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Conflict..
Israel arrests Palestinian-Canadian for Hamas ties
Jerusalem Post 12/5/2003
Israel is holding a Canadian citizen on charges of being a member of a terror group and will try him in military court, officials confirmed Friday. Jamal Akkal, 23, was arrested in southern Gaza in early November, according to Israeli military sources. Israel has said Akkal confessed to being a member of Hamas preparing to strike at Canada, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. Israel's ambassador to Canada, Haim Divon, told the CBC that Hamas recruited Akkal in October and trained him in the use of explosives and in the art of being a sniper.
Israel: Canadian admits to planning attacks in N. America
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
OTTAWA - Israel's embassy in Canada said on Friday that a Canadian had confessed to planning attacks in North America on behalf of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, but Ottawa said it knew nothing about the supposed confession. The embassy said Palestinian-born Jamal Akkal, 23, had told an Israeli court on Thursday that he was "a member of a new Hamas military cell in North America" designed to assassinate Israeli and Jewish officials.
Canadian tied to Hamas
Toronto Star 12/5/2003
Israeli officials say a Canadian arrested in Israel has confessed to having terrorist ties but officials in Ottawa know nothing of the alleged confession, CBC-TV's The National reported yesterday. A hearing was held in Israel yesterday for Jamal Akkal, 23, of Windsor, who was taken into custody Nov. 1 in Rafah, in southern Gaza. Israel alleges Akkal has confessed to being a member of Hamas and a trained killer ready to strike in Canada....But a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs in Ottawa has no knowledge of the confession.
Israel was about to attack Syria again
Arabic News 12/5/2003
An Israeli military source said that Israel was about to consider launching an attack against Syria if a plan to attack an Israeli school had succeeded on Thursday. In his statement to the Israeli radio, the official said "had the aggression against the school succeeded, Israeli would have retaliated, by attacking Syria because the orders came from Damascus." The Israeli official continued "This aggression aimed at undermining a chance to resume the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians, and affecting the inter- Palestinian dialogue in Cairo, with the aim to reach a truce."
Intifada takes physical and mental toll
Al-Jazeera 12/4/2003
As the Intifada enters its fourth year, scant attention has been given to the thousands of Palestinians who have been injured and handicapped for life. Little notice has been given to the long-term physical, mental, and social health effects of this ravaging conflict, particularly on children and young adults. An estimated 30,000 Palestinians have been injured during the second Intifada. According to the Red Crescent, initial studies indicate that nearly 5000 of these have shifted from the category of injured to that of temporarily or permanently handicapped.
Explosives belt found, detonated in Ramallah
Jerusalem Post 12/4/2003
IDF forces operating in the Ramallah area on Thursday night discovered a ready-to-wear explosives belt. Troops detonated the device in a controlled explosion. Shots were fired at an Israeli car driving near the West Bank settlement of Neveh Tsuf Thursday night. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Israelis Conclude Hamas Has Suspended Its Suicide Attacks
New York Times 12/5/2003
TEL AVIV, Dec. 4 — Israeli officials have concluded that the Islamic movement Hamas has suspended its suicide bombing campaign in recent months, a senior Israeli military officer said Thursday, citing that as one reason Israel has not suffered any deadly bombings in the past two months. Hamas has not announced a suspension of bombings, though a Hamas official on Thursday restated what other group leaders have been saying in recent weeks — that Hamas will stop attacking civilians when Israel does.
Security services declare high alert in Wada Ara
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
Security services lowered a high state of alert in the north on Friday night, after one had been declared in the Wadi Ara region, near the city of Umm al-Fahm, the Megiddo junction east of Haifa, and the "Checkpost" junction, which connects between Haifa and several satellite cities lying to its north, Army Radio reported late Friday. The heightened state was declared after authorities received intelligence information regarding an attempt by Palestinian militants to infiltrate the area.
Terror alert near Wadi Ara cancelled
Jerusalem Post 12/5/2003
The terror alert called Friday night in the Wadi Ara region following intelligence reports of a possible terror attack has been called off. Extensive police and border police forces set up roadblocks earlier causing traffic jams along major routes near Afula, Hedera and Um el Fahm.
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Several Palestinian factions reject truce
Middle East Online 12/5/2003
Several radical Palestinian factions on Friday rejected an Egyptian proposal for a year-long halt to attacks on Israelis amid efforts to secure a ceasefire and restart peace talks, a participant said. "Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) are opposed to a year-long truce because they believe that Israel is offering nothing in return and is not intending to," the delegate said. The three groups are among a dozen Palestinian factions who have since Thursday been attending Egyptian-sponsored talks aimed at reviving peace talks that have been derailed by more than three years of violence.
Hamas stops short of comprehensive truce
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
Hamas representatives attending a summit meeting of Palestinian factions in Cairo are resisting a comprehensive truce that would in effect end the Palestinian uprising, and holding out instead for a limited plan to halt attacks only inside Israel. But Israel, while hinting it would respond positively to a Palestinian cease-fire, is unlikely to accept a partial truce that leaves Jewish settlers and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip still open to attacks by militants.
Qureia to join cease-fire talks in Cairo today
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia will travel to Cairo today to join the cease-fire talks that 12 Palestinian organizations, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are holding under Egyptian auspices. "I hope that we will succeed in reaching a bilateral cease-fire [with Israel]," Qureia said last night in announcing his decision to join the talks earlier than planned. "Any agreement is conditioned on Israeli assent."
'No Chance of Peace with Palestinians' says Israel's Deputy PM
Palestine Chronicle 12/5/2003
Israel's deputy prime minister says there is no chance of peace with the Palestinians and Israel needs to take unilateral steps to draw its own borders. The comments come as the Israeli and Palestinian architects of an unofficial peace initiative meet with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington. In comments published in the Israeli daily, Yedioth Ahronot, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he sees no chance of reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinians. He also said that Jews risk being outnumbered by Arabs in areas under Israeli control in the near future, and must take steps to avoid becoming a minority.
FATEH Statement on Geneva Accord
Islamic Association for Palestine/BADIL 12/5/2003
What Palestinians are saying about the Geneva initiative -- In the interests of promoting informed discussion on Palestinians’ hopes for a peace agreement, BADIL is publishing Palestinian organizations’ perceptions of the Geneva understandings. The first, from local groups in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was issued last month. See www.badil.org “Let’s really hearfrom the grass roots”. The following is an unofficial translation of a statement from Fateh issued 1 December with its views on the Geneva initiative...
Israeli official calls for unilateral action
Columbia Daily Tribune 12/5/2003
JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel’s vice premier today said there was no chance of reaching an agreement with the Palestinians and said Israel would need to unilaterally define its borders, dismantle some settlements and withdraw from most of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and parts of east Jerusalem. Ehud Olmert’s comments, published in the Yediot Ahronot newspaper, were a significant change of thrust from a top leader of the hard-line Likud Party, which has resisted giving up most of the West Bank or any part of Jerusalem, where Olmert served 10 years as mayor.
Lula backs Syria on disputed land
BBC 12/4/2003
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has called on Israel to return the captured Golan Heights to Syria. Speaking in Damascus, Mr Da Silva, usually known simply as Lula, said Brazil will back a United Nations resolution on an Israeli withdrawal.Lula and Syrian President Bashar Assad signed deals to increase trade and other links between the two countries. Syria is Lula's first stop on a tour of the region, which will include visits to Lebanon, the UAE, Egypt and Libya.
Bush and Jordanian King Confer on Palestinian Plan
New York Times 12/5/2003
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 — President Bush and King Abdullah of Jordan discussed a Palestinian proposal on Thursday in which Israel would refrain from killing terrorist suspects and stop construction of its barrier in the West Bank in return for a cease-fire by militants, Arab diplomats said. In a second phase, the Arab diplomats said, the Palestinian Authority would take more concrete steps to disarm Hamas and other militant groups, once Israeli restraint was established. In addition, the Palestinian leadership would pledge that, this time, the cease-fire would last...."A cease-fire is not a renunciation of violence," said an administration official. "By definition, it's just a pause, leaving terrorist capabilities in place, and letting them continue their planning for more attacks when the cease-fire ends."
Powell Meets With Authors of Informal Peace Plan for Mideast
New York Times 12/5/2003
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Colin Powell took up with the architects of a nonofficial peace plan their proposed terms for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, despite objections from Israel. Describing their plan as an unprecedented "endgame" that complements, rather than conflicts with, the U.S.-backed "road map" plan, former Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and Yasser Abed Rabbo of the Palestine Liberation Organization's executive committee said the contacts with the Bush administration would continue. "We were encouraged," Rabbo told reporters. There was no immediate comment from Powell or his spokesman.
Powell meets Geneva Accord architects; Palestinians protest plan
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday met with Geneva Accord architects Yossi Beilin and Yasser Abed Rabbo in Washington. Before meeting with Powell, the two met with Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, a leading advocate of Israel, Army Radio reported. Later Friday, Beilin and Abed Rabbo are scheduled to meet with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Ahead of the meeting, Palestinians demonstrated in the West Bank and Gaza Strip against the unofficial peace plan, Israel Radio reported.
Israel Threatens Bone-Breaking Offensive Against Syria, Hizbullah
An Nahar 12/5/2003
Israel claims it has scuttled an Islamic Jihad attempt to suicide-bomb a Jewish school and had the operation been actually staged, the Jewish state would have mounted a bone-breaking onslaught against Syria and Hizbullah in Lebanon that would have "shaken the entire Middle East." But the Israeli media warned the Sharon government Friday that an air offensive against Syria would not be a picnic this time, asserting that Israel's most militant Arab neighbor had enormously upgraded its air defenses since the raid on an alleged Islamic Jihad training camp near Damascus two months go.
Home of apartheid slams Israeli wall
Al-Jazeera 12/5/2003
The president of the country that gave the world the word apartheid says Israel's "security fence" through the West Bank is an apartheid barrier that needs to be torn down. "The wall is there to keep Arab and Jew apart." South African President Thabo Mbeki said in a message read to an audience marking the international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people. "It has nothing to do with security or protection," he said. "It should be identified for what it is, an apartheid wall and it should be dismantled like apartheid had to be."
Sharon adviser: US should stay out of Israeli politics
Daily Star 12/5/2003
White house has signalled impatience -- An adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon urged Washington on Thursday not to meddle in Israeli politics in the latest show of displeasure over planned US talks with authors of a symbolic Middle East peace pact.The rare public row between Israel and its chief ally continued to smoulder as Palestinian factions opened negotiations in Cairo aimed at reaching an agreement on a truce considered crucial to reviving US-backed peace moves.
Analysis / IDF cautiously optimistic despite Arafat resurgence
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
The IDF uses "trudging in place" to describe the situation nowadays after long weeks in which no side - not Israel, the Palestinian Authority or the terror organizations - has taken any steps to break the stalemate....For the first time in a long time, the IDF believes that time is now on the Palestinians' side. Arafat is not only being strengthened domestically (and once the cease-fire is announced, internationally) but he is also finding breaches in Israeli society.
Peace plan duo 'pleased' by talks
BBC 12/5/2003
The authors of an unofficial Middle East peace plan say they are encouraged after talks with US Secretary of State Colin Powell.Israel's Yossi Beilin and Palestinian Yasser Abed Rabbo believe Mr Powell sees their efforts as complimenting the US-backed peace "roadmap". Israel says the plan is a surrender to Palestinian demands, while Palestinians have burned effigies of its authors. In Cairo, Palestinian factions are continuing ceasefire talks.
Shaaban interview with the BBC
Arabic News 12/5/2003
Syria's Expatriates Minister, Butheina Shaaban, has stressed Syria's commitment "Madrid terms of reference" that stipulate the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights and all the occupied Arab territories. In an interview given today to the BBC, Shaban said that what President Bashar al-Assad had proposed, in his interview with the New York Times newspaper regarding the return to the peace negotiations from the point they stopped, represents Syria's permanent proposal because Syria is fully aware that Madrid Terms of reference and the International resolutions and those of the UN are the only way to establish just and comprehensive peace in the region.
Geneva Accord Authors Take Campaign to US
Palestine Chronicle 12/5/2003
UNITED NATIONS (VOA) - The authors of the latest unofficial Middle East peace plan - the so-called Geneva Accord - have taken their campaign for acceptance to the United States. They will meet Friday with senior policymakers, including Secretary of State Colin Powell and Assistant Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. On the way to the nation's capital, the plan's chief sponsors stopped in New York to brief an influential foreign policy group..."Beilin:..The wall is the result of the Israeli genuine fear of terrorism, of mothers and fathers who see the situation and are afraid to send their kids to school or to the theater of whatever." Beilin says Prime Minister Sharon ordered the barrier built in response to public pressure, and would welcome the chance to tear it down.
Israeli Diplomat in Rome Circulates Greeting Card Inciting Against President Arafat
International Press Center 12/4/2003
GAZA, December 4, 2003 (IPC + Arab Monitor) - - An Israeli diplomat in the Israeli embassy in Rome sent a greeting card to the Republican Senate Council in the Italian capital including an inciting picture of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. The diplomat’s card included a graphically-rendered picture of President Arafat flashing the victory sign and Palestinian fugitive accused of lynching three Israeli soldiers on October 12, 2000 in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Lebanese Palestinians protest Geneva
Jerusalem Post 12/5/2003
About 900 Palestinians demonstrated here Friday against an unofficial peace plan for their conflict with Israel, condemning the Geneva Accord as an abandonment of the Palestinian right to return to the land that became Israel in 1948. "The Geneva Accord is a betrayal accord," said one banner carried by the protesters in Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp on the outskirts of the southern port city of Sidon. "The right of return is a sacred right," read another banner.
Egypt presses militants for truce
BBC 12/4/2003
Egyptian officials have told Palestinian militants meeting in Cairo not to leave without reaching agreement on a ceasefire with Israel. Egypt's chief mediator said the talks aimed to achieve a proposal Israel would feel unable to reject. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, meanwhile, said he will join in the negotiations at the weekend.
Palestinians Haggle Over Cease-Fire Plans
The Guardian 12/5/2003
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Palestinians faced the tough job Friday of deciding on a workable cease-fire offer to Israel after Islamic and secular factions presented widely varying views. Egypt is pushing for quick agreement on a halt to all attacks that its intelligence chief can take to Washington next week in hopes of winning U.S. backing....Intelligence chief Brig. Omar Suleiman has urged the factions meeting here to give full authority to Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia to work out the details of a truce - a point made Friday by Jordan's King Abdullah II who met in Washington a day earlier with President Bush.
Reports: Hamas opposes comprehensive cease-fire offer in Cairo talks
Al-Bawaba 12/5/2003
Palestinians debated truce proposals on Friday, but Hamas reportedly was resisting a comprehensive cease-fire and holding out instead for a limited plan to halt attacks only inside Israel. No truce was likely to take hold without the endorsement of Hamas, which along with the smaller Islamic Jihad has carried out most of the suicide bombing attacks against Israelis since September 2000.
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Israel expels 12 West Bank Palestinians
Al-Jazeera 12/5/2003
The Israeli army has expelled 12 Palestinian detainees from the West Bank and sent them to the Gaza Strip. A Palestinian security source confirmed on Friday that eight of the 12 had arrived in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Supreme Court had given the go-ahead for the expulsions on Thursday, and a military spokesman said the measures were carried out between Thursday evening and early on Friday. He said the Palestinians, who had been imprisoned without trial, had been taken in groups of four via a military base near to their place of detention and the Erez crossing point between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Update on Radhika Sainath
International Solidarity Movement 12/5/2003
Update on International Solidarity Movement volunteer Radhika Sainath, who was arrested by Israeli Immigration Police Thursday evening. Following a jurisdictional change from Magistrate to District court this morning, the deportation order and charges of illegal entry pending against Ms. Sainath were dismissed. Ms. Sainath remains in the custody of Israeli Immigration at Ben Gurion International Airport until such time as the NIS 5000 bail money can be raised and posted; Sunday at the earliest.
12 WB Residents Expelled to Gaza
International Middle East Media Center 12/5/2003
12 residents of the West Bank, who were administratively detained for various periods without being trialed, were brought Thursday to two Gaza crossings after the Israeli Supreme Court rejected their appeal against the expulsion order to Gaza, issued by the army. The 12 were forced into the PA ruled part of the Gaza Strip against their [will] and away from their families and working places.
India Pledges $ 72 m. to UN for Palestinian Refugees
Palestine Chronicle 12/5/2003
UNITED NATIONS (PTI) - India is among 19 countries which have pledged to contribute a total of $ 72 million towards next year's budget for the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees, but the agency says it needs much more because of deteriorating economic situation in the Palestinian territories.
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Economy..
IDF allows Palestinians to open Hebron market
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
Netanyahu, Peretz meet in bid to end public worker sanctions
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Histadrut labor federation chief Amir Peretz met Friday in Jerusalem in an attempt to end work sanctions by public sector employees. A positive atmosphere was reported in the meeting in which both tresury and labor negotiation teams participated. Before the meeting, Minister Meir Sheetrit said that the negotiations were at a stage that they could be completed within two-to-three days, Israel Radio reported.
Finance Ministry sources: Egypt should give Israel letter of credit for gas deal
Globes 12/4/2003
IEC CEO Jacob Razon: Gas pipeline problems won't delay gas supply significantly. -- Senior Ministry of Finance sources said today that they would not approve a letter of credit for the Egyptian government in order to guarantee Egypt’s sale of natural gas to Israel. As reported in “Globes” on Tuesday, difficulties have arisen in the negotiations with Egypt. Egypt demanded a letter of credit from the Israeli government and the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) to guarantee the IEC’s payments for natural gas over the next 15 years.
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Palestinian museum exhibition "lost" by American Airport Security
Electronic Intifada 12/4/2003
The highly acclaimed traveling exhibitions of the Palestine Costume Archive have been displayed in Europe, Australia, Asia and the United States since 1995, with five museum-quality exhibitions touring worldwide....However on 1 November 2003 the exhibition (which was being couriered over to MESA 2003 by the Archive's director) was taken for a security check/ x-ray at Los Angeles airport's Terminal 4 and has not been seen since. All attempts by the Palestine Costume Archive, Qantas, Alaskan Airlines and MESA to locate the exhibition over the last three weeks have totally failed and the search has now been abandoned.
Palestinian center provides forum for children’s activities
Daily Star 12/5/2003
RAMALLAH: Instead of taking to the streets of his neighborhood to watch out for Israeli Army jeeps or play soccer, 12-year-old Ibrahim Hammo and his friends opted to spend the day at the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center, which organized an open day for children with face painting, a writing workshop, clay work and a clown show. Proud of his work, Ibrahim showed his friends the piece of clay he decorated. “I learned something new,” he says laughing. “This is a different day for me. As children we do not have such an opportunity every day.”
Delusional disorder
By Avihai Becker, Ha'aretz Friday Magazine 12/5/2003
After more than a month of reserve duty in Netzarim, a group of Paratrooper officers declare: Israel has no reason to be there...."The IDF got two nuclear submarines, this month we bought 100 planes that cost $24 million each, and at the same time, in the invention of the century - the ultimate solution to terror - we set up a series of Turkish-era pillbox bunkers along the corridor to Netzarim."
Sharon's popularity falls to lowest level
Middle East Online 12/5/2003
JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's popularity has fallen to its lowest level since he entered office in March 2001, according to an opinion poll published Friday by the Maariv daily. Some 59 percent of those surveyed said that they were dissatisfied with Sharon's leadership while 33 percent said they were satisfied and another eight percent said they had no opinion. His fall in popularity was largely due to the deteriorating economic situation, the paper said.
Shimon Peres: Israel's two greatest mistakes
By Shimon Peres, Jerusalem Post 12/5/2003
Israel reached its apex in the Six Day War. But the great military victory became an even greater political dilemma. In retrospect, we probably made two huge historical mistakes, whose price we are going to pay for a long time to come. At the memorial service for David Ben-Gurion a few days ago I thought to myself that with Ben-Gurion at the helm those two mistakes would have been avoided. What were they? One is that we did not turn the military victory into a political gain. I am not referring to our declarations of willingness to make peace with the Arab countries based on the international borders. Those were lifeless words. Freight cars of words without a real engine.
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Greece: Israel has key role in Olympics security
Ha'aretz 12/5/2003
The Greek minister responsible for security at next year's Olympics in Athens said in an interview with Haaretz that Israel is playing an important security role for the Games. "Israel is a key country with respect to providing intelligence information and training and drilling the Greek security forces," Greek Minister for Public Order Georgios Floridis said. He said Israel's involvement in organizing security at the Games is in three areas: testing the reliability of the Greek security arrangements, providing expertise in dealing with suicide bombers, and the Mossad's delivering information about terror organizations and potential threats.
Report: Syria turns down US request regarding Iraqi funds
Al-Bawaba 12/5/2003
In quiet negotiations, the United States has been trying to have Syria return some 250 million dollars in Iraqi funds, but has so far been rebuffed, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The funds, deposited in the state-owned commercial bank of Syria, are part of billions of dollars former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein stashed outside his country between the first Gulf war in 1991, and the last one this year, US officials said.
Egypt condemned for political oppression
Al-Jazeera 12/5/2003
The trial of five political dissidents in Egypt smacks of "political repression", a human rights group has said. Human Rights Watch said Friday's emergency court trial of Ashraf Ibrahim and four other political dissidents is an attack on basic freedoms. Ibrahim has been in detention since 19 April on charges of "sending false information" to human rights organisations abroad, and of membership of a "revolutionary socialist group".
US Renews Lebanon's Classification as Danger Zone
An Nahar 12/5/2003
The United States has renewed a longstanding warning for U.S. citizens to "consider carefully" any travel to Lebanon, alerting them to continuing high anti-American sentiment there amid heightened tension in the Middle East. The State Department, updating its existing May 6 warning, noted on Thursday that U.S. interests had been the targets of terrorists in Lebanon in the past and that those responsible for many of the attacks remained at large.
Lebanon Backs Brazil as 6th Security Council Permanent Member
An Nahar 12/5/2003
Visiting Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva has sought the support of Lebanon and Syria to his country's bid to become the sixth permanent member-state of the U.N. Security Council and the Beirut media indicated Friday that he has received encouraging responses. Lula also won support from the two neighboring Arab countries to his drive to convene a summit conference of Latin American and Arab nations to create a cohesive political and economic block on the international spectrum, the Beirut media reported.
Lahoud-Hariri feud settles down Syrians imposed truce
Daily Star 12/5/2003
The truce between President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Rafik Hariri appears to be holding, and the calm that reigned over Wednesday’s Cabinet session continued on Thursday despite obvious tensions. According to Beirut MP Ghattas Khoury, a member of Hariri’s parliamentary bloc, the stability in relations between the president and the prime minister will last until the end of Lahoud’s mandate in November.
Lebanon, Brazil ink pact on bilateral cooperation
Daily Star 12/5/2003
High-level commission will oversee strengthening of economic, trade relations -- Lebanon and Brazil inked on Thursday a memorandum of understanding to establish a “high-level bilateral cooperation commission” that should oversee the strengthening of economic and trade ties between the two countries. The signing of the agreement came during a state visit of Brazilian President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva to Lebanon, which is part of his regional tour that includes Syria, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Libya.
Al-Assad, Brazilian peer determined to enhance Arab - Latin relations
Arabic News 12/5/2003
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva held a meeting on Thursday at Tishrin Palace where they continue their discussions which began the day before. The discussions concentrated on the mechanism of following up the implementation of the signed agreements and the proposed visions regarding the Summit of the Latin American States and the Arab States, as well as the proposed ideas regarding the expansion of the Security Council through granting permanent membership to the state of the South.
President of Brazil wraps up visit to Syria: cooperation agreements signed
Arabic News 12/5/2003
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his spouse concluded a two-day official visit to Syria on Thursday. The joint statement issued at the end of Da Silva's visit stressed that the visit is a response to an invitation extended by President Bashar al-Assad and his spouse. This visit is considered to be the first of a Brazilian President to the region since the last and special scientific visit of Emperor Pedro the Second in 1867....The two presidents emphasized at the end of their meetings their agreement concerning their viewpoints on the main international political topics.
Israelis 'misread' Iraqi threat
BBC 12/5/2003
Israeli intelligence miscalculated the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, an Israeli think-tank has suggested. This contributed to the "false" picture painted by US and British services, said the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University. The country's secret services could lose their credibility over the issue, Israeli politicians have warned. Six months after the end of major hostilities, no weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq.
Papers cautious on Cairo talks
BBC 12/5/2003
Arabic papers assess the prospects for talks being held by Palestinian militants in the Egyptian capital Cairo on a possible truce with Israel. Elsewhere in the Arabic press, the unofficial Middle East peace plan known as the Geneva accord continues to attract attention.
Egypt [signs] three agreements with Arab, European states on gas exports
Arabic News 12/5/2003
Petroleum Minister, Sameh Fahmy said that Egypt has signed three agreements with ten Arab and European countries to extend the Arab natural gas pipeline to Turkey and Europe through Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Upon return from Italy, after attending Euro-Med oil ministers meetings, Fahmy said that the Arab natural gas pipeline gained strategic significance as it would carry 'clean' energy to Europe.
Pentagon and Bogus News: All Is Denied
New York Times 12/5/2003
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 — Early last year Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld disbanded the Pentagon's Office of Strategic Influence after it became known that the office was considering plans to provide false news items to unwitting foreign journalists to influence policymakers and public sentiment abroad. But a couple of months ago, the Pentagon quietly awarded a $300,000 contract to SAIC, a major defense consultant, to study how the Defense Department could design an "effective strategic influence" campaign to combat global terror, according to an internal Pentagon document....Senior Pentagon officials said Thursday that they were caught unawares by the contract and insisted its language was a "poor choice of words" by a low-level staffer.
Guantánamo Chaplain and His Wife Speak Out
New York Times 12/5/2003
SEATTLE, Dec. 4 — At noon last Sept. 11, Huda Yee arrived at the Seattle-Tacoma airport for a long-awaited reunion with her husband, Capt. James J. Yee, a Muslim chaplain who was supposed to return home from Guantánamo Bay for a one-week leave.Mrs. Yee, a 29-year-old Palestinian from Syria, had gone to Syria almost a year earlier with her 4-year-old daughter, Sarah, to be with her family while her husband, an Army chaplain permanently stationed at Fort Lewis, south of here, ministered to detainees at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The two had arranged to fly home on the same day.
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