Subject: Arutz-7 News: May 15 - 20, 1998
Date:    Fri, 29 May 1998 02:57:47 +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, arutz7-b@ploni.virtual.co.il
Subject:       Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, May 15, 1998

Arutz Sheva News Service
Friday, May 15, 1998 / Iyar 19, 5758 / 34 days to the Omer
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
  --- See below for subscription instructions ---

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. IS THE AMERICAN PRESSURE WORKING? 
  2. WARM CONGRESSIONAL RECEPTION FOR NETANYAHU
  3. PETITION AGAINST TERRORIST ABU ABBAS RECEIVES BOOST
  4. PA PROUD OF RIOTS
  5. ISRAEL AS BRIDGE BETWEEN PAST AND FUTURE

1. IS THE AMERICAN PRESSURE WORKING?
The status of the negotiations in Washington following yesterday's meeting
between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright:  Israel has apparently offered to withdraw from 13% of
Judea and Samaria - 11% now, and 2% in a third withdrawal.  It is not clear
whether the 11% withdrawal would be contingent upon Palestinian fulfillment
of their Oslo obligations, such as extraditing terrorists or reducing the
size of their para-military police force.  The Americans are insisting that
Israel withdraw from 13% now, and carry out an additional withdrawal later.
Netanyahu will meet with Dennis Ross on Sunday.

Mr. Netanyahu has said that any agreement he concludes in Washington will
be subject to Israeli Government approval.  Sources close to the Prime
Minister say that if the right wing threatens to topple the government, he
will declare early elections.  The sources say that Netanyahu is confident
that he will win the next election, as many middle-of-the-road voters who
support territorial compromise will support him.  Netanyahu met secretly
with Opposition leader MK Ehud Barak earlier this week, to discuss the
possibility of early elections.  

2. WARM CONGRESSIONAL RECEPTION FOR NETANYAHU
Reacting to the Arab violence yesterday, Netanyahu said it would not cause
his government to weaken.  "Israel will not accept and will not countenance
these outbreaks of violence that are aimed at doing damage to Israel," he
said. "If they think this is advancing their cause in Israel or in the
United States, I think the opposite happens. People ask themselves what
kind of peace this is."  The Prime Minister received strong support from
Congressmen, who held a luncheon in his honor.  New York Rep. Benjamin A.
Gilman, chairman of the House International Relations Committee, said, "Mr.
Prime Minister, you are not only among friends, you are among 'mishpochah'
[family]."  Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott of Mississippi said, "Only
Israel can make the decision about what is necessary for them to be assured
of their security.  I hope the administration will... not show partiality
toward the Palestinians."  House Speaker Newt Gingrich accused Arafat of
"inciting people to emotionalism and violence" and not carrying out his
commitments.  
  
3. PETITION AGAINST TERRORIST ABU ABBAS RECEIVES BOOST
The petition filed this week in the Supreme Court demanding that Israel
bring convicted terrorist Abu Abbas to justice received a significant boost
with a U.S. State Department statement.  James Rubin, spokesman for the
State Department, said on Monday that "the United States strongly believes
that Abu Abbas should be punished for the crimes committed aboard the
Achille Lauro in 1985."  PLO terrorists under the command of Abu Abbas
hijacked the ship, held 300 passengers hostage, and brutally murdered an
American Jew, wheelchair-bound Leon Klinghoffer.  With the U.S. position on
the issue so clear, say the petitioners, it will be very difficult for
Israel's Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein to refuse to indict Abbas.  In
this connection, they note that in early 1996, the U.S. Senate passed a
resolution by a 99-0 vote, calling on the U.S. Justice Department to bring
Abbas to justice.  Arutz-7 has learned that the petitioners (Rabbi Avi
Weiss, Ronn Torrosian, and New York legislator Dov Hikind) are concerned
that the growing publicity surrounding the case will cause Abbas to flee
Gaza, and that in the coming days they will file an urgent motion with the
High Court for an injunction forcing Rubenstein to block Abbas from leaving
the Gaza Strip until his fate is determined by the court. 

4. PA PROUD OF RIOTS
Arab riots continued again today in Gush Katif and Hevron, though on a
lesser scale than yesterday.  Following today's Moslem prayer service on
the Temple Mount, Arabs threw stones at Jewish worshipers at the Western
Wall.  No injuries were reported, and the police did not enter the Temple
Mount, leaving the Waqf officials to restore order.  1600 Israeli police
officers were deployed in eastern Jerusalem today.  

Sheikh Hamad Albitawi, known as the Chairman of the Islamic Sages in
Palestine, called upon the Palestinians to choose "only the military option
against Israel."  In a speech today in Ramallah, he announced that the
"time has come to put an end to these humiliating talks with Israel and to
begin a jihad."  Following yesterday's Palestinian Authority-organized
riots, in which 8 Palestinians were killed and six others were in grave
condition, the PA released the following announcement:  "The Palestinian
people have proved that all of the options are open before it, and that it
will confront the failure of the peace efforts with strength..."

5. ISRAEL AS BRIDGE BETWEEN PAST AND FUTURE
"You don't have to be religious person to see the State of Israel as the
realization of prophetic dreams."  So said Prime Minister Netanyahu in a
speech in Washington yesterday afternoon. "You do not have to be a
religious person," he continued, "to see the ingathering of the exiles as
one of the great miracles of history, and not only of Jewish history."  He
described Israel as "a state that is transforming itself faster than any
other country and any other society on Earth to the information economy."

************************************************************************

From:          Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To:            arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il,arutz7-b@ploni.virtual.co.il 
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Sunday, May 17, 1998

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org> 
Sunday, May 17, 1998 / Iyar 21, 5758 / 36 days to the Omer
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. CLINTON AND ALBRIGHT: 11+2% NOT ENOUGH
  2. WHAT THE WITHDRAWAL MEANS
  3. YESHA LEADER'S LAST PLEA
  4. NEW PARTY MAY ARISE
  5. PALESTINIAN FAILURE
  6. ARAB VIOLENCE IN HEVRON

1. CLINTON AND ALBRIGHT: 11+2% NOT ENOUGH
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet in Washington tonight with
American mediator Dennis Ross.  Arutz-7 has learned that Netanyahu has
agreed to execute a withdrawal from 11% of Judea and Samaria within
the next 3-4 months, and to withdraw from an additional 2% within the
framework of a third withdrawal in a year's time.  The United States
has not yet agreed to this plan.  It also appears that the Israeli
demand for extradition of terrorists from Palestinian Authority
territory has been replaced with the American proposal that the
terrorists be imprisoned within the PA, under American supervision. 
Yasser Arafat has also not agreed, as of yet, to change the PLO
charter calling for Israel's destruction.  

2. WHAT THE WITHDRAWAL MEANS
Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman outlined today the likely
results of an 11-13% withdrawal: "First of all, it must be understood
that practically all of the withdrawal will have to be from the area
known as the 'mountain ridge,' i.e., the area between Jenin (north of
Shechem) and Hevron.  This is because the Jordan Valley and the Judean
Desert are basically out of the game, partly because of the national
security interests map, and partly because of an ultimatum by the
Third Way [a member party of the coalition] demanding that we retain
these areas.  In addition, western Samaria is also out of the
question, because of its proximity to Israel's population centers
along the coast.  This leaves mostly the area between Jenin and
Hevron, including the Jewish communities there.  This is a very narrow
strip of land, which also already includes most of the areas now under
Palestinian control.  Thus, room for maneuvering between the areas is
very limited..."

Huberman continued, "Some ten Jewish communities will be almost
totally surrounded by Palestinian-controlled territory, aside from a
narrow strip only as wide as the road leading in and out of each town.
 Route #60, the main north-south route in this area, will be greatly
affected, and will be under Palestinian control in several places. 
For example, it will not be possible to travel between Ofrah and Shilo
without entering Arab territory, unless a long detour through the Alon
Route is taken; there will be no route from Shilo-Eli-Maaleh Levonah
westwards to the rest of Israel, or northwards through the Tapuach
Junction; and the western Binyamin town of Ateret will have no eastern
route to Beit El, Ofrah, and the Jordan Valley... Yesha towns that are
expected to be affected include Ganim, Beit Haggai, Brachah, Yitzhar,
and others; if the withdrawal is larger than 11-13%, Beit El, Ofrah,
Shavei Shomron, and others should be added to the list.  When a
community is 'affected,' it means that it is not only practically
surrounded by Arabs, with all of the consequences for security, but
also that its water, electric, sewage, and telephone lines are within
Palestinian territory.  This of course means that any repairs on these
lines will have to be made with Palestinian permission, etc.  It also
means that the lines for any future neighborhoods in these communities
will have to be placed within PA territory, or else they will have to
follow the exact route of the road - straight or not - leading to the
community... The military echelons are very much against a 13%
withdrawal.  They say that if there must be a redeployment of forces,
the territory must at least remain Area B, i.e., under Israeli
security control, so that Hamas should not be able to use it as a base
for its terrorist activities, as it has done with much of the
territory under PA control at present..."

3. YESHA LEADER'S LAST PLEA
Yisrael Harel, former Yesha Council head and a resident of Ofrah,
speaking on Arutz-7 today about Prime Minister Netanyahu's apparent
consent to carry out a sizable withdrawal from Yesha:  "The residents
of Yesha are apathetic... First of all, we are falling into the
Orwellian trap of talking about 11%, which doesn't sound like so much.
 We are forgetting that the PA controls almost a third of Yesha
already, and that this 11% represents some 600,000 or more dunams of
land!  In essence, we should be saying that Netanyahu, by giving over
this much, is setting up the Palestinian state.  I have said these
things before, and people called me overly pessimistic, and [everyone]
continues to give him [Netanyahu] backing and give him all sorts of
excuses...  Why?  Just because he is from the nationalist camp?  If
Rabin or Peres or Barak would give over what he is giving, there would
be hundreds of thousands of people in the streets! There would
practically be a rebellion!...  If this plan goes through, there could
be another 15 settlements like Netzarim [a community in the Gaza Strip
that is an enclave within the Palestinian autonomy].  Not every
community can live under those conditions, and even if they could,
they will simply stagnate.  This is a death decree on those
communities, if not for one year from now, then for ten or twenty
years from now..."

Harel continued, "Why does everyone talk about American pressure? 
Many Israeli leaders have rebuffed American pressure before - Rabin
did, and Begin rejected the Reagan Plan, which the
most-friendly-to-Israel-ever President put his name to, and nothing
happened.  So why can't Netanyahu, who is from the 'nationalist camp,'
also rebuff this pressure?  And we, who supported him so strongly,
take this from him, and continue to back him?! We are responsible not
only for our own communities, but also for the future of the entire
Yesha enterprise...  At this rate, we will return to the 1967 borders.
 This is because we keep getting used to each difficulty as it arises,
and we... will all of a sudden find that the Land of Israel has
disappeared from under our very feet..."

Regarding the recent statements by National Religious Party leaders
that they may not topple the government, Harel said, "The Knesset
Members of the NRP are not the same people they were a few months
ago... It's not that they are worried only about losing their
government seats - the problem is much deeper than that!  The public
has a great say in what the NRP does - just as when the NRP went along
with the withdrawal from Sinai, in the next elections it went down
from 12 Knesset seats to 4.  The same thing can happen now too.  We
have to remind the NRP of our voting strength..."

4. NEW PARTY MAY ARISE
The preparations for a new religious political party continue.  The
organizers, led by Uri Ariel, Rabbi Menachem Felix, and Yaakov Katz
"Ketzaleh", say they will take concrete steps to form the new party on
Tuesday.  They have emphasized, however, that they will form the party
only if it becomes clear that the Prime Minister plans to carry out
the second withdrawal and the NRP continues to remain in the
government.

5. PALESTINIAN FAILURE
The Palestinian Authority registered one of its biggest failures last
week on Palestine Catastrophe Day.  Following a month of wild
incitement in the Palestinian media, including the screening of scenes
from the intifada, and repeated calls to "return to Acre and
Nazareth," the Arab populace showed that it simply was not
sufficiently interested.  At first, the PA planned "the march of the
million" - one million people to show up in Ramallah to protest the
establishment of Israel fifty years ago.  When this proved an
unreachable goal, the program was changed, and one million people were
asked to demonstrate "wherever they be" throughout Judea and Samaria. 
In the end, however, Israeli security sources estimate that no more
than several tens of thousands showed up, for what were admittedly
violent and attention-grabbing riots.  There was no drop in the number
of Arab workers arriving from Yesha - 50,000 - who showed up for work
within pre-1967 Israel on that day.

6. ARAB VIOLENCE IN HEVRON
Palestinian Arab violence continued over the Sabbath and today.  Over
50 firebombs, acid bottles and rocks were hurled in Hevron yesterday,
and 12 more today, injuring a police officer, several soldiers, and
two journalists.  One of the Arab-hurled firebombs struck an Arab
house by mistake; it exploded and caused damage to the outside of the
building.  The Jewish Community of Hevron demanded that the Israeli
government stop what it called "its policy of appeasement" and put an
end to the violence before control of the situation is lost.  A police
van was shot at on the road between Gush Etzion and Hevron, near
El-Hader; no one was hurt.  Near the Jewish community of Yakir in the
Shomron, a woman and her baby were injured by rocks thrown at their
car. 

**********************************************************************

From:          Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To:            arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il,arutz7-b@ploni.virtual.co.il 
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Monday, May 18, 1998

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org> 
Monday, May 18, 1998 / Iyar 22, 5758 / 37 days to the Omer
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. NETANYAHU AGREES TO 13%; NOW IT'S UP TO ARAFAT
  2. REACTIONS FROM THE RIGHT
  3. TERRORISTS AND WEAPONS SMUGGLED BY ARAFAT

1. NETANYAHU AGREES TO 13%; NOW IT'S UP TO ARAFAT
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is on his way back to Israel from
Washington, after sources in his entourage confirmed that he had
agreed to a withdrawal from 13.1% of Judea and Samaria.  They claim,
however, that he insists on the following conditions: there be no
third withdrawal before the permanent-status arrangement takes effect,
the terrorist-murderers wanted by Israel be transferred by the
Palestinian Authority to Israel, and the Palestinian charter be
changed.  Other sources say that Netanyahu demands only the first. 
U.S. Secretary of State Albright and American mediator Dennis Ross
have set out for London, where they will attempt to convince Yasser
Arafat to accept this proposal.  PA spokesmen have already spoken out
against it.

Government sources claimed today that no agreement was reached on the
extent of an upcoming withdrawal from Yesha.  They said that the IDF
cannot guarantee the safety of the Jewish residents in Yesha under the
conditions of a 13% withdrawal.

2. REACTIONS FROM THE RIGHT
Yesha Council Head Aharon Domb warns that he and his colleagues will
act to topple the government if the reports from Washington are true. 
Minister Ariel Sharon, too, is very much against a 13% withdrawal, and
figures close to him say that he is likely to come out publicly
against Netanyahu and the withdrawal plan.  Sharon's aides claim that
the security cabinet had decided on the eve of Netanyahu's departure
to Washington that any future withdrawal from Yesha could not be from
more than 9% of it.

Leaders of the Third Way called on Netanyahu not to be scared of
threats from the right wing to topple him.  Communications Minister
Limor Livnat called upon the right wing not to topple the government,
but she also said that she would not support any proposal that would
harm the Jewish communities in Yesha.

The National Religious Party spoke with two voices today.  Minister
Shaul Yahalom said this morning that "with all the pain and sorrow," 
his party would support an additional withdrawal if the "continued
development and security of all the Yesha communities is guaranteed." 
MK Tzvi Hendel, however, called upon the Prime Minister not to take
measures that would "force the right wing to topple him."  Hendel said
that if Netanyahu in fact agreed to a deep withdrawal, together with a
blurring of the reciprocity principle and turning a blind eye to
Palestinian violence, there is no longer any importance to the
question of who would inherit the Prime Ministry, and there would be
new elections

3. TERRORISTS AND WEAPONS SMUGGLED BY ARAFAT 
Yasser Arafat has used his helicopter to smuggle wanted terrorists and
weapons.  Official confirmation of this was provided today by a senior
IDF Intelligence officer who appeared today before the Knesset Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee.  He was responding to a query placed
before him by Likud MK Benny Begin.  MK Nisan Slomiansky demanded that
Defense Minister Mordechai, who also participated in today's session,
revoke the special permission given Arafat to fly between Samaria and
Gaza.  

***********************************************************************

From:          Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To:            arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il,arutz7-b@ploni.virtual.co.il 
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, May 19, 1998

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org> 
Tuesday, May 19, 1998 / Iyar 23, 5758 / 38 days to the Omer
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
  --- See below for subscription instructions ---

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. NETANYAHU TALKS ABOUT TALKS
  2. HEVRON VIOLENCE CONTINUES
  3. NETANYAHU WILL NOT ACCEPT EU DECISION 
  4. HAS DAM THREAT EXPIRED?

1. NETANYAHU TALKS ABOUT TALKS
Prime Minister Netanyahu, relating to his talks in Washington, said
last night upon his arrival in Israel: "Certain incorrect reports were
publicized to the effect that I agreed to a second withdrawal of 13%. 
This is not true.  The quantitative components of the redeployment
were not at all summed up.  The first thing that we did discuss at
length was the fulfillment of the Palestinian commitments in a
concrete way.  We have had enough promises, and now we want to see
them actually carry out these things that they have obligated
themselves to three times - Oslo I, Oslo II, and of course in the
Hevron agreement.  The second thing we discussed was the framework for
beginning the permanent-status talks, and the U.S. role in that."  He
said that a third topic discussed in Washington was how the overall
redeployment picture is effected by security considerations.

Justice Minister Tzachi Hanegbi said today that the negotiations on a
future Israeli retreat from Yesha would not bear fruit until the
Palestinians fulfill all of their commitments within the Oslo process
framework.

2. HEVRON VIOLENCE CONTINUES
Arab-hurled stones and other objects flew again in Hevron today.  A
Molotov cocktail was thrown at an IDF jeep near the Admot Yeshai (Tel
Rumeida) neighborhood.  When no IDF forces came to investigate, the
ire of Jewish residents there was aroused, and they spontaneously went
out and closed off the road.  Resident Baruch Marzel told Arutz-7,
"What the Molotov firebomb did not do, our blocking the road did. 
Within minutes, large police and army forces were called to the area
to clear the road so that the two Arab cars could get by.  A senior
officer then talked to us, and we protested the fact that we had been
blocked off by Arab rioters on and off for the past few days, without
an IDF response.  He then began to talk about establishing an IDF
position there.  This would not have happened if we had not caused a
ruckus."

Automatic-weapons fire was shot towards an IDF jeep last night on the
Hevron bypass road.  There were no injuries, although several bullets
hit the vehicle.  

3. NETANYAHU WILL NOT ACCEPT EU DECISION
"We have no intention to preserve a high rate of employment for
Palestinians, if the European decision causes a drop in employment for
Israelis," said Prime Minister Netanyahu today.  He was referring to a
European Union decision to boycott all Jewish produce made in Judea
and Samaria.  The European Union responded that the issue was not
political, but rather a legal issue of borders.  Netanyahu had said
earlier that if the EU implements this decision, this will be the end
of their position as mediator between Israel and the Palestinians.

4. HAS DAM THREAT EXPIRED?
Jordan and Syria signed a preliminary agreement to build a dam on the
Yarmuk River, a tributary of the Jordan River.  For most of its
course, the Yarmuk forms the boundary between Syria and Jordan, and
the lower 14 miles (23 kilometers) of the river are under Israeli
control.  The agreement stipulates that Jordan will receive 120
million cubic meters of water a year, while Syria will utilize 70% of
the electric power produced by the dam.  The project will cost a hefty
$420 million, which Jordan and Syria will have to find ways to raise. 
In 1987, Jordan and Syria began construction on the dam, which ceased
when the World Bank withdrew its support after Israel threatened to
destroy the dam if it was built.  

***********************************************************************

From:          Arutz-7 Editor <editor7@virtual.co.il>
To:            arutz-7@ploni.virtual.co.il,arutz7-b@ploni.virtual.co.il 
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, May 20, 1998

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org> 
Wednesday, May 20, 1998 / Iyar 24, 5758 / 39 days to the Omer
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
  --- See below for subscription instructions ---


TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. U.S. FRUSTRATIONS
  2. THREE CONDITIONS FOR NEW PARTY
  3. PORAT: IT'S UP TO US
  4. KLEINER ACCUSES LABOR OF SUPPORTING ARAB RIGHT TO RETURN

1. U.S. FRUSTRATIONS
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was quoted today as saying
that the American pressure had succeeded in getting Prime Minister
Netanyahu to change his position "excellently, but not enough."  James
Rubin, United States State Department spokesman, threatened yesterday
that "if we reach the conclusion that we cannot attain an agreement,
then we will say so publicly and we will explain why."  He said that
no meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams is
currently planned, nor is another trip to the Middle East by American
mediator Dennis Ross.  

Yasser Arafat told a London newspaper that Albright had told him that
the U.S. would not let him down.  U.S. Vice President Al Gore,
speaking at an AIPAC banquet Monday night, said that Prime Minister
Netanyahu is "carrying the weight of the history of the Jewish people
on his shoulders," and that he "is deeply concerned about the true
intentions of his neighbors... The U.S. shares these concerns," said
Gore, "particularly when Chairman Arafat makes public statements that
seem to undercut his signed commitments to peace.  He cannot say one
thing to the world and another thing to his own people.  He must speak
to his people in consistent and unambiguous terms about the permanent
nature of the peace he is trying to reach, and declare a clear and
unequivocal acceptance of the State of Israel."

2. THREE CONDITIONS FOR NEW PARTY
Some 25 leading political personalities, representing various
viewpoints to the right of the Likud, gathered in Jerusalem last night
to plan practical steps for the formation of a new national-religious
party.  The new movement is called Tekumah, meaning 'revival' or
'resurrection'.  Among the participants last night were Rabbis Dov
Lior, Eliezer Waldman, and Menachem Felix; Benny Katzover, Uri Ariel,
Yaakov Katz (Katzeleh), and members of Chayil - Secular Voters for the
NRP.  The organizers made it clear that the party would be established
only on two conditions: if Netanyahu gives in to American pressures,
and the NRP caves in to Netanyahu's pressures not to quit the
government.  Beit El Mayor Uri Ariel added a third condition:  "We are
all aware of the mishap in 1992 when the right-wing received more
votes and less Knesset seats, because of too many small right-wing
parties.  We will not start the new party unless we are sure that we
have broad support from the public at large."

3. PORAT: IT'S UP TO US
NRP Secretary-General Zevulun Orlev called upon the organizers of the
new movement to halt their activities leading to a split within the
religious Zionist camp (see previous article), and to work to
strengthen the NRP. NRP Knesset Member Chanan Porat, speaking to
Arutz-7 today, took a different approach:  "To a large measure, this
issue [of a new party] is dependent on us, the NRP.  If we meet the
challenge, and we are the party that stands up to stop this withdrawal
from Eretz Yisrael, then there will be no need for the new party.  But
if we fail to do this, then I won't be able to criticize those who
will need to find a 'home' somewhere else..." When asked if the
electoral threat of a new party would influence other party members in
their thinking on the issue, he said, "It's hard for me to relate to
that question because I myself am so convinced of the need to rip to
shreds this idea of a withdrawal, that I cannot place myself in the
position of those who may have to be 'threatened' on this  issue... 
Now that this threat - in quotation marks or not - exists, our party
has to understand that if we are 'silent at this time,' then
'salvation will arise for the Jews from somewhere else' [a paraphrase
of the Biblical admonition given Esther by Mordechai in the Purim
story]."

4. KLEINER ACCUSES LABOR OF SUPPORTING ARAB RIGHT TO RETURN
MK Michael Kleiner accused the Labor Party of supporting a bill that,
he says, recognizes the Arab right of return to Israel.  In a
statement released to the press, Kleiner wrote, "The Labor party is
attempting to garner support for Ehud Barak within the Arab sector,
especially now that Roni Milo is vying with him for the same sector. 
This is the reason why the Labor party went out of its way to support
a proposal of the Arab [party] MKs to grant citizenship to Arabs born
in Israel who were not in Israel between the years 1948 and 1952... 
This clearly shows the Labor party's hypocrisy.  On the one hand, they
try to sell the Israeli public the idea that the Oslo process is a way
of separating between the two nations, and on the other hand, for
purely political motives it acts to allow masses of Arabs to [reside
in] Israel."

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