November 6, 2008

Middle East News: World Press Roundup

Israel demolishes four Palestinian buildings in East Jerusalem (1). British customs officials express concern over goods produced in Israeli settlements that may be avoiding proper import taxes (2). Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s Middle East visit is underway, with little expectation for any late breakthroughs (3) (4). Hamas arrests dozens of Fatah activists in the Gaza strip (5). The area chief for the World Bank states that the Palestinian economy is being crippled by Israeli restrictions (6). Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is set to visit President Bush in Washington later this month (7).

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Clashes as Israel flattens homes

Israel demolished four unauthorised Palestinian-owned buildings in occupied East Jerusalem in one day, triggering clashes in one Arab neighbourhood.

Palestinian youths threw stones at police and a demolition unit in Silwan, where two homes were razed.

A house in Shuafat and a wedding hall in Beit Hanina also were demolished.

Human rights groups have criticised homes demolitions, saying it is often impossible for Palestinians to obtain permits in Israeli-occupied areas.

The Israeli authorities said they were applying the law by removing structures built illegally without permits.

Concern over Israel settlement exports

British customs officials are "strongly concerned" that Israeli-produced goods made in settlements on the occupied West Bank may be circumventing import taxes en-route to British high streets, the BBC's Tim Franks learns.

The British Government believes that Israeli settlements on occupied territory are illegal. So does every other government in the world, except for Israel.

For that reason goods produced on settlements in the West Bank are not supposed to benefit from a free trade agreement between the EU and Israel. They are supposed to be subject to import duty.

Mideast peace: one more push

Less than a year after President Bush launched an effort to reach a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by the end of his term, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sets out Wednesday on what could be a final push to put Mr. Bush's stamp on the sputtering peace process.

White House says Israeli-Palestinian deal unlikely

The White House acknowledged for the first time on Thursday that Israel and the Palestinians were unlikely to reach a peace deal before President George W. Bush leaves office in January.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, beginning a four-day visit to the Middle East, said Israel's decision to call a parliamentary election, scheduled for February 10, had created a "different situation" that made it "very difficult" to come to an agreement.

Hamas arrests dozens of Fatah activists: Fatah

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah group said Hamas forces arrested dozens of its activists in the GazaStrip on Thursday in an attempt to sabotage Egyptian efforts to reconcile the rival factions.

Nine of the detainees, including a senior Fatah lawmaker, were later released but about 40 others remained in custody, Fatah sources said.

Egypt hopes to end the factional fighting by hosting unity talks from November 9.

World Bank: Palestinian economy could flourish if Israel eased restrictions

The Palestinian economy has "incredible potential" that could be unleashed if Israel eases restrictions on Palestinian movement, the area's World Bank chief said Wednesday, a day after a high-level World Bank delegation inaugurated a sewage storage facility in a rare trip to Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Olmert heads to D.C. to wrangle last favors from Bush

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will visit President George Bush in Washington later this month in an attempt to reach last minute agreements and extract a number of promises before both leaders step down.

Olmert is looking for commitments from Bush on the peace process with the Palestinians, U.S. military aid and various arms deals.

Gaza truce in jeopardy after Hamas-Israeli clashes

Hamas militants pounded southern Israel with a barrage of rockets Wednesday, hours after Israeli soldiers killed six gunmen in new violence that threatened a five-month-old truce that has brought relief to both Gaza and southern Israel.

The clashes began late Tuesday after Israeli forces burst into Gaza to destroy what the army said was a tunnel being dug near the border to kidnap Israeli troops.

Despite the outbreak of violence, both the Israeli authorities and officials with Gaza's Hamas government said they wanted to restore the calm that has largely prevailed for five months.

P.A.- Israeli File to ‘Move Smoothly’ to Obama

An American committee headed by Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Welch is preparing a detailed file on the ongoing negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis ahead of submitting it to the new United States administration, The Media Line (TML) has learned.

Yassir ‘Abd Rabboh, top aide to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas, said that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had informed the Palestinians of this development at their meeting with her in New York in September.

Quartet in Final Push Before Bush Term Ends

Representatives of the Quartet, the four international players trying to outline a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are meeting in Sharm A-Sheikh on Sunday in a bid to push forward the peace process before U.S. President George W. Bush’s term ends in January.

Officials from the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia will meet in the Egyptian resort to assess their progress up until now.

They also want to ensure that talks will continue after general elections take place in Israel in February.

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