PPP: Recognition of Israel not discussed in Cairo

"The issue of whether a new Palestinian government will recognize the state of Israel was not discussed at the Palestinian unity talks in Cairo, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian People's Party, Bassam As-Salhi said on Thursday night.

As-Salhi disputed reports that tensions in the meetings between the rival factions centered on whether Hamas would formally recognize Israel.

In a televised interview As-Salhi said that the discussions centered around "the government's program and its ability" to solve the current crises in the West Bank and Gaza.

He also said there was an agreement to accept a one and a half year truce with Israel according to understandings Hamas had previously negotiated with Israel. He said a truce would allow Palestinian political processes to take their course.

The Palestinian unity talks adjourned on Thursday without a final agreement. Palestinian leaders did say that they had agreed in principle to form a coalition government that will prepare for new elections in January 2010. They also planned to continue negotiations at a later date that was not specified."

Source: Maan News Agency

Thousands take to the streets in Rafah, calling on Palestinian politicians to put partisan interests aside for the sake of unity

Today a mass rally was organized by the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, demanding that Palestinian factions put aside partisan squabbles in order to achieve national unity and the lifting of the siege on Gaza. Currently the Cairo talks are on hold, and DFLP leader Abed- Al-Hameed Abu Jayyab lambasted the lack of progress in the talks during his address to the crowds.

Source: Maan News Agency

حزب الشعب: لجنة التوجيه العليا للحوار الوطني

قال وليد العوض عضو المكتب السياسي لحزب الشعب الفلسطيني المشارك في حوار القاهرة ضمن لجنة منظمة التحرير في تصريحات صحفية ان لجنة التوجيه العليا للحوار الوطني في القاهرة تواصل اجتماعاتها.

وأكد العوض في تصريحات صحافية أن لجنة التوجيه العليا بعد مغادرة وفود اللجان المشاركة في جلسات الحوار الوطني عقدت اجتماعًا هامًا لمتابعة العقد التي مازالت عالقة في الحوار وهي

في ملف منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية

البحث عن الصيغ التي تتابع العمل الفلسطيني خلال المرحلة الانتقالية لحين إجراء انتخابات المجلس الوطني.

وفي ملف الحكومة

البحث في شكل الحكومة وطبيعتها وبرنامجها واستئناف عمل المجلس التشريعي وبحث قضية توكيلات النواب.

وفي ملف الأجهزة الأمنية

النقطة التي مازالت عالقة: البحث في أوضاع الأجهزة الأمنية وسبل دمجها وبنائها على أسس مهنية وسلاح واحد وسلطة واحدة.

في ملف الانتخابات

قانون الانتخابات على أساس التمثيل النسبي الكامل ونسبة الحسم. ومازالت اجتماعات اللجنة متواصلة وتبحث في مقترحات عدة لمعالجة نقطة المرحلة الانتقالية لحين إجراء انتخابات المجلس الوطني، ومن المتوقع الانتهاء من ذلك خلال اليوم ومن ثم سيتم بحث النقاط التي مازالت عالقة حسبما اتفق في الاجتماع الصباحي للجنة.

من حزب الشعب الفلسطيني

Democratic Front outlines demands in negotations on Palestinian elections

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, DFLP, has outlined three central demands regarding the subject of Palestinian in the ongoing Cairo unity talks. The DFLP representative in the Elections thematic committee, Ramzi Rabah, stated yesterday that DFLP has put forward the following positions:

*Elections must be held in 2010. Postponing the elections to 2011 would deepen division between West Bank and Gaza.
*Elections should be held using Proportional Representation.
*There should be an independent and impartial Central Elections Committee

Source: Maan News Agency. See also: DFLP: No progress at Cairo; Egypt: Talks have not failed, Article in Público on prisoner exchange negotiations

Islamic Jihad Movement ready to join the PLO

In what can be seen as an advance in the Cairo unity talks, the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine has declared that it is committed to Palestinian unity and is ready to join the Palestine Liberation Organization after the forming of a new Palestinian National Council and election of a new PLO Executive Committee, provided that the movement undergoes internal process of renewing its political and administrative programes. The statement was made today by deputy general secretary of the movement, Ziad Al-Nakhalaha.

Source: Paltoday.com

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News links on claims of Islamic radicalism in Denmark: 1, 2

Egyptian blogger detained and beaten

On Monday the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information stated that the Egyptian blogger Diaa Eddin Gad has been detained and beaten by police. According to a Reuters article published the same day, Gad's whereabouts were still unknown. Gad runs the blog Sout Gadeb, which has voiced solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and criticized the complicity of the Egyptian regime in the Gaza massacre.

The arrest of Diaa Eddin Gad shows that the shame of the Egyptian regime has no boundaries. The Egyptian regime is well willing to cooperate with the Israeli occupation. Amongst other things, oil and natural gas is supplied through Egypt. At the same time the full might of the repressive state machinery is unleashed on the critics of the regime, on those who speak out for their brethen in Gaza.

News links: 1, 2