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.
**************************************************************

Return to Newsgroup Archives Main Page

Return to our Main Webpage


©2011 Hebraic Heritage Ministries International. Designed by
Web Design by JB.