PM Sharon and Abbas Hold Phone Conversation
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon called the newly elected Palestinian Authority chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, today to congratulate him on his victory on Sunday's elections, HA'ARETZ reported.
A senior Palestinian official said that the two leaders spoke for about 10 minutes, but gave no additional details as to the exact content of the two leaders' exchange.
Earlier today, Sharon told his new cabinet that he expected to meet with Abbas in the coming weeks. Speaking at the first meeting of his new cabinet approved by the Knesset Monday, Sharon said that the two would meet in order to advance a number of issues, centering on Palestinian efforts to end terrorism.
Also today, President Moshe Katsav called Abbas to congratulate him on his election victory, and to express the hope for further reconciliation. New Vice Premier Shimon Peres has also phoned Abbas to offer his compliments. "Israel will do all it can to help the Palestinians establish a democratic government, so we can live in peace as two democracies side by side," Peres said.
In other news, Palestinian National Security Adviser Jibril Rajoub announced his resignation today. Rajoub was for years the strongest figure in West Bank security apparatus. Rajoub is the first senior Palestinian official to resign since Abbas won his landslide victory.
Knesset Approves New Government
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new government was narrowly approved by the Knesset on Monday, HA'ARETZ reported. The coalition agreement passed thanks to the support of the left-wing Yahad faction, and despite the opposition of 13 members of the Likud. The new government, which is comprised of the Likud, Labor and United Torah Judaism, was approved by a vote of 58-56, with six abstentions.
In addition to Yahad's support, Sharon owes his victory to a decision by two Arab MKs, Talab al-Sana and Abdulmalik Dehamshe of the United Arab List, to abstain instead of joining the other Arab parties in voting against the coalition accord.
Sources in Sharon's office said that one of the new government's first moves would be to reopen coalition talks with Shas. The ultra-Orthodox party's entry has become vital following Monday's vote during which 13 Likud MKs de facto quit the coalition by casting no-confidence votes against the prime minister.
Meanwhile, Sharon must pass the 2005 budget by March 31, or new elections will automatically be called.
Israeli Man Wounded by Mortar Dies of His Wounds
Nissim Arbiv, 26, from the Gaza Strip Jewish community of Nissanit, died today of the wounds he had sustained nine days ago in a mortar attack in Gaza, HA'ARETZ reported. Arbiv was injured by a shell while working at the Erez Industrial Zone in the northern Gaza Strip on January 2nd. He was rushed to the Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, where he had been lying in critical condition.
Meanwhile, just one day after Abbas' election, Palestinian terrorists fired 12 mortar shells at Jewish towns in Gaza and IDF outposts this morning. There were no injuries, but a synagogue was damaged in one of the targeted towns. In addition, a Qassam rocket landed today near the Negev town of Sderot and an explosive device was detonated near IDF forces in Rafah. There were no injuries.
In other news, a police officer was wounded today when terrorists opened fire on Israeli security forces near the West Bank city of Tul Karm. Tanzim men opened fire on police officers and Border Policemen who had entered a village south of Tul Karm to search for stolen cars. The Tanzim members shot the police officer in his leg, wounding him lightly to moderately. One of the terrorists was killed and another was seriously wounded when the Israeli forces returned fire.
IsraAID Sets Up Relief Camp in Sri Lanka
A group of Israelis from IsraAID, a coordinating body of Jewish organizations worldwide and non-governmental organizations based in Israel, arrived in Sri Lanka late Monday night to set up a relief camp, as part of the Israel Campaign For Southeast Asia Disaster, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Members of IsraAID's 15-person team are identifiable by their t-shirts sporting the words "Israel Relief Force." The shirts have attracted a good deal of positive attention from local Sri Lankans, who have rushed to volunteer their services, according to Gal Lousky, an IsraAID coordinator.
The group's plan involves three main components: a field kitchen manned by local cooks, a field infirmary, and an area for orphaned and lost children to receive the care and attention they need. Lousky said the group's concept was unique in that no other organization in Sri Lanka was involved in covering every single aspect of the relief effort. IsraAID is collecting donations, sending people, and cooking food all by itself. She said that the efforts would focus mainly on the children's welfare, and getting 5,000 people fed per day.
The funding for the campaign is being provided by Israelis, and European and American Jewish communities.
Fifth Israeli Victim of the Tsunami Identified
The announcement this morning of the identification of the body of Meri Politi, an Israeli traveler who disappeared when the tsunami hit Southeast Asia, brought the number of Israelis killed in the disaster to five, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Politi, 40, from Hod Hasharon, had been vacationing with her husband, David, in Thailand when the tsunami struck. David returned to Israel last Sunday to receive medical treatment for the injuries he suffered.
Four previously identified victims - Sharon Haliel, 22, from Gan Yavne, Hemda Cohen, 53, from Rishon Lezion, Zohar Aloni, 25, from Tel Aviv and Esther Levy, 57, from Ra'anana - were flown back to Israel and buried.
The identification of Politi's body has reduced the number of missing Israelis to two. The private search for Uzi Shagai, and his girlfriend of three years, Aya Shifra, who went missing in Thailand, was called off. A private team had sought the two 27-year-olds, last known to be in Kalook, Thailand, at the time of the tsunami. Their travel documents and passports were found last Sunday.
Israeli and Palestinians to Promote 'Peace Oil'
Marking the end of the 2004 olive harvest, the Israel Olive Oil Board and Palestine Olive Board announced plans to expand cooperation, and display a joint Israel-Palestinian olive oil brand called "Peace Oil" at international exhibitions, GLOBES reported. The Palestinian harvest reached 32,000 tons this year and is worth $64 million. With 900,000 olive trees and 270 modern olive presses in the West bank and Gaza, the olive industry accounts for 3.5 million workdays and 2-3 percent of the Palestinian GDP.
The main problem Palestinian olive growers face is a lack of market for their produce, which results in large surpluses. Domestic consumption is 14,000 tons of olive oil a year. Another 5,000 tons is sold to Israel, and 2,000-3,000 tons to Arab countries. The rest remains unsold in warehouses. Jordan, which imported olive oil from the Palestinian territories for years, has become a competitor, exporting 900 tons a year to Israel, duty free.
Israel Olive Oil Board director general Amin Hasan said that Israel and the Palestinians were also cooperating in a joint pesticide research, and in a venture to try to produce electricity from olive waste, financed by Europe.
Economic & Hi-Tech Briefs
* Manpower Israel subsidiary Manpower Information Technology points out that demand for high-tech employees has returned to its 2000 level, surging by 63.5 percent in 2004 compared to 2003, GLOBES reported. The figures are based on a survey of help-wanted ads in Israel's leading daily newspapers. The survey showed that the biggest demand in 2004 was for network managers and support personnel, followed by support engineers, programmers, and hardware engineers. Demand rose more moderately for managers, team leaders and project managers.
[Today's Israel Line was prepared by Victor Chemtob at the Consulate General of Israel in New York.]