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Answer
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Name
J
- United States
Profession
Question
How do you foresee the role of the EU in the future of the territories?
Answer
The EU has to learn the lessons of the past. The failure of the Mahmoud Abbas government has to do with the failure of the Americans and Europeans to do their part in the process. Mahmoud Abass blamed the international community that it did not pressure Israel to do carry out its responsibilities under the Road Map. Moreover, Ahmed Qureia, the designated prime minister for the Palestinian Authority, had already insisted that in order to accept the appointement, he needed the support and guarantees of the US and the EU to fulfill the Road Map. Without the support of the EU, Qureia will not be able to do the job.
Name
Omar
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Profession
Question
Esselamu-alejkum,
what do you think about the theories that Israel (and USA) are draging us into another big scale Arab-Israeli war (possible pretext to WWIII)...I mean considering all the latest events(they proved that "road map" was just a hoax)and the old neocon plans of conquering Syria and Lebanon too?
Answer
This is hard to say. The US is more interested in a stable Middle East. So I do not think that by considering Iraq a major threat to world peace and the war against terrorism, they would be interested in WW III.
Name
Nasr
- Egypt
Profession
Question
What is your personal evaluation of Ahmad Qurei as the new prime minister? And why do you think Arafat chose him?
Answer
Ahmed Qureia is an old friend of Yasser Arafat. He is the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, and he was the chairman of the Economic SAMED of the PLO. He is a member of the Fatah centeral committee, and he has the support and respect of most of Fatah members. I think he would get into a better working relationship with Arafat.
Name
John
-
Profession
Question
Do you expect more suicide bombings in the future? Do you think Hamas and other factions are now likely to make their targets mainly towards military personnel rather than civilians inside Israel?
Answer
After the assassination of Ismail Abu Shanab and the attempted failed assasination against Ahmad Yassin, it is hard to speculate and say that Hamas would use suicide bombings against Israeli civilians. I think they are thinking of a new strategy to confront the Israeli occupation, also in light of the latest decision by the European Union to enlist Hamas on the terrorist list. I think the leadership of Hamas will concentrate its military activities on Israeli military targets.
Name
ibn mohamed
- Germany
Profession
student
Question
what s your opinion about the relation arabic israieiic?
Answer
My understanding of the question is concerned with the Arab-Israeli relations. I think that Arab countries are rushing towards Israel even though Israel has not met its commitments under the road map. In the past few weeks, we saw a visit by the Israeli foregin minister to Morroco and, this week a member of the Israeli forigen ministery is visiting Tunisia, to discuss Israeli-Tunisian relations. Also, the Jordanian goverment is considering reviving its relations with the Israeli goverment. I think Arab goverments should wait until Israel meets its commitments in the Road Map and withdraws its forces from the Palestinian terrtories. Normalizing relations between the Arab countries and Israel is not helping the Palestinian people at this moment.
Name
Hamad
- Saudi Arabia
Profession
Question
Was the resignation of Abu Mazen based on ideological differences between him and Arafat? Or was the conflict purely personal?
Answer
The resignation of Abu Mazen has nothing to do with any ideological differences with Arafat. According to the resignation letter, Abu Mazen blamed the internationl community and Israel for not going ahead with the Road Map. In addition to that, he blamed some Palestinian figures for obstructing him and his goverment. So the resignation has to do with the failure of the Israeli goverment to commit to the Road Map and the peace process.
Name
Jordan Robinson
- United States
Profession
Student
Question
Do you see any future Palestinian government attaching its cause to Iraq's and demanding a less-imperialist West in the process to broker a more just peace that could therefore marginalize Israel's strategic role in US foreign policy?
Answer
The Iraqi government and the Iraqi people are busy with their own problems at this moment. Palestinians hope for the support of all Arab nations and Muslims all over the world. They are interested in a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict due to the regional changes and the balance of power of the internationl system. I think we need the support of Arab goverments to pressure the United State and Israel to commit itself to the peace process.
Name
Noha
- Egypt
Profession
Question
With the rising chaos in the Territories, do you think this marks the failure of the Roadmap? Or will we continue to encounter more talk about it? Do you think it was feasible in anyway to end a conflict more than half a century old with that agreement? Or is what is happening now an expected bump on the road?
Answer
The Palestinian-Israeli conflict has been going on for a long time. We don't expect to solve this conflict easily or quickly. There will be ups and downs in the process.
Palestinians think that if Israel withdrew its forces from the occupied Palestinian lands, and allowed for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital, that it would probably put an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
I think the support of the Europeans and the Americans is very much needed to pressure Israel to commit itself to Palestinian political rights. We need to wait and see the appointment of the new prime minister to engage into peaceful negotiations with the Israeli goverment.
In addition to that, Israel is to be blamed for the failure of the Abbas goverment because of its continued policy of assissinations and building settlements, which caused the collapse of the Road Map at this stage. But I don't think that this means the end of the Road Map. I believe it's the only workable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at this moment.
Name
Jida
- South Africa
Profession
Question
In your view, was the assassination attempt of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin a blow to the ego of Hamas? How do you see their reaction? Will it become more ferocious or will they back down a little bit?
Answer
This is the first time Israel attempts to assissinate the spiritual leader of Hamas. Many of Hamas' leaders have been assissinated since the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada. Hamas has retaliated forcefully against Israel. I think Hamas and its leaders will think carefully on how to respond against the attempted assissination of Ahmad Yassin. The situation is so dangerous and very sensitive; Hamas might wait and not retaliate at this moment. If there is a retaliation, I think it will be against Israeli military targets rather than suicide bombings against Israeli civilans.
Name
Mohammed
-
Profession
Question
Salam. Has there ever been any peace treaty with Muslims vs Jews if there has been how long did it last. May Allah reward you.
Answer
Israel was created in 1948. Egypt signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1979, and Jordan also signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1994. Palestinians signed the declaration of priciples in 1993, and started peace negotiations with Israel which collapsed in September 2000 after the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada.
Host: For more information on the relations between Muslims and Jews in the history of Islam, you may browse through our Ask About Islam page.
Name
yacine
- Algeria
Profession
Question
I am asking a simple question...why did u call the martyrdom operations of hamas as suicidal...is this one aspect of the european and American pressures on islam online?
Answer
The use of the term was in reference to the question.
I consider myself a nationalist Palestinian and also an academic, therefore, I have to be neutral and to use the term as it is used in the media.
Hamas retaliations against Israel came in reaction to Israeli terror against the Palestinian people since 1948. It was the Israeli state that sponsored terrorism, and inflicted terror on Palestinians through the Jewish militia in the war of 1948.
Host: In accordance with the noble teachings of Islam, IslamOnline's Live Dialogues page remains an open forum for all ideas. Words read in the dialogues represent the views of the participants and our honorable guests.
