[imra] Daily digest - Volume: 2 Issue: 1337 (15 messages)

imra Fri Feb 24 00:21:56 2006 Volume 2 : Issue 1337

In this issue of the imra daily Digest:

Conversations with Machsom Watch included
in training for IDF soldiers at checkpoints
ZOA's Position Wins: US Appeals Court Allows
Americans Born in Jerusalem to Have "Israel" Listed on Passport
MEMRI: Muqtada Al-Sadr: If Asked by Syria & Iran,
We May Confront the American Forces
Wiesenthal Center statement welcoming
Supreme Court Appointment of Mediator
SPOKESPERSON UPDATE: Important Reminder:
Entry of Israeli Vehicles into Nablus
One citizen killed and 5 injured during clashes
between families in Rafah over the past 48 hours
Once Olmert was right: Israel will have to
destroy the terrorist groups - no short cuts
Government election website
www.knesset.gov.il/elections17/eng/index_eng.asp
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Three Wanted Tanzim Operatives Killed During IDF Arrest Activity in
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Three Wanted Tanzim Operatives Killed During IDF Arrest Activity in
Sources of Islamic extremism.The Islamic "street".23 February 2006
Acting PM Olmert Speaks With Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan
PM: Little Chance to Fatah Participation in New Government
Jordanian King Receives Phone Call for Israeli Prime Minister
Weekly Commentary: Israel's rapidly closing window
of opportunity to respond to the Hamas victory

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Conversations with Machsom Watch included
in training for IDF soldiers at checkpoints

IDF RESPONSE TO QUERY from Israel Resource News Agency 22 March 2006
[Forwarded to IMRA from Israel Resource News Agency]

IDF soldiers in the checkpoints are undergoing an operational, mental and
ethical training.

The training process includes, among other things, conversations with the
different organizations that are present at the checkpoints including
"Mahsom Watch". The IDF sees the International human rights organizations as
an inseparable part of the democracy in Israel, and therefore reveals the
soldiers to their activities.

This training is required due to the type of combat in the area, in which
terror organizations are acting among the civilian Palestinian population,
and in which the soldiers interact with this population on a daily basis.

anc06022107

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: ZOA's Position Wins: US Appeals Court Allows
Americans Born in Jerusalem to Have "Israel" Listed on Passport

NEWS RELEASE
Zionist Organization of America
Jacob & Libby Goodman ZOA House, 4 East 34th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016
(212) 481-1500 Fax: (212) 481-1515

February 22, 2006
Contact Morton A. Klein at: www.zoa.org
Attn: NEWS EDITOR

ZOA'S POSITION WINS: U.S APPEALS COURT ALLOWS
AMERICANS BORN IN JERUSALEM TO ENFORCE RIGHT
TO HAVE "ISRAEL" LISTED ON PASSPORT

New York - Menachem Binyamin Zivotofsky, an American citizen who was
born in Jerusalem, won his appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals, after the
federal district court in Washington, D.C. dismissed his case against the
U.S. State Department in the fall of 2004.

Zivotofsky sued the State Department to force it to comply with a
federal law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2002, which permits American
citizens born in Jerusalem to have "Israel" listed as their country of birth
on their passports and other official documents. Before this law was
enacted, the passports and other documents of American citizens born in
Jerusalem listed "Jerusalem" only as their birthplace. President Bush
signed the legislation into law, but he declared that the law interfered
with his authority to conduct foreign affairs and that it would be
considered advisory, not mandatory. State Department officials have
followed the President's directive and have not complied with the law. U.S.
citizens born in Jerusalem thus continue to have only "Jerusalem" listed on
their passports and other official documents and not "Israel," their country
of birth.

In the fall of 2004, the district court dismissed the Zivotofsky
complaint and a similar complaint filed on behalf of another American
plaintiff born in Jerusalem by the Zionist Organization of America's Center
for Law and Justice (ZOA-CLJ). Both the Zivotofsky and ZOA-CLJ cases were
consolidated for hearing before the district court because they raised
virtually identical issues. The district court decided that the plaintiffs
lacked standing to sue, and that the cases presented a political question
that the court could not resolve.

The Zivotofsky case was appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals and was
argued by Nathan Lewin, Esq., a member of the ZOA-CLJ's advisory board. The
Court of Appeals overturned the district court's decision, concluding that
Zivotofsky does have standing to sue. The Court of Appeals sent the case
back to the district court, so that both sides could develop a more complete
record relating to whether the law is mandatory or advisory, and other
issues.

Susan Tuchman, Esq., the Director of the ZOA-CLJ, applauded the
appellate court's decision: "The Court of Appeals properly recognized that
Menachem Zivotofsky was injured by the State Department's failure to enforce
his right under federal law to have "Israel" listed on his passport and
other documents, and that he can enforce this right in court. This is an
important first step in ensuring that this clearly worded federal law -
which mandates the State Department to recognize the birthplace of Americans
born in Jerusalem as "Israel" - is fully and properly enforced. The ZOA is
proud to have been involved in helping to move this important issue
forward."

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein noted, "I am presently in
Israel, together with other leaders of major American Jewish organizations.
Just this week, we met with Ambassador Richard Jones, the new U.S.
Ambassador to the State of Israel. I asked Ambassador Jones whether he
would work with us to fulfill U.S. obligations under this federal law.
Ambassador Jones told me that he was not aware of this issue, but assured me
that he would be looking into the matter. We are sending him a copy of the
Court of Appeals' decision, in the hope that he will encourage the State
Department to reconsider its position and follow the mandate of the U.S.
Congress."

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: MEMRI: Muqtada Al-Sadr: If Asked by Syria & Iran,
We May Confront the American Forces

Special Dispatch - Iraq
February 23, 2006
No. 1100

Iraqi Shi'ite Leader Muqtada Al-Sadr: Arab and Islamic Forces in Iraq Would
Also Be Considered Occupation; If Asked by Syria and Iran, We May Confront
the American Forces in Iraq

The following are excerpts from an interview by Iraqi Shi'ite Leader Muqtada
Al-Sadr that aired on Al-Jazeera TV on February 18, 2006.

TO VIEW THIS CLIP VISIT: http://www.memritv.org/search.asp?ACT=S9&P1=1048 .

Interviewer: "How would you describe the military presence of the American
and allied forces in Iraq?"

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Occupation. It is occupation, regardless of whether it is
a foreign, Arab, or Islamic country. In all cases, it is occupation.
Therefore, all the talk and all the rumors that if the American forces
leave - or even if they don't leave - Islamic or Arab forces will enter -
they, too, will be occupiers."

Interviewer: "Occupiers?!"

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Yes, occupiers."

Interviewer: "So if these forces leave and Arab Islamic forces enter..."

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "It will be worse than with the foreign forces, because I
can fight and resist the foreign forces. But if Arab or Islamic forces come
in, how could I possibly turn against an Arab or Muslim? This is a difficult
situation. This is why we have such a hard time with those who support the
occupation. We cannot fight and kill them, because they are Iraqis."

[...]

Interviewer: "There is a certain scenario - or perhaps requests - that Arab
or even Islamic forces enter Iraq. You will surely reject them?"

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "I am the first to oppose them."

Interviewer: "Why? They would not come as occupiers..."

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Did America come as an occupier? It came as a liberator.
Same thing. It's the same problem. It entered as a liberator, and became an
occupier. You can enter Iraq as liberators, and become occupiers. In a few
years, it will be like when America came to get [Syria] out of Lebanon, and
Syria is considered an occupier, while America is not considered an occupier
of Iraq. Why these double standards? America is the 'liberator' of Iraq,
while Syria is the 'occupier' of Lebanon. Iran is forbidden to have a
nuclear program, while Israel is allowed. Attacking the Jews is forbidden,
while attacking Allah's Prophet is allowed. Look at these double standards.
To sum up, we don't want any forces.

"The Iraqi people is capable of building Iraq. It is the occupier that
prevents the building of Iraqi police and army. These forces do not receive
money or weapons. We demanded that funds and weapons be transferred to the
Iraqi army, but the occupier prevented this, in order to maintain its
pretext for staying in Iraq."

[...]

Interviewer: "You have said that the American and allied forces are
occupation forces. Does this mean that resisting them militarily is
legitimate?"

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Ask Bush. He is the one who legitimized it. He said: 'If
my country was occupied, I would fight.' Even the occupier himself
acknowledges the legitimacy of resistance. Allah acknowledged the legitimacy
of resistance, and he claims to be sent by Allah. Look how extremist he is,
while we are forbidden to be extremists. They consider demonstrations to be
'violence,' but the bombardment of cities is not considered violence. It is
all double standards."

Interviewer: "Is Al-Zarqawi, with all these capabilities, real, or is he an
illusion?"

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "Personally, I believe he is fictitious. He is a knife or a
pistol in the hands of the occupier.

"I believe that all three - the occupation, the takfir [i.e. the practice of
declaring other Muslims to be heretics] supporters, and the Saddam
supporters - stem from the same source, because the takfir supporters and
the Saddam supporters are a weapon in the hands of America. America pins its
crimes on them. The supporters of Saddam and of the takfir are too cowardly
to fight, and if they are not cowards, they fight the Shi'ites, the Sunnis,
and Islam, rather than fighting the occupier."

[...]

"I am at the service of Islam and of the Islamic countries. Any service they
need, whether in good times or bad, I am willing to provide - whether in
Syria, which is subject to pressure, or in Iran, which faces pressure on the
[nuclear] issue. I have said that I would defend all the Islamic and Arab
countries."

Interviewer: "What does this mean in practice? Forget about the 'good
times.' What does it mean in 'bad times,' as far as Iran and Syria are
concerned? There is a clear political conflict that may become a military
conflict, especially with Iran."

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "True, but they must ask me to provide that service, unlike
some countries that come here to resist the occupation, and end up killing
civilians. One must get a country's permission before helping it. Iran needs
to be asked how it wants this help, and I will provide it.

"Syria needs to be asked how it wants this help, and I will provide it.
Jordan needs to be asked how it wants this help, and I will provide it. It
is not for me to decide this type of aid. They need to decide."

Interviewer: "Let's assume you are asked to provide help by confronting the
American forces in Iraq."

Muqtada Al-Sadr: "If I have the ability, I will provide [this service]. Why
shouldn't I? If I do not serve Islam, then who will I serve?"

*********************
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent,
non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle
East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background
information, are available on request.

MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with
proper attribution.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI)
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
E-Mail: memri@memri.org
Search previous MEMRI publications at www.memri.org

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Wiesenthal Center statement welcoming
Supreme Court Appointment of Mediator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2006

STATEMENT BY THE SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER ON THE ISRAELI SUPREME COURT
RULING ON MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE JERUSALEM

"The Simon Wiesenthal Center welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court of
Israel to appoint former Chief Justice Meir Shamgar as the mediator for a
30-day period to help facilitate a resolution regarding the remains found on
the construction site of the Center For Human Dignity - Museum of Tolerance
Jerusalem.

This is in keeping with the spirit of our initial presentation to the Court
where we offered three separate remedies. We hope that this mediation
period will produce a solution equitable to all parties."

Support From Key Israeli Leaders

This week, top Israeli leaders reiterated their support for the project.

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: "This is an essential project for
Jerusalem, a landmark that will change the face of Jerusalem forever. I
stand behind it 100% with all my power."

Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski: "I applaud the creation of the Museum of
Tolerance. For the past three decades this land has been utilized as a
public car park and it is commendable that it will now serve as the site for
this important Museum.I have received your proposal to renovate the old
Muslim cemetery adjacent to the Museum's site and I congratulate you on your
initiative. The cemetery has been neglected for many years. Your support
in renovating it.is a first example of the role of the Museum that is to be
established.I have no doubt that the construction of the Museum is vital for
the City of Jerusalem and that it will be built rapidly at this site which
has been designated for it."

Background

The Center For Human Dignity is being built in the heart of West Jerusalem,
on land granted to the Simon Wiesenthal Center by the Government of Israel
and the City of Jerusalem. At no time did the Government of Israel or the
City of Jerusalem designate the site as a Moslem cemetery. Rather, it had a
legal status as a 'public open space.' In fact, for decades, it has served
as a paved public municipal parking lot, including an underground four
level-parking garage.

On June 7, 1964, the issue of this land was brought before the Sha'aria
(Moslem religious law) Court of Appeals. The Chief Judge ruled that the
area including this site was "a Mundras (abandoned burial site). that its
sanctity has ceased to exist in it... and it is permitted to do whatever is
permitted to do in any other land which was never a cemetery."

From 1923 to 1931, the Supreme Moslem Council developed a plan to establish
a pan-Islamic University on 70 dunam that would have included all of
Independence Park and our current site. The planned campus would have
included many large buildings that would have required extensive excavation.
The project was never realized because of lack of funds.

Over the course of the last five years, throughout the public
planning process, the Center For Human Dignity was the subject of hearings
at open City Council meetings, through notices published in both Hebrew and
Arabic newspapers, and the architectural model was on public display at City
Hall. Throughout those years not a single person or organization came
forward to object to the development of site on the grounds that it was a
Moslem cemetery.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international
Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the
United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United
Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS and the Council of Europe.

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: SPOKESPERSON UPDATE: Important Reminder:
Entry of Israeli Vehicles into Nablus

February 23rd, 2006

IDF SPOKESPERSON UPDATE

The IDF Spokesperson Office would like to remind all media personnel
traveling in the West Bank that for security reasons, vehicles with Israeli
license plates are not allowed into Nablus, in light of a longstanding
decision by the regional brigade commander.

Members of the press are free to enter Nablus with vehicles bearing foreign
license plates or on foot. The IDF Spokesperson News Desk will not be able
to assist any media representative who arrives at any of the checkpoints
around Nablus with an Israeli vehicle.

Please take this into consideration when making your travel plans.

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: One citizen killed and 5 injured during clashes
between families in Rafah over the past 48 hours

PCHR
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

Security Chaos and Proliferation of Small Arms
Misuse of Arms in Family and Personal Disputes

Field Update
23 February 2006

One citizen killed and 5 injured during clashes between families in Rafah
over the past 48 hours

On Wednesday, 22 February 2006, a member of the Sheikh Eid family was killed
in Rafah and 3 others were injured, in armed clashes between members of the
same family. PCHR's initial investigation indicates that at approximately
13:00, gunmen from the Sheikh Eid family fired at Mohammad Nafel Sheikh Eid,
28, who works as a police officer. He was hit in his right thigh during the
attack, which took place in front of Al-Quds Secondary School for Girls
(near Al-Awda square in the center of Rafah). The attack also resulted in
the injury of Mokhlis Mohammad Khafaja, 28, who was hit by shrapnel in his
right thigh. Both were taken to Mohammad Yusef El-Najjar Hospital for
treatment. Their injuries were classified as moderate.

At approximately 13:40 on the same day, dozens of gunmen related to the
injured officer headed to Shabora refugee camp, where the perpetrators of
the first attack live. The two sides exchanged fire, also using hand
grenades, for approximately 90 minutes. Six homes were burned during the
exchange. Mohye E'Deen Abdallah Sheikh Eid, 23, was killed during the
clashes. He was hit by a bullet to the head. In addition, Mohammad Abdallah
Sheikh Eid, 30, was injured by shrapnel which hit his right hand.

PCHR's fieldworker reported that the clashes erupted in the vicinity of 3
UNRWA schools. Pupils were terrified and their families were very anxious
for their safety. The pupils were trapped in their classrooms throughout
the battle.

It is noted that clashes within the Sheikh Eid family originally started
with a small argument between children. The problem escalated into
exchanges of fire that have been ongoing since June 2005.

These crimes were preceded by other events on Tuesday. PCHR's initial
investigation indicates that at approximately 16:00 on Tuesday, 21 February
2006, three gunmen opened fire at Abdallah Mahmoud Farahat, 62, who works as
a Colonel in the National Security Forces. He was injured in the left
thigh. In addition, his son, Khald (21), was hit by a bullet to the left
thigh. Both were taken to Mohammad Yusef El-Najjar Hospital for treatment.
Their injuries were classified as moderate.

One of the gunmen works as a taxi driver in Rafah International Crossing
Point. He had transported relatives of the injured from the Crossing to the
Tal El-Sultan area in Rafah. They argued over the taxi fare. He left and
subsequently came back with 2 other people. When the argument about the
taxi fare restarted, the gunmen fired at the victims.

PCHR is concerned over the continuation of internal violence, including the
misuse of weapons in personal and family disputes. This is part of the
ongoing security chaos and problems relating to the proliferation of small
arms. The Centre reiterates its call to the Palestinian National Authority,
represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these crimes and bring
the perpetrators to justice.

"End"

Public Document
**************************************
For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8
2824776 - 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip.
E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
-----------------------------------
If you got this forwarded and you want to subscribe, send mail to
request@pchrgaza.org
and write "subscribe" in the subject line.

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Once Olmert was right: Israel will have to
destroy the terrorist groups - no short cuts

"... Palestinian leaders will neither dismantle the terrorist infrastructure
nor allow anyone else to do it. The alleged line that separated the Fatah
forces from Hamas and Islamic Jihad can no longer be claimed to exist. Today
all sides of the Israeli political spectrum have drawn the same conclusion:
Israel will have to destroy the Islamic terrorist groups along with Arafat's
Fatah guerillas. There can be no short cuts when it comes to eradicating the
terrorist groups. Goodwill gestures have repeatedly come back to haunt us
and we must now be prepared to finish off the task. .

Oslo has taught us that there are no proxies to fight in our stead. If we
are not prepared to undertake the task of dismantling the terrorist groups
that infest the Palestinian Authority, our civilian population will continue
to be targeted for murder. The first and foremost responsibility of our
government is to remove the threat of Palestinian violence to our buses,
caf�s, schools and highways. Moreover, we have learned that to act with any
mercy toward the perpetrators is to place our own civilian population in
jeopardy.

End of the Road Map By Ehud Olmert
The Wall Street Journal Monday, September 15, 2003
www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110004014

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Government election website
www.knesset.gov.il/elections17/eng/index_eng.asp

Government election website www.knesset.gov.il/elections17/eng/index_eng.asp

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Three Wanted Tanzim Operatives Killed During IDF Arrest Activity in

February 23rd, 2006
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Attributed to "security sources" [distributed by the UDF Spokesperson's
Office]

Three wanted Tanzim operatives killed during an IDF arrest activity in
Nablus

Following an increase in the number of alerts for attempts to carry out
terror attacks by the Islamic Jihad and Tanzim infrastructures originating
in Nablus, IDF forces have been operating since Saturday night against
terror infrastructure in Nablus.

Earlier today, February 23 rd 2006, IDF forces surrounded a structure in
which security forces information indicated that three wanted Palestinians
were hiding. The Palestinians hiding in the structure opened fire and threw
hand grenades at the forces, moderately wounding an IDF soldier and lightly
wounding a second soldier. The soldiers were evacuated to a hospital, one of
them by helicopter, to receive further medical treatment. The force retuned
fire at the gunmen and identified hitting three armed gunmen. An M-16
assault rifle and an M-203 assault rifle with a grenade launcher assembled
unto it were uncovered in subsequent searches of the structure.

The three wanted Tanzim operatives who were killed in the activity are:
Muhammed Hamdan Abed El Hadi Shatiwi, Mahmad Hamis Hassin Amar and Fatah
Hasan Hajaj.
Muhammed Hamdan Abed El Hadi Shatiwi, 33, head of the Tanzim infrastructure
in the Balata refugee camp. Shatiwi was responsible for carrying out the
following attacks:

- A shooting attack on January 7th 2005 on Route 60, in which 2 Israeli
soldiers on leave, Second Lieutenant Ariel Buda and Sergeant Yossef Atia
were murdered, and three Israeli civilians were wounded.
- A shooting attack in which IDF company commander, Maj. Shahar Ben Ishai
was killed in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, on May 29th 2004.
- The killing of a number of Palestinians in Nablus who were suspected of
collaboration with Israel.

During the past few months, Shatiwi maintained close connections with the
Hezbollah terror organization in Lebanon, and carried out various
operations, including the purchase of weaponry, explosive device attacks and
shooting attacks against Israeli targets in the Nablus area.

Mahmad Hamis Hassin Amar, 36, and Fatah Hasan Hajaj, 26, both Tanzim
operatives, operated in close contact with Shatiwi and carried out a number
of terrorist attacks under his direction. Under his direct guidance, they
were also involved in the murder of Palestinians whom they suspected were
collaborating with Israel. The two also received financial support from
funds that Shatiwi received for funding terror activity.

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Three Wanted Tanzim Operatives Killed During IDF Arrest Activity in

February 23rd, 2006
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Attributed to "security sources" [distributed by the IDF Spokesperson's
Office]

Three wanted Tanzim operatives killed during an IDF arrest activity in
Nablus

Following an increase in the number of alerts for attempts to carry out
terror attacks by the Islamic Jihad and Tanzim infrastructures originating
in Nablus, IDF forces have been operating since Saturday night against
terror infrastructure in Nablus.

Earlier today, February 23 rd 2006, IDF forces surrounded a structure in
which security forces information indicated that three wanted Palestinians
were hiding. The Palestinians hiding in the structure opened fire and threw
hand grenades at the forces, moderately wounding an IDF soldier and lightly
wounding a second soldier. The soldiers were evacuated to a hospital, one of
them by helicopter, to receive further medical treatment. The force retuned
fire at the gunmen and identified hitting three armed gunmen. An M-16
assault rifle and an M-203 assault rifle with a grenade launcher assembled
unto it were uncovered in subsequent searches of the structure.

The three wanted Tanzim operatives who were killed in the activity are:
Muhammed Hamdan Abed El Hadi Shatiwi, Mahmad Hamis Hassin Amar and Fatah
Hasan Hajaj.
Muhammed Hamdan Abed El Hadi Shatiwi, 33, head of the Tanzim infrastructure
in the Balata refugee camp. Shatiwi was responsible for carrying out the
following attacks:

- A shooting attack on January 7th 2005 on Route 60, in which 2 Israeli
soldiers on leave, Second Lieutenant Ariel Buda and Sergeant Yossef Atia
were murdered, and three Israeli civilians were wounded.
- A shooting attack in which IDF company commander, Maj. Shahar Ben Ishai
was killed in the Balata refugee camp in Nablus, on May 29th 2004.
- The killing of a number of Palestinians in Nablus who were suspected of
collaboration with Israel.

During the past few months, Shatiwi maintained close connections with the
Hezbollah terror organization in Lebanon, and carried out various
operations, including the purchase of weaponry, explosive device attacks and
shooting attacks against Israeli targets in the Nablus area.

Mahmad Hamis Hassin Amar, 36, and Fatah Hasan Hajaj, 26, both Tanzim
operatives, operated in close contact with Shatiwi and carried out a number
of terrorist attacks under his direction. Under his direct guidance, they
were also involved in the murder of Palestinians whom they suspected were
collaborating with Israel. The two also received financial support from
funds that Shatiwi received for funding terror activity.

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Sources of Islamic extremism.The Islamic "street".23 February 2006

Sources of Islamic extremism.The Islamic "street".23 February 2006

+++IMRA: Comment by Dr. Joseph Lerner: Below is an article by a leading
Syrian spokesperson on the Western-Islamic "conflict". Her thesis is that
9/11 ushered in a "new crusade ... against Arabs and Muslims, led by
neo-European Nazism. The victims are ... spread ... anywhere around the
globe" and "Denmark has become the country heading ... hatred against Islam
and Muslims".

Thomas L. Friedman "Empty pockets, angry minds" (New York Times 22 Feb.'06)
links the violent reaction to the Mohammad cartoons to poor economic and
social conditions, insisting one should read Karl Marx in addition to Samuel
Huntington's "The Clash of Civilizations" to understand the scene. Marx
dealt with industrial,developed, capitalistic economies which inevitably are
destroyed because of capitalism. This simply does not apply to Arab/Muslim
states.

In a Friedman classic "Hamas Rules" NYT 21 Sept. 2001 he ascribed the
Hama,Syria massacre of 20,000 to 30, 000 civilians to the consequences of
Arab states crushing the "fundamentalists", in particular those Arab states
making a deal to support fundamentalists in return for assurances that "the
Islamic extremists not attack those regimes. The Saudis in particular struck
that bargain." Friedman had no word about economic/social conditions.

Strangely, in neither of his explanatory articles did Friedman mention the
continuous incendiary teaching against Christians and Jews. Dr.Bouthaina
Shaaban thinks its indoctrination . She is a leading Arab intellectual. Her
biography follows her article below. Western education did not immunize her
from the zealous fundamentalist spirit. Symbolically she was born (1953)
In Homa,Syria which in February,1982 experienced the massacre of 20,000 to
30,000 natives attacked with air strikes, artillery fire, infantry, and
poison gas This under the rule of President Assad for whom she served as
interpreter 1993 - 2003.

Her article speaks for itself. Note that it derives from President Bush's
use of the term "crusade" for which the Administration apologized and has
made a point of specifying the fine features of Islam.
===================================================
===================================================
THE DAILY STAR (Lebanon) 14 Feb.'06:"Islamaphobia: a second Holocaust in the
making"
By Dr.Bouthaina Shaaban

QUOTES FROM TEXT:
"financing a second Holocaust against the Palestinian people"
"wars, bombings and secret prisons where suspect Muslims are tortured or
killed are but few aspects of the 'crusade' ... Bush launched "
"Denmark has become the country heading the spear of hatred against
Islam and Muslims"
"Europe is launching a new Holocaust against Muslims around the world"
"The Musslim civilization that ensued from Mecca set the foundation
for today'scientific and social development."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------EXCERPTS:
... Chancellor Angela Merkel recently visited Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial
to the Holocaust. There she termed the Holocaust "a source of deep shame"
for Germany, and spoke of Israel's existence as a pillar of German politics.
Germany, once again, apologizes for the Holocaust and is willing to do what
it takes to redeem itself - even if it was financing a second Holocaust
against the Palestinian people; a typical manifestation of the European
guilt-ridden political conscience. And typically, we, Arabs and Muslims are
to pay the price.
... a new crusade has started against Arabs and Muslims in the wake of
September 11, 2001, led by neo-European Nazism. The victims are no longer
the Jews, but Muslims spread over Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Pakistan,
and anywhere around the globe..
The wars, bombings and secret prisons where suspect Muslims are tortured and
killed are but few aspects of the "crusade" ... Bush launched. Was it not
for so much contradictory evidences, we could have passed it for another of
his many misfortunate slips of the tongue.
Along a number of unjustified wars, sanctions and pressure policies against
Arab and Muslim countries, intensive media campaigns rally to deform the
face of Muslims and Islam. Even as citizens of Western democracies, Muslims
find themselves subject to legal and political acts of hatred and
harassment.
Some of the European official policies against Muslims in Europe, such as
deportation and deprivation of citizenship, have made some Jewish leaders
warn that they are "the same taken against Jews in 1930s."
. . .
Denmark has become the country heading the spear of hatred against Islam and
Muslims. In the 1990s, the Danish Popular Party considered Muslims in
Denmark a growing segment of the population - a "troubling problem." After
September 11, other Danish parties started sharing the same concern, and
talking against "Muslims in Denmark" became a tool in election campaigns.
The media started focusing on emigrant problems and accused Muslims of
"violence" and "extremism." Even the Queen herself ... expressed worry over
the problems that her "Muslim" subjects represented.
A Danish Popular Party candidate ... described Danish Muslims as "cancerous
disease in the Danish society."
The party's spokesperson, Martin Henriksen, said that "Islam, since its
beginning, has been a terrorist movement," and he warned against allowing
Danish Muslims candidacy to the Parliament or city councils. Henriksen
describes Danish Muslim converts as "moral criminals" and takes pride in the
fact that "criticizing Islam is the official policy of [his] party."
Within this context, the cartoon contest organized by Yandposten came as a
natural result.
... Europe is launching a new Holocaust against Muslims around the world.
What is happening to Muslims ... is almost identical with what the Jews
suffered at the beginning of the century. Muslims in Western countries find
themselves obliged to change their names and suppress their religious
identity to avoid a racist witch-hunt ... .
"Freedom of the press" and "freedom of expression" do not permit violating
or ridiculing other people's sanctities. Otherwise, no European country
would have banned the mere discussion of the Jewish Holocaust.
The Prophet Mohammad ... brought to humanity a message of peace, mercy and
tolerance. The Muslim civilization that ensued from Mecca set the foundation
for today's scientific and social development. What did those who dared
insult him bring to humanity in comparison? They only brought hatred and
anger and intolerance. Their actions, like those of Nazi Germany, should
only be "a source of deep shame," as Merkel put it.
However, unlike the descendents of the culprits of the Holocaust, their
conscience is not guilt-ridden yet with this new crime against humanity.
When such guilt will start rectifying Western politics toward Muslims is a
disquieting question.
Nazis accused Jews of violence and terrorism. They launched media wars of
hatred against their faith and sanctities. The result was the Holocaust; one
of the ugliest crimes against humanity. As Europe has recently passed a law
that forbids doubting the Holocaust, today it should pass another law that
bans racist insults against Muslims and Islam. It is more prudent to prevent
the making of a new Holocaust, than to wait for more European apologies to
Jews and Muslims alike.
========================================================
Biography: Bouthaina Shaaban, PhD, English Literature Born 1953,Homs, Syria
Family: Married,2 daughters, 1 son. Address: Dummar, Island 20/ Damascus,
e-mail: moex@mail.sy
Education:1982 PhD. 1977 MA English Literature, Warwick U., England ;
1975 BA English Literature , Damascus U., Syria.
Management, Academic & Consulting Experiences
2003 - present: Minister, Ministry of Expatriates
2002 - 3: Director Foreign Media Dept., Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2000-5 V.P. Arab Writers Union; 1993 - 2003 Interpretor for Syrian President
1988 - 2002 Advisor for minister of Foreign Affairss, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
Professor of English Literature
Prof, Romantic Poetry, English Dept., Damascus U.
Prof. Arab Women Liteature, Comparison Western Women Literature,English
Dept., Damascus U.
1987-2002 Prof. World Literature, Damascus U.
1988-1993 Assoc. Prof. English, English Dept. Damascus U.
!984- 1989 Lecturer "
1982-84 " Constantine U. Algeria

PhD Thesis:"Scientific Strands in Shelley's Poetry" Damascus U.
MA Thesis" "A Study of Secondary School Excellence in English", Damascus U.
Also taught English Literature in the US. Lectured at Brookings.

+++WASHINGTON POST 19 Feb.'06:"Why I Published Those Cartoons"By Flemming
Rose
Flemming Rose is the culture editor of the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.
FULL TEXT:
Childish. Irresponsible. Hate speech. A provocation just for the sake of
provocation. A PR stunt. Critics of 12 cartoons of the prophet Muhammad I
decided to publish in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten have not minced
their words. They say that freedom of expression does not imply an
endorsement of insulting people's religious feelings, and besides, they add,
the media censor themselves every day. So, please do not teach us a lesson
about limitless freedom of speech.
I agree that the freedom to publish things doesn't mean you publish
everything. Jyllands-Posten would not publish pornographic images or graphic
details of dead bodies; swear words rarely make it into our pages. So we are
not fundamentalists in our support for freedom of expression.
But the cartoon story is different.
Those examples have to do with exercising restraint because of ethical
standards and taste; call it editing. By contrast, I commissioned the
cartoons in response to several incidents of self-censorship in Europe
caused by widening fears and feelings of intimidation in dealing with issues
related to Islam. And I still believe that this is a topic that we Europeans
must confront, challenging moderate Muslims to speak out. The idea wasn't to
provoke gratuitously -- and we certainly didn't intend to trigger violent
demonstrations throughout the Muslim world. Our goal was simply to push back
self-imposed limits on expression that seemed to be closing in tighter.
At the end of September, a Danish standup comedian said in an interview with
Jyllands-Posten that he had no problem urinating on the Bible in front of a
camera, but he dared not do the same thing with the Koran.
This was the culmination of a series of disturbing instances of
self-censorship. Last September, a Danish children's writer had trouble
finding an illustrator for a book about the life of Muhammad. Three people
turned down the job for fear of consequences. The person who finally
accepted insisted on anonymity, which in my book is a form of
self-censorship. European translators of a critical book about Islam also
did not want their names to appear on the book cover beside the name of the
author, a Somalia-born Dutch politician who has herself been in hiding.
Around the same time, the Tate gallery in London withdrew an installation by
the avant-garde artist John Latham depicting the Koran, Bible and Talmud
torn to pieces. The museum explained that it did not want to stir things up
after the London bombings. (A few months earlier, to avoid offending
Muslims, a museum in Goteborg, Sweden, had removed a painting with a sexual
motif and a quotation from the Koran.)
Finally, at the end of September, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh
Rasmussen met with a group of imams, one of whom called on the prime
minister to interfere with the press in order to get more positive coverage
of Islam.
So, over two weeks we witnessed a half-dozen cases of self-censorship,
pitting freedom of speech against the fear of confronting issues about
Islam. This was a legitimate news story to cover, and Jyllands-Posten
decided to do it by adopting the well-known journalistic principle: Show,
don't tell. I wrote to members of the association of Danish cartoonists
asking them "to draw Muhammad as you see him." We certainly did not ask them
to make fun of the prophet. Twelve out of 25 active members responded.
We have a tradition of satire when dealing with the royal family and other
public figures, and that was reflected in the cartoons. The cartoonists
treated Islam the same way they treat Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and
other religions. And by treating Muslims in Denmark as equals they made a
point: We are integrating you into the Danish tradition of satire because
you are part of our society, not strangers. The cartoons are including,
rather than excluding, Muslims.
The cartoons do not in any way demonize or stereotype Muslims. In fact, they
differ from one another both in the way they depict the prophet and in whom
they target. One cartoon makes fun of Jyllands-Posten, portraying its
cultural editors as a bunch of reactionary provocateurs. Another suggests
that the children's writer who could not find an illustrator for his book
went public just to get cheap publicity. A third puts the head of the
anti-immigration Danish People's Party in a lineup, as if she is a suspected
criminal.
One cartoon -- depicting the prophet with a bomb in his turban -- has drawn
the harshest criticism. Angry voices claim the cartoon is saying that the
prophet is a terrorist or that every Muslim is a terrorist. I read it
differently: Some individuals have taken the religion of Islam hostage by
committing terrorist acts in the name of the prophet. They are the ones who
have given the religion a bad name. The cartoon also plays into the fairy
tale about Aladdin and the orange that fell into his turban and made his
fortune. This suggests that the bomb comes from the outside world and is not
an inherent characteristic of the prophet.
On occasion, Jyllands-Posten has refused to print satirical cartoons of
Jesus, but not because it applies a double standard. In fact, the same
cartoonist who drew the image of Muhammed with a bomb in his turban drew a
cartoon with Jesus on the cross having dollar notes in his eyes and another
with the star of David attached to a bomb fuse. There were, however, no
embassy burnings or death threats when we published those.
Has Jyllands-Posten insulted and disrespected Islam? It certainly didn't
intend to. But what does respect mean? When I visit a mosque, I show my
respect by taking off my shoes. I follow the customs, just as I do in a
church, synagogue or other holy place. But if a believer demands that I, as
a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for
my respect, but for my submission. And that is incompatible with a secular
democracy.
This is exactly why Karl Popper, in his seminal work "The Open Society and
Its Enemies," insisted that one should not be tolerant with the intolerant.
Nowhere do so many religions coexist peacefully as in a democracy where
freedom of expression is a fundamental right. In Saudi Arabia, you can get
arrested for wearing a cross or having a Bible in your suitcase, while
Muslims in secular Denmark can have their own mosques, cemeteries, schools,
TV and radio stations.
I acknowledge that some people have been offended by the publication of the
cartoons, and Jyllands-Posten has apologized for that. But we cannot
apologize for our right to publish material, even offensive material. You
cannot edit a newspaper if you are paralyzed by worries about every possible
insult.
I am offended by things in the paper every day: transcripts of speeches by
Osama bin Laden, photos from Abu Ghraib, people insisting that Israel should
be erased from the face of the Earth, people saying the Holocaust never
happened. But that does not mean that I would refrain from printing them as
long as they fell within the limits of the law and of the newspaper's
ethical code. That other editors would make different choices is the essence
of pluralism.
As a former correspondent in the Soviet Union, I am sensitive about calls
for censorship on the grounds of insult. This is a popular trick of
totalitarian movements: Label any critique or call for debate as an insult
and punish the offenders. That is what happened to human rights activists
and writers such as Andrei Sakharov, Vladimir Bukovsky, Alexander
Solzhenitsyn, Natan Sharansky, Boris Pasternak. The regime accused them of
anti-Soviet propaganda, just as some Muslims are labeling 12 cartoons in a
Danish newspaper anti-Islamic.
The lesson from the Cold War is: If you give in to totalitarian impulses
once, new demands follow. The West prevailed in the Cold War because we
stood by our fundamental values and did not appease totalitarian tyrants.
Since the Sept. 30 publication of the cartoons, we have had a constructive
debate in Denmark and Europe about freedom of expression, freedom of
religion and respect for immigrants and people's beliefs. Never before have
so many Danish Muslims participated in a public dialogue -- in town hall
meetings, letters to editors, opinion columns and debates on radio and TV.
We have had no anti-Muslim riots, no Muslims fleeing the country and no
Muslims committing violence. The radical imams who misinformed their
counterparts in the Middle East about the situation for Muslims in Denmark
have been marginalized. They no longer speak for the Muslim community in
Denmark because moderate Muslims have had the courage to speak out against
them.
In January, Jyllands-Posten ran three full pages of interviews and photos of
moderate Muslims saying no to being represented by the imams. They insist
that their faith is compatible with a modern secular democracy. A network of
moderate Muslims committed to the constitution has been established, and the
anti-immigration People's Party called on its members to differentiate
between radical and moderate Muslims, i.e. between Muslims propagating
sharia law and Muslims accepting the rule of secular law. The Muslim face of
Denmark has changed, and it is becoming clear that this is not a debate
between "them" and "us," but between those committed to democracy in Denmark
and those who are not.
This is the sort of debate that Jyllands-Posten had hoped to generate when
it chose to test the limits of self-censorship by calling on cartoonists to
challenge a Muslim taboo. Did we achieve our purpose? Yes and no. Some of
the spirited defenses of our freedom of expression have been inspiring. But
tragic demonstrations throughout the Middle East and Asia were not what we
anticipated, much less desired. Moreover, the newspaper has received 104
registered threats, 10 people have been arrested, cartoonists have been
forced into hiding because of threats against their lives and
Jyllands-Posten's headquarters have been evacuated several times due to bomb
threats. This is hardly a climate for easing self-censorship.
Still, I think the cartoons now have a place in two separate narratives, one
in Europe and one in the Middle East. In the words of the Somali-born Dutch
politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the integration of Muslims into European
societies has been sped up by 300 years due to the cartoons; perhaps we do
not need to fight the battle for the Enlightenment all over again in Europe.
The narrative in the Middle East is more complex, but that has very little
to do with the cartoons.

+++NEW YORK TIMES 22 Feb.'06: "Furor Over Cartoons Pits Muslim Against
Muslim "
By MICHAEL SLACKMAN and HASSAN M. FATTAH

[IMRA:This article has been excerpted to focus on Jordan because of its
security significance to Israel and because,
outside the Arab world, it is extensively praised as a role
model for the region, The article does not touch
on why Islamic terrorists publicise their evil acts with
published photos and videos presented on TV.]

QUOTES FROM TEXT:
" 'What brings more prejudice against Islam, these charicatures or
pictures of a hostage-taker slashing
the throat of his victim in front of the cameras, or a suicide
bomber who blows himself up during a
wedding ceremony?' "

"regional dynamics underlying the conflict have been evolving for
decades, during which leaders have tried to
stall the rise of Islamic political appeal by trying to establish
themselves as guardians of the faith"

"In Jordan, King Abdullah II, who has been trying to control the most
estremist religious forces in the region,
came out with such a powerful condemnation ... that even some of his
allies were taken aback."

"Many of the King's supporters said he felt the need to respond as
firmly as he did partly because of the rise of
Hamas"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXCERPTS:
AMMAN, Jordan, Feb. 21 - In a direct challenge to the international uproar
over cartoons lampooning the Prophet Muhammad, the Jordanian journalist
Jihad Momani wrote: "What brings more prejudice against Islam, these
caricatures or pictures of a hostage-taker slashing the throat of his victim
in front of the cameras, or a suicide bomber who blows himself up during a
wedding ceremony?"
In Yemen, an editorial by Muhammad al-Assadi condemned the cartoons but also
lamented the way many Muslims reacted. "Muslims had an opportunity to
educate the world about the merits of the Prophet Muhammad and the
peacefulness of the religion he had come with," ... .To illustrate their
points, both editors published selections of the drawings - and for that
they were arrested and threatened with prison.
Mr. Momani and Mr. Assadi are among 11 journalists in five countries facing
prosecution for printing some of the cartoons. Their cases illustrate
another side of this conflict, the intra-Muslim side, in what has typically
been defined as a struggle between Islam and the West.
. . .
While the cartoons have infuriated Muslims, the regional dynamics underlying
the conflict have been evolving for decades, during which leaders have tried
to stall the rise of Islamic political appeal by trying to establish
themselves as guardians of the faith.
In the end, political analysts around the region say that governments have
resorted to the very practices that helped the rise of Islamic political
forces in the first place. They have placated the more extreme voices while
arresting and silencing more moderate ones.
. . .
In Jordan, King Abdullah II, who has been trying to control the most extreme
religious forces in the region, came out with such a powerful condemnation
... that even some of his allies were taken aback.
The newspaper printed three cartoons ... including one depicting the prophet
in a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse. Many of the king's
supporters said he felt the need to respond as firmly as he did partly
because of the rise of Hamas ... and to strip the Islamists in Jordan of an
issue ... .
"What Shihan did was a corruption ... which cannot be accepted ...under any
circumstances," the Royal Court said in a statement.
But now there seems to be a growing concern and in some circles a degree of
regret for unleashing a wave of anger that has claimed lives. In Jordan,
authorities moved quickly to release the journalists from detention....
.Some of the world's most renowned Islamic religious leaders and scholars
recently issued a declaration that, though sharply critical of the drawings,
sought to rein in the violence and cautioned Muslims against becoming
international pariahs. ... .
"We appeal to all Muslims to exercise self-restraint in accordance with the
teachings of Islam," the statement said. It added that "violent reactions"
can lead to "our isolation from the global dialogue."
. . .
Mr. Momani appears in court on Wednesday, while two of the Yemeni
journalists were released Tuesday pending their trial. The third begins his
trial on Wednesday.
... . In Jordan, a spokesman said the king felt especially obligated,
because his family is a direct descendant of the prophet.
. . .
In Jordan, Mr. Momani is free from jail, but a prisoner in his home. He has
no work, no immediate prospects, a criminal case against him and a lifetime
of friends who privately support his message but say they dare not support
him publicly.
Mr. Momani was not the first to print the cartoons in Jordan. Hisham
Khalidi, whose newspaper, Al Mehwar, printed the cartoons a week earlier
with a story condemning them, is awaiting trial.
But Mr. Momani's timing was particularly bad, just one week after the Hamas
victory in Gaza, political analysts said. Jordanian officials expelled Hamas
leaders years ago and saw their recent victory as a potential threat to
national stability.
From the beginning, Mr. Momani felt the cartoon issue was being manipulated
by Islamic groups eager to flex their muscles, and he asked his readers to
consider why the protests began so many months after publication. He says he
did not expect such a backlash, but that in hindsight, he understands why
the authorities acted as they did.
"They wanted to show the Islamic movement that they are the defenders of the
prophet" Mr. Momani said in an interview. "They used me."
Mr. Momani expressed exasperation when asked why he printed the cartoons. He
insisted that it was the work of journalists to inform, and that he did so
after speaking to many people who were outraged without ever seeing the
cartoons.
"I am telling my people, 'Be rational, think before you go into the
streets,' " he said. "Who harms Islam more? This European guy who paints
Muhammad or the real Muslim guy who cuts a hostage's head off and says,
'Allah-u akbar?' Who insults our religion, this guy or the European guy?"
Michael Slackman reported from Amman for this article, and Hassan M. Fattah
from Sana, Yemen. Mona el-Naggar contributed reporting from Cairo.

Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Acting PM Olmert Speaks With Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan

Acting PM Olmert Speaks With Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke this evening (Thursday), 23.2.06,
with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They discussed the
friendly and warm nature of bilateral relations and the need to enhance them
further. Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said that he views Israel as a
close friend of Turkey; he added that he also views Acting Prime Minister
Olmert as his personal friend and said that he would work to further develop
bilateral relations in all areas. The two men agreed to meet after the
Israeli elections.

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: PM: Little Chance to Fatah Participation in New Government

PM: Little Chance to Fatah Participation in New Government
http://english.wafa.ps/body.asp?id=5458

RAMALLAH, February 23, 2006 (WAFA - PLO news agency)- Prime Minister Ahmed
Qurei said Thursday that there is a little chance to Fatah participation in
the new government, but the door still is open.

During the weekly meeting of the Ministers' Council in Ramallah, PM Qurei
told reporters that Fatah will reconstruct itself, check the mistakes it
made and will positively help form the Palestinian National Authority and
the new government to achieve the Palestinian unity.

Qurei congratulated the new Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) members on
taking office, pointing out that he earlier held a meeting with the Speaker
of the second PLC, Dr. Aziz al-Dewik and discussed the tasks of the new
government.

He hoped that Hamas will succeed in the consultations it started to form the
new government, stressing that the Ministers Council will grant its
experience to the new government.

Regarding the PNA financial crisis, PM called on the donor states not to
punish the Palestinian people, asserting that Israel has to alter its
decision of freezing the customs taxes.

E.B. (16:08 P) (14:08 GMT)

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Jordanian King Receives Phone Call for Israeli Prime Minister

King Receives Phone Call for Israeli Prime Minister
www.petra.gov.jo/nepras/2006/Feb/23/30953600.htm

Amman, Feb. 23 (Petra - Jordan News Agency) -- His Majesty King Abdullah II
on Thursday received a phone call from Acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert, in which he apologized for King Abdullah and the Jordanian people
over the statements against Jordan from the Commander of the Central Region
in Israel. Olmert expressed condemnation over these statements which were
reported by a number of news agencies, adding that they do not represent the
Israeli government nor the Israeli official stand. The Israeli prime
minister expressed appreciation over the efforts exerted by His Majesty King
Abdullah to restore peace and stability in the region.
//Petra// Shniqat 231713 Local FEB 2006

------------------------------

From: imra@netvision.net.il
To: imra@imra.org.il
Subject: Weekly Commentary: Israel's rapidly closing window
of opportunity to respond to the Hamas victory

Weekly Commentary: Israel's rapidly closing window of opportunity to respond
to the Hamas victory

Aaron Lerner Date: 23 February 2006

Less than three years ago Ehud Olmert still understood the score:

"Israel will have to destroy the Islamic terrorist groups along with
Arafat's Fatah guerillas. There can be no short cuts when it comes to
eradicating the terrorist groups. Goodwill gestures have repeatedly come
back to haunt us and we must now be prepared to finish off the task.If we
are not prepared to undertake the task of dismantling the terrorist groups
that infest the Palestinian Authority, our civilian population will continue
to be targeted for murder."

[End of the Road Map By Ehud Olmert The Wall Street Journal Monday,
September 15, 2003]

And today?

According to plan, the many tens of thousands of official PA armed security
forces will soon be under the command of Hamas.

Mr. Olmert has nothing to say.

According to the plan, Hamas will soon be in charge of the Palestinian side
of every crossing point, with the possible exception of Rafah.

Mr. Olmert has nothing to say.

Today Mr. Olmert and his team would like us to believe that the Hamas
challenge is actually no more than an accounting problem: it would appear
that it would suffice if Hamas doesn't get funding specifically earmarked
for their army through Israel and contributing western nations and instead
gets that funding from Iran and the rest of the Arab world.

But the threat created by the rise of Hamas is not an accounting problem.

The problem is not who pays the salaries of the tens of thousands of
official PA armed security forces joined by an equally huge armed popular
army or who buys them weapons.

The problem is that Hamas will have tens of thousands of official PA armed
security forces joined by an equally huge armed popular army.

The problem is that Hamas can take this conflict well beyond its current
scope via third parties.

It is easy to understand Mr. Olmert's motivation.

Here he is, a month away from what all the polls indicate will be a
tremendous victory for his Kadima Party, and the last thing he needs to do
is concede that the Palestinians cannot simply be ignored.

After all, Ehud Olmert's plan to unilaterally withdraw after the elections
hinges on the assertion that it doesn't matter who or what fills the void
created by the retreat.

The failed Oslo experiment cost Israel dearly, but at almost every turn,
Israel has enjoyed the luxury of being able to pick both the time and place
to unilaterally act to address problems created by Oslo's failure.

When Israel felt it had no choice but to act, the IDF proved that it could
go essentially anywhere and do most anything at a minimum of Israeli
casualties - figures that would have been even lower if not for bizarre
temporarily self-imposed operational restrictions.

But Hamas and the rest of the Palestinians know this and are racing to
change it.

Already today Palestinian weapons programs are rushing to reach the point
that Palestinian rockets represent a serious enough threat that the IDF:
Palestinian relationship takes on the characteristics of the IDF: Hezbullah
stand-off. A "stand=off" under which Israel makes no real effort to prevent
the enemy from continuously strengthening and in turn expanding its threat.

This would be bad enough, but the situation promises to become much worse
with the very real possibility that the new Hamas government will quickly
enter into defense pacts with radical and other states

Today Mr. Olmert can still "undertake the task of dismantling the terrorist
groups that infest the Palestinian Authority" at a relatively low risk of
either regional conflict or large losses among the Israeli civilian
population.

But if acting PM Olmert opts to continue to heed the advice of his election
campaign advisors over the advice of the security experts this last-minute
"window of opportunity" will slam shut leaving Israel to face the Hamas
challenge at a cost many magnitudes greater to the Jewish State.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il

------------------------------

From: imra-owner@imra.org.il
Subject: IMRA Subscription Info

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End of [imra] Daily digest - Volume: 2 Issue: 1337 (15 messages)
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