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Nov. 19, 2013
Daily summary - Tuesday, November 19, 2013
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Main News
President reaffirms its commitment to the Arab initiative to resolve the refugee issue; Hollande: settlement building must stop, Jerusalem as the capital of two States
French President Francois Hollande took on a hard line on Israeli settlement in statements in Ramallah and before the Israeli Knesset. Hollande called for "full and final"cessation of settlement, saying it "undermines the two-State solution."Holland called from the Knesset to share Jerusalem as the capital of two States, Israel and Palestine, adding: "France's position is known,a negotiated settlement allowing Israel and Palestine living in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of two States.” Holland began the second day of his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories by visiting Ramallah, where he held a press conference with President Mahmud Abbas saying "to reach agreement (Israeli-Palestinian peace), France requests full and final cessation of settlement," adding that "settlements complicates negotiations and make the two-State solution impossible." Hollande asked for "initiatives" from the two sides, and stressed the need to reach a "realistic solution" for Palestinian refugees.President Abbas welcomed the "historic" visit of the French President, saying that settlements are "illegal" and thanked the European Union, especially France, for the recent directives regarding the exception of territories occupied in 1967 of agreements with Israel. President Abbas stressed his commitment to the Arab initiative adopted by the Arab League in 2002, especially regarding the Palestinian refugee issue, saying: "the issue of five million Palestinian refugees should be solved in order to say the conflict has ended." Adding: "We are committed to the peace initiative endorsed by the Arab League in this regard and adopted by the United Nations becoming a United Nations resolutions became no. 1515.” Abbas also said: "this decision states resolving the issue of refugees in a just and agreed solution."(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Netanyahu to Abu Mazen: come to the Knesset and I'll go to Ramallah
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited in a speech ata special discussion during the visit of French President Holland, Palestinian President to visit the Knesset.Netanyahu said in his speech from the Knesset podium "from here I call Palestinian President Abu Mazen to come and break the norm, come to Israel’s Knesset and I will come to visit Ramallah."Netanyahu added: "I said more than once that I accept the two States for two peoples solution and putting an end to the conflict, not all Knesset members support my position, but we are unified in one thing, peace is a two-way street."(http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=648737)
Netanyahu said (calling on Abbas): "come to the Knesset and I'll come to Ramallah. Go up to the podium and acknowledged the historical fact: Jews has about 4,000 year’s old link with the land of Israel." (Al-Ayyam)
Livni: a new round of negotiations this week with Erekat
Israeli Minister for justice, responsible for negotiations with the Palestinian Authority file, announced that a new round of negotiations is expected to be held this week with the Palestinian Authority with the participation of head of the Palestinian negotiations team Saeb Erakat.Israeli radio reported yesterday that Livni said "President Abbas assured them that Erekat will attend the next round of negotiations." This came at a time when Abbas announced during a press conference with French President Francois Hollande that he did not decide to accept the resignation of negotiator or not, and that the authority would continue negotiations with Israel until the end of the duration of these negotiations of nine months.(http://wattan.tv/ar/news/80163.html)
Palestine voted for the first time at the United Nations General Assembly
Palestine voted for the first time yesterday in the General Assembly of the United Nations by virtue of its status as an observer State.Palestinian delegate in the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, voted to elect a judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia amid applause. Mansour said before the Assembly said "it's an important step in our progress towards freedom and independence and full membership in the United Nations.” And then admitted to journalists that it was a "symbolic" step, adding: "It's a very special moment in the history of the struggle of the Palestinian people at the United Nations, and it will support a Palestinian State in the international arena." The Israeli delegate to the United Nations was sorry for the applause to welcome the Palestinian vote, accusing the Palestinians of “modification” of the vote. (Al-Quds)
Kerry postponed his visit to Israel and confirmed: nobody wants the negotiations to drag on
Foreign Minister John Kerry denied yesterday what was said by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding his visit to Israel on Friday to discuss Iran's nuclear issue.Kerry said he would try to return to Israel and the Palestinian territories after Thanksgiving which falls in the United States later this month. He said that no one wants the Israeli-Palestinian talks to drag on, and that he will try to use every opportunity to find a solution.Kerry said in a press statement after meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davuto?lu in Washington: "looks like I probably will not be able to go there this weekend. But I am determined to go to continue talks after Thanksgiving holiday,” which falls in the last week of November.(Al-Quds)
Granddaughter of Haneyeh transferred for treatment in Israel
Granddaughter of Ismail Haneyeh, Prime Minister of the Hamas Government in Gaza, was transferred on Sunday to an Israeli hospital for treatment, said her father Abdul Salam.Abdel Salam Haneyeh said on his page on social networking site Facebook: "beloved brothers…Amal (the girl’s name)was transferred to the green line now, ask God to heal her." Baby Amal Haneyeh suffers from “serious digestive infections affected her nervous system,"according to the doctors in Gaza. Abdul Salam added new comment written on yesterday afternoon: "in this blessed hour I ask God to healmy daughter Amalas she entered a clinical death, the sky looked as crying for you my daughter” referring to the rain in Gaza.(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
This morning, shooting at Fatah leader Sufian Abu Zaydeh’s car
Reliable sources told “Amad” that "unknown gunmen" opened fire today morning on the car of leading Fatah Revolutionary Council Member, Dr. Sufian Abu Zaydeh in Ramallah in the West Bank. The sources said that Dr. Abu Zaydeh was not inside the vehicle when it was shot at, and that the cowardly operation took place in an area filmed by camerasof some economic institutions. Motives of the shooting are not unknown yet, noting that Palestinian security forces had already issued a statement against an article of the Fatah leader in which he mentioned criticism of President Abbas policy and the organizational situation within Fatah.(http://www.amad.ps/ar/?Action=Details&ID=5343)
President Abbas arrives in Kuwait to participate in the Arab-African Summit
President Mahmoud Abbas arrived yesterday night to the State of Kuwait to participate in the work of the Arab-African third Summit to be hosted by Kuwait, starting today.The President was received by Crown Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, other senior Kuwaiti officials and the Palestinian Ambassador to the State of Kuwait Rami Tahboub.(Al-Ayyam)
Erakat speaks of backstage negotiations: Abu Mazen would sign accession of 63 international organizations if it does not lead to the creation of a Palestinian State
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekatrevealed the reasons that led to his and Dr. Muhammad Eshtayeh’s resignation of the negotiations with Israel, confirming that "Israel wants a Palestinian Authority without authority and occupation without a cost, and remove the Gaza Strip out from the Palestinian space," adding that "if they (Israel) wanted to complete the peace process by giving the Palestinians an independent State, they could fulfill this in five days."Erekat said during an interview with the "Mayadin" TV: "I've personally decided with Dr. Eshtayeh not to negotiate, and we issued a written request to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his visit to Bethlehem, on November5th."Erekat said "when the negotiations meetings began we noted that Israeli negotiator's behavior changed, and we held 17 meetings, at each meeting a Palestinians was killed in cold blood, and the announcement of building housing units, increased settler terrorism and tightening the siege on Gaza, following passing laws to divide Al Aqsa Mosque in the Knesset."Erekat described the recent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements that the Palestinian Authority has agreed to continue settlement building in exchange for the release of prisoners as unprecedented audacity, denying that the Palestinians did. Erekat added: "There is a Palestinian commitment to negotiations during 9 months, and my resignation does not mean not to continue negotiations, the Palestinian leadership took a decision to approve negotiations, despite opposition from some members of the Executive Committee of the PLO." Erekat said that "On 17/7/2013, President Mahmoud Abbas met with John Kerry in the Palestinian Embassyin Amman and I was with him, the President agreed with America to resume negotiations, with a Palestinian State on the borders of 67 as a reference, and that the negotiations will not be for a transition period but will be to reach a final agreement, this was agreed with American, Arab and international support.” Adding that Kerry said "there will be no building new settlement blocs, the only building will be in settlement blocs under my supervision," Abu Mazen replied to Kerry saying that "all settlements are illegal." Erekat also said: "During the meeting, Kerry asked President Mahmoud Abbas to whisper in his ear that he won't go and join international organizations, but the President refused.” Erekat said that “the Israeli occupation is the highest stage of terrorism in the history of mankind,” adding in a message to the Palestinians,“don’t barter with you rights, you have 37 Kilometers of the dead sea,, all the West Bank and Gaza and a safe passage connecting them, rights in territorial waters and the return of refugees and Jerusalem as the capital with Al-Aqsa and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.” (http://qudsnet.com/news/View/257911/)
The President from Kuwait: Arab-African Summit one of the most important forums in support of the Palestinian cause
President Mahmoud Abbas said upon his arrival to the State of Kuwait to attend the Arab-African summit, that it is one of the most important international forums in support of the Palestinian cause. The President thanked the Emir and Kuwait for hosting the Summit, and said he would attend the meeting of the Arab follow-up Committee on the sidelines of the Summit.(Al-Hayat AL-Jadida)
The Israeli Supreme Court ordered the Government to evacuate four outposts
Israeli daily Haaretz said the Israeli Supreme Court ordered today the Israeli Government to evacuate houses built on private Palestinian land, in 4 outposts: Givat Assaf, Mitzpe Yitzhar and Maaleh Rehavam, in six months. Judge Asher Gronis and Judge Meriam Ma’or" strongly criticized the state, described by the newspaper as "unprecedented criticism", and wrote that they "could never rely on the states obligations."(Al-Quds)
Occupation injured 8 civilians; one suffers serious injury in Qasra
Israeli occupation forces arrested yesterday evening a boy claiming he possessed a knife in the "Kfar Etzion" settlement, southwest of Bethlehem.Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli police and army arrested the boy while he was with his family near the “Etzion” settlement compound, took him in a military vehicle to an unknown destination, the identity of the boy is not known yet. Also, eight youths were injured by Israeli occupation yesterday afternoon following clashes between soldiers and dozens of young men in the village Qasra south of Nablus. Abdel Azim Al-Wadi, head of the village Council said that clashes between Israeli occupation forces and settlers, on the one hand, and dozens of young men in the village after an attack carried out by settlers from the settlement of "Esh Kodesh" yesterday morning which resulted in cutting 26 olive trees in the village.(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
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Headlines
** Demands to exchange Israeli military presence in the Valley with intelligence means to prevent smuggling of missiles and arms (Al-Quds)
** World Bank: investing in area “C” might help in decreasing Palestinian dependency on aid (al-Quds)
** Two Jew young men try to attack the French monastery in Rehavia; 4 women settlers arrested in a graveyard in Jerusalem (al-Quds)
** Israeli army establishes a fence near Al-Arroub camp (Al-Quds)
** Dozens of soldiers and settlers storm Al-Aqsa (Al-Quds)
** Amedror: Israel can attack Iran alone (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** International specialist: enhancing the ability to create jobs in Palestine is not possible without political progress (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Clashes between supporters of Fateh youth movement and the Islamic youth movement in BirZeit University (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Mustafa: we are doing our best to pay salaries next month (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Israeli Supreme Court discuss an appeal to release prisoner Al-Barq (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** Forming a Palestinian-Kuwaiti ministerial committee to tighten relationships (Al-Ayyam)
** Heath Ministry prevents doctors working with the Ministry to establish private clinics (Al-Ayyam)
** Lieberman: Palestinians are trying to create a myth on refugees (Al-Ayyam)
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Front Page Photos
Al- Quds:Ramallah – President Abbas receives French President Holland in the Moqata’a.
Al-Ayyam:1) Ramallah – President Hollande puts a wreath on Arafat’s grave, 2) Youth running during clashes with occupation soldiers in Qasra near Nablus.
Al Hayat Al Jadida:1) Abbas and Hollande at the end of their press conference, 2) Youth throwing stones at an Army jeep in Qasra.
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Voice of Palestine News
Jerusalem: Yesterday, break-ins into the Aqsa Mosque continued throughout the day; more are expected today under the pretext of ‘foreign tourism’ in the compound. Over 80 female soldiers broke in yesterday in addition to 20 extremist settlers under Israeli police protection.
Israeli forces also arrested four extremist settlers who broke into Lions’ Gate and tried to desecrate graves in the cemetery; they have been banned from entering Jerusalem. Also, Jerusalem resident Majd Hirbawi was attacked yesterday by Jewish extremists on his way to work in west Jerusalem. Hundreds of extremists surrounded his car and began beating him.
Gaza Strip: Four people were injured this morning in an explosion in Tel Al Hawa in Gaza City; the explosion took place in a shack in an empty lot. Two of the injured are in critical condition.
In other news, Israeli war boats fired at Palestinian fishing boats off the shore of Gaza; no injuries were reported, but the fishermen escaped back to the shore.
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
**Abdel Minem Snobar, head of the Yitma local council, on the confiscation of hundreds of dunams of land
Q: What are the ramifications of this decision to confiscate land planted with dozens of olive trees?
The decision is old/new. Israel is always trying to find ways of confiscating Palestinian land and uprooting its trees and its people. This time, the confiscation is under false security pretexts – hundreds of dunams of land from the Zaatarh to the Aqraba intersection almost – that is, six to seven kilometers along the road. They said it was because they were going to build a security wall along the road. Everyone knows that there is no friction with the Israelis in the area. The only people who reach that area are the farmers tending to their olive trees and living off of their produce. It is their lifeline.
Q: Can the people reach this area in the first place?
This is their land. So far they reach it. But now they want to separate this area – the villages north and south of Nablus – and put us into an open-air prison. If they build this fence, it will put around 70,000 residents into an isolated canton and in the future they can only get out of the area through Israeli-controlled gates.
Q: What are you planning to do to confront this decision?
The moment the people heard about the decision, they rose up in protest. There was a gathering in Za’tara and they sent a message to the Israeli officer present that they would not allow any Israelis onto this land no matter what happened, even if it were over their dead bodies. We sent letters to the PLO, to human rights organizations, to make our message heard.
**Rabih Khandakji, governor of Tubas on the demolition orders handed to six homes in the Jordan Valley
Q: Are these new demolition orders part of Israel’s plan to displace residents in the Jordan Valley?
It seems that the plan is being expanded quickly, to squeeze Jordan Valley residents even more and force them out as part of the political power struggle over control the Valley. Yesterday, Israel distributed nine demolition orders to residents for houses and facilities built before 1985. This shows that Israel wants to empty the area of Palestinian residents as much as possible and try to force them out.
Q: Are Israel’s measures against Bedouin communities in the Jordan Valley and the destruction of their homes also part of this overall plan?
We should first get something straight. We are not talking about Bedouin communities per se but about landowners who practices animal husbandry. These are not wandering Bedouins. They have deeds to this land, they have rights. and they make their living off of this land. The Bedouin community has been there for dozens of years, they were born there, and have land deeds that show their ownership. Israeli authorities even fine and hold aid including food and tents, sent to these communities – entire truckloads are held for months, even aid sent by international organizations.
**Fadel Khaldi, from Birzeit’s student affairs department, on the confrontations that broke out between Fatah and Hamas students yesterday
Q: Are there classes today?
Yes, the problem was solved yesterday and things have gone back to normal.
Q: So what happened?
The scuffle was not actually between two student blocs but between a group of individual students. It was not the head of the student council how hung a picture of Dalal Al Mughrabi either. Other students did. But this picture caused controversy because the pictures were for martyrs and there was an argument over whether this picture should be included. A fight ensued and the students attacked each other. Some were even slightly injured. But no one was seriously injured. The problem was later solved and the students who were responsible will be sanctioned for their transgressions.
**Minister of Foreign Affairs, Riyad Al Malki, on Palestine’s participation in the Third Arab-African Summit
Q: How is the Palestinian cause going to be supported through the resolutions expected to come out of the summit?
Let us make something clear: we are talking about the Kuwait Declaration, which will allocate its articles to development and investment. But we agreed with Kuwait that a separate declaration would be devoted to Palestine and all of its issues. This is what happened and the declaration was adopted by the Arab and African ministers; today the Kuwait Declaration and the separate statement on Palestine will be announced that calls for support with Palestine. All of the attendees confirmed their support for Palestine and support for development projects in Palestine through bilateral relations with African countries.
Q: What will the President say in his speech today?
He will of course thank all of the countries for their support of the Palestinian cause. He will describe the situation on the ground and Israel’s measures including settlements, settler attacks and the measures in Jerusalem. He will mention the Aqsa and Israel’s plans to divide it, calling on the Arab and African countries to assume their responsibilities towards this threat; he will mention the siege on Gaza and the need to end the split and achieve reconciliation. The Arab Follow-up Committee will also meet today with President Abbas, where he will brief them on the negotiations process and Israel’s obstacles.
Q: Is there a meeting with the US Secretary of State at the end of the month?
We heard that Kerry will come to the region next week, but we are waiting for confirmation on this.
**Saed Al Kouni, minister of local government, on the agreements signed with the French government
Q:What is the significance of the agreement signed between the local government ministry and the French?
The agreement is aimed at supporting local councils so as to guarantee that they provide the needs of the citizens. The agreement covers many points, most importantly, encouraging building relationships between French and Palestinian local councils to allow for training of the Palestinian councils on sustainable infrastructure. We are very interested in the sector about developing the infrastructure in Area C and East Jerusalem, which are strategic areas for the future Palestinian state. We are depending on the French political and economic support and appreciate it. Because in Area C, the local government ministry faces Israeli obstacles on a daily basis when trying to implement projects.
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More Headlines
The Palestinian Authority rejects Netanyahu’s invitation for President Abbas to speak to the Knesset
The Palestinian Authority rejected the call by Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to visit Knesset. Palestinian negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat said that President Abbas rejected the call, saying "Netanyahu must stop these maneuvers, stop settlement activities and Judaization of Jerusalem and blockading Gaza Strip". In another context, Erekat said the Palestinian Authority intends to sue Israel in International Criminal Court in the Hague, for involvement in the death of late President Yasser Arafat. (http://www.qudsn.ps/article/33191)
Settlers burned a car and a truck in the village of Fara’ta
Settlers burned a car and a truck in a village of Fara’ta east of Qalqilya last night then they sprayed racist slogans. PNN correspondent said that settlers drew a Star of David on the walls of several houses in the village. (http://www.pnn.ps/index.php/policy/73135-)
Yediot Aharonot: rocket at the Negev without injuries
Yediot Aharonot said that a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip today morning landed in an empty area in the western Negev. The newspaper said that the rocked did not cause any damage, and no Palestinian faction claimed responsibility for the launching. Also, an Israeli force entered this morning east of the town of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip and began to remove roadblocks caused by the search for the bodies of martyrs from the Gaza tunnel, amid firing smoke shells. (http://safa.ps/details/news/116359/.html)
Dr. Abu Zaydeh: I hold President Abbas personally responsible for attack on me, I assure no one will force me to leave Ramallah
Dr. Sufian Abu Zaydeh issued a statement which reveals how his car was shot at, saying: “at about quarter to seven this morning, while my car parked in front of the headquarters of the national company in Al-Bereh, gunmen fired about 20 shots at the vehicle and damaged it. Abu Zaydeh said: “I hold President Abu Mazen personally the responsibility, in his capacity as President of the authority and in charge of security services, for what happened to me and to my colleagues and what will happen in the future, and call upon him to reveal the perpetrators and crimes preceded this crime. (http://www.amad.ps/ar/?Action=Details&ID=5380)
Prisoners injured during storming of the Ashkelon prison
Nine prisoners were injured at Ashkelon prison after occupation forces stormed chambers 15 and 16 in section 3. The prisoners' Club said in a statement that all the prisoners in the chambers were taken to the cells. The club said the storming began at 11 last night (Monday) and continued for several hours, and that the prison administration cut off water and electricity. According to the prisoners' Club, the prison administration transferred 28 prisoners to solitary confinement. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/473737)
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Arab Press
Likud drifts into an apartheid mood
By Aaron Magid
The recent Likud primaries in Israel highlighted the rightward shift in the ruling party. Three prominent Knesset members representing the more liberal wing of the party were pushed off the Knesset list in 2013. This was a consequence of their respect for Supreme Court decisions and democratic norms.
“Human rights and democracy is not part of their thinking. It is like South Africa. It is not Likud.” Comparing Likud hard-liners to South African apartheid supporters is common among leftist critics of Israel, but the man who said this to me is no anti-Zionist. He is Dan Meridor, who was a senior Likud minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government less than a year ago.
Meridor’s bluntness may be surprising. But his political downfall at the hands of right-wing voters in the Likud primary exemplified the trend within the party, which goes beyond domestic politics. With Netanyahu engaged in negotiations with the Palestinians, his party’s move to the right threatens the viability of any potential deal.
Meridor served in the Knesset for 23 years, including as deputy prime minister and intelligence minister. Until this year, he sat in the Security Cabinet and participated in Israel’s most sensitive discussions. Meridor spoke about the Knesset bills designed to curtail democratic norms, such as requiring Arab citizens to take a loyalty oath to Israel. He and his two like-minded peers, Michael Eitan and Benny Begin, fought to prevent these Likud-led bills from passing. Meridor warned that the law passed to detain African migrants to Israel for up to three years without a trial was illegal, but his party, including Netanyahu, ignored the recommendation.
Meridor explained: “Democracy became a leftist word. This is so strange and dangerous.” His support for democracy and a Palestinian state led to his departure from Likud.
Eitan served nearly 30 years in the Knesset for Likud. He discussed the ultranationalist atmosphere in the party today: “It is not politically correct to speak about the two-state solution. Your head will be like mine and Dan Meridor. You are like a black sheep.”
Even more fascinating was what Eitan said about Benny Begin, the son of the late Likud prime minister, Menachem Begin. Eitan emphasized that Benny Begin opposed a Palestinian state. That should make him a darling of the right. Yet, Begin’s support for Supreme Court rulings supporting minority rights alienated him from those activists.
Eitan clarified: “[There] was an expression of the right wing of Likud to [place] the values of ‘Greater Israel’ even above the values of the law.” The expansion of settlements in the West Bank – even those labeled illegal by Israel’s judiciary – was considered more important than following the rule of law. Begin’s insistence on following the verdicts of the Supreme Court made him a pariah in his own party.
Likud’s rightward shift has been dramatic. Miri Regev, chair of the influential Knesset Internal Affairs Committee, called the 50,000 African immigrants in Israel, many who live in dire poverty, “a cancer in our body.” During a Knesset debate on Israeli human rights organizations, Deputy Minister Ofir Akunis referenced U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy’s actions in the 1950s, saying, “he was right in every word.” Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon apologized for the 2010 killing of nine Turks sailing to Gaza: “We are sorry that due to the overcautious behavior [of the Israeli army] only nine terrorists were killed.”
Coalition Chairman Yariv Levin slammed the Supreme Court for “imposing their beliefs [on] the people.” When asked why Meridor was left off of the Likud list, he replied, “Meridor’s opinions were very far left from the mainstream of Likud. ... He is more close to the radical left.”
Although Meridor has refused to support a divided Jerusalem, opposes the Palestinian right of return and also opposes an agreement based on the June 1967 lines, Levin nevertheless chose to label Meridor as someone “more close to the radical left.”
Moshe Feiglin, the deputy speaker of the Knesset, exemplifies Likud’s extremist wing, claiming “there is no Palestinian nation.” When asked about the late Meir Kahane, a symbol of the extreme right whom the U.S. State Department labeled a terrorist, Feiglin argued, “Kahane, may his memory be blessed, was right in many things that he said.”
Senior Likud officials used to ignore Feiglin as a marginal figure. However, for the first time in 2013, with moderates ousted by Likud activists, Feiglin was elected to the Knesset in the 13th spot. Last year, as Netanyahu’s only contender for the Likud leadership, Feiglin nearly doubled his support from 2005, winning 23 percent of the vote.
Likud’s shift to the right seems baffling. Presumably, the decrease in terrorist attacks when compared to the bloody second intifada a decade ago should weaken conservative politicians.
Israeli Channel 2 Political Correspondent Amit Segal explained in an email interview that the change was due to the exodus of key Likud officials to the centrist Kadima party following the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. This led to the current situation in which the remaining Likud parliamentarians were those who support settlement building in the West Bank.
The shift also reflects Israeli exhaustion with the peace process. Many of the Likud rank and file point to Israel’s withdrawals from Lebanon and Gaza to justify their position. Instead of ending resistance to Israel, they argue, the withdrawals only led to further rocket attacks from these territories.
As moderates are pushed out of Likud, the question remains whether Netanyahu and the peace process as a whole will follow a similar path. The future is not promising. (http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Commentary/2013/Nov-19/238260-likud-drifts-into-an-apartheid-mood.ashx#axzz2l4gPuAXo)
Sewage flood pushes Gaza crisis to new heights
By Rasha Abou Jalal
GAZA CITY — The inhabitants of al-Zaytoun neighborhood, in eastern Gaza City, were stunned by the flood of wastewater invading their homes on Nov. 14, causing extensive damage to property. This came approximately two days after the area’s treatment plant went out of commission as a result of the worsening electricity crisis and the lack of fuel needed to keep the plant in operation.
Gazans have been facing the catastrophic effects of 18-hour-a-day power outages on basic human rights, particularly their economic and social rights, according to a study published by the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights.
The power crisis has been growing worse since Egypt launched its security campaign against tunnels that lie along the border with Gaza, which constituted an essential source of fuel used to operate Gaza’s only functioning power station. The power crisis also worsened when Egyptian authorities halted the export of Qatari fuel to Gaza for security reasons.
Sewage water rose in the aforementioned neighborhood by nearly 110 centimeters (3 1/4 feet) as observed by Al-Monitor, flooding its alleys and streets. Dozens of students missed school as they were unable to traverse roads submerged in wastewater. Other students, however, chose to climb over walls and other obstacles in order not to miss classes.
Mountaser Abou Zeid, 13, stood in front of his house as he watched the agony of passersby as they negotiated a path through the neighborhood’s streets. “I did not go to school today because there is no way open for me to take. Maybe I could cross the street and go to school if you laid down rocks for us to walk on.”
Shortly after Abou Zeid’s conversation with Al-Monitor, a donkey cart passed by and began ferrying a number of children who had been standing by the side of the road in their school uniforms. Upon seeing them, Abou Zeid rushed inside the house to get his school bag and ran after the cart.
A few meters away, Khalil al-Haddad, 60, sat in a plastic chair on the elevated porch of his home watching the neighborhood kids, whom he prevented from playing in the sewage water. “What happened is that, on one end, Israel besieges us, and on the other, Egypt prevents us from receiving fuel and electricity. As a result, here we are, caught between the two of them, drowning in mud and filth,” he told Al-Monitor.
He explained that their lives would be in greater danger if the crisis continued, particularly now that winter is drawing near, which would likely increase wastewater levels and lead to a recurrence of the flooding.
During Al-Monitor’s tour of the area, a young woman named Mariam appeared on the balcony of her house to survey the condition of the street. “Welcome to the new Nile River!” she said cynically. The sewage eruption has prevented Mariam from attending her university classes. “Should I wade in sewage water just to reach my university? No one is pleased with this situation. Radical solutions must be implemented. The world must intervene and ask Egypt to allow the passage of fuel needed for the operation of the electric power plant. Furthermore, the Israeli siege upon us must end,” she complained to Al-Monitor.
One day before the incident, the municipalities of the Gaza Strip issued warnings about a great environmental catastrophe occurring as a result of fuel running out, thus leading to power outages.
During a press conference held in Gaza on Nov. 13, and attended by Al-Monitor, Gaza’s mayors issued an urgent call for help to deal with the stifling living crisis that has befallen the Strip.
During the conference, Gaza’s Mayor Rafic Makki warned of the worsening health menace, as wastewater accumulated in ponds due to the lack of fuel needed to treat them. He explained that the municipalities had begun implementing austerity measures to avoid any risks, and to thwart possible threats to the environment and people’s health.
A short time later, the municipality of Gaza announced, in a written statement published in the media, that the wastewater pumping station had completely ceased to operate, having exhausted its fuel supply.
“Stoppage in the operation of the Gaza City station forewarns of a dangerous environmental catastrophe that would expose citizen’s houses located around the plant to the danger of being submerged in sewage water within hours,” the statement read. It also pointed out that all of the Strip’s stations faced the same fate in the next few days, if the municipality was not supplied with the needed fuel.
Citizens’ fears are increasing as the sewage level rises and spreads to other neighborhoods, particularly now, with winter approaching. In the meantime, other neighborhoods have begun implementing preventive measures, such as erecting sand barricades to prevent water from entering their homes, if another flood were to occur.
The director general of the Department of Sanitation in Gaza municipality, Saad Eddine Alatbash, warned that if the crisis lasted the next few days, it would lead to new sewage floods in other regions, with wastewater spreading over larger surface areas.
“As a result of the power outages and the depletion of the municipality’s fuel reserves, the station stopped pumping wastewater to the treatment plants. For the past month and a half, these plants have simply been pumping the water out to sea without treating it, for the same reasons,” said Altabash, speaking to Al-Monitor.
He explained that the station collects water from many areas in Gaza City, among them the Sabra, Shoujaiyah, al-Tuffah and Sheikh Radwan neighborhoods, at a rate of 1,000 cubic meters (35,000 cubic feet) or more per hour, up to 24,000 to 40,000 cubic meters per day.
“The stoppage of the pump resulted in sewage overflowing inside the station, and submerging it under two meters of wastewater. In turn, this led to the flooding of half a square kilometer around it, which resulted in 20,000 people being affected, and the evacuation of some families from their homes,” he added.
Altabash went on to say that, one and a half months after the crisis began, his municipality was no longer able to cope with the situation, but that it still possessed a small amount of fuel used to operate the pumps that deliver water to citizens’ homes. He warned that they too would become inoperable soon if the crisis continues unchecked.(http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/11/gaza-sewage-flood-hamas-crisis-siege.html)
Fantasy vs. reality
by James J. Zogby
During the Bush administration I would often criticise the neoconservative ideology, suggesting that it was, in many ways, a secularised version of fanatic and fundamentalist Millenarian Christianity.
Both shared a Manichean world view characterised by the belief in the inevitable clash between good and evil. Both were absolutist, seeing compromise as a sign of weakness and surrender to evil. As a consequence, both saw violence as necessary and desirable. And both believed in an apocalyptic end in which, despite the damage done, good would be victorious and evil would be vanquished.
Guided by this ideology, the neoconservatives, rejecting compromise, proceeded to dismantle the architecture of diplomacy that had been evolving since the end of World War II. In particular, they cast aside the post-Cold War efforts made by former presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton who used limited force only when absolutely necessary and who otherwise built coalitions in an effort to negotiate solutions to regional conflicts.
Across the Middle East, the consequences of this neoconservative ideology were devastating, especially in Iraq and Lebanon, and in the effort to salvage Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.
This “neocon” absolutist approach to politics, of course, was not unique to the US and did not end with the passing of the Bush administration. It remains alive and well in America and across the Middle East, and is at work today prolonging conflicts in Egypt, Syria, Israel-Palestine and Iran.
The notions that violence is the first resort, that negotiations are equivalent to surrender, that compromise is weakness, and that what is identified as evil can and must be destroyed are on display in each of these settings. As a result, actors on all sides have overreached and the conflicts in which they are engaged have been prolonged and aggravated.
The lesson that should have been learned from past tragedies is that the victor/vanquished scenario is a destructive fantasy with only the religious or ideological fanatics still believing that the fight must go on until the enemy is ultimately eliminated.
That is why groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, despite repeated catastrophic failures, continue to reject peace negotiations and insist on the use of violence until the final victory is won. It is why the regime in Damascus has, from the beginning, refused to consider the concerns of their opponents and now dismisses them all as “terrorists”. And it is why hardline Israelis continue to maintain that their dispossession of Palestinians and control over all the land of Mandate Palestine is right and will ultimately be victorious.
It is also why Iran’s religious leaders long insisted on maintaining their meddlesome and messianic export of revolution. And it is why the Muslim Brotherhood overreached in its efforts to consolidate its control over all the reins of state power and its drive to Islamise Egypt.
But it is also true of those who refuse to see that negotiations with Iran, if successful, can be beneficial to the region’s security, or those who reject national reconciliation as the way to advance Egypt’s new democratic experiment, or those who reject participation in Geneva II as a necessary step to ending the horrific bloodbath that has become Syria.
In each case, parties on all sides continue to overreach, operating under the illusion that through the application of more violence the “other side” can be destroyed once and for all — with good triumphant over evil.
In reality, what recent history has taught us is that there is no ultimate victory, just an exacerbation of tensions. Each new dose of violence only adds fuel to the fires that continue to rage.
Fifteen long years of civil and regional proxy war in Lebanon resolved nothing. Similarly, decades of Israeli and Palestinian conflict neither ended the occupation nor defeated the resistance to the occupation. And the same is true of the conflict that has torn Syria asunder.
The way forward out of the messes created by the absolutist fantasy of victor/vanquished is to recognise that as long as violence is seen as the first resort, conflicts will continue without resolution.
Negotiations are necessary and compromise is the only way forward. Efforts to help the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the P5+1 negotiations with Iran, Geneva II and to achieve national reconciliation in Egypt should all be supported. Pressure, when necessary, must be applied. And compromise is a must.
The solutions reached will neither be perfect nor will they resolve all differences. But at a minimum, they will stop the hemorrhaging, end the waste of human life and treasure, ease tensions and provide the space for needed change to occur.(http://jordantimes.com/fantasy-vs-reality)
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Opinions
The negotiations…to where?
Al Khaleej Editorial
While Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was reaffirming the continuation of negotiations “no matter what happens on the ground”, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was asking: “Do the Palestinians really want peace?”, after which he called on them to offer concessions in the form of a number of conditions, including recognition of the Jewish character of Israel, a demilitarized Palestinian state and arrangements that would guarantee Israel’s security.
In addition to these conditions, Netanyahu also refuses to discuss Jerusalem, considering it the eternal capital of Israel, not to mention his refusal to discuss the issue of the right of return for refugees.
We are before two contradicting situation – the first insists on the negotiations whatever the price, even if they do not yield any results. The second is the impossible conditions which exceed the ability of any negotiator to accept because they mean a complete surrender and concession over all national rights, which are guaranteed and protected by international law. These are rights for which the Palestinian people have foughtfor decades and for which they have and still pay a heavy price through tremendous sacrifice.
As for Netanyahu, it doesn’t matter whether the negotiations continue for nine months or nine years, just as long as he continues his process of blackmailing the Palestinians into compliance. The negotiations did not start three months ago; they started over 20 years ago and along the very same lines.
The fact is, Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders are more than happy with the Palestinians accepting that the negotiations continue in spite of their efforts to neuter them. They do not have to concede their own positions and conditions but rather take advantage of the negotiations to Judaize all of the Palestinian land.
The question is, hasn’t the PA lost faith yet in these futile talks? Do they really think the Israelis will hand them any Palestinian rights? Or that the ‘honest broker’ the United States will put the necessary pressure on Israel to force it to abide by international resolutions and law?
None of this is going to happen as long as the negotiations are the only strategic option and as long as the Palestinian leadership has not formulated a new strategy in which the negotiations are a tactic and not a strategy; and as long as any other options which utilize the potentials and capabilities of the Palestinian people in the course of the struggle, are ruled out.(http://www.alkhaleej.ae/studiesandopinions/detailedpage/3db435b6-1a2c-4446-b700-456ddc32e206)
The form and content of Hollande’s visit
By Adel Abdel Rahman
The visit of French President Hollande’s visit to Palestine and Israel, which began yesterday, was judged by factions, local observers, Israelis and internationals in a short-sighted and erroneous manner because it focused on the superficial dimension of it. That is, focus was given to the period of time allotted for visit Palestine and the presidential headquarters, which was not more than three hours. At the same time, the socialist president will spend almost 72 hours in Israel.
There is undoubtedly a link between the form and content of any event or action. This is logical and natural. We cannot isolate the two dimensions from one another. However, in specific and exceptional cases we can separate the form from the content and focus on the outcomes of the event. This is exactly what we can apply to the first visit by the French president to the region for more than one reason: for one, President Abbas was forces to leave the country in order to attend the Third Arab-African Summit in Kuwait; because the French president was expected to play a bigger role with the Israelis, who are putting obstacles in the way of a political settlement – all which means that he had to spend more time with the Israelis.
Most importantly, is that France has clear and unambiguous positions in its support for Palestinian national rights. France has had unique historical positions in support of these national rights, the most recent being Hollandes’ visit. Before that, France voted in favor of upgrading the status of Palestine at the UN to an observer state on November 29, 2012. French leaders, in particular presidents such as Jacque Chirac were the first to visit the territories under the national Palestinian authority.
This does not mean that there is complete compatibility and harmony between the Palestinian and French positions on all issues. Of course there are discrepancies on various things, but ultimately, the Palestinian/French relationship is based on the pillars of friendship and mutual respect.
Therefore, the visit of President Hollande to occupied Palestine should not be measured by the number of hours he spent but by the results the visit reaped, the most important of which were the following: first, the visit in itself is considered historical; second, it was a state visit in every meaning of the word in terms of diplomatic standards and protocol; three, President Hollande laid a wreath on the grave of late President Yasser Arafat, something which presidents of states of lesser status than France failed to do when they visited Palestine; fourth, the clear and candid statement by the French president on his absolute and complete rejection of settlements and his call for a complete stop to construction in these settlements; fifth, his clear support for the option of a two-state solution on the 1967 borders; sixth, reaffirmation of the deep friendship between the Palestinian and French leaderships and peoples – perhaps the fact that Hollande was accompanied by six ministers from his government and the signing of five agreements following talks between the two presidents and delegations is indication of the growth and depth of the relationship; seventh, President Hollande’s confirmation that France’s support of the Palestinian budget and other development projects is the highest among all EU countries.
Furthermore, for a thousand and one reasons, the occupied state of Palestine and its leadership are in need of every gesture from the world’s countries and leaders, much less from one of the most important European states. Is it logical to deal with this visit only in terms of its shape and form? What the national movement leaders should have done was ask President Abbas to add demands and element to his visit in favor of the Palestinian people and their political, economic, cultural, health and sports goals, not to wrongly judge the visit and be dragged into the Israeli trap on the eve of Hollande’s arrival, aimed at interfering with the friendly French- Palestinian relationship and insinuating that the Palestinians rejected his visit.
No doubt, the factions have every right to take a stance, which they see appropriate from their point of view. However, they should be more accurate in their positions so that they work in favor of the general national interest. (http://www.amin.org/articles.php?t=opinion&id=22636)
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