To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, August 28, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, August 28, 2000 / Av 27, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ARAFAT KICKS OFF JERUSALEM CONFERENCE
2. TAKING A BREAK FROM A BREAK
3. NRP TALKS TO TEKUMA
4. IN BRIEF
1. ARAFAT KICKS OFF JERUSALEM CONFERENCE
Sixteen Arab foreign ministers and the King of Morocco convened today in
Agadir, Morocco for what is being dubbed, "The Jerusalem
Conference." Yasser Arafat has asked the Islamic Council, which is
organizing the event, to come out with a position that either limits his
diplomatic flexibility or provides him with a green light to continue
negotiating with Israel. Acting Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami said at an
afternoon press conference in Paris that conditions are not yet ripe for
another summit, but repeated his claim that gaps between the two sides have
closed. "We are on the verge of a final-status agreement," he asserted,
but added that Israel "cannot afford to be more flexible."
Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane reports that the Israeli Foreign Ministry believes
that Arafat wishes to see the foreign ministers take a rigid stance, and
that such a development would allow Arafat to shift responsibility for the
breakdown in negotiations with Israel, to the Arab states. In case the
foreign ministers were unclear about his position, Arafat opened the
conference by delivering a fiery speech outlining his political philosophy.
He told the audience that Jerusalem and its holy sites "belong to the
Palestinians or the Christians," and added that there is no foundation for
Jewish claims to the Temple Mount. Arafat also complained that "the Jews
are trying to steal holy Islamic property by establishing a synagogue on
the site." According to the PLO chief, although the Palestinians "have
already made a number of concessions to Israel," they would never agree to
forfeit their claims to Jerusalem holy sites. "This is a red line from
which we will never retreat," he thundered. "We will never give up on the
Temple Mount or Jerusalem." Arafat also demanded that Israel retreat to
the pre-1967 borders, "just it did in Lebanon and in the Sinai Desert."
Journalist Yehoshua Meiri notes that relations between Arafat and the
Moslem states are far from cordial. According to Meiri, the Moslem leaders
are less than enthralled with having the PLO leader - "who is essentially
the head of a secular Arab nationalistic movement"- serve as their
spokesmen for Moslem religious interests in Jerusalem. "The Moslem states
want to create an Islamic body, with representatives from the respective
states, to oversee the management of Moslem holy places in Jerusalem," says
Meiri.
US President Bill Clinton arrives in Egypt tomorrow to talk with Hosni
Mubarak about America's "compromise" proposal for Jerusalem.
2. TAKING A BREAK FROM A BREAK
The Knesset cut short its summer recess today to debate both diplomatic and
economic issues. One issue discussed was the new bill by MK Rabbi Benny
Elon (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu), an amendment to a Basic Law, aimed
at limiting the diplomatic power of a minority government. A majority of
MKs have already signed on Elon's bill. Speaking from the Knesset today,
MK Elon said that despite Knesset speaker Avraham Burg's (Labor)
"questionable refusal" to prevent a preliminary vote today, he is confident
that a vote will be held before any Barak-Arafat-Clinton summit this fall.
In another discussion in the Knesset today, Environment Minister and acting
Education Minister Dalia Itzik (Labor) called for reconciliation between
religious and secular Jews. She said that the Jewish tradition "is also a
vital asset for Jews who label themselves as non-religious."
Likud leader Ariel Sharon announced from the podium that he has not yet
received an official offer from Ehud Barak to join a national unity
government. Still, Sharon stressed, even if such an appeal comes his way,
he will "not join a government that plans to divide Jerusalem."
3. NRP TALKS TO TEKUMA
Two religious-Zionist Knesset factions may be headed for
reconciliation. The National Religious Party and Tekuma - one member of
the alliance that formed the National Union party last year - are studying
the possibility of reuniting. Arutz-7's Kobi Sela reports that several
meetings have already taken place between the sides over the past few
weeks. Another such meeting was to have taken place today, but was
postponed for technical reasons. Tekuma was formed as a response by the
right-wing of the NRP - headed by MK Tzvi Hendel and former MK Chanan Porat
- to what was perceived as that party's "turn to the left." Specifically,
Porat and Hendel refused to support the NRP's cooperation with then-Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's territorial concessions. Aside from meeting
with Tekuma, the NRP has, of late, held parallel talks with the
left-leaning religious Zionist Meimad party. At present, Meimad is still a
member of Ehud Barak's One Israel faction.
4. IN BRIEF
President Moshe Katzav lunched at his
residence today with former
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. This was the first meeting between the
two since Katzav was elected last month. Katzav meets tomorrow with Likud
leader Ariel Sharon...
***************************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2000 / Av 28, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. BELIN AND BEN-ANI BROACH TEMPLE MOUNT GIVEAWAY
2. OLMERT RESPONDS
3. MEETINGS IN CAIRO, THEN NEW YORK
1. BELIN AND BEN-ANI BROACH TEMPLE MOUNT GIVEAWAY
Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and Acting Foreign Minister Shlomo
Ben-Ami have volunteered to kick off the government's campaign paving
the way for the transfer of control of the Temple Mount to Moslem
hands. Speaking on Army Radio today, Beilin said that the Mount has
not been under Israeli control since it was captured in 1967, and "all
that remains is to legally formalize the situation." Ben-Ami, at a
press conference in Paris yesterday, said, "The dispute is only about
symbols. After all, ever since the days of Dayan [Defense Minister
during the 1967 Six-Day War], the Palestinians have had functional
autonomy on the Temple Mount. No matter what, there will be no major
changes there."
The Moslem countries' Jerusalem conference ended with the usual call
for Moslem rights to Jerusalem - but nothing more. Sixteen Arab
foreign ministers and the King of Morocco, who convened yesterday in
Agadir, Morocco, made it clear that the return of the Arab refugees
must be one of the main principles of any final-status agreement.
They negated any division of eastern Jerusalem and insisted on total
Palestinian sovereignty over the area - but the most extreme remarks
about Jerusalem were made by Arafat himself. In his speech before the
conference, Arafat said that there is no basis to Jewish claims on the
Temple Mount, and that "we will never agree to give up on the Temple
Mount or Jerusalem."
2. OLMERT RESPONDS
Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said today that the fight for Jerusalem is
taking place under unfair conditions: "The members of the Arab and
Moslem world are uniting totally behind the Moslem claim to the city,
while the government of Israel appears to be uniting for the same
cause - in favor of the Moslem claim. This is a tragedy of historic
proportions..." When asked how he would respond to those who say that
hardly any Jews frequent eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods, Olmert
responded with scorn: "This argument is totally absurd. When was the
last time most Jerusalem residents were in Me'ah She'arim, or in Har
HaHotzvim Hi-Tech Center? When was the last time most Israelis were
in Kiryat Shemonah? Should we give these away, too?"
Jerusalem municipality bulldozers razed three illegal Arab structures
in Shuafat today. Large police forces and even a helicopter protected
those carrying out the work, and the incident passed peacefully.
3. MEETINGS IN CAIRO, THEN NEW YORK
American mediator Dennis Ross flew to Jerusalem today to brief Prime
Minister Barak on this morning's meeting between U.S. President
Clinton and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. Clinton and
Mubarak dealt with the latest proposals regarding Jerusalem. Prime
Minister Barak said later that Arafat has still not shown signs of
flexibility, and that chances for a final-status agreement remain
"fifty-fifty." Clinton will meet early next week, separately, with
Barak and Arafat in New York, at which point the chances for reaching
a final agreement will become clearer. After today's Clinton-Mubarak
meeting, Ross summed up ambiguously, "There is a chance that a
final-agreement will be signed, but there are also difficulties."
**********************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2000 / Av 29, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
1. "CREATIVE IDEAS" IN JERUSALEM
1. "CREATIVE IDEAS" IN JERUSALEM
Prime Minister Ehud Barak "does not know" of any American proposal to
divide the Temple Mount into four jurisdictions. So declares a Prime
Ministerial press release this afternoon. Barak also said today that
no substantive negotiations are taking place between Israel and the
PA, and that newspaper reports to this effect are therefore
"premature." Barak will meet with U.S. envoy Dennis Ross again
tonight.
The purported American proposal involves the division of Judaism's
holiest site - the Temple Mount - into four different zones and
jurisdictions: 1) the mosques, 2) the plaza, 3) the external wall, and
4) the cavities beneath the Mount. A government official said
yesterday that Israel would agree to entertain "creative ideas"
regarding the Mount. Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert said that such a
plan is completely unfeasible, noting that "major conflicts would
erupt within a week." Olmert added that the Israeli team negotiating
with Arafat is doing the PLO leader's work "even better than him...
They are presenting negotiating positions vastly different than the
promises issued by Barak during last year's election campaign."
Atty. Dr. Shmuel Berkovitz, author of a thorough study on holy sites
in Jerusalem, is skeptical about the feasibility of the above
proposal: "I doubt whether either side would be willing to agree to
divide the holiness of the Temple Mount. Neither does the proposed
division itself make sense. For instance, how can you divide the
mosques from the plaza? And what about the rooms underneath? The
area is too small to divide up in this way. It is also hard to
envision that the Israeli public will be willing to give up the
holiest site to the Jewish people, the source of the nation's
holiness, to a foreign element... On the other hand, all previous
governments have neglected the Temple Mount and eastern Jerusalem...
and neither have I seen the religious parties protest in any way
against the Waqf's control of the Mount during this period. Neither
have they, or the religious public, cried out in a major way against
the Waqf's desecration of and illegal construction on the Temple
Mount..."
*********************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, August 31, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Thursday, August 31, 2000 / Rosh Chodesh Elul 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ISRAEL WILLING TO GIVE, PALESTINIANS NOT WILLING TO TAKE
2. P.A. BOOKS INCITE TO WAR
3. FEIGLIN BEGINS RUN TO HEAD LIKUD
4. ELON DEMANDS CHANCE TO SUBMIT BARAK-BLOCKING LEGISLATION
5. RELIGIOUS COUNCILS IN DANGER
1. ISRAEL WILLING TO GIVE, PALESTINIANS NOT WILLING TO TAKE
A "senior government source" is quoted in Ma'ariv today to the effect
that Israel will be willing to give up part of its sovereignty on the
Temple Mount. "We must be realistic," he said. "Moslems control
the
Mount in any event, such that if the question of sovereignty will make
or break the agreement, Israel will not cause a problem over this."
Acting Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami and Justice Minister Yossi
Beilin have made similar remarks over the past few days.
It appeared late this afternoon, however, that the Palestinians had
rejected all such compromise proposals. A leading Palestinian
Authority figure, Nabil Sha'ath, said that the PA demands total
sovereignty over Jerusalem and the sites that are holy to Islam and
Christianity - a reference to the Temple Mount. "Any compromise
proposal must take this minimalist demand into account," Sha'ath said.
Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg, in a speech at the United Nations today,
made an formal announcement of a tripartite summit involving Prime
Minister Barak, U.S. President Clinton, and Yasser Arafat. Burg said
that the meeting at the UN next week will determine the future of
Jerusalem, and called upon Arafat to respond positively to the Israeli
compromise offer. The Prime Minister's Office denied that a summit,
or even a meeting between Barak and Arafat, has been scheduled.
2. P.A. BOOKS INCITE TO WAR
Media analyst David Bedein of the Israel Resource News Agency in
Jerusalem reports that the Palestinian Authority's new textbooks for
grades one and six contain numerous passages that call on the students
to liberate all of Jerusalem and all of Palestine. The new books also
feature maps which do not show Israel, but portray all of "Palestine"
instead. The Italian consul in Israel, Mr. Gianni Ghisi, who was
responsible for organizing the funding of the European consuls for the
new Palestinian textbooks, said that the PA would not let him see the
new textbooks before they were published, in direct violation of an
agreement stipulating that the Europeans would review the texts before
publication.
Bedein also reports that the task force on incitement established at
the Wye Plantation Conference almost two years ago has ceased its
meetings. The committee met regularly for over a year after its
formation, discussing Palestinian incitement in its media and
textbooks, and was headed first by journalist Uri Dan and later by
Ma'ariv editor Yaakov Erez.
3. FEIGLIN BEGINS RUN TO HEAD LIKUD
In another, smaller hall at Binyanei Ha'Umah tonight, will be held the
kickoff of Moshe Feiglin's candidacy for head of the Likud and the
party's candidate for Prime Minister. Feiglin told Arutz-7 today that
he is confident that hundreds will be in attendance: "It could be
that the Deri convention will cause us some unexpected problems, but I
am sure that our hall will be full." He rejected claims that he has
personal goals in the campaign and that his candidacy has no realistic
chance of succeeding. "It's clear that if he wins," claimed one
objector, "the Likud party hacks will not work for his election
against Barak; at best, this whole thing may get Moshe Feiglin a
Knesset seat."
Feiglin responded that people from within the Likud had suggested that
he run, and "if 40,000 people register and vote for a new leadership
of faith in the Likud primaries, we will finally have a chance to go
do more than merely tread the same path that we have been treading for
decades - water-carriers for the right-wing, who afterwards usually
ignore us. We now have a chance to actually reach our destination. I
am tired of doing the same thing over and over - this time we would
like to win! And if we do not reach the goal of 40,000 , but only
half that, we will be those who can determine which of the other
candidates will win, and as such, we will be able to make substantial
demands - such as an unequivocal commitment to cease the Oslo
process."
4. ELON DEMANDS CHANCE TO SUBMIT BARAK-BLOCKING LEGISLATION
MK Benny Elon has written a letter to Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg
(One Israel-Labor), demanding that he approve a special mid-recess
session for his [Elon's] private bill supported by 62 Knesset Members.
Elon's proposed bill would forbid the Prime Minister from signing
international agreements while heading a minority government; Barak's
government is currently supported by only 30-32 of the 120 Knesset
Members. The letter quotes a legal opinion by Law Prof. Eliav
Shochetman of Hebrew University stating that "the will of the Knesset,
as expressed by the fact that a majority of the MKs signed [Elon's]
bill" cannot be overridden by mere Knesset regulations, and that no
law prevents the submission of a bill during a Knesset recess.
Burg has so far claimed that there is no precedent for the submission
of a private bill when the plenum is in recess - especially when the
bill is only declarative, and has almost no chance of being passed
into law before Barak would wish to sign an agreement with the
Palestinians. Elon's letter informs Burg that if he does not convene
the Knesset Presidium - the Speaker and Deputy Speakers - to approve
the bill's submission by early next week, he and his supporters will
seek redress in the Supreme Court.
5. RELIGIOUS COUNCILS IN DANGER
Acting Religious Affairs Minister Yossi Beilin plans to submit a bill
dismantling the municipal religious councils in October. He met today
with fifteen mayors from cities such as Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Rehovot,
and Hadera, who expressed their support for the bill. The lion's
share of religious council budgets goes for salaries. Beilin
announced today that Deputy Council Heads appointed as of Jan. 1,
2001, will not receive a salary.
*********************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, Sept. 1,
2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Friday, Sept. 1, 2000 / Rosh Chodesh Elul, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
1. JERUSALEM ON THE LINE
Prime Minister Barak will depart for New York this Sunday night, to
participate in the United Nation's Millennium Conference. The fate of
Jerusalem and the final-status agreement with the Palestinians could
be on the line when U.S. President Bill Clinton meets separately with
Barak and Arafat during the course of the week. The talks, as of now,
appear to be deadlocked, despite the active involvement this week of
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, French officials, and others.
Israel has not accepted Mubarak's plan of granting Israeli sovereignty
only over the Western Wall and the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of
Jerusalem. Israeli government sources say that they do not have high
hopes for the talks this coming week, as Arafat has not changed his
position at all since Camp David. One official was quoted anonymously
as follows: "It could be that if Clinton sees no change in Arafat's
stance, he will simply bow out and leave it for his successor - Gore
or Bush."
*********************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, Sept. 3, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, Sept. 3, 2000 / Elul 3, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. THE END OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS?
2. JERUSALEM AT STAKE
3. P.A. THREATENS JERUSALEM ARABS
4. MELCHIOR EXPECTS "GREATER SENSITIVITY" FROM VATICAN
1. THE END OF THE MINISTRY OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS?
The government approved Prime Minister Barak's proposal today to
dismantle the Ministry for Religious Affairs. The proposal calls for
the ministry's authorities to be dispersed among the municipal
councils and other government offices. MK Yigal Bibi (National
Religious Party), who served as Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs
under Binyamin Netanyahu and under Barak up until a few months ago,
told Arutz-7 today that the vote today is "devoid of content." Bibi
said,
"The declaration to close the Ministry does not require a Knesset
majority, but the transfer of the authorities to other government
offices does require such a majority, which he does not have. This is
simply another step in his 'secular revolution,' in which over the
next few days we will hear how corrupt the Ministry of Religious
Affairs is, and he will ride on this wave of hatred. It is too bad
that the people of Israel have to suffer, in that religious services
will not be provided over the coming period. This is simply a bluff,
planned by Barak's advisors... [Acting Minister for Religious
Affairs] Beilin had good intentions in attempting to fix some of the
problems in the Ministry, but now Barak has ruined it for him... In
addition, the ministry's entire yearly budget is 500 million shekels -
not including the per-capita stipends for yeshiva students - so how
can it be [as is claimed] that 'hundreds of millions' will be saved
by this move?"
MK Tommy Lapid, head of the anti-religious Shinui party, agreed -
albeit from the opposite direction - that the Barak plan to dismantle
the Ministry of Religious Affairs is "hollow," in that "all the clerks
and budgets will simply be transferred to other government offices."
Lapid calls for the firing of all the "unnecessary clerks," and the
cessation of all Religious Ministry activities. "If this is the
beginning of Barak's secular revolution," Lapid said, "it is totally
meaningless."
2. JERUSALEM AT STAKE
Prime Minister Barak departs for New York this evening, where he will
meet with dozens of world leaders at the United Nation's Millennium
Conference. He will address the conference on Wednesday night, and
will also participate in a major gathering of American-Jewish leaders.
Separate meetings held by U.S. President Clinton this week with Barak
and Arafat may determine the fate of the final-status agreement
between Israel and the Palestinians.
A double petition is currently being circulated via e-mail, calling
for both a halt to American pressure on Israel to give away Jerusalem
and a halt to Israeli yielding to such pressure. The petition will be
faxed to every U.S. Congressman and every Israeli government member.
Time is of the essence, claim the organizers, as the
Clinton-Barak-Arafat meetings are scheduled for this Wednesday. For
more information, contact <rosewalk@concentric.net>.
A truck displaying a petition with the signatures of 62 Knesset
Members circled the government offices this morning, with the banner,
"Barak has no mandate." The 40,000 Mothers organization also held a
protest against Barak's diplomatic policies while the Cabinet was in
session.
3. P.A. THREATENS JERUSALEM ARABS
The Palestinian Authority is resorting to threats against the Arabs of
Jerusalem. Feisal Husseini, the PA's man in Jerusalem, told the Al
Ayam newspaper that the PA will confiscate the property of whoever
requests Israeli citizenship. "He will lose his place among the
Palestinian people," Husseini said. "The days of the Israeli conquest
in eastern Jerusalem are numbered."
Zohair Chamdan, a civic leader in the Jerusalem village Tzur Baher,
has been circulating a petition in his village calling for a
referendum to decide whether it will come under Palestinian control or
remain Israeli. "The PA must know that we live in a democracy, and
the majority will decide where we want to live in the future," Chamdan
told Arutz-7 today.
4. MELCHIOR EXPECTS "GREATER SENSITIVITY" FROM VATICAN
Israeli Society and World Jewish Communities Minister Rabbi Michael
Melchior expressed his "deep regret" today at the Vatican's decision
to link the beatification of Pope John XXIII with that of Pope Pius
IX. John XXIII was a Righteous Gentile who also paved the way for
genuine dialogue with the Jewish People, according to a statement
released by the Ministry, while "the beatification of Pius IX is
liable to be interpreted as agreement with the Roman Catholic Church's
historical record of forced conversions." Rabbi Melchior said, "We
have no desire to interfere in the Vatican's decision-making process,
but as a Minister in the Israeli government who had the honor of
hosting the Pope at the Western Wall, and as someone who saw his visit
as a positive historic turning point, I would expect the Vatican to
show greater sensitivity towards believers from other faiths."
***********************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, Sept. 4, 2000
Reply-to: netnews@a7.org
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, Sept. 4, 2000 / Elul 4, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ARAFAT STANDING FIRM
2. DISPUTE OVER YESHA MAY HOLD UP FINAL-STATUS AGREEMENT
1. ARAFAT STANDING FIRM
Prime Minister Barak is on his way from London to New York, where he
will take part in the United Nations' Millennium Conference. He will
meet with a total of 30 world leaders this week, although Chinese
President Jiang Zemin refuses to meet with Barak because of the
canceled Phalcon deal. Barak will meet on Wednesday with U.S.
President Clinton, who will meet with Arafat that day as well.
Barak's aides say that there are currently no signs that Arafat is
willing to agree to Israel's "compromise" offers.
2. DISPUTE OVER YESHA MAY HOLD UP FINAL-STATUS AGREEMENT
Acting Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami says that Israel agreed, in
Camp David, to withdraw from 88.5% of Judea and Samaria. He said that
even if an agreement is reached regarding Jerusalem, a new demand by
the Palestinians that Israel withdraw from 97% of Yesha could torpedo
the attainment of a final-status agreement.
Ben-Ami told the residents of the Jordan Valley yesterday that even
Israel's limited presence there, as stipulated by the
agreement-in-formation, "will not be for an unlimited time."
***************************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Sept 5, 2000 / Elul 5, 5760
----------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
1. BARAK WISHES TO GIVE MORE
Prime Minister Ehud Barak has yet more concessions up his sleeve, in
his efforts to revive the stalled talks with the Palestinians.
Correspondents accompanying the Prime Minister in New York report that
he is now prepared to cede to Arafat an additional 2% of Judea and
Samaria, for a total of 90%; the Palestinians have demanded 97%.
Furthermore, Barak is now willing to sign a final-status agreement
that would not include the seemingly-unsolvable issue of Jerusalem.
The Likud strongly attacked these concessions; the opposition party
also claimed that any agreement signed by Barak is worthless, as he
has no majority in either the Knesset or the public.
Reports differ as to Arafat's willingness to accept Barak's offers.
Some reports claim that he has decided that he wants an agreement,
while others emphasize his apparent insistence on nothing less than
total sovereignty over Jerusalem. Barak will continue today with a
series of meetings with world leaders at the United Nation's
Millennium Conference.
PA Legislative Council Chairman Abu Ala placed an interesting proposal
before the European Parliament today: United Jerusalem should become
the capital of the world, under international sovereignty. "The
Palestinian Authority will agree to this plan, if this is what is
needed for true peace," Abu Ala said
Jordan Valley residents have established a protest tent outside City
Hall in downtown Jerusalem. They are protesting Prime Minister
Barak's intention to give away the Jordan Valley in stages to the
Palestinian Authority.
*********************************************************