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To:            arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Thursday, April 27, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Thursday, April 27, 2000 / Nissan 22, 5760 - 7th day of the Omer
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. YESHA COUNCIL: JERUSALEM WILL BECOME BORDER TOWN
  2. VIOLENCE AT SHIMON HATZADDIK
  3. YAHALOM: WE'RE ONE FOOT OUT
  4. SHAS MAKES DEAL WITH BARAK
  5. GSS RECOMMENDS RELEASE OF TERRORIST KILLERS

1. YESHA COUNCIL: JERUSALEM WILL BECOME BORDER TOWN
The Yesha Council warned today that the expected transfer of 2-3% of Yesha
around Jerusalem will turn Israel's capital city into a border town.
Despite official denials, Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami appeared
to be preparing the way for a withdrawal from areas around Jerusalem,
saying today, "One thing is clear:  Abu Dis and Azariyah are not
Jerusalem."  Foreign Minister David Levy denied today that a further
pullback from Judea and Samaria is on the government's agenda at present,
and said that such a withdrawal will only be implemented after a framework
agreement is reached with the Palestinians.  Haaretz reported today, on the
other hand, that the government will soon decide on a transfer of Abu Dis -
a neighborhood only hundreds of meters away from the Temple Mount - to the
Palestinian Authority. 

It was learned today that the Palestinians have also demanded the Atarot
airport just north of Jerusalem.  Senior Palestinian figures say that the
matter is being discussed by the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams,
while Israeli sources say that at issue is nothing more than Palestinian
demands for landing and take-off rights.
 
2. VIOLENCE AT SHIMON HATZADDIK
Violence erupted this afternoon in Jerusalem's Shimon HaTzaddik
neighborhood.  Eight Jewish families now live in what only 50 years ago was
a Jewish neighborhood, located just over a main highway leading from the
Old City to the northern suburbs.  About 100 Palestinians, led by PLO
official Feisal Husseini and other Palestinian Authority figures, appeared
at the site of an ancient synagogue in the neighborhood this afternoon to
protest today's court decision permitting Jews to pray there.  At issue,
specifically, is a fence built by Arabs last week around the site, which
prevents the Jews from entering the site. 

Arutz-7's Kobi Finkler reports that police are not allowing Jewish
worshippers from tearing down the fence and entering the synagogue - which
is actually a cave - for fear that the violence will re-erupt.  The
District Court, which rejected this afternoon an Arab appeal of the
original court decision, ordered the Arabs to tear down at least part of
the fence by this evening.  If the Arabs do not comply, the police have
been ordered to tear down the fence.  The situation continues to be tense,
in anticipation of a showdown.

3. YAHALOM: WE'RE ONE FOOT OUT
Deputy Education Minister Sha'ul Yahalom (National Religious Party) implied
today that his party may soon be on its way out of the coalition.  Speaking
with Arutz-7 today, Yahalom sharply criticized Barak's plan to make
gestures to the Palestinians outside the framework of the final-status
agreement, including the handing over of further stretches of the Land of
Israel to the Palestinians and the release of additional terrorists.  "The
whole situation is bizarre," Yahalom said.  "Yasser Arafat is sitting and
making plans to declare a state, and Barak is giving him 'gestures!'  I
believe that we should strive for a final-status deal, at which we must
arrive with as much of Eretz Yisrael as possible still in our hands.
Instead, Barak is offering now to give 'advance payments' on the next
withdrawal!  His behavior is all the more perplexing in light of a specific
American consent, given to Binyamin Netanyahu, that a third withdrawal need
be no more than 1% of Yesha.  The Prime Minister is simply not taking
advantage of this American pledge!"

Regarding the NRP's future in the coalition, Yahalom said, ""We were close
to leaving when it seemed as if Barak was about to give away the Golan to
Syria, but thank G-d, 'He hardened Pharaoh's [Assad's] heart,' and we were
given a reprieve...  The NRP, in my view, is very close now to leaving the
government, but we would  prefer to leave only if and when the situation
becomes intolerable, so that we can continue to wield influence in the
areas of housing and education up to the last possible moment."

MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu, and formerly of the NRP)
told Arutz-7 his opinion:

"I would like to first note that we have never criticized or second-guessed
the NRP, until now.  If there is to be no final-status agreement, and the
Prime Minister is instead going for totally incomprehensible gestures -
this is the moment that the NRP must take the lead and quit the government,
and show Barak that much of the nation is simply not willing to go along
with this.  I heard Yahalom speak just now, yet I am not totally convinced
that the NRP is on its way out, because he said that it is dependent upon
the government planning 'significant' withdrawals - if a 1% withdrawal is
equivalent to all of Gush Dan (the Tel Aviv region), then is 2% not
considered significant?" 

MK Yuli Edelstein (Yisrael B'Aliyah), speaking with Arutz-7's Ron Meir on
the same issue today, said that it is hard to point to "red lines" in the
talks with the Palestinians that would warrant his party's immediate
departure from the coalition.  "But if we are talking about a...
compromise in terms of Jerusalem and the dismantling of settlements, and
the political release of terrorists with blood on their hands, I don't
think that Yisrael B'Aliyah will feel comfortable in the current coalition,
and will definitely take steps to show the Prime Minister [our view]..."
Edelstein said, however, that his party would be prepared to accept an
Israeli withdrawal from Jerusalem-area villages such as Abu Dis if, as part
of a final-status package, the Palestinians were willing to waive their
claims to Jerusalem and to accept the continued growth of Yesha
communities.  The full interview with Edelstein can be heard on Arutz-7's
website at <http://www.a7.org/engclips/270400/edelstein-coalition.ram>.

4. SHAS MAKES DEAL WITH BARAK
Shas leader Eli Yeshai implied today that his party's position on future
withdrawals from Judea and Samaria and agreements with the Palestinians are
negotiable - and that the currency will be in the form of support for the
Shas educational network (El HaMa'yan).  Yeshai said that Prime Minister
Barak will not take the side of Meretz in its dispute with Shas because he
"recognizes the critical importance of Shas to the diplomatic process."
The Prime Minister has in fact decided to transfer large sums of money to
Shas' educational network, contrary to the position of Education Minister
Yossi Sarid of Meretz.  Meretz leaders have already threatened to quit the
coalition. 

Finance Minister Avraham Shochat said today, "I would have no trouble
asking the Treasury for an advance payment of 10 million shekels to El
HaMa'yan.  I can't understand Yossi [Sarid] and [his colleagues in Meretz].
 They know what awaits us, they know that the Cabinet is coming to discuss
[significant concessions to the Palestinians]."  Shas Minister Shlomo
Benizri, however, attempted to play down the connection between Shas'
demands and its vote:  "Regarding the withdrawals, we will vote according
to the instructions of our Torah Sages.  There will be no connection
between our vote and money that may or may not be transferred to El HaMa'yan."

Coalition whip MK Ophir Paz told Arutz-7 that the threats by Meretz don't
particularly concern him:  "It's no secret that there are deep divisions
between our two main coalition partners, Shas and Meretz.  We continue to
search for a solution to which they will both be able to agree...  It
cannot be that Shas' Deputy Minister in the Education Ministry should not
have authorities, and it's obvious that the Minister [Yossi Sarid] must
grant him certain authorities.  [On the other hand], Shas is not happy with
the recovery plan that we arranged for their educational network - but we
will not compromise in this area.  We will ensure that the Shas schools are
properly administered..." 

Arutz-7's Haggai Segal asked, "The government position that some
settlements in Yesha must be evacuated or uprooted is well-known.  Will you
implement this policy only in a final-status agreement, which at present
does not appear to have a chance of being reached, or will settlements be
evacuated in an interim agreement as well?"  Paz responded that he did not
know the answer to that question.

5. GSS RECOMMENDS RELEASE OF TERRORIST KILLERS
The General Security Service has recommended that Arab terrorists who
murdered Jews should be released - although  Prime Minister Barak has
meanwhile not accepted the recommendations.  Reports differ as to whether
the GSS recommends the release of all Fatah terrorists, or only those who
committed their murders before the signing of the original Oslo agreement
in 1993.  Likud MK Gideon Ezra, a former Deputy Chief of the GSS, told
Arutz-7 today that there is no reason to perform any "gestures" towards the
Palestinian Authority:  "Aside from the diplomatic implications, how can we
look the parents of the victims in the eyes when we release the killers of
their children?  Especially when the Americans refuse to release Pollard,
who didn't kill anyone or the like...  Furthermore, this release invites
attacks from Hamas and the Islamic Movement, who will try to emulate the
gains obtained by Fatah in this way."

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To:            arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Sunday, April 30, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
 <www.ArutzSheva.org>
Sunday, April 30, 2000 / Nisan 25, 5760
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. THREE JERUSALEM-AREA NEIGHBORHOODS IN DANGER
  2. TALKS IN EILAT
  3. HA'ETZNI:  DEMOCRACY DOESN'T OVERRIDE BASIC RIGHTS

1. THREE JERUSALEM-AREA NEIGHBORHOODS IN DANGER
Prime Minister Barak's secret emissary, Yossi Ginosar, briefed Yasser
Arafat this morning on the upcoming transfer of Abu Dis, Azariyah, and
Swahara to Palestinian control.  It was reported last night that the
three Arab villages outside Jerusalem would be handed over to the
Palestinian Authority.  The Prime Minister is of the opinion that
Israeli confidence-building gestures such as this are vital for the
negotiating process. 

MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) filed suit with the
Supreme Court on Friday against the involvement of Ginosar - a former
GSS Interrogation Department head - in the diplomatic process, given
his "conflict of interest."  Ginosar is a part-owner of the
Palestinian casino in Jericho, and has other business ties with
Arafat's millionaire economic advisor, Muhammad Rashid. 

Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert, who featured prominently in Barak
campaign ads during last year's election campaign to convince voters
that Barak would not divide Jerusalem, has apparently changed his
mind.  Responding to claims that Abu Dis is not part of Jerusalem's
city borders, Olmert told Arutz-7 today,

"They claim that this means that they're not dividing Jerusalem.
Technically, they are correct, but to say that they are not dividing
Jerusalem is simply an illusion that I cannot accept.  It's true that
these localities are not technically in Jerusalem, nor do they have
any particular emotional or historical religious attachment for us.
But if this is only an 'advance' [on the third withdrawal], then what
will be left for the withdrawal itself?  It's clear that they will be
receiving parts of Jerusalem - this move cannot be interpreted in any
other way, and this is how the Palestinians will interpret it.  This
simply raises their expectations, and then we'll be told that we won't
be able to come to an agreement without meeting their expectations...
Let's not forget that their main goal is to receive the real Jerusalem
- the Temple Mount.  So here we go, giving them an area like Abu Dis
that strategically overlooks the Temple Mount, from where it is only
hundreds of meters away, and then they'll demand a corridor to the
Temple Mount, such as that which Beilin already promised them - where
are we headed?"

Prime Minister Barak met this morning with the heads of the
Oslo-resistant parties in his coalition, Yisrael B'Aliyah and the
National Religious Party, on his intention to transfer the three Arab
villages to the PA.  NRP leaders said that such a move will lead to
the party's resignation from the government, and Deputy Minister
Sha'ul Yahalom said that only a miracle will prevent the dissolution
of the coalition in the event that the transfer is implemented as
planned.  Yisrael B'Aliyah leader Natan Sharansky was less vehement in
his objections, but said that such a transfer would be a "terrible
mistake," and that "we are not glued to our government seats."

2. TALKS IN EILAT
The next round of talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority
began this morning in the Hilton Hotel in Israel's southern-tip port
city of Eilat.  At issue: the framework for the final-status
arrangement. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said beforehand,
"We will not agree to accept advance payments such as Abu Dis until
the entire third withdrawal is agreed upon."  Sources in the Prime
Minister's Office said that Barak briefed head Israeli negotiator Oded
Eran last night on where to 'show flexibility,' with the goal of
reaching an agreement quickly.  The Likud responded sharply to what it
called "Barak's amateurish negotiating," in which the Palestinians
"already know that they will receive 80% of Judea and Samaria,
including Jerusalem neighborhoods."

3. HA'ETZNI:  DEMOCRACY DOESN'T OVERRIDE BASIC RIGHTS
An internal and highly-charged debate is being waged in Judea and
Samaria and within the nationalist camp as to how to respond to the
threat of the evacuation of Yesha settlements.  MK Tzvi Hendel
(National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) said that the soldiers are not
enemies, as some in his camp had called them, but brothers.  Kiryat
Arba resident Boaz Ha'etzni said, "We see the attempt to remove us
from our homes as an act of civil war, and in a civil war, we will
protect ourselves."  Yesha Council secretary Shlomo Filber said that
Ha'etzni does not represent the Yesha populace.  

Ha'etzni was speaking at a Thursday night meeting in a Jerusalem hotel
of the Yesha Council and extra-parliamentary nationalist-camp groups.
Represented there were Women in Green (www.womeningreen.org/), Gamla
Shall Not Fall Again (www.gamla.org.il/), Zo Artzeinu

(www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/3188/), Dor Hemshekh
(www.dor.org.il/enter.html), the Jewish Community of Hevron
(www.hebron.org.il), and others. Operative decisions taken at the
meeting included:  a series of demonstrations in Jerusalem, Eilat, and
elsewhere, against the government's intention to give away more of
Yesha;  renewed efforts to return to the Maon farm; and consideration
of a proposal by Yesha Council member atty. Elyakim Ha'etzni (Boaz's
father) to establish of a list of non-Yesha Israelis who would be
prepared to arrive on short notice at Yesha communities to prevent
their uprooting. 

"What is a man supposed to do," asked Boaz Ha'etzni at the Thursday
night conference, "if a democratic law is passed by the Knesset, and
approved in a national referendum, allowing the police to come to his
house and take away his daughter?...  There are things that we simply
cannot accept, and we will respond in kind...  I will adjust my
defense in accordance with how the soldiers arrive [to carry out an
evacuation]."  He explained that statements of this nature are "not
meant in a negative sense, but simply to correct a governmental
misconception - the government thinks that uprooting settlements will
go over peacefully, and I'm coming to inform them that it will not go
over peacefully."

Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane spoke at length on the topic with MK Zevulun
Orlev (NRP) and Kiryat Arba attorney Elyakim Ha'etzni.  Orlev: 

"I very much disagree [with Boaz].  We must not allow the struggle for
the Yesha enterprise to be controlled by this extreme right-wing, who
have only caused damage until now...  Their style of calling upon
soldiers to refuse to carry out 'illegal' orders will isolate the
settlers from the public, and only cause damage.  I think that the
Yesha Council should continue with its policy of working to convince,
together with the right-wing parties... and do their best within the
framework of public debate and with the consent of the majority of the
public to ensure that the settlements should not be harmed.  If the
struggle is left for the extremists, I am afraid of what may happen."

"Is it not legitimate for people to say that they will defend their
homes?" asked Kahane.  Orlev: 

"I'm sorry, but if someone says that if a government decides something
that is very much against his will, he will call upon the soldiers to
refuse orders... I think that they have gone too far, and I cannot see
myself joining these people in their activities on behalf of Yesha.
Their way will cause their isolation in the public eye...  What must
be done instead is that we must roll up our sleeves, and work in a
democratic way to influence.  The only way that will work is the way
led by the NRP with the outposts compromise [last November] - we must
try to reach agreement, to compromise, to find the way that the Yesha
enterprise should have to pay the lowest price.  Without widespread
public agreement, nothing will work. This is a democracy and there are
rules to the game and we have to abide by them."

"Don't the rules include not removing people from their homes?" asked
Kahane.  Orlev: 

"We are in fact against the evacuation of even one community, and if
it happens, Heaven forbid, I think we should leave the government.
But we are one nation, and we will not be able to exist with an
approach like Ha'etzni's that calls for the refusal to carry out
orders and the like."

Kahane then turned to Elyakim Ha'etzni, and asked for his response.
"I am not willing to respond," Ha'etzni said.  "I told you in advance
that I refuse to get dragged into an argument with people in my own
camp, as I refuse to provide a show for the left-wing.  I still see
Zevulun Orlev as a member of the positive, Zionist camp, despite his
unpleasant words. Regarding his prediction of what will bring damage,
he has his evaluation, which I respect, and I would hope that he would
respect my evaluation that happens to oppose his...   Let me simply
take one sentence of his, which will show why there is no room for
argument [between us].  He said that we must try to find the way for
Yesha to pay the lowest price possible within the framework of a
national consensus.  This means that he would be willing to allow the
evacuation of whatever number of Yesha communities that persuasion and
the like will not be able to prevent.  His opinion of democracy is
therefore so diametrically opposed to mine that we simply cannot even
argue about it.  Let me simply present my position:  If I'm in a boat
with two other people, and the food runs out, and the other two vote
democratically to eat me, I will not accept this democratic decision.
I will either jump from the boat, or eat them, or I don't know what -
but their democratic decision will not be binding for me.  Similarly,
Orlev would not accept a democratic decision that would forbid him
from keeping the Sabbath.  I don't know what he would say about a
democratic vote to stop Jewish immigration to Israel, for instance.
The question, then, is where is the red line...  The nations of the
world decided, in the recent Yugoslavian war, that ethnic cleansing -
the removal of people from their homes - was something that cannot be
decided upon by democratic vote, and they therefore went to war
against the country that decided this, and thousands of people were
killed, simply in order to return these people to their homes - even
though it had been democratically decided!"

"But if you take this position, this will lead to civil war!"
contended Kahane. Ha'etzni:

"This simply shows the extent to which the distorted thinking of those
who have gotten used to being the fifth wheel of Mapai [the forebears
of today's Labor party] has taken us.  Those who send an army to take
maybe 100,000 men women and children from their homes, this is not
civil war?! But if these same people don't submit to being taken out
of their homes, then they're the ones causing a civil war?!  This
simply cries out to the heavens!" 

Col. Moshe Leshem, of Gamla Shall Not Fall Again, told Arutz-7's Ron
Meir today that use of the term "evacuation of Yesha settlements" is
misleading, and that "ethnic cleansing" would be a better and more
accurate choice. The full interview with Leshem can be heard on
Arutz-7's website at <www.a7.org/engclips/300400/leshem-yesha.ram>.

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To:            arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Monday, May 1, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
 <www.ArutzSheva.org>
Monday, May 1, 2000 / Nissan 26, 5760 - 11th day of the Omer
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. NRP TO QUIT OVER ABU DIS
  2. ISRAELI NEGOTIATOR RECOGNIZES PALESTINIAN STATE

1. NRP TO QUIT OVER ABU DIS
The National Religious Party decided today that it would resign from
the government coalition if and when the government decides to
withdraw from Abu Dis.  Party leader Housing Minister Rabbi Yitzchak
Levy said that the party had planned to remain in the government until
the holding of a referendum on the final-status arrangements, but that
a decision to give away Jerusalem-area neighborhoods forces it to
resign sooner.  Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert accompanied Rabbi Levy and
 Yisrael B'Aliyah leader Natan Sharansky in a visit to Abu Dis this
afternoon.  A bodyguard of the mayor was lightly injured when dozens
of Arabs threw rocks at the procession of cars.  Olmert said there,
"Jewish history will not forgive Prime Minister Barak for giving away
these areas." 

MK Marina Solodkin told Arutz-7 today that party leader Sharansky had
told Barak of Yisrael B'Aliyah's objections to the Jerusalem decision,
but that Sharansky had not delivered the message in the form of an
ultimatum. 

Barak and Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, Shas spiritual leader, met last night
for the first time in months.  Shas leaders continue to insist that
Barak's decision to transfer 50 million shekels to the party's
educational network will have no effect on Rabbi Yosef's position on
the planned withdrawals from Yesha.  They refuse to say, however, what
their mentor's position is. Most of Shas' MKs and ministers, not to
mention an overwhelming majority of the party's supporters, object to
the transfer of neighborhoods around Jerusalem to the Palestinian
Authority.  The Cabinet meeting that was to decide on the withdrawal
has been postponed, due to the uncertainty surrounding Shas' position
on the issue. 

Shas MK Ofer Hugi told Arutz-7 today that Rabbi Yosef wished to hear
Barak's explanation and details of the plan to give the neighborhoods
away.

 "The other Torah Sages of Shas also attended the meeting," he said.
"Today or tomorrow the Sages will convene and decide whether to give
over Abu Dis or not.  Other rabbinical bodies are also discussing this
issue at present, and the decision will likely be agreed upon by all."
 United Torah Judaism leader MK Meir Porush expressed strong
opposition yesterday to any plan involving the abandonment of
neighborhoods around Jerusalem.  Hugi said that the 50 million shekels
is not a "gift" to Shas:  "They cut back our school-bus budget from 18
million shekels to 6 million, so if they now restore it to 18 million,
is this a present?" he asked rhetorically. Arutz-7's Haggai Segal
said, "How can you say that there will be no connection between the 50
million and your party's vote on the withdrawals? Finance Minister
Shochat said clearly last week that he has to give the money to Shas
because the government needs Shas' support for the process!" Hugi
answered, "Shas receives consideration because of its Parliamentary
strength - we have 17 MKs [the 3rd largest faction in the Knesset]."

The Knesset interrupted its Passover recess today for a special
session, called by the Likud, on the government's intention to
transfer Jerusalem-area neighborhoods Abu Dis and Azariya to
Palestinian control. 

2. ISRAELI NEGOTIATOR RECOGNIZES PALESTINIAN STATE
Israel's chief negotiator with the Palestinians, Oded Eran, said this
morning that the result of the current round of talks would be a
Palestinian state.  He said this at the opening of the second day of
talks in Eilat with the Palestinians.  The Prime Minister's Office
published a "clarification" soon after, explaining that if a
Palestinian state is established, it will be the result of the
negotiations. A furious Likud response called upon Barak to fire Eran
for "recognizing a Palestinian state even before the achievement of a
permanent-status agreement." 

In a related item, it appears that the Labor Party is now prepared,
for the first time, to recognize a Palestinian state.  A draft
resolution calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state
resulting from the current negotiating process will be brought before
the Labor Party.

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