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Newsletter : 9fax1015.txt
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>JN Oct. 15, 1999, Vol. 7, No. 191
UJC will Present Isaiah Award to Yasir Arafat
By IsraelWire
According to a report by the Jerusalem-based Israel Resource News Agency (IRNA), the United Jewish Communities (UJC) of Boston is planning to go ahead with the presentation of its most prestigious "Isaiah Award" for his efforts to bring peace to the region to PLO Authority Chairman Yasir Arafat.
Some Settlements will be Dismantled
By Ross Dunn (VOA-Jerusalem)
Jewish settlers in the West Bank have agreed voluntarily to evacuate 10 of their outposts and suspend plans for a campaign of civil disobedience against the Israeli Government. The compromise decision represents a political victory for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak who met with Jewish settlers Thursday to discuss his plans to dismantle some of the 42 outposts they had erected during the final months of the previous government of Binyamin Netanyahu.
During their discussions, Barak agreed he would demand that only 10 - instead of 15 - of the settlements be evacuated. However, some 2,000 members of the Israeli left-wing Peace Now movement, who demonstrated Thursday in the West Bank against the settlements, urged Barak to go much further.
One of the demonstrators, Professor Galia Golan, says all the Jewish settlements in the West Bank should be removed in order to make peace with the Palestinians.
"I think it is a shame that there is a compromise because we know that these outposts are illegal. If for political reasons Barak has made a compromise, we hope he will nonetheless continue, as he goes along, because these settlements are illegal. The other question is much deeper, of course, we know that the settlements are an impediment to peace. Somewhere along the line, if we are going to reach a peace agreement (with the Palestinians) we are going to have to withdraw from the settlements."
Barak prepared the ground for evacuation of smaller outposts by declaring that his final intention is to consolidate the Jewish settlers in larger communities, which would remain under Israeli sovereignty, even after a permanent peace deal with the Palestinians.
In doing so, Barak has achieved what political observers are calling an extraordinary precedent in persuading Jewish settlers to agree to leave and dismantle outposts in the West Bank, which they had previously sworn never to give up.
Barak to Congress: Where is Wye River Aid?
By Meredith Buel (VOA-Jerusalem)
Prime Minister Ehud Barak says the Middle-East peace process will suffer if the U.S. Congress does not approve $1.9 billion in foreign aid to help implement the revised Wye-River accord.
Barak told an American Jewish group visiting Israel he is concerned Congress is not including money to fund the revised Wye-River accord in the current foreign aid bill.
"We have to make sure the American people understand that the aid that was pledged to Israel as part of the Wye-River Memorandum is vital to the peace process. Without Wye aid and the sustained support of the American people for his process, I can not guarantee that peace will be a reality soon enough."
Barak says if the foreign aid is not approved, it will be more difficult to negotiate a permanent peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv says President Clinton has personally assured Barak, Palestinian Chairman Yasir Arafat, and Jordan's King Abdullah that he will continue to fight for the funding.
Rabbis Excommunicate Yigal Amir
By IsraelWire
Fifty-four rabbis from around Israel have affixed their signatures to a document placing the convicted assassin of Yitzhak Rabin in excommunication. The move come shortly before the fourth anniversary of the late Prime Ministers death.
In accordance with the text of the document, the rabbis forbid anyone from making any contact with Amir until such time as he express remorse for his actions. This would include communicating with him by telephone or in writing.
The rabbis add that if permitted leave from his prison cell, he would not be counted in a prayer quorum and would not be permitted to be called up to the Torah.
The rabbis explained that the terms used to justify the assassination, were not taken in the proper context and the Torah and Jewish law does not condone or permit the murder of another person. They add that any attempt to justify the assassination of the late prime minister under Jewish law was an abomination.
Foreign Service Officer Admits Sexually Assaulting Daughter
By IsraelWire
A member of Israel's diplomatic corps admitted that eight years ago, when his daughter was 11, he would regularly assault her sexually. The Ramle Magistrate's Court following the police investigation remanded the man on Monday. His bail was set at NIS 25,000. The police investigation was launched following a tip from the victim's boyfriend. The victim is now serving in the IDF.
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