New Mideast Envoy Off To Israel

(CBS/AP)  The newly appointed U.S. envoy to the Middle East is headed to the region in his first full week on the job, an indication of the urgency with which President Barack Obama intends to tackle the decades-old conflict.

George Mitchell is due to arrive in Israel on Wednesday, and he will also visit the West Bank, reports CBS News correspondent Robert Berger.

Israel's cabinet described Mitchell's upcoming visit as a positive sign. Officials welcomed deeper U.S. involvement in the peace process with the Palestinians. But, reports Berger, many Israeli analysts believe Mitchell's appointment could signal a shift away from the pro-Israel policies of President Bush.

Mitchell is due to meet the European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Jerusalem this week, as both men join international efforts to cement a permanent cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.

The move comes as the EU is stepping up humanitarian aid to ease the suffering of Gaza Strip civilians.

The EU's top diplomat also holds talks Tuesday with Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo.

The Israeli assault meant to crush Hamas rocket squads ended Jan. 17 with an estimated 1,300 Palestinians dead.

Meanwhile, Israel's prime minister said Sunday that special legal teams would defend Israeli soldiers against potential war crimes charges stemming from civilian deaths in the Gaza Strip, promising the country would fully back those who fought in the three-week offensive.

At talks Sunday in Cairo aimed at solidifying the temporary unilateral cease-fires being observed by both Israel and Hamas, the Islamic group offered a one-year truce to Israel, including the reopening of border crossings to allow vital supplies into Gaza, said Hamas official Ayman Taha.

Taha said Israel offered an 18-month truce, which Hamas rejected. Israeli officials refused to comment.

A low-level delegation from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' West Bank government was also in Cairo for talks, but was not expected to meet with Hamas. Abbas' Fatah party controls the West Bank and is recognized by the West and Israel, but has held not influence in the Gaza Strip since Hamas seized power more than a year ago.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies and do not talk to each other, relying instead on Egyptian mediation.

The European Union, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey appealed to Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to form a unity government.

Meanwhile, EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel announced euro58 million ($74 million) in emergency aid Monday for Palestinians affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict.

[fcuk_israel]

Mitchell will likely be shocked to see that, since his last visit in the early part of this decade, illegal Jewish settlements in the Occupied Territories have more than doubled in size.

I gather he''s not going to speak to anyone at Hamas. His mission is, therefore, doomed.

[l00ker1]

If Mitchell doesn''t meet with Hamas, then he should spend all of his time at the bar.

[whitemale08]

Mitchell should re-organize any aid to Israel by making it even with the amount given to Palestinians.

Also any more purchasing of weapons by the Israelis should automaticly trigger the ''cut-off'' of aid.

Also any more ''settlement'' i.e. tresspassing will trigger a ''cut-off''.

Also any more blockades of food into Gaza will trigger a ''cut-off''.

Also any more rocket attacks by Gaza will be treated as a ''crime'' not war.

Israelis wish to live in a bad neighborhood full full of angry occupied people then you accept the crime that goes along with it.

Also scrap a ''two-state-apartheid'' solution and go for an integrated ''one-state'' solution with Gazans and Palestinians immediately having the right to vote.

You can start by creating an assylum program to bring qualified Palestinians walled off in Gaza and elsewhere to enter the New Jerusalem Republic of Palestine.

[newfunkypres]

Hey it''s a new moon tonight, Who''s going to be attacked?

[talkingham]

My ME peace solution. Let these idiots kill each other to death. They''re too stupid and mired in their religious and political fallacies for any other solution other than an asteroid hitting the area.

[barsellers]

People need to know what goes on in Middle Eastern countries. A father raped his 5 year old daughter, and her family and Iranian authorities covered it up. Her young life was destroyed - Nobody cared!!! TAKE A CLOSER LOOK?!?

www.SurviveIran.com

[gopisajoke]

Hopefully the new envoy will be fair and understand that there are two sides in this conflict that have demands. I hope he tells Israel that their days of Genocide and war crimes are over. We need to see two sided peace.

[nevminer735]

The damage that the Palestinian people are suffering is a result of a bunch of self centered Hamas leaders. who do not understand a long time belief that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. The Jewish people lived in fear of the Hamas Rocketeers for a long time. This prompted the inevitable decision of "Enough is Enough". Now we have the inevitable Colateral Damage that is associated with any milatary action. Hamas bears the responsiblity for the destruction that followed. The EU has given some humanitarian aid for the people but is baking of money to rebuild the Infastructure which is understandable. Hamas pushed for the destruction with their actions and now has to live with the responsibility. How sad but to bad.

[sdemaggie]

There are positive signs the Europeans are finally waking up to the suffering their support of hamas is inflicting upon those they claim to help through humanitarian aid. The BBC reports the EU representative, while annoucing a $70m humanitarian aid package to Gaza, stated hamas is full resposibilty for the carnage. Further, he stated hamas is a terrorist organization and the EU is considering cutting off all aid to the organization unless they recognize the right of Israel to exist and renounce violence as a means of achieving political ends.

As a further indication of a shift in European attitudes toward the situation, the BBC and Sky are not airing an aid appeal for hamas. It''s about time...

Good luck George.

[tejasdemo]

Dont bother even getting on the plane and wasting my money George !