188 Israelis Unaccounted For as Death Toll in Southeast Asia Nears 50,000
The Foreign Ministry's emergency situation room in Jerusalem indicated this morning that 188 Israeli travelers had yet to be tracked down in Southeast Asia following the natural disaster that hit Sri Lanka, Thailand and India on Sunday claiming the lives of some 50,000 people, HA'ARETZ reported. As the death toll is expected to keep on rising, officials in Jerusalem said they feared for the lives of 12 Israelis. Officials believe that most of those who have not been accounted for have not been injured or killed in the disaster, but have simply been unable to establish contact with anyone due to the situation in the region.
Thus far some 600 Israelis who were caught in the area of the earthquake have been positively located.
A ZAKA (Disaster Victims Identification) rescue and recovery team left for the disaster areas Monday night armed with equipment including materials and tools for identifying bodies, as well as body bags. "We are waiting for any instruction," Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, the director of the organization, said Monday. According to today's updated data, 33 Israelis were hurt in the disaster and four of them are in serious condition. The others are in light to moderate condition.
Israel Sends Aid to Thailand, Sri Lanka
As the world is preparing what United Nation's officials titled "the most expensive aid relief mission" for 10 Southeast Asia countries, Israel is sending several delegations to Sri Lanka and Thailand, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. India, unlike Thailand and Sri Lanka, has not requested any Israeli assistance.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom said an immediate decision to send $100,000 worth of food and medical supplies had been made. Israel will ship10 tons of relief aid to Sri Lanka. An Israeli medical mission to Thailand was dispatched by the Health Ministry on Monday. Headed by associate director-general Boaz Lev, it includes five physicians and four nurses from Ichilov, Ha'emek, Beilinson and Kaplan hospitals. Israel dispatched a 15-person medical team, including nine army doctors, to Phuket, Thailand, Monday night to assist rescue operations.
Hamas Not Expected to Halt Terror
Hamas will not cease its terror attacks on Israeli targets in the run-up to the Palestinian Authority leadership elections on January 9th, according to an updated assessment from Israeli intelligence officials, HA'ARETZ reported. Intelligence officials believe that even after the elections, Hamas will continue to carry out terror attacks, but will consider - under pressure from the PA - reducing its activities to what it terms "the 1948 areas" (within the Green Line) and focusing its strikes on "the 1967 areas," namely the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
A high-ranking security source revealed Monday that from the point of view of Hamas, perpetuating the image that Israel is fleeing the Gaza Strip under fire, and primarily the organization's attacks, is a vital matter. As a result, Hamas will continue with its attacks on soldiers and settlers in the Strip.
At this stage, intelligence officials believe, Hamas has no intentions of ceasing to use Qassam rockets, even if they are fired into Israel. The organization views the rocket as a strategic weapon that can threaten Israel. Defense establishment sources noted that Hamas was making great efforts to increase the range of its rockets - which can currently strike at targets some 10 kilometers away - and their accuracy.
Other News in Brief
* U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Connecticut) was set to visit Israel today to meet with high-ranking Israeli and Palestinian leaders, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. While in Israel, Lieberman is scheduled to hold meetings with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom, Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz and Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu. Lieberman will then travel to Ramallah and hold meetings with leading candidate for PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PA Finance Minister Salaam Fayad. After his visit to Israel, the senator will fly to Amman to meet with King Abdallah of Jordan, and he will then head to Baghdad.
Economic & Hi-Tech Briefs
* International hotel chain Sheraton announced that sales were up 17 percent in 2004 to $76 million, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Sheraton is planning to invest $ 20 million in its hotels in Israel as a result of the improvement in tourism noted Eli Gonen, chief executive of Sheraton Israel. The company has chosen Tiberias for its latest upgrade because it is a city that caters to both foreign and domestic tourists.
* Koor Industries and Elbit Systems announced that they had reached an agreement that will result in the merger of the country's largest defense technology companies, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The deal, which will be carried out in two stages, will combine Elbit, Tadiran Communications and electronics company Elisra Electronics Systems. Danny Biran, president of Koor Industries and chairman of Tadiran and Elisra, said the deal was vital in order to build a strong private defense consortium in Israel.
[Today's Israel Line was prepared by Victor Chemtob at the Consulate General of Israel in New York.]