Attila Somfalvi: "Decision nearing: Defense minister meets with leaders of reservists' protest movement, promises to announce next moves after reviewing Winograd report; reservists urge Barak to quit, say they view him as 'part of solution'. Defense Minister Ehud Barak met with the leaders of the reservists' protest movement Thursday evening and promised to announce his views on the Winograd report in the near future. "You are the salt of the earth," Barak told the two leaders, Yakir Segev and Tomer Buhadana. "I will announce my position after I finish reading the Winograd report." In recent weeks Barak repeatedly said that he will decide on his next moves only after reading the report, and that he will do "what's best for the country." + Netanyahu goes on the offensive: Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu issued a scathing attack on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Thursday evening and called on Defense Minister Ehud Barak to deliver on an earlier promise and quit the government. "The prime minister is dodging responsibility. Responsibility means doing what the army chief and defense minister did," Netanyahu said at a press conference convened at Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv in the wake of the Winograd report's publication. + Shortly after the opposition leader called for Olmert's ousting, he was challenged by Public Security Minister Avi Dichter during an interview on Channel 2. Dichter said that Olmert needs to continue serving as prime minister, and he predicted that the present government will stay in office until the next elections in 2009. The public security minister also tried to explain away the criticism that the government has not acted fast enough to implement the recommendations of the Winograd Committee. "Not all of the problems which were discussed in the report were fixed, and it's not reasonable that they would all be fixed after only a year and a half," Dichter said.
Amnesty International called a report published yesterday by the Winograd Commission on Israel's conduct in the war with Hizbullah in July-August 2006 "deeply flawed." The organization said that the report failed to investigate a crucial aspect of the war -- the government policies and military strategies that failed to discriminate between the Lebanese civilian population and Hizbullah combatants and between civilian property and infrastructure and military targets. "This was yet another missed opportunity to address the policies and decisions behind the grave violations of international humanitarian law -- including war crimes -- committed by Israeli forces," said Malcolm Smart, Middle East and North Africa Program director. "The indiscriminate killings of many Lebanese civilians not involved in the hostilities and the deliberate and wanton destruction of civilian properties and infrastructure on a massive scale were given no more than token consideration by the commission," said Smart.
Top-Analyst Daniel Levy: "Five -initial- comments on the Winograd Report and its aftermath": 1) Rumors of Ehud Olmert’s political demise have been greatly exaggerated. The Report was nowhere near as politically devastating as had been anticipated. The PM is breathing a sigh of relief, and the wind has gone out of the sails of the protest campaign of his political opponents. [...] Ich erläuterte bereits das erst das Wochenende, nach Barak eventuell später hier Klarheit bringt. Erst wenn wir wissen wie sich Barak entscheidet können wir die dimension der kommenden Auseinandersetzung abschätzen. Die von Daniel Levy erwähnten Artikel in der Haaretz: 1. Tom Segev: The public relying on today's flood of analysis should also remember that none of these commentators have closely read the whole report. The most important thing one can write this morning is that the report is on the Internet and can be read in full. [Naja, die Realität des Krieges und die Realität seiner Ereignisse ließen bereits letztes Jahr zu das man eine persönliche Entscheidung fällt. In dem Bericht wird sicher nichts Neues stehen und den "GEHEIMEN" Bereich werden wir nicht zu lesen bekommen. Deswegen ist auch Barak zu empfehlen diesen Bereich sorgsam zu prüfen und sich Zeit zu lassen.] 2. Yossi Verter: The bottom line of the complete Winograd report is that there is no bottom line. More precisely, there are plenty of bottom lines and everyone is welcome to pick his own. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert comes out of this report neither honored nor disgraced. His rivals will find countless reasons in the report to demand his ouster just as they did beforehand: He failed in managing the war, in coordinating, planning and laying the groundwork. His supporters will find quite a few justifications for demanding that he remain, repair and atone for his sins - just as they did earlier. [Auf die Bedeutung der Commission in demokratischen Gebilden bin ich schon näher eingegangen. Der Satz: "Empfehlen den Rücktritt von ... auf den alle scheinbar warteten war nicht zu erwarten.]
Während die Lage an der Grenze zwischen Gaza und Israel scheinbar vollständig ruhig bleibt kommt es im Westjordanland zu kleineren "Rangeleien". Die Fatah verhaftet acht Hamasniks, die IDF prügelt in Kalkillia. Nach dem der Monat Januar als einer der Blutigsten in den letzten Jahren in die Annalen zu gehen drohte darf man seit einer Woche von einem faktischen Fast-Waffenstillstand sprechen, der nur durch rüpelnde IDFler unterbrochen wird. Irgendwie noch ein aftermath des Winograd-Reports: Deplatziert. Der Islamic Jihad schießt nach eigenen Angaben zwei Qassam-Raketen auf Sderot und al-Majdal. Ein Luftangriff der IAF zerstört die launcher. Von Opfern wird bislang nicht berichtet. [Die klassische Fehde zwischen der IDF und dem Islamic Jihad würde ich nicht überbewerten. Speparatkrieg.] European foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Mideast Quartet envoy Tony Blair are to travel to the Middle East next week to work out a solution for better access to Gaza, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said on Thursday. [Die werden BESTIMMT eine Lösung finden! Ganz sicher.] Egyptian border guards moved Thursday to prevent all car traffic from entering the country from the Gaza Strip, but still allowed hundreds of Palestinians in on foot. The development reflected Egypt's intentions to contain the influx from the breached boundary, but worries grew among the Gazans that the Egyptians could soon completely seal the border. [Zusätzlich werden einige Märchen durch die Ägypter in Umlauf gebracht: Fünf Selbstmordattentäter und 15 Hamasniks habe man auf dem Sinai verhaftet! ... Eine Randgeschichte: Damage to a submarine cable in the Mediterranean caused disruption to Internet services in Egypt and Kuwait and to telephone services in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, officials said. "A communication cable in the Mediterranean Sea was cut, which led to partial disruptions to Internet and communication services in Egypt," Egyptian Minister of Communication and Information Technology Tareq Kamel said. The minister, who did not elaborate, said an emergency team had been formed to try to find alternative communication channels, with a ministry statement saying it could take several days for services to return to normal. In Kuwait, the communications ministry said two cables in the Mediterranean off Alexandria had been cut, affecting traffic around the region, and causing slower than normal service in the Gulf emirate. Spokesman Ahmed Ramadan said the incident was the result of "weather conditions and maritime traffic" and that it would take 12 to 15 days to repair the cables. Derzeit darf für Ägypten das verfügbare Potential mit 10% angenommen werden. Nahezu von der aussenwelt abgeschnitten.] In Cairo meanwhile, the Syria-based radical Hamas leader Khaled Meshal was expected to talk with Egyptian officials, about the border crisis Thursday. The militant group is seeking to return to the political stage and maintain its influence on the frontier, after it wrestled control of Gaza in clashes last June with their bitter rival, the Palestinian Fatah. But it was unclear what Hamas could achieve in the talks, after moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made it clear during a visit to Cairo Wednesday he will not be pressured into working with them. Abbas categorically refused to talk with Hamas until it recognizes the 2005 international border agreement and repudiated the summer coup that brought it to power in the strip. = Nichts Neues. Interessant: As Palestinians trudged across the Rafah border to stock up, Yahya Salama had another mission -- to sell Israeli-style greenhouses in Egypt.
The Yemin Yehuda non-profit association has begun building 200 housing units in the Shimon Hatzaddik compound, in the heart of East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarra neighborhood. In the process, the organization intends to demolish the homes of dozens of Palestinian families who live there. This neighborhood is in a strategic location: If Yemin Yehuda completes its plan, it will cut the Old City off from the Palestinian neighborhoods in northern Jerusalem.
Donnerstag, 31. Januar 2008
IDF kills One
Das Monatsende bringt das 99.te Opfer einer israelischen Militäraktion: Ein einzeln operierender Palästinenser der al-Aqsa-Brigaden attackiert israelische Grenzeinheiten und wird nach angeblich zweistündigem Gefecht getötet.
Erwartungsgemäß überlagert das Thema "Winograd-Report" vollständig sämtliche anderen Themen. Ein kurz und bündiger Kommentar von Avi Primor. DEr Kernpunkt des Berichts ist ein als äußerst fraglich zu bezeichnendes Urteil über die letzten 60 Stunden den Krieges als Olmerts Kabinett beschloß 33 israelsiche Soldaten ohne einen ersichtlichen Grund zu verheizen. Dieser Blutzoll wird durch die Winograder als "aktzeptabele Entscheidung" im Sinne der israelischen Strategie bezeichnet. Falsch, aber aktzeptabel. Ohne Ergebnis, aber aktzeptabel. Ehud Olmert, dessen Bild als "zu Tränen gerührter" Leser des Berichts gezeichnet wird findet sich durch diese Aussage reingewaschen ["lifting the moral stigma from me"]. Daneben toben die taktischen Spielchen, ohne das sich bislang die Schlüsselfigur Ehud Barak zu Wort gemeldet hat. A day after the release of a final, critical report on the handling of the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told allies on Thursday that he would not step down as prime minister as the inquiry findings had granted him a reprieve and a boost for U.S.-backed peace talks with the Palestinians. An official in Olmert's office said on Thursday the prime minister would implement recommendations laid out by the government-appointed panel and would "continue to work." Political allies said Olmert would not quit, and would soon try to build a broader coalition better placed to pursue divisive talks to forge a deal on Palestinian statehood before U.S. President George W. Bush leaves office in a year. [Broader = Wer hübsch brav ist darf ins Bettchen der Koalition und Pfründe aufhäufen. Süß.] Weitere Stimmen: The Second Lebanon War was a missed opportunity, but the decision to go into it was correct, former defense minister Amir Peretz said on Thursday, following publication of the Winograd Committee's final report. "I agree with Winograd that the war was a grave and large missed opportunity, but for a missed opportunity to be created, there needs to be a reality that is being missed," he told reporters. ... Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said on Thursday that an Israel's inquiry report on the war against Hezbollah guerrillas in 2006 set the scene for a possible future conflict and failed to address "Israel's crimes against Lebanon." The government-appointed Winograd Commission issued a report on Wednesday that criticized the conduct of the army and government during the war, but which endorsed key decisions made at the time by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Der Verantwortungsverschiebebahnhof geht auch in die weitere Vergangenheit zurück.
Die einzige mit Klartext in diesem Wust aus substanzlosem "An der Macht festhalten" ist Shelly Yachimovitch, die die Partnerschaft ihrer Avoda mit der Kadima als falsch und schlecht bezeichnet. Dazu werden polls geschaltet, die sich absolut widersprechen. Ich zeige einen link davon, jedoch die Aussgagen bei anderen Medien sind teilweise genau umkehrt. Ein System jedoch scheint sich zu bestätigen. Die Popularität Olmerts steigt, die Mehrheit will ihn zum Rücktritt gedrängt sehen. Damit wären wir wieder beim alten Thema der Polarisierung.
Ari Shavit, "The publics turn to speak": Ever since he became prime minister, Ehud Olmert has never delivered an truthful speech about the state of the nation. Olmert has excelled at incendiary war speeches and mendacious peace speeches and he has surpassed himself in spin speeches and in lawyer speeches, but on his high horse, he has never said a word about the state of the nation. Yesterday, in snowy Jerusalem, Judge (ret.) Eliyahu Winograd had a great deal to say. The measured and harsh words that he read off the pages constituted not only a comprehensive analysis of the failure of the Second Lebanon War. They were a probing description of the state of the nation. Winograd exonerated Olmert of accusations of malice concerning the final ground operation. However, the justice and the committee he headed convicted the prime minister with respect to managing the war. They found serious failings and shortcomings in the decision-making processes and staff work in the political and the military echelons, they found serious failings and flaws in the lack of strategic thinking and planning. They asserted that the management of the battle was inadequate and was done without orderly discussion and without an unequivocal decision.
Aus Zeitgründen ... mehr später.
Erwartungsgemäß überlagert das Thema "Winograd-Report" vollständig sämtliche anderen Themen. Ein kurz und bündiger Kommentar von Avi Primor. DEr Kernpunkt des Berichts ist ein als äußerst fraglich zu bezeichnendes Urteil über die letzten 60 Stunden den Krieges als Olmerts Kabinett beschloß 33 israelsiche Soldaten ohne einen ersichtlichen Grund zu verheizen. Dieser Blutzoll wird durch die Winograder als "aktzeptabele Entscheidung" im Sinne der israelischen Strategie bezeichnet. Falsch, aber aktzeptabel. Ohne Ergebnis, aber aktzeptabel. Ehud Olmert, dessen Bild als "zu Tränen gerührter" Leser des Berichts gezeichnet wird findet sich durch diese Aussage reingewaschen ["lifting the moral stigma from me"]. Daneben toben die taktischen Spielchen, ohne das sich bislang die Schlüsselfigur Ehud Barak zu Wort gemeldet hat. A day after the release of a final, critical report on the handling of the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told allies on Thursday that he would not step down as prime minister as the inquiry findings had granted him a reprieve and a boost for U.S.-backed peace talks with the Palestinians. An official in Olmert's office said on Thursday the prime minister would implement recommendations laid out by the government-appointed panel and would "continue to work." Political allies said Olmert would not quit, and would soon try to build a broader coalition better placed to pursue divisive talks to forge a deal on Palestinian statehood before U.S. President George W. Bush leaves office in a year. [Broader = Wer hübsch brav ist darf ins Bettchen der Koalition und Pfründe aufhäufen. Süß.] Weitere Stimmen: The Second Lebanon War was a missed opportunity, but the decision to go into it was correct, former defense minister Amir Peretz said on Thursday, following publication of the Winograd Committee's final report. "I agree with Winograd that the war was a grave and large missed opportunity, but for a missed opportunity to be created, there needs to be a reality that is being missed," he told reporters. ... Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said on Thursday that an Israel's inquiry report on the war against Hezbollah guerrillas in 2006 set the scene for a possible future conflict and failed to address "Israel's crimes against Lebanon." The government-appointed Winograd Commission issued a report on Wednesday that criticized the conduct of the army and government during the war, but which endorsed key decisions made at the time by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Der Verantwortungsverschiebebahnhof geht auch in die weitere Vergangenheit zurück.
Die einzige mit Klartext in diesem Wust aus substanzlosem "An der Macht festhalten" ist Shelly Yachimovitch, die die Partnerschaft ihrer Avoda mit der Kadima als falsch und schlecht bezeichnet. Dazu werden polls geschaltet, die sich absolut widersprechen. Ich zeige einen link davon, jedoch die Aussgagen bei anderen Medien sind teilweise genau umkehrt. Ein System jedoch scheint sich zu bestätigen. Die Popularität Olmerts steigt, die Mehrheit will ihn zum Rücktritt gedrängt sehen. Damit wären wir wieder beim alten Thema der Polarisierung.
Ari Shavit, "The publics turn to speak": Ever since he became prime minister, Ehud Olmert has never delivered an truthful speech about the state of the nation. Olmert has excelled at incendiary war speeches and mendacious peace speeches and he has surpassed himself in spin speeches and in lawyer speeches, but on his high horse, he has never said a word about the state of the nation. Yesterday, in snowy Jerusalem, Judge (ret.) Eliyahu Winograd had a great deal to say. The measured and harsh words that he read off the pages constituted not only a comprehensive analysis of the failure of the Second Lebanon War. They were a probing description of the state of the nation. Winograd exonerated Olmert of accusations of malice concerning the final ground operation. However, the justice and the committee he headed convicted the prime minister with respect to managing the war. They found serious failings and shortcomings in the decision-making processes and staff work in the political and the military echelons, they found serious failings and flaws in the lack of strategic thinking and planning. They asserted that the management of the battle was inadequate and was done without orderly discussion and without an unequivocal decision.
Aus Zeitgründen ... mehr später.
Mittwoch, 30. Januar 2008
Libanon-updates
Investigators looking into Sunday's riots in the Beirut suburb of Shiyyah, which left nine dead and dozens wounded, say they have taken statements from witnesses, victims, individuals detained by the army, and journalists who were in the area as the event unfolded. State Prosecutor Saeed Mirza met investigators Wednesday morning to review the progress of the inquiry into events around the Mar Mikhael intersection. The meeting included Advocate General Jocelyn Tabet, the government representative at the Military Tribunal, Judge Jean Fahd, and military police chief Brigadier Nabil Ghafry. The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday quoted unidentified sources as saying that after closer scrutiny, it was determined that the snipers seen on nearby rooftops by witnesses and in television footage were in fact army troops. Die Gerüchte brodeln.
Meanwhile, the pro-opposition al-Akhbar newspaper said Hizbullah and Amal movement were waiting for the results of the investigation into Sunday's riots before announcing their stance regarding their support for consensus presidential candidate army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman. The paper said Hizbullah and Amal would convey their stand to Arab League chief Amr Moussa, who is expected to return to Beirut soon to resume efforts to implement an Arab plan aimed at ending the prolonged political crisis. Arab League chief Amr Moussa warned Wednesday that should the Arab initiative fail to resolve the impasse in Lebanon, international powers could intervene. Moussa, who was in Kuwait for a meeting with senior officials, told reporters that any further delay in electing a new president will harm the country's stability. "It is essential that a new president is elected as soon as possible. Any delay in electing a president is a blow to Lebanon's stability," Moussa said. "It is vital to rescue Lebanon from becoming a scene for regional conflicts," he added.
Khaled Yakoub Qweis: Legendary Lebanese singer Fairouz performed to a sell-out crowd in the Syrian capital on Monday, defying politicians who criticised her for going to what they consider enemy territory. The Arab diva, who burst onto the music scene on Damascus Radio in 1952, returned to the Syrian stage after an absence of two decades, and moved many of her fans in the Opera House audience to tears. She played the lead role in "Sah al-Nom", a musical satire about a careless ruler who is challenged by a poor woman, and received a standing ovation. The show was performed as part of cultural celebrations in the ancient city of Damascus, chosen as the 2008 Arab Capital of Culture.
Lebanon's public debt stood at $42.06 billion - or 171 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) - at the end of 2007, the Finance Ministry said in a new report issued on Wednesday. The debt, long a massive albatross crippling the state's finances, rose about 4.2 percent over the course of the preceding year, but economists said that there were some positives to be found on the state's balance sheet.
Across the Bay: As I finish up a long (and delayed) post summarizing and analyzing the developments of the last couple of weeks, including yesterday's riots, I wanted to make sure this item got the attention it deserves. The Kuwaiti al-Qabas ran a report today quoting Arab ministerial sources on the "difficult" Arab FM meeting that was held in Cairo on the 27th.
Großer [Großartiger] Text von Raghida Dergham: There are times when naming names becomes inevitable because any reluctance to do so, whether in the name of diplomacy, politics or any other consideration, may terribly discredit the hesitant party and hurt the victims of harmful maneuvering, be they innocent civilians in Palestine or an entire generation in Lebanon. There are times when entrusted mediators or self-proclaimed backchannels have to act according to their consciences under a moral and political responsibility that obliges them to name things as they are. There are times when accountability becomes inevitable because turning a blind eye, shifting blame, accepting an imposed status quo, or giving in to games aiming at buying time and eluding obligations can be costly for all concerned parties.
The list of those who should be confronted and demanded to end excess today bears several names:
* The Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak ...
Meanwhile, the pro-opposition al-Akhbar newspaper said Hizbullah and Amal movement were waiting for the results of the investigation into Sunday's riots before announcing their stance regarding their support for consensus presidential candidate army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman. The paper said Hizbullah and Amal would convey their stand to Arab League chief Amr Moussa, who is expected to return to Beirut soon to resume efforts to implement an Arab plan aimed at ending the prolonged political crisis. Arab League chief Amr Moussa warned Wednesday that should the Arab initiative fail to resolve the impasse in Lebanon, international powers could intervene. Moussa, who was in Kuwait for a meeting with senior officials, told reporters that any further delay in electing a new president will harm the country's stability. "It is essential that a new president is elected as soon as possible. Any delay in electing a president is a blow to Lebanon's stability," Moussa said. "It is vital to rescue Lebanon from becoming a scene for regional conflicts," he added.
Khaled Yakoub Qweis: Legendary Lebanese singer Fairouz performed to a sell-out crowd in the Syrian capital on Monday, defying politicians who criticised her for going to what they consider enemy territory. The Arab diva, who burst onto the music scene on Damascus Radio in 1952, returned to the Syrian stage after an absence of two decades, and moved many of her fans in the Opera House audience to tears. She played the lead role in "Sah al-Nom", a musical satire about a careless ruler who is challenged by a poor woman, and received a standing ovation. The show was performed as part of cultural celebrations in the ancient city of Damascus, chosen as the 2008 Arab Capital of Culture.
Lebanon's public debt stood at $42.06 billion - or 171 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) - at the end of 2007, the Finance Ministry said in a new report issued on Wednesday. The debt, long a massive albatross crippling the state's finances, rose about 4.2 percent over the course of the preceding year, but economists said that there were some positives to be found on the state's balance sheet.
Across the Bay: As I finish up a long (and delayed) post summarizing and analyzing the developments of the last couple of weeks, including yesterday's riots, I wanted to make sure this item got the attention it deserves. The Kuwaiti al-Qabas ran a report today quoting Arab ministerial sources on the "difficult" Arab FM meeting that was held in Cairo on the 27th.
Großer [Großartiger] Text von Raghida Dergham: There are times when naming names becomes inevitable because any reluctance to do so, whether in the name of diplomacy, politics or any other consideration, may terribly discredit the hesitant party and hurt the victims of harmful maneuvering, be they innocent civilians in Palestine or an entire generation in Lebanon. There are times when entrusted mediators or self-proclaimed backchannels have to act according to their consciences under a moral and political responsibility that obliges them to name things as they are. There are times when accountability becomes inevitable because turning a blind eye, shifting blame, accepting an imposed status quo, or giving in to games aiming at buying time and eluding obligations can be costly for all concerned parties.
The list of those who should be confronted and demanded to end excess today bears several names:
* The Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak ...
Winograd or Israels Dents of Democracy
Die ersten Veröffentlichungen des Wingrod-Reports über die Abläufe des Krieges mit dem Libanon 2006 weisen auf die Problematik der "parlamentarischen" oder "unabhängigen" Untersuchungskommissionen in Demokratien hin. Während sich die israelsichen Streitkräfte enorm um eine Umsetzung möglicher Ergebnisse des Berichts bekümmerten und die versagende Armeespitze frühzeitig abdanken ließen darf sich das Parlament wie zu befürchten parteiinterner Interessenpolitik widmen, die nicht dem Primat der Thematik sondern dem Primat der Regierungspfründe unterstellt ist. Sollte in diesem Fall der Labor-Chef Ehud Barak auf die Ausrufung von Neuwahlen [das Verlassen der Koalition darf heute Abend als sehr unwahrscheinlich gelten] verzichten bekommt der Souverän nicht die Gelegenheit seinen Willen kund zu tun. Damit dürfte eine Partei die auf Rang drei der Wählergunst seit längerer Zeit steht [und dies weiterhin mit riesigem Abstand] weiterhin als die Nummer 1 die Geschicke des Landes bestimmen. Diese demokratische Delle, die insgesamt westliche Karrosserien schmückt führt uns wieder einmal vor wie wenig entwickelt unsere Länder eigentlich sind. Nimmt man das Katsav-Beispiel als Gegenpunkt sieht man das ein möglicherweise qualitativ ordentlich Arbeitender Staatspräsident, der jedoch die Finger nicht von Frauen lassen kann abdanken muß, während poltische Versager deren Gefolgschaft erfolgreich die korrupten Spielchen des Versagers decken im amt bleiben dürfen.
Der Bericht selbst ist vernichtend: The Winograd Committee released its final report on the Second Lebanon War on Wednesday, saying the decision in principle to launch a major ground offensive in the waning hours of the 2006 war was essential, despite the fact that the offensive failed to achieve any military objectives. The committee called the war, which Israel launched against Hezbollah on July 12, 2006 after the militant group abducted two Israel Defense Forces soldiers and killed three others, a "major missed opportunity." Der Top-Versager nennt den Bericht "zufriedenstellen".
Kadima MKs rallied around Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday, calling on Defense Minister Ehud Barak to remain in the government in the wake of the Winograd Committee's final report on the Second Lebanon War. Vice Premier Haim Ramon, a close confidante of Olmert, said Barak must demonstrate national responsibility and remain in the government. Das schwere Geschütz der Sicherheits des Vaterlandes wird gegen die logische Konsequenz in Stellung gebracht. Meanwhile, a Channel 2 report conducted following the publication of the Winograd report showed that 56 percent of Israelis believe Olmert should quit. 27% said the prime minister should stay in office. Daneben wird umgehend der poltische Gegner als eigentliches Problem dargestellt: Coalition chairman Eli Aflalo (Kadima) said that "the irresponsible attempts by the opposition and Netanyahu to assassinate the prime minister's character, have come to an end. The committee determined that the decision to order a ground incursion was responsible and displayed good judgment. Netanyahu and his chorus of lunatics should apologize." Eine offizielle Stellungnahme Ehud Baraks steht noch aus. Das Lob: The Israel Defense Forces did not exactly wait trembling for the conclusive Winograd war probe report. This is mainly due to the fact that senior members of the establishment have already taken responsibility for their actions and quit the army a number of months after the war. It should be recalled that the IDF already referred to the subject with the publication of the report into the Second Lebanon War by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss. The army continues to stick to the line that it is learning the lessons of the war, and is doing all it can to correct mistakes it made. Eine analyse von Yossi Melman: "We are all guilty" is an effective summary of the final Winograd Committee report. But the committee also ranks the guilty according to the severity of their actions, their serious failures and their mistakes. Attila Somfalvi: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was saved. There are no other words that can describe the political-public reality that has been created in the wake of the publication of the Winograd Commission’s report. Reuters vermeldet schon weissen Rauch: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert looks certain to survive pressure to resign after a generally critical report on Wednesday endorsed key decisions he took during the 2006 war in Lebanon. Ein Vor-Kommentar von Ehud Asheri mit sehr vielen bestätigten Befürchtungen: Today it will finally happen. The promos have been running for 485 days, almost a year and a half, creating grandiose expectations of a catharsis that will seal the prime minister's fate. On April 30, 2007, we were given an appetizer in the form of the partial report, which boded ill for Ehud Olmert. Since then, we have been waiting with bated breath for the other shoe to fall - this time, on his head. But as is usually the case with manipulative promos, the great promise will most likely burst when it hits the ground of reality, and the drama will be buried under a mountain of words. In other words, nothing will happen.
Die Cairoer Festspiele der Lösung der innerpalästinensischen Machtfrage gestalten sich allerdings die berühmte Spur Undemokratischer: Im Konflikt um die Grenzkontrollen im Gazastreifen steht der Machtkampf zwischen Palästinenser-Präsident Mahmud Abbas und der radikalen Hamas-Bewegung vor einer neuen Eskalation. Abbas wies die Forderungen der Extremisten nach einer Beteiligung an den Kontrollen kategorisch zurück und verlangte stattdessen einen Machtverzicht der Rivalen, die das Gebiet seit Sommer beherrschen. Die Hamas pochte dagegen auf eine Schlüsselrolle am Übergang zu Ägypten, den sie vor einer Woche gewaltsam geöffnet hatte. Damit drohten die von Ägypten moderierten Vermittlungsgespräche in Kairo zu platzen. Die Anreise von Hamas-Chef Chaled Maschaal aus dem syrischen Exil hatte zunächst Hoffnungen auf eine Annäherung ausgelöst. [Am Ende des Tages überleben alle und wir haben die gleiche Situation vor am Vortag und so in etwa die letzten 7 Jahre schon.] ++++ Auszug aus einem längeren Interview mit Khaled Mershal: He's been called a terrorist, an extremist, and the mastermind behind the recent chaos in Gaza. The state of Israel has even tried to assassinate him. But Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of Hamas, insists he is a moderate man in search of peace for the Palestinian people. ++++ 69.9% of Palestinians in the occupied territories support giving up rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip in exchange for an end to the Israeli siege of Gaza, a new poll released on Wednesday shows. An der Grenze bleibt es extrem ruhig. Ein Mörsergranatenangriff auf eine israelische Militärposition wohl innerhalb des Gazastreifen. ++++ Während der Qatar eine Soforthilfe für den Gazastreifen in Höhe von 5,5 Millionen US$ gespendet hat [Medikamente und Abwassersystem] gibt es aus Israel unterschiedliche Signale. Einerseits sind angeblich Weizenlieferungen in größerem Umfang in den Gazastreifen unterwegs + Israel will deliver thousands of vaccines for cattle and avian-borne diseases to the Gaza Strip because of fears the recent breach of Gaza's border with Egypt will bring a wave of sickness to the coastal area, Israeli officials said. Anderseits ein zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt ein sehr unglückliches Urteil: The High Court of Justice on Wednesday gave the state a green light to reduce the supply of power and fuel to the Gaza Strip, ruling that the reductions are legal as they still meet the humanitarian needs of the population. Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the plan to reduce electricity, gasoline and diesel fuel supplies in late October last year, thereby accepting the defense establishment's recommendation to impose economic sanctions on the Gaza Strip in response to continued Qassam rocket attacks by Palestinian militants on southern Israel. Die vorgetragenen Argumente sind erheblich verfassungsbedenklich. Die eigentliche Problematik: "Der israelische Staat hat die Mehrzahl der internationalen Dokumente, die den Schutz der Grundrechte garantieren, unterzeichnet, so unter anderem zum Schutz der Zivilbevölkerung im Kriegsfall, zum Schutz der Rechte der Kinder und eine zur Garantie der politischen Freiheiten und der Bürgerrechte. Allerdings binden diese Vereinbarungen den Staat nur auf internationaler Ebene. Der Oberste Gerichtshof folgt hierin dem britischen Vorbild, wonach internationales Gewohnheitsrecht vor den nationalen Gerichten anwendbar ist, Grundsätze aus Verträgen jedoch nur, wenn diese vom Parlament ratifiziert wurden. So stellen die unterzeichneten internationalen Verträge zum Schutz der Menschenrechte keine Grundlage für eine Klage vor den nationalen Gerichten dar." [aus: Die israelische Verfassung] Die Ära Beinisch hat nach meinem Empfinden hier entgegen der Tradition der Vorgänger eine Chance verpaßt einen Impuls in die Entwicklung der israelischen Demokratie zu setzen. Beinisch scheint sich in poltischen Streits zu verausgaben und momentan bewerte ich ihre Amtszeit als mit nicht sehr bemerkenswerten Urteilen ausgestattet. Wenn wir mal einen Strich ziehen sehen wir an diesem Tag einen Demokratiebereich 1-Judikative appeasement, 2-Poltik mit sich selbst beschäftigt und den großen Gewinner, die Streitkräfte.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) yesterday released a pessimistic report summarizing the living conditions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2007. The report said that 49 percent of Palestinian households in the West Ban and 79 percent in the Gaza Strip live in poverty. 34 percent of Palestinians face “food insecurity” (which is defined as households with income and consumption of 1.6 dollars per day).
Amira Hass, "Finally a popular uprising": The fall of the Rafah wall was a fitting combination of planning and the precise reading of the social and political map by the Hamas government, mixed with a mass response to the dictates of the overlord, Israel. Quite a few people in Rafah knew that "anonymous figures" had secretly been destablizing the foundations of the wall for several months, so that it would be possible to knock it down easily when the time came - but the secret didn't leak. The hundreds of people who began leaving Palestinian Rafah right after the wall was breached did so despite the risk, and the precedent of the Egyptians shooting at those who infiltrate through the border.
Der Bericht selbst ist vernichtend: The Winograd Committee released its final report on the Second Lebanon War on Wednesday, saying the decision in principle to launch a major ground offensive in the waning hours of the 2006 war was essential, despite the fact that the offensive failed to achieve any military objectives. The committee called the war, which Israel launched against Hezbollah on July 12, 2006 after the militant group abducted two Israel Defense Forces soldiers and killed three others, a "major missed opportunity." Der Top-Versager nennt den Bericht "zufriedenstellen".
Kadima MKs rallied around Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday, calling on Defense Minister Ehud Barak to remain in the government in the wake of the Winograd Committee's final report on the Second Lebanon War. Vice Premier Haim Ramon, a close confidante of Olmert, said Barak must demonstrate national responsibility and remain in the government. Das schwere Geschütz der Sicherheits des Vaterlandes wird gegen die logische Konsequenz in Stellung gebracht. Meanwhile, a Channel 2 report conducted following the publication of the Winograd report showed that 56 percent of Israelis believe Olmert should quit. 27% said the prime minister should stay in office. Daneben wird umgehend der poltische Gegner als eigentliches Problem dargestellt: Coalition chairman Eli Aflalo (Kadima) said that "the irresponsible attempts by the opposition and Netanyahu to assassinate the prime minister's character, have come to an end. The committee determined that the decision to order a ground incursion was responsible and displayed good judgment. Netanyahu and his chorus of lunatics should apologize." Eine offizielle Stellungnahme Ehud Baraks steht noch aus. Das Lob: The Israel Defense Forces did not exactly wait trembling for the conclusive Winograd war probe report. This is mainly due to the fact that senior members of the establishment have already taken responsibility for their actions and quit the army a number of months after the war. It should be recalled that the IDF already referred to the subject with the publication of the report into the Second Lebanon War by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss. The army continues to stick to the line that it is learning the lessons of the war, and is doing all it can to correct mistakes it made. Eine analyse von Yossi Melman: "We are all guilty" is an effective summary of the final Winograd Committee report. But the committee also ranks the guilty according to the severity of their actions, their serious failures and their mistakes. Attila Somfalvi: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was saved. There are no other words that can describe the political-public reality that has been created in the wake of the publication of the Winograd Commission’s report. Reuters vermeldet schon weissen Rauch: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert looks certain to survive pressure to resign after a generally critical report on Wednesday endorsed key decisions he took during the 2006 war in Lebanon. Ein Vor-Kommentar von Ehud Asheri mit sehr vielen bestätigten Befürchtungen: Today it will finally happen. The promos have been running for 485 days, almost a year and a half, creating grandiose expectations of a catharsis that will seal the prime minister's fate. On April 30, 2007, we were given an appetizer in the form of the partial report, which boded ill for Ehud Olmert. Since then, we have been waiting with bated breath for the other shoe to fall - this time, on his head. But as is usually the case with manipulative promos, the great promise will most likely burst when it hits the ground of reality, and the drama will be buried under a mountain of words. In other words, nothing will happen.
Die Cairoer Festspiele der Lösung der innerpalästinensischen Machtfrage gestalten sich allerdings die berühmte Spur Undemokratischer: Im Konflikt um die Grenzkontrollen im Gazastreifen steht der Machtkampf zwischen Palästinenser-Präsident Mahmud Abbas und der radikalen Hamas-Bewegung vor einer neuen Eskalation. Abbas wies die Forderungen der Extremisten nach einer Beteiligung an den Kontrollen kategorisch zurück und verlangte stattdessen einen Machtverzicht der Rivalen, die das Gebiet seit Sommer beherrschen. Die Hamas pochte dagegen auf eine Schlüsselrolle am Übergang zu Ägypten, den sie vor einer Woche gewaltsam geöffnet hatte. Damit drohten die von Ägypten moderierten Vermittlungsgespräche in Kairo zu platzen. Die Anreise von Hamas-Chef Chaled Maschaal aus dem syrischen Exil hatte zunächst Hoffnungen auf eine Annäherung ausgelöst. [Am Ende des Tages überleben alle und wir haben die gleiche Situation vor am Vortag und so in etwa die letzten 7 Jahre schon.] ++++ Auszug aus einem längeren Interview mit Khaled Mershal: He's been called a terrorist, an extremist, and the mastermind behind the recent chaos in Gaza. The state of Israel has even tried to assassinate him. But Khaled Meshaal, the political leader of Hamas, insists he is a moderate man in search of peace for the Palestinian people. ++++ 69.9% of Palestinians in the occupied territories support giving up rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip in exchange for an end to the Israeli siege of Gaza, a new poll released on Wednesday shows. An der Grenze bleibt es extrem ruhig. Ein Mörsergranatenangriff auf eine israelische Militärposition wohl innerhalb des Gazastreifen. ++++ Während der Qatar eine Soforthilfe für den Gazastreifen in Höhe von 5,5 Millionen US$ gespendet hat [Medikamente und Abwassersystem] gibt es aus Israel unterschiedliche Signale. Einerseits sind angeblich Weizenlieferungen in größerem Umfang in den Gazastreifen unterwegs + Israel will deliver thousands of vaccines for cattle and avian-borne diseases to the Gaza Strip because of fears the recent breach of Gaza's border with Egypt will bring a wave of sickness to the coastal area, Israeli officials said. Anderseits ein zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt ein sehr unglückliches Urteil: The High Court of Justice on Wednesday gave the state a green light to reduce the supply of power and fuel to the Gaza Strip, ruling that the reductions are legal as they still meet the humanitarian needs of the population. Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved the plan to reduce electricity, gasoline and diesel fuel supplies in late October last year, thereby accepting the defense establishment's recommendation to impose economic sanctions on the Gaza Strip in response to continued Qassam rocket attacks by Palestinian militants on southern Israel. Die vorgetragenen Argumente sind erheblich verfassungsbedenklich. Die eigentliche Problematik: "Der israelische Staat hat die Mehrzahl der internationalen Dokumente, die den Schutz der Grundrechte garantieren, unterzeichnet, so unter anderem zum Schutz der Zivilbevölkerung im Kriegsfall, zum Schutz der Rechte der Kinder und eine zur Garantie der politischen Freiheiten und der Bürgerrechte. Allerdings binden diese Vereinbarungen den Staat nur auf internationaler Ebene. Der Oberste Gerichtshof folgt hierin dem britischen Vorbild, wonach internationales Gewohnheitsrecht vor den nationalen Gerichten anwendbar ist, Grundsätze aus Verträgen jedoch nur, wenn diese vom Parlament ratifiziert wurden. So stellen die unterzeichneten internationalen Verträge zum Schutz der Menschenrechte keine Grundlage für eine Klage vor den nationalen Gerichten dar." [aus: Die israelische Verfassung] Die Ära Beinisch hat nach meinem Empfinden hier entgegen der Tradition der Vorgänger eine Chance verpaßt einen Impuls in die Entwicklung der israelischen Demokratie zu setzen. Beinisch scheint sich in poltischen Streits zu verausgaben und momentan bewerte ich ihre Amtszeit als mit nicht sehr bemerkenswerten Urteilen ausgestattet. Wenn wir mal einen Strich ziehen sehen wir an diesem Tag einen Demokratiebereich 1-Judikative appeasement, 2-Poltik mit sich selbst beschäftigt und den großen Gewinner, die Streitkräfte.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) yesterday released a pessimistic report summarizing the living conditions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2007. The report said that 49 percent of Palestinian households in the West Ban and 79 percent in the Gaza Strip live in poverty. 34 percent of Palestinians face “food insecurity” (which is defined as households with income and consumption of 1.6 dollars per day).
Amira Hass, "Finally a popular uprising": The fall of the Rafah wall was a fitting combination of planning and the precise reading of the social and political map by the Hamas government, mixed with a mass response to the dictates of the overlord, Israel. Quite a few people in Rafah knew that "anonymous figures" had secretly been destablizing the foundations of the wall for several months, so that it would be possible to knock it down easily when the time came - but the secret didn't leak. The hundreds of people who began leaving Palestinian Rafah right after the wall was breached did so despite the risk, and the precedent of the Egyptians shooting at those who infiltrate through the border.
Full Text: IHT presents Daniel Barenboim
Israeli and Palestinian
I have often made the statement that the destinies of the Israeli and Palestinian people are inextricably linked and that there is no military solution to the conflict. My recent acceptance of Palestinian nationality has given me the opportunity to demonstrate this more tangibly.
When my family moved to Israel from Argentina in the 1950s, one of my parents' intentions was to spare me the experience of growing up as part of a minority - a Jewish minority. They wanted to me to grow up as part of a majority - a Jewish majority. The tragedy of this is that my generation, despite having been educated in a society whose positive aspects and human values have greatly enriched my thinking, ignored the existence of a minority within Israel - a non-Jewish minority - which had been the majority in the whole of Palestine until the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Part of the non-Jewish population remained in Israel, and other parts left out of fear or were forcefully displaced.
In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict there was and still is an inability to admit the interdependence of their two voices. The creation of the state of Israel was the result of a Jewish-European idea, which, if it is to extend its leitmotif into the future, must accept the Palestinian identity as an equally valid leitmotif. The demographic development is impossible to ignore; Palestinians within Israel are a minority but a rapidly growing one, and their voice needs to be heard now more than ever. They now make up approximately 22 percent of the population of Israel. This is a larger percentage than was ever represented by a Jewish minority in any country in any period of history. The total number of Palestinians living within Israel and in the occupied territories (that is, greater Israel for the Israelis or greater Palestine for the Palestinians) is already larger than the Jewish population.
At present, Israel is confronted at once with three problems: the nature of the modern democratic Jewish state - its very identity; the problem of Palestinian identity within Israel; and the problem of the creation of a Palestinian state outside of Israel. With Jordan and Egypt it was possible to attain what can best be described as an ice-cold peace without questioning Israel's existence as a Jewish state. The problem of the Palestinians within Israel, however, is a much more challenging one to solve, both theoretically and practically. For Israel, it means, among other things, coming to terms with the fact that the land was not barren or empty, "a land without a people," an idea that was propagated at the time of its creation. For the Palestinians, it means accepting the fact that Israel is a Jewish state and is here to stay. Israelis, however, must accept the integration of the Palestinian minority even if it means changing certain aspects of the nature of Israel; they must also accept the justification for and necessity of the creation of a Palestinian state next to the state of Israel. Not only is there no alternative, or magic wand, that will make the Palestinians disappear, but their integration is an indispensable condition - on moral, social and political grounds - for the very survival of Israel.
The longer the occupation continues and Palestinian dissatisfaction remains unaddressed, the more difficult it is to find even elementary common ground. We have seen so often in the modern history of the Middle East that missed opportunities for reconciliation have had extremely negative results for both sides. For my part, when the Palestinian passport was offered to me, I accepted it in the spirit of acknowledging the Palestinian destiny that I, as an Israeli, share. A true citizen of Israel must reach out to the Palestinian people with openness, and at the very least an attempt to understand what the creation of the state of Israel has meant to them.
The 15th of May, 1948, is the day of independence for the Jews, but the same day is Al Nakba, the catastrophe, for the Palestinians. A true citizen of Israel must ask himself what the Jews, known as an intelligent people of learning and culture, have done to share their cultural heritage with the Palestinians. A true citizen of Israel must also ask himself why the Palestinians have been condemned to live in slums and accept lower standards of education and medical care, rather than being provided by the occupying force with decent, dignified and liveable conditions, a right common to all human beings. In any occupied territory, the occupiers are responsible for the quality of life of the occupied, and in the case of the Palestinians, the different Israeli governments over the last 40 years have failed miserably. The Palestinians naturally must continue to resist the occupation and all attempts to deny them basic individual needs and statehood. However, for their own sake this resistance must not express itself through violence. Crossing the boundary from adamant resistance (including non-violent demonstrations and protests) to violence only results in more innocent victims and does not serve the long-term interests of the Palestinian people. At the same time, the citizens of Israel have just as much cause to be alert to the needs and rights of the Palestinian people (both within and outside Israel) as they do to their own. After all, in the sense that we share one land and one destiny, we should all have dual citizenship.
Daniel Barenboim, a pianist and conductor, is music director of the Staatskapelle Berlin and principal guest conductor at La Scala Opera in Milan. He is co-founder with Edward Said of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which brings together Arab and Israeli musicians.
I have often made the statement that the destinies of the Israeli and Palestinian people are inextricably linked and that there is no military solution to the conflict. My recent acceptance of Palestinian nationality has given me the opportunity to demonstrate this more tangibly.
When my family moved to Israel from Argentina in the 1950s, one of my parents' intentions was to spare me the experience of growing up as part of a minority - a Jewish minority. They wanted to me to grow up as part of a majority - a Jewish majority. The tragedy of this is that my generation, despite having been educated in a society whose positive aspects and human values have greatly enriched my thinking, ignored the existence of a minority within Israel - a non-Jewish minority - which had been the majority in the whole of Palestine until the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. Part of the non-Jewish population remained in Israel, and other parts left out of fear or were forcefully displaced.
In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict there was and still is an inability to admit the interdependence of their two voices. The creation of the state of Israel was the result of a Jewish-European idea, which, if it is to extend its leitmotif into the future, must accept the Palestinian identity as an equally valid leitmotif. The demographic development is impossible to ignore; Palestinians within Israel are a minority but a rapidly growing one, and their voice needs to be heard now more than ever. They now make up approximately 22 percent of the population of Israel. This is a larger percentage than was ever represented by a Jewish minority in any country in any period of history. The total number of Palestinians living within Israel and in the occupied territories (that is, greater Israel for the Israelis or greater Palestine for the Palestinians) is already larger than the Jewish population.
At present, Israel is confronted at once with three problems: the nature of the modern democratic Jewish state - its very identity; the problem of Palestinian identity within Israel; and the problem of the creation of a Palestinian state outside of Israel. With Jordan and Egypt it was possible to attain what can best be described as an ice-cold peace without questioning Israel's existence as a Jewish state. The problem of the Palestinians within Israel, however, is a much more challenging one to solve, both theoretically and practically. For Israel, it means, among other things, coming to terms with the fact that the land was not barren or empty, "a land without a people," an idea that was propagated at the time of its creation. For the Palestinians, it means accepting the fact that Israel is a Jewish state and is here to stay. Israelis, however, must accept the integration of the Palestinian minority even if it means changing certain aspects of the nature of Israel; they must also accept the justification for and necessity of the creation of a Palestinian state next to the state of Israel. Not only is there no alternative, or magic wand, that will make the Palestinians disappear, but their integration is an indispensable condition - on moral, social and political grounds - for the very survival of Israel.
The longer the occupation continues and Palestinian dissatisfaction remains unaddressed, the more difficult it is to find even elementary common ground. We have seen so often in the modern history of the Middle East that missed opportunities for reconciliation have had extremely negative results for both sides. For my part, when the Palestinian passport was offered to me, I accepted it in the spirit of acknowledging the Palestinian destiny that I, as an Israeli, share. A true citizen of Israel must reach out to the Palestinian people with openness, and at the very least an attempt to understand what the creation of the state of Israel has meant to them.
The 15th of May, 1948, is the day of independence for the Jews, but the same day is Al Nakba, the catastrophe, for the Palestinians. A true citizen of Israel must ask himself what the Jews, known as an intelligent people of learning and culture, have done to share their cultural heritage with the Palestinians. A true citizen of Israel must also ask himself why the Palestinians have been condemned to live in slums and accept lower standards of education and medical care, rather than being provided by the occupying force with decent, dignified and liveable conditions, a right common to all human beings. In any occupied territory, the occupiers are responsible for the quality of life of the occupied, and in the case of the Palestinians, the different Israeli governments over the last 40 years have failed miserably. The Palestinians naturally must continue to resist the occupation and all attempts to deny them basic individual needs and statehood. However, for their own sake this resistance must not express itself through violence. Crossing the boundary from adamant resistance (including non-violent demonstrations and protests) to violence only results in more innocent victims and does not serve the long-term interests of the Palestinian people. At the same time, the citizens of Israel have just as much cause to be alert to the needs and rights of the Palestinian people (both within and outside Israel) as they do to their own. After all, in the sense that we share one land and one destiny, we should all have dual citizenship.
Daniel Barenboim, a pianist and conductor, is music director of the Staatskapelle Berlin and principal guest conductor at La Scala Opera in Milan. He is co-founder with Edward Said of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, which brings together Arab and Israeli musicians.
Winograds Eve
Klasse Foto, schlechtes Plakat. [Hier noch mal das commercial für das sie sich die Haare rasieren ließ.]
At 5 P.M., members of the Winograd Commission will arrive at the prime minister's residence to present their final report to Olmert and to Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Olmert and his associates will then have a chance to read the report before the media offensive. In wie fern die Geschichte morgen schon in den Medien aufgearbeitet wird wird man sehen. Politische Konsequenzen werden frühestens am Sonntag veröffentlicht werden. Dazwischen wird die Medienmeute sich zwischen stark und sehr stark auf die Figur Olmert focussieren. ++++ The First Leak: Complete shock. That is how friends of retired generals Menachem Einan and Chaim Nadel, two members of the Winograd Committee, described the generals' reaction to the Israel Defense Forces' performance during the Second Lebanon War.
Die Bewegungen von Menschen an der Grenze Gaza-Ägypten ist wegen schlechten Wetters, der Schließung der meisten Löcher im Zaun und einem ersten Sättigungsgefühl stark abebbend. Ägyptische Reisende fahren nach Ägypten zurück. Etwa 1500 Palästinenser befinden sich noch auf ägyptischem Territorium und verlangen eine Weiterreise. Ein erstaunlich niedriger Wert [Geschwafel westlicher Medien von einem "Exodus" bewahrheiteten sich nicht.] Der UN-Sicherheitsrat hat Verhandlungen über eine Resolution mittlerweile nach einwöchigen Verhandlungen eingestellt. Morgen stehen nun erste ernsthafte Verhandlungen über die Zukunft an: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will head to Cairo on Wednesday to hold talks with the Egyptian government about the possibility of reopening the Gaza-Egypt border crossings. [...] Abbas' arrival in the Egyptian capital will coincide with that of a delegation from Fatah's political rivals, Hamas. Head of Hamas' political bureau in Damascus, Khalid Mash'al, will lead the delegation that is to discuss the crippling Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, the current Palestinian situation and find a solution to the crisis of the crossings. Despite rumblings that the Egyptians are attempting to broker negotiations between Fatah and Hamas, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Yasser Abed Rabbo, told Ma'an, "the president is going alone to Cairo to meet with the Egyptians and debate over the issue of the Rafah crossing, and there is no intention to meet with Hamas leaders or negotiate with them because the International Convention is clear enough that the border is under the domination of the Palestinian Authority and the Europeans and Egypt and the Arab League agreed on this during their meeting a few days ago." Die israelische Seite hat bereits signalisiert das sie Abbas vorerst freie Hand läßt. Kernfrage wird sein mit welchen saudischen Zusagen Khaled Meshal in Cairo auftritt. Ägypten wäre es anzuraten saudische Ratschläge zu befolgen, schließlich möchte man sich vom Finanztropf der USA über saudische Investitionen lösen. Der momentan wieder einmal als müde und ausgelaugt auftretende Abbas kann sich jedoch ein direktes Gespräch mit der Hamas kaum leisten, will er nicht vollständig sein Gesicht verlieren. [Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that by insisting on control of the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt, Hamas has shown that it is not concerned with the needs of the Palestinian people. "The militant rivals, by refusing to give the border back showed that they don't want to serve the Palestinian people."] Aufgewärmtes, lauwarmes Gerede, israelischer Militärslang. Die Kommentare der Haaretz sind zu diesem Thema eher schwach: The collapse of Israel' s policy in the Gaza Strip has landed on Defense Minister Ehud Barak at a particularly embarrassing time. His line of argument against toppling Prime Minister Ehud Olmert upon the publication of the Winograd report has been based on the necessity of having himself, Barak, in the role of defense minister and the importance of "government stability." Ehud and Ehud, are like Andy and Yoni, the tennis doubles champions, but reality and Hamas have made a laughingstock of the governmental duo, and they are looking like the prankish Max and Moritz. Zwar wird hier die innenpolitische Bedeutung durchaus passabel kritisch dargestellt [The IDF's chief censor Colonel Sima Vaknin-Gil has remained furious and frustrated and she is not alone in feeling thus. The official system harasses journalists and civil servants and spares politicians. In advance of the operation in Syria, Olmert and Peretz appointed the former head of security at the Defense Ministry (Malmab), Yehiel Horev, to guard the secret, and the Shin Bet security service equipped itself in advance with an order from Tel Aviv District Court President Uri Goren. When the new head of Malmab, Amir Kain, was appointed, journalists were summoned to him for a clarification, to find out what had been leaked and to stop them from publishing. Now Ramon is talking, and Kain is keeping silent. Barak is sharing a pup tent with Olmert.], jedoch die eigentliche Bedeutung des faktischen Waffenstillstands der mit der Grenzbesetzung einher geht [nach langer Ruhepause "durften" heute PFLP und Islamic Jihad nach eigenen Angaben zwei Qassams auf Sderot und einen Kibbutz und dazu 9 "Projektile" auf Militäreinrichtungen abfeuern, was in der israelischen Presse nicht bestätigt wird] wird vollkommen negiert. [Natürlich gibts auch schlimmere Texte wie den von Gilad Sharon: "Sometimes, justice does prevail. This is what the Egyptians are learning now. Their desire to allow terror to go on in Israel while quietly enjoy the sight of our blood being spilled may now come back to haunt them; because those who go to sleep with terrorists should not be surprised to wake up to terror attacks." - also plumpe retour-Kutschen. Viel hat der nicht von seinem Vater.]
Überhaupt sind verschiedene rechtslastige israelische Medien krampfhaft bemüht den Kern der "Annapolis-Konferenz", den strategischen Schulterschluß des Westens mit den arabischen Staaten gegen den Einfluß des Iran mit teilweise abartigen täglichen medialen Attacken auszuhölen. Ein wunderschönes Beispiel fand man heute in der JPost, die sich wieder einmal des Ober-Hynkels, Sektion Europa Hillel Neuers erinnerte um ihn auf eine alte Kamelle zu hetzen. Im Jahr 2004 gaben sich die arabsichen Staaten die Ehre eine eigenständige "Charter on Human Rigths" zu draften die zwar als Meilenstein in der arabischen Welt gelten darf, jedoch das Problem der Umsetzung von Individualrechten und auch ein Ratifizierungsproblem aufwarf. Nun, am 16.01.08 ratifizierte als siebtes und Land die UAE die Fassung von 2004, womit eine grundsätzliche Geltung hergestellt ist. Diese Ratifizierung wurde von der Hochkommissarin für Menschenrechte in einem kurzen statement gewürdigt. Nun wäre das allein kein großer Vorgang, wenn da nicht israelische Hetzmedien den Zwang verspüren würden jedem der auf dem Planeten kein Zionist ist ein Antisemitismusschildchen anzukleben. Damit das im Falle der Louise Arbour funktioniert muß allerdings Ober-Hykeln Hillel neuer zuerst sein Geschichtsbewußtsein einer grandiosen Selbstlüge unterziehen: "Zionism is the movement for Jewish self-determination and asserts the inherent and internationally-acknowledged right of Israel to exist." [In Bezug auf Menschrechte bedeuted "Jewish self-determination" leider immer noch absurdes Gefasel von sich zu geben, wie das gestrige Zitat zum Thema Homosexuelle von Regierungsmitglied und Knessetabgeordnetem Nissim Ze'ev beweist: "Schwule sind so giftig wie die Vogelgrippe."] Bemängelt wird von dem Ober-Hynkel Neuer nicht etwa die fehlende Perspektive in der Umsetzung der Charta in Israel. Auch nicht in Saudi-Arbien. Sondern bemängelt wird: "Rejecting all forms of racism and Zionism, which constitute a violation of human rights and a threat to international peace and security." Die Meinung von Hynkel Neuer das über die Anerkennung des Rechts auf Existenz von Israel gleichzeitig jeglicher Menschenrechtsverstoß gedeckt sei ist abseitig. Eine "zeitgemäße" Positionierung von zinistischen Inhalten wie "Atomwaffenstaat der Palästinenser unterdrückt" kann mit Sicherheit eine bessere rhetorische Formulierung erhalten. Aber nicht wenn die Unterdrückten mit am Tisch sitzen und die Atomwaffenbedrohten, die preemtiv bombardierten und die über Jahre von solchen Blättchen wie der JPost gehänselten daneben stehen. Den Witz des Tages bringt Hynkel Neuer jedoch mit dem Abschluß seines statements: "We trust that Ms. Arbour was not aware of [the charter's contents], but this must be made clear, and the responsible person in her office must be held fully accountable." Es ist wohl eher so das man Hillel Neuer über die Inhalte des Zionismus aufklären sollte und das ER die verantwortliche Person, nämlich sich selbst fully accountable halten sollte. [Related: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief says women in the Gaza Strip have recently felt coerced into covering their heads, while Christians there have faced rising intolerance. The UN envoy, Asma Jahangir, visited Israel and the Palestinian Authority last week and published a report on her eight-day trip. "Women seem to be in a particularly vulnerable situation and bear the brunt of religious zeal. I was informed about cases of honor killings carried out with impunity in the name of religion," she added. Jahangir met with Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Minister of Religious Affairs Yitzhak Cohen, as well as many others involved in religious affairs.]
Zurück nach Gaza: Last week, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas masterminded a spectacular "bust-out" into Egypt of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza, where Israel has been maintaining a tight siege for many years. That bust-out reinforced the strength of Hamas's popular support among Palestinians and has started to change the political map of the region. Isn't it now time for the United States to find a way to deal with Hamas, directly or indirectly? How can President Bush realize his aim of creating a viable Palestinian state this year if his administration continues to pour energy and funds into the crushing of Hamas, which has repeatedly shown that it has the support of a large proportion of Palestinians? [Helena Cobban im CSM]
Parag Hanna über die letzte "State of the Union"-Rede des Friedensesels: Turn on the TV today, and you could be forgiven for thinking it’s 1999. Democrats and Republicans are bickering about where and how to intervene, whether to do it alone or with allies and what kind of world America should lead. Democrats believe they can hit a reset button, and Republicans believe muscular moralism is the way to go. It’s as if the first decade of the 21st century didn’t happen — and almost as if history itself doesn’t happen. But the distribution of power in the world has fundamentally altered over the two presidential terms of George W. Bush, both because of his policies and, more significant, despite them. Maybe the best way to understand how quickly history happens is to look just a bit ahead. + Kommentar von Daniel Levy zum Artikel.
At 5 P.M., members of the Winograd Commission will arrive at the prime minister's residence to present their final report to Olmert and to Defense Minister Ehud Barak. Olmert and his associates will then have a chance to read the report before the media offensive. In wie fern die Geschichte morgen schon in den Medien aufgearbeitet wird wird man sehen. Politische Konsequenzen werden frühestens am Sonntag veröffentlicht werden. Dazwischen wird die Medienmeute sich zwischen stark und sehr stark auf die Figur Olmert focussieren. ++++ The First Leak: Complete shock. That is how friends of retired generals Menachem Einan and Chaim Nadel, two members of the Winograd Committee, described the generals' reaction to the Israel Defense Forces' performance during the Second Lebanon War.
Die Bewegungen von Menschen an der Grenze Gaza-Ägypten ist wegen schlechten Wetters, der Schließung der meisten Löcher im Zaun und einem ersten Sättigungsgefühl stark abebbend. Ägyptische Reisende fahren nach Ägypten zurück. Etwa 1500 Palästinenser befinden sich noch auf ägyptischem Territorium und verlangen eine Weiterreise. Ein erstaunlich niedriger Wert [Geschwafel westlicher Medien von einem "Exodus" bewahrheiteten sich nicht.] Der UN-Sicherheitsrat hat Verhandlungen über eine Resolution mittlerweile nach einwöchigen Verhandlungen eingestellt. Morgen stehen nun erste ernsthafte Verhandlungen über die Zukunft an: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will head to Cairo on Wednesday to hold talks with the Egyptian government about the possibility of reopening the Gaza-Egypt border crossings. [...] Abbas' arrival in the Egyptian capital will coincide with that of a delegation from Fatah's political rivals, Hamas. Head of Hamas' political bureau in Damascus, Khalid Mash'al, will lead the delegation that is to discuss the crippling Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, the current Palestinian situation and find a solution to the crisis of the crossings. Despite rumblings that the Egyptians are attempting to broker negotiations between Fatah and Hamas, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Yasser Abed Rabbo, told Ma'an, "the president is going alone to Cairo to meet with the Egyptians and debate over the issue of the Rafah crossing, and there is no intention to meet with Hamas leaders or negotiate with them because the International Convention is clear enough that the border is under the domination of the Palestinian Authority and the Europeans and Egypt and the Arab League agreed on this during their meeting a few days ago." Die israelische Seite hat bereits signalisiert das sie Abbas vorerst freie Hand läßt. Kernfrage wird sein mit welchen saudischen Zusagen Khaled Meshal in Cairo auftritt. Ägypten wäre es anzuraten saudische Ratschläge zu befolgen, schließlich möchte man sich vom Finanztropf der USA über saudische Investitionen lösen. Der momentan wieder einmal als müde und ausgelaugt auftretende Abbas kann sich jedoch ein direktes Gespräch mit der Hamas kaum leisten, will er nicht vollständig sein Gesicht verlieren. [Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that by insisting on control of the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt, Hamas has shown that it is not concerned with the needs of the Palestinian people. "The militant rivals, by refusing to give the border back showed that they don't want to serve the Palestinian people."] Aufgewärmtes, lauwarmes Gerede, israelischer Militärslang. Die Kommentare der Haaretz sind zu diesem Thema eher schwach: The collapse of Israel' s policy in the Gaza Strip has landed on Defense Minister Ehud Barak at a particularly embarrassing time. His line of argument against toppling Prime Minister Ehud Olmert upon the publication of the Winograd report has been based on the necessity of having himself, Barak, in the role of defense minister and the importance of "government stability." Ehud and Ehud, are like Andy and Yoni, the tennis doubles champions, but reality and Hamas have made a laughingstock of the governmental duo, and they are looking like the prankish Max and Moritz. Zwar wird hier die innenpolitische Bedeutung durchaus passabel kritisch dargestellt [The IDF's chief censor Colonel Sima Vaknin-Gil has remained furious and frustrated and she is not alone in feeling thus. The official system harasses journalists and civil servants and spares politicians. In advance of the operation in Syria, Olmert and Peretz appointed the former head of security at the Defense Ministry (Malmab), Yehiel Horev, to guard the secret, and the Shin Bet security service equipped itself in advance with an order from Tel Aviv District Court President Uri Goren. When the new head of Malmab, Amir Kain, was appointed, journalists were summoned to him for a clarification, to find out what had been leaked and to stop them from publishing. Now Ramon is talking, and Kain is keeping silent. Barak is sharing a pup tent with Olmert.], jedoch die eigentliche Bedeutung des faktischen Waffenstillstands der mit der Grenzbesetzung einher geht [nach langer Ruhepause "durften" heute PFLP und Islamic Jihad nach eigenen Angaben zwei Qassams auf Sderot und einen Kibbutz und dazu 9 "Projektile" auf Militäreinrichtungen abfeuern, was in der israelischen Presse nicht bestätigt wird] wird vollkommen negiert. [Natürlich gibts auch schlimmere Texte wie den von Gilad Sharon: "Sometimes, justice does prevail. This is what the Egyptians are learning now. Their desire to allow terror to go on in Israel while quietly enjoy the sight of our blood being spilled may now come back to haunt them; because those who go to sleep with terrorists should not be surprised to wake up to terror attacks." - also plumpe retour-Kutschen. Viel hat der nicht von seinem Vater.]
Überhaupt sind verschiedene rechtslastige israelische Medien krampfhaft bemüht den Kern der "Annapolis-Konferenz", den strategischen Schulterschluß des Westens mit den arabischen Staaten gegen den Einfluß des Iran mit teilweise abartigen täglichen medialen Attacken auszuhölen. Ein wunderschönes Beispiel fand man heute in der JPost, die sich wieder einmal des Ober-Hynkels, Sektion Europa Hillel Neuers erinnerte um ihn auf eine alte Kamelle zu hetzen. Im Jahr 2004 gaben sich die arabsichen Staaten die Ehre eine eigenständige "Charter on Human Rigths" zu draften die zwar als Meilenstein in der arabischen Welt gelten darf, jedoch das Problem der Umsetzung von Individualrechten und auch ein Ratifizierungsproblem aufwarf. Nun, am 16.01.08 ratifizierte als siebtes und Land die UAE die Fassung von 2004, womit eine grundsätzliche Geltung hergestellt ist. Diese Ratifizierung wurde von der Hochkommissarin für Menschenrechte in einem kurzen statement gewürdigt. Nun wäre das allein kein großer Vorgang, wenn da nicht israelische Hetzmedien den Zwang verspüren würden jedem der auf dem Planeten kein Zionist ist ein Antisemitismusschildchen anzukleben. Damit das im Falle der Louise Arbour funktioniert muß allerdings Ober-Hykeln Hillel neuer zuerst sein Geschichtsbewußtsein einer grandiosen Selbstlüge unterziehen: "Zionism is the movement for Jewish self-determination and asserts the inherent and internationally-acknowledged right of Israel to exist." [In Bezug auf Menschrechte bedeuted "Jewish self-determination" leider immer noch absurdes Gefasel von sich zu geben, wie das gestrige Zitat zum Thema Homosexuelle von Regierungsmitglied und Knessetabgeordnetem Nissim Ze'ev beweist: "Schwule sind so giftig wie die Vogelgrippe."] Bemängelt wird von dem Ober-Hynkel Neuer nicht etwa die fehlende Perspektive in der Umsetzung der Charta in Israel. Auch nicht in Saudi-Arbien. Sondern bemängelt wird: "Rejecting all forms of racism and Zionism, which constitute a violation of human rights and a threat to international peace and security." Die Meinung von Hynkel Neuer das über die Anerkennung des Rechts auf Existenz von Israel gleichzeitig jeglicher Menschenrechtsverstoß gedeckt sei ist abseitig. Eine "zeitgemäße" Positionierung von zinistischen Inhalten wie "Atomwaffenstaat der Palästinenser unterdrückt" kann mit Sicherheit eine bessere rhetorische Formulierung erhalten. Aber nicht wenn die Unterdrückten mit am Tisch sitzen und die Atomwaffenbedrohten, die preemtiv bombardierten und die über Jahre von solchen Blättchen wie der JPost gehänselten daneben stehen. Den Witz des Tages bringt Hynkel Neuer jedoch mit dem Abschluß seines statements: "We trust that Ms. Arbour was not aware of [the charter's contents], but this must be made clear, and the responsible person in her office must be held fully accountable." Es ist wohl eher so das man Hillel Neuer über die Inhalte des Zionismus aufklären sollte und das ER die verantwortliche Person, nämlich sich selbst fully accountable halten sollte. [Related: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief says women in the Gaza Strip have recently felt coerced into covering their heads, while Christians there have faced rising intolerance. The UN envoy, Asma Jahangir, visited Israel and the Palestinian Authority last week and published a report on her eight-day trip. "Women seem to be in a particularly vulnerable situation and bear the brunt of religious zeal. I was informed about cases of honor killings carried out with impunity in the name of religion," she added. Jahangir met with Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Minister of Religious Affairs Yitzhak Cohen, as well as many others involved in religious affairs.]
Zurück nach Gaza: Last week, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas masterminded a spectacular "bust-out" into Egypt of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza, where Israel has been maintaining a tight siege for many years. That bust-out reinforced the strength of Hamas's popular support among Palestinians and has started to change the political map of the region. Isn't it now time for the United States to find a way to deal with Hamas, directly or indirectly? How can President Bush realize his aim of creating a viable Palestinian state this year if his administration continues to pour energy and funds into the crushing of Hamas, which has repeatedly shown that it has the support of a large proportion of Palestinians? [Helena Cobban im CSM]
Parag Hanna über die letzte "State of the Union"-Rede des Friedensesels: Turn on the TV today, and you could be forgiven for thinking it’s 1999. Democrats and Republicans are bickering about where and how to intervene, whether to do it alone or with allies and what kind of world America should lead. Democrats believe they can hit a reset button, and Republicans believe muscular moralism is the way to go. It’s as if the first decade of the 21st century didn’t happen — and almost as if history itself doesn’t happen. But the distribution of power in the world has fundamentally altered over the two presidential terms of George W. Bush, both because of his policies and, more significant, despite them. Maybe the best way to understand how quickly history happens is to look just a bit ahead. + Kommentar von Daniel Levy zum Artikel.
Dienstag, 29. Januar 2008
Habash / Updates
Winograd-updates: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has no intention of setting a date for early elections together with Labor Chairman and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the prime minister's associates said Monday. They were responding to predictions by Labor politicians that Barak would respond to the Winograd Committee's full report on the Second Lebanon War, due out Wednesday, by working to advance the elections to early 2009. The premier's associates said Olmert has no intention of turning himself into a lame duck by advancing the elections. Moreover, they argued, early elections would paralyze the country, damage the economy and destroy the peace process, which Labor supports. "How would it be possible to advance the diplomatic process when everyone would be wanting to sharpen his positions?" demanded one of Olmert's associates. "Our negotiating partner would also understand that it is impossible to reach an agreement with a prime minister whose days are numbered." This message by Olmert's associates was part of the premier's preparations for the political battle that will erupt, he expects, after the Winograd report is published. His main fear is that Barak will yield to public pressure and keep the promise he made during his primary campaign last year - that after the full Winograd report is released, he will work to either replace Olmert or advance the elections. Without Labor, Olmert has no Knesset majority. ... Some senior Israel Defense Forces officers have expressed concern that the final Winograd Report, to be released Wednesday, will damage the IDF's image in the eyes of the public with its expected harsh criticism of the military's conduct during the Second Lebanon War. ... For Dr. Udi Label, lecturer on political psychology at Sapir and Ariel colleges who put that focus group together as part of his research on the subject, [the man's question is an example of] public distrust of the establishment. Since the war ended a year and a half ago, Label argues, the public has lost a considerable amount of the confidence it used to have in its leadership. This rift developed because of the war and appears as a critical component in other focus groups that researchers from all over Israel have convened and studied.
Englische Übersetzung eines Artikels über George Habash aus der LeMonde vom 26., Teil I von Nur-al-Cubicle: Portrait of George Habash
George Habash, the founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) passed away on Saturday, January 26th, in Amman, Jordan where resided since 1992. He was 81 years old. George Habash resigned as Secretary General of the PFLP, a radical nationalist movement in July 2000 after having led the organization for more than thirty years.
A charismatic individual, he was always the most popular of the historical leaders of the Palestinian national liberation movement. His popularity cascaded across the entire movement despite its terrorist drift during the 1970’s. A Christian Palestinian physician trained at the American University in Beirut, he abandoned his profession to devote himself to a tireless struggle against the State of Israel and its Western supporters, notably marked by aircraft hijackings. Suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in 1992, he was hospitalized in France, which caused a major scandal at the time. Convinced of the necessity of pursuing the struggle to recover lost land until the bitter end, George Habash always personified the “front of refusal” within the Palestinian movement. All his political acts were characterized by rejection of compromise. From time to time, however, he did make concessions, but most of these were mere formalities. Embittered by the Arab defeat of June 1957, he became an advocate of Marxism, the “popular struggle” against Israel and revolution throughout the Arab world, attributing his former anti-communism to his bourgeois upbringing and his immersion in Anglo-Saxon culture. George Habash was born in Lydda in 1926 to a family of Greek Orthodox Christian merchants. When he was 22 years old when the State of Israel was created. He watched as Lydda was emptied of its Arab residents, including members of his own family. Profoundly scarred by the event, he began to militate at the American University of Beirut, where he was a medical student. Participating in demonstrations in which several of his comrades were killed, he showed himself to be leader of men. But this did not prevent him from graduating first in his class in Medicine in 1951. Together with other students, Hani al-Hindi (Syrian), Ahmed el-Khatib (Kuwaiti) and Wadih Haddad (Palestinian), he founded the Arab Nationalist Movement (AMN). The founding members of the movement dispersed to found branches in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Aden. Habash went to Amman. There he created a school for refugees and a “people’s dispensary” where he worked as a pediatrician until 1957. When martial law was proclaimed in Jordan in April 1957, he was forced underground. Several bombings were blamed on the ANM and Habash was sentenced in absentia to 30 years in prison. The unification of Syria and Egypt in February 1958 provided him with refuge and he resided in Damascus for five years where he espoused Nasserism, as every good Arab nationalist of the time. But relations deteriorated between the Nasserites and the Baathists, who in the interim had taken power in Damascus, and Habash went Beirut. In December 1967, he began to devote himself entirely to the Palestinian cause. Returning to Damascus, he founded the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, formed from the merger of three groups: The Heros of the Return, Youth for Vengeance and Ahmed Jibril’s Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP will undergo a series of split-offs, the most significant of which were those led by Ahmed Jabril and Nayef Hawatmeh.
Englische Übersetzung eines Artikels über George Habash aus der LeMonde vom 26., Teil I von Nur-al-Cubicle: Portrait of George Habash
George Habash, the founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) passed away on Saturday, January 26th, in Amman, Jordan where resided since 1992. He was 81 years old. George Habash resigned as Secretary General of the PFLP, a radical nationalist movement in July 2000 after having led the organization for more than thirty years.
A charismatic individual, he was always the most popular of the historical leaders of the Palestinian national liberation movement. His popularity cascaded across the entire movement despite its terrorist drift during the 1970’s. A Christian Palestinian physician trained at the American University in Beirut, he abandoned his profession to devote himself to a tireless struggle against the State of Israel and its Western supporters, notably marked by aircraft hijackings. Suffering a cerebral hemorrhage in 1992, he was hospitalized in France, which caused a major scandal at the time. Convinced of the necessity of pursuing the struggle to recover lost land until the bitter end, George Habash always personified the “front of refusal” within the Palestinian movement. All his political acts were characterized by rejection of compromise. From time to time, however, he did make concessions, but most of these were mere formalities. Embittered by the Arab defeat of June 1957, he became an advocate of Marxism, the “popular struggle” against Israel and revolution throughout the Arab world, attributing his former anti-communism to his bourgeois upbringing and his immersion in Anglo-Saxon culture. George Habash was born in Lydda in 1926 to a family of Greek Orthodox Christian merchants. When he was 22 years old when the State of Israel was created. He watched as Lydda was emptied of its Arab residents, including members of his own family. Profoundly scarred by the event, he began to militate at the American University of Beirut, where he was a medical student. Participating in demonstrations in which several of his comrades were killed, he showed himself to be leader of men. But this did not prevent him from graduating first in his class in Medicine in 1951. Together with other students, Hani al-Hindi (Syrian), Ahmed el-Khatib (Kuwaiti) and Wadih Haddad (Palestinian), he founded the Arab Nationalist Movement (AMN). The founding members of the movement dispersed to found branches in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Aden. Habash went to Amman. There he created a school for refugees and a “people’s dispensary” where he worked as a pediatrician until 1957. When martial law was proclaimed in Jordan in April 1957, he was forced underground. Several bombings were blamed on the ANM and Habash was sentenced in absentia to 30 years in prison. The unification of Syria and Egypt in February 1958 provided him with refuge and he resided in Damascus for five years where he espoused Nasserism, as every good Arab nationalist of the time. But relations deteriorated between the Nasserites and the Baathists, who in the interim had taken power in Damascus, and Habash went Beirut. In December 1967, he began to devote himself entirely to the Palestinian cause. Returning to Damascus, he founded the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, formed from the merger of three groups: The Heros of the Return, Youth for Vengeance and Ahmed Jibril’s Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The PFLP will undergo a series of split-offs, the most significant of which were those led by Ahmed Jabril and Nayef Hawatmeh.
Montag, 28. Januar 2008
IDF kills One
Eine Verhaftungsaktion der IDF im al-Madbasa-Viertel [Marienkirche] in Bethlehem eskaliert als über 100 Jugendliche Steinewerfer sich gegen die marodierenden Milizionäre stellen. Durch den Einsatz von Gummigeschossen und scharfer munituin wird ein 17-jähriger getötet und sieben weitere Personen verletzt. Die Aktion galt einem Mitglied des Islamic Jihad, das nicht zu Hause war. Da die Marodierer kein anzeichen von sich gaben das looten einzustellen und noch am Abend in Bethlehem es sich gemütlich machten stellte sicher der Gesuchte freiwillig. Auch in Tul Karem kommt es tagsüber zu Marodierereien der IDF.
Aus dem Gazaastreifen ist ein vermehrter Qassam-Tourismus zu berichten. Nach Dan Murphys Artikel im cs-monitor vom 15.01. über die PRC wollte der Islamic Jihad nicht zurück stehen. DErweil scheint eine politische Lösung der Grenzproblematik möglich: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won European, American and Arab backing on Monday for taking control of Gaza's breached border with Egypt, intensifying his power struggle with the Hamas Islamists who rule the enclave. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday signaled American support for Abbas' forces taking charge of the border. Das die Hamas sich mit dieser Lösung zufrieden stellt ist extrem unwahrscheinlich. Wie im Bericht hervorgeht ist die Lage vor Ort beruhigt. Vereinzelte Protestaktionen von Studenten oder Patienten, die eine Durchreise aus dem sinai erreichen wollen sind noch zu bemerken. [Unterdessen wird von unserem besonderen Freund Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger die "Viva Las Vegas!"-Theorie in Spiel gebracht: [He] has been quoted as calling for Gazans to be transferred to the Sinai Peninsula, to a Palestinian state which he said could be constructed for them in the desert.] Zum ersten Mal nach seinem Rücktritt erlaubt sich Avigdor der II. eine Rede zur Lage der Nation: Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman on Monday unleashed harsh criticism at Egypt over the way it has dealt with the breached Gaza Strip border, accusing it of lying to Israel and working against Jerusalem's interests. "The time has come for us to tell Egypt that we will begin to work to remove it from the list of the U.S.' preferred state," the former minister told Knesset members on Monday. Egypt is "lying in our faces," he added. Das Ende des Texts ist hübsch: "Lieberman's comments apparently awakened no ire in the Knesset plenum where he spoke, apparently due to the absence of Israeli Arab MKs from the session." Must-read-mäßig hat sich Helena Cobban in das Thema fest gebissen: "Hamas transforms the regional map": More evidence is emerging that, in undertaking January 23's mass civilian bust-out from Gaza, Gaza's elected Hamas leadership was seeking not only to deal with the immediate humanitarian crisis brought on by Israel's tough siege of Gaza but also to throw down a sharp political challenge to the US-Israeli plans for the region. Tatsächlich hat die Aktion am Rafah-Grenzübergang Impulse gesetzt. Eine Regel die Helena nicht berücksichtigt ist das [unbewaffnete] unilaterale Impulse immer einen Kosten-Nutzen-Ausgleich anstreben. Ein sozio-ökonomischer Effekt denn es wird schlicht Geld in einen vorher leeren Raum gepumpt, oder dort umgesetzt. Interessant ist wie die Nebenschauplätze reagieren werden. Beispiel: Landet die Kaufkraft des Gazastreifens in Auslandsgüter und nicht in der heimischen Produktion hat der kurzfristige Nutzen einen negativen Effekt für die Binnenwirtschaft. Um diesen negativen Effekt auszugleichen werden also Gelder benötigt die umgeschichtet werden müssen. Die Koordinierung eines solchen Vorhabens ist oft extrem schwierig, oder Grund für neues Unbill. [Ein Rafah-Ägypten Mensch wird bereits zitiert das durch das Leerkaufen von Rafah nun in Rafah eine Hungersnot droht.] Unterschätzen darf man diese Effekte nicht, letztlich handelt es sich um recht fragile Haushalte, Schattenwirtschaften, mafiöse Strukturen in die ausgewichen wird. Ist die Grenze offen, aber zB über reguläre Arbeit die Finanzierung der eventuell nun möglichen Bedarfsdeckung möglich geht der Clan eben nicht zur Bank und holt sich einen Kleinkredit sondern wird Geschäfte unterhalten, die eventuell einer Vrlängerung des Großkonfliktes dienen. Das schnelle Einlenken von Condoleeza Rice in der Rafah-Frage ist angesichts der generell eskalativen Strategie der Amerikaner nicht nur im Sinne von Helena Cobban ["sharp political challenge to the US-Israeli plans for the region"] zu sehen, sondern auch unter dem Aspekt der "gefühlten Einheitlichkeit" mit der großen eskalativen Strategie. Gaza wird soeben der Mund wässerig gemacht. Um so tiefer kann Gaza fallen. Was zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt allerdings sehr erstaunlich ist das ein enorm haltbarer Waffenstillstand an der israelisch-gazanischen Grenze installiert wurde. Die Aktionen der beiden Konfliktparteien sind auf ein zuvor kaum vorstellbares Maß reduziert worden. Dies könnte bedeuten das es während den Vermittlungsversuchen der pragmatischen Hamasgruppe zu einem zumindest systmischen+ Einverständnis mit der israelischen Seite gekommen ist. +++ European Union foreign ministers expressed deep concern Monday about the chaos on the Gaza Strip border with Egypt and unveiled a new plan for getting aid to the Palestinians. "The council is deeply concerned about recent events in Gaza and the grave disturbances at the border between Gaza and Egypt," the ministers said in a statement released during their meeting in Brussels. Several hundred thousand Palestinians have swarmed into Egypt since militants blew up the Rafah border barricades six days ago, after a punishing Israeli lockdown of the Hamas-run territory cut vital fuel and aid supplies.
A U.S. peace envoy launched his mission Monday, his duties complicated because Israel and the Palestinians have widely differing views of the kind of monitoring their troubled peace moves need. [Friedensbotschafter, Nato-General... und Waffenhändler heißen ab morgen Friedensinfrastrukturaufbauspezialisten.]
Ein anderer Amerikaner in Israel: Palestinian refugees belong in their own state and do not have a "literal" right of return to Israel, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Monday. Ich halte jede Wette das Sie gerade an einem blog-Eintrag darüber schreibt.
John Vinocur, "West dithers as Iran goes its merry way": Here's an early favorite to win the 2008 prize for the historically deluded quote-of-the-year: "We don't feel threatened by Iran." Credit for it goes to Radoslaw Sikorski, the new foreign minister of Poland, a country unhappily sandwiched for the last millennium between Russians and Germans - and a place not normally given to outbursts of geopolitical beatitude that mock the viewpoint of the United States, its ultimate security guarantor. +++ U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday renewed his call for Iran to stop enriching uranium that could be used for nuclear weapons and said the United States would "confront those who threaten our troops." +++ It will take weeks before the U.N. Security Council is ready to vote on a new round of sanctions against Iran proposed last week by six world powers, council diplomats said on Monday. Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia and China circulated a draft proposal on Friday for new U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. The text calls for asset freezes and mandatory travel bans for specific Iranian officials and vigilance on all banks in Iran.
As a tense calm returned to Beirut's suburbs Monday after a bloody day of riots which left eight dead, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) said investigations into Sunday's clashes have begun and "will be conducted with the utmost seriousness and speed" to determine those responsible. Speaker Nabih Berri hosted both the LAF's commander, General Michel Suleiman, and its intelligence chief, Brigadier George Khoury, at his residence in Ain al-Tineh Monday. Suleiman offered his condolences to Berri over those killed in Sunday's clashes, including Ali Hassan Hamza, an official with the speaker's Amal party.
Aus dem Gazaastreifen ist ein vermehrter Qassam-Tourismus zu berichten. Nach Dan Murphys Artikel im cs-monitor vom 15.01. über die PRC wollte der Islamic Jihad nicht zurück stehen. DErweil scheint eine politische Lösung der Grenzproblematik möglich: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won European, American and Arab backing on Monday for taking control of Gaza's breached border with Egypt, intensifying his power struggle with the Hamas Islamists who rule the enclave. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday signaled American support for Abbas' forces taking charge of the border. Das die Hamas sich mit dieser Lösung zufrieden stellt ist extrem unwahrscheinlich. Wie im Bericht hervorgeht ist die Lage vor Ort beruhigt. Vereinzelte Protestaktionen von Studenten oder Patienten, die eine Durchreise aus dem sinai erreichen wollen sind noch zu bemerken. [Unterdessen wird von unserem besonderen Freund Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger die "Viva Las Vegas!"-Theorie in Spiel gebracht: [He] has been quoted as calling for Gazans to be transferred to the Sinai Peninsula, to a Palestinian state which he said could be constructed for them in the desert.] Zum ersten Mal nach seinem Rücktritt erlaubt sich Avigdor der II. eine Rede zur Lage der Nation: Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman on Monday unleashed harsh criticism at Egypt over the way it has dealt with the breached Gaza Strip border, accusing it of lying to Israel and working against Jerusalem's interests. "The time has come for us to tell Egypt that we will begin to work to remove it from the list of the U.S.' preferred state," the former minister told Knesset members on Monday. Egypt is "lying in our faces," he added. Das Ende des Texts ist hübsch: "Lieberman's comments apparently awakened no ire in the Knesset plenum where he spoke, apparently due to the absence of Israeli Arab MKs from the session." Must-read-mäßig hat sich Helena Cobban in das Thema fest gebissen: "Hamas transforms the regional map": More evidence is emerging that, in undertaking January 23's mass civilian bust-out from Gaza, Gaza's elected Hamas leadership was seeking not only to deal with the immediate humanitarian crisis brought on by Israel's tough siege of Gaza but also to throw down a sharp political challenge to the US-Israeli plans for the region. Tatsächlich hat die Aktion am Rafah-Grenzübergang Impulse gesetzt. Eine Regel die Helena nicht berücksichtigt ist das [unbewaffnete] unilaterale Impulse immer einen Kosten-Nutzen-Ausgleich anstreben. Ein sozio-ökonomischer Effekt denn es wird schlicht Geld in einen vorher leeren Raum gepumpt, oder dort umgesetzt. Interessant ist wie die Nebenschauplätze reagieren werden. Beispiel: Landet die Kaufkraft des Gazastreifens in Auslandsgüter und nicht in der heimischen Produktion hat der kurzfristige Nutzen einen negativen Effekt für die Binnenwirtschaft. Um diesen negativen Effekt auszugleichen werden also Gelder benötigt die umgeschichtet werden müssen. Die Koordinierung eines solchen Vorhabens ist oft extrem schwierig, oder Grund für neues Unbill. [Ein Rafah-Ägypten Mensch wird bereits zitiert das durch das Leerkaufen von Rafah nun in Rafah eine Hungersnot droht.] Unterschätzen darf man diese Effekte nicht, letztlich handelt es sich um recht fragile Haushalte, Schattenwirtschaften, mafiöse Strukturen in die ausgewichen wird. Ist die Grenze offen, aber zB über reguläre Arbeit die Finanzierung der eventuell nun möglichen Bedarfsdeckung möglich geht der Clan eben nicht zur Bank und holt sich einen Kleinkredit sondern wird Geschäfte unterhalten, die eventuell einer Vrlängerung des Großkonfliktes dienen. Das schnelle Einlenken von Condoleeza Rice in der Rafah-Frage ist angesichts der generell eskalativen Strategie der Amerikaner nicht nur im Sinne von Helena Cobban ["sharp political challenge to the US-Israeli plans for the region"] zu sehen, sondern auch unter dem Aspekt der "gefühlten Einheitlichkeit" mit der großen eskalativen Strategie. Gaza wird soeben der Mund wässerig gemacht. Um so tiefer kann Gaza fallen. Was zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt allerdings sehr erstaunlich ist das ein enorm haltbarer Waffenstillstand an der israelisch-gazanischen Grenze installiert wurde. Die Aktionen der beiden Konfliktparteien sind auf ein zuvor kaum vorstellbares Maß reduziert worden. Dies könnte bedeuten das es während den Vermittlungsversuchen der pragmatischen Hamasgruppe zu einem zumindest systmischen+ Einverständnis mit der israelischen Seite gekommen ist. +++ European Union foreign ministers expressed deep concern Monday about the chaos on the Gaza Strip border with Egypt and unveiled a new plan for getting aid to the Palestinians. "The council is deeply concerned about recent events in Gaza and the grave disturbances at the border between Gaza and Egypt," the ministers said in a statement released during their meeting in Brussels. Several hundred thousand Palestinians have swarmed into Egypt since militants blew up the Rafah border barricades six days ago, after a punishing Israeli lockdown of the Hamas-run territory cut vital fuel and aid supplies.
A U.S. peace envoy launched his mission Monday, his duties complicated because Israel and the Palestinians have widely differing views of the kind of monitoring their troubled peace moves need. [Friedensbotschafter, Nato-General... und Waffenhändler heißen ab morgen Friedensinfrastrukturaufbauspezialisten.]
Ein anderer Amerikaner in Israel: Palestinian refugees belong in their own state and do not have a "literal" right of return to Israel, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Monday. Ich halte jede Wette das Sie gerade an einem blog-Eintrag darüber schreibt.
John Vinocur, "West dithers as Iran goes its merry way": Here's an early favorite to win the 2008 prize for the historically deluded quote-of-the-year: "We don't feel threatened by Iran." Credit for it goes to Radoslaw Sikorski, the new foreign minister of Poland, a country unhappily sandwiched for the last millennium between Russians and Germans - and a place not normally given to outbursts of geopolitical beatitude that mock the viewpoint of the United States, its ultimate security guarantor. +++ U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday renewed his call for Iran to stop enriching uranium that could be used for nuclear weapons and said the United States would "confront those who threaten our troops." +++ It will take weeks before the U.N. Security Council is ready to vote on a new round of sanctions against Iran proposed last week by six world powers, council diplomats said on Monday. Britain, France, Germany, the United States, Russia and China circulated a draft proposal on Friday for new U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. The text calls for asset freezes and mandatory travel bans for specific Iranian officials and vigilance on all banks in Iran.
As a tense calm returned to Beirut's suburbs Monday after a bloody day of riots which left eight dead, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) said investigations into Sunday's clashes have begun and "will be conducted with the utmost seriousness and speed" to determine those responsible. Speaker Nabih Berri hosted both the LAF's commander, General Michel Suleiman, and its intelligence chief, Brigadier George Khoury, at his residence in Ain al-Tineh Monday. Suleiman offered his condolences to Berri over those killed in Sunday's clashes, including Ali Hassan Hamza, an official with the speaker's Amal party.
Updates - Beirut Schlammschlacht beginnt
Nach unterschiedlichen Angaben sind bei Unruhen in Beiruter Vororten mindestens acht Personen getötet und 29 verletzt worden. Die Umstände der Eskalation sind weiter unklar. [Sunday's protest began in the Mar Mikhael area of southern Beirut, near the site of the massacre of Palestinians that triggered the Civil War. The violence spiraled after an activist from the opposition Amal Movement, Ali Hassan Hamza, was shot dead, reportedly as was urging members of his group to heed army calls to break up an angry demonstration against power cuts.] Sehr bedenklich stimmen die "poltischen" Begleiterscheinungen, die ein gewisses unteres Niveau unterschreiten. Pro-M14-Gucci-Revolutionäre bezichtigen die Amal und Hezbollah "Leute die noch nie ihre Stromrechnung bezahlt haben" wegen der Stromrationierung auf die Straße geschickt zu haben, etc... Angesichts des angestauten Gewaltpotentials ist es nahezu egal ob nun Sicherheitskräfte oder verfeindete Milizen die Demonstranten erschossen. Es darf mit blutigen Gegenschlägen gerechnet werden. ++++ Arab League foreign ministers met in Cairo on Sunday to try to find a solution to nudge feuding Lebanese politicians to elect a new president and put an end to the almost 14-month-old political standoff which has crippled the country. Arab League chief Amr Moussa held bilateral talks with several Arab diplomats ahead of the meeting, including with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit, who told reporters on Saturday the meeting would help shed light on a proposed Arab initiative to end the stalemate in Lebanon.
In der Nacht kommt es in der Rafah-Gegend zu einem Luftangriff der IAF auf ein in der Nähe einer Hamas-Position stehendes Auto. Vier Verletzte. Es werden keine weiteren Angriffe gemeldet. Die Lage an der Grenze: Egyptian security forces and Hamas gunmen in Rafah worked together Monday to string a barbed wire fence across one of the three breaches in the border in the latest effort to stem the flood of Palestinians across the frontier. Three trucks of Egyptian security forces pulled up to the "Brazil" gate and strung wire across this entry point into Egypt. They were aided by half a dozen bearded and uniformed Hamas militants from the other side of the border. Hamas, meanwhile, have stopped civilian cars from entering into Egypt from the Gaza Strip at the main Salah Eddin crossing, permitting only trucks to go into Rafah and buy products. Six days after Hamas blew several holes into the border to foil an Israeli-imposed blockade, Palestinian pedestrians continue to wander through the Egyptian-side of Rafah stocking up on supplies. Six days after Hamas blew holes in the border wall with Egypt to effectively end an Israeli blockade and sent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians across the border in a shopping frenzy, authorities in the region are still struggling to come up with a new system to administer the border. Egypt [zuvor war es noch die Idee von Mahmoud Abbas, teleportiert von Ryad al-Maliki] wants to restore shared control of the border among the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and European Union monitors, while Hamas rejects the old system and is pushing for a new one - presumably with more control in the hands of the militant group. Sehr bissig kommentiert der Daily Star: The anarchic situation in the Gaza Strip marks a new low in terms of the performance of Palestinian resistance organizations. From its beginnings in the 1960s, the movement has been depressingly vulnerable to petty internecine disputes exacerbated by conflicting loyalties to regional powers with little or no interest in liberating Palestinian land - but plenty of appetite for falsely aggrandizing their own images at home and abroad. Reduced to implements in the maladroit hands of cynical regimes, many of the Palestinian factions have been so badly diverted from their raison d'etre that one is tempted to ask whether their respective leaders even know where Palestine is - or was. ++ In an exclusive interview with Asharq al-Awsat, Salam Fayyad stressed that the crossing points ought to be opened, especially Rafah crossing point, and they ought to be organized "not in the same way we saw in the recent period." ++++ An aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt may mediate between his Fatah party and their rival, Hamas, in talks aimed at restoring Palestinian unity. Nabil Sha'ath, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and an advisor to Abbas, told the London-based Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper that he met with one of the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leaders, Muhammad Habib, and the group's Secretary General, Mahmoud Izzat. ++++ Eine technisch interessant Debatte: Martin S. Kramer und Stephen A. Cook über Grenzkosmetik und andere Dinge. ++++ Israel will not tolerate the continued threat to its security posed by Hamas militants' breach of the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt, officials in Jerusalem told Haaretz on Sunday. "Israel will not allow the continuation of the current state where its security interests are being compromised," the officials said, days after the Hamas regime blew up the barrier along the Strip's border with Egypt. The officials added that Prime Minster Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas see eye to eye on what they perceive as the need to refrain from negotiations with Hamas. Following the border breach, Israeli defense officials have expressed concerns that militants from the Gaza Strip may attack towns along Israel's long border with Sinai. ++++ Egypt officials have arrested dozens of Palestinians armed with guns and rifles who crossed the breached Gaza border into Sinai the past few days, sources told Israel on Sunday. ++++ Und wenn schon eine Blockadepolitik fehl schlägt, dann fällt es der nächsten auch nicht schwer: Iran is close to resuming full diplomatic relations with Egypt, its foreign minister said on Monday, but did not say when the ties that have been cut for almost three decades would be re-established. Iran broke ties with Egypt in 1979 after then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat let in the deposed shah of Iran. The two countries now have diplomatic representation through interest sections and not full embassies at ambassador level. "We are on the verge of resuming official political ties with Egypt," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a news conference in Tehran. Egyptian officials have previously been more cautious about the timing of resuming ties. ++++ Das Neueste: The EU is considering the possibility of sending its monitors back to Gaza's border with Egypt, provided there are assurances they will not be at risk in the Hamas-run territory, officials involved in the talks said on Monday.
In der Westbank hingegen werden bei Verhaftungswellen durch die IDF etwa zehn Palästinenser verhaftet. UA wird dabei auch die Stromversurgung in Vierteln in Nablus lahm gelegt. Langsam entwickelt sich die story das unser westliches Lieblingskind Abbas den Krieg bekommt den er als Guter verdient, während die bösen Jungs der Hamas sich im Frieden langweilen dürfen. Und klar, wenn man schon nciht mit der Presse über die Friedensverhandlungen reden darf [Zuchtmeisterin Livni] dann ... redet man wie ein reißender Strom: A senior political source in Jerusalem stressed Sunday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has still not formulated an idea for resolving the question of Jerusalem and it is likely to be left for last in the negotiations with the Palestinians. This comes after the Israeli side has become convinced in recent weeks that it is too sensitive and complex an issue, with potentially negative ramifications for the entire negotiating process. Noch keine "Idee formuliert"? Tja... das mit den göttlichen Eingebungen ist halt so eine Sache...
Ausgang wie geplant: President Shimon Peres reacted Monday in Nazareth to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's decision Sunday not to indict the police officers involved in the killing of 13 Arab Israelis during the riots of October, 2000, saying that Mazuz "based his decision on the highest levels of the law." "I do not believe that Mazuz tried to blur the truth, apparently there was not enough evidence from a legal standpoint. This proves that the Attorney General is not a politician," Peres said. The President added that while he "understands the feelings of the Israeli Arabs, Ben Gurion once said that politicians cannot be judges and judges should not dabble in politics". Mazuz released an official legal opinion Sunday, reaffirming the Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department (PID) decision from September, 2005 to terminate the investigation into the officers' actions.
Und zu Letzt: Newahlen, Ja. Aber erst wenn Baraks Image.... Labor chairman Ehud Barak expressed support for holding the next general election in March 2009, in a conversation with Pensioner Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan at Sunday's cabinet meeting. Barak, who sits next to Eitan at the meetings, spoke to him about the Winograd Report that will be published on Wednesday and hinted at his preference to hold the next election at a time that would be more convenient for his party. Barak's associates downplayed his comments. "In the end, everything is mere speculation until he reads the report," Barak's spokesman said. "Barak will do what is right for Israel, and all the rest is conjecture, including what Eitan said that he said." Labor officials said Barak needed more time to repair his image before a general election. A March 2009 race, they said, would give him nearly two years in the Defense Ministry - about the same amount of time that former prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu served in the Treasury in an effort to prove his professional credentials.
In der Nacht kommt es in der Rafah-Gegend zu einem Luftangriff der IAF auf ein in der Nähe einer Hamas-Position stehendes Auto. Vier Verletzte. Es werden keine weiteren Angriffe gemeldet. Die Lage an der Grenze: Egyptian security forces and Hamas gunmen in Rafah worked together Monday to string a barbed wire fence across one of the three breaches in the border in the latest effort to stem the flood of Palestinians across the frontier. Three trucks of Egyptian security forces pulled up to the "Brazil" gate and strung wire across this entry point into Egypt. They were aided by half a dozen bearded and uniformed Hamas militants from the other side of the border. Hamas, meanwhile, have stopped civilian cars from entering into Egypt from the Gaza Strip at the main Salah Eddin crossing, permitting only trucks to go into Rafah and buy products. Six days after Hamas blew several holes into the border to foil an Israeli-imposed blockade, Palestinian pedestrians continue to wander through the Egyptian-side of Rafah stocking up on supplies. Six days after Hamas blew holes in the border wall with Egypt to effectively end an Israeli blockade and sent hundreds of thousands of Palestinians across the border in a shopping frenzy, authorities in the region are still struggling to come up with a new system to administer the border. Egypt [zuvor war es noch die Idee von Mahmoud Abbas, teleportiert von Ryad al-Maliki] wants to restore shared control of the border among the Palestinian Authority, Israel, and European Union monitors, while Hamas rejects the old system and is pushing for a new one - presumably with more control in the hands of the militant group. Sehr bissig kommentiert der Daily Star: The anarchic situation in the Gaza Strip marks a new low in terms of the performance of Palestinian resistance organizations. From its beginnings in the 1960s, the movement has been depressingly vulnerable to petty internecine disputes exacerbated by conflicting loyalties to regional powers with little or no interest in liberating Palestinian land - but plenty of appetite for falsely aggrandizing their own images at home and abroad. Reduced to implements in the maladroit hands of cynical regimes, many of the Palestinian factions have been so badly diverted from their raison d'etre that one is tempted to ask whether their respective leaders even know where Palestine is - or was. ++ In an exclusive interview with Asharq al-Awsat, Salam Fayyad stressed that the crossing points ought to be opened, especially Rafah crossing point, and they ought to be organized "not in the same way we saw in the recent period." ++++ An aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt may mediate between his Fatah party and their rival, Hamas, in talks aimed at restoring Palestinian unity. Nabil Sha'ath, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council and an advisor to Abbas, told the London-based Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper that he met with one of the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leaders, Muhammad Habib, and the group's Secretary General, Mahmoud Izzat. ++++ Eine technisch interessant Debatte: Martin S. Kramer und Stephen A. Cook über Grenzkosmetik und andere Dinge. ++++ Israel will not tolerate the continued threat to its security posed by Hamas militants' breach of the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt, officials in Jerusalem told Haaretz on Sunday. "Israel will not allow the continuation of the current state where its security interests are being compromised," the officials said, days after the Hamas regime blew up the barrier along the Strip's border with Egypt. The officials added that Prime Minster Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas see eye to eye on what they perceive as the need to refrain from negotiations with Hamas. Following the border breach, Israeli defense officials have expressed concerns that militants from the Gaza Strip may attack towns along Israel's long border with Sinai. ++++ Egypt officials have arrested dozens of Palestinians armed with guns and rifles who crossed the breached Gaza border into Sinai the past few days, sources told Israel on Sunday. ++++ Und wenn schon eine Blockadepolitik fehl schlägt, dann fällt es der nächsten auch nicht schwer: Iran is close to resuming full diplomatic relations with Egypt, its foreign minister said on Monday, but did not say when the ties that have been cut for almost three decades would be re-established. Iran broke ties with Egypt in 1979 after then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat let in the deposed shah of Iran. The two countries now have diplomatic representation through interest sections and not full embassies at ambassador level. "We are on the verge of resuming official political ties with Egypt," Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told a news conference in Tehran. Egyptian officials have previously been more cautious about the timing of resuming ties. ++++ Das Neueste: The EU is considering the possibility of sending its monitors back to Gaza's border with Egypt, provided there are assurances they will not be at risk in the Hamas-run territory, officials involved in the talks said on Monday.
In der Westbank hingegen werden bei Verhaftungswellen durch die IDF etwa zehn Palästinenser verhaftet. UA wird dabei auch die Stromversurgung in Vierteln in Nablus lahm gelegt. Langsam entwickelt sich die story das unser westliches Lieblingskind Abbas den Krieg bekommt den er als Guter verdient, während die bösen Jungs der Hamas sich im Frieden langweilen dürfen. Und klar, wenn man schon nciht mit der Presse über die Friedensverhandlungen reden darf [Zuchtmeisterin Livni] dann ... redet man wie ein reißender Strom: A senior political source in Jerusalem stressed Sunday that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has still not formulated an idea for resolving the question of Jerusalem and it is likely to be left for last in the negotiations with the Palestinians. This comes after the Israeli side has become convinced in recent weeks that it is too sensitive and complex an issue, with potentially negative ramifications for the entire negotiating process. Noch keine "Idee formuliert"? Tja... das mit den göttlichen Eingebungen ist halt so eine Sache...
Ausgang wie geplant: President Shimon Peres reacted Monday in Nazareth to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz's decision Sunday not to indict the police officers involved in the killing of 13 Arab Israelis during the riots of October, 2000, saying that Mazuz "based his decision on the highest levels of the law." "I do not believe that Mazuz tried to blur the truth, apparently there was not enough evidence from a legal standpoint. This proves that the Attorney General is not a politician," Peres said. The President added that while he "understands the feelings of the Israeli Arabs, Ben Gurion once said that politicians cannot be judges and judges should not dabble in politics". Mazuz released an official legal opinion Sunday, reaffirming the Justice Ministry's Police Investigations Department (PID) decision from September, 2005 to terminate the investigation into the officers' actions.
Und zu Letzt: Newahlen, Ja. Aber erst wenn Baraks Image.... Labor chairman Ehud Barak expressed support for holding the next general election in March 2009, in a conversation with Pensioner Affairs Minister Rafi Eitan at Sunday's cabinet meeting. Barak, who sits next to Eitan at the meetings, spoke to him about the Winograd Report that will be published on Wednesday and hinted at his preference to hold the next election at a time that would be more convenient for his party. Barak's associates downplayed his comments. "In the end, everything is mere speculation until he reads the report," Barak's spokesman said. "Barak will do what is right for Israel, and all the rest is conjecture, including what Eitan said that he said." Labor officials said Barak needed more time to repair his image before a general election. A March 2009 race, they said, would give him nearly two years in the Defense Ministry - about the same amount of time that former prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu served in the Treasury in an effort to prove his professional credentials.
Sonntag, 27. Januar 2008
Beirut: 7 Dead
Seven people were shot dead in Beirut on Sunday in some of the worst internal violence since Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war, raising tensions in a country gripped by a political crisis.
At least five of the dead were supporters of the pro-Syrian opposition, opposition sources said. The opposition has been locked in a power struggle for more than a year with the Western-backed government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. The conflict has fuelled sectarian tensions between Shi'ite Muslims loyal to the opposition and Sunni followers of Saad al-Hariri, who leads the governing coalition.
The violence spiralled after an activist from the opposition Amal movement was shot dead when the army moved to break up a demonstration against power cuts. The army, seen as neutral in the crisis, had fired in the air to disperse the initial protest. It said it was investigating who was behind the shooting, which it said killed two people. Heavy gunfire was heard and gunmen were seen in nearby Shi'ite Muslim and Christian streets. Cars were set ablaze in Beirut and protests spread beyond the capital to Shi'ite villages in the south and the Bekaa Valley to the east. Protesters used blazing tyres to block several main roads, including the highway to the airport in the worst violence in Beirut since clashes a year ago between supporters of the governing coalition and its Syrian-backed rivals.
Security sources said 22 people were also wounded. At least four of the dead were close to the pro-Syrian Hezbollah, which together with Amal has the support of the Shi'ite population. Amal, led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, called on its followers to halt the protests. "We have no link to this action. We call on people not to react. We call on them to pull out of the streets," senior Amal official Ali Hassan Khalil told Reuters. Hezbollah, which leads the opposition alliance, used loudspeakers to urge calm. Arab foreign ministers met in Cairo on Sunday to review Arab League efforts to mediate an end to the political conflict, which has left Lebanon without a president since November. Sunday's protest began in the Mar Makhaeil area of southern Beirut, near the site of a shooting that had triggered Lebanon's civil war. Security sources said one soldier was injured when protesters threw stones at the initial protest. Rival leaders have agreed that army chief General Michel Suleiman should be the next president. But his election to the post has been held up by a dispute over the make-up of a new government.
At least five of the dead were supporters of the pro-Syrian opposition, opposition sources said. The opposition has been locked in a power struggle for more than a year with the Western-backed government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. The conflict has fuelled sectarian tensions between Shi'ite Muslims loyal to the opposition and Sunni followers of Saad al-Hariri, who leads the governing coalition.
The violence spiralled after an activist from the opposition Amal movement was shot dead when the army moved to break up a demonstration against power cuts. The army, seen as neutral in the crisis, had fired in the air to disperse the initial protest. It said it was investigating who was behind the shooting, which it said killed two people. Heavy gunfire was heard and gunmen were seen in nearby Shi'ite Muslim and Christian streets. Cars were set ablaze in Beirut and protests spread beyond the capital to Shi'ite villages in the south and the Bekaa Valley to the east. Protesters used blazing tyres to block several main roads, including the highway to the airport in the worst violence in Beirut since clashes a year ago between supporters of the governing coalition and its Syrian-backed rivals.
Security sources said 22 people were also wounded. At least four of the dead were close to the pro-Syrian Hezbollah, which together with Amal has the support of the Shi'ite population. Amal, led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, called on its followers to halt the protests. "We have no link to this action. We call on people not to react. We call on them to pull out of the streets," senior Amal official Ali Hassan Khalil told Reuters. Hezbollah, which leads the opposition alliance, used loudspeakers to urge calm. Arab foreign ministers met in Cairo on Sunday to review Arab League efforts to mediate an end to the political conflict, which has left Lebanon without a president since November. Sunday's protest began in the Mar Makhaeil area of southern Beirut, near the site of a shooting that had triggered Lebanon's civil war. Security sources said one soldier was injured when protesters threw stones at the initial protest. Rival leaders have agreed that army chief General Michel Suleiman should be the next president. But his election to the post has been held up by a dispute over the make-up of a new government.
George Habash gestorben
Gestern ver starb der PFLP-Gründer George Habash in Jordanien.
Die Lage an der ägyptisch-gazanischen Grenze verbleibt volatil: Egyptian forces moved to close their breached border with the Gaza Strip by stopping vehicle traffic Sunday and further tightening their security cordon around the small frontier town of Rafah in effort to contain Palestinians crossing freely into Egypt for the fifth day in a row. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Sunday Egypt would take steps to control its border with the Gaza Strip as soon as possible. A Foreign Ministry statement provided no further details. Egyptian forces blocked one of the gaps in the border wall with piles of sand, and border police officers carrying electric cattle prods at other openings stopped cars with Palestinian plates from entering Egypt as well as Egyptian cars from crossing into Gaza. Pedestrians, however, continued to move back and forth freely. ... Over the past two days, 38 Egyptian security forces have been wounded - some seriously - after Palestinians hurled stones and shot at them at the border, according to Aboul Gheit. ... Israel, meanwhile, has expressed growing concern about the possible influx of Palestinian militants into areas of Egypt that border Israel. The Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday that its troops were on heightened alert along the border with Egypt, and that an Israeli road and tourism sites in the area are temporarily closed. ... The Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Al-Gheit announced on Saturday that Egypt will invite a delegation from Hamas to visit Egypt to discuss the situation at the border between Egypt and Gaza Strip. A delegation from the Palestinian Authority will visit Egypt separately for talks on the same subject. Al-Gheit told reporters, "there is a desire to control the Egyptian border to regulate the entry and exit of the Palestinian people and there is also an Egyptian effort to restore the arrangements that existed (on the border) between Egypt and the Gaza Strip before the Hamas takeover of the sector in last June. [Eine Ankündigung des ramallahnischen Desinformationsministers Ryad al-Maliki, die Fatah habe bereits die Zusage Ägyptens für diue Kontrolle des Rafah-Grenzübergangs erhalten muß als extrem suspekt bezeichnet werden.] ... Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday that Israel would not let a humanitarian crisis develop in Gaza, after its Islamist Hamas rulers blew up a border barrier with Egypt and shattered an Israeli blockade. ... The state told the High Court of Justice on Sunday that Israel would restore the supply of industrial-use diesel to the Gaza Strip to target levels set prior to the blockade imposed on Gaza earlier this month. The state prosecution said those levels were the minimum required in order to meet the basic humanitarian needs of the Strip's civilian population. The High Court of Justice held an urgent hearing Sunday to discuss a petition filed by several Palestinian organizations against the reduction in Israeli fuel and gas shipments to the Gaza Strip. The court decided to hold the hearing in the wake of an additional petition for an injunction against the reduction in the supply of industrial-use diesel. [Basierend auf einer Interview-Serie im Frühjahr 2006 bespricht Helena Cobban die strategischen Fragen hinter der derzeitigen Situation.] Das Haaretz-editorial sieht gar eine Gefahr für den kalten Frieden von Israel und Ägypten: For 34 years, since the separation of forces after the Yom Kippur War, the Israel-Egyptian front has been quiet. The peace agreement signed by Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin has been stable and firm for more than a quarter of a century, despite fluctuations of governments and conflicts on other fronts. Peace with Egypt is one of Israel's greatest strategic assets, although it is a cool peace. The entire Arab world followed it in moving ahead toward coming to terms with Israel. Over the past week danger has hung over this peace.
The European Union plans to revamp its massive annual aid for Palestinians from next month to make it fit better with the economic reform program of Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayad. EU foreign ministers on Monday are expected to discuss the plan which aims to focus European aid on sustainable, long-term economic development and invite other donors, especially Arab states, to pitch in. EU aid in recent years has totaled some $1 billion annually. The plan stems from last month's Paris donors conference, where Fayad's government received pledges of $7.7 billion over three years. If adopted, the new three-year plan will, from March 31, replace a temporary scheme that paid cash directly to destitute Palestinians when regular foreign aid dried up after the stridently anti-Israel Hamas government came to power in 2006. Those payments will continue through the Fayad government.
Gideon Levy, "Why the migthy fell": Here they are again, the protesting officers. After their failure in the wake of the Second Lebanon War, they have returned to us on the eve of the release of the final Winograd Committee report. Now, as then, their protest is hollow. They are crying out together with the bereaved parents, but their cry is infuriating. While protest in this complacent country is a good thing, in this case its content is deceptive, it focuses on the trivial and disregards substance. Both then and now, they want the prime minister's head; their be-all and end-all is Ehud Olmert's resignation. They are not protesting the outbreak of the war as such, the absence of any justification for it, or for that matter its moral and ethical failure. They like to talk about "values," but their values are not moral. They wanted the war to have been managed differently, to go on and on, until victory. But there was no chance of that war ending in victory, and that is one reason - though not the only one - that it would have been better had it not been fought.
Die story aus Kfar Etzion muß schon wieder verändert werden: Elyakim Kovatch, a 10th-grade counselor at the Mekor Haim yeshiva in Kfar Etzion, says he does not remember the sound of shots from his gun, which killed the two terrorists who broke into the institution Thursday evening. "In my memory, the incident is like a silent movie," he said Friday. [Ich hoffe dabei bleibts jetzt.]
In Damaskus endete eine dreitägige Konferenz von Hamas, Islamic Jihad, The Popular Resistance Committees, The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (General Command), As-Sa'iqa, Fatah of the Intifada, the Popular Struggle Front, the Arab Liberation Front, the Palestinian Communist Revolutionary Party, the Palestinian Liberation Army + etc... Ergebnisse der Gespräche und ein Schlußdokument werden bislang nur vage verbreitet.
Die Fronten dürfen als extrem ruhig bezeichnet werden. Kleinere Zwischenfälle, kaum Wassam und Mörsergranaten-Aufkommen, keine Toten. Aber ein besonderes Opfer: "Israeli forces detained the French Consul General in Jerusalem for three and a half hours at a military checkpoint between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the southern West Bank on Friday, sources in the French consulate told Agence France Press. The sources added that Consul General Alain Rémy and his escorts were en route to Jerusalem when they were detained at the Israeli checkpoint. Israeli soldiers attempted to inspected their bags, despite the consulate staff's efforts to prevent them from doing so. According to the sources, the French Consul General compromised and allowed the Israeli soldiers to check his cars from the outside only."
Die Lage an der ägyptisch-gazanischen Grenze verbleibt volatil: Egyptian forces moved to close their breached border with the Gaza Strip by stopping vehicle traffic Sunday and further tightening their security cordon around the small frontier town of Rafah in effort to contain Palestinians crossing freely into Egypt for the fifth day in a row. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Sunday Egypt would take steps to control its border with the Gaza Strip as soon as possible. A Foreign Ministry statement provided no further details. Egyptian forces blocked one of the gaps in the border wall with piles of sand, and border police officers carrying electric cattle prods at other openings stopped cars with Palestinian plates from entering Egypt as well as Egyptian cars from crossing into Gaza. Pedestrians, however, continued to move back and forth freely. ... Over the past two days, 38 Egyptian security forces have been wounded - some seriously - after Palestinians hurled stones and shot at them at the border, according to Aboul Gheit. ... Israel, meanwhile, has expressed growing concern about the possible influx of Palestinian militants into areas of Egypt that border Israel. The Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday that its troops were on heightened alert along the border with Egypt, and that an Israeli road and tourism sites in the area are temporarily closed. ... The Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Al-Gheit announced on Saturday that Egypt will invite a delegation from Hamas to visit Egypt to discuss the situation at the border between Egypt and Gaza Strip. A delegation from the Palestinian Authority will visit Egypt separately for talks on the same subject. Al-Gheit told reporters, "there is a desire to control the Egyptian border to regulate the entry and exit of the Palestinian people and there is also an Egyptian effort to restore the arrangements that existed (on the border) between Egypt and the Gaza Strip before the Hamas takeover of the sector in last June. [Eine Ankündigung des ramallahnischen Desinformationsministers Ryad al-Maliki, die Fatah habe bereits die Zusage Ägyptens für diue Kontrolle des Rafah-Grenzübergangs erhalten muß als extrem suspekt bezeichnet werden.] ... Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday that Israel would not let a humanitarian crisis develop in Gaza, after its Islamist Hamas rulers blew up a border barrier with Egypt and shattered an Israeli blockade. ... The state told the High Court of Justice on Sunday that Israel would restore the supply of industrial-use diesel to the Gaza Strip to target levels set prior to the blockade imposed on Gaza earlier this month. The state prosecution said those levels were the minimum required in order to meet the basic humanitarian needs of the Strip's civilian population. The High Court of Justice held an urgent hearing Sunday to discuss a petition filed by several Palestinian organizations against the reduction in Israeli fuel and gas shipments to the Gaza Strip. The court decided to hold the hearing in the wake of an additional petition for an injunction against the reduction in the supply of industrial-use diesel. [Basierend auf einer Interview-Serie im Frühjahr 2006 bespricht Helena Cobban die strategischen Fragen hinter der derzeitigen Situation.] Das Haaretz-editorial sieht gar eine Gefahr für den kalten Frieden von Israel und Ägypten: For 34 years, since the separation of forces after the Yom Kippur War, the Israel-Egyptian front has been quiet. The peace agreement signed by Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin has been stable and firm for more than a quarter of a century, despite fluctuations of governments and conflicts on other fronts. Peace with Egypt is one of Israel's greatest strategic assets, although it is a cool peace. The entire Arab world followed it in moving ahead toward coming to terms with Israel. Over the past week danger has hung over this peace.
The European Union plans to revamp its massive annual aid for Palestinians from next month to make it fit better with the economic reform program of Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayad. EU foreign ministers on Monday are expected to discuss the plan which aims to focus European aid on sustainable, long-term economic development and invite other donors, especially Arab states, to pitch in. EU aid in recent years has totaled some $1 billion annually. The plan stems from last month's Paris donors conference, where Fayad's government received pledges of $7.7 billion over three years. If adopted, the new three-year plan will, from March 31, replace a temporary scheme that paid cash directly to destitute Palestinians when regular foreign aid dried up after the stridently anti-Israel Hamas government came to power in 2006. Those payments will continue through the Fayad government.
Gideon Levy, "Why the migthy fell": Here they are again, the protesting officers. After their failure in the wake of the Second Lebanon War, they have returned to us on the eve of the release of the final Winograd Committee report. Now, as then, their protest is hollow. They are crying out together with the bereaved parents, but their cry is infuriating. While protest in this complacent country is a good thing, in this case its content is deceptive, it focuses on the trivial and disregards substance. Both then and now, they want the prime minister's head; their be-all and end-all is Ehud Olmert's resignation. They are not protesting the outbreak of the war as such, the absence of any justification for it, or for that matter its moral and ethical failure. They like to talk about "values," but their values are not moral. They wanted the war to have been managed differently, to go on and on, until victory. But there was no chance of that war ending in victory, and that is one reason - though not the only one - that it would have been better had it not been fought.
Die story aus Kfar Etzion muß schon wieder verändert werden: Elyakim Kovatch, a 10th-grade counselor at the Mekor Haim yeshiva in Kfar Etzion, says he does not remember the sound of shots from his gun, which killed the two terrorists who broke into the institution Thursday evening. "In my memory, the incident is like a silent movie," he said Friday. [Ich hoffe dabei bleibts jetzt.]
In Damaskus endete eine dreitägige Konferenz von Hamas, Islamic Jihad, The Popular Resistance Committees, The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (General Command), As-Sa'iqa, Fatah of the Intifada, the Popular Struggle Front, the Arab Liberation Front, the Palestinian Communist Revolutionary Party, the Palestinian Liberation Army + etc... Ergebnisse der Gespräche und ein Schlußdokument werden bislang nur vage verbreitet.
Die Fronten dürfen als extrem ruhig bezeichnet werden. Kleinere Zwischenfälle, kaum Wassam und Mörsergranaten-Aufkommen, keine Toten. Aber ein besonderes Opfer: "Israeli forces detained the French Consul General in Jerusalem for three and a half hours at a military checkpoint between Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the southern West Bank on Friday, sources in the French consulate told Agence France Press. The sources added that Consul General Alain Rémy and his escorts were en route to Jerusalem when they were detained at the Israeli checkpoint. Israeli soldiers attempted to inspected their bags, despite the consulate staff's efforts to prevent them from doing so. According to the sources, the French Consul General compromised and allowed the Israeli soldiers to check his cars from the outside only."
Samstag, 26. Januar 2008
Updates
Nach tagelangem Massenansturm aus dem Gazastreifen versucht Ägypten, die Grenze zum Palästinensergebiet zu schließen - vergeblich. Es gibt heftige Proteste. Mehrere tausend Palästinenser stemmen sich den Sicherheitskräften entgegen. Trotz des Einsatzes von Sondereinheiten hat Ägypten die Grenze zum Gazastreifen nicht komplett schließen können. Tausende von Palästinensern ignorierten nach Augenzeugenberichten die von Ägypten gestellte Frist, bis 14 Uhr wieder nach Hause zurückzukehren. Am wichtigsten Übergang in Rafah hinderten ägyptische Sicherheitskräfte Palästinenser mit Elektroschockern am Grenzübertritt und trieben andere in den Gazastreifen zurück. Nachdem Soldaten neu ankommenden Palästinensern die Einreise nach Ägypten verwehrt hatten, rissen Mitglieder der radikal-islamischen Hamas-Organisation am Nachmittag mit einem Bulldozer eine neue Öffnung in den Stacheldraht der Grenzanlage. Hunderte von Palästinensern strömten dann wieder über die Grenze. [Ulrike putzt wieder: Mittlerweile haben auch die Macher solcher Blätter wie Stürmer.online.de das Thema Gaza wieder entdeckt. Nach dem man über Monate hinweg das Thema zensiert hatte und kein einziger Bericht über die Kämpfe, geschweige die Opfer auf palästinensischer Seite erschien will man jetzt mit absurdem Geschwafel im Hinterhof-Forum und Marktschreierei "Chaos in Gaza" [!!!] den schnellen Euro machen. Dazu hat man nun auch die wegen Hamas-freundlicher Berichterstattung mit einem Maulkorb ausgestattete Ulrike Putz reanimiert. Dabei geben die "Berichte", die man eher offizielles Bulletin der israelischen Regierung nennen sollte einen schönen Blick in die Innenwelt von stürmer & Co. frei. Das seichte Gewäsch von heute muß man mit der Sensations-Berichterstattung aus dem Libanon-Krieg quer lesen. Der damalige letzte große anti-israelische Feldzug ist im Popanz erstickt. Von "Der Gaza-Streifen droht im Chaos zu versinken!" -Juli 2004- zu "Chaos in Gaza" -Januar 2008- In Wellen durchschreiten die Texter tiefe Schreibblockadentäler. Die armen kleinen Stürmer.]
Beleuchten wir die Lage nochmal kurz von Vorne: Die nach dem Hamas-Wahlsieg verschärfte Blockade des Gaza-Streifens, die Verschärfung und teilweise totale Abschottung von ihm nach der Machtübernahme der Hamas im Juni 2007 sollte nach Meinung des Westblocks [USA, Israel, EU, Ramallah] die Machtposition der Hamas schwächen. Inszenierte Krisen im Gazastreifen, die Installation einer "Friedenskonferenz", gewaltige Versprechungen für die Westbank sollten den Palästinensern Ermunterung sein sich von der aggressiven Politik der Hamas bezüglich Israel zu lösen. Die Hamas hingegen konnte sich innenpolitisch stabiliseren, da man ihre Ressourcen [Finanzmittel, Bewaffnung, Disziplin], ihr Geschick im Umgang mit verfeindeten Fraktionen [Verzicht auf Todesschwadronen, eher symbolische Verhaftungen, pinpoint-Schwächungen, Willen zur internen Konfliktlösung] wurde unterschätzt. Zudem wurde die Schwäche der israelischen Regierung negiert: Der Schulterschluß mit der arabischen Welt sollte durch die Annapolis-Konferenz nur inszeniert werden um der Hamas ein Bild der einigen Koalition vorzugaugeln. Substanz hatte dies nicht. Die Hamas legte aussenpolitisch drei Programme auf. 1.tens suchte sie die diplomatische Isolation über den panarabischen Grundgedanken zu durchbrechen. 2.tens suchte sie den Israelis über den Grenzkonflikt Waffenstillstandsverhandlungen incl. Gefangenen- und Güteraustausch aufzuzwingen. 3.tens suchte sie jeher den Ägyptern die Wiedereröffnung der Lebensader Rafah über etwas schmackhaft zu machen, was nun zumindest einen Vor-Erfolg zeitigte: "Hamas on Friday accepted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's offer to host talks between rival Palestinian Fatah and Hamas leaders in Cairo. Mubarak's offer was made in an apparent effort to raise his country's role as Mideast peace broker and ease the pressure following an influx of Palestinians into Egypt from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. In an interview for Saturday's edition of the Egyptian weekly al-Osboa, Mubarak said he wants peace between the Palestinians. "I want this language of violence to stop," Mubarak was quoted as saying by the state MENA news agency. "Peace could be achieved on the basis of international resolutions and agreements that demand the establishment of Palestinian state." "I and all the brothers in the Hamas leadership welcome participating and will seek to make the dialogue a success," Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal said Friday." Mubarak kann nicht an ungeordneten Verhältnissen im Gazastreifen interessiert sein. Stetige Vorwürfe wegen des Schmuggels von Waffen, die Gefahr einer resistance-Bewegung die sich mit terroristischen Mitteln gegen sein System richtet und damit erneut Touristen sprich Einnahmequellen bedroht und selbstverständlich der Wunsch nach einem geordneten Übergang der Macht von Vater Mubarak auf seinen Sohn mußten zwingend in den Bruch der bilateralen Übereinkommen mit Israel [Blockade] und USA [diplomatische Isolation] führen. Die Gegenspieler der Fatah sind hin- und hergerissen: "But moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' representative in Egypt, Nabil Shaath, told reporters that Fatah has made no decision on the invitation. Abbas' position was clear, Shaath said. "Fatah was always ready for dialogue, but what was important was the result of such talks. And a result cannot be achieved unless Hamas announces its readiness to let go of military control of Gaza," he added. Shaath also said Abbas will head to Egypt after meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday and would talk more here about Mubarak's offer." Letztlich bleibt den Streithähnen der Hamas und Fatah nur das übrig was Nahostexperten längst gefordert haben: Die Einigung. Wenn ein palästinensischer Staat entstehen soll kann er nur unter der Prämisse "innerpalästinensischer Frieden und einheitliches Territorium" entstehen.
Es wäre wünschenswert wenn die palästinensischen Fraktionen [neben dem Einstellen der Grenzkonflikte mit Israel] verstehen würden das bis Mitte 2008 nur Verhandlungen und keine Fakten anstehen. Die Israelis werden nichts unternehmen, was ihnen den Vorteil einer beruhigten Front nimmt. Dies steckt in den Verlautbarungen Baraks über Vilnai. Man wünscht keine große Eskalation, da man sich der iranischen Sache [Verbund mit Hezbollah] anzunehmen hat. Das dies der US-Politik conträr entgegen läuft ist halb so wild. Ob man sich nun von dem ausgehenden Versager Bush heute oder morgen abkoppelt ist belanglos. Ein wichtiges Kriterium [Israel has to look beyond the securito-crat consideration of a limited increase in rocket stockpiles and has to start thinking more strategically. A ceasefire could provide a respite for Sderot and the communities in southern Israel. It could also pave the way for a prisoner exchange deal to secure the release of Gilad Shalit. A ceasefire combined with conditional lifting of the closure, could incentivize Hamas to prevent others from launching attacks from Gaza while strengthening the more pragmatic leadership within Hamas who advocate a political path and would squeeze the space within which al-Qaeda wannabes are beginning to organize. This kind of a broad ceasefire would then create far more conducive conditions for pursuing peace negotiations with President Abbas, especially if an internal Palestinian dialogue is re-launched in parallel.] muß auch die Frage der Modifikation der Hamas sein. Ihr intern konkurrierendes System kann nicht durch sich selbst geschlagen werden, da der "äußere Feind" zu übermächtig ist. Die Gleichsetzung mit anderen Gruppen wie der Hezbollah schlägt hier fehl, da diese nichts anderes als den letztlich in die militärische Konfrontation führenden weg kennt. Der Versuch mit der Hama muß gewagt werden, falls man ein Interesse an einer palästinensischen Staatsgründung hat. Das lächerliche Bantustan nach der Vorstellungswelt von Herrn Bush ist keineswegs überlebensfähig und kostet zu viel an Geld. Die Palästinenser selbst müssen letztlich ihre eigene mit den Nachbarn insgesamt kompatible Identität entwickeln können ohne das eine Schutzmacht vorschreibt welcher korrupte Halb-Despot kompatibel sei. Die Risiken sind nach über sieben Jahren Krieg sicherlich vorhanden. Niemand kann ernsthaft den pragmatischen Hamas-Führern ein zwingendes Entwickeln im friedlichen Sinne unterstellen. Unternimmt man die Bush-Strategie wird man jedoch nur weitere sieben Jahre Krieg erleben. Was dann noch von der israelischen [!] Demokratie übrig ist? Die Vorstellung von Bush bezüglich Israel ist leider erwiesenermaßen nur ein Brückenkopf im sogenannten Kampf gegen den Terror. Eine Demokratie kann das nicht bieten. Mit dem Regierungseintritt Liebermanns, der Hofierung radikaler Siedlerverbände, dem steigen preemtiven cvollective punishment, den Kriegen, dem militärhaushalt, der Minderheitensituation, der Korruption und den Armenhäusern ist die Demokratie in Israel auf dem absteigenden Ast. Es wird hier Zeit für einen Richtungswandel.
Kurzbericht zum Mord von heute Mittag: A Palestinian teenager was killed Friday by Israel Defense Forces troops during a raid in a village near the West Bank city of Hebron, hospital officials said. Witnesses said troops opened fire at local residents who hurled rocks at troops in the village, killing the teenager.
Beirut-update: A powerful car bomb killed one of Lebanon's top terrorism investigators and three other people in east Beirut on Friday. It was the latest in a long series of attacks aimed at Lebanese politicians, journalists and security officials. The investigator, Captain Wissam Eid, was killed just before 10 a.m. when a bomb in a parked car near an overpass detonated as he drove past in the mostly Christian Hazmieh district. The blast tore a deep crater in the pavement and set a dozen cars ablaze. Eid's bodyguard and two civilians - one of them in a car - were also killed, and three dozen people were wounded. The attack, coming just 10 days after another car bomb aimed at an American Embassy vehicle left three passers-by dead, suggested a quickening pace and a widening circle of targets in Lebanon's persistent political violence. Another bombing this month wounded two United Nations soldiers in southern Lebanon, and last month one of Lebanon's top army generals was killed by a car bomb.
Beleuchten wir die Lage nochmal kurz von Vorne: Die nach dem Hamas-Wahlsieg verschärfte Blockade des Gaza-Streifens, die Verschärfung und teilweise totale Abschottung von ihm nach der Machtübernahme der Hamas im Juni 2007 sollte nach Meinung des Westblocks [USA, Israel, EU, Ramallah] die Machtposition der Hamas schwächen. Inszenierte Krisen im Gazastreifen, die Installation einer "Friedenskonferenz", gewaltige Versprechungen für die Westbank sollten den Palästinensern Ermunterung sein sich von der aggressiven Politik der Hamas bezüglich Israel zu lösen. Die Hamas hingegen konnte sich innenpolitisch stabiliseren, da man ihre Ressourcen [Finanzmittel, Bewaffnung, Disziplin], ihr Geschick im Umgang mit verfeindeten Fraktionen [Verzicht auf Todesschwadronen, eher symbolische Verhaftungen, pinpoint-Schwächungen, Willen zur internen Konfliktlösung] wurde unterschätzt. Zudem wurde die Schwäche der israelischen Regierung negiert: Der Schulterschluß mit der arabischen Welt sollte durch die Annapolis-Konferenz nur inszeniert werden um der Hamas ein Bild der einigen Koalition vorzugaugeln. Substanz hatte dies nicht. Die Hamas legte aussenpolitisch drei Programme auf. 1.tens suchte sie die diplomatische Isolation über den panarabischen Grundgedanken zu durchbrechen. 2.tens suchte sie den Israelis über den Grenzkonflikt Waffenstillstandsverhandlungen incl. Gefangenen- und Güteraustausch aufzuzwingen. 3.tens suchte sie jeher den Ägyptern die Wiedereröffnung der Lebensader Rafah über etwas schmackhaft zu machen, was nun zumindest einen Vor-Erfolg zeitigte: "Hamas on Friday accepted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's offer to host talks between rival Palestinian Fatah and Hamas leaders in Cairo. Mubarak's offer was made in an apparent effort to raise his country's role as Mideast peace broker and ease the pressure following an influx of Palestinians into Egypt from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. In an interview for Saturday's edition of the Egyptian weekly al-Osboa, Mubarak said he wants peace between the Palestinians. "I want this language of violence to stop," Mubarak was quoted as saying by the state MENA news agency. "Peace could be achieved on the basis of international resolutions and agreements that demand the establishment of Palestinian state." "I and all the brothers in the Hamas leadership welcome participating and will seek to make the dialogue a success," Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal said Friday." Mubarak kann nicht an ungeordneten Verhältnissen im Gazastreifen interessiert sein. Stetige Vorwürfe wegen des Schmuggels von Waffen, die Gefahr einer resistance-Bewegung die sich mit terroristischen Mitteln gegen sein System richtet und damit erneut Touristen sprich Einnahmequellen bedroht und selbstverständlich der Wunsch nach einem geordneten Übergang der Macht von Vater Mubarak auf seinen Sohn mußten zwingend in den Bruch der bilateralen Übereinkommen mit Israel [Blockade] und USA [diplomatische Isolation] führen. Die Gegenspieler der Fatah sind hin- und hergerissen: "But moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' representative in Egypt, Nabil Shaath, told reporters that Fatah has made no decision on the invitation. Abbas' position was clear, Shaath said. "Fatah was always ready for dialogue, but what was important was the result of such talks. And a result cannot be achieved unless Hamas announces its readiness to let go of military control of Gaza," he added. Shaath also said Abbas will head to Egypt after meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday and would talk more here about Mubarak's offer." Letztlich bleibt den Streithähnen der Hamas und Fatah nur das übrig was Nahostexperten längst gefordert haben: Die Einigung. Wenn ein palästinensischer Staat entstehen soll kann er nur unter der Prämisse "innerpalästinensischer Frieden und einheitliches Territorium" entstehen.
Es wäre wünschenswert wenn die palästinensischen Fraktionen [neben dem Einstellen der Grenzkonflikte mit Israel] verstehen würden das bis Mitte 2008 nur Verhandlungen und keine Fakten anstehen. Die Israelis werden nichts unternehmen, was ihnen den Vorteil einer beruhigten Front nimmt. Dies steckt in den Verlautbarungen Baraks über Vilnai. Man wünscht keine große Eskalation, da man sich der iranischen Sache [Verbund mit Hezbollah] anzunehmen hat. Das dies der US-Politik conträr entgegen läuft ist halb so wild. Ob man sich nun von dem ausgehenden Versager Bush heute oder morgen abkoppelt ist belanglos. Ein wichtiges Kriterium [Israel has to look beyond the securito-crat consideration of a limited increase in rocket stockpiles and has to start thinking more strategically. A ceasefire could provide a respite for Sderot and the communities in southern Israel. It could also pave the way for a prisoner exchange deal to secure the release of Gilad Shalit. A ceasefire combined with conditional lifting of the closure, could incentivize Hamas to prevent others from launching attacks from Gaza while strengthening the more pragmatic leadership within Hamas who advocate a political path and would squeeze the space within which al-Qaeda wannabes are beginning to organize. This kind of a broad ceasefire would then create far more conducive conditions for pursuing peace negotiations with President Abbas, especially if an internal Palestinian dialogue is re-launched in parallel.] muß auch die Frage der Modifikation der Hamas sein. Ihr intern konkurrierendes System kann nicht durch sich selbst geschlagen werden, da der "äußere Feind" zu übermächtig ist. Die Gleichsetzung mit anderen Gruppen wie der Hezbollah schlägt hier fehl, da diese nichts anderes als den letztlich in die militärische Konfrontation führenden weg kennt. Der Versuch mit der Hama muß gewagt werden, falls man ein Interesse an einer palästinensischen Staatsgründung hat. Das lächerliche Bantustan nach der Vorstellungswelt von Herrn Bush ist keineswegs überlebensfähig und kostet zu viel an Geld. Die Palästinenser selbst müssen letztlich ihre eigene mit den Nachbarn insgesamt kompatible Identität entwickeln können ohne das eine Schutzmacht vorschreibt welcher korrupte Halb-Despot kompatibel sei. Die Risiken sind nach über sieben Jahren Krieg sicherlich vorhanden. Niemand kann ernsthaft den pragmatischen Hamas-Führern ein zwingendes Entwickeln im friedlichen Sinne unterstellen. Unternimmt man die Bush-Strategie wird man jedoch nur weitere sieben Jahre Krieg erleben. Was dann noch von der israelischen [!] Demokratie übrig ist? Die Vorstellung von Bush bezüglich Israel ist leider erwiesenermaßen nur ein Brückenkopf im sogenannten Kampf gegen den Terror. Eine Demokratie kann das nicht bieten. Mit dem Regierungseintritt Liebermanns, der Hofierung radikaler Siedlerverbände, dem steigen preemtiven cvollective punishment, den Kriegen, dem militärhaushalt, der Minderheitensituation, der Korruption und den Armenhäusern ist die Demokratie in Israel auf dem absteigenden Ast. Es wird hier Zeit für einen Richtungswandel.
Kurzbericht zum Mord von heute Mittag: A Palestinian teenager was killed Friday by Israel Defense Forces troops during a raid in a village near the West Bank city of Hebron, hospital officials said. Witnesses said troops opened fire at local residents who hurled rocks at troops in the village, killing the teenager.
Beirut-update: A powerful car bomb killed one of Lebanon's top terrorism investigators and three other people in east Beirut on Friday. It was the latest in a long series of attacks aimed at Lebanese politicians, journalists and security officials. The investigator, Captain Wissam Eid, was killed just before 10 a.m. when a bomb in a parked car near an overpass detonated as he drove past in the mostly Christian Hazmieh district. The blast tore a deep crater in the pavement and set a dozen cars ablaze. Eid's bodyguard and two civilians - one of them in a car - were also killed, and three dozen people were wounded. The attack, coming just 10 days after another car bomb aimed at an American Embassy vehicle left three passers-by dead, suggested a quickening pace and a widening circle of targets in Lebanon's persistent political violence. Another bombing this month wounded two United Nations soldiers in southern Lebanon, and last month one of Lebanon's top army generals was killed by a car bomb.
Freitag, 25. Januar 2008
IDF kills Three - Correction: Four killed in Beirut Terror
Bei einem zweiten Luftangriff am frühen Freitag Morgen werden zwei Hamas-Mitglieder in der Zone Rafah getötet. Unklar verbleibt der erste Vorfall, der bereits hier berichtet wurde: Bei einem Luftangriff auf einen LKW wurde ein Hamas-Mitglied und ein mutmaßlicher Zivilist getötet und weitere Personen verletzt. Ob die LKW-LAdung einen Angriff rechtfertigte ist nicht bekannt. Die PFLP bekennt sich zu einem Raketenabschuß [2] auf die israelische Militäranlage Nazal Oz, die israelische Seite berichtet von einer Qassam auf Sderot. Während die gestrigen Ereignisse am Checkpoint Ras Hamis unverändert bleiben wird die folgende, stark korregierte Version über den Vorfall in Kfar Etzion verbreitet: In a separate incident on Thursday evening, in the Israeli settlement of Kfar Etzion, south of Bethlehem, three Israeli settlers were stabbed by two Palestinian resistance fighters who entered the settlement carrying knives. The Palestinians were shot dead at the scene. The settlers were taken to hospital and are reported to be in a stable condition. The two Palestinians have been identified as Muhammad Fathi Sabarna and Mahmoud Khaled Sabarna from Beit Ummar, south of Bethlehem. Both men had recently been released from an Israeli prison. They had each served a year after being found guilty of beating up an Israeli settler and taking his gun. According to the Israeli daily newspaper Ma'arev the two Palestinians were wearing military uniforms and had a gun and a knife. They entered a room where around 12 soldiers and Israeli settlers were gathered. Speaking in Hebrew, they ordered the soldiers to stand up. "They were wearing Israeli military uniforms. I thought they were joking and we did not take them seriously," one settler there told Ma'ariv. "The man who was holding the knife started screaming, telling us to raise our hands while the other pointed his gun at us. The other one stabbed the settlers, then I approached the one who was holding the knife and attacked him. We struggled and I killed him," he added. Another Israeli soldier heard the shooting and ran into the hall, firing on the two men, the newspaper reported. Nach derzeitigem Stand der Dinge handelt es sich um Angehörige der Hamas, die sich gerade offiziell zu dem Anschlag bekannt hat. Soeben von von einem toten Palästineser in der Gegend von Hebron nach "clashes" mit der IDF berichtet.
Ein folgenschweres Bombenattentat wird aus Beirut gemeldet. A powerful bomb targeting a security convoy killed at least 10 people and wounded many more in an eastern area of Beirut (Hazmieh - Chevrolet Area), local television reported. An army official put the death toll at ten and told AFP that Captain Wissam Eid, a member of the Internal Security Forces, was one of the dead. C. Sydow hat den update: Das Attentat galt offenbar Wissam Eid, hochrangiger Mitarbeiter des Geheimdienstes der Inneren Sicherheitskräfte (ISF) im Libanon.
An der Grenze Gaza-Ägypten "stabilisiert" sich die Lage wie man zu sagen pflegt: [Vor Minuten wurde eine neue Stelle im Zaun aufgerissen ... Palästinenser strömen nach Ägypten..]
Egyptian border guards with riot shields formed human chains Friday, trying to hinder the flow of Gazans into Egypt in an apparent attempt to gradually reseal the breached border, but thousands of Palestinians managed to sneak through other openings. At one point, guards aimed a water cannon above the heads of people, not at them, to keep them back. The Egyptian guards were posted along the main border breach, where a crowd quickly grew into the thousands, frustrated at no longer being let in. Some threw stones at the Egyptians, but quickly stopped after being booed. At other checkpoints, Palestinians continued to pour into Egyptian territory, loaded with empty canisters to fill with fuel sold in the Egyptian border town of Rafah. [Für Leute mit tieferem Grundwissen eine Diskussion zwischen Cobban - Edelstein zum Thema]. Ein Haaretz-editorial: While politicians and the media are waiting with bated breath for publication of the Winograd report on the Second Lebanon War, a new situation is taking shape on the Egyptian border that might eventually result in a new investigative committee. The diplomatic and security situation that arose on the Israeli-Egyptian border once the Egypt-Gaza border was flung wide open has apparently not yet penetrated the Israeli consciousness. But it is time to start asking pointed questions about the events of this week instead of about those of July 2006. The border with Egypt was breached in a single moment, with no warning. It is impossible to refrain from asking whether any of our decision makers, or any of those who whisper in their ears, foresaw this scenario and prepared for it. When Vice Premier Haim Ramon boasts of the impressive decision-making process that preceded last fall's military operation in Syria [1], his words sound bizarre in light of what is happening in the South. Und Amir Oren, "And end of occupations": The conquest of the Gaza Strip is about to end, aside from ongoing battles between Khan Yunis and Rafah. At midnight between Friday and Saturday the chief of staff convenes a meeting of, among others, the GOC Southern Command, the director of Military Intelligence and operational officers. The chief of staff demands that the armed militants in Gaza be informed that they have to surrender to the Israel Defense Forces. "Anyone who doesn't show up will be shot." His order is unequivocal: "Anyone seen in the streets with a rifle must be given an immediate trial and executed." ... Meanwhile, Hamas threatened to send half a million Palestinians marching toward the Erez border crossing in northern Gaza. "The next time there is a crisis in the Gaza Strip, Israel will have to face half a million Palestinians who will march toward Erez," said Ahmed Youssef, a senior Hamas official. "This is not an imaginary scenario and many Palestinians would be prepared to sacrifice their lives." Die Hamas hat mittlerweile auch "Truppen" an die Grenze karren lassen. Offensichtlich sind Verhandlungen über die permanente Verfügbarkeit der Grenzestation durch die Amerikaner vorerst behindert worden. Da man sich jedoch gleichzeitig in NY immer noch gegen eine gemeinsame UN-Resolution bezüglich des Gazastreifens und der israelischen Blockade sträubt ist mit einer Einigung über das wochenende zu rechnen, falls es nicht doch noch zu größeren Gewalttätigkeiten kommt.
[1] Ramon told Channel 10 on Wednesday that the decision making process was "good and professional," adding, "You all hear from foreign media sources what happened at the start of September. What took place, according to the foreign sources, was the result of a certain decision making process…which was exceptional in the opinion of everyone involved."
Keine große Überraschung stellt hingegen dieses Produkt der Phantasie dar: "Hamas in Lebanon Hamas planned to assassinate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Palestinian Minister of Intelligence Tawfiq At-Tirawi in the West Bank, the Israeli daily newspaper Ma'ariv reported on Friday. According to Ma'ariv, orders were issued by the Hamas leadership in Lebanon to the military wing of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and from there to a Hamas cell in the town of Al-Thahreyah, south of the West Bank city of Hebron." [Maan] Die Hamas hatte letzte Woche at-Tirawi vorgeworfen an einem SMA gegen Hamas-Chef Haniyeh beteiligt gewesen zu sein.
Ein folgenschweres Bombenattentat wird aus Beirut gemeldet. A powerful bomb targeting a security convoy killed at least 10 people and wounded many more in an eastern area of Beirut (Hazmieh - Chevrolet Area), local television reported. An army official put the death toll at ten and told AFP that Captain Wissam Eid, a member of the Internal Security Forces, was one of the dead. C. Sydow hat den update: Das Attentat galt offenbar Wissam Eid, hochrangiger Mitarbeiter des Geheimdienstes der Inneren Sicherheitskräfte (ISF) im Libanon.
An der Grenze Gaza-Ägypten "stabilisiert" sich die Lage wie man zu sagen pflegt: [Vor Minuten wurde eine neue Stelle im Zaun aufgerissen ... Palästinenser strömen nach Ägypten..]
Egyptian border guards with riot shields formed human chains Friday, trying to hinder the flow of Gazans into Egypt in an apparent attempt to gradually reseal the breached border, but thousands of Palestinians managed to sneak through other openings. At one point, guards aimed a water cannon above the heads of people, not at them, to keep them back. The Egyptian guards were posted along the main border breach, where a crowd quickly grew into the thousands, frustrated at no longer being let in. Some threw stones at the Egyptians, but quickly stopped after being booed. At other checkpoints, Palestinians continued to pour into Egyptian territory, loaded with empty canisters to fill with fuel sold in the Egyptian border town of Rafah. [Für Leute mit tieferem Grundwissen eine Diskussion zwischen Cobban - Edelstein zum Thema]. Ein Haaretz-editorial: While politicians and the media are waiting with bated breath for publication of the Winograd report on the Second Lebanon War, a new situation is taking shape on the Egyptian border that might eventually result in a new investigative committee. The diplomatic and security situation that arose on the Israeli-Egyptian border once the Egypt-Gaza border was flung wide open has apparently not yet penetrated the Israeli consciousness. But it is time to start asking pointed questions about the events of this week instead of about those of July 2006. The border with Egypt was breached in a single moment, with no warning. It is impossible to refrain from asking whether any of our decision makers, or any of those who whisper in their ears, foresaw this scenario and prepared for it. When Vice Premier Haim Ramon boasts of the impressive decision-making process that preceded last fall's military operation in Syria [1], his words sound bizarre in light of what is happening in the South. Und Amir Oren, "And end of occupations": The conquest of the Gaza Strip is about to end, aside from ongoing battles between Khan Yunis and Rafah. At midnight between Friday and Saturday the chief of staff convenes a meeting of, among others, the GOC Southern Command, the director of Military Intelligence and operational officers. The chief of staff demands that the armed militants in Gaza be informed that they have to surrender to the Israel Defense Forces. "Anyone who doesn't show up will be shot." His order is unequivocal: "Anyone seen in the streets with a rifle must be given an immediate trial and executed." ... Meanwhile, Hamas threatened to send half a million Palestinians marching toward the Erez border crossing in northern Gaza. "The next time there is a crisis in the Gaza Strip, Israel will have to face half a million Palestinians who will march toward Erez," said Ahmed Youssef, a senior Hamas official. "This is not an imaginary scenario and many Palestinians would be prepared to sacrifice their lives." Die Hamas hat mittlerweile auch "Truppen" an die Grenze karren lassen. Offensichtlich sind Verhandlungen über die permanente Verfügbarkeit der Grenzestation durch die Amerikaner vorerst behindert worden. Da man sich jedoch gleichzeitig in NY immer noch gegen eine gemeinsame UN-Resolution bezüglich des Gazastreifens und der israelischen Blockade sträubt ist mit einer Einigung über das wochenende zu rechnen, falls es nicht doch noch zu größeren Gewalttätigkeiten kommt.
[1] Ramon told Channel 10 on Wednesday that the decision making process was "good and professional," adding, "You all hear from foreign media sources what happened at the start of September. What took place, according to the foreign sources, was the result of a certain decision making process…which was exceptional in the opinion of everyone involved."
Keine große Überraschung stellt hingegen dieses Produkt der Phantasie dar: "Hamas in Lebanon Hamas planned to assassinate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Palestinian Minister of Intelligence Tawfiq At-Tirawi in the West Bank, the Israeli daily newspaper Ma'ariv reported on Friday. According to Ma'ariv, orders were issued by the Hamas leadership in Lebanon to the military wing of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and from there to a Hamas cell in the town of Al-Thahreyah, south of the West Bank city of Hebron." [Maan] Die Hamas hatte letzte Woche at-Tirawi vorgeworfen an einem SMA gegen Hamas-Chef Haniyeh beteiligt gewesen zu sein.
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