Happy T-Day and hopefully a day off work. Myself, Mrs. Volleyboy, and volleyboy2 and volleyboy3 had a great dinner with family and friends and want to wish you all a great weekend of friendship and family. For our friends who follow Islam - blessed and happy adha celebrations
Ok, this is not much of a diary it is more of an open thread to exchange and talk about the Free For All that is M.E. and relations to the U.S.
Welcome to week Twelve!. Remember, this is like an open thread so just be cool.
Notice BTW, I use the word FRY'D DAZE instead of Friday... I do that because most of us are Fried after a long week at work. Some of us are fried because of the posting we do and/or both.
I want to try to do this on Fryday's as a way to get people to talk to about whatever comes into their heads regarding this.. Sort an open forum for people to meet... ask questions.
Follow Me
Ok thanks with thanks to Christopher Day who posted this the other day we have this video of kids presenting the first Thanksgiving.
http://www.babelgum.com/...
I don't want this to be a flame forum. Rather something that we can present articles to each other from sources in the U.S. and M.E. and discuss. It does not have to be just I/P. I can be about Lebanon, or Iran, or Saudi Arabia or what have you.
My first choice is from Ha'aretz (as usual):
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas dismissed an Israeli plan to temporarily halt new construction of West Bank settlements as insufficient on Friday, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose occupation rather than peace.
The Palestinian president said during his first visit to Venezuela that "we can't accept the current Israeli government's concept for the negotiations."
"We don't have any condition to restarting negotiations except the commitment of the two sides to the foundations of the peace operation according to the road map, and especially stopping the expansionist activities of the Israelis," Abbas told lawmakers, speaking through an interpreter.
He said Wednesday's announcement by Prime Minister Netanyahu of a 10-month halt to new construction in West Bank settlements "didn't bring anything new because the occupation is going to continue in the West Bank and in Jerusalem."
"The Israeli prime minister had to choose between peace and occupation. Abbas said. Lamentably, he chose occupation."
http://www.haaretz.com/...
At this point I am not sure where anyone is going here with this one - And what is said or settled today in the M.E. is often something different than what happens the next day so all I can say with this one is we'll see......
Our next story focuses on the never ending saga of Kidnapped Israeli Soldier Gilad Shalit. Every week for the past few months reports of an immeninent deal surface only to be dashed a few days later. This one seems more real but we have been there before so I (and others) remain skeptical:
Fox News reported Friday that a deal aimed at securing the release of captive Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit was close to completion, and that it will likely be carried out next week.
Shalit was captured by Gaza militants in a cross-border raid in 2006 and has been held in captivity for over three years. Hamas, the rulers of the Gaza Strip, have demanded the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel in exchange for Shalit's freedom.
Sources said Friday that talks aimed at advancing the deal would resume on Monday, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returns from his trip to Germany and the Muslim holiday of Id al-Adha concludes
http://www.haaretz.com/...
Finally, from Ha'aretz columnist Amos Harel something pretty much most of the left has been saying.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu owes much gratitude to the Yesha Council and the members of the rightist flank in Likud. Were it not for their public opposition over the past two days, someone might have suspected that the decision to freeze settlement construction permits for 10 months was an even smaller Israeli concession than it originally appeared to be.
There can be no doubt: Under heavy U.S. pressure, Netanyahu crossed an ideological Rubicon from his point of view. The announcement to freeze settlements joins the Bar-Ilan declaration, in which the prime minister agreed to a two-state solution. But in practice, analysis of the situation on the ground suggests that there will be nearly no change in settlement construction, at least not in the coming months.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
Again a wait and see moment in the M.E.
LET THE FUN BEGIN!