ARCHIVES JUNE-JULY 2005.

1,000 Gaza Families Ready to Leave
About 1,000 Gush Katif families have signaled their readiness to leave Gaza and accept a Government-organized mass relocation package, YNET reported. The announcement comes days after a series of protests by right-wingers opposed to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's disengagement plan. The Gush Katif families, Gaza’s largest settlement bloc, plan to submit a letter to the High Court of Justice stating that while they oppose the withdrawal, they would like the court to press the Government to move their whole community into Israel to ensure that they remain united.  “If, God forbid, the uprooting occurs, it is our interest to have the whole bloc moved together,” they wrote in the letter. “We shall not rest nor stay silent until a solution is found for everyone. We are interested in unity.” “We understand Nitzanim is the most appropriate area to copy the bloc into,” they wrote. “We are asking you to act so that as long as the solution is in Nitzanim, the community can be established there."

To Assist During Disengagement, 8,000 Reservists to Be Called Up
The Israel Defense Forces plans to call up close to 8,000 reservists for the implementation of the disengagement plan, from mid-August until approximately mid-September, HA’ARETZ reported. But only a small number of officers and reservists will take an active part in the actual pullout. This number is significantly lower than the estimates mentioned over the past few months. By comparison, it amounts to merely one quarter of the number of reservists called up during Operation Defensive Shield in the West Bank in April 2002. Fewer soldiers than expected will be needed because the period of disengagement has been shortened significantly, from eight weeks to four.

PA Would Destroy Gaza Homes After Pullout, if Israel Did Not
The Palestinian Authority plans to demolish settler houses in Gaza and replace them with high-rise apartment blocks to ease crowding if Israel leaves the homes intact after it withdraws in the summer, HA’ARETZ reported. "If Israel does not destroy settlers' homes, we will destroy them," Palestinian Housing and Public Works Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told Reuters. He said most Palestinian cabinet members favored the demolition. Shtayyeh said the main reason was to make efficient use of scarce land in Gaza, one of the most densely populated territories on earth. Israel is still debating whether to destroy the houses when it evacuates 8,500 settlers from the Gaza Strip in three months' time. The Israel Defense Forces is against demolishing the homes, warning that it could take months and would put soldiers in danger. Washington has also urged Israel not to destroy the homes.

British Association Cancels Decision to Boycott Israeli Universities
British Lecturers overturned their decision to boycott Haifa and Bar-Ilan universities in a vote today, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Britain's 40,000-member Association of University Teachers voted last month to boycott the academic institutions for what it alleged were actions that undermined Palestinian rights and academic freedom. Upon exiting the meeting, Scott Styles, an AUT member from the Aberdeen local branch, remarked: "It was a passionate but measured debate." He said that in the first AUT meeting, when it was chosen to pass the boycott motion, there had been no proper debate, which had upset many members. Luciana Berger, a spokesperson for the Union of Jewish Students, was elated at the outcome. "This is fantastic news," she said, pleased with the "good results today." Berger categorized the results as just. "The feeling here is not one of being triumphant, but that the right decision was made. I'm disappointed we even had to be here in the first place," she said.

Hezbollah: 12,000 Rockets Ready to Strike Israel
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said his Lebanese Shiite group had over 12,000 rockets and Katuyshas capable of hitting northern Israel, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. Speaking in southern Lebanon on the fifth anniversary of Israel's withdrawal, Nasrallah said that Hezbolllah would fight anyone who tried to take away its weapons. He added that the organization did not want to drag the region into a war, but that any thought of disarming its members would be met with resistance. A United Nations Security Council resolution adopted in September demands that Syrian forces withdraw from Lebanon and that all militias in the country be disarmed.
 

High Alert at All Israeli Missions Worldwide Following Tashkent Embassy Incident

Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom instructed all Israeli diplomatic missions worldwide to go on a high terror alert after a man wearing mock explosives attached to his body tried to approach the Israeli embassy in the Uzbek capital Tashkent today, YNET reported. The man was killed by embassy security officers after he refused to obey requests to halt, and continued approaching the mission’s building after being fired in the legs. The man’s identity is still unconfirmed; it is unclear why he was heading to the embassy, or why he was wearing a fake explosive. Last July three people were killed in explosions - one near the Israeli embassy - in Tashkent. One of the victims was a bodyguard for an Israeli diplomat, Tzvi Cohen. At the time, two Islamic organizations took responsibility for the triple attacks.

FM Shalom: Iran May Have Nuclear Know-How in Less than Nine Months

Iran may develop the know-how to make nuclear weapons in six to nine months, Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom said today, HA’ARETZ reported. He called on the United Nations to impose sanctions on Iran. "Iran poses an existential threat, and that's why I think that the entire world understands that it's impossible to give such an extremist regime the possibility of having a nuclear bomb that can essentially threaten the integrity of the world," Shalom said today.  The day before, Shalom warned that Tehran was close to knowing how to make nuclear weapons. "Iran's announcement of their decision to renew uranium enrichment is, of course, a very dangerous announcement that must be viewed with appropriate concern," he told foreign diplomats at a reception at the President's Residence on Thursday. "Unfortunately, we see that indeed Iran will do everything to reach nuclear capability. The question is not whether Iran will have a nuclear bomb in 2009 or 2011. The question is when will they have sufficient knowledge [to build one], and we think that this possibility even exists in another six to nine months."
 

Settlers given a week to join Nitzanim relocation plan
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni on Wednesday gave settlers a week to sign up for the Nitzanim relocation plan a day after Prime Minister Sharon visited Nitzanim and urged contractors to speed up operations to prepare for the absorption of evacuees of this summer's withdrawal plan, the JERUSALEM POST reported. Roughly only 1/3 of the Gush Katif families in Gaza have signed up for the program. Minimums of another 24 families are needed to sign up, Livni said. The justice minister maintained that the one-week deadline was not an ultimatum but rather a direct call to all the evacuees to join the plan, without using middlemen or settler representatives. Regarding assistance in finding employment for the evacuees, it was decided to establish a project together with the Joint that would be responsible for creating job opportunities for Gush Katif evacuees. As to education-related problems, Education Ministry officials said thousands of places have been created to absorb the evacuated children in new schools in the next school year and this summer.
Jobs have already been found for the 394 teachers of Gush Katif, the officials added.

IDF targets Gaza terrorists
An IDF aircraft fired a missile at two Palestinians who attempted to launch a mortar shell at southern Gaza Strip settlements on Wednesday, critically wounding a Hamas terrorist in the first such attack since Palestinian and Israeli leaders declared a cease-fire in February aimed at ending four years of violence, Yedioth Ahronoth reported. The IDF launched the strike after soldiers spotted Palestinians in the town of Khan Yunis attempting to launch mortar bombs at the nearby settlements of Morag and Neve Dekalim - the latest in a series of increasing attacks by gunmen. The incident marks the first Israeli air strike in Gaza since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas declared a cease-fire in February. Abbas also secured an in formal truce with terrorists in March in an effort to maintain a lull in fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. But armed groups had threatened in recent weeks to resume violence after several IDF shooting incidents that led to some Palestinian deaths. In other news the IDF is demanding with no avail that the Palestinian Authority dispatch their security officers to curb the increased rocket and mortar attacks on both Israeli military and civilian targets during the past few weeks. The army has refrained from using aircraft to target Palestinian terrorists in recent months, but military officials warned the IDF would be forced to act should the PA not take action against mortar launchers. Israel plans to dismantle all 21 Jewish settlements from Gaza this summer as well as four of 120 in the West Bank, while strengthening existing West Bank settlement blocs. Palestinian gunmen in Gaza want to portray any Israeli withdrawal as a victory. Israel has been reluctant to promise any sure coordination on the plan, its first pullout from land Palestinians want for a state, and has resisted calls to resume peace talks until the Palestinians take tougher action against terrorists.

Israel backs Qatar for UN Security Council post
Israel has decided to back the small Gulf nation of Qatar,in its candidacy for a two-year term on the world body after Asian nations endorsed it for the post, HAARETZ reported. After weighing the appeal, Israel has "decided to support Qatar's candidacy for a seat of the non-permanent members of the Security Council", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Amira Oron said. The 15-member council rules on war and peace, sanctions and peacekeeping operations. There are five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members who sit on the council for two years. Oron said it was the first time Israel had supported an Arab state with which it lacks full diplomatic relations for one of the non-permanent seats. Israel hopes Qatar will reciprocate by upgrading their low-level ties, an official said. Israel has a commercial attaché posted in the Gulf state. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has said he wants to achieve full ties with 10 Arab countries.


U.S. group slams 'anti-Semitic' PA site
The Anti-Defamation League demanded on Wednesday that Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud Abbas remove a link on a Palestinian government Web site to an anti-Semitic forgery that details a false Jewish plan to take over the world, Yedioth Ahronoth reported. The "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", written by a German in the 19th century, remains one of the most popular anti-Semitic myths today. The forgery details a false Jewish plot of world domination. Russia's secret police used it to stir up anti-Semitism in the 19th and 20th century and Adolf Hitler used it to garner support during his propaganda war against Jews before he ordered them part of his “Final Solution.” An Arabic translation of “The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion” can be found in a section titled “The History of Zionism” on the Arabic version of the Web site of the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Information. “Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas should immediately have this document stricken from the Web site for which he is ultimately responsible and devote space to explaining the origins of this dastardly and dangerous piece,” the Anti-Defamation League said in a statement. A Palestinian official told the Reuters news agency said he was looking into the complaint. Israel has long accused the Palestinian Authority of not doing enough to stop anti-Jewish incitement in Palestinian media, which is one of the conditions that must be filled under a U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan.

Gaza Settlers Force PMO Director-General to Cancel Visit
Gaza residents forced Prime Minister's Office Director-General Ilan Cohen to cancel his visit to the Gush Katif settlement bloc this morning during which he was slated to meet with settlers’ leaders and view factories and the industrial infrastructure in the areas to be evacuated, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. As Cohen approached the entrance to Kfar Darom, residents blocked the gates leading into the settlement, forcing him to give up on his visit.  Today was the last day of a seven-day period for settlers to sign up for the Nitzanim relocation plan. Pushing to get more settlers to accept the proposal, Cohen was hoping to convince them that the government was serious about its offer to relocate them en masse. According to Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, 426 families have applied so far to move to the area. Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni said last week that if there were not enough families joining the project by today, the plan would be cancelled. So far only 99 families have submitted compensation claims to the Disengagement Authority - 69 of whom, northern Samaria residents. Some 1,500 families live in Gaza and another 200 in northern Samaria.

PA, Hamas at Odds over Date of Parliamentary Elections
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas are in conflict over the possible rescheduling of the Palestinian parliamentary elections set for July 17, HA’ARETZ reported. A five-hour meeting between Egyptian mediators and Hamas leaders in Gaza ended early today with no progress toward resolving the crisis. Hamas has threatened to resume attacks on Israelis as a result of the dispute. Deputy PA Prime Minister Nabil Sha'ath said today that the Palestinians could not organize a parliamentary election by mid-July, pointing to an election commission statement Monday that it could not be ready because of a row between Fatah lawmakers and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas over electoral law reforms.
In other news, Palestinian terrorists and Palestinian Authority police engaged in a gun battle in Jenin Tuesday. One bystander was lightly wounded. The incident started when the terrorists refused to hand over the stolen car they were driving. The PA has started to confiscate stolen vehicles, but has been reluctant to confiscate weapons, as Abbas promised during his election campaign.

Abbas to Meet Bush in Washington Tomorrow
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived in Washington today, will meet with U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday, YNEY reported. It is the first visit to the White House by a Palestinian leader in more than five years. The United States and Israel shunned Yasser Arafat, who last visited the United States in 1999, after the start of Palestinian violence in September 2000. Abbas is expected to ask Bush to press Israel to implement the U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan and halt all settlement construction in the West Bank. Prior to his visit, Abbas announced that Palestinian regional elections, scheduled for July 17, would be postponed to November - a move that could enflame tensions between his Fatah faction and the terrorist group Hamas.

Other News in Brief

* The Israel Defense Forces central command recommended to Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz the transfer of the West Bank town of Jenin to the Palestinian Authority before the implementation of the disengagement plan in northern Samaria, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. Senior IDF officers told the defense minister that Palestinian terror organizations were likely to take control of the area if Jenin was not transferred beforehand. Mofaz said that at this stage, there were no plans for the handover of Jenin to the PA since the latter was not fulfilling its obligations in the towns already in its control.

* "Orange Cell" university students agreed today to a request made by President Moshe Katsav to end their hunger strike launched in protest over the disengagement plan, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. For 12 days, about 50 students from across Israel did not eat, and only consumed water and juice. The students said that the democratic system in Israel failed in its handling of the painful issue.

* Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev qualified the newly published annual Amnesty International report on human rights violations, which accuses Israel Defense Forces soldiers of war crimes, as biased, HA’ARETZ reported. "This accusation of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank being involved in war crimes, that is something we reject," Regev said. "It would appear to be a very one-sided comment." Meanwhile, Yahad (Meretz) lawmaker Zahava Gal-On called today for an urgent Knesset debate following the publication of the document.

* Haifa District Court Judge Micha Lindenstrauss was elected by the Knesset as the next state comptroller this morning, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Lindenstrauss was the only candidate for the 7-year post after all of his potential rivals conditioned their application for the job on running for it without facing competition.