Iran the worst threat – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented: “Israel has never faced a more concrete strategic threat to its existence than that being posed now by Iran. Iran is not just responsible for aiding and abetting terrorist movements, but has armed itself with non-conventional warheads and ballistic missiles that can reach Israel.” According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel’s Natan Sharansky (Russian chess champion) called on Russia’s Prime Minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin (just before he was fired), seeking to have Russia stop aiding Iran in its development of ballistic missiles. Russian officials said they understood the dangers which could arise by strengthening Islamic fundamentalism. Israeline reports that Iran is continuing links with the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry hoping to purchase a 40-megawatt nuclear reactor, plus heavy water.
The great immigration – Herb Keinon, writing for the Jerusalem Post, makes the point that the “Great Immigration” to Israel, commenced eight years ago. Since then, 850,000 people have arrived, 85% of them from the former Soviet Union. The immigrants have their own party with seven seats in the Knesset, and a plethora of newspapers. The immigration continues – 55,000 last year including 30,000 from the Ukraine alone.
“Not made in Israel” – David Harris, (J.P.), writes that a sign of the renewal of the Arab boycott of companies doing business with Israel may be seen in the offer by Philips Electronics to provide “not made in Israel” documentation. A notice can be supplied confirming that Philips appliances “are not of Israeli origin, nor do they contain materials of Isaeli origin.” Egypt has banned the import of all Israeli medicines, medical aids and cosmetics. Harris also reports that Syria will not consider a bid for a multi-million dollar communications contract from German giant Siemens because of the company’s interests in Israel. On March 6, Philips reversed its position and will no longer provide the “not made in Israel” certification. Additionally, Philips said it intends to open an office in Israel before the end of this present year.
Mossad under fire – Following the failed bid by the Israeli Mossad to assassinate the Hamas top man, Kaled Mashaal, in Jordan and the involvement of five Mossad agents in that bungled mission and the arrest of one of them caught trying to eavesdrop on Iranian diplomats in Switzerland, Mossad’s chief, Danny Yatom, has resigned. Yatom claimed Mossad has carried out daring and complicated operations that ended in success and contributed much to Israel’s safety. Ephraim Halevy was appointed to head Mossad and Maj. General Amiram Levine was appointed as deputy and designated successor. (Notes from the Jerusalem Post).
Arms smuggling – Arieh O’Sullivan reports Israeli troops captured a Palestinian gunrunner attempting to smuggle two boatloads of arms from Jordan.
He was captured on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea with 100 weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. (J.P.)
Israel seeks supremacy in space – Israel’s Air Force Chief, Mr. Eliahu, has stated Israel must have supremacy in space as well as in the Middle East airspace. He made the point that satellites could replace at least three squadrons of intelligence gathering aircraft. He also said satellites had monitored Iraq’s every move during the recent crisis and would have given a seven-minute warning of missiles fired up to 500 kilometers away, plus providing accurate locations of the launching point. (J.P.)
Israelis have left Israel – Naomi Blumenthal, chairman of the Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee, has stated the year 2,000 should be used as a lever to bring back to Israel the 500,000 Israelis living abroad. They have emigrated for various reasons, including security, financial and family concerns.
Palestinian population numbers – The Palestinian Statistics Bureau in early March published statistics alleging there are now 210,000 Arabs in Jerusalem. Israel disputes the figures, saying the total is more like 170,000. Recent Israeli figures indicate there are 1.12 million Palestinians in Judea/Samaria, 748,000 in the Gaza Strip and 180,000 east of Jerusalem, making a total of 2,048,000.
Arab double standards – Gerald Steinberg claims Arab leaders are trying to divert world attention away from Iraq to Israel. He makes the point that Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian spokesmen attacked Israel for violating agreements they have not signed. He says the propaganda campaign was another depressing setback for the effort to create an environment to further peace and security in the region. He writes, “In this environment, in which not only Iraq, but also Syria, Egypt and Libya have massive stockpiles of chemical weapons and in which Iran and other countries are attempting to develop nuclear weapons, few serious people doubt Israel’s need for a strategic deterrent.” (J.P.)
Truth haters – Moshe Kohn says, “It is sheer hatred of Jews that prevents so many Arabs from seeing the point. Or are they so blinded by self pity that they cannot see it?” He quotes a well-known Arab as writing, “Distortion of facts to suit one’s ends is almost a habit.” Kohn also quotes an Arab sociologist, Dr. Sanya Hamady, as writing, “The Arab has no scruples about lying if by it he obtains his objective. He attributes the ills of his society, his own mistakes and failures, either to fate, to ‘the devil’ or to imperialism.” The “point” Kohn refers to, which he says the Arabs cannot “see,” is “the obscenity of equating the horrors that Germany inflicted on the Jews and the tragedy and misery the Arabs in Israel inflicted on themselves.” (J.P.)With thanks to Bro. Charles French of the Gospel Publicity League.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One