Covering everything from seemingly positive progress with prisoner release and increased aid to Palestine, to somewhat negative impediments involving the disintegrating humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the expansion of Israeli settlements in east Jerusalem, the news this week essentially epitomized and reinforced the peace process between Israel and Palestine as a route where one step forward is followed by two steps back.
On Monday December 3, after a sufficient delay, Israel finally released 429 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli government spokesperson, Mark Regev, stated that “Today’s release of Palestinian prisoners is aimed at reinforcing moderate Palestinian leaders and at favoring political dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians”. While recognized as a step in the right direction, the imprisoned Marwan Barghouti declared the release as a “joke”. The Fatah leader highlighted that there are 11,000 Palestinians still in Israeli jails and that the 429 released were coming to the end of their terms anyway.
In another action that will ostensibly further the peace process by boosting the Palestinian economy and security in the West Bank, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced on December 4 that she will request a $400 million fund from Congress to be included in the 2007 – 2008 budget. This fund, which has yet to have been passed, is a substantial increase on the $50 million allocated to Palestinians in the previous budget and would mark an “unprecedented effort to increase opportunities for Palestinians”.
Also on December 4 the Palestinian minister of planning, Samir Abdullah, reported that the Palestinians would be asking for $5.5 billion from the donors at the Paris Conference on December 17 in order to finance the reform and development plan for Palestine. Planning Minister Abdullah said that the donations would act to “end economic stagnation” while President Abbas emphasized that the funds would spark economic growth. Samir Abdullah confirmed that 70% of the money would contribute towards budget support and 30% would finance the development projects in the West Bank and Gaza. Despite the worry that donors will be fatigued with providing financial aid to Palestine with its history of corruption, the minister, President Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki are confident of a positive response in Paris.
On December 5, it was revealed that President Bush will travel to the Middle East in January and on December 8, the date confirmed for his visit was January 9-11 in what will be his first trip to that region as US President and his first since he was Governor of Texas in 1998. It is hoped that this outing will signify Bush’s commitment to the peace process.
This show of support from the US President follows the successful rhetoric circulating post Annapolis. In the last week influential Arab states such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Syria have all backed the agreements made at Annapolis as long as negotiations proceed steadily toward final status before President Bush leaves office. The only party that has voiced concern this week is Israeli Prime Minister Olmert who on Monday stressed the aim is “that we can conclude negotiations by the end of 2008 but there is no commitment to any strict deadlines” unless reciprocal steps are taken by the Palestinians. Olmert stipulated that the priority at hand was for both parties to adhere to the first stage of the roadmap.
With Prime Minster Olmert and President Abbas due to meet on December 12 in the first major meeting since Annapolis, both sides this week went about finalizing their negotiating teams. Ahmad Qurei will remain the head of the Palestinian negotiating team and Tzipi Livni will continue her position as the negotiating head for the Israelis. On December 3 it was decided that there would be six joint negotiating committees of officials and experts which will discuss final status issues.
In a move that demonstrated President Abbas’ intentions to abide by the security obligations imposed on him by the first stage of the roadmap, 250 security forces of the same ilk as the 300 in Nablus were deployed in the West Bank district of Tulkarem. President Abbas declared that the forces would curb lawlessness, prevent violence and improve the security situation in the area.
All these positive steps taken this week to establish an economically stable and secure West Bank on the road to creating a viable Palestinian state were placed under jeopardy on December 5. According to the agreement made at Annapolis, Israel must adhere to the first stage of the roadmap and cease settlement expansion in the West Bank. However on Wednesday, it was announced that Israel has published a tender to build 307 new housing units at the 4,000 populated Harhoma settlement [called Jebel Abu Gneim to Arabs] in south east Jerusalem. In response to this expansion just a week after Annapolis, negotiating members Ahmad Qurei and Saed Erekat both expressed their disappointment and fear over what the ramifications of such a move would be for a future Palestinian state. Qurei waned that this decision was in complete violation of the understandings and agreements made at Annapolis and gave this expansion as an example of the reluctance felt on behalf of the Israeli government in pursuing peace.
In rebuttal to these accusations, Israeli spokesperson Mark Regev proclaimed that “the implementation of the roadmap does not apply to Jerusalem”. Jerusalem is one of the most contended issues on the final status agenda. Jerusalem is considered by Israel as their city, under their authority whereas the Palestinians demand that Jerusalem be the capital of their future state. Regev continued that the Prime Minister “never made a commitment to limit our sovereignty in Jerusalem”.
Having been sent an urgent letter by the Palestinians regarding this expansion in east Jerusalem, Secretary Rice stated that "there should not be anything which might prejudge final status negotiations” while UN Secretary General believed the expansion to be “not helpful” during the peace process. Abbas aide Nabil Abu Rdainah recommended that the US act immediately, "asking them to explain is not enough. The Americans must pressure the Israeli government to stop settlement activities”. On December 7, Strategic Affairs Minister and deputy premier Avigdor Lieberman confirmed that "construction will continue at full flow”.
While Palestinians questioned Israel’s commitment to the first stage of the roadmap, Abbas publicly announced on December 6 that he opposed the conditions of the second stage of the roadmap which stipulates the creation of “an independent Palestinian state with provisional borders and attributes of sovereignty”. President Abbas expressed his reservations by claiming that “there was talk about a state with provisional borders. We reject provisional borders, because these (borders) will be final."
Concerning the coastal strip under the control of Hamas, it was revealed on December 3 that 700 Palestinian pilgrims would be allowed to leave Gaza through Rafah to partake in the hajj to Mecca. A further 1500 Gaza residents have been permitted to leave for the annual Muslim pilgrimage.
However the good news did not last long. On December 3, Mahmoud Khuzundar, Deputy Head of Gas Stations Owners in the Gaza Strip, reported that all gas stations in Gaza had closed as they don’t have enough fuel to sell after the Israeli government decided to stop fuel supplies entering Gaza in response to rocket attacks into Israel. Mahmoud Khuzundar affirmed that Israel had reduced supplies into Gaza by 75% delivering only 60,000 liters of solar on Sunday instead of 350,000 liters and had only transported 25,000 liters of benzene rather than the 120,000 liters required.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak mentioned on December 5 that unless Israel can find a more effective and efficient method of stopping Qassam rockets and mortar attacks into Israel then they would seriously contemplate the feasibility of a full scale invasion into Gaza. As it stands Barak cautioned the public that every day this option is becoming increasingly more likely. Barak’s words were reiterated by the Israeli army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi who commented that “if necessary, we are ready for the possibility of an operation in Gaza”.
Under this pressure from Israel, the deposed Hamas Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, on December 5, once again called for dialogue between his party and Fatah. "We believe it is necessary to immediately begin a non-conditional dialogue that will work to heal the Palestinian wounds". The Hamas leader was still willing to open the avenues for discussion despite President Abbas closing 92 Hamas based charities in the West Bank on December 3 in the hope of crippling Hamas by cutting off one of their main contributing sources of income.
According to negotiations mediated by Saudi Arabia, Hamas has agreed to hand over control of civil ministries, such as the health and education ministries, in the Gaza Strip to Palestinian Authority control. However, they are not prepared to relinquish control of security. Hamas has also supposedly offered to concede control over the border crossings.
On December 6, President Abbas welcomed reconciliation with Hamas in principle, but his position has not changed over the preconditions for dialogue. Hamas must apologize for its seizure of Gaza in June and must return the coastal region back to the control of the Palestinian Authority; Hamas must adhere to the commitments made by the Palestine Liberation Organization; and Hamas must also agree to early elections and then accept the consequences of those elections.
Hamas in the past has refused to do any of the above but Islamic Jihad leader, Khaled al-Batsh commented on December 2 that discussions are expected to take place soon between all Palestinian factions in Cairo and Mecca.
Eleven Palestinians have died this week as a result of Israeli violence. On December 2, Bassam al-Helou was killed by Israeli artillery fire in Gaza City and Firas Mustafa died of wounds incurred by Israeli soldiers after being shot in Ramallah.
On December 4, an Israeli air strike killed three members of the Hamas military wing, al-Qassam Brigades, in the northern Gaza area of Beit Lahiya.
Three more al-Qassam Brigades members were killed on December 5 in Der al-Balon, central Gaza.
Mohamed Salah al-Hadr, a soldier in the Palestinian security services was shot and killed in south Bethlehem when an undercover car of Israeli soldiers drove past the roadblock he was guarding and shot him. Also on Thursday Majid Maher was killed by Israeli fire next to the border fence in the north Gaza area of Jabaliya.
Lastly on December 7, Israeli soldiers shot dead Bahjat Abu Daqqa, a farmer in the southern Gaza area of Khan Yunis.
In total, approximately 30 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza from Israeli aggression in the last two weeks.
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.
