Mideast Report

TEL AVIV (JPS) -- Police have arrested an Israeli Arab who drove the Dolphinarium disco suicide bomber to Tel Aviv.

The suspect, Mahmoud Na'di, 29, of Kalkilya, was arrested shortly after the June 1 attack by a Hamas terrorist that killed 21 people, most of them teenagers from the former Soviet Union, and wounded scores of others.

Na'di, who is accused of aiding the terrorist, was remanded for six days by the Petah Tikva court.

The suspect told reporters at the remand hearing that he had been asked by a friend to transport the man, whom he was told was a Jordanian looking for work in Israel, from Kalkiliya to Tel Aviv's promenade.

It was Na'di himself who informed the police about his actions when he realized what had happened, after meeting the friend who had asked him to drive the bomber.

Na'di is accused of aiding an illegal organization, assisting a terrorist group, conspiracy to commit a crime, aiding and abetting murder, and assisting in planting an explosive device.

Israeli Arab legislator in hot water for hate

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An Israeli Arab lawmaker was questioned by police Wednesday regarding anti-Israel remarks he made at a memorial ceremony for the late Syrian leader Hafez Assad in Syria earlier this month.

Azmi Beshara initially refused to appear for questioning, saying his statements were part of his role as a politician.

Appearing in Syria alongside the leader of Hezbollah and other militant groups, Beshara called on the Arab world to unite against Israel.

Meanwhile, three Paris officials interrupted an official reception for visiting Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday, accusing him of anti-Semitism.

The night before, Jewish groups led several thousand people in Paris and Marseille in demonstrations against Assad's official visit.

Assad repeatedly has come under fire for remarks he made at a welcoming ceremony for the pope on May 5, when he said the Jews betrayed Jesus and tried to betray and kill the Prophet Mohammed.

Knesset to circulate list of censored words

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The Israeli Knesset's Ethics Committee plans to distribute a list of banned words in an effort to improve the parliament's typically overheated atmosphere, according to the Israeli daily Ma'ariv.

On the list are such words as "Nazi," "idiot" and "monster" -- as well as more piquant terms like "swamp-fly," "well-poisoner" and "zero of zeros."

In related news, an academic affiliated with the Israel Democracy Institute proposed that the Knesset be expanded from 120 to 180 members.

Labor legislator Yossi Katz, chairman of the Knesset's Parliamentary Committee, backed the proposal, saying Israel's parliament is one of the world's smallest and that this affects its efficiency.

Family group pitches soldier sperm bank

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An Israeli grassroots group proposed setting up a sperm bank for Israeli soldiers to protect their ability to have children in the event of injuries suffered during military service.

The New Family organization said the sperm bank also would enable army widows and wives of MIAs to have children from their partners.

In related news, the Israeli government is opposing proposed legislation that would codify an emergency regulation enabling fathers to split paid maternity leave with their wives.

Government opposition stems from findings by the National Insurance Institute that in the three years since the regulation was enacted, 20 percent of men who took the option also continued working during that period.

McDonald's pulls the plug on its ads

CAIRO (JTA) -- McDonald's apologized and pulled a new ad campaign in Egypt after the American Jewish Committee demanded it be withdrawn because it featured a popular singer who promotes hatred of Israel.

Singer Sha'aban Abdel-Rahim, who is featured in the ad, recently hit the top of the Egyptian pop charts with his song, "I Hate Israel."

35,000 make aliyah since al-Aksa intifada

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Some 35,000 Jews have immigrated to Israel since the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian violence last September, 5,000 have visited the country in solidarity and 20,000 Jewish youths have come to Israel for short- and long-term studies.

The figures were presented earlier this month at the annual meeting of the Zionist General Council, which is the highest institution of the World Zionist Organization.

Salai Meridor, chairman of the WZO, said the group wants to keep a steady rate of 50,000 new immigrants making aliyah per year.