|
|
Friday, October 14, 2005
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
|
General attacked at Western Wall
Worshippers at Jerusalem’s Western Wall attacked a top Israeli army official who helped carry out the recent Gaza withdrawal.
Maj. Gen. Elazar Stern, head of the army’s manpower branch, was assaulted Friday night when he came in civilian dress to pray at the wall with his family. Worshippers surrounded Stern, yelling insults and trying to prevent him from reaching the wall. Police officers surrounded Stern as worshippers began throwing stones and other objects at him, Ha’aretz reported.
Stern was not hurt. Police detained one suspect.
Bush extends PLO office
President Bush extended a waiver that allows the PLO office in Washington to remain open.
Bush extended the waiver on Friday for six months, saying it was “important to the national-security interests of the United States.” The Palestine Liberation Organization is banned from operating in the United States under a 1987 anti-terrorism statute, but successive presidents have waived the provision since the early 1990s.
Paper: Israel, Vatican close to deal
Israel and the Vatican reportedly are close to an agreement on church properties in the Holy Land.
The Times of London reported Thursday that the sides were readying the agreement in time for a visit by Israeli President Moshe Katsav to the Vatican next month. The Times reports that Israel will hand over control of the reputed room of Jesus’ last supper, in a building on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
In return, a historic synagogue in Toledo, Spain, which became a church after the Inquisition, will be returned to Jewish use, the newspaper said.
Reporters ask to join AIPAC case
A press advocacy group wants to file an amicus brief in the case against two former staffers of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press on Thursday asked the federal judge considering the case against Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman to allow it to file the amicus brief because of concerns that the statute cited by prosecutors could be used to target journalists. Rosen and Weissman are accused of passing along classified information they received from a Pentagon official.
The prosecution “is part of a broad effort by the Bush Administration’s Justice Department to clamp down on unauthorized disclosures of information that it wants to keep secret,” the Reporters Committee argued. The case “is an indication that federal officials intend to expand the scope of those prosecuted under the law.” The Reporters Committee does not take a stance on whether the case should be dismissed.
The court will hear the case for the amicus brief Oct. 24.
http://jta.org/
posted by Somebody @ 10:30 PM Permanent Link
 
0 Comments:
<< Home
|
| |
