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Sept. 17, 2013
Daily summary - Tuesday, September 17, 2013
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Main News
Egypt responded to the request of President Abbas and opens the Rafah crossing on Wednesday and Thursday
According to the Middle East news agency, the Egyptian authorities decided yesterday evening to open Rafah in both side, on Wednesday and Thursday from 10 am until 2 pm, at the request of President Mahmoud Abbas. A security source said that the crossing will open as a result of a telephone conversation between President Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt's intelligence Chief General Mohammed Touhami, to allow students, patients and humanitarian cases to leave the Gaza Strip. Touhami promised President Abbas to allow them those to leave in the coming days.Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmi said earlier yesterday that Egypt will not adopt policies leading to the siege of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Fahmi added that Egypt rejects the continued smuggling through tunnels between Egypt and Gaza, and that "Egypt is considering cooperation with the Palestinian leadership and Hamas in a new mechanism to administer the crossings that links Egypt with the Palestinian territories to ensure that the needs of the Palestinians are fulfilled."Fahmi stressed on the Egyptian Government's commitment to implement the road map for the transition period, and its commitment to restore security of its citizens, and with the participation of all Egyptian political forces "without exclusion", provided renunciation of violence and incitement.(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
Gaza: Hamas and the Islamic Jihad announce formation of a joint command
Leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, announced yesterday evening the formation of a joint command of cooperation at various levels. The announcement came during a meeting between the member of the political Bureau of Hamas, Mahmoud Zahar, and the member of the political Bureau of the Islamic Jihad, Mohammed Al-Hindi, and a number of leaders of the two movements.Zahar said that the jointcommand’s mission will be coordination on the political, Trade Union coordination, women and student’s issues, and that 4 leaders from each faction were chosen to lead the discussions and the work of the new joint command, noting that previous meetings were held between the two sides and stressed the importance of unity. Zahar said: “The two movements should rise under the surrounding developments, especially since they share one goal and one faith", noting the distinct relationship between the two parties and their willingness to develop their relations to service the Islamic project.(http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/462584)
A new negotiation meeting with the absence of American representation; disagreement on the agenda
The Palestinian and Israeli sides held a new round of negotiations yesterday in Jerusalem despite the major crisis between the two sides, particularly over the agenda, the continuation of settlement activities, borders and the security of a future Palestinian State. Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister, Zeev Elkin,launched smear campaign against theestablishment of a Palestinian State, stressing his rejection of such a scenario, saying that the “agreements do not bring peace and security always, but sometimes it brings more blood " this came while 16 member of Knesset from the ‘Likud’ and ‘the Jewish Home’ sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry, urging him "not to repeat the mistake of Oslo," and demanded that he clearly preset the Israeli position to Kerry position, that “Israel will hand over more parts of the homeland to the Palestinian Authority."A Palestinian official told AFP "the Palestinian and Israeli delegations held talks today despite the new major crisis between the two delegations,due to the Israeli intransigence." The official revealed on condition of anonymity that "so far there was no agreement on the agenda of the negotiations between the two sides despite holding more than eight negotiation meetings.” The source added that "the Palestinian side wants that the agenda include all six final status issues, in addition to the prisoners’ issue, but the Israeli side presented a proposed agenda including seventeen items including the Jewish State, and many other detailed issues." The source said that "because of disputes over the agenda it was agreed that the meeting will be discussing issues of security and borders, Israel suggested that security would be first as an input for the negotiations," adding that "the Palestinian side has agreed to discuss security, but we made it clear that our vision of security would be the security of the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, which was rejected by the Israeli side."The official noted that "Israel threatened in one of the negotiation meetings that it will annex the Jordan River area to the State of Israel to be a buffer zone between Jordan and Palestine, where the Israeli army would remain for a number of years," adding that "The Israeli delegation believes that Jordan River area, the border between Jordan and Palestine, must remain under Israeli control with a Palestinian crossings, but the Palestinian side rejected it."
According to the Palestinian official source “President Mahmoud Abbas would probably withdraw from accepting a demilitarized state if Israel continues with its blackmail attempts and refusing being engaged in serious negotiations," adding that "Israel even rejects US presence in eth negotiation meetings, the US Envoy attended only parts of one meeting, but the Palestinian side meets Indyk before each meeting, to update the Americans as they are the main sponsor of the negotiations."(Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
The Government declares its readiness to supply fuel for Gaza's power station immediately
Director of the Centre for information and Government spokesman, Dr. Ihab Bseiso, said that the Government is ready to supply fuel to the Gaza power plant station without a special tax levied on industrial fuel.Bseiso said that the fuel supply will be based on the agreement between the previous Government and representatives of the energy sector in Gaza under the auspices of the Arabic Republic of Egypt, which included the abolition of the special tax on industrial fuel, which is estimated at 3 NIS per liter.(Al-Ayyam)
Ma’ariv: Livni supports Israelirelinquishment of control over the Jordan Valley
Ma’ariv quoted an Israeli sources close to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, being worried that Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who heads Israel's negotiating team with the Palestinians, undermine Netanyahu's position in negotiations with the Palestinians.According to Ma’ariv, the sources said that the Livni’s position is different than Netanyahu's regarding the core issues of Jerusalem, settlements, and Israeli security arrangements in Jordan Valley. The sources noted that Livni supports withdrawal from the Jordan Valley, that Israel claims it would “guard” its eastern borders, and allow international troops to replace Israeli forces, while Netanyahu strongly opposes this position claiming the strategic importance of this area.According to the same source, Livni also endorses the idea of dividing Jerusalem between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, in addition to agreeing to the evacuation of settlers from the West Bank, Netanyahu believes in maintaining the settlements under Palestinian sovereignty, with special security arrangements with the Palestinian Authority.The paper says that Netanyahu believes the Americans,whom Israel is trying very hard to keep away from the negotiations, "uses Livni’s statements eagerly in their talks with the Palestinians which weaken the position of Israel in the negotiations.” (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/462580)
Bseiso to “Al-Ayyam”: consultations to form the Government continue until the last minute
Government spokesman, Director of the Government Media Center, Dr. Ehab Bseiso, told “Al-Ayyam” that "consultations to form a new Government will continue until the last minute." Bseiso said that “Prime Minister Dr. Rami Al-Hamdallah will head today (Tuesday) a regular meeting of the Government.” According to the basic law, if Dr. Al-Hamdallah will not be able to from the Government during the legal deadline of 5 weeks, the President will assign a new figure to form it. (Al-Ayyam)
Interior Committee of the Knesset: Jews has the right to pray at Al-Aqsa holding the “Torah”
he Knesset Interior Committee decided after a meeting yesterday afternoon, that Jews have the right for free entry into Al-Aqsa Mosque and perform Jewish prayers, carrying the Torah, and that the police should provide them with security and protection during the performance of religious rituals in Al-Aqsa Mosque, as the Knesset session included a clear incitement against Muslims. “Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage”said that Al-Aqsa Mosque is anexclusive right for Muslims alone, and not the right of others, and that the occupation has no right to interfere in Al-Aqsa Affairs, and in the authority of The Islamic Waqf. "Al-AqsaFoundation" considered Committee’ meeting as an open invitation to Israeli violation of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the coming days, especially during Succoth, which runs from Wednesday 18/9 until Wednesday next week 25/9/2013. The foundation noted that Al-Aqsa is facing very serious and unprecedented escalation these days.(Al-Quds)
Two trucks transporting aid for residents of Khirbet Makhoulconfiscated by the occupation
The Israeli occupation forces seized on Monday night, two trucks that were transporting aid and tents for residents of Khirbet Makhoul, which was destroyed yesterday at dawn in the northern Jordan Valley, while displacing its population of about 100 people. “Wafa” quoted the head of the local Council, Aref Daraghmeh saying that Israeli soldiers stopped two trucks before they arrived to the area, and their drivers were forced to go back from where they came before transferring them to a nearby military camp. (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/462565)
“Society of St. Yves”: Israeli interior Ministry rejected 43% of family reunificationrequestssubmitted since 2000
“Society of St. Yves”revealed that the Israeli Interior Ministry has rejected nearly half of the requests for family reunification submitted by Palestinians since the year 2000.According to the Society statement, the Interior Ministry rejected 43% of total reunification requests made by Palestinians since the year of 2000 until today. The statement also said that the Ministry rejected 24% of children registry requests, including a 12 requests to register children for security reasons, despite t eh fact that all of them are below the age of 14. The information obtained from the occupation Interior Ministry, under the law "on freedom of information”, showed that a large number of files have not been addressed and remain stuck in the offices of the Ministry, due to the fact the Ministry staff takes a lot of time in the processing of requests for family reunification, and that some files remain stuck for years without a decision.(Al-Quds)
The Egyptian army to “Al-Qassam”: don’t play with fire!
“Al-Yawm Al-Sabe’” newspaper quoted a sovereign Egyptian source as saying yesterday that the Egyptian army wanted to send a warning message to Hamas, which is loyal to the “Muslim Brotherhood” in Gaza through the Conference held by the armed forces spokesman Colonel Ahmed Mohamed Ali on Saturday, a message that includes "stop messing with Egyptian national security through supporting armed groups in Sinai, and don’t play with fire with the Egyptian army, which is considered to be the only influential military force in the entire Arab region." Dr. Samir Ghattas, head of the Middle East Forum for strategic studies, said that "Hamas cannot launch stone on Israel, not even its sophisticated portable missiles, but such weapons are aimed at Egypt and terrorist movements which made Sinai as its stronghold during the recent period.” The source said that the Egyptian armed forces are "capable of crushing any terrorist faction, both inside and outside the border, even if it will have to attack terrorist groups outside its borders, to protect its national security", pointing out that Hamas "is in support of all acts of terrorism and violence, which take place on the Sinai Peninsula during the current phase, trying every now and then, the carry out cowardly attempts, through car bombs and planting explosives near military and police units, as happened most recently near the building of the Military intelligence in Rafah.” (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
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Headlines
** Israeli destroys Khirbit Makhoul in the northern Jordan Valley, and displaces 120 citizens in order to expand settlements and military bases (Al-Quds)
** 13 killed in a gunfire incident at the navy compound in Washington (Al-Quds)
** The Specialists report affirms the use of Sarin gas, and does not confirm the source (Al-Quds)
** Former EU leaders call on EU to commit to sanctions against settlements (Al-Quds)
** Al-Sheikh: Al-Karameh crossing will be open until 1 am starting from next week (Al-Quds)
** Turkey shoots dawn a Syrian helicopter (Al-Hayat Al-Jadida)
** The President meets Habashneh and Ola Awad, and receives two telephone calls from Al-Arabi and Mansour (Al-Hayat AL-Jadida)
** Chemical weapons disarmament program in Syria begin "within days" (Al-Ayyam)
** Yaalon: military threat may lead to diplomatic solutions in Syria (Al-Ayyam)
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Front Page Photos
Al- QudsThe northern Jordan Valley: a family setting on the ruins of their home after being demolished by the Israeli bulldozers.
Al-Ayyam:same Picture as Al-Quds.
Al Hayat Al Jadida:1) Students demonstrate in front of the Rafh crossing, 2) The President during his meeting with member of the Jordanian Senate, Samir Habashneh, in Ramallah, 3) A child at Khirbit Makhoul after its demolition by the occupation yesterday.
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Voice of Palestine News
Jerusalem: The most dangerous development in the city is the internal committee in the Knesset’s approval over allowing extremist Jews to enter the Aqsa Mosque compound and performing their Talmudic prayers. Arguments ensued between the committee members and Arab MK Ahmad Tibi with the head of the committee Regev demanding that the police allow Jews to enter freely into the compound and to divide the mosque temporally between Muslims and Jews. Over 130 extremist Jews broke into the compound yesterday. Jewish groups are also planning in the next few days for marches of thousands of settler children to the Aqsa and calls to break into the compound on the 24th and 25th of the month in a million-man march.
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Voice of Palestine Interviews
**Governor of Tubas and the northern Jordan Valley, Rabih Khandakji, on the destruction of the Khirbet Al Makhul by Israeli authorities
Q: What is the fate of the people after their hamlet has been completely demolished?
Their fate is like any other Palestinian on this land in challenging these measures by the occupation and the displacement of the people in the Jordan Valley. We have no other choice but to support their steadfastness on this land.
Q: What is the plan for this?
All of the Valley is targeted so the plan is not only limited to this village. This is a PA plan to develop the Valley and to secure this Palestinian-Jordanian border area; also to develop the agricultural sector in the Jordan Valley and animal husbandry as well. What people need to know is that the Jordan Valley needs more than just relief plans. These are good in situation like this one where people need shelter and food immediately, but the solution is much bigger than this. We need water, agricultural projects where the people can take advantage of the land, for example.
Q: Some of the aid sent to the people of Al Makhul was confiscated yesterday; were you able to get aid to the people in one way or another?
The Israeli occupation’s measures are nothing out of the ordinary for them in order to reinforce the desperation of these people. They want them to feel desperate, closing off the area to a closed military zone so nothing can enter and people could not move around. They hindered the Red Cross and Red Crescent from bringing in the assistance. But no matter what they do, we will remain on our lands.
**Ihab Bseiso, on the date for announcing the new government
Q: this announcement is supposed to be made today. Have the discussions ended and will the announcement really be made today?
I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but I can say that today it is ‘business as usual’ today in Palestinian affairs. Dr. [Rami] Hamdallah will head the 12th cabinet session and today the legal period for this government ends and a new one must be announced. But we really can’t say anything much about the announcement of the new government – all we can say is that tonight is the deadline for the government and that the deliberations are ongoing to the last minute.
**Khader Za’noun, Gaza correspondent, on the news that the Rafah crossing would be reopened partially on Wednesday and Thursday following a request from President Mahmoud Abbas
Q: How did the people of Gaza receive this news?
First, on the ground, a number of Israeli military vehicles entered citizens’ land in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip. Four tanks and three bulldozers in all entered 200 meters into Gaza land and leveled land there. Gunfire was shot but no injuries have been report.
As for the Rafah Crossing, this is the seventh day it has been closed. However, in response to President Abbas’ request to the Egyptian leadership to open to crossing to humanitarian cases, it will open tomorrow to certain groups – those with foreign passports, sick passengers and students. Still there are over 5,000 of these cases who are waiting for the crossing to open.
**Minister of civil affairs, Hussein Al Sheikh, on Egyptian statements about a new mechanism for dealing with the crossings with the Gaza Strip
Q: Is there any specific arrangements at the moment that you know of?
Like you know, we have been speaking about having the real authority – the PA at the Rafah crossing. However, unfortunately, this position keeps coming up against Hamas, who reject it. Now there are Egyptian efforts in this regard, which is linked to the issue of reconciliation. If there is progress at the level of reconciliation, there could be talk about new arrangements at the Rafah crossing and a return of the PA and its security services there. But this is still waiting for reconciliation, unfortunately. But we don’t want to lose hope and we are always in touch with the Egyptians, who understand who the legitimate authority should be.
Q: What about the news of facilitations at the Allenby Bridge in terms of extended hours? When does this go into effect?
As you know, we have been calling for things to be restored to what they were before 2000 – that is, to have Palestinian staff at the bridge and to have it opened 24 hours a day. There has been Israeli rejection of this request for the past 13 years. Lately, there have been negotiations between us and the Israelis and we have reached a temporary solution which will go into effect next week. The crossing will open from seven in the morning until one in the morning, to facilitate Palestinians crossing both ways. There is also talk about the possibility of a commercial crossing to open at Allenby. We hope all of these efforts will bear fruit soon.
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More Headlines
Palestinian shot dead by special Israeli forces in Jenin
Young Palestinian, Islam Husam Saed Al-Tubasi, 19 years old, died today morning after being injured during the occupation army raid to Jenin refugee camp northern of the West Bank. Al-Tubasi was shot after raiding his home exploding its door today morning, and then Israeli soldiers arrest him, while he died later on at one of the hospitals inside the 1948 territories. Local sources told “Ma’an” reporter in Jenin that a big force of the occupation army stormed the camp at night and soldiers raided a large number of houses during clashes with youths, arresting A-Tubasi by the Special Forces after shooting him in his foot. (http://maannews.net/arb/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=630491)
The Israeli occupation forces also arrested Mohammed Bassam Abdul Latif al Fayed (21 years) insulted him in front of the citizens during his arrest and took him to an unknown place in a military patrol, in addition to arresting another young Palestinian. The sources said Mohammed AL-Damj (15 years old) was injured of a rubber bullet during the clashes in the camp. (http://safa.ps/details/news/111838/span-classevent-show%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%AB2-span%D8%B4%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%AF-%D9%88%D8%A5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%81%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%86.html)
The new Palestinian Government will be declared today
It is scheduled that Palestinian Prime Minister Dr. Rami Al-Hamdallah will announce his new Government today evening. Government Spokesman Ihab Bseiso, said that the legal deadline for the Prime Minister ends today, presumably Dr. Al-Hamdallah will head the last meeting of the current Government, adding: "I don't want to anticipate events; we will wait for the Prime Minister’s meeting with the President, and then we will see what will happen.” (http://www.qudsnet.com/arabic/news.php?maa=View&id=253079)
A huge road between Gush Etzion and the Dead Sea
Ma’arive revealed an Israeli plan to construct a huge road between the “Gush Etzion” settlements and the Dead Sea, and that work will start in three months. The newspaper said today that two Israeli Government Ministers and the head of Parliament's Foreign Affairs and security, Avigdor Lieberman, in addition to a number of Ministry directors, will visit the “Gush Etzion” settlements today to review the plan. The newspaper added that "This road passes over PA zones currently under negotiation between the two sides, which would lead to a serious problem, although these areas fall under the classified area “C” under Israeli security and administrative control. (http://safa.ps/details/news/111851/%D8%B4%D9%82-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B9-%D8%B6%D8%AE%D9%85-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%BA%D9%88%D8%B4-%D8%B9%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%AA.html)
Gaza Energy: ready to buy electricity fuel without tax
An official at the Gaza Energy Authority said that the authority agrees to buy diesel fuel without taxes imposed on fuel brought in from the Israeli occupation. The source said that the Energy Authority is ready to purchase diesel fuel for the power station, without the Excise and added taxes in accordance with the agreement between the energy authority in Gaza and Ramallah. The source stressed that the energy Authority don't mind paying for the fuel that will be supplied in advance, in order to transfer the fuel and run the power station to prevent a humanitarian disaster. (http://safa.ps/details/news/111844/%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%A9-%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B2%D9%88%D9%86-%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%88%D9%82%D9%88%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B6%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A8%D8%A9.html)
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Arab Press
There’s no way to stop the lucrative Israeli occupation
By Joseph Dana
Among Palestinians, the phrase “Oslo Accords” has become a concise way to refer to land theft, economic domination and the failure of the international community to pressure Israel into moving towards a two-state solution.
Meanwhile Israel, despite a superior army, a tendency for violence and the backing of the United States, finds itself stymied by internal indecision and infighting about a sustainable solution.
Israeli settlers and their supporters in the government have taken advantage of society’s uncertainty. And the more deeply the occupation entrenches itself, the more valuable control over the West Bank becomes for Israel.
To put it simply, Israel is in the throes of creating its own worst nightmare: a binational state.
Walk around any West Bank city these days and you will find people who are quick to say that Israel wants a “South African” solution to the conflict. That is, they want to control the land and administer it through an unequal system of governance which affords privileges and rights on the basis of religion.
Many Palestinians have come to understand that Israel could not disengage from them, even if it wanted to. They see that the land of the West Bank is simply too valuable, that holding the Palestinian economy captive is too lucrative and that the appeasement of radical Jewish settlers is too convenient; for these reasons Israel is unwilling to end its control and really begin to move towards a two state solution.
All but the most starry-eyed and emotional supporters of the two- state solution can now clearly see the reality of the current situation: Israel has built its system of domination into the very fabric of life for all between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean, but at the same time had been timidly reticent to take responsibility for the results of its actions.
An hour at the Qalandia checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem shows Israel’s absolute control plainly, and a broader look at contemporary Israeli society confirms these suspicions.
To put it bluntly, society is confused about the future and its political actions often fail to stay in a logical realm of statecraft.
In Tel Aviv in 2011, for example, “social justice” protests in Tel Aviv attracted hundreds of thousands to complain about cost-of-living issues. Yet most Jewish Israelis utterly refuse to engage with the Palestinian issue.
Israeli society is listless and schizophrenic on the issue, unable to chart a path towards resolving it. Opinion polls regularly show that a majority of Israelis support a two-state solution, but the recent elections were a coup for the settler movement.
The only thing left for Israel is to hope that US-sponsored peace talks with the Palestinians can provide the country with a thin veil of legitimacy to cover the continuing entrenchment of Israeli control in the West Bank.
None of this would be possible without the blessing of the US. We are accustomed to seeing Israel as the dominant force in the region, but the 20 years since Oslo have shown that Israel is little more than a pawn in a greater game.
The United States has come to rely on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as the Camp David accords between Egypt and Israel, as cornerstones of its Middle East policy.
Against the backdrop of the latest round of turmoil in Egypt and Syria, US Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement of the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks is best understood as reflecting America’s desire to be seen as engaged in diplomacy, not military action, in the region.
But is all of this sombre information surprising? Over the seven years that I have lived in Israel and Palestine, I have watched the two societies come together uncomfortably under the regime that Israel has created with the tacit support of the international community.
I have watched as liberal Israelis took to the streets protesting for social justice, only to see politicians close to the settler movement make huge gains in the subsequent election.
One evening this summer I drove from Ramallah to Tel Aviv on Israeli settler roads which divide the West Bank, past settlements under construction and through military checkpoints where all who pass are racially profiled. Arriving in Tel Aviv, I drank coffee with an Israeli writer confident that peace will come in his lifetime and that two states, one Palestinian and one Israeli, will emerge.
But I can’t help but feel that Israelis have deluded themselves so badly about the reality of the conflict that they are not even discussing a real place anymore.
Despite constant reminders of Israeli military strength, a genuine fear has taken hold in Israeli society, fear that it has lost control of the evolution of its occupation of Palestinians. But this fear is repressed and the result is a society adrift, unable to decide what it wants and fearful of the future.(http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/theres-no-way-to-stop-the-lucrative-israeli-occupation)
Twenty years after Oslo, trying it again
ByDr James Zogby
Twenty years have passed since Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat signed the Oslo Accords in Washington, DC on September 13th, 1993. On the White House lawn, where the signing took place, there was a sense of euphoria. When Arafat and Rabin shook hands, Arab Americans and American Jews, who had long been combatants in the public sphere, turned to each other to embrace and celebrate the moment. Two days later, in an effort to build on this positive sentiment, President Bill Clinton invited 150 leaders of both communities to the White House urging them to work together as a "constituency for peace."
In Israel and the Occupied Territories there were also celebrations with leaders on both sides expressing optimism about the way forward. Appearing on my live call-in TV show just days after the signing, Nabil Sha'ath the chief Palestinian negotiator was questioned about whether the fledgling Palestinian government would be able to restrain perpetrators of acts of violence against Israelis.
He responded, "If the agreement works, and I believe that it will, two years from now our farmers will be cultivating the land that has been liberated, our young men will be working at jobs that have been created, and we will be building the infrastructure of our new state. If, in the midst of all of this, someone were to commit an act of violence, the people would turn to us and say, 'stop them, because they are threatening everything we've won.'"
There were also Israelis who looked confidently to the future. Israel's deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin said, "Israel is another Israel, we are ready to change many of our ideas from the past to adapt ourselves to a new reality. The PLO is no longer the same PLO. Things can be done in the Middle East."
But not everyone was pleased. Israeli critics accused Rabin of surrendering to and giving legitimacy to Palestinian terrorists, while Palestinian critics charged that the Oslo documents had too many loopholes and would only prolong the Israeli occupation.
By any measure, the Accords were incomplete. They were full of ambiguities, areas where the parties fudged over differences because they could not find agreement. And resolution of the most critical issues of Jerusalem, borders, settlements, refugees, and security arrangements were put off until after a five-year transitional period. One observer, at the time, described the Accords, more like "a cry for help" than a peace agreement. It was as if Israelis and Palestinians were saying "this is a start—as far as we can go. We need help to get to the finish line". But even with the flaws and the ambiguities, what was undeniable was that Israel and the PLO had taken unprecedented steps, breaking taboos and shattering myths.
In the first place, Israelis and Palestinians formally recognised each other as national communities. While Palestinians had committed themselves to a two-state solution in 1988, signing an agreement with the Israelis that recognised the legitimacy of an independent Israeli state represented a dramatic breakthrough. Israel also had an issue with recognition.
Until Oslo they had refused to acknowledge the existence of a Palestinian people. And they refused not only to talk to the PLO but had insisted that others shun the group, as well. In 1985, speaking at a Washington event, Rabin was quoted as saying "whoever agrees to talk to the PLO means he accepts in principle the creation of an independent Palestinian state" and this he said, was "unacceptable". In acknowledging the PLO, Israel not only opened the door to the inevitability of a Palestinian state, it also shattered the anti-PLO taboo (that it had established). For years, the heavy-handed political clout of American supporters of Israel had tormented Arab Americans and others, punishing them for "contact" with the "forbidden" group.
The Oslo Accords also shattered the myth that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was insoluble, the result of an "age-old" conflict that was "in the genes" of both communities. Oslo did not provide a solution, but it demonstrated a willingness of both sides
to finding one.
The Oslo Accords provided for an initial Israeli limited deployment that would lead to a five-year transitional phase, during which negotiations would continue. It was at the end of this five year period that the parties would begin work in earnest to resolve the so-called "final status" issues. The operative assumption behind this approach was that with five years of peaceful relations sufficient trust would have developed giving the negotiators the space to tackle the thorniest issues.
There were other breakthroughs resulting from Oslo. While no Palestinian state came into being, the locus of Palestinian authority and decision-making would move for the first time to the Palestinian territories. And while the occupation remained an oppressive fact of life for most Palestinians, even the limited pullback of Israeli forces from most West Bank cities and towns, gave Palestinians welcome respite.(http://www.timesofoman.com/Columns/Article-1358.aspx)
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Opinions
Who could forget Sabra and Shatilla?
By Amjad Arar
A Palestinian said to me: “We have had so many massacres, we forgot their dates.” He was referring to the 31st anniversary of the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camp massacre in Lebanon. An old Lebanese man asked sardonically: “So, was there any international investigation into the massacre?” Of course he was joking or else his listeners would have called him crazy or would have thrown an old saying back at him: “If the judge is your executioner, to whom to you complain?” As long as history has not turned over a leaf on this massacre, which was carried out by Zionist and their proxies over three days without the world saying a word, then the blood of its victims will remain waiting for their rights from the mouths of the beats – no matter how long.
About 10 years ago, rightists in Brussels revived the case of Sabra and Shatilla and filed a lawsuit against then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was the defense minister when Israel invaded Lebanon and carried out the massacre. He was charged at the time, along with Israel’s president Menachem Begin, by an Israeli commission of inquiry, with political responsibility for the massacre. Both leaders resigned as a way out for Israel in the hopes that the case would be closed for good. Also at the time, Lebanese leaders Elie Hubeika was prepared to go to Brussels to clear his name and testify against Sharon. However, he was killed in a car bomb a little while later. Anyway, this Brussels episode ended after Israeli and Western pressure was put on Belgium to amend its laws and exclude the case of the massacre from the jurisdiction of its judiciary.
International law is also outside this jurisdiction as long as the victims are Arabs and the executioners are Zionist. It becomes within their jurisdiction when it is about someone whose blood can be employed to achieve political goals. This one person was not US President John Kennedy, who was assassinated and whose assassination is still a ‘mystery”. It was not late president Gamal Abdel Nasser, where there is ample findings that he was assassinated; nor was it former Algerian president Houari Boumediene or Yasser Arafat or Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto – all of these people and these all passed in ways that raise many questions and implications of political assassinations.
On its 31st anniversary, Sabra and Shatilla will remain a lantern lit by the blood of thousands of martyrs; spilled blood does not know time nor does it lose significance with its passing unless the caretakers over this spilled blood concede the victims’ rights. The blood that waters the trees of remembrance are the same ones that have drawn a mark of shame on the foreheads of those criminal proxies, their supporters and their protectors.
Massacres do not dissipate the cause of a resisting people as long as they remain united and adherent to their cause and do not concede their rights. At this stage, however, the Palestinians are plagued by a shameful split that is insulting to their history and serves their lurking enemy; it is destroying their dreams and wrecking the compass that points to their national goals.
If the executioners want us to forget, then all we have to do is remember. This is not because remembrance is the tune played on heartstrings by the fingers of life, but because remembering is the only condition for the blood to water the tree of rights for the victims. And since what goes around comes around and encircles even the aggression, this spilled blood must remain an extra reminder until things come full circle and the victims find those who can regain their rights. On this occasion, the Palestinian people must renounce those who promote the split and regain their national unity so they can be ready to pick the fruits of this imminent turning gyre. (http://www.alkhaleej.ae/portal/a9b56c29-3de1-42e4-b7a5-771f845118a2.aspx)
Kerry is ignoring the peace process and negotiations….even when he is in Jerusalem!
US Secretary of State John Kerry came to Israel after the Russian-American agreement on Syria and met at length with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu after which they held a lengthy press conference. What was so noticeable was that all of the questions and comments revolved almost completely around Syria, chemical weapons, international repercussions at the Security Council and the relationships between the Russians and the West. The peace process and negotiations were almost completely ignored.
If Kerry, in the region and among the parties to the conflict and to the negotiations in addition to all the American efforts to achieve peace, ignores the issue like this, then it is obvious that he is not very interested or concerned for that matter, about this topic. The only thing he is willing to do is talk about peace and negotiations without giving any consideration to the obstacles or outcomes, or to the daily Israeli measures that the international community knows all too well, which are destroying the peace process from its roots and leaving no chance for the negotiations to succeed or for peace and stability in the region to prevail.
It seems as though Kerry came only to brief Israel about what is going on; it is America’s best friend and most important ally not to mention the biggest influence on US policy. Destroying the chemical weapons does not serve anyone in the long run except for Israel and its expansionist aspirations. Perhaps when Kerry thought about the settlements, displacement, Judaization, break-ins to holy sites, land confiscation and the severing of the West Bank and the impossibility of achieving the dream of a Palestinian state, he turned his attention to Syria, which is exactly what Israel wanted.
We and others have said time and again that the current negotiating process is futile in every sense of the word. Informed political pundits have confirmed what our people already know – that the two-state solution is dead; that it is the responsibility of those in charge at this stage and especially after Kerry’s position, to seriously reevaluate the entire situation regarding everything pertaining to the negotiations, signed agreements, the current reality, the future and what we need to do to face all of these challenges. How can we go about this? What are our choices? (http://www.alquds.com/news/article/view/id/462590)
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