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"SHUT THE GATE" MADELEINE LOCKS ARAFAT IN
BARAK HUMILIATED
U.S. INCREASINGLY
DESPERATE, SETS NEW TUESDAY IN WASHINGTON
AND LOCKS CLOSED U.S. EMBASSIES
ARAFAT LITERALLY LOCKED IN
An Israeli correspondent who went with Barak to Paris has spoken about
about what really went on in Paris: "This was a very humiliating
night for Barak - no one ever humiliated him like [French President] Chirac
and Arafat did last night. Immediately after word of an agreement
was released in the U.S. Embassy in the middle of the night, Arafat walked
out in anger, saying, 'You're not respecting me!' Albright ran after
him, begging him to stay, just like little kids - it was unbelievable!
Arafat didn't stop, so then Albright ordered the gates locked so that he
would not be able to get out! Later, after everyone had left, they
then returned again to the Embassy, where they were all supposed to sign
the agreement - they were all standing around waiting for Arafat, but it
turned out that he simply decided not to show up! This was a big
slap in the face for Albright and the U.S. Chirac and Arafat worked
together against the Americans and Israelis... Yasser Arafat and
U.S. Secretary of State Albright met in Sharm a-Sheikh with Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak today - without Prime Minister Barak. No 'breakthrough'
was reported. Albright has transmitted an 'invitation' to all the
negotiating teams to arrive in Washington next Tuesday.
U.S. CLOSES EMBASSIES IN ARAB WORLD
WASHINGTON (Reuters - Oct 5) - The United States closed all its embassies
and consulates in the Arab world on Thursday for four or five days for
fear of violent demonstrations in support of Palestinians fighting Israeli
forces. The State Department said the missions would stay closed
until after the Columbus Day holiday, which some observe on Sunday and
some on Monday. Thousands of Syrians stoned the U.S. embassy in Damascus
on Wednesday in protest against the killing of Palestinians by Israeli
soldiers. Demonstrations against Israel and the United States, its ally,
have taken place in other Arab cities. The State Department said
in a public announcement that U.S. Embassy employees had been told not
to send their children to school during the four-day or five-day period.
U.S. diplomatic missions in other regions may also restrict their services
to the public, the department said. The Tel Aviv embassy and the Jerusalem
consulate will be open for essential services only, an official said.
The announcement advised Americans ``to maintain a high level of vigilance
and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness to lessen
their vulnerability... Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes
and times for all required travel, and treat mail from unfamiliar sources
with caution,'' it said. The government issued a ``worldwide caution''
on Wednesday advising Americans everywhere to take care because of possible
violence in support of the Palestinians.
SHARON WARMING UP AS SECRET TALKS WITH BARAK EXPAND
BARAK WOOING LIKUD FOR UNITY GOVERNMENT
Jerusalem Post, 10/5/00- Representatives of Prime Minister Ehud Barak
have begun intensive secret negotiations with the Likud over the possible
creation of a national unity government, according to a senior Likud source.
Likud MK Yehoshua Matza is representing party leader Ariel Sharon in the
talks, while Barak has asked his own advisers to deal with the issue, rather
than appointing a One Israel minister, according to the source. "Much has
been said of the broken dream of the Right for [gaining control over] all
of the Land of Israel. Today, we see the broken vision of the Left for
a small Land of Israel," said top-ranking Likud MK Silvan Shalom, in reference
to the assumption that the inclusion of the Likud in the government would
mean an end, at least temporarily, to the current peace process.
Communications Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said last
night the time has come for the formation of an emergency cabinet in light
of the violence of the past week. "I believe that we have the best possible
team, and the ability to bring change to the people of Israel," he said,
referring to the current composition of the government. "With that, I believe
that Israel in general, and the [Labor] party in particular, have never
encountered times as difficult as these. We must put all our disputes aside
and unify. Therefore, it is important, in my opinion, that in the
current situation a national emergency cabinet be established," said Ben-Eliezer.
"Arafat lost when he used terrorism, and therefore the time has come to
unite and find ways to reach solutions among ourselves," said Ben-Eliezer.
He indicated a broader coalition would try to advance socioeconomic
matters instead of peace.
ARAB-AMERICANS POSTURE AS USUAL...BUT LITTLE MORE
FEW SHOW UP AT ISRAELI EMBASSY TODAY
The LOUD promise was to come back to the Israeli Embassy
to demonstrate in greater numbers each day until the killing stops.
On day two, rather than twice as many, they had about half as many.
Today, there was just a fraction of that...maybe 30 or so.
Now the problem isn't the mostly young students who come
out. They don't know the history of the situation. They don't
know who is really pulling the strings. They don't know what the
ADC and the couple of other Arab American groups are really all about --
"client organizations" manipulated on important matters by the Arab League
and the various Ambassadors of the "client regimes". They are young
and upset, and rightly so!
The problem is the leadership of these organizations that
handle things pretty much in the same way the "client regimes" in the region
do. After the killing had gone on for a few days the Arab League
met in "emergency session". The result: a rhetorical condemnation
of the Israelis and a call for the United Nations "to investigate".
In other words...the Arab League did nothing at all...didn't even suggest
to those countries with diplomatic relations with Israel to at least bring
their Ambassadors home for a few days.
The controlled Arab American groups, ADC in the lead,
do much the same here in Washington. They wait for pressures to build,
then they arrange to let off a little steam in ways that serious people
don't take seriously, not even themselves. They exploit the legitimate
concerns and energies of those who want to do something by arranging ways
for the energy to be drained away, by arranging completely non-threatening
ways that never go to the heart of the issue and never criticize the Arab
regimes who are really co-responsible for what is happening.
It was seven years ago now that the founder of ADC, former
Senator James Abourezk, called a secret meeting of the Board of Directors
and advised everyone that he thought it was time for ADC to close down.
But that's not what happened. Instead, the Arab Ambassadors and the
business friends of the regimes found ways to keep ADC alive but on a very
short political leash after the Gulf War. That's the origins of the
take-over of ADC by the Maksoud's, Clovis on pension from the Arab League,
Hala needing something to do during the day and a title to append to her
name.
For more information on all this, important because Washington
itself is so important these days in all matters Middle Eastern, go to
the MER search engine and type in the names of organizations and people
of interest -- http://www.MiddleEast.Org/search.htm
Oh yes, one other important Washington note. Remember
Martin Indyk, U.S. Embassador to Israel who had his security clearance
pulled and was told to stand by in Washington while the investigation proceeded.
Well Madeleine let him go to Israel for the Jewish holidays, against the
wishes of the security people and against the established procedures.
And, in recent days, wouldn't you know it, Madeleine has now given him
special permission to get back involved in the "peace process", though
he's supposed to not even go to his office in the Embassy without an escort!
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