Israel Clears Out Embassy In Jordan Fearing Repeat Of Egypt

By Kenneth R. Bazinet

The Israeli government is taking no chances of a repeat of the weekend ransacking of its embassy in Cairo, pulling back its ambassador and most staff from its diplomatic mission in Jordan ahead a planned million-man march in support of the United Nations recognizing proposed Palestinian statehood.

Israeli Ambassador to Jordan Daniel Nevo and his staff left its complex in Amman in a convoy overnight. The diplomats hope to return Sunday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said. Nevo and his staff routinely return to Israel for the sabbath.

The anti-Israeli sentiment in Egypt and Jordan is particularly troubling because they are the only Arab countries that have peace treaties with Israel.

President Obama had to intervene diplomatically on behalf of Israel to save the lives of trapped security personal in the Israeli embassy in Cairo. 

Now the U.S. embassy in Jordan is also under increased protection by Jordanian police after Wikileaks diplomatic cables suggested a secret plan to turn Jordan into a homeland for Palestinians. There was a small protest outside the U.S. embassy in Amman yesterday in which demonstrators burned the American flag and demanded that the American diplomats be expelled from Jordan.

The region is swiftly becoming a powder keg amid the Palestinian Authority’s plan to seek statehood at the UN. 

The U.S. has vowed to veto any move for statehood on the UN Security Council and is lobbying other countries to do also oppose the move. Israel, however, increasingly becoming isolated and faces widespread support globally for Palestinian statehood.

Nonetheless, the U.S. is still hoping the statehood issue is abandoned, fearing a veto could trigger even more anti-American demonstrations in the Muslim world.

“We continue to see any kind of effort by the Palestinians in New York as counterproductive and not in the interest of achieving a two-state solution, which is our goal,” said State Department spokesman Mark Toner.

“Our argument conveyed to countries around the world is that this is a counterproductive measure by the Palestinians, and because of that, it doesn’t get anybody any closer to a comprehensive peace settlement, and that’s why we’ve got to remain focused on getting them back to the negotiating table,” Toner added.

The world’s leading Islamic democracy, Turkey, which has diplomatic and trade relations with Tel Aviv, is also ripped at the Israeli government for failing to apologize for its soldiers killing nine Turkish civilians on a ship that was part of a humanitarian aid flotilla bound for Gaza last year.

A UN-appointed panel found the Israeli commandos faced “organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers,” but was still heavy handed in its response that led to the massacre on aboard the ship. “It seems to us to have been too heavy a response too quickly. It was an excessive reaction to the situation,” the panel’s report stated.

An internal Israeli probe cleared its military of any wrongdoing.

Read more from Kenneth R. Bazinet at The Baz File…

Ban Urges Security Council to Set Libya Mission

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has asked the Security Council to establish a UN Mission in Libya, where months of fighting between Gaddafi loyalists and NATO backed rebels seem to be coming to a close. 

Ban is on an official visit to Australia, but his Special Envoy for Libya Ian Martin briefed the Security Council in closed door consultations this afternoon. 

Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) leadership has already said it does not want a UN peacekeeping force or even unarmed military observers in the country, but was looking for help from the world body with the eventual planning of an election and the creation of a transitional justice system.

Martin told reporters afterwards the Secretary General had proposed an initial short term UN support mission of three month to Libya, which would work to advise and assist the NTC on pressing issues, as well as discuss a more long term UN presence. 

The UN Envoy for Libya said the NTC’s was also now discussing how to best integrate remnants of the Gaddafi government and security forces into rebel forces. 

“The approach that they are taking is to, at this stage, tell the very top echelon of the military, the police, the civil service to remain at home, while decisions are taken as to which of them should and should not be part of the future.But so far as all other levels of the administration and the police and the military are concerned, they remain in place.” 

Martin said the main challenge facing the NTC would be to bring all militias and rebel groups under a single command 

“The issue of armed groups is not so much those who were within the ranks of official state employees but those who have taken up arms during the conflict.”

UN Trying To Define Its New Role In Libya

Secretary General Ban Ki Moon is hopeful the fighting in Libya is coming to an end and is urging UN member states to help Libya’s new Transitional National Council (NTC) prepare for the post Gaddafi era.

“I think we can all be encouraged by the current trends” he told the Security Council this afternoon. “Fighting continues in some parts of the country, most notably Sirte, Sabha, Zuwara and points to the south, yet I think we can now hope for a quick conclusion to the conflict and an end to the suffering of Libya’s people.”

Ban told Security Council members that although the last few days had seen positive developments, the international community needed to continue actively helping the country’s transitional forces.

“Time is of the essence. My aim is to get UN personnel on the ground absolutely as quickly as possible, under a robust Security Council mandate.” he said  “Libya’s future is for Libyans to decide. We will act in accordance with their needs and desires, not vice versa.”

Ban and his special envoys Ian Martin and Abdel Elah Al Khatib will be meeting with members of Libya’s National Transitional Council on Thursday in Paris to discuss how the UN could best assist a new interim-government.

Martin told reporters afterwards the UN had been prepared to send a team of unarmed military observers to Libya, but that NTC officials had declined the offer.

“That was a contingency plan that most likely would have been called upon in the event of a ceasefire. Our discussions today indicate that they are not at all likely to ask for that.” he said.

Martin says the world body’s initial presence in the country will likely be an “integrated politically led mission” rather than the type of “operational deployment” associated with peacekeeping, but said the UN’s long term role would depend on the needs of Libyan authorities on the ground.

The NTC has already outlined a roadmap for the political transition and Martin says the Libyan leadership is looking for advice and help from the UN on several different issues.

“[the NTC roadmap] talks of the establishment of an interim government within 30 days after they declare “liberation” in Tripoli and then the holding of elections to a National Council in 240 days.” he said “Its going to be quite a challenge, organizationally and its clear the NTC wish the UN to play a major role in that process, and that will be a key element of UN support.” he said.

Earlier today, the Security Council’s Sanctions Committee agreed to release over 100 million dollars in frozen state funds to Libyan transitional forces. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon welcomed the move but told Council members more needed to be done. 

“It was vitally important that the Security Council Sanctions Committee acted to release $1.5 billion in frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian assistance. The first allocation of these assets – $110 million – has just been made. Further action will be needed in the coming days. I appeal to the Council to continue to be responsive to the requests of the Transitional Authorities for funding.”

UN agencies have scaled up aid efforts in Tripoli and other areas affected by heavy fighting.  Humanitarian officials say the disruption of fuel lines has cut of access to electricity and water supplies to millions of people. The WFP and UNICEF have delivered water, cooking supplies and food aid in recent days, and are working to provide areas without power or water sanitation services emergency fuel reserves.

South African Ambassador: NATO Making Things Worse In Libya

NATO’s military campaign in Libya has worsened the plight of the civilian population and has yet to provide a longterm solution to the crisis, says South Africa’s Ambassador to the United Nations.

In a Security Council briefing earlier today, Ambassador Baso Sangqu argued that NATO has done little to stabilize the current situation in Libya and that the mission had in fact led to an increase in civilian casualties.

“This meeting takes place exactly one hundred days after the start of the NATO aerial bombardment in Libya. Despite this military action, there has not been a solution to the Libyan crisis, and the situation has in fact deteriorated with more loss of civilian lives and massive destruction of infrastructure.”

Sangqu says the NATO mission has gone well beyond the mandate of the Security Council Resolution 1973, which called for the implementation of a no fly zone and allowed for air strikes against Gaddafi forces.

“When South Africa voted in favor of Resolution 1973, our intention was to ensure the protection of civilians as well as unhindered access to humanitarian aid to those who desperately need it.” said Sanggu, “a political, rather than a military, solution is the only way in which peace can be achieved in Libya.”

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma last week accused NATO of using Resolution 1973 to encourage regime change at the expense of civilian protection. “We have spoken out against the misuse of the good intentions in Resolution 1973,” he said. “We strongly believe that the resolution is being abused for regime change, political assassinations and foreign military occupation.”

In a meeting yesterday in Pretoria, African Union officials reiterated their concern over the continued the NATO-led airstrikes, and once again called on Gaddafi and rebel forces to implement an immediate ceasefire. 

AU officials released a statement arguing only a political solution could “sustainably settle the current conflict.”

Earlier today, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and a top military intelligence official.

It is unclear what effect the warrants will have on attempts at negotiating a political solution to the conflict. The ICC decision was welcomed by top NATO officials, and seems to indicate the organization continues to be determined to remove Gaddafi from power. 

White House Gaggle Notes

White House Gaggle with Press Sectary Jay Carney

Week Ahead:

On Monday, President Obama will travel to Memphis, TN, where he will deliver the commencement address to the graduating seniors from Booker T. Washington High School, the winner of the 2011 Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge.  He will also visit with families impacted by the flooding, state and local officials, first responders and volunteers.  In the afternoon, he will return to Washington and welcome the University of Connecticut’s mens basketball team in honor of winning this year’s NCCA championship.   In the evening he will attend two DNC events in Washington D.C.
On Tuesday, the President will meet with His Majesty, King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House. Later that day, he will host a White House reception in honor of Jewish-American heritage month.
On Wednesday, President Obama will travel to New London, CT and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, where will deliver a commencement address. He will alsogo to Boston to attend DNC events.
On Thursday, President Obama will travel to the Department of State to deliver a speech on the Middle East.
Friday, May 20th, President Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House.

Osama Bin Laden

When asked about interrogation of Osama bin Laden’s wives, Carney said that the we have had access to them, but he has no more information about it. Carey also said that the U.S. appreciates the cooperation we have received the Pakistani government in this matter.
In terms of retaliation since the successful mission against bin Laden, Carney said we are at a state of high vigilance. “We take very seriously the fact that Al Qaeda is weakened but not dead.” It is entirely possible that terrorists might try to respond with revenge attacks in some way. “You can be sure that our intelligence community is focusing very hard on that, “Carney continued.  

George Mitchell

Carney was asked why President Obama’s special Middle East peace envoy George Mitchell was leaving, and he responded that he does not have any information about that, but the President will have a paper statement regarding this later today.
This President’s commitment to the region remains as firm as the day that he took office.

Middle East Speech  

Carney does not want to take this away from the President by saying too much, but he did say that we have gone through a remarkable period in the last few months in the Middle East and North Africa. “But we’ve gone through a remarkable period in the first several months of this year in that region, in the Middle East and North Africa, and the President obviously has I think some important things to say about how he views the upheaval and how he has approached the U.S. response to the events in the region. I am sure it will be a fairly sweeping and comprehensive speech about what we have all been privileged enough to witness since January,” Carney said.
Carney also went back to the President’s speech in Cairo, and how Obama views the future of the region through the prism of democratization and the urning of the people in the region for greater political freedom and desire for responsive government that addresses their grievances.
I am sure he will call on the government in the region to respond to those demands as he has done in the past, through peaceful political dialogue not just because it’s the right thing to do for the people in the region, but for the interest of stability.    

Libya

Carney was asked about today’s meeting with representative of the Libyan Transitional National Council, TNC, with senior administration officials, including National Security Adviser Tom Donilo. Carney also said that there are no plans for President Obama to stop by that meeting.
“ We believe that the TNC is a credible and legitimate interlocutor for the Libyan people and the questions on recognition is one of many policy issues still under review. And we are continuing to assess the capabilities as we deepen our engagement with the opposition. Ultimately, of course, it will be the people of Libyans and not the international community that will chose their leadership. But we do applaud the TNC for their leadership,” Carney said.
When asked about the whereabouts of Col. Ghaddafi, Carney said that there is nothing he can share with us.
The administration believes that if we could access and use the blocked government funds from  Libya it could be a great humanitarian help to the Libyan people.  Secretary Clinton is working with Congress on legislation to allow us to access those assets.

Syria

Each of the countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa are different and the circumstances of the unrest and the governments response has been different as well, Carney said.  The U.S. continues to condemn the violence against the Syrian people.  “It has been made abundantly clear that the Syrian government’s security crackdown will not restore stability and will not stop the demands for change in Syria. The Syrian government continues to follow the lead Iranian ally and resorting to brute force and fragrant violations of human rights  and  suppressing peaceful protests.”  

Mitt Romney

When asked about Mitt Romney’s speech yesterday and comments on that; Carney said that the administration is focused on implementing the Affordable Health Care Act.  
We have said before that then Gov. Romney signed into law in Massachusetts is in many way similar to legislation that resulted in the Affordable Health Care Act. “We obviously feel that Massachusetts took a smart approach to health care reform”, Carney said.