To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, June 18, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, June 18, 2000 / Sivan 15, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. YESHA STRIKE TOMORROW
2. BARAK BUCKS KNESSET DECISION
3. BUYING TIME
4. BEILIN OFFERS TIBI NEW TOWN
5. TEMPLE MOUNT UNDER SIEGE
6. THE PA'S MILITARY OPTION
1. YESHA STRIKE TOMORROW
The finishing touches are being put on tomorrow's general strike in
the Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. The schedule for
the protest of Barak's plans to abandon over 90% of Yesha - and close
to 50,000 people - is as follows:
All Yesha schools and municipal institutions will close at 10 AM, and
all residents - men, women, and children - will travel from their
respective yishuvim and towns in convoys of vehicles to Jerusalem. At
12:30, a massive protest will take place in the Rose Garden, opposite
the Knesset. After a 2 PM lunch break, participants will disperse to
various intersections to hand out relevant literature to drivers and
passers-by. At 6 PM, a huge prayer vigil for the security of the Land
of Israel and its inhabitants will be held in Jerusalem's Zion Square,
followed by a march to the Prime Minister's residence. The Yesha
strike will conclude at 8:30 PM with marchers encircling Ehud Barak's
residence carrying torches.
Smaller-scale protests by the individual communities continue this
week in front of the homes of government ministers. Former IDF Chief
of Staff and newly-appointed Transportation Minister Amnon
Lipkin-Shachak can look forward to a protest by residents of Horesh
Yaron, just outside of the Talmonim, at his home tonight.
In related news, the Jordan Valley Regional Council will host a
gathering today of various groups that object to giving up the
northern Dead Sea and Jordan Valley areas to the Palestinians. This
is yet another response to reports that Barak's final-status
negotiator Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami offered the PA virtually the entire
Jordan Valley settlement enterprise. The uniqueness of today's meeting
is that representatives of the left-aligned National Kibbutz movement
as well as the National Council for the Golan and the northern
confrontation line communities plan to attend. Eitan Sat of Kibbutz
Gadot, who organized the session, told Arutz-7 today that says that
his goal is to forge an umbrella organization "whose members are
united by the common goal of supporting Jewish settlement activity
throughout Eretz Yisrael."
2. BUYING TIME
The security cabinet met in Jerusalem this morning to discuss the
negotiations with the Palestinians. Although officials in the Prime
Minister's Office have been saying since yesterday evening that
today's meeting is "a crucial milestone as Israel approaches the
moment of truth with the Palestinians," and although security
officials offered a broad outline of the implications of a
final-status deal, Prime Minister Barak did not elaborate on Israel's
final-status positions. Political commentators have suggested that
the urgency of the meeting was overstated, and that Barak called the
special session only to fill the vacuum left by the cancellation of
the regular weekly cabinet meeting. Barak, who is in the midst of
intense negotiations with Shas, apparently wishes to avoid the
resignation of Shas party ministers, who were instructed by their
Council of Torah Sages last week to resign at the "next full cabinet
meeting."
The Labor/Shas coalition negotiations continued today and will
continue tonight, with the participation of Ministers Beilin, Shochat,
and Ramon, as well as Finance Ministry, Education Ministry, and Shas
El-HaMa'yan officials. At the top of the agenda is the formalization
of the understandings achieved last night between the sides last
night. Shas is reportedly still insisting that a third broadcast
authority be established to supervise its radio stations, although
Justice Ministry officials are dead set against.
3. BARAK BUCKS KNESSET DECISION
Prime Minister Barak declared today that he would not show up for a
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting tomorrow, at
which the transfer of Abu Dis, El-Azariya and Swahara to PA control
will be discussed. The announcement flies in the face of a Knesset
decision - initiated by MK Benny Elon (National Union - Yisrael
Beiteinu) - that obligates the Prime Minister to do so. Elon's party
criticized Barak for "continuing to mock the Knesset, preferring
instead to engage in the muck of coalition politics. By so doing, Mr.
Barak endangers Israel's democratic system." Shas MK Nissim Ze'ev, a
member of the Defense Committee, remarked today that Mr. Barak's
actions contribute to the abandonment of Jerusalem.
4. BEILIN OFFERS TIBI NEW TOWN
Ehud Barak hopes to secure a pledge of support from the Arab parties
as a "safety net" in case contacts with Shas fail. Ma'ariv reports
today that to this end, Justice Minister Yossi Beilin promised Arab MK
and Arafat-confidante Ahmed Tibi that a new Arab town would be built
in exchange for such a pledge of support. The Israel Lands
administration says that there are no significant problems in setting
aside the new lands, near the Israeli-Arab town of Taibe. MK Tibi
today referred to the talks as "a type of coalition negotiations."
Ma'ariv parliamentary correspondent Yehuda Golan updated Arutz-7 today
on Ehud Barak's latest efforts - including contacts with Arab
political parties - to solidify his coalition. "He is operating
simultaneously on two domestic political tracks. The major track
involves contacts with Shas and Meretz. With Shas, Barak hopes to
secure a deal to keep it in the coalition, while with Meretz, Barak
hopes that contacts will prevent a Meretz 'intifada' when the
concessions offered to Shas are finalized. A smaller, no less
important track involves negotiations with the Arab parties, Shinui,
and Amir Peretz's Am Echad.... If the talks with Shas fail, the
latter track will take on greater significance..."
Golan added that the Arab parties decided to cash in on the situation
by demanding a new town, citing the high growth rate of Israel's Arab
population and the lack of land on which to build. "Part of the
Beilin-Tibi deal entails the presenting of a document to the Knesset,
a type of agreement, according to which the Arabs will be granted
larger municipal budgets, greater equality when it comes to government
jobs, and the freeing of Israeli-Arab security prisoners... As long
as a deal with Shas is not sealed, this option remains a possibility.
In exchange, Beilin wants a pledge by the Arab parties that they will
not join any right-wing-initiated no-confidence votes against the
government."
5. TEMPLE MOUNT UNDER SIEGE
Photographs taken last week on the eastern section of the Temple Mount
show that the Moslem Waqf is building a new mosque on the actual
location of the Holy Temple. Bulldozers and trucks have already
cleared dozens of piles of dirt from the area, and have brought in
their place large quantities of building materials. It should be
noted that several months ago, the government decided that the only
works to be carried out on the Mount were emergency doors for the
existing mosque there. Archaeological student Tzachi Tzveig
emotionally shared his concerns with Arutz-7 today:
"This is the fourth mosque on the Mount, and this one is in the actual
spot of the Beit HaMikdash. The government is well aware of what's
going on, yet the ministers do little more than speak about it here
and there... Public Security Minister Ben-Ami announced several weeks
ago that no trucks with construction materials would be allowed into
the area - but it was just words. The trucks come and go, and I saw a
video from a week ago showing that the work is continuing apace.
Until I saw those pictures [which can be seen at www.miac.com/bait],
I
didn't realize the extent of the damage... Nadav Shragai writes in
Ha'aretz today that there are "plans" for a fourth mosque - but the
fact is that these are way beyond just plans... two structures are in
quite advanced stages..."
6. THE PA'S MILITARY OPTION
Another round of talks between Israel and the Palestinians ended last
night. Both American and Palestinian sources say that no new
developments have occurred, and that the main gaps between the sides
have yet to be closed.
At today's security cabinet meeting, high-ranking officials within
Israel's security establishment - including IDF Chief of Staff Mofaz,
the head of military intelligence, the head of the General Security
Services, and the chief of the Mossad - were unanimous in the view
that if a framework agreement is not signed with the Palestinians,
Israel can expect a military clash with the PA. Arutz-7 correspondent
Haggai Huberman reports that Arafat's support for military chief
Marwan Bargouti in the upcoming internal Fatah elections, as well as
his strengthening of military units in Judea and Samaria, reinforce
the concerns.
Jibril Rajoub, head of the Palestinian Preventive Security Service,
lashed out at IDF Chief of Staff Mofaz for saying that Israel is
prepared for a military confrontation with the PA. "This is tantamount
to a declaration of war against the Palestinian Authority," Rajoub
said. "The Palestinian people will not raise a white flag in the face
of Israeli tanks and planes." HaModia reports today that Israeli
security elements are taking seriously the Palestinian threats to
march en-masse on Jewish towns in Yesha, but claim that they are
prepared for such eventualities.
*************************************************************************
To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, June 19, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, June 19, 2000 / Sivan 16, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. YESHA TO JERUSALEM
2. COALITION UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES
3. CHAMISH FILES COMPLAINT: ATTEMPTED MURDER
1. YESHA TO JERUSALEM
All Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza (Yesha) are on
strike today. Local councils, and municipal offices are closed, and
schools were emptied of their students by mid-morning. Tens of
thousands of men, women and children traveled this morning to
Jerusalem in organized convoys to protest the government's plan to
transfer Jewish communities to Palestinian Authority control. At
12:30 PM, a massive rally of close to 100,000 people took place in the
Rose Garden, opposite the Knesset. Later, participants dispersed to
various intersections to hand out literature to drivers and
passers-by. At 6 PM, a prayer vigil for the security of the Land of
Israel will be held in Jerusalem's Zion Square, followed by a march to
the Prime Minister's residence. The day-long Yesha strike will
conclude at 8:30 PM with marchers encircling Ehud Barak's residence
carrying torches.
Speakers at the Rose Garden gathering included children and teenagers,
several of whom directed their words to Prime Minister Barak, calling
on him not to harm the Yesha settlement enterprise. Deputy Defense
Minister Ephraim Sneh, speaking to Arutz-7 at the height of the
protest, said the rally was "unnecessary, because the government is
also working very hard to prevent damage to the settlements. But it is
impossible to arrive at a solution according to which 100% of Israeli
citizens remain under Israeli sovereignty. Look: even now, many Jews
live and travel in areas that are in close proximity to the PA; they
feel secure, and nothing happens to them..." Sneh added that, in his
opinion, no Palestinian paramilitary policeman would be able - even
after a final settlement - to enter any Yesha community. He did say,
however, that many community approach roads would in fact be
transferred, as in the case of Negohot, to total Palestinian military
control.
Yesha Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said later that Sneh's
denial of the planned uprooting of communities contradicts the Israeli
position as conveyed by sources close to the final-status
negotiations. "Over the past few weeks, he has held meetings with
various ministers, and has assigned them to visit various Yesha
communities to give the impression that the government cares, and does
not plan to abandon Yesha. We are currently considering whether to
accept or reject these visits."
2. COALITION UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES
A no-confidence vote in the government submitted by National
Union-Yisrael Beiteinu has been postponed until next week. The reason:
uncertainty as to how the Shas-Barak-Meretz coalition crisis will end.
No significant developments took place last night in negotiations
between the sides, who are expected to meet again this afternoon.
Shas leader Eli Yeshai said that his ministers would submit their
letters of resignation tomorrow should a deal not be struck by then.
The outstanding issue continues to be Shas' insistence that a third
broadcast authority be established to license and supervise its radio
stations. Attorney-General Rubenstein wrote a letter to Prime
Minister Barak yesterday, in which he argued that such a third
authority would not survive a Supreme Court review.
Speaking at an open-air meeting at the pro-Yesha rally this afternoon,
Likud leader MK Ariel Sharon called upon Shas, the National Religious
Party, and Yisrael B'Aliyah to leave the coalition immediately.
Sharon said that Barak is pressuring US President Clinton to hold a
three way summit in two weeks' time. It is for this reason, said
Sharon, that Barak is exerting great efforts to preserve his coalition
- even at the expense of major concessions to Shas.
3. CHAMISH FILES COMPLAINT: ATTEMPTED MURDER
Journalist Barry Chamish, author of "Who Murdered Yitzchak Rabin,"
lodged a complaint last night with the Beit Shemesh police, charging
that an unidentified party had tried to murder him over the past few
days. The first incident took place while driving Saturday night when
Chamish "took a sharp turn, and lost control of the car." He told
correspondent Baruch Gordon, "Somebody had opened up the steering box,
disengaged the airbag and wrapped the wires around the steering
column. So when I turned sharply, it ripped out all the wires - there
was no electricity, and I made the sharp turn with no control." A
second attempt on Chamish's life occurred last night: "Somebody had
cut the right back wheel from the axle, and while I was driving, the
wheel became disengaged from the car, which then began to wobble."
After losing control of his car, Chamish found that the entire brake
system had failed. Both police and insurance adjusters who examined
the vehicle concluded that the loss of control resulted from a
"sophisticated" act of sabotage. The Beit Shemesh police confirmed to
our correspondent that the complaint was being investigated. An
excerpt of Arutz-7's interview with Chamish can be heard at
http://www.a7.org/english/radio/ram/ram-newsclips/190600/hamish-try-ki
ll.ram
**********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, June 20, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, June 20, 2000 / Sivan 17, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SHAS RESIGNS
2. ALL-DAY STRIKE ENDS IN MASSIVE RALLY
3. YEDIOT: WASHINGTON SUMMIT PLANNED
4. WAQF BLOCKS MKS
1. SHAS RESIGNS
Shas ministers handed in their letters of resignation from the
government this afternoon, but the resignations take effect after 48
hours. Officials in the Prime Minister's office initially refused to
recognize the letters as having been submitted, saying that they must
be delivered personally by each minister to the Prime Minister.
Later, at 3:45 PM, however, receipt of the letters was officially
acknowledged. Arutz-7's Haggai Seri took a cautious approach to the
new situation, noting that the sides will likely begin accelerated
negotiations to strike a deal before the resignations go into effect.
Shas Council of Torah Sages secretary Rabbi Raphael Pinchasi hinted as
much as he was submitting the letters. "There is still time to close
the remaining gaps," he said.
Voice of Israel Radio reported from a gathering of Shas supporters
this afternoon that those in attendance were overjoyed with the
developments, and are hoping that the decision is final. Speaking
with Arutz-7 earlier today, Makor Rishon reporter Riki Shushan said
that the key issue for Shas is not its schools or radio stations, but
the Shas ministers' feeling of lack of involvement in the diplomatic
process. "They feel that they are simply told of diplomatic
decisions, and are only needed for their vote," she said. "Shas
voters are largely right-wing politically, and are not willing to
support the abandonment of 50,000 Yesha residents - and Shas leaders
know this." Shas MK Ya'ir Peretz told Yesha leaders yesterday that
Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef recently instructed the MKs to "preserve the Land
of Israel."
Prime Minister Barak told Labor party officials today that he would
work in the coming days for the establishment of "another government
that will work towards the advancement of Israel." Coalition whip
Ofer Pines-Paz said that Labor/One Israel "did all we could to answer
to Shas' needs." Meretz minister Ran Cohen called upon Barak to form
a minority government with outside Arab support, and said that Shas
was to blame for the situation.
The resignations came after Barak and Shas representatives met with
Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein this morning in a last-ditch
effort to find a solution for Shas' radio station demands. As of this
morning, still at issue were the powers to be assigned to Deputy
Education Minister Meshulam Nahari, the relationship between the Shas
school system and its private associations, and funding for new school
buildings. National Religious Party leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy met
with Likud leader MK Ariel Sharon this afternoon to discuss the
implications of the coalition crisis. Sharon yesterday called on the
NRP to leave the government immediately.
2. ALL-DAY STRIKE ENDS IN MASSIVE RALLY
Jerusalem streets were jammed throughout the day and evening hours
yesterday, as Yesha residents and their supporters from across the
country arrived in the tens of thousands for a day-long rally
protesting the Barak government's intention to transfer to foreign
rule 50,000 Yesha residents and uproot dozens of communities. A
series of impassioned speeches in Paris Square, across from the Prime
Minister's residence, capped off the emotionally- charged day.
Speaking to the crowd last night, NRP deputy minister Shaul Yahalom
said: "A state that is unfaithful to its pioneers - that dismantles
its communities, is not a strong state, and will not continue to
successfully develop and thrive. We call on Barak - Don't allow the
state to be lost, don't abandon your brothers! Return to your roots!
The Yesha communities were backed and developed by all Israeli
governments since the Six Day War.
The government has an obligation to strengthen them and not build a
Palestinian state in the heart of Israel." Likud MK Limor Livnat said
that Ehud Barak has no majority supporting his diplomatic initiatives,
and that any deal he arrives at without the mandate of a majority will
not be honored by a subsequent Likud-led government. MK Rabbi Benny
Elon (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) addressed "all of our fellow
Jews, whether they see themselves as traditional, religious, hareidi
or nationalist: Enough games! Let us all call on the NRP, Yisrael
B'Aliyah and Shas, to take the positive step of leaving this
government. Let's work together towards new elections, for a better
government, to save the Land of Israel and the State of Israel!"
Foreign Minister Levy today complimented Yesha residents on the
planning and execution of the day's protest activities. He said that
at the top of the government's agenda in its negotiations with the
Palestinians is the welfare of residents of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.
3. YEDIOT: WASHINGTON SUMMIT PLANNED
The offices of both Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat denied today a report
in Yediot Acharonot that a Barak-Clinton-Arafat summit has been
scheduled in Camp David for July 6. Foreign Minister David Levy and
US ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk said that the conditions "are
still not yet ripe for a summit," but added that the situation could
change following U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's visit to
the area next week. US envoy Dennis Ross will arrive in Israel before
Albright in an effort to convince the sides to agree to such a summit.
4. WAQF BLOCKS MKS
An unlikely assemblage of Knesset members from the Likud, Meretz and
Arab parties toured the Temple Mount this afternoon with the intention
of examining the extensive damages caused by illegal Arab construction
on the Mount. Arutz-7 correspondent Effie Meir reports that Moslem
Waqf officials prevented the MKs from entering those areas in which
its building projects are underway, and did not permit the politicians
to take any pictures. Members of the Committee to Preserve Israel's
Archeological Sites, who accompanied the MKs, plan to submit a letter
to Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben Ami tomorrow, insisting both
that journalists be permitted into the area of the building site and
that the traffic of trucks to and from the holy site be halted.
Correspondent Meir adds that Arab MK Muhammed Kena'an claimed that the
Waqf activities were perfectly legal "since the Temple Mount is not
under Israeli sovereignty."
**********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, June 21, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
-
Wednesday, June 21, 2000 / Sivan 18, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. CAMPAIGN-FUNDING SCANDAL HAUNTS BARAK
2. CLASH EXPECTED
3. "DIALOGUE" BETWEEN BARAK AND YESHA
4. CLINTON, CITING "NAT'L SECURITY," WAIVES EMBASSY RELOCATION
1. CAMPAIGN-FUNDING SCANDAL HAUNTS BARAK
More campaign-funding troubles appear to be developing for Prime
Minister Ehud Barak. Associations Registrar Amiram Bogat has begun
investigating suspicions that Canadian-Jewish millionaire Charles
Bronfman contributed an illegal $500,000 to the Barak campaign last
year. Journalist Yoav Yitzchak wrote in Globes today that the money
was apparently funneled via one of the associations working for the
election of Ehud Barak. The existence of this contribution was
reportedly hidden intentionally from the State Comptroller, whose
investigation of the Labor party and Barak campaigns several months
ago led to a 13.7-million shekel fine on the Labor party and the
opening of a police investigation.
2. CLASH EXPECTED
The IDF's operative assumption is that an armed clash with the
Palestinians is very likely in the coming months. (See our Special
Insert following this report, detailing the dangers of such a clash
following the giveaway of almost all of Judea and Samaria.) Arutz-7
correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that the army is supplying arms
to the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, and is reinforcing its
own units in the region. "The army no longer has any doubts," said
Huberman today, "that we will see an ongoing escalation of tension and
violence from now through September 13, the scheduled date for the
declaration of the Palestinian state. Both sides are preparing for a
real showdown in September. Arafat is no longer interested in
preserving quiet; he sees the enthusiasm of his people over the events
in Lebanon and on Nakba Day [when Palestinian forces opened fire on
Israeli soldiers]."
Huberman said that one scenario for which the IDF is preparing is that
of Palestinian citizens marching en-masse upon Jewish settlements:
"The IDF has solutions for a civilian takeover of this nature. They
involve the Hagmar ["haganah merhavit" - regional defense] soldiers
who live in the settlements themselves, thus that it all comes down to
the communities defending themselves within the framework of, and with
reinforcements from, the army. A more extreme scenario is a genuine
armed clash, with tanks and helicopters and the like. The PLO is
afraid of this, as it knows that it cannot hope to compete with the
IDF in this area. During the recent clashes, it was this Israeli
advantage that forced Arafat to give the order to cease fire."
Huberman added that little by little, the PA is turning its
para-military police force into a real army, albeit without heavy
weapons.
A resident of Netzarim was injured when a terrorist-planted explosive
went off near a convoy of cars last night. An official of Netzarim
told Arutz-7 today, "In the last two months, there have been three
grave incidents of this nature, but there have also been many other
incidents that have gone unnoticed. There was a shooting on a
resident this week, a shooting into Kfar Darom before that, and the
like, but no one is paying attention."
The security cabinet met again this morning for yet another discussion
of the Palestinian negotiations. Prime Minister Barak has made an
official proposal for a Clinton-Barak-Arafat summit in Washington two
weeks from now, despite American and Palestinian evaluations that the
"ground is not yet ready for such a summit." Foreign Minister David
Levy is also not optimistic, saying yesterday, "Summits are not
convened merely for the sake of convening them."
3. "DIALOGUE" BETWEEN BARAK AND YESHA
Prime Minister Ehud Barak today decided to open a continuous dialogue
with the Jewish residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza - but it's not
clear that he will have a partner in this enterprise. Barak directed
his government ministers to visit and meet with residents in Yesha
towns over the coming days, and has even instructed senior officials
involved in the Palestinian talks to take part in the visits. A
government announcement today stated that Barak "believes that
dialogue with the residents must be deepened especially as the time
for crucial decisions in the diplomatic process draws nearer."
The Yesha Council, which has waged a high-profile protest campaign
over the past few weeks against Barak's plans to give away 92% of
Yesha and abandon over 50,000 residents, rejected Barak's overtures.
"Pleasant parlor meetings with government ministers are not held with
the threat of abandonment of one's home hanging over one's head,"
Council representatives stated. "Barak's initiative is merely for
show. We prefer to continue our dialogue with the Prime Minister via
the protest rallies that we have been holding." The Council has
organized 23 protest vigils for tonight - one outside the home of each
of the 23 government ministers. Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef
later told IMRA, "If a minister wishes, at his own initiative, to
visit someplace in Yesha. he will be received - but there is no
guarantee that it will be a quiet meeting."
4. CLINTON, CITING "NAT'L SECURITY," WAIVES EMBASSY RELOCATION
U.S. President Clinton has once again delayed the relocation of the
U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act of
1995 requires that the embassy be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem,
but it also gives the President the option to waive the move for
six-month periods. Clinton has invoked this option several times. A
Presidential Determination issued after the decision stated that the
delay is "necessary to protect the national security interests of the
United States."
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