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* Inevitably, the peace and prosperity of Jordan are closely tied to the situation in the Middle East as a whole. In recent years, hope have been raised that negotiations would produce peaceful solutions to the many problems of the region. But these hopes have not yet been fulfilled. Indeed in times such as the present the prospect of fulfilment even seems to have receded.

The Church is inspired by a moral vision, born of faith, it is true, but reaching beyond the circle of Christian faith to be shared by all people committed to the common good. It is a moral vision which Jews, Christians and Moslems can share, since all three are born of a tradition of ethical monotheism. We are all children of a religious tradition which insists that man cannot worship the one true God without respecting the moral imperative which has its roots in God. Such a vision understands that a peace process which ignores justice will descend sooner or later into short-sighted pragmatism, self-interest or opportunism.

* The history of the Middle East shows how religion, when linked to ideology, can divide and lead even to violent conflict. Yet it is equally clear that, when religion is allowed to be what it truly is, then it can unite, enabling believers to walk together in trust and mutual respect.

(L'Osservatore Romano - 10 June 1998)

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* Alors que le processus de paix est dans l'impasse, la colonisation continue. "Le premier ministre Benyamin Nétanyahou, écrit la Fondation américaine pour la paix au Proche-Orient, dans son dernier rapport bimensuel sur la colonisation, a appris à élargir les colonies en silence..." Dans les territoires arabes occupés de Gaza et de Cis-jordanie, poursuit le rapport, les colons juifs sont désormais 166,500 pour 2,5 millions de Palestiniens. Environ 10,500 logements supplémentaires qui leur seront réservés sont "en cours de construction" dans des dizaines de colonies existantes.

* Dans la partie arabe de Jérusalem, occupée par Israël depuis 1967, les Israéliens juifs - 180,000 habitants - sont désormais plus nombreux que les Palestiniens. Une maison par-ci, quatre maisons par-là, un projet de construction "réservé aux Juifs" ici, un autre là-bas: lentement mais sûrement, la politique israélienne qualifiée par les Palestiniens de "judaïsation rampante" de Jérusalem-Est a repris à un rythme soutenu. Le gouvernement de Yasser Arafat a lancé, mardi 9 juin, un appel aux habitants palestiniens de la ville sainte pour qu'ils d'éfendent leurs terres et leurs maisons par tous les moyens".

Le gouvernement israélien, qui envisage d'étendre encore très prochainement la superficie de Jérusalem, en ajoutant à la municipalité plusieurs faubourgs exclusivement juifs - de manière à "noyer" un peu plus les 25% d'habitants palestiniens qui y restent -, agit avec une grande détermination.

(Par Patrice Claude - Le Monde/Sélection Hebdomadaire - 20 Juin 1998)

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* Army Radio said Albright told Netanyahu any attempt to expand Jerusalem would kill the peace process. In this daily briefing, State Department spokesman James Rubin criticized Israel's position as "extremely provocative," "unfathomable," and "the ticket to further instability." It also complicates Washington's effort to conclude an Israeli-Palestinian agreement and initiate final-status negotiations, he said.

"Jerusalem is an extremely sensitive and emotional issue for Israelis, Palestinians and Arabs alike. The unilateral action that this implies only undermines any sense of trust and confidence between the parties that is essential to creating an environment for serious negotiations. They also create the impression that Israel has determined the status of key permanent-status issues before these negotiations have begun."

* The PA reacted with a statement saying, "The expansion of Jerusalem's boundaries will allow Israel to swallow 18 percent of West Bank land in order to establish settlements... It is unacceptable to the Palestinian leadership."

(By Jay Bushinsky, Hillel Kuttler, and news agencies - The Jerusalem Post - 21 June 1998)

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* The plan would annex some land around Jerusalem and create a "Greater Jerusalem" via an umbrella municipality that would coordinate administrative powers with nearby towns.

The towns mentioned in the plan include Givat Ze'eve and Ma'aleh Adumin in the territories, as well as Mevasseret Zion and other towns inside the Green Line.

The exact areas to be covered, the responsibilities of the umbrella authority, and who would have the right to vote in Jerusalem municipal elections are yet to be determined.

The next step is for the Interior Ministry to prepare a detailed plan for both the annexation and the creation of the umbrella authority. The plan is to be submitted to the cabinet after the first of August and to the Knesset when it reconvenes in September.

* The underlying objective is to expand Jerusalem's industrial base by introducing more high-tech firms and "turning it into Israel's Silicon Valley," he said.

Declaring that the plan's benefits would accrue to the city's Arabs as well as to its Jews, Netanyahu said his government is "the first" to invest in Jerusalem's eastern [Arab] neighborhoods. "Go there and take a look," he told the journalists. "You'll see the new streets and sidewalks and all the other improvements."

Another of the plan's goals, he said, is to "develop and protect" the city's sites associated with Jewish history. Asked if its Christian and Moslem sites would be given similar treatment, he replied in the affirmative.
Olmert came to his aid, noting that the municipality had invested in the Garden of Gethsemane and that the overriding purpose is to make these places attractive to tourists.

The cabinet communiqué was unequivocal about the implications of its decision. It said the main components would "enlarge Jerusalem's area of jurisdiction, establish 'umbrella municipality' around Jerusalem, streamline services in the expanse of Jerusalem, and encourage science-oriented industries in Jerusalem."

Netanyahu was quoted as having told the ministers that, "there was no basis for the condemnation of Israel because of this plan. Israel is working for the strengthening of Jerusalem. No one is talking about changing Jerusalem's political status, and there is no addition of territory on the east of the city, but on its west." He expressed hope that "Israeli elements" were not encouraging the Palestinians to assail Israel on this issue. "This is a blessed thing which raises Jerusalem to the top of the government's priorities," he said.

(By Elli Wohlgelernter and Hillel Kuttler - The Jerusalem Post - 22 June 1998 )

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