Alignments shift as Sharon leaves Likud party - 1/4/2006
Ariel Sharon, a key player in forming the Likud party in Israel in 1973, has left it to form the centrist party, Kadima. The ruling Likud party of thirty years is being lessoned as many choose to follow Sharon to the centrist Kadima.
A recent poll in the Israeli daily newspaper "Maariv" showed that Likud would drop from its current 40 seats to 16, while Sharon's Kadima Party would win 40 of the 120 seats in the Knesset, if elections were held today. The National elections are scheduled for March 28.
After Sharon abandoned the party, Likud elected hawkish former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 56, as its chairman. Netanyahu condemned Sharon's withdrawal from Gaza and parts of the West Bank and is campaigning on a hard-line platform that would grant a Palestinian state on only a fraction of West Bank land.
Gutman, Matthew. "Israel Undergoes Political Revolution." USA TODAY 4 Jan 2006: 8A.
Ariel Sharon suffers significant stroke
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a "significant" stroke on January 4, 2006, that caused a massive brain hemorrhage. He underwent seven hours of surgery to stop the bleeding, and was in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem.
Sharon's authority as head of government was transferred to Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Sharon's illness was likely to have a significant impact on politics in the region. "A live Sharon is better for the Palestinians now, despite all the crimes he has committed against us," said Ghazi al-Saadi, a
Palestinian commentator on the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV network.
Akiva Eldar, Haaretz political analyst, declared the "Sharon era" over. "Even the man known here as Mr.
Teflon could not beat his weight and his age," he said.
Gutman, Matthew. "Much in Mideast staked on Sharons health." USA TODAY 5 Jan 2006: 1A.
Israel breaks contact with evangelist Pat Robertson - 1/13/2006
Israel has broken contact with evangelist Pat Robertson because he suggested that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for withdrawing from the Gaza strip.
The decision, announced on 11 January 2006, does not affect other Christian groups that also consider it their spiritual duty to support Israel as fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Tourism Minister Abraham Hirchson said he gave instructions to "stop all contact" with groups associated with Robertson because of his implication (Prophesy Attitudes Explained) that the massive stroke was a blow for "dividing Gods land".
Robertson was leading a group of evangelicals who have pledged $50 million to build the Christian Heritage Center in Israel's northern Galilee region, where tradition says Jesus lived and taught. The group was to put up 50 million, while Israel would provide land and infrastructure. The project was predicted to bring 1 million pilgrims a year, generate 1.5 billion in spending and support 40,000 jobs.
But the fate of the project is now in question, said Ido Hartuv, spokesman for the tourism ministry. "We will not do business with him, only with other evangelicals who don't back these comments," Hartuv said.
UPDATE 1/13/2005: Pat Robertson sent an apology letter to the family of Ariel Sharon. Robertson said his concern for Israels future had "led me to make remarks which I can now view in retrospect as inappropriate and insensitive".
"Israel declares break with evangelist Pat Robertson." Lewiston Tribune 12 Jan 2006: 2A.
Election results bring victory to new Kadima party - 3/30/2006
More than 3 million Israelis voted for the 120-member Knesset. A party must win 61 seats to govern by itself, a feat that has never been accomplished in Israel's history. As a result, a party with the most seats must form a coalition government to rule.
Kadima Party led by Ehud Olmert received 28 seats. The Kadima Party was founded by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in November, just months before he suffered his debilitating stroke. The centrist party is dedicated to a withdrawal from parts of the West Bank by 2010.
Labor Party led by Amir Peretz received 20 seats. The Labor Party is a center-left party that campaigned on social and economic reform and supports territorial concessions to the Palestinians. The Labor Party is a likely coalition partner with Kadima.
Shas Party led by Eli Yisai received 13 seats. Shas is an ultra-Orthodox popular among blue-collar Israelis who emigrated from Middle Eastern and Arab countries. In the past they have supported peace negotiations with the
Palestinians, and are a likely coalition partner. The Shas Party is dedicated to religious education.
Israel is Our Home Party led by Avigdor Lieberman received 12 seats. Fighting crime and swapping territory with the Palestinians were the campaign focus of this right leaning party.
Likud Party led by Benjamin Netanyahu received 11 seats. The former ruling party's hard-line policies rejects Kadima's plans to withdraw from the West Bank. They suffered a tremendous loss in this vote, losing 27 seats from the 2003 election.
National Union-National Religious Party received 9 seats. This right leaning party opposed Sharon's Gaza withdrawal and supports Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Pensioners Party received 7 seats. Dedicated to improving the lot of seniors, they had not been expected to win any seats.
Israeli voters endorsed Olmert's evacuation plans for the West Bank settlers when they gave Kadima and other political parties that favor a West Bank withdrawal enough seats in parliamentary elections to form a government.
The West Bank is home to 250,000 Israeli settlers. Based on Kadima's plans, about 60,000-80,000 settlers would be evacuated from the West Bank, according to Yaacov Bar-Siman-Tov, a political scientist at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Bar-Siman-Tov describes a future West Bank withdrawal as "dramatic and possibly bloody." "A prime minister (Yitzhak Rabin in 1995) was
assassinated because he dared raise the subject of withdrawals," he says.
Israelis began settling the West Bank soon after Israel captured it in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It is a network of developed villages and towns along the crests of West Bank hills. Ideological Jews settled there because they believe it is their God-given duty to settle land once walked by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Olmert plans an evacuation of settlements and a relocation of settlers housing on the Israeli side of the 400-mile security barrier that Israel is building in the West Bank.
Olmert hasn't pinpointed which settlements he would dismantle, nor provided a timetable for this action other than say that the withdrawal will be completed by the time his term as Israel's new prime minister ends in 2010.
Gutman, Matthew and Jeffrey Stinson. "Kadima victory is disturbing for some West Bank settlers." USA TODAY 30 March 2006: 6A.
"Winners and losers of Israeli vote." USA TODAY 30 March 2006: 6A.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - 3/30/2006
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared victory in Israel's parliamentary elections held on 3/28/2006. He campaigned on a pledge to relinquish control of most of the West Bank after 39 years of Israeli occupation.
"In the coming period, we will move to set the final borders of the state of Israel, a Jewish state with a Jewish majority," he said. "We will try to
achieve this in an agreement with the Palestinians."
Olmert, 60, was the mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003. He assumed the leadership of Israel's government after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a
debilitating stroke on January 4, 2006.
Sharon established the new Kadima Party in November. Olmert portrayed himself during the campaign as Sharon's natural successor.
Olmert has promised that within four years he would dismantle the far-flung Jewish settlements, consolidate larger ones and return most of the West Bank to the overwhelmingly Arab Palestinian population.
This withdrawal plan would largely follow the 400-mile-long security barrier that Israel is building to protect itself from suicide bomber. The barrier would mark Israel's eastern border.
Olmert said he would withdraw unilaterally if he was unable to negotiate territory with the Palestinians. Negotiations appear increasingly unlikely following the January 25 election of the militant group Hamas by the
Palestinians.
Gutman, Matthew and Jeffrey Stinson. "Olmert declares victory in Israeli elections." USA TODAY 29 March 2006: 11A.
Israel unleashes an intense air barrage in
retaliation of Hezbollah rockets - 07/14/2006
Israel retaliated for scores of Hezbollah guerrilla rocks that rained down on Israel, by unleashing an intense military campaign on
Lebanon's main airport, highways, military bases and other targets. Their
air strikes focused on south Beirut where Hezbollah is headquartered.
The current conflict was sparked when Hezbollah captured two of Israel's soldiers in a cross-border raid. Since then, scores of Hezbollah rockets have rained down on Israel and reached as far as Haifa, its third-largest city, for the first time.
The sudden burst of violence by Hezbollah forces has shattered the relative calm in Lebanon that followed Israel's pullout from the occupied zone in south Lebanon in 2000 and the withdrawal of Syrian forces last year.
Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed militant Shiite faction which has a free hand in Lebanon and holds seats in parliament.
Israel is determined to beat Hezbollah back and deny the control of the border to the militant fighters, a position they have held since 2000.
The Lebanese government, caught in the middle, has pleaded for a cease-fire, but has failed to deploy its forces against Hezbollah to resolve the conflict.
President Bush strongly defended Israel's attacks in Lebanon. "Israel has a right to defend herself," Bush said. "Every nation must defend herself against terrorist attacks and the killing of innocent life."
"Israel keeps up air barrage." Lewiston Tribune 14 July 2006: 2A.
Hezbollah is ready for an open war - 07/15/2006
An Israeli warship was rammed by a Hezbollah unmanned aircraft rigged with explosives and set it ablaze. "You wanted an open war and we are ready for an open war," Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said in a taped statement. He vowed to strike even deeper into Israel with rockets.
Israeli smashed Lebanon's links to the world one by one and destroyed the headquarters of the Islamic guerrilla group's leader. Their bombardment of Lebanon's airport and main roads is the most intensive offensive against the country in 24 years, as it struck the crowded Shiite neighborhood of south Beirut around Hezbollah's headquarters for the first time.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed the campaign would continue until Hezbollah guerrillas, who are backed by Syria and Iran, lose their near-control of southern
Lebanon bordering Israel.
Hendawi, Hamza. "We are ready for war." Lewiston Tribune 15 July 2006: 1A.
Israel punches into Lebanon- 07/20/2006
Israel pushed into south Lebanon as their bombs flattened houses, including a building that was thought to hold Hezbollah's top leaders.
Israel's attempt to wipe out the Hezbollah leadership intensified their offensive despite mounting international pressure and a
Lebanese appeal to spare the country further death and devastation.
In the midst of conducting war, Israel broadcast warnings into south Lebanon telling civilians to leave the region, a possible prelude to a larger Israeli ground operation.
Hezbollah, undeterred, fired rockets into the Israeli Arab town of Nazareth, where Jesus spent his boyhood.
Thousands of foreigners have fled Lebanon in one of the largest evacuation operations since World War II.
Keith, Lee. "Israel pushes into Lebanon." Lewiston Tribune 20 July 2006: 1A.
Israel ground operation targets Hezbollah - 07/22/2006
Israel is preparing for a massive ground operation to destroy Hezbollah's tunnels, hideouts and weapons, as they line their tanks and troops on the border to enter southern Lebanon.
Israeli reserves were called up as Israel announced its offensive plans that target Hezbollah.
Hezbollah's rocket attacks and Israeli bombings remain undiminished.
Israel's goal is not to create a buffer zone as it did during its occupation of southern Lebanon from 1982 to 2000, according to an anonymous senior military official discussing the sensitive topic. Rather, Israel wants to weaken Hezbollah with a limited ground operation to make it easier for the Lebanese army to move into areas previously controlled by the guerrillas, possibly with the aid of a beefed-up international peacekeeping force.
Israel's army chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, said the military would conduct "limited ground operations a much as needed in order to harm the terror that harms us" - leaving it unclear how deep and powerful the Israeli punch into Lebanon would be.
Harvey, Benjamin. "Target Hezbollah." Lewiston Tribune 22 July 2006: 1A.
Israeli blockade will stay until UN peacekeepers deployed - 08/23/2006
Israel will maintain their air and sea blockade of Lebanon until the United Nations international peacekeeping force takes their position along the Syrian border and at Beirut's airport. They imposed the sea, land and air blockade of Lebanon shortly after its offensive against Hezbollah on July 12.
The cease-fire remains fragile. European nations are balking at sending large numbers of peacekeepers, while Israel objects to the inclusion of troops from nations that don't recognize it.
The U.N. cease-fire resolution does not explicitly give Israel authority to block countries from joining the peacekeeping mission.
Until peacekeeping forces can be worked out and dispatched, Israel will maintain their blockade to prevent the rearming of Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria.
"The disarmament of Hezbollah is our main objective. As long as it is not disarmed, we will defend ourselves against their being rearmed," said Miri Eisin, a senior Israeli official.
Federman, Josef. "Israel: Blockade stays until peacekeepers deployed." USA TODAYu> 23 Aug 2006: 5A.
Mediator will be appointed by U.N. Chief Annan - 09/05/2006
A mediator for indirect talks between Israel and Hezbollah concerning the release of the two abducted Israeli soldiers. The mediator's name will not be announced to allow him to work quietly.
Both sides have accepted mediation, that is crucial to preserving a 3-week-old cease-fire that ended 34 days of fighting. The release of two Israeli soldiers seized during a Hezbollah cross-border raid on July 12 is important to bring an end to the threat of more war.
The U.N. cease-fire resolution to halt war between Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerrillas calls for a 15,000-member U.N. peacekeeping force to deploy in southern Lebanon to keep Hezbollah weapons away from the border with Israel. It also calls for the deployment of 15,000 Lebanese soldiers, who have begun deploying south of the Litani River in an area that is a Hezbollah stronghold.
French General Alain Pellergrini, commander of the U.N. force, is coordinating Israel's pullout, which is projected to occur within two weeks. Israel continues to remain firm in their stance on demanding an unconditional release of the soldiers, before a final solution can be reached.
Abu-Nasr, Donna. "U.N. chief says he'll appoint mediator for Israel, Hezbollah." USA TODAY 5 Sept 2006: 5A.
Israel giving cold shoulder to Carter meeting with Hamas - 04/14/2008
The Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmer, as well as Foreign Minister Tzipi Livini and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have shunned the visit by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. President Carter arrived in Israel to start a controversial nine-day Middle East tour which will likely include a meeting with Hamas leaders in Syria.
Carter is on a "study mission" to support Middle East peace efforts. His plan to meet Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Damascus has been criticized by both Israel and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The United States and Israel consider Hamas a terrorist organization. Hamas is a militant Islamic group that is boycotted by the U.S. because of the dozens of suicide bombings and charter calls for Israel's destruction. The United States and Israeli policy is to isolate Hamas, favoring a peace effort toward dealing through Palestinian President Mahmuoud Abbas instead.
Carter's meeting with Hamas will be the first meeting and public contact since the Rev. Jesse Jackson met Mashaal in Syria in 2006.
Greenberg, Joel. "Carter gets cold shoulder in Israel." Spokesman-Review [Spokane]. 14 Apr 2008: A3.
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