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1. Mitchell: 'US Wants A PA State'
by Hana Levi Julian
United States Middle East envoy George Mitchell warned Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday that America will not budge from its commitment to carving out a new Palestinian Authority state from within Israel's current borders.
Mitchell, who arrived in Israel Wednesday evening, made the comment after he met for the first time with Lieberman in his new role as foreign minister.
Lieberman raised eyebrows earlier in the month when he stated that the Netanyahu government would not be bound by decisions made in Annapolis in November 2007, noting they had never been ratified by the government, nor had they been approved by the Knesset.
"The U.S. policy favors a two-state solution, which would have a Palestinian state living in peace alongside with the Jewish State of Israel," Mitchell told reporters following the meeting.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai commented that regardless of what the new administration of U.S. President Barack Obama might want, Israel could not be forced down a path that might be unrealistic.
"The preferable course of diplomatic action at this time is two economies for two peoples, and not two states for two peoples," Yishai told reporters. "The American emissary also knows that forcing the region into virtual diplomatic discourse will only breed the opposite results."
The U.S. envoy is scheduled for meetings throughout the day with Israeli officials; Wednesday night he met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and before meeting with Lieberman had already held talks with President Shimon Peres.
Peres, too, informed MItchell that while Israel has always been interested in achieving peace in the region, it would not be at the expense of her own security.
The issue of weighing Israel's security against America's interests in the region is not new; it has also become an increasingly sensitive topic in high-level discussions over how to deal with the Iranian nuclear development threat.
The Hebrew-language daily Yediot Acharanot reported Thursday that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told an American Jewish leader that a PA state would be forced down Israel's throat by the end of Obama's term, regardless of which government rules.
"In the next four years, there will be a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, based on 'two states for two peoples,' and we couldn't care less who the prime minister is," Emanuel was quoted as saying.
The newspaper also reported that the Obama administration that the U.S. would not help Israel neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat unless Jerusalem agrees to a disengagement in Judea and Samaria.
The paper reported on a "Bushehr for Yitzhar" plan -- meaning the U.S. would swap its help in neutralizing the Bushehr nuclear reactor and other installations in exchange for Israel destroying the Samarian Jewish community of Yitzhar and approximately 170 other neighboring towns.
Despite Israel's urgent warnings that time is running out, the U.S. has committed itself to an unlimited time frame on negotiations with the Islamic Republic over its uranium enrichment program, even as it continues apace. Israeli and other Western intelligence officials are convinced that Iran is working toward development of an atomic weapon, despite its denials.
Mitchell is slated to meet later in the day with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni. On Friday he will head to Ramallah for talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad before moving on to Cairo and Riyadh.
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by Hana Levi Julian
United States Middle East envoy George Mitchell warned Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday that America will not budge from its commitment to carving out a new Palestinian Authority state from within Israel's current borders.
Mitchell, who arrived in Israel Wednesday evening, made the comment after he met for the first time with Lieberman in his new role as foreign minister.
Lieberman raised eyebrows earlier in the month when he stated that the Netanyahu government would not be bound by decisions made in Annapolis in November 2007, noting they had never been ratified by the government, nor had they been approved by the Knesset.
"The U.S. policy favors a two-state solution, which would have a Palestinian state living in peace alongside with the Jewish State of Israel," Mitchell told reporters following the meeting.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai commented that regardless of what the new administration of U.S. President Barack Obama might want, Israel could not be forced down a path that might be unrealistic.
"The preferable course of diplomatic action at this time is two economies for two peoples, and not two states for two peoples," Yishai told reporters. "The American emissary also knows that forcing the region into virtual diplomatic discourse will only breed the opposite results."
The U.S. envoy is scheduled for meetings throughout the day with Israeli officials; Wednesday night he met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and before meeting with Lieberman had already held talks with President Shimon Peres.
Peres, too, informed MItchell that while Israel has always been interested in achieving peace in the region, it would not be at the expense of her own security.
The issue of weighing Israel's security against America's interests in the region is not new; it has also become an increasingly sensitive topic in high-level discussions over how to deal with the Iranian nuclear development threat.
The Hebrew-language daily Yediot Acharanot reported Thursday that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told an American Jewish leader that a PA state would be forced down Israel's throat by the end of Obama's term, regardless of which government rules.
"In the next four years, there will be a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, based on 'two states for two peoples,' and we couldn't care less who the prime minister is," Emanuel was quoted as saying.
The newspaper also reported that the Obama administration that the U.S. would not help Israel neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat unless Jerusalem agrees to a disengagement in Judea and Samaria.
The paper reported on a "Bushehr for Yitzhar" plan -- meaning the U.S. would swap its help in neutralizing the Bushehr nuclear reactor and other installations in exchange for Israel destroying the Samarian Jewish community of Yitzhar and approximately 170 other neighboring towns.
Despite Israel's urgent warnings that time is running out, the U.S. has committed itself to an unlimited time frame on negotiations with the Islamic Republic over its uranium enrichment program, even as it continues apace. Israeli and other Western intelligence officials are convinced that Iran is working toward development of an atomic weapon, despite its denials.
Mitchell is slated to meet later in the day with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Opposition leader MK Tzipi Livni. On Friday he will head to Ramallah for talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad before moving on to Cairo and Riyadh.
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2. Iran Prepares for Israeli Threat
by Hillel Fendel
UPI reports not only that Israel will bomb Iran later this year, but also that “many now assume” that Iran will then retaliate against Persian Gulf states such as Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Gulf States Fear Iranian Attack
The UPI report states that Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Oman have deployed Patriot missile batteries along the Persian Gulf to deflect incoming Iranian missiles. The members of the Gulf Cooperation Council are “getting ready for what many now assume will be retaliation from Iran following Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities later this year,” UPI reports.
It has been reported in the past that Iran has trained secret networks of agents in the Gulf states to attack Western interests and incite civil unrest in the event that the U.S. or Israel attacks it. Sleeper cells of teachers, doctors and nurses trained by Iran are ready to be activated when necessary, it is claimed.
“Such a scenario,” the Telegraph recently reported, “would bring chaos to the Gulf, one of the few areas of the Middle East that remains prosperous and has largely pro-Western governments.”
Other reports say that Iran would launch a “missile blitz” against the Gulf states if attacked by Israel or the U.S. Qatar, Bahrain and Oman all host important American military bases as well as British forces.
US: Gates Says Israeli Attack Won’t Work
At the same time, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed concern about an Israeli attack and tried to downplay its effectiveness. Gates told a group of Marine Corps students this week that an Israeli attack against Iran’s nuclear program would probably delay Tehran's nuclear program by only one to three years. He added that such an attack would "cement [Iran’ determination to have a nuclear program, and also build into the whole country an undying hatred of whoever hits them.”
Iran has registered a protest against perceived Israeli threats to attack it. Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaee sent a letter on Tuesday to the UN Security Council denouncing Israel’s "unlawful and insolent" threats. He said the threats violated international law and the U.N. Charter, and urged the UN to respond.
Obama vs. Yesha
Israel largest newspaper, Yediot Acharonot, reported on Thursday that the Obama Administration is hinting that if Israel gives up Judea and Samaria (Yesha), the U.S. would help in dismantling the Iranian nuclear threat. The paper reports that Administration officials are speaking of a “Bushehr in exchange for Yitzhar” plan, implying that if Israel gives up Yitzhar and the other approximately 170 Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, the U.S. will help in neutralizing Iran’s Bushehr and other nuclear plants.
Obama vs. Israel
The paper further reports that Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s hard-hitting Jewish Chief of Staff, recently told a Jewish leader in Washington, “In the next four years, there will be a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, based on ‘two states for two peoples,’ and we couldn’t care less who the Prime Minister is.”
Comment on this story
by Hillel Fendel
UPI reports not only that Israel will bomb Iran later this year, but also that “many now assume” that Iran will then retaliate against Persian Gulf states such as Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Gulf States Fear Iranian Attack
The UPI report states that Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Oman have deployed Patriot missile batteries along the Persian Gulf to deflect incoming Iranian missiles. The members of the Gulf Cooperation Council are “getting ready for what many now assume will be retaliation from Iran following Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities later this year,” UPI reports.
It has been reported in the past that Iran has trained secret networks of agents in the Gulf states to attack Western interests and incite civil unrest in the event that the U.S. or Israel attacks it. Sleeper cells of teachers, doctors and nurses trained by Iran are ready to be activated when necessary, it is claimed.
“Such a scenario,” the Telegraph recently reported, “would bring chaos to the Gulf, one of the few areas of the Middle East that remains prosperous and has largely pro-Western governments.”
Other reports say that Iran would launch a “missile blitz” against the Gulf states if attacked by Israel or the U.S. Qatar, Bahrain and Oman all host important American military bases as well as British forces.
US: Gates Says Israeli Attack Won’t Work
At the same time, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed concern about an Israeli attack and tried to downplay its effectiveness. Gates told a group of Marine Corps students this week that an Israeli attack against Iran’s nuclear program would probably delay Tehran's nuclear program by only one to three years. He added that such an attack would "cement [Iran’ determination to have a nuclear program, and also build into the whole country an undying hatred of whoever hits them.”
Iran has registered a protest against perceived Israeli threats to attack it. Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Mohammad Khazaee sent a letter on Tuesday to the UN Security Council denouncing Israel’s "unlawful and insolent" threats. He said the threats violated international law and the U.N. Charter, and urged the UN to respond.
Obama vs. Yesha
Israel largest newspaper, Yediot Acharonot, reported on Thursday that the Obama Administration is hinting that if Israel gives up Judea and Samaria (Yesha), the U.S. would help in dismantling the Iranian nuclear threat. The paper reports that Administration officials are speaking of a “Bushehr in exchange for Yitzhar” plan, implying that if Israel gives up Yitzhar and the other approximately 170 Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, the U.S. will help in neutralizing Iran’s Bushehr and other nuclear plants.
Obama vs. Israel
The paper further reports that Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s hard-hitting Jewish Chief of Staff, recently told a Jewish leader in Washington, “In the next four years, there will be a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, based on ‘two states for two peoples,’ and we couldn’t care less who the Prime Minister is.”
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