http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17953.htm
The Dirty Word

THERE NEVER was a darker Middle East summit meeting. The darkest there can be.

By Uri Avnery

07/02/07 "ICH" -- -- -The four leaders at Sharm al-Sheik did not sit together at an intimate round table. Each one sat alone behind a huge table of his own. That ensured a striking separation between them. The four long tables hardly touched. Each one of the leaders, with his assistants behind him, sat like a solitary island in a vast sea.

All four - Hosni Mubarak, King Abdallah of Jordan, Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas - bore a severe countenance. Throughout the official part of the conference, not a single smile could be seen.

One after the other, the four delivered their monologues. An exercise in shallow hypocrisy, in empty deceit. Not one of the four raised himself above the murky puddle of sanctimonious phrases.

A short monologue from Mubarak. A short monologue from Abdallah. A medium-length monologue from Abbas. An interminably long monologue from Olmert - a typical Israeli speech, overbearing, educating the whole world, sermonizing and dripping with morality. Held, of course, in Hebrew, with the obvious aim of appealing to the home public.

The speech included all the required phrases - Our soul longs for peace, The vision of two states, We do not want to rule over another people, For the good of coming generations, bla-bla-bla. All in standard colonial style: Olmert even talked about "Judea and Samaria", using the official terminology of the occupation.

But in order to "strengthen" Abbas, Olmert addressed him as "President" and not as "Chairman", which has been the de rigueur title used by all Israeli representatives since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. (The wise men of Oslo circumvented this difficulty by referring -in all three languages - to the head of the Authority by the Arab title of Ra'is, which can mean both president and chairman.

And the word that did not appear throughout this long monologue?

"Occupation".

OCCUPATION? What occupation? Where occupation? Anybody seen any occupation?

The occupation was not on the agenda of this dark summit. Even in their wildest dreams, the Arab participants could not imagine anything more wonderful than "easing the restrictions". Making life a little bit less difficult for the suffering population. Giving back the Palestinian tax revenues. (That is to say, Israel may give back some of the money it has pocketed.) Moving some of the roadblocks that prevent people from going from one village to the next. (That has already been promised many times and will not happen this time either, because the army and the Shin Bet object. Olmert has already announced that it is impossible for "security reasons".)

With the air of a Sultan throwing coins to the paupers in the street, Olmert announced his intention of releasing some Fatah prisoners. 250 coins, 250 prisoners. That was the "generous gift" that was to make the Palestinians jump for joy, "strengthen" Abbas and awaken to new life the dry bones of his organization.

If Olmert had not been sitting so far away from Abbas, he could just as well have spat in his face.

First at all, the number is ridiculous. There are now about 10,000 (ten thousand) Palestinian "security" prisoners in Israeli prisons. Every night, about a dozen more are being taken from their homes. Since there is no more room in the prison facilities, the wardens will be pleased to get rid of some inmates. In previous gestures of this nature, the Israeli government has set free prisoners whose term was nearing the end anyhow, and car thieves.

Second, fraternization between Fatah and Hamas is well established in prison. The violent struggle in Gaza has not been projected into the prisons. The famous "prisoners' document", which laid the foundation for the (now defunct) Unity Government, was worked out jointly by Fatah and Hamas prisoners.

Olmert's announcement of his readiness to release Fatah - and only Fatah - prisoners is designed to sabotage this unity. It could stigmatize the Fatah people as collaborators, and Abbas as a leader who is concerned only with the members of his own organization, not giving a damn for the others.

SO WHAT did come out of this summit conference? Some say: zero plus, some say: zero minus. No wonder that the Arab participants looked so somber.

What was it good for? Abbas was in need of strengthening after losing the Gaza Strip. Olmert promised the Americans to strengthen him. But after the conference, Olmert could have used the phrase customarily uttered by Israeli leaders visiting bereaved families: "I came to strengthen, but it is I who have been strengthened."

The sole winner was Olmert. The conference has proved that Mubarak's and Abdallah's influence on Israel is nil, and that Abbas' position is even worse.

To eliminate any doubt about this, Olmert sent the army at once into the kasbah of Nablus, the heart of Abbas' virtual kingdom, in order to "arrest" the leaders of the military arm of Fatah. They put up determined resistance, wounding several soldiers. A lieutenant lost a hand and a leg. In another incursion, this time into Gaza, 13 Palestinians were killed, including a boy of 9. According to the official version, the aim was to throw the militants off balance so that they would feel hunted.

If this is not occupation, what is it? But God forbid that anyone mention this word in diplomatic discourse - the ten letters that have turned into an obscenity. A ten-letter word that has become taboo in polite society.

THE DISAPPEARANCE of the occupation as a subject for discussion is the real message of the conference. All the arrangements and ceremonies were designed to create the false impression that Olmert and Abbas were the heads of two states conducting negotiations on the basis of equality - rather than the leader of an occupying power and a representative of the occupied population.

That is true for all the discourse about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at this stage: the world has become so used to the occupation that its very existence has ceased to be a subject for discussion.

That is also evident in the daily reporting on the conflict in the Israeli and foreign media. They report on what's happening - the Gaza take-over by Hamas, the actions of the Israeli army, the problems of Abbas, the decisions of the Israeli government - without the context of the occupation. As if the occupation, with all its killing, destroying, depriving and dispossessing, were a natural phenomenon like the light of the sun during the day or the twinkling of the stars at night.

There are many subjects that are being discussed, such as: whether to ease the situation of the Palestinians or to increase their misery, whether to allow Abbas' policemen to move freely with their weapons in the West Bank towns to try and eliminate the militias that fight against Israel, whether to enlarge the settlements or not. But all these discussions are based on the unquestioned assumption that the occupation is there forever.

All the talk about "strengthening" is conducted in this context: Abbas and his people are supposed to function as an administration under occupation. According to Olmert's and Bush's perception, their job is to fulfill the orders of the occupation, in return for their own money and perhaps some small arms. Incidentally, that is very similar to the "autonomy" promised by Menachem Begin to the "Arab inhabitants of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza District". Olmert is quite ready to talk about the "Two-State Solution" - much talk, with a lot of bloated words and pathos - while doing everything possible in practice to prevent this "vision" from being realized before the coming of the Messiah.

INTO THIS reality Tony Blair is now stepping.

He is being sent by the Quartet - something that does not really exist, a diplomatic fiction of four that are one.

Europe does not exist as far as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is concerned, except as a financial instrument of the White House. When the President of the USA wants it, Europe sends alms to the Palestinians (and arms to Israel). When the President of the USA wants to starve the Palestinians, Europe imposes a blockade on them.

The UN has long ago become an instrument of the US Department of State, especially in the Middle East. When the American drill sergeant shouts, the UN jumps to attention or stands at ease.

Russia dreams of regaining the status of a Great Power. As in the days of the Czars and Stalin, it thinks in terms of "spheres of influence". The Middle East is an American sphere of influence. Therefore, Russia will not interfere, except by mouthing high-sounding phrases.

The Quartet is simply an American front organization. And Tony Blair is sent to Palestine as a special envoy of President Bush. The master sends his poodle.

What for? If Bush really wanted to realize his "Vision" of two states, he wouldn't need Blair. He could do it all alone in a matter of weeks. Even poor Condoleezza could do it, instead of babbling about preparing final-status plans and pigeon holing them, if only she were backed by the determined will of the President.

So what is Blair's appointment for? Is it only to give some status to a redundant international star? To give a consolation prize to somebody who loyally lied and cheated for Bush before and during the Iraq war?

Yes, of course. But his main task is to draw out developments and gain time, to postpone everything, to foster make-belief activity, to provide the Palestinians and the world media with an illusion of progress.

Blair will come, meet, make declarations, ooze charm from every pore, generate headlines, fly, come back, make more announcements, meet again with kings, presidents and prime ministers. A long tail of news-thirsty journalists will follow him everywhere, generate media noise, write, tape and take pictures, as if he were a male Paris Hilton.

Meanwhile Palestinians and Israelis will keep dying, the wall will be finished, more land will be expropriated, settlements will be enlarged, targeted "terrorists" will be killed, the blockade on Gaza will be tightened, and all the hundred and one daily activities of the occupation will go on, the occupation that dares not speak its name.

The declared task of Blair, too, is to "strengthen Abbas". Woe to the task. Woe to Blair. Woe in particular to Abbas.

Uri Avnery is an Israeli writer and peace activist with Gush Shalom. He is one of the writers featured in The Other Israel: Voices of Dissent and Refusal

http://www.imemc.org/article/49290
Poll finds 70% of Israeli Jews back two-state solution
Tuesday July 03, 2007 10:30 by R. P. - IMEMC Editorial Group

A poll conducted by the Peace Index Project found that 70% of Israeli Jews surveyed support a peace agreement with Palestinians based on the formula of "two states for two peoples." However, 55% of those surveyed did not believe that such an agreement was possible in the near future.

The survey also found that about half of respondents believe that the government of Mahmoud Abbas will not be able to prevent a takeover of the West Bank by Hamas, even with the assistance of Israel and other countries. Fifty-four percent still support providing assistance to the Abbas government, while 41% oppose it. Two-thirds think that such support should be conditional on the continued demand that the Palestinian government recognize Israel and stop terrorism.

Fifty-four percent of respondents support and 39% oppose releasing the frozen tax duties that Israel has withheld from the Palestinian government for the past 18 months. Responses were similar regarding the provision of food, medicine and other humanitarian shipments to the Gaza Strip, even assuming that such shipments will strengthen Hamas' control of the region.

A clear majority of respondents opposed removing checkpoints, providing weapons to the Abbas government and releasing prisoners.

http://www.imemc.org/article/49284
Troops carried 248 attacks against Red Crescent personnel in six month
Tuesday July 03, 2007 02:45 by IMEMC Staff - Translated by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC saed at imemc dot org

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported on Monday that Israeli soldiers carried 248 attacks against its ambulances and medics in the first half of this year, and in many cases barred the medics from transferring injured or sick residents to hospitals.

The Society reported that it documented 26 direct attacks against its ambulances; these attacks were either Israeli troops firing at the ambulances or verbally and physically abusing the medical personnel.

Most of the attacks took place in Jerusalem District, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus and Jenin; five medics were injured.

Also, the Society reported that one resident died at the Tunnel checkpoint, between Beit Jala town and Jerusalem, after the soldiers stopped an ambulance transferring him to a hospital in Jerusalem .

The Society added that it document 222 incidents of soldiers baring its ambulances from crossing roadblocks.

Of these cases, 110 took place at roadblocks leading to Jerusalem, 61 at the roadblock that leads to Al Karama bridge leading from Jericho to Jordan, 28 incidents in Nablus, and 24 incidents in Jenin, Qalqilia, Tulkarem, Ramallah, Jericho, Bethlehem and Hebron.

The Society stated that these procedures are direct violations to the international law and the 1949 Fourth Geneva Conventions which Israel is a signatory to, and added that these are also direct violations to the principles of human rights and the principle of protected the civilians during the time of war.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L08683808.htm
Israeli troops shoot dead armed youth in West Bank
08 Jun 2007 18:36:55 GMT
Source: Reuters
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Background
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
More HEBRON, West Bank, June 8 (Reuters) - Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian youth and wounded another near the occupied West Bank town of Hebron on Friday, local residents, medical staff and the army said.

Residents said the two were out hunting near a village in the southern part of the West Bank. They were not known to be connected to any militant groups.

Medics said the dead youth was aged 17, while the other victim, who was in moderate condition, was 25.

An Israeli army spokesman said troops spotted a number of men discharging their weapons and targeted them. He said Palestinians carrying weapons were seen as a threat and could be targeted, according to standing orders.

"The troops spotted a number of men with guns firing off their weapons and opened fire on them, hitting two of them," the spokesman said.

The dead youth was the third Palestinian to be killed by Israeli troops in the West Bank this month. On Sunday, troops killed a militant in the town of Jenin and on Saturday soldiers shot dead a Nablus shopkeeper.

Israeli-Palestinian fighting has surged in recent weeks, mainly in the Gaza Strip, with rocket attacks from the coastal territory and Israeli strikes against militants there.

Earlier on Friday, Israeli worshipers desecrated a Palestinian cemetery near the West Bank city of Nablus, the army said.

An army spokesman said the damage had been caused by a small number of people who were part of a larger group of worshipers returning from prayers at a Jewish holy site in the West Bank.

"Most of the 1,300 worshipers behaved well, but a small group managed to sneak away from escorting troops and damaged the cemetery. We consider this to be a very serious act and the organisers have apologised and have agreed to pay for the damage caused," the spokesman said.

Israel Radio reported that one of Israel's two chief rabbis and other senior Jewish clerics condemned the act.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=22788

45 European parliamentarians make a stand over the detention of 45 Palestinian politicians; Solana says there is hope
Date: 08 / 06 / 2007 Time: 17:04

Bethlehem - Ma'an - 45 members of the European parliament expressed their solidarity on Wednesday, 6 June with the 45 Palestinian politicians imprisoned in Israel by standing up symbolically at the start of a debate with the European Union's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, on the situation in the Middle East.

According to a press release from Luisa Morgantini, one of the MEPs participating in the protest, 45 MEPs from different political groups and countries took part in the action in order to condemn the imprisonment of their Palestinian colleagues and to call for their immediate and unconditional release.

The MEPs stressed that the imprisonment of the Palestinian politicians is a clear violation of international law.

"Each of us, MEPs, is deeply concerned about the imprisonment of the President and of 1/3 of the Members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, democratically and legitimately elected by the Palestinian people", thee MEPs said in their declaration.

The MEPs also wished to highlight the ongoing Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories, which is now in its fortieth year.

"We are deeply worried not only for the plight of the 45 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council but also for the near 11000 Palestinian political prisoners currently imprisoned by the Israeli Army, without a true process and often brutally abducted by the Israeli soldier," the press release continued.

"They have to be released and, at the same time, also the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit must be freed by the Palestinian group that kidnapped him in Gaza Strip, as a change [sic] of prisoners," Luisa Morgantini said.

Morgantini also affirmed the need to implement a political solution to the conflict, based on "two People and two States".

Solana: "this is a time of hope"

Javier Solana, the EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, issued a statement on the situation in the Middle East, particularly in regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict after 40 years of occupation.

He assured the MEPs that the Quartet – which comprises of the United Nations, the United States and Russia in addition to the European Union – is committed to "starting to work for a political horizon."

Solana confirmed that before the end of June, the Quartet, together with Palestinian and Israeli representatives, will meet "in order to push forward the dialogue that is still at a very preliminary stage between President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert."

Solana also addressed the issue of deploying an international force in the Gaza Strip. "Let me say that for the first time in many, many years, the idea of an international force is not off the agenda," he said. "It has, as you know, been presented by members of the Knesset saying that the time may have come to call for an international force, which could, at least in the beginning, have a peacekeeping role, patrolling the border in the south, in the so-called Philadelphi Corridor where, as you know, the Rafah border crossing point is located. The Israelis are also considering that possibility, as are the Palestinians and the Egyptians, with differing intensity. This clearly needs further discussion."

Solana also assured that the situation is hopeful, saying, "although the situation is very difficult, this is a time of hope, which has not existed for a long time."

"There are three reasons for this," he continued. "One is the Arab League Initiative, which we did not have at the time of Camp David. Secondly, 40 years have elapsed. I think everybody is exhausted, psychologically, physically and politically. Out of this exhaustion, I think that we have to muster new psychological and political energy in order to move forward. And, thirdly, we have a mechanism, the Quartet, comprising the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and the Russian Federation. For the first time, we have the United States and the European Union at the same negotiating table with the parties."

The MEPs participating to the stand-up solidarity actions were Adamos Adamou (Cyprus), Alfonso Andria (Italy), Marie-Hélène Aubert (France), Margrete Auken (Denmark), Angelika Beer (Germany), Frieda Brepoels (Belgium), Bernadette Bourzai (France), John Bowis (UK), Carlos Carnero González (Spain), Daniel Cohn-Bendit (France), Chris Davies (UK), Bairbre de Brún (UK, Northern Ireland), Véronique De Keyser (Belgium), Panayiotis Demetriou (Cyprus), Proinsias De Rossa (Ireland), Jill Evans (UK, Wales), Hélène Flautre (France), Donata Gottardi (Italy), Pedro Guerreiro (Portugal), David Hammerstein Mintz (Spain), Marie Anne Isler Béguin (France), Ioannis Kasoulides (Cyprus), Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou (Greece), Pia Elda Locatelli (Italy), Caroline Lucas (UK), Jamila Madeira (Portugal), Marios Matsakis (Cyprus), Edward McMillan-Scott (UK), Emilio Menéndez del Valle (Spain), Willy Meyer Pleite (Spain), Luisa Morgantini (Italy), Pasqualina Napoletano (Italy), Béatrice Patrie (France), Miguel Portas (Portugal), John Purvis (UK, Scotland), Karin Resetarits (Austria), Raúl Romeva Rueda (Spain), Martine Roure (France), Tokia Saïfi (France), Toomas Savi (Estonia), Margie Sudre (France), Eva-Britt Svensson (Sweden), Georgios Toussas (Greece), Kyriacos Triantaphyllides (Cyprus), Francis Wurtz (France).