Expanded EU role in the 'peace process'

[Mediocrates]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1093402929492

EU allowed greater role in peace process

Herb Keinon, THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 26, 2004

Israel has taken a "major step forward," agreeing to institutionalize a role for the European Union in regional peace process and non-proliferation issues, EU Ambassador Giancarlo Chevallard said Wednesday.

Chevallard, summing up 15 hours of negotiations Tuesday between EU and Israeli officials over Israel's participation in the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), said that Israel has agreed to institutionalize the political dialogue with the EU on a number of key topics, something it has never agreed to do before.

Israeli diplomatic officials, however, said that although progress was made in the negotiations, there is still a long way to go.

One official said that it does not look as if the agreement will be finalized before the new European Commission takes over in November.

An agreement by Israel to upgrade the EU's political involvement would constitute a shift in Israeli policy. Only last month did Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom tell EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana that Europe could be frozen out of the Middle East peace process because of its failure to consider Israel's security needs.

The ENP is an initiative to upgrade the EU's relations with a circle of some 14 countries bordering the enlarged EU, with the ultimate goal being to allow free access to and from the EU of goods, services, capital, and people from the countries involved in the initiative.

The action plan currently under discussion has two "baskets," a political one and an economic one.

Under the understandings being worked out, Chevallard said Israel would recognize in writing a willingness to involve Europe in a formalized political dialogue on issues such as the peace process, terrorism, small arms, non-proliferation, and human rights. This is what constitutes the political basket.

Chevallard said the idea is not only to hold a dialogue on these issues, but also to come up with common action. He pointed out that the title of this part of the agreement is "political dialogue and cooperation."

Israeli officials said there are still some "land mines" on the way to agreeing on the framework for the political dialogue. He said the goal is to upgrade the dialogue and cooperation without highlighting the different EU-Israeli positions on a number of issues.

Chevallard said the EU recognizes that Israel has made a "big step forward" in accepting the principle of an institutionalized role for the EU on political issues, and that the EU understands that in exchange "there must be other advantages" for Israel.

These "advantages" are to be found in the second basket in the agreement, the "economic" basket, which in addition to economic issues also deals with science, transportation, and the environment.

As a result of joining the Europe Neighborhood program, Israel wants to gain entrance to a number of different institutions and programs that are currently closed to non-EU members, such as the European Space Agency and European Environment Agency. Israeli officials said that as of yet the EU has not been overly generous in this area.

Chevallard said that the goal of the negotiations now is to "find the proper balance between the different baskets."

What this means in non-diplomatic jargon, according to diplomatic officials, is that if Israel is going to institutionalize a political role for Europe in various different areas, it expects to be duly compensated by gaining entrance to key economic, scientific, and technological programs that are currently closed to it.

Another round of talks is tentatively scheduled for the week of September 6. The target date for finalizing an action plan is September 21, but officials from both sides concur that at this time it seems unlikely this target will be be reached.

Israel, along with Jordan, Moldova, Morocco, Tunisia, and Ukraine are in the first wave of countries, along with the Palestinian Authority, to negotiate with the EU regarding participation in the ENP.

[Olivier]

The ENP ("politique de voisinage européenne" in french) is a very important tool of the european foreign policy, however even if I do not have the figures in mind, the amount of money devoted to this policy is very weak compared to what is spend on integrating new european nations .. and very weak overall.

Still ENP is a strong idea, (and there are much more than monetary benefits offered), as the article says (but to put back the integration of Turkey on the table, I'm not really in a hurry to have Iraq in the ENP).




To get back to the question of israel in the ENP and the fact that israel would have to stop shunning europe from the peace process in exchange for a series of benefit in terms of access to the ESA, research, economy etc...

Well this "soft seduction" method is typical of Europe's conception of what power should be: a form a consensual influence rather for the better than exercizing violence.

And if I might had one last thing: there is no hurry, the israel/palestine situation is very tense, I'm not sure much can be done with the Sharon gvt and I do not feel like rewarding them (eg the important expansion of settlements going on right now in violation of the roadmap etc..).




note that weeks ago, I started a thread on european policy for democratization of arab regimes ... but no one was interested :(

[Semsem]

>>note that weeks ago, I started a thread on european policy for democratization of arab regimes ... but no one was interested <<

I believe that most come here because we love ISRAEL and are interested in JEWISH ISSUES. This is what this web site is about.

[Semsem]

Moritanos, the Spanish Foreign Minister is an idiot and a jerk. A true son of the Inquisition.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/470332.html

Spain urges Europe to play role in Mideast peace process

By The Associated Press



MADRID - Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos on Friday urged the European Union to take an active role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.




"The European Union, from the Spanish point of view, cannot be left aside," Moratinos said at a news conference with Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat at the Foreign Ministry in Madrid.

"It's time for the European Union to assume its responsibilities," Moratinos said.

Moratinos, a former EU envoy to the Middle East, said his ministry was committed to peace efforts in the Middle East and said he would travel to the region in autumn for discussions with both the Israelis and Palestinians.

"Spain is ready for diplomacy, and later we'll see what contributions are needed on the spot for a definite reconciliation," he said.

Erekat said the peace talks with the Israelis need to be revived and called on the European Union through Spain for help.

"We ask you for help, we need help, we need to revive the peace process," Erekat said, recounting how Spain successfully hosted the historic 1991 peace conference that brought together Arabs and Israelis for the first time and paved the way for peace accords between Israel and the Palestinians.

[Mediocrates]

http://www.eufunding.org/

http://www.eufunding.org/accountability/NewFPCReport.html

http://eufunding.org/FPC2004Report.pdf

Please take a look at this site. It's a very compendium of the issues surrounding the EU's open financial support of terrorism.

More on this issue here:

http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enZone=Views&enDisplay=view&enPage=ViewsPage&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Article^l4056


Palestinian strongman helps EU Fraud Squad find the light
By David Frankfurter August 31, 2004


One dark night, a man was searching frantically under a street light. A passerby stopped to help. "What are you looking for?" he asked. "I dropped a ring when I was further down the road," was the answer. "So why are you looking so far away from where you lost it?" was the obvious follow-on. "Because the light is over here!" answered the searcher.

The EU fraud squad, OLAF, reaches the conclusion, that "To date, there is no evidence that funds from the non-targeted EU Direct Budget Assistance to the Palestinian Authority have been used to finance illegal activities, including terrorism."

Mohammed Dahlan seems to feel that OLAF needs some direction , so today's report in the Jerusalem Post helps guide them away from the street lamp, back to the places evidence might be found.

"Former PA security minister Mohammed Dahlan on Thursday revealed that at least two of the Fatah militias, the Jenin Martyrs Brigades and the Abu Rish Brigades, were financed and armed by the PA leadership. In addition to their responsibility for the chaos in the Gaza Strip, the two groups have also been involved in attacks on the IDF and settlers."

"Dahlan told the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that PA Chairman Yasser Arafat was aware of the fact that these groups were receiving money and weapons from the PA..."

"The Jenin Martyrs Brigades, whose members kidnapped Jabali, is financed and armed by the PA. The group's members are PA employees. As for the Abu Rish Brigades, they too are financed and armed by the PA because they are members of the National Security Forces. Arafat knows who is financing them."

Given that the EU provides a significant portion of the budgets that the PA uses to pay these terrorists, and given that the EC has said: "...If any evidence comes to light that the PA is knowingly employing members of terrorist organisations, the PA will need to act immediately to take these people off the payroll and bring them to justice."

So how will the EU to answer these new charges? Reading the many statements, reports, answers to MEP questions etc. of the European Commission one knows the standard answer. The reports of the EU Parliamentary Working Group on Budgetary Assistance to the Palestinian Authority put it well:

"Given the fungible nature of EU budgetary support, it is not possible to link any salary payment... to EU funding."

Don't let the fancy words confuse you. Making money fungible means that the EU deliberately transfers all overseas aid to the PA to a single general-purpose bank account, where it is mingled with funds from other sources. That way, the EU can deny funding terror. Simply stated, this is money-laundering. A criminal offence in most modern democracies - mainly because it has been known to be common practice amongst criminals and many subversive organizations for some decades.

[Semsem]

Europe must not meddle as they will cause World War 3 by their STUPIDITY

[insight]

>>note that weeks ago, I started a thread on european policy for democratization of arab regimes ... but no one was interested <<

I believe that most come here because we love ISRAEL and are interested in JEWISH ISSUES. This is what this web site is about.


Yes Semsem....

I love ...Israel.....and we have to support and with allmeans ....help to save and switch into a peacefull country.....
And we all need that country is obviously essential.....I have had some hollidays in Polland......a present of french-teutonic....people....this is the reason why I really don't care about to be serious or not, in writing...even if at once you underline my broken english......no matter ....the problem is not in Sharon or the other side ......is demography.(inside Israel.)......and does it exist a real solution with people they don't want it........
Tonite I will glance at the stars....... and maybe i'll find mine......with a glass of good wine in my left hand (i'm lefthanded ) .............

and write a poem....or sing a song....but certainly not analyse political
point of vue......
I'm still asking me ,why my father leaved a Rothchild wineyard ( Rishon-lezion) to France.......
Those words are useless but I like it , I like the things when they don't call for an answer.......not serious.....,

Hugs to evryone .....and myself...

[Semsem]

>>even if at once you underline my broken english>>

I don't underline your broken English. I understand MOST of what you say but sometimes a few words I do not understand.

[Mediocrates]

learn to quote please....

[Olivier]

But the EU funds terrorism. the site usurpating the name of europe for propaganda is as serious as the way you carry out your function as a moderator.

Did it come to your mind a moderator has the responsibility of taking care that forum rules are respected ... and that he has to respect these rules as well ?

searching your posts, I get ... 17 occurrence of the word "whore" .


www.MediocratesAsModeratorIsaJoke.org :D

[Semsem]

<<searching your posts, I get ... 17 occurrence of the word "whore" .<<

So Olivier you think you are the POPE? Nothing wrong in calling France and Europe a WHORE. In fact I think prostitution should be legalised.

[NewsGuy]

Israel has taken a "major step forward," agreeing to institutionalize a role for the European Union in regional peace process and non-proliferation issues, EU Ambassador Giancarlo Chevallard said Wednesday. [/B]

The EU already has a role in the Mideast conflict, which is to fund Palestinian terrorism.

I very much hope that the written commitment to discuss issues with the EU will be contingent on the Europeans stopping to pay for Palestinian weapons of mass Jihad, as well as contingent on evaluating European actions at the UN to determine if the Europeans are helpful or not to the peace process.

[Mediocrates]

http://www.standwithus.com/news_post.asp?NPI=118

EU OPPOSED to More Talks on Fence at the UN
Posted: 9/15/2004 9:10:00 AM
Author: Shlomo Shamir
Source: http://www.standwithus.com


w w w . h a a r e t z . c o m
Last update - 07:30 15/09/2004
EU opposed to more talks on fence at UN
By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent

Senior diplomats of major European Union countries are expressing their opposition to renewing the deliberations over the separation fence in the 59th United Nations General Assembly, which opened officially Tuesday.

The diplomats have made it clear to PLO representative Nasser Al Kidwa that they oppose his plans to raise the issue as a major subject for discussion in the General Assembly.

Reliable sources in New York said Tuesday that Arab diplomats at the UN also expressed in private conversations their opposition to the resumption of the discussion on the separation fence.

In behind the scenes discussions between Al Kidwa and European diplomats, the Europeans argued that the issue of the separation fence in the UN forum has been exhausted, and must now move on to the political level in discussions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

"We are not interested to continue dealing with the issue of the separation fence within the parameters of the United Nations," one EU diplomat said. "The opinion on the fence given by the International Court of Justice in the Hague is advisory and does not require that deliberations on the issue continue in the General Assembly."

For their part, Arab diplomats urging Al Kidwa to cease pushing for further discussion of the separation fence are motivated by other concerns.

According to their argument, the Palestinians should not endanger their significant diplomatic achievement in the General Assembly in July by pressing the issue beyond its usefulness. In July, 150 member states including the European Union's 25 supported a resolution calling on Israel to abide by the ruling of the International Court of Justice and raze the separation fence.

Israel was also asked to compensate the Palestinians whose property was damaged as a result of the construction of the separation fence.

Sources close to the PLO delegation say that Al Kidwa is planning to propose a resolution that will threaten Israel with sanctions if it continues to ignore the ruling of the ICJ.

However, there is a growing dissatisfaction among EU diplomats over what they regard as the almost automatic opposition to Israel that is evident in the General Assembly and in many of its resolutions.

Haaretz has also learned that India has expressed its official disagreement with the content of a document approved at a conference of foreign ministers of non-aligned countries, held on August 19 in Durban.

The document calls on member states of the UN to "adopt measures in order to strip the residents of the settlements visas to non-aligned countries."

Similarly, the document calls for international sanctions for those involved in "illegal" activities in the territories, including the construction of the fence.

India's opposition to the document was expressed in an official letter to the Malaysian representative in the UN, who is serving as the chairman of the non-aligned bloc.

[Olivier]

The EU already has a role in the Mideast conflict, which is to fund Palestinian terrorism. :D :D :D

[tandem]

Senior diplomats of major European Union countries are expressing their opposition to renewing the deliberations over the separation fence in the 59th United Nations General Assembly, which opened officially Tuesday.
same old drill from those eurocunts. they were opposed to the role of the ICJ deciding the legality of the security fence, yet when the "verdict" was read and it was time for europe to stand firm on what it wrote to the ICJ, they made a u turn and wholeheartedly supported the ruling. now they're saying they don't want any more deliberations about the fence, but if the palestinian arabs and their allies decide to float a resolution against the fence at the UN, the europeans will quickly support the initiative. israel just can't trust these nazis. every chance they get they will always sell out israel and jews for their own interests.

[Mediocrates]

http://www.israelnn.com/news.php?id=69329

Suicide Bomber Was Children´s TV Show Hostess

The young 18-year-old female suicide terrorist, Zeinab Ali Isa Abu-Salem, who murdered two Israelis yesterday and wounded some 30 others, was none other than a children's TV show hostess on a local station in Shechem. Ofra resident Debbie Segal, who noticed the terrorist approaching the bus stop moments before she blew herself up, described her as "extraordinarily beautiful." She comes from a very wealthy Arab family in Shechem, which owns the TV station where she worked.

Palestinian Media Watch (http://www.pmw.org.il/tv%20part1.html) has thoroughly documented numerous children's TV programs that indoctrinate Arab children to seek "heroic death for Allah." On January 15, 2002, Arafat himself (http://www.pmw.org.il/asx/PMW_Arafat.asx), during a PA televised message to children, told them, "Is it not the greatest message to the world, when a child dies for Allah?"

Abu-Salem raises the number of female suicide terrorists to eight. Security sources say that she, like most of them, was young, single, and intelligent. Another 40 female terrorists have been arrested since the Oslo War began on Rosh Hashana, 2000, some of whom were on their way to commit suicide attacks.

Eyewitnesses to yesterday's attack said that the terrorist, clad in a veil, was stopped at the Border Guard post at the entrance to the crowded bus-and-ride stop, and argued with one of the policeman who wanted to check her. When the second officer approached them, Abu-Salem detonated the explosives that she held in a bag in her hand. IMRA (http://www.imra.org.il/) notes that this occurred just a day after US President Bush told the UN General Assembly that Israel must "end the daily humiliation of the Palestinian people" - a reference to the checkpoints.

The two Border Guard policemen who were killed in yesterday's suicide bombing in northern Jerusalem were buried today. They are Momoya Tahio, 20, from Rehovot, who immigrated from Ethiopia a number of years ago, and Menashe Komemi, 19, from Moshav Aminadav in the Jerusalem area.

Komemi's cousin, Raanan Komemi, was killed a year ago in a battle with terrorists in central Gaza. Raanan's father - the uncle of the policeman killed yesterday - is one of the founding members of an organization called the Three Fathers, which demands that the government allow the army to fight the anti-terror war without restraint and that the Supreme Court not prevent the army from razing structures used by terrorists to perpetrate attacks.

A few hours after the attack, Israeli forces demolished the homes of the terrorist and of her dispatcher. The two lived in the Shechem area in northern Shomron. In addition, IDF forces arrested over 15 terrorists in various Yesha areas last night.

[Mediocrates]

Watchdog: PA Money Laundry Run by EU & UK Foreign Ministries - Palestinians in Poverty





DAVID FRANKFURTER The Sprout | October 2004



Citizen's watchdog organisztion, the Funding For Peace Coalition (FPC) has just eleased a report (at www.euFunding.org ) substantiating a compelling connection between European funding and ongoing Palestinian corruption and terrorism.



The report uses meticulously documented evidence from the Palestinians themselves. It lays bare the flimflam justifications over years of the European Parliament and commission, in turn supported by a shallow majority report of a Parliamentary Working Party and the EU's docile fraud squad, OLAF.



Many raw nerves are exposed: Nepotism and corruption amongst the Palestinian Authority elite. Lists of names of PA employees engaged in terror - contradicting EU denials. Terrorist organizations admitting that they get their salaries from PA budgets, which in turn are funded by European largesse. Millions in a cash payroll to non-existent "employees" - years after the EC had repeatedly declared that everyone was being paid through direct bank deposits.



The report is well timed. The Working Party's majority report is due for debate in the Autumn, and at least 2 MEPs have said they will be asking some very direct questions. They want to know why the EU's money hasn't reached the average Palestinian - who lives reportedly below the $2 a day poverty marker. They want to know where 2 billion euros in EU taxpayers' aid over 10 years have gone.



Member states themselves have given a further 2 billion euros, in addition to the EU contributions. Together with money from the US and Arab states, the Palestinians have received what the World Bank calls '...the highest per capita aid transfer in the history of foreign aid anywhere.'



Hidden in Appendix B of the report is a second and equally controversial little gem. The UK government, often relying on EU assurances, has donated an estimated (UK) 450 million to the Palestinians since 1993. (UK) 93 million has been allocated for the three fiscal years to 2005/6. Most of this is channelled through the Department For International Development (DfID).



The DfID official policy on fraud and corruption is one of zero tolerance.



The DfID notes that fraud diverts resources from the poor. It demands that:



"If anyone suspects fraud or corruption they must, immediately, report their concerns to the Head of Internal Audit." And, the DfID lays out the strict conditions for the handing out of Direct Budgetary Support. The FPC's London spokesperson, David Winter says, "That's fine, in theory. But the DfID must be aware of Britain's National Criminal Intelligence Service report from 1993, which described the PLO, the main political element of the PA, as 'the richest of all terrorist organizations'. Did the PA suddenly reform itself overnight?"



A DfID document from July 2004 declares that the probability of fiduciary risk for the (UK) 93 million is low to medium, because of reforms executed by the Palestinian treasury. With the present evidence, that is unrealistic, especially considering that most of the reforms have been stalled by the executive.



Winter plans to challenge the DfID's Head of Audit on these issues. He claims that handing money to the EU, which in turn passes money in Direct Budgetary Support to the PA, deliberately bypasses its own regulations, and is a breach of public trust. He says that the Head of Audit should have acted on the public evidence from Arab and Palestinian sources, detailing PA corruption, nepotism, the diversion of funds to terrorism and other abuses.



Further, he debunks DfID reliance on reforms in the PA protecting their money. "Even the Palestinian street has erupted in riots because of the paucity of these very reforms. It is time for a rethink - for the sakes of both the Palestinian and the European taxpayer."