A large sign reading “The George W. Bush Hotel” adorned the front of the building at the entrance to the city.
Jerusalem Arabs sell gas masks in W. Bank
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Arabs in Jerusalem reportedly are selling their gas masks to Palestinians in the West Bank.
The residents of eastern Jerusalem, who are entitled to get masks like all Israeli citizens, have been selling them to Palestinians from Ramallah and Bethlehem for between $100 to $500, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Jerusalem is not considered a likely target for a possible Iraqi missile attack.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority has not taken steps to distribute gas masks to residents, though recent reports said special sealed rooms have been set up by local municipalities in most West Bank cities.
Austria’s Haider praises Saddam
VIENNA (JTA) — Austrian far-right leader Joerg Haider chose the eve of a U.S.-led war on Iraq to praise President Saddam Hussein as a man with an open mind and a vision of a unified Arab world.
“Meeting Saddam was quite interesting, because he spent more than two hours explaining his philosophy of the unification of Arab nations,” Haider told reporters on Wednesday at the launch of his new book about his 2002 meeting with the Iraqi leader.
“I had the impression that [Saddam] is well-educated, he knows a lot about the history of his country and the region, and he’s open to different arguments,” Haider said.
Foreign workers want out of Israel
JERUSALEM (JPS) — Increasing numbers of foreign workers are asking to be deported from Israel in light of the impending war with Iraq.
Immigration Police officials have confirmed that many foreign workers have approached them, asking to be deported from Israel in the event of a US-led attack on Iraq and possible missile attacks on Israel, Israeli news agency Itim reports.
According to the report, police officials are in negotiations with several airlines over leasing planes to carry the men and women back to their homelands, suggesting foreign workers would have to pay their own way out of Israel.
Closure on W. Bank and Gaza extended
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel extended until Sunday a closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The extension of the closure came amid concerns of possible terrorist attacks as a U.S.-led war begins in Iraq.
The closure, imposed on Saturday night, was originally due to have been lifted on Thursday, following the Purim holiday.
At a special Cabinet meeting Wednesday, the head of military intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Aharon Ze’evi, told ministers that Israel is more concerned about possible terrorist attacks than Iraqi missile attacks.
Israeli police went on the highest level of alert on Wednesday afternoon.
Hezbollah deploys Katyusha launchers
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Hezbollah reportedly has deployed launchers for Katyusha rockets in southern Lebanon.
A Lebanese newspaper reported Wednesday that the organization had deployed the launchers to prevent what it called possible Israeli efforts to exploit a war in Iraq to attack Lebanon.