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Nov. 18, 2013
Daily summary - Monday, November 18, 2013
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Main News
President Abbas calls for international investigation of the death of Arafat; and confirmed he rejected resignation of the negotiation team
President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday in an exclusive interview with AFP that the Palestinian leadership is committed to negotiations with Israel until the end of the period of nine months, no matterwhat happens "on the ground", calling for an international investigation to uncover the circumstances of the death of Yasser Arafat.President Abbas said in the interview at his headquarters in Ramallah where he will meet todayPresident Francois Hollande for the first time: "we are committed to continue negotiations for nine months no matter what the facts on the ground are," and that a decision will be taken later on. President Abbas reiterated that Palestinian negotiation team submitted its resignation but that he had not accepted his resignation, "we did not accept the resignation of the negotiation team, the Palestinian leadership is discussing it... The Palestinian leadership has decided to give itself a chance to decide, and the negotiation team will continue as is until we decide.” Abbas stressed that he would not sign any agreement with Israel if it does not guarantee achieving what the Palestinian people seeks to achieve. "The Palestinian people believe in peace, and peace through negotiations, knowing we are dedicated to our constants that are a Palestinian State on the 1967 borders and Jerusalem as the capital of the State, and resolve the refugee issue according to the Arab initiative." "This is what the Palestinian people demands from us, if we get it, we will not sign anything with Israel."With regards to meeting with Holland President Abbas said: "we hope that France play an important role in the peace process." "The visit of President Holland is his first, and we consider it among the most important visits of leaders who came to Palestine in the last years, we are proud of the relationship we have with France," "We know that the relationship between France and Israel is strong, and that's normal. But he could not think that this relationship would affect our relations." Abbas also said he would meet US Secretary of State John Kerry who will visit the region next Friday and said: "Yes, we will meet with him, and we meet with him whenever he visits the region."(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Calls to prosecute companies that deal with settlements
Union of “associations of consumer protection" called onsuing foreign and Israeli companies that do business with Jewish settlements established illegally on occupied Palestinian territories, through the International Criminal Court.The Union said in a statement yesterday, prosecution in international courts and forums for Israeli and foreign companies dealing with the Jewish settlements will contribute to stop injustice for our people and contribute to illegitimacy of settlements, its isolation and siege, according to the statement. (http://www.qudsn.ps/article/33088)
Hamdan: We will do what no one can imagine to break the siege
Foreign relations official in Hamas, Osama Hamdan said his movement will make efforts and take steps to end the blockade on the Gaza Strip.Hamdan said in statements on radio that Hamas "will do what no one can imagine to break this blockade." About these steps, Hamdan said: "everyone should know, that Hamas don’t only talk, let us this aside now, and give an opportunity for some to withdraw and get back to be part of their people, it doesn't make sense that our people and our brothers are blockading us." Hamdan said that harsh sanctions “could not kill us, and those who bet on defeating us with the blockade are dreaming."(http://paltimes.net/details/news/52887/%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%81%D8%B9%D9%84-%D9%85%D8%A7-%D9%84%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%AE%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF-%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B3%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B1.html)
Hollande is awaiting initiatives from Israel regarding settlements to advance peace
French President Francois Hollande said yesterday that he expects "initiatives" from Israel regarding settlements to help give a boost to the peace process with the Palestinians.Hollande said at a press conference with his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres on the first day of his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, “there are already initiatives from the Israeli side-release Palestinians prisoners,” adding that “other initiatives arepredicted especially in relation to settlement.” The French President said that he will “address in Ramallah with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "initiatives" that he waits for from the Palestinian side." Hollande added: "It is urgent to find a final agreement for a just and lasting peace", stressing the importance of the "two-State solution, Israeli and Palestinian."Israeli President Shimon Peres said that “there is no alternative to peace." Adding: "We cannot and we must not delay, it is time for action to apply the solution on which we all agree (two States for two peoples).” (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/473467)
Fateh Central Committee: there will be no substitute for the role of Egypt in the reconciliation file
Fatah Central Committee Held a meeting yesterday at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah, chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas.Member of the Central Committee of the movement, and its spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said the Central Committee previewedthe previous rounds of negotiations, obstacles and obstruction by the Israeli Government to make real progress in the peace process. Abu Rudeina said that the Central Committee called on the United States as a sponsor of the negotiations, for measures to halt the deterioration in the peace process by continuing Israeli violations, in particular the colonization, murder, Judaization, blockades, and attacks by settlers against our people and our land.Regarding file reconciliation, Abu Rudeina said that the Central Committee reiterated Egypt’s sponsorshipof this file, and there will be no alternative to its leading role. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Dozens injured in clashes with soldiers in Abu Dies
Dozens were injured by rubber-coated metal bullets and teargas canisters yesterday, during clashes with occupationforces in front of the main campus of Al Quds University in Abu Dis, east of Jerusalem. Spokesman of the popular resistance in Abu Dis Hani Halabiya told “Wafa” that clashes erupted after occupation soldiers attempted to establish an electronic fence on the annexation wall opposite the university, whereyouth and students confronted the force, while the occupation force fired teargas canisters and rubber bullets at them, wounding about 40 students and youths, who were taken to Abu Dis medical center of Al-Makassed Hospital in the town for treatment. (Al-Ayyam)
Kerry meets with both President Abbas and Netanyahu during a new visit
USSecretary of State John Kerry will be visiting Israel on Friday for consultations on the development of talks with Iran on its nuclear program and on the peace process with the Palestinians, according to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office. President Mahmoud Abbas announced he would meet Kerry.Netanyahu told his Ministers at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting that he would hold consultations on the talks with Iran with French President Francois Hollande, who arrived in Israel on yesterday and Russian President Vladimir Putin next Wednesday during Netanyahu’s visit to Moscow. (Al-Ayyam)
Israel arrested a Palestinian accused of belonging to Global Jihad 3 years ago
Yediot Ahronot revealed on its Web site yesterday that Israel is holding a Doctor in Exact Sciences Samer Abdel LatifAl-Barq, 39 years old, a Palestinian born in Kuwait. Al-Barq was arrested when he arrived three years ago at Al-Karama Bridge - "Allenby",and he is under administrative detentionsince then, and Israel refuses to release his claiming he is too dangerous and it fears he wouldestablish an infrastructure of "terrorism" if he is released following the end of the administrative arrest warrant soon. Al-Barq was previously arrested by the Americans on suspicion of belonging to Global Jihad, which is the name used by Israel and others to refer to Islamic organizations linked to Al-Qaida or like-minded, and was arrested also by the Jordanian authorities.(Al-Ayyam)
Al-Farra: the President's visit to Cairo was more than a successful; actions would be taken soon regarding Rafah crossing
Palestinian Ambassador in Cairo Dr. Barakat Al-Farra told “Al-Ayyam” that actions will be taken soon regarding the Rafah crossing, saying that the visit of President Mahmoud Abbas to Cairo and his meetings were "friendly and warm".Al-Farra said on the sidelines of the African Arabic Summit in Kuwait: President Abbas’ visit to Cairo was not only successful but more than successful, in all the intensive meetings between the President and the Egyptian President Adley Mansour, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmi and Sheikh Al-Azhar.” Regarding the Palestinian reconciliation, Al-Farra said: “reconciliation is not froze and it will be dealt with immediately upon appropriate conditions, there is an understanding that this file is among the understandings between us and the Egyptians, the President raised subject with the brothers in Egypt and they are very interested to deal with it as soon as conditions in Egypt allows dealing with it” (Al-Ayyam)
Rafah crossing to be open for three days starting from tomorrow
The Palestinian Ambassador in Cairo, Ambassador Dr. Barakat Al-Farra, said yesterday evening it was decided to open the Rafah crossing for three days, starting from tomorrow, after communication with the Egyptian authorities. Al-Farra said in a press release, thanks to the Arab Republic of Egypt for its tireless work to ease the suffering of our people in the Gaza Strip.(Al-Ayyam)
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Headlines
** PNA is considering 3 alternatives to confront settlements (Al-Quds)
** 29 families of Al-Qerami neighborhood in Jerusalem receives evacuation orders (Al-Quds)
** Obama refuses to answer phone calls by Netanyahu (Al-Quds)
** Jewish demonstrators destroy a Palestinian car in Jerusalem (Al-Quds)
** Jordan denies establishing a joint industrial zone with Israel (Al-Quds)
** President Abbas to visit Saudi Arabia tomorrow (Al-Ayyam)
** Egyptian Government: Islamists are required to recognize a “Road map” before any dialogue (al-Ayyam)
** 31 Syrian soldiers killed in an explosion in Damascus (al-Ayyam)
** The Government decides to go for "Higher justice court" against the strike of teachers union (Al-Ayyam)
** Prisoner Al-Radad faces difficult health situation and needs to eradicate his intestines (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** “Al-Aqsa” foundation warns of new wave of incursions into Al-Aqsa (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:Ramallah – President Abbas during his interview with AFP.
Al-Ayyam:1) President Abbas during his interview with AFP, 2) Mother of prisoner Al-Radad, 3) Cairo - construction work of the revolution martyrs memorial at Tahrir
Al Hayat Al Jadida:
1) President Abbas during his interview with AFP, 2) opposition fighters in Syria.
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Voice of Palestine News
Jerusalem: evacuation orders were handed to families at Al-Qeramy neighborhood, reaching 29 orders, where the municipality is demanding residents of these houses to evacuate them by the end of this month, or the first of next month. These are final orders. Joint municipality and police teams are present in the neighborhood, knowing that the orders does not include house of settlers near the Palestinian houses in the neighborhood. This means that orders aims at evacuating Arab residents since this neighborhood is near the Jewish neighborhood, and it is planned to be part of the bigger Jewish neighborhood.
Also, Yehuda Glick continued with his incursions to Al-Aqsa after being prevented to do so by an Israeli court for 6 months. And seems there is a political decision to allow him act freely in Jerusalem and al-Aqsa
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
** Salwa Hdieb, Deputy Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, on Al-Qeramy orders.
Q: What are you planning to do regarding these orders?
Since the first day we began according to orders by the President to form an emergency committee to answer the citizens’ needs, a committee of Palestinian engineers was also established to follow up the issue, in addition to legal committee composed of Palestinian lawyers. There are also Palestinian specialists who are checking to see what the reasons behind these collapses in these houses are. 8 families were rescued before the buildings collapsed, some are still in the neighborhood, but we still need local and international support in order to save this neighborhood. This is an attack on the old city especially on AL-Qeramy neighborhood.
Q: with regards to these houses and their situation, is there any alternative for these families?
First of all we want them to stay, but their lives are more important, 8 families were evacuated to near places, we rented houses for them only for six months, the question would be what will happen if we realize that these houses need renovation of a year or two. We are afraid of these houses be leaked for extreme Jews, since the municipality and its staff are always there challenging our presence and telling the residents that the PNA does not have the right to be present in the neighborhood, we hope no one will be harmed of the residents, and we will do whatever we can to help them in this situation.
** Kamil Hmead, Hebron Governor, on settlers confiscating more than 1700 dunams of lands south of Hebron.
Q: Al-Ka’bnah lands are threatened of being confiscated by the occupation, how do you view the last confiscation of 1700 dunams?
This is a continuous campaign of the occupation and settlers especially in the southern areas, this is not the first time, farmers are also prevented from reaching their land, it is a targeted area, their goal is to empty these areas for training and settlements expansion. Citizens are facing these actions with international support of individuals and organizations who try to support their steadfastness. I think that all what we do on the Palestinian side to face these acts are enough, international intervention is needed.
Q: Can’t you approach international human rights organizations with this issue to hold Israel responsible?
This always been done until now, it was even raised in the last cabinet meeting, also with regards to the wall…. But still some states don’t offer these areas with projects without Israeli approval, so we are working on reaching international organizations to ease the suffering of our citizens in these areas.
** Nabil Sha’ath, member of Fateh Central Committee, on the negotiations.
Q: the Palestinian position is clear, commitment to the negotiations until the 9 months are over, but the Netanyahu is demanding the Palestinian with providing concessions in the Valley and the Jewish state, how do you assess the process until now?
I think that with all our commitment and making is possible, Israel is doing everything that destroys the process; we want the international community to understand who is destroying the peace process, and who is trying to destroy the attempt to rescue this process. We say to the US you are watching what is happening, we can’t continue is these negotiations without approaching the UN while Israel is violating all decisions and references.
Q: is the negotiation team resignation is final and it will be replaced with another team?
Even if the team continued, I think they will not withdraw from their resignation, they will continue until a new team is formed.
Q: if Israel continues with its violations will the Palestinian position remain to continue with the negotiations?
It depends on what will happen, we can’t tell.
Q: What will happen after the 9 months?
I think that after the 9 months thing will be clearer, Mr. Kerry said he will start a new effort on January, we will have to wait and see what this effort will bring, the issue is not about negotiations, and it is more all what we do in order to confront occupation.
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More Headlines
Israel cuts electricity of the Jordan Valley and thousands of dunams threatened of damage
The Israel electricity company cut power late last night of the Jeftlik area in the Jordan Valley under the pretext of its nonpayment of electricity bills for the company at around 700,000 NIS. Fathi khdirat the Jordan Valley campaign coordinator told “Ma’an” that cutting power of Jiftlik means stopping 12 water wells from working and indirect displacement of approximately 150 Palestinian families living in the region that receive periodic notices from the Israeli Government to leave the place.Khdiratcalled onPresident Mahmoud Abbas to immediately intervene since the next 48 hours could eliminate 5,000 dunams if it will not be irrigated with water.(http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=648396)
Israeli Defense Minister: Israelis killed is Palestinian attacks are victims of negotiations
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alonpresented his opposition to the ongoing negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians saying that the Israelis killed in the operations carried out by Palestinians were victims of the political process, adding that “the Palestinian Authority's hostility to Israel is no less that Hamas’ hostility.” Israeli newspaper Maariv quoted Ya’alon as saying at a seminar held Sunday on the anniversary of the death of former Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, in Tel Aviv University:those who were killed in terrorist operations in recent months are the victims of the political process, and what is happening today is the result of the political process."(http://www.qudsn.ps/article/33103)
Al-Quds Al-Arabi: restructuring of the negotiations team possible
"Al-Quds Al-Arabi" reported a Palestinian source saying President Mahmoud Abbas might restructure the Palestinian negotiating team, adding new figures to Join Erekat. The source confirmed to the newspaper that Erekat would continue his work as head of the team, if Mohammed Ishtayeh insisted on his resignation.According to the paper, a leading figure with large experience within this framework will join negotiation team for meetings with the Israeli side according to the US plan, if Ishtayeh does not withdraw of his resignation. (http://www.amad.ps/ar/?Action=Details&ID=5240)
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Arab Press
Gaza marks anniversary of Israel attack
By Jillian Kestler-D'Amours
Palestinian families seek justice after 2012 assault on the Gaza Strip killed more than 100 civilians.
Ahmed Jamal al-Dalu's life changed in an instant last November. Nothing has been the same for the 29-year-old since an Israeli warplane dropped a bomb on his family's three-storey home in Gaza City, killing ten members of his family.
"We never expected that one day our home would [be attacked]," Dalu told Al Jazeera over the phone from Gaza City. "We didn't expect that my mother, my sister, my brother, his wife, his children… they would go like this in one second."
The Dalu family home was completely levelled by an Israeli air strike on November 18, 2012, during the last major Israeli military offensive into Gaza, dubbed "Operation Pillar of Defence". Ten members of the family - five children, four women, and the father of four of the children - were killed along with two neighbors, while nine others were injured. Only Ahmed's father, Jamal, and his younger brother, Abdallah, survived because they were not in the house when the bomb struck.
Ahmed was studying civil engineering in Turkey when the attack happened. A friend called to tell him the news, and he said he spent two days in a Turkish hospital for shock before rushing back to Gaza. "[My friend] called me and he told me there is an Israeli airplane that attacked your home by F-16 bomb. When I heard that, I didn't believe it. I called our home but no one answered," he said.
Human Rights Watch called the bombing "a clear violation of the laws of war". It was the deadliest single attack during the entire Israeli operation.
Now, Ahmed says, "my little brother needs care, and my father also needs a lot of support. I'm feeling like I became the father and the mother and the sister for both of them. I'm trying to make them forget, but we cannot forget."
'Threat of death'
The Israeli military offensive on Gaza began on November 14, 2012 with an air strike that killed Ahmed Jabari, a top Hamas military commander, in Gaza City. The Israeli army later posted on Twitter: "Ahmed Jabari: Eliminated". Israel justified the eight-day assault as a response to rockets fired from Gaza on southern Israeli cities.
Yet human rights groups documented several cases of indiscriminate Israeli shelling of civilian areas, and accused Israel of severe violations of international law. Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with 1.6 million people crammed into just 365 square kilometres. For its part, Israel said armed Palestinian groups often launched their attacks from civilian areas, "creat[ing] particular operational difficulties for the IDF commanders responsible for making targeting decisions in such a challenging environment".
A ceasefire was declared on November 21, after an Egyptian-brokered agreement set out terms to end Palestinian rocket fire and slightly ease Israeli restrictions on Gaza. But the damage had already been done.
"Palestinian civilians lived under extreme fear and threats to their lives due to direct attacks on civilians and their property throughout the Gaza Strip. There was no safe place and the threat of death was felt by everyone with no exceptions," read a statement issued by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR).
Human rights groups have criticized Israel's bombing of densely populated areas [AP]
According to PCHR figures, 171 Palestinians were killed in eight days. Sixty percent of them - or 102 people - were civilians, including 35 children and 14 women. Another 625 civilians were injured. Six Israelis were killed during the fighting, including four civilians.
Gaza's infrastructure was also heavily damaged: 126 houses were completely destroyed, and schools, mosques, cemeteries, health and sports centers, and media institutions were also hit, among other structures. It was the largest Israeli military operation into the besieged Gaza Strip since "Operation Cast Lead", the December 2008-January 2009 Israeli offensive that killed 1,419 Palestinians.
No investigation
After the dust settled, the Israeli Military Advocate General (MAG) denied a request to open a criminal inquiry into the killing of members of the Dalu family.
An MAG investigation found that the attack was aimed at "a senior terrorist operative and several other terrorists". The report, released in April 2013, called the Dalu family members' deaths "unfortunate" but said steps had been taken to reduce the chance of harming civilians.
"Various precautions had been taken in order to reduce the possibility of collateral damage to uninvolved civilians in the course of the attack," said an Israeli military spokesperson, "including the choice of ammunition used, and that the operations staff had not foreseen that as a result of the attack, collateral damage would be caused to uninvolved civilians to the extent alleged. In light of these findings, the MAG found that the incident does not raise suspicion of the commission of a criminal offense... As a result, the MAG decided that there was no basis to open a criminal investigation or to take any additional measures."
PCHR has criticized what it says is Israel's lack of accountability. Of the 1,046 complaints submitted by the group to the Compensation Officer of the Israeli Ministry of Defence from 2009-12 urging Israel to initiate civil claims on behalf of Palestinian victims of the Israeli military, PCHR received only 16 replies related to 26 cases.
"One year passed [since Operation Pillar of Defence] and there is no accountability and there is no [Israeli intent for] accountability," PCHR Director Raji Sorani told Al Jazeera, pointing to amendment eight to Israel's civil tort law, which exempts Israel from liability for damages caused to a resident of enemy territory during "combat action".
"This leaves no doubt whatsoever that even the slight opportunity left [to take Israel to court] has been deleted entirely. It's one more drastic, legislative and legal setback. [It's] intentional by the state of Israel, blocking the system for Palestinian victims," Sorani said.
For his part, Ahmed says he doesn't expect justice to come from an Israeli court. "What do they want from Gaza? What do they want from these people? Why are these people paying? They are paying and they will pay again."
'Nothing has changed'
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited an Israeli army unit near the Gaza border to mark the anniversary of last year's operation, which he credited with lowering rocket fire from the Gaza Strip by 98 percent.
"In the end, this deterrence is achieved by the enemy's knowing that we will not tolerate attacks on our communities and our soldiers, and that we will respond in great strength. This is the foundation of our deterrence," Netanyahu said, according to a statement released by his office.
But for Ahmed, who just had his first child, Israeli justifications for the attack that killed most of his family are too little, too late. "When my son will ask me, 'where is my grandmother?', what I can tell him now?"
"After one year that this happened, nothing [has] changed in Gaza for us, for our family," said Ahmed. "Nothing [has] changed. The situation is getting worse - not for us only, but all the Palestinian people."(http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/11/gaza-marks-anniversary-israel-attack-20131115426805506.html)
‘Europe sets the rules’
By Nasouh Majali
Last week I had the opportunity to meet the ambassador and head of delegation of the European Union in Jordan and the European Union special representative for the Middle East peace process.
There were questions about what is happening in the Arab world and the role of European Union in the peace process.
Since the Geneva declaration in the 1980s, Europe seems to have stood in the shade, behind the United States, which dominated the scene in the Middle East crisis.
Europe neither presented an initiative to promote peace in the region nearest to Europe nor took a strong stand to condemn the long Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands, occupied in 1967.
The EU representative to the Mideast peace process said that Europe is very active in the international Quartet for peace in the region, a committee that did very little so far.
It gave assistance to the Palestinian Authority, but it could not change or affect the Israeli policies that aim at blocking the way to any future settlement or independent Palestinian state on occupied Palestinian land.
He stressed that Europe gave all kinds of assistance to the Palestinian Authority and set the rules that helped change the international public opinion on the Palestinian issue.
In Geneva, Europe was the first to recognize the right of the Palestinian people to determine its future freely. Europe also condemned the Israeli settlements in the occupied lands, considering them illegitimate.
Europe acknowledged the right of the Palestinians to an independent state based on the two-state solution.
Now the EU treats products from Israeli settlements differently; they have to be labelled and higher taxes are imposed on them than on other products from Israel.
The envoy also said Europe sets the rules that other nations usually adopt and follow. Most of these rules contain actual and moral pressure on Israel. The US adopted most of these rules.
The representative wanted to know how Jordanians feel about the flood of Syrian refugees coming to Jordan and how Jordanians reacted to the Israeli attempts to set new rules in Al Aqsa and its surrounding.
The answer from the Jordanian side was that no peace could be established if Jerusalem is excluded from the negotiations, if the sacred Muslim shrines are endangered or if the rights of Palestinians, of Muslims in general, are ignored. This is the stand adopted by Jordan and all Arab states.
Concentrating settlements around Jerusalem, around holy places, shows Israel’s lack of will to attain peace and starting another massive settlement process while negotiations are going on discourages any move in the direction of peace.
Asked why Europe and the international community do not give enough assistance to help Jordan and the other countries that gave shelter to the Syrian refugees, the EU envoy said Europe paid more than 2 billion euros to cover the needs and expenses of the Syrian refugees and helped the affected Arab states, particularly Jordan, in different ways.
The EU ambassador to Jordan said that similar struggles in Europe and the world usually lasted for years and had serious consequences they needed continual assistance, but without political agreements between the conflicting parties, the crises could not be easily solved.
The problem is that the Syrian crisis is not contained within Syrian borders and those involved in the struggle are not Syrians only.
There are regional as well as international players who feed the fire of the struggle in Syria and the crisis is endangering all the neighboring countries. Some of these countries are deeply involved in the military struggle through their agents.
Therefore, only a strong international drive, led by the great powers, including Russia, and direct coordination with the Arab states affected by the crisis could facilitate a peace settlement in Syria.
A long civil war could destroy Syria, exhaust its economic resources and endanger the entire region.
It will lead Syria to total anarchy that will not serve anyone either in Syria itself or the region.(http://jordantimes.com/europe-sets-the-rules)
Hezbollah’s strengths create weaknesses
By Rami G. Khouri
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s two speeches in Beirut earlier this week before large crowds of Lebanese Shiites commemorating Ashoura did not break any new ground in domestic or regional affairs, but they did clarify trends that have been developing in recent years. Most of these trends continue the trajectory of Hezbollah’s political situation of the last decade, which comprises impressive, but contradictory and challenging, realities that seem to be accelerating.
Without judging Hezbollah’s cultural or political ideology, I continue to see the party as the greatest success story of the modern Arab world in political and organizational terms. Its impressive feat is how, since its inception during the 1980s, it has transformed the core of the Lebanese Shiite community from the subjugated and abused third-class condition of many decades into the most powerful group in the country, and perhaps the strongest non-governmental party, social force and military unit in the entire Arab world.
This strength, however, may also be its weakness, because it has generated intense opposition from many Lebanese, Arab and international quarters. This opposition has grown steadily since Hezbollah’s zenith in 2000, when it forced Israel to withdraw from south Lebanon, reaching the point where many Lebanese who dislike its various political, ideological, cultural and Iranian-linked identity dimensions not only openly criticize it politically, but also mock it culturally. Hezbollah says it does not care about such criticism and will continue along its chosen path of resistance.
This is one major dilemma – that at the moment of greatest strength, it seems willing to operate outside and above the Lebanese political system, and ignore its many critics at home. It is natural that Hezbollah would show a strong and determined face of resistance and independence, but this is problematic if it leads to its operating in arenas beyond its Lebanese base and anchorage. If its message is that Lebanon is not, in fact, its base and anchorage, but rather that Hezbollah is a regional actor merely domiciled in Lebanon like an offshore bank operating regionally is domiciled in Bahrain on the Bahamas, then this raises even more problematic challenges.
More and more Lebanese might argue that if Hezbollah is working primarily on Syrian, Iranian, Palestinian and anti-takfiri issues, it would be best for it to base itself in the epicenter of those resistance challenges on frontier territories among Syrian-Iraqi-Iranian lands. The more Hezbollah accentuates its military actions abroad in the service of preserving the Iranian-Syrian-Hezbollah Resistance and Deterrence Front, the greater will be the criticism it generates inside Lebanon accusing it of being mainly an agent of Iran.
Another dilemma that was accentuated by Nasrallah’s two speeches this week stems precisely from his insistence that the party will continue to operate militarily in Syria for as long as the government of Bashar Assad needs its help. Nasrallah stated that Assad needs Hezbollah’s military assistance in order to stay in power and roll back the challenges posed by foreign-assisted domestic and regional opposition groups. This raises two other dilemmas for Hezbollah.
First, if Assad is so weak that he needs Iranian and Hezbollah troops to remain in office, what is the benefit of such a vulnerable strategic ally? The Syrian opposition groups are not particularly well organized, financed, equipped, trained or coordinated, and in fact are something of a mess right now. Yet despite their weaknesses they have taken large swaths of territory from the Assad government. We are likely to see significant increases in Saudi and other Gulf assistance to the opposition, which will increase the capabilities of those fighting to overthrow Assad.
This means Hezbollah’s fighting days in Syria may be just beginning, which will only increase the criticisms and pressures on the party in Lebanon, the Middle east and worldwide. Many people in recent years have asked if Hezbollah is a pliant appendage of Iran (which I do not believe it is); soon many may ask if the rump state of Syria under Assad government control is an appendage of Hezbollah, which probably is not a healthy situation for the party to be in.
Second, the free movement of Hezbollah forces in and out of Syria to join the battle there means that the formal sovereignty of states in this region, as manifested in territorial borders, is slowly being erased. This is not only due to Hezbollah’s role in Syria, to be fair, but rather reflects a much broader recent legacy of free movement of Salafist-takfiri fighters and political provocateurs across the Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian and Lebanese borders, along with refugee and arms flows across the Jordanian and Turkish borders.
We should expect to hear counter-arguments now that because Hezbollah is fighting inside Syria, pro-Saudi or other forces can enter Lebanon at will to support anti-Hezbollah groups in the country.(http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Columnist/2013/Nov-16/237975-hezbollahs-strengths-create-weaknesses.ashx#axzz2kyJP5vGg)
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Opinions
Israel faces a real test
Al-Quds Editorial
Settlers cut off more than 100 olive trees on lands of Yatta, Jewish extremists break into Al Aqsa and Israeli forces attack and severely beat a family in Al-Arroub refugee camp, another force attacked the Aida refugee camp with tear gas, and more arrests across the West Bank and further settlement construction in occupied Arab east Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank,in addition to confiscating hundreds of dunums. This is a microcosm of Israel and its extreme attacks in less than two days, a series of continuous daily attacks against our people and against their property and their rights, which raises the question of the intentions of Israel which purports to negotiate for peace, and on the extent to which the Palestinian people’s steadfastness to prevent the next blast Israel seeks to drag us to.
In fact Israel commits a serious mistake if it thinks the Palestinian people are unable to defend themselves and their rights, or that by refusing to be drawn into an escalation that it is betting on the success of the negotiations that the youngest Palestinian child realizes that it is absurd negotiations and that the Israeli occupation exploits it to gain more time to implement plans of expanding settlements, occupation and Judaization. And what must be said here is that the Palestinian people and their leadership’s decision to give a chance to peace negotiations does not mean capitulation to reality that Israel wants, and does not mean the loss of the ability to confront the Israeli challenges.
Therefore we say that the next few monthsuntil the end of nine months of negotiations will be crucial for the future of the peace process, Putting Israel is at stake, either choose to abandon the policy of expansion and colonization and occupation and achieving substantive progress towards peace, or continue its current approach, which means pushing toward the explosion and then Israel bears full responsibility before the world for the failure of peace negotiations.
In this case, the Palestinian people have many options for his struggle to end the occupation, to self-determination and to establish their independent State on their national territory, guaranteed by the United Nations resolutions and charters and their natural right.
President Mahmoud Abbas was clear few days ago when he said that numerous options are available to our people if the negotiations failed, and that our people assert their rights, and in particular the establishment of an independent State on the whole national territory occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.
Hence we say that it is important and necessary to continue moving at various levels and in all international and regional forums to maintain the momentum of international support for Palestine's UN resolution reflecting recognition of the Palestinian State under occupation in the 1967 borders.
In order to mobilize as much international support for Palestine as possible, it is essential that we intensively strive to end the split and restore unity and address the world with one voice, and then start developing an Islamic pro-Arab stance in face of the challenges posed by Israel, and present this Palestinian-Arab-Muslim position in all international forums to urge international community to bear its responsibilities in the face of Israeli intransigence, hold Israel responsible and guarantee ending the occupation and establishing an independent State on our national territory.(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/473488)
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