Gaza's residents rally for peace

The Fatah group agreed to maintain the truce, despite two deaths. Hundreds of Palestinians have rallied outside parliament in Gaza City, urging rival factions to stop violence and restart unity government talks.

The demonstration came a day after two members of the Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas were killed in Gaza City, despite a formal ceasefire.
Early on Friday, fierce gun-battles erupted in Gaza City between Hamas supporters and members of a local clan.

In Ramallah, Mr Abbas again urged all parties to respect the truce.
He said he was still open to the idea of forming a national unity government, despite his call for early elections.
However, his spokesman said there had been no preparations for any new round of talks.

Truce upheld

Friday's clashes happened near the home of the Hamas foreign minister, Mahmoud al-Zahar.
Unconfirmed reports say at least one person was killed and at least one member of Hamas abducted.

GROWING TENSIONS

9 Dec - Mr Abbas suggests early polls; Hamas denounces the idea
11 Dec - Three sons of a Fatah security chief are shot dead on their way to school
14 Dec - Hamas PM Ismail Haniya's convoy comes under fire as he returns from Egypt, killing a bodyguard; Hamas blames Fatah
16 Dec - Mr Abbas says he will call early elections; Hamas calls the move a "coup"
17 Dec - A truce is called after street battles between Hamas and Fatah, but violence continues
19 Dec - Formal truce signed, troops begin leaving streets

Mediators intervened to help end the fighting, which came two days into a truce between political rivals Fatah and Hamas.
Both factions withdrew their troops from Gaza's streets on Wednesday morning, on the first full day of a formal ceasefire.
The truce followed serious clashes between the two Palestinian factions, sparked by President Mahmoud Abbas's call for early elections.

Two Fatah policemen were killed hours into the ceasefire, but the group said it would maintain the truce.

Political deadlock

Relations between Fatah and Hamas have been poor since Hamas won a shock election victory in January ousting Fatah from power.
But a Western aid boycott imposed because of Hamas' refusal to recognise Israel or renounce violence has helped create a political deadlock.
The groups negotiated over forming a government of national unity but failed to agree terms.

Last week bitterness spilled over into violence, with apparent assassination attempts against Mr Haniya and Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar.
Mr Abbas' call for fresh elections sparked more fighting before the ceasefire was agreed.

So, how about it?? How about Palestine anyway??...

Quotes of the Day - by Gustave Flaubert

"The whole dream of democracy is to raise the proletarian to the level of stupidity attained by the bourgeois."

" To be stupid, selfish, and have good health are three requirements for happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost. "

The Hit and Run Case

A very successful lawyer parked his brand-new Lexus in front of his office, ready to show it off to his colleagues. As he got out, a truck passed too close and completely tore the door off of the driver's side. The counselor immediately grabbed his cell phone, dialed 911, and within minutes a policeman pulled up.
Before the officer had a chance to ask any questions, the lawyer started screaming hysterically. His Lexus, which he had just picked up the day before, was now completely ruined and would never be the same, no matter what the body shop did to it.
When the lawyer finally wound down from his ranting and raving, the officer shook his head in disgust and disbelief.
"I can't believe how materialistic you lawyers are," he said. "You are so focused on your possessions that you don't notice anything else."
"How can you say such a thing?" asked the lawyer.
The cop replied, "Don't you know that your left arm is missing from the elbow down? It must have been torn off when the truck hit you."
"Ahhh!" screamed the lawyer. "Where's my Rolex!"

A'dam Day 112

Days till exam: 3
Status: 2/6
Looking forward to: this week-end (!!)

Flavour: coffee, in various forms & fruit, occasionally

I miss SNOW!!!

A'dam Day 111

de Menu kaartje voor vandag:

• retrieving & discussing my IHRL
• SFIL meeting
• 4 days till LPIO 2 exam

Mission: to keep focused

On my mind: clearing up most "to do" lists before the year is over -- booking a flight for the end of January -- approaching corrdinator on internships -- still working on the Belastingdienst -- email Ans & Milan -- Residence Permit pickup on Jan 4th -- timely proposals for trip & symposium

Newly discovered deadlines: 4 Jan, IND -- 15 Jan, FSLSD paper -- 20 Jan, IDS paper -- some unclarified date for the IHRL -- suggested: 25/26 Jan for plane ticket

A'dam Day 108

• Nederlandse lesen & toests: DONE! (today was the day, I passed it quite well & I'm registering for the next level) -- in this connection: need to contact someone for copying the CODEC cd
• Master thesis supervisor: found today (talked to, as well) -- gotta start the reasearch & come up with a thesis proposal by mid/end-February
• yesterday's Christmas dinner disappointment: there was no CROSS representative -- might be around for New Year's drinks announced by the end of January

New Deadlines:

18 Dec SFIL course convenor on course evaluation

18 or 20 Dec IHRL meeting professor on exam (with copy included)

22 Dec LPIO2 exam

Work in Progress: VRK annual study trip draft programmes (2) (due tonight) -- list of approved internships -- suggesting topic/s for MTECs symposium by Dec 30 -- calling Belastingdienst -- new job suggestion

A'dam Day 107

FSLS-D done on Dec 11th
Intro Day for Symposium on Dec 12th

Today: meeting Academic Coordinator
Tonight: meeting CROSS representative at Christmas dinner

Tomorrow: NL toets (AB)

Sat/Sun (16 & 17 Dec) - big LPIO2 crash days

on the backburner: SOFI nummer -- Arkadiy's initiative -- meeting Prof. de Wet (deadline Dec 20 for draft) -- my Residence Permit -- Sympo topics by Dec 30

TODAY: CODEC Multimedia on Spuistraat

A'dam Day 102

Yesterday's been the big Peace Palace visit ....

.... including a lecture by ICJ Judge Koroma ....

.... and one by a PCA speaker; 'twas quasi-cool, memorable & expensive ....

Still working on figuring out next year's plans & probably not going to .RO till end of January (not cool!)

Today's feel: de-phased
Today's flavour: shrimp noodles from Dirk
Today's mission: working on my FSLSD presentation due Monday morning

Discovery of the day: my new beautiful blue ship postcard! :)

A'dam Day 99

flavour: Ricola LemonMint
feeling: busy, need to get speedier

applying: GTD, stage 2 (academia & extra-curricular) - working my way to stage 3 (the job)
days till holidays: 17

work in progress: LPIO catching up, FSLSD presentation, NL toets, Christmas dinner, Geneva trip planning, a job, IHRL exam sheets, a new book, my ticket to Romania

thinking of: what to do next

A'dam Day 96

Outlook on the coming week...

4 Dec: 11.oo-13.oo FSLSD w. 6 (next week: my presentation!!)
18.3o-21.30 INTT NL les

5 Dec: 13.00-14.00 VRK Coffee Table (organising) & new subscriptions
16.00-18.00 MTEC meeting Dean of the Law School

6 Dec: 12.30-14.00 Kleffner meeting for Geneva talks
Laura's visit?

7 Dec: 11.00-13.00 LPIO2 w. 6 (last lecture)
15.00-17.00 IDS w. 6
18.30-21.30 INTT NL les & Sinterklaas lotterij met huiswerk cadeau en drinks

8 Dec: 9.00-11.00 LPIO2 last visiting lecturer
12.00-17.oo Den Hague Peace Palace visit

9 & 10 Dec: GTD for presentation & NL tentamen (on 11, 14 Dec) & MTEC meetings & dinner (on 12,14 Dec)

A'dam Day 94

Happy Romanian Day!Gefeliciteerd!