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Nov. 13, 2013
Daily summary - Wednesday, November 13, 2013
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Main News
PALESTINIAN STABS ISRAELI SOLDIER IN AFULA
An Israeli soldier was seriously wounded this morning after being stabbed in the neck by a Palestinian at the central bus station in Afula inside the Green Line. According to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahranoth, a Palestinian worker was on a bus from Nazareth to Afula and before he got off he stabbed an 18-year old Israeli soldier several times in the neck. The soldier was taken to hospital and is currently in surgery, in critical condition. According to the newspaper, the passengers on the bus attacked the Palestinian attacker and handed him over to Israeli police. He was arrested immediately. Israeli sources said the attacker is a 16-year old Palestinian youth from Jenin(http://safa.ps/details/news/115931/فلسطيني-يطعن-جنديًا-إسرائيليًا-في-العفولة.html).
NETANYAHU CANCELS PLAN TO BUILD 20,000 SETTLEMENT UNITS AFTER THREATS BY PRESIDENT TO END THE PEACE PROCESS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested from housing minister Yuri Ariel to reconsider a plan to build more than 20,000 settlement units in the West Bank yesterday. According to a statement from the premier’s office, Netanyahu strongly criticized Ariel for publishing the plan without coordination with him, saying the plan would cause an uproar, saying that “there is no need to clash with the international community at a time when we are trying to convince it to reach a better deal with Iran.”
Yesterday, President Abbas warned that Israel would be “declaring the end of the peace process” if it did not backtrack on its latest decision to publish tenders for the 20,000 units in the West Bank, according to chief negotiator Saeb Erekat. The United States also expressed its concern over Israel’s announcement of record tenders for the thousands of settlement units, calling on the Israeli government to give “clarifications”, and saying they were “taken by surprise” by the announcement.
Erekat also said that, upon directives from President Abbas, he made urgent calls to the Quartet Committee, the Arab League Secretary General and the Arab Peace Initiative committee in which he conveyed a message from the president saying that the peace process would be over if Israel did not back down from their settlement construction. Erekat said that the Palestinians were “calling on the world to take responsibility and stop this unprecedented settlement expansion” saying the Palestinian leadership would meet to study all “possible options,” holding Israel responsible for the breakdown of the peace process.
After the tenders were initially announced, Israeli energy minister Silvan Shalom told Israeli Army Radio that “there is nothing to make a big deal about. We are building in Judea and Samaria and we will continue to build there. This is the declared policy of the Likud government.”
Late yesterday, an Israeli government official said that Netanyahu had opposed the building of 1,200 out of the 20,000 settlement units slated for construction in the controversial E1 area between Jerusalem and the West Bank. According to the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahranoth, Netanyahu refused to approve the E1 units for fear of prompting reactions from the international community, which would perhaps force Israel to pay a high political price.
According to Haaretz, Netanyahu does not oppose plans to build the other 18,800 units for which NIS45 million was allocated. Peace Now said this allocation proves that the government is serious in its intention to continue with the construction and is only ‘pretending” to negotiate with the Palestinians in order to continue settlement expansion. (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
THE PRESIDENT: THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE JUST ‘SMALL TALK’; OUR STATE WILL NOT BE ESTABLISHED AT THE EXPENSE OF EGYPT
President Arafat said yesterday that many subjects were discussed during the rounds of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis but said that no progress had been achieved in any of the files, adding that there was just “talk”. In an interview with the Egyptian channel CBC, Abbas said that Israel refused to continue discussions on issues from where former Israeli PM Ehud Barak had left off, wanting to start from scratch. He said the most prominent files Israel focuses on are borders and security. The President also threatened to resort to a number of options should the negotiations fail after the nine month period is over, including going to the Security Council.
Pertaining to his latest visit to Egypt and his meeting with Egyptian defense minister Sisi, Abbas said that Egypt has always held a pioneering role in the Palestinian cause, adding that the Palestinians defend its their main issues through defending Egypt. Abbas went on to say that in his meeting with isolated President Mohammed Mursi, the latter seemed to agree that Israel wants to throw Gaza back to Egypt but said that they rejected such an effort because it destroys the Palestinian national project, adding that Egypt would put the refugees in “Shubra”. Abbas also confirmed that: “We will not agree to build a Palestinian state at the expense of Egypt.”
On the Egyptian role in Palestinian reconciliation, Abbas said that “at present, Egypt is busy with getting its house in order; I believe within a month or so, Egypt will be ready to play a role in the reconciliation. We call on Egypt to take its full role towards the entire Palestinian cause.”
Abbas also expressed his approval of the destruction of the tunnels by the Egyptians, saying that “on principle, these tunnels are illegal and must be destroyed,” adding that 1,800 people – all from Hamas – had become millionaire from the tunnel industry. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=646832)
SHTAYEH: WE REJECTED AN Israeli PROPOSAL TO REACH AN OSLO 2 AGREEMENT
Negotiating team member Mohammed Shtayeh said yesterday that the Palestinians refused to reach another interim agreement with Israel, thus indicating for the first time to the negotiating approaches being taken by the two sides. At the end of his meeting with the Belgian foreign minister in Ramallah, Shtayeh said: “We don’t’ want to extend the current interim agreement or reach a new one. What we are looking for is a permanent and comprehensive agreement that brings justice to the Palestinians”. The Oslo 2 agreement would entail temporary borders on 80% of the area of the West Bank to reach 100% with land swaps by the end of three years. The Israeli proposal also includes a leasing of the Jordan Valley for 40 years in addition to annexing 10 settlement blocs in addition to other stipulations. (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/257485/إشتية-رفضنا-عرضا-إسرائيليا-بالتوصل-إلى-أوسلو-2/)
CABINET: SETTLEMENTS ARE ILLEGAL AND UNDERMINE PEACE
In its weekly meeting yesterday, the Palestinian Cabinet strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli violations against our people, the most recent being the killing of Anas Al Atrash and Basheer Habaneen. The cabinet stressed on the need for a neutral investigation committee to look into their deaths, condemning the policy of impunity by which the Israeli army kills Palestinians and calling for international protection. They said settlement construction and all of the other measures such as house demolitions and arrests all undermine international efforts to create peace and stability in the region and undermine all negotiating efforts. The cabinet also called for an international commission of inquiry into President Arafat’s death following the Swiss and Russian lab reports. (Al Quds)
GAZA: HAMAS SECURITY SERVICES BAN WEEKLY PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION CALLING FOR END TO THE SPLIT
Hamas’ security services in Gaza banned yesterday a weekly protest held in the unknown soldiers’ park calling for an end to the political split. Several sources said that security men surrounded the area from the early morning and banned protesters from entering the venue. The sources said police confiscated posters and banners used in the protest, which has been held every Tuesday for the past 14 months and which is named “The National Campaign to end the split.” (Al Ayyam)
JERUSALEM MUNICIPALITY TEAMS CONTINUE RAID ON SHUFAT CAMP, RAS KHAMEES AND RAS SHEHADEH, PHOTOGRAPHING UNLICENSED BUILDINGS
Jerusalem municipality teams, special forces and border guards broke into the Shufat refugee camp, Ras Khamees and Ras Shehadeh areas yesterday, photographing a number of buildings under the claim that they were built without a license. Dozens of buildings were photographed in addition to land belonging to the Islamic Waqf that separates the settlement of Pisgat Zeev and the refugee camp. According to the anti-wall committee there, the raid was part of the plan begun by the municipality last month where demolition orders were distributed to dozens of apartment buildings home to 16,000 people. Israeli bulldozers also demolished to mobile homes belonging to the Castero family in Beit Hanina, after their home was demolished months earlier. (Al Quds)
SETTLERS ATTACK PALESTINIAN CAR SOUTH OF NABLUS
Extremist settlers attacked last night a Palestinian car near the village of Lubban Al Sharqiyeh south of Nablus. The driver, Kamal Badran, who is from the Nablus-area town of Qabalan, said settlers chased him in their car on the main Ramallah-Nablus road and pelted his car with stones. Apparently, the settlers had gathered stones in their car before the chase. He said his car was damaged but he managed to get away by fleeting into a nearby village. Last week, settler s stoned a bus near Beita, also south of Nablus, breaking its glass. (Al Quds)
ISRAELI SOLDIER WOUNDED AND SEVERAL ARRESTED IN RAID ON BURIN
Israeli occupation forces carried out a large arrest campaign last night in the village of Burin south of Nablus following confrontations that lasted throughout the night and which resulted in the damage of an Israeli jeep and the injury of one soldier. According to settlement official Ghassan Daghlas, the confrontations resulted in the injury of several residents, namely from teargas inhalation in addition to several raids on homes. Dozens were arrested, six of whom have remained in custody. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=646837)
DAMASCUS: THE PLO DELEGATION CONTINUING ITS CONTACTS TO GUARANTEE LIFTING OF SIEGE AND NEUTRALIZING OF YARMOUK CAMP; FOUR PALESTINIANS KILLED IN SYRIA
The PLO and the Syrian government have been in talks since Sunday in an effort to extricate the Palestinian refugee camp Yarmouk, which has been besieged for months,from the conflict. PLO official in Damascus Anwar Abdel Hadi said that the meetings were trying to secure a withdrawal of armed forces from the camp and an opening of the crossings and return of services. If the armed operatives do withdraw, he said, Syrian police would return to operation as usual in the camp but army forces would stay outside of it. The talks are primarily trying to secure a safe return of residents to the camp after thousands had fled the fighting (Al Ayyam)
In related news, Palestinian sources said four Palestinian refugees were killed in Syria during the ongoing clashes in cities and camps. The four, according to the working group for Palestinians in Syria, are all from the Yarmouk camp (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=646831)
NETANYAHU WARNS: HAMAS AND FACTIONS CONTINUE TO ARM AND DIG TUNNELS
Last night, Netanyahu said Israel would respond with force to any shooting incident from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli soldiers or citizens. He said Hamas continued to arm itself in various ways and that Israel could not stand idle should it be attacked. He made his statements while touring the Gaza border with Israeli defense minister Moshe Ya’alon on the first anniversary of Operation Pillar of Defense against Gaza last November. According to Netanyahu, since the operation, there has been a drop in rocket firing by 98%. “We have a achieved tremendous deterrence”, he said, but added that Israel would not ‘fool itself’ knowing that Hamas is still arming itself. (Al Ayyam)
JORDAN REJECTS A REQUEST TO ALLOW JEWS TO PRAY AT AL AQSA
According to the Israeli daily Maariv yesterday, the Jordanian advisor for Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem Abdel Nasser Nassar said his country received an Israeli request to allow Jews to pray inside the Aqsa Mosque, adding that Jordan refused. Nassar said his country would not allow extremist Jews to enter and pray in the Aqsa and would continue to ban their entry into the 144 dunam area belonging to the Muslims. He said this was an Israeli attempt to divide the Aqsa and therefore Judaize Jerusalem. Jewish Home Knesset member Zbulon Kalba said in response to this news that he had ‘no knowledge’ of any Jewish groups making this request to Jordan, but added that Jordan ‘should be reminded’ that according to the peace agreement between them: “The second party should be allowed to enter religious and historical sites”. Hence, he said, Jordan should allow for Jews to pray at Al Aqsa without having to ask permission. (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
ONE DAY AFTER THE “TAMARUD” MOVEMENT FAILS TO PROTEST HAMAS RULE, HAMAS ACCUSES ‘ARAB PARTIES AND MONEY’ OF TRYING TO SABOTAGE SECURITY SITUATION IN GAZA
Hamas’ interior ministry accused yesterday “Arab parties and money” of supporting what they called ‘suspicious parties” trying to sabotage the security situation in Gaza, just one day after the Tamarud movement failed to organize marches calling for the fall of Hamas. The interior ministry statement said these “suspicious parties” were trying to “break the resistance” and were backed by known Arab parties with money. Hamas did not name the parties however. Tamarud had planned on taking to the streets on November 11 to call for the fall of Hamas’ rule. Hamas, in turn, said the Palestinian people were aware of what was going on and that is why this attempt failed. (http://www.alquds.co.uk/?p=102886)
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Headlines
*Washington wants ‘clarifications” from Israel (Al Ayyam)
*Erekat: we will take the file of Arafat’s assassination to the Security Council for international inquiry (Al Ayyam)
*Islamic Jihad: the ‘calm’ is fragile because Israeli violations threaten it (Al Ayyam)
*Israel completes border wall with Syria (Al Ayyam)
*Beilin: Kerry’s success in negotiations depends on settlements (Al Ayyam)
Sources: cutting off internet from the world for 18 hours is “technically impossible” (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*The president grants Al Fahoum “Honorary Star medal” (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*Lieberman calls for calm with America and Bennet heads to Washington (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*Lifting of state of emergency in Egypt by judicial order (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*Hamas cracks down on women’s sit in calling for ending the division (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*Senior official in water authority caught in Hebron in corruption case (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*10 tons of spoiled Israeli products caught in Al Ram (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
*”The Elders” oppose Israel’s settlement plans in Jerusalem (Al Quds)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:Jerusalem: settlement of Maaleh Adumim, where Israel proposed tenders for the building of 20,000 settlement units in the West Bank
Al-Ayyam:Jerusalem: the Castero family sitting on the ruins of their mobile homes destroyed by Israeli authorities yesterday
Al Hayat Al Jadida:1) view of the separation wall isolating Ras Khamees from occupied Jerusalem; 2) Two citizens gather remaining furniture after the Castero homes were destroyed
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
** Khalil Tufakji, director of the maps unit at the Arab Studies Society in Jerusalem, on new settlement senders.
Q: if these settlement plans are implemented, what would be the effect on the future Palestinian state?
First of all the Israeli side acts according to strategies not reactions, when we talk about 20,000 housing units, it started in 1979 when president of the Zionist Agency said that 1 millionJews should be in the West Bank, today we have more than half a million Jews, and if we look at the distribution of settlements from north to south, we realize that the Palestinian state will not be continuous, meaning that settlements are continuous, but the Palestinian state is a tunnels’ state, all of us can see these tunnels connecting cities and villages, in Ramallah, Jerusalem and Bethlehem etc.. so if we look at this future picture, we can easily understand that the Israeli side is not interested in peace, saying that the Palestinians will become settlers, and now settlers seem like the owners and we see how they attack Palestinians an their trees as if they are in the middle of their own intifada against Palestinians, so the Israeli side is exploiting the peace process in order to implement its plans designed in the beginning of the 20th century.
Q: the Israeli media said that Netanyahu stopped 1400 housing unit in E1 plan, is the Israeli government really canceling settlement plans now?
He canceled as a result of pressures, this E1 plan has 5 strategic goals, and if this plan is implemented there will be no chance in establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, since this area of 12.5 square kilometer includes the natural expansion area of east Jerusalem. This plan is also for separating north of the West Bank from the south, and establishing the Israeli “greater Jerusalem” on 105 of the West Bank, the fourth goal is a security goal of connecting the coast area with the Jordan Valley without any Palestinian villages in between, this how the Israelis view this area as a strategic area, now, after the whole world pressures Israel to stop, and they stopped this now only as a result of internal and external pressure.
** Abd Al-Naser Nassar, Jordanian Advisor for Muslim and Christian holy places in Jerusalem, on Israeli request from Jordan to Allow Jews to pray in Al-Aqsa.
Q: Did you receive this request from the Israeli side?
We at the Hashemite Kingdome of Jordan follow up on all that is published in the Israeli media, with regard to what was published in Israeli newspaper about the Israeli request, and especially what members of Knesset claimed, that the Jordanian – Israeli peace agreement allows entry of Jews into Al-Aqsa and all any other religious Jewish organization to enter Al-Aqsa and perform religious rituals anywhere, without issuing a request to the official Jordanian authorities according to claim. The Jordanian official response came yesterday saying clearly that Jordan will not allow extreme Jews to enter Al-Aqsa yards for prayers and not to be there form the first place, since this is a Muslim Waqf, we said that the Jordanian authorities refused the Israeli request even to get close to Al-Aqsa. The Israeli request is a number of Israeli demands aiming at dividing Al-Aqsa and Judaize Jerusalem; we expressed our official concern of all these requests and demands. And we say that we will face any attempt to pass these demands and claims inside Jerusalem and especially in Al-Aqsa.
Q: Israel is trying to pass a decision to divide Al-Aqsa as it did with the Ibrahimi mosque, practically speaking, what will you do to prevent this from happening?
We confirm that any decision against Al-Aqsa will have a very clear and decisive Jordanian position, since we reject all Israeli measures.
** Dr. Saeb Erekat, Chief Palestinian Negotiator.
Q: with clear directions of the President, you sent several letters to the United states, Russia and others regarding settlement activities, can you tell us more about these letters?
As you said, with clear directions of President Abbas, I had telephone conversation with the Americans, Russians, the EU Dr. Nabil Al-Arabi and the UN, updating them regarding the Israeli measures and announcing 20,000 settlement units, and another 5000 unit during the last 90 days, and that this means that Netanyahu added 27% of what was built in the West Bank since 1967. I told them that this officially ending the peace process and announcement of the failure of the negotiations, and it is demanded that Israel cancel all these decisions in order to give a chance to the negotiations in what remains of the nine months, and I also told them that the Palestinian leadership will hold an urgent meeting to discuss the issue and the alternatives, and that all alternatives are valid including the Security Council, and approaching international organizations, since it is our right to protect our people and land, and as you know since 29.11.2012 Palestinian is a state with Jerusalem as its capital and the West Bank and Gaza are parts of a state under occupation, so settlements are no longer illegal but also considered as a crime war. That’s why updated the international community on this regard. Also, as you know we have very intensive contacts lately with different states regarding the martyrdom of Yaser Arafat, the question is no longer how he died; we know he was killed poisoned, assassinated, so we now demand an international investigation for killing a president.
Q: you said that an urgent meeting will be held, is a date set for this meeting?
Not yet, Abu Mazen is still abroad, he will be back today, we hope to have the meeting either today or tomorrow.
Q: with announcing these units, Livni said Israel is committed to all its obligations?
Israel did not commit to anything, the result is 25992 housing unit! Sa I said, this is 27% of all unit built since 1967, the Israeli government killed 19 Palestinians, demolished 139 building in the last 90 days, settlers terror increased under in 41% during the last 90 days the protection of the occupation army, so all Israeli measures in addition to statements to get rid of president Abbas for not being a partner. If Israeli obligations are these I don’t know obligations are.
Q: Israeli Prime Minister’s office said the President Abbas is not a legitimate President?
Listen, Israeli Prime Minister’s office say President Abbas is not a legitimate President, Lieberman send letters to the world saying they must get rid of President Abbas, other officials say President Abbas is not a partner, I think it is the same thing we heard before the assassination of President Abbas, we hear the same thing regarding President Abbas, the world should face this.
Q: yesterday, I discussion in the Knesset aiming at ending the chaos situation is the West Bank, claiming it effects the reality Israel wants to see in the West Bank, this discussion aims at handing over responsibilities in the West Bank and Preventing the PA from implementing its role according to Oslo?
This law comes at the same time with another law of dividing Al-Aqsa, and they were trying to do so since 1968, this became a totally settlers’ government that wants to fail the negotiations, I think that it is the time for the Quartet to say its word, and announcements and condemnations are not enough anymore.
Q: A telephone conversation took place between President Abbas and John Kerry; can you tell us more on this?
The same issues were discussed, the stalled negotiations, assassinations, incursions, the Gaza siege etc…
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More Headlines
Israel completes building border wall with Syria
Israel’s Channel Two said last night that the Israeli army had completed construction of the remaining section of the border wall with Syria, which it began in 2012. The channel said Israel purposely put more effort into completing the wall after the ongoing intense conflict in Syria in order to prevent any infiltrators who may try to break into the Israeli security system. It said the Syrian border had been neglected for years and that the old wall was worn out and someone could easily breach it. The wall is over 90 kilometers long and eight meters high with security cameras and minefields along the border with the Golan Heights (Al Ayyam)
Senior employee in Palestinian Water Authority in Hebron caught in corruption crime
The anti-corruption prosecutor announced yesterday that they had apprehended a senior official in the Water Authority in Hebron who was forcing a number of employees and servicemen from the authority to help build his own private home. According to the prosecution, the employee forged the employees’ time logs so that they could leave during work hours and help build his house, thus taking advantage of his position for personal gain (Al Hayat Al Jadida)
Israeli physician recommends immediate release of prisoner Shawamreh
The Ministry of Prisoner Affairs said today that a physician at the Israeli Barzilai Hospital recommended the immediate release of prisoner Naim Shawamreh, who suffers from muscular dystrophy and is in grave condition. Representative for prisoners at Askalan prison Nasser Abu Hamdiyeh said Shawamreh’s condition was critical, saying he could not move any part of his body and had lost a lot of weight. Shawamreh is unable to stand, walk or talk and his muscles are in continuous atrophy. Shawamreh is 44 and from Dura, Hebron. He has been serving a life sentence since 1995 and became ill last year. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472658)
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Arab Press
Israel’s gains from the death of Arafat cannot be ignored
By Jonathan Cook
It seems there are still plenty of parties who would prefer that the death of the long-time Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat continues to be treated as a mystery rather than as an assassination.
It is hard, however, to avoid drawing the logical conclusion from the finding last week by Swiss scientists that the Palestinian leader’s body contained high levels of a radioactive isotope, polonium-210. An inconclusive and much more limited study by a Russian team published shortly immediately after the Swiss announcement also suggests Arafat died from poisoning.
It is time to state the obvious: Arafat was killed. And suspicion falls squarely on Israel.
Israel alone had the means, track record, stated intention and motive. Without Israel’s fingerprints on the murder weapon, it may be impossible to secure a conviction in a court of law, but there should be evidence enough to convict Israel in the court of world opinion.
Israel had access to polonium from its nuclear reactor in Dimona, and has a long record of carrying out political assassinations, some ostentatious and others covert, often using hard-to-trace chemical agents. There is also plenty of evidence that Israel wanted Arafat “removed”. In January 2002, Shaul Mofaz, Israel’s military chief of staff, was caught on a microphone whispering to Israel’s then Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, about Arafat: “We have to get rid of him.”
With the Palestinian leader holed up for more than two years in his battered compound in Ramallah, surrounded by Israeli tanks, the debate in the Israel government centered on whether he should be exiled or killed.
In September 2003, the cabinet even issued a warning that Israel would “remove this obstacle in a manner, and at a time, of its choosing”. The then-deputy Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, clarified that killing Arafat was “one of the options”.
What stayed Israel’s hand – and fuelled its equivocal tone – was Washington’s adamant opposition. After these threats, Colin Powell, the US former secretary of state, warned that a move against Arafat would trigger “rage throughout the Arab world”.
By April 2004, however, Mr. Sharon declared he was no longer obligated by his earlier commitment to George Bush not to “harm Arafat physically”. “I am released from that pledge,” he said. The White House too indicated a weakening of its stance: an unnamed spokesman responded feebly that the US “opposed any such action”.
So what about motive? How did Israel gain from “removing” Arafat? To understand Israel’s thinking, one needs to return to another debate raging at that time, among Palestinians.
The Palestinian leadership was split into two camps, centered on Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas, then Arafat’s heir apparent. The pair had starkly divergent strategies for dealing with Israel.
In Arafat’s view, Israel had reneged on commitments it made in the Oslo accords. He was therefore loath to invest exclusively in the peace process. He wanted a twin strategy: keeping open channels for talks while maintaining the option of armed resistance to pressure Israel. For this reason, he kept a tight personal grip on the Palestinian security forces.
Mr. Abbas, on the other hand, believed that armed resistance was a gift to Israel, delegitimizing the Palestinian struggle. He wanted to focus exclusively on negotiations and state-building, hoping to exert indirect pressure on Israel by proving to the international community that the Palestinians could be trusted with statehood. His priority was cooperating closely with the US and Israel in security matters.
Israel and the US strongly preferred Mr. Abbas’s approach, even forcing Arafat for a time to reduce his own influence by appointing Mr. Abbas to a newly created post of prime minister.
Israel’s primary concern was that, however much of a prisoner they made Arafat, he would remain a unifying figure for Palestinians. By refusing to renounce armed struggle, Arafat managed to contain – if only just – the mounting tensions between his own Fatah movement and its chief rival, Hamas.
With Arafat gone, and the conciliatory Mr. Abbas installed in his place, those tensions erupted violently into the open – as Israel surely knew they would. That culminated in a split that tore apart the Palestinian national movement and led to a territorial schism between the Fatah-controlled West Bank and Hamas-ruled Gaza.
In Israel’s oft-used terminology, Arafat was the head of the “infrastructure of terror”. But Israel’s preference for Mr. Abbas derived not from respect for him or from a belief that he could persuade Palestinians to accept a peace deal. Mr. Sharon famously declared that Mr. Abbas was no more impressive than a “plucked chicken”.
Israel’s interests in killing Arafat were evident after his death. Not only did the Palestinian national movement collapse, but the Palestinian leadership got drawn back into a series of futile peace talks, leaving Israel clear to concentrate on land grabs and settlement building. Contemplating the matter of whether Israel benefited from the loss of Arafat, Palestinian analyst Mouin Rabbani observed: “Hasn’t Abu Mazen’s [Abbas] exemplary commitment to Oslo over the years, and maintenance of security cooperation with Israel through thick and thin, already settled this question?”
Mr. Abbas’ strategy may be facing its ultimate test now, as the Palestinian negotiating team once again tries to coax out of Israel the barest concessions on statehood at the risk of being blamed for the talks’ inevitable failure. The effort already looks deeply misguided.
While the negotiations have secured for the Palestinians only a handful of ageing political prisoners, Israel has so far announced in return a massive expansion of the settlements and the threatened eviction of some 15,000 Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem.
It is doubtless a trade-off Arafat would have rued.(http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/israels-gains-from-the-death-of-arafat-cannot-be-ignored#full)
A call for reconciliation within Palestinian faction Fatah
By Abdel Latif el-Menawy
I hope the issue of reconciliation with Hamas isn't one of the subjects which Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who is in Cairo tomorrow, carries in his pocket. It's been proven that the interests of this reconciliation are not deposited in the Palestinian people's account but are deposited in different accounts ever since Hamas hijacked power and imposed its control on the Gaza Strip and killed and expelled whoever belongs to the Fatah movement.
During the following phase, Egypt made sincere efforts to overcome all obstacles hindering reconciliation between the two major factions in Palestine. Egypt did so despite its awareness that both parties are clearly stalling since they are benefitting from the situation the way it is. The Egyptians however resumed making these efforts because they thought the alternative would be fighting and weakening the Palestinian stance in general and this harms the Palestinians who want a real reconciliation.
Ties between Egypt and the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, whether before or after the collapse of Hosni Mubarak, cannot be considered warm. They could only be considered warm earlier during the year when the Brotherhood ruled. The Egyptians were aware at all times that Hamas isn't a likeable neighbor as long as it controls Gaza. But the Egyptian strategy back then was working on containing Hamas to guarantee Palestinian reconciliation and Egyptian national security. The exception was made during Mohammad Mursi's reign which lasted for one year - since he was assigned president on June 30, 2012 and until he was ousted on July 3, 2013. Smuggling tunnels were used with a unique competence to smuggle Egyptian goods and stolen car parts to the Gaza Strip. Jihadi takfiris come to Egypt through the tunnels which are also used to smuggle weapons of all kinds into Egypt. The sacked Hamas government which controls Gaza collects money levied on goods smuggled from Egypt. It also takes money to allow digging and operating a tunnel. The government thus gains around $400 million a year.
Hamas losing sympathy
Hamas began to lose the Egyptian people's sympathy after it was revealed that it was clearly involved in the January revolution which toppled Hosni Mubarak. Hamas lost support particularly after people learnt that it played a role in attacking a number of Egyptian prisons on January 28 and 29, 2011. The result of these attacks was releasing a number of Brotherhood leaders, in addition to releasing thousands of other dangerous prisoners and killing police officers and soldiers. It further lost support as details of its involvement during the Brotherhood rule surfaced and as people became aware that the movement is an original part of the Muslim Brotherhood group or that it's rather the latter's military wing. In brief, it became very clear how dangerous Hamas is to Egyptian national security.
The reconciliation between Abbas and Dahlan is important on the level of reuniting efforts before the next phase of the struggle with Hamas in Gaza begins.
With all these givens, it's clear that Abu Mazen's continuous insistence to move forward with achieving a reconciliation which will not be fulfilled with a faction like Hamas is in fact a waste of time. It also raises suspicions on the reasons of insisting to make efforts over a lost case. Who's benefiting here? Recent reports said that there were several attempts to reconcile Mahmoud Abbas and Mohammad Dahlan, the Fatah official whom the former sacked. Such attempts indicate that there is awareness of the threats which the Palestinians and their case are subject to amidst Hamas control and Fatah's rift. However these attempts failed for reasons that appear extremely personal in the relation between the two men.
One of the weird reasons these attempts failed is Abu Mazen's insistence that the agreement between him and Dahlan be through the "president's" son.
The reconciliation between Abbas and Dahlan is important on the level of reuniting efforts before the next phase of the struggle with Hamas in Gaza begins. It will not be strange if we expect Arab pressure towards speeding up an internal consensus between the central committee and Dahlan for regional and domestic reasons. Dahlan had announced in a statement that he's willing to head to Ramallah and to stand before a national investigation committee of all factions to investigate the accusations made against him on condition that the commission be neutral and that Abu Mazen does not interfere in its work.
Some see that Abbas feels Dahlan represents a threat to him so they don't think there will be a reconciliation soon since Abu Mazen fears that he himself may be a price for this reconciliation. But will such fears be reason behind harming the national interest of the Palestinians? Will Egypt and neighboring countries stand idle without pushing to replace the concept of reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas with the concept of reconciliation within Fatah?(http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2013/11/11/A-call-for-reconciliation-within-Palestinian-faction-Fatah-.html)
Palestinians sideline EU on peace process
By Omar Shaban
In light of the US monopolization of the thus-far failing talks between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel, and the exclusion of other international powers from the negotiations, it is time to reconsider the methodology of the peace process and the makeup of those in charge of it. The Palestinians should apply pressure to push for reintroducing the European Union (EU) and other powers into the process.
Palestinians have become accustomed to criticizing the EU for its weak influence on the political track when compared with the dominant role of the United States. While Palestinians admit that the EU is more generous in terms of the financial assistance it provides the Palestinian Authority (PA), they continue to discredit it for playing only a secondary role when it comes to political influence. It is only natural that the EU would be dissatisfied with an equation in which they pay more, but get less influence.
A key European figure revealed to Al-Monitor that one reason behind the dwindling European role in the peace process is the Palestinians' lax stance, which does not insist on an active European presence in the process. The Palestinians have a number of cards that they could play to exert pressure in favor of activating the roles of the EU and other international parties, such as Russia, China and India. There also are other areas worth examining concerning the EU’s position toward the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The EU and the Palestinian cause
Some believe that the EU role in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict began with the 1993 Oslo Accords. In fact, the position of the EU toward the Palestinian cause dates back to 1971, when the Europeans suggested a delineation of borders between Israel and neighboring Arab states. This was followed by the Vienna Declaration of 1980, when the EU acknowledged the right of the Palestinians to self-determination.
With time, the European stance developed significantly, with member states announcing their readiness in the Venice Declaration to acknowledge the statehood of Palestine by the end of the interim period set out in the Oslo Accords. The agreement stipulated a five-year transitional phase, from 1994 to 1999, at the end of which the Palestinians would announce the creation of a state, in May 1999. Simultaneously, the phase of final status would begin. The Palestinians, however, did not proclaim their state.
In 1993, with Oslo, the EU had reaffirmed its support for a peaceful process to enable the Palestinians to establish an independent state with strong institutions capable of fulfilling their duties toward the Palestinian people. The EU lent financial support to the PA in three areas:
Direct support for the budget: to enable the PA to maintain the provision of essential services and to support marginalized groups; for salaries of state employees and state pensions; to enhance the performance of security agencies; to assist the PA with debt payments and, at later stages, with reconstruction funding for the Gaza Strip.
Human and institutional development: to build public institutions and civil society, in addition to reinforcing the values of democracy, integrity, accountability, human rights and the rule of the law; to sustain Palestinians in Jerusalem, which was subject to continuous Judaizing.
Refugees: to provide regular support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), which enables the latter to provide the refugees with services in the five areas in which UNRWA works.
According to official EU reports obtained by Al-Monitor, the EU contributes to development and relief internationally with grants of about $14 billion annually. Over the past five years, this contribution has totaled $66 billion, distributed among 100 third-world nations. Of this amount, 4% was allocated to the Palestinians, including in the areas covered by UNRWA. European support for the Palestinian people in 2008 totaled $800 million in 2008 and $500 million in 2011. The Europeans' support is considered the most organized and the least politicized, because it is not related to stances taken by the PA. For example, assistance was not halted when PA President Mahmoud Abbas sought to obtain non-member observer status for Palestine in the United Nations in September 2011 and November 2012, nor when Hamas assumed power in Gaza in June 2007.
EU boycott
In a remarkable and strategic development, the EU unexpectedly decided in June 2013 to boycott goods and services produced in Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian lands. In a July 19 statement, the EU announced that member states would halt cooperation, financial, technical and research assistance to Israeli institutions and bodies operating beyond the country’s 1967 borders in the occupied territories.
The EU decision was not limited to boycotting goods produced in the settlements. Although settlement products are important — given that Israel is a major trading partner for the EU and Mediterranean countries, and the EU is Israel's leading trade partner, with goods worth approximately $40 billion in 2011 — the decision also included Israeli institutions and universities, barring them from receiving EU funding, grants, prizes, and tenders. It also barred them from participating in joint research with EU organizations.
While at first glance the EU decision may seem strictly economic, it was also politics par excellence. The determination was made on the basis that Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands minimize the chances of reaching a two-state solution, making impractical the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with political sovereignty and economic capacity.
Nevertheless, the PA and Palestinian civil society organizations have failed to appreciate the EU stance. This might be in part because despite the boycott of settlement products, 25,000 Palestinians work in Israeli companies in the West Bank settlements. Moreover, wealthy Palestinian businessmen have dealings with their Israeli counterparts, who manage large enterprises and commercial networks in the settlements.
EU support
In an article that caused quite a stir, The Sunday Times (London) reported on Oct. 13 that a committee of auditors found that $2.7 billion in European assistance provided to the PA between 2008 and 2012 had been lost. The newspaper did not publish the full report, but in response to the article, the EU announced that a complete report would be forthcoming at the end of the year. The PA is yet to comment on the report, despite the seriousness of its content. It seems that the figure mentioned in the newspaper might have been exaggerated, considering that European financial assistance during the years cited does not exceed $3.5 billion.
Nevertheless, it seems that some Palestinians do not fully appreciate the EU’s political and developmental role, and thus do not approach European financial aid with sufficient diligence. The EU certainly assumes a great deal of responsibility in its modest political activities and monitoring of funds. Yet, the responsibility of the Palestinian side is much greater. It is in the Palestinians' interest that the EU play an active role in the peace process and show diligence in investing its financial support.(http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/11/eu-europe-palestine-aid-israel-peace-talks.html)
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Opinions
Stability in the region depends on solving the question of Palestine
Al-Dustuor Editorial
Events of the last seven decades proved that security and stability in the region depends on finding a just solution to the Palestinian issue, that would lead to withdrawal of the Zionist occupation forces from all the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, and the return of refugees to their homeland in accordance with UN resolution 194.
All unilateral solutions have failed in achieving security and stability in the region, bilateral agreements and treaties with the Zionist enemy did not eliminate the tension factors, and did not manage to convince the enemy of recognizing the rights of the brotherly Palestinian people in their homeland and their right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent state, but still insist on implementing expansionist Judaization plans and schemes based on a policy of enforcing facts on the groundwhile exploiting negotiations,turning into a Trojan horse resulting of grabbing 65% of the occupied West Bank.
Issuing the Arab Peace Initiative by the Arab League in 2002, reaffirmed by all Arab summits after 2002, confirms two important facts:
First: the Arab society is biased to the peace process, and they put all their eggs in the American basket to achieve comprehensive peace, and to end the wars devastating the region and lead to the disruption of developmental projects and the spread of extremism and terrorism.
Second: these countries are committed to finding a just solution to the Palestinian issue, after it is being proved over more than six decades achieving security and stability in the region without resolving this issue, which is the central issue of Arabs, is impossible.
National and religious ties, the common language and history, past, present and future, and Arab national security makes solving the Palestinian issue as a national priority for each Arab state, in the presence of Palestinian refugees in these countries exceeded five million refugees displaced in four winds of the Earth.
The Zionist enemy had tried singling out Arab States, but failed, as the nation is still committed to the Palestinian cause and the return Arab Jerusalem to Arab sovereignty.
Jordan has been and still remains one of the first Arab states, perhaps the first in confirming through its political discourse the need to resolve the Palestinian issue as the first Arab issue, and the center of all crises hitting the region.
…The injustice suffered by Palestinian refugees over more than seven decades and the life of misery they suffer, and displacement they suffer in the camps in all parts of the diaspora, the occupation and Judaization of Jerusalem and desecrating Al-Aqsa, the Gaza blockade and the refusal to recognize the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, was the main reason for the instability of the region, especially in light of our compassion with our brothers, and our determination for justice and their return to their homeland and the liberation of the Holy places.
This is rejected by the Zionist enemy who is working hard to abolish the right of return or empty it of its substance, and dividing Al-Aqsa Mosque as done to the Ibrahimi Mosque, for establishing the alleged Temple.
In a nut shell: the region will not enjoy security, stability and comprehensive developmental plans will not succeed unless the Palestinian issue is solved in a just and comprehensive solution to end the suffering of the Palestinian people, with an Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied territories, the return of refugees and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Palestinian question is at the center of all crises, and the region will remain hostage to the volcano as long as the Zionist enemy believes in the “castle mentality” and refuses to acknowledge the rights of the Palestinian people. (http://www.addustour.com/17033/%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D8%A9+%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%86+%D8%A8%D8%AD%D9%84+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B6%D9%8A%D8%A9+%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9.html)
No Palestinian state without Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley
Al-Quds Editorial
Talks of an Israeli offer for a “Palestinian state” without Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley, these talks lack the basic recognition of the legitimate Palestinian rights on the one hand, and on the other hand does not comply with the terms of reference of international legitimacy in resolutions 242 and 338, stating a withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, without any exception.
Do the Israeli Government believe that any Palestinian negotiator or official accept a Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capital? Palestinian, Arab and Muslim link to Jerusalem is an organic inseparable link. Any talk of a state without Jerusalem as its capital is not accepted by any Palestinian, Arab or Muslim. The Arab, Muslin and Christian dimensions of the Holy City is incompatible with cutting it of the homeland and denying Palestinian, Arab and Muslim rights in the city.
When it comes to the Jordan Valley it is an essential and vital part of the future Palestinian State. It is thefinancial depth and the heart of agricultural and natural resources that form the backbone of national wealth. Furthermore, the Jordan Valley is the border line with Jordan the east Gate of Palestine, if Israel continued to occupy this vital region they intend to close the window of the opportunity to achieve a peaceful settlement, it is an opportunity that will never happen againif missed.
Israel exploits the conditions of Palestinian Division and fragmentation for dictating conditions on Palestinian negotiators, but it forgot that the Palestinian Division and Arab fragmentation are not permanent. History has shown that the Arab region is a volatile region, and that political events and situations move like sand, and that what seems stable and firm now might change tomorrow or in the near future.
This was expressed by Secretary of State John Kerry recently when warning Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of wasting the opportunity of the current negotiations, and affirmed that Israel's neighbors now may not be tomorrow's neighbors’, that the alternative to a just and lasting peace is violence, wondering: "do Israel want a second intifada?”
The note by the head of the American diplomacy indicates that even the closest allies of Israel, the United States,is fed up with the Israeli intransigence towards the so-called peace process, and that the whole world is no longer satisfied with the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, and the policy of procrastination and delay of Israel is no longer acceptable to international community. So the time has come to confront the occupation and settlement with international dissuasive measures to restore the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and put an end to the continued Israeli insolent.
The first of Palestinian rights that Israel must recognize and act in accordance with is recognizing the right of freedom and independence in a state within the 1967 borders, including Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley. And turning around these rights by Israel would only be a recipe for failure of the peace process, and return to the climate of tension and violence which was recently warned against by US secretary of State. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472605)
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