Archive for Mid-East News

| May 11, 2013
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Golan Druze divided over Syrian strife

The Druze residents of Majdal Shams differ in opinion over Assad’s regime, with some angrily calling alleged Israeli air-strike ‘terrorism,’ while others are calling for Syrian president’s elimination.

By Hassan Shaalan

 

 

Most residents of northern Druze village of Majdal Shams believe that a war will break out soon. The explosion shockwaves are very well felt in the border-adjacent Druze village, in which most residents profess they are part of the Syrian people.

מג'דל שמס. על הגבול (צילום: Google Maps)

Majdal Shams – Photo: Google Maps

The latest alleged Israeli attack in Syria caused much controversy in the village. Some residents support the Assad regime, and see the attack as “a terrorist act”. Continue Reading »

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| May 11, 2013
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Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood stages anti-Israel protest in Cairo

In 1st such rally by the Muslim Brotherhood, the party from which President Morsi hails, the Brotherhood protested Israeli air-strikes on Syria & the detention of a Muslim cleric.

By

 

Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood staged an anti-Israel rally in Cairo on Friday, the first such protest by the main backers of President Mohammed Morsi since they rose to prominence in the wake of the country’s 2011 uprising.

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi. – Photo by AP

Emerging from weekly services at Al-Azhar mosque — the centuries-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning — demonstrators chanted “the people want the destruction of Israel” in protest of recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria and the detention of a Palestinian Muslim cleric. Continue Reading »

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| May 11, 2013
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PA Warns Int’l Community about cleric’s ‘Fake Palestinian Passport’

The Palestinian Authority asks world countries to take legal action and seize the fake ‘Palestine’ passport given by Hamas to the Muslim cleric Yousef al-Qaradawi.

By Elad Benari, Canada

The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Interior put out a notice on Friday, informing countries that recognize “Palestine” that radical Muslim cleric Yousef al-Qaradawi holds a “fake” Palestinian passport, according to the Ma’an news agency.

קרדאווי והנייה, היום. אזרחות עזתית ודרכון דיפלומטי (צילום: רויטרס)

Hamas’s PM Ismail Haniyeh and Yousef al-Qaradawi – Reuters

In a letter, the ministry called on all countries to take legal action to seize the passport if it is used contrary to international law.

The passport was given to Qaradawi by Hamas’s Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, during the cleric’s visit to Gaza. Continue Reading »

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| May 10, 2013
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Egypt’s Black Bloc Guard, the new anti-Muslim Brotherhood militia

Egypt’s Black Bloc Guard has become a band of modern-day Robin Hoods, defending the innocent against an increasingly tyrannical Muslim Brotherhood-Hamas regime.

By Ashraf Ramelah

 

Egypt’s Black Bloc grew out of a struggle for liberation from an authoritarian system, only after non-violent civil efforts had failed. Not to be confused with America’s Black Bloc, which is friend to likes of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt’s Black Bloc is an enemy to their country’s new Islamist rulers and fights for democracy and legitimate government.

Egypt's New Anti-Muslim Brotherhood Militia

Egypt’s New Anti-Muslim Brotherhood Militia – Israel Today

Clad in black garb and ski masks, the faceless and nameless Black Bloc soldiers lock arms to create a human shield in defense of pro-freedom protesters — the Black Bloc’s number-one priority — in the streets and squares of Egypt. Continue Reading »

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| May 10, 2013
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Israeli finds aid to help Syrians ‘being butchered nearby’

Moti Kahana ‘can’t sit still as women & children are being butchered nearby’.

 

Syrian rebel: American airstrikes could

collapse Assad’s regime.

Yitzhak Benhorin

As many in Israel are concerned over the possibility that the civil war raging in Syria will spill over to the Golan Heights and strengthen the standing of Hezbollah, some Israelis regard the crisis in the neighboring country from another angle entirely.

כהנא. "לא חשבנו שהמלחמה תימשך כל כך הרבה זמן" (צילום: יצחק בן-חורין)

Moti Kahan – Photo: Yitzhak Benhorin

Jerusalem native Moti Kahana heads a group of Israeli businessmen and American Jews who travel to the Syrian refugee camps to provide humanitarian aid to victims of one of the era’s bloodiest conflicts. Continue Reading »

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| May 10, 2013
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Cairo livid at Israel for barring Egyptian diplomats from Jerusalem church

 

Egyptian Foreign Ministry summoned Israel’s ambassador & demanded written apology from Israel after 3 Egyptian diplomats, including Deputy Ambassador Mustafa Al-Kuny were removed from Easter Mass at Coptic Church in East Jerusalem.

By Israel Hayom Staff

 

Israel’s Ambassador to Egypt Yaakov Amitai has been summoned by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry for clarification over “inappropriate treatment” of Egyptian diplomats in east Jerusalem over the weekend.

Chapel of St. Helen in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem – Photo: Wikipedia

The Egyptian authorities are demanding an apology from Israel after three Egyptian diplomats, including Egypt’s Deputy Ambassador to Israel Mustafa Al-Kuny, were reportedly removed from the Easter Mass service held at the Coptic Church adjacent to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in east Jerusalem on Saturday.

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| May 9, 2013
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Scholarly Islamic cleric visiting Gaza: Israel has no right to exist

 

Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a prominent Islamic scholar says ‘This land has never once been Jewish. Palestine is for the Arab Islamic nation’

By AP and Elior Levy

 

A prominent Islamic scholar who is making a landmark visit to the Gaza Strip has declared that Israel has no right to exist.

קרדאווי והנייה, היום. אזרחות עזתית ודרכון דיפלומטי (צילום: רויטרס)

Al-Qaradawi with Haniyeh in Gaza – Photo: Reuters

Yusuf al-Qaradawi said Thursday that “this land has never once been a Jewish land. Palestine is for the Arab Islamic nation.” The Qatar-based cleric was made famous by his popular TV show and is widely respected in the Muslim world.

Al-Qaradawi, who arrived in Gaza accompanied by dozens of clerics, was welcomed by Hamas officials including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in a ceremonial reception. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2013
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Chinese president urges Palestinian & Israeli leaders to start ‘building trust’

Chinese media reported the visit this week of both Netanyahu and Abbas, emphasize China’s ‘active involvement in Middle East affairs.’

By DPA

 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders to “build mutual trust” and resume dialogue, saying China wanted to promote peace in the Middle East.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu clinking glasses with his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang, May 8, 2013. – Photo: AP

“We hope Israel and Palestine can work together, take feasible measures, gradually build mutual trust, restart the peace talks as soon as possible and make substantial progress,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry quoted Xi as telling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2013
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Lebanese Report: Assad Will ‘Give Hizbullah Everything’

A Lebanese newspaper reports Assad as saying Syria will “give Hezbollah everything” in recognition of its support & will follow its model of “resistance” against Israel for the sake of Syria & future generations.

By Arutz Sheva staff

 

Syria will “give Hizbullah everything” in recognition of its support and will follow the terrorist group’s model of “resistance” against Israel, a Lebanese newspaper on Thursday quoted President Bashar al-Assad as saying.

Hezbollah terrorists - Photo by EPA

Hezbollah terrorists – Photo by EPA

His comments, published by Al-Akhbar, reportedly came during meetings with Lebanese visitors in Damascus and appeared intended to refute any suggestion that Israeli raids on Syrian targets would halt assistance to the Shiite group Hizbullah in Lebanon. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2013
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Report: Israel briefed US on planned Russian advanced-missile sale to Syria

 

WSJ reports Israel informed the U.S. that Russia has sold advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missile batteries to Syria, making any future no-fly zone impossible.

Intel comes a day after Kerry left Moscow.

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

 

Israel has warned the U.S. that Russia plans to sell advanced ground-to-air missile systems to Syria despite Western pressure on Moscow to hold off on such a move, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

A Russian S-300 missile battery – Photo: Russian Defense Ministry

The newspaper said U.S. officials had confirmed they were analyzing the Israeli reports, but would not comment on whether they believed the sale of S-300 missile batteries was near.

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| May 9, 2013
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Fatah: Resistance doesn’t take orders from Assad or Hezbollah

Fatah plays down report that Assad wants Palestinians to attack Israel via the Golan in response to alleged air-attack.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON

 

 

Fatah spokesman Ahmad Assaf played down the report from The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, which stated that Syria was planning to allow Palestinian factions to attack Israel through the Golan in response to the alleged Israeli attack against Syria.

Palestinians in Syria protest [file]

Palestinians in Syria protest [file] – Photo: REUTERS

The press statement said that the Palestinian resistance does not function by the “push of a button,” according to a report in the London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi.The resistance, according to the statement, does not take orders from any party in respect to the Syrian situation.

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| May 9, 2013
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Jordanian parliament demands Israeli ambassador expelled

Jordan’s lower house of parliament unanimously demand that the gov’t tell Israeli ambassador to leave Jordan & to recall Jordanian ambassador from Tel Aviv due to ‘repeated Jewish settler assaults on Al-Aqsa Mosque’

Roi Kais

Jordan’s MPs on Wednesday unanimously demanded the government expel Israeli Ambassador Daniel Nevo over “the occupation measures” at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, state media reported.

Al-Aqsa Mosque (Archive photo: AFP)

Al-Aqsa Mosque – Archive photo: AFP

The measure cannot be implemented without King Abdullah‘s approval.

The Jordanian MPs called the decision “historic” and claimed the government must implement it.

The non-binding vote came after Israel limited the entrance of Muslim worshipers to the Temple Mount on Tuesday and allowed Jews to visit the compound on the occasion of Jerusalem Day, which continued into Wednesday. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2013
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New Gaza Laws: If Guilty, Lashes for Drinking & Cutting Off Thieves’ Hands

Hamas is seeking stricter enforcement of Islamic law in Gaza, which includes provisions for cutting off the hands of thieves.

By David Lev

 

Hamas is lobbying for a stricter enforcement of Islamic law in Gaza – including provisions to cut off the hands of thieves, and execution of individuals who cheat on their spouses. A report in the Al-Hayat daily newspaper said that Hamas expects the new regulations to take effect in the coming months, after introduction of the legislation in the PA parliament.

Existing laws mete out the death penalty to individuals convicted of murder, spying, homosexuality, or selling land to Jews. Continue Reading »

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| May 8, 2013
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For Senegal, a Muslim nation, Israel’s friendship is preferred to Islamic militancy

The Senegalese gov’t, then chair of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, condemned Operation Cast Lead in Gaza as “unjustified & unacceptable”, but the condemnations never went beyond words.

By Cnaan Liphshiz

 

 

DAKAR, Senegal (JTA) — Struggling to be heard over a flock of bleating sheep, Israel’s ambassador to Senegal invited a crowd of impoverished Muslims to help themselves to some 100 sacrificial animals that the embassy had corralled at a dusty community center.

Independence Plaza in Dakar, Senegal - Photo Airbnb

Independence Plaza in Dakar, Senegal – Photo Airbnb

That event, which was broadcast last October on national television and takes place every year to mark Tabaski, the local name of the Muslim Eid al-Adha feast, provides Israel with a powerful platform to burnish its image in a country that is 95 percent Muslim. Continue Reading »

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| May 8, 2013
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UN complains over Israel’s violation of Lebanese airspace

UNIFIL sent official complaint to Israel after it observed increased violations of Lebanon’s air space by IAF.

By REUTERS

 

UNITED NATIONS – The UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon has protested to Israel after it observed increased violations of Lebanese air space by Israel, which carried out raids in Syria to target what it said were Iranian missiles bound for Hezbollah militants.

IAF plane takes part in maneuvers [file]

IAF plane takes part in maneuvers – Photo courtesy IDF spokesperson

Intelligence sources said Israel on Friday and Sunday attacked Iranian-supplied missiles stored near the Syrian capital of Damascus, awaiting transport to Hezbollah, an ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad.”UNIFIL

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