Semaine 9 / 2009

       Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday any unity government with Hamas would have to agree to a two-state solution with Israel, a demand quickly rejected by his Islamist rivals. The disagreement could hamper Egyptian-brokered reconciliation talks aimed at ending a schism between the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, where Abbas's Fatah faction holds sway. "We are moving in steady steps towards ... a national unity government that abides by our known commitments, which... [Lire la suite]

      "There is broad agreement inside Israel and outside that the Palestinians should have the ability to govern their lives but not to threaten ours," Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu told the Washington Post. In the interview, published Saturday, the Likud leader said "I propose a (new) way, which I believe can achieve progress: to continue political talks and at the same time advance the economic development that has begun and also strengthen the Palestinian security forces. "I... [Lire la suite]

    Israel Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman said that while he was capable of holding every government portfolio, he would like to serve as Israel's foreign minister. "I think I can hold every portfolio-defense, finance and Foreign Ministry. I think personally I'd like the foreign office," Lieberman was quoted as telling Newsweek in an interview published on Saturday. Asked whether he would continue the peace process if he joined Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu's government, Lieberman replied that... [Lire la suite]

       The US has decided not to take part in a United Nations conference on racism, dubbed Durban II. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said the document being negotiated has gone from bad to worse, and the current text is not salvageable. He said a conference based on this text would be a missed opportunity to speak clearly about the persistent problem of racism. An American delegation participated in preparatory talks in Geneva earlier this month, and made proposed changes to a resolution set to be adopted... [Lire la suite]

        Palestinian in the Gaza Strip fired at least five projectiles at southern Israel on Saturday morning, with a Grad-type rocket hitting an Asheklon school. No one was wounded in the attack, as the school was closed, though a number of residents were treated for shock. Another Grad rocket landed in an open area just outside the city. In the latest attack, a Kassam rocket struck an open area in the Eshkol region, causing no casualties or damage. There were no immediate claims of responsibility by... [Lire la suite]

      The talks dubbed the Palestinian National Dialogue, opened in Cairo on Thursday morning under Egyptian auspices with hopes that a dozen Palestinian groups can agree on a government reuniting the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, IBA reported. The two areas have had different political leaders since Hamas took control of Gaza in June 2007, leaving only the West Bank under the control of the Palestinian Authority, dominated by the rival Fatah group. Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman told the opening,... [Lire la suite]

       The special U.S. envoy tasked with jump-starting flagging peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians huddled Thursday with designated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a vocal opponent of the negotiations. The meeting was the first between Netanyahu and George Mitchell since Netanyahu was tapped to lead Israel's next government. The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has dispatched Mitchell to the region for the second time in its first month, reflecting the administration's resolve to end... [Lire la suite]

     Senior Israeli negotiator Ofer Dekel headed to Cairo on Thursday for talks on securing the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. He left shortly after outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reinstated Amos Gilad, Israel's chief negotiator in talks over a truce in Gaza. Some officials had feared that Gilad's suspension earlier this week would harm negotiations for Shalit. As Dekel left for Egypt, aDekel was invited to Cairo by Egyptian Intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to hear his suggestions on how to... [Lire la suite]

        Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Wednesday evening that the Iranian announcement that it had increased the number of centrifuges enriching uranium at the Bushehr plant to 6,000 constitute a stage in the creation of a substantial existential threat to Israel, adding that time was running out on stopping Iran becoming a nuclear power. "Israel's policy is clear: We are not ruling out any option regarding the Iranian nuclear [program]," he said. "We mean it." "We recommend that... [Lire la suite]

       Outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that now was the time to free captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit. "Even Hamas, despite being an inhumane, brutal, violent and murderous organization that is contradictory to the norms that we believe in, wants to secure the release of its prisoners and knows that there is a chance to reach an agreement under my tenure," Olmert told Channel 2. Olmert went on to express his concern that Prime Minister-designate Binyamin Netanyahu would find it... [Lire la suite]