September/October 1993, Pages 22-4

Issues in the News

Compiled by Greg Noakes

From the Israeli and U.S. Jewish Press:

PLO Ponders Baghdad Move:

The Israeli daily Al Hamishmar quotes Palestinian sources in the occupied territories as saying that Yasser Arafat and other PLO leaders are studying the possibility of moving the Palestine Liberation Organization's headquarters from Tunis to Baghdad. Tunisian authorities have yet to renew the agreement, due to expire in August, which allows the PLO headquarters to operate in Tunis, and reportedly have put pressure on Arafat to move armed Palestinian units out of the country. Few Arab countries are willing to host the PLO, the paper reports, giving Arafat and the organization a limited number of options for a new base of operations.

Kach Demanda IDF Disobedience:

The extremist Israeli Kach organization, founded by the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, has called on Israel Defense Force soldiers to disobey any orders to evacuate Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, according to Ha'aretz. A Kach pamphlet declares Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to be a traitor who plans to expel Jewish settlers from the territories in violation of "all Zionist values on which Israel was established. "

Vatican to Establish Ties Within a Year:

New York's John Cardinal O'Connor says he expects the Vatican to conclude discussions with Tel Aviv and establish full diplomatic relations with Israel within a year, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. "I'd be surprised if a year from now we weren't all getting ready for a big celebration, " O'Connor said. He added that the only issues outstanding in the negotiations were assured access to Jerusalem's holy places for members of all faiths and the "minor question" of ownership of property in Jerusalem, a reference to St. John's Hospice, a Greek Orthodox institution forcibly occupied by a group of Orthodox Jews determined to settle throughout the Old City. "I suspect that when the question of the status of Jerusalem is resolved, we will be very close" to the establishment of diplomatic ties, O'Connor said.

Court Case Could Clear Way for Claims:

Israel's High Court has asked the military commander of the West Bank to submit a document explaining why the heirs of Yacoub Shaktar have been unable to inherit the land in the West Bank the Jewish man purchased in 1937, before the creation of the state of Israel. According to the Israeli newspaper Hadashot, Shaktar's heirs appealed to the court after the Israeli commander refused to turn over the land despite an official ruling. The commander said such an action could result in the filing of similar claims by Palestinians living in the West Bank who hold title to land and property inside Israel.

Egypt Sentences Spy to Death:

Yediot Ahronot reports that Israeli officials have expressed surprise over the news that an Egyptian military court in Alexandria sentenced Muhammad Abdel Salam Mashaheed to death for spying for Israel. The report said the court had not consulted with Israeli officials before announcing the sentence. Mashaheed was found guilty of "spying for foreign powers" during a 1991-92 stay in Austria. While Cairo has periodically alleged that Israel routinely spies on Egypt, Mashaheed is the first Egyptian to be sentenced to death for the crime since the 1979 Camp David Accords, the paper says.

Iran Now More Threatening Than Iraq:

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin told the Knesset's foreign affairs committee that "Iran remains more dangerous than Iraq" to Israel and expressed concern over "international terrorism resulting from extremist Islamic movements, " according to the Israeli press. "When Iraq invaded Kuwait it was for simple expansionist goals," Rabin said. "However, Iran is not looking for a national occupation but rather for an ideological fundamentalist occupation. " He added that "Iran has a terrorist infrastructure like no other in the world, even the Palestinians, " and "Iran has branches in all Arab countries and all terrorist organizations have branches in Iran. " Rabin's remarks contradict Israeli Chief of Staff Ehud Barak's view last spring that Iraq posed the greater threat, as well as military intelligence chief Uri Saguy's belief that Israel will eventually "reach an agreement with Iran. "

Black Hebrews Ready to Enlist:

Some 1,500 Black Hebrews, African-American immigrants to Israel who claim to be descendants of the "lost tribe, " say they are ready and willing to serve in the Israel Defense Force out of "dedication and love for Israel and our purpose—to perpetuate the Jewish state," according to the group's leader, the Chicago-born Ben-Ammi Carter. The Jerusalem Post said Carter's remarks were made to American Jewish leaders during his first trip to the U. S. since emigrating 24 years ago. The Black Hebrews, most of whom live in a community near Dimona in the Negev Desert, will be granted permanent resident status in Israel in 1995, the report noted.

Rabbis Put Pepsi on Ice:

The fervently Orthodox Eda Haredit kashrut authority has revoked Pepsi-Cola's kashrut license, though two other rabbinical groups say the soft drink is still kosher, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. The rabbis revoked the kashrut certification because of Pepsi's "immodest" advertising campaigns and its sponsorship of a Guns 'n' Roses rock concert in Tel Aviv on a Saturday night which they say resulted in the desecration of the Sabbath by many concert goers. The managing director of Tempo, Pepsi's Israeli distributor, told Israel radio that no Pepsi was served at the concert until after the Sabbath. Tempo later announced that it preferred to lose the Eda Haredit certification than to change its advertising campaign or cancel its sponsorship of an upcoming Israeli concert by Michael Jackson.

Israeli Diplomats Accused of Smuggling:

South Africa has asked the Israeli ambassador in Johannesburg to explain why Israeli officials have been using their diplomatic immunity to smuggle money out of the country and into Israel, Yediot Ahronot reports. South African Jews have allegedly passed several million rends to Israeli diplomats for transfer to Israel in violation of South African currency exchange laws. Accused were Israeli security official Ahron Dogen; Reserve General Hagai Ragiv, the former head of the Israeli military mission to South Africa; and Dov Lavi, a Jewish Agency emissary in South Africa.

Kahane Commandos in U.S.:

Benyamin Kahane, son of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, says members of his Kahane Chai organization are undergoing military training in several camps throughout the United States, according to Al Hamishmar. Kahane said the group is working to establish military units, presumably to defend Jewish settlers in case of Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories, although surveillance by authorities in the U.S. was limiting their activities.

Most Employers Broke Equal Wage Law:

More than half of 75 Israeli companies surveyed by Israel's national employment service have broken laws requiring that Arab employees be paid the same minimum wage and provided with the same benefits given to Jewish workers, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Companies that violated the law have been fined and in some cases prosecuted in court, and the employment service is stepping up its investigation. The survey came in response to the closure of the territories in April and the resulting drop in the number of Palestinian workers in Israel.

Ultra-Orthodox Majority Soon:

The former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Lord Immanuel Jakobovits, predicts that the haredim, or fervently Orthodox Jews, who now constitute 10 percent of Israel's Jewish population, will constitute a majority in Israeli society within 20 years, the Queens (NY) Jewish Week reports. Birth rates among the haredim are among the highest in Israel.

China Posts Military Attache to Tel Aviv:

Ha'aretz reports that China has appointed a military attache to its embassy in Tel Aviv, pointing to increased military cooperation between Israel and the People's Republic. Israel is planning to open military missions in Beijing, Moscow and Mexico City in the near future, the Israeli daily said.

American Politicians and Evangelists Open Prayer Line:

Bezek, Israel's state telephone corporation, inaugurated its new Christian prayer line to Jerusalem with a little help from some prominent Republican politicians and American television evangelists, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. Former President Ronald Reagan sent a taped message, while Jack Kemp, Jeane Kirkpatrick, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Billy Graham participated by phone from the U. S. The round-the-clock prayer line, which allows Christians throughout the world to speak to trained volunteer prayer counselors in Jerusalem, is a joint venture between Bezek, Israel's Jerusalem Christian Review newspaper and several local congregations. The prayer line follows on the heels of a Bezek service allowing Jews to fax prayers to Jerusalem to be inserted into the Western Wall.

Palestinians Undergo Police Training:

Some 30 Palestinians from the occupied territories are undergoing police training in Jordan with an eye to providing security services to the Palestinian delegates to the peace talks, Israeli Police Minister Moshe Shahal told the Knesset. According to Al Hamishmar, Shahal said the trainees will not become the basis of a self-government police department, though he noted that provisions for the establishment of a local Palestinian police force are contained in the Camp David accords.

Chileans Protest Pinochet Invitation:

The Chilean Embassy in Tel Aviv has registered a protest with the Israeli Foreign Ministry over an invitation extended to former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet, according to Ha'aretz. Israeli sources told the paper that Chile's ambassador informed the ministry that he will resign and return to Santiago the day Pinochet arrives in Israel.

Jews Now Majority in East Jerusalem:

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Abraham Kahela says that for the first time since the reunification of the city in 1967, Jews constitute a majority in East Jerusalem. According to Ha 'aretz, Kahela said 160,000 Jews now live in East Jerusalem, while the Arab population is 155,000. Kahela believes intense efforts by Jews to settle in a number of predominantly Arab neighborhoods accounts for the demographic change. Any discussion on the future status of East Jerusalem must take the new population balance into account, Kahela said. Former Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Meron Benvenisti notes that while the Israeli government's incorporation of satellite towns and suburbs into "Greater Jerusalem" adds about 40,000 Jews to the demographic balance, the government's expanded definition of the city limits incorporates a greater number of Arabs.

Controversy Catches Up to Albek:

Plia Albek, a controversial attorney who has served in the Israeli Justice Ministry for 33 years, was fired after questioning the loyalty to Israel of Meretz MK Chaim Oron, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. Oron introduced a bill that would provide equal compensation to Arab and Jewish victims of terrorist attacks, whereas under current law only Jewish victims are compensated. Albek, no stranger to compensation controversies, previously had ruled that an Arab who died in the custody of Israel's Shin Bet secret service was an "absentee, " and therefore compensation for his death should go to the state rather than to his widow. She also argued that a Palestinian who lost his hands after being ordered by Israeli soldiers to remove a Palestinian flag from electric lines was not entitled to any compensation since he could continue in his job wearing prosthetic arms; and that the husband of a Palestinian woman accidentally killed by Israeli soldiers should not receive compensation because his wife's death relieved him of providing for her financially. Considered a right-winger, Albek drafted laws allowing Israel to acquire land in the occupied territories to be used for settlements without actually confiscating it from Palestinian owners. It was not clear whether Albek would be reassigned within the Justice Ministry.

From the Middle East Press:

PLO Financial Crisis Deepens:

Salaries and social services provided by the Palestine Liberation Organization in Jordan have been slashed due to the organization's worsening financial crisis, according to Al Hayat. The paper reports that PLO clinics in Amman, Irbid and Az-Zarqa, serving some 20,000 people, will be closed. In addition, paychecks for PLO employees in Jordan have been delayed for three consecutive months, and PLO funding for its institutions in the occupied territories has dropped from $5.5 million per month to less than $500,000. In addition, the moderate Jerusalem Arabic language daily Al Fajr folded due to a loss of PLO subsidies and the impact of the closure of the occupied territories, although some sources said the halt in publication would be temporary.

Al Jihad Looking to Africa:

The Egyptian government says the country's radical Muslim Al Jihad organization is training sub-Saharan African Islamists to overthrow existing' African regimes. Ash Shiroa says that leaders of the Egyptian group also have discussed with Islamists from Senegal, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Eritrea use of their countries' capitals, particularly Nairobi, as transit points between Afghanistan and the Sudan.

Anti-Crime Operation in Sindh Enters Second Year:

The Pakistani army's anti-crime drive entered its second year with thousands of army troops, police and paramilitary rangers deployed to crack down on "terrorists, bandits and antisocial elements" in the southern province of Sindh, according to the Saudi Gazette. Some 800 bandits have been killed, 5,600 people arrested, and 11,000 illegal arms seized since the operation began in May 1992. The province's chief minister said the army had restored public order and suggested it continue its law enforcement operations, but Altaf Hussain, the exiled leader of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM), said the military was targetting Mohajirs, Urdu-speaking immigrants from India. The operation has badly weakened the MQM's influence in Sindh's urban centers, the report noted.

Algeria Plans Election by 1996:

The Algerian government released a draft plan calling for presidential and parliamentary elections within two to three years of this December, when the mandate of the country's ruling High Council of State expires. An interim administration composed of "competent ministers and militants in the national interest" would rule until the elections and oversee the revision of electoral laws and the constitution "to achieve a better balance between authorities and institutions" than existed when the country's democratic experiment was halted by the army in January 1992, according to the APS news agency.

Egypt Tries New Anti-Terror Tactics:

Egyptian Interior Minister Hassan Al-Alfi says a more nuanced anti-terror strategy is paying dividends in the government's fight against Islamist militants, according to AI Ahram. The police are refraining from the arbitrary arrest of Islamists and are instead emphasizing surveillance measures. Al-Alfi said the authorities are trying "to keep an eye on every suspect without rushing to arrest him on flimsy charges. " He also pleaded for public assistance and promised financial rewards for information. "We are doing our duty but individuals and organizations must also play their part, " Al-Alfi said.

Water "Crisis" in Occupied Territories:

The United Nations Development Program says the problem of over-exploitation of water resources and pollution from domestic and industrial waste in Israeli-occupied territories " is of crisis dimensions and rapidly escalating. " A team of experts visiting the Gaza Strip said the area's aquifers were being depleted and salinated to the point where irrigation of crops was becoming problematic. The London-based Mid-East Mirror quoted a UNDP official as saying, "By the end of the 1990s, effectively they will be out of water. " The West Bank, which relies heavily on water from the Jordan River, is facing a similar situation, since the river's flow is now about a fourth of its 1950 level and is increasingly saline. Overgrazing, the unterraced cultivation of slopes and Israel's uprooting of olive trees means "the fragile topsoil of the West Bank is at serious risk, " the UNDP report said. Untreated sewage is discharged into streambeds throughout the West Bank, while toxic industrial waste and household garbage dumped in landfills "pose major pollution hazards to soil and water. " The UNDP pointed out that life expectancy in the occupied territories is 65 years, 11 less than inside Israel. "A high and rapidly increasing population density, a large proportion of refugees, a high level of unemployment, a gross negligence of the infrastructure and increasing scarcity of water are among the major factors that determine the gloomy picture," the report concluded.

Saudi Oil Industry Merger:

Middle East Economic Reports says the Saudi state oil industry will be strengthened by the surprise incorporation of the Saudi Arabian Marketing and Refining Co. (Samarec) into Saudi Aramco. The move will allow Ararnco to branch out from crude-oil production into downstream refining and marketing operations. Riyadh is trying to increase the percentage of its crude oil refined at home and recently purchased refining operations in the U.S. and South Korea. Saudi Aramco is studying further purchases of Pacific refining operations, and is exploring joint investment opportunities with the French oil company Total.

Malaysia Urges Use of Oil Weapon:

During a visit to Tehran, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called for Muslim states to use oil as a weapon to "pressure countries which, directly or indirectly, played a role in the prolongation of the genocide in Bosnia, " according to the Iranian IRNA news agency. Badawi, who also met with officials in Indonesia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia to exchange views on Bosnia, criticized the international community for "procrastinating in putting an end to the bloodshed. "

Libya Shifting Investments Out of EC:

Libyan Foreign Minister Omar Al-Muntasser confirmed that his country is shifting many of its investments from Europe to the Far East in preparation for a tightening of trade sanctions by the European Community. According to the CAABU Bulletin, Al-Muntasser said Libya is attempting to diversify into the Asian market, particularly the region's oil and gas sectors. He added that Tripoli's real estate holdings in Europe would not be sold immediately because of currently depressed prices there.

Prince of Wales to Head Islamic Institute:

Britain's Prince Charles appealed for religious tolerance as he agreed to head a center for Islamic studies in England, the Saudi Gazette reports. The prince will be the patron of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, which is devoted to greater understanding of the Muslim world. British officials said the prince's appointment puts the royal seal of approval on the center's efforts to create greater tolerance for Islam in Britain, and noted that the Prince of Wales has long shown an interest in Islam and other world religions. Charles is likely to be the next British monarch, who in addition to being the United Kingdom's head of state also serves as "Defender of the Faith" and leader of the Church of England.

Ershad May Face Death:

Former Bangladeshi President Hussein Ershad, currently in jail on corruption charges, may go to the gallows if convicted of the 1987 murder of a customs superintendent. According to the Dhaka daily Telegraph, the customs official tried to stop Ershad's gold smuggling operation and was killed while in the custody of Bangladeshi military intelligence. Former officials have testified that the former president ordered the killing to eliminate any evidence of his involvement in the smuggling activities. Ershad, who was deposed in 1991, faces up to 16 other charges for corruption and misuse of power, the paper said.

Transplant Legislation Provokes Criticism:

Critics, including the Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar, charge that an Egyptian National Assembly draft law on organ transplants would circumvent tough guidelines imposed after a series of scandals involving the transplanting of organs from executed criminals and comatose patients and the selling of organs by poor Sudanese and Somali refugees. Most of the organs in question were sold to institutions and individuals in Western Europe, according to the weekly Akhir Sa 'a. "There are well-known clinics in Cairo and Mansoura run by physicians who act as brokers in the human parts trade and who charge exorbitant amounts, " said Dr. Safwat Hassan Lutfi of Cairo University. Debate over the law began with testimony from a number of Egyptian religious leaders who favor the transplant legislation.

Jordan Plans Party Polling:

King Hussein announced the Hashemite Kingdom will hold multiparty elections, Jordan's first in 36 years, in November. The Petra news agency reports that 19 parties are expected to field candidates. Although loose alliances were formed during Jordan's 1989 general elections, the balloting was held under the 1957 ban on political parties which was finally lifted in October of last year.

Gulf States Sound Smoke Alarm:

Anti-smoking campaigns are underway in a number of Arab states of the Gulf whose governments are alarmed by the health and economic costs of cigarette use. According to the Saudi Gazette, Gulf Arabs consume some 20 billion cigarettes annually, while the narghileh, or traditional water pipe, is enjoying something of a renaissance in the area. Saudi Arabia is the biggest single market in the region, importing some $250 million of tobacco products a year, while Kuwait's $67 million of annual imports make it the third highest per capita consumer of cigarettes in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Gulf governments have launched anti-smoking campaigns ranging from newspaper ads and cautionary Friday sermons in mosques to the emirate of Sharjah's ban on narghilehs in cafes, though with mixed results to date.

Afghans Seek U.N. Help in Opium War:

Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani asked the United Nations for help in curbing his country's production of opium poppies and heroin, saying the U. N. could play an effective role in the fight against drug cultivation. Rabbani made his plea on a nationwide Afghan television broadcast. The U.N. says Afghanistan is the single largest producer of heroin in the world, with some 200 tons of the drug being smuggled into Europe via Pakistan and Central Asia every year. The so-called "Golden Crescent" of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan has taken over from Southeast Asia's "Golden Triangle" as the global center of opium poppy cultivation, the U.N. says.

Libya and Chad Clash in Court:

Libya and Chad submitted their long-running dispute over the Aouzou Strip, some 45,000 square miles of manganese- and uranium-rich land along their common border, to the International Court of Justice in what could be a landmark international case. At issue is the question of whether boundaries created by colonial powers are binding on independent states. The internationally recognized boundary was established in a 1955 treaty between Libya and France which placed the Aouzou Strip under French control. The land was given to Chad by France upon its independence in 1960. Tripoli says the inhabitants of the strip are Libyans from the Sanusi tribe, and argues that title to the land passed from the Ottoman Empire to the Italians, who ruled Libya as a colony until World War II, and then to independent Libyain 1951. Libya was represented in The Hague by its ambassador to Belgium, Abdulati Ibrahim El-Obeidi, who claimed a fraternal relationship with Chad despite the Libyan invasions of 1972, 1980 and 1983. Chadian President Colonel Idris Deby was present at the opening court session, marking the first time a head of state has attended a meeting of the World Court, according to the Saudi Gazette.

Missile Race in the Subcontinent:

India and Pakistan are installing along their common border new surface-to-surface missile systems which are able to strike deep into each other's territory. The Hindustan Times says the Indian army has deployed a 155-milerange missile system, known as Prithvi, in East Punjab. The missiles carry a one-ton payload and can reach most major Pakistani cities and strategic military installations, the report said. Experts say the Prithvi comes in response to a shipment of up to two dozen Chinese-made M-11 missiles to Pakistan. The Times of India reports that Islamabad is also developing a new missile system, called Hatf-3, which will have a range of up to 500 miles, bringing Delhi within striking distance from deep inside Pakistan. The missile should be operational by 1997, with the smaller Hatf- 1 and Hatf-2 missiles entering service in the next year or two. Indian military analysts say the Pakistani missiles are a more effective delivery system than the country's F-16 fighter-bombers, which would be more easily intercepted by Indian anti-aircraft units.

Strong Opposition Showing in Moroccan Elections:

Some 63 percent of Morocco's registered voters turned out for the kingdom's first legislative elections in nine years and strengthened the hand of the opposition bloc in parliament. According to figures released by the Interior Ministry, opposition bloc parties now hold 99 seats, up from 62 in the outgoing parliament, while the government's total fell to 116 seats from its previous 141. The opposition performed best in urban centers, while the government did well in rural areas. Smaller parties outside the government and opposition blocs picked up 7 of the 222 seats up for election. Two women, both members of the opposition bloc, won seats to become the first female parliamentarians in Moroccan history. The remaining 111 seats in the new 333-seat parliament will be decided in indirect elections by interest groups including local councils, professional organizations and trade unions. The weekly Jeune Afrique predicts the opposition will win only about a fourth of these indirect elections, which should shore up the government position. The new parliament will be sworn in next October.

A Million Bangladeshi Workers in the GCC:

Bangladeshi Labor and Manpower Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan told parliament that there are now some one million Bangladeshi workers living in the Gulf Cooperation Council's six member-states. The Saudi Gazette reports Bhuiyan said almost half of the Bangladeshis work in Saudi Arabia, 160,000 in Oman, 125,000 in the UAE, 95,000 in Bahrain and 76,000 in both Kuwait and Qatar. The minister said the figures were for Bangladeshi workers with legal work permits, adding that the Dhaka government would clamp down on illegal immigration from Bangladesh to the Gulf.

Change of Scenery in Abu Dhabi:

Scientists working in the United Arab Emirates say the region, now desert, was once covered with forests, marshlands, rivers and lakes, according to a report by the Abu Dhabi-based ADNOC oil firm. Temperatures in the UAE now routinely reach 120 degrees in the summer, but scientists say that 8 million years ago the area was temperate and hosted diverse species of wildlife, including elephants, hippopotami, giraffes and crocodiles.

Islamabad Buying Boats from Britain:

Pakistan will purchase six frigates being retired by Britain's Royal Navy. They will replace eight U. S. ships leased to Islamabad in the 1980s and now being recalled following suspension of U. S. military assistance due to Pakistan's nuclear program. The frigates will be delivered at a rate of two every six months, Pakistan's Nation reported, at a total cost of some $78 million. The price does not include the ships' complement of Exocet missiles, which Pakistan will purchase from France in a separate arms deal. The frigates will be refitted in England and eventually will carry British Westland Lynx helicopters, giving the ships an anti-submarine capability.

Female Rector for Kuwait University:

Chemistry Professor Fayza Al Kharafi has been appointed as the new rector of Kuwait University, becoming the first woman to hold such a post in the Arab world, according to the Kuwaiti daily Al Anba. Al Kharafi, a Kuwaiti graduate of Egypt's Ein Shams University, becomes the 25-year-old national university's eighth rector.

Black-and-White Back in Business:

Egypt's government-owned TeleMisr company will resume manufacturing black-and white television sets after a six-year hiatus. The daily Al Misa says black-and-white TVs remain popular in Egypt because of a lower price tag, with a 12-inch set going for about $100 compared to $350 for a similar color set. The new TeleMisr sets will be updated to handle new channels and will be VCR compatible.