Dear readers
Here is the digest for November 24th, 2004

1- Israel Dismisses Calls for Goodwill Gestures
2- Caterpillar dismisses calls to stop selling Bulldozers to Israel
Army



1- Israel Dismisses Calls for Goodwill Gestures
IMEMC & Agencies, November 24, 2004

Israel dismissed Tuesday Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov
proposal to dismantle West Bank outposts and release political
prisoners.

"There is no place for new initiatives before a new Palestinian
government is chosen," Sharon told Lavrov, who arrived in Israel on
Tuesday afternoon. The visit followed a meeting of the Quartet in the
Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

"Gestures now are likely to achieve a reverse result," Sharon added.
"They will come when there is a stable government, and when there is
someone who is willing to take steps in the fight against terror and
[implementation of] reforms."

"At this stage, when they are having elections, the issue of gestures
doesn't help the moderates and is even likely to harm them, if they
appear to be Israeli agents." Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom
told his Russian guest.

Sharon reiterated that Israel will move forwards only if Palestinians
fight "terror"

Concerning election arrangements, Sharon said that Israel is ready to
work with the PA on security arrangements "similar to the ones
coordinated during Yasser Arafat's funeral"

During Arafat's funeral, Israel allowed PA security to hold arms for
few days, but tightened the closure of the Palestinian territories.

Sharon also said that Israel was prepared to coordinate disengagement
with the PA, but only when the PA fulfill its commitment and fight
"terror"

Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan calls for the removal of the 21
Israeli Gaza Strip settlements and four isolated West Bank ones, and
the redeployment of Israeli troops to the borders of the Palestinian
strip.

"It's important that the Palestinians don't have any illusions that
international pressure will bring about a change in Israel's position
regarding security," Sharon said.

The Israeli prime minister considered efforts to bring about a cease-
fire as "internal Palestinian issue", saying "If it will be quiet, we
will react with quiet."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is due in the region Wednesday
for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

British officials said Straw wants to hear how Israel would help
ensure the smooth running of the elections, and to hear how
Palestinians would reform their security services.

"Making sure the elections take place properly and effectively
requires the Palestinians to do more on security ... and for the
Israelis to loosen their grip on the West Bank and Gaza," said a
senior British official.

Straw will meet with Sharon, Shalom on Wednesday, and will meet PLO
head Mahmoud Abbas and PA Premier Ahmed Qurei on Thursday. He will
also lay a wreath at Arafat's grave.


2- Caterpillar dismisses calls to stop selling Bulldozers to Israel
Army
George Rishmawi-IMEMC, November 24, 2004, 12:42

The giant heavy products Company "Caterpillar" dismissed calls to
cease its bulldozers sales to the Israeli army claiming that all sales
come along with the American trade law within the Foreign Military
Sales Program.

In a letter to Caterpillar's chief executive officer and board of
directors, Human Rights Watch on October 29 called on the company to
cease all sales to the Israeli military of the D9, as well as parts
and maintenance services, so long as the military continues to use the
bulldozer to violate international human rights and humanitarian law.

The New York-based organization said in its letter to the company,
that the Israeli Army is using caterpillar products as the primary
weapon used to demolish and level the houses of the Palestinian
civilians and to destroy their agricultural land and infrastructure.

"Caterpillar betrays its stated values when it sells bulldozers to
Israel knowing that they are being used to illegally destroy
Palestinian homes. Until Israel stops these practices, Caterpillar's
continued sales will make the company complicit in human rights
abuses" said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights
Watch.

Since 2003, the United Nations has begun to develop standards for
corporations in the form of the U.N. Norms on the Responsibilities of
Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard
to Human Rights. This document states that companies should not
"engage in or benefit from" violations of international human rights
or humanitarian law and that companies "shall further seek to ensure
that the goods and services they provide will not be used to abuse
human rights."

The organization also asked Caterpillar to take public steps to ensure
that Caterpillar's goods and services will not be used to abuse human
rights, in accordance with the U.N. Norms on the Responsibilities of
Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with Regard
to Human Rights.

On March 16, 2003, a 23-year-old American peace activist of the
International Solidarity Movement (ISM) , Rachel Corrie, was run over
and killed by an armored D9 when she was trying to block the bulldozer
from destroying a Rafah home.

Several Palestinians have been killed by the bulldozer and falling
debris in the last two years because they could not flee their homes
in time.