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The Media Line Daily News Focus

1. WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES CALLS FOR ISRAELI DIVESTMENT… The body representing millions of Protestant and Orthodox Christians worldwide, has called for its 342 member churches to divest from companies profiting from “Israeli control of the West Bank and Gaza.” [Editor’s note: “Church” refers to denominational infrastructure including all individual member churches. Presbyterian Church (USA), for example, is a single member-church, but represents individual churches throughout the United States with an aggregate membership estimated at 2.5 million Presbyterians.] The central committee of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Geneva, modeled its resolution after that passed by the Presbyterian Church (USA) last year. While not naming specific companies to target, the WCC statement indicated that corporations involved in building and infrastructure of Jewish communities in post-1967 territories were fair game, as were companies involved in the demolition of Palestinian homes. The latter reference is apparently aimed at companies such as Caterpillar, Inc., which has been attacked by pro-Palestinian groups because its machinery is used by Israeli forces.

2. QUREI’ SCRAPS CABINET LIST TO STAVE OFF THREAT TO JOB… Ahmad Qurei’ chose to scrap his list of proposed members of the Palestinian Authority’s cabinet rather than chance legislators’ threats to remove him from office if he did not. Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council demanded that the new cabinet roster be free of those accused of participating in the corruption that marked previous governments. The Palestinian prime minister will present a new list on Wednesday typified by what is being described as “reformers.” PLC members called for a break with the legacy of Yassir Arafat, whom they accused of making his appointments based upon loyalty rather than ability.

3. AIR FORCE COMMANDER NAMED NEW ISRAELI CHIEF OF STAFF… Air Force Commander Major General Dan Halutz has been named as Israel’s new army Chief of Staff. He presently serves as deputy chief of staff. The appointment is not without controversy. Current Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Moshe Ya’alon was denied a customary fourth year by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, and set to end his term literally days before the nation embarks on its controversial unilateral pullout from the Gaza Strip and four communities in other parts of post-1967 territory. Because of what most military observers see as an obvious flaw in planning, Ya’alon has announced that he will step down earlier in order to allow his successor time in office before the potentially divisive evacuation begins. The move also necessitates replacing the deputy spot and the head of military intelligence, also at a most inopportune time. Some Israeli commentators have noted the close personal relationship between Halutz and Prime Minister Sharon.

4. ARAB-AMERICAN MAN CHARGED IN PLOT TO KILL PRESIDENT BUSH… A 23-year-old Arab-American man has been charged with conspiring to kill President George W. Bush. Houston-born Ahmad ‘Umar Abu ‘Ali allegedly joined a cell of the Al-Qa’ida terrorist organization in Saudi Arabia in 2001. It was there that he discussed two alternative plots to kill the president, one involving a street shooting and one in which a car bomb would be detonated. The indictment, which included five other terrorism-related offenses, was read in the Federal District Court in Virginia. Abu ‘Ali, who was arrested in 2003, did not enter a plea. He did, however, charge that he was tortured while in American custody, offering to show the judge scars on his back. Abu ‘Ali’s lawyer said his client was whipped and handcuffed for “days at a time.”