Headlines:
Click on a story to read or
scroll down:
Stories this page: (1 of 3)
Abu Mazen's state
Israel-China agree on
technology
Bibi advises Barak to lower PA
expectations
Sharansky explains topics at issue
with One Israel & Yesha
Barak pledges to curtail Jewish
settlement building
Coalition forming
Coalition with United Torah
Judaism and One Israel held up
by
disagreement over consciption of yeshiva students.
Sharon cleared OK
No blame attached to Israel's national
airline El Al
Stories next page: (2
of 3)
Geneva gyrations, for or
against Israel?
Syria rejects US request
to cease Hizbullah activity
Barak threatens PA
against resumption of terrorism
Saudi succession
UN Resolutions resolved?
Iran-Syria-Iraq
relations, an analysis of the difference
Fly Morocco, Royal Air
Maroc
Israel gives Jordon go-ahead in
dam project
Foreign reports?
Women in Syria
Stories the following
page: (3 of 3)
Rage days
Lebanon withdrawal
Blaming Israel in Days of
Rage
Extradite Deif
Barak may by-pass Wye for
final status
US Embassy should already be
in Jerusalem
Spy stuff still happens
Lockheed or Boeing?
Apt. deals in Har Homa,
Jerusalem
Abu Mazen's state
Abu Dhabi's AL ITTIHAD 5/30/99--Interview with Mahmud 'Abbas Abu-Mazin, secretary of
the PLO Executive Committee by Al-Ittihad correspondent Antoine Khammar:
[Khammar] What are your expectations for the peace process after the victory of Baraq?
[Abu-Mazin] The victory of the Labor Party in the Israeli elections is regarded as
triumph for the peace process and we had a past experience with the Labor Party. We hope
that Baraq will accelerate progress on the Palestinian track. We also hope that he will
make progress on the Lebanese track by withdrawing from southern Lebanon to protect his
army from the quagmire of quicksand there.
The victory of Baraq in the Israeli elections is an indication that there is a
possibility of putting the peace process back on track. We regard the peace track in the
peace process as being due to the fact that the Labor Party had started to lead the
Israeli policy and we had a past experience with the Israeli Labor Party.
[Khammar] When do you expect the independent Palestinian state with Holy Jerusalem as
its capital to be established?
[Abu-Mazin] The Palestinian state was proclaimed in 1988 and there is no need to make
this proclamation once again. However, there is a need for practicing sovereignty on the
ground and this principally depends on the will of the Palestinian people and also on the
outcome of the negotiations and talks that the Palestinian Authority [PA] and Israel will
hold.
The proclamation once again is out of the question but what we need is to exercise
sovereignty in order to consolidate the national authority through the independent
Palestinian state which was proclaimed in 1988.
[Khammar] Would you agree to the internationalization of Jerusalem as the capital of
two states?
[Abu-Mazin] Our position on the issue of Jerusalem and all the occupied Palestinian
territories is clear and what applies to Jerusalem also applies to Hebron, Nabulus,
Galilee, and Tulkarm. Israel must withdraw from the territories it occupied in 1967 and
Israel must also withdraw from Jerusalem, which it occupied in 1967 and which will become
the capital of the independent Palestinian state.
This is what we are demanding and to which we would agree, and it falls within the
framework of the proposed international solution, which we have accepted and agreed to.
Subsequently, the other side should also accept it.
[Khammar] How do you view the sedition that has been fabricated in Nazareth?
[Abu-Mazin] It is regrettable to see such incidents take place in the city that is dear
to all our hearts. The city of Nazareth has a special place in the hearts of all the
Palestinians and Arabs, both Muslims and Christians. Thus, it pains us to see a dispute
erupt between the brothers who have lived together for centuries as brothers and loved
ones.
Subsequently, we believe that the enemies of the Palestinian Arab people, Arabism,
Islam, and Christianity started this sedition. Thus, we bless and are grateful for any
effort that is aimed at mending the rift.
I believe that the matter is about to be resolved...I would like to extend our
greetings to all our Palestinian Arab brothers in Nazareth, both Muslims and Christians,
and to urge them to entrench Christian-Islamic brotherhood of our Palestinian people who
now constitute a minority in the state of Israel.
[Khammar] If one of the Arab Knesset members asked for a Palestinian passport, would
you agree to it?
[Abu-Mazin] I do not believe that any Arab Knesset member would ask for it. The
passport does not mean affiliation and the Arabs in Israel are Arabs and are an essential
part of the Palestinian people. The circumstances have made them a part of the state of
Israel or a minority in the state of Israel but this does not prevent them from being
Muslim or Christian Arabs and it would not prevent them from expressing their culture and
history.
They are Palestinian Arabs and they demand fair treatment in their place of residence.
Every Palestinian who believes that the land of Palestine is his or her land is entitled
to the Palestinian identity and passport. The Israeli Arabs are first and foremost
Palestinians and they are entitled to all the rights in their Palestinian state and we
must take care of them and provide for their needs.
The PA issues the Palestinian passport to those who want to travel freely and as human
beings around the world. As for our Palestinian brothers who have remained steadfast in
Palestine in spite of the Israeli presence, I believe that they want to obtain a
Palestinian passport as a means for traveling to the Arab countries.
We are inspired by the hope that this matter will be made easy after security and peace
are established and all the Arab countries from Mauritania to the Sultanate of Oman would
welcome them. All the Arab countries would then open the doors only for them but also the
Israelis themselves. This would become a reality if the peace process continues and moves
forward if the intentions of Israeli Prime Minister-elect Baraq become credible...
[Khammar] Is there a current dialogue between you and sisterly Syria?
[Abu-Mazin] Regrettably, we do not thus far have a dialogue with sisterly Syria as a
national authority. We would like to have a dialogue because Syria is a sisterly country
and its territories are occupied under the same circumstances. We also hope that Israel
will endeavor to hold peace talks with sisterly Syria and continue on the path that Israel
under the Labor Party had started...
[Khammar] What is your perception of Hizballah? Is it a terrorist party or a party that
is demanding the liberation of its land?
[Abu-Mazin] The Lebanese brothers are entitled to defend their land using all means and
this applies to Hizballah and the Lebanese National Resistance Front. Moreover, every
Lebanese individual has the right to defend his land and we regard it as an acquired right
for the Lebanese Arab people to defend their land.
The Islamic national resistance has a legitimate right to its current operations but we
hope that the operations will stop after the Israeli army withdraws from all of Lebanon.
We appreciate their efforts and we regard what they are doing as the acquired right of
everyone whose land has been usurped and of anyone who has been expelled from his home.
[Khammar] What is your position on the popular Christian Orthodox move throughout
Palestine that is demanding the Arabization of the Orthodox Church and halting the lease
or sale of the Orthodox waqf land to the Israeli settlement building companies?
[Abu-Mazin] We absolutely support this move and bless the efforts of our Christian
Orthodox brothers in the Jerusalem Orthodox Patriarchate in preserving their waqf and land
as their acquired right. We totally condemn these selling and lease transactions by
whatever side.
I would like to frankly say that we support them in gaining both their civil and
religious rights. They are also entitled to elect Palestinian or Jordanian Arab bishops to
conduct their religious sermons in Arabic and not in any other language that the members
of their parish do not understand.
We affirm that the Christian Orthodox clergymen should be from the Palestinian people
by birth and in affiliation and they should move to establish themselves by Arabizing
their church. We are also willing to make contacts with the Greek government in order to
solve their problems.
We in the PA will host the sixth Task Force conference that will be held in Bethlehem
to discuss their problems and we welcome them in their country to discuss the affairs of
their church because they belong to it and it belongs to them. As for the drafting of laws
on the clergymen and their affiliation, there is a time for everything and there have to
be consultations with the Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon where the Palestinians who
belong to the Jerusalem Orthodox Church are present.
We have to confer with the governments of the aforementioned Arab countries since the
majority of those Palestinians currently belong to the Orthodox Church of Antioch. This
church has welcomed them and offered them the same religious services that its other
members enjoy in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Jordan
is of course excluded because the Jerusalem Orthodox Church is currently in control
there..."
Israel-China agree on technology
GLOBES 6/2/99: "By the end of the year Israel and China will sign an agreement for
technological cooperation. An understanding to this effect was reached today at a meeting
between Ministry of Industry and Trade Director General Dov Mishor and the Chinese deputy
minister for foreign trade and economic cooperation. Mishor said that it was also agreed
to revive the four Israeli-Chinese economic subcommittees on medical equipment,
electronics, telecommunications, and agriculture. The two parties decided that the
committees will be convened before the end of the year, and that a series of projects that
China is seeking to promote in each of these areas will be reviewed."
Bibi advises Barak to lower PA expectations
YEDIOT AHARONOT 6/2/99: "Outgoing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu yesterday
advised Prime Minister-elect Ehud Baraq to implement a tough policy vis-a-vis al-Asad and
'Arafat. "Hold them by the throat," Netanyahu said. Yesterday morning the two
held their first meeting since Baraq's victory in the elections.
The meeting, which was held in Jerusalem's King David Hotel, was devoted in its
entirety to strategic issues. Netanyahu suggested to Baraq to continue his foreign policy,
especially his hard-line approach to Arab leaders and the US Administration.
Netanyahu told Baraq that the Palestinian Authority has had a field day since the
election results came out. "There are festivities in the territories," Netanyahu
said. He advised Baraq to implement a policy that will lower Palestinian expectations.
Netanyahu briefed Baraq on the indirect negotiations he has held with al-Asad via
American millionaire Ron Lauder. Lauder held nine rounds of talks: He received
instructions from Netanyahu and immediately traveled to Damascus, obtained a reaction, and
returned to brief Netanyahu.
According to Netanyahu, his greatest achievement in these talks was receiving a Syrian
oral agreement "to the presence of Israeli teams in an American-French station on top
of Mt. Hermon." This station was supposed to be established as one of the security
arrangements in the framework of the agreement.
Netanyahu gave Baraq the assessment that "al-Asad is dying to reach an
arrangement," because his economic and military situation is at a low ebb, and
therefore Israel "can hold him by the throat."
Sharansky explains topics at issue with One Israel &
Yesha
ARUTZ7 6/6/99: "Yisrael B'Aliyah leader Natan Sharansky explained today the main
topics still at issue in his party's negotiations with One Israel:
"First, we want a platform that reflects the fact that though Israel is of course
a democracy, it was established, first and foremost, as the home of the Jewish people.
Secondly, we insist that the drafting of a constitution be carried out in a balanced
fashion, and that its contents garner wide public support.
Thirdly, One Israel wants to annul the national-priority status of Yesha communities,
thus removing special benefits for the residents and canceling its status as a
top-priority development area.
During my term as Industry Minister, we doubled the number of industrial parks in
Yesha. This was not because of political pressures or out of a desire to 'create facts on
the ground.' It was because we understood that there is a real need for workplaces for
Yesha residents.
You cannot come out and say that you will not 'dry up settlements,' while at the same
time fostering a situation in which no new industrial plants can be built in Yesha."
When asked why his party does not demand more strongly that Barak skip over Wye and go
straight to the final-status agreement, Sharansky said, "We do demand this, but Barak
and One Israel are of the opinion that the agreements that have been signed already must
be implemented. We may be able to reach an understanding whereby the principle of
'reciprocity' is more strongly stressed, and then, once the Palestinians fulfill their
obligations and the Wye agreement is implemented, we should go immediately to the
final-status stage."
Barak pledges to curtail Jewish settlement building
AP 6/7/99: "Seeking to reassure Palestinians, Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak
pledged today to curtail Jewish settlement building by the outgoing hard-line government.
Barak also told Israel radio that he would establish a committee of Cabinet ministers to
review settlement projects approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. He
hinted he might cancel some of them.
"I don't think anyone supposed that a government led by me would continue the
surge of settlement activity on the hills around Nablus,'' Barak said...
Barak spokesman David Ziso said Barak was using the Nablus area as an example of all
settlement activity under Netanyahu's rule. Palestinian leaders have demanded a freeze in
settlement construction. They have been especially angered by the construction of two
Jewish neighborhoods in traditionally Arab east Jerusalem and the grabbing of West Bank
hilltops by Jewish settlers.
Barak's pledge to curb settlement expansion was his first public reassurance to the
Arabs on the issue since the May 17 election. "In principle, these are positive
signals,'' said Palestinian legislator Ziad Abu Ziad, but added that the Palestinians were
expecting a more detailed position.
In coalition guidelines published Sunday, Barak made clear that the new government
would freeze future settlement building and end tax breaks for settlers in disputed
territory. But he left unclear if he would halt projects already under way in the
Jerusalem area. In its final days, the Netanyahu government had announced a decision to
link the large Maale Adumim settlement with Jerusalem, a move that would undercut
Palestinian plans to link Arab areas of Jerusalem with the West Bank as part of a future
state.
Barak reiterated that his government's top priority would be to revitalize peace
talks...Barak said his government will not engage in secret negotiations, as Labor Party
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin had done years ago. The Maariv daily said the chief
Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, and Yossi Beilin, a senior Labor legislator who
engineered the Oslo peace accords, had met in the seaside town of Herzliya after Barak's
election victory.
Asked about the contacts, Barak said he would not prevent people from meeting, but that
he would only begin his diplomatic activity once he had formed his government. Barak has
until July 9 to form a coalition. Maariv also said Barak was expected to meet President
Clinton in mid-July, but Ziso said that meeting was not yet on Barak's calendar."
Coalition forming
ARUTZ7 6/7/99: "The future coalition remains clouded in unclarity. Yossi Sarid is
against the inclusion of Shas, and Ehud Barak will meet with him in an attempt to soften
his position. Barak says that he can form a 66-seat coalition, but others in his party say
that this is not certain.
Meir Sheetrit estimates that the Likud will not join the government. Ariel Sharon is
leaning towards having the Likud join only after the internal party elections in three
months' time, at which time he would like to join Barak's min-security cabinet. Sharon has
apparently waived his demand to become Foreign Minister.
He may instead wish to be appointed Minister of National Infrastructures and/or
Housing. Sharon met with MK Chanan Porat (National Union) yesterday on the topic, and they
also discussed ways to have the Wye agreement pushed off in favor of a final-status
arrangement.
The 15th Knesset will convene this afternoon for its first session. Its 120 members,
including 41 new ones, will be sworn in by the acting speaker, Shimon Peres, who received
the honor by virtue of his being the oldest MK. The leading candidate for the position of
Knesset Speaker is MK Avraham Burg (Labor)."
Coalition with United Torah Judaism and One Israel held up
by disagreement over consciption of yeshiva students.
HA'ARETZ 6/7/99: "United Torah Judaism's MK Avraham Ravitz said most of the policy
gaps between his party and One Israel regarding the guidelines of the new government have
been bridged - except for the central disagreement over the military conscription of
ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. Sources in UTJ say there is no chance for progress in the
coalition negotiations between the two parties until the conscription issue is settled.
The two parties met thrice over the weekend, twice with Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak
in attendance. One Israel's offers have been shrouded in ambiguous language, while UTJ is
demanding that any yeshiva student who wants to, be allowed to remain in yeshiva for an
unlimited amount of time. Ravitz said the One Israel negotiators suggested solving the
problem by setting up a committee.
But Ravitz dismissed that solution. "If this issue were to be buried," he
said, "then a committee could really be the most effective means of civilian
burial." But because a recent High Court of Justice ruling demands a concrete
solution to the question within half a year, Ravitz said burying the issue was not an
option.
Other policy differences on issues of religion and state, on the other hand, were more
easily resolved by the two parties. The parties agreed to have a public committee set up
to weigh drafting a constitution, and that the committee would reflect the breadth of all
societal streams.
One Israel withdrew its bid to bring the Haredi school system under the aegis of the
Education Ministry and have its curricula supervised. One Israel also struck from its
guidelines an item on allowing civilian marriages for those people whom the Chief
Rabbinate will not accept, and for members of different religions.
The rhetoric about "freedom of religion" - which raised Haredi hackles - was
likewise stricken. One Israel seems to have agreed to maintain the status quo regarding
the Sabbath and the Conversion Law, although the two parties will no doubt differ on how
that status quo is to be interprete."
Sharon cleared OK
HA'ARETZ 6/7/99: "The State Attorney's Office has decided there is insufficient
evidence to prosecute Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon for allegedly bribing former general
Avigdor Ben Gal in return for favorable testimony in Sharon's libel suit against Ha'aretz.
The case file was recently submitted to Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, who will
decide whether to close the case on grounds of insufficient evidence.
A senior prosecution source said there is only a slight chance that Rubinstein will not
accept the recommendation. Closure of the case would remove the legal obstacle to
including Sharon in the government of Prime Minister-elect Ehud Barak. However, a senior
Barak adviser said yesterday that Barak has reached the conclusion that Sharon, who is
also the Likud's acting head, is not interested in joining the government and has been
voicing hawkish views with an eye toward gaining support from Likud Central Committee
members in his bid for election as party chair.
Sharon is scheduled to accompany his wife to the United States where she will be
undergoing medical treatment, returning Saturday night. According to his office, the
coalition negotiations will continue in his absence, and he will return earlier if
required. Barak has continued to declare that he wants the Likud in the coalition, but
privately he says he has decided to focus his efforts on softening opposition in Meretz to
the inclusion of Shas into the government...
The police did not recommend either indicting the suspects or closing the case against
them, but they did indicate that it might be possible to establish a circumstantial
connection between Sharon's asking Ben Gal to join him on his trip to Russia in order to
promote his business interests there and Ben Gal's recanting of earlier testimony
regarding Sharon's actions during the Lebanon War.
The prosecution also reached the conclusion that there is insufficient evidence that
Gusinski subsidized Sharon and his entourage's charter flights in return for advancing the
business interests of Gusinski's companies in Russia."
No blame attached to Israel's national airline El Al
THE JERUSALEM POST 6/4/99: "Following a marathon debate, the Dutch parliament
early yesterday approved the report of its commission of inquiry into the 1992 crash of an
El Al Boeing 747 cargo jet in Amsterdam, which attached no blame to Israel's national
airline.
The vote accepting the report, which did sharply criticize the Dutch government, was
taken at 4:30 a.m., following a debate which had begun the previous day. A political
crisis was averted when no ministers were called upon to resign.
The commission had been established after residents of the Amsterdam suburb of Bijlmer,
where the cargo plane crashed, complained of a flurry of mysterious ailments, giving rise
to theories that the cargo had included some deadly substance intended for Israel's
defense industries.
Three crew members and the wife of one of them were killed in the crash and at least 39
local residents were reported to have died, although the total number of victims in the
neighborhood, which was largely inhabited by illegal immigrants, may never be known.
Following the crash, there were widespread reports of mysterious "men in
white," ostensibly El Al or Israeli security personnel, appearing at the site. There
were also rumors that El Al enjoyed a special position at Schiphol Airport. The report had
rejected both these theories."
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the content and articles of this
website, do not necessarily express the opinions of the Zionist Organization of America,
nor the editor and creator of this website.