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News Center
Intro to News
Our News Center is updated on a bimonthly basis and provides five major news headings for the five major topics below. Each news heading will, in turn, have links to five news articles from different countries and varied political views, as well as short summaries of those articles, which will bring light to the discrepancies between the articles and inform our readers of various perspectives of a single issue.
News Center Disclaimer
K.E.P. does not endorse any views expressed by any of the news articles it presents. Our goal is simply to provide abstracts from a variety of sources, NOT to condone any particular view.
Focus: The Middle East
We've all found a passion within to try to affect the world in a positive way, and we're confronting what we see to be as one of the many problems. As our eyes brightened at the prospect of launching this mission, it was tempting to take on the whole world, quite literally, as we delved into the biases and misrepresentations that are given to us by media sources. Yet wiser voices prevailed, and we settled on a focus: the region known as the Middle East. This region has been and will prove to be quite the task in and of itself, yet our determination leads us to press on, looking for some semblance of a picture representing all sides, or at least as many as possible.
General Middle East
Israelis Accused of Training Colombian Death Squads
**NOTE** The only approved U.S. sources on the subject were from the early 90’s, regarding Klein’s first arrests and charges, and they were summaries or blurbs themselves, not full articles, from WRMEA.com (Washington Report on Middle East Affairs).
Source: Ynetnews: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3384413,00.html
Author: Unknown
Date: April 3, 2007
Summary:
Three Israelis, Yair Klein, Melnik Ferri, and Abraham Tzedaka, are wanted by Interpol for instruction in terrorism and criminal conspiracy, according to this article issued by the Associated Press and published by an Israeli source on April 3, 2007. They are accused of training the right-wing drug cartel armies—those of Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha—that evolved into death squads. Klein already has been convicted and punished for his part in selling arms to illegal Colombian groups and for participating in a Sierra Leon arms trade for blood diamonds. He claims that he was legally hired for security organization of the banana industry, and that he trained for defense only. His trainees were later used in the war Escobar declared on Colombia.
Interpol Searching for 3 Israelis Accused of Training Death Squads in Colombia
Source: IMEMC News: http://www.imemc.org/article/47664
Author: Saed Bannoura
Date: April 4, 2007
Summary:
This Palestinian article from April 4, 2007, written by Saed Bannoura using the Israeli news as his source, states that a warrant has been issued by Interpol for three Israelis, Yair Klein, Melnik Ferri, and Abraham Tzedaka, who are wanted for criminal conspiracy and instruction in terrorism. They are accused of training drug cartels, right-wing death squads, and the private armies of Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha, both drug lords. Klein already has already paid fines and served time for involvement in a blood diamond-arms trade in Sierra Leon. He claims to have been hired with the approval of the Colombian Defense Ministry to organize security for the banana industry, and that his trainees were trained not to kill, but to defend themselves. Escobar was behind military action on police and others.
Noir, Hiyam. “Israeli Death Squads—INTERPOL Arrest Warrant of 3 Israelis.” Urukunet.info. 5 April 2007. 05 pp. 17 April 2007. <http://uruknet.info/?p=m31905&s1=h1>
Israeil Death Squads—INTERPOL arrest warrant of 3 Israelis
Source: Uruknet
Author: Hiyam Noir
Date: April 5, 2007
Summary:
Hiyam Noir prefaces the Associated Press article with a quote from Rev. Ted Pike expressing his negative opinion of Zionists and war in the Middle East in this article appearing in an Italian source on April 5, 2007. The bulk of his article discusses Israeli Death Squads and their work: from those targetin suspected Nazi criminals from 1955-64, to those in the 1980’s targeting Palestinians, to their training centers for those in South Africa and in Honduras. He also discusses their arms trade, and their Iraqi and Iranian targets today, with United States involvement.
“Interpol Issues Warrant for Israelis Linked to Colombian Paramilitaries.” People’s Daily Online. 4 April 2007. 01p. 17 April 2007 <http://english.people.com.cn/200704/04/eng20070404_363674.html>
Interpol Issues warrant for Israelis Linked to Colombian Paramilitaries
Source: People’s Daily
Author: Unkown
Date: April 4, 2007
Chinese source People’s Daily Online reported on April 4, 2007 that five Israelis who trained peasants in Colombia, financed by and for the protection of drug cartels from rebel groups, are wanted by Interpol. Former drug trafficker Fidel Castano allegedly transformed this organization from peasant self-defense to a paramilitary force, which has since been dismantled and whose leaders are being tried. Klein’s right-wing trainees murdered four presidential candidates and 3,000 left-wing activists. Klein claimed that he had offered his services to the Colombian government to eliminate their guerrilla problems within six months. The Colombian government has been warring with guerrilla groups for 40 years.
“Israelis Accused of Training Colombian Death Squads.” Press TV. 4 April 2007. 01 p. 17 April 2007 <http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=4843§ionid=3510207>
Israelis Accused of Training Colombian Death Squads
Source: Press TV
Author: Unkown
Date: April 4, 2007
Three Israelis—Yair Klein, Melnik Ferri, and Tzedaka Abraham—are wanted by Interpol, for criminal conspiracy and instruction in terrorism, Iranian source Press TV reported April 4, 2007. They are accused of training private the drug cartel armies of Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez Cacha, drug lords, which evolved into right-wing death squads. Klein has already been convicted for selling arms to illegal Colombian groups and for participation in an arms-blood diamond trade. He denied working with drug cartels but admits to instructing the death squads. Escobar forged work in unrestrained violence unilaterally, and also declared war on Colombia.
Sub-topic: Pelosi’s Visit to Syria
Bellandi, Deanna. “Cheney Chastises Dem’s Trip to Syria.” Fox News. 13 Apr. 2007 The Associated Press. . FoxNews.com. 25 Apr. 2007 < HYPERLINK "http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Apr13/0,4670,CheneyVisit,00.html" http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Apr13/0,4670,CheneyVisit,00.html>.
Cheney Chastises Dem’s Trip to Syria
Source: Fox News
Author: Deanna Bellandi
Date: April 13, 2007
Vice President Dick Cheney believes that Congress members should leave foreign policy to the president and the secretary of state. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Syria has been condemned by the Bush administration because Syria is said to support terrorism, while Pelosi maintains that she was representing the USA in a beneficial way. This article points out that lawmakers from both parties visit the Middle East frequently, and visits to President Assad’s office are not unprecedented. Indeed some Republicans were in the region during the same time that Pelosi was. The Illinois Senator, Democrat Dick Durbin, claims that the Vice President’s comments were an effort to distract people from the fact that most Americans think that Bush and Cheney’s foreign policy isn’t working. The article ends by reporting that Air Force one hit a bird and that Cheney posed for pictures while his daughter got a doll for his granddaughter’s birthday.
Additional Article: Some of the same quotes were used in a related story, “Air Force Two Hits Bird Near Chicago.” The focus of the article was the Vice President’s visit, and only referenced his comments related to Nancy Pelosi in passing.
Eland, Ivan. “Ivan Eland: Kudos for Nancy Pelosi’s Visit to Syria.” Palestine Chronicle. 3 Apr. 2007. palestinechronicle.com. 25 Apr. 2007 < HYPERLINK "http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story-04030781244.htm" http://www.palestinechronicle.com/story-04030781244.htm>.
Kudos for Nancy Pelosi’s Visit to Syria
Source: Palestine Chronicle
Author: Ivan Eland
Date: April 3, 2007
This is an opinion piece by Ivan Eland. He criticizes President Bush on the basis of international policy and even speculates that Speaker Nancy Pelosi should have attempted visiting Tehran, Iran. The majority of the piece measures current US political leaders by Constitutional standards. The Constitution intended Congress to have more power in foreign affairs, while the President was the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, not the nation, and was allowed to welcome ambassadors. Now, because of court rulings expanding the President’s wartime powers, the President has too much unchecked power and Congress can ignore their responsibility and blame. If the President had been in line with the Constitution, he could have been happy that Pelosi was willing to take this chance.
Israelinsider staff and partners. “US Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Syria despite resistance from Bush.” Israel Insider. Apr 07. web.israelinsider.com. 25 Apr. 2007 < HYPERLINK "http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/11089.htm" http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/11089.htm>.
US Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Syria despite resistance from Bush
Source: Israel Insider
Author: Unkown
Date: April 2007
According to this article, Bashar Assad is a wicked enemy in President Bush’s eyes, while Pelosi viewed the meeting a way to further her “legacy.” From the perspective of journalists at the press conference meeting between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Bashar Assad, Pelosi smiled for the cameras and nodded in agreement, while Assad looked pleased to be meeting with “Bush’s most powerful political foe.” With Assad’s guidance, they ended up focusing most on the Arab-Israel conflict. Afterwards Pelosi seemed very hopeful about resuming the peace process between Syria and Israel. Assad was more than willing to help in efforts to recover three kidnapped Israeli soldiers on the condition that Israel set free its thousands of imprisoned terrorists. Pelosi attempted to justify her actions by emphasizing open dialogue. President Bush expressed doubts about President Assad’s response to the meeting because he has not acted after meetings in the past. Syria applauded Pelosi for defying the President and heads of US Administration in the Syrian times and through a veteran Middle East news journalist.
“Rep. Pelosi Breaks U.S. Ban, Meets with Assad.” Arutz Sheva. 4 Apr. 2007. A7 Syndications. IsraelNationalNews.com. 25 Apr. 2007 < HYPERLINK "http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/124259" http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/124259>.
Rep. Pelosi Breaks US Ban, meets with Assad
Source: Israel National News
Author: Arutz Sheva
Date: April 4, 2007
This news flash was issued April 04, 2007 during the hour that Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with President Bashar Assad. She defied the White House ban by communicating with Syrian officials and said she would discuss Syria’s support of terrorism. The Syrian Government newspaper is quoted; one visit cannot normalize relations between America and Syria, but the resulting dialogue is very important.
Additional articles: About 10.
A site search using the keyword “Pelosi” brings up a list of relevant A7 newsflashes. On April 1, 2007, Speaker Nancy Pelosi first said that she would talk to President Assad, concerning abducted Israeli soldiers. Various news flashes are available from the day that she visited Syria and the two following days. The last news flash related to this event was posted April 15, 2007.
“US Democrat Pelosi in Syria talks.” BBC News. 4 Apr. 2007. news.bbc.co.uk. 25 Apr. 2007 < HYPERLINK "http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6522743.stm" http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6522743.stm>.
US Democrat Pelos in Syria talks
Source: BBC news
Author: Unkown
Date: April 4, 2007
Speaker Nancy Pelosi relayed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s desire to resume peace talks and received similar statements from President Bashar al-Assad. She also talked with President Assad about Syria’s alleged support of terrorists and Damascus’ part in furthering peace between Israel and Palestine. The visit upset President Bush because it sends mixed messages about US foreign policy. The US government is not speaking to the Syrian government as part of an effort to isolate the Syrian President. At a press conference in Damascus after the meeting, Pelosi seemed pleased. She made statements indicating how hopeful she was about the resumption of the peace process; she had the opportunity to raise various terrorism related concerns. The article goes on to summarize relevant aspects of political relations with Syria.
***Additional articles: 2
The BBC provides a political profile for Speaker Nancy Pelosi found under the title “Profile: Nancy Pelosi.” BBC Monitoring also put together a collection of quotes from nine different Middle Eastern newspapers, titled “Guarded press welcome for Pelosi.”
Iran
Speaker Nancy Pelosi relayed Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s desire to resume peace talks and received similar statements from President Bashar al-Assad. She also talked with President Assad about Syria’s alleged support of terrorists and Damascus’ part in furthering peace between Israel and Palestine. The visit upset President Bush because it sends mixed messages about US foreign policy. The US government is not speaking to the Syrian government as part of an effort to isolate the Syrian President. At a press conference in Damascus after the meeting, Pelosi seemed pleased. She made statements indicating how hopeful she was about the resumption of the peace process; she had the opportunity to raise various terrorism related concerns. The article goes on to summarize relevant aspects of political relations with Syria.
Iraq
Israel/Lebanon
Israel/Palestine
OPEC/Economics
Brief History of Topic/Region
Lebanon:
Lebanon is a small country bordered by Syria from the north and the east and Israel from the south, as it embraces the Mediterranean Sea all along its west coast. It has been a crossroad between Europe, Asia, and Africa, becoming the gate of the west to the east. That has given Lebanon a cosmopolitan character and a multicultural legacy.
Lebanon has been a cradle to many civilizations including the Phoenicians, the
Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Crusades, the Mamluks, the Ottomans, and the French. These civilizations have been the reason Lebanon has preserved significances from the past, including cities that date back to 5000B.C. These cities witnessed the Phoenicians who were the first to sail and trade, the birth of the alphabet in Byblos, the first miracle of Jesus in Qana, the temples of the Greek gods, the Islamic architecture and influence, and the Christian influence residing in the caves and churches carved into the mountains, in the valleys, and on the peaks of the mountains. As for the western influence it’s still vivid in the daily life that the Lebanese live and has colored its Middle Eastern culture. Beirut used to be called “Paris of the Middle East”. The Lebanese people speak French and English fluently along with Arabic. The nature of Lebanon is known for its high mountains that are covered with snow all through the winter season, and its blue warm beaches that can be enjoyed during the summer. One can enjoy both the snow and the beach on a warm April day, where the mountain is not farther than 30 minutes from the beaches. Water in Lebanon is a priceless wealth and beauty: it comes out of the springs nestling in the rocks of the mountains, down through the valleys changing them from the deep valleys of skulls to the valleys of paradise, and ending up meeting with the waves hitting the sands and rocks of the shore. Lebanon enjoys the four seasons during the year, the green that is spread over a good portion of it, the proximity of everything as it is a country smaller than Riverside County, yet it misses the desert and all its related aspects.
What about living in Lebanon? You can choose to live either in the busy city that has a very modern, westernized, yet Lebanese aspect or in a calmer, slower paced village, modernized yet is more traditional, closer to the mountains and the freshness of the air and land. Wherever you choose to live, you’ll discover that the nights in Lebanon are never long enough. People walking by the beach, in the streets of Beirut or the villages, live music from different backgrounds, villagers playing games, international shows, festivals welcoming the dawn, performers from Lebanon and all over the world, all stop the night from sleeping.
The culture in Lebanon leans more towards a collectivistic culture. The religious diversity in Lebanon never was a factor that stopped the Lebanese from living together; on the contrary, diversity in Lebanon gave it its character. This character of standing together for the sake of Lebanon, fortunately, has been the character which overcame many struggles and challenges that faced Lebanon and the Lebanese. This character was the reason Beirut is called the Phoenix, as it’s one of the very modern cities that has several cities buried underneath. The reason I say that is the war that Lebanon has been witnessing. What was the war about?