To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, August 11,
2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Friday, August 11, 2000 / Av 10, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. GOVERNMENT NOT FALLING SO FAST
2. GOV'T ON THE MOVE
3. NO GO FOR TEMPLE MOUNT FAITHFUL
4. ANTI-SEMITIC REMARKS CONDEMNED
5. AMERICAN JEWISH LEADERS "DISAPPOINTED" BY LIEBERMAN'S JERUSALEM
REVERSAL
* * * QUOTE OF THE DAY: King Hussein on the Arab refugees
1. GOVERNMENT NOT FALLING SO FAST
Likud leader Ariel Sharon has so far failed in his bid to obtain the
signatures of 61 MKs for a no-confidence vote in Prime Minister Ehud
Barak. Those in favor include the MKs of the Likud (19), Shas (17),
National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu (7), NRP (5), United Torah Judaism (5),
Yisrael B'Aliyah (4), and Herut (1), and probably David and Maxime Levy of
Gesher, for a total of 60. The one missing vote continues to be actively
sought among MKs of the Center party, such as Dan Meridor, Yitzchak
Mordechai, or Roni Milo - who was appointed Acting Minister of Health
yesterday by Prime Minister Barak - or among those from Shinui.
2. GOV'T ON THE MOVE
The government of Israel is launching a massive information campaign to
brief world leaders on Israel's position regarding the talks with the
Palestinians. Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, whose shift to the Foreign Ministry
following the resignation of David Levy will take effect next week,
departed today for Turkey, Spain, Italy, the Vatican, and possibly other
countries. Justice Minister Yossi Beilin will meet today with State
Department officials in Washington. The ministers will attempt to persuade
their hosts not to agree to a unilateral Palestinian declaration of
statehood on September 13th, and to work to convince Arafat to soften his
position on Jerusalem. Senior PA figures have dropped hints that a
Palestinian state will not be declared this September.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that permanent-status talks between Israeli
and PA negotiators may resume as early as tomorrow night. United States
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said that another Washington summit
will not be convened "unless we become convinced that the gaps have
narrowed to a point at which they can be bridged. President Clinton does
not have another 14 days to waste..." U.S. envoy Dennis Ross is scheduled
to arrive in Israel within two weeks to meet with Israeli and Palestinian
officials.
3. NO GO FOR TEMPLE MOUNT FAITHFUL
Members of the Temple Mount Faithful attempted to enter the Temple Mount
area yesterday to commemorate the fast of Tisha B'Av and the destruction of
the Holy Temple. They were rebuffed, however, by local Arabs and the
police. In accordance with Supreme Court rulings, the Jerusalem police had
intended to allow the group to ascend to the Mount. They changed their
minds when a group of protesting Arabs gathered at the location, however,
and thereupon prevented the Jews from entering the compound. Amongst the
Arabs were Knesset Member Ahmed Tibi and Feisal Husseini.
4. ANTI-SEMITIC REMARKS CONDEMNED
U.S. Republican Presidential nominee George Bush has denounced anti-Semitic
comments regarding Senator Joseph Lieberman made by Lee Alcorn, head of the
Dallas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP). Alcorn said in a radio interview that he was "concerned
[with] any kind of Jewish candidate," and added, "I think we need to be
very suspicious of any kind of partnerships between the Jews at that kind
of level, because we know that their interest primarily has to do with, you
know, money and these kinds of things." Alcorn later resigned in defiance,
after NAACP President Kweisi Mfume suspended Alcorn's membership and
position in light of his comments, which Mfume termed repulsive and
anti-Semitic. Reform leader Rabbi David Saperstein responded, "Of course
every community has within it individuals who are purveyors of
prejudice. But we must never impute the extremist comments of the few to
an entire community. That is exactly the type of prejudice that the NAACP
and the Jewish community, in fact, work together every day to eradicate."
5. AMERICAN JEWISH LEADERS "DISAPPOINTED" BY LIEBERMAN'S JERUSALEM REVERSAL
The Zionist Organization of America has expressed its disappointment at
Sen. Joseph Lieberman's reversal of his previous call to move the U.S.
embassy to Jerusalem. Lieberman told CNN's Larry King this week that "it
would not be a good idea to [move the embassy] while there is still the
flame of hope burning about the Camp David [talks]... Let's wait until the
end of year..."
ZOA notes that the Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act of 1995 was
enthusiastically supported by Lieberman, who said in April 1996, "Some
critics have charged that this [law] was an act of interference in the
peace process, that it was premature. With an American embassy in the
designated capital of every other country in the world, I say it is not
premature. It is happening 48 years too late! I promise you tonight that,
even if Trent Lott and I and a lot of other like-minded members of Congress
have to move it there ourselves, brick by brick, the American Embassy will
open in Jerusalem by May of 1999."
ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, "It is disappointing that
Senator Lieberman... has suddenly reversed himself and now echoes the
Clinton-Gore excuse about not moving the embassy... America's failure to
recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and maintain an embassy there...
gives the Arabs hope that the U.S. will pressure Israel to surrender parts
of Jerusalem. Implementing the Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act will compel
the Arabs to scale down their
extremist and unrealistic expectations."
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"Since 1948, Arab leaders have approached the Palestine problem in an
irresponsible manner... They have no plan or approach. They have used the
Palestine people for selfish political purposes. This is ridiculous and, I
could say, criminal."
-- King Hussein of Jordan, January 1960, quoted by Hon. Terence Prittie
and Bernard Dineen in "The Double Exodus"
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To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, August 12, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, August 13, 2000 / Av 12, 5760
------------------------------------------------
*********************************
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SEPT. 13 WILL PROBABLY COME AND GO
2. ON THE POLITICAL FRONT
3. BLOCKING A MINORITY PM
1. SEPT. 13 WILL PROBABLY COME AND GO
Most European countries will not recognize a Palestinian state if it
is established without Israeli consent. So reports acting-Foreign
Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami, who is in the midst of a trip to various
world capitals explaining Israel's post-Camp David positions. Russia
and Germany are among those that specifically object to a unilateral
declaration by the Palestinian Authority. Egyptian President Mubarak
has implied that the Sept. 13 deadline will not necessarily see the
declaration of a PLO state, and Arafat-advisor MK Ahmed Tibi, too,
backtracked and said today that a Palestinian state would be
established only "by the end of the year."
Ben-Ami, as well as Ministers Yossi Beilin and Shimon Peres, continue
on their world trips, especially including capitals in which Yasser
Arafat has recently visited. Arafat himself will visit Indonesia,
China, and Japan this week. American mediator Dennis Ross is expected
to arrive in Israel one week from now.
Ma'ariv political correspondent Eli Kamir said that the hesitance of
the international community to support a unilateral declaration stems
from the reports of what transpired at the Camp David summit: "World
leaders seem to understand that Barak was the one who went the extra
mile, that his concessions are not necessarily accepted as politically
legitimate in Israel, and that they probably don't have the support of
the majority of the Knesset. In short, these leaders understand that
Barak went very far, but the Palestinians did not, and therefore only
their backing of Israel at this point can result in movement on the
diplomatic front..."
3. ON THE POLITICAL FRONT
Prime Minister Barak has filled all the Cabinet posts that were
vacated by the recently-resigned ministers - except those of Meretz.
Political commentators understand this as a sign that Barak is headed
for a narrow government - as opposed to a broad-based national-unity
government - and that Meretz is therefore apparently headed back the
coalition that it quit two months ago. Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai
Seri reports that the narrow coalition now planned by Barak will
include 44 MKs: One Israel (24 MKs, not including David and Maxime
Levy), Meretz (10), Center (6), Am Echad (2), Democratic Choice (2),
plus the outside support of 10 Arab MKs.
Shas Chairman Eli Yeshai said today that Israel's next elections will
take place within the next four to six months, at most. Shas
spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef told Ma'ariv on Friday that he
would support former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in an election
against Barak, and that Barak continues to "persecute" Shas. At the
same time, Shas MK Shlomo Benizri came out yesterday with a sharp
attack against the Likud, saying said that the Likud is more
interested in preserving its own Knesset seats than with toppling the
government or preserving Jerusalem.
Likud MK Ruby Rivlin rejected Benizri's suggestion to obtain the
deciding vote to topple the government by guaranteeing a Knesset spot
in the Likud to right-wing MK Chaim Katz of Am Echad. "Katz sees
himself as belonging to a party with specific, narrow interests,"
Rivlin said, and added his opinion that the Likud should rather "place
its efforts in getting former Likud members, such as MKs Dan Meridor,
Roni Milo, Mordechai Zandberg, and the Levys to return to the Likud...
They are, justifiably, concerned about their political future, and we
must help them - but it is not a simple matter..."
Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane asked Rivlin if a victorious Likud "would have
markedly different policies than Labor." Rivlin responded with a
definitive yes: "I have always said that the key question was always
whether the Palestinians would accept the united Israeli capital of
Jerusalem. If we see that they do not, there would be no point in
talking with them and making compromises on our historic homeland for
a process that would be bound to blow up... At any rate, I am sure
that sooner or later, Arafat will declare some sort of state which
will allow us to finally relieve ourselves of the burden of Oslo." MK
Rivlin added that former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's goal was
to reduce the impact of the Oslo process: "He did this using the
tactic of 'giving only if we receive.' He said this with the
knowledge that the other side never had any intentions to fulfill its
side of the deal..."
Center party MK Dan Meridor - one of the MKs on whom the right-wing
would like to rely to help topple the government - spoke with Voice of
Israel Radio today. Although he expressed views to the right of Ehud
Barak, he did not commit himself to vote one way or another on the
agreement that the Prime Minister hopes to sign:
"I am of the view that Israel went very far at Camp David, and that we
need not - it would be forbidden - to agree to a division of
Jerusalem." Regarding the refugees, he said, "We simply cannot accept
responsibility for that problem. After the declaration of a
Palestinian state, refugees should return [there], not to Israel
proper." He said he favors the establishment of a national-unity
government, "which would allow us to address Israel's domestic issues,
such as religion and state, the national economy, legislative
issues... [this] would help Israel regain the status of a progressive,
modern state..." When asked, "Even if this means totally burying the
diplomatic process with the Palestinians?" Meridor responded, "Look,
we came a long way, and we have to have the courage to read the
political map. We simply may not ignore intelligence information and
sources that give us a sense of Arafat's positions."
3. BLOCKING A MINORITY PM
Legislation to prevent a minority-government Prime Minister from
signing international agreements has been initiated by the chairman of
the National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu faction in the Knesset, MK Benny
Elon. The bill stipulates that only a Prime Minister supported by 61
Knesset Members can sign such agreements. Elon hopes to gather 61
signatures for the bill and pass it into law even before the end of
the current Knesset recess.
**********************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, August 14, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, August 14, 2000 / Av 13, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. CLINTON PLEDGES TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE DIVISION OF
JERUSALEM
2. RABBI YOSEF CLARIFIES OLD RULING
3. HILLARY'S ALLIANCES
4. PALESTINIAN STATE PUSHED OFF
5. ARAB PRESS AND LIEBERMAN
1. CLINTON PLEDGES TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THE DIVISION OF JERUSALEM
U.S. President Bill Clinton has apparently not internalized the
objections of the Jewish community to his Jerusalem-dividing
proposals. Mr. Clinton told four Jewish groups at a reception
yesterday in Los Angeles that he will continue to work every day for
the remainder of his term to try to reach an agreement between Israel
and the Palestinians. Such an agreement, if it comes to pass, will
necessarily feature a form of Clinton's own "bridging" proposal
involving the division of Jerusalem and some measure of sovereignty
over the Temple Mount to the Palestinian entity.
President Clinton sees not only the division of Jerusalem as a main
feature of an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, but also
the placing of an American Embassy in the "Palestinian" part of
Jerusalem. This was strongly implied in remarks he made to the
Arabic-language Al-Hayat of London this past Friday. Clinton said, "I
greatly hope that the Israeli and Palestinian parties will have
reached solutions by [the end of the year], and, with our help, an
agreement on Jerusalem that satisfies their demands. I will then be
able to open a US embassy in the Palestinian state's capital. I
strongly believe that the Jerusalem issue can be solved in a way that
achieves the two parties' national aspirations."
Clinton - who, along with his wife Hillary, will be featured speakers
tonight at the Democratic convention in Los Angeles where Al Gore and
Joseph Lieberman will be officially nominated for President and Vice
President - has resisted ordering the relocation of the American
Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The 1995 Jerusalem
Embassy Act calls for the embassy to be moved by May 1999, but Clinton
has invoked a special security waiver clause inherent in the law. He
last invoked it in mid-June of this year.
2. RABBI YOSEF CLARIFIES OLD RULING
Former Chief Sephardic Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef has clarified his famous
25-year-old ruling that portions of Eretz Yisrael may be given away in
cases of "danger to life." In an interview with the religious
magazine Mishpacha, Rabbi Yosef said that he was referring a) only to
cities with hostile Arab populations, b) only when the transfer itself
of the territories does not involve danger to life, and c) certainly
not to the Old City of Jerusalem.
Yossi Elituv, who interviewed Rabbi Yosef for Mishpacha, reviewed the
relevant passages of the interview for Arutz-7 listeners today. Some
excerpts from the interview follow:
Rabbi Yosef: "Barak is doing things that he should not do. He wants
to give sections of the Old City of Jerusalem to the Palestinians.
Who will live there - quiet, peaceful people? No! Murderers and
Jew-haters will live there. This situation will bring about the
spilling of innocent blood."
Mishpacha: "Do you, then, oppose concessions in Jerusalem?"
Rabbi Yosef: "I ask you - how can we take actions that will place us
in danger, G-d forbid? The Prime Minister did not act wisely; if he
had sat and thought for a few days, and had realized that he does not
have a majority of the Knesset with him on this - he might have
reconsidered before traveling [to Camp David] and thereby putting us
in danger..."
Mishpacha: "Surely [you] know that the left-wing camp is making use of
your halakhic decision that in cases of danger to life, we can make
territorial concessions in the Land of Israel?"
Rabbi Yosef: "Cases of danger to life have no connection to my
ruling... When they spoke of granting autonomy in Gaza - I supported
it. Let them go to Gaza! That's a case in which my ruling applies.
But to sign deals that will bring [the Arabs] into our homes, into our
city, in the center of the Old City - how could Barak do this? He is
using my ruling in a way that I did not intend. My ruling is
inapplicable when the transfer of territories actually brings about a
danger to life... It certainly does not apply to Jerusalem... Is it
logical that we can engage in dangerous concessions in Jerusalem, and
cite danger to life as the reason to do so?! This is absurd! The
Barak government is actually bringing danger closer..."
3. HILLARY'S ALLIANCES
The American Muslim Alliance chapter in Massachusetts held what it
called a "successful" fundraiser for First Lady Hillary Clinton at the
Park Plaza Hotel in Boston on June 13, 2000. AMA Massachusetts Chair
Tahir Ali said afterwards, "We are attempting to send an important
message to all AMA chapters: we must support all who have [Muslim]
interests at heart, regardless of what part of the country they are
running in."
Early this summer, it was reported that Ms. Clinton had raised tens of
thousands of dollars from associates of Yasser Arafat. A private
fund-raising reception on May 12 at the Washington mansion of Hani
Masri, a close confidante of Arafat, reportedly raised more than
$50,000. 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. During the 1980's, Hillary
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.
Ms. Clinton, scheduled to speak in the choice spot tonight -
immediately before the President, her husband Bill Clinton - has
raised close to half-a-million dollars in California since last fall.
So reports the Los Angeles Times today, and adds that this sum does
not include donations under $200 or other unregulated donations, which
total about $7 million nationwide. Her "aggressive push" in
California, reports the LA Times, raises concerns "about the message
[that] a flood of Hollywood money sends to New York voters" as well as
the issue of cash-constituents versus real constituents.
4. PALESTINIAN STATE PUSHED OFF
It's all but final: The Sept. 13 target date for the unilateral
declaration of a Palestinian state has been postponed - largely due to
the lack of international support for such a move. Some observers say
that a state will be declared on Nov. 15.
Danny Yatom, Barak's security advisor, said today that another summit
may well be convened in a month from now. The Likud responded that
Barak has no "moral authority or political mandate" to participate in
another summit, as his government represents only one-quarter of the
Knesset. "Any agreement that he brings will not be approved by the
Knesset," according to the Likud.
The New York Times, quoting "a senior Administration official,"
reports today that the White House calculates the effective deadline
for a final Middle East settlement during the Clinton presidency as
the end of September. The narrow time frame is dictated by the Jewish
holidays which will take up most of October, and by the perception
that the government of Prime Minister Ehud Barak will not be able to
survive very long after the Knesset reconvenes in late October.
5. ARAB PRESS AND LIEBERMAN
Many Arab newspapers across the Middle East and North Africa have
strongly criticized the selection of Senator Joseph Lieberman as the
Democratic party's candidate for Vice President. Egypt's Al Akbar
newspaper, in an editorial entitled, "The Judaizing of America," wrote
that Gore's choice of Lieberman amounts to selling himself to the
Jewish lobby and to Israel. Asharq al Awsat, based in London, said
mildly that it expects U.S. political support for Israel to increase
if the Democrats win this November's presidential election. Voice of
America's Egyptian correspondent reported that some Cairo political
analysts feel that the new Lieberman development will lead to "greater
bias toward Israel, and greater yield and submission to pressures of
Israeli and Zionist lobbies in the United States."
The Jordan Times, on the other hand, welcomed the choice of Lieberman
as a way to "help moderate Israel's image in the Middle East."
Egyptian presidential spokesman Osama el Baz also praised Mr.
Lieberman's selection, saying that Lieberman "is not an anti-Arab at
all. On the contrary. He is a friend of Egypt," and adding that Egypt
did not detect any trace of pro-Israeli bias in his record.
***************************************************************
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
To: <arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2000 10:00 AM
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, Aug.15, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2000 / Av 14, 5760
-----------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. BARAK TO CEDE JOSEPH'S TOMB
2. U.S. SENATOR: CAMP DAVID NOT THE PATH TO PEACE
3. WORLD TOUR CONTINUES
1. BARAK TO CEDE JOSEPH'S TOMB
Prime Minister Ehud Barak is reportedly poised to give away more
Jewish historic sites to Yasser Arafat. This time it's Joseph's Tomb
in Shechem and the Shalom Al Yisrael Synagogue in Jericho. According
to the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza
(Yesha), Barak has told security officials to prepare to transfer the
sites in question to full Palestinian Authority control. In response
to the plans, the Council said today: "The transfer of these
structures to the Palestinians makes a mockery of Prime Minister
Barak's post-Camp David pledge 'to protect Jewish holy sites.'"
2. U.S. SENATOR: CAMP DAVID NOT THE PATH TO PEACE
Senator Jesse Helms, Chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, has sent a letter to "Americans for a Safe Israel" that
reflects great reservations about the Israel-PLO negotiations. "I will
never support a peace between Israel and any of its neighbors that is
not a real peace, made without inducements or threats," Helms wrote.
Hinting on what he views is excessive US intervention in the process,
the Senator observed: "A peace that is made under the thumb of any
third party cannot be genuine or lasting..."
The letter is also critical of the security arrangements discussed in
the Camp David talks: "Israel must have an agreement that leaves a
defensible state; the borders contemplated at Camp David leave Israel
vulnerable.. Despite [these] concessions ...Yasser Arafat would not
accept peace...There will be no peace until the Palestinian leadership
recognizes that Israel will not be defeated around a negotiating
table."
In reference to possible US funding for an Israel-PA deal - estimated
at anywhere between $40 to $100 billion - Helms stated: "It will be
vital for the American people to be kept fully informed of any
commitments made by this Administration to finance a peace
agreement.... Any agreement that requires substantial U.S. funds will
undergo serious scrutiny by the Congress. Finally, neither I, nor the
majority of my colleagues in the U.S. Congress, will be prepared to
provide the Palestinian Authority with U.S. aid if the Palestinian
leadership goes forward with a unilateral declaration of statehood.
... Peace does not come at any price - not for Israel, and not for the
United States."
3. WORLD TOUR CONTINUES
The marathon diplomacy of both Israel and the Palestinians plods
along. Regional Cooperation Minister Shimon Peres will meet today with
the Japanese Foreign Minister and Prime Minister, with the aim of
explaining Israel's Camp David positions. Meanwhile, world leaders
continue to convey to Yasser Arafat their displeasure with his plan to
unilaterally declare a Palestinian state this fall. Chinese President
Jiang Zemin, for instance, yesterday proposed to Arafat that he
"carefully choose" the proper moment to make the announcement; the
response was interpreted as a definitive Chinese "nay" to such a
declaration. An Associated Press report today, however, quotes an
Arafat spokesman as confidently asserting that Arafat has won clear
Chinese support for such a move. Today, Arafat made stops in Vietnam
and Malaysia - where he told reporters that Israel-PA talks may resume
after this week's Democratic party Convention in Los Angeles.
Unveiled yesterday, the Democratic party's platform declares that
"Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and should remain an undivided
city accessible to people of all faiths," and warns against the
unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state. The Democratic pledge
not to divide Jerusalem stands in sharp contrast to US President
Clinton's statement this past Friday to the London-based Al-Hayat
newspaper in which he indicated that he would support the
establishment of an American Embassy in the "Palestinian" part of
Jerusalem. Clinton said, "I greatly hope that the Israeli and
Palestinian parties will have reached solutions by [the end of the
year], and, with our help, an agreement on Jerusalem that satisfies
their demands. I will then be able to open a US embassy in the
Palestinian state's capital. I strongly believe that the Jerusalem
issue can be solved in a way that achieves the two parties' national
aspirations." Yasser Arafat has repeatedly declared that the capital
of his future state will be "al-Quds" - or Jerusalem.
***********************************************************