BPR Mailing List Digest: 01/12/00

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BPR Mailing List Digest
January 12, 2000

Digest Home | 2000 | January, 2000

To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Arutz-7 News items (1/12/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 12:46:47 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

NEW ELECTIONS TO BYPASS REFERENDUM?
The Prime Minister's Office is considering the option of calling new
general elections, instead of holding a referendum on the Golan. A victory
in the election would give Barak a mandate to withdraw from the Golan,
writes Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman in today's HaTzofeh [and
allow him to pass a new law rescinding the requirement for a popular referendum -
ed. note]. A committee has been established to look into this option, in
light of surveys show decreasing support for a Golan withdrawal. "General
elections have some significant advantages for Barak," writes Huberman.
"Quite notably, there is no one heading the opposition camp at present who
will be able to run against Barak. Ariel Sharon, unfortunately, is
considered a 'beaten willow' who is no longer able to garner massive
support."

Despite the decrease in public support, Ehud Barak has been waging an
informational offensive ever since his return from Shepherdstown. He says
that cracks in Syria's stubbornness have begun to appear, and notes that
his predecessor Binyamin Netanyahu agreed to a full withdrawal from the
Golan. Netanyahu, in response, denied today ever having doing so.

PREVENTING THE DIVISION OF JERUSALEM
A forum of Jerusalem-area municipal leaders convened last night in Ma'aleh
Adumim, kicking off the struggle against an Israeli withdrawal from areas
north and east of Jerusalem. The Israeli delegation to the final-status
talks with the Palestinians has reportedly agreed to transfer
Arab-populated suburbs of Jerusalem to the PA. Ma'aleh Adumim Mayor
Benny Kashriel, Yesha Council Chairman and founder of the forum, declared last
night that Ehud Barak would not be able to ignore the objections of 65,000
Jewish residents of the Jerusalem periphery, not to mention those of the
residents of Jerusalem itself: "If we don't work together, we will lose
the battle, and we will regret it for a long time to come. But if we work
together - and we only have less than two months to act - we can win!" The
members, including the mayors of Givat Ze'ev, Gush Etzion, Beitar, Adam,
and others, plan to involve the entire nation in the struggle against the
division of Jerusalem.

Efrat Regional Council Chairman Yinon Achiman talked about the complete
freeze on new building plans in Jewish communities surrounding Jerusalem:
"We have never known such terrible decrees... All expansion plans been
frozen - residents of communities like Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Ze'ev, Efrat,
and Beitar are permitted to build only balconies!" Anatot secretary
Shimon Shimon told Arutz-7 today that he thought "that Barak, as a
security-minded person, would attend to the needs of Israelis - and now I'm
not sure whether I acted correctly in voting for him."

Active concern about Palestinian infiltration into Jerusalem is shared in
hareidi circles, as well. Ramat Shlomo, a mostly-hareidi neighborhood in
northern Jerusalem, borders two of the Arab neighborhoods to be handed over
to the PA - Shu'afat and Beit Hanina. Ramat Shlomo administration head
Chaim Mordechai Weiner said that his community is only "a stone's throw"
away from, and practically adjoins, what are scheduled to be the new
PA-controlled neighborhoods. Weiner noted that the Jerusalem
neighborhoods of French Hill, Ramat Eshkol, Ramot and N'vei Yaakov will also find
themselves "uncomfortably close to localities controlled by the PA military
- and that's only in the north. In the south, the handing-over of Abu Dis
to the PA will harm the Jewish presence in the Old City, Talpiot, Armon
HaNetziv, Gilo, Katamon, and more. "Simply put, we are against the
division of Jerusalem and the return to the 1967 borders. This time,
Israel is in a worse position than before the Six-Day War - facing a
heavily-armed Palestinian entity with its eyes set on a state with
Jerusalem as its capital! The situation is very dangerous, and could lead
to the eventual dismantling of the State."

What does Weiner plan to do about the matter? "First of all, I spent a
whole week just trying to convince public figures, media personalities and
the like, of the gravity of what is about to happen. They scoffed at me,
thought I was crazy - until mainstream journalists began writing about it."
Weiner also said, without elaborating on the details, that he has received
the blessing of prominent hareidi rabbis to begin "drastic measures, both
collectively and individually - all within the law" to fight the
abandonment of Jerusalem suburbs to the Arabs.

N.Y. TIMES ON ISRAELI-SYRIAN TALKS
Two recent opinion articles in The New York Times display a measure of
impatience with the roles played by Syrian President Assad and American
President Clinton in the Israeli-Syrian talks. Respected columnist William
Safire, in a piece entitled, "Don't Butt In," writes that Clinton has a
great temptation "to try to force a deal by making promises on which he
will not be around to deliver." Specifically, Safire believes that for
three reasons - the traditional American peacemaking role, Clinton's
yearning for a 'legacy' with which to leave office, and his desire to boost
his wife's senatorial chances with a White House signing ceremony - he may
be led to promise an American peace-keeping force as well as additional
tens of billions of dollars in aid, on neither of which he is likely to be
able to deliver. Safire concludes, "Clinton should facilitate, not
intervene with fast-souring sweeteners. He should press Syria and Israel
to make peace with each other and not with him."

Veteran Middle East analyst Thomas Friedman, not ordinarily known for his
pro-Israel stance, sharply attacked Syrian President Hafez Assad in an
article entitled "Dear Hafez." Written in the form of a letter Friedman
hopes Clinton will write to Assad, the article states:
"...Anyway, Hafez... the substance [at the talks] lagged. I'm still not
sure you guys really get it... I hate to say this, but your economy can
barely make a light bulb and your Soviet backers are gone. You're in a
rather weak position... Anwar el-Sadat also had a weak hand when he
initiated the Camp David peace, but he compensated for it by [reaching] out
to the Israeli people in such a sincere, compelling way... You seem to
believe that your mere negotiating with Israel is a concession, and now
Israel must reciprocate by agreeing to your every demand... Right now --
forget about the Israeli hawks -- most Israeli doves don't trust you. Did
you see what the Israeli novelist and peacenik Amos Oz said last week?
'The Syrians think they can get the Golan and send us a receipt by fax.'
Not a chance... You want peace with Israel to get just enough goodies out
of the West to sustain your regime, so you won't have to change much
internally... You want to keep Syria's door closed, but you're willing to
open the window a crack so we can pass the goodies in that way... I
suggest you use this timeout to consider a new strategy. Best wishes, Bill."

Arutz Sheva News Service
<http://www.ArutzSheva.org>
Wednesday, January 12, 2000 / Sh'vat 5, 5760

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Influenza A H3N2 - World roundup
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 12:50:13 -0500

From: <owner-bpr@philologos.org>

------- Forwarded message follows -------
Date sent: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 20:02:03 -0500 (EST)
To: promed-edr@promedmail.org
Subject: PRO/EDR> Influenza A H3N2 - World roundup
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu>
Send reply to: promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu

INFLUENZA A H3N2 - WORLD ROUNDUP
************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>

Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 12:21:52 -0500
From: "Marjorie P. Pollack" <pollackmp@mindspring.com>
Source: Reuters 11 Jan 2000 [edited]

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva says: "This is a smart
virus. The virus is always ahead of us and whatever we do it will always
be around,'' said Dr Daniel Lavanchy, WHO's coordinator of epidemic
disease response.

The crisis has been caused by a virulent strain of the bug known as
Australian flu or Sydney H3N2. WHO experts correctly predicted the
Sydney strain was the one to fear this year. But Lavanchy complained:
"Immunisation campaigns have not achieved their targets in many, many
countries. The target groups are not well covered with a few exceptions
like France. Europe and North America are in the grip of an epidemic.''

Mortality rates cannot be accurately calculated for up to two years after an
epidemic. But officials stress the latest wave of flu is still a far cry from the
1918, 1957 and 1968 pandemics that killed millions around the globe.

UNITED STATES: THE Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said flu
usually kills about 20 000 people a year in the United States. Although it
may seem that nearly every American has come down with a case of the
flu, medical experts stress that a serious epidemic is not underway there.

But, ironically, two newly approved flu drugs could be helping to spread
influenza by inadvertently discouraging people from getting the flu
vaccine.

Tamiflu is a pill made by Swiss drug company Roche Holdings AG
(ROCZg.S), while Relenza, made by Glaxo Wellcome Plc (GLXO.L), is
inhaled. Both reduce flu symptoms by one day on average.

CHINA: the world's most populous nations, is reaping rich rewards from
an ambitious vaccination programme. A Ministry of Public Health
spokeswoman said the campaign had produced "good results.'' Many
people, especially the old, lined up at Beijing hospitals for the flu shot.

FLU SWEEPS EUROPE

ITALY: Two million Italians are reportedly suffering from flu with 250 000
new cases each week. This is the third consecutive week in which the
number of flu sufferers in Italian hospitals has increased.

SWITZERLAND: Georg Amstutz, a spokesman at the Swiss federal
department of health, said the number of influenza cases in the Alpine
state could be classified as an epidemic and was approaching record
numbers.

NORWAY: Oslo's main Ullevaal hospital is hiring extra nurses from nearby
Denmark and delaying non-emergency treatment because beds are filled
with influenza sufferers.

FRANCE: Antoine Flahault, research doctor at France's National Institute
of Health and Medical Research, INSERM, said: "At this stage the
epidemic most resembles 1989 that involved 5 million people in 13 weeks."

CZECH REPUBLIC: Many hospitals have banned visitors in an attempt to
halt the spread of the virus.

SWEDEN: Professor Annika Linde from the Infectious Diseases Protection
Institute said the situation was very serious with hospitals overcrowded
with flu patients and battling staff shortages.

UNITED KINGDOM: Health Secretary Alan Milburn told parliament
"There can hardly be a family in the land that has not been affected by the
flu.'' One in 500 people are gripped by the virus and worse is to come.

------- End of forwarded message -------

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========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Italian cities to impose car bans on 4 Sundays
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 12:51:56 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Italian cities to impose car bans on four
Sundays

30 Italian cities will impose travel bans on private cars on four
Sundays between February and May.

January 12, 2000, 01:58 PM

http://www.arabia.com/article/0,1690,ArabiaLife-10524,00.html

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

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Jan 13, 2000 TV Programs
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 18:07:30 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

8:00 PM Eastern

HIST - PROJECT UNDERWORLD: THE MILITARY AND THE MAFIA - The
government/mafia liaison during World War
II.(CC)(TVG)

TLC - FEROCIOUS OCEANS - The ocean's power feeds intense
storms and waves; a couple struggles to survive an Australian
tropical storm.(CC)(TVG)

9:00

A&E - INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS - "Blood Money:
          Switzerland's Nazi Gold" - Bill Kurtis examines the
          disappearance of money placed in Swiss bank accounts by Jews
          before being sent to Nazi concentration
          camps.(CC)

10:00

CBS - 48 HOURS - "Killer in the Family" - When a
          family member turns out to be a killer, inevitably there is a
          struggle between family loyalty and personal
          ethics.(CC)

PBS - RESTORING ALASKA: TEN YEARS IN THE WAKE OF THE EXXON
          VALDEZ - Damage and recovery from the oil spill
          continues, and men try to prevent a similar
          accident.(CC)(TVPG)

TLC - THE GREATEST EARTHQUAKE: SAN FRAN EARTHQUAKE -
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the resulting fire take
many lives.(CC)(TVPG)

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

========
To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Pope to visit Holy Land in March
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 18:21:41 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

[Note: Purim is March 21, 2000]

Pope To Visit Holy Land In March

JERUSALEM, Israel (CNS) -- The Vatican Wednesday officially announced
that Pope John Paul II will visit Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority in
March. It will be only the second papal visit ever to the Holy Land.

The trip will include visits to holy sites as well as meetings with political and
religious leaders of all persuasions.

"His Holiness Pope John Paul II will make a Jubilee Pilgrimage to the Holy
Land from March 21 to 26, 2000," a statement from the Apostolic Nuncio in
Israel said.

The official announcement, made simultaneously by church leaders in Israel,
Jordan and the PA as well as Rome, ends months of speculation about a
papal pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

The Pope, whose visit is being billed as a spiritual trip, will nonetheless meet
with high-ranking officials in both countries and the PA areas.

He is scheduled to arrive in Jordan on March 20 and make a private visit to
the ancient monastery on Mt. Nebo, the peak from which the Bible says
Moses viewed the Promised Land of Israel before dying.

The Pope will also celebrate a mass at a sports stadium in Amman and
meet King Abdallah II.

In PA-controlled Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, the Pontiff will preside
over a communion service. He will visit the Cenacle in Jerusalem, traditional
location of the Last Supper; the Mount of Beatitudes in the Galilee, where
tradition holds Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount.

He will also visit two leading shrines - the Basilica of the Annunciation in
Nazareth, where the angel Gabriel told a young Jewish virgin, Mary, that she
would bear Jesus, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, one of
several sites marking the place of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. The
Vatican earlier warned the Pope may cancel the stopover in Nazareth
because of a row between Christians and Muslims, who want to build a
mosque alongside the Basilica.

The senior Catholic cleric, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, said in Jerusalem
Wednesday the Pope's decision to include Nazareth was not an indication
the Vatican considered the matter resolved. The Pope would not meet with
Muslim leaders there, he added.

Sabbah said the Pope planned to meet with Muslim and Jewish religious
leaders in Jerusalem, and with the Israeli president and prime minister. He
will visit the Holocaust memorial, Yad V'Shem.

Diplomatic relations between Israel and the Holy See were established under
Pope John Paul II in 1993 in an agreement committing the two sides to
combat "all forms of anti-Semitism and all kinds of racism and religious
intolerance."

The issue of Jerusalem remains a particularly sensitive one between the two
parties. Like most of the international community, the Vatican does not
recognize Israel's right to call the city its capital. When he visits the walled
Old City, the Pope will be not be accompanied by Israeli political figures..

In a communique, the Israeli foreign ministry welcomed the planned visit on
behalf of "the State of Israel and its citizens of all religions."

But in an indication that Israel has noted the Vatican's emphasis that the
visit will be to the "Holy Land" and not the Jewish state, the statement
continued: "The government of Israel is convinced that the Pope, too, regrets
that due to circumstances beyond control, he will be unable to dedicate
more of his time to study in depth the resurrection and renewal of the Jewish
people in the land of their forefathers."

Sabbah said the Pope would deliver a message of peace and reconciliation
"for the people" not just to Catholics. His messages were "always for the
world, for every human being."

Christians are a small minority of the population in the Middle East. There
are some 150,000 Christians in Israel, 50,000 in the PA and about 200,000
in Jordan. Roughly half of those are Catholics. In Israel, about 10,000
Christians are expatriates, while the majority are Christian Arabs.

"During the last decade there has been massive emigration [of Christian
Arabs]," Wadi Abunassar, director of a Catholic institution involved in year
2000 celebrations, told CNSNews.com.

"Since the beginning of the last century [there has been emigration] from all
over the Middle East but mainly from the Holy Land," he said, attributing the
exodus, to political and economic reasons.

Pope Paul VI was the first and only other Pontiff to visit the Holy Land. But
when he did so, in 1964, much of Jerusalem was under Jordanian control,
along with Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). The PA did not exist.

The Pope may add a first-ever trip to Egypt at the end of his Holy Land
pilgrimage or he may visit Egypt at the end of February. Plans to visit Iraq
have been indefinitely postponed.

(=A9 2000, Conservative News Service)

http://www.mcjonline.com/news/00/20000111d.htm

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