Rashomon in Jerusalem: Mapping the Israeli Negotiators' Positions on the Israeli–Palestinian Peace Process, 1993–2001

To understand the complexities and dilemmas of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict this paper maps the divergent Israeli positions along the route of the "Oslo" peace process of 1993–2001, including the negotiations at Camp David (July 2000), and Taba (January 2001). This paper is based upon a qualitative content analysis of 20 in-depth interviews conducted in 2002 and 2003 at the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem with a broad range of Israeli negotiators, including senior politicians, foreign ministry officials, senior military officers, former members of the security services, and political aides. This paper tackles the question of how Israelis who were directly involved in the peace process now evaluate it, offering a portrait of how sharply at odds were the various perceptions of what happened and who was responsible for the ultimate failure.     

IRM: Perspectives,issues and implications

This paper addresses the different perspectives of IRM as they relate to the contracting out of services, privacy and supervision, security and data pollution, and E-mail and the disintegration of the work group. It looks at the meaning of decisions about the centralization or decentralization of decision making and how multimedia and re-engineering can influence productivity.     

Using the tax system to collect fines

In this article we consider the possibility that fines could be collected through the tax and social welfare systems in the same way as higher education contributions and child support payments are currently administered. We argue that the existing system of fine collection and enforcement leads to high default rates and reduces the usefulness of fines as a sanction. We consider a range of models for the implementation of an income-related fine collection system, and discuss their possible implications for issues including judicial independence, the time taken to repay fines and aggregate fine revenue.     

Measurement as a means of accountability

Independent scrutiny can help empower bureaucracy's critics so that they might question “government as usual” tendencies, and therefore pressure governments to produce services as advertised. Our premise is that in order to honestly share access to decisions bureaucracies must share access to the information necessary to make those decisions. In particular, more pointed and sophisticated external scrutiny may embarrass management into fully applying the tools it now has available, but often fails to utilise. Data-based dialogues can make government more responsive and responsible in its use of available resources, that is, more productive and more accountable.     

The Precautionary Principle and the Ecosystem Approach in International Law: Differences, Similarities and Linkages

The precautionary principle and the ecosystem approach are often mentioned in one breath. This article explores the differences, similarities and relationship between the two concepts. In a comparative and integrated assessment, it addresses, among other things, the purpose, core elements and status of the precautionary principle and the ecosystem approach under international law, the role of scientific information in their application, and the management actions associated with their implementation.     

The influence of a possible contamination of the victim's clothing by gunpowder residue on the estimation of shooting distance

A study was conducted to assess the influence of a possible contamination of the victim's clothing by gunpowder residue on the estimation of shooting distance. The study was focused on the scenario in which the contamination might be caused by the surface on which the shot victim could fall. Contamination of two types of textile was examined after contact with two types of surfaces. One round was fired above those surfaces (the line of firing parallel to the surface) prior to the contact. It was found that few gunpowder residue particles could be transferred to the clothing. These findings should be taken into account when interpreting results for shooting distance estimation in cases when a minute quantity of gunpowder residue particles is found around the bullet entrance hole.     

A novel method for extraction and analysis of gunpowder residues on double-side adhesive coated stubs

A study was conducted to develop an efficient method for extraction and analysis of gunpowder (propellant) residues from double-side adhesive coated stubs, which are used for sampling suspects or their clothing for gunshot (primer) residues (GSR). Conductive and non-conductive double-side adhesives were examined, and the analysis was carried out by gas chromatography/thermal energy analyzer (GC/TEA) and ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). The optimal procedure for the extraction, as was developed in the present study, employs two stages: (1) extraction of the stubs with a mixture of 80% v/v aqueous solution of 0.1% w/v of sodium azide and 20% v/v of ethanol employing sonication at 80 degrees C for 15 min. and (2) residues from the obtained extract were further extracted with methylene chloride. The methylene chloride phase was concentrated by evaporation prior to analysis. Extraction efficiencies of 30-90% for nitroglycerine (NG) and for 2,4-dinitro toluene (2,4-DNT) were found. No significant interferences in the analysis were observed from the adhesives or skin. Interferences were observed in the analysis by the GC/TEA of the samples collected from hair. The method enables analysis of propellant residues on a double-side adhesive coated stub after it was examined for primer residues by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX). Thus, the probative value of the evidence may be increased.     

Trends in involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in Israel 1991-2000

BACKGROUND: Though information about involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations (IPH) is crucial for the planning of Israel's National Mental Health Care Policy, very few studies have been carried out to date on this subject. AIMS: To identify trends in first IPH to all inpatient psychiatric settings in Israel. METHOD: The sample included all admissions of adults (18 years and older) over the ten-year period, 1991-2000, according to the registration of such admissions in the National Psychiatric Case Registry. RESULTS: A 2.4-fold increase was found in first IPH over the decade studied. The typical profile of the involuntarily admitted patient was that of a native-born Jewish male, aged 18-24 or 65 and older, single, with less than 8 years of education, and with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or delusional psychosis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the need for improving the interfaces between hospital and community services, and for preparing specific guidelines to extend the use of involuntary ambulatory treatment orders. Further study is needed to explore the respective roles of involuntary inpatient and outpatient treatment.