World

Barak Timeline

December 9, 2000 / 5:45 PM EST / AP

May 17, 1999: Ehud Barak elected prime minister in a landslide, calls vote a mandate for peace, says agreement with Palestinians is his top priority.

Sept. 4, 1999: Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat revive negotiations, announce ambitious plans for full-fledged peace by Sept. 13, 2000.

Dec. 15, 1999: Israel-Syria peace talks launched at highest-ever level.

January 2000: Talks with Syria collapse over Syrian demand that Israel first commit to withdrawing from entire Golan Heights.

February 2000: Arafat breaks off talks with Barak, expresses anger at him for neglecting Palestinians while courting Syrians.

March 9, 2000: Barak and Arafat meet at Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt, revive talks and set new deadlines.

May 24, 2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after a two-decade occupation.

July 2000: Barak's coalition government unravels as several factions leave over the prime minister's plan to offer new concessions to the Palestinians.

July 11, 2000: President Clinton convenes "Camp David II" and sequesters Barak and Arafat for nine days. Summit ends with no agreement; Barak and Arafat agree to press on with their talks.

Sept. 28, 2000: Israel's hawkish opposition leader, Ariel Sharon, visits Jerusalem shrine holy to Jews and Muslims; violent clashes erupt the next day.

Oct. 17, 2000: Barak and Arafat agree to urge an end to violence at a summit in Egypt mediated by Clinton, but agreement fails to take hold and fighting continues.

Nov. 28, 2000: With his minority government in tatters, Barak agrees to hold new elections for prime minister and parliament, probably in the spring.

Dec. 9, 2000: Barak announces intention to resign, says new election will be held within 60 days. More than 300 dead in the violence, most of them Palestinians.