Archive for Mid-East News

| January 10, 2018
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PLO: No peace talks with Israel until Trump annuls Jerusalem recognition

In the spirit of threats and thuggery, PLO official Saeb Erekat takes a shot at bullying President Trump by refusing to resume any future peace negotiations with Israel until the United States annuls its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

By JTA

 

The chief negotiator for the PA said that it will not resume any kind of peace negotiations with Israel until the United States walks back its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“The Palestinian leadership will not accept any offers for negotiations unless the American decision on Jerusalem is annulled,” Saeb Erekat said Tuesday in an interview with the official Voice of Palestine radio, the official Palestinian Authority WAFA news website reported. Continue Reading »

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| January 8, 2018
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Analysis: Trimming UNRWA aid will not initiate a humanitarian crisis

Shocking revelation from the Lebanese Bureau of Statistics expose how UNRWA radically increased the true number of Palestinian Arabs under its jurisdiction by more than double, for excessive funding.

By Yochanan Visser

 

Last week, both President Donald Trump and Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the U.N., indicated that the administration was considering completely cutting off US aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA).

On Friday, TV Channel 1 in Israel reported the US administration would freeze roughly a third of the American aid to UNRWA.

The decision was reportedly taken after the Israeli government asked the US to gradually reduce its contribution to UNRWA in order to force the organization to reform and to wean the Palestinian Arabs of the extensive aid the largest UN organization provides to roughly five million Palestinian “refugees” and their descendants. Continue Reading »

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| January 7, 2018
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In Palestinian political chess with Trump, Abbas seeks full UN state membership at UNSC

In latest diplomatic game of tit-for-tat, Palestinian chairman Abbas sets his cohorts to the UN Security Council seeking to upgrade their non-state status at the UN, knowing the expected US veto will render their efforts theatrical at best.

By Itamar Eichner

 

The Palestinians are planning to ask the UN Security Council to upgrade their status from a non-member observer state to a full member state with voting rights at the United Nations.

The Palestinian move is the latest in a diplomatic war that was sparked by US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, escalated when the Palestinians pushed for the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution rejecting the American declaration, and recently culminated in US threats to cut funding for the Palestinian Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Continue Reading »

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| January 6, 2018
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Done! Trump freezes grant to UNRWA, for “Palestinian refugees”

Israel TV10 news reports diplomats corroborating decision by the United States administration freezing a $125 million grant, or 1/3 of it’s annual funding to UN agency that deals with “Palestinian refugees” exclusively.

By Elad Benari

 

The United States administration froze a $125 million grant to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the UN’s agency for “Palestinian refugees”, which was supposed to be delivered on January 1, Channel 10 Newsreported on Friday, citing three Western diplomats.

The amount frozen is one-third of the annual funding the United States provides the organization, according to the report.

Flour sacks arrive at UNRWA’s Gaza food distribution centre.

Continue Reading »
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| January 1, 2018
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Abbas returns to demanding pre-conditions, presents his ‘red lines’

Palestinian Authority (PA) autocrat Mahmoud Abbas, bypasses American and Saudi involvement, setting his demands for any agreement to end the Arab conflict with Israel.

By Dalit Halevi

 

Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who is also the leader of Fatah and of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), on Sunday delivered his annual speech marking the start of the “revolution” that began on January 1, 1965.

Both despots self proclaimed ‘Presidents for Life’ of Fatah, PLO and Palestinian Authority

In his speech, Abbas presented the following red lines:

  1. “There will be no solution except for one based on international resolutions, headed by the UN General Assembly Resolution 19/67, approved on November 29, 2012, UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of 2016, resolutions of the National Councils and the Arab Peace Initiative, all of which confirm the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders whose capital is east Al-Quds.”
Continue Reading »
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| January 1, 2018
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Abbas to push for UN membership, recalls Palestinian envoy to Washington

Speaking from Ramallah on Sunday night, Palestinian autocrat Mahmud Abbas reveled his New Year plans of seeking full statehood membership in the UN, while cutting all ties with Washington, including a recall of their ambassador ‘for consultations’.

By i24NEWS – AFP

 

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has cut ties with Washington over its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital but, popular as it is domestically, analysts question how long that tough line can last.

The Palestinians said Sunday they were recalling their envoy to the United States for consultations in a move that follows US President Donald Trump’s designation of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Continue Reading »

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| December 10, 2017
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Muslims Douse Bethlehem’s Christmas Tree lights to Protest Trump’s Jerusalem Decisions

In keeping with Palestinian tradition, Christians used as scapegoats with Abbas’ PA turning off the Christmas lights in Bethlehem in anti-Trump demonstration.

By Israel Today Staff

 

There were a lot of Arab responses to US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, most of them bordering on hysteria.

But none were quite so silly as the Palestinian Authority turning off the Christmas lights in Bethlehem, the city of Jesus’ birth.

Apparently, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish nation, as Jesus himself did, is reason to suck the joy out of the holiday season.

Bethlehem Christmas tree – Photo: Bishara Shlayan/Facebook

Israeli Arab Christian political activist Bishara Shlayan posted the above photo to Facebook. Continue Reading »

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| December 4, 2017
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UK Report: Saudi Arabia willing to abandon PA quagmire in favor of Israel intel sharing

In an article from a UK daily, a former top Netanyahu adviser is reported as saying Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is willing to side-step the tedious, unproductive Palestinian agenda, in order to seal a deal with Israel against a serious regional threat, Iran.

By Tzvi Lev

 

A bombshell report suggests that Saudi Arabia will buck its commonly held belief that relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) are key towards establishing relations with Israel and are ready to sign a deal with the Jewish state, even if the PA opposes it.

Israeli PM Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed ben Salmane and Palestinian autocrat Abbas – Photos: Wikimedia

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s former national security advisor Yaakov Nagel told the Telegraph that Saudi Arabia is so desperate to ink an agreement with Israel that it is prepared to move forward despite lack of a Palestinian state. Continue Reading »

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| November 25, 2017
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US State Department decides to allow PLO DC office to remain open, but conditionally

With the Palestinians rescinding its directive to charge Israelis in the ICC, a US St. Dept. official relayed an updated decision allowing the PLO’s Washington DC office to remain open, but “within limitations.”

By i24NEWS

 

The administration of US President Donald Trump on Friday backtracked on its vow to close the Washington DC office of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), saying it could remain open “within limitations.”

A State Department official said the bureau is advised to “limit its activities to those related to achieving a lasting, comprehensive peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.”

Rex Tillerson with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Photo: Courtesy of U.S.

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| November 25, 2017
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Saudi Crown Prince calls Iranian Supreme Leader, “the new Hitler of the Middle East”

The Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “We don’t want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East.”
• Khamenei retorts: The House of Saud is an “accursed tree.”

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called the Supreme Leader of Iran “the new Hitler of the Middle East” in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the archrivals.

The Sunni Muslim kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran back rival sides in wars and political crises throughout the region. Continue Reading »

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| November 23, 2017
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Arab media reports PA despot Abbas refused phone call from Jared Kushner

According to the Arab media report, the PA autocrat’s secretary referred Kushner to a PLO representative in Washington, a childish & sarcastic move to highlight the US Sec of State’s notice that the PLO’s mission in Washington may be closed as a point of law, since the Palestinians breached a signed agreement, precipitating its closure.

By Nitsan Keidar

 

Arab media reported on Wednesday that Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas had refused a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner.

According to the report, Abbas’s secretary referred Kushner to a Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) representative in Washington. Continue Reading »

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| November 21, 2017
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Jordan refuses Israeli ambassador’s return or to reopen Israel’s Embassy

Jordanian Media Affairs Minister says neither the Israeli envoy may return to Amman, nor the reopening of Israel’s embassy will happen until the security guard who killed two Jordanians is returned to stand trial for murder.

By DIMA ABUMARIA/THE MEDIA LINE

 

Jordan will not allow the reopening of the Israeli embassy in Amman or the return of Israel’s ambassador unless the Israeli security guard involved in the killing of two Jordanians in July is brought to trial, a Jordanian government minister said Thursday.

Jordanian Media Affairs Minister Mohammed Momani issued a press release to this effect, in which he added that Jordan’s position on the issue was very firm. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| November 19, 2017
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After breaking US law, Palestinians threaten to cut ties with US over repercussions

In 1994 Clinton waived a law prohibiting the PLO from having a mission in Washington, contingent on the Palestinians not charging Israelis at the Int’l Criminal Court. Palestinian despot Abbas broke US law by breaking the conditions of the agreement, and now, PLO officials are threatening the Trump Administration for the consequences.
• In 2011, Obama (the following Democrat President) allowed the Palestinians fly their flag over the Washington office, a de facto status upgrade of the mission that the Palestinians hailed as historic.

By Yoni Hersch, Shlomo Cesana, Erez Linn, News Agencies & Israel Hayom Staff

 

The Palestinians threatened on Saturday to suspend all communication with the United States if the Trump administration follows through with a threat to close their diplomatic office in Washington. Continue Reading »

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| November 14, 2017
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Israel to freeze joint water project over Jordan refusal to reopen Israel’s embassy

Israel sent a message to Amman that Jerusalem will not allow the Red-Dead Sea Canal Project to begin unless Jordan reopens the Israeli embassy, closed after an Israeli security guard shot dead a Jordanian who reportedly attacked him with a screwdriver.

By i24NEWS

 

Some three months after an investigation was opened after an Israeli security guard fired at an armed Jordanian citizen, Israel is threatening to take economic measures against Amman.

According to a report by Hebrew media outlet Maariv, Israel has sent a clear message to Jordan in past days that Israel will not go through with the terms of the Red-Dead Sea Conveyance Project unless Jordan reopens the Israeli embassy. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| November 13, 2017
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Encouraged Kushner & Greenblatt have new ideas to facilitate a lasting peace deal

Trump’s mid-East “peace team” seeks to facilitate an equitable deal, without dictating terms as the previous administration, for a lasting congruous arrangement to improve the lives of Israelis and Palestinians, using tools serendipitously made available from the changing political winds.

By MICHAEL WILNER

 

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump’s point men on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have diligently listened to its key players for 10 months, studying the region’s storied past, working to earn the trust of both sides and leveraging the serendipitous alignment of interests that has recently formed between the Jewish state and its Arab neighbors.

Donald J. Trump’s Special Representative Jason Greenblatt – Screenshot: Facebook

Their listening tour continues, but the president’s son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, as well as his special representative for international negotiations, Jason Greenblatt, have in their short time in diplomatic service formed some ideas of their own. Continue Reading »

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