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To:
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Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, July 23, 1998
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Thursday, July 23, 1998 / Tammuz 29, 5758
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. EDELSTEIN AGAINST RECIPROCITY-FREE WITHDRAWAL
2. ARAFAT MEETS WITH SHEETRIT, KAHALANI
3. FATEFUL VOTES ON WEDNESDAY
4. JORDAN VALLEY LEADERS: NOT FROM OUR BACK YARD
1. EDELSTEIN AGAINST RECIPROCITY-FREE WITHDRAWAL
Minister of Absorption Yuli Edelstein announced today that he would not
vote for any agreement with the Palestinians that does not include
reciprocity, the changing of the PLO charter, and extradition of all the
wanted terrorists from the autonomy to Israel. Edelstein met today with
Yoel Tzur, whose wife and son were killed by Arab terrorists, and who is
holding a nightly sit-in vigil outside the Prime Minister's home with his
children. The Minister said afterwards that the Palestinians are "twisting
us around their little finger" regarding the changing of their charter and
the extradition of terrorists.
Deputy Education Minister Moshe Peled said again that he will vote to
topple the government if it agrees to the withdrawal. He said that he has
advised the Prime Minister to "take a break for a couple of days, and go to
Australia as he had originally planned to visit with [Chabad
philanthropist] Yosef Gutnick, thus giving a renewed push to construction
in Hevron." Leading Chabad rabbis met last night and called upon the Prime
Minister not to carry out a withdrawal. The rabbis decided that Chabad
would begin public protests against the withdrawal, including calls for
Netanyahu's resignation.
2. ARAFAT MEETS WITH SHEETRIT, KAHALANI
Following Arafat's announcement yesterday that he has called off the direct
talks with Israel, he rejected today Defense Minister Yitzchak Mordechai's
repeated requests to meet with either him or Abu Mazen. However, Arafat did
meet with coalition coordinator MK Meir Sheetrit (Likud) this afternoon.
Sheetrit said that he offered new proposals that could lead to a signed
agreement on a second withdrawal.
Minister Avigdor Kahalani (Third Way) will also meet with Arafat later
today, in an attempt to "see which side is to blame for the obstacles in
the way of the diplomatic process."
3. FATEFUL VOTES ON WEDNESDAY
The Moledet Knesset faction has introduced a no-confidence motion in the
Prime Minister, because of "the manner in which the negotiations with the
Palestinians are being conducted." The vote will be held next Wednesday,
the day before the Knesset begins its summer recess. A Labor-party
proposal to disperse the Knesset is scheduled for the same day.
4. JORDAN VALLEY LEADERS: NOT FROM OUR BACK YARD
The leaders of the Jordan Valley communities sent an urgent letter to the
Prime Minister today, protesting the apparent intention to include parts of
the Valley in the second withdrawal. They wrote that they have learned
"with great alarm" that the 13% withdrawal will include 4% from what they
call the "security belt of the State of Israel."
**********************************************************************
Friday, July 24, 1998 1 Av 5758
Jerusalem Post - Internet Edition
Clinton
said fed up with Albright
By
JAY BUSHINSKY
JERUSALEM
(July 24) - US President Bill Clinton is
"frustrated
and unhappy" about the recent setbacks
sustained
by US foreign policymakers in the Balkans,
the
Middle East and other trouble spots, a diplomatic
source
said yesterday.
According
to this assessment, Clinton is having
second
thoughts about Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright's
effectiveness in achieving US objectives
abroad,
as witnessed by her urgent call for
resumption
of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which
was
followed by their breakdown after only three days
of
intermittent talks.
The
fact that the State Department's plea for an
immediate
resumption of the bilateral talks was
channeled
through Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan to
the
Palestinian Authority and its chief delegate,
Mahmoud
Abbas, was interpreted as the latest sign of
waning
American influence on the parties.
A
prominent American-Jewish leader traced the
president's
disenchantment with Albright to her the
ultimatum
she served Israel, that unless it made some
hard
decisions the US would reconsider its policy.
"She
did not take into account the resentment this
evoked
in the US Jewish community," he said.
"Nor
was she appreciated for having initially blamed
Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for leaking details
of
the American withdrawal plan to PA Chairman Yasser
Arafat,
when they actually were conveyed to him by
Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak."
*********************************************************************
Friday, July 24, 1998 1 Av 5758
Jerusalem Post - Internet Edition
PA
says no summit yet
By
MICHAL YUDELMAN, STEVE RODAN, and news agencies
JERUSALEM
(July 24) - Palestinian Authority Chairman
Yasser
Arafat yesterday rejected a request by Prime
Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu for an immediate summit,
with
Arafat aides saying talks cannot resume until
Israel
accepts the US pullback proposals.
Netanyahu
sent Likud coalition chairman Meir Sheetrit
to
Arafat's Gaza City office with a request for a
summit,
so the two leaders could hammer out remaining
differences.
Channel
1 reported that one of the key proposals
rejected
by the Palestinians is Israel's suggestion
to
turn 164 sq. km. of the West Bank into a nature
reserve.
"My
meeting was intended to give another chance to
the
peace process and save the peace process,"
Sheetrit
said. "I put forth some new creative ideas.
All
matters should be discussed by Arafat and
Netanyahu.
I was urging Arafat to hold such a meeting
as
fast as possible.
"We
are at a moment of truth and the prime minister
is
determined to reach agreement," Sheetrit said.
The
two leaders last met in October.
Arafat
aide Ahmed Tibi said that "a meeting between
Arafat
and Netanyahu could take place after the two
parties
reach an agreement on the American
initiative,
but until now the Israelis are rejecting
the
initiative."
Tibi
said that Sheetrit's ideas did not contain
anything
substantive.
Arafat's
adviser and chief spokesman Nabil Abu
Rudeineh
said the question of whether there would be
further
high-level Israeli-Palestinian meetings would
be
answered within the next 48 hours.
Still,
Sheetrit emerged optimistic yesterday from his
session
with Arafat. The Palestinians received him
warmly
and hosted him for lunch, promising to
consider
his suggestions seriously over the weekend.
"It
was an excellent meeting, and a delicious lunch,"
Sheetrit
said. "I'm returning with a much bigger hope
for
the peace process. I brought with me ideas to
advance
the negotiations towards implementing the
pullback,"
he said.
Asked
how he succeeded where others failed, he
replied
"it's the Sheetrit charm. I'm known as
someone
whose heart and mouth are one. They know I'm
sincere
in trying to advance peace.
"Sometimes
one's image makes all the difference.
That's
one of the prime minister's problems: his
image
in the Palestinians' eyes - which I think is
wrong
- regarding his desire for peace," he said.
"The
ball is now in Arafat's court."
PA
International Cooperation Minister Nabil Shaath
said
he was pleased with Sheetrit's visit, adding
that
"over the weekend, there will be a serious study
of
what can be done."
One
Palestinian official predicted that Arafat would
accept
the summit invitation, but doubted if any
positive
results would ensue. He attributed the
potential
impasse to Netanyahu's "unacceptable
bridging
proposals."
But
a Palestinian political analyst contended that
"Arafat
simply does not want to meet Netanyahu" and
for
that reason alone Sheetrit's initiative would be
stillborn.
US
President Bill Clinton told reporters at the White
House
last night that the US hasn't despaired of the
Israelis
and Palestinians reaching an agreement. "I
still
haven't thrown in the towel," Israel Radio
quoted
Clinton as saying.
Netanyahu
seemed optimistic despite the obstacles. At
a
Herzliya celebration marking the anniversary of the
Egyptian
revolution, he said an agreement could be
achieved
shortly if there is goodwill on all sides.
Egyptian
Ambassador Mohammed Bassiouny said: "I do
believe
that if we take the basis of the American
initiative,
for sure we can reach agreement."
Defense
Minister Yitzhak Mordechai also seemed
optimistic,
saying, "I think that the talks will
resume
in the near future and I think there is a
basis
to progress in the talks. I don't think there
are
any other alternatives and the way is to sit at
the
senior levels and find ways to bridge the gaps
and
reach an agreement in the shortest time
possible."
Today
Arafat is scheduled to meet Internal Security
Minister
Avigdor Kahalani in Ramallah.
Palestinian
sources assert that Arafat has won
widespread
support from opposition elements, as well
as
from his Fatah movement, for ending the
negotiations
with Israel.
PA
Secretary-General Tayeb Abdul Rahim said in a
ceremony
yesterday that the Palestinians would now
seek
Arab support in the form of an Arab League
summit.
"All our options are open," he said.
(Jay
Bushinsky contributed to this report.)
***********************************************************************
Friday, July 24, 1998 1 Av 5758
Jerusalem Post - Internet Edition
Iran
test-fires Shihab-3 missile
By
STEVE RODAN, ARIEH O'SULLIVAN, and news agencies
JERUSALEM
(July 24) - Iran has successfully tested a
Shihab-3
missile with a range of nearly 1,300
kilometers,
putting it within striking range of
Israeli
cities.
American
officials fell short of calling the test a
success,
saying the rocket blew up well into its
flight.
Still, officials here described the
development
as possibly a major breakthrough by
Teheran
in its intermediate-range missile program.
Israeli
officials said they were not surprised by the
launch,
but asserted that it advances US assessments
that
the Islamic republic could deploy the Shihab-3
by
late next year.
"It
changes the timetable and brings everything
closer,"
a senior official said.
He
said most assessments had forecast the test-launch
of
Shihab-3 from the latter half of this year to
mid-1999.
"I
would say, then, that this marks a turning point
and
realizes what we've been warning about the entire
time,"