Rasha Atamny, 31, from Baqa al-Gharbiyye, is Israel’s first female Arab-Muslim diplomat
The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday appointed Rasha Atamny, 31, to represent the Jewish state in Ankara, Turkey, making her Israel’s first female Muslim diplomat.
Atamny, who is completing the final months of the ministry’s cadet course, will serve as the embassy’s first secretary in the influential Muslim nation.
Turkey is an important regional ally for Israel, with strong economic ties. The two countries signed a reconciliation agreement in June, 2016, ending a six-year rift.
While the United Nations (U.N.) played a crucial role in the creation of Israel, U.N. history has been marked by persistent antagonism toward the Jewish state. In the last year, U.N. bodies and agencies adopted dozens of resolutions and reports unfairly criticizing Israel.
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Coons (D-DE) have authored a bipartisan letter to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging him to “engage member states in a comprehensive effort to directly confront and root out [anti-Israel] bias.” While the letter commends the good work being done at the U.N., it calls out “many of its member states and agencies” that are “using the U.N.’s privileged platform to advance an anti-Israel agenda.”
Both the United States and Israel introduce bills aimed at discouraging the Palestinian Authority from providing funding to families of Palestinian terrorists.
Shortly after the murder of former Army Officer Taylor Force, Fatah, the political party of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, posted a statement praising the attacker as a hero and “martyr.” This practice is consistent with the Palestinian Authority’s 2016 budget which provided NIS 1.1 billion to the families of terrorists.
Apparently, both the United States and Israel believe it is time to discourage this practice. The United States recently introduced the Taylor Force Act which states:
“This bill prohibits certain assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 from being made available for the West Bank and Gaza unless the Department of State certifies that the Palestinian Authority:
“is taking steps to end acts of violence against U.S. and Israeli citizens perpetrated by individuals under its jurisdictional control, such as the March 2016 attack that killed former Army officer Taylor Force;
“is publicly condemning such acts of violence and is investigating, or cooperating in investigations of, such acts; and
“has terminated payments for acts of terrorism against U.S. and Israeli citizens to any individual who has been convicted and imprisoned for such acts, to any individual who died committing such acts, and to family members of such an individual.”
Meanwhile, Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern put forth a bill in the Knesset to deduct NIS 1.1 billion — the amount that the PA forwards to families of convicted terrorists — from the money Israel transfers to the Palestinian Authority from revenue it collects. See Bill aims to block Israeli aid money from terrorists’ families as reported by YNet
Trump, Sissi said to plan peace summit during their meeting
President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to members of the media as he greets Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi at the White House
Among the issues reportedly discussed during Monday’s 150-minute meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, were “ideas” for a possible Israeli-Palestinian peace summit to be held in Washington this coming summer.
While the initiative is in its beginning stages, the discussions complemented the recent meetings US Special Envoy for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt held with Arab leaders, American diplomatic sources told the London-based al-Hayat newspaper in a report Tuesday morning.
At the Arab League Summit in Jordan last week, Greenblatt told Arab foreign ministers that Trump was committed to reaching a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians that would “reverberate” throughout the Middle East and the world.
The David’s Sling missile defense system undergoes a final round of tests on Dec. 21, 2015 in Israel
The David’s Sling missile defense system, which is designed to stop medium-range rockets, drones and cruise missiles, became operational in Israel.
They system entered into service with a ceremony on Sunday at the Hatzor military base in central Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense officials were in attendance at the ceremony launching David’s Sling.
“We have an absolute obligation to the security of Israel’s citizens. In the context of this obligation, we are working systematically to strengthen the offensive capability of the State of Israel against its enemies. We are also working, to the same degree, to strengthen our defensive capability against our enemies,” Netanyahu said hours before the ceremony at the weekly Cabinet meeting. With the introduction of David’s Sling “We are defending the home front,” he said.
“(W)hoever wants to strike us will be beaten, and those who threaten our existence are putting their own lives at risk,” Netanyahu said during the ceremony.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi speaks during a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi left Cairo for Washington on Saturday where both sides will seek a renewed relationship after tensions over Sisi’s crackdown on opponents.
As well as meeting President Donald Trump, Sisi will see the top officials at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, where he will pitch for help with his country’s’ ailing economy.
The trip will be Sisi’s first U.S. state visit since being elected president in 2014 as former U.S. President Barack Obama had never extended an invitation.
Israeli border police secure an alley following a stabbing attack inside the old city of Jerusalem April 1, 2017
Israeli paramilitary police officers shot dead a Palestinian on Saturday after he stabbed three Israelis in Jerusalem’s Old City, a police spokesman said.
The assailant wounded two ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in the street before fleeing into a nearby house where he was caught by border police officers who had given chase. He stabbed one of them before being shot, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
One of the two civilians was stabbed in the upper body and suffered injuries described as moderate. The other man and the border policeman were lightly wounded, Rosenfeld added.
Palestinian web sites identified the assailant as 17-year-old Ahmed Ghazzal, from the city of Nablus in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
“All I’ve done with Israel is tell the truth,” US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told a New York City gathering on Wednesday about the prominent role she has taken in defending the Jewish state since she assumed her current position two months ago. “So when I saw something wrong, I called it out.”
At a Council on Foreign Relations event, the former South Carolina governor was asked by Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove of Park Avenue Synagogue, “How can you signal to Israel that we are Israel’s friend and ally but also when we see something that might not be in the best interests of a two-state solution, communicate that?”
In response, Haley said, “I will tell you, there is such a huge want of so many people to see Israel and the Palestinian Authority come together. And I think that’s why you have seen President [Donald] Trump, who’s just adamant that this is going to happen, do that. I met…with the representative from the Palestinian Authority, and we talked about the situation here at the United Nations. And what I said to him was: Look, we just want balance. We just want it to be fair. And in doing that, what I, you know, had asked of him was, don’t put any more resolutions on the table bashing Israel. But at the same time, we’re not going to be able to really support you going forward in moving up if you don’t come to the table and negotiate.”
Israel will curb construction in West Bank settlements as a goodwill gesture to US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told members of the security cabinet on Thursday night.
The announcement came hours after the security cabinet decided to establish a new settlement for families evicted from the razed Amona outpost, and does not apply to that community.
The specifics of the limitations were not immediately available, and it was not yet clear whether they constituted any significant change in policy beyond a general declaration of intent.
President Donald Trump holding a meeting with members of his cabinet including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, right
White House officials appeared to show understanding of the Israeli government’s decision to build a new settlement in the West Bank for the first time in 20 years, despite condemnations at the United Nations and by the Palestinians of the move.
One official told the Times of Israel yesterday that “we would note that the Israeli prime minister made a commitment to the Amona settlers prior to President Trump laying out his expectations” that Israel reduce construction in settlements. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.
Earlier on Thursday, Israel’s security cabinet gave the go-ahead for the building of a settlement for Jewish residents of Amona, a West Bank outpost of 40 homes that was evacuated in February.
Author Netzach YisraelPosted on Categories News
