20,000 Palestinian homes under demolition threat

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121861&sectionid=351020202



Palestinian officials warn that more than 20,000 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem al-Quds could soon face demolition orders from Israeli municipal authorities.

Ahmad Ruweidi, the Palestinian Authority's legal advisor on al-Quds affairs, said Israeli courts will soon hand demolition orders to Palestinian homeowners over what Tel Aviv calls violation of construction rules over the past 10 years and the requirement of renewable licenses.

The figure does not include homes whose owners have already received final demolition orders from Israeli courts or the Israeli municipality in al-Quds, Ruweidi noted.

This means that all owners will live in a state of fear that at any moment their homes could be demolished or a family member may be found homeless on the street, he cautioned.

Ruweidi said Israel's policy was intended to force Palestinians in al-Quds to pay large sums to engineers and lawyers in addition to significant fines for the so-called 'violations of construction restrictions.'

Major differences between the Palestinians and Israelis are growing deeper over Tel Aviv's continued demolition of Palestinian houses in al-Quds and its efforts to create a demographic wedge in the region.

On Saturday, acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas told delegates at the Arab League summit in Libya that Israeli settlements in the West Bank, in annexed East al-Quds in particular, remained the main obstacle to the resumption of the 'peace' talks.

Abbas described al-Quds, which Palestinians have long been demanding as the capital of their future Palestinian state, as "the jewel in the crown as well as the door and the key to peace."

"We emphasize that we hold onto every grain of soil and stone in Jerusalem (al-Quds). We are determined to defend Palestine's capital," he stressed.

US struggles to sway Brazil against Iran

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=119534§ionid=351020104


As the US seeks the broadest possible support for tougher Iran sanctions, the Obama administration is pushing Brazil to join Washington's fray against Iran.

Brazil's current position as a voter on the UN Security Council has prompted up-coming visits from the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and another diplomat, William Burns, to Brasilia, seeking support for a US initiative to impose more sanctions on Iran.

"Clearly, Brazil is an emerging power with growing influence in the region and around the world, and we believe that with that influence comes responsibility, and we will be talking to Brazil about the way forward with Iran," the Washington Post quotes State Department spokesman, P.J. Crowley, as saying.

Iran and Brazil enjoy cordial relations with each other and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has thrown his weight behind Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear program aimed at peaceful purposes.

In February 2010, the Brazilian envoy to the UN told the US and France that her country will not agree with tougher sanctions against Iran as it seeks more trade with the Islamic Republic.

“Negotiations should continue. If sanctions are pursued, this might block the negotiating track," Ambassador Maria Viotti told Bloomberg.

Iran's close ties with Brazil, the fifth largest country in the world, have been a cause of major concern for the US.

The US and some other Western countries endeavor to slap a fourth set of UN sanctions on Tehran. They allege that Iran is pursuing military intentions under the guise of its nuclear program.

Tehran has repeatedly and vehemently dismissed the accusations, asserting that its nuclear activities are peaceful and under the full supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Clinton's recent calls for harsher sanctions against Iran were also snubbed by China after Beijing argued that diplomatic efforts had not yet been exhausted.

"We believe there is still diplomatic room for the Iranian nuclear issue," Qin said.