Week in Review
November 8 - 14, 2003

• Terrorism and Prevention in Israel
• Baby Formula Causes Death of 3 Infants
• Palestinian Cabinet Approved
• BBC Reports PA is Paying Off Al-Aqsa Brigades Men
• Israeli Government Approves Prisoner Swap
• UN Report on Security Fence is Inaccurate
• Israeli Officials in Washington, D.C.
• Symposium on Women in Conflict Resolution in Haifa

Terrorism and Prevention in Israel

Terrorist planning synagogue attack arrested

The Israel Security Agency and the police recently arrested an Islamic Jihad terrorist who was planning an attack in Afula, and a suicide mission on a synagogue located in the nearby town of Shaked, HA'ARETZ reported. Under questioning, Muhammed Tushiya, 19, told officers that several days ago, he had set out for Afula with a 10-kilogram bomb. He said that because of a heavy police presence in the area, he had been forced to change his target to Shaked, where he would have detonated his device inside the synagogue. Seeing that police presence was also important at the entrance of the community, he decided to postpone the attack until later. The security service received intelligence information regarding Tushiya's intentions and proceeded to arrest him.

In other news, five Palestinian terrorist opened fire on Israeli soldiers and civilians working near the Gaza Strip security fence today. Israel Defense Forces returned fire killing one the gunmen and wounding three. Earlier today, a Palestinian gunman fired on a group of workers making repairs to the security fence surrounding the southern Gaza Strip community of Morag, injuring one of the workers, who was taken to Soroka hospital in Be'er Sheva for the treatment of a moderate injury.

Meanwhile, according to Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, the Jewish town of Netzarim came under fire and was hit by a mortar today. An explosive device was found near the fence of the Netzer Hazani community in Gush Katif and was dismantled by sappers. In the West Bank, shots were fired at a border police patrol near the Nur A Shams refugee camp in Tulkarem. Three wanted Palestinians were arrested Tuesday night by Israeli forces.

-from Israel Line on Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Baby Formula Causes Death of 3 Infants

The deaths in recent weeks of three infants from neurological and cardiological disorders were caused by the fact that the newborns had been fed using non-dairy Remedia baby formula that completely lacked vitamin B1 (thiamine), THE JERUSALEM POST reported. After lab tests confirmed the absence of the vitamin, the Health Ministry asked the parents of all babies fed with this line of soy-based formula during the last two months to see their pediatricians. Only those infants with clinical signs of beriberi (severe thiamine deficiency) will receive infusions of the vitamin in the hospitals. The Health Ministry indicated that 20 babies were suspected so far to have suffered damage to their central nervous systems during the past half-year. Five thousand children have consumed the product during the past six months.
Health Ministry Food and Nutrition Service director Dr. Dorit Nitzan-Kalusky said that Remedia - an Israel-based food distributor that imports the special line of parve (non-dairy) formula from Germany due to "kashrut requirements" - had not informed the ministry that the formula had been changed in April. This change resulted in the powder being produced without a trace of the vital vitamin, she said. Since the company did not ask for approval, the ministry did not make a special check of the formula, Nitzan-Kalusky said.

Ministry Director-General Boaz Lev told health reporters on Sunday night that he had asked the State Attorney's Office to investigate the matter, as Remedia and Humana allegedly committed a crime by claiming on the product's label that it contained vitamin B1 when it did not. It also marketed a product without ministry approval, Lev said.

Meanwhile, two separate lawsuits were filed today at Tel Aviv District Court against the Remedia company, HA'ARETZ reported. The plaintiffs are demanding that their suits be recognized as class action suits against the company. One of the suits is claiming compensation of some NIS 1 billion and the other is demanding damages of NIS 115 million.

-from Israel Line on Monday, November 10, 2003

Palestinian Cabinet Approved

Nov. 10: U.S. Critical of New Palestinian Government

Nov. 12: Israel Will Engage in Dialogue with Qurei if He Is Serious about Reform

U.S. Critical of New Palestinian Government

The United States criticized on Sunday Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei's newly appointed government in which security control remains under the responsibility of PA Chairman Yasser Arafat, HA'ARETZ reported. "The prime minister must have control of all of the security forces and Washington insists that terrorists and military organizations not under the control of the Palestinian Authority be disarmed and dismantled," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Amanda Batt said.

Israel was also critical of the new government. Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom said Sunday that the new Palestinian government "will be judged by its actions," adding that, "leaving security authority in Arafat's hands is not promising."

Qurei will present his cabinet to the Palestinian Legislative Council for approval on Wednesday.

Qurei compromised over his initial call for General Nasser Yousef to head the Interior Ministry, and agreed to the nomination of Hakam Balawi, a loyal supporter of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat. The Palestinian premier said Saturday that Arafat had agreed to a security deal that would split power between the Interior Ministry and the National Security Council, which is under Arafat's auspices but includes General Yousef.

-from Israel Line on Monday, November 10, 2003

Israel Will Engage in Dialogue with Qurei if He Is Serious about Reform

Israel expressed the hope to open dialogue with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. A Foreign Ministry official said that if Qurei was serious about reforming Palestinian institutions and promoting the road map to peace, then he "will find in Israel a serious partner." The Palestinian Legislative Council, meeting in Ramallah today, approved Qurei's Cabinet by a vote of 48-13 with five abstentions, despite complaints about PA Chairman Yasser Arafat's continued grip on security forces. Qurei called for an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire with Israel and a return to peace talks based on President Bush's vision for two states. "To the Israelis, we want peace and security and independence that will not be realized unless we work together," Qurei said. "Let's help each other stop this cycle of hell."

Israel said it would grant the new Palestinian government "a period of grace". A meeting between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Qurei is allegedly possible. Ra'anan Gissin, an aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said that, "any Palestinian government must pass the test of performance, then we can move quickly forward to the next stage." Gissin added that, "at this point we are easing restrictions on the Palestinian population."

-from Israel Line on Wednesday, November 12, 2003

BBC Reports PA is Paying Off Al-Aqsa Brigades Men

The Palestinian Authority is transferring up to $50,000 a month to members of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, a militant organization affiliated with Fatah, according to a report to be published today by the BBC. A minister in the previous PA government headed by Mahmoud Abbas told the BBC that the payments were an attempt to prevent Al-Aqsa Brigade members from carrying out suicide bombings.

Abed Al Fatah Hamail, former PA minister of sport and youth, who said that he implemented the payment policy, noted that PA chairman Yasser Arafat was aware of the transfers, although he did not initiate them. He also said that some activists, who worked for the security forces, received and continue to receive salaries, but that over the summer, the cabinet decided to pay living expenses for activists who do not receive salaries, to support their families. When asked how the PA could be certain that the money was not used for terror attacks, Hamail responded that the sum sent to each activist, $250, was too small for buying weapons.

In spite of the monetary transfers, Zakariya Zbeidi, an Al-Aqsa Brigades leader interviewed by the BBC, said the organization had not officially declared a cease-fire. Zbeidi, from Jenin, said that Arafat would not instruct the organization to stop attacks until Israel stops its "assassinations."

When Arafat calls for a cease-fire, they would respect his decision and stop the attacks, Zbeidi added.

Meanwhile, the CBS television program "60 Minutes" reported that Yasser Arafat is transferring $100,000 a month from PA monies to his wife, Suha, who is living in Paris. The report says the money goes to support a luxurious life style for 40-year-old Suha and the couple's 8-year-old daughter Zahwa.

The report did not say where Suha Arafat was living in Paris, but other reports in the American media say that she is known to be currently residing at the Bristol, one of the finest Parisian hotels. Leslie Stahl of "60 Minutes" met in Paris with Raymonda Tawil, Suha Arafat's mother, and reported that she is also living a life of luxury. The report emphasized that the Suha Arafat's monthly support payments come from Palestinian Authority public monies in Yasser Arafat's private accounts.

Stahl also interviewed PA Finance Minister Salam Fayad, who related his efforts to expose the graft of the Palestinian Authority in the past, and to uncover secret bank accounts to which Palestinian money was being transferred.

According to calculations presented on "60 Minutes," Arafat has succeeded in transferring no less than $800 million of international aid money given to the Palestinian Authority to secret bank accounts over the past 10 years. The report also said that Arafat and his aides had gotten hold of Israeli bank accounts in which the government of Israel had deposited tax moneies it owed the PA.

"60 Minutes" said that Arafat, sees the money as an emergency fund that he could use in case he was exiled or forced to flee.

-from Ha'aretz on Sunday, November 9, 2003
By Natan Guttman and Limor Tevet

Also See: Transcript of 60 Minutes Report: “Arafat’s Billions”
Broadcast Sunday, November 9th, 2003

ARAFAT'S BILLIONS-- Yasser Arafat diverted nearly $1 billion in public funds to insure his political survival, but as Lesley Stahl finds out, a lot more is unaccounted for.

Israeli Government Approves Prisoner Swap

Nov 9: Cabinet Decision: Framework Principles for the Agreement to Release Israeli Prisoners and Hostages Held in Lebanon

Terrorists with Israeli blood on their hands, such as Lebanese Druse terrorist Samir Kuntar, will not be part of a prisoners' exchange deal with Hizbullah, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Hizbullah has put the expected exchange into question by demanding that release of Kuntar - the terrorist who headed the four-man Palestine Liberation Front squad on a murderous attack in Nahariya in 1979, in which Danny Hadan, 28, his daughters Einat, four, and Yael, two, and policeman Eliyahu Shahar were killed.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom responded to Hizbullah's demand saying that Israel had "red lines" it would not cross. "Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that Kuntar's release is out of the question, " Shalom said. "The murder of a family in Israel is unforgivable. I oppose his release. We have stated in the clearest possible terms throughout the negotiations that Kuntar is not on the list," he added.

Sharon's special envoy, Ilan Biran, is to go to Germany in the next few days to put what Israel hopes will be the finishing touches to the prisoner swap. The cabinet narrowly approved the swap on Sunday by a vote of 12-11.

The Israeli defense establishment has maintained the criteria that only Lebanese prisoners involved in attacks against Israeli installations in Southern Lebanon may be included in the exchange list, and not those who perpetrated attacks within Israel.

-from Israel Line on Monday, November 10, 2003

UN Report on Security Fence is Inaccurate

The Foreign Ministry blasted a new UN report on the security fence Tuesday, describing it as wildly inaccurate "even by UN standards," THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The report, prepared by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that once the fence was completed, some 274,000 Palestinians would be on the Israeli side. Foreign Ministry officials corrected that the number of Palestinians on the Israeli side would not exceed 100,000. 

According to the report, "more than 400,000 other Palestinians living to the east of the Wall will need to cross it to get to their farms, jobs, and services. This means that approximately 680,000 - 30 percent of the Palestinian population in the West Bank - will be directly harmed by the Wall." "As yet," the report continues, "the Israeli government plans contain no information on access gates through the Wall." A Foreign Ministry official explained that, in actuality, 42 gates already existed in the fence. He also noted that 95 percent of the barrier was chain-link fencing with electronic sensors, while only 5 percent consists of sections of concrete anti-sniper wall.

The report also claims that some 14.5 percent of West Bank land will lie between the fence and the Green Line. An official pointed that this figure was completely inaccurate, as a report released recently by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), put that number at 4 percent.

The Foreign Ministry said the report "simply harms the trustworthiness and credibility of the UN. It is the result of unprofessional work, and simply reflects Palestinian propaganda." The ministry is weighing what measures to take to protest against the "propaganda in the report."

-from Israel Line on Wednesday, November 12, 2003

Israeli Officials in Washington, DC.

-The Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC

Symposium on Women in Conflict Resolution in Haifa

-from www.israel21c.org on Sunday, November 9, 2003
By Viva Press