Israel, the mid-east, and Russia

[Shammu]

Israel orders Palestinian MPs out of Jerusalem

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Saturday, July 01, 2006

JERUSALEM: Israel on Friday revoked the Jerusalem residency rights of a Palestinian Cabinet minister and three MPs, paving the way for their expulsion from the occupied eastern sector of the Holy City.

"The four are members of a terror organization dedicated to the destruction of the state of Israel. This contradicts the citizens' commitment toward the state," a senior Interior Ministry official said.

On May 29, Israel gave the four officials from Hamas 30 days to resign or face expulsion from occupied East Jerusalem.

The four affected by the decision are Jerusalem Affairs Minister, Khaled Abu Arafeh, and MPs Mohammad Abu Teir, Ahmad Attun and Mohammad Totah.

Housing Minister Meir Sheetrit said the four were now illegal residents, allowing Israel to expel them to the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

"Police now have the legal possibility to take them out of their houses into Palestinian territory. They cannot handle the stick from both ends - either they quit Hamas and the Palestinian Parliament, or leave Israel," he said.

They were detained as part of a massive Israeli operation on Thursday which landed 64 Palestinian politicians in jail.

Sheetrit said the detained politicians would be "brought to justice and sent to prison if nothing happens in the release efforts." But he was adamant that Israel was not using the politicians as bargaining chips for the release of an abducted soldier.

Israel bans all Palestinian political activity in East Jerusalem which was occupied and annexed in the 1967 war, a move not recognized by the international community.

The Palestinians want to establish the capital of their promised future state in East Jerusalem, where about 200,000 Palestinians  live, making up some 30 percent of the city's overall population.

Israel orders Palestinian MPs out of Jerusalem

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Fadlallah: Israel 'challenges the entire Arab world'


Daily Star staff
Saturday, July 01, 2006

BEIRUT: Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah denounced Israel's military assault on Gaza Friday, saying Israel is trying to eliminate "the Palestinian address." "The racist Jewish Army is still killing Palestinian youths, women, children and elderly for fear that they fight against the occupation force," the country's leading Shiite cleric said.

"The White House talks about the Zionist violence as a self-defense while it does not recognize that the Palestinian people have the right to defend their freedom and independence," Fadlallah said.

The Shiite cleric urged Arab and Islamic people to support Palestinians because the "Israeli plot," he said, "challen-ges the entire Arab world."

Fadlallah also addressed the state of Lebanese politics.

"We are witnessing in Lebanon two kinds of speeches, one that calls on accepting advice and taking others' positions into consideration and one that tackles political issues in a sectarian way," the cleric said.

Fadlallah called on Lebanese politicians to be "an example" to be followed and to resist "emotions" because they lead the country to the "abyss."

"Internal unity, national dialogue, state institutions and reform are all words used in political salons," he said. "It is for our Lebanese youth to work on creating the future of their country on the basis of their unity and away from sectarianism."

Meanwhile, the vice president of the Higher Shiite Council urged the Arab League to hold an "urgent" meeting to put an end to the Israeli assault.

"Why doesn't the Security Council meet?" Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan asked.

"I call on Arabs and the United Nations to take a firm stand against the situation in Palestine," he added.

Qabalan said he congratulated participants in the Lebanese national dialogue for agreeing over rescuing the country.

He called on Lebanon's politicians to improve people's standard of living, limit unemployment and reduce taxes.

"We have to cooperate with Arab brothers, notably Syria," the sheikh said.

Fadlallah: Israel 'challenges the entire Arab world'

[Shammu]

UN won’t condemn Israel

Deputy head of Israeli delegation to UN Danny Carmon estimates Security Council will not accept resolution to condemn Israel for Gaza attacks at end of emergency discussion Friday night. Carmon to address Israel’s right to defend itself, while Palestinian observer says ‘Gaza is under siege’
Ronny Sofer and AP

Deputy head of the Israeli delegation to the United Nations Danny Carmon estimated that a decision condemning Israel will not be made Friday night at the UN Security Council.

The Council is set to convene for an emergency meeting at the request of some of its Arab members.

The discussion was summoned by Algeria, which heads the Arab bloc at the council, and was initiated by Iran in accordance with the Palestinian delegation to the UN. The proposal seeks to condemn Israel for its ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip and for the series of arrests in the West Bank.

Riad Mansour, the Palestinian observer to the UN, said that the proposal will include a demand to release the senior Hamas members, including ministers and parliament members, arrested by Israel in recent days.

At this stage, it is unclear whether the Council members will indeed vote on a condemnation of Israel at the end of the emergency meeting.

Since learning about the discussion, which will begin at 1 a.m. Israel time, the Israeli delegation to the UN is working on minimizing the damage. Representatives of the 15 permanent members of the Council are expected during the meeting. Carmon and Mansour are also expected to address the Council, as well as representatives of other countries who may ask to speak.

Carmon, who is standing in for Ambassador Dan Gillerman, who is currently in Israel, is expected to address Israel’s right to defend itself and to mention the fact that Israel did not initiate the recent escalation.

He is also expected to describe the development of events, from the ongoing barrage of Qassam rockets at Sderot and Gaza vicinity communities, to the Palestinian guerilla operation at the Kerem Shalom post and the kidnapping of Corporal Gilad Shalit, who is being held hostage by Palestinians.

As for the arrests of Hamas ministers and parliament members, Israel’s key claim will be that it acted in accordance with the international Terror Prevention Act. According to the Act, Hamas is an illegal organization.

“From the moment Hamas claimed responsibility for the incident in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and another was kidnapped, inside the Green Line, all organization members must pay the price,” Israel is expected to claim at the Security Council Friday night.

'Crime against humanity'

Meanwhile, France called on Israel on Friday to free captured Palestinian ministers and said both sides must move to reduce escalating tensions.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said France fears that the situation will "feed an escalation and strengthen the most extreme elements, which is doubtless not Israel's objective."

Palestinian observer Mansour accused Israel of trying to re-conquer the Gaza Strip, saying that the IDF operation in which bridges and water infrastructures were destroyed left many Palestinians without food and water.

“This is a crime against humanity, which is hurting 1.3 million Palestinians. The Gaza Strip is under siege, no one can enter or leave,” he said.

He added that “the Council must adopt an appropriate decision which will not allow aggressiveness.”

Foreign Ministry officials estimated that the addresses Friday night will be balanced in favor and against Israel.

Ronny Leshno Yaar, deputy director general for UN affairs at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, is concentrating the diplomatic efforts among Security Council members.

“We are preparing for a diplomatic curbing battle at the Council,” a Foreign Ministry official said, “further to the series of talks held by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in the past day with senior officials in the international community, including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, whom she spoke to twice in the past 24 hours.”

Washington's UN Ambassador John Bolton estimated that the probability the Security Council will vote on condemning Israel at the end of the emergency meeting was small.

"Whenever the Security Council considers an issue, is to mind the Hippocratic oath provision, 'do no harm,' and in these circumstances, you have to see, if there's anything concrete the Security Council can do, rather than just blowing off steam," he said. "And, it's with that basis in mind, I said that considering a resolution today would be inadvisable."

UN won’t condemn Israel

[Soldier4Christ]

UN won’t condemn Israel

The UN making a smart decision??!!


 

[Shammu]

UNSC to discuss renewed Gaza violence
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST    Jun. 30, 2006

The United Nations Security Council was scheduled to convene on Friday night (Israel time) to discuss the recent escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the ongoing IDF incursion into the Gaza Strip and the massive arrests of 64 senior Hamas officials on Thursday.

Iran and Algeria requested the meeting, for the purpose of issuing a condemnation against Israel.

Senior Foreign Ministry officials were working with the United Nations delegation in order to prevent such a condemnation.

On Thursday night, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni called United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, to discuss recent events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

She related Israel's position on the continuing incursion into Gaza and the widespread arrests of 64 Hamas officials on Thursday morning. Livni emphasized Israel's right to self defense.

Earlier in the day, the G-8 foreign ministers' summit of developed countries that convened in St. Petersburg, expressed grave concern at the deterioration of the conflict. The diplomats meeting in Russia condemned the arrests and called upon Israel to show restraint.

UNSC to discuss renewed Gaza violence

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Iran: Israel's actions should be viewed as government-sponsored terrorism
Friday, June 30, 2006 - 02:38 PM [Kods Time]
Iran's foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki called for intervention from the UN Security Council following Israel's military incursion into the Gaza Strip and its arrest of top Palestinian ministers.

Mottaki said at the United Nations that Israel's actions should be viewed as "government-sponsored terrorism." He said "this barbaric invasion is against all international laws and human principles,"

Mottaki said he had written to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan asking him to convene an emergency Security Council session that would agree a response to Israel's actions, which he called "a threat against international peace."


Mottaki was at the United Nations to attend a UN forum focused on preventing the illicit trade of small arms.

Venezuela
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez condemned Israel's assault saying Israel was emboldened to launch a new offensive against the Palestinians because of US backing.

Chavez called for respect for the Palestinians' sovereignty and said the attack came in defiance of the United Nations, and the international community. He said Israel's latest moves highlight the importance of countering what he called the dangers of US dominance in the world.

Iran: Israel's actions should be viewed as government-sponsored terrorism

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 Israeli attack leaves Arab neighbours in a quandary

ANGER flared across the Middle East yesterday over Israel’s assault on Gaza, and Arab governments faced the fallout, with opponents accusing them of impotence in helping the besieged Palestinians.

Fearing a flood of refugees, Egypt clamped a curfew on its Gaza border after Palestinians used a land mine to knock a hole in a border wall and tried to cross. Egyptian troops lined up as Palestinian security forces, firing shots in the air, blocked Palestinians trying to get through the opening.

Egypt also braced for a wave of pro-Palestinian protests called for by the government’s top rival, the Muslim Brotherhood, today, the day of weekly Islamic prayers.

Hoping to prevent the violence in Gaza from spinning out of control, Egyptian officials have been talking directly to the Damascus-based political leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, to push him to facilitate the release of an Israeli soldier abducted by militants at the centre of the crisis.

The Israeli offensive has put moderate Arab governments like Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in a tight corner. They have been cold to the new Hamas government, trying to push it to moderate its positions to keep the Arab-Israeli peace process alive, and have done little to help it amid the West’s financial boycott of the Palestinians.

But now they face the perception among the Arab public that they are leaving the Palestinians in the lurch.

The leader of the Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood blasted Arab governments for their impotence and called for a wave of protests after today’s prayers.

The 22-member Arab League held an emergency session calling for “urgent support” for the Palestinians.

But Abdul Khaleq Abdulla, a political scientist at Emirates University, said, “There’s absolutely nothing the Arab world can do. The Palestinians are left alone to go through all this by themselves.”

Israeli attack leaves Arab neighbours in a quandary

[Shammu]

The UN making a smart decision??!!


 

Thats what I though brother. 

[Shammu]

Arab states keep Israel in U.N. human rights dock
30 Jun 2006 18:43:53 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, June 30 (Reuters) - Arab and Muslim states on Friday put the occupied Palestinian territories on the permanent agenda of the U.N. Human Rights Council, overcoming Israeli and Western objections to singling out alleged abuses by the Jewish state.

A resolution to re-examine the issue at future sessions, brought by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), easily won passage at the 47-member forum.

A second OIC resolution, expressing deep concern at an "increasing trend of defamation of religions" and incitement to religious hatred, was also adopted along similar voting lines.

The two votes, on the final day of the Rights Council's inaugural two-week session, were seen as divisive.

Many states and rights activists had hoped all decisions would be taken by consensus to avoid the acrimony that marked the council's predecessor body, the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, which also debated Palestinian issues at each session.

Israel kept up an offensive in Gaza on Friday, where warplanes set ablaze the Interior Ministry offices on the third day of an operation aimed at recovering an army corporal seized in a cross-border raid on Sunday.

The vote to examine the situation in the Palestinian territories at future sessions passed with 29 countries in favour, 12 against, five abstentions and one delegation absent.

The resolution also called for existing U.N. human rights investigators, known as special rapporteurs, to report on the situation in the territories at the next session in September.

Regional powers including Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria were among the resolution's sponsors.

Western countries, including Britain, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan, voted against the text. The United States did not stand for election and only had observer status.

Itzkhak Levanon, Israel's ambassador, said in a speech before the vote that the OIC text was "imbalanced and intentionally one-sided".

"If this Council seeks to follow the discredited footsteps of the Commission, to encourage contention and selectivity rather than tolerance and objectivity, to lend itself to become a mere instrument of Israel bashing, politicised and subverted to propaganda, then it is clearly walking in that trail," he said.

Arab states keep Israel in U.N. human rights dock

[Shammu]

Exiled Hamas leaders under pressure
By Ian Pannell
BBC News, Damascus

It was just before 1200 in the Syrian capital and we were waiting for our contact.

We had been told to park our car at a crossroads in a middle-class suburb, not far from the city centre.

The sun was high and hot and we exchanged suspicious glances with the passengers of other cars.

Then a horn sounded behind us. An old Mercedes did a quick U-turn and sped off. This was our sign.

We were taken up into the hills that surround parts of Damascus, to a villa perched high above the city.

Our mobile phones were confiscated and all bags were thoroughly searched.

Anxiety

We had come to meet the deputy chairman of the militant Palestinian group, Hamas. Many of its members have been in exile in Syria for years.

The Israelis have killed leaders of the group before and few doubt that they will try again.

Indeed Khaled Meshaal, thought to be the group's political boss in Damascus, was once poisoned by agents posing as tourists when he was living in Jordan.

Now Israel has accused him of orchestrating the capture of Cpl Gilad Shalit. Security is always tight here but there is certainly apprehension if not anxiety in the air.

The deputy chairman of Hamas is Mousa Abu Marzook.

He shrugged off the threat against him and his colleagues as nothing new. "This has been Israeli policy for more than 50 years," he said.

He denied that the leadership in Damascus had ordered the capture of Cpl Shalit. This was the work of the group's military brigade, not the political leadership, he said.

Distinction

Mr Marzook compared his group to the Irish Republican movement, saying Hamas was one organisation but with two parts - an armed wing and a political wing.

It is an artificial distinction for some.

The Israelis, the Americans and many European countries think Hamas is essentially one organisation and that those who carry out attacks are following orders that emanate from the politicians, in particular those based here in Syria.

It is not just the Hamas leadership that is under pressure. Israeli warplanes flew over the Syrian president's summer residence this week.

The Israeli government accuses Syria of harbouring and supporting Palestinian militants.

Damascus denies the charge. The Syrian prime minister condemned the Israeli incursion and said the country would defend itself from any attack by Israel.

Some analysts believe that not only can Syria exert influence over Hamas but that it should.

Refugees

The country has been isolated internationally for some considerable time and the thinking goes that this would be a good time to try to improve its image by acting as a mediator.

Officially at least there is no sign of that although there have been some reports suggesting that President Assad has had a number of discussions with Hamas this week.

There are hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Syria. Many families fled during the 1948 and 1967 wars and they dream of one day being able to return.

They live in camps on the outskirts of the capital where large posters of Hamas figures and the former Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat are hung with pride.

There is plenty of support for the capture of the Israeli soldier here, and plenty of anger about the response.

But both Syrians and Palestinian refugees are apprehensive that the retaliation will be felt in Damascus.

Exiled Hamas leaders under pressure

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Israel’s performance ‘pretty good’ — U.S.
Israel’s performance in protecting innocents during its current strike on the Gaza Strip has been “pretty good,” the U.S. State Department said.

“Israel has taken actions it deems necessary for its defense,” spokesman Adam Ereli said Friday. “In terms of the protection of innocents, performance has been pretty good.” Ereli said, however, that Israel’s arrest of eight Palestinian Authority Cabinet members from Hamas and dozens of Hamas officials “raises particular concerns.”

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since Wednesday, days after gunmen affiliated with the ruling Hamas party and other terrorist groups attacked an Israeli army base, killing two soldiers and kidnapping a third. A number of countries and the United Nations have slammed Israel for harming Gaza infrastructure during the operation.

Israel’s performance ‘pretty good’ — U.S.

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Israel defeated at UN Human Rights Council

With 29 countries in favor, 12 opposed, Arab countries pass decision according to which Council’s inspectors will prepare special report on human rights violations committed by Israel in territories, issue will be discussed in all Council meetings
Roee Nahmias

Diplomatic blow: The United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday accepted a resolution according to which human rights violations committed by Israel in the territories will be discussed on a permanent basis in all of the Council’s meetings.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva Yitzhak Levanon told Ynet in response: “I am very sorry that the Arab group took us back to the dark ages of the committee which passed away due to such behavior.”

Levanon was furious following the special discussion summoned by Arab and Muslim counties in the Council, which only began its work a week ago, replacing the Human Rights Committee – the UN’s previous human rights body, which was dissolved in a bid to establish a body in which countries violating human rights would not be able to serve.

Arab and Muslim countries succeeded in obtaining the signatures of one-third of the 47 Council members in order to hold a special discussion on “human rights violations by Israel in the territories” during the Council’s first session.

In the temperamental discussion, the Arab and Muslim bloc proposed a resolution according to which the Council’s inspectors would prepare a report on the Israeli violations of human rights in the territories for the Council’s next session scheduled for September.

In addition, the Israeli violations issue will also be discussed on a permanent basis every time the Council convenes. The next sessions are expected in December and in March, but one-third of the members will be able to summon special discussions, as they did Friday.

'How would you react?'

In a harsh address during the discussion, Levanon slammed the conduct of the Hamas-led government in particular and the Palestinians in general, who “kill children and women and fire Qassam rockets at Israel,” while Israel is doing all in its power to maintain restraint.

“If this would be happening in your country, how would you react?” Levanon asked the meeting attendees.

At the end of the discussion, Israel suffered a bitter but expected diplomatic defeat, with 29 countries voting in favor of the resolution proposed by the Arab bloc, which includes Algeria, Djibouti, Morocco, Tunisia, Bahrain, Indonesia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Twelve countries opposed the resolution, including the European Union countries, Switzerland and Japan. The rest of the countries abstained. 

“I am happy that the European bloc showed its solidarity and supported us. Now the entire world knows which body is sabotaging the new council’s functioning,” Ambassador Levanon told Ynet at the end of the discussion.

The Arab countries also asked the Council members to hold a special session as soon as possible in order to discuss what is taking place in the territories and in Arab countries. The Syrian ambassador mentioned the Israel Air Force’s flight over President Bashar Assad’s palace this week.

According to estimations, the special discussion will be held next week.

Israel defeated at UN Human Rights Council

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Amnesty slams Israeli policy in Territories

In Report on state of world's human rights, organization claims Israel behind repeated human rights violations in Palestinian territories. State accused of unlawful killings of Palestinians, injustice at courts, and of imposing restrictions that yield poverty
Ynetnews

In its annual 2006 report, Amnesty International harshly criticizes Israel's policy towards the Palestinians in the territories, branding some of the army's operations 'unlawful' and stating soldiers have often used "excessive force" in dealings with civilians.

Some 190 Palestinians, including around 50 children, were killed by Israeli forces, and 50 Israelis, including six children, were killed by Palestinian armed groups, the report stated.

"Israeli forces carried out unlawful attacks and routinely used excessive force against peaceful demonstrators protesting against the destruction of Palestinian agricultural land and the Israeli army's construction of the fence/wall," the report claimed.

According to Amnesty "Israeli soldiers and settlers responsible for unlawful killings and other abuses against Palestinians… generally had impunity."

The human rights organization further claimed that despite Israel's withdrawal from Gush Katif last summer, the country continued to build and expand illegal settlements, and the security fence itself.

"Military blockades and restrictions impose by Israel," the report stated, "continued to cause high unemployment and poverty among the Palestinian population."

Military courts slammed

The report also issued a scathing attack against the Israeli justice system in the Territories, claiming that trials before military courts "often did not meet international standards of fairness, with allegations of torture and ill-treatment of detainees inadequately investigated."

Meanwhile, Amnesty asserted, soldiers and settlers who committed offences against Palestinians were rarely prosecuted or convicted.

According to the group, while settlers "repeatedly attacked Palestinians and their property," the army in most cases "failed to intervene and often responded to settles' attacks by imposing further restrictions on the local Palestinian population."

Amnesty slams Israeli policy in Territories

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June 30, 2006
Jordan condemns Israeli Gaza offensive
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Jordan on Thursday condemned the ongoing Israeli massive ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Jordanian government spokesman Nasser Judeh said that Jordan was upset by the continuation of the Israeli military operation against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, slamming it as "a collective punishment."

Jordan also condemned the arrest campaign in the occupied West Bank, Judeh added, urging Israel to stop its operations in the Palestinian territories and calling on the two sides to exercise restraint to avoid escalation of violence.

The Jordanian government spokesman also urged Israel to "give a real chance" to efforts aimed to revive the long-stalled peace process.

He also called upon all the Palestinian factions to deal with the situation "in a way that serves the higher Palestinian interests and the Palestinian people."

The Israeli army started a broad ground operation into the Gaza Strip on early Wednesday in a bid to rescue an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants on Sunday.

Israeli troops also launched a large-scale arrest campaign in the West Bank on early Thursday, detaining eight ministers of the Hamas-led Palestinian government and over 20 Hamas legislators in a move to mount pressures on the Palestinian government over the abduction case.

Jordan condemns Israeli Gaza offensive

[Shammu]

Amnesty International accuses Israel of war crimes in Gaza, urges UN action
POL-UN-HRW-GAZA
Amnesty International accuses Israel of war crimes in Gaza, urges UN action

UNITED NATIONS, June 30 (KUNA) -- Amnesty International on Friday accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza and the Palestinian militias of violation of fundamental principles of international law by kidnapping Corporal Gilad Shalit and killing settler Eliyahu Asheri, urging the international community to act.

"Deliberate attacks by Israeli forces against civilian property and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip violate international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes," Amnesty International said in a statement distributed here.

Israel "must now take urgent measures to remedy the long-term damage it has caused and immediately restore the supply -- at its own cost -- of electricity and water to the Palestinian population in the affected areas," the organization said.

"As the occupying power, Israel is bound under international law to protect and safeguard the basic human rights of the Palestinian population," it added.

The extensive damage caused by Israeli artillery and air strikes against these facilities in recent days is estimated at several millions of US dollars and will require months of work to repair.

"Unless alternative emergency measures are promptly put in place to restore electricity and water supply, the consequences could be dire for the health of the Palestinian population," it warned.

The organization also said that the hostage-taking of Corporal Gilad Shalit and the killing of Eliyahu Asheri, the 18 year old settler, by Palestinian militias "violate fundamental principles of international law," calling at the same time for the immediate release of Corporal Shalit "unharmed." "Both sides to this current stand-off should refrain from taking actions which violate international law and take steps to provide redress for the abuses they have committed," it said, urging the international community to act, as it has an obligation to do so under the Geneva Convention.

Amnesty International accuses Israel of war crimes in Gaza, urges UN action