October 10, 1996: EU blames Israel for recent violence.
2/10: Two IDF soldiers wounded in South Lebanon Hizb'Allah attack
2/10: PLO spokesmen call US-hosted summit a failure.
3/10: Netanyahu urges Arabs not to lose faith in talks.
5/10: Buffer zones set up between IDF, PLO police.
5/10: Qatar says relations with Israel are frozen.
5/10: French PM Jacques Chirac to Israel: respect Oslo.
6/10: Israel-PLO talks begin at Erez checkpoint, set up committees to discuss Hebron, other issues.
6/10: Syria accuses Netanyahu of "beating wardrums", calls on Arab states to halt normalising ties with Israel.
6/10: Irish Foreign Minster Dick Spring arrives to bolster EU role in peace process.
8/10: Netanyahu concerned about deteriorating ties with Jordan, after repeated verbal attacks by Hussein.
8/10: Arafat tells Israel's ceremonial president Ezer Weizman PLO police will not fire again at Israelis.
8/10: Netanyahu lambastes Labour Party for backing outside opinion against Israel during recent crisis.
9/10: Government allows Muslims to open controversial new mosque under Temple Mount.
9/10: Earthquake across Middle East measures 6.1.
10/10: Arafat hints to PA Council violence may recur: "We must be prepared for all contingencies".
12/10: Israel's ties with Egypt, Jordan following recent violence said to be at new low.
12/10: Official Syrian newspaper al-Thawra urges Arabs to prepare for possibility of war with Israel.
13/10: Peres, Arafat meet to discuss Oslo process.
14/10: Weizman visits Egypt to placate Mubarak.
15/10: US Defence Secretary William Perry assures visiting Israeli counterpart Yitzhak Mordechai of continued $1,8 billion US military aid package
15/10: Top Israeli intelligence officer warns Syria may attack if Golan talks reach stalemate.

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