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Newsletter : 9fax0914.txt
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>JN Sept. 14, 1999, Vol. 7, No. 170
Web Site Dedicated to Struma Tragedy
By IsraelWire
The Struma carried 769 Jews from Romania to Mandatory Palestine in
1942 and was stranded for 10 weeks in Istanbul because Britain
didn't permit them to enter the country. The Struma was towed into
the open sea and sunk by a Soviet sub on Feb. 24, 1942. Only one
person survived, David Stoliar, who now lives in the United States.
The web site gives the names of all the victims and tries to
document their lives.
http://www.alpas.net/uli/struma/struma_engl.htm
Final Talks Start Between Israel and PA
By Meredith Buel (VOA-Jerusalem)
Israel and the Palestinians have formally launched a new round of
negotiations which both sides hope will lead to a permanent peace
settlement for the Middle East. Monday's event at the Gaza-Israel
border was marked by conflicting statements from both sides
on their terms for peace.
Six years to the day after the historic Oslo peace accord was
signed, Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams have begun talks
in an attempt to reach a permanent peace agreement in the Middle
East.
At the opening ceremony, Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy said
such an agreement will end the "100-year conflict that has caused
so much suffering between Israel and the Palestinians."
Mahmoud Abbas, a top aide to Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, said,
"It is time for peace and peacemakers."
Such difficult issues as the borders of a Palestinian state, Jewish
settlements on the West Bank, the status of refugees and the future
of Jerusalem are all on the table. The two sides have agreed to try
to reach the outlines of an agreement by February, and a full
accord by next September.
U-S Middle East envoy Dennis Ross calls the timetable ambitious but
realistic. "I believe it is realistic. It is not a case of being
optimistic or pessimistic. It is a case of being realistic."
Earlier, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said he believes the
two sides can meet that challenging timetable.
"As much as we say that violence and terror can not go parallel
with the peace process -- the Israeli people and the Israeli
leadership must understand that the language of the past of
settlements -- the language of fait-accompli policies, the language
of dictation, the language of arrogance and power -- will not
enable both people to enter the next century in the vehicles of
historical reconciliation. So I think it is doable if the Israeli
government intends to have, once and for all, a genuine
peace that will suit the needs of both Palestinians and Israelis."
The current positions of the Israelis and Palestinians are far
apart. Analysts are skeptical these controversial issues can be
solved in one year.
There are more than 3 million Palestinian refugees who fled Israel
during various Middle East wars. The Palestinians say they should
have the right to return home, while Israel wants to limit the
scope of their return to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and says the
refugees will not be allowed to live inside Israel's border.
Israel views Jerusalem as its "eternal, undivided" capital.
Palestinians say East Jerusalem should be the capital of their new
state.
Erekat acknowledges a sense among both peoples that this may be the
last chance to make peace. "Let's seize the opportunity -- it may
not come back again."
Shotgun Flown Into Israel Undetected
By IsraelWire
IDF Lt. Col. Yoram Barak entered Israel with an old shotgun that he
purchased in Alaska, without the weapon's being detected by airport
security.
"I'm very surprised," stated Barak. "If I were a terrorist, I could
have carried out a terror attack in Ben Gurion Airport. No one
asked me what was in my bag, and I received the suitcase with the
shotgun at the airport without a problem."
Barak toured Alaska with family and friends. While there, he purchased the hunting gun, which is especially large, and was used for hunting bears. The weapon was packed with Barak's things in his suitcase, and left the Calgary, Canada airport, travelling via London. Upon landing in Israel, Barak gathered the shotgun with his other bags without anyone asking questions about it.
In just such a manner, a Japanese terror cell managed to carry out
a terror attack in Ben Gurion Airport in the past. Three of the
terrorists flew into Israel on an Air France flight from Paris,
joining the flight in Rome. They landed in Israel, received their
luggage, took out their Kalashnikov rifles and hand grenades and
began spraying the passenger area with bullets. Twenty-six persons
were killed in the attack.
Israel Airports Authority spokesman Pini Shiff stated: "The
responsibility for examining passengers and their effects is on the
point of embarkation, and on the country of the origin of the
flight. Security examinations of luggage are carried out on
specific target populations. No Western country makes security
checks on the luggage of entering air travelers. Doing so to
millions of tourists would mean the death of the tourist industry."
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