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Respected world leaders to be involved in peace talks
Malaysia Sun
Friday 7th March, 2008
The council of world leaders, launched by former South African president Nelson Mandela, is sending a three-person team to help ease tensions in the troubled Middle-East.
The organisation known as The Elders is sending former US President Jimmy Carter, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and former Irish president Mary Robinson to Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.
Their visit will extend from April 13th to April 21st.
The group of 12 world leaders is dedicated to fostering peace and resolving global crises.
Kofi Annan has recently been on a mission to Kenya, where he was successful in mediating a power-sharing agreement in the country's disputed presidential election.
At a press conference, Mr Annan expressed the opinion that only persistence in the Middle-East process will make peace possible.
He said he was "acutely sensitive to the centrality of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in the mind of many in the Middle-East."
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who chairs The Elders, appealed to the Israelis and Palestinians to stop their violent cycle and said he vehemently condemned the deaths of civilians in the recent Israeli offensive on Gaza.
Tutu also said he condemned unequivocally “the dastardly attack Thursday by a Palestinian gunman on the Jewish seminary in Jerusalem."
He said: "Peace will not come from the barrel of a gun, as we learned in South Africa. Peace will only come when the inexorable cycle of reprisal provoking counter reprisal ends. When the inalienable rights of all, Israeli and Palestinian, are recognized and respected."
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Comments on this story
| By Anonymous, 03-08-08, 08:45 PM |
Break the chains of the PastThe HATE of the past is the chain is the the chain that is dragging you down down down to drown in the blood of the past..to drown... your mind can see no reason, your heart is covered in pain.. BREAK THOSE CHAINS .. BREAK THEM BEFORE YOU DROWN IN HATE .. |
| By mumbo jumbo, 03-08-08, 07:50 PM |
TUTU, GIVE ME A HAND JOB...just as soon as you’re finished with Kofi and Jimmy, that is.
Tutu is about as useful as a negro lantern-holding yard ornament. |
| By Faithful Witness, 03-08-08, 09:47 PM |
protocols of the ELDERS of Zion, maybe??What an apt name they choose, the “elders”. Elders of WHAT? Tutu and Carter are leaders of the latest wave of the new anti-Semitism, thinly disguised as anti-Zionism. Elders are supposed to be WISE. These “elders” are deceivers of the worst kind.
Let them come to Gaza. Perhaps a stray Qassem will grant them the “wisdom” they so desperately need. |
| By Stuart, 03-08-08, 01:27 PM |
Israel is more Pro Palestinian than either Hamas or the PLOLet’s be very clear about a few things. Firstly Israel does not “oppress” the Palestinians or deny them Human Rights. For the Palestinians are not governed by Israel. The Palestinians are governed by their own regimes ie the islamic fundamentalist Hamas regime in Gaza which truly does oppress its own people and the more secular but less effective regime of the Palestinan Authority in the West Bank.
The Palestinians and their feral supporters try to maintian that the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians is a human rights dispute ..it is not.. it is merely a dispute between two nationalisms regarding territory. Quite frankly due to a much longer historical, cultural connection the Jews have in my opinion a far superior claim
In any case, the outlook for establishing a form of self government which would maintain basic levels of Human rights for the Palestinians is pretty grim.
Probably the best chance of providing Human rights for the Palestinians would be under Israeli rule.
Israel is not “oppressing” the Palestinians”.
The last time Israel truly ruled the palestinians was in the 1970s and 1980s when Israel presided over a boom in Palestinian development..during this period Palestinian living standards, life expectancy, illiteracy etc all vastly improved
“During the 1970’s, the West Bank and Gaza constituted the fourth fastest-growing economy in the world-ahead of such “wonders” as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea, and substantially ahead of Israel itself. Although GNP per capita grew somewhat more slowly, the rate was still high by international standards, with per-capita GNP expanding tenfold between 1968 and 1991 from $165 to $1,715 (compared with Jordan’s $1,050, Egypt’s $600, Turkey’s $1,630, and Tunisia’s $1,440). By 1999, Palestinian per-capita income was nearly double Syria’s, more than four times Yemen’s, and 10 percent higher than Jordan’s (one of the betteroff Arab states). Only the oil-rich Gulf states and Lebanon were more affluent.
Under Israeli rule, the Palestinians also made vast progress in social welfare. Perhaps most significantly, mortality rates in the West Bank and Gaza fell by more than two-thirds between 1970 and 1990, while life expectancy rose from 48 years in 1967 to 72 in 2000 (compared with an average of 68 years for all the countries of the Middle East and North Africa). Israeli medical programs reduced the infant-mortality rate of 60 per 1,000 live births in 1968 to 15 per 1,000 in 2000 (in Iraq the rate is 64, in Egypt 40, in Jordan 23, in Syria 22). And under a systematic program of inoculation, childhood diseases like polio, whooping cough, tetanus, and measles were eradicated.
No less remarkable were advances in the Palestinians' standard of living. By 1986, 92.8 percent of the population in the West Bank and Gaza had electricity around the clock, as compared to 20.5 percent in 1967; 85 percent had running water in dwellings, as compared to 16 percent in 1967; 83.5 percent had electric or gas ranges for cooking, as compared to 4 percent in 1967; and so on for refrigerators, televisions, and cars.
Finally, and perhaps most strikingly, during the two decades preceding the intifada of the late 1980’s, the number of schoolchildren in the territories grew by 102 percent, and the number of classes by 99 percent, though the population itself had grown by only 28 percent. Even more dramatic was the progress in higher education. At the time of the Israeli occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, not a single university existed in these territories. By the early 1990’s, there were seven such institutions, boasting some 16,500 students. Illiteracy rates dropped to 14 percent of adults over age 15, compared with 69 percent in Morocco, 61 percent in Egypt, 45 percent in Tunisia, and 44 percent in Syria." |
| By kubara, 03-08-08, 07:24 AM |
| I do not think that they are pro to either side ? |
| By Anonymous, 03-07-08, 11:25 PM |
Respected world leaders to be involved in peace talksplease take note! these words are words of wisedom : “Peace will not come from the barrel of a gun, as we learned in South Africa. Peace will only come when the inexorable cycle of reprisal provoking counter reprisal ends. When the inalienable rights of all, Israeli and Palestinian, are recognized and respected."
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| By Spiritrace, 03-08-08, 03:56 PM |
| Peace will only come if the leaders make a lot of money from it and they have total control over the population..... |
| By ~galljdaj+, 03-08-08, 01:37 AM |
How are the Palestinian Rights repaired?It is very easy how to figure out how Israel can have rights recognized and respected. Such is easy to define.
But the Palestinians Rights were destroyed by the UN Resolution 181 bringing in the Avon Project in 1947 and taking away from the Peoples living in Palestine. The Peoples that had their lands taken away from them by the 'interlopers' is much different. I cannot find a way to restore their Rights! They did not have a voice in the decision! They did not get to vote on whether to allow in those being thrown out of Europe! The Palestinians were forced, invaded by the unwanted!
So what kind of Rights can be restored to the Palestinians? It was the barrel of a gun that brought Israel into existence. It seems to me the only way to do what you say, is to disband Israel, and allow those that wish to remain to become under the political control of an open vote of the peoples of Palestine.
Those that wish to leave can have some place like florida, part of germany, part of the EU,
but taking away the rights of the peoles of Palestine to make a new country like israel has no legal or legitimate means to maintain the rights of those residing in the lands to be stolen.
You have posted very nice words, but how do you see accomplishing the restoration? |
| By Mr. Magnificent Elder of the Universe , 03-08-08, 02:15 AM |
Elders ???? is this a joke or George Orwell's 1984?Help me remember.... Isn’t one of the Elders an author of a book with the title that clearly insinuates Zionism as apartheid? Isn’t one of the Elders inept to run a world body or to stop massacres of groups people in the world such as Darfur and Kenya ? Wasn’t one of the Elders too frightened to seriously counter a hostage taking some decades ago? Didn’t one of the Elders declare that Hamas won the Gaza election fairly (of course prior to the violent ouster of Fatah)? I suggest the Elders reside in Gaza for a few months and see how the people are really treated by their own leadership. Perhaps in their elderhood of wisdom they will find Hamas is not a terror group. Maybe they should live with their families in Sderot a few months also (maybe they’ll decide in their wisdom that Sderot residents are not victims) so that they might get the entire scenario and truly become the “Elders” full of wisdom they purport to possess. But seriously folks, are they kidding?? This has to be a joke for this group to even suggest they should be called the Elders. How big can their egos be? You tell me, aren’t they just a bunch of impotent left leaning liberals who are antizionist to the core. What do you really think? Perhaps they should do a viagara commercial together. At least Bob Dole knows what to do once retired from government. They should worry about their own countries for God knows their countries have plenty of issues to resolve. They should stay in their own backyard. They may also wish to be guests at one of the beautiful beach front resort/casinos on the Gaza that could be built with Saudi billions so that Gaza could create its own economy so Gaza would not need to rely on the so called zionist entity for every little thing. But I digress. Give peace a chance!!!! Perhaps my name should be the Most Magnificent Elder or something cool like that for the sake of public relations. Thanks for listening. |
| By Sammy, 03-08-08, 08:37 AM |
STINKY FISH~galljdaj+
03-07-08, 08:37 PM
I agree with your post and you have stated the true facts, as well as the cure to this problem that was created by the forceful UN way back in 1948.
But I do believe that things will not change unless the UN cleans its entire house and practices real democracy.
It could start with the UN security council, by abolishing all permanent members and their veto vote.
Establishing a yearly rotating election where all 192 members of the UN General assembly would have a chance to serve in the UN Security council for a period of two years and no one having veto power, then and only then you have a democratic UN. (maybe)
But since the UN was formed it has been controlled by the five big bully nations (USA, Britain, France, Russia, and China) and these five nations have controlled the destiny of the world, while the other small insignificant nations have been there to warm their chairs because they have been left entirely out of making the important decisions, and if they have decided on controversial issues they have been vetoed out by the permanent members of the present UN Security council.
There is an old saying: “that the fish starts to stink from the head”
So no matter how you cook it, it will always stink, and I believe that people are tired of stinky fish.
Sammy |
| By princsshape, 03-08-08, 12:25 PM |
Rotation? True democracy?How many arabic democratic countrys are members of the UN?
How many musemic countrys ,who respect womens rights, are members of the UN ? |
| By ~galljdaj+, 03-08-08, 01:13 PM |
Sammy , & , PrincessSammy, I enjoyed reading your views and suggestions. And I believe in them also.
It is like much of the World’s showcases, composed of many varities each having value and being worthwhile. Each deserving its own respect. Together like it or not, means working together also.
Princess, you appear to be fooled by rhetoric, as you babel or parrot the mantra of theives. 'Democracy'! Nothing wrong with the concepts of democracy, just like nothing wrong with communism’s or socialism’s concepts! In fact!, any form of government is just fine when run for everyone benefits! Even the 'old' capitalism used to be outstanding in ways of supporting 'everyone'.
But as the US HAS FALLEN OFF THE HORSE, and embarked government for the Rich and powerful, the everyone concept is now in name only!
The US is leading the way in crime, abuses & tortures, spying, polution, war, attacks on innocent peoples of other countries, and a whole host of other Greed motivated statistics.
Virtually all the Matrilineal Societies Failed, have you asked yourself 'why'?
There are many Just Societies, and unjust as well. I believe the majority of people born into a society stay in that society. So I supect you are somewhat biased in the same way as a stayer. To be sure, just about everyone has a society they do not want to be part of. So what!
Let the members work out their society, and you work on making your society better! Lead by example not your mouth of hypocracy. |
| By ~galljdaj+, 03-08-08, 01:39 PM |
Plenty of Countries are working on ...... , and equal rights! Cuba Venezuela and other countries are open to any resident that can qualify, male or female!
Some countries are targeting women as the means of restructuring equality. One Such example:
http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=1191300
The reference comes from an article posted on this site. |
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