More on hostages
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48 Pages
Thursday, August Id, 1989 Av9, 5749
Second Mail R6gMralk>n • PtMaqi Paid at Ibrbnto
Israeli Diefence Minister Yitzhak Rahio (ioooad from rigl]|> -"^t^nove n Congress offkials
(frbm left) aecutive director Jack SOverstone, executive cpdc^ttee chairman Moshe Ronen and jHiesident Lcs Sdieiningo". Thie CjC delegation met with several high-ranking government officials during a week-'tong'visit. ■ ':' ■ '
Meetings with top officials
PAULLUNGEN
TEL AVIV-
A 4-person delegation from Canadian Jewish Congress concluded a round of talks with top Israeli leaders last week, in which Foreign Minister Moshe Areas critkized Canada for not giving "whole-hearted support" for Israel's peace initiative.
Arcnis told the Congress iq»esentatives he will seek that support and discuss - Canada's position regardV ing Mideast peace moves when he meets External Affairs Minister Joe Clark at the United Nations in September. Canada will chair the UN Security Council this fall.
In a telephone interview fromlel Aviv, CJC President Les Scheininger said the delegation also met with a number of leadirig Palestinians, ' 'where we again indicated our strong support for the peace initiative and how important it is for them to take up the initiative. "They now have a ''window of opportunity' ■ that should not be lost, he said.
Sclidnuiger, akMig with Mosiie Ronen, chatainan of the national executive committee, Goldfe Her-shon, chairman of the Quebec Regkm, and Jack Silverstone, Congress' natkmal exiecutive dfaw-tor, also met with Faisal Husseini, a Palestinian
from the territories who has been mvoived fai talks with Israel over the unity government's election plan. Also at the meeting were Dr. Mamouh El-Aker, Dr. Hanan Mfchafl Ashrawy and Maki.
Scheininger said the Palestinians made it clear their first point was the recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization as Israel's bargaining partner. They also said Aey flavored Paintinian negoti^ors who would be "selected," and
JERUSALEM (JTA) -
Palestinians and Israelis have come under fire for their meetings with one another, underlining the obstacles that await any future negotiations on a more formal basis.
The likud Knesset faction announced kist week that it wo«ild take legislative steps enabling Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir to fire Deputy Prime Minister YofisiBei-Im for his contacts with supporters of the Palestine Liberation Organization, ./v..
In addition to previous contacts with West Bank. Palestinian leaders, Beilin organized a meeting recently between dovish members of the Labor Party and Palestinian leader Faisal Husseini.
Likud charged that beyond such meetings, Beilin is actually serving as Vice-Premier Shimon Peres' envoy tothe PLO.
Faisal Husseini
Also, a Palestinian leader said he would not be intimidated by the death threats he has received from Palestinian radicals who oppose his taking part recently in talks with ■ Shamir.
Graffiti smeared on street walls in Ramallah threaten lawyer Jamil Tar-ifi with death for his contacts with Israeli leaders.
not "elected," which could include Palestinians from outside the territories.
The Palestinians also indicated they wanted to know where die negotiations were leading — in other words, that a Palestinian state would result, Scheininger said. The Congress leaders expressed disappointment with Palestinian "insistence upon setting the results of negotiations in advance of a first step towards such talks," ,:
In other developments, the delegation met with Defence Minister Yitzhak Rabin, but had the meeting interrupted on a number of occasions as he was briefed on developments during the Lebanon hostage crisis. A deadline for the threatened murder Of American hostage Joseph Cicippio passed during the meeting, and Rabin, who headed Israel's "crisis team" appeared ' 'quite weary i'' Scheininger said.
The . minister took a different position on peace proposals than fellow Labor MK, Finance Minister Shhhon Peres, Scheininger said. Peres had indkated he favored the concept erf a selected Arab delegation that cbuM indude ndestinians from outside the territories in preliminary negotiations, wtiile Rabin was "very strong that tlie
TEL AVIV (JPFS) -
With pressure mounting on Israel to release Sheikh Abdel Karim Obeid to avoid more executions of Western hostages by Shiite extremists, the defence establishment is adamant it acted in the only way open to it to secure the return of Israeli soldiers held hostage in Lebanon.
The sole motive behind the abduction of Obeid was to use him as a bargaining chip for the three Israeli soldiers believed held by Hezbollah — Rahamim Alsheikh, Yossi Fink, and Ron Arad.
Three-and-a-half years have passed since Alsheikh and Fink were kidnapped in an ambush in the south Lebanon security zone. Durinjg that time the defence establishment has made every effort to bring about their release through peaceful means. Contacts werd attempted directly,, through thinl parties, and through a varieiy of organizations, including the Red Cross. The aims were minimal.
Before even attempting to negotiate, Israel wanted some confirmation that the missing men were alive and well, some-indication of who it was that was holding them. Neverthe-
less, it is firm Israeli military policy that, in the absence of proof to the contrary, all hostages are considered to be alive.
Last December, Israel's patience ran out. Dipk>-matic channels had been exhausted. Shiite leader Jawad Kasfl Was captured in the hope that he could be used to entke Hezbollah to deal. But the move failed, and he is still being held. Defence Minister Yitzhak Rabin included his name when he proposed a prisoner exchange.
After its failure to lure HezboUah with Kasfi, Israel launched an intensive intelligence-gathering effort to find a target Hez-boilaii could not resist, and to find the means fm-a military unit to reach that target with total surprise.
As in.any military operation, all the risks were weighed. Possible "morning after" scenarios in which hostages were killed were also taken into account. And, as in any military operation, no foreign power was consulted.
Intiiewakeof Obeid's abduction andJnterroga-tion, he has emerged as an even central figure in Hezbollah than nrst
thought. Despite his religious background, he was personally involved in operational aspects of Hezbollah's activities, including the abduction of FmkandAlsheikh.lt was in his house tiiat Col. WU-liam H^ns' abduction was planned.
The Israeli defence establishment is convinced that it has delivered its message clearly, and it intends to stand behind it. It has no new initiatives planned to alter the terms of its offer. It knows it is now involved in a war of nerves, and will use what weapons it has at its disposal as the war progresses.
However, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, in a dispatch from Tel Aviv, reports senior Israeli officials as charging that Israel made a serious error when it publicly acknowledged its responsibility for the capture of Obeid and his two aides.
Israeli newspapers quoted unnamed government officials as saying that the public announcement that Israel was behind Obeid's abduction may have been both responsible for escalating
[Cont'd, on page 14]
[Cont'd. OB page 13] [Cont'd, on page 131
TORONTO-
Mississauga North MPP Steven Offer has-moved from the back benches of the Ontario Legislature to a portfolio that has-tKoyed a minefield for the past two incunU)ents.
Offer, a lawyer, was named Ontario solicitor general in last week's cabinet shakeup of die P«ersbn government.
He follows in the footsteps of Joan Smith, who resigned after revelations she intervened .in a police investigation on behalf of a friend's son, and Ken Keyes, who resigned after police investigated reports of drinking on board an OPPboat
But for the 39-year-old Offer, last Wednesday's af^intment and swearing-in ceremony was a day to savor and his excitenieiit was almost palpable, even over the telephone lines.
"It's a very memorable day for myself and my family," he told The ON.
Offer, who was first elected to the Legislature in 1985 when tiie Liberals briAe a 43-year Tory stranglehold hi Ontario government, has served as parliamentary assisr tant to the attorney general stnce^September 1987. Prior to that, he worked as parliamentary assistant to the minister of consumer and com-; mercial relations . and fihaJKial histitutions frmn 1985-87.
He aim sm^ed as diair-man of the Ontario Advisory Committee on Liquor Regulations.
He was untainted by tiie Patti Starr affav, in wUdr the fooKr Amd
Steven Offer
raiser for the National CouncU of Jewish Women (Toronto Section)^ channelled charitable fimds to politkians' campaigns.
When first elected in 1985, he said, "I only hoped to be able to be success in re|H%senting the people of Mississauga North."
With last week's appointment, his i^enda has expanded and Offer said be will take advantage of the time before the Legislature reccmvenes m October to discuss and get a grip on the key issues facing his ministry.
"I will sit down and listen to the poUce commission, tiie OPP (Ontario Provincial PoUce) and citizens groups" to get an idea regarding tiieu- ''sensitivities" to tiie issues ahead, he said.
AnKmg the bpt issues fKinghhn is implementa-
tion of a new Pirfice Act and discusskm of the role of race relations hi the makeup of the police force.
Circumstances under which polke can conduct chases of fieeing suspects
is another hot item hewiU likely have to address.
Offer^aid he planned to use the time ahead to '♦have offkials brief myself on the issues of concern.
' 'I am htokmg fcn-ward to this challenge and meeting the issues," he said. "I hope and trust (to show) a degree of sensitivity to the police force and the comihumties."
In other cabinet moves. Housing Mmister Cha-viva Hosdt was reiriaced in the controversial portfolio by John Sweeney. Monte Kwinter retained his ministry of industry, trade and technology and ElimHr Cafrian remakis minister of hf afch - PX.