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To: Arutz-7 List <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com>, Israel News List
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Subject: Arutz-7 News: February 8-10, 1999
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 18:27:30 -0800
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To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, February 8, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Monday, Feb. 8, 1999/ Sh'vat 22, 5759
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ANGER AT WEIZMAN OVER HAWATME GREETING
2. YESHA GROWTH REPORTED
3. TRANSFER DIVIDES BEGIN AND ZE'EVI
4. COMFORTABLE CONDITIONS FOR HAMAS PRISONERS IN P.A.
1. ANGER AT WEIZMAN OVER HAWATME GREETING
It was reported today that President Ezer Weizman exchanged a few words and
shook hands with Na'if Hawatme, head of the Democratic Front for the
Liberation of Palestine terrorist organization, while the two were waiting
for the funeral procession of Jordan's King Hussein. Hawatme approached
Weizman and told him, "You are the man of peace, we have been watching for
you for a few years, and we hope that you can bring peace to our region."
Weizman said that he hoped peace could be attained with Syria, where
Hawatme lives. Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon walked over afterwards to
Weizman, and reminded him that Hawatme has much "blood on his hands."
There is great anger at Weizman among the Israeli delegation, as Hawatme
has been responsible for many terrorist actions and does not even accept
the Oslo accords. Presidential-aide Aryeh Shumer explained that the
exchange between the two was only a chance encounter.
The DFLP, which appears on the U.S. list of terrorist groups, is a
Marxist-Leninist terrorist organization that believes that Palestinian
goals can only be achieved by a popular revolution of the working class.
The DFLP was responsible for the May 1974 massacre of Israeli
school-children in Ma'alot, resulting in 27 dead and 134 wounded.
2. YESHA GROWTH REPORTED
Ha'aretz reports today that there has been an upsurge in construction in
Yesha (Judea and Samaria) over the past few weeks. Several new outposts
have been built, all within the framework of "legal" construction, as they
are within the planned areas of existing communities. Former Defense
Ministry senior Eli Cohen said, "The Ministry is most definitely planning
to strengthen the Yesha communities before the national elections."
Defense Minister Moshe Arens, whose office distanced itself from Cohen's
remarks, has said, "In principle, the continuation of Jewish settlement [in
Yesha] and its ability to exist [have been] an important goal of all the
governments of Israel."
3. TRANSFER DIVIDES BEGIN AND ZE'EVI
Despite the optimism of the past few days, no hint of a reconciliation
between Benny Begin and Rehavam Ze'evi has been forthcoming. The dispute
revolves around the "transfer" issue: Ze'evi refuses to erase it from his
party platform, and Begin refuses to run together with him for just that
reason. Begin has similarly rejected a proposal for each party on the
nationalist list - Ze'evi's Moledet, Rafael Eitan's Tzomet, Tekumah, and
Begin's Herut - to have its own platform, separate and apart from a joint
platform for all that would include only unanimously-agreed clauses.
Ze'evi told Arutz-7 today, "Benny Begin never expressed reservations about
his father's transfer of Jews from the Sinai in 1982. Why the double
standard?"
Coincidentally or not, it has been recently learned that in March 1955,
David Ben Gurion suggested to his colleagues in the Israeli Cabinet that
Israel capture the Gaza Strip from Egypt, and transfer some 100,000 Arab
refugees there to Jordan. Ben Gurion, whose idea was not accepted,
explained then that Egypt had no legal claim to the Gaza Strip and was not
adhering to the cease-fire terms there.
4. COMFORTABLE CONDITIONS FOR HAMAS PRISONERS IN P.A.
Hamas terrorists "imprisoned" in Palestinian Authority jails are actually
allowed to leave their cells each day - as long as they return at night.
Middle East News Line reports that the PA has allowed this arrangement for
dozens of Hamas members. This corresponds with other items reported by
other news agencies in the past. The ZOA has compiled the following list
of examples:
* Two Hamas terror suspects jailed by the PA have been given permission to
leave their cells for studies in Bir Zeit University each day. (Jerusalem
Post, April 22, 1998)
* The Jerusalem Report investigated and found that, contrary to what the PA
had shown representatives of the American CIA, two Arab brothers who had
murdered Israelis were not in prison, but were rather living normal lives
outside prison walls. (March 5, 1998)
* Peace Watch reported in May 1996 that Abdal Majid Dudin, who was involved
in a Jerusalem bus bombing that killed four people, was not serving his
12-year Palestinian Authority-ordered sentence, but was instead hired as a
guard in the PA's jail in Jericho.
* The Associated Press reported on at least two occasions of lax security,
or even total freedom for several hours a day, for PA-imprisoned Hamas
terrorists, and that their "imprisonment" was meant primarily to protect
them from Israeli agents.
ZOA President Morton Klein said, "This makes a mockery of Arafat's
commitment to combat terror. The Clinton Administration, which explicitly
promised Israel that it would protest Arafat's releases of terrorists,
should speak out."
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To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, February 9, 1999
Reply-to: netnews@a7.org
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Tuesday, February 9, 1999 / Sh'vat 23, 5759
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
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TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. "PROJECT UNITY" CONTINUES
2. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HAWATME HANDSHAKE
3. P.A. ARRESTS JADALLAH - AGAIN
1. "PROJECT UNITY" CONTINUES
The first step in uniting Israel's political right was taken last
night: The Tzomet and Tekuma parties reached an agreement to run on a
joint ticket for the elections. At the same time, pressures continue
to be exerted on both Moledet and the new Herut party to join as well.
Harsh words were exchanged on last night's "Politika" television
program between Herut member Michael Kleiner and Moledet's Rechavam
Ze'evi. Former Yesha Council head Yisrael Harel, who also appeared on
the show, had this to say afterwards: "I am greatly saddened, and I
am beginning to have my doubts regarding the intentions of some of the
elements of the new party that is supposed to arise upon the
ideological ruins of the Likud. If the two central figures sitting
here can argue in this way at this stage prior to the elections, I am
concerned that their worries are [personal and] not ideological..."
The Yesha Council has applauded the agreement between Tekuma and
Tzomet, and says that it will continue to work to unite the
nationalist camp.
2. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HAWATME HANDSHAKE
President Ezer Weizman's handshake with PFLP terrorist leader Na'if
Hawatme yesterday has caused quite a stir. Several nationalist camp
MKs are demanding that a special Knesset session be convened to
discuss the incident, while the Terror Victims Association says that
the exchange of pleasantries with the avowed terrorist constitutes a
legitimization of terror as a means of attaining political goals.
Hawatme said on Army Radio (Galei Tzahal) today that Weizman told him
during yesterday's conversation, "I would like peace, too, but the
Israeli right is the source of the problem." This is contrary to the
report of Presidential-aide Aryeh Shumer, who said that Weizman only
expressed the wish that there be peace on the Syrian-Lebanese front.
Centrist party leader Yitzchak Mordechai is also said to have both
talked to Hawatme and to have shaken his hand. Mordechai said today,
"I will not relate to all sorts of rumors. Yesterday [the day of King
Hussein's funeral] was a sad day..." Last night, Labor MK Ephraim
Sneh and Meretz MK Ran Cohen came out in support of the controversial
handshake, arguing that Hawatme's openness may indicate that he has,
once and for all, abandoned his terrorist tendencies. Prime Minister
Netanyahu said that he would not shake the hand of someone like
Hawatme, "who is still committed to the murder of Jews and has not
accepted even one peace agreement with Israel."
Hebrew University Arab studies expert Prof. Mordechai Nissan, speaking
on Arutz-7's "In Focus" newsmagazine last night, explained that the
PFLP, though responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, has always
prided itself on its 'democratic leanings': "True, the PFLP was
responsible for the murder of 24 schoolchildren in Ma'alot in the
mid-70's. But Hawatme's platform differs from other Palestinian
movements, in that - while it envisions the destruction of the State
of Israel as a political entity - it is open to permitting Jews to
reside in 'Palestine' as individuals."
3. P.A. ARRESTS JADALLAH - AGAIN
The Palestinian Authority claims to have arrested, once again,
terrorist Jamil Jadallah. He is suspected of murdering Itamar Doron
of Moshav Ora and Danny Vargas of Kiryat Arba, and was also apparently
involved in the attack on the van carrying pre-school teachers in
Hevron two months ago. Jadallah disappeared from his prison cell in
Shechem almost two months ago.
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To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, February 10, 1999
Reply-to: netnews@a7.org
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Wednesday, February 10, 1999 / Sh'vat 24, 5759
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
--- See below for subscription instructions ---
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. THREE-WAY RELIGIOUS-MEDIA-COURTS BRAWL
2. AN ACADEMIC'S VIEW
3. WEIZMAN FOR CENTRISTS?
4. P.A. STRATEGY
5. MERETZ: ONE FOR ALL AND ALL AGAINST BIBI
6. ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION ON THE MAP
1. THREE-WAY RELIGIOUS-MEDIA-COURTS BRAWL
The media in Israel are concentrating on one issue today: the upcoming
hareidi-religious prayer vigil protesting recent anti-religious
rulings by the Supreme Court, and inflammatory remarks in this regard
made last night by hareidi leaders. At issue are rulings such as that
on the induction into the army of yeshiva students, the inclusion of
Reform and Conservative representatives on religious councils, the
permission granted to Kibbutzim to open their stores on the Sabbath,
the recognition of certain Reform conversions, anti-hareidi remarks by
judges, and more. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will convene a
meeting of the two Chief Rabbis, the Justice Minister, and the
Attorney-General, in order to "begin the process of healing the split
in the nation" over this issue.
The background of the media storm today: Former MKs Rabbi Menachem
Porush and Rabbi Moshe Gafni held a press conference last night
sharply attacking the judicial system in Israel. Rabbi Gafni said
that the current situation is a "judicial dictatorship," and that "the
Court has totally uprooted everything we believe in." Rabbi Porush
said that the Court's rulings would lead to a "rebellion" by the
religious society. Rabbi David Yosef, son of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef,
reportedly called Chief Justice Aharon Barak "an oppressor of the
Jews." This morning, Rabbi Gafni disassociated himself from several
of the more inciting statements made at the press conference, and
denied that he had called the judges "anti-Semitic." He said,
however, that the Supreme Court must recognize that it "cannot decide
issues of public debate according to its own worldview when it does
not represent all the sectors of the population" - implying that these
issues must be resolved in the Knesset.
Minister Shaul Yahalom (National Religious Party) called upon his
party and the religious-Zionist rabbis not to participate in Sunday's
prayer vigil against the judicial system. NRP head Rabbi Yitzchak
Levy said that he would probably not attend. Rishon Letzion Chief
Rabbi Bakshi-Doron reiterated his support for the demonstration, while
Chief Rabbi Lau said that he is re-considering his participation in
the event.
Rabbi Chaim Druckman, Dean of Yeshivat Ohr Etzion and Director of the
Yeshivot Bnei Akiva network, has come out in full support of the
demonstration. "This is simply a prayer vigil, and it is our way of
objecting to the Court's interference in areas beyond its
jurisdiction," he told Arutz-7 today. "Conversion and the 'Who is a
Jew' issue have been specifically halakhic [Jewish Law] issues for
generations." Rabbi Druckman observed that by issuing legal decisions
on purely halakhic matters, the Supreme Court was not only encroaching
on the authority of the Chief Rabbinate, but has placed individual
rabbinical court judges in a precarious position: "In one judgement,
the Supreme Court ruled that rabbis must accept the authority of the
secular courts, whereas Jewish law insists on the Dayan's [rabbinic
judge's] fidelity to the Torah." He deflected the claim voiced in
some circles that the upcoming demonstration against the High Court is
an undermining of the rule of law: "We live in a democratic country,
of which demonstrations are an integral part," Rabbi Druckman noted.
"I have never heard anyone argue that protests undercut the
foundations of a democratic society!"
2. AN ACADEMIC'S VIEW
Bar-Ilan University Jewish law Professor Shimshon Ettinger, a
religious Jew, also related today to the latest hareidi-secular clash:
"An exchange of views and a dialogue would have more chance of
affecting the future positions of the court than the planned
demonstration," Ettinger observed. "In general, I'm in favor of
strengthening the status of the Supreme Court... However, protesting
this issue is not without justification. For some time now, Israel's
Supreme Court has begun moving in a new direction, in which 'values'
and 'ethics' have been allowed to influence what was previously a
narrow, legalistic approach to deciding legal issues. But the court
must be cautious in this path, since a strong ruling on a subject of
disagreement can easily antagonize particular sectors of the
population." Ettinger feels that the religious councils issue could be
claimed to be within the purview of the courts, as the councils are
not strictly halakhic bodies. "But giving the legislators
jurisdiction over the Conversion Law issue was uncalled for, since
there is already an unambiguous law giving the Chief Rabbinate control
over matters that are specifically religious in nature, as this is."
3. WEIZMAN FOR CENTRISTS?
The President's Office is supporting the centrist party, according to
Israeli daily Yediot Acharonot. Aryeh Shumer, the Director-General
of the President's Home, is reportedly involved in attempts to
convince the new Negev party to join up with the
Mordechai-Shachak-Meridor party. The paper reports that Shumer's
goal, undertaken with the knowledge of President Weizman, is to unite
the forces attempting to overthrow Binyamin Netanyahu.
The President's Home and the centrist party deny the report.
4. P.A. STRATEGY
Palestinian Authority senior Nabil Sha'ath made it clear today: The
PA is likely not to declare a Palestinian state until several weeks
after the elections in Israel, so as "not to influence " the outcome
of the elections. It is apparently felt in the PA, as in Israel, that
a Palestinian declaration of a state would benefit Binyamin Netanyahu.
5. MERETZ: ONE FOR ALL AND ALL AGAINST BIBI
The Meretz party chose its candidates for the next Knesset yesterday.
Heading the list, with support of 62% of the party's Central Committee
members, is MK Yossi Sarid. Following him are MKs Ran Cohen, Chaim
Oron, Amnon Rubenstein, and Anat Maor. Four women are in the top ten,
as are three new faces and three Kibbutz members. Mosi Raz, head of
Peace Now, finished a disappointing 11th - as the party currently
numbers only 9 MKs. Some criticism was heard regarding the high
proportion of Kibbutz members on the list, in light of the fact that
Kibbutz movement voters total only one Knesset seat's worth. Sarid
later said, "I would have made a change or two, but all in all it's a
very good list, and each member of the list must feel as if the
toppling of Netanyahu is dependent on him."
6. ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION ON THE MAP
Some 5000 illegal Arab structures have been built in the past three
years in Israeli-controlled areas in Judea and Samaria, and less than
10% of them have been razed. This was in keeping with the policy of
the Defense Minister over this period, Yitzchak Mordechai. The
buildings are situated in areas that are either slated for future
roads, harmful to water resources or natural areas, or are injurious
to security interests. Almost every one of the destroyed buildings
was unoccupied. Shlomo Dror, coordinator of IDF activities in Yesha,
told Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman that since 1996, many
construction and zoning plans have taken the illegal Arab structures
into consideration.
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