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Nov. 14, 2013
Daily summary - Thursday, November 14, 2013
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Main News
President Abbas declares the resignation of negotiations team
President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that the Palestinian negotiators in peace talks with Israel have resigned to protest the lack of progress in the US-sponsored negotiations, and the continued building of settlement in the occupied territories.The decision represents a new impasse in the talks with Israel resumed in July; while officials from the two sides said it did not achieved progress.President Abbas said during an interview with Egyptian “CBC” that the negotiations will continue even if the negotiations team resigns, adding: "either the team backs from its resignation or we will form another team.” President Abbas did not clarify during the interview when the negotiators resigned, but said he needs about a week to resume talks. Chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, did not mention the details on his resignation in statements to Reuters Television yesterday, but said that negotiations had stopped.Member of the negotiating team, Dr.Mohammad Shtayyeh, said through a statement by his office that the negotiating team has submitted its resignation to the President 10 days ago, but the office denied knowing that the President accepts it yesterday. Shtayyeh’s office said to “Al-Quds.com”: "we were informed of accepting the resignation; we have issued it 10 days ago.” Dr. Erekat said: "negotiations were stopped last week, to be honest, in the light of the settlement decision last week" (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472749)
United Nations peace envoy met with negotiation teams under tension
According to Israeli website “Walla” United Nations Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, Robert Serry met with the Israeli and Palestinian negotiation teamunder continued tension on the continuation of settlement building. Serry expressed his serious concern at the tension between the two sides on settlement, and called upon the parties to not stop the talks and resolve all outstanding problems quickly.(http://www.pnn.ps/index.php/policy/72590-%D9%85%D9%88%D9%81%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%8A-%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%85%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B8%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AF)
Serry said after meeting the Israeli and Palestinian negotiators that head of the delegation of Israeli negotiation team, Tzipi Livni informed him of the decision of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel a project to build 20,000 housing units.(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Occupation arrested father of the Palestinian child accused of the Afula operation; and investigates his mother
The Israeli occupation forces arrested yesterday father of Palestinian boy Hussein Sharif Hussein Ghawadra, accused of killing an Israeli soldier in Afula, and held his mother in her home in the town of Bir al Basha, South of Jenin for several hours, investigated her and made her bring the rest of her sons, and confiscated all photo of Ghawadra.The boy's father, Sharif Ghawadra (55 years old), was arrestedfrom his workplace in the town of Kfar Saba. A reinforced Israeli force stormed the village of Bir al-Basha, surrounded the House of Ghawadra, claiming that his son Hussain (16 years old) stabbed a soldier who was pronounced dead later yesterday. The boy’s mother, Salwa Ibrahim, said that dozens of masked soldiers and intelligence officers broke into her home evoking horror, noting that she was with her son, who suffers from a mental disability, and small daughter. Ibrahim added: "They subjugated me to interrogation and investigation about the last time I saw my son and the names of his friends… I was surrounded by soldiers, and the intelligence officer continued investigating me while the soldiers broke the home contents and threatening me with cruel punishment and arrest all members of my family."Ibrahim also said: "the soldiers asked for my children's names and phone numbers, and then they forced me to call them and ask them to come home, threatening they would be detained by force if the will not surrender." Young Palestinian Tawfiq Ghawadra (18 years old), said that when the soldiers raided the family’s house they searched him and investigated him, after detaining him away from his mother. Tawfiq added "they asked me about my brother Hussein and his life and relationships, and the names of his friends, and asked me to cooperate with them to get the rest of my brothers for questioning."(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472772)
Jerusalem: the occupation bulldozers demolished two neighborhoods outside the wall
Patrols of the Israeli municipality distribute demolition orders for dozens of Palestinian buildings in two neighborhoods of east Jerusalem, which were separated of the rest of east Jerusalem by the Israeli separation wall. In recent days, the Jerusalem municipality officials handed dozens of orders without names in apartments at the Ras Shehada neighborhood, and another 25 buildings each with about 50 apartments in the RasKhamis neighborhood. The two neighborhoods are 5 kilometers away from the center of Jerusalem.Mahmoud Abu Amir of Ras Khamis, said that "border guards, police forces and municipal staff entered the neighborhood on Tuesday and handed out demolition orders and as they were spreading leaflets in the streets, and photographed buildings in Ras Khamis Abu Amir, who works in real estate, said: "municipality employees placed demolition orders on the door of my office and the building’s main gate.” (Al-Ayyam)
Israel: settlement building will continue in east Jerusalem and settlements in the West Bank "in an intelligent, coordinated and cautious manner"
Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz called yesterdayfor "coordinating" settlement construction after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a project to build 20,000 housing units in the West Bank on Tuesday.Steinitz, who is close to Netanyahu, said that settlement construction would continue in east Jerusalem and the settlements, “but we must do so with an intelligent and coordinated manner.” Steinitz told Israeli public radio: "the Prime Minister is right in saying that during such a sensitive period, while trying to persuade the Americans and the Europeans and Russians to rectify the problematic agreement with Iran, all matter should be coordinated with the Prime Minister.” (Al-Ayyam)
Netanyahu said during a panel discussion at the Knesset on House prices: "in recent months we have built thousands of houses in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), and in the coming months we plan to build thousands of others. It wasn't easy but we do so in a responsible manner, despite the international pressure.” Netanyahu added in an indirect criticism of Israeli Housing Minister bidding to build housing units in the West Bank, "there is no point in creating tensions with the international community on potential plans that could not be implemented."(http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=647220)
Settlers break into Al-Aqsa; and the occupation uproots olive trees in Ya’bad
120 settlers, including intelligence and soldiers in civilian clothing broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque and toured its yards, whilethe occupation police to arrest Palestinian youth Parliament Coordinator after raiding his house in Silwan, and prevented a French delegation from entering Beit Iksa village. Also, settlers gathered at the entrance of Taqo’, ad three children were arrested in Hebron as dozens of youths clashed with occupation forces in Silwad near Ramallah and Al-Bireh and arrested a citizen of Urif, and raided Burin in Nablus.And the Israeli occupation forces started late last night uprooting tens of olives belonging to citizens of the town Ya’bad. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
European Parliament members demand softening Ashton’s position on Israel due to settlement
About 30 European MPs sent a letter on Wednesday to EU Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton, urging her to soften the "guidelines" excluding the occupied territories of the West Bank areas of cooperation with Israel. The MPs demanded in the letter to "take all necessary measures to abolish the guidelines or, at least, to reach an agreement with the Israeli Government, to make sure that their application will take into account the bilateral relations between the European Union and the State of Israel."(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472785)
Masked men burst into Al-Arabeya offices in Gaza and steal transmitters
Masked men abducted yesterday evening an Assistant for imaging in the closed Al-Arabeya channel offices in Gaza. According to sources of al-Arabeya, "the gunmen abducted fellow journalist and took him to warehouse of transmitters of Al-Arabeya channel, after the dismissed Government closed the office in Gaza without providing clear reasons months ago."The sources said that the journalist was released after the masked men stole the transmitters.(http://wattan.tv/ar/news/79843.html)
Abu Mazen: continuing settlements is illegal settlement and does not help to create a positive atmosphere for successful negotiations
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that "the continuation of illegal settlements in the Palestinian territory does not help to create a positive atmosphere for the success of negotiations backed by the international community."Abu Mazen's statements came during a meeting with Deputy Korean Foreign Minister and the Minister’s Special Envoy, hue Hin, at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah yesterday. Abbas briefed the guest on the latest developments in the peace process and the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli negotiations under the auspices of the US administration.(http://qudsnet.com/news/View/257547/%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88-%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%BA%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%B9%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%8A%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%AD-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%AA/)
Hamas: Abbas is a liar and act in moral decay
Spokesman for the Islamic resistance movement Hamas Salah Bardawil, said is statements for channel Egyptian channel “CBC” that President Mahmoud Abbas statements demonstrate that he acts to promote what's going on in Egypt as he is working for a commercial company, saying his statements were not political statements.Bardawil said that Abbas is not looking for the interests of the Palestinian people, pointing out that the visit of the President of Egypt was for cutting electricity from Egypt to the Gaza Strip, to increase the suffering of the Strip. About the President's statements regarding Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s agreement to annex Gaza to Egypt, Bardawil said: "Abu Mazen lies”, adding that it is not the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas policy, and that the Palestinian people will not sell their homeland. Bardawil added "Abbas is lying and everything he said only makes him act in political degeneration, but is also a moral decay.” (http://paltimes.net/details/news/52608/%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B3-%D9%83%D8%B0%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%AE%D9%84-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AD%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A.html)
The Al-Quds Brigades threatens Israel with the "battle of ghosts"
A year after of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, both Hamas and Israel are preparing for a futureconfrontation, although they say they are not seeking any conflict. Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Jihad, said that the coming battle with the occupation is going to a "battle a ghosts."(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
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Headlines
** Netanyahu freezes a project to build 20,000 settlement units in the West Bank launched by Housing Minister (Al-Quds)
** Jordan: peace agreement with Israel does not include allowing Jews to pray in Al-Aqsa (Al-Quds)
** Al-Hamdallah: investment in Palestine depends on political process progress (Al-Quds)
** Nasrallah: war is the alternative for understanding between Iran and the west (Al-Quds)
** Communication between Fateh and the Syrian leadership to empty Al-Yarmook camp and its surroundings of armed militants (Al-Quds)
** Jordanian court in favor of President Abbas’ sons against Al-Jazeera, Faisal Al-Qasem and others (al-Quds)
** Human chain in Ramallah, entitled "breaking the silence" in support of the prisoners (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** President calls on Korean businessmen to invest in Palestine (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Netanyahu: bad agreement with Iran might lead to war (Al-Ayyam)
** Ma’ariv: Kerry supported the freedom flotilla in 2009 (Al-Ayyam)
** Yediot: Palestinians use new quality operation (Al-Ayyam)
** Appointing Yoav Mordikhay as Israeli Army coordinator in the Palestinian territories (Al-Ayyam)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:1) House of Ghawadra family in Jenin after being raided by occupation forces.
Al-Ayyam:1) Jerusalem: Two women near a building threatened with demolition inside the separation wall in Ras Khamis, 2) Jenin – Ghawadra family house after being raided and search by the occupation forces, 3) Ramallah – masked girls participating in a human chain supporting prisoners.
Al Hayat Al Jadida:1) House of Ghawadra in Jenin after being raided by occupation forces, 2) A citizen in Gaza raising the victory sign during a march of Al-Quds Brigades.
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Voice of Palestine News
Jenin: Israeli occupation forces this morning, raided the village of Bir Al Basha, south of Jenin and raided the home of Hussein Ghawazreh, the boy who stabbed the Israeli soldier yesterday. They arrested his brother, Mutasem, 24, then declared it a closed military zone. They vandalized the home and questioned all of its members. In Yabad, Israeli forces cut down olive trees along the main road for about 3 kilometers under false security pretexts, saying Palestinians throw stones from among the trees.
Jerusalem:Home demolitions were handed out to residents of Essawiyeh and Jabal Mukkaber in addition to Shufat camp. Municipality teams continue to monitor Palestinian construction in these areas, photographing them. There is an unprecedented Israeli escalation in the city in terms of settlements and home demolitions.
As for the Israeli national park project planned on lands from Essawiyeh and Tur, the Israeli planning committee will meet today to make a decision whether to build this park or not. So far, the decision has been suspended.
In addition to this are the ongoing break-ins into the Aqsa Mosque. Yesterday around 100 policemen and special forces broke into the compound and into the actual mosques.
Gaza Strip: The central power station in Gaza City came to a complete halt yesterday after fuel supplies were depleted. This halt resulted in sewage water overflowing into people’s homes, flooding many, causing health and humanitarian disasters.
In other news, the Karem Abu Salem commercial crossing was opened this morning to export one shipment of green spices from Gaza to Europe and to let in 270 shipments of goods and aid.
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
**Jaber Wishah, deputy director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, in Gaza, on Hamas’ human rights violations in the Strip
Q: The center condemned Hamas’ violations, including the arrest and summons campaigns. Do you find this campaign to be on the rise?
This campaign has increased over the past two months until now, perhaps based on the call by Tamaroud for the November 11 activities. The arrests may have been preemptive and include many minors. Some were humiliated and tortured in detention and we have documentation and complaints on this. What is also new is that in the southern Gaza Strip minors have also been arrested in narcotics cases. This was very harmful to the family and to the minors, especially when they are informed that the narcotics department did the arrests.
Q: How much has Hamas responded to your calls on them to halt these violations and adhere to the rule of law?
We have tried through several channels – statements, letters and personal interaction – to demand that they halt these measures and the need to guarantee citizens’ rights and the necessity to adhere to a code of conduct for the security services. Some responses have been that some of the violations were ‘individual acts” and not systematic. But this is not enough or acceptable by us. All these violations need to be followed up, whether individual or institutional.
**Fatah Central Committee member Mohammed Madani, on the resignation of the negotiations team
Q: After this step by the negotiating team, what can we expect?
We can only expect the worst from this current Israeli government but the question is what do we want? We entered the negotiations because of international interventions, namely the US and of course the Arabs and Europeans after a long hiatus. We went in with good intentions but our negotiating team was met with many obstacles from the Israelis, in addition to Israeli government decisions to build settlements.
Q: But their resignation has not been accepted by President Abbas?
No, it has not been accepted yet, but I would prefer that we arm ourselves with international interventions and put out the details of all the obstacles the Israelis put in front of us, which will help us take any steps we may decide on after the time allotted for negotiations is over. The world that gave Israel its legitimacy must strip its occupation of this same legitimacy over the land of the Palestinian state, which was recognized internationally in the UN. The political process is complicated and so it is natural for President Abbas not to accept this resignation. I feel for the negotiating team – they have been through a lot of hardship.
Q: You can say this was a protest step, but the Americans don’t seem fazed by it, saying that the negotiations would continue even if a new team was formed. What do you say to this?
No doubt, in politics there are unsaid things that go on – but let’s put the Americans’ position aside – for a long time we have heard from the Israelis that there is no partner for peace or to talk to. But this most recent return to negotiations, the world sees what happens daily – the world is involved. So, I think we just need a little patience. At the same time we also need a step that will be heard internationally and which shows the world that the Israelis really don’t want peace or to recognize a Palestinian state already recognized by the world.
Q: You met with Israeli peace activists recently. Why are you still holding such meetings at this point in time?
When we created these committees to meet with Israeli society last year, this was on the back of the UN recognition of Palestine. WE were aware that there was a strong right wing in Israeli society, much like their government and there is a lot of incitement going on in the Israeli street, especially after the most recent elections. They had no real political program – only Labor did. So there was a sidestepping of Israeli society in terms of the importance of peace to the Israelis themselves. So we thought we would address the Israeli people so they could have another opinion other than the Israeli right that incites against peace with the Palestinians. We have meetings with Israeli individuals or groups almost every day. Yesterday’s meeting was within the same framework. I won’t lie. Sometimes the meetings bring no results but we keep trying. This is not negotiations but we need to infiltrate this society and speak to them. Some of these people can apply pressure on the government and on the people and have shown willingness to do so.
**Mahmoud Khaleefa, deputy minister of information, on a new Israeli film on Jerusalem
Q:How much will this film impact on the world in their view of what is happening in Jerusalem?
This is what Israel wants to do. But we must not forget that this effort, like settlements, has never stopped. Israel continues with all of its measures regardless of anything else. There was a film about the wall, there was a film called Jerusalem in 24 hours, but this was frustrated by our people in Jerusalem. This is ongoing Israeli propaganda, aimed at deceiving the world that Israel’s control over Jerusalem is eternal and that the diggings are around their alleged temple, which by the way, no traces have been found.
In this case, we will work in conjunction with our people and institutions in Jerusalem to foil this plan, if there really are American media companies working with them. But I believe most of those working on this production are Israeli.
**Police official Omar Bzur, on the summons of nine-year old Arafat Abu Adi from Kufr Nimah
Q: How can you clarify this arrest, especially since it got so much media attention?
Some media outlets do not act professionally and are hasty to post news. This is slander. The police was well within the law in its actions. We have a department for minors and they are very well trained on how to deal with them. When a citizen files a complaint against another citizen they don’t mention his age and the police has no idea at the time. When the police went to his house, they gave him letter asking him to come in. it was not a summons or detention like the media said. When the police found out the boy’s age, they told his father that he must come along with him to continue the procedures and to address the complaint made against him. The media was saying that we were pursuing the child in the hills. This is not true. There was a complaint and we needed to address it.
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More Headlines
Israeli officers: we stand powerless before individual operations
The Afula operation yesterday presented another slap to the Israeli security system that the occupation praised over the years, and kept security services paralyzed to prevent such future operations. Maariv newspaper Quoted senior officers in the Israeli army on its front page today morning as saying that they were powerless before individual operations. Senior officers at central command painted a bleak picture of the prevailing mood of the army regarding operations these days, and their inability to face the wave of recent operations, and that all they can do is wait for the next operation. (http://safa.ps/details/news/116014/.html)
Sewage floods the streets of Gaza and municipality warns of an environmental disaster
Sewage water flooded many areas and entrances to homes in Gaza, while the municipality warned of "an environmental catastrophe" because one of the Gaza sewage pumps stopped operating due to power outages. Rafiq Mikki, Mayor of Gaza, called in a p:ress conference for "the need for urgent action to supply Gaza with fuel, to prevent causing an environmental disaster. Pointing out that the Askola area (east of Gaza City) will draw in few hours, as a result of sewage pump not operating, that will cause environmental disaster and the city sinking in wastewater. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472797)
Settlers burned a house in Sinjil
A group of extremist settlers burned a House of a Palestinian family last night in the village of Sinjil north of Ramallah; five members of the family living in the House were wounded and taken to Ramallah hospital. Israeli army sources said this came as a response for the killing of Israeli soldier yesterday in the city of Afula, where the settlers also sprayed slogans in the village saying: "a letter from chopsticks — Price Tag". The army described the act as dangerous and said it will follow up on the issue with eth police to combat these “terrorist” acts. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=647249
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Arab Press
The US-Israel war of words
By George S. Hishmeh | Special to Gulf News
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A war of words is mushrooming in the Middle East, but this time it is between the US and Israel, since the latter is dissatisfied with the negotiations underway between the US and some European powers, known as the P5+1 (US, Russia, Britain, France, China + Germany) and Iran over its nuclear potential.
What has been alarming is that many pro-Israel US Congressmen have been marshalled in the Israeli bid to sabotage the negotiations, which are to resume on November 20 in the hope that a deal can be worked out after their Geneva conference failed last week to yield an agreement as highly expected. But, the longer the harsh exchanges are being dramatised by the Israelis and their supporters within the US Congress, and ultimately with the Barack Obama administration, the Benjamin Netanyahu government has been illegally sanctioning the usurpation of Palestinian land on the West Bank.
Interestingly, the international negotiations with the Iranians and the Palestinian-Israeli “peace talks” have surprisingly the same deadline — six months hence. This apparently has given the Israel the excuse to build more housing units as has been the case to date. In fact, new plans for establishing some 20,000 Israeli housing units have just been announced this week for neighbourhoods in occupied East Jerusalem, where the Palestinians are hoping to establish their capital city.
US National Security Council spokesperson Bernadette Meehan declared last Tuesday that the US is “deeply concerned by these latest reports that over 20,000 additional units are in the early planning stages. We are currently seeking further explanation from the government of Israel. Our position on settlements [colonies] is quite clear: We have always considered the settlements [colonies] to be illegitimate”.
This aggressive Israeli stance has yielded critical opinion in leading US media outlets, a rare development there. Philip Weiss, founder and co-editor of Mondoweiss.net, wrote: “I never think I’ve ever heard a mainstream journalist to be so straightforward about the role of the Israeli lobby in the US policy-making.” He was commenting on a report aired by Gwen Ifill, host of a news show on PBS, the Public Broadcasting Station, “express(ing) surprise at the number of politicians who were echoing Israel’s concerns, and suggested that Israel was interfering”.
At one point during a discussion on air with her colleague, Margaret Warner, she said she was “interested to see US senators coming out and saying, and even governors coming out and saying, this is a bad deal over the last two days, which suggested that someone was suggesting to them this was a bad deal who was not in the administration”.
USA Today, a national paper, is also reflecting Ifill’s concern: “ ... In the US Senate, where Netanyahu enjoys more influence than any other foreign leader should, key senators were threatening to move ahead with legislation that would tighten sanctions (against Iran), an in-your-face response that almost certainly would kill the Iranian attempt at outreach before it can be explored.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry, much to the chagrin of a former Israeli foreign minister, Moshe Arens, a member of a right-wing Israeli Likud party, had warned in a television interview with an Israeli and Palestinian journalist in occupied Jerusalem that unless Israel reaches an agreement with the Palestinians, it will be isolated internationally and face another intifada (uprising). Arens’ reaction: “Somebody forgot to tell Kerry that Israelis don’t scare easily.” [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked his Housing Minister Uri Ariel to reconsider construction plans for the 20,000 colonist homes after a spate of strong reactions from the US.]
But much to the surprise of all, Avigdor Lieberman, who lives in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories, has just been reinstated this week as Israel’s Foreign Minister, after being acquitted of charges of fraud and breach of trust. His goal, reportedly, will be to play down the current public confrontation between the US and Israel, following Netanyahu’s declared opposition to a projected deal between Iran and the P5+1. Whether Lieberman will succeed in his goal remains to be seen since his Prime Minister, Netanyahu, will have first to pull back next April from his opposition to the short-term agreement with Iran at the same time as the Israelis and Palestinians face a similar deadline for signing a peace settlement.
Whether the Obama administration will hit the jackpot next April borders, by and large, on wishful thinking, unless of course some of the key offensive players are neutralised or ousted.(http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/the-us-israel-war-of-words-1.1254741)
Deceptive sidestep
The Daily Star
In a rare moment of clarity late Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reneged on a record settlement tender issue, released by the Housing Ministry earlier in the day, for some 24,000 houses in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. But this about-face was merely a political sidestep and does not indicate any meaningful readdressing of a malicious and illegal policy.
Since 1967, consecutive Israeli Cabinets have not stopped building settlements in what little remains of Palestinian land. Having closed settlements in Gaza and the Sinai, construction has continued to increase in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in the last year by a staggering 70 percent. The current government seems to prioritize settlement construction, almost to distraction, with senior Cabinet members being avidly pro-settlement. The minister responsible for driving the policy, Housing Minister Uri Ariel, himself is a member of the Jewish Home party, and lives in a settlement, along with over 500,000 other Israelis. Settlements, if we need be reminded, are deemed illegal by the U.N., the U.S. and most other countries around the world.
Before the Israeli government’s U-turn on the new tenders, the U.S. had issued its standard statement, that it sought an explanation from Israel and that “we do not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity.” Last week, while visiting the region, Secretary of State John Kerry questioned how, when one allegedly sought peace talks with the Palestinians, settlement activity could be pursued. “How, if you say you’re working for peace ... can you say we’re planning to build in the place that will eventually be Palestine? So it sends a message that somehow perhaps you’re not really serious.”
This all comes in the context of alleged peace talks, brokered by the U.S., which are going on in secret and are, according to the ambitious Americans, expected to yield results by the end of the year. But Netanyahu’s volte-face, which must have angered his rightist allies, was merely a cynical ploy to attempt to galvanize as much potential international support amid a mild thawing of ties between the U.S. and Iran over the latter’s nuclear program.
But Israel has never indicated it intends to halt settlement construction altogether, and this is, understandably, a sticking point for the Palestinians. Until this day comes, why should the Palestinians even bother to take part in any peace talks? The current discussions, as has been so often in the previous 40 years, are for the Israelis little more than a cosmetic process designed to curry favor with the international community.
It is not enough for the U.S. and the international community to simply decry settlement construction as illegal. It is the most dangerous threat to permanent peace in Israel and Palestine and action must be taken.(http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Editorial/2013/Nov-14/237830-deceptive-sidestep.ashx#axzz2kbVm7p1V)
Arab Americans Seek A Palestinian State Because It's 'In The US Interests'
By Hamid Alkifaey
For the last half century, Arab politicians and intellectuals have often talked about the need to create an Arab lobby in the United States to advocate for Arab issues. Often, they attributed the weakness of the Arab diplomatic position to the absence of Arab advocacy groups that explain and clarify the Arabs’ legitimate concerns and interests in the West, particularly in the United States. Often, they attributed the strength of Israel and the unwavering support it enjoys in the US to the strength of the American pro-Israel lobby and its ability to serve the Jewish state.
There is no doubt that this is all true. It is only recently that the Arabs have realized the importance of advocacy organizations in the West, and the influence they have on politicians, particularly in the United States. There are large numbers of Arabs living in Western countries, but they lack organizational capacity. They have been unable to create pressure groups that can advocate for policies that would benefit their causes, or at least minimize the damage done to Arab interests. Instead, they remain marginal players despite the fact that they possess the requisite elements for political influence – namely votes and funds – that could potentially be utilized to further Arab causes.
The Arab publics have remained antagonistic and wary of the West. For their part, Arab leaders resorted to mixed messaging, or even double-speak, to justify dealing with the West to their angry publics. The Arabs continued to believe that the West’s positions can only be amended by force of arms, in spite of repeated, concrete proof to the contrary. Arab hawks have achieved nothing on the ground except recurring, constant defeats on all fronts, coupled with loud, screeching media statements and “million man marches” in city squares. In the meantime, Israel’s supporters worked quietly, and exploited the Arabs’ weak points and ignorance about Western politics and decision-making processes to their own advantage.
To make things even worse, Arab hardliners sought to silence all those who have chosen to follow the path of persuasion and calm work in accordance with the rules of the political game in the West. By doing so, the Arabs have squandered decades, along with tremendous amounts of energy, skills and funds in quixotic campaigns doomed to failure, self-defeat and backfiring. Meanwhile, many chose to remain silent for fear of being branded traitors or worse.
In 2003, after years of marginalization and suffering, a group of Arab Americans finally founded an organization called the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP). They aimed to improve the situation of Arab Americans and enable them to develop an effective approach to working for the benefit of Arab causes in the United States and elsewhere. The activities of this organization gradually increased, as they started holding large events attended by hundreds of American supporters of the Palestinian cause, including Cabinet secretaries and other high-level officials.
This month marks the 10th anniversary of this organization. Many see ATFP as blazing the trail for the creation of a broad, genuinely effective Arab lobby that could advocate successfully for Arab issues, particularly the Palestinian one, and gather supporters and partners.
The founder and President of ATFP, Dr. Ziad Asali, says that Arab communities in the United States have left themselves disempowered and vulnerable. This became apparent after the 9/11 events when antagonism against Arabs proliferated among many Americans due to the ethnicity of the attackers. To defend themselves, Arabs sought protection in generic American anti-discrimination and anti-racism laws.
Asali adds, “We have learned from other Americans how to work from within the US establishment to serve ourselves and our issues. Criticizing the American system and policies from the outside is futile. We are Americans with rights and obligations. When we were able to show our fellow Americans that, just like them, we are committed to the American national interest, they listened to us.”
More importantly, Asali points out that Arabs – unlike Jews – oppose the US because of its position regarding the Palestinian issue. This antagonism, he believes, has impeded their engagement in the American political process. They have not acted as an organized bloc with clear interests, nor have they even supported Arab candidates in American elections. Arabs, he adds, generally agree on the issue of Palestine, and this can be a platform to launch serious, effective and broader Arab-American efforts. However, Arab-Americans are “still emotional and antagonistic towards the US system. They still believe that it is inappropriate to engage seriously with it.” He urges Arabs to move beyond this mindset, which has been demonstrably proven ineffective and wrong, saying, “Is it reasonable to blame a patient for neglecting his health or being addicted to smoking? Or should we treat him so that he can be cured?”
Counter-intuitively, he believes that Jewish Americans are the Arab Americans’ best ally when it comes to the Palestinian issue: “65-70% of Jewish Americans believe in creating a Palestinian state, which is exactly what we believe in. Therefore, reaching out to Jews is very important. We are not against Israel, but we are certainly against the occupation. We believe in creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel. Even Gamal Abdel Nasser, who was the leader of the Arab world, recognized this basic approach by endorsing UN Security Council Resolution 242 and the Rogers Plan. And so did Yasser Arafat.”
Asali believes that the creation of a Palestinian state would serve the American national interest. He points out that President George W. Bush was the first American president to recognize the need for a state of Palestine in 2004. The Middle East Quartet also endorsed this imperative, so that “the two-state solution has become an international demand." He adds, “We believe in dialogue. We will engage anyone who agrees with our goals. Jewish Americans who believe in a two-state solution are our natural allies since, like us, they are Americans.”
The American Task Force on Palestine recently held a gala in Washington, DC at the end of October, on the occasion of the organization’s founding. Asali says that this Gala (http://gala.atfp.net/home) is an annual occasion to showcase the achievements of Arab Americans and to celebrate distinguished members of the community “so as to show the American people the true image of Arab Americans.”
This growing effort has attracted effective talent that is active in the United States. These include Palestinian affairs expert Ghaith Al-Omari, commentator Hussein Ibish, and the Iraqi communications specialist Adil Awadh. Previous ATFP Galas were attended and addressed by Secretaries of State Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton, among many others.
Arab Americans are estimated to number around 4 million, which can constitute an electoral block that can be effective if they vote in a coordinated manner, as Jewish Americans, African Americans and Latino Americans tend to do. It is worth recalling President Harry S. Truman’s reaction when asked by representatives of Arab countries why his Administration was ignoring Arab concerns. Truman is reputed to have observed, “There aren't many Arabs voters in this country”.
Asali believes that things have not changed much. Yet he is optimistic about the future. He says, “Today, our organization enjoys wide influence and exceptional access to American officials. Despite our limited financial resources, our ideas and analysis find traction in Congress and with the Administration. As Arab Americans, we seek to advance our issues, and are fully aware that the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel is in the interest of our country, the United States.”(http://alhayat.com/Details/571754)
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Opinions
Palestine, America and UNESCO
Al Khaleej Editorial
On October 31, 2011, Palestine was accepted as a member of UNESCO, thus prompting the United States and Israel to halt payment of their financial obligations to the organization in protest.
This November 7, UNESCO decided that the two aforementioned countries automatically lost their right to vote because they had failed to pay their dues.
The United States’ decision to halt payment to an international organization that aims to raise the level of cooperation between world countries in the fields of education and culture in order to instill global respect for justice, the rule of law, human rights and the principles of basic freedoms, is a purely political decision aimed at pressuring UNESCO and punishing it for accepting Palestine. Its position was fully aligned with Israel’s position and its racist settlement expansion and aggressive policies, which reject the right of the Palestinian people to exist as an entity just like all other human entities which deserve a land, state and authority represented in all international organizations and bodies.
As a result of the American decision, UNESCO, which represents human civilization, was forced to cut its annual budget by 22%, bringing it down from $653 million to $507 million. It also has to lay off some employees and shut offices, without any other country stepping up to cover the deficit and compensate for the US’ share, which comprises one-fifth of UNESCO’s funding, or $80 million.
The Arab countries should have been the ones to cover the deficit. This is a cheap price in comparison to their capabilities and potentials and it would have reconfirmed the right of Palestine to be a member in this organization and any other international organization. It would have given symbolic value to UNESCO, which works for the sake of culture and human values and shown rejection of the American step, which reflects a policy of immoral subordination to the “Zionist entity.”
For a superpower that sings the praises of freedom and human rights each day to lose its right to vote in UNESCO all for the sake of Israel, is a punishment for itas well. Furthermore, it exposes its positions which have become a burden on humanity itself.
What is so ironic is that Palestine, which Israel and the US deny its right to even exist, is a member of UNESCO and has the right to vote, while they are merely a name and number in the organization, with no influence at all. (http://www.alkhaleej.ae/portal/db5420ed-3b28-4211-8a9c-7fd070e543ff.aspx)
Options for the upcoming stage
Al Quds Editorial
President Mahmoud Abbas made it clear two nights ago in an interview with Egyptian television that there would be no peace without Jerusalem as the capital of a future and sovereign Palestinian state on all land occupied in 1967; he also stressed that settlements in all their forms were illegal. He even said that the 18 negotiation sessions between the Palestinians and Israelis since the start of the talks, had not achieved anything because of Israel’s intransigence and the Netanyahu government’s position of insisting that the negotiations would begin from square one, disregarding all of the achievements made in previous negotiations with the Ehud Barak government.
More importantly, however, President Abbas reaffirmed that the Palestinian people had several options in case the negotiations failed within the agreed timeslot of nine months, including joining international organizations and agencies. This would mean they would be able to pursue and hold Israel accountable for its grave violations in the occupied territories.
Clearly, the picture painted by President Abbas accurately reflected the current bleak climate among the Palestinians because of escalated Israeli attacks and violations to a point that the President confirmed that negotiating team had handed in its resignation in protest of Israel’s measures. It even reached the points where US Secretary of State John Kerry tried to calm the situation by announcing clearly in response to the Israelis lies, saying that settlements are illegal and that the Palestinians had never accepted these settlements or that the resumption of talks were on the basis of turning a blind eye to settlements in exchange for the release of prisoners.
This means that it is not enough for Israel to obstruct the peace process and try to foil it, but it also waged a campaign of lies against the Palestinian leadership and the negotiating team in an attempt to cause chaos and divert attention away from its violations, believing that they could mislead the Palestinians and international public opinion.
This is why we say President Abbas’ announcement was important because it is necessary that the Palestinians, the Arab and Islamic nations and international public opinion all know the truth about Israel’s anti-peace stances and the truth that the Palestinians have remained adherent to their legitimate and inalienable rights.
While the president hinted at a series of options, of which he did not specify any accept joining international organizations, we know that the Palestinian people have other options, in spite of how hard they may be, which would enable them to defend their rights to live in freedom and dignity and to gain independence on their national soil whether or not Israel likes it.
With this move, President Abbas is again throwing the ball in the court of Israel, the American sponsor and the international community. And his message is clear: the Palestinian people are capable of continuing their national path of struggle and the options open for confronting the challenges imposed by the occupation are not obsolete; if there is anyone concerned with the security and stability of the region and of achieving peace, then they must push against Israel, which is increasing its own steps towards the eruption of the entire region, all in order to avoid its obligations towards peace. Israel is delusional in thinking that this will achieve its aspirations in consolidating the occupation and expanding settlements.
Finally, the President’s statements were a clear message to the Palestinians and to its forces and national factions, to prepare themselves for the upcoming state through national unity and a deep conviction that the peace we want can never be founded on injustice. The peace we want is one that is based within a framework of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, a sovereign state with a solution to the refugee problem on the basis of international legitimate resolutions. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/472809)
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