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Iran's president says Bush administration should be tried for war crimes

Photo: Ahmadinejad at a rally of paramilitary forces to support Iran's nuclear program in Tehran, Iran, Saturday.

TEHRAN, Iran- Iran's hardline president said Saturday the Bush administration should be tried on war crimes charges, and he denounced the West for pressuring Iran to curb its controversial nuclear program. "You, who have used nuclear weapons against innocent people, who have used uranium ordnance in Iraq, should be tried as war criminals in courts," Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in an apparent reference to the United States. Ahmadinejad did not elaborate, but he apparently was referring to the U.S. military's reported use of artillery shells packed with depleted uranium, which is far less radioactive than natural uranium and is left over from the process of enriching uranium for use as nuclear fuel. Since the Iraq war started in 2003, American forces have fired at least 120 tonnes of shells packed with depleted uranium, an extremely dense material used by the U.S. and British militaries to penetrate tank armour. Once fired, the shells melt, vaporize and turn to dust. "Who in the world are you to accuse Iran of suspicious nuclear armed activity?" Ahmadinejad said during a nationally televised ceremony marking the 36th anniversary of the establishment of Iran's volunteer Basij paramilitary force. Iran has been under intense international pressure to curb its nuclear program, which the United States claims is part of an effort to produce nuclear weapons. Iran denies such claims and says its program is aimed at generating electricity. Iran insists that it has the right to fully develop the program, including enrichment of nuclear fuel - a process that can produce fuel for nuclear reactors or atomic bombs. On Thursday, the European Union accused Iran of having documents that show how to make nuclear warheads and joined the United States in warning Tehran it could be referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. Iran has temporarily stopped its enrichment program, but negotiations with Britain, France and Germany broke off in August after Tehran restarted another part of its program: the conversion of raw uranium into the gas that is used as the feeder stock in enrichment. Iran also has rejected European calls to halt work at its uranium conversion facility near the central city of Isfahan. Ahmadinejad dismissed Western concerns over his country's nuclear program. "They say Iran has to stop its peaceful nuclear activity since there is a probability of diversion while we are sure that they are developing and testing (nuclear weapons) every day," Ahmadinejad said. "They speak as if they are the lords of the world." State-run TV said more than nine million Basij members formed human chains in different parts of the country to mark their militia's anniversary. Thousands linked hands to make a 20-kilometre chain along an expressway in northern Tehran. Some Basij members also formed chains around an enrichment plant in the central city of Natanz and a nuclear plant under construction in the southern city of Bushehr, symbolizing their readiness to defend the country's nuclear program, Iranian TV reported. It is estimated that the Basij comprise 15 per cent of Iran's population, or about 10 million people.

Confusion and uncertainty surround resumption of Saddam trial

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Saddam Hussein's trial resumes Monday after a five-week break, with the defence planning to seek a lengthy adjournment in a proceeding threatened by Iraq's ongoing turmoil and tarnished by the assassination of two defence lawyers since the opening session last month. The first prosecution witnesses are expected to testify before the five-judge panel, offering accounts of the deaths of more than 140 Shiite villagers following an assassination attempt against Saddam in the town of Dujail in 1982. If convicted Saddam and his seven co-defendants could be sentenced to death by hanging. However, considerable uncertainty surrounds most details of the trial, including how many days the session will last, how many witnesses will testify and whether their identities will be made public. Many of the details have not been announced in advance due to security demands for a trial held in the midst of a raging insurgency - much of it led by Saddam supporters. For example, witnesses have the option of testifying from behind screens to preserve their anonymity. Court officials won't even say how many witnesses are on the prosecution list. One key witness, former intelligence officer Wadah Ismael al-Sheik, died of cancer after giving a videotaped deposition last month. Depositions are admissible under Iraqi law. Security concerns prompted the defence team to threaten a boycott of Monday's session after two members were slain in separate attacks after the trial opened Oct. 19. But the lawyers now say they will show up - if for no other reason than to prevent the Iraqi High Tribunal from appointing replacements. "All the lawyers will attend the trial and a decision has been taken not to leave the president alone," defence lawyer Issam Ghazawi said. "The lawyers are forced to attend the hearings, despite serious threats on their lives, but they want to do that to serve justice." U.S. and Iraqi officials said they expect the session to last until at least Thursday and then adjourn until after national parliamentary elections set for Dec. 15. However, lawyer Khamees al-Ubaidi told The Associated Press that the defence will ask for a postponement of at least three months to allow time to review the evidence and prepare their case. "It is not just a delay for delay's sake," al-Ubaidi said. "We need certain clarifications on documents we received, and we have not had enough time to study the case. Some of the documents we requested have not been delivered." Court officials have said they would be amenable to a reasonable adjournment. But officials have also indicated they want to wrap up the trial as soon as possible. Investigators are preparing up to a dozen other cases against Saddam, including his role in the crackdown on the Kurds in the 1980s and the brutal suppression of a Shiite uprising in the south in 1991. Al-Ubaidi also said an agreement had been reached "in principle" on security for the defence team and the boycott threat had been withdrawn. Some international legal and human rights organizations have warned that the very legitimacy of the proceedings depends on the government's ability to protect defence lawyers, as well as witnesses, prosecutors and judges. "The recent murder of two defence lawyers in the trial demonstrates the urgent need to protect those lawyers as well as witnesses," said Richard Dicker of Human Rights Watch. "However, all arrangements for witness protection must be consistent with fair trial guarantees." U.S. and Iraqi officials hope the trial will remind the world of the horrific crimes of the Saddam regime at a time when the American public is questioning the war as well as the Bush administration's strategy of building democracy in Iraq. The Shiite-led government has rejected suggestions that the trial be halted or moved to another country, as demanded by the defence. The United States resisted calls for establishing an international court - the formula used to prosecute war criminals in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia - insisting that Saddam should be judged by an Iraqi court on Iraqi soil. Nevertheless, Iraq's security crisis has forced U.S. and Iraqi authorities to employ measures that make this among the most unusual of trials. Proceedings are open to the world's media and will be streamed online by Court TV in the United States. Iraqis can watch the trial on the government's television station. But viewers will see the face of only one of the five trial judges. Identities of the others have been withheld to protect them and their families. The trial is taking place in the Green Zone - the heavily guarded international enclave in the heart of Baghdad where access is restricted to Iraqis and foreigners who have been carefully screened. Much of the security planning had focused on ways to protect judges, prosecutors and witnesses. That changed after a dozen masked gunmen abducted defence lawyer Saadoun al-Janabi from his Baghdad office the day after the opening session. His body was found the next day with two bullets in his skull. Nearly three weeks later, defence lawyer Adel al-Zubeidi was assassinated in a brazen daylight ambush in Baghdad. A colleague who was wounded fled the country. Government spokesman Laith Kubba said defence lawyers repeatedly turned down offers to move into the Green Zone; he accused them of using the security issue as a stalling tactic. The court said replacement lawyers would be appointed if the defence team refused to attend Monday's session so the trial could continue.

Car bombs kill 10 in Iraq; U.S. military says top al-Zarqawi aide killed

Photo: Iraqi children look at the burning wreckage of a car bomb that exploded near a two-car convoy carrying foreigners through central Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday.

BAGHDAD, Iraq- A suicide bomber drove his pickup truck into a crowded gas station in central Iraq on Saturday and detonated it, killing six people, while a car bomb targeting a convoy of foreigners in the capital killed four people, police said. The U.S. military also said it had received information confirming the death of a top aide to the leader of Al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Bilal Mahmud Awad Shebah, also known as Abu Ubaydah, was killed in an Oct. 14 raid in Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold 112 kilometres west of Baghdad, the U.S. command said in a statement. The confirmation came from "a close family member as well as coalition sources," the statement said. "Detained members of al-Qaida claim Abu Ubaydah served as an 'executive secretary' for Zarqawi; met with Zarqawi frequently; served as a messenger and gatekeeper for Zarqawi; screened all messages and requests for meetings with Zarqawi (and) was one of Zarqawi's most trusted associates," the statement said. A U.S. soldier was killed Friday when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb near Hit, 137 kilometres west of Baghdad. At least 2,105 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The suicide bomber struck in Samarra, 97 kilometres north of Baghdad, said police Lt.-Col. Mahmoud Mohammed. Twelve people were injured and nine cars were destroyed. The burnt carcasses of two sheep were in the back of one destroyed truck, and burnt clothing - including a man's traditional Sunni Arab robe - was scattered around the station parking lot. In central Baghdad, a parked car bomb detonated when two armoured cars drove by, killing four people, Leut. Thaer Mahmoud said. No one in the convoy was injured, but one of the armoured cars was damaged and removed by U.S. forces, Mahmoud said. In the first signs of trouble before the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections, four people have been shot in the last two days while trying to hang campaign posters, police said. Two of the incidents occurred in Mosul, 362 kilometres northwest of Baghdad, while two more were reported in the capital. In northwestern Baghdad on Friday, more than 200 members of the Batta tribe gathered at a mosque carrying banners and chanting slogans to demand the resignation of the defence minister after Wednesday's slaying of Khadim Sarhid al-Hemaiyem. One of the sheik's brothers said gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms and vehicles broke into the family home, killing al-Hemaiyem, three of his sons and his son-in-law. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry denied that government forces were involved. Another one of al-Hemaiyem's sons was killed by men in uniform last month, family members said. "We want the Arab League and the Sunni scholars to investigate," said Abdullah Jawad Khadim al-Battawi, a relative. A statement from the little-known Partisans of the Sunni claimed it carried out a Thursday car bombing, killing 11 and wounding 17, in the mostly Shiite city of Hillah in retaliation for al-Hemaiyem's slaying and other attacks against Sunni Arabs. "We have warned the (Shiites) to stop assassinations and detentions and torture," the statement posted Friday on an Islamist Web site said. "You should know, your blood is no more dear than ours. You kill our men, we kill yours. You kill our sheiks, we kill yours. You started this war." An Interior Ministry official said security forces were aware of the Partisans group, which has been active in the area south of Baghdad for months. More than 270 people have been killed since Nov. 18 in car bombings and suicide attacks against Shiite targets. The Saddam Hussein trial resumes Monday following a five-week recess granted by the court to give the defence time to study the evidence. The trial could raise sectarian tensions ahead of national elections. Saddam's regime was dominated by Sunnis, and the trial involves the deaths of Shiites. U.S. officials hope a big Sunni turnout will encourage members of the community to turn away from the insurgency, hastening the day when American and other international troops can go home. Sunnis form about 20 per cent of Iraq's estimated 27 million people but are the backbone of the insurgency.

ISRAEL NEWS: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Chaye Sarah in Hebron Yesterday Hebron celebrated the purchase of Ma'arat HaMachpela, bought almost 4,000 years ago by the Patriarch Abraham, to bury his wife, Sarah. Annually, as this Torah portion is read, thousands of people arrive in Hebron for Shabbat to hear these verses recited at the very site Abraham purchased. This Shabbat, over 25,000 people from Israel and around the world, arrived in Hebron to participate in this special event. Hundreds traveled from the United States especially for this Shabbat, via Hebron's New York office, the Hebron Fund, and through AFSI. In addition, thousands of Israeli couples and youth were hosted by Hebron and Kiryat Arba families. Youth slept in public buildings, prepared especially for Shabbat. Due to the warm weather, many also pitched tents in Hebron and Kiryat Arba. Shabbat meals were provided for those who made prior reservations. Families in Hebron and Kiryat Arba hosted dozens of people in their homes, with guests sleeping on any available floor space. Friday night, the multitudes gathered at Ma'arat HaMachpela, the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, for evening worship. The entire building was open to Jewish worshipers, including Ohel Yitzhak, the Isaac Hall, open to Jews only 11 days during the year. Huge prayer services were held both inside and outside, in the Ma'ara courtyard. Thousands joyously sang and danced the traditional Kabbalat Shabbat service. Following the evening meal, many of the guests attended classes and lectures in Hebron and Kiryat Arba. People could be seen roaming the streets of Hebron through the early hours of the morning. At five thirty in the morning, thousands gathered for early morning prayers at Ma'arat HaMachpela. A 'central service' began at eight o'clock in Ohel Yitzhak, with thousands crowding in and participating. Hearing the ancient words chanted, written by a scribe on parchment, describing the lengthy negotiations leading to Abraham's purchase of the caves and field, almost four millennium ago, at that very site, left everyone in awe. Following the services and afternoon meal, throngs toured Hebron's Jewish neighborhoods, with tours given in Hebrew, English, French and Russian. A festive 'third meal' was attended by hundreds of guests from the United States in the Gutnick Center. Hebron leaders, extremely happy with the huge turnout, said that this was the largest "Chaye Sarah" Shabbat gathering ever. They expressed hope that Israeli politicians and world leaders would take note of the tremendous international support for Hebron's Jewish community. They also commented that such a strong show of support should assist in efforts to prevent the possible expulsion of Jewish families from the 'Mitzpe Shalhevet neighborhood, which was ordered to be implemented before the end of 2005.

Sharon's Kadima Party To Draw Campaign Funds Otherwise Earmarked For Likud/Labor The Spokesperson's Office of the Knesset explained to IMRA today that under Israel's campaign finance rules, each party running in the Knesset elections can borrow campaign funds against the future stream of regular periodic payments that each party that has representatives in the Knesset receives. The amount of money a party can borrow is a function of the number of currently serving MKs that appears on the party's list of candidates. The periodic payments are function of the number of seats that the parties win in the Knesset elections. Ariel Sharon's breakaway Kadima party, thus, will be able to borrow money for the election campaign that would have otherwise been available to Likud and to a considerably lesser extent to Labor.- By Dr. Aaron Lerner.

The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership - Israel's Perspective Israel's Perspective on the Barcelona Process Silvan Shalom, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs A decade ago, the Barcelona Declaration stated that members of the process are "convinced that the general objective of turning the Mediterranean basin into an area of dialogue, exchange and cooperation guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity requires a strengthening of democracy and respect for human rights, sustainable and balanced economic and social development, measures to combat poverty and promotion of greater understanding between cultures, which are all essential aspects of partnership". Peace, stability and prosperity for the Mediterranean basin are the declaration's main goals. Israel, in the spirit of the Barcelona Declaration, saw the Barcelona process then as it does today, as an important and a correct means to fulfilling Israel's long-standing dream. Our dream is to live in peace, understanding, tolerance and cooperation with all our neighbors. The road towards this goal is stated in the same declaration: dialogue, exchange and cooperation. Israel shares the new ideas and initiatives put forth and accepted unanimously at the Luxemburg Euro-Med Conference in May 2005, promoting political and economic reform, human rights and education, through concrete and measurable actions. Nevertheless, we feel it is necessary to return to the essential ideas that are the driving force and the raison d'etre of the Barcelona process. In our view, the Barcelona process framework is the ideal framework for breaking old stereotypes, misguided myths and erroneous beliefs between nations. In other words, it can serve to prepare the ground and the hearts for peace and cooperation. Israel has recently completed its disengagement from the Gaza region as well as from four villages in northern Samaria. Disengagement was meant to be the turning point necessary to create a change in the stalled political process between Israel and the Palestinians. The momentum created by this move should be used in order to create a constituency for peace in our region. It should serve to empower the moderate forces and further isolate the extremists bent on continuing the cycle of violence. The Barcelona process can and should serve as the catalyst for as many projects as possible in those areas in which we can identify interests common to us all. Beyond the clear and immediate benefits of such projects, they can also serve as excellent confidence-building measures (CBM's). History has shown us more than once the ability of CBM's in promoting mutual understanding, tolerance and collaboration. Furthermore, the benefits of these projects are supposed to serve as tangible proof of the "fruits of peace" and to increase public interest in reaching the goals set forth by the Barcelona Declaration. In the last decade, Israel has tried, through its governmental and non-governmental representatives, to show the highest level of involvement in any possible cooperation. We are not starting from zero - Israel's participation in regional projects dates back to the first days of the Barcelona process : Within the political-security basket Israel is involved very actively in the Development of a Euro-Mediterranean System of Mitigation, Prevention and Management of Natural and Man-made Disasters project, which recently went into the implementation phase. Within the regional economic cooperation basket, in the framework of strengthening commercial relations with Jordan and the EU, we signed a Pan-European Accumulation agreement. Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the EU signed an agreement to open a Joint Energy Office and a Joint Transportation Office in order to establish common projects with EU backing. Israel's Minister of Communications participated in the first Euro-Med conference of Communications Ministers. Within the social-cultural basket, projects included: the Euro-Med Youth Exchange Program, the Medea program, eight projects in the framework of the Euro-Med Heritage programs. Israelis were also involved in education and training programs as well as in the EUMedis program involving information society. The highlight of this basket, in our view, was the establishment of the "Anna Lind Foundation" for inter-cultural dialogue. Israel was among the first supporters of this project and among the first to pledge financial backing for the foundation. Now we must look to the future. Those who claim that the main obstacle before advancing in the Barcelona process is the stalemate in the Middle East peace process, represent an attitude that prevents the parties to the Barcelona process from fulfilling its full potential. The Euromesco report of February 2005 states the following: "Political dialogue and CBM's are designed to facilitate efforts at conflict resolution. If CBM's are held hostage to conflict resolution, the logic of the measures goes to waste. Thus, the conditionality that has been accepted in the EMP is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what these measures are designed to achieve." It matters not what the main objectives of the members of the Barcelona process are: peace and prosperity, democratization, economic reforms, human rights, empowerment of civil society or other goals. In any case, we must focus on maximizing the potential inherent in the Barcelona process in order to support the advancement of the peace process. The way to achieve this goal is through as many CBM's as possible, as long as they are varied and available to all. In recent months, we can again feel the winds of cautious optimism blowing throughout our region. We are hopeful that maybe this time all sides will join us and show a real will to reach the peace, stability and prosperity that have eluded us for too long, that are still close and yet out of reach. We hereby call on all the members of the Barcelona process: For peace, let us work together in order to create a social, cultural and economic infrastructure for the immediate welfare and long-term fulfillment of the vision of the Barcelona Declaration. "It is about bringing peoples together through regional cooperation, partnership and dialogue" (Euromesco report). Let us move from a "lose-lose" situation to one of "win-win" from which we can all benefit. The present document showcases Israel's vision for the future of the Barcelona process. It is a concrete vision that can be implemented immediately. It is a vision that can be translated into concrete action whose results are measurable within a few years or less as long as we maintain a number of conditions: A focus on regional activities, open to all and in a constructive atmosphere, in order to build CBM's that will address the common needs of all those involved; A repeated pledge by all participants to uphold the guiding principles of the Barcelona Declaration - dialogue, exchange and cooperation; A joint (north-south) management of the process. In the next pages we will present a number of ideas and initiatives that are true to the spirit described above. These are ideas which Israel would like to continue and develop together with other countries who will find them interesting, with a view to the future of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. Promoting Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment The economic crises down the years have seriously affected governments' ability to assist the vulnerable sectors in grassroots communities (children, youth, elderly, handicapped and especially women). The aim of the proposed project is to contribute to poverty reduction through socio-economic development programs, by empowering women and promoting gender equality through an inclusive approach. The idea is to implement, within five years, a comprehensive human resources development program with emphasis on gender in selected countries in the Mediterranean basin and Middle East. Professionals, who have trained in Israel and in their own settings in such regions, will have acquired the necessary skills and capacity to manage "community driven" development programs and thereby enhance the material resources and human capital of their target population. With regard to our long experience in this field, we propose: To institute gender mainstreaming through 'tailormade' training programs - workshops and seminars on topics such as: women's leadership, participation of women in the labor market, creation of businesses by women, and support systems for women entrepreneurs. Empowerment through networking. By building working links with the Women's Mediterranean Forum, MCTC/MASHAV has been able to develop networks and programs for the empowerment of women in the Mediterranean basin. It is suggested that the next congress of that Forum be held in Israel (2007), within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Emergency and Trauma System: A disaster is defined as "a catastrophic event which, relative to the manpower and resources available, overwhelms a healthcare facility and usually occurs in a short period of time." Year after year thousands of people around the world die from natural disasters, and millions more are injured. Apart from the human suffering, the financial damages incurred by natural catastrophes are estimated at billions of dollars annually. Governments and relevant organizations need to learn to operate and respond quickly and efficiently to these disasters. Over the years, Israel has had to learn to deal with disasters and has built up a professional response to urgent medical demands. Therefore, Israel proposes programs and workshops dealing specifically in emergency medicine and trauma. Developing and Organizing a Trauma System: The program of studies will include: comprehending the continuity of treatment of trauma patients in a trauma system, studying the structures involved in the various phases of treatment, and developing a specific model of a trauma system suitable to the participants' countries of origin. International Training Course for Nurses in Emergency Room Nursing and Trauma Care: This course offers nurses continuing education in emergency room nursing and multi-trauma injuries. The course will include, among other topics: exposure to new methods and approaches, medical and nursing techniques in the treatment of patients, triage principles, nursing intervention and treatment, and principles of initial first aid in emergency situations and in life-saving skills. Counter-Terrorism Research Center (CTRC): The goal of the CTRC will be to address the importance of counterterrorism and to offer an opportunity for better understanding the terrorism phenomena by encouraging joint research projects on this crucial issue. The CTRC will initiate seminars, workshops and conferences, and help to bring together national research centers, scholars and students from the region, while contributing to their interaction and enabling them to share experiences and knowledge. The first stage for creating the CTRC will be to set up a Counter-Terrorism Research Fund (CTRF) that will dedicate itself to the establishing of the center and will offer scholarships for researchers to advance joint projects on the topic of counterterrorism. Cooperation in the Field of Technological Innovation: An enhanced cooperation program is proposed in the field of technological innovation, a field of great importance for the prosperity of all the countries in the Mediterranean region. In this regard, based on Israel's extensive experience in the development of "technological incubators", the suggestion is to have an exchange program aimed at assisting the setting up of similar incubators in other countries of the partnership. This can be achieved through meetings of policymakers, seminars and educational and vocational activities. In these activities, special emphasis should be given to the younger generation. What is a Technological Incubator? A technological incubator is an organization established to provide a supportive and protective environment for individual inventors and entrepreneurs, so that technological innovations can be developed into business ventures. It provides a framework and support for nascent companies to develop their innovative technological ideas and form new business ventures that can attract private investors. The program is opened to private investors so that they can become owners of the incubators and invest in the nascent companies at an earlier stage, thus enabling a greater return on their investment. The main objective of the government in supporting such a program is to help entrepreneurs during the seed stage of a project by assuming the role of a private investor in this very risky stage of business development. Cooperation in the Field of Health Systems Management: In the western world the last ten years have been characterized by a clear tendency of using an economic approach in the process of decision-making in the public health system. In Israel, since the implementation in 1995 of the Public Health Law, much experience and knowledge has been accumulated in the field of health systems management, in the domain of credible available data as well as parameters of efficiency and management of complex health systems. The proposal is to develop cooperation in the field of health systems management, a domain of great importance for the welfare of the population in all the countries of the Mediterranean region. The idea is to share the Israeli experience in confronting the issue of how to use the limited resources which exist for financing health expenses versus the needs that are ever increasing due to different factors that include, among many, the aging of the population, the decrease in infant mortality, expensive technological developments, and preventive medicine. Practically, the proposal is to organize a seminar which will deal with such issues as: establishment of unified and comparable data systems for all the public hospitals, efficient use of the public health system, multi-year planning of the national health system, etc. This proposal was presented for the first time at the Euro-Med Forum on Health, held in Barcelona on November 14-15. The Fight Against Desertification in the Middle East: In order to stop the damage caused to the soil as well as rehabilitate the fertility of dry land regions in the Middle East, it is recommended to establish mechanisms of regional cooperation in technology, research and training in the fields of grazing, afforestation, use of marginal waters, and preservation of propagating material. Israel can provide the researchers and the research infrastructures, assist in training, cooperate in sustainable development projects of dry land regions, and transfer knowledge via MASHAV. It is also suggested that a research fund be established for applicable research in "sustainable development of dry land regions in the Middle East" where experts from countries in the region can compete. Mediterranean Musical Dialogue - Musical Project: The Mediterranean is not only a geographical and historical area, but also an imaginary cultural space comprising a diversity of identities and cultures. The dialogue between these different cultures has created a unique texture that may be called the Mediterranean Culture. Because of its abstract nature, music serves as an ideal tool for such dialogue. Each musical tradition around the Mediterranean has its own unique identity. Yet they share many common elements. The proposal is to organize in Israel or in another neighboring country a four-day dialogue with the participation of musicians (instrumentalists, vocalists and composers) from all Mediterranean countries. The dialogue, conducted as a series of interrelated workshops, would aim to create an exchange of ideas among musicians who create in a "Mediterranean" spirit, i.e. by combining elements from their different musical cultures while at the same time learning the principles of their venerable traditions.

Dahlan: Rafah Terminal Protocol a Serious Step to End Our People's SufferingRAMALLAH, (IPC + Agencies) -[Official PA website] - Civil Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan asserted that what has been agreed upon between Palestinians and Israelis under US mediation concerning Rafah border terminal was not an agreement, but an executive protocol to reopen Palestinian border crossings.

Dahlan added, in a special seminar about Rafah terminal and the safe passage at the Palestinian American Chamber of Commerce in Ramallah City on Saturday, that this protocol is a serious step towards ending the Palestinian people's suffering in Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Minister Dahlan explained that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has managed to turn the Israeli withdrawal from a unilateral step to a chance to end the Israeli occupation in Gaza Strip, by forcing them to withdraw from the Palestinian-Egyptian borders and preventing Israel from moving Rafah terminal to Kerem Shalom crossing inside Israeli territories. "I can say that we succeeded to push Israel to leave Gaza Strip almost completely," Dahlan declared at the seminar. He made clear that the understanding between Palestinian and Israeli sides, which was sponsored by the US, was that Palestinians supervise Rafah terminal purely, while the issue of sovereignty was put off to the final status negotiations, as Gaza was still considered occupied. The Civil Affairs Minister maintained that the understanding of the terminal also stipulated the revival of the safe passage, to ensure geographical contiguity between Gaza and the West Bank, as both sides agreed to allow five buses to move from Gaza Strip to the West Bank and vice versa each day, starting December 15. As for the fourth issue in the understanding, Dahlan announced that Israel must end its presence in the West Bank before the end of this year, and the US Secretary of State and the European Union gave guarantees about that, without committing the Palestinian side to any political concession. As for the surveillance cameras, Dahlan said these cameras will enable European observers from monitoring the workflow at the terminal, and that the Israeli side will not receive live transmission from the terminal, in addition to having the video streams transmitted to a joint Israeli-Palestinian control room. Concerning the first day of reopening the terminal, Dahlan said it would work initially for five hours every day, and that work on Saturday went very smoothly, as it took each passenger 15 minutes to cross, as opposed to several days during the Israeli control. The minister expressed optimism of the Palestinians' efficiency in running their own border points, hoping that soon pure Palestinian supervision would be exercised at Al Karama crossing (between the West Bank and Jordan). With respect to the role of the third party at Rafah terminal, Dahlan made clear that their role will be only to observe and follow-up the implementation of the terminal protocol. He added that Palestinians were asked to set a timeframe for the observers to remain at the terminal, but the PNA refused to do so in order to prove to the world that Palestinians are able to run their own border points efficiently while still under occupation. [IMRA: Dahlan also claims in this article that "the Israeli side will not receive live transmission from the terminal" Shlomo Dror, spokesperson for the Coordinator of Activities in the Territories, told IMRA today that Israel is able to forward the live Rafah crossing video feed that reaches the liaison office where it is monitored by Israeli and Palestinian representatives.]