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Newsletter : 9fax0617.txt
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>Israel Faxx
>JN June 17, 1999, Vol. 7, No. 109
PA Says No to Palestinians Working for Jews in Gaza
By Ross Dunn (VOA-Jerusalem)
In the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Authority has imposed a series
of tough new measures to force Palestinian construction workers to
leave their jobs in Jewish settlements. The move is aimed at
blocking the expansion of Jewish communities in Gaza.
Yasir Arafat's Palestinian Authority has taken bold steps to
prevent Palestinian construction workers from continuing to work in
Jewish settlements in Gaza. Palestinian workers have been summoned
to local police stations in Gaza and informed of the order. They
have been surprised by the severity of the penalties.
Some of the workers were reportedly detained and threatened with
jail sentences of up to one year and fines of 10,000 shekels, the
equivalent of $2,500. In other cases, the workers told their Jewish
employers that they were beaten, a claim denied by the Palestinian
police.
Most arabs vehemently oppose the construction of any new homes for
Jews in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, land which the PLO regards as
a part of a future independent Palestinian state. But because of
high unemployment in their areas, many Palestinian construction
workers have accepted jobs building Jewish settlements. The new
policy appears to be taking effect.
On Tuesday, at the Netzarim Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip,
only 10 of the 190 Palestinian construction workers reported for
duty. The Jewish settlers have quickly adjusted to the new
situation and have begun hiring Thai and Romanian workers to
replace the Palestinians.
Man Hanged in Iraq for Baghdad Synagogue Attack
By IsraelWire
A man reportedly has been hanged in Baghdad for a 1998 attack in a local synagogue in which four persons were killed.
The Jordan Times reported Mohammad Sharqawi, 36, was executed in Baghdad on June 3 for his shooting attack which claimed four lives. His widow, who moved to Jordan following the execution of her husband submitted the report to the Amman media.
Sharqawi lived in Baghdad since 1989 and holds and Egyptian passport. He claimed to have carried out the attack to avenge the killing of his parents by Israelis.
Jerusalem Officials Concerned About "Jerusalem Syndrome"
By IsraelWire
Clarence Wagner, the director of Bridges of Peace, a group
advocating closer ties between Israel and the Christian community,
says the celebration of the new century accompanied by an
anticipated 4 million Christian pilgrims visiting Israel in 2000,
could be accompanied by increase cases of "Jerusalem Syndrome."
According to experts, after several days in Jerusalem, a seemingly
normal person may envision him/herself as a biblical personality
and begin singing Psalms and preaching to passersby just wearing a
hotel sheet.
On Monday, Jerusalem Municipality officials, medical experts and
clergymen met in capital to discuss the real possibility of
pilgrims being affected with "Jerusalem Syndrome" while in Israel
in 2000.
Trying to allay such concerns, Monsignor Richard Mathes, the
Vatican's cultural attache in Israel, said that in 20 years in
Israel, he had only seen two Catholics suffering from the syndrome.
Protestants are more vulnerable, apparently because their beliefs
are less structured than those of the Catholics.
According to Dr. Yair Barel, who oversees the mental health
portfolio in the capital, as many as 40,000 pilgrims who visit
Jerusalem next year may come down with the syndrome. As many as
600-800 may require hospitalization and some of them may pose a
danger to the public.
Brothers Admit Charges Against X-Ray Rabbi Were Fabricated
By IsraelWire
Two Beersheva residents admitted to police that they falsified
complaints against Rabbi Yaakov Ifargen, known as the X-ray Rabbi.
Five women from Netivot filed complaints with the Beersheva
Rabbinical Court, claiming the rabbi, following their coming to him
seeking a cure to medical or marital problems, sexually molested
them.
The 34-year-old rabbi earned his name the "X-Ray Rabbi," after it
was reported he was able to diagnose medical ailments and in some
cases offer a cure just by gazing at the people seeking assistance.
The court Tuesday extended the remand of the brothers who are
believed to have hired the women to fabricate the harassment
stories against the rabbi. Oded, 30, and Boaz Edri, 29, remain in
police custody. Police explain that Oded is a senior aide to Rabbi
Baruch Abuhatzeira known as the "Baba Baruch."
Persons close to Ifargen allege the entire matter was orchestrated by
the Baba Baruch, whom they add was guilty of sexual misconduct
in his capacity as chief rabbi of Ashkelon. A complaint was filed
with police by Ifargen after one of the five woman stated the
signature appearing on the affidavit was not hers but a forgery.
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