Presenter, Female #1
Member of the Fatah Central Committee, Nabil Sha’ath, met with Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip. This is the first visit in a year by a Fatah senior official to the Gaza Strip. Sha’ath described his meeting with Hamas officials as “positive,” hoping that it will help move the national reconciliation process forward. He added that his trip to the Gaza Strip was a personal wish, and that he had no official authorization to negotiate with Hamas. Our reporter, Zuhair Sakala, reports from Gaza.

Reporter, Male #1
The visit by Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Sha’ath to the Gaza Strip sends a strong message despite efforts to conceal the details of the meeting. Meanwhile, Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip expressed mixed reactions but they have one objective in mind, which is to resume the national reconciliation efforts.

Guest, Male #2
Sha’ath’s visit is important. We held meetings with him as soon as he arrived in Gaza. We believe that meetings like these will help break the ice between Hamas and Fatah. This will help move the efforts of reconciliation forward.

Reporter, Male #1
The most important meeting was the session held between Sha’ath and the Hamas delegation, led by Khalil al-Haya and Ayman Taha. Although the meeting was covered by the media, the delegations declined to make any comments at the end of the session.

Guest, Male #3
We ask Hamas to sign the Egyptian document that we’ve worked hard on for the last two years. Once signed, we can move forward. Until this happens, we will continue to work towards national reconciliation in order to help end Palestinian internal hostility, alienation, and division.

Reporter, Male #1
It has been two years since the Palestinian division started. Since then, none of the proposed solutions have been able to end the stalemate between Palestinian rivals. Will the Sha’ath visit be able to set the stage for Palestinian national reconciliation? Hamas is poised to sign the Egyptian document that Fatah signed a long time ago.

Guest, Male #4
Based on what we heard, Sha’ath’s visit to the Gaza Strip comes in the context of resuming talks with Palestinian factions, including Hamas. However, it appears that there has been no change in positions, at the least at the public level.

Reporter, Male #1
While Sha’ath’s visit will likely not end Palestinian division, it will definitely help pave the way for national reconciliation. In addition, it will help pave the way for other Fatah leaders to visit Gaza, as long as they are welcome by its officials and citizens, who lived through the agony of division minute by minute. Zuhair Sakala, Dubai TV, Gaza.

Presenter, Female #1
From the annual security conference in Herzliya, Israel signaled a positive message regarding the possibility of resuming peace talks with the Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that he has “basis to hope, in a realistic way,” that in the coming weeks Israel will resume the peace process with the Palestinians. In response, the Palestinians announced they are ready to resume peace talks with Israel provided that the latter halts its settlement campaign. However, the call for peace doesn’t support the facts on the ground. The Israeli armed forces carried out today a series of raids, which included the arrests of 22 Palestinians in the West Bank cities of Qalqilya, Ramallah, Jenin, Bethlehem, and Hebron. The detainees were taken to Israeli interrogation centers for questioning. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest remarks echoed in the Syrian capital Damascus. Netanyahu said that his government will welcome any mediation efforts to help revive peace talks with Syria, without any preconditions. This new Israeli position comes two days after Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barack issued a warning that his country will engage in an all-out war with Syria if the latter fails to reach a peace agreement with Israel. In response, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid a-Moallem warned Tel Aviv of “grave repercussions” if Israel launches a war against his country.

Guest, Male #5
If such a war comes … it will be widespread even if it is waged against southern Lebanon or Syria. Once a war is declared, I doubt that our generation will ever witness peace negotiations. Israelis: do not test the power of Syria since you know that the war will move into your cities.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that if Palestinians do not resume negotiations with Israel immediately, the West Bank will be taken over by Hamas. Lieberman addressed the Palestinian president and prime minister by name, saying it is in their interest to resume negotiations as fast as possible. His comments drew strong reactions from both Israelis and Palestinians.

Presenter, Female #1
Dr Musa Abu Marzuq, how was the Palestinian resistance affected by the assassination policy during its long six-decade history?

Guest, Male #1
People differentiate between the assassinations that take place in Arab and European countries, and those that take place within the occupied Palestinian land. They consider them to be part of the struggle in defending the occupied territories. By the way, there have been 90 times more assassinations on Palestinian land than in Arab and European countries. Most of the true resistance leaders were assassinated on the ground. Palestinian leaders were killed by gunshots, air strikes, and other methods. The confrontations between the resistance and the Israeli army have not caused the death of many resistance leaders or those who operate resistance cells inside the occupied territory. Rather, they were assassinated. Many great leaders were lost to assassinations. The other point, however, is that martyrs die for the cause, and a vision. This struggle must be fueled by the blood of the martyrs. If it was not for the blood of the martyrs, the resistance would not have continued and the resistance would not succeed. Any political movement that does not utilize resistance tactics will not have blood to fuel it. Some rather depend on the pen, words, publications and other things. But members of true resistance movements that want to confront the occupation must be willing to sacrifice their blood. How can the path of resistance continue without human sacrifice?!

Reporter, Female #1
What I meant to say is that members of the resistance know that they will have to pay the price with their blood, and this why they signed up for it. However, what I mean is, does targeting leaders affect the resistance movement in general, at the organizational, logistical and strategic levels? Have the Palestinian resistance factions, which have a long history, been weakened and derailed from achieving their objectives because of the assassinations?

Guest, Male #1
I think that the martyrdom of leaders of the resistance movements does not stop the growth, expansion and influence of these factions. The leaders’ willingness to die for the cause has always strengthened their movements and I can gives some clear examples. Hamas in the beginning was small and it only lost a few of its leaders. But as the movement gave more martyrs, it grew. The martyrdom of the founder of the movement, Ahmad Yasen, May God have mercy on his soul was a turning point. If we were to compare Hamas before and after his martyrdom, we will find that his blood has fueled the movement with a great deal of power, and public support and its membership grew significantly. Similarly, the Fatah movement. It only progressed and expanded after its willingness to enter the armed struggle and provide martyrs. If Fatah did not provide martyrs, it would not have progressed, not even one step.

Presenter, Female #1
Amidst the cold winter and the lack of alternative heating methods, Jordanians are increasingly turning to gas heaters as a way to protect themselves against the long cold nights. In doing so, some have lost their lives after failing to follow safe operating procedures. In Jordan, 12 deaths, related to the improper use of gas heaters, were recorded in the past month. Our reporter from Jordan, Salwa al-Sawaleka, sheds light on an issue linked to a number of factors; including climate, economic, and social.

Reporter, Female #2
What people need the most during the winter is warmth, and the best way to get it is through a gas heater, which has become a double-edged-sword: heat on one side and death on the other. Heaters come in different shapes and sizes, including some that operate on gas, kerosene, diesel, or burning wood. In addition, some heaters use methane gas that is generated from animal manure, or even “jift,” which is a by-product of olive oil pressing. While all heaters have one advantage in common, which is to provide heat, some produce harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide. At the beginning of the year, during the winter, several Jordanians die of suffocation while sleeping, after having left their heaters on overnight. In addition, several others get treated at local hospitals due to carbon monoxide related illnesses.

Guest, Male #2
Since the beginning of the year, we have dealt with nearly 40 cases of illnesses related to inhalation and suffocation incidents. Unfortunately, seven people have died due to heater related incidents. Most cases were a direct result of people's failure to follow safe operating procedures, which include ventilation and turning heaters off before going to sleep.

Reporter, Female #2
Um Mohammad is a Jordanian woman who follows safe operating procedures when using gas heaters. She follows the instructions pertaining to the proper usage of fuel resources.

Guest, Female #3
It’s wrong to leave the heater on overnight. By leaving the heater on overnight, I will risk the lives of my children and my home. This will be a fatal mistake.

Reporter, Female #2
The cases of suffocation may affect families that operate heaters that use gas, kerosene, or wood, as a source for fuel. However, the families, whose homes are equipped with a central or special heating system, are less likely to suffer from suffocation due to carbon monoxide inhalation. This scenario can be directly linked to the harsh economic conditions in Jordan, where some have no choice but to buy these type of heaters despite the risks involved. Those who follow the safe operating procedures when using gas heaters may escape harm this winter. However, the cold weather and the human need for warmth may inspire some to randomly use traditional portable heaters, which may lead to their suffocation or even their death. Salwa al-Sawaleka, Dubai TV, Amman.

Presenter, Male #1
Spokesperson for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Brigadier-General Eric Tremblay said that he does not see any contradiction in the way they are dealing with the Taliban.

Presenter, Female #1
The military official’s statements come amidst preparations to launch the largest NATO military operation since the war in Afghanistan began.

Presenter, Male #1
This operation comes after President Hamid Karzai called on the Taliban movement to give up its weapons and sit down at the negotiation table.

Reporter, Female #2
Helmand was the battlefield for Operation Dagger in July 2009, which was the largest in the history of the American infantry since the Vietnam War and the first during the reign of President Obama. Regardless of how one chooses to describe it, the military operation was not the ISAF in Afghanistan’s biggest victory. Not much was achieved in Helmand, and therefore another military operation is underway and is being described as the largest since the war in Afghanistan began. The date set for this military operation to begin was not released for security reasons.

Guest, Man # 2
The Afghan national security forces, backed by the International Security Assistance Force, are preparing for a large attack in the middle of Helmand, intended to increase the isolation of the rebels and enable the Afghan government to govern and develop the country.

Reporter, Female # 1
In addition, the number of troops set to participate in the upcoming battle in southern Afghanistan was not disclosed. However, the participation of the Afghan forces will be larger than it was last summer. The Afghan government will provide about 1,000 police officers and 1,000 soldiers. Of course, there will be thousands of NATO soldiers. These forces are expected to regain control over areas that fell under Taliban control, which will enable development projects to be completed. Winning the hearts of the Afghan population remains a strategy to minimize the influence of the Taliban that has been growing since 2006. The military operation comes after the London conference on Afghanistan, during which funds were raised to integrate the Taliban that are willing to give up their arms, and months before additional forces arrive in Afghanistan. Obama decided to send an additional 30 thousand soldiers and the remaining NATO countries promised 7,500 soldiers. Karzai and his allies do not see any contradiction in the use of force and dialogue with the Taliban at the same time. Despite the mutable strategies, it does not seem that a solution to the Afghan dilemma is near. Images of the future battle in Helmand may seem all too familiar to many people.

Iran says the United States is trying to wage a psychological war against Tehran by deploying missiles in the Persian Gulf. Major General Hassan Firouzabadi, chief of staff of Iran’s Armed Forces says the US patriot missiles recently deployed in the region will be rendered ineffective by simple counter measures. Washington has expanded its missile system in and around the Persian Gulf to counter what it claims to be Iran’s growing missile threat.

Presenter, Female #1
A group of Muslim scholars who have been leading the dialogue with leaders of Salafi and Jihadist groups in Mauritanian prisons managed to achieve a breakthrough in their talks about having them repent for their al- Qaeda Takfirism ideologies. The government hopes that the Salafi prisoners would give up their attack on the government and western interests in Mauritania.

Reporter, Male #1
The dialogue with the Mauritanian extremists ended. The Mauritanian president, Muhammad Wild Abdel Aziz, considered to be an important Western ally for fighting al-Qaeda off the African coast, met with the Muslim scholars who have been leading the dialogue with leaders of Salafi and Jihadist groups. He discussed with them the results of the dialogue and met with the Spanish Ambassador in Nouakchott.

Guest, Man # 2
We have met with the president this morning and told him the results of the dialogue. We hope that it will have positive results on the situation in the country in general, as well as on the prison conditions of the people that were involved in the dialogue in particular.

Reporter, Male #1
The Muslim scholars’ committee made the breakthrough after it was reduced to only three members, who were believed to be the most influential among the extremist Salafi prisoners, led by al-Qaeda leader in Mauritania, Khadim Willd al-Sama. Members of this group include the killers of the French tourists. However, the group members in prison have expressed flexibility in their positions. It is believed that al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb wants them to be released in exchange for releasing the Spanish and Italian hostages.

Guest, Man # 3
The dialogue with the Jihadist group recently launched by the Mauritanian government targets specific individuals. They are the leaders who have been involved in terrorist operations in Mauritania.

Reporter, Male #1
Mauritanian authorities hope that the extremist would reconsider their extremist religious ideologies, publicly repent and agree to stop fighting the government, citizens and western interests in Nouakchott. Can the ideological and religious dialogue achieve what the security measures could not achieve? The results of the dialogue with Safali leaders in prison will cool the situation between the government and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which may enable the government to save the lives of the western hostages. However getting rid of extremist ideologies and al-Qaeda in Mauritania is far from being accomplished. Al Khareb Weild Jdud, al-Arabiya, Nouakchott.

Presenter, Man #1
French Minister of Immigration and National Identity, Eric Besson, denied citizenship to a foreigner who forces his French wife to wear the Islamic Burka veil. Meanwhile, the New Anti-Capitalist Party, led by Olivier Besancenot, nominated a veiled Muslim woman to run in the upcoming regional elections set to take place in the middle of March.

Reporter, Female #1
The case for banning the Nikab in France, a country described by some as “The secular capital of world,” continues to unfold. After a French parliamentary committee proposed a ban on wearing the Burka in public and in government institutions, the French Minister of Immigration and National Identity, Eric Besson, signed a bill denying citizenship to any foreigner who forces his wife to wear the Burka. As soon as the French minister signed the bill into law, immigration officials denied citizenship to a foreigner who forced his French wife to wear the Burka. The applicant’s name was withheld by immigration officials. According to Minister Besson, it was discovered during the investigation that the man in question forced his wife to wear the Burka. The minister added that the man stripped his wife of the right to show her face in public, saying it opposes secular principles and gender equality. Lawyers in Paris said that the French government has the right to deny citizenship to a foreigner for the above reasons. By the same token, it would be difficult to draft a law banning the Burka. They added that the French government may encounter a veto from the European Court of Human Rights. According to the lawyers, the process of naturalization is vague and has two parts: First, the police will conduct a background check into the applicant’s social, political, and moral character. Second, the applicant will undergo an interview with an immigration official at a local office. During the interview, the applicant will be asked very precise and sometimes embarrassing questions, regarding his personal life and faith. Commenting on the issue, Prime Minister Francois Fillon said:” If this man does not want to change his attitude, he has no place in our country. In any case, he does not deserve French nationality.” Yola Zahr-Deen, BBC

Israel’s critically acclaimed film Ajami was nominated yesterday for an academy award in the best foreign language film category. Following the announcement, the creative team came together for a Tel Aviv press conference. One of the lead actors spoke about the project’s enormous influence; Ajami suffers from extreme poverty with 80% of its residents living below the poverty line and the film is bringing worldwide awareness.