Free Republic

The Bush administration's push for quick democracy in the Middle East has an increasingly clear implication: if Islamist organizations such as Hamas are to be likely electoral winners, Western powers should stop classifying them as terrorists and instead come to terms with them. This conclusion follows from such efforts as those led by Alastair Crooke and his Conflicts Forum; the European Union's exploration of opening a dialogue with the Islamists; and an astonishing statement in which the White House spokesman referred to Hamas members as "business professionals." Before this whitewashing of Hamas proceeds too far ahead, it bears noting that...

GAZA, Oct 5, 2003 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- A top aide to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat announced Sunday that Arafat is intending to declare a ceasefire initiative with Israel within the coming 72 hours. "The coming 72 hours are carrying a political initiative that President Arafat is intending to declare to reinforce the activities of the new Palestinian government headed by Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qurei, or Abu Alla," Arafat's aide Nabil Abu Rudeineh told reporters. Well-informed Palestinian sources said the important part of Arafat's initiative "is to call for an immediate and mutual ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians." "The...

MONTREAL (CP) - Pro-Palestinian protesters planned and executed a shutdown of a speech by Benjamin Netanyahu Monday, prompting the former Israeli prime minister to accuse the activists of supporting terrorism and "mad zealotry." Officials at Concordia University cancelled the speech after about 200 protesters overran campus security officers and occupied the downtown Hall building where Netanyahu was scheduled to address several hundred students. The university decided it could not guarantee Netanyahu's safety if the event went ahead. Police beat back the activists with pepper spray and batons, arresting five people after several windows were smashed.   Former Israeli Prime Minister...

<p>JERUSALEM (AP) --  In an unusual act of public criticism, a former Palestinian Cabinet minister wrote in a letter to Yasser Arafat that the Palestinians missed a rare opportunity for peace two years ago by rejecting a deal brokered by then-U.S. President Bill Clinton.</p>

Ramallah May 8th 2002 Wafa; A Palestinian Leadership spokesman stated:The Palestinian Leadership strongly condemns the violent operation in Rishon Letsiyon that targeted civilians; saying that the timing of such an operation only serves the Israeli Prime Minister who is hosted by the USA administration where this operation supports his allegations of the impossibility of making peace with the Palestinians, and staining our nation with terrorism, acquitting him and his Government from the massacres and the atrocities they have committed against our people, especially while our blood is still shed in our camps, villages and cities.The Palestinian Leadership, facing the dangerous...

Palestinian children's day scrapped as war rages   JERUSALEM, April 5 (Reuters) - Palestinian children's day celebrations due to be held across the West Bank and Gaza on Friday have been cancelled because children in many Palestinian towns cannot leave their homes, the United Nations said. The National Plan of Action for Palestinian Children, with the support of the U.N. children's fund (UNICEF), had planned to stage plays and hold arts and craft activities across the area for almost a million Palestinians aged 6-18 years. But a UNICEF statement said about 600,000 children below 18 were stuck at home because of curfews or Israeli military...