Israel Line 7/3/00
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Monday, July 3 2000
*INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OVER SENTENCING OF IRANIAN JEWS
*KNESSET TO VOTE ON TAL BILL
*ISRAEL SUBMITS FORMAL PROTEST AGAINST LEBANON IN UN
*SUMMER CAMPS JOIN IN FIGHT AGAINST ROAD ACCIDENTS
*ECONOMIC BRIEFS:
INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OVER SENTENCING OF IRANIAN JEWS
Ending a closed trial which lasted 11 weeks, the Revolutionary Court in
Shiraz convicted on Saturday morning 10 of the thirteen Iranian Jews of
spying for Israel and sentenced them to prison terms of four to 13 years,
while acquitting the other three, HA'ARETZ reported.
The verdicts drew condemnation and grave concerns from the international
community. The Israeli government issued on Sunday a statement decrying the
Shiraz trial as "a farce," and calling on the entire free world to join in
the effort to bring about the Jews' release. Prime Minister Ehud Barak said
"Israel will not rest until all the prisoners are released", THE JERUSALEM
POST reported.
Foreign Minister David Levy said that the harsh verdicts constituted "a
grave injustice and gross violation of human rights and contravened the very
essence of natural justice upheld by all civilized nations." He added that
the "world's conscience has now been put to the test in the face of a dark
regime".
U.S. President Bill Clinton issued a statement saying, "I am deeply
disturbed by the verdicts handed down in the trial of the 13 Jewish Iranians
accused of espionage," and added that the proceedings have been "rightly
criticized around the world for their failure to accord due process of law
to the defendants." U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke
said of the sentencing, "I think this is a ridiculous outcome. These people
are innocent and they should be freed immediately. They are not spies...
This was a kangaroo proceeding. It was conducted in secrecy and
international observers were banned," THE JERUSALEM POST reported.
France, currently presiding over the European Union, also condemned the
convictions, saying that "The European Union learned with concern of the
verdict handed down by the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz." French President
Jacques Chirac called U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and asked that the
E.U. concerns be conveyed to Iran.
Jewish communities worldwide reacted with grave concern, YEDIOT AHARONOT
reported. The European Jewish Congress said it was outraged by the verdict.
EJC President Henri Hajdenberg asked to meet Chirac to see what the E.U.
would do now, as well as to present a petition for immediate release of the
convicted Jews. American Jewish leaders said they expected the
administration to halt reconciliation efforts toward Iran and the
alleviation of trade sanctions enacted previously this year. "The
international struggle must continue until all convicted Jews are set free,"
said David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee.
KNESSET TO VOTE ON TAL BILL
A bill based on the Tal Committee report on army service deferrals for
ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students is likely to win a majority on the first
reading, as the Knesset votes on it today, HA'ARETZ reported. Prime Minister
Ehud Barak's cabinet adopted the Tal Committee's recommendations on Sunday
by a 12 to 2 vote, paving the way for the Knesset vote.
The Tal Committee was established in December 1999 after the High Court
ruled that the defense minister was not empowered to grant sweeping army
service deferrals to yeshiva students. According to YEDIOT AHARONOT, the
committee ultimately recommended that ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students be
given an exemption until the age of 23 and will then be able to choose
whether to continue their studies or to join the workforce, which would
require a shortened army tour or a year-long civil service.
Justice Zvi Tal, who headed the committee, acknowledged on Sunday that
legislation constitutes the best alternative for Israeli society today,
MA'ARIV reported. He added that it allowed for the commencement of a
long-term dialogue between religious and secular.
ISRAEL SUBMITS FORMAL PROTEST AGAINST LEBANON IN UN
Israel submitted a formal protest against Lebanon to U.N. Secretary
General Kofi Annan, stating that Lebanon has not kept its obligation to
assume control of southern Lebanon in accordance with U.N. Resolution 425,
following the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the region, YEDIOT AHARONOT
reported.
Israel further claims that there is increasing violence directed at
Israelis from the northern borders, such as the throwing of objects from
Lebanese territory at farmers who are working in their fields, and attempts
at illegal crossing of the border.
Meanwhile, the Israeli administration set up to assist former
South-Lebanese Army soldiers has recently offered several benefits options
to refugees currently in Israel, HA'ARETZ reported. A document describing
these options was distributed among the refugees in an attempt to clarify
the rights to which they are entitled.
An SLA soldier who chooses to move back to Lebanon will receive increased
compensation, whereas those who emigrate to other countries will be entitled
to the regular retirement package - one full monthly salary for every year
of service. So far, Germany, as well as several countries in South and North
America have agreed to take in refugees. Ex-soldiers who choose to remain in
Israel will be entitled to a monthly pension of NIS 2,400-3,400 (US
$600-850), as well as assistance with rent.
3,000 refugees have already gone back to Lebanon, and it is assumed that
more will choose to do so as the situation stabilizes. Currently, however,
former SLA personnel still face trial upon their return to Lebanon. Most
recently, three ex-soldiers were sentenced to death in Beirut, and there
are further indications of more death penalties.
SUMMER CAMPS JOIN IN FIGHT AGAINST ROAD ACCIDENTS
At the beginning of the summer vacation on July 1st, the Community Center
Association of Israel launched an initiative to combat road accidents,
Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported.
The initiative involves the signing of a covenant by all students and
their parents, a covenant which calls on them to assume personal
responsibility in keeping safe on the road.
According to reports by the Police Department's Traffic Wing, in the first
six months of 2000, 239 people were killed in road accidents, exactly the
same number of casualties in 1999, HA'ARETZ reported. There was, however, a
4.5 percent drop in the number of individuals seriously injured; 1,656 this
year, as opposed to 1,734 in 1999.
ECONOMIC BRIEFS:
* Time Warner Inc. is currently in negotiation to invest $3 million in the
Israeli start-up company ContentWise, HA'ARETZ reported. ContentWise has
developed a unique video matching technology that allows previously logged
video clips to be recognized whenever encountered in a television broadcast,
tape output, or in streaming video over the Internet. Video content can thus
be automatically tracked without manipulation of the original material
before matching.
* Comverse Technology announced on Friday a $25 million deal to acquire Gaya
Software Industries, which specializes in software-based intelligent IP
gateways and voice-over-IP (VoIP) technology, HA'ARETZ reported. Gaya,
founded in 1995, develops the Themis service node products for IP-based
telecommunications applications, incorporating telephony, interactive voice
response, speech recognition, voice-over-IP, Internet and wireless
technologies.
Today's Israel Line was prepared by Aylon Slater, Michael Radine and Jodie
Herbin- Salit 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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