. Medical and Hospital News .




WAR REPORT
Israel politicians cautiously welcome Kerry breakthrough
by Staff Writers
Jerusalem (AFP) July 20, 2013


Ban says Middle East rivals must show 'courage' in talks
United Nations (AFP) July 19, 2013 - UN leader Ban Ki-moon said Friday that Israeli and Palestinian leaders must show "courage and responsibility" to maintain the peace talks revived by the United States, according to his spokesman.

Ban welcomed the announcement by US Secretary of State Kerry that an accord had been reached to resume talks between the Middle East rivals, which have been frozen since September 2010, Martin Nesirky said.

Ban, a member of the diplomatic Quartet on the peace process with the United States, Russia and European Union, "commends" Kerry's efforts and the decision by Israel and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table.

"He is encouraged by this positive development and calls on both sides to show leadership, courage, and responsibility to sustain this effort towards achieving the two-state vision," Nesirky added.

"The United Nations will support any endeavor towards meaningful negotiations and to the achievement of a comprehensive peace in the region," he said.

Israel to release Palestinian prisoners: minister
Jerusalem (AFP) July 20, 2013 - Israel will release a "limited" number of Palestinian prisoners, government minister Yuval Steinitz said on Saturday, a day after the US announced direct peace talks will resume between the two sides.

"There will be a limited release of prisoners," Steinitz, the minister in charge of international relations, strategic affairs and intelligence, told public radio without giving numbers.

Steinitz did not say when the release would take place, but said it would be "in stages."

"There will definitely be a certain gesture here," he added.

He said some of those to be freed have been in Israeli jails for up to 30 years.

Steinitz's remarks came a day after US Secretary of State John Kerry said Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet in Washington in the near future after an agreement on the basis to resume peace talks.

According to the Israeli rights group B'Tselem, there are 4,713 Palestinians prisoners in Israel, including 169 in administrative detention where they can be held without charge for renewable periods of up to six months.

Talks have stuttered and started for decades in the elusive bid to reach a final peace deal between the Arab world and Israel.

But they collapsed completely in September 2010 when Israel refused to keep up a freeze on settlement building in Palestinian territories.

Israeli politicians on Saturday hailed an announcement by US Secretary of State John Kerry's of a breakthrough in talks with Palestinians but warned it was an opportunity that could not be missed.

Kerry had on Friday night said that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have laid the groundwork to resume peace talks, frozen for almost three years, and will meet in Washington in the near future.

Quick to respond was Israeli negotiator and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who will be representing the Jewish state at the Washington talks.

"These were long months of scepticism and cynicism," she said in a statement late Friday night. "But now, four years of diplomatic stagnation are about to end."

Livni acknowledged the fact that talks would likely be "complex and not easy," but said she was convinced this is "the right thing for our future, our security, our economy and values."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has refused to comment on Kerry's statement and no members of his Likud party have so far publicly voiced their opinion on it.

Environment Minister Amir Peretz of Livni's HaTnuah party however called it "a great opportunity that cannot be missed".

"I call on the Labour party and entire peace camp to support the move and strengthen it," said Peretz, who himself was a member of the Labour party until 2012, on his Facebook page.

Opposition and Labour party leader Shelly Yachimovich called the "renewal" of talks "an important opportunity to finally make progress toward an agreement between us and the Palestinians. We shouldn't suffice with renewing the negotiations, but do everything to work toward a real agreement."

Arab-Israeli Knesset member Esawi Frij of the leftwing Meretz party also praised the development, but said he "had no illusions".

"I hope Bibi isn't planning on fudging us and the world again," he wrote on his Facebook page, using Netanyahu's nickname, "and entering negotiations just for the sake of negotiations, to finally blow up the whole thing with childish blaming games."

Kerry's announcement came at the end of four days of intense diplomacy by the secretary of state as he consulted Israeli and Palestinian leaders from his base in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Talks have stuttered and started for decades in the elusive bid to reach a final peace deal between the Arab world and Israel.

But they collapsed completely in September 2010 when Israel refused to keep up a freeze on settlement building in Palestinian territories.

Israeli media were largely silent on the breakthrough as Saturday is the Jewish day of rest, but Barak Ravid of the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper called Kerry's announcement "a personal triumph" for Livni who lived up to her electoral promises.

Ravid said Netanyahu's intentions on renewing talks remained unclear.

"But if he is in it for the real thing, he will have to for the first time present clear stances and explain where for him Israel ends and Palestine begins," he wrote.

.


Related Links






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily Express :: SpaceWar Express :: TerraDaily Express :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

Get Our Free Newsletters
Space - Defense - Environment - Energy - Solar - Nuclear

...





WAR REPORT
Livni: Israel's new peace negotiator
Jerusalem (AFP) July 19, 2013
Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni will soon be attempting to break ground in her new capacity of peace negotiator, after agreement on the basis to resume talks with the Palestinians. US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that Livni and Palestinian counterpart Saeb Erakat would meet in Washington within "the next week or so" after the agreement was reached. Originally a membe ... read more


WAR REPORT
Rain no dampener for New Zealand cardboard cathedral

The best defense against catastrophic storms: Mother Nature, say Stanford researchers

Long-forgotten seawall protected New Jersey homes from Sandy

Fukushima steam still baffling: TEPCO

WAR REPORT
GPS III satellite antenna assemblies ready for installation

Lockheed Martin Delivers Antenna Assemblies For Integration On First GPS III Satellite

Lockheed Martin GPS III Prototype Validates Test Facilities For Future Flight Satellites

Distorted GPS signals reveal hurricane wind speeds

WAR REPORT
Archaeologist says he's uncovered King David's palace

Brain signal said to create inner 'voice' we hear even if we're silent

Genetic evolution seen in peoples living at high altitudes

China island centenarians claim secret of long life

WAR REPORT
New research shows that temperature influences tropical flowering

Genetic secrets of the world's toughest little bird

First Persian leopard cubs in 50 years born in Russian breeding center

Phytoplankton social mixers

WAR REPORT
New viruses said unlike any form of life known to date

Huge viruses may open 'Pandora's' box: French study

China H7N9 survivor gives birth: report

China H7N9 bird flu toll up to 43: govt

WAR REPORT
Man in wheelchair detonates device at Beijing airport: state media

Hong Kong marks anniversary of Bruce Lee's death

Japan paper's social media accounts 'blocked in China'

Beijing envoy, Hong Kong lawmakers in landmark talks

WAR REPORT
Mexican generals freed after cartel charges dropped

Mexicans turn to social media to report on drug war

Sydney customs officers ran drugs ring, report says

New Moldova P.M. Leanca says country remains on pro-EU course

WAR REPORT
FDI into China climbs in first half: government

China to lift lending rate controls: central bank

China on course to beat govt growth target: IMF

Outside View: Easy money, the opiate of the U.S. economy




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2012 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement