News and Observations from Israel 11.6.96 (fwd)
Brock Rozen
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Date: Fri, 12 Jul 96 05:14:37 PDT
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Subject: News and Observations from Israel 11.6.96
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Subject: News and Observations from Israel 11.6.96
News and Observations from Israel
Aaron Lerner 11 July 1996
*** PALESTINIANS HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IN ISRAEL TV THAN PA TV
The following are the results of a survey of 1,384 Palestinians
interviewed in the West Bank and Gaza between the 28th and 30th of
June by the Center for Palestinian Research and Studies centered in
Nablus. The survey has an accuracy of +/- 5%.
Which television news has the greatest reliability?
Israel 32% Palestine 21% Jordan 18%
What television do you watch mostly?
Jordan 36% Palestine 27% Other 10%
Can you express criticism of the Palestinian Authority without
fear? Yes 44% No 49% =20
How does the election of the new government in Israel change the
future prospects of the peace process?=20
More optimistic 34% More pessimistic 28% No change 33%
[In a March survey, 40% felt that a Labor government would serve
the interests of the Palestinian better and only 5% thought a Likud
government would improve the situation.]
Do you think that it is possible to reach an agreed solution to the
disputes which have been postponed to the permanent arrangement? =20
No 48% Yes 44%
In light of the Cairo Conference of Arab states, can the
Palestinians rely on the Arab states? Yes 43% No 51%
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
*** FATAH-HAMAS COOPERATE TO HEAT UP SITUATION
According to security sources there is an agreement in principal
between Yasser Arafat's Fatah and Hamas to cooperate in inciting
the residents of the West Bank and Gaza against Israel and to
increase attacks against Israeli settlers - this with the
encouragement of junior Fatah activists.
("Haaretz" 7 July, 1996)
*** PA OFFICIALS HEAT UP THE SITUATION
According to a senior IDF officer, official elements in the
Palestinian Authority, among them officers in the Palestinian
Police, security figures and activists in the field are inciting
the populace and encouraging them to demonstrate.
("Haaretz" 11 July, 1996)
*** FATAH THREATS: RETURN TO KALASHNIKOV
The Abu Rish wing of Fatah issued a communication in which they
warned that they would renew attacks against Israel if Palestinian
Security officer Abu Gizar is not released. Gizar was arrested at
the Rafiah crossing on charges that in November 1993 (after the
Oslo Agreement) he beat a new immigrant from Russia to death with
a metal bar at a construction site in Ashdod. Gizar was a member
of Arafat's "Fatah Hawks" at the time. Gizar is also suspected of
being involved in an attack against an IDF patrol near the Erez
Checkpoint at the end of 1993 in which an IDF officer was wounded.
The announcement warned: "Israel has to understand, that the Fatah
members who fought for liberation signed the peace agreement with
Israel. If Israel continues to chase after our people and ignores
the peace we will return to the Kalashnikov. If Abu Gizar is not
released we will ignite the flame of the intafada again.=20
Representatives of Fatah have not laid down their weapons."
("Haaretz" 7 July, 1996)
=20
*** FATAH YOUTH WARN: WE WILL RENEW ARMED STRUGGLE
Yasser Arafat's Fatah Youth organization issued the following
warning: "If the Israelis decide to throw the peace to the sea, we
will send them to hell and the explosion this time will be more
violent and more destructive. In comparison, the attacks in
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ashkelon will look like banal actions."
("Haaretz" 8 July, 1996)
*** DEFENSE MINISTER: DON'T UNDERSTAND IDEA OF FENCE ON GREEN LINE
"What did they want to do here? I still have a hard time
understanding this, but I will understand it in stages. I know
that it gets in the way of the creation of new settlements here,
near the cities of Tulkaram and Kalkiliya."
Minister of Defense Yitzhak Mordechai during visit to
fence being built on the Green Line.
("Haaretz" 11 July, 1996)
*** 10 MILLION NIS FOR BYPASS ROADS
The Knesset Finance Committee, at the request of the Treasury
Ministry, authorized the spending of NIS 10 million on the
construction of bypass roads in the territories. NIS 21.6 million
from the budget of local authorities will be earmarked for fire
fighting services in the territories.=20
("Haaretz" 11 July, 1996)
*** VILLAGE NEXT TO NABLUS FIGHTS PLANS TO BUILD HOUSE FOR ARAFAT
The residents of the village of Janir, population 500, which is
located next to Nablus, oppose plans to build a home for Yasser
Arafat on land which the PA seized from the village. The villagers
have set up a protest tent on the site and men, women and children
from the village have been standing at the ready with stones to
fight off any workers. "Israel did not succeed in removing us from
our land - and the Municipality of Nablus won't do it." said Abu
Haled, the village mukhtar.
("Maariv" 8 July, 1996)
*** PA RELEASES SOME HAMAS AND ISLAMIC JIHAD MEMBERS
The Palestinian Authority (PA) released some more of the Hamas and
Islamic Jihad members who were detained after the last round of
terrorist attacks. One of those released, Hidar Alabushi, age 30,
had previously been held in Israeli jail for 2 years and was part
of the group of Hamas activists who were deported to Southern
Lebanon in 1992. Alabushi said that the PA never interrogated him
at all while he was held and that he had been well treated.
("Haaretz 7 July, 1996)
*** HAMAS CALLS FOR RENEWED INTAFADA
"We call for a renewal of the intafada in Hebron and Jerusalem, and
to increase the opposition, and act to unite the Palestinian, Arab
and Islamic ranks to throw out the occupiers from all the territory
of Palestine"
Hamas declaration forwarded to foreign press
("Haaretz" 7 July, 1996)
*** SENIOR IDF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER: SYRIA COULD STOP HIZBULLA
MK Binyamin Ben Eliezer (Labor): If Syria were to decide that the
Hizbulla cannot operate in South Lebanon then they [Hizbulla]
wouldn't operate?
Senior IDF Intelligence Officer: There is no doubt about it.
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
*** SYRIA SEES TERROR AS LEGITIMATE TOOL
According to a study prepared by intelligence sources for Prime
Minister Netanyahu, Syria sees terror as a legitimate tool for
realizing its goals.
("Haaretz" 9 July, 1996)
*** KING OF MOROCCO & OTHER LEADERS WON'T TO TALK WITH NETANYAHU
According to sources in Prime Minister Netanyahu's party visiting
Washington, King Hassan of Morocco and Tunisian leaders refused to
talk with Netanyahu on the telephone after he was elected.=20
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
*** IDF OFFICERS WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN NEGOTIATIONS
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided that IDF officers
will not participate in negotiations and will make certain that the
management of peace talks be in civilian hands. =20
("Haaretz" 11 July, 1996)
*** ARAB STATES WELL ARMED
"The American government has effectively lifted all the limits on
the sale of advance weapons to the region and the overwhelming
majority of requests are filled...The arming of the Arab states
with advanced technology weapons and improvements in their command
and control systems, along with the assimilation of the most
advance airborne weapons and guided weapons, may endanger the
quality-technology edge now enjoyed by Israel. The removal of
almost all restrictions on the supply of advance American weapons
to Israel's potential enemies may neutralize an important element
of the military superiority of Israel." =20
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
=20
*** RABBI AMITAL PREFERS NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT OVER ONE WITHOUT NRP
"A Labor-Meretz government without the NRP, which relies on the
Arab votes, even with the support of Shas, would thwart the peace
process. The rift in the nation would deepen and it would be
impossible to make any progress."
Rabbi Yehuda Amital (Meimad & minister in Peres government)
("Haaretz 10 July, 1996)
=20
*** RUSSIA STOPS BLOCKS ISRAEL FROM $250 MILLION CHINA DEAL
Russia is blocking Israel from completing a huge military deal with
China which was already approved by the United States. Israel was
to upgrade Russian made Illyushin transport planes in the Chinese
Air Force. As a first step, Israel was to take a single plane and
load it with electronic systems, computers and advanced radar so
that the plane could be used as a command and control station. The
cost of the renovations in the plane would have been $250 million.=20
After the deal was finalized, the Chinese announced that according
to contracts which they have with Russia, they need permission from
Russia before a third party can renovate the plane. Israel
offered to pay Russia 20% of the deal in return for their approval
but the Russian Foreign Minister vetoed the deal.
("Haaretz" 9 July, 1996)
*** REGIONAL BUSINESS CONFERENCE CANCELED AFTER PA/=B2EGYPT PRESSURE
A meeting of the Regional Business Council which was supposed to
take place in Israel was canceled as a result of pressure from the
Palestinian Authority (PA) and Egypt. The meeting was slated to
finalize plans for the upcoming Cairo Business conference scheduled
for November. The group includes representatives from Egypt,
Jordan, the U.S. and EEC. Danny Gillerman, the president of the
Israel Chambers of Commerce, the host of the meeting, complained
that "this behavior by the Arab side is in contravention of the
decisions of the summit which took place in Cairo last month,
according to which a chance was supposed to be given to the new
government and a door was to remain open. Instead of that they are
closing the door."
("Haaretz" 7 July, 1996)
*** PALESTINIANS PLAN TO ESTABLISH A STOCK EXCHANGE IN NABLUS
Two million dollars are being spent on setting up a stock exchange
in Nablus. This advanced electronic exchange is expected to begin
trading before the end of the year. According to the general
manager of the exchange, there are around 60 companies operating in
the territories which have issued stocks at an estimated overall
value of $700 million.
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
*** ORANGE GROVES CUT DOWN IN GAZA TO MAKE WAY FOR CONSTRUCTION
2,500 dunam of orange groves are cut down each year in the Gaza
Strip to clear space for construction and also because the rising
salt content of the well water makes citrus growing uneconomic.
("Haaretz" 7 July, 1996)
*** 150,000 ILLEGAL WORKERS IN ISRAEL
According to Alex Paran, Managing Director of the Employment
Service, there are 250,000 foreign workers in Israel, of which only
102,000 are legal. Foreign workers occupy 20,000 apartments and
since the workers occupy the cheapest apartments this creates a
serious shortage of cheap rental housing for young couples.
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
*** B.G. POLYMERS TO SUPPLY MATERIAL FOR REFUGE CAMP IN JORDAN
B.G. Polymers, of Kibbutz Beit Guvrin, will supply $300,000 worth
of sealing material to be used in the renovation of refugee camps
in Amman and Aqaba. Israel's Jordanian customer plans to expand
sales in 1997 to include projects in the Gulf States.
("Haaretz" 9 July, 1997)
*** NIS 6.8 MILLION TO BE INVESTED IN GOLAN TOURIST SITES IN '96
The Golan tourism association will spend NIS 6.8 developing tourist
sites this year. Most of the money is being invested in developing
a mountain in the Northern part of the Golan Heights - including an
area which offers a clear view of Damascus. This viewing area is
located over a bunker which was used by Syria before 1967 and the
IDF in the Yom Kippur War. The bunker has also been turned into a
part of the tourist attraction with special lighting. =20
("Haaretz" 8 July, 1996)
*** OFFICE DEPOT DROPS PLANS FOR GOLAN FACTORY DUE TO "UNCERTAINTY"
The international company Office Depot dropped plans to enter into
a joint investment in a plastics factory in the Golan Heights
because of uncertainty regarding the future of the Golan.
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
=20
*** INCREASE IN CAR THEFTS
In the first 6 months of 1996 there were 16,656 car thefts as
compared to 15,521 in the same period in 1995. While March and
April car thefts were lower as a result of the closure, May and
June car thefts recovered and exceeded 1995 thefts.
("Haaretz" 10 July, 1996)
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Associate =20
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