Gaza Latest: Israel Prepares Confrontation with "Freedom Flotilla"

On Saturday, seven ships from a "Freedom Flotilla", bringing aid, will try and reach Gaza. It will be met by at least 12 Israeli naval boats, helicopters, and a "counter-flotilla".

On Friday, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman denounced the flotilla:

The aid convoy is violent propaganda against Israel, and Israel will not allow its sovereignty to be threatened in any way, in any place - land, air or sea.

There is no humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Despite Hamas' war crimes against Israeli citizens and the thousands of rockets fired at Israeli towns, Israel continues to respond in the most humane way possible.

Israel: “The Ideal State: A Dream-Country Without Criticism” (Levy)

Israeli gunships were ordered to take position to stop the convoy, and West Jerusalem made clear that it would overtake the ships as soon as they enter a 20-mile Israeli-controlled zone off Gaza. If the ships do not stop, Israel will attempt to connect the flotilla to naval boats and tow them to the Israeli port of Ashdod where the Israelis have prepared a detention centre. Those who do not want to take a flight back home will be taken to jail.


On Friday, Greta Berlin, one of the organizers of the effort, said a total of seven ships were headed to Gaza after an eighth vessel suffered a malfunction and had to turn back. Halting during darkness, they are expected to reach Israeli waters on Saturday.

The Israel Defense Forces responded that they will not hesitate to use limited force. The Turkish daily Hurriyet reports that the IDF will use a special technology to blackout media coverage in case of an operation.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Ministry Director General Yossi Gal held a round of explanatory calls with foreign ministers from countries whose citizens are participating in the flotilla. The Israeli message is that the activists are welcome to bring the humanitarian aid to the port of Ashdod, where it will be examined and, if found suitable, will be permitted to enter the Gaza Strip through land crossings. If the activists try to break the siege, they will be arrested.

The spokesman of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation, Umit Sonmez, said that the organisation does not trust Israeli officials who took the members of an earlier convoy into custody for 21 days for no reason. The HRF had written to Israeli officials regarding the planned journey to Gaza but had not received any reply.

Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, writing in Haaretz, assess:

The flotilla is not expected to alter in any substantial way the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. It is mostly a battle of public relations that is meant to strike a blow at Israel. Perhaps if Israel was less eager to confront the activists, some of the media attention would have dissipated. Had the flotilla been allowed in, Hamas would have its day, and the entire affair would evaporate quickly.

Haaretz's editors urged the Israeli Government to resume indirect talks with Hamas, to be more flexible about releasing prisoners and to lift the siege on Gaza. They argue  that blockade, siege, and military operations, with the hope that Gazans would topple Hamas, has failed: "The suffering that Israel is causing 1.5 million people for this purpose is not only inhuman, but extremely detrimental to Israel's status around the world".

The editors warn, "Even if Israel manages to prevent the flotilla from reaching Gaza, it will still have to contend with other demonstrations of support."

Middle East Inside Line: Proximity Talks Continue; Israel's Lieberman & Palestine; Chomsky Barred

The Proximity Talks Continue: "U.S. envoy George Mitchell returns to mediate a second round of Middle East talks this week," announced Kurt Hoyer, the US Embassy spokesman in Tel Aviv. He said it was not yet determined on what day Mitchell will arrive.

Israel's Lieberman Responds to Russia, Turkey, and Syria: Israel Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Sunday "The sale of weapons [between Syria and Russia] does not contribute to building an atmosphere of peace." He asserted that Syria has no interest in peace and critiqued Russia's "hypocritical" stance on terrorism:

Russia, but also Egypt and Turkey as well as other countries, have a policy of differentiating between 'good' and 'bad' terrorism, between that which targets Israel and that which targets others.

Middle East Inside Line: Nakba Day/Independence Day; Deterioration in East Jerusalem; Israel’s Lieberman “An Imbecile”?

Lieberman also spoke about calls to include Hamas in discussions: "We will not accept any ultimatum with regard to Hamas, and we won't let this movement take part in any peace process."



Palestine's Erekat in Israel: The top negotiator of the Palestinian Authority, Saeb Erekat, gave a speech at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv on Sunday. He called on both parties to make decisions and reiterated the Palestinian Authority’s desire for a just peace with Israel based on the two-state solution. He said:

I know that many in Palestine and Israel today doubt the possibility that peace can be achieved. I beg to differ. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. There can be a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with land swaps and solutions for the refugees.

Many people thought that there was no progress with the negotiations that have taken place over the years because Palestinians and Israelis have eyes that only see things that are not achieved. But I believe that Palestinians and Israelis, over the last decade of negotiations, have come a long, long way.

The Americans cannot make peace for us. Americans cannot make the concessions that are required by Palestinians or Israelis. Americans cannot make decisions for Palestinians and Israelis. Many people say that the proximity talks after 19 years is a regression, that Palestinians not sitting face-to-face with Israelis is a step backward. That can be argued, but another argument in the science of negotiations is that proximity is when two sides exhaust everything they have – they have turned over every stone, they cannot conclude what they are trying to achieve. Then comes a third party to do four tasks: to go between, to facilitate, to arbitrate and to mediate.

Considering a future Palestinian state, he added:

Limited arms doesn’t mean limited dignity. We will not accept Israeli presence in the Palestinian state.

I am not going to waste my time talking about interim solutions. If at the end of the day, as Palestinians, we are willing to accommodate Israeli requests and end our nakba [catastrophe], and you still insist that my hometown Jericho should be called Yeriho and Nablus be called Shechem, talk to me. I’m not scared. Now it is the moment of truth. Israelis need an end to conflict. Israelis need to understand that there is a leadership that is willing to [meet] the requirements for peace.

When asked if the PA would recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Erekat said:

Why are you asking me to join the Zionist movement? I don’t want to be a Zionist... Your name is the State of Israel. I recognize you as the State of Israel. If you want to call yourselves the Eternal, United, Historical, Biblical, Hebrew Nation of Jews from now to the future, who cares?

Chomsky Not Allowed into Israel and Palestine: Professor Noam Chomsky, an American linguist and left-wing activist, was denied entry into Israel and the West Bank on Sunday by the Interior Ministry. He was scheduled to deliver a lecture at Bir Zeit University near Jerusalem.

Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Sabine Haddad told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday evening that the initial decision to deny Chomsky entry was down to a "misunderstanding" and denied claims that Chomsky's name was on a blacklist of individuals prohibited from
entering the country. She said:

We are checking with the IDF's Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). If COGAT gives us the all clear, we will grant him entry.

MENA House: Mohammed al Fayed and How Harrods Became Egyptian

Last Saturday, the news struck the media that Mohammed al Fayed, the Egyptian business tycoon, would be selling Harrods.  Once surprise settled, the question was, "Who bought it and for how much?"

The answer...to the Qatari royal family’s investment company, Qatari Holdings for a reported £1.5 billion. Al Fayed invested well, considering he purchased Harrods in 1985 for "only" £615 million.

MENA House: Sinai Liberation Day in Egypt

In Al Fayed’s true, colourful style he has left his mark on Harrods, spending a total sum of £300 million.  In a rare interview with an Egyptian presenter, conducted in 2002 by Hala Sarhan, al Fayed discussed the refurbishment Harrods had undergone during his ownership.  It was not just a complete face-lift; it was a cultural reconstruction.  Taking Harrod’s back to his Egyptian roots, al-Fayed altered the internal structure of the building.


Permanent structures

Al Fayed added his own special touches such as the infamous Harrods escalator.  The historical distinction is that Harrods was the first building with a "moving stairlift" in the UK.  At the official opening on 16 November 1898, nervous customers were given brandy at the top of the escalator to calm themselves down.

In 1985, under the new ownership of al Fayed, the escalator became a "£20 million homage to ancient Egypt".  William George Mitchell, the Director of Design at Harrods, and experts from the British Museum of Authenticity, designed the stairlift to be a walk-in sculpture: "The viewer would be transported on the escalator, as if travelling through the Lower Nile to the Upper Nile."

Both the "Egyptian Room" and the Egyptian escalators are listed as "English Heritage", meaning they cannot be removed.

"Ancient Egypt"

William Mitchell also carved spectacular Ancient Egyptian images from the top floor to the ground level.  Each floor represents a different site from the Temple of Denderra to Giza.

In addition, each floor reflects the items being sold on that level.  For example, where a harpist and group have been carved into the walls, musical instruments are for sale.  Where the "Chairman of Eternity" lays, there is an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus --- similar to that of Tutakhamun (but, somehow, with an image with very similar features to al-Fayed) --- "holding" Harrods.

Mohammed Al Fayed’s Legacy

A colourful character indeed, al Fayed ensured that he would leave his mark on what is not only a shopping exhibition but also a tourist attraction. Despite or because of being rejected on several occasions in his efforts to gain British citizenship, the Egyptian business tycoon has ensured that he is stamped into British history.

Al-Fayed insists on ensuring his legacy and that of his family will live on and Harrods is the place to do it. In one of the most famous stores in the world, a memorial for Dodi al-Fayed (Mohammed al Fayed’s son) and Princess Diana is a permanent reminder of al-Fayed's connected with British Royalty.

Al Fayed also wanted to be buried in a sarcophagus, placed in a glass studio on the top floor in his private suite.  In Hala Sarhan’s interview, the eccentric character claimed that he wanted to be buried in Harrods so that his spirit would roam the infamous store forever more.

Since the sale of Harrod’s to a fellow Arab, Qatar’s Amir, al-Fayed's burial wish will remain a mystery. Wherever his body eventually lies is tangential, however: Mohammed al-Fayed’s legacy will remain in Britain for a long time to come.

MENA House: Sinai Liberation Day in Egypt (Baghdady)

During a recent conversation with a friend of mine in Egypt, I was surprised to hear she’d be enjoying a long weekend (Friday, Saturday AND Sunday); turns out that 25 April was, in fact, a public holiday.

A TV crew from a private media outlet in Egypt decided to roam the streets of Cairo asking the public this question: "Why are we celebrating today?" It was amusing or disturbing, depending on how you look at it, to find that all those interviewed had very little idea.

MENA House: Protests “En Vogue” in Egypt

A majority understood it was "something to do with the Liberation of Sinai". If they passed that test, the interviewer would ask, "How was this achieved?". A resounding silence or an "I think..." was the general collective response. Whilst some blamed their lack of knowledge on the information (or lack of) passed on during their days of education, others were simply just glad to have the day off, whatever the reason.


This is the background to "Sinai Liberation Day":

The day marks the final departure of the Israeli army from the Sinai, fulfilling the mandate of the 1978 Camp David agreements. On 25 April 1982, President Hosni Mubarak raised the Egyptian flag over the Sinai.

While the first part of the Camp David agreement focused  on the Israeli/Palestinian land dispute and the status of Jerusalem, the focal point of the second part  was the restoration of Egyptian-Israeli relations. The Israeli army agreed to evacuate its troops and 4,500 civilians out of the Sinai, which it had occupied since the 1967 Six Day War, as well as returning the Abu Redeis oil fields in Western Sinai to Egypt.

The Result?

Firstly, nostalga, patriotic praise, and pride, even if some may not know the details of 25 April 1982. The Sinai holds both historical and religious significance. It is the "East Gate of Egypt" where Ramses II fought with the Hittites and the site where Egypt fought the 1956, 1967, and 1973 wars with Israel. It was the location for the Exodus of the Israelites and Moses' receipt of the Ten Commandments.

Secondly, more holiday destinations to promote. The Sinai Peninsula from east to west, from the Aqaba Gulf to the Suez Canal, is a total of 870 kilometres (540 miles) in length with 30% of Egypt’s coastline. The return of the Sinai meant the return of Sharm el Sheikh, Taba (returned on 29 September 1988), Safaga, Ras Mohammed, Dahab, el Arish, Taba and Nuweiba: all on the Red Sea and all essential to the tourist industry in Egypt.

Last but certainly not least, natural resources. Here lie cement, magnesium, copper, precious stones, white and black sand (used for solar energy), uranium, marble, phosphate, and other minerals. With 6% of Egypt’s total land mass, -the Sinai is a gold mine, a diamond in the rough, its holdings waiting to be extracted and produced for the financial benefit of Egypt. And, in contrast to this exploitation, the Sinai mountains have been preserved for their "natural beauty".

On 13 October 1994, Dr Gamal Ganzoury , then Prime Minister, introduced "The National Project" for the purpose of "development" in the Sinai region. A sum of 75 billion Egyptian pounds (EGP) was to support this from 1994-2017.

When television presenter Mohammed Naser interviewed Dr Hassan Rateb, Chairman on the Board of Trustees at Sinai University, in April about the progress of ‘The National Project, the analyses wasn’t very promising. The total amount of investment projects in the region have come to 110 billion EGP; these are the outcomes:

• In the fishing industry in the Sinai region, they have reached 30% of their target.


• In projects relating to petrol in the region, they have reached 66% of their target.


• In projects relating to tourism, they have reached 38% of their target.


• In housing projects, they have only completed 5% of their target.

Many jobs were supposed to be created. However the growing trend is that labourers coming from Upper Egypt would start work and then be unable to return to their jobs. Coming back from holidays in Upper Egypt with the family, they are stopped at checkpoints. If they are unable to provide the sufficient paperwork, they never get back to the Sinai.

Where is the project money going? Well, just like the interviewer's, "Why are we celebrating today?", it is a question that gets few clear answers.

Israel-Palestine: Proximity Talks to Begin on Wednesday? (Yenidunya)

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak met in Sharm el-Sheikh to discuss upcoming U.S.-mediated negotiations.

Netanyahu described the meeting as "constructive...in a good atmosphere", and Defense Ministry strategist Amos Gilad said that the indirect negotiations with Palestinians would begin on Wednesday. However, some Israeli politicians still opposed indirect talks. Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor called them "a strange affair" after face-to-face peace negotiations stretching back 16 years. He reiterated the Netanyahu Government's official position:

Israel-Palestine: Arab League Supports Indirect Talks (Yenidunya)

I think it is clear to everyone that real talks are direct talks, and I don't think there is a chance of a significant breakthrough until the direct talks begin.

Ramallah's vision is sharply different than West Jerusalem's. Nabil Abu Rdainah, a spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, said:

The truth is we are not in need of negotiations. We are in need of decisions by the Israeli government. This is the time for decisions more than it is the time for negotiations.

The moves continue as US Middle East special envoy George Mitchell is back to the region. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said:

The president spoke late this morning with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.

They discussed how best to work together to achieve comprehensive peace in the Middle East, in particular by making full use of substantive proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians and transitioning to direct negotiations as soon as possible.

Gibbs saidthat the two leaders also discussed regional challenges and Obama "reaffirmed his unshakable commitment" to the security of Israel.