News Archives - Page 18 of 48

U.N. chief alarmed by Israel’s approval of new settlement

Netzach YisraelMarch 31, 2017March 31, 2017News

Reuters

U.N. Secretary general Antonio Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is disappointed and alarmed by Israel’s decision to build a new settlement in occupied Palestinian territory, his spokesman said on Friday.

Israel’s security cabinet on Thursday approved the building of the first new settlement in the occupied West Bank in two decades, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu negotiates with Washington on a possible curb of settlement activity.

“The Secretary-General has consistently stressed that there is no Plan B for Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace and security,” U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Netzach YisraelMarch 31, 2017March 31, 2017News

Times of Israel

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan

Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan on Thursday lamented a Jewish organization’s decision to host a convicted terrorist at its weekend conference in Chicago, saying it made him feel “ashamed” as a Jew.

“As a Jew, I am ashamed that a conference filled with hatred for Israel, and that is hosting a terrorist as a central speaker, is led by a Jewish organization,” Erdan said.

The Likud minister, whose office oversees efforts to combat Israel boycott campaigns, was referring to the Jewish Voice for Peace group in a statement published by his office a day before the gathering began.

Netzach YisraelMarch 30, 2017March 30, 2017News

Times of Israel

Jordan’s King Abdullah II, right, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi

The Arab summits held every year at the end of March don’t generally produce dramatic headlines. They are dull events, even for the aging and unpopular rulers who participate, some of whom have been known to fall asleep at the discussion table.

This week’s summit in Jordan, by contrast, manage to create, if not headlines, then at least significant trends that might, just might, have dramatic implications for Israel.

The Palestinian issue, to the dismay of certain Israeli leaders, is returning to center stage. After long months in which the grab-bag of right-wing coalition leaders and self-styled experts on “Arab affairs” explained to the Israeli public that the Arab states don’t care about the Palestinians, suddenly those very states, who had indeed been showing little interest of late in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are changing their attitude following the change in government in the US. More than that, they are presenting a united front on the matter. And the bottom line that came out of Amman is: Palestine first.

Netzach YisraelMarch 30, 2017March 30, 2017News

CNBC

Gen. Joseph Votel, Commander of the US Central Command

The nation’s top military official in the Middle East on Wednesday said Iran is one of the greatest threats to the U.S. today and has increased its “destabilizing role” in the region.

“I believe that Iran is operating in what I call a gray zone,” Commander of the U.S. Central Command, Army Gen. Joseph Votel, told the House Armed Services Committee in testimony Wednesday. “And it’s an area between normal competition between states — and it’s just short of open conflict.”

The general said Iran is exploiting this area in a variety of different ways, through things such as “lethal aid facilitation,” the use of “surrogate forces” and cyber activities, among other things. He also believes Iran poses “the greatest long-term threat to stability” in the entire region.

Netzach YisraelMarch 30, 2017News

Algemeiner

Azerbaijani Ambassador to the US Elin Suleymanov

Over the past two and a half decades, the Caucasus nation of Azerbaijan — a Shiite Muslim-majority state — has become a close ally of Israel, manifested by deep economic and military bonds.

In December, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Baku, where he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. “The world sees so much intolerance, so much darkness, and here is an example of what relations can be and should be between Muslims and Jews everywhere,” Netanyahu said at the time.

On Wednesday, Azerbaijani Ambassador to the US Elin Suleymanov sat down for an interview with The Algemeiner at his country’s embassy in Washington, DC and talked about a wide range of topics, including Azerbaijan-Israel ties, the Azerbaijani Jewish community, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran and the Trump administration, among other things.

Netzach YisraelMarch 29, 2017March 29, 2017News

Times of Israel

US Vice President Mike Pence (L) administers the swearing-in ceremony for David Friedman as his wife Tammy Sand looks on

Bankruptcy attorney David Friedman has been sworn in as US envoy to Israel, becoming President Donald Trump’s first ambassador to take office.

Vice President Mike Pence administered the oath of office Wednesday to Friedman, who is Trump’s former bankruptcy lawyer.

Pence called Israel the United States’ “most cherished ally,” while Israel’s envoy to Washington Ron Dermer was present for the ceremony.

Israel says to cut another $2 million from its U.N. contribution

Netzach YisraelMarch 29, 2017News

Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem March 26, 2017

Israel said on Wednesday it would cut a further $2 million from its already reduced contribution this year to the United Nations in protest at resolutions taken against it at the world body’s various forums.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also holds the post of foreign minister, instructed the ministry to cut the funds and use the money as aid for developing countries who support Israel at international organizations.

It is the second such cut this year after Israel said in January it was reducing its contribution by $6 million.

Wednesday’s further cut means that of its planned commitment of $11.7 million for 2017 Israel will pay the U.N. only $3.7 million, the foreign ministry said.

The decision was made because of the “hostile resolutions adopted a few days ago by the U.N.’s Human Rights Council,” part of the Foreign Ministry’s statement said.

Netzach YisraelMarch 29, 2017March 29, 2017News

Reuters

Israeli policeman stands guard near the scene of what Israeli police spokesperson said was an attempted stabbing attack at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City March 29, 2017

Israeli paramilitary police officers shot dead a Palestinian woman who tried to attack them with scissors outside Jerusalem’s walled Old City on Wednesday, Israeli police said.

The incident occurred at Damascus Gate, a heavily guarded entrance to the Old City and scene of similar violence in the past.

“Police responded to a life-threatening situation and the female terrorist was shot dead at the scene,” Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Luba Samri, a police spokeswoman, said the 49-year-old woman had “approached a group of officers, pulled out a knife and tried to stab them”.

Rosenfeld later said the woman had used scissors and police video footage showed two still images of her standing behind a police barrier facing officers and brandishing a sharp object. The video also showed scissors on the ground.

Netzach YisraelMarch 29, 2017March 29, 2017News

Reuters

A group photograph during the 28th Ordinary Summit of the Arab League at the Dead Sea, Jordan March 29, 2017

Arab leaders reaffirmed on Wednesday their commitment to a two-state solution to the decades-long Arab-Israeli conflict amid increased unease over the stance of the United States under the new administration of President Donald Trump.

Trump rattled Arab and European leaders in February by indicating he was open to a one-state solution, upending a position taken by successive administrations and the international community.

Trump later told Reuters in an interview he liked the concept of a two-state solution but stopped short of reasserting a U.S. commitment to eventual Palestinian statehood, saying he would be “satisfied with whatever makes both parties happy”.

Netzach YisraelMarch 28, 2017March 28, 2017News

Reuters

Jordan’s King Abdullah II welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi at the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan

Divided Arab leaders arriving in Jordan for a summit on Wednesday are seeking common ground to reaffirm their commitment to a Palestinian state, a longstanding goal that U.S. President Donald Trump last month put into doubt.

The Dead Sea meeting is expected to have a bigger turnout than recent Arab summits, Jordanian officials say, and security forces cast a high profile in the capital Amman with armored vehicles standing at traffic junctions as leaders flew in.

While they are highly unlikely to bridge rifts over the regional role of Iran or intractable wars in Syria and Yemen, Arab leaders remain united in supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

U.N. chief alarmed by Israel’s approval of new settlement

Minister ‘ashamed’ US Jewish group to host convicted terrorist

Arab leaders send a message to Trump: Palestine first

General calls Iran ‘destabilizing’ force, suggests US ‘disrupt’ regime by military means

Azerbaijani US Ambassador: Israel Is a Pragmatic Partner and Good Friend, We Want it to Be Normal for Muslims and Jews to Be Allies

David Friedman sworn in as Trump’s envoy to Israel

Israel says to cut another $2 million from its U.N. contribution

Israeli officers kill Palestinian woman who tried to stab them: police

Arab leaders reaffirm support for Palestinian state amid unease over U.S. stance

Arab leaders seek common ground at summit on Palestinian state