Middle East briefs

By JTA

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JERUSALEM (JTA)—Aid extended to Sderot by the Israeli military has improved conditions for the rocket-rattled town, Ehud Olmert said.

The Israeli prime minister, who made an unannounced visit to Sderot Jan. 24 after the military’s Southern Command was ordered to deploy personnel in the town to reinforce buildings against rocket salvos from the nearby Gaza Strip and help with routine affairs, said the measure has shown some success.

“I found a different atmosphere both in Sderot and its outlying communities. I found impressive determination, fortitude, fewer complaints but not less pain and concern, and great appreciation for the activity being carried on there,” Olmert told his Cabinet in broadcast remarks Jan. 27. The previous week saw a surge in rocket fire by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups as Israeli forces pressed attacks in Gaza. The Jewish Agency for Israel announced Jan. 27 it has begun providing emergency relief grants of around $1,000 for Sderot residents who are injured, or whose homes are damaged, by rockets. A total of $300,000 was earmarked in December for Sderot out of the Jewish Agency’s Victims of Terror Fund, which is underwritten by the United Jewish Communities and Keren Hayesod.

Saudi offers full ties

JERUSALEM (JTA)—A Saudi prince said if Israel accepts an Arab League peace plan it could have full normalization with the Arab world. Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former ambassador to the United States and Britain, former head of Saudi security and adviser to King Abdullah, told Reuters in an interview published Jan. 27 that if Israel accepted the Arab League plan and signed a comprehensive peace, “one can imagine the integration of Israel into the Arab geographical entity. One can imagine not just economic, political and diplomatic relations between Arabs and Israelis but also issues of education, scientific research, combating mutual threats to the inhabitants of
this vast geographic area.” The Arab League, made up of 22 nations, adopted in 2002 the Saudi peace plan, which calls for full normalization with Israel in return for Israel’s full withdrawal from the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights. The plan was revived at an Arab League summit last year.

Foundation names Wolf Prize winners

JERUSALEM (JTA)—An Israel foundation named the winners of its Wolf Prizes in chemistry and mathematics. The chemistry prize was jointly awarded Jan. 28 to William Moerner of Stanford University and Allen Bard of the University of Texas for their work in the creation of a new field of science called single molecule spectroscopy and electrochemistry. The mathematics prize is shared by Pierre Deligne and Phillip Griffiths of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., and David Mumford of Brown University for their contributions to several fields in mathematics. The $100,000 award in each field will be presented by Israeli President Shimon Peres at a Knesset ceremony in Jerusalem on May 25. Five annual Wolf Prizes have been awarded since 1978 to outstanding scientists and artists. The Wolf Foundation was established by the late German-born inventor, diplomat and philanthropist Dr. Ricardo Wolf, who lived in Cuba and became Fidel Castro’s ambassador to Israel.

Israel launches satellite

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israel launched a new spy satellite. After months of delays, the TECSAR satellite was launched into space Jan. 27 from an Israeli air base. The TECSAR features an all-weather, day-or-night radar imaging system that will significantly improve Israel’s ability to monitor Iran and other Middle East foes. Two Israeli-made Ofek satellites, with conventional optical camera, already are in orbit. Israel is among a handful of countries that manufactures and deploys its own satellites.

Israelis kill gunman

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israeli forces surrounded the hideout of an Islamic Jihad fugitive near Tulkarm early on Jan. 27, calling on him to surrender. The gunman opened fire, lightly wounding an Israeli army officer and prompting the military to send a bulldozer to demolish his house before shooting him dead.

Nasrallah crows over ‘body parts’

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Hezbollah has body parts from slain Israeli soldiers, the Lebanese militia’s leader said. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, who has been in hiding since the 2006 Lebanon war, emerged Jan. 26 to attend a Shi’ite festival in Beirut and taunt Israel in a televised speech. “Oh Zionists, your army left the body parts of your soldiers in our villages and fields,” he said, adding that the gathered remains include heads, torsos, legs and arms. The remarks appeared aimed at pressuring Israel into closing a deal for the return of two soldiers abducted by Hezbollah in June 2006, though Hezbollah did not mention them specifically and they are still assumed to be alive. Hezbollah is also at pains to project power given current political tensions in Lebanon. Israeli media quoted military sources as saying that the remains of soldiers killed in Lebanon were properly collected for burial. Israel’s military put out a rare statement deploring Nasrallah’s speech, calling it a “cruel and cynical move by an organization that flagrantly tramples the most fundamental ethical codes, shows no respect for human rights or the international conventions that govern these matters.”

Israelis identify by faith, then flag

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israelis are three times more likely to identify primarily as Jews than as Israelis, a poll found. According to a survey in the Jan. 28 Yediot Achronot, 40 percent of Israelis said they identify “first and foremost” as Jews, while 13 percent identify primarily as Israelis. Most Israelis, 45 percent, identified primarily as human beings, with the rest undecided on how to identify themselves. The poll had 500 respondents and a 4.2 percent margin of error. It was not clear if the respondents represented a cross-section of Israel’s entire population, 20 percent of whom are Arabs, or just the Jewish majority.

Canada removes Israel, U.S. from watchlist

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Canada removed Israel and the United States from a list of countries suspected of using torture. Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said on Jan.  26 that an internal government torture watch list naming Israel and the United States had been amended to omit them. Bernier noted that Israel and the United States are among Canada’s “closest allies.” The watch list, which had been compiled as part of training for Canadian diplomats, was accidentally leaked to the press. Human rights groups denounced Bernier’s turnabout, saying designation of states which sanction torture should not depend on whether they are political allies.

Stars to celebrate Israel’s birthday

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg are among Jewish celebrities expected to attend Israel’s 60th Independence Day events. The famed musical diva and Hollywood director are among those invited to a May 13 conference in Jerusalem being organized by Israeli President Shimon Peres in honor of the Jewish state’s 60th birthday, Ma’ariv reported. Streisand will entertain by singing “Avinu Malkeinu,” a Peres favorite. Among foreign statesmen expected to attend the events are President Bush and his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Gaza power plant winds down

JERUSALEM (JTA)—The Gaza Strip’s only power plant is cutting production by half due to Israeli fuel sanctions. Hamas authorities in Gaza announced Jan. 27 that one of the two turbines at their power plant was being shut down due to lack of fuel. Israel began trimming fuel imports to Gaza last year after designating the territory, from which there is frequent cross-border rocket fire, an “enemy entity.” The power plant ordinarily produces around 17 percent of electricity used by Palestinians in Gaza. The rest comes from Israel and Egypt, though Israel may also cut down power supplies as part of its sanctions.

Israel to partially lift Gaza blockade

JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israel will lift some of the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip to allow in diesel fuel and medicine. Defense Minister Ehud Barak announced Jan. 28 that he would allow the delivery of a week’s worth of diesel fuel to run the local power station and 50 trucks of food and medicine. The blockade was imposed Jan. 17 after more than 130 Palestinian Kassam rocket attacks on southern Israel. Though Israel denied that international pressure was a factor, a public relations battle surged Jan. 28 over the extent of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Gaza spokesmen warned that hospitals would soon be without power, and water and sewage systems would have no power to run the pumps. Rocket attacks decreased sharply following the Gaza blockade.

Peres: Put peace deal to vote

JERUSALEM (JTA)—The Israeli people should be asked to approve any future peace deal with the Palestinians, Shimon Peres said. The Israeli president said Jan. 27 that before Prime Minister Ehud Olmert signs a peace accord with the Palestinian Authority he should seek broad public approval, especially given the vigorous opposition from the right wing. “I propose either a referendum or elections, but this should be at the end of negotiations,” Peres told Reuters. “The people can decide.” Olmert has seen his popularity plummet since the 2006 Second Lebanon War. But Peres said the prime minister should not feel threatened by a plebiscite. “I think if he comes up with a plan it would bolster him rather than make things more difficult for him,” Peres said, referring to a possible peace accord.