To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Sunday, March 11, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Sunday, Mar. 11, 2001 / Adar 16, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ARAFAT REFUSES TO END INTIFADA
2. CONTACTS CONTINUE, DESPITE P.A. ACTIONS AND INTENTIONS
3. TOUGH ISRAELI MEASURES SEND PALESTINIANS COMPLAINING TO U.N.
4. IRAQ DRAFTS THOUSANDS INTO 'JERUSALEM ARMY'

1. ARAFAT REFUSES TO END INTIFADA
Yasser Arafat's failure to call for an end to Palestinian violence last
night, during his speech at the opening session of the Palestinian
Legislative Council, was not a fluke; he told a Saudi Arabian newspaper
outright that he would not "give in" to Sharon's demands to stop the intifada.

During Arafat's address to the PLO Council in Gaza yesterday, he barely
mentioned the issue around which the entire Israeli-Palestinian
relationship has been revolving for the past half-year: the Palestinians'
mini-war against Israel. Arafat said, "We fully understand [Israel's] need
for security and stability." - but did not call upon his people to stop
attacking and terrorizing Israeli citizens. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
has repeatedly emphasized that negotiations would not resume while the
violence continues.

Despite this, Arafat did not hesitate to call on Israel to resume
negotiations, and even said that the Clinton proposals must be the starting
point for such talks. Clinton himself, as well as ex-Prime Minister Ehud
Barak and Prime Minister Sharon, have all said that those proposals are no
longer relevant.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that Arafat's clear remarks to the Arab
media, to the effect that the intifada will continue, prove that Arafat
will not be able to achieve peace. "Arafat has total control over his
security agencies, and most of the terrorism is carried out by Arafat's
men, including his personal Force 17 guard," said Sharon today.

Even Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said today that negotiations cannot
proceed under the current state of violence. Peres said, however, that he
would suffice with a "continued decline" in aggression by terrorist groups
- and no violence at all by the PA. The Foreign Minister, who many suspect
is waiting for an opportunity to resume talks with Arafat behind Sharon's
back, said that "it would have been preferable" for Arafat to have called
for an end to violence. President Moshe Katzav, too, was disappointed with
Arafat's speech, saying, "Arafat will have to decide if he is a terrorist
or a partner."

Palestinian-affairs correspondent Roni Shaked of Israel's largest daily,
Yediot Acharonot, told Arutz-7 today:

"Arafat has not changed. His language yesterday was softer, his speech
was filled with words of peace - but there was absolutely no change in his
positions. He still has the same demands: the Camp David and Taba
concessions, etc. This was a speech directed to the U.S., as if laying the
blame on them, and to Israel, signaling that he would like to resume talks
- but only if based on Clinton's proposals. He did not say a word about
stopping the intifada. Why should he? From his point of view, he thinks
it's not terrorism, but a war of independence, etc. and he hasn't yet
gained one substantial thing from it. The truth is, he has made some small
gains from it: He sees how Holon called off its Purim celebrations in a
concession to terrorism - and I hope that you will give Holon's mayor a
black mark for this... Arafat has not lost control, as some people think,
and we should stop saying so; he is still Arafat, a very important symbol,
very popular, etc. It will be more difficult for him to control the
violence, and he may not be able to control every individual attack, but he
still has overall control..."

MK Gideon Ezra (Likud), formerly the Deputy Chief of the General Security
Service, agreed: "Arafat can end the violence, but he doesn't want to."

2. CONTACTS CONTINUE, DESPITE P.A. ACTIONS AND INTENTIONS
"Contacts," but not "negotiations," are continuing with the Palestinians,
despite the ongoing Palestinian violence against Israel. Uri Shani, head
of the Prime Minister's Bureau, clarified today that it is important to
keep up a continuous connection with the Palestinian Authority - but that,
in keeping with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's promise and policy, Israel
would not conduct negotiations with the PA until the violence ceases.

The PLO has disseminated a call to murder any Israeli journalist entering
Palestinian-controlled territories. PA Preventive Security Chief Jibril
Rajoub recently called up a Druze reporter for Israeli TV, Kaid Zahar, and
personally threatened to murder him. PLO terrorist Tanzim leader Marwan
Bargouti said on Friday that any Israeli journalist entering PLO-controlled
areas would not leave alive.

The Unified Intifada Leadership of the Intifada has decreed that this
coming Wednesday and Friday will be "Days of Rage." The first day will
express rage at the closure, and Friday will be a day of fury on behalf of
"Arab Jerusalem." The leadership calls on Arabs throughout Judea and
Samaria to arrive at the Temple Mount for Friday prayers.

An internal Fatah organization journal writes, "There is no alternative to
a long-term armed conflict between the Palestinian Authority and the Sharon
government." The paper states, "The two sides differ on all the issues,
the gaps are great, and there is no chance to bridge them. Israel is
acting to liquidate all that which was achieved in Camp David and
Taba." Fatah proposes that the Palestinians support a long-term popular
war, which is the best option for us to fight Sharon. We must use the
intifada in the proper way in order to defeat the Sharon government."

3. TOUGH ISRAELI MEASURES SEND PALESTINIANS COMPLAINING TO U.N.
The PA is looking for more United Nations intervention. It announced today
that it would turn to the UN Security Council and ask it to intervene in
what the PA called the "siege that Israel has imposed on the villages in
the Ramallah and Jerusalem areas." The IDF has instituted a strong
encirclement around these areas, including dozens of new checkpoints and
groups of soldiers patrolling the exits from the villages. Similar means
have been in force along the Gush Etzion-Jerusalem highway for the past few
days. The Palestinians claim that such a level of encirclement has not
been seen since the days of the Six-Day War, but the army says that the
measures are necessary in light of the many terrorist attacks perpetrated
by terrorists from these areas.

Furthermore, the PA recently turned to the UN with a demand that 2,000
armed international observers be sent to areas of conflict in Judea,
Samaria, and Gaza. Israel Radio reported that Israel's UN Ambassador
Yehuda Lankri believes that the demand is likely to be approved by the
Security Council, forcing the United States to veto the proposed resolution.

The European Union, for its part, is exerting heavy pressure on the
Palestinian Authority to cease its violence upon Israeli targets from the
areas under its control. The Union has made it clear that it will not
transfer monetary aid if the violence continues.

Israel, in turn, rejects the PA's claims that it has no money to pay
salaries. Prime Minister Sharon told Newsweek that for the time being - in
light of the continued Palestinian Authority violence and its debts to
Israel - Israel has no intention of remitting designated tax-monies to the
PA. Sharon rejected the United States request on the matter, saying "They
have property worth over a billion dollars all over the world."

4. IRAQ DRAFTS THOUSANDS INTO 'JERUSALEM ARMY'
In response to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's call for volunteers to
liberate Jerusalem, thousands of Iraqis enlisted in the so-called
"Jerusalem Army" yesterday and today. Crowds of volunteers chanted, "With
our blood and souls ... we sacrifice for Saddam" as they left for military
training with their wives and children cheering them on. The official
Iraqi News Agency says that more than seven million men and women - nearly
a third of Iraq's population - have vowed to "liberate all of Palestine."

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

To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor<neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Monday, March 12, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Monday, Mar. 12, 2001 / Adar 17, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. PALESTINIANS DISAPPOINTED BY INTIFADA
2. SHARON'S FIVE PALESTINIAN POLICY POINTS

1. PALESTINIANS DISAPPOINTED BY INTIFADA
Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a lecturer in the Arabic Department in Bar Ilan
University and a researcher at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic
Studies, told Arutz-7 today,

"Arafat's popularity in the Palestinian Authority is declining
significantly, compared to his popularity at the beginning of the
current intifada. A poll by the PA's Birzeit University of last month
shows that Arafat now has the support of only 28%. In addition, 38%
of the Palestinian youth are interested in immigrating abroad. They
see that the fruits of the intifada are not exactly what they
expected: it has led to something they dread, namely, a national-unity
government, and not only that, it is headed by their nightmare, Ariel
Sharon. In many areas this intifada has brought them nothing but
trouble, and so they want to send their leaders back to square one.
At first the intifada looked good for them: the Israeli government
was giving them more and more concessions, and PA Security Chief
Dahlan said outright that the intifada was helping the negotiations
along - but now these achievements have all gone down the drain for
them..."

Arutz-7's Haggai Segal noted that IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen.
Moshe Ya'alon has said that there is no longer a popular intifada,
that the masses are no longer on the streets, and that they have
withdrawn their support for it. Kedar agreed:

"Yes, we can clearly see that this is true. The intifada has died
down on its own, and this is why I think that the government erred in
demanding that Arafat call outright for an end to violence, because
it's happening anyway and this merely humiliates him, which is
something they cannot take." As Kedar wrote in HaTzofeh this week,
"There is no one in the PA who can stand up and admit openly that the
leadership made a mistake, that it chose the wrong strategy, for this
would bring upon them the worst thing that a person or group can bring
upon themselves in the Arab world: shame."

2. SHARON'S FIVE PALESTINIAN POLICY POINTS

The new government convened for its first meeting this morning. Prime
Minister Sharon, known for his punctuality, made sure to begin exactly
on time, even before some of the ministers had arrived. Former Police
Commissioner Rafi Peled officially took over from Yossi Kucik as
Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office after the meeting.

Sharon described the five principles of his policy vis-a-vis the
Palestinians:

* A sense of security for Israeli citizens must be restored;

* Palestinian violence must cease, without thereby allowing the
Palestinians diplomatic gains;

* The danger of internationalizing the conflict with the Palestinians
must be reduced;

* The chances for regional deterioration [leading to war] must be
reduced;

* All chances for returning to negotiations after the cessation of
violence must be maintained.

Sharon asked the ministers to show up for meetings on time, to speak
politely at the meetings, and to speak out only on their own
ministries' affairs. He mentioned some of his pet projects, including
desalination and aid to young couples for the purchase of homes. Six
ministerial committees were decided upon: The defense-security
committee will be headed by Sharon, and will include four ministers
from each of Likud and Labor, three from Shas (unless the NRP or the
Center party joins the government), and Rehavam Ze'evi and Natan
Sharansky. A three-or-four man mini-security cabinet will also be
formed. The other committees formed today include the economic-social
committee, headed by Sharon; the legislative committee headed by
Justice Minister Shetreet; one on personal legislative proposals, and
another for economics, both under Finance Minister Shalom; and the
Audit Committee, headed by Minister Tzippy Livni.

Minister Livni told Arutz-7 after the meeting that the most
interesting part of her first government meeting was hearing the
briefing by IDF Intelligence Chief Maj.-Gen. Amos Malka. Malka said
that the Palestinians have not succeeded in turning their violence
into a diplomatic achievement, and that a further escalation is
foreseen. He also said that the Palestinians want to open channels of
dialogue while continuing the intifada at the same time. As far as
the Bush Administration is concerned, Malka said, talk of a
final-status agreement in the coming months is simply not relevant.
U.S. President George Bush said yesterday that Arafat apparently does
not want to make progress towards a final-status settlement with
Israel. He told the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations that he will make it clear to Arafat that he must
significantly reduce the level of violence in Judea and Samaria. Bush
said that he accepts Prime Minister Sharon's principle of "no
negotiations under fire."

Minister Livni said that regarding the closure, "there was really no
argument [among the government ministers]. It is not a new idea, and
everyone agreed that we should try to ensure that the civilian
population does not suffer more than is necessary." She said that it
was interesting to hear the different extremes, "from Avigdor
Lieberman suggesting that the government cut off all contact with
Arafat until the intifada ends, and try to seek out other local
leaders instead, while Peres said other things..." Lieberman, of
National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu, also said at the meeting that the
many roads that have been closed to Jews should be re-opened.

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

To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Tuesday, March 13, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Tuesday, Mar. 13, 2001 / Adar 18, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. PUBLIC SECURITY MINISTER FAVORS OPENING TEMPLE MOUNT TO JEWS
2. PERES SUPPORTS HOLDING BACK

1. PUBLIC SECURITY MINISTER FAVORS OPENING TEMPLE MOUNT TO JEWS
Public Security Minister Uzi Landau plans to reopen the Temple Mount
to Jewish visitors - although he said that the government must approve
the decision. Landau said this morning that if the police and Waqf
allow everyone else to enter the holy site, he cannot understand why
Jews should be any different. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres came out
against the idea, citing security concerns. General Security Service
head Avi Dichter, however, supports Landau's position, according to
Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert. Olmert said last night that Dichter told
him a few days ago that he fears the ramifications of the continued
closure of the site to Jews. The Temple Mount has been closed to Jews
for almost half a year, since the beginning of the Palestinian
mini-war.

Minister Landau said, "Wherever you give in to threats, you invite
other threats in other places. My recommendation, therefore, is that
it be opened to Jews. The government will have to either accept or
reject my proposal."

New revelations about the petition submitted to the Supreme Court last
week by the Committee for the Prevention of the Destruction of Temple
Mount Antiquities: The group presented evidence that the Moslem Waqf
is attempting, by its illegal construction there, to turn the entire
Temple Mount compound into one giant mosque. Dr. Shmuel Berkowitz,
author of a thorough study on Jerusalem's holy sites and one of the
group's leaders, accused Shimon Peres of giving his successor in the
Prime Minister's office, Binyamin Netanyahu, false information about
an alleged "deal" with the Waqf. Peres told Netanyahu, according to
the suit, that the Waqf had agreed to allow Israel to open the
Hasmonean Tunnels in exchange for unrestricted Moslem prayer rights in
Solomon's Stables. The Palestinians later denied that any such deal
existed. It will be recalled that 16 Israelis were killed by Arabs in
the violence that followed the opening of the Hasmonean Tunnels.

2. PERES SUPPORTS HOLDING BACK
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres stated this afternoon that Israel would
not hand over any funds to the PA, as it is feared that some of the
money would be used to pay the salaries of Force 17 terrorists. A
senior spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Raanan Gissin,
admits that Israel has a legal obligation to repay millions of dollars
worth of taxes owed to the Palestinian Authority, but it refuses to
subsidize the PA's terrorist activities. The U.S. continues to urge
Israel to release these taxes to ease the PA's economic difficulties -
although it insists on a reduction in Palestinian violence as well.
Sharon rejected the United States position, saying, "They [the
Palestinians] have property worth over a billion dollars all over the
world."

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

To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Wednesday, March 14, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Wednesday, Mar. 14, 2001 / Adar 19, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. DESPITE MEDIA, AMERICANS SUPPORT ISRAEL
2. UTJ: NOTHING TO DO IN GOVERNMENT

1. DESPITE MEDIA, AMERICANS SUPPORT ISRAEL
The American public supports Israel. A poll commissioned by Jewish
organizations in the U.S. shows that 4/5 of those who claim to be
aware of Middle East news declare that their positions are "close to
those of Israel." The survey encompassed over 1,400 people, divided
into four groups: the general public, American-Jews, the "elite" -
people of high-income and high-education; and "people of influence" -
journalists, community leaders, legislators, etc. Other findings of
the poll: * 58% of the American public believe that the Palestinians'
and Arab nations' ultimate goal is to destroy Israel. * 73% blame the
Palestinian leadership for fanning the flames of violence. * 51% (33%
of Jews) support the division of Jerusalem. * 67% (48% of Jews)
support the formation of a Palestinian state. * Only 33% support an
Arab "right of return." * Only 7% feel that Israeli soldiers are
starting the violence. * 75% feel that Israel is serious about its
intentions to reach peace; less than 50% feel that way about the
Palestinian Authority. * 65% feel that the U.S. should come to
Israel's aid if it is attacked.

The poll also showed that Americans are not as knowledgeable about the
Middle East as they think. Most of the respondents thought that
Israel is still in control of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza; only 22% knew
that Israel has turned over more than 40% of Judea and Samaria to
Palestinian control. "This poll tells me that across the board, Israel
has a bedrock of support," said Ze'ev Furst, president and CEO of
First International Resources, one of the firms that conducted the
poll. "The American people 'get it' to a greater degree than we'd
assumed," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

It is noteworthy, then, that today's Yediot Acharonot presents a much
bleaker picture in an editorial appearing only a few pages before the
above report:

"IDF soldiers could shoot candies and give out daisies to car-bomb
drivers, and we would still be portrayed on the world's television
screens as brutal occupiers.... We have no chance in the battle over
world public opinion [because] the world at the beginning of the 21st
century does not like occupiers, especially Jewish occupiers... Oh,
we're not occupiers? We have merely returned home after 2,000 years
of exile? Might as well talk to the wall." The editorial continues,
"Day by day, the State of Israel loses the world's sympathy and
understanding. Every Skynews and NBC television broadcast buries us
another centimeter deeper into the deep black pit of the world's
hatred towards us..."

2. UTJ: NOTHING TO DO IN GOVERNMENT
MK Rabbi Avraham Ravitz (United Torah Judaism) explained today why his
party called off coalition negotiations with the Likud yesterday: "In
order for a party to join the government, the coalition has to tell
it, 'We want you to join us in running the country, and here are your
fields of responsibility.' But in this case, the Likud offered us
nothing. I'm not talking about what powers we were to have, but
rather what our three Deputy Minister were supposed to do every day
when they came to work. They have to have something to do. For
instance, Dalia Rabin-Pelossof insisted that as Deputy Defense
Minister, she be given responsibility for Israel Aircraft Industries -
and she got it...

"The problem is that the Likud has nothing left to give, while and
Shas and Yisrael B'Aliyah, the parties who are responsible for the
ministries we are talking about, don't want to share their powers with
us - and I don't even blame them. It's the fault of the Likud for not
planning in advance how to distribute the various portfolios and
deputy-ministries, and forgetting that it also has to worry about us
and the NRP. It's true that Sharon has a nice coalition as it is, but
does he really need a coalition that relies on the support of Labor?
He should have formed a coalition with a margin of support with his
natural partners that doesn't have to rely on Labor... We are
different than the NRP, however, in that we will support the
government, because it accepted our document on the issues that we
were interested in - but on the other hand we are not bound to follow
coalition discipline, nor do we have to vote for private initiatives
by ministers, and we can raise our own private bills. It's actually a
very convenient situation for us..."

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

To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News: Thursday, March 15, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Thursday, March 15, 2001 / Adar 20, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. ISRAEL ANNOUNCES: ARAFAT-DIRECTED TERRORISTS ARRESTED
2. PRO-ISRAEL MOOD IN WASHINGTON
3. MUFTI WARNS ISRAEL

1. ISRAEL ANNOUNCES: ARAFAT-DIRECTED TERRORISTS ARRESTED
Israel let out a collective sigh of relief today, as the major
terrorist attack - word of which was widely hinted at over the past
few days and fear of which led to the intense closures on Palestinian
Authority cities - was finally revealed and apparently averted.

The security forces revealed that they had arrested three Fatah-Tanzim
terrorists. At least two of them admitted that they had been on their
way to perpetrate major terrorist attacks in Jerusalem, this past
Sunday. The attacks were to have been in the neighborhood of N'vei
Yaakov, as well as in gas stations and social clubs. The terrorist
cell is also responsible for the murder of eight other Israelis and
the wounding of 20 in previous attacks, and was personally commanded
by the commander of Yasser Arafat's personal Force 17 guard. They
admitted to their interrogators that they enjoyed the protection of
Palestinian Authority agents in Ramallah, and that their connection
with them was via soldiers of Arafat's Force 17.

Other proof of Yasser Arafat's direct involvement in terrorism against
Israel was provided by the Israeli Shabak (General Security Service)
today. A PA para-military officer by the name of Abdel Karim Abu
Rabia, under arrest in Israel, told his GSS interrogators about a
meeting of terrorist leaders that took place three months ago in
Tulkarm. One of the men there said that the Palestinian population
was suffering as a result of the activities of one of the local
terrorist cells, under the leadership of Dr. Tabet Tabet. The latter
said, however, that he would not stop the shooting unless he received
a specific directive to that effect from Yasser Arafat. The order
never came, and Tabet was soon killed by Israeli forces. Some
criticized the killing at the time, saying that Tabet had been
involved only in political matters. After his death, shooting on
Israeli forces in the area essentially stopped.

2. PRO-ISRAEL MOOD IN WASHINGTON
U.S. President George Bush refuses to meet with Yasser Arafat until
the PA Chairman either stops the violence against Israel or issues a
directive to his people, in Arabic, to call off the violence. CIA
head George Tenet has informed Bush that he has information directly
connecting Arafat with the violence, and senior sources say that the
U.S. has therefore no interest in security cooperation with the PA.
Other West European countries have also informed Arafat that he will
not be a welcome visitor in the near future.

Similarly, the United States and other UN Security Council members
have announced that they will not approve an international
peacekeeping force to the Palestinian Authority against Israeli
wishes. Responding to the PA request for such forces, Foreign
Minister Shimon Peres told the United Nations Security Council last
night that the PA need only refrain from engaging in terrorism and
uproot the terrorist infrastructure inside its territory, and there
would then be no need for peacekeepers. "Once the PA stops shooting,
there would be no need for defense, since Israel did not begin the
daily violence but only responded to it," Peres said.

In addition, Jerusalem diplomatic sources said that the U.S. will act
to change the charter of the Mitchell Commission investigating the
recent breakout of violence between Israel and the Palestinians. They
said that the change would be made even before Prime Minister Sharon
arrives in Washington next week. The Commission met today with
experts on the war against terrorism in the Interdisciplinary Center
in Herzliya, to hear how they explain the breakout of the intifada.

3. MUFTI WARNS ISRAEL
Palestinian Authority-appointed Jerusalem Mufti Sheikh Akrama Sabri
warns Israel against taking any measures in the Temple Mount area that
could lead to an "additional escalation and reaction by Moslems around
the world." He explained that his remarks came in reaction to
possible Israeli intentions to open the Temple Mount to Jewish
visitors. The site has been closed to Jews since the beginning of the
current violence almost six months ago. Public Security Minister Uzi
Landau said yesterday that Jews should be allowed there, and that the
government would have to make the final decision.

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

To: arutz-7@israelnationalnews.com, arutz-7b@israelnationalnews.com
From: Arutz-7 Editor <neteditor@israelnationalnews.com>
Subject: Arutz-7 News Brief: Friday, March 16, 2001

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com>
Friday, Mar. 16, 2001 / Adar 21, 5761
------------------------------------------------

TODAY'S HEADLINES:
1. U.S. MAY HAVE TO USE VETO

2. U.S. MAY HAVE TO USE VETO
Most of the 15 members of the UN Security Council support the
Palestinian demand for an international peacekeeping force to be
dispatched to the Palestinian-controlled areas. Some of the countries
make their support contingent upon Israel's agreement to such a force
- which, Israel announced, will not be forthcoming. The U.S., in any
event, plans to veto any decision to dispatch such a force. Israel's
Ambassador to the UN, Yehuda Lancry, said that the Palestinians are
employing violence for political gain, and a decision to dispatch an
international force would only encourage them to increase their
violence.

In addition to the five veto-power holding permanent members - the
U.S., the United Kingdom (Great Britain), China, France, and Russia -
the Council has ten other two-year member states, which currently are
Norway, Singapore, Tunisia, Ireland, Ukraine, Bangladesh, Colombia,
Jamaica, Mali, and Mauritius.

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