Middle East Politics.Net » Palestine http://middleeastpolitics.net Facts, News, Trends, Analysis Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:56:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Palestinians Downplay Clinton’s Attempts http://middleeastpolitics.net/2010/01/10/palestinians-downplay-clintons-attempts/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2010/01/10/palestinians-downplay-clintons-attempts/#comments Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:34:41 +0000 davidhulme http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=4104 Hillary Clinton’s latest efforts to restart peace talks met with a rebuff from the veteran Palestinian negotiator over the weekend. According to Saeb Erekat “You cannot have discussions on borders while the territory you want to set up your state on is being eaten up by the settlements.”

David Hulme

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2010/01/10/palestinians-downplay-clintons-attempts/feed/ 0 Israel and New Building Projects http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/09/08/israel-and-new-building-projects/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/09/08/israel-and-new-building-projects/#comments Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:46:09 +0000 davidhulme http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=4091 The White House has issued a statement (September 5) about the Israeli government’s latest building plans. Hoping to retain settler support and then follow up with a freeze on construction to meet US demands, PM Netanyahu announced the latest permissions–Helena Cobban comments.

David Hulme

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/09/08/israel-and-new-building-projects/feed/ 0 Israel, Hamas, Fatah Prisoner Swap http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/02/16/israel-hamas-fatah-prisoner-swap/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/02/16/israel-hamas-fatah-prisoner-swap/#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:11:33 +0000 davidhulme http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=4085 Helena Cobban has a very detailed run down on the latest Israeli-Palestinian behind-the-scenes negotiations over prisoner releases that could free key Hamas and Fateh militants from Israeli hands, and one Israeli soldier held in Gaza since 2006. All of this could be the precursor to declaration of another truce between Hamas and Israel. At the same time reconciliation between Hamas and Fateh seems to be proceeding with a view to shared responsibilities and new elections.

David Hulme

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/02/16/israel-hamas-fatah-prisoner-swap/feed/ 0 Joint US-Palestinian Education in Jerusalem http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/02/15/joint-us-palestinian-education-in-jerusalem/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/02/15/joint-us-palestinian-education-in-jerusalem/#comments Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:54:07 +0000 davidhulme http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=4082 I welcome the news that New York state’s Bard College and Jerusalem’s Al Quds University will offer joint programs beginning next academic year. According to the New York Times, “The plan, relying largely on outside financing, includes a liberal arts honors college and a master’s degree program in teaching, both located at Al Quds and granting joint degrees, as well as a model high school to serve as an educational laboratory. The starting date for the first two is September; the high school is to open in 2010.”

David Hulme

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2009/02/15/joint-us-palestinian-education-in-jerusalem/feed/ 0 Grossman and Gaza http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/31/grossman-and-gaza/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/31/grossman-and-gaza/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:44:41 +0000 davidhulme http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=4023 Israeli author, David Grossman has a reasoned piece in the NYT today about the current Israeli campaign to crush Hamas. He argues for a 48 hour unilateral ceasefire on Israel’s part. Grossman, whose eldest son was killed in the 2006 Lebanon War, maintains that such an approach taken early in that conflict, would have put Israel in a much better position now. During the proposed 48 hour ceasefire, he suggests that international mediators should be invited to resolve the immediate crisis. His analysis takes note that Israel has the duty to defend not only Israeli citizens subject to Hamas rockets, but also innocent Gazan Palestinians.

David Hulme

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/31/grossman-and-gaza/feed/ 1 Palestinians Reject Israeli Land Exchange Proposal http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/16/palestinians-reject-israeli-land-exchange-proposal/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/16/palestinians-reject-israeli-land-exchange-proposal/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:40:24 +0000 pshapiro http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3967 Ahmed Qurei, the chief Palestinian negotiator, stated on Saturday that the Palestinians have rejected an Israeli proposition to annex a portion of the West Bank in exchange for some of its own territory. Qurei went on to explain that the Israeli land was “…not an equal trade in size and quality.” The rejected offer comes amidst recent efforts to stimulate renewed peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian officials. Currently, the issue pertaining to the future of Jerusalem remains the single most contentious obstacle to negotiating some sort of reconciliation agreement. Israel additionally seeks to protect what it terms the “Jewish character of the state”, a position which entails little room for diplomatic resolution with regard to the millions of Palestinian refugees – unless and until each side seriously considers further steps to achieve the compromise that has thus far eluded the negotiations.

Paul Shapiro

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/16/palestinians-reject-israeli-land-exchange-proposal/feed/ 0 Gaza Ceasefire Thoughts http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/07/gaza-ceasefire-thoughts/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/07/gaza-ceasefire-thoughts/#comments Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:36:19 +0000 davidhulme http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3884 The Palestinian-Israeli Crossfire site, bitterlemons, has four perspectives on the ceasefire and domestic politics. This is a very useful site with regular commentary from multiple viewpoints on important dimensions of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

David Hulme

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/07/gaza-ceasefire-thoughts/feed/ 0 UN Envoy and Jordan’s Bashir Speak http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/un-envoy-and-bashir-speak/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/un-envoy-and-bashir-speak/#comments Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:09:23 +0000 mmunguia http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3814 On Thursday, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert Serry met with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Salah Bashir, to speak about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It was stressed by the minister that the main conflict in the Middle East is that of Palestine and Israel. He went on to emphasized that the only solution would be a two state plan. He also warned Serry about Israel’s settlement activities in the West Bank, specifically in East Jerusalem. This would be something that would disrupt any negotiation plans, stated the minister. Bashir ended by bringing attention to the current siege imposed by Israel that is not allowing entry of food and humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip by saying that there should be immediate action taken to end it.

Mayra Munguia

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/un-envoy-and-bashir-speak/feed/ 0 Blair Still Seeks a Two-State Solution for Israel/Palestine http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/blair-still-seeks-a-two-state-solution/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/blair-still-seeks-a-two-state-solution/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:09:54 +0000 rooparad http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3559 Tony Blair has called for the Gaza Strip to be brought back into peace process, so that a two-state solution can remain a proposed negotiation between Israel and Palestine. Blair emphasizes that even though Hamas has been in control of the Gaza Strip since 2006, instead of having the West push their ill feelings onto Hamas, they should try to have Hamas drop their anti-Israeli sentiment and work together to build a peaceful solution. Blair contends that it is necessary for the Israelis to try and maintain a relationship with the Palestinian Authority because then Palestinians will be more apt to work with the Israelis and settling much of the conflict that has erupted recently. Blair also talks about how the stability of Gaza is weakening daily. With the smuggling in of weapons and the need for necessities, Gaza’s economy continues to destabilize. Blair hopes that “people with a moderate and modern view of Palestine” win in the next Palestinian elections. Even if Hamas does win, he says that it is necessary to persuade them to adhere to and support the political process of a peaceful future between the Palestinians and Israelis.

However, Blair does not hide his fear that a two-state solution may be becoming an unfeasible future.

Roopa Radhakrishnan

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/blair-still-seeks-a-two-state-solution/feed/ 0 Israeli Settlers Evacuated from Hebron House http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/04/evacuation-of-hebron-house/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/04/evacuation-of-hebron-house/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:50:45 +0000 rooparad http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3562 Israeli security evacuated the “Peace House” in Hebron this afternoon. About 600 soldiers and police forces were used and about two dozen minor injuries occurred. Protesters also fought with police at the entrance to Jerusalem, which they had blocked off. The evacuation followed a peaceful conference including Ehud Barak and the Yesha Council. The Hebron settler community declared that they bought the house from a Palestinian man through another man. The Palestinian man is saying that he never sold the building and that it is still owned by him.

About 20 Jewish families currently lived within the Hebron community home. Because of pending decisions on ownership claims to the Hebron House, Israel’s High court’s agreed to go through with the evacuating these Jewish families before any more tension arose between the local Palestinian community members and those in the Hebron house.

Roopa Radhakrishnan

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