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To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News Brief:  Friday, November 24, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Friday, Nov. 24, 2000 / Cheshvan 26, 5761
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:

***BULLETIN: As we go to press - *****
Prime Minister Ehud Barak told government ministers at an early-morning meeting today that he plans to resign if the proposal to topple the government is passed by the Knesset next week.  Likud MKs said they would submit the proposal this Monday; Speaker Avraham Burg ruled that an absolute majority of the 120-member Knesset is required in order for it to pass.  Yossi Elituv of Mishpachah magazine reports that Barak explained today that he now knows he has neither a partner on the Palestinian side with whom to make peace, nor a partner on the Jewish side with whom to establish a unity government.  Arutz-7 reporters were told this afternoon by Prime Minister's Office staffers that a reaction to the reports would be given only on Sunday.  MK Benny Elon said that if the reports are true, "this is a brave step by the Prime Minister.  Until his resignation takes effect, we must help him fight Arafat."

***SPECIAL "WHITE PAPER" INSERT

The Israeli government released this week, as part of its retaliatory actions against the Palestinian Authority for Monday's fatal terrorist bombing of a Kfar Darom school bus, a "White Paper" detailing 60 pages of PA/PLO non-compliance with the Oslo agreements.  IMRA (Independent Media Review Analysis) publicized an electronic version of the paper (http://www.imra.org.il), after the government limited the distribution to hard copies alone.  Excerpts from the document:

"The present wave of violence - led by the Fatah "Tanzim" - is essentially an attempt by Arafat to achieve, through violence, his maximal political goals: and avoid the choices necessary to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion...  Instead of responsibility for the welfare of the governed we see him willing to use Palestinian suffering, including the death of children on the frontline (shamelessly exploited)...

"Ambivalent attitudes towards terrorism, and at times - outright complicity.  In the current crisis, P.A. Preventive Security [and] the "Tanzim" (militia) of Arafat's Fatah movement are actively involved in terrorist attacks.

"Incitement to Hatred - a key element in the current crisis has been the relentless effort to mobilize "the Arab masses and destabilize the region...  This comes against the background of a broader pattern of education and public messages, which denigrate the Jews, and reject the possibility of compromise solutions.

"Criminal activities on a large scale - from car theft to excise tax fraud - take place under P.A. auspices.

"It should be recalled that the P.L.O. was not an "unknown quantity" when it came into the Peace Process: its institutional record - of terrorism, breach of agreements (with Arab governments - Jordan, Lebanon), and abuse of the "governed" in areas under its control - meant that extensive formal commitments were required - beginning with the pledges given to Prime Minister Rabin prior to the signing of the Declaration of Principles. These, however were often interpreted in a slippery way, or honored only when it was expedient for Arafat and the P.A. to do so.

"As early as Arafat's own speech on the White House lawn, on September 13, 1993, there were indications that for him, the Declaration of Principles [signed that day] did not necessarily signify an end to the conflict.   The map of "Palestine" remained as it has always been for him, the entire territory of pre-1948 mandatory Palestine.

"On various occasions, Arafat continued to use the language of "Jihad". a clear reference to the violent option. In a eulogy to a Palestinian official on June 15 1995 (at the height of the Oslo Process) he paid homage, among others, to two women terrorists and spoke of the children throwing stones as "the Palestinian Generals.". Of special interest, in this context, are Arafat's repeated references to the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, signed by the Prophet Muhammad with his Meccan enemies when they were still stronger than him, and then abandoned (as he conquered the city) within a much shorter time than the Treaty itself warranted. The first such reference made public came shortly after the signing of the Interim agreement, in the "Jihad" speech he made at the Mosque in Johannesburg (obtained by the Jewish community, and broadcast in Israel in May 1994).  The reference to the Hudaybiyyah treaty re-surfaced in 1998, coupled with the warning that "all the options are open to the Palestinian people". (Orbit television, April 18, 1998). In essence, here was a rationale for accepting Oslo and the place at the negotiations, and the
various commitments involved, not as the building blocks of trust and cooperation but as temporary measures, to be shed off when circumstances allow.

"In a speech (documented on video) to a forum in Nablus in January 1996 - again, at a time when the negotiations were going forward - Nabil Sha'ath described the strategy in terms which then sounded unrealistic, but now ring familiar:  "We decided to liberate our homeland step-by-step... Should Israel continue - no problem. And so, we honor the peace treaties and non-violence... if and when Israel says "enough"... in that case it is saying that we will return to violence. But this time it will be with 30,000 armed Palestinian soldiers and in a land with elements of freedom... If we reach a dead end we will go back to our war and struggle like we did forty years ago".

"[There is now within the PA] the collapse of all existing commitments, and the systematic creation - day by day, week by week - of an atmosphere of raw emotions, fear and hatred, in pursuit of a general Palestinian and Pan-Arab mobilization.  All of this is not only in breach of the clearly stated commitments offered at the beginning of the Oslo process, but also in obvious, at times blatant, rejection of the understandings reached at the recent Sharm al-Sheikh Summit."

The document lists specific examples of Palestinian non-compliance in the areas of incitement and the perpetuation of hatred, violence against Israel, complicity in terrorism, the size of the Palestinian police, foreign relations, economic breaches (such as not paying debts to Israeli companies), invading and building in area C, where it has no legal jurisdiction, criminal activity under PA auspices, failure to protect holy places, and more.

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To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Sunday, November 26, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, Nov. 26, 2000 / Cheshvan 28, 5761
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TODAY'S HEADLINE:

1. ON THE POLITICAL FRONTS
Former IDF Chief of Staff Amnon Lipkin-Shachak, currently serving as Transportation and Tourism Minister, and ex-GSS head Ami Ayalon met last night in Gaza with Yasser Arafat.  Prime Minister Barak authorized the meeting, in an effort to renew diplomatic negotiations as part of his new plan to this end.  Following the meeting, Barak ordered two top IDF officers to meet with their Palestinian counterparts.  The Prime Minister has authorized Gen. Uzi Dayan and Atty. Gilad Sher to coordinate the new plan, and wishes to appoint former GSS head Ami Ayalon as liaison with Arafat in place of Yossi Ginosar.

Barak's security aide Gen. (res.) Danny Yatom met this morning with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo; the two did not hold a press conference afterwards.  Mubarak met later with Jordan's King Abdullah.  Prime Minister Ehud Barak said today that there is no alternative to negotiations with the Palestinian Authority - including military options - but added that Israel would not agree to "peace at any price."

The Likud appears to be determined to go ahead with its proposal to topple the government this Tuesday.  MK Silvan Shalom explained today that the Likud would not join a national emergency government, "because we refuse to serve as a board for Barak to walk across on his way to signing an agreement with Arafat.  He has made more concessions than any Israeli or Jewish Prime Minister could ever have made - including actually agreeing to divide Jerusalem - and we do not wish to be a party to his efforts to finalize such a deal."

Shalom admitted that Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg - "with his blatantly partisan decision that 61 MKs are required to pass even the first reading of our government-toppling bill" - had made things a bit difficult for the Likud.  The Likud is suing against the decision in the Supreme Court, as "the Knesset's legal counsel said clearly that 61 MKs are not required for the first reading, and Attorney-General Rubenstein said that this was an opinion that would withstand Supreme Court scrutiny.  We hope that the Court will rule that a simple majority is all that is needed."  Shalom said that if the Court rules in favor of Burg, he [Shalom] will have to check carefully whether it has the required 61; he will not submit the proposal unless it is certain to pass, because if it does not, it cannot be submitted again for six months.

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To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Monday, November 27, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, Nov. 27, 2000 / Cheshvan 29, 5761
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
   --- See below for subscription instructions ---


TODAY'S HEADLINES:
   1. KNESSET PROTECTS JERUSALEM
   2. SHARON WILL TALK UNITY AFTER TOPPLING-MOTION PASSES
   3. REMINDER: TEMPLE MOUNT IS HOLIEST JEWISH SITE ON EARTH

1. KNESSET PROTECTS JERUSALEM
The Knesset voted in favor of the final reading of the Jerusalem Bill today.  The bill stipulates that a majority of 61 MKs is required to approve any change to the borders of Jerusalem.  Likud MK Yehoshua Matza, who sponsored the bill, said that it would head off any attempts by the government to implement the "unprecedented concessions" made by Prime Minister Barak in Jerusalem.

2. SHARON WILL TALK UNITY AFTER TOPPLING-MOTION PASSES
The Supreme Court will not rule today on the Likud's suit against Knesset Speaker Burg's decision to require a 61-MK majority for the first reading; but it appears - according to Likud sources - that more than that number will vote for the bill in any event.  Shas sources say that Likud leader Ariel Sharon told Shas leader Eli Yeshai that after the Knesset votes tomorrow to approve the first reading of the bill to topple the government, he will be ready to talk seriously with Prime Minister Barak about forming a unity government.  Barak said that an emergency-government will have "no problem" signing international agreements, and that he would strive now for a "gradated" final agreement with the Palestinian Authority.  MK Yosef Lapid (Shinui), who has been mediating between Barak and Sharon, said that the two are close to an agreement on five points of contention.

A meeting of Labor party ministers was marked by high tension and mutual veiled accusations between Prime Minister Barak and Minister Shimon Peres.  Barak said that "voices from within our party against a unity government" do not reflect well on the Labor party, and "the concessions that have already been made to Arafat cannot be taken further left by anyone who is honest."  Barak also said, "There seem to be ministers competing with each other to see who can offer more concessions to Arafat."  Peres replied, "No one has offered him more than you did; don't smear us."  Justice Minister Yossi Beilin said, "I'd rather be in the opposition than be in a unity government with Ariel Sharon."

3. REMINDER: TEMPLE MOUNT IS HOLIEST JEWISH SITE ON EARTH
Is Associated Press reporting objectively?  In one of its articles on the Middle East yesterday, it writes of the Temple Mount as "The al-Aqsa Mosque, part of a compound in east Jerusalem that Israeli troops captured in 1967, is the third-holiest shrine in the Muslim world."  No mention is made of the fact that it is the first-holiest shrine in Judaism.  Another AP article yesterday, featuring a similar sentence, quotes Egyptian President Mubarak as calling for "the liberation of al-Aqsa Mosque," and a Jordanian official as expressing the hope for salvaging "the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque from the hands of the aggressors..."; no mention is made of Israel's 3,685-year-old connection with the site.

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To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, November 28, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2000 / Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5761
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
   --- See below for subscription instructions ---

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
   1. FUTURE OF GOVERNMENT IN DOUBT
   2. P.A. REFUSES TO BE DRAGGED IN TO COMPROMISE

1. FUTURE OF GOVERNMENT IN DOUBT
Panicky political uncertainty continued throughout the day.  With the afternoon announcement by the left-wing Shinui party that it would vote against the government today, it became clear that the Likud's bill to topple the government would have well over the 61 MKs required to pass its first reading today.  Shinui leader Tommy Lapid made it clear, however, that he is in favor of a national unity government, and that he will continue to put pressure on both Prime Minister Barak and Likud leader Ariel Sharon to form such a government.  Lapid said that Sharon had agreed "in principle" to a five-point document that he composed, and implied that Barak had agreed as well - although Barak said publicly only that he "welcomes the initiative" and that he will
have to review it.  The document reads, in part, as follows:

"There will be no changes in the borders of Israel and those held by the IDF without the consent of both Barak and Sharon...  The government will work to achieve peace with the Palestinians in the framework of long-term interim agreements, with most of the vital assets remaining in Israeli hands until a final-status agreement.  Within these interim agreements, the government will agree to create territorial contiguity for the Palestinian Authority...  The holding of any talks with the PA is absolutely contingent upon a complete stop to all Palestinian violence and incitement by Palestinian authorities, media, and schools...  No change in the status quo in Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, will be made without Sharon's agreement."

Sources close to the Prime Minister said that he would not accept it, as it would mean abandoning key Labor party leaders such as Yossi Beilin and others.  Meretz leader MK Yossi Sarid said that if in fact Barak accepts the above document, Meretz will not join the government, and would even consider fielding its own Prime Ministerial candidate in the next elections.  Labor MK Ophir Pines said that after he perused the Lapid document, he thought that it was composed by one of the Likud MKs; Lapid, however, said he wrote it after consulting with Barak many times over the past few days.  MK Avraham Poraz (Shinui), however, explained that if Barak does not accept the unity proposal, he will face new elections, "and as we all know, his electoral prospects are not bright.  He will have to choose between no-government and half-government."  He said that although Shinui is voting against Barak today, it may not vote this way in the final
readings of the bill, "because we will continue to work for the formation of a unity government."  Labor MK Uzi Baram said that the Prime Minister should accept the fact that the government will fall, and take advantage of the fact that he was personally elected as Prime Minister [as opposed to his party being chosen to form a government] and sign an agreement with the Palestinians on his own and then bring it to the electorate.

Barak has another option: that of having the vote declared a motion of confidence or no confidence, which would cause a one-week delay in the vote.  During the interim, additional efforts to form a unity government would be made.  Tonight's vote, if held, will be held at the end of tonight's Knesset session, which could be close to midnight; 70 MKs have asked to speak during the session.

Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson asked Likud spokesman Ophir Akunis if it was true that the Likud had accepted the Lapid document calling for "territorial contiguity for the Palestinian Authority" and its resultant critical implications for the Yesha settlement enterprise.  He responded, "The Likud did not deal with this document.  You'll have to speak to Ariel Sharon or his spokesperson" - who was unavailable. Asked about the same issue, MK Tzippy Livny said, "My goal today is to topple the government - everything else will have to wait."  MK Yuval
Shteinitz said, "I'm against a national unity government" - but could not elaborate, as he was called urgently to the Knesset plenum.  The National Religious Party, which has been an outspoken proponent of a unity government, accepts the Lapid agreement - except for the above clause; Arutz-7 learned as much from the office of MK Sha'ul Yahalom.

2. P.A. REFUSES TO BE DRAGGED IN TO COMPROMISE
Secretary-General of the PLO Executive Committee Mahmoud Abbas, known also as Arafat's deputy Abu Mazen, recently made clear - yet again - the Palestinian position on Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, and the refugees.  Following are excerpts of an article he wrote in the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat, in which he boasts to having rejected one Israeli proposal after another, as translated and distributed by Middle East Media and Research Institute (MEMRI):

"In Camp David... [the Israelis] spoke of annexing [not only the Jewish quarter of the Old City, but also the Armenian quarter].  We categorically rejected all of these proposals, and so they dropped the bomb of their demand for sovereignty over the Al-Haram [the Temple Mount]...  They also demanded praying privileges [there] for a set number of people per day or per week.  We rejected this as well, but we agreed that they could pray next to the [Wailing] Wall... as long as they do not use a Shofar.  After the summit they demanded, through mediators, to establish a small synagogue [on the Mount]...  When their proposal was rejected [by us], they proposed that a Muslim state establish an installation on Temple Mount, part of which would be used by the Jews as a synagogue.  However, we rejected this proposal as well.  Afterwards, they proposed that the sovereignty [over the Temple Mount] be [given] to God and that neither side demand proprietorship. We rejected this proposal...  Israel operates in such a way in order to indicate to its adversary or enemy that any demands of it are futile... it tries to cause its enemy or adversary to doubt his own rights and his ability to achieve them...  [The impression is created] that it is Israel that makes concessions and demonstrates flexibility, so that the other side is expected to answer in kind and begin the process of compromising..."

Regarding the refugees, Abu Mazen makes it clear that the Palestinians will settle for nothing less than the fulfillment of the UN resolution calling for 'achieving a just settlement for the refugee problem;' Israel may and must offer compensation, but only to those who do not wish to return to Israel.  Abu Mazen quotes "Israeli new historians" who "prove that the main reason for the exile of the refugees was the premeditated massacres committed by the Zionist organizations in order to empty the land of its inhabitants..." - although he does note the Israeli position, that "the Palestinians left... of their own volition and after a call [to leave] by Arab and Palestinian leaders, who wanted to annihilate Israel."

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To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, November 29, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2000 / Kislev 2, 5761
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
   --- See below for subscription instructions ---


TODAY'S HEADLINES:
   1. PICKING A DATE
   2. THE RUSH TO CONCLUDE - OR HEAD OFF - AN AGREEMENT
   3. UNITY ON THE RIGHT

1. PICKING A DATE
Following last night's dramatic announcement by Prime Minister Ehud Barak that he would agree to new elections - "If you want new elections, I am ready," he told the Knesset in mid-debate - the parliamentarians are busy trying to agree upon a date and an election method.  Likud leader Ariel Sharon suspects that Barak is attempting to reach an agreement with the Palestinians in the coming months, and that the new elections should therefore be held as early as possible.  "Barak is making every effort to sign any type of agreement with Arafat, so that he can wave the piece of paper at the public during the elections," Sharon said today.

Representatives of the opposition parties, including Shinui but not United Torah Judaism, convened this morning and agreed to jointly demand new elections within three months.  Sharon also said that his party should conduct primaries very soon; a likely challenger for the top party spot currently held by Sharon is front-runner Binyamin Netanyahu, and MKs Silvan Shalom and Limor Livnat may also run.

The Labor party appears to be in favor of holding elections at a later date, in early May.  Meretz leader Yossi Sarid said, "Another month here or there won't make a difference.  I am in favor of giving Ehud Barak, who was chosen by the public for a four-year term, more time to be able to reach an agreement with the Palestinians."  The second and third readings of the bill for new elections will be prepared and voted on within the coming weeks.

The Knesset Law Committee will also debate proposed legislation to cancel the personal election of the Prime Minister, and restore the old system in which the electorate votes only for a party.  Minister Dalia Itzik and MK Weizman Shiri - two Labor party loyalists of Ehud Barak - collected 21 Labor MK signatures in favor of doing away with the direct-election system; only Barak and Minister Chaim Ramon did not sign.  Shiri said that Barak would not object to the party's decision.  Minister Itzik explained today that the public "chose Barak by a wide margin [56%], but did not give him the proper tools with which to govern, because it gave his party only 23 out of 120 Knesset seats.  The system must be changed."

Background:  Each political party fields a list of Knesset candidates during the election campaign.  Until 1996, Israelis voted only for a political party, and the President of the State would then choose one MK - usually the head of the largest party - to form a government.  In the last two elections, however, two votes were held: one for the Knesset party, and one for Prime Minister.  Dr. Asher Cohen of Bar Ilan University explained today the faults of the direct-election system:

"It was supposed to lend more stability to the system, but it didn't - each of the last two governments were toppled in mid-term, and this will be our third election in five years.  In addition, there is no large party; in 1981, the two large parties comprised 95 Knesset seats, but within less than 20 years they lost more than half of this number, and most of these were lost in the last two elections.  The problem is that the division of votes does not allow for one large party to lead; the governing party cannot effectively coordinate its actions with the smaller parties in its bloc - instead, it goes from one coalition crisis to another, with the small parties making constant demands.  This is bad for democracy, and does not allow the government to govern.  This is a direct result of allowing the voter to vote separately for Prime Minister and for a sectarian party; each small party said, 'Vote for whomever you want for Prime Minister, but then vote for [us]...'"

"There must be a new system that will somehow strengthen the large parties...  In addition, another desired improvement would be to stipulate that a majority of 61 MKs is not sufficient to topple the government; a special majority of 75 or more MKs should be necessary, in order to make it clear that holding new elections is no small matter... A leader should be able to know that he has four years in power, and this would help his long-range planning."

2. THE RUSH TO CONCLUDE - OR HEAD OFF - AN AGREEMENT
A bill forbidding the head of a minority government from signing diplomatic agreements will be voted on in the Knesset Law Committee next Monday.  This would preclude Ehud Barak, who currently heads a government representing two parties and only 32 seats in the Knesset, from signing an agreement with the Palestinians before the next elections.  The bill's sponsor, MK Benny Elon (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu), told Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson today that although Shas voted against an early presentation of the bill last month, its MKs will vote in favor of it this time.  Elon expressed confidence that even if the bill's passage into law takes some time - it must pass three readings after Monday's committee vote - any agreement that Barak signs in the interim will not be approved by the Supreme Court, in light of the ongoing process of legislation.

Signs are increasing showing that Barak is in fact striving to reach an agreement.  Contacts between Barak's and Arafat's offices are continuing seriously, and PA senior figures say that Barak has hinted that he is willing to make more concessions - including allowing international observers in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.  The Yesha Council says that Ehud Barak has lost his mandate from the nation, and that any agreement he reaches is illegitimate and will not obligate the country.  The Council demands that he not conduct any diplomatic negotiations.

Former IDF Chief of Staff Rafael Eitan (Raful) said today, "There is no agreement that any Israeli leader can reach with the Palestinians that will enable us to stay alive.  The Arabs don't want us here - we are a stranger in their midst, and they don't need us here, and they've been trying to get rid of us for the last 150 years, and they will continue doing so."  Raful also noted, "The problem is that though the nation is strong and pioneering, there is no leadership that can help it bring this out..."

3. UNITY ON THE RIGHT
National Religious Party head Rabbi Yitzchak Levy met today with MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union), to discuss the possibility of "broadening" the national front and uniting it into one ticket for the coming elections.  Hendel and Chanan Porat split off from the NRP almost two years ago, on the backdrop of the NRP's support of Netanyahu.  Hendel and Levy agreed to meet again.  MK Rabbi Benny Elon (National Union) also said yesterday that he hopes a broad "National Camp" ticket will form.
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