By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On October 25, Iran’s newly disclosed Qom uranium enrichment plant will be inspected by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The decision was announced by the head of the United Nations nuclear agency, Mohamed El Baradei. El Baradei emphasized the importance of the inspection as a moment where the situation with Iran would shift to a level of greater transparency and cooperation. The IAEA chief also “praised Iran’s cooperation” with the UN on the issues of its new nuclear facility.

The plant is located near the holy city of Qom. This is the second plant that Iran has built to enrich uranium and isolate isotopes of the metal to generate fuel used in a nuclear power reactor. Higher concentrations of enriched uranium can be used to make bomb. The United States has long suspected that the Iran’s goal is to create a bomb.

Iran’s disclosure prior to last week’s meeting in Geneva that it was building a second nuclear enrichment facility inside a mountain in Qom caused anger throughout the world. El Baradei made it clear that it was Iran’s responsibility to inform the IAEA that it was building the enrichment plant prior to beginning construction. This is based on a 1992 IAEA statute that required immediate notification of any planned nuclear sites.

The United States government remains cautiously optimistic with Iran’s concession. U.S. National Security Advisor James Jones explained that the Obama administration is encouraged with Iran showing some level of conversation. He did emphasize, however, that the world community expects to satisfied “within a short period of time.” The U.S. officials contend that Iran’s goal was to delay informing the IAEA of the new plant in order to deceive inspectors about a possible nuclear weapons program.

Prior to the IAEA’s inspection of the new Qom plant there will be a meeting between Iran and a number of countries, including the United States. The meeting will take place on October 19 and will be a discussion regarding the direction of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman emphasized that the nation’s nuclear program was peaceful, but explained the country would not be offering any guarantees.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Iran Vows ‘Positive’ Approach To Nuclear Talks – 5 October 2009

Los Angeles Time – Iran Sets Date For Inspection Of Nuclear Plant – 5 October 2009

Al Jazeera – IAEA Sets Iran Inspection Date – 4 October 2009

Bloomberg – Iran Inspection Set For Oct. 25, UN Atomic Chief Says – 4 October 2009

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

CAIRO, Egypt – Jordanian and Egyptian officials announced on October 5 that rival Palestinian parties Fatah and Hamas will sign a reconciliation charter in Cairo at the end of October.

 

Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Egypt’s foreign minister, and his Jordanian counterpart Nasser Judeh said that the charter would establish an advisory committee, comprised of members from Fatah and Hamas, which will make decisions regarding the day-to-day governance in the West Bank and Gaza until presidential and parliamentary elections are held in the first half of 2010. According to reports, the committee would be headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose government would be able to place three thousand security personnel in Gaza. Both parties have also reportedly agreed to release each other’s political detainees. Fatah and Hamas have been at odds since an internal power struggle nearly two years ago.

 

While the two parties have not publically commented on the agreement, Aboul Gheit said that the parties are finalizing plans for the charter.

 

“We agreed to hold a meeting for Palestinian factions in Cairo on October 25 before signing a reconciliation agreement on October 26,” said Aboul Gheit at a press conference on October 5. “Arab officials and maybe officials from outside the Arab world might attend the signing of the agreement as witnesses.”

 

The announcement came amid controversy over Fatah’s endorsement of President Abbas’ decision to postpone any endorsement of the UN report by former international war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone about the fighting between Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza during the 2008 winter. Ismail Haniya, Hamas’ leader in Gaza, said that Abbas was making an “absurd and criminal” decision in delaying his endorsement of the report.

 

“How can the two parties [Fatah and Hamas] sit at one table and sign an agreement in this situation?” said Haniya after the announcement of the charter. “This has placed a heavy obstacle in the way of Palestinian unity.”

 

Aboul Gheit said he did not expect any tensions surrounding the Goldstone Report to prevent Fatah and Hamas from signing the charter at the end of the month.

 

For more information, please see:

 

Al Jazeera – Palestinians to “Sign Unity Deal” – 6 October 2009

 

Ha’aretz – Palestinian Rivals to Sign Reconciliation Deal by End of October – 5 October 2009

 

Ma’an News Agency – Egypt: Hamas and Fatah Will Sign Deal in October – 5 October 2009

 

Palestinian News Network – Heads in the Sand: Hamas Head of PLC Says Coming Back Without Issue While Abbas Postpones Goldstone – 5 October 2009

 

Reuters – Fatah and Hamas Eye Truce Deal, But Hurdles Remain – 4 October 2009

 

By Ahmad Shihadah

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

SA’DA, YEMEN – Conflicting reports come out of the Sa’da region of Yemen after a government MIG 21 aircraft crashed into a mountain peak. Al-Huthi rebels issued a statement claiming they had shot down the aircraft “while it was bombing civilians in villages and markets.” Yemeni government officials dispute this claim, stating that “the MIG 21 fell because of a technical problem an in an area where there is no combat.” The pilot was identified as Mohammad Abdo Mufleh.  Reports did not verify whether he survived the crash.

The Sunni dominated Yemeni government launched Operation Scorched Earth on August 11 to finally put down Shi’ite rebels in the North. The conflict has seen thousands killed and many more displaced. The United Nations has issued a conservative estimate that fifty-five thousand people have fled their homes because of the conflict. Journalists are not allowed to enter the region and aid workers have trouble reaching those in need as a result of the heavy fighting.  As such, there have been no reliable counts of casualties.

Government forces continue the intense offensive against the Shi’ite al-Huthi rebels. A military source claimed that another fifty-two rebels had been killed in clashes with government forces between September 31 and October 1.  The government accuses the rebels of seeking to restore the Zaidi imamate that was overthrown in a 1962 coup. They further claim that the rebels are backed by Shi’ite Iran. The rebels deny both claims and accuse the government of aggression, marginalization and bringing in Saudi warplanes to support the ground operation.

For more information please see:

AFP – Yemeni Rebels Claim Government Warplane Shot Down – October 3 2009

Forexhound – Shiite Rebels: Military Jet Shot Down in Northern Yemen – October 2 2009

Reuters – Fighter Plane Crashes in Yemen Fighting – Govt – October 2 2009

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

GENEVA, Switzerland – Iranian officials allowed Swiss diplomats access to the three American hikers that are currently being detained in Iran. The meeting between the captive Americans and Swiss envoys took place on September 29. The goal of the meeting was for the Swiss to see the exact condition under which the American hikers are being held. The Swiss government represents the United States’ interests in Iran as the U.S. and the Islamic Republic do not have formal diplomatic relations.

The three hikers currently being held are Joshua Fattal, 27, Shane Bauer, 27 and Sarah Shourd, 31. The three Americans went missing on July 31 after setting out on a hike in Northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The group came to Iraq from Northern Turkey, planning on a five day hike. The three were supposed to be joined by a fourth individual, Shon Meckfessel, who did not go on the hike. Meckfessel claims that his friends were not aware that they were near the Iranian border and that they had made “a simple and regrettable mistake.”

Iranian authorities have charged the three Americans with illegally entering the country. The mothers of the hikers wrote a letter the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad. In their letters, they asked the country’s leader to bring the Americans with him when he came to New York for his address to the United Nation’s General Assembly.

President Ahmedinejad addressed the issue and said the actions of the hikers constituted an “illegal entry” that was clearly a crime. He also emphasized his lack of control over the Iranian judicial process. President Ahmedinejad did say that he would possibly be willing to ask to the judiciary to expedite their process and ask that they rule with leniency. However, an Iranian lawmaker indicated that hikers’ entry into the country could have been related to the contested June 12 election and that the country will look for the “real reason” why the hikers entered.

The U.S. State Department indicated that they were looking forward to hearing from the Swiss as to how the hikers were being treated. The White House has declared that they will not let the hikers’ detainment conflate with discussion regarding Iran’s nuclear program. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained that, “there isn’t any connection and there shouldn’t be. The hikers should be released.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – Swiss Granted Access to Americans in Iran – 29 September 2009

AP – Iran Will Allow Swiss Access to Detained Americans – 29 September 2009

BBC – Iran Allows Visit To U.S. Detainees – 29 September 2009

CNN – Iran to Let Swiss Officials Visit 3 Detained U.S. Hikers – 29 September 2009

Reuters – Swiss Confirm Visit to U.S. Hikers Held in Iran – 29 September 2009

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

GENEVA, Switzerland – Richard Goldstone, lead investigator of the United Nations fact-finding report on Israeli-Palestinian fighting in Gaza during the winter of 2008, called on the UN Human Rights Council to accept the report and to hold both Israelis and Palestinians accountable for violations of human rights laws.

 

“A culture of impunity in the region has existed for too long,” said Goldstone to the UN Human Rights Council on September 29. “The lack of accountability for war crimes and possible war crimes against humanity has reached a crisis point…The ongoing lack of justice is undermining any hope for a successful peace process and reinforcing an environment that fosters violence.”

 

The Goldstone Report called for the UN Security Council to refer any allegations of war crimes to the International Criminal Court in The Hague after six months from the report’s release if either the Israelis or the Palestinians did not investigate or prosecute those suspected of war crimes.

 

On September 30, Goldstone told CNN that he believed Israel had intentionally targeted civilians, though not as a policy, nor as the primary goal of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead. However, Goldstone pointed to evidence that some of the civilian casualties were intentional.

 

“There was no mistake in bombing factories,” Goldstone said. “The Israeli intelligence has very precise information.”

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to the UN Human Rights Council on September 30, urging the Council to “come to its senses” and reject the Goldstone Report. Netanyahu said that the UN Human Rights Council has passed more resolutions against Israel than any other nation, and that adopting this report would harm peace efforts in the Middle East.

 

“It will harm the war on terrorism and it will grant legitimacy to terrorists who hide behind civilians,” said Netanyahu. “It will also harm the UN’s standing and, most of all, it will be a crippling blow to the peace process.”

 

Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East Director at Human Rights Watch, emphasized that the Goldstone Report sharply criticized both the Israeli government and the Hamas government, demonstrating the report’s lack of bias. Whitson called on both Israel and Hamas to conduct thorough investigations of the report’s allegations.

 

“Israel has repeatedly shown that it lacks the political will to investigate itself impartially,” Whitson said. “And Hamas’s record on internal investigations is even worse.”

 

For more information, please see:

 

Ha’aretz – Israel to UN Body: Come to Your Senses on Goldstone Report – 1 October 2009

 

Ma’an News Agency – Goldstone: Israel Intentionally Targeted Gaza Civilians – 1 October 2009

 

Al Jazeera – UN Investigator Defends Gaza Report – 29 September 2009

 

Palestinian News Network – Through Women’s Eyes: PCHR Report on Gender-Specific Impact and Consequences of Operation Cast Lead – 29 September 2009

 

Human Rights Watch – US: Endorse Goldstone Report on Gaza – 27 September 2009