Letter from a Political Negotiator to the International Community « Kawther Salam

Letter from a Political Negotiator to the International Community

رسالة من الدكتور عريقات تتحدث حول تدهور حالة الفلسطينيين ما بين سبتمبر 2011 – 2012

This is the first time that I post a anything received from Dr. Saeb Erekat, the so-called Chief Negotiator. I post it despite of my distrust and distance to him and what he does for several reasons, among them:

• The lack trust towards him because he never told the Palestinians honestly what he is doing through his secret and known contacts with and US and the Israeli government of the occupation
• His close proximity to USA and Israel and the American insistence that he be the ONLY Palestinian negotiator during the last two decades
• The sum of disasters that he brought us Palestinians through his activities, among them signing the agreements since Oslo until today without calling for the necessary referendums before putting his signature under such disadvantageous “agreements”
• The opulent and aristocratic decadency that he and his extended family afford themselves while they live in Jericho, Abu Dis and other Palestinian towns in the middle of the oppressed and ruinated Palestinians for whom it is normally hard to find a piece of bread for themselves and their families

Despite all my criticism against him and his activities, I been receiving more or less meaningful messages from him in the past. I think that publishing this last one is in the interest of the Palestinian people.

Below is the latest message that I received on Sep. 26 2012 from Dr. Erekat, where he talks openly about a set of facts after 45 years of Israeli zionist occupation, and specifically the changes of the facts on the ground due to the occupation between Sept. 2011 and Sept. 2012, specifically after President Abbas gave his previous speech at the United Nations requesting that the General Assembly States recognize Palestine as a state and full member of the UN. That request was rejected due to pressure from the US and the international zionist community, which supports the israeli occupation of Palestine and prolonging the colonial expansion of the zionist state.

The deterioration of the Palestine Situation – Palestine Liberation Organization – Negotiations Affairs Department – September 2012. (See the letter as PDF September 2011- September 2012).

September 2011- September 2012 – After 45 years of Israeli occupation, the daily reality in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem (OPT), continues to deteriorate to the point where the two-state solution is almost inconceivable. The statistics below bear witness to the fact that Israel has no interest in meaningful negotiations. A non-violent and diplomatic way to protect Palestinian inalienable rights and to save the prospects of justice and peace is for Palestine to apply for membership in the most multilateral organization in the world, the United Nations.

Ahead of President Abbas’ speech in the UN General Assembly, we have collected some of the key figures regarding Israeli occupation and colonization policies within the Occupied Palestinian Territory between the last UNGA General Debate and today. The status quo is clearly untenable.

Between the 2011 and 2012 speeches of President Mahmoud Abbas to the UN:

… the Israeli settler population living in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem (OPT), grew by over 20,000 settlers. There are over half a million settlers living in the OPT today.

… Israel planned, in different stages (tendering, approvals), at least 11,096 housing units and hotel rooms for settlements in and around Occupied East Jerusalem. The new housing units, if approved, would house around 44,000 new Israeli settlers.

… 991 separate incidents of terrorist acts by Israeli settlers living illegally in the OPT were recorded, including shootings, physical assaults, arson attacks, murder of livestock, and the destruction of property and vehicles. At least 60 of these attacks were against Christian and Muslim religious institutions.

… Israeli forces demolished approximately 510 Palestinian structures in Area C, displacing close to 770 Palestinians.

In 2011, following the Quartet Statement of September 23:

•  November 17: the Israeli authorities published tenders for 2,190 housing units in settlements in four different locations in the West Bank. Out of the new tenders, 40 are in Ma’ale Adumim, 277 in Ariel and 277 in Efrat.
• November 27: the Israeli Ministry of Defense approved settlement construction plans for 238 housing units in Shilo settlement north east of Ramallah (aiming to separate Nablus from Ramallah).
• December 12: the Israeli Ministry of Defense approved the establishment of a new, permanent settlement near Efrat in the Bethlehem area (aiming to separate Bethlehem from Hebron).

… the UN reported that a record number of Palestinians were displaced as a result of home demolitions in 2011. More than 1,000 Palestinians in the OPT (including East Jerusalem) lost their homes, double the number from the previous year and the highest number since 2005.

… 560 Palestinian-owned structures, including 200 residential structures and 46 rainwater collection cisterns and pools, were demolished by the Israeli authorities. (ICHAD)

… the Israeli authorities demolished over 200 Palestinian-owned structures in the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea area, displacing around 430 people and affecting the livelihoods of another 1,200 Palestinians. (OCHA)

• Israel demolished 46 Palestinian rainwater-harvesting cisterns, preventing Palestinians from even collecting rainwater, and 25 Palestinian wells primarily used for agricultural and residential use. The situation did not change during 2012.
• During the olive harvest, about 42% of applications submitted for permits to access Palestinian orchards in the areas behind the illegal wall were rejected. (OCHA)

 The situation today:

•  Since 2007, incidents of settler attacks against Palestinians have risen by an alarming 315%.

•  The UN reports that more than 250,000 Palestinians remain at risk of settler violence, 76,000 of whom are deemed to be at high risk.

•  Over the past four decades, the residency of 14,084 Palestinians has been revoked, directly impacting more than 20% of Palestinian families in occupied East Jerusalem. These residents are no longer permitted to live or work in their city. Of all the revocations that have been carried out from 1967 until today, about half have occurred since 2006.

•   The Israeli “Mayor” of the so-called “Jerusalem municipality” has proposed depriving Palestinian Jerusalemites east of the illegal wall of their Jerusalem IDs. If successful, this proposal would affect an estimated 80,000 of 361,000 Palestinians and would be the largest act of deportation and de-population of the City since the beginning of the occupation.

•   The Israeli military has destroyed over 3,300 Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem since 1967.

•   Because of Israeli restrictions, at least 160,000 Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem have no suitable or legal connection to water networks.

•   Israel continues to restrict Palestinians’ basic right to worship freely. This includes barring most Palestinians from accessing the Al Aqsa Mosque Compound and allowing only West Bank residents above 40 years of age to enter East Jerusalem and access the compound. 77.4% of Palestinians in the OPT are under the age of 30.

•   At Easter, Israel’s policies against Jerusalem are also prominent: While Christians from all over the world take part in Easter ceremonies in occupied East Jerusalem, indigenous many Palestinian Christians are prevented from worshipping in Jerusalem. Those who are granted access are forced to apply through a discriminatory permit regime, followed by humiliation at checkpoints on their way to worship.

•   Over 60% of the West Bank is considered Area C, where Israel retains extensive control, including over security, planning and zoning.

•   Water consumption dips to 20 liters/capita/day (l/c/d) in communities without water infrastructure, one fifth of the World Health Organization’s recommendation.

•   Communities depending on tankered water pay up to 400% more for every liter than those connected to the water network.

•   The Jordan Valley makes up 28.5% of the West Bank and is home to almost 60,000 Palestinians. There are 37 Israeli settlements in the area, with a population of 9,500 settlers in contravention of international law. 94% of the land is effectively off limits to Palestinians.

•  The Israeli settlers living in the Jordan valley consume the equivalent of one-third of the entire amount of water made available to all 2.5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. (B’Tselem).

•   Approximately 18% of the West Bank has been designated as a closed military zone for training, or “firing zone”; this is roughly the same amount of the West Bank under full Palestinian authority.

•  The planned expansion area of the around 135 Israeli settlements in the OPT is 9 times larger than their built-up area. (B’Tselem).

•   Over 3,000 demolition orders are outstanding throughout the OPT, including 18 targeting schools.

•   In 2010, the estimated total cost of occupation to the Palestinian economy was $6.9 billion, a staggering 84.9% of GDP.

•   70% of Palestinians are refugees most of whom have been waiting 64 years for the recognition and implementation of their rights.

•   There is ongoing construction in ALL settlements within the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Israel’s actions make it patently clear that there is currently no prospect for meaningful negotiations. If the international community truly wants to resolve this conflict then the culture of impunity granted to Israel must come to an end. The Palestinian application to the United Nations is an effort to legitimize Palestine in the international arena and is a way to salvage the two-state solution. Self-determination is our sovereign right; international recognition is the legal and moral responsibility of the international community. All those who endorse the two-state solution along the 1967 borders, and wish to see a meaningful and peaceful resolution to this conflict, should vote in favour of admitting Palestine at the United Nations.

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How Jews Celebrate Yom Kippur? « Kawther Salam

How Jews Celebrate Yom Kippur? « Kawther Salam

How Jews Celebrate Yom Kippur?

قريع يخرج من جحره مبررا توقيع إتفاق باريس بدلا من تعويض الشعب عما جاءهم به
من هو الحمار الفلسطيني الذي وقع إتفاقية باريس
Last Tuesday Sept.25 2012 jews began observing the start of the holiest day of the jewish calendar, the 25 hours of fasting and contemplation known as “Yom Kippur”.

During this jewish holiday, as during all other jewish holidays, Israel imposes additional complications on the lives of Palestinians next to the horror which they are already forced to live every day by the jewish occupation. This means that patients of heart disease, cancer, kidney … can not go to hospitals, that people should die in their homes because no medical help is available, pregnant women must give birth in hell and not in a hospital, students must stay indoors, the dead in Hebron can not be buried at the cemetery, windows are prohibited from being opened by the house owners in the heart of occupied old city of Hebron, that Muslims are not allowed to pray and that life must be dead for everybody not a jew.

This is how the jews celebrate their holidays in occupied Palestine, not so much by celebrating, but by subjecting to iniquity and making life hell for everybody else and celebrating their suffering.

During the Yom Kippur of this year, the jews decided to celebrate their holiest day in another way, in a special way. A group of colonists, most of them American nationals, went to the farm of Abdul Karim Maiqel Abu Ali, a 61 year-old farmer, between Ramallah and Jerusalem. The old Farmer and three other members of his family were busy bringing in this years olive crop on which the family depends for their sustenance and livelihood.

Abu Ali relates: “the jewish colonists razed about 150 olive trees, then they started throwing stones at us while slowly approaching until they were near us. I was not able to do anything more than to shout at them to get out of my farm”.

“They surrounded me and started hitting us, we were three and they over 20. I was injured and fell on the floor, but instead of leaving me, they used a sharp instrument and cut off my right ear and threw it before my eyes. I fainted and I woke up in the hospital”.

The wife of Abu Ali relates: “the jewish colonists thought that my husband had died. They left him with blood covering all his body, they cut off his right ear, made a gaping wound in his head 4 centimetres long, and then they made cuts in his hands and feet, some of them were long and straight”.

She added: “After the jewish colonists left the place, his friends who were all injured but less than him, they tried to help. The israeli police came and they decided to transfer Abu Ali to Jerusalem hospital through Magen David ambulance, but the ambulance stopped for two hours at the check point of “Hizma” north of Jerusalem,. The jewish occupation forces rejected to allow Abu Ali to pass for treatment in Jerusalem, because it was their holiest holiday of Yom Kippur. After two hours of bleeding and without medical attention, Abu Ali was transferred in serious condition to Ramallah’s hospital by the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance”.

This is the very special way how the jews occupying Palestine celebrated their “Yom Kippur” this year, with abuse, racist violence, terrorism and flaunting an extreme hooliganism which apparently is firmly entrenched in jewish culture.

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Israel As a State Does not Exceed the Borders of June 1967 « Kawther Salam

Israel As a State Does not Exceed the Borders of June 1967 « Kawther Salam

Israel As a State Does not Exceed the Borders of June 1967

صورة الوفد الإسرائيلي المستعار التي أثارت الضحك والأحتجاج في مؤتمر الطاقة الذرية
سفير الأردن مكرم القيسي: إسرائيل كدولة لا تتعدى حدود الرابع من حزيران لعام 1967
His Excellency Mr. Makram Mustafa A. Queisi, Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Austria and the International organizations said while reading the statement of the delegation of Jordan under item 21 of the IAEA General Conference agenda, “The Israeli nuclear capabilities”, that the Jordanian approval of the credentials of the Israeli delegation does not include in any way the status of the territories occupied since 1967, and especially Jerusalem and the Golan Heights.

He added that “for us, Israel as a state does not exceed the borders of the fourth of June of 1967, and the borders laid down in the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan”.

He said at the beginning of his speech that his delegation is firmly convinced of the threat posed by nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction to global peace and security, particularly on the stability in the Middle East, which still suffers from a deficiency in the implementation of the decisions relating to Nuclear Safeguards from nuclear weapons In The Middle East.

He explained that Jordan stresses the need for Israel to join the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and to place all its nuclear facilities under the IAEA safeguards in order to achieve the Global Treaty in the region and as a prelude to the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons which will contribute peace, security and an incentive for the countries of the region to focus on economic and social development of the peoples instead of an arms race, which hampers development efforts and exacerbate tensions.

It should be noted that on June 13 2012, the Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on behalf of the Arab State, submitted to the IAEA an item entitled “Israel nuclear capabilities” in the agenda of the 56th, 2012 regular session of the general conference.  The documented which was submitted is below.

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Video, Flames of Israeli-Iranian Conflict Heated IAEA Session « Kawther Salam

Video, Flames of Israeli-Iranian Conflict Heated IAEA Session « Kawther Salam

Video, Flames of Israeli-Iranian Conflict Heated IAEA Session

تلاسن حاد بين سوريا وإسرائيل لليوم الثاني على التوالي
فلسطين تمر مرور الكرام على مخاطر مفاعل ديمونا في مؤتمر الوكالة الدولية للطاقة الذرية
Five seats, among them four empty, separated between the hostile adversary israeli and Iranian delegations last Sep. 20 2012. During the heated debated during the 56th Annual Session of IAEA General Conference, the delegations of 155 nations found themselves in the middle of sharply worded debates reflecting the tensions between israel and Iran that could spiral into armed conflict.

To the right of the hall sat the delegation of Iran and to left the delegation of Israel. Both delegations were separated by a few empty seats and the delegatins of Ireland and Iraq. The attendant delegations of the member countries were seated according to their initial letter in alphabet.

Not far away from the Israeli delegation sat the PA delegation, which should be considered as a third party to the conflicts of Israel, but the Palestinian Authority and Israeli delegations were calm during the meeting of the IAEA and did not conflict.

The Palestinian ambassador delivered very quite speech that did neither reflect the opinions and sentiments of the vast majority of the Palestinians, nor the issues at hand. Instead, the speech of the puppets reflected the opinion of most pecuniary advantage to the PA, now all but a puppet of israel, the USA and western countries. The speech could as well have been written at the military censorship office in Beit Agoron or at the US representation here in Vienna.

Mr. Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, the Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and head of Iran’s nuclear energy agency, as well as Iranian Ambassador Ali Asgar Soltanieh were seen at the opening session of the 56th Annual Session of IAEA General Conference with other Iran representatives, but the delegation of Israel headed by Ambassador and permanent representative to the IAEA Dr. Ehud Asoulay remained absent. Another delegation (perhaps Japanese or Chinese, or Korean) replaced the israeli delegation, but still the name of Israel was in front of the non-Israeli delegation. Simply, it was scandalous image which I shot at the opening session of the IAEA Assembly Session.

On 20 Sep. 2012, Israel accused Iran of being the “biggest nuclear threat to the Middle East as it seeks to deflect pressure over its own undeclared possession of atomic arms”, but Iran’s Ambassador Soltanieh, who denied that his country has any interest in such weaponry, said that Israels undeclared atomic arsenal is the most serious threat.

The United States and its allies accuse Tehran of trying to develop the capacity to make nuclear weapons and say that such strivings are the greatest menace to the region. The sharp debate of the conflicted parties can be seen in the video below.

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Doors Close on 56th Annual Session of IAEA General Conference « Kawther Salam

Doors Close on 56th Annual Session of IAEA General Conference « Kawther Salam

Doors Close on 56th Annual Session of IAEA General Conference

The 56th annual session of the IAEA General Conference concluded today in Vienna. More than 3 000 delegates from 155 IAEA Member States, international organizations, NGO’s and the media attended the five-day event held at the Austria Center, Vienna from 17-21 September 2012.

At its concluding sessions, General Conference delegates adopted resolutions aimed at strengthening the IAEA’s work in the areas of nuclear science and technology, safety, security, safeguards and technical cooperation.

The General Conference approved the applications of the Republic of Fiji, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Republic of San Marino for membership in the IAEA. Membership will take effect once the appropriate legal instruments are deposited with the Agency. It also elected Mr. Carlos Barros Oreiro of Uruguay as President of the 56th IAEA General Conference.

The 2012 IAEA Scientific Forum on Food for the Future: Meeting the Challenges with Nuclear Applications which began 18 September and concluded on Wednesday, 19 September, featured presentations and discussions from scientists and experts from around the world. They emphasized the IAEA’s unique mission of making nuclear technology available to developing countries to help them grow more food, fight animal and plant pests and diseases and ensure the safety of food products.

On 20 September, the General Conference also elected 11 new IAEA Board Members to serve for two years. These are: Algeria, Argentina, Costa Rica, Greece, Libya, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Thailand and Uruguay.

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Europa & Palestine News >> Kawther Salam >> 31st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers of Justice

31st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers of Justice

Vienna, Austria, 19 – 21 September 2012 – Resolution on Responses of justice to urban violence – THE MINISTERS participating in the 31st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers of Justice (Vienna, Austria, 19-21 September 2012),

1. Welcoming the report of the Minister of Justice of Austria “Urban Violence – Juveniles – New Media. Tackling the current challenges in Austria” and the contributions made by the delegations attending the Conference;

2. Recalling the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols and the relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights;

3. Recalling moreover the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Committee of Ministers’ Recommendations (2003)20 concerning new ways of dealing with juvenile delinquency and the role of juvenile justice, (2008)11 on the European Rules for juvenile offenders subject to sanctions and measures and (2009)10 on integrated national strategies for the protection of children from violence, the Committee of Ministers Guidelines on Child-Friendly Justice (2010), as well as the Convention for the Protection of Individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data (CETS No 108) and its Additional Protocol (CETS No. 181);

4. Concerned about the rise of intensive and at times unexpected outbreaks of collective violence in some major urban areas in Europe, such as riots, arson, muggings and looting in which juveniles are often involved as perpetrators and/or victims;

5. Noting that these outbreaks seem at least partly prepared by organised groups and that they lead to a general feeling of insecurity and to substantial economic losses and conscious that there is great public interest in having such outbreaks stopped as soon as possible and in having those responsible brought to justice;

6. Recognising that European societies are currently facing a deep economic and social crisis,
which exacerbates unemployment and financial hardship and is conducive to the deterioration
of living conditions and the social climate in certain urban areas;

7. Aware of the fact that these factors may contribute to increased social tension and to the
feeling of social exclusion and neglect, especially among juveniles who are vulnerable when
confronted with instigators who incite riots and other forms of urban violence, notably through
Internet, social networks and other information and communication technologies;

8. Underlining that acts of urban violence may range from minor offences to very serious crimes
and that therefore the response of the criminal justice system should take into consideration
the specific circumstances of each individual case and should be based on the principle of
proportionality;

9. Resolved to ensure the Human Rights of juvenile perpetrators and victims of urban violence as
well as maintain public safety and prevent disorder and crime, as necessary in a democratic
society;

10. Considering that in all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private
social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the
best interests of the child should be a primary consideration;

11. Considering that legal responses to criminal behaviour by juveniles should respect their rights
and, where appropriate, take due account of their views, educational, development and other
specific needs in accordance with their age and level of maturity;

12. Aware that deprivation of liberty often has harmful effects on the personal and social
development of juveniles and should therefore be used only as a measure of last resort, for
the shortest appropriate period of time;

13. Conscious of the fact that justice systems are designed primarily to deal with adults and
therefore convinced that any measures should take a multi-disciplinary and a multi-agency
approach in order to address effectively the variety of problems juveniles may face;

14. Mindful of the importance of promoting the involvement of the parents, family, carers and
guardians concerned in prevention measures as well as during criminal proceedings and the
execution of sanctions in order to help with the social integration of children and thus prevent
their involvement in acts of urban violence;

15. Underlining the need to develop child-friendly justice and to divert, where possible, juveniles
away from the formal criminal justice system and ordinary criminal proceedings to more
adapted forms of response, such as mediation and restorative justice taking into consideration
the interests of victims and their protection;

16. Aware of the rapid development and broad availability of Internet-based communication
technologies such as social networks and instant messaging, and of the fact that persons
participating in acts of urban violence often use modern telecommunication technologies in the
preparation of and during such acts; but also noting the potential of new technologies as a tool
for anticipating and preventing violence, gathering evidence and ensuring accountability of
instigators and perpetrators of violence;

17. Determined to take the measures necessary in the context of urban violence to promote a
rapid, appropriate and effective response of the justice system with regard to juvenile
perpetrators and victims, to protect public order, avoid the feeling of insecurity in society and
prevent the deterioration of social peace;

18. With regard to juveniles as perpetrators and victims of urban violence, agree to share best practices and use the lessons learned to consider:

a) adopting or strengthening justice systems appropriate for juveniles in particular for tackling the growing problem of urban violence;

b) developing restorative justice measures adapted to the needs of juveniles and using them, where appropriate, in criminal procedure;

c) developing specialised training programmes appropriate for professionals, such as judges, prosecutors, police officers, social workers, mediators, probation and prison staff;

19. Invite the Committee of Ministers to instruct the relevant Council of Europe bodies to promote consultations with juveniles and their families in their future work related to prevention and education;

20. Invite the Committee of Ministers to instruct the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) to examine:

a) the experiences of member states with regard to preventing the involvement of juveniles in urban violence as perpetrators and/or victims and recommend, as necessary, suitable measures, in particular related to prevention and the criminal justice systems;

b) the existing laws and practices in Europe concerning the sanctioning and treatment of juveniles involved in acts of urban violence as well as practices regarding the involvement of families, to draw up best practices in this regard and recommend, as necessary, suitable measures, in particular related to the criminal justice systems;

c) the existing laws and practices in Europe regarding restorative justice and recommend, as necessary, specific restorative justice measures aimed at dealing with the phenomenon of urban violence and adapted to the needs of juveniles at all stages of the criminal justice procedure;

21. With regard to organised groups and their new ways of communicating, invite the Committee of Ministers to instruct the European Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC) to examine, in cooperation with other relevant Steering Committees ways to promote dialogue and cooperation between law enforcement authorities, telecommunication providers and Internet service providers in order to facilitate prevention of urban violence, as well as gathering of evidence and ensuring accountability of instigators of violence, while guaranteeing full compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights;

22. Ask the Secretary General of the Council of Europe to present a report on the steps taken to give effect to this Resolution on the occasion of their next Conference

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5. 28th Annual Meeting of ARABMED in Europe الهيئة الإدارية لإتحاد الأطباء العرب تلتقي في باريس عقدت الهيئة الإدارية لإتحاد الأطباء العرب في أوروبا (عرب ميد), وهو...