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The Media Line Daily News Focus

1. GAZA REFERENDUM BILL GOES BEFORE ISRAELI PARLIAMENT… Enabling legislation that would create a national referendum on the issue of Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip goes before the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, on Monday. It is expected to fail. Nevertheless, the Labor Party, the primary opponents of Ariel Sharon’s ruling Likud party that is presently sitting in a joint coalition, threatened to leave the government if the bill passes. Analysts at The Media Line point out that the measure is viewed as a test of the withdrawal itself. Most politicians believe that delaying pullout plans in order to hold a plebiscite would have a chilling effect on the withdrawal altogether. Once the referendum issue is disposed of, the final hurdle is passage of the 2005 state budget by Thursday, its statutory deadline. Failure to do so would automatically trigger new elections, but its passage was virtually assured last week when the Shinui party ended its holdout and committed its eleven votes in favor.

2. TENSION BUILDS BETWEEN U.S. AND ISRAEL OVER POST-1967 BUILDING… Tension grew between the United States and Ariel Sharon over the weekend on the issue of building in post-1967 communities and what the American president did or did not say in his letter to Israel last April. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon took the rare and diplomatically-charged step of publicly accusing American Ambassador Dan Kurtzer of deliberately trying to bring down his government after Kurtzer was quoted by an Israeli daily as saying that there was no specific understanding between the U.S. and Israel about settlement blocs being retained by Israel in any settlement with the Palestinians. The meeting at which Kurtzer allegedly made the remarks – which he denies doing – was held more than a month ago. Sharon reiterated at Sunday’s cabinet meeting that the Gush Etzion, Ma’aleh Adumim and Ariel settlement blocs will fall within the security fence and remain in Israeli hands. Analysts at The Media Line explain that much of the misunderstanding comes from the ambiguity of President Bush’s April letter and the aggressive spin by Prime Minister Sharon. Lost in the mix is the existence of two distinct American positions: support of the idea that changes in the situation since 1967 must be viewed “realistically” (read: Israeli retention of some post-1967 land) and continued absolute opposition to any building within post-1967 communities. Further complicating matters is the fact that Ariel Sharon is seen as reneging on the building freeze that he agreed to when he accepted the Road Map peace plan.

3. ISRAELI TROOPS ARREST EIGHT NEAR JENIN; EXPLOSIVE DEVICE INJURES ONE SOLDIER… One Israeli soldier was lightly injured when an explosive device was thrown his way during an operation in the area of Jenin in the West Bank. The Israelis arrested eight Palestinians identified as members of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization whom they said were trying to build homemade rockets similar to the Qassams that have been used against Israeli targets in and near the Gaza Strip. Israel has been concerned that the weapon would be used to fire on targets inside the 1967 demarcation line from post-1967 territories. Israeli security sources identified as Hamas members suspects captured with homemade rockets three weeks ago.

4. ISRAEL SUSPENDS QALQILYA TURNOVER… Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told Israel’s cabinet on Sunday that the promised turnover of Qalqilya to Palestinian security forces will not happen until and unless the Palestinian Authority makes good on its promise to disarm and monitor the movement of 17 wanted Palestinians in Jericho and 35 in Tul Karem. Security responsibilities for both of those towns were already transferred pursuant to an agreement reached between Israel and the P.A. at Sharm A-Sheikh in February. Mofaz also accused the P.A. of failing to confiscate Strella missiles that were smuggled into Gaza from Egypt last week.