diplomacy - Egypt - GAZA ASSAULT - Middle East - Nicolas Sarkozy
Cairo becomes hub of diplomatic push
Monday 05 January 2009
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni rejected EU calls for a ceasefire, saying "we are not reaching an agreement with terror". Hamas sent delegates to Cairo on Monday; French President Nicolas Sarkozy also arrived as part of his push for peace.
Special Report Gaza under attackMonday 05 January 2009
By Florence VILLEMINOT (video)
Ask our journalists posted in Israel and the Palestinian Territories your questions
FRANCE 24 with wires - Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Monday rejected calls by visiting EU diplomats for an immediate truce to the war in Gaza, saying Israel was aiming to change the "equation in this region."
"We are fighting with terror and we are not reaching an agreement with terror," she said, in reference to the Islamist Hamas rulers of the Gaza.
"Israel acted in a manner.... to change the equation that Hamas kept before the military operation.... that Hamas targets Israel whenever it likes and Israel shows restraint," she said after talks with senior EU diplomats.
"This is no longer going to be the equation in this region," she said. "When Israel is being targetted, Israel is going to retaliate."
The foreign minister of the Czech Republic, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, repeated the bloc's call for an immediate halt to Israel's deadly offensive on Hamas in Gaza.
"We presented the Israeli foreign minister with the view of the European Union that a ceasefire should be established as soon as possible as... that rockets have to stop," Karel Schwarzenberg told reporters in the joint media conference.
"We are not sharing the view that a ceasefire is only possible if all... aims of the Israeli actions are achieved," he said. "We do think that the ceasefire should be as early as possible."
Israel faces intense international pressure to agree a ceasefire and ease the suffering of the Gaza population which has no power or water supplies and endures a daily struggle to get food, according to aid agencies.
Israel agreed to let food and fuel into Gaza but scores of trucks were stuck at the border as the military said no one turned up to receive the supplies.
Aid agencies said they were scrambling to organise a convoy on the Palestinian side where many people fear to venture out during the Israeli raids.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy was to hold talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on ways to reach a ceasefire.
An EU ministerial delegation and a Russian envoy were also in the region. US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice called off a trip to China because of the Gaza crisis.
Sarkozy was to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in Ramallah, after first meeting with Egyptian counterpart, Hosni Mubarak, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the EU presidency, headed another delegation to the Middle East, while Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's Middle East envoy, Alexander Saltanov, held talks with Abbas.
The European Union and Russia are both part of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet, along with the United Nations and the United States.
Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said he had a plan aiming to at least suspend the Gaza fighting which he had already discussed with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He said he would also outline it to US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Sunday that he would be working with the key players on ways to end the violence.
The Israeli offensive has sparked spiralling anger in the Muslim world and protests across the globe.
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"If Israeli is targeted, Israel will retaliate"
Israeli FM Tzipi Livni, 05/02 2pm GMT+1
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"Difficult task to convince Israel for an immediate ceasefire"
F24's David Crossan, Ramallah, West Bank 05/01 4pm GMT+1
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'EGYPT HAS A BIG ROLE TO PLAY IN TALKS'
Ygal Saadoun reports from Egypt 05/02 8AM
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INTERVIEW
"From the beginning we have said we would like to accept a ceasefire." Ahmed Youssef, deputy minister of foreign affairs for Hamas, 04/01/09.
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US not calling for immediate ceasefire
F24's Guillaume Meyer in Washington DC. (04/01/2009, 10pm GMT+1)
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'Resounding Israeli public no about ceasefire'
F24's Annette Young in Jerusalem. (04/01/2009, 10pm GMT+2)
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World leaders push for ceasfire
Story: F. Villeminot, S. Drury. (04/01/2009)
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'Israel's offensive embarrasses Abbas a great deal'
Mustafa Barghouti, independent Palestinian MP. (04/01/2009 7pm GMT+1)
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Israel's 'huge reaction was disproportionate'
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. (04/01/2009)
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'we have to go on fighting for the ceasefire'
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations. (04/01/2009)
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'We will welcome President Sarkozy'
Mahmud Abbas, head of the Palestinian Authority, (04/01/2009 3pm GMT+1)
Vidéo
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11/01/2009 07:00:04 Alert a moderator
Isreali/Palistinian Conflict
By The Psychic Cowboy - Detroit Michigan
PLEASE,,,,,tell me what this is all about in the first place,,,,I do not completly understand the situation,,,,,I do know that is seems very UNBALANCED when 800 Palistinians die ,,,and only 30 Isreali's,,,,,,Is it really all over the controll of the GAZA strip ????? Why is the United States such a FIRM supporter of Isreal all the time,,,????? Aren't those Palastinian civilians being killed with weapons supplies by the U.S. ???? HELP me understand the overall picture here,,,,,, The Psychic Cowboy
10/01/2009 20:59:33 Alert a moderator
Israel resumes Gaza offensive, Hamas envoys head for Cairo
By DENNIS - USA
Israel is not going stop the Gaza Offensive until Hamas and the other parties are forced to stop sending in the rockets into the Gaza Strip....
10/01/2009 20:00:48 Alert a moderator
The weak side is not always the right side!
By Haim - israel
Europe and the US can't preach israel not to kill innocent people or to say israel's reaction is disproportional while 10,000 rockets hiting israel for the last 8 years!!! every other country were exterminate Gaza to the last chiled. and only to remind you what you have done with no real danger to your citizen: on May 13 1999 NATO's war-planes killed over 100 refugees in Yugoslavia by mistake of course.
and its not over yet. on April 14 NATO's planes killed 70 innocent people "by mistake". on April 27 16 innocent people killed "by mistake".and the list is too long! every year American and European forces are killing at least 500 innocent civilians! and while this happens you'r all drinking your coffee.. we are geting bombarded for 8 year and all of a sudden the world is shouting!
i'v never seen a protest in the streets of Paris or London aginst Hamas while they launched rockets on isreal for 8 years . so what i'm saying is you need to look at the mirror before preaching israel
10/01/2009 19:38:07 Alert a moderator
Gaza assualt
By Alimohan - US/Houston
Amazing - yesterday i posted that Hamas doesnt care about a cease fire....this in the news today...
"A statement issued by the groups after a meeting attended by Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal also rejected any security arrangement that "infringes on the right of resistance against Israeli occupation"
In other words Hamas says international peace keepers stationed in Gaza might interfere with an otherwise perfect rocket launch.
10/01/2009 07:55:30 Alert a moderator
Terrorists in Gaza
By Anonyme - Canada
1)I just want to know if the midia will give the same attention it is giving to this conflict when the Palestinians start to kill each other (the MANY groups of extremists) after this situation is over.
2)When will you talk about what Hamas is doing with its enemies in Gaza?
3)How many terrorists got killed?
Thanks you. Merci.
09/01/2009 20:13:50 Alert a moderator
Israeli assault on Palestina
By Jerzy - Poland, Wroclaw
In my opinion we, citizens of the world are also responsible for persistence of the carnage of innocent people, open mass murder perpetrated by the Israeli government in Gaza, the most probably in the name of greed, robbery of the strategic offshore Palestinian’s gas reserves (http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=11680) , as well as chauvinistic domination of one nation under another, pretty well known from the recent history.
We don’t have to wait until the UN or other official international body issues another document expressing pity. Every citizen of the world can impose his private boycott of Israeli goods and services NOW. I believe this is the only way to stop that barbarian conquest in 21st centaury. Unfortunately, it seems that the only value for Israeli government’s mentality is income and the carnage can be stopped only if their income is at risk. As far as I’m concerned, I recently examine all the tags at the shops carefully. Anybody should consider at his own conscience if supporting Israeli business supporting the carnage is acceptable for a civilized human.
09/01/2009 18:35:36 Alert a moderator
UN resolution?
By Anonyme -
Israel doesn't care for UN resolutions- they violate more than all other members put together. Have the UN learnt nothing?
09/01/2009 18:12:41 Alert a moderator
Gaza
By Alimohan - US/Houston
Hamas will agree to a cease fire when they run out of rockets to fire. How can Hamas fire rockets from an area densely populated with over 1 million people knowing that hundreds or thousands of civilians will be killed when Israel shoots back and then claim they care about the people of Gaza. The world doesnt believe them.
09/01/2009 17:35:24 Alert a moderator
Gaza Ghetto
By bill harlow - USA/Philadelphia
Given that Israel regards the Gaza Strip as their land, have blocked all exits and entrances, control distribution of food and utilities, then the people inside are the wards of Israel and it is responsible for the welfare of all within the boundaries.
If the above is true, I think it is clear that Israel has created a ghetto for palestinians. It appears that they now intend to kill any who oppose them. Each group is behaving as others have years 65 years ago......and the death toll - a ratio of 100 Palestinians to 1 Israeli is typical of this situation. As usual the rest of the world stands by ...and by saying nothing, accepts the solution Israel has chosen.
One more fact. While bombing is efficient and effective in destroying buildings and people, one unintended side effect has been the increase and solidification of resistance. That is, except for nuclear annialation.
09/01/2009 16:27:32 Alert a moderator
A little late...
By Outsider -
Two years, 770 victims and 3000 wounded too late to be more precise. Why were they not talked to after they were elected? Why did the EU play along with this incredibly misguided policy?
09/01/2009 01:09:18 Alert a moderator
GAZA MASSACARE
By Anonyme - USA
The balance of power will change in the world in the next to 6-8 years. The new powers that will be care a lot less about that little country Israel. Let the chickens come home to roost.
05/01/2009 04:44:04 Alert a moderator
Hamas agrees to talks in Cairo
By DENNIS JR - USA
That is good news, but Israeli authorities will continued with there actions...
05/01/2009 04:17:35 Alert a moderator
Hamas agrees to talks in Cairo
By DENNIS JR - USA
That is very good news...But, Israeli authorities are pretty much going to finish the job of taking down the Hamas organisation...
05/01/2009 01:12:51 Alert a moderator
Hamas
By Jerald Semar - USA, Louisville
It's about the terrorism stupid. How can a sober minded democratic freedom loving well accepted leader as Nicolas Sarkosy suggest that Israel is being overbearing in it's responce to over 6,000 rockets hurled at the most innocent of Israel's people? I'm sick of people saying, " Oh, this is so complicated...what can be done..my,my! All of mankind knows terror and murder of a race of people simply because it is what it is "Iaraeli" is an unnatural act. People like flowers are different..mankind is better for it, not worse. Arabs from all the Arab nations have ganged-up on Israel because, of their radical religion and the push on the Arab children in school ,and Mosks, and state run television, forced poverty, money for war "especially from the Saudi family" and, plain ole meanness and mindless rage. What's-a-matter..Oil got your tounge? You people say you wan't to broker peace, but you can't broker peace by calling good evil and evil good...still playing the money game...who do you guy's think your fooling..keep it up ..you'll have a real world war on your hands! Think of the new boy toys you tough guys are about to let out of the bag because of your greed and fear. Is this what we wan't? After this next world war we can start throwing rocks at each other because there won't be anything left to hurl. Grow-up!
05/01/2009 00:21:27 Alert a moderator
Sees a leadership gap?
By Anonyme - londion
I think that the French president is not just seeking to fill a gap. France and Italy they have over 4000 peace keeper troops on the Israel Lebanese border and for sure he doesn't want to see an escalation of the conflict. These 4000 troops they have a stronger mandate they can enforce peace they are heavily armed with naval support to make sure that Israel doesn't cross the border in to Lebanon and that Hezbollah don't shoot missiles in to Israel. At the same time is true as the article says that with this strong effort for a ceasefire deal and in defense of Hamas (even though he says they should stop firing rockets) he's keeping quite the demonstration in his country. But about filling the gap... this just not is plan. Who instead is guilty of not intervention is Obama which he doesn't want to give an image of a war supporter and so he wait quietly for the 20th of January and see what progres israel has done.