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Rice praises Abbas' efforts to clamp down on militants
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday praised Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' efforts to ensure security ahead of Israel's Gaza withdrawal and said both sides were coordinating efforts, but more needed to be done.
"I want to take this opportunity to commend President Abbas and his leadership as well as that of his government for their ongoing efforts to enforce the rule of law in the West Bank and in Gaza," Rice said, speaking at a news conference after her meeting with Abbas in Ramallah.
"Rice demanded more Palestinian efforts to consolidate the truce," said Palestinian Planning Minister Ghassan Khatib, who attended one of the meetings.
Rice said that after the withdrawal from Gaza Strip, the United States wanted to make sure that the territory was not kept sealed and that Palestinians had access to the West Bank.
Rice said free movement for the Palestinians was vital for the economic future of the Gaza Strip. "That means when the Israelis withdraw from Gaza they cannot be sealed or isolated as an area, with the Palestinian people closed in after that withdrawal," Rice said.
Rice reiterated that the United States was committed to making sure that there was a stop to Israeli "settlement activity."
Abbas said the Gaza withdrawal must be the first step toward progressing with the road map peace plan, which calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
"Israel should be aware that the withdrawal from Gaza must be a step in the road map and must be followed immediately with the resumption of the political process," Abbas said.
Rice's visit to Ramallah was part of a last-minute tour in the region that came about after a recent escalation in the fragile lull between Israel and Palestinians only several weeks before the start of the disengagement plan.
Before their meeting, Abbas complained that Israel is keeping them in the dark about crucial issues.
"We need information how the disengagement will take place, when, where will it begin, what is the fate of the border crossings, what is the fate of the Palestinian airport," Abbas told Reuters in an interview. "We're not getting any answers."
On the way from nearby Jerusalem, Rice's motorcade slowed to allow her to view Israel's construction of the West Bank separation fence.
Rice meets Sharon in Sycamore Ranch
On Friday, Rice visited Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his Sycamore Ranch in the Negev Friday. The two discussed the need for coordination on the Gaza pullout.
Rice and Sharon discussed Israel's preparations for the disengagement and attempts to coordinate the move with the Palestinian Authority.
The meeting, described by sources close to the prime minister, as "excellent," was followed by breakfast for the American delegation and their Israeli counterparts.
Rice spent Thursday in Jerusalem, where she met with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.
She will speak with Vice Premier Shimon Peres on Sunday morning, before leaving the region.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/603650.html
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has insisted Israel must not seal off the Gaza Strip following its proposed withdrawal from the area next month.
Following talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, she also praised his efforts to ensure security ahead of the pullout, but said more must be done.
Ms Rice has now held meetings with both the Palestinian and Israeli leaders to try to facilitate a smooth withdrawal.
She said a well co-ordinated pullout could "re-energise" the peace process.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4709759.stm
"Rice demanded more Palestinian efforts to consolidate the truce," said Palestinian Planning Minister Ghassan Khatib, who attended one of the meetings.
Rice said that after the withdrawal from Gaza Strip, the United States wanted to make sure that the territory was not kept sealed and that Palestinians had access to the West Bank.
Rice said free movement for the Palestinians was vital for the economic future of the Gaza Strip. "That means when the Israelis withdraw from Gaza they cannot be sealed or isolated as an area, with the Palestinian people closed in after that withdrawal," Rice said.
Rice reiterated that the United States was committed to making sure that there was a stop to Israeli "settlement activity."
Abbas said the Gaza withdrawal must be the first step toward progressing with the road map peace plan, which calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
"Israel should be aware that the withdrawal from Gaza must be a step in the road map and must be followed immediately with the resumption of the political process," Abbas said.
Rice's visit to Ramallah was part of a last-minute tour in the region that came about after a recent escalation in the fragile lull between Israel and Palestinians only several weeks before the start of the disengagement plan.
Before their meeting, Abbas complained that Israel is keeping them in the dark about crucial issues.
"We need information how the disengagement will take place, when, where will it begin, what is the fate of the border crossings, what is the fate of the Palestinian airport," Abbas told Reuters in an interview. "We're not getting any answers."
On the way from nearby Jerusalem, Rice's motorcade slowed to allow her to view Israel's construction of the West Bank separation fence.
Rice meets Sharon in Sycamore Ranch
On Friday, Rice visited Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his Sycamore Ranch in the Negev Friday. The two discussed the need for coordination on the Gaza pullout.
Rice and Sharon discussed Israel's preparations for the disengagement and attempts to coordinate the move with the Palestinian Authority.
The meeting, described by sources close to the prime minister, as "excellent," was followed by breakfast for the American delegation and their Israeli counterparts.
Rice spent Thursday in Jerusalem, where she met with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.
She will speak with Vice Premier Shimon Peres on Sunday morning, before leaving the region.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/603650.html
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has insisted Israel must not seal off the Gaza Strip following its proposed withdrawal from the area next month.
Following talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, she also praised his efforts to ensure security ahead of the pullout, but said more must be done.
Ms Rice has now held meetings with both the Palestinian and Israeli leaders to try to facilitate a smooth withdrawal.
She said a well co-ordinated pullout could "re-energise" the peace process.
More
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4709759.stm
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“Voice of Palestine radio and Palestinian state television applauded Sunday morning the murder of two Israeli civilians in Gaza Saturday,” reports PA media expert Dr. Michael Widlanski. “Calling it an act of 'resistance' [muqawwima] and 'holy martyrdom' [istish-haad], [the broadcasts hinted] that the murderers were carrying out their civic duty.”
Widlanski also reports that the PA reports repeatedly referred to the couple as “settlers.” In fact, they were not residents of Judea, Samaria or Gaza, but were from Jerusalem. The terrorists, on the other hand, were referred to as "resisters" [muqawwimin] - a positive term in PA Arabic.
"The holy martyrdom of two citizens in a clash at the Kisufim Junction," announced Khaled Sukkar, the Voice of. Palestine (V.O.P.) newscaster at the start of Sunday morning’s news.
"Israeli military sources report at least two martyrs and three settlers dead and seven wounded in an operation at Kisufim," declared Nizar Al-Ghul, the senior V.O.P. radio anchorman, adding that the exact numbers were not yet clear.
"Our Palestinian sources say that there were three resisters who participated in the attack on a group of Jewish settlers and an army checkpoint," reported V.O.P.'s Gaza reporter, Adil Zaanoun.
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/
Nice logic.
Sorry, but no country hands land control over to people who refuse to stop attacking that country. It's suicide.
Israel doesn't feel like committing suicide. Sorry, Jihad Ali Mohammed.