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Clinton Dismisses Iranian Moves; Stresses “Same Page” with Israel, but “No” to Pollard
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Speaking to reporters at the end of a two-day visit to Israel, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton emphasized that the US and Israel are on the “same page…trying to figure our way forward to have maximum impact on affecting the decisions that Iran makes.” Dismissing offers Iran made during talks with Western nations as “non-starters,” Clinton stressed the commonalities between Washington and Jerusalem and only hinted to the differences of opinion, some of which are believed to be significant. The SecState reportedly urged all of the Israeli leaders she met with to offer new gestures to the Palestinian Authority, admonishing that the current leadership in Ramallah is arguably better than whatever will follow. She squeezed-in a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad between meetings with Israeli leaders. At the same time and without announcement, Israel informed the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, who has been held in an Israeli jail since January, that he will be released. Clinton’s other message to Israel was to do whatever it takes to repair the shattered relations with Turkey. The SecState dismissed any hope of seeing Israeli Jonathan Pollard released on humanitarian grounds from his life sentence despite a growing number of calls from former government officials to do so.
Damascus Erupts in Fierce Fighting; Opposition General “2-NATO Strikes and We Win”
Opposition forces battled government troops in Damascus on Monday with much of the fighting coming in close proximity to the President Bashar Al-Assad’s residence. The fighting began on Sunday night continued through the night according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights which has been monitoring the conflict. The capital is seeing the largest Syrian deployment of armor-backed troops since fighting began 16-months ago, while reports of success by government troops or opposition forces varies from neighborhood to neighborhood. Numerous reports speak of efforts by citizens to disrupt the advance of Al-Assad’s soldiers inside Damascus. Nevertheless, a rebel general who before defecting was a top ranking officer in the Syrian army told the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that anti-Assad troops are “two NATO air strikes away” from toppling the regime. In a further sign of Al-Assad’s isolation from the Arab world, after Morocco recalled its ambassador to Damascus, Syria declared the Moroccan ambassador persona non grata. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lashed out at Western nations, accusing them of “blackmail” in trying to get Assad to step down. Lavrov said Assad remains in power because the Syrian people support him. As expected, Lavrov said Russia will veto any UN Security Council resolution that calls for sanctions. About 18,000 people have died so far in almost 17-months of fighting.
Palestinian Intelligence Officials Says Palestinians Responsible for Arafat’s Death
If Yassir Arafat’s body is exhumed and it is determined that he died after being poisoned by polonium-210 or any other lethal substance, it will not have been the Israelis who fed it to him according to a Palestinian intelligence official. In an interview with Israeli journalist Yoni Ben Menachem, Fahmi Shabana, who sits on the official committee investigating Arafat’s death, told Ben Menachem that a Palestinian involved in Gaza Strip-security – read: Hamas – and a political figure who facilitated the cover-up are to blame. Since Arafat’s death in 2004, Israel has shouldered much of the blame for his death even though some are suggesting that if it was an assassination, there are Palestinians who had motive and access. According to the Ma’an news agency, doctors at the Swiss Radiophysics Institute which discovered the traces of polonium-210 in Arafat’s belongings also said the medical records of his last hospitalization are not consistent with poisoning by the radioactive isotope. Arafat’s widow’s request that her husband’s body be exhumed for further examination has been approved but no date for the examination has been set.
Hamas Executes 3 for Murder
Three Palestinian men convicted of murder in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip were put to death by hanging on Tuesday morning. In a prepared statement, the Interior Ministry said the executions were carried out “in accordance with a court order” after the families of the victims rejected the offer of “blood money” and demanded the hangings be carried out. Capital crimes under Palestinian law are murder, drug trafficking and collaboration with Israel. The final requirement, that of the president signing-off on the death warrants, is no longer applicable in Gaza where Hamas does not recognize the legitimacy of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas because he is technically “holding-over” since his term actually expired in 2009.
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