In Turkey, Pope Francis calls for interfaith dialogue to protect Mideast Christians
(JNS.org) In his first visit to the Middle East since Israel last spring, Pope Francis called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to engage in interfaith dialogue in order to protect Middle East Christians and other persecuted minority groups.
“It is essential that all citizens – Muslim, Jewish and Christian – both in the provision and practice of the law, enjoy the same rights and respect the same duties,” Francis told Erdogan, Vatican Radio reported.
“Mr. President, interreligious and intercultural dialogue can make an important contribution to attaining this lofty and urgent goal, so that there will be an end to all forms of fundamentalism and terrorism which gravely demean the dignity of every man and woman and exploit religion,” Francis said.
Under the leadership of Erdogan and his AKP party, the role of Islam in Turkey has increased. This has been met with some backlash from minority and secular groups in Turkey, who have accused Erdogan of authoritarianism.
At the same time, Turkey has also played a reluctant role in the U.S.-led campaign to defeat the Islamic State, refusing to directly attack the jihadist terror group and preferring to work on toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad instead. The Islamic State has been accused of engaging in genocide against Christians, Yazidis, and other minorities in Syria and Iraq.
France urges last push for two-state solution amid vote on Palestinian statehood
(JNS.org) France is calling on the international community to make one “final” push towards resolving the diplomatic impasse between the Israelis and Palestinians amid debate over Palestinian statehood in the French parliament.
According to French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, France is working at the United Nations on a Security Council resolution that will relaunch peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.
“An international conference could be organized, France is prepared to take the initiative on this and in these talks, recognition [of the Palestinian state] would be an instrument … for the definitive resolution of the conflict,” Fabius said, AFP reported.
The French parliament held a debate on Friday regarding a symbolic non-binding resolution that would recognize Palestinian statehood. French lawmakers are set to vote on the resolution on Dec. 2. Similar measures have recently been passed in the United Kingdom, Spain and Ireland, while Sweden formally recognized Palestinian statehood in October.
“If these efforts fail. If this last attempt at a negotiated settlement does not work, then France will have to do its duty and recognize the state of Palestine without delay and we are ready to do that,” Fabius said.
Terror attack foiled near Cave of the Patriarchs
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israeli security forces thwarted a terrorist attack near the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron on Friday, arresting a 17-year-old Palestinian girl who admitted she was planning to attack the police stationed in the area.
The incident took place around 8 a.m., when the Palestinian teen arrived at a police checkpoint at the entrance to the site but refused to undergo the necessary security screening to enter the compound.
Border police stationed at the checkpoint, as well as police serving with the Judea and Samaria Subdistrict Police, who are also stationed there, warned the teen time and again that she had to follow procedure, when she suddenly pulled a knife out of her bag and tossed it to the ground.
Security forces immediately apprehended her and took her into custody. When questioned, she admitted she had sought to stab a policeman.
Also on Friday, the Jerusalem District Police, who are on high alert throughout the capital, decided to allow free access to Muslim worshipers seeking to visit the Temple Mount.
The police sometimes limit the age of worshipers visiting the holy site as a precautionary measure.
For first time since Gaza war, IDF patrol comes under fire on border
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) or the first time since Operation Protective Edge ended this summer, an IDF jeep was targeted by small arms fire while on patrol along the Gaza Strip security fence, on Thursday. None of the soldiers, who are from the Bedouin reconnaissance battalion, were wounded, but the front windshield was damaged.
The IDF responded by firing a tank shell toward the source of the shooting. No terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident was considered to be out of the ordinary, more so since the conclusion of the Gaza war this summer. Since Protective Edge there have been two incidents of rocket fire toward Israel, and on several occasions suspicious movement near the security fence has been spotted, but until now there had been no shooting attacks against IDF patrols.
Meanwhile, a United Nations delegation is expected to visit Gaza next week to investigate Israel’s Gaza war against Hamas. As opposed to the U.N. Human Rights Council investigation headed by Canadian academic William Schabas, with which Israel has refused to cooperate, Israel confirmed last week it would cooperate with next week’s inquiry commission because it has vowed to examine both sides.
According to a report by Channel 2 News Thursday night, the members of the U.N. inquiry team will spend five days in the Gaza Strip.
Israel and U.S. renewing emergency oil supply agreement
(JNS.org) The U.S. is renewing its commitment to supply oil to Israel in emergency situations. The agreement, which has existed for 35 years, had expired this week, according to a State Department official.
The United States “is in close contact with the government of Israel on extending the long-standing memorandum of understanding” between the U.S. and Israel on the issue of emergency oil supplies, the anonymous official said, Reuters reported.
The original agreement was signed in 1979 by U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan in the wake of the Iranian revolution, which caused oil prices to rise and created anxiety about supply disruption in the Middle East. After first making sure it has enough of its own oil supply during an emergency, the U.S. is committed to provide Israel with crude oil for purchase and to make “every effort” to help transport the oil when needed.
The agreement with Israel exists as an exception to the U.S. ban on crude oil exports in response to the Arab oil embargo of 1973 to 1974, which had raised oil prices and caused shortage fears. But as of yet, Israel has never had to rely on the agreement to get emergency oil from the U.S.
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