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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Antigua and Barbuda PM Winston Baldwin, and Qatar PM Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah Al Thani, in Doha on Sunday. (GPO)
Last update - 08:55 15/04/2008
Qatar's emir urges Israel to lift 'crippling' blockade on Gaza
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent, and News Agencies
Tags: Qatar, Tzipi Livni, Israel

DOHA - Qatar's prime minister, Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani, on Monday urged Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to end Israel's "crippling blockade of Gaza due to the difficult humanitarian situation."

Meeting Livni at the 8th annual Doha Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade, Sheikh al-Thani also called for the acceleration of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on a final-status arrangement.

In her speech, Livni declared that Gaza militant groups' ongoing conflict with Israel is frustrating Palestinian ambitions for statehood.
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"The situation in the Gaza Strip is not just Israel's problem - Gaza is becoming an obstacle to the establishment of a Palestinian state," Livni said in the keynote address.

Although Israel fully withdrew all its forces from the Gaza Strip, "dismantled all settlements and allowed for Palestinian self-rule in this territory, instead of coexistence, we have received terror in return," she said.

"We are extending our hands in peace. The way to peaceful relations goes through dialogue and mutual recognition," she said.

Livni also called on Arab states not to view the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the cause of extremism. "We have to understand that our ability to reach peace is dependent on the ability of extremists to prevent us from doing so," she said.

Moments after delivering her address, Livni traded barbs over the nature of Israeli democracy with MK Ahmed Tibi, who attended the conference.

In a question and answer session following the speech, Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) asked for an opportunity to respond to Livni's comments, and told her, "Israel is an apartheid state. How can you speak about democracy when you speak about a Jewish state?"

Livni responded that, "If we return to '47, a Jewish state and an Arab Palestinian state [were on the agenda]. Do you also not agree to this? The fact is that you are an MK in Israel, and represent 20 percent of the public, and can say whatever you please. This is the proof that Israel is a democratic state."

Livni spoke of the abducted Israeli soldiers Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. "We witness another breach of democracy, while three abducted Israeli soldiers are still held in captivity, for no reason, denied access by the Red Cross or a sign of life. I would like to take this opportunity to call for their release. This is a matter of human rights, not politics," she said.

Livni also made a brief reference to the peace talks currently under way with the Palestinian Authority. "We recognize the fact that Palestinians have legitimate rights and aspirations," she said.

The foreign minister added: "We have no desire to run their lives, and we are committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state that will be the national state of the Palestinian people and a good neighbor of Israel's. We have no interest in wasting time or creating facts on the ground that will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state."

Livni held separate talks with the leaders of Qatar and the foreign minister of Oman.

The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, hosted Livni for lunch at his palace after holding a formal meeting also attended by his prime minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem.

Omani Foreign Minister Yousef Bin Alawi Bin Abdulla and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also attended the lunch.

Livni told the emir that Israel was interested in enlisting the Arab world, and especially the Gulf states, to help the Palestinian Authority advance in the peace process.

"The region is changing," Livni told the emir. "We must show it to the public ... by exchanging the incitement and hatred messages with messages of hope and mutual recognition."

Earlier on Monday, Livni kicked off the first full day of her visit with morning talks with her Omani counterpart, Bin Abdulla. That meeting, which was open to journalists, was the first of its kind between Israel and Oman since relations between the two states were cut off in 2000, after the start of the second Palestinian intifada. Since then, there have been only covert talks between the two countries' foreign ministers.


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      1.   Livni 11:49  |  steve a 14/04/08
      2.   Fools errend 12:29  |  Natallie Durson 14/04/08
      3.   Very constructive and great idea 13:18  |  Alan 14/04/08
      4.   #2 13:45  |  Moshe 14/04/08
      5.   Unlimited crossing borders with no tolerance to Palestinians. 14:36  |  Anton Siniora 14/04/08
      6.   Anton Siniora & others 15:57  |  The Judge 14/04/08
      7.   Natallie Durson 19:32  |  Michael 14/04/08
      8.   Anton Siniora # 5 19:49  |  ChanahS 14/04/08
      9.   Nathalie, please elaborate! 19:53  |  Gimpel the Fool 14/04/08
      10.   Speaking of obstacles 19:54  |  Abdul 14/04/08
      11.   Israel is the only obstacle to Palestinian Statehood 20:26  |  POP 14/04/08
      12.   Why does Israel refuse to allow Palestine to exist? 20:26  |  *BEN JABO 14/04/08
      13.   Uh, that`s the point 20:54  |  steve from Raleigh 14/04/08
      14.   Abdul - we removed settlements from Gaza 20:59  |  Jewboy 14/04/08
      15.   Gimpel the Fool - Since you asked 21:05  |  Natallie Durson 14/04/08
      16.   IRAN AND AL-QAEDA WILL TAKE OVER ARAB WORLD 21:05  |  Omar 14/04/08
      17.   Abdul 9 21:06  |  ChanahS 14/04/08
      18.   Even before Hamas, Israel was never committed to a State 21:08  |  El-Birawi 14/04/08
      19.   WHO said that `Palestinians` have to have a state 21:26  |  Dolly 14/04/08
      20.   Palestine Already Exists 21:33  |  Jay 14/04/08
      21.   El Birawi and the myth of "ever expanding border" 21:35  |  ChanahS 14/04/08
      22.   Arabs are only obstacle to second Arab Palestinian state 21:44  |  David 14/04/08
      23.   To # 1 - steve a - The only Clown in the arena 21:45  |  Onlooker 14/04/08
      24.   Too bad Lebanon wasnt there. Are they afraid of peace? 21:46  |  David 14/04/08
      25.   Good to see Livni getting proper respect, unlike a few months ago 21:48  |  David 14/04/08
      26.   Livni - the women whos in a rush to slice n dice her country 21:53  |  not Livnis friend 14/04/08
      27.   #12 Ben Jabo 22:12  |  Chicago Arab 14/04/08
      28.   Nathalie- you have NO CLUE 22:21  |  Curtis Jackson 14/04/08
      29.   Small but encouraging steps 22:22  |  Rick 14/04/08
      30.   most islamic states are apartheid states bas on Tibis thinking 22:28  |  zionist forever 14/04/08
      31.   Why give Pal-majority state if Pals refuse Jewish-majority state 22:30  |  Sam 14/04/08
      32.   Abdul...what about them? 22:34  |  Lynn 14/04/08
      33.   To Ben Jabo # 12 - The Region of PALESTINE does exist 22:37  |  The Threadmill 14/04/08
      34.   # 11, pop 22:39  |  dan 14/04/08
      35.   The insult is yours # 2 22:39  |  Gabi from Brent 14/04/08
      36.   Ever expanding hot air 22:44  |  Blue Cheese 14/04/08
      37.   11. POP Reveals Truth 22:46  |  DMW 14/04/08
      38.   POP is an obstacle to the notion of intelligent life 22:49  |  Natallie Doorson 14/04/08
      39.   Great job, Livni! 22:50  |  Ulf 14/04/08
      40.   US MiddleEast Policy is the Obstacle 22:50  |  MiddleStanian 14/04/08
      41.   All these fools in # 2 22:59  |  Neama 14/04/08
      42.   Dear Chicago Arab-you have got to be kidding 23:04  |  Aphemia 14/04/08
      43.   Natalie please # 9 23:05  |  Taly 14/04/08
      44.   17 Sam,it`s a question of international law&UN Resolutions! 23:10  |  lakshmi 14/04/08
      45.   Dodobird Tsippy is an extremist 23:13  |  Rami 14/04/08
      46.   Livni is correct 23:19  |  Dave Duncan 14/04/08
      47.   Israel IS the only obstacle to Palestinian Statehood 23:33  |  Jim Brooks 14/04/08
      48.   Natalie Durson- Mouthpiece 23:39  |  Avrum 14/04/08
      49.   POP have you ever read a history book? 23:43  |  bbl 14/04/08
      50.   israel is an `obstacle` against Peace 23:47  |  FalluJah 14/04/08
      51.   Lakshmi-We`ve heard your drivel before 23:52  |  Sam 14/04/08
      52.   Israel is the Enemy of Arabs as Long as Occupations Continue 23:55  |  Johan Odin 14/04/08
      53.   El-Birawi #13 -- Then it`s over. The Israelis have won 23:58  |  bbl 14/04/08
      54.   Thanks Jim Brooks 00:04  |  Secular 15/04/08
      55.   The State of Palestine never existed 00:16  |  Students 15/04/08
      56.   The idiot comment #12 00:23  |  malcolm 15/04/08
      57.   WHY IS YASER ARAF PORTRAIT HANGING ON ABBAS? OFFICE WALLS? 00:27  |  Mahmood 15/04/08
      58.   Lakshmi -- Creative History 101 00:30  |  bbl 15/04/08
      59.   Jim Brooks -- making it up as he goes 00:36  |  bbl 15/04/08
      60.   There is no inherient reason 00:37  |  Mark Lincoln 15/04/08
      61.   Were there no Palestinian resistance 00:44  |  Mark Lincoln 15/04/08
      62.   # 13 Jew Boy--We removed settlement 01:03  |  BOBBY 15/04/08
      63.   30 Lynn - A Huge Difference 01:10  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/04/08
      64.   Livni is only muddying the waters ! 01:38  |  David James Vickery 15/04/08
      65.   Livni, tell Emir to lift Arab League boycott on Israel 02:20  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/04/08
      66.   Islam is the obstacle to Kurdistan, Lebanon, Coptic Egypt, 02:26  |  Genuine Tosefta 15/04/08
      67.   Livni is doing her job. At least she has an audience. 02:28  |  Stephen. 15/04/08
      68.   The stupidity of MK Tibi 02:29  |  Mendel Beilis 15/04/08
      69.   I am in the habit of asking too much 02:39  |  Natalie Durson 15/04/08
      70.