Norway diplomats urge Oslo to criticize “Israel” over torture

Source: AP, 6-9-2007
Norway`s embassy in Tel Aviv has urged the government to criticize "Israel" for the alleged use of torture in prisons, the state radio network NRK reported Thursday.
The network said it had obtained a secret diplomatic document from the embassy urging action by expressing our concern that torture is still practiced in "Israel".
According to Norway`s NRK, the concern stemmed from a report by the Public Committee Against Torture in "Israel", an "Israeli" human rights group, claiming that prisoners were sometimes beaten during interrogation, held in painfully tight handcuffs and suffered isolation, threats, humiliation and sleep deprivation.
Norway`s Deputy Foreign Minister Raymond Johansen said he was aware of the document, but had not decided whether to act upon the recommendation.
"We have a number of difficult cases to raise with the `Israeli` authorities, not in the least in relation to the `Israel`-Palestinian conflict," Johansen said on NRK. "Every government must exercise good judgment in which matters to raise at any given time."
He said Norway does consider torture and abuse to be serious issues, but you always have to make a choice.
The "Israeli" Embassy in Oslo said it could not immediately comment on the report because the ambassador was in a meeting.
Norway has sought to be a peacemaker in the "Israeli"-Palestinian conflict, having secretly brokered the now-tattered 1993 Oslo Agreement Peace accords between the sides.
According to NRK, the secret diplomatic document says the interrogation methods are seen as legal by "Israeli" authorities.
NRK said the human rights group report was based on interviews with 82 former prisoners.
Iran says "Israel" spreading regional insecurity, vows to aid Syria
Source: Haaretz, 7-9-2007
Iran blasted "Israel" on Thursday over Syrian claims that its military fired on an "Israel" Air Force warplane in its airspace, accusing Jerusalem (al-Quds) of "spreading insecurity" in the Middle East.
"The aims of that... provocative move by the Zionist regime was to shift its domestic crisis into areas other than Palestine, spreading insecurity in the region and covering up its failure in the 33-day war against Lebanon," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini.
Iran`s ambassador to Damascus had contacted Syrian security officials and said that "Iran is ready to provide every kind of assistance to Syria," the official IRNA news agency reported.
Russia, meanwhile, called on "Israel" to respect international law and expressed "extreme concern" over the reported incident.
"The reports have caused extreme concern in Moscow," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Particularly troubling is that this is the Middle East, a region already heavy with serious conflicts and tension."
Syrian Information Minister Mohsen Bilal said Thursday that Damascus is giving serious consideration to its response.
Syrian analyst: Syria won`t be drawn into stand-off
Syrian commentator Faiz a-Sayeg told Hizbullah-owned TV station Al-Manar that "Israel" is trying out invasion paths into Syria.
He said that the IAF warplane was trying to evade Syrian radars, and that it had to drop ammunition to dodge anti-aircraft missiles. He said that Damascus will consider its response if the incident happens again.
"Syria will not be drawn into an inconsequential stand-off in this unfavorable time and place," A-Sayeg told Al Manar. He added that "Israel" knows well that "today`s Syria is very different from yesterday`s Syria," especially after the Second Lebanon War. He advised "Israeli" leaders to reconsider their policy after the last war.