Israel: The Reaction to A "More Committed" Washington

Last Wednesday, its ambassador to Washington, Michael Oren, rebuffed Washington's "two-year time frame": "In the past, attempts to impose time frameworks have not proved either realizable or helpful."

For Oren, the framework of talks should include security for Israel, recognition of the nation as a Jewish state, and an end-of-claims conclusion to the talks. Oren said this would be "a statement of what Israel's goals are and what the Palestinians' goals are, even if the assumption is that they wouldn't be immediately confluent". Referring to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's statement following PM Benjamin Netanyahu's announcement of a 10-month construction freeze , Oren stated that "these goals can be reconciled through good-faith negotiations."

Palestine: The Reaction to A “More Committed” Washington
Israel: Goldstone’s Return — Economic Sanctions on Tel Aviv?
Israel: Former Supreme Court President “Stop Boycotting International Criminal Court”

Clinton had said: "We believe that through good-faith negotiations the parties can mutually agree on an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an independent and viable state based on the 1967 lines, with agreed swaps, and the Israeli goal of a Jewish state with secure and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments and meet Israeli security requirements."

Palestine: The Reaction to A "More Committed" Washington

In an interview on Friday, Fatah Central Committee member and former security commander Muhammad Dahlan said that peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel will resume in the coming week.

Dahlan added that, following intense contacts among Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, and the Quartet (United Nations, Russia, European Union, and United States), Israel will accept the new proposal. He continued, "We hope the struggle of chairman Abu Mazen (Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas) against the previous negotiating mechanism will bear fruit already in the coming weeks."

Israel: The Reaction to A “More Committed” Washington
Israel: Goldstone’s Return — Economic Sanctions on Tel Aviv?
Israel: Former Supreme Court President “Stop Boycotting International Criminal Court”

When asked about demands before renewal of negotiations, Dahlan underlined the significance of a settlement freeze and the acceptance of pre-1967 borders. Dahlan said:

All we seek is a year or 10-month building freeze, during which a permanent agreement will be achieved. Palestinians will not accept any manipulation on this issue [final borders].

At the end of this "optimism", there was also a warning. Dahlan said, "The Palestinian people prefer to be cautious when it comes to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," and he declared, "The current settlement [activity] in Jerusalem is aimed at taking it [the city's status] off the negotiating table".

Israel: Former Supreme Court President "Stop Boycotting International Criminal Court"

Speaking at a legal conference in Jerusalem, Israel's Former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak said that Israel should stop boycotting the International Criminal Court. Barak claimed that Israel will benefit from its participation in the court despite the risk that its soldiers, military officers and politicians may be brought to trial: "Israel is part of the international community, and it must conduct itself in accordance with the interpretation that is common in international law."

In 2000, Israel signed the Rome Statute which established the International Criminal Court, but the signature was never ratified by the Knesset.

Israel: Goldstone’s Return — Economic Sanctions on Tel Aviv?

Haaretz added to Barak's words:

A country that believes in the morality of its actions and those of its soldiers should not behave like a permanent suspect and boycott institutions of international law. On the contrary: It must fight within those institutions for its positions and justice. Joining the International Criminal Court at The Hague will place Israel on the side of the enlightened nations, and will contribute to restraining forceful and harmful actions. Barak's recommendation deserves to be adopted.

Israel: Goldstone's Return --- Economic Sanctions on Tel Aviv?

After weeks of attempts to denigrate it and remove it from circulation, the Goldstone Report on the conduct of Israel & Hamas in the Gaza War has fought back a bit.

Former US ambassador Richard Schifter has assessed that, although there is no threat that the United Nations Security Council will take Israel to the International Criminal Court, there may be economic sanctions because of a paragraph in the Goldstone Report.  This refers to a UN provision, "Uniting for Peace", stating that if the Security Council does not order action to be taken, members of the General Assembly may pursue voluntary, collective action:

Israel-Palestine Analysis: The Obama Administration Changes Approach

1768. To the General Assembly:

The Mission recommends that the General Assembly request the Security Council to report to it on measures taken with regard to ensuring accountability for serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in relation to the facts in this report and any other relevant facts in the context of the military operations in Gaza, including the implementation of the Mission’s recommendations. The General Assembly may remain appraised of the matter until it is satisfied that appropriate action is taken at the domestic or international level in order to ensure justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators. The GA may consider whether additional action within its powers is required in the interests of justice, including under resolution 377 (V) Uniting for Peace.

Resolution 377, "Uniting for Peace", declares:

Resolves that if the Security Council, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of intermitional peace and security in any case where there appears to be a threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, the General Assembly shall consider the matter immediately with a view to making appropriate recommendations to Members for collective measures, including in the case of a breach of the peace or aqt of aggression the use of armed force when necessary, to maintain or restare international peace and security. If not in session at the.time, the General Assembly may meet in emergency special session within twenty-four hours of the request therefor. Such emer- gency special session shall be called if requested by the Security Council on the yote of any seven members, or by a majority of the Members of the United Nations;

The resolution was first drafted to allow UN countries to wage war against North Korea in 1950 after a Soviet veto in the Security Council. It was also used to impose economic sanctions against the apartheid South African regime in 1982.

Israel and Britain: Tension Over Arrest Warrants Continues

Last week, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon met with Britain's Attorney-General Baroness Scotland of Asthal to discuss how British law may affect Israeli officials visiting the United Kingdom.  Ayalon called the current situation "insufferable": "This will make it difficult for the two countries to maintain a normal relationship."

The meeting follows the revelations that a delegation of Israel Defense Forces officers canceled a planned visit to the UK after the British hosts failed to guarantee that arrest warrants would not be issued.

Baroness Scotland said that she is aware of how much Israel is heeding an urgent solution and of the very same attention British are currently showing to solve the problem. However, Ayalon continued:

If the British law remains unchanged, this would undermine the good relations between the two countries who share common values and interests. The British must bear in mind that these visits serve both countries.