EU's Solana says Gaza force a possibility
By David Brunnstrom Reuters - Wednesday, June 7 07:02 pm
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - An international peacekeeping force for the Gaza strip is a possibility, even though it would probably be difficult for Egypt to accept, the European Union's foreign policy chief said on Wednesday.Javier Solana told the European Parliament in Brussels that for the first time in many, many years, this idea of an international force was not out of the question.Solana said two groups in the Israeli parliament had said it may be the moment to call for such a force, at least to start with, in the south of the region where the Rafa border crossing to Egypt is located.We are working on that, he said. The Israelis are also considering that possibility, the Palestinians are considering that possibility, the Egyptians are considering that possibility.
Solana said it would probably be difficult for Egypt as deployment of such a force might give the impression it was not able to control that part of the border. However, he added:I think we can still get into discussions on these issues and maybe eventually get a solution.The EU's External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told the same hearing an international mechanism set up last year to provide aid to Palestinians while bypassing the government would be extended for a further three months until the end of September.She said humanitarian conditions remained dire and appealed to EU members states to provide additional funds.
The United Nations special envoy to the Middle East called last month on Israel, the Palestinians and the United Nations to consider an international force for Gaza.Israel has long resisted Palestinian calls for peacekeepers in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, saying their deployment would interfere with Israeli security measures.But it has signalled flexibility since last year's Lebanon war, which ended
with a boosted United Nations peacekeeper force in former Hezbollah guerrilla strongholds.Israel pulled its troops and settlers out of Gaza in 2005, but cross-border violence has continued and last month it launched an air campaign to try to stop militants from firing rockets at southern Israeli towns.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
EU ROLE IN MIDEAST
Jordan's king, Slovenian president discuss EU role in Mideast peace
Amman (dpa) - Jordan's King Abdullah II and visiting Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek on Tuesday discussed the role the European Union can play in pushing forward the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, according to an official statement.
King Abdullah underscored the important EU role in support of efforts currently underway to reinvigorate the Middle East peace process in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace plan," the statement from the royal court said.
The Arab plan, which was readopted by Arab leaders in Riyadh at the end of March, offers to extend recognition to Israel by all Arab states after it quits all Arab territories it occupied during the 1967 Six-Day War, including East Jerusalem.
Drnovsek, whose country is due take up the rotating EU presidency on July 1, arrived in Amman on Monday at the outset of a private visit which is expected to last several days, the statement added.
The two leaders also discussed the situations in Lebanon and Iraq and expressed their support for all means that ensure security and stability in the two violence-ravaged countries, the statement said.
Amman (dpa) - Jordan's King Abdullah II and visiting Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek on Tuesday discussed the role the European Union can play in pushing forward the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, according to an official statement.
King Abdullah underscored the important EU role in support of efforts currently underway to reinvigorate the Middle East peace process in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace plan," the statement from the royal court said.
The Arab plan, which was readopted by Arab leaders in Riyadh at the end of March, offers to extend recognition to Israel by all Arab states after it quits all Arab territories it occupied during the 1967 Six-Day War, including East Jerusalem.
Drnovsek, whose country is due take up the rotating EU presidency on July 1, arrived in Amman on Monday at the outset of a private visit which is expected to last several days, the statement added.
The two leaders also discussed the situations in Lebanon and Iraq and expressed their support for all means that ensure security and stability in the two violence-ravaged countries, the statement said.
Friday, June 01, 2007
SOONER OR LATER TROOPS COME IN
Lieberman: Complete Disengagement, Declare Gaza Enemy State
by Ezra HaLevi (INN) JUNE 1,07
Politicians and public figures have weighed in over the past days with suggestions for how to bring an end to the rocket attacks from Gaza. Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman announced a plan Thursday that calls for a completion of the Disengagement. Lieberman explained to Army Radio:
We expelled all the Jews from Gaza and left there completely, but still provide it with economic support, water and electricity. We must sever all connections with Gaza and declare it an independent enemy entity, he said. There is no reason Egypt cannot supply the electricity and water for Gaza and let the European Union build infrastructure and provide security if they care about the poor Palestinians so much, he added. Membership in the axis of evil has a heavy price financially,
politically, and militarily.
Lieberman said his plan includes a complete closure of all crossings between Gaza and Israel through which PA Arab workers currently cross into Israel and through which aid passes to Gaza. His plan also calls for bombing Gaza neighborhood in response to rocket-fire, ending visitation rights for PA terrorists until kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is released, severing Gaza from Judea and Samaria and stopping diplomatic contacts with any and all PA officials, including Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas. NATO troops would be called upon to provide security and the European Union would be invited to provide infrastructure and jobs for PA Arabs. Lieberman said the plan would come into effect in 2008 and be modeled after how Israel related to the Sinai after withdrawal. Just as Israel did not continue to provide anything to Sinai after it withdrew, there is no reason why it should act any differently toward Gaza, especially in the current situation, he said. The Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel is Our Home) chairman said he would present his plan to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the rest of the government Thursday.
Other Proposals
Ministers Meir Sheetrit (Kadima) and Rafi Eitan (Pensioners) proposed a concept similar to Lieberman's, in terms of the IDFs response to Kassam rockets, at Wednesdays Security Cabinet meeting. They suggested that Israel produce its own version of the Kassam rocket and fire it at targets in Gaza each time Kassams are fired toward Israel. They said such a rocket would cost very little but recreate the psychological pressure felt by residents of Sderot among Gazas civilian population.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yishai (Shas) suggested that Israel launch air strikes to destroy entire PA villages in response to rocket fire, after warning the Arab residents to vacate their homes. Fellow Shas MK Yitzhak Cohen suggested Israel cut off electricity, water and gas to Gaza an idea backed by Shabak (General Security Service) chief Yuval Diskin and rehashed in Lierbmans proposal. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reportedly rejected those proposals, but ordered the IDF to
continue to apply pressure via targeted killings and air strikes on Hamas targets.
Left-wing MKs Avshalom Vilan (Meretz) and Zahava Gal-On (Meretz), meanwhile, have been enthusiastically promoting a plan to invite the Arab league to take responsibility for Gaza and coordinate a multi-national force together with the European Union to deploy there. The two say they have presented the idea to European and PA officials and plan to present it to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who has expressed interest in the deployment of foreign troops along Israels Gaza border.
Minister Rafi Eitan (Pensioners) recently suggested a similar idea, involving bringing Egyptian troops into Gaza and Jordanians into Judea and Samaria. The same thing [as happened following the Second Lebanon War the deployment of international troops. sooner or later, will happen in the Gaza Strip, with the senior partner in such a force being Egypt because it has no choice, Eitan told government radio.
When the Egyptians are there, when 500 or 600 (Palestinian) civilians are killed, no one will say anything. That is what will eventually happen. We are getting there, gradually. Eitan added that he also sees a future deployment of Jordanians in Judea and Samaria.Defense Minister Amir Peretz, speaking at a Tel Aviv University conference Wednesday evening, said that Israel has no plans to enter Gaza, because restraint is power.Peretz added later on in the speech that if there is no choice, the IDF will operate in Gaza.
by Ezra HaLevi (INN) JUNE 1,07
Politicians and public figures have weighed in over the past days with suggestions for how to bring an end to the rocket attacks from Gaza. Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman announced a plan Thursday that calls for a completion of the Disengagement. Lieberman explained to Army Radio:
We expelled all the Jews from Gaza and left there completely, but still provide it with economic support, water and electricity. We must sever all connections with Gaza and declare it an independent enemy entity, he said. There is no reason Egypt cannot supply the electricity and water for Gaza and let the European Union build infrastructure and provide security if they care about the poor Palestinians so much, he added. Membership in the axis of evil has a heavy price financially,
politically, and militarily.
Lieberman said his plan includes a complete closure of all crossings between Gaza and Israel through which PA Arab workers currently cross into Israel and through which aid passes to Gaza. His plan also calls for bombing Gaza neighborhood in response to rocket-fire, ending visitation rights for PA terrorists until kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is released, severing Gaza from Judea and Samaria and stopping diplomatic contacts with any and all PA officials, including Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas. NATO troops would be called upon to provide security and the European Union would be invited to provide infrastructure and jobs for PA Arabs. Lieberman said the plan would come into effect in 2008 and be modeled after how Israel related to the Sinai after withdrawal. Just as Israel did not continue to provide anything to Sinai after it withdrew, there is no reason why it should act any differently toward Gaza, especially in the current situation, he said. The Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel is Our Home) chairman said he would present his plan to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the rest of the government Thursday.
Other Proposals
Ministers Meir Sheetrit (Kadima) and Rafi Eitan (Pensioners) proposed a concept similar to Lieberman's, in terms of the IDFs response to Kassam rockets, at Wednesdays Security Cabinet meeting. They suggested that Israel produce its own version of the Kassam rocket and fire it at targets in Gaza each time Kassams are fired toward Israel. They said such a rocket would cost very little but recreate the psychological pressure felt by residents of Sderot among Gazas civilian population.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yishai (Shas) suggested that Israel launch air strikes to destroy entire PA villages in response to rocket fire, after warning the Arab residents to vacate their homes. Fellow Shas MK Yitzhak Cohen suggested Israel cut off electricity, water and gas to Gaza an idea backed by Shabak (General Security Service) chief Yuval Diskin and rehashed in Lierbmans proposal. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reportedly rejected those proposals, but ordered the IDF to
continue to apply pressure via targeted killings and air strikes on Hamas targets.
Left-wing MKs Avshalom Vilan (Meretz) and Zahava Gal-On (Meretz), meanwhile, have been enthusiastically promoting a plan to invite the Arab league to take responsibility for Gaza and coordinate a multi-national force together with the European Union to deploy there. The two say they have presented the idea to European and PA officials and plan to present it to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who has expressed interest in the deployment of foreign troops along Israels Gaza border.
Minister Rafi Eitan (Pensioners) recently suggested a similar idea, involving bringing Egyptian troops into Gaza and Jordanians into Judea and Samaria. The same thing [as happened following the Second Lebanon War the deployment of international troops. sooner or later, will happen in the Gaza Strip, with the senior partner in such a force being Egypt because it has no choice, Eitan told government radio.
When the Egyptians are there, when 500 or 600 (Palestinian) civilians are killed, no one will say anything. That is what will eventually happen. We are getting there, gradually. Eitan added that he also sees a future deployment of Jordanians in Judea and Samaria.Defense Minister Amir Peretz, speaking at a Tel Aviv University conference Wednesday evening, said that Israel has no plans to enter Gaza, because restraint is power.Peretz added later on in the speech that if there is no choice, the IDF will operate in Gaza.
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