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ISRAEL TODAY - February 7, 2005
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John Henry
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Feb 10, 2005 09:24 PST
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<font face="arial" size=2>ISRAEL TODAY - Monday, February 7, 2005 - 28
Shvat <br><br>
Rice meets Abbas <br><br>
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with the new Palestinian leader
Mahmoud Abbas today in Ramallah. And she's ready to pay the price for
Mideast peace, pledging $40 million to the Palestinian Authority.
"We will work with our friends in the international community and
here in the region to revive the Palestinian economy," Rice said.
She also appointed General William Ward as security coordinator to the
Palestinian Authority. "We will help with the consolidation of
security and the rebuilding of the Palestinian security forces,"
Rice said. She praised Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for his efforts
to end four years of violence, and urged both sides to seize a new
opportunity for peace. She said Abbas and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
will visit the White House this spring. <br><br>
Rice discusses Iranian nukes with Israel <br><br>
Secretary Rice also discussed Iran's nuclear program with senior Israeli
officials, who see an Iranian atomic bomb as a threat to the existence of
the Jewish state. But she ruled out military action. "We believe
that there are diplomatic means at our disposal, at the disposal of the
international community, to deal with the Iranian problem," Rice
said. Israeli officials have hinted that if the US doesn't stop the
Iranian nuclear program, Israel might take military action against Iran's
nuclear facilities. The Israeli air force destroyed the Iraqi nuclear
reactor in 1981. <br><br>
Israel reopens Gaza crossing <br><br>
Israel has reopened a key cargo crossing in the Gaza Strip, in what
officials say is a goodwill gesture ahead of tomorrow's summit between
Israeli and Palestinian leaders in Egypt. The Karni crossing was closed a
few weeks ago, after Palestinian terrorists killed six Israeli workers
there. Since then, the new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has obtained
a promise from terror groups to halt attacks against Israel. <br><br>
Secretary of State Rice arrives in Israel <br><br>
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived for her first Middle
East visit since taking office. She will meet Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
today and the new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas tomorrow. She comes at
a time of diminishing violence and growing momentum in the peace process,
capped by a Sharon-Abbas summit in Egypt on Tuesday. Israel sees Rice as
a true friend, while the Palestinians believe she's too pro-Israel. But
both sides are welcoming a stepped up US mediation role to jumpstart the
"roadmap" peace plan. <br><br>
Rice won't attend summit <br><br>
In a signal that the US wants to tread carefully at this delicate stage
of reviving peace moves, Rice has decided not to attend Tuesday's summit
in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik. "The United States
wants very much for this to be a process that is the parties' process,
that is owned by the parties, by the regional states," Rice said.
"When our involvement needs to take on a different character, then
we will do precisely that." <br><br>
Compromise reached on prisoner dispute <br><br>
Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to form a committee to resolve
the dispute over how many terrorists Israel will release from jail.
Israel's "goodwill gesture" of releasing 900 prisoners was
rejected by Palestinian officials, who want all 7,000 terrorists to go
scot-free. Israel has said that prisoners involved in murder and serious
attacks will remain in jail. The committee will discuss further releases,
including the possibility of freeing some terrorists with blood on their
hands. The new Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas claims that he needs to
get the murderers out of jail to win the support of his people and
consolidate power. <br><br>
Day of silence to protest Gaza pullout <br><br>
Some Orthodox rabbis have called for a new form of protest against Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip this summer.
They've declared a day of silence on Monday, in what was described as a
"fast from speaking." The rabbis are urging people not to speak
the entire day, except to utter prayers during special vigils in
synagogues. Organizers say 300 congregations have agreed to take part.
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