Report: 20 percent of West Bank settlers willing to relocate
Approximately one in five Israelis living east of the West Bank security barrier would leave if offered government support, a poll found.
According to an internal government study whose results were leaked April 21 to Yediot Achronot, about 15,000 of the 70,000 settlers outside the barrier would accept voluntary relocation packages.
The poll was conducted at the behest of Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon and minister Ami Ayalon, who want Israel to group settlers within the fence.
The newspaper did not provide details on how many people were polled or the margin of error.
Israel’s failure to satisfactorily rehabilitate many of the 8,000 Jews it removed from the Gaza Strip in 2005 has raised speculation that West Bank settlers would think twice about accepting government relocation offers. — jta
Al Qaida attacks Hamas on ‘peace’
Al Qaida came out against Hamas’ purported willingness to support a future Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.
Osama bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al Zawahiri, issued a statement April 22 on the Internet attacking the Palestinian Islamist group after its leaders told former U.S. President Jimmy Carter they could support a future peace accord if it passes a Palestin-ian referendum.
“As for peace agreements with Israel, they spoke of putting it to a referendum despite considering it a breach of shariah,” Zawahiri said, referring to Muslim law.
Hamas has made clear, however, that it would continue in its refusal to recognize the Jewish state no matter what peace terms Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reaches with the Israelis. — jta
Study: State-driven anti-Semitism rising
Official anti-Semitism is on the rise in Muslim countries of the Middle East, fueling long-term hostility to Israel, a study found.
Israel’s Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center published a study this week arguing that in Iran and Arab states — even those that have recognized the Jewish state — officially sanctioned statements of anti-Semitism with a Muslim slant are increasing, often as a means of diverting internal dissent from the government.
One salient example is Holocaust denial twinned with allegations that Israel is exacting a holocaust against the Palestinians.
Anti-Semitism tends to rise in parallel to progress in diplomatic rapprochement between Arab regimes and Israel, calling into question the long-term efficacy of such accords.
The study singled out Iran as a country whose anti-Semitism poses a potential threat to Israel's existence, given Tehran's supposed nuclear program. — jta
IDF probes cameraman’s death
Israel announced an investigation into the killing of a Reuters cameraman by its forces in the Gaza Strip.
Following calls for a probe by Reuters and international watchdog groups, the Israeli military said April 20 it was gathering information to determine the circumstances behind the death of Fadel Shana.
Shana was killed while filming a central Gaza combat zone and film from his camera showed an Israeli tank firing in his direction. An autopsy revealed that he had been hit by a kind of dart used in Israeli shells.
Some critics have suggested the tank crew targeted Shana though it knew he was a journalist. The Israeli military rejected this. — jta
Soldiers’ friends hold protest seder
Friends of kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldiers Gilad Schalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev held a Passover protest seder outside Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s residence in Jerusalem on April 19.
“We’re protesting the fact that [the country’s] decision makers are spending the holiday with their family and friends, while on this night we’re left without our friends,” Army Radio quoted the organizers of the seder saying.
Schalit has been held captive by Hamas since June 2006. Reservists Regev and Goldwasser have been held by Hezbollah since July 2006. — jpost.com
Israel government gets dress code
A more formal dress code is being adopted in the halls of Israel’s government.
Cabinet secretary Ovad Yehezkel sent ministers and other top Israeli officials an advisory stating that, following the Passover vacation, they will be expected to dress formally at government-level meetings, according to the newspaper Yediot Achronot.
This means suits with ties for men. For military personnel, field fatigues will be replaced by dress uniforms. — jta
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California