FRONT PAGE I TABLE OF CONTENTS OF MAY ISSUE I COMMENTARIES AND ARTICLES I USA NEWS I WORLD NEWS I MIDDLE EAST NEWS I  NEW YORK SCENE I LIFESTYLE I PEOPLE, SOCIETY  AND EVENTS I ARTS I ENTERTAINMENT I CULTURE I BOOKS I MUSIC AND CDs I EVE WORLD I LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I PERSONAL HISTORY  I APRIL ISSUE I MARCH ISSUE I  FEBRUARY  ISSUE I JANUARY ISSUE I  CONTACT I EDITORIAL STAFF I SUBSCRIPTION I TO ADVERTISE I

New York Monthly Herald. May 2006 Issue P. 1                                                                                                                                           Continues on page 2

Middle East News

A chronology of the kidnapping of four peace activists in Iraq.

October 2002: Christian Peacemaker Teams sets up in Iraq six months before the U.S.-led invasion.  Nov. 26, 2005: Canadians Jim Loney, 41, and Harmeet Sooden, 32, and Briton Norman Kember, 74, and American Tom Fox, 54, are kidnapped in Baghdad by a group calling itself Swords of Righteousness Brigades.  Nov. 29: Christian Peacemaker Teams blames the kidnappings on the U.S. and British invasion and occupation of Iraq. The four hostages are shown on videotape broadcast by the Al-Jazeera news network.  Nov. 30: The influential Association of Muslim Scholars calls for hostages' release.  Dec. 1: Families and friends of hostages plead for their release.  Dec. 2: Al-Jazeera broadcasts a second video in which kidnappers threaten to execute the four hostages unless all Iraqi prisoners in U.S.-and Iraqi-run detention centres are released by Dec. 8. Prime Minister Paul Martin promises all federal government resources to secure the release of hostages. Deadline subsequently extended to Dec. 10.  Jan. 28, 2006: Al-Jazeera broadcasts videotape showing four activists with warning of "last chance" for authorities to release Iraqi prisoners.  March 7: Al-Jazeera broadcasts new videotape showing three activists apparently calling on their governments to help them. Fox is not seen in the video.  March 8: Fox's body is found in Baghdad.  March 23: The three remaining hostages - James Loney, Harmeet Singh Sooden and Norman Kember - are freed by a military operation conducted by multinational forces in a town north of Baghdad.

Hamas MP Asserts Government Formational Declared Before End of the Month

Photo: Salah Bardaweel

The spokesman for Hamas movement's parliamentary bloc Salah Bardaweel asserted that the next government formation will be declared before the end of the current month, while another member of parliament added the shape and time of declaring the government will be determined this month.  Bardaweel added on Sunday that "we sent messages to all the blocs and parliamentary lists we met with, and attached Hamas' political platform and common grounds agenda," pointing out that these blocs and lists will have two days to discuss these messages before the comprehensive meeting of all the factions on Monday, which will formulate the final stances towards participating in the coming government or not.

 

the color greenThe Hamas MP noted that both Abu Ali Mustafa List, representing the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Independent Palestine List headed by Mustafa Barghouti, are the closest to joining the government, adding that there are some agreement with Al Badil List, which represents the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Palestinian People's Party (PPP) and Fida Party, to join as well. With regards to the participation of Fateh movement in the government, Bardaweel hinted some differences between his movement and Fateh, which he referred to the differences in the political platform of both movements. On his part, Hamas MP Yehya Mousa asserted that the meeting with the Palestinian factions on Monday will decide the exact time and shape of the declaration of the government's formation. " The movement [Hamas] has presented the government's program, and we await the remarks of the factions, then the formation of the government will b decided whether it is a national coalition government or a Hamas-led one with some factions and independents," Mousa said. Mousa further commented on the news reports about the complications in the commission letter given by President Mahmoud Abbas to the Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyya, by saying that the complication is related to the new Palestinian political system, which is a two-headed system of the presidency with its political system and the government in its different political platform. "I believe the movement has offered what is related to it, especially in the political aspect, which doesn't defer from the statements of the politburo chief Khaled Mashaal." Mousa maintained that the next government will deal with the political agreements signed by the Palestinian National Authority or the Palestinian Liberation Organization with Israel, to the extent that serves the interests of the Palestinian people.

Qatar to donate 100 military vehicles to the Palestinian Authority

ABU DHABI, UAE- Qatar has decided to donate 100 military vehicles to the Palestinian Authority. Qatari Emir Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani directed the military to export 100 surplus combat vehicles to Palestinian security forces. A government statement said the donation was meant to bolster PA police and security agencies. The statement, issued in September 2005, did not identify the type of military vehicles for transfer to the PA. Qatar has a range of armored vehicles from such suppliers as Britain, Egypt and France. Industry sources said the most likely vehicle to be sent to the PA was the VAB armored personnel carrier. Qatar has more than 130 such APCs, obtained in 1978 and which contain mortar carriers and anti-tank guided missiles.