HEAR A TML AUDIO REPORT: FREEDOM TO SPEAK OUT IN THE PALESTINIAN MEDIA

ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS DISSECT THE ISRAELI ELECTION FOR THE MEDIA LINE

LISTEN TO THE MONDAY EDITION OF 'THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS HOUR' RADIO PROGRAM IN ITS ENTIRETY

The Media Line Daily News Focus 3 April 2006

1. PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER SLAMS U.S. FOR PUNISHING PALESTINIAN PEOPLE FOR ELECTION RESULT... The Palestinian Authority’s new prime minister on Sunday slammed the United States for severing ties with his government. Isma'il Haniyya charged that the U.S. is punishing the Palestinian people for electing a government of officials tied to Hamas. On Friday, the American government officially banned any contact between the U.S. and any Palestinian government agency controlled by Hamas ? effectively the entire government. The U.S. will, however, continue to maintain contact with P.A Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas and individual Palestinian legislators who are members of ‘Abbas’ Fatah party. Haniyya chided the U.S., saying that his government “was elected in a free and honest election, and according to the democratic principles the American administration is calling for.” He said, “We believe this is a punishment of the Palestinian people because of its democratic choice, and at the same time, it increases the people's suffering.”

2. OLMERT PREMIERSHIP CHALLENGED BY NEW COALITION... Israeli acting premier Ehud Olmert’s vision of sailing into office as Ariel Sharon’s heir-apparent hit another snag on Sunday when the number two Labor Party asked President Moshe Katsav to allow it, rather than Olmert’s Qadima party, to form the next government. Under Israeli law, the president does not have to give the mandate to form the government to the party with the most seats, but to any party he feels can put together a sound coalition to govern. In theory, coalitions are possible through several permutations ? with and without Qadima and Labor sitting together. Labor’s request to form an emergency “socio-economic front” was seconded by the National Union-National Religious Party coalition. But even as the move embitters the atmosphere between Qadima and Labor, which had been seen as natural allies, it is also causing dissent inside the Labor Party among members who reject the maverick move by party head 'Amir Peretz. Labor also lost one of its seats during the final tally, leaving it with 19 against Qadima’s 29.

3. PALESTINIAN MINISTER SAYS 'THERE’S NO ROOM FOR ISRAEL'... One of the Palestinian Authority’s leading ministers told the Chinese news agency Xinhua on Friday that “there is no place for Israel on this land.” Mahmoud A-Zahhar is the newly appointed external relations minister and one of the senior Hamas members heading the new Palestinian government. He told the Chinese agency that Jews are not the problem. He said he can visualize Muslims, Christians and Jews living together under Islamic rule. A-Zahhar reiterated his government’s refusal to negotiate with Israel.

4. ONE-THIRD OF ISRAELI CHILDREN LIVE BELOW POVERTY LINE... One-third of Israel children are poor, according to the 2005 Annual Survey issued by the Bank of Israel. Globes financial newspaper cites report author Noam Zussman’s focus on the positive impact that schools can have by offering quality meals programs. Zussman argues that funding nutritional meals at school is more important than welfare payments to parents because while there is no guarantee the welfare money will be used for food, in-school meals improve the students’ quality of life and scholastic achievements. The report argues for an increased budget allocation for hot lunches in school from the current level of $30 million to $215 million in order to feed all 738,000 poor children instead of the 150,000 who now receive school lunches.

Ms. G. Goldwater
Switzerland, Geneva
iii44@aol.com
Internet Correspondent and Commentator
http://goldwater.mideastreality.com/
Member of "Funding for Peace Coalition" [FPC]
[www.euFunding.org ]
FPC REPORT EXPOSES MASSIVE CONTRADICTIONS IN EUROPEAN AID TO PALESTINIANS http://eufunding.org/FPC2004Report.pdf
Europe Underwrites Palestinian Terror [by "Funding for Peace Coalition" [FPC] ]
http://goldwater.mideastreality.com/2006/feb/22_12.html

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.
--Albert Einstein
To paraphrase one of the greatest moral insights of the Talmud, those who show mercy to the cruel will be cruel to the merciful.

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