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Newsletter : 0fax0309.txt
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>JN March 9, 2000, Vol. 8, No. 45
Helicopter Landing at Beersheva Hospital Could Have Been Tragic
By IsraelWire
Human error by the pilot of an IDF Yassur helicopter at Beersheva's Soroka Hospital could have ended in tragedy. The pilot failed to properly identify the hospital's landing pad, attempting to land the large craft in an incorrect location near the new pediatric emergency room. It occurred two weeks ago as two persons were being flown to the medical center. Persons in the area of the new emergency room began to panic but fortunately, at the last second, the pilot realized his error and aborted the landing and did finally land on the heliport.
Palestinian Talks will Resume
By Meredith Buel (VOA-Jerusalem)
Middle East envoy Dennis Ross announced Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to resume peace talks in Washington. After a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, Ross announced peace negotiations will resume later this month in Washington.
Ross called the meeting, held in the West Bank town of Ramallah, very constructive. He said both sides made what he said was good progress in addressing many issues. He said the Israelis and Palestinians have now agreed to intensify negotiations.
"The objective is to achieve a framework agreement as soon as possible so that all the permanent status issues can be resolved by Sept. 13. President Clinton and Secretary Albright have said that the Palestinian issue constitutes the core of the Arab-Israeli conflict. That is why the meeting today represents an important step in reaffirming the Israeli and Palestinian commitment to work in a spirit of partnership and mutual confidence to end the conflict between them."
Barak and Arafat are scheduled to travel Thursday to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt for a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Peace negotiations have been stalled over a dispute involving the latest Israeli transfer of West Bank land to the Palestinians. Barak has refused to agree to Palestinian demands the hand-over include land near Jerusalem.
Reports say the emerging compromise includes an agreement by Israel to transfer 6.1 percent of the West Bank to the Palestinians in the near future. Another redeployment would take place in three or four-months. The two sides have set May as the new deadline for a framework agreement on a permanent peace treaty. The original deadline - which both sides missed - was last month. Israel and the Palestinians agreed to keep September of this year as the deadline for a final peace accord.
Lebanese Prez Threatens Israel
By Edward Yeranian (VOA-Beirut)
Lebanon's president, Emile Lahoud, warned Israel Wednesday to expect difficulties if it withdraws from southern Lebanon without a peace accord. The Israeli cabinet voted on Sunday to pull out of southern Lebanon by July.
Lahoud told Israel to "expect no protection of its northern border from Palestinian guerilla attack" once its forces withdraw.
More than 300,000 Palestinian refugees live in Lebanon, but few Palestinian attacks have come from there in recent years.
The terrorist war against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon is being waged primarily by the pro-Iranian group, Hizbullah. Its leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, told two French newspapers Wednesday that his group would "continue fighting Israel until the last Israeli soldier left."
Several Lebanese newspapers have suggested that Israel is trying to drive a wedge between Lebanon and Syria by offering to withdraw from Lebanon without a peace agreement. Peace talks between Israel, Lebanon and Syria broke down in January.
Mordehai Investigation Moves Forward
By IsraelWire
The police investigation against Transportation Minister Yitzhak Mordehai who is suspected of sexual advances and attempted rape against subordinates continues. Following recent allegations against the minister, several more women have come forward relating stories of Mordehai's sexual misconduct.
On Army Radio Wednesday, a woman claiming that Mordehai sexually
assaulted her in the past called into a talk show. She said 20
years ago Mordehai was a colonel serving in Tel Aviv. The woman
said Mordehai made sure the two were on a night shift together and
at one point, he tried to touch her. She explained that she was
frightened and made believe she was asleep. According to the
caller, Mordehai left the room but returned shortly thereafter and
tried again, as she still appeared asleep.
"His intention was to assault me. He kissed me and tried to take off my clothes," she added. Another woman, who now holds an important government position, called the current plaintiff to tell her she too was victimized by Mordehai in 1987, when he served as IDF OC Southern Commander. It was also learned that the police fraud unit over the past year has been compiling a file against Mordehai without any connection to the current accusations, including testimony by another soldier who claimed that Mordehai brought her to a Netanya apartment under false pretenses and tried to attack her.
Mordehai and his wife Kochi continue to deny the allegations and insist the truth will be learned as the investigation move forward.
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