HHMI Newsgroup Archives

To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, May 29, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 / Sivan 7, 5761
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. LIVNAT: UNITY GOV'T COSTING US, BUT WILL PROVE WORTH IT
2. KETZALEH AND ELON

1. LIVNAT: UNITY GOV'T COSTING US, BUT WILL PROVE WORTH IT
Education Minister Limor Livnat called on the residents of Yesha to continue to back the Prime Minister. She said that if it was not for the national-unity government, "we would be taking stronger action against the terrorism," but this price of unity is worthwhile and "in the end, it will prove itself even in the war against terrorism."

Arutz-7's Haggai Segal spoke with Cabinet Secretary Gideon Sa'ar today: "I'll ask you pointedly: How many Jews must yet be killed on the altar of this unilateral ceasefire?" Sa'ar: "Look please, we are aware of the difficulty of the situation, and exactly for this reason we want to try every possibility to try to calm matters down. It could be that this attempt will fail, in which case the IDF will again initiate the necessary actions, but we are trying to do everything we can in order to see if..."

Segal: "Yes, this is why I asked until when. What yet must happen in order for the Prime Minister to reach the conclusion that --"

Sa'ar: "Prime Minister Sharon told Burns last night that our patience is not unlimited... There is no magic solution..."

2. KETZALEH AND ELON
Yesha settler leader Yaakov (Ketzaleh) Katz - a long-time army acquaintance of Ariel Sharon, who served under then-Housing Minister Ariel Sharon as Assistant for Settlement Affairs from 1991-93, and who has been described in HaTzofeh as "the man directly responsible for the construction in eastern Jerusalem, and communities in the Golan and in Yesha" - spoke with Arutz-7's Haggai Segal today about the changes that have overcome Ariel Sharon over the past years:

"I have seen the deterioration in Sharon's relationship to the Land of Israel and the People of Israel for several years. It was manifest clearly in his decision to detach himself from people in Yesha, and not to include them among his aides, advisors, and members of his inner circle. Instead, he has begun to think along the 'practical' and faithless lines of the left wing, all based on his conception that the People of Israel do not have the strength to deal with the problems that face them.

"I have heard him say several times, including to me, 'It would be great if the entire nation was as strong as you guys in Judea and Samaria, but unfortunately this is not the case, the people of Israel are weak, and we must therefore compromise and be flexible...' He simply does not believe in the country's strength, which is basically the post-Zionist approach of Peres and his friends, and the same approach that he was elected to oppose. He is making a bitter mistake: The residents of Israel are very strong, and not only in Yesha, but in Netanya and Jerusalem, they are not running away. The only one who is weak is Arik Sharon, as well as his advisors who point him only to what is being said in the media, and are constantly caught up in the tactical questions of how to run away from the problems that face us today. A leader who talks to his great nation only in terms of tactics and not vision brings upon it mourning and destruction and murders...

"The Arik Sharon of today has no vision, and is instead just like the other Galut [Diaspora]-mentality leaders that Israel has had... One of the messages here is that nationalist camp Knesset Members like Benny Elon should not speak in cliches about 'loyalty' to Sharon, but rather with vision. Courage comes before loyalty, and if this is not clear to Sharon, then he will be replaced. I don't think it will take long before this happens... The Jewish people must speak with vision, and cannot allow residents of Yesha to be wantonly killed, just like anti-Semites used to freely kill Jews in the street in Germany and Poland without anyone opening his mouth to protest. Our MKs must speak with courage and strength and -

Segal: "- and quit the coalition?"

Ketzaleh: "I don't want to speak now about that detail. This situation cannot continue. Arik Sharon called the previous government a 'washrag' leadership because of the murders that took place here, and now he must look in the mirror and see if the same cannot be said about him."

MK Benny Elon's response:

"First of all, when speaking to Army Radio today, I said there that I agree with every word that [MK] Tzvi Hendel said, but I only added that I would not publicly criticize Ariel Sharon in the media, because I am part of the coalition and we must show loyalty. We offer the criticism where it needs to be offered... I agree that we must always be breathing down Sharon's neck. If I am correct that we are on the eve of real war - and it might not only be in Judea and Samaria - and if I am right that Sharon's strategy is to strengthen the unity in the country so that we can go out to fight the war without half the country protesting against the other half - if this is in fact Sharon's strategy, then I believe that I am doing the right thing.

"If, however, Sharon is simply trying to fool me and is really taking the path of negotiations and withdrawals and diplomatic defeats and the like - then I am very wrong. But as long as I am a member of the coalition, I will continue to try to ascertain the truth from within, and at the same time abide by the [loyalty] rules that come with being a member of the coalition. If people think I should leave the coalition, then they have the right to criticize me - but Ketzaleh did not answer you when you asked if we should remain in the government... My feeling at present is that Sharon does, in fact, have a plan to fight terrorism very strongly. I can only add that the second I am shown to be wrong and that we are being used, we will not only leave the government, we will do everything we can to topple it."

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To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, May 30, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, May 30, 2001 / Sivan 8, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. PM SHARON EXPLAINS WHY ISRAEL WILL CONTINUE CEASE-FIRE
2. FIRST CRACKS IN COALITION?
3. DO YOU REGRET YOUR SUPPORT OF OSLO?
4. GROOM MEETS PERES AT KOTEL, WITH UNFORTUNATE RESULTS

*** ARUTZ SHEVA RADIO SHORTS

1. PM SHARON EXPLAINS WHY ISRAEL WILL CONTINUE CEASE-FIRE
Israel's security cabinet convened this morning with the participation of top army officers, but came to no decision about stopping Israel's unilaterally implemented ceasefire. Staffers in the Prime Minister's office say that Israel will not respond to the increasing terrorism at least until Sharon returns from his visit to Europe next week. Public Security Minister Uzi Landau implied that if the PA does not call a ceasefire by then, Israel will respond militarily.

Addressing the Knesset today, Prime Minister Sharon explained his decision to hold Israeli fire:

"Israel is currently in the midst of a difficult struggle against Palestinian terrorism and Hizbullah's provocative attacks under Syria's auspices. We suffer losses. There is a battle on the roads. Arafat takes no preventive measures. The heads of the Palestinian Authority and its various organizations incite to take action against Israel. This is not an easy situation, but we have been through worse.

"As you are aware, I have chosen to announce a [unilateral] cease-fire. Protecting the citizens of Israel is, of course, our duty, and we need to do everything in our power to secure the lives of Israeli citizens. I know that tempers are flaring, and justifiably so. I see the terrible pain, and I watch in awe the heroic stand of the residents of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, their self-control and dedication to the Land of Israel. We are indebted to the residents who stand with the IDF on the front line, and I take this opportunity to convey my warmest wishes to the settlers.

"I know that I am being attacked for my decision to announce the cease-fire. However, the recognition of the responsibility resting on my shoulders, with a view of the entire picture, caused me to announce our acceptance of the Mitchell plan.

"This is not only a military battle. We are forced to confront and win a difficult and complex political and diplomatic campaign. This affects my decisions and I will act accordingly. It takes patience. We must succeed in this diplomatic campaign, and I feel that we are conducting it appropriately.

"We must remember that we cannot ask all the time: 'Until when?' Sometimes it is necessary to endure for a long time, as we did in the past. THEY don't ask every minute: 'Until when?' Anyone who repeatedly asks 'Until when?' is bound to be defeated."

For the first time in almost two months, senior IDF and PA military commanders met last night. Despite what was called a total lack of progress at that Ramallah get-together, another high-level security meeting is scheduled for tonight. PA officials are calling upon Israel to implement the Mitchell Committee recommendation of a settlement freeze, and will not call a cease-fire.

2. FIRST CRACKS IN COALITION?
The National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset faction convened today to discuss its continued membership in the government coalition. The party's MKs will meet with Prime Minister Sharon on Sunday. They demand that the government immediately cease its unilateral ceasefire.

3. DO YOU REGRET YOUR SUPPORT OF OSLO?
"Knowing then what you know now, would you still have voted for the Oslo Accords in 1993?" This was the question recently asked by Makor Rishon reporter Sofia Ron of several Knesset Members who supported the first Oslo agreement. Their responses:

Avraham Poraz (of the Shinui party, which in 1993 was a faction of Meretz): "If I would have known that things would develop the way they did in the past half-year, I would not have voted for Oslo. The Palestinians deceived us, mostly regarding the Right of Return [of Arab refugees from 1948]. I thought that their demands did not go beyond 1967... We all thought, including Rabin, that they would cede their Right of Return demands."

Ran Cohen (Meretz): "The violence of today was not caused by Oslo, but rather because of the violations of Oslo. Arafat violated Oslo when he began the violence, and Barak violated Oslo when he attempted to go for a final-status solution instead of continuing along the path of interim agreements... The military infrastructure [of the Palestinian Authority] was formed in order to stop the terrorism." Makor Rishon: "But as was predicted, the exact opposite occurred." Cohen: "Unfortunately."

Avi Yechezkel (Labor): "Today, I would not vote for Oslo. I would not give them weapons. But I trusted Rabin. If he would have been alive, he would have ended it."

Eli Ben-Menachem (Labor): "I voted for it because I believed, like everyone else, it would bring peace. If I would have known, and I am not a prophet, I'm not sure that I would have supported it... We didn't make a mistake, because we had faith. We had good intentions, the desire to go forward. If the Palestinians would have been honest it would have been great..."

Alex Goldfarb is currently not a Knesset Member. He was an MK in 1995, however, when he split away from the right-wing Tzomet party to form a 2-man faction shortly before the Oslo II agreement was signed. He had voted against the first Oslo agreement, but following pressures from the left-wing to change his vote, including promises of a Deputy Ministerial post, he voted in favor of the second Oslo agreement. He answered Makor Rishon's question as follows: "I would have had several reservations and voted otherwise... I would have voted for it only if the Palestinians would not have been given rifles, but rather only pistols [for their security forces]..."

4. GROOM MEETS PERES AT KOTEL, WITH UNFORTUNATE RESULTS
A young hareidi man, Udi Koren, was held for over two hours at a Jerusalem police station yesterday morning - only several hours before his wedding. His crime? - Holding Shimon Peres responsible for his actions. Koren arrived at the Western Wall yesterday for pre-wedding prayers, and at the same time Foreign Minister Shimon Peres arrived together with former Soviet President Michael Gorbachev. Koren could not restrain himself and called to Peres, "Why did you give them guns? The terrorist attacks are because of you!" Policemen immediately stormed over and arrested him, despite his insistence that he had broken no law and that he was about to be married. He was released on bail 2.5 hours later, and the wedding was celebrated with great joy.

***ARUTZ SHEVA RADIO SHORTS:

The Israeli Foreign Ministry puts out instructions to its representatives all over the world for explaining our position. This position, at best, regards the West Bank and Gaza Strip as territory over which there are competing claims which should be solved in peace negotiations; Israel has valid claims but, at the same time, Israel recognizes that the Palestinians also entertain legitimate claims to the area. That is the official position of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, and that is why we are losing the Public Relations battle.  We are essentially saying, "Yes, we stole your land but we have security problems." So the world, even decent foreign observers, says, "Okay, first return the stolen land, and we will look for ways to guarantee your security. Until then we must sympathize with the underdog whose property you stole. He is desperate, so he uses desperate means." The one thing we don't seem to have the nerve to say - or perhaps the people who set policy in Israel don't believe - is, "This is our land and it belongs to no one else." No government in Israel has ever enunciated this position. No government has ever stated a policy that this land is holy, and it is our land. This position is apparently considered too primitive and not intellectually sound. It is still not too late. What we have to say is, "This is our homeland. This land is holy to us. We have longed for it and prayed for it for 2,000 years. We are not here to be another group of occupiers, who build shopping malls, imitate western society, and who need safe borders. We are here because the Land is ours." That is a legal and moral argument, and I think that decent people everywhere will respect it. Too bad is has not yet been tried.

From The Jay Shapiro Hour <jay@IsraelNationalNews.com>. Hear the Program: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/metafiles/asx/shows/shapiro.asx 

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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, May 31, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Thursday, May 31, 2001 / Sivan 9, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. WHAT SHARON SAID THEN
2. FEISAL HUSSEINI, 61, DIES
3. RIGHT-WING PARTY TO REMAIN IN GOV'T - FOR NOW
4. CANADIA CHRISTIANS APOLOGIZE

1. WHAT SHARON SAID THEN
Over 100,000 people gathered at Zion Square in Jerusalem last Nov. 22 to protest the Barak government's policy of restraint. "Let the IDF Win!" the protestors repeatedly chanted. Opposition leader Ariel Sharon was a main speaker at the rally, and the crowd greeted his remarks with great enthusiasm. Some excerpts from his dramatic speech:

"I have confidence in the IDF, and in the security forces, who knew in the past, and know today as well, to provide the appropriate solutions - if only the government is determined and gives clear instructions. We don't need a 'reaction,' or 'retaliation,' or vengeance - but rather the liquidation of terrorism! The liquidation of terrorism!  Not to react - but to initiate, and initiate, and again to initiate. We must make the enemy face a new situation every day, we must shake his self-confidence, make him worry about protecting himself instead of how to attack us. We are facing a war being conducted by the Palestinian Authority. The foolish Oslo Agreement is no longer in existence. We must win against terrorism; this is possible, and this is our goal now. After the situation is calmed, we will go for a better diplomatic agreement.

"Look how the state looks now. Children can't travel safely to school, car bomb in city streets, Jerusalem residents under fire, communities are attacked, roads are frequently closed, theaters and malls are empty. Citizens of Israel - and this is possibly the worst of all - are afraid in the only place where Jews have the strength and the rights to protect themselves. For these rights and strength, we must thank G-d every day. Mr. Prime Minister [Barak], go into the street and look what is happening. What is happening to you?! This is not the way to run a country! This nation deserves security! And it is possible to do this! We, the nationalist camp, will restore security - I promise you all, we will restore security! We know how to do it, and we also know better than them to reach a diplomatic agreement, and we will do that too! There is no reason for despair!  We will win! We will win! We will win!"

2. FEISAL HUSSEINI, 61, DIES
Feisal Husseni, appointed to run Jerusalem affairs for the Palestinian Authority, died of a heart attack in Kuwait this morning. He was there to try to make peace between the Palestinians and the Kuwaitis; there has been bad blood between them ever since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. However, within minutes of his arrival at the airport, a stormy argument broke out between his party and Kuwaiti security officials. Husseini himself took part in the argument, and died a short while later.

Husseini was the son of a leading Arab fighter, Abdul Kader Husseini, who was killed in the 1948 battle for the Kastel, in present-day Mevaseret Zion. Husseini was administratively detained in Israeli prison for at least a year. He took part in a terrorist organization convention in Iran several weeks ago, which called for increased warfare against Israel. Many left-wing Knesset Members expressed sorrow over his death. The Professors for a Strong Israel organization is calling upon Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his government to 'once and for all' stop the activities of 'Arafat and his terrorists' inside Jerusalem and shut down the illegal PA headquarters - the Orient House, run by Husseini - located in the Jewish capital.

Husseini will be interred alongside his father on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in an official PA funeral tomorrow. The body will be flown to Ramallah from Jordan, accompanied by PA leader Yasser Arafat, who saw the popular Husseini as a chief rival. The funeral will begin in the Orient House. Leaks from the Prime Minister's Office indicate that Prime Minister Sharon is likely to permit Arafat to attend the funeral if such a request is made. Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi has come out against the idea: "We need not make 'humanitarian' gestures and allow Arafat to participate in the funeral, as neither Arafat nor Husseini deserve it."

3. RIGHT-WING PARTY TO REMAIN IN GOV'T - FOR NOW
The National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu faction is wavering. It rejected a proposal last night by National Union leader Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi to threaten to quit the government coalition if Israel's unilateral ceasefire continues and settlement construction in Judea and Samaria is frozen. The other MKs, including Tzvi Hendel and Benny Elon, said that Sharon should be allowed to complete the process he started. The party accepted a resolution, however, to call for an immediate end to the ceasefire.

4. CANADIA CHRISTIANS APOLOGIZE
Some 500 Christian clerics visiting Israel from Canada held a special "forgiveness" session at Yad Vashem yesterday. They expressed profuse regret over the fact that their government did not allow the St. Louis to dock at its shores over 60 years ago, thus sending the 900 German Jews aboard back to Europe, hundreds of whom were killed in the Holocaust.

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To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, June 1, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Friday, June 1, 2001 / Sivan 10, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. U.S. "ANGRY" AT ARAFAT - AND HOLDING UP AID TO ISRAEL
2. MOLEDET VOTES TO QUIT GOVERNMENT - WITH A BUT
3. WAS HUSSEINI A "MODERATE?"

1. U.S. "ANGRY" AT ARAFAT - AND HOLDING UP AID TO ISRAEL
President Moshe Katzav said he does not think that Israel's ceasefire can last more than another few days. However, it has been reported that Prime Minister Sharon has no plans to begin using force at least until after he returns from Europe in the middle of next week. Despite the increase in deadly terrorism against Israel, which claimed 18 victims in the month of May, Israeli officials note with satisfaction the international benefits that have accompanied Israel's gesture.  Foreign governments appreciate Israel's restraint, while at the same time, Ha'aretz notes that "within the U.S. administration, there is growing anger over both Arafat's refusal to declare a cease-fire and the involvement of Fatah members in terror attacks..."

Israel has in fact informed the U.S. that it accepts the Mitchell Report in full. This was confirmed last night by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who told his Likud party colleagues that if the Palestinians agree to a ceasefire, construction in Yesha would be allowed only in places that are already built up. Construction will not be permitted beyond these areas, even in areas within the towns' other zoned areas. Militarily, however, the IDF has redoubled its forces, including elite units, along the roads of Judea, Gaza, and Samaria. Armored personnel carriers are now stationed in additional points, particularly along routes on which terrorist attacks have occurred. For the time being, however, no initiated actions will be taken, and Israel is not implementing a policy of targeting and killing terrorist leaders.

Despite the above, the Bush Administration may be reneging on $800 million in aid promised by the U.S. to Israel last year. The grant was promised at the end of ex-President Clinton's term in office, in compensation for the IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon and to aid in developing defenses against Iraqi and Iranian missiles. President Moshe Katzav raised the issue with U.S. President Bush and Secretary of State Powell, but it has been reported that the Americans "tried to evade the topic," and that the Israelis sensed that the aid would not be arriving any time soon. Just last week, Iraq tested its new surface-to-surface missile.

2. MOLEDET VOTES TO QUIT GOVERNMENT - WITH A BUT
In addition to the above vague international-arena gains, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's policy of restraint and his consent to a construction freeze in Yesha also appear to be netting him political problems back at home. The Moledet party has decided to adopt its leader Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi's proposal to quit the government, exactly because of these policies. However, Moledet will not implement the decision unless its two partners, Tekumah and Yisrael Beiteinu, also agree. The leader of the latter, Minister Avigdor Lieberman, has already stated that he wants to give Sharon more time.

Background: Before the 1999 elections, Moledet and its two MKs - Ze'evi and Rabbi Benny Elon - joined up with Tekumah (former NRP MKs Chanan Porat and Tzvi Hendel) and with Herut (former Likud MKs Benny Begin and Michael Kleiner) to form the National Union party. The new party won four Knesset seats, held by Ze'evi, Kleiner, Elon, and Hendel (Begin and Porat had resigned from the Knesset). Kleiner later split off, and the party's 3 MKs joined up with Avigdor Lieberman's 4-man Yisrael Beiteinu party to form the 7-seat National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu faction.

3. WAS HUSSEINI A "MODERATE?"
Despite widespread talk on Israeli and world-wide media about Husseini's "moderacy," and despite the publication today of condolence announcements by left-wing parties for Husseini, the following selection of quotes by the deceased Husseini presents a different picture:

"[This is] an expression of our feeling about the occupation; I have no problem with the deed." - Husseini commenting on the murder of an Israeli security guard in eastern Jerusalem last November.

"Taking Israeli citizenship is something that can only be defined as treason... Palestinians who have Israeli citizenship don't have a place in our state. If they want rights, they should go to the
Israelis to give them these rights." - Husseini speaking to a Christian/Moslem conference in Ramallah, August 2000.

"We must have two capitals in an open and free-access city. Nothing can convince us why the Old City should not be under Palestinian control. It is not logical for the Israelis to say they want control of the Old City." - Husseini speaking to 'The Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine' , April 2000.

"We will forcefully open up our borders with Jordan and Egypt, which are currently controlled by the Israeli army. There will be violent confrontation and death, but this time on both sides. Are the Israelis more numerous and better equipped? Yes, but the superiority of us Palestinians lies in the fact that we are willing to lay down our lives, whereas for them every death is a tragedy that society cannot bear." --Husseini, quoted in Le Nouvel Observateur, August 1998.

The quotes were collected by journalist David Bedein of Israel Resource News Agency: www.israelbehindthenews.com 

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