Israel Line 6/27/00
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Tuesday, June 27, 2000
*ALBRIGHT TO MEET WITH BARAK, ARAFAT
*ISRAEL ISSUING 5,000 RESIDENT CARDS TO SLA FAMILIES
*ALGERIAN JOURNALISTS VISIT ISRAEL
*IDF BASES TO JOIN ON-LINE COMMUNITY
*SECOND JERUSALEM SYNAGOGUE VANDALIZED
*ECONOMIC BRIEFS
ALBRIGHT TO MEET WITH BARAK, ARAFAT
U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is scheduled to arrive in
Israel today to meet separately with Prime Minister Ehud Barak and
Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat in an effort to determine
whether the two sides are close enough for a three-way summit in Washington
with U.S. President Bill Clinton, HA'ARETZ reported.
According to Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, U.S. Middle East peace envoy
Dennis Ross, who is in the region, briefed coalition leaders today on the
status of negotiations with the Palestinians and his meeting on Monday with
Arafat. Barak was also present at the briefing, the first of its kind.
Meanwhile, HA'ARETZ reported that Arafat set strict conditions as
prerequisites for his attending a three-way summit in Washington. He is
demanding the completion of the third redeployment, the release of
Palestinian prisoners and guarantees from U.S. officials on critical final
status issues, including borders, Jerusalem and refugees. Sources in
Jerusalem said on Monday that Barak is willing to consider transfering three
villages on the outskirts of the city prior to the summit, but refuses to
comply with the demands posed by Arafat. The transfer was approved by the
Knesset last month.
A senior official made it clear that "the summit is not only an Israeli
interest, but one of both sides. As far as we are concerned, the current
level of negotiations has reached its limits and the next stage must be
completed by the leaders."
In preparation for a possible summit, the two sides have agreed upon a
framework for discussions. Israel also accepted Arafat's demand that the
leaders not participate in the minutiae of the negotiations which will be
handled by the negotiating teams.
ISRAEL ISSUING 5,000 RESIDENT CARDS TO SLA FAMILIES
The Ministry of the Interior began issuing temporary resident cards this
morning to former South Lebanon Army soldiers and their families currently
in Israel, HA'ARETZ reported. Approximately 5,000 cards will be distributed
at 37 sites throughout the country and will be completed by the end of the
week.
In addition, SLA members will receive temporary work permits, valid for
one year. Following the expiration of the permits, they will be eligible to
apply for citizenship.
Meanwhile, according to Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, the first
reinforcements for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon arrived in Beirut today,
comprised of approximately 50 Ukrainian soldiers. A UN spokesman said they
would be followed by an additional 600.
ALGERIAN JOURNALISTS VISIT ISRAEL
A delegation of Algerian journalists arrived in Israel on Monday for a
10-day visit, marking the first visit of its kind, Israel Radio, KOL
YISRAEL, reported. Minister of Foreign Affairs David Levy briefed the
delegation on various tracks of the peace process and updated them on
Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon. Levy also addressed minority
rights in Israel and Algerian-Israeli relations.
According to THE JERUSALEM POST, Levy said that relations between Israel
and Algeria were "changing and growing rapidly; the very fact that this
group came to visit and made its way to the Foreign Ministry shows how far
we have come." He added that the visit was merely a "taste" of what is to
come, and said that a group of Israeli intellectuals and reporters would
visit Algeria soon.
The delegation also met with Israeli Arab members of Knesset. The Algiers
correspondent for Paris magazine L'Express said her meeting with MK Hashem
Mahameed (United Arab List) was a revelation. "It was an eye-opener for me
to hear him say: 'I am an Israeli, but I am also an Arab, and I am
struggling to be recognized as such.' I find that marvelous. It was the
first time I had ever heard that," she said.
Israel and Algeria have no formal ties, but the group was invited by the
Foreign Ministry as part of what Levy called a dialogue "between peoples and
between individuals." There has been some contact between the two countries
in the recent past. Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika shook hands with
Prime Minister Ehud Barak at the funeral of King Hassan of Morocco last
year. He also met previously with a delegation of France's Jewish community.
IDF BASES TO JOIN ON-LINE COMMUNITY
The Soldiers' Welfare Association will soon be providing computer
terminals with Internet access to most Israel Defense Forces bases, YEDIOT
AHARONOT reported. Soldiers will be able to surf the web and receive
e-mail.
Funding for the new initiative is being provided by U.S. philanthropist
Jonas Nazarian and will cover the cost of the computers and the network
connection for three years. According to head of the Soldiers' Welfare
Association Shlomo Luzon, the decision to connect IDF soldiers to the
Internet reflects the priorities of the soldiers themselves.
SECOND JERUSALEM SYNAGOGUE VANDALIZED
A messianic synagogue in Jerusalem was vandalized on Sunday night, marking
the second attack on a synagogue in three days, HA'ARETZ reported. Ten
bottles filled with gasoline were found in the synagogue, indicating to
police that vandals intended to torch the building but were frightened away
by the alarm. A Torah scroll was also stolen.
This incident immediately followed the torching of a Conservative
synagogue on Saturday. The Jerusalem District Police established a special
team to investigate both incidents.
Former Member of Knesset Avraham Shapira Died on Monday at age 71 at
Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv of diabetes and kidney disease. Shapira
immigrated to Israel 51 years ago and served as a leader of the Agudat
Israel religious party. He also served as coalition chair in the 10th
Knesset and Finance Committee chair in the 11th Knesset. Minister of
Regional Cooperation Shimon Peres called Shapira "a close friend...and a
rare individual...who worked to draw the secular and religious closer to
each other." Shapira is survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters.
ECONOMIC BRIEFS
* Six Israeli companies have announced plans to establish U.S. headquarters
or regional offices in Atlanta, Georgia, HA'ARETZ reported. The announcement
was made in the wake of Georgia Governor Roy E. Barnes' recent visit to
Israel with a group of 60 Atlanta business people. The group came to develop
business ties with Israel, primarily in the high tech sector.
* Elisra subsidiary Stellar has been chosen as the principal supplier of
satellite communications equipment to Arinc of the U.S.,which specializes in
satellite communications, GLOBES reported. Stellar will supply Arinc with
systems originally developed for military use for a total of $4 million.
Today's Israel Line was prepared by Batsheva Genut 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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