To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, June 22, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Tuesday, June 22, 1999 / Tammuz 8, 5759
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. LIKUD, REPLACING SHAS, REPORTS COALITION PROGRESS
2. WATER: ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AND NEGEV-GALILEE TENSIONS
1. LIKUD, REPLACING SHAS, REPORTS COALITION PROGRESS
The stalemate between One Israel and Shas - apparently over the
Interior Ministry portfolio - appears to be real, and has resulted in
a renewal of talks between Ehud Barak and the Likud's Ariel Sharon.
The latter briefed his party colleagues on his contacts with Barak
last night, and reported that Barak had agreed to a national
referendum on the final status with the Palestinians and on a
withdrawal from the Golan. Barak also agreed to implement all
decisions made by the Netanyahu government, and to form joint
Labor-Likud ministerial committees for the continued negotiations with
the Palestinians. Labor's David Liba'i said that the talks with the
Likud are "genuine" and are not meant merely to pressure Shas. One
Israel and Likud negotiators are meeting this afternoon.
Resultant hints of Shas pliability were sounded by MK Nissim Ze'ev on
Arutz-7 today: "Shas was in control of the Interior when it had 10
MKs, so certainly with our 17 of today there is no reason why the same
situation should not continue." Arutz-7's Haggai Segal said, "There
is a reason. This was a major issue of the elections. If the Labor
people give you the Interior, and also give in on the issue of
drafting yeshiva students, they will look quite foolish in the eyes of
their voters." Ze'ev: "It could be that if all other things work out,
we could make a comprise on the Interior, but since we have not yet
come to an agreement on other substantive issues, our original demands
remain in place."
Prior to today's One Israel-Likud meeting, Labor MK Yossi Beilin said,
"If the Likud continues to hold that under no circumstances will there
be a Palestinian state, or a withdrawal from the Golan, then it cannot
join our coalition. But if they back off on these points, then they
definitely can be a partner." Arutz-7 correspondent Kobi Sela reports
that many Likud leaders - such as MK Ruby Rivlin - are against joining
the government, preferring to use the time in the opposition to
rehabilitate the party instead. Rivlin appeared to express
satisfaction at the fact that Barak is "back to square one in his
efforts to form a government." Ariel Sharon would like to lead the
Likud into the government, and his main challenger, Ehud Olmert, is
also in favor, though to a lesser degree. "Olmert is a bit wary of
the senior ministerial position that Sharon will receive," according
to Sela.
Other coalition fronts are also problematic for Prime Minister-elect
Barak. United Torah Judaism denies that real progress has been made on the
yeshiva-draft issue. Meretz announced this morning that it is
freezing its coalition talks with One Israel, until after arrangements
are finalized with Shas and the Likud. This afternoon, after Ariel
Sharon announced the "achievements" he reached with Barak, Meretz said
that it would not sit in a government that will carry out Netanyahu's
policies.
Arutz-7 correspondent Yehoshua Mor-Yosef observed [before the
Likud-One Israel meeting], "Only 15 days remain before Barak must
present a coalition, and negotiations on almost all fronts are
stalled. He is now being criticized for not having been smart enough
to form a narrow government skeleton right after the elections, after
which he could have invited the other parties, from a position of
strength, to join up. Even a narrow government of 61 MKs is now
beyond his grasp, since the NRP announced last week that it would not
be the only religious party in the coalition."
********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, June 23, 1999
Reply-to: netnews@a7.org
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Wednesday, June 23, 1999 / Tammuz 9, 5759
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. LIKUD AGREES TO GUIDELINES, BLAMES NRP
2. NRP REFUSES "ALL OR NOTHING" APPROACH
3. PA NOT FULFILLING WATER OBLIGATIONS
4. PA WILL PREVENT JEWISH PRAYER AT MACHPELAH TOMBS
1. LIKUD AGREES TO GUIDELINES, BLAMES NRP
The eulogies over Ehud Barak's coalition negotiations appear to have
been premature, following marathon night-long meetings between One
Israel and other parties - particularly the Likud. The Prime
Minister-elect and the Likud's Ariel Sharon have apparently reached an
agreement on coalition guidelines, based on those previously drafted
with the National Religious Party. These guidelines mention
"territories for peace" as the basis for negotiations with Syria,
prompting Golan leaders to arrive at the Knesset late this afternoon
in an attempt to dissuade the Likud negotiators from agreeing to this
formulation. The Likud, however, is in fact leaning towards joining
the government under these guidelines.
A senior Likud source said that it is "hard for us to re-open this
issue with One Israel after the NRP already agreed to it." The NRP,
which itself is very close to a coalition agreement (see next
article), claims that it achieved major changes in the guidelines,
such as construction on Har Homa and the erasure of the clause calling
for an end to benefits to Yesha communities.
Shas has apparently ceded its claim to the Interior Ministry, and
would instead like the Housing portfolio - which the Likud also wants.
Coalition meetings with all potential partners, except for Shas, will
take place today and tonight. United Torah Judaism has rejected an
ultimatum by Ehud Barak, who said that if UTJ does not accept his
latest formulation of the yeshiva-draft issue, the party will not be
included in the government. Another night-long round of talks may be
held tonight, and leaders of the various parties have been asked to
remain in close proximity to Jerusalem. A coalition with the Likud but
without Shas would include Meretz and even Shinui, up to a grand total
of 85 MKs.
Likud MK Yisrael Katz, who accused Sharon on television last night of
planning to bolt the party and join One Israel immediately after the
expected election defeat, said today that the only reason why his
Likud colleagues want to join the government is for personal benefit.
Sharon vehemently denied what he called the "concocted charges"
leveled by Katz, saying they are "a dagger in the back of the Likud"
while the party is involved in complex negotiations. MK Naomi
Blumental said today, "Read my lips: It would be a great mistake for
us to join the government. There is no reasonable way that we and
Meretz can agree on the same guidelines." She admitted, however, that
in the end Sharon's proposal to join the government would probably be
accepted by the Likud Central Committee, "because of the general
desire for unity, reconciliation, and the like."
2. NRP REFUSES "ALL OR NOTHING" APPROACH
A coalition agreement between One Israel and the NRP is reportedly
closer now than ever. MK Rabbi Chaim Druckman told Arutz-7 today, "A
final agreement is close, and the guidelines are almost ready, but not
100%. In the final analysis, this is not a simple government [for
us], and we are trying to protect religious and national matters."
Arutz-7's Haggai Segal, "The Likud wished to insert some changes in
the same guidelines to which your party had already agreed. How is it
that the Likud is more right-wing than you?" Rabbi Druckman
responded, "When we attempted to insist on certain issues, we were
told that even the previous [Likud] government didn't agree to them,
so how could the new government?" He admitted that the most painful
and unfortunate aspects of the government's guidelines are those that
mention UN resolutions 242 and 338 - "territories for peace" - as the
basis of negotiations with the Syrians on the future of the Golan
Heights. "Again, we were told that [former Likud Prime Ministers]
Netanyahu and Shamir already agreed to these in the past, so what do
we expect? It's true that they [the Likud] went with the Israeli
explanation of withdrawal from 'some territories' and not from 'all
the territories,' but for me there is no difference." Explaining why
the NRP is joining such a coalition, he said, "We are trying not to
adopt an 'all or nothing' approach. If we would have had ten MKs,
things would have been different. But the public gave us only five...
[a jab at the national-religious voters - ed.]"
Rabbi Druckman continued, "I must point out that things are not all
black: First of all, the difference between the guidelines when we
first saw them and the way they are now is tremendous - like day and
night. Regarding the Golan, Barak had already agreed to a referendum,
but we insisted on, and received, a stipulation that a withdrawal from
the Golan be contingent upon an absolute majority of 61 MKs. In
addition, during the interim period until the final status talks, no
new Yesha communities will be established and no existing ones will be
harmed."
3. PA NOT FULFILLING WATER OBLIGATIONS
Not only are the Palestinian accusations against Israel regarding
water supply totally false, but the Palestinian Authority is not
adhering to its own Oslo commitments in this matter. So say
high-ranking officials in the Civil Administration in Judea and
Samaria. The Administration cut off three illegal Palestinian water
connections in the Hevron area two days ago, prompting the PA to blame
Israel for "trying to dry up the Palestinians." Arutz-7's
correspondent Haggai Huberman said that the opposite is true:
"The Civil Administration specifically decided this week that despite
the general water shortage in the area, and despite the fact that Israel
has reduced water quotas to some Israeli settlements, and even to
Jordan, it continues to allow the required amount of water to stream
freely in the autonomous areas. The PA, on the other hand, has not
fulfilled its own water-related obligations. For instance, the
Palestinians received rights to parts of the eastern aquifer, near the
Herodion (east of Gush Etzion), in return for which the PA was to
develop more water sources there and construct a piping system to
improve supply to Bethlehem and Hevron - but this has not been done.
There are many other similar examples, where the PA received funds
from the contributing countries to upgrade the water infrastructure in
the autonomy, but did not do so."
4. PA WILL PREVENT JEWISH PRAYER AT MACHPELAH TOMBS
Hevron's Deputy Mayor Kamal Dweik provided some insights yesterday
into how the Machpelah Cave - one of Judaism's most ancient and holy
sites - will look if Hevron is abandoned by Israel. "It is a mosque,
not a synagogue," Dweik said, explaining why Jewish prayer would not
be allowed. "It will be open to all visitors. It will not be
divided. It is a mosque. Not a church. Not a synagogue. It is a
mosque. It will be returned to being a mosque and the Jews who want
to visit the mosque are welcome [but not to pray]. Jewish prayer
would mean that it is a synagogue... And we refuse this thing. But to
visit the Tomb of Abraham and the others, as visitors, that's OK."
The Bible recounts that six of Judaism's Patriarchs and Matriarchs -
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah - are buried at the
Machpelah Cave, which was bought "for the full price" by Abraham for
the purpose. Interviewer Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA asked Dweik, "Would
you expect there to be a set-up again for the Jews to pray outside the
building?" The Deputy Mayor responded, "Before 1948 the Jews were
praying outside. Nobody said no." He said that this would be the
arrangement under Palestinian Authority rule.
***********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, June 24, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Thursday, June 24, 1999 / Tammuz 10, 5759
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. WORDS, NOT SUBSTANCE, IN BARAK AND ASSAD EXCHANGE
2. KATYUSHAS IN GALILEE
3. PA TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST YESHA SUPPLIERS
4. SHAS LEADERS EXPECTED TO GIVE UP ON INTERIOR
5. GOLAN LEADERS GEAR UP
1. WORDS, NOT SUBSTANCE, IN BARAK AND ASSAD EXCHANGE
Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak and Syrian President Assad have
exchanged "peaceful" messages, via the good offices of British
journalist Patrick Seale - Assad's biographer and confidante. Barak
said that he sees Syria as "the key to stability in the region."
Yesterday, Barak invited Assad to forge "a peace of the courageous" -
often understood as a byword for 'Israeli concessions.' Ha'aretz
quotes Barak as saying that the talks between the Rabin government and
Syria had failed "because Syria did not understand the seriousness of
Rabin's proposals regarding an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan."
Arab affairs expert Guy Bechor said that the compliments exchanged by
Barak and Assad are "nice, and a welcome change, and may even have a
momentum of their own. But in reality, nothing has changed. Assad's
tough positions are the same, and Barak - who himself is not anxious
to withdraw from the Golan - does not even know what the orientation
of his own government will be." Bechor repeated his oft-stated
opinion that in truth, Assad is not interested in an agreement with
Israel, which would shake up his entire regime, but only "in a peace
'process,' which could take years..."
2. KATYUSHAS IN GALILEE
Katyusha rockets were fired towards the northern and western Galilee
this afternoon, causing damage and fires in homes. One woman was
injured and taken to the hospital. Foreign sources report from
Lebanon that a woman was injured in the village of Kabriha north of
the security zone, during an exchange of fire by SLA fighters and
Hizbullah terrorists. Israeli Northern Command sources note that
Hizbullah has used Kabriha, and other civilian villages, as bases from
which to fire upon SLA and IDF outposts - in blatant violation of the
Grapes of Wrath understandings.
3. PA TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST YESHA SUPPLIERS
The Palestinian Authority continues its efforts to prevent
Palestinians from working in Yesha communities. Arutz-7's Haggai
Huberman reports that a new body calling itself "The Office of
Protection of the Homeland and Opposition to the Settlements" has
requested Arab residents of Samaria to submit the names of builders,
truckers, and other companies that provide services to the Yesha
communities. The information will be passed by the Shechem-based
organization to a body formed by the PA Legislative Council, which
intends to take legal action against the Palestinians in question.
4. SHAS LEADERS EXPECTED TO GIVE UP ON INTERIOR
The Shas Torah Sages are convened in the Jerusalem home of Shas leader
Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef - for over two hours, so far - where they are
expected to decide not to press the party's demand for the Interior
Ministry. The expected concession will pave the way for continued
negotiations with Shas, which stalled because of the Interior Ministry
impasse. Commentators see this as the second consecutive "defeat" for
Shas, following the forced resignation of Aryeh Deri as party leader.
Shas senior Eli Suissa said that an agreement between One Israel and
the religious parties on the issue of drafting yeshiva students is
practically ready.
Likud MK Ruby Rivlin commented today on the coalition negotiations
between his party and One Israel. "The main sticking point is how
decisions will be made, not only in politics but also economically and
regarding the settlements. We want to ensure that we will have a
strong voice in these decisions." Rivlin has been outspokenly in
favor of the Likud remaining in the opposition.
Ehud Barak will meet with his party colleagues, to brief them on the
status of negotiations with the Likud. Many of them are not happy
with the intention to include the Likud in the coalition, nor with the
resultant dearth of ministerial portfolios that await them.
5. GOLAN LEADERS GEAR UP
Avi Ze'ira, head of the Golan Residents Committee, is not happy about
the government guidelines that appear to be taking shape. "We met
yesterday with the Likud," he told Arutz-7 today, "and we have been
meeting with all the parties that are scheduled to take part in the
Barak government. Our position is that the guidelines should indicate
a desire to preserve the Golan as part of Israel. Unfortunately, this
is not the case. The guidelines are rather based on Resolution 242 -
'territories for peace' - which means that the negotiations with Syria
will begin with pre-conditions implying a withdrawal. The previous
government's guidelines stated that full Israeli sovereignty over the
Golan is a pre-condition for an agreement with Syria - we understand
that we cannot ask for that, given the new political reality, but we
demand that at least the talks should not be predicated on a certain
withdrawal."
Ze'ira said that the Likud was not particularly open to hearing these
points: "Some of the Likud people appear to have given up already,
while others tend to blame the NRP for having already agreed to
guidelines mentioning 242 as a basis for talks with Syria...
Basically, the Likud seems ready to crawl into the government under
almost any conditions. Some will explain it as an attempt to
influence from within, but we know that their presence in the
government will simply legitimize any decision by Barak to withdraw
from the Golan." Ze'ira said, "Our only hope is that the parties that
still see the importance of our presence in the Golan will work hard
to prevent this catastrophe, namely, a full withdrawal from the entire
Golan and the destruction of everything that we have worked for in the
past 32 years."
Golan residents have traditionally kept their issue separate from that
of Judea and Samaria, but doubts have again begun to be raised about
the wisdom of this approach. Former Tzomet MK Moshe Peled, at a
recent gathering of Golan Committee members, said that it is time that
the campaign for the Golan be joined with that for Yesha. On the
other hand, Marla Van Meter, the English spokesperson for the Golan
Residents Committee, told Arutz-7's Ron Meir last night, "We are
against the uprooting of communities anywhere as part of a peace
arrangement. We believe that the realities of people's homes,
communities and livelihoods must be a part of the peace process, that
people are not expendable and must be respected. Many of our number
are quite active on behalf of Yesha.
However, the Golan Committee represents all the different communities
in the Golan, and we must keep our goals very specific, in terms of
preserving Israeli sovereignty here and ensuring that the settlements
here are not harmed."
***********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@a7.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@a7.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, June 25,
1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.a7.org>
Friday, June 25, 1999 / Tammuz 11, 5759
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. MINI-WAR IN LEBANON
2. TWO COALITION AGREEMENTS INITIALED
3. ARAB GROUPS SPLIT OVER SYRIAN CONTROL OF LEBANON
4. ISRAELIS USING UP KINERET WATER
1. MINI-WAR IN LEBANON
"If Hizbullah does not let up on its katyusha attacks, then - our
planes are armed, the targets are ready, the pilots are on alert,
their capabilities are known, and we will strike." So said IDF Chief
of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha'ul Mofaz today, following the wide-ranging
Israeli attacks on Lebanon which began yesterday afternoon and ended
early this morning. "We have bombed communications centers, power
stations, three bridges, and more, to a very great extent - all in
order to make very clear to Hizbullah that we will not tolerate their
shelling targets within Israel and hitting our population in the
north. I hope that this message was understood, and though we have no
interest in escalation, we will continue this policy if we have to."
The IDF attacks were launched following two rounds of katyusha attacks
on the Galilee yesterday. The Israeli attacks intensified following
two additional Hizbullah katyusha attacks on Kiryat Shemonah around
midnight that left two Israeli citizens dead and one in critical
condition. Shimon Elimelech, 45, will be laid to rest in Kiryat
Shemonah this afternoon - the military authorities have asked that the
funeral be small, as residents are required to remain in the bomb
shelters - and Toni Zanna, 36, will be buried in Ashdod on Sunday.
Four other residents of the north were lightly wounded in the attacks.
Food is being distributed to the citizens in the shelters by
government offices, under the supervision of an Industry and Trade
Ministry team.
The Israeli attacks were as follows (beginning from the most recent):
4:45 AM this morning - on a communication station south of Damour.
2:45 AM - on a power station in eastern Beirut. Electricity is still
out in many areas. 12:30 AM - on three bridges south of Beirut. 11:00
PM last night - on terrorist bases in Baalbek. 9:40 PM - on two
terrorist targets south of the Litani River. 9:00 PM - on a power
station providing power to Beirut, south-east of Beirut (the first
direct attack in the Beirut area since 1996). late yesterday
afternoon - on terrorist targets in the Zabkin area north of the
western security zone.
The Peace Bloc has blamed the deaths in Kiryat Shemonah on the
outgoing government's "daredevil policies." Chief of Staff Mofaz
belied this yesterday when he said that previous IDF recommendations
for retaliation for Hizbullah attacks had been rebuffed by the
government. "To my regret, in the past two instances we did not
react, as a result of a decision of the politicians. This is
legitimate." Mofaz added, "The IDF is obligated to its mission to
defend the residents of North and deter Hizbullah... this is more
difficult due to the fiery public debate regarding our continued
presence in Lebanon."
2. TWO COALITION AGREEMENTS INITIALED
Ehud Barak's One Israel party initialed coalition agreements with the
National Religious Party and Yisrael B'Aliyah this morning. The NRP
will receive the Housing Ministry, the office of Deputy Minister in
the Education Ministry with extensive authorities, and the
chairmanship of a Knesset Committee. Rabbi Yitzchak Levy said that he
will resign his Knesset seat upon becoming Minister of Housing.
Sha'ul Yahalom, who will serve as Deputy Minister under Meretz MK
Yossi Sarid - who will be appointed Education Minister - will be
responsible for the Religious Education Department, and will receive
other responsibilities, in coordination with Sarid.
Yisrael B'Aliyah will receive the Interior Ministry, as well as an
expanded office of Deputy Minister in the Immigration Ministry. One
Israel's talks with the Likud will resume tomorrow night.
Negotiations between One Israel and Shas have broken down. Shas
Deputy Minister Shlomo Benizri said that it looks like Shas is on its
way into the opposition. Aryeh Deri and family will spend the Shabbat
at the home of Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, as a sign that reports of tensions
between them are false.
3. ARAB GROUPS SPLIT OVER SYRIAN CONTROL OF LEBANON
The Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has begun a campaign
against proposed American legislation calling on Syria to withdraw
from Lebanon. Major Lebanese-American groups, such as the World
Lebanese Organization (WLO) and the Council of Lebanese American
Organizations, are calling this ADC campaign "adding insult to
injury." The legislation, proposed by New York Congressman Michael
Forbes, asks the U.S. Administration to pressure Syrian forces out of
Lebanon. The bill specifically accuses Syria of occupying Lebanon,
oppressing its civilian population, sponsoring terrorism, and drug
trafficking.
The WLO charged that "Arabist lobbies in America, who [espouse] the
policies and interests of the Arab regimes, including the Baathist
fascist regime of Hafez Assad, are waging a counter-offensive of
political intimidation [against] the bill. The ADC subverts the
meaning of the bill and throws political lies and revisionist 'facts'
as a way of undermining this historic document. It is not a
coincidence that the ADC release and other similar Arabist attacks in
the U.S. were synchronized with releases appearing in the fascist
press of Damascus, Baghdad, Tripoli, Iran, and Syrian-dominated
Beirut."
The ADC's campaign is entitled, "Oppose Bill to Penalize Lebanon and
Syria for Close Relations." The WLO writes that the title itself
indicates "ADC's aim at subverting the truth. For the bill's
objective is to end Syria's occupation of Lebanon, not to penalize
Lebanon and Syria for close relations. These so-called 'close
relations' are a slogan used by the Syrian intelligence service to
cover up for the presence of 40,000 Syrian soldiers in Lebanon." The
WLO also notes other misleading statements in the ADC press release,
such as the implication that there is no distinction between the
presence of Syrian and Israeli military forces in Lebanon. "ADC does
not admit that Israel exercises no control over the Government of
Lebanon and that in 1998 offered to withdraw unilaterally from the
security zone in return for security guarantees. ADC does not even
admit that Syria has never recognized Lebanon's independence, or
exchanged ambassadors with Lebanon, and is effectively dictating the
major policies and actions of the Government of Lebanon."
4. ISRAELIS USING UP KINERET WATER
Water experts have expressed disappointment with the fact that
Israelis have not reduced their water consumption despite the severe
drought. They warn that if water continues to be wasted, the level of
the Kineret sea will fall below the 'red line' as early as this
summer. At present, the water surface is only 85 centimeters above
the lowest acceptable level.
**********************************************************************