To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, July 23, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, July 23, 2000 / Tammuz 20, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. COUNTDOWN IN CAMP DAVID
2. OTHER COMMENTS
3. YESHA COUNCIL: WE'RE NOT BUDGING
1. COUNTDOWN IN CAMP DAVID
Assessments that Prime Minister Barak is planning to agree to a clear
division of Jerusalem - even without a Palestinian declaration of the "end
of the dispute" - are increasing. Reporters and commentators covering the
Camp David talks appear to be unanimous in their view that Barak has agreed
to allow full Palestinian sovereignty over several of the city's
Arab-populated neighborhoods, while leaving other details of "Jerusalem
sovereignty" for future negotiations. The transfer of 94% of Yesha - with
its tens of thousands of Jewish residents - to Palestinian control will
also take place in the framework of the agreement in formulation.
Yasser Arafat has still not expressed his opinion on the proposed plan.
U.S. President Clinton will arrive in Washington later today, and Israeli
sources in Camp David say that within 24 to 36 hours, "we should know
definitely whether any agreement will be signed."
Communications Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, a long-time Barak loyalist,
was interviewed on Israel Television's Arabic-language program this past
Thursday night. Describing the extent of Barak's efforts to reach an
agreement in the Camp David talks, Ben-Eliezer said, "It isn't flexibility
- it's a total collapse... Barak has sold [given] the Palestinians
everything."
Yisrael B'Aliyah leader Natan Sharansky, who recently resigned from Barak's
government, received a phone call from the Prime Minister last night on the
possibility of forming a national-unity government in the event that the
Camp David talks collapse. Talk of such a government continues to be
heard, but Likud members have not shown great enthusiasm for the idea.
Sharansky told Barak that it doesn't matter "how you plan to package" the
division of Jerusalem, and that if he concedes on Jerusalem, he will be the
first Jewish leader in 3,000 years to do so.
2. OTHER COMMENTS
Justice Minister Yossi Beilin, speaking with Army Radio today, defended the
apparent decision to give up parts of Israel's capital city. He admitted
that he hid his opinion on the matter for years; "We didn't speak about
this in the election campaign, because we knew that the public would not
like it." Beilin, who toured in eastern Jerusalem today with Knesset
Members from One Israel and Meretz, said, "Israel must recognize that these
areas are technically under Israeli sovereignty, but in actuality they
belong to the Palestinians. There is no reason to struggle for these
territories."
Likud MK Meir Sheetrit said today that from his point of view, and from
that of "many of my party colleagues," it is legitimate to allow the
Palestinians to establish the capital of their new state in Abu Dis: "Abu
Dis is not part of Jerusalem. I have said for a while that it would be
logical to give the Palestinians the right to have their capital there -
but for them to demand Jerusalem? This is ridiculous! What connection do
they have to Jerusalem? They were never a country, they never had a
capital there - it would be as if we would demand a share in Mecca!"
Rabbi Yoel Bin-Nun, a Gush Emunim founder and resident of Yesha who
supported Barak in the previous campaign, no longer does: "I have told
Barak that regarding his plans for the Jordan Valley, Jerusalem, and even
the Golan, he should not count me as one of his supporters - and there are
tens of thousands like me." He did not say that his support for Barak was
an error, however:
"Many supporters of Prime Ministerial candidates did not get exactly what
they thought they were getting, such as with Menachem Begin in Sinai,
Shamir in Madrid, and Netanyahu in Wye... It's all speculation; does
anyone really know what Netanyahu would have done if he had been elected?
But if Barak takes a strong position and realizes, as he wrote last week,
that Arafat is not a 'partner,' then someone will have to prepare the
nation for a conflict - and a left-wing Prime Minister will have a greater
ability to unite us in this effort than a right-wing Prime Minister
would... Admittedly, he is definitely still trying to reach an agreement,
but just like in the Golan, where we were saved by a hair's-breadth [from
an agreement to give away the Golan], it could be that here, too, the same
will happen - he will become strong and realize... I think that we have to
remember that it's not only a question of politics, but that there is a
Creator Who runs the world, and G-d has "spoken well of Israel," and I just
hope that our sins will not tip the scales, but that G-d will "act on
behalf of His own Name," and that we will be saved [from these
tribulations]..."
3. YESHA COUNCIL: WE'RE NOT BUDGING
The Yesha Council is holding yet another emergency meeting this afternoon -
this one on "preparing for life under Palestinian sovereignty." The
Council issued a statement that said, "The residents of Judea, Samaria, and
Gaza will never leave. We will remain in our homes in every eventuality
and under all circumstances. We will never abandon the communities that we
built legally and in accordance with all the governments of Israel. We
will not fear or be deterred by the threats of our enemies. We are
confident that the spirit of the People of Israel is strong and will not
surrender to the threats of its enemies."
**********************************************************
To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, July 24, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, July 24, 2000 / Tammuz 21, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. WAITING FOR ARAFAT
2. BARAK'S "ACHIEVEMENTS" - TWO APPROACHES
3. GUSH EMUNIM SPIRIT
4. "WE HOPE YOU DIDN'T REALLY TAKE US SERIOUSLY"
5. POLITICS
1. WAITING FOR ARAFAT
The Camp David talks continue intensively, under a heavy veil of
secrecy. Reports are that Prime Minister Barak has accepted the
American plan to grant Palestinian sovereignty over five
eastern-Jerusalem neighborhoods and allow the flying of a PLO flag
over the Temple Mount. All are now awaiting Arafat's response.
The exact points of contention are a matter of conflicting reports.
Voice of Israel radio reported this morning that the main sticking
point is Jerusalem, and specifically, control over the holy sites.
Arafat-aide Taib Abdul Rahim, on the other hand, said that Arafat told
him last night that he has not agreed to the Israeli position on any
of the outstanding issues:
borders, refugees, settlements, security, economics, water, and, of
course, Jerusalem. Rahim says that there is no sign of progress in
the talks, which are in a "sorry state."
2. BARAK'S "ACHIEVEMENTS" - TWO APPROACHES
Despite the news blackout from Camp David, reports are virtually
unanimous on certain aspects of the proposed agreement. Arutz-7's
Ariel Kahane prepared today a comparison between Barak's oft-stated
"red lines" and the positions now adopted by the Prime Minister:
* United Jerusalem: "Barak promised that Jerusalem would remain
united under Israeli sovereignty countless times," Kahane stated, "and
even blamed the Likud during the election campaign for trying to cause
a rift in the nation by accusing Barak of wanting to divide Jerusalem.
Now, he is prepared to grant full Palestinian control over five
Jerusalem neighborhoods, and allow Palestinian control and flags over
the Temple Mount."
* No return to '67 lines: "True - it now looks like Israel will
become even smaller, in certain places, than it was before the Six Day
War... He has agreed to give away a full 96% of Judea and Samaria,
and will make up the other 4% from areas within mainland Israel."
* No foreign army west of the Jordan River: "Much has been written
about the practically uncontrolled flow of arms to the Palestinian
para-military police force, and the higher-than-permitted number of
policemen... Many articles have been written about this para-military
force and its dangers to Israel, such as, "The Palestinian Police
Training to Capture Settlements" in HaTzofeh, September 1998..."
* Absolute majority of Yesha settlers to remain under Israeli
sovereignty: "What kind of sovereignty, however? Many of the
settlements will be little Jewish islands amidst a sea of Palestinian
sovereignty."
* Refugees: "Barak originally said that he would not allow any
refugees into Israel, but shortly before leaving for Camp David, he
changed the wording to 'not accepting moral or legal responsibility
for the refugees.' He has now agreed to allow 100,000 Arabs into
Israel, and another 500,000 into the now-autonomous areas."
* End-of-conflict: "Barak said, 'It is practically an absolute
necessity that we obtain an end-of-the-dispute clause - otherwise what
are we heading for?' Yet now the reports are that such a clause will
not be included."
Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson pointed out that noted commentator Dan
Margalit, writing in Ha'aretz today, made a similar list, but with a
very different "spin." Margalit wrote that if a peace agreement is
signed in Camp David, Barak can "credit himself with several important
achievements" - which Margalit then lists, as follows:
* Most of the settlements will remain where they are, under Israeli
jurisdiction, while most of the settlers will remain where they are,
as Israeli citizens;
* Israeli sovereignty over the Western Wall will be officially
recognized, as will be Israel's sovereignty over two of the four
quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem...
* the Palestinian state will be permitted to hold only light arms;
* the Jordan River will effectively be our security border [Arutz-7
ed. note: The agreement apparently stipulates that a narrow strip of
territory along the Jordan River will remain Israeli, while 14% of
Yesha - the Jordan Valley - will be handed over within a few years.]
* and the end of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute will be declared.
3. GUSH EMUNIM SPIRIT
At the emergency Yesha Council meeting in Psagot yesterday, veteran
settler and Gush Emunim founder Ze'ev Chever (Zambish) told the
participants:
"Let us face the facts: We are in a situation in which we are about
to return to the '67 borders, and all thought of leaving Jewish
settlements under secure Israeli sovereignty has collapsed. Too many
people amongst us are not facing reality, but are so shocked that they
say, 'It just can't be! It's impossible! Barak just said a few weeks
ago such and such... Maybe it'll happen somewhere else, but my town
will be OK...' - but little by little, people are beginning to realize
that it very well can be. Let it therefore be made clear: No matter
what happens, we are staying. We will continue to remain in our
homes, build them, and live here. This is the truth... Let this
message be known to the rest of the country and to the decision-makers
- we are staying. It is simply impossible to evict all of us, there
is no power in the world that can evict tens of thousands of us... It
is totally inconceivable, an impossibility, that the Nation of Israel,
with its tradition of ethics and morals, would ever abandon its
brothers..."
4. "WE HOPE YOU DIDN'T REALLY TAKE US SERIOUSLY"
Another leading Labor party figure has basically confirmed that his
party always knew it was headed for the division of Jerusalem.
Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, at Camp David, said this morning that no one
should ever have fooled himself into thinking that Jerusalem was not
going to be discussed there.
5. POLITICS
A meeting of opposition leaders was held this afternoon atop the Mt.
of Olives - where Ehud Barak was photographed for his election
campaign promising that united Jerusalem would remain under eternal
Israeli control.
All opposition factions, except Shinui and United Torah Judaism, expressed
their public support for a bill to dissolve the Knesset and call new
elections.
The Likud continues to reject the possibility of a national unity or
emergency government with Labor, should the Camp David talks collapse,
and instead proposes new elections. Arutz-7's Haggai Segal asked
Likud MK Naomi Blumental today: "You are putting the Prime Minister
in an impossible situation. On the one hand, if he signs a deal, you
will work to topple him, and if he does not sign, you will also work
to topple him! What has he got to lose by signing an agreement?"
Blumental responded: "...His motivation should come not from political
considerations, but from his sense of responsibility and from what he
promised."
Segal: "Yes, but you want him not to make these far-reaching
concessions - so you should at least encourage him not to sign by
providing him with some sort of parliamentary safety net?"
MK Blumental: "I don't think so. I think that the Prime Minister
must act responsibly, and understand that the approach he has taken -
under heavy pressure from Clinton, true - is a mistake that threatens
the security and very existence of the State of Israel. His sense of
national responsibility, and a commitment to make good on his pledges
to his voters, should be guiding him - and not promises from potential
coalition partners."
Segal: "One gets the impression that the Likud is simply using these
events to try to regain power, and that you are not as interested in
blocking an agreement."
Blumental: "The Prime Minister should never have gone to Camp David
without clearly stating his red lines, and therefore we cannot, under
any circumstances, give him a helping hand - regardless of whether an
agreement is or is not signed... I think it would not be right to do
all sorts of political manipulations in order to be or not be part of
the government. It is our goal to replace this government in order to
establish a more responsible government with a worthy leadership that
will not be willing to discuss the division of Jerusalem."
***************************************************************
To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, July 25, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, July 25, 2000 / Tammuz 22, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SUMMIT ENDS; VIOLENCE FORESEEN
2. OUTDATED INFORMATION?
3. RIGHT WING MK JOINS CALL FOR NATIONAL UNITY GOV'T
4. NETANYAHU BEGINS HIS COMEBACK
1. SUMMIT ENDS; VIOLENCE FORESEEN
It is now official, at least according to the White House: At 6 PM
this evening (Israel time), the White House formally announced the end
of the Camp David II summit. U.S. President Clinton, in an
announcement shortly afterwards, said that Prime Minister Barak had
made "bold decisions" and had advanced further from his opening
positions than had Arafat. Barak will hold a press conference at a
hotel in Frederick, Md. at 7:30 PM, and Yasser Arafat will meet the
press in Andrews Air Force Base.
Reports of the end of the Camp David summit began streaming in about
an hour beforehand, after Arafat declared that if the words
"Palestinian sovereignty" do not appear in the agreement in reference
to parts of the Old City and the holy sites, he will not sign any
agreement. Other issues of disagreement included the Arab refugees of
1948, the settlement blocs, and the "end of the dispute" clause.
Israel Television commentator Ehud Ya'ari said that Arafat had given
negative answers to every substantive offer by Barak and to every
American 'bridging' proposal.
Earlier this morning, the Palestinian delegation announced that it had
rejected the American proposal regarding Jerusalem - leading to waning
prospects for a final-status deal signaling the "end of the conflict."
Clinton and his advisors therefore began focusing their efforts on an
agreement that would postpone the issues of Jerusalem and Arab
refugees for another time. This, despite declarations by both the
Israeli and Palestinian delegations that they would not agree to sign
a partial agreement.
The Palestinian Media Watch reports that the tone in the Palestinian
media is one of "on the brink of war," including threats against
Israel and the settlers. Many reports of the past weeks and months
have noted wide-spread Palestinian preparations for a military
conflict.
2. OUTDATED INFORMATION?
It was publicized this morning that the agreement under discussion
calls for the uprooting of all the Jewish communities in Gush Katif of
the Gaza Strip. Gaza Regional Council head Aharon Tzur responded,
"Barak and Arafat can sign anything they want at Camp David, but we
will not leave our homes..."
Leaders of the left-wing religious Meimad party toured the Old City of
Jerusalem this morning. They expressed their support for the
diplomatic initiatives of Prime Minister Barak, but added that they
would not agree to Palestinian sovereignty on the Temple Mount. MK
Roni Milo, formerly of the Likud, and now of the Centrist party,
announced today that he would not support a plan for the division of
Jerusalem...
The Palestinians expressed their dissatisfaction today with Ehud
Barak's consent to hand over six Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem.
Feisal Husseini, in charge of Jerusalem Affairs of the PLO, as well as
Arab MK Taleb a-Sana, demand full Palestinian sovereignty over all of
eastern Jerusalem, including the large Jewish neighborhoods of Ramat
Eshkol, N'vei Yaakov, Pisgat Ze'ev and others...
3. BARAK EXPECTED TO ASK FOR NATIONAL-UNITY GOV'T
Israeli commentators at Camp David reported that when Barak returns to
Israel, he will ask the Likud to join him in a national-unity
government. The Likud's immediate response, as expressed by Spokesman
MK Danny Naveh, was cold.
Earlier today, another opposition MK had joined the call for a
national unity government. MK Michael Kleiner (Herut) said that the
threats to topple Barak even if he does not sign a Camp David
agreement are effectively encouraging Barak to sign it, since he feels
that he has nothing to lose politically. MK Kleiner consequently
called upon Likud leader Ariel Sharon to offer Barak a parliamentary
"safety net" should the Camp David talks end without results. MK
Benny Elon (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) made a similar call
several days ago.
MK Kleiner explained today that his insistence on carrying through
with no-confidence motions against Barak do not contradict his call of
today.
"The key thing is to prevent a deal from being signed," he told
Arutz-7 today. "If an elected Prime Minister signs a deal, then from
our experience in Oslo and Wye, we have found that such an agreement
is hard to shake off, after a gala White House lawn ceremony, etc.
This is why I submitted my no-confidence motions - in order to stop
him before signs a deal..."
4. NETANYAHU BEGINS HIS COMEBACK
Former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu appeared in a
nationally-televised speech last night on both channels. He harshly
criticized Prime Minister Barak's planned concessions in the Jordan
Valley, regarding the Palestinian refugees, and in Jerusalem. "The
forsaking of Jerusalem could become the catalyst for the
disintegration of our nation and our state," he said.
Television and newspapers commentators suggested that Netanyahu is now
attempting to cash in on Prime Minister Barak's shaky political
condition and present himself as a viable option in case of new
elections. Natan Eshel of HaTzofeh, a close friend of the former
Prime Minister, hinted today that this may in fact be the goal, but
noted a point in his favor: "Only a few leaders in history have been
called on by the nation, and Netanyahu hears the calls," Eshel said.
"I asked him why he chose to speak, noting that it would possibly harm
him, given the legal charges he may soon face. He told me that more
important than his personal career is the plight of the Jewish
nation." Eshel indicated that Netanyahu may offer himself as the head
of a united center/right-wing political faction, and not necessarily
run on a Likud ticket.
Arutz-7's Haggai Segal asked, "Netanyahu spoke out against Barak's
concessions, and advised him to return now, even without an agreement.
Can you be so sure that Netanyahu himself would have acted
differently had he gone to Camp David? After all, we know what
happened at Wye." Eshel: "I judge him by his actions. Under
Netanyahu, only 2% of Yesha was transferred to the PA in agreements
signed by Netanyahu himself. His goal was to show that if the PA held
to its side of the deal, so would he. But he did not carry through
with Wye, since the PA didn't fulfill its commitments." [Ed. note:
Netanyahu's government was toppled only two months after the Wye
Agreement.]
***************************************************************
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, July 26, 2000 / Tammuz 23, 5760
1. BARAK SUMS UP; EREKAT PROMISES AGREEMENT BY SEPTEMBER
2. COMMENTS BY LEFT AND RIGHT
3. NATIONAL-UNITY GOVERNMENT POSSIBLE
4. THE YESHA COUNCIL'S POSITION
1. BARAK SUMS UP; EREKAT PROMISES AGREEMENT BY SEPTEMBER
Announcing the end of the summit last night, Prime Minister Ehud Barak
said, "There are three things - namely, the security of Israel, that
which is holy to Israel, and the unity of the nation - on which we
will not compromise. If the choice arises between the possibility of
harm to one of them, or a conflict, the decision is clear to every
Israeli citizen." He admitted, however, that he had been willing to
give up on several Jerusalem neighborhoods and the Jordan Valley.
Other concessions included permission for tens of thousands of Arabs
to enter Israel over the next 20 years, and a Palestinian state over
more than 90% of Judea and Samaria. Barak declared that all of the
above is "null and void," and that future negotiations will not begin
where the Camp David summit left off.
"The end of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is
apparently unattainable," a senior official on Prime Minister Barak's
plane back to Israel said today, "as the Palestinians will not rescind
their demands for the 'right of return' for the Arabs displaced in
1948." On the other hand, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat promised
yesterday that "an agreement will be signed by Sep. 13" - the date set
by Arafat for the declaration of a Palestinian state. "The seeds were
planted in Camp David, and they will quickly blossom into a
comprehensive agreement," he said. Erekat added that Jerusalem must
be the capital city of both Israel and the Palestinians.
Barak is expected to arrive in Israel from Camp David at 6 PM today,
and will issue a statement at the official welcome ceremony at the
airport. Yasser Arafat received a hero's welcome in Gaza this
afternoon, after a similar greeting in Alexandria, Egypt. He told the
Gaza throngs that he sticks by his plans to declare a Palestinian
state on Sep. 13. "Whoever does not accept the fact that Jerusalem
will be the capital of a Palestinian state," Arafat said, "can drink
from the Dead Sea."
2. COMMENTS BY LEFT AND RIGHT
Labor MK Avi Yechezkel said today that Camp David proved that Yasser
Arafat was not sufficiently mature to make historic decisions. When
asked about the further concessions made by Barak after arriving in
Camp David, MK Yechezkel said, "I assume that Begin, too, left Camp
David [in 1979] with different red lines than that which he entered."
Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane then asked, "Could it be that the Palestinians
do not want peace, but just territory?" Yechezkel: "No, I believe
that most people in the Middle East really want peace, but that Arafat
did not want to make a decision..."
Likud MK Danny Naveh said that the Camp David summit caused
irreparable damage to Israel, given the extent of Barak's concessions
there: "We received nothing, while Arafat received clear promises by
Barak... Maybe [the diplomatic points scored by Israel in having been
declared 'less stubborn' than Arafat] can be counted as a short-term
advantage, but Israel should not concern itself with such short-term
gains. We have to be worried about the implications of Barak's
behavior for the future. As long as he remains Prime Minister, he can
return to the negotiating table, and he will begin his talks with
Arafat on the Old City of Jerusalem, and with Bashar Assad on the
banks of the Kinneret!"
Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane: "But Barak stressed in his speech last night
that nothing he offered legally obligates Israel, and that the offers
are now null and void."
MK Naveh: "Formally, this is correct, but I ask you and your
listeners: If he returns to the negotiating table, or a U.S. official
comes to the region, do you at all doubt that discussions will begin
from the point he left off at Camp David - including the division of
Jerusalem, the handing over of 97% of Yesha, and the acceptance of
100,000 Arab refugees? Even if he says he is not legally bound, he
will be diplomatically bound, as long as he is Prime Minister. We
must go to elections, and a nationalist government must replace his."
Naveh said that a new Likud-led government would not be bound to any
promises made by Barak, given the fact that the offers were not
approved by the cabinet or Knesset.
3. NATIONAL-UNITY GOVERNMENT POSSIBLE
Prime Minister Barak will meet with opposition leader Ariel Sharon
within a day or two to discuss the "domestic political situation."
Talk of a national-unity government is rampant, but there is no
consensus as of yet. Within the Labor party, Knesset speaker Avraham
Burg and coalition whip Ophir Pines support such a government, while
Justice Minister Yossi Beilin objects. In the Likud, leader Ariel
Sharon has officially expressed his opposition, as have some other
senior Likud MKs, but commentators predict that Sharon will respond
positively to an invitation from Barak to join a unity government.
Other reactions:
* The National Religious Party's Sha'ul Yahalom said today that his
first choice is new elections, "so that the public can judge Ehud
Barak at the ballot box, now that it knows that he was willing to
divide Jerusalem and make such great concessions in the Jordan Valley
and Yesha." As his second choice, he would support a national-unity
government.
* MK Avigdor Lieberman of the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu faction
told Arutz-7 today, "The summit ended without results not because of
Prime Minister Barak's strong stance, but because of Arafat. Barak,
in his speech last night, did not hide his intention to continue on
the same track, and that a U.S. official will be here once again in a
few weeks. He agreed to concessions that no Zionist leader ever
agreed to... He is just determined to hold onto power..." Lieberman
said that the nationalist camp should first of all come to an
agreed-upon policy regarding a national-unity government, and
criticized the "over-eagerness" of various right-wing parties to "be
the first to join a national-unity government."
* MK Natan Sharansky of Yisrael B'Aliyah has been in the forefront of
the public struggle on behalf of a unity government for several weeks.
* Shas leader Eli Yeshai: "All options are open, we are not hurrying
back to the coalition..." Party MKs did not participate in a meeting
of opposition leaders today, and neither will they come to greet Prime
Minister Barak at the airport.
* Shinui is willing to join a broad unity government, but not with the
hareidi parties. Shinui is also against a narrow government.
4. THE YESHA COUNCIL'S POSITION
The Yesha Council is leaning towards supporting the establishment of a
national-unity government. Yesha leaders said last night that the
Likud sees the end of the Camp David summit as an opportunity for it
to return to power, instead of as a chance to strengthen Israel's hold
over Jerusalem and Yesha via a unity government. The Council will
convene today to formulate its official position.
A senior Council figure, Ze'ev (Zambish) Chever, told Arutz-7 today:
"The settlement leadership will have to determine where Barak is
heading. There are two possibilities, of which I prefer the first: a
recognition that the path taken until now - the belief that the
Palestinians would abandon terror and war and recognize the State of
Israel - is wrong, together with a decision to direct our resources to
building and creativity at home. If this is the approach, we have to
help it along, support and encourage it, and the sores will heal, as
we all head together in one direction... However, the other
possibility is that Barak wants to continue along the path of
concessions. If this is so, then the danger remains the same, and we
have to find a way to topple him. The situation is presently unclear,
and we have to wait and see... Unity is important, but if it is just a
means by which to perpetuate the policy of capitulation, then we must
topple the government."
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