HHMI Newsgroup Archives
To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, May 26,
2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.ArutzSheva.org>
Friday, May 26, 2000 / Iyar 21, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
U.S. DOESN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE WEST JERUSALEM AS ISRAELI
Representatives of the Jerusalem municipality will boycott the American
Consulate's reception in honor of American Independence Day. Mayor Ehud
Olmert, who decided on the move, said that it is a response to the American
Consul's absence at the reception which the city of Jerusalem held this
year at the Tower of David in the Old City on Israel's Independence Day.
On June 8, 1999, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Martin
Indyk - who is now the American Ambassador to Israel - was asked by the
House International Relations Committee whether the U.S. Administration
recognizes Israel's sovereignty over western Jerusalem as it recognizes
Israel's sovereignty over Tel Aviv. Indyk's response:
"The Israelis and Palestinians agreed that Jerusalem is one of the issues
to be addressed in permanent-status negotiations... With the negotiations
about to enter a particularly sensitive stage, the Administration believes
it is particularly important that we not take any step which prejudge or
predetermine the outcome of the permanent-status negotiations, and thereby
damage our efforts to promote a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli
conflict."
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To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, May 28, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.ArutzSheva.org>
Sunday, May 28, 2000 / Iyar 23, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. U.N. IN LEBANON?
2. DEAD END IN STOCKHOLM
1. U.N. IN LEBANON?
Italy and France have announced that they are not willing at this time
to dispatch their soldiers to the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in
southern Lebanon. UN envoy Terje Larsen will meet with Foreign
Minister David Levy and Prime Minister Barak today, and will return to
Beirut afterwards. Another UN team, which arrived yesterday, will
check whether Israel has withdrawn all the way to the original
Mandatory border between Israel and Lebanon, in accordance with
Resolution 425. Israel has evacuated what an official government
statement called "a small area [of Shab'a on Mt. Dov] in which two
minor outposts were located;" Prime Minister Barak said that "90% of
[Shab'a] is not part of Lebanon, and therefore will not be evacuated."
Eight Israel Air Force planes circled above the Lebanese coast today,
for the first time since the withdrawal.
Brig.-Gen. Benny Ganz, head of the Israeli-Lebanese Liaison Unit,
denies reports that Hizbullah and Israel have agreed to a cease fire
for the "coming while." The government later issued its own denial.
The Prime Minister, speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting this
morning, noted that the border has been quiet so far. "In light of
the delicate and fragile conditions in the area," he said, "every day
that passes quietly contributes to the chances of stabilizing the
situation." He said Israel is ready for any possibility, and that the
IDF has clear orders to open fire only in instances of self-defense or
rescue.
2. DEAD END IN STOCKHOLM
Palestinian official Taib Abdul Rahim said today that the
Israeli-Palestinian Stockholm talks have reached a dead end. He said
that they were destined for failure, since the Palestinian Authority
refuses any compromise regarding a complete Israeli withdrawal to the
June 4, 1967 lines, the refugees' "right of return," and the status of
the Jewish settlements.
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To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, May 29, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.ArutzSheva.org>
Monday, May 29, 2000 / Iyar 24, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. BARAK NEARS ARAFAT'S FINAL GOAL
2. NEWS FROM THE NORTH
1. BARAK NEARS ARAFAT'S FINAL GOAL
Prime Minister Ehud Barak has made yet another concession to the
Palestinians in the Stockholm talks. Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai
Huberman reports that despite statements yesterday by Palestinian
negotiators, and despite Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami's return to Israel,
the negotiations are continuing: "Barak now agrees to a Palestinian
state on 92% of Judea and Samaria - instead of the 80 to 90% that he
agreed to two weeks ago. About 2/3 of the remaining 8% is comprised
of Jerusalem areas and Yesha settlements, while the remainder is a
narrow strip along the Jordan River. To compensate the Palestinians
for these areas, Barak has agreed to give up sovereign Israeli
territory, either in the Wadi Ara region (between Hadera and Afula),
or near Gaza, or both."
Huberman said, "When he ran against Yossi Beilin for the leadership of
the Labor party, Barak sharply criticized the Beilin-Abu Mazen plan,
and said that he would never 'give up the sands of Halutza [near Gaza]
in exchange for settlement blocs.' Now it appears that not only has
he agreed to give up Halutza - he will not even insist on keeping
settlement blocs in exchange! Most of the Yesha communities -
including Beit El and Ofrah, which he explicitly promised more than
once that they will remain Israeli - will be included within
Palestinian territory, with some sort of security arrangement."
Barak has also agreed to a direct connection between the Palestinian
entity and Jordan; all previous Israeli governments had insisted that
Israel would retain exclusive control over the borders. "This means
that the entrances to the Palestinian entity will not be supervised by
the IDF," Huberman explained, "but rather by an international force,
and that Israel will have no way of enforcing the demilitarization of
the Palestinian state."
2. NEWS FROM THE NORTH
Syria has recently acquired medium-range missiles from Korea which can
reach any point in Israel from deep within Syria. The missiles have a
range of 700 kilometers.
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To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, May 30, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.ArutzSheva.org>
Tuesday, May 30, 2000 / Iyar 25, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. JORDAN VALLEY LEADERS REJECT LEVY'S DENIAL
2. FACING THE FACTS
3. PA POLICE TAKE ISRAELI WEAPONS, ALLOW ROBBER TO ESCAPE
4. BARAK CAMPAIGN SCANDAL PROCEEDS
1. JORDAN VALLEY LEADERS REJECT LEVY'S DENIAL
Foreign Minister David Levy denied this morning that Prime Minister
Barak has agreed to give up the Jordan Valley in a final-status
agreement with the Palestinians. Jordan Valley and Yesha Council
leaders insist, however, that they have seen maps and have heard
unofficial military reports that prove otherwise. MK Danny Naveh,
appearing on national television immediately after Levy last night,
said, "Pay attention to what he said: 'No agreements have been
reached...'"
Ha'aretz reports today on yet another Israeli concession to the
Palestinians: a reported agreement to locate the northern checkpoint
of the "free passage" in the Mevo Choron area, on the Green Line -
signaling an apparent Israeli willingness to cede control of the area
east of the checkpoint to the Palestinians.
Several emergency meetings have been called this week by Yesha leaders
to discuss the alarming developments in the Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations. One such gathering is scheduled for tonight in the
Jordan Valley. Jordan Valley Regional Council head David Levy (not to
be confused with the Foreign Minister of the same name) told Arutz-7
today:
"We have many reliable sources - in the military and in the press -
who tell us that Barak has made a conscious decision to give away areas in
the Jordan Valley to the Palestinians. We have heard nothing that
contradicts this - except for today's announcement by the Foreign
Minister, which is a good sign, and he is a good friend of mine...
but I fear that he doesn't have all the information. We are receiving
clear reports from all over that the Jordan Valley is being given
away." When asked about the mood among the people, he said, "People
here feel very down, they feel tricked - a fair majority voted for
Barak, largely because right before the elections he promised us
repeatedly that he would not do anything to harm us, etc. We asked him
if he would be willing to give us some sort of letter to that effect,
and he said, 'There's no need, here are my witnesses sitting here with
you - [national security personalities] Matan Vilna'i, Yossi Peled,
Ori Orr, Assaf Chefetz...' - and we see what happened."
"Our public campaign will be waged on all the fronts - in the
Knesset, in the government, in the press - to tell the country that this is a
sacrifice-in-vain. We know who our partner is - the man from Kureish
[a reference to Arafat's statement several years ago implying that a
treaty with Israel could be abrogated when the Palestinians become
strong enough].
This will not be a 'return' of lands, not a withdrawal - just a plain
and simple giving away of our area for no reason." Levy made it clear
that the Jordan Valley residents are not planning to be a part of any
"arrangement" or "deal," and that they will not remain there under
Palestinian sovereignty.
2. FACING THE FACTS
Yet another gathering will be held in Jerusalem tomorrow, with the
participation of Yesha and Jordan Valley leaders. Yehoshua Mor-Yosef,
the spokesman for the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and
Samaria, spoke to Arutz-7 today:
"First on the agenda will be the very worrisome reports emanating from
[the talks in] Stockholm. We have information, which we have found is
true, that the government's intention is to withdraw from almost 100%
of Judea and Samaria, and to abandon close to 100,000 settlers. We
know that Barak's concessions have reached 92% of Yesha, and we have
partially-confirmed information that the number is already 96%. I am
holding in my hands three newspaper reports - one from Apr. 11, which
reports that Barak has agreed to give away 60%, another one from May
11 which states that he has agreed to 80%, and another one from a week
later that says 90%. For some reason, our own people are not aware of
what's going on, that Ehud Barak is prepared to return Israel to the
pre-1967 days, to abandon and/or uproot 100,000 people, and to keep
only a few settlements under Israeli control - Maaleh Adumim, Givat
Ze'ev, and some of Gush Etzion. The only thing stopping him is
Arafat, who is not willing to settle for less than 100%, and who is
not even willing to discuss the proposal to receive Israeli
territories in exchange for the other 4 or 8%."
Regarding the future of the settlements in Yesha, Mor-Yosef said, "We
understand that there is an internal government dispute whether to
uproot the settlements or leave them in place surrounded by
Palestinian territory.
Ben-Ami and Beilin are pressing Barak to leave the communities in
place, and are looking for some sort of formula that will allow them to
remain within the Palestinian area - but in practice we know our
neighbors, and they will never agree to allow us to exist there."
"We are attempting to explain to the public," said Mor-Yosef, "that
although the immediate problems will be caused to the settlers,
[Barak's plan is] really of great urgency for the entire nation, which
will be forced to return to what Abba Eban called the 'Auschwitz
borders'... Politically, we are trying to convince the NRP to resign
now, and not wait for the actual transfer of Abu Dis, so as to cause a
snowball effect - Yisrael B'Aliyah would almost certainly follow suit,
as would Shas at some point, thus toppling the government and sparing
us the government's plans to abandon Yesha."
The Council has sent out a mailing to all Yesha residents which
includes a map of Barak's planned 90% withdrawal - "but in light of
the increase to 92% that has already occurred, we have included a
brown marker in the envelope so that the readers can mark in more
brown [Palestinian] area as Barak's further concessions become
known..."
3. PA POLICE TAKE ISRAELI WEAPONS, ALLOW ROBBER TO ESCAPE
Palestinian para-military police took the weapons of Israeli policemen
and an IDF officer who mistakenly entered Area A last night, and
allowed the driver of a stolen car to escape. The incident began when
an Israeli car was stolen in the Atarot industrial zone, north of
Jerusalem. The Israel police received word that the car was found in
Kfar Akab, a village under Israeli security control. Policemen,
accompanied by an IDF officer, identified the car at the edge of the
town, in an area defined as Area A (full PA control). They arrested
the driver, but then the PA forces arrived and aimed their weapons at
the Israelis. They forced the Israelis to give over the keys to the
car, which they gave to the thief, who quickly escaped; they then took
the Israelis' weapons, and took their "prisoners" to the DCO
Israeli-Palestinian joint headquarters in Ramallah.
4. BARAK CAMPAIGN SCANDAL PROCEEDS
The investigation of the financing of Ehud Barak's Prime Ministerial
election campaign continues. Campaign Manager Tal Zilberstein and his
assistant refused to answer police questions yesterday, and were
released on 105,000 shekels bail each. Their homes and offices were
searched, and papers were confiscated. State Comptroller Eliezer
Goldberg fined the Labor party 13.7 million shekels for its
campaign-law violations of last year.
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To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, May 31, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.ArutzSheva.org>
Wednesday, May 31, 2000 / Iyar 26, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. CIVIL CONQUEST OF YESHA PLANNED
2. SHARANSKY MAY LEAVE GOVERNMENT
3. BEN-AMI REVEALS DEEP BARAK-CLINTON CONNECTION
4. P.A. TURNS DOWN 92%
1. CIVIL CONQUEST OF YESHA PLANNED
Thousands of Palestinians will attempt to "conquer" Jewish
Yesha communities upon the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian
state on September 13. So claims a Saudi Arabian newspaper, quoting a
"Plan for Liberation of Lands" authorized by the Palestinian
Authority. This report jibes with a statement made recently by
leading PLO official Feisal Husseini, who said that on the day after the
declaration of a Palestinian state "on all its lands," the
Palestinians living in refugee camps will "march" towards Israeli
cities and villages. Husseini acknowledged that violence during such a
march would be likely, and that it could lead to a Palestinian
conquest of Jewish towns in Yesha.
Residents of the Binyamin community of Nachliel sent
an urgent letter to IDF Binyamin area commander Col. Gal Hirsch this
week, warning that the IDF will be unable to reach Yesha towns in the
event that the Palestinians carry through with their threats to
overtake the communities.
Beit El Mayor Uri Ariel related to these threats
today, and
said, "We have raised these issues with the army and government, who
are responsible for these matters. They are aware of the issue and are
organized to deal with it." Ariel also said that the towns already
have weapons that, in the opinion of the army, are sufficient to deal
with external threats.
2. SHARANSKY MAY LEAVE GOVERNMENT
Yisrael B'Aliyah is still in the government, says party
leader
Interior Minister Natan Sharansky, but it will leave if and when the
reports on the scope of Barak's concessions are confirmed. In a
letter to Barak last night - reprinted in a Special Insert below -
Sharansky detailed the various Israeli concessions thus far, and
wrote that the agreement would "affect the standing of the Jewish
people in Israel and the Diaspora, weaken the people, and reduce
their ability to identify with the State."
Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, who participated in the
Stockholm talks, called Sharansky's information "irrelevant and
imprecise." Yesha leaders are planning an emergency meeting for this
afternoon in Jerusalem to discuss the situation. For the first time,
Jordan Valley regional council leaders will also be attendance.
Sharansky spoke to Arutz-7 today, and said:
"It's not that Barak is avoiding me personally, but rather all the
government ministers - we hear of developments in the talks only if
there something dramatic happens. So I try to find out on my own - if
I can't hear the news because I'm a minister, I'll hear it as someone
who has some connections... The question is not whether or not to
quit the government, but rather how to prevent this dangerous plan of
Barak's. Our party leadership gave us the mandate yesterday to decide
at any given minute whether we can influence more from within or
without - but as of now, our party will engage in activities to
protest and try to prevent this move... I would like to make it clear that
I'm in favor of territorial compromise, but just not on such
essential interests such as the Jordan Valley and Jerusalem..."
3. BEN-AMI REVEALS DEEP BARAK-CLINTON CONNECTION
Minister of Public Security Shlomo Ben-Ami said today that there
are only a few weeks left for Israel to either come to an agreement
with the Palestinians, or miss the opportunity for a long time to
come. He explained that Clinton's term as U.S. President is coming to
an end, and he will soon not be able to broker an agreement, and the
same with Congress, which will soon be unable to approve the large
aid packages needed for the agreements. Yossi Ben-Aharon, who headed
Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir's office, reacted with alarm today to
Ben-Ami's words:
"I don't think that Ben-Ami himself realized the severity of
his
words. He has now revealed the true intentions of the Barak
government. I have said from the beginning that Barak has tied his
time schedule and his planning of the entire diplomatic process with
Clinton... Clinton has his own interests - he wants to end his career
with the attainment of an agreement between Israel and her neighbors,
and so he and [Secretary of State] Albright and the others are
heavily pressuring Barak to complete the talks before the end of
Clinton's term. Clinton, in turn, promised that he would pass the aid
package through Congress, which will also include much money for the
Palestinians, Syria, and Lebanon. This shows that whoever believes
the denials of the Prime Minister's office regarding these
concessions and 90% of Yesha is simply mistaken... I say this with
great trembling, but what Ehud Barak is doing is very frightening: He
is knowingly gambling on the future and the security of the State of
Israel. He is ignoring the history of the Palestinian Authority which
has not lived up to any of its commitments, and is giving away all
the land, and then - after more intifada and more violence - he will
wake up one day and say, Woops, we made a mistake."
In light of the reports from Stockholm, the Likud
Knesset
faction submitted a no-confidence motion in Prime Minister Barak.
Likud faction leader MK Ruby Rivlin said, "It is becoming
increasingly clear that the negotiations being conducted by Ehud Barak
endanger the security interests of Israel. What is taking place is a
total collapse of the red lines established by all Israeli
governments in their positions until now."
4. P.A. TURNS DOWN 92%
The PA's rejection of the offer of 92% of Yesha -confirmed today by
government sources - was predictable, says Arutz-7 correspondent
Haggai Huberman: "This has consistently been the Palestinians'
position. They refuse to concede even one meter. In fact, during the
Eilat talks a few weeks ago, the Israeli negotiators were told by the
Palestinians, 'Your calculations - 6.1%, 13%, 92%, etc. - have a
basic error: The 100% we are demanding is not of the entirety of
Judea and Samaria, but of the entirety of Palestine! Our agreement to
take all of the West Bank is already a great concession - in that we
are agreeing to take only 25% of the entire land!'"
Huberman said that the Palestinians are prepared to
agree to
such a deal, however, if it is not called a "permanent-status"
agreement, and if the topics of the status of Jerusalem and the
so-called "right of return" are postponed to a date to be named later.
"That way, Arafat can tell his people that the 92% is not a
final-status deal..." Huberman described as "impractical" the
transfer of Israeli-Arab villages to the PA in compensation for the
remaining 8% "because the Arab population in Israel is opposed to
giving up all the benefits that come with Israeli citizenship. In
addition, Barak needs their support. The other sovereign Israeli area
that Barak may forfeit is in Halutza, near Gaza in the Negev..."
Huberman also related to the above-reported threat of the
Palestinian conquest of Yesha communities:
"The plan to have Palestinian civilians march towards and
penetrate Yesha towns will pose a serious dilemma for Israel's
security forces, in terms of firing on civilians," he explained. "The
Palestinians would like to emulate the tactic they saw in southern
Lebanon... The IDF officially says that it is prepared for all
possible scenarios, but Yesha residents aren't convinced. In the
letter sent to IDF officials from Nachliel, the residents note that a
full day may pass before reinforcements arrive to defend the
yishuvim. 'With no offense intended to the IDF,' wrote the residents,
'the PA could dispatch hundreds of skilled, armed Palestinians before
the IDF has a chance to respond. Thus, a danger would exist even if
roads to the settlements are not blocked by Arab snipers and
ambushes..."
************************************************************************
To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, June 1, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.ArutzSheva.org>
Thursday, June 1, 2000 / Iyar 27, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. BARAK MEETS CLINTON
The final-status talks between Israel and the Palestinians
resumed today in a secret location. Prime Minister Ehud Barak claims
that Yasser Arafat must be more flexible, and that "if he wants an
armed struggle, he's welcome to it." The Palestinians claim that
Israel has agreed to give them 75% of Judea and Samaria, and that the
settlement areas will be leased to Israel for 99 years. The Yesha
Council claims, however, that Israel has agreed to withdraw from 95%,
including 70 Jewish settlements.
Barak met with U.S. President Clinton in Lisbon, Portugal this
afternoon. Some of the issues discussed by the two leaders today
included an agreement to dispatch U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright to the Middle East next week, and an increase of American
aid to Israel for the withdrawal from Lebanon from $50 million to
$300-$400 million. Before his meeting with Clinton, Barak announced
that the door to negotiations with Syria "has not closed." The Prime
Minister returned to Israel after the meeting to take part in the
public Jerusalem Day ceremonies.
Arafat said today that he does not see any chance for peace if
eastern Jerusalem does not become the capital of his Palestinian
state. He similarly said that he would reject any solution that does
not accept the 'right of return' for the Arabs who left Israel in 1948.
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To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, June 2,
2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.ArutzSheva.org>
Friday, June 2, 2000 / Iyar 28, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. WHITHER 40,000 CITIZENS?
2. HILLARY CLINTON'S TIES
1. WHITHER 40,000 CITIZENS?
Justice Minister Yossi Beilin said yesterday that the best way to
obtain international recognition of [western] Jerusalem as Israel's
capital is to conduct negotiations with the Palestinians. Prime
Minister Barak, on the other hand, said last night that Jerusalem will
never be divided. Yasser Arafat said yesterday that there will be no
peaceful solution if eastern Jerusalem is not recognized as the
capital of the Palestinian state.
"If Israel can achieve a permanent solution that will allow 80% of
Yesha settlers to remain under Israeli sovereignty with international
recognition," Barak said today, "this will be a historic agreement."
Correspondent Haggai Huberman notes in HaTzofeh today that the other
20% compromise 40,000 Israeli citizens whom "Barak intends to evacuate
or abandon. Some of the settlements will be uprooted, some will come
under Palestinian sovereignty, and the minority - chiefly those around
Jerusalem - will remain Israeli... This means that Barak is willing
to give away 2.5 million dunams [625,000 acres] on which live only
Jews and not one single Arab. We have been so brainwashed with the
claim of 'Palestinian population density' that we forget that the
entire Palestinian population sits on less than 20% of Judea and
Samaria, while the rest is either empty or settled by Jews."
2. HILLARY CLINTON'S TIES
Hillary Clinton has raised tens of thousands of dollars from
associates of Yasser Arafat at private fund-raisers for her Senate
race in New York. So reports the Jewish Forward, whose reporter Eli
Lake writes that Mrs. Clinton attended a private fund-raising
reception on May 12 at the Washington mansion of Hani Masri, a close
confidante of Arafat. The event, which reportedly raised more than
$50,000, was closed to the press. Yigal Carmon, President of the
Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), said that his
organization has done extensive research on the Masri family's control
of the Palestinian Development Investment Co. and its ties to Arafat.
This is far from the first time Hillary Clinton has had connections
with militant Arab and Palestinian organizations. During the 1980's
she served on the board of the New World Foundation, funneling money
to the PLO, which at the time was recognized as a terrorist
organization. In February 1996, Hillary hosted a reception at the
White House for leaders of Hamas-supporting groups such as the
American Muslim Council and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
In January 1998, Hillary hosted a White House reception organized by
Muslim leaders who defended militant Islamic fundamentalism and
supported radical Islamic groups.
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