To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz Sheva Editor <neteditor@arutzsheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, November 10, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Wednesday, November 10, 1999 / Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. MAON FARM IS NO MORE
2. WHAT ABOUT THE ARABS?
3. OTHER REACTIONS
4. ISRAEL TO HAND OVER ANOTHER 5% NEXT WEEK
1. MAON FARM IS NO MORE
The Maon farm was evacuated and destroyed this morning. Prime
Minister Barak said afterwards, "There were in Maon a few moonstruck
and extremist people who do not understand what democracy is. No one
will teach me what love of Eretz Yisrael is." MK Rehavam Ze'evi
(National Union), who was present during the evacuation, said, "The
houses here have been destroyed. The Labor Party, which used to excel
at building and creativeness, has now shown us a fine example of
destruction." He said that instead of crushing terrorism as he
promised, Barak has used terror against the settlers. Industry and
Trade Minister Ran Cohen (Meretz), expressing his anger at Ze'evi and
the settlers, demanded the uprooting of "the other 42 outposts."
The Yesha Council called upon Barak to now use the same force
against Arabs who build illegally in Israeli-controlled territory.
Almost all of the 47 Maon settlers who were arrested during the
evacuation were released in the course of the day, after being
questioned. The police have asked that the custody of Baruch Marzel
and Yehoshafat Tor, who led the campaign to resist the evacuation, be
extended. The police accuse the two of assaulting soldiers and
preventing policemen and soldiers from carrying out their duties.
The evacuation of the farm at Maon by the IDF began at around 4 AM
this morning, and lasted some 7 hours. IDF soldiers were deployed
nearby to prevent the return of the settlers to the outpost, as they
have promised to do. One of the farm's founders, Yehoshafat Tor, was
removed from a room in which he had fortified himself with a gas
canister. Police Commander Yitzchak Aharonovitch, who supervised the
evacuation on behalf of the police, said that no one was injured
during the operation, and that the smooth and respectable fashion in
which it was carried out was "a badge of honor to the evacuators and
the evacuatees." The IDF Hevron Division Commander said that the
synagogue would not be razed, but would rather be dismantled in
accordance with Jewish Law.
MK Ze'evi, the last to be removed, said that he does not blame the
police, who were fulfilling their duty, "although they did it a bit
briskly and forcefully, in my case - but that was their job, while our
job is to return and settle the Land of Israel." Arutz-7's Effie Meir
reported from Maon that some of the settlers were dragged away, while
others left on their own volition, "with tears and/or shouts and/or
kissing the ground."
Prime Minister Barak rejected a plea by Ministers Yesha (Shas),
Sharansky (Yisrael B'Aliyah), and Y. Levy (NRP) last night to postpone
the evacuation for another ten days in order to find a compromise.
Barak told them that a solution had been sought for the last number of
weeks, and that the time for evacuation had now come.
Itai Harel, one of the leaders of the Dor Hemshekh organization,
described the scene of the farm's uprooting: "When the soldiers
arrived at around 3:30 in the morning, we all gathered around some of
the buildings, and some were reciting Psalms... A soldier asked me if
I was willing to leave, I said no, and they took me out, and brought
me to Kiryat Arba. I then walked back [part of the way]... As far as
we're concerned, this is a temporary evacuation, and this site will
yet be a thriving community, with G-d's help..." When asked if the
soldiers had acted unnecessarily forcefully, Harel responded, "The
soldiers were OK, but in two cases, policemen acted totally brutally.
Aside from that, the police - who are not to blame for their presence
there; it's the fault of the government - acted responsibly."
Harel said that the settlers never had any plans to use violence -
"just the opposite. We wanted to hold on to the land, because it
belongs to the Jewish People. We knew that if they take us away,
we'll simply return another time. I can't tell you exactly how it
will work, but I know that just like in Artis in Beit El and Givat
HaDagan in Efrat there were evacuations, and yet neighborhoods are now
being built there. Here too the story will be the same."
2. WHAT ABOUT THE ARABS?
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh, one of the driving forces in the
government behind the evacuation, told Arutz-7, "The evacuation is
not the goal, but is rather the means to ascertain that the rule of
law is implemented, and that individuals do not force their will on
the government of Israel."
"If the goal is to enforce the law," asked Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane,
"why were the Arabs who live in the same range of IDF fire as the Maon
farm not evacuated, as the government promised?" Sneh: "First of
all, they were evacuated. Secondly, it's the government's job to
decide whom to evacuate and whom not... the government evacuates
whomever it wishes to evacuate. Hundreds of illegal Arab structures in
Judea and Samaria have been razed over the past few years, and some of
them in the past year."
Sneh's statement that the Arabs living near Maon were in fact
evacuated conflicts with other reports. MK Ze'evi told Arutz-7's
Yosef Zalmanson that the government violated a promise it made to the
Yesha Council - to quietly evacuate the Arabs before uprooting the
Jews - and did not evacuate the Arabs. Within the Yesha Council
itself, some sources confirmed Sneh's report, while others backed
Ze'evi. A third version was heard from Maon sources: Some of the
Arabs were in fact quietly evacuated several days ago, but they
managed to return.
3. OTHER REACTIONS
Minister Eli Yeshai of Shas expressed his regret that Prime Minister
Barak did not accede to his suggestion to continue to seek a
compromise: "It is unacceptable for [the government] to come like
thieves in the middle of the night, to evacuate families... The
pictures we saw were totally unnecessary. Moreover, one of the most
serious matters, from my perspective, is that government ministers
have started calling for the uprooting of all the outposts, insisting
that the settlers be punished. We haven't seen the Prime Minister set
any deadlines for the reduction of the Palestinian forces or the
gathering of illegal weapons in the PA. For them, there are no
deadlines, but in everything relating to [Israel's commitments], there
are deadlines?!"
Yesha Council leader Benny Kashriel was asked how he could criticise
the evacuation, if the Yesha Council agreed to it in advance? He
responded, "I think that the Prime Minister should have adhered to the
call by the three government ministers to delay the evacuation for a
week so that the residents might leave on their own volition. To see
soldiers taking away people who are trying to hold on to the land is
not a happy sight... It's too bad that he didn't wait a little more.
On the other hand, I can't agree with remarks like those expressed by
MK Ze'evi... who said that Barak used 'terror' against the residents.
I don't think that the Prime Minister should be accused of such
things. We knew in advance that if they would not leave on their
own, they would be taken out by force. It was a heart-rending sight,
but words like those need not be used. Furthermore, we were engaged in
dialogue with Barak, and we made a great deal, with 32 outposts
receiving government approval. Having said that, I would like to say
something about MK Ran Cohen - I purposely call him MK and not
Minister because he is acting like a simple oppositionary MK instead
of a Minister of a government of the entire country. His statements
are provocations that could lead to incitement, divisiveness, and
civil war."
Kashriel said that although he regretted the strong resistance shown
at Maon today- "it would have been better if they would have left on
their own" - he is "encouraged by the fact that we have a beautiful
Dor Hemshekh [Next Generation], one that has not abandoned or
forgotten the great enterprise of their parents. They need not always
agree with our official positions... These are great young people,
with spirit and strength, and with them we will be able to wage the
struggles which I unfortunately foresee in the future, with all of our
combined strength and love for Eretz Yisrael."
MK Rehavam Ze'evi said, "We may be evacuated from there 100 times, but
we will return, and we will stay, for this is our Land, and only ours,
and we will settle it, even if Barak doesn't want... We have said
all along that this is merely a practice drill for the government's
plans to remove dozens of real Yesha communities."
Ze'evi said that he would not retract his statement that Barak used
"force of terror" against Jewish settlers, "who are the best of our
generation's pioneers," even if people "condemn me from here until
Rosh HaNikra." He said that he would have respected the decision if
it was merely a matter of law, "but how could it be that only a few
hundred meters away from here [Maon] there are Arab houses within the
same range of fire, and nothing happens to them? Is there a different
law for Jews and for Arabs? This whole thing is a show of muscle by
Barak, or the payment of some sort of political tribute to the members
of his coalition. By the way, if this was according to law, then why
did the policemen come without identifying tags and without any of the
proper orders? Is this the way the law is preserved?" Ze'evi
emphasized that the residents and their supporters "behaved perfectly,
without raising a hand to a policeman or soldier. I would also like
to give a good grade to the army - although not so much to the police
- for its behavior today. Many of the soldiers did not wish to
participate in this mission, and walked around with their hands in
their pockets. Others of them were crying..."
4. ISRAEL TO HAND OVER ANOTHER 5% NEXT WEEK
The government approved today the next withdrawal from Judea and
Samaria. Only Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy (NRP) voted against, while
Minister Natan Sharansky abstained. Israel will withdraw its military
control from 2% of Yesha west of Ramallah, and will also withdraw from
areas west of Jenin (northern Samaria). In addition, a nature reserve
- under Palestinian civilian control with limitations on construction
- will be established in parts of the Judean Desert. Arutz-7
correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that three areas under joint
Israeli-Palestinian control will now be fully surrounded by areas
under total Palestinian control, thus that they will essentially be
totally Palestinian.
Huberman further reports that the Jewish communities of Brachah,
Kadim, and Ganim will now lie adjacent to Palestinian Authority
territory on several sides, and each will have only one "exit" - Kadim
and Ganim towards the Jezre'el Valley in the north, and Brachah
towards the south. "For the first time," he said, "there will be a
direct linkage and territorial contiguity between two Palestinian
Authority cities - Shechem and Jenin." A large area south of Ariel,
"almost reaching the Jewish towns of Ateret and Nachliel," will now be
Area A - under full Palestinian control. A large area between
Michmash and Ofrah will become Area B, under Palestinian
administrative control.
Huberman emphasizes that in many ways, there is no real difference
between Area A and Area B, such that "after the next withdrawal, the
map will look pretty much the way it will look until the 'final
status' is determined." The next and final withdrawal - unless there
is a 'third withdrawal,' which will be insignificant at most,
according to current Israeli positions - will involve the removal of
Israeli administrative control from 'only' 1% more of Yesha. It is
set for January 20, at which time 5.1% of Area B will become Area A.
This will bring the total of Palestinian-controlled Yesha to 40% - 18%
in A, and 22% in B.
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To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz Sheva Editor <netnews@arutzsheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, November 11, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Thursday, November 11, 1999 / Kislev 2, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ARABS WERE "HALF-HEARTEDLY" UPROOTED
2. MORE ARAB FARMS
3. BUDGET PROBLEMS FOR YESHA
4. HILLARY STARTS SENATE RACE IN ISRAEL
1. ARABS WERE "HALF-HEARTEDLY" UPROOTED
The contradictory reports regarding the Arabs living near the Maon
farm have apparently been resolved. The official justification for the
farm's uprooting is that it was located within the range of IDF fire;
the government had reportedly promised to evacuate Arab families
living in the same area as well. Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh
said yesterday that they had been evacuated, while some Yesha sources,
and MK Rehavam Ze'evi, said that they had not. Arutz-7 has now
learned that some ten Arab families were evacuated over a year ago,
after the murder of Dov Dribben, but soon returned. Their homes were
not destroyed; the buildings in the Maon farm were.
Maon spokesperson Malky Zonnenfeld says that, as of now, some ten Arab
families continue to live in the range of fire undisturbed, despite
the fact that a Supreme Court order against them was issued many
months ago. "The problem is that no one cares to do anything about
it," she said. "On the radio, all you hear about is Maon, but no one
talks about the Arabs living there - much closer to the actual IDF
activity than our farm, which is only on the very edge of the
range-of-fire - and no one lifts a finger."
South Har Hevron Regional Chairman Tzviki Bar-Chai and other local
leaders have spoken to the army about the problem, but were not encouraged by
what they heard.
Yasser Arafat has congratulated Ehud Barak on the uprooting of the
Maon farm yesterday. He said that he has received a promise from
Israel to uproot the remaining 41 outposts as well. Voice of
Palestine Radio broadcast a call yesterday for Barak to uproot the
other outposts, "even at the price of bloodshed."
2. MORE ARAB FARMS
Arabs in Gush Etzion, under the aegis of the Palestinian Authority,
continue to establish more farms in the area. Heads of several Gush
communities toured a section of land between the communities of N'vei
Daniel and Elazar, in an attempt to prevent the establishment of a new
Palestinian farm on state-owned lands there. Head of the Gush Etzion
Regional Council Sha'ul Goldstein observed today that the work is
being carried out in violation of all agreements and government
promises.
The Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria razed the road leading
to the unpopulated outpost Shuna, near Eli, this morning. The lone
water tower there was removed as well. The Yesha Council criticized
the move, but admitted that it was caused by the fact that the nearby
residents paved the road several weeks before they were allowed to,
according to the terms of the compromise agreement with the Prime
Minister.
3. BUDGET PROBLEMS FOR YESHA
The budget for the year 2000 is shaping up as a painful one for Judea
and Samaria. As it stands now, 7 million shekels will be cut from
emergency military centers, 4.5 million from Magen David Adom centers
in Yesha, and 88 million shekels from the Settlement Division. In
general, Yesha communities will be demoted from their "national
priority" status, except for those near the Green Line and those
bordering the Palestinian Authority. The Yesha Council is considering
turning to the Supreme Court to prevent the blanket decision.
4. HILLARY STARTS SENATE RACE IN ISRAEL
U.S. First Lady Hillary Clinton, presently visiting Israel in
preparation for her race for a seat in the US. Senate from New York
State, will have to overcome many hurdles to attract Jewish support.
Her past includes membership on the board of the New World Foundation,
which funneled money to PLO-associated terrorist organizations. After
her husband was elected President, she hosted a White House reception,
in February 1996, with leaders of groups such as the American Muslim
Council and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. This prompted
Steven Emerson's now-famous article, Friends of Hamas in the White
House, printed in the Wall Street Journal. An interview with
Emerson, an expert on Islamic terrorist groups in the U.S., can be
heard at <http://www.a7.org/english/radio/ram/emerson.ram>.
In January of last year, Hillary hosted another White House reception
to mark the end of Ramadan; organizers were Salam al-Marayati,
Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, and the Muslim Women's
League, headed by al-Marayati's wife. These are organizations that
have "defended militant Islamic fundamentalism, supported radical
Islamic groups, rationalized terrorism and issued anti-American,
anti-Israeli and even anti-Semitic statements," according to Emerson.
In May 1998, Hillary embarrassed her husband by declaring her support
for a Palestinian state. "It would be in the long-term interests of
peace in the Middle East for there to be a state of Palestine," she
said. As recently as February 21, 1999, Mrs. Clinton's spokesman told
UPI that "she stands by what she said" on this matter. A recent
decision by the Hadassah organization to honor Hillary Clinton with
the 1999 Women's Zionist award provoked a card-burning demonstration
in New York City.
During Ms. Clinton's afternoon visit with Mrs. Yasser Arafat, Suha,
the latter launched an unprecedented verbal attack on the State of
Israel. Suha told her guest, "The Israeli occupying forces have
poisoned our air with poisonous gases, and have destroyed 80% of our
water resources, which have now become putrefied. Our lands are
soaked with chemicals, inherited from the period of occupation, and
this is increasing the rate of cancer and other horrible diseases,
especially among women and children." Mrs. Clinton did not react.
The Prime Minister's Bureau issued a sharply condemnation of "the
inappropriate remarks made by Suha Arafat and other senior Palestinian
officials today... Poisoning the public atmosphere does not help the
success of the negotiations."
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
(from an AP report:) Israel and its neighbors are making progress
towards peace, but no political agreement will end all the region's
strife, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said Wednesday.
"When the document is signed, a new phase will start, of new
complexity," Kissinger said. "One does not come to the view that the
drama is now over."
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To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <hfendel@in.inter.net.il>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, November
12, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Friday, November 12, 1999 / Kislev 3, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ISRAEL TRIES TO CONVINCE ARAFAT
2. ARAFAT APPOINTS CONVICTED TORTURER AS GENERAL PROSECUTOR
1. ISRAEL TRIES TO CONVINCE ARAFAT
Public Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami met today with Yasser Arafat,
attempting to convince the Palestinian Authority Chairman to agree to
the withdrawal that Israel plans to carry out next week. Arafat
claims that the nature reserve that Israel plans to give him is not in
sufficiently high-quality land. According to current withdrawal
plans, the nature reserve will be in the Judean Desert.
Ben-Ami is the highest-ranking of the four Israeli officials to
attempt to get Arafat to agree; Arafat had earlier turned down Gen.
Shlomo Yannai, chief negotiator Oded Eran, and ex-GSS senior Yossi
Ginosar. Under the Oslo accords and related agreements, Israel is the
sole arbiter of which area will be transferred to Palestinian control.
MK Benny Elon protested the involvement of Ginosar, whom he said has
personal business dealings with senior PA figures and owns a share of
the casino in Jericho.
2. ARAFAT APPOINTS CONVICTED TORTURER AS GENERAL PROSECUTOR
The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group reports on what it calls
Yasser Arafat's
"unbelievable appointment." On Sunday of this week, Arafat decided to
appoint Latif Abdel-Fattah as a General Prosecutor in the Palestinian
Attorney General Office. PHRMG notes that Abdel-Fattah, while working
for the Palestinian General Intelligence Service, was convicted last
year by a Palestinian Military Court of mistreatment and carelessness
leading to the death of a prisoner. He was sentenced to seven years in
prison. PHRMG stated that the appointment of Abdel-Fattah to a
high-ranking position seriously undermines "the credibility of the
[Palestinian] judiciary and the general prosecution system," and that
"the torture leading to Waleed al-Kawasmi's death in prison last year
was a gross human rights violation conducted by Palestinian security
forces."
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