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March 17, 2014
Daily summary- Monday, March 17, 2014
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Main News
[ABBAS] TO MEET WITH OBAMA TODAY; KERRY URGES ABU MAZEN TO TAKE DIFFICULT POSITONS
An American official said today that Secretary of State John Kerry urged President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday to ‘take difficult but necessary decisions’ before the end of the period for reaching a peace deal with Israel on April 29. A senior official in the State Department said about the three-hour Kerry-Abbas meeting that “the Secretary thanked President Abbas for his leadership and partnership over the past few months,” encouraging him to take difficult decisions in the next few weeks. He also said Kerry stressed that the parties were at a crucial point in the negotiations and that even though these issues have been around for dozens of years, the two sides must not allow the difficult choices to stand in the way of reaching peace. He concluded that the talks were “straightforward and fruitful.”
Abbas is to meet with President Obama today, with predictions that he will carry the message of ‘absolute rejection’ to the framework agreement prepared by Kerry, but would be more open to discuss other American options such as extending the negotiations until the end of the year. This was in the case that moves made that would win the support of the people such as the release of heavy-weight prisoners such as Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat, and the halt to new tenders in Israeli settlements. Various sources have said that President Abbas will demand the release of prisoners including Saadat and Barghouti and also demand the release of long-serving prisoners according to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahranoth, which said that the possibility of such a release in exchange for an extension of the negotiations was very slim. The paper also said there was little possibility that Israel would agree to freezing settlement construction, especially since the two sides began peace talks without a freeze in place.
Obama, meanwhile, is expected to pressure Abbas into accepting the framework agreement and extending the negotiations in exchange for the fourth batch of prisoners being released and a settlement freeze. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=682107)
LEADERSHIP CALLS FOR MARCHES OF SUPPORT FOR ABBAS TODAY
In light of President Abbas’ meeting with US President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has called on all public sector employees, official, popular and private institutions and all sectors of society to participate in the public activities that will begin at 11:00 this morning in support of Abbas. The marches are aimed at showing full support for the president “in his refusal to compromise on Palestinian constants.” Fatah made a national call for marches in the West Bank and Gaza today in support for Abbas. (http://www.alquds.co.uk/?p=144359)
ISLAMIC JIHAD: EGYPTIAN MEDIATION FOR THE TRUCE WAS AT ISRAEL’S REQUEST; OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HAMAS IS GOOD
A trusted source in the Islamic Jihad told the London-based Al Hayat that the Egyptian mediation for the latest truce between Islamic Jihad and Israel came at the request of the latter. He said that the Israelis took the initiative to call Egyptian authorities and ask them to step in to solidify a ceasefire. According to the source, Israel was made to reiterate that it would halt assassinations if the ceasefire was reestablished, but said it had to be reciprocal. The Jihad source said its latest rockets were meant to “send a message to the Israelis” adding that ‘they got the message and responded and that’s why they immediately backed off.” He also said that the Jihad’s relationship with Hamas was ‘good’. (http://samanews.com/ar/index.php?act=post&id=193266)
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW PLAN TO BUILD 734 SETTLEMENT UNITS IN RAMOT SETTLEMENT IN JERUSALEM
Israeli housing minister Uri Ariel announced yesterday a plan that includes the construction of 734 housing units in the Ramot settlement north of Jerusalem. According to settlement expert Ahmad Sub Laban, this new construction will expand the settlement in order to create a huge settlement pocket along with the adjacent Ramot Shlomo settlement, thus isolating East Jerusalem from the village communities to the west. It would also help to strengthen the connection between the settlement pocket of Givat Zeev and East Jerusalem through direct geographic contiguity. Sub Laban said the new project would be carried out on the eastern hillsides of Ramot where the Jerusalem municipality recently began infrastructure works ahead of the building. He said the plan also includes green areas along with the actual units, assuming a ‘country club’ structure with sports facilities, swimming pools and public buildings. Sub Laban also said that on March 24 the Israeli planning and construction committee would discuss a plan to build another settlement cluster that includes 2,000 units near the Ramot settlement and which will be named “Maskiya Naftuh”.
Deputy secretary general of the DFLP Qays Abdel Kareem said the new settlement announcement was a ‘slap in the face” of the American administration, which continues to blatantly show bias towards Israel. He said the Palestinian leadership must immediately head to the UN General Assembly to score a resolution that would criminalize settlements and call on member states to impose a blockade on all settlements through a complete boycott of them. (Al Quds)
JERUSALEM: CONFRONTATIONS, ARRESTS AND INJURIES IN AL AQSA, ON SALAH EDDIN STREET AND BAB HUTTA; SECOND DAY OF SIEGE ON AQSA
Israeli forces attacked youths yesterday in the Aqsa Mosque before closing the seven gates to the compound and preventing anyone under 50 from entering, all while allowing settlement groups to enter including Israeli housing minister Uri Ariel.
Jerusalem was the scene of several confrontations yesterday, the most violent being on Salah Eddin street in the afternoon hours. Seven youths were injured after being beaten by Israeli troops. Israeli sources said they arrested one youth after claiming that Palestinians attacked a police car. Seven worshippers were also arrested and one injured after Israeli police said youths threw stones and fireworks at Israeli troops near the Moroccan Gate. Several clashes broke out at the Aqsa Mosque gates including Bab Hutta, Chain gate and Bab Al Majlis. Ariel said during his ‘visit’ to the mosque that he would continue to visit, calling on the Israeli police to uphold “Jewish sovereignty’ inside. (Al Ayyam)
Today, Israeli authorities continued to shut the doors to the Aqsa Mosque for the second day in a row, preventing anyone under 50 years of age from entering to pray. Eyewitnesses say the courtyard is nearly empty of worshippers in the presence of a heavy Israeli military presence. Three extremist Jews have entered the compound from the morning hours with dozens of citizens praying in the streets of the Old City and outside the Aqsa gates. (http://www.qudsnet.com/news/View/268872/)
QUREI’: THE CONTINUED BREAK INS AND VIOLATIONS IN AL AQSA ARE THREATENING TO BLOW UP THE SITUATION
PLO Executive Committee member and head of the Jerusalem affairs department Ahmad Qurei’ warned against the Knesset’s insistence to discuss the subject of sovereignty over the Aqsa Mosque this week during its general assembly. He said such a proposal was a flagrant defiance of the Palestinian and Arab street and an insistence on causing more tension in the region. He said the continued break ins, the attacks on Jerusalem and continued attempts to Judaize it have all portrayed a dangerous situation that forebodes terrible consequences on the future of the Aqsa and the city (Al Ayyam)
THOUSANDS PARTICIPATE IN ‘LONGEST HUMAN READERS CHAIN AROUND JERUSALEM’S WALLS
In an unprecedented initiative, thousands of Palestinians gathered at Damascus Gate yesterday afternoon raising books in their hands before distributing themselves around the Old City walls from Damascus Gate to New Gate each carrying a book, reading it for an hour. The initiative from “Shabab Al Balad” stems from an idea “that is based on bringing any book you like and reading it from 2-3 o’clock in the longest ever human readers’ chain” with the aim of entering the Guinness Book of World Records on the occasion of one year since the establishment of Jabal Mukkaber Library. Youth, men, women and children all participated in the activity, which was also aimed at encouraging the youths of the city to read more, spread the culture of reading and donate books to the public library in addition to building new libraries. One activist, Hussam Ilayan, said the group did not ask for permission from the Israeli police for the activity, saying ‘we don’t think that the culture of reading needs permission from anyone: adding that they tried not to reach areas where Israelis would be present so that no friction would occur.
Dozens of youths held a similar activity in Bethlehem in Manger Square (Al Ayyam)
OLIVE TREES DESTROYED IN JALOUD AND LAND LEVELED IN SALFEET; RIOT IN HEBRON
Dozens of settlers from settlement outposts in the center of Hebron wreaked havoc yesterday in the streets of the old city on the occasion of the Jewish holiday Purim. Dozens of settlers organized a march in the old city near the Ibrahimi Mosque under tight Israeli army protection after several stores were closed down and Palestinians residents were prevented from nearing the streets filled with settlers.
In Beit Ummar north of Hebron, confrontations broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian youths where three youths were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets. Israeli forces burned wood piles, belonging to Badran Awad and took to the rooftops of Palestinian homes in order to shoot teargas and bullets at demonstrators. Two youths were arrested and a child was injured during confrontations in the Ramallah-area village of Nabi Saleh. Six people were arrested in the Qalqilya area.
In Salfeet, settlers from the Ravava settlement leveled agricultural and grazing land in the villages of Deir Istya and Haris with dozens of settlers carrying out religious rituals on the lands of Haris, which were confiscated by Israeli authorities two days ago. The land was leveled in preparation for the construction of new settlement units in Ravava.
In the Nablus area, settlers from Yesh Kodish destroyed 55 olive trees by spraying them with harmful chemicals in the village of Jaloud. The trees belong to Abdel Ghani Mohammed and Mohammed Haj Mohammed. (Al Quds)
AHMAD YOUSEF: HAMAS WELCOMES THE JORDANIAN INITIATIVE FOR RECONCILIATION AND ENDING THE SPLIT
Hamas leader Ahmad Yousef said yesterday that his movement welcomed the Jordanian initiative for achieving Palestinian reconciliation. He said Hamas was pleased with Jordan becoming involved in sponsoring the Palestinian reconciliation file, saying they ‘encouraged it, in order to end the split and achieve national unity.” He said there had been ‘statements by the Jordanian parliamentary council “ that have reflected a ‘generous gesture and a desire for the need to achieve Palestinian reconciliation.” He added that this might lead to Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal visit Amman sometime soon. Yousef added that Egypt ‘was currently busy with its internal issues” maintaining that the Egyptian court decision to ban Hamas activities and shut down its offices in Egypt, “complicated the relationship between the two sides and revoked its role in sponsoring the reconciliation file.” He did maintain however, that Egypt would always have a strategic role in the Palestinian cause and in the region.” (Al Quds)
ISRAELI AUTHORITIES HAND OVER REMAINS OF FOUR MARTYRS TOMORROW
The national campaign for reclaiming the bodies of martyrs said that Israeli authorities would hand over the remains of four martyrs interred in the Israeli cemetery of numbers tomorrow. The campaign said the remains of the following martyrs would be released: Mohammed Hanbali from Nablus; Ahmad Saleh from Aseera Qibliyeh; Mohammed Hamouda from Nablus; and Jamil Hameed from Bethlehem. The Nablus martyrs will be handed over at the Taybe crossing near Tulkarm at 8 in the evening while Hameed will be handed over at the Tarqumiya crossing near Hebron at the same time. All were killed in 2002. (Al Quds)
YA’ALON ATTACKS ABBAS AGAIN: HE IS A PARTNER THAT TAKES BUT DOES NOT GIVE
Israeli defense minister Moshe Ya’alon attacked President Abbas again last night on Israel’s Channel Two, saying he was a ‘partner that takes but does not give.” Ya’alon said he would does not considerhim as a partner who would sign a final agreement that included a recognition of Israel as a state for the Jewish people and put an end to all claims. He continued: “Abbas says all of this, and unfortunately no one is listening to him. I personally feel bad that things have come to this. I wanted to remain calm and collected, but such an agreement will not be reached in our time or for our generation.” (Al Ayyam)
ISRAELI SOURCES: SOLDIER’S STORY OF BEING KIDNAPPED WAS A LIE
Sources from the Israeli police said that the ‘story of the Israeli soldier who claimed to have escaped a kidnapping attempt near the Hamra intersection in the Galilee was a lie. The sources told the Israeli news website Walla, that security estimations point to the fact that the soldier fabricated the story on his own after he gave contradicting accounts of what happened to the military police. The solder, Druze resident of Bet Djan in the Galilee claimed yesterday that unknown perpetrators had tried to kidnap him but were able to escape into the fields. The army launched a search with helicopters and military checkpoints in the area in search of the ‘kidnappers.” (http://safa.ps/details/news/124705.html)
DAHLAN RESPONDS TO ACCUSATIONS BY PRESIDENT ABBAS
PLC member Mohammed Dahlan r responded yesterday during an interview with the satellite channel Dream 2, to statements made by President Abbas days earlier to Fatah’s revolutionary council. Dahlan said during the 2.5 hour long interview that the president’s statements were ‘completely false’ and that he was willing to stand before an independent mission of inquiry to prove it. He denied that he had any hand in the assassination of late President Yasser Arafat, saying his relationship with him had been very close even if they differed sometimes in matters of business. Abbas waged an attack on Dahlan, accusing him of financial and administrative corruption in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and some Arab countries. Dahlan denied these charges as well, saying that ‘until this day, there is not one case against me in Palestinian courts.” (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/494069)
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Headlines
*Palestinian scientist close to curing cancer (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*Health ministry confirms that law applies to strikers (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*BDS develops phone app to track Israeli products (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*Israeli minister criticizes Kerry’s position on recognizing Israel as a Jewish state (Al Ayyam)
*President meets with Kerry ahead of his meeting with Obama today (Al Ayyam)
*Follow-up committee declares general strike on occasion of 38th anniversary of Land Day (Al Ayyam)
*Child dies of wounds sustained in Beit Hanoun (Al Quds)
*King Abdullah and Queen Rania pay condolences to family of martyr Zeiter (Al Quds)
*World celebrates “International Happiness Day” on March 20 (Al Quds)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:Washington: President Abbas and his delegation in meeting with US Secretary John Kerry and his aides
Al-Ayyam: 1) Jerusalem: Israeli troops arrest a youth during confrontations at Damascus Gate; 2) Jerusalem: thousands of citizens participate in the “longest human readers’ chain”
Al Hayat Al Jadida:.1) The President, during his meeting with Kerry in Washington; 2) Demonstrators in Jerusalem defending Al Aqsa
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Voice of Palestine News
Jerusalem:
I will start with the developments in Al-Aqsa since the early hours of the morning, Al-Aqsa guards told us that the occupation police prevented all citizens from entering Al-Aqsa since dawn today, including hundreds of students, the guards are organizing a protest right now protesting the decision of the occupation police to allow their entrance only through one gate (Bab Al-Asbat), tension is prevailing in the area, after confrontations last night in Bab Hutta and Bab al Asbat north of Al-Aqsa, where some youths were injured and some houses were stormed. We anticipate that more events will occur in the coming hours, since settlers called for storming Al-Aqsa today.
The occupation police stormed Al-Aqsa yesterday and shot tear gas, sound bombs and rubber bullets, injuring one citizen with rubber bullet in his face, in addition to performing arrests in the area. This comes after longest human chain organized around the Jerusalem walls, were young men and women participated in this event, where the occupation forces attacked the participants and arrested some of them.
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
** Adib Taha, one of Al-Aqsa guards, on occupation police allowing guards to enter Al-Aqsa only through one gate.
Q: The occupation prevented citizens and students from entering Al-Aqsa since the early hours of the morning and allowing you (the guards) to enter Al-Aqsa only through one gate, according to our correspondent, you are protesting now, can you tell us more about this protest?
This is a precedent where the occupation forces force more than 500 official employees of the Waqf (Al-Aqsa guards) to approach Bab Al-Selselah, the other thing is to empty Al-Aqsa to seize it, empty it of its students and citizens, this became a daily thing, there are three schools in Al-Aqsa and they continue preventing students from reaching their schools in order to them to seize the area. The occupation also allows entry of Knesset members and settlers on a daily basis for touring Al-Aqsa and performing prayers under its tight protection and at the same time it prevents citizens from entering Al-Aqsa.
Q: How can you make sure these protests will reach international organizations and at least Jordan?
I call on teachers and Sheikhs to set inn and protest wherever they are until they reach Bab Hutta and teach there so the whole world can see how students are being prevented from entering their schools.
** Khalil Tafakji, settlement specialist, on Israeli Minister Uri Areal approving a new settlement neighborhood for soldiers in permanent service in Ramot settlement.
Q: Tell us more about this neighborhood.
This project was presented for the local committee in the Jerusalem municipality for approval as part of the Israeli project “Jerusalem 2020”, in order to expand established settlements in Jerusalem, this settlement is in north west Jerusalem on lands confiscated (4840 dunams), this neighborhood will be established to expand Ramot, which is considered the biggest settlement in northern west Jerusalem established in 1970. This project comes with another project announced few weeks ago to build 389 housing units in Ramat Shlomo, the two settlements will be expanded and the road between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (443) separates the two settlements, if we look at the area now we can see the infrastructure is being prepared for implementing these two new neighborhoods.
** Ahmad Ruidy, President’s Adviser for the Jerusalem Affairs, on events in Jerusalem supporting Abbas in his meeting with Obama.
Q: Israel prevents citizens for entering Al-Aqsa today, and announces a new neighborhood north of Jerusalem, coinciding Abbas’ meeting with Obama.
This is not all. Yesterday, Israeli Housing Minister visited Al-Aqsa for the second time in less than a month, focusing on the eastern part of Al-Aqsa yards where they plan to divide Al-Aqsa and dedicate this part for Jews, so all of these acts complete the discussion in the Knesset over the Jordanian guardianship, and that they shouldn’t prevent Jews from praying in Al-Aqsa, in addition to continuing excavations of tunnels under Al-Aqsa. I think that the occupation will continue with what it does regardless of the meetings in Washington. Our people in Jerusalem managed to fail all these plans until now with their own steadfastness, yesterday night confrontations took place in Bab Hutta, in addition to the Human Chain yesterday of more than 7000 people participating in the event to confirm that the city is Arab and Palestinian…
Q: This comes as part of supporting the President in his meeting with Obama?
There are many initiative in Jerusalem to support the president, he is not visiting Washington for an elections campaign, but for protecting the Palestinian rights, establish the Palestinian state, the refugees issue etc… Fatah youth movement in Jerusalem announced today an activity in Bab Al-Amoud to support the President, there are other initiatives in Jerusalem supporting the president and his insistence of the Palestinian rights.
** Osama Al-Qawasmeh, Spokesman of Fatah, on activities supporting President Abbas in his visit to Washington.
Q: the main activity today will be in Ramallah.
The activities will be in all areas of the homeland, our people are known for their support especially when there are personal threats to our leaders, when there are true pressures by the Americans, they send a message to all that we are united, first of all to our people all over the world that our will as Palestinians are the same as our leadership’s. Since our people show that their leadership’s dignity is their dignity. The second clear message will be for the Israelis telling them that no matter what you do to pressure the Palestinian leadership in, whether through your aggressive attacks in Gaza or through the liar Dahlan, who is working together with an Israeli-Hamas project to pressure the Palestinian leadership, today our people will answer this liar who went out yesterday and said spread lies supporting Hamas in suppressing the Palestinian people. Fatah is united with the people against all of these. Today in Ramallah we will have the main activity in addition to all areas in Palestinian supporting President Abbas. Who proved he is responsible.
Q: Are these activities coordinated, especially those in the homeland and abroad?
Yes, we will have festivals wherever Palestinians are…
Q: Did you coordinate for such activities in Washington?
Yes, activities will take place everywhere, in Europe, Egypt, and Lebanon everywhere; some countries began their activities yesterday.
** Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, Member of the PLO Executive Committee, on the President’s Meeting with Obama.
Q: What is anticipated out of this American-Palestinian summit?
First of all there is an American insistence on following up on the Framework agreement, discussing it and maybe presenting a document, and other issue regarding how to move on. But until now there is no announced agreement.
Q: you had a meeting at the Executive Committee before the President left, what did you confirm in the meeting?
We confirmed the Palestinians constants and the international law, and we said that we will not accept anything that contradicts with the Palestinianrights and international law, and that we are adhering to the peace process reference as agreed upon in the past in the borders of 1967 as you know, and Jerusalem as a capital and all other issue, in addition to saying that we will not extend negotiations for the sake of extending the.
Q: But this issue (extending negotiations) might be the main issue in the meeting, and the main issue regarding the American pressures.
Yes, and the president is aware of this, and knows that extending the negotiations is in the interest of the Israelis, in order for them to continue their settlements expansion, Judaizing Jerusalem, demolishing houses and confiscating lands… we tried this in the past and we know that Israeli is interested in extending the negotiations and reaching a settlement, especially since such an agreement will make Israel stop its policies in settlements, Jerusalem etc… all of these are the main issue for us, if the negotiations will be extended to allow Israel to harm these we will say no, but if there are clear position and we only need some ore time for implementation, this would be a different issue.
Q: Frankly speaking, is the Palestinian leadership capable of confronting the American pressures?
Listen, when things reach the Palestinian rights the leadership is capable of saying no, and the people will support it, president Abu Mazen knows how serious this phase is and that the Americans will exert pressure and knows that the people supports him, he said that he is not planning to go to Washington to waive Palestinian rights or betray his people. So we have a clear position of the leadership and popular support and this is the strength of the leadership.
Q: Israeli Housing Minister approved a new settlement neighborhood.
The timing is slap to the face of the Americans and the international community, but the issue is not only the timing but the essence of this expansionist occupation, as an occupying state who disregard international law, expanding settlements now is a clear message, Israel uses the same tools always, we know this occupation and its policies, the problem is that there are always international attempts to provide it with more time and space.
Q: do you think this meeting will be the last chance?
I consider it as an important meeting that will have a lot of consequences, it might lead to a new way in the peace process, it is an important meeting and this requires joining the efforts and clear positions.
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More Headlines
Four martyrs in Yarmouk on first day of initiative to neutralize the camp
Four Palestinian refugees were killed this morning and eight others injured in violent shelling in the Yarmouk camp. According to the website Yarmouk camp news, this is the first day of the initiative to neutralize the camps. According to official in the PFLP-General Command Hussam Arafat, a PLO delegation, the 14 factions and with the blessing of the Syrian government, came to a new agreement to solve the crisis in the Yarmouk camp that begins today for the next two weeks. The agreement includes allowing the entry of food aid and immunizing children in partnership with the Red Crescent and the health ministry through the ministry of social affairs. (http://safa.ps/details/news/124711.html)
Settlers throw beer bottles at Muslim pilgrims in Nablus
Scores of settlers attacked buses returning to Nablus from the Muslim pilgrimage of ‘umra’, throwing full beer bottles at them and wounding some. Local sources said that several settlers near the Za’atar checkpoint south of Nablus threw full beer bottles at Palestinians returning from “Al Umra”. Some windows were smashed and the passengers were wounded with glass shards. (http://www.qudsnet.com/news/View/268877/)
Follow-up committee declares general strike on 38th anniversary of Land Day
The follow-up committee for Arab affairs inside the Green Line has declared a general strike on the 38th anniversary of Land Day, which falls on March 30. The occasion marks the anniversary when six Palestinians were killed on March 30, 1976 defending their land from confiscation. The organizers also called on this day to be a day of solidarity with the people of Ramya, a village in the Carmael area in facing Israeli plans of expulsion, in addition to standing in solidarity with the people of the Nevev and Araqeeb, whose village has been demolished 66 times. (Al Ayyam)
Gaza families denied visits to prisons to visit loved one
Today, Israeli occupation authorities barred families from the Gaza Strip from visiting their loved ones in Israeli prisons because of the closure of the Erez Crossing in the northern Gaza Strip. According to Nasser Najjar, media spokesperson for the Red Cross said that the families could not visit because the crossing was closed due to the Jewish holidays. The Erez and Karem Abu Salem crossings have been closed since last Wednesday following rockets launched at Israeli towns. Only fuel is allowed through Karem Abu Salem and sick patients and foreigners can travel through Erez for the past six days. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=682130)
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Arab Press
Christian Zionism criticized at evangelical conference
By Daoud Kuttab
Christian Zionism, which cites the Bible to support Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands, received heavy criticism at a conference organized by Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem the week of March 10 and attended by Al-Monitor.
Theologians from Europe and North America as well as Palestinian speakers presented lectures full of biblical references at the third Christ at the Checkpoint conference questioning the validity of what is referred to as dispensational doctrine.
Rev. Alex Awad, pastor of the East Jerusalem Baptist Church, explained how Christian Zionism has led many Christians to blindly support Israel. Awad then went even further, describing the wariness of many evangelicals toward calls for peace. "Some Christians are suspicious of peace because they've heard sermons that delegate peace and peacemaking as the work of the Antichrist," Awad said. "But the Bible calls us to be peacemakers," he added.
Awad, who is also dean of students at Bethlehem Bible College, the conference founder and sponsor, explained that many evangelicals think that supporting the actions of the State of Israel, even if they violate human rights and dehumanize Palestinians, is a way to obey and love God. He asserted, "They conflate political backing of a secular state with spiritual blessing upon God's chosen people."
Theologically, the question that needs to be answered is whether a progressive doctrine can be developed that is acceptable to evangelicals. Several speakers pointed to various alternatives that have been put forward in recent years in this regard. Awad complained, however, that many evangelicals attack any deviating theology "as anti-Semitic, supersessionist replacement theology." Replacement theology, developed during Christianity's early years, is seen by many as the theological basis for European Christian attitudes toward Jews that led to the Holocaust.
Wheaton University theologian Gary Burge and Messianic Jewish leader Daniel Juster responded to Awad's statement by asking the core question: "In Christian theology, has the New Testament church replaced or superseded Old Testament Israel?"
Burge responded, "No." Instead of replacement theology, he suggested fulfillment theology, a belief that Christ did not replace, but fulfilled the Abrahamic covenant as it was meant to be. "The Gospel announces Jewish blessing from a Jewish messiah that steps beyond provincialism and proclaims redemption of the world," said Burge.
Burge called it a mistake to spiritualize land. "The Holy Land is now our entire globe, not the privilege of an ethnic feud. The Gospel universalizes the local, tribal blessings of Abraham," he said. Juster asserted that the physical Holy Land is also key to God's irrevocable calling and promise for the Jews.
The dialogue brought out the two speakers' theological variances, but their hearts were one, especially on the question of religious exceptionalism. "When I, no matter who I am, see my religious heritage as a basis of privilege, I cannot be a blessing to the nations," Burge said. "When religion is linked to privilege, it is generally linked to sin."
Juster, likewise, called Christian Zionists' unquestioning support of the Israeli state a mistake. "Blessing Jews means praying for them to respect human rights, not chauvinistic blanket support for all Israeli actions," he said. "Loving Jews isn't giving [them] license to do whatever they want. We must fall on our faces and pray, God, turn them to Christ."
According to Burge, American evangelicals are easy prey for US exceptionalism, believing that God has divinely blessed their nation with an assigned destiny and entitlement. "Commitment to the secular state of Israel is part of American exceptionalist evangelicalism. Christians become afraid of disagreement with Israel. That robs the church of its prophetic voice," he said. "But sometimes you must speak critically even of those that you love."
Awad later told Al-Monitor that major changes are taking place in the evangelical community due to the strong and persistent critique of Christian Zionism. “It is near impossible for any serious student of the New Testament today to be able to justify Israeli colonial and occupation practices in the name of God. What are left is some politically motivated pro-Israeli theologians cherry picking verses from Ezekiel or Daniel in the Old Testament to try to defend the un-defendable injustice carried out by the Israelis against Palestinians."
The change among evangelicals is reflected in recent writings that question the sustainability of such a politically charged theology in the face of facts on the ground and outspoken Christian Arab thinkers who are proving to be successful in refuting them. Israel's leading daily, Haaretz, ran a long article referring to the shift among younger American evangelicals who are refusing to accept the doctrines passed on to them by the older generation. The article referred to the Bethlehem conference as a major contributor to the ongoing changes among Western evangelicals.
Concern over the possible loss of a major segment of American supporters has led the Israeli Foreign Ministry to blast the conference and to threaten those attending it.
The actions of Israel's Foreign Ministry may have revealed a previously unforeseen desperation in how Israel perceives its alliance with Christian evangelicals.(http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2014/03/christian-zionism-conference-bethlehem-israel.html)
‘Two wrongs do not make a right’
By Nermeen Murad
Ahmed Daqamseh was a Jordanian soldier entrusted with protecting Jordan’s borders from dangerous intruders. When he decided to use his weapon to attack and murder schoolgirls from across the border, he broke his pledge to his country as a soldier. He also reneged and defaulted on his pledge to this nation to safeguard our borders and he murdered defenseless unarmed children.
To set the record straight and to avoid any mix up, Ahmed Daqamseh is no Raed Zuaiter.
And to take this a step further, and to be even more transparent, Daqamseh is no national hero.
Zuaiter, on the other hand, was a civilian, a law-abiding and peaceful Jordanian judge who was murdered by heavily armed Israeli soldiers in an environment where the latter had the upper hand, exactly as Daqamseh did when he shot young girls on a school trip on the other side of the river.
Both Daqamseh and the Israeli soldiers operated from political and ideological frustration and complete inability to control their hate and anger and, much more importantly, they targeted unarmed civilian victims.
Both Daqamseh and those (so far nameless) Israeli soldiers operated outside acceptable military discipline and both deserve punishment for cold, calculated and inhumane murder.
Two wrongs do not make a right.
The fact that Zuaiter was murdered in cold blood does not automatically translate into the government of Jordan forgiving Daqamseh for breaking his honor code as a soldier and for murdering children in cold blood.
If Daqamseh had murdered seven Jordanian girls on a school trip because they made funny faces at him, would our Parliament today be demanding that he be released from prison a hero?
Are we saying that murder is acceptable when we do not like the nationality of the victim?
Why didn’t he shoot at soldiers from across the border?
Do we honestly believe that murdering young girls is a heroic act that we need to rally the country behind?
Having said that, however, it is important for Jordan to recognize that our “mutually beneficial” relationship with Israel must be based on respect for our leadership — which I believe has existed for many decades — but also for our people.
The value system that we are advocating on our side of the river — respect for human life and dignity — must be upheld as a value system by Israel in its dealings with Jordanians (regardless of their origin).
And I believe this by no means is only Jordan’s requirement of Israel.
The murder of Zuaiter in such cold blood — and the whole theatrical production by the Israeli military to try and exonerate his murderer through unbelievable and clearly fabricated stories — showcases how Israel has gone too far in its xenophobic dealings with all non-Jews, to the point that the state is now willing to lie to maintain its racism and its violence against Palestinians, Arabs and their supporters.
This particular incident gained international exposure because of Jordan’s respected standing in the world. Yet on a daily basis, there are dozens of incidents where Israeli soldiers cross the line of what are internationally acceptable standards of behavior with impunity and tacit state support, sanction and approval.
They demean, abuse, push, shove, denigrate, swear, imprison, maim and murder on daily basis, yet they turn their civilized face to the rest of the world, pretending that they espouse Western democratic values.
This incident may serve to uncover some of the two-faced policies of the current Israeli leadership and hopefully open the international community’s eyes to its complete disdain for the humanity of others.
If Israel wants to live in peace among us, it must get off its high horse and begin behaving like a responsible state and even a responsible occupier.
Jordan would do well to take the necessary steps to remind it of that responsibility, take concrete steps to safeguard its citizens as they visit a “neighboring country” and preserve our dignity at all times.
Jordan must demand international pressure on Israel to ensure that steps are put in place to guarantee that Israel abides by international standards in providing safe passage (physically and morally) at all border entry points into Israel and hopefully also at the hundreds of checkpoints it has erected between itself and the occupied Palestinian territories.
As for Daqamseh, Jordanians must recognize that his release from prison is not a national demand or priority and that his crime is no different from that committed by the murderers of Zuaiter.
Considering the fact that he also appears unrepentant, and in fact is quite proud of his crime, the government would set a dangerous precedent if it yielded to pressure to release him under the current environment and without guarantees that the demands for his release would not send a message to him — and to his supporters, as well as the youth watching and learning from this incident — that his act was neither heroic nor acceptable in any way.(http://jordantimes.com/two-wrongs-do-not-make-a-right)
Obama wades into Palestine-Israel talks
By Molly McCluskey
President set to sell 'US framework' to Palestinian Authority's Mahmoud Abbas in Washington DC.
Washington DC, United States - When President Barack Obama meets Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, it will be the next in a string of meetings held in the US capital to develop a "framework" for peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Supporters on both sides have been making their case in the court of public opinion, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) policy conference in early March celebrating the "special relationship" between the US and Israel, and critics only a few days later suggesting this relationship receives too much favor.
At AIPAC, US Secretary of State John Kerry, whose visit was meant to bolster support for the framework agreement, said he had no illusions about the state of negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders. "This isn't about me," he said of his efforts. "This is about the dreams of Israelis and the dignity of Palestinians."
Obama, who had attended previous AIPAC conferences but was noticeably absent at this year's event, recently expressed frustration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and spoke of the consequences should Netanyahu not engage more fully in the process.
“Nothing relating to Israel is quite like the US interaction with other countries. Israel interferes with American elections. It has corrupted our Congress and government members.” - Philip Giraldi, former CIA counter-terrorism specialist
"If Palestinians come to believe that the possibility of a contiguous sovereign Palestinian state is no longer within reach," Obama said, "then [the US'] ability to manage the international fallout is going to be limited."
Refusing to be pressured, Netanyahu told Obama during their Oval Office meeting, "Israel has been doing its part, and I regret to say that the Palestinians haven't."
Tough issues
Obama's meeting with Abbas is also meant to get the Palestinian Authority leader to agree to the US framework agreement that calls for consensus on core issues and will help guide the next round of talks scheduled to begin on April 29.
The tough issues include Israeli settlements that are illegal under international law, but continue to be built in the occupied territories; the status of Jerusalem; identified borders; the right of return for Palestinians; security; and, as Netanyahu continually insists, Palestinian recognition of Israel as a "Jewish" state.
In his AIPAC address he said: "I am prepared to make a historic peace with our Palestinian neighbors," if they recognize the Jewish state. "No excuses, no delays. It's time."
Palestinians argue they have already recognized Israel and recognizing it solely as a "Jewish" state ignores the many refugees and Arab citizens - Christians and Muslims - who live there.
Despite the parade of US politicians at AIPAC, critics say the organization’s lobbying power is waning, and it will ultimately have no impact on US-led negotiations.
Ambassador Philip Wilcox, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, told Al Jazeera that AIPAC is "an extraordinary example of how our system can be used, manipulated, and corrupted by a massive amount of money. AIPAC can marshal money, and politicians respond to that".
"The Jewish community is not monolithic and there are naturally critics of AIPAC from the right and the left," Ken Jacobson, deputy national director of the Anti-Defamation League, told Al Jazeera. "But because AIPAC reflects the views of significant parts of the Jewish community, and because of the access it has to seats of power, it garners widespread support and respect."
Supporters of AIPAC say there's more than money that cements the relationship between the US and Israel.
"Money, of course, matters," Jacobson said. "But without the shared values and interests, as well as the general support of Israel by the American people, all the money in the world would not make a difference."
Executives from the Jewish Federation and the Israel Project declined to be interviewed by Al Jazeera, and representatives from AIPAC did not respond to our requests.
The 'special relationship'
A few days after the close of the conference, a National Summit to Reassess the US-Israeli "Special Relationship" was held in Washington, sponsored by the Washington Report, the Council for National Interest, and other organizations, calling for a more equitable approach to the Middle East peace process.
With sessions titled "Has the lobby captured political parties and news media?" and "Does the 'special relationship' transcend rule of law?," the conference focused on the origins and inequities with the Israeli-US relationship in economic, sociopolitical and military regards.
In a closing session Philip Giraldi, a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist, called for an approach to Israel more in keeping with US relations with other nations in the region.
"Nothing relating to Israel is quite like the US interaction with other countries," Giraldi said. "Israel interferes with American elections. It has corrupted our Congress and government members, insults and ridicules John Kerry, and its intelligence officers regularly provide inaccurate briefings for members of Congress on Capitol Hill."
Jacobson not only disputed such allegations, but said they were offensive and damaging.
"These kinds of accusations against Israel are pure fantasy and seem to stem from some kind of malice or bias," he said. Support for Israel in the US is not because of some conspiratorial activity but because of the continuing, overwhelming support of the American people for America's lone democratic ally in the Middle East."
Despite the close relationship and the $3bn in annual aid to Israel, the US has not been able to secure significant compromises or craft a successful peace plan between the Israelis and Palestinians.
Absence of war
Aaron David Miller, who spent more than 25 years working on Arab-Israeli negotiations under both Republican and Democratic secretaries of state, told Al Jazeera that despite decades of failures by the US to facilitate a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine, progress is still being made.
"The situation is profoundly changed," Miller said. "The Arabs and Israelis have never had peace, they don't have it now, and they're unlikely to have it in the near future. But peace as in the absence of war, then yes, it's progressed."
“Money, of course, matters, but without the shared values and interests, as well as the general support of Israel by the American people, all the money in the world would not make a difference.” - Ken Jacobson, Anti-Defamation League
Jeremy Pressman, director of Middle East Studies at the University of Connecticut, told Al Jazeera that efforts by previous US administrations to broker peace have not necessarily helped.
"Kerry is facing a harder road than, for example, Clinton at Camp David in 2000. The failure at Camp David and the second intifada changed the negotiating climate and the views Israelis and Palestinians have of each other, making reaching a negotiated agreement more difficult."
Wilcox said Kerry's "framework" is expected to differ in one key aspect - and in doing so, might have a degree of success absent in other attempts.
"The center of this will not be bilateral negotiations, which have consistently failed over the years," Wilcox said, "but an American policy that would fulfil interests of both sides, coupled with old-fashioned American pressure on both sides."
Wilcox said peace talks between politicians alone fail to take into account the will of the people in both Israel and Palestine.
"To do this right, the US has to direct its attention not only to the politicians who run these societies but the people themselves, who are mostly in the dark about the framework, about what US policy is, and are very cynical," Wilcox said. "Somehow, unless the power of public opinion and public debate can be mobilized, I don't see how any real progress can be made.
"It won't be diplomats in secret talks who will bring a lasting peace," he said.(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/03/obama-wades-into-palestine-israel-talks-201431672835384762.html
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Opinions
This is the British politics
Al-Khaleej Editorial
The British enthusiasm for Israel is not strange, the British were the ones who planted Israel’s seeds in the Arab land, and the one who sponsored and supported it, it was Israel’s partner in dividing the Arab nationand tearing its unity through "Sykes-Picot," it is the direct responsible side for the crime of the century represented in the displacement of the Palestinian people.
Britain, which bears responsibility for the political and moral disaster befell the Arab nation, specifically towards the Palestinian people, was supposed to at least apologize and act to clean its black record in the Arab area, which is a record full of flaws everywhere, where it had its colonial presence.
British Prime Minister David Cameron seemedsome days ago like a notorious right-wing Jewish extremist in the Knesset, defending the racist policies of Israel and the outrageous behavior of the Netanyahu Government.
Cameron said in a speech to the Knesset, "my faithfulness is stable and is strong as a rock, I will stand alongside Israel always". Not this only... But he added: "the nation of Israel has a memory in every corner, and those victims (...) did not live only to build a nation, but also to build a state that will achieve a moral objective.” Cameron added: "my message is clear: we will be with you in any step.”
Cameron did not forget to declare his opposition to an economic and academic boycott of Israel, which is widening day after day in Britain, saying he will take part in "defeating this this abominable issue."
These talks that are opposed to the Palestinian rights, and fully support theIsraeli aggressive and racist policies, undermines every other statementissued by any British official about settlement and supporting the resolutions of international legitimacy.
The fact is that Cameron is fighting the battle of Israel, since he explicitly declares to be loyal to it, and stands by its side, and considers that its presence and policies are aimed at achieving a “moral aim”, and that he will fight its battle to confront boycott. When there is no morality in politics, positions become out of any ethical, humanitarian or legalcontext.(http://www.alkhaleej.ae/studiesandopinions/detailedpage/7F7510EC-541E-4981-BB29-5524DAE7D4AF)
Supporting the President
Al-Quds Editorial
The meeting today between President Mahmoud Abbas and US President Barack Obama to discuss the developments and obstacles to reaching a framework agreement, is a milestone in the future of the peace process, after negotiations reached a deadlocked due to the intransigent positions of the Israeli Government on various fundamental issues regarding the permanent solution, in addition to the Israeli conditions aimed at detracting from the rights of the Palestinian people and blocking the peace efforts,and the various Israeli practices on the ground, including settlement and further implementation of the plans to Judaize Jerusalem, the siege on Gaza and raid, arrestsand killing campaigns… and other practices which in themselves constitute a gross violations of international law and the unwillingness of Israel to reach a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.
For all of this, it was not strange that the Palestinian leadership headed by President Mahmoud Abbas will insist on the legitimate national rights, in particular the right of the Palestinian people to establish an independent State on all the territories occupied in 1967, including occupied Arab Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, and not detracting from the State’ssovereignty, the refusal of settlement and insiston the right of return for Palestinian refugees under resolution 194 and the rejection of all conditions and dictations imposed by Israel. It was no surprise that the Palestinian people with all its factions will stand behind President Mahmoud Abbas throughout the homeland and the diaspora to support his positions regarding the national constants, which he emphasized on the eve of his departure for the United States and before.
Our people whoreflects today the great national unity in the various districts of the homeland and the diaspora, in standing together behind President Abbas, reaffirms their determination to achieve their inalienable and legitimate national rights and their refusal to abandon or relinquish any rights whatever the pressures are, no matter how loud the Israeli and other threats are, confirming that our people respect theconvoys of martyrs and prisoners who made sacrifices to end this illegal occupation and enjoy freedom and independence as any people in the world.
What must be said here for Israel and the United States is that public support for the President in insisting on the national principles and rights of our people is a clear message to anyone who tries to draw a map of peace in accordance with the Israeli expansion ambitions and settlement, or according to Israel's attempt to abolish the rights of refugees or dedicating the occupation of Arab Jerusalem and Judaize it.
It must also be said that this crucial meeting could yield positive results in advancing the peace process, and could result in repercussions that will bury the negotiations, the ball is in the American administration’s field now, specifically President Barack Obama and his Foreign Minister John Kerry, the time has come for President Obama to tell the Israeli occupation: enough is enough, and it's time to cooperate with the international community to establish a just and lasting peace in the region, based on the decisions of international legitimacy regarding the Palestinian cause.
Finally, we hope that the meeting today between President Abbas and Obama will yield positive results that will open the real way for peace, in any case, the people who lived the darkest conditions and which today stands behind his leadership in the face of potential pressures, will remain steadfast to their inalienable and legitimate rights, and would not spare any legitimate means to continue their struggle to end the occupation and extract their freedom.(Al-Quds)
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