Iran's leader calls on judiciary to deal with embezzlers seriously, "cut hands of traitors"
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Monday urged the judiciary to deal seriously with embezzlers, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.
Referring to the recent reports on embezzlement scandal in the country, Khamenei called on the country's judiciary system to "cut the hands of the traitors," the report said.
Iranian media recently reported that several Iranian banks were swindled out of nearly 2.6 billion U.S. dollars in more than two years by holding a company named Amir Mansour Aria. This scam is said to be one of the biggest frauds in history of the Islamic Republic.
The reports said a man who owned the company took advantage of some governmental recommendations to purchase assets of some governmental companies, including an Iranian steel production company, Khuzestan Steel Company.
Iranian central bank governor Mahmoud Bahmani said that the man also attempted to establish a bank but failed.
On Monday, the Iranian leader said that he had warned about such corruptions in the country in the past years and if the officials had dealt seriously with the economic corruptions, "we never witnessed the issues like this recent bank scam today."
On Monday Mehr reported that eleven Iranian lawmakers have filed a lawsuit against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Bahmani over 2.6 billion dollars fraud.
They also called on Majlis (parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani and the Majlis Presiding Board to take measures necessary to deal with the government officials who were involved in the case.
On Friday, the local media said that the former CEO of Iranian Melli Bank, Mahmoud-Reza Khavari, reportedly escaped to Canada after the embezzlement scandal, was discovered in the Islamic Republic.
Khavari resigned last week as he had come under pressure over the Melli Bank's role in the embezzlement case. After his resignation, Khavari was reported to have left Iran for Canada.
Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Shamseddin Hosseini agreed with Khavari resignation as the reports show that a major part of the embezzlement was taken out from Melli Bank, said Mehr.
Acknowledging Melli Bank's role in the financial scandal, Khavari said in his letter of resignation that while "the (Melli) bank which issued the documentary credits was at the heart of this scandal, however, there was also no doubt about Saderat Bank's responsibility in the fraud."
Last Tuesday, the government's special committee, which conducts some studies on the issue of embezzlement, sacked the CEO of Saderat Bank, Mohammad Jahromi, due to the bank's failure to provide some monitoring tools and management.
The Iranian prosecutor general, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, who was assigned on Sept. 15 to exclusively investigate into the embezzlement case, said later that "If Khavari does not return to Iran, many accusations will be levelled against him."
On Sept. 19, Mohseni-Ejei was quoted by Mehr as saying that a number of suspects have been banned from leaving the country and some others, who intended to transfer their money and properties, were banned from financial transactions.
The prosecutor also criticized certain administration officials for trying to divert the public opinion from the case rather than apologizing to the people.
On Sept. 18, Iran's Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said that " anybody in any position, involved in this corruption, cannot escape by making scenarios."
"Majils insists on immediate and just dealings with this scam and will try all those involved," he said.
Earlier, head of the Iranian General Inspection Organization, Mostafa Pourmohammdi, said in a report to the parliament that some governmental officials were involved in providing facilitation for the embezzlers.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have rejected the accusations against some of his administration officials.
"Certain people have launched a propaganda campaign and are trying to level accusations against the cleanest ever government," he said earlier, adding that they were accusing the government of helping thieves escape punishment.
In addition, the president called on the Judiciary to deal firmly with all people who have been involved in the fraud.
Local media said Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim- Mashaei, and some other entourages were involved in the scam.
The Iranian president also announced his government will start banking system reforms this year.
Mohseni-Ejei said last week that "So far 22 suspects in the recent financial corruption have been interrogated, and arrest warrants have been issued for all of them."
"A number of these people are being held in temporary detention, and some have been released on bail," Mohseni-Ejei said without revealing their names.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 01:31:35 FeedbackPrintRSS
TEHRAN, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
News Analysis: Israeli acceptance of Quartet initiative hard to jump-start of talks
News Analysis: Israeli acceptance of Quartet initiative hard to jump-start of talks
While Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the initiative by the Middle East Quartet to resume direct peace negotiations with the Palestinians, officials in Ramallah were skeptical of the proposal.
In a statement by the quartet, its members -- the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia -- called on the parties to hold a preparatory meeting within one month to establish the proceeding of the negations.
The timetable outlined in the statement called for a proposal on territory and security after three months, substantial progress within six months, and reach a final agreement by the end of 2012.
However, Naji Shurab of the al-Azhar University in Gaza told Xinhua that there won't be an immediate resumption of negotiations.
WAITING FOR THE UN
Shurab argued that "the Palestinians are ready to talk" but " negotiations won't resume in the near future since they want to wait and see the outcome of the United Nations Security Council ( UNSC) vote."
The Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas submitted an official application to the UN last month, demanding full membership at the world body.
The decision, however, needs the backing of the UNSC, which started deliberations on the bid last week. The United States, emphasizing the importance of "peace through negotiations," has already said that it would veto a Palestinian statehood resolution.
Washington has been trying to get the sides back to talks in order to avoid having to wield its veto power.
While outside intervention might be the only way to get both sides back to the negotiation table, Dan Schueftan of the University of Haifa warned that this might lead to a situation where talks are being conducted primarily because of the intervention -- and not out of a genuine desire for peace.
"Even if negotiations started, it would be because of pressure . .. and not because there is a good basis for negotiations," he said.
PRE-NEGOTIATION TALKS
The statement from Netanyahu's office on Sunday said that while Israel welcomes the Quartet's statement, his government "has a number of reservations which it will raise during negotiations."
One of the reservations is the timetable, which Israel views as unrealistic, according to an unnamed minister quoted by local media.
Furthermore, Israel wants borders and security to be negotiated simultaneously. Netanyahu is also expected to demand that Abbas recognizes Israel as a Jewish state and halt the UN bid.
Meanwhile, Nabil Shaath, who belongs to Abbas' Fatah party, criticized the new proposal, saying that it lacks the clarity of previous statements by the Quartet. He also warned that such a lack of clarity is problematic to the Palestinians, who are "not interested in entering lengthy negotiations with Israel due to the statement's perceived vagueness."
Shaath also demanded that Netanyahu immediately suspend settlement construction in the West Bank.
When U.S. President Barack Obama tried to revive peace talks in 2009, he asked Israel to imposed a ten-month freeze on settlement building, a proposal agreed by Israel as a goodwill gesture.
Nevertheless, much of the time before September 2010, when the moratorium ended, was spend arguing over the structure of the negotiations instead of dealing with the issues themselves.
Direct peace negotiations have been going on since the Madrid process in the early 1990s, which lead to the Oslo Accords in 1993. However, according to Schueftan, "there isn't one optimist on the Israeli side or on the Palestinian side because both sides acknowledge that the gap is enormous," he said.
"Neither party believe that negotiations can produce a result that is acceptable to them," Schueftan added.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 01:31:04
While Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the initiative by the Middle East Quartet to resume direct peace negotiations with the Palestinians, officials in Ramallah were skeptical of the proposal.
In a statement by the quartet, its members -- the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia -- called on the parties to hold a preparatory meeting within one month to establish the proceeding of the negations.
The timetable outlined in the statement called for a proposal on territory and security after three months, substantial progress within six months, and reach a final agreement by the end of 2012.
However, Naji Shurab of the al-Azhar University in Gaza told Xinhua that there won't be an immediate resumption of negotiations.
WAITING FOR THE UN
Shurab argued that "the Palestinians are ready to talk" but " negotiations won't resume in the near future since they want to wait and see the outcome of the United Nations Security Council ( UNSC) vote."
The Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas submitted an official application to the UN last month, demanding full membership at the world body.
The decision, however, needs the backing of the UNSC, which started deliberations on the bid last week. The United States, emphasizing the importance of "peace through negotiations," has already said that it would veto a Palestinian statehood resolution.
Washington has been trying to get the sides back to talks in order to avoid having to wield its veto power.
While outside intervention might be the only way to get both sides back to the negotiation table, Dan Schueftan of the University of Haifa warned that this might lead to a situation where talks are being conducted primarily because of the intervention -- and not out of a genuine desire for peace.
"Even if negotiations started, it would be because of pressure . .. and not because there is a good basis for negotiations," he said.
PRE-NEGOTIATION TALKS
The statement from Netanyahu's office on Sunday said that while Israel welcomes the Quartet's statement, his government "has a number of reservations which it will raise during negotiations."
One of the reservations is the timetable, which Israel views as unrealistic, according to an unnamed minister quoted by local media.
Furthermore, Israel wants borders and security to be negotiated simultaneously. Netanyahu is also expected to demand that Abbas recognizes Israel as a Jewish state and halt the UN bid.
Meanwhile, Nabil Shaath, who belongs to Abbas' Fatah party, criticized the new proposal, saying that it lacks the clarity of previous statements by the Quartet. He also warned that such a lack of clarity is problematic to the Palestinians, who are "not interested in entering lengthy negotiations with Israel due to the statement's perceived vagueness."
Shaath also demanded that Netanyahu immediately suspend settlement construction in the West Bank.
When U.S. President Barack Obama tried to revive peace talks in 2009, he asked Israel to imposed a ten-month freeze on settlement building, a proposal agreed by Israel as a goodwill gesture.
Nevertheless, much of the time before September 2010, when the moratorium ended, was spend arguing over the structure of the negotiations instead of dealing with the issues themselves.
Direct peace negotiations have been going on since the Madrid process in the early 1990s, which lead to the Oslo Accords in 1993. However, according to Schueftan, "there isn't one optimist on the Israeli side or on the Palestinian side because both sides acknowledge that the gap is enormous," he said.
"Neither party believe that negotiations can produce a result that is acceptable to them," Schueftan added.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 01:31:04
17 people killed in bomb, gunfire attacks in Iraq
17 people killed in bomb, gunfire attacks in Iraq
A total of 17 people were killed Monday in separate attacks in Iraq, including a hostage-taking attack at a police station in the country's western province of Anbar, the police said.
The deadliest attack in the day occurred when a group of gunmen and suicide bombers wearing military uniforms broke into the police station within the local government compound of the town of al-Baghdadi, some 170 km west of Baghdad.
One of the suicide bombers blew up his explosive belt at the entrance to the compound, while another bomber blew himself up inside the police station.
The attackers seized 14 hostages, including Mohanad Zbar Mutlag, mayor of the town, and Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Aftan, chief of the police station, and holed up inside the compound.
Iraqi security forces cordoned off the compound and engaged with the gunmen, while some of them took positions on the roof of the police station and traded fire with the surrounding troops.
About two hours later, an Iraqi army force teamed up with commandoes stormed the compound and brought the situation under control, a source from Anbar operations command told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
"The Iraqi forces finally retook control of the compound, including the police station, after they killed five gunmen and arrested three others," the source said.
Five policemen were killed, including Aftan, the chief of the police station, while the troops rescued 13 other hostages, including the mayor of the town, the source added.
The source could not affirm whether the casualties came from the initial attack by the gunmen on the compound, or from the fighting that followed as the security forces retook control on the site.
However, officials from Anbar province told the state-run television of Iraqia that seven terrorists have been killed and two were arrested, while three security members and a civilian were killed by the attack.
Figures about death toll after attacks often vary in Iraq as officials usually cite reports from different sources.
Meanwhile, gunmen using assault rifles attacked another police station in the city of Hit, some 150 km west of Baghdad, killing two policemen at a checkpoint outside the police station and abducted a third before they fled the scene.
Authorities of the town of Baghdadi and other cities in the province, such as Haditha, some 200 km west of Baghdad and al-Qaim near the border with Syria, announced curfew starting from midday until further notice, as security forces in the province are in highest alert, the source said.
In Baghdad, an officer from the Iraqi intelligence service, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting by armed men while driving in Baghdad's western district of al-Khadraa, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Also in Baghdad, another intelligence officer was shot dead by silenced weapons in the district of Qahira in northern the capital, the source said.
In northern Iraq, gunmen in their car shot dead Lieutenant Colonel Sakout al-Jabari in southern the city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, a local police source told Xinhua.
Jabari is the head of homicide investigations department of the town of Daquq, some 25 km south of Kirkuk, the source said.
In Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, gunmen attacked a checkpoint manned by Kurdish security force, named Peshmerga, near the town of Khanaqin, some 150 km northeast of Baghdad, killing one security member and wounding five others, a source from the provincial operations command told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Afterwards, the attackers planted a bomb near the site of the first attack and blew it up when a vehicle carrying Kurdish reinforcement troops arrived at the scene, wounding three more Kurdish security members, the source said.
In a separate incident, a teacher was killed and his wife and son were injured when gunmen opened fire on their house in the village of Arab Jobour, near the provincial capital city of Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said.
Also in the province, gunmen blew up a bomb planted in the house of a policeman in al-Mafraq area, just west of Baquba, wounding three of his family members, including two women, the source added.
Separately, a civilian was injured when a sticky bomb detonated near a motorcycle in southern Baquba, he said.
Violence has been increased in the Iraqi cities as the Iraqi forces are preparing to take over control of security alone after the proposed departure of U.S. troops by the end of the withdrawal deadline in 2011.
The attacks raise questions about the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces to maintain security in the country ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline of U.S. troops' withdrawal from the country.
U.S. military forces are to pull out completely from Iraq by the end of 2011, according to security pact, named Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), signed in 2008 between Baghdad and Washington.
However, Iraq is reportedly negotiating with United States to let U.S. military trainers to stay in Iraq beyond the deadline only for training Iraqi forces.
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 00:50:07 FeedbackPrintRSS
Video>> Suicide bombers attack Iraqi gov't compound
by Jamal Hashim
BAGHDAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
A total of 17 people were killed Monday in separate attacks in Iraq, including a hostage-taking attack at a police station in the country's western province of Anbar, the police said.
The deadliest attack in the day occurred when a group of gunmen and suicide bombers wearing military uniforms broke into the police station within the local government compound of the town of al-Baghdadi, some 170 km west of Baghdad.
One of the suicide bombers blew up his explosive belt at the entrance to the compound, while another bomber blew himself up inside the police station.
The attackers seized 14 hostages, including Mohanad Zbar Mutlag, mayor of the town, and Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Aftan, chief of the police station, and holed up inside the compound.
Iraqi security forces cordoned off the compound and engaged with the gunmen, while some of them took positions on the roof of the police station and traded fire with the surrounding troops.
About two hours later, an Iraqi army force teamed up with commandoes stormed the compound and brought the situation under control, a source from Anbar operations command told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
"The Iraqi forces finally retook control of the compound, including the police station, after they killed five gunmen and arrested three others," the source said.
Five policemen were killed, including Aftan, the chief of the police station, while the troops rescued 13 other hostages, including the mayor of the town, the source added.
The source could not affirm whether the casualties came from the initial attack by the gunmen on the compound, or from the fighting that followed as the security forces retook control on the site.
However, officials from Anbar province told the state-run television of Iraqia that seven terrorists have been killed and two were arrested, while three security members and a civilian were killed by the attack.
Figures about death toll after attacks often vary in Iraq as officials usually cite reports from different sources.
Meanwhile, gunmen using assault rifles attacked another police station in the city of Hit, some 150 km west of Baghdad, killing two policemen at a checkpoint outside the police station and abducted a third before they fled the scene.
Authorities of the town of Baghdadi and other cities in the province, such as Haditha, some 200 km west of Baghdad and al-Qaim near the border with Syria, announced curfew starting from midday until further notice, as security forces in the province are in highest alert, the source said.
In Baghdad, an officer from the Iraqi intelligence service, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting by armed men while driving in Baghdad's western district of al-Khadraa, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Also in Baghdad, another intelligence officer was shot dead by silenced weapons in the district of Qahira in northern the capital, the source said.
In northern Iraq, gunmen in their car shot dead Lieutenant Colonel Sakout al-Jabari in southern the city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, a local police source told Xinhua.
Jabari is the head of homicide investigations department of the town of Daquq, some 25 km south of Kirkuk, the source said.
In Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, gunmen attacked a checkpoint manned by Kurdish security force, named Peshmerga, near the town of Khanaqin, some 150 km northeast of Baghdad, killing one security member and wounding five others, a source from the provincial operations command told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
Afterwards, the attackers planted a bomb near the site of the first attack and blew it up when a vehicle carrying Kurdish reinforcement troops arrived at the scene, wounding three more Kurdish security members, the source said.
In a separate incident, a teacher was killed and his wife and son were injured when gunmen opened fire on their house in the village of Arab Jobour, near the provincial capital city of Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said.
Also in the province, gunmen blew up a bomb planted in the house of a policeman in al-Mafraq area, just west of Baquba, wounding three of his family members, including two women, the source added.
Separately, a civilian was injured when a sticky bomb detonated near a motorcycle in southern Baquba, he said.
Violence has been increased in the Iraqi cities as the Iraqi forces are preparing to take over control of security alone after the proposed departure of U.S. troops by the end of the withdrawal deadline in 2011.
The attacks raise questions about the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces to maintain security in the country ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline of U.S. troops' withdrawal from the country.
U.S. military forces are to pull out completely from Iraq by the end of 2011, according to security pact, named Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), signed in 2008 between Baghdad and Washington.
However, Iraq is reportedly negotiating with United States to let U.S. military trainers to stay in Iraq beyond the deadline only for training Iraqi forces.
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 00:50:07 FeedbackPrintRSS
Video>> Suicide bombers attack Iraqi gov't compound
by Jamal Hashim
BAGHDAD, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Turkish, U.S. diplomats meet in bid to boost economic ties
Turkish, U.S. diplomats meet in bid to boost economic ties
Turkish and U.S. diplomats met on Monday in the Turkish capital of Ankara in their extended talks to boost trade relations between the two countries, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
The seventh edition of the Turkey-U.S. Economic Partnership Committee was held at the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters to devise ways to contribute to economic development and joint trade projects.
Speaking at the meeting, Selim Yenel, deputy undersecretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, said that the past couple of years had seen great effort on both sides to boost economic ties that would match rooted relations between the two countries in politics and military.
Yenel said Monday's meeting focused on issues such as renewable energy, innovation, agriculture, health, Turkish government's efforts to make Istanbul a financial center as well as cooperation opportunities in third countries.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez said their talks in Ankara covered a wide array of topics, adding decision to be made during the sessions would help make significant progress in economic relations.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 00:44:25 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Turkish and U.S. diplomats met on Monday in the Turkish capital of Ankara in their extended talks to boost trade relations between the two countries, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
The seventh edition of the Turkey-U.S. Economic Partnership Committee was held at the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters to devise ways to contribute to economic development and joint trade projects.
Speaking at the meeting, Selim Yenel, deputy undersecretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, said that the past couple of years had seen great effort on both sides to boost economic ties that would match rooted relations between the two countries in politics and military.
Yenel said Monday's meeting focused on issues such as renewable energy, innovation, agriculture, health, Turkish government's efforts to make Istanbul a financial center as well as cooperation opportunities in third countries.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Jose Fernandez said their talks in Ankara covered a wide array of topics, adding decision to be made during the sessions would help make significant progress in economic relations.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 00:44:25 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Mahmoud Abbas discuss with U.S. Secretary of Defense resumption of peace talks
Abbas discuss with U.S. Secretary of Defense resumption of peace talks
Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday discussed with U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta the efforts of resuming the stalled Israeli- Palestinian peace negotiations.
"The Palestinians are willing to resume the direct peace talks with Israel only if the latter abides by halting settlement and accepts the two-state solution," the Palestinian state-run news agency "Wafa" quoted Abbas as saying in the aftermath of his meeting with Panetta in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The principle of two-state solution "is an interest to both the Palestinians and Israel, and it has become necessary to reach the solution of the two states," Panetta said, asserting that it is important to find a way to get back to negotiations between the two sides.
Panetta arrived earlier on Monday in the region, where he held talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials before he heads for Egypt.
The direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians had been stalled for one year after the talks were launched in Washington in September 2010. The talks were halted after Israel's refusal to freeze settlement constructions.
In response the Palestinians submitted last month a request to the United Nations demanding a recognition of a full membership of an independent state established on the territories of 1967.
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 00:44:04
Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday discussed with U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta the efforts of resuming the stalled Israeli- Palestinian peace negotiations.
"The Palestinians are willing to resume the direct peace talks with Israel only if the latter abides by halting settlement and accepts the two-state solution," the Palestinian state-run news agency "Wafa" quoted Abbas as saying in the aftermath of his meeting with Panetta in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The principle of two-state solution "is an interest to both the Palestinians and Israel, and it has become necessary to reach the solution of the two states," Panetta said, asserting that it is important to find a way to get back to negotiations between the two sides.
Panetta arrived earlier on Monday in the region, where he held talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials before he heads for Egypt.
The direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians had been stalled for one year after the talks were launched in Washington in September 2010. The talks were halted after Israel's refusal to freeze settlement constructions.
In response the Palestinians submitted last month a request to the United Nations demanding a recognition of a full membership of an independent state established on the territories of 1967.
English.news.cn 2011-10-04 00:44:04
Turkish PM says Israeli gov't is the problem not its people
Turkish PM says Israeli gov't is the problem not its people
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said his country has problems with the Israeli government but not its people.
"Our comments are not against the people of Israel and especially not against our own Jewish citizens but against the current Israeli administration," Erdogan told reporters in Turkey' s largest city Istanbul before departing on a visit to South Africa.
He said the Israeli administration has chosen to be alone by sacrificing its friendship with Turkey and that this is due to its own internal wrangling.
Turkish-Israeli relations have been severely strained over Israel's refusal to apologize and pay compensation for the deaths of eight Turkish nationals and a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin killed in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla by Israeli commandoes in 2010.
Turkish and Israeli officials have been exchanging tough rhetoric in the past few weeks since the release of the UN- commissioned report on the incident.
The report was rejected by Turkey because it concluded that Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza was in compliance with international law, although the military measures it took to stop the Turkish vessel were "excessive and unreasonable."
Turkey has said it will not normalize ties with Israel until it apologizes and pays compensation to the families of the victims of the Mavi Marmara incident and lifts its blockade on Gaza.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 23:09:41 FeedbackPrintRSS
ISTANBUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said his country has problems with the Israeli government but not its people.
"Our comments are not against the people of Israel and especially not against our own Jewish citizens but against the current Israeli administration," Erdogan told reporters in Turkey' s largest city Istanbul before departing on a visit to South Africa.
He said the Israeli administration has chosen to be alone by sacrificing its friendship with Turkey and that this is due to its own internal wrangling.
Turkish-Israeli relations have been severely strained over Israel's refusal to apologize and pay compensation for the deaths of eight Turkish nationals and a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin killed in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla by Israeli commandoes in 2010.
Turkish and Israeli officials have been exchanging tough rhetoric in the past few weeks since the release of the UN- commissioned report on the incident.
The report was rejected by Turkey because it concluded that Israel's maritime blockade of Gaza was in compliance with international law, although the military measures it took to stop the Turkish vessel were "excessive and unreasonable."
Turkey has said it will not normalize ties with Israel until it apologizes and pays compensation to the families of the victims of the Mavi Marmara incident and lifts its blockade on Gaza.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 23:09:41 FeedbackPrintRSS
ISTANBUL, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
UN envoy leaves Yemen without solving political impasse
UN envoy leaves Yemen without solving political impasse
UN envoy to Yemen Jamal bin Omar, left the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Monday without producing a solution to end the country's months-long political impasse, government and opposition officials said.
Bin Omar's departure came following a two-week diplomatic mission to seek a compromise to ease the long-time President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of power based on a deal initiated by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
"During my visit, I had met with groups representing various political parties," the state-run Saba news agency quoted bin Omar as saying upon his departure.
"I am very impressed with endurance shown by all segments of the Yemeni people as they try to cope with violence and shortages of food, fuel, water and electricity supplies while there is lack of obvious vision for their future," bin Omar said.
"However, the patience of Yemenis is limited, and reaching a political solution to break such a deadlock is the responsibility of all Yemeni leaders to put Yemen on the right path towards a peaceful transition of power, reform and recovery," said bin Omar.
"The Yemeni leadership must not fail to assume this responsibility," he added.
According to Saba, the UN envoy would return to Yemen soon.
Yemen has been gripped by political crisis and deadly violence since protests erupted across the country in late January, which demanded an immediate end to the 33-year rule of Saleh.
Tension between Saleh's loyal troops and defected forces has escalated since the embattled president returned to Yemen last week after spending more than three months in Saudi Arabia recovering from injuries he sustained in an assassination attack on his Sanaa palace on June 3.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 22:47:28 FeedbackPrintRSS
SANAA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
UN envoy to Yemen Jamal bin Omar, left the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Monday without producing a solution to end the country's months-long political impasse, government and opposition officials said.
Bin Omar's departure came following a two-week diplomatic mission to seek a compromise to ease the long-time President Ali Abdullah Saleh out of power based on a deal initiated by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
"During my visit, I had met with groups representing various political parties," the state-run Saba news agency quoted bin Omar as saying upon his departure.
"I am very impressed with endurance shown by all segments of the Yemeni people as they try to cope with violence and shortages of food, fuel, water and electricity supplies while there is lack of obvious vision for their future," bin Omar said.
"However, the patience of Yemenis is limited, and reaching a political solution to break such a deadlock is the responsibility of all Yemeni leaders to put Yemen on the right path towards a peaceful transition of power, reform and recovery," said bin Omar.
"The Yemeni leadership must not fail to assume this responsibility," he added.
According to Saba, the UN envoy would return to Yemen soon.
Yemen has been gripped by political crisis and deadly violence since protests erupted across the country in late January, which demanded an immediate end to the 33-year rule of Saleh.
Tension between Saleh's loyal troops and defected forces has escalated since the embattled president returned to Yemen last week after spending more than three months in Saudi Arabia recovering from injuries he sustained in an assassination attack on his Sanaa palace on June 3.
Editor: yan
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 22:47:28 FeedbackPrintRSS
SANAA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Bahrain protesters given lengthy jail terms
Bahrain protesters given lengthy jail terms
As many as 36 people in Bahrain were given prison sentences of between 15 and 25 years in three separate cases for taking part in anti-government protests earlier this year, Al-Jazeera TV reported Monday.
Prosecutor Yusof Fleifel said 14 of the convicted had been sentenced to life for beating to death a Pakistani "with a terrorist aim", as well as "assembling for riots."
Another 15 were sentenced to 15 years in jail after being found guilty of attempting to murder military personnel, in addition to taking part in protests and vandalism at Bahrain University in Manama.
The third case involved seven university students, six of whom were jailed for 15 years, while another as sentenced to 18 years, over charges including attempted murder targeting several people at the university.
Last week, doctors and nurses accused of aiding demonstrators were also given prison terms.
A session has been set for Oct. 23 to look into the appeals, said chief prosecutor Abdul-Rahman al-Sayyed.
In February and March, Bahrain has been swept by anti- government protests, most by majority Shi'ite, for more political and economic reforms and some of the protesters have called for bringing down the county's ruling family and establishing a constitutional-based monarchy.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:44:59 FeedbackPrintRSS
MANAMA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
As many as 36 people in Bahrain were given prison sentences of between 15 and 25 years in three separate cases for taking part in anti-government protests earlier this year, Al-Jazeera TV reported Monday.
Prosecutor Yusof Fleifel said 14 of the convicted had been sentenced to life for beating to death a Pakistani "with a terrorist aim", as well as "assembling for riots."
Another 15 were sentenced to 15 years in jail after being found guilty of attempting to murder military personnel, in addition to taking part in protests and vandalism at Bahrain University in Manama.
The third case involved seven university students, six of whom were jailed for 15 years, while another as sentenced to 18 years, over charges including attempted murder targeting several people at the university.
Last week, doctors and nurses accused of aiding demonstrators were also given prison terms.
A session has been set for Oct. 23 to look into the appeals, said chief prosecutor Abdul-Rahman al-Sayyed.
In February and March, Bahrain has been swept by anti- government protests, most by majority Shi'ite, for more political and economic reforms and some of the protesters have called for bringing down the county's ruling family and establishing a constitutional-based monarchy.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:44:59 FeedbackPrintRSS
MANAMA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Inquiry blames Cyprus president for deadly naval base explosion
Inquiry blames Cyprus president for deadly naval base explosion
Cypriot President Demetris Christofias is to be directly blamed for a deadly explosion of decaying explosives at a navy base in July, an official inquiry said on Monday.
"The president has most serious responsibilities, not only institutional but also personal, mainly because he did not handle the issue in the right way," lawyer Polys Polyviou, who chaired the inquiry commission, told a press conference broadcast live on Cyprus television.
The explosion occurred on July 11 in a stack of 98 containers packed with Iranian explosives and munitions that had been confiscated from a Russian-owned ship bound for Syria. It resulted in the death of 13 people and destroyed the island's main power station, wiping away with it any prospect of GDP growth this year.
Giving an outline of the 600-page report, Polyviou said President Christofias "displayed inexcusable negligence and carelessness in the handling of the issue" after deciding to confiscate the cargo of explosives.
"His responsibility (for the incident) is direct, concrete and indisputable," he added.
Polyviou noted that resigned defense and foreign affairs ministers also shared a great part of the responsibility.
"It was inexcusable for the president to say that he did not ask and thus did not know," he said, referring to Christofias earlier statement that for over two years his ministers had not informed him of the dangerous state of the decaying explosives.
There has not yet been any comment by the president or his spokesperson.
A spokesman for the ruling AKEL party, which Christofias chaired before becoming president, cast doubts on the findings of the report stating its conclusions were not supported by facts.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:43:49 FeedbackPrintRSS
NICOSIA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Cypriot President Demetris Christofias is to be directly blamed for a deadly explosion of decaying explosives at a navy base in July, an official inquiry said on Monday.
"The president has most serious responsibilities, not only institutional but also personal, mainly because he did not handle the issue in the right way," lawyer Polys Polyviou, who chaired the inquiry commission, told a press conference broadcast live on Cyprus television.
The explosion occurred on July 11 in a stack of 98 containers packed with Iranian explosives and munitions that had been confiscated from a Russian-owned ship bound for Syria. It resulted in the death of 13 people and destroyed the island's main power station, wiping away with it any prospect of GDP growth this year.
Giving an outline of the 600-page report, Polyviou said President Christofias "displayed inexcusable negligence and carelessness in the handling of the issue" after deciding to confiscate the cargo of explosives.
"His responsibility (for the incident) is direct, concrete and indisputable," he added.
Polyviou noted that resigned defense and foreign affairs ministers also shared a great part of the responsibility.
"It was inexcusable for the president to say that he did not ask and thus did not know," he said, referring to Christofias earlier statement that for over two years his ministers had not informed him of the dangerous state of the decaying explosives.
There has not yet been any comment by the president or his spokesperson.
A spokesman for the ruling AKEL party, which Christofias chaired before becoming president, cast doubts on the findings of the report stating its conclusions were not supported by facts.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:43:49 FeedbackPrintRSS
NICOSIA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Four Kidnapped workers released in southeast Turkey
Four Kidnapped workers released in southeast Turkey
Four workers, who had been kidnapped by members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in the southeastern province of Siirt last month, were freed late Sunday, an official statement said on Monday.
The statement issued by Siirt Governor's Office said that the PKK members, who kidnapped four workers in a construction site in Sirvan town of Siirt on September 8, released the workers on Sunday.
Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, the PKK took up arms in 1984 to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. More than 40,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the PKK during the past over two decades.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:01:33 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Four workers, who had been kidnapped by members of the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in the southeastern province of Siirt last month, were freed late Sunday, an official statement said on Monday.
The statement issued by Siirt Governor's Office said that the PKK members, who kidnapped four workers in a construction site in Sirvan town of Siirt on September 8, released the workers on Sunday.
Listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, the PKK took up arms in 1984 to create an ethnic homeland in southeastern Turkey. More than 40,000 people have been killed in conflicts involving the PKK during the past over two decades.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:01:33 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
3 injured in military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey: report
3 injured in military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey: report
Three Turkish military personnel were injured in a military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey on Monday, Turkey's CNN Turk reported.
The military helicopter crash took place near Kovalni village of Omerli town in Mardin province, leaving two pilots and one technical personnel injured, one of the pilots in serious conditions, according to the report.
The injured were taken to Diyarbakir Military Hospital by helicopter for medical treatment, said the report, adding that an investigation into the crash was underway.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 20:52:56 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Three Turkish military personnel were injured in a military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey on Monday, Turkey's CNN Turk reported.
The military helicopter crash took place near Kovalni village of Omerli town in Mardin province, leaving two pilots and one technical personnel injured, one of the pilots in serious conditions, according to the report.
The injured were taken to Diyarbakir Military Hospital by helicopter for medical treatment, said the report, adding that an investigation into the crash was underway.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 20:52:56 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
5 Yemeni troops killed in battles with al-Qaida militants
5 Yemeni troops killed in battles with al-Qaida militants
At least five government troops were killed and four others were seriously injured Monday during battles with al-Qaida militants in Yemen's southern troubled province of Abyan, an army officer and medics said.
The local army officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that fierce fighting took place between dozens of al-Qaida militants and units of the army forces in and around Bagdar area east of Zinjibar city, the provincial capital of Abyan province, killing five soldiers and injuring four of others.
A local medic at the Bashuib military hospital in Aden province, where the casualties had been taken to, confirmed the to Xinhua the toll.
Abyan, some 480 km south of the capital Sanaa, has been the scene of daily fierce fighting after hundreds of militants from the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) captured Zinjibar and at least three other towns in May.
Yemeni military forces took back the control of Zinjibar only last month, but heavy clashes are still rocking the region.
For more than three months, government troops have been fighting AQAP militants who were apparently taking advantage of the country's nearly nine months of political turmoil to expand their military operations and control in the lawless southern and eastern parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the country has seen sporadic violence after Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh returned from Saudi Arabia, where he was recuperating from serious wounds inflected in an explosion in his presidential mansion early June.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 20:48:03 FeedbackPrintRSS
ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
At least five government troops were killed and four others were seriously injured Monday during battles with al-Qaida militants in Yemen's southern troubled province of Abyan, an army officer and medics said.
The local army officer told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that fierce fighting took place between dozens of al-Qaida militants and units of the army forces in and around Bagdar area east of Zinjibar city, the provincial capital of Abyan province, killing five soldiers and injuring four of others.
A local medic at the Bashuib military hospital in Aden province, where the casualties had been taken to, confirmed the to Xinhua the toll.
Abyan, some 480 km south of the capital Sanaa, has been the scene of daily fierce fighting after hundreds of militants from the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) captured Zinjibar and at least three other towns in May.
Yemeni military forces took back the control of Zinjibar only last month, but heavy clashes are still rocking the region.
For more than three months, government troops have been fighting AQAP militants who were apparently taking advantage of the country's nearly nine months of political turmoil to expand their military operations and control in the lawless southern and eastern parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the country has seen sporadic violence after Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh returned from Saudi Arabia, where he was recuperating from serious wounds inflected in an explosion in his presidential mansion early June.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 20:48:03 FeedbackPrintRSS
ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
3 soldiers injured in military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey: report
3 soldiers injured in military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey: report
Three Turkish soldiers were injured in a military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey on Monday, Turkey's CNN Turk reported.
The military helicopter crash took place near Omerli town of Mardin province, leaving three Turkish military personnel injured, one in serious conditions, according to the report.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 20:46:54 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Three Turkish soldiers were injured in a military helicopter crash in southeast Turkey on Monday, Turkey's CNN Turk reported.
The military helicopter crash took place near Omerli town of Mardin province, leaving three Turkish military personnel injured, one in serious conditions, according to the report.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 20:46:54 FeedbackPrintRSS
ANKARA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Israeli Arabs protest after mosque torched
Israeli Arabs protest after mosque torched
Security forces early Monday dispersed a few hundred Israeli Arab protestors in the Galilee after an arson overnight damaged a mosque, in what police suspect was a "price tag" attack by Jewish extremists.
Some 300 residents of the Bedouin village of Tuba-Zangariyye set out on a march toward a nearby Jewish town, hurling stones at police and burning tires along the way.
Police reportedly fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the rioters. Several of them were detained for questioning.
Unknown assailants set fire to one of the village's mosques overnight Sunday, causing heavy damage to the interior and to holy books, and sprayed on one of its walls the words "price tag" and " Palmer" -- the last name of the father and son killed in a car crash caused by suspected Palestinian stone hurling in Kiryat Arba last month.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident. Officials would not provide details other than saying that several people suspected of involvement in the arson have been arrested.
Zakaria Elheib, a local resident of Tuba, told Xinhua that the activity of all educational and commercial institutions has been suspended following the event. "No one will stay silent over this. Our response will be very harsh," he said.
So-called "price tag" attacks refer to revenge vandalism, mainly attributed to Jewish settlers, against Palestinian property in the West Bank after security forces dismantle illegal outposts.
Although mostly confined to the West Bank, attacks of the kind have been on the rise over the past year and began to appear in northern Israel. In June 2010, hate slogans were spray-painted on a mosque in the Bedouin village of Ibtin in the heart of the lower western Galilee.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to condemn the attack, personally instructing Shin Bet security service chief Yoram Cohen to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was outraged by the images, said that this crime contravenes the values of the State of Israel, in which freedom of religion and freedom of worship are supreme values," read a statement released by his office.
"The images are shocking and have no place in the State of Israel," the statement said.
Arab-Israeli lawmaker Ahmed Tibi, a staunch advocate of an independent Palestinian state, said "Jewish terrorists" were behind the attack, and trying to spread the conflict from the West Bank to inside Israel.
Tuba-Zangariyye is considered loyal to Israel and its ideals, and many of its residents serve in the military and police.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 19:03:19 FeedbackPrintRSS
JERUSALEM, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Security forces early Monday dispersed a few hundred Israeli Arab protestors in the Galilee after an arson overnight damaged a mosque, in what police suspect was a "price tag" attack by Jewish extremists.
Some 300 residents of the Bedouin village of Tuba-Zangariyye set out on a march toward a nearby Jewish town, hurling stones at police and burning tires along the way.
Police reportedly fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the rioters. Several of them were detained for questioning.
Unknown assailants set fire to one of the village's mosques overnight Sunday, causing heavy damage to the interior and to holy books, and sprayed on one of its walls the words "price tag" and " Palmer" -- the last name of the father and son killed in a car crash caused by suspected Palestinian stone hurling in Kiryat Arba last month.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident. Officials would not provide details other than saying that several people suspected of involvement in the arson have been arrested.
Zakaria Elheib, a local resident of Tuba, told Xinhua that the activity of all educational and commercial institutions has been suspended following the event. "No one will stay silent over this. Our response will be very harsh," he said.
So-called "price tag" attacks refer to revenge vandalism, mainly attributed to Jewish settlers, against Palestinian property in the West Bank after security forces dismantle illegal outposts.
Although mostly confined to the West Bank, attacks of the kind have been on the rise over the past year and began to appear in northern Israel. In June 2010, hate slogans were spray-painted on a mosque in the Bedouin village of Ibtin in the heart of the lower western Galilee.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to condemn the attack, personally instructing Shin Bet security service chief Yoram Cohen to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was outraged by the images, said that this crime contravenes the values of the State of Israel, in which freedom of religion and freedom of worship are supreme values," read a statement released by his office.
"The images are shocking and have no place in the State of Israel," the statement said.
Arab-Israeli lawmaker Ahmed Tibi, a staunch advocate of an independent Palestinian state, said "Jewish terrorists" were behind the attack, and trying to spread the conflict from the West Bank to inside Israel.
Tuba-Zangariyye is considered loyal to Israel and its ideals, and many of its residents serve in the military and police.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 19:03:19 FeedbackPrintRSS
JERUSALEM, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
At least 10 killed in hostage-taking attack in W. Iraq
At least 10 killed in hostage-taking attack in W. Iraq
At least ten people were killed on Monday when Iraqi security forces ended a hostage-taking attack in Iraq's Anbar province, a provincial police source told Xinhua.
Iraqi security forces, at around midday, stormed the local government compound of the town of al-Baghdadi, some 170 km west of Baghdad, to rescue hostages seized inside by a group of gunmen earlier in the day, the source from Anbar's operations command said on condition of anonymity.
"The Iraqi forces finally re-took control of the compound, including the police station, after they killed five gunmen and arrested three others," the source said.
Five policemen were killed, including Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Aftan, chief of the police station, the source said.
The troops rescued 13 hostages, including Mohanad Zbar Mutlag, mayor of the town, the source added.
In the morning, the source said that a group of gunmen wearing military uniforms in the morning broke into the compound after one suicide bomber set off his explosive belt at the entrance to the compound, while another bomber blew himself up inside the police station.
The attackers took control of the compound and held 14 hostages inside, including the local police chief and the mayor, the source said.
Authorities in the town imposed a curfew as reinforcement troops were arriving from nearby cities, the source said.
Insurgent attacks continue in the once volatile Sunni Arab area west of Baghdad that stretches through Anbar province to Iraq's western border with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 18:47:40 FeedbackPrintRSS
RAMADI, Iraq, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
At least ten people were killed on Monday when Iraqi security forces ended a hostage-taking attack in Iraq's Anbar province, a provincial police source told Xinhua.
Iraqi security forces, at around midday, stormed the local government compound of the town of al-Baghdadi, some 170 km west of Baghdad, to rescue hostages seized inside by a group of gunmen earlier in the day, the source from Anbar's operations command said on condition of anonymity.
"The Iraqi forces finally re-took control of the compound, including the police station, after they killed five gunmen and arrested three others," the source said.
Five policemen were killed, including Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Aftan, chief of the police station, the source said.
The troops rescued 13 hostages, including Mohanad Zbar Mutlag, mayor of the town, the source added.
In the morning, the source said that a group of gunmen wearing military uniforms in the morning broke into the compound after one suicide bomber set off his explosive belt at the entrance to the compound, while another bomber blew himself up inside the police station.
The attackers took control of the compound and held 14 hostages inside, including the local police chief and the mayor, the source said.
Authorities in the town imposed a curfew as reinforcement troops were arriving from nearby cities, the source said.
Insurgent attacks continue in the once volatile Sunni Arab area west of Baghdad that stretches through Anbar province to Iraq's western border with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 18:47:40 FeedbackPrintRSS
RAMADI, Iraq, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Academics' assassinations in Syria raise concern over brain drain
Academics' assassinations in Syria raise concern over brain drain
Recent assassinations of Syrian academics stoke fears among Syrians over the bleak future of the country's brain drain, a matter reminiscent of the migration of professors and academics from Iraq following the collapse of the Iraqi regime.
No one has taken responsibility for the killings. But Syrian government and Syrian oppositions are trading accusations, each of them holding the other accountable for the murders, so far, nine prominent Syrian academics and professors.
The latest murdered was Mohammad al-Omar, a history professor at Aleppo University who was gunned down on Sunday by unidentified gunmen, along with Saryah Hassoun, the son of Syria's grand mufti Ahmed Hassoum, a staunch supporter of the Syrian regime.
The unrest erupted in Syria since mid March gradually turned into violent acts targeting civilians, security agents and policemen. Violence has climaxed recently and evoked painful feelings among Syrians with mounting uncertainties over "what would be the next."
Ramy Abdul-Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an unlicensed organization and known for its anti-regime stands, accused in a statement that what he called "those close to the regime," were responsible for the murders.
However, Syria's state TV aired a recent interview with an alleged murderer of Dr. Hassan Eid, a chest surgeon who were killed last week in the central province of Homs, and the culprit confessed that he committed his crimes for money.
Khaled Abboud, a Syrian MP, told Xinhua that the country has entered a new era dubbed as the "era of wide terrorist explosions. "
Aboud warned that the country would witness more assassinations, which would be "neither in the country's interest nor in the opposition's."
George Jabbour, a local political analyst, told Xinhua that the killing of academics did not follow any sectarian agenda since the murdered intellectuals belong to different sectors. He accused some "foreign intelligence apparatuses" of being involved in the assassination "that are carried out on ground by armed groups."
For many, assassinating intellectuals and talented individuals is robbing Syria of its future. The underlying causes of these murders are still unknown.
"We are losing the best professionals, the real losers are the new generation and the future of Syria is what is at stake," said Mamoun Ali, a university student.
Editor: Zhang Xiang
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 17:55:34 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Hummam Sheikh Ali
DAMASCUS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Recent assassinations of Syrian academics stoke fears among Syrians over the bleak future of the country's brain drain, a matter reminiscent of the migration of professors and academics from Iraq following the collapse of the Iraqi regime.
No one has taken responsibility for the killings. But Syrian government and Syrian oppositions are trading accusations, each of them holding the other accountable for the murders, so far, nine prominent Syrian academics and professors.
The latest murdered was Mohammad al-Omar, a history professor at Aleppo University who was gunned down on Sunday by unidentified gunmen, along with Saryah Hassoun, the son of Syria's grand mufti Ahmed Hassoum, a staunch supporter of the Syrian regime.
The unrest erupted in Syria since mid March gradually turned into violent acts targeting civilians, security agents and policemen. Violence has climaxed recently and evoked painful feelings among Syrians with mounting uncertainties over "what would be the next."
Ramy Abdul-Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an unlicensed organization and known for its anti-regime stands, accused in a statement that what he called "those close to the regime," were responsible for the murders.
However, Syria's state TV aired a recent interview with an alleged murderer of Dr. Hassan Eid, a chest surgeon who were killed last week in the central province of Homs, and the culprit confessed that he committed his crimes for money.
Khaled Abboud, a Syrian MP, told Xinhua that the country has entered a new era dubbed as the "era of wide terrorist explosions. "
Aboud warned that the country would witness more assassinations, which would be "neither in the country's interest nor in the opposition's."
George Jabbour, a local political analyst, told Xinhua that the killing of academics did not follow any sectarian agenda since the murdered intellectuals belong to different sectors. He accused some "foreign intelligence apparatuses" of being involved in the assassination "that are carried out on ground by armed groups."
For many, assassinating intellectuals and talented individuals is robbing Syria of its future. The underlying causes of these murders are still unknown.
"We are losing the best professionals, the real losers are the new generation and the future of Syria is what is at stake," said Mamoun Ali, a university student.
Editor: Zhang Xiang
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 17:55:34 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Hummam Sheikh Ali
DAMASCUS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Israeli soldiers wound teen in Gaza, detain 6 Palestinians in West Bank
Israeli soldiers wound teen in Gaza, detain 6 Palestinians in West Bank
Israeli soldiers stationed at the borderline between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire on Monday at a Palestinian teen and wounded him, medics and witnesses said.
Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said the Israeli army detained six Palestinians in several West Bank towns after storming their homes, mainly in the areas of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Nablus.
Israeli Radio reported that the six detained Palestinians are wanted to Israeli security intelligence, adding that they were taken for interrogation, without revealing if the arrested belong to any Palestinian groups.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 17:46:55 FeedbackPrintRSS
GAZA/RAMALLAH, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Israeli soldiers stationed at the borderline between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire on Monday at a Palestinian teen and wounded him, medics and witnesses said.
Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said the Israeli army detained six Palestinians in several West Bank towns after storming their homes, mainly in the areas of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Nablus.
Israeli Radio reported that the six detained Palestinians are wanted to Israeli security intelligence, adding that they were taken for interrogation, without revealing if the arrested belong to any Palestinian groups.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 17:46:55 FeedbackPrintRSS
GAZA/RAMALLAH, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Gunmen, suicide bombers attack police station in western Iraq, seize hostages
Gunmen, suicide bombers attack police station in western Iraq, seize hostages
Gunmen and suicide bombers stormed a police station in a local government compound in Iraq's western province of Anbar Monday, holding hostage some 14 policemen and officials, a provincial police source told Xinhua.
A group of gunmen wearing military uniforms in the morning broke into the government compound of al-Baghdadi town, some 170 km west of Baghdad, after one suicide bomber blew up his explosive belt at the entrance to the compound, the source from Anbar's operations command said on condition of anonymity.
Another suicide bomber blew himself up inside the police station, while other gunmen took hostages from the compound, where a government building is located, the source said.
"Mohanad Zbar Mutlag, mayor of the town, Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Aftan, chief of the police station, and 12 other officials and policemen were held hostage in the police station building," the source added.
Iraqi security forces cordoned off the compound and are trading fire with the gunmen who holed up inside the compound, he said.
"Some gunmen are on the roof of the police station and are shooting the surrounding troops with their sniper rifles," he added.
There is no immediate information about the casualties, as the troops are still fighting the gunmen, he said.
Authorities in the town imposed a curfew as reinforcement troops were arriving from nearby cities, the source said.
Insurgent attacks continue in the once volatile Sunni Arab area west of Baghdad that stretches through Anbar province to Iraq's western border with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 16:16:56 FeedbackPrintRSS
RAMADI, Iraq, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Gunmen and suicide bombers stormed a police station in a local government compound in Iraq's western province of Anbar Monday, holding hostage some 14 policemen and officials, a provincial police source told Xinhua.
A group of gunmen wearing military uniforms in the morning broke into the government compound of al-Baghdadi town, some 170 km west of Baghdad, after one suicide bomber blew up his explosive belt at the entrance to the compound, the source from Anbar's operations command said on condition of anonymity.
Another suicide bomber blew himself up inside the police station, while other gunmen took hostages from the compound, where a government building is located, the source said.
"Mohanad Zbar Mutlag, mayor of the town, Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Aftan, chief of the police station, and 12 other officials and policemen were held hostage in the police station building," the source added.
Iraqi security forces cordoned off the compound and are trading fire with the gunmen who holed up inside the compound, he said.
"Some gunmen are on the roof of the police station and are shooting the surrounding troops with their sniper rifles," he added.
There is no immediate information about the casualties, as the troops are still fighting the gunmen, he said.
Authorities in the town imposed a curfew as reinforcement troops were arriving from nearby cities, the source said.
Insurgent attacks continue in the once volatile Sunni Arab area west of Baghdad that stretches through Anbar province to Iraq's western border with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 16:16:56 FeedbackPrintRSS
RAMADI, Iraq, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Israel security agencies urge resumption of talks with Palestinians
Israel security agencies urge resumption of talks with Palestinians
Israel's intelligence community, including Military Intelligence, the Mossad, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Foreign Ministry are recommending a return to peace negotiations with the Palestinians as a means of preventing Israel's further international isolation, the Ha'aretz newspaper reported Monday.
In recent weeks, the organizations have allegedly drafted and distributed reports calling for reviving the peace process, which stalled last September, saying that such a move would "help tone down increasing tensions and anger" against Israel.
"All the documents recommend progress vis-a-vis the Palestinians," a defense source told the newspaper, although it could not be confirmed whether such documents have, in fact, been issued.
Each of Israel's intelligence-gathering organizations maintains its own research division that periodically issues analyses of Israel's geo-strategic standing and the likelihood of conflict.
The Foreign Ministry, while not an intelligence body per se, established its own research department as part of the lessons drawn from the 1973 war, when Israel's military planners, politicians, and public were all caught off-guard. A state- appointed probe later determined that Israeli intelligence failed to provide sufficient warnings about enemy plans to launch a simultaneous attack on three fronts.
However, the intelligence assessments presented to the country's decision-makers often clash. As well, critics of the intelligence community have long held that turf wars and prestige battles between the agencies prevent effective information-sharing.
The latest documents, in recommending a return to the negotiating table, are in tune with statements by some senior Israeli officials warning of the country's growing isolation over the past year.
Aside from the stalled peace process and the flare-up of violence along its southern border, Israel's relations with Turkey plummeted to an all-time low last week over Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's order to expel the Israeli ambassador and downgrade diplomatic ties, and halt bilateral defense industry projects.
The moves came after Israel refused to apologize for a raid aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last year in which nine Turkish nationals were killed.
On Friday, hundreds of Egyptian protesters stormed the Israeli embassy in Cairo, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order the evacuation of the Israeli ambassador along with his diplomatic staff and their families.
In a televised announcement on Saturday night, however, Netanyahu pledged Israel's commitment to preserving the peace treaty with Egypt despite the attack. The Prime Minister also said he sought to prevent a further deterioration in relations with Turkey, and pledged to continue pursuing a peace deal with the Palestinians.
In a related development, Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told the European Union that he will not turn to the UN Security Council on Sept. 20 to obtain full membership status in the organization, according to senior European diplomats who spoke with Ha'aretz on Sunday.
With the U.S. likely to use its veto at the Security Council, Abbas will instead likely turn to the UN General Assembly instead, where a vote in favor of Palestinian statehood is expected to receive a large majority.
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 20:17:48 FeedbackPrintRSS
JERUSALEM, Sept. 12 (Xinhua)
Israel's intelligence community, including Military Intelligence, the Mossad, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Foreign Ministry are recommending a return to peace negotiations with the Palestinians as a means of preventing Israel's further international isolation, the Ha'aretz newspaper reported Monday.
In recent weeks, the organizations have allegedly drafted and distributed reports calling for reviving the peace process, which stalled last September, saying that such a move would "help tone down increasing tensions and anger" against Israel.
"All the documents recommend progress vis-a-vis the Palestinians," a defense source told the newspaper, although it could not be confirmed whether such documents have, in fact, been issued.
Each of Israel's intelligence-gathering organizations maintains its own research division that periodically issues analyses of Israel's geo-strategic standing and the likelihood of conflict.
The Foreign Ministry, while not an intelligence body per se, established its own research department as part of the lessons drawn from the 1973 war, when Israel's military planners, politicians, and public were all caught off-guard. A state- appointed probe later determined that Israeli intelligence failed to provide sufficient warnings about enemy plans to launch a simultaneous attack on three fronts.
However, the intelligence assessments presented to the country's decision-makers often clash. As well, critics of the intelligence community have long held that turf wars and prestige battles between the agencies prevent effective information-sharing.
The latest documents, in recommending a return to the negotiating table, are in tune with statements by some senior Israeli officials warning of the country's growing isolation over the past year.
Aside from the stalled peace process and the flare-up of violence along its southern border, Israel's relations with Turkey plummeted to an all-time low last week over Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's order to expel the Israeli ambassador and downgrade diplomatic ties, and halt bilateral defense industry projects.
The moves came after Israel refused to apologize for a raid aboard a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last year in which nine Turkish nationals were killed.
On Friday, hundreds of Egyptian protesters stormed the Israeli embassy in Cairo, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order the evacuation of the Israeli ambassador along with his diplomatic staff and their families.
In a televised announcement on Saturday night, however, Netanyahu pledged Israel's commitment to preserving the peace treaty with Egypt despite the attack. The Prime Minister also said he sought to prevent a further deterioration in relations with Turkey, and pledged to continue pursuing a peace deal with the Palestinians.
In a related development, Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told the European Union that he will not turn to the UN Security Council on Sept. 20 to obtain full membership status in the organization, according to senior European diplomats who spoke with Ha'aretz on Sunday.
With the U.S. likely to use its veto at the Security Council, Abbas will instead likely turn to the UN General Assembly instead, where a vote in favor of Palestinian statehood is expected to receive a large majority.
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 20:17:48 FeedbackPrintRSS
JERUSALEM, Sept. 12 (Xinhua)
Kuwait to slash expatriate workforce to cure population imbalance
Kuwait to slash expatriate workforce to cure population imbalance
Oil-rich Kuwait will slash the number of expatriate workforce to more than half of the current level in a bid to cure the population imbalance, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammad Al Afasi was quoted by Kuwait Times as saying on Monday.
"Kuwait is keen to achieve a situation in which the expatriate workforce will form 34 percent of the state's population (from the current 70 percent)," Al Afasi said.
He said job opportunities for Kuwaitis reduced due to a huge influx of foreign labors, which may further deteriorate the demographical imbalance.
The government will place restrictions on the process of transferring visas to work permits and heighten the criteria of obtaining work permits, he added.
In the past 50 years, Kuwait has recruited a huge number of foreign workers, mainly from Egypt and South Asia, to compensate for the labor vacuum left by the booming economy driven by oil revenues.
According to an estimate in 2010, the number of foreign workers in Kuwait is 2.34 million, 69 percent of the total population.
Editor: Yamei Wang
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 18:23:41 FeedbackPrintRSS
KUWAIT CITY, Sept. 12 (Xinhua)
Oil-rich Kuwait will slash the number of expatriate workforce to more than half of the current level in a bid to cure the population imbalance, Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Mohammad Al Afasi was quoted by Kuwait Times as saying on Monday.
"Kuwait is keen to achieve a situation in which the expatriate workforce will form 34 percent of the state's population (from the current 70 percent)," Al Afasi said.
He said job opportunities for Kuwaitis reduced due to a huge influx of foreign labors, which may further deteriorate the demographical imbalance.
The government will place restrictions on the process of transferring visas to work permits and heighten the criteria of obtaining work permits, he added.
In the past 50 years, Kuwait has recruited a huge number of foreign workers, mainly from Egypt and South Asia, to compensate for the labor vacuum left by the booming economy driven by oil revenues.
According to an estimate in 2010, the number of foreign workers in Kuwait is 2.34 million, 69 percent of the total population.
Editor: Yamei Wang
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 18:23:41 FeedbackPrintRSS
KUWAIT CITY, Sept. 12 (Xinhua)
Iran, Iraq to sign gas deal: official
Iran, Iraq to sign gas deal: official
The National Iranian Gas Exporting Company announced that the first contract to export Iran's natural gas to Iraq will be signed within the next two months, the local satellite Press TV reported Monday.
The caretaker of the National Iranian Gas Exporting Company, Hossein Bidarmaghz, said Sunday that according to the initial contract, Iran's gas will be supplied through the western Iranian city of Ilam bordering Iraq to feed three Iraqi power plants. The final agreement will be inked within two months, said the report.
Bidarmaghz said based on the agreement, the Islamic Republic would export 25 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to Iraq.
The Iraqi ministry of electricity has signed a contract with an Iranian company for the construction of the required gas pipeline in its territory, he added.
In July, Iran, Iraq and Syria signed a major gas deal to transfer the country's natural gas from South Pars gas field to Europe.
The agreement, "Islamic Gas Pipeline" contract, was signed between Iran's caretaker oil minister Mohammad Aliabadi, Oil Minister of Iraq Abdul Kareem Luaiby and Syrian Oil Minister Sufian Alao at the Asalouyeh energy zone in Iran's southern Bushehr province.
The 5,600 km pipeline will pump Iran's South Pars oil and gas field through Iran, Iraq and Syria to Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea before reaching Europe.
Editor: Bi Mingxin
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 17:51:03 FeedbackPrintRSS
TEHRAN, Sept. 12 (Xinhua)
The National Iranian Gas Exporting Company announced that the first contract to export Iran's natural gas to Iraq will be signed within the next two months, the local satellite Press TV reported Monday.
The caretaker of the National Iranian Gas Exporting Company, Hossein Bidarmaghz, said Sunday that according to the initial contract, Iran's gas will be supplied through the western Iranian city of Ilam bordering Iraq to feed three Iraqi power plants. The final agreement will be inked within two months, said the report.
Bidarmaghz said based on the agreement, the Islamic Republic would export 25 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to Iraq.
The Iraqi ministry of electricity has signed a contract with an Iranian company for the construction of the required gas pipeline in its territory, he added.
In July, Iran, Iraq and Syria signed a major gas deal to transfer the country's natural gas from South Pars gas field to Europe.
The agreement, "Islamic Gas Pipeline" contract, was signed between Iran's caretaker oil minister Mohammad Aliabadi, Oil Minister of Iraq Abdul Kareem Luaiby and Syrian Oil Minister Sufian Alao at the Asalouyeh energy zone in Iran's southern Bushehr province.
The 5,600 km pipeline will pump Iran's South Pars oil and gas field through Iran, Iraq and Syria to Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea before reaching Europe.
Editor: Bi Mingxin
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 17:51:03 FeedbackPrintRSS
TEHRAN, Sept. 12 (Xinhua)
News Analysis: Hamas leaders oppose UN bid, official position still undecided
News Analysis: Hamas leaders oppose UN bid, official position still undecided
As the countdown has started for submitting a request to the United Nations to demand full membership for the state of Palestine later this month, leaders of the Islamic Hamas movement said they are against the bid, but the movement's official position is still undecided.
In a previous interview with Xinhua on Wednesday, Yousef Rezqah, an aide to the deposed premier of Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip said his movement opposes the attitude to approach the UN for recognition, "because Hamas believes that rights are grabbed and not begged."
But still grabbing rights instead of begging it might be Rezqah 's personal opinion, as the Islamic movement is still keeping silent and has not yet issued any official comment to say whether it is against or in favor of the Palestinian bid, although it said that the issue was not coordinated with it.
As the Hamas movement opposes any peace talks with Israel, the Palestinians decided to approach the UN after the direct peace talks with Israel remained stalled after almost a year due to Israel's refusal to halt settlement building in the Palestinian territories, while Hamas did nothing to stop settlement activities.
Musatafa al-Sawaf, a pro-Hamas Gaza-based political analyst, told Xinhua that approaching the UN for recognition "expresses a Palestinian political bankruptcy after they had lost all other opportunities and options," adding that "approaching the UN won't be so beneficial and fruitful."
RESISTANCE IS BENEFICIAL
"Applying to the UN won't be so fruitful because states aren't established through the Security Council, the General Assembly or the negotiation tables, we have an occupation and the natural law of the occupation is resistance and establishing states only goes through resistance," said al-Sawaf.
However, the question is if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas succeeds in grabbing an international recognition of an independent Palestinian state, or even gaining the position of an observer state, would Hamas movement support it or keep complaining and opposing the Palestinian leadership strategy and policy.
"Hamas has a full study of all the aspects of the whole issue, but I don't know, may be within the upcoming hours or days, Hamas will announce an official position concerning the UN bid. Hamas is not against the establishment of a state, it's against the high prices that our people will pay," said al-Sawaf.
Hamas claims that any future UN resolution will not be useful because there had been resolutions, remained unimplemented, and called for giving the Palestinians their rights, mainly ending the Israeli military occupation of their lands, establishing their independent state and giving the refugees their rights.
HAMAS CONTRADICTS ITSELF
Not showing a clear position on the Palestinian bid to the UN for independence, the current Hamas stances are clearly contradicted. As its leaders had clearly said they oppose the bid, in the meanwhile, they slammed President Abbas for not coordinating the move with the other factions.
Some Palestinians slammed Hamas, because on one hand it prevents militants from launching rockets from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel to keep its presence and power in the enclave it seized by force in 2007, while on the other, it called on Abbas to give a free hand of attacks against Israel in the West Bank.
"Hamas has become more pragmatic, but it always acts to serve and keep its strategic interests. In the past, it strongly and violently opposed the transitional peace accords signed with Israel, but this time it softened its opposition and won't violently oppose it," said Talal Oukal, a Gaza-based political analyst.
He added that Hamas will not carry out any action to abortion the Palestinian attitude to approach the UN, "and doesn't strongly oppose it at the same time. Hamas wants to keep the Palestinian ( National) Authority to go alone to the UN and then see what will be the negative or positive consequences."
WAIT FOR RESULT
Palestinian observers argued over, if Hamas does not clearly say its position now, what will it say after bid is made, regardless if it produces negative or positive consequences. Some say that it would join the train if the results are positive, and others say it would oppose it if the results are negative.
"The issue has no relation to what will happen after September 20 (The date for the UN bid) as long as there is a big challenge, where the United States may veto the bid and may impose sanctions on the Palestinians, while Israel prepares itself for confronting the consequences of the bid," said Oukal.
Meanwhile, Hamas tries to show that the implementation of the Egyptian-brokered reconciliation pact signed in Cairo in May 4 with President Abbas Fatah party is more important than wasting the Palestinian time by carrying out a step that mightn't be fruitful and beneficial.
"But in case the world recognizes an independent Palestinian state established on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, Hamas would certainly welcome this. It doesn't mean that if Hamas opposes the bid, it wants Israel to reoccupy the West Bank and see the Palestinian Authority collapsed," said Oukal.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 02:15:09 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Saud Abu Ramadan
GAZA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
As the countdown has started for submitting a request to the United Nations to demand full membership for the state of Palestine later this month, leaders of the Islamic Hamas movement said they are against the bid, but the movement's official position is still undecided.
In a previous interview with Xinhua on Wednesday, Yousef Rezqah, an aide to the deposed premier of Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip said his movement opposes the attitude to approach the UN for recognition, "because Hamas believes that rights are grabbed and not begged."
But still grabbing rights instead of begging it might be Rezqah 's personal opinion, as the Islamic movement is still keeping silent and has not yet issued any official comment to say whether it is against or in favor of the Palestinian bid, although it said that the issue was not coordinated with it.
As the Hamas movement opposes any peace talks with Israel, the Palestinians decided to approach the UN after the direct peace talks with Israel remained stalled after almost a year due to Israel's refusal to halt settlement building in the Palestinian territories, while Hamas did nothing to stop settlement activities.
Musatafa al-Sawaf, a pro-Hamas Gaza-based political analyst, told Xinhua that approaching the UN for recognition "expresses a Palestinian political bankruptcy after they had lost all other opportunities and options," adding that "approaching the UN won't be so beneficial and fruitful."
RESISTANCE IS BENEFICIAL
"Applying to the UN won't be so fruitful because states aren't established through the Security Council, the General Assembly or the negotiation tables, we have an occupation and the natural law of the occupation is resistance and establishing states only goes through resistance," said al-Sawaf.
However, the question is if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas succeeds in grabbing an international recognition of an independent Palestinian state, or even gaining the position of an observer state, would Hamas movement support it or keep complaining and opposing the Palestinian leadership strategy and policy.
"Hamas has a full study of all the aspects of the whole issue, but I don't know, may be within the upcoming hours or days, Hamas will announce an official position concerning the UN bid. Hamas is not against the establishment of a state, it's against the high prices that our people will pay," said al-Sawaf.
Hamas claims that any future UN resolution will not be useful because there had been resolutions, remained unimplemented, and called for giving the Palestinians their rights, mainly ending the Israeli military occupation of their lands, establishing their independent state and giving the refugees their rights.
HAMAS CONTRADICTS ITSELF
Not showing a clear position on the Palestinian bid to the UN for independence, the current Hamas stances are clearly contradicted. As its leaders had clearly said they oppose the bid, in the meanwhile, they slammed President Abbas for not coordinating the move with the other factions.
Some Palestinians slammed Hamas, because on one hand it prevents militants from launching rockets from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel to keep its presence and power in the enclave it seized by force in 2007, while on the other, it called on Abbas to give a free hand of attacks against Israel in the West Bank.
"Hamas has become more pragmatic, but it always acts to serve and keep its strategic interests. In the past, it strongly and violently opposed the transitional peace accords signed with Israel, but this time it softened its opposition and won't violently oppose it," said Talal Oukal, a Gaza-based political analyst.
He added that Hamas will not carry out any action to abortion the Palestinian attitude to approach the UN, "and doesn't strongly oppose it at the same time. Hamas wants to keep the Palestinian ( National) Authority to go alone to the UN and then see what will be the negative or positive consequences."
WAIT FOR RESULT
Palestinian observers argued over, if Hamas does not clearly say its position now, what will it say after bid is made, regardless if it produces negative or positive consequences. Some say that it would join the train if the results are positive, and others say it would oppose it if the results are negative.
"The issue has no relation to what will happen after September 20 (The date for the UN bid) as long as there is a big challenge, where the United States may veto the bid and may impose sanctions on the Palestinians, while Israel prepares itself for confronting the consequences of the bid," said Oukal.
Meanwhile, Hamas tries to show that the implementation of the Egyptian-brokered reconciliation pact signed in Cairo in May 4 with President Abbas Fatah party is more important than wasting the Palestinian time by carrying out a step that mightn't be fruitful and beneficial.
"But in case the world recognizes an independent Palestinian state established on the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, Hamas would certainly welcome this. It doesn't mean that if Hamas opposes the bid, it wants Israel to reoccupy the West Bank and see the Palestinian Authority collapsed," said Oukal.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 02:15:09 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Saud Abu Ramadan
GAZA, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
Feature: Palestinians seek independent state in the UN on Facebook
Feature: Palestinians seek independent state in the UN on Facebook
Hanin Abu Baker, the 21-year-old girl from the West Bank city of Ramallah, spends more hours than before in front of her computer surfing the social website of Facebook on the internet to back the Palestinian bid to the United Nations to request a recognition of a state.
Abu Baker and her fiance, who had moved to the state of California in the United States two weeks ago, had built up together with a group of Palestinian youths, who lives in the Palestinian territories and abroad, a special group in Arabic called "September, a deserved merit."
The Palestinians are determined to approach the United Nations on Sept. 20, to request an international recognition of a full membership of the state of Palestine, established on the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967, in response to the stalled direct peace talks with Israel.
The United States and Israel oppose the Palestinian bid to the UN, although Israel refused to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Both Washington and Tel Aviv believe that the Palestinian state can only be established though direct talks and signed agreements and not through submitting a request to the UN.
The Palestinians are sticking to resuming the peace talks, based on accepting the principle of the two-state solution and halting settlement.
Abu Baker said she was happy for the success that the group she and the others had established on Facebook. She cooperated and coordinated with her colleagues to translate the page into other languages, such as Hebrew, French, English and Spanish.
The young woman and a team of Palestinian youths are typing attractive and encouraging sentences to support the group. She said she kept copying and pasting statements and articles written by journalists, intellectual writers on the bid to the UN to recognize the new Palestinian state number 194.
"Our aim of establishing our page is to gather the largest support inside and outside the Palestinian territories and gain the support of other people all over the world," said Abu Baker, who rarely left her seat only to eat or to sleep, adding "the English edition of the page was highly appreciated."
Abu Baker, who studies in one of the Palestinian universities, added comments to the comments of analysts and international experts in international laws and politics. Visitors from the Arab region as well as from the entire world also checked the page and expressed themselves on what was written.
In addition to the page "September, a deserved merit," other similar groups were also established on Facebook, such as Palestine Deserves, the People Want a Declaration in September, September, Palestine state number 194. The pages related to September bid to the UN are increasing every day.
Munir al-Jaghoub, a media committee coordinator of Fatah Party in the West Bank, said the Palestinians are going for an unprecedented campaign to gain their right of being recognized as an independent state, adding "therefore we must use all possible means to make our voice reachable to everyone."
The Palestinian members of these pages are urging the people of other countries to back the legal and peaceful Palestinian attitude, while Israel on the other side is trying through large diplomatic and media campaigns to stop the Palestinians from approaching the UN.
Al-Jaghoub said the symbols of these pages are pictures of the Palestinian leaders. "The pictures of President Mahmoud Abbas, late leader Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian flag and the building of the UN in New York are included in the various pages established for the Palestinian bid to the UN for international recognition," said al-Jaghoub.
Both Abu Baker and al-Gaghoub affirmed that the campaign is not seeking any kind of political affiliation, "it only seeks to make a general Palestinian achievement that benefits all the people."
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 02:14:35 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Maysaa Bsharat
RAMALLAH, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
Hanin Abu Baker, the 21-year-old girl from the West Bank city of Ramallah, spends more hours than before in front of her computer surfing the social website of Facebook on the internet to back the Palestinian bid to the United Nations to request a recognition of a state.
Abu Baker and her fiance, who had moved to the state of California in the United States two weeks ago, had built up together with a group of Palestinian youths, who lives in the Palestinian territories and abroad, a special group in Arabic called "September, a deserved merit."
The Palestinians are determined to approach the United Nations on Sept. 20, to request an international recognition of a full membership of the state of Palestine, established on the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967, in response to the stalled direct peace talks with Israel.
The United States and Israel oppose the Palestinian bid to the UN, although Israel refused to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Both Washington and Tel Aviv believe that the Palestinian state can only be established though direct talks and signed agreements and not through submitting a request to the UN.
The Palestinians are sticking to resuming the peace talks, based on accepting the principle of the two-state solution and halting settlement.
Abu Baker said she was happy for the success that the group she and the others had established on Facebook. She cooperated and coordinated with her colleagues to translate the page into other languages, such as Hebrew, French, English and Spanish.
The young woman and a team of Palestinian youths are typing attractive and encouraging sentences to support the group. She said she kept copying and pasting statements and articles written by journalists, intellectual writers on the bid to the UN to recognize the new Palestinian state number 194.
"Our aim of establishing our page is to gather the largest support inside and outside the Palestinian territories and gain the support of other people all over the world," said Abu Baker, who rarely left her seat only to eat or to sleep, adding "the English edition of the page was highly appreciated."
Abu Baker, who studies in one of the Palestinian universities, added comments to the comments of analysts and international experts in international laws and politics. Visitors from the Arab region as well as from the entire world also checked the page and expressed themselves on what was written.
In addition to the page "September, a deserved merit," other similar groups were also established on Facebook, such as Palestine Deserves, the People Want a Declaration in September, September, Palestine state number 194. The pages related to September bid to the UN are increasing every day.
Munir al-Jaghoub, a media committee coordinator of Fatah Party in the West Bank, said the Palestinians are going for an unprecedented campaign to gain their right of being recognized as an independent state, adding "therefore we must use all possible means to make our voice reachable to everyone."
The Palestinian members of these pages are urging the people of other countries to back the legal and peaceful Palestinian attitude, while Israel on the other side is trying through large diplomatic and media campaigns to stop the Palestinians from approaching the UN.
Al-Jaghoub said the symbols of these pages are pictures of the Palestinian leaders. "The pictures of President Mahmoud Abbas, late leader Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian flag and the building of the UN in New York are included in the various pages established for the Palestinian bid to the UN for international recognition," said al-Jaghoub.
Both Abu Baker and al-Gaghoub affirmed that the campaign is not seeking any kind of political affiliation, "it only seeks to make a general Palestinian achievement that benefits all the people."
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 02:14:35 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Maysaa Bsharat
RAMALLAH, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
Egypt arrests another 92 involved in Israeli embassy clashes
Egypt arrests another 92 involved in Israeli embassy clashes
Egyptian military police arrested on Sunday another 92 persons involved in Friday's clashes outside the Israeli embassy.
According to the official news agency MENA, during the riots, 19 people set fire to several police vehicles and tried to break into the Giza security directorate near the Israeli embassy.
The general prosecution is investigating the whole event.
On Friday night, some Egyptian protestors broke into a building which houses the Israeli embassy in Cairo. They destroyed a newly- built concrete wall outside the embassy building and lowered the Israeli flag and threw documents out of the windows. Three died and 1,049 others were injured in the rampage.
Israel's ambassador to Egypt and most of the embassy staff were carried back home by an Israeli plane early Saturday.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 02:13:13 FeedbackPrintRSS
CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
Egyptian military police arrested on Sunday another 92 persons involved in Friday's clashes outside the Israeli embassy.
According to the official news agency MENA, during the riots, 19 people set fire to several police vehicles and tried to break into the Giza security directorate near the Israeli embassy.
The general prosecution is investigating the whole event.
On Friday night, some Egyptian protestors broke into a building which houses the Israeli embassy in Cairo. They destroyed a newly- built concrete wall outside the embassy building and lowered the Israeli flag and threw documents out of the windows. Three died and 1,049 others were injured in the rampage.
Israel's ambassador to Egypt and most of the embassy staff were carried back home by an Israeli plane early Saturday.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 02:13:13 FeedbackPrintRSS
CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
New assistant for Arab League chief appointed
New assistant for Arab League chief appointed
Arab League (AL) Secretary General Nabil el-Arabi Sunday appointed Kuwaiti Adnan Issa al-Khodeir as the regional body's assistant secretary general for financial and administrative affairs.
Arabi announced the appointment in a meeting at the level of permanent delegates. Al-Khodeir's candidacy for the post was once refused due to objection by then AL Secretary General Amr Moussa.
According to Egypt's official news agency MENA, al-Kodeir will succeed Samir Seif al-Yazel, who will occupy the post of assistant secretary general for administrative monitoring affairs.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 00:42:01 FeedbackPrintRSS
CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
Arab League (AL) Secretary General Nabil el-Arabi Sunday appointed Kuwaiti Adnan Issa al-Khodeir as the regional body's assistant secretary general for financial and administrative affairs.
Arabi announced the appointment in a meeting at the level of permanent delegates. Al-Khodeir's candidacy for the post was once refused due to objection by then AL Secretary General Amr Moussa.
According to Egypt's official news agency MENA, al-Kodeir will succeed Samir Seif al-Yazel, who will occupy the post of assistant secretary general for administrative monitoring affairs.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-09-12 00:42:01 FeedbackPrintRSS
CAIRO, Sept. 11 (Xinhua)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)