Palestine Affairs

Meeting Minutes: 7th Negotiation Team Meeting Summary Minutes of the 7th Negotiation Team meeting in preparation for the Annapolis Summit. This is a continuation meeting for both sides to agree on a joint document for the Summit. The document aims to establish a joint proposal for implementing the Road Map. In this meeting, the parties debate language pertaining to the nature and purpose of two separate states.  The parties also touch on other Terms of Reference, implementation, refugees and Jerusalem.   Qurei: In a permanent agreement we can say whatever we want. Now we are preparing for Annapolis. Now we are talking about a two state solution. We can elaborate in a permanent agreement. If you want a one state solution, we can discuss that. Livni: There is no two states if there is n...

Meeting Minutes: Saeb Erekat and Karel de Gucht (Belgian FM) Summary Minutes of meeting among Saeb Erekat, Karel De Gucht and other Belgian officials, at NAD, dated March 23, 2007. They discuss the lack of progress with Fatah reform; Erekat says he needs money to do so, money they are yet to receive. They discuss Abbas' weaknesses and progress on the release of Shalit to Egypt (Olmert accepted the idea). Erekat mentions Israel offered him 136 settlements. Full text     MEETING MINUTES     Attendees:   Karel De Gucht, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs (KDG)  10 or so other Belgian officials  Dr. Saeb Erekat (SE)  Hala Rashed   Subject: Belgian Foreign Minister’s visit   Date:   23 March 2007 11am   Location:  NAD     SE:  Siege is composed of (1) bank restrictions and (2) tax re...

Meeting Minutes: 8th Negotiating Team Meeting Summary Minutes of the 8th meeting in a series of meetings about the proposed joint agreement for the Annapolis Summit.  The parties discuss finishing changes to the preamble, and debate the inclusion of principles from: President Bush's vision, the Road Map, the Arab Peace Initiative, UN resolutions and International law. Full text     Minutes from 8th Negotiation Team Meeting (In Preparation for Annapolis) Tuesday, 13th November 2007, 5h00pm Mount Zion Hotel, West Jerusalem   Attendees: Palestinian   Ahmed Querei (AA)  Yaser Abd Rabbo (YAR)  Akram Haniyeh (AH)  Dr. Saadi Kronz (SK)  Zeinah Salahi (ZS)  Dr. Saeb Erekat (SE)   Israeli  FM Tzipi Livni (TL)  Yoram Turbovich (YT)  Shalom Turjeman (ST)  Gen Amos Gilad (AG)  DG...

Meeting Minutes: Ahmed Qurei, Saeb Erekat and Tzipi Livni Summary   Minutes of meeting among Qurei, Erekat, Livni and others in Jerusalem. The parties discuss Israeli disruption of Gaza; nature of each separate state; the need for committees; acceptable parameters for discussion (Clinton); borders; role of third parties; and other permanent status issues. Livni: “Israel was established to become a national home for Jews from all over the world. The Jew gets the citizenship as soon as he steps in Israel, and therefore don’t say anything about the nature of Israel as I don’t wish to interfere in the nature of your state. The conflict we’re trying to solve is between two peoples. They used to say that there were no Palestinian people; my father used to say so too. They used to say Pales...

NOVANEWS   PSC Fringe meeting at Green Party Conference After Israel’s Gaza flotilla attack – what next for Palestine? Sunday 12th September, 6pm Recital Hall Birmingham Conservatoire Speakers: Caroline Lucas MP Alex Phillips, eye-witness on the Mavi Marmara Chair: Sammi Ibrahem, West Midlands PSC

NOVANEWS   Songs by Ikhlas-Yasmin Jebara from Salem: Part II   This continues the previous post, showing for the first time songs by our friend Ikhlas.  The picture above was taken a few weeks ago, when Ikhlas visited the Mediterranean Sea for the second time in her life. The sea is only 47km from her home (measured via Google Maps), but the Occupation regime –  especially its prisonlike nature during the past decade – prevents most West Bank Palestinians from visiting it. Both of Ikhlas’ beach visits were initiated by the Villages Group. On the first time, Ikhlas and her brother Mohammed were taken to Tel Aviv to meet an Israeli eye specialist, who unfortunately confirmed that their blindness is incurable. The second time came about after repeated appeals to military authorities, to...