First A new poll of Palestinians shows: A drastic drop in the Palestinians' support for violent anti-Israeli acts. For the first time since the beginning of the second Intifada, the majority of the Palestinians (52%) pronounced themselves against these attacks, while they were only 27% to do so last June.

A high level military source says the number of attacks committed in Israel has gone down from 436 suicide bombing attempts with 14 successes to 343 attempts in 2004 with only 6 successes!

It might have something to do with the "wall"??? hhmmmm.


YEAAAAAHHH!!!!

Marwan Barghouti, is attempting to negotiate the withdrawal of his candidacy to the Palestinian presidential elections!!

YEAAAAHHH!!!

The independent candidate to the PA's presidency Hassan Haraisha announced that he was withdrawing from the electoral race. Temporary president of the Palestinian legislative council (PLC), he had resigned from the Fatah in order to present his candidacy. His leaving should serve Abu Mazen's interests.

YEAAAHHH!!!

Peace "might" actually be possible! YEEAAAHHH!!

That looks more like the drop in public support moved the numbers to me, as support drops for terrorist acts better intelligence is gained (particularly in a society used to being fairly open about it). It really does give hope for peace, but now Israel has to stop any and all settlement expansion to water the seed.

More good news! Barghouti is out AGAIN!!!

Sharon is going to do everything he can to ensure Palestinian elections (let's hope the Palestinian establishment lets the 50% of the population living in refugee camps vote...you know...the ones that have lived in refugee camps for 50 years. Like, Rafah, Jenin etc).

Hamas is becoming more marginalized in public opinion.

AND, the chief editor in Al Hayat is writing about how the only two places in the Middle East that are actually having free and fair elections are under occupation. He is asking WHY??? That's a great sign for the region!!

I truely do have hope for Peace in the region, any lessening of the bloodshed is a positive development.

"War is what happens when language fails"
-Margaret Atwood

It would seem that the window of opportunity is wide open. Hopefully...all concerned parties will jump through it.

I note that despite all these expressions of hope and peace, Heart is keeping her gun clutched close !!!

Probably just as well ! YEEAAAHHH!!

Warriors will be warriors:)

But, in the spirit of innocence and goodwill, here is my olive branch:

I am glad you are keeping us updated on this part of the world. You seem to have your finger on the pulse and know what is important.

Thanks

More Good News: Sharon's political adviser Shalom Tourjman, as well as lawyer Dov Weissglass, (who is also his closest confidant) met in Jerusalem with Palestinian minister Saeb Erekat and with Abu Libda, from the Palestinian Authority and talked about the coming Palestinian elections.

Isreal will withdraw for 72 hours to allow free and open elections!

On a sadder note...Iran just transfered 22 million to Hizboallah to shore up radical Hamas and Hizbollah support in the PA.

But, 600 people protested in Gaza today on the failure of the Power's that be there, (Hamas has their strongest base of support there) and the security forces in their failure to control lawlessness.

This is actually good news because no one would have been brave enough to protest much before last year for fear of reprisal.

QUOTE

Good News for peace!

Dubya dropped dead?

If Dubya dropped dead we would get Cheney. I think Bush is actually a bit better than that to be honest It's really scary when you think the Veep is more frightening than the pres. I guess that's type of insurance policy.

News today.....Abbas calls for an end to the violence against Israel. Says they want to negotiate.

YEEEAAHHH!!!!!

Heart - You sound as though you are saying that occupation is the way to go if free and fair elections are to be held. It can also be said that occupation is the way to go if huge amounts of civilian deaths are the objective. Sometimes cause and effect have to be carefully scrutinized.

A.B.

Abu--Hi, how are ya? No, I didn't say that...the chief editor of Al Hayat was pointing out that free and fair elections are not occuring in other countries. I merely reported his own argument. Why does it take a "western" style country's presence to have these elections? I don't think it means that this causes them, only that the dictators, princes, and mullah's are not concerned with human rights or elections and it's a damn shame that people have more of a say in their governance under occupation than they do in their own sovereign nations. He is chastising, not arguing for more "occupation".

I am heartened by the news quoted above that the majority of Palestinians are opposed to violent anti-Israel acts such as suicide bombings. I hope this is true and that peace is possible in the Mid-East if both sides' leaders truly want it and are willing to negotiate for a win-win solution to the current problem.

May the new year bring true peace and cooperation in the Mid-East and elsewhere.

Sincerely,

Jesseaw

Heart: I think we both know the only way there can be a peace brokered is if it's done by the hawks; you really think Sharon and Abbas can hold firm against the extremists and get some real work done?

...and then, we have the new settlements being build and nothing change!

You mean new settlements on land to be given over for a Palestinian state? Israel needs the support of American Jews, for the most part, we're pretty much fed up with their threats of civil war and maintaining the status quo. If they start building more now, they'll find American Jews willing to bulldoze them ourselves.

Well, they actually got the Beduoin to man the front lines now, and they promoted several to battalion commander or some such...so yeah, they are not going to like evacuating....I surely don't blame them. If it were me I would just say, "fine, you are now living in Palestine, and you are allowed to defend yourselves, and the PA says they will leave you alone but don't call Tashal if your in trouble". That will never happen I guess.

Only Sharon can make peace. Now we have to see if Abu Mazen can win the election AND make peace on his side too.

But MORE GOOD NEWS:
''A big money business''. This is how the journalist announced the commercial agreement signed between Israel, Egypt and the USA.

Egyptian products made in skilled industrial zones will enter the USA with no quota or custom rights if they contain at least 11.20% of Israeli components and were value added at 35% at least in Egypt.

This is good for everyone involved!

There seems to be no shortage of hopeful news, thanks heart! Iran sending money is a good sign in a way too, nothing unusual about them doing it but it being more open means the mullahs are getting a bit desperate. Iran is one of the countries that has to worry what the reaction will be if Turkey doesn't get the terms it wants from the EU, since they have to keep good terms with the EU & Russia and have internal problems it's getting a bit dicey for them (about the only hope they have is a threat by the US gaining them some popular support or rekindling of the Palestinian conflict).

Well, it's quite telling when the hardliners like me refuse to be disuaded from our optimism now isn't it:)? So, now we get to see who really wants peace, and who just wants to argue.

Found something very enigmatic in my news box. It has to be translated, but there is no escaping that is means something very positive when you go from calling it the Palestinian "Authority" to the Palestinian "State" and this from Sharon's closest lifelong advisor and friend.

"According to Dov Weissglass, a close adviser to Mr. Sharon, the negotiations on the definitive resolving of the conflict will not take place between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, but rather between Israel and the Palestinian State."

Yes, there are some wonderful signs that peace in this land is a possibility. The general thinking is that there are two main players in this situation - Israel and ' Palestine '. It is of the greatest importance that these two sides stay " cool " and not do anything rash or stupid. But what about the other members of the cast, the U.S. and the U.N. They were originally announced as players in the movement. So far, they have largely been off stage. In the Oslo Accords, in 1993, the council agreed to establish a STRONG POLICE FORCE. That didn't happen. As far as Bush's Road Map, a high sounding proclamation was announced-. Trumpets and drum rolls in the background - The U.S. was going to guarantee security,"see Annex II , c and d below." That never happened either. Now that this window has opened, IMO, it's time for the U.N. and the U.S. to play their part, by really getting involved.

A.B.


1993 Declaration of Principles (Oslo Accords)
The Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements is the main agreement signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. It was signed on White House lawn amid much fanfare in September 1993.

Article VIII:
Public order and security:
In order to guarantee public order and internal security for the Palestinians of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Council will establish a strong police force, while Israel will continue to carry the responsibility for defending against external threats, as well as the responsibility for overall security of Israelis for the purpose of safeguarding their internal security and public order.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DRAFT 10/15/02
Elements of a Performance-Based Road Map to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Annex II:
Protocol on Withdrawal of Israeli Forces from the Gaza Strip and Jericho Area:
© Arrangements for the assumption of internal security and public order
(d) A temporary international or foreign presence, as agreed upon

Well here's more good news:
Sharon's spokesman Asaf Shariv said the Labour party would have eight ministerial posts under the accord, expected to be signed Sunday. Labour leader Shimon Peres would be a deputy prime minister at the premier's office.

Yoram Dori, a spokesman for Peres, said "all the obstacles have been removed" and that the accord would be formalized "within 24 to 36 hours".

Sharon, bereft of a majority for more than six months, needed to bring Labour into government to ensure implementation of his controversial plan to pull Israeli soldiers and settlers out of the Gaza Strip in 2005.

AND!!! Blair is in Israel and Ramallah this week. Mubarak has just finished talks with everyone and so has King Hussein. There is a lot of talk about Bashir Assad talking for Israeli peace deal.

The only two peoples that can make peace are the Pal's and the Israeli's. No one can impose anything on them, I think history has shown us that.

Duck Cheney! The Duck of Death!

Actually, I have always considered Cheney to be the real President of the United States.

The special ministerial commission, led by Ariel Sharon, approved the liberation of 170 Palestinian prisoners in a good will act towards the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak who freed the Israeli Druze Azzam Azzam two weeks ago.

120 of the prisoners are Fatah members and 50 are illegal residents in Israel.

Two of Mr. Sharon's advisers, Dov Weissglass and Shalom Tordjman, will meet tonight (Sunday) with two Palestinian officials, Saeb Erekat and Hassan Abu Libda, and discuss the organization of the Palestinian presidency's elections which are to take place on January 9th. This is the second meeting in two weeks.

YEEAAAHHH!!!

This really made me chuckle. Would that it would happen this way. Sure would confuse a lot of people

What if the Entire Israeli Community Staged a Mass Exodus from Gaza Now?

DEBKAfile Scenario and Analysis

December 25, 2004, 2:29 PM (GMT+02:00)


Tail of Palestinian Qassam missile fired Saturday at Neve Dekalim, Gaza Strip


DEBKAfile postulates a fictional scenario and likely consequences.

Just imagine if the 7,500 Israeli dwellers of the Gaza Strip decided tomorrow to pack their portable possessions, abandon their homes, schools, synagogues, cemeteries, playgrounds, farms and the lives they built and moved out in unison – without waiting for Ariel Sharon’s evacuation axe to fall next year.

They would leave their furniture and immovable property to the Israeli government and army to protect.

This act would pre-empt prime minister Sharon’s disengagement/evacuation pledge to dismantle their villages by September 2005; it would cut short the furious national debate over the rights and wrongs of their case and their passive resistance campaign; even make redundant the behavioral psychology coaching given to police and soldiers to prepare them for the agonizing task of forcible evictions.

Once settled in their temporary homes, the ex-settlers would send out two formal notices.

The first, would inform the Israeli government, president, Knesset and Evacuation Authority, that they had voluntarily evacuated their homes in the Gaza Strip in keeping with government and Knesset decisions. They and their families placed themselves henceforth in the care of the state, relying on its offer of enlarged compensation payments to voluntary leavers of the Gaza Strip. The state would be held responsible for their abandoned property.

The second, would petition the United Nations, more particularly the Refugees Commissioner and UNWRA – the Refugees Work and Relief Agency, on behalf of 7,500 men, women and many children, driven from their homes by round-the-clock mortar and rocket assaults, interspersed with sniper fire. They would note that Israel’s sovereign government and its army is not able or willing to protect them. As Jewish refugees from Gaza, they would claim from the world body the same relief as accorded any other group of refugees in flight from war zones...

http://www.debka.com/article.php?aid=955

Gee, maybe the UN would grant them "refugee status" and build them a "camp" to live in.

And we could pay for it.