On the November 2, President Mahmoud Abbas met with Hamas officials for the first time since their seizure of Gaza in June. Former deputy Prime Minister, Nassereddin al-Shaer and Hamas officials Faraj Rumana, Hussein Abu Qweik and Ayman Daraghmeh were amongst those invited for prayers with the president at the Muqata in Ramallah.
This meeting in the Muqata was the conclusion to a busy week of rhetoric exchanged between Hamas and Fatah. On the October 29, in an interview with Kuwaiti al Ra’i newspaper, President Abbas declared that Hamas intended on repeating their take over of Gaza in the West Bank. However, Abbas claimed that they would fail assuring that the supposedly controversial contacts between Hamas and Israel are not in fact new developments and therefore not a reason to worry.
In a rebuttal of Abbas’ words, a leading Hamas figure in Gaza, Nizar Rayyan, stated that Abbas would “fall like leaves of the tree” confidently asserting that Hamas would pray in the Muqata by next fall. PLC member, Mushir al-Masri, reiterated these words by saying that Abbas has no legitimacy or mandate from the Palestinian people. However, on Thursday November 1, West Bank Hamas officials, Faraj Rumana and Abu Qweik publicly announced that they rejected such statements as they “contradict with the policies of the movement”.
Whereas the meeting was positive in breeching the divide between the two functions, skepticism still circulates. Abbas stated that “Hamas is part of the Palestinian people” and Abu Qweik described Fatah and Hamas as “one entity” hoping that this meeting would prove to be the “prelude to dialogue”. This view is not shared by all as Hamas spokesperson, Sami Abu Zuhri said that the meeting “does not amount to dialogue”.
On Monday October 29, Ahmad Qurei, head of the Palestinian negotiating team, confirmed that there would be a Palestinian force deployed in Nablus within days. On the November 2, 308 officers from the training center in Jericho entered the second biggest city in the West Bank and erected checkpoints. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad reported that their job was “aimed at restoring the rule of law” with the “flashpoint” city of Nablus acting as a challenging test. Meanwhile Qurei hopes that the establishment of a specialized training center in Jericho would increase the future security of the West Bank and thus further the peace process with Israel.
Also on the November 2, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert revealed that he intends to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians before President Bush leaves office in January 2009. The Israeli premier explained that “there are big advantages to reaching an agreement before the end of Bush’s term” as there is no telling how focused the new US president will be on the Palestinian / Israeli matter. Vice Premier, Haim Ramon, followed up the Prime Minister’s words by confirming that “immediately after Annapolis, when we begin to hold negotiations on a permanent agreement, certainly we will talk about Jerusalem, refugees, borders and Israel’s security”.
Despite these words, there has still been uncertainty this week concerning what the Annapolis Conference should entail. On the October 29, Ahmad Qurei once again reiterated that failures at the international meeting in the US could potentially be catastrophic. Qurei proclaimed that preventing this would involve the implementation of the first phase of the roadmap which includes ceasing violence on the Palestinian side and the halt of settlement activity on the Israeli side. On the same day, Nimer Hammad, political adviser to Abbas, blamed Israel for any failure that may result from Annapolis. Hammad deemed the Israeli newspapers which reported that Abbas and Olmert agreed not to discuss final status as false and instead stated that the negotiating teams are yet to reach a common ground. The presidential adviser concluded by asserting that “Israel still evades its responsibilities and does not want to agree on anything”.
Hammad’s sentiments were supported by King Abdullah on October 30 while he was visiting London. The Saudi Royal said that there is an absence of serious efforts being made and that the Fall Conference would subsequently fail if this wasn’t rectified.
On October 31, the Palestinian president voiced his demands for the Fall Conference. Abbas insisted that there be an implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, the Arab initiative and the roadmap which stipulates the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees. Abbas stressed that he would not expect anything less than this and expected a 6 month timeline be installed in order to discuss an agreement on all issues of final status. Head of the Palestinian negotiating team, Ahmad Qurei, warned that without a timetable and an agenda of clear priorities, there is no reason for the Palestinians to attend.
On the same day, the US State Department once again refused to sponsor the imposition of a timetable or final date for the Palestinian / Israeli negotiations without monitoring the progress the sides make over the next few weeks. The Department stressed their dedication to the cause but repeated their stance on fixing a set date, which is an opinion shared by Israel.
The debate over a set timetable was once again apparent on November 1. Following a meeting between Qurei and Israeli Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni, Saeb Erekat of the Palestinian negotiating team added that are yet to draft the document but are instead brainstorming possibilities. Erekat also emphasized the importance of a timetable in order to ensure advances are made before President Bush leaves office.
Meanwhile the rival Conference organized by Hamas and set to take place in Damascus on November 7 has attracted caution and opposition. On October 29, the PLO sent envoys to Syria to convince them not to host the Conference, as they believe it will deepen the rift between Palestinians. Political adviser, Nimer Hammad, advised that the Damascus Conference would aid the Israeli cause rather than bolster the Palestinian one. Hammad continued by saying that it would not only act as highlighting divisions between Palestinians, it would portray them as being weak and would also reflect negatively on Syria as they would be seen as opposing the Arab Peace Agreement.
By October 31, the nine factions planning on sending representatives to the Damascus Conference announced that the committee of the Palestinian National Conference would postpone the meeting in the wake of the Annapolis Summit but would not abandon it. Hamas leader, Mahmoud Zahar, stated on November 1, that those meeting in Damascus would not succumb to the demands of Abbas who had insisted that the meeting be cancelled. It is believed that the Conference will be postponed until after Annapolis so that the parties can combat the events in the US Summit more effectively.
On October 29, Israel put their “fuel weapon” into operation. In the hope of deterring the military wings of Palestinian political groups from launching Qassam rockets into Israel, the Israeli government initiated their economic sanctions against the Gaza Strip by reducing the amount of fuel that enters the Strip. Nihro al-Hismawi, a Palestinian official for fuel at the Nahal Oz Crossing confirmed that Israel had secured 213,000 liters of benzene instead of the usual 350,000 liters. In addition, the European Committee reported that only 273,000 liters of solar were transported instead of 360,000 liters.
Three Palestinians died and twenty five were injured during a military incursion by the Israeli army in two operations north and east of Beit Hanoun on October 30. Furthermore, one Israeli soldier died and two were injured in clashes with Hamas south of the Gaza Strip on the same day. In the early morning of November 3, one Palestinian was killed and two were injured in the southern Gaza Strip by an Israeli air strike targeting an Executive Force post.
UN Resolution 1325
Date posted: February 03, 2021
By MIFTAH
Kerry talks peace while Israel bars UNESCO mission [May 19 - May 25]
Date posted: May 25, 2013
By MIFTAH
President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both met with US Secretary of State John Kerry this week in the latter’s fourth visit to the region since he assumed office.
After meeting with the two to ostensibly find ways to restart stalled negotiations between the two sides, Kerry urged on May 24 both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to take "hard decisions" to revive the peace process.
"We're getting toward a time now when hard decisions need to be made," he said at the end of his visit.
Kerry admitted a day before after meeting with the two leaders that there was skepticism and cynicism about his efforts to revive talks.
"I know this region well enough to know there is skepticism, in some quarters there is cynicism, and there are reasons for it. There have been bitter years of disappointment," he said. Still, he maintained: "It is our hope that by being methodical, careful, patient, but detailed and tenacious, that we can lay on a path ahead that can conceivably surprise people and certainly exhaust the possibilities for peace."
British foreign secretary William Hague was also in the region visiting with leaders on both sides and even visited the Bedouin community of Khan Al Ahmar between Jerusalem and Jericho, whose residents are under the threat of displacement.
On May 23, Hague was poignantly clear on where his country stands on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. "Israel has lost some of its support in Britain and in other European countries over time - this is something I've often pointed out to Israeli leaders -because of settlement activity, which we condemn,” he said.
"We strongly disagree with settlements on occupied land. Israel is a country we work with in many ways but we do disapprove of settlements,” he maintained, adding that: "We want to see both Israelis and Palestinians really commit themselves to the peace process while there is still a chance of a two-state solution."
In Khan al Ahmar, Hague listened to the residents’ grievances from Israeli efforts to push them out to make way for more settlement expansion. "We (in Britain) strongly condemn the building of settlements and recognise they are a severe threat to a two-state solution,” he told the people there.
On March 21, Israeli forces demolished two residential buildings in the Jabal al-Mukabbir in East Jerusalem. Earlier, they demolished two Palestinian homes in al-Tur, all under the pretext of unlicensed construction. Dozens of people have been left homeless from the demolitions.
A UNESCO fact-finding mission was supposed to arrive this week to look into Israeli measures in the Old City of Jerusalem and their impact on the archeological, cultural and heritage significance of the place, but was denied entry by Israel on May 20. Israel justified its decision by saying Palestinians were trying to politicize the visit.
"The Palestinians were not respecting the understandings,” an Israeli foreign ministry official said. “The visit was supposed to be professional, (but) they were taking measures that showed they were politicizing the event and not letting the delegation focus on professional sides of it," the official said.
UNESCO maintained that the mission was not cancelled, but postponed, the agency’s spokeswoman Sue Williams said.
The Palestinians said they expected Israel to pull something like this. “We weren't surprised by this decision because we believed that Israel's agreement to (allow the mission) was not convincing," minister of foreign affairs Riyad Al Malki said.
The Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt was reopened on May 22 after a five day closure. Egyptian soldiers and policemen closed the crossing following the kidnapping of seven Egyptian soldiers in Sinai, only reopening it after the soldiers were freed. Over 2,400 Palestinians had been stranded on both sides of the crossing during the days of the closure.
Extremist Israelis extended their attacks this week all the way to the Negev desert. On May 19, residents of the Retamim Kibbutz attacked the nearby Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj and set fire to a tent, according to head of the local village council, Salman Ibin Hamid
"The setters of Retamim are acting like they are in the West Bank," Ibn Hamid said. "These people have the mentality of the occupying settler to attack every Arab."
Finally, on May 23, the US appointed Gen. John Allen as special envoy on security issues in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. According to a US official, Allen will deal with the U.S. position on Israeli security needs and the security arrangements that would accompany the establishment of a future Palestinian state.
Al Nakba commemorated amid increasing settler attacks [May 12 - May 18]
Date posted: May 18, 2013
By MIFTAH
This week Palestinians commemorated the 65th anniversary of the Nakba, the catastrophe of 1948 on May 15, with a variety of activities, demonstrations and events throughout the Palestinian territories and outside of its borders. Festivals were held in Ramallah and Nablus in addition to several protests and confrontations with Israeli occupation forces. In Jerusalem, clashes broke out between protesters and Israeli police and border guards when Palestinians commemorating Al Nakba, raising Palestinian flags and facing off with Jewish settlers and soldiers. Thirty people were wounded or arrested during the clashes in addition to six Israelis.
The Jerusalem clashes come at a time when settler break-ins to Al Aqsa have been on the rise amid increasing calls by extremist Jewish groups to make a presence at the compound. The break-ins have become a near daily event. Muslim worshippers and Palestinian youths have kept constant vigil at the mosque to stave off the break-ins which included settler groups who used children as a cover to enter the compound on the occasion of Shavuot.
Settlers in the West Bank have wreaked havoc this week as well. On May 17, three Palestinians were injured in clashes in Urif south of Nablus when dozens of settlers set fire to lands in three area-villages: Urif, Einabus, and Asira al-Qibliya. The settlers also attacked citizens and threw burning tires at people’s homes.
Jewish extremists attacked inside the Green Line as well. On May 14, extremists set fire to three cars and sprayed racist graffiti on a mosque south of Haifa, according to Israeli media reports.
"Price-tag" and "Eviatar," which is thought to refer to the name of a settler stabbed to death last week, were found on the mosque’s walls in addition to the Star of David. In Safed, even farther north, racist graffiti with the words "Arabs out" was found on walls in the city.
On May 13, Israeli settlers exhumed a number of graves and sprayed racist graffiti in the Sawiya village in Nablus. Ghassan Daghlas, head of the PA settlement activity file, said settlers from the Alia settlement were responsible for the damage.
On the same day settlers from Tel Hatimar begin building a religious school for children on Al Khader lands in the Bethlehem area.
The Israeli army meanwhile, uprooted over 1,200 olive tree saplings on May 16 and razed land Palestinian farmer in the northern West Bank, according to Daghlas. He said the army dug up over 40 dunums of farm land and demolished a water tank and stone walls in Ras Karker, near Nablus.
On May 17, three Palestinian laborers were wounded in Beit Ula northwest of Hebron after Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets and unleashed police dogs at them according to Issa al-Amla, coordinator for the popular struggle committee. He said Omar Al-Amla, 31, and Abdulkadir Al-Amla, 28, suffered multiple dog bites to the neck and hands. A third laborer, Jihad Saleem, was shot in the leg.
In Jerusalem on May 17, Israeli forces raided the home of Iyad al-Awar and insisted on taking his two children 6-year-old Qassam and 5-year-old Nasrallah for “interrogation”. While their father prevented the forces from arresting his boys, Israeli soldiers handed him a warrant ordering him to bring his children to the Russian Compound for questioning.
"We arrived to the Russian Compound and the troops wanted to take my kids for investigation; I refused and they beat me in the ear and the leg. My kids started crying and were so scared from the troops. They took my kids by force," al-Awar said.
Israeli Intelligence officers apparently questioned the children about their detained cousin Shadad, and asked if they had seen him throwing stones or Molotov cocktails at Israeli forces, Al Awar said.
On the same day however, Palestinians scored a tiny victory in the Jerusalem suburb of Abu Dis when they were able to tear a hole through part of the separation wall. Protesters marking the Nakba anniversary ripped a 4-meter hole in it, eyewitnesses said. Clashes ensued between the protesters and Israeli soldiers who fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Several injuries were reported.
Peace Now reported on May 16 that the Israeli government planned to grant retroactive approval to four West Bank settlement outposts it had previously pledged to at least partially demolish.
The Israeli state attorney's office said that settlers had purchased the private Palestinian land on which they built, thus paving the way for the government to give its blessing.
"In the response, the government declares its intention to legalize four outposts, in isolated areas," Peace Now said in a statement, adding that the strategy was an affront to US Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts to revive dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "The intention to legalize outposts as new settlements is no less than a slap in the face of Secretary Kerry's new peace process," Peace Now said.
On May 14, Hamas and Fatah agreed in Cairo to form a national unity government within three months during which they would finalize and approve the Palestine National Council elections law. The two sides, represented by Fatah leader Azzam Al Ahmad and Hamas politburo member Mousa Abu Marzouq, came to the agreement under Egyptian sponsorship and said President Abbas would immediately begin talks on the new government formation. Once the government is formed, general elections can be held.
