Middle East

Morocco signs ‘normalisation’ agreement with Israel in ceremony attended by king

Morocco formally signed a normalisation agreement with Israel during a visit to the presidential palace by an Israeli delegation on Tuesday. Prime Minister Saad Eddine El Othmani signed the declaration in the presence of King Mohammed VI, who announced the resumption of ties with the occupying state. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior White […]

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Middle East, USA

Israel parliament dissolves, sparking fourth election in two years

Israel’s parliament dissolved on Wednesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fractured ruling coalition failed to pass a budget, triggering a fourth election in two years and renewing an unprecedented political crisis. The coalition led by Netanyahu and his former election rival, Defence Minister Benny Gantz, had been inching towards collapse for weeks, undermined by mutual

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Middle East

U.S. Must Make Cyber-Security a Top Priority

Solarwinds, a network management software company, was recently discovered to have had malware inserted into its products. Its clients’ systems have been compromised for as long as nine months. Someone—possibly the Russians, possibly the Chinese—has been inside the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Treasury Department and major American industries. The list gets longer every day. [Shoshana Bryen and Stephen D. Bryen}

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International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. Bryen, USA

La Jolla family immigrates to Israel

“I saw Uriel deplane his Nefesh B’Nefesh flight, I looked at Orin, and I said, ‘Let’s make Aliyah.’ And that was it,” recalls Liora Green regarding her son’s immigration to Israel in August 2019. Indeed, the Green family did not need any further convincing. A year later — and in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic — Liora and Orin Green as well as their children Merav, 14, and Dalia, 11, made Aliyah from La Jolla to join Uriel, 20. Another sibling, Eyal, 17, is completing his studies at Southern California Yeshiva (SCY) High and plans to make Aliyah in June 2021. [Jacob Kamaras]

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Jacob Kamaras, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Seems like old times: Coalition squabbles

We’re up against a deadline. Presumably, if the Israeli government does not pass a budget today, the Knesset goes home and there’ll be an election, perhaps within three months. There have been several options, including a postponing of the deadline, and lots of discussion.  Perhaps an enactment of a 2020 budget, that’ll serve the country for the next week! [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Senate approves bill on American hostages named for Robert Levinson

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chris Coons (D-De.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)  on Monday released the following statements on securing passage of the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act (S.712) as part of the end-of-year funding legislation approved by the Senate today. (Senate Foreign Relations Committee Press Release)

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International, Middle East, USA

US charges Libyan ‘bombmaker’ over 1988 Lockerbie attack

Washington (AFP) – The US Justice Department announced charges Monday against a Libyan former intelligence agent who allegedly built the bomb that exploded aboard Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland exactly 32 years ago. Attorney General Bill Barr said that “Abu Agela Mas’ud Kheir Al-Marimi” helped build the device that blew up the aircraft

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International, Middle East, USA

Miss France runner-up attacked online for saying her father is Israeli

In France, last night, a flood of antisemitic insults, threats, and violent comments were spread on social media.Their origin?Miss Provence April Benayoum, first runner-up in Miss France 2021 pageant, revealing on Saturday night during the final competition that she has an Israeli father in her follow-up thanks. “I have an array of origins: my mother

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International, Middle East, Sports & Competitions

Palestinian foreign minister urges Israel to return to talks

The Palestinian foreign minister on Saturday urged Israel to return to talks based on a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ahead of the transition to a new US administration. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki’s comments came in a joint statement with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry and Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. In a

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Middle East

Good News From Israel (December 20, 2020)

In the December 20, 2020 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Israeli Covid-19 vaccine goes into Phase 2 trials as Israel rolls out the Pfizer vaccine.
Israel and Bhutan have established full diplomatic relations.
An Israeli smart color sensor can prevent massive food waste.
Israeli irrigation of rice crops saves water and the environment.
An Israeli company won a contract for its robots to clean a million solar panels.
Israel’s Wonder Woman won the first MTV “She-Ro” award.
A lost tribe’s return to Israel is one of three Israeli Chanukah “miracles”. [Michael Ordman]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

As a Pakistani I want to visit Israel, but my passport would not let me

For the majority of people in Pakistan, Israel is no friend. It is an “apartheid state” that has the blood of millions of Palestinians on its hands. A wicked enemy that is responsible for the suffering, instability and bloodshed in the Middle East and even among some of their own! At least this is how

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International, Middle East

Controversial Israeli chief rabbi visits Dubai to open Jewish school

Israel’s Sephardi Chief Rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, travelled to Dubai on Thursday to inaugurate a Jewish nursery school and officially proclaim Rabbi Levi Duchman as rabbi of the Jewish community in the United Arab Emirates, Israeli media have reported. “During [Chief Rabbi Yosef’s] visit, he will meet with senior Emirati officials, inaugurate the newly certified Jewish

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Jewish Religion, Middle East