Israel Line 6-1-00
ny...@interport.net
Thursday, June 1, 2000
* BARAK, CLINTON MEET IN PORTUGAL
* SYRIA PROCURES NEW MISSILE FROM N. KOREA
* NATION CELEBRATES JERUSALEM DAY
* ECONOMIC BRIEFS
BARAK, CLINTON MEET IN PORTUGAL
Prime Minister Ehud Barak met U.S. President Bill Clinton today for a
one-hour conference in Portugal, returning to Israel immediately following
the meeting for Jerusalem Day celebrations, HA'ARETZ reported.
According to Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, Barak and Clinton agreed that U.S.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright would visit the region on Monday to
meet with Barak and Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat to
accelerate the negotiations. Clinton also praised Barak for Israel's
withdrawal from Lebanon and the courage he demonstrated in executing the
pullout.
According to HA'ARETZ, Barak told Clinton that Arafat is taking steps to
avoid discussing the central issues of the framework agreement. Barak said
that Israel has fulfilled all of its obligations under prior agreements with
the Palestinians, and has even exceeded them with the handing over of Abu
Dis to Palestinian rule. He criticized the PA for not reacting appropriately
to the violent May 15 Nakba eruptions and not taking steps to avoid future
hostilities.
Meanwhile, THE JERUSALEM POST reported that even if a framework agreement
is reached with the Palestinians in the near future, the question of
Jerusalem will be left unresolved, according to Minister in the Prime
Minister's Office Responsible for Jerusalem Affairs Haim Ramon. "We want to
postpone any decision on Jerusalem for a number of years," Ramon said on
Channel 1 Wednesday night, "[The Palestinians] want division of the city. We
have not bridged this gap at all."
HA'ARETZ also reported that Minister of Internal Security Shlomo Ben-Ami
and his negotiating team will hold a third and presumably final round of
talks with their Palestinian counterparts on the framework agreement on
permanent status. Thus far, the Palestinian and Israeli teams in Sweden have
agreed that the framework agreement will include Israeli recognition of a
Palestinian state and a Palestinian declaration that the conflict between
the two peoples has ended.
SYRIA PROCURES NEW MISSILE FROM N. KOREA
North Korea has supplied a new, long-range Scud missile to Syria and Libya
and is negotiating sale of the weapon to Egypt, HA'ARETZ reported. The Scud
D has a range of 700 kilometers (approximately 437 miles), 200 km
(approximately 125 miles) more than the distance between Syria and most of
Israel.
It is not known whether the payload of the new missile is any different
from its predecessors or if its guidance system is more accurate. Prior to
this acquisition, Damascus assembled missiles from parts acquired from other
countries. Syria can now manufacture certain missile components on its own.
Syria, which receives rocket fuels from Iran, also possesses chemical
warheads for its missiles. It is estimated that Damascus has more than 300
missiles and 26 launchers, in addition to dummy launchers.
Libya has also shown renewed interest in acquiring and developing
missiles. After sanctions for its role in the 1998 downing of Pan Am Flight
103 over Lockerbie, Scotland were lifted, Tripoli renewed its
missile-acquisition efforts. The Libyans have also expressed interest in
North Korean missiles with 1300-kilometer ranges that served as the
prototype for Iran's Shihab-3.
NATION CELEBRATES JERUSALEM DAY
Jerusalem Day will be marked by festivities throughout the capital
beginning tonight, celebrating the Israel Defense Forces' reunification of
the city 33 years ago, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. President Ezer Weizman
and Prime Minister Ehud Barak will attend a ceremony at Ammunition Hill
tonight to inaugurate the celebration.
Barak led a group of War of Independence veterans on Wednesday on a march
sponsored by the Jewish National Fund along the Burma Road. "At a time such
as this, we must put aside all disagreements. . .Jerusalem, our Jerusalem,
belongs to all of us and is the eternal capital of the people and State of
Israel," Barak said. "Reunification Day is also the day of our unity, and
nothing unites us more than our love for Jerusalem."
The Mercaz Harav Yeshiva will commence spiritual celebrations of the
holiday with a special prayer service to be attended by IDF Chief of Staff
Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz, Interior Minister Natan Sharansky, Housing Minister
Yitzhak Levy, Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert and other politicians and rabbis.
Traditional youth dances in Sacher Park and Independence Park will take
place this afternoon, followed by a walk to the Old City and dances at the
Western Wall plaza. Likud chairman Ariel Sharon will hold an afternoon open
house at his home in the Muslim Quarter, and the Temple Mount Faithful will
march from Ammunition Hill, through the Damascus Gate, to the Temple Mount.
ECONOMIC BRIEFS
* The Canadian Hollinger group, owners of the Jerusalem Post
English-language national daily, is in initial negotiations for the
newspaper's sale to international concerns that are invested in Israel,
GLOBES reported. The group estimates the value of the newspaper and Internet
site at $105 million.
* The unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent in the first quarter of 2000,
down from 8.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 1999, GLOBES reported. Since
September, unemployment has fallen 0.4 percent, according to the Central
Bureau of Statistics. Experts estimate that the economy will reach full
employment by 2001, with unemployment at six percent, which will trigger a
wave of wage demands.
Today's Israel Line was prepared by Yoni Tamler and Riki Drori at the
Consulate General of Israel in New York.
Israel Line is a daily summary of major news items taken directly from the
Israeli media.
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