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Welcome to panorama and we start with a summary of the most important news. In the latest field developments in Syria ,
coordination committees reported the death of one hundred eight people by the regime forces fire.
It also committed, according to coordination committees, a new massacre in Darya in Damascus countryside. The free army
announced that it was able to control the battilions of transport, armament and chemistry of the regime forces after
fierce battles with the regime forces in Basr Al Harir in Daraa countryside.
And revolutionaries stormed the battalions in large numbers and took over its weapons and mechanisms. The free army is
launching attacks to destroy regiment 175, which forms the backbone of the regime forces in the area of Hauran
and carry out attacks and shelling on all villages of Hauran . On the political level, George Sabra , president of the
Syrian National Council, considers that the Lakhdar Brahimi , the UN envoy to Syria is wasting
the time of the Syrians if his tours did not succeed in
putting a real initiative.
l Unfortunately, we hear nothing from Mr. Brahimi
which shows an initiative. We do not see but a visit here and another visit there and some statements. And in his latest
statement, he put our people between two options either Al - Assad's regime or hell.
These are not two options because hell and Al - Assad's regime do not differ from each. If Brahimi kept on wandering here
and there without a real initiative, then he is wasting our time and time means
more victims.
In Egypt , the establishment of a new party was announced for
the Salafist movement under the name " Al Watan Party" which
include a large number of leaders who have defected from Al
Nour Party which is the biggest Salafi party
in Egypt . The constituent conference of the party was held
in a conference hall at the Al - Azhar University in the
presence of a large number of Salafi leaders and an alliance
was announced between the Al Waleed Party and the Salafi
preacher Hazem Salah Abu Ismail
In preparation for the elections of the house of
representatives during the next two months. In Egypt ,
counselor Mahmoud Mekki the resigned deputy president
Mohamed Morsi pointed out that he had been fixed on the
ninth of January dated for the seventh round.
For national dialogue emphasizing that national dialogue was
able to achieve results that could not be achieved by
demonstrations and bloodshed.
We have identified a particular day for the seventh round
On the 9th of January God willing, we gave an opportunity to our brothers who had holidays and leaves to take time
The next round will be allocated to discuss the proposals that will be presented utmost on Saturday,
the fifth of January , the constitutional amendments proposals and, God willing, We can like what we have accomplished
calmly and assuring to all people. Cancelling the constitutional declaration that blood, murder and injury could not
cancel but was canceled by dialogue and understanding.
Israeli army fire injured dozens of Palestinians during
clashes that erupted in the town of Tamun in south of Jenin
in the west bank.
According to the Palestinian media, clashes broke out after the infiltration of members of the Israelis special force
to the town and the arrest of Islamic Jihad activist Murad Bani Odeh .
the residents were able to besiege the special power forces and as a result military forces broke into the city amid
intense shooting, so that the members of the special forces will be able to leave the village.
End of the news summary, few moments and we open Panorama files.
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Welcome to Panorama tonight in which we will discuss
Today, we will launch the state's torch
By declaring the year of the state and independence, did Abbas take back his threat to cancel Oslo
agreement and what is the form of the future Palestinian
state? Where is Al - Maliki's policy leading Iraq and will it
feed the political disputes regarding the spread of the
Syrian crisis?
The year 2013 is the year of the Palestinian state and
independence
The statements of the president of the Palestinian authority Mahmoud Abbas during celebrations marking the beginning of
the new year came a few days after threatening to dissolve the Palestinian authority and hand the West Bank to Israel
in protest against the Israeli practices and the continuation of the settlements in the territories of the West Bank .
Abbas ' first and second statements showed two contradictory positions in the Palestinian authority. The first position
included an obvious threat to end the Oslo agreement with Israel
while the second statements announced a near detente through
a solution guaranteeing the establishment of the latter
state.
Between Abbas ' seriousness in his statements regarding the
fact that disbanding the government was just a pressure card
and
whether he was serious about the new year being the year of the state and independence. Amid several questions awaiting
an answer and another reference surrounded by ambiguity, how will the Palestinian state see the light in the year of
the state and will the year of independence
be a year of complete sovereignty and independence? What is
the truth of confederalism in Jordan ? 48 years ago, we
launched the revolution torch
and today we launch the torch of the Palestinian state. What change happened so that the Palestinian president announced
on New Year's Eve that the year 2013 will be the year of the state and independence?
Moreover, he accepted to continue direct negotiations with the Israelis when he was the one threatening few days ago to
hand in the power in West Bank to Israel , opposing the continuous settlement movements.
Because the settlement ended. Abbas's talks about the state and many other events that happened recently indicate that
there is a proposed project supported internationally, that might probably be confederation with Jordan , an extensively
discussed issue. Moreover, it was said that Abbas
seriously studied this project with the members of the central committee in Fateh movement. The confederation project
leaked that the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Natanyahu discussed it with the Jordanian monarch during his visit to
Amman this week and that two days ago it was also discussed
during the visit of Nabil Al Arabi and the Egyptian prime
minister to Ramallah , and previously this project was also
discussed when King Abdullah the second visited Ramallah ,
after Palestine became a nonmember observer state in the
United Nations.
These talks were speculations before the president of the political department in the Liberation organization, Farouk Al
Kadoumi spoke honestly about it. The return of West Bank if possible, after the failure of these negotiations with
Israelis. Therefore we say that Jordan is responsible of the return of West Bank .
Will this proposed confederation be limited to West Bank or
will it include all Gaza Strip as Al Kadoumi proposed? Will
the discussions of the files about the borders, Jerusalem ,
the right of return, and the future of settlements be
postponed?
Speaking about Israeli and in the absence of the Likud, it
seems that it is welcomed, by the Israeli president Shimon
Perez at first since he called at the beginning of the week
to start political negotiations with Palestinians as soon as
possible.
He still considers Abbas as the partner in the peace
operation, and these are the declarations that pushed the
supporters of the Israeli right wing party to confront him.
However, the results of two surveys done by Israeli
institutes were surprising
on a peace agreement with the Palestinians that included the
following items: Establishment of two states, Israeli and
Palestinian states, the return of the Palestinian refugees
only to the future Palestinian state, the establishment of a
Palestinian state
a demilitarized Palestinian state, dividing Jerusalem
between the two countries, re-demarcation of the borders
between the two countries on the basis of the boarders set
in 1967, the result would have been that 67% of Israelis
supporting this agreement.
There are still questions about the limits of accepting the confederation, by the support of the Jordanian and
Palestinian peoples, and overcoming the legal obstacles represented on the condition of the Palestinian independence
first and on Jordan's ability to bear the consequences of the confederation. Hind Al - Fayez , Al - Arabiya
And to comment on this issue, Dr. Saeb Orekat , a member of
the central committee of Fatah Movement and the chairman of
the negotiations affairs department in the Palestinian
Liberation Organization, who seems to busy writing perhaps
responses for this episode, join us
Also from Oman, Mahmoud Al - Karab , a former member of the
Jordanian House of Representatives, joins us. Let's start
with Dr. Saeb .
It seems that you are busy, perhaps with the next round of
the negotiations which resumed again between the
Palestinians and Israeli
Allow me to ask you about the statements of President Mahmoud Abbas . In an occasion, He stated dissolving the
Palestinian Authority, and handing the responsibility of the West Bank to Israel , and in another occasion, he promised
the Palestinians of the establishment of a state and of independence in 2013
Between hope and despair, how could we understand and interpret Abu Mazen's statements?
Good evening , brother Mohammed . Good evening , brother Mahmoud . Many happy returns and long live to the revolution
Wish glory and eternity for our martyrs, speedy recovery for our wounded, freedom for our prisoners and return of our
refugees, and many happy returns to you. In fact, President Abu Mazen did not did not speak one day
to a solution for the authority, and I was sitting in the session, which was held between the leftist Israeli political
movement. What President Mahmoud Abbas said was that he sought creating and opportunity for a serious political process,
over which we talked with our brother Arabs and agreed on it
spoke with the EU , President Abbas said and agreed with the five great powers in Europe and notified our stance to the
U.S. administration: We want a political process under the aegis of an adequate state
with a time ceiling of 6 months, during which an agreement would be reached on all the final status' issues, an
agreement including the causes of borders, refugees. And if signed, all detained ought to be released
and during that, Israel's approval shall stop colonization, including Jerusalem , and release prisoners, especially those
who were arrested before 1993, and we also have commitments to abide by
This is literally what President Mahmoud Abbas said, the authority is the fruit of the Palestinian people's struggle.
Enough of being breathless due to what the Israeli media report: Dissolving the authority at times, and handing the keys
at other times. These words were not delivered by President Mahmoud Abbbas
but the President added to that and said if Netanyahu deemed that he shall continue colonization and impose facts and
orders on ground and maintain Gaza strip and threatening the authority
as well as displacing residents and demolishing houses, the
authority will collapse. They are now working to destroy and
undermine the authority hence, now we have the state of
Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital, on the borders of
the '67 under occupation
and all of what Israel is performing on ground is war crimes. President Mahmoud Abbas said ''we shall would defend the
Palestinian people with all available means and yes, including organizations, institutions, conventions, protocols
and International agreements and this is first , second , for the confederation. I want to say aloud his majesty King
Abdullah II came to Ramallah and was the first Arab leader, as usual, came to congratulate...
Palestinian people suffer from this great and historic
achievement, and said...
the second of president Abu Mazen : " There is no one in the
world who is more cautious of Jordan and more cautious from
me of the state of Palestine of the star independence.
On the 1967 borders with the east of Jerusalem as its
capital. President Abu Mazen responded: " and no one in the
world is more cautious that the Palestinian people on the
unity of Jordan and its territorial unity, its security and
stability.
This is the truth, Jordan is a kingdom of an independent sovereignty and free with great people. Enough of talking about
an issue of unfounded truth. We and Jordan have a distinguished relations
But the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a sovereign state, we respect it, it has great people that we appreciate and
therefore Jordan and Palestine and all who wanted from Arabs must work to achieve the full accomplishment.
of full Palestinian sovereignty with our independent state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. I believe
that these rumors circulating about the... the responsibility of Jordan or that
is already a very strange fall , when we go to the United
Nations and the world votes for us with two thirds plus and
you say forty one countries do not refrain, in the sense
that 190 countries around the world say yes for the return
of the State of Palestine .
and its geographical Jerusalem as its capital. Will we give
away our national identity as the sons of the Palestinian
people?
Definitely not, we are loyal to our martyrs and wounded ...
Our great people and those of us who value and appreciate
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the King and all what this country offered of sacrifices for the sake of Palestine .
This should also be preserved and maintain its territory and its free and independent people who choose what they want.
And we will not be a burden on Jordan
Ok , Dr.
Saeb to talk is to be continued, let me move to Amman and my
guest from there, Mr. Mahmoud Al - Kharabsheh , a former member
of the
Jordanian parliament. Mr. Mahmoud welcome, and happy new year . Mr. Saeb Erekat spoke unequivocally
that there is no talk between Jordan and Palestine concerning the issue of confederation. So, what took place in the
summit meeting which gathered days ago,
which was perhaps a secret and undeclared summit, between Israeli Prime Minister and King Abdullah II . What was
discussed in this meeting and were there really a talk about confederation
between the west bank and Jordan .
My greetings and thank you, my honorable brother. First,
let me wish a happy new year to everyone and wish a good
year to our nation and people. In fact, the issue of
confederation in these circumstances
comes with extreme critical and complicated conditions. And you know that the Israeli elections will be after a few days
and the fact that the specific period of three months to recognize Palestinian state as an observer member
an observer in the UN which will end in a few days. In reality, we accept all the cooperation forms with our Palestinian
brothers because we are one people and you know
that the West Bank was part of the territories of the Hashemite Kingdom before it was occupied and that the West Bank is
still considered part of the occupied Jordanian lands, as per the international law,
The existence of the Zionist entity and the Israeli state on
it is equivalent to the presence of the force of occupation,
as mentioned in the decision of the international court of
justice regarding the truth of confederalism under these
circumstances
I think that this argument is misplaced because there can't be a union between Palestine and Jordan , whether federal or
confederal, before the existence of a recognized Palestinian state with full sovereignty. That's because there can't be
unity or agreement between two countries or political entities lacking full sovereignty. Jordan welcomes any form of
unity forms, but the Palestinian Brothers' continuation to build an independent state on the Palestinian soil and on its
holy Jerusalem capital can't be done anyway without consent from both neighboring people. The forms of unity can't be
decided without the consent and will of both Palestinian and Jordanian people. It's true that we are two peoples, as you
said and as I always say, who are not only similar but the same. We are among the closest Arab people to one another and
there are many common factors that link us together including the blood unity and the unity of fate and goal
connecting any two peoples of the world. Yet, now , I believe that talking about confederalism
is a circumvention for the Palestinian militancy, the establishment of a Palestinian state and the two -state solution.
We have spent a long time negotiating with Israel
to reach a two -state solution which was accepted and recognized by the whole world and by the Arab nation. Now, there's
talk about confederalism even before the two -state solution is complete
and before the establishment of the Palestinian state.
I believe that this is an abuse of the Palestinian identity on one hand and circumvent the two -state solution on the
other. If the aim behind talking about confederalism is to
pressure Israel to put it back on the negotiations' course
or find new points of reference for peace. I believe that
this does not serve the Palestinian cause and do not serve
the Jordanian cause as it might be one of the formulas used
to circumvent carrying out
a conspiracy in the surrogate country.
And everyone is aware that this solely exist in the Zionist political ideology and in political Israeli literature
Well, Sir Mahmoud , away from the alternative country, is the confederation issue
in the meeting between the Israeli Premier and king Abdullah Al Thani
Allow me I shall tackle this, but as Dr. Saeb said
and as all brothers do confirm, we do not accept any solution which shall not realize the Palestinian people's interest
and bring back the Palestinian land. We also affirm that
Jordan is Jordan and Palestine is Palestine .
Jordan is a sovereign country, it has its apparatuses and its institutions and its authorities, we also hope Palestine
would be a sovereign state and achieve its independence
and be a complete state even if we talk later about a confederation between Jordan and Palestinian brothers. The visit
or the conference that gathered the King
with the Israeli Premier, tackled the confederation formula or dealt with this subject, but as I understood, if we go
back to the key statement President Abu Mazen made,
he said that the confederation with Jordan and other parties, truth is that this was in need of a clarification so as to
know the truth. Is what was meant brothers in Gaza
or are there other parties that will also be related to this confederation? However, his majesty the King , as a leader
of the nation, he can never accept any formula that will not achieve the dream of our Palestinian brothers
about having their own independent state. He cannot even accept to impose on the Jordanians any issue that they do not
desire or acknowledge, because as we said
we are with the confederation after the independence of the brothers and Palestine and with any unity formulae that will
unite both people. However, we will not accept any formula whether federal or confederation
or any other kind before the formation of a Palestinian state and its capital holy Jerusalem is complete, because I
said, this will be considered as a bypass of the two state solution that was agreed upon
and of the Palestinian national identity that we want it to
be a mature and settled identity. We are very proud of this
identity.
Mr. Mahmoud , we will continue our discussions and dialogues, I will come back to you
Dr. Saeb Erekat .
It seems that the talks about the confederation is serious, at least according to Israel , and probably this is what
happened in the summit held in Amman between the Israeli prime minister abd King Abdullah the second .
However, Mr. Mahmoud Al -kharabsheh pointed at the declarations of president Abbas and said a confederation with Jordan
and other parties. What does president Abbas mean by these declarations?
First, I great brother Mahmoud , and I totally agree with
every word he said because why should we speak about the
confederation now ?
I would like to tell you that no one in Israel is talking about the confederation and no one from Israel talked with
King Abdullah concerning the confederation. The President is talking with
his majesty King Abdullah about the return to negotiations and asks him to convince Abu Mazen to return to negotiations
without stopping the settlement and going to the United Nations organizations.
And his majesty King Abdullah responds loudly: if you want a meaningful peace process, you should stop the settlement,
you should abide by your commitments.
This is a Palestinian matter and we are in the same trench with the Palestinian liberation organization and the
president, Mahmoud Abbas .
President Mahmoud Abbas said in the revolutionary council: We did not talk about the confederation, and the subject of
confederation was not raised and I do not know from where the subject came from. He added, as my brother Mahmoud said,
the confederation system is a system established between two independent states by a free decision of two peoples.
Jordanian people know their interests and determine their ambitions and future and the Palestinians now
have a being country under occupation and have no
sovereignty yet .
I would like to say that in 1994, Arab countries decided in
the Rabat summit that the Palestinian liberation
organization is the sole legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people.
This is what the international liberation organization had in 1974. And in 2004, the advisory opinion of the
International Court of Justice in the Hague decided that the west bank, Gaza strip,
and east Jerusalem are occupied Palestinian areas and should witness an end of occupation. On November 29th 2012, the UN
general assembly approved in a majority
the legal and geographical existence of a Palestinian state
according to the '67 borders with east Jerusalem as capital.
That's why confederalism
I personally do not actually know where the problem is. Everyday, I wake up to the expression " Abou Mazen wants to
disband the government". Before asking to clarify
the idea as usual, we must say that the behavior of the Israeli negotiations is 95% out of line and we have to spend 95%
of our day denying what the Israeli newspapers publish
through the news agencies, newspapers and articles. The confederalism topic was not tackled at all, neither on the
Palestinian or Jordanian fields nor on the American, Israeli or international fields
The question here Dr.
Saeb is: In whose interest is it, Dr. Saeb , to talk about confederalism once again? I do not know, nobody from here
spoke about federalism, brother Muhammad ,
is it in Israel's interest to talk about federalism? When I tell you what his majesty the King said in Ramallah and
what President Abbas responded, this is talk of a prominent official. When I tell you I am not hiding
secret because we checked the situation in Israel , America ,
Europe and all concerned countries, but we did not find
anyone talking about federalism except for some people who
want to fool around with our issues so that our topic of
discussion
will be how we talk, how we repeat the independence of '67, how the year of independence will be, a year to defend the
Palestinian people and to stop Israel and its crime committing
against our unarmed people in Gaza Strip by the continued and constant attacks, siege, judaizing Jerusalem and the
displacement of people; 2500 families will move to Jordan these days. Therefore,
instead of explaining to our audience what is our strategy, what is our plan, we are talking that Abu Mazen did not say,
dissolve the Authority and did not speak of the confederation. Even His Majesty King Abdullah did not speak about the
confederation. In fact, no one really talked about the confederation
Abu Mazen did not speak about dissolving the Authority and handing over the keys of the West Bank . The UN resolution we
obtained in 2012 is a historic big accomplishment; but not the end. It is just the beginning.
We have a long and difficult way. As for the brother country of Jordan , it is its own borders, security, Jerusalem , and
refugees, its own interests. The same applies to Egypt . And we did not contact at all the Israelis
or with the Americans or the Europeans on these issues.
Otherwise, brother Jordan would have been the first to know.
We have constant daily coordination with Jordan . The same applies to
our brothers in Egypt and Syria also before the current crisis, which it passes through; as we used to coordinate with
them everything, as it has to do with their border, security, water and stability. The issue is not concerned with what
the people and the media are talking about
in twenty four satellite channels all over the 24 hours on the Internet. These issues are really very serious, with
strategic ideology. Therefore, for the second time ,
I assert that the confederation is not considered at all. I say it loud, His Majesty King Abdullah II devotes all what
he owns of international, regional and continental capabilities as he enjoys great respect
and employs this for Palestine , for Jerusalem , for having Palestine be a sovereign state and independent one with east
Jerusalem as its capital. He supports us for halting colonization and releasing detainees
and this is the truth. We shall not forget their hosting us last year and what they did with the Israeli side, similarly
to the brothers in Egypt , we are now about, we received an invitation
President Mahmoud Abbas received the invitation of President Mohamed Morsi , who wants reconciliation to be under his
personal aegis, and we highly appreciate that, it is a generous call
and valuable one . When the Arab League Secretary-General
Nabil al- Arabi came and Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohamed
Kamel Amr came,
the latter sent an invitation to Morsi to meet with
President Mahmoud Abbas . The President agreed to go, and
hopefully within the upcoming days
this will happen so that we would end this schism and unite
our lines for, the first step now to face threats by
national unity ...
and we shall work for reconciliation, tell Israel loudly that if it sought a political process it ought to cease
colonization and release detainees, and if it sought the persistence of ,,,
the Palestine Liberation Organization knows how to defend
Palestinian people, with what it has of mechanisms and
threats won't work.
It seems that there is difficulty in communication Dr. Saeb , if you hear me let me move to Dr. Mahmoud al- Kharabsha
In Amman . Mr.
Mahmoud Al - Kharabsheh , why the focus is on the West Bank and
Jordan and the talk is on the confederation what about Gaza ?
First, in fact allow me
to say that any formula of the current formulas whether federal or confederation as i said, does not serve Jordan and
does not serve Palestine , especially in light of the Palestinian division. We, subsequently ,
We have to restore unity to the Palestinian entity and we must strengthen the unity of the Palestinian entity in this
regard. On the second hand, in fact my brother, Dr. Saeb whom I respect referred
that no one talked about the confederation but the truth is that president Abbas pointed out to his meeting with some
Fatah movement leaders that they have to prepare for transition
to the confederation and also pointed out that he had hinted to confederation during his meeting with His Majesty King
Abdullah and that the results were promising. President Abbas also said that
there is a step toward confederation that will be presented to the Palestinian people in a referendum and that the
Palestinian people at home and abroad will... regarding the issue of confederation
Additionally, president Abbas said that the Palestinian state after its recognition has no choice, and there is no room
for it to stay but only through the cooperation with Jordan in a solid and coherent relationship and this confirms
of course that the confederation option is proposed but with regard to this format, its implementation and mechanisms of
implementation. These questions remain in need of clarification
because as brothers, the Jordanians and the Palestinians will not accept any formula that will not give the Palestinian
people their rights, will form an attack, or even bear Jordan an extra burden regarding
any proposed solution. In fact I have a question now : the talks about the confederation is in the interest of whom? We
have reached an advanced phase through the negotiations and international community to
form two states and get the two state solution.
This is a solution that will achieve at least part of the Palestinians' ambitions and those of the Jordanians regarding
establishing an independent political entity for the
Palestinian brothers and partners.
After that we will search for a formula out of the unity formulae because all of us...so that we support the nation's
unity since
the phenomenon of unity found throughout the history of the Arab nation is the unity that gathers both people, the
Jordanians and Palestinians, who share many issues.
Mr. Mahmoud , let me end with Dr. Saeb Araykat . Dr. Saeb it seems that
you have reservations concerning the declarations of Mr.
Mahmoud Al Kharabsha . Let me end this segment with these
reservations.
These are not reservations but instead
brother Muhammad and brother Mahmoud I would like to clarify a point. There are some wrong information that might have
reached Mr. Mahmoud Al Kharabsha .
President Abu Mazen was asked, I am a member of the central committee of Fatah , and a member of the revolutionary
council for Fatah movement , and president Abu Mazen was asked by a number of our leaders, we heard in the media
talk about confederalism, so President Mahmoud Abbas answered verbatim: This topic was not at all proposed and King
Abdallah II came to help and support us
and strengthen our persistence and will help us in reinforcing the Arab financial security network. He will also help us
in Europe and America and will dedicate his relations with Israel to serve us in stopping the settlement
and so on. The topic of confederalism wasn't proposed. I was in the meeting with the King and Abou Mazen did not propose
this topic at all and did not discuss
it.
He literally said: "Dear brothers, there is a decision in the Palestinian national council about confederalism upon
obtaining independence. However, the talk about confederalism today
Along with Abou Mazen in Fateh movement and the PLO , we
agree with you Mahmoud 100%.
How will there be a federalism now or anything that harms
Jordan
and Palestine ? Now the efforts must be focused on how to
embody the state... l The conclusion now is that there isn't
any talk about confederalism at the moment .l to achieve
independence and complete sovereignty. Dr. Saeb Erekat ,
member of the
central committee for Fateh movement and chairman of the negotiations' affairs department in the PLO , thank you very
much. Thank you, Mr. Mahmoud Al Kharabsha , member of the former Jordanian parliament. With this, we come to the end of
the first Panorama file for tonight and we will return in a few to continue
Where will Al Maliky's politics lead Iraq ? [music]
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The Iraqi Prime Minister, Nour Al Maliki did not proceed
long with his decisions which saw that it would end the
popular protests again him, to go back to the policy of
intimidation and threat to his rivals describing them as
rebels and asking them to return
back from what they are involved in. The threats of the
Iraqi Prime Minister coincided with warnings addressed to
Al - Maliki by Muqtada Al - Sadr , head of the Sadrist movement
about an Iraqi spring if he did not abandon his policies,
which led the country to
political disputes and popular protests.
The talk about Iraqi spring was preceded by concerns left by some Iraqi parties stating that the continuation of
political protests and disputes may pave the way for the extension
of the crisis witnessed by the neighbor, Syria . Where is Iraq moving in light of Al - Maliki's insistence on his
positions? Is really the extension of protests' scope in Iraq create a favorable environment to extend the crisis from
Syria ?
What are the consequences of Al - Maliki's recent threats to his opponents.
All Iraqi factions are almost gathered on holding Al - Maliki and his policies, the bulk of the responsibility of what is
Iraq witnessing from tension, whether with the Kurdistan province
on the backdrop of the powers granted to Tigris forces and
not abiding by the promises submitted to the Kurdish
component concerning the application of article 140 of the
constitution and the disputed areas or the policy of
escaping forward
which was interpreted by Al - Maliki and his team's in the arrest of a number of bodyguards of the minister of finance,
Rafie Al - Issawi , which triggered the fire of objections against him this time in Anbar governorate
Improvisational acts of Al - Maliki and his team made him besieged from all sides and forced him to engage in
concessions he seeks to minimize its losses and not to push him away out power under the pressure of the street and
fearing of bearing the responsibility of leading Iraq in wide tunnel of
disorders that some consider signs for a coming Iraqi spring while others link it to what is happening on the Syrian
arena and concerns of the extension of the Syrian crisis to Iraq . Al - Maliki fears were supported by the entrance of
Muqtada Al - Sadr on the protests witnessed by the Governorate of Anbar , urging the government to rectify its policy and
not to marginalize Iraqi factions to the expense of another faction fearing the upcoming spring .
Why are you rest on a chair and seek dictatorship?
You have seen the fate of dictatorships, aren't you afraid of the Arab Spring ?
Hassan Fahes , Al - Arabyia .
To talk about this file we have in the studio Mr.
Ayad Jamal Al - Din , the Iraqi politician and from Baghdad Saad Al - Matlbi , a member of State of Law Coalition, I will
start with you Mr. Saad
Al - Maliki has to realize that the Iraqi government is not Shiite only, but the government is for all Iraqi factions and
has has to be cautious of an Iraqi spring just as happened in Arab countries. These statements are not
from the Leader in the Kurdish coalition, not even of the Iraqi list, but it is from Muqtada Al - Sadr , the well-known
Shiite leader and political ally, how do you respond State of Law Coalition?
In the name of God the compassionate, the merciful.
Certainly, the government is a government of national
partnership and his eminence Mr. Muqtada Al - Sadr has six
ministries in the Iraqi government and what is right that
every four years we have an election spring in Iraq , and
this Arab spring
electoral one , we call for presenting it and Maliki called for early elections so that they would be a radical solution
for prevailing problems and for the deliberate crisis our partners have unfortunately created
but the government is proceeding with its work, the Iraqi state is forging ahead with its work, with solving crises,
with dismantling crises and finding suitable solutions. As for what Moqtada el- Sader said
it comes as part of the early elections' campaign he called for and it is of his right to urge followers and the Iraqi
people to start preparing for the upcoming elections. This is a natural right but the entire issue
in my opinion, did not come out of the normal interpretation of events, and the government, as he Sir said, is a
government of a national partnership shared by all the Iraqi people components and there is no monopoly
to power from a group over another. Ans speaking about this matter, also speaking about the ration card when
some Ministers, including Ministers of the Sadr movement, tried to replace the ration cards with with cash, it was a
suggestion of the Kurdish Minister, the Trade Minister. And the proposal was approved by 6 Ministers of Sadr movement
and it is their number in the Cabinet, so it is normal, and there was no cancellation of the card but a replacement with
the words with cash. In any case, I mean, this is part of the early elections' campaign
And these calls are normal in an electoral atmosphere that might debut early in Iraq . Well, Sir Iyad , a deliberate
crisis and an electoral spring , is this
what is happening in Iraq . What is happening in Iraq is a general and conclusive state of tension on all aspects of the
political process. There are confusing and scary things in the country. When Mr. Tareq Al Hashemi
was accused of terrorism and is sentenced to the death penalty, we did not hear any condemnation from the Iraqi side
including the speaker of parliament
and the VP of the prime minister and several ministers, knowing that when a concierge of one of the ministers is
arrested, nothing stays in place and the street is incited and all rules are violated. I don't understand this
an Iraqi leader from the Iraqi list and from the Sunni leaders is driven into the night outside Iraq and there is no
protest from the Sunnis or the Iraqi list. There isn't even a condemnation statement or objection
They dug their heads in the sand like ostriches, and when a concierge is arrested, nothing stays in place, international
roads are closed and we hear threats. Why do you think this is happening?
Why is Al Maliki targeted specifically? Al Maliki is a person, not a god with angel companions like Gabriel and Michael .
The majority in the cabinet are Kurds and the Iraqi list and Sadrist movement
if they withdraw, Al Maliki will fall without need for a parliament and without need for voting for a parliament. They
are the majority in the parliament, and so is the case in the cabinet. So, the issue is about political interests which
they use to play with the fate of people
Who pays the price of this tension? Falougha , Ramadi , Hulla
and Basra inhabitants, these the ones paying, they fear Al
Maliki
because Al - Maliki is dealing with professional political lowness. He has a lot of files
We just want
to interpret the word "lowness" in order not to be misunderstood.
No, I will clarify its meaning.
He has a lot of corruption files in Baghdad and outside Baghdad , and he moves and directs these files with high
professionality
I mean, today he may move a certain file against a specific minister. And keeps directing every now and then a
corruption or terrorism file and so against any of the ministers
At that time , that minister or official shall seek the help
of his sect.
So if he moves against one of Muqtada Al - Sadr's group, the
Shiites will be targeted and if he moves against a corrupt
Kurdish minister, the Kurds will be the targeted
And the Sunni has became subject to extortion. This is a real tragedy. Now the whole world see that Iraq will collapse
In fact, if the Iraqi list or Mr. Rafi Al - Isawi has a right, then they have to withdraw
to preserve their dignity. Consequently, we will not hear or
see something called " Al - Maliki " on the premiership. They
will be his partners.
They should not confine their differences in the Council of
Ministers and in the Council of Deputies
And they should not extend their differences to the street
and cause more bloodshed and sectarian tension in Iraq and
the region.
OK, Mr. Saad , we will not use the term political "lowness" but let's say
political cunning by the Maleki against his opponents and
files that he can use whenever he wants. Is this what Maleki
is currently doing?
Well I also have reservations concerning this sentence
of his eminence Sayyed . Since he is an expert in the Arabic langugae, he could have used a better word. Anyway, what
happened and is still happening in Al Anbar ,
in specific: there is a party called the Islamic party. The
latter lost a big part of its popularity in areas where it
has a great power
istorical, which is the governorate of Al Anbar . This party
started reconsidering its decisions and after the failure of
the Iraqi list in the project that it promised the voters
about, that is the national project, after its significant
failure
in implementing its promises and cooperating to formulate laws aiming at serving the Iraqi civilian. Moreover, after the
refusal of the Iraqi street and especially the Sunni one that suffered a lot as a result of the
regional Kurdistan trespasses of their regions, and after
the silence of the parliament members of the Iraqi list
regrading the Kurdistan trespasses, the Arab street started
losing trust in the Iraqi list. The Islamic party reopened
the sectarian file once again
and as his eminence said, through detaining a janitor or ten
janitors and guards of the minister of finance Mr. Rafeh Al
Issawi ,
However, Mr.
Saad we used the term janitor and we mean the personal guard. This is what happened in particular with Al -hashimi and at
the end he was sentenced to execution in absentia.
If I have a personal guard and if I do not work on controlling
the bodyguards, they may commit some crimes. Then, I am in charge of their crimes because I am the one who gave them the
weapon, I am the one who gave them government cards and I gave them
the cars.
Therefore, each is responsible for his group and those were selected by his Excellency the minister and Mr. Tarek Al
Hashemi and he is involved. By the way,
to this moment , there is no accusation against his Excellency the Minister of Finance and the issue involves his
bodyguards. They confessed that they were conducting terrorist acts in cooperation with Mr. Hashimi's group.
So, this is all related.
All this group, of course, stems out from the Islamic Party . All those were leaders in the Islamic Party after there was
something like a play and they left
from the Islamic Party . But all guards are linked in this group with those Iraqi figures. They belong to the so-called
Islamic Party or cadres of the Islamic party.
Therefore, the Islamic party's re-raising the issue of sectarianism again, has a great harm to the Islamic party,
Sunnis , Shiites and to the Iraqi national unity. Mr. Al - Maliki
is very concerned and we are all concerned in a unified Iraq with Iraqi people. We do not want to harm neither the
Shiites nor Sunnis . We are working to build a state, a citizenship state and nation-building has turmoils.
We are now amid a very tough turmoil because others want to
build a state of parties so that these parties can go on
stealing the national budget. Mr. Adnan , we do not want to
turn this discussion into a premature political
advertisement. Let me
move to Mr. Iyad Jamal Al Din Al Maliki . Has Al Maliki become a scapegoat for any political dispute in Iraq ?
The fact is that
Al Maliki is not strong enough, but his opponents are fighting and they are weak and corrupt. That's why he is the
strongest among the weak. Since the latter
are, I mean I am thinking about a person who has 40 deputies like Muqtada al Sadr and 6 ministers, there is no need for
him to appear before a press conference and talk to the press and media
a person who does not have anyone in the parliament or a minister to talk for him. You decide. Sadr , withdraw your
ministers and deputies and Al Maliki will fall . Why should we accuse Al Maliki if winter falls upon us and the water
overflows and the ministers of service
are all in the Sadrist movement and come out to insult Al Maliki . If anybody commits a crime and they don't know him,
what would they say? Who made Al Maliki prime minister? It's the Iraqi list
92 deputies in the parliament were given the choice: Do you want the prime minister position or the speaker of
parliament of the VP of the president or the VP of the prime minister? They said no, we do not want these 3 and we do
not want
this. They are the ones who made Al Maliki prime minister and they are partners in this matter. I am shocked to see them
blame the government and one person who is Nouri Al Maliki only as if the rest are all innocent and have no relation
truth is that I heard the words of this dear brother from
Baghdad , and the Islamic party, there is now a certain
mobilization in the entire region
from Turkey to Syria , Gaza , Egypt , Libya , Tunisia , Morocco
and there is a conflict on Syria also in order to complete
the empire
of the Muslim Brotherhood, and there is also a branch for them in Iraq . Now the Muslim Brotherhood, instead of being an
Islamic party has become a Sunnite party, which leads to
in fact well now my heart goes to my country, Iraq , due to the possibility of an inter-Muslim strife
But sir Iyad there are those who do not agree with you
and the proof are the statements of Muqtada Al -sadr, what does he say? When he said that he supported what was happening
in Anbar of demands, but without raising the pictures of the former regime, this is what al- Sader said
But unfortunately, Anbar residents do not believe him and do not buy him
at all and do not mind his words. Muqtada Al -sadr has his deputies and Ministers and the Iraqi List also has MPs and
Ministers and their Kurds allies. Masoud Barzani stated that he supported the protesters, this talk
does not feed us! You are the majority in the Cabinet and you are the majority. Deliver us from Maliki ! Bring in someone
else! The Shiite authority in Najaf is now against him, Moqtada Al -sadr is also against him, the Iraqi list is against
him, Masoud Barzani and the Kurds are against him. Well then who is left?
Actually, this is an important question and I will convey it
now to Sir Saad . Sir, how could Maliki maintain his post
within all of the
these differences?
In fact, the Iraqi people wants Al - Maliki . Only in Baghdad ,
there are six hundred twenty five thousand people who voted
for Al - Maliki .
If we have a presidential system, Mr. Al -maliki would have
been the president.
Everyone respects the integrity of Mr. Al -maliki
All those politicians including Mr. Iyad and those who we
know personally, cannot take and fill the place and position
of Mr. Al -maliki
Mr. Al - Maliki a fair national figure, struggling in the process of rebuilding the Iraqi state. Unfortunately, the
partners and allies left him alone to fight for a unified Iraq
to fighting for a unified state. The evidence is having many enemies. If he was weak or tolerant,
on the interests of Iraq , they would have been pleased from him. If he had paid the oil money to Masoud Barzani , and if
he granted what Iyad Allawi wanted and other they would have been pleased from him and things went on normally.
But Mr. Al - Maliki insisted to be with the right and that the
Iraqi people today , and everyone knows that any of these
movements that they are doing
which calls to withdraw confidence from the government, or the collapse of the Iraqi government, this will bring the
issue of elections and now , today , everyone fear election because their pages are black and they know well that people
the majority of the Iraqi people will support Mr. Al Maleki and his party.
Then the Iraqi people want Al Maleki and hes is the only one calling for the unity of Iraq
and no one can take his place, do you agree with this?
As Maleki won by an acceptable number of votes, Iyad Alawi also won ,
as well as the Iraqi list, the Kurds, and Mr. Muktada Al
Sader . They also have votes.
Brother Al Mettalebi and Mr. Maleki
and all say that Mr.
Isteftani is above orientations and directions, and that the Iraqi people are with Mr. Isteftani's stances and
references against Maleki .
This thing can neither be hidden nor kept unspoken of.
The reference against Mr. Maleki , Mr. Muktada Al Sader and the higher council should not be neglected.
it is a very cold political relationship with the political
ally.
It is a cold relationship which means he is not a first
degree ally
for the Kurds and the Iraqi list.
The secret of Al Maliki's persistence is that these are fighting and opposing parties and most of them have issues.
These files are in the possession of Al Maliki and he moves them
whenever the political factional or personal or international interest arises. That's why, I call on the Sunni, Shiite
and Kurdish Iraqi people from all sides not to get carried away with the calls and cries of politicians
Because tomorrow they will reconcile and sit and talk, but innocent people would be and they will lose their jobs.
Therefore, I call upon the Iraqi people to remain calm and leave the politicians solve their problems in the parliament
and government department only.
Mr.
Iyad Jamal Al - Din , the Iraqi politician, thank you very much and thank you also to our guest from Baghdad , Saad
Al - Matlabi , member of state law coalition. Tonight's panorama came to its end, thank you for watching. Goodbye.