ISRAEL CABINET COMMUNIQUE
(Communicated by the Cabinet Secretariat)

At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 9.10.05: 1. OC Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Aharon Ze'evi (Farkash) briefed ministers on issues regarding the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its Chairman, and regarding relations both among the various organizations in the PA and between these organizations and the PA itself.  He also briefed ministers on issues regarding Syria, Lebanon and Hizbullah, and regarding Iran and the global Islamic jihad. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom briefed ministers on the natural disasters in the Far East and discussed Israeli assistance to the affected countries. Interior Minister Ophir Pines-Paz asked Prime Minister Ariel Sharon about
the expected meeting between him and PA Chairman Abu Mazen.  Prime Minister Sharon responded, clarifying matters.

2. The Prime Minister's Office director of conversion affairs, Rabbi Haim Druckman, and his deputy, Rabbi Moshe Klein, briefed ministers on the activities of the unit for conversion affairs in the past year (http://tinyurl.com/7mzkr).  Rabbi Druckman said that all technical barriers regarding conversion had been removed and that the special rabbinical court judges had a very positive attitude.  A special study program has been prepared in close cooperation with the special rabbinical conversion courts. The unit is also working with new immigrants - including IDF soldiers --from the former Soviet Union and elsewhere. The Cabinet decided that the special conversion courts would act in accordance with the rules and procedures - including those regarding appeals - determined by the Chief Rabbis; this is in keeping with a May 2005 decision by Attorney-General Meni Mazuz regarding rabbinical court jurisdiction.

3. The Cabinet - in keeping with previous decisions - decided to approve Justice Minister Tzipi Livni's proposal to appoint retired Magistrates Court Judge Kay Blanche and Ms. Hadassah Rosenberg to the public committee regarding bequests to the state.  Their appointment is for three years.

 

Power shut down on evacuees at Ashkelon hotel.

ABU MAZEN AND ABU ALA WILL BE AMONG THE DIGNITORIES WHO WILL ADDRESS THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT THE NETANYA ACADEMIC COLLEGE MARKING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF YITHAK RABIN.

ISRAEL CABINET COMMUNIQUE.

Israel assuming PA/Egypt will ultimately seal border in Rafah terminal talks

By Dr. Aaron Lerner                  
Israel Radio correspondent Shmuel Tal reported this morning that the Sharon-Peres-Mofaz meeting today to discuss Israel's position regarding arrangements for passage via the Rafah terminal that is under the control of Egypt and the PA will be based on the assumption and hope that Egypt and the PA will ultimately close down the open border between Egypt and Gaza that now allow the free flow of weapons. Yesterday Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio that Israel is very disturbed by the matter and expressed hope that Egypt would act with greater determination.

Reopening of the Karni Crossing in the Northern Gaza Strip as of this morning

In accordance with a decision made by the political echelon and following security assessments and the commencement of the month of "Ramadan", the Karni Goods-Crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, operated by the Israeli Port Authority, has been reopened as of this morning, October 9th, 2005. The Karni Crossing was closed on September 24th, 2005 as part of the general closure on the Gaza Strip, Judea, Samaria and Jordan Valley regions, following the launching of Qassam rockets at the Western Negev area and additional security threats. During the period of time in which the Karni Crossing was closed, the crossing of essential merchandise and humanitarian aid was made possible through the Sufah Crossing. The Karni Crossing is to resume full operation to allow the passage of merchandise in and out of the Gaza Strip.