UN renews calls for Middle East two-state solution for peace

Times

UN Security Council statement comes a week before President Obama due to hold first meeting with new Israeli Prime Minister

James Bone in New York and James Hider in Jerusalem

The UN Security Council called yesterday for diplomatic action to achieve a two-state solution in the Middle East after King Abdullah of Jordan warned in The Times of a possible war within 18 months.

“A Gaza furono colpiti i civili” il rapporto Onu accusa Israele

Repubblica

di VINCENZO NIGRO

ROMA – Con una lettera al presidente di turno del Consiglio di sicurezza dell’Onu, il segretario generale Ban Ki-moon ha presentato una sintesi del rapporto sui “nove incidenti più gravi” accaduti durante l’operazione “Cast Lead” decisa da Israele alla fine del 2008 per fermare il lancio dei razzi Kassam da Gaza. Dal 27 dicembre al 19 gennaio 2009, data della tregua fra Israele e Hamas, molte scuole ed edifici dell’Onu a Gaza vennero colpite durante i combattimenti: dipendenti dell’Onu, ma anche civili rifugiati all’interno di scuole ed edifici delle Nazioni Unite furono uccisi o feriti da proiettili della IDF (Israel Defence Force).

UN report condemns over Gaza war

Times

James Bone in New York

A United Nations investigation yesterday accused Israel of “reckless disregard” for human life in using white phosphorus munitions that killed and injured Palestinians sheltering in a UN school during the Gaza war.

U.N. Seeks End to Razing of Homes in East Jerusalem

IHT

By ISABEL KERSHNER

Published: May 1, 2009

JERUSALEM — The United Nations is calling on Israel to freeze all pending demolition orders against Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem in a new report that reflects growing international concern over developments in the contested city. The report also urges Israel to provide solutions to the housing crisis there.

Israeli Military Says Actions in Gaza War Did Not Violate International Law

IHT

By ISABEL KERSHNER

Published: April 22, 2009

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Wednesday presented the conclusions of several internal investigations into its conduct during the war in Gaza and stated that it had operated in accordance with international law, countering widespread international criticism over its actions and continuing accusations of possible war crimes.

The military said in a statement that it had “maintained a high professional and moral level” during the 22-day war, which ended Jan. 18, though it faced “an enemy that aimed to terrorize Israeli civilians whilst taking cover” among Palestinian civilians and “using them as human shields.”

Israel protests as UN racism meet begins

Times

Philippe Naughton

Israel recalled its ambassador to Switzerland today in protest at a meeting between President Ahmadinejad of Iran and his Swiss counterpart, Hans-Rudolf Merz.

Analysis: UN racism conference – disaster born from disaster

Times

Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent

There has only ever been one United Nations conference on racism before and it ended in disaster. The second begins in it.

The boycott, begun by the United States and Israel, has snowballed so far across the Western world that any official international consensus on dealing with racism and xenophobia now looks near pointless.

Australia, New Zealand and Canada declined some weeks ago to attend the so-called Durban II in Geneva, with Italy and the Netherlands joining them. Now Germany and Poland have followed them in staying away after up to the wire negotiations by Britain and France for Europe to attend on a united front.

U.S. May Drop Key Condition for Talks With Iran

NEW YORK TIMES

14 April 2009

By DAVID E. SANGER

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration and its European allies are preparing proposals that would shift strategy toward Iran by dropping a longstanding American insistence that Tehran rapidly shut down nuclear facilities during the early phases of negotiations over its atomic program, according to officials involved in the discussions.

The proposals, exchanged in confidential strategy sessions with European allies, would press Tehran to open up its nuclear program gradually to wide-ranging inspection. But the proposals would also allow Iran to continue enriching uranium for some period during the talks. That would be a sharp break from the approach taken by the Bush administration, which had demanded that Iran halt its enrichment activities, at least briefly to initiate negotiations.

The proposals under consideration would go somewhat beyond President Obama’s promise, during the presidential campaign, to open negotiations with Iran “without preconditions.” Officials involved in the discussion said they were being fashioned to draw Iran into nuclear talks that it had so far shunned.

Livni condemns new Israel leaders

BBC NEWS

02 April 2009

Israel’s former chief peace negotiator says the way the new government is talking shows it will not be a partner for peace with the Palestinians.

Tzipi Livni’s criticism follows the rejection by her successor as foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, of recent US-backed efforts towards a peace deal.

“What happened is that the government announced that Israel is not relevant, is not a partner,” she said.

New PM Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to seek peace but has not detailed how.

Ms Livni’s centrist Kadima party came narrowly ahead of Mr Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud in the February election, but he was asked to form a coalition as right-leaning parties predominated.

In his speech on Wednesday, at a foreign ministry handover attended by Ms Livni, the ultra-nationalist Mr Lieberman said Israel was not bound by the Annapolis accords agreed with the Palestinians and the Bush administration in November 2007.

He said the only legitimate document was another US-sponsored deal, the Road Map peace plan of 2003, because he said it was ratified by the Israeli government and the UN Security Council.

Israeli Minister Dismisses Peace Effort

NEW YORK TIMES

01 April 2009

By ISABEL KERSHNER

JERUSALEM — In a blunt and belligerent speech on his first day as Israel’s new foreign minister, the hawkish nationalist Avigdor Lieberman, declared Wednesday that “those who want peace should prepare for war” and that Israel was not obligated by understandings on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reached at an American-sponsored peace conference in 2007.

“Those who think that through concessions they will gain respect and peace are wrong,” Mr. Lieberman said during a handover ceremony at the Foreign Ministry. “It is the other way around; it will lead to more wars.”

His predecessor in the post of foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, a centrist, led Israel’s negotiating team with the Palestinians in a year of intensive talks after the 2007 conference, held in Annapolis, Md.

The aim of the Annapolis process, as it became known, was to agree on the framework for a Palestinian state alongside Israel by the end of 2008, a goal that was not achieved.