Israel's peace conference.

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press Wednesday December 22, 2004 13:23 by pi - bad movie ideas.

"now that I have your attention listen to what I have to say"

Barcelona's offer to host a peace conference in 2005 has been rejected by Ariel Sharon. This marks a rejection of the Sharon administration of centring peace efforts on the Barcelona process, which the EMP (The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership) is usually known by.
The EMP reflects the reality of Israel's geographical location as a state of the Mediterranean and one who trades with the EU.
It also reflects the reality of Israel's demographic origins, Isreal is a European nation, the vast majority of whom are descended from European jews. The dictatorship of Libya is not participating in the EMP.

Today Tony Blair on a visit to the region has proposed holding a conference in London in 2005.
This supports the joint US/UK strategy as announced at the Bush & Blair press conference which followed the death of Arafat at Percy hospital in Paris and his burial ceremony in Cairo.

For their part, the US adminstration through Colin Powell has signalled that it is keen to continue the work of the EMP and the good will of Europe.
The good will of Europe had previously built the airport, hospitals and farms of the occupied territories which were lost in the last years to the building of the wall, which the European court found to be illegal.

However the main source of military funding to the state of Israel is undoubtedly the USA.

Thus there are clearly two "outside interests" with different wishes and strategies.

Powell's remarks at the closure of the "forum for the future" in morrocco-
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0412/S00164.htm

Blair's joint press conference as reported in Jerusalem which signals HMG's wish to return to the road map and see disengagement.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1103685616821

A muslim source close to Europe and Israell
http://www.turkishpress.com/world/news.asp?id=041222105910.khws89ri.xml

a source close to British foreign policy-
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1458032004

Blair has reiterated the phrase that democracy must be established in both states. And I doubt that biometric ID cards will go down well amongst the orthodox.

"Mr Blair said: "I am not interested in just having a conference that just makes a point". There had been enough meetings and discussions on the situation in the Middle East. He stressed that ultimately it was down to Israel and Palestine to negotiate and find a solution to the problems in the region.

He [Blair] argued that "unless there is a genuine viable partner" built on democracy, a transparent economy, and measures in place to ensure security and give Israel confidence in its security "we are never going to get back into the roadmap".

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As President Bush correctly said, when a young muslim and young jewish girl [of 19] are blown up together the future of both Palestine and Isreal are dying. He made that remark in reaction to a suicide bomb attack on a supermarket, the two girls looked so alike, that for a day the police thought the Israeli girl was a Palestinian.
Some thought the little boy of 14 who said "I don't want to blow up" and gave himself to the IDF was lucky, others thought a little angel had spoken in his ear and overcome the other instruction.
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@+.:. WE OPPOSE THE WALL .:.+@
& support the Palestinian People.

We can not accept Sharon's assertion that the Palestian people alone are to blame. For they are not.-