Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: January 20-21, 1998
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 01:16:57 +0000
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Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Tuesday, January 20, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Tuesday, January 20, 1998 / Tevet 22, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. EDUCATION MINISTER ZEVULUN HAMMER PASSES AWAY
2. PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU'S VISIT TO U.S.
3. CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR NETANYAHU STRONG LINE
4. YASSER ARAFAT TO BE VIP AT HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
<Special Insert>
1. EDUCATION MINISTER ZEVULUN HAMMER PASSES AWAY
Education Minister Zevulun Hammer passed away today in the Hadassah Ein
Kerem hospital in Jerusalem. Hammer, 61, also served as Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Religious Affairs, and he was the head of the
National Religious Party. The government held a special session to mourn
his death, as did the NRP Knesset faction. Thousands of Israelis came to
the Knesset plaza this afternoon to honor Hammer's memory, and from there
he was brought to burial at the Mt. of Olives cemetery.
In his youth, Hammer was a leader in the Bnei Akiva youth movement, and
after the Six-Day War he became one of the founders of the Gush Emunim
settlement movement. In 1975, Hammer was appointed Minister of Welfare,
and eventually served as Minister of Education in three different
governments. Among his outstanding achievements: he was instrumental in the
successful passing of the law mandating obligatory education until the 12th
grade, and in the implementation of the Etzioni report which significantly
improved teachers' salaries.
Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, now on an official visit to the U.S.,
expressed his sorrow at the passing of Hammer in a special announcement to
the press:
"The government of Israel together with the people of Israel bow their
heads together in mourning and sadness at the tragic passing of Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Education Zevulun Hammer. He was one of the
pillars of the Jewish national revival in the Land of Israel. He was filled
with love for the Jewish people and with the eternal values of the Jewish
people. He worked as the Minister of Education to embue an entire
generation with these values. He was blessed with profound thoughts, a
pleasant way with his fellow, and love of others, and he was respected by
all sectors of the people. May we be worthy of his unifying legacy."
Rabbi Yaakov Filber, a leading educator at Yeshivat Mercaz Harav, said,
"Zevulun knew how to be concerned with the problems of individuals and the
problems of the nation. On the one hand, he would to try to solve personal
problems such as those of an assistant kindergarten teacher, and on the
other hand, he knew how to deal with problems facing the nation as a whole."
2. PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU'S VISIT TO U.S.
Prime Minister Netanyahu met tonight with U.S. President Clinton for an
hour and a half. Sources in the Prime Minister's entourage predicted
beforehand that Clinton would try to convince Netanyahu to agree to execute
the next withdrawal from Yesha in stages. After each withdrawal, the
Palestinians would fulfill one of their previous commitments as stipulated
in the Hevron Agreement's Note for the Record, signed by American special
envoy Dennis Ross. Mr. Netanyahu told MK Tzvi Hendel (NRP), who is
accompanying the Prime Minister, that he would only agree to such a
proposal if the Palestinians would extradite the tens of Arabs wanted in
Israel for the murders of Jews committed after the Oslo Accords. Our
correspondent notes that several of the Arab murderers are roaming free
within Palestinian territory, and some are serving in the Palestinian
para-military police force.
3. CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR NETANYAHU STRONG LINE
Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Jewish and Christian leaders yesterday
shortly after his arrival in the U.S. Hundreds of Christian leaders
received Netanyahu with three minutes of sustained cheering and repeated
chanting of, "Not one inch!, Not one inch!" Netanyahu said to the cheering
crowd, "Every grain of soil is saturated with the tears and blood of
generations of the Jewish people...The claim that both parties are not in
compliance is not true. We are in compliance, and in exchange for
Palestinian compliance we would be prepared to consider withdrawing from
those less crucially-strategic territories. ...I will not jeopardize the
security of Israel...We don't want a photo-op peace, but a peace for now
and for generations."
4. YASSER ARAFAT TO BE VIP AT HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum reversed itself yesterday and is now
prepared to invite Yasser Arafat to a VIP tour escorted by the museum's two
top-ranking officials. The idea for the visit originated with U.S. Middle
East envoy Dennis Ross and his deputy Aaron D. Miller, both of whom are
members of the museum's governing board. After the museum refused to invite
Arafat as a VIP, tremendous pressure was applied by officials from the
American government. In response to the proposed visit, Israeli Cabinet
Secretary Danny Naveh said that it was a cynical maneuver by Arafat solely
for political advantage.
[See insert below documenting Palestinian Holocaust denial]
*******
SPECIAL INSERT (reprinted from yesterday's report):
HOLOCAUST-DENIAL STATEMENTS BY PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY FIGURES
In light of the controversy surrounding the decision by the National
Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. to refuse to grant Yasser Arafat a
special tour of the museum, Arutz-7 presents (with help from the Israel
Government Press Office and ZOA President Morton Klein) a sampling of PA
sentiments about the Holocaust:
* This past week, a Palestinian Radio interviewer began his program by
saying, "There is no choice but to begin a widespread solidarity campaign
with the philosopher Roger Giraudy, who is on trial in France for
Holocaust-denial." The guest on the program, Dr. Iye Sitar Kassem, agreed
that part of the Holocaust story is made-up.
* Abu Mazen, the Palestinian architect of the Oslo accords, is the author
of a book claiming the Nazis may have really killed less than one million
Jews. On Sept. 3, 1997, the official Palestinian Authority newspaper,
Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah, featured an article calling the Holocaust "the forged
claims of the Zionists regarding the alleged acts of slaughter perpetrated
against the Jews during the same period."
* Palestinian Authority Television, during an Aug. 25, 1997 broadcast: "It
is well-known that every year the Jews exaggerate what the Nazis did to
them. They claim there were 6 million killed, but precise scientific
research demonstrates that there were no more than 400,000." A featured
guest on the show added the accusation that the Jews "have profited
materially, spiritually, politically and economically from the talk about
the Nazi killings. This investment is favorable to them and they view it
as a profitable activity so they inflate the number of victims all the
time."
* The July 1990 issue of Balsam, published by the Palestinian Red Cross,
printed an article asserting that "the lie concerning the gas chambers
enabled the Jews to establish the State of
Israel."
* In an address to the Palestinian Council in Ramallah on May 10, 1997, the
eve of Israeli Independence Day, Arafat said that the anniversary of the
creation of Israel is "Palestine Holocaust Day" and "the Palestinian people
were subjected to the worst holocaust in history"
(Ha'aretz, May 11, 1997). As recently as December 10, 1997, the PA's
Ministry of Information declared that "Israeli practices in many aspects
are equal with, if not more brutal than, those practiced by occupying Nazi
soldiers" in Europe. Arafat aide Bassam Abu Sharif has said that Israeli
treatment of the Palestinian Arabs is "worse than that of the Nazis in
Auschwitz." (Jerusalem Post, February 15, 1989)
* The comparison of Israel to the Nazis has been made by, among others:
Nabil Ramlawi, Arafat's representative to the U.N. in Geneva (JTA, Dec. 2,
1994); PA official Affif Safiah (Yediot Acharonot, Jan. 25, 1996); PA
Justice Minister Freih Abu-Medein (Israel Radio, Jan. 4, 1996); PA Health
Minister Riyad al-Zaanoun (Associated Press, Aug. 8, 1997). The PA
newspaper Al-Hayat Al-Jadidah charged on Aug. 17, 1997 that Israeli Prime
Minister Netanyahu is acting "in the European style of the German armies so
that he will be able to impose greater Israel and establish their
superiority of the Hebrew race."
*************************************************************************
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, January 21, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Wednesday, January 21, 1998 / Tevet 23, 5758
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ZEVULUN HAMMER IS REMEMBERED
2. NETANYAHU TO LEAVE WASHINGTON TONIGHT
3. MEETINGS WITH HOENLEIN, FALWELL
4. CLINTON DISAPPOINTED WITH ALBRIGHT
5. TERROR-VICTIM FAMILY MEMBER MEETS WITH ALBRIGHT
6. ARAFAT LETTER TO BLAIR NOT SUFFICIENT
7. AMERICA IS PREPARED
1. ZEVULUN HAMMER IS REMEMBERED
Special memorial sessions were held in all schools throughout the
country today in memory of Education Minister Zevulun Hammer, who
passed away yesterday at the age of 61. The teachers and their
students will spend the first half of the day in memorial assemblies
and class discussions about Hammer's life and achievements. In
addition, they will discuss issues that were important to him, such as
bridging the gap between the various sectors of the nation, Jewish
values, and the topic that was only recently introduced as an official
educational theme by the late minister, "The Right to be Honored and
the Obligation to Honor." A special program in his memory was
broadcast by Israel Educational Television today, at 9 AM and at 1 PM.
Menachem Cohen, Deputy Director-General of the Education Ministry,
eulogized his friend Zevulun Hammer yesterday, saying, "Last night,
you asked us to help you turn over in bed. When I approached to help
you, you said, with the last remnants of your strength, 'No, not
Menachem, it may hurt his back.' This concern for others sums up your
life... I used to tell you [when visiting you in the hospital] about
the achievements of the Education Ministry, and you would let me
speak, but at the end, you always asked, 'What about the request from
the old lady who met me outside one day?' or some such. Your drawers
were full of little notes of requests from people you never met but
whom you wanted to help simply because you liked to help."
2. NETANYAHU TO LEAVE WASHINGTON TONIGHT
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will conclude his visit in
Washington tonight, and will return to Israel tomorrow. The White
House originally scheduled Mr. Netanyahu's time yesterday with
President Clinton to a single, one-hour session, but the meeting ran
closer to two hours, and the second meeting later that night ran for
another two hours. Arutz-7's Haggai Segal, accompanying Mr. Netanyahu
on his trip, reports that details of the Prime Minister's two meetings
with Clinton yesterday have not been officially released. Segal said
that the Americans have been "demanding, but still polite." Netanyahu
has apparently agreed to a staged withdrawal from "not more than 9% of
Yesha," parallel to the Palestinian fulfillment of their commitments,
and is even prepared to begin the withdrawal before the Palestinians
fulfill their commitments.
When asked whether the residents of Yesha need be nervous about the
results of the talks, Netanyahu said, "They can rest assured as long
as this government is in power." Minister Ariel Sharon said today, "I
hope, and am even sure, that Netanyahu has withstood the pressures and
has stood by the government decisions." Netanyahu also said that he
did not delay the construction at Har Homa, nor does he have any
intention of doing so.
This morning, he appeared at the National Press Club, then held a
briefing for the Israeli reporters. "In the past week, the Americans
have come to a better understanding of the problem of Palestinian
non-fulfillment of their obligations," the Prime Minister said there.
He plans to spend the afternoon on Capitol Hill, meeting with
Congressmen such as Senator Daniel Moynihan (D-NY), Senator Jesse
Helms (R-NC), and Chairman of the House International Relations
Committee Representative Benjamin Gilman (R-NY).
3. MEETINGS WITH HOENLEIN, FALWELL
The Prime Minister's meetings in Washington have included some with
Jewish, as well as Christian, leaders. After he spoke to the
Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, the
Conference's Executive Vice Chairman, Malcolm Hoenlein, told Arutz-7's
Yedidya Atlas, "We met [this morning] with President Clinton to
discuss the Conference's perceptions and concerns in advance of the
meeting with the Prime Minister. The President indicated that he has
positive feelings towards Prime Minister Netanyahu and that he wants
to work with him." Hoenlein added, "While he wants to move the
process forward, the President understands that pressure is not the
way to do that."
Prime Minister Netanyahu also met with leading Evangelical Christian
minister Rev. Dr. Jerry Falwell. Falwell had spoken at the welcome
rally for Netanyahu, where he said, "I believe Benjamin Netanyahu is
the Ronald Reagan of Israel... I take the Bible seriously, and so I
believe that God blesses he who blesses Israel." He later told
Arutz-7 that he and about ten others met with the Prime Minister to
tell him "what we, the Evangelicals, can do to lend assistance to
Israel, and particularly to what he is attempting to accomplish in
Judea and Samaria." Falwell added, "We have 70 million Evangelicals
in this country who are standing with the Jewish Community, and who
can hopefully lend a lot of support in the Congress and in the White
House as the Prime Minister goes head to head with our leaders,
including our President, trying to get them to understand that there
is no more of Israel to give away if Israel hopes to remain secure."
4. CLINTON DISAPPOINTED WITH ALBRIGHT
Arutz-7 has learned that President Clinton is disappointed with
Secretary of State Albright's failure to produce real results in the
Israeli-Palestinian impasse. She has not backed up her tough words to
both sides with tough actions, diplomats said, and she has refused to
get personally involved in the shuttle diplomacy to the degree that
her predecessors did. Her failure to revive the peace process has
forced the President, administration sources say, to take the
political risk of becoming personally involved with his meetings this
week - something which he would have preferred not to do. State
Department and other sources said Mrs. Albright herself is losing
confidence in the advice of some of her assistants, and is exploring
other possible approaches. They said she was losing patience with
Dennis Ross, who has repeatedly advised against taking a tough line
with Mr. Netanyahu. Instead, the sources say, Mrs. Albright has
encouraged Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas
Pickering, a former U.S. ambassador to both Israel and Jordan, to
study the issue and recommend new policy directions. Albright has
urged more toughness with Mr. Netanyahu, but she has been opposed by
Vice President Al Gore. Gore is relying heavily on the New York
Jewish vote in his bid for the Democratic Party's presidential
nomination in the year 2000.
5. TERROR-VICTIM FAMILY MEMBER MEETS WITH ALBRIGHT
Mrs. Yehudit Shachor, representing family members of victims of Arab
terrorism, told Arutz-7 today that she had met with Secretary Albright
in Washington yesterday, and that the Secretary had appeared very
concerned about the issue. "Mrs. Albright asked us for the exact
names of the murderers, and seemed to want to do something about the
fact that they are roaming free in the Palestinian autonomy," she
said. Mrs. Shachor, whose son Uri was killed, together with Ohad
Bachrach, by Arab terrorists in Wadi Kelt two and a half years ago, is
accompanying Prime Minister Netanyahu on his trip to Washington. "He
pushes us to many of his meetings," she said, "and seems genuinely
concerned with the issue of extradition of these murderers. I have
the impression that a final agreement will not be signed so quickly,
and not a little because of this issue."
6. ARAFAT LETTER TO BLAIR NOT SUFFICIENT
Yasser Arafat sent a letter to England's Prime Minister Tony Blair, in
which he declared that the clauses in the PLO charter calling for the
destruction of Israel are null and void. The British Consulate in
Jerusalem released a statement today, in the name of Deputy Foreign
Minister Derek Patchett, saying that in Great Britain's opinion, the
letter meets Israel's demands. "I believe that this declaration meets
the requirements of Israel, and will guarantee that the issue will not
hamper the efforts being made to bring about progress in the peace
process," he said. Israel recently announced that a letter by Arafat
would not suffice.
"The Palestinian National Council should meet in public," Mr.
Netanyahu said today, "and declare the clauses null and void. This
would have legislative, psychological and educational value, and
certainly signify a change in attitude. It would be the first time a clear
message would be sent to the Palestinian people that destruction of
Israel was being ruled out."
7. AMERICA IS PREPARED
U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen says that the U.S. is attempting
to solve the crisis with Iraq via diplomatic channels. He said,
however, that his country is prepared for a military solution if all
else fails. He made the remarks while standing on board the aircraft
carrier Independent, which is scheduled to depart next week for the
Persian Gulf.
Hebrew News Editor: Ariel Kahane
English News Editor: Hillel Fendel
((((ARUTZ-7 ENGLISH RADIO BROADCASTS))))
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Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1997 / Tevet 23, 5758
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