To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz Sheva Editor <neteditor@arutzsheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, November 3, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Wednesday, November 3, 1999 / Cheshvan 24, 5760
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
ANOTHER SUMMIT PLANNED - MAYBE
The Oslo summit appears to have ended without substantial results. "We
have infused new life into the process," summed up U.S. President Clinton,
after meeting with Prime Minister Barak and Yasser Arafat for 40 minutes.
Advisors to the three leaders then joined them for the continuation of the
meeting. It was agreed that another summit would be held in approximately
three months, "if sufficient progress is made in the meantime," said
Clinton. Negotiations will be held in the coming weeks in Jerusalem and
Ramallah.
Israel is enraged at Arafat for calling for the "end of the conquest in
Judea and Samaria," despite an American request from Arafat not to do so.
Barak refused the Palestinian demand to cease construction in Yesha, saying
that if a permanent-status agreement is signed in another year or so, "the
number of homes that can be built by then is insignificant."
Likud MK Yuval Shteinitz told Arutz-7 today, "Barak's behavior as a
negotiator reminds me of other Labor party leaders. They all seem to get
confused between their opening positions and their final positions. Every
beginning bargainer knows that your opening offer has to be much tougher
than what you are actually prepared to offer. I recall that the Arabs
offered Rabin and Peres to call off their economic boycott on Israel, in
exchange for a freeze on settlement construction; Rabin and Peres said,
'No, thanks, we were planning to freeze settlements anyway for our own
internal new-priorities policy' - and demanded nothing in return. Instead
of talking about settlement blocs and the like, Barak definitely should
have said now that not one settlement will be moved - even if in the end he
may be willing to evacuate some."
The government has not yet issued a denial of an article in the British
Foreign Report, which claims that an emissary of Prime Minister Barak is
conducting secret talks with Yasser Arafat on the establishment of a
Palestinian state. Barak is reported to have said that he wishes to sign a
final-status agreement with a "state and not with a [Palestinian]
Authority." The report claims that Barak wishes to concentrate the
settlements around Jerusalem into three blocs, but that settlers who wish
to remain in their homes will enjoy special benefits within the Palestinian
entity.
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To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz Sheva Editor <neteditor@arutzsheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, November 5,
1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Friday, November 5, 1999 / Cheshvan 26, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. QUESTIONS LINGER ABOUT RABIN DEATH
2. SHOWDOWN PLANNED IN MAON
3. UJC WANTS TO KNOW: WHO LEAKED ARAFAT STORY?
1. QUESTIONS LINGER ABOUT RABIN DEATH
Politicians from both right and left are in favor of re-investigating
the questions left open following the assassination of Yitzchak Rabin.
Prime Minister Ehud Barak told reporters today that every question on
the matter should be looked into. Likud MK Moshe Katzav, and
government Ministers Shimon Peres and Matan Vilnai, also expressed
similar sentiments. "An appropriate way should be found to check the
remaining question marks," said Vilnai. Questions raised this week by
Rabin's children include the unknown man who yelled "Blanks!", and the
contradictory medical reports issued by the hospital - one claiming
that Rabin was shot in the chest, and a later one indicating that he
was shot in the back.
2. SHOWDOWN PLANNED IN MAON
The army is preparing to forcibly evacuate the Maon farm, south of
Hevron, next week. The ultimatum issued by the Prime Minister to the
Yesha Council - "either you evacuate them, or we will" - has been
extended until Sunday. Barak said today that the evacuations are a
difficult matter for the State of Israel, "and it will not be a
catastrophe if they are pushed off for 24 or 36 hours." Yesha Council
leaders announced that if outposts are evacuated next week, they will
erect "refugee tents" outside the Prime Minister's home in Kokhav
Ya'ir. The residents of Mitzpeh K'ramim near Kokhav HaShachar are
apparently willing to leave on their own, but those of Maon are
calling upon supporters to arrive at the farm to back their struggle.
3. UJC WANTS TO KNOW: WHO LEAKED ARAFAT STORY?
The New York Jewish weekly "Forward" claims today that the United
Jewish Communities (UJC) has engaged a private-detective agency to
find out who leaked the charity's plans to honor Yasser Arafat with
its Isaiah Award. The paper said that UJC President Stephen Solender
had confirmed that Kroll Associates - an international investigative
and security agency - has already begun to investigate "where our
system broke down." UJC officials have denied that they planned to
issue the award to Arafat, but The Jewish Advocate of Boston and the
Israel Resource News Agency reported that Arafat had been notified of
the plans to honor him, that the award had actually been purchased,
and that a speech had already been written.
The UJC, an umbrella organization of federations that raise $790
million a year, was formed last April from the merger of the United
Jewish Appeal, Council of Jewish Federations, and United Israel
Appeal. Reactions within the organization to the hiring of the
detectives were mixed. UJC Chairman Charles Bronfman informed the
Forward that he "supports the decision to ask Kroll Associates to look
at UJC's security measures," although he said, "I believe that an
award [to Arafat] would have been inappropriate at this time, and I
would have said so." Richard Wexler, chairman of the UJC's
Campaign-Financial Resource Development pillar committee, said that
the Kroll decision was "preposterous" and that the issue "is not a
matter worthy of investigation, seeing as I believe everyone knows
that a terrible mistake was made."
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To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz Sheva Editor <neteditor@arutzsheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, November 7, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Sunday, November 7, 1999 / Cheshvan 28, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. WITHDRAWAL APPROVED BY CABINET
2. K'RAMIM IS DISMANTLED
1. WITHDRAWAL APPROVED BY CABINET
The Cabinet, at its weekly meeting today, approved the withdrawal from
yet another 5% of Judea and Samaria - area that includes 16 IDF army
bases and installations. The IDF Chief of Staff and the head of the
GSS addressed the issue of whether the Palestinian Authority is
fulfilling its obligations to collect the tens of thousands of illegal
weapons within the PA, arrest wanted terrorists, and reduce the size
of the Palestinian para-military police.
2. K'RAMIM IS DISMANTLED
The self-evacuation of Mitzpeh K'ramim, outside Kokhav HaShachar,
began last night, and concluded today. The families moved from a
point one kilometer south-west of Kokhav HaShachar to a point some 250
meters east of the mother community. Prime Minister Barak has agreed
to extend the deadline for the evacuation of the other outposts in
Yesha by another three days. At issue are Maon, Mitzpeh Hagit, N'vei
Erez, and Hill 777 outside Itamar.
Over 200 people have gathered in Maon over the past few days in order
to prevent an evacuation. Yesha Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef
said, however, that he does not foresee a physical conflict there.
"At most, there will be some passive resistance," he predicted.
Mor-Yosef said that the problem with the Maon farm is that it is in
the range of IDF fire, and that "the Arabs living in the vicinity have
also been relocated."
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To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz Sheva Editor <neteditor@arutzsheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, November 8, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Monday, November 8, 1999 / Cheshvan 29, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. FINAL-STATUS TALKS BEGIN
2. BARAK: RESOLUTION 242 DOESN'T APPLY TO PALESTINIANS
3. MAON PREPARES TO OPPOSE EVACUATION
4. MA'ALEH ADUMIM EXPANSION CREATES JEWISH CONTIGUITY
5. WATER LOWS
1. FINAL-STATUS TALKS BEGIN
The first session of the final-status talks began in Ramallah today.
The Palestinians' opening position: A withdrawal from all of Judea and
Samaria, the establishment of a Palestinian state, and the return of
the Arab refugees from 1948 to their homes plus the payment of
compensation.
Yesha Council leaders held a protest vigil at the Yosh Junction at the
northern entrance to Ramallah just south of Beit El this morning,
against Prime Minister Barak's apparent intentions to uproot tens of
thousands of Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria in the framework of
a final-status agreement. The borders of the upcoming withdrawal from
an additional 5% of Yesha will be determined by a ministerial
committee, and the maps will be presented tomorrow to Yesha leaders.
The Cabinet decided that it would continue its implementation of the
agreements with the Palestinians, despite yesterday's terrorist
bombing in Netanya. Nine of the wounded from the attack are still
hospitalized, and one woman is in moderate-to-severe condition.
2. BARAK: RESOLUTION 242 DOESN'T APPLY TO PALESTINIANS
Prime Minister Barak told the government ministers yesterday that UN
resolutions 242 and 338 do not apply to the Palestinians. Resolution
242 calls for the "withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories
occupied in the [Six-Day War]" and affirms the necessity "for
guaranteeing the territorial inviolability and political independence
of every State in the area." Resolution 338, adopted during the Yom
Kippur War, calls for the implementation of Resolution 242. MK Benny
Elon (National Union) praised Barak for his declaration, while
Palestinian spokesmen reacted sharply against it.
Aryeh Stav, director of the Ariel Center for Policy Research and
editor of Netiv magazine, provided some interesting background
information on Resolution 242 for Arutz-7 today: "Barak's
announcement [that 242 does not apply to the Palestinians] is an
important one, and is to his credit. No other Prime Minister ever
said this as clearly. What happened was that after weeks of wrangling
in the U.N. [following the Six-Day War], the wording of the resolution
purposely referred only to a withdrawal from 'territories' and not
from 'the territories.' Then-President Lyndon Johnson commissioned a
map showing the minimum amount of territory that Israel would need in
order to survive. The map, which is not secret, was attached to the
resolution. It includes [as part of Israel] all of Judea and Samaria
- although not the Jordan Valley - and it included the entire Golan,
5,000 square kilometers in the area of Eilat, and Sharm el-Sheikh."
Stav concluded by noting the ironic development that when the
resolution was passed, it was considered very anti-Israel "- and
rightly so, but now we find ourselves relying on it..."
3. MAON PREPARES TO OPPOSE EVACUATION
Protests were held in many intersections across the country against
the evacuation of Yesha mini-settlements last night. The rallies were
organized by Matot Arim (local City Teams) and Dor Hemshekh (Next
Generation). Participants held signs reading, "Israel is My Outpost"
and "200,000 people, with 120,000 children, should not be evacuated."
Maon, south of Hevron, is expected to be forcibly uprooted by the army
tomorrow, although close to 250 people are gathered there - with
busloads more on the way - to oppose such a move.
Mitzpeh Chagit is now empty of its families, and only guards remain at
the site, overlooking Wadi Kelt. According to the agreement reached
last month between Prime Minister Barak and the Yesha Council, the
families will be allowed to return in several weeks. Construction of
a new neighborhood in Itamar began today. Thirty homes on Hilltop
851, some 2.5 kilometers away from the center of Itamar, will be built
- with the consent of the government. Kedumim Mayor Daniella Weiss
told Arutz-7 today that the developments in Itamar are very positive
and welcome, but do not justify the "bad compromise" that was
contracted with Barak regarding the uprooting of other outposts. She
spoke to Arutz-7 today from Maon, where she arrived to express her
opposition to its "destruction."
4. MA'ALEH ADUMIM EXPANSION CREATES JEWISH CONTIGUITY
The Supreme Court yesterday rejected an appeal against the expansion
of the city of Ma'aleh Adumim. The decision paves the way for the
construction of a new neighborhood on some 10,000 dunams (almost 2,500
acres), which will create Israeli territorial contiguity between Mt.
Scopus and Ma'aleh Adumim, and geographically detach Arab villages in
Judea from those in Binyamin and Shomron.
************************************************************************
To: arutz-7@arutzsheva.org
From: Arutz Sheva Editor <neteditor@arutzsheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, November 9, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Tuesday, November 9, 1999 / Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. YESHA LEADERS: MAPS ARE INSIGNIFICANT
2. BARAK RUSHES BACK FROM PARIS TO "DEAL WITH MAON FARM"
3. BARAK "CLARIFIES" 242 STATEMENT
4. MOFAZ: TERRORISM WILL CONTINUE
1. YESHA LEADERS: MAPS ARE INSIGNIFICANT
Yesha Council leaders were shown maps of the upcoming Yesha withdrawal
by Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh this morning. The pullback
from 5% of Judea and Samaria is scheduled for next Monday. The Yesha
leaders said that the withdrawal does not square with Prime Minister
Barak's recent pledge to "crush terrorism," explaining that Israel has
lost control over the areas under its authority, and enforces the law
only against Jews. Following the meeting, a Yesha representative said
that the maps themselves have no significance, as "Arafat calls the
shots in Israeli-controlled territory as well."
2. BARAK RUSHES BACK FROM PARIS TO "DEAL WITH MAON FARM"
Prime Minister Barak plans to move up his return from France by a few
hours this evening, in order to "deal with the events in the Maon
farm." He said, "Private groups are must not be allowed to harm
government policy, no matter how well-meaning they may be." Hundreds
of people continue to congregate in Maon, expressing their opposition
to the planned uprooting of the farm, which may begin as early as this
evening. Literature being distributed by Dor Hemshekh (Next
Generation) leaders to the crowd calls upon it to attempt to "hold on
to the Land, but not to raise a hand against soldiers or journalists."
Arutz-7's Kobi Sela reports that the new arrivals have been divided up
into various groups - planters, builders, and even guards - in order
to help the farm continue to thrive. The fear among the organizers,
as expressed by one of them today, is that "provocateurs from the GSS
will attempt to instigate violence, against our will, and we are
making great efforts to prevent that."
Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior, one of the most outspoken opponents
against the evacuation of the outposts, said that he objects to any
use of violence to thwart the evacuation. "We are enjoined to act
with respect towards any element that represents the government of
Israel. Just as in Yamit, 17 years ago, one of my jobs was to explain
that we can express our protest, but without passing red lines -
namely, no active resistance against the security forces. One may
cause himself to be dragged away, but not more than that." Rabbi Lior
said, however, that the people are entitled to express their fears -
"which are rooted in a deep love for and identification with the Land
of Israel" - that the agreement with the government may serve as a
precedent for the uprooting of Yesha communities "by consent."
3. BARAK "CLARIFIES" 242 STATEMENT
Prime Minister Barak's statement yesterday to the effect that U.N.
Resolution 242 has no bearing on the Palestinian problem is one of the
main issues facing him during his visit in Paris. Barak's office has
already issued a clarification, to the effect that Israel regards
Resolution 242 as binding, but that there are "different
interpretations" as to how to apply it to the Palestinian question.
Barak addressed the Socialist International in Paris, of which he was
elected Vice President, this afternoon. In his speech, Barak made an
impassioned plea to Syria President Assad to "contract peace with
Israel." He said that the time for painful decisions has come, and
that the window of opportunity may soon close.
Barak met this morning with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and will
meet with PA Chairman Arafat and other leaders before his departure
for Israel this evening. Arafat accused the "Israeli mafia" of
responsibility for the terrorist attack in Netanya two days ago.
Minister for Regional Development Shimon Peres, who is accompanying
Barak, said that Arafat's words are ridiculous, and that "from time to
time, Arafat spouts nonsense."
Peres will be chosen as Honorary President of the Socialist
International.
4. MOFAZ: TERRORISM WILL CONTINUE
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Sha'ul Mofaz foresees continued
Palestinian Arab terrorism in Israel. He told the Knesset Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee today that Hamas and the Islamic Jihad
are actively planning terrorist attacks, and that the Palestinian
Authority is not taking concrete steps against them. In answer to a
question, Mofaz said that the army would evacuate the Maon farm "with
respect for the settlers and with a minimum of animosity." He said
that the army would not allow soldiers to opt out of carrying out the
evacuation for "reasons of conscience."
An apparent attempted kidnapping occurred this morning in Gush Etzion.
A car drove up to a bus stop, where a woman was waiting, but the
driver did not say where he was headed. Instead, he merely said, "Get
in, get in." She refused, and the car continued to wait there for
several minutes - apparently for another would-be passenger. Only
after another vehicle arrived did the first one leave. The police and
army are investigating.
5. WATER LOWS
Water Commissioner Meir Ben Meir has announced that farmers will face
a 40% cut in water usage this winter. Last year's drought seriously
impacted on farmers. Kibbutz Sha'alvim, for instance, received only
about 200 millimeters of rain last year, some 40% of its average
annual rainfall. Sha'alvim agricultural coordinator Yisachar Oren told
Arutz-7 today that in addition to the Commission's cutbacks, their
fields will suffer for other reasons. "Those that are dependent on
purified sewage water are in trouble," Oren said, "because city
officials are refusing to subsidize the transfer of large amounts of
the treated waters to rural areas. The net result is the dumping of
much of this water into wadis." The water level of the Sea of
Galilee, as measured by the Mekorot Water Company today, is 15
centimeters under the "red line" - three centimeters lower than last
week.
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