J6D Newsblog

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/default.aspx?tabid=178&nid=17013
Israeli energy companies Ginko and Delek Energy Systems on Tuesday won a decision by Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority to drill for oil in a remote corner of a nature reserve in the Judean wilderness.

Representatives for the companies said they believe the proposed drill site contains some 6.5 million barrels of oil. While that is less than the amount of oil Israel uses in a month, its market value is still a staggering $700 million.

The decision was fiercely opposed by environmentalists, including the Nature and Parks Authority’s own science committee, who fear the drilling will irrevocably damage the area’s delicate ecosystem.

The companies said that they are aware of the potential downsides and will do everything possible to minimize damage to the environment, but successfully argued that Israel cannot pass up opportunities to so significantly bolster its economy and reduce dependency on foreign energy sources.

Israeli and foreign oil exploration companies have been searching for oil in Israel for decades. It is widely believed that a significant amount of oil lies somewhere under the Dead Sea, but experts say it is difficult and costly to find it due to the regular tectonic shifts in the area.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=73428

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, completing a visit to the region today, has been pressing Israel to sign a document by the end of the year that would divide Jerusalem by offering the Palestinians a state in Israel’s capital city as well as in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, according to top diplomatic sources involved in the talks.

The Israeli team, led by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, has been negotiating the division of Jerusalem – despite claims to the contrary – but would rather conclude an agreement on paper by the end of the year that would give the Palestinians a state in the West Bank, Gaza and some Israeli territory, leaving conclusions on Jerusalem for a later date, the informed diplomatic sources told WND.

The sources said the Palestinian team has been pushing to conclude a deal by January on all core issues, including Jerusalem, and has been petitioning the U.S. to pressure Israel into signing an agreement on paper that offers the Palestinians eastern Jerusalem.

Rice, the sources said, has asked Israeli leaders to bend to what the U.S. refers to as a “compromise position,” concluding an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of the year that guarantees sections of Jerusalem to the Palestinians. But Israel would not be required to withdraw from Jerusalem for a period of one to five years.

The diplomatic sources said the plan is that once an Israeli-Palestinian deal is reached on paper by January, Bush would issue an official letter guaranteeing that the U.S. supports the conclusions of the document.

Any Israeli-Palestinian paper agreement is to finalize a process that began at last November’s U.S. backed Annapolis conference, which seeks to create a Palestinian state, at least on paper, before Bush leaves office.

One Palestinian negotiator speaking to WND described as “crazy” the intensity and frequency of Israeli-Palestinian talks in recent weeks, saying both sides have been meeting on a daily basis, usually at the highest levels. The negotiator said Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Chief Palestinian Negotiator Ahmed Queri have been leading the talks.

The negotiator said Jerusalem is being discussed by both sides and that the two teams are “closer than ever” on coming to an agreement on the status of the city.

This claim was verified to WND by other diplomatic sources involved in the negotiations.

The Palestinian negotiator said Jerusalem would be divided along the framework of the 2000 U.S.-brokered Camp David accords. He said the general philosophy for dividing Jerusalem would be “Arab for Arab and Jew for Jew,” meaning that most Arab-majority eastern sections of Jerusalem would be granted to the Palestinian Authority while Israel would retain Western, Jewish-majority sections.

Israel recaptured eastern Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount – Judaism’s holiest site – during the 1967 Six Day War. The Palestinians have claimed eastern Jerusalem as a future capital. About 244,000 Arabs live in Jerusalem, mostly in eastern neighborhoods. Jerusalem has an estimated total population of 724,000, the majority Jewish.

A number of Arab-majority eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods widely regarded as slated for a Palestinian state include large numbers of Arabs who live on Jewish-owned land illegally. The Jewish National Fund, a U.S.-based nonprofit, owns hundred of acres of eastern Jerusalem land in which tens of thousands of Arabs illegally constructed homes the past few decades. Arabs are now the majority on the Jewish-owned land in question.

Asked by WND whether Jerusalem is currently being negotiated, Mark Regev, Olmert’s spokesman, simply stated, “No.”

Olmert has several times denied Jerusalem is being negotiated. Members of his government coalition have promised to bolt his government and precipitate new elections if Jerusalem is discussed in talks.

Olmert, facing several criminal investigations described as “serious,” recently announced he will resign after his Kadima party holds primaries next month to chose a new leader. That leader is widely expected to continue Israeli-Palestinian talks, especially if frontrunner Livni takes Olmert’s place.

The diplomatic situation in Israel is such that many commentators believe Olmert has an interest in concluding some sort of agreement quickly. Many believe he would like his input in an Israeli-Palestinian agreement to be among his final “achievements.”

WND first exclusively reported Aug. 1 that Olmert told the PA he intends to accelerate negotiations to reach some understanding on paper as soon as September.

Over the weekend, the Israeli media quoted officials close to Olmert stating the prime minister is working for an interim document as soon as next month to be presented to the United Nations. The document likely will not be the conclusion of negotiations but an outline of some of the breakthroughs regarding the West Bank and Gaza.

One PA negotiator told WND of the planned paper: “Papers are very important. It puts limits on the new prime minister. For example, the weak point of Israeli-Syrian negotiations are papers signed by former prime ministers that now must be abided during current negotiations.”

U.S.-influenced plan splits nation

Regarding the expected agreement on the Gaza Strip and West Bank, the general plan, according to top diplomatic sources, is to create a Palestinian state in the vast majority of the West Bank, but for Israel to retain large West Bank Jewish community blocs of Ma’aleh Adumim, Gush Etzion and the areas surrounding Jerusalem, and some land in the northern West Bank adjacent to Israel.

A plan being floated and heavily influenced by the U.S. grants the Palestinians passage between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on territory that would be jointly patrolled by Israel and the PA. The passageway would give the Palestinians access to areas close to central Israeli population centers.

An area from the Israeli Negev nearly equivalent in land mass to the territory Israel would retain in the West Bank would be transferred to the West Bank – marking the first official Israeli plan that calls for pre-1967 land to be given to the Palestinians. Pre-1967 refers to Israeli territory that was not reconquered in the 1967 Six Day War. Much of the plan previously was published by WND in a series of articles in recent months and was published last week by Israel’s Haaretz daily.

The plan would be set out on paper and implemented on the Israeli side in stages, while the PA would need to first retake control of the Gaza Strip from Hamas before Israel would give them most of the West Bank.

Jerusalem division plan revealed

Regarding the division of Jerusalem, top diplomatic sources said both sides are close to agreements on specific issues.

One PA negotiator claimed the U.S. has guaranteed the Palestinians that sensitive areas in eastern Jerusalem in which what he termed “extremist Jews” are purchasing real estate would be handed to the Palestinians.

“The Israelis had no problem with this,” the PA negotiator claimed. “We were also told not to worry too much about scattered Jewish properties in Arab neighborhoods, or yeshivas (Jewish seminaries) in the Old City.”

The PA negotiator’s claim could not be verified by sources in Jerusalem.

According to informed Israeli and Palestinian sources, officials from the State Department in 2008 presented both negotiating sides with several proposals for consideration regarding the future status of Jerusalem. It was unclear whether the U.S. proposals were accepted.

One U.S. plan for Jerusalem obtained by WND was divided into timed phases, and among other things called for Israel eventually to consider forfeiting parts of the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site.

According to the first stage of the U.S. proposal, Israel would initially give the PA some municipal and security sovereignty over key Arab neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem. The PA would be allowed to open some official institutions in Jerusalem, could elect a mayor for the Palestinian side of the city and would deploy some kind of so-called basic security force to maintain law and order. The specifics of the force were not detailed in the plan.

The initial stage also calls for the PA to operate Jerusalem municipal institutions, such as offices to oversee trash collection and maintenance of roads.

After five years, if both sides keep specific commitments called for in a larger principal agreement, according to the U.S. plan the PA would be given full sovereignty over agreed upon eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods and discussions would be held regarding an arrangement for the Temple Mount. The plan doesn’t specify which parts of the Temple Mount could be forfeited to the Palestinians or whether an international force may be involved.

The PA also could deploy official security forces in Jerusalem separate from a non-defined basic force after the five year period and could also open major governmental institutions, such as a president’s office, and offices for the finance and foreign ministries.

The U.S. plan leaves Israel and the PA to negotiate which Jerusalem neighborhoods would become Palestinian.

According to diplomatic sources familiar with the plan, while specific neighborhoods were not officially listed, American officials recommended sections of Jerusalem’s Old City as well as certain largely Arab Jerusalem neighborhoods such as Jabal mukabar, Beit Hanina, Abu Dis, and Abu Tur become part of the Palestinian side. Also recommended were the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Shoafat, Kfar Akev and Qalandiya

http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3586019,00.html

‘Jerusalem will be returned to the Palestinians not by way of negotiations or hugging and kissing the enemy, but through blood, shahids and resistance,’ Haniyeh says, adding ‘Muslims must protect Al-Aqsa Mosque’ …

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Wednesday that the Islamist group will not accept any future peace agreement that does not include the return of Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley to Palestinians hands and the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes in Israel.

Speaking at a ceremony marking 39 years since the fire at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City, Haniyeh said “no one can cede Jerusalem, the city from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the heavens.

“Jerusalem will be retrieved to the Palestinians not through negotiations or by hugging and kissing the enemy, but by way of jihad, blood, shahids and resistance. With Allah’s help, Jerusalem will be returned,” he said.

The Hamas leader added that “the Israeli-Arabs are safeguarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque; it is as if they are inside the belly of a whale. They represent the Islamic nation. We send them our regards, especially to Sheikh Raed Salah (founder of Islamic Movement in Israel).”

Haniyeh said that “according to most all reports on secret peace talks or agreements, Israel is refusing to relinquish Jerusalem and the West Bank, refuses to accept the right of return of Palestinian refugees, refuses to dismantle the settlements and deems the Jordan Valley vital to its security.

“On behalf of the Palestinian nation and Muslims everywhere, I say that we will not accept any such agreements,” he said.

The Hamas chief continued to say that Israel is looking to damage Al-Aqsa and called on all Muslims to “protect Jerusalem”. ….

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26306440/

Russian forces on Wednesday built a sentry post just 30 miles from the Georgian capital, appearing to dig in to positions deep inside Georgia despite pledges to pull back to areas mandated by a cease-fire signed by both countries.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says his troops will complete their pullback by Friday, but few signs of movement have been seen other than the departure of a small contingent that have held the strategically key city of Gori. ……..

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Security/13067.htm
General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of staff of the Russian military revealed Tuesday details of military assistance that Moscow claimed Jerusalem had given Georgia in recent years. “Israel armed the Georgian army,” he told a press conference in the Russian capital.

He said Israel provided Georgia with “eight types of military vehicles, explosives, landmines and special explosives for the clearing minefields.” Since 2007, he continued, Israeli experts have been training Georgian commando troops; and Israel had planned to supply Georgia with heavy firearms, electronic weapons and tanks, but that plan was eventually scrapped.

Israeli aid to Georgia is no secret, and relations between the Jewish State and the emerging Caucasus democracy have been unusually warm. Indeed, several members of the Georgian government, including the Defense Minister, are Israeli citizens and Jews. Last year Georgia’s President and a large entourage of businessmen and politicians made a high profile junket to Israel.

For the past seven years, according to a report in YnetNews, Israeli companies have been helping Georgian army to prepared for war against Russia through arms deals, training of infantry units and security advice

“The subject is closely monitored,” said sources in the Defense Ministry last week. “We are not operating in any way which may counter Israeli interests. We have turned down many requests involving arms sales to Georgia; and the ones which have been approves have been duly scrutinized. So far, we have placed no limitations on the sale of protective measures.”

Israel began selling arms to Georgia following initiatives by Georgian immigrants to Israel. “They contacted defense industry officials and arms dealers and told them that Georgia had relatively large budgets and could be interested in purchasing Israeli weapons,” says a source involved in arms exports. Georgia’s defense minister, Davit Kezerashvili, is a former Israeli who is fluent in Hebrew contributed to this cooperation…..

http://en.rian.ru/world/20080820/116160802.html
King Abdullah II of Jordan will visit Russia on August 21-24, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.

The monarch will hold talks with President Dmitry Medvedev on August 24.

An agreement on the visit was reached in July, when Medvedev and Abdullah II met in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

King Abdullah II last visited Moscow in February, to discuss the situation in Iraq, Iran and the Middle East with then-President Vladimir Putin.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1219218598194&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter
Syrian President Bashar Assad has pledged to support Russia in its conflict with Georgia and said that Damascus was ready to consider deploying Russian Iskander missile systems in its territory, in response to the US missile shield in Europe. ………..

……….The Iskander missile (NATO reporting name SS-26 Stone) is a short range, solid fuel propelled, theater quasi-ballistic missile system.

The system is intended to use conventional warheads for the engagement of small and area targets, such as hostile fire weapons (missile systems, multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery pieces), air and antimissile defence weapons, especially those located in relatively fixed sites, command posts and communications nodes, critical civilian infrastructure facilities and other vital small and area targets.

During his visit, Assad will meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. …………

http://www.russianews.net/story/396825

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Wednesday accused the West of spreading ‘total disinformation’ in an effort to isolate Russia after its conflict with Georgia, and pledged to expand military ties with Moscow.

‘On this question, we fully support Russia … Georgia started this crisis, but the West is blaming Russia,’ al-Assad said in an interview with the business newspaper Kommersant ahead of his arrival in Moscow for two-days of meetings Wednesday.

Al-Assad said the west was guilty of ‘total disinformation and distortion of facts’ during the 10-day clash of Georgian and Russian forces over the separatist region of South Ossetia.

‘The war, which exploded in Georgia, is the apogee of western efforts to encircle and isolate Russia,’ he told the newspaper, accusing the US of persevering in its Cold War policy of containment.

Al-Assad cited the conflict, in which Moscow has accused Georgia of being supplied by Israeli-made arms, as an impetus for strengthening military cooperation with Moscow, including in opposition to US plans to build a missile defence system in Eastern Europe.

Commenting on the planned talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the Syrian president said, ‘Military and technical cooperation, of course, is the main issue. Weapons purchases are a priority … Particularly as the West and Israel continue to pressure Russia.’

Moscow has come under severe criticism from the US and Israel for reinvigorating Soviet-era weapons trade with Syria, a close ally of Iran……..

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=67037&sectionid=351020202
Russia plans to place its advanced missile systems in Syria to counter US and Israeli interventions in South Ossetia, an Israeli website says.

DEBKAfile said in a report on its website that Moscow appears to be eying Poland, the Middle East, and possibly Ukraine, as the main arenas for its reprisals against Israel and the US for supplying arms to the Georgian army.

“The retaliatory plan includes the establishment of big Russian military, naval and air bases in Syria and the release of advanced weapons systems including, the S-300 air-missile defense system, and the nuclear-capable Iskander to Syria,” the report said on Tuesday.

It further said that Russia is arming warships, submarines and long-range bombers in the Baltic and Middle East with nuclear warheads.

Reacting to the report it said Israel’s army should revamp its anti-missile defense array and Air Force assault plans for the third time in two years.

The chairman of the Israeli Knesset foreign affairs and defense committee, Tzahi Hanegbi, slammed Ehud Olmert’s plan to cut military budget, claiming that the regime faces grave confrontations in the coming year.

Meanwhile, the official Syrian SANA news agency reported on Tuesday that President Bashar Assad pays a visit to Russia on Wednesday at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.

Russia has condemned both Israel and the US for their alleged role in arming the Georgian army with sophisticated weapons and elite training to face Russian troops in South Ossetia.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1013616.html
Syrian President Bashar Assad was scheduled to leave for Russia on Wednesday for a two-day visit that has been described by analysts as important at a time when Moscow may be considering closer ties with the Arab world.

Assad told Russia’s Kommersant newspaper on Wednesday that he would use his visit to expand military ties with Moscow, whose arms sales to the Middle Eastern state have angered Israel and the United States.

He said that Russia’s conflict with Georgia, in which Moscow says Georgia used Israeli-supplied equipment, underlined the need for Russia and Syria to tighten their defense cooperation.

Assad is expected to have talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during his visit this week.

“Of course military and technical cooperation is the main issue. Weapons purchases are very important,” he said. “I think we should speed it up. Moreover, the West and Israel continue to put pressure on Russia.”

Russia’s military said this week Israel supplied military vehicles and explosives to Georgia and helped train its army.

Israel says it does not supply arms to other countries as a government but private firms conduct equipment sales and training with the defense ministry’s approval.

Assad said Israel’s role would only encourage countries like Syria - a U.S. foe and ally of Iran - to step up cooperation with Russia.

“I think that in Russia and in the world everyone is now aware of Israel’s role and its military consultants in the Georgian crisis,” Assad told Kommersant

“And if before in Russia there were people who thought these forces can be friendly then now I think no one thinks that way.”

A diplomatic source in Moscow told Interfax news agency that Russia and Syria were preparing a number of deals involving anti-aircraft and anti-tank missile systems.

“Damascus is Moscow’s long-standing partner in military cooperation and we are expecting to reach an agreement in principle on new weapons deals,” said the source.

Syria is also interested in Russia’s Pantsyr-S1 Air Defence Missile systems, BUK-M1 surface-to-air medium-range missile system, military aircraft and other hardware, the source said.

Israel has long urged Russia not to sell weapons to Syria. Damascus was a Moscow ally during the Cold War and is now key to the Kremlin’s ambitions to reviving its Soviet-era role in the region.

The West and NATO have sharply criticised Russia over its military action in Georgia this month. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Russia was turning into an outlaw in the conflict and accused Moscow of targeting civilians in Georgia. ………