Gaza: Israel Rejects Another High-Level Visit

Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has denied Belgian International Development Minister Charles Michel's request to visit the Gaza Strip. Ayalon told the Belgian minister that Israel could not authorize the request, as official visits to the Strip are interpreted as giving legitimacy to Hamas.

In response to Ayalon's rejection, Michel said, "It's not normal that access to Gaza is denied to a minister whose country is funding projects there."

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Israel-Palestine: US Envoy Mitchell Coming with "No Guarantees"?

According to media reports, US special envoy George Mitchell will arrive in the Middle East this week without a new plan to renew negotiations, despite or because of a series of meetings in Paris and Brussels. The claim is being made that Mitchell is arriving with empty hands because a set of "guarantees" could give Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas further pretexts to object to the peace process.

The Ayalon Affair: “Israel Needs Morality; Not a Gangster Diplomacy”
Israel-Palestine: War or Dialogue With Hamas?

According to the “guarantees” put forth so far, Washington would consider the Palestinian demand for a return to the pre-1967 borders s and a full halt to expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem while, at the same time, recognising Israel’s concern over retention of sovereignty over some of its settlements and  supporting a limited “right of return” of Palestinians into Israel.

UPDATED Iran Video: Green Protest and the Iran-Belgium Football Match (14 January)

From the futsal (indoor football) match between Iran and Belgium:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXu9P8aDcbQ[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjUNR0sO42o[/youtube]

belgie- iran - foutsal friendly match
by siamakold