Facts, News, Trends, Analysis
The Herald Tribune announced that an Israeli military court has convicted Hamas leader and Palestinian parliamentarian, Abdel Aziz Duaik. He was arrested in 2006 with dozens of other Hamas leaders who had been serving in the Palestinian Parliament. Hamas sees Israel’s reason for arresting so many members as relating to the Palestinians’ capture of Israeli [...]
The Hamas authorities in control of the Gaza Strip have threatened to prevent Muslim pilgrims leaving Gaza to attend the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, unless a dispute over visas is resolved. According to the BBC, Egypt has said it will only allow pilgrims to enter its territory from Gaza, if their Saudi visa applications [...]
Egyptian police have found a cache of explosives in Sinai that were probably destined for the Gaza Strip, a security official said. Police seized about 150 kilograms (330 pounds) of TNT, and dozens of mortar rounds and anti-tank grenades on Saturday after a tip-off from local residents near the Gaza border. “They were probably being [...]
Israel’s February’s election will be an important one for Washington and the new Obama administration. Though the Likud Party is the more conservative, the Kadima Party, with which Bush has worked most recently, has promoted an accelerated “two state solution.” The Bush Administration has agreed with this approach. Critics say that because of President Bush’s [...]
UN officials helping the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have stated that Israel is limiting UN assistance within the territory. They see this as a violation of international law, especially because there is no reason to be cutting off basic services from the UN. In fact, Israel has even sent the UN a list of [...]
Hamas has blocked thousands of Pilgrims from making the trip to Mecca “in the latest twist of the territory’s internal political divisions.” Pilgrims were turned back from the Rafah border by Hamas forces, and some even claimed they were beaten in their attempts to make the Hajj. Egyptian officials have reported that the border has [...]
Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat praised Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s decision to release 250 Fatah prisoners for the Eid-Al-Adha Muslim holiday. The Israeli Cabinet voted 13-4 in favor of the release, enabling Olmert to keep a promose made recently to Palestinian Authority President Muhammad Abbas. This much anticipated release was also appreciated by a Hamas [...]
Lebanon is to establish diplomatic relations with the “state of Palestine.” According to Lebanese Information Minister, Tarek Mitri, the decision was approved in a cabinet meeting late Thursday. Scheduled is the opening of a Palestinian embassy in Beirut, which would replace the current PLO office there. This development follows the recent announcement from the Palestinian [...]
In a surprise move, the PLO Central Council has voted nearly unanimously to elect Mahmoud Abbas as the president of the future state of Palestine. This position, which is purely symbolic as there is no official state of Palestine, has been void since the death of Yasser Arafat. This move is largely political, as recent [...]
An Israeli government report has recommended pursuing peace with Syria, even at the cost of returning the Golan Heights. This has been a major sticking point in peace negotiations in the past, and should the government follow these recommendations, could be a promising lead to peace talks. Turkey is currently serving as a mediator between [...]
