IDF Officer Killed as Hezbollah Increases Attacks in Israel
Israel Defense Forces Captain Sharon Elmakias who was killed in a Hezbollah-staged roadside bomb attack on Sunday, was laid to rest today at the Atlit cemetery, Israel radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. Elmakias, a 23-year-old from Atlit, had served in the Golani Brigades for five years and was due to leave the army in two months. He is survived by his parents and two sisters. Three other soldiers were wounded in the Hezbollah attack during which an explosive device was detonated as an IDF convoy passed through the Har Dov area in northern Israel.
According to THE JERUSALEM POST, Hezbollah has stepped up its involvement in terrorist operations in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. A senior defense official said today that the Lebanese terror group had invested at least $9 million in 2004 to carry out attacks against targets in Israel - a sum which represents about 10 percent of the group's annual budget. The official added that during last year, Hezbollah had been responsible for about 20 percent of the operations against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Hezbollah's attack on Sunday sparked heavy exchanges of fire between IDF forces and the terror group's members, which lasted for almost three hours. Retaliatory fire from IDF gunship killed a French officer serving with UNIFIL, and wounded a Swedish soldier from the international peacekeeping force.
Knesset Begins Voting on Unity Government
The Knesset vote to approve to formation of the new unity government began this afternoon, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The Knesset is expected to vote in favor of the new coalition accord with the Arab factions and the left-wing party Yahad supporting the new government, and thirteen Likud rebels opposing it. If approved by the Knesset, the coalition agreement with the Labor Party and United Torah Judaism would keep Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in power until the next scheduled elections in November 2006.
During a Likud faction meeting held earlier today, Sharon lashed out against his party's rebels, and announced that the ballot would be a vote of confidence for his government.
Under the coalition agreement with UTJ, the faction is to receive NIS 290 million in the budget for its schools and yeshivas, chairmanship of the Knesset Finance Committee, and two deputy ministers in the social affairs and transport ministries. The status quo on religion and state is to be preserved and the government is to act to enforce laws on religious matters.
The Labor Party is getting budget changes worth NIS 600 million, with the funds going to the elderly, the health system, culture, and regional development. Labor Party chairman Shimon Peres is to be sworn in as vice prime minister, with his main duty to advance the disengagement plan.
Abbas Elected New Palestinian Leader with 62.3 Percent of Vote
Final election results tallied today showed that PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas became the new Palestinian Authority chairman after winning 62.3 percent of Sunday's vote, HA'ARETZ reported.
Abbas' main challenger, independent candidate Mustafa Barghouti, won about 20 percent of the vote, and five other candidates obtained marginal scores.
Hamas announced today it would work with Abbas - despite misgivings about what it said were voting irregularities, including a decision to keep polls open two hours longer than planned. Hamas had called for a boycott of the election, but did not try to disrupt the vote.
Abbas declared victory on Sunday, on the basis of exit polls showing him winning with a comfortable margin. He dedicated his victory to Yasser Arafat. "We offer this victory to the soul of the brother, martyr Yasser Arafat and to all Palestinians," Abbas told a jubilant rally of his Fatah party in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Sunday. "There is a difficult mission ahead to build our state, to achieve security for our people, to give our prisoners freedom, our fugitives a life in dignity, to reach our goal of an independent state," he said in to hundreds of cheering supporters.
Supreme Court Allows Lesbian Couple to Adopt
In a breakthrough for same-sex couples, the Supreme Court ruled today in 7-2 decision that two lesbian women who have been living together for 15 years are allowed to adopt each other's children, HA'ARETZ reported. The women have had three children in the last 15 years, all through a sperm bank. In 1997 they petitioned the Ramat Gan Family Court seeking the right to adopt each other's children, and court recognition of their joint parenthood. The court rejected the petition, but did grant them guardianship of each other's children, a precedent that has since become customary. Their appeal to Tel Aviv District Court for adoption was also rejected. Three years ago, the women appealed to the Supreme Court, which decided an expanded panel would hear the case.
Other News in Brief
* The head of IDF Central Command, Major-General Moshe Kaplinsky, dismissed six senior reserve officers who signed a letter last week supporting the "refusal of army orders" to evacuate settlements, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. Another 28 reserve officers, who signed the letter, have been summoned to the office of the Binyamin Brigade commander, who is expected to discharge them as well. IDF Chief-of-Staff Lieutenant General Moshe Ya'alon ordered that it be clarified to serving soldiers that it is forbidden for them to make political statements, sign political petitions and take part in political demonstrations.
Economic & Hi-Tech Briefs
* Stanley Fischer, who is currently vice chairman of Citigroup has been chosen to succeed David Klein as governor of the Bank of Israel, HA'ARETZ reported. In a statement issued by Prime Minister Sharon, Fischer is noted as "a known and well-connected economist throughout the world, and the State of Israel should congratulate itself [on obtaining the use of] his talents, particularly in this era of globalization in economic markets. The fact that such a man is prepared to cut off his business ties with Citigroup, to move to Israel to become central bank governor, is a golden opportunity for the Israeli economy."
* General Electric is looking to expand its research activities in Israel, GLOBES reported. Ben Heineman, senior vice president at GE, said the company was planning to establish a presence in nanotechnology, homeland security technology, and alternative fuels. He is prepared to send a delegation to Israel to study business opportunities, including setting up an R&D center, in addition to the company's present medical equipment development center in Haifa. In 2003, GE spent $2.7 billion on R&D.
* The CEO of Israel's airline El Al, Amos Shapira, resigned after heading the company for three years, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. Israel Borovitz, who has been appointed the new chairman of the El Al board, expressed sorrow at Shapira's resignation. Tamar Moses Borovitz has been appointed deputy chairman.
[Today's Israel Line was prepared by Victor Chemtob at the Consulate General of Israel in New York.]