Barak's embassy pressure
ARUTZ7 8/18/99: "Prime Minister Ehud Barak is pressuring U.S. Congressmen to halt
the plans to move the American Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Barak told
Congressman Jim Bunning three days ago that such an American initiative could harm
Israel's chances of reaching a deal with the Palestinians.
Reactions included:
* Likud leader Ariel Sharon sharply attacked Barak for "weakening Israel's hold on
Jerusalem."
* Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert called Barak's actions "intolerable."
* United Torah Judaism Knesset faction head Rabbi Meir Porush said that it's not Ehud
Barak's decision as to whether the embassy will relocate, and that his advice to American
representatives to delay the move was "political light-headedness."
* Housing Minister Rabbi Yitzchak Levy (NRP) says that he is certain that the U.S.
embassy will be transferred to Jerusalem. He recommends that a borough be established in
the city for all the countries that will follow the U.S. in moving their embassies to
Jerusalem.
Barak has apparently ordered a thorough check as to how the story was leaked to the
press in the first place. Former Israeli liaison to the U.S. Congress Yoram Ettinger
offered Arutz-7 some background on the story:
"This is not the first attempt by the Prime Minister to postpone the embassy move.
When he visited the States several weeks ago, he met with the pro-Israel Aipac lobby, and
instructed its members not to push the embassy issue at that time. Details of that request
were communicated in direct and indirect ways to senior U.S. politicians. A total of 84
out of 100 senators - who were ready to grant Barak a gift by passing a law that would
obligate the President to avoid procrastinating any longer - were shocked by the news.
Democratic Senator Joseph Lieberman, a close political ally of Clinton, was among those
taken aback by Prime Minister Barak's words."
News editor Ariel Kahane cited Barak's claim that in any event, Clinton plans to delay
the embassy move for another year..."
Barak's embassy non-pressure
THE JERUSALEM POST 8/19/99: "Prime Minister Ehud Barak did not propose delaying
the planned move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, minister without portfolio
Haim Ramon said yesterday.
Media reports suggesting he had proposed delay were incorrect, he said. "The prime
minister was misquoted and was actually talking about a decision of the US
president," said Ramon, who has responsibility for Jerusalem.
Barak said yesterday that within a year a final agreement which will permit permanent
arrangements for the embassy should be completed, he said. US President Bill Clinton told
Barak that he would not be presenting plans for the move to Congress for at least a year,
said Ramon.
Ramon also said Barak and members of his government reject the position of the US,
which he said had delayed the move for reasons of national security until the end of the
peace process.
"We don't see this as an issue of national security," Ramon said. At this
point, Israel needs to strengthen its support from Democrats and Republicans to ensure
that Congress remains behind Israel when Clinton's waiver expires next year, according to
Barak's spokesman, David Ziso. He called the entire discussion "hypothetical"
until that time.
Nonetheless, Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Levy announced he will start
looking for suitable sites for embassies in Jerusalem. "We believe sooner or later
the US Embassy will move to Jerusalem," said Levy. "This will trigger the
decision of other embassies to move."...
US Embassy spokesman Larry Schwartz said, "Israel and the Palestinians have agreed
to include Jerusalem among the issues to be covered in permanent status negotiations. At
this time, President Clinton has determined that the US should not take steps to prejudge
those negotiations and make them more difficult."...
Egypt's skies refuse El-Al flight
ARUTZ7 8/18/99: "Foreign Minister David Levy has instructed his ministry to
investigate an incident last night in which Egypt prevented an El Al flight from flying
through its airspace - the third such incident in a few days. In the latest case, the
pilot of the Bangkok-bound flight was suddenly told by the Egyptian control tower that he
did not have the necessary flight permits.
From mid-air, the pilot radioed El-Al, which in turn appealed to the Foreign Ministry.
Hurried contacts with the country's ambassadors bore no diplomatic fruit, and after an
extended mid-air delay, the jet and its 329 passengers performed an about-face and
returned to Ben Gurion Airport. Some of the passengers boarded other flights to Bangkok,
others were put up in Tel Aviv hotels, and still others went home.
Egypt's Aviation Authority head said today that the incident was caused by a technical
problem, and will not be repeated. Two other Israeli planes were refused passage through
Egyptian airspace for similar reasons. Foreign Minister David Levy today summoned
Bassiouny for a discussion on the matter."
Israel helps Turkey
THE JERUSALEM POST 8/19/99: "An IDF rescue team set out last night from Istanbul
to try to rescue at least 14 Israelis believed trapped in rubble in the Turkish resort of
Chiben Shik, the IDF Spokesman said. Another six Israelis are reported missing. The resort
is west of Yalova, across the bay from the earthquake's epicenter.
The condition of those believed trapped was unclear. However, the Israel Police
representative in Istanbul told Itim that three Israeli families had turned to the Israeli
consulate for help after their relatives in the resort could not be located.
He said houses in the resort had been demolished by the earthquake, and that the
condition of the Israelis was unknown; although survivors had confirmed that Israelis had
been staying there, but were now missing. The missing Israelis had reportedly been with
members of the Turkish Jewish community who have also disappeared. Their relatives have
set out from Istanbul for the resort to try and locate them...
Meanwhile, the IDF is to send a field hospital to Turkey this afternoon, including some
70 doctors, medics, nurses, paramedics, and administrative personnel, the IDF Spokesman
said. Leading the field hospital will be Col. Paul Bandak of the Medical Corps.
According to the army, the hospital will have 100 beds, a surgery, laboratory,
intensive care and X-ray facilities. The last time the IDF's field hospital was deployed
was in April, when it was sent to Macedonia to aid Kosovar refugees. Deputy Defense
Minister Ephraim Sneh is expected to accompany the Israeli team."
New Shas leader
THE JERUSALEM POST 8/19/99: "Shas spiritual leader Ovadia Yosef last night told
the party's MKs that Labor and Social Affairs Minister Eli Yishai is its new chairman on a
temporary basis until the appeal against Aryeh Deri's conviction is heard next year. All
17 MKs were called to Yosef's Jerusalem home, where he informed them of his decision.
Yishai has been widely tipped to be Deri's permanent replacement should the former
chairman's appeal be quashed by the Supreme Court. Deri was convicted earlier this year on
several corruption charges, including bribe-taking. Yishai, 37, was elected an MK for the
first time in 1996 and immediately took up the reins at the Labor Ministry...
News of the appointment came as both Shas and United Torah Judaism pledged to continue
their fight against the transportation of giant Israel Electric Corporation turbine parts
on Shabbat. The Shas Council of Torah Sages is likely to meet to discuss the party's
reaction to the view of experts that Shabbat is the only sensible time to transfer the
250-ton loads from Ramat Hasharon to Ashkelon.
The picture was further confused last night as State Attorney Edna Arbel reportedly
told the police they cannot allow the load to move on Friday nights as long as Yishai's
Labor and Social Affairs Ministry refuses to issue valid work permits for those involved
in the operation."
Korman acquitted, Hiss problems
ARUTZ7 8/16/99: "Nachum Korman, who was charged with manslaughter almost three
years ago in the death of an Arab boy who threw stones at him, and who was then
incarcerated for 8 1/2 months, was acquitted from all charges today.
Korman, who served at the time as Security Officer of Hadar Beitar, protested his
innocence throughout the proceedings, and in fact claimed that his only direct contact
with the deceased was to offer him first aid. "Give thanks to G-d," Korman
emotionally told Arutz-7 today, only a short time after learning of the judge's
decision...
On the day of Oct. 27, 1996, Arab children told police that they threw stones at
passing Israeli vehicles, and that Korman - one of the drivers - had gotten out of his car
to chase them, and that he beat the boy - Chilmy Shoosha - who later died. Korman admitted
that he chased the boy after seeing him throw rocks, but that Shoosha fell and sustained a
blow to the neck while running away.
No signs of beating were noted when the boy arrived at Ein Karem Hospital, and a
pathological examination after his death showed only that he suffered a fatal blow to the
neck; the origin of the blow could not be determined. Jerusalem police soon requested that
Korman be charged with manslaughter, in accordance with Shoosha's friends' version of the
events, and even demanded - and received - Korman's custody until the end of the
proceedings against him.
Eight months later, he was released, but was not allowed to return to Judea and
Samaria, where he resided. One of the Arab boys who testified against Korman later
admitted to having fabricated his testimony at the behest of the dead boy's brother.
The judge today criticized Pathologist Dr. Yehuda Hiss for testifying that the boy died
as a result of Korman's "beating" him.
MK Chanan Porat (National Union) calls upon "all those who hurried to blame Korman
at the time, and all those who hurried to pay condolence calls to the Shoosha family, to
apologize now to Korman."...
[A7 8/17/99:] "MK Chanan Porat (National Union) has requested an official look
into the performance of the director of the Forensic Institute in Abu Kabir, Prof. Yehuda
Hiss. Porat has asked that the Knesset Audit Committee convene to discuss the matter.
Jerusalem District Court Judge Ruth Orr, in her ruling yesterday in the Nachum Korman
case, harshly criticized Hiss' testimony.
The judge acquitted Korman yesterday of causing the death of an Arab boy named Chilmy
Shoosha - who was chased by Korman after he [Shoosha] threw rocks at Korman's car -
despite Hiss' testimony that Korman was responsible. Justice Orr wrote that Hiss "was
carried away by his desire to find the exact cause of the death of Chilmy Shoosha, and
ignored important pathological findings that did not correspond with this desire."
Porat said that other professional court-given opinions by Hiss have drawn similar
criticism. He specifically noted a case of parents whom Hiss accused of murdering their
daughter - an accusation which later proved to be based on results taken from the wrong
body.
The Forensic Institute under Prof. Hiss, a branch of the Health Ministry, is the only
body in Israel that may perform autopsies, and is responsible for such chilling functions
as determining the identities of victims of mass terrorist attacks and violent crimes. Its
findings carry great weight in court cases, and although Prof. Hiss often appears as a
representative of the government/prosecution in court, his testimony is considered to be
that of an objective expert.
Justice Orr's ruling yesterday, however, may change that. Her finding that Hiss
"ignored important pathological findings" corresponded with criticism of other
Hiss conclusions.
A pathologist who worked with him in Abu Kabir said that Hiss "feels great loyalty
to the establishment, and expends great efforts to interpret the facts in accordance with
the establishment's position." The remarks were said in connection with a case of a
Gush Katif resident who was nearly prosecuted for murder, largely because of Hiss'
conclusions in the case.
Hiss was involved in other controversial cases as well. In August '97, DNA tests
carried out in Hebrew University found that Tzila Levine of the United States is the
biological daughter of Margalit Omeissi. This finding affirmed the claim of Mrs. Omeissi
that Levine was her daughter who disappeared from a Rosh HaAyin infirmary in 1949, shortly
after the family's arrival from Yemen.
Several weeks later, a Ministry of Health official announced that another genetic test
had determined that the two were not mother and daughter. Ms. Levine told Arutz-7 at the
time, "I was disappointed with the results, but not at all surprised. [We had] asked
that that testing procedure be stopped... If [the testing institute] doesn't stand by its
own signature, then I have no reason in the world to believe the accuracy of their tests.
Professor Hiss [the man who carried out the tests] is simply not a trustworthy
man..."
In addition, in March of this year, a group of Israeli citizens requested that the
police investigate Prof. Hiss on suspicion of altering reports of the assassinated Prime
Minister Yitzchak Rabin's wounds and submitting false evidence to the Shamgar Commission
that investigated the assassination.
Dr. Hiss' pathological report, which stated that Rabin suffered no damage to his spinal
cord and was not wounded by a frontal chest wound, was presented. On the other hand, the
complainants also submitted Dr. Mordechai Gutman's Surgical Procedures Report, as well as
taped testimony by Ichilov Hospital Director Dr. Gabi Barabash and former Health Minister
Ephraim Sneh, to the effect that Rabin's backbone was shattered and that there was a
frontal chest wound. The complainants requested that the contradictions be
investigated."
Golan surprise
HA'ARETZ 8/18/99: "The Kibbutz Artzi movement has come under bitter attack by both
the Council of Golan Settlements and its own members following Sunday's publication of its
plans to voluntarily relocate the members of its two kibbutzim on the Golan Heights,
Geshur and Natur in order to facilitate an Israeli withdrawal from the area. The members
of the two kibbutzim were especially incensed that had been kept out of the loop by their
movement, and only heard of the plans through the media.
Sarah Rubinstein, secretary of Natur, told Ha'aretz yesterday that they had been caught
by surprise. "The plan is scary, everyone is flabbergasted and outraged" she
said, adding that following the disclosure "all hell broke loose." Rubinstein
said that the kibbutz would hold a general meeting next week to discuss the proposed plan
and begin formulating its reaction.
"This is fast becoming a very serious matter, creating an atmosphere of
instability that is inherently unsettling. We feel we have lost control over our
lives," she said. Rubinstein said she felt opinion was divided regarding withdrawal,
but that even supporters might not be willing to be arbitrarily relocated to Tzevaon, one
of the Galilee kibbutzim earmarked by the movement to absorb Natur after it has been
dismantled.
Kibbutz Geshur was also taken by surprise, but its members tried to put on a face of
"business as usual." Kibbutz secretary Ofer Zilberberg said that "the plan
is extremely disappointing to us, and puts us in an invidious position. We are not going
to get into a flap, and we will deal with the matter in a discreet businesslike fashion at
the appropriate time.
The movement knows full well that they cannot ignore us, any solution that has not
received our approval will remain a non-starter," he added. Both kibbutzim depend
primarily upon agriculture, although some Geshur members work in high-tech jobs outside
the kibbutz. Neither kibbutz has embarked upon any form of privatization, and both are in
relatively good financial condition. Geshur has 60 members, almost double the size of
Natur.
An even more vitriolic broadside was launched at the movement by the Council of Golan
Settlements. Council spokesman Uri Heitner said that "the very idea of such a plan
marks a new level of moral bankruptcy to which the Kibbutz Artzi movement has
deteriorated.
It has lost its way, and it is a sad day when a movement which wrote many glorious
chapters in the annals of modern Zionism has become so bereft of its moral bearings. We
expect the Kibbutz Artzi to be in the forefront of the struggle to retain a Jewish
presence on the heights, and not become a contracting agent for a Jewish transfer."
He said that it no longer deserves to be considered "a pioneering movement."
Kibbutz Artzi General-Secretary MK Avshalom (Abu) Vilan (Meretz) confirmed that the
movement had met the head of the Jewish Agency's Israel Department to discuss possible
future funding requirements of kibbutzim Zevaon and Pelah, the two Galilee kibbutzim
earmarked by the movement to absorb the members of Geshur and Natur in the event of their
future dismantlement. "In the event that a peace accord is reached with Syria
mandating the kibutzims' dismantlement, their relocation to the Galilee is the most viable
option," he said.
The larger United Kibbutz Movement, which has about a dozen kibbutzim on the Golan has
not yet decided whether to support Israeli withdrawal. Secretary-General Dubi Helman
vigorously opposes withdrawal, while the movement's MK Elie Goldschmidt (One Israel)
supports a more dovish approach, and is willing to countenance a withdrawal which would
include the evacuation of all Israeli settlements on the plateau."
A new spin
HA'ARETZ 8/18/99: "Prime Minister Ehud Barak wants to set up a new information,
communications and spokesman's unit within the Prime Minister's Office, similar to the
communication offices at the White House and in the office of the British prime minister.
The step is likely to entail new positions in addition to the two spokesmen attached to
the Prime Minister's Office...Sources familiar with the subject told Ha'aretz that the new
unit is "revolutionary" in Israeli terms.
If it is indeed set up, it would include an up-to-date communications system, a large
staff of spokesmen, a polling department and a press department. At present, Barak has two
media advisers - his longtime media adviser Merav Parsi-Zadok and spokesman David Ziso.
Barak has emphasized on several occasions that the two would continue to work with him in
any event."
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