Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, June 3, 1998
Date: Thu, 4 Jun 1998 00:33:31 +0000
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Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, June 3, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
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Wednesday, June 3, 1998 / Sivan 9, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. OSLO PROCESS MARKS TIME
2. MORDECHAI: THE TIME HAS COME
3. YESHA PAMPHLET TO BE MAILED TO A MILLION HOMES
4. PA GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR HAMAS
5. THE TWO APPROACHES OF THE NRP
SPECIAL INSERT: Green Light for Hamas
1. OSLO PROCESS MARKS TIME
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu estimates that he will conclude the
details of the upcoming withdrawal within the next two weeks. He has been
in constant telephone contact with the Americans over the past few days on
this matter. The final plan, as it appears now, will incorporate the
element of reciprocity, as well as American funding for by-pass roads in
order to minimize direct harm to the Jewish towns of Judea and Samaria.
Netanyahu is aware that the NRP may very well resign from the coalition as
a result, possibly leading to early elections. He will attempt to return
the Gesher party to the coalition, and possibly to establish a national
unity government with Labor. He told the Third Way party, however, that he
is not interested in a unity government now, because this would increase
the expectations of his Palestinian negotiating partners.
2. MORDECHAI: THE TIME HAS COME
American mediator Dennis Ross will meet in London today with PLO seniors
Abu Mazen and Abu Allaa. The U.S. invited Ministers Sharon and Mordechai
to participate, but they declined. Mordechai said again today, "The time
has come to decide." He said yesterday that he is "aware of the fears of
the residents of Yesha, but as the one responsible for security, I am also
aware of the ramifications if the diplomatic process shows no progress."
The director-general of the Palestinian Authority cabinet said yesterday
over Voice of Palestine Radio, "If the international efforts to bring to a
further withdrawal fail, the Palestinians will resort to an intifada."
Pressure continues from other quarters, as well. American Ambassador to
Israel Edward Walker said today that the U.S. may declare its official
position on the frozen diplomatic process as soon as a few days from now,
if there continues to be no progress. The Arab League is soon to convene,
and is expected to pass very strong anti-Israel resolutions.
3. YESHA PAMPHLET TO BE MAILED TO A MILLION HOMES
The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria will begin a major
information campaign today, in an attempt to educate the public of the
dangers of further withdrawals. One million pamphlets containing maps of
the various withdrawal proposals will be mailed to homes throughout the
country. The 8-page pamphlet explains the critical importance of each of
the three areas of Judea and Samaria: the Jordan Valley and Judean Desert
(which afford protection and a buffer against an attack from the east); the
mountain ridge (where are found many of the Yesha communities and the early
warning stations, and is that which connects the Jordan Valley to the
densely-populated Coastal Plain); and the area adjoining the Coastal Plain
(3-5 kilometers of buffer west of the Arab villages of Samaria). The
pamphlet also discusses the water sources originating in Yesha (30% of
Israel's water), Jerusalem, the holy sites, and other issues.
The Yesha Council has also conducted several helicopter tours over Judea
and Samaria for Likud and National Religious Party committee members, to
impress upon them the consequences of a further withdrawal.
4. PA GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR HAMAS
Col. Jibril Rajoub, head of the PA's Preventive Security Service, recently
said, "We view Hamas as part of the national and Islamic liberation
movement... Outside of the [autonomous areas] they can do as they wish...
At the top of my list of priorities is the [Israeli] occupation and not
Hamas..." A Government Press Office memorandum released today claims that
these and other statements are in violation of the Oslo agreement
obligating the PA to fight terror. The complete text of the GPO release
appears below.
5. THE TWO APPROACHES OF THE NRP
Transportation Minister Shaul Yahalom warns that the NRP may well resign
from the government if the withdrawal currently under discussion causes any
direct damage to the Jewish towns in Yesha. He explained that, in his
opinion, this "direct damage" includes even such that may affect the
entry-roads to the towns or the areas needed for the towns' natural growth.
He said that from a logical point of view, toppling the government over
the withdrawal could lead to three possibilities, "all of which are worse
than the current situation: Either Barak and Labor will win; or Netanyahu
will win by a stronger margin than he currently has, which will render us
powerless; or there will be a national unity government." Yahalom said,
though, that "sometimes emotions overcome cold logic, and the NRP may very
well find itself unable to take part in this withdrawal from the Land of
Israel, no matter what."
SPECIAL INSERT
Jibril Rajoub: "Hamas has Green Light to Attack Israel"
(communicated by the Israel Government Press Office)
The Agreement:
Under the terms of the Oslo accords, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is
obligated to take "all measures necessary" to combat terrorism.
Article XV (1) of the September 28, 1995 Interim Agreement ("Oslo 2")
states, "Both sides shall take all measures necessary in order to prevent
acts of terrorism, crime and hostilities directed against each other,
against individuals falling under the other's authority and against their
property, and shall take legal measures against offenders."
Article II (1b) of Annex I to the Oslo 2 accord states, "The Palestinian
Police will act systematically against all expressions of violence and
terror." Paragraph 3c of the same article obligates the Palestinians to
"apprehend, investigate and prosecute perpetrators and all other persons
directly or indirectly involved in acts of terrorism, violence and
incitement."
In the Note for the Record of the January 15, 1997 Hebron Protocol, the
Palestinians reaffirmed their commitment concerning "Fighting terror and
preventing violence".
The Violations:
The Palestinian Authority has failed to wage a systematic campaign against
terrorist groups. The terrorist infrastructure remains in place and the PA
openly approves of terrorist attacks against Israel as long as they do not
implicate the Authority. This was confirmed by Col. Jibril Rajoub, head of
the PA's Preventive Security Service. Following are excerpts of his May 27,
1998 interview with
Al-Jazira television:
"We view Hamas as part of the national and Islamic liberation movement...
Outside of the 3 percent [of the West Bank under complete Palestinian
control] they can do as they wish... They can go to Jordan to carry out
armed operations and they can also carry out such operations from Syria....
At the top of my list of priorities is the [Israeli] occupation and not
Hamas... We are not interested in arrests."
The PA's failure to detain or arrest Hamas terrorists in the areas under
its control was confirmed by Tayeb Abd al-Rahim, Secretary of the PA
"Presidency", in a May 22, 1998 interview with the official PA Television.
Abd al-Rahim said the PA had recently released Hamas members and that only
27 remain in PA detention. Following are excerpts of Abd al-Rahim's remarks:
"According to the opposition newspapers, 401 Hamas members are being
detained. This is very far from the truth. There are only 27 Hamas
detainees, and most of them are not actually being detained. Rather, they
are being investigated in connection with the murder of Muhi a-Din Sharif.
There were 38 detainees, but we released some of them recently and there
remain 27 detainees."
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