Assad sick?

HA'ARETZ 10/14/99: "Syrian President Hafez Assad's health has deteriorated lately and he has weakened, although he still rules the country, the chief of IDF intelligence, Major General Amos Malka, told the cabinet yesterday. Malka did not provide a medical diagnosis of Assad's illness.

According to Malka, some think that Assad does not wish to open negotiations with Israel because of his illness; he fears that Syria would find itself in a dangerous situation if the talks drag on. He is therefore willing to start a dialogue only if his demands are met in advance.

Malka added that Assad was awaiting the recovery of his foreign minister, Farouk a-Shara, who underwent open heart surgery last week, to examine the possibility of renewing talks with Israel. However, Syria is only willing to make peace "on its own conditions," which, according to the intelligence evaluation, include an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights to the June 4, 1967 lines; security arrangements "with an element of symmetry"; continued Syrian control of Lebanon; and U.S. financial aid.

According to Malka, the harsh stance presented by Syria as a condition for renewing the talks with Israel have several causes:

--Assad cares about his personal prestige and does not wish to appear as giving in to Israel.

--Syria is competing for the leadership of the Arab world and must maintain its national pride.

--Fear of undermining Syria's interests in Lebanon.

Malka said that the Syrian regime is stable, and that Assad's son, Bashar, has a good change of succeeding his father, "but as is always the case in the Arab world, everything is subject to change." According to Malka, the power struggles between Bashar and the factions loyal to Rifat Assad, the president's brother, "are under control" and do not endanger stability in Syria.

Participants in yesterday's meeting understood from Malka's report that he believed it impossible to reach a separate arrangement in Lebanon independent of an overall agreement with Syria. Prime Minister Ehud Barak promised the ministers that programs for the army pullback from Lebanon will be presented and discussed in the next cabinet meeting..."

     

Terrorist attacks imminent?

ARUTZ7 10/13/99: "The Security Cabinet convened this morning to discuss the intelligence warnings of possible terrorist attacks being planned by Islamic organizations. Hizbullah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad were discussed. Prime Minister Barak, visiting the northern town of Carmiel yesterday, repeated his warning that terrorist organizations may strike in Israel or around the world.

     

Murderer's pardon reversal

ARUTZ7 10/13/99: "The Supreme Court, in a precedent-setting ruling, nullified a Presidential pardon given to a murderer six years ago. The late President Chaim Herzog pardoned convicted murderer Ezra Shamsi, after the latter presented medical papers showing that he was on the verge of death. The State Prosecution appealed the decision, after it became clear that the papers were fraudulent. Shamsi was returned to prison this morning after six years of undeserved freedom."

     

Prince Hassan surprise visit

THE JERUSALEM POST 10/14/99: "Jordan's Prince Hassan will make a surprise visit on Sunday for an international conference to mark the fifth anniversary of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty, The Jerusalem Post learned last night.

Jordanian participation at the event at Tel Aviv University had been thrown into doubt by the chill in relations after settlers heckled 20 Jordanian legislators, including the parliament speaker, in an incident at Hebron's Machpela Cave on Saturday. Hassan will deliver the keynote address at the opening of the two-day conference organized by the Yitzhak Rabin Center for Israel Studies, sources close to the organizers said.

Former Jordanian prime minister Abdel Salam Majali was originally scheduled to give the address, but his participation had already been in doubt for scheduling reasons before the heckling incident. Jordan on Monday asked Israel to postpone a scheduled visit by Industry and Trade Minister Ran Cohen, seen as a protest on behalf of the parliamentarians..."

     

Why Wye aid?

THE JERUSALEM POST 10/14/99: "If the US Congress does not approve the aid pledged by the Clinton administration under the Wye accord, the peace process with the Palestinians could suffer, Prime Minister Ehud Barak warned last night. "Without such aid, it will be more difficult to move forward to the most crucial stages of the peace process," Barak said.

Speaking at a Knesset dinner for the Prime Minister's Mission of United Jewish Communities of the Federations of North America, he called on the delegates to make their voices heard in Congress. "We have to make sure the American people understand that the aid that was pledged to Israel as part of the Wye River agreement is vital to the peace process," he said. "Without Wye aid and the sustained support of the American people for this process, I cannot guarantee that peace will be a reality soon enough" He added that "at the and of the day, war is more costly than peace."

Last week, Congress narrowly passed the foreign operations appropriations bill, which excludes some $2 billion in funding sought by Clinton, including the funds designated to implement the Wye agreement."

     

Citibanking in Tel Aviv

THE JERUSALEM POST 10/14/99: "The Bank of Israel yesterday approved a request from Citibank to open a full-service branch in Tel Aviv. Insiders estimate that the bank should be fully functional within a few months. Citibank has had a representative office in Tel Aviv since 1996. While a representative office is only permitted to refer customers to its other branches, a full-service bank can provide all banking needs.

Central bank Governor Jacob Frenkel was instrumental in getting Citibank management to apply for the bank, with Prime Minister Ehud Barak getting involved in the last few weeks. Citibank's decision was made shortly after senior officials met with Frenkel during his recent trip to Washington for the International Monetary Fund's annual conference.

Citibank's decision can be interpreted as an indication of further progress for the Israeli economy's liberalization, stability, commitment to reduce inflation, integration into the world's economy, as well as, perhaps, progress in the peace process. The representative office was established shortly after the signing of the Oslo Accords. Citibank's bank in Tel Aviv is slated to become a branch of Citibank New York, one of dozens of members of Citicorp..."

     

Prisoners' deal

THE JERUSALEM POST 10/14/99: "Israel will release 151 Palestinian prisoners early tomorrow morning after both sides resolved a dispute about who should be on the list to go free, Palestinian officials said yesterday.

The second prisoner release mandated by the Sharm e-Sheik agreement was to have taken place on October 8, but was postponed when the sides could not agree on who was to be released. The delay came after the Palestinians insisted on including prisoners jailed for killing Israelis, something Prime Minister Ehud Barak has repeatedly said he will not countenance.

It was not clear what the compromise was, although Palestinian negotiators had said Tuesday night the Israelis were close to accepting the release of a number of Palestinians who killed Israelis. Neither side would say who was included on the new list. A statement from Internal Security Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami's office confirmed the release, and said the list was approved by the relevant government ministries.

The Prime Minister's Office issued a statement saying: "An agreement in principle has been reached on the list of prisoners. The objective is to carry out the release toward the weekend.

"...Among those being released, he said, are members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad and 40 prisoners from Arab countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq. Sufian Abu Zeideh, a member of the prisoner committee, said that the Palestinians are pleased with the compromise. A Palestinian Authority source said the General Security Service had made the compromise possible, because it supported the release of pre-Oslo prisoners who have some blood on their hands, meaning those who had seriously wounded Israelis..."

     

Disney controversy goes on

THE JERUSALEM POST 10/14/99: "The controversy over Israel's exhibit at Walt Disney World refuses to fade away. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat got into the fray yesterday, when an Arab League spokesman in Cairo said Arafat had said that Disney had approved a Palestinian exhibit at the Millennium Village at Epcot Center.

A Walt Disney World spokesman dismissed the report, saying that no such contacts have been made. "We have always been open to hear from any potential sponsors or exhibitors at Epcot," Disney's Bill Warren said, but added, "There have been no discussions with our company."

Following the October 1 opening of the Israel Pavilion at Epcot, Arab American organizations had called for Disney to approve a Palestinian exhibition. The Israeli exhibition focuses almost entirely on the city of Jerusalem. Before the exhibit opened, the Arab League and many Arab organizations protested what they called the depiction of the city as Israel's capital. Foreign Ministry officials insist there never were any such references.

Hussein Ibish, the communications director of the Washington-based American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, acknowledged that the Arab League statement had been premature, but insisted that intense discussions are under way with Disney. "There are fruitful ongoing discussions between Disney and interested parties," Ibish said. "I believe there is a willingness there, and I believe the funds will be found. But if Disney wants to be discreet about it, that's fine."..."

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