MIDDLE EAST AFRICA SOUTH ASIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00865A002000340002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 18, 2001
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: October 31, 1975
• Content Type: NOTES

Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865A002000340002-2
Top Secret
gulr~p Hour
Middle East
Africa
South Asia
Top Secret
SC No. 08367/75
October 31, 1.9:15
Approved For Release 2001/11/07: CIA-RDP79T00865A002000340002-2
 Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2
NOFORN/USIB ONLY
Warning Notice
Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
DISSEMINATION CONTROL ABBREVIATIONS
NOFORN- Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals
NOCONTRACT- Not Releasable to Contractors or
Contractor/Consultants
PROPIN- Caution-Proprietary Information Involved
USIBONLY- USIB Departments Only
ORCON- Dissemination and Extraction of Information
Controlled by Originator
REL... - This Information has been Authorized for
Release to ...
Classified by 010725
Exempt from general declassification schedule
of E.O. 11652, exemption category:
058(1), (2), and (3)
Automatically declassified on:
Date Impossible to Determine
Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2
 Approved For F' se ~ 1~`1AW: JO-AM 'F00865AO02000340002-2
MIDDLE EAST - AFRICA -- SOUTH ASIA
This publication is prepared for regional specialists in the Washington com-
munity by the Middle East - Africa Division, Office of Current Intelligence,
with occasional contributions from other offices within the Directorate of
Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should be directed to
the authors of the individual articles.
Israel: New Cabinet Minister . . . . . . . . . 1
North Yemen: Effort to Stir Tribal
Uprising Fails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Pakistan: Supreme Court Upholds Government's
Ban on Opposition Party . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Oct 31, 1975
Approved For Ret ep20 ,WV, I PT~0865A002000340002-2
 Approved For Re 20 CI/ 46A4&865A002000340002-2
Israel
New Cabinet Minister
The appointment this week of Zvulun Hammer as
Israeli Minister of Social Welfare will strengthen
hardliners in Prime Minister Rabin's cabinet. It
will not, however, appreciably alter the government's
negotiating strategy as determined by Rabin, Defense
Minister Peres, and Foreign Minister Allon.
Hammer, at age 39 the youngest member of
Rabin's 20-man cabinet, is a leader of the National
Religious Party's hawkish youth wing. He fills a
cabinet seat traditionally reserved for the Religious
Party in the succession of Labor-dominated coalition
governments that have been in power in Israel
since its establishment.
Hammer is strongly opposed to any Israeli
withdrawal from the West Bank or the Golan Heights.
His faction is closely affiliated with one of the
most vocal and active of the various Israeli
groups currently pressing to increase the number
of Jewish settlements on the Golan. The faction
has come out publicly against any Israeli withdrawal
from the Golan as part of an interim agreement
with Syria.
Hammer recently told reporters he intends to
work from within the government against any withdrawal
from the Golan. He implied he will try to constrain
his two fellow Religious Party ministers by threatening
to reveal to their constituents what they say in
cabinet discussions if their statements deviate
from the Party's conservative principles. Both
these ministers generally support Rabin's conduct
of the negotiations but Hammer's presence in the
cabinet might induce them to adopt a more cautious
position.
(Continued)
Oct 31, 1975
Approved For Releast,1/?1 R[ 1Uff A002000340002-2
 Approved For Release 20TOR/0$`1]&OD2000340002-2
Both Rabin and the old-guard Religious Party
leaders nevertheless support Hammer's entry into
the government. Rabin hopes to dampen criticism
from Hammer's faction by bringing it into the
cabinet. He also wants to bolster his slim Knesset
Imajority by ensuring the support of all ten Religious
Party deputies for his government. The party
leadership, in turn, hopes the move will patch
over the growing rift between the increasingly
powerful youth faction and the party's old guard.
(CONFIDENTIAL)
Approved For Release t1/ eW 7U flh6j jX02000340002-2
 25X1D Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2
Next 1 Page(s) In Document Exempt
Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2
 Approved For RTIGPe 47RW.CCTAD. i00865A002000340002-2
North Yemen
Effort to Stir Tribal Uprising Fails
A recent effort by Sheikh Abdallah al-Ahmar
to generate tribal resistance to Command Council
1 Chairman Ibrahim al-Hamdi appears to have been
unsuccessful.
Sheikh__ Abdallah has been one of the most
powerful politicians in North Yemen for several
years by virtue of his tribal position
He has lost much of
his influence in recent months, however, as Hamdi
has skillfully removed potential opponents
from military and government posts. As a traditionalist,
al-Ahmar opposed Hamdi because of Hamdi's efforts to
modernize North Yemen's society and political system.
(Continued)
Oct 31, 1975
25X6
Approved For 12 -eg 1J 1f,: Clq; YZX00865A002000340002-2
 Approved For Release'1IA11SEC1OPT7A002000340002-2
Al-Ahmar has the ability to initiate small-
scale uprisings in the northern part of the country.
Without unified tribal support and asistance from
an outside power however, North
Yemeni officials do not believe he poses a threat
to the regime. (SECRET NOFORN/USIB ONLY)
Oct 31, 1975
25X6
Approved For Release 2001OP SECA g79;UPj6 ?V000340002-2
T
 Approved For Re1tcQr2U0'Ff tOY':TCIA=RC7P7JTn'd865AO02000340002-2
Pakistan
Supreme Court Upholds Government's Ban
on Opposition Party
The Supreme Court has upheld the government's
action last February banning the National Awami
Party (NAP), the largest opposition party in
Pakistan. In its unanimous decision, announced on
October 30, the court held that the NAP had been
operating in " a manner prejudical to the sovereignty
and. integrity" of the nation and therefore had
"made itself liable to be dissolved" under the
political parties act.
The court also found that the NAP leaders had
resorted to acts of terrorism, sabotage and sub-
version in "an effort to undermine the security,
solidarity and sovereignty" of the state.
The court's ruling was not unexpected. The legal
case against the NAP has been described as relatively
weak, but the government has the power to bring con-
siderable pressure on the justices. While the decision
may have been foreordained, the NAP leaders probably
hurt their cause by withdrawing their defense attorneys
in objection to the proceedings shortly after the
trial began. Subsequently, the court-appointed
defense lawyer conducted a rather bland defense of
the NAP and its leaders.
The NAP has a long history of opposing strong
centralized government, but in recent years its
leaders, openly at least, have advocated provincial
autonomy within Pakistan rather than secession of
one or more provinces from the federal state. The
party's following has been largely limited to the two
provinces adjoining Afghanistan, the Northwest
Frontier and Baluchistan. The government in Kabul
came under strong attack during the trial, being
accused of aiding the NAP in organizing and supporting
a rebellion in Baluchistan and of giving aid to
terrorists in the Northwest Frontier. Close ties do
(Continued)
Oct. 31, 1975
Approved For Release.1 ftFJDP0WMH*002000340002-2
 Approved For Release 2001W( W: &IJW0?BR2400340002-2
exist between leaders of the NAP and the authorities
in Kabul, most of whom are of the same Pushtun
The Bhutto regime's victory in court is not
likely to slow its campaign against its opponents in
the NAP. The attorney general has indicated that
NAP officials may well be disqualified from holding
elected office for the next five years as a result
of the court ruling. This restriction may apply to
those currently holding seats in the national and
provincial assemblies. Additionally, the government
appears to be determined to go through with the trial
of several jailed senior NAP leaders, including
party chief Abdul Wali Khan, on criminal charges.
The government's tough attitude may silence
the present leadership of the NAP and possibly
other opposition politicians. It could also cause
a growth of underground opposition in the Northwest
Frontier, increased tribal dissidence in Baluchistan,
and a sharp revival of the bitter propaganda war
between Pakistan and Afghanistan. (CONFIDENTIAL)
Oct 31, 1975
Approved For Release 200Y11/A7 S?t'W9T 79TUMBRA 00340002-2
25X6
 25X1D Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2
Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2
 Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2
Top Secret
Top Secret
Approved For Release 2001/11/07 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO02000340002-2