Tag Archives: Israel
AL QAEDA THREATENS TO STRIKE AMERICA, FRANCE, DENMARK AND CITIES IN EUROPE
In a recent propaganda message on a jihadist forum, Al Qaeda have posted a map of future strikes on countries sympathetic to the French, following French and allied attempts to oust Al Qaeda forces from Mali.
Concern over President Obama’s nominee for Defense Secretary, former Senator Chuck Hagel, who is set to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.
Conservative former officers say Mr. Hagel is the wrong person to head the Pentagon because of his soft-line views on Iran, hostility toward Israel and support for cuts in U.S. military and nuclear forces.
UN VOTES TO GRANT PALESTINE NON-MEMBER OBSERVER STATUS
The UN has voted overwhelmingly in favour of granting Palestine non-member observer status- 138 in favor, 9 against, 41 abstentions. Israel had threatened before the vote to retailed with financial penalties if the vote was passed.
The move in effect recognises Palestinian statehood, and will give them access to a number of different bodies, like the International Criminal Court.
Before the vote Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had told the General Assembly that it “is being asked today to issue the birth certificate of Palestine.”
U.S. AND ISRAEL LOOK TO LIMIT IMPACT OF U.N. VOTE ON PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
By MICHAEL R. GORDON and MARK LANDLER
Published: November 28, 2012
WASHINGTON — After failing to head off a vote in the United Nations on Thursday that would upgrade the Palestinian Authority’s status, the United States and Israel are looking ahead to how they can contain the damage from the approval of a resolution that even some European allies have signaled they will support.
The draft resolution calls on the United Nations General Assembly to upgrade the Palestinian Authority to a nonmember observer state. It is virtually certain to pass, despite the opposition of the United States and a handful of other nations.
FRANCE SUPPORTS PALESTINE’S BID FOR NON-MEMBER OBSERVER STATUS AT THE UN
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has told the French parliament that France will vote in favour of the Palestinian Authorities UN bid to be made a non-member observer. If the Palestinian bid is successful it would implicitly recognise Palestinian statehood, and would give the Palestinian’s access to bodies like the International Court of Human Rights in the Hague. The Palestinian’s could then file complaints against Israel.
The rest of Europe remains divided over the issue. Portugal and Spain say they will vote for the motion, but Germany are opposed to any change in the Palestinian’s United Nations status. Britain remains undecided. The United States and Israel are strongly opposed to the move.
ISRAEL-HAMAS CEASEFIRE ANNOUNCED
The Egyptian foreign minister has announced, as of this evening, a 24-hour cease fire will be in place between Israel and Hamas. Mohammed Kamel Amr made the announcement with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by his side.
If the 24 hour period passes without any violence both sides will be open to more serious talks.
In the agreement, Israel agreed to end it’s assassination of top Hamas officials, and end the blockade of Gaza. Hamas has agreed to end all rocket fire from militant groups within the Gaza strip.
Israel has not explained how the blockade will be lifted. Hamas believe this will mean the border between Gaza and Egypt will be opened.
PEACE TALKS CONTINUE IN MIDDLE EAST
Egypt is at the centre of peace talks between Israel and Hamas, as the violence continues. Israel have stationed troops on the border with Gaza, but are keen to find a diplomatic solution to the fighting.
Hamas have been able to target Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with their rockets, something that has been impossible until now. Hamas’ new capabilities have come with the help of Iranian rockets.
Pictures have also emerged of a man being dragged through the streets of Gaza tied to a motorcycle. The man was said to be an Israeli sympathiser.
Pressure is mounting on Israel, as civilian casulties rise. Civilians accounted for 54 of the 113 Palestinians killed. Israel has stressed they try to minimise civilian deaths, but that Hamas position their rocket launchers and weapons beside civilian populations, sometimes beside hospitals and schools.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is making her way to Jerusalem to talk with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before going to the West Bank to talk to Palestinian leaders, and then on to Egypt for talks with Egyptian leaders.
Read more: Fox News
KIM KARDASHIAN POSTS PRO-ISRAEL TWEET, GETS SLAMMED OVER IT, THEN DELETES IT
On Friday morning Kim Kardashian sent out a supportive Israel tweet, declaring to her almost 17 million followers that she was “Praying for everyone in Israel.” What she probably wasn’t anticipating was the violent backlash, including death wishes.
“Die in hell,” wrote one,
another called the E! sensation a “bit*h” who “should die there,”while others went even further.
Less brutal detractors said they had “lost all respect for her,” were giving her “the middle finger,” and called her a “disgrace to her people” and outright “disgusting.”
Others told her she should be “praying for Palestine, not Israel.” So she reportedly tried that.
According to Twitchy.com, which archives all tweets even if a user deletes them, five minutes after the initial post, Kardashian attempted to appease her haters with the follow-up tweet: “praying for everyone in Palestine and across the world!”
However, both tweets soon disappeared from her account and she has returned to discussing other important things – like her two-hour Tracy Anderson workout this morning.
Yet the derision lives on.“Hahaha @KimKardashian deleted her tweets, must have had SERIOUS backlash from her idiotic uninformed tweets,” wrote one, while another called her a “dumb idiot” who “shouldn’t talk about what she doesn’t understand.”A rep for Kardashian did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
more at Kim Kardashian slammed over pro-Israel tweet, deletes it | Fox News.
ISRAEL SENDS TROOPS TO BORDER WITH GAZA
After the Israeli assassination of the Hamas military leader Ahmed al-Jaabari, the Palestinians have made good on their promise of revenge. Hamas have responded firing rockets into Israel. One rocket fell into the sea off the coast of Tel Aviv. Israel have now mobilised ground troops to the border with Gaza. Until recently it was thought Tel Aviv was out of range of the Palestinian rockets.
Three Israelis have been killed in the southern town of Kiryat Malachi, after a Hamas rocket hit a four story building in a residential area. In Palestine fifteen people have been killed, mainly militants, however two children were also amongst the dead. Israel have said they do all they can to prevent civilian casualties, but blame Hamas for using human shields.
“In the past 24 hours, Israel has made it clear that it will not tolerate rocket and missile attacks on its civilians. I hope that Hamas and the other terror organisations in Gaza got the message,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “If not, Israel is prepared to take whatever action is necessary to defend our people.”
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has said, “Hamas bears principal responsibility for the current crisis”, also urging all the sides involved to “avoid any action which risks civilian casualties or escalates the crisis”. Hague’s views were echoed by President Obama, who agreed that Hamas needed to halt it’s attacks on Israel.
The latest wave of violence comes after Hamas fired rockets into Israeli territory.
The Arab world has condemned Israel for the attacks. Egypt’s Prime Minister will visit Gaza on Friday to show solidarity with Hamas. Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood have close ties.
ISRAEL KILLS HAMAS LEADER IN AIR STRIKE
An Israeli airstrike has killed the head of the military wing of Hamas, Ahmed Jabari. Hamas have said the strike has “opened the gates of hell”, and vow revenge for the killing.
Jabari was killed after his car was struck in Gaza. Israel have said the attack was an act of self-defence, that Jabari had caused the death of many Israelis. The assassination of Jabari marks a return to the Israeli strategy of targeting high ranking Palestinian officials.
Israel acted after a recent wave of rocket attacks on Israel from the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip. Hamas have said that after Jabari was killed another 20 sites were targeted. These sites have been used to launch rocket attacks on Israel.
As Hamas pledge revenge, Israel and the Palestinians are teetering close to war.
For more see The Telegraph
Palestinian UN bid set for November 29, Abbas says – PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES – FRANCE 24
Palestinian UN bid set for November 29, Abbas says – PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES – FRANCE 24.
It is believed that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will submit an application of non-member observer status to the UN on November 29th.
If the Palestinians were given non-member observer status they would gain access to UN bodies, like the International Criminal Court, where they may try to prosecute Israel.
The Palestinians may also hope that non-member status will add weight to their claim for the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem.
Israel have warned that if the Palestinians go ahead with the application, they will take punitive action against them.
The US have already made it clear they are opposed to the Palestinians making such an application.
Iran’s President Calls for “New World Order”
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has given an interview with the Associated Press at the United Nations this week, where he calls for the establishment of a “New World Order”. Ahmadinejad wants to see the world move away from “years of American bullying and domination” In the interview he said, “God willing, a new order will come together and we’ll do away with everything that distances us…I do believe the system of empires has reached the end of the road. The world can no longer see an emperor commanding it.”
“Now even elementary school kids throughout the world have understood that the United States government is following an international policy of bullying,” he said.
Ahmadinejad also called American and Israeli insistence that Iran abandon it’s nuclear program as a non-issue, claiming America was using it as an excuse for the US to impose it’s will on Iran.
President Ahmadinejad is due to speak at the UN tomorrow, the United States delegates have already said they will boycott his speech.
In the interview Ahmadinejad also addressed the issue of Syria. He is calling for a group of countries to work together to bring an end to the bloody conflict in the country. However, intelligence suggests Iran is actively helping the Assad, with weapons and logistical support.
This will be Ahmadinejad’s last appearance at the UN General Assembly as he is due to leave office next June.
To read more about his interview see The Telegraph
Defiant Ahmadinejad says Israel will be eliminated
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday disregarded a UN warning to avoid incendiary rhetoric and declared ahead of the annual General Assembly session that Israel has no roots in the Middle East and would be “eliminated.”
Ahmadinejad also said he did not take seriously the threat that Israel could launch a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities, denied sending arms to Syria, and alluded to Iran’s threats to the life of British author Salman Rushdie.
The United States quickly dismissed the Iranian president’s comments as “disgusting, offensive and outrageous.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted Israel could strike Iran’s nuclear sites and criticised US President Barack Obama’s position that sanctions and diplomacy should be given more time to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
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Iran denies it is seeking nuclear arms and says its atomic work is peaceful and aimed at generating electricity.
“Fundamentally we do not take seriously the threats of the Zionists,” Ahmadinejad, in New York for this week’s UN General Assembly, told reporters. “We have all the defensive means at our disposal and we are ready to defend ourselves.”
On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Ahmadinejad and warned him of the dangers of incendiary rhetoric in the Middle East.
Ahmadinejad, who has used previous UN sessions to question the Holocaust and the US account of the 9/11 attacks, did not heed the warning and instead alluded to his previous rejection of Israel’s right to exist.
“Iran has been around for the last seven, 10 thousand years. They (the Israelis) have been occupying those territories for the last 60 to 70 years, with the support and force of the Westerners. They have no roots there in history,” he said, referring to the founding of the modern state of Israel in 1948.
“We do believe that they have found themselves at a dead end and they are seeking new adventures in order to escape this dead end. Iran will not be damaged with foreign bombs,” Ahmadinejad said, speaking through an interpreter at his Manhattan hotel.
“We don’t even count them as any part of any equation for Iran. During a historical phase, they (the Israelis) represent minimal disturbances that come into the picture and are then eliminated,” he added.
In 2005, Ahmadinejad called Israel a “tumor” and echoed the words of the former Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, by saying that Israel should be wiped off the map.
In Washington, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel’s security.
“President Ahmadinejad’s comments are characteristically disgusting, offensive and outrageous. They underscore again why America’s commitment to the security of Israel must be unshakeable, and why the world must hold Iran accountable for its utter failure to meet its obligations,” Vietor said.
Read more:Defiant Ahmadinejad says Israel will be eliminated.
UN General Assembly Opens in New York
The UN General Assembly opened today in New York. The annual gathering of world leaders will see 116 heads of state and government leaders meeting in New York. This year discussions will be dominated by the civil war raging in Syria as well as the heightened tensions between Israel and Iran. Also on the agenda is the continued economic crisis in Europe.
On Tuesday President Obama will address the assembly as well as the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and French President Francois Hollande. Wednesday will see the controversial Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in past years his speeches have seen mass walk outs of delegates, appalled by his hate-filled rhetoric. On Thursday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will both be speaking. Last year the issue of Palestinian statehood was on the agenda, however it is believed this year the matter will be sidelined.
The gathering ends on Monday October 1st. The week will allow meetings of different delegates to discuss in detail the Middle East issues as well as the economic problems facing the world.