·
60th
Independence guest list takes shape
May 1, 2008
22:25 | Updated May 2, 2008 10:39
By GREER FAY CASHMAN
President
Shimon Peres did not invite Syrian President Bashar Assad to Facing Tomorrow,
the mega-conference he is organizing, which will be held in Jerusalem from May
13-15 in celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary - despite his belief in
dialogue with adversaries.
However,
several presidents who were invited - most notably US President George W. Bush -
have confirmed their attendance.
Like
Bush, some of the other dozen presidents on the list have been to Israel before,
but this will be a first visit for Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar, among
others.
The
agenda for the conference covers a myriad of topics, including the future of the
world economy; the content and meaning of a Jewish state; the extent to which
Jewish tradition is relevant in tomorrow's world; whether a green Israel is
possible; the tipping point of the geopolitical arena; Israel's ability to
continue to be a leading contender in the world of science; and cultivating
future leaders of Israel and the Jewish people.
Expected
presidential attendees include:
·
Victor
Yushchenko of Ukraine;
·
Lech
Kaczynski of Poland;
·
Paul
Kagame of Rwanda;
·
Michael
Saakashvili of Georgia;
·
Stjepan
Mesic of Croatia;
·
Bamir
Topi of Albania;
·
Blaise
Campoare of Burkina Faso;
·
Danilo
Türk of Slovenia,
·
Tommy
Remengesau Jr. of Palau;
·
and
Valdis Zatlers of Latvia.
The
prime ministers of the Slovak Republic and of Hungary, Robert Fico and Ferenc
Gyurcsany, will also take part, as will several former world leaders, among them
Mikhail Gorbachev, Tony
Blair and Henry
Kissinger.
As
a Nobel Prize winner, Peres thought it important to invite other Nobel Prize
laureates, at least seven of whom will be coming to Israel to share their views
of the future.
The
influx of so many dignitaries will provide logistical challenges for the Foreign
Ministry and the tourism industry, as hotels in Jerusalem will be fully
occupied
·
Rice:
Israelis, Palestinians must agree on final borders
Determining final
borders is 'best thing we can possibly do,' Secretary of State
says
Associated
Press
Israeli
and Palestinian negotiators should decide once and for all where to draw the
line between Israeli and Palestinian territory, ending the argument over Jewish
housing expansion on disputed ground, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said
Thursday.
Rice
also warned that the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank
do not equal a "fait accompli" that the houses or towns would remain in Israeli
hands under a final settlement of the conflict.
"Ultimately
the best answer is to determine what's going to be in Israel and what's going to
be in Palestine," Rice said before meetings with negotiators and leaders on both
sides in London and the Mideast.
Determining
final borders is "the best thing we can possibly do," Rice said, suggesting she
has heard Palestinian, Arab and other complaints that there is little momentum
and less clarity in peace talks that are supposed to frame an independent
Palestinian state before Bush leaves office.
Shared
responsibility
The
Bush administration has as much as promised Israel it could keep some sensitive
land, but Rice was effectively warning Israel not to carry the policy too far or
assume it has no consequences.
"I do
not, and the U.S. government does not, accept that anything done prior to
agreement can ... present a fait accompli or determine the final outcome of
this," Rice said.
She did
not single out any particular Israeli project as improper, but repeated the US
diplomatic criticism of housing expansion in general. "It's not helpful," she
said. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3538562,00.html
·
Will
Olmert survive this time?
PM survived failed war,
several investigations, but latest affair may be political
deathblow
Attila
Somfalvi
There
is no doubt now: Destiny does not miss any opportunity to test Olmert’s nerves
and survival skills. Of all the difficult moments that the prime minister faced
since assuming the post, the latest affair came at the worst timing for him.
Just when it appeared that he controls the situation and the bad winds are
calming a little, and just when more people were willing to give him another
chance – he is hit with the investigation, which ruins everything he built and
reminds us of all the bad thoughts about him. That’s the last thing he
needed
Full
story http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3538670,00.html
|
·
Abbas
surgery highlights lack of succession plan |
|
|
JERUSALEM (AP) —
President Mahmoud Abbas' heart procedure has turned attention to the lack of a
succession process in the circumstances facing Palestinian government, with
Abbas controlling the West Bank and the Islamic militant Hamas running
Gaza.
Abbas
had a heart procedure Thursday in Jordan to check for blockages in blood
vessels, but no problems were found and he was promptly discharged from the
hospital, Palestinian officials said.
Full
story |
http://article.wn.com/view/2008/05/02/Abbas_surgery_highlights_lack_of_succession_plan/?section=TopStoriesWorldwide&template=worldnews%2Findex.txt
·
High
Rabbinic Court: Annul conversions
May 2, 2008
12:06 | Updated May 3, 2008 8:07
By JPOST.COM STAFF
In
an unprecedented decision, the High Rabbinical Court of Israel has called for
the invalidation of all conversions performed since 1999 by Rabbi Haim Drukman,
the head of the Conversion Authority. Full story
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1209626992623&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull