May 27, 2005

ABU MAZEN INFORMS ARAB LEADERS ABOUT ISRAEL'S DELAY IN IMPLEMENTING SHARM EL-SHEIKH'S AGREEMENT. THE PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT DENIES INTENTIONS TO POSTPONE THE PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS. THE ARAB LEAGUE AND THE UNSC STUDY THE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES. CALLS FROM ISRAEL TO THE ISRAELI LEADERSHIP TO RE-READ THE GEOPOLITICAL MAP AND SAY "YES" TO THE SAUDI INITIATIVE. QUREI: ISRAEL WANTS A PERMANENT OCCUPATION. President Mahmoud Abbas met President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak at Sharm Al-Sheikh resort in Egypt. The two presidents discussed the latest political developments of the peace process in the Middle- East. They tackled the mutual relations and the expected Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, besides ways of advancing the implementation of the Road Map. Following the meeting, President Abbas told reporters that "I suggest to meet PM Ariel Sharon on June 7th to discuss commitments agreed upon in Sharm Al- Sheikh understandings and implement the Road Map". Commenting on his forthcoming visit to Washington, Abbas told reporters that we demand American political support and economic support to begin the implementation of the Road Map. The President reached Egypt after touring some of Asian and Latin American countries. President Mahmoud Abbas called upon the American president, George Bush, to take a clear position about the implementation of Road Map Peace plan after Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip (GS). Abbas referred that he will ask the American president for a political and economical support. Evaluating his last trip to different foreign countries, he said that it was long but very good. The talks with the Egyptian President came within the framework of the sustained consultation and coordination between the Egyptian and Palestinian leaderships mainly ahead of the visit by Abu-Mazen to the United States and his talks with US President George W. Bush. Emerging from his talks with President Mubarak, Abu-Mazen said that he came to Egypt for consulting President Mubarak on the political and non-political agenda before his visit to the United States. He said that the political agenda he was carrying to Washington included a basic demand: the US support for implementing the roadmap besides economic support for the Palestinian economy. He stressed the importance of implementing Sharm el-Sheikh understandings, adding that he called on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to observe these understandings. He added that he would meet Sharon shortly. The Palestinian President denied reports on the exclusion of Hamas movement from the political movement to satisfy Israel. He dismissed reports to this effect indicating that Hamas took part in the local elections and won some seats adding it would also take part in legislative elections. He said that if it succeeded, nobody would dare to prevent it from being part of the political system. Commenting on some rumours regarding Hamas participation in the political process, he said that these rumours are just disagreement over the results of local elections adding that contests to this effect were made to courts which revoked elections in some constituencies. He said that his visit to the United States would not be affected by the assassination by Israel of a Hamas activist, noting that this situation is now under control. Mubarak-Abu Mazen talks were attended from the Egyptian side by Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit and on the Palestinian side by Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al Qodwah, Advisor to the Palestinian President Nabil Abu-Redina, National Security Advisor Gibril Al Ragoub and Palestinian ambassador in Cairo Zhody Al Qedra. Meanwhile a high-level Egyptian delegation arrived in Gaza city yesterday afternoon for talks with leaders of the Palestinian factions on activating the inter-Palestinian dialogue, according to reliable sources. The delegation also held talks with Palestinian Authority (PA) officials on enhancing the Palestinian unity. The delegation's visit comes in response to a request by the Palestinian factions to end the state of tension on the Palestinian street after the declaration of the outcome of the second stage of the municipal elections, held on May 5. The high-profile Egyptian security delegation held meetings yesterday with the leaders of the Palestinian resistance groups with the main goal of facilitating the inter-Palestinian dialogue, reorganizing the Palestinian house and unifying its ranks. The meetings with delegates from the Democratic Front for the Liberaton of Palestine, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine aimed also to remove any tension that resulted from the announcement of the results of the May 5 local elections, especially between Islamic Hamas and the main- stream Fatah group. The talks centred on resolving any disputes over the elections or any other issues through dialogue and to drive away any sectarian strife that could divide the Palestinians. In the meeting, the two sides discussed means of activating the inter-Palestinian dialogue, preserving the unity of the Palestinian house and ending the state of tension on the Palestinian street and between the mainstream of Fatah group and the Islamic Movement Hamas. The Egyptian delegates met on Tuesday night with a Hamas delegation led by Mahmoud Zahar, who was set to inform the Egyptian delegation of its position on a number of the issues raised during the meeting. Al-Zahar stressed that dialogue is the only means for resolving any disputes on the Palestinian front. PLO Negotiations Affairs Chief Department Saeb Erekat lauded the efforts exerted by Egypt to back the Palestinians and help re-arrange the Palestinian House. Speaking to Sawt Al- Arab Radio over phone from Jericho, Erekat underlined the importance of the Egyptian security delegation's current visit to the Palestinian lands. On Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas US visit and his talks with President George W. Bush, Erekat said Bush-Abbas summit is very important, adding that the political process and bilateral relations will top the summit's agenda. Israel's decision to crack down on Palestinian militants would threaten a fragile ceasefire between the two sides, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said if the Israeli government uses all possible means against Palestinian militants, "everything would collapse." Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday ordered the army to "use all necessary means" to prevent mortar attacks by Palestinian militants on Gaza settlements. Erekat said the Palestinian side has asked international observers to monitor the situation on the ground following a recent resurge in violence between the two sides. Three Palestinian militants have been killed, when Israeli forces responded to some 60 shells fired from Gaza. Fearing a dangerous escalation, Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef met with Hamas leaders and persuaded them to abide by the truce. Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat told VOA that the collapse of the cease-fire would not serve the interests of any party. "It will not serve the Israelis, nor the Palestinians, nor anyone in the region," Mr. Erekat said. "So it is a must that we exert maximum efforts in order to sustain the cease-fire and the cessation of violence." The restoration of calm gives a boost to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who held his first meeting with President Bush at the White House last Thursday. But Mr. Abbas is likely to face U.S. pressure to dismantle groups like Hamas, in compliance with the internationally-backed road map peace plan. Mr. Erekat has both sides have obligations. "Well, I think that we have our obligations very clearly, the Israelis have their obligations, and things should go parallel," he said. Meanwhile, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Israel of intending to replace the roadmap peace plan with the disengagement plan. He told the Voice of Palestine that the Israeli government rejects the resumption of peace talks over final status issues. "Israel wants to turn the Gaza Strip to a huge prison and surround West Bank cities, towns and refugee camps with walls, then it would say here is a state with borders," he said. Primer Ahmad Qurei confirmed that achieving Palestinian ambitions of freedom and independence along with Peace and prosperity are our essential purpose. In a speech given before the World Economic Forum at Dead Sea resort, Qurei stressed on the Palestinian's commitment towards democracy, reform and fulfilling Palestinian people priorities. He said that achieving Peace is not only a Palestinian responsibility but also a partnership between all concerned parties, adding that every side must implement his commitments and bring in the coordination needed to achieve peace. He also affirmed Palestinian's commitment to peace, saying that the Palestinian side is expecting a positive response from Israeli side and an International support to carry out all commitments. PM Ahmad Quri' said that the Palestinian people are still committed to the peace process and aspire for an effective American support to compel Israel abide by its commitments to carry out the Road Map. In a meeting with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Robert Zoellick, at the World Economic Forum at Dead Sea resort, PM said that Israel should implement the Road Map in order to achieve peace and establish a viable Palestinian state in accordance with President Bush's vision. PM told reporters that the expected Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip should be based on the Road Map in a sense that guarantees Palestinian control on air, sea and land crossings, affirming that the withdrawal from Gaza is not at expense of the West Bank. For his part, Zoellick affirmed that the USA will provide more economical support to the Palestinian people in order to find more job opportunities and revive the Palestinian economy. Meanwhile The Permanent Representatives at the League of Arab ‏ ‏States, headed by Secretary-General Amr Moussa, met to discuss ‏ ‏Israel's Separation Wall in occupied Palestinian territories.‏ ‏ In order for the league to better address the issue whenever it is brought ‏up, Moussa told the representatives that a visiting Palestinian delegation ‏would explain all matters related to the Israeli aggression by building the Separation Wall.‏ ‏ While calling upon Arab nations to be more alert by establishing a rational ‏unified strategy, he added that Israeli policy shows the amount of deception used by it under false claims of supporting the peace process.‏ ‏ The meeting aims at giving a detailed report of the current situation in ‏relations to Israeli settlements and wall, said the Director-General of Negotiations Affairs Department in Palestine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs ‏Ma'an Rasheed Erekat in press statements.‏ ‏ He added that such a matter was quite serious because it defines the future ‏of Palestinians through tearing the occupied territories apart by Israel.‏ ‏ Being the official in charge of coordinating negotiations with Israel ‏ ‏regarding Gaza, Nizar Farsakh explained, through a detailed presentation with maps and data, that Israel was obstructing the establishment of an independent ‏Palestinian state.‏ ‏ Through Israel's evacuation of thousands of Palestinians from their lands, construction of military bases on Palestinian territories and consent to build ‏6,300 Jewish residential unites for settlers, Farsakh pointed out that Israel plans on weakening Palestinians. In New York, Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon addressed an audience of more than 1,000 Jewish leaders in Manhattan, when Mr. Sharon spoke of his plan to withdraw Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip, a handful of hecklers stood up and taunted him. ‏ "Jews don't expel other Jews," one shouted from the middle of the auditorium of Baruch College, where the speech was given, before a security official escorted him out. ‏ Hundreds of protesters stood outside the doors as Mr. Sharon spoke, saying they opposed any plans to remove settlers from Gaza, which the prime minister says will improve security and further the peace effort with the Palestinians. In many ways, the scene echoed the emotional debate over the disengagement plan that has been evident in Israel for months. While the organizers of Mr. Sharon's speech emphasized that most American Jews support the pullout, scheduled for August, other opinions were apparent. ‏ "The coming period will be one of the most difficult periods which the state of Israel has known since its establishment," Mr. Sharon said during his speech. "We do not need volunteers to fight military battles, but we do need a willingness to stand with us and to fully support us." ‏ Mr. Sharon's speech, his first in New York in more than three years, came at the start of a three-day visit to the United States focused on bolstering support for Israeli policies among American Jews. Mr. Sharon is also to address leaders at an American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington this week. ‏ Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was heckled during his speech to US Jewish leaders in Manhattan, while as many as 1500 demonstrators staged a noisy street protest outside against his Gaza disengagement plan. ‏ As Sharon spoke, several protesters scattered throughout the crowd at Baruch College stood up, with one shouting, "Jews don't expel Jews." ‏ Sharon continued to speak, but the interruption grew louder, and the prime minister had to pause as protesters were escorted out of the Manhattan auditorium. ‏ He then received a warm ovation from the crowd of more than 1000, which overwhelmingly favoured his plan. ‏ "Usually I handle these things myself," he quipped before continuing. ‏ Under Sharon's plan, Israel is to remove all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and withdraw from four small settlements in the West Bank. ‏ The plan has divided the Israeli public, with Sharon's opponents accusing him of caving in to Palestinian violence and warning the moves will lead to further territorial concessions. ‏ Under Sharon's plan, Israel is to remove all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and withdraw from four small settlements in the West Bank. ‏ The plan has divided the Israeli public, with Sharon's opponents accusing him of caving in to Palestinian violence and warning the moves will lead to further territorial concessions. ‏ In his speech, Sharon said the withdrawal would preserve Israel's character as a Jewish democracy and reiterated his stance that the plan will make Israel stronger. ‏ "This plan will improve our security and offer a chance to start a political process with the Palestinians," he said. "It will guarantee a Jewish majority in the state of Israel." ‏ Sharon also said he intends to retain control of large settlement blocs in other parts of the West Bank, ruling out a full return of territory captured and occupied in the 1967 Middle East War and demanded back by the Palestinians. ‏ He said there will be no entry of Palestinian refugees into Israel, rejecting another key Palestinian demand. ‏ "I said in the past, and I say it also today: I am willing to make painful compromises for peace," Sharon said. "I think that the entire world can now see how hard such compromises are. ‏ There is one thing on which we will not make any compromises - not now and not in the future, and that is our security." ‏ Several of the protesters wore orange T-shirts, the colour adopted by Gaza settlers who opposed his plan to remove them from their homes later this summer. ‏ Sharon arrived in New York for a three-day visit to the US to bolster ties with American Jews, and to discuss domestic issues such as the plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip. ‏ Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas "knows what he has to do", Sharon told reporters on his plane. "There certainly has to be complete quiet. Without quiet, it will be impossible to move forward on the peace process." ‏ In recent days, a flare-up of fighting in the Gaza Strip has left three Palestinian fighters dead and resistance groups fired rounds of mortar shells and rockets at Israeli communities. ‏ Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said that Palestinians also want hostilities to end so that talks can progress. ‏ "Both sides should exert an effort to achieve full quiet and once the Israeli guns are silent, we can assure that we will maintain the cessation of violence against Israelis anywhere," he said. ‏ Meanwhile Roman Bronfman Yahad and the Democratic Choice said Israel's leadership must honestly reread the geopolitical map and say "Yes" to the Saudi Initiative. It must do so in order to erase the stain of occupation and racism, and in order to ensure prosperity for ourselves and for the coming generations. ‏ On the other hand Yemen is celebrating the 15th anniversary of reunification between its former parts; the conservative North and Marxist South, as calls are being raised by the opposition for more democratic reform. ‏ In a speech to the nation marking the unity day, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called on the opposition to play a "responsible" role in the political life and to "turn a new page" by overlooking the past. "We reiterate that the opposition is the other face of the political regime. The opposition parties should play their role in a responsible way." ‏ He also urged opposition parties to involve in a dialogue with his ruling General People's Congress party. "We renew our call for all political powers to conduct dialogue for a unified national rank based on the national consistent principles and to turn over a new page among all and for the sake of the good, development, prosperity, security and stability of the nation." ‏ Saleh said the unified Yemeni state has now got its constitutional institutions either the legislative, executive, judicial and local authorities or the civil society organizations "based on democratic foundations emanated from the will of our people who has chosen since the birth day of unity the democratic policy." ‏ "This policy is based on political pluralism, freedom of opinion, women participation and respect of human rights. It was adopted by conviction and was not imposed by any one." ‏ In Jerusalem Protesters besieged Laura Bush during her visit to two of Jerusalem's holiest sites, with Israeli police locking arms to restrain the crowd and Secret Service agents packed tightly around America's first lady. ‏ The first lady was mobbed by protesters and local reporters, and Secret Service agents and Israeli police had to physically hold back the crowd as she approached the wall. ‏ She then went to the Dome of the Rock, Al Haram Al-Sharif. "We in principle don't reject anyone's visit to the Al Aqsa Mosque (compound), but we see in the visit of Mrs. Bush an attempt to whitewash the face of the United States, after the crimes that the American interrogators had committed when they desecrated the Quran," the militant Islamic Hamas group said in a statement on its Web site. ‏ Adnan Husseini, director of the Islamic Trust that administers the mosque compound, said Mrs. Bush tried to play down the heckling, saying it could have happened anywhere. ‏ Husseini said he told her he hoped President Bush would exert pressure to achieve peace in the Holy Land. ‏ On the other hand, Criminal charges against a Pentagon analyst, for allegedly leaking classified Iraq war information to two top officials at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, raise questions about whom the FBI is targeting and whether the case could harm the pro-Israel powerhouse. ‏ Lawrence Franklin, was accused in an FBI criminal complaint of disclosing classified information "related to potential attacks on United States forces in Iraq" to two U.S. civilians over lunch in an Arlington restaurant on June 26, 2003. ‏ Franklin's interlocutors, identified in the document as "U.S. Person 1 and U.S. Person 2," are Steve Rosen, AIPAC's policy director, and Keith Weissman, its senior Iran analyst, JTA has established. AIPAC fired the two last month in an apparent bid to distance itself from the case. ‏ Rosen, meanwhile, expects to be indicted, according to sources who know the case. He has vowed that if he is indicted, he will go to trial in an effort to clear his name. ‏ Rosen expects that a trial could begin as early as next January and already is preparing for a long defense, according to multiple sources. ‏ In the UK the British government is considering a major Middle East policy switch that would mean engaging directly and openly for the first time with the militant groups Hamas and Hizbullah. The British Foreign Office is swinging behind the view that it would be hypocritical to encourage democracy but refuse to accept the outcome, even if it means working with groups it finds distasteful.