ISRAEL
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- FOCUS ON IRAN AND SYRIA, NOT IRAQ, GRAHAM SAYS
Senator Bob Graham calls the Bush administration's focus on Iraq
a distraction from the campaign against terrorism. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/10/politics/10GRAH.html?todaysheadlines
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- YMCA COMPARES ISRAELI ACTIONS TO CRUCIFYING JESUS
- Michael Freund The Jerusalem Post, February 16, 2003 - B'nai
B'rith has issued a report sharply criticizing Jerusalem's Young
Men's Christian Association and its women's affiliate for its
array of pro-Palestinian activities, including a recent campaign
undertaken by the group called "Free Palestine."
- The report notes that, as part of the campaign, which is
being spearheaded by the YMCA of "Palestine"and the
eastern Jerusalem YWCA, a brochure was issued that compares the
treatment of the Palestinians by Israel to the crucifixion of
Jesus by the Romans.
- The brochure states, "Jesus was crucified with the people
who were branded as 'terrorists' by the authorities of this time.
The Palestinians are currently crucified, humiliated, and denied
their human rights and dignity.".. "Distortions and
falsehoods abound" in the YMCA resolutions, according to
Schneider, and they are "replete with biased terminology
like 'Israeli occupation forces,' 'liberated Palestinian territories'
and 'Palestine.'"
- In April 2001, the YMCA appointed an international observer
to investigate the situation in the Middle East and prepare reports
on behalf of the group's World Council.
- Of the 20 reports prepared, Schneider says, "none deals
with the suffering inflicted by Palestinian terrorists on Israeli
civilians. All the reports deal only with Palestinian hardship
and blame is assigned solely to Israel." [Analysis Website:
http://www.imra.org.il ]
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- THE RAFAH TERROR TUNNELS AN UNDERGROUND CITY OF WEAPONRY
ID Spokesperson 11 February 2003 The IDF frequently uncovers
and destroys Palestinian tunnels constructed underneath the "Philadelphi"
route in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip. The tunnels are used
to smuggle weapons, cigarettes, drugs, and people (primarily
prostitutes) from Egypt into Gaza.
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- THE "PHILADELPHI" ROUTE
- The 1993 Oslo Accords granted significant territorial autonomy
to the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip. Under the Oslo
Accords, the IDF retains control of a thin strip of land (100
meters in width), known as the "Philadelphi" route,
which divides the southern tip of the Gaza Strip city of Rafah
and the Egyptian Sinai peninsula.
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- RAFAH: A TRANSIT POINT FOR WEAPONS SMUGGLING
- In the period after the 1993 Oslo Accords, the Palestinians
constructed a complex network of tunnels underneath the Egypt-Israel
border in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip. The tunnels are used
to smuggle weapons, cigarettes, drugs, and people (primarily
prostitutes) from Egypt into Gaza. Consequently, the city of
Rafah has become a focal point for smuggling illicit contraband
throughout the Palestinian Authority.
- The Rafah tunnels are typically dug inside residential homes,
and are concealed under bathrooms, living rooms, and bedrooms.
On October 12, 2001, two tunnel entrances were discovered inside
a child's bedroom. Another such tunnel was uncovered on September
12, 2002.
- The smuggling tunnels illustrate the deep involvement of
some Palestinian civilians in aiding and abetting terrorist activity.
[ IMRA http://www.imra.org.il ]
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- IRAN DISCOVERS URANIUM RESERVES, INSISTS ON PEACEFUL USE
OF NUCLEAR ENERGY
- Tehran, Feb 9,2003 SPA (Saudi Press Agency) -- Iran on Sunday
said it has discovered uranium reserves and is setting up uranium
components production facilities for the peaceful use of nuclear
energy. President Mohammad Khatami said Iran was "determined
to make use of advanced nuclear technology for peaceful purposes"
after announcing researchers discovered uranium reserves in central
Iran near Yazd and established uranium components production
facilities in nearby Isfahan and Kashan. Khatami's comments were
carried by the official Islamic Republic News Agency, which provided
no further details. http://www.spa.gov.sa/html/archive_e.asp?srcfile=592963&NDay=09/02/2003&wcatg=0
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- GAS MASKS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FOR TOURISTS - LESS THAN
US $100
- Aaron Lerner - 9 February 2003 The Government of Israel will
be distributing masks to visitors and others who are not citizens
when danger of attack is more immediate. FOR MORE INFO: Website:
http://www.imra.org.il
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- LEBANON DRUZE LEADER: CALLS PRESIDENT BUSH 'MAD EMPEROR,'
RICE 'OIL-COLORED,' BLAIR 'PEACOCK' WITH A 'SEXUAL COMPLEX';
'MY JOY WAS GREAT' AT COLUMBIA DISASTER
- No. 466 - February 7, 2003 - Lebanon's English-language paper,
The Daily Star, published a February 3, 2003 article on Walid
Jumblatt, a Druze leader in Lebanon and parliamentary opposition
member. The article quoted Jumblatt as saying that the true axis
of evil was one of "oil and Jews," calling President
George W. Bush a "mad emperor," and criticizing British
Prime Minister Tony Blair, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi,
and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. According to the
article, Jumblatt also expressed "great joy at the destruction
of the Columbia space shuttle." "Walid Jumblatt lashed
out Sunday against Western politicians and 'the Jews,' calling
on Arab leaders to hold popular referendums before allowing in
foreign troops for a war against Iraq."
- "'The true axis of evil that rules the world today is
an axis of oil and Jews,' Jumblatt said at his family home of
Mukhtara, Chouf." Axis of Jews and Oil Leading "Oil-Colored"
Rice "The oil axis is present in most of the U.S. administration,
beginning with its president, vice-president and top advisers,
including (Condoleezza) Rice, who is oil-colored, while the axis
of Jews is present with Paul Wolfowitz, the leading hawk who
is inciting (America) to occupy and destroy Iraq,' he continued."
- "The Druze leader described U.S. President George W.
Bush, while delivering his State of the Union address last week,
as someone who 'considers himself God's deputy on Earth, threatening
and classifying the world (into different camps), and relying
on his imperial power.'" "'Their skies are American
airplanes, their seas are American fleets, their bases are American
bases, their regimes are U.S.-British regimes, their rivers are
American boats, their mountains are American commandos, their
plains are American tanks and their security is at the service
of American interests.'" Excerpts from The Daily Star (Lebanon),
February 4, 2003, http://www.dailystar.com.lb/03_02_03/art4.asp
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- PRESIDENT ARAFAT: "THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE NEED
IS TO LIVE IN PEACE SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE ISRAELIS"
- 08/02/2 Official PA Website [IMRA: If there was a doubt that
Arafat is not serious about peace, the following item shows the
same old Arafat. President Bush's Republican Party does not have
a militia nor does Bush not send suicide bombers to Toronto.
It is also noteworthy that instead of denying he has billions
of dollars overseas, Arafat replies that he isn't drawing a salary
today.]
- In an exclusive 10-minute interview with CNN's Michael Holmes
with president Yasser Arafat, president Arafat declared that
"the most important thing we need is to live in peace, together
side by side, with the Israelis." and he added: "This
is terra santa, the holy land. The peace here is very important,
not only for the Palestinians but for the whole world."
http://www.pna.gov.ps/details.asp?subject_id=381
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- QUARTET TO MEET FEBRUARY 16 2003, 'ROADMAP' TO BE RELEASED
IN NEAR FUTURE
- 08/02/2003 Palestine Media Center- (PMC)[Official arm of
the PA] The US Secretary of State Colin Powell told American
lawmakers that President Bush is prepared to take on a more active
role to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and expected the
'roadmap' - planned by the Quartet of international peace mediators
- to be published in the near future, as the Palestine National
Authority (PNA) urged an immediate implementation of the plan,
which embraces the creation of an independent Palestinian state
by the year 2005. [Powell said that President Bush is planning
to take a more active role in the peace process. The Quartet
includes in addition to the United States, the European Union,
the United Nations and Russia..The 'roadmap' envisions a three-stage
process that would create Palestinian institutions, establish
provisional borders for a state by the end of the year, and reach
a final agreement with defined borders in 2005.] http://www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=574
http://www.imra.org.il
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- PALISTINIAN PILGRIMS ARRIVE IN JEDDAH
- Jeddah, Feb. 8, SPA(Saudi Press Agency) -- 121 Palestinian
pilgrims, who constitute the first batch of the Palestinian pilgrims
due to perform Hajj this year at the expense of the custodian
of the two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, arrived here
on Saturday. The King earlier ordered enabling 1000 Palestinian
pilgrims to perform Hajj at his own expense. They will be transported
from the airports of Amman, Al-Arish, and Cairo. The pilgrims
were welcomed at King Abdulaziz International Airport by a number
of officials. Meanwhile, Palestinian ambassador to the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia Hashim Al-Sheikh Deep lauded the decision of
the King to host 1000 Palestinian pilgrims at his own expense.
He noted that this development comes in line with the Kingdom's
inalienable stance in the support of the Palestinian cause. http://www.spa.gov.sa/html/archive_e.asp?srcfile=592668&NDay=08/02/2003&wcatg=0
http://www.imra.org.il
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- RUSSIA, SYRIA TO SET UP JOINT OIL AND GAS COMPANY
- Moscow, Feb 8, SPA (Saudi Press Agency) -- A Russian delegation
flew to Syria Saturday to sign an agreement setting up a joint
oil and gas company, a news agency reported. The delegation,
made up of executives of Russia's state-owned oil company Zarubezhneft,
will meet with Syrian Oil Minister Ibrahim Haddad, the ITAR-Tass
news agency reported. The joint company, called Amrit, will carry
out exploration and drilling projects, the report said. http://www.spa.gov.sa/html/archive_e.asp?srcfile=592672&NDay=08/02/2003&wcatg=0
http://www.imra.org.il
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- U.S. BACKS OFF FROM IMMUNITY FOR SADDAM LONDON [MENL]
- The United States has apparently withdrawn its offer of immunity
for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his aides in exchange
for their voluntary exile. Arab diplomatic sources said senior
Bush administration officials refused to relay guarantees that
Saddam, his sons and aides would be granted immunity from war
crimes prosecution if they enter exile. The sources said the
proposed deal has been promoted by Saudi Arabia and Turkey and
discussed by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal during
his meeting with U.S. President George Bush last week.
- "The White House is feeling more confident these days
and the immunity idea appeared to have been a sop to deflect
Arab and Islamic opposition to an invasion of Iraq," a diplomatic
source said. "Now, the administration feels it has enough
military and political support so it doesn't have to make any
promises." The source said the turning point was a U.S.
assessment that both France and Russia were reducing or ending
their opposition to a war against Iraq. Moscow and Paris had
been regarded as leading European supporters of the Saddam regime.
http://www.imra.org.il
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- THE STRUGGLE FOR LAND IS ABOUT 50 MILES EAST TO WEST
- In Israel between the West Bank and the sea are 50 miles.
This is what the fight is about. The West Bank used to be occupied
by Jordan and the Gaza strip by Egypt. Prior to the 6 day war
there were terrorism attacks. Israel is 80% Jewish, 14.6% Muslim
and 2.1% Christian. Arafat was offered more than necessary and
he refused to take the offer. Daniel Ayalon, Israeli Ambassador
said there is no agreement whatsoever now. Terror cannot be rewarded.
1.26.03 C-Span
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- ASHKENAZI CHIEF RABBI LAU CONDEMNS BELGIUM SUPREME COURT
DECISION AS PRETENTIOUS AND HYPOCRITICAL.
(Communicated by the Chief Rabbinate Spokesman) February 13,
2003 Following are Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau comments
on Belgium's Supreme Court's decision to allow Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon to be tried for war crimes.
- "The thought that a nation which stood by and watched
when Jewish blood was spilt like water and ignored victims' cries,
is now elevating itself in the position of world policeman is
outrageous in the extreme. It is regretful that a State which
remained quiet at a time when it should have been screaming out
in the name of humanity, is now expressing itself with such a
pretentious and hypocritical voice, in order to cast fault on
IDF soldiers and its commanders, who have endangered their own
lives many times in order to refrain from injuring innocent civilians,
and in order to denigrate the behaviour of a democratic, sovereign
State." Source: http://www.imra.org.il
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- RUSSIA AND SYRIA ARE PLANNING INFRASTRUCTURE OF TRANSPORTATION
- Earlier today, Minister Obeid discussed with the Chairman
of the Governmental Establishment of Goss Troy, Nicolai Kojma
ways of cooperation between the two sides in the fields of railways,
seaports, airports and the possibility of setting up a joint
Syrian-Russian company for the transport business to work within
and outside Syria. Meanwhile, Minister Obeid and the Chairman
of the Trans Story Establishment signed a memorandum of understanding
where both sides expressed interest in developing cooperation
regarding the infrastructure of transportation constructions
in Syria and other countries. Barry M. Temmo www.imra.org.il
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- IDF EXTENDS HUMANITARIAN AID TO PALESTINIANS
- IDF Spokesperson 20 February 2003 In the framework of IDF
activities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the IDF is extending
humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population not involved
in terrorist activities. The following is a detailed account
of the humanitarian assistance provided as of February 1, 2003:
- Civilian Aid In Tul Karem, the IDF coordinated with the Red
Cross the distribution of food stamps. In addition, 53 Palestinians
were allowed to visit relatives currently incarcerated in the
Israeli "Nafcha" prison. The IDF also coordinated the
arrival of employees from the corporations ABB and ENRON to the
Gaza Strip in order to facilitate work on the Gaza power plant.
UNRWA representatives were also allowed to enter the Gaza Strip
to remodel a Palestinian school.
- Medical Aid The IDF coordinated the transfer of 15 patients
from the Gaza Strip and 21 patients from the West Bank to various
hospitals in Israel and abroad for medical treatment. 15 patients
were brought to Israel (5 through the Rafah crossing), 2 to the
Maksad Hospital, 17 to Augusta Victoria Hospital, and 2 to Jordan.
In total, the transportation of 250 patients via ambulances throughout
the West Bank and Gaza Strip was also coordinated with the IDF.
Economic Aid 6,770 Palestinian laborers were permitted to enter
Israel. In the Erez Industrial Zone, 2,893 laborers entered.
Additionally, merchandise and other humanitarian assistance was
permitted to enter and exit Israel to the West Bank through the
"back-to-back" trucking system. [ IMRA - Independent
Media Review and Analysis Website www.imra.org.il ]
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- WHAT ON EARTH DOES ARAFAT DO ALL DAY?
- [Israel would capture him if he left building] He used to
travel all over the world visiting ministers and counts, but
for the past 15 months, the PA chairman has hardly left his room
By Danny Rubinstein Ha'aretz 23 February 2003 "... In many
respects, this is a voluntary detention. On more than one occasion,
Israeli spokesmen have said Arafat is free to leave his headquarters
and even travel abroad; however, a threat is attached to such
statements: If Arafat leaves the country, there is no promise
he will be allowed back in. Arafat's close associates are saying
he has decided not to take any chances. His headquarters, among
the rubble, is providing asylum for those on the Israel Defense
Forces' "most wanted" list and those whom the army
wants to arrest and interrogate.
- There is no information on their identity or on their precise
number. What is known, however, is that one of those people is
Tawfik Tirawi, one of the leaders of Arafat's security mechanism,
whom Israel suspects of involvement in terrorist attacks. Tirawi
vehemently denies these allegations. Although he spends a great
deal of time in the muqata, he leaves the compound frequently.
Arafat fears if he himself leaves the headquarters, the Israelis
will exploit the opportunity, enter the compound, arrest the
"most wanted," confiscate classified documents and
Arafat's personal documents, and - who knows - perhaps they will
even stay in the headquarters and stop him from returning. The
very same Palestinian leader who, over a period of decades, made
a habit of traveling almost every week to the four corners of
the earth to meet cabinet ministers and counts, participate in
conferences and summit meetings, and to speak at major international
forums, now finds himself a prisoner, caged in by the four walls
of his compound, receiving very few visitors and constantly surrounded
by the same group of associates.
- What on earth does Arafat do all day? `Get well' greetings
One of his regular visitors is Akram Haniyeh. Haniyeh is a close
adviser, who was at Arafat's side at all the sessions at Camp
David in July 2002, and is the editor in chief of the Al-Ayyam
newspaper, which is based in Ramallah and which, each day on
page 3, reports Arafat's schedule. A week ago Wednesday the newspaper
carried the following report: "President Arafat has received
a letter of greeting on the occasion of Id al-Adha, the Feast
of the Sacrifice [which took place the previous week], from Nelson
Mandela, the former president of South Africa, who wished him
good health and who expressed the hope that he would soon attain
his aspirations for freedom and independence for his people,
and that the Palestinian nation's own country, with Jerusalem
as its capital, would become a reality in the near future."
www.imra.org.il.
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- 71% IN US OPPOSE PALESTINIAN STATE
- Poll By ELLI WOHLGELERNTER The Jerusalem Post Feb. 18, 2003
Seventy-one percent of Americans believe that the Palestinians
should not be given a state, since they have not fulfilled President
George W. Bush's conditions for creating a state, which he outlined
in his speech of June 24.
- These were the findings of a poll of 1,000 Americans conducted
last week by John McLaughlin and Associates and sponsored by
the Zionist Organization of America. Bush's conditions include
"fighting terrorism, stopping the promotion of hatred in
its media, ending the encouragement of murder in its schools,
becoming a democracy, and respecting human rights." Approximately
13% believe the Palestinians have fulfilled these conditions
and should be given a state.
- The respondents were 36% Republicans, 37% Democrats, and
21% independents; 53% Protestants, 28% Catholics, and 2% Jews;
76% Caucasians, 11% African-Americans, and 10% Hispanics. The
survey also found that: By a margin of 77% to 12%, Americans
say "the United States should stop giving the Palestinian
Arabs $150 million" in aid each year. 61% believe "the
goal of Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority is the eventual
destruction of Israel," while 19% say the goal is "to
have a small state living in peace alongside Israel." 51%
say a Palestinian state will be a terrorist state, compared with
25% who believe it will be a civilized democracy. 73% want the
US government to demand that the PA "turn over all Palestinian
Arabs accused of killing or wounding American citizens,"
while 16% say the US should not make that demand. 64% believe
world leaders should refuse to meet with Mahmoud Abbas, also
known as Abu Mazen, who claimed that the Nazis did not murder
6 million Jews, while 20% say world leaders should meet with
him.
- According to Steven M. Cohen, a sociology professor at the
Hebrew University and a professional pollster, "Recent surveys
show Americans moving toward 'a plague on both their houses.'
They have become more disenchanted with both Arabs and Israelis,
and this may be picking up on one half of that tendency."
Cohen said the survey didn't appear to also reflect American
feelings toward anti-Israel positions, as it did with anti-Palestinian
positions. "To get a full picture of American public opinion,
we need to measure responses to questions that are pro-Palestinian/anti-Palestinian,
pro-Israel/anti-Israel, all at the same time," he said.
Mort Klein, national president of ZOA, said the questions weren't
about Israel but about a Palestinian state.
- "Here you have a question: 'Do you think the Palestinians
fulfilled Bush's requirement?' It has nothing to do with Israel.
So this question is as fair as you can get. It also sends a message
to politicians like [Connecticut Senator] Joe Leiberman, who
says in speech after speech that most Americans support a Palestinian
state. This shows that most Americans are overwhelmingly against
it." Klein said the survey reflects a growing American awareness
of the threat of Islamic terrorism. "They do not want to
create yet another state that will be a mini-Iraq promoting hatred
and murder," he said. "They understand that Islamic
terrorism threatens not only Israel, but also America and the
world." [ IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis Website:
www.imra.org.il ]
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- SAVE ISRAEL
Chamish's latest book, is the best so far. Before his Rabin exposé
gained national attention, Chamish was viewed as a kook, albeit
tenacious, an author to be ridiculed by the establishment press
or ignored. No longer is Chamish ignored. His Herculean efforts
to expose corruption in Israel have made him a type of folk hero
among critical thinkers. By his own admission, he,s a flawed
man, who the government and media loves to take pot shots at.
Yet most of his imperfections can be overlooked because his intellectual
integrity is what,s most important here. I consider Barry Chamish
the world's most savvy witness of current events in Israel. He's
not perfect, but he's the best Israel has for now. Please contact
email Barry Chamish directly chamish@netvision.net.il to obtain
his latest book retail or wholesale.[Ednote: I checked Amazon
but the new book is not available there yet].
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