haifa.6

Haifa Fornightly(Editor--Huzefa Mehta) 6th edition 15/1/93 We had decided on going to Jordan but since Reena was worried--we decided on saving that for a later date. We had talked to several students from the Technion for whom going to Jordan and coming back alive was quite a thrill. We still want to visit Patra which is in Jordan and is a city made in stone. We went to several "patel" points in the past fortnight. Notably of them was the Dead Sea(lowest point on land) , Massada(Oldest Synagoge on a hill on the banks of the Dead Sea), and the oldest city in the world(Jericho(Yeriko)) The shores of the Dead Sea are about 1200ft below sea level. The desert animals are quite intriguing(camels, donkeys, sheep..) We found camels in quite a huge herd(about 50ish) on our way to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is similar to the Death Valley in California/Nevada desert and has a lot of concentrated salts(bromine, potash..) Are supposed to be very healthy for the skin. We took dips in the freezing dead sea. Finally we went to Massada, however since it was late(Massada is on top of a hill about 1500ft above the Dead Sea) Since it was late we decided to turn back. Massada is very impressive. It is a fort on top of the hill. It was made by Herod. The Jews fought and took control of the fort. When finally the Romans seiged the fort the fort was burnt and they all commited suicide before the Romans could capture them. It has the oldest synagogue in the world. Lots of encounters with traffic cops this weekend. I got caught by a cop on our way to the Dead Sea. Evidently my tail lights were damaged --since I did not have the insurance papers in the car--Received another ticket and was asked to report at any police in Israel within 5 days. I fixed the lights and one evening last week on my way to the police station to show my papers I had another accident..A crossroad and I had not noticed the stop sign. His tirades were waste since I told him I could not comprehend him. After getting a few people who could converse in "Englit" I let him know that I would give him my licence papers etc..,In the meantime someone had already called the cops. The cop which arrived did not know English and they had only couple of English speaking cops at that hr(8:30 pm). We went to the police station, where first I had to come clean and declare my previous ticket..before they declared me as an absconding person. The cops turned out to be very helpful(The Angrez are good attitude is not only in India!). The cops refused to allow me to sign unnecessary papers which was good. We plan to go to Egypt in the comming weekends and see the great Pyramids of Giza. Reena plans to take her diving class in the weekends, so I could have a permanent dive buddy. We have started playing tennis at the spartan. Intel subsidises half the cost(It costs 15 shekels for a court for about an hour) Enclosing this newsletter --in case you havent read it--See the section on India at the bottom ---------------------------------------------------------------- Attention Israel Line Recipients Tuesday, January 19, 1993 Security Establishment Believes Probability of Israeli Involvement in Current Gulf Crisis is Low Today's HA'ARETZ reports that Israel's defense establishment continues to closely follow the latest developments in Iraq. The current Israeli assessment is that there is a low probability of Iraq involving Israel in the crisis. The IDF's G.H.Q. and Intelligence Branch are conducting internal briefings on a daily basis. At the moment, however, there are no changes in IDF deployment. HA'ARETZ also reports that Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Yitzhak Rabin is receiving constant reports from the security establishment on the matter. Unlike former Defense Minister Moshe Arens who opened a direct phone line with U.S. Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney during the Gulf War, Rabin is receiving reports from the U.S. via the Israeli Embassy in Washington. The newspaper adds that IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ehud Barak returned to Israel yesterday from a ten-day visit to the U.S. During his trip, Barak was briefed by Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell. Barak will be updated this morning on the latest developments in the Gulf and in Israel. Attacks on Iraq Cause Israeli Public to Hurry in Replacing Anti-Gas Protective Kits Today's MA'ARIV reports that the allied sorties against Iraq are having an effect on the Israeli public. The past two days have seen a frenzy at the distribution centers dispensing anti-gas protective kits. Hundreds of residents, some panicky, stood in line to exchange their old kits for new. At a station on Arlozorov and Karinitzi streets in Ramat Gan, there were long lines and -- in recent days -- the number of those wanting to get into the distribution center has reached 1,000 per day. Each center is staffed by nine soldiers working from 9:00 in the morning until midnight. Staff members are saying that it's difficult to withstand the pressure. "Immediately after the attack on Iraq began, the pressure started here," workers at the Ramat Gan center said yesterday. According to the newspaper, the public had, until now, displayed great indifference regarding the replacement of their kits, which were issued during the Gulf War. However, all that is changing due to the rising tensions in the Gulf. Even new immigrants, who arrived in Israel only a few days ago, are hurrying to the centers in order to receive protective kits. Security Guard Wounded in Terrorist Attack Israel Radio, KOL YISRAEL, reports that a security guard was shot in the head this morning near Beit S'hor. The security guard was shot by a terrorist and is reported to be in moderate to severe condition. The attack occurred in a gas station office near Beth S'hor. After one of two terrorists shot the guard, he took aim at a truck driver. But when the trigger of the gun jammed, the driver, along with other people on the scene, pushed the terrorist outside. The terrorists managed to escape, and are thought to have taken the security guard's weapon. Security forces are conducting searches for the two terrorists and have imposed a curfew on Beth S'hor. Gharekhan Arrives in Israel for Another Attempt at Finding a Solution to Hamas and Islamic Jihad Activists Affair Today's YEDIOT AHRONOT reports that U.N. envoy Chinmaya Gharekhan will arrive in Israel today in another attempt to find a solution to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists affair. The newspaper adds that meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross has halted its plans to send a helicopter with medical supplies to the Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists' camp in South Lebanon. The helicopter was also to be used to bring back those who were mistakenly sent from Israel. The plan was halted because of restrictions imposed by the U.N. (the ICRC planned on using a UNIFIL helicopter). According to the newspaper, the ICRC is now looking into possible alternatives. Yesterday's HA'ARETZ reports that Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa travelled to Israel on Sunday and met with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres. According to the paper, Moussa came to discuss several ideas for solving the situation created by the temporary removal of over 400 Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists to South Lebanon. Mission of the African National Congress Marks First Visit to Israel Al HAMISHMAR reports today on the first visit to Israel by a mission of the African National Congress. Members of the Mission met yesterday with Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin and will also meet with Israeli President Chaim Herzog, Minister of Immigrant Absorption Yair Tsaban, Nathan Sharansky and as per their own request, prominent Palestinian Faissal Husseini. The eight member mission is being led by the Vice President of the Young Leadership of the African National Congress. Israel is hoping that the visit will strengthen its relations with South Africa's largest black organization. The mission will also visit Yad Vashem, holy Christian sites, and other attractions in Israel. Israeli-Indian Commercial and Economic Ties Broadened YEDIOT AHRONOT reported last Sunday that India is broadening its commercial and economic ties with Israel. Three representatives of the large multi-national Tata Corporation are visiting Israel to inspect telecommunications, agricultural and bio-technological plants to see whether they would be viable in India. The newspaper adds that the Israel Export Institute will, for the first time, take part next month in an international trade-show in New Delhi for metals and metal industrial equipment. The show, which is held every two years, is considered one of the most important of its kind. In the third quarter of 1992, Israeli exports to India totalled $92 million, compared with $55 million in the same period the year before. Imports from India totalled $56 million, an increase from the $48 million in the same quarter last year. Today's Israel Line was prepared by Gideon Sa'ar, Sharon Eshet and Robert Socolof.