palestine – European Affairs Magazine

Tunisia, Palestine sign two co-operation agreements

6 Giugno 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Tunisia and Palestine signed two cooperation agreements on Monday, with the presence of Tunisian Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui and his Palestinian counter- part Riyad Al-Maliki. The first agreements speak about the creation of a joint commission, while the second preview a strengthening partnership between the technical cooperation agencies. Foreign Minister said that the first agreement has the aim to establish a strong cooperation between the two Countries, while the second wants to prospect new opportunities for cooperation with other parties. Khemaies Jhinaoui said that the visit wants to improve bilateral relationship, in light of the visit the Palestinian President will soon make to Tunisia, and he added, during the visit, that Tunisia is close to the Palestinian people who has the right to establish an independent State.

Jordan, Egypt, Palestine reiterate commitment to Mideast Peace

16 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Jordan, Palestine and Egypt on Sunday reiterated their commitment to the two-state solution as the only solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, expressing keenness to cooperate with the US administration in this regard. During the join press conference, it was reaffirmed the achievement of peace process, purposed during the 28th Arab Summit in Jordan, last month. Discussions also included efforts to end the political stalemate by resuming “serious and effective” negotiations to solve the Palestinian-Israeli issue based on the two-state solution. They also highlight the necessity to involve US administration in the process. The meeting also addressed the issue of the 1,500 Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails and underlined the need for Israel to respond to their “humanitarian and just demands” in line with the international law and Geneva accords. Safadi, Shukri and Erekat affirmed their keenness to continue the dialogue and communication among each other and the rest of Arab countries, agreeing to meet again in Cairo and after that in Palestine.

Palestinian leader lauds Trump’s Mideast peace efforts

14 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate a Middle East peace deal, declaring that the Palestinians were ready to cooperate with Trump’s efforts to broker a regional peace agreement. Last week, the Palestinian Authority president met Trump in Washington. The Palestinian leader made a similar statement on Tuesday, following a meeting with German President FrankWalter Steinmeier in Ramallah. “I stressed to President Trump that under his auspices I am open to cooperating and to meeting with the Israeli prime minister in order to make peace”, Abbas told reporters. “I pledged our full cooperation in the war on terror and extremism in our region and across the globe”. Putin also said Thursday Russia will continue efforts to help restore direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians. After their meeting, Putin and Abbas praised bilateral relations as they dedicated a cultural center in Bethlehem via video conference. According to the WAFA Palestinian news agency, the construction of the new venue, named Putin Palestinian Foundation for Culture and Economics, cost $40 million.The center is meant to promote cultural exchange between the Russians and the Palestinians.

Hamas plotting major revenge attack, defense officials say

12 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Hamas is stepping up its efforts to carry out a major terrorist attack in Judea and Samaria to avenge the killing of one of its top operatives in the Gaza Strip, defense officials told Israel Hayom Wednesday. Mazen Faqha was killed in mid-March in what Hamas said was a Mossad assassination. Hamas has vowed to avenge Faqha, even going as far as directly threatening top Israel officials. The military and Shin Bet security agency have been following the group’s efforts very closely, and have stepped up their counterterrorism efforts across Judea and Samaria. Israeli authorities have arrested a number of terrorists operating under explicit instructions from Gaza to carry out attacks, mainly abductions and mass-casualty attacks. Faqha was a close associate of Hamas leader in Gaza.Hamas’ efforts to carry out a major terrorist attack compound existing security tensions, which are expected to escalate further against the backdrop of three coinciding events: The upcoming visit by U.S. President Donald Trump; Jerusalem Day, which this year marks the 50th anniversary of the capital’s reunification; and the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.Israeli security forces are collaborating with their Palestinian counterparts and the joint counterterrorism efforts have prevented dozens of attacks over the past few months. Defense officials predict that if a diplomatic breakthrough is achieved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during Trump’s visit, terrorists will consequently step up their efforts to carry out attacks.

Jordanians stage protest in support of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli

8 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Nearly 500 Jordanians took to the streets of Amman on Friday to express their solidarity with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, whose hunger strikes entered the 20th day.Protesters said they supported the prisoners’ requests for reforms in Israeli jails where they are being held. Palestinians said that the open-ended hunger strike was a protest against poor conditions and an Israeli policy of detention without trial that has been applied against thousands since the 1980s. Israel said the move by the prisoners, many of whom were convicted of attacks or planning attacks against Israel, was politically motivated.

China urges establishment of Palestinian State

14 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday after meeting Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, said that Palestinians must be allowed to build an independent state. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations’ passing of Palestine-Israel Partition Plan. According to the resolution at that time, Israel had the right to statehood, Palestine also had the right to statehood. However, after 70 years, what we can see is that Palestinian brothers have yet to establish an independent country with full sovereignty. This is unfair. This kind of historical injustice must be corrected and cannot continue”, Yi stated during a joint briefing with al-Maliki. We have to underline the fact that Cina is a good friend to both parties, to Israel and Palestine. The Middle East, however, is fraught with risk for China, a country that has little experience navigating the religious and political tensions that frequently rack the region.

Russia recognizes west Jerusalem as Israel's capital

7 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Russia recognizes west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated in a surprise announcement on Thursday, obtained exclusively by The Jerusalem Post. The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump’s administration is agonizing over whether to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move that would constitute recognizing west Jerusalem as the country’s capital. No other country in the world recognizes any part of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The statement issued by the Russian Foreign Ministry reads, “We reaffirm our commitment to the UN-approved principles for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement, which include the status of East Jerusalem as the capital of the future Palestinian state. At the same time, we must state that in this context we view West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel”. According to the statement, “The stalling of the Middle East peace process has created conditions for unilateral moves that undermine the potential for an internationally accepted solution to the Palestinian problem, under which two states – Israel and Palestine – could live in peace and security with each other and with their neighbors”. The statement continued that “The concrete parameters of a solution for the entire range of issues regarding the status of Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, should be coordinated at the direct talks between the parties involved”. Using its opportunities as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a co-sponsor of the peace process and an active member of the Middle East Quartet of international intermediaries, Russia will continue to provide assistance to the achievement of Israeli-Palestinian agreements.

The United Kingdom don't granting the incoming PLO Ambassador to London Maen Ereka

4 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The United Kingdom is holding off from granting the incoming PLO Ambassador to London Maen Erekat a diplomatic visa, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told a pan-Arab newspaper in an interview published on Monday. Hamas said the the UK is trying to retrace his steps. The UK upgraded the status of the PLO representative office in London to a diplomatic mission in 2011, which granted Palestinian officials in the the UK the status of foreign diplomats. The current PLO Ambassador Manuel Hassassian holds a diplomatic visa. So we will know during this days.

Jerusalem: the protest of thousands” against “the decree of the draft”

29 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Thousands of haredim are gathered this evening, Tuesday, on Jerusalem’s MalcheiYisrael Street, the main street connecting the haredi neighborhoods in central Jerusalem, for a protest defined as “the protest of thousands” against “the decree of the draft”. Many took to the streets to protest, many were arrested. Traffic was closed on the road. The demonstration this evening is the first significant joint effort between members of the “EdahHaharedit”, an extremist haredi group cut off from the State and its institutions since the State’s founding, and the “Jerusalem Faction”, a haredi group which, after the death of Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, broke off from the central stream of the Lithuanian haredi sector and functions under the leadership of Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach.

Hamas develops new 'High-Powered' rocket akin to Hezbollah projectiles

29 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Hamas has recently developed a new high-powered rocket of which it has already produced several dozen, Army Radio reported on Tuesday. According to the report, the rocket is short-range and can carry a relatively heavy explosive load. In the event of a future conflict between Israel and Hamas, the new rocket would have the most effect on the Israeli communities bordering the Gaza Strip.Hamas has invested a lot of these rockets and if will start a war with ISrael, Palestine is ready. Hamas has stated that if he will start a war, civilians wouldn’t be involved. Tension between Israel and Palestine are soaring after Hamas accused Israel of being behind the assassination of one of its senior operatives, MazenFuqaha, in Gaza over the weekend.Addressing the assassination in a speech in Qatar on Monday, Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal warned that ““if Israel changes the rules of the game we accept the challenge”.