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Newsletter : 0fax0106.txt
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>JN Jan. 6, 2000, Vol. 8, No. 4
Ecuadorian Tourist Caught with Kilo of Cocaine in Stomach
By IsraelWire
The police arrested an Ecuadorian tourist over the weekend in the Ben-Gurion International Airport for smuggling over a kilogram of cocaine in 129 plastic capsules, worth NIS 250,000 (about $68,000), in his stomach. The tourist, Juan Vala, 40, was arrested because of intelligence information received by the police. Vala was due to transfer the cocaine to Israeli drug dealers in a Jerusalem hotel.
Syrians, Israelis Form Committees
By Nick Simeone (VOA-Shepherdstown, W. Va.)
Israel and Syria have opened their first substantive peace talks in four years. The American-mediated discussions are underway at a secluded conference center in West Virginia where experts from both countries have sat down to talk over their differences on a range of issues - including a proposed Israeli troop withdrawal from the Golan Heights.
Two committees, one dealing with normalizing relations, the other with security arrangements, have begun work. Other groups overseeing water rights and border issues are set to meet in the coming days.
American mediators say they were struck by the business-like tone of these first sessions, given the fact that Syria and Israel have technically been in a state of war for more than 50 years. All of this, one day after President Clinton intervened, bringing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara together for their first face-to-face meeting here.
Central to a peace deal is Syria's longstanding demand for a return of the Golan Heights - captured by Israel in war nearly 33 years ago. The United States and Israel have already begun discussing what the costs of any peace agreement might be and how much money and assets Washington might provide.
Israel Releases 22 Palestinian Prisoners
By Meredith Buel (VOA-Jerusalem)
Israel has begun the long-delayed transfer of land in the West Bank to the Palestinians as required under the revised Wye River peace accord. At the same time, Israel has released 22 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture marking the final week of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Israeli soldiers pulled out of a military base near the West Bank town of Nablus, beginning the hand-over of an additional 5 percent of the occupied territories to the Palestinians.
The Israeli Star of David flag was lowered and replaced by the Palestinian flag in a driving rainstorm. The move comes a day after Israeli and Palestinian negotiators broke a deadlock on the transfer, which was to have taken place last November.
Under terms of the deal, Israel will hand over 2 percent of the West Bank to total Palestinian control and transfer civilian authority over another 3 percent of the territory. Israel retains security control over the region involved in the 3 percent hand-over. The transfer, which is expected to include six former military bases, is scheduled to be finished by tonight.
Negotiators also agreed on a hand-over involving 6.1 percent of the West Bank later this month. The transfers are required by the revised Wye River peace accord signed last September at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
When the hand-overs are complete, the Palestinians will have full or partial control of about 40 percent of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian President Yasir Arafat have set mid-February as the deadline to reach a framework accord on a permanent peace plan, and next September as the target for a final peace treaty.
In another development, Israel released 22 Palestinian prisoners Wednesday. The release includes two Palestinian men convicted of murder and 20 who were serving terms for illegal entry into Israel. The prisoners were released at crossings between Israel and Palestinian-ruled areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Palestinian officials say no large welcomes are planned because those being released are not considered to be political prisoners. The release is not part of any peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians and is seen as a positive symbol marking the final week of the Muslim holy month, Ramadan.
Under the revised Wye River accord, Israel has released more than 380 Palestinian and other Arab prisoners being held in Israeli jails. Thirty-three were released last week, including seven Palestinians from east Jerusalem. Officials say about 1,600 Palestinian inmates remain behind bars.
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