Reported from Jerusalem
1. SHARON CONCERNED BY REPORTS OF IMPENDING BUSH LETTER TO ‘ABDALLAH… A letter that U.S. President George W. Bush is widely expected to send to Jordan’s King Abdallah II has Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon worried that it might signal defeat in his party’s referendum on Sunday. Having agreed to hold an intra-party vote to approve or reject his plan for a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the prime minister has been campaigning on what he is calling “commitments” made by President Bush – none of which had been spelled out with any specificity by the American administration. The Sharon interpretation – supported by Israeli media – has infuriated the Arab world, which is declaring the U.S. no longer appropriate to serve as an honest broker between Israel and the Palestinians. King ‘Abdallah II of Jordan recently snubbed Bush by refusing to meet with him until the president’s positions are clarified. Word from Washington is that Bush will send the king the letter he desires — effectively confirming that the Sharon interpretation is inaccurate and specifically, that all matters in which the Israelis claim “commitment” must still be decided in final status negotiations – but only after the Israeli votes for approval are concluded. Sunday’s referendum will be followed by votes in the cabinet and Knesset (Parliament).
2. SUICIDE BOMB INJURES FOUR IN GAZA… A jeep displaying an Israeli flag and carrying more than 600 pounds of explosives blew up relatively harmlessly after it was spotted by Israeli soldiers near Jewish communities in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Alert infantrymen gave chase to the suspicious vehicle and exchanged gunfire with the driver before it blew up. Four soldiers were injured in the explosion, two lightly and two moderately. It was believed that the plan was for the bomb-on-wheels to crash into a bus or convoy of vehicles, potentially causing major casualties. Only one day earlier, at least 70,000 Israelis, mostly traveling in buses, were in the nearby communities in a show of opposition to Prime Minister Sharon’s plan to unilaterally withdraw from Israel’s towns and villages in the Gaza Strip.
3. 70,000 CLOG ROADS TO GAZA IN OPPOSITION TO SHARON PLAN… Scores of thousands of Israelis used the nation’s Independence Day to show their support for their countrymen who live in the Gaza Strip and their opposition to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the area unilaterally. Police placed the number at 70,000. Roads to the Gush Katif bloc of towns were jammed, causing back-up delays that lasted for hours. Media reports indicate that the prime minister’s office is seriously concerned that it will lose the referendum and some analysts believe that Sharon will renege on his commitment to be bound by the results if he loses. The prime minister’s office has refused multiple requests by The Media Line to clarify whether Mr. Sharon stands by his agreement to accept the referendum results as “binding.”
4. PHASE TWO OF PRISONER SWAP IN JEOPARDY… Three months after the controversial prisoner-swap that saw more than 400 Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for the bodies of three Israeli soldiers and the return of one Israeli citizen believed to be involved in criminal activity, the next phase appears to be in jeopardy. The Hizbullah terrorist organization was to provide credible information on the fate of Ron Arad, an Israeli airman held captive for 18 years by successive terrorist organizations in Lebanon and Iran. According to German negotiators, Hizbullah appears to be unable or unwilling to fulfill that part of the bargain. Also at issue is the release of Samir Quntar, who carried out the grotesque murder of most of an Israeli family. Israel made his release – vociferously opposed by Israeli citizens – conditional upon the receipt of information concerning Arad. Prime Minister Sharon has come under scathing criticism for what many call his abandonment of Arad while using up Israel’s bargaining chips to secure the release of the shady Elhanan Tennenbaum three months ago.
5. NUSSEIBEH ARRESTED FOR EMPLOYING ILLEGALS… Palestinian activist and president of Al-Quds University Sari Nusseibeh was arrested Wednesday morning on charges of employing Palestinians who are in Israel illegally. Nusseibeh reportedly took responsibility for employing four men discovered in a police raid. Such raids are not limited to Palestinians. Workers from other parts of the world, including Nigeria and the Philippines, who do not have proper work permits, have been frequent targets of police. Nusseibeh is a high-profile Palestinian activist who is co-author of a peace plan with a former head of Israeli intelligence.
6. EUROPEAN BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN TEL AVIV UNDER MASSIVE PROTECTION… The final four tournament of the Union of European Basketball Leagues (ULEB) will be held outside of Tel Aviv this week under security precautions that rival visits by heads of state. Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv team, one of the final four contestants, led the fight to hold the tournament as planned while some of the league’s teams asked that the Israel matches be played elsewhere due to fears for their safety. Supporters of the two Italian teams in the finals have promised to boycott the games in Israel. An unusually small delegation is expected to represent the third team, one from Russia. It is estimated that there will be one security person for every three spectators.