December 2005
Dear friends and colleagues,
This has been a painful and
fascinating month. The Likud is stabilized after the election of Bibi Netanyahu
to leadership. Among certain parts of the public, Bibi has not lost his charm.
He is fighting with Labour for the position of the second largest party in the
house. "Kadima" goes kadima (forward), from strength to strength,
despite
Attack on Netanya, Peres, Peretz, Sharon,
Mofaz, Yossi Sarid, Dying Patient Bill, Haifa Conference, European
Journalism Fellowships in Berlin, Freedom
in the World 2006, Sharas, New Books
Attack on Netanya
On December 5, 2005 at least
five people were killed and more than 50 others were wounded, including four
seriously, when a suicide bomber blew himself up around 11:30 A.M. at the
entrance to Hasharon shopping mall in Netanya. He tried to enter the mall but
luckily was spotted by passersby after he raised their suspicions. Two
policemen at the scene pulled out their guns and ordered him to halt and to
take his hands out of his pockets. At that stage, he blew himself up. One of
the security guards was killed and the the policemen were wounded.
Islamic Jihad took responsibility for the attack. The group later identified
the attacker as 21-year-old Lutfi Amin Abu Salem, from the
The group has perpetrated all four previous suicide bombings carried out since
a joint cease-fire declaration last February. It has said it reserves the right
to retaliate for any perceived Israeli violations.
In a statement released by his office, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud
Abbas condemned the attack, and vowed to punish those responsible.
The attack was the first suicide bombing in
On the same day that the suicide bombing took
place in Netanya, several sources
reported that PA President Mahmoud Abbas had signed a law that will give
regular stipends of at least $250/month to families of “martyrs,” which
includes suicide bombers.
The allocations will be paid from the budget of the Palestinian
Authority via the Martyrs’ Families and Injured Care Establishment, which is
directly responsible to the PA Social Welfare Department. Some of this money comes from international
donations.
Source: first
edition of "Inside the PA," a weekly on-line publication
Peres
On November 30, 2005 Shimon
Peres announced he was ending his political activity in the Labour Party and
would support Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the upcoming March elections.
Peres stated that
"I held talks with him [Sharon] and I am convinced that he is determined
to continue the peace process. I was informed that he is open to creative ideas
to attain peace and security. I have decided to support him in the elections
and to cooperate with him in attaining these goals."
"This is a difficult day for me in which I ask myself: What is the central
issue standing before the state of
"It was not easy but I made the choice and decided," Peres, 82, said
on his decision to leave the party he has been a member of for 46 years.
This step was hardly surprising. Peres feels he has a lot to contribute to the
nation. He cannot retire. He needs the constant activity, and does not know any
other way of life. Politics is everything for him, the only profession he ever
had. He symbolizes the politician-as-profession paradigm. Hence, when Amir
Peretz offered him the party presidency, and to close the party list for the
Knesset, in the 120th place, Peres felt as if someone wishes to close a chapter
that for him is still viable. This chapter lasted all his life. Peretz wanted
to end his active, professional life, when he was not yet ready. Peres opted
for an assured second place, and a promise to be a significant minister if
Labour is part of the next coalition government. Peretz refused, while
A few days before he took the
decision, I faxed Shimon a personal letter, urging him to join
Peres, in a personal letter,
answered that my "warm words that came from the heart" penetrated his
heart, and that he did what was necessary to do. Indeed, "it was difficult
to reach the decision to leave the party in which I acted for decades".
However, in the final analysis, the result matters and "I support
Reminder: this was not the
first time he has left Labour. When his mentor David Ben-Gurion left Mapai to
establish Rafi, Peres went along with him. Later he returned. Now, apparently,
he has left for good. He left for partisan interests, to continue kicking. In
his heart, he will always remain Labour. I think all leaders of the party,
present and future, know this and will cherish his contribution as long as
Labour exists.
Peretz
Amir Peretz might regret his
insulting proposals to Peres. Peres is an electoral force. Never a winner, but
he does have followers, and he does enjoy the appreciation of many circles
within the Israeli public. He could certainly have helped Labour to compete
against "Kadima". I hope Peretz’s campaigning behaviour which advances
mainly his own people will not lead to the ousting of other gifted people.
The negative media of Peretz'
brutal moves against members of his own party had an immediate effect on the
public. Polls published by Maariv
on November 7, 2005 showed that Labour lost four mandates in ten days,
from 28 seats to 24 seats. On November 23, the polls said that Labour's popular
support will now send only 19 MKs to the house.
Amir Peretz lacks charisma and
alienates certain sectors. It seems that he is especially weak among the
elderly Ashkenazi voters who cannot connect to his character and appearance.
Many people simply do not appreciate his leadership abilities. If
Some generals prefer the
company of maps to the company of their soldiers. I use to think this of
On Sunday, December 18, 2005, Prime Minister Sharon was
rushed to the medical center's trauma unit Sunday evening after suffering a
minor stroke and briefly losing consciousness. Dr. Yuval Weiss, deputy manager of the
Last February the prime minister underwent treatment at the
Mofaz
When Mofaz saw that his chances to win the Likud
leadership were slim, according to the polls, on December 11, 2005 the Defense
Minister quit the Likud and joined
The reward is attractive: Mofaz received a pledge that he will
continue to serve in the defense post in the next government as well, should
To recall: Mofaz had
turned down a request by Sharon to join him only a few weeks ago, when the
prime minister quit the party, bringing with him a number of senior Likud
figures. Opportunism rules supreme in Israeli politics.
The defection of Mofaz follows the surprise announcement last week of the
decision by then-acting Likud chairman and Likud Central Committee chair Tzachi
Hanegbi to move to "Kadima". Hanegbi is involved in a few corruption
affairs but still is considered a desirable asset to
Mofaz's dramatic announcement drew reaction from all across the political
spectrum. Likud primary candidate Yisrael Katz said Mofaz gave in to polls, and
that he found it strange how a man who had criticized Sharon and "Kadima"'s
foreseeable policies, decides to join a rival party. "I personally regret
this," Katz said. "It is amazing to see how one poll in a weekend
paper causes all the plans to change. We live in a reality where the polls and
the public are more crucial from positions." He maintained: Mofaz has
shown himself to be "a politician with no principles, who calculates where
his situation will be better."
Mofaz apparently did not
believe the Likud will be able to collect itself and resume the leadership role
it had in Israeli politics. He thought the Likud will not survive
Yossi Sarid
After forty years in politics,
and thirty two years in the Knesset, Yossi Sarid announced that he closed the
political chapter in his life. He is going home. In 1984, when Labour decided
to join the coalition government with the Likud under Yitzhak Shamir, Sarid
left the party, fully aware of the price that he was paying. If he had any
aspirations to become prime minister, he knew that he gave them up when he left
Labour to join a leftist, small party, Ratz (the Civil Rights Party). For
similar reasons, on the same day that Yossi left for Ratz, I left Labour to
join Mapam, the socialist party. I was always against coalition governments
that put Labour and Likud together, thinking that democracy needs a strong
opposition to the same extent that it needs a strong government, even more so
as the corruption level in
At a later point, Mapam and
Ratz joined together and Meretz was established. Sarid became the leader,
succeeding Shulamit Aloni, and he served as the party's leader until the last
elections. Sarid was one of the most clever MKs in the history of the country.
He always tried to be true to his conscience. He voiced unpopular views when he
believed in them. He was willing to pay a high price for his convictions. He
never saw politics as a beauty salon, and I assume that Niccolo
Machiavelli 's Prince was never
his idol. Politics was for him a means to an end, never an end in itself.
Hypocrisy he dreaded while cynicism he adopted as a defence mechanism. Yossi
was, still is, a great orator, a learned person, who kept his hands clean, and
his heart true to his values. I will miss him.
Sarid plans to teach and to
write books. I wrote him that I await reading what he has to say. Yossi owes me
one chapter…
Dying Patient Bill
On December 6, 2005 The Dying Patient Bill was approved by the
Knesset after a long and tiring legislation process. Some 60 people took part
in drafting the law (2000-2002). Then several legislative committees within the
government’s pertinent offices, and Knesset committees, debated every section
of this detailed law for a further three years. This in order to ensure the law
is in line with Jewish Law, and that it balances two principles: The sanctity
of life and honoring a person's will. The process that started in 2000 came to
an end this month, after more than five years of work.
The law applies only to patients who have specifically
expressed a wish to end their lives, or to those whose illness causes suffering
and pain.
It stipulates that a dying patient is a person who suffers
from an incurable illness and who has no more than six months to live, or a
person whose vital systems have ceased functioning and that physicians estimate
has less than two weeks to live.
The bill goes on to specify the means to guarantee that
patients have explicitly wished to die. In instances where no instructions have
been left, a guardian or a person close to the patient will be allowed to make
a statement regarding her or his will.
The law further stipulates that minors under the age of 17
will be represented by their parents on the issue of ceasing treatment. If a
conflict between the parents and the physician arises, a committee will rule on
the matter.
This is definitely a very important
legislative step in the right direction. I should note I was the only person
among the 60 Committee members who advocated physician-assisted suicide. My
reservation and proposal for PAS appears in the minority addition to the draft
law. Yet it is satisfying to see years of work translated into a law. It is a
very comprehensive law, and it reflects the consensus in
The law will come into effect in a year's time, and the
Ministry of Health and hospitals will begin preparations for its application.
Health Minister Danny Naveh described the passing of the law
as a historic moment, saying: "This is one of the most important laws
passed by the Knesset. It represents major moral values for the terminally ill
and their families."
Professor Avraham
The Conference Freedom of Speech In Light of Prime Minister Sharon's Disengagement
Plan (Gaza First Plan) that was
held at the
http://www.nfc.co.il/archive/001-D-88990-00.html?tag=17-34-44
http://www.nfc.co.il/bringHtmlDoc.asp?strFrom=hp&docid=13382&subjectId=3
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European
Journalism Fellowships in
Journalists from across Europe and the
Junior-Fellowships for
journalists from Central and
Standard-Fellowships endowed
with a monthly stipend of between 1,100 and 1,500 Euros - depending on the
level of professional experience (at least 5 years) - for the
duration of ten months. One of the stipends is specifically dedicated to a
journalist from Central and
Abgeordnetenhaus of
One outstanding journalist from one of the
former Allied Nations of the Second World War (CIS-States, France, Great
Britain, USA) may be awarded an extraordinary scholarship from the
Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin (Berlin State Parliament) Foundation (a monthly
stipend of 1,300 Euros). Applicants for
this scholarship must meet the requirements for the European Journalism
Fellowships and, in addition, must submit a review of their research proposal by an expert scientist or
professor. Please note that the closing date for application for this
scholarship will be January 20, 2006.
The European Journalism Fellowships of the Journalisten-Kolleg at the Free University of Berlin has
established itself as an important institution for journalists at the European
level. For the future of European integration, especially the convergence of
Eastern and
Since 1999, 76 journalists from 27 nations have benefited from the
opportunity to spend a sabbatical year of research in
Renowned media enterprises and foundations are funding the programme, in
cooperation with the Freie Universitaet
Berlin. Current sponsors include the FAZIT-Foundation (Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung), the Haniel-Foundation and the Foundation Presse-Haus NRZ,
as well as four major political foundations: the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation,
the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation, the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, and the
Heinrich-Böll-Foundation,.
The closing deadline for applications is January 31, 2006.
For more detailed information and application forms please contact:
Internet: www.ejf.fu-berlin.de
Journalisten-Kolleg
Otto-von-Simson-Str. 3
D -
14195
Freedom in the World 2006
Freedom in the World 2006, an annual global survey of political rights and
civil liberties in more than 190 countries
worldwide, was released December 19, 2005, by Freedom
House (www.freedomhouse.org), an independent,
nongovernmental organization that promotes political and civil liberties,
religious freedom, and democracy through advocacy, training, and research.
Freedom in the World survey is widely used and cited by
journalists, activists, government officials, and scholars. The results of this year’s survey are summarized in a
fourteen-page report containing graphs, charts, and tables showing the current
state of political freedom plus global trends. The heart of the report is its
annual listing of independent countries with numerical scores for their
political rights and civil liberties, plus a Freedom House rating of each
country as Free, Partly Free, or Not Free. Visit www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2006/Charts2006.pdf)
for the document.
Also available (at www.freedomhouse.org/research/freeworld/2006/essay2006.pdf)
is an eleven-page essay by Arch Puddington, director
of research at Freedom House, summarizing the most important findings of this
year’s survey; plus an accompanying press release (www.freedomhouse.org/media/pressrel/122005.htm).
Among the positive
developments emerging from the new survey was
a measurable improvement in the extent of freedom
in several key Arab countries (such as
The report found that twenty-seven countries and one territory showed gains,
making this year one of the most successful for freedom since Freedom House
began measuring it in 1972. According to the report, there are now eighty-nine Free
countries, fifty-eight Partly Free countries,
and forty-five Not Free countries.
Freedom House will also publish
Freedom in the World
I thank Tom Skladony for this
valuable information.
Sharas
We miss you!!
New Books
Valerie Alia and Simone Bull, MEDIA AND ETHNIC MINORITIES (
Cecilia von Feilitzen (ed.), Young People, Soap Operas and Reality TV. Yearbook 2004 Nordicom, 2004, 255 p. - ISBN
91-89471-28-8, (Yearbooks) - ISSN 1403-4700
I urge you to purchase the books.
With my very best wishes for a
beautiful festive season, and Happy 2006!!
Rafi