April/May 1993, Page 55

Issues in the News

Compiled By Greg Noakes

From the Israeli and U.S. Jewish Press:

Settlers Opt to Open Fire:

The West Bank and Gaza Strip Settlement Council and the Gush Emunim movement have issued statements calling on settlers in the occupied territories to open fire each time they are confronted with stone-throwers, according to Ha'aretz. A council spokesman said settlers should shoot in the air unless there is a danger to life, at which point they should fire at the stone-throwers. Although extremist groups like Kach have issued similar orders in the past, this is the first time mainstream settler leaders have announced an open-fire policy. In response the Israeli army reiterated that Israelis can use firearms only when life is endangered, adding that any settlers violating the law would be prosecuted.

Israeli Minister Urges Legalized Gambling:

Israeli Finance Minister Avraham Shohat told the Knesset that he favors the introduction of casinos in Israel, saying they would attract visitors and boost tourism revenues, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. At present only supervised soccer pools and some lottery competitions are legal in the country. Seven hotel operators in Tiberias have written to New York tycoon Donald Trump urging him to invest in a casino/hotel complex in the resort. Trump told YediotAhronot that he is considering trying his luck with an Israeli casino.

Shas Candidates Chosen as Chief Rabbis:

Rabbis Yisrael Lau and Eliahu Bakshi-Doron were elected as Israel's chief rabbis in a clear victory for the religious Shas Party, which had backed both their candidacies. The defeat of the rival National Religious Party's candidates meant the NRP lost control of the chief rabbinates for the first time since independence. Rabbi Lau won despite allegations of sexual misconduct, which he termed "blood libel" according to the Jerusalem Post. Lau was formerly the chief Ashkenazi rabbi of Tel Aviv, while Bakshi-Doron had served as Haifa's chief Sephardic rabbi since 1975.

Knesset Committee Would Protect Police Torturers:

The Knesset's Committee on Intelligence Affairs is recommending that intelligence agents involved in the interrogation of suspects be granted immunity, according to Davar. Under the proposed guidelines, Israeli interrogators would not be prosecuted in the event of "a work accident" resulting in the death of the person being interrogated.

Israel Bars Technology Transfer to U.S.:

Israel will not share information with the United States about the fire-control radar for the Arrow missile being developed as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative, or SDI, Hadashot reports. Since the United States is financing the missile project it will receive data on the Arrow itself, but because the Israeli Defense Ministry is paying for the radar system, Israel is under no obligation to share any technical information, according to a "senior defense establishment figure. " Although the American military has said it is not interested in buying the Arrow missile, some $480 million in U.S. funds have been appropriated for the project.

Shas Says Israel Wanted Only European Jews:

A pamphlet distributed by an organization affiliated with the largely Sephardic Shas Party says the founding fathers of Israel wanted only European Jews in the new state. An article in Ma'ayan HaShavua argued, "The founders of the state didn't want us [Sephardim] from the beginning. . . The Holocaust disturbed their plans, and they had to fill up the area. So what did they do? They brought our fathers here. They dreamed about Israelis cut off from their heritage, so they tore it away from us. "

Israeli Credit Rating Improves:

Standard & Poor's, the world's largest credit rating agency, has upgraded its ratings for Israel's long- and short-term foreign currency debt, making it easier for the government to borrow money abroad, the Jerusalem Post reports. Israel's long-term debt was raised from a triple B-minus rating (the agency's lowest) to triple B, while the short-term debt was raised from A-3 (again S & P's lowest mark) to A-2, which is considered "stable. " Standard and Poor's said the improvements were a result of Israel's ongoing economic reforms, its improved geopolitical situation, and the effect of the $10 billion in U.S. housing loan guarantees on the country's ability to meet potential balance-of-payments problems.

Israel Seeks to Sell Surplus Sky Hawks:

Israeli authorities are negotiating with the Clinton administration for permission to resell a number of Sky Hawk fighter-bombers previously given to Israel by the U.S. as a gifl. Ha'aretz reports that Israel is currently modifying and improving the aircraft in order to sell them to other countries. The jets were originally part of a U.S. military surplus.

Television Producer Sues PBS for Anti-Israel Bias:

The non-profit organization which produced the five-part Abba Eban documentary "Israel: A Nation Is Born" filed suit against the Public Broadcasting System for not distributing the film, claiming that PBS is guilty of anti-Israel bias. According to the Jerusalem Post, PBS decided not to distribute the film last August because the documentary failed to meet its standards for "editorial integrity, " since the production company, the New York-based Moreshet Israel (Israel Heritage) organization "has a direct interest in the subject matter . . . inappropriate under PBS guidelines. " Douglas White, a member of the board at Moreshet Israel, said the group raises money for charitable purposes, and has "no vested interest in Israel, its organizations, its institutions or its people. " Moreshet Israel, which lost some $70O,OOO on the production, also ran into trouble with a Boston television distributor and public stations WNET in New York and KQED in San Francisco over money and the film's editorial content.

EC Stops Syrian Aid Package:

The European Parliament narrowly blocked the release of an EC financial aid package for Syria for the third time in a year, citing the country's poor human rights record. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports the parliament voted 249-75, with 29 abstentions, to provide Damascus with $184 million in financial aid, but since the motion did not receive the required 260 votes, the aid package was withheld. Although the European Parliament has 518 members, only 353 were present at the vote. While the EC commissioner for external affairs, Hans van den Broek, stressed Syria's important role in the peace process, the Parliament criticized the country's restrictions on the emigration of its Jewish population and its help in harboring Nazi war criminal Alois Brunner.

Syria and Israel Reach Verbal Agreement:

Al Hamishmar reports that a verbal agreement between Syria and Israel has been reached on the issue of the Golan Heights which calls for a comprehensive peace in exchange for a comprehensive withdrawal, though no details were given. Once the statement is made public, the report said, Damascus will announce its willingness to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel and will agree to a demilitarized Golan with strategic points under U.N. control. Because the government in Israel cannot override the Knesset legislation annexing the Golan, Israel has made it clear that currently it cannot publicly recognize Syrian sovereignty over the area. According to Al Hamishmar, Syria accepted this point with the understanding that the Knesset could revoke the annexation law at a later stage.

From the Middle East Press:

Israel Rumored to be Targeting Saddam:

Iranian Arms Buyers Back In Business:

The CAABU Bulletin reports that an Iranian military procurement agency has been operating out of the London offices of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and is engaged in buying spare parts and production components for Iran's defense and aerospace industries. The agency, Aviation Technology Affairs (ATA), began operation in early 1991 following the resumption of diplomatic relations between London and Tehran after an 18-month hiatus. The British government had closed down Iran's military procurement office in London in 1988, and Iranian officials told British authorities that ATA would be engaged only in tying up the loose ends of military contracts dating back to the shah and with the procurement of civilian aviation equipment. A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed that permission had not been granted for the resumption of Iranian military procurement, but added that the Iranians had not provided full details of ATA's business activities. "Any evidence of wrongdoing would be urgently investigated," he said.

Kuwait Jails Journalist:

A Kuwaiti court upheld a three-month prison sentence imposed on journalist Fuad Al-Hashem for his criticism of Islamism and women who wear the veil while driving, the Saudi Gazette reports. Al-Hashem wrote in November 1991 that women who wear the niqab, or traditional facial covering, looked like beasts and could scare other drivers on the road. He said he respected the court's decision but that it would not alter his views of Islamism. "If we start to change our convictions, it would be better for us to put down our pens and go home, " Al-Hashem said, adding that he feared the sentence would intimidate other writers from taking up controversial topics in the press.

Disease Goes Untreated in Southern Sudan:

A disease causing a breakdown in the body's immune system similar to that produced by the AIDS virus has killed some 60,000 in the Parayang region of southern Sudan, the Middle East Times reports. Visceral leishmaniasis, or kale azar, is spread by parasite-infected sandflies living in acacia forests along flooded rivers and breaks down the body's defenses against other diseases, often resulting in death. Sufferers of kale azar can be treated only with a costly series of 30 injections, but the government in Khartoum has so far refused the U.N. or other relief agencies access to the infected region. The Dinka and Nuer tribespeople of Parayang have been unable to leave the area because of ongoing clashes between rebels and the Sudanese government to the north and the world's largest swamp, the Sudd, to the south.

Jordan May Ban Mixed Sports Clubs:

The Jordanian Parliament, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, passed a draft law banning mixed-sex sports clubs, recreational centers and swimming pools. Arguing against the law, which would exempt hotels and tourist establishments, the Jordan Times wrote that, "Liberal and reasonable-minded people in this country should not sit idle while they see 'the people's representatives' infringe on their rights and freedoms as citizens. "The legislation still must pass the Jordanian senate and be ratified by King Hussein.

Pakistan Supports Family Planning:

Rana Nazir Ahmed, Pakistani minister for population welfare, announced that the government would convene a conference of Muslim scholars, or ulama, to inform them of the economic benefits of family planning. The Saudi Gazette reports that while Pakistan's population control program has been in operation since the mid-1960s, it has met with little success due to strong opposition from conservative ulama. "We have to evolve a national consensus on the issue because the poor national economy is already overburdened with 120 million people, " Nazir said.

Islamic Preachers Criticize Religious Extremism:

More than 1,000 khatibs, or Friday preachers, from 50 Muslim countries issued a statement following a three-day conference in Marrakech calling on Muslim leaders "to end attempts to use the territory of an Islamic state for an aggression against the territory of another Islamic state. " According to the Moroccan news agency MAP, King Hassan told the conference, "No one has the right to use the minbar [pulpit] to return the nation to the past, to lead it into fanaticism, isolationism and underdevelopment, to launch unimportant struggles, or drag it into a whirlwind of troubles and the spiral of violence. " The conference also set up the International League of Khatibs, which will be headed by preachers from Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jerusalem and Syria, and will be based in Rabat.

Diplomat Says Libya Would Obey World Court:

Belkacem Az-Zwai, Libya's ambassador to Morocco and a close aide to Muammar Qaddafi, told reporters at a meeting of the Arab Maghreb Union in Tunis that his country would allow two Libyans accused of bombing Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland to stand trial in the U. S. or Britain if ordered to do so by the International Court of Justice. Libya had earlier called for a trial in a "neutral country," but Az-Zwai said the government would comply with any ruling the ICJ might hand down, according to the Middle East Times. "When we went to the International Court of Justice we were accepting in advance its decisions, " the ambassador said.

Azeri Coup Cracked:

Plans for bombing the helicopter of Azerbaijani President Abdulfaz Elchibey and a coup d'etat were thwarted by the Azeri interior ministry, according to the Baku daily Azadlyg. Internal Affairs Minister Iskender Khamidov said plotters within the Azeri defense ministry and the Russian army command were to kill a number of Russians living in Baku in order to justify Russian intervention in Azerbaijan. Khamidov did not release material allegedly seized in the case to the press.

Pakistani Phone Fees "Un-lslamic":

Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has ruled that late fees or fines on consumers who have not paid their telephone or other utility bills within a specified period constitute riba, or usury, and are not allowed under Islamic law, according to the Middle East Times. The constitution of Pakistan requires that all laws conform to Islamic teachings, and the CII advises the Pakistani government on matters of shariah, or Islamic law, though its recommendations are nonbinding.

Kuwait Can Wait on Bonds With Baghdad:

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Sabah says it is impossible for his country to normalize its relations with Baghdad while Saddam Hussain remains in power, though Kuwait has not ruled out improving relations with other Arab states which backed Iraq during the Gulf war. In an interview with Al Majalla, Al-Sabah said Kuwait has retained its embassies in Yemen, Sudan and Jordan, but that more time is needed to restore confidence before the resumption of diplomatic ties. He said Kuwait has stopped all aid to the PLO since August 1990, although "nobody cares more than us about the Palestinian cause."

Big Bucks for UAE Bridegrooms:

Men in the United Arab Emirates who marry local women will be offered up to $20,000 to cover the cost of marriage, according to the official WAM news agency. The high costs of weddings and inflated dowries for local women have prompted many men in the emirates to look abroad when considering marriage. Labor and Social Affairs Minister Saif Al-Jarwan said the offer was designed to control the "negative results on future generations" of marriages between UAE men and foreign women.

Egypt's Socialist Party Splits:

A three-year power struggle over Muslim Brotherhood influence within Egypt's Socialist Labor Party came to a head, Al Ahram Weekly reports, as a splinter faction led by Ahmad Mujahid claimed it represents the true SLP and that the mainstream faction, led by Ibrahim Shukri, had deviated from the party's program. Shukri replied by calling Mujahid and his followers "tools in the hands of the state. " The SLP's pro-Shukri paper, Ash-Sha'b, charged that Mujahid's group was backed by the Egyptian interior ministry and was committing "aggression against Islam. " The Muslim Brotherhood, officially banned in Egypt, has run candidates on the SLP ticket since 1989, and its views have come to dominate the party and its newspaper.

British Police Charge Iran Counterfeits U.S. Dollars:

Millions of counterfeit $100 banknotes manufactured either in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley or Tehran are being circulated throughout Europe to finance terrorist groups and drug networks, according to a report first published by the British Sunday Observer and carried by the Saudi Gazette. British police said the counterfeit money is brought into Europe by drug couriers and operatives affiliated with the Lebanese Hezbollah organization. The bills, produced on a high quality intaglio printing press and very difficult to detect, reportedly have been distributed to both the Provisional Irish Republican Army and militant Protestant groups in Northern Ireland.

Qaddafi Contemplating Capital Conversion?:

The Libyan government has told foreign embassies in Tripoli that they will soon be moving several hundred miles to the southeast to Ras Lanuf, birthplace of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, though no date for the move has been set, according to the Middle East Times. Many Libyans believe Qaddafi is planning on moving the country's capital and economic center to the coastal region of the Gulf of Sirte, located between Libya's two largest cities, Tripoli and Benghazi.

Islamabad Denies Drug Dealings:

A Pakistani foreign office spokesman has denied a report in New York's Newsday that Pakistan and its leaders are involved in drug trafficking. Radio Pakistan reports the U.S. administration has assured Islamabad that the story is not based on any information provided by the CIA or other government sources, and that it doesn't attach any importance to the newspaper report.

Sudanese Writer Arrested:

Muhammad Abdulsid Idris, a Sudanese journalist in charge of the Saudi daily Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat's Khartoum bureau, has been arrested in the Sudanese capital and his office closed by the Sudanese government. The official SUNA news agency says Idris has been charged with maintaining contacts with foreign and opposition circles and that he had been under surveillance by Sudanese authorities for several months.

Moroccan Parties Plan Unified Platform:

According to the Middle East Times, Morocco's four main opposition parties will present a unified platform and a single list of candidates should they decide to participate in the April Chamber of Representatives elections, the first to be held in eight years. The four-party Democratic Block, composed of the nationalist Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of People's Forces, the communist Party of Progress and Socialism and the leftist Organization of Democratic and Popular Action, have already submitted a joint list of grievances about delays in the elections, new electoral boundaries and ongoing clashes between the government and labor unions.

Gaza College Campus Clashes:

A team of Israeli soldiers and border police stormed occupied Gaza's two universities, leaving battered students and thousands of dollars of damage in their wake. According to Al Fajr, Israeli military sources said soldiers had entered the Al Azhar University campus, which is affiliated with Cairo's Al Azhar mosque and university, looking for armed militants. The soldiers beat students with fists and rifle butts, set up a series of checkpoints and detained students until they were thoroughly searched. At the nearby Islamic University, Israeli troops surrounded the campus and called on everyone inside to surrender or be fired upon. The only Palestinians on campus were the university's vice president, the dean of science and five security guards, all of whom were detained when they complied with the order. When the troops entered the university they used explosives and concussion bombs to blast open doors and rifled through files and papers. Property damage at the Islamic University is estimated at $50,000. Over a dozen professors at the university, as well as its president, are among the Palestinians expelled by Israel in December.

Turk to Translate Satanic Verses:

Prominent Turkish author Aziz Nesin is planning to translate and publish Salman Rushdie's controversial novel The Satanic Verses, according to the Middle East Times, although the Turkish government banned importation or distribution of the book in 1989. Nesin dismissed reports that the Iranian paper Jumhuri Islami teas urged Tehran to extend the death sentence imposed on Rushdie to Nesin should he publish a translation, saying, "They can kill me any time they want. There is nothing I can do about that. "

Yemeni Parties to Merge:

Yemen's two largest political parties, the Yemen Socialist Party (YSP) and the General People's Congress (GPC), announced they will merge before the country's April 27 general elections, the CAABU Bulletin reports. The GPC, led by President Ali Abdullah Saleh, was the ruling party in North Yemen, while Vice President Ali Salem AlBeidh's YSP ruled South Yemen before the two states merged in 1990.