March 1995, pgs. 22-28

Issues In The News

Compiled by Greg Noakes

From the Israeli and U.S. Jewish Press:

Prosecution Pondered in Goldstein Killing:

The daily Ha'aretz reports a panel of Israeli judges and lawyers is examining the possibility of trying Palestinians suspected of killing Dr. Baruch Goldstein after he massacred 29 worshippers in Hebron's Ibrahimi mosque last February. The panel is charged with determining whether the trial of "Goldstein's killers is within the confines of the law" and to "investigate the circumstances leading to Goldstein's death during the massacre." Goldstein's widow, Miryam, has petitioned Israel's High Court to "bring the murderer of her late husband to trial." Goldstein reportedly was bludgeoned to death inside the mosque after he opened fire on worshippers at dawn prayers.

Israel Planned Gulf War Strike:

Former Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Arens says he approved a massive Israeli air strike and commando raids directed against western Iraq during the closing days of the Gulf war. Excerpts from the Likud Party official's new book published in the daily Yediot Ahronot detail his frustration with the allied coalition's inability to destroy Iraq's mobile Scud missile launchers and his anger over the Pentagon's refusal to provide him with updated satellite photos of western Iraq. The air strike was planned in retaliation for the 39 Scud missiles fired into Israel by Iraq during the war. Although only two people were killed in direct hits by the missiles, "I had the feeling that Israel simply cannot sit and do nothing," Arens writes. The former defense minister claims he was surprised by then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir's capitulation to U.S. concerns over the impact of Israel's possible entry into the Gulf war, and says Shamir initially opposed the plan. When, during a Feb. 11, 1991 Oval Office meeting with then-President George Bush, Arens argued for an Israeli strike at the Scuds, Bush declared that an Israeli attack would not improve upon coalition efforts to destroy the missile launchers. Arens says he replied, "We intend to send our entire air force on this mission." Arens writes that Shamir finally agreed on Feb. 27 to send one Israeli airplane into Jordanian airspace in order to test Jordan's reaction. Poor weather conditions delayed the flight, however, and the war ended before Israel's air force could mount its attack, according to Arens.

Zucker Protests Vanunu Punishment:

Meretz Knesset Member Dedi Zucker says Mordechai Vanunu, who is serving an 18-year prison sentence for treason after smuggling photos out of Israel's nuclear weapons facility at Dimona, should be allowed to mix with other prisoners after having spent eight years in solitary confinement. Criticizing Vanunu's near-total isolation, Zucker argued, "Until [Israeli officials] bring strong and exceptional reasons for solitary confinement there is no justification for the vindictive attention he is getting." Amnesty International has denounced Vanunu's treatment in prison as "cruel, inhuman and degrading." Despite the harsh conditions, "He looks fine and is keeping fit. He is completely sane," Zucker told Israeli army radio following a meeting with Vanunu. "We are talking about a very determined man who sticks to a daily routine." Zucker said his visit with Vanunu came only after two months of negotiations with Israel's Shin Bet security service and the threat of High Court action. Zucker was accompanied to the meeting by Israeli Police Minister Moshe Shahal.

EU Gives Israel Special Status:

The European Union has granted Israel "privileged status," allowing it to participate in EU research and development projects. Israel was granted the special status "because of its high level of economic development," according to an EU communiqué, which added that the new relationship "will profit the general economic development of the Middle East." Details of the privileged status accord are being negotiated, as are terms for an updated version of a 1975 agreement regulating trade and cooperation between Israel and Europe. According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Israel currently has a $5 billion trade deficit with the EU.

Israeli Court Says No to Ibo:

Israel's High Court rejected a claim that the Ibo tribe of Nigeria are descendants of the lost Jewish tribe of Ephraim and thus eligible to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return. James Edward Oniolo, an Ibo who arrived in Israel six years ago, claimed that the tribe's dietary laws, monotheism and practice of male circumcision were evidence that the two million Ibo are descendants of the ancient Jewish tribe. The court ruled in favor of the Israeli Interior Ministry, which denied Oniolo status as a Jew, the Itim news agency reports. Some 40 million people around the world, including 4 million Ethiopians and 15 million people in Southwest Asia, claim to be descendants of the "lost tribes" and thus entitled to immigrate in accordance with Israel's Law of Return.

Recession Fears Rising:

Israeli Industry and Trade Minister Micha Harish warns that the country's economy could be heading for a recession if the government fails to deal with rising inflation and interest rates, a weak stock market and the overvalued shekel. The Detroit Jewish News quotes Harish as saying, "I have no doubt that if we don't contend with all these problems...we will face the danger of a recession in the middle or the end of 1995." Harish said the stock market had failed to fuel the economy as expected. "There is no stock market for raising capital, no stock market for investments, no stock market for privatization," the minister complained.

Palestinian Tunnel Tactics:

Palestinians have been digging tunnels to circumvent Israeli security positions around Gaza and infiltrate Israel, a senior Israeli police official said. "These infiltrations put Israel's security in danger," Dany Pinker told Israel radio. The tunnels are dug below deep concrete-filled trenches which run alongside electric fences ringing the Gaza Strip. Pinker noted that nearly 34,000 Palestinians were arrested inside Israel during 1994.

Sinai Antiquities Returned to Egypt:

The Israel Antiquities Authority has returned to the Egyptian Archeological Council some 800 cartons of antiquities excavated during Israel's 15-year occupation of the Sinai peninsula, the Itim news agency reports. At a joint Israeli-Egyptian press conference in Jerusalem, Amir Drori, head of the Israeli archeological body, said the artifacts were being returned in accordance with the 1954 Hague Convention on the return of antiquities to their country of origin. Among the pieces being returned to Egypt are pottery, textiles, jewelry, flint objects and hundreds of coins. Israel has applied officially to have 24 objects with Hebrew inscriptions, including lamps with menorah imprints, returned on loan at some point in the future. "I can understand it is emotionally important to you to keep the menorahs, but that's not how it goes," said Egypt's Muhammad Abdel Halim Noureddin. "We never loaned anything long-term to another country, but we are ready to consider." Tempers flared at the press conference when an Israeli archeologist said that Israelis should be given credit for the research they performed after the excavations. "You did not have the right to excavate without the permission of the Egyptian authorities," Noureddin replied.

Israel Reacts to Iranian Rearmament:

Israeli military officials are warning that Iran's development of new weapons systems—including weapons of mass destruction—could result in a pre-emptive strike by Israeli forces. "The significant advance in Iran's nuclear capabilities could lead Israel to take a decision on this matter in the next year," Israeli Army Planning Chief Uzi Dayan told an audience at Tel Aviv University. Israeli newspapers report that Iran and North Korea are jointly developing a long-range surface-to-surface missile system capable of striking Israel from Iran. Ha'aretz says an American military official told Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of the Tehran-Pyongyang project, while Davar reports that North Korea has agreed to Tehran's request for a short-range test of the missile to be staged in Iran. According to Ma'ariv, Rabin has asked the United States to put pressure on Pyongyang to stop the development and sale of its long-range missile systems.

Israeli Arms Sales Soaring:

The Boston Jewish Times reports Israeli arms manufacturers are benefitting from the establishment of diplomatic links between Israel and Asian, African and Eastern European countries in the wake of the peace process. Israel has inked arms contracts with China, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand in Asia, while Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic also have struck arms deals with Tel Aviv. France and Britain, which cut military ties to Israel in 1967 and 1982 respectively, are now in the process of expanding military cooperation with Israel. Military trade with the U.S. also is growing. Some 50 surplus F-16s were given to the Israeli air force by the U.S. government, McDonnell Douglas and Israel Aircraft Industries concluded a $500 million contract for repair and construction of DC-9 and MD-11 airliners and are considering a joint venture to arm F/A-18 Hornet fighters with Python-4 air-to-air missiles, and Martin-Marietta has formed a partnership with Israel's Rafael Armament Development Authority to improve the AGM-142 version of Israel's Popeye missile. Despite massive layoffs within the financially distressed Israeli defense sector, Israel posted a 20 percent increase in arms sales in 1994.

Efrat Rabbi Recants Remarks:

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, chief rabbi of the West Bank settlement of Efrat, told a press conference in New York that the government of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin "has to be brought down" and that American Jews should withhold financial support for Israeli government institutions, including the United Jewish Appeal (UJA). The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports Riskin proposed that money should be sent directly to settlements in the occupied territories, since the UJA seldom funds projects outside the Green Line. Asked about the effect this might have on other UJA projects, Riskin said stopping UJA funds was "an important symbolic gesture to show that the government is acting improperly." After his return to Israel and subsequent criticism of his position, Riskin claimed he was misquoted by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. When other reporters who were at the news conference verified the remarks, Riskin said, "If perhaps I said it, then it came out wrong." The American-born Riskin, long considered a moderate by the American Jewish community, denied assertions that he had changed his political views in recent years. "I have not become radicalized. I have remained where I am, and the government has gone to such other lengths," he said.

Marital List Causes Controversy:

Israel radio reports the Religious Affairs Ministry has compiled a list of 10,000 people who are forbidden to marry under Jewish law. The report said the list was compiled from government files and rabbinate records, though religious officials later denied using government documents. Under Israeli law, marriages must be approved by the rabbinate, but illegitimacy, questions about a person's Jewish ancestry and the lack of a religious divorce ending a previous marriage are all grounds for rejection. A Religious Affairs Ministry official said the list contained only 4,000 names, noted that the rabbinical decisions could be appealed, and claimed all of those affected were informed. Some people, however, told Israel radio that they only discovered they were on the list when they applied for marriage applications. Sephardic Chief Rabbi Eliahu Bakshi-Doron said most cases simply required clarification, and that the list was compiled in full compliance with Israeli law. Na'amat, an Israeli women's organization, called upon Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who is serving as religious affairs minister, to provide an alternative to those unable to wed under current law. If no solution can be found, one Na'amat official said, civil marriages should be legalized in Israel.

Kach Vandalism at Jerusalem Mosque:

A group of Israeli teenagers associated with the outlawed Kach movement of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane vandalized a Jerusalem mosque as part of a Kach-sponsored "practical training camp," according to Kol Ha'ir. The vandals ran through the narrow streets of Jerusalem's Old City, overturning merchandise in Arab stores, then entered the Nabi Samuel mosque. The youths reportedly tore up several copies of the Qur'an and wrote anti-Islamic slogans on the mosque walls before fleeing.

From the Middle East Press:

Mubarak Sees Peace by Year-End:

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told Kuwait's Al-Watandaily, "Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin are serious about the peace process. I think an agreement will be reached during 1995." Mubarak said progress was slowed by Syrian mistrust of Tel Aviv's intentions, but that Egypt's experience demonstrated that when the Israelis "sign pacts and give their word, they keep their word." Nevertheless, Mubarak criticized Israel's refusal to commit itself to agreements limiting the proliferation of nuclear weapons. "There is no logic in letting a Middle Eastern state make peace with its neighbors while at the same time its nuclear power grows," the president said. Asked about reports that he was asked recently by visiting Israeli President Chaim Weizman to visit Israel for the first time since assuming the Egyptian presidency in 1981, Mubarak responded, "Am I obliged to visit Israel? The Israelis made an issue of me not visiting them." Al-Hayatreports another subject discussed by Mubarak and Weizman was the refusal by the head of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Gad Al-Haq Ali Gad Al-Haq, to receive the Israeli president during his visit to Cairo.

Disproportionate Food Distribution in Iran:

Iran's Center for Agricultural Studies and Economic Planning says that while the country's per capita food consumption is in keeping with international standards, unequal distribution of food is causing serious health problems among Iranians. In a report quoted by the newspaper Kar va Kargar, the center said 25 percent of Iranian children under age five suffer from slowed growth due to malnutrition, and that 20 percent of Iran's population as a whole do not have access to sufficient food supplies. On the other end of the spectrum, 40 percent of Iranians eat more than needed, and the health of 20 percent of the population is "seriously threatened because of overeating." The report noted that 30 percent of Tehran residents are overweight.

Interior Ministers Oppose Islamist Violence:

At a meeting in Tunis, the interior ministers of 18 Arab states from Morocco to the Gulf adopted an Egyptian draft agreement designed to crack down on Islamist violence and serve as a "code of conduct to fight terrorism." According to the MENA news agency, Egyptian Interior Minister Hassan Al-Alfi called the meeting "a great success. We have an alliance of all states against terrorist groups....All members are convinced that terrorism is a danger for all and agree to fight its leaders wherever they are, including abroad, and their financing." Al-Alfi added that Islamist attacks will be treated as "crimes and not as political acts, as they were previously viewed by some countries." The pact, due to come into effect by the end of 1995, provides for intelligence and security cooperation between states; denial of refuge, training or financing for violent Islamists; and consultations on protecting airports, rail stations and other public places. The agreement also calls for cooperation in hunting down wanted Islamists, though it stops short of demanding their extradition. Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia in the past have accused Sudan and Iran of fomenting Islamist attacks in their countries, and Al-Alfi noted that Sudanese Interior Minister Abdulraheem Hussain signed off on the agreement. "If a state does not agree, it will show its hand," Al-Alfi added.

Indians Mark Ayodhya Anniversary:

Former Indian Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh told a rally in New Delhi marking the second anniversary of the razing of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya by Hindu militants that it was the responsibility of the present government to rebuild the 16th century building. Singh noted that current Prime Minister Narasimha Rao promised to rebuild the mosque in a 1993 national address, and that "his words should be given concrete shape." The Press Trust of India reports that Muslim-owned shops and businesses closed in New Delhi, Bombay, Trivandrum and Ayodhya itself to protest the mosque's destruction on Dec. 6, 1992. Several thousand Muslims offered prayers in the streets of Bombay at 3:55 p.m., the time the minarets of the mosque were toppled. Bal Thackeray, leader of the Hindu militant group Shiv Sena, told reporters, "December 6 is a day of rejoicing for all Hindus. I warn anybody who tries to spoil this day." Thousands of police and paramilitary troops were deployed throughout the country as a precaution against clashes, but there were few reports of violence.

Egypt Halts Desert Hunting:

Egypt's Organization for Environmental Protection announced that tourism in the country's desert regions will be banned for five years in order to give several endangered species of wildlife an opportunity to recover. According to Al-Ahram, the tourism ban is designed to prevent hunters from shooting desert animals such as gazelles and rabbits. Hunting is officially banned in the Sinai and Western Desert regions of Egypt, but hunters have signed on to tourist outings in these areas and then proceeded to hunt game. Over the last five years, some 1,000 white gazelles have been killed by 120 hunters in the western Marsa Matruh region alone, the report said.

Khamenei's Cola Fatwa:

Iran's spiritual leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a fatwa (legal opinion) ruling that consumption of Coca-Cola and Pepsi is forbidden under Islamic law. Kayhan reports the ayatollah was asked, "Assuming consumption of foreign-made beverages, especially American Coca-Cola and Pepsi, politically strengthens world arrogance and financially helps Zionist circles, what would the Islamic decree on the issue be?" In his fatwa, Khamenei argued, "Anything that strengthens world arrogance and Zionist circles in itself is haram(forbidden)." Radical Islamists have protested the presence of American soft drinks on Iranian shelves since Coke was reintroduced in 1992 after a 13-year absence from the country. Pepsi opened a factory in Iran in 1994. It was not clear whether the fatwa constituted an outright ban on the production or sale of the colas.

Peace Pact in Djibouti:

A peace accord between Afar guerrillas and the government of Hassan Gouled Aptidon ended a three-year uprising in the tiny Red Sea nation of Djibouti. The Arab News reports the pact came after months of secret talks between the regime and the rebel Front for the Restoration of Unity and Democracy (FRUD). Under the agreement, the FRUD agreed to lay down its arms and transform itself into a political party, the constitution will be rewritten, and the government will integrate members of the FRUD into official positions. The rebellion erupted among the country's Afar ethnic minority over charges the government was being run by the extended family of President Aptidon, a member of the Issa ethnic group. Djibouti, a resource-poor country known as French Somaliland and as the Territory of the Afars and Issas before independence in 1977, was plunged even further into poverty as a result of the war effort. The 2,500-man army had grown to some 20,000 troops, draining state coffers, while thousands of civilians were displaced in fighting between the FRUD and government forces.

Mini-Summit Supports Syrian Stance:

The leaders of Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia met in Alexandria for a two-day mini-summit and gave strong support to Damascus' stance in the Middle East peace process. Tishrin reports that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad and Saudi Arabia's King Fahd agreed that the goal of the peace talks was a comprehensive and just regional peace based on United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and 425 and the principle of land for peace. Syrian-Israeli talks have stalled over the question of an Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights, and observers say Assad fears becoming isolated as Arab nations break ranks to establish ties with Israel. The three leaders also called for "a region free of weapons of mass destruction" and asked Iraq to implement U.N. resolutions for the good of its people and the Arab world, according to a communiqué issued following the summit.

Muslims Sentenced in Montenegro:

A court in the Montenegrin city of Bijelo Polje sentenced 31 Muslims to up to seven years in prison for planning a rebellion to win independence for the Muslim-populated region of Sandzak. Belgrade's independent Fonet news agency said the court claimed the insurgency had been planned between 1991 and January 1994, and that the convicted men had drafted a "constitution of the future state of Sandzak." The region, now a part of the rump Yugoslavia, borders Bosnia. The trial lasted nearly a year, and has been criticized as irregular by both domestic and international human rights organizations.

Kurdish Clashes Continue:

Fighting between the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP) continued near the regional capital of Irbil in northern Iraq despite a cease-fire agreement signed by the two warring factions. The fighting flared again after Massoud Barzani's KDP forces attacked forces belonging to Jalal Talabani's PUK, which captured Irbil in fighting late last year, according to the Arab News. The KDP and PUK have shared power in the "autonomous administration" of the northern Iraqi "safe haven" created by the United Nations following the Gulf war. The two parties split the vote in a 1992 election and entered into an uneasy governing coalition.

Iranian Air Force Chief Killed in Crash:

Brigadier General Mansour Sattari, commander of the Iranian air force, and nearly a dozen of his senior aides were killed when their Lockheed C-140 JetStar crashed near Isfahan after developing technical problems. Sattari had been in command of the country's air force since January 1987 after having served as commander of Iranian air defense systems. Tehran radio quoted Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Ali Shahbazi as saying an investigation into the crash would be opened. Shahbazi called the death of Sattari, four other generals and seven other staff officers "a great loss to their co-fighters." Reports said the 12 ranking officers were traveling together as a cost-saving measure. The crash marked the second time that an Iranian air force commander has been killed in a crash; the September 1981 crash of a C-130 Hercules near Tehran claimed the life of several top military commanders, including the air force chief, who were returning from the front lines during the Iran-Iraq war.

Algerian Opposition Meets Under Vatican Auspices:

Leaders of Algerian opposition parties meeting in Rome drafted a peace proposal designed to end three years of civil strife in the North African country. Among the groups participating in the talks, sponsored by the Roman Catholic Sant'Egidio Community, were the banned Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), the former ruling National Liberation Front (FLN), the leftist Berber Front of Socialist Forces (FFS) and the moderate Islamist Hamas party. The talks followed a similar meeting in Rome last November. According to the APS news agency, the Algerian government boycotted the meeting, which it called interference in internal Algerian affairs. Rabah Kebir, a leading FIS official in exile in Germany, told the Spanish newspaper El Pais that the Rome proposal rejected armed violence, called for universal suffrage and a multiparty system, and was extended as "a peace offering, which if rejected will plunge Algeria into total chaos and open civil war."

Kingdom Cuts Budget:

Saudi Arabia's 1995 $40 billion budget slashes subsidies on electricity, water, phone service and petroleum products and cuts government spending by six percent, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The new budget still leaves the Kingdom with an estimated $6 billion deficit for 1995, but nearly halves the $10.6 billion deficit registered in 1994 and reflects a serious approach to the country's current cash shortage, economists say. Announcing the new budget, King Fahd declared that the country's financial position was sound and said in reference to the economic costs of the Gulf war, "It is true that there have been some pressures on government savings, but we managed to fulfill our duty in the full sense of the word....We do not stretch out our hands to anyone except to Almighty Allah." Fahd also ordered the Finance Ministry to make overdue payments to domestic contractors and suppliers as soon as possible.

Palestinian Press Pass Impasse:

Plans by the Palestinian National Authority to issue press cards are being greeted with concern by journalists in Gaza, the Jerusalem Times reports. Zakaria Talmas of Gaza's Journalists' League said he was concerned the PNA cards would replace passes issued by the independent Arab Journalists Association, adding that reporters were appalled that they would have to "sign an oath to respect the law of publications, which by the way does not exist....This means they could be committing themselves to a law that might limit freedom of the press." Talmas said the PNA currently is using a press law which was promulgated in 1939 under the British Mandate of Palestine, and only covers print journalism. Under the PNA conditions for issuance of a press card, Talmas said, the only three journalists in Gaza who would meet all the qualifications are Ahmed Abu Lashin, Hikmat Barzak and Hassan Wahidi—all of whom are dead. "The decision to offer press cards to journalists will depend on the mood of the official," Talmas charged. PNA Culture and Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said he would offer full cooperation with the Arab Journalists Association without interfering in the independence of the press. The new PNA press pass was designed to assist the work of Palestinian, Arab and foreign journalists, according to Abed Rabbo.

Deadly Drinks in Dushanbe:

Six Russian soldiers died and another dozen were in critical condition after drinking homemade alcoholic beverages in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, according to an Itar-Tass report carried in the Khaleej Times. Four civilians, including the wife of a staffer at the Russian embassy in Tajikistan, also died. Officials suspect the alcohol, which was sold near the barracks of the Russian 201st Motorized Division, may have been laced with poison. Russian troops are fighting alongside the Tajik government of President Ali Rakhmonov in its battle against an armed uprising led by a coalition of liberal democratic and Islamist forces.

Ethiopian Polls Slated for May:

Ethiopia's first multiparty parliamentary elections since the May 1991 overthrow of the communist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam will be held in May, according to the Arab News. Opposition groups say they will boycott voting for the 550-seat parliament, however, because of disagreements over the country's new constitution ratified late last year. Among the constitution's 106 articles is legislation allowing any of the country's nine ethnically based regions to secede after a referendum. The constitution is designed to give a large degree of autonomy to the country's 80 or more ethnic groups.

Pakistan Reducing Plastic Pollution:

Pakistan is trying to reduce environmental damage caused by the proliferation of plastic by reducing the production of polyethylene bags, according to the Khaleej Times. The licenses of some 500 plastic bag producers have been revoked in Karachi, and the government is considering a ban on the import of plastic scrap used in the manufacture of the polyethylene bags. Pakistani officials said soft loans are being extended to bag producers to enable the conversion of these businesses to the manufacture of other products. Pakistan's growing problem of solid waste disposal has been compounded by the non-biodegradable bags.

Turkey Defies EU Pressure:

Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller said her country will not bow to pressure from the European Union on the issues of Cyprus and human rights in exchange for privileged access to EU markets, according to Turkey's Anatolian News Agency. Ciller said Greece is likely to block a customs union pact between Turkey and the EU as a result of the Cyprus conflict, and warned Athens, "Don't be afraid of our friendship, but fear our animosity." Ciller also deflected criticism by other EU member states of Turkey's human rights record by drawing attention to the war in Bosnia, saying, "Let's sort out human rights in the heart of Europe together first of all."

Qaboos Plans Mammoth Muscat Mosque:

Sultan Qaboos of Oman will personally finance the construction of a new mosque and "Omani center for the propagation of religion, culture and thought" in the governorate of Muscat, according to Minister of the Diwan of the Royal Court Sayyid Saif bin Hamad bin Saud. The Times of Oman reports the new Sultan Qaboos mosque, which will be Oman's largest, will accommodate 15,500 worshippers and feature a 135-foot dome, one 225-foot minaret and four 100-foot minarets at the building's corners. The mosque should be completed by the end of 1997, the report said.

Ambassador Recalled for Rushdie Remarks:

Ambassador Abdolrahim Gavahi was recalled from his post in Oslo by Iran's Foreign Ministry after he wrote a letter to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry implying Iran would be flexible on the fatwa issued by the late Ayatollah Khomeini against Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie, which branded the writer an apostate subject to the death penalty. The weekly Kayhan Hava'i reports Gavahi was removed from his post for "failing to act in accordance with Iran's principled foreign policy stand." Gavahi reportedly wrote the Norwegian government that he opposed "any form of application of force in international relations."

Egyptian Government to Control Mosques:

Egypt's Minister of Religious Endowments Mohammed Ali Mahgub told Al-Ahram that 10,000 private mosques in the country will come under government control in 1995 in order to reduce the influence of radical Islamists. Mahgub said the takeover, which will cost the state $15 million due to the appointment of new government-paid imams, was part of a plan to gradually assume control of 140,000 private mosques in Egypt and "prevent fundamentalists from using them as a platform to spread extremist ideas." Mahgub's ministry said some 10,000 other mosques have been brought under government control over the last two years.

Pakistani Dancers "A Security Nightmare":

Pakistani tribesmen dancing in honor of U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry's recent visit to a remote area near the Afghan border gave American security officials a fright when they launched volleys of automatic rifle fire in the midst of their dance steps. The display followed a lunch for Perry at the Pakistani army's Khyber Rifles regimental mess, Dawn reports. A dozen Khattak tribesmen fired their G-3 assault rifles into the air without warning in time to the music as they danced, startling U.S. security guards accompanying Perry. "This is a security nightmare," one American official said, though Secretary Perry smiled and applauded after the performance.

Kuwait Cancels Billions in Debt:

Kuwait's parliament wrote off some $3 billion in loans and interest owed by Egypt and Syria as a reward for their assistance during the Gulf war, the KUNA news agency reports. Seven other countries—Chad, Guinea, Guyana, Morocco, Pakistan, Senegal and Somalia—had some $243 million in interest forgiven, though they still owe the principal on their loans. "The bill is aimed at pushing the wheel of economic development in Egypt and Syria to enable these sisterly countries to solve economic problems and for their correct position with Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion," according to a parliamentary committee statement. The Kuwaiti Fund for Economic Development reportedly has outstanding loans totalling $7.35 billion in 70 countries.

Palestinians Paid Heavy Price for Gulf War Stance:

Palestinian Economic Cooperation Minister Nabil Shaath told an audience in Cairo that Palestinians have lost $2 billion in direct or indirect subsidies since the end of the Gulf war in 1991. The MENA news agency reports Shaath said Palestinians in Kuwait alone used to transfer $20 million a month to their families in the West Bank and Gaza, and that the expulsion of Palestinians from the Gulf and cuts in donations from foreign governments have cost Palestinians an estimated $500 million per year. Shaath said $200 million in international assistance and $300 million worth of loans pledged as a result of the peace process would help offset the shortfall, but warned that delays in the delivery of the funds and the slow implementation of the Israeli-Palestinian autonomy accord was opening the way for hard-liners within the Palestinian community.

Malaysian MiG Deal Defended:

Malysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed defended his government's plan to buy 18 MiG-29 jet fighters from Russia after Malaysian parliamentarians called for the deal's cancellation to protest the Russian attack against the Muslim republic of Chechnya and Moscow's defense of Serbian aggression in Bosnia. Mahathir announced, "The time has not come yet for us to cancel the purchase," worth an estimated $560 million, according to the Bernama news agency. Mahathir said his government would adopt a "wait and see" attitude with regard to Chechnya and Bosnia, adding that even the Russian public opposed their government's Chechen military operation.

Protests Over Detention of Islamist Journalist:

The international press organization Reporters Sans Frontiéres, the Egyptian Union of Journalists and the Muslim Brotherhood have protested the month-long detention by Egyptian security forces of Adil Hussein, secretary-general of the opposition Labor Party and a prominent Islamist writer. Hussein, who was not charged with a crime, was questioned about "Islamic extremist" papers allegedly found under his seat on an Air France jetliner and an article he wrote in Ash-Shaab in which he claimed the United States was maintaining a military base in the Sinai and was demanding more such installations. The Egyptian Defense Ministry denied Hussein's charge, saying it was "completely baseless" and was designed to create internal unrest. The Egyptian Union of Journalists "condemned current violations of the laws which prohibit preventive detention in publishing cases, as well as the use of blatant fabrications as a means to suppress honest writers," according to a union statement. The Muslim Brotherhood, which is not legally recognized but is closely aligned with the Labor Party, said the arrest "raises a major question mark about the seriousness of the government in dealing with the issue of democracy," according to Ash-Shaab.

Jordan Nuclear Program Progresses:

Ali Morr, head of the atomic energy department in the Jordanian Ministry of Energy, said the country wanted to construct an experimental nuclear reactor before the year 2000. The Petra news agency quoted Morr as saying the government would seek assistance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the reactor, which is part of a civil nuclear program launched by Amman in 1986.

Crime Rates Rise in Occupied Territories:

Palestinian sociologists say crime is on the rise in the West Bank and Gaza as a result of increasing economic, social and psychological pressures on the Palestinian population, the Jerusalem Times reports. Maher Abu Zanat of An-Najah University in Nablus says the failure of the Israeli-Palestinian autonomy agreement to substantially increase the standard of living in the occupied territories has produced serious social and emotional pressures for many Palestinians, and that the lack of job opportunities has contributed to the rise of crimes such as theft and burglary. Bernard Sabella, a Bethlehem University sociologist, argues that the lack of opportunities for young Palestinians to channel their energies productively, in addition to the desperate economic conditions in the West Bank and Gaza, has boosted crime rates. Sabella believes Israel's periodic sealing of the territories and its refusal to allow young Palestinians into Israel to work also has led to the rise in delinquency among Palestinian youth.

Montazeri Marginalized:

Iran's Jahan-e Eslam reports that opponents of Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri protested outside the scholar's home in the Shi'i holy city of Qom after leaflets were distributed calling on people to disrupt Montazeri's theology classes. The demonstration, which was broken up by police, followed a similar protest two days earlier when crowds chanted slogans in favor of the country's spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Montazeri was the designated successor to the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini until he was dismissed in 1989 after criticizing government policies, including the treatment of political prisoners. Observers speculated the demonstrations were an attempt by pro-Khamenei forces to further marginalize Montazeri, who is considered a potential rallying point for political opposition within Iran.

Refugee Resettlement in Sudan:

Sudanese authorities say the security situation in the southern part of the country has improved and that 100,000 refugees and displaced persons will soon return to their homes in the Bahr al-Ghazal region. As-Sudan Al-Hadith reports the refugees will be moved from border areas near Kenya back to their home region of Bor with assistance from the World Food Program. The paper said there has been little fighting recently between government forces and southern Sudanese rebels, and that regular road traffic and communication links between major cities in the region have been re-established. Al-Inqadh Al-Watani said rebel activity has been quelled, but added there have been serious clashes between rival formations of the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army, or SPLA. Forces under Kerubino Kwanyin Bol had defeated rival SPLA troops under the command of John Garang, expelling them from the Gogrial region after fierce fighting which claimed an estimated 4,000 lives. In Nairobi, a third formation, SPLA United, said the rebel movement was so fractured it could only adopt a self-defense strategy against an expected dry-season offensive by Khartoum. "At the moment we are people pushed to the edge," said SPLA United spokesman Juma Thomas. He added, however, that the Sudanese rebels would never be defeated, and would survive to fight on against government forces.

Saudi Mufti Approves Peace Process:

Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Baz, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and the country's highest religious authority, told the Al-Muslimun weekly that peace between Arabs and Israelis does not contradict the teachings of Islam. "A permanent or temporary cease-fire with the enemy is tolerated if rulers see an interest in it. But it can be broken if the need disappears," Bin Baz told the magazine. He also said he was not opposed to Muslims visiting Al-Aqsa mosque in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem since "visiting Al-Aqsa as much as possible is a tradition from the Prophet Muhammad." Bin Baz asked the Palestinian opposition to cooperate with the Palestinian National Authority and "close ranks to stop the bloodshed and confound the enemies trying to disunite them." At the same time the mufti called on PNA President Yasser Arafat to "allow the shariah [Islamic law] to prevail in the autonomous territories."

Israeli Application to Arab League Rebuffed:

The League of Arab States has rejected a suggestion by Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres that Israel be allowed to join the pan-Arab body, the MENA news agency reports. "The first clause of the Arab League's charter stipulates that only an independent Arab country has the right to be a member," said League spokesman Talaat Hamed. "If Israeli leaders think these conditions apply to their country, they can apply to join and the League will go through the normal procedures," he added.

Mediterranean Military Maneuvers:

Israel, Greece and Cyprus will hold joint military maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean during 1995, according to the Cyprus News Agency. The maneuvers were agreed to during a November visit to Israel by Greek Defense Minister Gerasimos Arsenis, and will mark the first such military cooperation between Israel and either Greece or Cyprus.

Iraq Foresees Blockade Collapse:

Al-Iraq, a pro-Baghdad Kurdish paper, says "the first months of 1995 will witness a positive change in Iraq's favor within international bodies...as the U.S.-British axis inside the U.N. Security Council is increasingly isolated." Among its predictions for 1995, the paper said the international blockade of Iraq will collapse, "Kurdistan [will] return to the homeland, closing forever the chapter of treason," and Iraq will re-enter the Arab fold. "The Arabs have realized the dangers of cancelling Iraq's role, which led parties to be dragged into the Zionists' arms," Al-Iraq proclaimed.

Four in Five Refugees Are Muslim:

The International Islamic News Agency says an Egyptian report on refugee crises notes that some 80 percent of the world's refugees are Muslims. The number of Muslim refugees has risen sharply in recent years, according to the report, due to wars and political strife in Bosnia, Kashmir, Burma, Afghanistan and Somalia, as well as ethnic purges and repression in other parts of the globe.

Pakistan Panel Will Focus on Islamic Economics:

Iqbal Ahmed Khan, chairman of Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), has proposed the creation of a panel of economists and Islamic scholars from a variety of Muslim countries to work out a complete economic system in accord with Islamic teachings. The panel would examine existing banking and insurance systems, according to the Khaleej Times, and would be charged with defining riba (usury), which is forbidden in Islam and which is generally held to be synonymous with interest. Khan argued that Islam had laid down certain immutable principles rather than a specific economic or political system, and that any system based on trust, honesty and decency could be adopted. Khan said the panel would review some 1,300 federal and provincial Pakistani laws to determine if any were contradictory to Islamic teachings. The panel's findings would be reviewed by the CII, whose judgments would be binding on the national and provincial assemblies. The chairman added that implementation of laws, rather than the laws themselves, is most important, noting that many Pakistanis flout current tax laws and restrictions on the size of dowries and wedding expenses.

Cairo Fast-Food With a Difference:

A new Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet in Cairo has the distinction of being the first restaurant in the region which only employs deaf mutes, according to Al-Ahram. The 30 employees, including four women, communicate with sign language and visual signals. Customers place their orders by pointing at photographs on the wall. Manager Ali Sarhan, the only member of the staff who can hear and speak, says "there haven't been any problems at all" in the new restaurant. Sarhan learned sign language in two months by communicating with his employees during their training period. "Working and living among them I have come to realize that they are not handicapped at all," Sarhan says. "Each one of them performs his job to the highest standard." Hoda Abdel Moneim says she is happy with her new job. "Before this I was doing nothing," she said. "I spent three years getting a degree at the deaf-and-dumb college, then stayed home for a year unemployed." Sarhan says that despite initial trepidation, after six months the employees' "families are delighted with the transformation in their personalities."

Palestinian Medical Problems:

Since the transfer of health services from Israeli control to the Palestinian National Authority, the Khaleej Times reports, Israel has refused on economic grounds to accept hundreds of sick Palestinians who cannot be treated in Gaza. This forces patients to apply for special travel permits to seek treatment at less expensive hospitals in Cairo, Amman, or at East Jerusalem's Mokkassed Hospital. "One night in hospital in Israel can cost up to $600, more than a monthly salary in the Gaza Strip," explained Dr. Ghada Shawa, manager of Nasser Children's Hospital in Gaza City. "We cannot pay such a sum, except in a few emergency cases." Gaza's seven public hospitals have a total of 900 beds to serve a population of 800,000. Open hours at the strip's 15 clinics have been doubled, however, and new medical programs are being launched at schools. "Our efforts are going into family health, preventive medicine and school health programs," said PNA Health Minister Riad Zaanoun. "Instead of sending patients to Tel Aviv at astronomical expense we should develop local services."

Saudi Sunken Treasure Salvaged:

An Omani treasure-hunting company, Ocean Group, announced it had recovered three million silver Saudi riyals from the wreck of the John Barry, a U.S. Liberty Ship sunk off the Omani coast by a German U-boat in August 1944. The Saudi Gazette reports the ship was carrying several thousand tons of coins and ingots from mints in the United States to the Saudi port of Ras Tanura when it was hit by three torpedoes fired by the U-859. An Ocean Group spokesman said that survivors from the John Barry estimate the present value of the ship's cargo at between $500 and $700 million.

Germany Reopens Investigation of Politician's Death:

German authorities have reopened their investigation into the mysterious death in 1987 of Uwe Barschel, a former premier of the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein who was found dead but fully clothed in a Geneva hotel bathtub. Barschel's death originally was ruled a suicide as a result of a drug overdose. The new investigation, according to the Arab News, was prompted by information culled from security files from the former East Germany as well as unspecified information from German intelligence. A week before his death Barschel had resigned from his state governor's post in the wake of allegations he had used dirty tricks against a political opponent. Barschel, who had a wife and four children, reportedly was in Geneva to locate evidence proving his innocence. Some details of the case, including unidentified fingerprints found in the hotel room, objects missing from the suite and allegations by a toxicologist that Barschel first had been sedated and then poisoned, indicated foul play, according to German press reports. Among those suspected of possible involvement in the case is the Israeli intelligence service Mossad, which may have murdered Barschel after he opposed a secret Israeli operation to train in Schleswig-Holstein Iranian pilots then battling Iraq. Alternative theories involve an Iranian hit squad possibly sent to kill the state premier after he intervened on behalf of a Kiel shipyard to collect a $160 million Iranian debt on a submarine contract; smugglers of guns or nuclear material from Sweden to India or Pakistan who wanted to silence Barschel; or agents of the East German Stasi intelligence service sent to eliminate the rising anti-communist politician. Among the newly recovered Stasi files are documents which indicate Barschel was in contact with Israeli and Iranian agents and was being shadowed by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and West German intelligence operatives.