Iran calls to expel Israel from UN after Syria strike

Iran calls to expel Israel from UN after Syria strike
In this photo taken on Sept. 22, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is shown addressing the 78th UN General Assembly in New York City. Iran on Sunday called for the expulsion of Israel from the UN over repeated Israeli strikes against civilian targets in its war against the Hamas and Hezbollah. (AFP/File)
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Updated 11 November 2024
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Iran calls to expel Israel from UN after Syria strike

Iran calls to expel Israel from UN after Syria strike
  • Iran's foreign ministry also called for “an arms embargo” against Israel

TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign ministry called Sunday for an arms embargo on Israel and the expulsion of its arch-foe from the United Nations, following a deadly strike in Syria.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran “strongly condemned the aggressive attack carried out today by the Zionist regime against a residential building” in the Damascus area.
The strike on an apartment belonging to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, killed nine people including a Hezbollah commander, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said.
Baghaei called for measures against Israel, including “an arms embargo” and its “expulsion from the United Nations.”
Regional tensions have soared since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, triggered by the Palestinian Hamas militant group’s unprecedented attack on Israel.
The conflict has drawn in Tehran-aligned militants in the region, and included rare direct attacks between Iran and Israel.
Since Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria, mainly targeting army positions and fighters including from Hezbollah.
Israeli authorities rarely comment on the strikes, but have repeatedly said they will not allow arch-enemy Iran to expand its presence in Syria.


Jordanian, Iraqi FMs discuss Gaza, Syria conflicts

Jordanian, Iraqi FMs discuss Gaza, Syria conflicts
Updated 5 sec ago
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Jordanian, Iraqi FMs discuss Gaza, Syria conflicts

Jordanian, Iraqi FMs discuss Gaza, Syria conflicts
  • The ministers urged the international community to take “effective and immediate” measures to address Palestinian crisis

AMMAN: Jordan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi spoke on the phone with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on Sunday to discuss strengthening bilateral ties and addressing pressing regional issues, Jordan News Agency reported.

According to a statement from Jordan’s Foreign Ministry, they stressed the urgency of halting Israel’s aggression in Gaza and ensuring the swift and comprehensive delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.

The ministers urged the international community to take “effective and immediate” measures to address the crisis, Jordan News Agency reported.

They also expressed concern over the conflict in Syria, emphasizing the importance of a political resolution that ensures the country’s stability, territorial integrity and sovereignty while safeguarding its citizens and eliminating terrorism.

Safadi and Hussein reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing communication and coordination to address regional challenges. 


Bleak Christmas in Bethlehem as families quit West Bank

Bleak Christmas in Bethlehem as families quit West Bank
Updated 01 December 2024
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Bleak Christmas in Bethlehem as families quit West Bank

Bleak Christmas in Bethlehem as families quit West Bank
  • Tourists usually pour in, but Gaza war keeps them away; locals look to emigrate as situation worsens

WEST BANK: For a second year running, there is no Christmas cheer in Bethlehem, with tourists shunning the Palestinian city and many residents seeking a way out as the Gaza war grinds on.

Bethlehem’s Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity is largely deserted and souvenir shops are shuttered.
Once again, there are no plans to put up the traditional light-festooned Christmas Tree in the ancient settlement that is venerated by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus and now sits in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
“During these difficult times that our Palestinian cities are going through, especially in the Gaza Strip, it is difficult to show any signs of joy and happiness,” said Issa Thaljieh, an Orthodox priest who ministers at the Nativity Church.
Adding to the gloom, many local Christian families are also looking to escape, demoralized by both the tourist slump that has ravaged their economy, and the constant threat of violence hovering over the territory northeast of Gaza.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Once again, there are no plans to put up the traditional light-festooned Christmas Tree in the ancient settlement.

• Adding to the gloom, many local Christian families are also looking to escape, demoralized by both the tourist slump that has ravaged their economy.

“The emigration out of Bethlehem is increasing daily and monthly, and ... this has a negative impact on the city,” Thaljieh said.
Christian communities have been in decline across the Middle East for generations, and the West Bank is no exception.
In the last year of British rule over the region in 1947, some 85 percent of Bethlehem’s population were Christian. As of a 2017 census, the overall population of Bethlehem was 215,514 with only 23,000 Christians among them. That puts the percentage of Christians in Bethlehem in 2017 at around 10 percent.
Locals say the rate of departure has been gathering steam in recent months in the cradle of Christianity, with the economic lifeblood of the city no longer flowing and the Israeli occupation preventing freedom of movement around the territory.
Bethlehem resident Alaa Afteem, who runs a falafel restaurant, said one of his cousins had recently moved to Australia.
“Due to the bad living conditions and bad financial conditions, people have started looking for better opportunities for their children, for better education, for a better future,” he said.
Israel has built Jewish settlements, deemed illegal by most countries, across the territory. Israel disputes this, citing historical ties to the land. Several of its ministers live in settlements and favor their expansion.
Violence has surged across the hilly land since the start of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza in October last year.
Hundreds of Palestinians — including armed fighters, stone-throwing youths and civilian bystanders — have died in clashes with Israeli security forces, while dozens of Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, Israeli authorities say.
Difficult at the best of times, travel between West Bank cities has become increasingly fraught.
“There is no security if you are commuting between districts within the West Bank like between Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho, Hebron,” Afteem said.
Munther Isaac, a pastor at Bethlehem’s Lutheran Church, says local Muslim families have also been emigrating, squeezed by both financial problems and broader worries about the future.
“There is the fear that this war might extend to areas in the West Bank, especially after the arming of the settlers and the announcement of the possible annexation of the West Bank,” he said.
The West Bank has been transformed by the rapid growth of Jewish settlements over the past two years, with strident settlers pushing to impose Israeli sovereignty on the area.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on X in October that since the start of the Gaza conflict more than 120,000 firearms had been distributed to Israeli settlers to protect themselves.
In Isaac’s church, the nativity scene has a figure of the baby Jesus lying in a pile of rubble. “We feel that this war will never end,” he said.

 


Jordan’s crown prince, Princess Rajwa visit speech therapy center in Amman

Jordan’s crown prince, Princess Rajwa visit speech therapy center in Amman
Updated 01 December 2024
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Jordan’s crown prince, Princess Rajwa visit speech therapy center in Amman

Jordan’s crown prince, Princess Rajwa visit speech therapy center in Amman
  • Royal couple briefed on facility’s services

AMMAN: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein on Sunday visited the Seeds of Hope Center in Amman, which specializes in treating speech and language disorders in children and adults.

The royal couple, who welcomed their first child this year, toured the facility, which houses Jordan’s only space designed to provide multi-sensory experiences aimed at promoting relaxation and sensory integration. The visit also included a look at the center’s gym which is tailored to improve therapy outcomes for patients, the Jordan News Agency reported.

Aya Al-Jazi, the center’s director, briefed the couple on the facility’s services, which include evaluation and treatment of speech, language, and voice disorders, as well as support for swallowing difficulties.

 

 

Rehabilitation services are complemented by educational workshops and training programs for caregivers, schools, medical staff, and students.

The Seeds of Hope Center also leads social media awareness campaigns on hearing, speech, and rehabilitation sciences, aiming to foster deeper understanding.

The facility stresses practical skill-building and offers activities in art, cooking, and movement to help individuals of all ages develop independence and contribute actively to society.

The crown prince and princess thanked the center’s staff for their work in empowering individuals through specialized care and community-focused initiatives.


Trump names Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos as Middle East adviser

US President-elect Donald Trump and Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos. (File/AP)
US President-elect Donald Trump and Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos. (File/AP)
Updated 01 December 2024
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Trump names Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos as Middle East adviser

US President-elect Donald Trump and Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos. (File/AP)
  • Boulos’s son, Michael, is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany
  • A day earlier, Trump appointed Charles Kushner — the father of his son-in-law Jared — as the US ambassador to France

WASHINGTON: US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, the latest family member to be appointed to a key position.
“I am proud to announce that Massad Boulos will serve as Senior Adviser to the President on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs,” Trump posted on Truth Social of the appointment, which puts his daughter Tiffany’s father-in-law in a major White House position.
Boulos was a key emissary for the Trump campaign, helping to mobilize Arab American and Muslim voters, many of whom were disaffected with White House policy on the war in Gaza.
The businessman will take over a difficult portfolio, with Israel’s war raging in Gaza, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon seeing early violations, and rebel forces in Syria making advances against the government of Bashar Assad.
Boulos’s son, Michael, is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany.
A day earlier, Trump appointed Charles Kushner — the father of his son-in-law Jared — as the US ambassador to France.
“Massad is an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the International scene,” said Trump of his pick for the Middle East adviser job.
“He has been a longtime proponent of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab American Community.”
The Republican referred to Boulos as “a dealmaker.”
Trump often promised on the campaign trail to bring a swift end to the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere, without specifying how he would do so.


Kuwait ruler urges ‘immediate ceasefire’ for Gaza at 45th GCC Summit

Kuwait ruler urges ‘immediate ceasefire’ for Gaza at 45th GCC Summit
Updated 01 December 2024
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Kuwait ruler urges ‘immediate ceasefire’ for Gaza at 45th GCC Summit

Kuwait ruler urges ‘immediate ceasefire’ for Gaza at 45th GCC Summit
  • The summit aims to underscore the importance of collective action among nations in the region
  • Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah echoed support for a two-state solution on Palestinian issue

RIYADH: Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has called for an immediate ceasefire and has renewed condemnation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

In his opening speech for the 45th GCC Summit being hosted by his country, the Kuwait ruler also called international community “to play its role in implementing Security Council resolutions on Gaza.”

“Civilians in Gaza must be protected and provided with aid,” he said.

“We reiterate our unwavering support to Palestine and to end the Israeli occupation, attain all their political rights, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international resolutions,” he stressed.

“We also commend Qatar, Egypt, and the US for their mediation efforts in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and welcome the ceasefire in Lebanon as a step toward de-escalation.”

The Emir also echoed support for a two-state solution on the Palestinian issue, and reiterated “We support Saudi efforts to push for two-state solution.”

Gulf leaders earlier arrived in Kuwait ahead of the 45th GCC summit, which aimed to underscore the importance of collective action among nations in the region.

GCC Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi, said the summit was yet another milestone in the chain of accomplishments for attaining the aspired pan-GCC merger, in a statement published by Kuwaiti state news agency KUNA.

It is rather a platform for the leaders to coordinate their visions and stands toward regional and international issues, said Al-Budaiwi, revealing that leaders would look into strategic files designed to strengthen regional security and stability, in addition to backing up sustainable economic development in the six countries, members of the bloc.

“We recall with pride the developments and innovations that all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have reached, becoming an example to be followed in security, development, flourishing as well as a destination for regional excellence in overall progress,” according to Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Prince Sultan bin Saad Al-Saud, in a separate KUNA report.

The Saudi envoy affirmed that the GCC had carried out its international duties within the frame of the international community, championing wisdom and balance in the regional and international arenas.

The GCC is a beacon of hope in the region and it has worked as a unifier of efforts by all GCC citizens, he added.

Among those who have arrived in Kuwait, which hosts the event, are Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatar’s Ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyed Fahad bin Mahmoud Al-Said.

The Saudi official delegation includes Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers Prince Turki bin Mohammad, Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers and National Security Advisor Dr. Musaid Al-Aiban, Minister of Finance Mohammad Al-Jadaan, Minister of Transport Saleh Al-Jasser and other senior officials, KUNA reported.