[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 01/29/08: World News From The Middle East

Presenter, MALE #1:
More than 20 Somali civilians were killed and nearly 35 others were wounded in clashes yesterday between armed fighters and Ethiopian forces in an area north of the capital, Mogadishu.

Presenter, FEMALE #1:
The renewed clashes forced a large number of civilians to flee from Mogadishu to temporary camps, where they live in terrible conditions.

Reporter, MALE #2:
Bloody clashes between conflicting sides in Somalia have caused many victims and forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes in search for a safe haven. More than half a million people, mainly women and children, traveled on this road, which links Mogadishu to the largest nearby city, Afgoyee, which, according to the United Nations, is experiencing the worst humanitarian catastrophe in Africa. The Anfa camp is one of many camps that have spread throughout the suburbs of Mogadishu, where thousands have taken refuge from the hell of random shelling by the Ethiopian forces, who are responding to the attacks from armed Somali fighters. These camps do not have even the most basic services and refugees live in extremely difficult humanitarian conditions. The refugees themselves are asking, “is there anyone to help?”

Guest, FEMALE #2:
We are requesting international agencies to send us aid that we desperately need. We don’t have a tent to protect us from the rain and cold. We escaped from the fighting and our children are sick. We don’t have any food or water to drink.

Reporter, MALE #2:
According to the United Nations, 1 to 1.5 million people are desperately in need of urgent humanitarian aid. Aid organizations say that the government’s inability to guarantee security impedes its efforts to provide outside the capital. At checkpoints on the road leading to refugee camps, armed fighters are demanding money in exchange for allowing the aid convoy to pass through. This has resulted in a call for urgent international intervention to ensure that aid gets to those afflicted.

Presenter, FEMALE #1:
An Algerian security source said that four people were killed and 23 others were wounded by the explosion of a booby trapped car this morning in the village of Thenia, east of the Algerian capital.

Presenter, MALE #1:
The explosion targeted a police station in the village, which is located nearly 50 kilometers from the capital.

Reporter, MALE #2:
Algerians have not yet had a chance to turn the page of their bloody history. An explosion targeted a police station in the Thenia region, east of the Algerian capital nearly a month after a similar one detonated in the city of Nasirya, east of the capital. The Thenia explosion, which comes as part of a wave of recent attacks in Algeria, may indicate the rise of what is being described as armed extremists, who are regrouping and preparing to regain influential power.
This attack brings back frightening memories of the bloody years, during which more than 200,000 people were killed after the elections results were cancelled in 1992, when the Islamic Salvation Front was close to winning. Algerians looked forward to putting these memories behind them with tight security control and the Charter for peace and national reconciliation, which was aimed at eliminating the sources of violence. However, it id not eliminate them completely. The past 12 months have revealed an escalation in attacks that targeted governmental institutions and security agency headquarters. They carry the thumbprint of Al Qaeda, after the Salafist Group for Call and Combat announced that it had joined it. More than 100 people were killed in suicide bombing attacks that had different targets, beginning with the headquarters of the Algerian government and a police station in the center of the capital last April as well as army units in Akhbariya and the Dilees port. The attacks also did not spare a crowd of people, waiting for the motorcade of President Abdul Aziz Boutifleka in the city of Betna last September. However, the twin suicide attacks last December, which targeted a United Nations office and the government headquarters in Algiers, killing nearly 40 people, were the most dangerous of these attacks not just for the number of people who were killed, but also because it was the first attack that returned the issue of violence in Algeria to the international level. The United Nations decided to form an independent committee to investigate the situation. However, Algeria quickly opposed this.

Presenter, Woman # 1
Israeli officials conformed today that Israel does not intend to prevent the Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas from establishing control over the Rafah border crossing if he reaches an agreement with Cairo on this issue. Abbas’s request that his forces take charge of controlling the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt has received the support from the US, the European Union and Arab countries. However, it is yet not clear how Abbas’ forces will be able to control Rafah crossing especially when considering that Hama’s forces are in control of Gaza . A spokesman from the ousted government of Ismael Haniyah, said that the prominent Hamas leader Mahmud Al Zahar will preside over the delegation that will go to Cairo. The delegation will talk with the Egyptians about opening a dialogue with Fateh, and the Rafah crossing.
Hamas’ spokesman added that Al Zahar visit to Egypt comes after he was invited by Egyptian officials. Meanwhile the Egyptian security forces are trying to control the entrance points between the Egyptian city of Rafah and Cairo.

Reporter, Man #1
If you are a Palestinian then you are not allowed to pas this crossing point, but if you are Egyptian then you can freely go to Areish or Cairo. This is the latest checkpoint erected by the Egyptian security forces which have been advancing gradually to the Rafah crossing. At this checkpoint, cars are inspected, IDs are verified and in most cases, the Palestinians are forced to go back where they had come from without being able to buy what they came for.

Guest, Man # 2
All the gas stations are empty. They say that the Egyptian government is preventing gas stations in Gaza from receiving oil from Egypt.

Guest, Man # 3
We urge our brothers in Egypt to help us end the siege against the Palestinian people even in a small way.

Reporter, Man #1
Gaza does not have enough Gas, food and medicine because the Egyptian authorities are not allowing the Palestinians to acquire these things from Egypt once again. Some traders are using this situation to increase prices.

Guest, Man # 4
They tell us that we can get what we need, but in reality there is nothing.

Reporter, Man #1
There is an acute shortage in primary products which have negatively affected the people living in Rafah due to the rise of prices. This has compelled them to urge the Egyptian authority to find a solution for this situation.

Guest, Man # 4
The pharmacies do not have medicine. We do not have medicine. This is because our Palestinian brothers bought everything. Now, we are suffering like them.

Guest, Man # 5
They were imprisoned behind the wall in Gaza. Now all of us are imprisoned since they came here. All the products that were here went to Gaza, and we do not have any products. Right now we are under siege.

Guest, Man # 5
1.5 million Came here and bought everything. Of course this increased the demand on products causing commercial traders to raise the prices.

Reporter, Man #1
Everyone here plans to stay and has hope. The Palestinians want to pass, but the Egyptian security forces are preventing them from doing so. The commercial traders also want to stay here so they can make more money. People’s miseries are others gains. Ahmad Nagato, Al Arabiya, Rafh city.

Presenter, MALE #1:
For the first time since the opening of the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt last Wednesday, there was a reduction in the flow of Palestinians going to the Egyptian cities of Rafah and Areesh today. This comes after the Egyptian security forces implemented a plan that led to a major reduction in the number of people crossing the border. The Egyptian security forces also set up many checkpoints on the main, side and mountain streets to prevent Palestinians from reaching Areesh. In addition, it put out strict security information regarding the need to close all the businesses in central Areesh, emptying the city of Palestinians.

Reporter, MALE #2:
The number of Palestinians going to Egypt through the open borders has been notably reduced due to the stormy, rainy weather; the shortage of goods and industry in Egypt as well as the large increase in prices in comparison to just days earlier. Exceptionally, there are no scenes of gaps along the borders or any notable crowds after the Egyptian security forces began taking measures to end the flow of Palestinians through the borders.

Guest, MALE #3:
This is the first time I come to Gaza.
We thank Mubarak, who did this so that we may go to Gaza and so that the Palestinians can come to Egypt. We request more from the President, God Willing. We say to him may this always remain so that the Palestinian people can come to us and we can go there.

Reporter, MALE #2:
If the border is closed, Palestinians fear that the situation will return to the suffering of before, especially since the opening of the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip is temporary and came as a result of the public explosion of the besieged Palestinians. They believe that the opening of the border does not mean that the siege has ended and that if the border is closed, the situation will return as it was before. There are more essential issues that cannot be resolved until all the borders are opened.

Guest, MALE #4:
We are happy that Hosni Mubarak opened the roads and let us enter with our cars and to purchase goods. We hope that Mubarak will keep it open always. This way the Egyptian people are standing with their brotherly Palestinians.

Guest, MALE #5:
We hope that the borders remain open in an organized manner not in an unorganized way. Organization is good for us and the Egyptians. I hope that Egypt sends us fuel, steel and all the necessities for Gaza.

Reporter, MALE #2:
In response, the ousted Palestinian government announced that it rejects returning to the international border agreement with the Israeli occupation in order to operate the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. It demanded that the crossing be considered a Palestinian-Egyptian border, stressing that the demands of the Palestinian people must be that the Rafah border crossing remain Arab-Palestinian-Egyptian. It rejected returning to the international border monitoring agreement with Israel to operate the crossing.

Guest, MALE #6:
After the Israel occupation left the Gaza Strip, it is clear that the international border monitoring agreement was forced upon us. It enabled the control and hegemony over the movement of citizens in the Gaza Strip. It hindered this movement and prevented goods coming from Egypt.
We say that a new agreement must allow citizens to enter and exit --far from the occupation.
It should also allow the movement of goods to and from brotherly Egypt.

Reporter, MALE #2:
The opening of the borders between the Gaza Strip and Egypt last week with the flow of tens of thousands of Palestinians was not limited to containing the siege crisis, but telling rare humanitarian stories. For Al Madar. Waleed Abdul Rahman. From inside the Rafah Border crossing. The southern Gaza Strip.

There are just 25 hours left before the Winograd Commission publishes its final report on the Second Lebanon War and the pressure is building on Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, to resign. I am now joined by IBA’s diplomatic correspondent Leah Zinder. Leah.

Yes, Laura. Prime Minister Olmert was making a determined effort to show business as usual today, as he visited the IDF troops on the border of Gaza. But he knows that his political future hangs in the balance tomorrow at 5:00, when the Winograd Commission will come to the Prime Minister's office, as they did with the interim report and present to him their report. From the Prime Minister's office they will make their way through the snow, presumably, to the Jerusalem Convention Center, where they will have a press conference and there for the first time we will know what is contained in the Winograd Report, which numbers 500 pages and took 16 months to compose. Now, the opposition has already asked for a special plenary session in the Knesset on Thursday, hoping to capitalize on the momentum of the Winograd Report. However, Knesset Speaker, Dalia Itzigiv of course, from the Prime Minister’s own Kadima party said, no, there will be a special session, but only next week. Laura.

Leah, are there any signs that the Prime Minister is thinking about stepping down?

None at all. In fact, as we've heard, he's been extremely defiant, and today a Knesset member, who is very close to the Prime Minister, came out publicly and said anybody, for instance, the Labor party, who's thinking of early elections as a way out of the crisis can forget about it. He said Olmert is determined to remain in office until November 2010, when the next elections are scheduled. Now, today Prime Minister Olmert received a very important boost from a spiritual leader, who called him personally, wished him luck for the Winograd Report, and even paraphrased the words of Jeremiah, saying, "fear not, for I am with you." That may have something to do with the fact that the Prime Minister, in response to his request, has now said that the issue of Jerusalem will be left until last in negotiations with the Palestinians.

Returning now to the long-anticipated final Winograd Report on the Second Lebanon War, we're joined by Dr. Arik Carmon, President of the Israel Democracy Institute. Dr. Carmon, thank you so much for coming in this evening.

Thank you for having me.

The whole country, of course, is holding its breath, waiting for the final Winograd Report. The truth is we all know what happened during the Second Lebanon War. Have we become as a society overly dependent on commissions of inquiry?

Overly dependent to me is an understatement. Unfortunately, investigation commissions have become a fetish, that to a large extent relieve most of the public from some political responsibilities. Let me elaborate. By means of comparison, no other democracy on the European continent ever establishes commission reports. And in the Anglo-Saxon countries, in most of the Anglo-Saxon countries, where they do have investigation commissions, they limit their jurisdiction to structural conclusions, no personal conclusions.

But, Dr. Carmon, isn't it a sign that we're a democratic responsible society, that we’re forming these committees of inquiry and we're asking people to account for what they did?

No, I don't think so. There are other ways of accountability. First and foremost, in a democracy, judging the role of any elected entity, this means accountability in the ballots. There are other means of judging those whom we elect. Unfortunately, many of us tend to go on the demonization track. We demonize those who we tend to elect and we throw at them all the evil that has accumulated. No, I totally oppose this track, and I think that when we look backward and most of the commission that we're familiar with from the Agranat to all, we see that most of the conclusions that have to do with structural changes, with an eye toward the future, have not been implemented. So, I suspect that seeking any kind of personal responsibility and definition of responsibility is very flexible is something that we really have to do some serious soul searching into.

Dr. Carmon, whatever the Winograd Report says tomorrow, election fever, of course, is in the air. Is this a good thing for the country?

As far as I'm concerned, as far as I conceive it, stability is one of the most important traits of any democracy. Let me share with you a paradox. We have heard in the last several years a proposal to change the system into a presidential system. Let me say up front, we oppose the presidential system. But some of those who want an early election were those who called for a presidential election in which the U.S. stuck with a president through the entire term. No, I think that an early election will not be good for the country.

There are just 25 hours left before the Winograd Commission publishes its final report on the Second Lebanon War and the pressure is building on Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, to resign. I am now joined by IBA’s diplomatic correspondent Leah Zinder. Leah.

Yes, Laura. Prime Minister Olmert was making a determined effort to show business as usual today, as he visited the IDF troops on the border of Gaza. But he knows that his political future hangs in the balance tomorrow at 5:00, when the Winograd Commission will come to the Prime Minister's office, as they did with the interim report and present to him their report. From the Prime Minister's office they will make their way through the snow, presumably, to the Jerusalem Convention Center, where they will have a press conference and there for the first time we will know what is contained in the Winograd Report, which numbers 500 pages and took 16 months to compose. Now, the opposition has already asked for a special plenary session in the Knesset on Thursday, hoping to capitalize on the momentum of the Winograd Report. However, Knesset Speaker, Dalia Itzigiv of course, from the Prime Minister’s own Kadima party said, no, there will be a special session, but only next week. Laura.

Leah, are there any signs that the Prime Minister is thinking about stepping down?

None at all. In fact, as we've heard, he's been extremely defiant, and today a Knesset member, who is very close to the Prime Minister, came out publicly and said anybody, for instance, the Labor party, who's thinking of early elections as a way out of the crisis can forget about it. He said Olmert is determined to remain in office until November 2010, when the next elections are scheduled. Now, today Prime Minister Olmert received a very important boost from a spiritual leader, who called him personally, wished him luck for the Winograd Report, and even paraphrased the words of Jeremiah, saying, "fear not, for I am with you." That may have something to do with the fact that the Prime Minister, in response to his request, has now said that the issue of Jerusalem will be left until last in negotiations with the Palestinians.

Returning now to the long-anticipated final Winograd Report on the Second Lebanon War, we're joined by Dr. Arik Carmon, President of the Israel Democracy Institute. Dr. Carmon, thank you so much for coming in this evening.

Thank you for having me.

The whole country, of course, is holding its breath, waiting for the final Winograd Report. The truth is we all know what happened during the Second Lebanon War. Have we become as a society overly dependent on commissions of inquiry?

Overly dependent to me is an understatement. Unfortunately, investigation commissions have become a fetish, that to a large extent relieve most of the public from some political responsibilities. Let me elaborate. By means of comparison, no other democracy on the European continent ever establishes commission reports. And in the Anglo-Saxon countries, in most of the Anglo-Saxon countries, where they do have investigation commissions, they limit their jurisdiction to structural conclusions, no personal conclusions.

But, Dr. Carmon, isn't it a sign that we're a democratic responsible society, that we’re forming these committees of inquiry and we're asking people to account for what they did?

No, I don't think so. There are other ways of accountability. First and foremost, in a democracy, judging the role of any elected entity, this means accountability in the ballots. There are other means of judging those whom we elect. Unfortunately, many of us tend to go on the demonization track. We demonize those who we tend to elect and we throw at them all the evil that has accumulated. No, I totally oppose this track, and I think that when we look backward and most of the commission that we're familiar with from the Agranat to all, we see that most of the conclusions that have to do with structural changes, with an eye toward the future, have not been implemented. So, I suspect that seeking any kind of personal responsibility and definition of responsibility is very flexible is something that we really have to do some serious soul searching into.

Dr. Carmon, whatever the Winograd Report says tomorrow, election fever, of course, is in the air. Is this a good thing for the country?

As far as I'm concerned, as far as I conceive it, stability is one of the most important traits of any democracy. Let me share with you a paradox. We have heard in the last several years a proposal to change the system into a presidential system. Let me say up front, we oppose the presidential system. But some of those who want an early election were those who called for a presidential election in which the U.S. stuck with a president through the entire term. No, I think that an early election will not be good for the country.

PRESENTER, FEMALE #1
Once again, the US and Iran are exchanging threats. Yesterday, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Manoushahar Muttaki, warned against imposing new sanctions on his country before hearing what the International Atomic Energy Agency had to say about Iran’s cooperation with the UN inspectors. Muttaki said that his country’s cooperation can be corroborated by the positive reports given by the IAEA and by the continuous Russian support. This news comes as Iran received the last shipment of nuclear fuel necessary to run the Bushahar nuclear plant. Ahmad Al-Bahrani reports from Tehran.

REPORTER, MALE #1
Russia has finally fulfilled its promise of supplying nuclear fuel to Iran. Today, the last shipment of nuclear fuel arrived in Tehran after nearly two years of delay. The fuel will be used to run the Bushahr nuclear reactor to generate electric energy. Tehran received eighty two tons, in 8 shipments, of nuclear fuel. This latest Russian move will likely help bridge the political gap between the two allied countries, especially after the Russia-Iranian relationship witnessed a decline on the political arena. Meanwhile, Iranian officials welcomed the latest Russian move, and described it as a “fatal blow against those trying to isolate Iran diplomatically.”

GUEST, MALE #2, Manoushahar Muttaki
Bushahar nuclear reactor is about to start operations. We will continue to produce energy in large quantities. Our activities are civilian, which was confirmed by the IAEA on numerous occasions.
I’m dismayed by those seeking to impose sanctions on Iran, without a legal justification.

REPORTER, MALE #1
Two weeks ago, Russia started to send fuel shipments to the Islamic Republic. The Russian move coincided with Bush’s visit to the region. Russia is again cooperating with Iran and trying to help it maintain its civilian nuclear program.Amidst this, the US, along with the permanent members of the Security Council as well as Germany, are seeking to impose additional sanctions on Iran. Meanwhile, the Iranians described the Russian move as a diplomatic achievement on two levels: It helped Iran receive its long awaited fuel shipments while widening the gap between UN Security Council leading powers.

GUEST, MALE #3
When a person is caught in a weak position, as the case with Iran’s enemies, he tries to stir chaos in order impose his will. We will continue to persevere, and we will not back down.

REPORTER, MALE #1,
No matter how the Iranians feel about their country’s nuclear achievements, many remain on the look out for those they describe as “the enemies of Iran;” who continue to mobilize efforts aimed at directing a painful strike against Iran, not necessarily at the military level. Ahmad Al-Bahraini, Dubai TV, Tehran.

Well, now to Iran. As the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are being asked to correct their past mistakes and their involvement in Iran’s nuclear program. Foreign Minister, Mottaki, said the Council should wait for the International Atomic Energy Commission Agency to complete its work with Iran before issuing resolutions. Mottaki said that Iran has never wanted nuclear weapons. On U.S.-Iran relations, Mottaki said he didn't foresee any improvements, adding that it wasn't important who was in the White House, but what policies the U.S. pursues.

Russia has delivered a seventh shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran for the Bushear nuclear power plant. Moscow is still required to send one more shipment based on a timetable the two sides have agreed to. Bushear power plant will generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity, once it gets the 85 tons of fuel it needs to start operating. The construction of the plant started before 1979 with Western help, but was later handed over to Russia after Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

In Pakistan, at least 12 people have been killed in a missile attack in a village in North Waziristan. Local officials say the missile hit a mountain hideout near the Afghan border and the dead are all suspected to having links to the Taliban. Across the border, more than 500 Afghan women have staged a mass protest on Tuesday against the kidnapping of an American aid worker. The women called on officials to find Sid Mizal and her Afghan driver Abdel Hadi. The gunman abducted the two on Saturday in a residential neighborhood in the southern city of Kandahar. The demonstration was a rare display of women gathering together publicly. No one has yet claimed responsibility for that kidnapping. Egypt has boosted security around the border town of Rafah on Tuesday, as it steps up its efforts to seal off the border with Gaza. Troops are rebuilding the border fence and rounding up Palestinians who have strayed further into Egyptian territory. Palestinians, of course, have torn the fence down a week ago in a desperate attempt to restock on the much needed fuel and basic necessities. Tens of thousands have made use of the crossing since then. But that number has been reduced significantly over the past 24 hours. Egyptian officials are now due to meet with both Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas representatives separately on Wednesday to try to find a solution. A breach in the barrier has allowed families who have been separated for years to finally visit each other freely. Sheikh Abdusattar Ghalban lives in Egyptian Rafah, and he sees himself as a point of contact for Palestinians there. He's calling on all sides to work together to keep it open for the sake of Gazans. This is his story.

I am Sheikh Abdusattar Ghalban, the honorary consul of Palestinians abroad. That’s how Palestinians call me, because they love me, as I take care of them, regardless of whether they belong to Hamas or Fatah. We are one united nation. Our family is divided between Palestinian and Egyptian parts of Rafah. When this border fence was built, they thought it would separate families and friends apart. It was sad. We pray to God this fence will fall. I plead to the Palestinian Authority and to Ismael Haniyeh to consider the 23rd of January as a national day. It is the day the fence was brought down. Palestinians broke free of their shackles and opened the borders to rejoin our sister, Egypt. The crossing points must be merely Egyptian and Palestinian. No one else should take control of them. Americans and Israelis tried to make Palestinians kneel and surrender by closing the borders and the crossing points, but the Palestinians resisted. Now the aid coming into Gaza from Egypt is endless. Convoys extend from south Egypt to Rafah. We are proud of that, as Gazans are part of Egypt. Egypt is our mother. Gaza returns home. Egyptians and Palestinians are one people. Gazans love and respect Egypt's history and struggle for freedom.