Mideast Report

JERUSALEM (JPS) -- The Israeli Supreme Court rejected a request from Aryeh Deri to allow the former Shas Party leader to postpone his jail sentence until after the Jewish holidays so he could observe them with his wife and nine children.

Deri, who propelled Shas to become a powerful political force representing mostly Sephardi Jews, avoided suggesting that the decision was anti-Sephardi -- a claim he has made in the past. Instead, he said he "accepted the decision with love."

The former director-general and Interior Ministry head found guilty of accepting $95,000 in bribes during the late 1980s and early 1990s will begin serving this Sunday. Supporters are vowing to set up a makeshift yeshiva outside the jail.

Jews say Iran head used slick PR move

TEHRAN (JTA) -- Iranian President Mohammad Khatami met with dozens of leaders of Iran's Jewish community Aug. 24 in a move described as an effort to soothe communal anxiety in the wake of the July 1 conviction of 10 Jews on spying charges.

U.S. Jewish observers, however, view Khatami's actions as a public relations maneuver timed to coincide with his September meeting with the United Nations.

A ruling on the appeal of the Jews' case is expected on Tuesday, a day before the kickoff of the U.N. summit Khatami is attending.

Steamy sex ads put editors in hot water

TEL AVIV (JPS) -- Former Yediot Achronot editor Ilan Shalev and Ma'ariv editor Ya'acov Erez may be facing charges for printing ads offering sexual services, according to police.

Under a 1998 law, newspapers are prohibited from publishing such advertisements unless they are printed in a separate section and provided at the consumer's request.

Legal commentator Moshe Negbi said "There are certain limitations to freedom of the press...[the ads] portray women as sexual objects. This has nothing to do with freedom of expression."

Tuvia Sar, director of the National Federation of Israel Journalists refuted this claim. "I do not see any ethical problem here," he said, noting that neither editor has turned to the association for help.

Politically incorrect crossword puzzles?

JERUSALEM (JPS) -- A crossword puzzle lampooning religion, Jewish settlers and the occupation of Palestinian areas on a marginal Internet site has drawn a storm of recent criticism.

Some of the puzzle's 59 clues: A West Bank city which has had settlers for 4,000 years? Nablus. The first settler and one of the first in the world to carry out genocide? Joshua. Holy City, the capital of Israel and Palestine? Jerusalem. A creative maneuver to confiscate land? Bypass roads.

Angry responses reverberated through the Israeli media almost instantly. Oren Medics, the puzzle's author, said he was "surprised by the reaction."

"We are simply holding up a mirror to these people...The [right wing] message of love of the land, brotherhood and Torah is often a mere slogan, because they behave very, very differently."