"Israeli" government keeps Palestinian institutions shut
Source: The News, 22-02-2008
OCCUPIED-AL-QUDS/: "Israel" is keeping Palestinian institutions in east Al-Quds shut tight, despite its pledge to reopen them under a recently revived peace plan, Palestinian officials said on Thursday.
This month, the officials said, "Israel" renewed its order to close a leading Palestinian centre known as Orient House, the city's Arab Chamber of Commerce and other symbolic buildings that are rallying points for the Palestinians' claims to Al-Quds' eastern sector.
The closures are the latest area of dispute in the current round of "Israeli"-Palestinian peace talks, which were relaunched in November after seven years of violence.
The sides have set a December 2008 target for completing a peace agreement, but "Israeli" construction in disputed areas and continuing retaliatory Palestinian rocket attacks from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip have clouded talks so far.
The fate of east Al-Quds is the most explosive issue facing negotiators. "Israel" captured the eastern part of the city, home to sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The Palestinians want east Al-Quds to be the capital of a future independent state.
During earlier peace talks in the 1990s, "Israel" permitted the Palestinians to operate institutions like Orient House, an elegant century-old mansion that served as the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
"Israeli" police shut down the institutions in 2001, shortly after the second Palestinian uprising erupted. It has issued orders every six months since then renewing the closure. With the resumption of peace talks, the Palestinians say these places should reopen.
The US-backed "road map" peace plan, the basis for negotiations, calls on "Israel" to "reopen the Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and other Palestinian institutions in east Al-Quds." Azzam Abu Saoud, director of the 72-year-old Chamber of Commerce, said the closure order on his offices was extended on Feb. 7.
"Despite all the expectations the closure order was renewed for another six months," Abu Saoud told The Associated Press. US consular officials asked for copies of the order, which he provided, he said. Officials at the US Consulate declined comment.
Palestinian lawmaker Hatem Abdel Khader said a similar closure on the Orient House also was renewed a few days ago. He said the closure went against "Israeli" promises to reopen the site. "This is not a good sign for the peace process," he said.
He said US officials told the Palestinians the issue was unlikely to be resolved quickly. "They told us they need time to negotiate with the 'Israelis'," he said.
"Israeli" police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld could not confirm the recent extension of the closure orders. But he confirmed that officers periodically visit Orient House to ensure that it is not being used.
He cited a law prohibiting Palestinian political activity in the city. "I am not aware of any change in our policy," Olmert spokesman Mark Regev told the AP.
When Orient House was shut down, "Israel" said it would only withdraw if the Palestinian Authority, today headed by Abbas, promised not to operate there. Abdel Khader said the Palestinians had given the necessary assurances to the "Israelis".
Orient House is owned by the Husseinis, a prominent Palestinian clan in Al-Quds. The scion of the family, the late Faisal Husseini, was the top Al-Quds official of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and used the building as his base.
"As the PLO Headquarters in the occupied city, the Orient Houseaspires to develop Arab East Al-Quds as the capital of the emerging Palestinian state," the centre's Web site says.
On Thursday, the anti-settlement "Israeli" group Peace Now said that over the past seven years, "Israel" has denied 94 per cent of Palestinians' requests for building permits in the West Bank.
The data demonstrate "clear and conspicuous discrimination against the Palestinian population," Peace Now said.
Meanwhile, the European Union is increasing pressure on "Israel" to end its nine-month old blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to prevent a humanitarian crisis there, an official said on Thursday.
"EU ministers are expressing growing concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the lack of progress in the peace talks" with the Palestinians, he told AFP on condition of anonymity. "Our embassies in Europe report increasing pressure to try to end the blockade."
OCCUPIED-AL-QUDS/: "Israel" is keeping Palestinian institutions in east Al-Quds shut tight, despite its pledge to reopen them under a recently revived peace plan, Palestinian officials said on Thursday.
This month, the officials said, "Israel" renewed its order to close a leading Palestinian centre known as Orient House, the city's Arab Chamber of Commerce and other symbolic buildings that are rallying points for the Palestinians' claims to Al-Quds' eastern sector.
The closures are the latest area of dispute in the current round of "Israeli"-Palestinian peace talks, which were relaunched in November after seven years of violence.
The sides have set a December 2008 target for completing a peace agreement, but "Israeli" construction in disputed areas and continuing retaliatory Palestinian rocket attacks from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip have clouded talks so far.
The fate of east Al-Quds is the most explosive issue facing negotiators. "Israel" captured the eastern part of the city, home to sensitive Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it. The Palestinians want east Al-Quds to be the capital of a future independent state.
During earlier peace talks in the 1990s, "Israel" permitted the Palestinians to operate institutions like Orient House, an elegant century-old mansion that served as the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
"Israeli" police shut down the institutions in 2001, shortly after the second Palestinian uprising erupted. It has issued orders every six months since then renewing the closure. With the resumption of peace talks, the Palestinians say these places should reopen.
The US-backed "road map" peace plan, the basis for negotiations, calls on "Israel" to "reopen the Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and other Palestinian institutions in east Al-Quds." Azzam Abu Saoud, director of the 72-year-old Chamber of Commerce, said the closure order on his offices was extended on Feb. 7.
"Despite all the expectations the closure order was renewed for another six months," Abu Saoud told The Associated Press. US consular officials asked for copies of the order, which he provided, he said. Officials at the US Consulate declined comment.
Palestinian lawmaker Hatem Abdel Khader said a similar closure on the Orient House also was renewed a few days ago. He said the closure went against "Israeli" promises to reopen the site. "This is not a good sign for the peace process," he said.
He said US officials told the Palestinians the issue was unlikely to be resolved quickly. "They told us they need time to negotiate with the 'Israelis'," he said.
"Israeli" police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld could not confirm the recent extension of the closure orders. But he confirmed that officers periodically visit Orient House to ensure that it is not being used.
He cited a law prohibiting Palestinian political activity in the city. "I am not aware of any change in our policy," Olmert spokesman Mark Regev told the AP.
When Orient House was shut down, "Israel" said it would only withdraw if the Palestinian Authority, today headed by Abbas, promised not to operate there. Abdel Khader said the Palestinians had given the necessary assurances to the "Israelis".
Orient House is owned by the Husseinis, a prominent Palestinian clan in Al-Quds. The scion of the family, the late Faisal Husseini, was the top Al-Quds official of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and used the building as his base.
"As the PLO Headquarters in the occupied city, the Orient Houseaspires to develop Arab East Al-Quds as the capital of the emerging Palestinian state," the centre's Web site says.
On Thursday, the anti-settlement "Israeli" group Peace Now said that over the past seven years, "Israel" has denied 94 per cent of Palestinians' requests for building permits in the West Bank.
The data demonstrate "clear and conspicuous discrimination against the Palestinian population," Peace Now said.
Meanwhile, the European Union is increasing pressure on "Israel" to end its nine-month old blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to prevent a humanitarian crisis there, an official said on Thursday.
"EU ministers are expressing growing concern over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the lack of progress in the peace talks" with the Palestinians, he told AFP on condition of anonymity. "Our embassies in Europe report increasing pressure to try to end the blockade."
