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Newsletter : 9fax0308.txt
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>JN March 8. 1999, Vol. 7, No. 46
Yad Vashem Expansion Approved
By IsraelWire
Jerusalem planning officials approved plans for the expansion of
the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. The plans for the future call for
the addition of addition buildings and other unspecified
improvements.
Lebanon First Accepts Then Rejects Israeli Withdrawal Proposal
By Deborah Tate (VOA-Jerusalem)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed his country is
prepared to negotiate a troop withdrawal from Lebanon. But he says
Israel will only do so if Lebanon agrees to discuss security
arrangements.
Netanyahu's comments follow statements by Lebanon's Prime Minister
Selim Hoss. He said if Israeli troops withdraw from the security
zone they occupy the Lebanese army would deploy in southern Lebanon
and prevent attacks on Israel.
In an interview, Hoss said an Israeli withdrawal would revive
the 1949 Israeli-Lebanese Armistice Agreement, which -- as he put
it -- dictates explicitly that there can be no military actions
across the border.
Netanyahu responded: "Israel has been in Lebanon for over 20-years not because it wants to be in Lebanon, but because the government of Lebanon has not been prepared to control the southern part of that country and prevent terrorist attacks against the north of Israel.
"We are prepared to leave Lebanon, but only if suitable security arrangements are made to prevent Hizbullah attacks deep into the Galilee. If there is a will, there is a willingness on the part of Lebanon at such security arrangements, they can find in the government of Israel a willing and ready partner to arrive at such security arrangements that will facilitate the withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon."
Hoss' office later clarified the Lebanese prime minister's
comments, saying Lebanon is not ready to discuss security
arrangements for an Israeli pullout. Israeli officials interpret
the clarification to mean Hoss made his initial statement without
conferring with Syria, the main power broker in Lebanon.
Israel established the 9-mile-wide zone in 1985 to protect its
borders from potential terrorist attacks. Withdrawing from the
zone has become a key issue in Israel's campaign for prime
minister, following recent killings of seven Israelis, including
a brigadier general, by Hizbullah terrorists in the occupied
zone.
Arab Child Expelled from Nursery School
By IsraelWire
Following increasing pressure from parents, an Arab boy was
expelled from nursery school in Beersheva. When the news of the
expulsion was made public, the parent's of the toddler were
approached by other nearby daycare facilities expressing their
willingness to accept the child.
Eassim Houri, 20 months, was expelled from the nursery school when
the parents of the other children stated they would not accept the
situation in which an Arab child plays with their children.
Alona Ben Sheetrit, who runs the nursery, insists she had no other
alternative in light of the mounting opposition against her
decision to accept the child. She told Israel's Channel 2
Television News that the decision was dictated by the reality that
all of the other parents opposed the child's presence in the
daycare center.
According to the child's father Wassim, since the incident was
broadcast on the news, he has received many offers to accommodate
his little son's daycare needs and Eassim was already registered in
another facility.
Although expressing disapproval over the action of the nursery
school, Beersheva Municipality officials explained they were
powerless to take action since the facility was private and not
government run.
Ethiopian Immigrants May be Stranded at Airport
By IsraelWire
Minister of Immigration and Absorption Yuli Edelshtein stated that immigrants arriving from Ethiopia will be compelled to remain in Ben-Gurion International Airport since his ministry was unable to accommodate them at this time.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu by
Edelshtein, he referred to the Ethiopian situation as a "time
bomb," explaining that his office is unable to find suitable
housing for the many Ethiopian immigrants currently living under
unacceptable conditions in caravan camps without support of the
Finance Ministry.
Edelshtein explained that the responsible person in the Finance
Ministry has recently canceled a plan to provide housing for the
immigrants in the Mevaseret Tzion area, in the local absorption
center.
Edelshtein explained he had hoped to provide suitable housing for
approximately 1,000 Ethiopian immigrants in the absorption center
but David Milgrum scrapped the plan.
In his letter to the director-general of the Absorption Ministry,
Milgrum stated that the Jerusalem Municipality was in the process
of accommodating many new immigrants, including those from
Ethiopia.
Edelshtein warned that if a solution is not found immediately, by
the Passover holiday, new immigrants arriving from Ethiopia would
be compelled to remain in the airport since his ministry will not
have a housing solution to offer them.
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