Category: Middle East & Africa

Britain ready to back Palestinian statehood at UN

Mahmoud Abbas pledge not to pursue Israel for war crimes and resumption of peace talks are UK conditions

Ian Black, Middle East editor

Palestinians hold posters of President Mahmoud Abbas during a rally supporting the UN bid for observer state status, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Photograph: APAimages/Rex Features

Britain is prepared to back a key vote recognising Palestinian statehood at the United Nations if Mahmoud Abbas pledges not to pursue Israel for war crimes and to resume peace talks.

Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, has called for Britain’s backing in part because of its historic responsibility for Palestine. The government has previously refused, citing strong US and Israeli objections and fears of long-term damage to prospects for negotiations.

On Monday night, the government signalled it would change tack and vote yes if the Palestinians modified their application, which is to be debated by the UN general assembly in New York later this week. As a “non-member state”, Palestine would have the same status as the Vatican.

Whitehall officials said the Palestinians were now being asked to refrain from applying for membership of the international criminal court or the international court of justice, which could both be used to pursue war crimes charges or other legal claims against Israel.

Abbas is also being asked to commit to an immediate resumption of peace talks “without preconditions” with Israel. The third condition is that the general assembly’s resolution does not require the UN security council to follow suit.

The US and Israel have both hinted at possible retaliation if the vote goes ahead. Congress could block payments to the Palestinian Authority and Israel might freeze tax revenues it transfers under the 1993 Oslo agreement or, worse, withdraw from the agreement altogether. It could also annex West Bank settlements. Britain’s position is that it wants to reduce the risk that such threats might be implemented and bolster Palestinian moderates.

France has already signalled that it will vote yes on Thursday, and the long-awaited vote is certain to pass as 132 UN members have recognised the state of Palestine. Decisions by Germany, Spain and Britain are still pending and Palestinians would clearly prefer a united EU position as counterweight to the US.

Willian Hague, the foreign secretary, discussed the issue on Monday with Abbas and the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, offiicals said.

Palestinian sources said Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, raised the issue with Abbas at his Ramallah headquarters last week, shortly before a ceasefire was agreed in the Gaza Strip, as had Tony Blair, the Quartet envoy.

Abbas has been widely seen to have been sidelined by his rivals in the Islamist movement Hamas, as well by his failure to win any concessions from Israel. Abbas, whose remit does not extend beyond the West Bank, hopes a strong yes vote will persuade Israel to return to talks after more than two years.

Officals in Ramallah have opposed surrendering on the ICC issue so it can be used as a bargaining chip in future, but views are thought to be divided. Abbas said at the weekend: “We are going to the UN fully confident in our steps. We will have our rights because you are with us.”

Leila Shaid, Palestine’s representative to the EU, said: “After everything that has happened in the Arab spring, Britain can’t pretend it is in favour of democracy in Libya, Syria and Egypt but accept the Palestinians continuing to live under occupation. As the former colonial power, Britain has a historic responsibility to Palestine. Britain is a very important country in the Middle East, it has extensive trade relations, and David Cameron should know he risks a popular backlash from Arab public opinion if he does not support us.”

Palestinians have rejected the claim that they are acting unilaterally, calling the UN path “the ultimate expression of multilateralism”. Israel’s apparent opposition to unilateralism has not stopped it acting without agreement to build and expand settlements, they say.

guardian.co.uk, 27 November 2012

November 29, 2012
Thousands of Shia Muslims commemorate Ashura in Turkey

Thousands of Turkish Shia Muslims have commemorated the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussein (PBUH), on the Day of Ashura.

Thousands of Shia Muslims commemorate Ashura in Turkey

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – Turkish Shias mourned the martyrdom of Imam Hussein by holding ceremonies in Istanbul’s Halkali district and other parts of the country, Hurriyet newspaper reported.

Wearing black clothes, young Turkish women carried the names of the Karbala martyrs on headbands and cups in their hands that symbolized the thirst suffered by the prophet’s grandson and his companions.

Men organized into regulated groups and flogged themselves in harmony, responding in grief to spiritual chants and poems describing the pain that Imam Hussein suffered.

Many doves were released in memory of Ali Asghar (PBUH), the 6-month-old son of Imam Hussein, who was also killed in the Battle of Karbala.

In the eastern province of Kars, the flag on the dome of the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (PBUH) was brandished atop a tent set up in front of the governor’s office.

The ceremonies commemorating the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam and his 72 companions reach their climax on the Day of Ashura — the tenth day of the Islamic lunar month of Muharram.

Ashura is the anniversary of the day in 680 CE, when thousands of forces loyal to the despotic Umayyad caliph Yazid ibn Muawiyah martyred Imam Hussein (PBUH) and his companions in Karbala, Iraq.

Hundreds of thousands of people visit Karbala for the Ashura religious rituals every year.

via Thousands of Shia Muslims commemorate Ashura in Turkey.

November 27, 2012
Young Africans now to pitch camp in Istanbul

By Majuto Omary

The Citizen Reporter

Dar es Salaam. Mainland giants Young Africans will now step up their preparations for the second round of the Vodacom Premier League by pitching a camp in Turkey instead of South Africa, as earlier announced.

The club’s competitions committee chairman, Abdallah bin Kleb, confirmed yesterday that plans were on for the team to depart for Istanbul for a two-week camp ahead of the decisive round.

“Preparations and logistics for the trip are afoot. We expect to leave for Turkey on December 27,’ said Kleb.

He said the team’s technical bench would name players who will make the trip two or three days before their departure.

“Our decision to camp in Istanbul, Turkey, instead of South Africa stems from the fact that at that time the South African football authorities will be busy with preparations for the 2012 Africa Nations Cup finals,” he said.

He voiced optimism that the training stint in Turkey would give the Jangwani Street boys the exposure they need ahead of the second round.

“We expect to play a series of build-up matches against top teams in Turkey during our two-week stay in Istanbul,” he said. He fell short of naming the sides.

However, this is not the first time Yanga publicise their European camping plans and end up camping in the country or neighbouring countries. Before the kickoff of the 2012/13 they said the same and did the opposite – they flew to Kigali for a two-week training.

Kleb said their target was to wrest the league title from their arch-rivals Simba when the race for the Mainland’s soccer supremacy comes to an end in May next year.

The Kagame Cup champions top the 14-team league with 29 points from 13 matches, six points ahead of title-holders Simba and five ahead of second-placed Azam FC.

via Young Africans now to pitch camp in Istanbul.

November 27, 2012
Turkey confirms negotiations are taking place with Israel

Though he holds firm that Israel must meet Turkish demands, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has confirmed there are talks taking place with Israel on the matter of reconciliation and normalization of ties between the two nations.

He also acknowledged that Turkey was actively involved in brokering the Gaza ceasefire, along with Egypt and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It was reported during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense that Israel had reached out to Turkey in reference to Gaza through ‘intelligence back channels’. Turkey’s head of intelligence was present in Cairo and assisted in discussions with Hamas.

Israel and Turkey had enjoyed a relatively close relationship for several decades. Tourism and trade flowed both ways between the two countries. Turkey though Muslim, never participated in any of the Arab-Israeli wars since Israel’s independence. The two nations had also developed close military ties with cross training and military industry deals between the two nations. It is widely believed in and out of military and intelligence circles that in 2007 Turkey allowed the over flight of Israeli warplanes which bombed and destroyed Syria’s one fledgling nuclear weapons facility near Deir Alzour in Syria’s northeast region.

However relations between Israel and Turkey deteriorated dramatically after the May 2010 incident at sea where a Turkish flagged relief ship bound for Gaza was stormed by Israeli forces and 9 civilians were killed in the ensuing fight including Turkish citizens. Turkey has insisted ever since on a formal apology from Israel, monetary compensation for the families and the total lifting of all restrictions in place by the Israeli land and naval blockade of Gaza.

Whether there had been an approach made by Israel or Turkey prior to Israel’s air strikes on Gaza is unknown. But, Israel’s bold and punishing air campaign against Hamas in Gaza and the now known imminence of an Israeli invasion and occupation of Gaza on the eve of the ceasefire, no doubt has played a role in the decision by Turkey to at least entertain discussions with Israel.

Had normal relations existed, Turkey may have been able to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas earlier on in the fight and without the ‘political baggage’ brought to the table by Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood in the form of President Morsi.

Another factor for Turkey is Iran. There is currently a growing adversarial situation between Turkey and Iran, primarily involving the two nations backing of opposite sides in the Syrian Civil War. But, there is also a similar pattern developing involving both nations and Iraq.

These situations have driven an even deeper wedge between Ankara and Tehran than previously existed. Iran and Turkey share a border, though it is an extremely mountainous border region inhospitable to a regular battle between two armies.

However, Iran does have missiles and is of course, known to be working on a nuclear program. Iranian intelligence agents have been caught and arrested by Turkish military authorities assisting the Kurdish insurgent group known in Turkey as the Kurdistan Workers Party, (PKK).

But, it is the Iranian missiles and nuclear program that no doubt has Turkey’s government worried the most and it may well be why they are now holding discussions with Israel. The day may come when the benefits of a rapprochement with Israel outweighs any Turkish heartburn over the assault and seizure of a relief ship carrying aid to a terrorist group in Gaza supported primarily by Iran.

via Turkey confirms negotiations are taking place with Israel – Arlington Foreign Policy | Examiner.com.

November 27, 2012
Turkey: Planned NATO missiles won’t be used to establish Syria no-fly zone

Turkey riles Syria, Russia and Iran by requesting NATO surface-to-air Patriot system, designed to intercept aircraft or missiles after weeks of talks on how to secure its border.

A Turkish soldier taking up a position as gunfire is heard in the northern Syrian town of Ras al-Ain, at the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar, Sanliurfa province, November 25, 2012. Photo by Reuters

this story is by

Reuters

NATO surface-to-air missiles due to be stationed near Turkey’s border with Syria will only be used to protect Turkish territory and not to establish a no-fly zone within Syria, the Turkish military said on Monday.

Turkey riled Syria, Russia and Iran by requesting the NATO surface-to-air Patriot system, designed to intercept aircraft or missiles, last Wednesday after weeks of talks on how to shore up security on its 900-km border as the conflict in Syria deepens.

Syria, which called the move “provocative”, and its allies including Russia and Iran oppose any development that they perceive could be a first step towards implementing a no-fly zone.

“The deployment of the air and missile defense system is only to counter an air or missile threat originating in Syria and is a measure entirely aimed at defense,” the Turkish military said in a statement.

“That it will be used to form a no-fly zone or for an offensive operation is out of the question,” it said.

Syrian rebels, despite seizing swathes of land, are almost defenseless against Syria’s air force and have called for an internationally enforced no-fly zone, a measure that helped Libyan rebels overthrow Muammar Gaddafi last year.

On Monday, Syrian jets bombed the rebels’ headquarters near the border, opposition activists in the area said.

Most foreign governments are loath to impose a no-fly zone for fear of getting dragged into the 20-month-old conflict.

A joint Turkish-NATO team will start work on Tuesday assessing where to station the missiles, how many would be needed and the number of foreign troops that would be sent to operate them, the statement said.

Within NATO, only the United States, the Netherlands and Germany possess Patriot missiles. The Netherlands has sent Patriots to Turkey twice before during both Gulf wars in 1991 and 2003.

Turkey is reluctant to be drawn into the fighting, but the proximity of Syrian bombing raids to its border is straining its nerves. It has repeatedly scrambled fighter jets along the frontier and responded in kind to stray Syrian shells that have crossed into its territory.

Turkey – a major backer of Syria’s opposition – is worried about its neighbor’s chemical weapons, the refugee crisis on its border, and what it says is Syrian support for Kurdish militants on its own soil.

via Turkey: Planned NATO missiles won’t be used to establish Syria no-fly zone – Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper.

November 27, 2012
Iran opposes NATO’s missile deployment in Turkey

• Turkey Wednesday asked NATO to deploy the missile on its border with Syria.

• Pressure exerted on Syrian government is central concerns of Iranian officials.

• Deployment of NATO’s Patriot missiles on the border is a source of “tension.”

TEHRAN, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) — Iranian authorities have strongly opposed Turkey’s move to deploy NATO’s Patriot missiles in its bordering region with Syria.

The pressure exerted on the Syrian government, a main ally of Iran in the region, is the central concerns of the Iranian officials.

Turkey on Wednesday formally asked NATO to deploy the missile on its border with Syria.

An Iranian lawmaker said Monday that Iran’s Majlis (parliament) National Security and Foreign Policy Commission will have a meeting next week to discuss NATO’s probable missile deployment in Turkey, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Deployment of NATO’s Patriot missiles on Turkey-Syria’s border is a source of “tension” and can “escalate regional conflicts,” Mohammad-Hassan Asfari, deputy chairman of the Majlis commission, was quoted as saying.

Such measures by neighboring countries will lead to militarization of the region and may have adverse effect on its stability and peace, he said, adding that the Islamic republic is against any moves which could escalate regional tensions.

On Saturday, Iran’s Majlis (parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani met with the Turkish officials in Ankara and voiced Iran’s opposition to the missile deployment.

The Iranian speaker’s visit followed a meeting in Tehran which aimed at strengthening Iran’s agenda to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s political reforms and to counter the pushes to oust him from the power.

Upon his return to Tehran, Larijani said that the deployment of NATO missiles in Turkey will further put the regional stability at risk, Press TV reported on Sunday.

“In meetings with Turkey’s top officials, we warned that the deployment of such systems will have adverse consequences and will exacerbate problems in the region,” he was quoted as saying.

Also, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Friday that deployment of NATO’s Patriot missiles near the Syrian border in Turkey will only aggravate the crisis in Syria.

Mehmanparast denounced any move for militarizing the Syrian issue and stressed that it will be better for influential countries to look for political solutions for regional issues.

In a reaction to Iran’s position, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Sunday dismissed Iranian concerns that the possible deployment of NATO missiles along Turkey’s southern border with Syria would make the crisis more complicated.

“We cannot see any point that would justify these concerns. The missile system has a defensive purpose only. This system will not be operational unless there is a risk to our security. And it is our government’s obligation to take any measure when there is even the slightest chance of risk,” Davutoglu told a televised interview on private news channel CNN Turk.

In the meantime, a Turkish military statement said Monday that the deployment of NATO’s Patriot missile system on the Turkish border with Syria is merely a defensive measure against threats from Syria.

The system was not for “no-fly zone or offensive operation,” but “solely against possible air or missile threats from Syria,” said the statement.

via Iran opposes NATO’s missile deployment in Turkey – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

November 27, 2012