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Newsletter : 9fax0405.txt
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>Israel Faxx
>JN April 5, 1999, Vol. 7, No. 64
Arafat Joins Barak's Campaign
By Atutz-7 News Service
Labor party leader Ehud Barak asked Yasir Arafat to instruct the 20,000 eligible-to-vote Arab residents of east Jerusalem to support Barak for prime minister in next month's elections. Arafat said the Palestinians Must not do anything to hurt Barak's chances. He said that the candidacy of Arab Knesset member Azmi Bishara for prime minister is "a bad move -- it will hurt Barak."
Israel will Send Field Hospital to Kosovo
By Arutz-7 News Service
The Israeli government decided Sunday to establish a field hospital
for the Albanian refugees from Kosovo. Two planes containing
emergency supplies and 8-10 doctors will depart for the region in
a mission jointly organized by the Health and Defense Ministries.
The field hospital will be situated in either Macedonia or Albania,
both of which border Kosovo. Defense Minister Moshe Arens said that
the venture is "very large and complex, in both resources and
manpower."
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Yugoslavia published a letter last week strongly condemning NATO air strikes. The letter reads, "The bombing hurts all Yugoslav citizens, including Jews, as we also are citizens of Yugoslavia. Bombs and missiles do not select victims according to national or religious criteria. The FJCY and members of the Jewish community in Yugoslavia condemn the bombing, and request that it be stopped at once."
A FCJY press release notes that "Jews of Yugoslavia origin demonstrated on March 26 in front of the British Embassy in Tel Aviv against attacks of NATO forces on our country. Demonstrators carried slogans saying "Kosovo is the Serbian Jerusalem," "Kosovo is the Heart of Serbia," "Kosovo today, Jerusalem tomorrow" in English, Hebrew and Serbian.
Sharon: Balkan Situation May Repeat in Israel
By IsraelWire
Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon warned the situation today in
Yugoslavia could be repeated in the future in Israel if
Arabs in the Galilee demanded autonomy. "If Israel supports the
type of action that's going on in Kosovo, it risks becoming the
next victim," Sharon told a meeting of his aides, according
Yediot Ahronot.
"Imagine that one day the Arabs of Galilee decide to demand
autonomy for their region and join up with the Palestinian National
Authority," he said, warning that any attempt to force a solution
in that case would be "very dangerous" for Israel.
Christians Celebrate Resurrection of Jesus
By Ilene Prusher (VOA-Jerusalem)
While church bells rang in Jerusalem, in the Galilee town where
Jesus once lived, Easter Sunday has been less peaceful. Church
bells rang out across Jerusalem (Sunday) as many Christians
celebrated Easter, the day of Jesus' resurrection.
Pilgrims from around the world trod the "Via Dolorosa" -- the
path many believe Jesus was forced to walk by Roman soldiers.
They ended their procession at the "Church of the Holy
Sepulcher," built upon the place where, tradition holds, Jesus
was crucified, entombed and resurrected.
There, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabah delivered his Easter message,
where he appealed for an easing of tensions between Christians
and Muslims in the Holy Land.
But there was little peace this Easter Sunday in Nazareth, the
Galilee village where Jesus once made his home. Christians and
Muslims clashed over an outstanding land dispute in what today is
the largest Arab-populated town in Israel.
Christians want to use land near the "Basilica of the Annunciation"
to make a public square for the influx of Christian pilgrims
expected in the coming year, which marks the second millennium
since Jesus' birth. The church -- Nazareth's holiest Christian
site -- marks the place where, according to the Gospel of Luke,
Mary was told she would give birth to the Messiah.
But Muslims want to build a mosque on the site, which is near the
grave of the nephew of Salah ed-Din. Revered by Muslims
everywhere, it was ed-Din who regained control of the Holy
land for Islam, wresting it from Crusaders in the 12th century.
The plaza is part of plans by Israel and the Palestinian Authority
to upgrade facilities for the millions of pilgrims expected to
flood the Holy Land to mark the upcoming millennium. The Israeli
Tourism Ministry estimates they will need to accommodate between
4-4.5 million visitors next year -- more than twice the annual
average -- while the Vatican says 6 million can be expected.
Street brawls in Nazareth were fought only with rocks and angry
words -- seven were wounded, with most suffering light injuries.
But some believe the dispute in Nazareth could prove almost as
difficult to resolve as the one in Kosovo.
Saddam and South Africa
By IsraelWire
Jane's reports having received an "intriguing but unconfirmed
report" of how Saddam Hussein's Iraq has been trying to obtain
components of its supposed "Military Biological Project."
According to Jane's Defense Weekly, a usually well informed Middle
Eastern source says that, if the report is confirmed, supplies
bought in South Africa could significantly shorten the development
timetable of this clandestine project, code-named Operation Samsam.
