Posted on 02/26/2007 4:18:14 PM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT
No one to counter Chavez In a region where the leading ideology is Bolivarianism, there is not one leader positioned to offer a better idea for a brighter future.
Commentary by Sam Logan for ISN Security Watch (23/02/2007)
For over two decades, the prevailing ideology in Latin America was neo-liberalism, a Washington-born idea that claimed the power of open markets would lift the region’s poor from misery. It did not, and corruption ran rampant.
While democracy still remains strong, resentful voters ushered in a new generation of neo-populist leaders touting a new idea: a form of socialism, called Bolivarianism, that has slowly but surely become the loudest and most prevalent ideology.
Bolivarianism is anti-capitalist, supports nationalization, regional trade with like-minded countries and above all, suggests that a country should rely on itself or fellow socialist states, not imperialist powers, as a source of the economic growth that will lift all from poverty. It is a sort of refurbished socialism that is not a guiding light for the future.
Latin America cannot readily absorb the economic shock of open markets, nor can it get bogged down in the trappings of old socialist ideas. A blended ideology must be promoted, but the problem is that no one is strong enough to counter Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, the leader of Bolivarianism.
Chavez calls it Socialism for the 21st Century. Cuba's Fidel Castro passed him the torch. Leaders around the region pay homage to their own past as socialist upstarts through hugging and laughing with Chavez on the international stage while taking care of often pro-capitalist, neo-liberal business at home.
Brazilian President Luis Inacio “Lula” da Silva is a perfect example. He has the leftist background and eye for fiscal conservatism to become a great ideological counterweight to Chavez. His politics represent an ideal blend for the region. But his politically weak position at home and strong voices from his own left deter any would be shouting match with Chavez.
Within a week after winning his second term in office, Lula visited Chavez for a photo opportunity on a bridge linking both countries. That was in November, and it looks like Lula’s administration will remain bogged down until March as he struggles to get past his party’s sordid past and form a working cabinet willing to share the same table.
Argentina of the past could have been a counter weight to the Bolivarian ideology. But since Nestor Kirchner has come to power, Argentina has become a Venezuelan puppet.
Chavez has literally bought the support of his southern neighbor with over US$3 billion in purchases of Argentine debt. The most recent purchase occurred on 16 February, when Venezuela dumped another US$750 million into Argentine government coffers.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has the politics to promote an ideological battle with Chavez. Colombia has been a model of economic growth through a mixture of neo-liberal policies and social programs. But Uribe has serious problems.
Political allies are falling like dominos due to links with former paramilitary leaders. And if Uribe took the time to speak out for neo-liberalism and against Chavez, he would be dismissed as another of Washington's puppets. Colombia is a top recipient of US aid.
The only other leader who could take up an ideological fight with Chavez is Mexican President Felipe Calderon. He has the right politics and his country has a history of not blindly supporting the US. Voting against the US invasion of Iraq at the UN is a clear indication. But Calderon won on the thinnest possible mandate. His opposition controls enough seats in the Mexican Congress to block any unwanted initiative, and his focus is on Mexican organized crime, not on verbal sword play with Chavez.
Finally, the US has launched a diplomatic offensive in the region. This is to be a year of engagement, but the US president is clearly obsessed with the war in Iraq, not with putting a muzzle on Venezuela’s leader for the sake of the region’s future. Washington is doubly discredited, first for promoting an ideology that clearly did not work, and second for doing nothing about it.
Latin America needs an independent leader willing to stand up to Chavez, but that leader does not exist on the region’s geopolitical map. Bolivarianism will continue to seep into the minds and hearts of millions across Latin America. Chavez and his pool of allies will control the headlines until the next round of presidential elections tell the world how the region has embraced this new ideology.
As Chavez puts it, Socialism for the 21st Century is just getting started. If that is true, then he will continue to trumpet his ideology until Latin Americans learn, the hard way, that Bolivarianism did not carry them much farther from poverty than neo-liberalism. Disillusionment with reality may then spread faster than hope for the future.
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Sam Logan is an investigative journalist who has reported on security, energy, politics, economics, organized crime, terrorism and black markets in Latin America since 1999. He is a senior writer for ISN Security Watch based in Brazil.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author only, not the International Relations and Security Network (ISN).
Russia issues ultimatum to Iran on uranium enrichment
Iran stops inspectors visiting nuclear site as South Africa seeks amended draft resolution against Tehran.
Middle East Online
First Published 2007-03-20, Last Updated 2007-03-20 07:54:57
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=20059
WASHINGTON- Russia has warned Iran it will withhold nuclear fuel for Iran's atomic power plant unless Tehran suspends uranium enrichment as demanded by the UN Security Council, the New York Times reported Tuesday, citing unnamed US, European and Iranian officials.
Igor Ivanov, secretary of Russia's National Security Council, delivered the ultimatum last week to Ali Hosseini Tash, Iran's deputy chief nuclear negotiator, the paper wrote, quoting officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Moscow infuriated Tehran last week by cancelling its March deadline to deliver fuel for the one-billion-dollar plant it is constructing near the Iranian city of Bushehr.
In public statements, Russia has accused Iran of failing to make payments owed to Moscow for the Bushehr project.
But European officials told the Times that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had informed some European governments last month that Russia made a decision not to deliver the nuclear fuel for the plant and that Moscow would publicly say the sole reason was financial, the paper wrote.
"We consider this a very important decision by the Russians. It shows that our disagreements with the Russians about the dangers of Iran's nuclear program are tactical," a senior European official was quoted as saying. "Fundamentally, the Russians don't want a nuclear Iran," the official said.
A senior Iranian official had also confirmed in an interview that Russia had threatened Iran that fuel would be delivered only after uranium enrichment work was suspended, the Times reported.
The United States has long lobbied Russia to cut off assistance for Iran's Bushehr plant without success.
"We're not sure what mix of commercial and political motives are at play here," one senior US administration official told the paper.
"But clearly the Russians and the Iranians are getting on each other's nerves -- and that's not all bad."
The report comes as member states of the UN Security Council weigh a proposed resolution that would tighten sanctions against Iran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.
Iran stops inspectors visiting nuclear site
Iran stopped UN inspectors from visiting an underground bunker where it is building an industrial-scale plant to make enriched uranium but the inspectors will try again, diplomats said Monday.
Iran had however promised "frequent inspector access" to the site in Natanz, the UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported in February.
The highly sensitive inspections, and talks over how they are to take place, came as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was expected to plead Iran's case this week before the UN Security Council, which is considering tightening sanctions on the Islamic republic over fears that it seeks nuclear weapons.
A centre of concern is the uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, in central Iran, where the Iranians are already operating above-ground a pilot plant carrying out research levels of enrichment, the process which makes what can be fuel for civilian nuclear reactors but also the explosive core of atom bombs.
A diplomat said Iran had last Saturday refused to let IAEA inspectors into the underground hall at Natanz where the Iranians have set up hundreds of centrifuges in what is to be a 3,000-centrifuge facility for enriching uranium.
Centrifuges are the machines used to refine uranium for the U-235 isotope that is valuable for fuel or weapons.
Such a facility could make enough highly enriched uranium for an atom bomb in about 10 months, according to the IISS think-tank in London.
Other diplomats, all requesting anonymity due to the extreme delicacy of the issue, said IAEA inspectors are set to return this week, possibly Tuesday, to the plant and that delays in inspections were normal and could just be a matter of schedule changes or working out legal issues.
Iran's blocking access definitively to Natanz would be a violation of its obligations under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Iranian officials were not immediately reachable for comment.
IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei had reported on February 22 that the agency wanted to put cameras in the centrifuge hall in accordance with "safeguards measures that needed to be implemented . . . prior to the introduction of nuclear material into the facility."
The report said that Iran was spinning centrifuges empty, without uranium feedstock gas, in two 164-centrifuge production lines, and was finishing installing two other similar cascades, also totalling 328 centrifuges.
ElBaradei said the IAEA had "agreed to interim verification arrangements" at Natanz's underground site "involving frequent inspector access but not remote monitoring."
"Iran was informed that these arrangements (which are now in place) would be valid only for as long as the number of machines installed ... did not exceed 500, and that, once that number was exceeded, all required safeguards measures would need to be implemented," ElBaradei said.
South Africa seeks amended draft resolution on Iran
South Africa pushed on Monday for a 90-day freeze of Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for a simultaneous suspension of UN sanctions, which the Security Council is looking to toughen on Tehran.
The 90-day, simultaneous suspension was contained in a series of South African amendments, to a draft resolution agreed by six major powers last week and toughening UN sanctions slapped on Iran in December for its nuclear defiance.
"The 90-day period of grace provided to Iran would allow for a de-escalation of tensions and create an opportunity for Iran and the other parties involved to resume negotiations toward a long-term solution," the South African text said.
"Sanctions should never be adopted in haste when other tracks for the peaceful resolution of a situation should be addressed," the text said.
The idea of a simultaneous 90-day suspension of Iran's uranium enrichment and of Security Council sanctions against the Islamic Republic, was first proposed by Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, earlier this year.
The new sanctions draft bans Iran from exporting arms, calls for voluntary trade sanctions on the Islamic Republic and expands a list of officials and companies targeted for financial and travel restrictions because of their alleged links with Iran's sensitive nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
But the South African amendments would gut much of the text, by deleting the weapons ban and many of the financial sanctions, according to Western diplomats.
They would also drop several names of companies and individuals added to the list of those subjected to an assets freeze or travel restrictions, including Bank Sepah, Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) entities and key officers of the elite IRGC.
"I don't think that these amendments are consistent with the approach the Security Council is following," said French Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, whose country is one of the council's five permanent members.
"We hope that there will be a consensus (on the draft), that South Africa will understand and join us on this approach, which is an approach of gradual pressure, putting pressure," he added.
South Africa, which dismantled its nuclear weapons program in the early 1990s during its transition from white minority rule to a democratic state, has consistently defended Iran's right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.
De La Sabliere expressed hope that "we will be able to adopt the resolution by the end of the week."
As it stands, the text would give Iran 60 days to comply with repeated UN demands or face "further appropriate measures," meaning economic sanctions but no military action, under Article 41 of the UN Charter.
Meanwhile his South African counterpart said the co-sponsors of the draft resolution requested informal talks for Tuesday "on other related matters, not to negotiate" the text.
"The negotiations (on the draft among the council's 15 members) will start on Wednesday," he added. The sanctions package was agreed last week by envoys of the council's five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany.
Meanwhile the United States announced Monday it had granted visas to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and 38 aides and bodyguards so he can address the Security Council when it votes on the new sanctions resolution.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Iran made an additional request on Monday for visas for 33 air crew and those were also expected to be granted, he said.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meanwhile, discussed preparations for the new UN sanctions vote with her counterparts from the European Union and Germany.
The West fears Iran aims to produce nuclear weapons with the enriched uranium, but Tehran insists the fuel is for peaceful energy purposes only. Iran warned against tougher sanctions on Monday.
"Adopting new resolutions by the Security Council ... will face Iran's proportionate response," Abbas Araghchi, deputy foreign minister in legal and international affairs, said in a meeting with foreign ambassadors.
The United States says it wants a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff, but it has never ruled out a military option.
Haniyah Presents New Gov't to PLC for Vote of Confidence, Part 1
PA's Haniyah Presents New Government to PLC for Vote of Confidence, Part 1
First part of special address by Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Isma'il Haniyah to the PLC asking its vote of confidence in the new national unity government; in the PLC building in Gaza -- live
Originally published on 3/17/2007 by Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, ye became brethren. [Koranic verse] Praise be to God, lord of the world. Praise worthy of his holy demeanor, great power, and boundless mercy and grace. Prayers and peace on the master of all creatures and the imam of righteousness, the head of the pioneers and the followers, and the leader of the blessed swords; on his kinfolk and companions, and on those who follow his path until judgment day.
Brother Dr Ahmad Bahr, acting Palestinian Legislative Council [PLC]; brothers and sisters members of the PLC; Your Excellencies, ambassadors, consuls, and representative of countries and international organizations; Your Excellencies, representatives of the national and Islamic forces; ladies and gentlemen; peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings,
I welcome you all on this great day. I also welcome the UN Secretary General's representative to the Middle East and his accompanying delegation. I had hoped that the full plenum of this council would convene under the chairmanship of Brother Dr Aziz Duwayk, the PLC speaker. I had also hoped that this meeting would take place in Jerusalem, but the occupation prevented that through its insistence to continue the detention of PLC deputies and ministers, to relentlessly split the homeland, to Judaize Jerusalem and isolate it from its surroundings, and to carry out raids. The occupation's raid of Nabulus on the eve of the declaration of the formation of this government came only to reinforce its oppression of the Palestinian people. The arrest of the PLC speaker, our brothers PLC deputies and ministers, and the heads of local councils is a categorical proof of the occupation's cruelty and injustice. The Palestinian people, the government, and the PLC have been subject to the policy of collective punishment and unjust siege over the past year because of the democratic choice they made in their political life, because of their adherence to the Palestinian rights and constants, and because they refused to make any concession under the siege and fierce aggression. We have done everything in our power to bring about the release of the ministers and deputies. I affirm to big brother Dr Aziz Duwayk, the imprisoned PLC deputies and leaders, and thousands of bold detainees who are held in the occupation's jails and in solitary confinement that you are our top priority. We will not sit idly by until you are released. I besiege God that your release will be soon. I am happy to send greetings to the brothers who signed the prisoners document which constituted the basis for the National Accord Document: Brother Marwan al-Barghuthi, Brother Abd-al-Khaliq al-Natshah, Brother Abd-al-Rahim Malluh, and Brother Bassam al-Sa'di.
Today I am very proud to stand before thousands of martyrs whose blood has irrigated this holy land and who paved the road for freedom, independence, and dignity. I would like to mention in particular the great martyred leaders former President Yasir Arafat [applause], imam Shaykh Ahmad Yasin [applause], Dr Fathi al-Shiqaqi, Abu-Ali Mustafa, Umar al-Qasim, Abu-Jihad [Khalil al-Wazir], Dr Abd-al-Aziz al-Rantisi, Abu-al-Abbas [Muhammad Abbas], Jihad Jibril, and a long convoy of bold martyrs who thanks to their jihad and sacrifice and by the grace of God we have arrived at this juncture. I would like today to mention our hero injured people whose pure blood drew the map of Palestine. I would like also to mention the refugees who are standing at the gate of the homeland in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon waiting for their return to the homes from where they were expelled in an unjust and aggressive manner. Those who have lived in pain in the diaspora have not forgotten Palestine. The subsequent generations of refugees have not forgotten the right of return. I would like to mention in particular the Palestinians who reside in Iraq. I call on the Iraqi leadership, the religious authorities, and all concerned parties to quickly intervene to protect the Palestinians there and put an end to their targeting and terrorization. I am also very proud to stand here today before the Palestinian people inside the 1948 lands and to extend my high appreciation of their role in protecting their identity, Jerusalem, and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Brothers and sisters, following their expulsion from the land of their forefathers, the Palestinian people have lived approximately 60 years under the yoke of displacement, deprivation, and expulsion. As a result of the occupation, they suffered all forms of torture, oppression, and aggression. In return, the Palestinian people have recorded a long path of struggle, resistance, steadfastness, and perseverance during which they sacrificed hundreds of thousands of martyrs, injured, and prisoners. They set the most magnificent examples in terms of sacrifice, devotion, and adherence to their rights and constants for the sake of national unity, of which the unity government constitutes an important manifestation.
The national unity government was born in the wake of exhaustive efforts by the candid and diligent sons of our homeland who struggled day and night to attain an agreed-upon vision and common denominator to unite all the Palestinians under one umbrella. The government came into being thanks to the positive spirit and mutual confidence which led to the resolution of all issues. The formation of the government and the cessation of infighting were one of the most important outcomes of the Mecca agreement which was reached under the auspices of King Abdallah Bin Abd-al-Aziz, the custodian of the two holy shrines, and through the great national perseverance of His Excellency President Abu-Mazin [Mahmud Abbas], the Fatah leaders, Brother Khalid Mish'al, and the HAMAS leaders, all of whom evinced responsibility at this difficult times and agreed in Mecca to open a new phase in the history of the Palestinian people while closing the painful leaf in our history. President Abu-Mazin had demonstrated supreme perseverance in defending the Mecca agreement and convincing all parties of the need to honor it and deal with the Palestinian people on its basis. He also was very efficient during the consultations on the formation of this government. I besiege God that this brotherly atmosphere and constructive cooperation will continue as the national unity government was the culmination of a long series of Palestinian dialogues. Sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt played a great role in sponsoring and following up on these dialogues. The Palestinian factions reached the first comprehensive agreement in March 2005 in Cairo. This government also came into being thanks to numerous efforts by fraternal Arab states and Arab and Islamic organizations.
: Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic -- Official television station operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, controlled by the PA Presidency
Haniyah Presents New Gov't to PLC for Vote of Confidence, Part 2
PA's Haniyah Presents New Government to PLC for Vote of Confidence, Part 2
Second part of special address by Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Isma'il Haniyah to the PLC asking its vote of confidence in the new national unity government; in the PLC building in Gaza -- live
Originally published on 3/17/2007 by Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic
Based on the Palestinian people's rights and constants, out of our commitment to the National Accord Document, in light of the letter of appointment, and out of the fact that we are still in the stage of liberation and construction, I hereby present to you the national unity government's platform:
I. On the political level:
1. The government affirms that the key to security and stability in the region hinges on ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and recognizing the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. The government will work with the Arab brothers and international community to end the occupation and regain the Palestinian people's legitimate rights, foremost of all the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign state on all the lands that were occupied in 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital so as to establish a solid and cohesive basis for peace, security, and prosperity in the entire region and in the next generations.
2. The government undertakes to protect the Palestinian people's higher national interests and rights, safeguard and develop their gains, and work to achieve their national objectives as acknowledged in the resolutions of the national councils, the provisions of the Basic Law, the National Accord Document, and the resolutions of the Arab summits. On the basis of all this, the government respects the resolutions of international legitimacy and the agreements signed by the PLO.
3. The government will exert special efforts to encourage all Palestinian parties to accelerate the implementation of the Cairo agreement clause regarding the PLO.
4. The government reiterates its rejection of the so-called state within temporary borders, stipulated in the US-Israeli plan.
5. The government affirms and adheres to the right of return. It calls on the international community to implement UN Resolution 194 regarding the Palestinian refugees' right to return to the land and properties from which they were expelled.
6. The government will persistently work to bring about the release of female prisoners and hero prisoners from the Israeli occupation jails as well as the release of abducted PLC deputies, ministers, and heads and members of local councils.
7. The government pledges to confront the occupation's measures on the ground, including assassinations, arrests, storming operations, and military roadblocks. It also undertakes to address the issue of crossings, siege, and closure.
8. The government will enhance relations with the fraternal Arab and Islamic countries, other friendly countries, and elements that embrace freedom, justice, and openness. It will also enhance it cooperation with regional and international countries on the basis of mutual respect.
II. On Jerusalem:
1. A higher committee for Jerusalem affairs will be established in coordination with the PLO Executive Committee to follow up on the issue of Palestinian steadfastness in Jerusalem. The government will assign a clear budget for Jerusalem in its general budget.
2. The government will confront the Israeli policies in Jerusalem -- land, people, and holy sites. It will allocate sufficient funds in its budget for supporting the steadfastness of our people in Jerusalem, exposing the occupation's measures in the city and in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and promoting the issue of Jerusalem in all regional and international circles. It calls on the sons of the Arab and Islamic nation to bear the responsibility and protect Jerusalem and support its people both politically and in the media.
III. On the level of confronting the occupation:
1. The government affirms that the resistance in all its forms, including the popular resistance against the occupation, is a legitimate right of the Palestinian people that has been guaranteed by all international norms and conventions. Our people have the right to defend themselves against any ongoing Israeli aggression.
2. Through national accord, the govern ment will work on consolidating the calm to turn it into a comprehensive, mutual, and simultaneous calm in return for the Israeli occupation's pledge to end all measures on the ground, including assassinations, arrests, storming operations, house demolition, razing and confiscation of lands, and excavations in Jerusalem. It should also remove the roadblocks, reopen the crossings, lift restrictions on the freedom of movement, and set a specific deadline for the release of prisoners.
3. The government reaffirms the clause in National Accord Document to the effect that the PLO and the head of the Palestinian National Authority are responsible for the management of the negotiations through their commitment to the Palestinian national objectives and their realization and based on the protection of Palestinian rights and constants. Any future political agreement will be submitted to the new Palestine National Council for approval. Alternatively, the Palestinian people inside and outside the homeland will hold a referendum on it under a special law to be legislated for this purpose.
4. The government will encourage the relevant parties to expedite the resolution of the issue of the captive Israeli soldier within the framework of an honorable prisoners exchange deal and the return of deportees.
5. The government affirms that the establishment of peace and stability in the region hinges on an end to the occupation; granting the Palestinian people their national rights; removal of the racist wall and settlements; end to the Judaization of Jerusalem, the annexation policy, and all forms of racist discrimination; and the restoration of rights to their owners.
IV. On the security level:
1. The national unity government is aware of the difficult domestic security situation and believes that keeping the current security situation under control is one of its most important priorities. This requires full cooperation between the Presidency and the government. To achieve this, the government will adopt the following:
A. Calling for and reestablishing a higher national security council, considering it the term of reference for all the security apparatuses and the framework that will organize their work and define their policies.
B. Structuring and building the security apparatuses on professional bases, secure their needs, carry out comprehensive reforms to strip them of the partisan and factional characteristics, keep them away from polarization and political struggle, enhance their loyalty to the homeland first and foremost, have them pledge to implement the decisions of their political leaders, whoever they are, and have those working in the security establishment to abide by the duties they are tasked to carry out.
C. Implementing the work regulations pertaining to the security apparatuses that were endorsed by the PLC.
D. Drafting a comprehensive security plan to end all the manifestations of chaos, security lawlessness, encroachments; to protect lives, honor, public and private property; to control weapons and ensure security for the citizen; to end injustice through the rule of law; and to support the police to allow them perform their duties and enforce the law in the best possible manner.
V. On the legal level:
1. The government will fully cooperate with the judicial power to reform, reactivate, and protect the judiciary and all its agencies in a manner that will enable it to perform its duties within the framework of enhancing justice and combating corruption, abiding by the independency of the judiciary, and affirming and enforcing the rule of law and applying it in a transparent and fair manner to all. It will also follow up on cases of corruption and embezzlement of public funds.
3. [as heard] The government affirms it will work in accordance with the Basic Law that regulates relations among the three powers based on separation of powers and respect for the authorities entrusted to each one of them.
3. The government will as sist His Excellency the president to carry out his tasks and will be eager to fully cooperate with the Presidency in accordance with the law. It will also work with the PLC and judicial branch to develop the Palestinian political system so as to create one, unified, and strong national authority.
VI. On the economic situation:
1. The government seeks to end all forms of the unjust siege that is imposed on the Palestinian people.
2. The government calls for reviewing the Paris economic agreement in a way that will liberate the Palestinian economy.
3. The government will give priority to the development of the national economy, protect the productive and public service sectors, encourage national exports while supporting the national products by all possible means, and will develop economic and trade ties with the Arab and Islamic world, the European Union, and the rest of the world.
4. The government will act to protect consumers. It will encourage the private sector, provide the suitable climate for its activities, and establish sound bases for relations between government and the private sector. It will also put an end to monopoly, set mechanism to deal with the available resources and their ensure just distribution, and create a suitable climate and ensure protectionist measures and stability for investment projects.
5. The government will encourage economic development in conformity with Palestinian values and norms. It will achieve social justice to develop and protect the private sector, encourage investment, combat unemployment and poverty, bolster productive sectors, rebuild infrastructure, and build up industrial zones and the housing and technology sectors.
6. The government will review the laws of investment and end any activities toward the establishment of monopolies between the executive branch and the private sector.
7. The government will support the agricultural sector and increase the budget allocated for its development.
8. The government will regulate the payment of salaries to the public sector employees and abide by the schedule of the payment of back wages to the public and private sectors employees.
9. The government will take care of workers, farmers, and fishermen and seek to alleviate their suffering through support and special projects.
VII. On reforms:
1. The government will adopt an administrative and financial reform plan and will cooperate with the PLC in the legislation of laws to bolster reforms and combat corruption.
2. The government will develop the governmental institutions' internal structure and work regulations to ensure their efficiency, proper performance, and their abidance by the law.
3. The government will draw up a plan on government expenditure in all spheres.
4. The government will fight corruption and bolster the values of honesty and transparency and non-exploitation of public funds. It will also devise a Palestinian social strategy for administrative development.
VIII. On bolstering Palestinian values:
1. The government will abide by the entrenchment of national unity, protection of civil peace, and enhancement of the values of mutual respect, adoption of dialogue, termination of all forms of tension and logjams. It will encourage the culture of tolerance, protect Palestinian lives, and ban infighting.
2. The government emphasizes the unity of the Palestinian people in and outside the Palestinian territories.
3. The government will seek to entrench and deepen the national accord and domestic stability. The government will tackle the fallout of the regrettable incidents with appropriate tools while abiding by the rule of law and protecting the citizens' lives and public and private properties with all the commitments that this entails. I call on our brothers, members of the families' of the martyrs who fell in the regrettable incidents to evince more patience and self-sacrifice. I assure them that we stand by them in their pain and their loss.
4. The government will work to enhance the concept of citizenship through equality of rights and duties, equal opportunities, entrenching social justice in employment and appointments in various ministries and establishments, and through an end to all forms of discrimination in public rights and political nepotism in employment to civil and security posts.
5. The government affirms that it will respect the principle of political pluralism; support the development of an election system; protect public freedoms; enhance the values of democracy; protect human rights; enhance the principle of justice and equality; and protect freedoms of the press, speech, expression, and disagreement and the rights of Palestinian women. It will respect the peaceful transfer of power and work to complete the municipal elections as soon as possible.
6. The government pledges to establish political partnership and encourage all forces in the Palestinian arena to engage in a serious dialogue for the sake of realizing this partnership.
7. The government will support the families of martyrs and prisoners, protect their noble lives, and provide their special needs.
8. The government undertakes to secure a decent living, daily needs, and social and medical security for the Palestinian citizens and combat poverty and unemployment through the creation of job opportunities, development projects, and social security.
9. The government will develop the education system, improve the situation of the teachers, encourage scientific research, and maintain the neutrality of the education system. It will also support the establishment of a national fund for higher education.
10. The government will take utmost care of Palestinian youths and sports, provide their needs, and seek to expand the sports infrastructure and accelerate the establishment of a sports village. It will continue to take part in international events to bolder Palestine's standing in Arab, regional, and international sports circles.
11. The government will support the implementation of the law pertaining to those with special needs.
12. The government will protect the rights of women and give women the opportunity to participate in the political decisionmaking and participate in the process of construction in all the institutions and in all fields.
13. The government will encourage and support civil and social activities and the work of the civil society institutions.
IX. On international relations:
The government is proud of its Arab and Islamic affiliation and appreciates the Arab and Islamic continuous political, economic, and media support. The government will seek to play a role in the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference. We are looking forward to the Arab summit in Riyadh at the end of this month to adopt resolutions that will lead to an end to the siege, resolutions that will lead to an end of the siege, and support and protect the Mecca agreement. The government also takes pride in its various international ties that have deepened through the international support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights. It will work to establish sound and solid relations with all countries in the world and with international organizations, including the United Nations, the Security Council, and the regional and international organizations, to help our people gain their rights and independence and to enhance global peace and stability. The government affirms its commitment to the cultural heritage based on tolerance, coexistence, and dialogue between cultures and its respect of international law and international humanitarian law in harmony with our values, norms, and noble traditions.
The EU has offered a sizable assistance to the Palestinian people and supported their right to freedom and independence. It adopted serious stands criticizing the occupation's policies. Russia, China, Japan adopted the same approach toward the Pale stinian cause in their foreign policies. There fore, the government is eager to establish a sound relationship with the European Union, Russia, the People's Republic of Chine, Japan, India, and the Latin America states. We expect them to take practical measures to lift the siege off our people, pressure the occupation authorities to end the siege, respect human rights stipulated in international conventions, withdraw from our occupied lands, and end its recurring aggressive measures against our people. The government will also seek to bolster relations with the UN Security Council permanent members.
The government calls on the US Administration to reassess its stands on the Palestinian cause, respect the Palestinian people's option embodied in the national unity government, and renounce its policy of double standard. The government seeks good relations between the Palestinian and American people.
: Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic -- Official television station operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, controlled by the PA Presidency
Haniyah Names National Unity Government Ministers, Platform to PLC
Haniyah Presents National Unity Government Makeup, Platform to PLC
Corrected version: correcting typo in graf six, reformatting list, and providing supplementary information regarding processing plans
Originally published on 3/17/2007 by Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic
At 1005 GMT, Prime Minister-designate Isma'il Haniyah begin his address to the PLC by greeting all present. He regrets that the session is not held in the presence of PLC speaker Aziz al-Duwayk and the rest of ministers and deputies arrested in Israel. He then greets those who signed the National Accord Document and notes that the formation of the national unity government is part of the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli "occupation." He reviews the various efforts which led to the formation of the unity government.
At 1020 GMT, Haniyah begins to read the government's platform, Haniyah stresses that "the government affirms that the key to security and stability in the region hinges on ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and recognizing the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. The government will work with the Arab brothers and international community to end the occupation and regain the Palestinian people's legitimate rights, foremost of all the establishment of an independent, fully sovereign state on all the lands that were occupied in 1967 and Jerusalem with its capital so that we can establish a solid and cohesive basis for peace, security, and prosperity in the entire region and in the next generations." Haniyah further says: "The government reiterates its rejection of the so-called state within temporary borders, stipulated in the US-Israeli plan."
Regarding Jerusalem, Haniyah says: "A higher committee for the Jerusalem affairs will be establishment in coordination with the PLO Executive Committee to follow up on the issue of our steadfastness in Jerusalem." As for "confronting the Israeli occupation," Haniyah says: "The government affirms that the resistance in all its forms, including the popular resistance against the occupation, is a legitimate right for the Palestinian people and has been acknowledged by all international norms and conventions. Our people have the right to defend themselves against any ongoing Israeli aggression." He adds that "through national accord, the government will work on consolidating the calm to become a comprehensive, mutual, and simultaneous calm in return for the Israeli occupation's pledge to end all measures on the ground." Haniyah further notes that "The government reaffirms what was mentioned in the National Accord Document that the PLO and the head of the Palestinian National Authority are responsible for the management of the negotiations on the basis of commitment to the Palestinian national objectives."
As for security, Haniyah says that "the national unity government is aware of the difficult domestic security situation and believes that keeping the current security situation under control is one of its most important priorities." He proposes a four-point security plan, including the establishment of a national security council.
Regarding the government's economic plan, Haniyah says: "The government will work to end all forms of the unjust siege that is imposed on our Palestinian people. The government calls for reviewing the Paris economic agreement, in a way that will liberate the Palestinian economy." He further notes that "the government will give priority to the development of the national economy" and "encourage economic and trade relations with the Arab and Islamic countries as well as with the European Union and the rest of the world."
As for international relations, Haniyah says: "The government is proud of its Arab and Islamic affiliation and appreciates the Arab and Islamic continuous political, economic, and media support. The government will seek to play a role in the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference. We are looking forward to the Arab summit in Riyadh at the end of this month to adopt resolutions that will lead to an end to the siege and support and protect the Mecca agreement." He continues: "The government will work to establish sound and solid relations with all countries in the world and with international organizations, including the Unite d Nations, the Security Council, and the regional and international organizations in a way that will help our people gain their freedom and independence and will enhance world peace and stability." He goes on to say that "the European Union has offered a sizable assistance to our Palestinian people, supported their right to freedom and independence, and adopted serious stands criticizing the occupation's policies." He concludes by saying that "the government calls on the US Administration to reassess its stands on the Palestinian cause, to respect the Palestinian people's option that is embodied in the national unity government, and renounce its policy of double standard. The government seeks good relations between the Palestinian and American people."
At 1038 GMT, Haniyah reads the names of ministers as follows:
1. Prime Minister: Isma'il Abd-al-Salam Ahmad Haniyah.
2. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State: Azzam Najib Mustafa al-Ahmad.
3. Minister of Finance: Dr Salam Khalid Abdallah Fayyad
4. Minister of Foreign Affairs: Dr Ziyad Mahmud Husayn Abu-Amr.
5. Minister of Interior: Hani Talab Abd-al-Rahman al-Qawasimi.
6. Minister of Transportation: Dr Sa'di Mahmud Sulayman al-Kurunz.
7. Minister of Prisoners' Affairs: Attorney Sulayman Mahmud Musa Abu-Sunyanah.
8. Minister of Education: Dr Nasir al-Din Mahmud Ahmad al-Sha'ir.
9. Minister of Planning and International Cooperation: Samir Abdallah Salih Abu-Ayshah.
10. Minister of Agriculture: Muhammad Ramadan Muhammad al-Agha.
11. Minister of Local Governance: Muhammad Ibrahim Musa al-Barghuthi.
12. Minister of Youth and Sports: Basim Na'im Muhammad Na'im.
13. Minister of Economy: Engineer Ziyad Shukri Abd-Rabbuh al-Zaza.
14. Minister of Information: Dr Mustafa Kamil Mustafa al-Barghuthi.
15. Minister of Justice: Dr Ali Muhammad Ali Muslih Sirtawi.
16. Minister of Social Affairs and Tourism: Salih Muhammad Salim Zaydan.
17. Minister of Culture: Bassam Ahmad Umar al-Salihi.
18. Minister of Labor: Mahmud Uthman Raghib al-Alul
19. Minister of Communication and Information Technology: Dr Yusuf Mahmud Hamid al-Mansi.
20. Minister of Public Works and Housing: Samih Husayn Abd Karakrah.
21. Minister of Tourism: Khulud Frances Khalil Du'aybas
22. Minister of Women's Affairs: Amal Muhammad al-Shaykh Mahmud al-Siyam.
23. Minister of Health: Dr Radwan Sa'id Sulayman al-Akhras.
24. Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs: Husayn Mutawi Husayn al-Tarturi.
25. Minister of State: Wasfi Izzat Hasan Qabha.
Haniyah ends his address at 1044 GMT.
OSC Tel Aviv Bureau plans to text the Haniyah address at priority precedence to clear bureau by 2030 GMT on 17 March.
: Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic -- Official television station operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, controlled by the PA Presidency
Sec'y Rice, German FM, EU Solana on PA: Rice:"right of resistance doesn't sound very good", Solana: deeds more important than words
Joint Press Conference With German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier
and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and
Secretary General of the European Union Javier Solana and European
Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy
Benita
Ferrero-Waldner
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Washington, DC
March 19, 2007
www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2007/mar/81933.htm
...
FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER: (Via interpreter) ...
Condoleezza Rice pointed to the fact that now that a national unity
government has been formed by the Palestinians we have entered a stage
where
we are very carefully watching the declarations, the statements made by
that
new government, but also the first decisions and actions to be taken by
that
new government. And of course this is going to have an influence on the
readiness of the Europeans to cooperate with that government. It's
clear,
ladies and gentlemen, that we stand by what we've said in the past, in
the
framework of the Quartet, we stand by the expectations that we've
expressed
there. And the Quartet has not really invented these matters on its
own, but
it's part and parcel of the roadmap process. ...
FOREIGN MINISTER FERRERO-WALDNER:
...I think on Israel-Palestine, it is very important that in this
delicate
moment, we at least can go on with our temporary international
mechanism and
that we prolong this for another three months in order to see that the
Palestinian people will not suffer in this period where we have to, of
course, make a judgment on the national unity government, one.
...
QUESTION: First, to the Higher Representative. Mr. Solana, to give this
new
Palestinian government the best chance of success, do you think it's
now
time to lift the international aid embargo and if not, do you have a
timeline for when you would like to see that happen? And to Secretary
Rice,
the coalition government platform includes a reference to the right of
resistance. Do you read that as a code for terrorism and if so why?
MR. SOLANA: Should I start? As you know, we have been following from
the
very beginning the formation of this government and we have made
already
several statements in different meetings of the Quartet. We want to
praise,
once again, the efforts of the King Abdullah and the Saudis for
mobilizing
this effort. We hope very much that when the government is established
and
is already there that it will contribute no doubt first to the peace
among
the Palestinians, but we have to say also that the government does not
comply fully with the principle that the Quartet had so many times said
publicly they would like to have in this government. In any case, we
expect
very much that this government in the process will be taking the
positions
of the Quartet as much as possible and at the end take completely and
they
will have a total normalization of the relation with the government.
And I
think not only that, we will have the possibility of moving in the
peace
process at much faster rhythm.
We'd like to say that once again that we would like to continue working
with
the Palestinian people. We are not going to let the Palestinian people
down
and we hope very much to follow in great detail the facts -- the deeds
--
that this government behaves is much more important what they do than
what
they say at this point in time. We are going to follow that. In any
case, we
will never let the Palestinian people down.
SECRETARY RICE: Well, I would put the question to the Palestinian
government
because after all for a generation now -- well, a political generation,
the
Palestinian leadership has adhered to the principles that would
undergird a
two-state solution, including renunciation of violence and the
willingness
to live side by side with Israel. It's in the roadmap. It is the
foundation
really of Oslo. And so I'm not going to try to interpret what the right
of
resistance means, but I'll tell you, it doesn't sound very good to me,
when
one talks about all forms of resistance. So I would put the question to
the
Palestinian government and to its prime minister: Do you mean the right
of
resistance by violence and let's get an answer.
...
QUESTION: (Inaudible) for Secretary Rice and Mr. Solana, President
Abbas has
publicly and repeatedly appealed to the Quartet to lift its aid
embargo. Do
you not worry that if you refuse or if this drags on, that his
inability to
deliver despite his close relationship with the United States and the
European Union will undermine his standing and that of other moderates
among
the Palestinian people?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, let me start by repeating something that Benita
said
and that Javier said as well. We are going to continue to help the
Palestinian people. We've been helping through humanitarian assistance.
We
have the temporary international mechanism. I think if you look at the
numbers, you'll see that actually, the amount of assistance going into
the
Palestinian people has -- it's gone up over the last year.
And so we're going to continue to help the Palestinian people and we're
going to continue to deal with Abu Mazen. I'm going to the region at
the end
of the week. I intend to see him, to talk with him, and to continue to
try
to work on bettering the lives of the Palestinian people as well as
trying
to push forward on a political horizon so that the Palestinian people
can
see the pathway to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Now the Quartet principles are there not to be obstructionists, but
because
they are the foundational principles for peace. You cannot have a peace
agreement or a peace process when one party does not recognize the
right of
the other party to exist or will not renounce violence. And that's why
there
has been so much concern in the international community that any
government
of the Palestinian people would reflect those principles, because those
principles are critical to getting to a two-state solution. And I
should add
they have been at the foundation of where Palestinian leadership has
been
since Oslo.
And so we will continue to insist that those principles be respected.
We're
going to continue to help the Palestinian people. And we're going to
continue to deal with Abu Mazen. And I think that that is the right
place to
be so that Palestinians understand what is before them in order to gain
full
acceptance for their government.
MR. SOLANA: Well, I have a little to add -- to say once again that the
Palestinian people will never be let down by us and for the European
Union.
As has been said, we have been increasing our contribution the last
three
years. We will continue in the future. And we see the government people
that
we trust and we know well, that we have been working with them. And as
I
said before, we hope very much that this will be a process that will
lead to
the acceptance of all the principle, because it would be beneficial for
them, beneficial for us, for the peace process.
As we have said many, many times, we will continue, the Quartet will
continue to engage in trying to define the political horizon so that
the
peace process can move forward. (Inaudible.) ...
[How about this creature who says she is an American Mom??]
Ahmadinezhad Says Iran Will Never Initiate Any War
Originally published on 3/17/2007 by Fars News Agency (Internet Version-WWW) in Persian
Tehran, 17 March: In response to the letter of the mother of an American soldier killed in Iraq, President [Mahmud] Ahmadinezhad has stressed: Like you, we detest wars and believe that diplomatic and peaceful solutions are the best means to prevent the bullying and extravagant policies of America, the Zionist usurping regime, and Britain; and I therefore assure you that Iran will not initiate any wars.
As the most recent subject in his personal web log, Ahmadinezhad has responded to the letter of a mother of an American soldier who was killed in Iraq.
In her letter addressed to the president of our country this mother wrote: Mr President; I am writing you this letter as a mother whose son was sent to Iraq forcibly and has been taken away from her forever. You may or may not be aware that most Americans do not like Bush. He is ( .). We do not recognize him as our president. He entered the White House by cheating. He is not a legitimate president. Even a great number of American mothers whose sons were not sent to Iraq agree with me. They know Bush as ( .).
She continued: Mr. President! As much as we hate war, we hate Bush and his gangs! I want you know that if you intend to attack the US, most of the people are like me here. We cannot stop his stupid acts for now, but I am writing this letter because I know you to be a pious and logical man. I am not scared of Bush and his gangs or his security forces, but since I do not want them to interrupt my battle and my fellow Americans' struggle against this administration, please keep my name and identity anonymous.
In response to the letter, Ahmadinezhad has written: If your son opposed going to Iraq and imposing pressure on the people of that region, and then was forcibly taken there, certainly Almighty God would help him. And those who have forced your beloved son to go to the war are responsible for his blood and the bloodshed that they have caused. They should answer to Almighty God in the Day of Judgment.
Regarding the statements you have made, since I did not want my reply to cause you any problems I did not send it by e-mail, because there may be some agents who get into the private lives of American citizens and illegally control them, and the same agents may create problem for you. Instead, I decided to post the reply on my web log so that those who may have views such as yours could get the answer.
In another part of his response, Ahmadinezhad adds: We respect all people of the world- including the American people. We think highly of all humans' lives, dignity, reputation and also their properties. Our religion - Islam - does not allow us to disturb the peace and tranquillity of human beings. Even those Iranian mothers who have lost their children due to American atrocities in Iran or those children whose parents have been martyred do not want the American people to fall victim to the wrong-headedness and arrogance of their statesmen. Even the Iranian girls and boys who have lost all their family members in a US warship attack against an Iranian passenger airplane in the Persian Gulf do not assent that Iran should initiate any war.
He continued that during the eight-year imposed war [Iran-Iraq 1980-88], our people were not even safe from Saddam's chemical bombs. When the green light was given to Saddam by the big powers - including the US government - he tested the most lethal chemical weapons - produced in the west - on the innocent people of Iran. He added: we too hate war - as you do. Certainly, we are not panic-stricken at the thought of a defensive war, but we believe there are many diplomatic and peaceful ways and approaches to intercept the paranoid, bullying, and expansionist policies and practices of the US, the Zionist usurper regime - the occupier of Palestine - and Britain. I assure you that Iran would not initiate any war!
The Iranian president then continued: I am confident that you and the American people would not trust the prefabricated lies and complicated, poisonous propagandas that are made and broadcast by the inhumane, aggressive and capitalist networks. And you do search and try to find out about the truth. Perhaps you are aware that the Zionist media and those who are related to the power clans have even distorted my own words -- so many times -- and have told the people of the world a bunch of untruths regarding my country as well. I know that even though there are many large networks of media that are affiliated to certain groups, it is very difficult to discover the truth in the environment you live in. Yet, for the intelligent people of that region it does not sound impossible to uncover and expose the truth. I am sorry to say that the American people are kept under absolute censorship by their government concerning the outside world. I am certain that if the American people knew where and on what their tax money is spent, even the strong supporters of the government would not stand it and would rush to the streets to show their opposition in regard to this issue.
In conclusion he added: I hope that the world we live in will never see the darkness of a war and the people of the world will bring their call for peace across to the warmongers who have appeared as statesmen and call themselves the guardians of others. I hope that through an early withdrawal of the US-occupying forces from Iraq, peace, tranquillity and fraternity will come back to the region. I also hope that the people of Iraq will be able to live in peace and harmony next to their families and continue their own lifestyle. And finally, I hope that the American youth live next to their families and serve their own country. If you rely on Almighty God, you will succeed.
: Tehran Fars News Agency (Internet Version-WWW) in Persian -- (Khabargozari-ye Fars) is a privately-owned news agency. It began operating in mid November 2002. Its managing editor is Mehdi Faza'eli, the editor in chief of the Javan daily and a member of the managerial board of the Association of Muslim Journalists. The other members of the board of directors of the news agency, are Alizera Shemirani, of Farda newspaper, Abdollah Moqaddam and Akbar Nabavi of Resalat newspaper, the former director of Farabi Foundation Hasan Eslami-Mehr, and university professor Abolhoseyn Ruholamin.
Palestinian Friday Sermons Call for "Liberating Palestine' From Israel
Originally published on 3/16/2007 by West Bank & Gaza Strip -- OSC Summary in Arabic
Following is a review of Friday sermons in the Palestinian territories on 16 March. Separate coverage of regional Friday sermons can be found in an OSC product entitled "Round-up of Middle East Friday Prayers for 16 March."
Gaza Mosque Preacher Calls for Protecting Palestinians in Iraq
Palestine Satellite Channel, official television station operated by the Presidency-controlled Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, at 1007 GMT carries a live sermon from the Presidential Mosque in the city of Gaza delivered by Shaykh Yusuf Jaum'ah Salamah. Palestinian Authority [PA] President Mahmud Abbas and several senior officials are seen attending the sermon.
After praising God and Messenger Muhammad, the imam hails "those bearing disasters patiently" and gives examples from the Islamic history of how the prophet's companions bore disasters calmly and patiently. Turning to the "plight" of Palestinians in Iraq, the imam says: "The Palestinian ambassador to Iraq has appealed to Arabs and Muslims to protect Palestinians in Iraq. About 15,000 Palestinians live in the municipalities' complex in Baghdad and are besieged by US and Iraqi forces. Eight of them have been killed, dozens have been arrested or assassinated, and homes have been burned down. Why does this happen to Palestinians there? Palestinians in Iraq shared the Iraqis the pains of the blockade and stood by their side. We, in Iraq, are guests. We love Iraq, its people, and all of the Iraqis, and we beseech Almighty God to rescue Iraq and to reunite its people so that it can continue to be an Arab and Islamic country, where part of the Islamic nation's history exists. From here, the land of steadfastness in Palestine and from the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, we reiterate the brother president's appeal to the Iraqi leadership to protect the Palestinians in Iraq. We also appeal to the Iraqi religious authorities to ban aggression against Palestinians and we urge the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Conference to protect Palestinians in Iraq. The sons of Arabism and Islam, who are our cultural, ideological, and historical depth, should stand by them. We all hope that the upcoming Arab summit conference scheduled to be held in Riyadh late this month will find a fair solution to the Palestinians' plight in fraternal Iraq.
"The second point is that media organs have recently published reports saying that some Arab brothers are afraid of the policy of settlement of Palestinians in Arab countries. We would like to remind our brothers that we are proud of them and appreciate their positions and we also would like to reassure them that the Palestinians will never accept the principle of settlement or any alternative to Palestine. The Palestinians' presence outside Palestine has resulted from the ill-omened Al-Nakbah ["the catastrophe" -- reference to the events that befell the Palestinians in 1948]. The refugees are looking forward to the day when they return to Palestine, the land of their fathers and forefathers. We also would like to remind everybody that the brother president and the Palestinian leadership adhere to the Palestinian refugees' right to repatriation. Therefore, we urge Arabs to help their Palestinian brothers return to the dear land of Palestine.
"The third point is the national unity government. We congratulate our Palestinian people inside and outside the Palestinian territories and our dear brothers in the Arab and Islamic world and the entire world on the formation of a unity government on Friday evening. We hope that the government will succeed in uniting the Palestinians and lifting the blockade imposed on the Palestinian people." The imam also urges Palestinian media organs "to spread the spirit of unity and love among Palestinians, to rise above our differences, and to turn a new leaf," hailing "the President's decision to form a national reconciliation committee." The imam says: "Hence, we hope that our brothers in the Arab and Islamic nations will join their efforts to lift the blockade imposed on the Palestinian people and to enable our Palestinian people to live an honorable, decent life like the other nations of the world, which has begun listening to the Palestinians' discourse. During his tours, the brother president stressed the need for the world to respect the Palestinian people's option."
The imam then thanks "all of the brothers, who helped us reach the agreement," including Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Syria, the Arab Maghreb countries, the United Arab Emirates, the other Gulf countries, and all of the other Arabs. He also thanks the Palestinian factions, the Follow-Up Committee, the Palestinian forces, and "the brother president who worked day and night with the prime minister to reach an agreement." He also expresses hope that "the Palestinian people will be able to reconstruct universities, institutions, roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools."
In the second sermon, the imam discusses the ongoing Israeli excavations beneath Al-Aqsa Mosdque. He says: "The Arab and Islamic nation should take a position that is proportionate to the status of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is the nation's holiest mosque in Palestine and the third holiest mosque in the world. Therefore, the nation, as well as the UNESCO, should stop these excavations. The entire world, including the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and the human rights organizations, condemned the destruction of Buddha's statue but did nothing for Al-Aqsa Mosque. Our nation respects religions and appreciates all of the messengers. We have never committed any aggression against any church, and place of worship, or the followers of other religions. It is our religion that has created the freedom of ideology."
Condemning Israel's other practices, the imam also says that "Israel has banned the call for prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron" and warns that "Israel is trying to Judaize Jerusalem." Two days ago, he says, "the Israeli authorities demolished several homes in Jerusalem because their owners had not obtained licenses, at a time when immigrants come from all over the world to settle in Palestine and Jerusalem."
In conclusion, the imam asks God to support Islam and Muslims, to humiliate atheists, to destroy unbelievers and criminals, to get the prisoners released, to unite the people, to help us defeat the enemies, and to grant success to our leader.
Al-Aqsa Mosque Preacher Calls for Liberating Palestine, Jerusalem
Ramallah-based, PA Presidency-controlled Voice of Palestine at 1005 GMT carries a live sermon from Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Shaykh Ikrimah Sabri delivers the sermon.
After praising God as omniscient and Prophet Muhammad as God's servant and messenger, the imam says that most of us disobey God, but that God has mercy on the Islamic nation "so that Islam can spread and survive until the end." Warning of God's punishment on the Judgment Day, the imam says: "The disasters befalling us in Palestine, Iraq, Somalia, and other Islamic countries are due to our sins and our violations of God's rules and orders and to abusing Islam and God." Nevertheless, he says, God forgives Muslims, warning that "each person will receive the punishment he deserves on the Judgment Day." The imam also says: "O Muslims, those who do not have strong faith in God blame God for the successive defeats and disasters in Palestine in particular and the Islamic world in general. But Muslims do not ask themselves if they are with God, carry out their religious duties, behave properly, and base their conducts on the Koran and the Sunnah. How can God help us defeat our enemies at a time when some of us are spies and agents and sell the land? How can God have mercy on us while some of us are secularists, non-religious, and hypocrites?"
Addressing Muslims, the imam says that "we have to reconsider our behaviors as long as we live in order to correct our course and to avoid hypocrisy," urging Muslims to obey God "so that he can protect them from punishment."
Addressing Palestinians "standing firm on the land of Palestine, the point of departure for the Prophet's midnight journey to the seven heavens," the imam says: "It has been said that the Israeli law bans death sentence and that Israel is a democratic, just, and merciful country. This is contrary to what we see on the ground. A Palestinian citizen was beaten to death by the Israeli occupation authorities at Al-Sahirah Gate quarter in Jerusalem without any justification. The citizen died at the hands of hangmen. Two weeks ago, a woman was also beaten with clubs to death in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard. A month ago, a Palestinian young man was shot dead at the Qalandyah checkpoint, which prevented soldiers from providing him with first aid. Two months ago, a little girl was killed by a gas bomb in Anata area on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Is not the killing of innocent citizens in this way worse than execution? These killings have been carried out without trial and in violation of divine religions and positive laws."
Urging Muslims "to liberate Al-Quds and the other Palestinian territories," the imam says: "Our people are standing firm on their land, but this does not mean that the Islamic nation can keep silent and sit back with folded arms while our people suffer under occupation. All Muslims--governments, states, and nations--should work to liberate Jerusalem and the other Palestinian territories from the unjust Israeli occupation. Those falling short of that duty will be viewed as sinful."
Regarding Al-Buraq Wall [Wailing Wall] and the Al-Magharibah Wall, the imam says: "Matters are worsening because of the ongoing excavations which began on 6 February. The Israelis have been carrying out excavation works and tampering with Islamic antiquities for 40 days now." The Israeli authorities, he also says, "allege that the Al-Magharibah Gate area is under Israel's sovereignty," that "Israelis are free to do whatever they like." The imam says that "the city of Jerusalem is an occupied city" and that "no country in the world harms religious property," adding that "the Al-Magharibah Gate area, including Al-Buraq Wall and the hill adjoining Al-Magharibah Gate, are Islamic awqaf."
The second point, the imam says, is that "Israel alleges that the current excavations in Al-Magharibah Gate quarter will not affect the foundations of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque," adding that "we reject the principle of excavations whether or not they will affect these foundations" and that "these excavations are considered a flagrant aggression on the Islamic awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque." He also says: "What Israel is doing is a flagrant aggression against the Islamic awqaf and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. We reject this in part and parcel, and we will never relinquish our legitimate right in Al-Magharibah Date quarter, the city of Jerusalem, and the other Palestinian territories."
In conclusion, the imam asks God to protect us in our homelands, to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque, to unite Muslims, to have mercy on our martyrs, to get our prisoners released, and to support Islam and Muslims.
Gaza Mosque Preacher Condemns Israel Aggression on Al-Aqsa Mosque
Gaza-based Voice of Al-Quds Radio, privately owned, pro- Palestinian Islamic Jihad radio station, at 0946 GMT carries live a Friday sermon by an unidentified shaykh from an unidentified mosque.
After praising God and Prophet Muhammad and urging Muslims to rely on God and to obey his orders as a way to salvation, the imam says that when Muslims feared God, peace, safety, and peace of mind prevailed in the Islamic Caliphate countries. Regretting the fact that "some use Islam to achieve their own goals," the imam warns that "these people will be severely punished by God on the Judgment Day" and that "Muslims' wealth goes to the enemies of Islam in return for nothing." He also says that "some countries have purchased a $60 billion worth of weapons, although they know they will not use them against the enemy." He says: "Arabs use weapons only against monotheists and honest people in their countries, at a time when homes are demolished, children are displaced, sick people are killed at checkpoints, trees are uprooted, a separation wall is built, and our sons and brothers in the West Bank are forced to wait long hours to move from place to place. Moreover, Palestinian prisoners send messages to their families through lawyers. We also hear stories about our sisters, mothers, and daughters behind prison bars. Our children are tortured under the very nose of the entire world."
The imam then criticizes those rushing toward government posts at any price, comparing them to the prophet's companions who used to reject posts out of fear that they might fail to carry out the responsibilities that would be assigned to them, elaborating on the conducts and behaviors of the Prophet's companions. Wondering how and where Arab rulers and leaders spend their nights, the imam says that "as soon as some Arabs are appointed in senior government posts, they purchase lands, villas, and palaces and become rich at the expense of the impoverished citizens." He wonders: "What have the highly-paid Legislative Council members done for the nation to ease its suffering? What have former ministers done for us? What have rulers in the Islamic countries done for us? We hear Arabian Nights-like stories about these rulers. That man in Libya wants to evict Palestinians from Libya, saying that they should return to their homeland. Let him open the way for them instead of leaving them in the border area to die or fall ill under the very nose of the entire world. Palestinians are killed in Iraq, and human rights organizations, conferences, and rulers do not stand by these wronged people. Palestinians are also behind prison bars on the land of the blessed land of Palestine, while we fight for this or that post. The prime minister and the Palestinian Authority president cannot move from city to city unless they obtain permission from the Jews." He also criticizes the Arab kings and heads of state for "keeping silent over the killing of our children on the land of Palestine and over the ongoing destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first of the two qiblas and the third holiest mosque."
In the second sermon, the imam urges Muslims to obey God and to avoid the forbidden and urges Arab leaders "to back Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinian prisoners instead of torturing monotheists all over the world, courting the United States and Israel, and panting after reconciliation with the United States." He also says: "Regrettably, Jews meet with Gulf countries' officials, as well as with Saudi officials in the West, in order to please the United States." He also says that "some ulema in these days interpret Koranic verses as they like to achieve party interests and to make material gains."
In conclusion, the imam asks God to guide our steps to the right path, to help us defeat our enemies, to forgive us, and to get the prisoners released.
OSC/JN Bureau plans no further processing.
Iraqi Friday Sermons for 16 Mar Discuss Security Plan, Political Process
Originally published on 3/16/2007 by Iraq-- OSC Summary in Arabic
Major Iraqi television channels - Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah, Baghdad Baghdad Satellite Channel, Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah, Baghdad Al-Furat, Cairo Al-Baghdadiyah, and Baghdad Al-Diyar - are observed on 16 March to carry the following reports on Friday sermons:
Al-Iraqiyah:
Within its 1700 GMT newscast, Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic - government-sponsored television station, run by the Iraqi Media Network - cites Shaykh Wasfi al-Hurayshawi, imam and preacher of the two Al-Askari Imams Mosque in Basra, as "recalling the Halabjah crime, which claimed the lives of thousands of the city's sons. The preacher also denounced the crimes Saddam had committed against the Iraqis during his era."
The following is a report by Al-Iraqiyah correspondent in Basra Sabah al-Mansuri: "Friday prayers were performed at all mosques and Husayniyat in Basra. At the worship place of the two Al-Askari imams, may God's peace be upon them, Shaykh Wasfi al-Hurayshawi called for the unity of Muslims, especially since the Islamic world is today celebrating the anniversary of the death of the great prophet, may God's peace and prayers be upon him."
The correspondent adds that the preacher spoke about the anniversary of the "17 March massacre and the victims of the Halabjah massacre as two important stations in the history of the Iraqi struggle."
The correspondent says: "The Friday sermon also called on the Iraqi Government to pay attention to the services, which affect the Iraqi citizen's daily life."
Baghdad Satellite Channel:
Baghdad Baghdad Satellite Television in Arabic - television channel believed to be sponsored by the Iraqi Islamic Party, at 0945 GMT is observed to carry a live relay of a Friday sermon delivered by Shaykh Hashim al-Ta'i from an unidentified mosque in Baghdad. After praising God and His prophet, Al-Ta'i says: "The Iraqis and those interested in the Iraqi affairs, and Muslims everywhere, these days speak about force and the use of force, excessive force, whose use is the talk of the people in this world. There are two extremes regarding the use of force. One group views force as being everything. This group says that the United States has occupied Iraq by force and is imposing its agenda by force. Israel also rejects the resolutions of the international legitimacy through force."
He adds: "Another group views force in a different way. It says that mankind has got sick of the gun. Is it not the right time to use wisdom and to have mercy on man who got fed up of force and of the scenes of blood and dead bodies here and there? A third group makes connection between political wisdom, shrewdness, and the use of force."
Speaking about how Islam views force, Al-Ta'i says that many of God's attributes are related to power. He adds: "If we talk about God's power, we will see that all others are dwarfs." He says: "The powerful and the source of power is Almighty God." He says that the one who thinks that he is strong and powerful should bear in mind that he will one day meet God to punish him for the injustice he inflicted on other people. The preacher continues to speak about the meanings of power and force in all walks of life.
Speaking about the current situation in Iraq, Al-Ta'i says: "We should not escalate fighting and rhetoric that worsens our division. This is particularly true since we have been living together for centuries. No party can cancel or annihilate the other party. This will not take place. I should seek my brother's wisdom and merge his power with mine. If he is not convinced today, he will be convinced tomorrow."
Al-Sharqiyah:
Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah Television in Arabic - independent, private news and entertainment channel focusing on Iraq, run by Sa'd al-Bazzaz, publisher of the Arabic language daily Al-Zaman - is not observed to carry any reports on today's Friday sermons.
Al-Furat:
Within its 1700 GMT newscast, Baghdad Al-Furat Television Channel in Arabic - television channel affiliated with the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq [SCIRI] led by Abd-al-Aziz al-Hakim, cites Shaykh Jalal al-Din al-Saghir, imam and preacher of the Buratha Mosque, as saying: "Shall we abrogate the constitution, bring the entire political process to a halt, and cancel the elections and the parliament so that a certain group will bring one or two of its members to participate in the political process? This is madness. This is the Ba'thist way."
Within the same newscast, Sabah al-Sa'idi, imam and preacher of Al-Rahman Mosque, expressed support for the security plan and called on all political blocs to participate in it in order to make it a success. He criticized some officials' abandonment of the government in an attempt to foil it. He says: "The Iraqis who participated in the government are partners in the government. If the government succeeds this will be a success for them, and if the government fails this will be failure for everyone. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki should not be the only one responsible for this."
At 1820 GMT, the channel carries an episode of its weekly "Friday Sermons" program.
The program shows Shaykh Muhammad al-Haydari, imam and preacher of the Al-Khillani Mosque, saying: "There has recently been a move by some regional, international, and Iraqi local circles. This move has now become clearer. It is aimed at internationalizing the Iraqi issue. This means that Iraq will turn into an issue whose future will be decided by the United Nations, the big powers, and the Arab League. There is a move by regional and European states, and the statement of the Arab League's secretary general in this regard was also clear. This also applies to some Iraqi political forces and to Adnan Pachachi's statement two days ago. What do they want? They want to abrogate the constitution, the results of the elections, meaning the parliament, and the Council of Ministers." He adds that this means that the "United Nations and some other states will determine Iraq's future political map."
Al-Haydari says that these sides claim that they are concerned over a "sectarian strife" in Iraq. He adds: "We say take your hands off Iraq and Iraq will become stable, especially since support for terrorism mainly comes from abroad."
Shaykh Jalal-al-Din al-Saghir, imam and preacher of the Buratha Mosque, speaks about the incidents that took place in the Nadir neighborhood in Al-Hillah. He says: "What took place in the Nadir neighborhood in Al-Hillah was unique in the history of the world, but not in the history of this sect [Shiite]." He says that the people continued their march although they "knew that the human monsters will be lying in wait for them, and that the treacherous ones, the makers of the booby-trapped cars, explosive charges, and explosive belts will seize every opportunity to attack them."
Al-Saghir says: "We are aware of what is taking place in Diyala. We are also aware of its causes. Our pains are great in that governorate. However, the measures that have been taken, particularly this time, reassure us that God willing, solutions will be coming to the Diyala Governorate. I call on the Sunni and Shiite tribes in the governorate to cooperate with the coordination council that was formed for the Diyala Governorate. This council includes Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds in order to redress the security and services situation in Diyala. We know that the ration quotas have not reached Diyala. However, I was promised yesterday that the government will send the ration quotas for the past six months to all the Diyala families, but after securing the road, God willing. All sides should cooperate with their brothers in the Iraqi Army's Fifth Division there and with their brothers in the Interior Ministry's security forces in order to crush terrorism in that area."
He adds: "I tell all terrorists there, particularly in the Ba'qubah area, to think and leave that area because God willing, security is coming to that area. They either come back to this people so that they and this people enjoy security and stability, or they should be held responsible for their continued presence against the will of the Iraqi people, taking into consideration that the Iraqi people are now united against terrorism and terrorists."
He says that the Iraqi people should know that these terrorist groups "do not want a Sunni, Shiite, Iraqi, but they want some people to work as slaves for the leaders of this terrorism so that the aid they receive from abroad will continue."
He says: "In addition to this, the evil efforts that are made by the [Mujahedin-e] Khalq Organization in that area will end very soon, especially since the government is determined not to allow anyone from the camp of evil and hypocrisy leave or enter without its knowledge. There will be government forces there to be in charge of the security area. They either go back to their countries or seek refuge with any other country. The US Government and the United Nations should think seriously of deporting them to any other country. Iraq has enough problems that do not tolerate the continued presence of such criminals who had previously shed Iraqi blood during the uprising. They had also served as oppressive services in the hands of the criminal regime of Saddam, and they have returned today to finance, train, and protect the herds of terrorists in those areas."
Shaykh Hazim al-A'raji, imam and preacher of the Al-Kazimiyah Mosque, speaks about the anniversary of the death of the prophet. He says that Prophet Muhammad moved mankind from the "worship of the idol" to the "ultimate divine happiness."
Shaykh Sabah al-Sa'idi, imam and preacher of Al-Rahman Mosque, says: "Demonstrations, sit-ins, or strikes constitute a civilized way of demanding legislative rights." However, he adds that calling for releasing Ali Hasan al-Majid is not legitimate because this man is a "murderer." He adds: "This also applies to the so-called Tariq Aziz. We have learned from some sources that negotiations are underway to release him. We warn against tampering with the blood of the Iraqi people."
Shaykh Abd-al-Mahdi al-Karbala'i, imam and preacher of the Karbala Mosque, reads from a statement on the Iraqi teachers' complaints regarding their salaries. The imam says that this applies to all state employees, and not only the teachers. He expresses hope that the government officials will respond positively to this complaint.
Shaykh Sadr-al-Din al-Salihi, imam and preacher of Al-Najaf al-Ashraf Mosque, says: "We should praise the Baghdad conference. It is a step that will be followed by another step, God willing, on 15 April, which will also be a conference for the neighboring countries. This is a success for the Iraqi diplomacy and security services. We also hope that this conference will bring a new Iraqi success. We should also laud the security plan and the successes it has achieved."
He adds: "We should also laud the cabinet reshuffle plan. There has been determination for several months in this regard. We hope that this determination will materialize." He says that this should apply to the Council of Representatives, adding: "There are some elements who contribute to acts of terrorism while at the same time they are members of the Council of Representatives." He says that the people are waiting for the process of "purging" the Council of Representatives. He denounces acts of terrorism in all Iraqi areas because "they target innocent people." He adds that "these people care less about confronting the occupation, but their main concern is to fragment the Iraqis. We laud the Iraqis' patience, steadfastness, and endurance."
Speaking about acts of violence in Iraq, an unidentified preacher at an unidentified mosque says: "You can see these successive incidents. If you look right, you will see the shedding of a pure and inviolable blood by a booby-trapped car, an explosive belt, a bomb, or a bullet. Regrettably, this killing, shedding of blood, and the taking of human life, which is honored by God, most of the time take place in the name of Islam."
Speaking about the security plan, Shaykh Hasan al-Zamili, imam and preacher of the Al-Diwaniyah Mosque, says: "You have heard about the large number of terrorists who were killed or arrested. You have also heard about the weapons, ammunition, and the booby-trapped cars. During the first days of the security plan, they began a fierce campaign with booby-trapped cars, bombs, explosive belts, and rockets. There was support for this by the hostile media with the aim of aborting and foiling this security plan in any way."
He adds: "The security plan, however, achieved a great success. Through this success, political successes have been achieved. They coincided with the success of the security plan. A political victory was achieved for Iraq and this government through the international conference. When this conference was announced, the same sides and personalities from inside and outside Iraq moved and wagered on foiling it."
Al-Baghdadiyah:
Cairo Al-Baghdadiyah Satellite Television in Arabic - Private Iraqi television known for its opposition to the US presence in Iraq - is not observed to carry any reports on the Friday sermons for the day.
Al-Diyar:
Baghdad Al-Diyar Television in Arabic - independent, private news and entertainment channel, run by Faysal al-Yasiri, Iraqi media figure - is also not observed to carry any reports on today's Friday sermons.
OSC/JN Bureau plans no further processing.
No HAMAS Leader To Accept Recognition of Israel
Sa'id Siyam: No HAMAS Leader To Accept Unity Government Recognition of Israel
"Said Siyam Reflects on His Time as Minister of the Interior" -- Ma'an headline
Originally published on 3/19/2007 by Ma'an News Agency WWW-Text in English
Bethlehem - Ma'an - Former interior minister, Said Siyam, told Al Aqsa Satellite Channel, which is loyal to Hamas, that the year of his leadership has been full of hardships.
In a long interview, Siyam said that he has never issued orders to shoot at any Palestinian and that he has no enemies amongst the Palestinian people. He also said "I was very patient and have never investigated any patriotic person."
The ex-minister said that he took the post at a time when the security bodies were very weak.
Regarding the new unity government, Siyam said "I hope this government will succeed".
Regarding the new minister of interior, he said that the appointment violated the condition that the post-holder is from neither Fatah nor Hamas. But he said, "I will hand the new minister all the things in the ministry. I have started from scratch in the ministry but the new minister will come and find better conditions and a fully formed ministry. The new minister will work in a better political atmosphere and I will be at his service anytime he wants assistance".
Siyam said that the Mecca agreement "has proved that circumstances surrounding my time in post as interior minister were political."
When asked about whether he failed in his job he said "I did not fail, they made me fail" they have attacked my office and my house, I was absent from the office for two months." He continued, "I was not given the chance to work properly and that is why nobody can judge if I succeeded or if I failed."
With regard to the Executive Force, Siyam said that he considers the force to be one of his achievements "which I felt proud of". He added that "when Fatah were in power they formed the security bodies the way they wanted them to be, which was mostly factional, not national, to protect its project. So I cannot understand why they don't want us to build the same as what they did."
Siyam continued, "I knew that they wanted to frustrate me, they did not want me to succeed, I did not resign because I came through Hamas and they appointed me to this position". He added that no other minister could succeed in this post.
When asked whether the new government will recognise Israel, Siyam said, "There will be no leader in Hamas that will admit or accept that". The minister concluded by saying that the last months were very hard and that the most difficult was the internal fighting. He said that he feels happy for leaving the post.
: Bethlehem Ma'an News Agency WWW-Text in English -- Independent, leading news agency; funded by the Dutch and Danish Foreign Ministries; URL: http://www.maannews.net/
Haniyah Insists 'All Forms of Resistance' Are Legitimate
Palestinian Premier Insists 'All Forms of Resistance' Are Legitimate
Interview with Palestinian Prime Minister Isma'il Haniyah by Ivan Groshkov, date and place not given: "Palestinians Put Their Money on Moscow"
Originally published on 3/19/2007 by Nezavisimaya Gazeta in Russian
Isma'il Haniyah, HAMAS prime minister in the new Palestinian government, has given an exclusive interview to Nezavisimaya Gazeta -- the first since the cabinet was endorsed by the parliament last Saturday. Israel has declared a boycott of the Fatah-HAMAS government but Russia, the United States, and the EU have not ruled out the possibility of cooperating with it.
[Groshkov] Mr Haniyah, tell us about the Palestinian national unity government's priorities.
[Haniyah] We have finally managed to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles that have gotten in our way over the past year. As a result of prolonged negotiations among all the Palestinian forces and groups and also thanks to the understandings reached in Mecca we actually managed to elaborate a formula for nationwide agreement on setting up a government of national unity and a political program for it. That program is a foundation of principle for resolving the Palestinian people's problems, and it implies first and foremost the complete cessation of all forms of internal violence and the consolidation of national accord with a view to creating an independent state.
[Groshkov] What importance does the new cabinet's program attach to Palestinian-Israeli dialogue?
[Haniyah] As I have already said, our priority is to consolidate national accord. In formulating the program we proceeded on the basis that its substance must satisfy all the sides that have subscribed to it. And we are all striving for one thing -- the end of Palestinian occupation! We want to live in freedom like other peoples around the world, and we want everyone to recognize our right to a free life.
But Israel, unfortunately, has no intention of halting its aggression against Palestine. Murders, mass arrests, and the destruction of homes continue to occur -- clearly contradicting Israeli declarations of dedication to peace and stability in the region. Not to mention the fact that the Israelis violate all our legitimate rights, namely: the right to an independent state, the right of refugees to return, and the right to Jerusalem as well as the right to have prisoners released. In consideration of this the government reaffirms that all forms of resistance to the occupation are also the legitimate right of the Palestinian people.
[Groshkov] What is your comment on Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas's efforts to set up a dialogue with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert?
[Haniyah] The problem is that Israel has no intention of altering its position, and that has an extremely negative effect on the situation in the region. It is unwilling to recognize the national unity government and is trying to make sure that it fails, despite the fact that the cabinet has been recognized by the Arab countries and a significant proportion of the rest of the world.
For example, during the last round of talks between Israeli premier Olmert and President Abbas the former emphasized once again that Israel will not work with the Palestinian government and does not intend making concessions, justifying itself by citing demands for the problem of the Israei soldiers held by Palestinians to be settled, for missile attacks from the Gaza Strip to be halted, and for Israel's existence to be recognized. Now, however, the Israelis are going to have to deal with Palestinians united around the new cabinet and its political program, confronting the challenges that exist.
[Groshkov] Do you have any plans to visit Russia?
[Haniyah] We very much respect Russia's position of having always supported and continuing to support the Palestinians. We value particularly highly Moscow's appeals for the international blockade to be lifted from Palestine and for the new government to be recognized. Consolidating relations with the Russia side is a priority for us. I would be exceedingly glad of an opportunity to visit Russia if an appropriate invitation were to be sent.
: Moscow Nezavisimaya Gazeta in Russian -- Daily Moscow newspaper aimed at an elite audience and now owned by Konstantin Remchukov, an aide to Economic Development Minister Gref
Arab Pundit Says West Should Check Own Anti-Muslims "Terrorists"
Saudi Arabia: Pundit Says West Should Check Own Anti-Muslims "Terrorists"
Article by Dr Khaled Batarafi titled: "Muslims Mute on Terrorism?"
Originally published on 3/18/2007 by Arab News (Internet Version-WWW) in English
It is very easy to give simple answers to difficult questions. Anyone can do it, even George W. Bush. Why do they hate us? Because we elect our leaders. Why Muslims kill Muslims? Because they hate each other. Why young Muslims turn into suicide bombers? Because they hate life. Why no progress in the Middle East? Because Arabs are born lazy and backward. Why Islamic terror? Because Islam inspires violence and condones terrorism. Where is the Muslim outrage? Don't hold your breath! They all support terror.
Past victims included Jews, blacks and Native Americans. Jews were demonized to justify discrimination and extermination. The African brain was "found" to be less capable. Millions were enslaved, misused and killed because they were lesser humans. "The only good Indian is a dead Indian," the invaders discovered. So genocide claimed the lives of millions of natives in North America.
Now it is the Muslims' turn. Push them to the limit; if they fail it is because of their religion and race; if they react stupidly or violently, it must be their faith and genes. Either way, you win.
Since those who fight back follow the same faith or come from the same race, we are all responsible. We should not only dissociate and condemn them, but also fight them along with the invaders. Neutrality is no longer an option. The problem is if we do so our people will curse us, if we don't the crusaders who are looking for an excuse to oppress us will find one.
The bottom line is we are damned if we do and damned if we don't.
American columnist Thomas Friedman, in a recent article, wants to know why Muslims are mostly mute toward suicide bombing. He fully knows why 1,300 million Muslims are angry, and he also knows that only a few thousand Muslims are in a violent mode. As an "Israel-First" American, he must have known that his uniformed terrorists in Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan kill thousands of civilians for every enemy combatant they eliminate, and destroy towns and villages for every enemy cell they demolish.
The terrorists in nice suits and cool uniforms are the ones who drive young men and women to so much desperation that life equals death to them. Some find no weapons to fight back the superpowers of the day but their own bodies. In World War II, the European resistance fighters were called martyrs when they jumped the enemy's guns. The Japanese, who did similarly, were called maniacs. In our case, they are called terrorists. Victor's justice includes name-calling.
"Where is the outrage?" Friedman "innocently" asks. Answer: The public outrage due is against your wars on Islam and Muslims. Our terrorists fight us as much as they fight you, and we are fighting them back. Listen to our mosques and follow our media and you will find lots of battles, speeches, fatwas and articles against them -- that is if you don't limit your readings to Israeli MEMRI (founded and run by a former Mossad colonel).
This is our outrage, but where is yours? Where is the outrage against the US soldiers who randomly shot and killed 16 Afghan civilians on a highway in revenge for an earlier Taleban attack? Or against the Marines who raped innocent Iraqi women and killed family members in retaliation for a roadside bomb? Or against the killing, maiming and displacing of a million Lebanese civilians in response to the capturing of two Israeli soldiers?
We are fighting our terrorists, but are you fighting yours? Our bad and ugly are taken to court, humiliated and hanged; when are yours going to be tried and punished? We call our terrorists "terrorists," you call yours presidents, prime ministers and patriotic "men and women in uniforms." We don't blame your religion and race for the crimes against us, but you blame ours to justify collective punishment.
Yes, we have our hate speakers and fear merchants, but they are mostly in caves and prisons, hunted and doomed. Yours, however, are members of legislative bodies. They lead legitimate governments, businesses, churches, synagogues and media org anizations. Friedman is trying to compete with a league of villains like Ann Coulter, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, James C. Dobson, and Franklin Graham. Google them out and see what kind of hate speeches they make against Arabs and Muslims every day. Our extremists are civilized in comparison. If you want us to go out of our way to denounce our extremists, you should show us the way by denouncing yours. It takes two to tango.
: Jedda Arab News (Internet Version-WWW) in English -- English language daily; formerly owned by the late Prince Ahmad Bin-Salman, son of Riyadh Governor Prince Salman. URL: http://www.arabnews.com
Wife of Missing Former Iranian General Says He Was Handed Over to Israel
Wife of Missing Former Iranian General Says He Was Handed Over to Israel
Originally published on 3/19/2007 by Iranian Labor News Agency in Persian
Tehran, 19 March: A group of Ali Asgari's relatives have gathered outside the Turkish embassy in protest against his abduction.
According to the Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA), a group of family members and relatives of this Iranian businessman and the former deputy defense minister gathered at the Turkish embassy to talk to the Turkish ambassador but did not succeed in meeting him.
His wife, Ahmadi, told ILNA: So far we have had no news of Ali Asgari. Today, we were due to meet with the Turkish ambassador and talk to him but they say he is not in Iran and no one else is accountable to tell me what has happened to my husband.
Thanking Iran's Foreign Ministry Ahmadi said: Several organizations are pursuing Asgari's case but we have had no definite information about his whereabouts. All we know is that the Turkish security forces have handed him over to Israel.
Asgari's wife said: We are surprised how Turkey, which is a Muslim country has become the backyard of America and Israel. We blame Turkey and demand an answer as soon as possible.
Ahmadi added: We, family members and relatives, will come to the embassy again and disrupt the calm at the Turkish embassy until we receive an answer.
She said: We had a meeting with the embassy officials last week and were promised some news about Mr Asgari but nothing happened.
According to the report Abdollahpur, Asgari's other wife, said: The Revolution Guards, the Foreign Ministry, the government, all are following up the case of Mr Asgari's abduction. The only thing we can do is talk to officials and gather outside the embassy to demonstrate our objection.
Abdollahpur pointed out: It has been four months since Mr Asgari was kidnapped and Turkey has confirmed his abduction. Therefore they should be accountable too.
Asgari's sister also told reporters: My brother has been an active member [presumably in the government] since the beginning of the revolution and his disappearance should be seriously pursued by the officials.
He added: Had the news of his kidnapping been announced from the beginning and had the officials pursued the matter seriously, maybe the problem would have been solved by now.
: Tehran Iranian Labor News Agency in Persian - ILNA (Khabargozari-ye Kar-e Iran) was formally launched on 24 February 2003. Managing Editor Mas'ud Heydari claims that ILNA does not receive any financial backing from any center and operates under the supervision of the Labor Higher Education Institute. The founding members of the news agency are the secretary-general of the House of Labor 'Alireza Mahjub, the head of the Labor Higher Education Institute Seyyed Abutorab Fazel of Qazvin Unit; the head of the Labor Higher Education Institute Afshin Habib of Tehran Unit.
Iraq: Roundup of Iranian Issues in Iraq 11-16 Mar
Iraq: Roundup of Iranian Issues in Iraq 11-16 Mar
Originally published on 3/10/2007 by Iraq -- OSC Summary in English
This report highlights select Iraqi media reporting on Iranian issues, including Iraqi-Iranian relations, economic relations, Iranian interference in Iraq, reporting of military incidents in Iran, nuclear enrichment, Iranian military activity in Iraq, Iran and the Al-Sadr trend, and other issues between 0600-2200 GMT on 11-16 March 2007. It covers reports carried on:
-- Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah Television in Arabic -- Independent, private news and entertainment channel focusing on Iraq, run by Sa'd al-Bazzaz, publisher of the Arabic-language daily Al-Zaman
-- Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television in Arabic -- government-sponsored television station, run by the Iraqi Media Network
-- Baghdad Al-Furat Television Channel in Arabic -- Television channel affiliated with the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq [SCIRI] led by Abd-al-Aziz al-Hakim
-- Cairo Al-Rafidayn Satellite Channel in Arabic -- Pro-Sunni, anti-US Iraqi channel believed to be affiliated with the Association of Muslim Scholars
-- Cairo Al-Baghdadiyah Satellite Television in Arabic -- Private Iraqi television known for its opposition to the US presence in Iraq
-- Baghdad Al-Diyar Television in Arabic -- Independent, private news and entertainment channel, run by Faysal al-Yasiri, Iraqi media figure
-- Baghdad Baghdad Satellite Television in Arabic -- television channel believed to be sponsored by the Iraqi Islamic Party, in addition to selected Iraqi websites.
Iranian Infiltrators in Iraq:
Within its 1400 GMT newscast on 11 March, Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah Television in Arabic carries the following report: "Police have found in Basra city, in southern Iraq, the body of a drowned Iranian soldier, and arrested five Iranian infiltrators. A security source said that police in Al-Sibah, 40 kilometers south of Basra, found the body of an Iranian soldier who had drowned in Shatt al-Arab waterway. The source said that the soldier was wearing Iranian military uniform and carrying an identity card in the name of Hadi Ahmadi and a large amount of money. The source explained that police in Al-Faw city, 100 kilometers south of Basra, yesterday arrested five Iranian infiltrators who had illegally entered the Iraqi territories. The Multinational Forces, organizations, and parties had urged the Iraqi Government to tackle the issue of infiltrations from Iran, which have led to bombing operations and crimes which claimed the lives of Iraqi citizens."
Iraqi Vice President Al-Hashimi's Visit to Iran
Within its 1400 GMT newscast on 11 March, Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah Television in Arabic carries the following report: "Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi today started a visit to Tehran at the head of a high-level political delegation. During the visit, Al-Hashimi will hold talks with senior Iranian officials over the means of developing bilateral relations, important issues of mutual concern, and regional issues."
Within its 1900 GMT newscast, Al-Sharqiyah carries an interview with Nasir al-Ani, member of the Iraqi Islamic Party, on Al-Hashimi's visit to Iran.
Asked about Al-Hashimi's talks, Al-Ani says: "The visit is part of a series of visits to countries which have clear influence on the Iraqi arena. Iran is one of the countries that has a clear influence in Iraq. Iran has an important role, given that it is an old neighbor of Iraq."
Al-Ani adds: "The most important thing about the visit is that it will attempt to put an end to what is going on in Iraq. There is influence on the Iraqi situation. There are some sides which should be controlled by the Iranian Government."
Within its 1700 GMT newscast on 12 March, Baghdad Al-Iraqiyah Television carries the following report: "Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi arrived in Tehran yesterday in a several-day official visit for talks with Iranian officials." The channel cites Al-Hasimi addressing reporters in Tehran. Al-Hashimi says: "The Islamic Republic of Iran is a key player at the regional and international levels. At the current phase, this role can be invested in the interest of the Iraqis, who are going through harsh circumstances. I regret to say that a reading of the history over the past years, that is before the fall the regime, reveals that the bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries had not been up to the expectations of the Muslim peoples of both countries."
Within its 1800 GMT newscast on 12 March, Al-Sharqiyah reports: "Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi held a meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinezhad during his official visit to Tehran. During the meeting, the two sides discussed latest political and security developments in Iraq and the region and means of ending violence and regional interference. The Iraqi vice president and Iranian Security [as heard] Minister Mohseni-Ezhe'i earlier discussed means of achieving security and stability in the country. The official Iranian news agency (IRNA) cited Ezhe'i as saying that Iran is in the first stage of bilateral negotiations and that Iran, as it announced repeatedly, is concerned about Iraq's security and stability. The Iranian security minister said that there is no connection between Al-Hashimi's visit to Tehran and the Baghdad International Conference held recently, asserting the visit was pre-planned."
Baghdad Baghdad Satellite Television leads its 1600 GMT newscast on 12 March with a factual report on Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi's visit to Tehran.
Within its 1500 GMT newscast on 13 March, Al-Iraqiyah carries the following report: "Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has started meetings with Iranian officials in Tehran after arriving in Iran Sunday for a several-day visit. Al-Hashimi held talks with Iranian President Ahmadinejad a number of Iranian officials late last night. The two sides viewed several issues of common interests."
Baghdad Satellite Television leads its 1800 GMT newscast on 13 March with a factual report on Iraqi Vice President Al-Hashimi's talks with Iranian officials in Tehran. The report concludes:" The question is: To What extent of Iraqi officials seek to secure Syrian and Iranian reassurances and to what extent are they serious in contributing to stabilizing the security situation in the country And will such a contribution be made without deals Damascus or Tehran seals with Washington at regional or international conference in Baghdad or elsewhere or under the table and what will Iraq's share be?"
Al-Hashimi is cited as saying that "he received Iranian promises to help Iraq in its security situation. He stressed that the discussed all issues of the security file, and submitted proof of the Iranian interference in Iraq's affairs, noting that he received Iranian promises to help Iraq. He also noted that both parties have started to add the final touches for the mechanism of halting violence and sectarian fighting in Iraq."
At 1740 GMT on 14 March, Baghdad Television report that "Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi has concluded his several-day visit to Iran. He had held talks with Iranian President Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinezhad. The talks focused on developing relations between Iraq and Iran." This announcer-read report is followed by a video report on Al-Hashimi's visit to Iran and cites him as saying to Al-Iraqiyah that "I can term my talks with the Iranian president and the Iranian leadership as serious and frank. We identified the current situation in Iraq and the level of relations between Iraq and Iran. I cannot say that there was agreement on many of the issues discussed, particularly the security issues. But, I can say that Iran has received a clear message. The message features identification by a party that is active in the political process. According to this identification which was presented to the Iranian leaderships it promised that it will not hesitate to study all these remarks and identification in favor of playing a positive role in assisting Iraqis."
Baghdad International Conference
On 12 March and within its 0700 GMT newscast, Al-Iraqiayh Television reports: " Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Ali Husayni described the results of the Baghdad International Conference as a first good step toward restoring security to Iraq, while expressing wishes for holding another conference on the foreign ministers' level in Baghdad."
Within the 1600 GMT newscast on 12 March, the station cites Khalilzad's statements during an interview with the US abc network as saying that his communication with the Iranian side during the Baghdad International Conference was confined to a handshake. The factual report is followed by a commentary as part of the video report noting that "the Iranian role continues to be among the leading parties which have played a role in enflaming violence in Iraq. However, the Americans previously found in this role a justification for many of the harmful repercussions and covered with it some of their failures which the Iraqi arena is littered with."
Iranian-US relations
Within its 1700 GMT newscast on 13 March, Al-Iraqiyah Television carries the following report: -- "Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has said that the US-Iranian meeting during the Baghdad conference held in support of Iraq is a positive step. Receiving a number of Arab ambassadors to Jordan, Talabani affirmed that the development of US-Iranian relations will serve the region as a whole, and will reflect positively on Iraq."
Nuclear Enrichment
At 1847 GMT on 12 March, Baghdad Satellite television reports that "Syria and China have voiced some reservations on some of the sanctions which the Security Council is proposed to impose on Tehran for continuing to deplete uranium." This is followed by a video report on Security Council deliberations on this issue.
Baghdad Satellite Channel at 1848 GMT on 12 March reports that "Germany has voiced optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement among the European countries concerned with Iran's nuclear file on tightening scansions on Tehran which rejects halting Uranium depleting activities." Statements by German Chancellor Angela Merkel are cited.
The station also reports that "Iranian media on Sunday reported that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wishes to participate in the Security Council meeting to defend his country's controversial nuclear program." This is followed by a video report on Security council deliberations on imposing sanctions on Iran.
At 1940 GMT on 11 March, Cairo Al-Baghdadiyah Satellite Television carries a report noting that Iran has expressed its will to inform the Security Council about its nuclear programs. The channel also cites German Chancellor Angela Merkel as saying that "she is confident that the International superpowers will agree on taking further measures against Iran, which has frequently challenged the international calls to freeze its nuclear program."
Al-Mahdi Army Memebrs Receive Training in Iran:
Within its 1100 GMT newscast on 15 March, Al-Sharqiyah reports: "Iraqi security sources said that hundreds of Al-Mahdi Army members continue to receive training in the Kermanshah area in western Iran with the participation of a group of Al-Mahdi Army commanders who left Iraq for Iran six weeks ago. The sources said that the Iranian Revolution Guards Intelligence Unit and Al-Quds Operations Command asked Al-Mahdi Army command to establish a command-in-waiting with the participation of new elements that are not publicly known, while maintaining the central command of Al-Mahdi Army militia. The command-in-waiting will consist of young elements and other elements that are not wanted by Iraqi and US forces."
"Meanwhile, Al-Mahdi Army commanders were instructed to take caution and not to stay in one place inside Iraq until the implementation of the security plan in Baghdad and other cities ends and until the new Al-Mahdi Army commanders complete their three-month training."
"The sources have mentioned the names of some commanders who have great influence within Al-Mahdi Army. Among these names, which could not be verified from independent or Al-Mahdi Army sources, are Walid al-Zamili, Mustafa al-Ya'qubi, Ali Kharsan, Awn Abd-al-Nabi, Hashim Abu-Raghif, Jabir Jabiri, Amar Muhaysan, Riyad al-Nuri, and Abbas al-Kufi, most of whom are outside Iraq at present, in addition to the known commanders of the sectors. The sources also mentioned the names of the publicly-known personalities in the Sadr Trend who are active in Iraq. Among these names are Abd-al-Zahra al-Suway'idi in Al-Sadr City; Salim Husayn and Hazim al-A'raji in Al-Karkh; Muhammad al-Zubaydi in Al-Rasafah; Ali Salim in Basra; and Abd-al-Razzaq al-Nadawi in Al-Diwaniyah. Government sources repeatedly declined to give official information on the movement of Al-Mahdi Army in Iraq and Iran, thus making it difficult to verify the information coming from government and non-government sources at the same time."
"The Iraqi government had in the past received a report on a training operation held in two Lebanese areas; namely, in Hirmil and Al-Nabi Shit, but Hizballah denied any link to such training operations. The secret report presented to the Iraqi government by an Iraqi security agency said that the rumors about the training of Al-Mahdi Army in Lebanon led to discharging Hizballah official Nawwaf al-Musawi, who was replaced by Hasan al-Rahal to coordinate the training operations in Lebanon."
OSC/JN Bureau plans no further processing
IDF Gaza Front Commander 'Determined To Crush' 'Terrorists'
IDF Gaza Front Commander Profiled, Said 'Determined To Crush' 'Terrorists'
Article by Amir Buhbut: "Not Sitting on the Fence"
Originally published on 3/16/2007 by Ma'ariv (Shabat Supplement) in Hebrew
In late 2001, at the height of the wave of suicide attacks, the commander of the Golani Brigade requested permission to enter the Janin refugee camp. Encircling the camp on its outskirts seemed to him pointless. Officers at the scene of the action recall that Colonel Gal Hirsch, the Central Command's operations officer, stared at him with astonishment. "What are you talking about? This is not Lebanon," he said. Yet Golani Brigade Commander Colonel Moshe (Chico) Tamir was insistent. He argued, he even shouted, until he got the go-ahead. The Golani Brigade's armored personnel carriers lunged forward directly toward the heart of the hornets' nest from which most of those attacks had come. They crushed the vehicles stolen in Israel, turning them into metal pellets. This was the hallmark of Golani's visit to the towns of Judea and Samaria.
During the initial days of the intifadah, the option that the IDF would penetrate the center of the refugee camps sounded almost hallucinatory. Six years later, as commander of the Gaza Division, Brigadier General Chico Tamir is once again faced with this dilemma. He sees in front of him the threat that is increasing unhampered and demands that a large-scale campaign that would wield a death blow on the terrorist organizations be launched. "In the end, the sword will be lifted," he says in closed forums, "and we must work hard and be prepared for everything. We do not have any time to waste." It is doubtful whether the General Staff Command, infected by the failure of the war in Lebanon, or the political echelon, which is running a survival campaign, are interested in a large operations that would thrust us into a spin right now. Nonetheless, it would come as no surprise if this time - once again - Chico's persuasion skills would tip the scales.
Everyone Was Waiting for Gulliver
Brig Gen Chico Tamir, aged 42, lives in Metulla. He is married to Efrat, the marketing manager of Canada Center for sports and recreation in Metulla, and is the father of four. His son Yishay is serving in Golani's 12th Battalion. "Whenever Chico goes to visit his son, he puts on civilian clothes so as avoid giving the appearance of influence peddling and so as not to attract attention. He did that even at Yishay's swearing-in ceremony," says an acquaintance. Chico's friends report that behind the macho exterior is a daddy who makes an effort to make the sandwiches for his children and drive them to school. Fighters from the elite Egoz reconnaissance unit will never forget how he left them in the battlefield, during an ambush deep inside Lebanon, until a late night hour because Gulliver, the attack dog, was lost. "We waited for long hours for the dog to come back because Chico said he saw him as one of his fighters."
Eli, Chico's father, began his career in the Navy commando, retired from the IDF holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, and proceeded to serve in the Mosad. The late Moshe Duvdevani, Chico's grandfather, was killed in the War of Independence. Brigadier General (res.) Yehuda Duvdevani, his uncle, was Yitzhaq Mordekhay's deputy during the battle at the Chinese Farm during the Yom Kippur War and received a hero's decoration for it. Chico has two sisters: Sna'it, 44, a distinguished professor of chemistry and with world fame in her field; and Lilakh, an attorney in the State Attorney's Office in Haifa.
He graduated from the military academy in Haifa and, in 1982, was drafted to the Golani reconnaissance unit, where he filled a series of roles both in and outside the brigade, including commander of that unit, commander of the 12th Battalion, the Northern Command's operations officer, commander of the elite Egoz unit, commander of the Hiram Formation along the northern border, and commander of the Golani Brigade.
As commander of Egoz, Chico demanded that his soldiers carry on their backs the body of a Hizballah terrorist killed during heavy exchanges of fire in southern Lebanon. It later transpired that he was the son of Hizballah Leader Hasan Nasrallah and that the body became a trump card in expediting the return of the body of the late fighter Itamar Eliya, who was killed in the Navy commando incident.
During his term as brigade commander, Egoz was awarded the chief of staff's citation. Chico and his combatants fought in the refugee camps in the West Bank, and the scene of the terrorists raising their hands and handing their weapons over to the Golani troops in the Tulkarm refugee camp remains imprinted in people's minds. During the 2002 Operation Defensive Shield, the brigade under his command operated in Nabulus and Hebron. Chico is the graduate of the Carlisle Barracks Army War College in Pennsylvania. During a lecture he delivered to US Army officers, he reported on the fighting conducted by the brigade's troops under his command.
Chico is one of the officers most intimately associated with the fight against Hizballah prior to the IDF's withdrawal from Lebanon - a small group that includes also Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gabi Ashkenazi, Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Moshe Kaplinsky, Reserves Brigadier General Shmu'el Zakay, and the late Brigadier General Erez Gerstein, who was killed in a roadside bomb explosion as commander of the Lebanon Liaison Unit. He described the years he had spent in Lebanon, from regular soldier to brigade commander, in his book Milhama Lelo Ot [War Without a Sign].
While his fellow fighters in Operation Defensive Shield - Nahal Brigade Commander Ya'ir Golan and Paratroopers Brigade Commander Aviv Kokhavi - have been promoted to Division commanders, Former Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Moshe Ya'alon appointed him Central Command chief of staff. "It was hard for him to let go of the world of operations," a former senior officer who was working with him at the time recalls, "but this job of chief of Ya'ir Nave's staff, gave him the right perspective and made him realize that there are other areas besides the conquest of West Bank cities. He was a first-rate operations man, as past experience has shown. He has the guts, and that is what allowed him to change things in the Command."
As chief of staff, Chico promoted the project of the protective fence, which included also the separation fence and the check posts for Palestinians. "Everyone wanted to have large crossing points, fortified like bunkers, whose construction would have taken a long time and would have involved a massive financial investment; he, on the other hand, preferred smaller crossing points with a protective suit for the soldiers," says the senior officer. "His self-confidence and his security vision helped him take what appeared to be a risk."
"Not Afraid of Getting Dirty"
In November 2006, Chico was appointed commander of the Gaza Division in lieu of Brigadier General Aviv Kokhavi, during whose term Gil'ad Shalit had been kidnapped. In the camp near Urim Junction, people very quickly understood that Chico wanted to have a fighting division, not one upon which the political echelon could force a deadlock. He arrived with a huge appetite to learn as fast as possible; he hurried to meet with the leaders of the local rural settlements, and has since maintained close contacts with them. He furthermore established a joint committee to be attentive to their needs. Sederot Mayor Eli Moyal lavishes praise upon him, saying: "He has his hand in everything, he is not afraid of getting dirty." A staff officer in the Southern Command reports: "He is not one to worry in advance and make sure that, if anything should happen, it would be possible to say: He did not know, or it was not his fault."
Senior officers, goes the common saying in the IDF, miss two jobs: that of company commander and that of battalion commander. Chico, his subordinates say, inspects things down to the company commander level even from the heights of his division commander seat. While some view this as a way to mentor petty officers, others regard this as a show of no-confidence in his subordinates. This is also manifested in the frequent tours he holds in the area and in his intense involvement in subjects that would previously be concluded at the regional brigade commander level.
A week after he entered office, Chico began to consolidate an operational concept that was the polar opposite of Brig Gen Kokhavi's. He insisted on obtaining license to cross the protective fence in reaction to every shooting incident and each time a bomb was activated against IDF forces. "Get on the fence and pursue the terrorist until you hit them," Chico said resolutely. "Gone are the days of returning fire toward the source of the shooting."
The attitude toward Qassam launchings had likewise changed. "Chico," people in the division say, "can recall the days when, as brigade commander, he visited the Gilo neighborhood of Jerusalem, where he saw the local residents place bags of sand on the window sills, just like in the War of Independence, to collect the bullets fired at them in the absence of a firm IDF reaction."
And, indeed, he was allowed to carry out several local creative operations in the heart of the Palestinian territory, having succeeded in enlisting for that mission elite units and even his comrades from the Yamam elite police counter-terrorism unit, who took time off from their activity in Judea and Samaria. A reserve battalion commander who came to the area immediately after Chico assumed the position pushed, together with his soldiers, for an operation inside Palestinian territory. Their ideas were welcome.
As regards the walls and the pill box-like guard posts set up along the protective fence, Chico has a clear position: "He is simply against the philosophy that the pill boxes and the walls, like those set up in Netiv Ha'asara, represent," says a Southern Command Staff officer. "He wants to remove the rural settlement's double walls, arguing that the IDF is hiding behind walls with cameras. He always says: 'If they shoot at us, we will act against them with full force.' I like his fervor. He wakes everyone around here up."
But Chico can also draw fire. Division veterans say it would not be right to compare a paratrooper to a Golani soldier, so they prefer to compare him to another Golani figure - the division commander that held that post before Aviv Kokhavi, namely Reserves Brigadier General Shmu'el Zakay. "Everyone can remember well how, as soon as he entered office, Zakay assailed Southern Brigade Commander Pinhas Zu'aretz with shouts. He simply tore him up to little pieces. Later they became best friends, and Zakay would often consult with him and get ideas from him. In the end, everyone knew that Zakay knew how to listen to his subordinates and give a damn about his superiors. Chico gives little consideration to those above him or those below him. As far as he is concerned, there is only one truth: his truth. This generates hostility among people who do not understand the reason for this. I am against this, but so far, the results he has delivered speak for themselves. This is something no one can deny him. He holds everyone on a tight leash, but the division is ready to spring into action at any moment."
Providing backup for his subordinates, Chico's troops attest, is for him above everything else. They report a case where the investigating military police were investigating some fighters who had opened fire at Palestinians along the fence. After the case was closed, someone decided to reopen the investigation against those troops. "He fought like a tiger for their honor so that tomorrow, the soldiers will not have to move around the fence with a lawyer," recalls an officer from the Southern Brigade. "This is precisely what every army needs to have: to know that there is someone who stands behind it and does not only dump all the mistakes on it."
As Golani Brigade commander, Chico fought against the phenomenon of "the novices versus the veterans." He disbanded the 13th Battalion's riflemen company, which was dubbed "Satan's emissaries," following the disclosure of several incidents in which young soldiers had been harassed and sent fighters to jail. He even wrote a "discipline file", detailing the dos and don'ts. One month after he ended his term in office as brigade commander, the military police proclaimed Golani the most disciplined brigade in the IDF.
In the past few months, Chico has been shunning the media. He is occupied mainly with preparing the division for every possible scenario. In his opinion, interviews and conversations with journalists merely serve to create tension. He likewise firmly refused to be interviewed for this report or answer questions in writing. Whenever there is a camera around, he disappears. "Where is Chico?" shouted Defense Minister Amir Peretz when he visited the division. "I will not begin the interview unless he shows up." Then, wearing a poker face, Chico - a true blue Golani trooper - arrived, his sleeves rolled despite the bitter cold, and stood at the minister's side like a statue. There is not much love lost between the two. Chico demands attacks, strikes, not simply sitting there defensively, and wants to react sharply to the shooting incidents and to the bombs that are being placed along the fence. Peretz urges him to climb down.
Golani's Cliques
Despite his high motivation and feverish mind, which generates infinite ideas to curb the Palestinian terror, Chico knows very well that this is the beginning of a new era in the IDF: The Ashkenazi era. "There are two cliques in Golani: Kaplinsky's and Ashkenazi's," explains a former Golani soldier. "Shmu'el Zakay, who retired from the IDF in a storm, is considered Ashkenazi's protégé, whereas Chico Tamir is seen as Kaplinsky's. Chico met his wife Efrat during one of his visits to the latter's home on the kibbutz as commander of the Golani reconnaissance unit. That is how deep their ties are. Naturally, Chico wanted Kaplinsky to be chief of staff and Ashkenazi is wise enough to understand this. It is likewise natural for Chico to have been deeply disappointed with the results." Nevertheless, the relations between the chief of staff and Tamir have been constant and some people even find similarities in the way the two lead discussions, in their temperament, and in their detailed approach.
"From an anthropological aspect," a former Golani trooper offers his interpretation of the division into camps in the brigade, "this is the same culture, but when you have to choose a new commander for the unit, that is when the devils are awakened." Colonel Tamir Yada'i, the incumbent Golani Brigade commander, is expected to complete his term in about a year. Chico has long been fostered Colonel Oran Avman, who has also won Kaplinsky's support. Another contender who has Kaplinsky's backing is Colonel Dan Hefetz, deputy commander of the 36th Division. The contenders from Ashkenazi's unofficial front include Colonel Avi Peled, former commander of the 51st Battalion and currently deputy commander of the 91st Division, and Colonel Raviv Nir, commander of the 769th Brigade. The Golani Brigade's elders believe that Ashkenazi has already made up his mind, in view of the fact that one of the first steps he took as chief of staff was to requisition the right to appoint brigade commanders from Major General Beni Gantz, the commander of the Ground Forces Command.
However, the race for the post of Golani Brigade commander has now taken the back seat due to the preparations for the possibility of a rekindling of fire in Gaza. "From Chico's point of view," an officer in the Southern Command says, "what happened in Lebanon provides an excellent example of what is happening beneath the surface in Gaza, and he explains this in simple words, not in highfalutin terms. The man is convinced of what he says. Yo'av Gallant, the commander of the Southern Command, has transmitted these messages even before Chico's arrival, but the division commander is much more unyielding. He is aggressive on this matter. Chico no doubt wants a large operation that would strike a severe blow on the capabilities accumulated inside the Gaza Strip since the disengagement. His ideas are unpopular because, in his fashion, he is forcing the political echelon to make decisions. He emphasizes that he must ring all the bells. Even if they don't want to hear it, he must present everything. He honestly believes in that and does not view it as merely passing the buck upwards."
Chico, as the winds blowing from his office would indicate, wants the terrorists to understand that the IDF is determined to crush them, just as the armed men who surrendered to his men in Tulkarm got the message. The question is whether he will find the right partners for this in the government compound in Jerusalem and in the Army headquarters in Tel Aviv.
: Tel Aviv Ma'ariv in Hebrew -- Independent, second largest circulation Hebrew-language paper
Israel Urged To Launch Gaza Operation To Avert Expansion of HAMAS
Israel Urged To Launch Gaza Operation To Avert Hizballah-Like Expansion of HAMAS
Commentary by Hagay Huberman: Immediate Action in the Gaza Strip
Originally published on 3/14/2007 by Hatzofe in Hebrew
On 13 March Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin revealed to members of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee details about HAMAS's preparations for clashes with Israel. He recounted that many HAMAS operatives travel to Iran for extended training programs, adding that in 2006, 31 tons of standard explosives were smuggled into the Gaza Strip -- or "six times the quantity smuggled in the Palestinians' heyday." Diskin maintained that the Palestinians have been using the quiet in the Gaza Strip to feverishly arm themselves, activity that includes improving Qassam ranges. He estimated that within two to three years, Israel would have a major problem dealing with the Gaza Strip due to Israel's moral constraints and the dense population there.
The second Lebanon war temporarily diverted Israeli attention to the northern front. Hizballah, for its part, tried to use Palestinian groups affiliated with it to carry out bombings, suicide attacks, and kidnappings in Israel in order to open "a second front," but these were effectively thwarted by the Israeli security forces. On the other hand, IDF soldier Gil'ad Shalit has been held in the Gaza Strip for nine months by three Palestinian terror factions that kidnapped him from Israeli soil, yet the State of Israel and the IDF have been unable to secure his release.
The defense establishment is well aware that maintaining an oblivious attitude toward the belligerent "monster" growing in the Gaza Strip will hamper efforts to deal with it in the future. In other words, if the IDF does not initiate action soon through an extended ground operation to "cleanse" the Gaza Strip of the enormous arsenal accumulated there, it will have trouble doing the job once compelled to do so at HAMAS's initiative. This is precisely what happened in Lebanon: After the IDF withdrawal in May 2000, the region entered a new phase, characterized by Hizballah's accelerated construction of an extensive military infrastructure, mainly in the south, a policy of maintaining controlled tension along the border through sporadic attacks on outposts, abductions of IDF soldiers, rocket and mortar fire, and assistance to Palestinian terror organizations in Judea and Samaria in the form of financial aid, weapons, and training.
To counter Hizballah's activity to heat up the border, Israel adopted a policy of limited response intended to prevent an escalation on the northern border, and made do with handling the problem through the international community. This policy allowed Israel to focus its efforts and attention mainly on the threat of Palestinian terror, which overshadowed the threat of Hizballah up until 2006. Hizballah's policy of carrying out sporadic attacks, while avoiding an escalation, as well as Israel's policy of restraint, allowed towns and settlements in the north a generally normal life in the six years after the IDF left Lebanon at what ultimately turned out to be an unbearable price of giving Hizballah free rein to build an extensive military infrastructure. This infrastructure blew up in our faces last summer. The IDF has been warning incessantly: This story must not be repeated in the Gaza Strip. We must take the initiative.
HAMAS is also aware of such thinking in Israel. Abu-Abida, the spokesman of HAMAS's military wing declared in an interview on HAMAS's website on 22 February that the numerous reports in the Israeli media about HAMAS's acquisition of antitank rockets were intended "to prepare the hearts of the Israeli public for a wide military operation in the Gaza Strip." He added that in his opinion, the numerous media reports in Israel regarding ties between Hizballah and HAMAS were also part of the process of preparing Israeli public opinion for an operation. He recounted that the military wing of HAMAS had recently been working to find solutions to deal with Israel's armored forces, and that its activists had made "a big step forward" in this area.
: Tel Aviv Hatzofe in Hebrew -- Organ of the National Religious Party, NRP, right-of-center
Abd-al-Bari Atwan: "Iraq: Four Years of Killing"
Al-Quds al-Arabi Writer Views Situation in Iraq after 4 Years of Occupation
Abd-al-Bari Atwan article: "Iraq: Four Years of Killing"
Originally published on 3/19/2007 by Al-Quds al-Arabi (Internet Version-WWW) in Arabic
Four years after its invasion and occupation, Iraq was supposed to be today one of the most stable, prosperous, and secure states in the Arab region and, in fact, in the entire world. This is what President George W. Bush and his ally and servant Tony Blair promised us. However, the picture is very different and indeed gloomy by all measures. There is no Saddam Husayn now for some people to turn him into a sacrificial lamb and a reason to justify their mistakes and crimes against Iraq and its people and even against the entire Islamic World. We will not be surprised, therefore, if they turned very soon into tools working to change the Iranian regime, their ally and benefactor, just as they had become tools that worked to divide Iraq, displace its people, distort its presence, and destroy its future under the pretext of democracy and human rights.
Those who have agreed to become tools in the hands of imperialism against their country and people will not hesitate to complete the mission against others. Those who commit a sin once will not hesitate to repeat it, and those who work against their country will not hesitate to work against other countries.
Four years of occupation have cost the Iraqis 665,000 dead, more than 3 million wounded, 4 million refugees, half of whom moved to the neighboring countries for safety and to escape the sectarian civil war, which is claiming the lives of hundreds of people daily with no discrimination between sects or races.
The latest opinion survey revealed that one out of four Iraqis had a family member killed, one out of five had a relative kidnapped, and one out of three had a brother who fled abroad for safety. This is the new Iraq for which many Iraqis struggled in the ranks of the American intelligence services to build. They wanted to make Iraq a model for the entire region, exporting democracy, transparency, human rights, justice, and equality.
The oil coupons have become a distasteful joke in the face of the tens of billions of dollars stolen by the new rules and their sons, grandchildren, and the people around them. This country now occupies second place on the list of the most corrupt countries in the world, according to an assessment by the International Transparency Organization--a Western organization that has no relationship with the Ba'th Party, the al-Qa'ida Organization, or any Islamic political or nonpolitical organizations.
What makes things even more serious is that the Iraqi oil, which has always been owned by the Iraqi people and whose revenue was used to eliminate illiteracy and build the most important universities, scientific research centers, and modern hospitals, will now be mortgaged for many years to come, thanks to the new draft law, which the government has approved and will soon submit to the House of Representatives for its approval.
Those who complained about the resources of the country being squandered by the former regime and talked about accounts in billions of dollars in foreign banks, which they have not found and will not find, have rewarded the occupation by selling Iraq's oil wealth to its giant companies. According to the new law, these companies will have control over 62 Iraqi oil wells. The share of the National Oil Company will go down to less than 18 wells. The entire Iraqi territory would become a concession to the Western companies to explore, produce, and export oil without any control or supervision and without any intervention by the National Oil Company.
The nationalization of the Iraqi oil, which was the greatest achievement in the history of this Muslim Arab country, is being canceled by the allies of the occupation, in appreciation for its (the occupation) killing of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and dividing Iraq into conflicting and hateful sectarian cantons.
Members of the former regime, who were accused of stealing billions, are living in the neighboring countries on donations, and so are the wife of the Iraqi president, his daughters, his grandchildren, and his relatives. This is at a time when the sons of rulers and ministers of the new Iraq and their families are living in the capitals of the West like emperors. Some of them travel on private aircraft and enjoy security and peace in their luxury exiles while the people of Iraq are facing hunger, death, ethnic cleansing, and sectarian murder.
The new Iraq was supposed to be established on tolerance and coexistence, providing a different example in this respect. However, what we have seen in the past four years contradict these concepts completely. The former Iraqi president was tried and executed by hanging because of his role in the Al-Dujayl incident in which 148 people were executed. Who will try those involved in killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, those who violated the honors of women and children, and those who carried out ugly torture crimes in the basement of the Interior Ministry and in the Abu Ghurayb Prison?
Let us be more specific and ask: Who will try those who issued the orders and carried out the Al-Najaf massacre that claimed the lives of more than 500 people from the Soldiers of Heaven Organization, who represented a different political and religious ideology to that of the new rulers and their militias? Was not this massacre, whose victims committed no crime against the regime, much bigger than the Al-Dujayl massacre?
We have not heard a single Iraqi, who used to call for democracy and human rights and authored books about murder and torture in the pre-occupation period, raise his voice in protest, defend his country, and condemn the crimes of the new regime against its people. Do the Americans and those who came with them have the right to kill and torture people without being held to account or facing trial?
President Bush is confused. He is amending his military strategies. He has embraced a security plan to end the violence and killing in Baghdad by sending additional forces, but the results have been miserable. Car bombs have not ceased to kill hundreds of innocent people. Unidentified bodies still float by the dozens in the waters of the Tigris River or appear on the streets of the capital and the main cities.
The division on sectarian and ethnic lines has become a reality. The central government appears totally incapable of protecting its citizens. The future of Iraq is gloomier than its present. Democracy, which has been the only achievement, has lost its base, because the middle class, which is its guarantee, has collapsed completely and most of its members left the country. The latest of them was Ra'uf Abd-al-Rahman, the judge who issued the death sentence by hanging against President Saddam, has asked for asylum in Britain, because he is afraid for his life.
: London Al-Quds al-Arabi (Internet Version-WWW) in Arabic -- London-based independent Arab nationalist daily with an anti-US and anti-Saudi editorial line; generally pro-Palestinian, pro-Iraqi regime, tends to be sympathetic to Bin Ladin. URL: http://www.alquds.co.uk/
Persian Editorial Says This Is Not Time To Question Ahmadinijad
Persian Press: Editorial Says This Is Not Time To Question President
Editorial: "Principle-ists Should Beware of Pretended Reformists' Traps"
Originally published on 3/7/2007 by Partow-e Sokhan in Persian
With regards to the positions taken by a number of MPs toward the ninth government, including the "questioning the president" project that foreign media and certain domestic newspapers are using for propaganda purposes, we call the attention to the following facts:
1. In the supreme leader's first meeting with members of the seventh Majles, His Excellency called the seventh Majles the "Majles of hope" and said, "The Islamic Consultative Assembly must keep in mind that its role is central so any mistakes or actions that dishearten the people would harm the system."
There is no doubt that His Excellency's "Majles of hope" did not refer to the reformist minority, otherwise he would have used the title for the reformist majority sixth Majles. Some majority members of the seventh Majles should review their votes, pre-agenda speeches and positions to see how close they have come to realizing that vision and meeting the expectations of the nation and the supreme leader.
2. Articles 62 through 90 of the Constitution set out the powers and functions of the Majles. Article 88 states that any one member of the Majles can pose questions to a minister and one-fourth of the total members of the Majles can pose questions to the president on subjects relating to their duties. There is no doubt that the Constitution allows MPs to ask questions as well as impeach. But the question is why some MPs who spent about a year working with the reformist government acted with such tolerance and compromise that they not only did not pose questions to Mr Khatami's ministers, but... [ellipses as published]
Some MPs justify strictness with the ninth government saying the government is of our own, we are fond of Mr Ahmadinezhad, we want his ministers to be effective. If so, then why do some principle-ist MPs fail to mention in their pre-agenda speeches the government's exceptional strengths in foreign policy and domestic policy and usually just point out some alleged weaknesses or flaws?
3. Some MPs have gone so far in pointing out alleged weaknesses or flaws that they have closed their eyes on hundreds of mistakes their friends have made in the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting [IRIB], Islamic Azad University, the judicial apparatus and... and focused on the government.
But the issue that MPs should reflect on and calls for the majority's response is the motion to question the president, which reformist MP A'lami recently revealed to the press. The issue is questionable in different ways.
First, the Islamic Consultative Assembly has never moved to question the president so the questions should not concern issues that could be discussed with the president in private. Second, the questions must address issues where the ninth government is at fault; the government cannot be questioned on problems it has inherited from its predecessors like housing, inflation or price hikes. Third, assuming that the motion is called for and the questions reasonable, is this the right time to question the president while enemies are passing sanction resolutions and threatening Iran, the deceitful British are stirring conflict between Shiites and Sunnis to start religious wars, and the government of the Islamic Republic has managed to foil and defeat enemy conspiracies and is determined to resolve its inherited issues in the face of counter-government media campaigns to create crises and boost inflation.
4. It appears that the motion to question the president was sponsored by pretended reformists but supported by some unsuspecting principle-ists. Those principle-ists should note that they could be walking into traps with the eighth Majles elections just around the corner.
: Tehran Partow-e Sokhan in Persian -- Launched a few years back, the weekly gained notoriety in July 2005 with the appearance of an advertisement for registration of martyrdom-seeking forces. It is licensed to the Imam Khomeyni Education and Research Institute, headed by Assembly of Experts' member Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, thus rumored to be affiliated with the latter. Its managing director is Mahmud Dehqani. The publication's; website is www.partowsokhan.ir
Google Alert - fire at school
Classes canceled again at Bear Creek due to fire
YourHub.com - Denver,CO,USA
Classes will be canceled again on Tuesday, March 20, and Wednesday,
March
21, at Bear Creek High School due to damages caused in the building
after a
fire ...
http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Stories/Education/School-News/Story~280991.aspx
See all stories on this topic:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ncl=http://denver.yourhub.com/Lakewood/Stories/Education/School-News/Story~280991.aspx
School at risk as arsonists set kids' play area alight
Halifax Today - UK
He added: "I thought the school was on fire. Living opposite, that's
the
first thing you think. It could have been a lot worse." ...
http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleID=2131046&SectionID=700
See all stories on this topic:
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Mental Evaluation Ordered In Crescent School Fire Case
KETV.com - Omaha,NE,USA
... become situationallly depressed when facing prison time. The fire
last
July destroyed the school and forced its students to attend another
school
this year.
http://www.ketv.com/newsarchive/11294305/detail.html
See all stories on this topic:
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ncl=http://www.ketv.com/newsarchive/11294305/detail.html
Whitson makes transition
Cookeville Herald Citizen - Cookeville,TN,USA
Meanwhile, the approximately 400 kindergarten through 4th grade
students
displaced by the fire are attending school in the Hooper Eblen Center
on
the ...
http://www.herald-citizen.com/NF/omf.wnm/herald/news_story.html?rkey=0043791+cr=gdn
See all stories on this topic:
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Bear Creek High School shut for cleanup after fire
Denver Post - Denver,CO,USA
Lakewood - Bear Creek High School will be closed to staff and students
today while crews clean up classrooms that were damaged by a fire
Saturday
night. ...
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_5468130
See all stories on this topic:
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Shrewsbury seniors cannot afford more taxes
The fire, police and school departments have become more expensive to
maintain as salaries and costs escalate. Taxes have steadily increased
for everyone. Everyone pays for new fire stations, the proposed new
library, parks, ...
http://www.telegram.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070319/NEWS/703190330/1017/RSS01&source=rss
telegram.com- Opinion
http://www.telegram.com/
Writing from the school computer lab St. Paddy's ...
By Sycz(Sycz)
Writing from the school computer lab St. Paddy's was good. Good to
break the fast. Good to be back on it. The old Corsica broke down again.
Today I find out if I need to finally put her down. But I don't what I
would do if it was the ...
http://theburningblogoffire.blogspot.com/2007/03/writing-from-school-computer-lab-st.html
The Burning Blog of Fire
http://theburningblogoffire.blogspot.com/index.html
Alt. Reality of the Flu
By Stan(Ann)
I decided to go back to the school to get my notes and hopefully lose
to short sid-ler too. As I neared the school I could see that it was on
fire and fire trucks were everywhere with white smoke flowing like a
large water fall up into ...
http://ornamentalillness.com/2007/03/alt-reality-of-flu.shtml
ornamentalillness
http://ornamentalillness.com/journal.shtml
Bear Creek High Closes After Fire
Officials at Bear Creek High School were forced to close the school
Monday after a fire on campus overnight Sunday. The fire damaged a ceramic
room and an adjoining classroom. Firefighters, alerted by alarms,
arrived quickly and kept ...
http://cbs4denver.com/local/local_story_077224952.html
cbs4denver.com: Local News
http://cbs4denver.com/local
‘Bong Hits 4 Jesus’ in ‘The New York Times’
By tara@thefire.org (Tara Sweeney)
The Times says that this latter, more conservative alliance is “alarmed
by what they see as the implication that school boards could define
their mission as they wished and could suppress countervailing speech
accordingly.” FIRE is ...
http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/7837.html
FIRE - The Torch
http://www.thefire.org/index.php/torch
Taliban Threatens To 'Behead' Anyone Cooperating With Enemy
Taliban Issues 'Final Statement' Threatening To 'Behead' Anyone Cooperating With Enemy
Originally published on 3/8/2007 by Jihadist Websites -- OSC Summary in Arabic
Terrorism: Taliban Issues 'Final Statement' Threatening To 'Behead' Anyone Cooperating With Enemy
On 6 March, a jihadist website posted a statement issued by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan-Taliban for 5 March 2007 in which the group announced what it referred to as their "final statement" to the people of the province of Oruzgan. The statement is a bulletin announcing an upcoming large-scale attack against the Americans as well as the Afghan people who work for them in the center of and the districts around Oruzgan Province. The statement was attributed to the "official spokesman" of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan-Taliban.
A translation of the statement follows:
"In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
"The following is the final statement issued by the mujahidin of the Islamic Emirate and directed to the people of Oruzgan
5 March 2007
"Al-Hafidh Muhammad Yusuf : About 8,000 of the mujahidin (Taliban) prepared and armed themselves with military equipment, light and heavy weapons, as well as with the courage and longing to fight the occupying Americans and their Afghan agents in the center and in the districts of Oruzgan Province, under the command and the leadership of a single amir who was designated by the Supreme Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
"We announce to all Muslims of this province, if the sons of some of the Muslims are standing by the infidels or collaborating with them on any administrative tasks, they must get their sons out and away from the enemy's ranks. They must cease collaborating with the infidels and spying for the enemy.
"Each person who distances himself from the enemy's ranks will receive a general reprieve from us, and his life and his money will be safe.
"Participate with the mujahidin of the Islamic Emirate, side by side, in the face-to-face jihad against the American occupiers and their Crusader friends, to regain our country's independence and to carry out God's law in it.
"After this announcement if anyone is seen collaborating with the foreign enemy and its internal [local] agents or if they are known to spy for them [the enemy], we will behead them.
"And when they are told, 'Do not spread corruption on earth,' they answer, 'We are but improving things!' [Koranic verse; Al-Baqarah 2:11].
"Oh, verily, it is they, they who are spreading corruption but they perceive it not?" [Koranic verse; 2:12]
"Official Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan-Taliban
"Qari Muhammad Yusuf (Ahmadi), for the southwestern and northwestern areas of the country "Dhabihallah (mujahid), for the southeastern and northeastern areas of the country "God is Great and glory be to God, to His prophet, and to the faithful.
"The Media Front for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan-Taliban
"Source: Sawt Al-Jihad webpage, 5 March 2007
"Official Site of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan-Taliban"
When Muslims ignore the Prophet
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/artic
le1528008.ece
When Muslims ignore the Prophet
Don't have a black skin and come from Darfur
Adam LeBor
Question: When do Muslim states deem the lives of fellow Muslims not
worth saving? Answer: When they are black Africans.
Islam holds that all Muslims, no matter what their colour or ethnic
origin, are equal members of the umma, the community of believers. "All
mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a
non-Arab, nor a nonArab over an Arab, also a white has no superiority
over a black, nor a black over a white, except by piety and good
action," said the Prophet Muhammad in his last sermon. The 57 member
states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) seem to
think
otherwise.
The UN Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, this week issued its
report on the continuing slaughter in Darfur. Echoing the findings of
previous UN investigations, it documented how Sudanese government
forces
and their proxy militia, the Janjawid, are committing murder, mass rape
and kidnap: "The situation is characterised by gross and systematic
violations of human rights and grave breaches of international law."
Since the start of the conflict in spring 2003, more than 400,000
people
have been killed, or died of disease or malnutrition, while more than
two million have been made homeless. The Fur, Zaghawa and Massalit
ethnic groups of Darfur, Sunni Muslims, are victims of the first
genocide of the 21st century - their menfolk massacred, their women
raped, their villages razed, their children thrown into burning houses.
Their tormentors abuse them as abid, Arabic for slave, or zurka,
meaning
"dirty black". The Prophet's sermon does not resonate in Darfur.
Sudan demanded that the report be rejected by the UN's Human Rights
Council. You might expect, with all the furore about the abuses of
Muslims in Iraq, the Palestinian territories and elsewhere, that the
OIC
would welcome the report. You would be wrong. The OIC rejected the
report. It demanded that it should not considered by the Human Rights
Council. In fact, the OIC says, the report does not even exist.
Babacar Ba, the OIC's representative to the UN in Geneva, said: "We
didn't recognise the mission to have fulfilled its mandate and we
rejected the report."
Instead, the OIC argued that the report was, in UN parlance, a
"nonreport". Why? Because the investigators did not visit Darfur. Why
did they not visit Darfur? Because the Sudanese Government refused to
issue them visas. The answer, the OIC and Sudan agree, is to dispatch a
new mission, its members to be approved by Sudan and doubtless to
agree,
as Khartoum claims, that the situation is "improving".
So continues Darfur's danse macabre, helpfully choreographed by Sudan's
allies. The Arab and Muslim world's continuing indulgence of Sudan's
onslaught has been a big factor in weakening the UN's sporadic efforts
to stop the carnage. The Security Council did not even discuss Darfur
until April 2004, a full year into the crisis. "Sudan was initially
very
successful at keeping itself off the Security Council agenda, with the
full support of the Arab group," said one UN official working on
Darfur.
For many Muslim governments the weary reflexes of anti-colonialism
still
triumph over saving lives. Far better to show solidarity with Khartoum
than cede an inch to Western concepts of human rights - because that
would set a dangerous precedent for the decrepit monarchies and
dictatorships that rule much of the Arab and Muslim world.
Does it matter which resolutions are passed or opposed in the
labyrinthine UN bureaucracy? It does. During the Bosnian War, Muslim
countries exerted sustained pressure at the UN on the Western powers to
intervene against the Serbs. Pakistan and Turkey, in particular, were
vocal defenders of Bosnia, attempting, unsuccessfully, to toughen up
the
Security Council resolutions. Madeleine Albright, then US Ambassador to
the UN, recalled how she witnessed US prestige draining away over the
West's failure to save Bosnian Muslims. The growing Muslim anger over
Bosnia eventually galvanised President Clinton and Nato into action.
Muslim states, especially Pakistan and Algeria, which have sat on the
Security Council during this crisis, have consistently watered down the
same type of resolutions over Darfur that a decade ago they tried to
strengthen for Bosnia. Rather than issue sanctions against Sudan, the
members of the Human Rights Council repeatedly condemn Israel. All of
this Sudan, correctly, interprets as a licence to carry on
slaughtering.
There is much talk of what the West must do to save Darfur. Whatever
our
obligations, the crisis is also a chance for the Islamic world to save
lives. It's a tragedy for the people of Darfur, for all of us, that the
hypocrisy and double-standards of the OIC make this an opportunity
wasted.
Adam LeBor is author of Complicity with Evil: the United Nations in the
Age of Modern Genocide
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