Roundup
Roundup from page 8
Commandos Weren't Prepared
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An internal Israeli
Navy investigation into the interception of a
Gaza-bound aid flotilla found the comman-
dos were not prepared for an attack by the
passengers.
The elite Shayetet 13 unit was not pre-
pared and lacked enough intelligence infor-
mation, the internal probe found, according
to an Israel Radio report on Sunday.
The investigation found that under the cir-
cumstances the officers acted appropriately,
according to the report. The boarding of the
Turkish-flagged ship the Mavi Marmara
should only have occurred after using water
hoses and smoke grenades on the passengers
waiting on deck, the report said.
Meanwhile, Lebanon will allow a Gaza-
bound ship to set sail for Cyprus.
The French-registered ship, named Julia,
requested permission to sail to Cyprus since
Lebanese law does not allow ships to sail to
ports under Israeli control, including Gaza.
The ship likely will change its route at sea.
Lebanese Transport Minister Ghazi al-
Aridi said late Sunday night on Lebanese
television that he had granted the ship's
request to sail, Haaretz reported. The Julia
still must be cleared by port authorities.
Aridi reportedly also denied the existence
of a second ship, the Miriam, which was sup-
posed to carry only women.
Israel has appealed to other countries
and the United Nations to halt the Lebanese
flotilla. On Sunday morning, Israel told the
United Nations and Lebanon through a third
party that it will use all necessary means
to stop ships from breaking its blockade of
Gaza.
"Israel reserves its right under inter-
national law to use all necessary means
- xf.,liII to prevent these ships
from violating the exist-
ing naval blockade
imposed on the Gaza
Strip," Israel's ambas-
sador to the United
Nations, Gabriela Shalev,
wrote in a letter to U.N.
Gabriela
Secretary-General Ban
Shalev
Ki-moon.
Jews From Kyrgyzstan
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel brought
12 Jews from conflict-riven southern
Kyrgyzstan to Israel.
The 12 Kyrgyz Jews were brought to Israel
on Sunday and were to attend a welcome
ceremony at the Jewish Agency for Israel's
board of governors assembly on Monday
along with 650 other new immigrants. They
were immediately made Israeli citizens.
Fewer than 70 Jews are thought to live in
southern Kyrgyzstan. Most of the country's
estimated 1,500 Jews reside in the capital
city of Bishkek. To date, no Jews have been
harmed in the ethnic violence, according to
10 June 24 • 2010
U.S., E.U.
Imposing New
Iran Sanctions
WASHINGTON (JTA)
-- The Obama admin-
istration and the
European Union are
Arta
imposing new Iran
Secretary
sanctions.
Geithner
The U.S. sanc-
tions, announced on June 16 by Treasury
Secretary Timothy Geithner, follow the
U.N. Security Council resolution expand-
ing international sanctions.
However, the new U.S. sanctions —
targeting banks, shippers and the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard Corps — do not
derive from the Security Council sanc-
tions. Instead, they are based on exist-
ing U.S. presidential executive orders
mandating sanctions against entities that
facilitate Iran's acquisition of weapons.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards,
which enforces its government's repres-
the Jewish Federations of North America.
More than 2,000 people have been killed
and 40,000 displaced in fighting between
ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz that began earlier
this month in the country's south.
NCJW Garage Sale
ROYAL OAK -- The National Council of
Jewish Women/ Greater Detroit Section
(NCJW/GDS) will host the "No Garage,
Garage Sale" from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday,
June 26, at its Royal Oak Council Thrift
Shop, 1221 E. Lincoln.
"A variety of goods will be available for
purchase, including designer clothing for
all ages, household goods, jewelry, acces-
sories, books, linens and more," said Kelly
Sheldon, store manager. "It's sales like this
that really allow us to do so much good
across Southeast Michigan."
All proceeds from the Council Thrift
Stores benefit local community programs
such as Kosher Meals on Wheels, All
Kids Playground and Teen Dating Abuse
Awareness Project, which facilitates pro-
grams in schools to foster awareness of
teen dating abuse.
The Council thrift shops have been in
business for 76 years and help support
many community service projects and
programs that help thousands of individu-
als a year.
For more information on the event and
on NCJW/GDS, call (248) 548-6664 or visit
www.ncjwgds.org.
New Mumbai Emissaries
NEW YORK (JTA) -- The Chabad center in
Mumbai will have its first full-time rabbi
since the 2008 terrorist attacks in that
sive policies and is believed to be behind
Iran's nuclear program, is a major target,
said Stuart Levey, the Treasury's under-
secretary for terrorism and financial
intelligence.
"It is our view that no IRGC entity
should have any place in the world's
financial system;' Levey told reporters in
a briefing after the announcement.
Geithner said the United States in the
coming weeks would be coordinating
with other nations to further squeeze Iran
under the new Security Council resolution,
which enhances trade restrictions.
To that end, the Obama administration
has named a senior State Department
official, Bob Einhorn, to promote the
implementation of the U.N. sanctions.
The E.U. measures target, among other
areas, Iran's energy sector, including bans
on "new investment, technical assistance
and transfers of technologies, equipment
and services related to these areas, in
particular related to refining, liquefaction
and liquefied natural gas technology:'
according to a Reuters account of a June
17 statement in Brussels.
Some U.S. pro-Israel groups praised
the raft of new sanctions — and asked
for more.
"We commend this first step and
agree more must be done the American
Israel Public Affairs Committee said in a
statement. "AIPAC continues to urge the
administration and our allies in Europe,
Asia and across the globe to immediately
implement further crippling economic,
political and diplomatic sanctions on
Iran before it is too late."
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, a founder of
the Israel Project, which partnered with
European Jewish bodies to promote
tougher sanctions, said the governments
saw containing Iranian ambitions in the
region as not simply a matter of protect-
ing Israel but of self-defense.
"They did what's in their own best
interest," she said. ❑
Indian city.
Rabbi Chanoch and Leiky Gechtman
will be the first permanently stationed
emissaries at the Chabad outreach center
since Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg
were tortured and killed there along with
four visitors in the November 2008 attacks
on several Mumbai sites. More than 170
people were killed in the attacks.
The Gechtmans, Israelis in their 20s, are
expected to begin their work in Mumbai
this summer. They were suggested for the
post by the father of Gavriel Holtzberg,
Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg. The couple
had spent time in Mumbai with the
Holtzbergs, and Chanoch Gechtman stud-
ied rabbinic law with Gavriel Holtzberg.
"I still haven't processed that they are
not here Chanoch Gechtman said of the
Holtzbergs in a report on Chabad.org .
As for his work in India, for which he just
received his visa, Gechtman told Chabad.org,
"There is endless work here. There is always
something going on. And more importantly,
people really believe in this city!"
Free services will include twice-yearly
checkups, a cleaning and twice-yearly X-
rays. Fillings and extractions will cost a
nominal fee.
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman,
who runs the ministry, wants to expand cov-
erage to children up to age 18.
Approximately 2,000 heath fund dental
clinics and 5,000 independent dental clinics
are located throughout the country.
Free Dental Care
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- A Knesset commit-
tee approved legislation that gives Israeli
children up to age 8 free dental care.
The free care begins on July 1. The
Cabinet approved $47 million for the plan
last month. But Israel's Supreme Court
revoked the government's decision, saying
that the health basket funds were not ear-
marked for dental care.
The June 7 measure is emergency legis-
lation for six months, giving the Knesset
time to pass new legislation that will be
acceptable to the court.
Health Care Lobby
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Jewish federation
officials lobbied in Washington for health
care funding and programs.
The fly-in, organized by the Jewish
Federations of North America, met with
Obama administration officials and law-
makers to press for additional funding for
Medicaid, the program that provides health
care for the poor, and for the Community
Living Assistance Services and Supports Act,
or CLASS Act, which is proposed legislation
that would establish a voluntary disability
insurance program.
JFNA also conferred its Leadership Award
on two senior Jewish members of the U.S.
House of Representatives for helping to
steer the Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Medicare funds health care for the elderly.
Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., chairman
of the tax-writing House Ways and Means
Committee, and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-
Calif., chair of the Energy and Commerce
Committee, "are devoted to strengthening
these programs for future generations:'
the JFNAs William Daroff said. "We are
honored to continue working with them
to help the vulnerable in our communi-
ties receive the care they need."
Roundup on page 12