BARCELONA, 29 November 2005 — The EU, Israel and its Arab neighbors endorsed an anti-terrorism code of conduct yesterday, denouncing terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in a text that officials said could be a model for a United Nations convention.
The code was adopted during a fractious summit at which the European Union and Israel resisted an Arab push to effectively exempt attacks by those “under foreign occupation” from the definition of terrorism. That phrase was seen as a veiled reference to Israeli rule in the West Bank but could also apply to the US-led coalition currently in Iraq.
“The fact that we got the practical agreement on the code of conduct from everybody is a very significant step forward indeed,” British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the summit host, told a news conference.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ ruling Fatah party suspended its primaries in the Gaza Strip yesterday after militants in several locations disrupted voting aimed at choosing parliamentary candidates for the Jan. 25 elections.
The Fatah Internal Elections Committee decided to suspend the voting because “severe violations” made the entire voting process impossible, committee head Ibrahim Abu Naja said without saying when new voting would take place.
Also yesterday, the Palestinian Red Crescent and Israel’s equivalent, the Magen David Adom, signed a landmark accord in Geneva that was expected to end decades of tension and pave the way for the Israeli society’s admission to the Red Cross movement next week. The memorandum of understanding and deal on “operational arrangements” was signed at a ceremony by Younis Al-Khatib, president of the Palestinian Red Crescent, and Noam Yifrach, chairman of the Magen David Adom.
In another development, Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon’s new party Kadima called yesterday for the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and part of the West Bank, Israeli media reported.
Jerusalem and Israel’s main settlement blocs in the West Bank, however, will remain under Israeli control, Justice Minister Zivi Livni said as she read out Kadima’s platform to legislators who have joined the party.
The faction held its first meeting since it was officially registered last week.
