=jplt20
   
A BENCHMARK FOR CYA STATESMANSHIP:

Ref:  JP 7 July '04 (Katz)
A new benchmark for CYA statesmanship was reportedly (JP 7 Jul
'04) lately set by Internal Security Minister Hanegbi's
announcement, based not on intelligence but only on "an assessment
of the tense atmosphere", that "the next political assassination
is already being planned." (quoting Katz).
The recent media flap about "right-wing extremism", apparently
ungrounded in any recent news, reminds one of the USA 1950's anti-
Communist witchhunt.
One fears that this strawman_with_a_dumdum may be be invoked to
justify further undemocratic manouvering to expel Jewish residents
from territory occupied after the counteroffensive of the 1967
War.                                   
Like Rabin a decade ago, Sharon seems to be sailing as close to
the wind as possible.   

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11 Jul '04 (Sent JP; Printed 13? July)

Israel should place in escrow all funds claimed by the PLO,
pending suits by victims of terror attacks perpetrated by groups
associated with the PLO.

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15 Jul '04 (Sent JP)

The Attorney-General should immediately block the transfer of
funds from donor states to the PLO, until adequate safeguards are
in place to ensure that those funds are not diverted for illegal
purposes (eg killing and maiming Israelis).

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Notes on the French "preventitive detention" for 48 hours of a 23
year old moter who claimed she was attacked on a suburban train hy
anti-Semitic teenagers.

A note to the JP suggested that Israel temporarily remove one of
the four pillars of the Eifel Tower, and then complain to the
United Nations General Assembly.

A note to the IHT suggested that the French authorities were
themselves acting like neo-Nazi's.                              

Reportedly, the woman did withdraw her charge.  That does not
prove that it was a false charge; complaints to the police are
often withdrawn in response to threats  from those associated with
the accused.  Reportedly the woman also stated that the charge was
fabricated.  It is not clear how freely she made such a statement,
nor whether there was any police pressure involved.  That no
witnesses had come forward in the several days following publicity
of the the charge, is not necessarily evidence that the charge was
fabricated; it could as well be evidence that the perpetrators
were recognized and perceived by the witnesses as a threat. 
Moreover, standing law makes it a crime to fail to come to the
assistance of the victim of a crime; immunity from such liability
for persons who came forward as witnesses was only belatedly
announced.
In any event, even if the charge was a hoax -- and as reported, it
seems to be surprisingly detailed for a hoax -- there is no
apparent justification for jailing the complainant, much less for
jailing the young mother of an infant.  Having disavowed the
charge, she was not likely to run around suborning witnesses; nor
is there any indication that she had the funds, organization, and
know-how to do so.                              

  That the woman had previously filed charges not subsequently
substantiated may be legally irrelevant; nor is it necessarily
evidence of a sustained attempt to fabricate such charges; nor is
there any apparent motivation for an individual (nor group nor
nation) to fabricate such charges (although the twisted minds of
anti-Semites have alleged that Jews may allege attacks on
themselves to gain sympathy in public opinion -- and indeed, this
seems to be one of main PR devices of the 'Palestinian' movement;
making it a noteworthy instance of projecting one's own sins on a
perceived 'Other'.) 

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With his exponentially more paniced attempts to forestall
indictment, from a politically and intellectually corrupt
Attorney-General, for the relatively minor sin of accepting
attempted bribes from a businessman, Sharon is making rather a
shabby end of what had been regarded as one of the most
distinguished careers in military Zionism. 
     It seems reasonable to say that Sharon has betrayed the
campaign position upon which he was elected, betrayed the
traditional platform of the party from which he was elected, and
has arguably placed the interests of the USA ahead of the
interests of Israel.

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