World Digest Wye Period Ends Amid Bickering Jerusalem (JTA) — The period for implementing the Wye agreement ended with Israel and the Palestinian Authority blaming each other for fail- ing to live up to the accord. Under the terms of the agreement, Israel was to have withdrawn from an additional 13 percent of the West Bank by late January in exchange for specific Palestinian steps to improve security. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu froze implementation late last year, charging the self-rule govern- ment with failing to live up to its part of the agreement. OR LESS* Women & Children Shoes and Boots *table shoes only • previous sales excluded • all sales final HRH] Hill Greg Ilrchdrd I* Rd N of Mt* SHOES H51-5566 kst- Ft 7 7 3 the e,100 invites a you to Wei; Everience of ILS I oetilat° "° , d e tsl r /ott 1- 6(1 Isidel P%ogt° 3011e 30- JOY 2 28Day Late Summer OUTDO OR ADVENTUR E July 27- August 2 3 36 Dali DOOR ENTURE July 30" August 4 •Iy) CLASSIC EUROPE & ISRAEL June 30- July 29 ACADEMIC TOU Earn 6 College Credits at Tel Aviv University June 30- July 29 28 Day OUTDOOR ADVENTURE June 30- July 27 EASTERN EUROPE & ISRAEL June 30- July 29 Exclusive Summer '99 Pam• • Bnai B nth Youth Or9anization PrO9MITIS to Europe & Israel 2/5 1999 For Further inFormation, please call: 248-788-0700 or e-mail: mibbyo@juno.com Check out our web site at: www.bbyo-summer.org 2.4 Detroit Jewish News U.S. Asks Arafat To Show Restraint Jerusalem (JTA) — The U.S. State Department called on the Palestinians not to declare statehood or make any other statements on the issue. The call came on the eve of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yassir Arafat's visit to the United States. President Clinton was scheduled to meet with Arafat on Thursday. Poll: U.S. Voters Support State Washington (JTA) — American voters support U.S. recognition of Palestinian statehood by a 2-1 margin, according to a Jan. 28 poll conducted for the Arab American Institute. Among the 1,011 respondents, 54 percent responded yes, 21 percent said no and 24 percent said they were not sure. The poll has a 3 percent margin of error. Arabs Support Terrorism Parley Jerusalem (JTA) — Ministers from the Palestinian Authority and seven Arab coun- tries called for an international confer- ence on terrorism. The ministers made their call after a two-day meeting in Jordan, where they pledged to cooperate in the fight against 0 0 terrorism. The gathering included representatives from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Sudan, Algeria, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. Conversion Bill May Be Revived Jerusalem (JTA) — A member of the Israeli Knesset threatened to push through legislation to give the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate sole con- trol over conversions performed in Israel. The legislation will be brought up for a vote if the High Court of Justice recognizes as Jewish individuals who underwent non-Orthodox conver- sions, said Hanan Porat of the National Religious Party. Porat added that he is considering the move after the court refused his request to post- pone hearing a petition on the issue until after the May elections. The hearing is set for Feb. 23. Security Group Created In Israel Jerusalem (JTA) — Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu created a U.S.-style national security council. The council, which will focus on the threat of non-conventional warfare in the region, will work with Israel's Foreign Ministry, Treasury and exist- ing security agencies. Miss World Rape Trial Begins Jerusalem (JTA) — A trial began in • Israel for a travel agent accused of rap- ing an Israeli woman two months before she won the Miss World beauty pageant. Shlomo Nour, who is charged with kidnapping and raping Linor Abargil in Milan, Italy, in October, reportedly faces a maximum jail sentence of 56 years if convicted. Ronald Lauder, the business- man and philanthropist who is closely tied to Israeli. Prime Minister Binyamin Netayahu, was overwhelmingly elected Wednesday as chairman.of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, America's top Jewish communal leadership position.