http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=18586
Abbas to reject Rice's new proposal for an interim Palestinian state
Date: 12 / 01 / 2007 Time: 11:17

Abbas and Rice in a previous meeting in Jericho
(MaanImages)
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian informed sources have told the Jordanian newspaper 'Ad-Dustoor' that the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, will submit new thoughts to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in their expected meeting on Sunday.

However, the sources said that there is a state of pessimism within the Palestinian leadership in regards to the American administration which has failed to fulfil any of its commitments to the Palestinian president. The Bush administration had promised to exert pressure on Israel in order to release the Palestinian tax and custom revenue, amounting to some US $ 600 million, which is being withheld in Israel.

The Palestinian sources also denied the reports that the American administration had assigned millions of US dollars to training the Palestinian presidential guards.

According to formal Palestinian sources President Abbas is expected to reject the American initiative to establish a Palestinian interim state with Israel's separation wall as its borders because that would mean the end of the right of return for Palestinian refugees and the issue of Jerusalem.

The separation wall, which Israel continues to build deep inside the West Bank, deviates widely from the internationally-recognised Green Line and has been deemed illegal by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=18594
Haniyeh describes Rice's visit as an attempt to bypass Palestinian legitimacy
Date: 12 / 01 / 2007 Time: 16:03

Haniyeh in Gaza in December (MaanImages)
Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has on Friday undermined US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's expected visit to the region. He portrayed it as part of an American-Israeli to bypass Palestinian legitimacy.

In a press conference held in front of the Tawhid mosque in Ash-Shati (Beach) refugee camp in Gaza City, he said, "The Palestinian people will not accept any intervention in domestic affairs and the formation of a Palestinian national unity government will be according to Palestinian demands rather than American orders."

Haniyeh rejected any attempts to thwart a deal to exchange Palestinian prisoners with the Israeli captured soldier Shalit, believed to be held in Gaza. "Everybody who plans to frustrate the prisoners' exchange will be accountable to God, history and the prisoners," Haniyeh said.

In a different regard, he called on the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, to provide security and protection for the Palestinian people in Iraq after they have been the target of Iraqi militias there.

http://www.imemc.org/article/46517
Construction of new synagogue begins on stolen Palestinian land in east Jerusalem
Thursday January 11, 2007 22:18 by Palestine News Network

Residents of occupied East Jerusalem's Old City are requesting international assistance as Israeli forces move forward with plans to build a Jewish Synagogue in the heart of the Palestinian area. The exact location is just 50 meters from the Al Aqsa Mosque, which is itself already under threat from Israeli groups that have been digging under the Mosque in an attempt to undermine its foundations.

In a field visit by the Al Aqsa Media Foundation, Walid Alzerba and Ismail Doek, the potential damage was recorded. The construction is adjacent to Alzerba's home.

He said, “A month ago they began bringing in the equipment and starting the work on an area of 200 square meters taken for the Jews after the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem began in 1967. The first step was a synagogue and at the same time they started work on another structure on a plot of land belonging to the Department of Islamic Endowments covering an area of 70 meters squared.”

Alzerba told PNN, “This matter summoned our intervention and we demanded of the workers to know who was responsible for the work they were doing, but they said that they were merely do cleaning and maintenance around the Muslim site and that they were not attempting to steal the plot of earth.”

He continued, “But these statements were not correct. Vehicles and armed soldiers began pouring into the area and a few days ago began construction that made it clear it is a synagogue. The door is on the south side, also making it clear that the next target is the adjacent Islamic Endowments' plot of land.”

The Israeli land-grab for Jerusalem and the illegal annexation has been ongoing for years. The concern is how many of these “changes” will be reversible if international law is ever upheld in the city.

United Nations Resolution 35 is just one of many that addresses the issue of the Israeli colonization of Jerusalem. “The 'Basic Law' on Jerusalem and the proclamation of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel are null and void and must be rescinded.”

http://www.imemc.org/article/46521
Two fishermen wounded by Israeli gunboats fire in Gaza sea, and an Israeli drone crashes over Gaza
Thursday January 11, 2007 23:53 by George Rishmawi & IMEMC Correspondant - Gaza george at imemc dot org

Two Palestinian fishermen were wounded as Israeli gunboats opened their machine gun fire at them while fishing in the domestic water near the Gaza beach in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday night.

Photo of Israeli Drone crashed over Gaza displayed by Hamas (Photo Maan)(Go to site to see this photo)

Two Palestinian fishermen were wounded as Israeli gunboats opened their machine gun fire at them while fishing in the domestic water near the Gaza beach in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday night.

IMEMC correspendant in Gaza said the names of the fishermen remain unknown as the time of this report.

A third firsherman went missing after the gunfire started. Local residents said Palestinian fishermen are always subject of Israeli navy gunfire and sevreal have been killed during the past year.

Meanwhile, Israeli sources reported that an Israeli drone crashed near the northern Gaza Strip cityof Beit Hanoun. Hamas, on the other hand, published photos of the drone and said that the drone did not crash for technical reason as the Israeli sources claimed.

Abu Obaida, leader of the Qassam Brigade, the armed wing of Hamas said, the drone was forced down and added, \\\'Israeli Army must know that its drones and gunships are not going in a picnic when they fly over Gaza,\\\' he refrained from mentioned further detailes.

In a separate incident, Israeli sources said that a home-made Qassam shell landed in the western Negev in Israel causing no damage or injuries.

http://www.imemc.org/article/46522
Hamas: Dahlan foiled the Prisoners’ Swap Deal
Friday January 12, 2007 00:18 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC & Agencies george at imemc dot org

Hamas accused on Thursday, MP and fatah Leader Mohammad Dahlan of foiling the prisoners’ swap deal between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel which was about to be reached, said the Palestine Information Center.

Hamas accused MP and fateh Leader Mohammad Dahlan of foiling the prisoners’ swap deal between Palestinian resistance groups and Israel which was about to be reached, on Thursday said the Palestine Information Center.

A Hamas political leader in the Gaza Strip said that Dahlan promised Israeli leaders that he will find the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who has been and held since June 25, 2006.

In a televised speech, Osama Al-Muzaini, charged that Dahalan said he will intensify his “intelligence efforts” in the strip and find Shalit, which, according to Hamas’ claims urged Israeli officials to rescind their approval of the initiative mediated by Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman.

The deal was about to be reached as it was very close to the demands of the three groups holding the captured soldier.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Nazzal, Hamas’ politburo member said that the prisoner swap deal should not be harmed because of factional disputes.

He said that all Palestinian factions should be working for the release of all prisoners from occupation jails regardless of their affiliations.

According the PIC Nazzal described the reports as a \\\"sham.\\\" Dahlan and even the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas contacted Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to foil the deal or to lessen the number of released prisoners so as not be recorded as an achievement for Hamas.

This is not the first time that Hamas has accused Dahlan of conspiring against Hamas. Earlier in December 2006, Hamas accused Dahlan of being behind an alleged assassination attempt which targeted the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh, upon his return from a visit to some Arab and Islamic countries in bid to collect funds to support the damaged Palestinian economy.