Israel Lost My Sympathy – EU State’s President Zoran Milanovic Said, Right To Self-Defence Does Not Include Killing Civilians”
New Age Islam News Bureau
14 October 2023
Milanović
hit out at Israel over their retaliatory strikes in Gaza, which have so far
killed more than 1,500, according to Gaza's health ministry | Attila
Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images
-----
Europe
·
Macron
Condemns 'Barbarity Of Islamist Terrorism' After Teacher Killed In School
Stabbing
·
French
teacher stabbed to death in ‘Islamist terror’ said linked to Gaza fighting
·
Putin
comments on Ukrainian weapons in Hamas hands
·
France
introduces terrorist threat regime
·
Russians
told to leave Israel
·
UK PM
Sunak’s ‘cost-cutting’ blamed for stranding Afghans in Islamabad
---------
India
·
Do Not
Allow Non-Hindus To Enter Garba Events In Hyderabad: Suspended BJP Leader Raja
Singh
·
Hyderabad:
HCU students detained for pro-Palestine protest
·
G20
Parliamentary Speakers' Summit Pledges To Fight All Forms Of Terrorism
----
Arab World
·
Saudi
Arabia rejects Israeli calls for Palestinians to leave northern Gaza
·
Saudi
Arabia urges UN Security Council to take action on Gaza violence, forced
displacement
·
Big Fun
chooses Riyadh as its first Middle Eastern destination
·
‘Made in
Saudi’ expo to showcase Kingdom’s best
·
Custodian
of the Two Holy Mosques Promotes, Appoints 69 Judges at Board of Grievances
---------
North America
·
Security
Concerns Rising In US As Ex-Hamas Leader Calls For 'Global Day Of Jihad'
·
Israel,
Hamas War Creates Tension in America's Largest Muslim City
·
CAIR-Philadelphia
Seeks Hate Crime, Ethnic Intimidation Charges for Brandishing of Gun Against
Pro-Palestine Rally Attendees
·
CAIR-Texas
Calls for Campus Ban of Men who Harassed Students at U. Texas Palestinian
Solidarity Meeting
·
CAIR-MI
Welcomes Arrest of Person Allegedly Threatening to Shoot Palestinians in
Dearborn, Calls for Hate Crime Enhancement
·
As Israel
escalates war on Gaza, US warns diplomats against 'ceasefire' talk
·
Police
believe same suspect responsible for 2 hate-motivated incidents at Toronto
mosque
·
First US
charter flight out of Israel arrives in Athens
--------
Mideast
·
Raeisi:
Israeli backers complicit in regime's crimes against Palestinians
·
Israel-Palestine
war: Al-Aqsa imam among Palestinians on far-right Telegram hit list
·
Muslims
protest in West Asia for solidarity towards Palestine against Israel attack
·
UN chief
calls for rules of war to be respected, stops short of urging Israel to halt
Gaza attack
·
Israel strikes
Hezbollah target in Lebanon over aerial objects: military
·
Blinken
holds talks on Hamas-Israel conflict in Bahrain, Qatar
·
Hamas
attack does not justify Gaza’s destruction: Red Cross
·
Israeli
evacuation call in Gaza hikes Egypt's fears of a mass exodus of refugees into
its territory
·
Tehran
condemns Afghanistan mosque terrorist blast
---------
Pakistan
·
Pakistan
Expresses Concerns Over Cycle Of Occupation, Violence In Palestine
·
Protests
held across Pakistan in support of Palestinians
·
State can
fight terrorists for 100 years: PM
·
Perpetrators
of Daska mosque attack arrested
·
After
two-year gap, SC set to take up Bahria Town Karachi case
·
Elahi’s
remand extended in vandalism case
--------
South Asia
·
Kabul
Residents Take to Streets to Show Support for People of Palestine
·
Palestine-Israel
clash won’t have any impact on Bangladesh: Momen
·
7 killed,
15 wounded in Baghlan mosque attack
·
Russia
emphasizes inclusive Govt and human rights in Afghanistan
·
Putin
expresses support for Tajikistan amid growing threats from Afghanistan
·
Ministry:
Kabul Ready to Pay Cost of Afghan Portion of TAPI
·
Dhaka’s
air most polluted in the world this morning
·
Rohingya
camp: Tk 1 lakh robbed from NGO workers
-------
Africa
·
Nigerians
Must Rise To Defend Palestinians – Shiites Members Again Protest In Abuja
·
Two South
Africans Killed in escalating Israel-Hamas war
·
Nigeria:
military carry out air strikes killing 100 in northwest
·
Hundreds
dead as African nation grapples with disease outbreak
·
Israeli
embassy ‘arrogant and unwilling to engage’ – South Africa’s ANC
---------
Southeast Asia
·
Tourism
Minister: Luxury Tourism Packages In The Works To Woo Muslims From Middle East,
China To Malaysia
·
Australian
man charged in Singapore for inflight bomb threat
·
Abby Choi
murder: Lawyers for accused family blame ‘sluggish’ police for repeated trial
delays
·
Thai death
toll in Israel-Gaza conflict hits 24, says PM Srettha
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/israel-zoran-eu-killing-palestine/d/130902
-----
Israel Lost My Sympathy – EU State’s President Zoran Milanovic Said, Right To Self-Defence Does Not Include Killing Civilians,”
Milanović
hit out at Israel over their retaliatory strikes in Gaza, which have so far
killed more than 1,500, according to Gaza's health ministry | Attila
Kisbenedek/AFP via Getty Images
-----
14 Oct, 2023
Having the Croatian Foreign Ministry fly
an Israeli flag was “idiotic” and inappropriate, President Zoran Milanovic said
on Friday, adding that the atrocities by Hamas do not give Israel the right to
bomb civilians for revenge.
“I think it was an idiotic move, for all
my sympathies for Israel – which they unfortunately wasted after 15 minutes –
after the horrors and massacres by Hamas,” Milanovic told reporters who asked
him about the flag incident.
“I condemned the killings [by Hamas],
and expressed my horror and revulsion, but the right to self-defence does not
include vengeance and killing civilians,” he added.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on
Israeli bases and settlements near Gaza on Saturday, killing over 1,300 Israeli
citizens, according to the latest figures from West Jerusalem. Israel has
declared war on the Palestinian group and bombed Gaza with artillery and
aircraft, vowing to “dismantle” the Hamas leadership.
At least 1,900 Palestinians, including
614 children and 370 women, have been killed in Gaza over the past week,
according to the latest figures from the Palestinian Health Ministry; 7,696
were injured, the ministry added.
Milanovic, a social democrat, has often
clashed with the Croatian cabinet, which is led by the nationalist HDZ. He
explained his objection to the flag gesture by citing protocol.
“Other flags have no place in Croatia,
unless in strictly regulated circumstances,” the president said. He added that
he would lower the banners of NATO and the EU – which Croatia joined in 2009
and 2013 respectively – “slightly” below the national flag in his office, “just
to show that the Croatian flag is a step above them.”
The former foreign minister, who assumed
the presidential post in 2020, has gained notoriety in both the EU and NATO by
going against conventional wisdom on many issues. In June, he said the ‘glory
to Ukraine’ slogan repeated by many Western officials is no different than that
of the WWII Croatian allies of the Nazis, which he denounced as harmful for
Croatia’s image.
Earlier this year, Milanovic insisted
Croatia was not at war with Russia and criticized the German decision to send
tanks to Ukraine. He also criticized the EU’s treatment of member states like
Poland and Hungary, and accused Brussels of treating Croatia like a “retarded”
child.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/584873-milanovic-israel-lost-sympathy/
---------
J&K Government Locks Kashmir’s
Biggest Jamia Masjid In Srinagar To Prevent Pro-Palestine Protests But Major Protests
Against Israel Broke Out In Shia-Dominated Kargil And Budgam
A protest
against Israel in Kashmir’s Budgam district on Friday.
PTI picture
------
14.10.23
Muzaffar Raina
The Jammu and Kashmir government on
Friday locked Kashmir’s biggest Jamia Masjid in Srinagar to prevent
pro-Palestine protests, but major protests broke out in Shia-dominated Kargil
and Budgam districts against Israeli actions in Gaza.
Security personnel were deployed around
the Jamia Masjid in anticipation of the protests.
The mosque management said chief priest
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is also the moderate Hurriyat chairman, was put under
house arrest to prevent him from delivering his Friday address.
Kashmir has in the past witnessed large
pro-Palestine protests, but all forms of agitation have literally been banned
here since the 2019 scrapping of special status.
Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar, the
managing body of the mosque, said in a statement that the authorities closed
all the doors of the central mosque since morning and informed them that no
Friday prayers would be allowed.
The management expressed “regrets and
surprise over the administration’s action” and shared pictures and videos of
the locked masjid on its social media accounts.
Friday prayers at the mosque, once a
major separatist platform, have been disallowed on several occasions in the
last four years.
The Auqaf said Mirwaiz “has yet again
been put under house arrest early morning today”. He was recently released
after four years of house detention in the wake of the dilution of Article 370
on August 5, 2019.
Mirwaiz had on Wednesday expressed
solidarity with the people of Palestine and called for a resolution to the
ongoing conflict.
There was no official word about why the
mosque was closed.
Palestinian militant group Hamas had
called for protests on Friday in support of the Palestinians.
While the situation in erstwhile Jammu
and Kashmir remained largely peaceful on Friday, hundreds of people took to the
streets in Kargil district of Ladakh and Budgam district in the Valley to
protest Israel's bombing of Gaza.
Protesters waved Palestinian flags and
raised anti-US and anti-Israel protests in Kargil. The protest marched through
the streets of the Kargil town but dispersed peacefully.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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--------
Saudi Arabia Puts Normalisation Of Ties
With Israel On Hold In Light Of The Conflict Between Israel And Hamas: Report
File Photo:
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud
------
Riyadh
Edited By: Manas Joshi
Oct 14, 2023
Saudi Arabia is reportedly putting plans
of normalisation of ties with Israel on the back burner in light of the latest
conflict between Israel and Hamas, Reuters reported citing sources. This has
signalled rapid rethinking of its foreign policy amid escalation of situation
in the Middle East.
The conflict has pushed Saudi Arabia to
engage more with Iran, its regional foe. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
spoke with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi with a view to prevent broader surge
in violence which may span the entire Middle East.
A Saudi statement said the crown prince
told Raisi "the kingdom is exerting maximum effort to engage with all
international and regional parties to halt the ongoing escalation",
underling Riyadh's move to contain the crisis.
Until Hamas' attack on Israel on October
7, both Saudi Arabia and Israel had been saying that they were moving towards a
normalisation deal. This had potential to reshape the geopolitical scenario in
the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia is home to Islam's two
holiest sites. The kingdom had reportedly indicated till recently that it would
not allow its pursuit of a U.S. defence pact be derailed even if Israel did not
offer significant concessions to the Palestinians in the their bid for
statehood.
As the Israel-Hamas conflict completes a
week, at least 1300 Israelis have been killed till now. On the Palestinian
side, 1900 people have lost lives.
Reuters said that Saudi Arabia is not in
a mood to continue normalisation talks with Israel for now and Israeli
concessions for Palestinians may assume greater importance in the kingdom's
calculus.
A 'taboo'
"Normalisation was already
considered taboo (in the Arab world) ... this war only amplifies that,"
Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian said as quoted by Reuters.
The US has been working for greater
intergration of Israel with the Arab world that immediately surrounds it
geohraphically. Washington has been keen to build on the Abraham Accords which
saw normalisation of ties between Israel and some Gulf states, including the
United Arab Emirates (UAE).
On its part, the US has maintained that
normalisation process has not been abandoned.
US National Security Adviser Jake
Sullivan said in a White House briefing earlier this week that normalisation
effort was "not on hold" but also added that the focus was now on other
immediate challenges, an apparent reference to Israel-Hamas war.
(With inputs from agencies)
Source: wionews.com
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https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-puts-normalisation-with-israel-on-ice-report-646613
-----
Cries Of "Free Palestine" Rang
Out In New York, Protesters Denounce Israeli Bombings In The Gaza Strip
The protests
in solidarity with Gaza included people from all religious backgrounds [Getty]
------
October 14, 2023
NEW YORK: Cries of "Free
Palestine" rang out in New York on Friday, as thousands of protesters took
to the streets to denounce Israeli bombings in the Gaza Strip.
Calling for an end to "Israeli
occupation" and the "liberation" of the Palestinian territories,
protesters took up multiple blocks in a city that serves as a crossroads for
religions and nationalities spanning the world.
The largely youthful protest – which
drew demonstrators of all origins, some sporting Palestinian flags and
keffiyehs – accused Israel of "genocide" and called for the US to
withdraw support for its Middle Eastern ally.
Hamas fighters from Gaza burst through
the heavily militarised border into Israel on Saturday, killing more than 1,300
people.
Israel has responded with a fierce bombardment
of missile strikes on the densely populated enclave, killing at least 1,900
Gazans – again mostly civilians, including more than 600 children.
Thousands are attempting to flee to
southern Gaza after Israel warned them to evacuate before an expected ground
offensive.
"I'm extremely worried, this has to
stop," said Liz Zacharia, a professor attending the march.
"The settler colonial project of
Israel has to end now," said Zacharia, whose father was from Jerusalem,
adding that it feeds a growing "cycle of violence" and
"oppression of Palestinians."
"From the river to the sea,
Palestine will be free," protesters chanted, a slogan some Jewish
organisations say calls for the destruction of Israel and is anti-Semitic.
Supporters of the slogan say it calls for
equality for Palestinians and Israelis.
About 200 pro-Palestinian demonstrators
also gathered in the southern US city of Miami.
A heavy police presence guarded the
protest and made sure to keep a distance between it and the dozen pro-Israel
demonstrators across the street.
Anas Amireh, 51, a businessman and the
son of Palestinian immigrants, said that responding to the killings of
innocents in Israel with "another genocide... in the Gaza Strip is a
criminal war and it is wrong."
"I feel it's my duty, not just as a
Muslim, but also as a human being, to see everyone show up because of the
crimes that the Israel occupation has caused upon the Palestinian people,"
said Laibah Faiaz, a 21-year-old New York protester.
"No one is acknowledging the scale
of destruction that they've unleashed upon these innocent people," she
added.
New York, home to the largest Jewish
population outside of Israel, has been the scene of a series of demonstrations
in support of the Palestinian cause as well as vigils and demonstrations in
solidarity with the Israeli victims of Hamas attacks.
Protests have popped up on college
campuses across the US as well.—AFP
Source: nst.com.my
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----------
1,900 Palestinians, Including 614
Children, Martyred In Israeli Offensive In Gaza
Palestinians
mourn near the bodies of Shamlah family killed in Israeli airstrikes, as a
funeral held in Gaza City, Gaza on October 09, 2023. Photo : ( Mustafa Hassona
- AA )
-----
13 October 2023
The death toll from Israel’s savage
attacks on the Gaza Strip continues to rise nearly a week after the regime
launched its brutal onslaught on the besieged Palestinian territory.
The Health Ministry in Gaza announced on
Friday that at least 1,900 Palestinians, including 614 children, and 370 women
have been martyred in seven days of incessant Israeli bombardment of the
blockaded territory.
At least 7,696 Palestinians have also
been wounded in the bombardment.
70 people, mostly women and children,
martyred while fleeing
Meanwhile, officials in Gaza said that
70 people, mostly women and children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on
convoys fleeing Gaza City on Friday.
Hamas’ media office said the cars were
struck in three places as they headed south from Gaza City.
The Israeli army ordered residents to
evacuate the city early Friday ahead of an expected ground invasion.
Israeli forces killed at least 16
Palestinians across the occupied West Bank as they opened live fire on
demonstrators rallying to show solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip.
People took part in demonstrations in
cities across the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday, including Ramallah,
Tulkarem, Nablus and al-Khalil (Hebron).
The Palestinian health ministry said in
the early hours of Saturday that a total of 51 people have been killed since
Oct. 7.
The ruins of houses destroyed in Israeli
strikes in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Tuesday, October 12, 2023.
The regime’s air raids claimed at least
two dozen lives in the densely populated Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza
on Thursday.
Hundreds of thousands of Gazans have
also been displaced as a result of the regime's relentless and indiscriminate
attacks.
At least 423,000 people have now been
forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations said.
As of late Thursday, the number of
displaced people in Gaza had risen by an additional 84,444 people and reached
423,378, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said.
The coastal territory remains under
Israel’s complete siege with no access to electricity, water, food, and
medicines.
Israel started its onslaught on Saturday
after Gaza-based resistance groups launched a multi-front operation against the
regime.
Israel used banned white phosphorus
munitions against desperate people in Gaza, a human rights monitor said.
In a post on X on Thursday, Maha
Hussaini, director of strategies at the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor
in Geneva, said that the Tel Aviv regime was “using internationally prohibited
white phosphorus in Gaza.”
“These munitions are an indiscriminate
incendiary weapon that ignites on contact with oxygen. In closed spaces, the
toxic fumes can cause asphyxiation & permanent respiratory damage,” she
added.
Biden has said and said that the US
stands behind Israel and will provide it whatever it needs to attack Gaza.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch also said
on Thursday Israel used white phosphorus munitions in Gaza and Lebanon.
The United Nations Humanitarian Office
(OCHA) said on Thursday that Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip has
inflicted damage on over 12,600 homes in the coastal territory.
It added that 1,000 of these homes were
flattened and another 560 housing units sustained serious damage, which
rendered them uninhabitable.
Many people in the impoverished sliver
face dire shortages of water, fuel and medical supplies, as all 13 hospitals
there are only partially operational due to severe shortages of fuel and crucial
medical supplies.
It said that the reduction in water
supplies due to Israel's tightening its siege on the strip has resulted in dire
water shortages for more than 650,000 people in the territory of 2.3 million.
As sewage systems have been destroyed, fetid
wastewater is sent into the streets and posing a health hazard, OCHA added.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also
known as Doctors Without Borders, warned on Wednesday that hospitals across
Gaza are overwhelmed and experiencing shortages of drugs, medical supplies and
electricity.
A human rights monitor says Israel is
using banned white phosphorus munitions against people in the besieged Gaza
Strip.
In a statement, Avril Benoît, executive
director of MSF-USA, said the aid agency was "seeing shortages of water,
electricity, and fuel, which hospitals rely on for their generators."
Gaza is under full Israeli siege and now
the only power plant there has shut down due to a fuel outage. According to
health authorities, overwhelmed hospitals without electricity will have to rely
on their emergency generators, which will only last two to four days.
Hassan Khalaf, the medical director of
al-Wafa Hospital in Gaza City, said there are currently 100 newborn babies
relying on medical equipment currently in Gaza.
Source: presstv.ir
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--------
Europe
Macron condemns 'barbarity of Islamist
terrorism' after teacher killed in school stabbing
October 14, 2023
A man of Chechen origin who was under
surveillance by French security services over suspected Islamic radicalisation
has stabbed a teacher to death at his former high school and wounded three
other people.
President Emmanuel Macron said France
had been "hit once again by the barbarity of Islamist terrorism" as
the country raised its threat alert to its highest level.
The victim, a French teacher, was
stabbed in the throat and chest.
Two of the wounded — another teacher and
a security guard — were fighting for their lives, according to Mr Macron.
The attack in the town of Arras comes as
France, which has large Jewish and Muslim populations, engaged its highest
alert for security risks following the Hamas attack on Israel last weekend.
Mr Macron said the victim had
"probably saved many lives" with his courage in seeking to block the
attacker.
Mr Macron said a second attack had been
foiled elsewhere in France by security forces on Friday, but did not give
details.
French riot police officers patrol a
street as a woman in a green top stays out of their way behind the corner of a
building.
Attacker detained and released in recent
days
The suspected attacker, Mohammed
Moguchkov, who is in his 20s, has been arrested by police but was reportedly
refusing to speak to investigators.
Moguchkov cried the Arabic phrase
"Allahu akbar!" (God is greatest!), according to the preliminary
elements of the investigation.
He is from Russia's mainly Muslim southern
Caucasus region of Chechnya and was already on a French national register known
as "Fiche S" as a potential security threat, a police source told
AFP.
He had been under electronic and
physical surveillance by France's domestic intelligence agency on suspicion of
Islamic radicalisation, French intelligence services said.
Riot police in full body armour walk
towards a police cordon, where detectives and uniformed officers have gathered.
He was detained on Thursday for
questioning based on the monitoring of his phone calls in recent days, but
investigators found no sign that he was preparing an attack, Interior Minister
Gerald Darmanin said.
"There was a race against the
clock. But there was no threat, no weapon, no indication. We did our our job
seriously," Mr Darmanin said on TF1 television.
French intelligence suggested a link
between the war in the Middle East and the suspect's decision to attack, the
minister said.
He said authorities have detained 12
people near schools or places of worship since the Hamas attack on Israel last
Saturday, some of whom were armed and were preparing to attack.
Several others also were in custody
Friday, national counterterrorism prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said.
Police said Moguchkov's brother, aged
17, was detained close to another school.
Their father was expelled from France in
2018 for radicalism, the interior minister said.
An older brother is serving a five-year
prison term for terror offences.
He was convicted this year of
involvement in a plot for an armed attack around the presidential Elysee Palace
in Paris that was thwarted by the intelligence services.
School to reopen, Macron urges 'unity'
Police officer Sliman Hamzi was one of
the first on the scene.
Mr Hamzi said he was alerted by another
officer, rushed to the school and saw a male victim lying on the ground outside
the school and the attacker being taken away.
He said the victim had his throat slit.
"I'm extremely shocked by what I
saw," the officer said.
"It was a horrible thing to see
this poor man who was killed at work by a lunatic."
A close up image shows French President
Emmanuel Macron as he talks to reporters.
The school went into lockdown, and some
children were held inside classrooms for hours while distraught parents
gathered outside.
"My husband was in tears. There
were a lot of people crying, a lot in a state of panic,'' said Céline
Bourgeois, whose 15-year-old son, Louis, was inside.
Prosecutors said they were considering
charges of terror-related murder and attempted murder against the suspect.
Mr Macron said the school in Arras would
reopen as soon as Saturday morning, and he urged the people of France to
"stay united".
"The choice has been made not to
give in to terror," he said.
"We must not let anything divide
us, and we must remember that schools and the transmission of knowledge are at
the heart of this fight against ignorance."
Mr Darmanin on Thursday banned
pro-Palestinian demonstrations in France until further notice on the grounds
they "are likely to generate disturbances to public order," adding
that organisers should face arrest.
In defiance of his order, several
hundred people gathered in the central Place de la Republique in Paris and
other French cities including Lille and Toulouse late on Thursday, shouting
pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli slogans, AFP correspondents said.
Police in Paris used tear gas and
pressure hoses to disperse the protesters, and said they had arrested 10 out of
about 3,000 people present.
School attacks are rare in France, and
the government asked authorities to heighten vigilance at all schools across
the country.
France is estimated to have the world's
third-largest Jewish population after Israel and the US, as well as the largest
Muslim population in Western Europe.
Source: abc.net.au
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---------
French teacher stabbed to death in
‘Islamist terror’ said linked to Gaza fighting
13 October 2023
KENAN AUGEARD
ARRAS, France (AFP) — A Chechen-origin
man fatally stabbed a teacher and severely wounded three other adults Friday at
a school in northeastern France, with authorities suggesting a probable link to
Israel’s war with Hamas.
The attack, denounced by President
Emmanuel Macron as an act of “Islamist terror,” was in the town of Arras which
has large Jewish and Muslim populations.
“This school was struck by the barbarity
of Islamist terrorism,” Macron said after visiting the school, saying the
victim had “probably saved many lives” with his courage in seeking to block the
attacker.
Macron said another “attempted attack”
in another region had been foiled by security forces.
According to the interior ministry, he
was referring to the arrest of a “radicalized” man who was arrested leaving a
prayer hall in the Yvelines region of Paris for carrying a prohibited weapon.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin later
said there was “probably a link between what’s happening in the Middle East and
this incident” in Arras.
France has upped its alert level to the
highest position following a crunch security meeting chaired by Macron later
Friday, the prime minister’s office told AFP.
The suspected attacker, Mohammed
Moguchkov, who is in his 20s, was arrested by police.
A total of eight people were in police
custody on Friday, a police source said.
In addition to the attacker, several
members of his family were arrested “for the purposes of the investigation,”
including one of his brothers and his sister, other police sources said.
The national anti-terrorist prosecutor
announced that it has opened an investigation.
Moguchkov is from Russia’s mainly Muslim
southern Caucasus region of Chechnya. He was already on a French national
register known as “Fiche S” as a potential security threat, a police source
told AFP, and under electronic and physical surveillance by France’s domestic
intelligence agency, the DGSI.
Moguchkov cried the Arabic phrase
“Allahu akbar!” (God is greatest), according to the preliminary elements of the
investigation.
The victim, a French teacher, was
stabbed in the throat and chest.
Among those wounded were a school
security agent who was stabbed multiple times and is fighting for his life, and
a teacher in a less serious condition, the source added.
A cleaner was also hurt, anti-terror
prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard said.
No pupils at the school were hurt, said
another police source.
The attack comes almost three years to
the day after the October 16, 2020 beheading of teacher Samuel Paty, also by a
Chechen, near his school in a Paris suburb.
“Three years after the assassination of
Samuel Paty, terrorism has struck a school again and in a context that we all
know,” Macron said.
Police say Moguchkov’s brother, aged 17,
was detained close to another school.
The pupils and teachers were confined to
the school premises before being allowed out later in the afternoon.
A large security cordon was set up
around the school, where the police, firefighters and emergency services were
deployed, AFP journalists said.
Parents gathered in front of the school,
where the pupils were visible through the windows.
A philosophy teacher who witnessed the
attack, Martin Dousseau, described a moment of panic during break-time, when
the schoolchildren found themselves face-to-face with the armed man.
“He attacked canteen staff. I wanted to
go down to intervene, he turned to me, chased me and asked me if I was a
history and geography teacher,” said Dousseau.
“We barricaded ourselves in, then the
police arrived and immobilized him.”
France has suffered a series of attacks
by Islamist extremists since 2015 including the suicide and gun attacks in
November 2015 on targets in Paris claimed by Islamic State (IS) that killed 130
people.
There has been a relative lull in recent
years, even as officials have warned that the threat remains.
Macron said in an address to the nation
on Thursday that 582 religious and cultural facilities in France were receiving
stepped-up police protection after the attack by Hamas on Israel, in which more
than 1,300 people were killed, most of them civilians.
Speaking in Arras, he reaffirmed his
message from that address for the French to “stand shoulder to shoulder” and
“stay united.”
French Education Minister Gabriel Attal
said in a message to regional education officials security should be reinforced
at schools “without delay.”
Darmanin on Thursday had banned
pro-Palestinian demonstrations in France until further notice, on the grounds
they “are likely to generate disturbances to public order.”
In defiance of his order, several
hundred people gathered in central Paris and other French cities late Thursday
shouting pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli slogans, AFP correspondents said.
Police in Paris used tear gas to
disperse the protesters, and said they had arrested 10 out of the some 3,000
people present.
Source: timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/french-teacher-stabbed-to-death-in-islamist-terror-said-linked-to-gaza-fighting/
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Putin comments on Ukrainian weapons in
Hamas hands
13 Oct, 2023
That some of the weapons sent to Ukraine
ended up in the hands of Hamas militants probably has more to do with
corruption than deliberate deliveries, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on
Friday.
“I doubt that there were deliveries of
weapons from Ukraine, but I have no doubt there were leaks of weapons from
Ukraine,” Putin explained at a press conference in the Kyrgyz capital of
Bishkek.
“We know the level of corruption in Ukraine
is very high. The black market arises when there are many who want to buy, and
in Ukraine there are many who want to sell,” he added, noting that Ukrainians
were “definitely selling” weapons on the international market through countries
in Africa and the Middle East.
“Why, they even sell [weapons] to
Russia, and if they can sell them to Russia, nothing surprises me anymore,” the
Russian president said.
The issue of Hamas using weapons the US
and its allies had sent to Ukraine was first raised by former Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev, who claimed such equipment was “being actively used in
Israel.” Kiev’s military intelligence responded by accusing Russia of sending
Western weapons captured in Ukraine to Hamas in a “false flag” operation
designed to make Kiev look bad to its backers.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied
Medvedev’s weapons claim, but rejected the Ukrainian insinuations of Russian
involvement in the Hamas attack as “complete nonsense.”
Hamas militants fired hundreds of
rockets into Israel on Saturday, followed by raids into nearby Israeli
settlements, villages, and towns. Israeli authorities said more than 1,300
people died in the surprise attack. West Jerusalem has responded by declaring a
“war” against Gaza.
Speaking about the escalating conflict,
Putin noted that Israel is facing an unprecedented attack but that its response has been “quite
brutal.”
He also offered Russian mediation, given
that Moscow had “very good relations” with Israel, as well as traditional ties
with the Palestinians, “so no one can suspect that we want to play some kind of
games.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/584859-putin-weapons-hamas-ukraine/
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France introduces terrorist threat
regime
13 Oct, 2023
The French government on Friday raised
the country’s terrorism alert to the highest level, after a mass stabbing at a
school in Arras on the “day of jihad” announced by Hamas supporters.
The new status of the Vigipirate alert
system was announced by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne after she met with
President Emmanuel Macron. Citizens were told to “stay vigilant and informed”
and contact the police if they “witness a suspicious event, online or offline.”
Earlier in the day, a Muslim man fatally
stabbed a teacher and seriously injured two other staff members at a high
school in Arras, a city in northern France. The suspect was identified as
Mohamed Mogouchkov, a “Russian national” of Chechen or Ingush origin, who was
under police monitoring for his involvement with Islamist extremists groups.
Mogouchkov, a former student at the
Lycee Gambetta, returned to the school
on Friday morning and fatally stabbed a French language teacher in the throat
and chest, according to police. Another teacher and a security guard also
suffered serious wounds, while a janitor was injured but not critically. No
students were harmed.
Eyewitnesses said the attacker shouted
“Allahu akbar” (God is great) as he attacked the school staff.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said
there is “no doubt” that the Arras attack is linked to the current conflict
between Israel and Hamas. Police have arrested Mogouchkov, as well as his
mother, sister, uncle, and 17-year-old brother.
Macron visited the school on Friday and
condemned the “barbarity of Islamist terrorism,” urging the French to stay
united and “not give in to terror or let anything divide us.” He also said that
the teacher who died “saved many lives” by trying to protect others.
There have been considerable tensions
between France’s Muslim and Jewish communities all week, after the surprise
attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Israeli towns, settlements, and military
bases outside Gaza, which claimed over 1,300 lives. Paris is also dealing with
social unrest due to rampant inflation.
Governments across the West have been on
alert for terrorist attacks after a former Hamas leader called for a “day of
jihad” in support of the Palestinians. “To all scholars who teach jihad... to
all who teach and learn, this is a moment to put it into practice,” Khaled
Meshaal, who now heads the Hamas diaspora office, said in a statement sent to
the media earlier this week.
Source: rt.com
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Russians told to leave Israel
13 Oct, 2023
The Russian embassy in Tel Aviv on
Friday advised all its nationals to leave Israel using regular airline
connections while they remain available. Diplomats pointed to the increased
security risks from the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“As of today there are still
opportunities to leave Israel, including on scheduled flights of Russian and
other companies,” the embassy said in a statement. “We strongly recommend that
Russian citizens take advantage of it.”
“We continue to monitor the situation
with flights from Tel Aviv International Airport," the embassy added.
More than a dozen airlines have canceled
flights out of the Ben Gurion airport after it came under rocket fire by Hamas
on Wednesday. Three Israeli carriers, as well as airlines from the Seychelles,
Serbia, Ethiopia, the UAE, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Dubai are still
flying, however.
The embassy said it has been checking
with Israeli police to get information about other Russian nationals with whom
it has lost contact. Four Russian citizens have been killed and six more are
missing as of Tuesday, in the aftermath of a Hamas attack from Gaza that
targeted nearby towns, villages and settlements.
Israel has recorded more than 1,300
killed in Saturday’s surprise assault by the Palestinian militants. The
government in West Jerusalem has responded by declaring “war” on Gaza,
launching multiple air strikes at the territory, and ordering civilians in the
north of the area to leave, though they have nowhere to go.
As of Thursday night, the death toll in
Gaza stood at 1,537 people, including around 500 children, with another 6,612
injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Source: rt.com
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UK PM Sunak’s ‘cost-cutting’ blamed for
stranding Afghans in Islamabad
October 14, 2023
THOUSANDS of Afghans, who worked for
British forces before the Taliban takeover, have been stranded in Pakistan as
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wanted to cut costs associated with their
relocation, UK media has reported.
According to documents submitted in a UK
court, PM Sunak had instructed government departments only to relocate Afghans
if an accommodation, other than hotels, was arranged for them, BBC reported.
This was done to cut the cost incurred
on housing migrants in the hotels, according to the report.
The UK government introduced two schemes
to resettle Afghans in the country. The first is the Afghan Relocation and
Assistance Policy (ARAP) — for Afghans who worked directly with British forces
and their families — and the second is the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme
(ACRS) for those who worked in British-run civil schemes or are in vulnerable
minority groups, according to BBC.
UK court told PM wanted to save money
spent on hotel accommodation
However, most who qualified for the
schemes have been left in limbo in Pakistan as the UK stopped issuing visas.
According to The Independent, around 2,300 Afghans, who worked alongside
British armed forces, have been stuck in hotels in Islamabad for months after
being asked to find a home to live in Britain before relocation.
Two Afghans, eligible for the
relocation, have filed a case against the UK government in a UK court. They
claimed their promised resettlement was delayed due to Mr Sunak’s decision in
November 2022.
Tom de la Mare KC, representing the
refugees, told the court that PM Sunak halted the use of hotels for Afghans
coming to the UK in late November 2022 to save money, The Independent reported.
The decision prompted the Ministry of
Defence to stop flights bringing people to the UK from Pakistan — leaving
families stranded at risk of deportation back to Afghanistan.
The lawyer claimed his clients feared
arrests by Pakistan police and could not leave their hotel in Islamabad.
The lawyers for the UK government said
the accommodation in Pakistan was “not ideal” but “adequate”, that those on the
scheme had access to case workers and that there was “no legal obligation” for
the government to provide education in this situation, BBC reported.
After Pakistan gave an ultimatum to all
illegal foreign nationals to leave by November 1, the UK government increased
the pace of relocation. Since October 2, 59 people have been brought to the UK,
with 470 more expected to be relocated by the month’s end, The Independent
reported.
However, around 1,900 would still remain
in Pakistan after November 1, the plaintiffs’ lawyer told the court, according
to The Independent.
A UK government spokesperson told BBC
that they continued to honour the commitments to bring eligible Afghans to the
UK.
The statement added that the government
will arrange and pay for their travel “when suitable accommodation in the UK
has been secured”.
“The UK has so far brought around 24,600
people to safety, including thousands of people eligible for our Afghan
resettlement schemes,” BBC quoted the spokesperson as saying.
Source: dawn.com
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----------
India
Do Not Allow Non-Hindus To Enter Garba
Events In Hyderabad: Suspended BJP Leader Raja Singh
14th October 2023
Sameer Khan
Hyderabad: Goshamahal constituency MLA
and suspended BJP leader Raja Singh has issued a warning to non-Hindus against
entering garba events in Hyderabad. He has also cautioned garba organisers in
the city.
Claiming that ‘love jihad’ cases are
increasing, he stated that the supporting staff, including bouncers,
videographers, and others at the event, must also be Hindu.
Addressing the organisers of garba
events in the city, he said, “Aadhaar cards must be checked at the event’s
entrance.” He added, “If organisers make any mistake, they will have to bear
the consequences.”
Meanwhile, Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morcha
(BJYM) Hyderabad president (in charge) and noted Gau Rakshak, Laddu Yadav, has
also issued a warning to non-Hindus against entering garba events in Hyderabad.
In a video shared on his X (formerly
Twitter) account, he claimed that every year, ‘love jihad’ cases come to light.
He also asked organisers to check everyone’s Aadhaar cards at the event’s
entrance. He added, “If I find out that non-Hindus are participating in dandiya
at the event, cases will be filed.”
Yadav further emphasised that if any
non-Hindu man is found inside garba events in Hyderabad, he will be dragged out
of the event.
Garba events in Hyderabad
Meanwhile, several garba events are
scheduled to take place in the city during the Navratri or the nine-night
festival.
Passes for these events are being made
available for purchase on many well-known websites, including BookMyShow.
Though Gujarat cities are renowned for
garba, these events have also gained popularity in Hyderabad.
Navaratri Festival in Hyderabad
Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival
celebrated in honour of the goddess Durga.
The festival spans nine nights and ten
days.
In Telangana, Bathukamma is offered to
the Navaratri goddesses. It is prepared using marigold flowers in particular.
The nine-night festival concludes with
Durgashtami.
During the Navaratri festival in
Hyderabad, Hindus participate in garba events, where they play dandiya. Some
organizers are against non-Hindus attending these events and issue warnings
every year.
Source: siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/non-hindus-warned-against-entering-garba-events-in-hyderabad-2721551/
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Hyderabad: HCU students detained for
pro-Palestine protest
13th October 2023
Mir Alamgir
Hyderabad: Hyderabad police took
students into custody within five minutes of the pro-Palestine protest
organized near the Ambedkar Statue in Basheer Bagh.
A group of female students staged a
protest to express solidarity with Palestinians, raising slogans denouncing
Israel for its bombardment of Gaza. They carried a placard reading “Long live
Palestine.”
The police detained the protestors who
were chanting “down Israel.” The police personnel were seen escorting the
protestors away in a police vehicle.
A police officer stated that there was
no permission for the protest. This was the first protest in Hyderabad since
the latest conflict between Israel and Palestine began last week.
Source: siasat.com
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https://www.siasat.com/hyderabad-hcu-students-detained-for-pro-palestine-protest-2720643/
----------
G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit
pledges to fight all forms of terrorism
Oct 14, 2023
The G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit
(P20) on Friday adopted a joint statement materially in sync with the G20 New
Delhi leaders' declaration as it condemned "terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations" and pledged to play a role in combating the menace. It
also asserted the essential role of Parliaments for effective implementation of
various goals concerning issues ranging from climate change to food and energy
security.
"In the light of our legislative,
budgetary and oversight functions, we pledge to play our role in combating
terrorism & violent extremism," said the statement of the Presiding
Officers of Parliaments of G20 nations, adopted under Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla's
chairmanship at Yashobhoomi convention centre. Although the joint statement was
adopted with consensus, sources said Indonesia supported by a couple of other
countries initially during one of the working sessions suggested inclusion of
references on Israel's attack on Gaza in the text. However, it was not part of
the final joint statement.
Taking note of the concern over
under-representation of women in national Parliaments globally, the joint
statement of parliamentarians specifically welcomed the adoption of the women's
reservation bill by Indian Parliament last month.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
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---------
Arab World
Saudi Arabia rejects Israeli calls for
Palestinians to leave northern Gaza
October 13, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia slammed Israel’s
call for Palestinians to leave Gaza and condemned the continued targeting of
“defenseless civilians,” the foreign ministry said Friday.
The Israeli military warned all
civilians of Gaza City, more than 1.1 million people, to relocate south within
24 hours.
It had amassed tanks near the border
with the Gaza Strip ahead of an expected ground invasion.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms its
categorical rejection of calls for the forced displacement of the Palestinian
people from Gaza, and its condemnation of the continued targeting of defenseless
civilians there,” a statement from the Foreign Ministry said.
“(The international community) must
provide the needed relief and medical needs for the people of Gaza, especially
since deprivation of basic necessities for a decent life violates international
humanitarian law,” the statement added.
The ministry warned that not doing so
would exacerbate the crisis and suffering that the region's people were
suffering.
The Kingdom also called for ending the
Israeli siege on Gaza, evacuating injured civilians and advancing the peace
process between Palestinians and Israelis in accordance with UN Security
Council resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative.
The Muslim World League also rejected
and condemned “in the strongest terms” Israeli calls for the forced displacement
of the Palestinian people and the continued targeting of civilians in Gaza, the
organization said on Friday.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2390866/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia urges UN Security Council
to take action on Gaza violence, forced displacement
October 14, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister
Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Friday made a series of diplomatic calls to urge
members of the UN Security Council to fulfill their responsibility to maintain
international peace and security and Israeli stop military operations in Gaza,
the foreign ministry said.
His comments came as relentless Israeli
strikes have killed around 1,900 people in the Gaza Strip over the past week,
with more than half under the age of 18, or women, while the territory has also
been cut off from food, water and medical supplies, and under a total power
blackout.
During calls with his counterparts from
the UK, Brazil, Malta, Albania, India, Norway and Sweden, Prince Faisal
stressed the importance of implementing Security Council resolutions on the
Palestinian issue, in order to establish a just and comprehensive solution in
accordance with the relevant international laws.
He also stressed the need for Israel to
adhere to international humanitarian law, including allowing food and relief
supplies to reach Gaza and lifting the siege.
They discussed the latest developments
in the situation in Gaza and its surroundings, and the international efforts
made to solve the crisis, and Prince Faisal called for the need to stop all
forms of targeting civilians and prevent the forced displacement of the
population of Gaza.
Prince Faisal also made calls to his
counterparts from Indonesia and Gabon, as well as EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep
Borrell, where they held similar discussions on protecting civilians, the flow
of aid, the need for the international community to help stop the violence and
prevent forced displacement of Gazans, and for Israel to adhere to
international humanitarian law to ensure regional and global security and
stability.
Source: arabnews.com
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Big Fun chooses Riyadh as its first
Middle Eastern destination
October 13, 2023
RIYADH: Russian entertainment giant Big
Fun has inked a landmark collaboration with VEDA Real Estate to introduce its
premier entertainment hub to the Middle East.
The Park Avenue Shopping Center in
Riyadh has been earmarked as the perfect host for the new venture.
The agreement was signed by Aziz
Dzhabarov, founder and president of Big Fun, and Abdulrahman Al-Juwaied, CEO of
VEDA Real Estate.
Dzhabarov disclosed that this strategic
decision followed an exhaustive survey of potential locations. Eventually, VEDA
and Park Avenue stood out as the ideal setting for creating a family
entertainment haven.
The Big Fun founder also offered a
glimpse of what is in store at the new Big Fun museum. This attraction will
house three immersive adventures. The “Fairytale Forest” beckons visitors into
a mesmerizing labyrinth of mythical creatures and avian wonders, with a
mystical deer as their guide, leading them to the maze’s exit. The enchanted
setting also features a lake, a hut and a tree adorned with resplendent
blossoms. A snow-covered woodland teeming with polar bears adds to the
enchantment.
The “Museum of Emotions” forms the
second thrilling experience, allowing visitors to traverse a spectrum of
emotions, from happiness to sadness, and from fear to anger. These are the very
emotions that often accompany life’s most gripping moments.
The third adventure, “Museum of
Illusions,” visitors can enjoy a collection of hand-drawn three-dimensional
artworks, crafted by the world’s top artists. Moreover, they can marvel at the
magic of Riyadh under the starry night sky, seemingly from the palm of King
Kong’s colossal hand. A snow-blanketed forest inhabited by a mystical owl
awaits exploration, and a plunge into the depths of an awe-inspiring sea sets
the stage for experiencing captivating three-dimensional illusions, perfect for
capturing jaw-dropping photographs.
The grand opening of the Big Fun museum
is slated for November 2, 2023, beckoning families and friends to embark on an
exhilarating adventure of a lifetime.
Source: arabnews.com
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‘Made in Saudi’ expo to showcase
Kingdom’s best
October 13, 2023
RASHID HASSAN
RIYADH: The “Made in Saudi” exhibition
starting next week in Riyadh is set to showcase the Kingdom’s best products and
services for local and international investors.
The event at the Roshn Front from Oct.
16 to 19 is titled “Saudi Craftsmanship,” and will be held under the patronage
of Bandar Ibrahim AlKhorayef, Saudi Arabia’s minister of industry and mineral
resources, and chairman of the Saudi Export Development Authority.
The exhibition will bring together the
nation’s most prominent industries, services and innovations, in alignment with
the goal of Saudi Vision 2030 to grow the country’s economy.
The exhibition is expected to create
opportunities for companies to boost their profiles and attract international
investors. It will feature workshops and panel discussions, and see
representatives attend from government and industry.
Over 100 Saudi companies are expected to
participate across various sectors, including petrochemicals, renewable energy,
automotive manufacturing, maritime industries, construction materials, food,
pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, technology, transportation and logistics.
Source: arabnews.com
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Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Promotes, Appoints 69 Judges at Board of Grievances
13 Oct, 2023
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has issued a royal order to promote and appoint a
total of 69 judges at the Board of Grievances.
The order was announced by President of the
Board of Grievances and President of the Administrative Judicial Council Dr.
Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Yousef.
The royal order reflects the Saudi
leadership’s keenness to support the administrative judiciary system with
competencies to develop its performance and workflow and ensure efficient and
high-quality judicial work.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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http://alriyadhdaily.com/article/b2338ce576bc4f14997521ebc666e01e
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North America
Security Concerns Rising In US As
Ex-Hamas Leader Calls For 'Global Day Of Jihad'
October 14th 2023
WASHINGTON (TND) — An ocean away from
the fighting in the Middle East, American communities are on high alert
following calls for a "Global Day of Jihad" from a former leader of
Hamas.
Amid security concerns, some Jewish day
schools closed Friday in San Francisco and New York City.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged
there's no credible threat to the city at the moment but said called for an
increase in security.
"We must remain vigilant. We have
directed the NYPD to deploy additional resources to our schools and houses of
worship," Adams said Thursday.
Columbia University closed its campus to
non-students ahead of planned protests. University officials cited safety
concerns.
Rabbi Moshe Hauer, executive vice
president of the Orthodox Union, said some Jewish college students across the
country are not going to class.
"They are afraid," said Rabbi
Hauer. "The climate on university campuses across the United States of
America is completely hostile."
At a pro-Palestinian protest at UCLA,
demonstrators chanted “Intifada! Intifada!" a word used by Palestinians to
call for an "uprising." Some take the chant to be a call for violence
against Jews.
In Washington D.C., Metro Police erected
additional barriers at the Capitol. Law enforcement also held security
briefings with progressive lawmakers including Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.
Both have been heavily criticized for their pro-Palestinian responses to the
Hamas attacks.
Current tensions are sparking concerns
of increased hate crimes against Jews and Muslims.
On Tuesday, glass was smashed at both a
Jewish bakery and synagogue in Fresno, California. In Utah, bomb threats caused
evacuations of synagogues.
Jewish people make up just 2.4% of the
U.S. population but account for more than 50% of hate crime targets, according
to FBI crime statistics. Anti-Islamic incidents make up nearly 10% of
religiously motivated hate crimes.
"I think every Jew is feeling more
vulnerable. We have needed to increase our security both our visible presence
and our undercover presence," said Rabbi Rachel Sabbath with the Har Sinai
- Oheb Shalom Congregation in Maryland.
Sabath said her biggest concern right
now is "the ignorance. Israel is not at war with the Palestinian people. I
have Palestinian friends who we know and love. What Israel is at war with is an
evil militant terrorist army."
"For Palestinians right now to
identify with Hamas is like Europeans identifying with Nazi’s. So there’s a
deep, deep confusion there," added Sabath.
President Joe Biden said the FBI and the
Department of Homeland security are working with state and local law enforcement
to identify domestic threats connected to the Hamas terrorist attacks.
Source: cbsaustin.com
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https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/security-concerns-rising-in-us-as-ex-hamas-leader-calls-for-global-day-of-jihad-palestine-gaza-strip-hamas-coordinated-terrorist-attacks-schools-houses-of-worship-planned-protests
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Israel, Hamas War Creates Tension in
America's Largest Muslim City
10/13/23
Arab Americans represent of the majority
of the population of Dearborn, Michigan, and they have remained resolute in
criticizing Israel and American politicians as combat escalates in the Middle
East.
On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest
Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history. Israel subsequently launched
its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza. As of Friday, more than 1,300 people had
been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported. At least 1,799 people had
been killed in Gaza, according to authorities there, the AP reported, citing
the Gaza Health Ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu has said his country is "at war" and has cut off supplies
of food, fuel, electricity and medicine into Gaza. Israel has called up 360,000
army reservists as it prepares for a likely ground offensive into the
territory, which has an estimated population of around 2.3 million.
Approximately 54.5 percent of the nearly
110,000 residents of Dearborn, Michigan's seventh-largest city, are of Middle
Eastern or North African (MENA) ancestry and mostly Arab, according to the 2020
census—up 7 percentage points compared to 2019 data. That represents the
highest Muslim demographic across the nation.
The city drew national attention in 2022
when its residents elected Abdullah Hammoud as Dearborn's first Muslim and Arab
American mayor.
On the same day that Hamas attacked
Israel, Hammoud condemned the violence and killing of innocent citizens on
social media but defended Palestinians based on how U.S. politicians from both
parties have engaged in "hypocrisy" regarding decades-long tensions
in Gaza.
"Israel's decades of illegal
military occupation and imprisonment of Gaza make peace impossible and tragic
violence inevitable," Hammoud wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Israel
has trapped millions of Palestinians in Gaza in what is recognized by the
international community as the world's largest open-air prison. Failure to
recognize this context is the inability to comprehend what is unfolding
overseas."
He claimed that U.S. officials don't
actually want peace but "a return to the status quo of daily violence and
humiliation against Palestinians, which many in the U.S. accept as
normal."
"True peace requires justice,"
he added. "It requires the end of a racist apartheid system that
criminalizes Palestinian existence.
"If our elected officials were
truly interested in peace, we would hear their voices condemning the bulldozing
of Palestinian homes, the torching of olive trees, the theft of water, the
vandalism of mosques and churches, the violent theft of land, the illegal
detention of Palestinian children, and the calls from Israeli leaders to
'erase' Palestinians entirely."
Hammoud's office declined to comment
further to Newsweek.
'We are not going to forget'
America's largest Muslim city made
additional headlines earlier this week, as hundreds gathered in the Ford
Community and Performing Arts Center to denounce Israeli force and support the
Palestinian cause.
Event speakers critiqued Israeli foreign
policy and Zionism while saying that their support for Palestine has been
unjustly defined as antisemitism.
Osama Siblani was one of the
pro-Palestinian speakers.
Not a Palestinian himself, Siblani has
been the publisher of the local Arab American News since 1984—labeled the
largest and most widely circulated Arab American publication in the United
States.
"I'm shocked beyond description for
the way Palestinians have been described, and the dynamics of all this media
and elected officials in the Western hemisphere—how they are really looking at
the conflict and spinning it into a place which I do not think is in the best
interest of Israel or the region," Siblani told Newsweek via phone on
Friday.
"Absolutely, positively I am sure
that it will damage the credibility of those making all the allegations."
He recalled sitting directly behind
former U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz at the White House in September
1993, as former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush and then-Secretary
of State James Baker advocated for the Oslo Accords—aimed to be a watershed moment
for peace between Israelis and Palestinians while providing the latter
self-rule throughout the West Bank.
Over 30 years later, Siblani said the
talks taking place at the highest levels of government not only didn't come to
fruition but defied "logic, history and international laws." He said
the U.S. foreign policy blunder was magnified when Americans invaded Iraq a
decade later.
He equated it to two friends sitting
inside a bar and the more intoxicated individual being bought another drink and
then being given the keys.
"That [1993 meeting] was supposed
to be a road map to resolve the conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis
on the basis of a two-state solution while the Palestinians recognized the
state of Israel—and the Israelis would work with Palestinians to establish a
state of independence.
"The U.S. did not keep its promises
and exercise the leadership in order to see this not happen again. And that is
the result we are seeing today."
At the rally that included Siblani and
hundreds of others, the lack of an appearance by Michigan Governor Gretchen
Whitmer and Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow—all Democrats—was
apparent.
Siblani said that their no-show,
combined with their pro-Israel comments and attendance at pro-Israel
demonstrations in other metro Detroit cities like Southfield and Royal Oak,
will have political repercussions.
"These people were in our homes and
in our halls, and they took our money and spit on us. That's how we feel,"
Siblani said. "We will wait and remember come November where we cast our
vote and to whom."
He said that Dearborn Arabs have voted
with Democrats some 72 percent of the time, making reelection possible for
Stabenow and Peters—as well as helping President Joe Biden win the swing state
in 2020.
"We made it possible for Gary
Peters, who was dancing on our death and destruction, to go back to the Senate
with our 150,000 votes," he said. "We made it possible for Biden to
win Michigan. And now we are being spit on because we are standing with the Palestinians.
"So, we are not going to
forget."
Newsweek reached out to the offices of
Whitmer, Stabenow and Peters via email for comment.
Threats and maintaining normalcy
There are about 20,000 students in
Dearborn Public Schools and approximately 70 percent of them are of Middle
Eastern ethnicity or decent, according to the district's communications
director, David Mustonen.
Mustonen told Newsweek the estimate is
based on students who arrived this year and have been Dearborn residents, part
of families who have been locals for five and six generations in some
instances.
He said that since Hamas' attacks on
October 7, no credible threats had been reported or required investigation but
the district understands the situation is constantly evolving.
"As much as we can, it is important
for us to maintain a business-as-usual (methodology)— focus on the academics,
focus on the classroom instruction," he said. "Our students need that
consistency as far as their mental health and social-emotional state. You want
them to have a consistent environment and a place that is free from some of
those kinds of concerns that are out there."
He added: "Of course, we don't live
in a vacuum and we understand there is within the entire community a heightened
awareness. We have folks that are brand new to our country and many of them may
have come from Palestine in recent years, so there's a direct connection with
family and friends who are from that area."
On Thursday, the Dearborn Police
Department arrested a Farmington Hills, Michigan, resident for alleged threats
toward Palestinians living in Dearborn.
The Dearborn Police in response said it
had "increased our police presence at all places of worship and schools in
Dearborn earlier this week," according to reports. No other credible
threats had been reported.
Newsweek reached out to the Dearborn
Police Department via phone for comment.
Newsweek also reached out to other
Dearborn-based locations including the Islamic Center of America and the Arab
American Museum for comment. Both declined to comment.
Source: newsweek.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.newsweek.com/isael-hamas-war-creates-tension-america-largest-muslim-city-1834682
---------
CAIR-Philadelphia Seeks Hate Crime,
Ethnic Intimidation Charges for Brandishing of Gun Against Pro-Palestine Rally
Attendees
Ibrahim Hooper
October 13, 2023
(HARRISBURG, PA, 10/13/2023) – The
Philadelphia chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations
(CAIR-Philadelphia), a chapter of the nation’s leading Muslim civil rights and
advocacy organization, today urged state and federal law enforcement agencies
to charge a white male with hate crimes and ethnic intimidation for an
allegedly racially-motivated brandishing of a pistol against Muslims protesting
Israel’s indiscriminate bombing of Gaza at the footsteps of the Pennsylvania
State Capitol.
Earlier today, more than 300 members of
the community gathered in response to the Central Pennsylvania Committee of
Masajid (CPCOM) sponsored “Rally for Palestine” protest and march. An
individual in a car reportedly started yelling racial slurs before “pulling a
gun out and pointing it at the crowd.” A suspect was taken into custody.
“This incident points out that the
ongoing dehumanization of Palestinians by Pennsylvania politicians has real
life consequences,” said CAIR- Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet
Tekelioglu. “We call on the attorney general’s office, local police and federal
officials to bring the individual allegedly responsible to full justice. No American
should face such hate, this is a frightening scenario that we cannot tolerate.”
He said CAIR offices nationwide have
reported similar hate incidents targeting Muslims and supporters of Palestinian
Human rights.
Tekelioglu also noted that Pennsylvania
state law has the Ethnic Intimidation Act which was passed to prosecute
individuals who commit acts such as in this case as well as to act as a
deterrent to individuals that desire to weaponize racial and religious animus.
SEE: CAIR-PA, Pennsylvania Mosques and
Partners Issue Open Letter Criticizing Gov. Shapiro for One-Sided Statements on
Mideast Conflict
Protest organizer and
Palestinian-American community member Omar Mussa said:
“We are taken back as a community. To be
targeted and have so many of our community members, including many young
children, lives in danger – threatened at gun point is devastating. This
bigotry and hatred on the steps of our capitol must be called out by our
elected officials. The necessary actions must be taken to protect our
communities in PA from Anti-Arab and Islamophobic hate crimes. This is
something we cannot forget, something we will not forget and something we
cannot allow to happen again. We will work within our community to heal through
love.”
Jasmine Jasmin Osojkic, President of The
Bosnia & Herzegovina Islamic Center of Pennsylvania and CPCOM Board member
said:
“In regard to today’s unfortunate gun
brandishing, in which a passerby in a vehicle chose to stop in front of a
peaceful rally and engage members of the rally with hateful and violent
rhetoric, CPCOM stands with CAIR in condemning the actions of this individual
and calls upon law enforcement to prosecute this individual to fullest extent
of the law. CPCOM chooses to combat evil and hate with good and love. We
welcome all community members to reach out if they have any questions about the
plight of the Palestinian people or wish to work together to find peaceful
solutions to any of the problems that plague our communities.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las
libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-cair-philadelphia-seeks-hate-crime-ethnic-intimidation-charges-for-brandishing-of-gun-against-pro-palestine-rally-attendees/
----------
CAIR-Texas Calls for Campus Ban of Men
who Harassed Students at U. Texas Palestinian Solidarity Meeting
Ismail Allison
October 13, 2023
(AUSTIN, TX, 10/13/23) – The Texas
chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas) today called
for the arrest of several men seen harassing students at the University of
Texas during a Palestine Solidarity Committee meeting on the recent violence
and deaths in the Gaza Strip.
On Thursday night, October 12, the
Palestine Solidarity Committee of the University of Texas held a seminar on the
history of Palestine and the occupation of Palestinian lands in a UT Classroom
they reserved before the annual seminar.
The men were captured on video
reportedly yelling profanities at students, calling them terrorists, and
throwing papers at attendees.
“The gross violation of the students’
rights and liberties to meet and organize around a cause they believe in by
these men requires law enforcement to take immediate action,” said William
White, Director of the CAIR-Houston office. “We call for the University of
Texas to also take action by banning these men from campus and campus
activities.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las
libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-texas-calls-for-campus-ban-of-men-who-harassed-students-at-u-texas-palestinian-solidarity-meeting/
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CAIR-MI Welcomes Arrest of Person
Allegedly Threatening to Shoot Palestinians in Dearborn, Calls for Hate Crime
Enhancement
Ismail Allison
October 13, 2023
(CANTON, MI, 10/13/2023)- The Michigan
chapter of Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a local chapter of
the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today
applauded the swift arrest of a Michigan resident who was allegedly making
credible threats against Palestinians in Dearborn and calls on prosecutors to
charge Farmington Hills resident with a hate crime under Michigan’s current Ethnic
Intimidation Law.
CAIR-MI also called on prosecutors to
further charge the suspect under Michigan’s Ethnic Intimidation Law which makes
it a crime to threaten to assault someone in an effort to intimidate or harass
them based on their national origin or religion. According to police reports,
the suspect posted on social media that he was looking to “hunt Palestinians in
Dearborn,” making his actions falls squarely within the felony provision of the
Ethnic Intimidation law.
In the afternoon on Thursday October 12,
Dearborn Police became aware of what appears to be credible threats against
Palestinian Americans in Dearborn allegedly made by a Farmington Hills man on
Twitter. The Dearborn Police acted swiftly in conjunction with the Farmington
Hills Police Department to arrest the suspect in his home.
According to the Dearborn Police, the
41-year-old Farmington Hills man was arrested on probable cause of using a
computer or electronic device to commit a crime.
“We applaud the quick work of the
Dearborn Police Department in assessing the social media threat resulting in a
swift arrest of an individual allegedly making threats to Palestinian
Americans,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. “Hate has no home in
Michigan, and violence based on hate has no place in civil society. We urge
prosecutors to charge the suspect with Michigan’s Ethnic Intimidation Law to
send a strong message that all Michiganders are safe from harm regardless of
their national origin or religion and regardless of global politics.”
“Michigan’s Ethnic Intimidation Law
makes it a specific crime to harm or threaten harm to someone for the purpose
of intimidating or harassing them based on their national origin or religion.”
Said CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure. “Charging this suspect with a
hate crime will send a strong message that you cannot utilize social media to
threaten and intimidate whole communities based on bigotry and hate and that
any person who calls for violence against a community based on their own hate will
be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil
liberties and advocacy organization. CAIR-Ohio’s mission is to enhance
understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower
American Muslims. CAIR-Ohio has offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, and
Cleveland.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las
libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-mi-welcomes-arrest-of-person-allegedly-threatening-to-shoot-palestinians-in-dearborn-calls-for-hate-crime-enhancement/
----------
As Israel escalates war on Gaza, US
warns diplomats against 'ceasefire' talk
14 October 2023
As the Israeli regime brutally escalates
its indiscriminate war on the Gaza Strip, the US State Department has warned
American diplomats against making any mention of a potential "ceasefire"
in their public statements.
The warning was issued in a message seen
by the HuffPost that was circulated on Friday to all US diplomats "working
on Middle East issues."
Citing the contents of the message, the
American news website said, "High-level [American] officials do not want
press materials to include three specific phrases, 'de-escalation/ceasefire,'
'end to violence/bloodshed,' and 'restoring calm.'"
Calling up an unprecedented 300,000
reservists, the Israeli regime has declared a "long" war on Gaza in
response to Operation al-Aqsa Storm. Gaza's resistance movements initiated the
operation on Saturday in response to the occupying regime's decades-long
campaign of bloodshed and destruction against Palestinians.
As many as 1,799 Palestinians, including
583 children and 351 women, have been martyred and more than 7,000 others
injured since the regime launched the war against the coastal sliver.
The military campaign has seen the
regime leveling entire districts and featured its use of banned white phosphorous
munitions against densely-populated neighborhoods.
The regime is simultaneously employing
an all-out siege against the Palestinian territory. The blockade has choked up
the flow of foodstuffs, medicines, and fuel towards the sliver, and disrupted
its supply of water and electricity.
CEOs running a whole host of American
business giants urge blacklisting of the Harvard University students, who
recently signed an anti-Israeli statement.
Addressing the issue of the Friday memo,
the HuffPost said, "The revelation provides a stunning signal about the
[US President Joe] Biden administration’s reluctance to push for Israeli
restraint as the close US partner expands the offensive..."
It also reminded that US officials had
so far "avoided discussion of a ceasefire, even as aid groups and some
analysts have suggested that may be essential to allow civilians to flee Gaza
and allow vital supplies to enter the area after Israel cut off electricity and
water that the strip usually relies on."
This is while "as Israel’s biggest
source of diplomatic and military support, the US has significant
leverage" in the matter of how the occupying regime chooses to seek
reprisal, and whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tries to limit
the civilian toll of his response, the website noted.
Source: presstv.ir
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/13/712667/United-States-Israel-war-Gaza-diplomats-against-ceasefire-talk
---------
Police believe same suspect responsible
for 2 hate-motivated incidents at Toronto mosque
Oct 13, 2023
Toronto police are looking for a man
believed to have vandalized a mosque in the city's east end twice in what
investigators are calling a hate-motivated mischief investigation.
Police confirmed on Friday that both
incidents happened at the same mosque in the area of Danforth and Donlands
avenues on Oct. 6 and Oct. 12.
Police said a man painted "hate
symbols" on the front of the mosque in the first incident and a man left
"hateful writing" on the front of the mosque in the second incident.
Police were called to the mosque on Oct. 6 at about 7:30 p.m. and again on Oct.
12 at about 12:50 p.m.
The suspect is described as about 30
years old, with short hair. He was wearing a black baseball cap, a black jacket
with patches on the sleeves, black pants and black boots.
After the first incident, police said he
had tattoos on his left forearm. He was also wearing a grey sweater with a
"Lone Wolf" patch on the right shoulder.
"After consultation with the
Service's specialized Hate Crime Unit, the investigation is being treated as a
suspected hate-motivated offence," police said in the latest release.
Source: cbc.ca
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/mosque-hate-motivated-incidents-east-end-mosque-1.6996301
--------
First US charter flight out of Israel
arrives in Athens
14 Oct 2023
WASHINGTON, Oct 14 ― The first US State
Department-organised charter flight taking Americans out of Israel during the
conflict in Gaza landed in Athens, the Biden administration confirmed
yesterday, as US airlines ramped up connecting flights to help people get home.
White House spokesman John Kirby said
the government is exploring departure options by sea as well to help Americans
in Israel. “We're just trying to add to the options,” Kirby told reporters,
adding that the flights will continue.
Reuters reported the first flight on a
US-based charter company from flight records, and was first to confirm it had
landed.
Additional charter flights are scheduled
between Athens and Tel Aviv through at least October 19, a separate source
said.
More than 400 Americans were signed up
for the first flight but that figure includes an assumption that some would not
turn up for it, a different source said.
Yesterday, United Airlines said it would
add a fifth roundtrip flight between Newark, New Jersey, and Athens through
October 19, to help Americans trying to return home from Israel, and Delta Air
Lines said it would add three flights from Athens to New York starting on
Monday.
American Airlines yesterday said it
would fly larger planes from Athens to New York beginning Saturday to
accommodate more Americans looking for a way home.
United, American and Delta all
temporarily halted direct flights to Israel.
More than 30 US lawmakers yesterday
wrote the three airline CEOs urging them to resume flights to Tel Aviv “as
quickly as possible.”
The letter called on the carriers “to
prioritise resuming flight operations” to Tel Aviv, and said the Congress
members “stand ready to assist you in any way necessary to get the job done.”
American declined comment, while United
did not immediately comment.
Delta, which has suspended flights
through October 31, said it was continuously monitoring the rapidly evolving
security environment.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian on Thursday said
the airline did not “have any plans to be flying into Israel. It's considered
unsafe for a US carrier to operate in that airspace currently.”
The State Department said this week it
“will take some period of time to schedule everyone seeking to depart.”
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma
told earlier airlines this week them the US government had received roughly
17,000 inquiries about travel assistance leaving Israel. ― Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2023/10/14/first-us-charter-flight-out-of-israel-arrives-in-athens/96165
--------
Mideast
Raeisi: Israeli backers complicit in
regime's crimes against Palestinians
13 October 2023
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi says
supporters of Israel, including the United States, are complicit in all its
crimes against the Palestinian people.
Addressing a group of people in the city
of Rostam in the southern Iranian province of Fars on Friday, Raeisi said the
child-killing Zionist regime continues its war crimes by dropping bombs on the
innocent and defenseless people of Gaza.
"After 75 years of cruelty and crime,
the new generation of Palestinians is currently standing up against the
Zionists, and this shows neither crime and killing nor deceitful contracts
could discourage and dissuade the oppressed Palestinian people from pursuing
their rights."
The Iranian president emphasized that
the Americans have failed to stabilize their presence in Afghanistan after two
decades of crimes and killings.
He said tyranny, oppression and
aggression have their limits and the Palestinian people have had enough.
"The Palestinian issue will not end
by destroying the homes of the people in Gaza and the Palestinian people and
the free nations of the world will get to the leaders of the Zionist
regime," Raeisi stated.
He reiterated the Islamic Republic's
policy on support for Gaza and the rights of the Palestinian people, saying,
"Defense for Palestine and the oppressed people of Gaza is our duty."
The regime of Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu started its brutal aggression against Gaza on October 7, after
resistance groups launched multi-pronged Operation al-Aqsa Storm, the largest
military operation against the occupying entity in decades.
A United Nations special rapporteur
slams the European Union’s unwavering support for Israel in its aggression on
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry,
nearly 1,800 Palestinians, including close to 600 children, have been killed
since the beginning of the strikes. Over 6,300 people have been injured too,
while more than 420,000 Gazans have been displaced.
Since then, the resistance groups have
fired thousands of rockets in retaliatory strikes at the occupied territories.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/13/712633/Iran-Palestine-Israel-Raeisi
--------
Israel-Palestine war: Al-Aqsa imam among
Palestinians on far-right Telegram hit list
13 October 2023
Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, the imam of
Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, is among dozens of Palestinians whose names and
locations have been posted in a far-right Israeli Telegram channel calling for
them to be killed, Middle East Eye has discovered.
The channel, called Nazi Hunters 2023,
describes those targeted – often accompanied by photos with crosshairs over
their faces - as “Nazis who are walking around freely and have not yet been
eliminated”.
Khaled Zabarqa, head of Sabri's legal
team, told MEE that Sabri was aware of the threat against him, which he said
was being incited by "extremist Jewish factions, supported by elements
within the Israeli government".
Sabri had contacted the Kingdom of
Jordan, the custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and Arab consulates in
Jerusalem to update them about the severity of the situation, Zabarqa said.
"This incitement is both
transparent and dangerous. For nearly a year Sheikh Ekrima has faced continuous
provocation, with these Jewish extremist groups directly inciting his
assassination," he said.
Others identified in the Telegram
channel include religious leaders, political figures, journalists, public
officials, and student activists, as well as alleged members of Hamas and
Palestinian fighters.
MEE is not identifying those named with
the exception of Sabri because of concerns for their safety.
The Hebrew language channel was set up
on Monday as the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza escalated, following
the deadly attack by Palestinian fighters in southern Israel on Saturday. It
currently has more than 3,500 followers.
It calls for law enforcement agencies to
arrest and interrogate those it names and for them to be brought to justice.
But it adds: “Do not spare or feel sorry for them. Nazis are not pitied.”
And it urges users to share the link to
the channel so that others can join: “If you share a lot maybe it will reach
the Nazis themselves and they will kill themselves out of fear.”
Follow our live blog for all the latest
on the Israel-Palestine war
Many of those named are women, including
a number involved in administrative affairs at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Some on the list
have been convicted by Israel for offences such as throwing stones at Israeli
settlers.
Sabri, 85, is the former chief mufti of
Jerusalem, the head of the Supreme Islamic Council and one of the main imams at
Al-Aqsa. He has delivered Friday sermons there since the early 1970s and has
been arrested several times by Israeli forces.
He is described on the channel as “a
partner along with the leaders of Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah in the plan to
annihilate the State of Israel”, and “the main Nazi in Jerusalem”.
The channel gives GPS coordinates for
Sabri’s home and calls for it to be attacked.
“Sabri is one of the most important
targets for elimination,” it says.
Zabarqa told MEE that groups calling for
the deaths of prominent Palestinians enjoyed growing influence in the Israeli
parliament, the Knesset, and the Israeli security establishment.
"Alarmingly, the current phase has
transitioned to overt incitement for assassination, marking a dangerous turn
targeting influential figures on the Palestinian stage, the Islamic world, and
globally," he said.
"We lack protection. Israeli law
enforcement doesn't offer any safety to us or our Palestinian leaders."
The channel also calls for attacks
against specific locations including mosques, universities and businesses. On
Tuesday it posted the coordinates of a mosque in the West Bank city of Nablus
and called for it to be bombed.
Israeli settlers frequently attack
villages near Nablus. On Thursday, settlers killed a Palestinian man and his
son in the town of Qusra, south of the city, as they were attending the funeral
of four men killed by settlers the previous day.
Many Palestinians in Israel and the
occupied territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem are increasingly
concerned by the growing threat from far-right groups fuelled by Israeli leaders’
incendiary rhetoric ahead of an expected ground assault in Gaza.
At least 1,800 people have been killed
in Gaza by Israeli air strikes. In Israel, at least 1,300 people were killed
during Palestinian fighters' assault on Saturday.
The channel is one among a number of
channels on Telegram and other messaging services identified by Middle East Eye
which currently appear to be inciting violence against Palestinians.
MEE contacted Telegram for comment but
had not received a response at the time of publication.
Source: middleeasteye.net
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https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-aqsa-imam-far-right-telegram-hit-list
---------
Muslims protest in West Asia for
solidarity towards Palestine against Israel attack
14.10.23
Tens of thousands of Muslims
demonstrated on Friday across West Asia in support of the Palestinians and
against Israeli airstrikes pounding Gaza, underscoring the risk of a wider
regional conflict erupting as Israel prepares for a possible ground invasion in
the coastal strip.
From Amman, Jordan, to Yemen’s capital
of Sanaa, Muslims poured out onto the streets after weekly Friday prayers,
angered by the Israeli strikes in a war that began after the militant group Hamas
launched an unprecedented surprise attack on Israel last Saturday.
At Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Israeli
police had been permitting only older men, women and children to enter the
sprawling hill-top compound for prayers, trying to limit the potential for
violence as tens of thousands attend on a typical Friday.
An Associated Press reporter watched
police allow just a Palestinian teenage girl and her mother into the compound
out of 20 worshippers who tried to get in, some of them even over the age of 50.
Young Palestinian men who were refused
entry gathered at the steps near Lion’s Gate, their eyes downcast, until the
police shepherded them out of the Old City.
“We can’t live, we can’t breathe, they
are killing everything that is good within us,” said Ahmad Barbour, a
57-year-old cleaner in a clean white thobe, seething after police blocked him
from entering for prayers.
“Everything that is forbidden to us is
allowed to them,” he added, referring to Israelis.
The mosque sits in a hilltop compound
sacred to both Jews and Muslims, and conflicting claims over it have spilled
into violence before. Al-Aqsa is the third-holiest site in Islam and stands in
a spot known to Jews as the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism.
The police later fired tear gas in the
Old City and east Jerusalem. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its medics
treated six wounded people, with at least one beaten up by officers.
In Beirut, thousands of Hezbollah
supporters waved Lebanese, Palestinian and Hezbollah flags, chanting slogans
supporting Gaza and calling “death to Israel”.
The Iranian-backed militant group in
neighbouring Lebanon has launched attacks since the Hamas assault but largely
hasn’t entered the war.
However, Hezbollah’s deputy
secretary-general warned that it will be “on the lookout” for the US and
British naval vessels heading to the Mediterranean Sea.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/thousands-of-muslims-protest-in-west-asia-for-solidarity-towards-palestine-against-israel-attack/cid/1973233
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UN chief calls for rules of war to be
respected, stops short of urging Israel to halt Gaza attack
October 14, 2023
NEW YORK CITY: UN Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres on Friday said that moving more than 1 million Palestinians
through an overcrowded war zone that is under blockade to an area that is short
of food, water and shelter would be “extremely dangerous and simply not
possible.” He stopped short of calling on Israel to halt its assault on the
besieged territory but said “even wars have rules.”
Humanitarian agencies have called on
Israel to withdraw its ultimatum, delivered on Friday, in which it told more
than 1.2 million Palestinians to relocate from northern Gaza to the south of
the territory within 24 hours, denouncing it as the collective punishment of
civilians, including women, children and the elderly, which is illegal under
international law.
UN experts also condemned the evacuation
order. Paula Gaviria Betancur, a UN special rapporteur on the human rights of
internally displaced persons, said: “Forcible population transfers constitute a
crime against humanity, and collective punishment is prohibited under
international humanitarian law.”
Guterres called for immediate
humanitarian access to all of Gaza to be granted so that food, water and fuel
can reach those most in need.
“Even wars have rules,” he said ahead of
a UN Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza. He urged all
those involved in the conflict to respect the principles of international
humanitarian and human rights law, including the requirement that “civilians
must be protected and also never used as shields.”
He called for all hostages being held by
Hamas to be released immediately and added: “It is imperative that all parties,
and those with influence over them, do everything possible to achieve these
steps.”
The closed meeting of the Security
Council was called by Brazil, which holds the rotating presidency of the
council this month, and the UAE. Chaired by the Brazilian minister of foreign
affairs, Mauro Vieira, the meeting aimed to “address the situation in” Gaza,
including the possibility of establishing a humanitarian corridor.
The World Health Organization has called
for such a corridor, given that “hospitals cannot run without fuel, without
electricity.”
Gaza’s power plant has run out of fuel
and the UN office of humanitarian affairs has warned that “a severe shortage of
drinking water is affecting more than 650,000 people.”
Before the meeting, the UK’s permanent
representative to the UN, Barbara Woodward, sent her condolences to “everybody
who’s been affected” by the conflict, while “unequivocally condemning Hamas
(for its) acts of terrorism.” The group does not “speak for the Palestinian
people,” she added, and called on her fellow council members to “do all they
can to secure the release of the hostages.”
Asked whether she would call on Israel
to halt its attack on Gaza, Woodward said her country “is absolutely clear that
actions need to take place in line with international humanitarian law. And
when my prime minister discussed the situation with (Israeli) Prime Minister
(Benjamin) Netanyahu, he urged him to look for the protection of civilians in
all of the follow-up actions that have taken place.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel strikes Hezbollah target in
Lebanon over aerial objects: military
October 14, 2023
JERUSALEM: Israel’s military said early
on Saturday it had struck a Hezbollah target in southern Lebanon in response to
the “infiltration of unidentified aerial objects into Israel” and fire on an
Israeli drone.
The military intercepted the objects and
the fire on its drone, it said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Blinken holds talks on Hamas-Israel
conflict in Bahrain, Qatar
October 14, 2023
LONDON: Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman
bin Hamad on Friday stressed the importance of providing humanitarian relief,
food, water, electricity, medical aid, and civilian protection in the Gaza
Strip, state-run news agency BNA reported.
During a meeting with US Secretary of
State Antony Blinken in the capital, Manama, he emphasised his country’s
support for the de-escalation of violence and peace efforts to promote regional
security and stability.
Relentless Israeli strikes have leveled
neighborhoods over the past week, increasing the suffering of the people in
Gaza, which has also been cut off from food, water and medical supplies, and
under a total power blackout.
The crown prince said Bahrain supports
all regional and global efforts to achieve security and stability, which serves
as a foundation for continued regional and global development, with the US and
its allied countries playing a crucial role in consolidating the foundations of
international peace and security.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Friday
that around 1,900 people have been killed in the Palestinian enclave in the
past week, with more than half under the age of 18, or women, while more than
1,300 Israelis were killed in the Hamas attack last Saturday.
“Secretary Blinken and the crown prince
discussed Hamas’ terrorist attacks in Israel and the importance of preventing
the conflict from widening and maintaining stability in the region,” the US
State Department said in a statement. “The secretary reaffirmed the strong
strategic partnership between the United States and Bahrain.”
Prince Salman also affirmed the strength
of bilateral relations between Bahrain and the US, which further bolstered
strategic partnerships at various levels.
“The Comprehensive Security Integration
and Prosperity Agreement was highlighted as a cornerstone for joint Bahrain-US
cooperation across various sectors, notably security, defense, advanced
technology, trade, and investment, as well as its contributions to
strengthening regional security and economic development,” BNA said.
Earlier on Friday, Blinken held talks
with Qatar’s emir and foreign minister in Doha as part of an extensive Middle
East tour that included Israel and Jordan.
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad stressed
during the meeting the importance of efforts aimed at de-escalation, opening
safe corridors in Gaza for aid and humanitarian efforts, and ensuring the
conflict does not expand regionally.
He also stressed Qatar’s firm position
on condemning the targeting of civilians.
“Spoke with Qatar’s Amir today about the
terrorist attacks in Israel and the ongoing conflict with Hamas. I expressed
appreciation for Qatar’s efforts to secure the return of hostages,” Blinken
said on X (formerly Twitter) following the meeting.
“The efforts of our regional partners
will be critical to prevent the conflict from spreading,” he said in another
post.
Blinken expanded his trip from Israel
and Jordan to include all of the Gulf Arab countries and Egypt, making it his
biggest tour of the region since taking office.
Speaking during a joint press conference
with Blinken, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed
Bin Abdulrahman said his country’s “priorities within the diplomatic approach
is to seek a cease-fire, protect the civilians, release the captives, and to
work hard in order not to spread violence in the region because this will have
bad consequences.
“We also changed our viewpoints
regarding humanitarian corridors to keep the assistance and aid reaching the
Palestinians, particularly within the deterioration of the situation in Gaza
Strip. It is a disaster, what we can see in Gaza Strip and shortage of basic
needs, no electricity – because of the bombardment,” he added.
Blinken said the US and Qatar want to
prevent the conflict from spreading, adding that they “discussed in detail our
efforts to prevent any actor – state or non-state – from creating a new front
in this conflict.
“We’re also working intensively together
to secure the release of hostages, including American citizens being held by
Hamas in Gaza. I’m grateful for the urgency that Qatar is bringing to this
effort.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Hamas attack does not justify Gaza’s
destruction: Red Cross
October 14, 2023
GENEVA: The massive Hamas attack on
Israel cannot justify the “limitless destruction” of the Gaza Strip, the Red
Cross said on Friday, as it called for pauses in the fighting.
Its statement came as Israel’s army
warned residents in north Gaza to flee south ahead of an expected ground
offensive.
“Nothing can justify the horrific
attacks Israel suffered last weekend,” said a statement from the International
Committee of the Red Cross.
“Our hearts go out to people who lost
family members or are worried sick about loved ones taken hostage. We reiterate
our call for their immediate release and stand ready to conduct humanitarian
visits,” the ICRC said.
“But those attacks cannot in turn
justify the limitless destruction of Gaza.
“The parties must not neglect their
legal obligations regarding the methods and means used to wage war.”
Israel has retaliated to Hamas’s attacks
by hitting targets in Gaza with thousands of strikes, which have killed many
people.
“The instructions issued by the Israeli
authorities for the population of Gaza City to immediately leave their homes,
coupled with the complete siege explicitly denying them food, water, and
electricity, are not compatible with international humanitarian law,” the ICRC
said.
“When military powers order people to
leave their homes, all possible measures must be taken to ensure the population
has access to basic necessities like food and water and that members of the
same family are not separated.”
The ICRC said Gazans had “nowhere safe
to go” and it was “impossible” for them to know which areas “will next face
attack.”
Many would not be able to leave their
homes, and international law protected all civilians, including those who
remain, the humanitarian organization stressed.
“Our teams will require pauses in the
fighting to work safely and effectively,” the ICRC said.
The needs in Gaza were “staggering,” it
added, but with a military siege in place, humanitarian organizations “will not
be able to assist such a massive displacement of people in Gaza.”
Many people have chosen to remain in the
north of the Gaza Strip, amid the absence of transportation, and moreover
nowhere else to go.
“This is a brutal enemy, and what they
want is to scare people into displacement,” said a resident, Abu Azzam “But, we
will remain steadfast in the face of any displacement.”
Mohammed Khaled, 43, similarly said he
would stay. “What does the world want from us? I am a refugee in Gaza and they
wish to displace me yet again?
“What will we do in Rafah?” he asked,
referring to the city 40 km south of Gaza City.
“Sleep on the streets with our children?
We won’t do it. I don’t want this humiliating life.”
There have been repeated calls for the
creation of humanitarian corridors into Gaza, mainly through the Rafah crossing
to Egypt — the only one not controlled by the Israeli military.
But Egyptian President Abdel Fattah
El-Sisi has said it is necessary for Gaza residents to “remain steadfast on
their land,” warning that any mass displacement of Gazans would spell the end
of the Palestinian cause.
In the Al-Shati refugee camp west of
Gaza City, Mohamed Abu Ali stands in front of an office for the UN Palestinian
Refugee Agency or UNRWA.
“Today, we don’t know, where do we go?”
the 24-year-old said.
“There is nowhere safe. We
went to the United Nations for refuge.
Israel is committing massacres today against civilians and our children are
under the rubble.
“We don’t know what to do. We have no
food and no water. I ask the UN in front of its headquarters: Where do we go?“
Source: arabnews.com
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Israeli evacuation call in Gaza hikes
Egypt's fears of a mass exodus of refugees into its territory
October 13, 2023
CAIRO: Israel’s call Friday for half of
the Gaza Strip’s population to evacuate south is hiking Egypt’s fears of a
massive influx of refugees across the heavily fortified border into its
territory.
Since Hamas’ bloody attack on Israel
sparked a massive retaliation in Gaza, Egypt’s leadership has frantically tried
to negotiate the entry of humanitarian aid through its crossing into the
Palestinian territory — partially in hopes of averting an exodus into Egypt’s
Sinai Peninsula. Officials say its efforts have received no response from
Israel.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
was expected to visit Cairo over the weekend and Egyptian officials are
expected to discuss the entry of aid with him.
Israel sealed off the Gaza Strip,
stopping all entry of food, water, medicine and fuel to its 2.3 million people,
while bombardment has leveled swaths of its cities. That has left Egypt’s Rafah
crossing as the sole access. But repeated Israeli airstrikes at the Palestinian
side of the crossing have forced it to stop operating, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry
said, leaving trucks of aid stopped on the Egyptian side.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi
called for access through Rafah in a speech Thursday. He also pushed back
against letting in large numbers of Palestinians.
“The threat there is significant because
it means the liquidation of this (Palestinian) cause,” el-Sissi said at a
military college graduation ceremony in Cairo. “It’s important for its people
to stay steadfast and exist on its land.” He also pointed out that Egypt
already hosts some 9 million refugees. That population swelled this year as
300,000 Sudanese fled their country’s war into Egypt, already facing economic
crisis.
On Friday Egypt's Foreign Ministry went
further, publicly calling the evacuation order a “grave violation” of
international law.
Khaled Gendy, a senior fellow at the
Middle East Institute, said Egypt’s primary concern is that hundreds of
thousands of refugees will become a permanent reality. “What sort of guarantees
are there going to be for their return?” he said.
Palestinians and Arab nations are marked
by the experience of the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation when
Palestinians were expelled or fled to neighboring countries and have not been
allowed to return since, a major sticking point in the long defunct peace
process.
A senior State Department official
traveling with Blinken from Jordan to Qatar said the U.S. is talking to Israel,
U.N. agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross on creating safe
zones within Gaza, where civilians can receive humanitarian aid. It was not
clear if the aid would enter from Israel or Egypt.
The official said there appears to be
little desire on anyone's part to unfettered border crossings into Egypt, given
the impact on the already restive Sinai and the economic burden, and they don’t
want Palestinians who are already refugees to become double refugees. The U.S.
focus on Egypt has been on getting Palestinians with dual nationality out
through Rafah if they wish. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to
discuss private and ongoing diplomatic discussions.
Egyptian officials have long feared that
Israel seeks to make their country responsible for Palestinians in Gaza, which
Egypt ruled between the 1948 and 1967 Mideast wars. Egypt has joined Israel in
its blockade of the Gaza Strip since the Hamas takeover, tightly controlling
entry of supplies and the exit of people.
Israel's evacuation call told
Palestinians to move to southern Gaza, raising expectations of a ground
assault. A military spokesman said they would be allowed back once the war is
over. But with bombardment continuing in south Gaza, the mass movement will
likely put pressure on Egypt's border.
Israel has not detailed its long-term
plan for Gaza beyond crushing Hamas, which has ruled there since 2007. Even if
displaced are allowed back, it isn't known what will remain of their homes and
economy.
A senior Egyptian security official told
The Associated Press that Egypt has taken “unprecedented measures” to prevent a
breach to its borders with Gaza. Thousands of security forces have been
deployed at the border, he said.
In 2008, Hamas militants blasted through
the border fence with Egypt, allowing hundreds of thousands of people to flood
into Sinai. The state-run al-Ahram daily reported that Egyptian authorities
warned Hamas’ leaders in recent days against any repeat of that.
The official said Egyptian officials
have been communicating “around the clock” with Israel, Hamas, the United
States and European countries proposing a cease-fire, allowing aid delivery
through Rafah and creating “safe zones” inside Gaza. He said there has been no
Israeli response. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was
not allowed to talk to news media.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said it was
unaware of any contacts with Egypt about a cease-fire or humanitarian aid,
though such contacts often take place among security officials.
Egypt, which has a peace treaty and
close security cooperation with Israel and contacts with Hamas, helped broker
cease-fires in previous wars between the two sides.
European Union chief diplomat Josep
Borrel on Thursday supported Egypt's proposal to deliver international aid
through Rafah. Egypt has called on countries and aid groups to send supplies to
its el-Arish airport in northern Sinai, near Rafah. Jordan and Turkey have
already sent shipments. Local aid groups, including the Egyptian Red Crescent,
also begun collecting aid and donations.
Israel launched its siege of Gaza in
retaliation for Hamas’ incursion Saturday, when militants stormed into southern
Israel, massacring hundreds of civilians and soldiers and seizing some 150
hostages. More than 3,000 people have been killed on both sides.
Source: arabnews.com
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Tehran condemns Afghanistan mosque
terrorist blast
Oct 14, 2023
TEHRAN, Oct. 14 (MNA) – Iranian Foreign
Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani has condemned Friday's suicide bombing at an
Afghan mosque that led to the killing and injury of several worshippers.
Offering condolences to the families of
the attacks' martyrs, Kan'ani wished speedy recovery for the injured.
He considered the targeting of
worshipers in mosques to be one of the most vicious terrorist crimes and
against the teachings of Islam.
A suicide bombing ripped through a
mosque in northern Afghanistan on Friday, killing at least seven worshippers.
Seven people were killed during prayer
and 15 injured in the attack in the city of Pul e Khumri in Baghlan.
The ISIL terrorist group claimed
responsibility for the attack.
Source: mehrnews.com
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Pakistan
Pakistan expresses concerns over cycle
of occupation, violence in Palestine
October 13, 2023
Pakistan has expressed deep concerns
over the cycle of occupation, oppression and violence in Palestine.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly's
sixth committee meeting in New York, Second Secretary at Pakistan's Permanent
Mission to the UN Rabia Ijaz said the rapidly deteriorating and dire
humanitarian situation in Gaza due to the indiscriminate aerial bombardment and
an inhumane blockade of food, fuel and medicines, as collective punishment of
the entire Palestinian population of Gaza by Israeli Occupation forces are
unacceptable. These actions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
She said the current cycle of aggression
and violence is a sad reminder and a direct consequence of over seven decades
of illegal Israeli occupation, aggression, and disrespect for international
law, including UNSC resolutions that recognize the inalienable right to
self-determination of the Palestinian people.
Rabia Ijaz said the international
community must work together for a just, comprehensive and lasting two-state
solution with a viable, sovereign and contiguous State of Palestine on the
basis of pre-1967 borders, with Al Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Exercising its right of reply, Second
Secretary Rabia Ijaz said Jammu and
Kashmir is an internationally recognized disputed territory and is not at all a
so-called integral part of India nor is it India's domestic matter.
She said the UN Security Council in its
resolutions has decided that the final disposition of Kashmir shall be
determined by its people through a United Nations supervised plebiscite. She said India accepted this decision and is
bound to comply with it in accordance with Article 25 of the UN Charter.
Rabia Ijaz said India has no right to
take any unilateral action to change the status of the territory. She said
India is shamelessly engaged in crushing the legitimate Kashmiri quest for
self-determination with an occupation army of 900,000 troops. Since 1989, she
pointed out that over a hundred thousand Kashmiris have been killed, and a
systematic settler-colonial project is underway and the tale of atrocities
continues.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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----------
Protests held across Pakistan in support
of Palestinians
October 13, 2023
Thousands of people protested across the
country after Friday prayers against Israel’s siege and fierce bombing on the
Gaza Strip in retaliation to Hamas attacks.
Political and religious parties staged
dozens of demonstrations across the cities of Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, and
the capital Islamabad, where US and Israeli flags were burned.
Protester Shahid Husain, 47, said the
leaders of Muslim nations were failing to stand up for Palestinians.
We came to the streets to make our rulers
realise that they don't need to be scared of the US and that the public wants
them to be on the side of Palestine -- not Israel and America," he said
from Peshawar's historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar.
A few hundred people also gathered in
the Afghan cities of Kabul and Jalalabad for pro-Palestinian rallies organised
by Taliban authorities.
"Palestine you are not alone, we
are with you," one speaker told the crowd. "We are poor, but we will
do whatever we can. We can't do much today but use our feet and stand in your
support."
At the weekend, Hamas fighters killed
more than 1,300 people in Israel in the deadliest attack since the country's
creation in 1948.
They seized around 150 hostages --
including dozens of Israelis, dual and foreign nationals -- whom Hamas is
threatening to kill.
Israel has retaliated by raining air and
artillery strikes in Gaza for six days, claiming more than 1,500 lives and
displacing over 400,000 people in the crowded enclave.
The Pakistan government has condemned
the "indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force by Israeli
authorities" and "the inhumane blockade and collective punishment by
Israeli forces".
The United Nations has called on the
Israeli army to rescind its order for the immediate relocation of 1.1 million
people from north to south Gaza, as it relentlessly pounds the enclave.
he cramped and impoverished territory,
where 2.3 million residents live on top of each other, has been under a land,
air and sea blockade since 2006. Israel has now cut off water, electricity and
food supplies, leaving the enclave in a state of siege.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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---------
State can fight terrorists for 100
years: PM
October 13, 2023
PESHAWAR:
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq
Kakar on Friday ruled out any possibility of talks with the outlawed
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), warning that no group or outfit would be allowed
to take up arms against the state and challenge its writ.
Speaking during a meeting with the
representatives of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and a
press conference during his visit to Peshawar, Kakar declared that the State of
Pakistan was powerful enough to fight the terrorists even for next 100 years.
“No one is willing to talk to them. We
don’t want to talk to them. The state of Pakistan is so powerful in the fight
against the TTP, not just one year, rather 100 years,” Kakar told the
reporters. “Don’t you see their people are being killed on a daily basis. Our
people are also being martyred.”
The prime minister was asked what the
impediments in the talks with TTP were. In straightforward reply, he said:
“What kind of talks or impediments [you are talking about]? He added: “Who told
you that we have any intention to talk with TTP.”
Kakar, once again rubbished the notion
that the registered Afghan refugees were being expelled from Pakistan. “Only
those living illegally in Pakistan are being expelled,” he said. “The state
wanted to rid the country of those causing social ills as well as becoming a
challenge of terrorism and crimes,” he added.
The prime minister stressed that through
the news measures, Pakistan did not want to undermine its relations with
Afghanistan rather it desired to have the ties based on international standards
in which the movement of the people would be subjected to visas.
Since the illegal residents had no
registration in the Pakistani database, he said, the state was unable to
distinguish between those playing a productive role in the society and the
criminals. He also said there were no reports so far about the burning of
houses in North Waziristan, Bajaur or Orakzai.
Dilating on the ongoing economic conditions,
Kakar said that an appreciating rupee had helped in reducing the country’s debt
burden by Rs4000 billion, besides having an impact on the prices of petroleum
products, sugar, ghee and other edibles.
The prime minister was also asked
questions about political issues, including the timing of the next general
elections and the contesting political and the return of Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan.
Kakar reiterated that all the registered
political parties would be allowed to contest election, adding if there was any
complaint, the Prime Minister’s Office could be approached. He said the
Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would announce the date of election. On
Nawaz’s return, he said that the caretaker government would act as per the law.
Earlier, talking to an SCCI delegation,
Prime Minister Kakar said that the government would never let any outfit or
group to take up arms and challenge the writ of the state. He assured that the
federal and provincial governments were implementing the anti-terrorism
National Action Plan (NAP).
Kakar said that the armed forces and the
police had rendered great sacrifices in the war against terrorism. He added
that the police should be equipped with modern equipment to better deal with the
menace of terrorism.
The prime minister castigated the
culture of not paying taxes and the menace of smuggling, which was hurting the
national economy. He said that country had sacrificed lives of 90,000 people in
the fight against terrorism and still “some people are not paying taxes, rather
demanding right to smuggling”.
“Some people think that stealing and
smuggling is their right. Can a society function like this,” he asked.
He exhorted that one generation rendered
sacrifices to secure the future of the next generation. We have sacrificed one
generation, but have we secured the future of the next generation?”
About the prevailing situation in the
country, Kakar said that there were only questions about everything – from
education to politics and to economy. “The answers are not available and if
attempts are made to find answers, there comes reaction from different
quarters”.
The prime minister said that due to the
timely actions of the government, the value of the rupee had increased. He also
praised the army’s efforts against the smuggling and hoarding. “Smuggling and
corruption will not be tolerated at all.”
Source: tribune.com.pk
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----------
Perpetrators of Daska mosque attack
arrested
October 13, 2023
LAHORE:The Punjab police chief on Friday
maintained that the firing at a mosque in Daska town of Sialkot district on
October 11 that claimed at least three lives was sponsored, facilitated and
masterminded by a “hostile agency of a rogue state”.
Punjab IGP Usman Anwar, while addressing
a news conference at the Central Police Office in Lahore, said they had
arrested the attackers and their facilitators within 24 hours.
“We have irrefutable evidence about the
involvement of a rogue state in the terrorist attack. This will be shared with
the media and world after presenting it before the court,” he added.
Throughout his media talk, the IGP
refrained from naming any suspects, country or agency.
He also refused to answer any queries by
the reporters.
Unidentified assailants on Wednesday
morning fired gunshots at a mosque during Fajr prayers, killing three people.
One of them was the prayer leader of the
mosque, a leader of banned militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and his
security guard.
The JeM leader was identified as Shahid
Latif.
Latif remained in jail after being
arrested from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 1993 until
his release in 2010. The Indian media had accused him of being involved in the
attack on the Pathankot Airbase in 2016.
The Punjab police chief said his new
conference could be taken as the preparation for a second one.
“All the evidence that we have to
present in the court will be brought before you in the second news conference,”
he continued.
“The purpose of calling you today is to
tell you that the security institutions of Pakistan, including the police,
Counter Terrorism Department [CTD], Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),
Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the Military Intelligence (MI) united to track
down terrorists in the country within 24 hours,” he maintained.
“After identifying the culprits, we have
arrested even more of them, foiling their future attacks,” he added.
Anwar said they had concrete evidence
that the activity was planned outside Pakistan by a hostile intelligence
agency.
He elaborated that the main handlers of
the Daska mosque attack were based abroad. He further said they had also
identified the local handlers and facilitators.
Sharing the details of the gory
incident, the Punjab IGP said two teams of the attackers had monitored the
target on October 6 and 9, while staying in a hotel in Daska.
He continued that an attempt was made to
execute the target but the attackers failed and returned to Lahore on October
10.
They went back to to Daska on October 11
and managed to kill the target on the same day in the morning.
“Our intelligence agencies, in
particular the CTD, using latest technology and software including Hotel Eye
and Face Trace, traced the attackers,” the Punjab police chief explained.
He said after the attack, the CTD; the
Pakpattan, Sialkot, Kasur and Lahore police as well as intelligence agencies
the ISI, MI, and IB formed teams.
“Through specific tasking and perfect
coordination, the teams arrested the attackers,” he added. The teams
simultaneously conducted raids in Pakpattan, Lahore, Kasur and other areas over
100 kilometres away from the site of the attack and arrested the assailants.
The IGP said the culprits, who had
stayed in hotels for the reconnaissance, were identified using the Hotel Eye
software.
He continued that they extracted some
irrefutable evidence from a cell phone recovered during the investigation.
“It was a locked phone but a police
officer still extracted data from it,” he added.
The Punjab police chief said these
terrorists would be exposed in front of the whole world and brought before the
international media, Pakistani nation and institutions.
“We will thwart every dirty conspiracy
to disturb the peace of Pakistan with our determination,” he vowed.
Five to six other incidents of target
killings similar to the assassination of Latif have been reported in different
parts of the country during the last few months.
India faced worldwide condemnations over
their premier intelligence agency orchestrating the assassination of a Sikh
separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, near a gurdwara in Canada.
Many protests across the world were held
against the Sikh leader’s murder including in India, Pakistan and Canada.
The Canadian government officially
registered a protest with India against its alleged involvement in the killing.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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After two-year gap, SC set to take up
Bahria Town Karachi case
October 14, 2023
Nasir Iqbal
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will take
up on Wednesday the implementation of the March 21, 2019 approval of Rs460
billion offer by the Bahria Town (Pvt) Ltd Karachi (BTK) after a delay of a
little over 28 months.
Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi
Faez Isa, a three-judge SC bench also comprising Justice Aminuddin Khan and
Justice Athar Minallah will take up a set of seven petitions in the BTK case.
The last time the apex court had taken
up the case was on May 21, 2021, when the bench was told that the Naya Pakistan
Housing Development Authority intends to sign a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the Bahria Town Pakistan for building low-cost houses in Islamabad
and Karachi.
The information was provided before the
implementation bench which was seized with the payment schedule by the
developer tycoon for acquiring the land in Malir (Sindh.)
Three-judge bench to hear pleas on
implementation of March 2019 order
Earlier, the implementation bench of the
Supreme Court had accepted the offer made by the developer to pay Rs460 billion
on March 21, 2019, for the purchase of the land measuring 16,896 acres in the
Malir Development Authority (MDA) but with certain terms and conditions.
The offer was accepted by the court to
implement apex court’s May 4, 2018, judgment in which it was held that the
grant of land to the Malir Development Authority (MDA) by the Sindh government,
its exchange with the land of the private land developers — Bahria Town — and
anything done under the provisions of Colonisation of Government Land Act,
1912, (COGLA) by the Sindh government was illegal and of no legal existence.
The land was granted for launching
incremental housing scheme, but instead of launching the scheme, the MDA
exchanged it with Bahria Town to launch a scheme of its own, the judgment had
regretted.
Earlier on Dec 16, 2020, the apex court
had rejected a plea to grant moratorium of three years to BTK in the monthly
instalment of Rs2.5 billion because of Covid-19 pandemic-related economic
recession.
The BTK had sought freezing of the
payment plan from the Supreme Court in view of Covid pandemic-related recession,
with the effect that the payment of Rs2.5 billion monthly instalments be
deferred for three years starting from Sept 7, 2020, until Sept 2023.
Likewise, in Oct 20, 2020, the Supreme
Court had appointed a high-powered commission to oversee the disbursement of
funds being deposited by the BTK.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1780994/after-two-year-gap-sc-set-to-take-up-bahria-town-karachi-case
---------
Elahi’s remand extended in vandalism
case
October 14, 2023
ISLAMABAD:An anti-terrorism court (ATC)
extended the judicial remand of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez
Elahi till October 24 in connection with the Federal Judicial Complex violence
case.
The hearing, originally scheduled to be
presided over by ATC judge Abul Hasnaat Zulqarnain, took place before Judge
Shahrukh Arjumand due to Zulqarnain's leave.
Elahi was produced at the Federal
Judicial Complex in Islamabad, where Judge Shahrukh Arjumand heard his case in
the absence of ATC judge Abul Hasnaat Zulqarnain.
The ATC staff informed that only the
extension of Elahi's judicial has to be extended, and the investigation officer
confirmed the submission of a challan and notice for the senior politician.
The judge suggested scheduling Parvez
Elahi's next hearing date alongside the co-accused. However, Elahi and his
lawyer objected to the proposed date of October 24, as he was also required to
appear in a Lahore court.
However, the judge finalised October 24
as the date for the next hearing.
'Will not leave PTI'
During the proceedings, the police
attempted to prevent Elahi from using his phone in the courtroom, at which the
senior politician claimed to have obtained permission from the judge to do so.
During media interactions following the
hearing, Elahi, who is also the president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
party, reaffirmed his loyalty to the party, stating that he would not leave
despite facing prison time.
When asked about a message exchange
between him and PTI Chairman Imran Khan in Adiala jail, Elahi denied any
suggestions regarding ticket distribution and highlighted alleged mistreatment,
sub-standard food, and lack of facilities in jail.
Elahi expressed his disappointment that
the judge had visited Khan's cell in Adiala Jail but had not visited his. He
also addressed the absence of his sons during this troubled time, stating that
he had no issues and was in good health.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2441054/elahis-remand-extended-in-vandalism-case
---------
South Asia
Kabul Residents Take to Streets to Show
Support for People of Palestine
Naweed Samadi
October 13, 2023
Kabul residents and some members of the
Islamic Emirate held gatherings in Kabul to show support for the people of
Palestine.
They gathered near Eidgah Great Mosque
in Kabul and chanted anti-Israeli slogans and condemned Israel's attacks on
Gaza.
They also said that they are ready to
support the people of Palestine in any situation.
"This land belongs to Palestine, it
belongs to Muslims, and it belongs to Arabs, God-willing we will free it,” said
Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, a protester.
"Remember that this war has lasted
for 80 years, if it lasts for a thousand years, it will be a victory for the
Muslims,” said Azmatullah Majeed, a protester.
Some of the protesters criticized the
silence of some countries regarding Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
"The elders of Islamic countries,
especially the elders of Arab countries! I swear to God that if you don't help
Palestine today, the day will come when the same oppressors will dominate you,”
said Abdul Haq Hemad, a protester.
"We say to the repressed Muslims of
Palestine that we are by your side and ready to help in any way,” said Hamas, a
member of the Islamic Emirate.
For seven days, Palestinian forces have
captured many parts under the control of the Israeli forces one after the
other, and intense clashes are still ongoing between the forces of the two
sides.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185525
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Palestine-Israel clash won’t have any
impact on Bangladesh: Momen
Oct 14, 2023
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has said
the ongoing war between the armed Palestinian group Hamas and occupying power
Israel wouldn't impact Bangladesh.
He said this while addressing a
foundation stone ceremony of GC-Companiganj Road in Shiber Bazar of Sylhet
yesterday.
The minister said, "We don't have
any trade and commerce relations with Israel and didn't recognise them. The
whole world will have a hit due to the ongoing clash which may cause some
difficulties."
He said, "We are always on
Palestine's side, and want peace. No peace will prevail there unless
Palestine-Israel is separated into two regions."
Meanwhile yesterday, thousands of Muslim
devotees in Bangladesh brought out protest processions against Israeli
aggression across the country after Jummah prayer.
Appreciating wholehearted support from
Bangladeshis, Palestinian Ambassador to Bangladesh Yousef SY Ramadan yesterday
said they need full support and solidarity, noting that Israel must stop the
ongoing genocide against Palestinian people.
"Believe me, we don't want your
money but want your full support and love. Palestine wants the world to be on
Palestine's side. Genocide and crimes against humanity must stop," he
said.
Gaza was on the brink of running out of
food, water, electricity and critical supplies, UN humanitarians warned on
Thursday.
No aid can come from outside for the 2.3
million residents of the sealed-off enclave, and some 220,000 displaced people
are taking shelter in schools run by the UN agency for Palestine refugees,
UNRWA.
Thousands of people from both Palestine
and Israel have so far been killed in the ongoing clash that erupted last week.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/palestine-israel-clash-wont-have-any-impact-bangladesh-momen-3442716
--------
7 killed, 15 wounded in Baghlan mosque
attack
Raz Mohammad Raz
14 Oct 2023
PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): At least seven
people have been killed and 15 others wounded in a suicide blast in the capital
of northern Baghlan province, police say.
The suicide attack on the Imam Zaman
mosque at a mosque in Pul-i-Khumri took place during Friday prayers, police
said.
In a statement, the provincial police
headquarters said seven worshipers were killed and 15 others injured in the
bombing.
It said security forces rushed to the
bombing site. So far, no one has been arrested in connection with the attack,
it added.
The Islamic State militant group claimed
responsibility for the blast in a post on the Telegram messaging app.
Meanwhile, a eyewitness who declined to
be named told Pajhwok Afghan News dozens of injured people were taken to
hospital. Many of them were in critical condition, he said.
The
prayer leader of the mosque said they would share soon the exact number
of casualties with media representatives.
Source: pajhwok.com/
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https://pajhwok.com/2023/10/14/7-killed-15-wounded-in-baghlan-mosque-attack/
--------
Russia emphasizes inclusive Govt and
human rights in Afghanistan
Fidel Rahmati
October 13, 2023
The Special Representative of Russia for
Afghanistan has once again emphasized the formation of an inclusive government
in Afghanistan and stated that Moscow is concerned about the political
structure in the country.
Zamir Kabulov, in an interview with
Anadolu Agency, said that Moscow has no complaints about the foreign policy of
the Taliban. However, it disagrees with this group on its domestic policies.
He emphasized that the Taliban
administration must meet the global community’s demands for the recognition of
a comprehensive government respect for human rights and women’s rights to be
officially recognized.
The Russian envoy stressed that
recognizing the government of the Taliban regime will only become a real
possibility when they pay attention to the international community’s call for a
comprehensive political structure.
Kabulov said, “As the President and
Foreign Minister have repeatedly said, we still have differences of opinion on
domestic policy. We are more concerned about the overall political structure
rather than ethnic exclusivity that the Taliban insist on.”
However, Russia’s Special envoy for
Afghanistan clarified that emphasizing an inclusive political structure does
not mean insisting on including the fugitive leaders in the leadership of
Afghanistan. “The principle of inclusivity is important for Afghanistan to
become a normal, traditional state,” he added.
He emphasized that major non-Pashtun
ethnic groups in Afghanistan should have the right to vote and participate in
the country’s administration.
This Russian diplomat stated that he
expects changes in Afghanistan’s political structure, especially establishing a
comprehensive government and resolving human rights issues, to occur in less
than a quarter of a century.
Kabulov has warned that if the situation
remains the same, nothing will be left of Afghanistan during this period.
However, Kabulov has stated that Russia
and several regional countries do not consider developing relations with Afghanistan
contingent upon recognizing the current Taliban administration.
It is worth noting that no country has
officially recognised this government after two years of the Taliban
administration’s resurgence in Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/russia-emphasizes-inclusive-govt-and-human-rights-in-afghanistan/
---------
Putin expresses support for Tajikistan
amid growing threats from Afghanistan
Fidel Rahmati
October 13, 2023
On Friday, the President of Russia
issued a warning during a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS) in Bishkek regarding the situation in Afghanistan.
Vladimir Putin stated that significant
threats emanate from Afghanistan, and Russia supports Tajikistan’s concerns
regarding the threats from Afghanistan.
He said, “I understand the rationality
of supporting Tajikistan’s concerns about threats emanating from Afghan soil.
The situation in that country is complex.”
Imam Ali Rahman, the President of
Tajikistan, has consistently raised concerns about the active presence of
terrorists along the Afghan borders and their efforts to infiltrate Tajikistan
and neighbouring Central Asian countries. He has underscored the gravity of
this security threat, emphasizing the need for collective action and support
from regional partners to address the situation effectively.
In a significant development, on Friday
morning, the Presidents of Russia and Tajikistan engaged in separate
discussions on the sidelines of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
meeting.
During these talks, they focused on the
evolving situation in Afghanistan. These high-level dialogues reflect the
shared commitment of both nations to assess and respond to the challenges posed
by the instability in Afghanistan, underscoring the importance of regional
cooperation and coordination in addressing security concerns.
The meetings between the Russian and
Tajikistani leaders demonstrate their recognition of the urgency surrounding
the Afghan situation and the need to collaborate closely to address the threats
from the region. These diplomatic efforts are part of broader regional
initiatives to ensure stability and security in Central Asia amidst the
evolving dynamics in Afghanistan.
In September of this year, the National
Security Committee of Tajikistan announced that three terrorists had been
targeted and killed near the border with Afghanistan. Tajikistan stated that
these individuals were members of the “Jamiat Ansarullah” group and were
planning terrorist attacks in the country.
Additionally, over the past two years,
ISIS has launched multiple rocket attacks from Afghan territory into Tajikistan
and carried out a suicide attack in front of the Russian Embassy in Kabul,
resulting in the deaths of two Russian diplomats.
Following the Taliban’s takeover in
August 2021, Russia modernized its military base in Tajikistan to enhance
border security.
Commonwealth of Independent States
members are Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Moldova.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/putin-expresses-support-for-tajikistan-amid-growing-threats-from-afghanistan/
---------
Ministry: Kabul Ready to Pay Cost of
Afghan Portion of TAPI
Bibi Amina Hakimi
October 13, 2023
The Islamic Emirate said that it is
ready to pay the cost of the TAPI project which is related to Afghanistan.
The spokesman for the Ministry of Mines
and Petroleum, Homayoun Afghan, said that now security has been ensured in the
country, and that the Islamic Emirate has also resolved the acquisition of land
for the TAPI project.
"Turkmenistan contributes to the
support, as does Afghanistan and other nations like Pakistan and India. God
willing, we are prepared to begin work whenever it begins, and if no
alternative can be found, we are prepared to support ourselves,” the spokesman
noted.
"The Tapi project is one of the
vital projects for our country. Afghanistan is fully prepared to start this
project, but you know that the project is related to four countries,
Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. It is necessary for them to be
ready to start too,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate spokesman.
This comes as, in the last two years,
there was talk about the start of the TAPI project, but so far its practical
work has not started.
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Chamber of
Industry and Mines said that starting large projects, particularly the TAPI
project, is essential for the nation's economic development and the creation of
jobs for its people.
"We hope that practical work on
this project will start. With the start of the TAPI project, an economic
transformation will take place in Afghanistan, even if this is transferred to
Herat, this will also be a big achievement for the Afghan economy,” said Sakhi
Ahmad Paiman, first deputy of the chamber.
According to some economists, the
regional competition has caused the TAPI project to not start in a practical
way.
"The main reason TAPI is not
progressing is because of the problem and political conflict between Pakistan
and India. The Pakistanis, who compete with the Indians, do not expect at all
to provide a sustainable and stable source of energy for India, who is their
rival," said Sayed Masoud, an economist.
"This project is now facing two
major issues; the first is the recognition of the Islamic Emirate, which has
slowed it down and is the subject of continuing negotiations. Another major
problem of this project is the bilateral tensions between the countries
involved, especially the dispute between India and Pakistan,” said Seiyar
Qurishi, another economist.
The TAPI project starts from
Turkmenistan and reaches India after passing through the territory of Afghanistan
and Pakistan.
In Afghanistan, The TAPI project crosses
through Herat, Farah, Nimroz, Helmand and Kandahar to Pakistan and India.
The pipeline will span 1,814 km with 735
km of it crossing through Afghanistan.
Along with creating jobs for thousands
of people, Afghanistan will make more than $400 million a year from the
execution of this project.
Source: tolonews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://tolonews.com/business-185531
---------
Dhaka’s air most polluted in the world
this morning
Oct 14, 2023
Dhaka has once again topped the list of
cities worldwide with the worst air quality, with an AQI of 219 at 8:54am
today.
India's Delhi and Pakistan's Lahore
occupied the next two spots, with AQI scores of 197, and 179, respectively.
An AQI between 151 and 200 is said to be
"unhealthy" while 201 and 300 is considered "very
unhealthy", and 301 to 400 is ranked "hazardous", posing serious
health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five
criteria pollutants -- Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and
Ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air
pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and
improves during the monsoon.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO),
air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year,
largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/un-peacekeeping-mission-75-navy-personnel-leave-lebanon-3442551
---------
Rohingya camp: Tk 1 lakh robbed from NGO
workers
Oct 14, 2023
Masked criminals robbed over Tk 1 lakh
intended for an international NGO's beneficiaries in Ukhiya Refugee camp on
Wednesday, police said.
The incident occurred at Camp 15,
Mizanur Rahman, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Armed Police Battalion
8, said yesterday.
No case has yet been filed in connection
with the incident, said the ASP, who oversees the law and order situation at
Camp 15.
He said the NGO was scheduled to
distribute the funds to beneficiaries at the camp-in-charge's office.
However, without prior notice to the CIC
and local police, they started distributing funds from the shanty of a
sub-majhi (community leader) around 1:30pm when the masked criminals robbed Tk
1 lakh from the aid workers.
"We asked the NGO several times to
file a complaint in this regard, but they didn't," he said.
Md Shamsud Douza, additional refugee
relief and repatriation commissioner, also requested a report from the NGO
regarding the incident. However, the NGO has not submitted the report yet, he
added.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/gazipur-city-probe-corruption-allegations-former-acting-mayor-asadur-3442166
---------
Africa
Nigerians Must Rise To Defend
Palestinians – Shiites Members Again Protest In Abuja
October 13, 2023
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN)
has urged Nigerians to support the “oppressed” Palestinians against Israel's
brutal attack on the civilians especially women and children over the years.
Members of the movement also protested
on Friday against the ongoing attack on females and children in Gaza amid the
raging conflict between Israel and Palestine militant Hamas.
The protest, according to Daily Trust,
kicked off from the popular Annur Mosque in Wuse 2 along IBB way immediately
after the Juma’at Prayer, terminated at the traffic light at Ahmadu Bello way
with burning of the American and Israeli’s flags.
SaharaReporters had earlier in the week
exclusively reported that the Shiites held their first protest where they burnt
Israeli flags and decried ongoing bombardments.
However, in a statement, Sheikh Sidi
Munir Sokoto, a member of the movement, said they were protesting to condemn
the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by the soldiers of the illegal state of
Israel.
According to the statement, reliable
reports confirmed that hundreds of Palestinians were killed and thousands were
wounded. "In February, 2019 the United Nations Commission of Inquiry (COI)
published a damning indictment against the illegal state of Israel.
According to the COI, Israel soldiers
have been deliberately shooting civilians, killing and maiming unarmed people
including children as well as journalists and medics in Gaza.
“Israel is in breach of International
law and the Palestinians are fighting to liberate their homeland from 75 years
of Israeli oppression and terrorism.
“The Israel military and settlers are
the terrorists as they have been killing and abducting Palestinian females and
Children for many years, not the Palestinian freedom fighters who are demanding
the right to return for those unjustly driven out of their homeland by the
illegal state of Israel. Armed struggle is legitimate under international law.
“Gaza has been under the Israel siege
since June 2007, which caused a decline in living standards."
It added, “Supporting the oppressed
people is human, as such, supporting the People of Palestineis a duty upon all
humans. Israeli soldiers should stop launching Missiles and Rockets against
innocent females and children in villages; they should face the Hamas fighters
who are fighting to defend their People. Islam taught us that human beings are
either our brothers in religion or in humanity.
“Calling people to support justice everywhere
and opposing tyranny and oppression everywhere is part of the teachings of our
leader Shaikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky (H). For more than three decades, the Islamic
movement under the leadership of his eminence, Shaikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) has
been organising programmes and protests in support of the oppressed people of
Palestine.
“We are urging all in Nigeria to break
the deafening silence and raise voices to support the oppressed Palestinians.
While condemning the attack on Palestinians, we strongly support the Palestine
resistance movement. Pray for Palestine, there are both Christians and Muslims
in Gaza.”
A report by RT on Thursday, quoted the
Palestinian Health Ministry as saying that 447 children and 248 women
Palestinians were among the 1,417 killed in Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip.
The ministry also reported 6,268 wounded
since Saturday.
Source: saharareporters.com
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https://saharareporters.com/2023/10/13/nigerians-must-rise-defend-palestinians-shiites-members-again-protest-abuja
---------
Two South Africans Killed in escalating
Israel-Hamas war
13 October 2023
The Department of International
Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has received distressing news that two South
African citizens lost their lives in the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The incident unfolded in the early hours
of Saturday when Hamas' militant wing launched an unexpected assault on Israel
from Gaza.
The situation has rapidly escalated into
a full-scale war, with Israel responding by launching a barrage of rockets into
Gaza, resulting in the tragic loss of thousands of lives.
Dirco spokesperson, Clayson Monyela,
provided an official statement, saying, "The Department of International
Relations and Cooperation can confirm that we have been notified of the tragic
deaths of two South African nationals in the ongoing conflict between Palestine
and Israel.
The verification process is currently
underway due to one of the individuals being reported to possess an Israeli ID
number. Therefore, we are diligently working to establish whether there is dual
citizenship or other relevant circumstances."
Monyela conveyed the government's
condolences to the bereaved families of the victims, emphasizing their
commitment to supporting and assisting them during this difficult time.
He further stated, "Our missions in
Ramallah and Tel Aviv are actively collaborating to provide consular services
and assistance to the families of our fellow nationals."
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/10/13/two-south-africans-killed-in-escalating-israel-hamas-war/
--------
Nigeria: military carry out air strikes
killing 100 in northwest
13 October 2023
Nigerian military jets have carried out
air strikes on a gathering of bandit militias, killing around 100 gunmen in the
country's northwest, two army sources and local residents said on Friday.
Nigeria's air force confirmed it had
carried out bombardments in northwestern Zamfara State on Tuesday, but a
spokesman said he could not yet provide details on the numbers killed.
Northwestern and central Nigerian states
have for years been plagued by gangs who raid villages and kill and abduct
residents for ransom in rural areas where state presence is weak.
The gangs, notorious for mass
kidnappings from schools and colleges in recent years, maintain camps hidden in
a vast forest straddling Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states.
"Fighter jets conducted air strikes
on bandits, I'm sure more than 100 were killed and almost twice that number
were badly injured," one of the military officers involved in the
operation said.
Another military official also confirmed
a similar number. Both spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to
speak about the operation.
The military received intelligence prior
to the strikes that several gangs had converged in an area on the border
between Zamfara, Kebbi and Niger states with the intent of attacking villages
and a nearby military base.
The air strike, which was carried out on
Tuesday, was the second most intensive aerial operation against bandits in
Zamfara since 2015 when the military deployed to fight the gangs.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/10/13/nigeria-military-carry-out-air-strikes-killing-100-in-northwest/
---------
Hundreds dead as African nation grapples
with disease outbreak
13 Oct, 2023
Nigeria is battling a diphtheria
outbreak that has killed more than 600 people, most of them children, officials
have said. Many of the infected minors were not vaccinated.
According to multiple reports on
Thursday, there are now 14,000 suspected cases of the disease, double what the
Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention recorded last month.
The outbreak, which started last
December, has affected 19 of the country’s 36 states as well as the federal
capital, Abuja. The epicenter is Kano state in northern Nigeria, where more
than 500 deaths have been recorded.
Diphtheria is highly contagious and
affects the nose and throat. Symptoms typically emerge gradually, beginning
with a sore throat and fever.
In severe cases, the bacteria produce a
toxin that causes a thick gray or white patch at the back of the throat that
can block the airways.
Dr Faisal Shuaib, head of the National
Primary Health Care Development Agency, who visited a diphtheria isolation
center in Kano city on Wednesday, said that it was disturbing that young
children were suffering from an “entirely preventable disease.”
Shuaib added that measures including
contact tracing have contributed to a decline in the number of cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has
said inadequate testing and some patients not reporting their symptoms meant it
was difficult to accurately track infection rates.
The organization has stressed that
immunization is the most effective way of managing the crisis, and has urged
parents with unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children to visit their nearest
health clinics.
According to the WHO, only 57% of
Nigerians have received the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against five
life-threatening diseases, including diphtheria. It added that “vaccine
coverage of 80–85% must be maintained to ensure community protection.”
The last significant diphtheria outbreak
in Nigeria occurred in 2011, when 21 people lost their lives and 98 were
infected in Borno state, the WHO reported.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/africa/584834-nigeria-diphtheria-outbreak-toll/
--------
Israeli embassy ‘arrogant and unwilling
to engage’ – South Africa’s ANC
Jerry ChifambaandallAfrica
October 13, 2023
The Israeli embassy in South Africa came
under fire from African National Congress (ANC) Deputy Secretary General
Nomvula Mokonyane for its perceived “arrogance” and refusal to discuss the most
recent crisis between Israel and Hamas militants, Mail & Guardian reports.
While attending the Labour Party conference
in the United Kingdom, Mokonyane, the leader of the ANC’s international
relations committee, criticised the Israeli government, pointing out the
“inconsistencies” in the way the world’s superpowers have responded to the war.
As part of “Operation al-Aqsa Flood,”
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Saturday, 7 October, firing about 5,000
missiles into Israel. The ANC-led government has urged for a rapid truce and
peace.
The operation reportedly claimed the
lives of at least 1,200 Israelis, including women, children, and non-Israelis.
There were also scores of civilian kidnappings. Over a thousand people died as
a result of Israel’s retaliatory attacks on Gaza, according to Palestinian
officials cited by several media outlets. Reports state that among the deceased
in the Gaza Strip are women, and children.
According to Hamas, the purpose of the
attack was to make the international community “not forget about the
Palestinian people” and their predicament. Additionally, the strike occurs as
Washington works to “normalise” relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The ANC made multiple attempts,
according to Ms Mokonyane, to communicate with the Israeli administration in
South Africa. She clarified that the ANC was not “anti-Jewish” despite its
opposition to “apartheid Israel.”
“We are open to engage with the Israeli
government and with everyone and anyone. It’s just that we have an arrogant
embassy and leadership of Israel in South Africa that never wants to engage
with the African National Congress, that never wants to engage with civil
society in South Africa to an extent where they will get the police to come and
stop people from submitting a memorandum,” she is reported to have said.
Ms Mokonyane also criticised the media’s
uneven coverage of the war and the international community for their
shortcomings.
The ANC has come under fire for not
denouncing the Hamas attack. While Ms Mokonyane did not condemn Hamas outright,
she said that any loss of civilian life was a serious concern. She reiterated
the ANC’s assertion, arguing that the party wasn’t to blame for not using the
phrase “condemned.”
Due to the growth of Israeli settlements
into Palestinian territory, the ANC in the Western Cape proposed a resolution
in 2017 that the national policy conference of the ANC opted to endorse,
downgrading South Africa’s embassy in Israel. After that, the resolution would
be brought before the elective conference for approval before it could be
presented to the government.
The African Union (AU) and African
presidents and foreign ministers are calling for an end to the fighting between
Israel and Hamas militants. AU chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat released a
statement on Sunday, 8 October urging the warring parties to return to the
negotiating table. “The chairperson urgently appeals to both parties to put an
end to the military and to return, without preconditions, to the negotiating
table to implement the principle of two states living side by side,” he said.
Meanwhile, a notification has been
received by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco)
stating that two South Africans died in the ongoing conflict.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
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Southeast Asia
Tourism minister: Luxury tourism
packages in the works to woo Muslims from Middle East, China to Malaysia
14 Oct 2023
SIBU, Oct 14 — Federal Ministry of Tourism,
Arts and Culture (Motac) is in the process of coming up with luxury packages in
an effort to woo more Muslim tourists from the Middle East and China to the
country, said minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
According to him, Motac is planning to
launch the Muslim-friendly tourism packages as early as next month.
“In view of the large Muslim population
in the Middle East and China, Motac is ready to establish cooperation with
local players to develop creative and attractive luxury tourism packages, especially
in golf, medical and other sectors.
“In this regard, Motac and the Islamic
Tourism Centre of Malaysia will work with Tourism Malaysia to carry out
promotional activities in Asia, the Middle East and Europe,” he said in a post
on Facebook yesterday.
Tiong thus called upon all relevant
parties to immediately conduct certification courses and trainings to give
exposure to local industry players on the Muslim tourism market.
This, he added, would help local players
plan and come up with appropriate and competitive packages.
In the post, Tiong also said he had
already met up with representatives from tourism associations in Malaysia,
during which they discussed on how to intensify promotion efforts at the
international level; develop a Muslim-friendly market; and create an industry
consensus including providing subsidies and assistance to tourism operators.
“Motac will listen to the needs of all
tourism players in the country and will ensure aid is channelled equally to all
parties.
“The ministry is committed to helping
and supporting the tourism sector in an effort to advance the country’s
economy,” he said. ¬— Borneo Post Online
Source: malaymail.com
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Australian man charged in Singapore for
inflight bomb threat
14 Oct 2023
SINGAPORE, Oct 14 ― An Australian man
was charged in Singapore today for making a bomb threat on board a Perth-bound
plane that forced the aircraft to turn back under fighter jet escort.
Hawkins Kevin Francis, 30, faces up to
10 years in jail or a fine not exceeding S$500,000 (RM1.72 million) or both on
conviction.
Flight TR16 operated by Singapore budget
carrier Scoot was forced to turn back to the city-state an hour into the
journey on Thursday after the threat was made.
Singapore's air force scrambled fighter
jets to escort the aircraft back and the plane landed safely. Police said the
threat was false.
Francis, who was not identified at that
time, was arrested by police who boarded the plane.
He allegedly told a member of the cabin
crew “I have a bomb” during the flight, according to the charge sheet.
He also “uttered the word 'bomb'
repeatedly” to another cabin crew member.
Despite knowing the threat to be false,
Francis wanted to make the cabin crew believe “that a terrorist act will be
carried out”. He committed an offence under the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism
Measures) Regulations, the charge sheet said.
Wearing an olive green T-shirt, the
Australian heard the charges, filed at a district court, via video conference
and said he understood them.
He was sporting a beard, looked sombre
and spoke slowly.
The court ordered him to be remanded to
the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks for psychiatric observation before
his case is heard again on October 27.
During today's proceedings, he asked if
he could get “an airplane ticket back to my home country in Australia” but was
told it was not possible at this time.
His request to make a statement to the
court was also denied.
Scoot is the low-cost arm of Singapore
Airlines.
Singapore's air force previously
scrambled fighter jets to escort commercial airliners after bomb threats in
2022, 2019 and 2018. ― AFP
Source: malaymail.com
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Abby Choi murder: Lawyers for accused
family blame ‘sluggish’ police for repeated trial delays
14 Oct 2023
Hong Kong prosecutor says government
chemists need more time than usual to examine so many pieces of DNA evidence.
HONG KONG (South China Morning Post):
Lawyers for a Hong Kong family being tried over the murder of model Abby Choi
Tin-fung have complained to a court over what they say are excessive delays in
the police investigation against them, claiming they have weakened their
ability to mount a proper defence.
Counsel representing the family of
Choi’s ex-husband told Kowloon City Court on Wednesday the force’s repeated
requests for an adjournment had impeded the defence’s preparation for the
high-profile trial.
But prosecutors rejected that contention
and revealed the investigation would be completed once government chemists
finished compiling reports on 150 pieces of evidence sent for DNA examinations.
The court adjourned the case for 10
weeks until December 20. It also instructed the prosecution to inform the
defence in advance about the investigation’s progress.
Choi’s dismembered remains were found in
a three-storey house in Tai Po’s Lung Mei Tsuen village in late February.
Choi’s former spouse Alex Kwong
Kong-chi, 28, his father Kwong Kau, 65, and elder brother Anthony Kwong
Kong-kit, 31, are awaiting trial behind bars on a joint murder charge.
Alex Kwong’s mother, Jenny Li Sui-heung,
63, has also been remanded in custody for allegedly perverting the course of
justice by destroying evidence against her.
Yacht rental agent Lam Shun, 42, and
jobless Irene Pun Hau-yin, 30, each face a count of a similar but lesser
offence of assisting an offender after they reportedly helped to arrange Alex
Kwong’s attempt to flee to Macau. They were both released on a HK$50,000
(US$6,390) bail.
Court prosecutor Brian Lai Tak-ki said
250 exhibits were sent to a government laboratory for analysis, of which 100
pieces had been fully examined. The remaining work would be complete shortly,
he added.
The next step would be for the
Department of Justice to consider the strength of the evidence and decide how
to proceed, according to the prosecutor.
He said the postponement since the
family’s prosecution in late February was necessary and highlighted that
forensic pathologists needed more time than usual to examine the remains seized
at the scene.
But defence lawyer Eric So Chi-kit
called progress in the case “very undesirable”, saying his team was unable to
do anything, all while their clients waited in jail.
“These delays were not caused by the
defence,” he said. “They were all because of how sluggish the police officer in
charge has been in handling the case.”
The lawyer submitted that a cost order
against the prosecution should be made in light of the latest adjournment, but
acting principal magistrate Veronica Heung Shuk-han found she might not have
the power to grant the request.
Heung also stressed a delay was
inevitable in such cases unless the prosecution decided to drop all charges.
She ordered the Kwong family to remain
in custody until the next sitting on December 20. She also relaxed Lam and
Pun’s bail conditions by requiring them to report to police only once a week
during the adjournment. - South China Morning Post
Source: thestar.com.my
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Thai death toll in Israel-Gaza conflict
hits 24, says PM Srettha
14 Oct 2023
BANGKOK (AFP): Three more Thai nationals
have died in the conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas,
bringing the death toll to 24, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said Saturday.
"I have been informed that there
are three more people who died, making it a total of 24," Srettha told
reporters.
Two additional Thai nationals have been
wounded, the Thai foreign ministry said, bringing the total to 16.
About 30,000 Thais are working in
Israel, mostly in the agriculture sector, according to the kingdom's labour
ministry.
Thousands of Palestinians have fled to
southern Gaza seeking refuge after Israel warned them to evacuate before an
expected ground offensive against Hamas in retaliation for the deadliest attack
in Israel's history.
Last Saturday, hundreds of Hamas gunmen
stormed across the border from Gaza into Israel and killed more than 1,300
people, most of them civilians.
At least 1,900 Gazans -- most of them
civilians and including more than 600 children -- have been killed in missile
strikes on the densely populated enclave, the health ministry said.
Hamas took about 150 Israeli, foreign
and dual national hostages back to Gaza in the initial attack, Israel has said.
Fears are held over the fate of 16 Thai
hostages.
Kanyarat Suriyasri, the wife of a
hostage, urged the Thai government to do everything to bring her husband home
safely.
"I just want my husband back. I
just want to hug him," she told AFP, in Si Sa Ket province in the country's
northeast.
Diplomats are working to bring home
7,000 Thai workers and the kingdom's national and low cost airlines have signed
up to help.
There were emotional scenes at a Bangkok
airport on Thursday as the first group of evacuees, many of them wounded, were
reunited with their families.
Nearly 100 Thais have returned from
Israel with a third repatriation flight carrying 100 more due to land in
Thailand on Sunday. – AFP
Source: thestar.com.my
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/israel-zoran-eu-killing-palestine/d/130902