Middle East

Palestinian Authority: Notorious security unit will be dismantled

By IBRAHIM BARZAK - Associated Press Writer - 11/28/04

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian Authority said Saturday it will disband a small security unit tainted by accusations of abuse, an initial step toward reforming its bloated network of overlapping and competing security forces.

Palestinian reformers, as well as Israeli and U.S. officials, have long demanded a major overhaul of the Palestinian security services but faced stiff resistance from Yasser Arafat, who used the bloated security network to maintain his hold on power.

The stalled U.S.-backed ‘‘road map'' peace plan also called for a restructuring of the forces but coupled that with a call for a crackdown on militant groups, a demand the Palestinians have opposed, saying it could spark a civil war.

Since Arafat's death Nov. 11, his successors have taken steps to restore confidence in a Palestinian leadership long accused of corruption, calling for elections to choose a new leader and promising to be more open and accountable.

As part of that effort, Palestinian Preventive Security chief Brig. Gen. Rashid Abu Shbak said Saturday he would abolish the Gaza Security and Protections unit — nicknamed the ‘‘death squad'' by Palestinians — in the wake of accusations that some members abused their powers and used intimidation to rule the streets of Gaza.

‘‘We are facing a new phase and we must say farewell to chaos and to all those who cause it in the Palestinian street,'' Shbak said in Gaza City.

The 70-person unit was formed more than a year ago to crack down on militant groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and to track and arrest high-profile criminals in Gaza.

Instead, some members of the unit were accused of turning into criminals themselves, confiscating land, smuggling weapons and intimidating the general public with threats of violence.

The unit's members will be dispersed to other units in the security system, Shbak said.

Disbanding the unit was a relatively simple act. Merging and reforming the disparate security forces, whose rivalries have often erupted into violence, would be far more risky, pitting the nascent Palestinian leadership against angry security chiefs.

But demands have been increasing for such reforms, seen as a necessary step to instilling order in the Gaza Strip before Israel's planned pullout from the chaotic territory next year.

Shbak also announced plans to merge the ruling Fatah party's fragmented and decentralized armed militias, including the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a militant group responsible for suicide bombings and other attacks on Israelis. 28 November 2004.

BDWN

Kuwait, Iran panel to study continental link project

KUWAIT (KUNA): Kuwait and Iran said on Saturday it was important to carry on their joint continental link project, which will turn the two states into a bridge to connect the three continents of Africa, Asia and Europe. The project's higher commission approved, in a meeting held here Saturday, forming an ad hoc committee to conduct the relevant necessary studies, and exchanged views regarding joint developmental projects and investment opportunities for the Kuwaiti private firms in Iran. The commission is headed by Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, advisor to HH the Crown Prince for the Kuwaiti side and the Iranian Trade Minister Mohammad Shariat-madari for the Iranian side.

In his speech to the meeting, Sheikh Nasser said such a project opens the door wide for boosting trade exchange and economic ties between the two states on one hand, and between them and many other European, African and Asian countries on the other. He told a press conference that followed the meeting that the project will help link Kuwait to Iran's neighboring countries and vice versa. Shariat-madari, for his part, hailed the support Kuwait was lending to the project. He added that a new law on direct foreign investments issued in Iran has helped increasing investments from $2.2 billion to $5.7 billion. He also stated that trade exchange between Iran and Kuwait has jumped from $40 million a year to more than $180 million a year and hoped for further growth.

Kuwaiti Trade and Industry Minister Abdullah Al-Tawil who attended the meeting suggested the creation of a joint Kuwait-Iranian company to promote bilateral trade ties and pave the way for exchanging long-term investments. Al-Tawil has also suggested the creation of a continental link committee and the implementation of the economic cooperation committee and that the committee be headed by the trade ministers in both countries instead of the trade ministries undersecretaries. The Iranian side approved the ideas cast by the Kuwaiti minister. During the meeting, the Iranian side has also presented a comprehensive study on the continental link project and the potential benefits and difficulties. 28 November 2004. BDWN

Iraq's security forces target of brutal campaign

By MARIAM FAM

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The warning left in the garage of Omar Hameed, Iraqi National Guardsman, showed two bloody swords and a message: "If you don't quit your job in three days, you will be killed."

The next day, Hameed, still recovering from a leg injury after gunmen attacked his patrol, gave his reply in signs he hung in the market of his hometown of Mahmoudiya and on the street leading to his home: "I wash my hands of the Iraqi National Guard."

He said the decision to give up his job, which paid a relatively hefty $190 a month, was easy because he knew the alternative.

"They have killed many people," Hameed said. "They can reach you anywhere. They can easily break into homes to kidnap or kill you."

As the Jan. 30 election approaches, insurgents aiming to wreck Iraq's democratic transformation have been targeting members of the country's fledgling security forces with increasing brutality and precision.

Car bombings, mortar attacks and drive-by shootings have been followed by kidnappings, ambushes, executions and beheadings, with corpses dumped in orchards and on roadsides, sometimes laid out in rows.

The operations show enough sophistication and planning to raise the question of whether insurgents get inside help. Such attacks also continue to undermine efforts to build strong security forces - key to the exit strategy of foreign troops - and have cast doubt on the Iraqi forces' ability to protect themselves, let alone the country.

On Thursday and Friday, 32 bodies were discovered in the northern city of Mosul, bringing the number found in Mosul and surrounding areas to 52 since Nov. 18. At least 11 - nine of them shot execution-style - belonged to security forces. The rest have not been identified.

"It's a continued campaign of threats, intimidation and murder by insurgents to spread fear into the public," said Lt. Col. Paul Hastings, a U.S. military spokesman in Mosul. "Their campaign has been directed at what appears to be Iraqi security forces."

He blamed Saddam Hussein loyalists and Islamic extremists. Since an insurgent uprising in Mosul earlier this month that saw masked gunmen overpowering police and burning and looting some police stations, there had been "accelerated and very deliberate attacks on Iraqi security forces," he added.

Maj. Gen. Anwar Mohammed Amin, the senior Iraqi National Guard official in the northern city of Kirkuk, said the change in techniques showed a highly adaptable and astute enemy.

"They're smart people," he said. "They have planners and they have people experienced in the art of warfare. They make preparations, have weapons and the Internet."

To work around increased security measures, such as barricades around military bases to fend off car bombers, militants have turned to kidnapping or ambushing security forces, he said.

Insurgents also have been able to infiltrate security forces, buying or extorting information and tracking troop movements by monitoring their radio transmissions, he added.

Several police officers and Iraqi soldiers, in some cases senior commanders, have been arrested across Iraq for alleged insurgencies.

Soldiers returning home from base often are ambushed. Maj. Gen. Rashid Feleih, commander of a special police force dispatched to Mosul after the latest violence there, said insurgents sometimes have people waiting at bus and car terminals to monitor troops getting rides from there.

Last month, insurgents at a fake checkpoint stopped buses carrying U.S.-trained Iraqi soldiers and killed about 50 of them. Investigations were launched into whether the attackers got inside information.

Police have been attacked and dragged from their homes. During the past six months, 60 Iraqi policemen - not including Iraqi National Guardsmen and other security force members - have been killed in the Mosul area, Feleih said. 28 November 2004 BDWN

Dubai declaration

The Dubai Declaration also calls for more cooperation between the International Postal Union and ITU to support Arab countries in delivering electronic services to remote cities and towns to ensure right of every citizen to communicate electronically.

The declaration has also accepted the call of UAE Network Information Centre (UAEnic) for technical and administrative coordination between domain name registration centre in Arab countries with cooperation of ITU.

Such an initiative would help the countries in the Arab region to benefit from effort regarding Arabisation of domain names through participating in experimental projects in this area.

In conclusion, the declaration also stated that the Arab Region office of ITU will establish a task force to observe the execution of the recommendations of the symposium.

“It was heartening to see the intensity of debate which has been generated as a result of this symposium,” says Mohammad Hassan Omran, President & CEO, Etisalat.

“It has also provided a valuable opportunity for participants to explore the opportunities that eGovernment engenders as well as understand the technologies shaping this eGovernment rollout.

“I am confident this symposium will represent a landmark for the eventual success of eGovernment in the region and would like to thank ITU for their whole hearted support to this event,” he adds. 28 November 2004. BDWN

State warns; Suspect militant killed in Jeddah

JEDDAH (RTRS): Saudi security forces shot dead a suspected militant on Saturday in a clash in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, police and witnesses said. Witnesses said two people escaped, leaving rifles and ammunition in a car in the Jamia district of Jeddah where police shot dead another suspected militant earlier this month. A policeman on the scene told Reuters the dead man was wanted on security issues but gave no more details about the shootout, which took place early on Saturday evening. The Interior Ministry later released a statement which said a small amount of ammunition and money was found on the man.

"Security forces surrounded a car used by a wanted person, and when he saw them he tried to use a hand grenade in his possession, then died after being fired upon," the statement read on Saudi state television said. Saudi Arabia has been battling a wave of violence by supporters of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network. The US State Department said Friday the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and upcoming elections to determine his successor may create conditions that would affect the security of American citizens. A department travel warning said during the 40-day traditional period of mourning, large, unpredictable crowds may gather for prayers at sites in the Old City of Jerusalem as well as at local mosques throughout Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

"Both before and after Palestinian Authority elections, the possibility of mass demonstrations and unrest will continue to exist," it said. The warning was an update of previous advisories that urged Americans to depart Gaza immediately and to defer travel to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza because of the security situation. 28 November 2004. BDWN

Arab airlines to generate Dh44b in revenue this year

Dubai Sunday, November 28, 2004

Arab airlines will carry more than 42 million passengers this year, generating Dh44 billion ($12 billion) in revenue, said a top official.

Throughout the Middle East, passenger traffic at airports will increase to 137.6 million by the end of the current year from 119.4 million last year. The balance 95.6 million passengers, or 69.47 per cent, are being handled by non-Arab carriers.

Emirates airline generated Dh14 billion ($3.8 billion) in revenue carrying 10.4 million passengers during its 2003-04 financial ending last March.

Abdul Wahab Teffaha, secretary general of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO), said: "Revenue passenger kilometres (RPKs) have gone up by 24 per cent this year over the same last year. This is 60 per cent higher than the RPKs of 2000 and shows a resilent aviation sector which has withstood many challenges in the recent years.

"The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions in the global aviation industry. Fast-growing carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways are leading the regional aviation industry's growth. If everything remains good, we are looking at a 15 per cent growth next year over this year's performance."

About 23 AACO members carry 99 per cent of the 42 billion passengers.

Meanwhile, about 300 delegates from 31 countries representing 141 companies are participating at the Third Middle East Duty Free Conference which began yesterday.

Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Group, inaugurated the two-day event.

"The aviation industry in the Middle East is also undergoing major development and the increase of new airlines, including the low-cost carriers, is having a significant impact on the tourism sector in general and the travel retail sector in particular," Shaikh Ahmad said.

"The Middle East duty free industry continues to be the fastest growing in the world with most of the regional operators reporting record growth in 2004. This growth can be attributed in part to the global return of air travel to pre-9/11 levels."

Duty free sales across the Middle East is going up from last year's Dh2.92 billion ($795.6 million) to Dh4 billion ($1.08 billion) this year. This include Dh1.83 billion ($500 million) estimated sales at the Dubai Duty Free (DDF), No. 3 in the global ranking. Globally, travellers spend $20.5 billion at duty free shops.

Retail sales at the DDF represent about a half of the Middle East's duty free sales.

Mohammad Mounib, president of the Middle East Duty Free Association (Medfa), said: "Middle East is at the epicentre of global travel growth. Ten airports from the Middle East are within the top 100 airports in the world ranked by retail sales. Four of them are within the top 50 and proudly one of them (Dubai International Airport) within the top three." BDWN

Saddam supplies US secret weapon

November 28 2004 at 07:29AM

By Alastair Macdonald

Near Iskandariya, Iraq - Twenty months after toppling Saddam Hussein, American troops still battling his followers in the heart of Iraq's old arms industry are hitting back with a new weapon N ex-members of Saddam's special forces.

For five months, Iraqi police commandos have been based with United States Marines in charge of the region along the Euphrates river immediately south of Baghdad, which roadside bombs, ambushes and kidnaps have turned into a no-go area for outsiders and earned it the melodramatic description "triangle of death".

The performance of these police is a critical test of the ability of US forces to hand security over to Iraqis in order to meet their goal of withdrawing while leaving Iraq stable. U.S. officers in the area say they are increasingly optimistic.

"The hardest fighters we have are the former special forces from Saddam's days," Colonel Ron Johnson, commander of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, told reporters late on Friday.

Praising their local knowledge and fighting skills, Johnson singled out one man who fought against him at Nassiriya, the hardest battle of last year's brief war against Saddam's army.

"If I could have an Iraqi security force guy who's honest, reliable and dependable, it's worth five Marines," he said.

"They're aggressive, they're tough," said Captain Tad Douglas after a raid in the town of Latifiya on Saturday in which the bulk of his force was an Iraqi police "SWAT team".

"Ninety-five percent of our intelligence is from the SWAT," he said of the local knowledge that saw nine people detained.

"We have been living with them for five months. We've put a lot of time into working with them."

US raids to capture or kill insurgents are now mounted almost exclusively alongside commandos from the Ministry of Interior and a SWAT team from the provincial capital Hilla.

"Our goal since September has been never to go anywhere on our own," said intelligence officer Major Clint Nussbaum. "This is police work, not finding a tank battalion in the desert."

This week, Johnson has stepped up raids against insurgents in an operation codenamed Plymouth Rock, hoping to maintain pressure on Sunni insurgents in the aftermath of their rout at Falluja, just upstream of his area. More than 100 people have been detained in four days in night-time raids on their homes.

Of Johnson's 5 000-strong force in the region, which was once the heart of Saddam's arms industry and base of the Medina armoured division of the elite Republican Guard, 2 000 are Iraqi, the rest made up of Marines and 850 British soldiers.

At the Marine camp near Iskandariya, 50km south of Baghdad, the Iraqis are a clear presence, wearing the khaki jumpsuits of Marine scouts and almost ubiquitous black moustaches. Like special forces troops anywhere they are less than forthcoming about their work.

None were comfortable speaking with a reporter.

Iraqi forces in other regions have had mixed success. This month, thousands of police in the northern city of Mosul fled or changed sides when Sunni Muslim insurgents took charge.

Johnson acknowledges the loyalties of some Iraqis in his force may be divided but says they "want to be on the winning side" and is confident that, in time, US-led troops will end what he sees as limited and decentralised violence by at most a few thousand disgruntled Saddam supporters and local bandits.

Iraqi police here have stuck to their posts despite killings of comrades in bomb attacks and murders of off-duty officers: "They don't cut and run, despite their losses," Johnson said.

Citing intelligence that he says shows broad support for democracy, Johnson forecast local turnout of 45 percent or more at an election due on January 30 - despite probable violence.

Clearly exasperated by the "triangle of death" tag, he said: "I'm getting more optimistic every day." 28 November 2004. BDWN

Police to make statement 4 months after killing of judge

By Tsahar Rotem, Haaretz Correspondent, and Haaretz Service

More than four months following the killing of Tel Aviv District Court Registrar Adi Azar, police are expected to make a statement Sunday morning regarding developments in the affair.

Police were examining all possibilities in their inquiry into July's point-blank murder of Azar, the first judge in Israel's history to be murdered.

Shortly before 7 P.M. on July 19, as Azar arrived by car to his Ramat Hasharon home following work, a gunman fired three bullets - two to the chest and one to the head - at the 49-year-old judge.

The gunman immediately escaped from the crime scene by motorcycle. Shortly after 7 P.M., Magen David Adom paramedics pronounced Azar dead.

Azar is survived by a 22-year-old daughter from his first marriage, and two sons, aged 15 and 8, from his second wife, Bila.

"I am shocked to the depths of my soul," Justice Minister Yosef Lapid said. "This is the first murder of a judge in the history of the country, and this must provide us with food for thought as to where Israel's society is headed." Prime Minister Ariel Sharon expressed "deep shock" at the killing.

Azar was an acting judge set for a permanent appointment, and also served as registrar, a job that includes deciding which judge should be assigned to each case.

Some eyewitnesses to the crime told police that the assailant appeared to be dressed as a security guard, but no one reported hearing any shots, which may indicate the use of a silenced gun.

Upon hearing that the victim was a judge, police initially assumed that underworld forces had sought either to punish him for a sentence he had handed out, or to prevent him from handing one down in the future. However, police then learned that the only cases he had tried were civil complaints involving businesses and large sums of money. At least two of the cases involved plaintiffs who sued the Palestinian Authority and PLO for terror attacks in which people were killed, and twice he ruled in favor of plaintiffs to freeze the bank accounts of Palestinians. However, police and security sources downplayed a claim made by someone on behalf of the Fatah-affiliated Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade that it was responsible for the killing.

As a result, police were trying to be open minded about the motive, and were looking closely at Azar's personal life for clues of personal strife. A preliminary examination of police records indicated that no threats had been made against Azar.

Nonetheless, Tel Aviv police chief Yossi Sedbon, at the crime scene, said: "We cannot remember something as grave as this." The chief of security for the courts held an urgent meeting last night to discuss providing protection for judges.

Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak is set to meet Sunday with Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi and with court security director Eyal Raheli to discuss personal security for Israeli judges.

Up until this point, personal security for judges was provided within the confines of court facilities. Judges that received specific threats were also provided with personal security outside the court.

The Supreme Court president has a permanent security detail provided by the Shin Bet's personal protection unit. 28 November 2004. BDWN

UAE General Civil Aviation Authority awards Air Operator's Certificate to new private jet company, Elite Jets

Elite Jets, a newly established luxury private jet operator based at Dubai Airport Free Zone, has been granted an Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in Dubai, allowing the company to operate from Dubai International Airport.

The company, which is backed by experienced aviation industry players, will operate across a broad range of aviation activities comprising luxury private jet charter, aircraft sales and aircraft management. Elite Jets aims to broaden access to private air travel in the GCC and wider Middle East, by offering flexible and competitive services, focusing initially on the corporate sector.

The award of the AOC coincided with the arrival of Elite Jets' first aircraft, a 7-seater Beechjet 400A, which the company brought in from South Africa. Elite Jets will take delivery of two additional aircraft in 2004.

'Elite Jets aims to offer its clients flexible, private air travel options at competitive prices, based on four key principles – safety, luxury, privacy and care. 'Private air travel is not just for the super-rich; it can make very good business sense for companies with busy senior executives on the move. With the flexible fleet we are building, we aim to bring private air travel within reach of many more individuals and families in the region, by being price competitive, whilst still maintaining the highest levels of service, care and discretion and, of course, safety,' explained Mr. Paras Dhamecha, Chief Executive Officer of Elite Jets.

Elite Jets has brought together a highly experienced team of aviation and customer service professionals to create a new luxury private jet operator which also understands the importance of customer care.

'Our team includes aviation professionals – from airline heavy jet pilots to corporate flight operations managers, and experienced cabin crew –as well as skills in sales and marketing and the hospitality sector. We also have the backing of some of the most experienced and professional companies in the aviation industry. Together, this team is creating a unique range of services in private aviation in the region, operating across private jet charter, aircraft sales and fleet management.'

Elite Jets can help buy and sell new and pre-owned aircraft and, for existing aircraft owners, the company can offer a turnkey management service that completely frees the owner from the burden of operational management.

'By the end of 2004, we aim to operate a fleet of at least three business jets, allowing us to offer our clients a variety of flexible options and very high quality comfort levels, supported by highly experienced pilots and cabin crew. Our first aircraft, the Beechjet 400A, is a powerful, luxurious jet with plush interior club seating, which will operate on most major routes in the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-continent.'

Mr. Dhamecha added: 'Elite Jets is delighted to have been awarded the AOC and I would like to extend our gratitude to the GCAA for its guidance and support through the application process. We believe Elite Jets will make a significant contribution to the development of private air travel within the GCC and beyond, as well to the reputation of Dubai as the region's air hub.'

Elite Jets' founding partners are National Airways Corporation – one of the largest general aviation companies in Africa; Reef Aviation Group, established in 2002 to service royal flights within the GCC; and the Dubai based JML Investment Group.

28 November 2004. BDWN

50,000 vehicles sporting new-look coded registration plates

More than 50,000 Dubai vehicles are now sporting the new alphabet coded number plates from the free replacement programme launched in August.

Tasjeel sites at Al Ghusais and Al Barsha, the only outlets fitting the new plates, stayed open for most of Eid and drivers flocked in their hundreds to take advantage of the service. The 50,000th plate was fitted at the Al Barsha site during the holiday.

Tasjeel carries out vehicle testing and documentation typing while the police provide on-site registration. Private insurance companies also operate in the facility. The service takes the hassle out of testing and registration and has an average processing time of just 45 minutes.

The coded plates are replacing the old Burj Al Arab design and the A,B,C,D registration means motorists will be able to retain the same number for longer.

Hussain Sultan, ENOC Chief Executive and Board Member, said: 'As the 'Energy Partner of Choice', we are working with Dubai Police to have every vehicle in the emirate changed over to the new easy-to-read registration plates within one year.

'Only Tasjeel is equipped with newly adapted machinery, tools and dies to ensure that manufacturing a set of plates is quick, simple and convenient for our customers.'

Tasjeel services include the FixPlus on-site repair shops, service stations, StarMart convenience stores, insurance booths, typing counters, car wash, Quick Lubes, ladies waiting areas, mosque/prayer rooms and ATM facilities. The five Tasjeel Centres in Dubai have carried out more than 350,000 vehicle tests since the beginning of the year.

Tasjeel also offers an elite 'Al Sayara' door-to-door vehicle pick-up and delivery service. Within two hours cars are picked up, tested and registered and delivered back to owners. An 'Express' fast-track service has also been introduced to selected sites where service agents take over the testing and registration while customers relax over a complimentary drink in a lounge-style waiting room. The Tasjeel MVIS, a mobile testing unit can come to a customer's garage and conduct testing and registration, as well as issue new number plates.

At the Tasjeel site in Al Aweer, customers can test their cars before selling them at Dubai Municipality's used-car auction center. 28 November 2004. BDWN

Sunni Insurgency Continues in Iraq

In Iraq, military and political insecurity remain the order of the day after the Iraqi government brushed aside demands to delay the Jan. 30 election.

The Sunni insurgency is creating conditions that make it too dangerous to hold elections. But only after elections can the country deal with the insurgency on its own terms. It's clear why even moderate Sunnis are pushing for a delay. Whether through fear or boycott, Sunnis are going to lose big if elections take place.

It's too dangerous to campaign, too dangerous to go out and vote. The surge in violence is proof enough that insurgent attacks are aimed at postponing elections. But Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's spokesman says the government is sticking to schedule.

Thair al-Naqeeb, spokesman for Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, said, "He understands the insistence of other political parties for holding elections on time."

Those other parties -- namely the Shiite majority -- say any delay of elections should be considered illegal. The UN mandate, they say, stipulates elections should be held at the end of January. Sunni insurgents, it seems, are going to fight tooth and nail to make sure the elections are a farce.

The question is, does the Iraqi government want to face daily violence this week, in January or six months down the line? 28 November 2004. BDWN

Palestinian issues must be tackled

Arafat symbolism strong, but struggle goes beyond him

By Sam Bahour

AL-BIREH, West Bank — The Palestinian struggle for freedom and independence is larger than the late President Yasser Arafat. The symbolism that Arafat embodied should not be underestimated. It is this symbolism that Palestinians are mourning.

The substance of Arafat's symbolism has to do with how it has represented Palestinian nationalism and the five-decade struggle for justice for a people dispossessed in 1948, militarily occupied in 1967, attacked while in exile in 1970 in Jordan and 1982 in Lebanon, and, most recently, battered in their own homes in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

A spectrum of opinions about Arafat, the man and the leader, will surely outlive the international flurry of media interest in his death. However, the world must be aware that the Palestinian struggle is beyond any single individual.

During the past decade, Yasser Arafat brought to the table something that Israel and the United States could only previously dream about: the single legitimate source for Palestinian political decisions.

Through his iron-fisted and highly centralized control of Palestinian decisionmaking bodies, finances and fighters, Arafat was able to coax his people into dealing with a new reality: the Oslo Peace Process, which he hoped would open the door for good faith from Israel and the United States. Arafat hoped that this process would end in a political solution resulting in two independent states living side by side, Palestine and Israel.

History has proven that Israel and the United States had other plans — the creation of a process that would, in and of itself, become the means as well as the goal. It was a process that would serve as the final nail in the coffin of the Palestinians' legitimate demands that international and humanitarian law be applied to their case.

Israel and the United States made a major blunder. They ignored that the "peace" that they had made was a peace between leaders, not between peoples.

Thus, as the United States and Israel unsuccessfully sought to twist Arafat's arm in the Camp David II talks, of 2000, they began a concerted campaign to discredit Arafat and pin the blame of the breakdown of talks on a single person.

Arafat was truly the shrewder politician. He knew that for a peace among leaders to be transformed into a peace among peoples, the real issues of the conflict had to be justly addressed.

Refugees, settlements, Jerusalem and statehood were not negotiating cards but, rather, the essence of the entire effort.

It is amazing how someone as "irrelevant" as Arafat was deemed, by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, could attract so much attention, even in death. The international media that flooded the city of Ramallah — Arafat's last place of refuge before being flown to France for medical treatment — were poised to analyze every minute aspect of his death and burial. What they have largely missed is the most important part of his legend: that the struggle for Palestinian freedom and independence, which Arafat symbolized, will not be buried with him.

After the tears have all been wiped away, the situation can take many shapes — the most likely being that the Palestinian leadership will be able to establish governing legitimacy. However, earning leadership legitimacy will take some time. Among the complications are that there are three Palestinian political bodies that must be addressed, since Arafat led all of them single-handedly.

The Palestine Liberation Organization will be the most difficult to address, since it represents all Palestinians worldwide and is the formal signatory to the Oslo Peace Accords, from which the Palestinian Authority was established. The PLO has not held elections for decades, and the basic issue of who is an eligible member of this body — as well as where their meetings should be held — will be internally questioned.

Additionally, unlike the Palestinian Authority, which is a rather new body and has been under tremendous international scrutiny, the PLO's inner workings and finances are a black box to many Palestinians — leaders as well as the masses.

The Palestinian Authority, being a product of the Oslo Peace Process, is solely focused on governing the Palestinians living under occupation. It is expected that this body, especially given a recently enacted Basic Law, will make a stable succession and continue to perform its duties. It is also expected that the international community will want to continue politically and financially supporting the Palestinian Authority, to avoid a social upheaval in the Occupied Territories, which would certainly turn toward the Israeli occupiers, as well.

The Palestinian Authority is the most likely venue for the first free and democratic Palestinian elections. The expected outcome will be a vision produced by a people who mostly know no other life than Israeli military occupation and the death and destruction that the Oslo process has brought them. Politically, this will create a more hard-line position toward Israel, albeit mixed with sober practicality.

The third body that the Palestinian leadership will need to address is Arafat's political party, Fatah. This will prove a long, drawn-out saga, since no one party member is privy to the decisionmaking process, finances and grassroots support. The one Fatah member who has the ability to rally the party is Palestinian Legislative Council member and Fatah Secretary Marwan Barghouti, whom Israel has imprisoned, along with 7,000 other Palestinians.

In light of the complex and sensitive situation that Arafat's death has created, it would be naive for the world — much less the new Palestinian leadership — to think that a quick political settlement could be achieved without addressing the core issues, once and for all.

To continue to force-feed Palestinians with half-cooked initiatives — such as the Unilateral Disengagement Plan, the Road Map, the Tenant Plan, the Mitchell Plan and the Oslo Accords — would be yet another wasted opportunity for the world community to resolve this conflict. And with every wasted effort, more innocent people will die — on both sides of the illegal Separation Wall that Israel is building on Palestinian lands and that has turned Palestinian cities into concentration camps.

Time will be needed as Palestinians prepare for long-overdue elections, the restructuring of their organizations, and the bringing to trial of those who have stolen or misused Palestinian public funds.

An Israel led by Ariel Sharon will surely do all in its power to make certain that the Palestinians fail in picking up the pieces since Arafat's demise. Thus, it is the responsibility of the international community to finally step in and perform its neglected role of protecting the militarily occupied Palestinians and demanding that Israel immediately abide by all the U.N. Security Council and General Assembly resolutions. The resolutions call for the real end of military occupation, not a redeployment ploy such as that being offered for Gaza in Israel's Disengagement Plan.

The United Nations should immediately convene to deploy multinational troops to provide protection to the Palestinian people, as stipulated for by the Fourth Geneva Convention, of 1949. 28 November 2004. BDWN

Kuwait to launch largest IPO for new petrochemicals company

KUWAIT CITY (Agencies): Kuwait on Monday will launch the largest initial public offering (IPO) in the country's history for the establishment of the Qurain Petrochemicals Industries Co, officials said on Saturday. Under the offering, some 990 million shares, or 90 per cent of the capital, worth KD 99 million ($336 million) will be sold to Kuwaiti citizens, said Petrochemicals Industries Co. (PIC) chairman Saad al-Shuaib. State-owned PIC has bought 10 per cent of the stocks of the company which has a capital of KD 110 million ($373 million). The National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) will act as lead manager of the offering, while Ernest and Young Consultancy will be the implementing manager. Shuaib said the IPO aimed at attracting more private investors into the developing petrochemicals industry in Kuwait. Qurain will in the initial stages invest in a number of existing petrochemical companies and projects and at a later stage could launch its own projects, he said.

Assigned

"Most of the capital will be assigned for investment in EQUATE Petrochemical Company, Kuwait Aromatics Company, and Kuwait Olefins Company," said Al-Shuaib noting that the set price is 103 fils per share. Al-Shuaib indicated that the company introduced three measures to include the private sector in activities related to petrochemical industries, such as allowing the private sector to participate in the company's projects, encouraging the private sector to develop small projects in the field of plastic and chemical industries, as well as supporting private projects in this field.

"Subscribing for Al-Qurain company is one of the company's means to implement its strategic plan that aims to expand the petrochemical activities locally as an initial stage, which began in 2001 and lasts till 2009," explained Al-Shuaib. Meanwhile, Consultant and Issue Manager and National Bank of Kuwait's Investment Banking Group General Manager George Nasra expected that the new subscription will prove extremely popular among all groups of society due to the company's guaranteed success in the future.

28 November 2004. BDWN

KPC strategy to cost over KD 20b

The Supreme Petroleum Council has approved Kuwait's oil strategy for the next 15 years, until 2020. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), the right arm of the Kuwaiti government, is to implement this strategy with its new corporate structure which was put into place at the end of September this year. The new approved oil strategy will cost over KD 20 billion for the next fifteen years. The main feature of KPC's oil strategy is to develop and reach a crude oil production target of 4 million barrels per day by 2020. The 4 million-level will be achieved over three stages, the first by 2005-2010 to reach 3 million, and the second stage by year 2015 to reach 3.5 million, and the last by year 2020 by reaching a consistent level of 4 million barrels per day.

The progression in increasing crude oil production is conditional upon developing the "northern oilfields" and it's the backbone of Kuwait reaching the ultimate target. Kuwait must explore and increase the northern oilfields and very quickly. The strategy also calls for a review of world oil demand and to explore the possibility of increasing crude oil production to 5 million barrels per day, subject to world oil demand. Asia will continue to be Kuwait's main market for crude oil, petroleum products and gas. Asian countries consume 70 per cent of Kuwait's hydrocarbons, Japan being its biggest crude oil market, and India and Pakistan its main outlets for gas oil and kerosene. China eventually will be one of the main consumers of Kuwaiti petroleum products. The remainder of Kuwait's oil barrels, 30 per cent will evenly be distributed between Europe and North America.

The other interesting feature of Kuwait's oil strategy is the expansion of the refining industry from its current capacity level of 920,000 b/d to one million barrels by the year 2010, and then to study the need to expand the refining capacity to 1.5 million barrels per day in the same year. The objective is to maintain Kuwait's policy of keeping a balance between direct crude oil and product sales - to be equally shared according to its present philosophy. The fourth refinery will be built in two stages; the first is to cater to domestic energy needs. Only after securing gas imports from neighboring countries, will the fourth refinery be converted into an export refinery, and by using the heavy Kuwaiti crude oils of 22-25 API, (High, and Hout crudes) refined into clean products meeting latest international market requirements.

Again the Asian market will be the main user and consumer of Kuwaiti petroleum products The other oil companies are set to cater to their requirement of securing markets and transportation. Kuwait Oil Tanker Company will increase and update its fleet by adding 9 other carriers of different types. Kuwait Petrochemical Company will invest about KD1.8 billion in a new venture outside Kuwait, the strategy calls for Kuwait Foreign Exploration Company to continue its current expansion plans and reach a constant level of production of 100,000 barrels per day by 2010, and to try to double that figure at same time, and to have oil reserves equal to 410 million barrels. The strategy calls at the same time for the company to work on privatizing a part of its activities and the private sector to be given the priority. No deadline was given for privatizing part of Kuwait's Foreign Exploration Company.

The oil industry in Kuwait is embarking on a new expansion with a clear set of guidelines and objectives with a capital of more than KD 20 billion for the next 15 years over all sectors of the industry, but the majority of the funds have been allocated for oil exploration, refining, and improvement and expansion of export facilities. These are very ambitious plans indeed for Kuwait's oil industry. We look forward to their implementation and financial reward. 28 November 2004. BDWN