The Reporter
2006
(Updated 14 October 2006 00:00)
- NABA Press Release 25 July
- NABA Press Release 15 July
- BAMA Press Release 27 July
- Greater London Authority vacancies - Refugee integration strategy in London
- الإسرائيليون اختاروا الوسط فانهار اليمين واليسار الاحزاب العربية تهزم استطلاعات الرأي وتزيد من قوتها
- مؤتمر بيروت لمقاومة الاحتلال مارس \ اذار 2006
- Academics murders continue in Iraq: Prof Alhashimi's murder by American soldiers
- We should leave Iraq sooner rather than later
- Statement
by the Arab national Congress (in Arabic)
AIRSS
(Arab Institute for Research and Strategic Studies)
Letter from 55 MPs to the Guardian
Letter
from Israelis in the UK to the Guardian
Letter from NGOs re Lebanon
Non-Muslim students at Islamic school forced to wear
headscarves
From the Daily
Mail / Last updated at 22:00pm on 13th October 2006
The hijab: Non-Muslim girls attending an Islamic school
will have no choice but to wear headscarves
Female students at a new Islamic school will be made to
wear head scarves regardless of their religion, it was revealed yesterday.
The
But girls who are not Muslim will still have to abide by a
rule insisting all female pupils cover their heads as part of the uniform.
Assistant principal Zainab Elgaziari said he did not
regard the demand as a problem - despite the ongoing row over Muslim women's
veils.
He said: 'I can't see why if a student wears a head scarf
it should be an issue. It's the same as a shirt or tie - it's just part of
our uniform.
'We will welcome students of other faiths. Indeed, there
will be a quota set down by the Government, and we will abide by these
rules.
'When you go to any school you know what the uniform will
be. Like any school, we will have one - and in our case it will include a
head scarf.'
The secondary school, a voluntary-aided state academy,
will replace the city's existing Islamic Academy when it opens next
September.
Education spokesman Hussein Suleman, who is also a member
of the school's temporary governing body, said: 'We have to find a balance.
'Governors have to take into account the fact that 10 per
cent can be of a non-Muslim background and use discretion where appropriate.
'At the same time, parents have a right to send or not
send their children to this school. I hope discretion will be used if there
are any disagreements.'
The school, which is not expected to make boys cover their
heads, was also backed by Suleman Nagdi, of the Federation of Muslim
Organisations.
He said: 'All Islamic schools have certain criteria for
school uniform. I can't see anything different about the criteria they are
setting in this instance.'
Friday 04 August 2006, 21:01 Makka Time, 18:01 GMT
Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, said he had recalled his country's ambassador to Israel to show his "indignation" over the military offensive in Lebanon.
In a televised speech on Thursday, he called the Israeli attacks "genocide".
He said: "It really causes indignation to see how the state of Israel continues bombing, killing ... with all of the power they have, with the support of the United States."
Chavez has repeatedly criticised the Israeli offensive.
He said: "It's hard to explain to oneself how nobody does anything to stop this horror."
His government has until recently said it had good relations with Israel.
During a recent visit to Iran, Chavez called Israeli attacks on Lebanon a "fascist outrage".
He said: "The Israeli elite repeatedly criticise Hitler's actions against the Jews, and indeed Hitler's actions must be criticised, not just against the Jews but against the world. It's also fascism what Israel is doing to the Palestinian people ... terrorism and fascism."
Venezuela has both Arab immigrant and Jewish communities and Venezuelan officials have insisted that the government will continue to fully respect the Jewish community despite its strong opposition to Israel's war in Lebanon.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/758B61AA-7D24-470F-83D2-78633DA88019.htm
STATEMENT
OF BAMA (British Arab Medical Association,
The British Arab Medical
Association (BAMA), a society for Arab Doctors and allied professionals in
the
We extend our heartfelt
support to those hundreds of families who have lost their loved ones, or
been made homeless, through this mindless saga of destruction.
The social impact of the
devastation of whole neighbourhoods, schools and the dislocation of
communities is of great concern to us, and we call upon the governments of
all nations to demand a halt to Israeli aggression to put an end to this
tragedy.
The Middle Eastern
governments should bear their share of responsibility in ensuring stability
and provide comprehensive logistic support to achieve peace for
BAMA believes that the region
needs a genuine pragmatic initiative to stop the region from sliding further
back into a social and political wilderness -
It is imperative that western
governments give outright condemnation of the actions of
President of BAMA and Council members
Miqdad Al-Ani, (
Maath Al-Dour, (President)
Mousa Al-Kurdi; (Immediate Past-President)
Khiloud Al-Saeidi, (Vice-President, Dentistry)
Raja’ Coumin, (Vice President)
Aymen Hamadeh, (Assistant General Secretary 1)
Asel Yousef Izzildeen, (Wales)
Joseph Jabbour, (General Secretary)
Ismail Jalili, (Past President)
Wafiq Mustafa, (President Elect)
Dimah Nasret, (Assistant General Secretary 2)
Muhga Saada,
Husham Barrak (Overseas)
Tuesday 25th July 06
It’s not about who’s Right or Wrong
Islamic Relief lends its support to the global campaign to bring the voice of the silenced to all of us and to get our money to them before they lose their last breath and not just their voices. And as you sit there scratching your heads trying to make sense of it all, remember that it’s not about who’s right or wrong but it’s about healing humanity.
With violence increasing in the Middle East millions of lives have been turned upside down. 500,000 civilians have been forced to flee their homes in Lebanon alone. 60,000 people are being evacuated to Cyprus.
Access to food and water is limited due to the destruction of much of the infrastructure, and Lebanon’s ports have been blockaded and attacks have closed Beirut airport.
According to local reports obtained by Islamic Relief, there is urgent need for basic food packages, clean water, blankets, mattresses and medicine. Furthermore the biggest challenge is transporting the goods safely to the people in need.
Islamic Relief’s UK Manager, Waseem Yaqub said “Most of us are not in a position to decide who’s to blame, many of us cannot bring the killing to an end, and most of us are horrified. But all of us can help to make the life of the victims less horrible, all of us can stop the humanitarian disaster taking the lives of the innocent.”
Note to the editor:
Islamic Relief is a British international NGO with its Headquarters in Birmingham, UK. We seek to promote sustainable economic and social development by working with local communities through relief and development programmes. Established in the UK in 1984, Islamic Relief is dedicated to alleviating the poverty and suffering of the world’s poorest people regardless of race, religion or gender.
Press Association
Saturday July 22, 2006 2:28 PM
Thousands of people around the country demonstrated against the Israeli military action in Lebanon.
Rallies took place in London and other major cities organised by the main Muslim groups and the Stop The War Coalition.
In London police estimated that about 7,000 people began a march from Whitehall through the centre of the West End, past the United States Embassy and on to Hyde Park.
Figures at the front of the protest included leaders of organisations such as the Muslim Association of Britain and anti-war campaigners like Respect MP George Galloway and writer Tariq Ali.
The vast majority of demonstrators, which included men, women and children, shouted slogans such as "Peace for Lebanon" while carrying banners and a Lebanese national flag.
However, a handful of more boisterous protestors chanted "Hezbollah" and "Down down with Israel".
Among the people marching was Alex Pereira, the cousin of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot dead by police officers at Stockwell tube station a year ago. He was joined by the two brothers arrested by police following a controversial raid on their house in Forest Gate, east London, earlier this year.
By the time the London protest moved past the US embassy the numbers of demonstrators appeared to have swelled.
At least 50 uniformed police officers stood in the line guarding the entrance to the embassy while metal barricades also prevented the march from accessing the main door.
At one point a group of around a dozen protestors burst from the side of the march and pulled down several of the metal barriers in an apparent attempt to get closer to the building. Some police officers immediately rushed over but did not appear to arrest anyone, despite several bottles also being thrown at the embassy.
© Copyright Press Association Ltd 2006, All Rights Reserved.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-5967887,00.html
Photo Album of the war on Lebanon
NB: the original story with photographs here:
http://www.uruknet.info/?s1=55&p=24885&s2=21
UPDATED
As-Safir Newspaper
http://www.uruknet.info/?s1=1&p=24936&s2=23
July 21st, 2006
This is what we were able to find out today locally : The main points from our reports today are :
1- what Zeinab was able to find out about electromagnetic arms: please check http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/136518/1/5795
(see below)
2- the director of Nabatiyeh National Hospital in the south , dr Hassan Wazni , talks about "vacuum bombs, it vacuums the air out of the body and stops the breathing and thus the heart stops operating. He also speaks about one death case , that of Sadek Hamed (12) whose caused is still unknown (medically) .
3- A spokesman for the army , said on record that the Israelis are using "bombs with special fillings" that could include internationally forbidden material.
4- The director of Marjeyoun national hospital (south) dr Mo'ness Kalakesh speaks about abnormal cases they treated: weird burns that make the skin glued and almost impossible to treat. These are people whose either arms or legs were hurt.
5- The doctors in the hospitals in the south all say the same thing : doing test on the remains is a luxury they can not afford at this time. They lack of doctors and equipment and time .. casualties arrive the around the clock and the priority is to try and save the injured and not to test the dead. However, an American University hospital expert , the head of Environment and Public Health and Danger management departement Azmi Imad , told us that not only the remains of the corps should be tested , but also the scene where the bombings happened too. This is of course impossible for more than one reason : all the "scenes" are unreachable due to the bombings ( some of the victims of the rmayleh bridge bombings are still under the remains of their cars) + no one can afford to leave the ER to go test scenes on the ground.
6- Today they had to burn corpses due to lack of space in the morgues , so maybe we're loosing proves.
7- Several hospitals in the south speak about similar cases : burnt not burnt corpses , swallowed, no bleeding , the unbearable semll.
8- None of the doctors would go to the extend of confirming naything : they admit they don't know. Only one doctor in Tyre , director of Najm hospital , says he saw similar cases in previous Israeli aggressions.
9- This is it . Tomorrow , a WHO representative is supposed to be handed remains of corpses and tests results, but I'm not very optimistic about any of this;on one hand , the local heath authorities seem more concerned about their political agendas and pay offs and are not giving the issue the time and effort it deserves. On the other hand, I have an innate mistrust and skepticism towards anything that involves the UN.
Hanady
Beirut
http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/136518/1/5795
US using 'dangerous new form of weapon'
From Brett Wagner, president of the California Center for Strategic Studies:
A couple of weeks ago I sent you an urgent email titled "The Most Shocking Thing I Have Ever Seen."
Since then, the California Center for Strategic Studies (CCSS) has been gathering additional evidence that the U.S. government has deployed a very dangerous new form of weapon in Iraq, apparently without congressional approval.
We have now set up an online petition calling on the U.S. Congress to oppose the development and deployment of the "pain ray" and the "death ray":
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/DeathRay/petition.html
The petition also serves as a rough draft for prospective legislation.
Enclosed at the bottom of this email is an op-ed I've written which is going out all across the country next week. It will fill you in on most of the details. Thanks to our efforts, this story is probably going to be VERY BIG very soon.
Over the past week I've placed a number of phone calls to my usual contacts on Capitol Hill, and several key congressional staff members are interested in setting up a joint meeting for me to brief them on these issues. (We've worked with many of these same staffers on previous legislation.)
We believe there is a very good chance we can introduce legislation right after the August recess, but it's very important that we get the ball rolling SOON.
A few on the Democratic side of the aisle also believe this could become a very big issue in the November elections, for all the obvious reasons: mismanagement of the war in Iraq, a dangerous new precedent, etc.
(That's not to say this should be a "political issue" – but the reality is, in Washington everything is political to some extent.)
Opportunities like this to make a real difference in the course of Human Events are the primary reason why we launched our think tank 7 years ago. Since we are a small tightly-run organization, we rely almost totally on contributions from regular people like you – that means we do not have any funds set aside to pay for this trip to Washington.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"From the 'pain ray' to the 'death ray':
Have direct energy weapons already been deployed by U.S.
forces in Iraq?"
By Brett Wagner
Nothing in my training or experience as a national security specialist prepared me for what I witnessed last month when viewing a newly released documentary news video concerning an extremely controversial new generation of U.S. weaponry which may have already been secretly deployed in Iraq. This sort of thing is not for the faint of heart.
For the past few years the U.S. military has been developing new technology based on "directed energy" yielding two new types of weapons.
The first, "Active Denial System," has been nicknamed the "pain ray" -- and with good reason. It fires out millimeter waves -- a sort of cousin of microwaves, in the 95 GHz range. The invisible beams penetrate just 1/64th of
an inch beneath the skin, directly affecting the nerve endings, and a 2-second burst can heat the skin to 130 degrees. Charles Heal, a widely recognized authority on nonlethal weapons who has dubbed the ray the "Holy Grail of crowd control," likened it to having a hot iron pressed against the skin.
Deploying the pain ray would be a clear violation of international law, which prohibits weapons whose primary intention is to inflict pain. Earlier this year, a U.S. military commander in Iraq requested that, despite the ban, the weapon be deployed immediately. But following the efforts of our organization and others opposing that request, Washington has indefinitely delayed any deployment pending further testing and analysis.
The second form of directed energy weaponry fires out microwaves, a form of energy well known for its use in modern kitchen appliances. I have nicknamed this weapon the "death ray" -- and with good reason. Exposing mammals to microwaves is known to make them explode.
The documentary news video in question, which was released online recently (16 May 2006) by a major Italian news service, examines evidence that the U.S. military has deployed – dating back to the 2003 battle for Baghdad Airport – a new generation of weaponry likely based on firing microwaves. Viewer discretion is advised: even as a former professor for the U.S. Naval War College, this goes way beyond my comfort zone
Judging from the reported effects of the weaponry, it likely includes "speed of light" technology defying the generic term "laser" and it is my professional opinion that it also likely includes the use of microwaves, judging from the descriptions of bodies that seem to have inexplicably exploded.
However, I cannot imagine the scientific explanation for the cadavers that reportedly shrunk to the size of approximately one-meter in length after being exposed to some sort of ray (the cause of death) and then inadvertently struck by bullets. Neither do I have an explanation for what one eyewitness describes as a bus transformed "like a cloth, like a wet cloth" and shrunk to
the size of a Volkswagen. To me, it sounds like a very intense form of microwaves.
The statements by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and General Myers excerpted from a 2003 archived press conference are especially revealing:
JOURNALIST: Mr. Secretary, can I ask you a question about some of the technology that you're developing to fight the war on terrorists, specifically directed energy and high-powered microwave technology? When do you envision that you can weaponize that type of technology?
DONALD RUMSFELD (appearing noticeably uncomfortable with the question): In the normal order of things, when you invest in research and development and begin a developmental project, you don't have any intention or expectations that one would use it. On the other hand, the real world intervenes from time to time, and you reach in there and take something out that is still in a developmental stage, and you might use it.
JOURNALIST: But you sound like you're willing to experiment with it.
GENERAL MYERS: Yeah, I think that's the point. And I think we have from the beginning of this conflict… I think General Franks [commander of U.S. forces in Iraq] has been very open to looking at new things, if there are new things available, and has been willing to put them into the fight, even before they've been fully wrung out… And we will continue to do that.
Also noteworthy was the inclusion of footage, albeit very brief, near the end of the documentary of the "pain ray" being tested on a person identified as an American soldier. The person exposed to the ray obviously experienced excruciating pain before ducking quickly out of the line of fire.
The closing remarks in the documentary by highly-respected military analyst William Arkin echo my widely-publicized concerns regarding the implications of
the pain ray for use in crowd control in the U.S. – and the potential threat to our basic civil liberties, such as our First Amendment rights of peaceable assembly and to petition the government for a redress of our grievances (not to mention undermining the norms expressed by Sixth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment).
These types of weapons pose a dire threat to the world as we know it and their deployment must be prevented at all cost. At the very least, they could ignite a new global arms race, which in turn would lead to increasing global instability or worse.
We simply must not allow this "Brave New World" to enter our own.
_______________________________________
Brett Wagner is president of the California Center for Strategic Studies (www.TheCaliforniaCenter.org).
Additional research was provided by CCSS analysts Jacob Shepard and Clay Fordahl.
(The video cited can be viewed in English, Italian or Arabic by clicking on
http://www.rainews24.it/ran24/inchieste/guerre_stellari_iraq.asp)
_______________________________________
The California Center for Strategic Studies is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax exempt educational institute as recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, and is incorporated in the State of California.
New Chair for the EMLD (Ethnic Minorities Liberal Democrats Forum)
After a successful AGM, the EMLD have elected a new Chair and Executive. Cllr Meral Ece, elected unopposed, is the first woman to be elected as Chair.
Meral has been a councillor for 12 years, having served 2 terms on Hackney Council, including a period as Deputy
Leader of the Council. She has been a councillor in Islington since 2002, and until may this year was the Cabinet
Member for Health & Social Care. She was re-elected in May this year.
Meral is a member of the Liberal Democrats Federal Executive, elected to represent councillors. She has been a PPC
and a GLA candidate. Meral was the first, and until May, the only Lib Dem councillor form a Turkish background.
Meral is a management consultant, and has worked in both the NHS and local government.
Meral commented:
"I am delighted to take on this challenging role and look forward to working with the talented newly elected Executive
Committee, to take EMLD forward to ensure we work as Liberal Democrats towards racial equality, both within and
externally to the Party.
I believe as Liberal Democrats, we have the policies and principles that resonate with the UK's Multi-ethnic and multi-faith communities. We will work to increase membership and
participation from he wider ethnic minority population, and lead on the drive on the party's drive for greater diversity in the Party."
Other officers elected to EMLD executive are: Shahbaz Husain, Dorrie Valery, Claudia Wilmot, Balan
Sisupalan.
CAABU was deeply alarmed by the inadequate statement made by Prime Minister, Tony Blair to the House of Commons on 18th July regarding the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The only way out of this conflict is the immediate cessation of violence on all sides. In this light, it is disgraceful that the British Government has failed to join the majority of the international community in calling all sides to an immediate ceasefire.
This glaring omission in Blair’s statement could be seen as condoning the continued disproportionate use of force employed by the Israeli army and the collective punishment of both Lebanese and Palestinian civilians.
It effectively gives the green light to further killings of Arab civilians in far greater numbers. Not only that, but the Prime Minister’s analysis of the situation is deeply flawed as it ignores Israel’s role in this crisis, not least the huge numbers of Palestinian civilians they killed in Gaza before any Israeli soldier was kidnapped. Furthermore, by heavily targeting civilian infrastructure, the Lebanese army, and Christian areas of Lebanon, Israel has gone far beyond defending itself against Hizballah missile attacks.
Blair’s acquiescence of Israeli war crimes in Palestine and Lebanon will only harden the view that increasingly the British Government values Israeli lives more than Arab ones.
Whilst CAABU wants to see the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1559 and full restoration of Lebanese sovereignty, there is no excuse for Israel’s continued violations of UNSCRs and this should also be clearly stated by the British Government.
Chris Doyle, Director of CAABU warns that “the outcome of all this will be hugely dangerous to British interests and security and could potentially unleash extremist forces far greater than already seen in this conflict.”
There is no excuse for delays in urgent and forceful diplomacy to bring about an end to this dangerous crisis.
For further information contact CAABU on 0207 832 1310, caabu@caabu.org
Chris Doyle
Director
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/this_week/about_the_show/default.s
tm (you can hear the comments on the website if you listen to the
programme again- 30 minutes into it)
CAABU Director, Chris Doyle has written to the BBC to condemn the
comments on the BBC television programme, This Week, by leading British
columnist, Maureen Lipman.
Unchallenged by the presenter, Andrew Neil, Lipman commented on the
situation in the Middle East and denied that the Israeli actions were
disproportionate "What's proportion got to do with it. It's not about
proportion, is it? Human life is not cheap to the Israelis. And human
life on the other side is quite cheap actually because they strap bombs
to people and send them to blow themselves up."
The idea that somehow Arabs, whether Palestinians or Lebanese, do not
value human life as much as anyone else is disgraceful.
In the letter Doyle wrote, "Is it acceptable that what most people would
consider a racist comment is merely allowed to pass like this? It is
simply outrageous. The comments were made in the context of discussing
proportionality, and that therefore implicitly she is saying that you
could not measure proportion because there was no equivalence between an
Israeli of an Arab life. All Arabs like all peoples value human life.
I ask, if an Arab had stated on this programme that Jews did not value
life as much as Arabs, and therefore disproportionate killings were
acceptable, what would have been the reaction?"
تجمع
اللجان
والروابط
الشعبية
لبنان
بشور
يتلقى
اتصالات
عربية
متضامنة من
اقطار عربية
واتصالات
لتصعيد
التحركات
الشعبية في
الوطن
العربي
والمغتربات
وجولة
على جمعيات
في بيروت
ولقاء في
منطقة
الجناح
ابرز
المتصلين
وبشكل يومي
الامين
العام
للمؤتمر
القومي
العربي
الاستاذ
خالد
السفياني،
الامين
العام
للمؤتمر
العام
للاحزاب
العربية
الاستاذ عبد
العزيز
السيد،
المنسق
العام
بالوكالة
للمؤتمر
القومي –
الاسلامي
اللواء طلعت
مسلم، نائب
الامين
العام
لاتحاد
المحامين
العرب عبد
العظيم
مغربي، حيث
تم التوافق
على عقد
اجتماع طارئ
للامناء
العامين
للمؤتمرات
والاتحادات
في احدى
العواصم
العربية
خلال
اليومين
القادمين
لوضع خطة
للتحرك.
بشور
تلقى ايضاً
اتصالاً من
المطران
الدكتور عطا
الله حنا من
القدس عبّر
فيه عميق
تضامنه وطلب
نقل اعتزازه
الى قادة
المقاومة
ورجالها
الابطال،
كما تلقى
بشور اتصالاً
من سماحة اية
الله السيد
احمد الحسني
البغدادي من
النجف
الاشرف اكدّ
فيها عن عميق
اهتمام
الشعب
العراقي بكل
فئاته
بالمحنة
التي يمر بها
لبنان وعن
دعمه الكامل
لشعب لبنان
ومقاومته في
وجه العدوان.
بشور
تلقى
اتصالات في
الاتجاه
ذاته من امين
عام جبهة
التحرير
الوطني
الجزائرية
السابق عبد
الحميد مهري،
عضو الامانة
العامة
للمؤتمر
القومي
العربي
مصطفى نويصر،
والنائب في
البرلمان
الجزائري
الاستاذ حسن
العريبي
الذي افاد ان
اتصالات قد
اجراها مع
رئيس
الحكومة
الجزائرية
عبد العزيز
بلخادم،
والمستشار
الاول لرئيس
الجمهورية،
للبحث في
سبيل دعم
اعمار لبنان
بعد العدوان.
من
المتصلين
ايضاً رئيس
التجمع
القومي
العربي في
البحرين
الدكتور
رسول الجشي،
عضو الامانة
العامة
للمؤتمر
القومي
العربي من
قطر الدكتور
محمد المسفر،
وعضو
الامانة
العامة من
دولة
الامارات
عوني فرسخ،
الذين عبروا
عن مشاعر
عارمة
تضامنية مع
لبنان
ومقاومته
تجرف ابناء
اقطارهم حيث
جرت تظاهرات
في الكويت
والبحرين
والامارات
وقطر ناهيك
عن التأييد
الهائل
للبنان
ومقاومته في
المملكة
العربية
السعودية.
ومن
المتصلين
الدكتور
وميض عمر
نظمي، د. حسن
هاشم، د. علي
الحديثي، د.
عبد الكريم
الجبوري، د.
محسن
الفرهود من
العراق،
ورئيس
التجمع
الوطني
الديمقراطي
الليبي د.
محمد فاضل
زيان، رئيسة
النادي
العربي في
بريطانيا
سابقاً صفاء
الصاوي،
الاستاذ عبد
القادر غوقة
عضو الامانة
العامة
للمؤتمر
القومي
العربي،
والعديد من
الشخصيات
والكوادر
الشبابية
العربية.
وقد
اكد بشور
لكافة
الشخصيات
المتضامنة
مع لبنان
ومقاومته
ثقته ان
لبنان
بمقاومته
ووحدته
سيخرج
منتصراً من
هذه المعركة
رغم التواطؤ
الدولي
والتخاذل
الرسمي
العربي،
وسيكتشف
هؤلاء جميعاً،
سواء في تل
ابيب، او
واشنطن او
بعض العواصم
العربية كم
كانت
قراءتهم
خاطئة
لمجريات هذا
العدوان
الذي يتحول
يوماً بعد
يوم الى مأزق
خطير لحكومة
تل ابيب لا
تجد سبيلاً
لمعالجته
الا بالمزيد
من سفك دماء
الابرياء من
اهل لبنان
والسعي
لاتخاذ من
لبنان باسره،
شعبا ودولة
ومؤسسات،
رهينة له
بذريعة
الافراج عن
جنديين
مخطوفين.
بشور
تساءل مع
محدثيه : كم
يستطيع
المجتمع
الصهيوني ان
يصمد وهو يرى
نصف السكان
في المساكن،
ومعظم
مصانعه
ومؤسساته
السياحية
وغير
السياحية
مقفلاً،
واغلب مدنه
الكبرى
مهدداً ؟
انهم
يراهنون على
انهيار
الصمود
اللبناني،
واللبنانيون
علمتهم
التجارب كيف
يتكيفون مع
هذه الحروب
ويتغلبون
عليها، فيما
الصهاينة
ليسوا
مهيئين منذ
قيام كيانهم
الغاصب
لعمليات يصل
مداها الى
حيث وصل
ويمكن ان يصل.
وقدر
بشور ان هذه
المواقف
الدولية
المتواطئة،
والمواقف
العربية
المتخاذلة
ليست بعيدة
عن المخطط
الشامل
للعدوان،
وهدفها
المعروف هو
اطلاق حرب
نفسية
ومعنوية على
الشعب
اللبناني
تقوم على
ركيزتين
اولهما
الضغط
العسكري
وثانيهما
الضغط
السياسي،
فتظلم
الدنيا بوجه
اللبناني
ويتجه نحو
الاستسلام.
ولكن
الذي فاجأ
العدو
بالفعل ان
الصورة لم
تختصر
بالمشهدين
اللذين
اعدتهما
الخطة
الامريكية
والاسرائيلية،
فالمشهد
العسكري لم
يكن لصالح
العدوان حتى
الآن،
والمشهد
الشعبي
العربي في
غليان ضد
انظمته
المتخاذلة
والعدوان،
وبعض الدول
الاوروبية
والغربية لم
تستطع
مجاراة
واشنطن في
تصفيتها
لهذا
الارهاب
الاسرائيلي
المتمادي في
عدوانيته.
وختم
بشور بالقول:
ان الايام
بيننا، وان
المعركة
ليست بين حزب
الله
والصهاينة،
بل هي بين
عموم الشعب
اللبناني
والعربي
وبين المخطط
الامريكي
الصهيوني،
وان تلاحم
روافد
المقاومة في
الامة من
فلسطين الى
لبنان الى
العراق هو
اقصر الطرق
للنصر.
بشور
في جولة تصل
الى الجناح
ومن جهة
أخرى قام
بشور بجولة
شملت عدداً
من مقار
الجمعيات
والروابط
واللجان
الاجتماعية
حيث بحث مع
مأمون مكحل
رئيس جمعية
شبيبة الهدى
وراجي حكيم
رئيس
الرابطة
الاهلية في
الطريق
الجديدة في
مجمل
الترتيبات
الجارية
لاغاثة
المواطنين
واسعافهم
وانقاذهم
محييا بشكل
خاص دور جهاز
الدفاع
المدني في
الجمعية
الذي بقي
مستنفراً في
الضاحية
الجنوبية
طيلة الايام
السابقة.
كما زار
بشور منطقة
السان سيمون –
الجناح حيث
عقد لقاء شرح
فيها
الاوضاع
الراهنة
وحضرها عدد
كبير من شباب
المنطقة
وعلى رأسهم
رئيس اللجنة
الشعبية في
المنطقة عبد
الرحمن مطر،
وقد اكد شباب
المنطقة على
تصميمهم في
الدفاع عن
عاصمتهم
بيروت، كما
عن مقاومتهم
الباسلة،
مؤكدين ان
منشورات
العدو لن
تخيفهم ولن
تزعزعهم عن
مراقفهم
ومواقعهم.
التاريخ:
16/7/2006
John Austin MP, the Joint Chairman of the Council for Arab-British
Understanding, has written to the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, calling on
him to suspend his Special Envoy to the Middle East, Lord Levy.
Mr Austin argues that the Labour peer, who has been caught up in the
loans for peerages scandal, is unable to act as an effective envoy at
this time of great tensions in the Middle East.
Text of the Letter:
Rt Hon Tony Blair MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing St
London SW1
13th July 2006
Following the arrest of Lord Levy, I am writing on behalf of the Council
for Arab-British Understanding, to enquire whether this development will
result in his suspension as your special envoy to the Middle East?
We strongly hope that it does, as we feel his credibility in such a
sensitive and crucial role will now have been compromised beyond repair.
Given that his energies will be devoted elsewhere, we question whether
he can function effectively at this time.
We hope that given the escalating crisis in the Middle East, that this
important role should be filled by a highly qualified individual who
will command respect from all sides, and not be seen as partisan to one
side over another.
John Austin MP
Joint-Chair of CAABU
1 Gough Square, London, EC4A 3DE
Tel: 020 7832 1310
Fax: 020 7832 1329
www.caabu.org
المؤتمر القومي العربي
Arab National Congress
ادلى مصدر مسؤول في الامانة العامة للمؤتمر القومي العربي بما يلي:
فوجئت الاوساط الشعبية العربية بالتصريح المنسوب الى "مصدر مسؤول" سعودي حول الاوضاع في لبنان والذي يحاول تحميل المقاومة مسؤولية العدوان الصهيوني على لبنان.
اننا اذ نتطلع الى توضيح رسمي من الحكومة السعودية حول صفة هذا "المصدر"، وحول الموقف الرسمي للعاهل السعودي وحكومته مما يجري في لبنان نود التأكيد على الامور التالية:
1 – ان عملية الوعد الصادق البطولية التي نفذها مجاهدو المقاومة اللبنانية وادت الى اسر جنديين صهيونيين وقتل عدد آخر لم تكن مغامرة غير محسوبة ولخدمة اطراف اقليمية، بل هي عملية نوعية رائعة اعتزّ بها كل عربي ومسلم بعد سنوات من الشعور بالخيبة والاحباط، وبعد اسابيع من الصمت الرسمي المريب ازاء العدوان الوحشي على غزة، وهي عملية محسوبة تخطيطاً وتنفيذاً في اطار الهدف المحدود لها وهو اسر جنود لمبادلتهم مع الاسرى اللبنانيين والفلسطينيين والعرب في سجون الاحتلال.
2 – ان قيادة المقاومة لم تخفِ منذ فترة طويلة نيتها الاقدام على اسر جنود صهاينة لانجاز عملية التبادل، وهو ما ينفي اي ادعاء بان احداً في الحكومة اللبنانية او الشعب اللبناني او في المحافل العربية او الدولية لم يكن على علم بنية المقاومة، ولم يصدر اي بيان عن اية جهة يرفض هذه النية لدى المقاومة، اما وضع الجميع في تفاصيل العملية وتوقيتها فهو امر غير معقول كما يعرف الجميع.
3 – ان التشكيك عن توقيت العملية يتجاهل ان المقاومة حاولت مراراً اسر جنود صهاينة، وفي بعض الاحيان كانت تجري اشتباكات على هامش هذه العمليات.
ولذلك نرى ان توقيت العملية لم يكن مرتبطاً اذن الا بظروف نجاحها وليس باعتبارات اخرى وهذا ما اكدته المقاومة.
4 – ان آخر ما نتوقع منه صدور مثل هذا الموقف عنه هو ان يأتي من جهة رسمية سعودية، لان التعامل الصهيوني والامريكي منذ اكثر من اربع سنوات مع مبادرة الملك عبد الله بن عبد العزيز والمعروفة "بمبادرة السلام العربية" الصادرة عن قمة بيروت العربية، يكشف بوضوح ان اللغة الوحيدة التي يفهمها العدو هي لغة المقاومة، فيما كانت كل الجهود الديبلوماسية العربية والسعودية خصوصاً تتبدد امام العناد الامريكي والصهيوني.
فما من مبادرة نجحت في تحرير شبر واحد من الارض، او اسير من ابناء فلسطين والامة، او في وقف عدوان، بل ان الرد الصهيوني على "المبادرة العربية" – التي نتحفظ عليها من موقعنا المبدئي والقومي – كان باعادة احتلال مدن الضفة الغربية ومحاصرة الرئيس الشهيد ابي عمار حتى الاجهاز عليه.
ان المؤتمر القومي العربي يعتبر ان هذا الموقف، الذي يأمل ان لايكون الموقف الرسمي السعودي، موقف مدان بكل المقاييس لانه يصب مباشرة في خدمة الموقف الصهيوني – الامريكي، ويغضّ الطرف عن الاجرام الصهيوني الممارس ضد ابناء لبنان وبنيته التحتية ومنشآته المدنية، كما غضّ الطرف ولم يتحرك احد عندما وقع العدوان على غزة والاراضي الفلسطينية .
وهو ايضاً موقف مدان لانه اختير له ان يعلن يومين قبل اجتماع وزراء الخارجية العرب في اطار جامعة الدول العربية، في محاولة للحيلولة دون اتخاذ موقف حازم تجاه العدوان على فلسطين وعلى لبنان.
اننا اذ نضع هذه الملاحظات، فاننا نتطلع الى توضيح سريع من الحكومة السعودية يبدد القلق الكبير الذي اثاره تصريح المصدر السعودي، آملين ان لا يترك هذا التصريح آثره على موقف وزراء الخارجية العرب في اجتماعهم غداً السبت، ولا على الموقف الداخلي في لبنان، لان لبنان ومقاومته الباسلة خصوصاً، يحتاج من العرب الى دعم ومساندة لصموده الاسطوري ولمواجهته الاستثنائية، فلو تحرك الرسميون العرب لحظة العدوان على غزة، لما رأينا العدوان اليوم على لبنان، وتحركهم اليوم ضد العدوان على لبنان لن يحمي لبنان فقط بل سيحمي غداً دولاً عديدة من العدوان المتعدد الاهداف والعناوين والاساليب.
التاريخ: 14/7/2006
Immigration: Mother consigned to certain death by harsh new rules A young mother fell ill and died on a visit to Britain - an innocent victim of the hysteria over so-called health tourism
By Maxine Frith, Social Affairs Correspondent Published: 18 May 2006 When Ese Elizabeth Alabi fell ill while on a trip to Britain and was told she urgently needed a heart transplant, she
comforted herself with the knowledge that she was in a democratic country with an excellent
healthcare system.
Instead, she was consigned to a certain death by draconian new rules brought in to quell the hysteria over so-called health tourism and immigration.
Ms Alabi was denied the chance of a heart transplant simply on the grounds of her nationality and died in hospital on Monday night at the age of 29, leaving three-month-old twin boys and a two-year-old son. Desperate attempts to get a High Court judge to overturn the rules were delayed as Ms Alabi was forced to fight a deportation battle even as she lay dying in hospital.
Her partner, Abiodun Abe, attacked the restrictions that relegated his partner to a lower priority than less sick patients. He said: "I am so angry. I love Britain and I thought it was a fair place but my wife has died because of these laws.
"Ese was devoted to God and was a good person. She always had faith that the judge would be good to her and that she would get a heart but it didn't happen."
Ms Alabi's case offers a graphic illustration of the other side of Britain's immigration debate, fuelled this week by the Home Office's admission that it has no idea of the number of illegal immigrants in the country. The Government's new rules, brought inlast year in an effort to quell fears of foreigners coming to Britain to take advantage of the NHS meant that Ese was effectively denied any chance to live.
A last-ditch bid was launched last week to persuade the High Court to overturn that decision but Ese's condition deteriorated before a judge could rule.
Richard Stein, a solicitor with the law firm Leigh Day and Co, who represented Ms Alabi, said: "I accept that there is a shortage of organs and that there was no guarantee that Ese would have got one, but she should not have been denied the chance because of the country she came from.
"After all, organs transplants are not decided on the basis of the colour of a person's skin.
"She was not a health tourist - she simply had the misfortune to fall ill here." He added: "I accept that we have to have rules to stop people from taking advantage of the NHS but they should not discriminate against people with genuine need because of this obsession about immigration.
"I think it is appalling that a civilised country like Britain treats someone like that.
"Her death was unnecessary."
Ese lived in Nigeria with her two-year-old son from a previous relationship and met Mr Abe when he returned for a visit there.
He has indefinite leave to remain in Britain and until recently worked for the Post Office.
As their relationship flourished, Ese made regular visits to Mr Abe at his home in Grays, Essex, but never overstayed her six-month tourist visas.
She travelled to Britain in September last year while pregnant with twins by Mr Abe and intended to return to her family in Nigeria to have the babies, but began feeling ill and breathless and was told she could not fly home. The twin boys, Jamal and Jazar, were born on 13 February but Ese's condition continued to worsen and she was taken to hospital in March.
She was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, which causes the heart to become enlarged, and was told her only hope was a transplant.
But she was then told that the new rules meant that while British, EU citizens and people from some other countries were put on a priority "group one" list for donor hearts, she would only put on a lower, group two list. With about 100 people on the group one list at any time and a shortage of organs, it meant she had no chance of receiving the heart she needed.
Lawyers went to the High Court asking for a judicial review of the rules but then had to fight on a second front after it emerged that Ese's illness meant she had overstayed her visa, which expired on March.
The judge adjourned the case for inquiries to take place about Ese's application for exceptional leave to remain, but by last Friday she had become so ill that doctors said she would not withstand a transplant even if a heart became available and she was at the top of the list.
Mr Abe said: "She was a very strong person and she tried to hold on. I took the babies to see her on Monday night and she gave them a kiss and touched them. I took them home and as I was taking them upstairs to bed the phone rang to say she was dead."
He now wants Ese to be buried in Britain so that the sons who never knew her will at least have her grave to visit.
A spokesman for the Department of Health said: "This is a tragic case, and we wish to express sympathy for Ms A and her family. It has involved an extremely sad and difficult process.
"Whilst no person is wholly excluded from receiving an organ, priority is given to those who are entitled to NHS treatment. We believe this to be a lawful, fair and reasonable way of allocating organs, and it is clearly supported by those who work in the field."
Arab National Congress
10 April 2006
صدر عن الامانة العامة للمؤتمر القومي العربي البيان التالي:
ان تزامن تصاعد العدوان الصهيوني الاجرامي اليوم ضد الشعب الفلسطيني ومراكز تجمعه المدنية الآمنة، ومع اجراءات احكام الحصار الامريكي والاوروبي على الحكومة الفلسطينية المنتخبة، ووسط صمت عربي واسلامي مريب ومعيب نطرح جملة تساؤلات حول مجمل الوضع العربي والدولي والاسلامي.
اولا: اذا لم تتحرك الدول العربية والاسلامية، ومعها القوى الشعبية ايضا، اليوم في وجه هذا العدوان الصهيوني المتصاعد وفي وجه هذا الحصار الغربي الخانق، فمتى تتحرك اذن؟ وكيف يجوز السكوت عما يرتكب من جرائم، وعما يتخذ من اجراءات بحق شعب كل ذنبه انه يطالب بحقوقه المشروعة، ويمارس حقه الديمقراطي بكل شفافية ونزاهة.
ثانيا: اين الشرعية الدولية مما يجري في فلسطين، بل اين مجلس الامن القابع تحت الهيمنة الامريكية، واين الالتزام بميثاق الامم المتحدة، واين احترام الاعلان العالمي لحقوق الانسان، مما يجري من انتهاكات صهيونية وغربية يومية.
ثالثا: كيف يوفق المسؤولون في الولايات المتحدة واوروبا بين حديثهم الذي لا يتوقف عن اشاعة الديمقراطية في منطقتنا، وبين مسارعتهم الفورية الى رفض نتائجها، بل الى الانتقام من الشعب الفلسطيني بقطع كل المساعدات الانسانية عنه واحكام الحصار عليه في عقوبات جماعية مخالفة لابسط قواعد القانون الدولي.
وتزداد اهمية هذه التساؤلات كما تبرز حدتها، حين نتذكر انها تأتي في الذكرى الرابعة لمجزرة جنين التي لا نتذكر معها فقط وحشية جيش الاحتلال التي عرفناها على مدى نصف قرن في سلسلة من المجازر الجماعية في فلسطين ولبنان، وفي مصر وسوريا وعلى امتداد الوطن الكبير، بل نتذكر معها ايضاً تواطؤ العديد من الدول الكبرى وعجز مؤسسات الشرعية الدولية عن تنفيذ قرار دولي بسيط بارسال بعثة تقصي حقائق في مجزرة جنين.
ان هذه التساؤلات تدفعنا الى ان نتوجه الى قوى الامة الحيّة، والى احرار العالم، لكي يتحركوا وبسرعة في مواجهة هذه الجرائم المتصاعدة ضد الشعب الفلسطيني، وهذا الحصار اللانساني واللاشرعي
ضد ابناء فلسطين وحكومتهم المنتخبة ديمقراطيا.
علم وخبر 23/أد - لبنان
ص.ب : 135984 شوران – بيروت – لبنان .
هاتف وفاكس : 749925/1/00961
Http: www.arabnc.org
Email: info@arabnc.org
From: Sarah Cutler [mailto:Sarah.Cutler @ london.gov.uk]
Sent: 31 March 2006 09:32
To: Sarah Cutler
GLA is now recruiting to two new posts (Senior Policy Officer and Policy Officer) to support the Mayor in providing strategic leadership to refugee integration in London. The jobs appeared in the Guardian newspaper on Wednesday 29 March. We want these jobs to be as open to the widest possible range of candidates, from all London's communities. We'd be very grateful if you could you post details of this vacancy in any forthcoming bulletin and/or circulate this round your contacts.
Please note that the closing date for applications is 19 April (an incorrect date appeared in the Guardian ad this week!)
Further details and all the documents required to apply for this post, including the application form, may be downloaded from http://www.london.gov.uk/jobs.jsp . However if you would like a printed job application pack to be sent to you, or require further details, please contact the GLA recruitment team, quoting the reference number, on 020 7983 4143 or minicom 020 7983 4157 or email glajobs@london.gov.uk
If applicants wish to discuss the jobs, they can ring or email Richard Stanton at richard.stanton@london.gov.uk or tel: 0207 983 4557
Sarah Cutler
Policy Officer – Immigration and Asylum (secondment)
Greater London Authority
Tel: 020 7983 4548
Mobile: 07780 781389
Sarah.cutler @ london.gov.uk
الإسرائيليون اختاروا الوسط فانهار اليمين
واليسار الاحزاب العربية تهزم استطلاعات الرأي وتزيد من قوتها
خليل العسلي - بكة أمين
"اسرائيل كانت دولة الاحزاب، ولكن هذه الدولة تفككت، فأصبحت هناك حركات وقوائم وليس احزابا، واصبحت الكنيست هذه الايام عبارة عن مكان لتجمعات على اساس قومي (المهاجرين الجدد والاحزاب العربية) او ديني (شاس، ويهدوت هتواره) او على اساس مصالح خاصة (المتقاعدين)"، هذا ما اكده البروفيسور في جامعة تل أبيب يورام بيري، مضيفا الاربعاء 29 آذار، ان "هذا الوضع لا يختلف كثيرا عن الوضع في اوروبا، ولكنه في اسرائيل يأخذ صورة اكثر حدة وعمقا مما قد ينعكس على تماسك المجتمع الذي اصبح يعيش في مجتمعات صغيرة مغلقة".
وجاءت هذه التصريحات في الوقت الذي لم يستوعب فيه بعد اعضاء حزب المتقاعدين حجم الفوز الذي حققوه في هذه الانتخابات، هذا الفوز الذي لم يتوقعه حتى مؤسس الحزب رفائيل ايتان والذي لم يخفي هذا الذهول عندما سأله احد الصحفيين الاربعاء عن المواقف السياسية لاعضاء الحزب فقال بصراحة أنه لا يعرفها.!! وانه سينتظر حتى يجتمع مع اعضاء الحزب "المفاجأة" لبلورة موقف سياسي في القضايا العالقة مثل الصراع مع الفلسطينيين والجدار الفاصل والكثير من المواضيع التي لم يحلم ايتان ان يأتي يوماً واحداً عليه وان يتخذ فيها موقفا عاما.. حتى زوجته ميريام قالت انها لا تعرف احداً في الحزب الذي حصل على سبعة مقاعد في الكنيست، حتى انها لم تعرف ان زوجها شكل حزبا الا بعد ان اعلن انه سيخوض الانتخابات مرة اخرى بعد المحاولة السابقة والتي لم يتمكن فيها من الحصول على نسبة الحسم.
ولكن من هو رفائيل ايتان ابن الـ 79عاما والذي اصبح بين ليلة وضحاها هدفا لجميع وسائل الاعلام، واصبح شخصية عامة بعد ان كان شبه مجهول (كعادة رجال الموساد)..
ان رفائيل هو احد المسؤولين السابقين في جهاز "الموساد" حيث قضى عمره في تنفيذ عمليات سرية ومهام خاصة كلف بها الجهاز في انحاء العالم.. وهو ممنوع من الدخول إلى الأراضي الأميركية بسبب تورطه في قضية تجسس صناعي، ومشاريع تجارية في كوبا.. حتى زوجته لا تعرف عن هذه الفترة شيئاً، رغم انهما متزوجان منذ اربعين عاماً، وقالت لاذاعة الجيش الإسرائيلي انها لا تعرف شيئاً عن عمل زوجها السابق!
وكما هي عادة الصحافة فانها رجعت الى الدفاتر القديمة لمعرفة من هو رفائيل ايتان والذي من المؤكد انه سيكون وزيراً في اية حكومة سيقوم ايهود اولمرت بتشكيلها!! فوجدت أن ايتان هذا صاحب آراء يمينية متطرفة نوعا ما، حيث كان من القلائل الذين وقعوا في التسعينات على وثيقة تدعو الحكومة الى تشجيع ودعم ظاهرة احتلال التلال في الضفة الغربية على يد المستوطنين والذين اصبحوا يعرفوا فيما بعد باسم شبان التلال او الهضاب، كما انه قدم الدعم الفعلي لهؤلاء الشبان والذي قاموا بتنفيذ تعليمات الوزير انذاك ارئيل شارون.
ولكن ايتان سارع الى نفي ذلك، مؤكدا صحيح انني اشعر بأن ما يقوم به المستوطنون هو عمل وطني من الدرجة الاولى، ولكن اعتقد انه من اجل السلام يجب اخلاء القسم الاكبر من المستوطنات، مضيفا انه لو لم يكن لديه حزباُ لانضم الى حزب "كديما"، فهو يؤمن بنفس المبادئ..
عودة الأحزاب الدينية..
واظهرت نتائج الانتخابات ان الاحزاب الدينية عادت الى وسط الساحة الحزبية الاسرائيلية مرة اخرى بعد ان اختفت في الكينست السابقة، حيث حصل حزب "شاس" الديني على 13 مقعدا،ً واصبح القوة الثالثة، بينما حصل حزب "يهدوت هتواره" المتدين على 6 مقاعد، وقد أعلن هذان الحزبان استعدادهما للدخول في الحكومة، مما يعني ان الساحة الحزبية الاسرائيلية عادت سنوات الى الوراء، الى الفترة التي كانت تلك الاحزاب تمارس الابتزاز السياسي مقابل تأييدها للحكومة.
بينما فقد معسكر اليمين قوته في الكنيست القادمة، وبالتالي فانها لن تكون ذات تأثير كبير على مصير الحكومة، حيث توزعت اصوات معسكر اليمين على النحو التالي: 12 "اسرائيل بيتنا"،11 الليكود، تحالف الاتحاد القومي-المفدال 9 مقاعد.
اين اليسار؟!
كما ان اليسار الاسرائيلي مني بخسارة كبيرة حيث حصل حزب "ميرتس" على 4 مقاعد فقط، ذلك الحزب الذي كان يعتبر في يوم من الايام الحزب الثالث من حيث القوة والان اصبح يصارع من اجل البقاء، ولهذا سارع ران كوهين من قيادة "ميرتس" الى الطلب من يوسي بيلين زعيم الحزب تحمل مسؤولية هذا الفشل "اعتقد انه يجب ان يتحمل كل المسؤولية لاننا فشلنا في الحفاظ على قوتنا، بل وخسرنا مقعدا واحدا". ولكن بيلين قال انه "رغم هذه الخسارة الا ان الحزب تمكن من الحفاظ على اللبنة الاساسية للحزب"، هذه التصريحات اثارت حفيظة اعضاء "ميرتس" والذي طالبوا بيلين ان يتحمل المسؤولية بل والاستقالة فورا.
وبقي في معسكر اليسار الاحزاب العربية والتي اثبتت ان استطلاعاات الرأي فشلت في تنبؤ حجمها الحقيقي. فقد رفعت الاحزاب العربية عدد المقاعد مجتمعة بحيث وصلت الى 10 مقاعد، إذ حصلت القائمة العربية على 4 مقاعد، والجبهة على 3 مقاعد، وكذلك حصل التجمع الوطني الديمقراطي على 3 مقاعد رغم ان جميع استطلاعات الرأي توقعت ان لا يتمكن التجمع من تجاوز نسبة الحسم، 2%.
من ناحيتها سارعت البورصة الاسرائيلية الى اعلان حالة قلق وخوف من المستقبل على ضوء نتائج الانتخابات وهذا انعكس سلبا على الاداء الاربعاء حيث انخفضت اسعار الاسهم الى اكثر من 1.9% بينما سجل الطلب على الدولار ارتفاعا كبيراً ادى الى ارتفاع سعر العملة الاميركية.
Courtesy of سورية الغد للدراسات/ النشرة الاخبارية اليومية
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/04/03/dl0301.xml&DCMP=EMC-new_03042006
The argument about withdrawal from Iraq is one of timing and method rather than of principle. No one is arguing for the permanent occupation of Iraq. Nor is anyone suggesting that British and American troops be garrisoned in the Gulf open-endedly, as they are in Germany, for instance. We all want the "troops out". The question is when.
The sooner the better, according to our YouGov poll today. Twenty-four per cent of British voters want our Servicemen brought home immediately, and a further 31 per cent favour withdrawal over the next 12 months, regardless of conditions in Iraq. The number of people favouring speedy extraction has risen in inverse correlation to the number who still support the original invasion.
These ought, on one level, to be two separate issues. It is possible to have favoured the war, and to want to hand over to a democratic Iraqi government as soon as practicable; or, indeed, to have opposed the war, but to believe that the West now has a duty to clear up after its mistake.
In practice, however, this is not how human nature works. People generally try to fit the facts to their existing opinions, rather than the other way around. Those who had marched against the invasion barely paused to touch up their placards before campaigning for the immediate evacuation of the troops. Their attitude drove some supporters of the war into a bloody-minded determination to see things through, almost regardless of the merits of the case.
Three years after the original invasion, supporters of the war should assess the situation with pitiless clarity. Three years is more than enough time to have trained a new generation of police recruits and native soldiers.
The continuing insurgency can no longer be regarded as a mopping-up exercise, or a prolongation of the military campaign. The question we need to ask ourselves is whether our troops are containing a civil conflict that would be occurring anyway, or whether they are in fact exacerbating the unrest by their presence.
A bit of both, is the honest answer; but, with each day that passes, the truth tilts towards the latter. No one likes living in an occupied country. Even the kindest and most disinterested of foreign soldiers eventually become resented by all sides.
This is not 1950s Malaya, where we knew that we had to defeat a specific rebellion before pulling out; it is 1940s Palestine, where our mere presence made us targets.
The goal of building up impartial state forces, trusted by their people, is an admirable one, which even anti-war hardliners ought to have the decency to support. But the converse of this argument is that it would be wrong to remain in Iraq simply to prove a point.