HHMI Newsgroup Archives
To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, March 7, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, Mar. 7, 2001 / Adar 12, 5761
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SHARON TO PRESENT LARGEST GOV'T EVER
2. KNESSET NULLIFIES DIRECT-ELECTION LAW
3. NRP HEAD: LIKUD EXCLUDED US FROM COUNTRY'S JUDAISM
4. PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS UNITE
1. SHARON TO PRESENT LARGEST GOV'T EVER
Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon is scheduled to present Israel's largest
government ever this afternoon. As of now, it includes at least 25
definite ministers: 8 from the Likud, 8 from Labor, 5 from Shas, 2 from
National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu, and one each from Am Echad and Yisrael
B'Aliyah. A minister from the Central Party may also be appointed.
The new government will be voted in following speeches by Ariel Sharon and opposition leader MK Yossi Sarid of Meretz. In a departure from tradition, and in accordance with a special request by Ariel Sharon, the new Prime Minister will be sworn in on a Bible.
Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon made some surprising appointments in
distributing his own party's ministerial portfolios last night:
* The Minister of Public Security will be Uzi Landau, who has served twice
in the past as the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
* Silvan Shalom will be Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
* Limor Livnat will be Education Minister, in accordance with early
forecasts but contrary to expectations of the last two or three days.
* Meir Shetreet will be the Justice Minister, Ruby Rivlin will be the
Communications Minister, and Tzachi HaNegbi, whose indictment was canceled
yesterday by the Attorney-General, will be Environment Minister.
* Ministers without Portfolio will be Danny Naveh, who will coordinate
between the government and the Knesset, and Tzippy Livni.
Comments by the Likud's new government ministers, hours after being
informed of their appointments:
Uzi Landau, Public Security Minister-to-be: "I feel privileged to help in
the all-important post of maintaining normal security for the citizens of
Israel."
Meir Shetreet, Justice Minister-to-be: "I had wanted to bring about a
revolution in the educational system, but I will do it in the Justice
Ministry... When I become Prime Minister, I will also hold the Education
portfolio."
Limor Livnat, Education Minister-to-be: "I see this as a most important
position, on the same level as that of Defense. I think that, as opposed
to my predecessor [Meretz leader] Yossi Sarid, we must restore the Zionist,
Jewish, nationalist, values to the education system - not instead of
anything else, but in addition. I would like my children, who study in the
public school system, to know that the Day of Love is the 15th of Av [sic]
and not Valentine's Day, which commemorates a Christian saint. I think
that there are some very basic things that must be restored - these values
are the fundamental values of the People and State of Israel." [Ed. note:
The popular misconception that the 15th of Av is a Jewish Valentine's Day
may be based on the following: It was the day on which the 12 tribes were
first allowed to intermarry with each other; it was the day on which the
Benjaminites were allowed to marry again within Israel following the
shameful Concubine in Givah scandal; and it was one of two days on which
the daughters of Jerusalem would dress in white - so as not to shame those
who did not have fancy clothes - and went forth to dance; they would call
to the single men, "Young man, lift up your eyes and choose wisely. Don't
look only at physical beauty - look rather at the family - 'For charm is
false, and beauty is vanity. A G-d - fearing woman is the one to be
praised...'"]
2. KNESSET NULLIFIES DIRECT-ELECTION LAW
The Sharon government had its first success today, even before it was
officially formed: The Knesset passed the first reading of the budget law,
that which was prepared by outgoing Finance Minister Avraham Shochat. It
must still pass two further readings; if it does not pass by March 31, new
elections must be held.
Although today's special Knesset session began early in the afternoon, the
new government will not be presented before the above law and two other
important issues are voted on:
* the first reading of the annual national budget - it passed by a 55-32 vote;
* the nullification of the direct-election of the Prime Minister (which was
in effect for only three elections) - it passed by a wide margin;
* and an extension of the status quo enabling yeshiva students to defer
their army service.
Following the passage of the first reading of the budget law, the Knesset fell headlong into two dramatic and controversial debates. These revolved around the nullification of the Direct Election law, and the extension of the status quo regarding the military deferment of yeshiva students. The 22 hareidi MKs - 17 from Shas and 5 from United Torah Judaism - demand a two-year extension. They say they will vote against the new government if the extension is only for one year, thus causing its downfall even before it is formed. However, it is known that Sharon cannot control the votes of the Labor party, which is largely against any extension, thus that a compromise of a one-year extension - such as that proposed by both Labor and the NRP - will probably be acceptable.
3. NRP HEAD: LIKUD EXCLUDED US FROM COUNTRY'S JUDAISM
The government, as presently formulated, does not include three important
members of the nationalist camp: the National Religious Party, David Levy's
Gesher party (which broke away from One Israel and became a recognized
independent Knesset faction today), and the newly-right wing Center
Party. The Center Party, which originally numbered six MKs, three from the
right and three from the left, now numbers five MKs - all formerly of
right-wing parties. Of the three original left-wing members, two (Shachak
and Savir) have resigned from the Knesset, and one - Dalia Rabin-Pelossof -
has become a one-MK faction named the New Way, and she will serve as Deputy
Defense Minister in the unity government.
Ariel Sharon told NRP leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy today that he will "make every effort to bring the NRP into the government." Rabbi Levy's answer was a cold, "We'll see." Levy told Arutz-7 today that the party will vote in favor of the government today, "because the People of Israel needs a government - and then we will serve as an opposition: We will support the government when we agree with it, and will vote against it on the other issues."
Regarding the unsuccessful coalition negotiations, Levy said,"I agree that there was room for us to compromise; the question of course is to what extent - but this is not the point. The point was that the Likud did not want us in the government. I am experienced in negotiations of this nature, and they just did not want us in. Sharon called me last night at 1 AM, and told me what he reads in the newspapers, that we are divided amongst ourselves, etc. - but this is totally not true; we made the decision collectively... We stood strong on important issues, such as how the country's Judaism will look. It was a bad mistake for the Likud to tell us that the NRP would have nothing to say about the direction of the country's Torah matters - not the Chief Rabbinate, not the Chief Rabbinate Council, not the appointment of rabbis, not the Yeshiva world, etc. This was the first time that we were told that we would have nothing to do with these matters. So I believe that our decision [not to join the government under these conditions] was correct... So we'll be in the opposition; it's not the end of the world - sometimes parties get stronger that way..."
President Moshe Katzav expressed disappointment that the NRP is not included in the government. "They accepted the guidelines of the unity government," he said, "as did the other parties, and so it is unfortunate that in the end, they are not in."
Ha'aretz quoted anonymous Likud members to the effect that leaving out the NRP and others marks "the beginning of the end of the Sharon government." The sources said, "It won't take long for problems to appear between Sharon and Peres, and in a matter of months Labor could pull out of the government. Who is Sharon going to turn to then? To the NRP, Center and Gesher. But after what he has done, they'll be in no mood."
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4. PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS UNITE
IDF Intelligence Chief Maj.-Gen. Amos Malka's statement yesterday that the
PA gives its blessings to the violence and terrorism of all the Palestinian
terrorist organizations continues to make waves. Arutz-7 correspondent
Haggai Huberman said today,
"The truth is that this is not new, even if the phenomenon has intensified
in recent weeks. What is truly noteworthy is that someone of Malka's
stature said it publicly... There is a national Islamic body that runs the
intifada. It encompasses 13 different terrorist organizations from across
the spectrum - from the secular Ahmed Jibril to the fundamentalist Islamic
Jihad, and including of course Arafat's Fatah-Tanzim as well as
Hamas. They sit together regularly and make decisions on the terrorist
attacks against Israel, including the cooperation between Hamas and
Fatah. They don't discuss each particular attack in detail, but plan out
general strategies and directions. Gen. Malka summed it up when he said
that it doesn't matter which organization carried out which attack; they
cooperate widely amongst themselves."
Huberman said that the government must now "take to heart that the organizations that we thought had abandoned violence and terrorism, have in fact abandoned this idea and have returned to their old ways. The enemy is united in this effort."
On another note, Huberman said, "The army censor does not allow me to say more, but there have been specific attempts on the life of IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha'ul Mofaz, and they were thwarted. As a result, he now travels in bulletproof vehicles."
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To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com,arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor<neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, March 8, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Thursday, March 8, 2001 / Adar 13, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SHARON AND BARAK EXCHANGE COMPLIMENTS
2. NEW MINISTER TARIF CITED FOR ANTI-ISRAEL REMARKS
3. SHARON LEAVES OUT "SOVEREIGNTY AND UNITY" OF JERUSALEM
4. COURT PETITION AGAINST TEMPLE MOUNT DESECRATION
5. THREE IMPORTANT BILLS PASSED IN KNESSET YESTERDAY
1. SHARON AND BARAK EXCHANGE COMPLIMENTS
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak held a friendly
changing-of-the-guard ceremony this morning. They exchanged
compliments between them: Barak said that there is no one better
prepared to assume the office than Sharon, and Sharon expressed sorrow
over not having Barak serve as his Defense Minister. The ceremony did
not include drinks or refreshments; Barak explained that it was
because of today's pre-Purim Fast of Esther (see below).
Similar ceremonies took place in other government ministries today. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer handed over the Communications Ministry to Ruby Rivlin, and later transferred the Housing Ministry to Natan Sharansky. Ben-Eliezer assumed the office of Defense Minister from Ehud Barak later this afternoon. Uzi Landau took over the Public Security Minister from Shlomo Ben-Ami; police officers in attendance expressed great satisfaction with their new boss. "Finally, there will be someone who will restore order here," one said. The Shas ministers will not assume their positions today, because of the Fast of Esther.
Education Minister Limor Livnat assumed her office today, and immediately informed Director-General Shlomit Amichai that her duties would soon be terminated. Livnat asked Amichai, an appointee of former Education Minister Yossi Sarid of Meretz, to remain in her post until her successor is chosen. The new Minister emphasized again today the importance of advancing Jewish history, Jewish-Israeli culture, and the history of Zionism in the public school system.
Following the resignation of Ehud Barak from the Knesset today, Eitan Cabel will enter the Knesset as a Labor party Knesset Member. Former MK Micha Goldman had been next on the Labor list, but he passed on the privilege of becoming a Knesset Member. Cabel led the campaign against the legalization of Arutz-7 last year. Barak is the fifth MK to resign since the election one month ago, following Goldshmidt, Bar'am, Shachak, and Savir.
2. NEW MINISTER TARIF CITED FOR ANTI-ISRAEL REMARKS
Minister without Portfolio Salah Tarif, a Labor party MK who today
became the first non-Jew to serve as a minister in an Israeli
government, has been cited for several anti-Israel comments. A few
weeks ago, he granted an interview to Palestinian television in which
he called the Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel "captives,"
he said that Sharon had "defiled the Al-Aksa Mosque with his visit [to
the Temple Mount]," and said that Druze citizens should not have to
serve in the army. Minister Tarif also sent good wishes to Hamas
terrorist chief Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, and blessed his interviewers that
they should "reach Jerusalem, with the help of Allah." Palestinian
Media Watch supplied tape recordings of the interview to Arutz-7.
3. SHARON LEAVES OUT "SOVEREIGNTY AND UNITY" OF JERUSALEM
Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert has expressed concern that Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon neglected to commit himself in his swearing-in speech in
the Knesset last night to the "unity of Jerusalem under Israeli
sovereignty." Sharon said last night, "Jerusalem was and will be the
eternal capital of the Jewish People," but did not read the next
sentence, "Jerusalem complete and united will always remain under
Israeli sovereignty."
Sharon's staffers said that he intended to include the sentence - as evidenced by the text received by the media - and that the omission was accidental. Olmert said he was not convinced: "I heard the speech and immediately sensed that something was missing. Look, these speeches are usually just that - speeches, and they don't necessarily mean that they will be followed up by actions. But when even the speeches are missing something, then my antennas immediately go up."
4. COURT PETITION AGAINST TEMPLE MOUNT DESECRATION
The Supreme Court heard a petition this morning by the Temple Mount
Faithful against the continuing desecration of the antiquities by the
Moslem Waqf. The Temple Mount supporters asked the Court to order the
government to put an end to the Waqf's construction activities there.
The petition included new findings: The apolitical Committee for the Prevention of the Destruction of Temple Mount Antiquities presented evidence that the Waqf is attempting to turn the entire Temple Mount compound into one giant mosque. The Waqf is further planning, according to a Palestinian who took part in the works, to erase any sign of a Jewish connection to the site. The petitioners claimed that the committee that concluded recently that no damage had been caused by the Moslems had not even visited the Temple Mount.
The court ruling will handed down at a later date.
5. THREE IMPORTANT BILLS PASSED IN KNESSET YESTERDAY
The Knesset yesterday voted overwhelmingly to abolish the direct
election of the Prime Minister. There will no longer be separate
elections for Prime Minister and for a Knesset party. Instead, the
former method will be reinstated, whereby voters will cast only one
vote - for a party - and the head of the party which receives the most
votes will have a chance to form the next government. The billed was
passed by a 72-37 margin.
The Knesset, by a sizable margin of 59-38, with 7 abstentions, also agreed yesterday to extend the status quo regarding yeshiva students' draft deferral by two years. Shas and United Torah Judaism had threatened not to support the new government if a shorter extension had been approved. Full-time yeshiva students can now continue to defer their military induction by a year at a time. Two petitions have already been submitted to the Supreme Court against the legislation - by Shinui MK Yossi Paritzky, Atty. Yehuda Rassler, and the Hit'orerut [Awakening] organization.
The first bill passed in the Knesset yesterday was the state budget, as prepared by former Finance Minister Avraham Shochat. The NIS 249 billion budget passed its first reading, and will now go to the Knesset Finance Committee where it will be prepared for its final readings. If the budget is not approved by March 31, new Knesset elections are automatic.
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