June 1993, Page 22

Issues in the News

Compiled by Greg Noakes

From the Israeli and U.S. Jewish Press:

Settler Terror Organization Feared:

Members of the Israeli cabinet are warning that Jewish settlers may organize a terrorist group in the near future in response to the deteriorating security situation in the occupied territories, according to Maariv. Absorption Minister Yair Tsaban noted, "Calls for bypassing the law and taking matters into their own hands are increasing among the settlers. Environment Minister Yossi Sarid added, "The Israeli people are acting in an excellent manner. It is the settlers who were acting for political reasons rather than security ones." Tourism Minister Uzi Baram said, however, that "there are special conditions that allow for the creation of a terrorist organization. The people feel like they are surrounded and the settlers feel that the government is not doing what it should be doing. " He added that "the government's solution through negotiations will lead to an even more dangerous situation.

Army Advocates Undercover Units:

Israeli military commanders in the West Bank believe sealing off the occupied territories and prohibiting Arab workers from entering Israel is useless and insist the army must target hardcore Palestinian activists, Haaretz reports. One "high ranking Israeli defense source" said the army's special undercover units, codenamed "Shamshon" and "Duvdevan," will step up their war against armed insurgents in the territories, including increased intelligence-gathering and the arrest or killing of wanted activists. Military sources told Ha'aretz they believe there are 10 organized Palestinian groups in the territories which carry out acts of violence, in addition to individual activists.

PLO Funds a Factor in Negotiations:

Davar reports that Palestinians and the Clinton administration are negotiating the release of "PLO funds trapped in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. " According to the paper, Palestinian sources involved in the peace process said the funds would be transferred to pro-PLO institutions in the occupied territories to help relieve the economic distress of the population there.

Palestinian Women Workers Approved for Gaza Growers:

Settlers at the Gush Qatif settlement in Gaza have been given permission to employ Arab women to work in their fields, according to Hadashot. The Israeli army said that while there have been incidents of female Palestinian laborers attempting to stab Israelis, all such attacks have failed. The settlement's production should rise, since one Israeli farmer noted that "four Jewish workers provided by the employment office harvested 78 kilograms of herbs and spices yesterday, while an Arab woman harvests 150 kilograms in one day. "

Israeli Arabs Joining Police:

Kaied Abood, an adviser to the Israeli Ministry of Police, says "Israeli Arabs have shown an interest in joining the police force," adding that "this situation has become more noticeable since the establishment of the new government. " Maariv says some 400 Muslims are serving in the police force or as border patrolmen, and that large numbers of young Muslim Arabs are flocking to Israeli police recruitment centers.

Orthodox Jews Blow the Whistle on Yemeni Operation:

A secret Israeli airlift of Yemeni Jews to Israel has been made public by Orthodox Jews upset at the way the immigrants were being brought into the country, the National Jewish Post & Opinion reports. Most of Yemen's 50,000 Jews left the country between 1947 and 195 1, and the airlift was aimed at bringing the remaining 1,500 to Israel with the implicit approval of the government in San'a. Orthodox leaders in Israel, though, charged that the government was placing the immigrants in secular absorption centers in order to wean them away from their strict Orthodoxy, and asked Israel to permit the Yemeni Jews to remain in Yemen.

Israel Returning Sinai Artifacts:

Artifacts found in Sinai by Israeli archeologists between 1967 and 1982 are being sent to Cairo in accordance with international treaties dealing with the return of antiquities, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports. The Egyptian government will build a museum in El Arish in the next two years to house the antiquities, but is also planning a show at the Cairo Museum in the meantime. "We want to show the Egyptian public that Israel is returning these finds that are part of the Egyptian heritage, " one Egyptian Antiquities Department official said. Some of the artifacts being returned include Byzantine tombstones found in northern Sinai and later purchased by the late Moshe Dayan.

Tourist Tally Drops:

Ha'aretz reports that tourism to Israel has declined noticeably in the wake of increased security disturbances, largely as a result of alarmist news stories. The number of Jews visiting Israel has decreased recently, though the report noted that some American and European tourists have altered their travel itineraries to visit Israel instead of Egypt, where a rash of Islamist attacks on tour boats and buses has decimated the country's tourism industry.

Union Pension Plan Poses Problems:

The pension plan of Israel's largest labor union, Histadrut, "is a time bomb waiting to explode," says National Religious Party Knesset Member Shaul Yahalom. Inside Israel says that due to inaccurate forecasts of life expectancy and mortality rates, the Histadrut's pension fund will be some $ 10 billion in debt by the time the majority of today's workers are eligible to retire. The problem could become even more serious if the Histadrut's preferential rate for government bonds, which by Israeli law account for 95 percent of the fund's investments, is eliminated in keeping with a Finance Ministry proposal. Over half of the country's work force make payments to the fund.

Paine Webber Opens Israeli Office:

Paine Webber, one of the largest U.S. brokerage houses, is planning to open a branch in Israel to meet increasing investor interest in Israeli securities, according to the American Jewish World. The Israel office will handle foreign investments in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and encourage Israelis to invest in overseas stocks.

Iran Sets Sights on Muslims, Not Israel:

General Uri Saguy, Israel's military intelligence chief, told Yediot Ahronot that Iran's military efforts "are not directed against us, but against Iraq and other Muslim [countries]. " He noted, "To be sure this country calls for a holy war against us, but its armament policy isn't tied to us, and would be the same even if we did not exist." Saying he believed the West was aware of Iranian intentions and was prepared to deal with any threat, Saguy said Israel should not "create a climate of hysteria by setting ourselves up as Iran's main target, because eventually we'll reach an agreement with Iran." Israeli Chief of Staff Ehud Barak agreed, arguing that Iraq still poses a greater threat to Israel than does Iran.

Druze Woman Prompts Golan Cooperation:

Israel and Syria put aside their differences to allow an 85-year-old Druze woman from the Golan Heights to cross the disputed border to attend the funeral of her son inside Syria. Hindiya Hatib, a resident of the Druze village of Ein Kiniyeh, was accompanied on the trip by her daughter, according to the Queens (NY) Jewish Week. "We have suffered for 26 years as a result of Syria and Israel being enemies," said Samir Dabus, chairman of the Ein Kiniyeh local council. "We hope that this situation will change."

Baxter Backtracks on Boycott:

Baxter International Inc., the large American medical supply company recently assessed a record $6.5 million fine by the U.S. government for compliance with the Arab League boycott of Israel, will invest a minimum of $ 10 million inside Israel over the next five years. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency says the investment is part of a combined settlement of three shareholder suits brought against Baxter for its observance of the boycott. Some 75 percent of the profits from the investment will be reinvested in Israel, the report said.

Businessmen Hold Secret Talks on Joint Projects:

Israeli and Palestinian businessmen have been conducting secret talks to plan joint projects for the proposed period of Palestinian self-government, Haaretz reports. The paper reports that in addition to meetings in the occupied territories, six teams of Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian economists are working on an economic plan for the self-government phase at Harvard's Institute for Social and Economic Policy in the Middle East. The Palestinians involved reportedly obtained approval from PLO leader Yasser Arafat to participate in the talks.

Libya Launches Israel Overture:

Davar reports the government of Muammar Qaddafi has asked Israel to permit 200 Libyan Muslims to visit Israel and the Islamic sites of Jerusalem, and has invited former Libyan Jews living in Israel to return to visit Libya. The overture, which reportedly was made through third-party channels with Qaddafi's personal support, is seen as an attempt to "help change Libya's image as a 'crazy state. "' The gesture comes at a time when Libya is under threat of new sanctions stemming from the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres responded by challenging Libya to participate in the multilateral peace talks, but added that Israel would welcome Libyan Muslim visitors to Jerusalem.

Boycott Broken in Morocco, Mauritania:

Morocco and Mauritania have taken tentative steps toward easing their boycott of Israeli goods and companies, according to the American Jewish Congress' Boycott Report. Officials of the Israeli firm Co-op Zafon Ltd. recently met with Moroccan businessmen to discuss importing several Moroccan ethnic food products, while the Israeli agricultural firm Agrexco has been in contact with Mauritania's trade representative in Paris. The Mauritanian diplomat told Agrexco his country was dependent on agricultural imports, and proposed that Israel export 5 million eggs, turkeys and other produce to Mauritania, according to Haaretz.

Sarid Says Rabin Government More Popular in Cairo Than in Tel Aviv:

Israeli Environment Minister Yossi Sarid told Kol Yisrael radio that he has found more support and understanding of the Rabin government's positions during his trip to Cairo than he sees in Israel. Sarid said there was a good deal of optimism about the peace talks among Egyptians, and that he heard nothing about Egyptian expectations for further goodwill gestures by Israel. Sarid met with President Mubarak's political adviser, Osama Al Baz, during his visit to Cairo.

Arab American Sentenced:

Israel Radio says the Israeli attorney general's office has struck a deal with lawyers for Muhammad Jarad, an Arab American from Chicago arrested in January on charges of distributing funds to Hamas activists in the occupied territories. The agreement stipulates that Jarad will serve a six-month prison sentence dated from the time of his arrest , and that upon his release he must leave Israel. Israeli authorities arrested some 25 people in the case, most of whom live in the West Bank or Gaza.

From the Middle East Press:

Fallout From Talks with Muslim Scholars in Cairo:

A meeting between an independent group of 25 Muslim scholars and Egyptian Interior Minister Abd Al-Halim Musa, held in a bid to end the country's continuing wave of political violence, cost the latter his job, according to the Egyptian press. The meeting reportedly focused on proposals for Islamist political parties to stand for elections and an amnesty for militants detained without trial. The group of scholars, which included popular television commentator Sheikh Mitwalli Al-Shaarawi, arranged the meeting after armed Islamist militants sent word that they were prepared to open talks with the Egyptian government. Prime Minister Atif Sidqi praised the efforts of the Muslim scholars to project a tolerant image of Islam, but added, "There can be no dialogue with the perpetrators of these crimes, who kill innocent people and undermine the country's interests. " The weekly Mayu said Musa "was relieved of his post ... because of certain excesses," including holding "contacts of his own volition with the so-called wise men's committee for contacts with extremist groups. " The MENA news agency reports that Major General Hasan Al-Alfi, a former governor of Sohag and Assiut provinces, is replacing Musa at the Interior Ministry.

Israeli Occupation Justifies Weapons Policy:

Lebanese Defense Minister Muhsin Dallul says that as long as Israel occupies southern Lebanon, the people have a right to use any means necessary to liberate their land. Speaking on Sawt al-Jabal radio, Dallul said, "When Israel withdraws from the south, we will permit no one but the army to carry weapons. But we cannot now turn ourselves into an authority protecting the Israeli occupier, because that would be unacceptable treason. "

World Bank Sees Sound Palestinian Economy:

The London-based Al Hayat quotes World Bank officials as saying the economic prospects for an independent Palestinian state are good, citing human and natural resources, Palestinian financial reserves and a large potential for the development of tourism. A World Bank team recently completed a tour of the occupied territories and is expected to release a full report in the near future. Al Hayat reports that the bank may allocate $25 million for a further study of the Palestinian situation.

Yemenis Free Foreign Workers:

Yemeni tribesmen abducted six foreign oil workers employed by the French petroleum firm Total, but released them later the same day, according to the Saudi Gazette. The men were working on an oil rig near Marib, some 95 miles east of San'a, and were reportedly freed after Total agreed to the Yemenis' demands for jobs.

Pro-Rushdie Thesis Rejected:

Cairo University rejected the doctoral thesis of one of its own professors because it supports some of the contentions made in Salman Rushdie's controversial novel The Satanic Verses, according to Al Ahram. Nasr Hamad, an Arabic-language professor, argued in his dissertation that the Qur'an had been changed throughout history and that it should not be immune to scrutiny from experts in linguistics and other disciplines. He also criticized the influence of religious institutions, in particular Al Azhar, in Egyptian intellectual life, defended The Satanic Verses and compared Rushdie's work to Naguib Mahfouz's landmark novel Awlad Haritna (The Children of Gebelaawi).

Death Sentence in "Tabetgate" Case:

A court sentenced Casablanca Police Commissioner Mohammed Tabet to death in a sexcrimes case dubbed " Tabetgate " by Moroccan newspapers. Tabet used his position with the police to lure or coerce 518 women and girls into an apartment and force them to perform sexual acts, which he videotaped. Investigators found 118 videocassettes made over the last three years, and the court heard testimony from 18 women victimized by Tabet. His immediate supervisor, Ahmed Ouachi, was sentenced to life in prison for his attempts to cover up Tabet's crimes, and 15 other people also received prison terms. Opposition papers said the Tabet case, which dominated public attention in Morocco, demonstrated the need for administrative reforms and greater oversight to protect the people from police abuses.

Jordan Planning Human Rights Center:

The CAABU Bulletin reports that King Hussein has formed a committee to oversee the establishment of a new center for the study of human rights, freedom and democracy in the Arab world. The committee includes government ministers, members of parliament, independent association heads and human rights activists, including members of Amnesty International. King Hussein told the committee it should be "a beacon" to the region, and said, "We must stand up to illiteracy, hunger, disease, fear, tyranny, plunder, alienation, religious and sectarian extremism and any other form of assault on man's freedom, rights or dignity. "

Iraq Says Mubarak Admission Too Late:

Iraq's Atli Thawra newspaper says Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's comment to the French press that Iraq is the only country capable of countering Iranian ambitions and preserving a strategic balance in the region comes two years after the start of Iran's expansionist policies. "What Mubarak failed to acknowledge," the paper said, "was the fact that the U.S. -Atlantic-Zionist aggression against Iraq, in which he participated, was the cause behind the disruption of the regional balance of power. " The paper said the effects of the Gulf war have prompted the Tehran regime to reveal its aggressive nature.

Pakistani Police Nab Egyptian Militants:

Police in Peshawar have arrested a number of Arab Islamist militants believed to have planned a wave of attacks in Egypt, Ash Sharq Al Awsat reports. The Pakistani authorities arrested some 200 suspected militants in several days, though they later released 133 of them. The report said police were able to trace the telephone numbers the Islamists were using to fax instructions to their cells in Egypt. Pakistan has come under intense pressure from the U.S. and Arab countries to take action against Islamist activists located near the Afghan border and suspected of planning attacks overseas. Islamabad has argued that Washington shares some of the blame, since most of the Arab militants came to Pakistan in the 1980s to fight with the Western-backed Afghan maiahedeen. "They aren't just our creation," Interior Minister Shujaat Hussein complained.

Moroccans Press for Benefits in Gibraltar:

Rafiq Haddaoui, Morocco's minister in charge of Moroccan communities abroad, met with British Ambassador Sir Allan Ramsay and urged him to help extend social security benefits to jobless Moroccans in Gibraltar. The Tunisia News reports that several hundred of the 3,000 Moroccans in the British colony have lost jobs since Spain reopened its border with Gibraltar after a decades-long blockade. Unemployed Moroccans have staged sit-down strikes in a bid to win the same social security benefits guaranteed to citizens of Gibraltar and ensure equal job opportunities. Haddaoui asked Ramsay "to intervene with the British authorities to find a just and fair solution to the problems and disputes with the Gibraltar government"

Azerl Minister Mauls Editor:

Azerbaijan's Interior Minister Iskandar Khamidov, accompanied by five of his bodyguards, ransacked the offices of the Social Democratic Party and beat the editor of the party's Istiglal newspaper, Zardusht Alizade. Khamidov then dragged Alizade to his car and shoved him into the trunk, according to the TURAN news agency. Social Democratic Party official Tamilia Zeynalova said the attack was prompted by Istiglal's criticism of the Azeri government. Khamidov allegedly beat two journalists last year after they criticized government actions.

Akkawi Family Demands Compensation:

The family of Mustafa Akkawi, who died while in the custody of Israeli military authorities in February 1992, is suing the Israeli Shabak secret service, the Prison Authority, the West Bank's military governor and the doctor in residence at Hebron Prison for $850,000 in damages. Al Fajr reports that the suit was delayed because most of the files in the Akkawi case were sealed by Shabak.

Iran Denies Khamenei Bombing:

Iran's official IRNA news agency denied reports that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was the target of a recent assassination attempt, saying "This is all fabrication by the opposition. " A spokesperson for exiled former President Abol Hasan Bani Sadr alleged that an explosion rocked Khamenei's home in mid-March. Khamenei, Iran's spiritual leader, was wounded in a 1980 bomb attack while he spoke at a mosque in Tehran and lost the use of his right hand.

Syria to Execute Drug Traffickers:

Syria's parliament has approved legislation imposing the death penalty on drug traffickers and manufacturers in order to eliminate the rising incidence of drug abuse, the Saudi Gazette reports. Interior Minister Mohammed Harba said the law was part of "a campaign against drug trafficking, as drugs have become a plague that ought to be eradicated from society.

Ethiopia Pushes Polls Back:

Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi says that the country's first multiparty elections will be postponed until 1994, although his Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front promised balloting within 18 months after the front's July 1991 overthrow of Mengistu Haile Mariam. The Middle East Times reports that Meles told journalists, "It is possible that the transitional period in Ethiopia will take two-and-a-half years instead of two years.

Sudan Jails Mahdi:

Sudanese authorities have arrested former prime minister and outspoken opposition leader Sadiq Al-Mahdi at his home in Omdurman, according to Ash Sharq Al Awsat and Al Hayat. Mahdi had stepped up his criticism of the government in recent weeks, reportedly angering Sudan's military leaders. Mahdi, Sudan's last elected prime minister, is the grandson of Muhammad Ahmad ibn Abdullah, who proclaimed himself the Mahdi ("the guided one") and led a revolt against Egyptian-British rule in 19th century Sudan.

Blind Sniper's "Target Practice" Kills One:

A 40-year-old unemployed blind man was arrested in the Upper Egyptian city of Sohag after killing an agronomist and wounding five other people while engaged in "target practice" with an automatic rifle. Al Akhbar said police believed the man was shooting from his apartment window at sources of sound, though the man has not given any motive for his actions. Police arrested the sniper after he ran out of ammunition.

Turkish Tourism Benefits from Yugoslav Strife:

The fighting in former Yugoslavia has boosted Turkish tourism, according to travel agents and tourist officials in Ankara and Istanbul. The Middle East Times says that Turkey, Tunisia, Greece and Spain are seeing more Western European travelers as a result of the strife in the Balkans. "These people have started to search for new holiday havens," one Turkish travel agent said, leading to $3.8 billion in tourism revenue for Turkey in 1992 and an estimated $4.5 billion this year, according to Tourism Minister Abdulkadir Ates.

Mubarak Says Egypt Not Another Iran:

Egypt will never become another Iran, and Islamist unrest in the country is under control, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak told the Kuwaiti newspaper As Siyassa. "I can confidently declare that terrorism in Egypt is under control ... You can say it is breathing its last," Mubarak said. "All terrorists are under the security microscope and ... we know their names, addresses and motives." Mubarak said Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman, currently living in the United States, is a "media-made leader" who "cannot be another Khomeini."

Pakistani President's Janitor Cleans Up:

Jacob Maseih, the man who cleans Pakistani President Ghulam Ishaq Khan's living quarters, has been arrested on charges he used his proximity to the president for illegal profit. Though Maseih earned a salary of approximately $ 100 a month, Pakistan's Sunday Times weekly said officials discovered $500,000 in his government bank account. Maseih said the money was a gift from friends, though police said they were "looking at the possibility of this being a conspiracy against the president. " Maseih enjoyed direct access to the head of state, and "could easily be used to harm the president or to steal important documents from his room," officials said. Last year a minor official in the prime minister's office made thousands of dollars by forging his boss' signature, even issuing appointment letters which placed people in sensitive Pakistani government positions.

Foreign Trawlers Loot Somali Waters:

Foreign fishing trawlers have taken advantage of civil unrest in Somalia to over-fish that country's coastlines, with one politician saying Italian, Greek, Russian, Taiwanese and South Korean vessels are "having a field day looting Somali waters" of lobster, crab, tuna and other fish. A former Somali port manager said the foreign trawlers enter the Gulf of Aden at night, using powerful searchlights and illegal tightly spun drag nets to harvest their catch. "When locals tried to stop them, the ships sprayed them with hot water, " he said. "It's nothing more than robbery." Somali leaders also said they suspected foreign ships of illegally dumping toxic waste in Somali waters and appealed to the United Nations for help, according to the Middle East Times.

Turkey Buys Arms from Moscow:

Turkey is set to purchase some $75 million in arms and combat hardware from the Russian Federation, Moscow's Izvestiya reports. The weapons, which include helicopters, machine guns and carbines, will be delivered to the Turkish Gendarmerie Main Command, according to Turkish Interior Minister Ismael Sezgin. The deal marks the first time Ankara has bought arms from Russia. Turkey, a NATO member, has previously armed itself only with American and German weaponry. Russia will receive only $15 million in hard currency from the deal, with the remaining $60 million going to service Russia's debt to Turkey's Eksimbank.

Kuwaiti Paper Cleared:

A state security court ruled that Kuwait's independent Al Qabas did not violate national security by acquiring and publishing a list of 192 military appointments. The paper's editor, Mohammed Al-Saqr, said, "We knew we were innocent and the lawsuit was a spiteful one from the Defense Ministry," and hailed the ruling as a victory for press freedom in Kuwait.

Turkey Banishes Private Broadcasting:

Turkish officials are closing down some 500 independent radio stations across the country after the government banned private broadcasters from the airwaves. Many of the stations were owned by municipal governments controlled by opposition parties. Mezut Yilmaz, leader of the conservative Motherland Party, told the Anatolian News Agency that the government "wants a democracy with a single voice. It wants that voice to be its own." Some stations vowed to defy the order even though authorities said they would seize the equipment and transmitters of any station which continued broadcasting illegally. Some officials said that the independent broadcast ers were interfering with air traffic, naval and police communications, while others expressed fears that Kurdish separatists and Islamists might begin to broadcast their political views. Many of the independent stations began broadcasting last year after a government promise to free the airwaves from state monopoly.

Haij Out of Reach for Iraqis:

Baghdad's AlJumhuriyya says Iraq will permit 18,000 citizens to make the pilgrimage to Mecca this year, but the estimated $450 price tag—equal to three years of average civil service wages—is too much for most Iraqis. "I think fewer than half of last year's figure will be able to make the hajj this year, " one Baghdad travel agent said. Some 10, 000 Iraqis participated in last year's hajj, while only 600 Iraqis made the pilgrimage in 1991, just after the Gulf war.

Drought Devastates Moroccan Harvest:

King Hassan announced a $650 million public works program designed to provide employment in rural Moroccan areas devastated by two years of drought. The Middle East Times says the funds will go to build dams and irrigation facilities and would aid some 1.8 million farmers directly or indirectly. After a record grain harvest of 8.53 million tons in 1991, the 1992 figure dropped to 2.72 million tons. With the failure of last winter's rains the 1993 crop is expected to be roughly the same size as last year's. The Moroccan Interior Ministry said some regions have lost 90 percent of their cereal crops due to the dry conditions.

UK Customs Cracks Iranian Air Force Scheme:

British customs officials have discovered a scheme by the Iranian air force to manufacture thousands of spare parts for its planes in Britain, according to a report in the CAABU tin. DBI Ltd., a small firm based west of London, won an Iranian bid last year for replacement turbine blades for the General Electric J85 turbojets on Iran's aging fleet of F-5 fighters. British cutorns have seized some 12,000 turbine blades with an estimated value of $1.7 million destined for the Iranian air force. Because the order was for copycat components manufactured without General Electric's permission, GE has reportedly been cooperating very closely with British officials in the case. DBI's Canadian-born manager, Richard Patrick, was fined some $68,000 in the late 1980s, when he was convicted of shipping military equipment to Iran via London's Heathrow airport.

Tunisian Communists "Renewed":

Mohammed Harmel, secretary-general of the Tunisian Communist Party, says his group will transform itself into a progressive party named "Ittajdid, " or "Renewal. " The Tunisian daily La Presse quotes Harmel as saying, "A historical period has had its day, " and that the former Communists are dropping Marxism as their platform. Instead, Hartnel says, Ittajdid will support progressive policies of democratic pluralism and social justice.