The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 1

VOLUME 263 NUMBER 146 50 cents 75 cents beyond 30 miles from Boston WATERED-DOWN COPY Today: Cloudy and cool; more rain likdy. High 57. Tomorrow: Much the same, but warmer; high 65. High tide: a.m., 9:18 p.m. Full report: Page Cl6 Monday, May 26, 2003 Israel eedorses MEMORIAL map ueace roa ARIEL SHARON Lobbied for US-backed plan helped bring Sharon to office called it a sellout, but the Israeli leader did not seem to be facing any real threat to his majority in parliament.

The vote, praised by Washington, carried considerable symbolic significance, highlighting the shift in Israel's position over the past 15 years on the question of Palestinian independence. The fact that it was made by a right-wing govern DAY 2003 1.. t.i on the bills until after public hear-ings are held next week. But House and Senate leaders are looking to act shortly thereafter, moving to defeat the bills even as they're finishing work on next year's budget Lawmakers say the changes they are embracing in the annual budget should free them to vote down the bills, because the public will realize they are serious about their own ideas for government reform. The governor's proposals cannot be amended by the Legislature and must be considered in all-or-nothing votes.

A day before today's holiday, Frank Tucker of Gloucester and other members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the CivU War of Massachusetts paused on Long Island in Boston Harbor to honor forefathers buried there. The group has been working with city officials to restore the rundown cemetery. Across the nation, communities today will conduct observances as part of a tradition that began 139 years ago. A2. it' I Tnnmn ment under Sharon, viewed during most of his political career as one of Israel's most hawkish leaders, added weight to the decision.

But any tangible implications were still far off, analysts and officials said. Several Cabinet ministers doubted that the plan would get off the ground while others focused on a series of Israeli reservations to the road map raised with the United States and rejected by Palestinians. "I dont think if an ideal plan, but if we dont show a willingness to go toward the Americans and toward peace, well remain alone in the world," said Justice Minister Tommy Lapid, articulating the tepid enthusiasm of even those in the Cabinet who voted for the road map. Palestinians welcomed the decision but said they would reject even subtle changes to the plan, which calls for an immediate end to the violence and mutual steps leading to peace and a Palestinian state by 2005. MIDEAST, Page A9 GLOBE STAFFSbOIO JONATHAN WIGGS keep Iraq at peace, and in one piece.

From butchers and stationers to teachers and peshmerga fighters, it is hard to find anyone in northern Iraq who does not long for Kurdish independence, despite the newfound freedoms they are enjoying in the post-Hussein era. But Turkey threatens to use force to stop the rise of an independent Kurdistan. Civil war over the cities of Kirkuk and Mosul would be likely. What would remain of Iraq would be nothing more than warring mini-kingdoms. The Kurds, according to international human rights groups, constitute the largest people in the world without a state of their own; KURDS, Page A8 situations at other UN offices.

"We want the UN to be the beacon of human rights in the world, and this shows they are not," said Paul Zeitz, director of the AIDS alliance, a worldwide advocacy group based in Washington. "This is about getting your house in order. The UN is using a double standard: one for itself and one for the rest of the world." In one of the documents passed on by the alliance, the UN's special adviser for HIV AIDS in Africa, Stephen H. Lewis, said in an Oct 19, 2002, e-mail that the UN Kenya office needed to quickly UN, Page A6 Step is historic, but Cabinet is deeply divided ByDanEphron GLOBE CORRESPONDENT JERUSALEM Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government, in Israel's first official endorsement of Palestinian statehood, yesterday voted to accept an American-backed peace plan despite the misgivings of nearly half the members of his Cabinet The decision followed hours of stormy debate in which Sharon told his Cabinet that Israel's economy and its special relationship with Washington would suffer if the plan known as the "road map" is spurned, officials here said. He managed to win support from 12 of his 23 Cabinet members, while seven opposed the plan and four abstained.

Some coalition members threatened to bolt after the decision and Jewish settlers who Muslims find revival in US amid hostility ByGeneiveAbdo GLOBE CORRESPONDENT BALTIMORE For Muzzaffar Sheikh, a technology consultant who was born in Pakistan, the mosque used to be a place he visited on occasion as he went about building his life as a new immigrant. But since the hostility toward Muslims began escalating nearly two years ago, the Baltimore Islamic Society has become a refuge for him more often. "More people are coming to the mosques more than ever," said Sheikh, dressed in a traditional tunic on the grounds of the Al Rahmah mosque. "Even if they were progressive Muslims in their own countries and not so observant, now they are sending their kids to Islamic schools." Islamic organizations and Muslim leaders say a revival has increased attendance at the 1,300 mosques and at the 300 to 400 Islamic schools in the country. This renewal is also accelerating demands for political power to defend the community's interests.

There are said to be more than 2 million Muslims in the United States, and possibly as many as 7 million. The number of Friday prayer services has increased to accommodate the influx of worshipers, plans are underway to build more Islamic schools, and some Islamic societies have secured permission for students to pray on Fridays in public schools. Magazines and newspapers for Muslims are also flourishing. Participation at US mosques MUSLIMS, Page A9 UN targeted No health care for subcontractors By John Donnelly GLOBE STAFF WASHINGTON The United Nations, which has long called on corporations and countries to extend HIVAIDS care and treatment to those in the poor world, is now under attack by AIDS advocates for not practicing what it preaches with its subcontractor workers. The issue has arisen from drawn-out negotiations for people Romney proposals may 4 GLOBE STAFF PHOTOTOM HERM fall quickly "Look at the budgets; what youll finally see on the governor's desk will have a lot of what he's asking for," said Representative Geoffrey D.

Hall, House chairman of the committee charged with reviewing Romney's reorganization proposals. "He's pounding the desk, saying, 'Reform, reform, but we're giving it to him, and he's not getting that message out. He's playing the political game here." Senator Dianne Wilkerson, who cochairs the State Administration Committee with Hall, add-LEGISLATION, Page BIO -jf i 1 GLOBt STAFF PHOTODAvIO KAMtHMAN Steven Richard is confronting his addictions at a state-funded facility in Springfield. rs 4 I 1 -i Omar Rasoul (left) and his son Hazhar Omar at work in their blacksmith shop in heavily Kurdish Sulaymaniyah, Kurds' aims threaten Iraq stability effort By Charles A. Radin GLOBE STAFF SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq For the first time in at least 40 years, the Kurds of northern Iraq face no enmity or repression from the government of the country.

Their joy and relief are exuberant Crowds throng the streets of. major cities like Sulaymaniyah and Erbil, buying, selling, talking politics, and embracing any American they find to express gratitude for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. Pictures of President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain are displayed alongside those of Kurdish leaders. But mixed with this joy are other emotions that could cause serious problems for US efforts to Heroin is surpassing cocaine as users' choice Lawmakers prefer own revamp plans By Rick Klein v. GLOBE STAFF Legislative leaders are considering quickly rejecting Governor Mitt Romney's sweeping proposals to reorganize state government and may duck a roll-call vote on whether to maintain the job of University of Massachusetts president William M.

Bulger. i No final decisions have been made, and no votes can be taken -4n 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i Inside Today Acting and activism With no inclination to rest at 85, Qssie Davis is working on a film, polishing a play or two, contemplating his next television role, and continuing to take stands on social issues. UvingArts, B1L features Classified Comics C14-1S Classified CU-13 Crossword C14 DS-ZO 06aths B6-8 Autos factorials A10 Help Wanted C12 Horoscope C14 Professional C12 tottery B2 Real Estate CU Movies B14-15 Apartments Cll JRyRadio B9-10 Comm'llnd'l Cll Gkt Nwwr Co. Market Basket C13 YachtsBoats C5 For breaking news, updated Globe 4 stories, and more, visit: Boston.com 22136 ,0 on HIV coverage limits By Farah Stockman GLOBE STAFF The two drugs were once considered twin threats of equal dan-gerousness, and Steven Richard knew them both. First, the young car salesman from Sandwich fell for cocaine's expensive, hyperactive high.

Then, years later, he was introduced to heroin pure enough to snort. Its euphoria came cheaper than beer. In 1992, heroin and cocaine each drove about 11,000 addicts into state-funded treatment centers in Massachusetts. But since then, the number of cocaine admissions has steadily fallen while the number of heroin admissions has steadily climbed. By 2001, 4,334 admitted patients in Massachusetts named cocaine as their nemesis, while heroin haunted 3739, according to a report by the National Drug In-DRUGS, Page B5 who work full time at the UN's Kenya compound but are employed by an outside contractor.

AIDS activists say the UN has failed to ensure that those subcontractors receive HIVAIDS medical coverage and has also failed to raise the issue throughout the UN system. The Global AIDS Alliance, which was contacted by some of the workers in Kenya, prodded the UN privately for eight months but decided in recent days to go public and give extensive documentation on the impasse to the Globe in hopes of securing health benefits for those in Kenya and in similar.