December 10, 2007

Middle East News: World Press Roundup

The Associated Press reports on comments by Israeli vice-PM Ramon that shed light on the Israeli government position on jerusalem in the lead up to negotiations (2.) Americans For Peace Now presents its weekly translations of excerpts from the Israeli press (4.) In the New Republic, contributing editor Yossi Halevi interviews figures in the Israeli defense establishment to reveal a major disconnect between the U.S. and Israel over the National Intelligence Estimate on Iranian nuclear weaponization (5.) The Guardian (UK) examines the continuing repercussions of the NIE report on Israeli politicians and the media (7.) The Sunday Herald (UK) looks at how the blockade of Gaza has impacted the strip's health-care system (9.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) opinion by Rami Khpuri sees the announced expansion of the Har Homa settlement in occupied East Jerusalem as a test for both the U.S. and the Palestinian leadership (10.) A Haaretz (Israel) opinion by Akiva Eldar views the Har Homa issue as a test for Annapolis, drawing lessons from the first crisis related to that settlement in 1997 (12.)

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Eu Urges Israel To Stick To Peace Commitments

The European Union joined the United States on Monday in expressing concern about new Israeli settlement activity and urged Israel to stick to its commitments in Middle East peace efforts.

"I am very concerned," EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told reporters when asked about Israel's plan to build 300 homes and other units on land captured in the 1967 Middle East war.

Israeli Intends To Keep Jerusalem Areas

A key ally of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Israel will hold on to all Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem but would have to relinquish Arab neighborhoods in a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

The comments by Vice Premier Haim Ramon appeared aimed at defusing U.S. criticism of an Israeli plan to expand one of its Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, the section Palestinians claim as capital of a future state.

December 10, 2007 - Vol. 9, Issue 14

ADDING A WALL IN JERUSALEM: Israel issued a tender Tuesday for the construction of 307 new homes in Har Homa, an East Jerusalem neighborhood near Bethlehem. Har Homa, where about 4,000 Israelis now live, lies in territory that Israel de facto annexed in 1967 in an act that also expanded Jerusalem’s municipal boundaries.

 

Annapolis Outcome "proves Arab Failure"

n the wake of last month's Annapolis conference, some quarters of Arab officialdom express optimism that the talks might yet lead to a settlement of the perennial Israel-Palestine conflict. Many independent analysts, however, saw the event as little more than an exercise in submission.

"Annapolis was proof of total Arab failure," Gamal Zahran, political science professor at the Suez Canal University and independent parliamentarian, told IPS. "It confirmed the ability of the Zionist U.S. administration to force its will on Arab capitals."

Simply Lies

It is impossible to announce the beginning of a new settlement at the end of Annapolis and say you truly desire peace. The good intentions of Israel, as it has pronounced them with regards to peace, are simply lies. Just because Israel’s decision to build more homes on occupied land comes on the heels of the Annapolis summit does not make the move any more appalling. Building more settlements on Palestinian land is against the law, pure and simple, regardless of Annapolis.

The Har Homa Test

t is difficult to think of a place more suitable than Har Homa for holding the first test in the spirit of Annapolis. The comparison between Har Homa Crisis No. 2 and the development of Har Homa Crisis No. 1 can teach us whether the Israeli-Palestinian peace process has indeed started a new track or whether all the players are stuck on the old line.

The Grim Reality In Gaza

Traffic in the Gaza Strip slowed to a trickle last week, and this week medical centres have scaled back treatment in the medicines and sustenance-destitute Strip.

"Israel’s decision is a death penalty: our reserve of fuel is almost zero and it may very likely run out by the end of today," said Khaled Radi, Ministry of Health spokesman for the dismissed Hamas government.

Hamas Builds Separate Courts In Gaza

While all eyes were turned to the meeting at Annapolis late last month, Hamas' government in the Gaza Strip tightened its grip on three important civilian institutions: the court system, the municipality and the Central Palestinian Bureau of Statistics.

In taking over these branches of governance, Hamas deepened the institutional rift between its dominion and the Fatah-led West Bank. The fact that these institutions are now under Hamas' auspices add to the Strip's character as a separate entity.

The 'four-phase' Approach

In May 1996, permanent status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian leadership officially began. I represented Israel and my Palestinian counterpart was Mahmoud Abbas. The discussion of permanent status issues lasted only two hours.

Instead, we opted to commence our negotiations by talking about the desired outcome of Israel's and the future Palestinian state's relations. We intended to give this focus several months' time and to postpone resolution of the final status issues to the last stage.

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