Middle East Roundup: December 13, 2016

 

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Netanyahu embarks on historic visit to Muslim allies Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan

(JNS.org) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Tuesday for a historic visit to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, two Muslim-majority nations, in an effort to bolster ties with the Central Asian former Soviet Republics.

In Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku, Netanyahu met with President Ilham Aliyev, who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel and an adversary of Iran, which shares a border with Azerbaijan.

Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan’s Jewish community plays “a very active part of our society.” He also revealed that to date, Azerbaijan has purchased close to $5 billion in defense equipment from Israel.

Netanyahu called Israeli-Azerbaijani ties “something that we can show the world.”

“The world sees so much intolerance, so much darkness, and here is an example of what relations can be and should be between Muslims and Jews everywhere,” said Netanyahu.

Following his stay in Azerbaijan, Netanyahu will visit Kazakhstan in an effort to boost defense and economic ties.

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US Embassy move to Jerusalem a ‘big priority’ for Trump, aide says

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem “is a very big priority for President-elect Donald Trump,” his campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt Monday.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office did not respond to the comments, but an Israeli government official said the Jewish state is generally prepared to discuss any potential matter with the new American administration.

In recent years, many U.S. presidential candidates have promised to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but the move has never occurred. According to Conway, however, Trump has every intention of living up to his promise.

“He made that very clear during the campaign,” she said. “And as president-elect, I’ve heard him repeat it several times privately, if not publicly.”

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UK Prime Minister Theresa May adopts official anti-Semitism definition

(JNS.org) United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May announced that her government will officially adopt a working definition of anti-Semitism.

“It is unacceptable that there is anti-Semitism in this country. It is even worse that incidents are reportedly on the rise. As a government we are making a real difference and adopting this measure is a groundbreaking step,” May said in a lunch hosted by the Conservative Friends of Israel.

The working definition of anti-Semitism was developed in May by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), an intergovernmental organization backed by 31 countries.

The IHRA defines anti-Semitism as a “certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

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