February 07, 2005

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|  Today in Palestine!  07 - Feb - 2005  |
|           www.TheHeadlines.Org             |
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Israel: Hague ruling on Wall is irrelevant
This opinion would be included in the replay to the Israeli High Court of Justice, which requested an official state stand on the Hague ruling, to be submitted next week. "The international court examined a very different wall route than the one currently planned, and even more changes are being submitted for cabinet approval next week" the statement says.
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2005/feb/week1/020705/Israel%20Huge%20ruling%20irreleveant.htm


Teen sues Canada over citing 'Jerusalem, Israel' as birthplace
In the place on the form for his place of birth, he filled in "Jerusalem, Israel," but the clerk returned it to him, with "Israel" scratched out. Like other Canadian citizens born in Jerusalem, Veffer's passport does not state his country of birth. This is Canadian government policy. Veffer is now trying to change the situation.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=536798&contrassID=1&subContrassID=9&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y


Outposts to go only after pullout, official says
Israel will evacuate illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank only after implementation of the disengagement from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank, a senior security official said Monday.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/537292.html


Supporting Acadmic Freedom in Israel
We have strong reservations about the attempt being made by the University Prosecutor and the Dean of Humanities Professor Yossi Ben Artzi to revoke Dr Pappe's tenure and fire him because he made harsh statements sent by e-mail about individual professors and has allegedly defamed the institution as well as asked for intervention of some professional associations.
http://www.petitiononline.com/pappe/petition.html


Israel reopens Karni passage to Gaza
The Karni passage is the main commercial passage for goods moving between Israel and the Gaza Strip and Israel on Monday opened the passage in one way allowing goods to go from Israel into Gaza while the opposite way still remains closed.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/07/content_2559993.htm


A New Palestinian Cabinet within 24 hours
Palestinian media source reported some names of ministers such as, Naser Yousef for Interior Ministry, Nasser Al-Kidweh for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Nabil Amr for the Ministry of Information and Mohammad Dahlan for the Cabinet Affairs.
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2005/feb/week1/020705/new-cabinet.htm


Revlin to Gush Katif settlers: “It's Over”
Members of the Israeli Foreign and Security committee met with dozens of settlers in the Gush Katif settlement bloc in the Gaza Strip, head of the Knesset, Reovin Revlin, who is known of his opposition to the disengagement plan, said that “disengagement is now a reality”.
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2005/feb/week1/020705/Revlin.htm


Abbas: “We arrived to an agreement with the Palestinian factions”
Abu Mazin stated that the Palestinians carried with them to Sharm Al-Sheikh clear demands, such as halting the construction of the annexation wall, and to stop construction settlements in the Palestinian areas. Condoleezza Rice said that the States is willing to aide the P.A in restoring security and law in the Palestinian areas.
http://www.imemc.org/headlines/2005/feb/week1/020705/Abbas1.htm


Palestinian international contacts to keep Hansen UNRWA commissioner
According to sources, which requested anonymity, Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Nabil Shaath has recently succeeded in convincing his European counterparts not to nominate a European successor for Hansen. The Europeans have agreed not to nominate a successor for Hansen in response to the Palestinian demand...
http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=702756


Mid-East peace talks at White House
Condoleezza Rice today announced a top-level Middle East peace summit at the White House. The US secretary of state said that Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon and new Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas would attend the talks in the spring. Ms Rice added: "This is a moment for hope."
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/16434030?source=Evening%20Standard


Rice commits US to Middle East peace
She also said that Palestinians should wage "an effective fight against terrorism". Criticised for too little involvement in Middle East peace efforts in his first term, US President George Bush sent Rice to the region to back up his pledge to press harder for an end to the conflict.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/831F223F-1A6E-4D29-9940-A5653C27C9B6.htm


Rice: 'Palestinian Authority Taking Right Steps'
Ms. Rice was speaking in the West Bank city of Ramallah after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Monday. She said the United States is pleased to note that the Palestinian Authority is taking steps in the right direction.
http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-02-07-voa5.cfm


Palestinians look forward to dialogue with US
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, senior advisor to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, asserted on Monday that the Palestinians are looking forward to a new start of dialogue on a high level with the United States.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/07/content_2559995.htm


Security officials fear attempt on Abbas' life ahead of summit
Israeli and Palestinian security officials have expressed concern that radical militant groups would attempt to assassinate Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to undermine Tuesday's Sharm al-Sheikh summit, Israel Army Radio reported Monday.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/07/content_2559730.htm


Palestinian ceasefire not enough: Israel FM
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said a ceasefire by militant groups was not enough and demanded that the Palestinian leadership move decisively to disarm them once and for all. ( When are Illegal Settlers to be dissarmed ? )
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1514&ncid=1312&e=8&u=/afp/20050207/wl_mideast_afp/mideastisraelfrance_050207142430


Palestinian official cautious over outcome of Sharm summit
"The summit will be a suitable place for announcing decisions and agreements including a mutual ceasefire with Israel," said Dahlan. "This time there will be witnesses to observe this announcement."
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/08/content_2560158.htm


Army general chosen as Mideast security point man
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chose an army infantry officer who briefly served at the US embassy in Cairo as her point man for helping to monitor compliance with security commitments made by Palestinians and Israelis.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1514&ncid=1312&e=6&u=/afp/20050207/wl_mideast_afp/mideastusward_050207163041


Hamas rejects US proposal to appoint security coordinator
"Turning the Palestinian issue to a security case is supporting the Israeli logic and the Israeli agenda," said Youssef, adding "the Palestinians want not only security but also their rights, an independent country as well as the refugees' right of return."
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-02/07/content_2559988.htm


Katsav unlikely to visit New Zealand amid strained ties
Prime Minister Helen Clark on Monday ruled out a visit by President Moshe Katsav to New Zealand next month, saying diplomatic relations were still strained following a passport fraud case involving suspected Mossad spies.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/536846.html


Russia pins hopes on Mideast summit
Russia said the planned summit between Israeli and Palestinian leaders stood a greater chance of success because it was being hosted by regional power Egypt and attended by Jordan's King Abdullah II.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1514&ncid=1312&e=4&u=/afp/20050207/wl_mideast_afp/mideastsummitrussia_050207163611


Annan: Poverty alleviation for Palestinians a key to peace
Alleviating poverty among Palestinians is a "humanitarian imperative" that would contribute significantly to bringing about peace in the Middle East, the UN secretary-general said Monday.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=537291&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y


Hamas enters the political arena
Indeed, the Palestinian public sees the Hamas activists and leaders as much more modest and honest people than the Fatah activists. However, the residents of the West Bank and Gaza are well aware of the differences between the political positions of Hamas and Fatah, and those who vote for the Hamas candidates understand that indirectly they are also lending their support to a tougher stand toward Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/536434.html


A ruse called referendum
The demand for a referendum on the disengagement plan has been raised again and again - not because of a true democratic need, but because the settlers, as always, have managed to put their cause at the top of the public agenda.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/536839.html


Can we be optimistic about Sharm?
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is, as usual, adamant that the Palestinians first address the security issue: ending the terror, dismantling its infrastructure and implementing reforms in the Palestinian regime - demands that the prime minister's adviser, Dov Weissglas, once thought to be unattainable and saw as an attempt to turn the Palestinians into Finns.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/536824.html


A revolution, in theory
The decision to hold Fahima until the completion of her trial is unreasonable and disproportional, and suggests that in the matter of stripping an individual's freedom before he is convicted, the constitutional revolution still exists only on paper.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/536435.html


Background/ Sharon, Bush gamble on Abbas - this time, to win
Sharon could depend on then-PA chairman Yasser Arafat to undermine any reforms Abbas might undertake. He could also trust the powerful Hamas leaders Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi to literally blow to pieces any chance for PA security control over the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=537248&displayTypeCd=1&sideCd=1&contrassID=2


Unrest again in the Likud
On the eve of critical votes in the Knesset and cabinet on evacuation-compensation, on the actual evacuation and on the 2005 State Budget, there is once more rumbling in the Likud. Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says in private conversations that he will vote against the disengagement. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom says that he is still undecided.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/536838.html


In Mideast, Rice tests diplomatic waters
But beneath the fanfare lie daunting differences both over short-term steps and longer-term goals that highlight the challenges facing US involvement, and at least in the Palestinian view, underscore the importance of heightening it.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0207/p07s01-wome.htm


Mideast crisis in Manhattan
"There are islands of anti-Semitism, and these islands are student campuses," said Sharansky, who has visited 26 American college campuses as part of his "Back to the Campus" initiative. "And all this is done in the name of academic freedom."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/537191.html


Shells hit north as test by weapons manufacturer goes awry
The test by the civilian weapons manufacturer was taking place in an Israel Defense Forces firing range north of Nahariya when it went wrong for reasons as yet unknown. The IDF itself had no involvement in the incident.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/537273.html


Insurgents Kill at Least 30 in Iraq
The deadliest attack came in Baqouba, where a car bomb exploded outside the gates of a provincial police headquarters, killing 15 people and wounding 17, police Col. Mudhahar al-Jubouri said. Many victims were there to seek jobs as policemen, al-Jubouri said.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=477948


Widow won't sling mud at Bucca G.I.s
The incident allegedly was organized by sergeants, and involved men and women assigned to guard Iraqi detainees transferred there from notorious Abu Ghraib prison, according to an Army report obtained by The News.
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/278577p-238671c.html