Date:          Sun, 23 May 1999 17:43:29 +0300
To:            arutz-7@a7.org
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Sunday, May 23, 1999

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org>
Sunday, May 23, 1999 / Sivan 8, 5759
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. LIKUD TO DECIDE
  2. PORAT RESIGNING FROM KNESSET
  3. ARABS NOT THRILLED WITH BARAK'S VICTORY
  4. BARAKONOMICS

1. LIKUD TO DECIDE
The incoming Likud Knesset faction held its first post-election
deliberations this afternoon in the Knesset. Temporary Likud chairman
Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon convened the meeting to discuss whether the
Likud should join a Barak-led coalition.  The date for electing a new party
leader will apparently be set this coming Thursday. 

Arutz-7 correspondent Chizky Zisman reports that all 19 of the incoming MKs
were present at the meeting, except for Binyamin Netanyahu.  MKs Naomi
Blumental and Yisrael Katz are opposed to the Likud joining Barak's
coalition, while former cabinet secretary and newly-elected Likud MK Danny
Naveh disagrees.  Naveh said today, "This is probably the most fateful
period for the State of Israel since its establishment.  We won't be
anyone's fig leaf, but we have a national responsibility to be part of the
final status negotiations with the Palestinians."  Finance Minister Meir
Sheetrit, who is seeking the leadership of the party, said that the Likud
must receive the economic and social portfolios.  Sharon asked the Likud
members not to express themselves publicly on this issue.  He denied
reports that he is attempting to create a right-wing bloc that would
prevent the formation of a government by Barak.

2. PORAT RESIGNING FROM KNESSET
MK Chanan Porat has not officially resigned from the Knesset, but is in the
process of doing so.  Next in line to replace him on the National Unity
list is Tzvi Hendel.  Porat explained that, in addition to Hendel's obvious
legislative talents, he feels a personal obligation towards Hendel.  Hendel
left the National Religious Party together with Porat to form Tekumah, one
of the parties of the National Union.  Porat has been under some pressure
to resign, because of what some call his "responsibility for toppling the
Netanyahu government."  A party colleague emphasized that on the one hand,
there were many causes leading to the fall of the government, and on the
other hand, Netanyahu's government was heading in the same direction, in
terms of Wye and Oslo, as Barak is heading.

3. ARABS NOT THRILLED WITH BARAK'S VICTORY
Dr. Guy Bechor, a renowned Arab affairs commentator in the
Interdisciplinary Institute in Herzliyah,  summed up today the reactions in
the Arab world to the victory by Ehud Barak in the Israeli elections.  "The
Arabs are putting on a happy face," Bechor told Arutz-7, "but this does not
necessarily reflect their true feelings.  First of all, they will want to
check whether he will stand by the agreements Israel has already signed.
This means that they want to see the immediate implementation of the Wye
Agreement.  Secondly, they see Barak as presenting similar 'red lines' as
did Netanyahu - no division of Jerusalem, the annexation of settlements
(even if not all of them), a Palestinian state-minus, the Jordan Valley
under Israeli control - and so they ask themselves:  'Have we merely traded
a stubborn Israeli Prime Minister, who was weakened by worldwide
opposition, for the same type of stubborn Israeli Prime Minister who may be
strengthened by the credit given him by the whole world?'  They won't say
so openly, but the Arabs are not particularly thrilled with the new deal."

On the Lebanese/Syrian front, Bechor said that Barak will announce very
soon his intentions - whether to go for a unilateral withdrawal from
Lebanon, or for comprehensive talks with the Syrians.  "My personal opinion
is that he will choose the latter," Bechor said, adding, "If he
unilaterally withdraws from Lebanon, Syria will likely opt to keep the
Lebanese front 'hot,' using Hizbullah and other terrorist organizations."
Bechor repeated his view [reported here on April 27] that even if Syrian
President Assad is offered the entire Golan, he will not be excited about
making peace with Israel:  "His entire country is based on confrontation
with Israel...  He may be forced to accept a cold peace with Israel, or he
may block it over some other issue, such as the security arrangements."

Dr. Bechor said that the Palestinian Authority's newly-announced target
date for the declaration of a Palestinian state - November 15 - is simply a
scare tactic, "as was the previous date, May 4, designed only to force
Barak to proceed with the Wye and Oslo processes."

Statements by Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Mussa, quoted in the latest
issue of the official Al-Ahram Weekly, seemed to prove Bechor right:  "I am
not talking with a great sense of optimism," [said Mussa]... "We are ready
to help Mr. Barak, to cooperate with him, as long as peace is his goal and
the peace process his policy."  The paper continued, "Diplomatic sources in
Cairo could not offer a good reason why Barak would show such a
commitment," and quoted a 'diplomatic source' as saying, "The fact that, in
his first post-election statement, he chose to speak about red lines is
indicative... After all, the hard decisions are traditionally taken by
Likud, and not Labor..."  Al-Ahram Weekly quoted another source as saying,
"The difference between Netanyahu and Barak is akin to the difference
between a vulture and a hawk. Both are birds of prey; the only difference
perhaps relates to the length of their wing spans."

4. BARAKONOMICS
Economist Yaakov Zilberberg told Arutz-7 today that Israeli financial and
business elements are optimistic about the Israeli economy under Ehud
Barak.  "The perception that Barak will restart negotiations with the
Palestinians may strengthen foreign investment here, as well as lead to a
rise in tourism," he said.  "U.S. President Clinton's positive disposition
towards a Labor government may also lead to certain financial rewards from
the U.S."  Zilberberg added that in addition to perceptions, a sharp change
in Israel's economic policies can be expected:  "As opposed to Netanyahu's
shrinking of the national budget deficit, which led to low inflation and
increased unemployment, Barak is likely to engage in deficit spending.  It
is not yet clear what such money will be used for.  It may go towards
social security, child support payments, and the like, or it could be
channeled towards infrastructures."

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

Date:          Mon, 24 May 1999 17:17:13 +0300
To:            arutz-7@a7.org
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org>
Monday, May 24, 1999 / Sivan 9, 5759
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
  --- See below for subscription instructions ---

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. COALITION TALKS BEGIN
  2. IN AND AROUND THE TALKS
  3. PORAT TO REMAIN IN KNESSET - MEANWHILE
  4. BLAME THE MEDIA

1. COALITION TALKS BEGIN
The first day of coalition negotiations are underway in the Accadia
Hotel in Herzliyah.  Ehud Barak's representatives met first with a
delegation from Meretz, led by MK Ran Cohen.  Barak said again that he
wishes to have as broad a government as possible, while Meretz again
announced that it would not sit in the same government with Shas.
Meretz prepared a long list of its demands, including a freeze on
Jewish construction in Yesha, a renewal of talks with Syria from the
point the Rabin government left off [i.e., a withdrawal from the
entire Golan], and the formulation of a constitution.  Meretz was
apparently told "not to stand in the way of a broad government," and
in fact, Yisrael B'Aliyah members, who were next on line for coalition
talks, were promised by Barak's representatives that the new
government would not freeze Yesha construction, nor "dry out" the
communities there. 

The Centrist party and Shinui are also scheduled to meet with One
Israel representatives today for coalition consultations.  The talks
with the other parties will continue tomorrow and the next day.
Barak's One Israel negotiating team includes former Justice Minister
David Liba'i, new Labor MK and former Deputy Chief of Staff Matan
Vilna'i, Meimad leader Rabbi Michael Malkior, Labor MK Shlomo Ben Ami,
and others. 

Leading Labor MKs Yossi Beilin, Chaim Ramon, and Avraham Burg did not
attend the party's victory celebration last night.  They are
apparently upset that Prime Minister-elect Barak has not included them
in the coalition negotiations.  Barak, in fact, has not spoken with
Ramon since the election.  Possibly throwing salt on the wounds, Meir
Sheetrit of the Likud says that Beilin is not properly representing
Ehud Barak's position. Beilin had said that Barak should include in
his coalition only parties that accept the left's diplomatic platform.
 Sheetrit said that this is not his understanding of Barak's position,
and that in any event the Likud will join the government only on the
basis of agreed-upon - not dictated - guidelines.  Jerusalem Mayor
Ehud Olmert (Likud) expressed optimism that the Likud would join the
new government.

2. IN AND AROUND THE TALKS
MK Ra'anan Cohen, Secretary-General of the Labor party, told Arutz-7
today that Ehud Barak intends to form "a broad coalition that will
include the Likud and the National Religious Party."  Cohen said,
however, that Labor would not compromise on its principles to do so:
"We cannot compromise on our fundamental guidelines, but regarding
cabinet positions - we can always find a solution."  He dismissed
Finance Minister Meir Sheetrit's statement that the Likud would not
join a Labor-led coalition unless the government's guiding principles
are more closely aligned with Likud ideology:  "What would you expect
him to say?  We must remember that in politics, anything is possible,
and flexibility is the name of the game.  The issue is whether the
changes he's looking for are minimal or substantive," Cohen said. 

Number two on Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu Knesset list, MK
Yuri Stern, said that his party is prepared to meet with Labor
negotiators to discuss a coalition agreement, despite his party's
staunch right-wing principles:  "If Mr. Barak plans to form a broad
coalition, as he has promised, then there is a chance for Israel to
escape not unharmed, but with no more than minimal damage [from the
Oslo and Wye agreements]...  I hope that the upcoming meetings
represent a real desire on Barak's part to relate to these matters
seriously, and are not merely for show."

3. PORAT TO REMAIN IN KNESSET - MEANWHILE
The leadership of Tekumah has decided not to accept Chanan Porat's
request to resign from the Knesset - for now.  Porat said that since
he will not continue serving as Knesset Law Committee Chairman, he
feels that Tzvi Hendel - the next in line to replace him on the
National Union list - would be a more effective legislator.  The
party, however, decided that the resignation of Porat so soon after
that of Benny Begin would be interpreted as a sign of the
disintegration of the nationalist camp.

Chanan Porat explained his view on the matter to Arutz-7 today:  "My
intention to resign came not from a feeling of despair, or out of a
feeling that we had no followers, but solely in order to ensure that
Tzvi Hendel would get into the Knesset.  I began thinking about such a
possibility even before the elections, when I thought we might get
only five seats [Hendel is #6].  However, when I saw that certain
interested parties began to interpret this move as some sort of
'admission' that we had possibly erred by standing strong for the Land
of Israel, I realized that I should re-think the matter.  In addition,
I began to receive an barrage of phone calls from many people who said
that my resignation would be a breach of trust, etc.  In light of
such, the leadership of Tekumah convened yesterday for a couple of
hours, together with the rabbis who have been guiding us. Thank G-d,
their considerations are not personal, but are concerned only with
what is in the public interest and that which will Sanctify G-d's
Name.  It was decided that at this point, I would remain a Knesset
Member."

 Porat said that he was well aware of the counter-pressures upon him
to resign because of what some claim is his responsibility for the fall
of the Netanyahu government.  "These pressures do not come from those
who voted for us in the elections," he said.  "The 100,000 people who
voted for us feel very strongly that we acted correctly." 

Porat gave a quick review of the events leading to the fall of the
Netanyahu government:  "When Netanyahu went to Wye, I and my
colleagues in the National Religious Party told him quite clearly that
if he signs an agreement to give away portions of Eretz Yisrael, we
will topple him. Unfortunately, one of our number made sure to tell
him that we didn't really mean this...  Did anyone think that we
should then be a party to the formation of a Palestinian state?!" 

Arutz-7's Haggai Segal said, "You could have simply voted against the
agreement, but remained in the government."  Porat: "Yes, but this
would not have been a full utilization of our political power to
affect the events.  At that point, Netanyahu asked for a two-week
timeout, and we in fact backed him, and voted against the toppling of
the government.  We did not zig-zag: when he stopped Wye, we supported
him.  True, at that point Rehavam Ze'evi [then of the opposition
Moledet party, and now Porat's partner in the National Union]
continued to object to the government.  But Netanyahu's real problem
was that his own party [Likud] began to disintegrate - Mordechai was
waffling [as was Livnat], David Levy [and Ne'eman] had just left,
Meridor and Begin were already out...  He realized that he had to
start all over or else everything would crumble in his hands.  And so
he called new elections.  The attempt to attribute the fall of the
government to us is shaky, to say the least.  But this is not to say
that I regret our standing strong at the time.  We did what had to be
done."

Regarding the future, Porat said reflectively, "I tell you, 'Wondrous
are the ways of G-d.'  If Netanyahu would have been elected - and I
wanted him to win, because I saw him as the lesser of the evils - but
who knows if he wouldn't have been rushing by now to complete the Wye
Agreement.  On the other hand, Barak, who is certainly more to the
left of Netanyahu, is not as bad as some tried to portray him, and we
can't be sure that, out of his desire to reach a final arrangement,
and with his promise for a referendum, he won't lead to a delay of
some sort...  We will meet with [his representatives] tomorrow, and
explain to him the logic of combining the Wye Agreement with the final
status arrangement.  We will tell him that there is no reason to
unilaterally give up territories under the Wye Accords - this
miserable agreement that gives us nothing except for a Palestinian
state - but that we should instead first reach a final agreement that
will include everything, and if we ever reach such an agreement, it
can be brought in its entirety before the nation for a referendum."

4. BLAME THE MEDIA
Uri Elitzur, Director of Prime Minister Netanyahu's office, blamed the
media this morning for its crucial role in the downfall of Netanyahu.
"Hundreds of journalists said day in and day out that Bibi is a liar,
and in the end, they convinced the public," he said.  Elitzur received
support from unexpected quarters when Leah Rabin, speaking with famous
radio personality Razi Barkai today, said that even the press deserves
her thanks for its role in toppling "that bad government."  Shimon
Peres, too, interviewed by another top radio interviewer - Shelly
Yechimovitz - a few days before the elections, told her sarcastically,
"And when  you talk, it's not campaign propaganda?  You ask questions
in a particular direction."  Yechimovitz herself once said, "The press
is leftist.  The estrangement between the public and the press reaches
new heights every day"  (in Ma'ariv, Dec. 5, 1997), and, "The press
does not want Binyamin Netanyahu... and will work against Bibi" (
television program "Fact", Dec. 23, 1998).

Other quotes by journalists apropos the press' relationship with Prime
Minister Netanyahu:
 * "We've never been as mobilized [as we are now] to topple
 Netanyahu." -
Ron Meiberg, Ma'ariv, Oct. 17, 1997
 * "Left-wing journalists are not hostile to Netanyahu.  Hostile is a
 mild word.  They hate him, they hold him in contempt, and to a certain
degree they spread false information about him." - Yaakov Achimeir,
Jerusalem Post, March 26, 1999
 * "There is a group of left-wing journalists in whose eyes everything
 that the left does is good and democratic, and everything the right-wing
does is contaminated with wickedness..." - Mati Golan, "7 Nights,"
Apr. 2, '99

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

Date:          Tue, 25 May 1999 18:39:59 +0300
To:            arutz-7@a7.org
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, May 25, 1999

Arutz Sheva News Service
     <http://www.a7.org>
Tuesday, May 25, 1999 / Sivan 10, 5759
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
  1. LIKUD TO BE "#1 PARTNER"; SHAS DIGS IN
  2. SHAS INSTITUTIONS
  3. MEDIA SLEEPING ON THE JOB? 
  4. NETANYAHU MAY RESIGN FROM KNESSET
  5. SYRIA IS CAUTIOUS ABOUT BARAK

1. LIKUD TO BE "#1 PARTNER"; SHAS DIGS IN
The Likud leadership, consisting of Ministers Arens, Livnat, Katzav,
and Shalom, met this afternoon with the One Israel coalition
negotiating team in the Dan Accadia Hotel in Herzliyah, and were told,
"You will be our top choice for the coalition."  Not all of the Likud
is so excited about the possibility, however.  MK Yisrael Katz said
this morning that the Likud need not serve as Ehud Barak's
subcontractor for withdrawals from the Land of Israel.  Katz plans to
run against Ariel Sharon - who is basically in favor of joining
Barak's government - for acting chairman of the Likud on Thursday.
Minister Silvan Shalom, before beginning this afternoon's talks with
One Israel, said that if Labor is planning to dictate the terms, Likud
would not join the government.  Leading Labor MK Shlomo Ben-Ami
confirmed wide-spread reports today that Barak plans to establish "as
broad a government as possible" to support his policies. Ben-Ami said,
"We learned our lesson from the Rabin government." 

Shas party representatives were slated to begin coalition talks after
the Likud this afternoon.  They first presented a position paper,
however, saying that they would not enter into real negotiations "in
the current atmosphere of incitement" against the party.  Ehud Barak
also scheduled meetings today with all those Labor Knesset Members who
wish to be appointed Ministers in his new government.  These include
Shimon Peres, Ephraim Sneh, Uzi Baram, Yossi Beilin, Chaim Ramon,
Dalia Itzik, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, and Avraham Burg.

One Israel's coalition talks began today with the Arab list of Azmi
Bishara and Ahmed Tibi.  The latter confirmed today that his party
leader MK Bishara did in fact reach an agreement with One Israel's
Yossi Beilin prior to the election.  The Likud had charged that a
secret agreement was forged between Barak's representatives and
Bishara, in exchange for the latter's withdrawal from the Prime
Ministerial 36 hours before the election.  Tibi confirmed this when he
arrived for coalition talks with One Israel today. One Israel sources
denied the story at the time, but Tibi said today, "We'll show them
the promises now, and we'll see if they deny them!"

2. SHAS INSTITUTIONS
The headlines of Israel's top two daily papers present
seemingly-contradictory reports on the reaction by Shas to demands for
Aryeh Deri's complete resignation from the party.  (Deri resigned from
the Knesset last week, and from the political leadership of Shas, but
not from his other positions in the party.)  Yediot Acharonot's
headline blared, "Deri prepared to resign from all of his positions in
Shas," while Ma'ariv wrote, "Shas rejects any demand that it
disassociate itself from Aryeh Deri."  Ma'ariv political correspondent
Menachem Rahat reconciled the conflict for Arutz-7 today:  "These are
two sides of the same coin. For external consumption, Shas is saying
that it is prepared to end its relationship with Deri, in line with
the Meretz ultimatum - so that it may be able to join the coalition.
But the party's inner circles admit that Deri will in actuality
continue to be active in Shas.  There is really no separating Deri
from Shas."

Arutz-7's Haggai Segal asked, "Is Shas not considering the possibility
of remaining outside of the coalition?"  Rahat responded: "No.  Shas
learned a lot from the National Religious Party over the years,
namely, how to build institutions that are dependent on the government
for their survival." Segal challenged this, noting that though the NRP
was not a member of the Labor government for four years, it survived
quite well and even strengthened its standing in the 1996 elections.
Rahat responded:
 "True, but the NRP had options that Shas does not have. When the NRP
 was
being 'dried up,' it turned to other sources, like donations from
Diaspora Jews. It also received more tuition money from parents
committed to sending their children to the Hesder yeshivot, Yeshiva
high schools and girls' seminaries.  But support for Shas comes
specifically because it provides a long school day, hot food, and
transportation - all for next to nothing! Should Shas remain outside
of the coalition, it would be forced to extract 800-1000 shekels per
child from [low-income families]."  This is exactly why Meretz,
Shinui, and even the NRP are interested in not having Shas in the
coalition, Rahat added. "Even if Shas does join the coalition, life
just won't be the same.  Any money allotted to it in a left-wing
coalition will be placed under a microscope.  It has been accurately
said that Shas today, with 17 Knesset seats, is worth much less than
the 10-seat Shas under Netanyahu."  Shas MK Shlomo Benizri said today,
however, that it "would not be the end of the world" if Shas were to
remain outside the coalition.

3. MEDIA SLEEPING ON THE JOB?
MK Doron Shmueli (Likud) accused the media of "falling asleep at their
posts" today, and brought several examples: "Netanyahu conducted his
coalition negotiations from the Knesset. Why is no issue being made of
the fact that the current talks are being held in a five-star hotel?
Who is paying for all the rooms that are being used for this purpose?
In addition, why is nothing being made of Barak's intention to enlarge
the government by 1/3 - from 18 ministers to 24 ministers? This will
cost the taxpayer an arm and a leg, and for no reason." 

Yediot Acharonot reported today that Barak's rooms are being paid for
by the government, while One Israel is paying for the other rooms.
The Movement for Quality in Government has asked Barak not to enlarge
the government, saying that such a move is "wasteful, inefficient, and
not in accordance with the findings of the Gabbai Committee, which
recommended decreasing the number of ministers to 14."  The
organization wrote that coalition considerations are not important
enough to justify increasing the number of ministers.

4. NETANYAHU MAY RESIGN FROM KNESSET
Top aides of Binyamin Netanyahu deny media reports that the outgoing
Prime Minister and his staff have been sitting idly since the election
loss. Netanyahu's press secretary Aviv Bushinsky said that the Prime
Minister continues to constantly receive security updates, and is
working to make the transition period as smooth as possible.  Uri
Elitzur, head of the Prime Minister's Office, told Arutz-7 today, "The
press is simply continuing its policy of the past three years of
saying whatever it wants about Netanyahu, whether true or not...  He
is in fact quite functional, meeting with government ministers and the
like, and will be holding a Cabinet meeting as well.  The media
reported that he is 'closed up in his house' - but the truth is that
he spent exactly one and a half days in his house after the election,
but since then has worked as usual.  The only difference is that he
has instructed that intelligence and security reports be transferred
to Ehud Barak as well." 

Neither Bushinsky nor Elitzur could say with certainty whether
Netanyahu will resign from the Knesset on Thursday, as has been
reported.  Elitzur said that it is important for the public to know
that it is not up to the Prime Minister to "re-make" the media.  "It
is up to the public," he said. "They can make the difference, by
supporting right-wing publications, and by getting involved in
journalism themselves." 

Signs were hung in Jerusalem overnight, reading, "Thank you Bibi.  The
nation will yet miss you."  Dr. Eli Pollack, Chairman of Professors
for a Strong Israel, wrote the Prime Minister a letter, saying, "Thank
you for your tremendous efforts on behalf of the People of Israel, the
Land of Israel, and the State of Israel...  The pressures upon you
from all directions - at home, around the world, and from the media -
were unprecedented in the history of our country.  Despite this,
you... brought security, a free and smart economic system..."

5. SYRIA IS CAUTIOUS ABOUT BARAK
Syria has released its first official statement in reaction to the
election of Ehud Barak.  Damascus says that it is still too early to
come to any conclusions regarding the next step in the peace process,
but that "some of Barak's expressed positions since the elections are
a good reason to behave with a certain degree of caution and not come
to hasty conclusions." Nevertheless, Syria is "prepared" to renew
talks with Israel on the future of the Golan Heights from the "point
at which talks were stopped" with the Rabin-Peres government three
years ago.  Arab leaders have conducted feverish talks regarding
Barak's victory over the past few days, in an effort to present a
united front for the upcoming Israeli-Arab negotiations. 

U.S.A. Today reports that Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat have already
reached an agreement on the division of Jerusalem.  The paper, basing
itself on Israeli and Palestinian sources, says that the agreement
gives Arafat control of 150,000 Palestinians, plus Christian and
Muslim holy sites. Barak, the paper tells, will not object to the
declaration of a Palestinian state with its capital in the Jerusalem
suburb of Abu Dis. One Israel strenuously denies the report.  Yossi
Beilin, a leading candidate for a ministerial post in Barak's
government, met yesterday with Feisal Husseini.
 Beilin's spokesman told IMRA that the meeting dealt with Husseini's
complaints about increased Jewish construction in Israel's capital,
and that Barak was not apprised of the meeting.

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