Fw: UNSCO DAILY PRESS BRIEF 28th June 2011

From: Richard Miron To: Hayat Abu Saleh Sent: Tue Jun 28 03:43:11 2011 Subject: UNSCO DAILY PRESS BRIEF 28th June 2011

UNSCO Press Brief

28th June, 2011

Flotilla:

Israeli intelligence officials have expressed deep concern of what they have described as preparations for violence by members of the flotilla. Officials say that the ships will be loaded with chemical substances, including sulfuric acid, with the goal of badly injuring the IDF soldiers. They also claim that there will also be at least two top Hamas members and activists from the IHH organization, which was responsible for the fatal outcome of the previous flotilla. Military officials said that the activists are planning to kill as many soldiers as possible. (Maariv)

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman described the flotilla participants as "terror activists, seeking to create provocation and looking for blood". He also added that Israel plans to "deal with the flotilla properly. Following our diplomatic activity, the number of boats, their size, and the number of participants has become less relevant." The government has declared that the flotilla, scheduled to arrive at Gaza later this week, will not be allowed to enter the territory by sea. If necessary the ships will be towed into Ashdod Port and the equipment on board impounded. (Israel Radio)

Organizers and participants of the second 'Freedom Flotilla' announced in Athens yesterday said that they plan to set sail for Gaza in the next few days. Several hundred people will take part in the flotilla, which consists of 10 passenger boats and two cargo ships. A majority of the passengers are women. Many are middle-aged or elderly. Approximately 30 percent of the activists are Jewish. Among those taking part are Alice Walker, the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Medea Benjamin, founder of the anti-war movement Code Pink; Ray McGovern, a retired CIA analyst; and Hedy Epstein, a Holocaust survivor. (Ma'an News)

Hamas/Fatah:

Hamas is not aware of any arrangements for party chiefKhalid Mash'al to meet Fatah-leader President Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo, according to a senior Hamas official. Abbas and Mash'al had been scheduled to meet in Cairo on Tuesday to finalize the formation of a unity government. In a statement released by Hamas on Monday, a spokesman said that the organization was still opposed to accepting Salam Fayyad as head of the unity government. His continued appointment has become a sticking point between the Palestinian factions. But the Hamas official said the reconciliation agreement signed between Hamas and Fatah in May had not collapsed. (Mann News)

Shalit:

Germany says Israel accepted a proposal by a German mediator to free Gilad Shalit, but Hamas did not sign offon it. PM Netanyahu said that he had accepted the proposal, but Hamas rejected the deal. It is thought to include hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit. Hamas said Netanyahu was lying about the mediation effort. Yesterday a German government spokesman confirmed that Israel had accepted a German-mediated offer, adding that "so far, Hamas regrettably has not yet accepted this proposal." He gave no details of the proposed deal. (Y-net)

Israel arrests:

Israel's Shin Bet internal security service said it had detained more than 20 Palestinians in Ramallah and east Jerusalem on suspicion of planning attacks against Israelis. The agency said the men belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and were

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planning to kidnap Israelis, to acquire weapons to carry out shooting attacks and to kidnap a wealthy Palestinian land dealer to fund their plans. The Shin Bet did not say if charges had been brought against any of those arrested, but that "the investigation was continuing." (Agence France Presse)

Israel/Jordan:

Israel is furious with Jordan, Israel's ambassador to UNESCO said yesterday. Nimrod Barkan said Israel was shocked that Amman had led a successful effort within the international body to condemn Israel over the renovations planned for the Mughrabi Gate Bridge - which leads from the Western Wall plaza to the Harem el Sharifffemple Mount - after signing an agreement with Israel to allow the work to go ahead. The Israeli diplomat accused the Jordanians of lying. The plans for razing and rebuilding the old Mughrabi Gate bridge, were due to begin next But according to diplomatic sources, the Israelis and the Americans were surprised when Jordan, along with Egypt, Iraq, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and others filed a complaint against Israel in UNESCO's World Heritage Committee over the planned renovations. (Haaretz)

Israel - far right wing protests:

Twenty five people were arrested yesterday during demonstrations by hundreds of followers of an extreme right wingRabbi following his detention by police yesterday. Dov Lior was detained for questioning on suspicion of incitement, following his support for a book which talks of murdering non-Jew, including women and children. Lior's supporters tried break into the Supreme Court, block roads in Jerusalem and to force their way into the home of a senior judicial figure. Extreme right wing activists also attacked policeman and a reporter in the course of the disturbances. (Israel Radio)

Iran military exercises:

Iran's tested 14 long-range missiles, in the second day ofwar games intended a show of strength to the Islamic Republic's enemies in Israel and Washington. The Iranian-made surface-to-surface missiles, with a maximum range of 2,000 km (1,250 miles), were fired simultaneously at a single target, according to Iranian media sources. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, a senior official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard spoke of Iran's state ofpreparedness to strike its enemies, "the range ofour missiles has been designed based on American bases in the region as well as the Zionist regime," Washington and Israel have said they do not rule out military strikes on Iran if diplomatic means fail to stop it developing nuclear weapons.. (Reuters)

Richard Miron
Chief Public Information Officer
United Nations Special Coordinators Office
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witow.unsco.org

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