Semaine 19 / 2009

      The Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas will not accept a two-state solution as a means to end the conflict with Israel, the movement's Damascus-based politburo chief Khaled Meshal said Saturday. Meshal said that Hamas rejects the two-state solution but could still be part of a national unity government if a Palestinian state is established based on 1967 borders. Meshal told the New York Times last week that Hamas has agreed with the rival Fatah movement to a state based on 1967 borders, including East... [Lire la suite]

        The Lebanese group Hizbullah has condemned recent comments by a senior United Nations envoy in which he criticized the organization for providing support to Palestinian fighters in Gaza via Egypt. Saturday's statement by Hizbullah accused Terje Roed-Larsen of supporting Israel and said his position provided cover for Israeli "criminal practices." Roed-Larsen is the UN Chief's envoy dealing with implementation of a 2004 Security Council resolution that includes demands for Hizbullah's... [Lire la suite]

           Former Iranian Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi formally submitted his candidacy to run for president of the country on Saturday. Mousavi, affiliated with the reform party, is considered the most significant challenger of current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is running for reelectionThe only two reformist challengers to hard-line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in upcoming elections vowed Saturday to bring change to Iran and restore the country's dignity. Mir Hossein... [Lire la suite]

         Two days after Israel blasted a UN report that claims the IDF failed to take adequate precautions to ensure that UN installations and civilians would not be harmed during Operation Cast Lead, a team set up to probe alleged war crimes announced its plans to visit Israel and the Gaza Strip soon. The fact-finding mission appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate rights violations during the Gaza war also renewed a call for Israel to support their investigation. Richard Goldstone, who... [Lire la suite]

        Despite sending two top officials to Damascus this week to try to improve ties, the US has decided to renew sanctions against Syria due to "serious concerns" over the country's behavior, an Obama administration official said on Friday. One of US President Barack Obama's first foreign policy moves was to reach out to Syria as part of a new approach to the Mideast, but State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the renewal of sanctions is not a contradiction in US policy toward Syria. "We... [Lire la suite]

       Senior officials in Jerusalem expressed concern recently over the sharp decline in the coordination between Israel and the United States on security and state affairs since President Barack Obama's entered the White House and especially since the formation of Israel's new government, Haaretz reported. Senior White House officials told their Israeli counterparts that Obama will demand Netanyahu completely suspend construction in the settlements, the officials said. "Obama's people brief their Israeli... [Lire la suite]

     Syria's foreign minister on Thursday rejected amending an Arab peace offer to Israel to make it more acceptable to Jerusalem, saying there's no justification for making another concession. Arab diplomats have said that the US has asked Arab nations to amend the 2002 land-for-peace proposal as part of a new approach to peacemaking. Jordan's king Abdullah II said Wednesday a new "combined approach" currently under discussion with the US would have Israel, Syria, Lebanon and other nations sitting down... [Lire la suite]

           Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas plans to ask his prime minister within the coming week to form a new government without the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers, signaling a breakdown in unity talks with the Islamic militant group. "Months of power-sharing talks between Abbas' Fatah movement and Hamas have gone nowhere. If they continue like this, it could last for years," aide Yasser Abed Rabbo said. "Formation of a new government enjoys external support," he added, referring... [Lire la suite]

       The Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority chief, Dr. Mohamed al-Olali said on Thursday that the traces of uranium found in his country do not indicate any Egyptian nuclear activity. In an interview to the Arabic-language BBC radio, the chief added that Egypt was operating under full transparency with the International Atomic Energy Agency. "The IAEA knows this full well," he added. According to the British network, the Egyptian authorities claimed that the uranium traces originated in trucks carrying... [Lire la suite]

       An IDF soldier was killed Wednesday night during a Duchifat Reconnaissance Unit operational activity in the town of Bir Zeit north of Ramallah. The soldier, 20-year-old Sergeant Noam Adin Rechter Levy from Mitzpe Netofa, sustained mortal gunshot wounds to the head. The incident occurred shortly after 3 am, while the unit was conducting searches in the town. During the operation several Palestinians started a riot, which escalated into a violent clash with the soldiers, during which at least one shot was... [Lire la suite]