Sunday, February 19, 2006
The Dirty Business Of Democracy.
Israel is to withhold an estimated $50m in monthly customs revenues due to the Palestinian Authority, and tighten borders for people and food crossing into Gaza.
Ahead of a cabinet meeting, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the Hamas-led PA a "terrorist authority" and ruled out direct talks.
This latest decision comes hot on the heels of the American claw-back of $50 made to the Palestinian Authority.
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A two day meeting in Texas on 8/9 February chaired by Edward Djerejian, a former US ambassador to Israel and Syria, who was briefed by the US State Department beforehand, was held with Israeli and Palestinian representatives to discuss ways of sidelining Hamas.
A participant said those present had discussed how to sideline Hamas, whose parliamentary victory has been seen as a serious obstacle to any peace settlement. Jibril Rajoub, national security adviser to Abbas, who led the Palestinian delegation, confirmed yesterday that the meeting had been backed by Washington. “I believe that the State Department has a great interest that our talks should succeed,” he said.
“Hamas’s victory last month was a political accident that can still be reversed,” Rajoub is said to have told the meeting.
The talks have opened a new channel of communication between Abbas, Ehud Olmert, the acting Israeli prime minister, and the Americans. The source said the meeting’s findings had been reported to both leaders and also to Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state.
After all the posturing by Bush and his administration about the need for democracy in the Middle East, they now are determined to destroy it simply because it doesn't suit the US and Israel.
It's a dirty game, is democracy the American way.
Also: Israel Not Amused At Moscow
See all recent posts.
Ahead of a cabinet meeting, acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called the Hamas-led PA a "terrorist authority" and ruled out direct talks.
This latest decision comes hot on the heels of the American claw-back of $50 made to the Palestinian Authority.
---------------------------
A two day meeting in Texas on 8/9 February chaired by Edward Djerejian, a former US ambassador to Israel and Syria, who was briefed by the US State Department beforehand, was held with Israeli and Palestinian representatives to discuss ways of sidelining Hamas.
A participant said those present had discussed how to sideline Hamas, whose parliamentary victory has been seen as a serious obstacle to any peace settlement. Jibril Rajoub, national security adviser to Abbas, who led the Palestinian delegation, confirmed yesterday that the meeting had been backed by Washington. “I believe that the State Department has a great interest that our talks should succeed,” he said.
“Hamas’s victory last month was a political accident that can still be reversed,” Rajoub is said to have told the meeting.
The talks have opened a new channel of communication between Abbas, Ehud Olmert, the acting Israeli prime minister, and the Americans. The source said the meeting’s findings had been reported to both leaders and also to Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state.
After all the posturing by Bush and his administration about the need for democracy in the Middle East, they now are determined to destroy it simply because it doesn't suit the US and Israel.
It's a dirty game, is democracy the American way.
Also: Israel Not Amused At Moscow
See all recent posts.
© Colcam 2005-2007
