Palestine Today 12 1 2011

Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni met with President Abbas in Jordan, and a senior Hamas leader believes that the Movement was wise to shift towards non-violent popular resistance, these stories and more coming up; so stay tuned.

Abdul-Nasser Farawana, a Palestinian researcher and former detainee who specializes in detainees affairs, stated that the Israeli occupation is still holding captive more than forty disabled Palestinians.

Farawna issued a report comes ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is marked on December 3rd each year.

Dr. Ahmad Yousef, one of the senior political leaders of the Hamas movement, stated that the recent meeting between President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas Political Bureau Chief, Khaled Mashal, set the vision of a unified strategy for the struggle against the occupation, adding that the movement is adopting nonviolent resistance as a strategy.

He added that the Hamas movement made a wise decision in adopting popular resistance as a strategy, as Israel uses armed Palestinian resistance as an excuse to attack Gaza, keep it under siege, and target its leaders.

He did claim that should their enemies decide to attack Gaza, they will defend themselves.

He also stated that by adopting popular resistance, the movement will be able to improve its international relations, especially amidst the current changes in the Arab countries and the world, and added that the West is “Starting to understand the Islamic Movements, and has stopped marginalizing them.”

Israeli Radio has reported that Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, held a meeting in Amman on Wednesday with Israeli opposition leader of the Kadima Party, Tzipi Livni.

The Radio said that Livni demanded Abbas return to the negotiation table without any delays, adding that Palestinian unilateral moves” will never lead to a comprehensive agreement with Israel.

Livni stated that serious Israeli-Palestinian peace talks will help restore calm in the region, and claimed that “extremist figures in the Arab World are taking advantage of the situation and the protests.

During their meeting, also attended by a number of Israeli officials, Abbas and Livni discussed the Palestinian reconciliation agreement, and the efforts to establish an interim unity government until new elections are held.

The Israeli Prime Minister told Livni that the only Israeli body fit to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority is the elected government. Livni responded by saying that his government should negotiate instead of bringing on Israel's isolation.

That’s all for today from the IMEMC News, this was the Thursday December 1 daily roundup of news from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We hope you will join us again tomorrow. This was brought to you by Hasam Qassis, and me, William Gibson.