July 2, 2004

ARAFAT DISCUSSES WITH THE FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE. QUREI CONSIDERS THE WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA WITHOUT THE ROAD MAP A JUMP IN THE AIR. THE EXPLOSION OF AN ISRAELI ARMY POSITION IN GAZA KILLS AND INJURES MANY SOLDIERS. ISRAEL CONTINUES TO USE POISONING GAS AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN. AL-BARADEI CALLS FOR EXERTING REAL EFFORT TO STRIP ISRAEL OF ITS NUCLEAR ARMS. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has sent a message to Ukrainian President Lined Cotchema. The message was handed to Head of Foreign political Affairs Victor Kraijnevisky, during his meeting with Second Deputy of the President of the Palestinian Legislation Council Ghazi Hanania, in order to be delivered to the Ukrainian President. The Ukrainian officials expressed Ukrainian's intentions to open a diplomatic representation in Palestine as soon as possible, and appoint an Ukrainian ambassador to Palestine. Ukraine will also contribute in reconstructing and rebuilding the destroyed Palestinian economy. þ Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier met with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat at his battered Ramallah headquarters in the West Bank. Following talks with president Arafat the French Foreign Minister called for an end to Israeli "repression" in the occupied territories while urging PNA to press ahead with pro-democracy reforms . "Peace needs to be built together, by both sides, and it requires parallel and reciprocal efforts, and this also means efforts on the Israeli side," Barnier told reporters. For there to be peace, Barnier said Israel must "lift its blockade (on the Palestinian territories), end repression, end the construction of the separation barrier" in the occupied West Bank. He also called for Israel to put a stop to Palestinian "evictions and (property) destructions." The Palestinian National Authority, he said, would "deploy all means at its disposal" to ensure security in the Gaza Strip if Israel goes ahead with its plan to withdraw unilaterally from the territory. Barnier described the Israeli plan to withdraw from Gaza as "a useful step within the wider process" set down by the Road Map. Prime Minister, Ahmad Qurei who shared French Foreign Minister Michael Barnieh a press briefing , stressed that Barnieh's visit came on the proper time, as both United States and Israel are sidelining President Arafat. Qurei reiterated the Palestinian commitment to the Road Map, appreciating the French government's efforts for the sake of peace and thanking its backing to President Arafat. The French high-ranking official said that his visit to the Palestinian territories comes as an evidence of his government and other European countries' willingness to help those holding the burdens of peace. Barnieh reiterated his country's dissatisfaction with the continued Israeli siege of President Arafat, reiterating support of the Palestinian President as the elected leader of the Palestinian people and as the one capable of concluding peace. A plan to visit Israel has been put off until after the summer because of þ þIsraeli objections to Barniers visit to Ramallah to see Arafat.þ þ France was put under considerable pressure by the Israelis to boycott the þ Palestinian leader during his visit to the occupied territories, but Paris þmaintained its position that Arafat is the elected leader of the Palestinian þ people and should be consulted.þ þ þThe massacre carried out by Israelis in the þcity of Nablus in which seven members of Fatah, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad þwere killed is a blow to international efforts to reactivate the peace process in the region, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei said.þ þ Speaking following the meetings of Palestinian þ Security Council and the Central Fatah Committee at Palestinian leader headquarters, Qurei said that Israel's action is a blow to efforts of Arabs, þthe Quartet Committee, as well as the US and its envoy, Deputy Secretary of þ State William Burns, who visited the Palestinian territories hours before the þ þmassacre.þ þ Qurei described the massacre as "a vicious crime that cannot be overlooked þ and is evidence that Israel is moving forward in its acts of killing and þ building the separating wall."þ þ He accused Israel of seeking to destroy "all international efforts", þalluding to Egyptian efforts regarding the proposed Israeli withdrawal from þ Gaza and parts of the West Bank, as part of the Road Map plan.þ þ þþAl-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and Al-Quds Brigades announced joint responsibility for the blow up of an Israeli army post close to Deir Al-Balah.þ þ Spokesperson for Al-Aqsa Brigades told a local radio station that the attack þon the Israeli post close to the "Gosh Katif" settlement was carried out by þ the two groups.þ þ Elaborating he said the two groups dug a 350 meters long tunnel below the fortified military post and planted 150 kilograms of explosives, which when þdetonated ended up in the killing and injury of scores of Israeli occupation þsoldiers. þ þ He said, this came in retaliation for the killing of Hamas leader Sheikh þ þAhmad Yassin and commander Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Rantisi.þ In the meantime the Israeli press sources said that the death toll is up to þsix Israeli soldiers with more than forty others injured. þ þ þAn explosives packed car detonated close to þ an Israeli military position south of Abu Howly Barrier in central Gaza Strip, þsaid Palestinian security sources.þ þ A spokesperson for the Israeli Army admitted that five Israeli soldiers þ þwere killed and 30 others were wounded in the incident, noting that the car þexploded underneath a bridge linking Gosh Katif settlements with Kasovim Road.þ þ Eyewitnesses said a large number of Israeli ambulances rushed to the scene of the explosion, noting that the area is witnessing heavy exchange of fire þbetween the Israeli forces centralized in Kfar Darom settlement and the þPalestinian fighters. þþIn Amman, King Abdullah II of Jordan affirmed during talks in Aqaba with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, William þBurns, that the Israeli plan to withdraw from Gaza should be a starting point þ for a full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank. þ þ He said, during the talks attended by Royal Court Minister, Sameer Rifai, þForeign Minister, Dr. Marwan Muasher and US Ambassador to Jordan Edward Gnehm, þ that this plan will not be successful unless it comes within the Road Map, þwhich is based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the þPalestinian territories. þ þ The King called for providing a suitable climate for the resumption of the peace process, for the continuation of violence will constitute a major þ obstacle on the way of achieving progress in peace negotiations. þ þ The King's talks with Burns also touched on the situation in Iraq where þ þpower will be transferred to the Iraqis soon and where the new government will þ shoulder the responsibility of ruling Iraq. þ þ The US official on his part affirmed commitment of the United State to þ achieve peace in the Middle East, indicating that the withdrawal plan from Gaza is a step for establishing permanent peace between the Palestinians and þIsraelis. þþ In Cairo, the Arab Peace Initiative By-Committee of the Arab þ summit held a meeting on the level of permanent representatives þto the Arab League headquarters with the participation of the League's þSecretary General Amr Moussa.þ þ Official spokesman for the Secretary General, Hussam Zaki, had said that the þcommittee will discuss the Arab political, media and diplomatic action plan þprepared by the sextet committee grouping Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, þSaudi Arabia and Tunisia.þ þ He said that the committee will agree on a final plan in preparation for þ þreferring it to the committee in its next meeting at the ministerial level, in accordance with the Arab summit decision which called for a ministerial committee to place a plan activating the Arab peace initiative approved in the þ2002 Beirut Arab summit so as to present it to the UN as a peaceful þ resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict.þ þ The Quartet committee in charge of the Middle East file stressed its strong support for the Egyptian efforts aiming at completing the Israeli withdrawal due to be made from Gaza. A statement issued by the committee issued in conclusion of its meeting which was held in Taba said that " the Egyptian efforts which are working to draw the arrangements will be basics for the success of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza." The Egyptian plan aims at preventing any operations against Israel as from Gaza after the withdrawal of the Israeli army for Israel's abstaining from incursions in the sector after its withdrawal. On the other hand, the Jordanian King Abdullah II stressed his country's readiness to train members of the Palestinian police, but under the condition that this will be at the official request of the Palestinian national authority. A Jordanian source said that the Jordanian King renewed during his meeting with the Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei' Jordan's position which stressed the need that withdrawal from the sector will be part of comprehensive development from all Palestinian territories in the course of the roadmap. On Tuesday, Jordan announced by Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher that Amman's decision over training the Palestinian police forces will depend on the results of talks between Egypt, Israel and the Palestinians. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern þAffairs William Burns said the Quartet was supporting Egypt's þefforts to restart the peace process in the Middle East.þ þ Burns said at a news conference after more than two hours of talks at the þend of a Quartet envoys meeting, the talks were very good and focused on means to benefit from the Israeli unilateral disengagement plan.þ He said the Quartet will announce he needed steps in this respect. þ þ The international Quartet committee meeting was held in the Egyptian city of Taba to discuss the Middle East peace process and the implementation of the þIsraeli withdrawal plan from Gaza.þ þ þIsraeli forces opened fire on hundreds þof Palestinian, Israeli, and foreign peace activists participating in a demonstration protesting against the building of a separation wall in the town þof Ramallah.þ þ Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli army opened fire on the þ demonstrators wounding a number of Palestinians, among them is the Arab þIsraeli Parliamentary Member Ahmad Al-Taibi.þ þ Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinians, including foreign peace activists, demonstrated in Al-Zawiya village in the West Bank in protest of building works in the racial separation wall near Ariel settlement, Israel Radio said. Scores of demonstrators suffered as a result of inhaling tear-gas from grenades fired by Israeli forces. In Gaza Strip, Israeli army destroyed two Palestinian houses in Wadi Al-Salqa village to the east of Deir Al-Balah. Palestinian security sources reported that an Israeli force backed by tanks and bulldozers broke into Beit Hanoun town amidst intensive shooting at Palestinian houses. bulldozers devastated agricultural lands. The sources added that a military siege was imposed on the town. Meanwhile, the residents of Faqqou'a village, nearby Jenine, organized þ a similar rally, which was confronted by Israeli forces using rubber þ bullets and live ammunition. Several Palestinians were injured in the attack.þ þ In the town of Deir Qeddis, nearby Ramallah, the residents of the town þ þorganized a rally to protest against the separation wall on the lands seized þby Israelis. The Arab committee for follow up of the Israeli þnuclear activities stressed the importance of coordination for devising an þemergency plan for facing any radiation leaks from the Israeli atomic reactor þ that affect the neighbouring Arab countries.þ þ The committee recommended by end of its meeting at the Arab League (AL) headquarters submitting this recommendation to the Arab Health, Environment and Interior Ministers Council to coordinate with the Arab Atomic Energy þOrganisation.þ þ The committee that includes Arab experts emphasized the Arab media action þ to motivate the international public opinion regarding the risks of radiation þ and nuclear leakages from the Israeli atomic reactors that are still not under þ international control.þ þ AL Director of Disarmament Affairs Department Wael Al-Asad told reporters þthat the committee warned of legalizing the Israeli nuclear weapons. þ þþ Director General of the International Atomic þ Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammad El-Baradei called upon international community to strip Israel from its nuclear arms. þþ Mankind must overcome the negative impacts of the þChernobyl nuclear accident, the Director General of the International Atomic þ Energy Agency said at an international conference in Moscow. þ þ The Chernobyl accident dealt a severe blow to the atomic energy industry, þand it has not recovered in full yet, he said. El-Baradei said all efforts should be made for the successful development of þ the atomic energy industry, which must be ecologically safe and constantly þ supply mankind with energy in this century. þ þ He said that could be done on three conditions, namely safe functioning of þ nuclear power plants, safe disposal of nuclear wastes, and physical protection þof nuclear materials and sites from possible terrorist attacks. þ þþþ There is no alternative to the atomic energy industry, El-Baradei said. þ Neither wind energy nor solar batteries can replace it, he said. þ þþ IAEA experts believe that the world's nuclear power plants will be þ producing 70% of all energy by 2030. That would be equivalent to the reduction þ of hydrocarbon discharges by 600 million tonnes, he said. þþ Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei condemned in a statement the US Congress for overwhelmingly affirming President George W. Bush's pledges to Israel on April 14, saying "endorsement of Israeli settlements (in the West Bank) would reverse 30 years of US foreign policy." þþ Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon described the same vote as "a great day in the history of Israel." þþ "Endorsement of Israeli settlements (in the West Bank) would reverse 30 years of US foreign policy," Qurei said in a statement, adding the resolution contradicted the UN-adopted "roadmap" peace plan. þþ The United Nations Security Council in November adopted Resolution 1515 endorsing the blueprint, which was drafted by the Quartet of the US, UN, EU and Russia. þþ The US Senate joined the House of Representatives in endorsing Bush's positions on Israel, which charge that it is "unrealistic" to expect Israel to pull back to 1967 borders and that Palestinian refugees must not return to their homes in the Jewish state and should instead be settled in a future Palestinian state. þþ The US House of Representatives voted 407-9 in favour of a similar resolution the day before, endorsing Bush's declarations on April 14, which adopted the Ariel Sharon's unilateral "disengagement plan" and stated that Israel would not have to fully withdraw from the West Bank as part of a final peace deal, and that Palestinian refugees would not be resettled. þþ House Resolution No. 460 "Regarding the security of Israel and the principles of peace in the Middle East," was introduced by the Christian Zionist House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. þþ PM Qurei condemned the US Representatives for overwhelmingly affirming Bush's declaration on April 14 during a summit meeting with Ariel Sharon. þþ In a 95-3 vote, US senators also joined the representatives and approved Bush's support for Sharon's "disengagement" plan, which calls for a unilateral Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and the evacuation of three isolated Jewish settlements in the northern West Bank. þþ settlers evacuated from the Gaza Strip will virtually be re-settled in the West Bank. þþ The Senate's resolution stated that "it is unrealistic" for any peace settlement between Israel and Palestinians to require Israel to return to the borders that existed before 1967. þþ In addition, the resolution said a Palestinian state would have to be part of a "just, fair and realistic framework" for peace - with Palestinian refugees settling there, not in Israel. þþ Voting against the resolution were Senators Robert Byrd (D-W.Va); James Jeffords (I-Vt); and John Sununu (R-N.H). Senators Richard Lugar (R-Ind), and John Kerry (D-Mass) did not vote. þþ "No one should be naive enough to think this resolution will move the (peace) process further one centimeter," Senator Byrd said, according to an Associated Press report. þþ Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Sharon said the vote was one of the biggest diplomatic achievements in Israel's history. "This is a great day in the history of Israel," he told a meeting at the ruling Likud Party headquarters in Tel Aviv. þþ "The bi-partisan Congressional support for the President's letter and the State of Israel is without a doubt one of the most important diplomatic achievements for Israel since its creation," he added. þþ Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom also praised the resolution, saying: "I think this is a very, very important resolution that shows the commitment not only of the Administration, but also of Congress, toward Israel." þþ Senior officials in Sharon's office said that although the resolution is non-binding and has no legal significance, it is something that any US President will have to take into consideration when drafting policy toward Israel. þþ The official said that the resolution is important in both the long and short terms. In the long term, the official said, the resolution is important because when Israelis and the Palestinians sit down for final status talks, the US Congress will have made clear that it backs Bush's position that it is unrealistic to expect Israel to return to the pre 1967 lines, or for Israel to take in Palestinian refugees. þþ In the short term, the official said, the endorsement is important because Bush's letter recognizes Israel's "right" to "deter and defend itself, by itself, against any threat or possible combination of threats," and that Israel "will retain its right to defend itself against terrorism, including to take actions against terrorist organizations." þþ The official interpreted this to mean that the US recognizes Israel's right, even after withdrawal from Gaza, to take military action against the "terrorist infrastructure" in Gaza if need be. "This gives Israel a guarantee that it will have free hands to take action if and when attacked," he said. þþ The text of the US House Resolution "Regarding the Security of Israel and the Principles of Peace in the Middle East is as follows: þþ In the House of Representatives, on June 22, 2004, Mr. Delay (for himself, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Hyde, and Mr. Lantos) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations þþ Concurrent Resolution þþ Regarding the security of Israel and the principles of peace in the Middle East. þþ Whereas the United States is hopeful that a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be achieved; þþ Whereas the United States is strongly committed to the security of Israel and its well-being as a Jewish state; þþ Whereas Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has proposed an initiative intended to enhance the security of Israel and further the cause of peace in the Middle East; þþ Whereas President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Sharon have subsequently engaged in a dialogue with respect to this initiative; þþ Whereas President Bush, as part of that dialogue, expressed the support of the United States for Prime Minister Sharon's initiative in a letter dated April 14, 2004; þþ Whereas in the April 14, 2004, letter the President stated that in light of new realities on the ground in Israel , including already existing major Israeli population centres, it is unrealistic to expect that the outcome of final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians will be a full and complete return to the armistice lines of 1949, but realistic to expect that any final status agreement will only be achieved on the basis of mutually agreed changes that reflect these realities; þþ Whereas the President acknowledged that any agreed, just, fair, and realistic framework for a solution to the Palestinian refugee issue as part of any final status agreement will need to be found through the establishment of a permanent alternative and the settling of Palestinian refugees there rather than in Israel ; þþ Whereas the principles expressed in President Bush's letter will enhance the security of Israel and advance the cause of peace in the Middle East; þþ Whereas there will be no security for Israelis or Palestinians until Israel and the Palestinians, and all countries in the region and throughout the world, join together to fight terrorism and dismantle terrorist organizations; þþ Whereas the United States remains committed to the security of Israel , including secure, recognized, and defensible borders, and to preserving and strengthening the capability of Israel to deter enemies and defend itself against any threat; þþ Whereas Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism, including the right to take actions against terrorist organizations that threaten the citizens of Israel ; þþ Whereas the President stated on June 24, 2002, his vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace and security and that vision can only be fully realized when terrorism is defeated, so that a new state may be created based on rule of law and respect for human rights; þþ and þþ Whereas President Bush announced on March 14, 2003, that in order to promote a lasting peace, all Arab states must oppose terrorism, support the emergence of a peaceful and democratic Palestine, and state clearly that they will live in peace with Israel : Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress-- þþ (1) strongly endorses the principles articulated by President Bush in his letter dated April 14, 2004, to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon which will strengthen the security and well-being of the State of Israel ; and þþ (2) supports continuing efforts with others in the international community to build the capacity and will of Palestinian institutions to fight terrorism, dismantle terrorist organizations, and prevent the areas from which Israel has withdrawn from posing a threat to the security of Israel. þþþþ