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>r 17, 1991 Cheshvan 9, 5752
islralion No. 1683 - Postage Paid at Toronto
650
(6ie + 4« G.S.T.)
JERUSALEM (JTA) -
A provocative move by Jewish settlers that could upset the Middle East peace process has opened a rift between the Likud leadership and some of its far-right coalition partners.
About 40 Jewish families occupied five houses in the Arab village of Sil-wan within the environs of Jerusalem last week. All but one of the houses was vacated by late Wednesday afternoon,.after prolonged negotiations with the police.
The siettlers claim the houses were la\yfuUy acquired. State Attorney Yosef Hafish was assigned the task of deciding if their claim is valid.
The clandestine move occurred four days before U.S. Secretary of State James Baker was due in the region for another attempt to wrap up a Middle East peace conference.
But far-right Knesset members, who make no secret of their hope to sabotage peace talks, descended on the scene to encourage and support the settlers.
Police demanded that the settlers leave because of the delicate security situatipn. They were apparently acting _ under orders from Police Minister Ronni Milp,-with the approval of Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.
Silwan, ia centre of intifada activi-
ty, has been under curfew since Monday to forestall possible disturbances on the first anniversary of the Temple MoUrit riots on-Oct. 8, 1990.
Local residents warned that a violent reaction was inevitable if Jews remained at the site.
The village stayed quiet, even though police prevented Arab fami-
lies from reclaiming the vacated houses. But riots broke out Wednesday in other Arab parts of Jerusalem. Roadblocks were set up and activists with loudspeakers urged the populace to protest the new settlement at Silwan.
Although Likud leaders are strong advocates of Jewish setdement everywhere in the biblical Land of Israel,
Shamir said the Silwan settlers acted illegally.
Yossi Ahimeir, the prime minister's chief of staff, pointed out that unlike the West Bank, Jerusalem is not subject to future negotiations and there is no need for such demon-, strative acts. , '
"No one can do such things behind the government's back," declared Foreign Minister David Levy.
And Deputy Defence Minister Ovadia Eli. said the settlers acted "like thieves in the night."
Justice Minister Dan Meridor, a Likud moderate, was also critical.
Spokespersons for the left-wing opposition parties called the settlement a deliberate effort to jeopardize the .j^e process. --
Although details were scarce, it appears that the houses in Silwan were purchased by the Ateret Cohanim yeshiva in the Old City, with government fiinds. The yeshiva claims the property was owned by Jews more than 60 years ago, before the 1929 Arab uprising in Palestine.,
The government funds reportedly were ftjnneled through the Himnuta real estate company and the Amidar housing company.
[Cont'd, on page 13]
LITTIj: GHAGALLS
^hildlren paint on easels at the ^ual Snkkot open^day atihe Tel Aviv Museum of ArtEilufeatiaii Gentrtf^. The open day, which attracted hundreds of children^ allowed children to paint on the easels provided by the museum. [IPPA photo]
By , : PAUL LUNGEN
TORONTO -
Former Polish presidential candidate ■ Stanislaw Tyminski has drawn the ire of Canadian Jewish organizations and of a past president of the Canadian Polish Congress for his remarks suggesting that a Jewish dprispiracy thwarted his election
B'riai Brith's institute for international affairs, said. "This type of intolerance is'
a manife.statioh of an inadequate understanding of democratic institutions and processes and diverts peoples' attention ) from confronting monumental and urgent, problems facing Poland.
^ UP UP AM) AWAY
Takinj^ part in the first Fl .\1 direct flight from T()ron(t»-to Israel are (front row from.left) Obish Himmel. past president of Beth .ine(h;.Shaloni K\en. foimdir of Shalom K Toursfand \'ehuda Shen, Canadian director of the Israel (Government Tourist Office. In the hack row (from left) are Jackie Kelman, tour leader of llie Temple Sinai group; Kmile .\ufjjanj;, president of Aufj»anji TraiVel; Barney Barenholtz, past president of Beth Emeth: .Ale.\ Serota, president of Beth Sholom Brotherhood; and Harry Turk, past president of Beth Emeth. See story on page 8. [Rough Layout photo]
" A Polish court recently restricted Tyminski's Party X to filing 44candidates for the 460-seat Polish parliament after it found that the party had forged hundreds of signatures on election documents.
Before returning to his home in Toronto, Tyminski responded to the dashing of his elections hopes with a statement to the newspaper Gfl2f/a PV\'^orcza, saying: "1 don't want to be in a Poland which will be turned into a Jewish colony by rigged elctions and that is why I anvleaving."
On his return, he is quoted in the Globe ami Mail as telling a reporter: "I'm not swing it's all Jews who are rigging the e ection. because it's a particular group.
"But you know they have wide connections, in the justice sysem. the legal system, the mass media and so on. . .' Tht^y"-^ are getting a lot of funding fronrabroad, . .Jponv the United States — money, break-;. jjvg the laWand so '}'
Rc-SpoiUling to Tyminski"scomnients. Manuel Pnitschi. director ofconrniunit\ relations for Cariadiun.Jewish Congress.--rsaid "the fellow is a chailaTanlind hc_: should'be treated with disdain. The minimal credibility he had Jeft atier his interventions in tm>"Poli.sh elections has ,; gone ainipletely out the \vindo\v." .
Prof. Aurel Braun.- a spokesman lor
"This is why democratic leaders in Poland have denounced anti-Semitism in the country. . . It is our belief that \: Tyminski does not represent the hew PQland.:>'.^ ; . ■ :
-The-harihest words for Tyminski came from Stan Orlowski, a non-Jew and a past president of the Canadian Polish Congress. Tyminski's statements are "absolutely unsound and preposterous. ._. I tell you it's impossible" that the country's estimated 6,(XX) Jews could influence politics-in that way.
Tyminski's statement "hurt me per-sonally because my philosophy is that un- . less we work together, there will be no peace or benefits to the counir>'."
He said he knows 6f.no connections by Tyminski to the organized Polish community in Canada.
Sol Littman. Canadian representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre., said tyritinski's comments-are "tremendously offensive. . . There's been a suspicion al! alone that Tyminski was coming Irom a radical, rieht-wing anti-Scinitic venuo. . and this is'the proof of it;"::.
Last Peceihber.Tyniiiiski placed se-.cond to Lech Walesa ifnhe race Tor the Polish presfdenc)-. During that campaign^" T\'ininski.. .who emigrated from Poland to . CahaJa in..:i9^9. carried a briefcase in which he claimed were documents that would damage Walesa. Later. he-4}d.mit-. ted he had no such material.