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To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com From: Arutz-7 Editor <feedback@israelnationalnews.com> Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, August 21, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com> Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2001 / Elul 2, 5761 ------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES: 1. GOOD MORNING, EHUD 2. PERES TO MEET ARAFAT IN BERLIN 3. KATZAV PROTESTS U.N. BEHAVIOR
1. GOOD MORNING, EHUD "Only the blind, or those whose emotional attachment to their own desires makes it difficult for them to face reality - can continue with talk that makes you want to pinch yourself and say, ''Tell me, can this be real!?'" Thus did Ehud Barak, in his first political speech yesterday since losing the election in six months ago, criticize those in his Labor Party who continue to wish to negotiate with Yasser Arafat. Although Barak did not mention Shimon Peres by name, the reference was clear. Peres responded sharply to the criticism: "I suggest that everyone learn from their own mistakes. Barak himself met with Arafat and made him far-reaching offers. My discussions with Arafat are not on content, but on how to stop the violence." Yossi Beilin, another target of Barak's attack, said that there is no doubt that if Barak had won the February election, he would have continued negotiating with Arafat.
Barak also proposed the evacuation of 15% of Yesha towns - but then said that to dismantle even one of them at this point in time would be construed as a prize for terrorism. In his fast-paced, right-wing-leaning speech, Barak further said,
"It is impossible now to relate to the third redeployment - which was signed under a completely different set of assumptions - as if nothing has happened. If we do so, we are liable find ourselves crossing the fine line between the 'peace of the brave,' for which it was worthwhile to take calculated risks and to make difficult, painful decisions leading ultimately to compromise on both sides - and the 'peace of the ostrich,' which was prevented at Camp David, namely, the possibility that we would continue to transfer more and more and then, when there remained nothing left to transfer, we would discover that, Heaven forbid, we have no partner for real peace negotiations or for an agreement.
"People have asked me, 'What, have you just now realized who Arafat really is?" The answer is, No! We had our concerns - not just me, but in my opinion every honest person had not a few concerns accompanying us throughout the Oslo process. But, despite the concerns, and out of a feeling of national responsibility, we were willing to go very far in order to examine the matter. Arafat is an experienced enough actor, smooth and evasive, such that it would have been impossible to examine it without risk. And we said that it was justified to take the risk, even if the risk would cost us politically, just so that we would know - after the efforts expended by Shimon [Peres] and Yitzchak [Rabin], after Yitzchak was murdered, after Shimon lost the elections as a result of waves of terrorism, and we again took power and we also had Clinton who was in his seventh year - it was time for us to know [whether Arafat was for real] once and for all. And so, despite our concerns, we went. Not as a trick; what we did was not a trick to pull Arafat into a trap and to expose him as worthless. It was rather a real effort to try and reach an agreement, if possible, while maintaining awareness at all times that we do not control the will of the other side. And if turned out that it was not possible, at least we stopped in its tracks this process of reckless transfer of our assets; we know what we are facing and we will be able to face it.
The former Prime Minister also raised the ire of some of his listeners with his endorsement of Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer in the race for party leader. Kibbutz Movement leaders said that he had previously agreed not to speak about internal politics during his speech. In a campaign appearance in Be'er Sheva yesterday, Ben-Eliezer told supporters that Labor has been losing major ground among the Israeli public because it has been going "further and further left over the past four years. There already is a strong left-wing party, namely, Meretz, our ally - but we, the Labor party, should not keep going leftwards, but rather concentrate on the true distinction between us and the Likud, namely, the concern for the individual..." The internal election between Ben-Eliezer and Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg will be held in two weeks.
2. PERES TO MEET ARAFAT IN BERLIN Despite the criticism from left and right of Peres' meetings with Arafat, Palestinian sources announced today that Peres and Arafat would in fact meet next week in Berlin. Peres himself did not confirm the report, but said that he would meet with Arafat "when the time is right." Ynet reports that Arafat will send one of his top advisors, Nabil Sha'ath, to Damascus in order to calm Syrian fears that the PLO may "sell out" during the Peres-Arafat meeting. The PLO is expected to assure Syria that it will not halt the violence in order to renew talks with Israel. It was noted, however, that the violence has already been reduced somewhat over the past two days.
In a related item, Egyptian officials say that U.S. President Bush is examining the possibility of inviting Arafat to the White House, for a joint meeting with Egyptian President Mubarak and Jordanian King Abdullah. Although the PLO Chairman was the most frequent international visitor to Washington under President Clinton, he has not yet been invited even once to the Bush White House.
German Foreign Minister Fischer, meeting with Arafat in Ramallah today, submitted to him Foreign Minister Shimon Peres' plan for a "gradual ceasefire," which calls for gradual ceasefires in one area at a time. The Palestinians are reportedly showing interest in the idea. Fischer will also meet today with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Peres, for his part, left for Eastern Europe today, beginning his visit in Budapest, Hungary. He will spend tomorrow and the next day in Warsaw, Poland, where he will address a gathering of Israeli Ambassadors to European countries.
3. KATZAV PROTESTS U.N. BEHAVIOR President Moshe Katzav recently sent a harsh letter to UN Secretary-General Anan expressing his strong consternation over the UN's conduct regarding the abduction of four Israelis by Hizbullah. Katzav noted that over ten months have passed since the abduction of Israeli soldiers Sgt. Adi Avitan, St.-Sgt. Binyamin Avraham, and St.-Sgt. Omar Souad and Israeli businessman Elchanan Tenenbaum. "It is a great error," the President wrote, "to claim that the UN must maintain objectivity between a sovereign UN-member state, and a terrorist organization that does not accept the UN's authority." Neither did the UN react appropriately to the use of its symbols by a terrorist organization during the abduction, wrote Katzav. "It is the UN's duty to assist in finding the abductees... Israel expects the UN to intervene [and] to use all its influence in order to supply the families of the abducted soldiers with every piece of information about their condition." The President concluded by noting his great respect and esteem for UN Secy.-Gen. Anan, and requesting Anan's personal intervention in the tragic case.
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To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com From: Arutz-7 Editor <feedback@israelnationalnews.com> Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com> Wednesday, August 22, 2001 / Elul 3, 5761 ------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES: 1. GOV'T PLAN TO STRENGTHEN JERUSALEM 2. FISCHER'S DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS 3. LANDAU WANTS "SEPARATION ZONE"
1. GOV'T PLAN TO STRENGTHEN JERUSALEM The cabinet has approved Prime Minister Sharon's proposal to transfer 200 million shekels to the Jerusalem municipality during the course of this year, mainly for services in eastern Jerusalem. The money will be used for new classrooms, transportation needs, construction and housing, tourism, and more. A special cabinet meeting on Jerusalem was held yesterday to "emphasize the government's policy of strengthening Jewish sovereignty throughout the capital," at which Sharon said, "We have taken action to restore Israel's full sovereignty over Jerusalem by halting the Palestinian Authority's activities there. That action, which we of course will continue, must be supported and strengthened by further actions, both in the eastern part of the city and the western..." A statement released after the meeting said that the multi-year plan for the development of infrastructure and public services in eastern Jerusalem will be accelerated, with the aim of reaching equality in these areas between the city's two parts.
2. FISCHER'S DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer continued his "peace-making" efforts in Israel today, and even left open the possibility that Prime Minister Sharon and Yasser Arafat would meet in September. He implied that it was still up to Israel to stop the murderous Arab violence of the past 11 months by "truly stopping all construction in Judea and Samaria."
Fischer also delivered a message from Sharon to Arafat to the effect that shooting attacks into Jerusalem would not be tolerated on any level. Sharon added that if shooting into Jerusalem continues, Israel would be forced to take actions to ensure that future attacks are not possible. The Prime Minister's office vehemently denied that Israel had let up on its demand for "seven quiet days" without terrorist violence before taking steps to implement the Mitchell recommendations. The comments came in reaction to Fischer's statements that Arafat and Foreign Minister Peres may negotiate a staggered cease-fire.
For his part, Yasser Arafat told Fischer that his contribution to stopping the violence included informing Israel of a number of suicide bombers already inside Israeli towns in advance of attacks. Prime Minister Sharon denied the accuracy of these contentions. GSS Director Avi Dichter explained to the German minister that the opposite was true: Israel had presented Arafat and PA agencies with the names of wanted terrorist fugitives, in the hopes that the PA would thwart attacks, but PA agencies did nothing to apprehend the suspects.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry continues to try to arrange a meeting between Minister Peres and Yasser Arafat. President Moshe Katzav said today that he hopes that the meeting would lead to a ceasefire and the resumption of diplomatic negotiations. "We are making every effort to this end," he said, "but until now the meetings with Arafat have not been fruitful. We have great hopes for this meeting. It is a joint interest of both ourselves and the Palestinians."
3. LANDAU WANTS "SEPARATION ZONE" What is Public Security Minister Uzi Landau's opinion regarding the "separation" idea? While touring the Green Line (pre-1967 ceasefire line) yesterday north of Be'er Sheva, Landau said that he is against a unilateral Israeli separation from the Palestinian areas. He said that he favors instead the creation of a "separation zone" that Israel would control on both sides. Landau told Arutz-7 correspondent Moshe Priel that the lesson from Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon is that area abandoned by Israel quickly fills up with terrorists.
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To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com From: Arutz-7 Editor <feedback@israelnationalnews.com> Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, August 23, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com> Thursday, August 23, 2001 / Elul 4, 5761 ------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES: 1. FIGHTING TERRORISM 2. ANOTHER FORBIDDEN AD
1. FIGHTING TERRORISM The IDF registered only partial success in its two latest attempts to kill known terrorists in PA territories, last night and this morning. In the first attempt, in Gaza, it did not hit its primary target, nor did it even know that another "big fish" was in the vicinity, but did succeed in killing a lower-level terrorist. In the second attack, in Shechem today, two terrorists were wounded.
Now for the details: Helicopter gunships fired last night at a convoy of terrorists in Gaza, but apparently hit the wrong car. The vehicle that was hit was carrying Bilal Al-Ghoul, a terrorist in his own right and the son of the intended target Adnan Al-Ghoul. The latter was sitting in the second car next to Mohammed Def, for whom Israel has been sorely looking since the massively fatal Jerusalem bombings in 1996. During the funeral of Bilal Al-Ghoul today, fighting erupted between rival armed gangs. Earlier this week, an Arab was killed in similar violence during a funeral.
This morning, the army fired two rockets at the car of senior Fatah terrorist Jihad al-Masimi in Shechem. Both Al-Masimi, who commands the special PLO police forces there, and his bodyguard, were hit and are in light-to-moderate condition. It is not yet clear if the missiles were fired from Mt. Eval or from a helicopter. Al-Masimi was responsible for many terrorist attacks in the past, including the brazen shooting six weeks ago at the Shmuelyan family outside Brachah; he was also in the midst of planning additional ones for the near future.
In a separate incident, Israeli forces in Gaza, near the Egyptian-Israeli border, thwarted a terrorist attempt last night when they saw a terrorist approaching them and opened fire. Later investigations proved that he had in fact been on his way to placing a bomb.
An IDF officer and three soldiers were lightly wounded last night during an exchange of fire with Arabs near Tul Karem (western Shomron, near Netanya). Palestinians fired six anti-tank grenades and four other grenades towards Israeli targets in Gaza; they caused no casualties or damage. Firing continued this afternoon towards Jewish homes in Hevron.
2. ANOTHER FORBIDDEN AD "Yesha: Hityashvut M'natzachat" - Judea, Samaria, and Gaza: A Winning Settlement Enterprise. This is the theme of a radio jingle prepared by the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, and its goal is to encourage Israelis to move to Yesha. The ad begins with a lively song, and continues with a young woman saying, "My name is Nurit Ben-Yisrael. Three months ago, I was married to a French immigrant to Israel. We moved to Karmei Tzur [between Gush Etzion and Kiryat Arba], and we now feel totally connected to the place - as if we were born here." A male narrator then states, "According to population statistics, the population of Yesha has grown this year by 17,000 new settlers..."
The upbeat tone of the ad is currently toned down, however, as it has been forbidden for broadcast by the Israel Broadcasting Authority, with the claim that its message is one of "political controversy." Beit El Mayor Uri Ariel, acting head of the Yesha Council, sharply criticized the IBA, claiming that it had made a "politically-based decision to shut mouths. It's clear that the settlement enterprise is a winning proposition over the Arabs, and it is clear that 17,000 new people have moved here, and it is also clear that the Israeli public is tremendously supportive of us. Yet, for political reasons, there are certain elements that allow themselves to ban this ad..." Ariel said that the Yesha Council received advance approval for the commercial, on the basis of which hundreds of thousands of shekels were spent to produce it. He threatened that if the ad is not aired, the Council will take the case to court. A similar ad produced by the Gaza Coast Regional Council was also banned recently from airing on public radio.
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To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com From: Arutz-7 Editor <feedback@israelnationalnews.com> Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, August 24, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com> Friday, August 24, 2001 / Elul 5, 5761 ------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES: 1. PUBLIC WANTS SHIMON TO STAY HOME 2. PEACE CENTER OPPOSES CLOSING OF WAR HEADQUARTERS
1. PUBLIC WANTS SHIMON TO STAY HOME Polls: 53% of Israelis are against the possible meeting this coming week between Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat, while 43% are in favor. The Mina Tzemach survey, published in Yediot Acharanot today, shows that 59% of Israelis do not believe that peace can be attained with the Palestinians. Three quarters of the public are pleased with Ariel Sharon's performance as Prime Minister.
2. PEACE CENTER OPPOSES CLOSING OF WAR HEADQUARTERS The Jewish-Arab Center for Peace at Givat Haviva has decided: "NO to Closing Orient House, YES to Opening Immediate Negotiations." In protest of the Israeli closure of the PLO headquarters in Jerusalem three weeks ago, the organization will "enable the staff of Orient House to speak directly to Israeli public opinion." The open meeting with the Orient House staff will be held this Monday in Givat Haviva, east of Hadera, in continuation of a 20-year relationship between the two that has included exchanges of students, lecturers and academic materials. "The late Feisal Husseini nurtured this relationship," proudly announces a Givat Haviva announcement.
Husseini, who was long viewed as a "moderate," began to be seen in a different light following his recent death. In a speech in Beirut in April 2001, Husseini said, "There is a difference between the strategic goal of the Palestinian people, which is not willing to give up even one grain of Palestinian soil, and the political [tactical] effort that has to do with the [present] balance of power... We may lose or win [tactically] but our eyes will continue to aspire to the strategic goal, namely, to Palestine from the river to the sea..." On his way this past May to Kuwait, where he died of a heart attack, Husseini gave an interview - which turned to be his last - to the Egyptian daily "Al-Arabi," in which he said:
"The [ancient] Greek Army was unable to break into Troy... [Following the Greeks' apparent defeat,] the people of Troy climbed on top of the walls of their city and could not find any traces of the Greek army, except for a giant wooden [Trojan] horse. They cheered and celebrated thinking that the Greek troops were routed, and while retreating left a harmless wooden horse as spoils of war. So they opened the gates of the city and brought in the wooden horse. We all know what happened next.
"Had the U.S. and Israel not [thought], before Oslo, that all that was left of the Palestinian National movement and the Pan-Arab movement was a wooden horse called Arafat or the PLO, they would never have opened their fortified gates and let it inside their walls..."
Dr. Sarah Ozacky-Lazar, Co-Director of the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace at Givat Haviva, said: "We protest the closing of Orient House, which was a place in which dialogue and the exchange of ideas for the advancement of peace took place for many years. Israelis from various organizations were always greeted there with warmth and respect. The closing causes harm to the path in which we believe..." Orient House representatives, accepting Givat Haviva's invitation, noted, "Meetings of this sort are... how we preserve the heritage of the late Faisal Husseini. We are coming to tell the Israeli public that the continuation of the occupation is the central problem between us..."
In fact, IMRA notes that Orient House and the other facilities recently closed down by the Government of Israel were illegally used by the Palestinians to gather intelligence for war against Israel, as well as implement an attempted unilateral grab on Jerusalem and coordinate anti-Israeli activities with their colleagues in the radical Israeli left.
Journalist David Bedein of Israel Resource News Agency reports that each department of the Orient House carried tremendous security implications for Israel:
"The Orient House was a hub of PLO activity throughout the past seven years of the Oslo process and especially over the past ten months, when various armed forces of the PLO made it their venue for meeting. Reporters visiting the Orient House witnessed daylight meetings of the Tanzim, the Fatah hawks, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad... brandishing their weapons. These varying security services were not only involved in war with Israel. They were all involved in 'law enforcement' in eastern Jerusalem Arab neighborhoods, which often meant abductions of Arabs from their homes for questioning and detention in Ramallah."
In addition, Bedein reported in detail on computerized land-registration records in Orient House whose purpose was to prepare legal claims for return of the properties to previous Arab owners. PLO official Daoud Barakat, who ran the Arab Refugee Affairs Department at the Orient House, in an interview before Israel's takeover of the building, made it quite clear that "our task at the Orient House is to mobilize Palestinians from around the world to return to their homes." What about the Jews who had moved into areas that had been Arab before 1948? "They will simply have to leave," Barakat said. Israeli officials confiscated all computers and other equipment they found in Orient House.
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