Karine A Interception
Arafat faces intense international scrutiny after Israel intercepts the Karine A carrying a large shipment of weapons destined for Palestinian-controlled territory.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
2002 in Palestine
Explore 12 historical events and records for Palestine in 2002.
Historical records for Palestine in 2002
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 12 of 12 unique records.
12Unique records
1 of 1Page
12Named events on this page
4Named people on this page
4Places on this page
January
March
Passover Hotel Bombing
Hamas claims responsibility for the Park Hotel suicide bombing in Netanya, which kills dozens during a Passover Seder and triggers a major Israeli offensive.
Operation Defensive Shield
Is confined in his Ramallah compound during Israel's West Bank operation.
Ramallah Compound Encirclement
Arafat remains confined inside his Ramallah headquarters as Israeli forces intensify Operation Defensive Shield around the Palestinian Authority compound.
Intifada, 2nd
Israeli forces besiege Arafat's compound in Ramallah during Operation Defensive Shield
April
Church of Nativity Siege Begins
Arafat's administration faces another major crisis as armed Palestinians and civilians take refuge inside Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity during Israeli operations.
Arrest of Marwan Barghouti
Is arrested by Israel during the Second Intifada.
May
Church of Nativity Siege Settlement
The Church of the Nativity standoff ends through a negotiated arrangement that sends some Palestinian militants abroad and others to Gaza.
Palestinian Authority Reform Speech
Arafat addresses the Palestinian Legislative Council and promises political and administrative reforms after intense domestic and international pressure.
Palestinian Basic Law Promulgated
Arafat promulgates the Palestinian Basic Law, giving the Palestinian Authority a more formal constitutional framework for governance.
September
Second Muqata Siege
Israeli forces again surround and damage Arafat's Muqata headquarters while demanding the surrender of militants sheltering inside the compound.
Other events (month unknown)
Reform Pressure
International pressure grows for reform of Palestinian Authority institutions during the Second Intifada
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.