News and Media - Israeli Consulate, SF - Week in Review

May 2 - 6, 2005

SECURITY
- IDF Soldier Killed near Tul Karm
- PA Releases 3 Suspected of Firing Qassam Rockets
- Following Breach of Promise to Disarm Terrorists, Mofaz Freezes Handover of West Bank Cities
- Qassam Attacks Against Sderot Continue
DISENGAGEMENT PLAN
- Sharansky Resigns from Government in Protest over Disengagement Plan
- Government Accepts Nitzanim Relocation Plan for Gaza Settlers
- Cabinet Likely to Oppose Demolition of Gaza Settlers' Homes
- Police Complete Preparations for Gaza Disengagement
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
- Largest March of the Living Begins Today
- Israel Remembers the 6 Million Who Perished During the Holocaust
- PM Sharon: Grave Error to Compare Pullout to Holocaust
- PM Sharon at Auschwitz: The World Remained Silent as Millions Were Murdered
DIPLOMACY
- Turkish Premier Meets with PM Sharon in Jerusalem
- U.S. Blacklists Charity as Front for Islamic Jihad
PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS
- Fatah, Hamas Face Off in West Bank Municipal Elections
- Fatah Wins Palestinian Municipal Elections, but Hamas Gets Strong Results
ECONOMY
- VCs Spend More on Israeli High-Tech Companies

SECURITY

IDF Soldier Killed near Tul Karm
Monday, May 2, 2005

An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed and another lightly wounded in a gun battle with Palestinian fugitives near the West Bank city of Tul Karm before dawn today, HA'ARETZ reported. The IDF fatality was identified as Staff Sergeant Dan Talasnikov, 21, from Nir Galim. He was laid to rest today in the Nir Galim cemetery.
An Islamic Jihad leader suspected of involvement in a February suicide bombing in Tel Aviv was also killed in the clashes.
Later today, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fired three Qassam rockets at Sderot. All three of the rockets landed in empty fields near the western Negev town, and caused no damage or injuries.
Reacting to news of renewed Palestinian violence, David Baker, an official in the prime minister's office, said: "The Palestinian Authority continues to refuse to fulfill commitments made in the February 8 Sharm el-Sheikh summit to stop this terror, originating from its territory." Full story

PA Releases 3 Suspected of Firing Qassam Rockets
Tuesday, May 3, 2005

The Palestinian Authority released Monday three Hamas members held on suspicion of firing Qassam rockets from the northern Gaza Strip, HA'ARETZ reported. Political sources in Jerusalem said today the PA had widely publicized the arrest in an effort to prove it was taking actions against terrorism. However, after Hamas threatened violent retaliation, the prisoners were quietly released.
Meanwhile, the PA said it arrested today two Hamas members on their way to fire rockets at the southern Israeli town of Sderot. The announcement comes one day after a gunfight erupted between Palestinian police and terror group members. It is the first intra-Palestinian confrontation since PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas ordered his security forces to use an "iron fist" to maintain the ceasefire with Israel. Full story

Following Breach of Promise to Disarm Terrorists, Mofaz Freezes Handover of West Bank Cities
Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz said today that he was freezing the handover of West Bank towns to Palestinian security control because of the Palestinian Authority's failure to honor its promise to disarm terrorists, HA'ARETZ reported. However, preparations are underway to free 400 Palestinian prisoners, as agreed in the Sharm el-Sheikh truce deal. Israel already released 500 prisoners last February.
In other news, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the security cabinet today that he would meet soon with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Earlier today, Sharon's office accused Abbas of acting in a way that encouraged terror, and left the door wide open to further attacks against Israelis.
"Abbas' readiness to release terrorists only encourages terror; they should have remained in prison," said David Baker, an official in the Prime Minister's Office, in reference to accusations the PA recently released three Hamas members suspected of launching Qassam rockets.
"Abbas' leniency and readiness to spring them free and capitulate can only encourage terrorism," said Baker. "This revolving door policy is in direct contradiction to Abbas' commitments in Sharm el- Sheikh to fight terror." Full story

Qassam Attacks Against Sderot Continue
Friday, May 6, 2005

The "Red Dawn" siren was blaring throughout Sderot early this morning after another Qassam rocket fired by Palestinian terrorists from Gaza landed in Israel's southern town, YNET reported.
The rocket landed in an open area, causing no injuries or damages.
Sderot mayor Eli Moyal commented today that the Qassam-ravaged town was paying the price for trouble in the entire Middle East, adding that a government response to the latest attack was still to be seen.
Late Thursday, a Qassam rocket hit a house in Sderot, not far from the spot where two children had been killed in a previous rocket attack. Genadi Davidov, who lives near the house that sustained the direct hit, said he was at home at the time of the attack and heard the explosion. "At our home, windows and doors were damaged," he said. "It caused great panic on the street here, people went out and were very frightened."
Meanwhile, Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz addressed the ongoing Qassam attacks in a meeting with senior security officials Thursday. During the session, Mofaz said the IDF had to respond to every attack "decisively but proportionally." Full story

DISENGAGEMENT PLAN

Sharansky Resigns from Government in Protest over Disengagement Plan
Monday, May 2, 2005

Diaspora Affairs Minister Natan Sharansky resigned from the government this morning, due to his opposition to the disengagement plan, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. In a long letter of resignation, Sharansky cited the need for democratization of the Palestinian government in Gaza as a pre-requisite for an Israeli pullout.
In his letter, Sharansky wrote: "Will we, by leaving Gaza encourage freedom of expression and a judicial system that protects human rights? Will the incitement in the Palestinian education system cease? Will the terror groups be dismantled? The answer to all of the above is of course, no."
In an interview with Army Radio this morning, Sharansky said, "I have always believed that the disengagement plan is a heavy price to pay and encourages terrorism."
He pointed out he had notified Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of his intentions to quit before the Pessah holiday. Full story

Government Accepts Nitzanim Relocation Plan for Gaza Settlers
Tuesday, May 3, 2005

Minister of Justice Tzipi Livni and lawyers representing the Gaza settlers held a five-hour meeting Monday to address the latter's requests to relocate to the coastal area of Nitzanim and obtain increased compensation packages, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Livni informed the settlers that the government would agree to their demand to establish new settlements in the Nitzan area, creating a sort of copy of Gush Katif there - or a "Gush Nitzanim."
The government proposed the establishment of four new towns, in addition to the possibility of building a new neighborhood in northern Ashkelon. Livni stressed that the Nitzanim nature reserve, featuring rolling sand dunes, would not be harmed.
Livni said that the two sides attempted to put aside differences of opinion on the issue of the disengagement in order to focus on what would happen "the day after". Full story

Cabinet Likely to Oppose Demolition of Gaza Settlers' Homes
Tuesday, May 3, 2005

A forum of senior ministers met today to discuss the fate of the homes left behind by settlers evacuated from the Gaza Strip, HA'ARETZ reported. The cabinet is expected to make a final decision on the issue at its next weekly meeting scheduled for Sunday. A majority of ministers appears to oppose a decision to demolish the structures.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who presided over today's meeting, expressed his opposition to tearing down the structures following the evacuation. Vice Premier Shimon Peres and Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz backed the prime minister's position.
Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu was one of a minority of dissenting voices calling for the demolition of the houses. Netanyahu explained the homes would likely be used as a holiday village by Hamas, and that not demolishing them would be a moral victory for terrorists. Full story

Police Complete Preparations for Gaza Disengagement
Wednesday, May 4, 2005

In preparation for the planned evacuation from the Gaza Strip this summer, police have recently completed an extensive intelligence-gathering operation, and mapped out in extremely precise detail the settlements slated for evacuation, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Each Gush Katif town has been split into several sections, according to a system largely based on neighborhoods within the communities. Each house has been given a code number, and police have gathered detailed information about each home, including: how many children live there, what car the parents drive, whether handicapped people live there, and whether the family has lost a loved one in a terror attack.
Aaron Franco, who will head the police evacuating force in the Gaza Strip, has held multiple meetings with settlers in recent weeks to scope out the planned resistance, and to reach an agreement on the way the evacuation should take place. Full story

HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

Largest March of the Living Begins Today
Wednesday, May 4, 2005

As many as 20,000 people are expected to participate in the annual March of the Living program in Poland this week, making this year's event the largest to date, THE JERUSALEM POST reported.
Twice as many participants as last year are expected to attend the various planned commemorations.
Opening ceremonies for the Holocaust Remembrance Day pilgrimage are to begin tonight, followed by the three-kilometer march itself, from Auschwitz to Birkenau, on Thursday.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is joining the March of the Living on Thursday. Senior Polish officials will accompany Sharon, as will Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.
Nobel prize winning author and Auschwitz survivor Elie Wiesel will address the gathering. Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, who is Jewish, will lead a Canadian contingent. Full story

Israel Remembers the 6 Million Who Perished During the Holocaust
Thursday, May 5, 2005

In observance of Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Israelis paused to observe a moment of silence today at 10 a.m. as the traditional siren blared across the country, YNET reported. Later, thousands laid wreaths at the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, in a ceremony attended, among others, by President Moshe Katsav, Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, IDF Chief-of-Staff Moshe Yaalon, Holocaust survivors, and students. The ceremony was followed by the reading of Holocaust victims' names. Full story

PM Sharon: Grave Error to Compare Pullout to Holocaust
Thursday, May 5, 2005

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon marked Holocaust Remembrance Day in Poland today where he was heading the March of the Living at the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, HA'ARETZ reported. Upon arriving in Poland, Sharon said, "with all the intention to move forward in the peace process, we should always remain vigilant and trust no one but ourselves. Jews can only rely on themselves."
When asked to comment on the use of the Holocaust by opponents to the disengagement plan, the prime minister said it was a grave error: "The situation is completely different today. We are a sovereign state. We can no longer be forced to do the worst things."
Sharon departed for Poland late Wednesday evening, heading an Israeli delegation of ministers, public figures and Holocaust survivors and their families. A total of some 18,000 people were participating in the event.
Before returning to Israel, the prime minister will meet with Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka and possibly with Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany. Full story

PM Sharon at Auschwitz: The World Remained Silent as Millions Were Murdered
Friday, May 6, 2005

Addressing an international crowd of 21,000 people attending remembrance ceremonies at Auschwitz's death camp on Thursday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon chastised the world for its silence as 6 million were being murdered, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. "So many perished because they could not reach the homeland, and fell victim to the policy of the White Paper, a policy of capitulation to Arab pressure," Sharon said.
Addressing some 20 survivors and their grandchildren he brought with him - many of them in IDF uniforms - Sharon said: "Do not let them forget - remember the silence of the world."
Joined on the podium by the Polish and Hungarian leaders, Sharon said: "I am certain that all my colleagues - world leaders - remember how the world stood by in silence. Remember the victims and remember the murderers. Remember how millions of Jews were led to their deaths and the world remained silent."
Sharon arrived at Birkenau in the afternoon under heavy security, visited one of the barracks, and took part in the ceremony marking the end of the 18th annual March of the Living. "I arrived here today from Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, the only place in the world where Jews have the right and capability to defend themselves by themselves," he said. Full story

DIPLOMACY

Turkish Premier Meets with PM Sharon in Jerusalem
Monday, May 2, 2005

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Jerusalem with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Sunday, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. Holding a joint news conference, the two leaders announced that Turkey and Israel would set up a counter-terrorism hotline. The Israeli prime minister said Israel already had such a link with the United States, Britain, the European Union and Russia. Sharon added the Turkish premier's great experience should be used to advance the Middle East peace process.
Earlier Sunday, Erdogan said his country could contribute to improving relations between Israel and other Mideast countries.
A statement issued by President Moshe Katzav's office said the Turkish prime minister had told Katzav, "We have to show solidarity in our common war against terrorism."
Erdogan also said his own Islamist party stood against anti-Semitism, adding that anti-Semitism was a crime against humanity. The Turkish premier then traveled to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem.

U.S. Blacklists Charity as Front for Islamic Jihad
Thursday, May 5, 2005

The United States froze on Wednesday the assets of a charity suspected of being a front for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, HA'ARETZ reported. "This afternoon we designated the Elehssan Society, including all of its branches, as a charitable front for the brutal terrorist group the Palestinian Islamic Jihad," U.S. Treasury Undersecretary for Enforcement Stuart Levey said. "Elehssan masquerades as a charity while actually helping to finance the PIJ's acts of terror against the Israeli people and other innocents," he told a congressional hearing.
Elehssan operates in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon. The PIJ has already been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Wednesday's designation was the 400th by the Treasury aimed at freezing the assets of terrorists and their support networks since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Full story

PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS

Fatah, Hamas Face Off in West Bank Municipal Elections
Thursday, May 5, 2005

Palestinians were heading to the polls in 76 municipalities in the West Bank today in what is being seen as a test of popularity for Hamas before the legislative elections later this summer, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. More than 400,000 people are entitled to vote in the largest phase of the municipal elections, which began last December. The Fatah faction, which has dominated Palestinian politics for five decades, was left reeling in January when Hamas recorded a landslide victory in the first local elections in Gaza.
The battle between Fatah and Hamas is expected to be closer in the West Bank, including in the cities of Bethlehem and Kalkilya. Polls opened at 7 am. and will close at 7 pm.

Fatah Wins Palestinian Municipal Elections, but Hamas Gets Strong Results
Friday, May 6, 2005

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' ruling Fatah movement narrowly beat Hamas today in local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, winning 56 percent of the vote against 33 percent for Hamas, HA'ARETZ reported. The corruption-tainted Fatah had feared defeat in Thursday's elections, but the results indicated the party had won in 45 of 84 communities. However, Hamas established itself as a major political player, winning 23 of the contests, including in the three biggest towns - Qalqilyah, Rafah and Beit Lahia.
Final official results are expected only Sunday but Qalqilyah's next mayor will likely be from Hamas.
PFLP appeared to have won in the Christian towns of Beit Sahur and Beit Jala, exit polls showed. Full story

ECONOMY

VCs Spend More on Israeli High-Tech Companies
Monday, May 2, 2005

Israeli high-tech companies raised $350 million during the 2005 first quarter from foreign and Israeli venture capital investors, marking an 8 percent increase from the same quarter last year, YNET reported. The data, compiled in a joint study by IVC Research Center and Israel Venture Association study, also shows a 4 percent drop from the $366 million that 102 high-tech companies had raised during the final quarter in 2004.
According to the study, the average sum raised per company stood at $.4 million, a 6 percent increase from the previous quarter and a significant 18 percent rise compared with the average amount raised during the same quarter in 2004.
IVC Research Director Efrat Zachay said the data indicated stability in the amount of the capital raised, and that since 2004's first quarter, the average sum raised by high-tech companies per quarter had been in excess of $350 million. Full story