To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, December 22, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Wednesday, December 22, 1999 / Tevet 13, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. FM LEVY: YESHA WITHDRAWAL - VERY SOON
2. COALITION TENSIONS
3. HENDEL: IMPEACH WEIZMAN
4. HOLBROOKE & ALBRIGHT TO EXERT PRESSURE ON BEHALF OF ISRAEL
5. GOLAN: SUPPORT UP, BUILDING DOWN
1. FM LEVY: YESHA WITHDRAWAL - VERY SOON
Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams met today to discuss the
implementation of Prime Minister Barak's agreement to pardon imprisoned
Arab terrorists living in eastern Jerusalem. The decision is expected to
be approved by the government in its next weekly meeting; President Weizman
will have to approve the pardons as well, as the terrorists are Israeli
citizens. The Likud says that Barak's decision is a recognition of
Palestinian sovereignty over eastern Jerusalem, and another sign of the
Prime Minister's inability to withstand Palestinian pressure. Barak met
with Arafat in Ramallah last night.
Foreign Minister David Levy says that the next withdrawal from Judea and
Samaria - held up since Nov. 15 by a Palestinian demand to determine the
areas to be handed over - will be carried out in the coming days. Levy
insists that nothing was promised to Arafat in exchange for his "agreement"
to receive the areas.
Ha'aretz reported today that, in order to satisfy Palestinian demands on
Jerusalem, Israel has proposed that the PA annex several Arab neighborhoods
outside the Israeli capital.
2. COALITION TENSIONS
The dispute between Education Minister Yossi Sarid and Shas - in which the
former refuses to grant full recognition and the accompanying funding to
the latter's El HaMa'yan school network - continues to rage, and may lead
to the exit of Shas from the coalition. Shas leader Labor and Welfare
Minister Eli Yeshai said today that he does not fear new elections, which
will "earn us 20 Knesset seats" (the party currently has 17); Trade
Minister Ran Cohen (Meretz) countered that a "change in the coalition
should be considered," involving the removal of Shas.
Barak met with Shas and Meretz representatives for two hours today, in an
attempt to reconcile them, in anticipation of a crucial budget vote in the
Knesset. The National Religious Party, too, continues to threaten that it
will not vote in favor of the budget if its demands are not met. Coalition
leader MK Eli Goldschmidt estimates that given the difficulties with the
coalition partners, the budget is not likely to be passed by the end of the
year. Last year's budget was approved five weeks after the deadline, in
early February.
3. HENDEL: IMPEACH WEIZMAN
MK Tzvi Hendel (NRP) has called for the impeachment of the President.
Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that President Ezer Weizman
told Golan representatives yesterday that, contrary to what some have said,
his is most definitely a political position. Weizman has been acting
publicly to garner support for Barak's plan to forfeit the Golan Heights.
"I was elected by the Labor party," he told the Golan people off-camera
yesterday, "and Netanyahu and Ariel Sharon objected to my election."
Hendel says that these remarks, as well as Weizman's previous remark that
he cannot be President of the entire nation, represent a violation of the
Basic Law on the Presidency. "Instead of working to bridge the gaps in
society," Hendel said, "he is supporting the left-wing, which is a minority
in the country, and is thus intensifying the rifts." He said that if the
President refuses to resign on his own, he - Hendel - will begin getting
the impeachment ball rolling: "I will have to gather the signatures of 20
Knesset Members in order to have a session on the issue. Very much to my
sorrow, there are MKs who agree with me in private discussion, but when it
comes to actually putting their signature down, they suddenly get cold
feet, they have to ask their media advisors, etc. But we will continue to
work."
4. HOLBROOKE & ALBRIGHT TO EXERT PRESSURE ON BEHALF OF ISRAEL
U.S. officials are planning to pressure European nations to include Israel
in the Western bloc of United Nations countries. Israel currently belongs
to none of the blocs, in which the member-countries agree to work on behalf
of each other's interests. This situation prevents Israel from receiving
various official UN positions, such as membership on the Security Council.
The Western bloc includes the 15 EU nations, as well as New Zealand,
Canada, and Australia; the U.S., by choice, is only an observer in the
bloc. HaTzofeh reports that U.S. Ambassador to the UN Richard Holbrooke
said that he and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright plan to exert
pressure on the countries of the European Union in order to allow Israel to
be included. Hamodia recently reported that the last objections to
Israel's inclusion are from Italy and Ireland. "I told the EU ambassadors
that they can expect to hear from Madeleine and myself every week, if not
every day, on this matter," Holbrooke told reporters earlier this week.
5. GOLAN: SUPPORT UP, BUILDING DOWN
Golan Regional Council chairman Yehuda Volman noted today that during the
late Prime Minister Rabin's negotiations with Syria, construction in the
Golan continued unabated, but that Barak seems intent on a policy of
"drying out" Golan settlements. On Dec. 12, Arutz-7 reported that Yossi
Kucik, head of the Prime Minister's Office had ordered a halt in the
development of a new 52-unit neighborhood in the southern Golan town of
Bnei Yehuda. A meeting between Golan residents with Kucik and the
Director-General of the Israel Lands Authority, Avi Drexler, succeeded only
in extracting a commitment by the two to "re-examine the issue."
Earlier this week, Nissim Mishal's popular television interview show
presented survey results showing that fully 50% of Israelis are against a
total withdrawal from the Golan, while 36% support such a move. Another
survey, this one conducted by the Hanoch Smith Institute, has found that
58% of Israelis oppose, and 40% support, a Golan withdrawal. Some 28% of
Barak voters oppose a withdrawal, confirming observations that not all
Barak-supporters identify with his diplomatic approach. Ma'ariv notes
today that polls show that most Israelis "are doubtful and worried
regarding an agreement with Syria."
**********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, December 23, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Thursday, December 23, 1999 / Tevet 14, 5760
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SYRIA: WEAK OR STRONG?
2. LIKUD STAYING OUT
3. COALITION IN CRISIS
4. CONSTRUCTION FREEZE IN YESHA
5. YESHA COUNCIL STRATEGY
*** SPECIAL INSERT: THE ASSAD SLAUGHTERS
1. SYRIA: WEAK OR STRONG?
The findings of the Jaffe Institute for Strategic Studies, released
this week, have placed Prime Minister Barak in an awkward position.
The Institute found that the Syrian army has become greatly weakened
and is incapable of fighting against the IDF. Barak hurried to
announce afterwards that the information he has shows that the Syrian
army is very strong and professional.
Speaking with Arutz-7 today, Jaffe Institute researcher Yiftach Shapir
noted, "We presently see Israel at a window of opportunity - in the
sense that its enemies are either signed on peace deals with Israel,
or are very weak. In the case of Syria, we estimate that its army is
very weak, with almost no military options." Arutz-7's Haggai Segal
asked Shapir how this jibes with Ehud Barak's claim that should the
deal with Damascus fall through, Syria would send "dozens of Scuds"
into Israel. "This just confirms our view," Shapir explained. "Syria
merely has the capability of scaring and even terrorizing Israel, but
not of carrying out a full-blown war. Syria has not updated its army
since the 1973 Yom Kippur War - in sharp contrast with the fully
modernized Egyptian army, which boasts new U.S.-built Abrams tanks,
F-16 and Mirage 2000 fighter jets. Israel, too, has modernized its
army."
Segal asked: "If this is the case, why do we have to hurry and make
peace with Syria, if it doesn't endanger us?" Shapir: "Here is where
we get into the realm of analysis and conclusions. This is exactly
the debate in Israel. There are people who think that if Israel's
goal is to secure peace with all of its neighboring states, it is
preferable to do so from a position of strength, when you have more
leverage to determine the terms."
Col. Moshe Leshem was skeptical about the Jaffe Institute study and
conclusions. Leshem told Arutz-7's Ron Meir today that, "The Jaffe
Institute is basically a left-wing institute... Whatever they do is
[designed] to support the left-wing policies of the government." He
took issue with Jaffe's finding that the Syrian T-72 tanks are
outdated, saying that this is "under-estimating the Russian tank. Our
tanks are not so much more modern than the T-72." He also took issue
with the Jaffe Center assumption that Syria could be analyzed in
isolation of other Arab powers, explaining that except for the 1956
Sinai campaign, all the Arab-Israeli conflicts pitted Israel against
Arab coalitions. Leshem said that we must therefore look at other
potential enemies of Israel: "If one of these countries has a
substantial quantity of weapons, it will seek a coalition with another
Arab country [such as Syria], to outflank Israel and create two
fronts, which would divide and weaken Israeli forces."
Leshem also questioned the basic logic of the Jaffe Center contention
that Syrian military weakness justifies Israel's surrender of the
Golan: "If the Syrian army is a weak army, why should we give up
these vital strategic territories? What are we afraid of?" Leshem
was unimpressed with Jaffe research Shapir's above-mentioned
contention that it is in the interest of the stronger side to
compromise, as it can determine the terms of compromise. Without
discounting the truth of this point regarding some of Israel's more
minor demands, Leshem said that Israel's very advantage - its military
superiority - will be nullified by the agreement:
"Syria has already said that in order to have peace, [it has] to have
a strong army [provided by the U.S.] that will create a certain
balance, and that only this balance of forces can safeguard a peace
treaty... I'm sure also that there are also big, big pressures from
the American weapons industry for [this], because American industry
stands to earn 20 or 30 billion dollars like they [did in] Egypt...
If the Syrians actually have a weak army... then why should we be the
suckers to save them from their own destiny and give them whatever
they want up to the last inch? If they are so weak, then at least our
bargaining position should be much stronger than that which we are
[adopting] right now!"
The entire interview with Col. Leshem can be heard on Arutz-7's
website at <a
href="http://www.a7.org/engclips/231299/leshem-golan.ram">
www.a7.org/engclips/231299/leshem-golan.ram
</a>
2. LIKUD STAYING OUT
Likud leader Ariel Sharon emphasized in no uncertain terms today that
his 19-Knesset Member party would not join the government, and will
not serve as a substitute for Shas in the event that the latter leaves
the government. Sharon is scheduled to meet with Shas representatives
today, and will tell them the same. Speaking with Arutz-7 today,
Sharon called upon the Labor party not to threaten Shas by means of
false rumors to the effect that the Likud may join the government.
"Barak has not invited the Likud to join the government," Sharon said,
"and I would like to make it absolutely clear that the Likud has no
plans to join the government. We will rather make every effort to
topple the present government." Referring to the Likud-Labor
coalition negotiations of a few months ago, Sharon said, "we made it
clear then that we would join only if there would be a true
partnership in policy-making and in determining red lines." The
opposition leader sharply criticized Barak not for giving away the
Golan, but for not getting anything in return for it: "The Likud would
never had conducted these talks with the same ineptitude as Barak has
done. It is unbelievable that he simply has not made any demands. He
is a diplomatic baby, a captive of his mistaken evaluations, and a
doll in the hands of a group of Americans who are calling the shots in
their own interests, who do not have Israel's interests at heart at
all, and who are taking advantage of Barak's inexperience. He did not
demand that the Syrians get out of Lebanon, that we retain [some
presence] in the Golan, that there be supervision on Iraq, that there
be limitations on Syrian re-armament, that there be normalization in
the relations between Syrian and Israel - nothing!... I can only say
that if the Likud would have been running the talks, it would have
been a lot better."
3. COALITION IN CRISIS
The coalition's budget crisis continues, following coalition defeats
in several Knesset votes yesterday; Shas, the NRP, and even the
Centrist party voted against the government. Several coalition
parties continue to threaten not to vote for the proposed budget if
their demands for increased funding are not met.
MK Nachum Langental (NRP) said that he told Barak last night that he
no longer sees himself as a member of the coalition: "I asked Barak
at our meeting if he wants me to leave the room, since I no longer see
myself as a member of the government. He asked me to remain, but I
think that the NRP and One Israel have come to the point where they
will have to part ways, and we will have to vote against the
government in both the Knesset Finance Committee and the Knesset."
Barak, for his part, reassured reporters that the coalition would not
crumble and that the budget would be passed.
Shas continues to demand funding for its educational network, but a
meeting today between Finance Minister Avraham Shochat and Shas
ministers ended without results. Shas Minister of Infrastructures Eli
Suissa said today that he does not see his party remaining in the
coalition for very long. Menachem Rahat, political commentator for
Ma'ariv newspaper, told Arutz-7 today that Shas is in a position to
make demands on Barak, and even to receive whatever it wants. "Shas
[with its 17 Knesset Members] can simply play Barak a tape of Sharon's
[above] statements," he said, "showing Barak that he does not have too
many options. However, I don't think that Shas can afford to actually
quit the government. The party is simply too big, with too many
interests that will go unanswered if the party is not in the
government. The NRP, on the other hand, has much less to lose, and
may very well leave the government - especially if Barak insists in
any event on cutting 70-100 million shekels from the party's religious
school system."
4. CONSTRUCTION FREEZE IN YESHA
The Defense Ministry has frozen all new construction in Judea and
Samaria. The halted projects include 260 new units in Ma'aleh Adumim -
which has always been an area of "national consensus" - as well as a
new neighborhood in Revavah (near Ariel), which is presently filled to
capacity. The Yesha Council asserted today that this represents a
violation of Ehud Barak's many promises to allow the Yesha communities
to develop naturally.
5. YESHA COUNCIL STRATEGY
The Yesha Council leadership convened in Ariel today to discuss its
strategy for the coming weeks. Council Chairman Benny Kashriel argued
that the struggle for Yesha must continue in full-force, despite the
current threat to the Golan. "Barak is counting on the directing of
all our efforts towards the Golan, thus enabling him to proceed with
giving away Yesha to Arafat," Kashriel said. "The Golan struggle can
be led by the Golan residents."
On the other hand, Bentzy Lieberman, head of the Shomron Regional
Council, led the campaign in favor of working on the Golan front. He
feels that a victory over Barak in the Golan - of which he is
confident - will weaken Barak, and will make the struggle for Yesha
that much easier. In addition, Lieberman is against allowing the ill
feelings of the past, when the Golan residents did not cooperate with
the struggle for Yesha, to influence the decision that must be made
now. The Council made a decision to do both: a public campaign will
begin in few days about the permanent status agreement, and at the
same time the Yesha people will give their all to the struggle for the
Golan.
SPECIAL INSERT: THE ASSAD SLAUGHTERS
The following report on Syrian President Hafez el-Assad was prepared
by Arutz-7's Ariel Kahane.
The slaughter carried out by the Syrian Army in the northern-Syrian
city of Hama in 1982 was not a one-time campaign of slaughter on the
part of the Assad regime, but rather just one in a series of
mass-killings ordered by the Syrian dictator. The book "Assad: The
Sphinx of Damascus," by Middle East expert Prof. Moshe Maoz, outlines
Assad's history of murder and torture: Opposition to Assad's regime
began to coalesce in 1976, organized largely by Islamic elements, and
joined by secular groups opposed to the government corruption and the
economic difficulties. The rebels used force, including blowing up
army and police stations and government offices, and even killing some
of Assad's men. In response, Assad ordered an "iron hand" policy:
the security forces, headed by Assad's brother Rifat, would enter
every area in which opposition had been shown, and begin
indiscriminately torturing people and blowing up buildings. They did
not have total success. Opposition posters distributed by the rebels
stated, "Our nation is suffering from poverty, ignorance, disease, and
well-planned brainwashing... The Ba'ath regime has oppressed us,
caused people to disappear, and hanged whomever dared to criticize..."
Anti-government demonstrations that lasted several days were held in
the cities of Halev and Hama. Assad, sensing that his regime was in
danger, began a campaign of killing, torture, violence, and looting
that Syria had never known. Tanks were brought into the cities,
shooting indiscriminately. At least six cases of mass slaughter were
documented. Even Assad's official biographer and sometimes-spokesman,
Patrick Seale, wrote in March 1981, "Assad was forced to use harsh
counter-terror, to approve beatings and torture, and to carry out
street battles and mass murders."
By the summer of 1981, opposition remained only in Hama. Assad first
placed the city in siege, and then started house-to-house killings.
When even this did not succeed, Assad's artillery razed the city to
the ground. Whole neighborhoods were destroyed, and soldiers shot and
killed even women and children. Estimates range from 15,000 to 25,000
killed. This was the final blow to the opposition in Syria. Since
then, Assad's terrorism has been manifest in a nearly-successful
bombing by Syrian intelligence of an El Al plane in 1986, the use of
Hizbullah against Israel in southern Lebanon, plane hijackings, murder
of American soldiers and Arab politicians in other countries, and the
like. Assad's Syria continues to be on the United States list of
countries that support terrorism.
*********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, December
24, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Friday, December 24, 1999 / Tevet 15, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
1. ISRAEL'S NO-QUESTIONS-ASKED POLICY
1. ISRAEL'S NO-QUESTIONS-ASKED POLICY
Israel is unable to supervise the money that it transfers to the bank
accounts of Yasser Arafat. This was confirmed yesterday by Minister
Chaim Ramon, in response to a Knesset query by MK Rabbi Chaim Druckman
(National Religious Party). The latter wished to know if it was true
that the government had transferred 1.5 billion shekels to Arafat's
accounts over the past six years, and whether the government has any
knowledge of what was done with the money. Ramon said that Israel had
obligated itself in the Oslo accords to transfer these monies to
Arafat.
**************************************************************************
To: arutz-7@ArutzSheva.org
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@ArutzSheva.org>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, December 26, 1999
Arutz Sheva News Service
<www.ArutzSheva.org>
Sunday, December 26, 1999 / Tevet 17, 5760
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. BUDGET LIKELY TO MEET DEADLINE
2. GOLAN NOTES
3. DOUBLE STANDARD PROTESTED
4. BARAK TO FREE ANOTHER 30 TERRORISTS
1. BUDGET LIKELY TO MEET DEADLINE
The national budget is likely to be passed before the end-of-year
deadline, thanks to anxious scrambling by the coalition to pass a
marathon series of votes in the Knesset Finance Committee today and
tonight. The many clauses of the Economic Arrangements Bill must pass
the committee by tomorrow in order for the budget to be voted on in
the Knesset this Thursday. Both Shas and the NRP are closer to
reaching understandings with the coalition than they were last week,
but gaps between their demands and the Finance Ministry's willingness
to give still remain.
As of two days ago, only 5 of the 17 committee members supported the
budget, but following a "generous weekend" by Finance Minister Avraham
Shochat, there now appears to be a majority in favor. The United
Torah Judaism party will receive 110 million shekels (roughly $26.3
million) - some of it in direct funding, and some in the form of the
cancellation of previous budget cuts. The funds will be allocated for
190 new classrooms for the hareidi school system, housing rights for
young couples, and more. The National Religious Party also appears to
be satisfied, apparently having received most of its 100-million
shekels worth of demands for the national-religious school system.
Other parties, such as Yisrael B'Aliyah and the Arab parties, have
also made demands upon the coalition worth tens and hundreds of
millions of shekels.
Coalition whip Eli Goldschmidt said that he does not know if the total
amount of money promised the various parties in return for their
support is 800 million shekels or somewhat less. A Shas MK summed up
the situation as follows: "This government that bought power with
money, will learn that a budget is also purchased with money." The
Netanyahu government, faced with similar demands at this time last
year, distributed 600 million shekels in order to pass the budget.
2. GOLAN NOTES
A second group of 200 professors and academics has published an
announcement in Ha'aretz against a withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
The announcement is headlined, "Yes to Stable Peace, No to Virtual
Peace," and states that "Israeli sovereignty of the Golan is... an
obstacle to war." The signatories, organized by Professors for a
Strong Israel, state that stable peace with Syria is possible if Syria
withdraws its army from Lebanon at the same time that Israel does, and
if Syria demilitarizes the area between the Golan Heights and
Damascus.
Shas spiritual leaders are impacting heavily on the Golan decision.
Opposition leader Ariel Sharon and National Union MK Rehavam Ze'evi
met separately with Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef last week, and explained to
him the dangers inherent in a withdrawal from the Heights. President
Ezer Weizman will meet with Rabbi Yosef today, in the latter's home,
in an attempt to convince him to support a withdrawal. Meanwhile, the
"other" Shas spiritual leader, Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Kadouri, who
is known to be against a Golan withdrawal, visited the area today,
together with Likud MK Silvan Shalom. Two Knesset delegations also
toured the Golan today - the Interior Committee and the Absorption
Committee.
Minister of Culture and Sport Matan Vilna'i (One Israel-Labor), a
former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff, said Friday that he is not willing
to forfeit the Golan at this point. He said that he would first like
to see what the issues are and "what we will receive from the other
side. It seems to me that we are acting too hastily on this matter."
Geographer Dr. Arnon Sofer warned the Knesset State Audit Committee
last week of the dangers to the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) that will
arise should Syria control the Golan. Globes magazine noted the
following points raised by Sofer:
* Pollution: The massive settlement of at least half a million Syrian
farmers may be expected in the Golan, whose large amounts of sewage
will drain from the settlements into the Sea of Galilee. In addition,
the Trans Arabian Pipeline Co. oil pipeline will renew its activity,
and its leaks and blowouts will render it a source of crude oil
pouring into streams that lead into the Kinneret.
* Return of the Golan will lead to the loss of a third of Israel's
water.
* There will be international pressure to turn the Sea of Galilee into
a main water source for Jordan and the Palestinians. Syria will use
the water of the Banias spring and the Hatzbani river, thereby
diminishing most of the sources of the Jordan River. From Hamat Gader
in the southern Golan, Syria will completely control the Yarmuk river.
3. DOUBLE STANDARD PROTESTED
A demonstration was held last night outside Kiryat Arba, protesting
the Civil Administration's discriminatory construction policies in
Judea and Samaria. One of the organizers of the protest, Malachi
Levinger, told Arutz-7 today some of the background:
"This was our
7th demonstration on this issue. We are demanding two things: that
illegal Palestinian construction on hills adjacent to Kiryat Arba be
stopped and the buildings razed, and that the city of Kiryat Arba be
granted permission to expand and build new neighborhoods on the
northern hilltops numbered 22, 26, and 29."
Levinger said that an illegally-built Arab house on a hill outside
Kiryat Arba is of pressing importance at present: "The army has found
what it feels is a 'fair' solution to this problem: the land on which
the house was built, as well as its surrounding orchards that were
similarly illegally planted, will simply be removed from the Kiryat
Arba zoning plan.
We of course object to this approach of confiscating our lands, and we
will continue to make our protests known. We will not allow the Arabs
to build on our land!" He said that many army officers say privately
that the residents' complaints are justified, but that political
considerations apparently prevent the army from taking the proper
action. "If we are not successful with these protests, then we will
learn from others [a reference to the Gush Etzion 'farm' that Jewish
residents attempted to build on Friday] and take our own action,"
Levinger concluded.
4. BARAK TO FREE ANOTHER 30 TERRORISTS
The security cabinet approved Prime Minister Barak's decision to
pardon almost 30 imprisoned Palestinian terrorists. Barak wishes to
free them as a good-will gesture in honor of the Moslem month of
Ramadan. The Supreme Court will hear a petition tomorrow by Joyce
Boim - whose son David was murdered by Palestinian terrorists who are
now free in the PA - demanding the publication of the names of the
terrorists to be freed. Criteria governing which terrorists will be
released, which were employed in the previous releases, will be more
flexible this time, as the current release is merely a "gesture"
towards the PA and is not required by any agreement. Among those to be
freed is the murderer of one Israeli and five Arabs, who has been in
prison for more than 15 years. The committee also recommended that
the President pardon an additional six Arab terrorists who are Israeli
citizens living in eastern Jerusalem.
************************************************************************