[Transcript]  Mosaic News - 06/01/12: World News From The Middle East [VIDEO]

Jordanian protestors are out calling for immediate change, making it clear that they are in it for the long haul, in the capital Amman. They are demanding that the government does not allow any price increases, and want reforms, and the government to decrease the prices of everyday goods, especially fuel. They are also angry, as this comes at a time when the government is receiving pay increases.

Egyptians are on the streets calling for the disqualification of the ex-premier Ahmed Shafiq from the upcoming presidential runoff. They reject the idea of having a remnant of the former Mubarak regime as the first post-revolution president. Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsy won more than 24 percent of the vote in the first of the elections; Shafiq came in second with more than 23 percent.

Thousands of Yemenis hit the streets in Sanaa and several other cities after Friday prayers to demand that the government cleanse itself of relatives of deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh. They also want the prosecution of Saleh and his aides.

Presenter, Male #1
In Yemen, the armed Houthi group announced its acceptance to take part in the national dialogue that aims to bring all Yemeni political opponents to the same table.

Presenter, Female #1
The group's leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said in a statement that the agreement to join the national dialogue stems from his faith in the popular revolution and the nation's interest. Yemen's national dialogue comes as part of the Gulf initiative that aims to resolve the political crisis in the country.

Reporter, Female #2
After years of using weapons, the Houthis are entering the political arena by announcing their agreement to join the national dialogue in Yemen. According to the leader of the group, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, this acceptance is derived from their faith in the popular revolution and the nation's interest. He admitted the communication committee, recently formed by President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, has exerted great efforts ahead of the national conference that brings all Yemeni parties together. So with this position, the Houthis took a step forward in the path of overcoming the obstacles in implementing the provisions of the Gulf initiative that they initially rejected. However, it is still not clear if the Houthis placed preconditions for their participation.

Reporter, Female #2
Houthi officials have reiterated that their previous reservations were due to the need to hold a dialogue that provides equal opportunities, stressing that the issues of the south and that of Sa'ada must be viewed as equally important. Six wars have taken place between deposed President Ali Abdullah Saleh's regime and the Houthis, but knowledgeable sources differ on the causes of these wars. The Houthis took part in the revolution against Saleh's regime, and it is even believed that the revolution prevented a seventh war between the two sides.

Reporter, Female #2
The revolution altered many realities, but the Houthis benefited little from the changes as confrontations erupted between them and the Salafists in northern Yemen. The acceptance of the Houthis to join the dialogue removes an obstacle for the implementation of the Gulf initiative's provisions. Another obstacle remains, and that is to persuade the Southern Movement to participate in the dialogue. So far, the movement and most of its factions still uphold the position of rejecting any dialogue that does not include determining the south's fate with what they call "disengagement", or the "restoration of the state," or "secession."

Reporter, Female #2
Meanwhile, other factions presented their old demand of forming a federation between the two regions of the north and the south. But will the efforts of the communication committee bring about a positive result, as with the Houthis? It is said the committee's efforts aim to bring all sides together and present their issues, including the south's request for secession, as long as proposals are discussed on the negotiation table.

Presenter, Male #1
An international warning of a full-fledged civil war has been issued for Syria. Syrians held demonstrations on a Friday titled "The children of Houla are the torches of victory," and a new massacre was committed in the countryside of al-Qusayr, targeting workers.

Reporter, Female #1
The international community has heightened its warning to a looming civil war in Syria. During a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin said there are emerging elements of a civil war in Syria.

Guest, Male #2 (Vladimir Putin, Russian President)
Today, we are seeing emerging elements of civil war in Syria. It is extremely dangerous. Russia doesn't support any side of the conflict, and does not supply Damascus with weapons that could be used in a civil war.

Guest, Female #2 (Angela Merkel, German Chancellor)
We both made clear that we are pushing for a political solution, and that Annan's plan can be a starting point.

Reporter, Female #1
For his part, British Foreign Minister William Hague stressed the importance of implementing the Annan plan and reiterated his country's fear of a civil war in Syria. This came during talks held by Hague with the Syrian opposition and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in Istanbul.

Guest, Male #3 William Hague, British Foreign Minister)
The United Nations secretary-general and I, as well as the Syrian opposition, believe that Syria is on the edge of an all-out civil war and a collapse into sectarian strife.

Reporter, Female #1
For her part, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said a full-fledged conflict in Syria would put the entire region "in grave danger." She also called on the international community to support the Annan plan. In a statement read by her representative at the UN Human Rights Council's special session on Syria, Pillay said Syrian forces and militias accused of committing a massacre in Houla could face prosecution for crimes against humanity.

Reporter, Female #1
In response to a call by the opposition, Syrians held anti-regime demonstrations on a Friday titled "The children of Houla are the torches of victory." The demonstrations were held in honor of the children killed in the Houla massacre in Homs Province. The participants chanted anti-regime slogans.

Reporter, Female #1
On the other hand, Syrian state television broadcast scenes of al-Gha'eb, or the missing prayers, for the martyrs of al-Houla massacre. The prayers were held at the Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus and other mosques in Aleppo and Latakia. On the ground, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 12 workers were killed on a bus while traveling across the countryside of al-Qusayr. The victims were shot to death after their hands were tied behind their backs. The Observatory called on the international observers to visit al-Qusayr and investigate the killings. In Homs, activists uploaded videos online showing neighborhoods being shelled as international observers toured the city.

Presenter, Male #1
Three Palestinians were injured in an Israeli air strike that targeted a motorcycle east of Khan Yunis in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The airstrike was launched after an Israeli soldier was killed near the southern border of Gaza in a gunfire exchange with a Palestinian gunman east of the town of Abasan in Khan Yunis. The Palestinian gunman was killed in the incident.

Reporter, Male #2
The Israeli army said the killed soldier served in the Golani Brigade, and confirmed that its troops managed to kill a Palestinian gunman who was believed to be affiliated to a group attempting to infiltrate Israel from the Gaza Strip's southern border Thursday morning.

Guest, Male #3 (Tal Hamouni, Israeli Army Colonel)
At around 5 o'clock in the morning, a terrorist entered the territories of the Israeli state after he cut open the wire at the border with the use of advanced methods. He managed to cross the border fence. The Golani Brigade from the 12th Division was monitoring him, and immediately went to the site. The unit obviously carried out its basic mission, which is to protect the residents in the vicinity, like in Ein HaShlosha and Nirim. In the meantime, they discovered the location of the terrorist, and there was an exchange of gunfire. The soldiers quickly took action, opened fire and killed the terrorist. Unfortunately, one of our soldiers was also killed.

Reporter, Male #2
On the other hand, Palestinians confirmed they heard explosions and gunfire near Abasan, a border village that is also near the border with Egypt. Palestinian farmland in the area was burnt. According to Palestinians, the fire was caused by Israelis who threw stun grenades to block access to the site of the incident while Israeli warplanes hovered above.

Reporter, Male #2
But Palestinian medical sources in Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis later said that three Palestinians were wounded in an Israeli air strike targeting a motorcycle east of Khan Yunis in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Two of them are in extremely critical condition after their limbs were amputated due to injuries sustained in a targeted missile attack by an Israeli warplane east of the city.

Reporter, Male #2
The border between the Gaza Strip and Israel has been witnessing such operations, the latest of which was in March. The number of these actions has decreased after the reconciliation dialogue began between the Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas. Hayyan Yaqoob, BBC.

German President Joachim Gauck traveled to Ramallah on the last leg of his four-day visit to the region. Gauck met with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. They discussed the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which Palestinians claim is stalling the peace process. Gauck also raised the issue in talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on Israel to signal that it might compromise by agreeing to stop construction in the settlements.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke out against the massacre in the Syrian city of Houla, saying those responsible should be tried and condemned, while the US State Department says Iranians abetted thugs from the Assad regime in carrying out the massacre. During an interview with French television, Ahmadinejad also accused the West of spreading lies about Iran's nuclear program, insisting that Iran has a right to enrich uranium to 20 percent.

A small protest against the ongoing massacre of Syrian civilians took place outside the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv, calling on Russia to stop backing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and to expel the Syrian ambassador to Moscow. The demonstration was attended by Deputy Minister Ayoob Kara from Likud and religious leaders from the Druze and Samaritan communities in Israel. Children lay down in from of the embassy building to symbolize the 50 children killed in the Houla massacre.

Presenter, Male #1
Sudan announced the expulsion of four foreign organizations working in the eastern part of the country because of their failure to implement long-planned projects. A source at the Sudanese government's office of humanitarian work said the decision to expel the Irish, Swedish, and Japanese organizations was due to their weak performances. The source indicated these organizations had presented proposals to Khartoum, but lagged in their implementation. On the other hand, humanitarian organizations complain about difficult working conditions, especially in the areas of South Kordofan and the Blue Nile, because of ongoing clashes.

Presenter, Male #1
In the Turkish city of Istanbul, the UN-sponsored conference to help Somalia concluded its second and final day. The conference praised the cooperation of Somalia's neighboring countries and the African Union in helping to bring an end to the violence. It also discussed economic development plans tied to implementing national reconciliation, and improving security and stability in the country.

Reporter, Male #2
The Somali dilemma, according to the international community, and as described by some, was the focus of an international meeting that lasted for two days in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Participants discussed taunting Somali issues, and shared ideas that could put an end to years of political and economic turmoil, the result of a civil war that has placed a heavy burden on the country for years. This is the second conference on Somalia and was preceded by the London conference. It explored a number of essential issues, including envisioning the future of Somalia after the current transitional government's term ends, as well as economic and security issues.

Guest Male #3 (Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General)
The success of the next Somali government is related to acquiring the people's trust. The Somali constitution will be drafted soon, and will then be put to referendum. We are in need of a major investment plan to restore economic stability to Somalia.

Reporter, Male #2
Peace, political equality and economic problems are interrelated in this poor African country. African aid, received through AMISOM forces, and confrontations between government forces and gunmen known as the Shabaab movement, were also essential topics discussed at the conference. The consensus was that a return of calm to the Somali capital is required for rebuilding the state and for any economic development.

Guest, Male #4 (Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Somali President)
The Somali Federal Transitional Government started to move forward and work on liberating all Somali land, in addition to taking control of all cities, towns, and villages, and providing basic services to these newly-liberated areas.

Reporter, Male #2
The conference, which was attended by representatives of 54 countries with the participation of dozens of figures of all segments of the Somali society, paves the way for anticipated political developments after the rule of the current government and the transitional parliament ends. It also opens the door to the establishment of new institutions on August 20th. But observers noted that all Somali factions participated in the conference, including the regions of Bont Land and Ard al-Somal, but not the armed Shabaab movement. This raised questions over the possibility of implementing the decisions of this conference on the ground.

Presenter, Male #1
In a call by the Joy of Giving organization, and under the banner of "We have no one but each other", a student march was launched from Sodeco and headed to the National Museum. A number of schools, associations, and civil society organizations participated in the march to reject violence and fortify civil peace.

Reporter, Female #1
In rejection of violence, fear, fighting, and futile wars, and in hopes of overcoming hopelessness, inaction, and avoiding violence, "Children from Lebanon," and many other associations and civil society organizations marched together to fortify civil peace and call for peaceful coexistence.

Reporter, Female #1
"We have no one but each other" is the banner under which a march for civil peace was held; it was called for by the Joy of Giving organization. The march was launched from Sodeco and headed towards the National Museum. It presented a unified image on all fronts, and included students and workers, civilians, religious figures, and organizations, with political slogans notably absent. They only carried Lebanese flags and noisemakers, as called for by the organizers. They were only Lebanese citizens, as their voices resonated for serenity and peace. They presented an image of the Lebanon they dream of, an inclusive nation with a message of peace to the world.

Guest, Male #2
We want to unite our efforts for the sake of the people, and to build a society with the aim of making Lebanon a successful model of unity. We need to confirm, reiterate, and yell that we are inseparable from each other; we are inseparable from each other. The nation is in danger, and we are all responsible. Let us overcome strife and avoid hazards. Let us meet, and talk, and lift the burdens off each other's shoulders, so we can safely cross into a beautiful tomorrow, for us and for Lebanon. Let us remember that we have no one but each other.

Reporter, Female #1
Also in the appeal they launched, the groups called for finding violence-free solutions, and maintaining diversity as Lebanon's unique trait.

Presenter, Female #1
The residents of Baghdad gathered for a protest calling for retribution for those behind the crime in the neighborhood of Oor, in which several jewelers were killed.

Presenter, Male #1
The local government received demands to examine and take the case to the federal government and punish all those whose hands are stained with Iraqi blood, without any exceptions.

Reporter, Male #2
The calls varied, but the demand was one: Just punishment for all those whose hands are stained with the Iraqi people's blood, regardless of their location and affiliation. Residents from different regions in Baghdad and its tribes gathered to demand the execution of the perpetrators of the neighborhood of Oor's crime, which resulted in the death of youths who worked at jewelry stores, as well as women and children who were there the moment the incident happened.

Guest, Female #2 (Om Ali, A Victim's Family Member)
We demand fair punishment for all those who committed terrorist acts and killed and orphaned our children. This is our demand.

Guest Male #3 (Sheikh Ali Taher, A Victim's Family Member)
We demand all officials, the president, the prime minister, and the parliament speaker, all government officials, to execute those criminals in the area the crime was committed, in the Oor neighborhood, so they can set an example for everyone.

Reporter, Male #2
Representatives of Baghdad's local government attended the demonstration and received a paper with the protestors' demands. The representatives assured them the local government will look into their demands, and present them to the federal government with the aim of discussing appropriate legal measures with the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice.

Guest, Female #3 (Mahdiya Abd Hassan, Baghdad Provisionary Council Member)
I will take these demands to the local government and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and to all those who are concerned with this case. All those concerned and every honorable person must participate in and support the effort to end this epidemic plaguing the Iraqi society.

Reporter, Male #2
Fair retribution for the criminals and justice for those who were wronged are the demands of the protestors who are seeking an end to the terrorist cycle. Alaa al-Khataji, Al-Iraqiya, Baghdad.

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