June 1994, Page 22

Issues in the News

Compiled by Greg Noakes

From the Israeli and U.S. Jewish Press:

Jewish Agency Sinks Shipping Option:

Inside Israel reports that the Jewish Agency, charged with bringing Jewish immigrants to Israel, is attempting to block Jews from the former Soviet Union from arriving by sea and bypassing Jewish Agency charter flights. A group of Jewish immigrants booked passage from Russia to Israel on a British-owned ship named The Mano, which offered considerably cheaper transportation than the Jewish Agency flights. The Jewish Agency, however, threatened to withhold benefits from The Mano's passengers upon their arrival in Israel, which aroused the suspicions of several Israeli journalists. They uncovered kickbacks paid by East European airlines to Jewish Agency officials in order to charter the flights to Israel. Faced with public criticism within Israel, the Agency reached an agreement with The Mano's owners which allowed the Russian Jews to leave the ship. Soon after, another 356 Jewish immigrants arrived in Haifa on the Russian-leased Exodus, and again the Agency threatened to withhold benefits. Speculation is now mounting over the terms of the Mano deal struck by the Agency.

Israeli Envoy for U.S. Latinos:

Avraham Setton has been appointed as special Israeli envoy to the American Latino, community, which comprises an estimated 22.5 million people, or nine percent of the total U.S. population. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports that Setton hopes U. S. Latinos can act as a bridge between Israel and the countries of Latin America. Setton, who recently met with Latino groups in California and Florida, said he found an intense interest in Israel, particularly regarding the country's experiences with immigrant absorption, language instruction, social welfare and health care. The report noted that in addition to Spanish, Setton also is fluent in Ladino, the 15th century Spanish dialect carried into exile by Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain following the Reconquista.

Israel Ponders Joint Projects:

Israeli Finance Minister Avraham Shohat announced that a list of prospective joint Arab-Israeli projects is being compiled in anticipation of Israeli economic relations with neighboring countries. According to the Jerusalem Post, Shohat said Israel and the PLO have agreed to continue talks on an economic union and open trade between the Arab and Israeli economies. Shohat was criticized, however, by Economic Models Director Eli Sagi, who told journalists that the attention Tel Aviv has devoted to pursuing economic relations with the Arab world is disproportionate to the benefits Israel can expect to reap. Sagi said Israeli officials were neglecting the day-to-day economic interests of the country, and argued that the biggest economic boost to Israel from a peace settlement would come in the form of decreased defense spending.

Settlers Propose Press Boycott:

An unsigned leaflet urging Israelis to boycott the daily Yediot Ahronot because it allegedly ridiculed Kiryat Arba settlers was distributed in a number of West Bank settlements, the Jerusalem Post reports. "We, the supporters of the settlement movement from inside and outside the Green Line, declare Yediot-Ahronot loathsome, abominable and anti-Semitic, " the leaflet stated. "We call upon all the residents in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, and throughout Israel, not to buy or read the paper. " The newspaper had printed an article by Nahum Barnea which depicted the Kiryat Arba residents who testified before the Sharrigar Commission investigating the Hebron massacre as "a band of miserable, wretched, oppressed and lost souls ... representatives of the bottom of Kiryat Arba's barrel ... All properly functioning countries would have found a way to help them. This is why there are social work offices. " A spokesman for the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza said the group supported the boycott until Yediot Ahronot distanced itself from Barnea, who replied that the settler leaders should instead distance themselves from Baruch Goldstein.

Israel to Compensate Farmers:

Israel will pay its vegetable growers some $27 million over the next five years to compensate them for new competition from Arab farmers in the areas under Palestinian autonomous rule, according to the Detroit Jewish News. Agriculture Minister Ya'acov Tsur said the main purpose of the payments is to support the growers until they can leave the agricultural sector and find another livelihood. The plan also is aimed at eliminating subsidies paid to farmers for destroying their vegetable surpluses.

Hebron Hardly Touches Tourism:

Israel's Travel News reports that the Hebron massacre had little impact on the number of foreign tourists visiting Israel during the peak Easter/Passover period. Although some smaller groups cancelled reservations out of fear of the security situation, the tourism sector avoided the widespread cancellations seen during the Gulf war three years ago. "A large percentage of our guests come back year after year, " a spokeswoman for Jerusalem's King David Hotel said, noting that many come annually to spend Passover with family members living in Israel.

Druze Commandos Caught:

Four members of a Druze commando organization in the Golan Heights called the Young Nationalist Group were arrested by Israeli authorities after they tried to organize anti-Israeli activities in the occupied territory. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports each of the four had recruited three other Druze into the group, which was trying to uncover and punish members of the Druze community who are collaborating with Israel. The Druze, who are located in Lebanon, Syria and Israel, are an Arab religious sect having ties to Islam dating back to the 11th century. Most Israeli Druze are sympathetic to the Jewish state, and often serve in the Israeli military.

Moroccans Study in Beersheva:

Two young Moroccan agricultural researchers, Fatima Agdid and Moulay Sadiq Zoubir, are studying saline irrigation, animal the Institute for Agriculture and Applied Biology at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The two are in Israel as part of the Moroccan Cooperative Agricultural Development Project, funded by USAID and administered by San Diego State University, while the Israeli Foreign Ministry's Department of International Cooperation is financing the Moroccans' stay in Beersheva. Their visit to the Negev follows similar cooperative programs between Israel, Egypt and the United States, according to the Boston Jewish Times.

Veep Awarded Honorary Degree:

Israel's Bar-Ilan University conferred an honorary doctorate on U.S. Vice President Al Gore in tribute to his longstanding support for Israel, the Detroit Jewish News reports. Gore, who served for 17 years in the House and Senate before being elected vice president, compiled one of the strongest pro-Israel voting records in Congress. The doctorate was awarded during a ceremony at the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

Med-Dead Project Planned:

Israel and Jordan have planned a joint project to build a channel from the Mediterranean to the Dead Sea designed to provide desalinated water to the two countries, according to Yediot Ahronot. The $3 billion project would involve a pipeline stretching 40 miles from the Mediterranean coast of Israel to the northern Jordan River, a canal leading south to the Dead Sea, and two large reservoirs to hold the desalinated water before distribution. The moving sea water will provide enough hydroelectric power to run the project's desalination plant, the report said. The project involves Germany's Preussag Corporation, Israel Military Industries and an unidentified Jordanian engineering firm. The project was first proposed several decades ago by Israeli engineer Shlomo Got, but was shelved due to political differences between Jordan and Israel.

Dalai Lama Snubbed by Officials:

Israeli officials refused to meet with the Dalai Lama XIV Tensin Gyatso during his recent trip to Israel for fear of damaging Israel's growing relations with China, the Jerusalem Post reports. The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, has been in exile from Chinese-occupied Tibet since 1959. He was officially a guest of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and addressed its 40th anniversary celebration in Eilat. The Dalai Lama also toured the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, received an honorary degree from Hebrew University, visited the Dome of the Rock and met with Greek Orthodox Bishop Iodoros I during his five-day visit. While praying at the Western Wall, however, the Dalai Lama was jeered at by several Orthodox Jews, one of whom called the Buddhist spiritual leader a "screwball" and "political maniac. " Another yelled, "You look like an intelligent man, but you're stupid, fleeing from reality. " During his visit, the Dalai Lama called for peace in the region, saying, "Peace is a mental act, and genuine human compassion is a central component. "

Jewish Philanthropists Finance Hebron Health Care:

In reaction to the massacre at the Ibrahimi mosque, members of a network of Jewish philanthropists are raising money to improve health facilities for Palestinians in Hebron, the Queens (Nl~ Jewish Week reports. The group, whose funds are being channeled through American Jewish World Service, an international development agency, will donate at least $75,000 to the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees, a group of some 1,000 Palestinian health professionals in the occupied territories. The donation marks "the first time funders with an avowedly Jewish mandate have given to a Palestinian organization, " the report noted. Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, president of the Palestinian medical committee, said, "I think the political value of the contribution is more important than the material one. Jewish and Palestinian people working together can help the humanitarian situation in Hebron. "

"Space Artist" Plans Peace Arch:

Pieffe-Andr6 Vuitel, a Swiss I I space artist, has proposed the construction of a large wooden arch to float on the Dead Sea as a symbol of peace in the region, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The arch would rise more than 150 feet, provide interior space for some 2,000 people to attend concerts or lectures, and be visible from Amman, Jerusalem and Jericho. Lit by solar energy, the arch could also be dismantled and recycled after peace is established in the region, Vuitel said. "My work should [restore] dignity to the peoples of the region, " the artist added. The ambitious project will require Swiss funding.

Water Consumption Climbing:

A regional analysis by Beersheva University economists and Tahal, the Israeli water company, shows a moderate increase in water consumption by Israelis in the coming decades and a substantial leap in Palestinian consumption in the occupied territories, according to Davar. The study, conducted at the request of the World Bank, said Israeli per capita water consumption may increase from the current 100 to 110 cubic meters per year, but predicted Palestinian per capita consumption will jump from the 35 cubic meters currently allowed by Israeli authorities to 100 cubic meters per person annually. The study assumed a population within Israel's borders in 2040 of 12.8 million and a Palestinian population of 6.3 million within the area of the present occupied territories. Economists said the best hope of solving the regional water shortage was increased refining of polluted water and sewage.

Sharon Pounds Shamgar Probe:

Former Defense Minister Ariel Sharon criticized the Israeli government's Shamgar Commission investigating the Hebron massacre, saying its public hearings have "already caused Israel inestimable damage, and' this damage is increasing from day to day. " According to Israel radio, Sharon compared the Sharrigar panel to an earlier commission of inquiry into the September 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacres, which found that Sharon bore indirect responsibility for the killings and led to his resignation as defense minister. According to Sharon, the 1983 panel led to "great personal suffering and suffering to the Jewish people.

Witnesses before the panel of judges investigating the Hebron killings have testified that Israeli soldiers were barred from shooting at Jewish settlers, described serious security lapses at the lbrahimi mosque and engaged in a war of words between Israel's intelligence and military communities.

From the Middle East Press:

World Court to Hold Airbus Hearings:

Kuwait Training Women for Military:

Defense Minister Sheikh AliAl Salem Al Sabah told Al Qabas that Kuwait is considering admitting women into its military services for non-combat positions. "The role of women in administrative and desk work helps save military human resources, " Al Sabah said, adding that five women already have been trained abroad for military assignments. Kuwait, with a native population of roughly 620,000, is short of manpower and heavily dependent on foreign labor.

Khartoum Clamps Down:

The Sudanese government closed the nation's only independent newspaper, the three-month old As Sudani Ad Dawli, on charges it spread false rumors about armed robberies, impending famine in the northwest of the country and government corruption. The SUNA news agency reports that the paper's publisher, Mahgoub Erwa, was arrested after his parliamentary immunity was lifted. Documents seized at Erwa's newspaper office allegedly detail his collusion with foreign governments to destabilize Sudan's ruling regime. Authorities also briefly detained former Prime Minister Sadiq Al Mahdi and two other political activists for questioning at intelligence headquarters in Khartoum, according to Mahdi's opposition Umma party. No reason was given by the government for the detention, the fourth for Mahdi since the fall of his government in 1989, though observers .Peculated the questioning was related to Erwa's arrest and the closure of As Sudani Ad Dawli.

India Convenes First Shariah Court:

The KUNA news agency reports that India's first Islamic court was established in the Jama Nagar section of New Delhi by the Muslim Personal Law Board, an alliance of several Indian Muslim organizations. The court has been authorized to give judgments on issues of marriage, divorce and inheritance in accord with the shariah, or Islamic law. A court official said over 100 cases are pending, a third of which involve divorce disputes. Similar courts will be established across India, the report noted.

Miss Lebanon Cleared:

Ghada Turk was freed by Lebanese military authorities after two hours of questioning about being photographed next to Tamara Bouat at last year's Miss World pageant when they were Miss Lebanon and Miss Israel respectively. Lebanese newspapers and some government officials had accused Turk of "collaborating with the enemy" when the photo appeared in the press late last year, according to As Safir.

UAE Marriage Money Mounts:

A marriage fund created by the United Arab Emirates last year to encourage nationals to marry local women has doubled to $41 million for 1994, according to the Khaleej Times. "This reflects the country's keenness to support the fund to achieve its aims, " according to UAE Minister of State for Finance and Industry Ahmed Humaid At Tayer. The fund provides soft loans and grants of up to $9,000 for wedding expenses of UAE men marrying local women instead of foreigners. So far over 2,000 applications have been approved. A number of tribal leaders in the country have denounced the recent practice of throwing lavish wedding parties and demanding expensive gifts for the bride and her family, which they blame for forcing UAE men to seek foreign wives.

Moroccan Oil Deposits Uneconomic:

Moroccan Energy and Mines Minister Abdellatif Guerraoui says Morocco's 6 billion tons of oil shale deposits at Timhadit in Central Morocco and at Tarfaya in the south cannot be developed economically given current petroleum prices, according to the MAP news agency. "Technical and feasibility studies have shown Moroccan oil shales have a low energy content and could be exploited only when the price of a barrel of oil is two or three times what it is at present, " Guerraoui said. He said the petroleum studies had cost some $50 million, 40 percent of which was financed by unnamed foreign oil companies.

MPs Say Kuwaiti Weapons Wasted:

Members of Kuwait's opposition-dominated national assembly allege in a review of the nation's defense policies that some of the $5.3 billion spent to re-equip the country's 13,000-man military since Kuwait's 1991 liberation has been wasted, according to the Arab Times. The review was undertaken by a parliamentary committee charged with investigating the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The review alleges that many of the new weapons and weapons systems have yet to be deployed and that some defense ministry officials have profited from post-war arms contracts signed with the U.S., Britain and France. The review also says that Kuwait's pre-war army was a largely symbolic force which collapsed during the Iraqi invasion.

Jordan Demands Halt to Sea Searches:

Jordan's King Hussein is demanding an end to searches of foreign ships bound for Aqaba before Jordan returns to Middle East peace talks with Israel, according to the Petra news agency. The king said the searches, designed to enforce U.N. sanctions against Iraq, are conducted by U.S. -led naval forces in the Red Sea that have stopped over 1,700 ships in the last three years "and never found any violation dealing with the sanctions, their causes and their aims. " King Hussein added that his country was losing millions of dollars in business and fees and that major shipping lines were threatening to stop sailing to Jordan's sole port of Aqaba. U.S. State Department official Dennis Ross reportedly told Jordanian Prime Minister Abd al-Salam al-Majali that Washington was studying the request.

Malaysia Considers Caning for Wife-Beaters:

Malaysian officials say that Muslim men convicted of beating their wives could be subject to caning under a plan for tougher punishments for the offense, according to the Bemama news agency. Under the proposed legislation, offenders could be fined up to $2,400, jailed for three years, caned six times, or suffer some combination of the three penalties. Caning would apply only to Muslim men, and would be administered only after the approval of local Islamic religious scholars. Current penalties, a fine of $800 or a year in jail, were dismissed by Malaysian officials as insufficient deterrents to wife-beating, which is reportedly on the rise in the country. More than half of Malaysia's population is Muslim, and comes under the jurisdiction of Islamic law courts in matters of marriage, divorce, child adoption and Islamic offenses such as drinking alcohol or failing to fast during Ramadan.

AIDS Awareness Urged:

Michael Merson of the World Health Organization (WHO) told an AIDS conference in Kuwait that Arab states should devote more resources to encouraging awareness of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, the Saudi Gazette reports. According to Merson, executive director of WHO's global program on AIDS, some 75,000 people in the Middle East and North Africa have been infected by the HIV virus, which causes AIDS. "Your HIV prevalence is still low, which gives you a precious window of opportunity, " Merson told conference delegates. "Unlike many other regions, you also have rich resources to harness to AIDS prevention ... We have learned from experience that people all over the world are willing to listen to candid messages once they understand that their lives, or the lives of their children, are at stake. "

Israel Supplying Southern Sudanese?:

Sudan's SUNA news agency reports that a Nigerian 707 which made an emergency landing at Larnaca, Cyprus on a flight from Tel Aviv to Entebbe, Uganda was carrying an arms shipment destined for Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) rebels in southern Sudan. Israeli officials said the arms were part of "a deal between Israel Military Industries and Uganda" and "had all the permits. " Cypriot civil aviation authorities said "the arms were bought from Israel by the Ugandan government. " Uganda's New Vision newspaper, however, said officials in Entebbe denied any knowledge of an order for Israeli arms, and Britain's Independent said the weapons appear to have been an attempt to resupply Sudanese rebel factions which have been strapped for arms. "There is nowhere in the southern Sudan held by the SPLA where a Boeing could land, and observers speculate that the arms would have been transferred from Uganda to southern Sudan by road, " the British paper reported.

India Hires Lobbyists:

India has hired the public affairs firm of McAuliffe, Raffaelli & Kelly as its first official U.S. lobbyist, according to India Today. The Indian Embassy in Washington has begun a series of intense briefings for the lobbyists assigned to the New Delhi account, while McAuliffe official David Springer promised to help "the Indian Embassy to understand the workings of the U.S. government." Under the firm's contract, which contains provisions for an initial six-month evaluation period, India will pay McAuliffe $450,000 annually. Pakistan, meanwhile, has cancelled its $360,000 annual contract with Neill and Company, which had lobbied in Washington for Islamabad since 1987. According to Dawn, sources at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington say the move was taken because the lobbying firm was too closely associated with the government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, though others said the Sharif governanent also was dissatisfied with the lobbying arrangement.

Qatari Official in Tehran:

Ali Bin Khalifa Al Hatmi, theheadof Qatar's Consultative Council, recently visited Tehran and met with the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Akbar Nateq-Nouri, according to Tehran radio. Among the issues they discussed were a proposal to pump water from Iran via pipeline to Qatar and exploration of extensive natural gas deposits located between the two countries. The North Field/South Pars Field is the world's largest gas field, containing an estimated 20 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.

Hamas Calls for National Ballot:

The Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement has issued a statement calling for the election of a national Palestinian leadership in the occupied territories after the implementation of the Gaza-Jericho Plan, the Jerusalem Times reports. Hamas called for the creation of a common Palestinian platform stipulating the total withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories and the dismantling of all Israeli settlements. The Hamas statement also reiterated the party's opposition to the reinstatement of former mayors in the territories to replace Israeli-appointed municipal officials, calling instead for new mayoral, trade union and professional association elections. The statement called on Arab countries to continue their economic boycott of Israel and urged them to put pressure on the Clinton administration to recognize Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza as occupied territories in accordance with international law.

Zeroual Accuses Outside Agitators:

Algerian President Liamine Zeroual, speaking during the closing session of the recent Arab Maghreb Union (UMA) summit in Tunis, accused a foreign country of using Islam as a cover to attempt the overthrow of his government and others in the region, Tunisian radio reported. Zeroual charged that "under the cover of religion ... external forces known to us have calculated in vain that the time was ripe to destabilize our country. " Algerian delegation officials said Zeroual was referring to Iran, which Algeria has accused of supporting Islamist militants dedicated to the overthrow of the current regime. Zeroual also said Algeria was entering a "new phase" involving "the concretization of political pluralism and consolidating national development. " Following their summit, UMA leaders pledged to crack down on "all forms of terrorism, violence and extremism, "reiterated support for the Palestinian people and the territorial integrity of both Iraq and Kuwait, urged a "peaceful, fair and honorable" solution to Libya's standoff with the West and supported rapprochement in Yemen. The UMA leaders also expressed concern for North African immigrants in Europe and called for a Euro-Maghreb charter to insure their "well-established rights. "

Syria Sees More of the Same:

In an editorial in the Syrian government daily Ath Thawra, editor Ameed Khouli charged that U. S. President Bill Clinton's promised changes in America's Middle East policies have not been forthcoming. Khouli said Clinton had promised "a sharp change in the U.S. position" during his Jan. 16 summit meeting in Geneva with Syrian President Hafez AlAssad, but that " U.S. decisions and moves have been largely marked by confusion and hesitation. " Khouli said Israel appeared to have blocked any serious Clinton administration reassessment of Middle East policy.

Washington Targets Heroin Trade:

The U.S. State Department has accused Iran of permitting its territory to be used as a "major point" of transit for South Asian heroin bound for Europe and the United States, the Kuwaiti KUNA news agency reports. "We have seen this to be an increasingly significant phenomenon over the course of the last year, one official said. U.S. authorities also are urging Pakistan to extradite more of its alleged drug barons to stand trial, saying that while the U.S. is "encouraged by Pakistan's movement toward extradition ... there are still people we would like to see apprehended and brought to justice." Exports of heroin from Pakistan and Afghanistan have increased sharply in the last decade, but one American official visiting the region said that while some limited aid for crop substitution schemes will continue, the U.S. will not be providing large-scale funding for anti-drug efforts as it has in some Latin American nations. "The U.S. is no longer in the business of writing blank checks, " the official said.

Urdu Problem in Uttar Pradesh:

The chief minister of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav, touched off a political firestorm when he proposed that the Urdu language could be promoted by using the Devanagari, or Hindi, script, according to India Today. The use of Urdu, the primary language of most Indian Muslims, is a contentious issue in the state, and subsequent reports that Yadav had advocated totally abandoning the Arabic-derived Urdu script further enraged Uttar Pradesh's sizable Muslim community. The Urdu daily Qaumi Awaz accused Yadav of following the line of the Hindu fundamentalist Bharatiya Janata Party, adding that "it is unfortunate that Urdu has always been used as a political issue in Uttar Pradesh. " The Urdu language Markaz said, "This is a controversy created by people who want the Muslims to remain involved in non-issues. " Yadav refused to clarify his position, saying only that the use of Devanagari script would promote Urdu among people who could not read or write it. Another official said the state government had no plans to do away with the Urdu script.

Archbishop Rejects Return Offer:

Former Archbishop Hilarion Capucci, of the Roman Catholic Melkite Church of the Eastern Rite, says he has rejected Israeli conditions for his return nearly two decades after he was deported from Jerusalem. Israel arrested Capucci in 1974 on charges of smuggling weapons to Palestinian guerrillas in the occupied territories and deported him three years later. Capucci said an Israeli offer for his return "was tied to me not saying anything regarding the Palestinian cause. " He told the Petra news agency, "Arab Jerusalem has to be liberated because it is part of the occupied territories and it has to return to its original owners, the Arabs, and be the capital of the state of Palestine"

Turkey Tries Water Exports:

Facilities designed to load tankers bound for the Middle East with fresh water are being constructed at the Turkish port of Manavgat, according to the CAABU Bulletin. The project involves four pipelines and two mooring facilities, and is being overseen by the Turkis Emet-Aydiner firm in conjunction with Germany's Wabag Wassertechnische Anlagen concern. Nearly a decade ago Ankara began promoting two planned pipelines to carry water to the Gulf states via Syria and Iraq, arguing that such a scheme would ultimately be cheaper than desalination projects. The pipeline project thus far has failed to attract serious interest.

Cairo, Islamabad Ink Extradition Pact:

Egyptian and Pakistani justice ministry officials have initialed a treaty to extradite suspects in terror, drug and criminal cases, the Saudi Gazette reports. The treaty is primarily aimed at Arab Islamist militants Cairo says have been using Pakistan, particularly the northwestern city of Peshawar, as a command center for attacks against Egypt. Egyptian authorities have provided their Pakistani counterparts with a list of suspects they want to have extradited once the treaty, which still must be approved by the two governments, goes into effect.

Peace Documentary Crew in Danger:

The first joint Israeli-Palestinian film coproduction, "Peace Chronicles," is encountering difficulties because the documentary's Palestinian crew members have come under repeated attacks from Israeli soldiers and border police. According to the Jerusalem Times, the two-hour film was commissioned by Britain's

Channel Four and the Netherlands' Ikon TV to document the implementation of the Israeli PLO peace accord through the video diaries of five Israelis and five Palestinians. Filming began last December. Since that time four Palestinian participants have been beaten, arrested or shot by Israeli occupation forces and have had film and equipment confiscated. No official Israeli action has been taken on their complaints about the incidents, though video recordings were made of some of the altercations. Israeli co-producer Amit Breuer said, "I never believed when we started this project about the coming peace with Palestinians that I would see images of our own crew beaten up and shot at. " She said this began her understanding of the real meaning of the occupation. Film director Ilan Ziv of New York told the Jerusalem Times, "The idea was that the film's production as well as content would reflect a new phase of cooperation and co-production between Israelis and Palestinians. Now four months later we find ourselves having to change the name of the film from 'Peace Chronicles' to something more like 'War Diary. "'

Kuwaiti Consults Carey:

Sheikh Salem Al Sabah, chairman of Kuwait's National Committee for Missing and Prisoner of War Affairs, appealed to Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey for help in locating 625 Kuwaitis believed still held in Iraq. The 10zaleej Times reports that Sheikh Salem conferred with Carey during a visit to London, after which he said he had asked the archbishop "to pray for us and to use his international influence to help us gain information about these missing people. We want to know if they are still alive. Iraq denies it is holding any of the 625 people.

Militants Murder Christian Outside Court:

Three gunmen assassinated a Pakistani Christian and wounded two of his relatives as they emerged from a trial at the Lahore high court. The Saudi Gazette reports that Manzoor Masih was killed and his two co-defendants, Rehmat Masih and Salarnat Masih, were wounded. The three Masihs were facing blasphemy charges, which carry a possible death sentence, and had been released on bail when the shooting occurred. Salamat, at age 14 the youngest person ever to face blasphemy charges in Pakistan, said the three were on their way to visit their lawyer when the gunmen, reportedly members of a radical Islamist group demanding the throe be put to death immediately . opened fire with automatic weapons from a passing motorcycle. A Christian supporter, John Joseph, also was injured in the attack.