To: bpr-list@philologos.org (BPR Mailing List)
Subject: [BPR] - Weekend News Today (1/25/00)
From: bpr-list@philologos.org(BPR)
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2000 08:39:23 -0500

From: "Moza" <moza7@netzero.net>

Mysterious ice balls fall from sky in Italy

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- A series of mysterious ice balls falling from the skies over
Italy claimed a first victim on Tuesday when a man in Ancona was taken to
hospital with head injuries after being hit by a 750 gram (1 lb 10 ounce)
block. Italian media reported four separate incidents on Tuesday of unusually
large blocks of ice apparently falling from the sky.

Iran says Washington's pro-Israel stand bars talks

Weekend News Today
By Kelly Pagatpatan
Source: Reuters

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- Iran will hold talks with its arch-foe the United States only
if Washington stops backing Israel and drops policies hostile to the Islamic
republic, a senior Iranian official said. "America ... should respect the rights
of Muslims, notably the Palestinian people, end its activities in the Middle
East in support of the Zionist regime (Israel) and return the sums it owes to
Iran, so that we can see some goodwill," the official said. Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi said Monday a lack of equality and mutual respect was
preventing formal talks despite increased cultural and sports contacts
between the two states. The United States has accused Tehran of backing
terrorism in its opposition to the Middle East peace process and has
imposed trade sanctions on Iran. Iran condemns the peace process as a
sellout of Palestinian and Islamic rights but denies backing attacks by
Islamic militant groups to derail it.

Call to end Orthodox hold on 'Who is a Jew'

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: Ha'aretz

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- Justice Minister Yossi Beilin wants Orthodox Jewry to
relinquish the right to determine who is a Jew, he announced yesterday at a
meeting of the Knesset's Immigration and Absorption Committee. During the
meeting, which focused on amending the Law of Return, Beilin stated that it
was "impossible that a new immigrant's designation as a Jew be dependent
only on the [decision of the] Rabbinate." He added that "those interested in
conversion must also be allowed to undergo a conversion that is secular in
nature. In my opinion, every stream [of Judaism] should construct its own
genealogies and observe its own rules without being dictated to by others."
Editor's note: Scripture tells us that this is not what God says: These are the
statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully observe in the land in
which the LORD the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long
as you live on the earth...You shall not do at all what we are doing here
today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes, for you have not
yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the LORD your God
is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around
you so that you live in security. Deuteronomy 12: 1,8. The way of a fool is
right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel. Every
man's way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.
Proverbs 12:15, 21:2

Yesha Council leader says communities will stop paying for security

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- Benny Kashriel the executive-director of the Council of
Jewish Settlements of Judea, Samaria and Gaza, said if the government
continues with its planned 40 percent cut in the security budget of Yesha
communities, leading Yesha communities would cease paying the bill for
security services. He also said that monies would be paid to residents of the
communities who will be compelled to do guard duty themselves in light of
the budget cutbacks. MK Shaul Yahalom of the National Religious Party
stated the proposed cuts in the security budget for Yesha communities
would leave residents of those areas in a compromised position. He
explained the “Barak” system, which deploys a GPS (Global Positioning
Satellite) via two-way communications in cars of area residents, enables
dispatches to locate a car in case of an emergency. This system said has
become a crutch for motorists, providing them with the means to call for
assistance at any time, anywhere in Yesha. Responding to Yahalom´s
remarks was Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh who rejected
Yahalom´s remarks. He said that the cuts are part of the overall NIS one
billion being trimmed from the defense budget, including less flying training
hours for combat pilots and a great deal more – rejecting allegations that
cuts were aimed specifically at Yesha communities and residents.

Shas ministers oppose giving away Abu Dis to PA

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- Minister of Labor & Social Affairs Eli Yishai, who heads
the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, stated on Monday that his party opposes
giving away Abu Dis to the PA in the next land withdrawal which was to have
taken place on January 20. He told Barak that handing over Abu Dis at this
point in the negotiations with the PA would compromise Israel´s position vis-
à-vis its sovereignty over Jerusalem and the future status of the capital in the
final status negotiations.

Barak sends assurances to the PA

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- Wishing to send a clear message of assurance to the
PA, Barak on Monday stated that talks would resume on numerous levels in
order to expedite reaching agreements on outstanding issues. Barak stated
he intended to bring a peace agreement on both fronts and one would not
advance at the expense of the other. During his recent visit to the US, Arafat
called upon the Clinton administration to pressure Israel into sticking to
deadlines set at the negotiating table. Israel has already indicated that the
February 13 deadline agreed to by both sides would not provide enough time
to reach the framework agreement for the final status talks as hoped. The
last meeting between negotiators broke up when Israel rejected PA requests
for the right of return for refugees. Chief negotiator Oded Eran stated on
Monday the it appeared most unlikely that the February 13 deadline would
be met considering the outstanding issues.

Syrian ‘experts´ are not dispatched to Washington

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- Once again Syrian officials have shunned US efforts to
advance the stalled peace negotiations between Israel and Syria, failing to
send two ‘experts´ to Washington in compliance with a White House
request. Both Israel and Syria agreed to a Syrian demand to send a pair of
experts to begin hammering out the key issues on a lower political level,
hoping to jumpstart the stalled talks. The Israeli delegation leaves Israel on
Tuesday for Washington.

Syria sharply criticizes Israel over written guarantee

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- The Syrian media on Monday lashed out at Israeli leaders
for falling short of issuing a written guarantee concerning a total withdrawal
from the Golan Heights. Syria has called upon Israel to issue a guarantee in
writing to the US in order for the talks to resume between the two countries.
Barak has stated that Israel would only issue written guarantees following
peace negotiations and those guarantees would reflect agreements reached
at the bargaining table. Israel is also remaining firm that it is unprepared to
resume talks on the issue of borders and is insisting the schedule be
followed which calls for first dealing with water and security issues.

Charges against Israel's President Weizman won't be pursued

Weekend News Today
By Andra Brack
Source: IsraelWire

Tue Jan 25,2000 -- Police Chief Yehuda Wilk has indicated that allegations
concerning bribery charges against President Ezer Weizman are not being
pursued at this time. Journalist Yoav Yitzhak alleged that businessman
David Blass bribed the president not to join the coalition government, paving
the way for Shimon Peres to establish a national unity government in which
he and Yitzhak Shamir served as prime ministers. According to Yitzhak,
following the 1984 national elections, Mr. Weizman received a $3.5 million
loan in exchange for agreeing not to join the newly forming government.

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