12th Herzliya Conference Addresses Challenge of Iran, Syria, Resistance “Arabs” Participate

By Abdul Nasser Fakih

"The Herzliya Conference", hosted by "the Interdisciplinary Center" at Herzliya in occupied Palestine; also one of the "Israeli" strategic security conferences and one aiming at assisting the enemy's entity to determine the present security risks and the means to face them, is being held on the 30th of January through the 2nd of February in occupied Palestine, where a big number of economic, military, and political Zionist leaders are participating, as well as international, influential figures including European presidents and prime ministers and senior officers of international institutions and organizations. Yet, it is significant that some Arabs from Qatar, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority (PA) are taking part in "the Herzliya Conference" and in normalization, therefore. This complies with a previous declaration by "the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)" concerning "an Iranian threat", which has matched with Zionist calls for the alliance of Arabs and "Israel" in confrontation with "an Iranian threat for both".

"Tahsine al-Halabi", a Palestinian political writer and "Israeli"-affairs researcher residing in Damascus, has spoken to "al-Intiqad" Website, confirming that "the major concern of "the Herzliya Conference" is confronting the axis of the resistance, whose power and withstanding are increasing upon its steadfastness." As well, al-Halabi points out, "The kind of Arab participation in the Conference is significant as it reveals the appearance of a new axis in alliance with "Israel" involving Doha, Oman, and Ramallah." The Palestinian writer also sees that "among the central topics of the Conference are: first, the effect of the economic financial crisis on "Israel"; second, "Israel's" current strategic asset with respect to the United States and the question on the continuity of the Zionist entity's protection for the US interests in the Middle East; third, Tel Aviv's and Washington DC's security, military, and political conflict with Tehran; fourth, the influence of the current evolutions, evoked by the so-called "Arab Spring" ("the Arab Awakening"), on the resistance movements (Hizbullah and Hamas)."

Al-Halabi considers that "the most significant urgency the Conference deals with this year is the means to handle the Arab evolution and the prospect on the Iranian matter." Then he talks about "an "Israeli"-US-European agenda, with which some Arab regimes familiarize in confrontation with Tehran." Al-Halabi warns that "the Conference aims at preparing the Arab wisdom to accept this familiarization." Besides, al-Halabi clarifies that "the participants' proposals and debates in the Conference are to recommend working for the promotion of a media plan executed by numerous Arab-speaking media." Al-Halabi points out that "this plan aims at addressing the public consciousness to view Iran as "the major enemy" and to promote a sectarian incitement; these are excellently two "Israeli" requests."

Now al-Halabi explains, "The Conference is handling the ways "Israel" can benefit from the Arab evolutions and diminish the consequent harms these evolutions inflect on the Zionist entity." Though al-Halabi says, "The Arab participants' role serves to promote the principle of "non-opposition" of the so-called "Arab Spring" and "peace" with the Zionist-Occupation entity," he notices "the apparent weakness in representing the countries of the uprisings, except Egypt, from which a participant is presented as an international character; that is, none of the Arab-uprisings countries dares normalize with the "Israeli" enemy in such circumstances." Al-Halabi denounces "the representation for Qatar by one of the figures when no direct normalization agreement with the Occupation entity exists; this actually signifies the presence of secret "Israeli"-(Arab) Gulf affairs."

In comparison, al-Halabi sees that Turkey "has taken no part in the Conference so as to guard its prestige and evade the accusation of participation in plotting against Syria." Al-Halabi considers that the participation of Jordan and the Palestinian Authority "is no more than a mere ornament for the Conference, and this makes "Israel" seem as it were adherent to "peace" and as if it were sustaining the negotiations with Palestine."

Now the Palestinian writer talks about the European participation in "the Herzliya Conference", revealing that "the purpose beyond this participation is the "Israeli" cooperation with the European governments to counter the activity of some non-governmental organizations in "the old continent", which are working for depriving the "legal and ethical legitimacy" of the Zionist entity." He adds, "The means to develop the European-"Israeli" relations are being debated in consequence with the recent political conflict between Europe and "Israel"."

Thereon, al-Halabi reveals that "the Turkish State has displayed a documentary film on the so-called "Jewish Holocaust" in parallel with the commemoration of "the International Remembrance Holocaust Day", which the United Nations held in the UN Headquarters in New York last Friday, the 27th of January." The Palestinian writer refers this act to "Ankara's will to lessen the pressure on it, which the Zionist Lobby has been creating through Paris consequently after the French Congress ratified a law that incriminated the denial of the occurrence of "the Armenian Genocide" ("the Armenian Holocaust") in time of the Ottoman Reign", pointing out that "this has been the first time for an Islamic state to display such film, and this hasn't evoked public agitation in Turkey since the public realizes that its government is suffering European pressure concerning the issue of "the Armenian Genocide"." Al-Halabi concludes that this pressure is one of the outcomes of the "Israeli"-European cooperation, for which preparations have been made in common conferences held earlier, including "the Herzliya Conference"."

Here are epitomes of the Arabs declared as participants in "the Herzliya Conference":

1. Prince al-Hassan Bin Talal: the Regent of Jordan since 1965 until his discharge on the 25th of January, 1999, and the youngest son of King Talal and Queen Zein ash-Sharaf. Western institutes describe him as "an outstanding Arab economist and intellect" as he is actively involved in international forums and conferences for economy and intellect, which twin with the Western ideology. He is making a direct speech via video-link in the opening of "the Herzliya Conference".

2. Dr. Saeb Erekat: Chief Palestinian Negotiator for "the Process of Settlement" with the Zionist entity since 1996 and senior member of the Palestinian-"Israeli" negotiations, which accomplished "the Oslo Accords" in 1993. On the 12th of February, 2011, he made his resignation to the President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas after "the Process of Settlement" had reached a dead end. Seldom has Erekat missed membership in the negotiations of Palestinian delegations with the representatives of the "Israeli" Occupation. In the Conference he is addressing the recent developments of the Palestinian-"Israeli" relations entitled:
"NO PEACE, NO PROCESS: "ISRAEL"-PALESTINIAN RELATIONSHIPS"

3. Riad el-Khouri: Jordanian economist "specialized" in Middle East and Africa affairs; previously participated in "the Herzliya Conference"; a former member of "the Carnegie Middle East Center"; a professor at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese-American University (LAU); consultant for the European Commission, the World Bank, the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the US Aid Program (USAID); member of the International Council of "Questscope" in Amman, Jordan, a British organization involved in "changing and merging" communities. El-Khouri is lecturing on these topics:
"SHORT-TERM SCENARIOS FOR THE MIDDLE EAST"
"THE RISE OF POLITICAL ISLAM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST: ARAB SPRING OR ISLAMIST WINTER?"

4. Salman Sheikh: a Qatari researcher; Director of "the Brookings Doha Center" and Fellow at the corresponding "Saban Center for Middle East Policy". Sheikh's researches involve "settlement" issues and "solutions" for the Middle East struggle. Among his researches is "A Chance for Hamas to Seek Friends outside Damascus". He has held several earlier positions, including: the Personal Representative of the Secretary General for Lebanon; the UN the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General on the Middle East; the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East "Peace Process"; and "the Director for Policy and Research at the office of Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser el-Missned". Currently he is the Special Representative to the European "Muslim West Facts Project"; he is also "the Counselor of Oxford Research Group for Middle East Affairs". Sheikh is lecturing on:
"THE RISE OF POLITICAL ISLAM ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST: ARAB SPRING OR ISLMAIST WINTER?"

5. Tony Badran: Lebanese-American Research Fellow at "the Foundation for Defense of Democracies" (FDD) in Washington DC, which is sponsored by the "Israeli" Lobby and the Neo-Conservatives of the US; whereby he is specialized in the Lebanese and Syrian political affairs. He is known for his extremism and discrimination against Arabs; yet, he is in contact with the Lebanese "Future Party" (of "the March 14 Alliance") and has been considered to be "the foreign secretary of the Future Party" for many US lobbies. Previously he joined "the Lebanese Forces", and he has actually acknowledged this when interviewed by several US media, including "Fox News"; whereby he bragged about taking part in the perpetration of "the Sabra and Shatila Massacre" against the Palestinian refugees in Lebanon (in 1982). Actually, even some "Israeli" associations refrain from inviting him to their conferences as he has called for killing Muslims - even American Muslims. Badran is lecturing on:
"POST ASSAD: WHAT NEXT FOR SYRIA AND LEBANON?"

6. Sherif el-Diwany: an Egyptian economist and Director of "al-Marsad Incorporation". He has held the position of the Director of "the Middle East and North Africa for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos", the policies of which are quite known. Though el-Diwany has no publicity or post in Egypt, he's going to lecture on:

"THE SHIFTING BALANCE OF POWER: SAUDI ARABIA, IRAN, EGYPT, AND TURKEY IN THE MIDDLE EAST"

"MIDDLE EAST 2020: SCENARIOS FOR THE COMING DECADE".

7. Advocate Basha'er Fahoum Jayoussi: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948, one of the founders and the Chairwoman of "the Jewish-Arab Center" at the University of Haifa, which concentrates on "merging Arabs with the "Israeli" community" and establishing "common actualities" between Jewish and Arab students; whereby the Center offers awards and scholarships to students doing researches on the issue of "common Arab-Jewish livelihood", as well as to students reinforcing this "common livelihood" in appreciation for their "social activity". Most of Jayoussi's activities focus on the normalization between Palestine and "Israel". She is lecturing on:
"GOVERNING "ISRAEL'S" ECONOMY: SOCIAL JUSTICE VS CAPITALISM"

8. Nahed Khazem: Mayor of the Shafa Amr (Shfaram) Municipality in the Western al-Jalil (Galilee) in the north of occupied Palestine; is well known for his cooperation and good terms with the Zionist-government ministers, particularly with the Culture Minister Gideon Saer. Khazem also participates in merging Arabs with "the "Israeli" community" in the Galilee Region. He is lecturing on:

"GALILEE: SETTING PRIORITIES FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT"

Here are epitomes of the prominent Arab attendees of "the Herzliya Conference":

1. Muhammad Darawshe: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948; Fellow Member at "the Abraham Fund", an "Israeli" foundation; has held the position of the Foreign Affairs Director of "the Abraham Fund Initiatives" since 1996, of which he and Amnon Be'eri-Sulitzeanu have been the Co-Executive Directors since 2004. The foundation actually aims at eliminating the Arab presence in occupied Palestine; claiming the conduct of a "Merging and Equality Policy" targeting the Jews and Arabs in occupied Palestine. For more than twenty years, Darawshe has been significantly involved in the field of "Jewish-Arab co-existence".

2. Masad Barhoum: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948; the M.D. Director General of "the Nahariya Governmental Hospital" in Western al-Jalil (Galilee). Barhoum is known for his activity and cooperation with the "Histadrut" ("the "Israeli" General Federation of Laborers"), as well as his outstanding relations with the consecutive governments of the Zionist entity, particularly with the Zionist health ministers.

3. Ayman Seif: the Director of "the Center for the Development of the Arab Minority" at the office of the Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In 1996 through 2008, he was in charge of "the "Israeli" Financial Committee" of the Prime Ministry, an economist at the Economy and Planning Ministry, and a member of "the Governmental Committee" in charge of securing the backgrounds of Arabs, claiming "Convenient Representation of Arab Scholars at Governmental Centers" as a policy; also a member of "the Special Committee for Promoting Work Opportunities and Initiatives in the Arab Mainstream". 

4. Dr. Khaled Abu Asbah: a Palestinian of the lands occupied in 1948; the Director of "the Massar Institute for Research, Planning, and Educational Counseling"; a Sociology-Department Lecturer at the Zionist "Beit Berl Academic College" in "the Third Sector" in occupied Palestine. He received his Sociology and Anthropology PhD from "the Bar Ilan University" in occupied Palestine. His dissertation addressed "Family and School Perceptions: Indicators for Arab-"Israeli" Students' Involvement in Violence". Abu Asbah is a pioneer as to merging Palestinians with the Zionist entity; whereby he is in charge of "the Strategy for the Advancement of Arab-"Israeli" Citizens in "Israel"", a project regarding which he has made studies at "the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute".  

 

Source: Al Intiqad Online Newspaper, Translated and Edited by moqawama.org

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