2020-09-25: News Headlines

yenisafak (2020-09-25). Egyptian navy arrests 3 Palestinian fishermen. yenisafak.com The Egyptian navy on Friday arrested three Palestinian fishermen after they allegedly crossed into the Egyptian territorial waters, a local union said.According to Nizar Ayyash, head of Gaza's fishermen union, the Egyptian navy followed the fishermen's boat and opened fire on them after crossing into the Egyptian waters and arrested them.Ayyash added that the three fishermen are from the same family and live in Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza.He, however, said no information is available about their situation under custody.The authorities in Gaza and Egypt are yet to comment on the incident.According to the…

Neve Gordon (2020-09-25). Redefining Anti-Semitism on Facebook. counterpunch.org The objective is to force Facebook to alter its hate speech definition so that its own "detection algorithm" will characterize any criticism of Israel as hate speech and automatically remove the pertinent content from the platform. Given that Facebook has 2.7 billion users and is the world's largest and arguably most influential media platform, it comes as

Susan Abulhawa (2020-09-25). Susan Abulhawa: 'Palestine is the test'. workers.org The following is a lightly edited transcript of a Sept. 19 talk by Palestinian novelist and Workers World Party member Susan Abulhawa during a "Free Palestine! No Normalization with Colonization or Occupation!' webinar sponsored by WWP. We've known for years that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and other . . . |

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-25). Palestinians Are Not Numbers: On the Future of the Palestinian Discourse. counterpunch.org Palestine can never be truly understood through numbers, because numbers are dehumanizing, impersonal, and, when necessary, can also be contrived to mean something else entirely. Numbers are not meant to tell the story of the human condition, nor should they ever serve as a substitute for emotions. Indeed, the stories of life, death — and

A Guest Author (2020-09-25). Surviving a pandemic under siege. workers.org During a Sept. 18 "Free Palestine" webinar, Palestinian writers and activists Susan Abulhawa and Khaled Barakat were asked to comment on the spread of COVID-19 in occupied Palestine, and what it means to have access to healthcare under foreign occupation. The following is an edited version of their replies. Susan . . . |

Nora Barrows-friedman (2020-09-25). YouTube, Zoom and Facebook censor Leila Khaled for Israel. zcomm.org "They are bothered by the ways in which we are focusing on questions of Black liberation, Palestinian liberation and prison abolition, and the connections between these movements"

yenisafak (2020-09-25). Czechs plan to buy air defence from Israel's Rafael. yenisafak.com The Czech Defence Ministry will start talks with the Israeli government to buy a short and medium range air defence system made by Israeli state-owned supplier Rafael, the ministry said on Friday.The government has been raising defence spending to modernise its armed forces, but has admitted it would fall short of its pledge, as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to spend 2% of gross domestic product on defence by 2024.The ministry said it expected a government-to-government contract to be signed in early 2021 and supplies from 2023 and had picked Rafael's SPYDER Short Range Air Defence/Medium Ra…

Michael Jansen (2020-09-24). Failing Palestinian Self-determination. globalresearch.ca The UN is marking its 75th birthday with a virtual opening of the 75th session of the General Assembly. While UN agencies have carried out successful humanitarian assistance and research programmes, peacekeeping missions and efforts to protect the rights of …

A. Majumdar (2020-09-24). PDF of September 24 issue. workers.org Download the 12-page PDF. Whistleblower: ICE abuses detainees ALSO: Migrant caravan for residency; Defend BLM activist lawyers; Trump, Biden, and U.S. decline; 'Free Palestine' webinar; U.S. Cold War vs TikTok; Is Marxism still relevant? WORKERS ORGANIZE: Illinois; North Carolina. WORLD: Editorial: Ginsburg & SCOTUS. WORLD: Belarus; Bolivia. TEAR DOWN THE . . . |

Fight Back (2020-09-24). Minneapolis calls for an end to aid to Israel, remembers Sabra and Shatila. fightbacknews.org Minneapolis, MN – On September 17, over 30 activists in Minneapolis bannered across Interstate 94 during rush hour to remember the Sabra and Shatila massacre and highlight the destructive role the U.S. plays in Lebanon. They waved Palestinian flags and dropped banners across eight lanes of traffic demanding an end to aid in Israel, demanding an end to apartheid, and expressing solidarity against state violence. The response from people passing by was overwhelmingly positive with a constant stream of honks from cars. | From September 16 to 18, 1982, pro-Israel militiamen murdered more than 1000 Palestinian and Leb…

Nadda Osman (2020-09-24). Zoom criticised for cancelling webinar with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled. middleeasteye.net Zoom criticised for cancelling webinar with Palestinian activist Leila Khaled | The event was also later blocked by YouTube and Facebook for featuring the activist and former hijacker | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 15: 02 | The online event was cancelled by Zoom, and later blocked by Facebook and YouTube (Screengrab/ AFP) | Zoom, a video conferencing platform, is facing a barrage of criticism online after cancellin…

Gordon Duff (2020-09-24). Feet First? Trump Says He Won't Leave White House When He Loses Election. thealtworld.com 'We're going to have to see what happens,' says US president, again raising concerns over integrity of mail-in-ballots despite no evidence of fraud | "Get rid of the ballots and you'll have a very peaceful — there won't be a transfer, frankly. There will be a continuation. The ballots are out of control. You know it. And you know who knows it better than anybody else? The Democrats know it better than anybody else.": | WASHINGTON (Times of Israel) — US President Donald Trump on Wednesday again declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the Nov. 3 presidential election. | "

Ali Harb (2020-09-24). Arab states are forging ties with Israel to please US, Ted Cruz says. middleeasteye.net Arab states are forging ties with Israel to please US, Ted Cruz says | US senator rejects criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record, says Riyadh played 'major role' in brokering Arab peace with Israel | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 18: 34 | Cruz says Donald Trump's 'clarity' in favouring Israel pushed Arab countries to embrace normalisation (AFP/File photo) | Ambassadors of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in…

MEE staff (2020-09-24). Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says. middleeasteye.net Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'next day or two', US official says | UN ambassador Kelly Craft declined to name names, but recent moves indicate Sudan or Oman may be next on list of countries to move forward with normalisation deal | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 16: 34 | Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain met with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Net…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years. middleeasteye.net Fatah and Hamas agree to first Palestinian elections in nearly 15 years | Deal between the rival Palestinian factions follows normalisation agreements between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 12: 01 | Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, centre, recites a prayer as he arrives for a meeting in Ramallah on 3 September with representatives of Palestinian factions (AFP) | The Pa…

Ali Harb (2020-09-24). 'We are cheerleaders' for pro-US camp in Middle East, says UAE's Al-Otaiba. middleeasteye.net 'We are cheerleaders' for pro-US camp in Middle East, says UAE's Al-Otaiba | Abu Dhabi's ambassador to Washington says normalisation deal with Israel will give 'moral boost' to religious minorities in region | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 23: 00 | Flags of US, Israel, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on ramparts of Jerusalem's Old City on 15 September (AFP/File photo) | The Emiratis are "cheerleaders" for the US role in the…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). Netanyahu brings dirty laundry to Washington for US staff to wash: Report. middleeasteye.net Netanyahu brings dirty laundry to Washington for US staff to wash: Report | For the first time, US officials have commented on the Israeli prime minister's behaviour, which has been reported on for years | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 11: 16 | One US official said that after multiple trips to Washington it became clear that the bringing of the dirty laundry was intentional (AFP) | Officials in the Un…

MEE staff (2020-09-24). Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'day or two', US official says. middleeasteye.net Another Arab state to announce ties with Israel in 'day or two', US official says | UN Ambassador Kelly Craft declines to identify, but recent moves indicate Sudan or Oman may be next on list of countries to move forward with normalisation deal | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 16: 34 | Foreign ministers of United Arab Emirates and Bahrain met with US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-24). 'Edge of the abyss': Israel tightens coronavirus lockdown as infections climb. middleeasteye.net 'Edge of the abyss': Israel tightens coronavirus lockdown as infections climb | Move comes after number of daily new cases has reached nearly 7,000 among a population of just nine million | Thu, 09/24/2020 – 08: 04 | Netanyahu has rejected allegations from protesters that a tougher lockdown was essentially aimed at quashing demonstrations against him (Reuters) | Prime Minister Benjamin Net…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-24). Groups from across the world ask UN General Assembly to act against Israeli apartheid. peoplesdispatch.org More than 450 civil society and human rights groups from across the globe released a letter addressed to the ongoing 75th session of the UNGA asking it to revive its anti-apartheid bodies and take action to end Israeli occupation of Palestine…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-09-24). Advocates Demand Facebook #StopCensoringPalestine After Platform Blocks Livestream Featuring Palestinian Rights Defenders. commondreams.org "When it comes to speech advocating for Palestinians. Facebook swiftly censors and removes content, often with no explanation." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/facebook-censorship_petition.jpg

commondreams (2020-09-24). Thousands Call on Facebook to Stop Censoring Palestine. commondreams.org ______________________________…

_____ (2020-09-24). The Man Who Inspired A Generation. popularresistance.org My encounter with the Al-Araj family began in 2009, the year I met Basil and Shireen and started joining them in demonstrations in Al-Walaja village. On 6 March 2017, Basil was murdered by the Israeli army. He was 31 years old. Others will speak of his martyrdom, I will speak of his life and what he told me. Basil would have wanted it told this way. I learned intimate details about Basil and his family life the third time we were detained together. He was 24 years old, I was twice his age. This was in what Basil accurately described as "a holding pin not fit for animals" which I and many Palestinian males shared…

Kathryn Shihadah (2020-09-24). New Middle East Peace Plan Would Use Jobs to "Turn Palestinians Away from Violence" mintpressnews.com The Middle East Partnership for Peace Act relies heavily on the premise that the primary reasons that Israel and the Palestinians have not achieved peace are merely economic.

Marwa Osman (2020-09-24). Rejecting Normalization with Israel—MES EP.73. thealtworld.com The recent bilateral agreements simply formalized the normalization of Israel's already thawing relations with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. But the agreements do not address the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Arab population because of the Palestinian cause, who view the pacts as a stab in the back of their fellow Palestinians and a betrayal of their cause for a Palestinian state. To discuss this issue with us from London is Jawad Fairouz Former Bahraini MP. | It is not a secret that US President Donald Trump is obsessed with either voiding or emulating the legacy of his predecessor, Barack…

news.un (2020-09-24). At UN Assembly, King Hamad affirms Bahrain's commitment for a just peace in Middle East. news.un.org Bahrain's establishment of relations with Israel is a "civilized message", affirming the country's commitment for a just and comprehensive peace for all peoples in the region, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa told world leaders, gathered virtually at the United Nations General Assembly.

_____ (2020-09-24). Are You Feeling Safer? 'War of the Worlds' Pits U.S. and Israel Against Everyone Else. strategic-culture.org The media being focused on an upcoming election, coronavirus, fires on the West Coast and burgeoning BLM and Antifa unrest, it is perhaps no surprise that some stories are not exactly making it through to the evening news. Last week an important vote in the United Nations General Assembly went heavily against the United States. It was regarding

sputniknews (2020-09-24). Israeli Man Who Lost His Mother in Palestinian Suicide Attack Opens Up About His Loss, Anger & Pain. sputniknews.com It has been 20 years since the onset of the Second Palestinian uprising, during which Palestinian terrorists killed more than a thousand Israelis, many of whom were civilians. The IDF killed over 3,000 Palestinians throughout the 2nd intifada.

yenisafak (2020-09-24). Fatah: Intra-Palestinian talks in Turkey 'fruitful'. yenisafak.com A top member of Palestinian Fatah on Thursday said that ongoing talks in Turkey with its longtime rival Hamas are "positive, fruitful, and productive." | "The dialogue is an important step towards reconciliation and partnership, and unifying the Palestinian stance in the light of the consensus on rejecting all the liquidation projects against the Palestinian cause." Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of Fatah's Central Committee, wrote on Twitter. | Separately, Munir al-Jaghoub, who heads Fatah's information office, told Anadolu Agency that a senior Fatah delegation will head to the Qatari capital Doha and then to Cairo…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-23). Palestinians Are Not Numbers. dissidentvoice.org Palestine can never be truly understood through numbers, because numbers are dehumanizing, impersonal, and, when necessary, can also be contrived to mean something else entirely. Numbers are not meant to tell the story of the human condition, nor should they ever serve as a substitute for emotions. Indeed, the stories of life, death — and …

Melvin Goodman (2020-09-23). Arming the Planet: the USA as the World's Leading Weapons Dealer. counterpunch.org For the past several decades, the United States has been the world's leading producer of major weapons systems and the leader in global arms sales. More of these sales have taken place in the globe's most volatile region, the Middle East, than in any other region of the world. The so-called peace deals between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrein, which were brokered by the United States, were business deals designed to expand U.S. arms sales in the Persian Gulf.

Yasmena al-Mulla (2020-09-23). 'Unaltered position': Kuwait denies Trump claim it will back Israel normalisation. middleeasteye.net 'Unaltered position': Kuwait denies Trump claim it will back Israel normalisation | Cabinet of ministers' statement reflects strong historical relations between the Gulf country and Palestine

| Wed, 09/23/2020 – 14: 21 | Sheikh Nasser Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah accepts the US Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander on behalf of his father the Kuwaiti emir during a ceremony at the…

MEE staff (2020-09-23). US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets. middleeasteye.net US envoy to Israel says UAE will have to wait 'six or seven years' for F-35 jets | David Friedman tells Jerusalem Post that Israel's military edge in region is 'matter of law, not a matter of policy' | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 18: 23 | UAE has long voiced interest in F-35 jets and were promised chance to buy them when agreeing to normalise ties with Israel (AFP/File photo) | US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman say…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-23). Israeli airliner flies to Bahrain in wake of normalisation deal. middleeasteye.net Israeli airliner flies to Bahrain in wake of normalisation deal | Tracking data showed the Israir Airlines jet flew to the Gulf kingdom over Saudi Arabian airspace | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 12: 41 | This picture taken on 9 June 2020 shows an Israir Airlines ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft landing at Cyprus' Larnaca International Airport (AFP) | An Israeli airliner flew to the Gulf kingdom of Bahra…

Workers World Party (2020-09-23). Workers World Party demands "Stop Censoring Palestinian Resistance!" workers.org Sept. 23 — Today, three media platforms, Facebook, Zoom and YouTube, collaborated to censor a Palestinian program featuring Palestinian revolutionary Leila Khaled and U.S. political prisoners. Workers World Party condemns this censorship and expresses its solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people for self-determination and freedom. The WWP Facebook . . . |

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Saudi King Salman delivers scathing attack on Iran in UN speech. middleeasteye.net Saudi King Salman delivers scathing attack on Iran in UN speech | Saudi monarch suggests kingdom backs its Gulf neighbours' normalisation deals with Israel on second day of UN General Assembly | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 17: 09 | 'We support the efforts of the current US administration to achieve peace in the Middle East,' Saudi Arabia's Salman says (AFP/File photo) | Saudi Arabia's King Salman delivered a scathing at…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-09-23). TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list. middleeasteye.net TIME top 100: Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba make annual 'most influential' list | Syrian filmmaker and Egyptian journalist are praised for courageous documenting and reporting, while UAE ambassador gets recognition for building ties with US and Israel | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 14: 15 | (Left to right) Waad al-Kateab, Lina Attalah and Yousef al-Otaiba made the list for TIME magazine's 100…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-23). More Than Just Statistics: On the Future of the Palestinian Discourse. mintpressnews.com A single chart, or a thousand, can never truly describe the actual terror felt by a million children who feared for their lives during those horrific days; or transport us to a bedroom where a family of ten huddled in the dark, praying for God's mercy as the earth shook, concrete collapsed and glass shattered all around them.

Yves Engler (2020-09-23). Does Canadian Left Icon Stephen Lewis want Palestine to Disappear? dissidentvoice.org Stephen Lewis seems to want Palestine to disappear. The latest example in a long history of anti-Palestinian activism is his claim that Canada's anti-Palestinian voting record at the UN didn't contribute to its defeat for a seat on the Security Council. Recently I was forwarded an email that activist Elizabeth Block shared to Independent Jewish …

MEE staff (2020-09-23). Florida to offer vanity license plates that 'stand with Israel'. middleeasteye.net Florida to offer vanity license plates that 'stand with Israel' | Few US officials at state level have such close ties to Israel as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has taken series of controversial steps in support of country | Wed, 09/23/2020 – 15: 52 | Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during delegation trip to Israel in 2019 (Twitter) | Florida will become t…

yenisafak (2020-09-23). Palestine hails Erdogan's speech to UN. yenisafak.com The Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday hailed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's speech to the United Nations General Assembly. | "We must thank the Turkish president for his insistence on reminding the world of the Palestinian people's suffering as well as their right to freedom and independence and his rejection of any initiative that the Palestinian rejects," the ministry said in a statement. | In his speech, Erdogan said: "Upon rejection of the document of surrender, which was tried to be imposed on Palestine under the name of 'Deal of the Century,' Israel this time accelerated its attempts to 'h…

Fight Back (2020-09-23). Car caravan rally held in Arlington to protest UAE-Israel relations. fightbacknews.org Arlington, Texas – On September 20, over 50 people gathered at Masjid Dar El Eman, an Islamic center, for a car protest against the United Arab Emirates' and Bahrain's normalization of relations with Israel. The car caravan was organized by the Dallas Palestine Coalition; Palestinian Youth Movement-Dallas, Muslim Democratic Caucus-Texas; American Muslims for Palestine-Texas; Code Pink-Greater Dallas, and Veterans for Peace-Dallas. | After a short prayer, a car caravan drove around South Arlington. Many of the protesters attached Palestinian and American flags to their cars to call for an end to U.S. support…

Aggrey Mutambo (2020-09-23). US Tells Kenya to Publicly Support Israel or Forget Free Trade Deal. globalresearch.ca The US wants Kenya to support Israel's political and commercial interests, or forget a free trade deal (FTA) with the world's biggest economy. | This is one of a raft of conditions set in the ongoing FTA negotiations between Nairobi and …

yenisafak (2020-09-23). UAE signs contracts with Israeli firms on UN blacklist. yenisafak.com Emirati companies have signed contracts with Israeli firms and banks blacklisted by the United Nations for supporting illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, an investigation by Anadolu Agency has revealed. | In February, the UN released a database of 112 companies on its blacklist for doing business inside Israeli settlements in the West Bank. | On Aug. 13, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel announced a US-brokered agreement to normalize their relations. The move was followed by a series of announcements on agreements and contracts between companies from both countries. | But Anadolu Agency found t…

Philip Giraldi (2020-09-22). A Peace Deal Like No Other: Much Ado About Nothing, But Act 2 Is Coming Up. thealtworld.com It is odd that the White House is gloating over its claimed peace agreement in the Middle East at the same time as one of the signatories is bombing Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. It all suggests that peace in the region will exclude designated enemies and the friends of those enemies, since the ties among the three parties — Israel, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain — is transparently in part an offensive alliance directed against Iran and its friends, to include Syria and Lebanon. A significant amount of the horse trading that preceded the gala signing ceremony in the White House involved who would g…

MEE staff (2020-09-22). Palestine renounces Arab League Council chair to protest Israel normalisation. middleeasteye.net Palestine renounces Arab League Council chair to protest Israel normalisation | Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki says Palestine has been subjected to 'pressure and blackmail' at the Arab League following the normalisation deal between the UAE, Bahrain and Israel | Tue, 09/22/2020 – 11: 54 | Protesters gathered in Gaza outside a Unesco building on 15 September to denounce the normalisation deals (MEE/Mohammed a…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-22). US and UAE hoping for deal on F-35 jets sale by December: Sources. middleeasteye.net US and UAE hoping for deal on F-35 jets sale by December: Sources | Officials said the US was looking for ways to modify stealth jet technology to maintain Israel's military dominance | Tue, 09/22/2020 – 12: 18 | An Israeli Air Force F-35 during a graduation ceremony for Israeli air force pilots at the Hatzerim air base in southern Israel (Reuters) | The United Arab Emirates and the United…

RT (2020-09-22). UAE & US seek to reach preliminary F-35 deal by December, circumventing Israeli objections — report. rt.com The UAE and the US may come to an initial agreement on F-35 fighter jet purchase by early December, as Washington is studying options by which it can circumvent Israel's firm opposition to such a sale. | The apparent progress on the talks about procurement of the 5th-generation jet was reported by Reuters on Tuesday. Sources close to the negotiations said the two sides are planning to have a letter of agreement in place before UAE National Day, on December 2. | Israel's staunch opposition to the UAE's procurement of the planes remains the main obstacle for the deal, while the US' own laws make it even trickier…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-22). VIDEO: Anti-PM protests continue in occupied territories. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 22 (MNA) — Israeli regime's police prepared fencing in Paris Square leading to the residence of PM Netanyahu over a massive demonstration held by angry protestors over Netanyahu's policies.

yenisafak (2020-09-22). ANALYSIS: What do the Abraham Accords entail for the Middle East and North Africa? yenisafak.com After the normalization ceremony in Washington on Sept. 15, where Israel officially established full diplomatic relations with both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United States and some commentators labelled this as a sign of Middle East peace. Other observers meanwhile suggested that a new front against Iran and Turkey was being established.Much of this coverage, however, misses their developing relations, under the surface, for several years, and how the agreement will advance Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv's geopolitical cooperation.While the UAE's initial acceptance of normalization on Aug. 14 was un…