Arabic News Weekly Edition for Politics, 7/28/1997
Weekly Edition, Politics - Week of July 28, 1997
- Emergency in self-rule areas - Arafat declares
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat ordered the arrest of members of militant Muslim groups, following a double suicide bombing blast that killed 16 people in a Jerusalem market, a PLO security official said. Palestine, Politics, 8/1/1997 - Possibilities to join rebels in Sudan for peace accord
A Sudanese newspaper reported officials as saying contacts with rebel factions were in progress to try persuade them to join in a peace accord. Sudan, Politics, 8/1/1997 - Security awareness promotion in Arab countries
The second security conference of Arab chiefs of security information departments has recommended taking steps in the Arab world to promote the awareness of security concepts among Arab citizens. Regional, Politics, 8/1/1997 - We are responsible for bombing - Hamas claims
The group issued the claim in a leaflet faxed to an international news agency in Jerusalem which also gave Israel until 9 p.m. the same day to free all Palestinian prisoners. Israel, Politics, 8/1/1997 - Lebanese-Egyptian committee on Arab common market
The supreme Lebanese-Egyptian meeting will convene from August 7-8 under the chairmanship of the prime ministers of two countries Dr. Ganzouri and Mr. Hariri. Egypt-Lebanon, Politics, 8/1/1997 - Panic in Israel - Hamas vows new assaults
Hamas claims assaults will be launched inside Israel next Sunday unless Hamas founder and leader Shiekh Ahmed Yassin is released. Israel-Palestine, Politics, 8/1/1997 - Israel vows to reenter PA areas to hunt Palestinians
Israel vowed on to reenter areas it handed over to the Palestinians in order to seize "activists" if Palestinian Authority's Chairman Yasser Arafat's forces failed to do job themselves. Palestine-Israel, Politics, 8/1/1997 - Israeli troops raid villages, arrest Hamas members
Israeli security forces raided several West Bank villages and arrested Hamas activists and their families following a deadly suicide attack in a Jewish market in Jerusalem, relatives said. Israel-Palestine, Politics, 8/1/1997 - First Iraqi travelers to Syria
Some 60 people aboard two buses travelled to Damascus via the 865 km long Iraqi-Syrian highway for the first time since 1980. Iraq-Syria, Politics, 7/31/1997 - Israel won’t accept US dictates
Israeli media have reported that the United States—the main sponsor of the Mideast peace process—wants Israel to commit to a building freeze in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip Israel, Politics, 7/31/1997 - Arab foreign minister meeting delayed till September 20
Arab foreign ministers meeting will be held on September 20-21 instead of 13-14 the same month as it was previously scheduled. Regional, Politics, 7/31/1997 - Yemen discusses border dispute with Saudi
Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh has written to Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd about a border dispute between the two countries. Yemen-Saudi Arabia, Politics, 7/31/1997 - Rabat orders Mobutu entourage out
Moroccan authorities have ordered out of the country 30 members of the entourage of former Zairian dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko. Morocco, Politics, 7/31/1997 - US Aid will not pressure Egypt says Mubarak
Egypt’s president Hosni Mubarak has said that the US congress' threats to stop US aid to Egypt will never be a means to put pressure on Egypt to make it change its stances towards the Arab nation. Egypt, Politics, 7/31/1997 - Jordan government ignores people’s attitudes, say parties
Six of Jordan’s opposition parties said that successive Jordanian governments have given a blind eye to the attitudes of the Jordanian people. Jordan, Politics, 7/31/1997 - Saudi Shiites arrested
Saudi authorities have arrested three Shiites and slapped a travel ban on the wife of an opposition figure held in the United States in connection with the Dhahran bombing. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 7/30/1997 - US mulls aid for Iraqi Kurds
The US is considering aid to Iraqi Kurds because of delays in distributing relief in northern Iraq. Iraq, Politics, 7/30/1997 - Mubarak and Asssad in joint conference in Syria
During his visit to Syria the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak held a joint press conference with the Syrian President Hafez Assad. Egypt-Syria, Politics, 7/30/1997 - Libyan parliamentary group in Egypt
Egyptian People’s Assembly speaker and head of the inter-parliamentary union Dr. Fathy Souror received the Libyan people’s conference secretary general Abdul Hamid El Zanati. Libya-Egypt, Politics, 7/30/1997 - Arafat shies away from major cabinet changes
Yasser Arafat is considering limited alterations in his self-rule government, but not the sweeping cabinet reshuffle that many have sought. Palestine, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Arab experts meet to discuss regional nuclear arms treaty
A committee grouping 22 experts from the Arab League began meeting in Cairo (Egypt) to forge an accord on eliminating all types of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms, from the Middle East. Regional, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Iraq and Syria enemies no more?
Relations between once-bitter rivals president Hafez Assad of Syria and his Iraqi counterpart Saddam Hussein were showing signs of improvement in Baghdad on July 28 Iraq, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Egyptian president to visit Lebanon
Lebanese president Elias Hrawi telephoned his Egyptian counterpart, taking the opportunity to invite Mubarak to Lebanon. Egypt-Lebanon, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Shops closed in Hebron after bombs thrown at troops
Israel's army said it was barring commerce in parts of the West Bank town of Hebron after Palestinian protesters threw bombs at soldiers. Palestine, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Levy to meet King Hussein in Amman
Israeli foreign minister David Levy will travel to Jordan on July 5 for talks with King Hussien on the Middle East peace process. Jordan-Israel, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Biological inspectors start first inspection in Iraq
UN biological weapons inspection team began checking monitoring equipment on July 27 in what could be the first test of a supposed new spirit of cooperation by Iraq, noted chief UN arms inspector. Iraq, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Rafsanjani to visit Saudi Arabia
Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani will visit Saudi Arabia later this year in further sign of closer ties between the region's two heavyweights. Saudi Arabia, Politics, 7/29/1997 - State accused of scare tactics
The head of Hizbullah's break away faction Sobhi Toubeili on July 28 accused the government of treating the Lebanese as enemies and using the security forces as scare tactic. Lebanon, Politics, 7/29/1997 - Baghdad offers its citizenship to Arabs
Iraq announced on July 27 that it would allow all Arabs except Palestinians to apply for citizenship, the official Iraqi News Agency reported. Iraq, Politics, 7/28/1997 - Israel plan declaration of war
Palestinians on July 27 condemned an Israeli decision to build a Jewish settler enclave in the heart of Arab East Jerusalem as a "declaration of war." Palestine-Israel, Politics, 7/28/1997 - Five Islamist leaders resign
Five senior leaders of Jordan's biggest opposition party, the Islamic Action Front, said that they had resigned from its executive council in protest against a decision to boycott legislative elections held in November. Jordan, Politics, 7/28/1997 - US official puts pressure on Khartoum
An American diplomat left Sudan after meeting top officials in a visit the Sudanese government described as an attempt to improve relations. Sudan, Politics, 7/28/1997 - Sudan hopes to forge better ties with Egypt
A senior Sudanese official voiced hope today that his country will forge better ties with Egypt adding that Khartoum was ready to accept any mediation to solve its disputes with Egypt. Sudan, Politics, 7/28/1997