November 17, 2006

ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS CONDEMN ISRAEL'S MASSACRES. THE FOREIGN MINISTERS SLAM THE US VETOE. ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDE TO SEND THE MATTER TO A UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY EXTRAORDINARY SESSION. THE SAUDI MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS CRITICIZES THE SILENCE OF THE WORLD AND RENEWS THE SAUDI CALL FOR HOLDING AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO STOP THE ISRAELI MASSACRES AND PUSH FORWARD THE PEACE PROCESS. Arab Foreign Ministers strongly denounced the continuing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, citing Bait Hannon massacre which targeted unarmed civilians, mainly children and women. In a statement following an extraordinary meeting which wrapped up in Cairo, the ministers expressed deep upset for the US veto, foiling an Arab-sponsored draft resolution in the UN Security Council to condemn Israeli aggression against Palestinians. The statement described the US position as unfriendly towards the Arab countries and peoples, barring the security council to play its role as peacekeeper, sending a wrong message encouraging Israel to continue its aggression, derailing endeavors to bring about peace in the region and harming the US credibility to play a constructive role in achieving peace in the region. The ministers demanded immediate breaking of the siege imposed on the Palestinian people and called on the Palestinians to forge a national unity government to confront the serious challenges facing the Palestinian people. They also called for the prompt release of Palestinian prisoners of war, particularly the elders, women and children as well as members of the Palestinian government and officials. They also called for the release of the Israeli soldier. In view of the US veto which barred the Security Council from undertaking its responsibilities, the Arab Foreign Ministers decided to send the matter to a United Nations General Assembly extraordinary session. The Foreign ministers called for conducting an international investigation on Bait Hanoon massacre and other Israeli violations against Palestinian civilians. They called for sending an international force to provide protection for the Palestinian people. The Foreign ministers called for convening an extraordinary session for the international human rights council to discuss Israeli aggressions against Palestinians and for convening a fresh peace conference to which Arab parties, Israel, and permanent members of the security council will be invited to forge a fair and comprehensive solution to the Arab Israeli conflict on all tracks according to relevant international resolutions and land for peace principle. The ministers also called for forming an Arab ministerial delegation to open consultations and contacts with different world parties to follow-up the implementation of this decision. The communique called on the world community to shoulder its responsibilities, and resume the provision of assistance to the Palestinian people and Palestinian authority. The communiqué called on Israel for a prompt release of the Palestinian authority tax revenues, and on the Arab civil society organizations to launch an immediate campaign for the reconstruction of buildings demolished by Israel in Bait Hanoon and other palestinian cities. The communique confirmed the commitment of Arab countries to continue providing financial support for the Palestinian authority according to relevant Arab Foreign Ministers council resolutions, the last of which were Khartoum summit resolutions 2006. The Council will remain on alert to monitor the situation, the statement concluded. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr. Nizar Bin Obeid Madani headed the delegation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers held in Cairo. During the meeting, the ministers discussed the situation in the Palestinian territories following the escalation of Israeli aggressions. Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Nizar Bin Obaid Madani arrived on Cairo to lead the Saudi delegation to the extraordinary meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Bahrain to discuss the latest developments at the Palestinian arena in the light of the continuous Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people. On arrival, Madani was welcomed by Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Hisham Nazer and a number of other officials. The Extraordinary meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers began in Cairo. The meeting, which was convened at the request of Lebanon, discussed the developments of the Palestinian problem in the light of the continuous Israeli aggressions. The Saudi delegation to the meeting is led by Dr Nizar Madani, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Saudi Arabia has called on the world community to take decisive actions to protect the Palestinian people against Israeli aggression, citing Bait Hanoon's genocide in which tens of children and women were killed or seriously injured. In a speech before the extraordinary meeting of Arab Foreign Ministers held in Cairo, Dr. Nizar Bin Obeid Madani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who leads his country's delegation to the meeting, expressed profound regret and shock towards the continuing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people. He cited Bait Hanoon genocide as the most recent peak of such aggression paralleled, to our surprise, with complete silence on the side of the world community who failed to stop the crime. He criticized the world community's response reflected by mere condemnation and call for self-restraint, a position, he said, encourages Israel to proceed with its procrastinating and inhuman policy towards the innocent and unarmed Palestinian people. He reiterated Saudi Arabia's condemnation of the genocide committed by Israel in Bait Banoon and other parts of Palestine, leaving tens of people killed or injured. He said Saudi Arabia's firm position is in support of the right of the Palestinian people to obtain all their inalienable rights including the establishment of their independent state. He called on the world community to take a prompt action to put an end to the Israeli attacks against the Palestinian people and revive the peace process according to the Arab peace initiative and the international legitimacy resolutions. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia calls for convening an international conference to be attended by all parties to end the heinous massacres against the Palestinian people and discuss ways to activate the peace process, he said, adding that the Arab group is also urged to lobby within the international human rights council to condemn Israel. The Kingdom also calls on the Palestinian political factions to forge national unity among themselves to face the Israeli crimes, the minister said, adding that Saudi Arabia also supports sending a united nations monitoring force to supervise the protection of the Palestinian people against genocide and calls for the formation of an international committee to investigate the war crimes committed against the Palestinian people. He said Saudi Arabia also calls on the Arab League to break the siege imposed on the Palestinian people through a collective move that forges a concerted mechanism to ensure the delivery of money and medicine to the Palestinian people. Arab states vowed to ignore the aid freeze imposed on the Palestinian Authority and start stepping up payments. "We are determined to find means of getting aid directly to the Palestinian people," Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad ibn Jassem ibn Jabr Al-Thani told reporters after a meeting of foreign ministers of the member states of the Arab League here. Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al-Zahar welcomed the decision as "extremely important," arguing it could pave the way for the formation of a national unity government and a lifting of the international boycott of Palestinians. "It means that Arabs will revert to using the usual means to transfer aid," he told reporters. Western donors cut financial aid to the Palestinian Authority after Hamas took office in March, demanding the movement renounce violence and recognize Israel's right to exist. Zahar also accepted an Arab proposal at the meeting for a peace conference to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Arab diplomats said. The ministers said in a communiqué that permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Israel and Arab parties would be invited to attend the peace conference. The Arab ministers, who convened at the Cairo-based Arab League over Israel's killing of 19 Palestinian civilians by Israeli fire in Gaza, said permanent members of the UN Security Council, Israel and Arab parties would be invited to attend the conference. Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa who chaired the conference, urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for its actions and pressure it to comply with international obligations. The League pledged to break financial sanctions on the Palestinian Authority and slammed the US veto of a UN resolution condemning the raid. Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al Zahar sidestepped whether his group would attend the new peace conference alongside Israel, a country which he refused to recognise. "We do not want to repeat the mistakes made by Fatah when it recognised Israel and gave concessions," he said, adding $50 million (BD19m) was needed to rebuild Beit Hanoun in Gaza Strip, after the devastating offensive. In Gaza City, Fatah and Hamas drew closer to agreement amid renewed hopes that a unity cabinet could be finally formed after five months of deadlock. Foreign ministers from Arab nations including Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait met in Cairo the Egyptian capital to discuss steps to ensure that similar attacks would not occur. They urged the Mideast Quartet (the UN, European Union, US and Russia) and the UN Security Council to take 'serious and immediate action.' Although Lebanon, in addition to the Palestinian government, had initially requested the emergency meeting, the Lebanese foreign minister was not in attendance. The US had last Saturday vetoed a draft resolution, presented by Qatar and supported by Arab states, for the UN Security Council to condemn the killings. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that the US was 'compelled' to reject the resolution because it 'used the tragic incident in Beit Hanoun to advance a one-sided political agenda.' Ten of the 15 council member nations voted in favour while four - Britain, Denmark, Japan and the Slovak Republic - abstained. The draft text had demanded an immediate withdrawal of Israeli Defence Forces from Gaza and an end of 'aggression' by Israel. The US veto was criticised by Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora, who expressed his 'strong dismay' at the development and said it was the responsibility of the international community and the security council to stop Israel's actions in Gaza, which contradicted international law and several UN resolutions. Jordanian daily Al Dustour meanwhile last Sunday also blasted Washington's decision, calling it 'tantamount to an American blessing of Israel's aggression on the Palestinian people.' Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa slammed the "incomprehensible" the US veto of a United Nations resolution condemning Israel's devastating raid in the Gaza Strip. "This sends a message that causes us great sorrow and anger. The message was well received, and it tells us that the peace process is completely dead," Moussa told reporters. The United States last Saturday vetoed an Arab-sponsored draft resolution in the UN Security Council that would have condemned Israel's deadly attack in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun, calling the text "unbalanced" and "biased." "This veto is incomprehensible and will only fan the flames of anger gripping the Middle East," Moussa said as Arab foreign ministers kicked off an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in the Palestinian territories. The draft resolution would have condemned Israe's artillery strike on the northern Gaza Strip town that killed 19 Palestinians, mostly women and children. It would also have condemned Palestinian rocket firing into the Jewish state. The Hamas-led Palestinian government agreed on Sunday to an international peace conference with Israel after Arab foreign ministers angered by Israel's military offensive in Gaza agreed to end a financial blockade on the Palestinians. Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar of Hamas endorsed a statement by Arab foreign ministers calling for the peace conference during a meeting in Cairo to respond to a US veto of a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the Gaza offensive. Zahar said the Palestinians had asked for the peace conference "in order to reach just and comprehensive solutions." The acceptance marked the first time the Hamas-led government has indicated it would consider making amends with the Jewish state. The West cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid and tax revenues to the Palestinians after Hamas took power in March in an effort to pressure the Islamic militant group to moderate its anti-Israel ideology. The US, Europe and Israel are demanding Hamas recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by existing agreements between Israel and Palestinians. Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, said he was not aware of the conference proposal. But he said Hamas could not be a party to talks with Israel unless it met the international community's stipulations. "A multilateral conference doesn't make Hamas legitimate," Regev said. "What makes Hamas legitimate is accepting the international benchmarks." Hamas' decision came as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived in Washington Sunday ahead of a meeting with President Bush on Monday. In Washington, US State Department spokesman Kurtis Cooper said he had no immediate comment. The Arab League statement said ministers sought a conference to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "according to international resolutions and the principal of 'land for peace'." Arabs want Hamas to endorse a 2002 Arab initiative that calls for peace in exchange for land seized by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. This was the first time Zahar had attended an Arab foreign ministers' meeting since Hamas became the ruling party. The Arab League had previously refused to let him join unless Hamas accepted the peace initiative. Arab ministers also decided to end a financial blockade on the Palestinians to show their anger over US veto in the Security Council on Saturday. The U.N. draft resolution would have condemned the Israeli offensive in Gaza that has killed more 50 people recently and also demanded that Israeli troops pull out of the territory. US Ambassador John Bolton said the Arab-backed resolution was "biased against Israel and politically motivated." It was the second US veto of a draft resolution on Israeli military operations in Gaza this year. "There will no longer be an international siege," said Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa. The economic sanctions have debilitated the Palestinians and have led to clashes between Hamas and the more moderate Fatah party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who has been trying to form a more moderate government and renew the peace process with Israel. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said the decision to break the Western-lead financial blockade was a message to the United States. "Our message is loud and clear to those who take unfriendly positions against Arabs," Moussa told reporters in Cairo. In an immediate show of support, Kuwait's foreign minister said his country would send US$30 million to the Palestinians, and Bahrain's foreign minister said the Arab countries would begin contacting international financial institutions to get the money transferred to the Palestinians. Mohammed Awad, secretary general of the Palestinian Cabinet, said at least US$52 million dollars would be ready for immediate transfer. The Arab League should now be able to transfer the money to the government accounts instead of to the president's coffers, he said. "Most banks follow their governments. They must remove the blockade," Awad told The Associated Press in Gaza City. The money would go to paying salaries, Awad said. Arab banks have not transferred funds to the Hamas-run Palestinian Authority for fear of US-led sanctions. The United States and European Union list Hamas as a terrorist organization and takes steps against those who transfer funds to such bodies. It was not immediately clear if Arab banks would immediately begin transactions in response to Sunday's decision and if sanctions would be imposed if they did. The ministers also decided to ask the U.N. General Assembly to hold a special session to discuss the situation in the Palestinian territories. Israeli artillery killed 19 civilians in a crowded Gaza neighborhood of Beit Hanoun on Wednesday, the latest bloodshed in an offensive meant to halt militant rocket attacks. The incident marked the highest number of Palestinian civilians killed in a single strike since fighting erupted six years ago. The United States vetoed the UN Security Council resolution urging an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and condemning an Israeli attack there that killed 18 Palestinian civilians. Nine of the Council's 15 members voted for the measure, while four abstained: Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia. But the "no" vote cast by US Ambassador John Bolton his second since he arrived at UN headquarters in August 2005 was enough to kill the resolution. The measure defeated was backed by Arab, Islamic and nonaligned nations and formally proposed by Qatar. It would have called on the Palestinian Authority to "take immediate and sustained action to bring an end to violence, including the firing of rockets on Israeli territory." It would have urged the international community to take steps to stabilize the situation, revive the Middle East peace process and consider "the possible establishment of an international mechanism" for the protection of civilians. It also would have condemned Israeli military operations in Gaza and called on the Jewish state to withdraw all troops from Gaza and end its operations in all Palestinian lands. Predictably, Israel welcomed the US veto as very satisfactory. "The resolution did not stipulate that what happened at Beit Hanoun was a tragic error," government spokesman Avi Pazner said. In Ramallah Palestinian Presidency Spokesperson Nabil Abu Rdaina condemned Saturday the American veto against a draft resolution condemning the Israeli massacre in Beit Hanoun in which 19 civilians were killed. Abu Rdaina told WAFA that the American veto encourages Israel to commit massacres against the Palestinian people. Last Wednesday, Israeli Occupation Forces killed nineteen civilians, most of them children and women, who were in bed. In New York the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has condemned the ongoing and unjustified Israeli aggression on Palestinian territories and civilians, calling on Israel to immediately stop the use of force and return to negotiations table. Ambassador Fawzi Abdul Majeed Shobokshi, the Kingdom's Permanent representative to the United Nations said the continued escalation by the Israeli troops represents a flagrant violation of international law, norms and its commitment as an occupation authority under the fourth Geneva Convention. The Saudi Ambassador urged the Security Council to move effectively and to denounce the Israeli violation in the Palestinian territories. In his statement before the UN sessions, where he condemned the massacre committed by the Israeli occupation troops in Beit Hanoun, the Saudi delegate said the international community should adopt a decisive stance for putting an end to the humanitarian tragedy in the occupied territories. Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit on Saturday11/11/2006 expressed his regret over the US veto against the UN Security Council draft resolution condemning Israel's massacre in Beit Hanoun. In statements, Abul-Gheit said that such a move would aggravate the situation and deepen the sense of frustration among the Palestinian people over the international community's negligence of their suffering and its failure even to issue a condemnation resolution. The Foreign Minister also reiterated his call on the UN Security Council to honour its obligations and stop turning a blind eye to Israeli practices in Gaza Strip. He stressed the importance of halting the Israeli aggression and policy of collective punishment against the defenseless Palestinians. In Cairo French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, said in an interview with the Egyptian daily Al-Ahram that his talks in Egypt focused on the Mideast peace process and Sudan's Darfur issue. On the Middle East peace process, Douste-Blazy told Egypt's top- selling newspaper that talked with Egyptian officials on holding an international conference on peace in the Middle East to re-launch the stalled peace process without any condition. He said that his country, like Egypt and other states, was seeking rallying efforts to reviving the Middle East peace process. He disclosed that his talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit dealt with the Darfur issue in a bid to end the crisis there. After Egypt, Douste-Blazy visited Khartoum to meet with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and senior Sudanese officials, including Foreign Minister Lam Akol, according to a statement released by the French Foreign Ministry earlier. The UN Security Council adopted resolution 1706 on Aug. 31, calling for the deployment of more than 20,000 international peacekeepers to replace the 7,800 AU forces in Darfur. But the Sudanese government has rejected the mission transfer, saying it was a violation of Sudan's sovereignty and an effort by the West to re-colonize the African oil producing country. Egypt has been firmly supporting Sudan's stance on the deployment of UN forces, insisting any deployment should first get approval from the Sudanese government. In Israel the most eloquent expression to the feelings of the hundreds of demonstrators was given by a middle-aged woman, who held in her hands the national flag with a large stain of blood. The demonstration was organized spontaneously, only a few hours after it became known that the Israeli artillery had caused a horrible massacre at Bet-Hanoun in the Gaza Strip. The "Peace Now" movement was the first to take the initiative, and was immediately joined by Gush Shalom, the Women's Coalition for Peace, Anarchists for Peace and the Meretz and Hadash parties. The protest took place in front of the Ministry of Defense in Tel-Aviv. "No error and no mistake / This occupation kills!" the protesters shouted, and, alluding to the International Criminal Court, "Dan Halutz, beware, beware / We shall see you in the Hague!", Artillery and Qassams / The occupation is bad for everybody!", "Killing children is a war crime!" and more. "We reject with disgust the stuttering apologies of the government and the army," Gush Shalom spokesman Adam Keller declared, "This massacre was an inevitable result of the irresponsible frenzy of the army, which is completely backed by the government, including all its members." "It is not at all self-evident that this massacre was caused by a mistake, Uri Avnery added, "It is quite possible that the intention was to teach the Palestinian a lesson, after the Israeli army failed to stop the Qassams from Gaza in spite of the operation in which 55 Palestinians, including many women and children, were killed."