■

•••1 NEWS

Israeli Soldiers
Make Protest

Jerusalem (JTA) — Six-
teen Israeli soldiers who had
just returned from nine
months of duty in the Gaza
Strip, walked off the job last
week to protest their
grievances and were
declared absent without
leave.
The men, who voluntarily
returned to their base for a
disciplinary hearing, were
sentenced by a panel of offi-
cers to between 25 and 28
days in the stockade.
But their action received
wide attention in the news
media. The men had been in
Rafah, at the southern edge
of the Gaza Strip, where
some of the worst rioting of
the past year occurred last
week.
All are veteran soldiers,
reportedly with good service
records, who belong to a
company formed especially
to serve in the administered
territories.
They complained that
despite their training and
skills, they had to perform
many routine camp duties in
addition to their day and
night operational patrols.
They told reporters that
after trying without success
to have senior officers hear
their grievances, they decid-
ed to go AWOL. They re-
portedly expressed regret to
their brigade commander
before the hearings.
But the men may have
made their point. An army
spokesman said that a senior
officer would take "a closer
look" at "all aspects of the
affair."

THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND
90TH ANNIVERSARY MISSION
MAY 17-26, 1992

$1992 per person from NY

"90 YEARS IN 9 DAYS"

Festive opening ceremonies in the Old City, including
greetings from President Chaim Herzog and a sound &
light extravaganza.

Air show by Israel's top fighter pilots.

JNF parade and tribute in Kiryat Shimona.

Follow the route taken by Israel's freedom fighters when
they lifted the 1948 siege of Jerusalem.

Historic tour of Jerusalem Corridor.

China To Give
Rocket To Israel

Tel Aviv (JTA) — China is
prepared to provide a rocket
to launch an Israeli-built
space satellite, the deputy
head of the Chinese military
industries said during a visit
here.
He leads a high-level dele-
gation sent from Beijing to
sign a commercial and econ-
omic agreement with Israel.
The delegation, which in-.
cludes senior officials of
China's Ministry of National
Planning, has had several
meetings with local in-
dustrialists and leaders of
the Israeli Chamber of
Commerce.
They were reported to be
interested in Israeli ad-
vances in agricultural ir-
rigation, especially in the
Mekorot Water Company's
purification plant in Eilat.

Meet Russian and Ethiopian olim in Beersheva.

Symphonic concert at Kibbutz Sde Boker, home of
Ben-Gurion.

A unique opportunity to meet and interact with JNF
supporters from 45 countries.

Special closing ceremonies with
Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir.

cleyi

"90 YEARS IN 9 DAYS"

IEWSH
MEOW
FUI1D

DON'T WAIT ANOTHER 90 YEARS — SEIZE THE DAYS WHILE YOU CAN!
CALL 1-800.223-RSVP OR CALL (313) 557-6644 TODAY!

Funds contributed to the Jewish National Fund of America are used only for projects within the Green Line.

