-Caveat Lector-
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Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War!
TZEMACH NEWS SERVICE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A weekly update of news and events regarding the nation and the people of
Israel.
Week Ending: 12 January 2002/28 Tevet 5762
"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget her skill. May my
tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not
exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy." Psalm 137.5-6
This Week's Headlines:
:: PLO WEAPONS SHIP MANIFEST
:: US CONCEDES PLO INVOLVEMENT
:: IS THE PLO IRAN'S 'HIZB'ALLAH' IN ISRAEL?
:: HAMAS MURDERS FOUR IDF SOLDIERS
:: IDF DEMOLISHES UNINHABITED HOMES
:: YESHA POPULATION UP; GOV'T FUNDING DOWN
:: ZINNI LEAVES ON UPBEAT NOTE
:: SELECTED QUOTES FOR THE WEEK
:: SETTING UP THE ISLAMIC FUND FOR PALESTINIANS
:: US: SYRIA NO LONGER SPONSORS TERRORISM
:: EGYPT DEEMS MILITARY TOP PRIORITY
:: ANTI-SEMITISM ON THE RISE
:: MIDDLE EAST HOURGLASS
:: PLO WEAPONS SHIP MANIFEST: The operation, code-named "Noah's Ark," was
carried out early Thursday morning (3 January) about 500 kilometers (300
miles) south of Israel in the Red Sea. Israeli naval commandos slid down
ropes from air force helicopters and simultaneously climbed up the sides
onto a PLO freighter carrying 50 tons of arms and overtook the vessel by
complete surprise, without firing a shot. Military sources said that most
of the weapons on board came from Iran and were packaged in 83 cases coated
for sea-smuggling purposes. The special waterproof containers are
manufactured exclusively in Iraq and can be configured to float at various
distances below the ocean surface. Included in the shipment were the
following:
Artillery
(1) 122mm rockets & Launchers (Russian): 4 launchers & 62 rockets [Range
20km (12.5 mi), warhead weight: 18.3kg (40.3 lb), H.E.: 6.4 kg (14 lb)]
(2) 107mm rockets & Launchers: 6 launchers & 283 rockets [Range 8.5km (5
mi), warhead weight: 6.4kg (14 lb), H.E.: 1.3 kg (2.8 lb)]
(3) 120mm Mortars & Bombs: 10 mortars & 700 bombs [Range 6km (3.7 mi),
H.E.: 2.5 kg (5.5 lb)]
(4) 81mm Mortars & Bombs: 19 mortars & 686 bombs [Range 5.3km (3 mi), H.E.:
550gr (1.2 lb)]
(5) 60mm Mortars & Bombs: 10 mortars & 159 bombs [Range 1.7km [1 mi], H.E.:
250gr (.5 lb)]
Anti-Tank Weapons
(1) Sagger Launchers and Missiles: 6 Launchers & 10 Missiles [Range: 3.5km
(2 mi), Penetration: 450mm (1.5 ft)]
(2) RPG-7 Rockets (Iranian): 119 Rockets - PG-7 Tandem Warhead [Range: 300m
(328 yd), Effective against reactive armor]
(3) RPG-7 Rockets (Iranian): 209 Rockets - PG-7 "NADER" [Range: 400m (437
yd), Penetration: 300mm (1 ft)]
(4) RPG-7 Launchers: 51 Launchers
(5) RPG-18 light anti-armor weapons: 346 [Range: 400m (437 yd),
Penetration: 300mm (1.ft)]
Mines and Explosives
(1) YM-III Iranian Anti Tank Mines: 211 Mines [H.E. 5.5kg (12 lb)]
(2) YM-I Iranian Anti Personnel Mines: 311 Mines [H.E. 50gr (1.7 oz)]
(3) Explosive Blocks: 2,200 kgs. (2.4 tons) TNT & C4 Explosive Blocks
Light Weapons
(1) "Dragunov" - 7.62mm Sniper Rifles with telescopic sights: 30 [Effective
range: 1000m (.6 mi)]
(2) PK 7.62mm Light Machine Guns: 18
(3) AK-47 Assault Rifles: 212
(4) 7.62mm Light Weapon Rounds:
7.62 x 39: 407,800 rounds
7.62 x 54: 291,400 rounds
[Kalashnikov cartridges, Dragunov and PK machine gun cartridges]
(5) Hand Grenades: 735
Naval Equipment
(1) Rubber boats with 25 hp external engines: 2 (2) Diving equipment
(3) Sophisticated canisters for underwater smuggling: 80
* All of the artillery weapons came with aiming devices and poles.
* All the artillery rockets have contact fuses
* In addition, there is a large quantity of both electric and regular
detonators.
............................
:: US CONCEDES PLO INVOLVEMENT: The Bush administration, CIA head George
Tenet, and other senior figures in the US intelligence-security
establishment, have concluded the Palestinian Authority [PA/PLO] and the
[Yasir Arafat-led] Fatah faction of the PLO were involved in the abortive
scheme to smuggle 50 tons of weapons to the Palestinians, a senior US
official said Wednesday. Based on Israeli briefings, the Bush
administration believes Arafat may have been in a position to know about at
least some aspects of the operation, the official said. Initially, the
State Department withheld a judgment on Israel's allegations, then
gradually credited some of the evidence. Wednesday's presentation by
Israeli intelligence officials to the administration produced the US
judgment that members of the PA/PLO and Fatah were involved. Israeli
security sources say that the members of the contingent in Washington
presented irrefutable evidence to the US officials, proving that Arafat
reached a decision in summer 2001 to change strategic directions, and work
to establish a Palestinian-Iranian alliance. This initiative started with
contacts between trusted emissaries representing Arafat and Iranian
spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. At the end of these contacts,
Khamenei decided to overlook his objections to Arafat's willingness to
forge compromises with Israel in the Oslo peace process, and increase his
country's influence in the PA/PLO. The Iranian ruler decided to exploit an
opportunity to change the focus of his country's anti-Israeli activity,
moving away from the Lebanon context, and working instead in the
Palestinian arena. The Arafat-Khamenei decision, the Israeli security
sources say, was reached before September 11; it was implemented despite
U.S. peace envoy Anthony Zinni's visits to the region, Arafat's cease-fire
speech on December 16, and the "hudna" proposal for a cease-fire
arrangement submitted to Israel's President Moshe Katsav.
Meanwhile, the US will not break its ties with Arafat or cease its
peacemaking efforts, despite the Palestinians' attempt to smuggle tons of
Iranian weapons into their territory by ship in violation of signed
accords, US President George W. Bush said Thursday. US State Department
spokesman Richard Boucher said there was clear evidence that some
Palestinians had been involved. But he told reporters there was not yet
proof that Arafat or his top deputies were implicated. "We find the fact
that there are Palestinians involved in shipping these weapons deeply
troubling," Boucher said, citing comments made by the Palestinian captain
of the ship, the Karine A. He said the bid to smuggle the arms was a sign
"there are Palestinians that seek to escalate the violence, that seek to
introduce new weapons, additional weapons, and that would hope to escalate
the violence in the region."
............................
:: IS THE PLO IRAN'S 'HIZB'ALLAH' IN ISRAEL? Iran's involvement in the
Karine A arms smuggling affair is part of a larger effort to deter Israel
from militarily trying to scuttle Teheran's nuclear program, according to a
senior diplomatic official. According to the official, Iran wants to use
the Palestinians as proxies, much as it used Hizb'Allah as a proxy to wage
war against Israel in Lebanon. "Iran wants a base and stronghold in the
PA[/PLO] to threaten Israel," the official said. "They feel the way to
counter an Israeli threat to their nuclear program is through the use of
terrorism. They feel this will deter any attack on Iran." In addition to
Hizb'Allah in the North and its developing ties with the PA/PLO, the
official said there is intelligence showing that, since Israel withdrew
from Lebanon in 2000, the Iranians have exploited the "frustration and
anger of Israeli Arabs" to gain recruits for intelligence gathering and to
funnel money and arms. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, meanwhile, issued a
statement Friday night saying Iran is the source of world terrorism, adding
that everything must be done to make this clear to the world. "Iran is
initiating and funding terror against Israel, and the ayatollahs, who are
the source of real power in Iran, call openly for Israel's destruction,"
said Peres, who added Israel should not underestimate this threat. Peres
wrote UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan two weeks ago to protest against
comments made by Iranian leaders calling for Israel's destruction. Former
Iranian president Hashemi Rafsanjani implied last month Israel could be the
target of an "Islamic" nuclear attack.
............................
:: HAMAS MURDERS FOUR IDF SOLDIERS: Four Israeli soldiers were killed and
two injured in an Arab attack early Wednesday morning near Kibbutz Kerem
Shalom at the junction of the Gaza Strip and the Egyptian border. The
incident began when two Arabs penetrated a security fence near the kibbutz.
They encountered IDF forces, opened fire and threw hand grenades, killing
an officer and three soldiers from a Bedouin unit. In the ensuing gun
battle, one of the Arabs was killed. The second was eliminated after a
chase which lasted several hours. The attack was described as "well
planned" by military officials. The four Israeli dead were identified as
Major Ashraf Hawash Mazariv, 25, from the village of Zarzir; Staff Sergeant
Mofid Suwad, 25, from Abu Senan; Sergeant Major Ibrahim Hamayda, 23, from
Rikhaniya; and Sergeant Major Hana Eli Abu Ranam, 25, of Haifa. All were
from a predominantly Bedouin unit. Ranam was a Christian who volunteered
for military service. Hamas said in a statement that Israel's recent
seizure of the "Karine A" weapons ship had prompted the attack. Hamas
officials said the action did not contradict the group's commitment to
cease suicide attacks in Israel, because the raid had been against
"legitimate targets" of "the occupation army."
............................
:: IDF DEMOLISHES UNINHABITED HOMES: OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Doron
Almog said the buildings demolished in by the IDF in the Rafah refugee camp
early Thursday had not been inhabited for three months, and denied
Palestinian claims the IDF had destroyed over 70 homes, leaving over 100
families homeless. Speaking on Channel 2's "Meet the Press", Almog said 21
buildings were destroyed by army bulldozers, in retaliation for the fatal
Hamas attack Wednesday morning. Almog denied PA/PLO claims that the IDF
destroyed scores of buildings, and cast doubt as to the authenticity of the
footage broadcasted worldwide showing families sifting through the rubble
for their belongings. "Palestinians are seeking to draw attention to the
refugee issue... Palestinians used these buildings to carry out daily
shooting attacks against IDF soldiers operating in the area, and also
detonated five bombs in the past month," he said. "Has anyone ever asked
the question why this stretch of land, which is not considered "occupied"
and where no one lives, is where 50 percent of the violent incidents in
Judea, Samaria and Gaza occur?"
In the meantime, Army forces also cut off PA/PLO occupied Rafiach, in
southern Gaza, from the Khan Yunis and the rest of Gaza, to prevent the
transport of terrorist elements. Soldiers arrested eight Arabs in Rafiach
suspected of smuggling arms. Army forces late Saturday night pulled out of
Rafiach and lifted the closure on that PA/PLO area. Army forces remain
deployed outside the city.
............................
:: YESHA POPULATION UP; GOV'T FUNDING DOWN: The latest Interior Ministry
figures show that the total number of residents in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza
is now almost 214,000, or 5.2% more than a year ago. All areas of Yesha
participated in the growth, except for the Megillot region near the Dead
Sea and the town of Emanuel. Gush Katif grew by 4.2%, while the Binyamin
Regional Council jumped by 8.7%. Some 1,600 people moved into the hareidi
town of Beitar Illit, between Jerusalem and Gush Etzion, during this past
year. The Yesha population grew by over 8% during the year preceding the
current Oslo War.
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