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Newsletter : 8fax0923.txt
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>Israel Faxx
>JN Sept. 23, 1998, Vol. 6, No. 169
Iraqi Pilot Who Defected to Israel with MiG Dies
By IsraelWire
Iraqi pilot Munir Rafa, who defected to Israel in 1966 in his
Russian-built MiG-21, died last month. His widow phoned a friend in
Israel, requesting assistance in taking care of his burial
arrangements.
.By dropping the Soviet plane in the IAF's lap months before the
start of the June 1967 Six Day War, Rafa afforded the air force the
ability to learn a great deal about the formidable opponent. The
plane was the frontline offensive plane used by Egypt, Iraq and
Syria at the time. The Mossad made the arrangement with the Iraqi
pilot, who received $55,000 and a guarantee that he and his family
would be relocated at the expense of the Israeli government.
In an attempt to make it appear the plane's landing in Israel was
the unilateral decision of the pilot, the [then] Mossad director
Meir Amit did not do anything that would give an appearance that
the Mossad was connected with the pilot "deciding" to go AWOL. The
Mossad felt it would be advantageous not to publicly do anything
that would strain relations between Israel and the USSR.
Rafa and his family lived in Israel for several years, and many
persons assisted them in feeling at home. Despite the hospitality,
he wanted to return to his love, flying, and he was assisted in
relocating once again to an unspecified country abroad.
Dutch Jews Attack Frank Researcher
By IsraelWire
Dutch Jewish leaders have denounced a demand for money from a
researcher holding five newly surfaced pages of Anne Frank's diary,
saying it exploits the teenager's legacy. "To darken her diary with
his kind of dispute over money makes people sick," said Ronni
Naftaniel, director of the Center for Information and Documentation
on Israel.
Cor Suijk, who ignited furor last month when he revealed that he
has five missing pages to "The Diary of Anne Frank," repeated his
demand at a meeting with members of the Dutch Jewish community.
As the international director of the New York-based Anne Frank
Center, Suijk stunned scholars last month by demanding money for
the handwritten pages in which Anne criticizes her parents'
marriage and describes her strained relationship with her mother.
"I feel that I have a mission. People are entitled to criticize me,
but I feel I am morally right," Suijk said.
Suijk says Anne's father, Otto, gave them to him shortly before his
death in 1980. He said he intends to give the pages to the
Netherlands State Institute for War Documentation, the custodian of
Anne's diary, as soon as a financial sponsor comes forward. The
proceeds would help support his cash-strapped foundation.
Anne and her family fled Nazi Germany before the war and hid in an
Amsterdam canal house from July 1942 until they were betrayed in
the fall of 1944. The teenager documented their life in a diary,
which was published posthumously. She died of typhus in the
Bergen-Belsen camp just weeks before it was liberated in the spring
of 1945.
Israel May Annex West Bank
By Ross Dunn (VOA-Jerusalem)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives Wednesday in New York where he will meet with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to discuss the Middle East peace process.
Netanyahu is to attend the United Nations General Assembly session.
An Israeli government official says Netanyahu also might hold talks
with the Palestinian Authority Chairman, Yasir Arafat, but only if
the two sides have made progress in negotiations.
Netanyahu warned he might annex most of the West Bank if the
Palestinians unilaterally declare an independent state.
Palestinian officials say the U.S is hoping to seal a deal while
the two leaders are in New York. The main issue for discussion is
a U.S. initiative for Israel to transfer an additional 13 percent
of the West Bank to Palestinian self-rule in return for
Palestinians doing more to halt terrorists attacks against
Israelis.
Israel Radio reports Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Albright
ahead of his trip and discussed the recent visit to the region by
Special Envoy Dennis Ross.
Ross spent more than a week in shuttle diplomacy between Arafat and
Netanyahu, and also briefed Arab leaders about his discussions. At
the end of his visit, Ross said the gaps between the two sides had
been narrowed, but there are still areas of disagreement.
Netanyahu says he would not rule out annexing the majority of the
West Bank if Arafat carries out his threat to declare an
independent state in May.
Netanyahu says an independent state for Palestinians can only
become a reality with the agreement of Israel. He said any
unilateral move by Arafat in this direction would mean the
end of the peace process which began in 1993 with the signing of
accords between Israel and the Palestinians on the lawn of the
White House.
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