Monday,
August 4
Three
Israeli Children and Mother Shot in Bethlehem
Gunmen shot an Israeli woman
and her three children in an ambush south of Jerusalem last night,
the first attack in the Bethlehem area since security authority
was transferred to the Palestinian Authority. The woman, 39, was
in serious condition at Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Karem,
and her nine-year-old daughter was moderately wounded. Her other
two children were lightly injured. The assailants apparently escaped
on foot in the direction of Batir, a village near Bethlehem. The
attack took place on the road from Jerusalem's Malha neighborhood
to the settlement of Har Gilo, where the victims live. The gunmen
fired shots at two passing Israeli cars and hit one. While the
cars were traveling in territory under Israeli security control,
along the capital's municipal border, the shots were fired from
a location very close to the Bethlehem region over which the PA
assumed security control a few weeks ago. (From Ha'aretz) more
Searches
Underway for Missing Teenagers
The search for 18-year-old
Dana Bennet entered its fourth day on Monday with police expanding
the search area and volunteers combing the northern hills under
a sweltering sun. Bennet went missing in the early hours of Friday
after completing a waitress shift at a restaurant in Tiberias
late Thursday. She took a taxi with another waitress from the
restaurant and got off at a bus stop, not far from her uncle's
home in Tiberias, where she had been due to stay. Bennet never
arrived, and no members of the family received a call from her
to inform them of a change of plans. Since then her cell phone
has been disconnected.
A 19-year-old American tourist, Eliezer Zusia Klockhoft, also
went missing during the early hours of Sunday morning while visiting
the grave of rabbinial sage Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai on Mount Meron
with a group of fellow students. The students themselves searched
for him for several hours before reporting his disappearance.
(From Jerusalem Post) more
Accomplices
of Jerusalem Suicide Bombers Caught
The Arab accomplices of
the Palestinian suicide bombers in the two most recent Jerusalem
bus bombings have been arrested, police announced Monday. Seven
people were killed in the May 18 early morning attack on the city's
bus 6, while seventeen people were killed in the deadly June 11th
bombing on bus 14. Both city bombings were carried out by the
Hamas Islamic terror organization. (From Jerusalem Post) more
IDF
Intelligence: Hezbollah, W. Bank Cells Planning Separate Attacks
Military intelligence warned Monday that
Hezbollah and seven cells in the Ramallah-Nablus area are planning
separate terror attacks on Israel. The warnings come on top of
an earlier statement by Hamas, which called on all militant groups
to be ready for confrontation with Israel, and a threat from a
Fatah-affiliated militant group that it too would carry out an
attack on Israel. A senior military intelligence officer also
told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday
that Hamas had spurred the assembly of Qassam rockets in Nablus
and fired them at West Bank settlements, Israel Radio reported.
He said the rockets pose a serious threat to the center of the
country. Also on Monday, the Tul Karm branch of the Fatah-affiliated
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said they would carry out an attack on
an Israeli target to avenge the killing of one of their members
who they said was killed by Israel. (From Ha'aretz) more
Promising
Treatment Developed for Spinal Cord Injuries
A revolutionary experimental therapy
for spinal cord injuries is being developed by Proneuron Biotechnologies,
Inc based on discoveries made in Israel at the Weizmann Institute
of Science. The therapy demonstrated preliminary promising results
with the first patients. With these results, the company is expecting
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve plans for
Phase II testing of the therapy to begin in late summer in the
US. Proneuron's treatment involves isolation of macrophages from
the patient's blood, processing in the laboratory and then injection
of the cells into the spinal cord in the vicinity of the area
of damage. The treatment, which must be provided within 14 days
of spinal cord injury, requires a surgical procedure to open the
spine for the injection of the macrophage cells into the spinal
cord. Proneuron began the first Phase 1 clinical trial in July
2000 and reached the target recruitment of 8 patients in February
2002. All the patients had suffered a spinal cord injury in the
previous 2 weeks and as a result had lost completely the motor
and sensory nerve function below the level of the injury. Three
of the original eight individuals experienced some recovery of
both sensation and voluntary movement in their trunk and legs;
recovery of this extent is very rare in patients with similar
injuries. During his fact-finding visit here last week regarding
Israel's work in the field of spinal cord injury therapy, American
actor Christopher Reeve met with the directors of Proneuron, and
expressed amazement at the technology and the results. (From Israel
21c) more
Tuesday,
August 5
399
Prisoners to be Released Wednesday Afternoon
Some 399 Palestinian prisoners
will be released at 2:30 P.M. Wednesday and an additional 99 Palestinians
will be released at a later date. The prisoners will be driven
by bus to several roadblocks throughout the West Bank and Gaza
Strip where their relatives and representatives of the Palestinian
Authority will be waiting to greet them, Israel Radio reported.
Despite criticism from Likud MK Yehiel Hazan, Sharon said releasing
the prisoners is a necessary step to support the cease-fire and
assuage Palestinian public opinion in an effort to shore up Abbas.
(From Jerusalem Post) more
Sharon-Abbas
Meeting Canceled
Both Israel and the Palestinians
confirmed Tuesday that a meeting scheduled for Wednesday between
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud
Abbas has been cancelled. The two leaders were to have met shortly
after the scheduled release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli
detention facilities. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom also postponed
his planned Tuesday meetings with Palestinian Authority ministers.
"Abu Mazen cancelled the meeting because it will only be
ceremonial on the day prisoners are released, and he believes
the Israelis not doing enough to promote the road map," a
senior Palestinian official said, using Abbas's nom de guerre.
There were reports that Sharon had called off the meeting due
to Sunday night's shooting attack near the Har Gilo settlement,
in which four Israelis were wounded, but Ehud Olmert, Minister
of Industry and Trade and Deputy Prime Minister, said that Sharon
had not set any conditions for the meeting to take place and that
he believed Abbas was responding to pressure from PA Chairman
Yasser Arafat. (From Ha'aretz) more
Palestinians
Conduct Shooting Attacks in Gaza, West Bank
A gunbattle broke out between gunmen
and IDF soldiers in the Rafah area Monday evening after Palestinian
gunmen fired four anti-tank rockets at IDF troops on the Egyptian-Israeli
border in the southern Gaza Strip, the Itim news agency reported.
Another Israeli military position came under fire in the Rafah
area shortly afterwards. In the West Bank, Palestinian gunmen
opened fire Monday evening on IDF troops south of Ramallah and
near Silat al-Khartiyah northwest of Jenin, Itim and Israel Radio
reported. There were no casualties in those incidents. Inside
the Green Line, a woman was moderately wounded Monday evening
after a concrete block was thrown at her vehicle and hit her face
while she was driving southeast of Petah Tikva. (From Israel Insider)
more
Poll:
Majority of Palestinians Support Cease-fire
A new poll, conducted by
Birzeit University's Development Studies Program, found that 61
percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Stri support
a renewal of the cease-fire for an additional three months. The
poll shows a measure of general acceptance by the Palestinian
people of the cease-fire, followed by a diplomatic and non-violent
solution to the current conflict. Yet at the same time, the Palestinian
public shows support for the Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Poll respondents
would give those groups a combined 32 percent of the vote if elections
for the Palestinian Legislative Council were held today, with
Yasser Arafat's Fatah group receiving about 29%. (From Jerusalem
Post) more
Pioneer
'Domino Transplant' Saves Lives of Two Children
The willingness of a grieving
Palestinian family to donate their child's organs to Israelis,
and the advanced capabilities of the Israeli medical system to
perform a complex series of operations has given four children
a new chance at a healthy life. It all began with a tragedy when
11-year-old Kaher Udah, a Palestinian child, fell from a roof
in the village of Ourza. He was quickly rushed to Schneider Children's
Hospital in Petah Tikva where the doctors pronounced him brain
dead. His family was asked if they would consider donating his
organs to Israeli children. Udah's parents' immediate reaction
was to agree, but to be certain, they consulted with Islamic religious
authorities. The Mufti of Saudi Arabia, who replied that it was
an important good deed. "The mufti said that it would be
a great mitzvah," said Udah's brother, Ra'ad.
The most dramatic and high-profile of the transplants involved
his heart and lungs. This donation spurred another "domino
effect" operation in which the recipient of Udah's organs
also became an organ donor herself. The heart and lungs were donated
to Cutar Zouabi, age 13, whose lungs had deteriorated badly due
to cystic fibrosis. Zouabi had been waiting for such a transplant
for a year and a half - her lungs had been barely functioning.
Although Zouabi's heart was completely healthy, lung transplants
are linked to the heart in a complex manner that makes lung transplants
alone even more risky and difficult. Cystic fibrosis patients
who have both heart and lungs replaced have a better chance at
survival. So even though Zouabi's heart was perfectly healthy,
it was removed, and her family had agreed to donate that organ
as well. The heart was transplanted into Rim Jabrin, age 11, from
the Israeli Arab city of Um-Al-Fahm, who would have died soon
had a donor not been found. This operation represented the first
heart transplant from a live patient ever performed in Israel.
When the two girls woke up from their operations, Kaher's mother,
Nadia was there. "I was so happy for them, and wish them
a good and long life. I see these two girls as a continuation
of Kaher. I hugged and kissed them, and I want to stay in touch
with them. They are my daughters now," she said. Later on
the same day, Kaher's liver and one of his kidneys was transplanted
into a third child, and his other kidney into a fourth child.
(From Israel 21c) more
Wednesday,
August 6
US
House Democrats in Israel Meet Abbas, Sharon
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of
Maryland on Tuesday accused Yasser Arafat of hampering peace efforts
and told the new Palestinian prime minister he must take responsibility
and strike a deal with Israel. "Nobody believes that Arafat
is pursuing peace positively at this point," Hoyer said.
"And that's the problem." Hoyer, who is leading 29 House
Democrats in a weeklong tour of Israel to discuss the Mideast
peace process, made his comments after separate meetings with
Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon. Hoyer told Sharon that Israel is "the world's
most courageous democracy," adding, "We are together
in the struggle against terrorism." (From Washington Post)
more
Gaza
Emerges as Major Food Producer
The Gaza Strip's 10,000
Israel residents generate $25 million of produce for export each
year. In all, the region generates revenues of some $33 million
annually, two-thirds from agriculture and one third from industry.
Main agriculture production includes peppers (green, red and yellow),
tomatoes (both cherry and regular) and geraniums. Plans are afoot
to significantly increase the production of organically grown
foods. Some 400 Thais and about 1500 Arabs work there. (From Kosher
Today) more
El
Al to Fly in 5,000 Under Birthright Project
El Al Israel Airlines will
bring some 5,000 young Jewish people to Israel over the next two
weeks as part of the Birthright Israel project (http://www.birthrightisrael.com/).
The national carrier said yesterday that it would bring the youths,
many on their first ever trip to Israel, from some 20 countries,
including the U.S., Canada, Argentina, Belarus, Russia, Uruguay,
Poland, Britain, Spain, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Romania
and Venezuela. Birthright Israel offers free, 10-day trips to
young Jewish adults aged between 18-26. Executive director of
Birthright Israel, Shimshon Shoshani, said that Birthright Israel
has so far brought 48,000 young people to Israel from 35 countries,
pumping some $60 million into the Israeli economy. (From Ha'aretz)
more
Chicago
Jews, Catholics to Bring Computers to Galilee Village
The village of Fassouta,
a 3,000-strong Melkite Catholic community in the Galilee, is to
receive computer equipment, Internet access, and vocational training
thanks to a Jewish-Catholic partnership in Chicago. The Fassouta
Computer Literacy Project, a three-year, $100,000 initiative aimed
at benefiting Israel's Christian minority, is sponsored by the
Jewish Federation and the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. Representatives
of both communities said they hope the project raises the community's
standard of living by providing residents with crucial technical
know-how, prevents emigration, and provides a model for interreligious
support for Israel's entire population. The funds will be used
to purchase computers and software, pay for Internet access, and
hire teachers to help the villagers become computer literate.
The project is to be based in Fassouta's newly build community
center, and is to start next month. After three years, Fassouta
will take over the project's funding. (From Jerusalem Post) more
Thursday,
August 7
IDF
Continues to Remove West Bank Checkpoints as Gestures of Good
Will
The Israel Defense Forces are
continuing to remove security checkpoints and opening additional
roads in the West Bank as further gestures of good will to the
Palestinian people," a military source told The Jerusalem
Post. "This afternoon we dismantled the checkpoint by the
village of Yabed, near Jenin and a checkpoint near the village
of Tura Al Arabia," the source said. "These humanitarian
actions will enable over 70,000 Palestinians to travel freely
to and from Jenin." The spokesperson explained that the IDF
is following explicit instructions from the government to improve
the quality of life for the Palestinian population. "We are
making every effort we can, without jeopardizing our own security,
to create trust building moves which illustrate Israel's commitment
to the road map and that will produce an atmosphere of peace in
this immediate region," the source said. The IDF said that
they are seeking a partnership with the Palestinians in which
the Palestinians will actively take steps against terrorism and
in return the IDF will continue to implement further gestures
of trust and good will. (From Jerusalem Post) more
India
is Israel's Second Largest Trading Partner
India is now Israel's second
largest trading partner in Asia, overtaking Japan, as per the
bilateral trade figures for the first six months of 2003. Indo-Israel
trade registered an overwhelming increase of 24.5 per cent between
January and June 2003, reaching 748.4 million dollars as compared
to 600.9 million dollar in the corresponding period last year,
official sources said. During recession in Israel, Indian exports
to Israel for the first six months of 2003 increased by 44.8 per
cent from 295.5 million dollar in 2002 to 427.8 million dollar
in 2003. Exports, excluding diamonds, increased by 29.5 per cent
from 108.8 million dollar in 2002 to 140.9 million dollar in 2003.
Israeli exports to India during January-June 2003 increased by
4.98 per cent, from 305.4 million dollar in 2002 to 320.6 million
dollar in 2003. (From Hindu) more
Cuban
Jewish Group Makes First-ever Visit to Israel
Ten Cuban Jews found themselves standing
in awe at Judaism's holiest site on Thursday, after a year of
tough negotiations to bring the first group of Cuban Jews to Israel.
Israel and Cuba have had no diplomatic ties since Cuba severed
relations following the 1973 Mideast war. The Cuban government
was reluctant to give the Jews permission to make the trip, fearing
they would not return. Taking in the site where the biblical Jewish
Temples stood, by coincidence on the day when Jews mourn their
destruction, Yohandi Crespo, 25, said, "This is just wonderful,
very emotional." Crespo came from the town of Cameguey, which
has a small community of 80 Jews. The 10-day educational visit
was organized by the "Taglit-birthright israel" program,
an Israeli government-backed plan that sponsors trips to Israel
for Jewish youth. It is the first such group to visit, though
some Cuban Jews have come to Israel on their own. (From Ha'aretz)
more
On
Pollard's Birthday, Congressman Demands His Release
A New York Congressman marked Jonathan
Pollard's 49th birthday with a request that President George W.
Bush free the former naval analyst. "The life sentence which
Jonathan Pollard is now serving is not a reflection of the severity
of the crimes he committed, but rather the result of ineffective
counsel," Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) wrote in an August 7
letter. "He has served more than enough time for the crime
of spying for an ally," wrote Weiner. Pollard was sentenced
to life in prison in 1985 for passing classified information to
Israel. Spying for a US ally generally carries a sentence of two
to four years in prison. (From Jerusalem Post) more
Asteroid
Named for Israel's First Astronaut - Col. Ilan Ramon
Seven
asteroids circling the sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
are being named for the astronauts who died in the space shuttle
Columbia accident, officials announced Wednesday. Astronauts Rick
Husband, William McCool, Michael Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David
Brown and Laurel Clark of NASA and Ilan Ramon of Israel died on
Feb. 1 when Columbia broke up while returning to Earth from a
16-day orbital mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
Calif. proposed naming the asteroids for the astronauts. The plan
was approved by the International Astronomical Union and announced
on Wednesday by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Minor
Planet Center, the officials clearinghouse for asteroid data.
(From Jerusalem Post) more
Friday,
August 8
Soldier
Killed in Counter-Terror Operation at Askar Camp
Staff
Sergeant Roi Oren, 20, a special unit soldier, was killed today
during an Israel Defense Forces counter-terror operation in the
Askar refugee camp east of Nablus. He was buried this afternoon
in Udim's Cemetery. Oren belonged to the IDF's elite naval commando
unit Shayetet 13, which entered the Askar refugee camp at 4:30
A.M. to arrest wanted Hamas terrorists. Two top Hamas bomb makers
were killed during the raid. Acting on an intelligence tip, the
soldiers surrounded a three-story building where the two wanted
terrorists, Khamis Abu Salem and Said Fadder - both involved in
attacks against Israelis - were hiding. The troops called out
to the fugitives to surrender; in response the two men opened
fire, killing Staff Sgt. Roi Oren. Soldiers responded with machine
gun fire and launched an anti tank rocket at the building killing
the two men.
Judea and Samaria Divisional commander Brig.Gen. Gadi Eizencot
explained that," since the truce was declared on June 29,
security forces have thwarted scores of attacks especially in
the Nablus area." "We are committed to protecting and
safeguarding the citizens of Israel, IDF forces operate throughout
the West Bank except in Bethlehem," he said. "We will
continue such operations until we see effective actions carried
out by the Palestinian Authority to combat terror." (From
Jerusalem Post) more
Hizbullah
Fires Missiles, Mortars at IDF Positions on Northern Border
An IDF spokesman, speaking
on condition of anonymity, said that there was "massive Hezbollah
fire," during which the militant group "fired anti-tank
missiles, light weapons fire and mortars at several IDF posts."
Two Hezbollah shells reportedly hit the towns of Masadeh and Majdal
Shams on the Golan Heights. "This is another example of the
Hezbollah terror organization - under the protection of Syria
and the Lebanese government, and with Iran's backing and support
- continues to operate, despite the events which we all witnessed
in recent months [during the Iraq war - U.A.]," Major General
Gantz said. The Hezbollah attack brought an almost immediate response
from the IDF. This is the first time IDF positions have come under
attack from the Lebanese militants since January 21 this year.
(From Ha'aretz) more
Mofaz
Warns against Existing Terror Threats
In an interview with the
Jerusalem Post, Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz said that there
was overall improvement in the security situation and an improved
sense of security. He cautioned however, that a number of the
terrorist cells were still actively involved in attacks against
Israel and received their support from abroad, mainly from Iran,
Hizbullah and Saudi Arabia. "We are not going to let the
decrease in attacks blind us to the fact that the terrorist infrastructures
are getting stronger," Mofaz said.
He added, that Iran's involvement with terrorism was illustrated
through its affiliation with Hizbullah, its support and instruction
of Palestinian terrorist organizations and "more gravely,"
recent actions in acquiring surface-to-surface long-range ballistic
missiles.
Mofaz said that Palestinian terrorist organizations had two sets
of leadership: One within the territories and one outside, mainly
in Damascus. "During the conflict, the strength of the local
leadership increased naturally, because of its direct involvement
in the violence and terrorism. Now, as the local leadership has
agreed to a temporary cease-fire, their power has decreased and
the leadership abroad has been strengthened, because it objects
to the cease-fire," Mofaz said. Mofaz believes that the leadership
outside of the West Bank and Gaza Strip constitutes a threat to
the Palestinian Authority, "because they are becoming an
alternative leadership for the Palestinian people." (From
Jerusalem Post) more
San
Francisco Father Appeals for Safe Return of Missing Tiberias Daughter
Binyamin Ben-Yitzhak, father of missing
Tiberias teenager Dana Ben-Yitzhak (Benett), has made an impassioned
plea to those believed holding his daughter to contact the family
and "give us any sign of life." Dana disappeared a week
ago after completing a waitress shift late on Thursday night at
a restaurant on the Tiberias promenade. Ben-Yitzhak arrived in
Israel with his son, Raphael, a few days ago from their home in
San Francisco and the two have been helping in the search for
17-year-old Dana since then. On Thursday, the family held an impromptu
press conference at the forward police command post in Moshav
Migdal, north of Tiberias, where Ben-Yitzhak issued his appeal.
"I am calling on this day, Tisha Be'av, first and foremost
to you, Dana. We all love you very much and we worry about you.
Give us some kind of sign, any sign. I love you very much and
I'm waiting for you," he said. "I want to appeal to
those who took Dana to just let her go and she will find her own
way home. Please make contact with us and give us any sign of
life. I am also calling on the US Embassy and on Ambassador Daniel
Kurtzer personally. Dana is an American citizen and I expect the
US to do all it can with all the assistance it can give us to
help find Dana." Searches for Dana and missing yeshiva student,
Eliezer Zusia Klughaupt, 19, from the US, continued on Thursday
in different parts of the Galilee. (From Jerusalem Post)
more
Israeli
Health Care Initiative is Building Bridges to Peace
When asked where the motivation came
from to build a children’s hospital in Israel open to all
regardless of nationality or religion, one of its principal founders
Irving Schneider answered, “from my head and my wife’s
heart.” For the specific requirements of non-Jewish youngsters
and their families, the hospital employs multilingual staff. The
staff is also sensitized to the delicate political balance in
the region and the resulting complex human and civil rights issues
that arise for young, particularly Arab, patients. “My wife
and I believed that if an Arab mother came to this hospital and
her child was cared for, that would be a step toward lasting peace,”
Mr. Schneider said in a recent interview at his office in Manhattan.
“Today, almost a third of the patients at the hospital are
non-Jewish. They are Druze or Christian or Muslim.” Since
the beginning of the second intifada in September 2000, the hospital
has treated some 90 children of all faiths who were caught in
the crossfire of conflict. The children’s hospital is recognized
as one of the most innovative pediatric institutions in the world.
(From Catholic Near East Welfare Association) more
