Archive for Mid-East News

| May 25, 2016
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95.5% of Palestinians polled view Mahmoud Abbas’ government as corrupt

Palestinians are becoming increasingly fed up with the PA leadership as billions & billions have been given to Abbas throughout the years, with the leaders, their families & close associates becoming millionaires, as unemployment grows & their economy stagnates.

By The Associated Press

 

A gated community of villas with well-tended flower gardens near Ramallah may help explain why Palestinians almost universally believe there is corruption in the government of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The secluded “Diplomatic Compound,” built for senior Palestinian Authority officials on subsidized land, is one of the symbols of what many Palestinians think is wrong with their leaders – that they are cut off from the people and award themselves special privileges. Continue Reading »

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| May 24, 2016
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Senior Iranian Military Commander, We can destroy Israel “in less than 8 minutes”

 

Senior Iranian military official threatens to “raze the Zionist regime” and can destroy the Jewish state “in less than eight minutes” after Khamenei calls to continue building missile arsenal in defiance to UN Security Council resolutions, and (empty) threats from the White House.

By Elad Benari

 

A senior Iranian military commander has threatened Israel and claimed that his country can destroy the Jewish state “in less than eight minutes”.

Screenshot of Iranian missile test – Iranian TV

The comments, quoted by The Washington Free Beacon, came hours after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared that Iran would continue to build its ballistic missile arsenal in defiance of U.S.
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| May 23, 2016
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Israel ends private cement embargo into Gaza

Cement shipments ended after Hamas official diverted substantial amount to its military branch, likely used for construction of new attack tunnels into Israel, but resumed this week following new UN agreement to add more int’l monitors in Gaza.

By AFP

 

Israel has lifted the ban imposed last month on private imports of cement to the Gaza Strip, with trucks arriving at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Monday morning to resume the supply to the Palestinian enclave.

Cement coming into the Gaza Strip for the first time in over a month.

“In accordance with the security assessment and the understandings reached with the international community, as of today, Sunday May 22, the re-entry of cement into Gaza has been approved,” said a statement from the government body responsible for implementing policies in the Palestinian territories, COGAT. Continue Reading »

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| May 21, 2016
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Report: Arab states willing to tweak Saudi peace initiative for Israel

 

Israel’s TV10 reports Egypt & Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states, are reportedly willing to change their demands on the Jewish State in exchange for a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority.

By Ben Ariel, Canada

 

Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, Jordan and Egypt, are prepared to discuss with Israel changes to the Saudi peace initiative in order to resume peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), Channel 10 News revealed on Friday.

In return for a peace agreement with the PA, those countries would reportedly change their attitude towards Israel.

Western diplomatic sources quoted by Channel 10 said that Arab countries have been sending messages to Israel through various emissaries, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, saying they are expecting to receive from Israel a response to the Saudi peace initiative and are also expecting Israel to make gestures towards the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, so that peace talks can be relaunched and those countries could ultimately change their public attitude to Israel. Continue Reading »

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| May 19, 2016
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Future Palestinian State Highly Likely To Be Oppressive Police State

 

If Abbas, who’s incidentally, now in his 12th year of a 4-year term as president of the PA, condones extrajudicial killings, arrests journalists who report on corruption, intimidate students with violence, and where embezzlement is SOP, how could one not see a future Palestinian State as an oppressive police state?

By Israel Today Staff

 

A Palestinian university student has provided further evidence that an independent Palestinian state would be an oppressive police state. In fact, it already is.

PA Police

Earlier this week, Emad Halayqa, a student at Beirzeit University in Ramallah, posted to Facebook that he would far rather be arrested by Israel than by the Palestinian Authority. Continue Reading »

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| May 18, 2016
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$24 million ‘Palestinian museum’ opens – with no exhibits or artifacts

 

Since the ‘Palestinian’ culture is young, having only been declared in the mid 1960’s, more time will be needed before genuine archaeological exhibits are added.

By Hillel Fendel

 

The world has long had its absolutely shortest books – “Light Jewish Cuisine,” and “Tips on Courting Israel” by Barack Obama,” to name a couple – but now it has its emptiest museum, and this time for real: The Palestinian Museum of Art, History and Culture – with absolutely nothing in it.

The EMPTY Palestinian Museum – Facebook Page

The museum is actually named the Palestinian Museum, it cost $24 million, and it is scheduled to celebrate its opening today in Birzeit, just outside Ramallah (and Beit El). Continue Reading »

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| May 18, 2016
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Iran tells Hezbollah: Back off Israel, focus all attention on Saudi Arabia

 

According to the UK based report in the Middle East Eye, Iran’s instructions demonstrate the hostile & drastically spiraling relations between Tehran & Riyadh.

By i24news

 

Iran has told Hezbollah’s military arm to stop attacking Israel and instead turn its sights to Saudi Arabia, according to a report in Middle East Eye (MEE).

Hezbollah fighters carry the coffin of top commander Mustafa Badreddine — who was killed in Syria — during his funeral of Mustafa in the Ghobeiry neighbourhood of Beirut, on May 13, 2016 – Photo: ANWAR AMRO/AFP

The instructions come amid the aftermath of the killing of Hezbollah military commander in Syria Mustafa Badreddine, which the Lebanese Shi’ite grouped blamed on hardline “takfiri” forces backed by Saudi Arabia. Continue Reading »

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| May 17, 2016
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Netanyahu welcomes Egypt’s President El-Sisi’s call for regional peace & stability

 

Israel’s PM Netanyahu welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s call to “join forces” to make regional peace more possible.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

I welcome Egyptian President El-Sisi’s remarks and his willingness to make every effort to advance a future of peace and security between us and the Palestinians and the peoples of the region,” Netanyahu said in response.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi. (AP) & sraeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (Amos Ben Gershom)

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi. (AP) & Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (Amos Ben Gershom)

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded to the President of Egypt’s call for a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority earlier Tuesday.

“Israel is ready to participate with Egypt and other Arab states in advancing both the diplomatic process and stability in the region. Continue Reading »

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| May 17, 2016
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French Mideast peace-summit postponed despite Erekat’s assurances of Kerry’s attendance

 

As US State Department evades question of Kerry’s attendance, French President Francois Hollande announces that the peace summit would be postponed, despite PA lead negotiator Erekat’s assurances of Sec. of State Kerry’s participation.

By David Rosenberg

 

A planned Middle East peace summit hosted by the French government has US Secretary of State John Kerry in a bind, pitting the Obama administration’s hopes that the meeting will rekindle stalled talks against the State Department’s long standing support for bilateral negotiations.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, (right), PLO leader Saeb Erekat (center) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (left) – Photo: AP

While Kerry has suggested that scheduling issues could prevent his attendance, France has stated the summit will be postponed to fit with the Secretary’s other commitments. Continue Reading »

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| May 17, 2016
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Jordan joins Egypt in restricting movement of Gazans

 

Travelers & human rights groups say that Gazans are experiencing difficulties receiving Jordanian permits, preventing patients, university students and others with business abroad from leaving the Hamas ruled enclave.

By Associated Press

 

Gazans who endured a border blockade by neighboring Egypt and Israel for almost a decade thought they were finally catching a break when Israel slightly eased restrictions on travel from the Hamas-ruled territory in recent months.

Gazans at a rally – Photo: EPA

But now Jordan appears to be emerging as an obstacle, routinely denying transit permits for Gazans and effectively preventing patients, university students and others with business abroad from leaving the territory. Continue Reading »

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| May 14, 2016
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Hezbollah blames Sunni insurgents, not Israel, for death of its senior commander in Syria

 

Despite initial headlines blamed Israel for Badreddine’s death, the Lebanese terrorist organization, Hezbollah, has officially declared the assassination to be the work of ‘criminal Sunni gangs.’

By Roi Kais & Reuters

 

Lebanese Shi’ite Muslim militant group Hezbollah said on Saturday to its Lebanese television channel Al-Manar that its top military commander Mustafa Badreddine was killed by artillery shells fired by insurgents near Syria’s Damascus airport.

Badreddine’s funeral Friday – Photo: AP

“Investigations have showed that the explosion, which targeted one of our bases near Damascus International Airport, and which led to the martyrdom of commander Mustafa Badreddine, was the result of artillery bombardment carried out by takfiri groups in the area,” Hezbollah’s statement said. Continue Reading »

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| May 13, 2016
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Hamas sneaks ISIS terrorists into Gaza via tunnels for military training, medical attention for cash & weapons

REPORT: Israeli general tells Saudi media that an ISIS operative, who snuck into Gaza from the Sinai by using a Hamas smuggling tunnel, is due to undergo military training in Gaza.

By YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUA

 

In Islamic State operative snuck into the Gaza Strip through Hamas’ system of underground tunnels connecting the Palestinian-ruled area with the Sinai Peninsula, Israel said on Friday.

Palestinian Hamas militants take part in a rally in memory of their seven comrades killed in mysterious tunnel collapse.

In an interview with the Saudi news site Elaph, the coordinator for government activities in the territories, Maj.-Gen. Continue Reading »

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| May 11, 2016
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Palestinian PM: We’re to follow in the path of the Nazi Mufti

 

Palestinian Prime Minister Hamdallah declared the PA is continuing on the path of the ‘pure-hearted son of Palestine,’ Haj Amin al-Hussein, who assisted with Hitler’s genocide.

By Dalit Halevi

 

Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah on Tuesday took part in the Seventh International Bayt al-Maqdis Islamic Conference in Ramallah, Samaria, in which he aired libel against Israel apparently on the background of its counter-terror actions.

Haj Amin al-Husseini and Adolf Hitler – Wikimedia Commons

In his speech, he called on the international community to get involved in order to “defend” the Arab residents of Jerusalem who are dealing with “illegal” activities from Israel “that oppose international law and human rights.”
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| May 11, 2016
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Arab Repots: Israeli fighter jets strike hit Hezbollah arms convoy headed to Lebanon

 

Israel’s TV2 cites Arab media reporting IAF strikes on the Syrian-Lebanese border that had direct hits on a number of vital Hezbollah positions.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck a weapons convoy headed into the hands of Hezbollah fighters in Syria, Channel 2 citing Arab media sources reported Tuesday.

IAF fighter jets during the Red Flag joint exercise at Nellis air force base in Nevada. – Photo: IDF SPOKESMAN’S Unit

The attack allegedly occurred on the Syrian-Lebanese border earlier in the afternoon and struck a number of vital positions important to the terror organization.

Channel 2 added that the Israeli Air Force struck the weapons convoy near a Syrian “rebel safe-haven” where Hezbollah militants were allegedly stationed.

Continue Reading »
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| May 10, 2016
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Arrested Hamas activist by Abbas’ PA in Hebron: ‘I wish I’d been arrested by the Jews’

 

Emad Halayqa, a Hamas-affiliated student union activist at Birzeit University in Ramallah, described his mistreatment by Abbas’ intelligence services on his Facebook page, culminating with a wish that his arrest had been by the Jews instead.

By MAAYAN GROISMAN

 

Shedding light on the mistreatment of detainees by the Palestinian Intelligence Services, a Hebron student has publicly announced that he would rather be detained in Israel than in the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinians supporting Hamas chant slogans during a rally celebrating Hamas student supporters winning the student council election at Birzeit University in Ramallah. – Photo: REUTERS

Emad Halayqa, an activist in the Hamas-affiliated student union Kutla Islamiya at Birzeit University in Ramallah, wrote on Monday a post on his Facebook page, describing the way he was treated by the intelligence services. Continue Reading »

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