Denial by Police Spokesman The emergency powers measure was first reported on the Arabic service of Israeli television.

Radio Sawa replaced Voice of America's Arabic service, which had not been successful in attracting large audiences.

About half of VOA's services, including the Arabic service, were discontinued in 1945.

The Arabic service resumed on January 1, 1950, with a half-hour program.

The Israeli radio's Arabic service is widely listened to throughout the Arab world, both for its news and quality Arab music.

With this precedent in mind, the Arabic service had been telling its listeners that Mr. Peres would be in the studio to answer questions.

An hour later, there were some 50 worshipers, including many children, at the Arabic service, also led by the pastor.

In 1996, he joined the Arabic service of the Spanish news agency EFE as a translator.

He is the disk jockey for "From Israel with Love," a popular program on the Arabic service of the Israeli radio.

This was never done in any formal sense, but the extension of emergency powers was reported on the Arabic service of the state-controlled Israeli television.