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Sirotnikov
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<--- Yes, It's a "kitty" in a boot.
Feb 2000
time: 07:25
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 01-02-2003 07:06
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#1
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Officials: U.S., Israel Readying Call for Palestinian Statehood
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Support Apolyton
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Officials: U.S., Israel Readying Call for Palestinian Statehood
By NOGA TARNOPOLSKY
FORWARD CORRESPONDENT
JERUSALEM — Israel and the United States are preparing a new joint peace initiative for possible release following Israel's January 28 general election, the Forward has learned.
The initiative, details of which are still being ironed out in high-level, behind-the-scenes talks, would reportedly include a joint American-Israeli call for the establishment of a "demilitarized Palestinian state with temporary borders," according to several sources familiar with the talks. A unilateral Israeli announcement of the establishment of such a Palestinian state is being considered. The new state reportedly would be led by an appointed prime minister, with Yasser Arafat barred from playing any role.
Senior officials have confirmed that such plans are under discussion. Several sources cautioned against expectations of an early breakthrough, however, insisting that such plans would not be activated until after the Iraq crisis has been resolved.
Any explicit declaration relating to the establishment of Palestinian statehood, one senior government source told the Forward, would be part of a "second phase," following Palestinian economic and political reform and the cessation of terrorism.
Nonetheless, the American-Israeli plan appears to be in a fairly advanced stage of development. According to Israeli sources, a team has been formed at a New York public relations agency, Howard Rubenstein & Associates, to develop scenarios for the plan's public presentation. Options said to be under study include a possible address by Prime Minister Sharon before a joint session of Congress.
Drafters are also said to be examining past examples of "provisional statehoods," including the onetime South African protectorate of Namibia, which went through a provisional stage before achieving full independence.
Israel's consul for media and public affairs in New York, Ido Aharoni, confirmed the Rubenstein involvement, but said it is unrelated to any request from the Prime Minister's Office. "There have been no direct instructions from Jerusalem on this issue," he said. "However, since [Palestinian statehood] is part of the public discourse in Israel, it has certainly been discussed, among other things, with Rubenstein, in order to better prepare us from a PR point of view."
Broad hints that a concrete plan is underway have been dropped on several occasions in recent days by ranking Israeli and American officials, including at least two public statements by Sharon. In a Newsweek interview last week, Sharon attempted to downplay the diplomatic efforts of the so-called Madrid Quartet — the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia — by declaring: "Oh, the Quartet is nothing! Don't take it seriously! There is [another] plan that will work."
Outlining the alternate plan, Sharon said it would entail the removal of Arafat from his "influential position" and the appointment of a Palestinian prime minister.
Sharon's dismissive comments about the Quartet ruffled diplomatic feathers in Europe and Washington, touching off hurried exchanges of statements. Secretary of State Colin Powell reaffirmed America's commitment to the Quartet's efforts, including its so-called "road map" for ending the intifada, a plan loosely based on President Bush's June 24 Middle East speech. In reply, Sharon reaffirmed through aides that "within the forum known as the Quartet," Washington and Jerusalem "see eye to eye."
Another public affirmation of American commitment to Palestinian statehood was made by the usually hawkish deputy defense secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, in a Washington Post interview. Wolfowitz told the Post's David Ignatius that in a post-Iraq war scenario, "our stake in pushing for a Palestinian state will grow."
Ranking American and Israeli sources emphasized, however, that the flurry of public statements was in large measure a "smokescreen" meant to calm frayed nerves in Europe and the Arab world while the "significant discussions" were going on largely unnoticed.
Sources pointed to a January 15 speech by Sharon to the Science Club of the Israeli Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science as a revealing guide to prime minister's view of current talks.
Israel, Sharon said, has "arrived at an agreed-upon plan with the United States, and once we deviate from it, the United States will also deviate from it, despite the great efforts invested in a long and difficult negotiation process. My seven visits to Washington during the last 18 months have not been easy, and they have certainly not been in vain."
Sharon said the "underlying principle of this plan — which is acceptable to Israel — is progress in phases, with the first phase being a complete cessation of Palestinian terrorism. The transition from one phase to a more advanced one is not defined according to a pre-determined timetable, but on the basis of performance. Each transition to the next phase is conditional on complete fulfillment of the commitments in the phase preceding it. Israel should obviously not be expected to make political concessions prior to a proven state of calm and Palestinian governmental reforms. The reform process is necessary in order to remove Arafat from the reins of power and decision-making and to establish a more proper government, which will lead the security, economic and democratic reforms."
While the Forward's sources did not provide details about the secret talks, they emphasized that discussions have reached the level of minutiae and deal with various scenarios, including one in which war with Iraq is avoided.
A Likud source familiar with the talks said that while Sharon may initially be obliged to establish a narrow, right-wing coalition unlikely to approve of such a plan, the ultimate goal remains to form a more amenable national unity government "after the Labor party finishes its post-electoral purges."
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Sirotnikov
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<--- Yes, It's a "kitty" in a boot.
Feb 2000
time: 07:25
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Other news:
More and more covert voices are heard in the Labour party, suggesting that Peres should be "Let go". Peres, they say, is constantly subversive, doesn't want to sit in the opposition, keeps hurting strategies decided upon by party leaders, and doesn't speak to the younger generation.
Personally I think that they are wrong. Peres speaks quite a bit to the younger generation, and has tremendous electoral power. If they throw him out, they are as of that moment starting from blank. I agree that Labor must reinvent themselves, but that reinvention should come as drawing in new crowds: secular young, russian alyah, center.
All these crowds were left out, when Labour turned to extreme lefties, still clinging to Oslo, and never appealed to the secular (Labor has strong alliances with the religious parties, and infact made their career) and completely ignored the russian vote.
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Sirotnikov
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<--- Yes, It's a "kitty" in a boot.
Feb 2000
time: 07:25
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Who said anything of negociations with the Palestinians?
If I read correctly, this is going to be done over their head, and only when they implement reforms.
EDIT: a glance at the israeli reprint added this (which i can confirm from previous reports during the last month)
Ariel Sharon admitted he is covertly negociating with some palestinian factions whose identities he won't disclose.
Probably since Arafat would finish off anyone who thinks of replacing him.
Last edited by Sirotnikov on 01-02-2003 at 07:54
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Sirotnikov
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<--- Yes, It's a "kitty" in a boot.
Feb 2000
time: 07:25
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Minister of Defense, Mofaz, revealed on friday, on an economic conference, information that suggests that Arafat was directly involved in controlling and leading the terrorist attacks against Israel.
The plan, according to that information, was to cause as much as possible Israeli deaths in a short period of time, to bring the Israeli public to pressure the government to go for more far reaching concessions.
Mofaz said that Israel posses information according to which, in early February 2001, when Israeli casualties were scarce, and shortly after more than 80 chief terrorists were freed from Palestinian jails, Arafat during a meeting with the heads of terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Jihad, asked them "why aren't there more casualties on the Israeli side?".
After hearing their response, he reportedly said: "You know what you need to do", thus giving them a green light, and a call for action.
Mofaz said that this information and more, is also known to the USA and several other western countries.
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Sirotnikov
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<--- Yes, It's a "kitty" in a boot.
Feb 2000
time: 07:25
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"Arafat wanted to reach an agreement to permanently move to Gaza, thereby leaving his Mukataa in Ramallah. Israel denied his request."
quote:
Israel rejects Arafat's offer to move back to Gaza HQ
Jerusalem, Jan 31 (UNI) Israel has snubbed a deal put forward by the Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman, Yasser Arafat, to let him visit the Church of Nativity on Christmas in return of which he will relinquish his Muqata compound in Ramallah and move to his Headquarters in Gaza, reports Ha'aretz.
The proposal was reportedly sent shortly before Christmas through former Minister for Civil Affairs in the Palestinian Authority, Jamal Tarifi.
Palestinian sources have been reported to have said that Mr Arafat made this request because of the restrictions Israel has imposed on his movements in Ramallah.
With the exception of one day in May, shortly after Operation Defensive Shield, when he went on a tour of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jenin, Mr Arafat has been virtually imprisoned in his Muqata compound since last January.
In Gaza, unlike the West Bank, Israeli troops have not reoccupied most of the cities, he would have more freedom of movement.
Israeli sources are reported to have said that the proposal was rejected on the grounds that Mr Arafat might have tried to rehabilitate the PA in Gaza in the face of increasing challenge posed by Hamas.
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Lancer
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Oregon Coast, USA! or Bohol, Philippines!
Apr 1999
time: 05:25
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The terrorism is based on hatred of the state of Isreal, not a lack of a state of Palistine. This won't stop the terrorism, instead it will make things worse. The terrorist will see this as a victory for their methods, and that will fuel the fires of hatred, and increase the terrorism. Terrorism is a business now also. People don't like to go out of business.
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Lancer
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Oregon Coast, USA! or Bohol, Philippines!
Apr 1999
time: 05:25
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AH, are you saying the Palesinians don't hate the state of Israel? I didn't comment on how they got there...
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panag
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MY WORDS ARE BACKED WITH BIO-CHEMICAL WEAPONS
Oct 2000
time: 07:25
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quote:
Originally posted by lord of the mark
The israelis blew up restaurants filled with civilians in London??? when did that happen????
They attacked british officers and troops in the land they claimed.
Suggestion - the Pals limit attacks to Israeli officers and troops in the territories. No more attacks in pre-1967 Israel, and no more attacks against civilians in the territories, (including settlers) THEN all settlement activity stops, and fast track negotiations can proceed. |
hi ,
suggestion ; one , people who dont know or want to know should not speak about something they dont know , .....
two , no attacks at all , no terrorism what so ever , no inside here , or not inside there , ....
three , its our land they invaded in the first place in 1948-9 , we just take back what they took
four , come over and learn something before thou speak
five , the above is not personal or offensive , but get some facts strait guys , .....
six , the pic is "no to terror"
have a nice day
 Attachment: busterspin.jpg
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They have a funny way of doing that, I've noticed it before. 
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