  A general principle says that the matrix of a Fourier integral operator with
respect to wave packets is concentrated near the curve of propagation. We prove
a precise version of this principle for Fourier integral operators with a
smooth phase and a symbol in the Sjoestrand class and use Gabor frames as wave
packets. The almost diagonalization of such Fourier integral operators suggests
a specific approximation by (a sum of) elementary operators, namely modified
Gabor multipliers. We derive error estimates for such approximations. The
methods are taken from time-frequency analysis.
