Reported from Jerusalem
1. ISRAEL ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF: HAMAS CALLS OFF ATTACKS INSIDE OF ISRAEL… Israel’s army chief of staff, Lt.-Gen. Moshe Ya’alon told the newspaper Yediot Aharonot on Friday that the Hamas terrorist organization has suspended terror attacks inside of Israel. Operations ‘over the Green Line’ in post-1967 territories appear to remain ‘legitimate’ for the organization. In keeping with previous statements saying that Israel will respond in-kind to such moves, Ya’alon indicated that the army will suspend targeted assassinations against Hamas leaders while continuing the strategy against other groups. Ya’alon expressed his belief that the move by Hamas marks a turning point in the period of unbridled violence that began in September 2000, saying, “It is possible that we will reach a cease-fire in the coming weeks. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be with us for many years to come, but I believe we have now passed the peak of the violent struggle.”
2. DEMONSTRATIONS FOLLOW USE OF LIVE AMMO ON PROTESTERS… Israel’s Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv was the scene of demonstrations on Saturday protesting Friday’s use of live ammunition against a crowd of protesters opposed to the construction of Israel’s controversial security fence. Two demonstrators — one Israeli and one American – were injured in the confrontation, one seriously. Army Radio reported on Sunday that army Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Ya’alon announced an investigation into the incident and in particular, the use of live fire. The Knesset (Parliament) Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee will also discuss the incident, according to its chairman, Yuval Steinitz. On Saturday night, Attorney General Eliyakim Rubinstein conferred with the army’s chief counsel and the two agreed that criminal charges might follow as a result of the army’s investigation. According to eyewitness reports, the demonstrators had been violently shaking the fence, apparently trying to bring it down. Some of the demonstrators were trying to cut through the barrier. Minister without Portfolio Uzi Landau (Likud) called the demonstrators “collaborators with terror” in justifying the army’s action, drawing fierce criticism from Labor MK Matan Vilna’i and others.
3. IRAN TO ISRAEL AFTER EARTHQUAKE: NO HELP WANTED… The death toll in the devastating earthquake that shook Iran on Friday has exceeded 20,000 and according to one official, “might reach as high as 40,000.” Nevertheless, a spokesman for Iran’s Interior Ministry said that “all kinds of humanitarian aid from all countries and international organizations [will be accepted] with the exception of the Zionist regime.” The quake struck as people slept, causing thousands to be trapped under the rubble of collapsed homes. Israel is considered to have exceptional expertise in locating and rescuing people from such situations and has reportedly offered through back channels to provide assistance to Iran.
4. ISRAEL: ASSASSINATION TARGET PLANNED “MEGA-ATTACK”… Maqlad Hamid was planning a “mega-attack” against Israeli civilians when he was killed by missiles fired from a helicopter gunship on Thursday, according to Israel’s defense minister. Shaul Mofaz would not elaborate other than to say the attack was to have been launched in the Gaza Strip, where there are a number of Israeli communities. Hamid is also believed to have been responsible for numerous other terror attacks, according to an Israeli army spokesman. Although media have largely portrayed a lull in terror since the last suicide bombing on October 4th, security services claim they have prevented 26 attacks in that time – all of them inside of Israel.
5. SHARON SOFTENS STANCE ON POSSIBLE SYRIAN OPPORTUNITY… Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has softened his initial absolute rejection of a possible overture from Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, it is now “engaged in a careful, serious review” of the remarks by Al-Asad and the messages he has sent through foreign intermediaries. The evaluation includes input from Israeli intelligence, experts on Syria, and from those in the foreign diplomatic community who have had direct contact with the Syrian dictator. Israel’s primary concern is that the approaches are aimed more at deflecting American pressure rather than in holding serious talks. American officials have been indicating that Syria is the “next stop” in efforts to bring changes to the region. Al-Asad has made clear that any negotiations would have to begin with an understanding that Israel must vacate the entire Golan Heights.
6. ISRAELI CABINET CRISIS OVER BUDGET, NOT SECURITY… Although many observers have been searching for signs that Ariel Sharon’s recent controversial comments about unilateral disengagement might spark a governmental crisis, the one at hand is budget-based. The National Religious Party, upset over cuts to religion-related programs, is threatening to ignore Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s move to invoke coalition discipline and vote against the budget. Sharon threatened to remove any minister who votes against his budget plan. That caused NRP leader Effie Eitam to reiterate his own threat to do so. It fell to Minister without Portfolio Meir Sheetrit, a Sharon loyalist, to launch the counterthreat of using the Shas or even Labor party to replace the NRP. While the coalition fights within itself, opposition legislators supported by media, are predicting an early downfall to Ariel Sharon’s government based upon the stagnation of security issues.
7. POLLS CONFLICT ON SUPPORT BY ISRAELIS OF SHARON’S UNILATERAL DISENGAGEMENT PLAN… Two recent polls provide conflicting results concerning public acceptance of Ariel Sharon’s plan for unilateral disengagement if no progress is made in the peace process. A poll released by Israel Radio last week indicates that 59% of Israelis support the idea. In that poll, the question was phrased as acceptance or rejection of Sharon’s speech at the Herzliya conference (where he revealed the plan). When a poll sponsored by the Ma’ariv newspaper phrased the same question, but with specific reference to whether the respondent supported the plan that includes an evacuation of Israeli communities, 51% said they were opposed to the idea.
8. ISRAEL LAUNCHES COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE… Israel’s Amos 2 communications satellite was sent into space aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket launched from Khazakhstan on Saturday night. The satellite is a commercial project that will enable Israel to broadcast into Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and the Gulf states. With 70 percent of its capacity already sold, the Amos 2’s owners are looking to sell the rest to the United States – to both government and private corporations – in light of what they view as the opening of the Iraqi market in the aftermath of the war.
9. NETANYAHU BELATEDLY JOINS SHARON’S INNER-CIRCLE… Israel Radio has reported that Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will at last join Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s so-called “mini-cabinet.” Although Netanyahu was promised by Sharon in the deal that brought him into the cabinet that he would be included in the elite group that deals with diplomatic and security matters, he has not participated in its meetings so far. Netanyahu now joins five other ministers in the group. Sharon has excluded right wing parties from the inner group.
10. WASHINGTON TIMES: AMERICAN MUSLIMS RATE
CANDIDATES ON PATRIOT ACT… The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is asking American Muslims to rate U.S. presidential candidates according to their positions on the USA Patriot Act. The measure allows law enforcement officers to take specific actions that civil libertarians claim abridge personal freedom and which Muslim groups say impact unfairly against their community. In particular, a newly released CAIR publication points to certain search provisions, access to personal records, indefinite detentions and the definition of ‘domestic terrorism.’