Labor Party loses thousands

HA'ARETZ 9/1/99: "The Labor Party has lost some 60,000 members this year - almost 40 percent of its total membership. According to party data, some 62,000 of the 162,000 people who were Labor Party members last year have not renewed their membership or paid dues - thereby further contributing to Labor's financial crisis. The party is currently some NIS 110 million in debt.

MK Ra'anan Cohen, the party's secretary general, said that Labor would conduct a membership drive in the coming months in an effort to reverse this trend. By conducting the drive now, he hopes to hitch a ride on Ehud Barak's sweeping win in the prime ministerial elections in May.

Cohen noted that in pre-election surveys, some 95,000 non-members expressed "support" for the Labor Party. He said he hopes that most of these can be persuaded to join, and that those who have left the party can be persuaded to return. Other measures in Labor's recovery plan include firing most of the party's workers and selling off half of its assets, whose total value is estimated at some $40 million.

Even if all of these plans are successful, however, Cohen estimated that a full recovery will take a few years. Meanwhile, several party members have expressed unease over Cohen's decision to invite Education Minister Yossi Sarid (Meretz) to address the party's bureau at its weekly meeting tomorrow.

Cohen is slated to lecture on "the government's education policy," but many party activists fear that he will use the forum to attack the 2000 budget - and thereby, indirectly, Barak, who supports it. Barak is supposed to be present at this event. Two weeks ago, however, he boycotted the weekly bureau meeting after learning that Cohen had invited a number of speakers to attack the budget."

     

Hamas responsible for Meggido's murders

ARUTZ7 9/1/99: "Hamas has assumed responsibility for the double-murder of Yechiel Finfiter and Sharon Shteinmetz in Megiddo Forest earlier this week. A fax sent to Reuters today stated that the murders are a proof of Hamas' war against the "flock of settlers and the conquest," and threatened further attacks.

The investigators of the crime are becoming increasingly convinced that it was a terrorist crime. HaKol MeHashetach News Agency reports that a "very significant" development has occurred in the investigation, on which a news blackout has been ordered by the police.

Israel's security forces thwarted another terrorist attack yesterday morning. Four Arabs from Gaza, dressed as hareidi Jews and armed with knives, attempted to pass the Kisufim checkpoint on their way to a stabbing attack. They admitted under interrogation that they were sent by a terrorist organization in Gaza."

     

Likud internal battles

ARUTZ7 9/1/99: "The battle for the leadership of the Likud party is finally heating up. Some 145,000 registered Likud members are eligible to vote Thursday at hundreds of polling stations around the country, but less than half of them are expected to exercise their right to do so.

Acting Likud chairman Ariel Sharon is favored to win against his competition - former Finance Minister Meir Shetreet and Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert. Israel television broadcast a lengthy expose on Ehud Olmert this week, accusing him of illegally canvassing yeshiva students to register in the party. The report was replete with photographs and secretly-taped telephone conversations. Olmert called a press conference yesterday to rebuff the charges, and held Sharon responsible for "besmirching his good name."

Ma'ariv political commentator Menachem Rahat told Arutz-7 today that these last days' events have paradoxically given life to the Likud and its otherwise lackluster campaign. "The media has woken up to the fact that the Likud still exists, but not due to ideological debates among the candidates," Rahat said.

Rahat added that whoever wins the Likud contest will have to face two central challenges: "How to rebuild the party financially and organizationally, and how to revamp the Likud's political philosophy. The first of those tasks is pretty straightforward... But the second goal - that of ideological rehabilitation - will be tough. After the Likud's signing of Wye, I just don't know what can still serve as the rallying point for the party. It goes without saying that the party has strayed far from the original Herut vision of a Jewish state on both sides of the Jordan."

     

India visits Israel

HA'ARETZ 9/2/99: "A top-ranking delegation from India is scheduled to arrive in Israel within the next few days and will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Barak. The visit reflects the decision of both countries to strengthen diplomatic and security ties.

Heading the Indian delegation will be a national security adviser, Barajes Mishara. He will be accompanied by the most senior diplomatic-security officials of the New Delhi administration. India, which recently underwent political turmoil and is now in the midst of the a general election campaign, is currently ruled by a transitional government.

The professional civil service enjoys considerable leeway in conducting the country's foreign affairs and defense policy. Barak attaches great importance to the development of ties with India; he may visit India next year, after a new government takes office in New Delhi. Israeli sales of weapons systems and military equipment to India represents the major channel of relations between the two countries.

Defense sources estimate that the Indian market offers the potential of additional deals worth $2 billion. A few weeks ago, at the height of the fighting in Kashmir, Israel acceded to India's request to speed up delivery of military equipment. The delegation's visit indicates that the two governments have decided to extend the strategic dialogue into additional spheres. Officials from both sides yesterday declined to comment either on the visit itself or on the substance of the talks that will take place..."

     

DST ends in Israel

HA'ARETZ 9/1/99: "Daylight-saving time ends Friday morning at 2 A.M. Clocks should be set back one hour at that time, to 1 A.M. Interior Minister Natan Sharansky, who kept the summer clock schedule set by his predecessor Eliyahu Suissa, said yesterday that next year changes would be made to daylight-saving time.

Sharansky said that having daylight-saving time for only 154 days of the year, as was the case this year, leaves 211 days for the "winter clock" - "and that's too much." He also said, however, that he wants to avoid acting rashly. Sharansky pointed out that he began his term in July and that, by law, the interior minister must give six months' notice before changing the calendar."

     

President Ezer better

HA'ARETZ 9/2/99: "President Ezer Weizman was in good and stable condition yesterday, one day after being hospitalized Tuesday for a severe gall bladder infection. The president, who is at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem, is continuing to receive antibiotics.

Assistant Director Dr. Shmuel Shapira said that the president slept well Tuesday night, but the disease is still active and Weizman continues to receive "active" and "conservative" treatment. The implication of Dr. Shapira's statements is that the president is still not responding positively to medication. Shapira expressed hope that the president "would respond to treatment quickly."

Shapira explained that infection of the gall bladder is a common condition, usually caused by gallstones. He pointed out that the president is "not a young man," which also contributed to his condition. A decision regarding surgery or other treatment options is expected within a couple of days..."

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