M I D - E A S T  R E A L I T I E S - LIE OF THE WEEK

ISRAELI FOLK WISDOM:

LABOR & LUKUD -- WHO'S WORSE?

Jerusalem -- As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is coming under intense pressure from West Bank settlers -- long considered his best allies -- a bit of illuminating folk wisdom is circulating here these days.

"A LIKUD GOVERNMENT" THE SAYING GOES, "ANNOUNCES 10 SETTLEMENTS BUT BUILDS ONLY ONE, WHILE A LABOR GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES ONE BUT BUILDS 10"...

THE GROWING CONSENSUS IS THAT THE RABIN-PERES GOVERNMENT, FOR ALL ITS DOVISH POLITICS AND VERBAL JOUSTING WITH THE SETTLERS, ACTUALLY DID A LOT MORE TOWARD SOLIDIFYING THEIR PRESENCE THAN HAS THE CURRENT, MORE RIGID REGIME.

THE OTHER IRONY IS THAT AT THE SAME TIME THEY BUILT UP SETTLEMENTS, YITZCHAK RABIN AND SHIMON PERES MANAGED TO STAY IN THE WORLD'S GOOD BOOKS, WHILE NETANYAHU, SUPPOSEDLY A MASTER OF POLITICAL PUBLIC RELATIONS, DOES PRECIOUS LITTLE IN THE TERRITORIES YET ATTRACTS THE WORLD'S ENMITY. By Larry Derfner Israel Correspondent, THE JEWISH WEEK 12/20/96

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B I B I   S L I P S ?

SPEAKS OF 'STEALING' ARAB LANDS

JERUSALEM - ...Netanyahu himself told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the government has "NO INTENTION OF 'STEALING'" ARAB LAND FOR MORE SETTLEMENTS.

(Note: Headlines and capital letters added by MER)

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