A chronology of Middle East peacemaking process

1991 Israel holds peace talks with all frontline Arab neighbours, including the Palestinians, at Madrid conference.

September 13, 1993 Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin trade historic handshake, sealing outline for limited Palestinian self-rule.

November 4, 1995 Rabin assassinated by ultra-nationalist Jew.

September 28, 2000 Palestinian uprising breaks out months after the collapse of peace talks brokered by US President Bill Clinton.

April 30, 2003 "Road map" for peace drafted by the Middle East Quartet the United States, the EU, the United Nations and Russia. It calls for confidence building measures by both sides.

November 11, 2004 Arafat dies in Paris. Abbas takes over as head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and becomes Palestinian president after landslide election.

February 8, 2005 Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Abbas declare ceasefire at summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

September 12 Israel completes pullout of troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation.

January 4, 2006 Sharon suffers major stroke and Ehud Olmert succeeds the comatose leader, later winning elections.

January 25 Islamist militant group Hamas defeats Abbas's Fatah in Palestinian parliamentary elections. Hamas rejects Quartet calls to renounce violence and recognise Israel and an international aid boycott is imposed.

June 25 Hamas's armed wing and two other factions tunnel out of Gaza and capture an Israeli soldier, demanding a prisoner exchange. Three days later, Israel launches offensive in Gaza.

November 26 Ceasefire takes hold in Gaza after militants agree to stop firing rockets and Israel promises to end military operations there.

November 27 Olmert says he is reaching out for peace with the Palestinians and offers to free many prisoners if militants release the captured Israeli soldier.

November 30 US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in the Middle East to try to revive peace moves.

(China Daily 12/01/2006 page6)

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