Hamas spokesman Mahmoud A-Zahar said after the summit meetings that the above declarations constitute "a declaration of war on the Palestinian nation [sic]." He said that Hamas' efforts over the past two years and more - i.e., the terrorism - have pushed the Israelis and Americans to speak of "withdrawal and end of occupation." It will be recalled that A-Zahar said two weeks ago, "I’m telling you frankly, the attitude of Islam is not to accept a foreign state in this area."
Asked about the fact that the Likud Party and many of its leaders have adopted the terminology of the left-wing, Minister Meir Sheetrit (Likud) told Channel Two today, "This has always been the paradox. I call it the doves of war and the hawks of peace. Only the left-wing can wage war with a national consensus, and only the right-wing can make peace with a national consensus..." He admitted that the Likud has dropped much of its ideology, "but everyone knows that one cannot enter into a peace agreement without making [these] concessions."
Arutz-7's correspondent in Aqaba, Kobi Sela, reports that an attempt by a group of terrorist-victim families to sail past Abdullah's palace in Aqaba this morning did not succeed; the Israeli police did not allow the boat to cross the maritime border between Israel and Jordan. David Asraf, whose daughter Hodayah was murdered in a terrorist bus-bombing in Kiryat Menachem (Jerusalem) last November, was one of the disappointed protestors. He told Arutz-7, "We wanted to remind our leaders that it's inconceivable to sign agreements with murderers. They will never, ever, want peace with us."
Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, the most hawkish of the Prime Ministerial entourage in Aqaba, says that Israel must be "very cautious" and must be "very stubborn" about every detail of its security demands in the negotiations. He said, however, that this is an "important opportunity" and that he sees "supreme importance in the return to the negotiating table." The delegation also includes Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, and Trade Minister Ehud Olmert.
Arafat's attempts to perpetuate the terrorism continue. The Sharon government transferred some 1.3 billion shekels (some $280 million) in the past half-year - hundreds of thousands of dollars of which made their way to the Fatah and Tanzim terrorist organizations. Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman reports that the full sum was transferred to the new finance minister in the PA, Salam Fayad, who promised that the money would not pay for terrorism. Israeli security elements report, however, that Arafat received some of the money and sent it on to Fatah-Tanzim. Large sums flow from Arafat's Mukata complex to Tanzim terrorists in Gaza via senior PA figures.
Asked about the fact that the Likud Party and many of its leaders have adopted the terminology of the left-wing, Minister Meir Sheetrit (Likud) told Channel Two today, "This has always been the paradox. I call it the doves of war and the hawks of peace. Only the left-wing can wage war with a national consensus, and only the right-wing can make peace with a national consensus..." He admitted that the Likud has dropped much of its ideology, "but everyone knows that one cannot enter into a peace agreement without making [these] concessions."
Arutz-7's correspondent in Aqaba, Kobi Sela, reports that an attempt by a group of terrorist-victim families to sail past Abdullah's palace in Aqaba this morning did not succeed; the Israeli police did not allow the boat to cross the maritime border between Israel and Jordan. David Asraf, whose daughter Hodayah was murdered in a terrorist bus-bombing in Kiryat Menachem (Jerusalem) last November, was one of the disappointed protestors. He told Arutz-7, "We wanted to remind our leaders that it's inconceivable to sign agreements with murderers. They will never, ever, want peace with us."
Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, the most hawkish of the Prime Ministerial entourage in Aqaba, says that Israel must be "very cautious" and must be "very stubborn" about every detail of its security demands in the negotiations. He said, however, that this is an "important opportunity" and that he sees "supreme importance in the return to the negotiating table." The delegation also includes Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, Justice Minister Yosef (Tommy) Lapid, and Trade Minister Ehud Olmert.
Arafat's attempts to perpetuate the terrorism continue. The Sharon government transferred some 1.3 billion shekels (some $280 million) in the past half-year - hundreds of thousands of dollars of which made their way to the Fatah and Tanzim terrorist organizations. Arutz-7's Haggai Huberman reports that the full sum was transferred to the new finance minister in the PA, Salam Fayad, who promised that the money would not pay for terrorism. Israeli security elements report, however, that Arafat received some of the money and sent it on to Fatah-Tanzim. Large sums flow from Arafat's Mukata complex to Tanzim terrorists in Gaza via senior PA figures.