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Inside the Middle East
February 13, 2011
Posted: 815 GMT
Erakat, who presided over several rounds of peace talks with Israel, tendered his resignation on February 12, 2011, AFP/Getty images .
Erakat, who presided over several rounds of peace talks with Israel, tendered his resignation on February 12, 2011, AFP/Getty images .

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat has stepped down from his post, saying he did so because he felt responsible that controversial documents were stolen from his office but not because of how Middle East peace talks have unfolded.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas accepted the resignation of Erakat, a longtime face of the Palestinian movement. Mohammed Shtayeh, a senior negotiator and a member of Fatah's central committee, told CNN on Saturday that the move came after an investigating committee determined that documents were leaked and stolen from Erakat's office.
Erakat told CNN on Saturday that he was simply following through on his earlier offer to quit if the Palestinian probe determined as much. But the longtime Palestinian political figure insisted that his decision stemmed only from that fact, and not what was offered in the actual negotiations.
"I'm a person who has devoted his life to building institutions of transparency, accountability and the rule of law," Erakat said, explaining why he felt obliged to step down. "My resignation doesn't have anything to do with the substance of negotiations."
Previously, Erakat had accused TV network Al-Jazeera of taking parts of the controversial documents out of context and, in some cases, blatantly manipulating them. On Saturday, he continued to blast the Qatar-based network. Read more...

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Filed under: Fatah •Palestinians •West Bank


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John A   February 16th, 2011 9:13 pm ET

Rebellion in the middle east is the biggest story in the world and at the center was Mubarak. Yet the press has not asked any questions about Mubaraks disappearance.

Isn't it possible that after his last speech when he refused to step down, Mubarak was murdered? Isn't it a coincidence that rumors now spread of his sudden ill health. Aren't the press just giving enough time for Mubaraks departure from power to be followed up by his death.

Something awful is cooking and coincidentally it all started directly after the president of China visited Washington. What agreement did those super powers come to?

Don Quichote   February 17th, 2011 11:33 am ET

John A

Sudden ill health? Mubarak was treated for months at a Heidelberg, Germany clinic last year.

Coincidence? Wake up, mate, and use google instead of making up stories.

cando   February 17th, 2011 11:35 am ET

Erakat?

Isn't he the one who claimed a "Jenin massacre" with over 500 dead and the one who refused to back down after he was proven wrong by his own people?

Who cares wherther he steps down or not, who cares about the liar?

e.hally   February 17th, 2011 6:30 pm ET

to whom it concerns the entire region is really upset someone started this game

proud zionist   February 18th, 2011 9:52 am ET

Erakat the liar. always liar. never the truth. just like Johnny baby A

Rosaaa   February 18th, 2011 6:13 pm ET

those negotiators don't represent the all Palestinians , Hamas is the majority in Palestine according the the last election so most of the Palestinians don't accept what the negotiators sign for .

T. baghdadi   February 18th, 2011 11:45 pm ET

The United States will once again prove to be dishonest broker and biased to Israel through use vetoed a draft resolution condemning illegal settlements ...United States demonstrated the Arabs and the world they claim to support freedom and justice but do the opposite ... This makes the Palestinians consider feasibility of stalled peace process and failures from the ground up

John A   February 20th, 2011 10:24 am ET

Don Quichote,

If you are going to assume a name from one of histories great novels, at least learn how to spell it! That way you can pretend to be well read, even though you obviously are not.

In Spanish its written Don Quijote. In the Gallego derivative of Spanish it is written Don Quixote. Possibly in your red neck part of the world some write Quichote, but that's just for people who cant read and spell...

Don Quijote,
Mubarak was in hospital for a routine operation last year and you think that explains why nobody has seen him since he made his defiant speech and refused to step down?

Don Quijote is a fictional character who was happy to live within an illusion. I know the truth can be disturbing, but don't cower under your blankets like Don Quijote..

miriam   February 20th, 2011 11:19 am ET

T. baghdadi,

Perhaps the US veto has something to do with the fact that although many believe the settlements to be controversial, they are NOT illegal under international law.

Those nations claiming to support freedom and justice would do well not repeating the false rhetoric of anti-Israel propagandists and instead put their efforts into understanding and then correcting the myths they themselves have gullibly adopted as truth.

The actual reason for the US veto has more to do with the hypocrisy of the Palestinian leadership who refuse to negotiate without first forcing Israel to give them what they are supposed to negotiate and their preference to abrogate the results and agreements achieved in previous negotiations.

The UN has long ago lost its place as a fair player in the Israeli-Arab conflict and is abused by anti-Israeli forces to force their agenda on the rest of the world.

proud zionist   February 20th, 2011 9:54 pm ET

Rosaa

you mean the democratically elected Hamas? Just like Hitler. Remember?

proud zionist   February 21st, 2011 8:19 pm ET

John liar antisemite A

Now you attack bloggers for wrong spelling?

How low can you sink.

and for your information, it was NOT a routine operation as you claim.

but let me not confuse you with facts, like this one:

Cervantes wrote his book in the 17th century, just after the renaissance. In the 17th century the epic stories, including the courtly love and the honorary code of the knights were very popular in Spain.

Don Quichote's fascination with chivalry novels, which goes much further than the private idolization is very interesting. Donquijote identifies himself with the “caballeros”. Don Quichote loses reality and is mixing the real world and fiction more and more. He realizes this a bit too late, just before he dies.

Quote by http://www.online-literature.com

John A   February 22nd, 2011 10:01 am ET

Proud Zionist,

Education and the correct use of language helps to breeds a better understanding. But I suppose you need a dumbed down community, as that will help the sale of Israeli lies.

Try looking up a Spanish websites, as that is where the book came from.Believe it or not the world doesn't revolve around American English or Hebrew.

I have lived in Spain, have read the book and speak the language. Thanks for your suggested the web link, but I don't need to open it. Your link is either correct or incorrect.

On the other hand I can pick up a Spanish copy of the book from my book shelf and repeat what a wrote earlier. Knowledge is a wonderful thing, if you stop reading comics you may acquire some knowledge. This will prevent you from making yourself look like a village idiot.

Yusil   February 22nd, 2011 7:05 pm ET

To miriam I would like to say that the veto was not a surprise! It also did not mean the Occupation is not illegal. It was a vote for domestic political realities as you know very well. The double speak of the US has become self evident. Obama does not make decisions but is a figure head for the Corporations, the Military Industrial Complex and AIPAC. The veto was clearly predictable. Hypocrisy at its best. At least now, the world cannot say we didn’t know with the US veto and inaction to the brutality of the regimes she sponsors in the ME. It was painstaking to watch Rice mumble and bumble her way through the explanation for the veto. We can all forget about the conspiracy theories because it’s clearly not a theory. I do feel sorry for the poor Arab suckers in the streets who actually believed that the US was a moral democracy and would come to their aid.

proud zionist   February 22nd, 2011 10:14 pm ET

john antisemitic liar A

as i always said, you are full of yourself and only open websites of lying terrorists.

when you get one that proves somebody elses point, you don't.

you lived in spain you say? I will advise the parents of Madeleine McCann, maybe it is you they are looking for?

proud zionist   February 23rd, 2011 2:57 pm ET

Johnny baby

where you in spain on the day Madeleine McCann was abducted?

so you are it!

proud zionist   February 23rd, 2011 8:52 pm ET

GRAD MISSILE JUST LANDED IN BEER SHEVA

GAZANS YOUR TIME HAS COME TO SUFFER

John A   February 24th, 2011 8:04 am ET

And again you prove yourself to be utterly ignorant, as Madeleine was abducted in Portugal and not Spain.

But how can you even bring the tragic death of a poor little girl into you name calling retarded blogs. You are despicable and definitely a Zionist.

Proud Zionist your comments are a disgrace even to Zionists, which means lower than the lowest.

miriam   February 24th, 2011 7:07 pm ET

Yusil,

The US veto was consistent with its vote on the same issue for years.

It was a vote for truth and justice despite the fact that Rice and Clinton had to go out of their way to apologize for honestly in front of the rest of the morally compromised, hypocritical world.

The Arab street is quickly realizing that they are the ones who have been the victims of their own leaders' lies and Western hypocrisy.

John A   February 27th, 2011 7:40 pm ET

Miriam, to state that the US veto was "a vote for truth and justice" may go down well on an American news website. It would be laughed of the web anywhere else.

But I suspect their are many Americans who are totally sick of the corrupt politics in the USA. Probably wont be too many years until America experiences its own revolt, when the people demand genuine democracy, integrity and fairness.

But obviously you like America, you spend their tax dollars without earning a cent. Israels special relationship with America has been bought by American tax money. Thats the relationship of a hoar.

John A   February 28th, 2011 9:35 am ET

Proud Zionist,

Just for fun, please take a look at this Google link. It shows pictures of Don Quijote book covers:

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&biw=1680&bih=788&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=don+quixote+book+cover&aq=1sx&aqi=g-s1g-sx1&aql=&oq=don+quijote+book

You will note the book title is always spelt as a told you, "In Spanish its written Don Quijote. In the Gallego derivative of Spanish it is written Don Quixote".

Now you said I could not prove you wrong and I ignore your "facts".

Again you are badly mistaken Proud Zionist. Many times I have comprehensively demonstrated that you are an ignorant peasant. If I used every opportunity to demonstrate your ignorance, I would have little time to do anything else.

So I am very sorry if you think that not always having time to correct your idiocy means that you are not an idiot. But I trust you will agree I have proved your idiocy again on this occasion.

But just remember, the act of Zionism well defines idiocy and dishonesty. And you are proud to be like that hahahaha

miriam   February 28th, 2011 8:15 pm ET

John A,

Perhaps you have no problem living in a world of lies and deception, made more obvious with your propagation of such opinions and ideas, but most of the world would rather live in an environment of truth and justice, increasingly evident by the uprisings of populations who are finally revolting against the deceit they have been subjected to.

Israel receives no economic aid from the US and nearly 80% of the military aid goes straight back into the US economy. Israelis do not live on US tax dollars with most of the population working many more hours than most countries in the developed world.

The closest definition of "hoar" suggests that you imply that Israel is the mature partner in the US-Israel relationship. That would be accurate judging by the fact that the Jewish people have a longer history than that of the American people.

John A   March 2nd, 2011 12:20 pm ET

Miriam, your lies were answered already on another blog. As you well know.

Do you really cling to the childish belief that the last word wins.

Give me a new lie to answer. But stop repeating the old lies, they have already been answered.

proud zionist   March 4th, 2011 4:35 pm ET

john antisemite A

you have never ever proven me wrong

I have shown up your lies and fabrications numerous times

but english nitwits like you cannot be persuaded b y facts, as you have proven again and again and again

and for your information, israel will exist long after you rot in your stinking grave

proud zionist   March 6th, 2011 8:32 am ET

John antisemitic englishman (commie?) A

Miriam is absolutely right, Israel receives no economic aid from the US for years now. and the military aid must almost all be spent in the US, thus ensuring employment for thousands and thousands of americans who would otherwise be unemployed.

these are facts that even you nitwit cannot disprove!!

John A   March 10th, 2011 8:36 am ET

Again proud Zionist relates political criticism of the state of Israel with an anti Semitic attack against Judaism.

Again he makes the political state of Israel equivalent to the spiritual status of the Jewish religion.

By doing so he blasphemes against the Jewish religion. But I guess he doesn't really care about that, as Zionism is not about Judaism, its only about colonization of Arabic land.

Shame on proud Zionist for his constant blaspheme against Judaism.

Lee   August 17th, 2012 10:02 pm ET

Nader did have a huge impact on the 2000 race. However, his acoitns did not directly result in the election of George W. When the votes in Florida were finally counted by a consortium of news agencies, it was clear that Gore WON Florida. Nader's role turned out to be to make the election close enough so that the five fascists on the US Supreme Court could SELECT Bush to be the new prez even tho he had LOST the election. And don't get me started on Ohio in 2004!


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