zaterdag 20 februari 2010

Israëlisch-Arabish parlementslid: zonder Israël waren er geen kerken meer in het Midden-Oosten

 
Niet alle Arabieren in Israel zijn tegen Israel en solidair met de Palestijnen. Sommigen weten juist de democratie en gelijke rechten in Israel zeer te waarderen en nemen deel aan het bestuur van het land.
Misschien dat christenen die vaak de mond vol hebben over de verdrukking van de Palestijnse christenen door de bezetting, zich zijn woorden ter harte kunnen nemen.
 
RP
(met dank aan http://brabosh.com/)
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Israëlisch-Arabish parlementslid Ayoob Kara: Als Israël niet bestond waren er geen kerken meer in het M-O

18/02/2010 brabosh
 
 
Het Israëlisch-Arabisch parlementslid Ayoob Kara zei afgelopen maandag na zijn ontmoeting vorige week met paus Benedictus VI in het Vaticaan dat de katholieke kerk achter de paus staat ten gunste van het Joodse volk. Sprekend in het Hebreeuwse journaal van Arutz Sheva, zei de vice-minister voor de ontwikkeling van de Negev en Galilea dat uit de toespraak van de paus op de Internationale Dag van Holocaust is gebleken dat hij zich goed bewust is van wat er gebeurd was in de concentratiekampen.

Kara zei dat hij na zijn ontmoeting met de paus, ruzie had met de vertegenwoordiger van de Kerk over het Midden-Oosten. Die had gezegd dat de internationalisering van Jeruzalem de optimale oplossing is voor de Arabisch-Israëlische strijd om de hoofdstad. Kara reageerde hierop door te zeggen dat als Israël niet moest bestaan, er geen kerken meer in het Midden-Oosten over zouden zijn, en wees erop hoe slecht christenen in Bethlehem en Nazareth worden behandeld door hun islamitische buren. Hij voegde eraan toe dat de Kerk er alle belang bij heeft dat alles onder Israëlische controle blijft, en dacht dat wat hij zei aanvaard werd door de kardinaal.

Ayoob Kara, (°1955) is een Israëlische Druus, en zetelt voor Likoed sinds 1999 in de Knesset, met een onderbreking tussen 2006 en februari 2009. In de regering van Netanyahoe is Kara staatssecretaris op het ministerie voor de ontwikkeling van de Negev en Galilea. Hij is eveneens reservist-majoor in het Israëlische leger. Kara woont in het Druzendorp Daliyat al-Karmel, vlakbij Haifa, is getrouwd en heeft vijf kinderen.

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Bronnen: Arutz Sheva: Kara: No Israel Means No Churches in the Middle East van 10 februari 2010; Israel Matzav: Israeli Arab MK: 'If there is no Israel, there will be no churches in the Middle East' van 2 februari 2010; op Brabosh.com: Vervolging van christenen neemt wereldwijd toe: [deel 1]: de moslimwereld en [deel 2]: de Palestijnse gebieden van 22 januari 2010 en ; Skyscraper City: Famous Israeli Arabs van 7 augustus 2009; Wikipedia: Minorities in the IDF; Gelovigen

 

 

Groot gemeenschappelijk zonne-energie project van Israel en Egypte in Sinai

 
Deze plannen laten zien hoe belangrijk en voordelig samenwerking is voor beide landen. Wanneer dergelijke projecten succesvol zijn en Arabische staten zo van Israel profiteren, helpt dat mogelijk ook om vijandbeelden af te breken en te vervangen voor een realistischer kijk op elkaar: men zal niet snel van elkaar gaan houden, maar kan zakelijk samenwerken en elkaar als mensen van vlees en bloed zien. Momenteel zie ik het er echter nog niet van komen dat op grote schaal wordt samengewerkt in dit soort projecten, want een enkel gesprek met een Israeli kan een Egyptische functionaris al in grote problemen brengen.
 
RP
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Ben-Eliezer Announces Potential Mega-Solar Project Between Israel and Eygpt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:


Eilat-Eilot International Renewable Energy Conference: Israel's Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer Announces Potential Mega-Solar Project Between Israel and Egypt


(Eilat, Israel - 18 February, 2010) Binyamin Ben Eliezer, Israel's Industry, Trade and Labor Minister, said today at the Eilat-Eilot International Renewable Energy Conference (
www.eilatenergy.org) that during his recent visit to Egypt with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he launched discussions with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak about the possibility of establishing a huge joint Israel-Egypt Solar Project in Egypt's Sinai Desert.

According to Ben-Eliezer, the project would provide enough energy for both Israel and Egypt.

"Egypt has the requisite space and Israel would contribute its technological know-how," said Ben-Eliezer. "In our discussions with President Mubarak, he expressed much interested in the idea and we will be working together with Egyptian government representatives to advance the idea."

Egypt's Sinai Desert is a prime location for the establishment of a mega-solar project as its clear skies, flat topography and annual average solar concentration of 2,300 KWh per square meter make it very suitable for the installation of commercial solar technologies.

Also speaking at the conference, Mr. Salah Azzam, Director of the Bio-Fuels Division at the National Energy Research Center in Jordan, outlined his plans for the establishment of an Israeli-Jordanian bio-diesel plant by the end of 2010. The plant would be built along the border between Jordan and Israel and will be operated by representatives from both countries.

"This project could serve as a great boost for establishing peace and security in the region and could promote peace efforts between Israel and its neighbors," said Azzam.

This year's Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Conference includes internationally-recognized alternative energy companies and speakers from around the world, such as former US Ambassador to Israel, Richard H. Jones, who is now the Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency; Mr. Michael R. Peevey, President of California Public Utility Commission; and Dr. Hermann Scheer, General chairman of the World Council for Renewable Energy.

The Conference, organized by the Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Administration in association with the Technologies Company, focuses on the latest innovations in renewable energy. Conference participants include internationally-recognized alternative energy companies, experts and investors from around the world. Some of the topics to be explored at the conference include renewable energy development in Israel, solar power, policies and regulations, energy conservation, and renewable energy technology. Conference organizers expect more than 2,000 participants at this year's event.


# # #
About the Eilat-Eilot International Renewable Energy Conference
The Conference is an international forum encouraging discussion and debate of policies, technology, business and investment practices to lead to cost effective, doable solutions. Conference participants include leading researchers in alternative energy, government officials and policy-makers, internationally-recognized alternative energy companies and world-renowned speakers from business and academia. Over 2,000 attendees and dozens of journalists are expected to be in attendance. Some of the topics to be explored at the conference include: Renewable development in Israel, solar power, policies and regulations, energy conservation, and renewable energy technology. The conference is organized in partnership between the Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Administration and the Technologies Company. To learn more about the conference, please visit www.eilatenergy.com.
 
 
Follow us on Twitter: @eilateilot
Media Contacts:
Ruder Finn Israel for Eilat-Eilot Renewable Energy Conference
Matthew Krieger
Cell: + 972-54-467-6950
Office: + 972-2-589-2003
Email:
matthew@ruderfinn.co.il

--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website:
www.imra.org.il

Demonstranten Bil'in slopen stuk van Westoever barriere

 
In het NOS Journaal vrijdagavond een uitgebreide reportage over de zogenaamd zo vreedzame protesten tegen de afscheidingsbarriere bij Bil'in, en de 'agressieve Israelische reactie' daarop. Verschillende demonstranten kwamen aan het woord, en een Belgisch meisje mocht haar propagandapraatje afsteken over het vreedzame verzet tegen de bezetting, ook president Abbas mocht nog een woordje voor de Palestijnen doen, en Sander van Hoorn ging helemaal mee in het Palestijnse protest tegen de barriere, nederzettingen en 'landroof'. Wat we niet te horen kregen, maar Haaretz wel berichtte, is dat de  demonstratie bepaald niet vreedzaam was verlopen, en er, zoals overigens wel vaker, met stenen en andere zaken werd gegooid naar de Israelische troepen en er vernielingen werden aangericht aan de barriere:

During the rally several protesters managed to cross the barrier, placing a Palestinian flag on top of an Israel Defense Forces outpost, while others dismantled a 30-meter section of the fence itself.
IDF sources claimed that the fence's repair could cost several hundred thousand NIS.
Israeli security forces were aligned in rear positions to allow the demonstrators to protest in a "non-violent fashion," but began using dispersal instruments as soon as protesters commenced hurling stones.

Zo gevaarlijk en agressief is het Israelische leger blijkbaar niet, anders konden de Palestijnen toch geen vlag op hun post zetten. En als Israel zo repressief is als de NOS beweert, hoe kan het zijn dat er dan al jarenlang wordt gedemonstreerd tegen de barriere zonder dat dat telkens wreed uit elkaar wordt geslagen zoals in dictaturen?

Het is niet de eerste keer dat de NOS eenzijdig en suggestief bericht en alleen de Palestijnse kant van een zaak geeft. Dit is helaas meer regel da uitzonderling geworden (zie bijvoorbeeld een rapport over de berichtgeving tijdens de Gaza Oorlog: Onderzoek NOS berichtgeving over Israel en Gaza Oorlog. Ik ben het niet eens met de klacht dat het journaal zo links zou zijn en daarom niet deugt, maar het lijkt er wel erg op dat men erg bevooroordeeld is tegenover Israel, en dat past de publieke omroep natuurlijk absoluut niet.

RP
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Last update - 23:52 19/02/2010
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1151032.html
Bil'in protesters dismantle section of West Bank barrier
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent


Demonstrators participating in rally protesting the Israel's West Bank separation fence dismantled a section of the barrier on Friday, during a rally marking five years since the beginning of the Bil'in protests.

About a thousand people took part in the rally, which was also attended by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Palestinian parliament member Mustafa Barghouti as well as Fatah strongman Nabil Shaath.

During the rally several protesters managed to cross the barrier, placing a Palestinian flag on top of an Israel Defense Forces outpost, while others dismantled a 30-meter section of the fence itself.

IDF sources claimed that the fence's repair could cost several hundred thousand NIS.

Israeli security forces were aligned in rear positions to allow the demonstrators to protest in a "non-violent fashion," but began using dispersal instruments as soon as protesters commenced hurling stones.

A source in the IDF's GOC Central Command told Haaretz that the incident proved that the IDF was willing to allow non-violent protest, but that it was clear that some of the participants act violently, hurling stones and causing thousands of sheckels in damages to the fence

Liquidatie in Dubai gevoelige klap voor Hamas


The real snafu was the use of forged European passports bearing the names of real Israeli dual citizens. But it's hard to imagine any other method by which foreign agents could enter and operate in hostile territory. The risks are well known: If the agents are caught, there will be tension with the country whose passports were used. But since these agents were not caught, there is as yet no smoking gun.

Je mag natuurlijk geen paspoorten vervalsen en onschuldige burgers op deze manier in de problemen brengen. De vraag is daarbij natuurlijk enerzijds wat de alternatieven waren: had Israel om uitlevering van de beste man kunnen vragen, had het kunnen eisen dat hij wordt opgepakt en berecht, dat hij desnoods moet terechtstaan in Den Haag? Ik denk dat de leiders van Dubai eens hard hadden gelachen en er nog een alcoholvrij biertje op gedronken. De andere vraag is of de man belangrijk en gevaarlijk genoeg was om je tot dit soort onorthodoxe middelen te wenden, en of dat het breken van bepaalde regels rechtvaardigt. Israel zal menen van wel, en als onderstaand bericht klopt is dat terecht lijkt me, maar als Engeland en Frankrijk daar anders over denken, kan dat voor Israel vervelende consequenties hebben. Met name haar diplomatieke banden met Engeland zijn al niet bepaald rimpelloos.

RP
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Last update - 22:01 19/02/2010
Media failed in Dubai hit, not Mossad
By Avi Issacharoff
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1150920.html
 

An utter lack of proportion. That's the way to describe the competition raging amongst Israeli media outlets over the call to fire Mossad chief Meir Dagan after last month's assassination of Hamas strongman Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai. And all this, despite the fact that no one (aside from Hamas) is claiming that Mossad was behind the hit. It seems that Israeli commentators never bothered for one moment to thoroughly review the operation's outcome. Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was one of Hamas' key men, a central cog in the weapon's smuggling trail leading from Iran to Gaza, if not in the entire machine itself. The assassination represents a mortal blow to Hamas and its image, a fact which may explain the panic visible within the organization in recent weeks. At a rally in Gaza on Wednesday, organizers showed a videotaped speech by the head of Hamas' political wing, Khaled Meshal, who could become the next target. While Meshal boasted that "the time for talk is over, and the time for action has come," he understands that if the assassins were able to get to al-Mabhouh, they can also get to him.

This panic could provide an answer to Israelis' questions about whether the assassination was a success or a woeful failure. The bottom line is that the hit, regardless of which organization was responsible for it, proved that the Hamas leadership was transparent and could be infiltrated and hurt by international intelligence agencies. Efforts by the organization and al- Mabhouh himself to keep his identity secret failed. The foremost impetus for the assassination, as far as the country responsible for it is concerned, was to hurt the Gaza arms smuggling ring. When he was killed, Mabhouh was en route to Sudan - where, according to foreign reports, Israel once bombed an arms convoy headed for Gaza. Now, before Hamas can resume its smuggling, it must find out where and how some intelligence agency penetrated its smuggling network and whether this network can be rehabilitated now that it has been exposed. Moreover, the operation serves as a deterrent which possible effects in the diplomatic arena. Israel (probably) is sending Hamas a clear message that the setback in completing a prisoner exchange deal that would see the release of Gilad Shalit will cost the organization the lives of its top men. In addition, the killing has a deterrent effect - Hamas' boasts of its military prowess will now be taken with a grain of salt by the people in Gaza.

Therefore it's hard to call this operation a failure. The operational goal was achieved. The assassins came home safely (aside from two Palestinians who evidently helped them). Yes, they were photographed, but they knew that this was a possibility. And there is no guarantee that those photographs actually show their real faces.

The real snafu was the use of forged European passports bearing the names of real Israeli dual citizens. But it's hard to imagine any other method by which foreign agents could enter and operate in hostile territory. The risks are well known: If the agents are caught, there will be tension with the country whose passports were used. But since these agents were not caught, there is as yet no smoking gun.

If the two Palestinians now under arrest in Dubai opt to "confess" to their ties with Israel, that could provide a smoking gun. But even then, the consequences are unlikely to be dramatic. Britain and Ireland will issue protests, but the incident is unlikely to generate a real, long-term crisis. Except, perhaps, in the media.

Liquidatie Hamas leider in Dubai was geen knoeiwerk

 
According to Ynet's security analyst, Ron Ben-Yishai, the olim who found their names on the Dubai police's wanted list will not encounter great difficulties in clearing their names, since most of the details in the forged documents were changed from the originals. The assassins apparently went to great lengths to ensure that the olim could distance themselves from the incident, changing passport numbers, inserting bogus middle names and altering dates of birth.
 
Ik vraag me dan toch af wat er overblijft van de identiteitsdiefstal: de vervalste paspoorten hadden andere nummers, geboortedata en afwijkende voornamen, en uiteraard ook andere pasfoto's en uiterlijke kenmerken. Blijft over iemand met een ongeveer gelijkende naam die uit dezelfde plaats stamt?
De 9/11 samenzweringsgekken bestonden het om te beweren dat de vliegtuigkapingen nep waren omdat ze met Google personen met dezelfde namen als enkele kapers vonden, die na de aanslagen nog vrolijk rondliepen in Marokko of elders. Over knoeiwerk gesproken...
 
Wouter
_______________
 
The Jerusalem Post
Analysis: Dubai hit was not a botched job
BY YAAKOV LAPPIN
18/02/2010 02:57
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=168991


Irrespective of who carried out the January 19 assassination of senior Hamas terrorist Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai, the operation was meticulously planned and successfully executed, and despite a surprisingly impressive investigation by Dubai police, the hit cannot be considered a botched job.

Foreign sources continue to hold the Mossad responsible for the killing, though Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.

Unlike the failed 1997 Mossad assassination attempt on Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Jordan, local security forces in Dubai were unable to capture the assassins. Today, there are no urgent and massive potential repercussions for diplomatic relations with an Arab state that is regionally vital to Israel, as was the case in 1997, when Jordanian-Israeli relations were strained nearly to the breaking point.

A diplomatic fallout with London, caused by the use of forged UK passports, seems a very real possibility if UK authorities officially blame Israeli intelligence for the Dubai slaying. But such a development would surely have been factored into any decision to take Mabhouh out. The diplomatic friction now building up would have been deemed bearable before any go-ahead was given for the killing.

Given all of these factors, the very fact that the operation went ahead seems to indicate the degree to which Mabhouh was viewed as an extremely valuable target.

According to reports, Mabhouh oversaw the smuggling of Iranian long-range rockets into Gaza, enabling Hamas to threaten the densely populated Gush Dan region, home to more than three million Israelis and the scene of the country's financial hub.

In a video made two weeks before his death and broadcast on Al-Jazeera earlier this month, Mabhouh said he had kidnapped and murdered two IDF soldiers, Ilan Sa'adon and Avi Sasportas, in 1989. Mabhouh said he had disguised himself as an Orthodox Jew during the attack.

Dubai police have not discussed the purpose of Mabhouh's visit to the Gulf state.

According to Ynet's security analyst, Ron Ben-Yishai, the olim who found their names on the Dubai police's wanted list will not encounter great difficulties in clearing their names, since most of the details in the forged documents were changed from the originals. The assassins apparently went to great lengths to ensure that the olim could distance themselves from the incident, changing passport numbers, inserting bogus middle names and altering dates of birth.

Most importantly, the passports used by the assassins have been officially declared by European governments to be forgeries, thereby clearing the olim.

There can be little disagreement over the considerable capabilities displayed by Dubai's police in their investigation, which was as swift as it was effective. The Gulf state, keen to preserve its name as a neutral financial haven, free from the violent woes that afflict other parts of the Middle East, has gone out of its way to try and embarrass the assassins and those who sent them. Such efforts, presumably, would have been foreseen by the mission's planners as a possible outcome, and deemed acceptable.

Zat de Mossad achter de aanslag op een Hamas leider in Dubai?

 
Hamas has squarely blamed the Mossad for the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his luxury hotel room on January 20, threatening revenge against Israel. But it has provided no satisfactory explanation about what he was doing in Dubai alone, and why he had no security guards.
 
Om de een of andere reden heeft iedereen het over de vraag of de Mossad erachter zat en de boze reacties van Frankrijk en Groot-Brittannië, maar niemand vraagt zich af waarom Dubai Hamas leiders op haar grondgebied duldt en wat de beste man daar te zoeken had. Hij schijnt op weg te zijn geweest naar Soedan in verband met wapenhandel, wat mij een nogal illegale activiteit lijkt. Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was geen kleine jongen, en schijnt de belagrijkste wapenhandelaar van Hamas te zijn geweest. Hoeveel raketaanvallen heeft Israel, als zij het al gedaan heeft, hiermee voorkomen? Hoe hard is Hamas hierdoor getroffen? Hoeveel Hamas leiders lopen nog vrij rond in diverse Arabische landen en houden zich daar met onfrisse zaken bezig? Die vragen vindt men bij NOVA en andere media een stuk minder interessant.
 
RP
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The Jerusalem Post
Analysis: So did the Mossad do it?
By STEVE LINDE
18/02/2010 04:34
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=169000


Was it really so shocking that at least seven of the 11 members of the hit squad identified by Dubai Police have the same names as olim, six of them from Britain?

Although it is undoubtedly awful for the olim involved, if you read their horrified responses to the alleged identity theft, you cannot help but see a pattern.

They all express outright indignation at their names being used by hit men (and at least one woman). They all say the photographs of the suspects bear no resemblance to them. And they all emphatically deny any knowledge of the Dubai mission.

Of course, it is possible that their identities were appropriated without their knowledge. But what intelligence agency could be so stupid?

If their IDs were hijacked by such an agency, and fake European passports were issued in their names, they really should press charges. Because from now on, any trip they take abroad – especially to the UK – will put them at risk of arrest, or at the very least interrogation by the authorities of their country of destination.

Britain has already launched an investigation into the possible identity theft of several of its citizens.

It is worthy of note that the Mossad was established in 1938 as a clandestine Zionist organization to defy the immigration quota system and bring Jews to Palestine during the British Mandate.

Hamas has squarely blamed the Mossad for the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in his luxury hotel room on January 20, threatening revenge against Israel. But it has provided no satisfactory explanation about what he was doing in Dubai alone, and why he had no security guards.

At least one former agent has remarked that the "Mossad-style execution" bore a striking resemblance to previous operations.

But except for the smiles of satisfaction in the cabinet meeting that followed the hit, there has been no official reaction from Israel.

Certainly, no one here shed a tear for Mahbouh, a founder of Hamas's military wing who is held responsible for a spate of terrorist attacks against Israelis, including the kidnapping and killing of IDF soldiers Avi Sasportas and Ilan Sa'adon in 1989.

Israel is a small place, and I have spoken to several people who say the photographs of the suspects resemble people they know.

According to reports from Dubai, the sensational video taken in the hotel that was released by police on Monday showed the hit team wearing obvious disguises, including wigs and beards. At least two of them were seen in tennis togs, and it is quite ironic that the news of their "identities" broke this week, during the Dubai Tennis Championships.

If the Mossad did orchestrate the operation, it wouldn't be the first time it has been left with egg on its face. But ultimately, the mission was a success, and the hit squad presumably managed to get out of Dubai safely.

So was the Mossad really behind the Dubai hit? Well, as the old line goes, If I told you, I'd have to kill you.

Kidon, de Mossad binnen de Mossad

 
De macht en capaciteit van de Mossad wordt door velen schromelijk overdreven, zoals ook die van zionisten en Israel in het algemeen. Zo zijn onder andere de dood van prinses Diana en de Monika Lewinski affaire aan de Mossad toegedicht. Het liquideren van Hamas kopstukken of andere terroristenleiders vergt een uitgebreide planning, en het duurt soms jaren voordat de gelegenheid zich voordoet. Bovendien kan het vervelende diplomatieke en politieke gevolgen hebben. Er zijn de afgelopen tien jaar dan ook maar een handvol mensen door de Mossad geliquideerd.
 
RP
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Kidon, the Mossad within the Mossad
By Yossi Melman
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1150915.html
 
 
Every time an assassination is attributed to the Mossad, the foreign media pulls out the name Kidon. This is the name of the Mossad unit which, according to these media sources, handles such operations.
 
It should be noted that some of these reports are based on highly dubious sources, like British journalist Gordon Thomas. Among the many questionable allegations Thomas has published are that the Mossad sent Monica Lewinsky to entrap Bill Clinton in order to get the U.S. president out of the White House; that it murdered British newspaper magnate Robert Maxwell; and that it was involved in the death of Britain's Princess Diana and her Egyptian lover, Dodi Al Fayed.
 
Therefore, the reports now flooding the media should be treated with caution - though there have also been some that are more serious, like those of Israeli journalist Aaron Klein and of Ian Black, a journalist with The Guardian.

Reliable or not, here is what these reports say. First of all, that Kidon is a unit attached to the Mossad's operational division, known as Caesarea.
 
Some even say it is essentially a mini-Mossad within the Mossad. Compartmentalization, which is strict throughout the Mossad, is absolute with regard to Kidon.
 
Kidon consists of a few dozen men and women who undergo rigorous training in a wide variety of fields, from standard intelligence tactics - like tailing others and avoiding being tailed; to more specialized matters - like unarmed combat, weapons training, explosives and even proficiency in driving different types of vehicles, including motorcycles. None of this, however, is necessarily unique: CIA operatives, for instance, undergo training no less rigorous.
 
Some reports say that Kidon operatives work in small teams. They are employed on contracts that run for only a few years, but can also last longer; the short terms stem in part from the enormous tension and danger of the job, which can presumably affect the operatives' functioning. As with all other Mossad employees, psychological counseling is at their disposal, but in Kidon, psychological oversight is even more strict.
 
The media attribute numerous assassinations to the Mossad in general and Kidon in particular, but the truth is very different. In reality, assassinations are rare. According to the foreign media, the Mossad either has killed or has tried to kill the following people over the last 14 years: Islamic Jihad leader Fathi Shikaki in Malta in 1995; the head of Hamas' political wing, Khaled Meshal, in Jordan in 1997 (which failed); a few Hamas operatives in Syria; and Hezbollah's "defense minister," Imad Mughniyeh, in Damascus in 2008.
 
If there are any other assassinations that the public does not know about, they are presumably few in number.
 
Among other reasons, assassinations are few and far between because any such operation requires very careful planning, and it can take years before conditions are ripe.
 
In the meantime, therefore, Kidon operatives also take part in other undercover activity aimed at furthering the Mossad's primary mission.
 

dinsdag 16 februari 2010

Energietekort Gaza na dichtdraaien geldkraan EU

 
De Europese Unie stelt terecht eisen aan de miljoenen Euro's steun aan de Palestijnse Autoriteit. Het Hamas regime in Gaza blijft echter een obstakel, en de gewone burgers worden daarvan de dupe.
 
Wouter
________________
 
zaterdag 13 februari 2010
Geen zak EU-geld? Gazaanse burgers in de kou
 
 
Een nieuw conflict tussen Fatah en Hamas dreigt Gazanen verder in de kou te zetten - de zoveelste maal dat hun eigen regering ze gijzelt om haar doelen te bereiken.
 
Het energietekort in Gaza steeg nadat de EU in januari stopte met rechtstreekse betalingen voor de aanschaf van brandstof voor de plaatselijke energiecentrale. De EU gaf daar in 3,5 jaar 268 miljoen euro aan uit onder een overeenkomst die in december afliep. Sinds januari moet de PA, die in Gaza niets te vertellen heeft maar nog steeds veel rekeningen betaalt voor ambtenaren en energie, een andere manier vinden om voor de brandstof te betalen. De nieuwe regeling maakt deel uit van een EU-plan om de Palestijnse financien op orde de krijgen.
De PA vindt dat Hamas zelf moet bijdragen uit de opbrengsten van de energie die de centrale levert. De PA zegt dat het zo'n 30 miljoen dollar per maand uitgeeft aan elektriciteit voor de 1,5 miljoen Gazanen. Maar Gedco, het Gazaanse energiebedrijf dat de rekeningen int in Gaza, zou maar ongeveer een tiende van dat bedrag naar de PA sturen. "Niemand weet waar dat geld heengaat", zei Ghassan Khatib van de PA maandag. Hamas op zijn beurt beschuldigt de PA van exhorbitante brandstofheffingen.

Volgens de Gazaanse energieleverancier Gedco kan maar een vijfde van zijn klanten hun energierekening betalen. Bovendien zou Gedco geen energiemeters kunnen installeren omdat Israel leveringen blokkeert - met andere woorden er is geen behoorlijk systeem om het verbruik te meten en Israel krijgt daarvan de schuld.

De crisis is op de spits gedreven doordat de EU in januari is gestopt met het simpelweg overhandigen van een zak geld voor brandstof voor de Gazaanse energiecentrale. Gezien de wijdverbreide corruptie bij Hamas en de PA is dit niet zo slecht. PEGASE, het instituut dat de besteding van EU-gelden in de gaten moet houden, gaat de PA 'helpen' een driejarenplan uit te voeren - het Palestinian Reform and Development Plan (PRDP), dat is goedgekeurd door de Wereldbank en het IMF. De PA moet zijn jaarlijkse tekorten financieren en een investeringplan maken. In het kader daarvan moet de PA in Ramallah een nieuw verdrag opstellen met de Gazaanse energiecentrale, dat voorziet in een betalingsregeling.

Nu eist de PA dus dat de Gazanen ook meebetalen aan hun elektriciteitscentrale uit het geld dat de burgers aan Gedco betalen voor hun energierekening. Om Gedco onder druk te zetten draagt de PA nu minder geld bij aan de aankoop van brandstof voor de Gazaanse energiecentrale, die deels in Amerikaans eigendom is. De centrale produceert zo'n 25 procent van de energie in Gaza; de rest wordt aangekocht in Israel en Egypte.

Gaza vindt dat de EU maar als vanouds moet blijven betalen en levert nu gewoon minder energie aan de burgers. De bedrijfsleiding van de centrale heeft door brandstofgebrek de productie al ernstig teruggebracht en dreigde vorige week met een sluiting. Ook in Gaza is het winter. Die sluiting werd heel even afgewend doordat de PA snel geld stortte voor twee brandstoftankers, maar daarmee is de zaak nog niet opgelost.
 

Danny Ayalon stelt land- en bevolkingsuitruil voor als deel van vredesakkoord

 
Danny Ayalon vergelijkt de bouw in de nederzettingen met het Palestijnse 'recht op terugkeer' van de vluchtelingen. Een ietwat gewaagde vergelijking voor een vertegenwoordiger van de regering, want voor Israel is het 'recht op terugkeer' onbespreekbaar. Hij geeft nu dus eigenlijk een beetje toe dat het wel begrijpelijk is dat de Palestijnen dat niet zomaar kunnen opgeven, zoals Israel niet zomaar een totale bouwstop kan invoeren zoals de Palestijnen eisen. Het is met andere woorden verzoenende taal waarin twee zaken die een tweestatenoplossing in de weg staan op een lijn gesteld worden, in plaats van dat Palestijnse eisen worden afgewezen en Israel daar haar eisen tegenover stelt. Hopelijk is dit meer mensen opgevallen.
 
RP
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The Jerusalem Post
'Population swap as part of peace'
BY JPOST.COM STAFF
13/02/2010 13:31
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=168584
 
Ayalon: Demand to freeze settlements like demanding PA give up right of return.


Israel and a future Palestinian state should agree to land swaps which would make settlement blocks part of Israel proper and in return make certain Arab towns part of Palestine, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said in an interview published Saturday. He also stated that the Palestinian demand to stop settlement construction as a precondition to negotiations was the same as an Israeli precondition that the Palestinians give up the right of return for Palestinian refugees - unrealistic.

In the interview with the London-based Arab newspaper Asharq-Alawsat, Ayalon said Israeli Arabs "would not lose anything" by joining the Palestinian state as part of a land swap. "If Israeli Arabs say that they are proud Palestinians, why should they not be proud in the Palestinian state?" he said. He added that this population could contribute to building the Palestinian state due to their high socioeconomic status.

The idea, Ayalon said, was that the majority of Jews live in Israel, and the majority of Arabs live in Palestine, while Arab and Jewish minorities could exist in both states respectively.

Ayalon said that settlements would not be a problem if a peace agreement is reached that recognizes the right of both states to exist securely, stably and in cooperation with each other.

"I think the claim that the settlements are an obstacle to peace is exaggerated," he said. "We have proven in the past that settlements do not affect the end results, and examples of this are the evacuation of Sinai and dismantling of the Yamit settlement carried out by Ariel Sharon, as well as the disengagement from the Gaza Strip and the dismantling of the settlements there in 2005 by the Likud government led by Sharon."

Britse journalist in Gaza door Hamas opgepakt

 
Dit heeft opvallend genoeg weer erg weinig aandacht in de media gekregen, zoals veel misdaden van Hamas. Het is bovendien geen geisoleerd incident, maar onderdeel van een campagne waarin journalisten worden beperkt en de mond gesnoerd. Veel Palestijnse journalisten zijn de afgelopen jaren al opgepakt en geintimideerd in de Gazastrook. Dat een Westerse journalist werd opgesloten komt niet snel voor; de laatste keer was Alan Johnston van de BBC, die in maart 2007 werd ontvoerd en na drie maanden vrijkwam.
 
RP
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Last update - 22:17 14/02/2010       
British journalist detained by Hamas in Gaza
By News Agencies
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1149688.html
 
Freelance filmmaker Paul Martin taken into custody at trial of Palestinian militant charged with revealing secrets.
 
 
Hamas security forces arrested a British man in Gaza on Sunday, British and Hamas officials said.
 
Authorities in Gaza arrested British filmmaker Paul Martin Sunday as he arrived to testify at the trial of a militant accused of giving information to "hostile parties," Palestinian security officials said.
 
Martin, described as a freelance documentary filmmaker, was handcuffed and taken into custody for 15 days as he arrived at the Gaza City courthouse where the trial was taking place.
 
"We are urgently looking into the matter and following up with the responsible people so we can sort this matter out on the consular level," said Fadi Adeeb, a spokesman for the British consulate in Jerusalem.
 
Martin had several weeks ago interviewed a Palestinian militant for an item which aired on a foreign television station.
 
Hamas, which administers the Gaza Strip, charged that during the interview the militant had revealed secrets harmful to "Palestinian security," and placed him on trial.
 
A judge ordered the Martin to be taken into custody and held for two weeks, said the spokesman of the Abu Rish Brigades, who only gave his nom de guerre, Abu Ahmed.
 
Hamas police spokesman Ehab Ghussein said Hamas security forces have obtained confessions that Martin violated Palestinian law and the security of the state. He did not explain further.
 
Martin is reportedly being held in Gaza's central prison.
 
Hamas is eager to improve its image in the West and has generally not interfered with the work of foreign journalists since seizing control of Gaza in 2007.

Corrupte medewerker van Abbas, Rafik Husseini gesuspendeerd na sex schandaal

 
Het bekende recept: sex, leugens en videobanden. - En tussendoor werden ook nog miljoenen dollars gestolen.
 
Wouter
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Last update - 16:00 14/02/2010       
Abbas suspends PA aide embroiled in sex tape scandal
By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1149660.html
 
 
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday suspended his bureau chief Rafik Husseini over his involvement in a corruption scandal that included video footage of him trying to trade his influence for sex, Israel Radio reported.
 
Husseini's suspension will last until a committee established to probe the matter submits its findings on the allegations in about three weeks.
 
Channel 10 news aired an expose last week that alleges widespread corruption among Palestinian Authority officials, dating back to the time of former PA chairman Yasser Arafat.
 
Even though the Palestinian Authority has won international praise for cleaning up official corruption that was rampant under the Arafat, Abbas' Fatah movement continues to be dogged by the perception that some of its leading officials pursue personal gain and pleasure over the national good.
 
Husseini has not appeared in public since the video was broadcast by Channel 10 in a report that also included allegations of high-level financial wrongdoing.
 
The erudite, British-educated Husseini, who has often served as the point man for explaining the Palestinian cause to foreign audiences, was expected to appear on a current affairs program on Palestine TV on Friday evening, according to the station.
 
But Husseini did not show. Instead, the host read a statement from him, in which Husseini said he was the victim of a conspiracy by Israelis and some Palestinians to discredit him and the Palestinian president. He said he would respond at a later time.
 
"I promise the viewers to reveal the complete truth, and I am ready for accountability if it was proven that I did something wrong," said the Husseini statement read on the air.
 
Palestinian officials also claimed the video was part of an Israeli attempt to discredit Abbas and denounced Fahmi Shabaneh, the former Palestinian intelligence officer at the center of the drama, as a collaborator with Israel.
 
The allegations come at a time of deadlock in U.S. attempts to renew Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Abbas has said he won't resume negotiations until Israel freezes settlement construction.
 
Shabaneh said that after Arafat's 2004 death, he was asked by Abbas to investigate official corruption, but that he was ignored when he presented his findings to the Palestinian leader.
 
Shabaneh said he began investigating Husseini after a woman complained that the chief of staff made suggestive remarks when she went to his office to ask for help with a family problem. Shabaneh said he set up cameras in the woman's apartment, with her permission, and filmed Husseini's next encounters with her.
 
In the video, Husseini is shown sitting on a couch in a living room, flanked by two women Shabaneh identifies as Husseini's secretary and the unidentified woman who sought his help.
 
During their conversation, Husseini is heard describing Abbas as aloof and lacking charisma and says Arafat surrounded himself with crooks. At some point, Husseini alludes to his own influence.
 
"Would you like a decree? Would you like me to issue a presidential decree for you?" he asks, though it's not clear to which of the two women the remark is addressed.
 
In a later scene, Husseini is shown undressing, alone, in a bedroom. He gets into bed, plumps the pillows and calls out to the unseen woman to join him. "Do I turn off the light or do you? What is the procedure?" he is heard asking the woman.
 
Moments later, Shabaneh enters the room with three other men and identifies himself. Husseini jumps out of bed and gets dressed.
 
The official Palestinian media have not reported the details, but the video appeared on YouTube and quickly became a main topic of conversation across the Palestinian territories.
 
The independent West Bank-based Ma'an news agency urged Husseini in an editorial to step down pending an investigation, arguing that he could no longer carry out his job effectively. "This is embarrassing to the Palestinian Authority, this is embarrassing to our people, this is embarrassing to our families," Maan editor-in-chief Nasser Laham, who wrote the editorial, said in an interview.
 
However, Laham also portrayed the Abbas aide as a victim of a smear campaign, calling Israeli TV's airing of the footage "a lynching."
 
In Gaza, Hamas claimed it has far more scandalous material involving Fatah officials but is holding back because it does not want to jeopardize attempts at Palestinian reconciliation. Hamas seized control of Gaza from Fatah forces in 2007, and Hamas officials claim they obtained incriminating material at the time.
 
"We urge Fatah to stop cooperation with the occupation (Israel) and renounce the lowly people within its ranks and resume the national cause," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman.
 
In the Channel 10 broadcast, Shabaneh also produces documents allegedly showing that Palestinian Authority officials have stolen millions of dollars in public funds.
 
The TV report did not name the suspected officials but said they include Abbas confidants. It said one method was to overbill the Palestinian government for real estate purchases made in its name.
 
 

Olmert kreeg geen antwoord van Abbas op vredesvoorstel

 
"I found Abbas to be a fair partner, opposed to terror," said Olmert. "What happened? That is the question of all questions, which I would answer if I could. I hope that the State of Israel will put at the top of its agenda the fact that there was a peace proposal offered by a legitimate government... It's time the international community demand an answer from the Palestinians instead of arguing about a building here and a building there."
 
Daar kan Olmert lang op wachten, vrees ik. De internationale gemeenschap stelt zelden kritische vragen aan de in haar ogen zo vreselijk gematigde Palestijnse Autoriteit en president Abbas. Abbas is te zwak, Abbas had meer tijd nodig, Israel had hem met meer concessies moeten ondersteunen, etc. etc. Zelfs officiële steun voor de meest extreme terroristen komt hem nauwelijks op kritiek te staan. Als je er eenmaal voor hebt gekozen iets niet te willen zien wordt het ook daadwerkelijk onzichtbaar.
 
RP
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Last update - 22:57 14/02/2010    
Olmert: Abbas never responded to my peace offer
By Haaretz Service
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1149691.html 
 
 
Former prime minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that during his tenure he offered Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas an unprecedented peace offer, based on a return to the 1967 borders and a fair demographic land arrangement which would see heavily Jewish areas in the West Bank remain under Israeli control.
 
"I offered a land swap, I offered a solution for Jerusalem, where the Jewish part would remain under Israeli authority and the Arab sections would be given to the jurisdiction of a Palestinian state," he told a conference at Tel Aviv University.
 
According to Olmert's plan, the Holy Basin would be demarcated under the rule of five different states with access available to believers of all religions. The offer was based on the agreements reached at a 2007 summit in Annapolis Maryland, Olmert said, and would be carried out in accordance with the Road Map for peace.
 
Olmert said he and Abbas had reached an interim agreement on the Palestinian right of return, but he never received a final response from the Palestinians on the matter.
 
"I found Abbas to be a fair partner, opposed to terror," said Olmert. "What happened? That is the question of all questions, which I would answer if I could. I hope that the State of Israel will put at the top of its agenda the fact that there was a peace proposal offered by a legitimate government... It's time the international community demand an answer from the Palestinians instead of arguing about a building here and a building there."
 
He said that although construction in the West Bank had been ongoing during his tenure, he found it counterproductive to base peace negotiations on that matter.
 
Olmert added that he had "reached the conclusion that in choosing between the greater Israel and a Jewish, democratic state, I prefer the latter," saying he knew it would be necessary to withdraw from much of the land the Palestinians want for a state.
 
Olmert also said he had been "hours" from meeting with the Syrian foreign minister during his tenure, but that the talks were canceled after Israel embarked on its offensive in the Gaza Strip.
 
Olmert told the conference that Turkey had acted with responsibility and fairness in its role as mediator in the indirect peace negotiations.
 
During Olmert's tenure, Turkey mediated five rounds of talks between Israeli and Syrian officials. Toward the end of Olmert's term the two sides were on the verge of resuming direct negotiations.
 
At the last meeting between Olmert and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish leader called Syrian President Bashar Assad and relayed messages to and from Olmert. But after Operation Cast Lead began in December 2008 and the freeze in negotiations with Syria, Erdogan said Olmert had stabbed him in the back.
 
A recent rise in tensions between Turkey and Israel has meanwhile prompted Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to discount Ankara from serving as mediator in any future diplomatic negotiations with Syria.
 

Palestijnse premier Fayyad eert gedode terrorist

 
Hoewel president Abbas de aanslag van een Palestijnse politieagent op een Israeli afgelopen vrijdag veroordeelde, heeft premier Fayyad de familie van de man - die door het Israelische leger werd doodgeschoten - officieel gecondoleerd. De officiële krant van de PA deed er nog een schepje bovenop en noemde hem een martelaar die zomaar door het wrede bezettingsleger werd doodgeschoten.
 
"The [Palestinian Authority] Prime Minister [Salam Fayyad] paid condolences to the family of the Shahid (Martyr) Faiz Faraj, who was killed on Friday evening by the occupation forces (Israel), having been fired upon directly in the old Al-Shalala neighborhood in Hebron. Fayyad denounced in extremely harsh terms the actions of the occupation forces, carried out as part of the ongoing campaign to suppress the non-violent protests of residents in the various regions."
 
RP
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Click here to view PMW's new web site
PA Prime Minister honors dead terrorist
 with condolence visit

http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=1648

by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has honored the terrorist who attempted to stab an Israeli soldier by paying a condolence call to his family. The terrorist was killed by Israeli soldiers after the attack Friday in Hebron.

Today's official PA daily carries a front-page picture of the terrorist, glorifying him with the title "Shahid" - a holy Islamic Martyr - together with the picture of Fayyad's visit.  Becoming a Shahid represents the highest religious achievement that can be attained by a Muslim.

The following is the front page story of Prime Minister Fayyad's condolence visit as reported in the official PA daily. This article likewise glorifies the terrorist as a "Shahid":

"The [Palestinian Authority] Prime Minister [Salam Fayyad] paid condolences to the family of the Shahid (Martyr) Faiz Faraj, who was killed on Friday evening by the occupation forces (Israel), having been fired upon directly in the old Al-Shalala neighborhood in Hebron. Fayyad denounced in extremely harsh terms the actions of the occupation forces, carried out as part of the ongoing campaign to suppress the non-violent protests of residents in the various regions."

 
PMW | King George 59 | Jerusalem | Israel

Deel nederzettingen Westoever overtreedt bouwstop

 
Het is niet de eerste keer dat dergelijke informatie naar buiten komt. Het zou kunnen (dit is dus speculatie) dat de regering niet zo sterk toeziet op naleving van het bouwverbod omdat ze er zelf voor een groot deel niet achter staat, en het alleen onder zware Amerikaanse druk heeft doorgevoerd. Natuurlijk kunnen niet in ieder dorp continu controleurs rondlopen, en, in tegenstelling tot wat Israel bashers graag beweren, worden ook niet alle illegale Palestijnse huizen onmiddelijk afgebroken, maar als Israel een maatregel afkondigt en daarmee ook een belofte doet aan de Amerikanen, dan dient zij erop toe te zien dat die nageleefd wordt.
 
RP
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Last update - 11:00 15/02/2010       
Defense Ministry reveals West Bank settlement freeze abuses
By Chaim Levinson and Haaretz Service
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1149899.html 
 
 
Security sources have found and made public 28 incidents of settlements violating the ten-month building freeze in the West Bank declared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Haaretz learned on Monday.
 
Responding to an appeal made by Meretz MK Haim Oron to clarify alleged settlement freeze infringements, deputy defense minister, Matan Vilnai, responded by that saying "The court order to halt construction has been given out. The implementation of the building freeze will be examined."
 
On Monday, Vilani released a list of settlements violating the building freeze, which included Tekoa, Etz Efraim, Revava, Alfe Menashe, Ma'ale Shomron, Psagot, Beit Arye, Emanuel, Kedumim, Barkan, Beitar Illit, Ma'ale Addumim and Kfar Etzion.
 
The left wing group Shalom Achshav claims there are building violations also in the settlements of Kokhav HaShahar, Nili, Kiryat Arba, Elazar.
 
These violations are in addition to outpost building, which has continued at a steady pace.
 
On Sunday, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation discussed a privately sponsored bill on compensating settlers hurt by the recent construction freeze. The bill, initiated by MK Danny Danon (Likud), is supported by 16 MKs from different parties and suggests setting up a compensation system modeled on the one used for the evacuees of the disengagement from Gaza in 2005.
 
"This bill requests a claims committee be set up, in order to assist and transfer compensations to the settlers of Judea and Samaria," the introduction to the bill read.
 
"The committee would have four members: A representative from the Prime Minister's Office, a representative of the Interior Ministry, a representative of public interest to be appointed by the justice minister in consultation with chairmen of local councils the area, and a magistrate judge - appointed by the justice minister in consultation with the director of the courts - who will chair the committee."
 
"The committee would be responsible for determining a claimant's eligibility for compensation, the scope of his eligibility and the sum of his compensation," the document continues. "It will be set up no later than 60 days after the date marking the beginning of the construction freeze, and it will operate a Web site that provides access to contact the committee and see its details, schedule and decisions."
 
The bill sets the deadline for claims at five years after the beginning of the freeze, and says the committee will be obliged to pay out the compensation no later than 60 days after its decision. Compensation claims would be filed either in writing or through the committee site, the proposition said.