Israel-Gaza: EU Endorses Goldstone Report

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeIZZFDcG-k[/youtube]

The European Parliament on Wednesday endorsed the Goldstone Report and urged its 27 members to monitor the Israeli and Palestinian probes into alleged war crimes committed during the Gaza War.

Israel: Masquerade of “Proximity Talks” and Settlements (Levy)

Israel's reaction was harsh. The spokesman for the Israeli mission to EU, Yoel Mester, said:

We find this resolution flawed and counterproductive. While other players are striving to support the peace process and to start the proximity talks between Israel and Palestinians, it is regrettable that the European Parliament chooses to concentrate on a highly controversial issue.

Israel-Palestine: Have New Settlements Threatened "Proximity Talks"?

Another develepment on the Israel-Palestine "proximity talks" (see related analysis by Sharmine Narwani). On Tuesday, the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee approved a new plan to build 1,600 more housing units in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

White House's spokesman Robert Gibbs, condemned Jerusalem's announcement from the White House. U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said:

I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units. The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now.

The European Union's foreign-policy director, Catherine Ashton, said on Wednesday, "May I join Vice-President Biden in condemning the decision to build 1,600 new houses."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also condemned Israel's plan. Then, according to the Ma'an news agency, the Palestinian Authority's leader Mahmoud Abbas warned that the move would derail negotiations before they had even begun and said:

It is apparent that the Israeli government does not want negotiations, nor does it want peace. The American administration must respond to this provocation with effective measures.

Israel's Interior Minister Eli Yishai apologized on Wednesday for causing domestic and international distress and stated that he was uninformed of the district committee's plan, because the matter was simply a routine, technical authorization. Yishai added:

If I'd have known, I would have postponed the authorization by a week or two since we had no intention of provoking anyone. It is definitely unpleasant that this happened during Biden's visit. If the committee members would have known that the approval would have escalated to such a situation, they would have informed me.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured his guest Biden that the programme, which had been drafted three years ago and only received initial authorization that day, could take several months to be granted final approval.

Cold Cash: Europe's Complications over the Iceland Bank Crash

Aysegül Er writes for EA:

After the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers on September 2008, there were other bank collapses. One of these was of an Iceland bank, Icesave, which held substantial accounts from overseas clients, including in Britain and the Netherlands.

The British and Dutch Governments eventually agreed with Icelandic officials that Reykjavik would repay money to depositors. In December 2009, Iceland's Parliament approved Bill to reimburse more than 3.8 billion Euros. However Iceland’s President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson refused to sign the Bill. On Sunday, a public referendum was held to decide whether Iceland should repay.

The voters --- by a margin of 93 to 2 percent --- said No.



The Icelandic Government declared “There is widespread frustration over the claim on ordinary citizens in Iceland to pay the price for the irresponsible behavior of reckless bankers.” It added, somewhat wishfully, that it had “clearly stated its intention to honor its international obligations and remains fully committed to implementing the bilateral loan agreements with the UK and the Netherlands".

Foreign Minister Össur Skarphedinsson took a tougher line alongisde the referendum, arguing that the two creditors should heed the cry of defiance delivered by Icelanders and agree to soften the terms of repayment. He added reason for manoeuvre, saying that the December legislation being voted had already been superseded by a recent offer from Britain and Netherlands to lower the 5.5 per cent interest rate.

Beyond the conflict is Iceland’s application to join the European Union. This month, the European Commission recommended proceeding with accession talks, but support is needed from all 27 member states for Iceland's membership. Dare Britain and Netherlands withhold their Yeses in response to the No of the Iceland voters?