To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, February 15, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2001 / Sh'vat 22, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. BARAK LIKELY TO STAY; SARID: ONE ZIG-ZAG TOO MANY
2. LIKUD TO RECONSIDER YESHA CLAUSE
3. HOW TO FIGHT BACK
1. BARAK LIKELY TO STAY; SARID: ONE ZIG-ZAG TOO MANY
Signs are increasing that Ehud Barak may not resign from politics. Sources
close to the outgoing Prime Minister say that he has already decided to
accept Ariel Sharon's offer to serve as Defense Minister in the new
government. He intimated last night that he may renege on his
post-election promise to step down from politics, saying that although "my
heart tells me to leave politics for a while," he must "take into
consideration the many calls I have received, including from President
Katzav and Prime Minister-elect Sharon," to remain.
Barak said that in any event, he will be the one to decide who the Labor
party's government ministers will be. This drew strong fire from Interior
Minister Chaim Ramon, a political opponent of Barak within Labor, who said
today that "the days are over" when Barak makes such decisions by
himself. Ramon also said that he is very wary of the agreements Barak and
Sharon may have reached in their private meetings. "These issues must be
decided by an authorized party committee," he said. "It's not even certain
that most Labor members want the Defense and Foreign Affairs
portfolios. Most people that I've spoken to say they prefer that the party
choose Finance [as one of the two senior portfolios offered Labor by the
Likud]..."
In response to the increasing reports that Barak may join the unity
government, Ramon said early this evening that he would do everything he
could to torpedo a government in which Barak is a member. Knesset Members
of the left-wing Meretz party also criticized Barak for what appears to be
his acceptance of Sharon's offer; Yossi Sarid said, "This is just one
zig-zag too many."
2. LIKUD TO RECONSIDER YESHA CLAUSE
Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak were to meet today to iron out the last
differences in their budding national unity government agreement. The
Likud has responded to strong demands - some call them "threats" - by its
partners on the right, and wishes to reformulate the clause that deals with
Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria. The clause currently states that
new construction will be permitted only in accordance with the towns'
"natural growth."
Likud coalition-talks representative Ehud Olmert, Mayor of Jerusalem, said
today that the Likud would not allow Labor to force it to antagonize its
natural partners on the right, and then have its government be solely
dependent on the support of Labor. When asked if Labor had vetoed Rehavam
Ze'evi (National Union) and Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael B'Aliyah) as
government ministers, Olmert said, "Labor will clearly not have a veto
right on who we will accept as a government minister." He also said that
Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein's recommendation regarding Lieberman
was not binding. Rubenstein said yesterday that Lieberman, who was
indicted on charges of insulting a police officer, may not be a government
minister. Olmert said that Sharon could, if he wished, appoint Lieberman,
and then wait to see if someone challenged it in court.
3. HOW TO FIGHT BACK
An editorial in Ma'ariv today stated, "Israel is now at war with the
Palestinian Authority. At this point there is no difference between the
various terrorist gangs and the official Palestinian Authority. Even their
reactions yesterday, in which all the spokesmen justified the attack, were
the same."
***********************************************************
To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com,arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor<neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, February 16, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Friday, Feb. 16, 2001 / Sh'vat 23, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. IDF'S #2 MAN: MISTAKE TO ABANDON JOSEPH'S TOMB
2. BARAK TO JOIN NEARLY-COMPLETED GOVERNMENT
3. WHY SHARON WANTS BARAK
1. IDF'S #2 MAN: MISTAKE TO ABANDON JOSEPH'S TOMB
IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon regrets the decision
to abandon Joseph's Tomb in Shechem. In an interview published in
today's edition of Ma'ariv, Yaalon said that the pullback "fired up
the fighting spirit of the Palestinians. It will be a grave error if
Israel continues to pull out of other areas or settlements under
fire." It will be recalled that on Oct. 7, 2000, following several
days of heavy Arab shooting on the soldiers guarding the holy site,
and after one soldier was not rescued and died of his wounds during
one of the battles, the army abandoned Joseph's Tomb in an
early-morning retreat. The site, which only two decades ago was
located well outside the built-up parts of the city of Shechem, is now
surrounded by Arab houses.
Yaalon added that the Palestinians were disappointed to see that
Israel's staying power was greater than they had thought: "They
expected that we would collapse in the face of the number of killed.
If there is no other option, the IDF will have to consider re-entering
Area A [under full Palestinian control]," the Deputy Chief of Staff
said.
2. BARAK TO JOIN NEARLY-COMPLETED GOVERNMENT
The national unity government negotiations are entering their last
phase, with Labor in disarray and Likud more or less united.
Following Ehud Barak's announcement that he has responded positively
to Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon's call to serve as Defense
Minister, and that Shimon Peres will serve as Foreign Minister, Chaim
Ramon has come out fighting. He says that he will attempt to have the
party reject Barak's proposals when it convenes next week. Labor's
five other government ministers will apparently be Binyamin
Ben-Eliezer, Raanan Cohen, Dalia Itzik, Matan Vilnai, and Avraham
Shochat. Ramon, Shlomo Ben-Ami, and Yossi Beilin say they will not
join the unity government; they, as well as Minister Yuli Tamir and
MKs Yael Dayan and Collete Avital, are likely to lead the efforts
against joining the unity government.
The Likud, too, will have seven government ministers, not including
Prime Minister Sharon. These will probably be Silvan Shalom
(Finance), Limor Livnat, Meir Shetreet, Ruby Rivlin, Yehoshua Matza,
Danny Naveh, and Tzippy Livni. Michael Eitan and Uzi Landau will
apparently be left out.
3. WHY SHARON WANTS BARAK
The media and many politicians seem to be in rare agreement today
against Barak's appointment to the Defense Ministry, in face of his
earlier announcement to resign. Many radio and newspaper columnists
have stinging criticism of what Meretz MK Yossi Sarid called "one
zig-zag too many." In addition, MKs Nachum Langental (NRP), Salah
Tarif (Labor), several from Shas and Meretz, and others, have strongly
criticized Barak on this point and called on either him or Sharon not
to let the appointment go through.
Yechiel Leiter, a former advisor to both Netanyahu and Sharon and a
Yesha leader, explained to Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson today why, in his
opinion, Sharon feels so strongly about having Peres and Barak in his
government:
"By bringing Barak in, Sharon shows the world that he is not Attila
the Hun, as he is portrayed internationally. Barak has the reputation in
the world as the one who went 'all the way for peace.' Peres, too,
has international prestige. Sharon knows that if he goes it alone,
with the standing that he has in the world, his government could fall
in a matter of months. At the same time, it is convenient for Sharon
if Barak is the one to carry out a strong defense policy. It's true
that [former Likud Prime Minister Yitzchak] Shamir warned that Peres
will try to undermine Sharon the way he undermined Shamir [during the
unity government in the 1980's], but in actuality there are some
differences: Shamir was more of a passive leader - and even he, in
the end, was able to keep Peres somewhat under control - while Sharon
is more of an initiator, and will better able to control matters. In
addition, Peres now is not at the height of his powers. Barak, too,
has lost much of his standing here at home."
Zalmanson: Will Defense Minister Barak place as many obstacles in the
way of the growth of Judea and Samaria as did Yitzchak Mordechai under
Netanyahu? [The Defense Minister is authorized to approve all
construction and the like in Yesha, by virtue of the Military
Administration existing there.] Leiter: "Mordechai, who was of the
Likud, had to prove that he was not leaning to strongly to the right.
Barak won't have that problem; the fact is that he did not agree to a
freeze on construction in Yesha while he was Prime Minister, despite
demands from his party that he do so. In addition, Sharon will also
be involved in these matters. At least in the areas that Sharon sees
as being permanently Israeli [ed. note: Sharon has said that he
foresees a Palestinian state or entity on 42% of Yesha], he is likely
to encourage Jewish construction."
****************************************************************
To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com,arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor<neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, February 18, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, Feb. 18, 2001 / Sh'vat 25, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. UNITING AT THE TOP
2. BARAK FACES STINGING CRITICISM
3. PALESTINIAN REACTION TO U.S. ATTACK ON IRAQ
4. UN SUPPORTS ANTI-ISRAEL MAP, FILMS
1. UNITING AT THE TOP
The unity government is almost a "done deal" - except for the
distribution of portfolios, which should be decided on today or
tomorrow. Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon met with Shas leader Eli
Yeshai today. Yeshai said that his 17-seat party would not join the
government unless a way was found to allow full-time yeshiva students
to continue to be exempt from army enlistment. The two alternatives
suggested by Yeshai were either legislation of the Tal Committee
proposals, or a further delay in the implementation of the Supreme
Court order to begin drafting the students.
2. BARAK FACES STINGING CRITICISM
Internal opposition within the Labor party to Ehud Barak's appointment
to the Defense Ministry is growing, particularly in light of Barak's
post-election announcement that he was resigning from politics.
Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben-Ami wrote to Barak, "You have abandoned
the position of diplomat and become a politician... Don't tell me
that it's good for the country and bad for you..." Other Laborites
who object to Barak's latest zig-zag are Minister Yuli Tamir - who
owes her political career to Barak - and Avraham Burg, Chaim Ramon,
Yossi Beilin, Salah Tarif, and others; they are planning to present a
united front against the appointment at the Labor Central Committee
meeting this week. Chief among their demands will be the holding of a
secret vote on the question of joining the national-unity government.
Barak is hoping to persuade the Central Committee to put off its
meeting until next week.
Criticism of Barak today from both party colleagues and media
commentators was unprecedented in its vehemence. MK Yossi Sarid of
Meretz said that Barak should zig-zag just one more time and return to
his previous announcement to retire from politics. Barak's loyal
colleague Yuval Frankel said, "To my sorrow, he has turned his back on
the people who fought for him and did not give up, and continued
campaigning at the intersections even when the polls showed that he
was about to lose..." Barak's former press aide Aliza Goren said,
"The truth is, I'm pretty embarrassed/ashamed. After the crushing
defeat, he should have gotten up and left, like he promised."
Among the calmer press critiques of him was a Ma'ariv editorial - "In
his latest move, Barak has paid a steep price in terms of credibility
and prestige" - and one from Ha'aretz: "The fickle nature of Barak's
personality, his tendency to make decisions alone or with a small
number of close associates who are not participants in politics, and
the ease with which he is willing to dismiss ideas for which he was
rewarded with broad public support, are troubling and revolting...
Barak's eagerness to remain in government at any price may therefore
do away not only with the remnants of his personal integrity, but also
do away with the ability of the Labor Party to present an alternative
to the policies of the right."
The National Religious Party is very much against the appointment of
Ehud Barak to the Defense Ministry. Party leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy
even said today that the NRP would not join the unity government if
Barak is in fact appointed to that post. MK Zevulun Orlev said today,
"If it were up to me, this is most definitely an ultimatum. We are
entering this government in order to effect a change. If the nation
gave a slap in the face to Barak, and he failed terribly in leading
the defense policy during time of war, then how can we take part in a
government that leaves him in that position?"
The Yesha Council's position is that it will agree to Barak's
appointment as Defense Minister only if he agreed to totally backtrack
from his policy of "restraint and absorption." Sharon told right-wing
leaders last night that he foresees a crisis situation ahead with the
Palestinians - possibly even an all-out war. He explained that the
appointments of Barak as Defense Minister and Peres as Foreign
Minister were designed to help Israel meet these upcoming challenges.
3. PALESTINIAN REACTION TO U.S. ATTACK ON IRAQ
The joint American-British strike on Iraq this weekend brought
Israel's Arabs to the streets. Large crowds of Arabs demonstrated in
support of Saddam Hussein yesterday near Shechem; they burnt American
and Israeli flags, brandished posters of the Iraqi dictator, and
burned pictures of U.S. President Bush. Palestinian media expert
Michael Widlanski reports that following the air strikes, Voice of
Palestine radio announced that 'national and Islamic forces" had
dedicated two "days of rage" (this coming Tuesday and Friday) for
massive demonstrations and parades not only against Israel but also
against American attacks on Iraq. "This is a 'choosing-sides' moment,"
the radio stated, "and the PA is signaling its choice of Saddam, while
it believes the United States has chosen Israel."
Prime Minister Barak convened a security cabinet meeting this
afternoon in light of the situation in Iraq.
4. UN SUPPORTS ANTI-ISRAEL MAP, FILMS
A key United Nations agency has lent its support to a Palestinian
Authority tourism map that completely obliterates Israel, CNSNews.com
reports. A new PA Ministry of Tourism map credits the United Nations
Development Program with helping in its publication. The map, called
"Palestine, The Holy Land," shows the entire expanse of present-day
Israel, including Judea, Samaria, and Gaza - and calls the whole area
"Palestine." There is no reference at all to Israel.
Itamar Marcus, director of the independent media monitoring group
Palestinian Media Watch, said that there was nothing new about the
map's message. He said that his group was able to find only one map
published by the PA that mentions Israel - and even that one is not
used for their own populace. "None of the official PA maps show
Israel," he said, including those printed in PA school textbooks. He
also mentioned that anti-Israel film clips, partially funded by the
UN, were routinely screened on Palestinian television.
More and more Israeli political leaders have lately made public
statements blaming the PA's educational and media policies of venomous
anti-Israel incitement for much of the murderous violence of the past
few months.
********************************************************************
To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com,arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor<neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, February 19, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, Feb. 19, 2001 / Sh'vat 26, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
WAQF FORBIDS TOURISTS ON TEMPLE MOUNT
The Moslem Waqf continues in its refusal to allow tourists - or any
non-Moslem - to visit the Temple Mount. Waqf director Adnan
al-Husseini rejected the government's request, and said that this is
an "internal Waqf matter, and Israel has no right to intervene in
it... It is our prerogative to open and close the gates when we wish
and according to the situation."
The Temple Mount has been closed to Jews and tourists since the
beginning of the current violence, almost five months ago. The
organizations that are active on behalf of promoting Jewish rights on
the Mount have asked for, but not received, assurance that Ariel
Sharon would take action to re-open the holy site to Jews when he
assumes office.
*******************************************************
To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com,arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor<neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, February 20, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2001 / Sh'vat 27, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. SHARON PROMISES ZE'EVI AND LIEBERMAN
2. LABOR DISUNITY
3. LIEBERMAN SPEAKS
1. SHARON PROMISES ZE'EVI AND LIEBERMAN
Likud Director-General Uri Shani and Labor Party chief Ra'anan Cohen
met today to finalize details of the unity government coalition
agreement between the two parties. Labor and Likud reached agreement
on the need to nullify the direct-election law for PM. Pines and
Rivlin agreed that the bill, which has already passed its first
reading, will be brought for its final readings even before the
establishment of the new government.
Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert (Likud) continued to emphasize that
despite Barak's implied threats not to join a government together with
Rehavam Ze'evi and Avigdor Lieberman, their party - National
Union-Yisrael Beiteinu - would be a full partner in the coalition. He
told Arutz-7 today, "I'm not on the best terms with Ze'evi, but I will
not allow anyone to drive a wedge between us and our natural partners
on the right - for the simple reason that in such a case we will be
dependent on the mercies of Labor. Labor, once it sees that we have an
option of relying on a narrow government, can be a positive and
constructive partner." Olmert said that Sharon very much wants to form
a unity government with Labor, "and so he's willing to wait even
longer than he wanted, even until Monday when Labor's Central
Committee convenes and decides."
Prime Minister-elect Sharon, who met later this afternoon with both
Ze'evi and Lieberman, said beforehand that they would both serve as
ministers in his government. Sharon also met today with an AIPAC
delegation, MK Natan Sharansky, World Bnei Brith Pres. Richard
Heidman, and the family of Ron Arad. Later tonight, he will hold a
consultation with his advisors Zalman Shoval, Moshe Arens, Dore Gold
and Eitan Bentsur.
2. LABOR DISUNITY
Labor MK Avraham Burg will convene a gathering of anti-Barak Labor
members today, in an effort to thwart Barak's appointment as Defense
Minister in Ariel Sharon's government. A compromise has been proposed,
by which Barak would serve as Defense Minister but would resign from
the Knesset, and party primaries would be held in four months. Burg
has accepted the proposal in principle, but others such as Chaim Ramon
have not. Barak-ally MK Weizman Shiri said that the above "group of
zeros who are leading to the destruction of the Labor Party" would
have a surprise waiting for them at the Central Committee session next
week.
3. LIEBERMAN SPEAKS
Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beiteinu party - which merged
several months ago with the National Union - told Arutz-7 this morning
that Barak's remarks against his party's participation in the
government are "the height of chutzpah and are even unethical. Barak
was the one who suffered the biggest electoral loss in our history,
and yet he has the gall to disqualify people who received a
respectable share of electoral support. Moreover, he himself invited
us to discuss the option of our joining a unity government that he
wanted to form a few months ago." Lieberman also mentioned Barak's
campaign funding scandal and the fact that his aides who are suspected
in the case refuse to answer police questions on the matter."
Despite all, Lieberman said he is confident that Sharon will include
his party as a full partner in the coalition. Regarding the
ministerial portfolio that he would prefer, Lieberman implied that he
is quite flexible. Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein opined last
week that he was not eligible for membership in the government because
of the indictment pending against him on charges of "insulting" a
police officer; Lieberman said that he had not heard anything binding
from the Justice Ministry.
***************************************************************
To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com,arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor<neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, February 21, 2001
Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001 / Sh'vat 28, 5761
------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINE:
BARAK RESIGNATION CALMS THE SITUATION
Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon, in an official statement this
morning, expressed sorrow over the decision by Ehud Barak to resign
from politics. Barak, in his parting letter last night, had blamed
Sharon for "mixing in" internal Labor matters, for implying last week
that he would not mind if Shimon Peres were Defense Minister, and for
expecting him [Barak] to merely take orders from the Prime Minister.
Likud MK Silvan Shalom said this morning that it would not be
reasonable to expect the Prime Minister, elected by such a wide
margin, not to be the one to determine defense policy.
Barak's resignation apparently paves the way for a national unity
government. He had been the target of intense criticism, both within
and without Labor, for his decision of a few days ago to accept the
job of Defense Minister, instead of fulfilling his post-defeat promise
to resign from politics. Prime Minister-elect Ariel Sharon,
rebounding quickly from the loss of Barak in his future government,
has reportedly asked Shimon Peres to replace him as Defense Minister.
Peres is likely to turn down the offer - which some Likud officials
say was never given.
While Peres may or may not have been offered the post of Defense
Ministry, problems still abound in Labor. A fight may be underway
between supporters of Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Matan Vilnai - both of
whom are former IDF generals - to replace Barak as Defense Minister.
In addition, while party secretary Ra'anan Cohen has asked for the
Finance Ministry instead of Defense - Sharon had originally offered
Labor its choice - Minister Dalia Itzik says this is not a decision
that Cohen can make alone.
****************************************************************