Palestinian singer Mohammed Assaf crowned the “Arab Idol”... “a rocket of peace, not war”

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/life-style/entertainment/2013/06/23/Young-Palestinian-singer-Assaf-crowned-the-Arab-Idol-.html

Saturday, 22 June 2013

Immediately after he was crowned, Mohammed Assaf was named UNRWA’s goodwill ambassador. (Al Arabiya)  

Al Arabiya

Young Palestinian singer from Gaza Strip Mohammed Assaf was crowned on Saturday the “Arab Idol,” a singing contest organized by the Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC).

Immediately after he was crowned, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) named him a goodwill ambassador for peace, while Palestinian President Mohamoud Abbas offered him a position of “diplomatic standing.”

Assaf, who came ahead of two other contestants, Syria’s Farah Yousef and Egypt’s Ahmed Jamal, dedicated his award to the Palestinian people.

The 23-year-old Gazan singer brought together divided Palestinians in celebrations throughout the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The handsome, tuxedo-clad Assaf won after weeks of anticipation from his army of followers, who had been glued to big screens in cafes and restaurants across Gaza and the occupied West Bank, listening as his powerful voice propelled him through the competition every weekend, AFP reported.

His mother, wearing a traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, wept as she wrapped the Palestinian black, green, white and red flag around her shoulders.

In northern Lebanon, Palestinian refugees in the Beddawi camp fired gunshots into the air and took to the streets, honking their car horns to celebrate Assaf’s win.

Shortly afterwards, a spontaneous demonstration broke out in Beddawi to celebrate the occasion.

Born in Misrata, Libya, Assaf grew up in the overcrowded Khan Yunis refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, one of the world’s poorest and most densely-populated places where Israel severely restricts the movement of people, goods and financial aid.

The Islamist Hamas movement, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, disapproves of what it considers un-Islamic shows, such as Arab Idol, but has not officially clamped down on support for Arab Idol or Assaf, according to AFP.

Rocket of peace

In a previous episode of the program, popular Lebanese singer and jury member Ragheb Alama had described Assaf as “the best rocket” to have come out of Gaza, and as “a rocket of peace, not war,” according to AFP.

Announcing Assaf’s nomination as regional ambassador for youth minutes after his win, the agency’s chief Filippo Grandi said: “All Palestinians share in his success. Mohammed’s music is a universal language and speaks to all of us. How fantastic that a Palestine refugee from Gaza should bring us all together in this way.”

(With AFP)

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

Veteran Ashrawi insists right of return is inalienable and timeless

Veteran PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day, Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at: http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf

Veteran PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day, Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at: http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf

Veteran PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day, Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at: http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf

Veteran PLO official Hanan Ashrawi has stressed that the rights of the Palestinian people are inalienable, and the right of return is at the top of those rights. Citing UN Resolution 194 and the Geneva Convention of 1951 on the Status of Refugees, the PLO executive Committee member insisted that such rights, individually and collectively, cannot be waived and will not become obsolete with the passage of time.
In a statement released on Thursday to commemorate World Refugee Day, Ashrawi said: "This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948. Until today, they are still pressed under two injustices: the Israeli occupation on one hand and exile on the other."
Pointing out that Israel bears responsibility for producing and perpetuating this human tragedy in a stark violation of international conventions, particularly the Geneva Convention, Dr Ashrawi noted that the number of Palestinian refugees now stands at 5.3 million according to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "This represents the largest number among the world's refugees," she added.
- See more at: http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf

"This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948." - See more at: http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf

"This day embodies Arab and international solidarity with our people's rights, particularly their right to return to their homes from which they were forcibly displaced in 1948." - See more at: http://www.middleeastmonitor.com/news/middle-east/6357-veteran-ashrawi-insists-right-of-return-is-inalienable-and-timeless#sthash.y1gUxjbz.dpuf

 Veteran Ashrawi insists right of return is inalienable and timeless

Leaders must seize opportunity for peace and security... "The Arab League's peace initiative has regained relevance. The initial position between the parties is bleak, but the status quo is not an alternative. The Israelis and the Palestinians must now seize what is perhaps the last opportunity to create peace and security."

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=603808

Gunilla Carlsson is Sweden's Minister for International
Development Cooperation.

By Gunilla Carlsson

As I now return to Palestine and Israel, I do so with increasing frustration that the chance of a two-state solution risks being squandered.

Developments on the ground speak for themselves. The illegal settlements are expanding and displacing Palestinians who are forced to endure daily harassment and blockades. Many people have to spend hours at checkpoints on their way to school or work. Some are plagued by the fear of being thrown out of house and home. In Gaza, almost total isolation continues.

Every year, the Palestinians' internal political divisions are growing, as is the violence. And on the other side of the barbed wire, the Israelis are living in growing insecurity and isolation, in a region in a process of rapid change.

There is a risk that this frustration will grow and that the world will turn its back on the Israelis and Palestinians. We have a joint responsibility for, and self-interest in, continuing to fight for peace in the Middle East. Twenty years after the Oslo Accords there is still a chance to reach a two-state solution. The United States is currently making significant efforts to enable the parties to return to the negotiating table. The EU is ready to support these negotiations.

The Arab League's peace initiative has regained relevance. The initial position between the parties is bleak, but the status quo is not an alternative. The Israelis and the Palestinians must now seize what is perhaps the last opportunity to create peace and security. Time is running out, and it is not a day too early.

Despite continued occupation and a lack of political progress, Palestinian state-building has advanced. The international community shares the assessment of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank that the Palestinian institutions live up to the demands that can be made of a functioning state. Today there is a basis -- albeit a fragile one -- for a Palestinian state.

A new strategy will soon be drafted for Sweden’s development cooperation with our Palestinian partners. Sweden will continue to take its responsibility. We will continue our commitment to the whole of the Palestinian territories -- the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

We will focus on contributing to Palestinian state-building efforts. At the same time, we will take the lead in combating the negative development in "Area C" of the West Bank, where the Palestinian institutions are not allowed to operate and where the settlements are displacing the local population.

Sweden's development assistance should make a difference where it is most urgently needed. The Palestinians have become the most aid-dependent people in the world. Development assistance to Palestine is associated with very major risks and the challenges are considerable.

Development assistance requires political progress to yield long-term sustainable results. The occupation and the expanding Israeli settlements are the main obstacles to a two-state solution and also explain the aid dependency. Freedom of movement for people and goods within and out of the Palestinian territories must improve dramatically if the economy is to take off and unemployment is to be reduced. This applies in particular to Gaza, where Israel must do a great deal more. Its isolation is morally reprehensible and politically counterproductive and makes development assistance more expensive.

As for the Palestinians, they must deepen their reform policies, combat all forms of violence and fully respect human rights. The political divisions must end and democratic elections must be held.

Sweden is also an important donor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, having contributed approximately $56 million last year. UNRWA has been in existence since 1949 and currently supports five million refugees in the region. We will continue to help alleviate suffering by financing homes, medical care and education. But in the long run this is unsustainable, including from a donor perspective.

In Israel in particular, there are many people who claim that now is not the time to make peace with the Palestinians. When the region is in flames, there is a danger of short-sightedness taking over. And in a cruel twist of fate, the Syrian conflict is forcing Palestinian refugees to move again. They have become the refugees of refugees in the Middle East.

Growing regional instability means that the window of opportunity for a two-state solution is closing. But history will condemn those who do not see the opportunity to find a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before it is too late.

Israel must realize that occupation is an unsustainable policy in the long run -- for its own sake and for international, regional and economic reasons. Cooperating with the Palestinians is where the opportunities lie -- not in threatening the country’s democracy and security.

The Palestinians must come together in a shared vision of democracy and use peaceful means to achieve recognition from and coexistence with their neighboring country Israel. And this must be followed up with resolute leadership for a united Palestine – for and with all Palestinians.

Frustration must not be allowed to prevail. The Israeli and Palestinian leaders must seize this opportunity for peace and security now.

From the archives... 1971 & 1967

From the archive, 11 June 1971: Inter-faith municipality urged for Old City of Jerusalem

'History has placed our three communities here, and we have to find a spiritual as well as a physical way of coexistence'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2013/jun/11/jerusalem-religion-inter-faith-municipality

An Orthodox nun holds a candle during a procession along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem's Old City. Photograph: Baz Ratner/REUTERS

A plan for making the Old City of Jerusalem into an "inter-faith municipality" was suggested yesterday by the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Most Rev George Appleton, when he spoke to the Council of Christians and Jews in London on "The cost of peacemaking."

He reminded his audience, which included the Chief Rabbi, the Rev Dr Immanuel Jakobovits, that the holy city was only a small area, a little more than one kilometre square, with 26,000 people living inside it. But millions revered it, were moved by it to remember sacred events, and were often better people because of those thoughts...READ MORE

 ***

"Created with the approval of the United Nations, the existence of Israel ought to be guaranteed by that body as long as Israel is amenable to the actions of that body. The borders drawn at the time of partition and affirmed by the United Nations in 1956 must be respected by Israeli and Arab alike until and unless they are changed by procedures of negotiation under the aegis of that body." Rev Harold Bosley, Senior Minister Christ Church, Methodist, New York, July 10, 1967: Letter in the New York Times Israeli Territorial Claims
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70B1FFA3A5E137A93C5A8178CD85F438685F9

My letter to the Washington Post RE Restrictions on Palestinians living in Israel with spouses now in its 10th year

 Waze, an Israeli mobile satellite navigation application, is seen on a smartphone in this photo illustration taken in Tel Aviv May 9, 2013. Nir Elias/REUTERS  Israeli drivers forgo traditional GPS devices to ride Waze craze

RE Restrictions on Palestinians living in Israel with spouses now in its 10th year
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/temporary-ban-on-palestinians-living-in-israel-with-spouses-now-in-its-10th-year/2013/06/12/79507158-d328-11e2-b3a2-3bf5eb37b9d0_story.html

Dear Editor,

Right now the personal loss and continuing impoverishment created by the Israel/Palestine conflict is mainly felt by the men, women and children of Palestine- and the situation is bound to get worse as Islamists and one-state activists actively sabotage support for a two state solution to actually end the Israel/Palestine conflict.  

Boycott Israel too easily becomes a boycott of reasonable, rational, realistic mainstream efforts to free Palestine from a horrific status quo.

AP reports this week that Israel is moving ahead with plans to build more than 1,000 settler homes in the [illegally occupied] West Bank.  The catch 22 of refusing to negotiate while Israel invests in ongoing settlement projects and land grabs traps Palestinians... Given time and no negotiations there will be nothing left of Palestine except stories of exile.

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Jordan's King Abdullah II said Saturday extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

From Palestinians' point of view, the law [Israel's Absentee Property Law] has always been controversial. The rights of refugees are a core issue in their conflict with Israel.

John Kerry makes unscheduled   sandwich stop in West Bank ...Kerry is urging an economic package to boost the Palestinian economy. Perhaps as a signal of his commitment, he insisted on paying for his food.

Time Magazine Pictures of the Week: May 10 – May 17... Palestinian refugee children play in front of their family house in Jabaliya Refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip.

"In 1949, the international community accepted Israel's UN membership upon two conditions: That they respect resolutions 181 (two states) and 194 (refugee rights). Neither has been honored. In fact, 65 years later, Israel has not even acknowledged what it did in 1948." Saeb Erekat

Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal...

“Were you really shot in a fight over water?” He winces out his answer: “It wasn’t about politics. It wasn’t about the Muslim Brotherhood. It was about water.”

Former Palestinian fighter now battles for a middle path: Palestinian Mohammed Dajani, from a prominent Jerusalem family, has become a vocal advocate for pragmatism and peace.

Songs and Pictures from Palestine

Palestine now recognised by greater power than US or Israel – Google

Fayyad Steps Down, Not Out

This Week in Palestine: Palestinian Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad "This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision of establishing a functional framework where government is accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most effective way possible in decision-making and governance."

"I come from there and I have memories... "

*******
The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine....

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)   Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

Palestinian Refugees(1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Empowering Peace & Palestine

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside.  What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them.

UN Resolution 194 from 1948  : The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

My letter to CSM RE 'Breakthrough' in Israeli-Palestinian conflict : In a surprise opportunity for peace, a few hundred business leaders in Israel and Palestinian areas join up to demand their governments make a deal. Unlike other grassroots efforts, this one has both clout and the courage of conscience.

Jerusalem Calling 
Endangered Jerusalem
Photo by Tarek Bakri : This Week in Palestine

 RE 'Breakthrough' in Israeli-Palestinian conflict
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2013/0601/Breakthrough-in-Israeli-Palestinian-conflict?nav=87-frontpage-entryCommentary

Dear Editor,

Israel is facing boycott campaigns- and UNWRA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) is grappling with growing needs and shrinking funds.

Peace for the greater good of both Israel and Palestine: A business oriented "collective choice for hope and peace"... Sounds like a very sensible and timely initiative to me.  Certainly is a better direction to go in than the current trajectory of escalating religious extremism, bigotry, ignorance and terrorism exasperating unemployment and personal loss.

Plenty of past peace projects throughout the years have proven, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that individual Israelis and Palestinians are able to move beyond the nay saying and negativity and tenacious insanities that tend to complicate as well as perpetuate the Israel-Palestine conflict. 

This newest pro-negotiations initiative builds on all the work already done by numerous forward thinkers, compassionate visionaries and realists who understand that actually ending the conflict with a just and lasting peace creates a win-win situation. 

Where there is a will- there is a way.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Kerry: Palestinian economic plan looks to inject $4 billion ... "We need a new model for how we are going to bring order and open up the possibilities. We need to partner with the private sector because it's clear most governments don't have the money."

Jordan's King Abdullah II said Saturday extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

From Palestinians' point of view, the law [Israel's Absentee Property Law] has always been controversial. The rights of refugees are a core issue in their conflict with Israel.

John Kerry makes unscheduled shawarma sandwich stop in West Bank ...Kerry is urging an economic package to boost the Palestinian economy. Perhaps as a signal of his commitment, he insisted on paying for his food.

Kairos Palestine condemns the kidnapping of two bishops in Syria - and calls for all conflicts and violence and proxy battles to be stopped.

In Israel, a modern wall is halted by ancient terraces

AP PHOTOS: Palestinians in Egypt village exhibit consequences of 65 years of mass displacement

Time Magazine Pictures of the Week: May 10 – May 17... Palestinian refugee children play in front of their family house in Jabaliya Refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip.

"In 1949, the international community accepted Israel's UN membership upon two conditions: That they respect resolutions 181 (two states) and 194 (refugee rights). Neither has been honored. In fact, 65 years later, Israel has not even acknowledged what it did in 1948." Saeb Erekat

Repercussions... a poem

Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal...

“Were you really shot in a fight over water?” He winces out his answer: “It wasn’t about politics. It wasn’t about the Muslim Brotherhood. It was about water.”

Former Palestinian fighter now battles for a middle path: Palestinian Mohammed Dajani, from a prominent Jerusalem family, has become a vocal advocate for pragmatism and peace.

Songs and Pictures from Palestine

Palestine now recognised by greater power than US or Israel – Google

Fayyad Steps Down, Not Out

This Week in Palestine: Palestinian Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad "This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision of establishing a functional framework where government is accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most effective way possible in decision-making and governance."

"I come from there and I have memories... "

*******
The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine..."

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)   Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

Palestinian Refugees(1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Empowering Peace & Palestine

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside.  What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them.

UN Resolution 194 from 1948  : The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

Kerry: Palestinian economic plan looks to inject $4 billion ... "We need a new model for how we are going to bring order and open up the possibilities. We need to partner with the private sector because it's clear most governments don't have the money."

Banksy-created Graffiti on the Wall intruding into the West Bank

 Kerry: Palestinian economic plan looks to inject $4 billion

US secretary of state cites experts as saying economic plan will cut unemployment, increase median wage and increase Palestinian GDP by 50 percent over three years.

 

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=599270

AL SHUNAH, Jordan (AFP) -- US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Sunday an economic plan to revive the ailing Palestinian economy is expected to produce around $4 billion dollars in investment.

"We are looking to mobilize some $4 billion of investment" in tourism construction, Kerry told the closing session of the World Economic Forum, held in the Jordanian town of Al Shunah on the shores of the Dead Sea.

Kerry said business experts had been working to make the project "real, tangible and shovel-ready".

He added the preliminary results of their analysis were "stunning" and showed the plan would "dramatically" bring life to the economy.

"These experts believe we will increase the Palestinian GDP by as much as 50 percent over three years.

"The most optimistic estimates foresee enough new jobs to cut unemployment by two-thirds to eight percent down from 21 percent and to increase the median wage by 40 percent," said the top US diplomat.

Since taking up the baton this year in the long-elusive search for Middle East peace, Kerry has refused to divulge publicly the details of how he intends to bridge the bitter differences between Israel and the Palestinians.

But he has entrusted Quartet Middle East peace envoy Tony Blair with the task of drawing up an economic plan to attract tourism and private sector investment into the West Bank and breathe fresh hope into the area.

Blair has already been working with Coca-Cola chief executive Muhtar Kent on ways of attracting investment into the depressed West Bank.

Blair "is shaping what I believe could be a ground-breaking plan... that will transform the fortunes of a future Palestinian state," said Kerry.

"It is a plan for the Palestinian economy that is bigger, bolder and more ambitious than anything proposed since Oslo," he added in reference to the 1993 peace accords.

The West Bank had seen moderate growth in recent years only to be set back by Israeli and Western moves to stall aid following the Palestinian bid for upgraded UN status.

Kerry said home construction can produce more than 100,000 jobs over the next three years, urging the private and public sectors to cooperate.

"The public and private sectors alike have a responsibility to meet the demands of this moment and one can't do it without the other. We need you at the table," he said.

"We need a new model for how we are going to bring order and open up the possibilities. We need to partner with the private sector because it's clear most governments don't have the money."

Jordan's King Abdullah II said Saturday extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Also speaking at the World Economic Forum, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appealed to Israel in a separate speech to "make peace a reality."

"There remains a window of opportunity for peace," he said. "I invite the Israelis to make peace a reality on the ground."

Associated Press/Mohammad Hannon - King Abdullah II of Jordan gives the opening speech at the World Economic Forum, held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention center, in Southern Shuneh, 34 miles (55 kilometers) southeast of Amman, Jordan, Saturday, May 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)

SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan (AP)  — Jordan's King Abdullah II said Saturday extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Good faith talks must get going," Abdullah told the opening of a two-day meeting of the Geneva-based World Economic Forum on the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth.

He pointed to an Arab peace initiative that offers Arab recognition to Israel in exchange for land to Palestinians based on the 1967 borders.

Abdullah, who maintains cordial ties with Israel under a peace treaty signed in 1994, demanded a halt to Jewish settlement construction in territories claimed by the Palestinians for a future state...READ MORE

My letter to the Washington Post RE Kerry: ‘Peace is actually possible’...‘Stay focused on the prize’

US Secretary of State John Kerry (R), seen with Palestinian negotiator
Saeb Erekat in Ramallah on May 23, 2013. (AFP/Fadi Arouri)

RE: Kerry: ‘Peace is actually possible’...‘Stay focused on the prize’
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/kerry-to-israelis-palestinians-stay-focused-on-the-prize/2013/05/24/b77c8ebc-c464-11e2-8c3b-0b5e9247e8ca_story.html

Dear Editor,

Kerry, firmly insisting that peace is actually possible, did not just call on Israelis and Palestinians to refrain from “provocative” actions in hopes of relaunching peace talks, he also advised everyone to refrain from provocative rhetoric.

"I made clear in my discussions that the parties should be focused on making progress toward...direct negotiations," he [Kerry] said on Friday, adding that each side needed to "refrain from provocative rhetoric or actions ... that take us backwards."  Reuters: Kerry says Israelis, Palestinians must make tough decisions http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-says-talks-israel-palestinians-very-productive-105509993.html

Angry Rhetoric and insults only alienate those who have the power to actually help end the Israel-Palestine conflict. 

Too many people worldwide have made hobbies & careers out of exasperating the Israel-Palestine conflict, inspiring rage and scorn and cynicism rather than reasonable arguments, the rule of fair and just laws, and full respect for universal basic human rights.

Israelis and Palestinians are not the only ones who need to focus in on actually ending the Israel-Palestine conflict- we all do. 

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
From Palestinians' point of view, the law [Israel's Absentee Property Law] has always been controversial. The rights of refugees are a core issue in their conflict with Israel.

John Kerry makes unscheduled shawarma sandwich stop in West Bank ...Kerry is urging an economic package to boost the Palestinian economy. Perhaps as a signal of his commitment, he insisted on paying for his food.

Kairos Palestine condemns the kidnapping of two bishops in Syria - and calls for all conflicts and violence and proxy battles to be stopped.

In Israel, a modern wall is halted by ancient terraces

AP PHOTOS: Palestinians in Egypt village exhibit consequences of 65 years of mass displacement

Time Magazine Pictures of the Week: May 10 – May 17... Palestinian refugee children play in front of their family house in Jabaliya Refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip.

"In 1949, the international community accepted Israel's UN membership upon two conditions: That they respect resolutions 181 (two states) and 194 (refugee rights). Neither has been honored. In fact, 65 years later, Israel has not even acknowledged what it did in 1948." Saeb Erekat

Arab and Islamic countries and organizations pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to support Jerusalem during conferences and summits, but that only a small portion of the pledged money was sent.

Repercussions... a poem

Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal...

“Were you really shot in a fight over water?” He winces out his answer: “It wasn’t about politics. It wasn’t about the Muslim Brotherhood. It was about water.”

Former Palestinian fighter now battles for a middle path: Palestinian Mohammed Dajani, from a prominent Jerusalem family, has become a vocal advocate for pragmatism and peace.

Songs and Pictures from Palestine

Palestine now recognised by greater power than US or Israel – Google

Fayyad Steps Down, Not Out


This Week in Palestine: Palestinian Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad "This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision of establishing a functional framework where government is accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most effective way possible in decision-making and governance."

CNN online Dean Obeidallah: I'm Muslim, and I hate terrorism

Hussein Ibish: Fate of Christians will define the Arab future

"I come from there and I have memories... "

******

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine..."

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)   Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

Palestinian Refugees(1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Empowering Peace & Palestine

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside.  What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them.

UN Resolution 194 from 1948  : The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

My letter to CSM RE Defying naysayers on all sides, Kerry keeps pushing Israelis, Palestinians to table

Kerry calls Israeli envoy to protest legalization of West Bank outposts ATFP News Headlines

RE Defying naysayers on all sides, Kerry keeps pushing Israelis, Palestinians to table
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0523/Defying-naysayers-on-all-sides-Kerry-keeps-pushing-Israelis-Palestinians-to-table?nav=87-frontpage-entryNineItem

Dear Editor,

Pundits, cynics, bigots and bullies on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict are indeed farther apart than they have ever been... but their basic goals are identical as they do all they can to sabotage an actual end to the conflict.

Abolitionists in America seeking to end slavery were far outnumbered and very much harassed and maligned by a majority of citizens convinced that slavery was a necessary part of survival. Looking back it seems blatantly obvious that slavery was totally evil and wrong, but at the time that was not so obvious.

Today's Israel-Palestine conflict is totally evil and wrong- it has been driving people crazy and destroying the lives and communities of countless increasingly vulnerable men, women and children in many different ways.  That fact is not so obvious to all involved right now, but with a just and lasting peace- a negotiated peace to actually end the conflict with two sovereign and secure fully secular states it will be.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
From Palestinians' point of view, the law [Israel's Absentee Property Law] has always been controversial. The rights of refugees are a core issue in their conflict with Israel.

John Kerry makes unscheduled shawarma sandwich stop in West Bank ...Kerry is urging an economic package to boost the Palestinian economy. Perhaps as a signal of his commitment, he insisted on paying for his food.

Kairos Palestine condemns the kidnapping of two bishops in Syria - and calls for all conflicts and violence and proxy battles to be stopped.

In Israel, a modern wall is halted by ancient terraces

AP PHOTOS: Palestinians in Egypt village exhibit consequences of 65 years of mass displacement

Time Magazine Pictures of the Week: May 10 – May 17... Palestinian refugee children play in front of their family house in Jabaliya Refugee camp, in the Gaza Strip.

"In 1949, the international community accepted Israel's UN membership upon two conditions: That they respect resolutions 181 (two states) and 194 (refugee rights). Neither has been honored. In fact, 65 years later, Israel has not even acknowledged what it did in 1948." Saeb Erekat

Arab and Islamic countries and organizations pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to support Jerusalem during conferences and summits, but that only a small portion of the pledged money was sent.

Repercussions... a poem

Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal...

“Were you really shot in a fight over water?” He winces out his answer: “It wasn’t about politics. It wasn’t about the Muslim Brotherhood. It was about water.”

Former Palestinian fighter now battles for a middle path: Palestinian Mohammed Dajani, from a prominent Jerusalem family, has become a vocal advocate for pragmatism and peace.

Songs and Pictures from Palestine

Palestine now recognised by greater power than US or Israel – Google

Fayyad Steps Down, Not Out

This Week in Palestine: Palestinian Institutions A Story of Perseverance ... Salam Fayyad "This was not about roads, buildings, or infrastructure, despite their importance. This plan was about statehood, citizen participation, and enfranchisement. It was based on the vision of establishing a functional framework where government is accountable and citizens participate in the widest and most effective way possible in decision-making and governance."

CNN online Dean Obeidallah: I'm Muslim, and I hate terrorism

Hussein Ibish: Fate of Christians will define the Arab future

"I come from there and I have memories... "

******

The Balfour Declaration of 1917

".... it being clearly understood that nothing
          shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious
          rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine..."

"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace

"Legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." Thomas Jefferson

The Office of International Religious Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)   Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to:

Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

Palestinian Refugees(1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt

Empowering Peace & Palestine

Refugees and the Right of Return

Palestinian refugees must be given the option to exercise their right of return (as well as receive compensation for their losses arising from their dispossession and displacement) though refugees may prefer other options such as: (i) resettlement in third countries, (ii) resettlement in a newly independent Palestine (even though they originate from that part of Palestine which became Israel) or (iii) normalization of their legal status in the host country where they currently reside.  What is important is that individual refugees decide for themselves which option they prefer – a decision must not be imposed upon them.

UN Resolution 194 from 1948  : The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbours should be permitted to do so at the earliest practicable date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible.

From Palestinians' point of view, the law [Israel's Absentee Property Law] has always been controversial. The rights of refugees are a core issue in their conflict with Israel.

Refugees' assets
 
Israel's Absentee Property Law was passed in 1950.

After the war that followed the creation of the state, it was the main legal mechanism used to take over homes and land that belonged to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who had fled or were displaced.

"It was very important. It was the first step to take control of the assets of the Palestinian refugees after the 1948 war," says Professor Haim Sandberg, a land law expert at Israel's College of Management.

"When some years passed, the assets were sold to the Israel Development Authority and Jewish National Fund. Money was paid to the Ministry of Finance and they are holding the money maybe to one day compensate the former Palestinian refugees."

From Palestinians' point of view, the law has always been controversial. The rights of refugees are a core issue in their conflict with Israel.

However, thousands more Palestinians who live in the West Bank but own property in East Jerusalem could be affected by a Supreme Court decision expected after a hearing on Tuesday.

The court is considering appeals in four cases, including that of the Cliff Hotel, where the Absentee Property Law has been applied. This may set a new precedent for its continued use.

Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war. Its annexation of the area is not recognised under international law.

Many of the Palestinians recently labelled as "absentees" have been cut off from their land by new structures like roads to Jewish settlements and Israel's separation barrier in and around the West Bank...

BBC NEWS: Israeli court considers landmark property law cases

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22608104

The Cliff Hotel is on a hill in a strategic location in Abu Dis, on the outskirts of Jerusalem

An Israeli border guard gives a warning shout as we approach the Cliff Hotel at Abu Dis, on the edge of Jerusalem.

"We're too close now. I'm not comfortable. They are monitoring us from the roof and I don't want to provoke anyone," Ali Ayyad tells me.

The large building, erected by his father in 1954, was originally for residential use. It was converted into a hotel in the 1960s, and for many years Mr Ayyad was the manager.

"This is where I met my wife and many of my long-time friends. My daughters came here after they were born. We lived on the third floor. It was not just a home, it was a way of life," he recalls.

"It's got one of the most gorgeous views of Jerusalem you can imagine. We had 36 bedrooms and bathrooms and guests came from all across Europe. We had a beautiful garden with olive trees. Now that's destroyed."

In 1996, as the hotel was being renovated in a period of optimism following the Oslo Peace Accord, the Israeli army took it over citing a security need. However, it later withdrew after legal challenges.

Since 2003, the owners have faced several further attempts by Israeli authorities to seize the building. They are currently classed as "absentees" and the Custodian of Absentee Property controls the hotel. ...READ MORE 

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

John Kerry makes unscheduled shawarma sandwich stop in West Bank ...Kerry is urging an economic package to boost the Palestinian economy. Perhaps as a signal of his commitment, he insisted on paying for his food.

John Kerry shows delight at his shawarma sandwich in Ramallah. Photograph: Fadi Arouri /Xinhua

US secretary of state darted into fast-food restaurant Samer's in Ramallah for a shawarma sandwich and [knafeh] dessert

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/23/john-kerry-west-bank-shawarma 

 [AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]