The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation
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decided <strong>to</strong> carry out massive attack on Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut,<br />
killing around 900 people. Hezbollah retaliated by launching hundred <strong>of</strong><br />
rockets <strong>to</strong>wards Israel, killing about forty people. <strong>The</strong> air attacks were<br />
followed by a ground invasion <strong>of</strong> Lebanon. <strong>The</strong> concrete aims <strong>of</strong> the military<br />
operation were not clear <strong>to</strong> the army. <strong>The</strong> Israeli media questioned<br />
whether the policy-making authorities had any strategic plan, or were<br />
merely being carried along by circumstances.<br />
This war found the Israeli civilians vulnerable <strong>and</strong> frightened. <strong>The</strong> rockets<br />
reached almost <strong>to</strong> the centre <strong>of</strong> the state, Haifa <strong>and</strong> beyond. <strong>The</strong> civil<br />
administration <strong>and</strong> the local authorities were not prepared for the war;<br />
many citizens began questioning the dysfunctional nature <strong>of</strong> the government<br />
<strong>and</strong> the army.<br />
Continuous violence on the southern border<br />
During the ensuing war in southern Lebanon, the Israeli army <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Hamas militia groups continued fighting. Arms from Iran <strong>and</strong> other sources<br />
were smuggled through the Rafah tunnels. Israel’s harsh attacks on the<br />
tunnels, the killing <strong>of</strong> innocent civilians <strong>and</strong> the destruction <strong>of</strong> their infra -<br />
structure, sparked major international criticism <strong>and</strong> condemnation.<br />
At the end <strong>of</strong> 2006, Premier Ehud Olmert announced a new Israeli diplomatic<br />
initiative, <strong>of</strong>fering peace agreement based on the Arab <strong>Peace</strong><br />
Initiative; it was the first Israeli leader <strong>to</strong> refer positively <strong>to</strong> the Arab initiative.<br />
President Abbas welcomed it, while Hamas <strong>and</strong> the Israeli rightwing<br />
parties condemned it.<br />
A meeting <strong>of</strong> Abbas <strong>and</strong> Olmert on December 2006 ended with Israel’s<br />
approval <strong>of</strong> some concessions <strong>to</strong> make life easier for Palestinians, includ -<br />
ing the release <strong>of</strong> tax funds being held in Israel, <strong>and</strong> the Israeli media reported<br />
<strong>of</strong> a new peace plan. <strong>The</strong>se moves which were seen as attempts<br />
<strong>to</strong> support <strong>and</strong> encourage the moderate leadership in Ramallah.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Annapolis summit<br />
Building upon the Arab <strong>Peace</strong> Initiative, the concern caused by the<br />
Hamas takeover <strong>of</strong> Gaza <strong>and</strong> the potential explosive situation in the<br />
area, USA calls for a peace summit for November 26, in Annapolis, near<br />
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