The results of the police's evacuation of the illegal structures at the Amona outpost "were not good for anyone - not for us the police, not for the people of Israel and not for the state of Israel," outgoing Police Insp.-Gen. Moshe Karadi told The Jerusalem Post Thursday in an interview summing up his 28 years of police service.
Karadi, who officially left the force a week ago, called the February 2006 incident the biggest failure during his tenure as inspector-general, saying that "in retrospect, the evacuation of Amona should have been carried out differently."
He said he did not hold the police solely responsible for the violence that erupted during the evacuation, but said they could have taken steps to reduce the tension at the scene.
"I think that both from an operational perspective, as well as from the perspective of maintaining dialogue, that we could have managed things differently, and this is a lesson that we should learn."
"Amona was an instance of enforcing the law, and if we hadn't carried it out the result would be much worse in its implications for the rule of law. Nevertheless, the results of the evacuation demand that we do soul-searching, ...   more »

US secretary of state says Syria continues to be 'major funder of terrorism,' and that it represents obstacle to peace and democracy in region. Damascus' attitude suggests it's not ready to try and pursue peace, she states
Yitzhak Benhorin Published:
WASHINGTON – the US is unimpressed with Syria's peace overtures, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday, adding that "in terms of the Middle East, the Syrians are a real problem" for leaders who wish to pursue peace.    
Speaking at a meeting of the Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Rice stated that "Syria continues to be a major funder of terrorism; a major harborer of those elements of the Palestinian political elite, for instance, who are opposed to a two-state solution, who are the ones who continue to perpetrate violence in the Palestinian territories and to attempt to do it in Israel.  
"And so, in terms of Middle East peace, the Syrians are a real problem for leaders like Mahmoud Abbas who want to take a different course toward a two-state solution."
Referring to the possibility that Israel and Syria would enter peace negotiations, Rice said, "If it were possible, I think everybody would jump at the ...   more »

The Israeli authorities are planning to build three new Jewish neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem, an area regarded as occupied land under international law.
The plan, which has yet to receive final approval, would involve building about 20,000 homes.
The Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said the plan destroyed efforts to re-start the peace process.
He said Israel had to choose between settlements or peace, but could not have both.
Yehoshua Pollak, Jerusalem's deputy mayor, said the intention was to create a contiguous Jewish residential area linking East Jerusalem with major West Bank settlement blocs.
Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967. It annexed the area in 1981 and sees it as its exclusive domain.
This has not been recognised by the international community. Palestinians hope to establish the capital of their future state in the East Jerusalem.
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