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Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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Syria sanctions extended
President Bush signed a bill that extends sanctions already in place against Iran to Syria as well.
The Iran Nonproliferation Amendments Act of 2005, signed Tuesday, significantly toughens existing law by enabling sanctions against third parties or countries that deal with Syria.
Currently, sanctions are limited to direct U.S.-Syria trade. Bush may choose to suspend the provisions of the bill for now, but his administration has suggested in recent weeks that sanctions may be toughened because of Syria’s failure to cooperate with a U.N. investigation into the murder of a former Lebanese prime minister; its alleged support for Iraqi insurgents and its failure to shut down the Damascus offices of Palestinian terrorist groups.
U.S. favors Europe-Russia plan on Iran
The United States favors a plan that would allow Iran to use uranium enriched in a third country. The point is “to get Iran back to the negotiating table, to come to an agreement whereby they are able to develop peaceful nuclear energy,” U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday, as long as “Iran would not have access to those critical nuclear fuel cycle activities, i.e., enrichment or reprocessing, on their territory.” Israel sees a nuclear Iran, whose president recently called for Israel’s destruction, as an existential threat. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, meets later this week to consider whether to ask the Security Council, which could impose sanctions, to discuss Iran’s refusal to allow inspectors full access to its nuclear facilities. The United States and Israel favor a Security Council referral, as did the European Union until recent weeks, when it backed a proposal to have Russia enrich the uranium, but not to a level that could be used in a nuclear bomb. Congressional Republicans oppose the plan, saying Russia is not trustworthy.
AIPAC seeks Iran sanctions
The pro-Israel lobby called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to refer Iran to the United Nations Security Council for pursuing nuclear weapons. “It will be very disappointing if the IAEA fails this week to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council,” the American Israel Public Affairs Committee said in a statement Wednesday.
Iran was found to be in non-compliance with the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in September, and the IAEA is meeting this week to debate sending the country to the Security Council for sanctions. “With time running out, the international community must work tirelessly to ensure that Iran is not allowed to develop the capability to produce nuclear weapons or acquire such a capability from others,” AIPAC said. “The time for Security Council action is now.”
The organization also expressed concerns about a Russian proposal that would allow Iran to continue making precursors to bomb-quality uranium.
Protest for Pollard
Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated for the release of Jonathan Pollard. Linked by handcuffs, the protestors formed a human chain Wednesday between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s residence and the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem.
The rally was called to mark 20 years since Pollard, a U.S. Navy analyst, was arrested for spying on behalf of Israel.
Supporters say successive Israeli governments have not done enough to win his release from U.S. jail, where he is serving a life sentence.
Sharons seen as corrupt
Israelis consider Ariel Sharon and his son to be among the most corrupt elected officials in the country, a poll found.
According to the study conducted for an economic conference in the southern town of Sderot this week, Israelis named the prime minister as the fifth-most corrupt Cabinet member, and his son Omri Sharon as the most corrupt lawmaker. Topping both lists were members of the ruling Likud Party. By contrast, Israelis named the Labor Party’s Isaac Herzog as the least corrupt Cabinet member and Shinui Party chief Yosef Lapid as the least corrupt lawmaker. Omri Sharon recently pleaded guilty to illicitly financing his father’s 1999 run for the Likud leadership. While related charges have been dropped against the prime minister, many Israelis consider him tainted.
Campuses team up against terror
Israeli and American universities plan to cooperate on national-security issues. Under the deal announced Wednesday, the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya and Syracuse University in New York will develop joint study and research programs in counter-terrorism and homeland security. There also will be exchange programs for undergraduate students and reciprocal visits of researchers and lecturers. Special executive education programs are also in the planning stages for senior officers in the security forces and for researchers from around the world.
http://jta.org
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