1. SOLUTION SOUGHT FOR SHARON-NETANYAHU STAND-OFF… Israeli Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid has undertaken the role of intermediary between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu as a compromise is sought that will ensure cabinet approval of some form of Gaza withdrawal plan. Lapid told media that he believes Netanyahu favors a compromise solution, but the prime minister has hardened his position and at the moment, insists that he will reject any compromise with Netanyahu. Sharon has been attacking Netanyahu, claiming that he’s putting personal ambition before the good of the country. Netanyahu, however, is reminding the prime minister that he, too, agreed to be bound by the results of the recent referendum which rejected the pullout plan. Nevertheless, many argue the present dispute is one of semantics. Sharon insists on presenting his entire plan which calls for the same total evacuation as the original version, but this time broken into four phases. Netanyahu says he’s rejecting a mere cosmetic change, but will agree to phase one if it stands alone and is not tethered to the other three stages.
2. WASHINGTON WORRIED ABOUT “THE MORNING AFTER”… The American administration continues to express concern about a potential security vacuum that might be created by Israel’s unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The primary worry is that “Islamic extremists” will take control, increasing, rather than controlling, violence. Washington feels for that reason, the phased withdrawal is less desirable than the total withdrawal originally planned. If the security situation worsens, the entire maneuver will backfire on both Israel and the United States. In recent days, Egypt has said it will take on some of the responsibility of keeping the peace, including training Palestinian troops, but it demands a major role for Yassir Arafat. That is problematic for both the U.S. and Israel, both of which have a policy of ignoring Arafat.
3. ISRAEL’S ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF: KEEP SOLDIERS OUT OF POLITICAL DEBATE… Israel’s army chief of staff is not pleased that his senior officers are being pulled into the political debate over the proposed unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Both sides of the issue are quoting army officers to support their position and the army’s chief of intelligence has been lobbying for the prime minister’s side in favor of the plan. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya’alon, himself, has been quoted as warning that the withdrawal will be interpreted by Palestinians as a reward for terror, but also warned that failure to pass it could be interpreted as a sign of the government’s weakness. Ya’alon said, “I see fit to re-emphasize today that no one must use the IDF to advance a political argument.”
4. PALESTINIANS, ISRAEL DISPUTE CHARGES OF MASS HOME DEMOLITIONS… Palestinians are charging that Israel is continuing to demolish homes in Rafah, the Gaza Strip, with the intention of reaching a goal of three thousand homes. They charged that on Sunday, 25 homes were razed. Israeli sources deny the charge, saying that on Sunday “about 15 deserted houses were demolished after forces identified explosive devices or armed Palestinians booby-trapping the sites.” Meanwhile, the Israeli army reopened the Erez Industrial Park, two months after it was closed because of a suicide bombing. The park is the source of livelihood for thousands of Palestinians.
5. ARAFAT, ON ISRAELI TV, CLAIMS TO HAVE THWARTED REVENGE ATTACKS ON ISRAELIS… In an interview granted to Israel’s Channel 10 television, Yassir Arafat said that his government prevented revenge attacks on Israel following the killings of Hamas leaders Yasin and A-Rantisi. Asked why the promised attacks never came, Arafat replied that, “It is thanks to the Palestinian Authority, efforts by Egypt and the efforts of the Quartet.”
6. CHIEF OF STAFF BLASTS ARAB MEMBERS OF KNESSET FOR REMARKS AGAINST SOLDIERS… Israel’s army chief of staff has rekindled the debate over Arab members of Knesset (Parliament) using their positions to express ideas considered to be disloyal to the state. Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya’alon blasted the Arab MKs for their recent tirades against Israeli soldiers. Citing instances is which Israeli troops were described with expressions such as “murderers,” “war criminals,” “Nazi deeds,” “genocide” and “mother of a cold-blooded murderer,” Ya’alon said in a letter to the Speaker of the Knesset that, “IDF activities are subject to the scrutiny of legislators, but these statements seriously hurt IDF soldiers and commanders who work night and day, while risking their lives, to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.”