MIDDLE EAST HOURGLASS:

March 5, 1998: Israeli forces capture five key members of major Hamas terrorist cell responsible for two suicide bombings and scores of other attacks.
5/3: Defence Minister Yitzhak Mordechai begins four-day visit to France, the Netherlands to sell initiative on withdrawing from Lebanon (UN Resolution 425).
5/3: Switzerland refuses to release a suspected Mossad agent held for failed wiretapping incident.
6/3: Labour leader Ehud Barak tells TV interviewer he would have joined a terrorist group had he been a young Palestinian.
6/3: Former head of Israeli Army intelligence Shlomo Gazit tells Tel Aviv conference that kippot worn by IDF soldiers resemble swastika on Nazi uniforms.
7/3: Visiting Norway, PM Binyamin Netanyahu calls for European support of direct talks with PA.
7/3: Lebanese and Syrian leaders publicly reject Israel's Lebanon withdrawal proposal.
7/3: Addressing legislative council session in Gaza, PLO chairman Yasser Arafat says Oslo process is "going backwards".
8/3: Netanyahu ends tour of Spain, Germany, Norway and Britain amid signs of warming to European Union role in talks with PA.
8/3: Infrastructure Minister Ariel Sharon holds talks with Jordan's Crown Prince Hassan on joint projects as relations improve after Mashaal affair.
9/3: Syria summons Lebanese leaders to Damascus to douse Israel's pullout effort.
9/3: David Levy's Gesher party and leftist Meretz agree to run on joint list for Histadrut trade union federation.
10/3: Meeting Jordan's Hassan in Tel Aviv, Netanyahu hints Arafat is ready for a summit.
10/3: IDF soldiers shoot three Arabs workers trying to run roadblock near Hebron; security alert in case of violent response.
11/3: In bid to ease tensions, Israel express regrets to PA over death of three Arabs; Arafat calls incident a "massacre in cold blood."
11/3: A US court rules Iran liable for $250 million in civil damages for death of Islamic Jihad terror victim Alisa Flatow three years ago.
12/3: Widespread Palestinian rioting spreads over Tarkumiya junction killings; Israel opens investigation into incident.
12/3: Israeli nuclear spy Mordechai Vanunu is let out of solitary confinement after serving 12 years.
13/3: Washington thinktank reports Israel has 100 nuclear weapons.
13/3: Jewish unrest in Arab quarter of Hebron in response to earlier shooting attacks.
14/3: Top three Lebanese leaders summoned to Damascus to determine unified response to Israeli pullback offer.
14/3: Package bomb blows off hands of man in Afula, one day after a bomb prematurely explodes near Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.
15/3: Two crew members in Israeli military helicopter die in crash off Netanya coast.
16/3: PA security chief Jabril Rajoub threatens to shoot Jewish settlers who enter PA areas to do harm.
16/3: Vatican document on Holocaust cites errors of "sons and daughters" of church, but defends Pope Pius XII; Jewish leaders disappointed.
16/3: Strong sandstorm hits Israel, region.
17/3: British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook creates diplomatic stir with Har Homa visit alongside PA official; PM Netanyahu cancels dinner over incident.
18/3: EU leaders endorse Cook visit to Har Homa and his tough stance on Israel; Knesset members fuming.
18/3: Rare snowstorm blankets parts of Israel.
18/3: 18-year-old Israeli computer whiz arrested for hacking into Pentagon system.
19/3: Trade Minister Natan Sharansky on Washington mission to discuss Iran's missile programme; Press reports say visit also aimed at preventing US plan for redeployment from going public.
19/3: Israeli security source discloses letter from former UN secretary-general Javier Perez de Cuellar affirming as correct Israeli interpretation of Resolution 425.
20/3: Six IDF soldiers wounded during Hizb'Allah attack in Lebanon security zone.
20/3: Morocco refuses entry to Israeli cross-country track team for international meet.
21/3: Palestinians rally to mark the 30th anniversary of Karameh battle in Jordan.
22/3: Israeli Cabinet rejects US proposal for 13% withdrawal from Judea-Samaria.
22/3: UN secretary-general Kofi Annan concludes visits to Beirut, Damascus to discuss Israel's 425 initiative.
22/3: Israeli leaders decide to mark Jubilee with additional presidential pardons.
23/3: Netanyahu firm on withdrawal decision: "Every [one] per cent is the size of Tel Aviv."
23/3: Annan urges Arafat to avoid terrorism and pledges to confront Israel on UN resolutions.
24/3: Annan meets Netanyahu, Mordechai; says Lebanon deal will take time.
24/3: MK Michael Kleiner, head of Land of Israel Front, warns of toppling coalition if redeployment in Judea-Samaria exceeds a further nine per cent.
24/3: Arafat tells Arab League summit in Cairo that Oslo process is on its "last breath".
25/3: Annan calls for Israel-Syria talks to resume at once; pledges new era of UN-Israel relations.
25/3: Senior Israeli source confirms New York Times report on Netanyahu's acceptance of a 10.5-12% pullback in Judea-Samaria.
26/3: US envoy Dennis Ross arrives for another round of Israel-PA talks; Netanyahu says he will not accept a "diktat".
26/3: US State Department taskforce continues series of meetings with Jewish settlers to discuss views.
27/3: Ross meets Netanyahu, Arafat to advance redeployment talks.
27/3: US Secretary of Defence William Cohen and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright give Mordechai's Lebanon pullout proposal a warm reception.
28/3: Arafat denies accepting American proposal of 13% redeployment.
28/3: PA intelligence silent on Reuters report of seven Hamas bomb factories found in Gaza.
29/3: Ross mission falters over issue of reciprocity.
29/3: Unidentified Arab killed by explosion near PA security headquarters in Ram'Allah.
29/3: Elias Freij, long-time mayor of Bethlehem, dies in Amman.
30/3: Ross shuttles end with little progress to report on Israel-PA talks.
30/3: PA says Hamas man was killed in Sunday's explosion in the Ram'Allah industrial zone; Israel denies involvement.
30/3: Arab "Land Day" protests turn violent.
31/3: Arafat makes controversial visit to Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
31/3: Six Lebanese workers killed by road-side bomb in security zone.
April 1: Muhi Sharif, chief Hamas bombmaker, identified as casualty in Ram'Allah blast; Hamas blames Israel; police on high alert for revenge attacks.
1/4: Inner cabinet endorses UN Resolution 425.
2/4: Hamas fingers PA, Israel for death of bombmaker Sharif; Thousands attend funeral.
2/4: Albright threatens US disengagement from Oslo talks if stalemate persists.
3/4: Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri says no security deals for Israel short of full peace treaty.
4/4: Senior official says PA has accepted in principle US proposal of 13% withdrawal.
4/4: Gaza Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi blames PA forces for killing Sharif; Hamas threatens revenge attacks on Israel, Jews abroad.
4/4: Galilee Arab protests turn violent over demolitions of three illegally-built Beduin homes last week.
5/4: Hamas' Rantisi is detained for questioning after accusing PA of involvement in Sharif's death.
6/4: PA announces Sharif was killed in internal Hamas feud as key figures arrested; Israel absolved, but remains on alert.
6/4: One Lebanese killed, three wounded by Hizb'Allah roadside bomb.
7/4: US envoy Robert Gallucci meets Israeli leaders to discuss Iran missile program.
8/4: Netanyahu's inner cabinet considers redeployment of more than 9%.
8/4: Hamas military wing continues threats of revenge against Israel for Sharif's death.
9/4: The Jerusalem Post report cites classified Iranian documents confirming acquisition of four nuclear weapons from a former Soviet republic.
9/4: Hamas leader Rantisi again in custody for anti-PA statements.
10/4: Parties in Northern Ireland peace talks reach historic accord to end conflict.
10/4: Pope John Paul II says Jews have been "crucified by us for too long".
11/4: PA arrests Hamas fugitive Imad Awadallah, obtains confession of shooting Sharif and blowing up car to hide cause of death.
12/4: Ghassan Adassi, another Hamas suspect in Sharif killing, charges PA with torture to secure confession.
13/4: PA continues crackdown on Hamas following Sharif affair.

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