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Newsletter : 0fax0222.txt
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>Israel Faxx
>JN Feb. 22, 2000, Vol. 8, No. 33
Search Underway for Soldier Who is Feared to Have Been Abducted
By IsraelWire
A search has been underway since Monday afternoon for a soldier seen getting into a suspicious vehicle several kilometers east of Ben Shemen, near the Adam Military base, on the main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. A soldier who witnessed a second soldier getting into an Arab commercial vehicle, attempted to stop him from taking the ride. When the second soldier insisted on getting into the vehicle, the first soldier notified the base and a large forces of soldiers was dispatched to the area to implement a search.
Barak Addresses American Jewish Leaders
By Meredith Buel (VOA-Jerusalem)
Prime Minister Ehud Barak says he hopes to draw up a package of proposals within the next few days to end the current deadlock in peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
During a speech to visiting Jewish leaders from the United States, Barak says his government will try in the next few days to - shape a package - of proposals designed to put peace talks with the Palestinians back on track.
"We are in a phase of difficulties. We should not lose our eye contact with the objective. We should not lose our nerves. We should not change or transform our basic position, which intends to defend the basic national security and other interests of Israel. We should work determinedly to break the deadlock and move once again toward the moment of truth that is still awaiting us during this year of 2000."
Barak did not elaborate on what proposals he will make in an effort to revive the peace talks, which are stalled over a dispute regarding the hand over of 6.1 percent of the West Bank to the Palestinians.
Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat wants control over land near Jerusalem, but so far the Israeli government has opposed such a transfer. Both sides failed to meet a deadline earlier this month for agreeing to a framework accord for a permanent peace treaty between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Israeli newspapers are reporting Barak wants to reach such an
agreement by May of this year. During his speech, Barak said such
dates are not sacred and that such problems with the peace process
are not a surprise.
"These difficulties on all tracks, with the Palestinians as well as
with the Syrians or with the Lebanese, were quite predictable.
When you come to the closure, to the moment of truth on all tracks,
maybe we would not wish it, but it was quite predictable that
difficulties will arise. We will have to overcome them. There is
a certain risky potential of derailing the whole thing. But at the
same time it is the role of leadership to find a way, in spite of
the difficulties, to seize the opportunity and see whether an
agreement is possible."
Barak says he remains committed to withdrawing Israeli soldiers from south Lebanon by July, and is still hoping to do so as part of peace agreements with Syria and Lebanon.
The Prime Minister's remarks came on the same day U.S. Middle East envoy Dennis Ross arrived in the region in an effort to get the peace process moving again.
JNF Owns More Than 100 Dunams in Abu Dis
By IsraelWire
The Jewish National Fund owns over 100 dunams (25 acres) of land in Abu Dis, the area noted in the Beilin-Abu Mazen document as the location to serve as the capital of a Palestinian state. The JNF is now investigating if the PLO Authority parliamentary building now under construction is on JNF owned land.
According to the JNF, the fund owns lands in the Abu Dis area, since before the establishment of the State of Israel. The Abu Dis village, which borders Jerusalem has Area B status, under Israeli security and PA civil control, and has 24,000 residents. The village is the home to branches of PA offices and their office of Jerusalem Affairs headed by Faisal Husseini. The PA wants to change the status of Abu Dis from B to A, granting total control to the PA.
Some of the JNF lands in Abu Dis were purchased before 1948 and some after the Six Day War. The JNF is currently surveying and mapping the JNF-owned lands in Abu Dis.
The JNF also owns lands in Syria and Jordan. When the JNF surveying and mapping is completed, the results will be viewed by the government, and will be used in negotiations with the PA. According to the Beilin-Abu Mazen document, in the part dealing with the future of Jerusalem, a territorial corridor would connect the Temple Mount, which would be topped by PA flags, to Abu Dis.
Knesset member Ahmed Tibi stated that the JNF is land-hungry and knows no boundaries, and should be disbanded, before it announces that it owns all the lands in the Middle East.
In response, JNF spokeswoman Orli Doron stated that any and all lands owned by the JNF were acquired through legal purchases by the Jewish people.
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