Posted on 04/05/2006 8:33:49 AM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Israel must not be recognized and the Palestinian Foreign Ministry should aim to establish a Palestinian State from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean, in place of the Jewish State, PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar said according to Palestinian media reports.
Al-Zahar made the remarks during his first meeting with Foreign Ministry officials and ahead of the first session to be held by the Hamas-led Palestinian government.
Fatah officials, who are closely monitoring the situation, said in recent hours that prospects for the continued existence of the Hamas government appear slim. Such government would not be able to last as long as Hamas refrains from modifying its positions, which only serve to isolate the cabinet, the Fatah sources said.
The Hamas-led government's first session was Wednesday in Ramallah and Gaza and headed by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The session was held via satellite, with more than half of the government ministers staying in Ramallah.
During the session, Haniyeh announced "Palestinian coffers are empty", and added that his government inherited problems left behind by the previous Fatah-led government.
No diplomatic declarations were expected during the meeting, which was mostly dedicated to internal Palestinian affairs, and particularly efforts to battle the financial crisis faced by the PA through a three-month emergency plan.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian street is closely monitoring the new government's conduct and its chances of survival, while Hamas works to end the growing isolation faced by the government.
Elsewhere, London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat reported that Fatah is considering the establishment of a shadow cabinet that would operate along the Hamas government and be ready to take its place should the official government collapse.
Efforts to pay PA officials
Ahead of Wednesday's session, several Hamas ministers met Tuesday with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to discuss ways for the government and PA leader to work together.
Palestinian Finance Minister Omar Abdel-Razek said that the government continues to engage in fundraising efforts in order to pay the salaries of Palestinian officials. Starting this month, the Hamas government's mission will be first and foremost to guarantee the payment of salaries to approximately 150,000 Palestinian clerks and security personnel.
PA sources estimated that the delays in salary payments would in fact mark the beginning of the government's countdown toward collapse, but Hamas officials said that the movement plans on undertaken all efforts in order to prolong the government's life "for the sake of the Palestinian people."
In the meantime, the Hamas faction announced that it was making amendments in the distribution of roles in the faction. Following the appointment of Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar as the Palestinian government's foreign minister, Dr. Khalil al-Haya will be appointed the faction chairman. In addition, the faction decided on changes in the posts of the faction chairman's deputies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
See! They are reasonable! Jeesch....
The best thing that ever happened to the Palistinians is the withdrawl of economic support. It's like cutting of welfare checks to people who don't work. Now they have an unavoidable incentive to actually be productive members of their society. This is a kick their economy has badly needed.
In other BS news - Islam wants the world to be Islamic.
Israel - cut their electricity off already. They've haven't paid the bill for decades.
The time is here...today...now...start exterminating as many of these diaper headed, worthless excuses of humanity as quickly and efficently as possible. Not just in Palistine...
News Flash: the goal of Palestine from the river to the sea has been the stated goal of the PLO and all the other pali te%%or groups since their formation in the 1960's. I believe it is even in their charter. So for lib media to announce this as news reveals the depth of their igorance, sloth and/or craven devotion to the Oslo fallacy.
"the Hamas government's mission will be first and foremost to guarantee the payment of salaries to approximately 150,000 Palestinian clerks and security personnel."
Q: How do you manage to have 150,000 "clerks" and "security personnel" and still provide no services and no "security"?
A: We don't need to provide no stinkin' services or security; we're a te**orist organization. Don't you get it?
BTW Why do you need 150,000 people providing services/security for a population of 2-3 million? this would even make Washington blush.
Uh-huh. People in hell want ice water.
Somebody tell me again why we should recognize these clowns?
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. Joshua 1:3b, 4
I stopped caring what "palestinians" want ummm... around 1965...
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