Category: World

Rabbi Menachem Froman Present A Peace Plan To Turkish PM

Erdogan received Rabbi Menachem Froman and Sheikh Ghassan Manasra from Jerusalem Peacemakers initiative.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan received on Thursday Rabbi Menachem Froman and Sheikh Ghassan Manasra from Jerusalem Peacemakers initiative.

The 45-minute meeting was held at Erdogan’s residence in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

Rabbi Menachem Froman from Jerusalem Peacemakers initiative said that they presented a peace plan to Erdogan on Thursday.

Replying to questions of AA correspondent, Froman said they believed that Turkish Premier Erdogan could bring peace to the region.

Froman said they would also present the peace plan to Israeli government, Palestinian government, governments of Arab countries, European countries, Russia and the U.S. government.

Replying to a question, Froman said Erdogan was a great leader for settlement of peace.

Froman said he came to Turkey after Israel’s raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and several ministers in Israel were waiting for the result of his visit to Turkey.

Sheikh Manasra quoted Prime Minister Erdogan as telling them that he would support efforts for peace in Middle East in Thursday’s meeting.

Only Turkey could bring peace to the region, Manasra said.

WorldBulletin

AA

June 4, 2010
GAZA FLOTILLA: NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION IN UK!

GAZA FLOTILLA: NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION IN UK!

Date: Saturday 5th June

Assemble 1:30pm outside Downing Street, LONDON, UK

March to Israeli Embassy

with speakers from the Flotolla

End the Siege of Gaza

Freedom for Palestine

June 2, 2010
Remembering The USS Liberty Attack

The USS Liberty incident was an attack on a United States Navy technical research ship, USS Liberty, by Israeli Air Force jet fighter planes and motor torpedo boats, on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War. The combined air and sea attack killed 34 crew members (naval officers, seamen, two Marines, and a civilian), wounded 171 crew members, and severely damaged the ship. At the time, the ship was in international waters north of the Sinai Peninsula, about 29.3 mi northwest from the Egyptian city of Arish.

Both the Israeli and U.S. governments conducted inquiries into the incident, and issued reports, which concluded that the attack was a mistake, due to Israeli confusion about the identity of the USS Liberty. Some U.S. diplomats, veterans and intelligence officials involved in the incident continue to dispute these official findings, saying the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty was not a mistake, and it remains the only major maritime incident in U.S. history not investigated by the U.S. Congress.

In May 1968, the Israeli government paid US$3,323,500 as full payment to the families of the 34 men killed in the attack. In March 1969, Israel paid a further $3,566,457 in compensation to the men who had been wounded. On 18 December 1980, it agreed to pay $6 million as settlement for the U.S. claim of $7,644,146 for material damage to the Liberty itself.

The ship, a $40-million dollar state-of-the-art signals intelligence platform, was later declared unsalvageable and sold for scrap.

On December 17, 1987, the issue was officially closed by the two governments through an exchange of diplomatic notes.

Turkish Press

June 2, 2010
PM David Cameron: Blockade actually strengthens Hamas’s grip on the economy and on Gaza

(Reuters) – Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron took part in his first question and answer session in parliament on Wednesday.

UK

Cameron formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats after an election last month failed to produce an outright winner.

Below are highlights from the session:

ON CUMBRIA SHOOTINGS:

“I regret to report that a number of people have been shot and that at least five people have died. I can confirm that the body of a gunman has been found now by the police.

“A full statement will be made to parliament tomorrow.”

ON GAZA FLOTILLA INCIDENT:

“What has happened is completely unacceptable, we should be clear about that. And we should also deplore the loss of life.

“We should do everything we can through the United Nations, where resolution 1860 is absolutely clear about the need to end the blockade and to open up Gaza.

“Friends of Israel, and I count myself a friend of Israel, should be saying to the Israelies that the blockade actually strengthens Hamas’s grip on the economy and on Gaza and it’s in their own interests to lift it and to allow these vital supplies to get through.”

(Reporting by Adrian Croft and Matt Falloon)

Reuters

June 2, 2010
Israeli lawmaker: No arms on Flotilla

A member of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) who was onboard the Gaza-destined aid convoy when it came under Israeli fire dismisses allegations that the Freedom Flotilla was carrying weapons.

Haneen Zuabi, a senior member of the Balad party, was among hundreds of activist aboard the Freedom Flotilla, which was comprised of nine ships carrying thousand of tons of humanitarian aid for the impoverished people of the Gaza Strip.

In comments following her release in the Ashdod port on Wednesday, Zuabi disputed Israel’s claims that the ship was carrying weapons for the Palestinian Resistance Movement of Hamas.

“Our goal was to break the siege. We had no plans for a confrontation. Israel carried out a provocative military operation. Israel is used to doing as it pleases with the Palestinians. The main problem is not the ship, but the siege.” She added.

On Monday, commandos acting upon direct orders from Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak stormed the aid convoy, leaving at least 20 people dead and more than 50 others injured.

The member of Knesset also said that Israeli forces were seeking to leave behind a high number of casualties.

“It was clear from the size of the force that boarded the ship that the purpose was not only to stop this sail, but to cause the largest possible number of fatalities in order to stop such initiatives in the future,” Zuabi said.

The assault sent shockwaves around the world, prompting two countries to withdraw their ambassadors from Tel Aviv and many others summon Israeli envoys.

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting in which the 15-nation body called for an “impartial, credible and transparent” probe into the incident and condemned “those acts which resulted in the loss of … civilians and many wounded.”

HA/SBB/MMN

Press TV

June 2, 2010
BP faces criminal probe over oil leak

Oil giant BP is fighting to secure its future as the US government has launched a criminal and civil investigation into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

US Attorney General Eric Holder announced the probe into the disaster after the oil giant suffered its biggest one-day shares fall for 18 years.

Shares plunged by as much as 17 per cent at one stage on Tuesday, before settling around 13 per cent lower. That wiped £12 billion off its market value.

The stock tumbled into the red after BP’s latest attempts to block the leaking oil well proved unsuccessful and amid mounting fears over the ultimate financial toll on the company.

Launching the investigation which will involve the FBI, Mr Holder said: “We will closely examine the actions of those involved in the spill. If we find evidence of illegal behaviour, we will be extremely forceful in our response.”

Though he would not specify which companies or individuals might be targeted, BP’s actions are expected to come under intense scrutiny.

One analyst said the relentless oil leak – the worst in US history – has the potential to “break BP” if the well is not brought under control soon.

BP’s “top kill” operation to cap the well with mud and other debris proved unsuccessful over the weekend and the company is now working on using robot submarines in the latest move to stem the flow of oil.

ITN

June 2, 2010