Subject: Arutz-7 News: January 23-29, 1998
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 23:53:09 +0000
To: "Arutz-7 List"<heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, January 23, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Friday, January 23, 1998 / Tevet 25, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. MUSEUM APOLOGIZES, ARAFAT MAY YET COME
2. GOV'T TO REVIEW NETANYAHU VISIT
3. EQUALITY IN THE POLLS
***SPECIAL INSERT:
CONGRESSIONAL LETTER TO ALBRIGHT
1. MUSEUM APOLOGIZES, ARAFAT MAY YET COME
The National Holocaust Museum in Washington has apologized to Yasser
Arafat. The museum's Chairman of the Board of Directors visited Arafat in
his hotel room in Washington yesterday, and expressed sorrow for the
"misunderstanding" leading to the announcement that the museum would not
host Arafat. It is likely that Arafat will visit the museum today. Jewish
organizations have threatened to stage protests outside the museum against
his visit.
2. GOV'T TO REVIEW NETANYAHU VISIT
The government will convene on Sunday to discuss Prime Minister Netanyahu's
visit in Washington. Mr. Netanyahu will report on the "staged withdrawal"
plan proposed by the Americans, a plan that is essentially acceptable to
him. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said yesterday that the new
Clinton-Levinsky scandal did not detract from his involvement in the Middle
East negotiations. Palestinian delegation members, however, expressed
great disappointment in what they called the "total involvement" of the
American media with Clinton's new problems and not at all with Arafat's
Washington visit. Nebil Shaath, a leading delegation member, said that
Clinton may not now be able to exert pressure on Israel because of the
latest affair.
3. EQUALITY IN THE POLLS
The polls have turned. In a survey carried out by Dachaf Institute,
respondents were asked who they would prefer to see as the next Prime
Minister, the incumbent Binyamin Netanyahu or opposition leader MK Ehud
Barak. The results were split down the middle: 41% for each. Barak had
been leading by a sizable margin in all polls taken since he was chosen to
head the Labor Party in June 1997.
***SPECIAL INSERT: CONGRESSIONAL LETTER TO ALBRIGHT
Due to an unusually large number of requests to see the congressional
letter mentioned in yesterday's news report, we are including the full text
of the letter, despite its length. The names of the four Senators and 29
House Representatives who signed the letter are included.
--The Arutz Sheva Internet Staff
The Honorable Madeleine K. Albright
Secretary of State
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Madam Secretary,
We write to express our concern that the U.S. government has failed to
obtain the transfer of terrorists who have murdered American citizens and
who are believed to be living in territories controlled by Palestinian
Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.
American law embodies the moral principle that killers of Americans must
be brought to justice. The Clinton administration has used U.S. law
effectively in the past, as the dramatic capture of Mir Aimal Kasi, a
terrorist responsible for the shooting deaths of Americans at the entrance
to the CIA in 1993, demonstrates. The U.S. government made every effort to
bring Kasi to justice, including the use of a 1984 law that authorizes
rewards of up to $2 million to capture terrorists who commit acts of
violence against American citizens. As a result of the U.S. government's
full pursuit, Kasi was captured in Pakistan, returned to the U.S. to stand
trial, convicted and sentenced to death.
The Administration has not pursued, with equal vigor, Palestinian
terrorists with American blood on their hands. Nine Americans have been
murdered by terrorists in Israel since the Oslo accords were signed in
1993. The Oslo accords and the subsequently enacted Hevron Protocol
compel, with limited exception, the Palestinian Authority to transfer its
home grown terrorists who have initiated attacks in Israel. As a signatory
to these agreements, the U.S. has a responsibility to press for the
deportation of terrorists. Yet, not a single Palestinian implicated in
these attacks has been released to Israeli or American authorities.
Astonishingly, some of the murderers may actually be serving in Chairman
Arafat's police force, and all are believed to be residing in territory
controlled by the P.A.
The nine Americans killed since Oslo, and the status of the individuals
identified as participants in the attacks, are as follows:
* Yael Botwin, age 14, a dual American-Israeli citizen from California,
was killed in the Sept. 4, 1997 bombing on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem.
Mahmoud Abu Hanudeh, implicated in this attack, and the attack of Leah
Stern, has been identified as the ringleader of these attacks. Hanudeh is
a free man.
* Leah Stern, age 50, a dual American-Israeli citizen from New Jersey, was
killed in the July 30, 1997 bombing of the Mahane Yehuda marketplace in
Jerusalem. (A number of American citizens were also injured in the attack.)
* Yaron Ungar, age 25, a dual American-Israeli citizen, was killed in a
drive-by shooting on June 9, 1996 near Beit Shemesh. Israel has identified
Ibrahim Ghneimat as one of the killers, and has asked the P.A. to extradite
him. Chairman Arafat has not fulfilled the request as the Oslo accords
require.
* David Boim, age 17, a dual American-Israeli citizen from New York was
killed in a drive-by shooting in May, 1996 near Beit El. (American citizen
Moshe Greenbaum, age 17, was wounded in the attack.) Israel has requested
the transfer of an alleged participant in the attack, Amjad Hinawi (who
reportedly has confessed his role in the attack.) Chairman Arafat has not
fulfilled the request as the Oslo accords require.
* Matthew Eisenfeld, age 25, from New York and Sara Duker, age 23, from New
Jersey (who were engaged) were killed in the February 25, 1996 bus bombing
in Jerusalem. According to an Israeli government report, Nafez Sabih, who
allegedly helped to plan the attack, is one of the terrorists whose
transfer Israel has requested as the Oslo accords require.
* Joan Davenny, age 46, from Connecticut, was killed in the August 21, 1995
bus bombing in Jerusalem. According to an Israeli government report, the
Rabin government requested the transfer of two of the terrorists - Muhi
a-Din a-Sharif and Abd al-Majid Dudin - implicated in the attack. Chairman
Arafat has not fulfilled the transfer requests as the Oslo accords require.
* Alisa Flatow, age 20, from New Jersey, was killed in the April 9, 1995
bus bombing in Kfar Darom, Gaza Strip. An Israeli government report stated
that the Palestinian Authority has released Nabil Sharihi, who helped
prepare the bomb used to kill Alisa Flatow. Sharihi remains a free man.
* Nachshon Wachsman, age 20, an Israeli soldier with dual American-Israeli
citizenship, was kidnapped on Oct. 99, 1994, and later murdered. The man
thought to be the mastermind of the attack, Muhammad Deif, resides in Gaza.
According to reports, on March 14, 1996 during a grave side visit,
President Clinton promised Mr. Wachsman's parents that the U.S. would make
it an essential condition for the furtherance of the peace process for
Chairman Arafat to hand over Deif. Yet, since the President's declaration,
there has been no apparent effort on the part of the Administration to
bring Deif to justice, and Deif is still thought to be living in Gaza,
which is under the control of Chairman Arafat.
In addition to the nine Americans murdered since Oslo, we must not forget
the execution of Leon Klinghoffer carried out during the Achille Lauro
hijacking over a decade ago. The individual responsible for planning the
attack, Abu Abbas, has been convicted of murder in absentia by an Italian
court. Abbas has not spent a single day in prison for his horrendous
crime. Abbas offered that the wheelchair-bound Klinghoffer was shot
because he was "trying to make a swim for it." As late as 1996, Abbas
resided in Gaza, and maintained a somewhat public profile. Abbas even
attended a session of the Palestine National Council, in April 1996. The
U.S. government all-but-condoned the freedom of Abbas, by doing little if
anything to apprehend Abbas after he emerged publicly in Gaza - despite a
99 to 0 Senate vote in support of the transfer of Abbas to the U.S.
To help Congress assess the administration's efforts to secure the capture
of Palestinian terrorists who have murdered Americans, and to assist
Congress in its evaluation of U.S. policy with respect to the Palestinian
Authority, please provide the following information:
1) A detailed account of what the Administration has done in the above
cases, and why the Administration has failed over the past three years to
bring the Palestinian killers of Americans to justice;
2) The Administration's position on continued U.S. assistance to the
Palestinian Authority in light of its coddling, and possibly even
employing, individuals who have executed Americans;
3) Whether the Administration believes that some sort of sanctions on the
Palestinian Authority might be in order for its failure to transfer
terrorists who have murdered Americans (as you are aware, the U.S. has
sanctioned Libya for its failure to hand over terrorists); and
4) Whether U.S. law needs to be amended to help facilitate the transfer of
the Palestinian terrorists to the U.S. If any of the information requested
is sensitive, we would be amenable to a classified briefing.
The Administration must make all diplomatic and legal efforts to guarantee
that the terrorists guilty of killing and maiming Americans are brought to
justice. U.S. timidity would only serve to embolden our enemies and put
future Americans in peril. The Palestinian Authority's failure to transfer
these murderers calls into question its commitment to peace. We fully
expect this matter to be emphasized during President Clinton's January 22
scheduled meeting with Chairman Arafat.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your
prompt reply.
Sincerely,
SENATORS:
Kyl, Jon (R-AZ) D'Amato, Alfonse M. (R-NY)
Brownback, Sam (R-KS) Specter, Arlen (R-PA)
HOUSE:
Salmon, Matt (R-AZ) Saxton, Jim (R-NJ)
Schumer, Charles E. (D-NY) Sherman, Brad (D-CA)
Franks, Bob (R-NJ) Sessions, Pete (R-TX)
Kelly, Sue W. (R-NY) Chabot, Steve (R-OH)
Burton, Dan (R-IN) Andrews, Robert E. (D-NJ)
Souder, Mark E. (R-IN) Horn, Stephen (R-CA)
McIntosh, David M. (R-IN) Pappas, Michael (R-NJ)
Hayworth, J. D. (R-AZ) Bilbray, Brian P. (R-CA)
Fox, Jon D. (R-PA) Forbes, Michael P. (R-NY)
Weller, Jerry (R-IL) Shadegg, John B. (R-AZ)
Cannon, Chris (R-UT) Snowbarger, Vince (R-KS)
Shimkus, John (R-IL) Riley, Bob (R-AL)
Frank Pallone (D-NJ) Ken Calvert (R-CA)
Jim Talent ( R-MO) Tim Roemer (D-IN)
John Porter (R-IL)
**********************************************************************
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, January 25, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Sunday, January 25, 1998 / Tevet 27, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. NETANYAHU: WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THREATS OF VIOLENCE
2. RED HEIFER BECOMES UNFIT
1. NETANYAHU: WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THREATS OF VIOLENCE
Prime Minister Netanyahu briefed the government this morning on his
trip to the U.S. The bottom line appears to be that the Americans
would like a 12% withdrawal, while Israel is prepared for a joint
second and third withdrawal of 9%, contingent upon fulfillment of
Palestinian commitments. Netanyahu related to recent threats voiced by
senior Palestinian Authority leaders concerning the resumption of
intifada violence. He said, "These threats are very grave, and Israel
will react sharply to violence and threats of violence. We will not
agree to conduct a peace process under the threat of violence."
Defense Minister Yitzchak Mordechai will meet with King Hussein in
Amman tomorrow, to discuss the deepening of military ties between the
two countries. Hussein met today in a surprise meeting with Egypt's
President Mubarak. CNN reports that the latest Clinton scandal has
had the almost unprecedented effect of grabbing front-page headlines
in Israel, at the expense of the Oslo process and internal political
problems. MK Tzvi Hendel (NRP), who accompanied Prime Minister
Netanyahu on his trip to Washington, told Arutz-7 today that he was
happy to have made the trip if only to have seen how Netanyahu
represented Israel's interests with such firmness and pride.
2. RED HEIFER BECOMES UNFIT
Residents of the northern community of Kfar Hassidim announced with
sorrow recently that the red heifer that they had been raising had
become unfit for ritual use. Hairs on its tail were found to be
whitening, rendering it not totally red, and therefore unfit to be
used in the purification process for service in a future Holy Temple.
The residents are hopeful that the cow will bear red calves that will
be able to be used for this purpose.
************************************************************************
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, January 26, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Monday, January 26, 1998 / Tevet 28, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ISRAEL AND IRAN
2. PALESTINIAN PLANS
3. PALESTINIAN CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP CALLS FOR ABOLITION OF PA COURT
4. BRANOVER ON CLINTON
1. ISRAEL AND IRAN
Prime Minister Netanyahu said today that Israel is making diplomatic
efforts against the arming of Iran, but is also making plans in case
those efforts do not succeed. He made the remarks during an
appearance before the Knesset Public Audit Committee, which held
hearings on the issue today.
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Uzi Landau
said that hearings of this nature should not be held in open-to-the-public
committees such as the Public Audit Committee.
2. PALESTINIAN PLANS
Palestinian Authority head Yasser Arafat asked the United States to
recognize an independent state of Palestine during his meeting with
U.S. President Bill Clinton last week, top Palestinian negotiator Saeb
Erekat divulged at a press conference yesterday. Erekat did not say
what the American response had been, but Palestinian cabinet
secretary-general Ahmed Abdel Rahman said on Palestinian radio, "We
will be declaring a state soon." Rahman called on the Arab world to
take economic and diplomatic action against Israel, and said that the
PA might request the convention of an Arab summit in light of the
failure of the Washington talks, to decide whether there was any point
in continuing the peace process with Israel.
3. PALESTINIAN CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP CALLS FOR ABOLITION OF PA COURT The
Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights - LAW - has
stated that the quickie Palestinian Authority trials of two Arab
terrorists, Nasser Abu Arrous and Jasser Salaami, have no legal
standing. In a recent press release, the organization noted that this
is just one of many such illegal trials, which are carried out in
order to avoid honoring Israeli requests to transfer terrorist to
Israel, as per the Interim Agreement. The two terrorists were
convicted in a minutes-long hearing of preparing the bombs that
exploded in Machaneh Yehuda and Ben Yehuda St. in Jerusalem last
summer, killing 20 people. They were sentenced to 15 years at hard
labor. "The charges, trial and imprisonment of the two defendants,"
claims LAW, "are a serious violation of human rights and are
unlawful."
The LAW statement concluded by stating, "Since its establishment in
February 1995, the State Security Court has successively tried
political opponents as an expedient means of incarceration. LAW calls
for the immediate abolition of the State Security Court... [and] also
calls for all decisions of the State Security Court to be reviewed by
the Palestinian High Court."
4. BRANOVER ON CLINTON
Prof. Herman Branover, who has submitted his candidacy for President
of the State, said today that he is astonished by the automatic
support proffered by President Weizmann for U.S. President Clinton,
regarding the latest scandal in which Clinton is embroiled. Branover
said that Clinton has revealed himself as an "irresponsible leader who
is willing to endanger even his own personal future in order to
satisfy momentary passions, and we must therefore not entrust the
future of the State of Israel in his hands."
************************************************************************
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Tuesday, January 27, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Tuesday, January 27 1998 / Tevet 29, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ARAB MK UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR INCITEMENT
2. IRAQ TARGETED
3. NEW ISRAELI METHOD TO PREVENT BLOCKAGE OF CLEARED ARTERIES
1. ARAB MK UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR INCITEMENT
The police have opened an investigation into MK Azmi Bishara (Hadash)
on suspicion of incitement to rebellion. At issue are remarks made by
Bishara during a trip by an Israeli-Arab delegation to Damascus last
August. He stated there that the State of Israel has no right to
exist, that all of the Arab refugees should be allowed to return to
Israel, and that a jihad (holy war) should be declared. Likud
activist Avi Farhan, who filed the complaint against Bishara, said
that the statements represent blatant incitement amongst the
Israeli-Arab community, "the results of which we see clearly this very
day." Bishara is also being investigated for the trip to Syria
itself, for which he did not obtain the required permit.
2. IRAQ TARGETED
An American official stated today that the U.S. is preparing to attack
Iraq. He said that President Clinton called German Chancellor Kohl
and told him of his intention to land a military blow upon Iraq.
Clinton is planning to discuss the matter with other world leaders in
the coming days.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair independently warned today that
Iraq is exposing itself to a military attack if it does not allow the UN
weapons inspectors freedom of action. Blair said that the dispatching
of the British aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf is part of the
preparations for a military attack, although it still hopes that the
diplomatic efforts will succeed. Minister of Defense Yitzchak
Mordechai said today that Israel would not be a partner to the
American actions in the Persian Gulf.
3. NEW ISRAELI METHOD TO PREVENT BLOCKAGE OF CLEARED ARTERIES
A new method for preventing reblockage of key arteries that have been
cleared through angioplasty has been developed by researchers from the
Hebrew University and Bikur Cholim Hospital, both in Jerusalem. The
new method has been successfully tested on animals. Angioplasty is a
widespread form of treatment for blocked arteries, involving the
insertion of balloons into the arteries. Despite the method's
success, however, blockages recur within several months among close to
half of those who undergo such treatment. The Hebrew University-Bikur
Cholim research team developed a new treatment involving a drug that
suppresses cellular activity seemingly stimulated by angioplasty.
***********************************************************************
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, January 28, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Wednesday, January 28, 1998 / Rosh Chodesh Shvat, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. NETANYAHU: WE ARE PREPARED
2. ORDER IN THE NRP
3. PA MAY DECLARE STATE EARLY
1. NETANYAHU: WE ARE PREPARED
The security mini-cabinet - Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister
Mordechai, and Infrastructures Minister Sharon - convened today for
its weekly meeting, and on its agenda: the explosive Iraq situation.
The Prime Minister said today that Israel is prepared for any
eventuality. The United States is continuing to prepare for a
possible attack on Iraq, and top American cabinet officials are making
efforts to form an international coalition against Saddam Hussein. A
senior American official said last night regarding the chances for an
attack, "the train has already left the station." Spain and Russia
announced today that they prefer a diplomatic solution. President
Weizmann issued a call to the public not to panic in light of the
rising tensions. The public appears to have heeded the call, as not
many persons have come to the gas mask centers to replace their
outdated chemical-weapons defense equipment.
2. ORDER IN THE NRP
The National Religious Party leadership reached an agreement at 2 AM
this morning on the issue of how to choose a replacement for the late
Zevulun Hammer. At the conclusion of the 30-day mourning period for
Hammer, the Central Committee of the party will conduct elections for
the position of Education Minister and party leader.
120 rabbis from all across Israel have called again upon the National
Religious Party to quit the coalition in the event that a governmental
decision is taken to withdraw from any part of the Land of Israel.
The declaration, in the form of a newspaper advertisement, states that
the transfer of any part of the Land is a violation of the Biblical
commands not to endanger life and not to cede the Land to non-Jews.
Many of the signatories came out publicly for the NRP in the previous
election campaign. Transportation Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy
responded to the rabbis by letter, in which he wrote, "All our steps
are in accordance and with the knowledge of the Torah Sages within our
camp, who advise us and guide us in [our] path." He implied that it
would be appropriate to convene a meeting between the rabbis and NRP
representatives instead of issuing such declarations.
3. PA MAY DECLARE STATE EARLY
The Palestinian Authority is seriously considering declaring an
independent state as early as the end of 1998. Leading PLO figure
Ahmed Abdel Rahman, a long-time close associate of Arafat, told the PA
newspaper Al Hayat el Jadida that there is nothing preventing such a
declaration at the scheduled end of the interim stage at the end of
this year. Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that until
now, the PA had intended to wait until the end of the five-year period
stipulated in the Oslo agreement. Huberman says that during the
Arafat-Clinton meeting last week in Washington, Clinton did not agree
to recognize a Palestinian state even if it would be declared after
the five-year period.
**************************************************************************
From: Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To: arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, January 29, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
Thursday, January 29, 1998 / Shevat 2, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. U.S. SUB DOCKS IN HAIFA
2. PM KEEPS PROMISE TO REDUCE AID
1. U.S. SUB DOCKS IN HAIFA
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met this morning with U.S.
Ambassador to Israel Edward Walker, to discuss the Persian Gulf
crisis. An American nuclear submarine anchored off the Haifa port
last night for the first time ever. It is one of the most modern in
the American Navy, and can dispatch Tomahawk missiles from the
Mediterranean Sea to Baghdad. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright began a trip today to the Middle East and Europe, and will
visit Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other countries; she will
arrive in Israel on Saturday night. Most security experts in Israel
now feel that Saddam Hussein will not attack Israel as a result of
being attacked by the U.S., and that he does not have the wherewithal
to do so on such short notice.
2. PM KEEPS PROMISE TO REDUCE AID
Members of the American House of Representatives have praised Prime
Minister Netanyahu for keeping his promises. At issue is the pledge
he made a year and a half ago during a speech to Congress soon after
taking office. He told the Americans at that time, "In the next four
years, we are going to begin the long-term process of gradually
reducing the level of your generous economic assistance to Israel."
The declaration, although welcomed, was treated with skepticism.
However, the process has in fact begun, in the form of meetings
between Finance Minister Yaakov Ne'eman and members of Congress on
this topic. The rough proposal for reducing the aid calls for turning
half the foreign aid into a security grant, and totally eliminating
the other half over a 12-year period.
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