JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has barred new construction work, building planning and occupancy tenders at West Bank settlements without his approval, documents show.
The move is meant to bolster U.S.-backed peace talks, soured by disputes over Jewish settlement construction, ahead of a visit by President George W. Bush early next month. In a December 30 letter to the ministers of defense, housing and agriculture, Olmert wrote that "construction, new building, expansion, preparation of plans, publication of residency tenders, confiscation of land stemming from other settlement activities in the West Bank area will not go forward and will not be implemented without requesting and receiving in advance approval by the defense minister and the prime minister."
The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters, does not rule out the prime minister approving construction within West Bank settlements. His spokesman, Mark Regev, said Olmert committed at talks last week with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to take "any actions that could prejudice a final status agreement." Olmert had been caught off guard by a series of Housing Ministry announcements on settlements that have opened a rift in month-old peace talks with the Palestinians.
Olmert's office said his order applies to all settlements in the West Bank, including Maale Adumim, which Israel hopes to keep as part of any final peace deal. But officials said Olmert made clear to the Palestinians that building in Har Homa that has already been authorized can go forward. Israel considers Har Homa to be part of Jerusalem, as opposed to the West Bank. The Palestinians say that the road map's explicit call for a halt to all settlement activity means all Israeli building on occupied land, including within Har Homa, is prohibited.
Israel interprets its road map commitments differently, arguing that construction within built-up areas is permissible as long as no new enclaves are built and no additional occupied lands are confiscated. "This is a policy directive by the prime minister to relevant government agencies designed to ensure that the machinery of government is ready to implement Israeli obligations under the road map," Regev said. In addition to Har Homa, Israel's Housing Ministry has announced plans for new building within Maale Adumim.
Source: reuters
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Probably not the first time..
The IDF and Shin Bet uncovered 6.5 tons of potassium nitrate hidden in sacks that were disguised as aid from the European Union, the army announced on Saturday.
Security forces discovered the stash in the cargo of a Palestinian truck at a West Bank checkpoint earlier in December. According to the IDF, the material, hidden in sugar sacks, was planned to be used by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. "Potassium Nitrate is a banned substance in the Gaza Strip and the Judea and Samaria region due to its use by terrorists for the manufacturing ofexplosives and Kassam rockets," the IDF spokesperson wrote in a statement. "This is another example of how the terror organizations exploit the humanitarian aid that is delivered to the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip with Israel's approval," the statement read.
Security forces discovered the stash in the cargo of a Palestinian truck at a West Bank checkpoint earlier in December. According to the IDF, the material, hidden in sugar sacks, was planned to be used by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. "Potassium Nitrate is a banned substance in the Gaza Strip and the Judea and Samaria region due to its use by terrorists for the manufacturing ofexplosives and Kassam rockets," the IDF spokesperson wrote in a statement. "This is another example of how the terror organizations exploit the humanitarian aid that is delivered to the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip with Israel's approval," the statement read.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Well...That´s it..THE SICK MIDDLE EAST!
Israeli defense contractors plan to deliver to Turkey within weeks 10 unmanned aircraft that will be used, among other things, in intelligence-gathering operations against Kurdish rebels, an official familiar with the deal said Thursday.
Have your f****** wars! Where some of you claim you have more rights to exists than others! Where some of you claim your existential rights and denying others theirs! Where most of you breaking human rights laws at the same time you screams about your rights!
Have your f****** wars! Where some of you claim you have more rights to exists than others! Where some of you claim your existential rights and denying others theirs! Where most of you breaking human rights laws at the same time you screams about your rights!
Overcome disputes over Jewish settlements
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet on Thursday to try to overcome disputes over Jewish settlements that have paralyzed U.S.-backed peace talks. The first two negotiating sessions between the Israeli and Palestinian teams ended in discord with the Palestinians protesting Israeli plans to build hundreds of new homes in an area near Jerusalem known to Israelis as Har Homa and to Palestinians as Abu Ghneim.
Israel defines its road map obligations differently, arguing that construction within built-up areas of existing settlements is permissible as long as no new settlements are built and no additional Palestinian lands are confiscated. Palestinians see the building of Har Homa as the last rampart in a wall of settlements encircling Arab East Jerusalem, cutting it off from Bethlehem and rest of the occupied West Bank. They say it is a strategic move by Israel to pre-empt any possibility of East Jerusalem becoming the Palestinian capital.
Israel defines its road map obligations differently, arguing that construction within built-up areas of existing settlements is permissible as long as no new settlements are built and no additional Palestinian lands are confiscated. Palestinians see the building of Har Homa as the last rampart in a wall of settlements encircling Arab East Jerusalem, cutting it off from Bethlehem and rest of the occupied West Bank. They say it is a strategic move by Israel to pre-empt any possibility of East Jerusalem becoming the Palestinian capital.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
750 border guards patrolling the frontiers
Israel gave U.S. officials a number of videotapes showing Egyptian police officers helping weapons smugglers along the border or standing by while smugglers went about their business, Israeli defense officials said Tuesday. The tapes were passed on through military channels, the officials said, in an attempt to persuade the U.S. — Egypt's most significant international ally — to prod Egypt to take action against the smugglers. They spoke on condition of anonymity because regulations forbid them from speaking to the media. Arye Mekel, a spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry, would not comment on whether the tapes existed, or whether they had been given to the U.S. military. But an Egyptian security official in the border town of Rafah on Monday — when reports of the tape appeared first in Israeli media — said the tapes were a fabrication and that it was impossible to film any border activity amid some 750 border guards patrolling the frontiers around the clock.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Ehud Olmert on Sunday ruled out cease-fire talks with Hamas
JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday ruled out cease-fire talks with Hamas, calling Israel's battle against the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza a "true war."
The Israeli army has been battling Hamas and other armed groups that frequently fire rockets into southern Israel. The army appears to have made substantial gains in recent weeks, and Olmert told his Cabinet that there are no plans to slow down. "Operations against terrorists will continue as they have been conducted for many months," Olmert said. "There is no other way to describe what is happening in the Gaza Strip except as a true war between the Israeli army and terror groups. This war will continue."Hamas has signaled readiness in recent days for reaching a cease-fire, and several Israeli Cabinet ministers have said the government should consider the offer.
The Israeli army has been battling Hamas and other armed groups that frequently fire rockets into southern Israel. The army appears to have made substantial gains in recent weeks, and Olmert told his Cabinet that there are no plans to slow down. "Operations against terrorists will continue as they have been conducted for many months," Olmert said. "There is no other way to describe what is happening in the Gaza Strip except as a true war between the Israeli army and terror groups. This war will continue."Hamas has signaled readiness in recent days for reaching a cease-fire, and several Israeli Cabinet ministers have said the government should consider the offer.
Ehud Barak is scheduled to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday to discuss efforts to reach a temporary truce between
Defense Minister Ehud Barak is scheduled to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sharm el-Sheikh on Wednesday to discuss efforts to reach a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas. On his one-day visit, Barak will also meet with intelligence chief Omar Suleiman and Defense Minister Mohammed Tantawi. The two sides will also discuss the problem of arms smuggling from Egypt into the Gaza Strip and the negotiations to secure the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who is being held in Gaza.
On the possibility of a limited cease-fire with Hamas, Barak has told defense officials in the past few days that currently "there is nothing to talk about" with Hamas. But Barak said that if Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader in Gaza, can achieve a a suspension of Qassam rocket fire at Israel, and if Hamas is prepared to accept the terms posed by the international Quartet, there may be room to reexamine Israel's position. The Quartet's conditions include a disavowal of terror and a recognition of the Oslo Accords.
source: Haaretz
On the possibility of a limited cease-fire with Hamas, Barak has told defense officials in the past few days that currently "there is nothing to talk about" with Hamas. But Barak said that if Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader in Gaza, can achieve a a suspension of Qassam rocket fire at Israel, and if Hamas is prepared to accept the terms posed by the international Quartet, there may be room to reexamine Israel's position. The Quartet's conditions include a disavowal of terror and a recognition of the Oslo Accords.
source: Haaretz
Hamas is willing to reach an agreement with Israel on a temporary truce to halt Qassam rocket fire
Hamas is willing to reach an agreement with Israel on a temporary truce to halt Qassam rocket fire, in exchange for the cessation of Israel Defense Forces activity against Gaza militants, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's advisor told the Palestinian news agency Ma'an on Saturday.
The advisor, Ahmed Yusuf, also listed the opening of Gaza border passages and the removal of the economic embargo imposed on the coastal territory as conditions for a temporary truce, called a "tahadiyeh" - or calming - in Arabic. "We don't oppose a calming that will end the closure," Yusuf said, "but there won't be a calming in exchange for nothing, and it won't be unlimited," he continued. Israel Radio reported on Saturday that Hamas has begun drafting terms for a temporary cease-fire with Israel while trying to gain support from other Palestinian factions to accept it.
Israel Radio also reported that senior Lebanon-based Hamas official Osama Hamdan said in Kuwait that the Palestinian side was considering an Israeli offer for an indefinite truce.
However, Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the reports of a truce draft were untrue. "There is continuous Israeli aggression, and there is resistance. The ball is still in Israel's court," he said. "It is up to Israel because when they stop all their aggressions we will then discuss the issue."
Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan also denied reports of cease-fire negotiations. "There's no significance to talks regarding any truce while the aggression against the Palestinian people continues," he told Channel 10 on Saturday.
Nonetheless, Hamdan stressed, Hamas opposes a diplomatic agreement with Israel and views the country's existence as a threat to the entire region, and not just the Palestinians.
The advisor, Ahmed Yusuf, also listed the opening of Gaza border passages and the removal of the economic embargo imposed on the coastal territory as conditions for a temporary truce, called a "tahadiyeh" - or calming - in Arabic. "We don't oppose a calming that will end the closure," Yusuf said, "but there won't be a calming in exchange for nothing, and it won't be unlimited," he continued. Israel Radio reported on Saturday that Hamas has begun drafting terms for a temporary cease-fire with Israel while trying to gain support from other Palestinian factions to accept it.
Israel Radio also reported that senior Lebanon-based Hamas official Osama Hamdan said in Kuwait that the Palestinian side was considering an Israeli offer for an indefinite truce.
However, Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said the reports of a truce draft were untrue. "There is continuous Israeli aggression, and there is resistance. The ball is still in Israel's court," he said. "It is up to Israel because when they stop all their aggressions we will then discuss the issue."
Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan also denied reports of cease-fire negotiations. "There's no significance to talks regarding any truce while the aggression against the Palestinian people continues," he told Channel 10 on Saturday.
Nonetheless, Hamdan stressed, Hamas opposes a diplomatic agreement with Israel and views the country's existence as a threat to the entire region, and not just the Palestinians.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Turkey is bombing it´s way into EU..
TUNCELI, Turkey (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish guerrilla targets in northern Iraq on Saturday in a new cross-border offensive, the General Staff said.
"There will be no conditions to it - it would be a ceasefire on our part and on Israel's part."
"There will be no conditions to it - it would be a ceasefire on our part and on Israel's part." Nevertheless, in an interview with the Kuwaiti newspaper A-Rai, Hamdan clarified that Hamas was opposed to a peace agreement with Israel and that Israel's existence in the Middle East "endangers the entire region, not just the Palestinians."
An Egyptian border guard was shot to death late on Friday by drug smugglers on the Israeli border, a security official said. Initial investigations indicate that the guard, identified as Mohammed Abdel-Ghaffar, 21, of the Nile Delta province of Menoufia, confronted drug smugglers attempting to cross the border and then was killed in the ensuing firefight.
"If Syria feels threatened by Israel, it will be hard to stop our missile operators from responding to the Israeli aggression by attacking the Dimona nuclear reactor," Syrian legislator Muhammad Habash was quoted as saying Saturday.
All the Palestinians are in a crisis, not Hamas," said Hamas official Salah Bardawil."
Friday, December 21, 2007
Agree..
BAGHDAD - The leader of the largest Shiite political party in Iraq said Sunnis armed groups— should be on the side of government forces.
REACT!
BAGHDAD - Blood-splotches on walls, chains hanging from a ceiling and swords on the killing floor — the artifacts left a disturbing tale of brutalities inside a Iraq torture chamber. But there was yet another chilling fact outside the dirt-floor dungeon. Villagers say they knew about the torment but were too intimidated by extremists to tell authorities until now.
Stories such as these — claims of insurgent abuses and the silence of frightened Iraqis — have emerged with increasing frequency and clarity recently as U.S.-led forces push deeper into former extremist fiefdoms and forge alliances with tribes seeking to reclaim their regions. The reports and tips now pouring in build a harrowing portrait of rule under al-Qaida and its backers: mass graves, ruthless punishments, self-styled Islamic courts ordering summary executions.
Such a lead brought soldiers earlier this month to the hidden room in Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said Thursday. Graffiti on the building proclaimed "Long Live the Islamic State" — a reference to the Islamic governance, or caliphate, sought in Iraq by Sunni extremist groups that include al-Qaida. Scrawled in white paint above a bed in the torture area was a Quranic phrase in Arabic normally used to welcome a guest. But the context suggested only sadistic mockery: "Come in, you are safe."
The floor was littered with food wrappers, plastic soda bottles and electric cables that snaked to a metal bed frame, presumably where detainees were shocked, according to the U.S. account of the discovery during a Dec. 8-11 mission. The rooms "had chains, a bed — an iron bed that was still connected to a battery — knives and swords that were still covered in blood," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, the top U.S. commander in northern Iraq. Nearby were nine mass graves containing the remains of 26 people, he said.
Villagers knew about the torture site, but did not tell authorities as they were afraid of reprisals from the militants, a local policeman told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was still afraid of being targeted by extremists. He said he thought the chamber had been used for a year. It was not the first such torture chamber discovered in Iraq. But it serves as a reminder of the extremist grip in parts of Iraq despite growing optimism as violence continues to fall.
And Diyala province — where the grisly discovery was made — remains one of the most volatile regions as U.S. and Iraqi forces struggle to match the clear advances against extremists made in Baghdad and the western desert of Anbar. The province is mixed between Sunnis and Shiites — often called a "little Iraq" and a remnant of Iraq before sectarian bloodletting partitioned many parts of the country along religious lines. Diyala's capital, Baqouba, also is the self-proclaimed seat of the insurgents' caliphate. "I think that is why al-Qaida wants that province so very much, because it is 'a little Iraq,'" Hertling said. "It gives them access to Baghdad and it also ... is considered their caliphate capital."
In March, U.S. troops discovered a similar site in the village of Karmah just west of Baghdad that was used by Sunni insurgents for torture and summary executions. They rescued two Iraqi captives, who apparently had been spared immediate execution because the militants' video camera broke and they wanted to film the killing. The captives told U.S. soldiers they had been sentenced to death by an insurgent court and had the choice of either beheading or a fatal gunshot. Both Sunni insurgents and Shiite militia death squads regularly torture their captives before killing them — sometimes with power drills. Most of the hundreds of bodies that have turned up in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq show signs of torture.
By Bradley Brooks/AP
Stories such as these — claims of insurgent abuses and the silence of frightened Iraqis — have emerged with increasing frequency and clarity recently as U.S.-led forces push deeper into former extremist fiefdoms and forge alliances with tribes seeking to reclaim their regions. The reports and tips now pouring in build a harrowing portrait of rule under al-Qaida and its backers: mass graves, ruthless punishments, self-styled Islamic courts ordering summary executions.
Such a lead brought soldiers earlier this month to the hidden room in Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said Thursday. Graffiti on the building proclaimed "Long Live the Islamic State" — a reference to the Islamic governance, or caliphate, sought in Iraq by Sunni extremist groups that include al-Qaida. Scrawled in white paint above a bed in the torture area was a Quranic phrase in Arabic normally used to welcome a guest. But the context suggested only sadistic mockery: "Come in, you are safe."
The floor was littered with food wrappers, plastic soda bottles and electric cables that snaked to a metal bed frame, presumably where detainees were shocked, according to the U.S. account of the discovery during a Dec. 8-11 mission. The rooms "had chains, a bed — an iron bed that was still connected to a battery — knives and swords that were still covered in blood," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, the top U.S. commander in northern Iraq. Nearby were nine mass graves containing the remains of 26 people, he said.
Villagers knew about the torture site, but did not tell authorities as they were afraid of reprisals from the militants, a local policeman told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity as he was still afraid of being targeted by extremists. He said he thought the chamber had been used for a year. It was not the first such torture chamber discovered in Iraq. But it serves as a reminder of the extremist grip in parts of Iraq despite growing optimism as violence continues to fall.
And Diyala province — where the grisly discovery was made — remains one of the most volatile regions as U.S. and Iraqi forces struggle to match the clear advances against extremists made in Baghdad and the western desert of Anbar. The province is mixed between Sunnis and Shiites — often called a "little Iraq" and a remnant of Iraq before sectarian bloodletting partitioned many parts of the country along religious lines. Diyala's capital, Baqouba, also is the self-proclaimed seat of the insurgents' caliphate. "I think that is why al-Qaida wants that province so very much, because it is 'a little Iraq,'" Hertling said. "It gives them access to Baghdad and it also ... is considered their caliphate capital."
In March, U.S. troops discovered a similar site in the village of Karmah just west of Baghdad that was used by Sunni insurgents for torture and summary executions. They rescued two Iraqi captives, who apparently had been spared immediate execution because the militants' video camera broke and they wanted to film the killing. The captives told U.S. soldiers they had been sentenced to death by an insurgent court and had the choice of either beheading or a fatal gunshot. Both Sunni insurgents and Shiite militia death squads regularly torture their captives before killing them — sometimes with power drills. Most of the hundreds of bodies that have turned up in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq show signs of torture.
By Bradley Brooks/AP
Thursday, December 20, 2007
A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a city council meeting
BAGHDAD - A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a city council meeting in a town northeast of Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least six people, including a U.S. soldier, during a four-day Islamic holiday, the military said.
Yes..Torture is common in some parts of the world..Isn´t it? "Breaking the bones" of the "enemies"..Jesus had no broken bones.. Satans soulpushers!
BAGHDAD - U.S. soldiers found mass graves north of Baghdad next to a torture center where chains were attached to blood-spattered walls and a metal bed frame was still connected to an electrical shock system, the military said Thursday.
The grisly discoveries of the mass graves and torture center near Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles north of Baghdad, came during a Dec. 8-11 operation. The torture center, which the U.S. military said it suspected was run by al-Qaida in Iraq, was found based on tips from Iraqis in the area, where the al-Qaida insurgents are very active. Graves containing 26 bodies were found nearby. "We discovered several weapons caches, a torture facility that had chains, a bed — an iron bed that was still connected to a battery — knives and swords that were still covered in blood as we went in to go after the terrorists in that area," said Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, the top U.S. commander in northern Iraq.
Soldiers found a total of nine caches containing a surface-to-air missile launcher, sniper rifles, 130 pounds of homemade explosives and numerous mortar tubes and rounds, among other weapons. The Dec. 8-11 operation also saw multiple battles between American troops and militants. The military said it killed 24 insurgents and detained 37 others during the operation. Despite a nationwide decrease in violence of nearly 60 percent, Diyala province, where the torture center was found, is still turbulent — largely because the summer influx of U.S. troops in Baghdad, a freeze on activities by the Mahdi Army militia and the rise of Sunni anti-al-Qaida "awakening" groups have pushed militants into the area.
"Yes, there are still some very bad things going on in that province," Hertling said. "We are slower in coming around because ... some of the extremists have been pushed east from Anbar province as they've seen the awakening movement there and north from Baghdad as the surge operations took place there."
Hertling said that the number of roadside bombings against coalition and Iraqi troops in the area had decreased between 40 and 50 percent since the summer. He said there were 849 such attacks in November as compared to 1,698 in June.
However, 13 civilians were killed Thursday east of Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, when a man wearing an explosives vest blew himself up amid a crowd that had gathered around U.S. soldiers handing out holiday gifts, a local policeman said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to release the information. At least 18 people were hurt in the attack.
Source: AP
The grisly discoveries of the mass graves and torture center near Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles north of Baghdad, came during a Dec. 8-11 operation. The torture center, which the U.S. military said it suspected was run by al-Qaida in Iraq, was found based on tips from Iraqis in the area, where the al-Qaida insurgents are very active. Graves containing 26 bodies were found nearby. "We discovered several weapons caches, a torture facility that had chains, a bed — an iron bed that was still connected to a battery — knives and swords that were still covered in blood as we went in to go after the terrorists in that area," said Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, the top U.S. commander in northern Iraq.
Soldiers found a total of nine caches containing a surface-to-air missile launcher, sniper rifles, 130 pounds of homemade explosives and numerous mortar tubes and rounds, among other weapons. The Dec. 8-11 operation also saw multiple battles between American troops and militants. The military said it killed 24 insurgents and detained 37 others during the operation. Despite a nationwide decrease in violence of nearly 60 percent, Diyala province, where the torture center was found, is still turbulent — largely because the summer influx of U.S. troops in Baghdad, a freeze on activities by the Mahdi Army militia and the rise of Sunni anti-al-Qaida "awakening" groups have pushed militants into the area.
"Yes, there are still some very bad things going on in that province," Hertling said. "We are slower in coming around because ... some of the extremists have been pushed east from Anbar province as they've seen the awakening movement there and north from Baghdad as the surge operations took place there."
Hertling said that the number of roadside bombings against coalition and Iraqi troops in the area had decreased between 40 and 50 percent since the summer. He said there were 849 such attacks in November as compared to 1,698 in June.
However, 13 civilians were killed Thursday east of Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, when a man wearing an explosives vest blew himself up amid a crowd that had gathered around U.S. soldiers handing out holiday gifts, a local policeman said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to release the information. At least 18 people were hurt in the attack.
Source: AP
Moderate earthquake shook the capital of Ankara
ANKARA, Turkey - A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7 shook the capital of Ankara on Thursday, Turkey's Istanbul-based Kandilli seismology center said. There was no immediate reports of any major damage or injuries.
New Zealand east coast shaken by 6.8 quake
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A strong earthquake rattled the east coast of New Zealand's North Island on Thursday, causing some power outages and minor damage but no casualties.
MOSCOW - Iran's first nuclear power plant, which is being built by Russia, will not come online until late 2008, Russian news reports said Thursday.
Iran - Quake - South An earthquake measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale hit suburbs of Jam region in Bushehr province, southern Iran, Tuesday morning.
Iran - Quake - Khorassan Razavi An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale hit the outskirts of Saleh-Abad region in Khorassan Razavi province, northeastern Iran, early Monday morning.
Iran - Quake - Mianeh An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale hit the outskirts of the city of 'Mianeh' in East Azarbaijan province, northwestern Iran, early Saturday morning
Iran - Quake - North An earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale hit suburbs of Kiasar region in Mazandaran province, northern Iran, Wednesday morning.
Iran - Quake - Fars An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale hit the outskirts of 'Khesht' region near the city of Kazeroun in Fars province, south of Iran, early Tuesday morning.
Iran - Quake - Mianeh The second quake which hit the northwestern city of Mianeh in East Azarbaijan province early Saturday morning created panic among the local people.
Yea right..This is just another major threat in many ways we have to worry about in the future on one in this planets most frequent and biggest convergent plate boundary earthquake zones! And there is a high level of people with cancer in Saudi Arabia! Well..take a look at that Globe!
You got the nerve! And Iran fears for Green peace!
Dam You! You be damned! Eat grass! DRY grass!
MOSCOW - Iran's first nuclear power plant, which is being built by Russia, will not come online until late 2008, Russian news reports said Thursday.
Iran - Quake - South An earthquake measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale hit suburbs of Jam region in Bushehr province, southern Iran, Tuesday morning.
Iran - Quake - Khorassan Razavi An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale hit the outskirts of Saleh-Abad region in Khorassan Razavi province, northeastern Iran, early Monday morning.
Iran - Quake - Mianeh An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale hit the outskirts of the city of 'Mianeh' in East Azarbaijan province, northwestern Iran, early Saturday morning
Iran - Quake - North An earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter scale hit suburbs of Kiasar region in Mazandaran province, northern Iran, Wednesday morning.
Iran - Quake - Fars An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale hit the outskirts of 'Khesht' region near the city of Kazeroun in Fars province, south of Iran, early Tuesday morning.
Iran - Quake - Mianeh The second quake which hit the northwestern city of Mianeh in East Azarbaijan province early Saturday morning created panic among the local people.
Yea right..This is just another major threat in many ways we have to worry about in the future on one in this planets most frequent and biggest convergent plate boundary earthquake zones! And there is a high level of people with cancer in Saudi Arabia! Well..take a look at that Globe!
You got the nerve! And Iran fears for Green peace!
Dam You! You be damned! Eat grass! DRY grass!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Gaza's embattled Hamas leaders are seeking a cease-fire
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Gaza's embattled Hamas leaders are seeking a cease-fire after months of Israeli attacks and sanctions, going so far as to make an unprecedented appeal through the Israeli media, a Hamas official confirmed Wednesday.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's Housing Ministry has drawn up a preliminary proposal to build new homes on occupied land near Jerusalem but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said on Wednesday the plan has not been authorized.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's Housing Ministry has drawn up a preliminary proposal to build new homes on occupied land near Jerusalem but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said on Wednesday the plan has not been authorized.
We have nuclear, we have Turkey´s border with weapon transportations and forums in Istanbul, the Kurds! And two badly synchronized "parents"
Kurds: We will defend civilians
BAGHDAD - Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq said Wednesday that their forces would defend civilians if they were caught up in any fighting between Turkish troops and Kurdish rebels from the outlawed PKK in the area.
On Tuesday, Turkey sent hundreds of troops across the border into the frigid mountains of northern Iraq, claiming it inflicted heavy losses on Turkish Kurd rebels in the small-scale incursion and in air strikes two days earlier. The offensive puts more pressure on Washington to mediate between Iraq and Turkey. In a sign of increasing tension, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees reported that more than 1,800 people fled their homes in parts of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdistan last weekend. Iraqi officials have complained that Turkey's actions are a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, although they also have said they recognize the threat posed by the PKK, or Kurdistan People's Party. "We are not part of the military dispute between Turkey and the PKK," said Jabar Yawar, a spokesman for Kurdistan's Peshmerga militia.
Yawar said that "if there are any violations by Turkish troops against any secure civilian villages, the Peshmerga will do their job to defend their citizens." Tuesday's raid was the first confirmed Turkish ground operation targeting rebel bases inside Iraq since the U.S. invasion in 2003, though about 1,200 Turkish military monitors have operated in northern Iraq since 1996 with permission from local authorities. However, the incursion was not a large-scale push that some feared could destabilize a relatively calm part of Iraq — and which is adjacent to the nation's main northern oil fields around Kirkuk.
The rebels have battled for autonomy in southeastern Turkey for more than two decades and use strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border strikes. Turkey has said it can no longer tolerate the attacks on its troops, and in October Turkey's Parliament authorized the country's military to strike back at the rebels inside Iraq. In November, the Turkish military reportedly massed 100,000 troops along the border, and there are fears that a major Turkish offensive could cause civilian casualties and lead to conflict with the Peshmerga. Tuesday's operation involving about 300 soldiers began about 3 a.m. and lasted 15 hours before the soldiers returned to Turkey, Iraqi Kurd officials said. "Today's Turkish military operation was a limited one, and the troops withdrew from Iraqi territory," Yawar said. The Turkish military issued a statement saying ground forces based close to the border crossed into northern Iraq after spotting a group of rebels trying to infiltrate into Turkey overnight. "A heavy blow was inflicted on the group with the land forces stationed in the area," it said. The incursion came after Turkey launched airstrikes by as many as 50 Turkish fighter jets Sunday against Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq. Iraqi officials said one civilian was killed.
The military said it was not able to give the number of rebels who may have been killed during the airstrikes, but maintained that "many facilities harboring the PKK were hit." It was unclear what role the U.S. played, if any, in Tuesday's ground operation. U.S. military commanders in Iraq didn't know Turkey was sending warplanes to bomb in northern Iraq on Sunday until the planes had already crossed the border, said defense and diplomatic officials, who were angered about being left in the dark. Americans have been providing Turkey with intelligence to go after Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, and a "coordination center" has been set up in Ankara so Turks, Iraqis and Americans can share information, two officials said Tuesday. But defense and diplomatic officials in Washington and Baghdad said that U.S. commanders in Iraq knew nothing about Sunday's attack until it was already under way. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. The latest ground incursion is small compared with Turkish offensives across the border during the 1990s, when Ankara launched a series of major air and ground attacks against rebel bases. In the most extensive campaign — opened in March 1995 — more than 35,000 Turkish troops pushed up to 35 miles into Iraqi territory.
___
Associated Press writers Yahya Barzanji in Sulaimaniyah and Pauline Jelinek in Washington contributed to this report.
By ELENA BECATOROS
Syrian president says he received proposal from purported Pakistani weapons smugglers; adds he didn't respond to IAF strike to avoid war.
Thank you Mr Assad!
We have nuclear, we have Turkey´s border with weapon transportations and forums in Istanbul, we have the Kurds and decades of conflict! We have idiots in Gaza that think they are immunized and brainwashed militants, "opponents" in Syria..And two badly synchronized "parents" ..What do we get? Fruitcake?
BAGHDAD - Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq said Wednesday that their forces would defend civilians if they were caught up in any fighting between Turkish troops and Kurdish rebels from the outlawed PKK in the area.
On Tuesday, Turkey sent hundreds of troops across the border into the frigid mountains of northern Iraq, claiming it inflicted heavy losses on Turkish Kurd rebels in the small-scale incursion and in air strikes two days earlier. The offensive puts more pressure on Washington to mediate between Iraq and Turkey. In a sign of increasing tension, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees reported that more than 1,800 people fled their homes in parts of Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdistan last weekend. Iraqi officials have complained that Turkey's actions are a violation of Iraqi sovereignty, although they also have said they recognize the threat posed by the PKK, or Kurdistan People's Party. "We are not part of the military dispute between Turkey and the PKK," said Jabar Yawar, a spokesman for Kurdistan's Peshmerga militia.
Yawar said that "if there are any violations by Turkish troops against any secure civilian villages, the Peshmerga will do their job to defend their citizens." Tuesday's raid was the first confirmed Turkish ground operation targeting rebel bases inside Iraq since the U.S. invasion in 2003, though about 1,200 Turkish military monitors have operated in northern Iraq since 1996 with permission from local authorities. However, the incursion was not a large-scale push that some feared could destabilize a relatively calm part of Iraq — and which is adjacent to the nation's main northern oil fields around Kirkuk.
The rebels have battled for autonomy in southeastern Turkey for more than two decades and use strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border strikes. Turkey has said it can no longer tolerate the attacks on its troops, and in October Turkey's Parliament authorized the country's military to strike back at the rebels inside Iraq. In November, the Turkish military reportedly massed 100,000 troops along the border, and there are fears that a major Turkish offensive could cause civilian casualties and lead to conflict with the Peshmerga. Tuesday's operation involving about 300 soldiers began about 3 a.m. and lasted 15 hours before the soldiers returned to Turkey, Iraqi Kurd officials said. "Today's Turkish military operation was a limited one, and the troops withdrew from Iraqi territory," Yawar said. The Turkish military issued a statement saying ground forces based close to the border crossed into northern Iraq after spotting a group of rebels trying to infiltrate into Turkey overnight. "A heavy blow was inflicted on the group with the land forces stationed in the area," it said. The incursion came after Turkey launched airstrikes by as many as 50 Turkish fighter jets Sunday against Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq. Iraqi officials said one civilian was killed.
The military said it was not able to give the number of rebels who may have been killed during the airstrikes, but maintained that "many facilities harboring the PKK were hit." It was unclear what role the U.S. played, if any, in Tuesday's ground operation. U.S. military commanders in Iraq didn't know Turkey was sending warplanes to bomb in northern Iraq on Sunday until the planes had already crossed the border, said defense and diplomatic officials, who were angered about being left in the dark. Americans have been providing Turkey with intelligence to go after Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, and a "coordination center" has been set up in Ankara so Turks, Iraqis and Americans can share information, two officials said Tuesday. But defense and diplomatic officials in Washington and Baghdad said that U.S. commanders in Iraq knew nothing about Sunday's attack until it was already under way. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. The latest ground incursion is small compared with Turkish offensives across the border during the 1990s, when Ankara launched a series of major air and ground attacks against rebel bases. In the most extensive campaign — opened in March 1995 — more than 35,000 Turkish troops pushed up to 35 miles into Iraqi territory.
___
Associated Press writers Yahya Barzanji in Sulaimaniyah and Pauline Jelinek in Washington contributed to this report.
By ELENA BECATOROS
Syrian president says he received proposal from purported Pakistani weapons smugglers; adds he didn't respond to IAF strike to avoid war.
Thank you Mr Assad!
We have nuclear, we have Turkey´s border with weapon transportations and forums in Istanbul, we have the Kurds and decades of conflict! We have idiots in Gaza that think they are immunized and brainwashed militants, "opponents" in Syria..And two badly synchronized "parents" ..What do we get? Fruitcake?
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Family and children´s time start here..
Children,reflection and rest..
ROVANIEMI, Finland (Reuters) - Customer service, story-telling, nature studies and wilderness survival are essential skills for any elf worthy of the name. Anyone who aspires to a job as a Santa's helper can acquire them at a new Elf Academy in Rovaniemi, 2,600 km (1,600 miles) from the North Pole, which Finland claims as home to the "real" Santa Claus.
Well...As we said: Santa have several branches around the world. It´s quite logical..Otherwise he would never have the time to read letters and handling all Christmas gifts. He does not have all gifts on one place. That would be really impractical..in that meaning he would have to go all the way to the North Pole back and forward every time he needs to reload his sledge! Then he would never have the time to visit every child and give out Christmas gifts! It does not work that way. He travels in circles around his branches to pick up all the gifts! You should know that! Or maybe one need to be a child to figure that out..
Before Santa Claus showed himself to humans, he used to go around their farms and houses during the night. He would touch the grown ups on their heads and give them dreams. The children also got dreams from Santa Claus, filled with love and happy thoughts. Today, Santa Claus spread his love and happy thoughts through Christmas gifts and teaching children peace, love and understanding. Santa Claus has always wanted to teach children how to care for animals, nature and each other. He wants them to use their imagination and believe in themselves. "Never forget to use your imagination, never quit dreaming, and remember that the magic is all around you if you only have eyes for it."
Visitors stand outside Santa Claus' office at Santa Claus' Village on the Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi, northern Finland, Dec. 18, 2007. Photo by Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Well..go for it Mr Pope ..
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican on Tuesday rejected condemnation by al Qaeda saying the militants were afraid of inter-religious dialogue.
They are afraid of any dialogues. They are afraid to stick out there noses outside their doors. They are not use to it. They are only used to fax machines and video tapes that do not answer back. But we would love to see Mr Pope challenge them into dialogue. They sure could need it, they living in darkness, behind curtains and have no else to talk to than their brainwashed militants. They sure need help to get out from the darkness and into the day light of sun and singing birds. No wonder they are so hostile..They sure need help..
They are afraid of any dialogues. They are afraid to stick out there noses outside their doors. They are not use to it. They are only used to fax machines and video tapes that do not answer back. But we would love to see Mr Pope challenge them into dialogue. They sure could need it, they living in darkness, behind curtains and have no else to talk to than their brainwashed militants. They sure need help to get out from the darkness and into the day light of sun and singing birds. No wonder they are so hostile..They sure need help..
A significant reduction in the US nuclear weapons stockpile
President George W. Bush has approved "a significant reduction" in the US nuclear weapons stockpile, cutting it to less than one-quarter its size at the end of the Cold War, the White House said Tuesday. "We are reducing our nuclear weapons stockpile to the lowest level consistent with America's national security and our commitments to friends and allies," White House press secretary Dana Perino said. "A credible deterrent remains an essential part of US national security, and nuclear forces remain key to meeting emerging security challenges." The US government will not provide any numbers on the overall size of the nuclear stockpile, but there are believed to be nearly 6,000 warheads that either are deployed or in active reserve. Under terms of a 2002 arms control treaty with Russia, the US is committed to reducing the number of deployed warheads to between 1,700 and 2200 by 2012.
We agree that this settlement issue should be "grabbed into". We will have a tough start into the next year. So it´s time for rest and reflection.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has instructed Israeli negotiators to work on sealing an agreement with the Palestinians as quickly as possible. Olmert and Abbas have met eight or nine times and told their respective teams to write a paper that would form the basis for negotiations. But when the teams sat down, the official said, the Palestinian side did not do what Abbas had told Olmert would be done.
The official said that what happened Monday in Paris was "a positive part of the process." The PA, he said, needed to set up effective and functioning institutions as the basis for a Palestinian state. "If so we will have a serious and strong partner," he added. Although PA Prime Minister Salaam Fayad has presented the international community with an economic reform plan, the official said Israel has not yet seen a security plan, and that he hoped Fayad would present one.
"The main issue is security," the official said. "If they build credible security forces the whole process will change, and our ability to take a risk will be much more then it is now." "We need you to know that Palestinian welfare and Israeli security are not competing interests; they are interconnected ones," Livni told delegates. Livni, in a speech to the Paris donor's conference, said that she was in attendance "because the establishment of a peaceful and prosperous Palestinian state that respects law and order and fulfills the legitimate national aspirations of its people is not just a Palestinian dream - it is also an Israeli interest." She told the conference that there was a need to close the gap "between the vision and reality," adding that "no dialogue or understanding about the future can take hold, unless it is matched by real changes on the ground."
Also in an apparent reference to the first meeting of the Israeli-Palestinian steering committee that ended in mutual recriminations last Wednesday, she said, "Changing the reality on the ground takes more than a political decision. It requires constant effort in the face of daily difficulties, and it can lead to frustration on both sides. The temptation to engage in mutual accusations or to find reasons for halting our dialogue will appear, at times, difficult to resist. But ultimately it is self-defeating."
Following the meeting, the Quartet - the US, EU, Russia and the UN - met and issued a statement that, among other elements, "expressed concern over the announcement of new housing tenders for Har Homa/Jabal abu Ghneim. Principals called for all sides to refrain from steps that undermine confidence, and underscored the importance of avoiding any actions that could prejudice the outcome of permanent status negotiations. The Quartet called on both parties to make progress on their Phase One Roadmap obligations, including an Israeli freeze on settlements, removal of unauthorized outposts, and opening of East Jerusalem institutions, and Palestinian steps to end violence, terrorism, and incitement."
The Quartet also "reiterated its deep concern over the humanitarian conditions facing the population of the Gaza Strip and emphasized the importance of continued emergency and humanitarian assistance without obstruction," and "called for the continued provision of essential services, including fuel and power supplies. It expressed its urgent concern over the continued closure of major crossing points given the impact on the Palestinian economy and daily life."
The statement also "condemned the continued rocket fire from Gaza into Israel and called for an immediate cessation of such attacks."
Speaking to Army Radio, Ramon said: "What I propose is that we reach an agreement with the Palestinians today over the principle of settlement blocs. The road map also requires Israel to remove several dozen tiny settlement outposts scattered throughout the West Bank. Ramon acknowledged that Israel has failed to meet this obligation. "We are not able to deal with our commitments," he said. He accused "a minority of extremists" of "dictating Israel's way in an undemocratic manner."
The cost of the government's holdups in dealing with the plight of the evacuees from the 2005 disengagement from Gush Katif has thus far cost the state NIS 1 billion, according to a new report that will be presented Tuesday to the Knesset lobby for the residents of the former Gaza settlement. The authors of the report also stated that the attempt to cut back costs had backfired and caused government expenses to rise exorbitantly, while 85% of evacuated families are still living in temporary residences in caravan sites. In addition, the report said, government tightfistedness has given rise to extensive unemployment. "If there were less stinginess we would not be witnessing this phenomenon," Army Radio quoted Prof. Sadan as saying. The government will sustain losses of NIS 140 million with every passing year if it fails to find a solution to the crisis, the report said, citing clumsy and ineffective treatment on the part of SELA, the disengagement authority. SELA claimed in response that some of the numbers presented by the report were inaccurate. "The figure of 30% employment is simply false. We're talking about less than half that," Army Radio quoted SELA officials as saying. Senior SELA official Adiel Shimron attributed the prohibitive costs to the authority's assenting of the evacuees' request to resettle entire communities to new towns.
Settlements must stop to prepare the path to proper talks, talks that can lead us to a definite solution to known questions such as Jerusalem, refugees, borders, security...to get to a real peace treaty between us and the Israelis," Abbas said.
One official said Israel defined a settlement freeze as a commitment not to build any new settlements and not to confiscate any additional Palestinian lands for settlement use. Included in its definition of a settlement freeze, the official said Israel will not provide economic incentives for more Israelis to move to existing settlements. The official said it was unclear what "natural growth" included.
We will dive into this settlement issue..And we will not let it go until you have come to agreements.
The official said that what happened Monday in Paris was "a positive part of the process." The PA, he said, needed to set up effective and functioning institutions as the basis for a Palestinian state. "If so we will have a serious and strong partner," he added. Although PA Prime Minister Salaam Fayad has presented the international community with an economic reform plan, the official said Israel has not yet seen a security plan, and that he hoped Fayad would present one.
"The main issue is security," the official said. "If they build credible security forces the whole process will change, and our ability to take a risk will be much more then it is now." "We need you to know that Palestinian welfare and Israeli security are not competing interests; they are interconnected ones," Livni told delegates. Livni, in a speech to the Paris donor's conference, said that she was in attendance "because the establishment of a peaceful and prosperous Palestinian state that respects law and order and fulfills the legitimate national aspirations of its people is not just a Palestinian dream - it is also an Israeli interest." She told the conference that there was a need to close the gap "between the vision and reality," adding that "no dialogue or understanding about the future can take hold, unless it is matched by real changes on the ground."
Also in an apparent reference to the first meeting of the Israeli-Palestinian steering committee that ended in mutual recriminations last Wednesday, she said, "Changing the reality on the ground takes more than a political decision. It requires constant effort in the face of daily difficulties, and it can lead to frustration on both sides. The temptation to engage in mutual accusations or to find reasons for halting our dialogue will appear, at times, difficult to resist. But ultimately it is self-defeating."
Following the meeting, the Quartet - the US, EU, Russia and the UN - met and issued a statement that, among other elements, "expressed concern over the announcement of new housing tenders for Har Homa/Jabal abu Ghneim. Principals called for all sides to refrain from steps that undermine confidence, and underscored the importance of avoiding any actions that could prejudice the outcome of permanent status negotiations. The Quartet called on both parties to make progress on their Phase One Roadmap obligations, including an Israeli freeze on settlements, removal of unauthorized outposts, and opening of East Jerusalem institutions, and Palestinian steps to end violence, terrorism, and incitement."
The Quartet also "reiterated its deep concern over the humanitarian conditions facing the population of the Gaza Strip and emphasized the importance of continued emergency and humanitarian assistance without obstruction," and "called for the continued provision of essential services, including fuel and power supplies. It expressed its urgent concern over the continued closure of major crossing points given the impact on the Palestinian economy and daily life."
The statement also "condemned the continued rocket fire from Gaza into Israel and called for an immediate cessation of such attacks."
Speaking to Army Radio, Ramon said: "What I propose is that we reach an agreement with the Palestinians today over the principle of settlement blocs. The road map also requires Israel to remove several dozen tiny settlement outposts scattered throughout the West Bank. Ramon acknowledged that Israel has failed to meet this obligation. "We are not able to deal with our commitments," he said. He accused "a minority of extremists" of "dictating Israel's way in an undemocratic manner."
The cost of the government's holdups in dealing with the plight of the evacuees from the 2005 disengagement from Gush Katif has thus far cost the state NIS 1 billion, according to a new report that will be presented Tuesday to the Knesset lobby for the residents of the former Gaza settlement. The authors of the report also stated that the attempt to cut back costs had backfired and caused government expenses to rise exorbitantly, while 85% of evacuated families are still living in temporary residences in caravan sites. In addition, the report said, government tightfistedness has given rise to extensive unemployment. "If there were less stinginess we would not be witnessing this phenomenon," Army Radio quoted Prof. Sadan as saying. The government will sustain losses of NIS 140 million with every passing year if it fails to find a solution to the crisis, the report said, citing clumsy and ineffective treatment on the part of SELA, the disengagement authority. SELA claimed in response that some of the numbers presented by the report were inaccurate. "The figure of 30% employment is simply false. We're talking about less than half that," Army Radio quoted SELA officials as saying. Senior SELA official Adiel Shimron attributed the prohibitive costs to the authority's assenting of the evacuees' request to resettle entire communities to new towns.
Settlements must stop to prepare the path to proper talks, talks that can lead us to a definite solution to known questions such as Jerusalem, refugees, borders, security...to get to a real peace treaty between us and the Israelis," Abbas said.
One official said Israel defined a settlement freeze as a commitment not to build any new settlements and not to confiscate any additional Palestinian lands for settlement use. Included in its definition of a settlement freeze, the official said Israel will not provide economic incentives for more Israelis to move to existing settlements. The official said it was unclear what "natural growth" included.
We will dive into this settlement issue..And we will not let it go until you have come to agreements.
Israeli and Palestinian security forces are working together
JERUSALEM - Israeli tourism workers are handing out candy and welcome cards to foreign visitors this Christmas as their numbers swell to levels seen before fighting with the Palestinians broke out seven years ago, officials said Tuesday.
Tourism officials say the renewed peace process has helped. "Now we can say there is a peace atmosphere for Christmas," said Raphael Ben-Hur, the ministry's deputy director-general. The improved trust between Israel and the Palestinians means tourists are also visiting the West Bank, especially the town of Bethlehem, Jesus' traditional birthplace, Ben-Hur said. As part of this cooperative effort, Israel has issued 42 permits to Palestinian tour guides to lead groups in Israel, Ben-Hur said.
Israeli and Palestinian security forces are working together to ensure the smooth flow of tourists into Palestinian-controlled Bethlehem, said Lt. Col. Kamil Wahabee, an Israeli commander at the town's coordinating office. To get to Bethlehem, tourists must cross through a large Israeli army checkpoint at Israel's West Bank separation barrier.
The state has spent thousands of dollars on decorations to make tourists feel more welcome, the Tourism Ministry said. Workers at ministry-sponsored visitors' centers are also handing out candy and welcome letters to visitors, Ben-Hur said. Israel will allow 500 Christians from the Gaza Strip to enter Israel and the West Bank for up to one month during the Christmas season, Wahabee said. Israel has also allowed hundreds of Muslims to travel into Israel and within the West Bank for the Eid al-Adha holiday, Wahabee said, but he did not give overall figures. Those festivities begin Wednesday.
Source: Reuters
Tourism officials say the renewed peace process has helped. "Now we can say there is a peace atmosphere for Christmas," said Raphael Ben-Hur, the ministry's deputy director-general. The improved trust between Israel and the Palestinians means tourists are also visiting the West Bank, especially the town of Bethlehem, Jesus' traditional birthplace, Ben-Hur said. As part of this cooperative effort, Israel has issued 42 permits to Palestinian tour guides to lead groups in Israel, Ben-Hur said.
Israeli and Palestinian security forces are working together to ensure the smooth flow of tourists into Palestinian-controlled Bethlehem, said Lt. Col. Kamil Wahabee, an Israeli commander at the town's coordinating office. To get to Bethlehem, tourists must cross through a large Israeli army checkpoint at Israel's West Bank separation barrier.
The state has spent thousands of dollars on decorations to make tourists feel more welcome, the Tourism Ministry said. Workers at ministry-sponsored visitors' centers are also handing out candy and welcome letters to visitors, Ben-Hur said. Israel will allow 500 Christians from the Gaza Strip to enter Israel and the West Bank for up to one month during the Christmas season, Wahabee said. Israel has also allowed hundreds of Muslims to travel into Israel and within the West Bank for the Eid al-Adha holiday, Wahabee said, but he did not give overall figures. Those festivities begin Wednesday.
Source: Reuters
BAGHDAD
- Security will be increased at Baghdad's mosques and other holy sites ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday that begins Wednesday, an Iraqi official said. Extra bomb-detecting equipment will be deployed throughout the capital's places of worship, along with other sites, such as amusement parks, that are likely to attract crowds during the four-day holiday, chief military spokesman for Baghdad, Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Mousawi, said at a news conference on Tuesday. Al-Mousawi also said several Baghdad neighborhoods had become secure in recent months and predicted that 2008 would be a year of stability.
In the last 10 months, 1,159 civilians were killed in that period and that 4,470 were wounded, al-Mousawi said. A total of 224 car bomb attacks occurred in Baghdad during the period and there were 1,239 roadside bombings. Al-Mousawi added that a total of 170 car bombs were disabled and that 3,047 roadside bombs were defused.
In the last 10 months, 1,159 civilians were killed in that period and that 4,470 were wounded, al-Mousawi said. A total of 224 car bomb attacks occurred in Baghdad during the period and there were 1,239 roadside bombings. Al-Mousawi added that a total of 170 car bombs were disabled and that 3,047 roadside bombs were defused.
Islamic-Suicide, convergent plate boundaries and nuclear do not match!
If the Iranians accept that uranium for a civilian nuclear power plant, then there's no need for them to learn how to enrich," Bush said The 2005 agreement under which Russia agreed to supply nuclear fuel for Bushehr included a clause that requires Iran to return the spent fuel to prevent any possibility Teheran would extract plutonium from it to make atomic bombs. "All fuel that will be delivered will be under the control and guarantees of the International Atomic Energy Agency for the whole time it stays on Iranian territory," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday. "Moreover, the Iranian side gave additional written guarantees that the fuel will be used only for the Bushehr nuclear power plant."
Guarantees? We demand that Iran stop their support and feeding of terror with their Islamic-Suicide! The world will not "get out of Iran´s back" until they have stopped their invented Islamic-Suicide working against peace and causing suffering, death and destruction!
You talking about Guarantees?!
For heaven´s sake their nuclear plant is located on their big plate! Iran´s whole coast is a convergent plate boundary. With major fault lines in every direction! And as we know earth quakes, storms and in other occasions causes back up generators to failure!
Guarantees? You people have learned absolutely nothing! What´s in old reactors since the 40´s world wide is the same as it was when chaos went cosmos! What´s up there and all around us space creatures is a divine order! You talking about guarantees of not letting it out in totally chaos! You people must be really someting like God or so! Why haven´t you stop the earth from moving long time ago?
And you people fears for Greenpeace!
This is what it is: http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/science/assets/eagle_nebula.jpg
The fingertip that lays on the very top on this nebula is several times bigger than our solar system.
1 reactor! 1!!!!!!!
Guarantees? We demand that Iran stop their support and feeding of terror with their Islamic-Suicide! The world will not "get out of Iran´s back" until they have stopped their invented Islamic-Suicide working against peace and causing suffering, death and destruction!
You talking about Guarantees?!
For heaven´s sake their nuclear plant is located on their big plate! Iran´s whole coast is a convergent plate boundary. With major fault lines in every direction! And as we know earth quakes, storms and in other occasions causes back up generators to failure!
Guarantees? You people have learned absolutely nothing! What´s in old reactors since the 40´s world wide is the same as it was when chaos went cosmos! What´s up there and all around us space creatures is a divine order! You talking about guarantees of not letting it out in totally chaos! You people must be really someting like God or so! Why haven´t you stop the earth from moving long time ago?
And you people fears for Greenpeace!
This is what it is: http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/science/assets/eagle_nebula.jpg
The fingertip that lays on the very top on this nebula is several times bigger than our solar system.
1 reactor! 1!!!!!!!
"International cooperation and debate."
"The time has come for Arab states to cease using international forums to vilify Israel and to stop indulging in point-scoring, which merely serves to postpone confidence-building in the region; and to publicly condemn those forces of hatred and violence which, ultimately, undermine everything they stand for," said Deputy Foreign Minister Majallie Whbee Tuesday at the Mediterranean Seminar in Tel Aviv held by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
The Mediterranean Seminar is part of an effort by the 56-nation OSCE to promote cooperation on economic, political and human rights issues with six countries of the Mediterranean basin - Israel, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt.
"It is in this context that we urge the pragmatic countries of the region to ask themselves what is the greatest threat to their future," said Whbee to the assembled delegates. "Is it Israel, which has no designs on any of them, or is it the hatred and viciousness propounded by those who strive to drag them into a backward world order?" In his speech to the seminar, Whbee noted the importance of international cooperation.
"A Mediterranean partnership grounded in equality, human rights and democracy will not just be a safe place for its own citizens but an important champion of those values in a very unequal and troubled world," he said. "A strong partnership can bring hope; it can assist the debate on global problems from climate change to economic globalization, from international criminality to terrorism, from conflict resolution to disease eradication. These issues do not respect borders. They need international cooperation and debate."
Meanwhile a very senior Foreign Ministry official expressed the frustration of the ministry at the Arab turnout. "We could have held this seminar at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, but we didn't out of consideration for the Arabs," the official told The Jerusalem Post. "Apparently, the Arabs are unwilling to do their part to have a process. They're not even willing to come to Israel." The official said nearly all the Arab parties had initially agreed to come, but as the conference grew nearer they canceled their participation. "The Moroccans canceled just this Friday."
The Mediterranean Seminar is part of an effort by the 56-nation OSCE to promote cooperation on economic, political and human rights issues with six countries of the Mediterranean basin - Israel, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Egypt.
"It is in this context that we urge the pragmatic countries of the region to ask themselves what is the greatest threat to their future," said Whbee to the assembled delegates. "Is it Israel, which has no designs on any of them, or is it the hatred and viciousness propounded by those who strive to drag them into a backward world order?" In his speech to the seminar, Whbee noted the importance of international cooperation.
"A Mediterranean partnership grounded in equality, human rights and democracy will not just be a safe place for its own citizens but an important champion of those values in a very unequal and troubled world," he said. "A strong partnership can bring hope; it can assist the debate on global problems from climate change to economic globalization, from international criminality to terrorism, from conflict resolution to disease eradication. These issues do not respect borders. They need international cooperation and debate."
Meanwhile a very senior Foreign Ministry official expressed the frustration of the ministry at the Arab turnout. "We could have held this seminar at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, but we didn't out of consideration for the Arabs," the official told The Jerusalem Post. "Apparently, the Arabs are unwilling to do their part to have a process. They're not even willing to come to Israel." The official said nearly all the Arab parties had initially agreed to come, but as the conference grew nearer they canceled their participation. "The Moroccans canceled just this Friday."
13 killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza
The deadly strikes against Islamic-Suiciders are part of a stepped-up Israeli offensive against Gaza militants who fire near-daily rocket barrages at southern Israeli border communities. Islamic-Suiciders , a small radical group with ties to Iran, has taken responsibility for most of the barrages.
"I'm very pleased with our achievements last night," Matan Vilnai, Israel's deputy defense minister, told Army Radio on Tuesday morning. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said that in addition to targeting Israeli civilians those behind the rocket attacks also were seeking to sabotage the renewal of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "Obviously we have to act to protect our people," he said. "These extremists don't want to just kill innocent civilians they want to kill the peace process, they're the enemies of everyone who wants to see this peace process move forward."
Well...We don´t complain..it´s the same Islamic-Suiciders that bombs U.N.´staff in Algeria, the same Islamic-Suiciders that work against stability in Iraq..the same Islamic-Suiciders that kills Iraqis and donkeys. The same brainwashed Islamic-Suiciders that are the ones taking missiles in their heads while others sits safe talking bullshit with their fax machine! It´s the same Islamic-Suiciders that "never invited the U.S. to Iraq"!
So we assume it´s not much idea for Hamas to scream about their "rights" but we are very much seeing it as Israel doing the dirty work, while the Iranian President sits and talks bullshit that only he believes!
These are brainwashed people used in Iran´s interests with their invented rewritten "religion" mixed between rewritten Islam, Zoroastrian and pointing fingers like Krishna. It´s an ongoing brainwashing with different methods such as propaganda in media and several ways to maintain it that have been going on for decades. We are serious when we say that there are needs for confronting this propaganda-brainwashing machinery.
Even though we are pleased that Israel and IDF works hard to not let this people disrupt peace efforts we must remember the injustice action to use people this way, as it´s done in others interest to stand in the way for peace.
And it´s about time that the internationally community take tougher actions against those that stand in the way for stability, agreements and peace and protests loud and clear because this are actions breaking human rights laws for those that are being used, for the Lebanese, for Israelis and for the Palestinians, the children, the Iraqis, for the whole region and every one else. And as well breaking every other law!
We condemn such methods to use people for breaking laws written and unwritten!
We know brainwashing and how it works! We have seen it before and the consequences of it! And it´s as serious as it have been done before to create instability, oppression and to incite wars and world wars! And it´s a crime! It´s a crime against every law and humanity!
UN sees Iranian rights abuses
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. General Assembly approved a draft resolution Tuesday expressing "deep concern" at the systematic human rights violations in Iran, including torture, flogging, amputations, stoning and public executions.
The 192-member world body adopted the resolution by a vote of 73-53 with 55 abstentions. The resolution is not legally binding but carries moral weight and reflects the majority view of world opinion. The resolution was introduced by Canada and backed by the United States and Western nations. It was opposed by many countries whose human rights records have been criticized and who object to the General Assembly targeting specific countries including Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe. The resolution expresses "very serious concern" that despite previous assembly resolutions on human rights in Iran, there have been "confirmed instances" of violations including the use of stoning as a method of execution, "torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations," and multiple public executions.
The resolution calls on the government "to eliminate, in law and practice, all forms of discrimination and other human rights violations" against minorities. It also calls on Iran to abolish public executions and stoning and "to end the harassment, intimidation and persecution of political opponents and human rights defenders, including by releasing persons imprisoned arbitrarily or on the basis of their political views."
By EDITH M. LEDERER
"I'm very pleased with our achievements last night," Matan Vilnai, Israel's deputy defense minister, told Army Radio on Tuesday morning. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said that in addition to targeting Israeli civilians those behind the rocket attacks also were seeking to sabotage the renewal of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "Obviously we have to act to protect our people," he said. "These extremists don't want to just kill innocent civilians they want to kill the peace process, they're the enemies of everyone who wants to see this peace process move forward."
Well...We don´t complain..it´s the same Islamic-Suiciders that bombs U.N.´staff in Algeria, the same Islamic-Suiciders that work against stability in Iraq..the same Islamic-Suiciders that kills Iraqis and donkeys. The same brainwashed Islamic-Suiciders that are the ones taking missiles in their heads while others sits safe talking bullshit with their fax machine! It´s the same Islamic-Suiciders that "never invited the U.S. to Iraq"!
So we assume it´s not much idea for Hamas to scream about their "rights" but we are very much seeing it as Israel doing the dirty work, while the Iranian President sits and talks bullshit that only he believes!
These are brainwashed people used in Iran´s interests with their invented rewritten "religion" mixed between rewritten Islam, Zoroastrian and pointing fingers like Krishna. It´s an ongoing brainwashing with different methods such as propaganda in media and several ways to maintain it that have been going on for decades. We are serious when we say that there are needs for confronting this propaganda-brainwashing machinery.
Even though we are pleased that Israel and IDF works hard to not let this people disrupt peace efforts we must remember the injustice action to use people this way, as it´s done in others interest to stand in the way for peace.
And it´s about time that the internationally community take tougher actions against those that stand in the way for stability, agreements and peace and protests loud and clear because this are actions breaking human rights laws for those that are being used, for the Lebanese, for Israelis and for the Palestinians, the children, the Iraqis, for the whole region and every one else. And as well breaking every other law!
We condemn such methods to use people for breaking laws written and unwritten!
We know brainwashing and how it works! We have seen it before and the consequences of it! And it´s as serious as it have been done before to create instability, oppression and to incite wars and world wars! And it´s a crime! It´s a crime against every law and humanity!
UN sees Iranian rights abuses
UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. General Assembly approved a draft resolution Tuesday expressing "deep concern" at the systematic human rights violations in Iran, including torture, flogging, amputations, stoning and public executions.
The 192-member world body adopted the resolution by a vote of 73-53 with 55 abstentions. The resolution is not legally binding but carries moral weight and reflects the majority view of world opinion. The resolution was introduced by Canada and backed by the United States and Western nations. It was opposed by many countries whose human rights records have been criticized and who object to the General Assembly targeting specific countries including Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Zimbabwe. The resolution expresses "very serious concern" that despite previous assembly resolutions on human rights in Iran, there have been "confirmed instances" of violations including the use of stoning as a method of execution, "torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations," and multiple public executions.
The resolution calls on the government "to eliminate, in law and practice, all forms of discrimination and other human rights violations" against minorities. It also calls on Iran to abolish public executions and stoning and "to end the harassment, intimidation and persecution of political opponents and human rights defenders, including by releasing persons imprisoned arbitrarily or on the basis of their political views."
By EDITH M. LEDERER
Israel submits to UN chief Ban complaint about rocket fire from Gaza
One official said Israel defined a settlement freeze as a commitment not to build any new settlements and not to confiscate any additional Palestinian lands for settlement use. Included in its definition of a settlement freeze, the official said Israel will not provide economic incentives for more Israelis to move to existing settlements. The official said it was unclear what "natural growth" included.
IDF fire kills two more Jihad men in Gaza, in third strike since Monday
IDF fire kills two more Jihad men in Gaza, in third strike since Monday
PARIS
- Donors began committing funds from around the world Monday for the moribund Palestinian economy amid a renewed international push for a Palestinian state, with the European Union promising $650 million in 2008. The U.S. has announced it is pledging about $555 million for 2008. However, the money includes about $400 million that the White House already has announced, but that has not been approved by Congress. The international community gave a huge boost to the Annapolis process by pledging some $7.4 billion for the Palestinians at the Paris donor's conference on Monday. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said this massive sum beat the Palestinians' own expectations.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to fulfill the Palestinian needs and more. "What we must do now is work together before the end of 2008 for the creation of an independent, democratic, viable Palestinian state," French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the meeting's host, said in a speech to representatives from nearly 90 donor countries and international organizations.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that without international support Gaza is "heading into disaster." Abbas, speaking at the conference in Paris, said Gaza is already "close to catastrophe," and would head into disaster without continued international aid.
Fayyad has presented a three-year reform plan, with promises to cut government spending by trimming a bloated public payroll and reducing hundreds of millions of dollars in utility bills. Still, he wants 70 percent of the aid initially to go toward reducing his huge budget deficit, with the emphasis shifting only gradually to development projects. Abbas called on Israel Monday to freeze Jewish settlements "without excuses." Under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan, Israel is required to freeze the construction of Israeli settlements, while the Palestinians must disarm militants and restore order in the Palestinian territories.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to fulfill the Palestinian needs and more. "What we must do now is work together before the end of 2008 for the creation of an independent, democratic, viable Palestinian state," French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the meeting's host, said in a speech to representatives from nearly 90 donor countries and international organizations.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that without international support Gaza is "heading into disaster." Abbas, speaking at the conference in Paris, said Gaza is already "close to catastrophe," and would head into disaster without continued international aid.
Fayyad has presented a three-year reform plan, with promises to cut government spending by trimming a bloated public payroll and reducing hundreds of millions of dollars in utility bills. Still, he wants 70 percent of the aid initially to go toward reducing his huge budget deficit, with the emphasis shifting only gradually to development projects. Abbas called on Israel Monday to freeze Jewish settlements "without excuses." Under the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan, Israel is required to freeze the construction of Israeli settlements, while the Palestinians must disarm militants and restore order in the Palestinian territories.
Iraqi archaeologists working in a city south of Baghdad unearthed more than 1,000 antiquities
BAGHDAD - Iraqi archaeologists working in a city south of Baghdad unearthed more than 1,000 antiquities and delivered them Monday to the National Museum, which has struggled to rebuild its collection since it was looted in the U.S.-led invasion.
The museum has been closed to the public since 2003, but curators have been trying to recover some of the 15,000 stolen relics and piece together a collection. Qais Hussein, who directs Iraqi archaeological digs, said the antiquities were discovered by three teams at the beginning of the year in the Shiite city of Diwaniyah, 80 miles south of Baghdad. Hussein did not say when the National Museum would be open to the public. The looting of the museum triggered sharp criticism of U.S. forces both in Iraq and abroad. Museum curators and archaeologists worldwide blamed the United States for not preventing the theft of thousands of treasures, some of them dating from the earliest days of human history.
The museum has been closed to the public since 2003, but curators have been trying to recover some of the 15,000 stolen relics and piece together a collection. Qais Hussein, who directs Iraqi archaeological digs, said the antiquities were discovered by three teams at the beginning of the year in the Shiite city of Diwaniyah, 80 miles south of Baghdad. Hussein did not say when the National Museum would be open to the public. The looting of the museum triggered sharp criticism of U.S. forces both in Iraq and abroad. Museum curators and archaeologists worldwide blamed the United States for not preventing the theft of thousands of treasures, some of them dating from the earliest days of human history.
So..Disturbed? yeah..It´s authorized archaeologists expertise to judge whats archaeological findings and not!
The Prime Minister's Office released a statement Monday evening stating that according to government policy, no Israeli settlements in the West Bank will be expanded. The PMO stressed that no new construction would be authorized in existing settlements, no additional land would be authorized for construction, and no new settlements would be established.
Well..You are really fast ain´t you? You have done constructions in Har Homa on a week or so..It´s a existing settlement but it´s a expansion in the existing settlement. So where is the line between expanding and expanding? What is natural grow? It ain't to start building on the neighbouring country´s border..that much we do understand..These are issues to sort out here!
We do not like the attitude! There is need to be agreements and sorting out this issues about whats expanding a existing settlement and what´s not..As we know there are people still living in tents that did had a home.And people that are homeless even taking shelter at the structures in the ongoing repair of the Mugrabi walkway. What are they? "Social impairments"?
We are pleased that the plans was changed about the bridge there..But what´s this politicians deciding what´s archaeological findings and not? Ministerial Committee for Jerusalem Affairs decision! Of course! What do they know? It´s authorized archaeologists expertise to judge whats archaeological findings and not!
Well..You are really fast ain´t you? You have done constructions in Har Homa on a week or so..It´s a existing settlement but it´s a expansion in the existing settlement. So where is the line between expanding and expanding? What is natural grow? It ain't to start building on the neighbouring country´s border..that much we do understand..These are issues to sort out here!
We do not like the attitude! There is need to be agreements and sorting out this issues about whats expanding a existing settlement and what´s not..As we know there are people still living in tents that did had a home.And people that are homeless even taking shelter at the structures in the ongoing repair of the Mugrabi walkway. What are they? "Social impairments"?
We are pleased that the plans was changed about the bridge there..But what´s this politicians deciding what´s archaeological findings and not? Ministerial Committee for Jerusalem Affairs decision! Of course! What do they know? It´s authorized archaeologists expertise to judge whats archaeological findings and not!
Monday, December 17, 2007
Israeli airstrikes blasted two cars in Gaza
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli airstrikes blasted two cars in Gaza Monday night, killing five Islamic Jihad militants, including a senior commander and a master rocket maker. In the second airstrike, shortly before midnight, the military said its aircraft targeted a cell that was about to fire rockets at Israel. Undercover agents took part in the attack, the military said, and the leader of the cell was killed. Two other militants also died.
"Don't turn environmentalism into a religious war."
"Cut down waste, not trees. But for heaven's sake don't turn environmentalism into a religious war."
Well...We thought a line of North-South with all cold melted ice waters will stop the whole Golf stream and crouching this East-West "thing"..That becomes a cross..A frosty cross..
You know.... +
Or..maybe not..Nähä! Inte det..
Well...We thought a line of North-South with all cold melted ice waters will stop the whole Golf stream and crouching this East-West "thing"..That becomes a cross..A frosty cross..
You know.... +
Or..maybe not..Nähä! Inte det..
Iraqi leaders complained Monday that Turkey had not coordinated with Baghdad before sending dozens of warplanes
BAGHDAD - Iraqi leaders complained Monday that Turkey had not coordinated with Baghdad before sending dozens of warplanes to bomb Kurdish rebel targets in northern Iraq — the largest aerial attack in years against the outlawed separatist group.
Looki looki..And that´s how bad it is-part II..The polar bears are starving! The Antarctic is a reservation! What part of that is hard to understand?
A decision on whether to send an Australian navy ship to shadow the Japanese whaling fleet near Antarctica to gather evidence for a possible international court challenge would also be made this week, he said.
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/whales/
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/live-webcam
Polar bears also need protection.. There have happen that Polar bears have drown because they haven´t found any ice to climb up to! One wonder..If that´s what people want to see in their "tours"! A polar bear fighting for it´s life while drowning! Yeah..Such a great "tourism"!
“The growth in tourism has the potential to affect national research programmes and to increase the risk to the marine environment and terrestrial ecosystems,” says a report by the United Nations Environment Programme. But despite these concerns, it forecasts that visitor numbers will continue to climb as the sea ice in the region continues to retreat – opening up new passages for cruise ships.
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/holiday_type/cruises/article1886800.ece
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/whales/
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/live-webcam
Polar bears also need protection.. There have happen that Polar bears have drown because they haven´t found any ice to climb up to! One wonder..If that´s what people want to see in their "tours"! A polar bear fighting for it´s life while drowning! Yeah..Such a great "tourism"!
“The growth in tourism has the potential to affect national research programmes and to increase the risk to the marine environment and terrestrial ecosystems,” says a report by the United Nations Environment Programme. But despite these concerns, it forecasts that visitor numbers will continue to climb as the sea ice in the region continues to retreat – opening up new passages for cruise ships.
How many dollars are people prepared to pay to see a polar bear drown?
http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/holiday_type/cruises/article1886800.ece
The "Stolen Generation." Australia PM takes Aboriginal welfare to summit. 10-years-old do not agree! They have no clue what is going to happen!
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Anger over the gang rape of a 10-year-old aboriginal girl has prompted Australia's new Labor government to make indigenous welfare the focus of a summit of national and state leaders this week.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has promised to close a 17-year average lifespan gap between Aborigines and other Australians, said on Monday indigenous equality would take precedence at Thursday's summit in Melbourne. "We believe these are critical areas of great interest and relevance to Australian families," Rudd told reporters after closed-door talks with senior cabinet members in Canberra. Rudd's centre-left government has been under pressure to solve a long-running crisis in indigenous welfare, highlighted last week by the gang rape of a young girl in an aboriginal community on Cape York, the country's northern tip. Aborigines are Australia's most disadvantaged group with many living in third-world conditions in isolated outback settlements. Just 18,000 live in Cape York, an area the size of Germany. The summit meeting between Labor leaders, now in control across the country since Rudd's election victory over veteran conservative leader John Howard last month, is expected to lay the ground for coordinated action to improve aboriginal welfare. It will be the first between Rudd and state leaders.
A judge sparked public outrage last week when she found a 10-year-old girl "probably agreed" to have sex with nine males in the township of Aurukun in 2006, declining jail terms for the men who pleaded guilty to the crime. Rudd met with aboriginal leaders over the weekend, but ruled out widening a paramilitary-style intervention by troops and police in the outback Northern Territory to stamp out rampant child sexual abuse and alcoholism in indigenous townships. Aboriginal elders on Monday said as part of Rudd's drive for racial reconciliation, a planned apology in parliament for past injustices suffered by Aborigines since European settlement should use the words "evil" and "cruel" in its text. Howard steadfastly refused to apologize to indigenous people over his 11 years in power because it could open the door to compensation claims and lead to revision of textbooks towards what he called a "black armband" version of history.
Influential aboriginal leader Lowitja O'Donoghue said Rudd should agree to a A$1 billion ($860 million) compensation fund for aboriginal children forcibly taken from their homes over decades to assimilate them into white communities. The children became known as the "Stolen Generation." Rudd said the summit meeting would also discuss Australia's long-running drought, health and education, a national carbon trading scheme and a crisis in home affordability.
A decision on whether to send an Australian navy ship to shadow the Japanese whaling fleet near Antarctica to gather evidence for a possible international court challenge would also be made this week, he said.
($1=A$1.16)
By Rob Taylor Editing by Rosalind Russell
10-years-old have no clue whatsoever what is going to happen! 10-years old do not agree! And there is no women on this planet that "agrees" to a gang rape or a rape! Female dogs do not agree to a rape! Rape even don´t exists in dogs world! If it´s not made by a human..Gousch!
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who has promised to close a 17-year average lifespan gap between Aborigines and other Australians, said on Monday indigenous equality would take precedence at Thursday's summit in Melbourne. "We believe these are critical areas of great interest and relevance to Australian families," Rudd told reporters after closed-door talks with senior cabinet members in Canberra. Rudd's centre-left government has been under pressure to solve a long-running crisis in indigenous welfare, highlighted last week by the gang rape of a young girl in an aboriginal community on Cape York, the country's northern tip. Aborigines are Australia's most disadvantaged group with many living in third-world conditions in isolated outback settlements. Just 18,000 live in Cape York, an area the size of Germany. The summit meeting between Labor leaders, now in control across the country since Rudd's election victory over veteran conservative leader John Howard last month, is expected to lay the ground for coordinated action to improve aboriginal welfare. It will be the first between Rudd and state leaders.
A judge sparked public outrage last week when she found a 10-year-old girl "probably agreed" to have sex with nine males in the township of Aurukun in 2006, declining jail terms for the men who pleaded guilty to the crime. Rudd met with aboriginal leaders over the weekend, but ruled out widening a paramilitary-style intervention by troops and police in the outback Northern Territory to stamp out rampant child sexual abuse and alcoholism in indigenous townships. Aboriginal elders on Monday said as part of Rudd's drive for racial reconciliation, a planned apology in parliament for past injustices suffered by Aborigines since European settlement should use the words "evil" and "cruel" in its text. Howard steadfastly refused to apologize to indigenous people over his 11 years in power because it could open the door to compensation claims and lead to revision of textbooks towards what he called a "black armband" version of history.
Influential aboriginal leader Lowitja O'Donoghue said Rudd should agree to a A$1 billion ($860 million) compensation fund for aboriginal children forcibly taken from their homes over decades to assimilate them into white communities. The children became known as the "Stolen Generation." Rudd said the summit meeting would also discuss Australia's long-running drought, health and education, a national carbon trading scheme and a crisis in home affordability.
A decision on whether to send an Australian navy ship to shadow the Japanese whaling fleet near Antarctica to gather evidence for a possible international court challenge would also be made this week, he said.
($1=A$1.16)
By Rob Taylor Editing by Rosalind Russell
10-years-old have no clue whatsoever what is going to happen! 10-years old do not agree! And there is no women on this planet that "agrees" to a gang rape or a rape! Female dogs do not agree to a rape! Rape even don´t exists in dogs world! If it´s not made by a human..Gousch!
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Israel's plan to build houses on occupied land near Jerusalem
PARIS (Reuters) - Israel's plan to build houses on occupied land near Jerusalem will cloud renewed peace talks, the Palestinian Authority said on Sunday, the day before an international aid conference opens in Paris. The one-day meeting is the financial follow-up to a U.S.-sponsored conference in Annapolis last month which relaunched formal peace talks with the goal of reaching an agreement on Palestinian statehood by the end of 2008. "The Paris meeting tomorrow is an important step forward. "We need a clear cut Israeli decision concerning this settlement issue, which is very sensitive and important to the Palestinians. This issue is going to reflect itself, whether positively or negatively, in the coming negotiations," he said.
As we said: We demand a peace process and negotiations on equal conditions. That means we do realize it´s hard for the Palestinian authority to negotiate at the same time there is construction plans. We would like to see any such plans on hold while there are negotiations. And we do like to see agreements before any further plans!
It also means we do realize that the Har Homa area and other neighborhoods are as sensitive and important to the Israelis as to the Palestinians. The Israelis will not just pack up and leave as they did in Gaza from some territories but there must be a functioning cooperation in security. We will not stand lined up to be targeted as it was when 400 shooting attacks were unleashed on the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo and its 40,000 residents from the nearby Arab town of Beit Jalathe neighborhood which consisted of major apartment complexes, schools and shopping centers.
There must be negotiations on equal conditions: No planning of constructions in the middle of negotiations and cooperation in security around Gilo and Har Homa and in any other neighborhoods around Jerusalem as well.
We will not leave areas without cooperation in security as it was done Gaza! One must be really naive to expect that!
As we said: We demand a peace process and negotiations on equal conditions. That means we do realize it´s hard for the Palestinian authority to negotiate at the same time there is construction plans. We would like to see any such plans on hold while there are negotiations. And we do like to see agreements before any further plans!
It also means we do realize that the Har Homa area and other neighborhoods are as sensitive and important to the Israelis as to the Palestinians. The Israelis will not just pack up and leave as they did in Gaza from some territories but there must be a functioning cooperation in security. We will not stand lined up to be targeted as it was when 400 shooting attacks were unleashed on the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo and its 40,000 residents from the nearby Arab town of Beit Jalathe neighborhood which consisted of major apartment complexes, schools and shopping centers.
There must be negotiations on equal conditions: No planning of constructions in the middle of negotiations and cooperation in security around Gilo and Har Homa and in any other neighborhoods around Jerusalem as well.
We will not leave areas without cooperation in security as it was done Gaza! One must be really naive to expect that!
So..How about: This weeks summit?
* Lebanese army general Brigadier General Francois al- Hajj is killed in a car bomb attack in a Christian suburb of Beirut on Wednesday, removing a leading contender to replace military chief General Michel Suleiman who is set to be elected president next week.
* Syria targeted and jailed human rights activists. Around 30 people who signed the 2005 Damascus Declaration calling for "radical change" in Syria and took part in a 163-person protest held on December 1, the groups said.
* We demand that negotiations will be held on on equal conditions between the Palestinian authority and the Israelis. We are sure they have come far enough to take their lives in their own hands and can cooperate to secure Har Homa and other places without there have to be any constructions in the middle of negotiations and that companies with economical interests shall not stand in the way! Don´t underestimate your security forces and don´t let politic stand in their way!
* There are Arabs, Jews, Christians and others living in Jerusalem already, and we are tired of a few politicians using Jerusalem and it´s old city as a political tool. There will not be so much changes of the status of Jerusalem as an open city and people already living there more than a common responsibility for holy sites, security, garbage handling and other issues! In fact..There will be no bigger differences more than a political coexistence based on equal common responsibility! Jerusalem and it´s old city is not a burden to be used as a political tool! Jerusalem is a common heritage to take responsibility for!
* Hamas firing rockets, working against peace solutions and against conferences and then Hamas urges PA to boycott Israel talks if the Israelis response to those attacks meant to place obstacle in the way for talks!
* Tuesday. Bombing of UN offices in Algiers. Algeria's Interior Ministry put the official death toll in the bombings at the UN offices and an Algerian government building at 37.
*Friday morning. Hamas kidnapps Omar al-Ghoul at his Gaza home.
* Friday. A psychopath that have a lot in common with the Iranian president broad casted messages from Cairo similar to what we hear from the Iranian president and in leaflets spread in the West Bank, that urged to reject the talks, conferences and agreements between the Palestinians and Israelis. Thinking they will Islamificate Vikings..
* Syrian newspapers writes that the assassination of General al-Hajj has drawn widespread condemnation and Lebanese speculation that Israel's Mossad (intelligence service) is behind this terrorist act.
* The U.S.-led coalition forces announced they received 14 Iranian-made, 107-mm rockets recently seized by the Iraqi civil defense. Iran is willing to talk about terrorists groups and security in Iraq.
* Iraq´s military and U.S forces announces that Syrian efforts to secure their border have positive effects in Iraq.
* The United States is taking global warming and the climate seriously and are going to show the rest of the world that they do take steps and are a part of contributing to take further steps for the sake of this planet and coming generations.
* Hamas force Gaza citizens to demonstrate in the Gaza strip with threats of holding in salaries if their families don´t attend. Reminding others of their obligations towards the Palestinians, while they take no responsibility in any aspects what so ever, talking about it´s all about Islam which we all know is just a tool to get power and control over their own people in the same old methods such as manipulations, threats, threats of threats and intimidation etc..etc..Threats about Schalit without we even know if he is alive..And in the same way use Islam as some think they will Islamificate vikings..
* Muslim Brotherhood demonstrates simultaneously as Gaza in Jordan.
* Hamas claims Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is responsible for the prolonged captivity of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.
* Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry has taken security precautions for this year's hajj pilgrimage and will not allow problems in other countries to be played out in Islam's most holy city. This year's hajj, which officially begins Sunday, takes place amid increasing worries across the Islamic world - over the bloodshed in Iraq and Afghanistan and recent terror attacks in Algeria. Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz said the kingdom is capable of maintaining security and preventing any attempt to threaten the safety of the pilgrims.
* Is there really necessary to show proof for claims of spying? The whole atmosphere is filled with satellites and junk! Everyone are spying on everyone! Some "earth people" are even afraid of their own shadows! You need to work on your fears! You are all your own worst enemies yourselves!
* Sunday. Islamic-Suciders/Hamas militants firing Kassam on two-year old toddler boy in western Negev. Doing everything they can using terror to stand in the way for peace and their own and every other peoples interests for agreements, while Hamas urge others about their obligations. While psychopaths sending the same old repeating messages from Cairo and the Muslim Brotherhood is demonstrating in Jordan at the same time Hamas force people out in the streets in Gaza..And to get IDF into the Gaza strip among their explosives and planted booby traps, tunnels and bombs. And as we all know the IDF have to watch their backs if they do go in there as there probably will be attempts to plant more at the border while they are in there..etc..etc....
* Syria targeted and jailed human rights activists. Around 30 people who signed the 2005 Damascus Declaration calling for "radical change" in Syria and took part in a 163-person protest held on December 1, the groups said.
* We demand that negotiations will be held on on equal conditions between the Palestinian authority and the Israelis. We are sure they have come far enough to take their lives in their own hands and can cooperate to secure Har Homa and other places without there have to be any constructions in the middle of negotiations and that companies with economical interests shall not stand in the way! Don´t underestimate your security forces and don´t let politic stand in their way!
* There are Arabs, Jews, Christians and others living in Jerusalem already, and we are tired of a few politicians using Jerusalem and it´s old city as a political tool. There will not be so much changes of the status of Jerusalem as an open city and people already living there more than a common responsibility for holy sites, security, garbage handling and other issues! In fact..There will be no bigger differences more than a political coexistence based on equal common responsibility! Jerusalem and it´s old city is not a burden to be used as a political tool! Jerusalem is a common heritage to take responsibility for!
* Hamas firing rockets, working against peace solutions and against conferences and then Hamas urges PA to boycott Israel talks if the Israelis response to those attacks meant to place obstacle in the way for talks!
* Tuesday. Bombing of UN offices in Algiers. Algeria's Interior Ministry put the official death toll in the bombings at the UN offices and an Algerian government building at 37.
*Friday morning. Hamas kidnapps Omar al-Ghoul at his Gaza home.
* Friday. A psychopath that have a lot in common with the Iranian president broad casted messages from Cairo similar to what we hear from the Iranian president and in leaflets spread in the West Bank, that urged to reject the talks, conferences and agreements between the Palestinians and Israelis. Thinking they will Islamificate Vikings..
* Syrian newspapers writes that the assassination of General al-Hajj has drawn widespread condemnation and Lebanese speculation that Israel's Mossad (intelligence service) is behind this terrorist act.
* The U.S.-led coalition forces announced they received 14 Iranian-made, 107-mm rockets recently seized by the Iraqi civil defense. Iran is willing to talk about terrorists groups and security in Iraq.
* Iraq´s military and U.S forces announces that Syrian efforts to secure their border have positive effects in Iraq.
* The United States is taking global warming and the climate seriously and are going to show the rest of the world that they do take steps and are a part of contributing to take further steps for the sake of this planet and coming generations.
* Hamas force Gaza citizens to demonstrate in the Gaza strip with threats of holding in salaries if their families don´t attend. Reminding others of their obligations towards the Palestinians, while they take no responsibility in any aspects what so ever, talking about it´s all about Islam which we all know is just a tool to get power and control over their own people in the same old methods such as manipulations, threats, threats of threats and intimidation etc..etc..Threats about Schalit without we even know if he is alive..And in the same way use Islam as some think they will Islamificate vikings..
* Muslim Brotherhood demonstrates simultaneously as Gaza in Jordan.
* Hamas claims Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is responsible for the prolonged captivity of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.
* Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry has taken security precautions for this year's hajj pilgrimage and will not allow problems in other countries to be played out in Islam's most holy city. This year's hajj, which officially begins Sunday, takes place amid increasing worries across the Islamic world - over the bloodshed in Iraq and Afghanistan and recent terror attacks in Algeria. Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz said the kingdom is capable of maintaining security and preventing any attempt to threaten the safety of the pilgrims.
* Is there really necessary to show proof for claims of spying? The whole atmosphere is filled with satellites and junk! Everyone are spying on everyone! Some "earth people" are even afraid of their own shadows! You need to work on your fears! You are all your own worst enemies yourselves!
* Sunday. Islamic-Suciders/Hamas militants firing Kassam on two-year old toddler boy in western Negev. Doing everything they can using terror to stand in the way for peace and their own and every other peoples interests for agreements, while Hamas urge others about their obligations. While psychopaths sending the same old repeating messages from Cairo and the Muslim Brotherhood is demonstrating in Jordan at the same time Hamas force people out in the streets in Gaza..And to get IDF into the Gaza strip among their explosives and planted booby traps, tunnels and bombs. And as we all know the IDF have to watch their backs if they do go in there as there probably will be attempts to plant more at the border while they are in there..etc..etc....
Turkish warplanes kills one woman.
Baghdad's morgue said it received in one month alone the bodies of 130 women killed in "honor crimes." In the absence of state authority, Iraqis act on decrees issued by their clerics in cases of suspected adultery and out-of-wedlock sex.
"The message of hope that Christmas brings start right here."
BETHLEHEM, West Bank - Palestinians lit a four-story Christmas tree in this biblical town Saturday, kicking off a holiday season free of fighting with Israel that officials say will bring the most pilgrims since hostilities broke out seven years ago.
Residents of the West Bank town of 30,000 and foreign tourists alike strolled streets Saturday under lights shaped like bells and Santa Claus. Christians count for only a small percentage of Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land, including Bethlehem, but the town believed to be the birthplace of Jesus is one of the few places that Christmas is felt. Tourism is integral to efforts to bolster the Palestinian economy, which is tattered from years of conflict with Israel. Early in the fighting that broke out in 2000, Bethlehem was the scene of fierce shootouts between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli army forces in nearby Jerusalem who fired at each other across a riverbed separating the communities. For several Christmas seasons, only a handful of tourists came. But relative calm in the West Bank this year combined with renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts have persuaded some tourists to return. Mideast envoy Tony Blair visited Bethlehem this month and spent the night to signal that it is safe to visit.
"We see encouraging signs with more tourists here," Hanna Tofian, a university professor, said as he emerged from prayers at the Church of the Nativity to a square crowded with tour buses. "It is because of the diplomatic atmosphere and because there is movement in talks with Israel." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed in a U.S.-hosted conference last month to renew peace talks. The reconciliation came after Abbas kicked the Islamic Hamas movement out of the government following its violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June, and installed a moderate administration of his own, backed by the West.
This season, around 65,000 tourists are expected to visit the traditional site of Jesus' birth, Mayor Victor Batarseh said. That's four times the number that came in Christmas 2005. Israeli and Palestinian forces have cooperated to facilitate the passage of pilgrims from Jerusalem through an Israeli army checkpoint into Bethlehem, said Ahmed al-Haddar, the area's Palestinian security chief. About 1,500 Palestinian police will be deployed during the festivities, he said. An aide to Abbas, Rafik Husseini, flicked the switch to light the pine tree that was decorated with red and gold balls. Dozens of onlookers cheered and a band of bagpipes played Christmas carols. Bethlehem resident Margaret Jackman, 70, said she was encouraged by the tourists. "The town greatly benefits from this," Jackman said. "This will help reduce the unemployment." Larry Ross, a visitor from Dallas, Texas, said Saturday that he was so sure of the calm situation that he brought his son on the trip. He was touring with 70 Americans. "This is a place that, as a person of faith, is very meaningful to me," said Ross, 54, standing alongside his son, Harrison. "The message of hope that Christmas brings started right here."
By DALIA NAMMARI
Residents of the West Bank town of 30,000 and foreign tourists alike strolled streets Saturday under lights shaped like bells and Santa Claus. Christians count for only a small percentage of Israelis and Palestinians in the Holy Land, including Bethlehem, but the town believed to be the birthplace of Jesus is one of the few places that Christmas is felt. Tourism is integral to efforts to bolster the Palestinian economy, which is tattered from years of conflict with Israel. Early in the fighting that broke out in 2000, Bethlehem was the scene of fierce shootouts between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli army forces in nearby Jerusalem who fired at each other across a riverbed separating the communities. For several Christmas seasons, only a handful of tourists came. But relative calm in the West Bank this year combined with renewed Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts have persuaded some tourists to return. Mideast envoy Tony Blair visited Bethlehem this month and spent the night to signal that it is safe to visit.
"We see encouraging signs with more tourists here," Hanna Tofian, a university professor, said as he emerged from prayers at the Church of the Nativity to a square crowded with tour buses. "It is because of the diplomatic atmosphere and because there is movement in talks with Israel." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert agreed in a U.S.-hosted conference last month to renew peace talks. The reconciliation came after Abbas kicked the Islamic Hamas movement out of the government following its violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June, and installed a moderate administration of his own, backed by the West.
This season, around 65,000 tourists are expected to visit the traditional site of Jesus' birth, Mayor Victor Batarseh said. That's four times the number that came in Christmas 2005. Israeli and Palestinian forces have cooperated to facilitate the passage of pilgrims from Jerusalem through an Israeli army checkpoint into Bethlehem, said Ahmed al-Haddar, the area's Palestinian security chief. About 1,500 Palestinian police will be deployed during the festivities, he said. An aide to Abbas, Rafik Husseini, flicked the switch to light the pine tree that was decorated with red and gold balls. Dozens of onlookers cheered and a band of bagpipes played Christmas carols. Bethlehem resident Margaret Jackman, 70, said she was encouraged by the tourists. "The town greatly benefits from this," Jackman said. "This will help reduce the unemployment." Larry Ross, a visitor from Dallas, Texas, said Saturday that he was so sure of the calm situation that he brought his son on the trip. He was touring with 70 Americans. "This is a place that, as a person of faith, is very meaningful to me," said Ross, 54, standing alongside his son, Harrison. "The message of hope that Christmas brings started right here."
By DALIA NAMMARI
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Widespread condemnations to the assignation of General al-Hajj
Tishreen (Syria): Widespread condemnations to the assignation of General al-Hajj … He escaped Israeli attempts several times and was martyred yesterday – The assassination of General al-Hajj has drawn widespread condemnation and Lebanese speculation that Israel's Mossad (intelligence service) is behind this terrorist act.
Naharnet (Lebanon): Investigation into the assassination of Brig. Gen. Francois el-Hajj and his bodyguard, staff sergeant Khairallah Hadwan, is focusing on suspects hiding inside the southern refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh and believed linked to the terrorist Fatah al-Islam group.In the southern port city of Sidon, security sources doubted that three suspects arrested on Wednesday were connected to the murder.The sources said a man identified as Hussein Nasser had sold the olive green BMW used in the bombing attack to the party that likely detonated the vehicle. They said Nasser sold the car without a registration document to two men only two days before the bombing attack, adding that interrogation is underway to pin down the buyers. The sources said the car did not enter the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp after its purchase and that it likely headed to Lebanese territory north of the Awali River. For this reason, the sources went on to say, efforts are focused on the activity of the extremist groups in areas of Mount Lebanon and elsewhere in Lebanon.
Defense Minister Elias Murr said investigations in the assassination of Gen. Francois el-Hajj have revealed "serious and advance clues" leading to the culprits.Murr said Hajj, who carried the rank of Brig. Gen. when a car bomb explosion killed him in Suburban Baabda on Wednesday, was honorary promoted to full-fledged General after his martyrdom. Such clues, Murr stressed, are "more serious than what has been previously discovered regarding similar crimes." Murr blamed Hajj's killing on "hard line terrorist networks.
http://www.naharnet.com/
Naharnet (Lebanon): Investigation into the assassination of Brig. Gen. Francois el-Hajj and his bodyguard, staff sergeant Khairallah Hadwan, is focusing on suspects hiding inside the southern refugee camp of Ain al-Hilweh and believed linked to the terrorist Fatah al-Islam group.In the southern port city of Sidon, security sources doubted that three suspects arrested on Wednesday were connected to the murder.The sources said a man identified as Hussein Nasser had sold the olive green BMW used in the bombing attack to the party that likely detonated the vehicle. They said Nasser sold the car without a registration document to two men only two days before the bombing attack, adding that interrogation is underway to pin down the buyers. The sources said the car did not enter the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp after its purchase and that it likely headed to Lebanese territory north of the Awali River. For this reason, the sources went on to say, efforts are focused on the activity of the extremist groups in areas of Mount Lebanon and elsewhere in Lebanon.
Defense Minister Elias Murr said investigations in the assassination of Gen. Francois el-Hajj have revealed "serious and advance clues" leading to the culprits.Murr said Hajj, who carried the rank of Brig. Gen. when a car bomb explosion killed him in Suburban Baabda on Wednesday, was honorary promoted to full-fledged General after his martyrdom. Such clues, Murr stressed, are "more serious than what has been previously discovered regarding similar crimes." Murr blamed Hajj's killing on "hard line terrorist networks.
http://www.naharnet.com/
Nearly 200 nations agreed at U.N.-led talks in Bali on Saturday to launch negotiations on a new pact to fight global warming
NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) - Nearly 200 nations agreed at U.N.-led talks in Bali on Saturday to launch negotiations on a new pact to fight global warming after a reversal by the United States allowed a historic breakthrough.
Washington said the agreement marked a new chapter in climate diplomacy after six years of disputes with major allies since President George W. Bush pulled out in 2001 from the Kyoto Protocol, the main existing plan for combating warming. "This is the defining moment for me and my mandate as secretary-general," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said after making a special return trip to Bali to implore delegates to overcome deadlock after the talks ran a day into overtime. Ban had been on a visit to East Timor. "I am deeply grateful to many member states for their spirit of flexibility and compromise," Ban told Reuters.
The Bali meeting approved a "roadmap" for two years of talks to adopt a new treaty to succeed Kyoto beyond 2012, widening it to the United States and developing nations such as China and India. Under the deal, a successor pact will be agreed at a meeting in Copenhagen in late 2009. The deal after two weeks of talks came after the United States dramatically dropped opposition to a proposal by the main developing-nation bloc, the G77, for rich nations to do more to help the developing world fight rising greenhouse emissions.
Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, the host of the talks, banged down the gavel on the deal to rapturous applause from delegates, weary after intensive talks and numerous disputes over the past fortnight. "I think it was encouraging. That was a real sign of willingness to compromise," Yvo de Boer, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, said of the U.S. climbdown. The accord marks a step towards slowing global warming that the U.N. climate panel says is caused by human activities led by burning fossil fuels that produce carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. Scientists say rising temperatures could cause seas to rise sharply, glaciers to melt, storms and droughts to become more intense and mass migration of climate refugees.
"The U.S. has been humbled by the overwhelming message by developing countries that they are ready to be engaged with the problem, and it's been humiliated by the world community. I've never seen such a flip-flop in an environmental treaty context ever," said Bill Hare of Greenpeace. The European Union was pleased with the deal. "It was exactly what we wanted. We are indeed very pleased," said Humberto Rosa, head of the European Union delegation. "We will have now two tremendously demanding years, starting right in January. Many meetings, many discussions, many people passing many hours doing things," he said. Agreement on a pact in 2009 would give governments time to ratify the pact and give certainty to markets and investors wanting to switch to cleaner energy technologies, such as wind turbines and solar panels.
Kyoto binds all industrial countries except the United States to cut emissions of greenhouse gases between 2008 and 2012. Developing nations are exempt and the new negotiations will seek to bind all countries to emission curbs from 2013. In a day of drama and emotional speeches, nations had berated and booed the American representatives for holding out. A wave of relief swept the room when the United States relented. "The United States is very committed to this effort and just wants to really ensure we all act together," said Paula Dobriansky, head of the U.S. delegation. "With that, Mr. Chairman, let me say to you we will go forward and join consensus," she said to cheers and claps from delegates. The United States is the leading greenhouse gas emitter, ahead of China, Russia and India. "There is no question that we have opened a new page and are moving forward together. It is a strong commitment jointly reached by all countries to advance negotiations," said James onnaughton, Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, in Bali. "This is not a step taken alone by America. This is a step taken by all the countries that the time had come to open a new chapter," he added.
By Emma Graham-Harrison, Reporting by Adhityani Arga, Sugita Katyal, Alister Doyle, Ed Davies, Gde Anugrah Arka and Gerard Wynn; writing by David Fogarty; editing by Alister Doyle
Washington said the agreement marked a new chapter in climate diplomacy after six years of disputes with major allies since President George W. Bush pulled out in 2001 from the Kyoto Protocol, the main existing plan for combating warming. "This is the defining moment for me and my mandate as secretary-general," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said after making a special return trip to Bali to implore delegates to overcome deadlock after the talks ran a day into overtime. Ban had been on a visit to East Timor. "I am deeply grateful to many member states for their spirit of flexibility and compromise," Ban told Reuters.
The Bali meeting approved a "roadmap" for two years of talks to adopt a new treaty to succeed Kyoto beyond 2012, widening it to the United States and developing nations such as China and India. Under the deal, a successor pact will be agreed at a meeting in Copenhagen in late 2009. The deal after two weeks of talks came after the United States dramatically dropped opposition to a proposal by the main developing-nation bloc, the G77, for rich nations to do more to help the developing world fight rising greenhouse emissions.
Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, the host of the talks, banged down the gavel on the deal to rapturous applause from delegates, weary after intensive talks and numerous disputes over the past fortnight. "I think it was encouraging. That was a real sign of willingness to compromise," Yvo de Boer, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, said of the U.S. climbdown. The accord marks a step towards slowing global warming that the U.N. climate panel says is caused by human activities led by burning fossil fuels that produce carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. Scientists say rising temperatures could cause seas to rise sharply, glaciers to melt, storms and droughts to become more intense and mass migration of climate refugees.
"The U.S. has been humbled by the overwhelming message by developing countries that they are ready to be engaged with the problem, and it's been humiliated by the world community. I've never seen such a flip-flop in an environmental treaty context ever," said Bill Hare of Greenpeace. The European Union was pleased with the deal. "It was exactly what we wanted. We are indeed very pleased," said Humberto Rosa, head of the European Union delegation. "We will have now two tremendously demanding years, starting right in January. Many meetings, many discussions, many people passing many hours doing things," he said. Agreement on a pact in 2009 would give governments time to ratify the pact and give certainty to markets and investors wanting to switch to cleaner energy technologies, such as wind turbines and solar panels.
Kyoto binds all industrial countries except the United States to cut emissions of greenhouse gases between 2008 and 2012. Developing nations are exempt and the new negotiations will seek to bind all countries to emission curbs from 2013. In a day of drama and emotional speeches, nations had berated and booed the American representatives for holding out. A wave of relief swept the room when the United States relented. "The United States is very committed to this effort and just wants to really ensure we all act together," said Paula Dobriansky, head of the U.S. delegation. "With that, Mr. Chairman, let me say to you we will go forward and join consensus," she said to cheers and claps from delegates. The United States is the leading greenhouse gas emitter, ahead of China, Russia and India. "There is no question that we have opened a new page and are moving forward together. It is a strong commitment jointly reached by all countries to advance negotiations," said James onnaughton, Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, in Bali. "This is not a step taken alone by America. This is a step taken by all the countries that the time had come to open a new chapter," he added.
By Emma Graham-Harrison, Reporting by Adhityani Arga, Sugita Katyal, Alister Doyle, Ed Davies, Gde Anugrah Arka and Gerard Wynn; writing by David Fogarty; editing by Alister Doyle
The Palestinian population has "effectively become a hostage to the conflict"
GENEVA (Reuters) - Israeli restrictions have caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank that is growing worse, leaving hospitals unable to treat the sick and keeping farmers off their land, the International Committee of the Red Cross said. In a statement issued on Thursday, the neutral humanitarian agency called on Israel to "lift the retaliatory measures which are paralyzing life in Gaza" and urged Palestinian factions to stop targeting civilian areas and putting lives at risk.
The Palestinian population has "effectively become a hostage to the conflict," she said. The ICRC estimated that 5,000 farmers in Gaza and their families relying on exports of cash crops like carnations and strawberries were "about to suffer a 100 percent drop in sales." "The harvest season for these important crops started in June, but the embargo on exports has left them rotting in containers at the crossing points," it said. Administrative and security clearance delays "have resulted in the deaths of three patients in favor of whom the ICRC had intervened," he said, noting restrictions had also caused a shortage of drugs for cancer patients and a lack of spare parts for emergency wards and operating theatres in Gaza's hospitals. As a result of the West Bank Barrier, built inside Palestinian territory, it said "large tracts of farming land have been out of reach for farmers," who must fight through "a bureaucratic maze" to get permits needed to reach their fields. Many applications are rejected on security grounds, which "may include a relative once having been in an Israeli prison."
The Palestinian population has "effectively become a hostage to the conflict," she said. The ICRC estimated that 5,000 farmers in Gaza and their families relying on exports of cash crops like carnations and strawberries were "about to suffer a 100 percent drop in sales." "The harvest season for these important crops started in June, but the embargo on exports has left them rotting in containers at the crossing points," it said. Administrative and security clearance delays "have resulted in the deaths of three patients in favor of whom the ICRC had intervened," he said, noting restrictions had also caused a shortage of drugs for cancer patients and a lack of spare parts for emergency wards and operating theatres in Gaza's hospitals. As a result of the West Bank Barrier, built inside Palestinian territory, it said "large tracts of farming land have been out of reach for farmers," who must fight through "a bureaucratic maze" to get permits needed to reach their fields. Many applications are rejected on security grounds, which "may include a relative once having been in an Israeli prison."
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