The Palestinians have won a seat on UNESCO by a vote of 107-14, with 52 abstentions France ,China, India, almost all Arab and African and Asian nations voted yes. Britain and Japan are amongst the abstentions and USA, Israel Canada, Australia and Germany amongst those who voted no. The USA as is their wont, voted to cut off aid (they usually pick up about 22%, about $60 million of the budget). This no surprise as the Jewish vote/lobby/ money are crucial to Obama's re-election and it has been US policy since the 90s. Canada's vote is also tied in to Harper's drive to wean the Jewish vote from the Liberals and of course the Germans are still paying for their past. India, China remain consistent as well as the Arab, African and Asian states. The Brits like to play both sides, but Japan is puzzling.\
This the first step in the inevitability of the Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, the election in Tunisia has ended with the Islamists winning the largest number of seats and they will have to work with the two leftist parties that finished 2nd and 3rd. Some violence and a lot of tension. The Tunisians have issued a warrant for Arafat's widow as part of a corruption probe of Ben Ali's family. Suha Arafat has expressed surprise, saying that she was a victim of the old regime.
NATO has ended its war in Libya. The Libyans have picked a new leader from Tripoli, but the declaration that sharia will be the basis of laws has caused grave concern at NATO. Saif Gadhafi, is exploring the option of surrendering to the ICC, but he he has other options and access to massive wealth, portable and in foreign accounts.
The Arab League has called on Bashar al Assad to withdraw his tanks from Syrian streets and hold talks withopponents. Bashar has threatened an "earthquake' if Syria is attacked and NATO has ruled out a no-fly zone, with NATO chief Rasmussen saying "we have no intention whatsoever to intervene in Syria". Syria is accused by Lebanon of the kidnapping of 4 dissidents. Syria is not Libya. It has better weapons and defences. Toughe nut to crack.
Saudi prince Khaled bin Talal has offered a bounty of $900,000 for the capture of any Israeli soldier. He said this on Saudi broadcaster Al Daleel, according to Israeli newspaper, Haaretz. Also a Saudi cleric Awad al Qarri has offered to pay $100,000 for each Israeli soldier. This comes at a time when a hardliner (former Interior minister) is named Crown Prince. The silence coming from the West is "deafening". Don't want to step on Saudi toes. All that oil. A Canadian imam Usama aL-Atar is arrested by religious police, while on a pilgrimage to Medina. Released after the intervention by the Islamic Human Rights Commission, a UK-based organisation. Kept under "horrid" conditions, but would say no more, as he intends to remain in Saudi Arabia for a couple of weeks.
This the first step in the inevitability of the Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, the election in Tunisia has ended with the Islamists winning the largest number of seats and they will have to work with the two leftist parties that finished 2nd and 3rd. Some violence and a lot of tension. The Tunisians have issued a warrant for Arafat's widow as part of a corruption probe of Ben Ali's family. Suha Arafat has expressed surprise, saying that she was a victim of the old regime.
NATO has ended its war in Libya. The Libyans have picked a new leader from Tripoli, but the declaration that sharia will be the basis of laws has caused grave concern at NATO. Saif Gadhafi, is exploring the option of surrendering to the ICC, but he he has other options and access to massive wealth, portable and in foreign accounts.
The Arab League has called on Bashar al Assad to withdraw his tanks from Syrian streets and hold talks withopponents. Bashar has threatened an "earthquake' if Syria is attacked and NATO has ruled out a no-fly zone, with NATO chief Rasmussen saying "we have no intention whatsoever to intervene in Syria". Syria is accused by Lebanon of the kidnapping of 4 dissidents. Syria is not Libya. It has better weapons and defences. Toughe nut to crack.
Saudi prince Khaled bin Talal has offered a bounty of $900,000 for the capture of any Israeli soldier. He said this on Saudi broadcaster Al Daleel, according to Israeli newspaper, Haaretz. Also a Saudi cleric Awad al Qarri has offered to pay $100,000 for each Israeli soldier. This comes at a time when a hardliner (former Interior minister) is named Crown Prince. The silence coming from the West is "deafening". Don't want to step on Saudi toes. All that oil. A Canadian imam Usama aL-Atar is arrested by religious police, while on a pilgrimage to Medina. Released after the intervention by the Islamic Human Rights Commission, a UK-based organisation. Kept under "horrid" conditions, but would say no more, as he intends to remain in Saudi Arabia for a couple of weeks.
