PRINT ALL
EMAIL TO A FRIEND
DOWNLOAD TO PDF
RSSEvents | Daily News | About Us | Resources | Contact Us | Donate | Site Map | Privacy Policy
[5]
srael faces a growing potential of a devastating war in Gaza like the 2006 conflict in southern Lebanon that killed hundreds and wrecked large parts of the region, a senior Israeli official said today.
Sallai Meridor, Israel's ambassador to the United States, said the extremist group Hamas is importing longer-range missiles, anti-tank weapons, mines and other weapons into Gaza through the border with Egypt.
The United Nations urged Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Egypt on Tuesday to develop a new strategy aimed at ending the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza Strip.
Quartet members and parties in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been told by the UN to actively pursue a "positive strategy" to end rocket firing and suicide attacks against Israel and meet Gazans' humanitarian needs, the UN special envoy for the Middle East peace process, Robert Serry, told the UN Security Council in a public meeting.
The Palestinian government plans to connect more areas of the Gaza Strip to the Egyptian electricity grid, the head of the Palestinian Energy Authority said Tuesday, a move that would reduce the area's reliance on Israel for power.
The proposal also would bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' claim to represent Gaza, which was taken over last June by the Hamas militant group after routing Abbas' forces. Abbas now rules from the West Bank and wields little control over Gaza.
Tokyo: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Tuesday he would make every effort to reach an agreement with Palestinians that would lead to a two-state solution resolving decades-old conflict.
"In these days we are making exceptional efforts to conclude all differences with our neighbours and to resolve outstanding disputes with our Palestinian neighbours," Olmert told a business conference in Tokyo, where he is making his first visit as Prime Minister.
Fourteen masked gunmen burst into Gaza City's YMCA library last week, overpowered two guards and laid explosive charges. One of the bombs later exploded, engulfing the building in fire, destroying most of the library's 10,000 books, which were used mostly by high-school and university students.
The other explosive charge was later safely defused by police while the guards were released unharmed in the north of the Gaza Strip.
One of the more vexing questions these days is how each of the leading presidential candidates in the United States would deal with the tumult in the Middle East. Would an Obama, Clinton or McCain administration be able to tame the raging fires in Iraq and Palestine and prevent the one that may be ignited in Lebanon? Or would it all be more of the same regardless of who is the new tenant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? There is qualified good news and unqualified bad news.
Following the establishment of diplomatic relations by Costa Rica with what it calls "The State of Palestine" on 5 February 2008, the Israeli authorities have decided to postpone a meeting between Costa Rican president Oscar Arias and Israel's deputy minister of foreign affairs Majalli Whbee.
The meeting was due to take place on Wednesday.
Agreement between Costa Rica and the Palestinian Authority was reached in early February by Palestinian observer to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, and Costa Rica's ambassador to the UN, Jorge Urbina.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed on Tuesday the importance of ending the dispute over controlling the border crossing points between Gaza Strip and Egypt as early as possible amidst the Israeli self-imposed blockade on the strip.
The issue is being thoroughly discussed by the Palestinian, the Egyptian and the Israeli leaders, Abbas said in a press release after his meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday that he is not certain Israel and the Palestinian Authority will be able to reach a peace agreement by the end of 2008, as they committed themselves to doing in the November U.S.-sponsored Annapolis conference.
"We have a desire to reach an agreement within the year 2008," Olmert told a business conference in Tokyo, where he is making his first visit as prime minister. "I am not sure we will make it, but we are determined to make a giant step forward to end this dispute once and for all."
Doha - To act wisely, we need to know as much as possible about others and also about ourselves; one path to such knowledge is dialogue.
In that quest, we convene this year at a moment of great anticipation. Arab-Israeli peace talks have recommenced. In Iraq, signs of hope are visible amid ongoing strife. And in November, the United States will choose a new president.
Links:
[1] http://www.americantaskforce.org/print/5897
[2] http://www.americantaskforce.org/printmail/5897
[3] http://www.americantaskforce.org/printpdf/5897
[4] http://www.americantaskforce.org/rss/wpr
[5] http://www.americantaskforce.org/world_press_roundup/20080226t000000
[6] http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/world/bal-gaza0226,0,7819254.story
[7] http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=958353&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1
[8] http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3511497,00.html
[9] http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Middle_East/10192844.html
[10] http://www.metimes.com/International/2008/02/26/gazas_christians_fear_the_future/8912/
[11] http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=5&article_id=89292
[12] http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Politics/?id=1.0.1914777988
[13] http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=1074560
[14] http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=958244&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1
[15] http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=22677&lan=en&sid=1&sp=0&isNew=1
Front Page Features