1. ‘ABBAS, SOUNDING LIKE ARAFAT, SETS AGENDA… Mahmoud ‘Abbas, the odds-on favorite to win January 9th’s Palestinian election, has kicked off his campaign sounding very much like the man he hopes to succeed: Yassir Arafat. While Israeli leadership has been trying to bolster the standing of ‘Abbas among his followers, the would-be president of the Palestinian Authority has shown no signs of reciprocating. Speaking at a rally in the town of Al-Bireh, ‘Abbas created direct counter-point to the issues about which Ariel Sharon has been trying to convince his own constituency. In particular, while Sharon has been insisting that his actions will shore up the viability of what he calls the “settlement blocs” of Gush Etzion, Ma’aleh Adumim and Ariel, ‘Abbas specifically named those groups of communities as being unacceptable to the Palestinians. ‘Abbas played down his own differences with Yassir Arafat and in his campaign portrays himself as Arafat’s comrade-in-arms. He is dwelling on the issue of the right of return of Palestinian refugees and a demand that Israel release Marwan Barghouthi, the Fatah Tanzim leader jailed for terrorist murders. The only conciliatory aspect of the ‘Abbas campaign so far is the call for a negotiated settlement and the insistence that the tactic of unbridled violence is counterproductive.
2. ISRAEL MAKES EFFORTS TO EASE CHRISTMAS IN BETHLEHEM… Israel tried to put on its best face for Christmas. Palestinians were allowed free travel to Bethlehem to attend Christmas celebrations and soldiers even handed out candies to both Palestinians and to foreign pilgrims at checkpoints and roadblocks. In stark contrast to the past four years during which the unbridled Palestinian violence caused harsh security precautions to cast a pall over the celebrations, Israel’s security establishment tried to make apparent the change in attitude since Yassir Arafat’s death. Israeli sources estimated that Bethlehem would have about 5,000 visitors over Christmas weekend. The perception among Palestinians appeared to be that the situation was better, but not good. Bethlehem Mayor Hana Na’sir, for instance, told reporters that although “the prince of peace was born here in the city, but unfortunately peace is missing still in this city,”
3. HAMAS TAKES NINE OF TWENTY-SIX WEST BANK RACES… When Palestinians voted for municipal leadership of 26 towns for the first time in 28 years on Thursday, the relative strength that the Hamas terrorist organization would display in the West Bank was perhaps the most anxiously-awaited outcome. Hamas is known to be strong in the Gaza Strip. Yet, it came as no surprise to many observers that Hamas soundly defeated Fatah in areas long considered to be bastions of Fatah support. Hamas candidates swept seven of the elections altogether and Fatah won majorities in twelve of the local authorities, including the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood/towns of Abu Dis and ‘Azariyya, Halhoul in the Hebron area, and Jericho. Fatah failed to emerge with clear-cut victories in the remaining seven races, all of which ended with no declared winner. Hamas is boycotting the January 9th presidential election, so its participation in the local council election last week was an important barometer of its strength head-to-head against Fatah.
4. SENIOR AL-AQ’SA BRIGADES LEADER KILLED BY ISRAELI FORCES… The top aide to the head of the Al-Aq’sa Martyrs Brigades terrorist organization was killed by Israeli forces on Saturday. Elite Israeli army troops had surrounded the house in which Thair Jamal Abu Al-Kamil had taken cover and after warning occupants to evacuate the structure, proceeded to blow it up with anti-tank missiles and bulldozers. Abu Al-Kamil’s body was found in the debris. The Al-Aq’sa Martyrs Brigades has been one of the most active and deadly terrorist forces operating during the period of unbridled Palestinian violence that began in September 2000. It is part of the mainstream Fatah faction that is headed by Mahmoud ‘Abbas, the emerging heir-apparent to Yassir Arafat.
5. LABOR PARTY’S YOUTHFUL CADRE PREPARES TO ENTER GOVERNMENT… While observers of Israel’s political process continue to assess the meaning of the Labor Party’s youth rebellion, its new leaders-designate prepare to take on important government ministries in the revised Sharon coalition. The nation’s largest opposition party held a popularity contest to determine the pecking order of portfolios to be assigned under the agreement with Ariel Sharon’s Likud party that will bring it into the government, possibly as early as next week. Many were stunned by the one-two finish of 43-year-old Ofir Pines-Paz and 44-year-old Yitzhak Herzog, both well-known within the party rank-and-file but considered by most – including themselves – to be one level away from the highest leadership level. 81-year-old party head Shimon Peres will meet on Sunday with the seven new ministers-designate. Labor’s entry into the government is being delayed while Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, changes one of the nation’s Basic Laws to allow a second deputy premiership especially for Peres. The only one currently authorized by law is held by Ehud Olmert, the former Jerusalem mayor.
6. REVEALED: SECRET HIGH-LEVEL VISIT BY INDIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS TO ISRAEL… At week’s end, an Israeli daily reported that a group of high-level defense officials from the Indian government had paid a top-secret visit to Israel last week. According to the report, the visit focused on arms sales and the fight against terror. Yet, the Indian media was far less circumspect, reporting the visit as the third session of the Joint Working Group on defense cooperation. The Central Chronicle of Bhopal wrote that the visiting contingent was an eight-member Indian delegation led by Defense Secretary Ajay Vikram Singh and that it was in Israel to review the whole gamut of defense ties between the two countries. The Indian delegation met with Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and with Amos Yaron, the director-general of the Defense Ministry. Only Russia surpasses Israel as India’s source for arms and defense-related goods.
7. ISRAEL RUMORED TO BE SEEKING ADDITIONAL AID RELATED TO GAZA WITHDRAWAL… Israel is reported to be asking the United States for extra funding to help cover the cost of deploying high-tech terminals for inspecting Palestinians at checkpoints in post-1967 territories following Israel’s unilateral pullout from the Gaza Strip. The money would be in addition to the almost $3 billion Israel already receives in annual defense aid, most of which is spent in the U.S. Media reports originating in Washington claim that Israeli Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu initiated the request during recent talks with American officials. It is believed that the Bush Administration wants to provide significant new aid to the Palestinians following the elections slated for next month, but hesitations remain over how to guarantee that the money will reach the appropriate recipients. One analyst told The Media Line that the question of Palestinian funding will have to be solved before the administration would be willing to give extra money to Israel.
8. U.S. AND ISRAEL REMAIN AT ODDS OVER AMERICAN DEMAND TO CONFISCATE CHINESE DRONES… The United States and Israel remain at an impasse over an American demand that Israel confiscate Chinese drones presently in Israel to be upgraded. The Israeli-built Harpies, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), were sold to China in the early 1990s. Israel claims that because it is an upgrading, not a sale, and that because no American technology is being used, it has no restrictions on its right to execute its contract with the Chinese. There are reports that the Americans believe that Israel is not being totally forthcoming on the issue. Numerous reports have circulated about U.S. Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith demanding the resignation of Israeli Defense Ministry Director-General Amos Yaron because he failed to keep the Americans up-to-date on its involvement with Chinese arms in general and the Harpy deal in particular. Either way, Israel is again being forced to choose between fulfilling a contract to a growing trade partner or bowing to pressure from its most important ally.