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Newsletter : 0fax0321.txt
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>JN March 21, 2000, Vol. 8, No. 53
Peace Talks Skedded for Washington
By Kyle King (VOA-State Department)
Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are scheduled to sit down together at an Air Force base in Washington Tuesday to resume talks aimed at a final settlement of their long running disputes.
U.S. officials say they do not expect any breakthroughs at the talks, which bring together lower level negotiators and not the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Nevertheless, the fact that the two sides are sitting down to discuss key issues is seen as a positive development.
The talks broke off earlier this year and the two sides missed a deadline for a framework agreement on difficult questions like Palestinian statehood, borders, the future of Jewish settlements and the status of Jerusalem.
Pope Arrives in Israel Today
By VOA's Scott Bobb (Mt. Nebo, Jordan) & Ross Dunn (Jerusalem)
Pope John Paul II has begun his trip to the biblical Holy Land. The pontiff visited Jordan's Mount Nebo, the site where the Bible says Moses was shown the Promised Land after leading the Israelites from Egypt.
The pope made his first stop in Jordan at an ancient chapel overlooking the Dead Sea and Jordan River valley. He noted he was beginning his pilgrimage at the site that marked the end of the exodus and return of the Israelites. In his message, he prayed for blessings on all the region's inhabitants.
Palestinian political and religious leaders have petitioned the pope to help end the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem. The petition calls on the Roman Catholic Church leader to make a statement in support of - Palestinian rights - to the Holy City. It asks Pope John Paul to remember that he will be visiting Jerusalem under Israeli military occupation.
He is scheduled to arrive in Israel Tuesday. The pope's carefully negotiated itinerary is cautiously balanced and includes religious sites important to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
It also includes visits to the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, a Palestinian refugee camp in Bethlehem, as well as meetings with Israeli and Palestinian politicians, chief rabbis and Islamic leaders.
Supreme Court Overrules Law of Gravity
By Arutz-7
The Supreme Court has ruled that one of the fundamental principles of modern physics - the law of gravity - violated the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Freedom, and was therefore void.
In a 920-page decision, Supreme Court President Justice Aharon Barak found that the law of gravity contravened the basic values of the Israeli constitutional framework. "It is clearly unreasonable that objects of different weights should fall at the same speed."
Netanyahu to be Charged with Breach of Trust
By Arutz-7
Former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu may be headed to prison. At a specially-called press conference in Jerusalem Monday, Fraud Unit Superintendent Sgt. Moshe Humus announced that Netanyahu is suspected of having illegally held the office of Prime Minister - despite the express opposition of the media and many politicians. "The Prime Minister is subject to the rule of law like everyone else," Humus said, "and the rule of law prevents public officials from acting in breach of the public trust. After unjustly winning office in 1996, Netanyahu persisted in holding the office in question until the subsequent elections - despite a clear lack of confidence and downright dislike of him by the enlightened public."
Humus expressed shock at accusations that he had leaked details of the ongoing investigation to the media. "In fact, we haven't spoken to the media about this issue at all. Even now, as I am speaking about this investigation to myself, I am shocked to find that there are 32 reporters, 76 microphones and five television cameras in front of me.
Barak to Open Franchised "Concession" Stands
By Arutz-7
Prime Minister Barak will open a chain of concession stands throughout the country in order to pay off fines imposed on him by State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg for Labor/One Israel's illegal campaign financing. So reports Globb's Business Journal. Reliable sources in Barak's office confirmed that the concession stands will sell a variety of indigenous products including excavated Temple Mount artifacts, Golan water and wines, and titles to land which some Israelis claim was deeded to their biblical ancestors.
The CEO of Barak's new enterprise - Minister of Regional Delusions Shimon Peres - announced that Jews will not be permitted to purchase any of the items at any of the concession stands. A grand opening giveaway aimed at cornering the Palestinian and Syrian market, will, for a limited time, permit "no money down" purchases with a signed promissory note. In response to questions regarding customer reliability, Peres stated that "if a handshake is good enough at the Ramat Gan diamond exchange, why shouldn't the word of a Yasir Arafat or Hafez Assad suffice for One Israel?" Peres encouraged Palestinians and Syrians to expedite their purchases since the concession stands would remain open only as long as supplies last.
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