Abbas, Olmert agree to pursue negotiations amidst deep disagreements

Abu-Mazen: We've strong desire for peace

Italian prime minister is pessimistic on reaching Israeli-Palestinian solution

Israel makes reservations over proposal to hold five-way summit in Sharm el-Sheikh

Syria, Israel on military alert for war games

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas held another round of talks in West Jerusalem 7 April. Like numerous previous meetings, however, the latest encounter yielded no substantive results towards a breakthrough in Palestinian- Israeli peacemaking.

According to Israeli press sources, the two leaders were updated on "secret talks" being held by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei on final status issues such as Jerusalem, the right of return, Jewish settlements and the borders of a prospective Palestinian entity in the West Bank.

During the meeting, which lasted for three hours, Olmert and Abbas agreed to hold biweekly meetings and keep up the "secret talks channel" in the hope of reaching a peace agreement before the end of 2008.

Mark Regev, a senior Israeli spokesman, was quoted as saying, "It was agreed that despite concerns that both parties have regarding issues on the ground, negotiations will continue with the goal of reaching a historic agreement by the end of the year."

Israeli sources said Olmert and Abbas "reviewed recent progress", an allusion to the purported easing by Israel of restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank that seriously disrupt Palestinian life and make impossible meaningful commerce. Israel, in response to American pressure, last week said it would remove some roadblocks and checkpoints in the West Bank. Palestinians and third- party observers say that only a small number of dirt piles have been pushed aside and that the main obstacles to Palestinian traffic remain intact.

According to Israeli and Palestinian sources, Abbas asked Olmert to halt settlement expansion in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Olmert responded by demanding that Abbas stop the firing of homemade rockets against Israel from the Gaza Strip. When Abbas told Olmert that Gaza was not under his control, Olmert replied, rather tersely, "this is not my problem."

Abbas reportedly reminded Olmert that Israel's settlement expansion is in clear violation of the terms of the roadmap plan. Olmert told Abbas that expansion was consistent with President Bush's infamous letter to former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon in 2004. In that letter, Bush assured Sharon that major Israeli settlements in the West Bank, especially in the Jerusalem region, would remain within Israel as part of a final-status solution with the Palestinians.

Earlier, Palestinian official Saeb Erekat voiced his frustration at the slow pace of talks and "the dwindling credibility of the entire peace process", saying that Israel has failed to "carry out even a single line of what it had agreed upon with regard to a host of issues, including settlement building, roadblocks and releasing Palestinian prisoners". "What is important is not what Israel says but what it does," Erekat added.

Prior to the latest Abbas-Olmert meeting, Israeli Foreign Minister Livni, who also participated in the meeting, said Israel had a number of "red lines" which she would cross under no circumstances. Israeli Army Radio, GaleTzahal, quoted Livni as saying that she hoped the international community understood that Israel wouldn't compromise on Jerusalem, the refugees and borders.

Hamas lambasted the latest encounter between Abbas and Olmert, calling it "a cover for further Judaizing Jerusalem and expansion of settlements". Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas's chief spokesman in the Gaza Strip, said: "It is lamentable indeed that Abbas has agreed to meet with this war criminal whose government oversaw the recent genocidal onslaught against the children of Gaza

." Another Hamas leader, Sheikh Hamed Al-Beitawi, a former imam at Al-Aqsa Mosque and who is being detained in Israel without charge or trial for "affiliation with an illegal political party," criticized Abbas. "We are surprised how you continue to hold these cordial meetings with Israeli leaders while you refuse to meet with your Palestinian brothers in Gaza. Your dialogue with your brothers is more important than your chummy chats with the enemy," Beitawi said

. "Strength comes through unity, and weakness comes through disunity. Hence we call on our people in Ramallah and Gaza to show national responsibility. Everyone must realize that if the Palestinian boat is safe, everyone will be safe, and if it sinks, everyone will perish," Beitawi added.

Meanwhile, Israel has continued saber rattling, with the Israeli army and security forces placed on high alert. The Israeli government announced a nationwide drill aimed at preparing the country for attack from rockets and unconventional weapons. As part of the drill, known as Turning Point-2, sirens blared throughout Israel and school children and government employees ran to air raid shelters.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said, however, that the five-day exercise didn't mean that Israel was anticipating war in the near future. He said the drill should be seen as part of the country's response to lessons learned from the 2006 Lebanon war with Hezbollah. "The state of Israel has no interest in escalating the situation in the region." Barak said.

However, Benyamin Ben Eliezer, a former defense minister, this week threatened to destroy Iran if the Islamic republic attacked Israel. "The Iranians won't rush to attack Israel, because they understand the significance such action would have and are well aware of our strength," said Ben Eliezer, alluding to Israel's nuclear arsenal.

He added that, "in a future war, it will be much safer to live in [the northern Israeli towns] of Nahariya and Shlomi instead of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, since I expect that in the opening attack, hundreds of missiles will strike Israel. There will be no place in the country that is not within range of Syria and Hezbollah."

Some observers believe that the drill, in which civil defense and rescue services are trained to respond to simulated attacks, including mock chemical attacks, come in the context of Israeli and/or Israeli-American preparations to attack Iranian nuclear facilities before the end of George W Bush's presidential term

. Israel has been openly goading the Bush administration into waging war on Iran to prevent it from acquiring nuclear technology. Israeli officials predict that Iran's retaliation would come through Hezbollah and possibly Syria as well. Both Syria and Hezbollah are believed to possess missiles whose range covers all major Israeli population centers

. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, said that he would return to the bargaining table for face-to-face peace talks with Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president. The two have not met since the Israeli incursion into Gaza began a month ago.

Abbas suspended negotiations for about a week after Israel struck against Palestinian positions in Gaza in retaliation for a rocket attack on the Israeli city of Ashkelon. Since then, Palestinian negotiators have held talks with their Israeli counterparts but the leaders have not.

The on-again-off-again talks are part of the steep climb that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has begun in her effort to help achieve a comprehensive peace agreement between Arabs and Israelis before President Bush’s term expires. Standing next to Abbas at a news conference after a meeting, Rice criticized Israel for its continued settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Authorities in Jerusalem announced plans to build 600 new homes in the occupied West Bank settlement of Pisgat Zeev.

“Settlement activity should stop, and expansion should stop; it is not consistent with road-map obligations,” Rice said, referring to the 2003 peace plan, which calls on the Palestinians to disarm militants and eliminate "terrorist" organizations and on Israel to freeze the building of settlements. Neither side has met those obligations.

“My strong view is that the best thing we can do is focus on getting this agreement,” Rice said. Abbas took umbrage when two reporters asked him separately whether he planned to accept an invitation from the exiled Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, to visit Gaza, territory seized by Hamas last summer. “There is no answer to that question,” Abbas snapped. “It does not need an answer.”

Palestinian Authority figures said later that Meshaal’s invitation was an insult to Abbas, and that, as Palestinian president, Abbas did not need an invitation to Gaza, especially one worded, as Meshaal’s was, as having “no conditions.”

Palestinian Authority president’s senior adviser Nabil Sha’ath is planning to prepare a visit by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the Russian capital. Earlier, in his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Ramallah, West Bank, Abbas said he “will visit Moscow shortly at a time convenient for both sides”.

Abbas’ visit to Moscow will focus on the date of conducting a conference on the Middle East. Lavrov said, “We hope that we’ll be able to specify the exact date shortly.” “To this end, we held active consultations with the Quartet, the U.N. and other structures. We believe important to implement the agreements that we reached earlier in order to conduct the international conference in Moscow,” the Russian minister pointed out.

“The agenda will be very easy. The agreements were adopted in Annapolis. Everyone supported them. Now let’s confirm this support and let’s stimulate the sides to make the agreements effective,” Lavrov said.

Abbas confirmed that Palestine is ready to take part in such meeting in Moscow. “We confirmed the need of ‘review’ meeting on the Middle East,” he said. The Palestinian leader expressed gratitude for Russia upheld the efforts aimed at settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

King Abdullah II of Jordan headed for France for talks on Middle East peace efforts with President Nicolas Sarkozy, the palace said.

The king was to meet the French president to discuss "the role of France in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process," before traveling to Slovenia and Austria for talks on European efforts to help find a solution to the conflict.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates reaffirmed to the leader of Oman on Saturday that Washington wanted to resolve its disputes with Iran diplomatically, a senior US defense official said.

Governments in the Gulf are concerned that tensions between the United States and Iran could lead to a military conflict. But Gates told Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said that "although we keep all options open with regards to Iran, we remain committed to a diplomatic solution", the official told reporters on the Pentagon chief's flight back to Washington.

The United States is at loggerheads with Tehran over a range of issues including Iran's nuclear program and US accusations that Iran is destabilizing Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Oman is a US ally in the Gulf region and the official, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said both countries were concerned about Iran's activities. But he also acknowledged they had differences over how to deal with Iran, with Oman opposed to sanctions against Tehran.

"We have a different view towards the effectiveness of sanctions," the official said. Oman, a country of some three million people, maintains cordial relations with its larger neighbor across the Gulf.

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi described his talks with the Egyptian President Mubarak as very positive, frank, friendly and deep, explaining that the talks covered Egyptian-Italian political and economic relations

The talks provided an opportunity to exchange views about many bilateral and regional issues, said the Italian Prime Minister. Prodi pointed out there was a consensus on the Middle East issue and the situation in Lebanon and Iraq. Moreover, "we cannot be optimistic about imminent solutions or quick breakthroughs, but we must not lose hope and we must intensify our efforts to reach a solution”, Prodi said on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Also, he stressed the pivotal role played by Egypt in the region, and described it as the 'key' for progress in the Middle peace process.

Prodi stressed the importance that his country attaches to its good political and economic relations with Egypt, which is manifested in the large economic delegation that is accompanying him.

Meanwhile, Rashid Mohamed Rashid the Egyptian Trade and Industry Minister reported that Egypt’s Mubarak was keen to meet the delegation of businessmen accompanying the Prime Minister so as to enhance cooperation between the two countries in trade and investments.

It is the biggest delegation to visit Egypt, as it includes representatives of 150 Italian companies, said Prodi.

The Italian Industrial Union President said that preparation for the Egyptian-Italian Business Forum started a year ago in collaboration with Egypt’s Minister Rashid, confirming that the Italian side will seek to reach specific mechanisms to implement the results achieved in this visit.

Also the Egyptian Transport Minister Mohamed Lotfy Mansour signed a memorandum of understanding with the Italian side to supply Egypt's railway authority with the latest technology.

He said the Italian railway authority will send in June ten of its best experts specializing in development programs for railway to spend five years in Egypt and train Egyptian staff.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has not been invited to a regional summit at the Sinai resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, contradicting reports he would participate in the event. Former Meretz leader Yossi Beilin on Monday said at a press conference promoting the Geneva Initiative that Olmert would attend the Sharm conference.

However, U.S. sources said that the summit would be attended by U.S. President George Bush, Mahmoud Abbas, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah, and is intended as a U.S.-Arab meeting. Bush, who does not intend to visit the Fatah headquarters during his Middle East visit, will meet Abbas in Egypt and host him in Washington a few days before his departure.

All 450 homes in Ofra, the "mother of settlements" in Samaria, were built on privately owned Palestinian land, Vice Premier Haim Ramon said during a session at the Knesset State Control Committee two months ago.

This is the first time such a senior government source has admitted in an official forum that the first settlement in Samaria was built on private Palestinian land

In response to an inquiry by Haaretz, Ramon's office said the vice premier's statements were made based on information from the defense establishment.

Present at the committee session were some of the West Bank local council heads, including the director of the Yesha Council of settlements, Pinhas Wallerstein, one of the first people to move to Ofra. None of the guests challenged Ramon's statements regarding the property ownership.

Sources involved in settlement affairs said that even though Peace Now has argued that Ofra is built mostly on private land, Ramon's official statement has both political and legal implications. This may include compensation demands by the Palestinian property owners.

Wallerstein responded that to the best of his knowledge, the facts are not in line with Ramon's statements. He recalled that Ofra began as a work camp in 1975, established with the authorization of Shimon Peres, then defense minister in the first Yitzhak Rabin government, on the grounds of a former Jordanian military camp.

Peres even participated in planting a tree in the new settlement.

"According to the transcript of the February 25 meeting, which addressed the outposts and the implementation of the Sasson Report, committee chairman MK Zevulun Orlev asked Ramon: "To add 20 more homes in Ofra has political implications? I want to understand the point." Ramon responded: "From many standpoints Ofra is not a good example for you, because all of it is build on private Arab land, private Palestinian property.

Ramon said the pressure to enlarge Ofra and other settlements does not stem from a housing shortage, but rather is an attempt to undermine any chance of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians.

Construction in Judea and Samaria, especially the illegal outposts, stems from a wish to establish political facts that will make it difficult for the Israeli governments to adopt a policy different from that of the persons building the illegal outposts. They declare this, and therefore this construction has an open political and ideological nature. People say, we will build without permission so that if the majority in Israel wants to return part of this territory [to the Palestinians], it will be impossible or it will be much more difficult," Ramon said".

"Ramon, who chairs the ministerial committee on implementing the outpost report, added, "If it were up to me, everything would be allowed within the settlement blocks and nothing would be permitted beyond those [areas], and anything inside the fence would be approved and everything outside the fence not only would not be authorized, but I would be content if it were evacuated.

Israeli ministers on Monday were to test their response to the scenario of simultaneous attacks from Syria, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip as part of a major home front defense drill.

The five-day exercise, the largest in the country’s history, is being staged against the backdrop of increased tension on the northern border, prompting the government to reassure Syria and Lebanon there was no hidden agenda behind the maneuvers.

The drill, which started on Sunday, simulates air and missile attacks on Israeli cities, and the use of non-conventional weapons by the attackers.

As part of Monday’s simulation members of the security cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, will have to make decisions after being told of widespread attacks and high numbers of casualties.

Monday’s exercise has Israel coming under simultaneous attack from Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia in the north and from Palestinian militants in Gaza to the south.

The government will also test coordination of vital services, including food distribution centers, hospitals and postal services.

Over the next few days emergency sirens will sound across the country and schoolchildren will practice entering shelters and protected areas in the event of chemical and biological attacks on Israel.

The prime minister and his staff will also train to work from an underground bomb shelter at the premier’s Jerusalem office, officials said.

Dubbed “Turning Point,” the exercise follows widespread criticism of Israel’s handling of the 2006 war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

It also comes after local media last week reported heightened tensions along Israel’s heavily guarded border with Syria and days after Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora put his armed forces on alert.

On Sunday, Olmert sought to reassure Syria and Lebanon that Israel did not want the drill to worsen tensions along its northern border.

“The goal of the exercise is to check the authorities’ ability to carry out their duties in times of emergency and for preparing the home front for different scenarios,” Olmert told a weekly cabinet meeting.

“There is nothing else hidden behind it. All the reports on tension in the north can be moderated and cooled down. We have no secret plans” behind the exercises, he added.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said the maneuvers were primarily aimed at learning lessons from the Lebanon war, during which more than 4,000 rockets fired by the Hezbollah militia slammed into northern Israel