HHMI Newsgroup Archives
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, December 3, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, Dec. 3, 2000 / Kislev 6, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. BARAK FACING PRESSURE FROM THE LEFT
2. OLD SYSTEM, NEW SYSTEM
3. IN BRIEF
1. BARAK FACING PRESSURE FROM THE LEFT
The left-wing of the Labor party demands that Ehud Barak reach an agreement
with Arafat within a month and a half - or else it threatens to field a
more left-wing candidate against him for party leader and Prime
Minister. So report both Ma'ariv and Yediot Acharonot today. U.S.
President Clinton told Justice Minister Yossi Beilin that he is willing to
dedicate his last 50 days in office, until Jan. 20, to solving the problems
of the Middle East; Beilin said that Barak must not turn down such an
offer. Barak lashed out at those who set the left-wing ultimatum, saying
today that setting a target date for the achievement of an agreement "does
not serve Israel's interests and damages the proper management of the
diplomatic process."
Ma'ariv's political commentator Menachem Rahat said that the ultimatum to
which Barak was referring "definitely exists, but those who are behind it
do not wish to reveal themselves. I can only say that they come from among
the left-wing of the party: Baram, Ramon, Beilin, Dayan, Tamir, Burg - it
could be any of these. This is consistent with their desire to reach some
kind of agreement with the Palestinians at almost any price." Rahat said
the threat has put Barak "in panic. From last night's campaigning in the
Israeli-Arab city of Tira, where he called on 'all Israeli citizens to
return to the restaurants of Tira,' he ran to the home of his party's
Secretary-General MK Ra'anan Cohen; the two of them decided that the
party's primaries would be completed by the beginning of January. This of
course was meant to head off the above dovish threat."
Rahat said that Barak and his party both realize the crucial necessity of
the Arab vote for their cause, "and another proof is that Labor party dues
have been cut in half for two sectors - students, and Arabs. This is the
simple truth: Without Arab support, Barak will have a very hard time
winning," concluded Rahat.
2. OLD SYSTEM, NEW SYSTEM
The proposal to restore the old system of national elections - in which
each citizen votes only for a political party, and not for a Prime
Ministerial candidate as well - apparently has the support of 62 Knesset
Members. The latest two to join forces with those in favor of changing the
present system are MKs Rabbi Chaim Druckman (NRP) and Meir Sheetrit
(Likud). Within the Labor party, only Prime Minister Barak and Chaim Ramon
are against changing the law, while in the Likud, Yuval Shteinitz is the
only one who is against the change. MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael
Beiteinu) will hold a gathering of those in favor of perpetuating the
current system, including the Knesset Members of Shinui and Shas, as well
as most of those of Meretz. The Law Committee is expected to discuss the
bill next week, and if it passes, it is likely to be brought for its final
Knesset readings in January.
MK Rabbi Druckman explained to Arutz-7 today why he is in favor of changing
the system: "First of all, the present method allows Barak to ignore the
Knesset and say that he was elected directly by the electorate. We are now
suffering from this greatly. In addition, the present system favors a
candidate from the left for Prime Minister - because in a choice between
two candidates, the Arabs will always favor the left-wing. For these
reasons, we should restore the old system." He added that the claim that
the small parties gain from the new system is not necessarily true.
Rabbi Druckman, who served as a Knesset Member in the 9th, 10th, and 11th
Knessets, was a last-minute draft by the National Religious Party before
the previous elections [for the 15th Knesset]; he said today that he will
not serve in the next Knesset. Rabbi Druckman heads the Yeshivot Bnei
Akiva nationwide educational system.
3. IN BRIEF
The National Parents Association decided today that the 9th-grade history
textbook "World of Changes" would not be allowed to be used in any public
schools. The decision was made in accordance with a recommendation by the
Knesset Education Committee that the book not be used; Committee Chairman
said, "It is missing entire sections on Zionism, Diaspora Jewry, the entire
story of Soviet Jewry, no mention of Ethiopian Jewry's aliyah
[immigration], the struggle with the British before the War of
Independence, the background to the Six-Day War - even the Holocaust was
presented in a distorted way..."
*****************************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, December 4, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, Dec. 4, 2000 / Kislev 7, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. PALESTINIANS ATTEMPT TO OVERRUN RACHEL'S TOMB
2. INT'L COMMITTEE ON ITS WAY
3. MK EITAN CALLS ON BARAK TO "COME CLEAN"
1. PALESTINIANS ATTEMPT TO OVERRUN RACHEL'S TOMB
An hour-long battle raged last night at Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem
between dozens of Palestinians and an IDF force. The Arabs attempted
to approach the holy site - reaching within tens of meters thereof -
but were repelled by the soldiers. Israel Air Force helicopters
attacked Palestinian targets in the area. Army Radio reported today,
in the name of a senior military source, that this was the fiercest
Palestinian attack against Israeli security forces since the beginning
of the current wave of violence. Voice of Israel Radio did not report
on the battle.
Further north, on the Jericho by-pass road, a roadside bomb exploded
near a passing Egged bus; no one was hurt. Arabs fired on Psagot,
N'vei Tzuf, Beit Haggai, and on a bus north of Ofrah; the IDF returned
fire in most of the cases. A soldier was lightly injured by shrapnel
during Palestinian gunfire on an IDF outpost in Gaza.
There were three terrorist-attack attempts in the Shomron this
morning: Around noon, between Chomesh and Shavei Shomron, an Israeli
car was heavily damaged by gunfire; the occupants were unhurt.
Earlier, the security coordinator of the north-Shomron town of Avnei
Hefetz - east of Tulkarm and Netanya - was fired upon by Palestinians
today near Shavei Shomron. He was miraculously unhurt in this, the
eighth such attack in the area in recent weeks. An IDF patrol was
similarly attacked further north, near Kadim; no one was hurt.
2. INT'L COMMITTEE ON ITS WAY
The members of the international committee appointed to investigate
the recent violence are scheduled to arrive in Israel in two weeks.
Yossi Ben-Aharon, former head of ex-Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir's
office, told Arutz-7 today that Ehud Barak's consent to such a
committee [at the Sharm a-Sheikh summit in October] "is another
example of his tendency to shoot first, and ask questions later. He
never should have agreed to such a committee. For one thing, even two
sovereign countries who have a conflict between them hesitate to
introduce a third party into their problems - how much more so when a
sovereign country such as Israel has a difference with a people that
are still considered to be under Israeli auspices, according to
international law. In addition, we have much bitter past experience
with international committees of this sort..." Ben-Aharon said that
now that the committee has already been agreed to, "we should host
them nicely, as we don't want to anger the U.S., and we don't want to
be portrayed as having something to hide. Of course, we should
request to review whatever the Palestinians tell them, and offer our
comments..."
3. MK EITAN CALLS ON BARAK TO "COME CLEAN"
Likud MK Michael Eitan publicized new information on the Barak-Labor
associations campaign scandal this afternoon. It will be recalled
that State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg fined the Labor party 13.7
million shekels earlier this year for various campaign violations
involving monies funneled into Labor's election campaigns by
fictitious non-profit organizations. Eitan said,
"I call upon Prime Minister Barak to 'come to the new elections with
clean hands.' Barak is now abusing the rule of law and every
elementary public norm by using for his new campaign the same people
who, according to the State Comptroller, were involved in gross
violations of the law last time around. Why is his associate Tal
Zilberstein reserving the right to remain silent, and why isn't Barak
advising him to testify, so that the truth can be learned? It must be
that Barak is happy with his silence, because otherwise he himself
would be directly implicated. I also call upon the Attorney-General:
Investigate Barak himself, because his two associates are remaining
silent, and Barak can shed some light on the matter... How is it that
I brought clear evidence against Cabinet Secretary Yitzchak Herzog 14
months ago, and the State Comptroller wrote what he wrote, and yet
Herzog has not yet been investigated?..."
Eitan also said that within the police department, "there are
complaints that they are not receiving sufficient resources in order
to investigate these matters. I compare this to the investigation of
Netanyahu, which began after the campaign-associations scandal, and
yet it was carried out quickly and efficiently, I hope, and has
already been completed, while this matter has barely even started!
When they want to, they can do it - but I feel that there is a
purposeful attempt by someone on top to ensure that this matter not be
investigated properly in accordance with the requirements of justice."
************************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, December 5, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2000 / Kislev 8, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. HISTORY REVIEW WITH URI ELITZUR
2. ...AND GILO
1. HISTORY REVIEW WITH URI ELITZUR
Former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu arrived in Israel yesterday,
but continued the suspense surrounding his plans by not announcing
whether he intends to run for Prime Minister in the coming elections.
He is widely expected to do so after the Knesset decides formally that
new elections will in fact be held. The bill to dissolve the Knesset
must still pass its final readings.
Uri Elitzur, a resident of Ofrah and former head of Prime Minister
Netanyahu's office, told Arutz-7 today that he thinks Netanyahu's
return is desirable, and predicted that he would in fact win the
election. When asked what mistakes Netanyahu made while in office,
Elitzur responded:
"Look, the important question is not what mistakes he made, but what
were his important achievements. It could be that he did not succeed
in rising above the media and selling these achievements. The present
intifada did not start now; it started first in the Hasmonean Tunnels
in September 1996, and Netanyahu succeeded in ending it in two days,
with a correct combination of military threats and diplomatic
measures. He was in Europe when the violence broke out, but when he
came home a day or so later, he ended it within 48 hours. He didn't
call Clinton to cry on his shoulder, but rather gave orders to the
IDF, and then called Arafat and said that if the shooting didn't end
in 30 minutes, tanks would enter Shechem. As opposed to Barak's
ultimatums, Arafat knew this one was serious."
---Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson notes that immediately following the
Hasmonean Tunnels violence, Netanyahu met Arafat in Washington for two
days; both the right and left claimed afterwards that the talks were
successful from their standpoint:
Then-Cabinet Secretary Danny Naveh listed the accomplishments: "The
Hasmonean Tunnel will remain open, no date was set for the withdrawal
in Hevron, violence was renounced as a diplomatic means, and
recognition was accorded to Israel's security requirements."
However, former Yesha Council head Yisrael Harel said, "Basically, the
Palestinians now understand that the Likud is willing to fulfill all
of the promises of the previous government - [even if] more
unwillingly... I feel that we are much worse off than we were before
the recent battles."
Oslo-agreement architect Dr. Ron Pundak said, "I'm not sure why [some
on the right are] so happy... Hevron is now lost to [them]. I
believe that Netanyahu underwent a psychological change during these
past two days, and suddenly realized that he has no partner other than
Arafat in the peace process. I believe that with this, Netanyahu
saved the Oslo process."
Three months later, the government approved the Hevron Agreement, and
Israel granted control over most of Hevron to the Palestinians.---
Elitzur continued his appraisal of Netanyahu: "He lowered the
Palestinian expectations by about 50%, and brought them to sign an
agreement, which all the experts and geniuses said that he would not
be able to do. He was simply fulfilling what he said beforehand -
that he was planning to continue on the Oslo path but would minimize
its damage to Israel. He in fact did so, by capping Israel's
withdrawal obligations to 40% of Judea and Samaria [in the first three
withdrawals, but not including the final-status - ed. note]; Clinton
signed that the third withdrawal need not exceed 1%. Even though this
is of course terrible, because every little piece of Eretz Yisrael is
precious to us, but we now see what a great achievement it was. He
only gave away 2% of Yesha in the end, because he implemented the
primitive - and therefore correct - rule, 'if they give, they'll get,
and if they won't give, they won't get.'"
2. ...AND GILO
Some 1,500 blankets, heaters, and emergency flashlights will be
distributed to the elderly and the needy in Gilo this Friday. The
charity was made possible through the contribution of $150,000 by the
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, USA and HaKeren
LeY'didut [Friendship Fund] of Jerusalem.
**************************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, December 6, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2000 / Kislev 9, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. YESHIVA EXEMPTION CRISIS
2. U.N. ENVOY IGNORES "JEWS' LEGITIMATE RIGHTS IN LAND OF ISRAEL"
3. NY TIMES: ANTI-ISRAEL HATRED IS NOT A PIVOTAL ISSUE 4. IN BRIEF
1. YESHIVA EXEMPTION CRISIS
The blanket military exemption for full-time yeshiva students is set
to become illegal this Sunday, and political leaders are involved in
intense negotiations to ensure that a major crisis between the
religious-hareidi publics and the authorities does not ensue. Yossi
Beilin, Minister of both Religious Affairs and Justice, threatened
this morning to do nothing to head off the crisis - but in the Prime
Minister's Office a second meeting on the matter in as many days took
place this morning. Barak said last night that he does not foresee a
situation in which the military police forcibly remove yeshiva
students from their studies. One possible solution raised today was
the option of legislation perpetuating the present situation for
another year.
The United Torah Judaism party will petition the Supreme Court to
extend its deadline on the matter until after the elections. UTJ
Knesset Member Meir Porush reminded Arutz-7 listeners today that Rabbi
Eliezer Shach, the venerated Ponevezh Yeshiva head, once said that if
the authorities ever try to nullify the exemptions for yeshiva
students, the jails would be filled with yeshiva students who will
refuse to go to the army. Shas MK Yitzchak Cohen accused Barak of
"blackmail with threats;" he was referring to veiled threats by
coalition members that the legislation formalizing military exemptions
for yeshiva students would be impeded unless the religious parties
vote against the dissolution of the Knesset. Cohen even read aloud
the relevant law, noting that the maximum punishment is seven years in
prison.
2. U.N. ENVOY IGNORES "JEWS' LEGITIMATE RIGHTS IN LAND OF ISRAEL" UN
Middle East envoy Terje Larsen visited Hevron today, but only as a
guest of the Palestinians; he ignored the Jewish Community in the
city. Larsen visited the Machpelah Cave and Arab homes, but cut short
his visit after he was not permitted to visit a Palestinian
school-turned-IDF outpost. Hevron spokesman Noam Arnon registered his
strong protest: "He is simply ignoring us, as well as the bullet
holes that have been newly shot into our homes. He is ignoring the
legitimate rights of the Jews in the Land of Israel. This represents
an anti-Semitic approach that should be condemned outright, and the
government of Israel should boycott him and inform him that as long as
his approach is anti-Semitic and hostile to the Jews' rights to live
safely in Israel, it has no use for his services."
Larsen was the man who initially arranged the secret Israel-PLO
meetings that led to the 1993 Oslo Agreement, after which he was
appointed United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East. In
1994 he moved to Gaza - across the street from the home of Yasser
Arafat - to personally facilitate the implementation of the accords.
His office also coordinated millions of dollars in aid from donor
states to the PLO, and took care of the funding and training of the
Palestinian police force.
3. NY TIMES: ANTI-ISRAEL HATRED IS NOT A PIVOTAL ISSUE
CAMERA - The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting - writes
recently that it "has identified scores of seriously inaccurate or
distorted news reports [against Israel] that have warranted redress...
When The New York Times, for instance, did a rare story (October 24)
on anti-Jewish incitement by the Palestinian Authority media, the
reporter referred to a Moslem cleric's speech broadcast on official PA
television, but omitted entirely the virulent, hate-mongering passages
- among them: "Have no mercy on the Jews no matter where they are, in
any country. Fight them, wherever you are. Wherever you meet them,
kill them. Wherever you are, kill those Jews and those Americans who
are like them." There were exhortations to "butcher" Jews and
"humiliate" them. The Times quoted a brief, innocuous phrase,
concealing the anti-Semitism and anti-Israel incitement and suggesting
Israeli apprehensions are overwrought... In response to criticism of
[this] story, a senior editor declared that anti-Israel hate-mongering
in the region is not, in the Times opinion, a 'pivotal' issue in the
Arab-Israeli conflict."
The day after the brutal lynching of two Israeli soldiers in Ramallah
and the burning of the Shalom al Yisrael synagogue by Palestinians,
Diaspora Affairs Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior said that the mistake
of Oslo was that Israel did not do enough to stop the Palestinian
Authority's continuing and intense incitement to hatred of Israel -
incitement that was reflected in the brutal lynching of the two
Israeli soldiers by the crazed Palestinian mob.
4. IN BRIEF
A date for the new elections has not yet been agreed upon.
At a
meeting between Likud and Labor representatives today, the Likud proposed
either March 27 or May 15; Minister Chaim Ramon requested that the
decision be put off until next week...
The Egyptian Minister for Waqf Affairs called on Moslems the world
over to come to Jerusalem "in order that the whole world know that
sovereignty over the holy sites is not only a Palestinian matter, but
an Islamic issue. If millions of Moslems come to Jerusalem and the
Temple Mount, Israel will not be able to claim that Jerusalem is its
capital."..
****************************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, December 7, 2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000 / Kislev 10, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. RELATED ITEMS
2. RAMON COMES OUT SWINGING
1. RELATED ITEMS
The Fatah movement - considered to be the less-militant alternative to
Hamas - calls on the Palestinian Authority to cease its security
coordination with Israel. In a declaration released in honor of the
anniversary of the beginning of the first intifada 13 years ago, Fatah
announced that the cooperation with Israel will not help to stop the
current intifada, "which did not erupt by anyone's order, and will not
stop by anyone's order."
Contrary to media reports yesterday, arch-terrorist Muhammad Def did
not escape from a Palestinian Authority prison last week, but was
rather set free by Muhammad Dahlan. So reports a Hamas internet site
in Gaza this morning. Def is responsible for, among others, the #18
bus attacks in Jerusalem over four years ago, which killed 33 people.
Travel regulations for soldiers in Yesha are very similar to those
that were in use in the security zone in Lebanon. Arutz-7
correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that many of the roads are
forbidden for travel, and limitations apply to many others. On
Highway 60, for instance, from Adam - just north of Jerusalem - to
Ofrah, Shilo, and Tapuach, soldiers must wear a bulletproof jacket and
helmet, and be equipped with a cellular phone. They may not travel in
non-bulletproof buses, and must receive high-level approval for every
trip in advance.
2. RAMON COMES OUT SWINGING
Minister Chaim Ramon, who challenged Prime Minister Barak for the
party leadership three years ago, came out with a scathing attack on
his own government and its leader today. "Government policies in
everything concerning economic and social issues were wanton and
irresponsible," he said, adding that Barak and Labor will pay for it
in the elections.
The Prime Minister faces almost wall-to-wall opposition by party MKs
regarding his stand against new party primaries before the
tentatively-scheduled upcoming elections. Ministers Yossi Beilin and
Chaim Ramon threaten not to run at all if there are no primaries, and
their position has the strong support of Minister Ben-Ami and leading
MKs Burg and Baram. MK Eli Ben-Menachem, however, explained why he is
against new primaries: "I'm in favor of freezing the present list,
which was chosen for four years only a year and a half ago... The
fact is that it is very hard for candidates to have to go through
primaries, and very expensive. For instance, just to send one letter
to 150,000 people costs a small fortune right there - who can afford
it?..." The party's Central Committee is set to convene tonight to
decide the matter.
******************************************************************
To: arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, December 8,
2000
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Friday, Dec. 8, 2000 / Kislev 11, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
YESHA COUNCIL DEMANDS: NO PRIVATE PALESTINIAN CARS ON YESHA ROADS The
Yesha Council demands that the Barak government immediately prohibit
Palestinians from traveling the roads of Yesha in private vehicles.
They must be allowed to travel only in IDF-escorted public
transportation convoys. Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said,
"The Palestinians are using the roads, our life lines, to cut down
life. If the government doesn't issue this order, we will respond in
kind." Beit El Mayor Uri Ariel presented the demand to Deputy Chief
of Staff Maj.-Gen. Moshe Ya'alon this morning. Likud Knesset faction
head MK Ruby Rivlin supports the Council's demand.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak said that today's attack against civilians
testifies to the cowardliness of the terrorists, and that they would
not succeed in shaking Israel's resolve. He promised that the
murderers would not remain free. The Yesha Council said today that
the Prime Minister's decision to remove the closure from the
Palestinian cities in Yesha, despite dozens of shooting attacks on
Yesha roads, "borders on wanton abandonment of life."
Binyamin Regional Council head Pinchas Wallerstein earlier this week
termed Peace Now's call for the evacuation of Jewish communities in
Judea and Samaria "treasonous." He said, "Whomever believes that they
can make such declarations while at the same time Israelis are being
shot at, must be considered a collaborator with the enemy. Peace Now
knows very well that their [calls] will only encourage their friends
in Fatah-Tanzim to kill us, and [its] hands will not be able to be
cleansed [of this blood]." Left-wing demonstrators protested against
the Yesha settlements not far from the Prime Minister's home today, as
the funeral of Rina Didovsky passed by; at least one would-be
participant in the funeral assaulted the demonstrators in anger at
their lack of sensitivity (he was arrested and released shortly
afterwards).
Jewish residents are blocking roads to Palestinian traffic in the Har
Hevron area, in protest of the upsurge in terrorist attacks, as well
as along the Jerusalem-Ofrah highway. Near the Ben Shemen-Gimzo area,
within pre-1967 Israel, a protest was held this morning against the
government's policy of restraint vis-a-vis the Palestinian terrorism.
Elsewhere within pre-1967 Israel, near Nachal Iron (Wadi Ara, between
Hadera and Afula), rocks were hurled at Israeli vehicles today; no one
was hurt.
The condition of two other Israelis wounded in terrorist attacks
yesterday continues to be critical. One of them was shot near the
Palestinian village of Burka, not far from Shavei Shomron; two other
Israelis were also wounded. The names of the three: Avishai Gam-Zu
L'tovah, Yossi Cohen, and Rachel Helmus-Mogah. Later in the day, a
Palestinian stabbed an Israeli in the neck, seriously wounding him; a
passerby attempted to separate between them, but the terrorist was
able to stab and lightly wound him, too; the injured passerby shot and
killed the terrorist.
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