Thursday, November 2, 2000

Early this morning, Arafat, Peres wrap up talks, and Barak announces that the sides have agreed to try again to implement the 10/17 Sharm al-Shaykh arrangements. The Israeli cabinet suspends punitive attacks on Palestinian targets. Differences quickly arise, however, over plans for Arafat, Barak to issue statements on ending the violence. As the sides discuss how to resolve their differences, 2 Islamic Jihad activists detonated a car bomb in West Jerusalem, killing 2 Israelis, wounding 9. (AFP [Internet], MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 11/2; ATL, Interfax, MENA, XIN 11/2 in WNC 11/3; ATL, Cyprus News Agency 11/2, MENA, al-Quds 11/4, al-Quds 11/5 in WNC 11/6; JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/3; MM 11/6; MEI 11/10)

Israeli-Palestinian clashes continue, leaving 2 Palestinians dead, 80 wounded. Nr. Nablus, Jewish settlers uproot a Palestinian olive grove; attack Palestinian cars and property around Hawwara, Hebron, Tulkarm. The IDF confiscates and levels 70 dunams of Palestinian land to build a road linking Morag, Gush Katif settlements. However, Israel acknowledges that PA police are making more of an effort to halt stone throwers; Arafat unequivocally denounces the Islamic Jihad bombing; and Barak phones Arafat to express condolences over today's Palestinian fatalities. In Gaza, the IDF evacuates a position linking Qarni to Netzarim settlement, pulls tanks back fr. main roads. (AFP [Internet], MM, NYT, REU, WP, WT 11/2; JP [Internet], MM, NYT, WP, WT 11/3; MEI 11/10)

While in New York, Israel's Ben-Ami (promoted to FM today) reportedly sets up a public relations (PR) headquarters to aid in Israel's PR efforts in the North America. The office head, fmr. IBA dir. gen. Aryeh Mekel, will coordinate among the FMin.'s PR dept., a special steering comm. of senior officials of U.S. Jewish organizations, and 6 major U.S. PR firms that have been contracted. (MA [Internet] 11/8; HA [Internet] 11/13)

Israel begins reviewing a project for 4,000 new housing units in Har Homa settlement (Jabal Abu Ghunaym) in East Jerusalem. If approved, the site would be known as Har Homa B, would link Har Homa with Gilo settlement. (al-Quds 11/2 in WNC 11/3; LAW 11/4)