Lull in Violence Allows Israeli and Gazan Leaders to Talk

Lull in Violence Allows Israeli and Gazan Leaders to Talk

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Since Israel pulled out its ground forces on March 3, there has been a significant decrease of violence in Gaza.  The Israeli Defense Force has not conducted an air strike in Gaza since late March 7.  Also, Hamas claims that they have launched no rockets during the same period.  Palestinian and Egyptian officials credit this decrease in violence to ongoing talks between two militant groups in Gaza, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, and Israel.

Various leaders of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have been meeting in Cairo with Egyptian mediators.  Also, There are reports that US and Israeli officials have been talking with Egyptian mediators.  The New York Times reported Amos Gilad, a senior Israeli defense official, met with Egyptian officials in Cairo on March 9.

Palestinian officials, from both Hamas and Fatah, indicated that the talks will result in a ceasefire.  Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, said “with the developments in Egypt, I think there is an agreement in principle on that and a deal might be reached in the coming few days.”

Ismail Haniyeh, the former prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, stated that Hamas “will help the Egyptian leadership to reach a reciprocal and simultaneous truce that will at the same time lead to the lifting of the blockade imposed on the Palestinian people.”

Despite comments from Palestinians and Egyptian officials, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert insisted “there is no deal, there are no negotiations, either direct or indirect.”  Olmert credits the relative peace to a lull in rocket attacks aimed at Israel; “if the Qassams stop landing … Israel will have no reason to fight the terror organizations there… We will have no reason to retaliate.”

It is reported that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad have three main demands.  First, the groups want the siege on Gaza lifted, which means an end to the blockade and military operations in Gaza.  Second, they want the Rafah border crossing into Egypt re-opened.  Third, they want guarantees that Israel will not target their leaders.

The main Israeli demands are that barrage of rockets attacks against Israel ends and that militants do not use the ceasefire as an opportunity to smuggle weapons into Gaza.

In related news, on March 9, Israeli Prime Minister Olmert approved construction for 750 housing units in East Jerusalem.  Contrary to the views of the international community, Israel draws a distinction between settlements in the East Jerusalem and the West Bank.  Since Israel holds that Jerusalem is the unified capital of Israel, it does not view settlements in East Jerusalem as violating international law.

However, UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to halt any plans for construction and stated that “any settlement expansion is contrary to Israel’s obligations under the Road Map and to international law.”  Also, while US officials did not directly speak out against the decision, a US State Department spokesman said that the decision was “not helpful to the process” of achieving peace.

Al Jazeera suggests that the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, a key coalition partner, pressured Olmert to make the decision by threatening to quit the government unless the construction was approved.  On March 6, eight Israelis were killed when a Palestinian gunman infiltrated the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in West Jerusalem.  The school is a strong supporter of settlement expansion.  During the funerals following the attack, many religious leaders spoke out against Olmert and the ongoing peace talks with Abbas.  Olmert’s decision may be in reaction to the March 6 attack and the domestic political tensions it created.

For more information, please see:
New York Times – Talks, but no Truce, Accompany Lull in Gaza Violence – 11 March 2008

AFP – Israel, Hamas Hold Fire in Gaza – 10 March 2008

Al Jazeera – Hamas and Israel in Truce Mediation – 10 March 2008

Associated Press – US: Israeli Housing Move Unhelpful – 10 March 2008

CNN – UN Blasts Israel for West Bank Housing Expansion Plan – 10 March 2008

Reuters – Uneasy Lull Between Israeli Army and Gaza Militants – 10 March 2008

UN News Centre – As Israel Approves New Settlement Housing, UN’s Ban Ki-moon Calls for Halt – 10 March 2008

Al Jazeera – Olmert Backs Settlement Expansion – 9 March 2008

BRIEF: After Many Protests, Pakistani President Sets Date for Parliament

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan- President Pervez Musharraf announced today on state-run television that the newly-elected parliament will meet on March 17th.  The opposition coalition government (see Impunity Watch article here) has been putting pressure on the President to convene the parliament since it was elected on February 18th.

When the President declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution on November 3rd, he also detained judiciary leaders including Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.  Lawyers have been protesting Musharraf and these detentions ever since, and at a recent rally in Rawalpindi they again called for the President’s resignation.  At this rally, Aitzaz Ahsan, the leader of the lawyers movement in Pakistan, said: “Our struggle is to make Pakistan a state where the judiciary is independent, and what Musharraf did to the chief justice is an example of how under him no judge is ever independent.”  The lawyers have also come out saying that the parliamentary elections are not enough proof that Musharraf is dedicated to democracy.  They have planned a week of anti-Musharraf demonstrations, called Black Flag Week after the arm bands protesters have been wearing.

The coalition government between the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was confirmed this Sunday.  When they convene on March 17th, the coalition and their other allies will not comprise the two-thirds majority necessary to impeach Musharraf, however they will have enough parliamentary votes to undermine his authority if they so choose.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Date set for Pakistan parliament – 11 March 2008

New York Times – Lawyers Rally Against Musharraf Government – 8 March 2008

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: Tear Gas Fired on Lawyers in Pakistan Monday – 4 March 2008

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: Pressure on Musharraf to Convene Parliament – 27 February 2008

BRIEF: After Many Protests, Pakistani President Sets Date for Parliament

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan- President Pervez Musharraf announced today on state-run television that the newly-elected parliament will meet on March 17th.  The opposition coalition government (see Impunity Watch article here) has been putting pressure on the President to convene the parliament since it was elected on February 18th.

When the President declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution on November 3rd, he also detained judiciary leaders including Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry.  Lawyers have been protesting Musharraf and these detentions ever since, and at a recent rally in Rawalpindi they again called for the President’s resignation.  At this rally, Aitzaz Ahsan, the leader of the lawyers movement in Pakistan, said: “Our struggle is to make Pakistan a state where the judiciary is independent, and what Musharraf did to the chief justice is an example of how under him no judge is ever independent.”  The lawyers have also come out saying that the parliamentary elections are not enough proof that Musharraf is dedicated to democracy.  They have planned a week of anti-Musharraf demonstrations, called Black Flag Week after the arm bands protesters have been wearing.

The coalition government between the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was confirmed this Sunday.  When they convene on March 17th, the coalition and their other allies will not comprise the two-thirds majority necessary to impeach Musharraf, however they will have enough parliamentary votes to undermine his authority if they so choose.

For more information, please see:

BBC News – Date set for Pakistan parliament – 11 March 2008

New York Times – Lawyers Rally Against Musharraf Government – 8 March 2008

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: Tear Gas Fired on Lawyers in Pakistan Monday – 4 March 2008

Impunity Watch – BRIEF: Pressure on Musharraf to Convene Parliament – 27 February 2008

U.S. Africa Command to Focus on Preventing Conflict

By: M. Brandon Maggiore
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) is not only comprised of U.S. Department of Defense officials, but also members of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

AFRICOM started in October, 2007 as a sub-unified command subordinate to U.S. European Command. It is schedule to be an independent combat command by the end of the current fiscal year. It is temporarily located in Stuttgarg, Germany at Kelly Barracks not far for U.S. European Command. AFRICOM will not be located in Africa., and the U.S. will not put AFRICOM offices on the continent unless it adds to the security and assistance that the U.S. can provide to Africa. The placement of AFRICOM offices in Africa would require diplomatic agreement with host nations.

AFRICOM is different from other commands because it will focus on war prevention rather than execution as discussed by AFRICOM’s commander, U.S. Army General William E. “Kip” Ward, in a recent speech.

The response from African countries has been lukewarm and many nations see it as a threat to their sovereignty. Liberia is the only one of Africa’s 53 countries that has offered to host AFRICOM. There is also concern that AFRICOM is an attempt by the U.S. to protect its interest in minerals and natural resources or that it will pull Africa into the U.S. global war on terror.

United States Africa Command – accessed 11 March 2008

BBC News – Aids, oil and Africom on Bush tour – 21 February 2008

World Defense Review – An African Security Update and Why AFRICOM Is Critical – 6 March 2008

BRIEF: Report Says State of Iraqi Women is a “National Crisis”

BAGDHAD, Iraq – On March 6, US-based Women for Women international released a report, which said that since the US-led invasion, the state of Iraqi women has become a “national crisis.”  The report interviewed 1500 Iraqi women. Two-thirds of the women interviewed said violence against them had increased since the U.S. led invasion.

The same organization released a similar report in 2004.  At that time, despite the fact that most women interviewed felt their families were not receiving their basic needs, over ninety percent were optimistic about the future.  The 2007 report found that only twenty-seven percent continued to be optimistic about the future of Iraq.

Women for Women’s CEO, Zainab Salbi, said “It has been five years since the American invasion of Iraq and while the mistakes made there continue to accumulate still no-one has stopped to listen to what this critical mass of the population, women, have to say about solving the problems.”

For more information, please see:
Reuters – IRAQ: Minister Leads Call to End Violence Against Women – 10 March 2008

Tehran Times – ‘National Crisis’ for Iraqi Women – 9 March 2008

CNN – ‘National Crisis’ for Iraqi Women – 6 March 2008