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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Turkey's PM meets Ahmedinejad in Istanbul

The meeting also comes a month before planned nuclear talks with six major powers in Istanbul.

Thursday, 23 December 2010

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad at his office in Istanbul on Wednesday.

The meeting also comes a month before planned nuclear talks with six major powers in Istanbul.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was also in attendance at the closed-door meeting.

Ahmedinejad is currently in Istanbul to attend the 11th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) on Thursday.

Heads of state and government of the ECO member countries, representatives of international bodies as well as officials from guest countries are set to participate in the meeting which will discuss several agreements and regional cooperation projects.

ECO was co-founded by Turkey, Iran and Pakistan in 1985 in a bid to develop economic, technical and cultural cooperation between member countries. In 1992, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan joined the organization.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67713.

Israeli envoy meets Turkish minister to thank for fire help

Assisting those in need is a part of the Turkish culture, Eroglu said.

Thursday, 23 December 2010

Israeli Ambassador in Ankara, Gaby Levy, paid a visit of courtesy to the Turkish Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroglu on Wednesday and thanked Eroglu for Turkey's assistance to Israel during a recent fire in Haifa city.

Speaking while receiving Levy, Eroglu said that Turkey was always ready to provide assistance whenever there was a need in any corner of the world.

Assisting those in need is a part of the Turkish culture, Eroglu said.

Ambassador Levy, in his part, said that Israel was "deeply affected" by the way the Turkish government stood ready to provide assistance despite the political tensions between Turkey and Israel.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67716.

Turkey praises US house decision over Armenia bill

U.S. lawmakers decided not to take up the resolution on the Armenian allegations.

Thursday, 23 December 2010

Turkish Ambassador in Washington, D.C. Namik Tan has said that the U.S. House of Representatives did not put the resolution on the Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915 on its agenda, which was a right decision on a problematic issue.

U.S. lawmakers decided not to take up the resolution on the Armenian allegations on Wednesday.

Tan said, "I thank all our American friends and the Turkish-American community for their relentless efforts to oppose H. Res. 252."

"I am happy that reason and common sense have prevailed," he said.

Tan said that Turkey and the United States which had been friends for years would keep working together for global peace, prosperity and stability. "For the future, we have to concentrate our efforts on strengthening the longstanding and time-tested Turkish-American strategic partnership," he said.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67710.

African commission notes human rights progress in Algeria

2010-12-22

Algeria has made human rights' progress since 2009, a visiting delegation of the African Commission of Human and Peoples' Rights (CADHP) announced Tuesday (December 21st) in Algiers. CADHP official Sylvie Kayitesi Zainabo noted "improvements" at various sites visited by the delegation, including El Harrach prison, a police station in Birtouta and a shelter for women in distress in Bousmail. The delegation also called on authorities to pursue efforts in order to tackle the problem of overcrowding in prisons. The human rights commissioners arrived in Algeria on December 13th upon the invitation of Algerian authorities.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/12/22/newsbrief-03.

Mauritania joins international youth business network

2010-12-22

Promoting youth entrepreneurship is a priority for Mauritania, Energy Minister Wane Ibrahima said Tuesday (December 21st) in his opening address to the new Center for Young Business Leaders (CJD) in Nouakchott, Journal Tahalil reported. According to CJD-Mauritania president Dy Ould Zein, the new body aims to help young business leaders exchange information and hatch new ideas for domestic entrepreneurship. With their new CJD chapter, the young Mauritanians join more than 5000 CJD members in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, France, Benin, Cameroon, Monaco, Canada and the Czech Republic.

Source: Magharebia.com.
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/newsbriefs/general/2010/12/22/newsbrief-05.

More troops head for Afghanistan

AMMAN (JT) - A new group of Jordanian forces left for Afghanistan Monday night to provide humanitarian services in the south-central Asian country, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The force will replace another group that has just concluded its mission in Afghanistan, according to Petra.

During a farewell ceremony, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff Lt. General Mashal Al Zaben conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah's greetings to the soldiers and his appreciation of the armed forces’ efforts to extend humanitarian services to the Afghan people, calling on the officers to keep up the good reputation of the Kingdom's security services.

The force and Jordan's military field hospital in Afghanistan provide medical and humanitarian aid to the community and help in the construction of schools, hospital and roads, Petra said.

Also, a group of army experts from the Jordan Armed Forces help train Afghan forces and develop their skills in order to enable them to maintain security and order, according to Petra, which added that the fact that Jordan’s troops include women has boosted communication with the conservative Afghan society.

Last week, the government rejected a fatwa issued by the Islamic Action Front, which criticized the Jordanian military’s participation in missions led by the US across the world.

The fatwa said that joining American forces in their military presence in Afghanistan and Sudan is “haram”, or religiously rejected and a “form of oppression” against brotherly Muslims.

The fatwas drew fire from civil society institutions and the Iftaa Department, which said it was the sole party authorized to issue religious edict.

22 December 2010

Source: The Jordan Times.
Link: http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=32843.

Turkish FM meets new Iranian FM in Istanbul

Davutoglu met with Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Istanbul on the sidelines of a meeting of a regional economic cooperation body.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday met with Iran's Acting Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Istanbul on the sidelines of a meeting of a regional economic cooperation body.

Diplomatic sources close to the meeting said the two ministers discussed bilateral relations and regional issues as well as evaluating Iran's nuclear negotiations with the West.

Davutoglu and Salehi also discussed a prospective meeting between Iran and 5+1 group expected to be held end of January in Istanbul with diplomatic sources saying that any specific date had yet to be set for the meeting.

Turkey has always favored a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, diplomatic sources cited Davutoglu as telling Salehi.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67701.

Turkish President meets Talabani in Istanbul

Talabani will attend the 11th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Istanbul on December 23.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Turkish President Abdullah Gul met with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Istanbul on Wednesday.

Talabani will attend the 11th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Istanbul on December 23.

During his stay in Turkey, Talabani will also meet Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

His meetings will focus on economic and political relations between Turkey and Iraq.

Gul's meeting with Talabani lasted around one hour.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67695.

Turkey, Syria to be a model in int'l relations, Utri says

The Syrian prime minister said on Tuesday that Turkey and Syria would be a model in international relations.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

The Syrian prime minister said on Tuesday that Turkey and Syria would be a model in international relations.

Premier Naji al-Utri said Turkish-Syrian High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council had been set up with the wish of Syrian and Turkish peoples and common will of the politicians of the two countries.

"The train has departed and it will not stop in any stations, we will come together and discuss some legal arrangements and problems stemming from previously-made decisions," al-Utri told a joint press conference with Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

Al-Utri said this way, Turkey and Syria could assume a common vision for the future.

The Syrian minister referred to a high-speed train project that would travel between Turkey's southeastern province of Gaziantep and Syrian province of Aleppo in 33 minutes, and said this was an expression of common wish of the two peoples.

Al-Utri said Syria wanted to make use of Turkey's e-state experiences.

Also, al-Utri said Syria had launched and carried out a determined fight against terrorist organizations in cooperation and coordination with Turkey.

"Whenever we realize a terrorist activity, we launch legal procedures and we try to solve this problem in cooperation with Turkey," al-Utri also said.

Turkey and Syria have signed 11 agreements on the sidelines of the second meeting of the Turkish-Syrian High-Level Cooperation Council that took place in Ankara.

They are an agreement on cooperation in combating terrorism and terrorist organizations; a memorandum of understanding between Turkey's Eximbank and Syrian state planning commission; an agreement on cooperation in social services and protection of children; a memorandum of understanding on developing title deed directorate; an agreement to implement a memorandum of understanding signed in 2009 regarding dwellings and construction; an implementation program for the upcoming three years regarding cooperation in labor, employment and social security; a memorandum of understanding on electricity generation, distribution, renewable energy and energy saving; an implementation program for the upcoming two years on protection of environment; a cooperation protocol between Syrian Central Bank and Turkey's Banking Regulation & Supervision Agency (BDDK); a technical assistance and cooperation program for 2011 between Turkish Development Bank and Syrian state planning commission; and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between Turkish Motorized Vehicle Office and Syrian insurance federation.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67689.

Turkey's PM calls Maliki to congratulate on new govt

Erdogan congratulated Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Iraqi parliament's giving vote of confidence to his new cabinet.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Iraqi parliament's giving vote of confidence to his new cabinet.

Prime Ministry officials said that Premier Erdogan spoke with al-Maliki by phone on Tuesday and congratulated al-Maliki on his new government.

Erdogan underlined the importance of unity of Iraq during phone conversation.

Iraqi parliament in separate votes gave its approval to al-Maliki, three deputy prime ministers and 29 other cabinet members, as well as the government program on Tuesday.

Appearing at a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart Muhammed Naci Itri, Erdogan also said he was pleased with the end of the political deadlock in Iraq with the establishment of the new Iraqi Government under Nur al Maliki's leadership.

Erdogan said he hoped the new government would succeed in reflecting the reconciliation among Iraq's ethnic groups.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67683.

Turkey takes over ECO presidency from Iran

Davutoglu urged all member countries to sign and ratify the ECO Trade Agreement in the shortest time possible.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Foreign ministers of member countries to Economic Cooperation Organization, or ECO, got together in Istanbul ahead of leaders' summit planned for Thursday.

ECO-member countries are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Turkey has taken over the presidency of the Council of Ministers, the highest policy and decision-making body of the organization, from Iran which is represented by newly appointed Foreign Ministry caretaker Ali Akbar Salehi.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made the opening remarks at Wednesday's event and said that the meeting would discuss important issues on regional cooperation and global economy.

Davutoglu said Turkey has been following a multidimensional, proactive and vision-oriented foreign policy aimed at helping build an atmosphere of security, stability and prosperity in its region and in a broader geography.

He said that ECO took an important place in Turkey's foreign policy as common historical, geographical and cultural ties have cemented relations of the peoples of member countries which have a population of 400 million on a territory of 8 million sq km.

Underscoring that natural resources and dynamic manpower of ECO-member countries created a significant power and opportunity for economic activity, Davutoglu said that current global economic challenges have recently shown the importance of ECO-like organizations.

He urged all member countries to sign and ratify the ECO Trade Agreement (ECOTA) in the shortest time possible and called on them to join the ECOBANK established in Istanbul as the bank of the organization.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67694.

Turkey, Syria agree on 2011 joint projects

Projects to be initiated in 2011 by the two governments were announced by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

More than 20 Turkish and Syrian ministers got together on Tuesday at the second meeting of Turkey-Syria High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council held this time in Ankara and agreed on several joint projects to improve relations, especially commercial ties.

Projects to be initiated in 2011 by the two governments were announced by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a joint pres conference with his Syrian counterpart Naji al-Utri.

Accordingly, Turkey and Syria will build a joint customs gate and a dam on Asi River, establish a joint bank to help increase trade and investments, lay a 123-km high-speed railway between Gaziantep and Aleppo which will reduce travel time to 33 minutes from 4 hours, and connect natural gas pipeline networks of the two countries. Also, Turkish Eximbank will give 180 million euro to Syrian government for financing of specific projects to be carried out by Turkish companies.

Turkish and Syrian governments aim to double the 2.5 billion USD mutual trade, Erdogan said.

Turkey and Syria announced visa-free travel last year, a move that is expected to increase Syrian tourists to Turkey to nearly 1 million and the number of Turkish tourists to 1.5 million by the end of this year.

"Thanks to this visa liberalization our peoples have finally lived cohesion desired for years," Erdogan said.

Turkey established such a mechanism, a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, with Iraq too.

Erdogan said, "these mechanisms will inspire other regional cooperation initiatives in which Turkey will take part."

"Highlights"

A final declaration that was issued at the end of the meeting said that the two countries had sound ties and deep-rooted relations.

Projects that are planned to be fulfilled between Turkey and Syria included in the declaration are as follows:

-A ground-breaking ceremony for construction of Nusaybin-Kamisli Customs Gate will take place on January 26, 2011,

-A ground-breaking ceremony will be held for Friendship Dam on Asi River will be held by the end of 2010,

-Turkey-Syria Bank will be established to facilitate trade and investments between the two countries,

-A project on high speed train services between southeastern Turkish province of Gaziantep and Aleppo will be developed in 2011.

The final declaration said that Turkey and Syria were pleased with formation of a new government in Iraq.

The declaration said that a fair, comprehensive and lasting solution on bi-zonal and bi-communal basis should be reached in Cyprus.

Moreover, Erdogan said Turkey would strengthen the quartet strategic council also including Syria, Lebanon and Jordan and more countries could join that formation.

Erdogan also said Turkey and Syria had taken many steps regarding the Palestinian dispute, and Turkey was ready to undertake any new mission regarding the issue in case of any request.

Erdogan added, Turkey was concerned as the efforts to re-launch direct talks between Israel and Palestine bore no results due to uncompromising attitude of Israel. He urged the international community and the countries in the region to exert more efforts for establishment of peace.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67688.

I. Coast: France urges nationals to leave

Wednesday 22 December 2010
Samuel Okocha, AfricaNews reporter in Lagos, Nigeria

France has called on its nationals in Ivory Coast to leave following the continued crisis over disputed elections in the West African country.

Government spokesman Francois Baroin said the measure was "precautionary," the BBC reports adding there are approximately 15,000 French citizens in Ivory Coast.

The French move came as head of the World Bank Robert Zoellick said financing to the Ivory Coast had been frozen.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned the country could slip into civil war, adding incumbent Laurent Gbagbo was trying to expel peacekeepers.

Gbagbo's challenger Alassane Ouattara is recognized by the international community as winner of last month's presidential run-off.

Source: AfricaNews.
Link: http://www.africanews.com/site/I_Coast_France_urges_nationals_to_leave/list_messages/36733.

Saudi king leaves hospital

The 86-year old monarch leaves hospital in good health following a successful second surgery to repair spinal column.

22 Dec 2010

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has left a New York hospital in good health, the kingdom's state news agency reported on Wednesday.

"King Abdullah left the Presbyterian Hospital on Tuesday evening...as God gave him good health," the Saudi Press Agency said. "He moved to his place of residence in New York to recuperate and continue with physical therapy," the statement said but did not say when he might return to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier in December, 86-year-old king, had a successful second operation in the United States to stabilize vertebrae in his spinal column.

He was flown to the US to undergo the treatment after being diagnosed with a blood clot pressing on the nerves in his back.

King Abdullah handed over power to Crown Prince Sultan when he traveled to the US for treatment.

Before the king headed for New York, Saudi officials had been making a strong push to reassure the public and international allies there was nothing to worry about.

Crown Prince Sultan, who has health problems of his own, returned to Saudi Arabia from abroad to govern the country while his half-brother is away for an unspecified period.

The 85-year-old Sultan, who is also the defense and aviation minister, underwent surgery at the same hospital in New York in February 2009 for an undisclosed illness and spent nearly a year abroad recuperating in the US and in Morocco.

Succession plan

With both King Abdullah and Sultan in their 80s, the next in line is likely to be Prince Nayef, the 76-year-old interior minister.

Nayef would still need the approval of Saudi Arabia's "Allegiance Council" to become king.

King Abdullah appointed his half-brother Nayef second deputy prime minister in 2009 in a move that analysts say will secure the leadership in the event of serious health problems afflicting the king and crown prince and improve Nayef's chances of one day becoming king.

Diplomats in Riyadh say Western governments are concerned about the fate of social and economic reforms promoted by King Abdullah and have reservations about the ascent of Nayef, seen as a religious and social traditionalist.

The royal Al Saud family has ruled the kingdom for the past 60 years.

King Abdullah assumed the throne in August 2005 after the death of his long-ailing half brother, Fahd.

In 2006, he set up the Allegiance Council, a body comprising of close relatives, to vote by a secret ballot to choose future kings and crown princes.

The council's mandate will not start until after the reigns of King Abdullah and Sultan are over.

Saudi Arabia's political stability is of regional and global concern. It controls more than a fifth of the world's crude oil reserves, and is a vital US ally in the region. It's also a major holder of dollar assets and home to the biggest Arab stock exchange.

Source: al-Jazeera.
Link: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/12/2010122265144767775.html.

السلطة تنتقي أئمة موالين بالضفة

22/12/2010 م

في مسعى لإضعاف حماس
السلطة تنتقي أئمة موالين بالضفة

نشرت صحيفة واشنطن بوست مقالا يتناول المحاولات التي تقوم بها السلطة الفلسطينية للتدخل في محتوى خطب الجمعة في مساجد الضفة الغربية.

تقول الصحيفة إن وزير الشؤون الدينية في السلطة الفلسطينية محمود الهباش، يرسل بريدا إلكترونيا أسبوعيا إلى المساجد عبر الضفة الغربية يحتوي على نص لخطبة الجمعة، وعلى كل إمام مسجد الالتزام بالنص المرسل إليه في خطبته.

هذا الإجراء هو جزء من عملية أوسع تهدف إلى تحييد أئمة المساجد "المتشددين" ويبين الإجراءات الشرسة التي تتخذها السلطة الفلسطينية لإضعاف غريمتها حركة المقاومة الإسلامية (حماس) وفي نفس الوقت فإن تلك الإجراءات ستؤمن لها الإمساك بزمام الأمور في أراضي الضفة الغربية، وهو أحد مطالب إسرائيل المسبقة للدخول في مفاوضات سلام مع السلطة.

لم يتم تسليط الكثير من الضوء على إجراءات السلطة تلك عندما انطلقت العام الماضي، ولكن تطبيقها في الشهور الأخيرة قد اتخذ طابعا أكثر حدة، ويعتقد الكثير من المحللين أن تلك الإجراءات كانت سببا رئيسيا في انحسار نفوذ حماس في الضفة الغربية.

دولة بوليسية؟

مؤيدو تلك الإجراءات يرون أنها ضرورية لكبح جماح "الخطاب الملتهب" ويدعم "الوحدة الوطنية والإسلام المعتدل". لكن منتقدي تلك الإجراءات يقولون إنها تمثل سياسة العصا الغليظة وهي تمثل خرقا لحرية التعبير عن الرأي وتقصي شريحة من المجتمع الفلسطيني، كما أنها تبشر بتطبيق أسلوب الدولة البوليسية من قبل السلطة الفلسطينية إذا ما حالفها الحظ يوما وتربعت على عرش الدولة الفلسطينية.

وفي الوقت الذي يَزِنُ الرئيس الفلسطيني محمود عباس خياراته في التفاوض مع إسرائيل أو إعلان دولة من جانب واحد، فإنه يشن معركة داخلية لتكريس شرعيته مقابل حماس التي يعتبرها كل من الولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل حركة إرهابية.

وكانت حماس قد فازت في انتخابات عام 2006 وسيطرت على قطاع غزة، وشكلت حكومتها الخاصة هناك.

قبضة حديدية

إن القبضة الحديدية على المساجد هي آخر إجراء في سلسلة طويلة من التحركات لكبح نفوذ حماس، وقد تضمنت تلك الجهود حملة اعتقالات واسعة وفرض حظر على الجهد الإعلامي لحماس وعلى تجمعات الحركة.

الثلاثاء الماضي كانت الذكرى الـ 23 لتأسيس حماس، خرج سبعون ألف شخص لإحياء الذكرى ولكن لم تشهد الضفة الغربية أي احتفالات بالمناسبة.

الولايات المتحدة كانت قد ضغطت على السلطة الفلسطينية
للقضاء على الخطاب الديني الحماسي الذي تعتبره هي وإسرائيل مقوضا لجهود السلام، ولكنها كانت حذرة في مباركة إجراءات السلطة الأخيرة. ورغم أن تلك الإجراءات تخدم أهداف الولايات المتحدة، فإن تلك الإجراءات التعسفية تظهر نزعة تسلطية لدى القيادة الفلسطينية، التي ما فتئت واشنطن تمتدح طريقة حكمها.

إن مثل هذا الأسلوب في فرض سيطرة الحكومة المركزية على أئمة المساجد ليس بالشئ الغريب على الدول العربية. إلا أن ما حدث شكل خيبة أمل لأولئك الذين توقعوا أسلوبا أكثر تسامحا من قبل السلطة التي تحكم جزءا من الضفة الغربية التي تحتلها إسرائيل.

أئمة حكوميون

وكجزء من حملتها، قامت وزارة الشؤون الدينية الفلسطينية بمنع الأئمة المرتبطين بحماس من إلقاء خطب الجمعة، أما الأئمة المسموح لهم بالخطبة فهم فقط من الذين تدفع السلطة الفلسطينية رواتبهم.

حامد البيتاوي، وهو مرجع إسلامي بارز في نابلس، ظلّ يلقي خطبة الجمعة لأربعة عقود قبل أن توقفه السلطة الفلسطينية منذ ثلاثة أشهر.

يقول البطاوي "خطة السلطة الفلسطينية هي محاربة الإسلام والتيار المتدين داخل الدين الإسلامي. أنا متأكد أن شعبية فتح والسلطة الفلسطينية في انحدار. سوف يعاقبون على سلوكهم".

سياسة المساجد هي من هندسة الهبّاش، الذي قام فور تسلمه وزارة الشؤون الدينية عام 2009 بوضع جميع مساجد الضفة الغربية الألف وثمانمائة تحت إشرافه. وقبل ذلك كان الخطباء يتهمون ليس فقط بإلقاء خطب مناوئة لإسرائيل واليهود بل أيضا ضد عباس نفسه.

وفي مقابلة أجريت في مكتبه المُجدد حديثا في البيرة الملاصقة لرام الله مقر حكومة عباس، قال الهباش "إننا مقتنعون بأن ما نفعله يصب في مصلحتنا الوطنية. لقد رأينا أن وجود المساجد تحت سيطرة الأحزاب الأخرى يتسبب في شرخ في وحدة شعبنا".

خُطَبٌ معدة سلفا

وأضاف الهباش أن مئات المساجد كانت واقعة تحت سيطرة الجماعات الفلسطينية "المتشددة" ومن ضمنها حركة حماس والجهاد الإسلامي.

ولكن بعد أن سيطرت وزارة الهباش على المساجد طبق نظام الخطبة الإلزامية. ولكن الهباش ينوه بأن الامام له الحق بإضافة أشياء للخطبة "ولكن على شرط أن يأخذ إذنا مسبقا".

وإذا لم يقرأ الإمام الآيات القرآنية المحددة فإن القوى الأمنية سوف تقوم بإعلام الهباش عن تلك المخالفة، ويضع ذلك المسجد تحت نظام مراجعة أسبوعي لنشاط المسجد.

رقابة فكرية

كما يجبر الهباش الأئمة على تبادل أماكنهم بحيث ينتقل كل إمام بين المساجد بشكل دوري، وهو ما يدعوه "الرقابة الفكرية".

بالإضافة إلى ذلك، فإن السلطة الفلسطينية تقوم الآن بتدريب جيل جديد من الأئمة في الكلية الإسلامية التي تمولها الحكومة والواقعة في مدينة قلقيلية بالضفة الغربية.

وفي إحدى الحصص التعليمية مؤخرا، كانت المحاضرة عن كيف يمكن للطالب أن يفرق بين تعاليم الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم "الحقيقية" وبين ما نسب إليه بالباطل.

ناصر عبد العال هو أحد المصلين المترددين يوميا على المسجد في قلقيلية لم تعجبه التغييرات التي أجريت.

قال عبد العال الذي يملك مطعما للكباب "إنهم يجلبون الأئمة الذين يتكلمون بأسلوبهم. هذا النظام لا يتمتع بشعبية وسط الجماهير هنا".

في أكتوبر/ تشرين الأول الماضي، أجرى المركز الفلسطيني للسياسة والبحوث الإحصائية مسحا وجد فيه أن 30% من الفلسطينيين قالوا إن الناس في الضفة الغربية يستطيعون انتقاد السلطة بدون خوف، مقارنة بـ56% بثلاث سنوات مضت.

مراقبة إسرائيلية

وتأتي الحملة على المساجد، في وقت تصعد فيه إسرائيل وبعض المؤسسات مراقبة ما تبثه وسائل الإعلام الفلسطينية الحكومية والمؤسسات التربوية الفلسطينية التي تدرس مواد تجادل في حق إسرائيل في الوجود أو تقدم مواد تظهر اليهود بصورة سيئة.

من جهتهم، يقوم المسؤولون الفلسطينيون بصورة منتظمة بالاحتجاج على آراء تصدر من شخصيات سياسية أو دينية إسرائيلية يعتبرونها معادية للعرب، ويقولون إنها تمثل تهديدا لجهود السلام.

الهباش يصر على أن هدفه هو وحدة الصف الفلسطيني وليس إرضاء الولايات المتحدة أو إسرائيل. حتى الآن، ركزت السلطة الفلسطينية جهودها على المساجد وتصرفت بسرعة تجاه المشاكل التي برزت في هذا المجال.

دعوة لقتل اليهود

المسؤولون الأميركيون احتجوا في وقت سابق من هذا العام على خطبة لأحد الأئمة نقلها التلفزيون الحكومي، ودعا فيها المسلمين إلى قتل اليهود.

الهباش قام بالاعتذار وقال إن الإمام الذي قال ذلك جيء به في آخر لحظة ليحل محل إمام آخر كان متغيبا عن الخطبة. ثم أصدر أوامره إلى جميع المساجد بأن تكون خطبة الجمعة التالية عن التسامح بين أتباع الديانات السماوية الثلاث الإسلام والمسيحية واليهودية.

يبلغ الهباش من العمر 47 عاما، وعمل في تدريس الشريعة الإسلامية وكان كاتب عمود قبل أن يجبر على ترك غزة بعد تولي حماس مقاليد السلطة فيها عام 2007.

اليوم هو أحد أقرب الوزراء إلى محمود عباس. كما أن مهمته تجعل منه الأكثر عرضة للاستهداف، حيث يسافر أي وزير برفقة فردين لحمايته، بينما يسافر هو برفقة طاقم حرس يبلغ قوامه ستة عناصر.

يقول الهباش "رسالتي الرئيسية هي أننا بحاجة إلى تحرير الإسلام من الجنون، ومن التطرف والفهم الخاطئ للدين. الإسلام لا يدعو إلى الكراهية".

إضعاف حماس

خليل الشقاقي أحد باحثي المركز الفلسطيني يعتقد أن الحملة على حماس والمساجد قد أضعفت حماس في الضفة الغربية بشكل واضح.

يقول الشقاقي إن "حماس لا تملك وسائل إعلامية، فلا صحف ولا مجلات. ما من شك أنهم قد فقدوا المساجد كمنبر رئيسي لهم".

المصلون بالجامع الكبير في الدورا قرب مدينة الخليل رأوا الحملة على المساجد تتجسد أمام أعينهم في أحد أيام الجمعة في أغسطس/ آب الماضي. مئات من الشهود رأوا بأم أعينهم تطويق مئات من أفراد الشرطة الفلسطينية الجامع ومنع الشيخ نايف الرجوب من إلقاء الخطبة في الجامع الذي تعود أن يلقي فيه خطبة الجمعة منذ 29 عاما.

الرجوب هو واحد من عشرات السياسيين المرتبطين بحماس. انتخب عام 2006 نائبا في البرلمان، وألقت إسرائيل القبض عليه بعد شهور قليلة عندما قام مقاتلو حماس بأسر الجندي الإسرائيلي جلعاد شاليط.

وعندما أطلق سراح الرجوب بعد قضائه خمسين شهرا في سجن إسرائيلي، قامت السلطة بمنعه من إلقاء خطبة الجمعة.

تكميم الأفواه

يقول الرجوب في مقابلة أجريت معه في مكتبه الشهر الماضي "ما حصل لي هو جزء من سياسة عامة تنتهجها السلطة الفلسطينية لمنع ممثلي الشعب الفلسطيني من التحدث مباشرة إلى جماهيرهم".

أعيد اعتقال الرجوب أوائل الشهر الحالي من قبل الجيش الإسرائيلي الذي برر فعلته مدعيا أنه يشكل خطرا على الأمن في المنطقة "لأنه ناشط بارز من نشطاء حماس" وحكم عليه بالحبس الإداري ستة أشهر.

قال الرجوب في مقابلة سبقت اعتقاله الأخير "إنها سياسة لتكميم الأفواه من قبل السلطة الفلسطينية. إنها سياسة تهدف إلى كبح حرية الرأي".

المصدر: الجزيرة.
الرابط: http://www.aljazeera.net/NR/EXERES/4ECE075D-DBDA-48AB-9089-47E9AA44CD34.htm.

Jordanian king hails formation of new Iraqi cabinet

Wed, 22 Dec 2010

Amman - Jordan's King Abdullah II on Wednesday welcomed the formation of a new Iraqi government as an "important step" in the process of the country's national reconciliation, according to a royal court statement.

"The formation of the new Iraqi government represents an important step in the process of bolstering the country's democracy, national reconciliation, security and stability," the monarch was said to have written in a cable to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

King Abdullah renewed Jordan's pledge of support for neighboring Iraq in its endeavors to "confront various challenges," and once again expressed keenness to boost the cooperation between the two countries, the statement said.

The new Iraqi government, a coalition comprising all of the key political groupings that swept the March elections, was formed on Tuesday after nine months of political deadlock.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/359382,formation-new-iraqi-cabinet.html.

Bolivia recognizes Palestine as independent state

Wed, 22 Dec 2010

La Paz - Bolivia has recognized Palestine as an independent and sovereign state within the 1967 borders, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced Wednesday.

Morales told a press conference at the presidential palace in La Paz that he planned to write to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, informing him of the decision.

Bolivia severed diplomatic ties with Israel in January 2009 over the military offensive in Gaza.

Earlier this month, Brazil and Argentina recognized Palestine as an independent state within its borders prior to 1967, in decisions that the United States and Israel slammed as counterproductive and damaging.

Venezuela also recognizes Palestine as a sovereign state, while Uruguay has announced plans to do so next year.

Legislators from ruling and opposition parties in Chile have stepped by pressure on the government of President Sebastian Pinera to grant the same recognition to Palestine. Chile has a large Palestinian community of more than 300,000 people.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/359380,recognizes-palestine-independent-state.html.

Ivory Coast opposition says force only solution to crisis - Summary

Wed, 22 Dec 2010

New York/Abidjan/Paris - A close ally of Ivory Coast's would-be president Alassane Ouattara on Wednesday called on the international community to use force to dislodge Laurent Gbagbo.

Gbagbo is defying massive international pressure to cling to power, and has ordered United Nations peacekeepers and supporting French troops out of the country.

"After all the international pressure and the sanctions which did not have any effect ... only one solution remains, that of force," Ouattara's prime minister Guillaume Soro, also the head of former northern rebel group New Forces, told France's i-Tele.

"I call on the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, the African Union and (regional African bloc) ECOWAS to envisage using force," he added.

Soro's comments came as the European Union formalized a travel ban on Gbagbo and 18 allies, and World Bank President Robert Zoellick announced during a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy that all financial aid to Ivory Coast would be frozen.

France and Germany advised their citizens to leave the former French colony as Gbagbo ignores the clamor for his departure, using the military to crack down on Ouattara supporters and other state organs to harass UN peacekeepers.

The UN peacekeeping chief on Tuesday warned his 10,000-strong forces was becoming a target after the UN Security Council ignored Gbagbo's order and extended the mandate of the mission, known as UNOCI, by six months

According to Le Roy, state-controlled television channel RTI has been broadcasting calls for violence against UNOCI personnel, staff have been evicted and suppliers have been forced to stop providing goods to the mission.

"We hear a lot of provocation again from RTI, and we hear reports of people like the Young Patriots (a pro-Gbagbo youth group) being given lots weapons, AK47s, to try to provoke UNOCI," Le Roy told reporters in New York. "We are very concerned."

The UN's headquarters in the economic capital Abidjan came under fire on Friday, although no injuries were reported.

Ouattara is widely recognized as the rightful winner of last month's presidential elections, which were aimed at healing the divisions of a 2002 civil war that split the country into the mainly Muslim north, which backs Ouattara, and Christian south, where Gbagbo holds sway.

According to Ouattara's camp, around 200 people have been killed in the last week as Gbagbo cracks down, using Liberian and Angolan mercenaries to operate death squads. The UN confirmed the presence of Liberian forces in Ivory Coast.

Tentative UN estimates say there have been 50 deaths, around 200 injuries, 470 arbitrary arrests and many disappearances.

Ouattara is trying to run an alternative government from the UN-protected Golf Hotel in Abidjan, but pro-Gbagbo forces have erected barricades to prevent food and water getting through.

"The intention of Mr Gbagbo and the security forces loyal to him is clearly to strangle the United Nations peacekeeping mission and to suffocate the Government of President-elect Ouattara," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the General Assembly on Tuesday.

Gbagbo, in a speech broadcast on RTI late Tuesday, said he did not want the country to be "ravaged by war" and told Ouattara he would not be touched if he emerged from the Golf Hotel.

He also said he would consider allowing an "international and independent assessment and monitoring committee" to review the election - an offer immediately dismissed by Ouattara as insincere.

While Gbagbo extended an apparent olive branch, his feared youth leader Charles Ble Goude - who is under UN sanctions for violent acts carried out against peacekeepers in 2006 - has been holding daily rallies, exhorting thousands of young Gbagbo supporters to combat.

"I will invite you to start street demonstrations very soon to claim the departure of UN staff and French military forces and to launch the latest assault to free Ivory Coast," he told a televised rally in an Abidjan suburb Tuesday.

International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, in an emailed statement, specifically mentioned the leader of the Young Patriots in a warning of possible prosecutions.

ECOWAS is to hold an emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on Friday to discuss the crisis.

NATO welcomes US Senate approval of New START

Wed, 22 Dec 2010

Brussels - NATO welcomed the new nuclear arms reduction accord approved by the US Senate on Wednesday, with Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen calling it "a significant contribution to Euro- Atlantic security."

"The foreseen reduction of US and Russian strategic nuclear weapons will pave the way for progress on conventional and nuclear arms control initiatives that would further enhance security in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond," Rasmussen said in a statement.

"At NATO's recent Lisbon Summit, all Allied leaders expressed their unanimous support for ratification of the START Treaty."

The Senate voted 71-26 to ratify the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, clearing the two-thirds majority required under the US Constitution for treaty ratification.

New START was signed by US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in April and binds the two sides to cut their numbers of active warheads to 1,550 within seven years, or by about 30 per cent from the 1991 treaty that expired in December 2009. Both sides must reduce delivery systems that include long range missiles, submarine launches missiles and bomber fleets to 700.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/359404,senate-approval-new-start.html.