Reported from Jerusalem
1. U.S. REITERATES: WE WON’T DEAL WITH ARAFAT GOVERNMENT… American envoy John Wolf reiterated Washington’s insistence that the Bush Administration will not deal with any Palestinian government that is controlled by Yassir Arafat. Wolf listed as other conditions the prime minister’s full control over all security forces and the dismantlement of terrorist organizations. It is Ambassador Wolf’s role to oversee the implementation of the Road Map for Peace. The reality, however, is not simple, as analysts point out. The prime minister-designate, Ahmad Qurei’, is a longtime Arafat loyalist who continues to acknowledge the Chairman’s authority. It is unlikely that he will sever ties to Arafat, and Qurei’ has asked Arafat’s own Fatah faction to nominate 16 of 24 cabinet members, insuring Arafat’s continued control. Assuming this does not change, it remains to be seen whether the American president remains true to the criteria he has set.
2. SHARON EMISSARIES ARRIVE IN D.C. TO PLEAD FOR FENCE… Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has sent two emissaries to Washington to plead his case for the controversial security fence and convince the Bush Administration not to penalize Israel for the cost of the fence. Last week, it was announced that Israel would be charged against American loan guarantees for construction that is being done “over the Green Line” – in post-1967 territories. While the Israeli envoys try to convince the Americans that the fence is a security “must,” and that the route selected will not cause undue hardship for Palestinians, Israelis back at home continue to argue among themselves over those very issues. In an effort to stave-off the imposition of penalties, Sharon has already capitulated on a section of the barrier that runs near the post-1967 city of Ariel, opting to leave it un-built and patrolled by other means.
3. ISRAEL RADIO: ILLEGAL PALESTINIANS USED TO BUILD ANTI-PALESTINIAN FENCE… Israel Radio reported on Sunday morning that the firm contracted to construct the controversial security fence that is being erected to keep Palestinians out of Israel, is using Palestinian laborers whom they are bringing to Israel illegally. According to the report, the workers are being brought in from two villages in the Palestinian Authority. They not only lack work permits, but are being brought into Israel without any security check and via routes that avoid army checkpoints. The Ministry of Defense, according to the radio report, denied any knowledge of the matter, claiming that it is being done by subcontractors with whom the ministry has no direct connection.
4. CABINET OPPOSITION TO PRISONER-SWAP PLAN… Ariel Sharon’s own cabinet ministers are expressing opposition to a proposed prisoner-swap plan being negotiated with the Hizbullah terrorist organization through German intermediaries. Those opposed believe that such a deal will provide incentive for terrorist groups to kidnap more Israelis. Details of the deal that have been reported in the media indicate that Sharon has reversed Israel’s long-standing refusal to free Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal with Hizbullah. Sharon is also willing to give up two key prizes, Sheikh ‘Ubeid and Mu’stafa Dirani, who have long been in Israeli captivity and have been viewed as bargaining chips for the day when a comprehensive prisoner exchange that included Ron Arad could be arranged. Many Israelis are enraged that the demand to release Arad, an airman captured in 1986, whose rescue is a cause-célèbre for the nation, has been dropped by Sharon. As it stands, Israel will obtain captive businessman Elhanan Tennenbaum and the remains of three soldiers kidnapped and assumedly killed in September 2000 and no one else.
5. GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES RESOLUTION WARNING ISRAEL ON ARAFAT… The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution by a vote of 133-4 with 14 abstentions, demanding that Israel retract its threats to remove Yassir Arafat. Arafat praised the resolution, saying that it, “shows the international community … stands by the Palestinian people, who have lived under this occupation that does not respect any laws.” Israel rejected the resolution, saying that, “Once again, the Palestinians have decided to focus their energies on rhetoric instead of fighting terrorism.” The American Ambassador to the U.N. said the United States voted against the resolution because it was not balanced in that it did not name specific terrorist organizations.
6. PRIME MINISTER TO MEET WITH RELIGIOUS PARTY IN ATTEMPT TO HEAD OFF COALITION CRISIS… After the secular Shinui Party charged that the National Religious Party is violating the coalition agreement by failing to dismantle the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Prime Minister Sharon and his deputy, Ehud Olmert, will meet with the NRP minister in charge of religious issues, in an attempt to prevent the conflict from worsening. The agreement between NRP and Shinui was the most difficult for Sharon to obtain in assembling a cabinet. The religious party agreed to the dismantlement of the Religious Affairs Ministry over a period of time as long as religious services were made available to the public through an alternative source. The issue intensified when Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu punished Shinui for voting against the budget last week by canceling his agreement with the party to transfer funding from the religious council to social and welfare purposes.
7. BANK OF ISRAEL GOVERNOR: SOCIAL CUTS TOO DEEP, MILITARY NOT ENOUGH… The Governor of the Bank of Israel weighed in on the budget controversy by expressing support for the Treasury’s intent to severely slash the military budget, but criticized the extent of the cut to social programs. David Klein charged that the cuts to those programs are being made because of the agreement between the Treasury and the Defense Ministry to reduce the cut in the 2004 budget from 3 billion shekels ($670 million) to 1 billion ($223 million).
8. U.S. CHAPLAIN ARRESTED ON SPY CHARGES… A U.S. Army chaplain serving at the Guantanamo Bay naval base, whose duties included counseling Al-Qa’ida prisoners, has been arrested and charged with espionage. Captain James J. Yee, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, already faces five counts including sedition, aiding the enemy and espionage. Treason might be added. Yee was born into a Christian family, but converted to Islam during a period in which he studied the religion in Syria.
9. U.S. INVESTIGATING REPORTS THAT SYRIA HID SADDAM’S WEAPONS… The United States is investigating intelligence reports that Iraq hid weapons in Syria. The information was part of testimony by U.S. Undersecretary of State for arms control James Bolton to a subcommittee of the House of Representatives. Bolton said that Syria is developing medium-range missiles that could launch nerve gas to a radius of hundreds of miles. He warned of the longer range Scud-D that was developed with North Korean help, that has a range of over 300 miles and can be equipped with chemical warheads. He said that Syria’s chemical weapons program is one of the most advanced in the Arab world.
10. EURPOEAN NATIONS MOVE AGAINST ISLAM… European nations are moving to prevent the spread of what they are calling “radical Islam.” The latest actions are by France and Denmark. The French interior minister has threatened to close any mosque in France that is considered extremist and expel any Islamic leader who preaches a “radical message.” In Denmark on Friday, the government published a plan to curb the activities of “radical religious leaders.” Officials said the move was specifically aimed at Islamic clergy. The actions in both countries are designed to prevent the establishment of bases of support for radical Islam.