Abbas and Erekat need to advocate for their people, but, Hamas needs to be disarmed. Erekat takes the position that this is some kind of gross misjustice to Hamas and the people under their control. This isn't injustice, it is necessary. If Hamas has its way there will be no Erekat in the way of their ambitions. They aren't reasonable.
RAMALLAH, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat announced that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would leave later on Friday with other Arab leaders for New York to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip.
"President Abbas will head to News York with other Arab leaders to achieve an Arab consensus to oblige Israel to achieve an unconditioned immediate stop of the offensive on Gaza," Erekat told reporters in Ramallah....
Two Russian planes arrive in Moscow with Gaza evacuees (click here)
11:21
03/ 01/ 2009
MOSCOW, January 3 (RIA Novosti) - Two planes carrying Russian and CIS nationals, evacuated from the Gaza Strip following Israeli airstrikes, have arrived in Moscow, the emergencies ministry said on Saturday.
The two flights carrying 102 Russians and 76 nationals from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldavia were evacuated from Gaza by bus on Friday and taken to Jordan for the onward flights to Moscow.
Some 250 Russians, mainly the wives and children of Palestinians who studied at Russian universities, live in the Gaza Strip.
Israel began a massive air offensive on Gaza last Saturday in what it called "an all-out war" against the Islamic militant group Hamas which controls Gaza.
Some 403 Palestinians have been killed in the airstrikes, with over 2,000 injured.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier instructed the Foreign Ministry to provide aid to Russians in Gaza and evacuate them if necessary amid Israel's air offensive on the region.
Death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Gaza rises to 440 (click here)
17:44
03/ 01/ 2009
BEIRUT, January 3 (RIA Novosti) - The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip rose to 440 Palestinians with some 2,285 people injured as the conflict entered its second week, Lebanon's Al-Manar TV reported on Saturday.
Over the past week Israel's controversial bombing campaign has destroyed more than 750 facilities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which according to Israel were connected to terrorist activities.
In response Palestinian militants launched 500 rockets on Israeli border towns killing four people.
Analysts believe that Israel is preparing to launch a ground assault on the Gaza Strip amid concerns of a humanitarian catastrophe in the densely-populated region.
Robert Serry, UN special coordinator for the Middle East said on Friday "We are gravely concerned" that a ground operation "would just mean another cycle of violence and a further escalation of the conflict. "It is absolutely imperative now that we find an immediate and lasting way out to avoid an even deeper and deadlier conflict," he said.
The Russian embassy in Egypt said on Saturday some 60 tons of humanitarian aid, including foodstuffs, medicine, bedding and tents, had been delivered to the Gaza Strip.
And two flights carrying 102 Russians and 76 nationals from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Moldavia evacuated from Gaza Friday arrived in Moscow earlier on Saturday.
Some 250 Russians, mainly the wives and children of Palestinians who studied at Russian universities, live in the Gaza Strip.
