Mideast News Digest
Jerusalem Summit Declares War on 'Radical Islam'
The Jabotinsky and Darbyite cultists, led by Richard Perle, Daniel Pipes, Gary Bauer, Bibi Netanyahu, Beny Elon and Effi Eitam, who convened in Jerusalem for the so-called "Jerusalem Summit," Oct. 11-15, have issued what could be called a declaration of civilizational war, along the lines of the Defense Policy Board's Eliot Cohen and James Woolsey's call for "World War IV." The Joint Declaration of the "summit," signed by all the participants, who "oppose the conceding of a Palestinian state," says:
"The ideology of radical Islam, which stands behind so much of today's terrorism, represents the third major totalitarian threat to civilization in the past century, following Fascism and Communism." It asserts that the State of Israel is, "symbolically and operationally, on the front-line battle to defend civilization" and that "the war on radical Islam is a righteous cause."
According to a well-placed Middle East expert in the U.S., the phrase "radical Islam" has been completely phased out by neo-con warmongers Daniel Pipes, Meyrav Wurmser of the Hudson Institute, and her husband David Wurmser, now in Dick Cheney's office. The Wurmsers are "making the rounds" in Washington, especially among Jewish circles, to give special briefings, that it is "all of Islam," not just "radical Islam," that is the new worldwide enemy. On July 30, Republican House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (Texas) had delivered a speech before the Israeli Knesset, in which he, too, invoked a global war on Islam, and declared that the United States and Israel took an identical approach to the issue.
Iran Will Sign Nuclear Non-Proliferation Protocol
Following talks with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the UK, the Iranian government agreed to sign the protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been demanding. The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Hojatoleslam Hassan Rowhani, made the announcement on Oct. 21, saying Iran would sign by Nov. 20. Iran also agreed to suspend its uranium-enrichment program, as a gesture of good will; the spent fuel will be returned to Russia. Rowhani said it was a voluntary decision, of undetermined duration, and that the country would resume it whenever it deemed necessary.
During the talks with the European ministers, Iranian government officials reiterated that nuclear weapons have no place in their defense doctrine, that they are committed to the NPT regime, and that they will cooperate fully with the IAEA to ensure transparency.
The European trio said they welcomed Iran's decision, and that they recognized the right of Iran to the peaceful use of nuclear energy. They said, the protocol in no way is intended to "undermine the sovereignty, national dignity or national security of its states' parties," the government news agency, IRNA reported. In their view, the full implementation of Tehran's decision, confirmed by the IAEA director-general, Mohamed ElBaradei, "should enable the immediate situation to be resolved by the IAEA Board of Governors." ElBaradei is reportedly optimistic about Iran's cooperation.
IRNA added, "Once international concerns, including those of the three governments, are fully resolved, Iran could expect easier access to modern technologies and supplies in a range of areas. They will cooperate with Iran to promote security and stability in the region, including the establishment of a zone, free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations."
The development is very encouraging: Although more detailed information on the content of the talks is requiredand will be forthcomingthe following points are clear: 1) France, Germany, and Britain have succeeded in demonstrating that the "constructive dialogue" approach to Iran, works. 2) Iran apparently received guarantees from the Europeans, that it would receive the technological assistance it requires, and has a right to, according to the NPT. 3) Iran voluntarily suspended its uranium-enrichment program, something the Russians had encouraged them to do, as a goodwill gesture. 4) Inside Iran, the fact that these guarantees have been made, makes it easier for the conservatives, who had opposed the protocol, to agree. The fact that Rowhani, considered a hardliner, has been named as a liaison, indicates there is agreement inside Iran on the deal. 5) The references to a zone free of WMD is aimed at Israel, and signals support for the proposal that the Arab League has long held on the issue.
Iran Cooperating with West in War on Terrorism
Despite conflict over Iran's nuclear program, and U.S. accusations that Tehran is providing cover for alleged senior al-Qaeda members, Abdullah Ramezanzadeh, spokesman for Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, told Time magazine Oct. 20 that Tehran is supplying intelligence services of friendly Western and regional powers with information culled from some 500 al-Qaeda captives.
"If Americans need any information, they can ask through countries friendly to us," he told Time. He further insisted that three top leaders of al-QaedaOsama bin Laden's son; heir-apparent as leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri; and spokesman Sulaiman Abu Ghaithare not in Iran.
Time furthermore reported that several former senior U.S. officials have recently held informal discussions with Iran. They include Brent Scowcroft, Chairman of President George W. Bush's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.
Attacks on U.S. Forces in Iraq Increasing
Attacks on U.S. troops have reached as high as 35 per day, said American Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, at a news conference in Baghdad Oct. 22. Sanchez attributed the increase in incidents to the deployment of additional thousands of light infantry soldiers who have been conducting patrols and counterinsurgency operations in cities like Fallujah and Ramadi, in the province of Anbar: "We're taking the fight to the enemy out there," he said.
The frequency of attacks on U.S. forces in the Anbar began increasing in August and September. Although Sanchez maintained that Anbar province was "clearly a stronghold for former regime loyalists," local leaders in Fallujah contend many of the attacks are prompted by anger among young Islamic activists at the sight of American military vehicles on the streets of the traditional town. Mustafa Yaacoubi, a spokesman for the Shiite Muslim cleric, Muqtada Sadr, in Najaf, said, "It's apparent, [that U.S. forces] are trying, in many different ways, to provoke us."
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Will Not Send Troops to Iraq
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah and Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf have both declined to send troops to Iraq without the express invitation from the Iraqi populace, in what must be seen as a further blow to President G.W. Bush's "coalition of the willing," Associated Press reported on Oct. 19.
Crown Prince Abdullah, in no uncertain terms, denounced terrorism: "A handful of criminal terrorists have destroyed our relations with other people. They have disfigured the picture of Islam and Muslims. We should fight this small group and prove their claims wrong. All those criminals who create chaos on earth, who spill blood and kill innocent people, they have lost their way. They claim to work for God and his Prophet. They are saying only lies."
With Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri standing next to him, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said, on the issue of troops, "The express opinion of the Iraqi people has not been shown to us, and until that time ... we will not send any troops." Kasuri added, "If the people of Iraq ask for help, Pakistan as a brotherly country will do what it can, but we will wait for that to happen."
Sharon Vows To Finish Security Wall Within a Year
At the opening of the winter session of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament), Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said that the "security" fence, including areas around Jerusalem, would be finished in a year. According to this report, from BBC Oct. 20, Sharon had to fight to be heard over the heckling of the assembly.
Palestinian Authority Declares State of Emergency
The Palestinian National Authority declared a state of emergency because of a lack of medical supplies in the Gaza Strip, Ha'aretz reported Oct. 21. As this news service warned in advance, Israel has launched a massive military operation against the Gaza Strip, at the beginning of October.
At the same time, the International Red Cross anounced it had been forced to end its emergency food program in the West Bank, which was feeding at least 300,000 people. It had started the program last year, after Israel launched Operation Defensive Shield, better known as "Operation Warsaw Ghetto," in which the Israelis reoccupied the West Bank. The Red Cross said that the Israelis were violating the Geneva Convention, stipulating that the occupying power must ensure that food reaches the population. Israel has made absolutely no effort to comply. The Red Cross had been providing $100 worth of food aid per family per month. Although the World Food Organization will step in to provide some food, it can only provide $35 per family and only reach 240,000 people. That leaves 60,000 with no aid at all.
Israeli Officer Threatens Palestinian Extermination
The Jerusalem Post, on Oct. 23, ran an article quoting from an unnamed "senior military officer," threatening the mass extermination of the Palestinians.
The officer, suspected to be Chief of Staff Gen. Moshe Ya'alon, told the Post that the Jewish state was capable of violent rage against an enemy, and warned that there could be a point where the Palestinians could certainly spark it. Then the officer is quoted directly: "[Dresden] or Nagasaki or Hiroshima?" he said, referring to the allied bombing of German civilians and two U.S. atomic bombings of Japan. "I don't think we are at that point but it could be that the Palestinians will bring us to this at some point." He went to say, "If it becomes clear to us that even after Arafat, the leadership that will take over is not a partner for any kind of solution or arrangement, I presume Israeli society will start to discuss options. It wouldn't go without the legitimacy of society."
Israeli Arrested for Selling Bombs to Arab
An Israeli Jew was arrested in Jerusalem earlier this month for making and selling bombs, according to the Jerusalem Post Oct. 20. The undercover policeman who entrapped the man, was posing as an Arab, and had asked whether the three-kilo bomb, which he was going to buy for 25,000 shekels ($5,600), could be used to blow up buses. The bomb-maker, whose name is Hanan Yadgarov, answered in the affirmative, and claimed he sells the bombs to criminals, and not to political organizations such as Hamas.
Arab Knesset Member Target of Assassination Attempt
Issam Makhoul, an Israeli-Arab member of the Israeli Knesset, was the target of a failed bomb attack, Ha'aretz reported Oct. 24. A fire-bomb exploded underneath Makhoul's car, setting it ablaze. Although his wife was in the car at the time, she managed to escape unhurt. Makhoul, who was not in the car at the time, said that he was obviously the target of an attack which had nationalistic motives.
Makhoul is a member of the Haddash-Ta'al party, formerly, the Israeli Communist Party, which is mostly Arab-Israeli in its membership. In February 2000, after an appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court, Makhoul held the first Parliamentary debate on Israel's nuclear weapons, for which he was roundly denounced.
Speaking in the Knesset at the time, he said, "The entire world knows that Israel is a vast nuclear, biological, ... and chemical warehouse that is used as an anchor ... for the nuclear arms race in the Middle East."
This past July, Makhoul gave an interview to the BBC for the latter's special report on Israel's nuclear arsenal. He told the BBC: "Why are the Americans looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? I can show them where there are weapons of mass destruction ... including nuclear weapons. They are in Dimona, in Haifa Bay, in the Eilabun mountain, ... and in the area of Sakneen, Yofhata. Let them send their inspectors to me, ... and I will lead them by the hand and show them."
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