PLO accuses US of 'forcing' Arab foreign ministers not to visit
The Secretary General of the Arab League Nabil Elaraby, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr visited '
moderate' '
Palestinian' President
Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen in the Mukhata in Ramallah on Saturday. But the big news is who wasn't there. Four other Arab foreign ministers allegedly canceled their trips at the last minute, and the PLO is claiming that it was
due to pressure by the United States.
PLO executive member Wasel Abu Yusef told reporters that the US
Administration was behind the cancellation of the four Arab ministers'
visit to the West Bank.
"The Americans prevented the Arab foreign ministers from visiting Ramallah," Abu Yusef charged.
Some
of the ministers who called off their visit claimed that they did not
want to pass through IDF checkpoints on their way to Ramallah.
But
Elaraby and the Egyptian foreign minister arrived in Ramallah aboard a
Jordanian helicopter, which landed in the Mukata presidential compound.
Abu
Yusef and other Palestinian officials also accused the US of exerting
pressure on the Arab countries not to provide the Palestinians with
financial aid.
"The US and Israel are imposing an economic
blockade on the Palestinian State and are preventing the Arab countries
and Western donors from providing Palestinians with financial aid," he
added.
"Unfortunately, these countries have succumbed to the
pressure, further intensifying the financial crisis in the Palestinian
Authority."
If only this were true.... Can you see Hussein Obama doing anything to punish the poor 'Palestinians'?
Meanwhile, at the meeting, Abu Mazen complained that the Arab League has not been putting up its $100 million per month to pay the
terrorists' salaries. Someone ought to tell him to stop schnorring and go develop an economy.
Labels: Abu Mazen, Arab League, compensation for terrorists, Nabil Elaraby
Deal with Turkey apparently off the table
The deal for Israel to express regret over the Mavi Marmara incident and pay compensation to the families of the nine dead terrorists has apparently
fallen through.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu on Thursday rejected reports of a deal between Turkey and Jerusalem over the Mavi Marmara incident as "speculative," and insisted that his government's demand for an apology from Israel had not changed.
"We don't think it is right to cite figures, or discussions of apology or regret, Davutoglu said. "The citing of figures or the matter of regret did not come onto the agenda," he added.
On Thursday, Reuters reported an Israeli official as saying that Jerusalem had offered Turkey a deal in which the relatives of the Turks killed by naval commandos in the raid of the Mavi Marmara would be paid compensation in exchange for the Turkish government's assistance in indemnifying the Israeli Navy against lawsuits,
"We made a compensation offer, and asked the Turks to do what needs to be done to address our legal concerns. We also want to see them return their ambassador and allow us to appoint a new ambassador in Ankara," the official said.
"For now, however, there are still big obstacles," he added.
According to the report, Israel would express "regret" over the incident and each of the nine families who had a son killed in the incident would receive some $100,000.
They're just like the 'Palestinians.' They want what they want and they are not going to compromise on anything. So what sick obsession makes up keep pursuing them?
Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, compensation for terrorists, Mavi Marmara, Turkey
