Army Story 05-04

Jerusalem Compassed with Armies

Clearly this single prophetic event will take place with great swiftness. We will post stories of any troop movements in the Middle East and any stories relating to increased military power among the nations.

back to Current News Stories--Armies back to Two Key Prophecies home

European Union Vows Support for 'Palestinian' State Within Israel
By Peter Hirschberg, Haaretz Correspondent, Haaretz Service and Agencies

Abbas, Mubarak to discuss results of London summit.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday to discuss the results of this week's London conference of world leaders that sought to strengthen Abbas, Deputy Palestinian Prime Minister Nabil Sha'ath said Wednesday.

Sha'ath told Reuters that the two will meet in Egypt "to discuss the latest developments, support the peace process and the results of the London conference" held Tuesday.

Egyptian officials said the talks would take place in the southern Sinai resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where Abbas and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared a halt to militant and military violence in a February 8 summit.

Meanwhile, the European Union pledged Wednesday to boost assistance to the Palestinians, and praised Abbas for keeping his word in restoring order since his election.

"The EU will be behind the Palestinians in achieving their dream of a Palestinian state," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana told Abbas, making his first visit to Brussels since taking office in January.

Solana said the EU would support Palestinian parliamentary elections, provide fresh economic aid and help the PA to reform its security forces.

For his part, Abbas said Wednesday he was optimistic Palestinians and Israelis could take advantage of a "new era of peace and hope" to reach a final peace deal that will see the realization of Palestinian statehood.

"Now we are talking about a new era of peace and hope," Abbas told reporters at EU headquarters. "I hope this support will continue ... Let's be optimistic."

The Palestinian leader flew to Brussels after attending the London Conference on supporting the PA, where he pledged to improve the PA's security services - a key demand of Israel and world donors.

Abbas was making his first visit to EU headquarters to drum up support from the 25-nation bloc for his reforms to prepare for statehood.

European Parliament President Josep Borrell said that if the Israeli-Palestinian peace process made sufficient progress, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, a global conference of parliamentarians which he will chair from this month, could hold a special session in the Palestinian territories in November.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU would help observe Palestinian parliamentary elections in July and provide 250 million euros in aid this year.

During Wednesday's meetings Abbas told the EU that he wants Palestinian statehood "as soon as possible."

"Unfortunately until now, this dream has not been possible. We will continue to work to get this as soon as possible," he said.

Asked when the Palestinians might get statehood, Solana said: "The sooner the better," adding that it "depends on the parties" - the Israelis and Palestinians - to draft a new date for setting up a Palestinian state.

"The European Union is going to be behind the Palestinian people for the realization of their dream," Solana said. "The dream is clear: to have one state and a state that can live together in peace with the neighboring state of Israel."

Solana added that Abbas, the Israelis and donors such as the United States and the EU had to ensure this hope will "not be disappearing from the heart of the [Palestinian] people."

During their talks, Abbas and Solana discussed a range of issues linked to a final peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians, including settlements, Jerusalem and the West Bank separation fence.

"Colonization and the wall are illegal; they were built on our territory," Abbas said. "We will continue to raise this with the Israelis."

Abbas also reiterated the PA's condemnation of a suicide bombing outside a Tel Aviv nightclub last weekend that killed five Israelis.

"All Palestinians condemned this attack," Abbas said. "These attacks should not delay the peace process."

Abbas told Tuesday's London conference that the attack showed "extremist" elements were determined to derail the peace process.

Solana also urged Abbas to carry through on reforms to the PA's security policy, to ensure better control over militants "so the dream [of statehood] is realized."

He added that the EU was ready to continue its aid to help restructure the Palestinian police forces.

Israel takes London parley to task for terror stance
Israel, under pressure from the London conference, on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to the road map peace plan, but criticized the meeting for failing to more strongly urge a PA crackdown on terror organizations.

Leaders attending the Tuesday conference said they expected "action by Israel" regarding its commitments to the road map. Senior British sources said they did not accept Sharon's position that Palestinians must fulfill a series of obligations before implementation of the road map can begin.

But Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that the conference had skirted the real issue, that of the PA's vow to fight terrorism.

"Words in London must correspond to some sort of reality here, Olmert told Israel Radio. "The fact is that terrorism is continuing, and we have yet to see any genuine effort by the Palestinian leadership, and this is certainly worrisome and cannot be ignored."

Britain wants Israel to freeze settlement construction and dismantle illegal outposts - both measures stipulated in the road map's first phase, senior British sources said. It also does not accept any particular order for first-phase actions, such as the Palestinians' having to carry out their commitments before Israel complies to its obligations.

Olmert said Wednesday that he "would have expected from the Palestinians, and certainly from the British, especially in this conference, that condemnation of terrorism, and commitment to fight terrorism ... rather than being hidden from the conference, would have been a very central, very substantive part of the declared commitments.

Referring to statements made at the end of the one-day conference, Olmert said "The declarations there do not represent a serious effort" in the fight against terrorism."

Regarding the road map, Olmert said "Israel's commitment to accept the two-state solution of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, and its willingess to fulfil the road map, have been expressed many times, openly, clearly, publicly, and in a binding manner."

In their final statement, conference participants declared, "The London meeting recognized that the implementation of the commitments made by the Palestinian Authority would constitute a major step in implementing its road map commitments." At the same time, participants urged and expect action by Israel in relation to its own road map commitments.

The Quartet of road map sponsors also issued a statement condemning Friday night's suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, urging "immediate action by the Palestinian Authority to apprehend and bring to justice the perpetrators."

But while an unnamed Palestinian official said the Palestinians were "very upset" by the Quartet statement that condemned the bombing, Israel indicated the statement - which also called for a viable Palestinian state - did not go far enough.

"Israel thinks that all the leaders who participated in the conference should have emphasized that the Palestinians must fulfill their obligations to stop terror, and that until then they will not be able to fulfill their national ambitions," the Prime Minister's Bureau said in a statement. No Israeli officials participated in the conference.

Source

back to top back to Current News Stories--Armies back to Two Key Prophecies home