July 12-16, 2004

Featured Op-Ed: Why Israeli Needs a Fence by Benjamin Netanyahu New York Times, July 13, 2004 http://www.israeliconsulate.org/News&Media/background/fence_bb.htm

• DIPLOMACY
  • U.S. Envoys to Meet Sharon Today
• SECURITY
  • 19-Year-Old Girl Killed, 33 Wounded in Tel Avis Bus Stop Attack
  • U.S. Court Finds PA, PLO Guilty of Murdering American Citizen
  • Palestinian Population Strives to Stop Firing of Qassam Rockets from Gaza
  • Hamas Terrorist Killed in Hebron - No Respite in Palestinian Attacks
• COUNTER-TERRORISM FENCE
  • Team to Formulate Legal Course on ICJ Ruling
  • Israel's Ambassador Slams UN for Hypocrisy on Fence
• POLITICS
  • Sharon and Peres Discuss National Unity Government
  • Sharon Wishes to Form Widest Possible Coalition
• SOCIETY
  • Conversions Moved Over to Prime Minister's Office
  • Court Allows 'Mercy Killing' Without Consent of Patient
  • Jews and Arabs Learn Coexistence Through Soccer
  • 400 New Immigrants from North America Receive "Royal" Welcome
• CHRISTIANS & ISRAEL
  • Christians, Jews Join Forces for Israel
• ECONOMY & HI-TECH
  • EU, Israel Sign Galileo Satellite Program Agreement
  • Israel Ranks 22nd on UN Index Measuring Nations' Well Being

 

DIPLOMACY

U.S. Envoys to Meet Sharon Today
Tuesday, July 13, 2004

White House envoys Steve Hadley and Elliott Abrams are to meet Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other senior Israeli officials today, to discuss the Gaza disengagement plan and Israel's promise to evacuate settlement outposts and freeze construction in the West Bank, HA'ARETZ reported. Talks were also to focus on coordinating activity in the wake of last week's ruling against the counter-terrorist fence by the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The U.S. envoys will hold talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon, Israel Security Agency chief Avi Dichter and National Security Adviser Giora Eiland.
Meanwhile, the State Department said Monday it was "increasingly unlikely" that a Palestinian state would be created by 2005. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher explained three factors were responsible for what he regarded as the diminishing chances of making the deadline: Continued violence, the Palestinian Authority's "failure" to stop attacks against Israelis and difficulties in getting negotiations going.

 

SECURITY

19-Year-Old Girl Killed, 33 Wounded in Tel Avis Bus Stop Attack
Monday, July 12, 2004

Ma'ayan Na'im, a 19-year-old Israel Defense Forces Sergeant of Bat Yam, was killed and 33 people were wounded when a bomb exploded on Sunday morning at a bus stop on Sderot Har Zion Street in Tel Aviv, HA'ARETZ reported. Sgt. Na'im was laid to rest at the Holon cemetery Sunday evening.
One person suffered very serious injuries in the blast, four sustained moderate injuries and the rest were lightly injured. A woman in a late stage of pregnancy underwent surgery and remains in intensive care. Her unborn child was not hurt. The wounded were evacuated to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, Wolfson Medical Center in Holon and Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.
Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade claimed responsibility for the bombing - the first terrorist strike in seven months in the Tel Aviv region, and the first within Israel since March when two suicide bombers killed 10 people at the Ashdod Port.
The bomb was placed in a bag that had been hidden in some bushes at the entrance to a building near the bus stop. Most of those injured were passengers on the Dan cooperative's No. 26 bus, which originated in Bat Yam and was en route to central Tel Aviv. It is still unclear how the bomb was detonated.

 

U.S. Court Finds PA, PLO Guilty of Murdering American Citizen
Tuesday, July 13, 2004

A district court judge in New York ordered the Palestinian Authority and Palestinian Liberation Organization to pay $116 million to the family of a U.S. citizen who was murdered in Israel eight years ago, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. District Court Judge Ronald Lagueux of Rhode Island upheld on Monday the findings of Magistrate David Martin, issued March 31, which stated that the PLO and PA provided a safe haven and operational base for Hamas terrorists responsible for the shooting death of Yaron Ungar, an American living in the West Bank, and his Israeli wife Efrat Ungar. Under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1991, a legal measure that allows American victims of terrorist acts abroad to seek damages in U.S. courts, the PLO and PA are liable for the murder of an American citizen.
David Strachman, the Ungars' attorney, praised the court "for recognizing, exactly, the purpose of the Anti-Terrorism Act, and that is to create an economic penalty for terrorism."

 

Palestinian Population Strives to Stop Firing of Qassam Rockets from Gaza
Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Residents of the northern Gaza Strip village of Beit Hanun are exerting pressure on Palestinian Authority officials and terror groups to cease the launching of Qassam rockets at Israel from the area, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon said today, HA'ARETZ reported. During a tour of the region, Ya'alon said forces would not leave the area until the Qassam attacks on Israel were stopped. A Qassam rocket was fired this morning into the western Negev, causing no damage or injury. In late June, a Qassam rocket fired from Gaza killed two people in the Negev town of Sderot. The victims were Afik Zahavi, aged three and a half, and Mordechai Yosepov, 49.
In other events, IDF forces operating in the West Bank city of Jenin killed a senior Islamic Jihad leader, Nueiman Tahaineh. Tahaineh was killed when troops tried to stop two vehicles in which armed terrorists were riding. Troops opened fire on one of the vehicles, killing Tahaineh while arresting three other Palestinians. In Ramallah, troops arrested wanted Tanzim terrorist Hamadi Suleiman. Nine other wanted Palestinians were taken into custody throughout the West Bank overnight Monday.

 

Hamas Terrorist Killed in Hebron - No Respite in Palestinian Attacks
Friday, July 16, 2004

Israel Defense Forces troops killed Malek Nasser a-Din - a Hamas terrorist on Israel's most wanted list - after he opened fire on soldiers looking to arrest him, HA'ARETZ reported. Nasser a-Din was hiding in a five story building in the Hawaz neighborhood of Hebron and refused to surrender as troops surrounded his cousin's house.
Meanwhile, a Qassam rocket fired from the northern Gaza Strip landed in the Negev town of Sderot early Thursday, causing no injury or damage.
On Wednesday during a security alert, security forces arrested two Tanzim members from Nablus, 17-year-old Ahmed Ali Bushkar, and his driver, 24-year-old Rasan Posama Alawani, in the West Bank town of Mescha, close to Ariel.
"Palestinian terrorists continue to make concerted efforts at waging terror against Israelis at any opportunity. No one should have the illusion that the Palestinian terror has let up," David Baker, an official at the Prime Minister's Office, said Thursday. "It is only due to the diligent work of the Israeli security forces and the effectiveness of Israel's fence for the prevention of terror that we have seen a drastic reduction in the number of terror attacks. With this in mind, we are still wary of the constant threat of Palestinian terror, and we are taking the necessary steps to prevent it," he added.

 

COUNTER-TERRORISM FENCE

Team to Formulate Legal Course on ICJ Ruling
Monday, July 12, 2004

Attorney-General Menachem Mazuz has entrusted a special committee with the task of formulating recommendations on the legal actions Israel could take in the aftermath of Friday's ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague against the West Bank security fence, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. The committee is headed by Shavit Mattias, associate attorney-general for international affairs. The team includes members of the defense establishment, and the justice and foreign affairs ministries.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers convening today in Brussels are slated to discuss Israel's counter-terrorist fence in the wake of the world court ruling. The EU opposes the construction of the fence, but has also come out against the decision to send the issue to the ICJ, fearing the legal ruling could complicate peace efforts.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered sufficient funds be set aside in the 2005 budget for the continued construction of the counter-terrorism construction project.
The Palestinians decided to delay a move at the United Nations Security Council on the fence until after the U.S. presidential elections in November.

 

Israel's Ambassador Slams UN for Hypocrisy on Fence
Friday, July 16, 2004

As the UN General Assembly is scheduled to debate the security fence's legitimacy today, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman indicated, "he would point to the great hypocrisy in the fact that the [International Court of Justice in the Hague] has actually put the people who are trying to prevent terror and the victims of terror in the dock, rather than the terrorists themselves," THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Bolstered by an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice last week which stated that construction of a "wall" beyond Israel's pre-1967 borders was illegal, the Palestinians - via the League of Arab States - are asking the General Assembly to insist that the barrier be removed. "The session promises to be a very stormy one and a very dramatic one," Gillerman said. "Unfortunately, UN resolutions have a way of being against Israel," he added.
Gillerman has spent the week meeting with ambassadors to muster support for the fence. At the U.S. mission to the UN, Ambassador John Danforth was the only envoy this week to join Israel's representative in voicing his opposition to the resolution. "It's not helpful that it's one-sided," Danforth said Wednesday. "It's yet another resolution to be brought before the General Assembly. There were 22 such resolutions last year. They don't do any good," he said.

 

POLITICS

Sharon and Peres Discuss National Unity Government
Monday, July 12, 2004

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with Labor party leader Shimon Peres for breakfast this morning to discuss the possibility of forming a national unity government, MA'ARIV reported. The meeting lasted 75 minutes and was "held in a good atmosphere," according to officials in the Prime Minister's Bureau. "Sharon and Peres decided in principle to join forces in order to promote the disengagement plan, " the officials added.
The topic of portfolio distribution was reportedly not discussed, while Peres recalled negotiations would officially start only after the Labor party decides to do so.
Sharon also held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Sylvan Shalom and promised to do everything in his power to leave him in his current position should a national unity Government be formed.
Meanwhile, Sharon is facing a potential obstacle as Likud "rebels" objecting to a Likud-Labor alliance threaten to vote against the formation of a national unity government if and when Sharon introduces his new cabinet to the Knesset.

 

Sharon Wishes to Form Widest Possible Coalition
Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today he was interested in building as wide a coalition as possible, HA'ARETZ reported. "It is not possible to eliminate any party," Sharon told reporters at the Knesset.
Sharon called Labor Chairman Shimon Peres and United Torah Judaism MKs Yaakov Litzman and Moshe Gafni this morning, summoning them for coalition government negotiations set to begin on Sunday. Sharon's bureau said that the prime minister would also meet with Shas Chairman Eli Yishai next week.
Shinui Party leader Justice Minister Yosef Lapid said today his party would leave the coalition if ultra-orthodox parties were to enter the national unity government. Sharon explained the Shinui Party was an excellent coalition partner but that he had no choice but to broaden the government which currently does not have a majority.
Peres said today that he wanted any future coalition to rest on two pillars. "The first is disengagement; the second is social justice," he said. The prime minister clarified he had not yet discussed the redistribution of ministerial posts with the Labor leader.

 

SOCIETY

Conversions Moved Over to Prime Minister's Office
Monday, July 12, 2004

The government decided on Sunday to transfer responsibility for conversions from the Justice Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office, HA'ARETZ reported. The move comes as part of an effort to increase the number of converts among immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
The decision was facilitated after two of the proposal's main opponents, Minister of Justice Yosef Lapid and Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar, dropped their objections.
Sunday's cabinet vote saw 11 ministers support the proposal. The Shinui ministers abstained, while Ministers Zevulun Orlev and Uzi Landau voted against.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon welcomed the decision, noting that he now intended to personally pressure the rabbinical court judges to increase the rate of conversions. For the past few years, officials in the Prime Minister's Office, the Jewish Agency and the liberal circles of the religious Zionist movement have harshly criticized the attitude the converts come up against in the rabbinical courts. Each year, around 900 of the some 300,000 recent immigrants from the FSU undergo conversion. Many have been deterred because of the demands placed upon them by the special conversion courts.

 

Court Allows 'Mercy Killing' Without Consent of Patient
Tuesday, July 13, 2004

For the first time in Israel's history, a court of law has accepted a petition for euthanasia without the consent of the patient, MA'ARIV reported. The petition was filed by the wife of a 71-year-old man who asked to disconnect him from life support machines. During the past seven months, the patient has been lying unconscious in hospital after suffering a stroke. A month ago, his wife asked the court for permission to disconnect him from the machines. The ruling by the Tel Aviv District Court issued today has allowed her to do so. However, the court also issued an injunction postponing the implementation of the decision until Thursday, thus allowing the State to decide whether it wishes to appeal the ruling.
In the past, Israeli courts granted 'mercy killings' but only if a patient consented by preparing a will.

 

Jews and Arabs Learn Coexistence Through Soccer
Wednesday, July 14, 2004

Some 700 Jewish and Arab children got together in Nazareth this past Sunday, July 11, for a weeklong soccer camp called "Football for Peace" sponsored by the British Council, the University of Brighton (England) and the Education, Culture, and Sports Ministry, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The program, which began three years ago, was originally the brainchild of British track star David Bedford and retired Baptist minister Geoffrey Whitefield. It has evolved from a weeklong coaching camp for 100 Muslim and Christian children to a soccer clinic for 700 ten-to-14 year old children from 16 Arab and Jewish communities from Northern Israel.
After only two days, the Arab and Israeli children exhibited the core values of trust, responsibility, neutrality, respect, and inclusion thanks the guidance of their 70 coaches from Arab and Jewish communities and 37 UK student coaches who have been trained in eliciting these qualities amongst the students. The children could be seen helping each other on the field and commending each other after plays during the games. Even the Jewish and Arab parents sitting on the sidelines conversed and cheered for the same teams and were thus brought closer together through the program. The UK coaches who toured Israel before and after the camp also returned home with a new perspective on Israel.

 

400 New Immigrants from North America Receive "Royal" Welcome
Thursday, July 15, 2004

More than 400 new immigrants to Israel from North America were greeted on Wednesday at Ben-Gurion Airport by a cheering crowd of Israelis composed of hundreds of friends, family, and well-wishers, a four-piece Israeli Defense Force Band playing "Mashiach, Mashiach," and senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minster Ariel Sharon and Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu, THE JERUSALEM POST reported.
The group was part of an ongoing project led by Nefesh B'Nefesh - an organization that provides financial aid and social support to Americans and Canadians interested in permanently moving to Israel. Nefesh B'Nefesh, which organized the flight and two others scheduled to arrive in the next few weeks, estimates that it will bring 1,500 immigrants to Israel this year, a number equal to the one reached in the past two years combined by the organization.
While addressing the crowd, Sharon proclaimed that Aliya (immigration to Israel) was the "primary goal" of his government. Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu told the new immigrants that their choice to make Aliya was a harbinger of change for the entire Zionist enterprise. Netanyahu added, "for half a century, the survival and future of Israel depended on Aliya. In the next half-century, however, the survival and future of the Jewish people will depend on the State of Israel."

• Read PM Sharon's Speech on-line at:
  www.pmo.gov.il/nr/exeres/968211F4-018B-455C-8E02-BD85F16D8098.htm
• Also read: "Israel steps up immigration efforts"
  seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/182146_israel15.html

 

CHRISTIANS & ISRAEL

Christians, Jews Join Forces for Israel
Wednesday, July 14, 2004

In an unprecedented move, the World Jewish Congress has teamed up with the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus to foster the growing relationship between Christians and the state of Israel, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. "This is the first time that Knesset members and a major world Jewish organization, as well as a wide spectrum of Christian organizations, have banded together to create a Jerusalem-based coalition of Christians and Jews," Bobby Brown, the director of international relations at the World Jewish Congress, said at a ceremony in Jerusalem on Tuesday night marking the new cooperation between the groups.
The Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus, established in January with 12 MKs from six parties, aims to garner the support of, and work with, Christians around the world. "For the past six month, we have been building the foundation for this historical and unprecedented alliance between Christians and Jews," caucus director Josh Reinstein said. Both Israelis and MKs from across the political spectrum are increasingly realizing the importance of this relationship, he added.

 

ECONOMY & HI-TECH

EU, Israel Sign Galileo Satellite Program Agreement
Wednesday, July 14, 2004

The European Union and Israel signed on Tuesday an agreement on the Galileo European satellite radio navigation program, GLOBES reported. The agreement provides for co-operative activities on satellite navigation and timing in a wide range of sectors, notably science and technology, industrial manufacturing, service and market development, as well as standardization, frequencies and certification. Israel is also invited to take part in the program financially through a stake holding in the Galileo Joint Undertaking, the body managing the program. The Galileo Joint Undertaking will immediately start discussions with Israel to that effect so that the activities can start as soon as possible.
Israel is one of the eight countries within the world space community demonstrating significant technological assets on space programs and achievements on global navigation satellite system applications, equipment, user segment and technology.
European Commission VP Loyola de Palacio said: "This is a very important step for the development of Galileo as an international program and its future use worldwide".

 

Israel Ranks 22nd on UN Index Measuring Nations' Well Being
Thursday, July 15, 2004

Israel rose by one spot to reach the 22nd position on the United Nations' 2004 Human Development index - measuring the well being of 177 nations - issued by the UN Development Program today, HA'ARETZ reported. The index is based on the level of each country's per-capita income, education, health care and life expectancy. Israel surpassed Hong Kong (ranked 23), Singapore (ranked 25) and Portugal (ranked 26) in the 2004 ranking. The index is led by the Scandinavian nations, Norway and Sweden, followed in third place by Australia. The United States and Japan were ranked eighth and nine, respectively.
The first 20 spots include the European states, North America, Australia and Japan. The last 23 spots are African states. The Arab states are located towards the lower end of the list. Lebanon was ranked 80, Jordan was in the 90th spot, the Palestinian Authority came in at 102, Syria was at 106 and Egypt at 120. Sierra Leone was ranked 177th and last.

 

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