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May 3 - 7, 2004
- SECURITY
- Pregnant Mother and her Four Daughters Murdered in Gaza
- IDF Enters Khan Yunis in Counter-Terror Operation
- Infiltration Attempt Thwarted on Northern Border
- IDF Build Security Barrier to Protect Jewish Towns in Gush Katif
- IDF Soldier Killed, 5 Wounded by Hezbollah Fire
- DIPLOMACY
- Bush Reaffirms Support for Sharon's Plan
- POLITICS
- Likud Votes Against Disengagement - Sharon Will Continue Leading the Country
- SOCIETY
- Schwarzenegger in Jerusalem Vows to Fight for Coexistence
- State Comptroller: Housing Ministry Funding Illegal Settlements
- Israel Names New Police Chief
- Four New Judges Appointed to Supreme Court
- ECONOMY & HIGH-TECH
- VC Funding of High-Tech Companies Reaches Two-Year High
- Jerusalem Tourist Center Reopens as more People Visit Israel
- SPORTS
- Maccabi Tel Aviv Wins Historic Euroleague Title
SECURITY Pregnant Mother and her Four Daughters Murdered in Gaza
Monday, May 3, 2004A pregnant mother and her four daughters were shot dead on Sunday by terrorists as they drove on the Kissufim road in the Gaza Strip, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Tali Hatuel, 34, who was 8 months pregnant, and her daughters, Hila, 11, Hadar, nine, Roni, seven, and Merav, two, were shot at point-blank range, after initial gunshots brought their car to a halt. The terrorists then sprayed the car with bullets to ensure that all the occupants were dead. Hatuel was driving to Ashkelon, where she was planning to join her husband, David, in campaigning against the Gaza disengagement plan.
Three other Israelis were wounded in the attack: motorist Haim Aharon, a resident of the Negev who works in Gush Katif, and two soldiers riding in a jeep. The wounded were all hit by shrapnel and were airlifted to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. Two were reported to be in satisfactory condition and the third in good condition.
Military sources said four terrorists participated in the attack. Soldiers shot and killed two of the terrorists, while the other two managed to flee.
President Moshe Katsav was among the thousands who attended the funeral of the Hatuel family in Ashkelon on Sunday evening. Standing over the graves of his wife and daughters, a sobbing David Hatuel said that he and his wife had expected a son. "Tali, I love you so much. I already miss you and feel lonely. All my family has gone. At least one could have remained," he said. "I want to ask you and the girls to forgive me for not being around enough."
IDF Enters Khan Yunis in Counter-Terror Operation
Tuesday, May 4, 2004Israel Defense Forces carried out a counter-terrorist operation in Gaza's Khan Yunis late Monday night removing foliage and demolishing a number of abandoned buildings used by terrorist to launch attacks against Israelis in the area, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. IDF officials said two anti-tank rockets were fired and a grenade was thrown at soldiers who returned fire. Two Palestinians - including a Hamas member - were killed during exchanges of fire. At daybreak today, the IDF forces pulled out of the area.
Since the beginning of April, over 15 attacks took place against Israeli communities in Gush Katif, including the firing of six mortar shells, three anti-tank rockets and multiple gunshots.
Infiltration Attempt Thwarted on Northern Border
Thursday, May 6, 2004An attempted infiltration attack was averted on the Israeli-Lebanese border early today when a soldier spotted two groups of armed men approaching an IDF post in Har Dov from Lebanese territory, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. IAF choppers were alerted to the area, as troops opened fire at the men, reportedly members of Hezbollah, who escaped.
There were no IDF casualties in the incident. The condition of the Lebanese men remains unknown.
On Wednesday, IAF planes struck at two Hezbollah positions in south Lebanon in response to anti-aircraft shelling by the terrorist organization along the northern border. In a rare public interview, OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Benny Gantz explained that Israel would not tolerate the shelling of its communities, and that its military response would be swift and immediate. Gantz shed light on the network of terror making attacks against Israel possible from Lebanese territory. Gantz highlighted the role of Iran which supplies, trains, and finances Hizbullah; Syria, which de facto rules over Lebanon and brings the necessary supports to the terror group; Lebanon which is not fulfilling its role under international agreements by refusing to deploy its army along its southern border to control Hezbollah's activities; and Hizbullah itself, which is the head of all the terrorist organizations.
IDF Build Security Barrier to Protect Jewish Towns in Gush Katif
Thursday, May 6, 2004The Israel Defense Forces is building a protective barrier that will run the length of the seven kilometers long Kissufim Corridor in the Gaza Strip, where Tali Hatuel and her four daughters were killed on Sunday, HA'ARETZ reported. Unlike the West Bank counter-terrorism fence, the project consists of a simple barrier that requires no approval from the political authorities. The Kissufim Corridor is on the main road between the Gush Katif bloc of Jewish communities and Israel. The residents of Jewish towns in Gaza have been demanding for some time that roads around their communities be fenced, as they have been the scene of many shooting attacks.
In other security-related news, troops from the Golani Brigade's elite Egoz unit killed senior Hamas leader Imad Mohammed Janajra, 31, in the Taluza village located next to Nablus on Wednesday. Janajra, who is responsible for multiple attacks against Israel, was shot when soldiers spotted him armed and approaching them.
According to THE JERUSALEM POST, Palestinians opened fire at an Israeli vehicle traveling between Aley Zahav and Peduel in Samaria this morning. Several bullets hit the car and the driver was treated for shock. In the Nablus area, IDF troops uncovered a 7.5-kilogram explosives device, hidden on a road leading to a nearby military base.
IDF Soldier Killed, 5 Wounded by Hezbollah Fire
Friday, May 7, 2004Staff Sergeant Dennis Laminov, 21, from Bat Yam, was killed and five Israel Defense Forces soldiers were wounded today when Hezbollah opened fire at IDF outposts in the Har Dov area close to the Lebanese border, HA'ARETZ reported. Three of the injured soldiers sustained serious wounds, two were moderately hurt and 10 others suffered from shock.
The injured soldiers, members of the Egoz unit, were patrolling near the Gladiola outpost at Har Dov when they came across several bombs and ammunition. Hezbollah began shelling the troops and nearby outposts, prompting IDF artillery batteries to return fire toward the sources of fire, near the village of Shuba in south Lebanon. Israel Air Force helicopters also bombed Hezbollah targets and patrolled the area.
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, the head of the IDF' s Northern Command, Major-General Benny Gantz explained that Hezbollah was planning a large attack on IDF forces near the Gladiola outpost, and that a much more serious incident had been averted. Early Thursday morning, IDF soldiers stationed on Har Dov opened fire on two groups of infiltrators approaching from Lebanon.
DIPLOMACY Bush Reaffirms Support for Sharon's Plan
Friday, May 7, 2004Meeting Jordan's King Abdullah II at the White House on Thursday, U.S. President George W. Bush reiterated his support for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan and said that America would not restrict the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, HA'ARETZ reported. In a letter addressed to Abdullah, Bush wrote: "This bold plan [by Sharon] can make a real contribution toward peace. The United States will not prejudice the outcome of final status negotiations, and all final status issues must still emerge from negotiations between the parties in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338."
Bush has reassured Jordan that the United States would preserve the kingdom's security. Bush's letter to the king states: "I understand that your country and your people have important interests at stake in any settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. And I know that your country has important interests in the emergence of a new Iraq."
In other news, White House official confirmed that National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice would meet with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei in Germany on May 17. Rice will reportedly call on Qurei to recognize that Sharon's disengagement plan offers a historic opportunity to advance the road map for Middle East peace.
POLITICS Likud Votes Against Disengagement - Sharon Will Continue Leading the Country
Monday, May 3, 2004Following his defeat in the Likud referendum on the disengagement plan, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he intended to continue leading the State of Israel according to his understanding, conscience, and moral obligation, MAARIV reported. Only 51.6 percent (99,652 voters) of eligible Likud voters showed up for the vote. After all ballots had been tallied, 59.5 percent of Likud members voted against Sharon's plan, and 39.7 percent supported it. "I was saddened to see the results of the Likud referendum, but I respect the outcome", Sharon said. "I know that many in the Israeli public support my plan, and I know that just like me they are disappointed over the results", he added.
"We are facing tough days ahead, as difficult decisions must be made. In the coming days I will consult with government ministers, the Likud faction, and coalition parties, and carefully analyze the implications and the steps we intend to adopt. One thing is clear to me. The Israeli people did not elect me in order to sit and do nothing for four years. I was elected to bring the peace and security the people of Israel deserve. It is not an easy task, but I intend to accomplish it", Sharon stated.
SOCIETY Schwarzenegger in Jerusalem Vows to Fight for Coexistence
Monday, May 3, 2004Vowing to fight for coexistence and mutual respect among mankind around the world, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger laid the cornerstone of Jerusalem's Museum of Tolerance on Sunday and paid tribute to the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. "The world should know we are not building a bunker. Israel is looking forward past the suicide bombers, the terrorists, past the blood, the violence and the hatred to a time people can live side by side in peace and coexistence," Schwarzenegger said in an address at the museum groundbreaking ceremony.
Schwarzenegger recalled his native country of Austria, where "intolerance and ignorance led to atrocities and heartaches" more than six decades ago. "Because of that I want to do whatever I can to promote tolerance and inclusion around the world," he said. The Governor concluded his speech with the Hebrew saying, "Am Yisrael hai" - (the nation of Israel lives) - gave the crowd a thumbs-up sign, and added his signature movie line, "I'll be back."
The $200 million museum, a project of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, is being designed by the world-renowned architect Frank Gehry and is expected to be completed in 2007. The groundbreaking ceremony was part of Schwarzenegger's 24-hour whirlwind tour to Jerusalem that included a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and a visit to Yad Vashem.
State Comptroller: Housing Ministry Funding Illegal Settlements
Wednesday, May 5, 2004Speaking at a press conference held with Knesset speaker Reuven Rivlin, State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg said that the Ministry of Housing broke the law by forwarding some $6.5 million to illegal settlements and outposts in the past three years, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. According to the Comptroller's report, the Ministry of Housing approved 77 contracts for construction projects in 33 West Bank areas, 18 of them unauthorized outposts. Of the $6.5 million given to illegal West Bank construction, about $4 million went to the outposts. The money was used to pave roads, provide lighting, electricity, water lines and new buildings at unauthorized outposts. In two cases, the ministry funded roads and buildings in areas where there were demolition orders by the Civil Administration, a branch of the Israeli military administering parts of the West Bank.
By law, money to settlement construction has to receive Cabinet or Ministry of Defense approval. In its response to the report, a statement by Ministry of Housing said it is not responsible for deciding whether construction is legal.
Israel Names New Police Chief
Wednesday, May 5, 2004Minister of Homeland Security Tzachi Hanegbi appointed Southern District Commander Commissioner Moshe Karadi as Israel's next Police Inspector-General, MA'ARIV reported. Karadi will replace Police Chief Shlomo Aharonishky on August 1st.
The implication of Karadi's appointment is that three of the top candidates for the position, Tel Aviv District Commander Yossi Sedbon, Jerusalem District Commander Mickey Levi, and Deputy Chief Commissioner Yitzhak Aharonovich will be retiring. The three have previously announced that they will leave the police if not appointed for the position.
Hanegbi told Maariv: "The choice of a young commissioner stemmed from a broad spectrum of considerations, which highlighted his qualities of perseverance, diligence, calm competence and leadership." He added that police force "needs the new generation of leadership now." Karadi, 44, is a resident of Rishon Lezion, married, and the father of three. He held a number of command posts in the Paratroop Brigade, retiring from the regular army with the rank of captain.
In 1984, he joined the police and held a number of top posts including the head of the training command in both the Police and the Border Police. He also commanded the police central operations branch and the human resources department.
Four New Judges Appointed to Supreme Court
Friday, May 7, 2004Four new justices of Israel's Supreme Court were appointed today by a nine-member committee, HA'ARETZ reported. State Prosecutor Edna Arbel, former attorney general Elyakim Rubinstein, and judges Esther Hayyut and Salim Joubran were selected following days of controversy and speculation.
Hayyut and Joubran had been serving temporary appointments to the Supreme Court over the past year. Supreme Court President Aharon Barak and Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid are expected to announce a fifth, temporary appointment in the coming weeks.
ECONOMY & HIGH-TECH VC Funding of High-Tech Companies Reaches Two-Year High
Tuesday, May 4, 2004Venture capital fundraising by Israeli high-tech companies rose 53 percent to reach a two-year high in the first quarter, according to figures published IVC Research Center, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. In the first quarter of 2004, 111 local high-tech companies raised $323 million from local and foreign venture investors, compared to the $211 million raised by 86 companies in the first quarter of 2003. "Capital raised in Q1 was the highest in eight quarters," IVC chairman Ze'ev Holtzman said. "The increase is a very positive sign, indicating the strength of Israel's high-tech industry. Figures are encouraging, especially when compared to the less positive trends in the U.S. and Europe."
First investments made up for 44 percent of the total. The average first investment by Israeli VCs was $2m., and the average follow-on investment was $800,000.
Israeli VCs also invested $22m. in ten foreign companies. This compares to $18m. in the year-earlier quarter and $33m. in the previous quarter.
Jerusalem Tourist Center Reopens as more People Visit Israel
Friday, May 7, 2004The sharp increase in tourism to Israel this past year has resulted in the reopening this week of the tourist information center adjoining Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Minister of Tourism Benny Elon said his goal was to raise the number of tourists traveling to Israel to that reached in 2000, when a record-breaking 3 million people visited the country. The two-story center is part of a "direct marketing initiative" to achieve that goal, Raphael Ben-Hur, ministry deputy director-general, explained. "Opening this center is our way of getting in touch with the people that come to Israel, making sure they feel safe, have fun, and the best possible time here," he said.
"Every time I return from Israel I tell people this is not the same place you see on the news," said Vappu Selonen, a former volunteer at the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. "The media in Finland have always portrayed Israel in a bad light," he added emphasizing he had been to Israel more than 30 times.
In the first three months of 2004, 82 percent more tourists entered Israel than during the same period in 2003. These figures represent an increase of tourists from the United States (82 percent percent), Britain (97 percent), Russia (61 percent), France (102 percent), and Germany (122 percent).
SPORTS Maccabi Tel Aviv Wins Historic Euroleague Title
Monday, May 3, 2004Maccabi Tel Aviv crushed Italy's Skipper Bologna 118-74 on Saturday night to become European champions for the fourth time in the club's history, HA'ARETZ reported. Aided by 10,000 wildly enthusiastic supporters at the Nokia Arena, Maccabi dominated the encounter from the start and the victory became a reality well before the final buzzer. Maccabi's performance set a series a Euroleague records: the team's score was the highest ever in a European club final; the points margin by which it won surpassed any previous such statistics; its 55 first half points was the highest first half tally in the Final Four era. Maccabi previously won the premier European basketball competition in 1977, 1981 and 2001.
Anthony Parker, the hero of Thursday's semi-final victory over CSKA Moscow, again led the way for Maccabi with 21 points and was voted the game's MVP. David Bluthenthal contributed 20 points, Jasikevicius 18 and Tal Burstein who had the game's only double-double, 17 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes.
