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Newsletter : 2fax0111.txt
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>JN Jan. 11, 2002, Vol. 10, No. 8
Bumper Sticker Outlawed
By IsraelNationalNews.com
Following a complaint by Knesset member Zahava Gal-On, police have acted in conjunction with the prosecutor's office, declaring bumper stickers "No Arabs, No Attacks" illegal under the laws of racism and incitement.
Since September 2000, the bumper sticker, which promotes the transfer of the Arab population from Israel in order to bring about a cessation of terror attacks, has grown in popularity.
Islamic Jihad Cancels Agreement With Arafat
By Meredith Buel (VOA-Jerusalem)
The Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad said it is canceling its agreement with the Palestinian Authority to stop attacks against Israel.
The group said it would no longer honor its understanding with the Palestinian Authority and its security services because Israel is continuing to harm Palestinians. The statement came hours after Israeli bulldozers and armored vehicles rumbled into the Rafah refugee camp in Gaza, flattening dozens of houses, and leaving at least 100 families homeless.
The soldiers later pulled out of the camp, leaving behind huge piles of rubble, twisted metal and broken furniture where homes once stood. The army said it destroyed the buildings because they were being used by Palestinians to fire on soldiers and smuggle weapons from Egypt.
The move came one day after two Palestinian gunmen, who lived in the Rafah camp, attacked a nearby army post inside Israel, killing four soldiers. The two gunmen died during the assault.
The militant Islamic group Hamas claimed responsibility for the incident, which shattered a few weeks of relative calm following Arafat's call for an end to suicide bombings and armed attacks against Israelis.
The Palestinian Authority condemned the killing of the soldiers, but Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat was responsible for the incident.
Sharon said Israel would review its policy toward the Palestinians following the latest bloodshed and the seizure of a freighter carrying a large amount of weapons Israel said were being shipped to the Palestinians. Israeli commandos last week found 50 tons of munitions on board, including rockets and anti-tank weapons.
Palestinians have denied involvement in the shipment, but the ship's captain said he received his orders from officials in the Palestinian Authority.
The continuing violence is threatening U.S. led efforts to broker a permanent truce to end more than 15 months of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. Earlier this week, U.S. mediator Anthony Zinni left the region on a hopeful note, saying both sides were trying to make a ceasefire hold.
Israel Negotiates Compensation For Failed Radar Plane Sale
By Jim Randle (VOA-Beijing)
Israeli Phalcon radar installed on nose of jet
Israeli military officials are in Beijing negotiating compensation for a failed deal to sell a high-technology radar plane to China. The deal collapsed more than a year ago when Washington put intense pressure on Israel to cancel the order.
An Israeli embassy spokesman says this is one in a series of negotiations over several months with China regarding compensation for the broken arms agreement. The spokesman would not comment on Israeli media reports that Israel might offer hundreds of millions of dollars to China. He says Israeli defense officials are expected to be in China "for a few days."
Chinese officials also had little to say. At the regular Thursday briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said he had no details about the talks.
Had the sale gone through, the $250 million Phalcon airborne radar system would have been mounted in a Russian-built transport plane.
The Phalcon's radar, computer, and communications systems would make the Chinese air force more effective by accurately locating the enemy and directing planes where they would have the most impact.
That idea deeply worried Washington, which has pledged to help defend Taiwan if China takes military action against the nearby island. Congress threatened to cut the $2.8 billion in aid it gives Israel each year if the Phalcon deal went ahead.
China regards Taiwan as a rebellious province that should be returned to Beijing's control, and has threatened military action if the democratic island ever formally declares independence. Taiwan split politically from the Chinese mainland after civil war in 1949, and has been ruled separately ever since.
Shakshuka in the Big Apple
By IsraelNationalNews.com
"Are you brave enough to eat an Israeli, spicy Omelet?," Israeli chef Gil Hovav asked a New York fireman as he served him a helping of shakshuka.
Hovav prepared and served a traditional Israeli breakfast to firefighters, policemen and construction crews working at the site of the destroyed World Trade Center. "The egg thing was a little strange," said one Brooklyn firefighter, "but it was good. I really enjoyed the Israeli-style salad, all diced up without any lettuce."
Hovav co-sponsored the breakfast himself, along with the Consulate General of Israel in New York and Nino's Restaurant, which hosted the Israeli chef. The owners of Nino's Restaurant have already served over $5 million worth of free meals to rescue workers since September 11th.
