Category: Middle East

New report reveals top Israeli official living in illegal colonial settlement

An Israeli Finance Minister, who is in charge of implementing a law to demolish Palestinian homes in the West Bank, is himself living in an unlicensed building in an illegal colonial settlement on Occupied Palestinian land – and he is just one of many Israeli officials living in illegal settlements, according to a new report. The report, released Wednesday by the Palestine Liberation Organization, documented a number of top Israeli officials, many of whom are tasked with displacing Palestinians or demolishing their homes, living on illegally seized Palestinian land.

Trump’s immigration curbs no surprise, those affected say

Many citizens of Muslim-majority countries affected by President Donald Trump’s curbs on travel to the United States say they were hardly surprised the restrictions rank among his first orders of business. The new commander-in-chief had, after all, once called for a “complete and total shutdown” of Muslim arrivals, and in his inaugural speech vowed to eradicate “radical Islamic terrorism” from the face of the earth.

Israelis Seek to Comfort Holocaust’s Loneliest Survivors

Surrounded by more than 100 fellow Holocaust survivors and young volunteers, a blind Ernest Weiner sat in his wheelchair with a puffy crown on his head as the crowd sang happy birthday and showered him with hugs and greetings. The widowed and childless 92-year-old Weiner lives on his own and the cheerful gathering offered him one of life’s most valuable commodities – company.

Turkey issues new extradition request for officers in Greece

” Turkey’s justice ministry has made a new extradition request after Greece’s Supreme Court ruled against sending back eight Turkish servicemen who fled their country by helicopter after a coup attempt. The state-run Anadolu Agency reported Friday that the justice ministry had sent a second extradition request for the eight Turkish officers.

The Latest: Jonson: Assad should run in vote to resolve war

Britain’s foreign minister says Syrian President Bashar Assad should be permitted to run for election as part of a “democratic resolution” of the civil war in the Mideast nation. Boris Johnson, speaking on Thursday to the international relations committee at the House of Lords, described Britain’s position on Syria has been “catastrophic.”

US warns over anti-American violence risk in Turkey

People walk by a military vehicle in a street of Silvan, Turkey during a curfew following clashes between Turkish forces and Kurdish militants on Nov. 10, 2015. The United States embassy in Turkey on Thursday warned against the risk of attacks against its citizens in the country after a rise in anti-American rhetoric.

Israel moves quickly to take advantage of Trump support

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the weekly cabinet meeting at the PM’s office in Jerusalem, on December 27, 2015 Israel has moved immediately to take advantage of US President Donald Trump’s pledges of support, announcing a major settlement expansion that deeply concerns those hoping to salvage a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Since Trump’s inauguration last week, Israel has approved some 3,000 settler homes in the occupied West Bank and in annexed east Jerusalem, signalling a sharp change of pace from such projects during the Barack Obama years.

Ira Sharkansky

We’re amidst an upsurge in Muslim violence, chaos in a number of Middle Eastern countries, plus the resurgence of Russian power in Ukraine, Syria, and Libya, all this against the milk toast approach of Obama in opposing the Russians, and his lack of conviction about Muslim violence. Donald Trump’s declaration of “America First” disturbs Jews and others who remember Charles Lindbergh, isolationists, and American Nazis on the eve of World War II.

Trump administration reviews foreign aid in Obama’s final months in office

A Palestinian man reads by the beach as fishermen cast their nets off the shore in Gaza City on Jan. 24. The State Department is conducting a review of all foreign aid parceled out in the final two months of the Obama administration, including the controversial last-minute release of $220 million to Palestinians announced just hours before Donald Trump was sworn in as president. The review involves dozens, if not hundreds, of foreign aid allocations made after Trump was elected.

Nizwa crash girl back to school after treatment

Indian School Nizwa student had gone to India for treatment as she had suffered a brain injury in an accident that claimed seven lives last year Indian School Nizwa student had gone to India for treatment as she had suffered a brain injury in an accident that claimed seven lives last year MUSCAT: Nandika Saravanan, a Class II student of Indian School Nizwa who suffered a brain injury in a tragic accident that claimed seven lives on January 28 in Nizwa, is back at her school after eight months of treatment in India. However, she still suffers from memory loss, has to take her medicines regularly and meet the medics every three months.

Royal Oman Police arrests 12 on drugs charges

The Department of Narcotics Control in A’Dhakhiliya Governorate arrested 12 suspects for abuse and possession of Narcotics. Photo-File The Department of Narcotics Control in A’Dhakhiliya Governorate arrested 12 suspects for abuse and possession of Narcotics.

Alawi receives credentials of ambassadors to Oman

Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs welcomed the ambassadors and wished them success in their tours of duty. Photo-ONA Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs welcomed the ambassadors and wished them success in their tours of duty.

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Members of Iraqi rapid response forces fire during a battle with IS militants at Tigris river frontline between east and west of Mosul , Iraq, January 25, 2017. Photo – Reuters Members of Iraqi rapid response forces fire during a battle with IS militants at Tigris river frontline between east and west of Mosul , Iraq, January 25, 2017.

Understanding what Israel did and didn’t do

Israel announced a bold plan on Tuesday to construct 2,500 housing units in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a decision made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just two days after he spoke with President Trump. a For eight years, Netanyahu and his right-wing allies bristled at the harsh condemnations of settlement growth by the Obama administration, which referred to the Israeli communities as “illegitimate” and “an obstacle to peace.”

The War Horror Has Begun

Here we are on Day 5 of the Donald Trump presidency, and he’s got “special” forces of the U.S. military in two-thirds of the world’s nations. He’s engaged in serious occupation and/or bombing campaigns in Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen.

As Syrian Peace Talks Begin in Kazakhstan, Russia Takes Center Stage

The Syrian peace talks arranged by Russia, Turkey and Iran that opened today in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, show that President Bashar al-Assad is winning the six-year-old war, but his final victory may be a long way off. Several participants in the conference have good reasons to fight on and Isis has recently made important advances.

Krauthammer’s Take: Obama’s Cash to Palestinians – Was a Final Slap at Israel’ NR Staff 4 hours ago

Charles Krauthammer lambasted the outgoing Obama administration for feeding money to anti-Semitic groups through an “aid” package that will be used for propaganda, and he also offered his thoughts on Israel’s political interests regarding the proposed U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem: I think that was a final slap at Israel by Obama on the way out the door. It doesn’t compare with abandoning Israel at the United Nations on the vote at the Security Council a week before.

State Dept. reviewing $221 million payment to Palestinians

The State Department is reviewing a last-minute decision by former Secretary of State John Kerry to send $221 million dollars to the Palestinians late last week over the objections of congressional Republicans. The department said Tuesday it would look at the payment and might make adjustments to ensure it comports with the Trump administration’s priorities.

Israel announces plans for 2,500 new settlement homes

Israel announced plans on Tuesday for 2,500 more settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, the second such declaration since U.S. President Donald Trump took office signalling he could be more accommodating towards such projects than his predecessor. A statement from the Israeli Defence Ministry, which administers lands Israel captured in a 1967 war, said the decision was meant to fulfil demand for new housing “to maintain regular daily life”.

With Trump’s swearing-in, Israel pushes ahead on settlements

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer but will finish the final two years of his term Stark contrasts in U.S. cancer death rates were found in an exhaustive new analysis that suggests where you live contributes to your fate One black bear cub has been rescued by Virginia wildlife officials after it was discovered in a den without its mother Dippin’ Dots has apparently found a way to begin thawing out its relationship with President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, who has been sending critical tweets about the company since 2010 The wife of the founder of a ramshackle Oakland artists’ colony where dozens of people burned to death in a fire last month says she’s sorry about what happened but is angry about what she called “pretty terrible”… The partner of the founder of an Oakland artists’ colony where dozens of people burned to death in a … (more)

With Trump’s swearing-in, Israel pushes ahead on settlements

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says he’s been diagnosed with prostate cancer but will finish the final two years of his term Stark contrasts in U.S. cancer death rates were found in an exhaustive new analysis that suggests where you live contributes to your fate One black bear cub has been rescued by Virginia wildlife officials after it was discovered in a den without its mother Dippin’ Dots has apparently found a way to begin thawing out its relationship with President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, who has been sending critical tweets about the company since 2010 The wife of the founder of a ramshackle Oakland artists’ colony where dozens of people burned to death in a fire last month says she’s sorry about what happened but is angry about what she called “pretty terrible”… The partner of the founder of an Oakland artists’ colony where dozens of people burned to death in a … (more)

Exploring Jordan’s cultural fusion

I squeezed through the narrow desert chasm just as the early-morning sun lit up the facade of the majestic Treasury building. The structure, originally a mausoleum, was carved from a red canyon some 2,000 years ago, when the city of Petra was a global trade center and its monuments a fusion of Arab and Greco-Roman cultures.

Exploring Jordan’s cultural fusion

I squeezed through the narrow desert chasm just as the early-morning sun lit up the facade of the majestic Treasury building. The structure, originally a mausoleum, was carved from a red canyon some 2,000 years ago, when the city of Petra was a global trade center and its monuments a fusion of Arab and Greco-Roman cultures.

Emboldened by Trump, Israel Rapidly Expands Illegal Settlements

“The Trump administration is giving Israel the green light to entrench a separate and unequal one-state reality with more illegal settlements.” Emboldened by the new right-wing Trump administration, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a large settlement expansion-2,500 housing units-in the West Bank on Tuesday.

Emboldened by Trump, Israel Rapidly Expands Illegal Settlements

“The Trump administration is giving Israel the green light to entrench a separate and unequal one-state reality with more illegal settlements.” Emboldened by the new right-wing Trump administration, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved a large settlement expansion-2,500 housing units-in the West Bank on Tuesday.

Delay in one of Trump’s signature committments

At his press conference on January 23, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer declined to commit the Trump administration to quickly moving the embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the capital of the Israeli state. While President Donald Trump said during his campaign that he would move the embassy, the administration is now expressing some caution.