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From: Voices United for Israel
To:      heb_roots_chr@hebroots.org
Subject: ISRAEL NEWS FROM ALLY TO PROTECTORATE


From THE NATIONAL UNITY COALITION FOR ISRAEL
A Coalition of 200 Jewish and Christian Organizations Representing 40 Million Americans, dedicated to the security of Israel.

Phone: (913) 432-7900  Fax: (913) 432-7997
Email: voicesunited@mindspring.com
See our Web Page at: http://www.Israel-unitycoalition.com

New York Post Online : Columnists  1 04 2000


FROM ALLY TO PROTECTORATE

By DAVID BAR-ILLAN

ISRAEL needed all the help it could get when it emerged from its War of Independence in 1948. Outnumbered 100 to one by peoples sworn to its destruction, the new state fought for its life, opened its gates to Jewish refugees from Arab countries and survivors of Nazi death camps, and turned them into a powerful, modern nation. No cause could more convincingly justify the massive assistance Israel received.

But, ultimately, assistance is truly helpful only if it enables the recipient to become independent. And until recently, this was the direction Israel was taking. The highly motivated immigration from the former Soviet Union and Israeli expertise in the field of high tech have given the nation marked advantage in today's marketplace. Israel seemed to be on the threshold of complete economic and political independence.

Instead, Israel is becoming more dependent on the United States than ever. Partly, this is due to the slow pace of its emergence from a centralist and inefficient economy saddled with confiscatory taxation. It is easier to remain addicted to American assistance than to take the painful, drastic steps needed to transform the economy.

But far more threatening to Israel's independence is Washington's concept of Middle Eastern peace. The administration is forcing Israel to do what all Israeli governments have vowed they would never do -- relinquish the Golan and most of the West Bank and agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River.

Some believe this reflects President Clinton's ambition to leave the stage as a Nobel Peace Prize winner rather than as the second president in history to be impeached. But a more likely explanation is that the administration has concluded that the only way to bring peace to the region is to make all its nations economically and militarily dependent on Washington. This would
enable America to call the shots and prevent its dependents from attacking each other.

That dictatorial Arab regimes with crumbling armies and stagnant economies should accept such an U.S. solution is hardly surprising. It enables them to retrieve territories lost in wars of aggression, improve their economies -- at least enough to avoid internal turmoil -- and modernize their armies to match Israel's. Signing peace treaties on the White House lawn is a small price to pay for a realistic chance to overpower Israel in the future.

Why Israel is willing to go along with this is less obvious. Barak's political indebtedness to Clinton may be part of the explanation. He owes his election to the White House political advisers, to munificent contributions by Democratic fat cats, and to the almost daily savaging of Benjamin Netanyahu by the administration during the campaign.

But it is inconceivable that Barak would relinquish the Golan, a move he has always considered unthinkable, only to pay a political debt. Nor is it possible that, after years of deriding Shimon Peres's vision of a New Middle East patterned after the European Union, Barak would suddenly believe that an agreement with the ruthless Syrian dictatorship would usher a new era.

It is more likely that he has despaired of Israel's ability to withstand world pressure and internal division. So instead of striving for greater independence from the United States, he has opted for making Israel a quasi-protectorate, counting on America to provide the tens of billions in aid and military equipment, and the "trip wire" military forces for the Golan that the fake peace with Syria will necessitate.

It is a solution that negates the very purpose of Zionism. And it is the surest way to turn Israel from a strong, invaluable ally into a pesky, costly dependent. It will sour U.S.-Israeli relations, especially if American soldiers are killed in the process of peacekeeping, and it will perpetuate Israel's image as a foreign body in the Middle East.

Ironically, no one could have articulated how unworkable and foolhardy such a solution is than Ehud Barak himself.

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To:            arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject:       Arutz-7 Op-Ed: THE PSYCHIATRIC WARD


THE PSYCHIATRIC WARD
by Elyakim Haetzni
Arutz Sheva Israel National Radio <http://www.arutzsheva.org>

In This Article:
  1. I Think I'm Normal
  2. The Peace Inventory
  3. Closing the Window of Opportunity
  4. Conversations Overheard


I THINK I'M NORMAL
I'm normal.  Or at least I think I am.  I take my cue from the fact that no psychiatrist has yet recommended that I be put away in the nearest institution.  Even so, I sometimes think that I am indeed living in a mental ward.  Permit me to explain.

Yasser Arafat was unwilling to receive another 5% of Judea and Samaria "free."  He wanted in exchange, and received, a commitment from Israel that the next Oslo withdrawal will include neighborhoods bordering Jerusalem, namely, Abu Dis and El Azariya.

You might want to read the above paragraph a second time.  If it seems logical to you, you may be advised to undergo some psychiatric tests.

Assad, too, is not willing to receive the Golan "for nothing."  In exchange for Assad's agreement to accept the Golan, he is demanding - and will probably receive - billions of dollars and modern military equipment for the hopelessly outdated Syrian army. If all this seems logical to you - call your psychiatrist.

THE PEACE INVENTORY
Minister Chaim Ramon of Labor promises us the end of the "cycle of war" after Israel withdraws from the Golan.  For the record, the IDF presented the Americans with the following "Peace Inventory": Tomahawk missiles, Apache Helicopters, Hercules jets, hundreds of Hellfire missiles and AWACS intelligence aircraft.

The list also includes: observation towers with high-power floodlights, 60-centimeter walls next to each home, the closing of the northern road for the entire stretch of the Galilee panhandle to
civilian traffic, and the distribution of beepers and personal ammunition to each citizen.

People who live on the outside of the mental ward have always had a slightly different perspective: we think that "the end of war" means less, and not more, arms!

Israel has enjoyed almost 30 years of quiet in the Golan, as a result of our sitting 60 kilometers from Damascus.  But we are now told that "quiet" is not enough, and that we also need "peace" - that  which will bring the Syrians back to the Golan, will modernize their army, and will solidify their presence on our northern border.  This has frightened the directors of the mental ward, and they have asked the Americans for even deadlier ammunition provided by the U.S. to the Syrians.  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the new Middle East arms race!

CLOSING THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

Fact:  The Syrian army is old and tired. As a result, says the ward's directors, "the window of opportunity has been now opened, and through it we must toss the Golan, before that window of opportunity slams shut!"

Question:  Along with the Golan, the Syrians are to receive American arms of the type and amount that will transform the Syrian army into a major power.  According to the very logic of those running the psychiatric ward, this means that the window of opportunity will have closed.  If so - why give up the Golan?

"Just think," yell the ward attendants, "a person can hop into his car in Tel Aviv, and reach Paris via  Damascus!"  It's worthwhile noting that residents of Paris have been able, for a long time now, to reach Tel Aviv via Damascus.  If so, why has not one of them jumped at this fantastic travel opportunity?

The ward directorate says that we can take chances with the Golan, since Assad can be trusted, and Syria honors its signed agreements.  And yet, the Golan deal would itself be a violation of one of Assad's commitments.  It would solidify Syria's occupation of Lebanon, thus violating the Ta'if agreement, in which the Assad regime committed itself to leave Lebanon.  Is the belief of the ward that although Syria violates agreements it made with the U.S. and the Arabs, it will honor treaties with the Jewish state?

CONVERSATIONS OVERHEARD

A conversation overheard in the mental ward:  "What good is Assad's signature - isn't he sick and about to die? What will become of our peace deal?"  Their concerns were soon alleviated:  "Don't worry," came the answer.  "Whose signature could be worse and less reliable? Assad has violated every water agreement he ever signed with the Jordanians and the Turks, and his cease-fire with us; slaughtered tens of thousands of his own people; awarded a medal of honor to the soldier responsible for the axe-murders of Israeli captives; provided refuge for Adolph Eichmann's right-hand man, Alois Bruner; and murdered a major Druze leader as well as Lebanese President Amin Jemayal. And this is only a partial list."  The listeners were comforted.

Experts hired by the psychiatric ward are looking for solutions for the expected lack of water after Israel recognizes "Syrian rights" to Golan water.  One serious possibility being considered:  Offer the Syrians water from Turkey!

It is told that in Chelm, somebody removed the protective railing from the local bridge.  Carriages fell off and many people unfortunately died. But the Chelmites found a way to rectify the situation:  "Let's build a hospital under the bridge!"  In the mental ward, too, they are preparing similar solutions for: the Jewish population that is to be evacuated, the IDF which is to retreat, the new arms race, the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and Syria, the water shortage, and the environmental and security problems.  How comforting!


*          *          *          *          *          *          *
Atty. Elyakim Haetzni, a former Knesset Member of the Techiyah party, resides in Kiryat Arba.  He authors a column in Yediot Acharonot, and speaks weekly on Arutz-7.

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FROM: Clarence H. Wagner, Jr., International Director - Jerusalem

                  Weekly News Update and Prayer Focus from Israel

                                Week Ending: January 14, 2000

1) MOSSAD OBTAINED URINE SAMPLE: ASSAD IS DYING
2) SYRIA ALREADY MOVING ON THE GOLAN
3) POINTS OF CONTENTION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SYRIA
4) JEWISH LANDS IN SYRIA
5) ARAB FAMILIES CLAIM TO OWN LAND ALLOCATED FOR US EMBASSY

1) MOSSAD OBTAINED URINE SAMPLE: ASSAD IS DYING

According to a report released by the Sunday Times of London, the Mossad Intelligence Agency has acquired a urine sample from Syrian President Hafez el-Assad and a diagnosis revealed that the Syrian leader was "living on borrowed time." According to the report, the sample was obtained last year while el-Assad joined many international leaders at the funeral service for King Hussein of Jordan. The Times report indicated that the urine sample was processed in a laboratory in Tel HaShomer Hospital in Tel Aviv where it was confirmed that the Syrian leader has cancer of his urinary tract and enabled physicians to obtain an accurate reading on the Syrian ruler's diabetes mellitus. (IsraelWire, January 10, 2000)

2) SYRIA ALREADY MOVING ON THE GOLAN

Syria is building a huge reservoir on the Golan Heights in what is expected to be the first of several projects to capture water that feeds Israel's Sea of Galilee.  Military sources said the reservoir is meant to also serve as an obstacle to any Israeli ground offensive against Syria in the Golan Heights. The sources said the reservoir is four kilometers wide (2.4 miles) and is being constructed near the town of Kuneitra, in Syrian territory. The area is flat and located on a major armored offensive route between Israel and Syria. So far, the sources said, the reservoir is not expected to be fed by tributaries that flow directly into Israel. But one source said the reservoir is expected to be followed by other projects meant to stem the flow of water from the Golan Heights to the Sea of Galilee, regarded as Israel's only source of fresh water. "There is no question that this is the first of several projects," the source said. "The idea is to capture as much water as possible within Syria before it enters Israeli territory." Syria and Jordan are constructing the al Wihdat dam that will feed off the Yarmouk River, shared by Israel. Israeli
officials said the Jordanians are coordinating their part of the project with Israel. The sources said, the reservoir could be emptied, flooding the surrounding area, further slowing down Israeli troops. Already, the sources said, Syria is bolstering its units around the Golan Heights with new electronic equipment and is quietly dismantling Israeli mines placed in the area. (TNS, January 9, 2000)

3) POINTS OF CONTENTION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SYRIA

The London-based al-Hayat newspaper reported the expected points of contention between Israel and Syria in future negotiations.

The main Points cited:

Borders:

Syria: Israel must withdraw to the June 4, 1967 border.

Israel: The June 4 line is not a border, but rather the cease-fire line on the eve of the Six-Day War. Israel is ready to withdraw to the international border.(The Israeli delegation and State Department Spokesman James Rubin strongly emphasize that such an Israeli stance is not included in the working document. Israel says its position is different from Syria's and will be finalized through negotiations.)

Normalization: Syria: Ready to establish ordinary peace relations between two neighborly states, but refuses to sign agreements between the two governments regarding normalization.

Israel: Demands the opening of borders and exchange of embassies immediately after the start of withdrawal.

Security: Syria: Adheres to the principle of parallel, equal and equitable security arrangements. Rejects any security arrangements that undermine Syrian sovereignty on the Golan, including establishing an Israeli ground station.

Israel: Demands keeping an early-warning ground station on Mount Hermon and does not mind the Presence of US forces there. Believes the geographic features in Israel call for greater, more intense and more severe security arrangements on the Syrian side.

Water: Syria: The principle of land and borders should be discussed before water. Water resources can only be discussed through a Syrian-Israeli- Lebanese-Jordanian framework.

Israel. The Golan water resources constitute one-third of Israel's resources. A pledge not to obstruct the flow of water is necessary. The issue of water is equivalent to the issue of security and
normalization. (Jerusalem Post, January 1, 2000)

4) JEWISH LAND IN SYRIA

In the 1930's, Baron Edmund de Rothschild purchased lands in Syria, 53,000 dunams (13,250 acres), about 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Damascus. The lands are described as mountainous and agricultural lands that are now under Syrian control. Jewish National Fund officials today hold the documentation attesting to the fact that the lands were eventually turned over to the quasi-governmental agency. The ownership is also registered in the Syrian land registry according to JNF officials. With the hostile situation that existed over the years between Israel and Syria, no attempt was made to exercise ownership of the lands. JNF Chairman Shlomo Gravitz stated on January 6th that Israel might try to use the land to work a deal with
Syria whereby it would maintain portions of the Golan Heights.

JNF Officials realize that a deal would have to be reached soon, prior to the signing of a peace accord with Syria that would include Israeli land concessions and border demarcations. (IsraelWire, January 10, 2000)

5) ARAB FAMILIES CLAIM LAND ALLOCATED FOR US EMBASSY

Arab families are now claiming the area known as Mahane Alanbi, designated as the home for the planned US embassy in Jerusalem. The families trace their rights to the land to the time period of the British Mandate. Prior to signing a lease with the Israel Lands Administration, US officials in Israel have launched an investigation into the land claims and it was learned that the area was designated for public needs by the British and claims to the land as absentee properties was unfounded. (IsraelWire, January 11, 2000)


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We also invite you to look at our WEB SITE at: http://www.bridgesforpeace.com

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