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Topic Step:1
Diplomats urge resumption of Mideast talks
MOSCOW – Top international diplomats on Friday called on Israel and the Palestinians to return to peace negotiations with a goal of reaching a final settlement that would create an independent Palestinian state within 24 months. They reiterated their condemnation of Israel's latest move to add Jewish housing in disputed east Jerusalem but did not escalate criticism of the Jewish state.
The so-called Quartet peacemakers met in the Russian capital and issued a formal statement read by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Joining the U.N. chief at the Moscow meeting were U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, and the Quartet's special representative, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Lavrov told a joint news conference that the Israelis and Palestinians should move first to indirect talks, followed by face-to-face negotiations. Those indirect talks were to have started last week but were stalled by reaction to Israel's announcement of new housing in east Jerusalem.
Clinton said she expects to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington next week.
"We are all committed to the launching of proximity talks between the Israelis and Palestinians," Clinton told reporters.
A spokesman for Netanyahu had no comment on the statement.
George Mitchell, the U.S. Mideast peace envoy, is to meet in coming days with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in hopes of getting the process restarted. Mitchell attended Friday's talks.
The fragile situation is Gaza was one of the key focuses of the Quartet's formal statement. The diplomats expressed concern at the humanitarian situation there.
The Israeli air force responded early Friday to a rocket attack by Gaza militarist the day before by striking six targets in southern Gaza. The Israeli military identified the targets as three weapons-smuggling tunnels; two other tunnels that militants were digging to infiltrate into Israel; and a weapons workshop. No injuries were reported.
The rocket and the Israeli retaliation raised the specter of further conflagration at a time of renewed international focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In a nod to Israeli security concerns, the group condemned the rocket attack and called for calm to be respected.
They also took "positive note" that the Israeli government recently endorsed a number of United Nations civilian recovery projects in Gaza, including a stalled housing project.
The group also called for the immediate release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held by Gaza's Hamas rulers for more than three years.
Israel has drawn tough U.S. criticism in recent days for plans to build hundreds more homes for Jews in disputed east Jerusalem.
After Israel's announcement last week of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem, the Quartet issued a statement of condemnation but did not formally meet to discuss the matter. "Unilateral actions taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations and will not be recognized by the international community," it said in the March 12 statement.
The Quartet has consistently called for Israel to restrain settlement activity.
In a formal statement after its last meeting, in September 2009, the Quartet urged Israel to freeze all settlement activity and to "refrain from provocative actions" in east Jerusalem. It also called on the Palestinian Authority to continue to make efforts to improve law and order, to fight violent extremism and to end incitement.
Topic Step: 2
Gay soldier arrested in protest outside White House
Washington (CNN) - U.S. Park Police arrested a gay soldier and another man Thursday after they handcuffed themselves to the fence surrounding the White House in protest of the military's policy preventing gay and lesbian service members from serving openly.
The two men were charged with failure to obey a lawful order after they were warned to remove the handcuffs or face arrest, said Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser.
Schlosser would not name the pair because they had not yet been processed, but video showed that one was Lt. Dan Choi, a 2003 West Point graduate who is fluent in Arabic. Choi admitted his sexual orientation publicly for the first time last year on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show," prompting the Army to initiate proceedings to discharge him.
Choi chose to appeal his case rather than accept a discharge. The case is still pending.
The protest coincided with a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the military's "don't ask, "don't tell" policy. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama ordered the Defense Department to begin preparation for a repeal of the policy.
Both Choi, who is currently serving in the New York Army National Guard and is not on active duty status, and the other man were wearing what appeared to be Army camouflage uniforms, which Lt. Col. Richard Goldenberg of the New York National Guard said would be a violation of Army rules.
"Utilizing the Army uniform for political speech or political gain is an Army violation," he said.
But, Goldenberg said, without knowing all the facts of the situation, he could not determine if Choi had broken the rule. As a reservist, he said, Choi falls under New York's Uniform Code of Military Justice, which has rules similar to the Army Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Choi was an infantry platoon leader, serving with his unit in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. Like many units, his had its yearlong tour extended by three months.
A year ago, Choi, who lives in New York City, founded KnightsOut.org, an advocacy and education organization of West Point graduates who are gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual. More than 50 of its 80 members are openly gay, he said.
KnightsOut, which estimates there are 65,000 gays in the military, said Thursday that Choi is no longer affiliated with the organization.
More than 12,500 gays have been booted from the military since "don't ask, don't tell" went into effect. They include dozens of Arabic speakers, people highly valued by the military since the invasion of Iraq.
At West Point, Choi majored in Arabic and environmental engineering, and he volunteered to lead the cadet chapel choir and officers' Christian fellowship.
Washington (CNN) - U.S. Park Police arrested a gay soldier and another man Thursday after they handcuffed themselves to the fence surrounding the White House in protest of the military's policy preventing gay and lesbian service members from serving openly.
The two men were charged with failure to obey a lawful order after they were warned to remove the handcuffs or face arrest, said Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser.
Schlosser would not name the pair because they had not yet been processed, but video showed that one was Lt. Dan Choi, a 2003 West Point graduate who is fluent in Arabic. Choi admitted his sexual orientation publicly for the first time last year on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show," prompting the Army to initiate proceedings to discharge him.
Choi chose to appeal his case rather than accept a discharge. The case is still pending.
The protest coincided with a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the military's "don't ask, "don't tell" policy. Earlier this year, President Barack Obama ordered the Defense Department to begin preparation for a repeal of the policy.
Both Choi, who is currently serving in the New York Army National Guard and is not on active duty status, and the other man were wearing what appeared to be Army camouflage uniforms, which Lt. Col. Richard Goldenberg of the New York National Guard said would be a violation of Army rules.
"Utilizing the Army uniform for political speech or political gain is an Army violation," he said.
But, Goldenberg said, without knowing all the facts of the situation, he could not determine if Choi had broken the rule. As a reservist, he said, Choi falls under New York's Uniform Code of Military Justice, which has rules similar to the Army Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Choi was an infantry platoon leader, serving with his unit in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. Like many units, his had its yearlong tour extended by three months.
A year ago, Choi, who lives in New York City, founded KnightsOut.org, an advocacy and education organization of West Point graduates who are gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual. More than 50 of its 80 members are openly gay, he said.
KnightsOut, which estimates there are 65,000 gays in the military, said Thursday that Choi is no longer affiliated with the organization.
More than 12,500 gays have been booted from the military since "don't ask, don't tell" went into effect. They include dozens of Arabic speakers, people highly valued by the military since the invasion of Iraq.
At West Point, Choi majored in Arabic and environmental engineering, and he volunteered to lead the cadet chapel choir and officers' Christian fellowship.
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