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Palestinian leader in new UN bid to end occupation

By WTOP Staff

MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Facing pressure at home to come up with a new strategy for achieving Palestinian statehood, Mahmoud Abbas said Friday he would ask the U.N. Security Council to dictate the ground rules for any talks with Israel, including setting a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian lands.

In a speech to world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, the Palestinian leader also accused Israel of conducting a “war of genocide” in Gaza, but stopped short of saying he would pursue war crimes charges against Israel.

“This last war against Gaza was a series of absolute war crimes carried out before the eyes and ears of the entire world, moment by moment,” Abbas said. The devastation unleashed, he asserted, “is unmatched in modern times.”

While the Palestinian president spoke forcefully, appearing visibly angry at times, the address was short on specifics. He did not offer his own deadline for an Israeli withdrawal, as some had predicted, nor did he say anything about joining the International Criminal Court as his aides have repeatedly said he is prepared to do.

And while he signaled he would seek accountability for alleged war crimes by Israel against Palestinians during this summer’s 50-day war in Gaza, he made no mention of taking the case to the International Criminal Court.

“We will not forget and we will not forgive, and we will not allow war criminals to escape punishment,” Abbas said in his 30-minute address.

His words elicited an angry response from the United States.

“President Abbas’ speech today included offensive characterizations that were deeply disappointing and which we reject,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. “Such provocative statements are counterproductive and undermine efforts to create a positive atmosphere and restore trust between the parties.”

Israel denounced the allegations as “a speech of incitement filled with lies.”

Abbas’ remarks “highlight once again how he does not want and cannot be a partner for a reasonable diplomatic agreement,” Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement in which he also criticized Abbas for aligning with Gaza’s Islamic militant Hamas rulers.

Israel launched thousands of airstrikes against what it said were Hamas-linked targets in Gaza, while Gaza militants fired several thousand rockets at Israel. More than 2,100 Palestinians were killed, the vast majority civilians, and some 18,000 homes were destroyed, according to U.N. figures. Sixty-six soldiers and six civilians were killed on the Israeli side.

The devastating war has weakened Abbas domestically, with his Hamas rivals enjoying a surge of popularity among Palestinians for fighting Israel.

He is under pressure at home to come up with a new political strategy after his repeated but failed attempts to establish a Palestinian state through U.S.-mediated negotiations with Israel.

Before Friday’s speech, his aides had said he would launch a new bid for a U.N. Security Council resolution to set a three-year timetable for Israel to pull out of Palestinian lands captured in the 1967 war. They added that a U.N. rejection of the Palestinian request would prompt Abbas to seek membership in international agencies, including the International Criminal Court.

That would open the door to war crimes charges against Israel for its military actions in Gaza and Jewish settlement construction on West Bank land the Palestinians want for a future state.

However, Abbas’ speech made no mention of a bid to join the International Criminal Court or a deadline for ending the occupation, referring only to the need for a “specific time frame for the implementation of these objectives.”

Turning to the International Criminal Court would be a major policy shift for Abbas. It would transform his relations with Israel from tense to openly hostile, and badly strain his relations with the United States. The Palestinian leader has been threatening to join the ICC since 2012, when Palestine won upgraded status to a nonmember observer state at the U.N., which allows membership in many world bodies.

Abbas adviser Nabil Abu Rdeneh told reporters that the Security Council resolution proposed by Abbas was currently being drafted and was the “beginning of a new strategy and a new phase.”

However, Abbas met with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday in New York and expressed little optimism his U.N. bid would survive a Security Council vote. The United States will almost certainly veto such a measure, having said the only resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is through direct negotiations between the two sides.

However, Abu Rdeneh said a U.S. veto in the Security Council would undermine Washington’s interests in the Middle East at a time when it’s trying to build a coalition against the militant Islamic State group

“It would not be useful for the United States to put itself in this embarrassing situation (of casting a veto) before the peoples of the world, especially now that the Arab states joined the United States in its battle against terrorism,” he said.

Abbas’ U.N. address came a day after negotiators from his Fatah movement reached a partial deal with the rival Hamas on running Gaza. Abbas hasn’t set foot in the seaside strip since Hamas seized the territory from him in 2007.

Over the past seven years, the rivals have signed several reconciliation deals, but never implemented them. In the spring, Hamas agreed that a temporary unity government of experts under Abbas’ leadership would administer both the West Bank and Gaza, but that deal, too, was never implemented because key disputes were left unresolved.

Ending the impasse took on greater urgency after the Gaza war, mainly because Egypt and Israel want forces loyal to Abbas present at Gaza’s crossings in exchange for easing severe border restrictions imposed after 2007.

Large amounts of building materials would have to enter Gaza as part of any internationally funded reconstruction efforts. Israel wants safeguards that cement and steel shipped into Gaza are not diverted by Hamas for military uses.

As part of Thursday’s deal, Hamas agreed that 3,000 forces loyal to Abbas would take up positions on the border. However, it remains unclear when such a deployment would begin and there was no mention of Hamas ceding control of the Gaza security forces under its command.

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Associated Press writers Karin Laub in Ramallah and Aron Heller in Jerusalem contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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