Mofaz Proposes to Reroute Fence to Ease Lives of Palestinians
Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz proposed today to reroute the West Bank security fence near the town of Ariel in a way that would ease the lives of Palestinian villagers in the area, YNET reported. Under the proposed changes, the Palestinians would have an easier time accessing Palestinian towns such as Bethlehem.
Mofaz's proposal was raised during a meeting called to discuss the fence and attended by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and security officials. During the session, Sharon accepted Mofaz's recommendation and decided to bring the matter before the Government for final approval.
Sharon, Abbas May Meet Before the Pullout
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas may hold a meeting before the implementation of the Gaza pullout, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Abbas confided to the A-Shark al-Awsat newspaper that plans for the meeting were already underway. Sharon and Abbas last met less than three weeks ago.
Meanwhile, in preparation for the evacuation of settlements in the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria scheduled to start mid-August, Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz met with PA Interior Minister Nasser Yousef on Tuesday night in Tel Aviv to discuss security issues and the need for the Palestinians to maintain calm during the process.
Bill Banning MKs from Serving as Histadrut Head Approved
The Knesset House Committee approved a bill today forbidding anyone from serving as Histadrut chairman and Member of the Knesset at the same time, HA'ARETZ reported. The bill, which deals a political blow to current Histadrut labor federation Chairman, MK Amir Peretz (Labor), was approved in a close 11-10 vote.
In the stormy debate that preceded the approval of the bill, Peretz accused the Likud Party of trying to ruin him politically.
Other News in Brief
* Minister of Communications Dalia Itzik (Labor) was to become today the first Israeli minister to have an audience with Pope Benedict XVI, Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reported. Itzik was to present him with a stamp to commemorate his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, and deliver him a personal letter from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
* The Knesset House Committee has approved a bill to raise the government funding of political parties in which at least 30 percent of elected officials are women, YNET reported. The bill was submitted by Knesset Member Etti Livni (Shinui), and passed by a wide margin. Opposing the bill was the improbable combination of secularist Avraham Poraz and ultra-Orthodox politicians from United Torah Judaism and Shas.
Economic & Hi-Tech Briefs
* West Pharmaceutical Services is acquiring the Ra'anana-based medical technology company Medimop Medical Projects for $41 million, THE MARKER.COM reported. West will be paying $38 million in cash and $4.8 million in stock and contingency payments, in exchange for 90 percent of Medimop's shares. Medimop develops disposable injection and treatment products, such as ampoules, vials, containers, and mixing devices for drugs. It also makes products to dispose of medical waste products, such as needles.
[Today's Israel Line was prepared by Victor Chemtob at the Consulate-General of Israel in New York.]