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| 14 November 2007
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15 נובמבר, 2007
Open letter to Malcolm Hoenlein from Israeli NGO
attn Mr. Malcolm Hoenlein
Executive VP,
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
USA
Dear Mr. Hoenlein,
Re: Dissemination of Inaccuracies at Governmental Level May be the Basis for the Annapolis Conference
We ask your assistance in alerting the Administration in your country to inaccuracies, in official Government pronouncements. These inaccuracies together form a "Big Lie" which is forming the basis for the Annapolis conference.
Unfortunately, this intellectual sloppiness may endanger the State of Israel. We feel it is imperative for you to speak up and set the record straight.
Specifically:
Governmental money IS going to terrorists - a la Arafat period: The Foreign Minister's newsflash of today, see below, claims the existence of a "mechanism for transferring and monitoring [two billion NIS to the Palestinian Authority], to prevent their use by terrorist organizations". This is absolute nonsense. No such mechanism exists: Knesset Member Slomiansky, a member of the Knesset Finance Committee, requested information about this much-touted "mechanism" many months ago, and no answer was forthcoming from the Prime Minister's office. Since that time, just to prove this point, on at least 2 occasions hundreds of millions of shekels provided to the PA by our government have in fact wound up in the hands of the Hamas, as reported prominently in the Israeli press.
Abu Mazen's pro-violence statements disregarded - a la Arafat period: The newsflash below also asserts that "the new Palestinian Government provides a renewed opportunity to move forward in the peace process". This conclusion too is fueled by a governmental (here) disregard for the facts on the ground that can only be termed bizarre in the extreme: I refer you to MK Alon's ancient parliamentary inquiry on this issue, long overdue for response. MK Alon's old inquiry to PM Olmert noted the Palestinian leader, Abu Mazen's famous speech indicating that "all guns, all guns, all guns" will be trained on Israel, and requested that the Cabinet at least debate the implications of this speech. I just spoke to the office of MK Alon, which confirmed to me that Mr. Olmert's office has, to date, disregarded his months'-overdue legal obligation to respond to this parliamentary inquiry.
Israeli majority asserted - none exists: Your Secretary of State indicated in her most recent speech: "I believe that most Israelis are ready to leave most of the -- nearly all of the West Bank". Of course, Dr. Rice is relying on an almost identical statement by President Peres to Associated Press shortly after he was inaugurated. But Mr. Peres's statement is utterly false; in fact the polls show the opposite. Our organization supplied the refutation to Mr. Peres (poll results from Tel Aviv University's reputable Peace Poll project) right after his statement came out, however Mr. Peres has, by omission, declined to retract this inaccuracy, so if you do not undertake to set the record straight, it seems that no-one will.
This letter is an open letter because we believe these matters must be dealt with, quickly, of course, but also openly. We would very much appreciate your response confirming that these matters have been brought to the attention of the Administration, and what was the response there.
Susie Dym, spokesperson
Mattot Arim
ISRAEL
----- Original Message -----
From: Israel MFA Online
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007 4:56 PM
Subject: Behind the Headlines: Israeli Confidence Building Measures towards the Palestinians 14 November 2007