From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 23:54:40 +0000
To: "Arutz-7 List"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
Subject: Israel News: Monday, December 1, 1997
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, December 1, 1997
Arutz Sheva News Service
Monday, December 1, 1997 / Kislev 2, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. PERMANENT-STATUS COMMITTEE TO BEGIN WORK
2. NRP MINISTER: PERMANENT-STATUS TALKS ARE NEXT
3. PM ATTEMPTS TO COMBINE WISDOM AND FAITH
4. 'THIS IS NOT HOW FRIENDS ACT"
5. LABOR MK: LABOR-MERETZ-ARAB GOV'T WOULD BE BAD
6. ZE'EVI ATTACKS FROM THE RIGHT
1. PERMANENT-STATUS COMMITTEE TO BEGIN WORK
The ministerial committee charged yesterday with formulating the
permanent-arrangement plan will convene on Wednesday. Its members will
attempt to come up with proposals in time to present them at the government
meeting next Sunday. The staff, headed by Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu, comprises also Foreign Minister David Levy, Defense Minister
Yitzchak Mordechai, and Infrastructures Minister Ariel Sharon. Among other
things, they will delineate a map of security and settlement areas.
Mordechai will come equipped with an IDF-recommended map of security areas.
Yesha leader Ze'ev (Zambish) Chaver will apparently serve as an advisor to
the committee.
2. NRP MINISTER: PERMANENT-STATUS TALKS ARE NEXT
Transportation Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy (NRP) told Arutz-7 this morning
that, in his opinion, there will be no interim withdrawal before the
permanent-status talks begin. This, despite the clear decision by the
government that the withdrawal be carried out before such talks begin. He
said that the Americans, and therefore the Palestinians, will become
convinced that there cannot be a withdrawal before the permanent-status
talks begin. "The purpose of the interim stages was to build trust, etc.,
but we see that the fact is that no trust has been built, because the
Palestinians have not kept a single word of their commitments. Therefore,
I feel that everyone will realize that there is no purpose in continuing
with interim stages, and instead the permanent-status talks will begin.
This means, for me, the end of the Oslo process, and the beginning of a
whole new ballgame." The NRP Knesset faction will convene this afternoon
to formulate their position in anticipation of Sunday's government meeting
on the permanent arrangement.
3. PM ATTEMPTS TO COMBINE WISDOM AND FAITH
Leaders of the Habad Hasidic movement entreated Prime Minister Netanyahu
last night not to give away parts of the Land of Israel. It happened at a
Bar Mitzvah celebration in Kfar Habad, at which the Prime Minister
participated. Mr. Netanyahu replied to them that he is attempting to
combine wisdom and faith in his diplomatic strategy, and that the
pre-condition for success in his efforts to preserve Eretz Yisrael is unity
within the nationalist camp.
4. 'THIS IS NOT HOW FRIENDS ACT"
Yesha Council leaders are upset with recently-resigned Prime Ministerial
aide Avigdor Lieberman. They say that he is attempting to divide the
Council by removing the secular members thereof, in order that its
influence and criticism of Netanyahu's policies be reduced. "Now that
Lieberman has finished destroying the Likud, he wants to destroy the Yesha
Council," said one senior Council leader. The six Likud members of the
Yesha Council, who met with Lieberman yesterday in Givat Ze'ev, announced
afterwards that that out of a feeling of responsibility for national unity
they support the planned withdrawal. They said that they simultaneously
demand that the Palestinians fulfill all of their commitments. Other
resolutions: they adopt the "Alon-plus" plan, and they are in favor of
integrating the third withdrawal within the framework of the
permanent-status arrangement. Only Kiryat Arba Mayor Tzvi Katzover
objected to the resolution. He said, "This forum could have strengthened
Binyamin Netanyahu by objecting to the withdrawal, for he then could have
shown that the plan has domestic opposition." Katzover said, however, that
he would continue, as a long-time Likud member, to take part in the forum.
Arutz-7 conducted a radiophonic mini-debate between Beit Aryeh Local
Council Head Yitzchak Harush, who attended yesterday's meeting, and
non-Likud member Shomron Regional Council Head Aryeh Ofri. Harush said
that Lieberman has simply taken it upon himself to "unite the forces," but
that there is no thought of competing with the Yesha Council.
Ofri said, however, that he was very disappointed with the behavior of his
friends with whom "we've travelled such a long hard road together. Let's
not be naive: it's clear that the withdrawal under consideration will
affect our communities and not yours. Shouldn't this have been a time for
you to call us and ask how you can encourage and help us in our difficult
hour, instead of coming out in support of the withdrawal?" Ofri continued,
"We all know that there is an agreement, and that we will have to sit and
talk with the Palestinians, etc., but do we - the representatives of the
population in Yesha - have to be the ones to give our approval? The
problem is that we have to act not only with the pragmatic aspects in mind,
but remember the ideology as well."
Harush responded, "I protest against that distinction. People say that
there are some ideological Yesha communities, and others that only care for
the red roofs and the green lawns. There is no such thing. Nothing will
drive a wedge between us and our colleagues in our struggle on behalf of
the Land of Israel - not Binyamin Netanyahu and not Avigdor Lieberman."
Ofri said, "I am happy to hear that, and we must therefore emphasize that
we will only succeed if we remember that we are in the same boat."
5. LABOR MK: LABOR-MERETZ-ARAB GOV'T WOULD BE BAD
Arutz-7 spoke today with Labor MK Uzi Baram on his party's objections to
yesterday's government decision. An abridged version of the conversation
between Haggai Segal of Arutz-7 and Uzi Baram follows:
Segal: According to the agreements, Israel is permitted to decide on the
extent of the withdrawals by itself, without consulting the Palestinians.
Why then do you and your party feel that Netanyahu should consult with them
anyway and give them more land?
Baram: The question is how this entire process is perceived. Netanyahu
decided yesterday that there would be not be a third withdrawal [Segal
disagreed with this interpretation]. Basically, what he did was to marshal
the coalition parties in support of a statement that basically says
nothing. Not for nothing are the right-wing groups not very upset about it.
Segal: Do you have an argument with the government when it says that the
Palestinians have violated most of their commitments?
Baram: I agree that we have to demand the fulfillment of their
commitments, but the problem is that the orientation of this government is
to weaken Arafat. This is a big mistake, because Hamas gets stronger, and
then the partner with whom we're supposed to make peace - Arafat - will be
too weak to do so.
Segal: Let's take a specific example - the extradition of terrorists who
have found refuge in the autonomy. If they don't fulfill this obligation,
then why should we continue to give make further concessions?
Baram: This is known to be a very complex issue, and that is why Israel
has never insisted upon its implementation. Look, whoever says that if they
don't fulfill their end, then we won't fulfill our end -
Segal: That's how agreements work in this world.
Baram: Yes, but he must ask himself what's the alternative for the
continued existence of Israel in the coming years? If we want to live by
the sword, we will be in a very difficult position, because any future war
will be worse than any that we've had until now. I also see that our
society is split, and I think that the government has to make hard
decisions in order to reach an agreement that will lead to a Palestinian
state alongside us, which will be able to make hard decisions and take
responsibility. I don't think this government can make these decisions,
and that's why I think that the issue of elections is very important -
although I no longer believe in extreme governments, not us together with
Meretz and the Arabs, and not the Likud together with the hareidim and the
settlers.
Segal: But you were part of just such a government headed by Labor?
Baram: I don't think it's right for the future. I think the differences
of opinion among those in the center are getting smaller. Labor determined
the agenda: the Likud is talking with the Palestinians and going through
with the Oslo process because we started these things. Now what remains is
only the question of the extent: How demilitarized will the Palestinian
state be? How many settlements will be uprooted? These questions can be
decided by a Likud-Labor government, maybe with Shas and Meretz. But I
think that a Likud-settlers coalition would be a catastrophe for the State,
just as I think that an opposite coalition would be a big problem for a
great portion of the population.
Segal: Do I hear a tone of regret in your voice that your government may
not have taken the opinions at least the center into sufficient consideration?
Baram: No, I think that the previous government made great achievements,
but time has passed and I think that now the government needs a broader base.
Segal: MK Uzi Baram, thank you very much.
6. ZE'EVI ATTACKS FROM THE RIGHT
Rehavam (Gandi) Ze'evi, Moledet party leader, also attacked the government
decision - from the right. He told Arutz-7, "This is another step towards
the abyss of Oslo. True, the left is against it, but that's because they
want everything at once on a silver platter. But I'm against this because
I see that this is part of the salami process - first they take one slice,
then another, and then another." When it was mentioned to him that
Netanyahu may not feel that Israel is strong enough to withstand the
tremendous American and international pressures placed upon it, Ze'evi
said, "If that is true, then the world will do that on the issues of
Jerusalem and the right of the Arab refugees to return as well. Prime
Ministers in Israel knew how to ignore world pressure, and to do what was
right for Israel - Ben Gurion began the Kadesh operation against world
opinion, and Menachem Begin bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor against the
better judgment of our good friend the United States. This is simply
because the only place where it can be decided what's good for Israel is
not Washington but Jerusalem."
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From: newsdesk@iipub.com (MED News Desk)
To: headline@iipub.com (Mid-East Dispatch)
Subject: MED Daily Headline News
Reply-to: newsdesk@iipub.com
THE MID-EAST DISPATCH
DAILY HEADLINES NEWS REPORT
** 1 Nazi Gold Shock for Swiss
** 2 Doctor Denies Arafat has Parkinson's
** 3 Demonstrators Call for Palestinian Independence
** 4 PA Seeks Membership to the UN
-*-
** 1. NAZI GOLD SHOCK FOR SWISS
Three times as much gold passed from Nazi Germany to Swiss banks as
was previously thought, according to a study by international
historians commissioned by the Swiss Government.
The report found that the Nazis took $146 million from Holocaust
victims and other individuals, $475 million from the central banks of
occupied nations, and $72 million under a plan where citizens were
obliged to sell their gold to the State.
Swiss banks accounted for three-quarters of all the gold transferred
abroad by the Reichsbank, with the Swiss National Bank alone taking
nearly $389 million.
Commercial banks took $61 million, three times as much as was
previously assumed.
All amounts quoted are in 1945 values.
The report was silent as to whether Swiss leaders, or the banks, knew
that the gold was looted, and that the sales were helping to prolong
the war. The commission said it would investigate those issues in a
second report, to be published next year. {MED 1/12 H}
** 2. DOCTOR DENIES ARAFAT HAS PARKINSON'S
According to Prof. Ashraf Al Kurdi, Yasser Arafat is suffering from
clinical depression. He vehemently denied reports that he is suffering
from Parkinson's Disease. Al Kurdi, who is Jordan's Health Minister
and a neurologist, said to Haaretz newspaper: "All this talk about
Parkinson's disease is only weakening the chairman's position. You can
already see the witches' dance around the question of succession... Is
it any wonder that Arafat is depressed?"
Al Kurdi explained the tremors Arafat has been displaying lately
saying, "... this is a phenomenon - in many cases hereditary - of
constant trembling, which is not accompanied by functional or
cognitive disorders."
Al Kurdi added that the tremors were unrelated to Arafat's plane crash
in 1992. He said Arafat had suffered from a blood clot and internal
bleeding but has since fully recovered. {MED 1/12 H}
** 3. DEMONSTRATORS CALL FOR PALESTINIAN INDEPENDENCE
Three thousand Fatah activists in Bethlehem marked the anniversary of
the Partition agreement with demonstrations calling for Palestinian
independence starting on December 5th.
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has ruled out the establishment of
an independent Palestinian state. He insists, however, that he wants
the Middle East peace process to move forward.
Speaking to a German newspaper journalist, Netanyahu said the Israeli
government will never take the risk of allowing a Palestinian state to
attack Israel as in a possible military alliance with Saddam Hussein.
He said an independent Palestinian state could control the airspace
above Israeli cities and airports and Israel could never accept this.
He added that Israel is fulfilling all its obligations while the
Palestinians are upholding none. Netanyahu said the Palestinians are
not arresting any terrorists and fail to crack down on hostile
propaganda in the media. {KOL ISRAEL 11/30 H}
** 4. PA SEEKS MEMBERSHIP TO THE UN
The Palestinian Authority has asked for full membership in the United
Nations. A PA spokesman said that the request was submitted directly
to Secretary General Kofi Anan.
In the message, Yasser Arafat said that the 50th anniversary of the
1947 resolution for the Partition of Palestine would be an appropriate
occasion for the UN to grand the PA full membership. At present, the
Palestinian Authority has "observer status" to the UN. {KOL ISRAEL
12/1 H}
****
Copyright (c) The MidEast Dispatch, 1997. The MidEast Dispatch is an
independent news service, and is not affiliated with any political
party or government agency.
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