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Dec. 16, 2014
Daily summary- Wednesday, February 05, 2014
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Main News
In his speech to the mass wedding in Gaza, the President: our people stronger than all crises; met with Indyk and Norwegian envoy, and received a phone call form Al-Arabi
President Mahmoud Abbas received yesterday evening, at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah, US Envoy to the peace process Martin Indyk. The two discussed developments in the peace process and US efforts made by Foreign Minister John Kerry to push the peace process forward. President Abbas also received Norwegian Special Envoy for the Middle East peace process, Johannes Bauer. Bauer confirmed Norway's support for the peace process based on the principle of the two-State solution, for establishing an independent Palestinian State. Bauer noted persistence of Norway in its important role in urging donor countries to provide assistance to the Palestinian people to build their institutions. President Abbas received a call from the League Secretary Arabic Nabil Al-Arabi, yesterday evening and discussed with him the latest developments on the Palestinian arena, and those related to the peace process.Meanwhile, President Abbas said "the Palestinian people stronger than all the crises facing them, and draw joy and life from the clutches of death, to continue the progress towards the establishment of a free and independent Palestinian State fully sovereign, and with its capital in east Jerusalem." Abbas congratulated those participating in a mass wedding under the presidency’s auspices in Gaza, through a televised speech broadcast on Palestinian television, yesterday evening, saying: "despite all the pain, despite all the difficulties, we can cheer, we can make a beautiful life."(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Jewish Home: there will be one state between the sea and the River, Israel
Head of Shin Bet, the Israeli internal intelligence, considered that failed peace negotiations with the Palestinians will lead to rising in violent events.Yoram Cohen said before the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee in the Knesset, as quoted by the Israeli news websites: "even if the peace negotiations fail, we do not expect a third intifada."Cohen also announced to the Committee that if Palestinian attacks on Israelis had increased during the year 2013, the majority were of "individuals and not terrorist organizations", reported the Jerusalem Post. He attributed those acts to the problems in the Palestinian street and in particular economic difficulties.The Foreign and Security Affairs Committee rejected to deliver the minutes of this meeting to the press, saying it contains classified information. Cohen's speech coincides with no progress in negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, with threats from far-right Jewish Home party’s Chairman, Nafftaly Bennett, to “withdraw from the coalition if the Government approved the framework agreement that is not consistent with the principles of the party."Bennett said at a Conference in Jerusalem, "on the contrary, if the framework agreement that will be presented by US Secretary of State John Kerry is consistent with the Jewish Home principles, we will support Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu)."But Uri Ariel,Housing Minister of Israel, who belongs to the same party reflected the party’s principles when clarifying his position of a future Palestinian State at the same Conference, saying : "Let me tell you again: there will be only one state from the Mediterranean sea to the Jordan River, Israel."(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Clashes between residents of Ein Hijlah and occupation soldiers; and preventing citizens from delivering food to the village
Israeli occupation forces detained yesterday evening, a number of young men while trying to deliver food to the residents of Ein Hijlah in the Jordan Valley. Eyewitnesses told “Wafa” that Israeli forces detained a number of men from Aqabat Jabr refugee camp in Jericho, and prevented them from delivering food to the residents of Ain Hijlah. Clashes broke out yesterday morning between Israeli occupation forces and the residents of Ein Hijlah, after a demonstration was held by activists on road 90, where Palestinian flags and banners denouncing the occupation were raised. Occupation soldiers tried yesterday to storm the village several times with large numbers of soldiers and border guards, and clashes erupted with the village residents who were trying to stop them from moving to the middle of the village. This came after Israeli soldiers confiscated a banner with the name of the village that was installed by activists near road 90. (Al-Ayyam)
Hamas for its members: arrest rocket launchers; and if necessary, shoot them
Hamas elements in the Gaza Strip were directed to use force and shoot rocket launchers. This came in a circular distributed by the movement, signed by the Interior Minister of the dismissed Government, and Hamas leader, demanding "to control rocket launching areas, and follow and arrest all launchers, and the use of force and fire if necessary." Spokesman of the Interior Ministry of dismissed Government Islam Shahwansaid that the Interior Ministry will not allow the occupation to break the calm condition, and his Ministry has spread security elements on border areas to maintain calm condition signed with the occupation under Egyptian auspices. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Israel refuses to revive the Tripartite Committee to monitor incitement
Haaretz said that Israel recently rejected US offer to revive the Tripartite Committee to monitor incitement and peace education in the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Haaretz reported yesterday a senior Israeli official as saying that the Minister of Strategic Affairs, Yuval Shtainets“told that the Americans that Israel’s conditionbefore participating in such commission would be through steps for confidence building on the Palestinian side, such as deleting inflammatory sections of several official Palestinian websites.” The PNA has demanded more than once in recent years to revive the Tripartite Committee which use to be active ten years ago but have been frozen since then.(http://safa.ps/details/news/122027/%D8%A5%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%81%D8%B6-%D8%A5%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A5%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B6.html)
Occupation soldiers spray racist slogans on houses in Beit Ummar
Israeli soldiers sprayed yesterday racist slogans on a number of houses in Beit Ummar village north of Hebron.And the Coordinator of the Popular Committee to resist settlement in Beit Ummar, Mohammed Awad, said that a number of Israeli soldiers sprayed racist slogans on the walls of several houses in the area, including: “death to Arabs”, the people of Israel is strong”, during the Israel storming to the area. (http://www.pnn.ps/index.php/policy/80428-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%8A%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B4%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AA-%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%B1)
Shabak warns Israeli Ministers from using a road linking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for "security reasons"
Israeli General Security Service (Shabak) directedIsraeli Prime Ministers to not use route 443 between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem,due toincreasing number of throwing stones and Molotov cocktail bottlesincidents. One Minister said that it was decided to impose this ban because of warnings of shootings on the road, which is located in the West Bank.(http://www.amad.ps/ar/?Action=Details&ID=13833)
Occupation hands over remains of martyr Jalal Mahamid
Israeli occupation forces handed over yesterday the remains of martyr Jalal Khalil Muhammad Ismail Mahamid, from Deir Abu Da'if village, east of Jenin. A parade of martyr Mahamid, whose remains was received by his family and a large gathering of citizens at Taybeh roadblock, reached Khalil Suleiman hospital in Jenin. Mahamid martyred on 8/2/2002 and his funeral will be held today.(Al-Quds)
Al-Aloul: Ein Hijlah delivered a message to Israel that the Jordan Valley is Palestinian
Member of the Central Committee of Fateh, Mahmoud Al-Aloul, said that Ein Hijlah delivered a strong message to Israel and the world that the Jordan Valley is Palestinian. Al-Aloul, who is staying in the village, said in a statement yesterday:“we succeeded in delivering a strong message to the world that the Jordan Valley is Palestinian, and that it will be part of the territory of the independent State of Palestine, and that there will be no Israeli presence in the Palestinian territories, and Israel’s brutal military power would not fulfill Israel’s existence.” (Al-Ayyam)
Haneyah orders to facilitate the arrival of Shaath and Muheisen to Gaza
Prime Minister of the dismissed Government in Gaza Ismail Haneyah instructed to facilitate the access of members of Fatah Central Committee, Nabil Shaath and Jamal Muheisen to the Gaza Strip.Sources at Haneyah’s Office said that Fatah Central Committee member and reconciliation official Azzam Al-Ahmad phonedHaneyahyesterday evening, and that Haneyah ordered immediately for those involved in facilitating the access of members of the Central Committee, within the positive steps taken by the Government to facilitate reconciliation and create a positive atmosphere.The sources said President Abbas will follow closely on the upcoming visit ofCentral Committee members to Gaza. (Al-Ayyam)
Worshippers prevent occupation police from entering to the dome of the rock
Occupation police elements were forced to withdraw and not enter the dome of the rock, after worshippers confronted them at Al Aqsa Mosque. Still, 20 Israeli settlers broke into the mosque after Israeli calls to break into the dome of the rock and raise the Israeli flag today.(Al-Ayyam)
Israeli Supreme Court demands the army to justify the route of the separation wall in Battir and Cremisan monastery
Israeli Supreme Court demanded yesterday from the Israeli Attorney General, to justify before the 10th of next April, why it is not possible to change the route of the wall in the Cremisan Valley area near Beit Jala, with an Israeli Government insistence to construct the wall on the suggested road. Construction work in the area will be halted until then, a Palestinian legal Association said.According to St. Yves legal association, which follows up on the issue, said that the Israeli court "wondered about the inability of the Israeli Government to cancel the decision made last year by a special committee in Tel Aviv," adding: "This means that the wall could be also, for example, constructed according to the path proposed by the Committee on peace and security."(Al-Ayyam)
Peres swims against right wing stream and praises Kerry
Israeli President Shimon Peres thanked Secretary of State John Kerry again yesterdayfor his efforts in the peace process, in an act of “swimming” against the Israeli right wing stream, which repeated attacks on Kerry over the past few days.US President Barack Obama Adviser for national security, Susan Rice,replied on criticism of Kerry, on her official Twitter, saying that "personal attacks in Israel against Minister Kerry are baseless and unacceptable."The Israeli President said in statements: "We thank (John Kerry) for his efforts and encourage him, and hope we reach positive results." A statement issued by the Office of Peres said: "he (Kerry) doesn't come here to fight us," referring to the shuttle tours of Kerry since almost a year to the Middle East, in a bid to re-launch the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Israeli Housing Ministry issue tender for 208 news settlement units near Bethlehem
Israeli Housing Ministry issued lately 208 new housing units in Tel Tamar (Giva’t Hatamra) settlement in the Bethlehem area, near Efrat settlement. This decision comes year after establishing this settlement site, in an attempt to impose fats on the ground through a decision that was denied by previous governments in Israel. Maariv said that the decision will allow the evacuation of tens of settler families residing today in an illegal caravans in the area, in an unprecedented situation of clashes between settlers and the settlement council, since residents of the illegal outpost hear only by chance of the decision. Head of the settlements council Oded Rabibi said in a meeting held with settlers at the outpost: “I come here with mixed feelings, since after years of waiting the decision to expand the settlement was finally approved; I know this is a complex issue, but we need to be ready for evacuating Tel Tamar.” (Al-Quds)
Canadian Minister mocks calls for boycott of settlement products
Canadian labor Minister joined the ongoing debate in the country about calls for boycott of products made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, the Minister was proud of purchasing a machine manufactured made in one of the settlements, mocking of Oxfam calls to boycott these products.Labour Minister Jason Kenny, who also holds the portfolio of cultural diversity, said in a Tweet on his Twitter account "I've bought a Sodastrim machine… Thanks Oxfam for the advice” The Minister attacked a picture of the machine entitling it with (BDS fail). (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Israeli Electricity Company threatens to cut off electricity of the Bank because of PA debts
The Israeli electricity company director said is statements published by the Israeli newspaper Maariv, that debts of the Palestinian Authority for the company has reached about 1.2 billion shekels, adding, "we are making all efforts to recover those amounts and their accumulated debt, and have nothing to do other thancutting power of the territory of the Palestinian Authority.” (Al-Quds)
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Headlines
** Government approves general budget and issue it for approval by the President (Al-Quds)
** 97 Palestinians died in Yarmouk over 206 days (Al-Quds)
** American Foreign Ministry warns its citizens from traveling to the Israeli and the Palestinian territories (Al-Quds)
** Rafah crossing reopened exceptionally (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Body of a child lost for 35 days found in Gaza (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** An Israeli officer was killed in a "friendly fire" near Gaza (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Condemnation of a plan to build an archaeological tourist site on the ruins of the Prophet Samuel (Al-Ayyam)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:Rafah – A child lies on bags waiting to cross Rafah
Al-Ayyam: 1) Gaza, brides during the mass wedding held by Fateh, 2) Damascus – a family form Al-Yarmouk waiting to receive aid from UNRWA
Al Hayat Al Jadida:1) Brides wearing Palestinian costume during the mass wedding in Gaza, 2) activists in Ein Hijlah raising signs of victory after confronting the occupation army, travelers waiting to cross Rafah crossing.
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Voice of Palestine News
Jerusalem: Five youths were injured by Israeli soldiers last night who beat them and then arrested them to the Old City police station. Apparently, the soldiers clashed with the five youths in the Old City. After a fist fight broke out, the soldiers beat the youths.
Furthermore, dozens of female Muslim worshippers remained inside the courtyard of the Aqsa Mosque to counter settler break ins. The Israeli police confiscated their ID cards and were told to go to the police station to pick them up. Break ins by extremist settlers continued yesterday and this morning with calls for more break ins tomorrow with Israeli flags.
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
**Presidential advisor on Jerusalem affairs Ahmad Rweidi, on the recurrent Israeli assaults in Jerusalem
Q: Yesterday five Palestinians were injured and arrested. How do you follow up on the incidents of attacks on Palestinians in Jerusalem?
This is not the first time that Jerusalem youths are attacked, especially in and around the Old City. They are giving a kind of ‘introduction’ to Thursday’s planned break ins into the Aqsa, which are endorsed by the government .That is why they have barred the Muslim worshippers from being inside the courtyard. There is a heavy military presence in the Old City from today. In the past six months, over 300 people from the Old City and the Aqsa have been arrested.
Q: What activities are planned to counter tomorrow’s break-ins?
The men and women of Jerusalem are always prepared to confront the settlers to protect the Aqsa. But let me say, the Arab and Muslim moves are very weak in this regard. Israel is talking quite frankly about dividing the Aqsa and destroying the Dome of the Rock and imposing a new reality in Jerusalem. In order to challenge all of this, there must be support of Jerusalem and its people, from the Arabs and Muslims particularly. Our position has stayed the same. There will be no agreement without Jerusalem as its capital.
**Salah Khawajeh, coordinator for the committee against settlements and the wall, on Ein Hijleh and Israel’s repeated attempts to raid it
Q: How is the situation in Ein Hijleh today after repeated attempts by Israeli forces to raid it?
Over the past six days, there have been attempts by the army and confrontations with the activists here. Israel has tried to prevent food and water and other basic necessities from entering the village. 15 people have been arrested over these six days. We have tried in all ways to break this siege and bring in goods. One of those arrested was a German journalist. But every time someone is arrested, we protest by closing off the main street until they are released. We have succeeded with this so far.
Yesterday, we declared this area as part of the Palestinian state and raised the Palestinian flag in all areas and on the main Road 90. Large Israeli forces stormed the area and there were hours-long clashes. The man who smuggled in food for us from Aqbat Jaber was also arrested and is still in detention until today. Yesterday Israel announced that the village and its surroundings were a closed military zone, but we are insistent on continuing this struggle. Today we have a lot of activities lined up, including several delegations that will visit us.
**Government spokesperson Ihab Bseiso on the Cabinet ratification of the budget
Q: What are the main features of this budget?
The cabinet took into consideration many factors in approving the budget, namely the economic situation. The idea was to challenge all of our financial challenges, especially since the occupation is in control of all borders and main facilities and hinders economic growth. That is why there had to be a rationalization of the government expenditures so that they don’t impinge on developmental sectors. The same was the case for lowering taxes and improving tax collection. We have a problem with tax evasion in Palestine, which we need to address.
Q: The budget was $4.2 billion but the statements from the government said that the budget may depend mostly on donor countries; there are those who fear economic pressures on the Palestinians because of the political situation. Did you take this into consideration?
Of course we did. This is also why we are so concerned with tax evasion, which has reached over $1 billion a year. If there is more of a commitment from the people – and we are not talking about your average citizen. We are talking about vast public sectors, companies, etc. that are evading. So, if we can get the evasion under control, this will help us to wean ourselves off of donor aid. But our reality is that much of Palestine depends on donor assistance. This is a fact.
We also know that economic development is linked to political progress, for example investments in Area C. I think our main goal is to promote and strengthen our internal resources so that we can be less dependent on donor aid.
**Fatah Central Committee member Mohammed Madani and head of the social committee for meetings with the Israeli society, on his meeting with a delegation of Orthodox Jews
Q:What were the most significant points in this meeting and what was its purpose?
First, the goal of all of these meetings is to connect and hold dialogues within Israeli society. We feel that the right in Israel is evading the peace process, even before the negotiations began. They claim that peace could harm Israel and use false pretexts for this argument [borders, Jerusalem, etc]. So many right wing Israelis don’t want peace and are trying to incite the rest of the Israelis against it as well. That is why President Abbas decided that we should sit down and talk to influential figures in Israeli society.
Q: But how much can they influence the Israeli street?
As for the orthodox Jews, there is more than group. There are those who live in settlements and there are those who are not convinced with the settlements or even the occupation. We do not waste our time with those who are already completely convinced with the settlements, There is not point. The people who we met with yesterday had questions for us, but overall, they are supportive of a peace with the Palestinians. They actually see that we are very close religiously, given that we are all from the monotheistic religions. And so they do have clout and they can influence others.
Many of them do not serve in the army or vote. But there was one man who came yesterday who said he used to be a settler and was in the army, an occupier. Now he feels that this all has to stop. And we try to show where their interests lie in peace. We are not negotiating. But we try to point things out to them, such like Israel’s borders will only be safe with a Palestinian state.
Q: We heard you are going to Gaza soon
On Friday, God willing, in order to meet with Fatah officials there and to try and mend fractures from within. Because there has been the split in Gaza and a loss of centrality in the organization, internal splits have occurred.
**EU Arabic spokesperson for the EU Shadi Othman, on the EU aid to Jerusalem of 1.88 million euros
Q: Where will this aid be focused mostly?
This aid is part of the EU’s work in East Jerusalem and will focus on small initiatives and projects in the city, namely in the sectors of tourism, IT and industry. Jerusalem is a priority of the EU and will continue to be.
Q: Will there also be political support from the EU for Jerusalem and the Palestinians’ right to the eastern sector of the city?
There is no need to separate between the material and political support given by the EU. The EU’s assistance is in and of itself a political stance. It considers East Jerusalem occupied territory just like the rest of the West Bank. Each year, it offers around 8 million euro to projects for the citizens of east Jerusalem. The EU still hopes that the negotiations will result in a solution for Jerusalem.
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More Headlines
Injuries, arrests and burning house during an occupation wide campaign in Al-Fara'a refugee camp
Two teenagers were injured with four others arrested during a large-scale military campaign, launched by the Israeli occupation army in Aal-Fara'a refugee camp in the northern West Bank, during which an Israeli soldier was wounded, and the Israeli occupation forces destroyed a house in the camp. Local sources said that more than 40 military jeeps stormed the camp at 2 in the morning from three areas: the Market Street, mountain Street and Seres Street, and stormed houses of citizens in these areas. The sources said that clashes erupted between dozens of young men and Israeli troops injuring two youths: Saed Al-Ghoul, a 27-year-old who was shot in the abdomen, and Hamza Musa Alayan, a 23-year-old who was shot in the hand. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=670916)
Dweik: it is time to convene the PLC to discuss Kerry’s plan
Aziz Dweik, speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, ruled out reconciliation in light of continuing what he describes as daily prosecution and arrests campaigns on political background in the West, despite positive steps taken in Gaza. Dweik said in televised remarks: "if Fatah was keen to complete the reconciliation, it should respond to Haniyah’s decisions with the same decisions in the West Bank." Dweik said: "it is time to convene the Legislative Council to discuss Kerry’s plan, to call the Palestinian people for a referendum to say their word regarding this plan." (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/264983 /)
Israeli occupation forces demolish homes in Jerusalem
Israeli occupation forces carried out a number of demolitions this morning in Jabal Mukkaber and Suh Baher, south of Jerusalem and in Beit Hanina north of the city, under the pretext of not having the proper construction license. The demolitions have left 25 people homeless, including several children. In Beit Hanina, the home of Mohammed Sandouka was demolished, in which seven people. one family member says the family already paid NIS10,000 as a construction ‘fine.’ The home of Mujahed Abu Sarhan in Sur Baher was also demolished after Israeli forces broke windows and doors and attacked the residents inside. The homes in Jabal Mukabber belonging to two brothers from the Shqeirat family are currently being prepared for demolition. Tear gas was shot into the homes and the residents were attacked. Five young men have already been arrested. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=670913)
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Arab Press
Obama and the further diminution of Palestine
By JAMAL DOUMANI
No one would have imagined that, after winning his historic election as president five years ago, Barack Obama would morph into a frustrated chief executive unable to convince a divided Congress to cooperate with him on his domestic agenda, or to take bold steps in trouble spots around the world, mostly in the Middle East and South Asia, that would have solved many a problem.
To be sure, as he delivered his State of the Union message last Tuesday, he did not come across as a lame duck president so much as a president who is now resigned to go it alone. Because of implacable Republican opposition to his pet projects, from immigration reform to minimum wage standards and from health care to education opportunities, the remainder of his presidency will be characterized by his effort to use executive action in order to bypass Congress — and thus political gridlock.
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But what of his intentions overseas? Clearly, a president’s State of the Union message is traditionally devoted to domestic issues, but this year Obama alluded, albeit briefly, to the “prudent limits.”
“We must fight the battles that need to be fought, not those that terrorists prefer from us, large-scale deployments that drain our strength,” he said.
He equally advocated limits on the use of drones, a surprising call given the fact that he has, over the last five years, ordered their deployment far more frequently and lethally than his predecessor had and again promised to close once and for all the prison at Guantanamo Bay, an act he had pledged to see done even before he took office.
Syria and Palestine were not missing from his speech, though he referred to the one obliquely by saying that the US will “continue” to help opposition groups who are not affiliated with extremists and to the other menacingly by saying he looked forward to seeing Palestinians living in dignity in their state alongside a “Jewish state.” For here’s the rub. We know, of course that this is the new catch phrase that Israel has introduced into the political lexicon of the region, demanding that Palestinians recognize it as a “Jewish state,” homeland and exclusive property, as it were, of the “Jewish people.”
Did Obama slip this catchphrase into his speech innocently or was he deliberately and calculatedly declaring that the US would go along with that demand? My guess is that it is the latter. Let’s face it, a president’s State of the Union address is the most vetted, revised, edited, scripted, drafted and redrafted speech — often involving the input of several professional speechwriters — that a chief executive gives every year.
Moreover, there have been reports in Washington recently that the US is planning to present its own “framework” for a peace settlement, known as the “Kerry Plan,” named after Secretary of State John Kerry — to be unveiled after an expected impasse in the current six-month talks between Palestinians and Israelis — that Washington will twist arms to see implemented. And the Kerry Plan will insist, among other things, that Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state or the “state of the Jewish people,” renounce the Palestinian refugees right of return and accept a more or less permanent presence in the Jordan Valley of Israeli occupation troops.
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All in return for a truncated state in that little smidgen of land of historic Palestine we call the West Bank and Gaza — a dubious terminus to decades of struggle, sacrifice and unspeakable suffering.
The Palestinians, sadly, do not have a strong position in the balance of power between themselves and Israel and that by definition limits their ability to assert a muscular posture in how they determine their political destiny at this time. And one doubts that their leaders have thought out what their next, most coherent move might be in the very likely event that yet again the Palestinians are shortchanged by Israel and its patrons in the US government.
We all know that Obama is a compelling speaker and he sure can turn a phrase. And loaded phrases like Israel being the “homeland of the Jewish people” are not loaded in and by themselves, for people can adopt whatever self-definitions they please. These phrases become loaded when they are thrown down the throat of another people, in this case the Palestinians, who are expected to embrace whatever toxic implications the carry.
And Obama’s administration appears to be aiding and abetting this charade. Was that the same Obama who reached out to the Arabs and Muslims everywhere when delivered that stirring speech at Cairo University in June 2009? My, how presidents change once in office!(http://www.arabnews.com/news/520521)
A UN force is needed in Palestine
Gulf News Editorial
The current peace process between Israel and Palestine is coming to a head as US Secretary of State John Kerry’s April deadline approaches. An essential part of that plan is to include a third-party military force on the ground to ensure security and US General John Allen has been leading the discussions on how the US military may become involved. Not surprisingly, given Allen’s failure in Afghanistan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has taken a dim view of American forces manning his future border with Israel, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has always quietly insisted that Israel can only ever rely on its own forces for its security.
Rather than accept the Americans, Abbas has called for Nato to take on this military role.
But he is mistaken to do this and instead he should be asking for a United Nations force to come and act as the all-important buffer between Palestinians and Israelis. Nato is a treaty organisation between the democracies of the North Atlantic and it should stay that way. Its greatest success is bringing peace to western Europe and it should stop its unfortunate role as a roaming military force carrying out the wishes of US presidents without UN supervision.
It is fashionable in Washington to trash the UN. George W. Bush did it openly and his military expeditions left the world a much worse place. Barack Obama has not been so open in his disdain, but he has also accepted Washington’s fallacy that the UN cannot be trusted.
It is unfortunate that the Americans only trust their own forces under their own generals, but this policy has failed as is so obvious in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is time to change this and if the Palestinians and the Israelis need a third force it should come from the UN, as the only world body that still commands a certain amount of respect and can be seen to be neutral.(http://gulfnews.com/opinions/editorials/a-un-force-is-needed-in-palestine-1.1286435)
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Opinions
Who should compensate whom?
Al Khaleej Editorial
According to US secretary of state John Kerry’s plan, as part of the final settlement the Arabs should pay $300 billion in compensation to Jews who left Arab countries and came to Israel over the years.
How ridiculous is this notion? Who should be paying whom?
What about the six million Palestinians who were driven out of their land by Zionist gangs, turned into homeless and lost refugees throughout the four corners of the world?
Anyway, who took these Jews out of the Arab countries? And who imported millions of Jews from around the world to Palestine under the claim that it was the “Promised Land”? Will the other countries from which Jews came pay them compensation as well for leaving their mother countries and coming to Palestine?
First: the Jews were not forced to leave Arab countries by force; they left at their own will and all of them sold whatever they had before they moved to Palestine.
Second: The Zionist movement exercised various methods of deception and deceit to urge Jews in Arab countries to join their ranks and newfound state. It did the same thing with Jews all around the world after working hard so that they do not integrate with other societies. Instead they uprooted them from their European, American or whatever other roots to bring them over.
Third: The Zionist movement also worked to intimidate the Jews in Arab countries through terror operations, bombings and assassinations that targeted Jews and Jewish institutions in order to complete the project of moving Jews to Palestine.
This compensation plan is nothing but a provocation and an insult to every single Palestinian and Arab because it holds the victim responsible for what the persecutor has done instead of the other way around.
America is always like this, looking at Arab causes of justice and rights with blatant Zionist eyes.
Who will compensation the Palestinian people for their land and for the years of displacement and expulsion they have endured, almost reaching the 70-year mark?
All the money and riches of America cannot compensate for one grain of soil from Palestine and its Jerusalem. (http://www.alkhaleej.ae/studiesandopinions/detailedpage/e948bb4c-bb9e-4c26-bac0-dad3d1a151b3)
Between the flexibility of President Abbas and the rigidity of Netanyahu
Al Quds Editorial
The statements made by President Mahmoud Abbas in his interview with the New York Times were an indicator of just how far the Palestinian leadership is willing to go in its bid for peace along the very minimum terms it can accept without forfeiting Palestinian constants or the basic rights of the people. First and foremost of these is the refugee right of return, the right of Palestinians inside the Green Line to equal citizenship within Israel, which came to them, not the other way around.
In the interview President Abbas reaffirmed the leadership’s acceptance of the presence of NATO forces at the borders of the future Palestinian state, whether the eastern or western borders. He actually welcomed such a presence throughout all of Palestine, considering it a force for the protection of the Palestinian people. The Palestinian leadership has been calling for an international presence in the occupied territories since the nineties. In the last decade, late President Yasser Arafat called for international protection for the Palestinian people from repeated Israeli attacks and raids at the time and which are still ongoing until today, either by the Israeli army or extremist settlers who wreak havoc and destruction this occupied land.
In exchange, the response of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Abu Mazen’s statements was a reflection of his right-wing policies and approaches towards practically consolidating the occupation on Palestinian land under virtual names and proposals, which have nothing to do with internationally-endorsed Palestinian demands. The presence of the occupation and all of its measures and the settlement expansion over all of the West Bank are two facts that Netanyahu and his right-wing allies cannot deny. Neither can the international community ignore them regardless of how loyal some of these countries are to Israel. Therefore, the world’s patience has its limits, especially since the occupation has taken too long and settlements are intensifying to the point that a just peace has become a distant goal and the possibility of implementing the two-state solution is nearing the point of impossible.
Netanyahu and his allies can give things different names if they want, such as saying it is “disputed land” instead of “occupied land” and “Judea and Samaria” instead of the West Bank. However, he cannot deny that the Israeli army occupied the West Bank including Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in 1967 and that the Palestinian people have been on the land of Palestine for centuries, denied their human and national rights by Israel’s occupation. This of course, is in contravention with the principles of international law and human rights, first and foremost the right of self-determination and national independence.
The Israeli Prime Minister and his right-wing settler support cannot possibly stand up to the international will, which rejects the occupation and settlements alike. There are signs that indicate that the international community is losing its patience with the Israeli government’s constant evasion of its obligations towards peace and its impossible conditions which it tries to impose on the Palestinians. this is at a time when it is supposed to be negotiating over a withdrawal of its forces from the occupied territories and end the settlement enterprise, which is incompatible with the peace process and the spirit of the age of liberties in which we live.
The comparison between President Abbas’ flexibility and his adherence to Palestinian rights, which do not go against a just peace, and between the intransigence of Netanyahu and his allies, confirms to the world that the Israeli government is the party that is rejecting a just peace. Therefore, the international community must seriously assume their role in achieving a peaceful solution bases on the national and human rights of the Palestinians and on the security and stability of all peoples in the region. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/487201)
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