To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Tzemach News (week ending Oct 30, 1999)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 16:24:33 -0500

From: research-bpr@philologos.org (Moza)

"For the L-rd's indignation is against all the nations, and His wrath
against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them
over to slaughter."(Isaiah 34.2)

SOUTHERN 'SAFE PASSAGE' OPENS: The southern 'safe passage' route connecting
the Erez Checkpoint in Gaza to the Tarkumiya area in the southern Hebron
Hills opened on Monday morning. Any motorist taking more than two hours to
complete the 44-kilometer (27.34 mile) journey will be questioned by Israeli
security troops at the other end. Those Palestinian Authority (PA/PLO)
residents deemed to be security risks by Israel may travel twice a week on
special buses which are manned by Israeli security personnel. In accordance
with the signing of the Sharm el-Sheik Agreement, Israel is also bound to
open a northern 'safe-passage' route which will provide a vehicular route
from Gaza to the PA/PLO autonomous city of Ram'Allah, in Samaria.
(ISRAELWIRE)

SEVENTEEN MISSING FROM 'SAFE PASSAGE': No less than 17 PA/PLO residents have
disappeared within the borders of pre-1967 Israel while using the "safe
passage" opened this week. Haggai Huberman reports in HATZOFEH that on
Tuesday, only the second day of operation of the Gaza-Hebron passage, 12
Arabs did not show up in Gaza. Thursday, five others disappeared in the
opposite direction. They apparently took advantage of a rest-stop during
their bus-ride to disembark and not return. Security sources say that none
of the 17 was considered a security risk, and that they are likely 'looking
for work'. (ARUTZ-7)

TERRORISTS OPEN FIRE: Terrorists in a parked car opened fire on a bus near
Tarkumiya Saturday night, wounding five passengers from Ramat Gan's Ramat
Chen neighborhood who had spent Shabbat in Hebron. The attack occurred
inside an Israeli-controlled area adjoining the recently opened 'safe
passage'. The shooting came two days before a trilateral peace summit in
Oslo among US President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Ehud Barak and PA/PLO
Chairman Yasser Arafat. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for
the attack. [TNS: This may explain where some of the 17 missing 'travelers'
went.] (JERUSALEM POST)

'FINAL STATUS' DATE SET: Israeli chief negotiator, Oded Eran, and his PA/PLO
counterpart, Yasser Abed Rabbo, have agreed to begin negotiations on a final
peace treaty on 7th November. The decision was announced after the two men
held their first negotiating session Friday at a hotel in Jerusalem. On the
table are issues such as the final borders of the PA/PLO entity, the status
of Jerusalem, the future of Jewish settlements and the fate of millions of
Palestinian 'refugees'.

Meanwhile, the Sharm el-Sheik and Wye Agreement timetables continue to roll
along. Israel is scheduled to transfer, on November 5, 3% of Judea and
Samaria from Area C (under full Israeli control) to Area B (Palestinian
administrative control), and another 2% from B to A (full Palestinian
control). The army has prepared a plan to fortify some 40 Yesha communities
that will border on autonomous areas following the next Israeli withdrawal.
The plan will cost NIS 140 million ($32.8 million), and will include, among
other things, the bullet-proofing of 200 buses. In Hebron, additional
sections of Shuhada street will open to Arab traffic, and the open-air
market will also be opened there. By Sunday, Arab traffic will be able to
travel freely adjacent to Jewish homes from Beit Romano to Beit Hadassah.
(VOA, JERUSALEM POST, ARUTZ-7)

ISRAEL DENIES TERRORIST'S REQUEST: After announcing Sunday to allow the
return of Nayef Hawatmeh, head of the Damascus-based Democratic Front for
the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Barak has changed his mind and denied
the request based on 'statements which Hawatmeh has made and conditions he
has tried to impose,' said Barak's media adviser, Gadi Baltiansky. Hawatmeh
told the reporters this week he favored continuing the armed struggle
against Israel. He also insisted that he be allowed complete freedom of
movement and immunity from arrest, and that his followers be allowed to
accompany him. Later, trying to cover his previous statements, Hawatmeh
said, "As long ago as 1987, we decided not to use weapons but to rely
instead on the intifada of the masses." [TNS: It is not clear exactly what
Hawatmeh means by this as the intifada was violent from the start. During
the first four years of the uprising (1987-1991), more than 3,600 Molotov
cocktail attacks, 100 hand grenade attac!
ks and 600 assaults with guns or explosives were reported by the Israel
Defense Forces (IDF). The violence was directed at soldiers and civilians
alike. During this period, 16 Israeli civilians and 11 soldiers were killed
by Palestinians in the territories; more than 1,400 Israeli civilians and
1,700 Israeli soldiers were injured.] (JERUSALEM POST, AFP)

COOK BEHAVES HIMSELF: British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, in Jerusalem on
the latest leg of his current tour of the Middle East, went out of his way
to avoid a repeat of his controversial visit to Israel in March 1998. Cook
took several provocative steps in that 1998 visit that were seen as an
attempt to intentionally embarrass the Netanyahu government and court Arab
favor. At the time, Great Britain held the rotating presidency of the
European Union and was under increasing criticism from Arab countries for
the Anglo-American bombing campaign against Iraq. This time around, Cook was
on extra good behavior, especially as he lay a wreath at Yad Vashem to honor
the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust (he refused a visit there last
time).

During the visit, a GSS agent was attempting to perform a routine security
check on the room where Cook was to meet with Faisal Husseini, the senior
PA/PLO official responsible for Jerusalem affairs, when two of Husseini's
bodyguards knocked him down in an effort to prevent him from entering the
room. Israeli police arrived within minutes of the attack. Husseini complied
with Israel's request to turn over his guards who were released after
questioning. (ICEJ, ISRAEL LINE)

INDYK NAMED AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: US President Clinton announced Thursday
his intention to nominate Martin S. Indyk, Assistant Secretary of State for
Near East Affairs, as US Ambassador to Israel. Indyk served as US Ambassador
to Israel from March 1995 until his appointment as Assistant Secretary in
1997. (US WHITE HOUSE PRESS OFFICE)

YESHA COUNCIL ELECTIONS: Elections for the Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza)
Council appear to have strengthened the more "practical" wing. Newly-elected
members include Uri Elitzur, former chief of the prime minister's office
under Benjamin Netanyahu, who has served on the Yesha Council board in the
past and was editor of NEKUDA, the settlers' journal; Eitan Ben David, a
business tycoon who has contributed generously to settlement endeavors in
Judea, Samaria and Gaza and in the old city of Jerusalem; Moshe Glick, an
attorney from Karnei Shomron; Danny Dayan, former director general of the
now defunct rightist Tehiya party; Elyakim Ha'etzni of Kiryat Arba, a former
Tehiya MK, a current member of the board; Rabbi Eliezer Waldman, head of the
Nir Yeshiva in Kiryat Arba and a former Tehiya MK; Eli Cohen of Ma'aleh
Adumim, former advisor to Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai on settlement
matters, whose name has been in the news as the person who authorized many
of the outposts in J!
udea and Samaria; former Likud finance minister, Yigal Cohen-Orgad of Ariel;
Rabbi Yaakov Meidan of Alon Shvut, who joined Rabbi Yoel Bin Nun in a hunger
strike a few years ago to protest the transfer of arms to the Palestinian
police force. (ARUTZ-7, HA'ARETZ)

ARAB ACCEPTANCE OF ISRAEL NOT IN SIGHT: Wanted: Evidence that the Arab
world is willing to accept Israel. Israel's weekly MAKOR RISHON reports that
Aryeh Stav editor of the right-of-center NATIV magazine wrote eight
months ago to 120 left-wing researchers and academics, requesting articles
that prove a moderation towards Israel in the Arab world. Among those asked
to contribute such papers were Shimon Peres, Yossi Beilin, Yossi Sarid, and
Oslo-accord architects Pundak and Hirschfeld. In addition, the Jaffe Center,
the Van Leer Institute, Beit Berl and Givat Chaviva were contacted for the
same purpose. Stav told ARUTZ-7's Yosef Zalmanson that not one of the above
had replied, nor has any research paper indicating that the Oslo process is
leading to the hoped-for "New Middle East" been received. The bi-monthly
NATIV MAGAZINE is planning a February 2000 issue devoted to the dangers of a
Palestinian state for Israel, with accompanying articles on Israel vis-a-vis
the Arab wo!
rld. (ARUTZ-7)

RIOTS IN BEIT LECHEM: Palestinians rioted in Beit Lechem (Bethlehem) for
several days this past week after a shooting incident on Monday.
High-ranking Israeli military officials blamed the PA/PLO, whom they hold
responsible for the sharp increase in violent confrontations with security
forces over the past weeks. On Monday, an IDF soldier shot and killed a
Palestinian man who attempted to stab him with a knife at an IDF position
near Rachel's Tomb outside of Beit Lechem. Col. Marcel, the IDF area
commander, declared that the soldier, a member of the Shimshon unit, acted
according to regulations and that he himself had investigated the incident.
"There are no doubts in my mind that his life was in danger and he responded
in the proper manner. When your life is in danger you respond accordingly
and kill the attacker," he said. "I showed the knife to the Palestinian
policemen at the site," he added in response to the Palestinian claims that
the attacker was unarmed. (JERUSALEM PO!
ST)

ISRAEL, MAURITANIA SIGN DIPLOMATIC AGREEMENT: Foreign Minister David Levy
and Mauritanian Foreign Minister Ahmed Sid'Ahmed signed an agreement
Thursday to establish full diplomatic relations between the two countries,
KOL YISRAEL reported. However, the Assistant Secretary general of the Arab
League (AL) Ahmad Bin Hali on Friday criticized the measure taken by
Mauritania. He added that the new step taken by Mauritania will damage the
Arab position in the peace process.

Meanwhile, new Indonesian Foreign Minister Alawi Shehab said on Friday that
Indonesia will not establish any relations with Israel unless the "cause of
'Palestine' is settled". News reports quoted Shehab as saying after the new
government in Indonesia took its constitutional oath on Friday that his
country's planning to improve its relations with all countries does not
means "sacrificing its principles which might harm its long-term relations
with its friends in the Arab states, especially with the Palestinian
people." (ISRAEL LINE, ARABICNEWS)

PENTAGON ANNOUNCES ARMS DEALS: The US Pentagon announced arms deals Friday
with Israel and Egypt. In a deal valued at $508 million, Israel will buy 24
AH-64 Apache attack helicopters converted to the latest model, called the
Apache Longbow, equipped with more sophisticated targeting and radar
systems. The sale, subject to congressional review, includes 480 Hellfire II
laser-guided missiles. In a statement, the Pentagon said the proposed sale
will give Israel a better capability to attack armored vehicles, "provide
for the defense of vital installations" and provide better close air support
for its ground forces. It said the deal would not affect the region's basic
military balance. Israel also is proposing to buy 518 heavy trucks for $117
million. The 10-ton trucks will be used to carry artillery ammunition. The
deal with Egypt is for two Gulfstream IV-SP aircraft, valued at $180
million, to be used to transport national leaders. Egypt also is requesting
to buy 239 Humvee util!
ity vehicles for $30 million to replace jeeps and to outfit with TOW
anti-tank weapon systems. (JERUSALEM POST)

ISRAEL MAY NEED THE EXTRA ARMS: Equipment for a fourth US Army brigade would
be pre-positioned in the Persian Gulf region if Marine Corps General Anthony
Zinni is able to float the idea. Zinni, commander of US Central Command,
discussed his proposal in Cairo last Friday while in Egypt to command
"Exercise Bright Star". He said Central Command has long wanted to
pre-position equipment for a fourth brigade, which means it would have
enough in theater to field a reinforced Army division of about 30,000
troops, including support elements. Zinni told reporters the fourth brigade
would be positioned afloat if Defense Secretary Cohen approves his
recommendation. Currently, one brigade's worth of equipment is positioned in
Kuwait and another in Qatar. Equipment for a third is afloat in the region.
The Marine Corps also maintains one pre-positioned squadron afloat in the
Mediterranean and another at the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
He said there is no timeline for pre-po!
sitioning the equipment. The US has not even finished pre-positioning the
first three brigade sets yet, he said. "We're roughly 80 percent done in
Qatar," he estimated. (AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE)

FATE OF OUTPOST TO BE RE-EVALUATED: A group of left- and right-wing MKs
(Members of Knesset) have agreed to visit the outpost of Mitzpeh Kramim to
reevaluate the decision to evacuate the site. Mitzpeh Kramim, near the
settlement of Kochav Hashahar, is the most populated of the outposts with
eight families and a number of single people. The decision to reevaluate was
decided following a meeting with representatives of the outpost, headed by
Ya'akov and Shira Gur-Aryeh. (HA'ARETZ)

SWITZERLAND FOLLOWS AUSTRIA: The victory of the extreme right Swiss People's
Party in Switzerland, less than a month after a win by the equivalent party
in Austria, is causing much concern among Jewish organizations in Europe.
These results reinforce the European assessment that the American Jewry and
the Jewish Agency negotiations for compensation from European banks and
government have led to a growing anti-Semitism. Adi Steg, deputy chairman of
the committee investigating the fate of the property of French Jews, sharply
condemned the campaign of the World Jewish Congress to put pressure on
French and Italian banks and insurance companies. "The twentieth century is
drawing to a close, the century of Hitler and Auschwitz," Steg said, "and
what is the world coming back to talk about now? About the gold of the Jews,
about the money of the Jews."

Meanwhile, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in Austria has increased
ten-fold since the national elections there. So says the head of the
Austrian Jewish community, Ariel Musicant. The 8,000-strong community has
suffered some 80 cases of harassment, threats, insults, and vandalism in the
past month. In the Jewish cemetery in Mainz, Germany, 45 gravestones were
vandalized over the weekend. (HA'ARETZ, ARUTZ-7)

ON THE NORTHERN FRONT: A South Lebanese Army (SLA) soldier was killed and
another soldier and four Lebanese civilians were wounded in Hizb'Allah
attacks on targets in the security zone over the weekend. Israel Saturday
night lodged a complaint with the Grapes of Wrath monitoring group over the
wounding of the Lebanese civilians at a crossing point on the northern
perimeter of the zone on Friday. UNIFIL, which initially treated three of
the civilians who were hurt, also contacted the Lebanese authorities over
the incident. In a separate incident Saturday, SLA troops discovered and
safely destroyed a string of roadside bombs near Bint J'bail village in the
western sector. Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, a large roadside explosive
device was detonated against an IDF Nahal Brigade patrol operating in the
eastern sector of the Security Zone.

In the meantime, Syria warned Israel not to withdraw troops from southern
Lebanon despite Barak's promise to do so. Currently mired in a succession
crisis (see next article), Syria is unable to fill the power vacuum that
would be left by an Israeli withdrawal. This leaves Hizb'Allah positioned to
take over southern Lebanon, directly threatening cross-border military
activity and indirectly menacing the peace. Syria is caught in a loop: the
peace process is shaping its succession crisis, which in turn is threatening
the peace process. It is not clear that Israel can afford to wait idly for
the Syrian power struggle to resolve itself. (JERUSALEM POST, ISRAEL LINE,
STRATFOR)

HAFEZ AL-ASAD TO TRANSFER POWER TO HIS SON: Diplomatic sources in Damascus-
Syria have reported that preparations for transferring authority from
President Hafez al-Asad to his son have escalated due to the deterioration
of the health of the President. Currently, there is an ongoing process of
removing all obstacles that might impede the process of transferring
authority to Bashar al-Asad including popular opposition or security.Sources
have added that one of the steps taken by Bashar is his visits to the
provinces, especially his visit to Aleppo the largest Syrian city after
Damascus, and his tour and meeting with its people similar to his fathers'
visit approximately 30 years ago. (REUTERS)

'REFUGEE' ISSUE MOVING TO CENTER STAGE: Key PA/PLO negotiator Nabil Sha'ath
huddled in Gaza on Thursday with Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdullah Khatib
and Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa in a controversial meeting to
discuss issues -- the fate of Palestinian 'refugees' and displaced persons -
now assuming center stage in the Middle East peace process. For years, the
PA/PLO has been at odds, not only with Israel, but also with their closest
Arab neighbors -Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt - about what to do with the
Palestinian 'refugees' from the 1948 War of Independence and what they refer
to as the 'displaced persons' from the Six-Day War of 1967. These Arab
states, home to large populations of Palestinian 'refugees', are fearful
PA/PLO chairman Yasser Arafat may cut a separate deal with Israeli Prime
Minister Ehud Barak which is based primarily on compensation and effectively
leaves many of these Palestinians on their soil.

Meanwhile, an opinion poll conducted by the Palestinian Human Rights
Foundation [PHRF] in Lebanon has shown that 48.8 percent of the Palestinian
'refugees' in Lebanon accept settlement in that country if it serves as an
introduction to solving their social problems. Some 97.7 percent of them
ruled out the possibility of the peace process ensuring the 'refugees' right
to return. And while 67.4 percent of those polled said they prefer to hold
both Lebanese and Palestinian nationalities, 95.5 said they refuse to leave
Lebanon for any country other than Palestine. PHRF Executive Director
Muhammad al-As'ad said the result of the poll was "a big surprise". (TNS:
The 'refugee' problem has been a tool used by the Arab nations to try and
manipulate world opinion against the Jews in Israel. In 1950 the United
Nations Palestine Conciliation Commission recommended "concentration on Arab
'refugees' resettlement in Arab countries" with both the technical and
financial assistance of the Uni!
ted Nations and coupled with compensation for their property. However, the
Arab nations flatly refused any such negotiations.) (ISRAEL LINE, AL
QUDS/ZINC, FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL)

EDITORIAL: ARE U.S. 'INVESTMENTS' IN THE MIDEAST 'PEACE PROCESS' GIVING THE
ARABS A NEW WAR OPTION? (CENTER
FOR SECURITY POLICY) 28 October 1999

(Washington, D.C.): One of the predictable upshots of today's meeting
between Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Israeli Foreign Minister
David Levy will be a joint appeal to Congress for the appropriation of the
full $1.9 billion pledged by President Clinton to reward the parties to the
Wye River agreement for "taking risks for peace" and to facilitate the
implementation of that agreement. The foreign ministers are obliged to
address this subject because the U.S. legislative branch has had the
temerity to question the wisdom of this expenditure -- with good reason.

The PA Remains Uncommitted to Peace

The fact is that Israel's "partner" in the so-called "peace process" --
Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority (PA) -- is systematically violating
its commitments under the Oslo, Hebron and Wye accords in ways that
demonstrate the Palestinians' abiding hostility to and determination to
destroy the Jewish State. Considering the following tell-tale indicators:

     * terrorists still find safe haven in Palestinian-controlled areas;
     * the Palestinian Authority's "police force" remains far larger and
more heavily armed than it is supposed to be,
constituting (like the "disarmed" KLA in Kosovo) what amounts to a
prohibited proto-army;
     * incitement to acts of violence against Jews and Israel remains a
staple of the PA-controlled press, officially sponsored events and even the
text books used in Palestinian schools. (An example of the latter includes
the following text: "In your left hand you carry the Koran and in your
right hand an Arab sword....Not even one centimeter will be liberated
without blood. Therefore, go forward crying: 'Allah is great!...Explain how
this poem represents the reality currently experienced by the
Palestinians.")
     * the official use is routinely made of maps that depict "Palestine" as
comprising all of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and pre-1967 Israel.

Enter Yuval Steinitz

A newly elected Member of the Knesset (MK), Yuval Steinitz, has issued an
important warning about the implications of such activities for the
security -- and perhaps even the existence -- of the Jewish State. In an
essay entitled "When the Palestinian Army Invades the Center of Israel" (a
version of which will be published in the December issue of Commentary
Magazine), this former member of Peace Now-turned-Likud MK, Dr. Steinitz
writes:

An analysis of optimal courses of action will show that the deployment of
Palestinian forces in the immediate proximity of the Israeli rear is liable
to transform them into a decisive factor in a comprehensive regional
conflagration, if those forces advance quickly towards the nerve centers of
Israel's civilian and military rear, in a scenario imagined by one of
Israel's greatest strategists, Mr. Shimon Peres, who sounded this alarm:
'The influx of a Palestinian fighting force (more than 25,000 fighters) into
Judea and Samaria [would mean]...an excellent starting point for mobile
forces to immediately advance towards the infrastructure vital to Israel's
existence'.... If [such an operation enabled] Arab armies [to] advance just
a few kilometers past the...ceasefire line of 1949 at the outset of a
comprehensive offensive (as the Iraqis did when conquering Kuwait), they
could achieve a total conventional victory over the State of Israel by
preventing the mobilization and equipp!
ing of reserves and by interrupting other vital systems.

What About Egypt -- and Syria?

The danger posed by what would amount to an Arab light army operating within
Israel is greatly exacerbated by the growing power of the Egyptian
military -- a principal beneficiary of the "peace process" begun at Camp
David. Thanks to the tens of billions of dollars in U.S. military
assistance showered on Cairo in the ensuing decades and the access to
advanced American weapon systems -- including, the manufacturing under
license of M-1 main battle tanks -- Egypt has acquired the capability to
pose a serious threat to Israel.

Unfortunately, the Egyptian government of Hosni Mubarak has also done little
to cultivate in the minds of its people the need for peace and
reconciliation with Israel. To the contrary, the officially sanctioned
incitement of hatred towards the Jewish State is of a piece with that of the
Palestinian Authority. As Dr. Steinitz points out, moreover, starting in
the aftermath of the Oslo accords, Mr. Mubarak has personally and repeatedly
suggested that Egypt retains the option of resuming its war against Israel.

In other words, the formula that has been adopted as the essential lubricant
to Middle East diplomacy -- i.e., tying aid to Israel to America's largesse
to her one-time enemies -- is having the perverse effect of reconstituting
the "war option" for Arabs unreconciled to the presence in their midst of a
Western enclave, to say nothing of the detested "Zionist entity."
Reportedly, this ominous phenomenon has been the subject of high-level
discussions between Israeli and American officials.

This approach will become even more reckless if next applied to Syria. Were
the United States to succeed in its efforts to get Israel to return the
Golan Heights to Hafez Assad, then to rebuild his increasingly decrepit
Soviet arsenal, the Arab war option against Israel may become so attractive
as to become irresistible. This could be the case thanks to the combined
effects of the loss of critical strategic depth and the improved offensive
power that Syria might obtain should it gain access to aircraft, armored
vehicles and other hardware that may (at least in combination with Egyptian
and other Arab armies, if not in its own right) mortally imperil Israel's
irreplaceable "qualitative edge."

The Bottom Line

Before the U.S. Congress agrees to add to the $500 million it has already
poured into the corrupt and unaccountable PLO, it should at a minimum insist
upon the Palestinians' full and unstinting compliance with their
responsibilities under the various "peace" accords. Delinking Israel's aid
(and, for that matter, aid for a compliant Jordan) from aid for the
Palestinian Authority is not only warranted on the grounds that the PA is
neither adhering fully to the letter, to say nothing of the spirit, of its
treaties with Israel, however. It is also a necessary corrective to the
practice that appears to be facilitating the emergence of dangerous new
military threats to Israel.

TZEMACH NEWS SERVICE
"For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace,
and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest" Isaiah 62:1

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To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Nov 1, 1999 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 16:31:22 -0500

From: research-bpr@philologos.org (Moza)

8:00 PM Eastern

A&E - BIOGRAPHY - "Queen Noor: Between Two Realms" -
  American Lisa Halaby marries Jordan's King
  Hussein.(CC)(TVG)

DISC - SUPERNATURE - "Extra-Sensory Perception" - Animals
  use unseen forces to survive; dolphins rescue plane-crash
  survivors from shark-infested waters; hippos communicate
  long-distance.(CC)(TVG)

9:00

A&E - INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS - "Teenage Suicide: The
  Silent Threat" - Teen suicide is the third-largest killer of
  young people.(CC)

DISC - SUPERNATURE - "Close Encounters" - Time perceptions
  and reactions of animals.(CC)(TVG)

HIST - THE GREAT EMPIRE: ROME - "The Republic of Rome" -
  Romulus and Remus; Etruscan monarchy's destruction;
  dismantling of the republic.(CC)(TVG)

TLC - BLAST OFF: TRUE STORIES FROM THE FINAL FRONTIER -
  Narrator Ed Harris examines the harsh realities of space
  travel.(CC)(TVG)

_________________________
To subscribe to BPR send a message to bpr-list@philologos.org
with the word "subscribe" in the subject. To unsubscribe send a
message to the same address with the word "unsubscribe" in the
subject.

See http://philologos.org/bpr for additional info.

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Arutz-7 News (10/31/99)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 16:36:51 -0500

From: research-bpr@philologos.org (Moza)

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.arutzsheva.org>
Sunday, October 31, 1999 / Cheshvan 21, 5760

TERRORISTS ATTACK ON "FREE PASSAGE" ROUTE
Two of the five people wounded in last night's terrorist attack outside
Kiryat Arba have been released from the hospital. Two others were also
hurt lightly, while 72-year-old Yaakov Shpitz is listed in moderate
condition. The security forces continue their search for the terrorists,
who opened fire from a parked car on a passing busload of Ramat Gan
residents on their way back from spending Shabbat in Hevron.

Hevron spokesman Noam Arnon told reporters last night, "This attack
occurred on the new 'safe passage road' from Gaza to Hevron which was
opened only four days ago. Such violence was to be expected. We call on
the government to close the road, to stop importing terrorists into Hevron,
and to protect Israeli citizens." Knesset Members Nachum Langental
(National Religious Party) and Tzvi Hendel (National Union) called upon the
government to close the "free passage" at once.

Gila Engelsman, one of the Israelis injured in the attack, spoke to Arutz-7
today from her hospital room. "We were a group of 15 families from Ramat
Gan, and we had a wonderful Shabbat in Hevron," she said. "At 6:40 last
night, our bus pulled out of Kiryat Arba. At one point, I suddenly felt a
pain in my legs, even before I heard shots or realized that we had been
fired upon. Very quickly we had everyone - including the 30 children with
us - lie down on the floor of the bus. We tried to keep people calm until
we reached the checkpoint." Fortunately, two doctors and a nurse in the
group were able to administer emergency first aid. Asked whether she plans
to return to Hevron, Engelsman responded enthusiastically, "We have to
recite the 'Birkat HaGomel' (the blessing of thanks pronounced by one who
has been saved from danger) at the Machpelah Cave!"

PFLP HEAD, ALLOWED TO ENTER ISRAEL, MAY BE LINKED TO ATTACK
Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman reported today that the Palestinian
Arab terrorists responsible for last night's attack escaped through back
roads into Hevron. "They didn't enter the adjacent Arab villages, which are
still classified as Area B (under Israeli military control) and are open to
Israeli army searches," he said. "Hevron is Area A (full Palestinian
control), and although Oslo permits the IDF to carry out hot pursuit of
terrorists - in practice, the army has not once done this since the
implementation of the Oslo agreement."

Huberman added that last night's attack closely resembles those of the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). "Firing Kalatchnikov
rifles from parked or moving cars is typical of the PFLP," he said. "The
last such attacks killed Ita and Ephraim Tzur three years ago, and before
that, Ofrah Felix. It's significant to note that just one month ago,
Israel permitted the current PFLP strong-man, Abu Ali Mustafa, to enter
Israel. Since arriving, he has been circulating throughout Judea and
Samaria, talking about returning to the 'armed struggle' and the like.
Just last week, he appeared on Palestinian television's 'Meet the Press'
program, rejecting the annulment of the PLO charter calling for the
destruction of Israel, and supporting the PLO's 1974 'Plan of Stages' for
the destruction of Israel. I may be going out on a limb, but I think it
may be advisable to check out a linkage between Mustafa's return and
yesterday's attack." In this connection, it should be noted that Prime
Minister Barak has suspended his decision to allow DFLP terrorist leader
Naif Hawatme to enter Israel, in light of Hawatme's recent remarks calling
for violence against Israel.

Huberman broke the story last week about the 17 Palestinian "free passage"
travelers who took advantage of a rest-stop during their bus-ride to escape
into pre-1967 Israel. "It has now become apparent," he said, "that the
numbers of Palestinians who have reached their destination at the other end
of the line can only be known at the end of the day, because of computer
problems. This stands in sharp contrast to initial promises that security
officials would keep careful track of the numbers. Only private cars are
tracked, but not buses. The implications are obvious. Since no
information is available in 'real time', police cannot be contacted to
pursue missing Palestinian travelers."

As Arutz-7 reported on Friday, Israeli security sources say that the 17
were not considered security risks and that they are likely looking for
work. "The officials reminded me that 60,000 Palestinians pass illegally
through checkpoints into 'Little Israel' daily, such that another handful
is nothing to lose sleep over," said Huberman.

SHUHADA OPENED TO MORE ARAB TRAFFIC
Another section of King David St (Shuhada) in Hevron, which passes by the
Jewish homes in Beit Hadassah and others, was opened to Arab taxi traffic
today. Some 200 Jewish residents blocked the road this morning in protest,
and called upon Prime Minister Barak not to open it. "This is the least he
can do after last night's attack," some said. The protestors distributed
literature to the soldiers, recited Psalms, and explained that they, too,
would like a "safe passage" road. The Palestinians, for their part,
joyously celebrated the transit of the first cab on the street.

Not far away, at the Husan Junction near Beitar Illit, a policewoman
directing traffic was hit by an Arab driver and was wounded lightly. HaKol
MeHashetach news agency reports that the Arab sped off towards the Arab
village Al-Hader.

FRENCH JEWRY CELEBRATES "TORAH DAY"
French Jewry is celebrating one of its biggest days on its calendar- Torah
Day. The event, which is held once every two years, is expected to attract
close to 60,000 Jews from all over France and other nations. Among the
guests so far have been Israel's Chief Rabbi, the Rishon Letzion Rabbi
Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, Foreign Minister David Levy, and French Chief Rabbi
Yosef Sitruck. Arutz-7's Kobi Sela reported from the site that the fair is
spread out over a giant area of 36,000 square meters (almost 9 acres), and
contains exhibits of all sorts on Judaism and Zionism. Arutz-7's native
French correspondent David Shapira adds, "It is worthy of note that the
main issue around which French Jewry used to rally was always Israel, and
now the main rallying point has become the biannual Torah Day."

SECRET TALKS WITH SYRIA
Prime Minister Barak has confirmed, in an interview with Newsweek, that
Israel has held secret contacts with Syria over the past few weeks. He
said that the "moment of truth is approaching," and that he believes that
the negotiations between the sides will resume in the coming weeks. At the
same time, a gathering of anti-Israel terrorist organizations - Hamas, the
Islamic Jihad, and Hizbullah - was held yesterday in Damascus.

PA REFUSES TO PAY DEBTS
The Finance Ministry announced today that "differences of opinion" have
caused the temporary halt of the Israeli-Palestinian Ad-hoc Committee
sessions. The Palestinian delegation, headed by the PA Chairman's Economic
Advisor, Muhammad Rashid, refused to recognize Palestinian obligations to
pay debts, including debts by Palestinian insurance companies to Israelis
injured in traffic accidents. The head of the Israeli delegation, Finance
Ministry Director-General Dr. Avi Ben-Bassat, said that according to
Article 9, sentences 7 and 8, of the Economic Protocol signed in Paris, the
"Palestinian Fund" is responsible for paying compensation to Israeli
victims of traffic accidents if Palestinian insurance companies do not do
so, since the Palestinian Authority is the guarantor for all of these
debts. Ben-Bassat said that he hopes that the Palestinians will meet their
commitments in accordance with the Protocol.

NATURAL GAS DISCOVERED OFF ASHKELON COAST
Natural gas has been discovered off the Ashkelon coast. So declared a
joint announcement by the Isramco and British Gas International
corporations this afternoon. Isramco's Director-General said today that
the amount uncovered could bring $80,000 a day in sales, and that the
companies are optimistic that another natural gas field will be uncovered
in the same region soon. Business correspondent Seth Vogelman reports that
British Gas International recently finalized a deal to acquire a 50%
interest in five offshore exploration licenses from Isramco for a total
investment of $10 million. The investment includes British Gas' share of
Isramco's drilling costs.

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Chip implants in animals
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 16:40:26 -0500

From: research-bpr@philologos.org (Moza)

Implanting animals is now standard policy when strays are found or pets
placed in an animal shelter. This week my friend's cat was found outside
by the humane society. They would not return the cat until my friend paid
for neutering and a chip implant.

================

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/304/world/Thailand_to_implant_microchips:.shtml
-
Thailand to implant microchips to control 100,000 stray dogs
By Associated Press, 10/31/99 09:14

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Municipal authorities are offering to implant
microchips in pet dogs in a bid to control the estimated 100,000 strays in
the Thai capital, newspapers reported Sunday.

Under a campaign launched Saturday to better manage nearly 550,000 dogs in
Bangkok, owners are encouraged to register their pets, the Bangkok Post
reported.

For $2.50 the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will implant a microchip
under the dog's skin, containing details of the dog's name, home address
and vaccination records.

Authorities are planning to round up strays, in a bid to get rid of canines
carrying rabies within five months.

Healthy stray dogs will be neutered. The BMA plans to then offer them to
pet lovers for free.

via: isml@onelist.com

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - The Best Congress Money Can Buy
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 16:59:03 -0500

From: research-bpr@philologos.org (Moza)

The Best Congress Money Can Buy...
From Robert Thurmond <2ndrecon@bellsouth.net>

    Based on records prior to the summer break:

    29 members of Congress have been accused of spousal abuse.
     7 have been arrested for fraud.
    19 have been accused of writing bad checks.
   117 have bankrupted at least two businesses.
     3 have been arrested for assault.
    71 have credit reports so bad they can't qualify for a credit
         card.
    14 have been arrested on drug-related charges.
     8 have been arrested for shoplifting.
    21 are current defendants in lawsuits.

    and in 1998 alone,

    84 were stopped for drunk driving, but released
...after they claimed Congressional immunity.

via: rense_e-news@egroups.com

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