Kindgo
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- 23 Tamuz, 5763
Israel has hardened its position on the release of Palestinian prisoners, announcing that at this point it will not free members of two Islamic terror groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas at a summit meeting on Sunday that he was prepared to release up to several hundred prisoners from these groups who did not have blood on their hands. But a ministerial committee dealing with the prisoner issue decided today that Sharon could not act unilaterally and must bring the issue to the Cabinet for approval.
Sharon told the committee that prisoner releases would be made gradually depending "decisive Palestinian action in the security field." Sharon, who wants to prop up Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, will probably be able to push the issue through the Cabinet but he is facing opposition. Cabinet Minister Zevulon Orlev of the hawkish National Religious Party said releasing Islamic terrorists would be "very difficult morally, a grave political mistake and a very dangerous security gamble."
The Palestinians reacted angrily to the committee`s decision, saying that without a mass release of prisoners, it will be impossible to implement the peace “roadmap.” "This will harm the political process and lead us to a real political crisis," said Hisham Abdel-Raziq, the Palestinian minister for prisoner affairs. However, the roadmap makes no mention of Palestinian prisoners.
In another attempt to pressure Israel and the US, Palestinian officials say Prime Minister Abbas needs to bring something tangible back from the White House, or he could fall from power. Abbas will meet President Bush on Friday. "If no progress is made in this important visit to Washington, we are sure that Abbas will face a tough situation among the Palestinian people and in the Palestinian Legislative Council," said Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr. "Some lawmakers are demanding that there be a confidence vote...after the Washington visit." Knowing that both the US and Israel want to strengthen the “moderate” Abbas, the Palestinians continue to fabricate internal crises to try to squeeze Israel for concessions. Abbas will ask Bush to pressure Israel to release thousands of Palestinian prisoners and freeze settlement activity.
Palestinian police in the Gaza Strip have begun confiscating unlicensed and unregistered vehicles, in what officials describe as a confidence building gesture toward Israel. More than 25,000 Israeli cars are stolen each year and most are smuggled into the Palestinian territories. The crackdown follows a pledge by Abbas to restore law and order.
An arrest has been made in connection with the “Jesus Ossuary”—a 2,000 year old burial box that created a stir in the archaeological world last year. The inscription was described as one of the most important finds ever because it was thought to be the oldest reference to Jesus outside the Bible. But last month, Israeli experts declared it a fake. Now, police have arrested Israeli Antiquities dealer Oded Golan on suspicion of forging the inscription. Stencils and several uncompleted forgeries were found in the suspect`s home. (A report on the forgery appears in the upcoming August edition of “israel today” magazine).
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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