ETERNAL FLAME NEWS: May 14, 2011

Saturday, May 14, 2011

EFN EXCLUSIVE-Third Intifada Launched in Tahir Square

“May be the Arab-Israeli conflict doesn’t need any more US special envoy, may be president Obama shouldn’t bother appointing a replacement, for, as far as the Palestinians are concerned, they had enough of this backstage Zionist-manipulated politics disguised as peace envoys”

Dr. Ashraf Ezzat

Cairo’s iconic Tahrir square packed with thousands rallying in solidarity with Palestine.

It is hard to believe that those are the same people who were on the verge of being torn apart by the deadly sectarian violence just a few days ago. It is hard to imagine those are the same people who are yet struggling out of a revolution that weighed down heavily on their economy and security.

How could they, in just few days, grow out of their grief and overcome the dreadful shadow of civil war. How could they easily wipe the tears, put out the fire that meant to engulf the whole country and instead put on a smile, hold hands and head for Tahrir square once again. How could the people of Egypt, while preoccupied and deeply engaged in sorting out the post-Mubarak mess, find the time, or better yet the drive to show solidarity to their Palestinian brethren?

We can only understand this through a historical perspective. Only a people who go back thousands of years and who have been exposed to all sorts of experiences and historical episodes could come up with this remarkable construct of resilience.

Calls for third intifada from Cairo and Tel Aviv

Knesset member, Hanin Zoabi

With the dawn break of Friday, May 13th, the prefixed date for Egyptian masses to support the Palestinian cause, thousands rallied in Tahrir square calling for national unity between Muslims and Christians and at the same time showing their everlasting solidarity for the Palestinians and their legitimate struggle to liberate their homeland from the Israeli occupation.

According to a facebook page created by Arab and Palestinian activists, these Friday rallies at the Cairo’s iconic square are meant to, not only revive the popular support for the Palestinian cause but to officially launch Egyptian mass rallies toward Gaza, in a move that would encourage Palestinians in return to take to the streets and start their third intifada.

Top Fatah official: 'PA won't be able to stop 3rd intifada'

Abbas Zaki says the Palestinians, inspired by Middle East unrest, may launch new intifada on 'Nakba Day' if they have lost hope in peace talks.

Talkbacks (36) The Palestinian leadership won’t be able to contain the street protests planned for this weekend marking the 63rd anniversary of the creation of Israel, said a senior member of Central Committee of the Fatah movement.

Abbas Zaki, whose tasks include monitoring the Arab Spring revolts, told The Media Line that Palestinians have been encouraged by how Arabs across the Middle East have toppled two leaders and threaten others with mass protests. With no peace talks with Israel on the horizon, Zaki warned, the Palestinian leadership will be hard pressed to contain the rage of demonstrators.

RELATED:
IDF reinforcing W. Bank troops ahead of 'Nakba Day'
Abbas: No third intifada; PA seeks int'l recognition

“The Palestinian leadership has faced a dead end and has been unable to advance the many Palestinian issues even a bit. This leadership won’t be able to quiet the street, which has witnessed the success and achievements of the Egyptians and Tunisians. The Palestinian people will react according to its level of hope in a peaceful solution,” Zaki said.

On Sunday, Palestinians will mark the so-called “Nakba,”or "catastrophe" as they refer to the creation of Israel. Israel is looking at the demonstrations planned for the weekend as a test case for the Palestinian security forces.

While "Nakba Day" has been marked for many years, this year’s commemoration and the security forces handling of it will be the first since Fatah has joined the rival Hamas movement in a national unity government. Although the government has yet to be formally constituted, the prospects of Hamas having a say in Palestinian security in the West Bank has raised the hackles of Israeli security officials.

Until now, Fatah, which has been in on-again-off-again peace talks with Israel, has exclusive control of the West Bank while Hamas, an Islamic group sworn to Israel’s destruction, has ruled in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli Defense Forces have been put on high alert in the West Bank for the possibility that Palestinian demonstrators could clash with residents of Jewish communities, security sources said.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz visited troops on Wednesday and briefed commanders on possible scenarios, including extreme violence, despite word from Palestinian security forces that they will be aiming at keeping tensions low, the IDF spokesman said in a statement.

“The IDF estimates that events on the ground could lead to violence, even if no side is interested in such a scenario,” the statement said.

Col. Avi Gil, commander of the Ephraim Brigade, instructed his troops to be on high alert and increase their vigilance. "We are preparing for the possibility of a Third Intifada or any other extreme scenario on 'Nakba Day'," he told Army Radio. "We are conducting situational assessments and preparing.”

Read more at JPost.com

Abbas: Palestinians will never neglect "right of return"

Ahead of planned Nakba Day protests, PA president says every Palestinian "has the right to see Palestine and return to the homeland."

The Palestinian Authority leadership would never neglect the “right of return” for Palestinians to their original homes inside Israel, PA President Mahmoud Abbas declared on Saturday.

His declaration came as Palestinians prepared to mark Nakba [catastrophe] Day in protest against the creation of Israel in 1948.

RELATED:
Abbas: If Palestinian state is created, I may step down
Top Fatah official: 'PA won't be able to stop 3rd intifada'

Abbas said that the PA would continue to take “practical steps” toward achieving the “right of return.”

Every Palestinian, he added, “has the right to see Palestine and return to the homeland because the homeland is our final destination.”

Abbas said that when the Palestinian signed the Oslo Accords, the case of the refugees was the basic final-status issue. “Of course, the other side [Israel] does not want to discuss the issues of refugees, Jerusalem and water and that’s their business,” he said. “Does this mean that we should surrender to what they want? Of course not.”

Abbas also stressed that the Palestinians would not accept a Palestinian state that does not include Jerusalem as its capital.

“Our message to the world is that we want a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders and a just solution on the basis of the [2002] Arab Peace Initiative,” he continued. “But we won’t accept at all a Palestinian state that does not have Jerusalem as its capital.”

He claimed that while the Palestinians have accepted the two-state solution, Israel remains opposed to the idea.

“We believe in the principle of a two-state solution and we have recognized it for the past 17 years,” Abbas said. “But they [Israel] don’t agree to the two-state solution.”

With regards to the reconciliation between his Fatah faction and Hamas, the PA president said that the two sides were now working toward establishing a government of technocrats that would have no political affiliations.

He said that the Palestinians’ dream of establishing a state could not be achieved unless the “two parts of the homeland are reunited” – a reference to the split between the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Also marking the occasion of Nakba Day, the Fatah leadership issued a statement in which it said that the “right of return” was a “sacred” right does not vanish with the lapse of time.

The Palestinians are determined to achieve the right of return because it’s a natural and historic right, Fatah said.

Read more at JPost.com

Egyptians urge rulers to step up Palestinian support

CAIRO (Reuters) – Thousands of Egyptians took to the streets on Friday to push their military rulers to do more to help Palestinians following the overthrow of the country's president Hosni Mubarak.

Many Egyptians felt Mubarak, a U.S. ally, was too soft on Israel and want their new government to take a much stronger pro-Palestinian stand.

The gatherings in Cairo, Alexandria and El-Arish come amidst preparations by activists to organize a march to the Gaza Strip on Sunday, May 15 -- which Palestinians mark as the anniversary of their 1948 displacement following the establishment of Israel.

Egyptian authorities have banned the march, saying the timing was inappropriate given sectarian tensions in Egypt.

The government deployed army and police to prevent demonstrators from crossing the Suez Canal to Sinai -- the route they would have to take to reach the Gaza Strip, witnesses said.

"We are demonstrating to show that the Palestinian cause is in the heart of all Muslims," said Sameh Abu Bakr, an agriculture engineer, in Cairo's Tahrir Square, which was decked with red, white, black and green Palestinian flags.

The square was at the epicenter of the February uprising that drove Mubarak from power.

One sign read: "The people want the opening of the Rafah crossing, fully and permanently."

Egypt has said it plans to open the crossing into Gaza permanently, but has yet to do so. Mubarak was accused of participating in an Israeli blockade on Gaza by shutting the border.

"We want to show the world the inhumane way Israel treats Palestinians," said demonstrator Hassan Yusri, standing next to the Rafah sign.

Hundreds marched in El-Arish in Sinai after Friday prayers, chanting pro-Palestinian slogans.

ALEXANDRIA PROTEST

In the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Egypt's second largest city, thousands marched to the Israeli consulate after dawn prayers at one of the city's main mosques, chanting: "With our souls, with our blood, we redeem you Palestine."

"We are here today to show our support for the Palestinian cause," said Mohammed Abdel-Salam, a 22-year-old activist. "The victory of our revolution will not be complete without the liberation of Palestine," he added.

Egypt turmoil helping arms smuggling to Gaza-Israel

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Smugglers of arms into the Gaza Strip are operating almost freely after a change of leadership in Egypt, Israel's Shin Bet security agency said.

A report by the domestic spy agency said with Egypt's new leaders preoccupied with stabilizing their country, "governance in Sinai is not high and this allows smugglers to operate almost without hindrance.

"Today the Egyptian regime's attention is focused on stabilizing the new government and this eases the Sinai smugglers' task," the report said.

The Sinai forms a huge desert buffer zone between Egypt and Israel, which sealed an historic peace treaty in 1979 after fighting two wars in less than a decade.

The Bedouin people of the Sinai, for whom smuggling is a major source of income, were mostly involved in getting weapons into Gaza to supply the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas which controls the enclave and other smaller militant groups, it said.

It also reaffirmed Israel's belief that Iran, in seeking to strengthen its influence in the region, was supplying Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants with "choice military-grade weaponry."

It said hundreds of rockets with a range of 20-40 kilometers (12-25 miles), at least 1,000 mortar bombs, some anti-tank missiles and tones of high explosives and raw material to make high explosives had entered Gaza since the start of 2010.

Outgoing Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin, who hands over to his successor Monday, said in a rare speech earlier this week: "In Egypt it is very hard to assess what will happen in the elections expected in the summer ... it's not a good idea to rest on our laurels."

Israel May Rush Deployment of Advanced Antimissile System

Arrow 3 interceptors are intended to fly farther than existing systems and to intercept missiles from nations such as Iran and Syria at higher altitudes. They would be part of a web of defenses to safeguard Israel from rocket and missile threats. The system has received considerable financial support from the United States.

Spurred by the changing political dynamics of neighboring Arab states, Israeli officials have stepped up their emergency preparations. A high-ranking military officer on Thursday indicated he foresaw a shortened schedule for deploying the Arrow 3.

"We've already show how we can get systems out ahead of schedule when there's a need," the unidentified official said, referring to the nation's Iron Dome weapon, which was able to eliminate several Katyusha rockets launched from the Gaza Strip in April.

While developers of the Arrow system anticipate the latest model would be ready for fielding in 2014 or the following year, the Israeli officer said, "Don't be surprised if it's sooner."

Berlusconi: Italy Will Not Recognize Unilaterally Declared Palestinian State

Rome — Italy will never recognize a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said.

Berlusconi at a celebration of Israel’s 63rd birthday praised the Jewish state as the only democracy in the Middle East. He was the guest of honor Wednesday at an Israeli Independence Day reception hosted by Israeli Ambassador Gideon Meir.

“No, absolutely not,” he was quoted as telling reporters when asked whether Italy would recognize a unilaterally declared Palestinian state.

“I think that there is no other course other than an agreement between the two states,” Berlusconi added. “Our policy has always gone in this direction, and it is also the policy of the European Union.”

During a speech, Berlusconi said Israel is “the only real democracy in the Middle East and Italy is concerned there are difficult situations for Jews. There can be no solution for your people and your state but peace with your neighbor Palestine.”

United Methodist Board Features Anti-Israel Message in Newsletter

The Blaze.com

“It’s time for Palestine.”

That’s the title of a recent article featured in the newsletter of the General Board of Church and Society, the advocacy wing of the United Methodist Church. And as the title insinuates, the article is very anti-Israel.

For example, just two paragraphs in, author Rev. John Calhoun talks about the recent wave of democracy sweeping the Middle East. “Unfortunately,” he writes, “one state’s undemocratic, militaristic rule over millions of civilians suffering under its administration looks likely to continue unchallenged. That state is Israel, and those living under its illegitimate control are the Palestinians of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.” [Emphasis added]

He continues: “As the world applauds heroic freedom fighters standing up to dictators and fraudulent presidents across the Middle East, widespread support for the Palestinian people’s aspirations to live free from Israeli occupation is faint.”

According to Calhoun, Methodists have a duty to take action because the Weslyan tradition supports “social activism.” And while that may sound like his own opinion initially, he quotes official church resolutions to back up his position.

“One manifestation of these efforts is the United Methodist Book of Resolutions, a volume filled with decisions on critical social, economic and political issues made over the years in the name of the denomination,” he says.

Those resolutions include one called “Opposition to Israeli Settlements in Palestinian Land:”

The United Methodist Church opposes continued military occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, the confiscation of Palestinian land and water resources, the destruction of Palestinian homes, the continued building of illegal Jewish settlements, and any vision of a “Greater Israel” that includes the occupied territories and the whole of Jerusalem and its surroundings (Resolution 6073).

Then there’s another, “United Nations Resolutions on the Israel-Palestine Conflict.” Calhoun explains:

Even more significant is Resolution 6074, “United Nations Resolutions on the Israel-Palestine Conflict.” It was adopted by General Conference, the denomination’s highest policy-making body, in 2000, then revised and readopted in 2008. It states, “The United Methodist Church calls upon Israel, the Palestinian National Authority, and all States to abide by and uphold U.N. resolutions, International Court of Justice rulings, and international law as the basis for just and lasting peace in Palestine/Israel.”

That‘s important considering what we’ve been told about the United Methodist Church in a previous article on this site. Last fall, the Board was a major supporter of the controversial “One Nation” rally — a gathering of progressives, Democrats, and even socialists — in Washington, D.C. Then, we were told that just because the Board took a position on an issue, that couldn’t be construed as representing the position of the entire church, since the church’s positions are only determined by the general council. But according to Calhoun, the church has taken an official position on the Isreali-Palestinian conflict. And it’s not supportive of Israel.

That’s also supported by how Calhoun interprets the resolutions for all United Methodists. He says the position of the church is “clear:”

The denomination affirms the will of the international community, expressed through U.N. Security Council resolutions, the Fourth Geneva Convention and other international law instruments, in condemning the Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territory. The denomination opposes continued Israeli settlement building on occupied Palestinian territory. The church stands with the Palestinian Christian community, and supports Palestinian efforts towards economic and political self-determination. [Emphasis added]

As a next step, Calhoun encourages United Methodists to take part in an upcoming, week-long event called “World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel.” A quick look at the event’s website reveals more anti-Israel rhetoric (couched in discussions of “peace”):

According to Calhoun, the event encourages participants to pray for Jerusalem. But he also describes opportunities for “political advocacy” and says the event will allow “church members to be further educated about the conflict, and to teach others about the need to end the injustices.” [Emphasis added]

And if the church‘s position wasn’t clear already, Calhoun concludes: “The United Methodist Church stands for an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine, and for political self-determination for its people.”

(H/T: Blaze reader Mara)

The Blaze.com