DATE=2/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-227165
TITLE=ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS / IRAQ (L)
BYLINE=AL PESSIN
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS WERE RELIEVED BUT CAUTIOUS
MONDAY AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN BAGHDAD APPEARED TO REMOVE THE
POSSIBILITY OF IRAQI MISSILE ATTACKS, AT LEAST FOR NOW. V-O-A'S
AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM.
TEXT: UP ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF A JERUSALEM DEPARTMENT STORE,
JUST BEYOND THE TOYS AND STUFFED ANIMALS, SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE
NEW STOVES AND THE LUGGAGE DEPARTMENT, IS THE GAS MASK CENTER.
/// FEFFER / SOLDIER ACTUALITY ///
(FEFFER) I HAVE TO TRY IT ON, RIGHT?
(SOLDIER) YEAH.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
FREQUENT BRITISH VISITOR JULIET FEFFER WANTS TO TURN IN HER OLD
MASK, FROM 1991, AND BUY A NEW ONE FOR THE EQUIVALENT OF 57
DOLLARS.
/// FEFFER / SOLDIER ACTUALITY ///
(FEFFER) WELL, I'M BRINGING YOU THE OLD ONE (FROM) '91.
(SOLDIER) NO.
(FEFFER) YOU DON'T WANT IT?
(SOLDIER) BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? MAYBE YOURS IS OK, IS
STILL OK.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
THE YOUNG ISRAELI SOLDIER IS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL, BUT MRS.
FEFFER IS HAVING NONE OF IT.
/// FEFFER / SOLDIER ACTUALITY ///
(SOLDIER) BECAUSE I THINK IT'S OK. YOU UNDERSTAND? AND
THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY A NEW ONE.
(FEFFER) BUT I WANT TO BUY A NEW ONE AND GIVE THIS TO
SOMEBODY ELSE.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
IT IS THE SECOND DAY OF MASS DISTRIBUTION OF GAS MASKS TO
FOREIGNERS IN ISRAEL, AND IT IS TWO HOURS AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT
IN BAGHDAD SEEMED TO ELIMINATE THE ALREADY SMALL CHANCE IRAQ
MIGHT LAUNCH CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS IN THIS DIRECTION.
BUT MRS. FEFFER SEEMS SURPRISED BY THE QUESTION OF WHY SHE
DECIDED TO GET A MASK NOW.
/// FEFFER ACTUALITY ///
WHY NOT? BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT HE IS GOING TO KEEP HIS
WORD? IN TWO MONTHS TIME, THREE MONTHS TIME, WE'LL HAVE
THE SAME BUSINESS AGAIN. HE'S A MONSTER! IT'S GOING TO
LAST FIVE MINUTES, UNTIL SOMEBODY SAYS SOMETHING HE
DOESN'T LIKE. WITH THAT MONSTER, YOU CAN'T TRUST HIM,
NOT FARTHER THAN YOU CAN THROWN (HIM).
/// END ACTUALITY ///
THAT VIEW REFLECTED THE THINKING OF MANY ISRAELIS MONDAY, EVEN AS
MUCH OF THE TENSION WHICH HAS BUILT UP IN RECENT WEEKS
DISSIPATED. STILL, THE STAFF AT THE GAS MASK DESK REPORTED A
SHARP DROP IN BUSINESS FROM SUNDAY -- FROM 60 PEOPLE AN HOUR, TO
JUST A HANDFUL.
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU CALLED THE AGREEMENT
"GOOD NEWS." BUT HE IS ALSO CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT COME IN
THE FUTURE.
/// NETANYAHU ACTUALITY ///
I THINK IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY WHAT THE RESULTS OF THIS
AGREEMENT ARE. WE'LL WAIT TO SEE AND TO ASSESS BOTH
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE GULF AND WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN
HERE.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS WELCOMED THE NEWS FROM BAGHDAD, SAYING THEY
HOPE THIS WILL ENABLE THE WORLD TO RE-FOCUS ON THE STALLED
ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE PROCESS. PALESTINIAN LEADER YASSER
ARAFAT CALLED THE AGREEMENT AN IMPORTANT START TOWARD ACHIEVING
REAL PEACE.
/// ARAFAT ACTUALITY ///
IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL STEP. WE ARE APPRECIATING IT
VERY MUCH.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
BUT PALESTINIAN YOUNG PEOPLE WERE NOT SO IMPRESSED. A GROUP OF
PRO-IRAQ DEMONSTRATORS CLASHED WITH ISRAELI TROOPS ON THE
BETHLEHEM-HEBRON ROAD MONDAY AFTERNOON, JUST AS OTHER GROUPS HAVE
EVERY DAY IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WEST BANK FOR THE PAST TWO
WEEKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/AWP/JWH
23-Feb-98 10:49 AM EST (1549 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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