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Unexploded Palestinian rocket found on Israeli prime minister's ranch

Israeli soldiers on a routine patrol uncovered an unexploded Palestinian rocket Saturday at Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's ranch in the southern Israeli desert, security officials said. While the homemade rocket, fired two weeks ago, did not cause any damage, it raised concerns Sharon's ranch is within range of the projectiles, the security officials said on condition of anonymity. The incident would mark the third time rockets have hit Sharon's Sycamore Ranch. The prime minister's official residence is in Jerusalem but Sharon often stays at his personal home in southern Israel's Negev Desert. He was at his home on the ranch when the rocket found Saturday was fired several weeks ago, the officials said. The prime minister's office declined comment. The rocket was found in a field near the grave of Sharon's wife Lily, a few hundred metres from Sharon's home, which is about 10 kilometres from the Gaza Strip. It was part of a barrage fired by militants into Israel last month, after Israel completed its pullout from the Gaza Strip after 38 years of occupation. Israel retaliated for the rockets with a widespread offensive against militants that included a series of air strikes. Palestinians often fire the inaccurate rockets toward Israel. They only occasionally cause damage or casualties.

Poll of Labor Party members: 67% stay in Government, 85% focus on Budget for  social/welfare
By Dr. Aaron Lerner 

Dahaf for Yediot Ahronot. 498 people registered members of the Labor Party  week of 14 October 2005. Survey error +/- 4.4 percentage points. Should the Labor Party remain in the Government? Yes 67% No 29% No reply 4%. If primaries were held today in the Labor Party who would you vote for? Peres 40% Peretz 23% Vilnay 16% Ben Eliezer 11% Undecided 10%. What should the Labor Party's primary efforts be focused on? Budget for social/welfare 85% Disengagement from Judea and Samaria 13% No reply 2%

Poll: Nat'l Union & Yisrael Beiteinu 14 seats, 68% oppose more evacuations before final agreement

By Dr. Aaron Lerner     Date: 14 October 2005

Teleseker for Maariv. 532 Adult Israelis (including Israeli Arabs) - week of 14 October 2005

Results in mandates. Current Knesset in brackets]

Results in mandates. Current Knesset in
[brackets]
38 [40] Likud-headed by Sharon
24 [21] Labor- headed by Peres (with Amir Peretz's One Nation)
09 [15] Shinui
12 [11] Shas
08 [08] Arab parties
06 [06] Yachad [Meretz]
08 [07*] National Union
06 [07*] Yisrael Beiteinu [Lieberman]
05 [05] Yahadut Hatorah
04 [06] NRP
* National Union ran with Yisrael Beiteinu with total 7 mandates

Percent satisfied with Sharon 46%
Percent feel personally secure 67%

Should the police involved in the killing of citizens in the October 2000 disturbances be indicted? Yes 34% No 57%

After the disengagement plan was already carried out, how do you feel about it?
Support 59% Oppose 34%

Do you think that Israel should continue in the coming years to evacuate additional communities in Judea and Samaria or the disengagement was enough and no more communities should be evacuated until the final agreement? Continue evacuating 28% No more evacuations 68%. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the performance of the following security bodies: IDF 8.5 Shabbak(ISS) 8.1 Mossad 7.6.

In light of the increase in gasoline prices have you changed the number of  trip you take in your car? Drive less 30% No change 28%. Do you read your pay slip when you receive it?
Yes 76% No 13%. Do you know how much other people in your workplace are making? Know them all  28% Some 42% None 24%. Did you ever ask for a raise? Yes 41% No 57%. Does your employer put some money aside for you for pension or "managers  insurance"?
Yes 52% No 45%
 

IDF Search and Rescue Team not yet preparing to help Pakistan. By Dr. Aaron Lerner. IMRA asked the IDF Spokesperson's Office this evening is the Search and Rescue team of the IDF Home Front Command was making preparations to go to Pakistan in the wake of the earthquake.A military source told IMRA that no request has been received yet from Pakistan for help and that the team was not yet making preparations to go to Pakistan.

FM Shalom: Egypt not doing enough to curb weapons flow.

Israeli professor shares Nobel Prize in Economics for 2005. The prize will be awarded jointly to Robert J. Aumann of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and to Thomas C. Schelling of the University of Maryland, "for having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis." The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, 2005, jointly to Robert J. Aumann of the Center for Rationality, Hebrew University of  Jerusalem, and to Thomas C. Schelling of the Department of Economics and School of Public Policy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, "for having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis."...

PM Sharon's Remarks to the Ministerial Committee on the Prevention of Violence.
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser). [IMRA: When Prime Minister Sharon said today that Israel should deal with violence as it does terror, cynics asked where Mr. Sharon plans to retreat from.  Than again, so far the response to violence has in fact been retreat - with various places of entertainment closing down as a result of incidents of violence.]

FM extends aid offer to Pakistan

FM Silvan Shalom sent a letter to Pakistani FM Khurshid M. Kasuri yesterday extending deep condolences to the government and people and Pakistan for the terrible loss of life caused by the earthquake. Shalom made clear that Israel stands ready to help in any way possible and share its experience in dealing with such disasters

Israel  categorically opposes transferring  the control of West Bank towns to the  Palestinians

Photo: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon attends the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday at his office in Jerusalem.

JERUSALEM- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cast doubt Sunday on whether a planned meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas would take place, while Israel's defence minister rejected two key Palestinian demands meant to make the meeting a success. The two sides have said they want the meeting, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, to produce concrete results but are deadlocked over Israel's promised handover of West Bank towns, more Palestinian prisoner releases, and the Palestinians' demand for more weapons for their security services...Read the full article

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.