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THIS WEEK IN ISRAEL Dr. Richard Kelly Smith, an American citizen who is wanted in the US on suspicion of smuggling know-how, technology and materials for the development of nuclear weapons to Israel's Defense Ministry, has been arrested in Malaga, Spain. The arrest was made in accordance with an international detention order issued by the FBI, and his extradition to the US has been transferred to the High Court in Spain. A senior Israeli defense official said this week that the US had made no application to Israel concerning Smith, and if such an application should be made, Israel has nothing to fear. Smith was formerly president of the Milko company for microchips, and researched space aviation systems, was an advisor to NATO and the US Air Force and held a senior position at the Rockwell plants in California which manufacture missiles and other military equipment. According to overseas publications, the investigation into Smith led to the Israeli businessman Arnon Milchin, who brought Milko and the Ministry of Defense together. Three months after Smith's disappearance, the Pollard episode erupted. Last week the American Justice Department announced that it has no intention of indicting any Israelis in this episode. Almost all the members of the Likud Central Committee who convened this week attacked Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on three subjects in particular: for his policy of restraint, for his pact with Shimon Peres and for the lack of political appointments in the present government. Sharon received a somewhat chilly reception, whereas his rival, former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu received a standing ovation. Netanyahu said that at the time, he had warned against the Oslo Accords, which would result in terror and pose a threat to the State of Israel. In fact, he said: "A war of attrition is being waged against Israel ..... there are mortars, Hizbollah operates in the PA and the Iranians watch us from Lebanon". Sharon, however, who was persistently heckled, told the audience: "You shout and I will deal with the terror". Sharon emphasized that he had no intention of changing his policy of restraint, which had been decided on by the cabinet. The IDF is preparing for the possibility of opening draft offices for reserve soldiers overseas, should the need arise to enlist them in a hurry if there is an outbreak of war in the area. The Ynet site reported that the plan is to open offices at Jewish centers and schools in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Bangkok, Bombay, Johannesburg, New York and Los Angeles. If necessary, El Al will airlift the soldiers to Israel. The IDF confirmed this information and said that the plan is intended for Israelis residing overseas for more than a year and for Israelis travelling abroad. Yehiel Dinour, the author who dedicated his life to perpetuating the memory of the holocaust, and wrote under the pen-name K. Kazetnik, died this week at the age of 84, after a lengthy fight with cancer. An entire generation of Israelis and Jews around the world identified the holocaust largely through his books: "Salamander", "The Dolls House", "The Clock above My Head", "He was called People", "The Star of Ash", "Sand from Ash", and more. He was renowned world wide and his works were published in dozens of languages. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Jerusalem's Jewish population grew by a mere 0.9% in the year 2000 - a quarter of the Arab rate of growth, which increased last year by 3.7%. Overall, the population in Jerusalem grew by 1.7% last year - an addition of 6,500 people. Growth in the Arab sector accounted for two thirds of the city's overall population growth. "Old Maccabians" cannot remember such excitement and happiness - all thanks to the Maccabiah Games: 37-year old Corrie Minkevitch from Canada, a Tae-Kwon-Do sportsman (a martial art which has become an Olympic sport), knew that he had a sister in Israel, even though he had never met her. Despite his considerable efforts, in part when he participated in the 1997 Maccabiah Games, he had not managed to find her. Minkevitch, a former world champion in this sport, was successful this time round, at the 18th Maccabiah Games: he found his sister, Malka Stein, and discovered that she lives in Tel Aviv, three streets away from the hotel he was staying at. "Malka was in shock. She never realized that she had a brother", said Corrie. After their emotional meeting, Corrie said: "The most touching moment for me was to see my little nephew on the field, when I was marching in the opening ceremony of the games in Jerusalem. For him, it was like getting an uncle as a gift". Meanwhile, Corrie had already bought his sister an airline ticket to Canada, to visit his family. The joy of the meeting helped ease a little of Corrie's disappointment of not being able to participate in the games; he was lightly injured in a road accident in Tel Aviv before the competition, which prevented him from competing. |
