PA and Hamas cooperation?

IDF RADIO 4/28/99: "Everything in Gaza went according to the script written by the Americans. The PLO Central Council did not adopt an explicit decision to delay the declaration of a Palestinian state.

'Arafat even said that there is no need at all to declare a state, since it already exists. However, it was Shaykh Ahmad Yasin who surprised everybody twice, first when he attended the meeting, and second when he said that it is possible that Hamas may become an indivisible part of the Palestinian Authority in the future...

In a closed meeting with German correspondents in Gaza yesterday, Yasin disclosed that he does not oppose continuing cooperation with the PA. The IDF radio obtained the contents of the interview. [Yaain] "In the current stage of liberation, we are not part of the PA.

However, at a very later stage, when a state is declared, there is nothing that prevents us from being part of the PA." Yasin denied that the release of three Hamas prisoners is part of a deal with the PA. If possible, we will cooperate with the PA, but we have no agreement with them, he said. Yasin opened the PLO Central Council meeting, demanding that a state be declared quickly. He claimed that the Oslo accords are a major obstacle in the way of the Palestinian people..."

Nabil Shaath's upgrades denied?

THE JERUSALEM POST 5/3/99: "Ireland and seven Latin American countries have agreed to the upgrading of Palestinian representations in their countries to embassies, according to Palestinian Authority Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Nabil Shaath. But his office did not specify when the change would happen.

The Irish charge d'affaires in Tel Aviv, Paul Gunning, said last night his country has made no such decision. Shaath was quoted in the Ramallah-based Al-Ayam daily as specifying that Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico had joined Dublin in moving to upgrade their ties with the Palestinians.

"Ireland will be the first European country to take this decision," he was quoted as saying, adding that other European countries will be urged to do likewise. Shaath's adviser, Mohammed Waheidy, said the eight countries "didn't say when" the upgrading would take place.

"A hint, a sign, a positive sign was taken by these countries that they support the Palestinian position of declaring a state soon." Gunning said that Ireland will not change the status of the Palestinian office in Dublin unless it reaches a "common decision" to do so with other European Community states...."

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that, "if it is true that the Palestinians are working to raise the level of their diplomatic relations with a number of countries, then this is nothing but a clear violation of the Oslo agreement, and a matter that requires Israel's immediate serious attention."

The Foreign Ministry said it has ordered its missions in the countries in question to find out what is happening, and stress that such an action, should it be carried out, "completely goes against all agreements, which say that the Palestinians are prohibited from establishing diplomatic relations."...

In Cairo yesterday, Arafat conferred with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and French Premier Lionel Jospin about the peace process in the face of the upcoming elections."We have to wait and see who will lead Israeli diplomacy," Foreign Minister Amr Moussa was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Abdel Rahim also said the PA is interested in improving relations with Iran to defend Islamic holy places. Netanyahu's office said in response that "Arafat's intentions to forge and tighten ties with Iran signals the danger that will arise with the establishment of a Palestinian state, which will bring Iran to our doorstep."

Will Mordecai go?

THE JERUSALEM POST 5/3/99: "Center Party leader Yitzhak Mordechai's decision to remain in the prime ministerial race is still not watertight, a senior party source said yesterday. The comment came despite Mordechai's pledge yesterday that he is not backing out of the race, nor is the Party going to drop out of the contest for the Knesset.

"I am running for prime minister and we will meet on the 18th of this month and see who calls who based on the election results," Mordechai told the media at his Tel Aviv headquarters, referring to rumors that his party is negotiating to join One Israel.

However, later in the day the senior source said that decision applies to the here and now, not necessarily what will be in two weeks. "The decision, though, is up to Mordechai and at the moment he's very determined," said the source.

At the news conference Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, Dan Meridor, and Roni Milo gave Mordechai their full backing...Mordechai dismissed polls predicting his failure and that the party will win far fewer Knesset seats than expected, saying the support he gets when he's out campaigning tells a different story.

A "psychological war" is being waged against the party in the media to convince it to drop out of the race, Shahak said...Barak yesterday again called on Mordechai to join him, calling the center a "party of atmospherics" and talking about "the strength in unity."

Speaking to student leaders in Tel Aviv, Barak argued that "a party born out of the polls should pay attention to them now and do the right thing."

Hezbollah Lebanon attack

AP via NANDO TIMES 5/3/99: "Guerrillas set off a roadside bomb Monday as an Israeli patrol passed in southern Lebanon, killing one soldier and wounding another, Lebanese security officials said. In an earlier attack, the same Hezbollah guerrilla group wounded a pro-Israeli militiamen in the Israeli-occupied zone.

An Israeli military spokesman in Jerusalem confirmed that a militiamen with the South Lebanon Army was slightly wounded, but had no immediate word on the roadside bombing. Lebanese officials said the bomb was detonated by remote control as Israeli infantrymen were walking along a coastal road at Bayadah, a small village in the occupied zone.

The village is 12 miles south of the port of Tyre and about six miles north of the Israeli border. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the explosion in a statement issued in Beirut..."

Leaks and rumors of indicting Sharon

ARUTZ7 5/2/99: "Prime Minister Netanyahu, chairing the weekly government meeting today, attacked the police announcement that it had completed its investigation against Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon. Netanyahu, citing "deliberate leaks" regarding the alleged police recommendation to indict Sharon, lambasted "rumor-mongers" for besmirching public figures without enabling them to defend themselves.

The police claim that the investigation has been completed, but the State Prosecution says that certain "clarifications" must still be provided. Transportation Minister Sha'ul Yahalom said that the fact that the Sharon story has come up on the eve of the elections represents a "direct intervention in the election campaign."

Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein, who was present at the meeting, rebuffed the criticism, and said that he was "not the proper address for the complaints." Prime Minister Netanyahu retorted: "If you aren't, who is?" The charges against the Foreign Minister relate to bribes that Sharon purportedly offered Maj.-Gen. (res.) Avigdor Ben-Gal to testify on his behalf in a 1995 lawsuit against the Ha'aretz newspaper. In 1992, Ha'aretz reported that during the 1982 Lebanon war, Sharon lied to then-Prime Minister Begin about the extent and goals of the offensive.

Sharon sued the paper for libel, then retracted his suit, and later re-submitted it when Ha'aretz repeated the accusations. At the trial, Ben-Gal testified on Sharon's behalf that after reading secret protocols and documents, he [Ben-Gal] realized that he had erred when he said in a lecture years before that the Lebanon offensive was a secret, unauthorized plan initiated by Sharon.

The court nevertheless rejected Sharon's suit, and he appealed to the Supreme Court. During the retrial, the charges were raised that Sharon offered to use his influence to land a profitable gas deal for Ben-Gal in exchange for Ben-Gal's "amended" testimony. Sharon has consistently denied all the charges..."

From Benny to Bibi

HA'ARETZ 5/3/99: "Campaign ads for the National Unity movement will no longer directly endorse movement leader Benny Begin for prime minister, leaving right-wing voters the option of choosing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Movement leader Benny Begin will nonetheless continue his campaign for the premiership.

According to National Unity MK Zvi Handel, Netanyahu has already guaranteed the party a role in the coalition if Netanyahu is reelected, and similar talks are under way with the Third Way and the Yisrael b'Aliyah Party...

Begin has turned down entreaties by party activists to withdraw from the race, arguing that the party's recent decline in the public opinion polls is not because of his campaign but because there aren't enough activists working for the party.

Begin believes that by staying in the race he is helping Netanyahu in case of a second round of voting, because if he were to drop out, right-wing voters disappointed by Netanyahu would go to Yitzhak Mordechai and from there to One Israel's Ehud Barak..."

Internet banking

HA'ARETZ 5/3/99: "In a revolutionary move, the Supervisor of Banks yesterday agreed to let three banks - Hapoalim, Leumi and First International - provide simple banking services over the Internet. Though the banks are already supplying account information via the Internet, actual transactions have not been permitted until now.

For the time being, however, the Bank of Israel is still not permitting transactions over the Internet that affect more than one customer - only transactions between accounts held by a single customer. Upon notification of the central bank's decision, Bank Hapoalim announced that it would begin permitting certain types of transactions via the Internet within the next few days.

Among the offered services will be deposits into and withdrawals from shekel and foreign-currency-linked savings plans, the purchase and sale of stocks and mutual fund shares, the purchase and sale of Maof and shekel/dollar options, and ordering checks and credit cards. Bank Leumi announced a similar basket of services - minus, for instance, the options purchases, but including the purchase and sale of foreign currency for those with foreign currency accounts.

Leumi said it would also begin offering these services within a few days. First International, in contrast, began its Internet services immediately - but it is offering a much smaller array. As of yesterday, FIBI customers could deposit and withdraw from shekel savings plans via the Internet. But the bank is not yet permitting stock or foreign currency transactions.

The three banks also announced that Internet transactions would entitle customers to discounted fees and better interest rates. At Hapoalim, for instance, the fee for ordering checks will be cut 25 percent for those who use the Internet; fees for purchasing stocks and mutual fund shares will be slashed 50 percent; and interest rates on shekel deposits will be up to 0.5 percent higher.

First International is increasing interest rates on Internet shekel deposits by 0.25 percent. Leumi said it would announce the benefits it will offer Internet users in a few days. Hapoalim said that while use of the Internet would not entail any fee of its own, customers must sign up for the service at a bank branch."

Maccabi boycott

THE JERUSALEM POST 5/3/99: "Maccabi Australia is boycotting the next Maccabiah games and intends to encourage other delegations to do so as well, unless Maccabi World Union president Ronald Bakalarz and MWU chairman Uzi Netanel step down, pending the outcome of the Knesset subcommittee investigation of the fatal 1997 Maccabiah footbridge collapse.

Maccabi Australia (MAI) representatives are expected to press for the resignation of Bakalarz and Netanel at today's MWU meetings at Kfar Hamaccabiah. Representatives of MAI are starting to discuss a boycott of the 2001 games with other delegations, said Pinchas Zeltzer, an attorney representing a number of the victims in a civil suit here.