tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33733660218394254952024-03-12T19:32:58.566-07:00Dividing the LandIsrael Omen - Those who touch Israel will be cursed...
[Zec 12:3] "On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves." [Psa 83:1-18]
Events listed here as a result of wrong choices...Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-76402407913373931432013-03-22T19:39:00.000-07:002013-03-22T19:50:35.326-07:0020 March 2013 Obama calls for dividing Israel<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and <em>for</em> my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, <strong>and parted my land</strong>.” <a href="http://beforeitsnews.com/r2/?url=http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Joe&c=3&v=1&t=KJV" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Obama divides Israel">Joel 3:2</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>RAMALLAH, West Bank (CBS/AP) —</strong> President Obama called for a free and independent Palestinian state while visiting the West Bank with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas Thursday.</span></div>
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<a href="http://beforeitsnews.com/r2/?url=http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?attachment_id=13417" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="obama-visits-west-bank-calls-for-israel-to-be-divided-march-21-2013" class="" height="285" src="http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/obama-visits-west-bank-calls-for-israel-to-be-divided-march-21-2013.jpg" style="border: none; max-width: 660px; padding: 5px;" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Barack Obama says Palestinians deserve an independent and sovereign state and an end to occupation by Israel. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Palestinians deserve a state of their own,” Obama said during a joint news <a href="http://beforeitsnews.com/r2/?url=http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/03/21/obama-says-palestinians-deserve-independent-state/#" id="itxthook0" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">conference</a>with Abbas in Ramallah.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Obama believes that a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians is possible.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“If we can get direct negotiations started again I believe that the shape of a potential deal is there,” Obama said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Obama said he told Israeli officials that the White House does not consider settlement activity in the West Bank to be appropriate or constructive. He says Palestinians should not have to confront the daily indignities that come with occupation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A new poll finds 36 percent of the <a href="http://beforeitsnews.com/r2/?url=http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/03/21/obama-says-palestinians-deserve-independent-state/#" id="itxthook2" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">500</a> Israelis who were surveyed believe the president is more pro-Palestinian than pro-Israel, The Jerusalem Post reports. By comparison, 26 percent said Obama was more pro-Israel than pro-Palestinian.</span></div>
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Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-33135728379051712092011-10-29T01:29:00.001-07:002011-10-29T01:29:22.975-07:0028/10/11 - Palestinian Muslim Secret PMS<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hk44DLE8Iy4" width="560"></iframe>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-1383848634379640162011-10-28T22:37:00.000-07:002011-10-28T22:39:07.305-07:0028/10/11 - Israel ready to submit borders proposal to Quartet<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<h2 id="teaser_val" style="margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.jpost.com/HttpHandlers/ShowImage.ashx?ID=161236" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Members of the Middle East Quartet" border="0" src="http://www.jpost.com/HttpHandlers/ShowImage.ashx?ID=161236" /></a>Breaking from previous position, J'lem willing to come forward with comprehensive plan within three months; follows Blair meeting.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In a departure from previous policy, the government has agreed to put forward a comprehensive proposal on borders within three months, according to a Quartet communiqué issued on Thursday.<br />
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The statement, put out following separate meetings the Quartet envoys and Quartet representative Tony Blair held in Jerusalem with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Wednesday, said the parties agreed with the Quartet to “come forward with comprehensive proposals on territory and security within three months.”<br />
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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been reluctant to present a detailed map of where he envisions a future Palestinian state, wary of revealing a key negotiating card before knowing what he can expect in return from the Palestinians on issues such as refugees, Jerusalem and recognition of a Jewish state.<br />
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Blair, in an interview he gave earlier this week with the Los Angeles Times, was asked whether either side has provided the Quartet with a detailed proposal on borders and security.<br />
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“The Palestinians, of course, did table a proposal in the last talks that they had in Annapolis [Maryland, in 2008 during the Bush administration].<br />
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They were detailed, significant proposals on borders at least, in and around land swaps.<br />
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This Israeli government has not produced such a proposal, and that’s obviously one thing we have to explore with them,” he said.<br />
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One Israeli government official, when asked about Israel’s border proposals, said Jerusalem wanted to “facilitate” the Quartet’s efforts to launch direct negotiations without preconditions. He stressed, however, that it was important that the Quartet meetings don’t become a substitute for direct negotiations between the sides, but only as a way to get those talks started.<br />
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Blair explained in his interview that the Quartet was trying to get detailed proposals from Israel and the Palestinians on borders and security, to gauge how wide the gaps were, and whether there was a basis for negotiation.<br />
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The Quartet reiterated in its statement that the objective of the current efforts is “direct negotiations leading toward an agreement by the end of 2012.” The statement said that the envoys would meet regularly with the sides over the next 90 days to review progress.<br />
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The statement also reiterated the Quartet’s call for the parties to “refrain from provocative actions” so the negotiations can be effective, diplomatic code for Israel to stop settlement construction.<br />
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Government officials, meanwhile, denied reports of US pressure on Israel to freeze construction now, including in Jerusalem neighborhoods beyond the Green Line, such as the recently approved project in Gilo, to lure the PA back to talks.<br />
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Netanyahu, the official said, has made clear that the type of housing-start freeze he implemented in the West Bank, but not in east Jerusalem, at the end of 2009 for 10 months was not going to repeat itself.<br />
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A spokesman at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, when asked if Washington was calling on Israel to freeze settlement construction, said the American position on settlements has been known and consistent for 30 years.<br />
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“We consider settlements and construction in east Jerusalem to be actions that appear to be, or actually are, prejudicing the outcomes of negotiations,” he said.<br />
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The spokesman said the US “urged both sides to refrain from any sort of unilateral action that would impede the successful outcome of direct negotiations,” and added that the American position was for the resumption of direct negotiations without any conditions.</span></span></h2>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-26434473374377444402011-10-27T13:20:00.000-07:002011-10-27T13:20:10.971-07:0027/10/11 - Quartet seeks Israel-Palestinian peace proposals<img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRN7vZ6vgNaHGsRftVfQhlA0YnGsMH5BPh4M73vQuJSBVDN3aF6bQ" /><br />
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<div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246446" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Talks between envoys of the international peacemaking Quartet and Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jerusalem ended with a pledge to introduce "comprehensive proposals" but no deal on new peace talks.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246295" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In a statement released late on Wednesday, the peacemaking group, which comprises the United States, <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319701861_0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">United Nations</span>,<span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319701861_2" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">European Union</span> and Russia, said its envoys had met separately with both sides in a bid to kickstart long-stalled negotiations.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Last month, the Quartet called for talks to begin by October 23, a deadline that has already passed, with the goal of reaching a deal within a year.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246302" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319701861_1" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Israel</span> and the Palestinians interpreted the call differently, with Israel saying the Quartet sought talks without preconditions and the Palestinians saying the group supported their demand for a freeze to <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319701861_3" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">settlement construction</span>.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246421" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The talks on Wednesday did not include any Israeli-Palestinian interaction, and ended with both sides expressing "their readiness to engage with the Quartet," the group's statement said.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246418" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"The parties agreed with the Quartet to come forward with comprehensive proposals on territory and security within three months in the context of our shared commitment to the objective of direct negotiations leading toward an agreement by the end of 2012," the statement added.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246415" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Quartet set out its proposed timeline for new talks on September 23, the same day the Palestinians submitted their bid to join the UN as a member state.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246412" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But so far the framework has failed to get off the ground, with Israel saying talks should start without preconditions and the Palestinians refusing to talk without a clear framework and a freeze to Israeli settlement construction.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319746667246407" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Negotiations have been on hold since late September 2010, when they ground to a halt shortly after they were relaunched in Washington, also over the issue of settlement construction.</div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-70703987378532785552011-10-23T13:19:00.000-07:002011-10-23T13:19:50.808-07:0023/10/11 - Jordan's king urges restart of Mideast peace talks<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060302" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img 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" /></div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060302" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">SOUTHERN SHUNEH, <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319364096_1" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Jordan</span> (AP) — Jordan's King Abdullah on Saturday urged <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319364096_2" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Israel</span> and the Palestinians to look to the Arab Spring uprisings for inspiration and to restart their stalled peace talks.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060295" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"The future for the Middle East and beyond is with the normalcy of peace," Abdullah told the opening of a two-day special meeting of the Davos-based <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319364096_0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">World Economic Forum</span>, held on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060460" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">He said "shortsighted leaders may think they can shut" the door to peace — a rebuke believed directed at Israel's right-wing government. He added that a Palestinian-Israeli deal must consider Israel's "security and acceptance" and allow for the creation of an independent Palestinian state.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060307" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Around 1,000 participants from 50 countries, including the United States, are attending the meeting which will discuss ways for economic development and creating jobs in <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319364096_3" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">the Arab world</span>following the revolts that unseated three longtime Arab leaders.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Abdullah said one of the main factors to be considered is creating 85,000 jobs across the region soon to help alleviate poverty and improve living conditions for the youth who are leading the effort for change.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Our region stands today at the gates to the future," Abdullah said, referring to the Arab uprisings. One of those gates, he said, leads "to peace and justice, opening the way out of regional crisis, especially (for the issue) at the heart of the region, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict."</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Former Arab League chief Amr Moussa said recent shifts in the Arab world coupled with an economic contraction at the global level have created a new urgency for decision-makers across the region to review policy to revive economic growth and support human development.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Moussa, who is Egypt's presidential hopeful in the wake of the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak, said his country's economic woes following its revolution are "solvable."</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Serious" work, planning and stability are the keys to reinvigorating Egypt's economy after near daily protests and strikes wreaked havoc with revenues and unsettled investors since January, Moussa told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the WEF.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Arab world's most populous country has seen economic growth contract sharply with key foreign revenue sources like tourism and foreign direct investment hit particularly hard.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Also at the gathering in Jordan, Libya's acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril said his country has used 62 percent of its oil resources under deposed Moammar Gadhafi.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We only have 32 percent left," he told the AP.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060457" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We have to look for other sources of income in the next 20 years," he said. "The time is limited and it's very critical. Therefore, we have to utilize it well to look for other alternatives."</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060452" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum and the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in a report released at the conference Saturday urged Mideast policy makers to boost jobs, education and entrepreneurship, as the region grapples with uprisings and a global economic crisis.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060449" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The groups said that the Middle East had the highest youth unemployment rate in the world with 2.8 million youth entering the labor market every year. They said that 25 million new jobs were needed over the next decade.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319401022060446" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Protests in Tunisia, Jordan and other Arab countries since the start of the year began with calls for more jobs, lower taxes and other economic reforms before assuming an increasing political tone.</div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-71221993934998778402011-10-22T16:01:00.000-07:002011-10-22T16:05:32.756-07:0022/10/11 - AMAZING TIMES! Prophecy Being Fulfilled Before Our Eyes? Daniel 11?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CnP1qht5ox0" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Libyan Officials Say Liberation Will Be Declared Sunday</span><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span></span><br />
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<div class="hmedia related-media m-17" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 396px;"><ul style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="photo" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="libya_102211.jpg" src="http://a57.foxnews.com/static/managed/img/World/396/223/libya_102211.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px;" /></div><div class="contributor vcard" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="fn">AP</span></div><div class="fn" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 12px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">OCt. 22, 2011: A Libyan revolutionary fighter returning from Sirte is welcomed at Al Guwarsha gate in Benghazi, Libya.</div></li>
</ul></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="dateline">TRIPOLI, Libya – </span>Libya's new leaders will declare liberation on Sunday, officials said, a move that will start the clock for elections after months of bloodshed that culminated in the death of longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But the victory has been clouded by questions over how Qaddafi was killed after images emerged showing he was found alive and taunted and beaten by his captors.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The long-awaited declaration of liberation will come more than two months after revolutionary forces swept into Tripoli and seized control of most of the oil-rich North African nation. It was stalled by fierce resistance by Qaddafi loyalists in his hometown of Sirte, Bani Walid and pockets in the south.</div><span><br style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Read more: <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/22/libyan-official-liberation-to-be-declared-sunday/#ixzz1bYSQT2Rl" style="color: #003399; cursor: pointer; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/10/22/libyan-official-liberation-to-be-declared-sunday/#ixzz1bYSQT2Rl</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Sirte was the last to fall, but Qaddafi's son and one-time heir apparent and many of his fighters have apparently escaped, raising fears they could continue to stir up trouble.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">With Qaddafi gone, however, the governing National Transitional Council was moving forward with efforts to transform the country that was ruled by one man for more than four decades into a democracy.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In Tripoli, residents said they were relieved Qaddafi was killed, not captured, allowing the nation to move forward without fear that his supporters would try to sabotage the transition to democracy.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"If there was a trial, it would take some time. ... Maybe there would be revenge attacks," said Hosni Bashir, an oil worker who was attending the first meeting of a new political party in a Tripoli hotel. "Now, they (Libya's new leaders) can start."</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Initially, NTC officials said the declaration of liberation would be made Saturday. But spokesman Abdel-Rahman Busin said preparations were under way for a Sunday ceremony in the eastern city of Benghazi, the revolution's birthplace.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The transitional leadership has said it would declare a new interim government within a month of liberation and elections for a constitutional assembly within eight months to be followed by a parliamentary and presidential vote within a year.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">On Saturday, acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, who has said he plans to resign after liberation, said the interim government "should last until the first presidential elections."</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Speaking at the World Economic Forum on the Jordanian shores of the Dead Sea, he also said the NTC must move quickly to disarm rebels who helped to overthrow Qaddafi's nearly 42-year-old regime. He said it was a priority to ensure huge caches of weapons are turned in over the "next few days."</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Jibril also said the Libyan people must remember the agony of the past and choose a different path for the future. He said he was "relieved" after Qaddafi's ouster, describing it as a "great moment in my life."</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Qaddafi's blood-streaked body has been put on display in a commercial freezer at a shopping center in Misrata as Libyan authorities argued about where to bury the remains. Abdel-Basit al-Mzirig, the deputy justice minister, said Qaddafi will be buried according to Islamic tradition, but his burial place will be kept secret.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Fighters from Misrata -- a city brutally besieged by regime forces during the civil war -- seemed to claim ownership of Qaddafi's body, forcing the delay of a planned burial Friday.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Fathi Bashagha, a spokesman for the Misrata military council, said the body of Qaddafi is in the custody of prosecutors and that they will be the ones to decide, along with the NTC, whether an autopsy is necessary.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">At least four groups of doctors have examined the body and determined the cause of death was a bullet to the head and stomach, but "so far there is no autopsy," he said.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">International rights groups, including Amnesty International, called for a probe into the killing.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Men, women and children lined up to view Qaddafi's body, which was laid out on a mattress on the floor of an emptied-out vegetable freezer. The bodies of Qaddafi's son Muatassim and his ex-defense minister Abu Bakr Younis also were put on display Saturday, although they were covered with blankets so only their faces were visible.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The site's guards had even organized separate visiting hours for families and single men.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Qaddafi's bodyguard Mansour Dao also was captured during the battle. In a television interview aired on Al-Arabiya this week, he said the Libyan leader had been in Sirte since fleeing Tripoli as it was being overrun in late August.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Qaddafi's son Muatassim directed the battle, the bodyguard said, while the Libyan leader himself spent most of his time trying to evade capture by moving between apartments and homes that had been owned by supporters.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Dao described chaotic and desperate conditions, and said Qaddafi recorded speeches that were transmitted by Thuraya satellite phone. The convoy was struck by NATO warplanes as it was trying to flee to an area called Jaref, and revolutionary forces subsequently moved in on the survivors, he said.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"There were problems, they besieged us outside of District 2 and prevented us from going to Jaref," he told the pan-Arab station. "We got out on foot and the groups were divided ... I was in the group with Qaddafi, Abu Bakr Younis and his two sons."</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Mohammed Misrati, a 45-year-old fighter in Misrata, said it was time to move past Qaddafi and take advantage of the country's natural resources.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-size: 14px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We need to look ahead and start building and developing," he said. "We deserve that after all of the struggle we had to go through and so the sacrifices won't go in vain."</div><span><br style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-31626097765678896862011-10-20T13:14:00.001-07:002011-10-20T13:14:55.527-07:0020/10/11 - Palestinians to push for UN membership Nov. 11<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></span><br />
<div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319141580057295" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">GENEVA (AP) — Palestinian diplomats are trying to muster support for a U.N. Security Council vote in <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319129828_3" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">New York</span> on Nov. 11 on their bid for membership in the global body, a senior <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319129828_0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Palestinian official</span> said Thursday.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">U.N. diplomats said earlier this week that a Security Council committee considering the membership bid would deliver a report on that day, and that ambassadors would then decide on the next steps.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319141580057305" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Any member of the Security Council can request a vote on the Palestinian request, but a resolution recommending membership requires a minimum of nine "yes" votes and no veto by one of the council's five permanent members — Britain, China, France, <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319129828_2" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Russia</span>and the U.S.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Once the 15-member Security Council recommends a country's membership its application must be approved by a two-thirds vote in the 193-member General Assembly.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Washington, Israel's closest ally, has already pledged to use its veto if Palestinian membership gets the support of nine or more council members.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We still have time until Nov. 11, so there is a lot of efforts pushing certain countries to voting in favor," the Palestinian envoy to the U.N. in Geneva, Ibrahim Khraishi, told The Associated Press.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319141580057312" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319129828_5" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki</span> told reporters in late September that the membership bid has support so far from eight Security Council members: Russia, China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Lebanon, Nigeria and Gabon. He said the Palestinians are lobbying for more votes, including from Bosnia and Colombia.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319141580057302" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319129828_4" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas</span> visited Colombia on Oct. 11 and was told by President Juan Manuel Santos that Colombia will only recognize a <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1319129828_1" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Palestinian state</span> that has been established through negotiations with Israel, which leaves Bosnia as the likely key to a ninth "yes" vote.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Khraishi said "several parties are working" to secure the votes, but declined to elaborate. "I think that we will succeed to get the nine," he added.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Elections to replace five nonpermanent members of the Security Council on Friday could create a grouping even less likely to approve the Palestinians' bid, if it rolls over into the new year.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Winners will take their posts Jan. 1. Strong Palestinian backers Brazil and Lebanon, along with Nigeria and Gabon, will be leaving the council at the same time.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Guatemala, running unopposed for the lone Latin America seat, has never recognized a Palestinian state. Neither has Slovenia, one of three candidates for the East European seat being vacated by Bosnia.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The rest of the candidates have all recognized a Palestinian state: Togo, Mauritania, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Pakistan and Kyrgystan.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"The addition of Guatemala and the subtraction of Brazil would make it a bit more difficult" to get statehood approved, if the vote is held over, said Warren Hoge, senior adviser for external relations at the International Peace Institute, a New York think tank.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319141580057424" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Abbas delivered the Palestinian application to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sept. 23. Hours later, the Quartet of Mideast mediators — the U.S., U.N., EU and Russia — called for a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in a month, with the goal of a peace agreement by the end of 2012.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1319141580057427" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Israelis and Palestinians are scheduled to meet separately with the Quartet on Tuesday.</div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-25919566032917682822011-10-10T22:18:00.001-07:002011-10-10T22:18:46.288-07:0010/10/11 - Mideast Quartet Discusses Way Forward on Peace Process<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;"><img alt="Israeli and Palestinian protesters with their respective flags (file photo montage)" border="0" height="157" src="http://media.voanews.com/images/480*157/Reuters_Israeli_PalestinianFlags_May24111.jpg" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Israeli and Palestinian protesters with their respective flags (file photo montage)" width="480" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="photo480px" style="float: none; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 480px;"><div class="" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="credit" style="color: #909090; font-size: 0.9em; line-height: 1.125; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right;">Photo: Reuters</div><div class="caption" style="color: #666666; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 3px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Israeli and Palestinian protesters with their respective flags (file photo montage)</div></div></div><div class="articleBody" style="font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div style="font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Two weeks after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas formally applied for statehood recognition at the United Nations, envoys of the so-called Middle East peace Quartet met in Brussels Sunday to plot a way forward. The talks came as one U.N. agency appears to be heading toward recognizing full Palestinian membership.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />The Brussels talks among members of the Middle East Quartet - the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union - follow its call in September for stalled peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians to resume within 30 days. The Quartet wants the two sides to reach a deal next year. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />The Middle East peace process was top news at the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York last month, when Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas formally applied to the Security Council for full U.N. membership. The United States has threatened to veto the bid, arguing that Palestinian statehood can only be achieved through direct peace talks with Israel. But in a September interview with the BBC, the Quartet's special representative Tony Blair sounded an optimistic note. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />"Although there's a lot of sound and fury [and] obviously strong rhetoric in the General Assembly, there's also a very strong belief on the part of the international community that now is the time to get back to negotiations without pre-conditions."<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Blair said the Quartet members are close to agreeing on details of peace negotiations. He said that would make it easier to bridge differences between Palestinians and Israelis once they actually sit down for talks. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />But analyst Yossi Mekelberg, of the policy institute Chatham House and Regents College in London, says the Quartet has failed to forcefully push the two sides toward a peace settlement that includes all the major sticking points.<br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />"If they can't actually make their will happen, who would? Either they come not only with another declaration but a timetable - set what the Quartet wants - and tell the Palestinians and Israelis…are you serious about it?.. if you're serious about it, really become serious about it." <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Mekelberg also believes the Quartet needs to offer specific carrots and sticks to move the process forward. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />"We are ready to support you. We'll finance any peace agreements [that] will be costly. We'll deal with the diplomatic implications of dealing with the refugees. We'll deal with the security issues …we'll provide you with all of this, if you're serious. But we'll also tell you what's going to happen if you're not serious." <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />U.S. President Barack Obama faces an election year in 2012, further complicating chances of reaching a meaningful peace agreement. But in Paris, the Palestinian push for recognition gained traction last week, when the board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization agreed to vote on Palestinian membership later this month.</div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-51907630521612705432011-10-08T14:14:00.000-07:002011-10-08T14:14:02.199-07:008/10/11 - Tribulation 2011, Israel peace treaty, world to declare Palestinian State, Ends times, Israel news<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lXnk1KgyzwI" width="420"></iframe>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-4522692201182211512011-10-03T13:22:00.000-07:002011-10-03T13:24:05.317-07:003/10/11 - Israel says ‘yes’ to Quartet framework for talks<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; 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" /></div><br />
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After consulting with ministers, Netanyahu welcomes Quartet's call for "direct negotiations without pre-conditions."<br />
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The government on Sunday formally accepted the Quartet’s proposal for restarting negotiations with the Palestinians, squarely throwing the ball back at the Palestinian Authority, which has yet to accept the formula.<br />
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Following a meeting of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s eight-man inner cabinet, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a carefully-written English-language statement saying Israel “welcomes the Quartet’s call for direct negotiations between the parties without preconditions, as called for by both President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu.”<br />
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<a href="http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=240121">PA calls on Quartet to 'clarify' peace talks proposal</a><br />
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“While Israel has some concerns,” the statement read, “it will raise them at the appropriate time.<br />
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“Israel calls on the Palestinian Authority to do the same and to enter into direct negotiations without delay.”<br />
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Sunday’s inner cabinet meeting was the second one on the matter since the Quartet issued a formula for renewing talks following Netanyahu’s and PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s speeches to the UN General Assembly on September 23, during which Abbas formally filed a request to the Security Council for full UN membership for “Palestine.”<br />
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The Quartet statement urged the parties “to overcome the current obstacles and resume direct bilateral Israeli-Palestinian negotiations without delay or preconditions.”<br />
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It proposed a “preparatory meeting” between the parties within a month to agree to an agenda and “method of proceeding in the negotiation,” and suggested that the two sides commit to the objective of reaching an agreement “within a timeframe agreed to by the parties but not longer than the end of 2012.”<br />
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The statement also said the expectation is that the parties will come up with a comprehensive proposal on territory and security within three months, and will have made “substantial progress” within six months. To facilitate this, an international conference will be held in Moscow “at the appropriate time.”<br />
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While the Palestinians have not formally rejected the proposal, Abbas’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh said on Sunday the PA would only return to talks if Israel froze all construction beyond the Green Line and accepted the pre-1967 lines as the basis for a two-state solution.<br />
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The Quartet framework made no reference either to the settlements or to the 1967 lines.<br />
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One government official termed the Palestinian demands “disingenuous,” since he said both the issue of the settlements and the pre- 1967 lines would be discussed in the negotiations. He also rejected the claim that the recent approval of a project with 1,100 housing units in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, beyond the Green Line, was what was going to keep the Palestinians from the talks.<br />
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“If they want excuses not to negotiate, they will always find them. No Israeli government has ever stopped building in Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem,” he said.<br />
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Government officials said Israel’s primary “concern” with the Quartet formula had to do with its isolation of security and territories from the other core issues, such as Jerusalem and refugees.<br />
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Netanyahu’s position up until now has been that the key issues – Jerusalem, borders, security and refugees – should be discussed in parallel, to facilitate trade-offs and flexibility on both sides.<br />
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For instance, according to this argument, if borders and security were dealt with in isolation of the other issues, and Israel made concessions to the Palestinians on the territorial issues, then the PA would have no reason afterward to show any flexibility on the refugee issue, or for that matter on the issue of recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.<br />
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The core issues of borders and security, Jerusalem and refugees, have often been placed in pairs, with the conventional wisdom being that Israel would make concessions on borders and get concessions from the Palestinians regarding security arrangements on the one hand, and on the other hand the Palestinians would show flexibility on the refugee issue and get Israeli concessions on Jerusalem.<br />
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Government officials denied that two other elements in the Quartet statement that at first blush appeared as if they would present a problem for Israel – the goal of reaching an agreement by the end of 2012, and the call for an international conference in Moscow – were in any way problematic.<br />
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Regarding the timeline, government officials said that Netanyahu already said publicly in the late summer of 2009 that he believed an agreement could be reached within a year. And regarding the idea of an international conference in Moscow – something that the Russians have been keen on hosting since the Annapolis conference in 2007 – the official said that Israel had “no inherent problem with Russia” holding the conference, though it should be clear that the US still held the dominant Mideast peacemaking role.Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-67842941966619102572011-10-02T14:39:00.000-07:002011-10-02T14:39:26.759-07:002/10/11 - Israel accepts Quartet call for peace talks<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-transform: uppercase;">RELATED CONTENT</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
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</ul></div><div class="ft" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; zoom: 1;"><div class="more" style="display: block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">See latest photos »</a></div></div></div></div><div class="yog-col yog-11u" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317591473265298" style="float: none; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="yom-mod yom-art-content" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317591473265297" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div class="bd" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317591473265296" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317591473265295" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">JERUSALEM (Reuters) - <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1317574687_0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Israel</span> accepted on Sunday a call by international mediators to resume peace talks with the Palestinians, who quickly reaffirmed their refusal to negotiate until settlement-building stops on land they seek for state.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317591473265444" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Israel welcomes the Quartet call for direct negotiations between the parties without preconditions," the statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317591473265447" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Israel calls on the Palestinian Authority to do the same and to enter into direct negotiations without delay."</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The four mediators -- the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations -- responded to a Palestinian application for full membership at the U.N. on September 23 by urging both sides to resume talks within a month.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Israel and the United States oppose the unilateral bid launched by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas after two decades of on-again, off-again negotiations failed to establish a Palestinian state.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Asked about Netanyahu's acceptance of the Quartet's initiative, Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Abbas, said "returning to negotiations requires Israel to commit to stopping settlement."</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Abu Rdainah said Israel also must recognize the "1967 borders" lines that existed before its occupation of the West Bank in a Middle East war that year.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Citing security concerns, Netanyahu has balked at U.S. President Barack Obama's proposal to use those lines as the starting point for statehood negotiations with the Palestinians, who have yet to respond formally to the Quartet's call.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Complicating the forum's efforts and drawing a chorus of international criticism, Israel announced plans on Tuesday to build 1,100 new homes in Gilo, on annexed land near Jerusalem.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Israeli cabinet ministers who initially balked at accepting the Quartet proposal changed their minds on Sunday, at least in part as a bid to ease global anger at the latest settlement construction plan, an Israeli political source said.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Israel considers all of Jerusalem, including the eastern areas captured in 1967 as its capital, a claim that is not recognized internationally. It says Gilo will remain in its control under any future peace deal.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of the state they hope to establish in the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip, an enclave controlled by Abbas's Hamas Islamist rivals since 2007.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Some 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas home to 2.5 million Palestinians. Israeli settlements, Palestinians say, will deny them a viable country. Israel cites historical and Biblical links to the land.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">U.S.-brokered peace talks collapsed a year ago after Netanyahu refused to extend a partial moratorium on construction in West Bank settlements. He has given no indication he would be prepared to agree to another freeze to coax Palestinians back into talks.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Quartet, saying it aimed for a peace agreement by the end of 2012, has urged both sides to refrain from "provocative actions."</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In accepting the Quartet's call, Israel said it had "some concerns" about the proposal, such as the 2012, the Israeli source told reporters on condition of anonymity.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Israel also wants the talks to focus on core conflict issues such as refugees and Jerusalem, and not only borders and security as the Quartet has proposed, said the source.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Despite these reservations, Israeli cabinet ministers agreed to accept the proposal figuring the Palestinians "would in any case not agree to attend these negotiations," the source said.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">At the U.N. on Friday, a Security Council panel on admitting new members to the U.N. met for the first time on the Palestinian membership bid.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">It was the beginning of an assessment process that will pit the aid-dependent Palestinians against Israel, and the United States, which has said it would veto the bid in the Security Council if necessary.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Some diplomats have suggested the issue could stay with the membership committee for weeks or months before it is passed back to the Security Council for a vote, giving mediators more time to try to restart peace talks.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317591473265480" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">(Additional reporting by Allyn Fisher-Ilan; Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Michael Roddy/Rosalind Russell)</div></div></div></div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-7491714874356696322011-09-30T20:04:00.000-07:002011-09-30T20:04:06.913-07:0030/9/11 - Vatican supports two-state solution in Israel-Palestine conflict<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<div id="seccion_principal" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 7px;"><div class="noticia_imagen_contenedor" style="color: #333333; float: right; font-family: Arial; font-size: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 1px; text-align: center; width: 252px;"><div class="noticia_imagen" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px;"><br />
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<li style="line-height: 18px; margin-left: 1px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px;"><a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource.php?n=422" style="color: #0065ce; text-decoration: none;">Vatican Document on Euthanasia</a></li>
<li style="line-height: 18px; margin-left: 1px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px;"><a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource.php?n=31" style="color: #0065ce; text-decoration: none;">Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi</a></li>
<li style="line-height: 18px; margin-left: 1px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px;"><a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource.php?n=1386" style="color: #0065ce; text-decoration: none;">Remarks at the Regina Coeli in Floriana</a></li>
</ul></div>New York City, N.Y., Sep 29, 2011 / 01:11 pm (<a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/">CNA/EWTN News</a>).- Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Vatican’s number two State Department official, called Sept. 27 for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in remarks delivered in New York. He insisted that “if we want peace, courageous decisions have to be made.”<br />
<br />
Archbishop Mamberti, whose official title is Secretary for Relations with States, encouraged “the realization of the right of Palestinians to have their own independent and sovereign state, and the right of Israelis to guarantee their security.” He also insisted that both states be “provided with internationally recognized borders.”<br />
<br />
The archbishop addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Sept. 27. In his French-language address, he discussed Palestine’s Sept. 23 application to be recognized as a member state of the United Nations.<br />
<br />
Archbishop Mamberti referenced Resolution 181 of the General Assembly, also known as the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine.<br />
<br />
The resolution, which was adopted in 1947, recommended the creation of two states in the Palestine region.<br />
<br />
“This fundamental document raises the legal basis for the existence of two states,” he said.<br />
<br />
“One of the states has already been created, while the other has not been established yet, although nearly sixty-four years have passed.”<br />
<br />
Archbishop Mamberti expressed hope “that the bodies of the United Nations will take a commitment to helping the effective implementation of the ultimate objective” of ensuring security, sovereignty and independence for both Palestinians and Israelis.<br />
<br />
“The U.N. response will not constitute a complete solution and we will not achieve lasting peace without negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, avoiding actions or conditions that contradict the statements of goodwill,” the archbishop acknowledged.<br />
<br />
“The Holy See, therefore, urges the parties to resume negotiations with determination and addresses an urgent appeal to the international community to increase its commitment and to stimulate its creativity and its initiative, so that we can arrive at a lasting peace, respecting the rights of Israelis and Palestinians.”<br />
<br />
The Vatican has previously chosen not to comment on Palestine’s bid for statehood, although the idea was strongly supported by the former Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.<br />
<br />
The United States has voiced opposition to the measure, arguing that Palestinian statehood should be accomplished only with the cooperation of Israel. The United States is expected to veto a Palestinian resolution asking for recognition as a member state in the U.N. Security Council.<br />
<br />
Israel has also opposed Palestinian statehood, arguing that a unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations would effectively “delegitimize” the statehood of Israel.</div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-21937762227887837872011-09-30T19:30:00.001-07:002011-09-30T20:11:59.585-07:0030/9/11 - U.N. panel's report on Palestinian statehood bid due in 2 weeks<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">From Mick Krever, CNN</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Utkal, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div class="cnn_stryathrtmp" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 14px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="cnn_strytmstmp" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">September 30, 2011 -- Updated 1909 GMT (0309 HKT)</div></div><div class="cnn_strycntntlft" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 4px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 640px;"><div class="cnn_stryimg640captioned" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; height: 360px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 640px;"><img alt="Permanent Observer Riyad Mansour hopes the Palestinian application for statehood will be accepted." border="0" height="360" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/110926092852-bts-rihhad-mansour-palestine-un-00001117-story-top.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-style: initial; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="640" /></div><div class="cnn_stryimg640caption" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; color: #666666; display: block; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 4px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 624px;"><div class="cnn_strycaptiontxt" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Permanent Observer Riyad Mansour hopes the Palestinian application for statehood will be accepted.</div></div><div style="font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3373366021839425495&postID=2193776222788783787&from=pencil" name="em0" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></a></div><div class="cnn_strylftcntnt" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: left; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="cnn_strylctcntr" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 166px;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong>STORY HIGHLIGHTS</strong></div><ul class="cnn_bulletbin cnnStryHghLght" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 9px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/3.0/global/red_bull.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="color: #ca0002;">NEW:</b> The Security Council holds its first substantive debate on the issue</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/3.0/global/red_bull.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Palestinian Authority hopes the application will be accepted</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/3.0/global/red_bull.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The U.N. General Assembly could vote to upgrade the status of Palestinians</li>
<li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/3.0/global/red_bull.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 5px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 11px/14px arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-left: 7px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The body change the Palestinians to a permanent observer "state"</li>
</ul></div></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><strong>United Nations (CNN)</strong> -- A U.N. committee will issue a report on its analysis of the historic Palestinian bid for statehood in two weeks, the Security Council president said Friday.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The announcement by Lebanese U.N. Ambassador Nawaf Salam, who holds the rotating Security Council presidency for September, came after the Council held its first substantive debate on the application since it was submitted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Several diplomats said after the meeting that there is a consensus about the need to deal with the matter swiftly and seriously.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"It was a good meeting," said British Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant. "We set out our positions, mainly on procedural issues, but some substantive."</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If a committee majority says the prospective Palestinian state fulfills the U.N. charter's requirements, it will send the application back to the full Security Council for a vote.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Palestinians would then need nine of 15 votes in their favor, and no veto from any of the five countries that are permanent members of the council.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">U.S. officials have vowed to block the measure, though they most likely want to avoid an American veto out of concern over a potential backlash across the Middle East.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The General Assembly, however, could still vote to upgrade the status of Palestinians, who currently hold the status of nonvoting observer "entity." The body could change that status to permanent observer "state," identical to the Vatican's standing at the United Nations.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">U.S. President Barack Obama has said he supports Palestinian statehood but has remained steadfast to a longstanding U.S. position that Israel must be part of the discussions.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Abbas' effort to gain U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state is also opposed by Hamas, the Palestinian organization that controls Gaza.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It has warned the Palestinian leader against making the request, saying it would show a willingness to acknowledge and negotiate with Israel, which would "deprive the Palestinian people from their right to come back to their homeland."</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Despite the push in New York, negotiations remain the preferred option for the Palestinian Authority going forward, according to Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat, who said Israel's refusal to halt settlement activity and accept 1967 lines as the starting point for talks make the resumption of dialogue impossible.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Palestinians claim the land Israel occupied in East Jerusalem and the West Bank after the 1967 war as part of a future Palestinian state.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"We're asking the Israeli government to say in any language -- Arabic, Hebrew, English, Chinese, French," Erakat said Thursday after a meeting of the PLO executive committee. "Netanyahu please say it -- two states on 1967 lines for Palestine to live side by side with the state of Israel. If he cannot utter these numbers and these words, what does he want to do with me?"</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But Netanyahu has said the Palestinians are looking for a "state without peace," ignoring security concerns important to Israel.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He said Palestinians are armed not only with their "hopes and dreams" -- a phrase Abbas used in a September 23 speech before the U.N. General Assembly -- but with "10,000 missiles, and Grad rockets supplied by Iran, not to mention the river of lethal weapons flowing into Gaza."</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Palestinians should first make peace with Israel and then get their state," Netanyahu said as he followed Abbas to the rostrum, adding that peace must arrive through a two-state solution that recognizes Israel as a Jewish state.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If that occurs, Israel "will be the first" to recognize Palestinian statehood, the prime minister said.</span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font: normal normal normal 14px/19px arial; padding-bottom: 19px; padding-left: 186px; padding-right: 24px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Lower-level envoys from the Security Council members will meet again on the issue next week, according to Ambassador Salam.</span><br />
<div style="font-size: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffd966; font-size: small;"><b>Comment:</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #333333; color: #ffd966; font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'; font-size: small; line-height: 22px;">If the Land of Israel is divided in 2 weeks, then it fulfills the prophecy of Dan 9:27:<br />
<br />
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.<br />
<br />
<br />
Mat 24:15-21 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand). (16) Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. (17) Let him on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; (18) nor let him in the field turn back to take his clothes. (19) And woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days! (20) But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day; (21) for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.<br />
<br />
This might be the time of the 7 Year Tribulation that will include the 3,5 years Great Tribulation starting in the midst of this "week" (7 years). Lets wait and see what will pan out and if this Prophecy will be fulfilled.</span></div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-27513041394676694442011-09-30T19:29:00.001-07:002011-09-30T19:29:27.311-07:0030/9/11 - Europe supports Palestinian statehood<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #d4d0c6; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 13px;">Published: Sept. 29, 2011 at 9:26 AM</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #d4d0c6; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
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border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 5px;"><div class="photo" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eeeeee; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.upi.com/enl-win/ef879a95fba0591d80f960edab4076c8/UPI-26251317302802/" style="color: #213e4b; text-decoration: none;"><img 0="" alt="Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas asks the UN for statehood during the General Assembly at United Nations" src="http://ph.cdn.photos.upi.com/sv/emb/UPI-26251317302802/ef879a95fba0591d80f960edab4076c8/Europe-supports-Palestinian-statehood.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: url(http://www.upi.com/img/graphics/zoomin.cur), pointer;" title="Palestine's President Mahmoud Abbas asks the UN for statehood during the General Assembly at United Nations" /></a></div><div class="caption" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal helvetica, 'trebuchet ms', arial; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;">Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority president, addresses the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN on September 23, 2011 in New York City. Abbas is asking the UN to recognize Palestinian statehood, against the wishes of the US and Israel. UPI/Monika Graff <a href="http://www.upi.com/enl-win/ef879a95fba0591d80f960edab4076c8/UPI-26251317302802/" style="color: #213e4b; float: right; text-decoration: none;"><img class="photo_magnify" height="15" src="http://www.upi.com/img/clear.gif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.upi.com/img/upi_com.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -101px -43px; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; height: 15px; width: 15px;" width="15" /></a><div style="clear: both;"></div></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div id="relatedStories" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 11px; padding-bottom: 11px; padding-left: 11px; padding-right: 11px; padding-top: 11px;"><div style="color: #224455; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Related Stories</div><ul class="ul_stories" style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.upi.com/img/li.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-left: 14px;"><a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/09/26/Abbas-Settlement-freeze-then-peace-talks/UPI-78521317037320/?rel=26251317302802" style="color: #213e4b; text-decoration: none;" title="Abbas: Settlement freeze, then peace talks">Abbas: Settlement freeze, then peace talks</a></li>
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</ul></div><div id="google_ads_div_UPI_Top_News_300x250_embed_ad_container"><ins style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline-table; height: 250px; position: relative; width: 300px;"><ins style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; height: 250px; position: relative; width: 300px;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_UPI_Top_News_300x250_embed" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_UPI_Top_News_300x250_embed" scrolling="no" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; left: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px;" width="300"></iframe></ins></ins></div></div>BRUSSELS, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- The right of Palestinians to advance in the international community as an independent state is "unquestionable," the European Parliament declared.<br />
<br />
The U.N. Security Council announced Wednesday that it referred an application for full membership submitted by Palestinian authorities to a U.N. committee tasked with vetting new members. The submission was part of a unilateral statehood initiative launched by Palestinian President <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.upi.com/topic/Mahmoud_Abbas/" style="border-bottom-color: initial !important; border-bottom-style: dashed !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; color: rgb(17, 99, 149) !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Mahmoud Abbas">Mahmoud Abbas</a>.<br />
The European Parliament, in a resolution passed Thursday, said lawmakers viewed the Palestinian bid for statehood as legitimate.<br />
"The right of Palestinians to self-determination and to have their own state is unquestionable, as is the right of Israel to exist within safe borders," the resolution reads.<br />
<div style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 6px; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 6px;"><a href="http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/News/Clashes-in-the-West-Bank-over-Palestinian-statehood/5694/?sg" style="color: #213e4b; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">GALLERY: Clashes in the West Bank over Palestinian statehood</a></div><br />
European Parliament President <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.upi.com/topic/Jerzy_Buzek/" style="border-bottom-color: initial !important; border-bottom-style: dashed !important; border-bottom-width: 1px !important; color: rgb(17, 99, 149) !important; text-decoration: none;" title="Jerzy Buzek">Jerzy Buzek</a> said MPs expressed support for Israel and an independent Palestine living side by side in a peaceful relationship.<br />
Washington has said it opposed the Palestinian initiative, believing the best path forward was through close negotiations between both sides, a track pursued with few breakthroughs for several decades.<br />
Buzek said the sea change in the Middle East suggested that a business-as-usual model was no longer effective.<br />
"Following the tremendous changes brought by the Arab Spring, all the more (shows) the status quo is not a viable option," he said. "The time for peace is now."</div><span><br />
<br />
Read more: <a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/29/Europe-supports-Palestinian-statehood/UPI-26251317302802/#ixzz1ZUe75mZu" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;">http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/29/Europe-supports-Palestinian-statehood/UPI-26251317302802/#ixzz1ZUe75mZu</a></span>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-64297908295501960182011-09-30T19:28:00.000-07:002011-09-30T19:31:24.305-07:0030/9/11 - Palestinians press Security Council members to back UN statehood bidPA President Abbas expected to leave for Colombia, which holds a temporary seat at the UNSC, next week; Palestinian official: We expect countries that have recognized Palestinian independence in the past to support UN bid.<br />
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to leave for Colombia next week, in an attempt to convince officials in the South American nation to support a bid for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations Security Council.<br />
<br />
A Palestinian official speaking with Haaretz on Friday, said that "within the Security Council there are nine nations who had already recognized a Palestinian state, so the Palestinians expect those countries to support the [UN] proposal too."<table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="features" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #00527c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; height: 173px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; width: 474px;"><tbody>
<tr><td rowspan="2"><img alt="Mahmoud Abbas AP Sept. 23, 2010" class="" src="http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.315674.1316875521!/image/3206988274.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_295/3206988274.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 9px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 474px;" title="Mahmoud Abbas AP Sept. 23, 2010" /></td><td class="text" style="color: white; height: 107px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 158px;" valign="top"><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaking at the UN General Assembly, Sept. 23, 2010</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="text" style="color: white; height: 18px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 158px;" valign="bottom">Photo by: AP</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #353434; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"And yet," the official added, "pressure is being exerted on Columbia through sates such as Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, as well as pressure from the other side being exerted by Russia and the Arab States on Bosnia."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Haaretz has also learned that the Arab states have been pressuring Bosnia by threatening not to support a recognition of Kosovo's independence if Bosnia failed to back the Palestinian bid at the UNSC.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Bosnia and Colombia are both temporary members of the UNSC, making them crucial in the Palestinian bid to gain full recognition as an independent state in the Security Council.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Currently, the 15-member UN Security Council is reviewing the issue. The U.S. has already said it would veto the request should the Palestinians muster the required nine votes.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">After the Palestinians' bid to seek full membership at the United Nations, the Quartet of Mideast mediators - the United States, the UN, the European Union and Russia - called for the resumption of talks and a deal within a year. The Quartet statement did not specifically refer to the two Palestinian demands, but listed a number of speeches, UN resolutions and other documents that contain them.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Commenting on the Quartet statement on Thursday, Yasser Abed Rabbo, the secretary general of the PLO said the Quartet statement contains encouraging elements and we call on Israel to announce its commitment to the principles and points of reference it identifies."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;"><br />
Abed Rabbo said that despite the encouraging elements, it is not enough to resume negotiations. The Palestinians are eager to restart talks, but Israel first has to commit to all references in the Quartet statement, "especially concerning the borders of 1967 and stopping settlement activity," he said.</div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-55895432333248267022011-09-29T14:00:00.001-07:002011-09-29T14:00:54.721-07:0029/9/11 - We have eight Security Council votes': Palestinians<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-transform: uppercase;">RELATED CONTENT</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<div class="yog-wrap yom-art-bd" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419299" style="border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: -10px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div class="yog-col yog-5u" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 190px;"><div class="yom-mod yom-art-related yom-art-related-modal" id="mediaarticlerelated" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div class="bd" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(218, 218, 218); border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-width: 3px; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="photo first" style="color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a class="media" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/world-events-1316137200-slideshow/palestinians-assurances-yes-votes-lebanon-russia-china-india-photo-130307969.html" style="background-color: black; color: #005790; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 2px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki gestures during a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Malki said the Palestinians have secured eight Security Council yes votes for their UN membership bid, just one short of the nine they need. (AFP Photo/Abbas Momani)" height="251" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/BbBrXbXAM4VLlMxpC4_NSA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MTc1NDtjcj0xO2N3PTEzMzM7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTI1MTtxPTg1O3c9MTkw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/000_Nic615344.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki gestures during a press conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Malki said the Palestinians have secured eight Security Council yes votes for their UN membership bid, just one short of the nine they need. (AFP Photo/Abbas Momani)" width="190" /></a><div style="font-family: arial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki gestures during a press conference in …</div></li>
<li class="photo last" style="color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a class="media" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/world-events-1316137200-slideshow/mahmoud-abbas-requested-statehood-palestinian-state-united-nations-photo-130307454.html" style="background-color: black; color: #005790; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 2px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas holds a copy of the letter requesting statehood as he speaks during the United Nations General Assembly on September 23. Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki says the Palestinians have secured eight Security Council yes votes for their UN membership bid, just one short of the nine they need. (AFP Photo/Stan Honda)" height="147" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/TMUhTZNVykOokkpTyZ4CDQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MjMxMDtjcj0xO2N3PTMwMDA7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTE0NztxPTg1O3c9MTkw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/TRWas4272377.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas holds a copy of the letter requesting statehood as he speaks during the United Nations General Assembly on September 23. Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki says the Palestinians have secured eight Security Council yes votes for their UN membership bid, just one short of the nine they need. (AFP Photo/Stan Honda)" width="190" /></a><div style="font-family: arial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas holds a copy of the letter requesting statehood …</div></li>
</ul></div></div><div class="yom-mod yom-featured-list" id="mediafeaturedlist" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div class="hd" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; zoom: 1;"><h3 style="color: #161616; display: inline; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">WORLD SLIDESHOWS</h3></div><div class="bd" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><li class="story first" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="Strauss-Kahn, French accuser meet face-to-face" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/dominique-strauss-kahn-1305546752-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Y24IyVz1jDsVHSiUlgIuHg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3E9ODU7dz03MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2011-09-24T153831Z_01_GFM124_RTRIDSP_3_FRANCE.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="Strauss-Kahn, French accuser meet face-to-face" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/dominique-strauss-kahn-1305546752-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Strauss-Kahn, French accuser meet face-to-face</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">24 photos - Sat, Sep 24, 2011</cite></div></li>
<li class="story" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="Two Gadhafi sons on Interpol's most-wanted list" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/gadhafi-son-at-tripoli-hotel-after-arrest-report-1314065962-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Px_oruhzz5fM0f3fz0r4_Q--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3E9ODU7dz03MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2ab0fa3ee6322615fa0e6a706700e57c.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="Two Gadhafi sons on Interpol's most-wanted list" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/gadhafi-son-at-tripoli-hotel-after-arrest-report-1314065962-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Two Gadhafi sons on Interpol's most-wanted list</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">7 photos - 6 hrs ago</cite></div></li>
<li class="story last" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="Ex-Ukraine PM Yulia Tymoshenko on trial" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ex-ukraine-pm-yulia-tymoshenko-on-trial-1317317025-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/O2OnAMvqYMxcXkjn8dvAMg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3E9ODU7dz03MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2011-09-29T201154Z_01_KIE09_RTRIDSP_3_UKRAINE-TYMOSHENKO.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="Ex-Ukraine PM Yulia Tymoshenko on trial" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ex-ukraine-pm-yulia-tymoshenko-on-trial-1317317025-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Ex-Ukraine PM Yulia Tymoshenko on trial</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">45 photos - 44 mins ago</cite></div></li>
</ul></div><div class="ft" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; zoom: 1;"><div class="more" style="display: block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">See latest photos »</a></div></div></div></div><div class="yog-col yog-11u" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419298" style="float: none; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="yom-mod yom-art-content" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419297" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div class="bd" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419296" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Palestinians have secured eight Security Council yes votes for their UN membership bid, just one short of the nine they need, the Palestinian foreign minister said on Thursday.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419302" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Speaking to reporters in Ramallah, <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1317301652_1" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Riyad al-Malki</span> said he had received assurances from two additional nations -- Nigeria and Gabon -- that they would vote in favour of the Palestinian bid for full state membership at the UN.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We have eight states that will vote for Palestine in the Security Council," he said. "We are working hard to have a ninth and a tenth."</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419305" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Malki said the <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1317301652_2" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Palestinians</span> have assurances of "yes" votes from Lebanon, Russia, China, India, South Africa and Brazil, in addition to the new confirmations from Nigeria and Gabon.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419295" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We are working on Bosnia, Colombia and Portugal," he added, saying he was scheduled to visit Bosnia shortly, and Palestinian president <span class="yshortcuts cs4-visible" id="lw_1317301652_0" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(54, 99, 136); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: #366388; cursor: pointer;">Mahmud Abbas</span> will make stops in Colombia, Portugal, Honduras and the Dominican Republic in October.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Abbas will also deliver an address in Strasbourg on October 6, he said.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Palestinians need to secure at least nine Security Council votes in favour of their membership bid for it to be approved and advanced to the General Assembly.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Even with the requisite nine votes, the United States has pledged to use its veto to block the request, but the Palestinians hope they can at least claim a diplomatic victory by securing a majority in the Security Council.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Abbas submitted the bid on Friday, shortly before he delivered a historic address to the General Assembly, urging their support for the request.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">After closed-door debate on Monday, the Security Council on Wednesday referred the request to a committee set to meet on Friday.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419465" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The bid has attracted criticism from Washington and divided the membership of the European Union, raising the prospect that the Security Council might seek to delay a vote altogether to avoid embarrassing its members.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419462" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But Malki said the Palestinians would not accept any delay "for political reasons."</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419459" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">US and EU representatives sought to head off the bid before it was submitted to the United Nations, trying to put together a proposal for new peace talks that would convince the Palestinians to drop their request.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419456" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Instead, they announced their new proposal shortly after the request was submitted, calling for talks to resume within a month with the goal of achieving a deal before the end of 2012.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419453" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Negotiations have been on hold for just over a year, grinding to a halt shortly after they began over the issue of Israeli settlement construction.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419444" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Palestinians say they will not hold talks while Israel builds on land they want for their future state, but Israel says negotiations should restart without preconditions, and declined to renew a 10-month partial settlement freeze that expired shortly after the talks began last year.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1317329960419449" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Both sides have responded cautiously to the Quartet proposal, with the Israelis saying they are studying the offer and the Palestinians emphasising that they will not hold talks without a settlement freeze.</div></div></div></div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-37745333344022681112011-09-28T15:06:00.001-07:002011-09-28T15:06:43.836-07:0028/9/11 - 10 Reasons Why A Palestinian State Is A Really, Really Bad Idea<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"></span><br />
<div class="postcontent" style="line-height: 17px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"><a href="http://signsofthelastdays.com/archives/10-reasons-why-a-palestinian-state-is-a-really-really-bad-idea/palestinian-state-hamas" rel="attachment wp-att-525" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #666666; text-decoration: underline;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-525" height="450" src="http://signsofthelastdays.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Palestinian-State-Hamas-600x450.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Palestinian State Hamas" width="600" /></a><br />
Giving the Palestinians a state is a really, really bad idea. But the world seems obsessed with giving them one anyway. The sad truth is that a Palestinian state is not going to bring peace to the region. It is not going to bring an end to the conflict between the Jewish people and the Palestinians. Rather, it is just going to embolden those that desire to see Israel wiped off the map. As you will see below, poll after poll has demonstrated that the Palestinians overwhelmingly believe that a "two state solution" is only an intermediate step toward the eventual goal of taking all of the land away from Israel, and the vast majority of Palestinians still support committing terrorist acts against the Jewish people. You cannot pacify radical jihadists that are obsessed with genocide by giving them land. In addition, if global leaders do try to carve up the land of Israel, that is going to very much upset the Lord God Almighty. But we live in the last days, and we know that these kinds of things are going to happen.<br />
The Palestinians have now submitted their formal request for statehood to the United Nations. The U.S. and the EU are blocking that bid at the moment and they are trying to encourage the Palestinians to renew negotiations with Israel, but that does not mean that they don't want to give the Palestinians a state.<br />
In fact, the U.S. and the EU have both publicly stated that the Palestinians should be given a state based on pre-1967 borders.<br />
It is just that the U.S. and the EU want a Palestinian state to come about through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.<br />
But what kind of negotiating position does that put Israel in? The U.S. and the EU have already basically promised the Palestinians a state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital.<br />
Unless Israel plans to give up East Jerusalem, negotiations are never going to work. The Palestinians will just keep insisting on East Jerusalem until the rest of the world finally gives it to them.<br />
Not that the Palestinians should ever be given one inch of land. God gave all of that land to the people of Israel forever.<br />
But unfortunately, most of the politicians around the world think that they know better than God does.<br />
The following are 10 reasons why a Palestinian state is a really, really bad idea....<br />
<strong>#1</strong> The "Palestinian territories" are currently ruled by two separate governments. One of them is a terrorist organization. Right now, Hamas rules Gaza and Fatah rules the West Bank. So how can Mahmoud Abbas speak for all of them? And how will they suddenly become "one people" once they have been given a state?<br />
<strong>#2</strong> A large number of Palestinians do not agree with the statehood request that Abbas has submitted. You would think that this fact would be reported by the mainstream media, but they have been largely silent about this.<br />
The reality, however, is that a number of key Palestinian organizations are very much against what Abbas is doing. For example, <a href="http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=348785" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">WorldNetDaily</a> recently reported that Hamas has loudly denounced this statehood request....<br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>Major Palestinian factions, including terrorist organizations, reject Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' United Nations statehood request, arguing Abbas does not represent the Palestinian people.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri said Abbas' U.N. petition "lacks any legitimacy."</em></div></blockquote><strong>#3</strong> The vast majority of Palestinians do not believe that creating a Palestinian state will resolve the conflict with Israel.<br />
So if that is the case, then what in the world is creating a Palestinian state actually going to accomplish?<br />
According to one recent survey, only <a href="http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=229493" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">34 percent</a> of Palestinians consider the<br />
"two state solution" to be the answer to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<br />
But you don't hear numbers like that in the mainstream media, do you?<br />
<strong>#4</strong> Giving the Palestinians a state would create a brand new state sponsor of terror in the heart of the Middle East.<br />
Right now, the Palestinians continually commit acts of terrorism against the Jewish people. The Palestinian Authority is either unwilling or unable to stop this violence.<br />
So why would giving the Palestinians a state change anything?<br />
The truth is that the poll numbers reveal what is really going on....<br />
*According to one recent poll, <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140756#.ToD7luyUrkw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">58 percent</a> of all Palestinians prefer “armed struggle” over “engagement with Israel”.<br />
*According to another recent poll, <a href="http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=229493" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">73 percent</a> of all Palestinians agree with the hadith quoted in the Hamas Charter that talks about killing Jews.<br />
*The same poll found that <a href="http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=229493" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">62 percent</a> of all Palestinians support kidnapping Israeli soldiers and holding them hostage.<br />
Why in the world would the U.S. and the EU support the creation of another terrorist state?<br />
<strong>#5</strong> The Palestinians still refuse to recognize that Israel has the right to exist.<br />
The Palestinians want the rest of the world to give them huge chunks of the land of Israel without the Palestinians having to give up anything in return. In fact, they don't even plan to recognize that the nation of Israel has a right to exist.<br />
So what kind of neighbor do you think they will be for Israel?<br />
This refusal to recognize Israel is deeply rooted in the Palestinian psyche. For example, one recent poll found that only <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140756#.ToD7luyUrkw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">12 percent</a> of all Palestinians agree that official maps, documents and school textbooks should show the name "Israel".<br />
<strong>#6</strong> The Palestinian people are still very much dedicated to the destruction of Israel.<br />
According to one recent poll, <a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140756#.ToD7luyUrkw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">two-thirds of all Palestinians</a> believe that the eventual goal of the Palestinians must be "to get back all the land for a Palestinian state."<br />
The primary goal of the Palestinians has never changed. For example, Abu Mujaheed, a spokesperson for the Popular Resistance Committees, <a href="http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=348785" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">recently told WorldNetDaily the following</a>....<br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>"For Palestinians, the borders are based on 1948 (all of Israel) and this is not negotiable."</em></div></blockquote>So how are you supposed to "negotiate" with someone like that?<br />
If the world wants to give big chunks of land to the Palestinians for free, they will gladly take it.<br />
But it will do nothing to dissuade them from their ultimate goal.<br />
In fact, the Hamas charter still calls for the destruction of Israel. That has not changed.<br />
So why should the rest of the world reward such behavior?<br />
<strong>#7</strong> You cannot pacify people that are committed to genocide by giving them land.<br />
It did not work with Hitler and it will not work with the Palestinians.<br />
Hatred for the Jews is growing to a fever pitch all over the Middle East. Just check out the following example from <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/egyptian-protesters-outside-israeli-embassy-bear-signs-with-swastikas-the-gas-chambers-are-ready/" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">a recent article in The Blaze</a>....<br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>While perhaps not shocking, it is profoundly disturbing that in the purportedly more “moderate” Egypt of 2011, demonstrators took to the streets outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo with signs bearing swastikas and a message that read: “the gas chambers are ready.”</em></div></blockquote>How in the world are you going to make "peace" with people who think like that?<br />
<strong>#8</strong> The pre-1967 borders would make Israel indefensible.<br />
At the narrowest point, Israel would only be 8 miles wide if they were forced to go back to those borders.<br />
The nation would basically become impossible to defend.<br />
In fact, former Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Abba Eban referred to them as “<a href="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140756#.ToD7luyUrkw" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">Auschwitz borders</a>”.<br />
<strong>#9</strong> In the Bible, the Lord God Almighty warns against dividing the land of Israel.<br />
The book of Joel is all about the return of Jesus Christ to this earth at the end of the Great Tribulation. In Joel 3:2 it tells us that one of the things that Jesus will judge the nations for is dividing up the land of Israel....<br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>"...There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land."</em></div></blockquote>In case you haven't noticed, whenever the United States gets involved in trying to divide up the land of Israel we seem to get hit by a major disaster of some sort.<br />
<a href="http://signsofthelastdays.com/archives/barack-obama-has-decided-that-if-israel-does-not-agree-to-a-palestinian-state-by-the-end-of-the-year-one-will-be-imposed-on-them" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">In a previous article</a>, I detailed some of the disasters that have happened when the U.S. government has tried to mess around with the land of Israel....<br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>#1) On April 30, 2003, America was positioned to be the catalyst for the so-called "solution" to the Middle East crisis. As Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas was sworn in, the "Road Map" peace plan was set in motion.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>The very next day began the worst month of tornadoes in United States history - more than 500 in a single month. Under normal conditions, 1,000 tornadoes hit the United States each year, but in just eight days that May, 375 twisters ripped across the heartland of America.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>#2) May 9, 2003, President Bush addressed students at the University of South Carolina. Bush called on the Palestinians to embrace the roadmap to peace, and Bush expressed his desire to see the flag of Palestine raised over a free nation.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>Hours later, tornadoes returned and Oklahoma City again became the target for deadly twisters, reducing many businesses and homes to splinters and bricks. The tornadoes of May devastated the Midwest with the third worst property damage in American history.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>#3) On October 30, 1991, in a meeting scheduled by George H.W. Bush, Israelis and Palestinians discussed ways to achieve peace in the Middle East. Opening talks focused on trading parts of Israel for a peace agreement.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>That same day, thousands of miles away, a powerful storm was brewing off of the coast of Nova Scotia. On October 31st, what would be known as "The Perfect Storm" smashed into New England, pummeling the President's Kennebunkport, Maine home with waves 30 feet high. It was a storm so rare that the weather patterns required to create it only happen about once every 100 years.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>#4) On August 23rd, 1992, Middle East peace talks resumed in Washington, D.C. with hope that there would be a great breakthrough. These talks focused on surrendering the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria in exchange for peace. Hundreds of miles south of there at the same time, Florida was the target for one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. Hurricane Andrew ripped through the state with an eye more than 30 miles wide and winds up to 178 miles per hour leaving behind a 32 billion dollar disaster.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>#5) Between August 16th and 30th, 2005, Ariel Sharon expelled 9,480 Jewish settlers from 21 settlements in Gaza and four settlements in the northern West Bank.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>On January 4th, 2006, Sharon had a stroke, and he fell into a coma and is now in a persistent vegetative state.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>#6) The U.S. had strongly pressured Sharon to evacuate those settlers from Gaza.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>On August 29th, 2005 the storm that would become Hurricane Katrina formed, and it devastated New Orleans and the surrounding areas to such an extent that they still have not recovered. That devastating storm caused at least 200 billion dollars in damage.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>#7) In June of 2001, George W. Bush sent CIA director George Tenet to Israel in an attempt to implement the Mitchell Plan. The Mitchell plan called for, among other things, the cessation of new building in the Jewish settlements.</em></div><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>On the same day that Tenet met with Israeli and Palestinian officials, tropical storm Allison formed in the Gulf of Mexico and moved over Texas, the President's home state, and dropped over 28 inches of rain over the Houston area alone, causing over $4 billion dollars in damage. The storm then moved to Florida and up the east coast causing damage as far as Pennsylvania. The meteorologists called Allison the "worst tropical storm in history".</em></div></blockquote>There are many more examples of this phenomenon <a href="http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1055/1055_01.asp?wpc=1055_01.asp&wpp=b" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">right here</a>.<br />
Could many of the bizarre natural disasters that we have seen this year also be linked to what Obama has been trying to do to the land of Israel?<br />
In the Scriptures, it tells us that God gave the land to the people of Israel. We should not be trying to mess around with that. Psalm 105:8-11 says the following....<br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance</em></div></blockquote><strong>#10</strong> The Palestinians are going to insist on East Jerusalem as their capital, but that city belongs to the Lord.<br />
In Zechariah 12:3, we are warned that the city of Jerusalem will one day become a huge stumbling stone for the nations....<br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>"On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves."</em></div></blockquote>Is that not what has happened?<br />
Jerusalem seems to be the "problem" that has no answer.<br />
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to never, ever let Jerusalem become divided.<br />
But the Palestinians have said that they will never accept a state that does not include East Jerusalem.<br />
The Palestinian people are incredibly united on this issue. One recent survey found that <a href="http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=229493" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">92 percent</a> of Palestinians believe that Jerusalem should be the capital of the future Palestinian state.<br />
So will they get East Jerusalem?<br />
<span>Well, it certainly does not help when United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is running around <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4049602,00.html" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #990000; text-decoration: none;">saying stuff like this</a>....</span><br />
<blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(240, 240, 236); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-top: 10px;"><div style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em>"...a way must be found for Jerusalem to emerge as a capital of two States, Israel and Palestine, with arrangements for holy sites acceptable for all."</em></div></blockquote>Not only that, but Barack Obama and many top EU leaders have already essentially promised East Jerusalem to the Palestinians.<br />
So what we have is a huge mess.<br />
Eventually we are probably going to see a Palestinian state.<br />
And then after that we are probably going to see a major war.<br />
A Palestinian state is not going to bring peace.<br />
Instead, it is just going to make war much more likely.<br />
These are the last days, and Bible prophecy is going to be fulfilled.<br />
Let us pray for the peace of Israel and let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem.</div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-48795172361191859002011-09-23T15:28:00.000-07:002011-09-23T15:28:43.174-07:0023/9/11 - Palestinians submit UN statehood bid<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px;"><br />
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<tr style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;" valign="top"><td style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;" width="30"><a class="ap_multimedia_link" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_MIDEAST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-09-23-11-33-58#" style="font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" src="http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/interactive_icons/images/israel_gaza.jpg" width="30" /></span></a></td><td style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="storylink" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="ap_multimedia_sidetext" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><a class="ap_multimedia_link" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_MIDEAST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-09-23-11-33-58#" style="font-size: 11px; text-decoration: none;">Assault on Gaza: Mapping the attacks</a></span></span></td></tr>
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<div class="ap-adhocnewslisting-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="apCaption"><span class="apHeadline"><span class="storylink" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="latestnews"><a class="ap-adhocnewslisting-a" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/UN_MIDEAST_FACT_CHECK?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-09-23-16-22-32" style="display: list-item; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none;">FACT CHECK: Abbas presents disputed narrative</a></span></span></span></span></div><div class="ap-adhocnewslisting-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="apCaption"><span class="apHeadline"><span class="storylink" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="latestnews"><a class="ap-adhocnewslisting-a" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_MIDEAST_PROTESTS_GLANCE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-09-22-15-11-10" style="display: list-item; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none;">Latest developments in Arab world's unrest</a></span></span></span></span></div><div class="ap-adhocnewslisting-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="apCaption"><span class="apHeadline"><span class="storylink" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="latestnews"><a class="ap-adhocnewslisting-a" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_LABOR_PARTY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-09-22-10-15-51" style="display: list-item; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none;">Israel's Labor Party picks ex-journalist as leader</a></span></span></span></span></div><div class="ap-adhocnewslisting-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="apCaption"><span class="apHeadline"><span class="storylink" style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="latestnews"><a class="ap-adhocnewslisting-a" href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_POLITICS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-09-21-17-53-45" style="display: list-item; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: circle; text-decoration: none;">TV: Former journalist to lead Israel's Labor Party</a></span></span></span></span></div><div class="ap-adhocnewslisting-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 13px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;"></div></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://analytics.apnewsregistry.com/analytics/v2/image.svc/AP/RWS/hosted.ap.org/MAI/V8691-2011-09-23T1759Z/E/prod/AT/A" width="1" /></span><br />
<div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The Palestinian leader took his people's quest for independence to the heart of world diplomacy on Friday, hoping to galvanize their flagging statehood campaign by seeking U.N. recognition of Palestine and sidestepping negotiations that have foundered for nearly two decades under the weight of inflexibility, violence and failure of will.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">The bid to recognize a state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem - submitted against the will of a U.S. administration that had pressured President Mahmoud Abbas to drop it - laid bare the deep sense of exasperation the Palestinians feel after 44 years of Israeli occupation. International reservations about the move have had the effect of reenergizing international efforts to seek a negotiated settlement.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">After Abbas submitted his formal application, international mediators called on Israelis and Palestinians to return to long-stalled negotiations and reach an agreement no later than next year. The "Quartet" - the U.S., European Union, U.N. and Russia - urged both parties to draw up an agenda for peace talks within a month and produce comprehensive proposals on territory and security within three months.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the proposal "represents the firm conviction of the international community that a just and lasting peace can only come through negotiations between the parties." But similar plans have failed to produce a peace agreement in the past, and it was how the two sides could bridge their huge differences and resume talks.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">The Quartet statement was radically different from what diplomats had been hoping to draft since it became clear that Abbas would not back down. U.S. and European officials had been trying to craft a statement that would itself outline parameters of the negotiations, including a reference to borders being based on the 1967 lines and affirm Israel's identity as a Jewish state.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Instead, the Quartet focused on proposing deadlines for steps the two sides should take.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">World sympathy for the Palestinian cause was evident from the thunderous applause that greeted Abbas as he mounted the dais in the General Assembly hall to deliver a speech that laid out his grievances against the Israeli occupation and why he felt compelled to take his appeal directly to the United Nations.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">In a scathing denunciation of Israel's settlement policy, Abbas declared that negotiations with Israel "will be meaningless" as long as it continues building on lands the Palestinians claim for that state. Invoking what would be a nightmare for Israel, he went so far as to warn that his government could collapse if the construction persists.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">"This policy is responsible for the continued failure of the successive international attempts to salvage the peace process," said Abbas, who has refused to negotiate until the construction stops. "This settlement policy threatens to also undermine the structure of the Palestinian National Authority and even end its existence."</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">The speech papered over any Palestinian culpability for the negotiations stalemate, deadly violence against Israel, the internal rift that has produced dueling governments in the West Bank and Gaza, and ignored Jewish links to the Holy Land. Some members of the Israeli delegation, including Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, walked out of the hall as Abbas approached the podium.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Abbas declared himself willing to immediately return to the bargaining table, but with longstanding conditions attached: Israel must first stop building on lands the Plaesitnians claim for their future state and agree to negotiate borders based on lines it held before capturing the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in 1967. Israel rejects those conditions and has defied international pressure to freeze settlement construction. And it has staked out bargaining positions that are extremely distant from anything the Palestinians would accept.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the General Assembly shortly after Abbas, said his country was "willing to make painful compromises" in its quest for peace.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">But while Palestinians "should live in a free state of their own," he said, "they should be "ready for compromise" and "start taking Israel's security concerns seriously."</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Netanyahu opposes negotiations based on 1967 lines, saying a return to those frontiers would expose Israel's heartland to rocket fire from the West Bank. He argued that rocket fire on Israel from evacuated territory in south Lebanon and Gaza showed that territorial compromise would not automatically resolve the conflict.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Talks for all intents and purposes broke down nearly three years ago after Israel went to war in Gaza and prepared to hold national elections that propelled Netanyahu to power for a second time. A last round, backed by the U.S., was launched a year ago, with the ambitious aim of producing a framework accord for a peace deal. But it broke down just three weeks later after an Israeli settlement construction slowdown expired.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">The statehood bid would not deliver any immediate changes on the ground: Israel would remain an occupying force in the West Bank and east Jerusalem and continue to restrict access to Gaza, ruled by Palestinian Hamas militants.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Even so, thousands of jubilant, flag-waving Palestinians, watching on outdoor screens across the West Bank, cheered on their president as he submitted his historic request for a U.N. nod. In Nablus, the crowd roared ecstatically when Abbas, known as Abu Mazen, told the General Assembly that he had submitted the request for full U.N. membership.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">"We are here celebrating because Abu Mazen is making us a state. We want to have our own state, like any other country," said Reem al-Masri. The 30-year-old schoolteacher lost a brother and two cousins in fighting with Israel during the second Palestinian uprising against occupation a decade ago.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Abbas, who never enjoyed the popular adulation accorded his predecessor, the iconic Yasser Arafat, has seen his popularity take off over his U.N. move, allowing him to gain ground, at least for the time being, against his Islamic militant Hamas rivals.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon referred the statehood request to the Security Council, where U.S. opposition is expected to shoot it down. The U.S. and Israel have also been pressuring Council members to either vote against the plan or abstain when it comes up for a vote. The vote would require the support of nine of the Council's 15 members to pass, but even if the Palestinians could line up that backing, a U.S. veto is assured.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">The Security Council will meet on Monday to examine the Palestinian membership request.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">The Palestinians have said that in the absence of a positive outcome in the Council, they will turn to the General Assembly, which would be expected to approve a lesser status upgrade from permanent observer to nonmember observer state.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">While more modest, this option would be valuable to the Palestinians because of the implicit recognition that negotiations would be based on lines Israel held before capturing the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza in 1967. It would also give the Palestinians access to international judicial bodies such as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, which Israel fears would target them unfairly.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">Hanging heavy in the air was the threat of renewed violence over frustrated Palestinian aspirations, in spite of Abbas' vow - perceived by Israeli security officials as genuine - to prevent Palestinian violence. The death on Friday of 35-year-old Issam Badram, in gunfire that erupted after rampaging Jewish settlers destroyed trees in a Palestinian grove, was the type of incident that both Palestinians and Israelis had feared would spark widespread violence.</span></div><div class="ap-story-p" style="font-family: Verdana, Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal verdana, helvetica, arial; line-height: 13px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="entry-content" style="color: #cccccc;">It was not clear how serious Abbas was about his very public threat to dissolve his limited self-rule government, born of the landmark accords Israel and the Palestinians signed in the 1990s. Dissolution would put 150,000 Palestinians out of work and cause utter chaos. Israel, which is skeptical of such talk, would be saddled with the welfare and policing of 2.5 million unwanted Palestinian subjects.</span></div><div style="color: black;"></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-82749560237805781862011-09-23T15:12:00.001-07:002011-09-23T15:12:53.818-07:0023/9/11 - Israel on high alert as Palestinians petition UN<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
<div class="yog-col yog-5u" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540445" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 190px;"><div class="yom-mod yom-art-related yom-art-related-modal" id="mediaarticlerelated" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div class="hd" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540444" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><h3 id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540448" style="color: #161616; display: inline; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">RELATED CONTENT</h3></div><div class="bd" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(218, 218, 218); border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-width: 3px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="photo first last" style="color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a class="media" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/world-events-1316137200-slideshow/israeli-forces-deployed-along-green-line-annexed-east-photo-115050380.html" style="background-color: black; color: #005790; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 2px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;"><img alt="Israeli soldiers keep their position during clashes with Palestinian stone throwers (unseen) in al-Ram, between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem. Some 22,000 Israeli police and border police were on high alert across the country, poised to respond to any unrest resulting from a Palestinian bid to seek UN membership in New York" height="116" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/dlxHX0Nv2JQBqM6YH24LXw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MzEyO2NyPTE7Y3c9NTEyO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0xMTY7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/AFP/photo_1316778581909-1-0.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="Israeli soldiers keep their position during clashes with Palestinian stone throwers (unseen) in al-Ram, between the West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem. Some 22,000 Israeli police and border police were on high alert across the country, poised to respond to any unrest resulting from a Palestinian bid to seek UN membership in New York" width="190" /></a><div style="font-family: arial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Israeli soldiers keep their position during clashes with Palestinian stone throwers …</div></li>
</ul></div></div><div class="yom-mod yom-featured-list" id="mediafeaturedlist" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div class="hd" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; zoom: 1;"><h3 style="color: #161616; display: inline; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">WORLD SLIDESHOWS</h3></div><div class="bd" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><li class="story first" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="Palestinians rally to support U.N. membership bid" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/palestinians-rally-to-support-u-n-membership-bid-1316638482-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Ll4C1YpqgKah_ufiN7IlJg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3E9ODU7dz03MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/2cb691796b979b15f90e6a706700042b.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="Palestinians rally to support U.N. membership bid" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/palestinians-rally-to-support-u-n-membership-bid-1316638482-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Palestinians rally to support U.N. membership bid</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">34 photos - 2 hrs 47 mins ago</cite></div></li>
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<li class="story last" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="World Car Free Day" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/world-car-free-day-1316803856-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/gKxs14vJTrAgIgVohnMZKA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3B4b2ZmPTUwO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT04NTt3PTcw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2011-09-22T130302Z_01_LEO02_RTRIDSP_3_AUSTRIA.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="World Car Free Day" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/world-car-free-day-1316803856-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">World Car Free Day</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">23 photos - Thu, Sep 22, 2011</cite></div></li>
</ul></div><div class="ft" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; zoom: 1;"><div class="more" style="display: block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">See latest photos »</a></div></div></div></div><div class="yog-col yog-11u" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540440" style="float: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="yom-mod yom-art-content" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540439" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div class="bd" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540438" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540437" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Some 22,000 Israeli police and border police were on high alert across the country on Friday, poised to respond to any unrest resulting from a Palestinian bid to seek UN membership in New York.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540453" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We have deployed 22,000 police and border police officers who will be on duty until at least Saturday night in order to maintain order across the country," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The forces were deployed along the Green Line between Israel and the West Bank, in annexed east Jerusalem, and around Arab Israeli towns, he said.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas will present a formal request for UN membership for a Palestine state later on Friday in a move which has sparked anger in Israel and opposition from Washington which has vowed to block the move at the UN Security Council.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Israel's defence establishment has been preparing for months for the eventuality of rioting and mass unrest should the membership bid be scuttled, with the army, police and emergency services all on high alert on Friday.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In Jerusalem, police barred entry to the city's flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound to men under 50 and anyone not holding a blue east Jerusalem ID card.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The army also boosted numbers in the West Bank, deploying an extra 1,500 reservists across the territory, media reports said. A military spokesman on Thursday said troops would show "restraint" in dealing with any disturbances, "using riot dispersal means" in accordance with the level of unrest.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Earlier this week, tens of thousands of Palestinians rallied across the West Bank in a massive show of support for the UN campaign, but there was little sign of any unrest and only isolated incidents of stone throwing.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">More gatherings are planned for Friday evening when Palestinians are expected to turn out en masse to watch Abbas's speech to the UN General Assembly on large screens in towns and cities across the West Bank.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316815899540464" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Palestinian officials have repeatedly pledged that the marches and demonstrations will be peaceful and stay within Palestinian-controlled areas.</div></div></div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-30768605432928028252011-09-22T14:39:00.001-07:002011-09-22T14:39:56.872-07:0022/9/11 - Palestinian crisis looms over U.N. meeting<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=ApeQhfqlnAFEn7PRhXpD6dQC9nQA;_ylu=X3oDMTFiN2pzZDVyBG1pdANBcnRpY2xlIEhlYWQEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhQXJ0aWNsZUhlYWQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTJ1Mjk1aHQ2BGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDN2I1ZTU0NTktZTliYS0zZWNjLWJmZTQtYjViMTA4YjUwMzA1BHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZARwdANzdG9yeXBhZ2UEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=0/SIG=11b7hk5gj/EXP=1317937134/**http%3A//www.reuters.com/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #005790; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Reuters" class="logo" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/FZN6924R0WZ__x92.x6.GA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9Zml0O2g9Mjc-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/logo/reuters/d0c3eb8ca18907492a4b337b5cec5193.jpeg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" title="" /></a><cite class="byline vcard" style="color: #7d7d7d; display: inline-block !important; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: 2.2em; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap;">By <span class="fn">Andrew Quinn</span> | <span class="provider org">Reuters</span> – </cite></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><cite class="byline vcard" style="color: #7d7d7d; display: inline-block !important; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: 2.2em; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap;"><abbr style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-variant: normal;" title="2011-09-22T19:52:10Z">1 hr 46 mins ago</abbr></cite></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #161616; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 16px; text-transform: uppercase;">RELATED CONTENT</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
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<li class="photo" style="color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a class="media" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/world-events-1316137200-slideshow/girl-palestinian-flag-painted-her-face-during-rally-photo-182959489.html" style="background-color: black; color: #005790; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 2px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; zoom: 1;"><img alt="A girl has the Palestinian flag painted on her face during a rally in support of President Mahmoud Abbas' bid for statehood recognition at the United Nations, in Gaza City September 22, 2011. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem" height="140" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/ud0REX_RYb0.F49cz4CmCQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MzMwO2NyPTE7Y3c9NDUwO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0xNDA7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2011-09-22T195210Z_01_BTRE78L1FE100_RTROPTP_2_PALESTINIANS-ISRAEL-ABBAS.JPG" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" title="A girl has the Palestinian flag painted on her face during a rally in support of President Mahmoud Abbas' bid for statehood recognition at the United Nations, in Gaza City September 22, 2011. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem" width="190" /></a><div style="font-family: arial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">A girl has the Palestinian flag painted on her face during a rally in support of …</div></li>
<li class="story collapsed" style="border-top-color: rgb(218, 218, 218); border-top-style: double; border-top-width: 3px; color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 29px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 20px; position: relative; vertical-align: top;"><span class="icon-container icon-story" style="background-image: url(http://l.yimg.com/os/mit/media/themes/blue005790/images/map-theme_ltr-191718.png); background-position: 0% -1796px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: block; height: 20px; left: 5px; position: absolute; width: 20px;"></span><a alt="Newsmaker: Abbas presses Palestinian case with new defiance" href="http://news.yahoo.com/newsmaker-abbas-presses-palestinian-case-defiance-110601357.html" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" title="">Article: Newsmaker: Abbas presses Palestinian case with new defiance</a><div style="font-family: arial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em style="color: #7d7d7d; display: block; font-style: normal;">Reuters - 10 hrs ago</em></div></li>
<li class="story collapsed" style="color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 29px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top;"><span class="icon-container icon-story" style="background-image: url(http://l.yimg.com/os/mit/media/themes/blue005790/images/map-theme_ltr-191718.png); background-position: 0% -1796px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: block; height: 20px; left: 5px; position: absolute; width: 20px;"></span><a alt="Obama tells Abbas U.S. will veto Palestinians at U.N." href="http://news.yahoo.com/obama-tells-abbas-u-veto-palestinians-u-n-235822539.html" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" title="">Article: Obama tells Abbas U.S. will veto Palestinians at U.N.</a><div style="font-family: arial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em style="color: #7d7d7d; display: block; font-style: normal;">Reuters - 21 hrs ago</em></div></li>
<li class="story collapsed last" style="color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 29px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: top;"><span class="icon-container icon-story" style="background-image: url(http://l.yimg.com/os/mit/media/themes/blue005790/images/map-theme_ltr-191718.png); background-position: 0% -1796px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: block; height: 20px; left: 5px; position: absolute; width: 20px;"></span><a alt="Clinton to hold meet Abbas, Netanyahu separately" href="http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-hold-meet-abbas-netanyahu-separately-205626083.html" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" title="">Article: Clinton to hold meet Abbas, Netanyahu separately</a><div style="font-family: arial; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><em style="color: #7d7d7d; display: block; font-style: normal;">Reuters - 21 hrs ago</em></div></li>
</ul></div></div><div class="yom-mod yom-featured-list" id="mediafeaturedlist" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><div class="hd" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 15px; zoom: 1;"><h3 style="color: #161616; display: inline; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">WORLD SLIDESHOWS</h3></div><div class="bd" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><ul style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 1;"><li class="story first" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="Iran leader's U.N. visit sparks protests, walkout" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/activists-protest-iranian-leader-s-u-n-visit-1316707740-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/u698harvAYKL6QVaVXxU6g--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3E9ODU7dz03MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/0e7bb19756948115f90e6a706700aba3.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="Iran leader's U.N. visit sparks protests, walkout" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/activists-protest-iranian-leader-s-u-n-visit-1316707740-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Iran leader's U.N. visit sparks protests, walkout</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">22 photos - 4 hrs ago</cite></div></li>
<li class="story" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="South Korean sex workers protest stricter laws" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/south-korean-sex-workers-protest-stricter-laws-1316719109-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Xmu5phQFlH8ZNePa0FPY4A--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3E9ODU7dz03MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/gettyimages.com/south-korean-prostitutes-protest-against-20110922-021459-437.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="South Korean sex workers protest stricter laws" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/south-korean-sex-workers-protest-stricter-laws-1316719109-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">South Korean sex workers protest stricter laws</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">22 photos - 12 hrs ago</cite></div></li>
<li class="story last" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-right-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #414141; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.45em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px;"><div class="img" style="display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><a alt="Freed U.S. hikers reunite with families" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/iran-sentences-2-american-men-to-8-years-in-jail-1313849049-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self"><img alt="" class="" height="70" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/LE9QJr0rDd.Ux31rjz_LiA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTcwO3E9ODU7dz03MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2011-09-21T224951Z_01_OMA21_RTRIDSP_3_IRAN-USA-RELEASE.jpg" style="background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;" title="" width="70" /></a></div><div class="txt" style="color: #333333; display: table-cell; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a alt="Freed U.S. hikers reunite with families" href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/iran-sentences-2-american-men-to-8-years-in-jail-1313849049-slideshow/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">Freed U.S. hikers reunite with families</a></h4><cite style="color: #666666; display: block; font-size: 9px; font-style: normal; margin-top: 5px;">30 photos - 22 hrs ago</cite></div></li>
</ul></div><div class="ft" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; zoom: 1;"><div class="more" style="display: block; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/" style="color: #005790; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" target="_self">See latest photos »</a></div></div></div></div><div class="yog-col yog-11u" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316727535465415" style="float: none; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: visible; overflow-y: visible; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="yom-mod yom-art-content" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316727535465419" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-left-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-right-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-color: rgb(52, 78, 127); border-top-style: none; border-top-width: initial; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div class="bd" id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316727535465422" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; zoom: 0;"><div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Diplomats scrambled on Thursday to head off a clash over Palestinian plans to seek full U.N. recognition with little visible sign of progress and a deadline some 24 hours away.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad briefly seized the spotlight at the United Nations General Assembly, accusing the United States of using the September 11, 2001, attacks as a pretext for attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan and condemning western support for Zionism.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But attention focused on the crisis looming over this year's U.N. meeting -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is ready to submit his application to the U.N. Security Council on Friday despite pressure from U.S. President Barack Obama to forgo the U.N. option and resume direct talks with Israel.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Obama's meetings with Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday ended with no breakthrough, illustrating stark new limits of U.S. influence over a process that is spinning in unpredictable directions.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Obama, whose personal efforts to restart the Middle East peace process have proved fruitless, on Wednesday declared that direct talks were the only path to Palestinian statehood, underscoring unbending U.S. opposition to the U.N. plan.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Obama said the United States will veto any Palestinian move in the Security Council -- a step which would isolate Washington with its ally Israel at a moment of unprecedented political turmoil across the region.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who met both Abbas and Netanyahu on Wednesday, said the United States would continue to push for a durable, negotiated peace.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Regardless of what happens tomorrow in the United Nations, we remain focused on the day after," Clinton told reporters.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">CONTAINING THE DAMAGE</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Diplomats are focused on several scenarios which they hope may contain the damage.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Security Council could delay action on Abbas' request, giving the mediating "Quartet" -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations -- more time to craft a declaration that could coax the two sides back to the table.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But the Quartet may be unable to agree on a statement that could satisfy both Israel and the Palestinians, which remain divided on core issues including borders, the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees and the future of Jewish settlements.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Another option, advanced by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, would see the Palestinians skip the Security Council in favor of the General Assembly, which could vote to upgrade the Palestinians from an "entity" to a "non-member state" while reviving direct peace talks.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Sarkozy's plan calls for talks to begin within one month, an agreement on borders and security within six months and a final peace agreement within a year.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The General Assembly route would require only a simple majority of the 193-nation body, not a two-thirds majority necessary for full statehood.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">What remains unclear, however, is whether the Palestinians will insist on the right to haul the Israeli government or its officials before war-crimes tribunals or sue them in other global venues -- something Israel strongly opposes.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Palestinians have pledged to press ahead with the Security Council bid while keeping the General Assembly option open.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">POLITICAL THEATER</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In what has become a regular piece of political theater, U.S. and other Western delegations walked out of the cavernous General Assembly hall during the speech by the Iranian leader.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Ahmadinejad -- who arrived in New York this year weakened by factional infighting at home -- accused Western powers of a variety of misdeeds and again questioned the September 11, 2001, attacks as "mysterious".</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">He made no mention of Tehran's disputed nuclear program, which Iran says is for peaceful purposes but which Israel and Western governments say is a covert drive to produce atomic weapons and shift the regional balance of power.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Ahmadinejad, who in the past has called Israel a "tumor" that must be wiped from the map, made only a passing reference to the Palestinian issue and had no comment on the Palestinians' bid for U.N. recognition.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Whatever happens at the United Nations, Palestinians will remain under Israeli occupation and any nominal state would lack recognized borders or real independence and sovereignty.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The cash-strapped Palestinians face their own political divisions, and may also incur financial retribution from Israel and the United States which could hobble their efforts to build the framework of government for their homeland.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In the West Bank, Palestinians have rallied this week to support the U.N. plan, with many expressing anger and disappointment over U.S. policy.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Our alliance with America has not brought us anything," said Amina al-Akhras, a public sector employee, blaming reliance on international donor funds for what she described as lethargy among Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We are ready to sacrifice their support and instead have a stronger national position," she said.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316727535465421" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed, John Irish, Louis Charbonneau, Patrick Worsnip, Alistair Lyon and Tom Perry; editing by Mohammad Zargham)</div></div></div></div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-83787530744138614672011-09-20T14:01:00.000-07:002011-09-20T14:03:03.013-07:0020/9/11 - 'Palestinians need just two more Security Council votes in bid for statehood'Palestinian Foreign Minister says attempts underway to win over Gabon, Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina, in quest for UNSC majority; U.S. has vowed to veto the proposal if it cannot garner a blocking majority.<div class="twocols" style="height: 2189px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden;"><div class="leftcol" style="float: left; line-height: 18px; width: 474px;"><div id="innerArticle" name="innerArticle"><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;"><br />
Palestinian officials have so far enlisted the support of at least six or seven members of the 15-member Security Council in their bid to gain United Nations recognition as a sovereign state, a senior official said Tuesday.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"They are trying to convince two or three more Security Council members to vote in favor of accepting Palestine as a UN member state," Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riad Malki said.</div><table border="0" cellspacing="0" class="features" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #00527c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; height: 173px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative; width: 474px;"><tbody>
<tr><td rowspan="2"><img alt="UN Security Council - AP - January 13, 2010" class="" src="http://www.haaretz.com/polopoly_fs/1.375429.1316089815!/image/1173775801.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_295/1173775801.jpg" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 9px; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 474px;" title="UN Security Council - AP - January 13, 2010" /></td><td class="text" style="color: white; height: 53px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 158px;" valign="top"><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">The United Nations Security Council.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="text" style="color: white; height: 18px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 10px; width: 158px;" valign="bottom">Photo by: AP</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="floated_right_ad" id="dclk_objects_06" name="300x250.adpos=01" style="float: right; font-size: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; width: 300px;"><iframe bordercolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="250" hspace="0" id="dcIframeAd2986674101" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://d3.zedo.com/jsc/d3/ff2.html?n=794;c=422/188;s=28;d=9;w=300;h=250" vspace="0" width="300"></iframe></div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">The Palestinians hope to enlist nine members behind them, even if "the U.S. is going to veto it and embarrass itself," he told Voice of Palestine Radio from New York.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">For any decision to pass in the 15-member Council, nine affirmative votes are needed, as well as no veto by any of the permanent Security Council members. The United States holds a veto and has promised to use it, if necessary.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Even as Palestinian diplomats work feverishly to enlist the nine votes to achieve a moral victory - even if it results in a technical defeat - US diplomats were working frantically to muster a blocking minority of seven.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Washington wants to avoid having to use its veto and appear as having single-handedly foiled the Palestinian bid.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">So far only Germany and Colombia, which receives much financial support from the U.S. for fighting rebels and drug lords, are said to be with the US and Israel. France and Britain remain unclear.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">The Palestinians are trying to win over Gabon, Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The first, west-central African state seemed to have made up its mind to vote for the Palestinians, but the other two remained hesitant, Malki said.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Portugal, earlier still defined as undecided, by Tuesday seemed inclined to vote with the Palestinians, Israeli officials said.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York Monday he would go ahead and submit the membership application on Friday, immediately after his address to the General Assembly's 66th session.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ahead of his scheduled departure to the General Assembly session late Tuesday or early Wednesday, called on Abbas to meet with him in New York.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"I call on the chairman of the Palestinian Authority to open direct negotiations in New York, which would continue in Jerusalem and Ramallah," he said in statement from his Jerusalem office.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"I propose to President Abbas to begin peace negotiations instead of wasting time on futile unilateral measures."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Abbas replied he was willing to meet Netanyahu in New York, but for protocol purposes, not to relaunch negotiations.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"I am ready to meet any Israeli official at any time he wants, but to meet only for meeting, I think it's useless," he told Fox News.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Abbas has conditioned negotiations on an Israeli construction freeze in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Netanyahu insists on negotiations without preconditions. The last round of talks broke off one year ago.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Malki said Abbas was under heavy pressure not to submit the application.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">Europe is trying to convince Abbas not to go to the Security Council, but to the General Assembly, for a watered-down request.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"The president was clear in his position," Malki said.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"He told them we are committed to going to the Security Council for full UN membership and we will not accept anything less."</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">But a senior Israeli government official warned this would be a "mistake" that goes against past Israeli-Palestinian interim deals.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">"It's impossible to impose peace from the outside. It won't happen," Mark Regev told correspondents in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, an opinion poll published Tuesday said the vast majority of Palestinians (83 per cent) support Abbas' bid.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 17px;">The poll by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) interviewed some 1,200 Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza between September 15-17, and had a margin of error of 3 per cent.</div></div></div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-1612647626375980562011-09-20T13:59:00.000-07:002011-09-20T14:02:23.421-07:0020/9/11 - Israel under pressure to limit scale of retaliation to Palestinian statehood bidIsrael is coming under mounting international pressure to limit the scale of its threatened retaliation to a Palestinian statehood bid amid warnings of a looming "explosion of violence" in the region.<div class="oneHalf gutter" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 0px; width: 460px;"><div class="story" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; margin-bottom: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-top: 3px;"><div id="storyEmbSlide" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="slideshow ssMain" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 3px;"><div class="nextPrevLayer" style="height: 319px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; position: relative;"><div class="ssImg" style="display: block; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img alt="Mahmoud Abbas " height="287" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02003/Abbas_2003221c.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" width="460" /><br />
<div class="artImageExtras" style="font-family: arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="ingCaptionCredit" style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><span class="caption" style="color: #404040; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.38em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 0px;">Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian leader, arrived in New York on Monday night to prepare for his historic address before the UN General Assembly on Friday</span> <span class="credit" style="color: #999999; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.38em;">Photo: AP</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="cl" style="clear: both; display: table;"></div><div class="byline" style="padding-bottom: 5px;"><div><div class="bylineImg" style="float: left; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 2px;"><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/adrian-blomfield/" style="color: #234b7b; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Adrian Blomfield" border="0" height="60" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01768/Blomfield_60_1768737j.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block;" width="60" /></a></div><div class="bylineBody" style="color: #3f3f3f; float: left; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 1.25em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">By <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/adrian-blomfield/" rel="author" style="color: #234b7b; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Adrian Blomfield">Adrian Blomfield</a>, Jerusalem and Jon Swaine in New York</div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3f3f3f; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px; line-height: 28px;"><br />
</span></span><div class="cl" style="clear: both; display: table;"></div></div><div id="mainBodyArea"><div class="firstPar"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">US and European diplomats were scrambling to find a compromise solution yesterday that would recognise Palestinian aspirations, placate<strong><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel" style="color: #234b7b; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Israel</a></strong> and somehow persuade both sides to set aside their antagonism and resume negotiations.</div></div><div class="secondPar"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In a sign that hopes of reviving peace talks and avoiding a vote on statehood at the United Nations were not dead, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, called for a meeting in New York with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, to relaunch “direct negotiations”.</div></div><div class="thirdPar"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"The prime minister is interested in a meeting with the president of the Palestinian Authority in New York," Mr Netanyahu's office said in a brief statement.</div></div><div class="fourthPar"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, said there was still time to find a solution to the diplomatic crisis.</div></div><div class="fifthPar"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Mahmoud Abbas, the <strong><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/" style="color: #234b7b; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Palestinian</a></strong> leader, arrived in New York on Monday night to prepare for his historic address before the UN General Assembly on Friday, when he will make his case for international recognition of a sovereign state of Palestine.</div></div><div class="related_links_inline" id="tmg-related-links" style="background-color: #f4f4f0; border-bottom-color: rgb(229, 229, 229); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin-bottom: 8px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; width: 460px;"><div class="headerOne styleOne" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: url(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/template/ver1-0/i/grey_dots.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-top-color: rgb(0, 122, 143); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 8px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 2px;"><h2 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-size: small; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 0px;">RELATED ARTICLES</span></h2></div><ul style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3em; list-style-image: url(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/template/ver1-0/i/articleBullet.gif); list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="bullet" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/template/ver1-0/i/sprite-icon.gif); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -1048px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; 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</ul></div><div class="body"><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Mr Abbas admitted that he had come under "tremendous pressure" to drop his bid and return to talks with Israel, but he insisted that nothing would deflect him from his course.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We have decided to take this step and all hell has broken out against us," he said.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In a sign of growing unease among traditional supporters of the Palestinian cause in Europe, France called on Mr Abbas to make an explicit commitment to peace talks.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, gave warning that the present Palestinian position was "neither acceptable nor tenable" and that compromise was essential.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, said Britain was attempting to "exert as much pressure on both sides to return to negotiation" but declined to say how it would vote on the issue this week.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Despite his frequently tetchy relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, President Barack Obama has promised to wield the US veto to block the Palestinian bid when it comes to the Security Council.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">There is also mounting concern in Washington over how Mr Netanyahu proposes to respond to the Palestinian bid, which is seen in Israel as a "unilateral" step designed to bypass peace talks.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Israeli government has warned of unspecified consequences if the Palestinians submit their application. Some members of Mr Netanyahu's right-wing coalition have called on Israel to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank and halt the disbursement of customs revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But on Monday it emerged that Mr Obama had sent envoys to Jerusalem to countenance against such a course, arguing that it could cause the collapse of the PA, a development that would ultimately harm Israel's security.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Under the moderate leadership of Mr Abbas, the PA has forged a close security relationship with Israel. Palestinian forces have mounted a successful campaign to root out militant groups in the West Bank, bringing terror attacks on undisputed Israeli territory to an almost complete halt.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">But many in the Palestinian forces are themselves former militants who fought against Israel during the Second Intifada in the first half of the last decade – and some say they are seething at the prospect of Israel and the United States blocking Palestinian statehood.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"There will be a massive military intifada if the Israelis do not accept a Palestinian state," one former militant now in the Palestinian security forces in the West Bank city of Jenin said. "If the people start an intifada, I will join the people."</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">So far, the loyalty of many former militants in the security forces has been bought by regular salaries. Moderate voices in the Israeli security and political establishment warn that if Palestinian customs revenues, worth £69 million a month, are withheld, the PA will not be able to afford to pay those salaries.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Many Palestinian servicemen have already been on half-pay for two months because of a funding crisis after Arab donor states failed to distribute promised funds to Mr Abbas.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Despite the American advice to Israel, Congress is threatening to suspend £300 million in aid if the Palestinian bid goes ahead, a sanction that could also trigger the collapse of the PA.</div><div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.48em; padding-bottom: 0.7em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Without the PA, Israeli troops would also be forced to return to Palestinian cities in the West Bank, triggering almost inevitable confrontations with protesters on the streets.</div></div></div></div></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-75158511659940687402011-09-19T14:01:00.000-07:002011-09-19T14:03:10.155-07:0019/9/11 - Abbas: All hell has broken loose ahead of UN statehood bid<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span><br />
Palestinian Authority president admits he is under "huge" international pressure over statehood gambit as US, Russian, EU and UN diplomats meet in ongoing effort to persuade PA to forgo move.<br />
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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday said that he remains committed to seeking full membership for a Palestinian state at the United Nations despite the fact that that he is facing "huge" international pressure to abandon the plan and he expects "difficult times" in the aftermath of the bid.<br />
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"We decided to take this step and all hell has broken out against us," Abbas was quoted by the Ma'an news agency as tellling reporters on his flight to New York.<br />
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“The Palestinian people and their leadership will pass through very difficult times after the Palestinian approach to the United Nations through the Security Council to seek full membership for the Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with east Jerusalem as its capital,” Abbas added, according to AFP.<br />
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A last-ditch international push began in New York on Sunday to try to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and avert a crisis over Palestinian statehood at the United Nations as members of the so-called Quartet of Middle East mediators met in New York.<br />
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Officials met two days after Abbas said he would demand full membership of the world body for a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly this week, setting up a diplomatic clash with Israel and the United States.<br />
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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Asked before the meeting if either could report any progress, Clinton replied, "We are meeting to talk about the way forward." Asked if that meant no progress, she said, "I didn't say that."<br />
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Senior diplomats from the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations - the Quartet - met on Sunday, an EU official said, as part of an intense effort in recent weeks to persuade the Palestinians to drop their UN plans.<br />
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The official said the diplomats were assessing the situation, but gave no further details.<br />
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The United States says it will veto in the Security Council a Palestinian application for full UN membership, but former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who serves an an envoy for the Quartet, said on Sunday a showdown could still be averted.<br />
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Blair told reporters, "The Palestinians are here at the UN now, so the question is ... can people find a way that enables the Palestinians to take a significant step forward to statehood at the same time as not ending up in a situation where the UN replaces negotiations?"<br />
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Abbas said that he had considered proposals put forth by the Quartet to stave off the statehood bid, but they did not support the PA's goal of a sovereign Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.<br />
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"We told them that any proposals which do not include a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders and an end to settlement expansion are unacceptable," he was quoted by Ma'an as saying.<br />
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Abbas was scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the statehood bid on Monday in New York.Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-5697867548913615812011-09-18T13:17:00.000-07:002011-09-18T13:17:41.497-07:0018/9/11 - Mideast Quartet envoys to meet in New York on Sunday<div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577399" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><img src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRZZonZqXylxCARyNpT4-NC3GaTl8CcSVnPD3srm9I7M3Ay6HNc" />BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Envoys from the quartet of Middle East negotiators will meet on Sunday in a last-ditch push to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and avert a showdown over Palestinian statehood at the U.N., an EU diplomat said on Saturday.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577404" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The meeting in New York will come two days after President Mahmoud Abbas said he would demand full membership of the United Nations for a Palestinian state when he goes to the U.N. General Assembly next week, setting up a diplomatic clash with Israel and the United States.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577424" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"Envoys are meeting on Sunday in New York," the diplomat said.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577421" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The efforts of the quartet --- which groups the European Union, the United States, Russia and the U.N. -- are part of an intense international diplomatic push in recent weeks aimed at persuading the Palestinians to drop their U.N. plans.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577418" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Washington, and Israel, says a U.N. vote over Palestinian statehood would damage chances for peace negotiations, arguing that a state can only be created through a settlement between the two sides.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577415" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The EU, in addition to such concerns, is also facing potential embarrassment at the international forum if a vote splits its 27 members into three camps -- those backing the bid, those opposing it and a possible group of states abstaining.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577409" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Reacting to Abbas's intentions, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the EU has yet to decide how to act at the U.N.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"The next days are crucial," spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said. "It is for Palestinians to decide on next steps but we continue to believe that a constructive solution that can gather as much support as possible and allows for the resumption of negotiations is the best and only way to deliver the peace and two state solution the Palestinian people want."</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">"We will redouble our efforts together with our partners in the quartet to launch negotiations between the parties as soon as possible. This remains the only way to end the conflict," Kocijancic said.</div><div style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">In a televised speech on Friday, Abbas said he would request the Palestinians' "legitimate right, obtaining full membership for Palestine."</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577455" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The Palestinians say almost 20 years of on-off direct talks on statehood envisaged by interim peace accords have hit a dead end. They say reasons for this include Israel's refusal to stop expanding settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem -- lands it took in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and which Palestinians want, along with the Gaza Strip, for an independent state.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577452" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">The last round of the U.S.-backed talks between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu collapsed nearly a year ago when the Jewish state declined to extend a partial moratorium on West Bank settlement building.</div><div id="yui_3_3_0_1_1316376911577449" style="margin-top: 11px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">(Reporting by Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck; Editing by David Stamp)</div></span>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3373366021839425495.post-8593512410081066892011-09-17T15:10:00.000-07:002011-09-17T15:10:22.195-07:0017/9/11 - Abbas claims 1947 borders for Palestinian state, affirms bid to UN Security Council<span class="articleDescription" style="color: #424241; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">DEBKA<em>file</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><span class="articleDescription red italic" style="color: #a53c42; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; text-align: left;">Special Report</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><span class="articleTime" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 3px; text-align: left;">September 16, 2011, 8:05 PM (GMT+02:00)</span><br />
<div class="floatclear" style="clear: both; float: left; font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; width: 490px;"><span class="articleDescription" style="color: #424241; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;">Tags: </span> <span class="tagsNoline a.tagsNoline:hover " style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;"><a class="tagsNoline" href="http://www.debka.com/search/tag/Mahmoud%20Abbas/" style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;">Mahmoud Abbas</a> <img src="http://www.debka.com/static/images/tag_arrow.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" /></span> <span class="tagsNoline a.tagsNoline:hover " style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;"><a class="tagsNoline" href="http://www.debka.com/search/tag/Palestinians/" style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;">Palestinians</a> <img src="http://www.debka.com/static/images/tag_arrow.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" /></span> <span class="tagsNoline a.tagsNoline:hover " style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;"><a class="tagsNoline" href="http://www.debka.com/search/tag/Israel/" style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;">Israel</a> <img src="http://www.debka.com/static/images/tag_arrow.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" /></span> <span class="tagsNoline a.tagsNoline:hover " style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;"><a class="tagsNoline" href="http://www.debka.com/search/tag/UN%20Security%20Council/" style="color: #0092ce; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;">UN Security Council</a> <img src="http://www.debka.com/static/images/tag_arrow.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" /></span></div><div class="articleBodyWrapper" style="font-family: arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; width: 590px;"><div class="photoContainer" id="photoContainer" style="float: left; height: auto; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 0px; width: 118px;"><div class="photoContainerPhoto" id="photo" style="float: left; height: auto; margin-top: 8px; width: auto;"><img height="150" src="http://www.debka.com/dynmedia/photos/2011/09/16/big/abbasmahmoud9.11.jpg" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px;" width="118" /></div><div class="photoContainerCaption" id="caption" style="clear: left; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; height: auto; line-height: 10px; margin-top: 5px;">Mahmoud Abbas goes to UN</div></div><span class="articleBody" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><div style="font-size: 14px;">Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas announced Friday, Sept. 16, in Ramallah that he would ask the UN Security Council next week for recognition of Palestinian statehood. Once they have a state and a flag and recognition by two-thirds of the world's nations, the Palestinians would leave all other issues open for negotiation with Israel, he said.<br />
While citing the 1967 borders for a future Palestinian state in reference to his UN application,<br />
Abbas stressed that Israel's "occupation" will not will not end the next day and much more remains to be done because the 1967 lines do not define the true borders - any more than the roadblocks and the settlements. The real Palestinian borders were laid down in 1947 down by the UN. All other areas [meaning large parts of the state of Israel] are "occupied territory" which the Palestinians intend to claim.</div><div style="font-size: 14px;">The Palestinian leader sought to imply that the 126 governments which have recognized the Palestinian right to a state had accepted this interpretation.</div><div style="font-size: 14px;">His other points:<br />
1. The Palestinian application to the UN Security Council is only one step on the road to full independence, after which "all options remain open." Its purpose is to obtain full UN membership and then return to the table for negotiation on this new basis.</div><div style="font-size: 14px;">2. He emphasized the Palestinian claim to Jerusalem as state capital, pledged to work for the refugees' return and strive for national unity by healing the rift with Hamas.<br />
3. Abbas issued a strict caution against violence demonstrations and protests, because he said this would play into Israel's hands.<br />
A long passage was devoted to the obstacles he accused Israel of placing in the path of Palestinian independence, especially by building new settlements on the West Bank and set them against the strenuous efforts the Palestinians have made to establish the administration and institutions of the future state.<br />
"We promised Obama to have them ready by September," he said and "so they are."<br />
He accused Israel soldiers and settlers of letting dogs loose against Palestinians and even wild boars to destroy crops. At the same time, Abbas said he was turning to the UN not in order to isolate Israel or assail its legitimacy but only to delegitimize and terminate the occupation.</div><div style="font-size: 14px;">In another part of his speech, Mahmoud Abbas boasted about the democracy prevailing in the Palestinian Authority (West Bank). We respect the will of the people, he said: "They don't have to demonstrate in the squares (a dig at the Arab Revolt)."<br />
<span class="debka" style="font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase;">DEBKA</span><span class="file" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">file</span>: The last Palestinian elections took place in 2006. The president, the legislature and the municipal councils are no longer legally in office. Abbas and the Palestinian Authority which he heads are maintained by the Palestinian armed security forces</div></span></div>Philiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05385432987440389541noreply@blogger.com0