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Newsletter : 9fax1203.txt
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>Israel Faxx
>JN Dec. 3, 1999, Vol. 7, No. 224
Health Minister Calls for 'Treatment' of Homosexuals
By IsraelWire
Health Minister Shlomo Benizri (Shas) ignited a controversy on World AIDS day Wednesday when he said "homosexuality has to do with a genetic defect" and that gay people needed medical treatment.
Wearing a red ribbon on his lapel, Benizri, an Orthodox rabbi, defended his right to express his views. He denied a report in the Israeli daily, Ma'ariv, Wednesday that proposed separating homosexuals in the nation's hospital wards. Benizri remarks incurred the wrath of Israel's lesbian and gay community. He was also roundly criticized by members of the country's left-wing parties.
Last week, Benizri sparked further controversy when he accused large numbers of non-Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union of bringing "defilement" into Israel. Last month, he banned AIDS awareness advertisements from featuring pictures of condoms.
Israeli Police Uncover Iran-Contra File
By IsraelWire
Israeli police found a top secret document linked to the Iran-Contra affair during an office search of a private detective linked to the murder conspiracy case of Ma'ariv publisher Ofir Nimrodi.
Maj. Gen. Yossi Sidbon, chief of the police investigating unit, would not reveal the contents of the document, found in the office of Oded Ben-Dov, a suspect in the case.
Nimrodi, was arrested Nov. 23 on suspicion of planning the murders of two newspaper rivals and a detective. He is also alleged to have obstructed justice. Nimrodi is on leave from his position pending the outcome of the police investigation.
In the 1980s, Iran-Contra was the buzzword for illegal arms shipments to Iran. In 1985, Nimrodi's father, Yaakov, an arms dealer and former Mossad intelligence chief in Iran, arranged U.S. arms shipments to Iran in 1985. After a prolonged scandal, U.S. officials eventually admitted they were diverting proceeds from arms sales to Iran to fund anti-Sandinista insurgents in Nicaragua.
Police are said to be looking into how the document came into Ben-Dov's possession. Ben-Dov has been remanded into custody for five days.
UN Slams Israel on Jerusalem Policy
By IsraelWire
In a resounding criticism of Israel, the UN General Assembly adopted several resolutions supporting Palestinian statehood and characterizing as illegal Israel's policies in Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.
The United States and Israel rejected the non-binding resolutions. Several small countries abstained. Over the last two days, Israel was repeatedly criticized for failing to implement provisions of peace accords with the PLO Authority. Speakers in the General Assembly charged Israel with not abiding by resolutions dating back to the start of the United Nations. They cited Jewish settlement building and the plight of thousands of Palestinians living in refugee camps or in other Arab countries.
One resolution, calling for resolution of the problem of "Palestinian" refugees from the 1948 War of Independence and Israel's withdrawal to 1967 lines, was adopted with 149 yes votes. The United States, Israel and the Marshall Islands voted against the resolution, which also included support for Palestinian statehood, while Uzbekistan and Micronesia abstained.
Israel cast the lone vote against a resolution, said that its decision to "impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem is illegal and therefore null and void and has no validity whatsoever."
Peter Burleigh, the deputy U.S. ambassador, said Washington's abstention reflected its position that the future of Jerusalem should be decided through permanent status negotiations.
A resolution demanding Israel's withdrawal from the Golan Heights was adopted with 92 "yes" votes. The U.S. and Israel cast the sole no votes. There were 53 abstentions.
Arafat, in Cairo, Criticizes Israel on Settlements
By IsraelWire
Arriving in Cairo for two days of talks with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak, PLO Authority Chairman Yasir Arafat criticized Israel's plans for additional settlements, particularly around the PA autonomous city of Bethlehem.
"The Middle East peace process with Israel is continuing but unfortunately there has been a lot of foot-dragging, including on the issue of settlements," Arafat told reporters at Cairo airport. He accused Israel of planning to build 1,084 housing units in the vicinity of Bethlehem, thereby spoiling millennial celebrations by attempting to "Judaize" surrounding areas.
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