NEW LEADER FOR EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT AGREES

Sarkozy to cut free markets clause from EU treaty
22.06.2007 - 09:24 CET | By Lucia Kubosova

As a surprise by-side move in the debate on revising the EU constitution, French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he has secured the scrapping of a crucial competition clause from the bloc's new treaty, with experts concerned it could undermine Brussels' powers against protectionism and monopolies.Speaking to journalists after the first session of the European summit on Thursday (21 June), Mr Sarkozy said that his demand to drop a reference to free and undistorted competition from the list of the union's objectives received a positive answer from Germany's Angela Merkel.There was some play on that, but today's presidency document satisfies our demand, he said, according to Reuters.

The competition clause had been mentioned in the European treaties since the very first founding document was signed in 1957. Officials and experts now fear its loss could weaken the commission's role as an antitrust watchdog and a controller of national champions.The French delegation also tried to change the wording of the goals of the European monetary union, by highlighting an objective on securing economic growth while dropping a reference to price stability.The move corresponds with Paris' long-standing criticism of the European Central Bank policy, which has been raising interest rates to curb inflation while keeping the euro strong compared to the US dollar, harming French exporters.EU diplomats suggested the fiscal change is likely to meet strong opposition from Berlin and other member states, according to the Financial Times.In another potential change in economic policies, EU leaders appear ready to back calls led by the Netherlands to strengthen the protection of public services from single market liberalisation pressures.

ARE THE FEDS DOING ENOUGH TO PREVENT A CATASTROPHIC ATTACK?
By Joel C. Rosenberg

(WASHINGTON, D.C., June 21, 2007) -- On April 30th, I wrote a weblog column entitled, Nuclear Attack: How Real Is The Threat? Ex-CIA Chief Says Its Al-Qaeda's Top Priority.In the piece, I quoted a number of analysts warning that it's not a matter of if but when that a nuclear, chemical or biological attack will occur inside the American homeland. Among them, I quoted Graham Allison, author of the book, Nuclear Terrorism, who has warned: If policy makers in Washington keep doing what they are currently doing about the threat, a nuclear terrorist attack on America is likely to occur in the next decade. And if one lengthens the time frame, a nuclear strike is inevitable. After I posted the story, I was contacted by a senior official at the Department of Homeland Security who said the statistics Allison cites were out of date. He briefed me on how much DHS has been doing in recent years to plug up the holes. He specifically pointed me to the administration's Container Security Initiative, as well as its Secure Freight Initiative, both of which represent dramatic increases in funding, manpower, technology and advanced intelligence strategies (such as the Megaports Initiative) designed to prevent any ship, truck or airplane from carrying cargo into U.S. territory that could have weapons of mass destruction inside. What's more, he noted that the administration's new budget also call for increases funding for these initiatives.

After reviewing this material, I thought it only fair to pass it on. I do believe the administration is taking large and important steps in the right direction. I think that more needs to be done, but so does DHS. Hopefully Congress will authorize sufficient funding to make our ports safe and secure. We dare not lose our focus. After all, all the intelligence we're gathering indicates that radical Islamic jihadists want to trigger a catastrophic series of attacks to cripple our economy and decapitate our government. As I continue to do research amidst writing my next novel, Dead Heat, I'll continue to update you on what I'm learning.

SAMPLE DHS BUDGET REQUEST
February 5, 2007

Priority: Continue to Protect our Nation from Dangerous Goods

We are aggressively working to improve maritime cargo security, including enhancing domestic and overseas container scanning. In addition, the Department is dedicating funding to improve technology and reduce costs to the BioWatch program, a key element in its comprehensive strategy for countering terrorism. The following initiatives are fundamental to the Department achieving our goal of protecting the nation from dangerous goods: Total funding of $178 million will provide for the procurement and deployment of radiation portal monitors, including next-generation Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP) systems. The requested resources will assist the Department in achieving its goal of screening 98 percent of all containers entering the United States by the end of FY 2008.

An increase of $15 million is requested for the Secure Freight Initiative that is designed to maximize radiological and nuclear screening of U.S. bound containers from foreign ports. Secure Freight includes a next generation risk assessment screening program and an overseas detection network, while merging existing and new information regarding containers transiting through the supply chain to assist customs and screening officials in making security and trade decisions.

An increase of $47.4 million is requested for the Acceleration of Next-Generation Research and Development program which will increase funding across multiple research, development, and operations program areas.

This Week with Rabbi Eckstein
June 21, 2007

Dear Friend of The Fellowship,

By now, you have all heard that the terrorist group Hamas has solidified its hold over the Gaza Strip. In the past two weeks, the fighting between Hamas and its rival Palestinian faction, Fatah, has reached levels that make the Palestinian-Israeli conflict pale in comparison. And it has shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that, despite their efforts to paint Israel as villain, the Palestinians are their own worst enemies.

In fact, fighting between Hamas and Fatah has been continuous since Hamas came to power in January 2006, despite numerous treaties and the forming of a Hamas-Fatah unity government last February. But last week’s events took the violence to a new level. On June 14, after days of fierce fighting during which over a hundred people were killed, Hamas claimed control of Gaza, declaring, The era of justice and Islamic rule has arrived. Violence and chaos erupted, as Hamas sought to wipe out every vestige of Fatah’s power in the area. The offices and homes of Fatah leaders were attacked and looted, and, in some cases, Fatah members were rounded up and shot in front of their wives and children.

Meanwhile, fearing a similar struggle in the West Bank, Fatah rushed to solidify its hold on the area. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, head of Fatah, announced the dissolution of the Palestinian unity government which most believe was little more than a sham to begin with and announced the formation of an emergency cabinet. He appointed a new prime minister of the emergency government, rounded up Hamas officials in the West Bank, and paraded heavily armed Fatah fighters throughout the area in a show of power meant to silence opposition.

Obviously, Israel is deeply concerned with these developments. Gaza, a haven for terrorists since Israel left the area in 2005, could turn into a true terrorist state. Rocket attacks from the area targeting Israeli cities like Sderot, which have been going on for years and have grown more frequent recently, could escalate even further. Israel’s im mediate tactic will likely be to support Fatah, seen as the lesser of two evils, against Hamas, which is more rabid in its hatred of Israel. But while this may be necessary in the short term, experience shows it is an extremely risky proposition. Previous efforts to negotiate peace with Fatah have failed, and given its corruption and sponsorship of terrorism, there is little reason to believe it will be a real partner for peace. The lesser of two evils, as one writer recently put it, is still evil.

Meanwhile, for those stuck in Gaza, there is truly no good solution at the moment. Palestinian Christians, in particular, are at great risk we know that, where radical Islam triumphs, Christians suffer. We see it in Saudi Arabia, where public worship by Christians is expressly forbidden by law, and severe persecution is common. We see it in Iraq, where radical Muslim terrorists have given Christians in some regions the option of either converting to Islam, marrying their daughters to terrorists, paying the jizya (an Islamic tax imposed on non-Muslims), or leaving im mediately with only the clothes on their backs. We see it in Iran, where the radical Muslim regime oppresses a tiny Christian population through a combination of harassment and close surveillance. Already we have heard from Gaza stories of churches being attacked, and of violence and intimidation being used against Christians. There is no reason to believe that they will be spared the fate experienced by Christians in other Muslim countries.

In the face of this desperate situation, I ask all of you to pray. Pray for wisdom for Israel’s leaders as they face the difficult task of securing peace and safety for their country, and for Israel’s people seeking to maintain normal lives in these difficult and uncertain times. Pray for Christians in Gaza and throughout the Middle East who live under terrible oppression. And pray that leaders throughout the world will take a stand for Israel against her enemies and those who seek her destruction.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

Fire-Fighters' Strike Douses Gay Post-March Rally
by Hillel Fendel

After rejecting three anti-gay-pride march petitions, the Supreme Court was finally forced to revoke permission for the homosexuals' post-march rally. The contrast in Jerusalem was vivid late Thursday afternoon, as on one end of the city, 3,000 religious Jews held a prayer rally, while 2-3 kilometers away, 2,000 others were showing off their sexual preferences. The Israel Broadcasting Authority's Channel One television news showed, for many consecutive minutes, a split screen with both events - a live depiction of the struggle for the spirit of Jerusalem, the world's holiest city.

The religious Jews recited Psalms and special Tikun HaKlali and other prayers, while the homo-lesbian marchers marched with signs supporting homosexuality. Media reports made much of the fact that 7,000 policemen and women were required to protect the 2,000 marchers. The parade ended, mostly uneventfully, after an hour. At one point, the march was stopped for several minutes after a disturbance caused by two men - dressed as marchers - who started insulting the gay parade participants.

A dramatic two days in the Supreme Court - Wednesday and Thursday - ended with what both sides called a victory. Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupoliansky, Trade Minister Eli Yishai and others filed suits against holding the parade in Jerusalem, but the Court rejected all of them, ruling essentially that freedom of expression overrides - in this case - the offense caused to public sensitivities. Today, on the day of the parade, a fourth, last-minute, suit was filed, claiming that because of the firefighters' strike and the resulting lack of Fire Department approval, the parade could not be held. The petitioners said that their own request to hold a parade of animals yesterday - equating bestiality with homosexuality - was turned down for a similar reason, namely, the lack of a necessary permit from the Agriculture Ministry.

Though the Jerusalem Open House (JOH), which organized the gay march, tried to get fire trucks from other sources, including the Jewish National Fund, they were unsuccessful. The Court then ruled that the march - a 500-meter affair along King David St. - could be held, but the gay happening to be held afterwards at Liberty Bell Park must be called off. Itamar Ben-Gvir and Baruch Marzel, who filed the suit, expressed their satisfaction, saying it had ruined the party and promising to continue their struggle until such marches cease.

Roads Closed, Some Arrests

Roads were closed in various areas of the city in deference to the march and the prayer rallies, and traffic jams began as early as the mid-morning hours. Twelve anti-parade protestors were arrested, police found one home-made bomb, and a hareidi-religious man was arrested as he tried to enter the Temple Mount, saying he wished to convert to Islam because the authorities had allowed the parade to take place.

Reflections

One hareidi-religious representative explained on Channel Two television that if we had wanted, it's clear we could have stopped the march by bringing out a million people. But we chose to take a more educational approach - and instead, the other side, by stubbornly insisting, at whatever cost, on provoking most of the city's sensibilities, became the 'non-enlightened' ones. A Jerusalem woman named Rebecca, who helped organize a petition that collected tens of thousands of signatures against last year's homosexual parade, said at the time, I want to make it clear that this is not a homophobic issue; if the Mardi Gras, a heterosexual event, were to be held here, we would object with the same vociferousness. The reason is because Jerusalem is the spiritual dimension of the world; it is a spiritual jewel to the world, and we don't want it tarnished... We want to show that the majority of the people in this city do not want sexuality paraded around without modesty or dignity. In addition, homosexuality in particular is not something that we want to see advocated in our holy city.

Andrew Friedman, writing for Ynet last year, said he asked JOH head Noa Sattah why her organization had not routed the parade through the Muslim and Christian quarters of Jerualem. We don’t want to offend them [the Arabs], she explained, to which Friedman responded, But many Jews are also offended by the march. Seems to me that means you are careful not to offend Arab residents, but feel it is your right to offend Jewish ones. Friedman wrote that Sattah's silence in response was deafening.

PM Olmert Sees 4-Way Summit as 'New Start'
by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz

Emphasizing that he prefers to see the positive side of the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday that his upcoming summit with Egyptian, Jordanian and Palestinian Authority leaders represents a new start in relations between Israel and the PA. The meeting between PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert on Sunday will be the first such meeting after the Hamas coup in Gaza. Also taking part in the summit at the Sinai resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh will be Jordanian King Abdullah II and, the host of the event, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

In his remarks, delivered at a gathering of the Keren HaYesod organization in Haifa, Olmert said that he would work together with the Arab leaders at the summit to create a platform for a new start between us and the Palestinians.The Prime Minster also discussed his meeting with United States President George Bush this week, saying that the US premier wants to realize the dream of the creation of a Palestinian state before the end of his term in office. To that end, we will have the support and involvement of the United States, he explained.

Regarding the Hamas takeover of Gaza, Olmert said, I prefer to see not only the dangers, but also the possibilities. PA Arabs outside of Gaza, he noted, see a new and better environment. Looking back over the difficulties of the past year in general, Prime Minister Olmert said, the final result has been the creation of hope and a new opportunity.

European Union Leaders Reach Deal On Reform Treaty - Update

(RTTNews) - Saturday, European Union leaders reached agreement in Brussels on an outline of new rules to govern the 27-member bloc, reports BBC.

The European Union announced a compromise to delay until 2014 a new voting system that reduces Poland's influence - the main stumbling block. Other proposals visualize a long-term president and a foreign affairs head.

The new treaty, expect to be finalized toward the end of this year, conserves much of the planned EU constitution, which was rejected by voters in 2005. The treaty will need to be ratified by each of the EU's member states, before entering into force in mid-2009. BBC's Oana Lungescu said, After two years of uncertainty, the road for EU reforms is clear.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the current EU president, said: We are very, very satisfied with what we have been able to conclude. Mrs. Merkel said the talks had been hard - with Poland, the UK and the Netherlands each steadfastly protecting their interests.

The chief difficulty had been Warsaw's demand to keep its voting power, which is presently almost equal to that of Germany's, even though its population is only half as large. The latest system - known as a double majority - will now be phased-in beginning in 2014 and fully implemented three years later. Under this system, a 55% majority of EU countries with at least 65% of the bloc's population will be required for a change to be approved.

The accord is also set to include most of the main points of the failed constitution, such as: a full-time president of the European Council - the regular gatherings of prime ministers and presidents; a new foreign affairs chief, with the profile and the budget to give the EU more clout on the world stage; fewer national veto powers and a slimmed-down European Commission from 2014.

Britain won changes, including guarantees that its employment and social security laws would not be affected by a European Union Charter of Rights and that it would not be outvoted on justice and home affairs questions.

The four essential things that Britain wanted in order to protect our position have all been obtained said Tony Blair at the end of his last EU summit as British prime minister.

Those were first of all to make it absolutely clear that the charter on fundamental rights was not going to be justiciable in British courts or alter British law. Mr. Blair also wanted to maintain national control over foreign policy, justice and home affairs.

The Netherlands, too, was satisfied that the role of national parliaments in Europe is to be strengthened and the criteria for new members joining the EU are included in the treaty.

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com


WELL THIS WILL LEAD TO AN EU PRESIDENT LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS MUST HAPPEN SO THE EU CAN SIGN A PEACE TREATY WITH THE ISRAELIS, ARABS AND MANY IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

EU leaders agree on foreign chief By Yves Clarisse and Niclas Mika
Fri Jun 22, 11:35 AM ET

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union leaders reached broad agreement on Friday on a single post to run EU foreign affairs, the first success at a summit on the bloc's future, but Poland held up progress towards a treaty to reform the Union. The leaders of the 27 member states agreed on the job title, role and powers of a High Representative of the European Union for foreign policy, defense and security, diplomats said.The post will combine the jobs of foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who does mostly crisis management, and External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who controls the executive European Commission's aid budget.

The new foreign policy chief would chair meetings of EU foreign ministers and head a combined external action service drawing on both national and EU diplomats, after Britain dropped its reservations on those points, the diplomats said.The provisional accord was reached on the second day of a crucial summit meant to launch negotiations on a treaty to reform the bloc's institutions, replacing the defunct EU constitution and helping the bloc face up to global challenges.German Chancellor Angela Merkel, hosting the summit, struggled to break Poland's resistance to planned changes to the bloc's voting system which Warsaw says would favor member states with larger populations and reduce its own influence.

Merkel met Polish President Lech Kaczynski three times in 12 hours to try to ease his concerns.We're working hard. The problems are not yet solved but everyone is trying, said Merkel, who also met the leaders of the other states with concerns over the treaty Britain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

Finnish President Tarja Halonen said she sensed progress.

I would say the atmosphere was today better...I am more optimistic now than I was this morning, she told reporters.Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said a lot of hard talking lay ahead: I still believe in an agreement but it will be a long negotiation.

WAR SUFFERING

Acrimony grew over Poland's repeated references to its suffering at the hands of Nazi Germany during World War Two to justify its opposition to the voting system. It says it would have a larger population were it not for heavy wartime losses.But Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the president's twin brother, was unapologetic. This is simply the truth. This is not about settling accounts with the Germans. This is about making people aware about a certain moral situation, he told reporters in Warsaw.

He reiterated that Poland would consider other options if there was no agreement on its proposal on EU voting rules.Backers of reform say a revamp of the EU's complex decision-making structures is needed for further enlargement of the bloc and to tackle challenges such as climate change.They say it will provide clear leadership, a stronger voice for the EU in the world and more say for European and national parliaments. Critics fear a dilution of national sovereignty. The treaty plan was salvaged from the EU constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005. Failure at the summit would deepen divisions in the Union. It could prompt a small group of states to press ahead with closer integration, leaving others behind, and make richer west European countries more reluctant to aid poorer newcomers.

POLAND ISOLATEDOVER VOTING SYSTEM

Nearly all the EU states favor a double majority voting formula requiring 55 percent of member states representing 65 percent of the EU population to pass decisions.
Poland has proposed an alternative under which voting power would be based on the square root of each country's population. This would favor smaller states rather than larger ones. A spokesman for French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he made a proposal based on the so-called Ioannina Compromise -- giving states just short of a blocking minority an emergency brake to postpone decisions and force more negotiations. But EU diplomats said Lech Kaczynski wanted those measures further tightened and proposed that existing voting rules be maintained until 2014 at least and ideally through to 2020.

Poland also sought pledges that EU countries would help each other in the event of energy supply crunches, a major concern given the bloc's dependence on Russian oil and gas imports. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the other leader who could scupper a deal, has said Britain will sign up to a treaty only if a list of demands are met. But other leaders say he has struck a conciliatory tone at his final EU summit.

Eighteen EU nations ratified the constitutional treaty, but even they accept it must be cut to allow France, the Netherlands and Britain to avoid referendums their governments might lose. Yet some key institutional changes are set to be kept, such as creating a president of the European Council of governments elected for 2-1/2 years instead of the current six-month rotating presidency which has grown unwieldy in the enlarged EU.