|
|
Israel April 20
- Today is Israel's memorial day, and tomorrow is Independence day. Dani Kinrot
explains why a group of Israelis meet in Rabin square to give homage to Israel's
number one soldier, Yizhak Rabin, who fell fighting for peace (in Hebrew)  . Ami Isseroff discusses the different views
of independence day, and of history, held by Palestinians and Israelis, and why we may
have many more sad memorials and no peace, until both peoples can see the same reality. [More Here]
Macedonia April 20 - Macedonia has thankfully reversed
its policy and opened its border to refugees from Kosova, making provision for new camps.
Previously, the Macedonians had tried to limit the flow of refugees, fearing an upset in
demographic balance.
Barak rules out coalition with Deri (April 18) - In an
interview with Yedioth Ahronoth this morning, One Israel party candidate Ehud Barak ruled
out a coalition government with the Ultra Orthodox Shas party as long as it is headed by
Arie Deri, who has been convicted of bribery. He said Deri should resign. Barak is the
only candidate who has done so this far. The Chadash party announced that it will only
support candidates who refuse to enter a coalition with Shas. Meretz has taken a similar
stand. Earlier, Israel government Counsel Elyakim Rubenstein was furious that none of the
leaders of major political parties had as yet ruled out a Shas partnership, though Shas
insists that Arie Deri, convicted of bribery and sentenced to four years in jail, will
remain at the head of the party. See The Law and Arieh Deri
for background.
Barak gains in latest
polls (April 15 )- Following a heated, but empty, TV debate between PM Bibi
Nethanyahu and candidate Yitzhak Mordehai, opinion polls indicate that the winner
of the debate was Ehud Barak. Barak stayed away from the debate, let Bibi and Mordechai
trade insults, and widened his lead over both of them. Though Mordechai gained slightly in
the first round according to the the polls, and though most Israelis thought he had won
the debate with his easy smile and unflustered manner, his second round lead over
Nethanyahu narrowed. Click 4 More
Israeli Security Versus Palestinian Security (April 16) - Israeli police
ransacked a house in Area B of the West Bank and brutalized a family in a mistaken search
for stolen cars. PEACE participant Adam Keller points out that this was a violation of the
Oslo agreement, since PNA police have jurisdiction in Area B. Shouldn't Peace and Security be for everyone? Click 4 more
Peace School asking for help (April 15) - The Hope Flowers school
in Al Khader, Bethlehem is a beacon of hope and decency in the Mid-East sea of hate and
despair, teaching tolerance and nonviolence to Palestinian youngsters. The school has
received wide media attention in the past, especially after it came to the attention of
Hilary Clinton. PEACE was distressed to learn that Israeli authorities are putting
difficulties in the way of the school . To learn more about it and what YOU can do to
help, click here.
Kosova - The PeaceWatch poll so far shows most people favor use of ground
troops now. Do you agree? Vote here (once please) and view results.
A new German initiative for a
cease fire fell flat as it was rejected by both NATO and the Yugoslav government. Is there
a way back to sanity for NATO and Yugoslavia? Perhaps yes, if the money wasted in bombing
were used to persuade the Russians to support a compromise solution.
Meanwhile, the bombing and misery continue, and fighting has spread
to Albania. Ralph Seliger draws a comparison to his parents' experiences as refugees
fleeing Serbia from the Nazi invasion and concludes that a ground intervention force and
close air support should have been deployed to stop ethnic cleansing and protect refugees.
(Click 4 More) Ami Isseroff discusses Noam Chomsky's
critique of NATO, and the bankruptcy of international law. (Click 4
More).
Stop Milosevic Petition - Click here to sign
a petition to bring Milosovic to justice according to international law.
Palestinians do not want a binational state - A recent poll shows that a majority of
Palestinians do not want a binational state or a state in all of Palestine instead of an
independent sovereign state. The poll by JMCC also shows that an overwhelming majority,
nearly 80%, would favor a state run according to Islamic law. Click 4 More.
Elections and Jews Abroad - A recent
article in the Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot alleges that Australian millionaire
Yosef Gutnick has paid generous sums to Likud politicians in order to stop compliance with
the Wye accords. Mervyn Cassidy explains how money from
abroad is being used to influence the elections. Murray
Polner discusses how Jews in USA and elsewhere view the Israeli elections. Click 4 More
Jerusalem - Beloved and divided city - PEACE participants and
guests are invited to contribute articles - your personal views of Jerusalem and how to
make it a real city of peace. Click 4 More
Water and Politics
- How water and politics mix poorly in the Middle East.More
Virtual Reality - As the Israeli economy declines and the 'Peace
Process' heads for a bloody denouement, right wing Israeli commentators try to find a
silver lining and pretend that everything is fine. A very dangerous game! |
what's on PeaceWatch
