Top Stories
Fake
crash helmets flood Nigeria
By
OUR REPORTERS
COMMUTERS are in for more hectic times as the seeming genuine drive by the
Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to check-mate carnage on Nigerian roads
through its order for the compulsory use of crash helmet for motor-cycle riders
has opened a can of worms. As the order issued about three months took effect
on January 1, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) quickly placed an
advertorial on specifications for the crash helmets the cyclists, popularly
known as okada riders, and their passengers ...
Balarabe Musa explodes!
THE epoch
presidential election ruling is a testimony that Nigerian opposition parties
are weak and opportunistic. If not so, the Supreme Court ruling which he said
was a legal exercise that lacked the peoples legitimacy could not have been...
N40m
Scholarship scam rocks Borno
From SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri
MIRACULOUS disappearance of N40 million from the vaults of Borno State Scholarship
Board of the State Ministry of Education has been blamed for the inability
of West African Examination Council (WAEC/NECO) to release 2007 Statement
or results of all the indigenous students thereby robbing them of admission...
Unspent
Funds: Contract scams rock ministries
From CHUKS EHIRIM; Abuja
BIDDING to conceal their inadequacies and avert punishment, federal ministries
which under utilised their votes have flouted the directive of President Umaru
Musa Yar'Adua, that all unspent funds from last year's budget be returned
to the...
NEWS
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to be patriotic, shun violence
• NNDC changes focus
• Man of the Year 2008: Kudos
for National Daily on Oshiomhole
• Baby Victoria leaves for
corrective heart surgery in India
• Senate gets request for four
new states
• Ekaette, N/Delta Minister
a spent force –Urhobo leader
• Tanker driver stabs motorist
to death
• Oil melt-down, good omen
for Nigeria –Businessman
• Kogi
goes tough on crime
• Operations of Ijebu North
LG Council suspended
• 1999 Constitution Review:
Rep slams NASS leadership over N1bn allocation
• Resilience, unity will
see Nigeria through 2009 – Gov Daniel
• Lawmakers query commissioners
on 2008 budget allocation
• Police have reduced crime
rate, says commissioner
• NGO to curb pipeline vandalism
• Speaker urges Nigerians
to live in peace, harmony
• Gov Oshiomhole dares lawmakers
over sacked workers
•Gov Jang held hostage at
Budget presentation
• Jos riot is poverty-motivated
–Gov Yuguda
• Beneficiaries of Harmony
Estate laud Gov Saraki
• House Minority Leader distributes
N100 million poverty alleviation materials
• Mother of five commends
Ohakim for free Xmas ride
Olmert's
Gaza campaign blurs popular focus
By NKECHI NWOSU
AT a time of great optimism on the Middle East arch-foes: Israel and the
Palestinian Authority, a devastating aerial campaign, dubbed reprisal strikes
supposedly targeted at the militants operating from Gaza Strip, has again
slammed the window of opportunity for peace.
The rain of missiles for the Palestinians has meant a statehood dream shattered.
But for Israeli war-chested Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert , it simply is actualization
of one last milestone mission which unfortunately would unlikely change his
fate and rating. To the outgoing United States President George W. Bush, it
is a Middle East image polishing legacy bid bungled. And to the international
community, it is a rubbishing of years of hard bargaining and stern brain-storming
on best peace option for the Middle East duo.
As Israel plays the reprisal dice, the Gaza bombardments, reports indicate
have claimed hundreds of Palestinian lives, civilians inclusive. Meanwhile,
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, whose peace compromises as prime minister
sparked the second major Palestinian unrest spear-headed by the ailing leader
Ariel Sharon, has tried to justify the action. He said the campaign was not
against the peoples but “a war to the bitter end” with Hamas which
ruled Gaza since 2007.
For once, Israel publicly acknowledged that the Hamas was now in possession
of more sophisticated weapons suspected to be of Iranian origin and also some
allegedly imported from China and which can with precision strike targets
over 20 kilometres away hence putting much of Southern Israel at risk. The
militants officials said as the unrest raged have struck a target 20 kilometres
south of Tel Aviv, Israel's power house, The Gaza assault has drawn condemnation
from across the world, sparked protests in much of Arab states among them
Iraq, Syria, Iran and Jordan as well as some European capitals.
The United Nations Security Council, and Israel's strongest ally U.S. have
called for restraint. The Security Council at the weekend held emergency consultations
to address the escalation of violence in Gaza, and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
urged an immediate halt to Israel's ground operation.
The decision trailed Israeli decision to roll its tanks and infantry into
Gaza in a ground offensive in a widening war against Hamas.
Ban said he was "deeply concerned over the serious further escalation"
of violence in Gaza.
and had spoken with Olmert "and conveyed his extreme concern and disappointment"
at the invasion.
But Ban "is convinced and alarmed that this escalation will inevitably
increase the already heavy suffering of the affected civilian populations"
and "called for an immediate end to the ground operation," a UN
statement said.
Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and several Arab foreign ministers
converged in New York at the weekend to urge the Security Council to adopt
an Arab draft resolution that would condemn Israel and demand a halt to its
Gaza bombardment.
It should be recalled that Israel's military had occupied Gaza since 1967
but reluctantly withdrew in 2005 following intense international pressure.
The milestone peace gesture of Sharon was misconstrued by Israelis as an unpardonable
compromise and it put his job on the edge and tossed several votes of no confidence
at him. Though he survived the ouster plots, the former Likud leader floated
own Kadima Party on caving in to calls for a snap poll which a bout of stroke
robbed him the opportunity of partaking in.
The violence began on December 27, 2008, days after the six-month truce agreement
brokered by Egypt between the Hamas and Israel expired, amid claims of exiled
militant leader Khaled Meshaal's prompting for fresh offensive against the
Zionist authorities.
Israelis are expected to go to the polls in February to elect a new prime
minister.The successful conclusion of the general elections, all things being
equal would free the embattled Olmert who embroiled in a graft scandal for
possible prosecution. In this light, the timing of the Gaza offensive and
the intensity of the bombardment smacks of a hidden agenda by the leader to
at least defer the dooms day via a disruption of the poll time-table.
Again, it is a signal that all the promises during the several closed door
meetings with Bush were smoke-screens and no longer bidding on the Israeli
leader who fears no more the horse whip of the Republican president who is
now busy gathering his books from the shelves at the Oval Office.
To all intent, the war gong sounding in Gaza smacks of digression: a calculated
attempt by the embattled prime minister to blur the political focus of Israelis
on the real issues at stake. With power slipping off his grip, Olmert definitely
needed to do something drastically dramatic to grease his loins for a political
comeback shortly. This perhaps may not just be his last joker for offending
regimes as its grouse with Iran still remains unsettled. Whatever the justification,
the latest Gaza campaign is one too many as it blurs the popular world's focus
at present, which is, peace push.
