To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Sunday, October 22, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, Oct. 22, 2000 / Tishrei 23, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
   1. BARAK CALLS TIME-OUT
   2. NO LET-UP IN VIOLENCE, NEAR-LYNCHINGS
   3. ARAFAT DEMANDS PARTITION, JERUSALEM, AND REFUGEES
   4. RESPONSES TO THE ARAB LEAGUE FINAL SUMMATION
   5. RALLY AGAINST RESTRAINT

1. BARAK CALLS TIME-OUT
Prime Minister Ehud Barak has called a "time-out" on the diplomatic
negotiations with the Palestinians, the need for which, he said, is
"self-evident, natural and dictated by common sense."  Arafat's response to
reporters in Gaza today:  "Barak can go to hell."  According to some
reports, Barak will issue orders as soon as tonight to begin implementing
the plan for physical separation from the Palestinians.  Barak said that he
would not ask the government to approve this decision, prompting criticism
from government ministers such as Shimon Peres.  Following today's Cabinet
meeting, which lasted over six hours, Barak made the following remarks:

"...The Sharm understandings are not being upheld by the Palestinian
side.  There are preparations for attacks, public incitement, continued
mass demonstrations, shooting incidents and a lack of security
coordination.  Released terrorists are not being detained and the violence
is not being reined in.  We cannot ignore such a situation and must act in
accordance with Israel's vital security interests in order to provide the
area with maximum security, stability and normal daily life.

"Today, it seems that the Palestinians have chosen not to continue on the
path of Camp David, and are preventing a discussion on the basis of the
ideas raised by President Clinton.  It appears that they have turned
towards violence in order to try and internationalize the process and
secure international support for the establishment of their state without
agreement with Israel.

"After the Arab summit, and in light of its results, we will have to call
a time-out, the goal of which will be to reassess the diplomatic process in
light of the events of recent weeks.  The need for this is self-evident,
natural and dictated by common sense.

"The State of Israel will continue to strive towards peace and search for
any way to secure it; however, one would have to be blind vis-a-vis
diplomatic and security matters in order to continue the process as if
nothing has happened.  There have been many such time-outs in the last
decade, both on our part and on the other side.  This is not new.  It is a
necessary step and therefore, no government decision is necessary.

"...The Palestinians will be our neighbors always.  We will never lose the
hope of achieving a "peace of the brave" with them which will assure
genuine security and stability for both sides."

The Prime Minister's call for a time-out from the negotiations with the
Palestinians has met with stiff opposition from at least five government
ministers: Peres, Beilin, Ben-Ami, Vilnai, and Shachak.  They claim that
the government must not detach itself from the Oslo process, and that Barak
is not authorized to decide by himself on such a change in government
policy.  Ben-Ami said that even at this difficult time we must not let up
on our diplomatic efforts and that we must fall in line with international
public opinion.

Barak also said today that he would work for the formation of a
national-emergency government.  The Prime Minister and opposition leader
Ariel Sharon met two nights ago to discuss the option, which appears
increasingly likely.  MK Yisrael Katz said today that he would not bring
his Knesset-dissolution bill for a vote in the next month.  Likud MK Danny
Naveh said that he and others of his party colleagues object to a
national-unity government, "which basically means simply the political
rescue of Ehud Barak - something which would be irresponsible of us to
allow to happen.  On the other hand, an emergency government, for a limited
time only until new elections, is something that we could accept."

2. NO LET-UP IN VIOLENCE, NEAR-LYNCHINGS
An American CIA report to U.S. President Clinton and Prime Minister Barak
states that Arafat has decided that the violence will continue until a
Palestinian state is declared.  So reports Yediot Acharonot today.  As has
been the custom since the Rosh HaShanah Arab Assault began, Palestinian
violence increased today during the afternoon hours.  Palestinians began
shooting at Israeli soldiers at the Ayosh Junction, north of Ramallah, and
two Israelis were lightly injured by Arab-thrown rocks near
Shilo.  Palestinians in Hevron rioted near the Jewish neighborhood there,
and IDF troops were forced to respond with tear gas and rubber
bullets.  One Palestinian was killed in a clash with soldiers near Halhoul,
and another was killed at the Erez Checkpoint in Gaza, where particularly
intense rioting is taking place; the mob's throwing of rocks and firebombs
has wounded one soldier.

Last night's violence:  Palestinians shot at the Jewish homes in Hevron and
Psagot, and at two IDF outposts in Gush Katif.  Israeli cars were shot at
on the Tunnels Highway before Gush Etzion, and a bus was shot at near
Nokdim.  No Israelis were hurt in these incidents.  Arab rock-throwing
continued within pre-1967 Israel: a woman was lightly injured while
traveling in Wadi Ara, near Um el-Fahm, and another such incident occurred
near there as well.  A Cellcom relay tower was burnt and heavily damaged
near Lehavim in the Negev; the police suspect Arab nationalist
elements.  On Friday night, Arabs from Beit Jalla shot at Jewish homes in
Gilo - the southern Jerusalem neighborhood that has been the target of
Palestinian shooting during the past week - and army tanks responded with a
mortar shell towards an open area; army snipers also shot back at the
source of the fire.

Two dozen Israelis were miraculously saved from Palestinian lynchings on
Friday, in two separate events:

In one case, two Israeli cars on their way from Ir [City of] David, just
south of the Western Wall, to Yeshivat Beit Orot between Mt. Scopus and Mt.
of Olives, were set upon and the passengers were nearly brutally killed by
a Palestinian mob.  Efrat Halamish recounted to Arutz-7 that the first car
merely had its windows broken, but "our car, carrying myself, my husband,
and our four small children, came off much worse.  A bunch of youths, with
clubs, axes, and heavy blocks, started attacking us from every side, with
total brutality and cruelty.  They saw our baby in the seat, but continued
to break the windows, raining down glass onto her.  I am sure that if we
would have remained there another 30 seconds, we would have been
finished.  We were saved only by a clear miracle.  My husband wanted to
shoot at them, but I just screamed that he should fly out of there - even
though this was not so easy, as there were burning tires and rocks all over
the road, and somehow we made it out...  If he would have shot, he would
have been arrested, if we would still be alive, which was far from
sure...  In addition to all this, only a few hundred meters away was a
Border Guard contingent.  They went there, but did nothing to them, not a
thing.  They didn't close off the road to Arab traffic, and everything just
went on as if nothing had happened..."

Also on Friday, five IDF soldiers and an Israeli civilian were wounded when
Palestinian security forces attempted to take over - and a mob surrounded -
a van carrying 15 soldiers.  The incident occurred in Anabata, a
Palestinian-controlled village between Tulkarm and Shavei Shomron that the
van had mistakenly entered.  A Palestinian Police jeep blocked the van, and
it was then surrounded by a mob of some 100 Palestinians, including armed
Palestinian police and Tanzim members.  One officer was taken off the van
and made to lie on the ground.  The IDF spokesman reported that some
Palestinian police then attempted to board the van, demanding that the
soldiers hand over their weapons.  The soldiers in fact passed them several
weapons, after which the Palestinians began to fire at the van.  It began
to travel in reverse out of the village - with the above officer on board -
being shot at all the while.  The wounded were taken to the hospital; some
have already been released.

3. ARAFAT DEMANDS PARTITION, JERUSALEM, AND REFUGEES
The Arab League summit in Cairo, which ended today, featured both calls for
peace and severe condemnation of Israel for "slaughter of Palestinians" and
similar atrocities.  Some of the Arab speakers demanded that all ties with
Israel be severed, but this demand was not accepted.  PLO leader Yasser
Arafat took an extremist position:  "Israel should lift the siege on our
cities and people, and withdraw from all the Palestinian and Arab
territories, including holy Jerusalem, the capital of our independent
Palestinian state. I reiterate that our goals are the liberation of our
land... and the return of refugees based on international legitimacy
resolutions, especially Resolutions 181 [the original Partition resolution
of 1948, rejected by the Arabs, and according to which Ashdod, Be'er Sheva,
Nazareth, and other cities are not included in Israel] and 194 [calling for
UN supervision for holy sites, special international status for the entire
Jerusalem region, and the return of Arab refugees to Israel]."  Arafat
declared that his people's struggle would continue until the establishment
of their independent state.  He also blamed Israel for what he called "a
massacre of the Palestinians," and pledged a continuation of the intifada
until victory.

4. RESPONSES TO THE ARAB LEAGUE FINAL SUMMATION
"Israel utterly rejects the language of threats used at the Arab summit in
Cairo," according to an official government statement this afternoon, "and
condemns the call for continued violence against it.  Israel calls on the
Palestinians to honor their commitments to halt the violence and incitement
and to immediately restore calm and order before there is - Heaven forbid -
an additional escalation.  Israel continues to strive for peace while
uncompromisingly defending its vital security interests and will continue
to act to foster reconciliation between it and the Arab world, but not at
any price and not under pressure of violence."

Before the issuance of the official response, Information Policy Director
Nachman Shai had given his own positive appraisal of the summit statement,
and especially praised the prudence of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and
other moderate officials.  CNN reported that Shai said that the Arab League
statement, which did not call for an end to all ties with Israel,
'is a
victory of wisdom for the Arab world.'"  Nachman Shai's words of praise for
the summit aroused the ire of the Prime Minister's Office - which condemned
the summit's "threatening tone" and with which Shai did not clear his
statements in advance - as well as of the domestic opposition.  Likud MK
Ruby Rivlin said, "A summit that calls for an international court to rule
on alleged Israeli war crimes, and that calls for the internationalization
of Jerusalem, is not something that Israel should praise.  With all due
respect to Egypt and Jordan for not agreeing to cut their ties with Israel,
it must be remembered that peace is an interest of all the sides in the
Middle East.  The fact that Nachman Shai has actually endorsed the
accusations made against us is a national disgrace of the first order."

The threatening tone of the statement issued by the Arab League summit was
not strong enough for the PLO, Hamas, and other such organizations.  A
spokesman for the Popular Front, a faction of the PLO, said, that the
summit "did not meet the minimum demands of the Palestinian nation."  Hamas
said that the Arab and Moslem nations are disappointed that the Arab League
did not call for the cutting of ties with Israel or for the use of oil as a
weapon, and said that the intifada will continue.  Arafat, who was said by
an aide to be disappointed with the summit, had been hoping for a total
Arab boycott of Israel, but is happy with the decision to establish a
one-billion dollar fund for Palestinian use.

5. RALLY AGAINST RESTRAINT
Close to 10,000 people demonstrated outside Prime Minister Barak's home in
Jerusalem last night, demanding that Barak respond to what they call the
Palestinian "declaration of war." Many held signs reading, "Arafat is
making war, and Barak is holding back," and other similar messages.  The
demonstration concluded with the traditional festive "Hakafot Shniyot"
celebrations with the Torah scrolls rescued from Joseph's Tomb and the
Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue in Jericho.

The speakers demanded that Barak respond more forcefully to the Palestinian
aggression. Some excerpts:

Yechiel Leiter of Eli:  "A precious Border Guard policeman and a rabbi in
Israel, a father of eight, bled to death.  Let us say this in a straight
and clear way, here outside the Prime Minister's home:  Prime Minister Ehud
Barak prevented the army from saving Rabbi Herling [on Mt. Eval] and Madhut
Yosef [at Joseph's Tomb]!  He prevented the army from using all the tools
at its disposal in order to save them!  And they bled to death because of
this cruel, thick-headed, arrogant man!  He must resign!"

Kedumim Mayor Daniella Weiss called on the residents of Gilo to remove the
concrete barricades placed there by the army for their protection:  "You
are our last barrier before the Palestinians' next target - Rachel's Tomb
in Bethlehem!"

MK Rehavam Ze'evi:  "We demand security and life for the Jews!  We demand
that the government wake up!  We said years ago that Arafat is not a man of
peace, and that he is trying to liquidate us.  They told us that we are
doom-sayers - until the recent events that have proved us right."

Yitzhar Rabbi Dudkevitch:  "Wounded are abandoned in the field, and this
lowers the national morale!...  The Central Region Commander, instead of
bringing us security, thinks only of how to run away from Shechem.  He is a
commander that brings not security, but rather weakness..."

Uri Bank, resident of Gilo:  "When they brought in tanks to our
neighborhood, we thought that the government had finally woken up, and
would respond appropriately...  But instead, they only responded with
simple machine-gun fire, instead of mortar shells.  Tanks are not a
decoration - if you weren't going to fire shells, then why did you bring
the tanks!"

The Prime Minister's Office released the following statement in response to
the demonstration: "The Prime Minister is sensitive to the pain of the
Yesha settlers, and is obligated to their security as citizens of
Israel.  He calls upon them to work together with the entire nation for the
unity that is so necessary at this hour."

***************************************************************

To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Monday, October 23, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
  <www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, Oct. 23, 2000 / Tishrei 24, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
   1. EMERGENCY GOV'T NEGOTIATIONS TODAY
   2. ARAFAT'S INTIFADA CONTINUES

1. EMERGENCY GOV'T NEGOTIATIONS TODAY
Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Likud leader Ariel Sharon, together with
their respective negotiating teams, met this afternoon to discuss the
establishment of a national unity government.  For the first time,
Barak handed Sharon a written invitation to join such a government.
The government will likely act as an emergency government at first -
thus neutralizing the objections of MKs in both the Likud and Labor to
a unity government - and only later will become a unity government.
Accompanying Ariel Sharon were Likud MKs Silvan Shalom, Ruby Rivlin
and Limor Livnat; with Barak were Labor party Director-General Ra'anan
Cohen, and Ministers Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Chaim Ramon.  Barak will
meet later today with leaders of Shas, Yisrael B'Aliyah, and the
National Religious Party.

Barak told One Israel ministers today that had he felt that the
violence in Yesha were the last spasms before peace, he would have bit
his lips and continued in the diplomatic process -  "but I know that
this is not the case."  Most of the ministers expressed their support
for a unity government in light of the security situation.  Finance
Minister Avraham Shochat said that the concept of "emergency
government" was never as necessary as it is now.

Justice Minister Yossi Beilin, on the other hand, was to meet with
Labor party "doves" this afternoon to discuss their plans to torpedo
Barak's latest political moves - but Beilin called off the meeting at
the Prime Minister's request.  Beilin claims that forming an alliance
with Ariel Sharon would be the "death-blow to the diplomatic process
with the Palestinians."  He said yesterday that he would resign from
the government if Sharon is granted veto power in diplomatic issues.
The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (Yesha
Council) responded, "Beilin's cleaving to the Oslo process just makes
one shudder."  The Council said it sees the Oslo process, promoted by
Beilin, as responsible for the death of hundreds of Israelis, and
called upon him once again to leave public life.

The Likud expects to hold a tension-filled meeting on the issue of
whether to join a unity government, by request of MK Limor Livnat; she
opposes a unity government but is nevertheless a representative on the
Likud negotiating team with Labor.  Livnat and MK Ayoub Kara called on
Sharon to confer with other members of the party's Knesset faction
before beginning the talks.  Another Likud MK, Avraham Hirschson, told
Arutz-7 today that the Likud should only appoint one representative to
a national emergency government, and that once the state of emergency
passes, the unity government should be dismantled.

MK Tzvi Hendel (National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) today called on the
Likud to join the government.  He said that with all his criticism of
Barak's political policies, he thinks it is now time to unify
political forces and to establish a government that will project a
sense of unity and will deter the enemy.

The Zionist directorate of the Jewish Agency assembled today, and
called for the establishment of a national-unity government.  The
board also dealt with the state of the settlement enterprise in the
Galilee and the Negev, expressing concern that within 20 years, the
Jewish majority there would be lost.

2. ARAFAT'S INTIFADA CONTINUES
For the first time since the beginning of the Rosh HaShanah Arab
Assault, IDF attack helicopters shot missiles and a tank fired at Beit
Jalla, in retaliation to Palestinian sniper fire on Gilo residents.
The Palestinian shots damaged 16 buildings - not only on Ha'Anafa St.,
which was the target of the four previous attacks, but on four other
streets as well.  Two women were treated for shock.  President Moshe
Katzav visited Gilo this afternoon, in a bid to offer moral support to
the residents there.

Prime Minister Barak spoke to U.S. President Clinton last night, and
told him, "Picture a foreign entity shooting into the suburban homes
of Washington, D.C.  This is obviously a situation that no country can
tolerate...  How would you react if gunmen hit Chevy Chase, Maryland
with guns you supplied them in order to keep the peace?"  Clinton
reportedly agreed with him, but asked that Barak make every effort to
renew the diplomatic process.  Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert praised the
Israeli response, but said that it must be even stronger.

The IDF and Palestinian para-military forces exchanged relatively
heavy fire throughout the night on the Israel-Egypt border near the
IDF outpost in Rafiach.  No Israeli soldiers were hurt in the clash.
Elsewhere, Palestinian snipers renewed their gunfire on the Binyamin
community of Psagot, while others shot near Tulkarm, outside Bet
Sahour, and adjacent to the Gush Katif community of N'vei Dekalim.  No
IDF soldiers were reported injured in these incidents.

After a morning respite, and despite today's rains, Palestinian riots
and shootings continued this afternoon throughout Yesha.  In
Bethlehem, an IDF officer was injured in his foot by an explosive
device hurled at him by a Palestinian, while in Hevron, a Border
Policeman was wounded by shrapnel.  Palestinians shot on IDF soldiers
at the Ayosh junction.  The IDF once again closed the Palestinian
international airport in Dahaniye; it was originally closed when the
violence began, and was then re-opened as part of the short-lived
Sharm el-Sheikh understandings.

Arabs opened fire on an IDF jeep this afternoon, near Halhoul, in the
Har Hevron region.  The shots hit the jeep, but no soldiers were
injured.  The attack followed rioting by hundreds of Palestinians on
the Halhoul by-pass road this morning.  IDF forces eventually repelled
the rioters from the road.  Palestinian terrorists planted a pipe bomb
next to the IDF post in Netzarim; it was spotted by soldiers and
detonated without incident.  Shots were also fired at IDF targets at
Mt. Eval today, as well as near Beitar Illit, south of Beit Shemesh.

Another attempt to re-open the trans-Judea highway failed this morning
when Palestinians released a barrage of rocks on Jewish cars using the
road.  Residents of the Har Hevron communities are demanding that the
army take the necessary measures to make the road safe for Jewish
traffic.  Arutz-7's Kobi Sela reports that many of the Yesha roads
that have been closed due to Palestinian shooting and rock-throwing
continue to be used by the Palestinians.  Binyamin Region Commander
Col. Gal Hirsch, however, told hundreds of Beit El residents last
night that many of the closed roads affect only Arab drivers.

************************************************************

To:            arutz-7@IsraelNationalNews.com
From:          Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@IsraelNationalNews.com>
Subject:       Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, October 24, 2000

Arutz Sheva News Service
   <http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000 / Tishrei 25, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
   1. TRACKING THE WAR OF ATTRITION
   2. FORMING A NATIONAL-UNITY GOVERNMENT

1. TRACKING THE WAR OF ATTRITION
Palestinian violence and attacks continued today with the usual mix of
firebombs, rocks, and live fire at IDF targets.  Shots were fired this
morning at an army position near Mt. Gerizim south of Shechem.  This
afternoon, a firebomb was thrown by Arabs towards an army jeep near
Kfar Darom in Gaza; the IDF shot back, and the Palestinians then began
rioting and throwing rocks and bricks.  Firebombs were similarly
thrown at IDF soldiers in Hevron and Erez Checkpoint, but missed their
targets; soldiers shot back in the latter case.  The Tunnels Highway
between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion was again closed late this
afternoon, after Palestinians fired at passing vehicles.

Palestinians again fired from Beit Jala, near Bethlehem, towards the
south-Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo last night; damage was caused to
a Gilo building.  IDF tanks retaliated with two mortar shells and
machine gun fire...  Six Border Guard policemen and an IDF officer
were hurt in stoning and firebombing incidents, including four
policemen who were struck by a firebomb near the Rockefeller Museum in
Jerusalem...  A roadside bomb exploded at 7:30 PM near a convoy of
Israeli cars leaving Netzarim last night...  Arab-fired bullets
penetrated houses in the north-Shomron community of Kadim and in
Hevron; no one was hurt...

Also last night, Palestinians once again rained heavy gunfire on the
town of Psagot, north of Jerusalem.  Bullets penetrated one house,
although no one was hurt.  The IDF fired only one round in response;
Psagot residents demanded that the IDF retaliate to the nightly fire
upon their town at least as strongly as in the case of Gilo.  One
Psagot resident told Arutz-7, "The Arabs shot last night from nearby
El Bireh, only 600 meters away, with a submachine gun, spraying rounds
all over the place - not like other times when individual snipers shot
at us...  The army's response was very minor - only a few shots by one
soldier, but no tanks or anything else - even though the source of the
fire was clearly identified."

2. FORMING A NATIONAL-UNITY GOVERNMENT
Prime Minister Barak continues his emergency-government building
measures, and met today with leaders of the Shinui, National
Religious, and United Torah Judaism parties.  The question of what
authorities will be granted Likud leader Ariel Sharon in the new
government is the focus of coalition negotiations at present between
One Israel and the Likud.

Shinui party leader MK Tommy Lapid said that his party would agree to
join a unity government, "but only if the Likud joins, and not if it
will be a Meretz-Shas government."  Shinui has traditionally refused
to sit in the same government as the hareidi Shas party.  Lapid also
demands to see the agreement to be signed with Sharon.

Despite the efforts to form a unity government, MK Avigdor Lieberman
(National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) has submitted a proposal to dissolve
the Knesset.  It will be discussed next week, when the Knesset returns
from its holiday recess.  Likud MK Yisrael Katz has withdrawn, for at
least a month, his similar proposal, in order to give a chance to the
unity negotiations.  Lieberman told Arutz-7 today:

"Anyone [in the opposition] who speaks of partnership with Barak
is fooling himself.  Barak failed, and is simply not fit to serve as
Prime Minister, and no gimmick can cover up for this.  He is not fit
to run the country...  I cannot tolerate the fact that he doesn't take
responsibility for the deterioration in the situation; it didn't
happen by itself.  He has not succeeded in anything... He agreed to an
international inquiry regarding the Arab violence, and after the
Israeli-Arabs rioted, he gave them a prize - a grant of over 4 billion
shekels and an investigation of the riots - instead of strengthening
the Yesha communities that are in a state of siege...  He changes his
mind so often that the only thing he is fit to be is a weather
forecaster..."  When asked if now, during this national emergency, is
an appropriate time for new elections, Lieberman said, "Yes, exactly
because we are facing an emergency situation, this is why we must
replace him.  All his efforts for a national unity government are not
for the country or for its security, but only for his personal public
career...  We have protestors outside his office, calling on him to
resign - and the sooner the better."

NRP leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy also spoke with Arutz-7 today, after
his meeting with the Prime Minister, and said that his party demands
participation in diplomatic decisions:  "We have received, and are
considering, Barak's invitation to join the government...  We see this
as a time of emergency, and we need a united front, but it must be on
a basis of mutual cooperation...  [Ariel] Sharon's conditions must be
accepted...  We don't want to find ourselves in a government that will
soon resume the Oslo diplomatic process, which undoubtedly will be
attempted...  We also demanded that Barak's 'secular revolution,'
involving the closure of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, civil
marriages, public Sabbath desecration, etc., be stopped" - a condition
that will apparently be fulfilled in any event.

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