Archive for Mid-East News

| December 29, 2014
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PA Foreign Minister Reports UN Resolution to be Put Off Until 2015

Palestinian Authority FM reveals Arab League ambassadors mulling unilateral resolution demanding Israel’s withdrawal & UN recognition is likely to be postponed yet again.

By Ari Yashar

 

The council of Arab UN ambassadors gathered on Monday to discuss the Palestinian Authority (PA) resolution set to be proposed at the UN Security Council, unilaterally demanding recognition and Israeli withdrawals – however, the vote on the resolution set for Monday looks to be postponed yet again.

Last Friday PA chief negotiator Saeb Erekat announced that the vote would be held that day, or at the latest this Monday. But according to PA foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki, the vote doesn’t seem likely until the new year begins.

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| December 28, 2014
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WATCH: Hamas instructional video for Palestinians on ‘how to stab’ (Jews)

Video icon JPEGThe video, reportedly produced by Hamas-affiliated sympathizers on social media, goes viral.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Palestinian social media users are disseminating an online video clip instructing people on “how to stab” more efficiently.

‘how to stab’ – Screenshot

The video was reportedly produced by Hamas-affiliated sympathizers on social media.

Stabbing attacks have become a frequent method of terrorism used by the Palestinians against Israeli in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Two Border Police officers were lightly wounded Friday morning when an unidentified Arab man stabbed them in Jerusalem’s Old City. The unprovoked attack came as thousands of Muslims exited the area upon concluding prayers at al-Aksa Mosque. Continue Reading »

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| December 26, 2014
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UN Corruption Stifles Gaza Reconstruction Plans

The UK’s The Guardian reported that officials are taking bribes to produce more concrete than is needed, in order to sell on the black market.

By i24news

 

Barely four months after a bloody conflict battered Gaza, experts warn that a new war could be in the offing if reconstruction is not accelerated and Palestinian divisions remain.

Mahmud Hams/AFP

Palestinian men in a horse cart make their way through a flooded street in Gaza City on November 27, 2014 – Mahmud Hams/AFP 

Since the end of the deadly 50-day war between Israel and Hamas, which killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis, little has changed on the ground in Gaza. Continue Reading »

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| December 26, 2014
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Kuwaiti daily newspaper reports Qatar freezes support for Hamas

 

In attempts to reestablish relations with Cairo, Qatar will try to stop Hamas’ incitement against Egypt, as well as end Gaza’s illegal transfer of weapons to Sinai terrorist groups.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Doha has informed the Hamas leadership that it intends to temporarily stop its support for the Gaza-based organization in an attempt to pressure it to change its policies vis-a-vis Egypt, according to Al-Jarida, a Kuwaiti daily newspaper.

An aerial view of Doha, Qatar's capital

An aerial view of Doha, Qatar’s capital. – Photo: REUTERS

Qatar seeks to stop Hamas’ incitement against Egypt as well as put an end to the illegal transfer of weapons from the Gaza Strip to terrorist groups in Sinai, a senior Egyptian official told the Arabic-language paper. Continue Reading »

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| December 23, 2014
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Coca-Cola to build $20 million factory in Gaza

 

Palestinian National Beverage Company oversees new machinery entering Gaza that will be used to equip the Strip’s first Coca-Cola plant that is expected to employ 360 Palestinians by 2016.

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

With Israel’s approval, Palestinians began importing machinery on Monday to equip the Gaza Strip’s first Coca-Cola plant for an anticipated 2015 launch of operations.

Israel's Coca-Cola products - Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Israel’s Coca-Cola products – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Emad al-Hindi, director-general of the Palestinian National Beverage Company, which produces the soft drink in the West Bank, said 10 truckloads of machinery had arrived in Gaza via a crossing with Israel.

Israel confirmed it had allowed nine truckloads from Jordan to reach Gaza for an enterprise it hoped would provide jobs for hundreds of people in the coastal territory.

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| December 22, 2014
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Egypt Opens Rafah Crossing From Gaza for 2 Days, Allowing 630 to Enter

The crossing, not controlled by Israel, allowed only those seeking medical treatment or were holders of a Hamas permit to stay overseas.

By i24news

 

Around 630 Palestinians left Gaza and entered the Egyptian Sinai through the Rafah crossing on Sunday after Cairo authorized a temporary reopening of the border, a Palestinian official said.

Egypt's Rafah border terminal with Hamas - Photo: i24news screenshot

Egypt’s Rafah border terminal with Hamas – Photo: i24news screenshot

It was only the second time in two months that Egypt had opened the Rafah terminal.

On Saturday, an Egyptian official confirmed to AFP that the crossing would be open on Sunday and Monday.

All of those crossing were either seeking medical treatment or were holders of a permit to stay overseas, according to Maher Abu Sabha, director of border crossings in the Gaza Strip. Continue Reading »

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| December 21, 2014
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In the Absence of US Restrictions on Iran, Saudis Slash Oil Prices to ‘Block’ Nuclear Weapon Investment

Israeli analysts agree, since the US is no longer curtailing Iran’s nuclear program, the  profound drop in oil prices due to the Saudis flooding market is seriously affecting Iran’s spending.

By Ari Yashar

 

Oil prices have nosedived from $115 a barrel last August to under $60 a barrel by the middle of this month, with many analysts, in the wake of Arutz Sheva columnist and Middle East expert Dr. Mordecai Kedar, appraising that Saudi Arabia has intentionally caused the price drop as a weapon against Iran, over fears of a deal giving the Islamic regime nuclear weapons.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah – Reuters

As the US-led talks continue to meet and breach deadlines and Iran demands enough centrifuges to build 38 nuclear bombs each year, the oil prices are seen as way the Saudis can directly harm their Iranian rivals.
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| December 20, 2014
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UNGA asks Israel to compensate Lebanon $850 M for 2006 oil spill

Another of the UNGA’s non-binding resolutions against Israel says ‘environmental disaster’ caused by destruction of oil tanks in IAF strike during 2006 Lebanon II War resulted in an oil slick that covered the entire Lebanese coastline & extended northwards to the Syrian coastline.

By The Associated Press

 

UNITED NATIONS – The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution Friday asking Israel to pay Lebanon over $850 million in damages for an oil spill caused by an Israel Air Force attack on oil storage tanks during its war with Hezbollah in July 2006.

The UN's non-binding, General Assembly - Photo: AP

The UN’s non-binding, General Assembly – Photo: AP

The assembly voted 170-6 in favor of the resolution, with three abstentions. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| December 19, 2014
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Another Hamas terrorist killed in suspected ‘work accident’ in Gaza

BREAKING NEWS – Another Hamas militant kills himself

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Palestinian sources reported that a member of Hamas’ military wing was killed and four others were injured in an explosion in the Gaza Strip on Thursday.

Israel Radio reported that the explosion was likely due to a ‘work accident’ during the creation of explosives.

 

RELATED:

Prior to last summer’s IDF operation in Gaza, More Gazans Blew Themselves Up Accidentally … Than were Killed by Israel’s army. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| December 18, 2014
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Ramallah Survey: 66% of Palestinians Fear Their Own Leaders

 

 

Will a future State of Palestine really be democratic & free? Not according to two-thirds of Palestinian Arabs (especially the Christian Palestinians), who say they fear their own rulers.

By  Aviel Schneider

 

Two-thirds of the Palestinian population in Judea and Samaria are afraid to criticize Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to a survey conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah.

Palestinian forces arriving at Jenin (file) – Photo: AP

The results of the poll come in the wake of Abbas arresting the leader of the strongest union in the Palestinian-controlled territories.

If two-thirds of Palestinians fear Abbas, how much more does the radical Hamas instill terror in the hearts of the residents of Gaza?

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| December 18, 2014
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Hezbollah reports Nasrallah’s personal security chief was Mossad operative

Hezbollah admits the double agent working for Israel caused “immeasurable” damage to the Shiite terror organization, forcing a significant overhaul, with many high-ranking operatives removed from their posts or reassigned to less sensitive units.

By Israel Hayom Staff

 

Following reports Tuesday that Hezbollah recently exposed a double agent who was working for Israel, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai reported that the double agent was a high-ranking Hezbollah operative who had been in charge of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s personal security and who was later promoted to the group’s elite and clandestine “910” external security organization.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah – Photo: AP

According to Lebanese reports, the double agent, identified only by the initials M.

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| December 16, 2014
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Palestinian Ambassador to UN: We’ll Join ICC to Prosecute Israel

The Palestinian’s UN envoy addressed the member-states declaring that PA leadership plans on joining the ICC “at an appropriate time.”

By Elad Benari

 

The Palestinian Authority’s (PA) UN envoy, Riyad Mansour, told member-states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in a first address on Monday that the Palestinians plan to join the ICC “at an appropriate time.”

Riyad Mansour

Riyad Mansour – Reuters

Mansour made the address after the PA was given the status of observer state to the assembly of states parties to the ICC. The PA has yet to formally apply to join the 122-member court.

“The time to join will be decided by our leadership at an appropriate time,” Mansour said, according to the AFP news agency.

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| December 16, 2014
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Analysis: After 4 full years of ‘Arab Spring’, nothing is blooming

This current phase in Mid-East history is dark, with so much suffering, blood & pain, having many saying the results of the Arab Spring have only been devastating & negative.

By Ksenia Svetlova

 

Al-Qaida on the Israeli-Syrian border, the fanatics of the Islamic state running their own mini-Caliphate in Syria and Iraq, Libyan weapons streaming into Africa and Middle East, beheadings from Raqqa to Sinai and many, many shattered dreams of a better future – this is the picture of the Middle East four years since the start of the phenomenon known as the Arab Spring.

Tahrir Square demonstration in Cairo, August 2011 ( AFP )

Tahrir Square demonstration in Cairo, August 2011- Photo: AFP

The wave of Arab revolutions began in flames with Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi burning himself to death (on December 17, 2010), and as time goes by the flames rise higher. Continue Reading »

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| December 14, 2014
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Israel Air Force Monitors Hamas UAV Over Gaza’s Sky

 

According to an Israeli source, Israel’s Air Force was prepared to deal with any threat, but their jets returned to base after command realized there was no threat to Israeli territory.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS

 

The IDF scrambled jets to the Gaza border on Sunday after Hamas flew a drone into the air during a military rally to mark 27 years since the founding of the Islamist organization.

Hamas drone at a military ralley in Gaza (credit: al-Qassam Brigades Arabic website)

Hamas drone at a military rally in Gaza – Photo: al-Qassam Brigades Arabic website

The drone, which Hamas claims was built in Gaza, and upon which was written “Kassam Brigades,” the name of the group’s military wing, did not cross the border into Israel. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| December 12, 2014
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Palestinian human rights activist pleads to Malala: ‘Don’t donate prize-money to Hamas or UNRWA’

Bassem Eid writes to Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai asking in open-letter to prevent her donated prize money from reaching terror organization or corrupted UN body, writing ‘Hamas acts according to the principles of radical Islam, not of the UN principles.’ 

The Media Line

 

Palestinian human rights activist Bassem Eid is asking Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai to keep her promise to share her award money with the children of the Gaza Strip but to prevent the funds from falling into the hands of Hamas. In an “Open Letter to Malala” Eid shared with The Media Line, the noted activist told the young Pakistani laureate that “Hamas acts according to the principles of radical Islam, not of the UN principles.” Continue Reading »

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