Semaine 46 / 2007

      Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas reportedly voiced pessimism about the planned Annapolis summit during talks in Saudi Arabia. The Palestinian ambassador in Riyadh, Jamal Al-Shobaki, told the French news agency that in talks with Saudi King Abdullah on Friday, Abbas said the Palestinians are so far unhappy with the Israeli position, because they have not offered something that could ensure the success of the conference. Al-Shobaki said Abbas also told the Saudi leader that the United States must step... [Lire la suite]

      Israel says the latest report issued by the United Nation's nuclear watchdog agency on Iran's nuclear program makes clear the need for international action against Tehran. The foreign ministry said in a statement that the report confirms Iran is committing an ongoing violation of security council resolutions. In a report issued Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran has made progress in revealing the extent of its nuclear program. But the report confirmed that Tehran continues to defy... [Lire la suite]

       A senior official in Jerusalem says the cabinet will convene on Monday to consider the release of some 500 Palestinian prisoners ahead of the Annapolis summit, planned for November 27th. The security establishment has completed a list of prisoners eligible for release as a goodwill gesture to the Palestinian Authority. The official said they will not include members of Hamas, and none has been involved in the murder of Israelis. After Monday's vote, a ministerial committee is due to meet on Tuesday to... [Lire la suite]

      Jerusalem is concerned that the delicate language taken by the International Atomic Energy Agency in its report against Iran's nuclear problem will delay the imposition of sanctions against the current Iranian regime, Army Radio reported on Friday. While praising Iran for answering some questions about the history of its nuclear program, the IAEA report released Thursday confirmed that Iran continues to defy the international community by ignoring its demands to stop enriching uranium, a potential pathway to... [Lire la suite]

      Syria has reportedly decided to attend the upcoming international summit on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conference is scheduled to take place in Annapolis, Maryland within the coming weeks. The Egyptian daily Al-Ahram, citing a Palestinian source, said Damascus decided to attend after receiving assurances it would receive an invitation directly from the United States and not through the Arab League.(20,36)

         Iran is working together with the UN's nuclear agency, but it continues to defy the demands of the UN Security Council to cease its uranium enrichment operations – determines the International Atomic Energy Agency in a long-awaited report issued Thursday.The report also confirmed Tehran's declaration that it had 3,000 working centrifuges at its Natanz nuclear facility – an enrichment program of such magnitude would allow for the production of nuclear fuel on an industrial level .(22,34)

     An al-Qaeda cell tried to assassinate Hizbullah Secretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah last summer, the Lebanese, Arab-language newspaper As-Safir reported Thursday. According to the report, the Lebanese security services are currently conducting a vast investigation into al-Qaeda's activities in Lebanon. Several al-Qaeda cell members have been arrested, and have admitted – among other things – to firing Katyusha rockets at Israel on several occasions. The cells are also investigated in connection with a... [Lire la suite]

     The cabinet is scheduled to discuss making Palestinian recognition of the Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state a precondition for any negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, Haaretz has learned. "I aim to drag Prime Minister Ehud Olmert into demanding that the Palestinians recognize us as a Jewish state as a prerequisite for the international peace summit planned at Annapolis," Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) told Haaretz on Wednesday. He added that the proposal's... [Lire la suite]

      Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said he told Solana that "the foundation for the post-Annapolis negotiations with the Palestinians be recognition of the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people". Differences over the issue emerged this week when Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Palestinians would not accept Israel as a "Jewish state," a definition that could enable Olmert to argue against the right of return for refugees in a final deal. Palestinian Authority... [Lire la suite]

       Israel will announce a freeze on settlement construction prior to the Annapolis conference, and will also declare its willingness to dismantle illegal West Bank settlement outposts, government sources said Tuesday. Tuesday night, a group of senior Israeli officials flew to Washington to discuss the components of this freeze with Bush Administration officials. They will also brief the Americans on Israel's security interests in the talks with the Palestinians. According to the Israeli government sources, the... [Lire la suite]