Hamas terrorists causing deaths of 58 people are released

HA'ARETZ 4/27/99: "Three central Hamas activists who security sources say were involved in the 1996 suicide bombings, causing the deaths of 58 people, were released from a Gaza prison last week on the orders of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. Yousuf Abu-Hin and Tito Masud were arrested by the PA in April 1996 and had been detained since then without trial.

The two were joined six months ago by Mahmoud Abu-Hin. Sources say the three planned and orchestrated at least four attacks in February and March of 1996 - two explosions of bus 18 in Jerusalem, an explosion in Dizengoff Center in Tel Aviv and an explosion at the Ashkelon junction.

The release is a calculated move by Arafat on two fronts, according to reliable security sources. Arafat is trying to gain Hamas's support for postponing the declaration of a state, and to prevent a challenge to his presidency. The security sources estimate that the release of Hamas members does not signal a "green light" to a renewed wave of attacks, but signals the contrary: Arafat expects that in return, Hamas will refrain from any attacks until after the Israeli elections.

Another reason for the release, the sources say, is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to release Palestinian security prisoners held in Israel. According to information received by Israel, Arafat decided to release the Hamas members also because he believes Israel owes him for his efforts to thwart terrorist attacks, including the massive attack that had been planned for Tel Aviv.

The gradual amassing of explosives for the attack was uncovered by the PA two months ago. Most of the attacks were foiled as a result of information transfered by the Shin Bet internal security service to the Palestinians.

The sources say that Arafat concluded, based on Netanyahu's recent behavior and an assessment of the position of the United States, that the prime minister would not be able to respond severely to the release of the three.

The three terrorists belonged to a group of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad activists headed by Mohammed Daf. They cooperated on five revenge attacks following the killing of the "Engineer," Yihye Ayash, on Jan. 5, 1996. Military Intelligence learned before Ayash's assassination that extremist Islamic organizations planned to carry out attacks after the PA elections, which were held Jan. 20.

Ayash's killing provided another incentive to recruit suicide bombers, but did not cause the attacks. The three Hamas members are now expected to go back to the top of the list of Israel's most wanted."

West Bank flyover with Ivanov and Sharon

Paris' AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE 4/23/99: "A senior Palestinian official lashed out on Friday at a helicopter tour of the West Bank taken by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov with his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon.

"I find it strange that Ivanov should have taken the trip over the occupied West Bank accompanied by Sharon. It's an unprecedented step for any international official to take," said Palestinian cabinet secretary Ahmed Abdel Rahman.

"It had been assumed that Ivanov would tour the West Bank accompanied by Palestinian officials because it is occupied Palestinian land," he told AFP.

"He could then have been briefed on the dangers to the peace process posed by Israeli settlement activity and not on what Sharon calls Israel's security requirements," Abdel Rahman said.

Immediately upon his arrival on Thursday for a two-day trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories Ivanov took an aerial tour with Sharon over the West Bank which was captured by Israel in 1967.

An Israeli official said Sharon wanted to brief Ivanov on those areas of the territory which Israel believes are vital to its security and which it argues it should keep in the event of final peace settlement with the Palestinians.

But the two ministers later clashed in public over the issue of an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights, with Ivanov calling for Israel to resume peace negotiations with Syria..."

Russia's Ivanov satisfied with visit to Israel

Moscow's ITAR-TASS NEWS AGENCY 4/23/99: "Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on Friday expressed satisfaction over the results of his two-day visit to Israel, saying that despite the tight time frame the sides "have managed to hold talks on a wide range of issues".

Speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Ivanov pointed out to a steady development of bilateral ties, which have got a new boost following Netanyahu's visit to Moscow last month.

According to the Russian minister, the two states have broad opportunities for developing cooperation in a number of spheres. He stressed that the sides are readying several agreements for signing. Ivanov said, however, that there are certain problems facing the two states, which must be resolved.

He said, in particular, that Israel expresses concern over an agreement on the delivery of Russian weapons to Syria, as well as the leakage of military technologies and Iran's nuclear programme.

The two sides have exchanged opinions on those issues and agreed to continue cooperating closely in that direction to remove the arising problems.

"We are not engaged in mutual accusations, but are looking for constructive solutions. This is a sign of a new atmosphere in bilateral relations," Ivanov emphasized.

The Russian minister said that much attention was paid at the talks to the Middle East settlement. He said that Russia, as its co-sponsor, will make maximum effort to bring the process to success, to see peace reign in the Middle East.

Ivanov said that the parties had also focused on Israel-Syria ties, and talks on the issue will also be held in Damascus. He denied carrying any message, even a verbal one, to Syrian President Hafiz al-Asad from the Israeli leadership.

He said talks in Syria will also focus on that issue. The Russian minister also stressed that Russia is not interfering in internal affairs of other states, and that is why allegations of some Israeli mass media that Moscow has a liking for one of the Israeli parties have nothing to do with the reality..."

New Republic's Martin Peretz scathing rhetoric

YEDIOT AHARONOT 4/23/99--op-ed by Nahum Barnea: "Many foreign cooks are involved in the 1999 election stew. Too many. The American peace team is trying to put its foot in, the Russian Government is sticking its nose in, 'Arafat is dipping his finger in, and Hamas also has something to say. They are all intervening, but it is doubtful whether the effort has any impact on the ballot box...

Martin Peretz, publisher of the US political weekly The New Republic, this week published one of the toughest articles ever written about the US State Department's peace team. Peretz is a Democratic Party activist and one of the leaders of the American left in the 1960's who slowly moved to the right.

He is very close to Vice President Al Gore. He writes that if he were living in Israel he would have voted for Ehud Baraq and not Netanyahu. Except for that sentence, Netanyahu could have signed every other word in the article.

Peretz accuses Secretary of State Madeleine Albright of being "an amateur, lacking strategic understanding, and having exaggerated rhetoric."

He presents Martin Indyk, her assistant for Middle East affairs, as "a weirdo" and his partners in the peace team, -- Dennis Ross, Aaron Miller, and Dan Kurtzer -- as backing Bush and Baker's anti-Semitic policy, and in fact of being Israeli-hating Jews. Albright is also a Jewess with hang-ups.

The American peace team dismisses this criticism. It claims that Peretz pleaded to Clinton to appoint him ambassador to Israel and when he was turned down, decided to take revenge. However, the question of how to behave during the Israeli election campaign concerns the group and divides it.

A senior US Administration official told an Israeli acquaintance this week that the lesson has been learned, and unlike 1996, the Clinton administration will not intervene in the elections. But in private conversations some of the members of the US team hope Netanyahu loses the elections.

They brought Yitzchak Mordechai to the President and regretted it after Netanyahu attacked the move; they leak from time to time to the Israeli media hostile reports about Netanyahu but take care not to back these reports, which would have led them into a direct confrontation with Netanyahu.

US Ambassador to Israel Ned Walker tries from time to time "to balance" Washington's criticism of Netanyahu with countermoves. Walker believes that Netanyahu will win the elections and that he will have to deal with him in the coming years.

The main thing is that the Americans have neither the time nor the mindset for a war of the Jews. The war in Yugoslavia fills their agenda at the moment.

A Russian diplomat with ambassadorial rank met several days ago with a European businessman. The conversation focused on the romance between the Netanyahu government and his government. The businessmen asked for explanations. The diplomat was candid.

"Russia wants to return to the Middle East and play a similar role to what it had before the breakup of the USSR," he said. "The Americans have removed Russia from any influence in the peace process. Russia knows only one way to become part of the political activity in the Middle East.

Primakov's decision to develop relations with the Netanyahu government is based on the assumption that Netanyahu is finding it harder than the Labor government to advance the process and preserve the good relations with the Americans.

The continuation of the tension is good for the Russians." Beyond this confession, Primakov and his coterie are very pleased with the personal relations formed between them and Netanyahu and Sharon. They like the spark in Sharon's eyes when they talk to him in Russian. "Sharon talks Russian like a Georgian," one of those involved said."

Ma'ariv Op-ed: Unity Government?

MA'ARIV 4/23/99--op-ed by Ben Caspit: "What kind of government do the Americans want to see here after the elections? A national unity government, pure and simple. The US Administration's top echelon, which these days walks on tiptoes in an effort not to get caught interfering in the election campaign (against Netanyahu, of course), believes that only a Labor-Likud-Center Party national unity government will be able to propel the peace process forward.

Administration offices hope, believe (and know?) that even Ehud Baraq, if he wins the elections, will invite the Likud (with or without Netanyahu) to join such a government. Senior US officials say in closed sessions that the lesson of Yitzhaq Rabin's assassination must be learned.

According to them, a narrow-based government, a seemingly peace government to all intents and purposes, will be unable to move forward with the peace process.

Administration officials -- and this is a known fact -- cannot stand Netanyahu. But they cannot do without him either.

Meanwhile, Washington has been busy with the move that will lead to the postponement of Yasir 'Arafat's declaration of a Palestinian state.

The letter President Clinton is supposed to send to 'Arafat is already on its way and will be received in Gaza in the coming days. Subsequently, 'Arafat will convene his institutions and announce the postponement (exactly on 4 May, apparently). In exchange, he will again be promoted in terms of his status in the world in general and in Washington in particular.

Two Washington-based ambassadors were in Israel two weeks ago: Israel's Zalman Shoval and the PLO's Hasan 'Abd-al-Rahman; one on the rise ('Abd-al-Rahman) and the other (Shoval) apparently trying to brake the fall. 'Abd-al-Rahman (incidentally, he walked around Jerusalem and even held several meetings there) said in an interview with Ma'ariv:

"We feel a considerable and dramatic improvement in our position in Washington -- not only with the administration, but with the social, economic, and political top, both on the personal and the organizational level.

Our relations with the United States have recently become strategic ones. We maintain a strategic dialogue on such issues as Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and the Persian Gulf. I think people in Washington have discovered Yasir 'Arafat. Relations of trust, mutual respect, and appreciation have emerged between him and senior administration officials."

Shoval came to Israel to take part in the strategic Israeli-US talks held in Tel Aviv. Shoval, one of the most experienced and esteemed diplomats in Washington, is these days using all his experience and connections to preserve the current situation. He had some tough moments in his current term in office, such as the "Pollard affair" at Wye Plantation.

But he survived. Contrary to other ambassadors, he did not have to start from scratch. The Americans remember him favorably for his first term and have full confidence in him. They know that he will not act behind their backs and that if there were to be disagreements, these would take place on the table rather than under it.

Shoval is aware of the evolving relations between the United States and the Palestinians, but he does not get worked up over it. According to him, at this stage there is no comparison between Israel's position and that of the Palestinians in Washington. "True," he says, "there are disagreements between us and the Americans, and these have also been expressed publicly.

But the very fact that, in spite of it, our strategic relations have gone up another notch -- as reflected in the latest talks -- attests to the strength and the uniqueness of our relations with the United States."

Among other things, Shoval had to field the tough questions posed by the US Administration in the face of the passionate Russian affair taken up by Foreign Minister Ari'el Sharon. According to him, he concealed nothing from the Americans. Luckily for him, he enjoys their full confidence.

He managed to return safely to Washington after his first stint (1990 to 1993), which was no less difficult than the present one. And he will make it back safely this time as well. The question is when will this happen.

If Netanyahu loses, Shoval has no intention of staying, unless a national unity government is set up. In that case, Netanyahu would be the foreign minister and Shoval could stay in Washington."

King of Jordan visits Syria with success

Amman's AL RA'Y 4/23/99: "The visit to the Syrian Arab Republic by His Majesty King 'Abdallah Bin-Husayn and his talks with His Excellency President Hafiz al-Asad were historic and successful by all standards. The visit could not have been better. It could not have made more achievements or accomplishments, which are numerous and expected to increase until the aspired for integration is achieved.

Such integration is meant to be achieved within the context of a new, futuristic, and courageous perspective that reads the present and past critically and draws the necessary lessons from them...

The conferees demonstrated a keenness not to allow any repeat of the misunderstandings that prevailed between the two countries. It is worth noting that these misunderstandings were caused by judgments that should not ruin or spoil historical relations between the two fraternal peoples or hurt their interests which cannot run into a collision course.

The historic visit managed to return matters to normal. Moreover, it helped revitalize and revive the work of the Joint Jordanian-Syrian Committee, which will meet in June..."

Election TV

ARUTZ 7 4/26/99: "The official election campaign commercials begin in the electronic media today. The first ads were aired on the radio this morning, and television ads begin this evening. Each party is allowed ten minutes of television time, plus three minutes for each incumbent Knesset Member on its list. Ehud Barak's ads focus on personality issues and his army background, while Netanyahu's emphasize his connection with Jerusalem."

Mordechai to dropout?

ARUTZ7 4/26/99: "Ma'ariv reports today that despite yet another denial by Yitzchak Mordechai that he plans to drop out of the Prime Ministerial race, Netanyahu's office is preparing for the eventuality that this will not be the case.

If Mordechai drops out, it is likely that either Barak or Netanyahu will receive more than 50% of the vote, thus eliminating the need for a second round.

Dr. Aharon Fein, of the public survey institute Tatzpit, said today that both the Centrist and One Israel parties have reached the conclusion that a one-round election would favor Barak, and are working to ensure that this will happen.

"The main difference is that the second-round turnout of Arabs - who would overwhelmingly support Barak - would be much smaller than in the first round," explained Fein.