INTERNATIONAL PULSE Period: March 2005 6666666 End-Time Church / Pluralism Global Politics Israel

ISRAEL EX-HIGH COURT JUSTICE JUSTIFIES REFUSAL AND DISOBEDIENCE March 03, '05 / 22 Adar 5765 - Retired Supreme Court Justice Uri Shtruzman, Likud Elections Committee chairman, says laws must be obeyed – unless they were legislated in a manner opposed to the legislators' Election Day mandate. Hon. Shtruzman said that Israel currently finds itself in a unique situation in which the elected leader has changed his mind – but he refuses to "act like a gentleman and place his new opinion up for public approval in a new election." This brings about a situation in which "he and the other Likud ministers and MKs who support him have stolen our votes." Shtruzman, speaking in Haifa at a forum of the Professors for a Strong Israel organization last week, compared the situation to one in which "Tommy Lapid of [anti-religious] Shinui becomes an observant Jew and begins acting in the Knesset and government to promote Jewish Law as the law of the land. It is inconceivable that Shinui voters would have to wait until the next election to replace him with someone else." The disengagement legislation passed by the Knesset "cannot stand as if it was legitimately legislated," Justice Struzman said. "It is based on MKs and ministers who violated their party platform as well as their promises to those who voted for them. It is based on actions of public representatives who are acting contrary to the will of those they represent." The fact that the Prime Minister and other elected representatives have betrayed their voters' trust, refuse to put their new policies to the electoral test, and abuse their power by using the army and police to implement their policies "obligates the country's citizens whose votes were stolen to see another way to thwart this illegitimate legislation... For lack of choice, they must consider civil disobedience, and, in the case of soldiers and policemen – who are also citizens of the state – the refusal of orders." Judge Shtruzman quoted in this regard former Attorney-General and former Justice Michael Ben-Ya'ir of the left-wing. Ben-Ya'ir wrote in Haarez on March. 3, 2002: "What choice is left to us, whose votes have been stolen, to thwart the tyranny that masquerades as 'democratic' propriety. Given the lack of elections or referendum, there is no legitimacy to legislation and government actions, and given the lack of legitimacy, there is justification to do what 'appears to me to be right.'" "If we continue Ben-Ya'ir's train of thought," Shtruzman said, "this means that the democratic process, which appears now to be democratic, does not allow the opponents of the withdrawal to oppose the legislation, because their votes are being used for the opposite ends. What should they then do – watch their votes going to waste and sing praise? Or should they rise up via civil disobedience and refusal because of what was stolen from them on Election Day?" Quoting a statement brought in the Eichmann ruling in 1962, the former justice said, "One must adhere to a law even if it is illegal and contrary to public welfare – unless the legislators act in opposition to the mandate they received on Election Day." "I have no doubt," Hon. Shtruzman said, "that the legislative process in question is a gross and intolerable violation of justice. The law that was passed is therefore also illegitimate from a normative standpoint. It is 'lawless law.' It's not the order itself that is illegal, but rather the status of those who give the order – the Knesset and the government, comprising representatives who have abused their mandate – that makes it illegal, and therefore their decisions regarding withdrawal and banishment of the residents were given without proper authorization." Judge Shtruzman said that once the Prime Minister changed his mind, he should either have resigned or called new elections, running on a different platform. "Even fair-minded people on the left admit, either explicitly or otherwise, that the current legislation is not proper. However, they say that as long as the government takes steps towards withdrawing to the 1967 borders, they are happy and won't claim that the legislation is illegal." Hon. Shtruzman also took Prime Minister Sharon to task for his objections to a referendum: "The claim that a referendum will split the nation is so absurd that it is hard to believe that serious people support it. The nation is split now! A referendum will focus the dispute not on the split itself, but on whether the disengagement plan is good for Israel or not. Sharon is happy that the public controversy is focusing on the referendum, and not on the merits of his new policy." Shtruzman said, however, that he prefers new elections over a referendum, "as they enable the formation of a government with coalition balances, and also make it possible for this issue not to be determined by the Arab vote." http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77836 ----- PA ANARCHY RAGES AT JERUSALEM WAQF OFFICE Mar 03, '05 / 22 Adar 5765 - Resurgence of anarchy in the PA spilled over into Jerusalem today as Fatah gang members forcibly seized the offices of the Moslem religious trust (waqf) in the El Azariyeh neighborhood. The waqf office was raided by some 70 gang members who are holding several waqf officials hostage. The Fatah raid was prompted by a decision by the waqf to transfer administration of charitable organizations under its control to local authorities. The decision went against local Fatah leaders who claim that some of the charitable organizations are collaborating with Israel. One of the hostages is Salah Zukheika, an official of both the Fatah and the waqf in Jerusalem. The PA is trying to maneuver an end to the siege and the release of the waqf officials. The Israeli police have not been reported to be involved in ending the raid or apprehending the gang members, despite the security and criminal ramifications of carrying out such a raid in Jerusalem on Israeli sovereign territory. The Fatah group forms the dominant faction in the PLO and the PA, and is a leading perpetrator of terrorist activity against Israel though its military wing, the Al Aksa Brigades. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77852 ----- MOST ISRAELIS SAY "CORRUPT" BEST DEFINES ARIEL SHARON Mar 03, '05 / 22 Adar 5765 - When asked to choose an adjective that best characterizes Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, 62% of poll respondents selected the word “corrupt”. The poll, conducted by Ha'aretz to mark the fourth anniversary of Sharon’s tenure as Prime Minister, showed that less than half the public, 48.6%, believe that Sharon’s proposal to expel Jews from their homes in Gaza and northern Samaria was initiated for based on “considerations for the good of the state.” While only 12.4% of the general public believes that the real reason for the expulsion plan was due to the criminal investigations that were being carried out against Sharon and his sons for corruption and bribery, 32.5% of right-wing voters, are convinced that the alleged scandals were responsible for Sharon initiating the plan. Although the poll did not reveal any surprising results regarding right-wing voters, it did come up with some startling statistics in relation to left-wing public: On the one hand, an overwhelming 84% of people who voted Meretz in 2003 believe that Sharon is corrupt. Yet none of these respondents, 0%, believe that the criminal investigations against Sharon were the reason he initiated his expulsion proposal. One possible conclusion is that while the Meretz voting public recognizes the scandalous nature of Sharon and his administration, they are willing to overlook this attribute when he goes forward with policies that coincide with their own political agenda. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77858 ----- BASSI FORCED TO RETRACT Mar 02, '05 / 21 Adar 5765 - Yonatan Bassi, in charge of the relocation of the 1,800 families threatened with expulsion, explained today that the "reports" that 800 families are interested in leaving on their own are untrue. Several Knesset Members said yesterday that these "reports" came from none other than Bassi himself. Bassi, appointed by Prime Minister Sharon to head the Disengagement Authority, appeared at the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee yesterday. He implied there that his personnel were negotiating with some 800 families over their future lodgings. MK Ehud Yatom of the Likud later said, however, that "after we asked questions more deeply into the matter, it turned out that there are only a few dozen families that are willing to leave voluntarily." In fact, Bassi said today, only 25 families have signed agreements to leave their homes voluntarily before the scheduled date of the evacuation, and another 38 are interested in signing. "If the residents don't hurry," Bassi threatened, "the Nitzanim area [prime real estate along the coast just north of Ashkelon] will be used for other purposes." The secretariat of N'vei Dekalim, the largest of the communities threatened for demolition – it has some 2,700 people – rejected Bassi's tactics: "This is a coarse and contemptible attempt to crumble us by the 'divide and conquer' method – but it's an attempt that is clearly doomed to fail." Bassi also said today that the community of Kfar Darom, just north of Gush Katif in Gaza, has been offered the option of moving as one to Nitzan, near Ashkelon. The Yesha Council issued a statement today on the matter: "The data regarding the ridiculously low number of residents who have turned to the Disengagement Authority is evidence of the strength of the residents. They are standing like a buttressed wall against the intention to expel them and against the psychological warfare waged by Prime Minister Sharon." http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77766 ----- LIKUD TO VOTE FOR REFERENDUM TONIGHT Mar 03, '05 / 22 Adar 5765 - The Likud Central Committee is expected to support a referendum on the disengagement tonight. If Shas then follows suit, it will be up to the populace to decide whether Gush Katif remains Israeli. As in the past, the party's Central Committee does not side with Prime Minister Sharon, who has strongly opposed a referendum ever since the idea was broached a year ago. It is not yet clear, however, if Sharon will ignore the Committee's decision, as he has done in the past. The resolution that is likely to pass states that the Likud faction must work to pass a referendum bill in the Knesset. Prime Minister Sharon is trying to minimize the significance of tonight's vote, saying that in any event there is no majority for such an idea in the Knesset. The supporters, however, say that the margin of support lies with the Shas Party – and that it is likely that Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef will change his mind when he realizes that the entire disengagement is dependent on him. Many anti-withdrawal elements have been in touch with Shas in recent days, and exude a measure of optimism on this score. Shas is strongly opposed to a unilateral withdrawal from Gush Katif and northern Shomron, but has long opposed a referendum. The party fears that the same tool might be used in the future on issues such as draft deferrals by yeshiva students. Shas' parallel party in the Ashkenazi hareidi-religious sector, United Torah Judaism, similarly opposes the withdrawal – and supports a referendum as well. The party obtained an agreement in principle, that may or may not still be valid, that a referendum bill will state that a vote of this nature will be held only on issues of withdrawing from parts of the Land of Israel. In the Likud, 27 of the 40 MKs have already signed their support for a referendum. They are hoping that tonight's vote will initiate a momentum that will pull along not only the remaining 13 MKs – or at least all those other than Ariel Sharon, Omri Sharon and Ehud Olmert – but Shas as well. The Likud session will be held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds, beginning at 4:30 PM. Among the speakers will be Prime Minister Sharon, Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom. http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=77819 ----- THE NEW SANHEDRIN REVEALS PLANS FOR A NEW JEWISH KING TEMPLE MOUNT, ISRAEL - The 71 rabbis that recently re-formed the Sanhedrin continue to meet regularly, solidifying their organizational structure and establishing an agenda of topics. In their latest meeting, they discussed technical and procedural issues, topics for their agenda, and the Halakhic (Jewish law) and other ramifications of renewing the Passover sacrifice. The rabbis re-established the legislative-religious body last October 13 in a festive ceremony in Tiberias. The day was the 28th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, the Sanhedrin was inaugurated as Judaism's supreme legal body. The rabbis stress that by forming this group, they are merely fulfilling a Biblical command, or mitzvah. "It is a special mitzvah, based on our presence in Israel, to establish a Sanhedrin," Rabbi Meir Halevy, one of the 71 members of the new Sanhedrin, has explained. According to Rabbi Halevy, a 12th-century Torah scholar named Maimonides, laid out a detailed .process for restoring the body in his seminal work codifying Jewish Law, the "Mishnah Torah." Meeting in Jerusalem's Old City - near where the last Sanhedrin met many centuries ago, the modern-day Sanhedrin consists of representatives of all stripes of religious Jewish society. These Rabbis are seeking to re-establish Jewish legal tradition after 2,000 years of exile. Rabbi Chaim Richman said, "This seems to be the perfect time to [restart the Sanhedrin], a time of Divine will. On the one hand, there is a spiritual void in the 'establishment,' and ... there is a real thirst among the public for spirituality and guidance." Topics the rabbis thought the Sanhedrin should deal with included: assisting in Aliyah, locating the Ark of the Covenant, solidifying a Jewish code of ethics, establishing smaller, regional "Sanhedrins," and clarifying procedures on religious ceremonies. The Sanhedrin has announced they have found a man that they claim is of the house and lineage of David, and is qualified to reign as King of Israel. Rabbi Yosef Dayan from Psagot,is said to be a leading candidate to become the "King of Israel." They say he has two documented ancient sources, confirmed by outside experts, which draw a direct line between him and the males in his family to King David. The Sanhedrin also discussed the construction of an altar on the Temple Mount to be used for the Passover Offering during the upcoming holiday. One idea is to climb the Mount and build the altar within minutes and sacrifice the lamb before security forces can stop them. THE JEWISH KING'S CORONATION DAY DRAWS NEAR The newly formed Sanhedrin in Israel believes that they have found a descendent of King David who is qualified to sit on a throne in Jerusalem, and his coronation could be soon. This is evidence that we are drawing close to the time described in Bible prophecy. After 1,600 years without the religious tribunal, the 71-member Sanhedrin was recently re-formed on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in Tiberias. Now, the Sanhedrin believes that they have found a descendant of the ancient Jewish King David. They believe he is a person who is in the lineage that can be traced back to Israel's second King of 3,000 years ago. More here: http://israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=70349 and here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-02,GGLD:en&q=Sanhedrin+in+Israel+today&spell=1 ----- STANLEY FISCHER - A MONSTER IN THE BANK OF ISRAEL 01/13/05 by Barry Chamish - To put Fischer's role in global mischief in perspective, we turn to the incisive American analyst, William Jasper: ECOSOC, the UN's mammoth globocracy, oversees an alphabet soup of dozens of agencies, commissions, committees, and ad hoc bodies (UNESCO, UNIDO, FAO, UNEP, WHO, IMF, UNCTAD, UNFPA, etc.) employing tens of thousands and dispensing billions of dollars worldwide. The globalists have placed their operatives in all the key posts. The World Bank, one of the UN system's pivotal power centers, is headed up by James Wolfensohn (president) and Jeffrey A. Goldstein (managing director), both CFR members and full-blown internationalists. Over at the IMF, globalist economic objectives were managed through most of the turbulent 1990s (and up to 2002) by Stanley Fischer (CFR). Mr Fischer was assisted during that time by Anne O. Krueger (CFR), who retains the No. 2 slot at IMF. The IMF and World Bank closely coordinate their lending policies with USAID, the U.S. State Department agency that handles U.S. foreign aid. At that agency, Constance B. Newman (CFR) is helping to maintain the same destructive programs promoted by earlier CFR apparatchiks like J. Brian Atwood. They Don't Get It In Israel - For reasons not entirely understood, those Israelis fighting the Gaza sellout just can't make the connection between it and the CFR. Let's look at one example. Every week, the Women In green send out an "analysis" of local politics. For the past month the Matars, mother and daughter-in-law, have expressed amazement that their "allies" are abandoning them and supporting the Gaza surrender. One after another, their "friends" like Charles Krauthammer, Daniel Pipes, Mortimer Zuckerman and Eliott Abrams have jumped ship. http://www.preteristcentral.com/articles-nwo-un_politics.htm Read on: http://www.cephas-library.com/israel/israel_stanley_fisher_a_monster_in_the_bank_of_israel.html ----- ISRAEL BANKS CALLED LAX ON HOLOCAUST FUND RETURNS New York Times, January 19, 2005 by Steven Erlanger - JERUSALEM, Jan. 18 - Israeli banks holding assets from European Jews killed in the Holocaust failed to make a determined effort to return the holdings to their heirs, and when they were returned, they were not returned at their proper value, according to a report of the Israeli Parliament, or Knesset, released Tuesday. The Israeli government, as custodian for a large part of the assets, also failed to make a serious effort to maintain their value or to return them to survivors or heirs, the report said. "What we have discovered, in particular the attitude of the banks, has filled us with disgust," said the chairwoman of a parliamentary committee, Colette Avital, a Labor Party legislator. "Neither the state nor the banks paid enough attention to this problem," Ms. Avital said. "We don't think the state of Israel should act differently from what we've demanded from other countries." Under pressure from the United States and Israel, the banks and governments of Switzerland and Austria have worked to disclose the accounts of those believed to be Holocaust victims and survivors, so assets can be returned to relatives. Switzerland, for example, agreed to pay compensation of $1.25 billion after more than 54,000 dormant accounts traced to World War II or earlier were found in Swiss banks. The Israeli report, after four years of investigation, found that 9,000 people or their heirs were eligible for compensation from the Israeli government and the banks, amounting to an estimated $31.5 million. Of those 9,000 names, about 6,000 were listed as victims of the Holocaust by Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust museum. http://www.cephas-library.com/israel/israel_holocaust_money_new.html ----- SOLANA: SHARON'S GAZA PLAN A 'NIGHTMARE' WITHOUT 'ROADMAP' Palestine Media Center - PMC 24.10.2004 - 5 Conditions For EU to Support Israel's 'Disengagement' EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told the Palestine National Authority (PNA) on Friday that the European Union will do its "utmost" to ensure "faster" movement on the Quartet-drafted and UN-adopted "roadmap" peace plan, and called on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to pull out of all of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. On November 5, Solana is expected to present a plan at a summit to be attended by the heads of the 25 EU countries to move the Palestinians and Israelis into a position where they begin to implement the "roadmap," which the UN Security Council endorsed in Resolution 1515 in November 2003. Solana is quoted as saying in today's edition of the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel that if Ariel Sharon believes that "with a pullout from Gaza everything is already done, and that peace would come automatically, we won't support that. That wouldn't be a dream, but a nightmare." He said the EU, the US, Russia and the United Nations - the Quartet - would continue to press for the internationally-backed "roadmap" they had drafted with the goal of having two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace in 2005. After meeting with Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Sha'ath in Brussels on Friday, Solana said that the EU will support Israel's unilateral "disengagement" from the Gaza Strip if it meets the following five requirements: *It takes place within the context of the roadmap, *It represents a step towards a two-state solution, *It does not involve a transfer of settlement activity to the West Bank, *There is an organized and negotiated hand-over of responsibility to the PNA *Israel facilitates the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza. Solana also said the EU will present the Palestinians with a working plan after the Israeli "disengagement," that has yet to be officially approved. "We are ready to contribute and to co-operate with our Palestinian friends on all the elements that they need: security, or administration reform, or whatever is necessary," Solana said. Within the context of security assistance, Solana told Der Spiegel that he hoped to send European experts in cooperation with Egypt to train Palestinian security forces within the coming months. "Probably together with Egypt, we will send well-prepared people so that the Palestinians can enact a sensible command structure and also have the ability to fulfill their duty," said Solana. Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul Gheit and Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Sulaiman are expected in Israel on November 11.2004 [ www.palestine-pmc.com/details.asp?cat=1&id=712 ] [ www.imra.org.il ] ----- PROJECT MEMRI TV LATEST CLIPS ADDED TO WWW.MEMRITV.ORG INCLUDE : WIFE BEATING: December 1, 2004 Clip #392: Sheik Al-Qaradhawi: Wife Beating Perhaps, Homosexuality No An excerpt: "[T]here are strong tendencies in the West to destroy the family. An example of this is the marriage of men with men and women with women...This stands in contrast to Christianity, Judaism, and all religions. All international conventions and laws determine that marriage is a bond between a man and a woman in a legitimate and recognized fashion. Only this is considered marriage. Same-sex marriages are totally unacceptable. They want to make the perversion [ie homosexuality] widespread... [Westerners] attack Islam because of issues such as wife-beating...I don't say that wives should be beaten and I don't like wife beating. The Prophet did not encourage wife beating. Out of more than 6,000 verses of the Koran, there is one verse that deals with a condescending and disobedient wife. It is said there that one of the methods of treatments is, 'And beat them.' This is not obligatory, but it is permitted and it does not suit all wives." http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=392 TWO STATES A TEMPORARY SOLUTION Project, December 1, 2004 Clip #390: Fatah Leader Faruq Qaddumi: Two-States a Temporary Solution An excerpt: "Our enemy always says, "This is Judea and Samaria" and they are "terrorists." They haven't changed their discourse. If they change theirs, we will change ours, and if not, we will keep saying that armed resistance is the way to Palestine. If there is no political initiative and they keep addressing us with sweet words, and try to seduce us like foxes do, we must continue in our path.[There are] 300 Million Arabs, while Israel has only the sea behind it...At this stage there will be two states. Many years from now there will be only one." http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=390 WHAT TEMPLE AND SHTEMPLE? Project, December 1, 2004 Clip #389: Palestinian Historian 'Issam Sisalem: What Temple and What Shtemple?! The Jews Are Like Marine Worms An excerpt: "Everything on our land is holy to us and we will defend it and never be deceived, nor will we argue about biblical lies that penetrated the minds of some orientalists. We say: This land belongs to us. Jerusalem has been the capital of our capitals since the dawn of history, and will remain so. We won't share it with anyone...The Torah disparages all of the prophets. It presents David as an adulterer and Solomon too. They say that the temple was here. What temple and what shtemple?! What archeological remains? Can the land be owned on the basis of remains? [Ancient sites] have been destroyed and built, countries have risen and declined. Why should a land be awarded to them on the basis of a few remains in a history of 12,000 years? This is a great lie that deserves nothing but my contempt." http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=389 THERE ARE NOW 392 CLIPS There are now 392 clips grouped according to these subjects: Antisemitism, Arab-Israeli, Conflict, Conspiracy Theories, Education, Jihad and Terrorism, Reform in the Middle East, Sermons from Mosques in the Middle East, Suicide (Martyrdom), Operations U.S. and the Middle East 2004 U.S., Elections, Christianity and the West Weapons of Mass Destruction, Women, Europe and the Middle East, Cultural Issues Minorities in the Middle East For assistance, please contact Rachel Schwartz, Director of Media Relations, MEMRI TV Project, at rschwartz@memri.org , 202.955.9070 or 202.251.8881 (mobile). [ http://www.memritv.org ] ----- NEW SAUDI CITIZENSHIP LAW EXCLUDES PALESTINIANS Arutz-7 Israel National News, October 24, 2004 By Michael Freund, International Affairs Correspondent Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers passed a series of new regulations on citizenship this week that will likely benefit hundreds of thousands of foreigners living in the desert kingdom, with one glaring exception: the Palestinians. The new guidelines, which serve to amend Saudi Arabia's previous law on naturalization, entitle expatriates of all nationalities who have resided in the kingdom for ten years to apply for citizenship, with priority being given to holders of degrees in various scientific fields. The rules are likely to help as many as one million foreigners living in Saudi Arabia obtain citizenship, said Nasser ibn Hamad al-Hanaya, undersecretary for civil status in the Saudi Interior Ministry. Another Saudi official, Shubaily ibn Majdoue Al-Qarni, who served as chairman of the security committee which supervised the amendment of the law, said that all foreign nationals working in the country would now be eligible to obtain Saudi citizenship. But citing a report in the Al-Watan newspaper, the English-language Saudi daily Arab News notes that one group will in fact be excluded by the new regulations: the estimated 500,000 Palestinians living in the kingdom. Palestinians will not be allowed to benefit from the new law, says the paper, because of Arab League instructions barring the Arab states from granting them citizenship in order "to avoid dissolution of their identity and protect their right to return to their homeland". The amended law is slated to go into effect in four months. www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=70884 [ www.imra.org.il ] ----- COURT CONVICTS TOP RABIN AIDE SHEVES OF FRAUD, BREACH OF TRUST Haaretz Staff and Agencies 1 December 2004 - Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and State Prosecutor Eran Shendar welcomed yesterday's Supreme Court conviction of former director-general of the Prime Minister's Office under Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Sheves, who was found guilty of fraud and breach of trust. Prosecutors called the decision an important victory in the fight against corruption. "Today's Supreme Court ruling sends a strong message to public sector employees to act with integrity, and it calls for preserving the public's faith in the governing system and in state employees," the Justice Ministry said. The decision, made by an expanded panel of nine justices, was supported by an 8-1 majority. Sheves originally had been cleared of the charges in January 2003. "The court recognized breach of trust as a central and important rule in the war against corruption and in the establishment of norms for behavior of public officials," State Prosecutor Yehoshua Lamber said. Sheves was originally found guilty by Tel Aviv District Court in 2000 of using his position to advance an international security deal that would have proved very lucrative for some business friends. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, a one-year suspended sentence, and a NIS 50,000 fine. He was acquitted of using his position to advance the interests of two contractors, Gil and Doron Schuldenfrei, in exchange for financial benefits. Sheves then appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, while the prosecution appealed his acquittal on the other count. But the court accepted Sheves' appeal and rejected the state's. The justices criticized Sheves' behavior, but said it constituted only an infraction of civil service regulations rather than a criminal offense. Therefore, the court said, he should have faced disciplinary proceedings at most. The prosecution then asked the court to hold another hearing of the case, arguing that the original ruling essentially had wiped the crime of breach of trust off the books. IMRA - www.imra.org.il ----- KING DELIVERS SPEECH FROM THE THRONE Amman, Dec.1(Petra)-- His Majesty King Abdullah inaugurated on Wednesday the 14th parliament second ordinary session by delivering a speech from the Throne . The King stressed that Jordan's security and stability is a priority that tops all other priorities. King Abdullah said that it is an opportunity to evaluate our five year march in which we achieved a lot of what we aspire to achieve with God's blessings and in spite of the unstable conditions in the region, indicators show a rise in the rate of economic growth and in exports and investment as well as an invigoration of the stock exchange market, a reduction of debts and an increase in foreign exchange reserves. This assures us that we are on the right track but still, what is required from us is to intensify the efforts and accelerate the implementation of the plans and programs which we have designed to achieve the development we aspire to, these plans and programs stem from our vision for our national interest and from our conscience and aspirations of our people. Follows the full text of the Speech from the Throne: Petra DEC 2004 http://www.petra.gov.jo/nepras/2004/Dec/01/MainL22633200.htm ----- ADDRESS BY PM SHARON AT 'GREEN LIGHT' CONFERENCE Conference 30 November 2004 Prime Minister's Office This third "Green Light" Conference is taking place at a difficult time, when the necessity for this association is more evident than ever. Last year, the number of casualties in road accidents decreased by 8%, in comparison with the average of the past 5 years. This year, the trend was again reversed. The number of road accident fatalities climbed by 15%, in comparison with last year. This is difficult news. In fact, it is a time to test the seriousness of our intentions to fight the scourge of road accidents. It is a time of test, because it is very easy to despair and say; we are doing everything, investing billions, and still the numbers keep climbing; it must be fate, and there is nothing to do against it. This is something I can say. I unequivocally reject this attitude. My conclusion from this year's data is that the war against the carnage on the roads is more difficult than we thought, and therefore more vital. This year's failure must not discourage us; it only emphasizes that in this war, there is need for great patience and perseverance and long-term efforts. It is written in our Talmudic tractate: "he who lost one Jewish soul, it is as if he lost an entire world." This is the tragedy in every fatal road accident: an entire world is lost. The world of a person who was once alive and is now gone, and other worlds suffering irreversible damage. We mourn the dead, but those broken families who remain bereaved and orphaned, are also victims of the accidents. And I did not even mention the economic cost of accidents: 10-12 billion NIS per year, a formidable amount which could have been invested in improving the standard of living in Israel. Therefore, despite the need for further budgetary restraint, we will continue in 2005 our massive investment in the development of Israel's transportation infrastructure as a springboard to diminishing the number of road accidents. Moreover, the Government will continue promoting public transportation, leading to a reduction in the number of vehicles on the roads. In this context, the revolution currently taking place in railways in Israel constitutes a tangible contribution to the war against road accidents. It is important, but not enough. The current tendency to move to the suburbs and out of the cities brings about a significant increase in the number of cars on the road. Therefore, the trains we are developing are very important, and facilitate transportation to the workplace. However, this does not provide a solution to our problem. It is clear that what is required for an all-out war against the affliction of road accidents is an overall, long-term national plan. This is precisely the task assigned to the Sheinin Committee by the Ministry of Transportation. This pubic committee is expected, within 5 months, to present to the Government a perennial work plan, the purpose of which is to achieve a significant reduction in the number of fatalities and injuries in road accident. The Government will invest all the necessary resources in the campaign against road accidents, as it succeeded, despite economic difficulties, in investing 1.7 billion NIS in the implementation of the Dovrat Report for the education system. A government program, as comprehensive as it may be, cannot be the only answer to the national need for fighting the carnage on the roads. This important role, which is most vital, is preserved for the volunteer associations, like "Green Light", which can make an invaluable contribution to changing the driving habits of Israelis - one of the main causes of accidents in this country. The activity of thousands of "Green Light" volunteers does not diminish the Government's responsibility in this regard. It only supplements the Government activities. Through their educational work and the assistance they provide to the traffic police, and by setting a personal example, these volunteers contribute to generating the necessary change. I would like to thank you, the people of "Green Light", for your volunteering actions and wish you success in your very important activities. I would like to add one more thing; the activity for the improvement of roads and infrastructure must be increased. Regarding the state of the roads, sides of the roads and lighting, much more should be done. The Israel Police also plays an important role herein. In this field, it should definitely increase its activity and I believe that there should be more serious penalties on irresponsible driving. In conclusion, there are many things which should be taken care of. It is a shame that often our attention must go to actions which I would describe as irresponsible actions which undermine our ability to attend to the principle issues. In this regard, my position is well-known, and I must, in addition to all other topics, attend to all the nonsense we are dealing with during these difficult days, of all times. Despite these actions we will certainly need to increase our activity, and I assume I will find time for the nonsense as well as for the major problems we face. I thank you again for everything you do, and regret I cannot spend the evening with you, although I would very much like to. IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis Website: www.imra.org.il ----- ISRAEL ACCEPTS EGYPTIAN OFFER TO INCREASE FORCES Haaretz By Aluf Benn Haaretz 1 December 2004 [IMRA: Israel Radio reports that the Egyptian forces will have armored vehicles. It should be noted that under the terms of the treaty Egypt can deploy an unlimited number of Egyptian "police" equipped with full battle gear: assault rifles, body armor, etc. In fact, the three "police" Israel killed by mistake were actually Egyptian soldiers acting as "police". The change is the vehicles. Three things are unclear in the Israeli decision: #1 Did the decision making process take into account what Egypt could already do under the treaty or was it decided to follow the Israeli tradition of not actually reading texts? #2 Did the decision making process study the actual need for armored vehicles in order for Egypt to effectively stop smuggling? The implication of accepting the need for armored vehicles is that thousands of Egyptian "police" equipped with full battle gear: assault rifles, body armor, etc. are not able to handle a fire fight with smugglers taking place in an isolated area on sovereign Egyptian soil without having armored vehicles.] Israel has accepted Egypt's offer to beef up its forces on the border between Sinai and the Gaza Strip and to train Palestinian officers, government sources said Tuesday. Israel will advise Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who are due in Jerusalem today, of its decision. A few weeks ago, Egypt proposed deploying 750 armed troops on the Egyptian side of the Philadelphi route in the Rafah area to reinforce security and prevent arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip. Today, only policemen are deployed there in keeping with the Israeli-Egyptian peace agreement. Egypt also offered to train Palestinian officers to help them take over the Strip after Israel's withdrawal. The sources said Israel will propose coordinating the Egyptian deployment with the pullout. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told a delegation of American senators yesterday that he would discuss with the Egyptian ministers "how Egypt is enlisting to reinstate stability in Gaza and to promote Israel's security coordination with the Palestinians." Sharon said that if Egypt acts to stop the smuggling, the Israel Defense Forces would be able to withdraw from the Philadelphi route. Sharon told the senators that Egypt must act against arms smuggling into the Strip not only near the border but also well inside its territory. Suleiman and Abu Gheit will be meeting Sharon, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. Shalom will have a long work meeting with the ministers as well as a joint press conference and luncheon. He will discuss with them ways to develop economic and civilian ties between the two states, the situation in the Palestinian Authority, and advancing political talks with the Palestinians. Syrian track During the Egyptians' visit, they will also attempt to advance Syrian requests to begin peace negotiations. Egyptian Presidential spokesman Maged Abdel Fattah on Tuesday told reporters that "Syria has said that it does not insist on the Rabin deposit and does not hang on to what was agreed in previous negotiations. Israel must follow suit." "The Rabin deposit" is the diplomatic term for the Syrian claim, contested by many Israelis, that assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin promised full withdrawal from the Golan Heights in any final peace agreement with Syria. Israeli officials contend that any offer by Rabin was conditional and hypothetical, designed to test what the Syrians were prepared to offer in return. However, in Damascus, Syria's official news agency quoted Assad as restating Syria's long-standing position that peace talks must resume from the point they broke off in 2000. In addition, assistant Syrian foreign minister, Wallid Mualem, told the Al Arabiyah television station that Damascus is not willing to give up anything achieved in previous talks. However, he added, peace is a "strategic choice" for Syria. Assad told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in a meeting at the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh that restarting the peace process "will be through building on what had already been achieved and completed in order to reach a just and comprehensive peace which returns full rights," SANA reported. "A Syrian official source stressed Syria's constant position toward resuming peace negotiations [with Israel] and the need to build on what had already been achieved," SANA reported hours after the talks. It quoted the unnamed official as saying that Assad told Mubarak that "this position has not changed." The official noted that this position "doesn't include any conditions to resume negotiations. Rather, it stresses the goal which is peace and fulfilling its requirements," according to SANA. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/508481.html [ www.imra.org.il ] ----- SAUDI ILLEGALS: OIL-FOR-FOOD SHARON'S REGIONAL SCHEMES ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 23 Oct.'04: "Fallout From School Fire" Qenan Al-Ghamdi, Al-Watan - Excerpts: "Entire neighborhoods and districts in both Makkah and Jeddah are populated by illegal residents; the overwhelming majority of them are poor." "The changes to the Saudi citizenship law will surely take a long time to be implemented"... Reacting to an article I wrote on the fire that broke out last week at a girls' school in Makkah ... a reader drew my attention to an interesting fact. Most of the girls at the school were children of families who are in the Kingdom without legal residency or identity papers. For this reason, the girls and other children in similar circumstances cannot attend government schools or receive public health services. The state of course has every right not to provide free services to those who are illegally in the country. At the same time, the presence of these individuals is a reality which cannot be denied and should be dealt with in a humane way. .... There are at present large numbers of people who have lived illegally in the country for decades ... Entire neighborhoods and districts in both Makkah and Jeddah are populated by illegal residents; the overwhelming majority of them are poor. This is a bitter and unpleasant reality that must be faced and dealt with. Failure to do so will lead to serious problems in the short-term as well as the long-term. The changes to the Saudi citizenship law will surely take a long time to be implemented while this problem calls upon us to find quick solutions. With poverty and illiteracy rampant among these people, ... I, for one, wonder how they manage to live without education, health care, public services and, usually, no work. ... The doors to a decent living are closed to them. Imagine the reaction of those living under such circumstances with no one willing to extend a helping hand. Will those unfortunates agree to defeat or will they turn into monsters, smashing everything in their path? ----- EDITORIAL ONE BIG MESS ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 23 Oct.'04 Excerpts: "At first the UN reacted to the reports with haughty denials and attempts at stonewalling an investigation." "Only a proper judicial inquiry, held in public by the United States, which is the UN's host country, preferably in conjunction with the European Union and, of course, Iraq could reveal the whole truth and bring the thieves to justice." .. Last year, when reports about a possible United Nations role in the oil-for-food scam in Iraq first broke out, few people could have imagined its scale. Fewer would have believed that senior UN officials and dozens of prominent personalities in more than 30 countries had been drawn into a diabolical scheme to rob the Iraqi people, then suffering under UN-imposed sanctions. The earliest reports ... showed that a UN assistant secretary-general was at the center of the scam. At first the UN reacted to the reports with haughty denials and attempts at stonewalling an investigation. But the mess smelled so bad that Secretary-General Kofi Annan, whose son is accused of having hitched a ride on the Iraqi gravy train, was forced to accept a limited probe. To head it, Annan chose Paul Volcker, the former boss of the Federal Reserve... . Annan also advised his assistant Benon Sevan, the man at the center of the scandal, to take early retirement. Volcker has just unveiled his initial findings; and they point to an even bigger mess than originally suspected. Over 4,500 companies from more than two dozen countries ... were involved ... According to initial estimates, more than $4.5 billion was thus siphoned off. ... The list of names that have already emerged of those involved in the theft includes French and Russian Cabinet ministers, Arab-nationalist intellectuals, holier-than-thou journalists from a dozen countries, and, last but not least, hundreds of supposedly respectable Western corporations. Without their help Saddam would not have been able to pull off the scam. While Volcker's mission is welcome as a first step, it is far from sufficient for at least two reasons. The first is that it cannot subpoena anyone or question witnesses under oath. Many of the politicians, company directors, journalists and free-wheelers named in the documents could simply refuse to answer Volcker's telephone calls, let alone testify. The second reason is that Volcker's mission could bring no criminal charges against any of those involved in the giant- size theft. Only a proper judicial inquiry, held in public, by the United States, which is the UN's host country, preferably in conjunction with the European Union and, of course, Iraq, could reveal the whole truth and bring the thieves to justice. [ IMRA: Story does not mention that French, German and Russian positions in the UN SAecurity Council may have been influenced by this and other involvement in Iraqi oil.] ----- ISRAEL RAMPANT AL-AHRAM WEEKLY 21-27 Oct.'04 "The Sinai bombings present Sharon with an opportunity to further marginalise the Palestinian cause. He will exploit it with relish, argues Azmi Bishara, Israeli Member Knesset (MK)" Excerpt: "It is the Qassam missiles, though, that have thrown into relief Israel's threadbare justifications for the construction of the security wall and unilateral disengagement. The wall cannot hold even against such a primitive weapon." "Israel's efforts in this regard have been greatly facilitated by the Sinai bombings, the first operastion that has allowed a link to be made betw een international terrorist networks and Palestinians" "one cannot help but note ... Arab efforts to underplay Israel's actions in Gaza." "Israel in its attempt to inaugurate its own phase in the region" Excerpts: That Israel's Gaza rampage was not just a response to the firing of Qassam missiles does not mean we have to subscribe to claims that Israel needs no excuse for its actions. That argument, with its implication that no means of combat can influence Israeli policy or behaviour, is self-defeating. ... Unlike the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon where a sovereign state claimed control and responsibility on the evacuated areas, the issue in Gaza is not just one of unilateral withdrawal, but of redeployment on conditions Israel believes will consolidate its control over areas of the West Bank. It hopes to control Gaza with less friction from the outside and annex parts of the West Bank while at the same time improving its international standing and alleviating international pressures to engage in a settlement process Israel neither wants nor can engage in given its current leadership and the state of public opinion. ... It is the Qassam missiles, though, that have thrown into relief Israel's threadbare justifications for the construction of the security wall and unilateral disengagement. The wall cannot hold even against such a primitive weapon. Israel is perfectly aware that after the redeployment of the Israeli troops the occupants of Gaza will never accept their fate as prisoners, will not accept an occupation at arm's length from the other side of a wall, certainly not in the absence of even the promise of a just settlement and a resolution to the question of Palestinian national sovereignty. Israel is not taken in by its hollow demagoguery about the culture of "terrorism". It is perfectly aware of the causes and knows exactly what to expect. It will make every attempt to minimise the possibility of Palestinian reaction, by using all its military capacities to produce a climate of fear. ... There are domestic political issues, raised by those who question the feasibility of suppressing Palestinian resistance by brute force. The Israeli government's answer is to move from one kind of violence to another ... hence the military incursions into poor residential areas and targeted assassinations in Damascus. There are also strategic questions over how to inhibit the development of the Palestinians' capacity to resist following unilateral withdrawal. Israeli efforts...have been greatly facilitated by the Sinai bombings, the first operation that has allowed a link to be made between international terrorist networks and the Palestinians, and the first time international terrorist operations have been mounted around the borders of Palestine. ... Palestinian factions maintain good relations with Egypt and want to keep it that way. If asked, the factions would all reply that only harm could come from attempting to rock the economic or political stability of Egypt. ... Palestinian political organisations have made it clear that they will not target Israeli citizens abroad. . ... [IMRA They haven't and have a history of attacking throughout the world.] The Sinai bombings offer Sharon an historic opportunity to promote tighter security coordination in the region and provide a justification for linking security coordination with economic and political interests. ... in spite of the Egyptian government's attempts to play down the magnitude and causes of the bombings in order to prevent panic in the tourist industry, you can be sure that it is taking the matter very seriously. ... Here was an opportunity for Sharon to extend his embrace to Egypt over the matter of security coordination in the fight against terrorism. ... . Israel...uses terrorism as a blanket term. ... acting on Sharon's directives, Israeli ministers are suddenly singing Egypt's praises in the hope of flattering Cairo into closer security cooperation, even if that means meeting the Egyptian demand to amend the Camp David peace treaty to permit for a stronger Egyptian military presence in Sinai. [IMRA: Egypt wants change without amending the treaty.] .. one cannot help but note... Arab efforts to underplay Israel's actions in Gaza. Some Arab newspapers kept the subject off the front page on the first day of the operation while others placed it towards the bottom of that page. This suggests a drive to manufacture a climate of weariness [Perhaps they are fed up with the Palestinians.] over the Palestinian cause, to engineer fatigue among Arab public opinion. The only non-wearying items that appear newsworthy these days are discussions within the Palestinian leadership, or about the Palestinian leadership and possible candidates. ... There was a time when we spoke about American phases .... There was a Truman phase, a Kissinger phase, a Carter phase and a Baker phase. Perhaps we should now talk of a Sharon phase... . Its most salient features are to be found in the military and political structures and operations required to marginalise the Palestinian cause, even in the Arab world, making the disengagement plan the only available alternative, with no roadmaps ... . This Israeli phase will be characterised by attempts to internationalise the Congress approved boycott of Syria. The recent UN Security Council resolution on Lebanon -- which has nothing to do with the Lebanese constitution and everything to do with encircling and striking at Syria -- can only be understood as a building block in this process. ... The only power at present capable of occupying other nations is embroiled in the war it engineered in Iraq. It has found itself incapable of controlling the pace and the logic -- or lack thereof -- of this war. Israel, in its attempt to inaugurate its own phase in the region, [IMRA: Not at all.] is certain to encounter obstacles next to which those that America is facing in Iraq will pale. So wisdom requires from Israel to get acquainted with its real size in the region. It will also not be harmful for the Arabs to have some knowledge about it so they do not get intimidated so easily. [IMRA: So what does the Arab world know?] Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA www.imra.org.il ----- SHARON: ONLY ONE UNILATERAL PULLOUT THE JERUSALEM POST Dec. 30, 2004 - Herb Keinon and Etgar Lefkovits - Israel will not unilaterally withdraw from any other territories after carrying out the Gaza disengagement plan, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made clear Thursday, responding to comments to the contrary that Industry, Labor and Trade Minister Ehud Olmert made to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. Olmert, whose comments in the past have occasionally been an indication of where Sharon plans to go in the future, said that Israel will need to carry out a large-scale withdrawal from the West Bank after leaving Gaza and northern Samaria, regardless of whether a peace partner emerges on the other side. "Israel's interest requires a disengagement on a wider scale than what will happen as part of the current disengagement plan," Olmert said, though he declined to define the extent of such a second disengagement. The Prime Minister's Office responded by saying that "Olmert's comments are completely unacceptable to the Prime Minister. There will be no other diplomatic plan besides the road map, as was agreed with US President George W. Bush on April 14. Israel will not carry out any other disengagement beyond what was approved by the cabinet and the Knesset. The Prime Minister's position on this is unequivocal." One senior official in the Prime Minister's Office said that the disengagement plan approved by the cabinet and Knesset "is the only one on earth." He said that if after implementation of the plan the Palestinians will take measures to uproot terror and institute significant governmental reform, then the next step will be to go back to the road map. "As far as unilateral steps are concerned," he said, "they begin and end with this plan." Read on: http://www.cephas-library.com/israel/israel_sharon_only_one_unilateral_pullout.html ----- ISRAEL SEEKS DEFENSE AGAINST IRANIAN ROCKETS [PRICE TAG PROBLEM?] [IMRA: One of the "benefits" of the retreat from Lebanon (the retreat that proponents of a retreat from the Gaza Strip point to as a model) is the 15,000 rockets deployed by Hizbullah along the Lebanese border with Israel. Is Israel considering a defense against the Fajrs in southern Lebanon that is based on having enough missiles on the Israeli side of the border to be able to intercept the "thousands of Fajrs" - at a cost of hundreds of thousands - or millions - of dollars per missile? ] TEL AVIV [MENL] -- February 1, 2005 - Israel has determined a requirement for a defense system against Iranian-origin long-range rockets supplied to Hizbullah. Officials said the Defense Ministry has contracted a feasibility study on a system to defend against the 15,000 rockets deployed by Hizbullah along the Lebanese border with Israel. They said the ministry as well as the military have assessed that Israel has come under immediate threat from these rockets, many of which have a range that can strike cities in the center of the country. For the last 15 years, Israel has developed, tested and deployed the Arrow-2 missile defense system, meant to protect the country against Scud-class and Shihab-3 intermediate-range missiles. The ministry study would examine the feasibility of using elements of the Arrow to defend against missiles and rockets with a range of 100 to 250 kilometers. The biggest rocket threat in Hizbullah's arsenal, officials said, was the Iranian-origin Fajr rocket. Officials said the new version of the Fajr has the accuracy of a short-range missile combined with the rapid launch and salvo-capability of a rocket. They said Hizbullah could have thousands of Fajrs in southern Lebanon [NOTE: The above is not the full item. This service contains only a small portion of the information produced daily by Middle East Newsline. For a subscription to the full service, please contact Middle East Newsline at: editor@menewsline.com for further details.] IMRA - Independent Media Review Analysis Website: www.imra.org.il  NEWSLETTERS  NEWS INDEX  MAIN INDEX