This Week

PLEASE

News Digest

Sunday, April

Mel Gibson's Dad
Troubles Jews

New York/JTA — The father of movie
star Mel Gibson minimized the
Holocaust and denied that the Al
Qaida terrorist network was behind
the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and
Washington.
In a New York Times Magazine arti-
cle about the actor's upcoming movie
on the crucifixion of Jesus, Hutton
Gibson denied that 6 million Jews
were killed in the Holocaust, describ-
ing it as logistically impossible.
"To bigots and anti-Semites, no
amount of evidence or scientific proof
is ever enough," said Rabbi Marvin
Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center
in Los Angeles. "In their world, only
hate matters."
Meanwhile, Mel Gibson told Fox
News that his film The Passion is "meant
to just tell the truth" about "why Christ
came, why he was crucified."
The Gibsons belong to a strict
Catholic group that believes the
Vatican erred in 1965 in issuing the
Nostra Aetate, which said the Romans,
and not the Jews, killed Jesus.

honoring

Morton Klein

Recipient of the
National Zionist Leadership Award

Palestinian OK
Impresses Powell

Washington/JTA — Secretary of State
Colin Powell said he is "impressed"
with the Palestinian legislature's
approval of a prime minister.
Speaking to reporters, Powell said
the Palestinian legislative council is
starting to make clear that "they wish
the prime minister to have authority."
Powell said he expects Palestinian
Authority leader Yasser Arafat to offi-
cially name a prime minister in the
next week, and that the "road map"
for Israeli-Palestinian peace would be
presented after the prime minister,
expected to be longtime Arafat deputy
Mahmoud Abbas, is confirmed.

.

Michael Zuroff

Recipient of the Alumnus of the Year Award

5 pm Strolling Dinner

Ambassador Hotel
16400 J.L. Hudson Drive
Southfield

3/21

2003

1 0

For more information or to place an ad in the journal
please call Akiva Hebrew Day School 248-386-1625.

697450

for the Palestinians."
Years ago, Haider praised Hitler's
employment policies and members of
the Nazi SS, though he has repeatedly
apologized for the remarks. He has
stepped down as head of Austria's
xenophobic Freedom Party, although
he is still believed to call the party's
shots.

Jerusalem Arabs Sell
Masks To Palestinians

Jerusalem/JTA —Arabs in Jerusalem
reportedly are selling their gas masks
to Palestinians on the West Bank.
The residents of eastern Jerusalem,
who are entitled to get masks like all
Israeli citizens, have been selling
them to Palestinians from Ramallah
and Bethlehem for between $100 to
$500, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Jerusalem is not considered a likely
target for a possible Iraqi missile
attack. Meanwhile, the Palestinian
Authority has not taken steps to dis-
tribute gas masks to residents,
though recent reports said special
sealed rooms have been set up by
local municipalities in most West
Bank cities.

Increased Reserve
Duty Canceled

Jerusalem/JTA — Israel's army chief
froze an initiative to extend the
amount of annual reserve duty.
Citing budgetary constraints, Lt.
Gen. Moshe Ya'alon called on Knesset
members to suspend legislative action
on a bill that would extend the annual
service from 33 to 43 days.
The initiative to extend reserve duty
prompted an outcry from reservists
serving in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. In the wake of Ya'alon's move,
reservist groups suspended a demon-
stration planned for outside the presi-
dential residence in Jerusalem.

Austria's Haider
Praises Saddam

Russian Jewish
Radio Launched

Vienna/JTA — An Austrian far-right
leader praised Saddam Hussein.
Jorg Haider said the Iraqi dictator is
"well educated" and is "open to differ-
ent arguments." Haider, who met
Saddam last year, said at a news con-
ference promoting his new book that
Saddam "explained the dangers Israel
poses for the Arab world, especially

Moscow/JTA — A new Jewish radio
show was launched from a former
Soviet Jewish autonomous republic.
The Freid religious congregation in
the city of Birobidzhan initiated the
new show, "Shalom," which will cover
local, national and world Jewish life
and news. The area in the Russian Far
East, which became a destination for