Subject: ZINC-8/19/99-Checkbook journalism ========================================= Z . I . N . C . THE ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA'S ISRAEL NEWS CONNECTION ========================================= Thursday, August 19, 1999 6:00 AM EDT (1000 UTC) Editor: Michael C. Hoffman O&F: 301-681-0858 Email: michaelh@clark.net Subscribe: zincisrael@usa.net ========================================= To go direct to ZINC's website, Click here: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/3132 OR use our easy-to-remember but redirected address and Click here: http://over.to/zinc ========================================= TODAY'S NEWS: 1. Checkbook journalism 2. All or nothing 3. Iranian cemetery razed? 4. No Husseini house? 5. F16I problems 6. Photo opportunities 7. Prisoner deadlock 8. Hezbollah battles 9. Barak's embassy pressure 10. Barak's embassy non-pressure 11. Egypt's skies 12. Israel helps Turkey 13. New Shas leader 14. Korman acquitted, Hiss problems 15. Golan surprise 16. A new spin 1. Checkbook journalisn YEDIOT AHARONOT 8/16/99: "The Labor Party paid Russian-language press journalists for writing articles supporting Ehud Baraq in the course of the election campaign," a senior minister contends. He maintains that commentator Ya'aqov Shaus was paid to write supportive articles in Russian-language newspapers. Shaus writes under the pen name of Roman Moskowitz in Luch and Ekho, weeklies published by the Novosti Nedeli network. Shaus, who supports the peace camp, is considered an influential journalist in the CIS imigri community. "I know how to explain to the Russian-speaking community what is right and what is not," Shaus said this week. "What mattered most was that someone explain the situation to the Russians, because the other newspapers only helped Lieberman and Netanyahu." Shaus refused to reveal how much money he had received from Labor. Lev Avenays (Lev Malinsky's pen name), a prominent and influential commentator who worked for a number of Russian-language newspapers in the past and now writes for 24 Hours owned by ASR Russian Press, was paid to work for Baraq's immigrant center during the election campaign. "My views are left-leaning, and I did assist One Israel during the elections," Avenays responded. "I don't intend to comment on the charge that I did it for money. I will only note that I was not employed by any newspaper during that whole period." "All the Russian-language journalists who worked with us had signed contracts and were being paid," a source at Baraq's immigrant center said yesterday. "I don't know how much Avenays was paid." The following reaction was received from Baraq's bureau: "We have no information on that. We are not familiar with Shaus' name." Yet Tanya Weintraub, who liaised between Baraq's public relations office and the Russian-language press, said in reaction: "I know Shaus, who never made a secret of his views, but I have no information on whether he received any money." Sasha Klein, who headed the public relations center in the CIS imigri sector, had this to say: "Shaus' name is familiar, but I did not pay him. I have no idea whether he had been paid and by whom. Perhaps the nonprofit societies did that, I don't know." A senior Labor Party minister, who had been closely involved with the public relations office, was amazed that the payments to Shaus had been revealed. "I guess nothing can remain a secret," the minister said. "Eventually, everything comes out in the open." "This phenomenon of Russian reporters receiving payment for work done during the elections is very prevalent," says Vesti editor Eduard Kuznetsov. He adds: "Most Russian-language reporters would be happy to sell out to any party, to anyone -- mainly because of the humiliating wages they are usually paid." 2. All or nothing AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE 8/17/99: "The Palestinians will refuse to sign a peace treaty with Israel that does not guarantee them a state within the whole of the territory they lost in 1967, Yasser Arafat's deputy, Mahmud Abbas, says. "We have made historic concessions on our rights by accepting 20 percent of Palestine, and any fresh compromise would be unacceptable," he said in an interview with AFP. The reference was to Palestinian recognition of Israel, whose territory covers four-fifths of historic Palestine. Abbas, usually referred to by Palestinians as Abu Mazen, is deputy chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and head of the negotiating committee with Israel. He is commonly regarded as the chosen successor to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The Israelis "are deluding themselves and dreaming if they think we shall give up on our 1967 borders," he said..."In the final resort a peace treaty will be concluded . . . And no Palestinian leader will agree, or dare, to give up any of the 1967 territory," said Abbas. "Our rights are covered by UN resolutions 242 and 338, and what applied to the Jordanians and Egyptians should apply equally to us," he said, in an allusion to the peace treaties Israel signed with its two neighbours, under which it returned territory to them. The two United Nations Security Council resolutions call for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories..." 3. Iranian cemetery razed? YEDIOT AHARONOT 8/16/99: "Israel is examining information that has reached Jerusalem in the last few days, according to which the Iranian authorities demolished the ancient Jewish cemetery in the city of Mashhad approximately two weeks ago. Senior political sources yesterday said that "if it transpires that the Iranian authorities have indeed harmed the ancient cemetery, Israel will raise mayhem." The information was relayed by Iranian Jews to their relatives in Israel. According to the information, late at night approximately two weeks ago tractors arrived in the cemetery and totally demolished the hundreds of gravestones in the place as well as the wall surrounding the cemetery. According to one of the reports, the Iranian authorities completely "razed" the place. According to another report, the ancient synagogue in the city -- which has been abandoned for many years -- has also been harmed. The Israelis of Iranian origin relayed the information to former minister and Knesset member Moshe Qatzav, who quickly approached Foreign Ministry Director General Eytan Bentzur and requested that the Foreign Ministry use its connections among world leaders to thwart the Iranian activity. Qatzav said yesterday: "Such a thing has not happened in any other country in the world. International public opinion must cry out against this act of desecration." Over the weekend the Foreign Ministry started checking this information. Efforts to verify the information are encountering difficulties, because no more Jews live in Mashhad. Israel is trying to check the information via diplomatic and other channels. "I hope this appalling report will turn out to be incorrect," said Foreign Ministry Director General Eytan Bentzur yesterday. He added: "We are making efforts to examine this issue." Jews of Iranian origin are concerned that the violation of the cemetery in Mashhad is related to the arrest of the 13 Jews from Shiraz and Isfahan approximately four months ago on suspicion that they spied for Israel and the United States. These Jews are still under detention and it is not clear what will happen to them." 4. No Husseini house? AL QUDS in Jerusalem 8/14/99: "Faysal al-Husayni, official in charge of the Jerusalem file in the Palestinian Authority, has denied reports that he has recently studied scores of bids by Israeli land brokers to purchase real estate in West Jerusalem. Israeli sources had earlier said that the brokers went to Al-Husayni after reading in the press two months ago that he was planning to buy Osishkin's house on Herkon Street in Tel Aviv. The sources added that most of the bids Al-Husayni received offered expensive real estate in the Al-Talibiyah quarter near Larome Hotel. The newspaper Yerushalayim cited Al-Husayni office as saying the following on this report: "In light of what was published about Osishkin's house, Israeli brokers offered Al-Husayni several bids but none was studied. Besides, Al-Husayni does not show any interest in buying any house anywhere in Israel." 5. F16I problem? MA'ARIV 8/13/99: "Unexpected economic and technical problems are holding up the F-16I deal with Israel. Senior defense sources said last night that the deal, worth some $2.5 billion, will apparently not be signed next week as previously planned. A team of experts from the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, has been in Israel for discussions on the final details to enable the signing of the deal. The sources said the difficulties are centered on the US firm's problems in supplying the aircraft as agreed upon. "The problems concerning the plane's radar are cardinal, and if they are not resolved, there will not be a deal," the senior defense source said. The source made it clear that although Israel has never canceled an order after deciding on it, "there can always be a first time." Ehud Baraq, prime minister and foreign minister, approved the Israel Air Force's recommendation to procure some 50 F-16I's at a cost of $2.5 billion. In the second stage, Israel will buy another 60 aircraft at a cost of some $2 billion. The first planes are expected to reach Israel in early 2003. Aviation experts said yesterday that beside the radar problem, it is still unclear how the increased fuel tanks will impact the aircraft's performance. Furthermore, no decision has yet been made which engine to procure for the aircraft. And if the technical problems are not enough, then there is also a series of economic disputes pertaining to the financing guarantees for the deal and the production rate of the aircraft. Lockheed Martin said that "the talks to complete the deal are going on normally, and there have not been any technical or other problems over the aircraft's agreed upon specifications." 6. Photo opportunities YEDIOT AHARONOT 8/15/99: "In the wake of the arrest of a network of collaborators who cooperated with Hizballah, it transpires that the Hizballah fighters are collecting photos and names of IDF [Israel Defense Forces] commanders in south Lebanon in order to hit them. The ring was captured approximately two weeks ago in the village of 'Ayta al-Sha'b in the western sector. In addition to dozens of explosive charges that the collaborators had hidden in the village, the IDF also discovered photos and names of IDF commanders in the sector. The collaborators used this material to brief the Hizballah squads who penetrated the territory to attack sensitive IDF targets, including IDF commanders. >From their investigation, it transpires that the collaborators gathered the information, briefed the Hizballah squads which came from outside the security zone, equipped them with charges and weapons, and directed them toward sensitive targets. Among other things, the collaborator ring is responsible for placing an explosive charge near the border fence near Zar'it approximately one month ago. The charge was detonated against a civilian bus. It was detonated earlier than planned, thus saving the lives of the passengers -- soldiers and IDF civilian workers. It appears that the charge, which is set off by infrared ray, was detonated by an animal. The collaborators supplied the Hizballah squad with the information about the bus's movement and the charge itself. From their investigation, it also transpires that the collaborators had charges that stick to the vehicle magnetically. Senior IDF sources in the Northern Command stressed that 90 percent of the charges placed by Hizballah men were discovered in recent months. Moreover, more than 10 Hizballah fighters were killed and 20 hurt as a result of the recent IDF activity." 7. Prisoner deadlock VOICE OF AMERICA 8/19/99: Talks between Israel and the Palestinians were stuck at a dead end, Thursday, after breaking down the night before in disagreement over the release of Palestinian prisoners. Earlier, an Israeli security committee met to review the current criteria for releasing Palestinian prisoners. It decided the guidelines set by the previous government would stay in place: No Palestinians with, quote, "blood on their hands" would be set free for the time being. In talks over renewing implementation of the Wye River Accords, the two sides were to discuss the release of 750 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. After agreeing to the deal October, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released 250 Palestinians. However, 150 of them were common criminals. That angered Palestinian officials, who say they agreed on the release of security prisoners -- in other words, Palestinians who committed their crimes with nationalist motives in mind. Now, Palestinians says Israel must release another 650 such prisoners. But the government of Prime Minister Ehud Barak says Israel does not have that many prisoners who fit the requirements -- saying that it, too, would not release Palestinians who are suspected of having murdered or caused serious injury. Instead, of the next 500 prisoners Israel would release by the end of implementation the Wye deal, about half would again be common offenders -- responsible for ordinary crimes like car theft. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat rejects that proposal and declared the talks a waste of time. The prisoner issue is a sensitive one for both sides. Palestinians think anything done in the name of their national cause -- particularly before the peace deal was signed in 1993 -- should be pardoned. But many Israelis who have lost loved ones to terror attacks over the years feel, with equal conviction, the perpetrators should stay in jail." 8. Hezbollah battles ARUTZ7 8/18/99: "A 13-hour battle with Hizbullah terrorists yesterday in southern Lebanon claimed the lives of two IDF soldiers, and injured seven others. The funeral of Golani Brigade soldier Doron Hershkovitz will be held this evening at 6 PM in the military cemetery of Carmiel. Ayal Gueta of Kfar Yonah, killed in the second part of the battle, will be buried tomorrow in the Netanya military cemetery...O.C. Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, summing up the battle today, said that despite the painful casualties, "It is important to say that one of our chief objectives in the area - preventing the planting of roadside bombs that could have killed or maimed countless soldiers - was achieved." Four terrorists were killed in the fighting, and others were injured..." 9. 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..." 10. 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."... 11. Egypt's skies 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." 12. 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." 13. 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." 14. 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." 15. 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." 16. 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."