World

DIGEST

Likud Opposes Vote

Jerusalem/JTA — Israel's Likud
Party gave Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon a narrow victory by
voting to oppose early party pri-
maries. The motion to bring the
party primaryforward to Nov. 2,
proposed by Sharon's main rival,
former Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, was defeated Monday
in the party's Central Committee.
More than 90 percent of the
3,000-person committee voted.

No To Israel

Jerusalem/JTA — Saudi Arabia
will not follow the lead of other
Arab nations in exploring ties
with Israel, its foreign minister
said. Prince Saud Faisal praised
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon for pulling out of the
Gaza Strip this month, but said
his follow-up was inconsistent.
Other Arab nations in recent
weeks have explored new or
expanded ties with Israel in the
wake of the Gaza withdrawal.

Israel Eyes Seat

New York/JTA — Israel applied
for membership on the U.N.
Security Council for the first
time. In a meeting of the Western
European and Others Group,
Ambassador Dan Gillerman offi-
cially announced the Jewish
state's candidacy for the council
in 2018. Israel will be running for
a spot from the WEOG, although
no vote on Israel's candidacy will
take place until 2017, a spokes-

woman for Israel's U.N. mission
said.

Ebay Auction

New York/JTA — The umbrella
group for North American Jewish
federations will auction off
celebrity-decorated tzedakah
boxes on eBay for Hurricane
Katrina relief. The boxes to be
auctioned by the United Jewish
Communities were decorated by
the likes of actor William Shatner
and Donald Trump. The boxes
will be on eBay from Tuesday
night through Oct. 2.

May the New Year bring to all
our friends and family health, joy,
prosperity and everything good in life.

The Schlafer Family
Julie, Sadie, Scott, Brad and Steve

Investment In Israel

New York/JTA — Foreign invest-
ment in Israel is at a record high.
Investment totaled $7.3 billion
from January-August 2005, a rise
from $7.2 billion in all of 2004,
the Israeli newspaper Globes
reported.

Pentagon Torah

May the coming year be filled with
health and happiness for all our family and friends.
L'Shanah Tovah!

— Joseph and Rena Berman —

Washington/JTA — Pentagon
officials helped dedicate a Torah
in a chapel built where a hijacked
plane struck on Sept. 11. Jacob
Hank Sopher, a Florida parking-
lot magnate, donated the Torah
scroll dedicated in a ceremony
featuring representatives of the
different services and the
Pentagon chaplain's office. The

Digest on page 96

May this new year be one of peace, health
and happiness for all humankind!
L'Shanah Tovah!

Answering
Israel's Critics

The Charge:

Palestinian leaders such as Hamas' Mohammed Ghazal and
Tanzim's Marwan Barghouti say Israel blocks peace by continuing
its occupation of the West Bank and Jerusalem and refusing to
resolve the problem of Palestinian refugees.

The Answer:

In every negotiation since 1991, Israel has agreed to discuss the
settlements, East Jerusalem and the refugees. But Israel's claims to
Judea, Samaria and East Jerusalem, and its desire to remain a state
with a Jewish majority, are legitimate. Until the Palestinians recog-
nize those claims, and trust and compromise are accepted as fun-
damentals of negotiation, there may be no progress.

— Allan Gale, Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Detroit

jig September 29 - 2005

May the coming year be filled with
health and happiness for all our family and friends.
L'Shanah Tovah!

— Tammy and Aaron Betel —
Nikki & Michelle Budaj, Steven & Melanie Betel

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