2020-10-24: News Headlines

MEE and agencies (2020-10-24). Israel-Sudan normalisation: How the world reacted. middleeasteye.net Israel-Sudan normalisation: How the world reacted | While Palestinians categorically reject the deal, US allies welcome it as a boost to stability in the Middle East | Sat, 10/24/2020 – 11: 23 | Sudan, technically at war with Israel since 1948, has become the fifth Arab country to forge diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv (AFP) | US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Sudan has agree…

Shatha Hammad (2020-10-24). Palestine Cinema Days film festival kicks off despite cash, pandemic challenges. middleeasteye.net Palestine Cinema Days film festival kicks off despite cash, pandemic challenges | Social distancing, international funding curbs on Palestinian cultural institutions fail to deter event's seventh edition | Sat, 10/24/2020 – 10: 23 | Seats sealed off in line with strict Covid-19 social-distancing measures at the Ramallah Cultural Palace on 20 October (MEE/Shatha Hammad) | In the main hall of the Ram…

Mohammed Amin (2020-10-24). Israel normalisation deal finds fury and favour in Sudan. middleeasteye.net Israel normalisation deal finds fury and favour in Sudan | Critics say US-backed deal 'humiliating', 'shameful' for Sudan; supporters welcome country's return to international fold | Sat, 10/24/2020 – 11: 14 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. Sudan normalised relations with Israel on Friday (AFP) | Sudan on Friday become the third Arab countr…

_____ (2020-10-24). Israel Lobby Spreads More Lies About Palestine Groups At NYU. popularresistance.org New York University has agreed to settle with the US Department of Education over allegations that the university had not appropriately responded to claims of anti-Semitism. | Two attorneys filed the complaint last year on behalf of a student who alleged that she faced "two years of extreme anti-Semitism on the NYU campus which has created an intolerable and unlawful hostile atmosphere for Jewish students." | Echoing previous attempts by Israel advocates to silence Palestinian rights activists on campuses, the complaint accused Students for Justice in Palestine of creating the "hostile" climate due to the group's…

yenisafak (2020-10-24). Indonesia maintains both support for Palestine, ties with UAE. yenisafak.com An Indonesian expert on international relations has said despite its close relationship with the UAE, Indonesia, should not let this affect its unwavering support for Palestinian independence from Israeli occupation.Earlier this week, the UAE government inaugurated a street in the capital Jakarta dedicated to Indonesian President Joko Widodo as a symbol of bilateral ties between the two countries.Ramdhan Muhaimin, a lecturer at the Al-Azhar University in Jakarta, urged Indonesia to keep supporting the Palestinian cause, though several Arab countries, including UAE, have agreed to normalize relations with Israel."

Grant Smith (2020-10-24). Thursday 10/29: Censorship, Entanglement & Corruption: The Israel Lobby 2021 Agenda. indybay.org Webinar with participation through Zoom and YouTube. 9AM California time, Noon EDT.

yenisafak (2020-10-24). UAE, Bahrain hail normalization of Sudan-Israel ties. yenisafak.com In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry described the announcement as "an important step toward enhancing security and prosperity in the region". | It said the move to normalize the Sudanese-Israeli relations "would expand the scope of economic, commercial, scientific and diplomatic cooperation". | The Bahraini Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, described the announcement as "an additional historical step on the path for achieving peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East region". | It went on to hail US efforts for facilitating the normalization of the Sudanese-Israeli relations. | On Friday, Sudan's acti…

MEE staff (2020-10-23). MBS said he would be killed by his 'own people' if Riyadh normalised ties with Israel: Report. middleeasteye.net MBS said he would be killed by his 'own people' if Riyadh normalised ties with Israel: Report | Billionaire Haim Saban claims crown prince made remarks after UAE and Bahrain's deals with Israel, Haaretz reports | Fri, 10/23/2020 – 18: 16 | US President Donald Trump has suggested Saudi Arabia may recognise Israel (AFP/File photo) | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Israeli-American billionaire Haim Sa…

Mohammad Ayesh (2020-10-23). Arabic press review: Iraqi bank triggers storm over 'second marriage' loan. middleeasteye.net Arabic press review: Iraqi bank triggers storm over 'second marriage' loan | Meanwhile, US diplomat says political solution in sight in Libya, and Palestinian lawyers sue UK over century-old Balfour Declaration | Fri, 10/23/2020 – 16: 48 | An Iraqi business owner adjusts a protective mask bearing a wedding invitation on a bridal shop mannequin amid the Covid-19 pandemic, in the southern port cit…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-23). European Hypocrisy: Empty Words for Palestine, Deadly Weapons for Israel. counterpunch.org In theory, Europe and the United States stand on completely opposite sides when it comes to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. While the US government has fully embraced the tragic status quo created by 53 years of Israeli military occupation, the EU continues to advocate a negotiated settlement that is predicated on respect for international

MEE staff (2020-10-23). Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: Israeli-made cluster bombs used in residential areas. middleeasteye.net Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict: Israeli-made cluster bombs used in residential areas | New evidence found by Human Rights Watch reveals that Baku's forces repeatedly used cluster bombs in Nagorno-Karabakh | Fri, 10/23/2020 – 10: 07 | The body of a LAR-160 series Israeli-made rocket was found in a residential neighbourhood in Stepanakert (Human Rights Watch) | New evidence has emerged corroborating claims that Aze…

RT (2020-10-23). Israel will not oppose US-UAE deal on 'specific weapons systems,' says Netanyahu, despite previous worry over F-35 jets. rt.com The Israeli government says it will not oppose the US selling "specific weapons systems" to the United Arab Emirates, in an apparent reference to F-35 fighter jets, despite Tel Aviv opposing such a deal less than a fortnight ago. | Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Benny Gantz This is despite Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen saying less than two weeks ago that the country would oppose the sale of the fifth-generat…

RT (2020-10-23). Sudan to join White House-brokered peace deal with Israel after call with US. rt.com Sudan is joining the Abraham Accords and recognizing the state of Israel, US President Donald Trump has announced. It is the third country in three months to do so, following the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. | Following a phone call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump on Friday, Sudanese PM Abdalla Hamdok and head of the Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced they would "end the state of belligerence" with Israel and start the process of normalizing relations. | BREAKING: Sudan and Israel announced today they decided to "end the state of belligerence" between them and start a proces…

RT (2020-10-23). Trump touts 'really good progress' at Armenia-Azerbaijan talks in Washington as shelling in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh intensifies. rt.com Even as US President Donald Trump praised the "progress" made in talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, air raid sirens sounded over Stepanakert in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh, heralding another round of artillery bombardment. | "We're working with Armenia. We have a very good relationship with Armenia. They're very good people. They're so dedicated. They're incredible people. And we'll see what happens," Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon, as he announced a peace deal between Sudan and Israel. | Trump: "We're working with Armenia. We have a very good relationship with Armenia. We'll…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-23). Trump says Egypt may 'blow up' Ethiopia dam. middleeasteye.net Trump says Egypt may 'blow up' Ethiopia dam | US president made the remarks as he announced normalisation deal between Israel and Sudan | Fri, 10/23/2020 – 22: 24 | US President Donald Trump announced on Friday a normalisation deal between Sudan and Israel (AFP) | US President Donald Trump voiced anger at Ethiopia over its construction of a huge dam on the Nile River and suggested Egypt ma…

MEE staff (2020-10-23). Sudan agrees to normalise relations with Israel, Trump announces. middleeasteye.net Sudan agrees to normalise relations with Israel, Trump announces | Move comes hours after Washington removes Khartoum from State Sponsors of Terrorism list | Fri, 10/23/2020 – 15: 19 | US President Donald Trump speaks on phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about normalisation of Sudan-Israel relations (AFP) | US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Sudan has agreed to normalise diplomati…

teleSUR (2020-10-23). Palestinians Condemn Agreement Between Sudan, Israel. telesurenglish.net Palestinians have been outraged over the declaration of a normalization agreement between Israel and Sudan under the U.S. sponsorship. | The Palestinian Presidency affirmed in a statement its condemnation and rejection of Sudan's decision to normalize relations with Israel that seizes the land of Palestine. | "No one has the right to speak on behalf of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause," it said. | It also said that the path to a comprehensive and just peace must be based on international law, resolutions of international legitimacy, and specific references, in a way that leads to ending the Isr…

Steven Sahiounie (2020-10-23). Sudan Bends to Trump's Pressure to Normalize Relations with Israel. globalresearch.ca The US has taken Sudan off the list of state-sponsors of terrorism, and with UAE support to provide several billion dollars of aid, in exchange for normalization with Israel. | US President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter Monday: "GREAT news! New …

sputniknews (2020-10-23). Can Biden and the Media Keep Ignoring Tony Bobulinski? sputniknews.com On today's episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events, including the media ignoring the Hunter Biden story, Joe Biden denying taking foreign money ever in his life, Sudan announcing normalization with Israel, the Senate confirming Judge Barrett, and former Biden associate Tony Bobulinski being interviewed by the FBI.

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-10-23). Palestinian and Peace Leaders Condemn Trump's Israel-Sudan Normalization Deal as 'Stab in the Back'. commondreams.org Critics say the U.S.-brokered agreement normalizes not only relations between the former foes, but also Israel's crimes against the Palestinian people. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/deal_0.jpg

WSWS (2020-10-23). Israel's growing anti-Netanyahu protests face increasing right-wing and police attacks. wsws.org The increasing violence in confrontations between anti- and pro-Netanyahu demonstrators have caused several commentators to warn of the descent into civil war.

sputniknews (2020-10-22). Video: Israeli Forces Strike Gaza Strip After Iron Dome Intercepts Rocket. sputniknews.com The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli Air Force (IAF) have conducted several strikes on targets in eastern and central areas of the Gaza Strip.

MEE staff (2020-10-22). US Democrat senators introduce bill to restrict sale of F-35 jets to UAE. middleeasteye.net US Democrat senators introduce bill to restrict sale of F-35 jets to UAE | Senators want White House to certify Israel's military advantage in region would not be jeopardised by sales to other Middle Eastern countries | Thu, 10/22/2020 – 22: 28 | UAE has long expressed interest in acquiring F-35 jets and was promised chance to buy them when agreeing to normalise ties with Israel (AFP/File photo) | Two Democrat…

Joe Dyke (2020-10-22). Israeli NGOs demand government allow UN rights monitors. middleeasteye.net Israeli NGOs demand government allow UN rights monitors | Prominent rights groups write to Israel's foreign minister following MEE revelation that OHCHR workers had stopped receiving visas | Thu, 10/22/2020 – 08: 55 | Visitors on a tour held by NGO "Breaking the Silence" walk down Shuhada Street in the West Bank city of Hebron (Reuters) | Major Israeli rights organisations have written to the country's foreign mi…

MEE staff (2020-10-22). Trump administration plan to label human rights groups 'antisemitic' provokes outrage. middleeasteye.net Trump administration plan to label human rights groups 'antisemitic' provokes outrage | Amnesty International accuses US government of trying to 'silence and intimidate' rights groups and stop criticism of Israeli policy | Thu, 10/22/2020 – 13: 59 | Amnesty International stages a demonstration outside the UK headquarters of US travel company Tripadvisor in London (AFP) | A number of human rights organisations…

MEE and agencies (2020-10-22). Israeli delegation travels to Sudan to discuss normalisation: Report. middleeasteye.net Israeli delegation travels to Sudan to discuss normalisation: Report | Israel's Kan radio gave no further details about the talks as a minister predicted a possible diplomatic breakthrough | Thu, 10/22/2020 – 08: 27 | Israeli public broadcaster Kan radio said the discussions were held in Khartoum (AFP) | An Israeli delegation made a rare visit to Sudan on Wednesday to discuss normalising t…

Sam Bahour (2020-10-22). Understanding American Jewish Philanthropy. counterpunch.org Throughout history, the American Jewish community has had a lot to be rightfully proud of. Their dedication to Jewish communal life, their commitment to education, their organizing and lobbying skills, and their sustained investment in Jewish-focused media outlets, are just a few. Much of the individual and institutional successes across a myriad of domains can

Yves Engler (2020-10-22). Toronto Schools push Students to join Israeli Military. dissidentvoice.org Canadian law makes it illegal to recruit soldiers for a foreign state. But, the line between enticing impressionable young people to oppress Palestinians and formal recruitment is unclear. Today an open letter signed by Noam Chomsky, Roger Waters, filmmaker Ken Loach, author Yann Martel, former MP Jim Manly, poet El Jones and more than 150 …

Peoples Dispatch (2020-10-22). Israeli government accused of shielding police officers who shot dead Iyad al-Hallaq. peoplesdispatch.org 32-year-old Iyad al-Hallaq, a Palestinian man with autism, was shot dead at an Israeli police checkpoint on May 30. The police officer who shot him has been charged with only reckless homicide…

_____ (2020-10-22). Nagorno-Karabakh Talks Again Fail. popularresistance.org As we had expected the ceasefire in the war on Nagarno-Karabakh did not hold. Armenian troops have left the hard to defend lower grounds and retreated towards the mountains. For Azerbaijahn to proceed onto higher ground will be much harder than the previous fighting. | The low ground also offered little protection for the Armenians from the massive aerial attacks by the Turkish and Israeli drones that Azerbaijahn is using. Armenian units had big losses of tanks and other equipment to aerial attacks.

_____ (2020-10-22). Israeli Weapons Fuel The Violence In Azerbaijan. popularresistance.org The latest iteration of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has already claimed the lives of dozens of people, had been largely forgotten by the world before hostilities reignited in September. Only the collapse of the Soviet Union was able to bring about the end of the last war between these entrenched enemies in the 1980s and 1990s. Now, almost a quarter of a century later, the still contested region claimed under international law by Azerbaijan and de facto controlled by its ethnic Armenian majority has fallen under a new spell of violence thanks in large part to external actors vying for a larger war with an…

sputniknews (2020-10-22). 'Diplomatic Offensive': US Cementing Stance on Quieting Israel Critics With Rumored NGO Label. sputniknews.com The US continues to ignore international law, Kim Iversen, independent journalist and host of the Kim Iversen Show on YouTube, and Nicolas Davies, peace activist and author, told Political Misfits Thursday, citing a new story alleging that the US administration plans to declare several prominent nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as anti-Semitic.

_____ (2020-10-21). Holding General Mills Accountable For Profiting From Occupation. popularresistance.org Earlier this fall, we launched our No Dough for the Occupation campaign to pressure General Mills to stop producing Pillsbury products in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. Last month, our campaign coalition—which includes the Palestinian Boycott National Committee, Jewish Voice for Peace, and others—held its first day of action to coincide with General Mills' annual shareholder meeting. | The day before the meeting, on the United Nations International Day of Peace, protesters gathered in front of General Mills' headquarters in Minneapolis, chanting "No Dough for the Occupation"…

MEE staff (2020-10-21). Israel operated secret embassy in Bahrain for more than a decade: Report. middleeasteye.net Israel operated secret embassy in Bahrain for more than a decade: Report | Mission conducted diplomacy with Bahrain via front company listed as commercial consulting firm, Axios reports | Wed, 10/21/2020 – 21: 20 | Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, right, and Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat bump elbows after signing ceremony in Manama on 18 October (AFP/File photo)…

Medea Benjamin, Nicolas J. S. Davies (2020-10-21). How Biden Flubbed Town Hall Foreign Policy Question. counterpunch.org Toward the end of Joe Biden's October 15 town hall session, a Trump supporter asked Biden the only foreign policy question of the night. "So peace is breaking out all over the world," the questioner claimed. "Our troops are coming home. Serbia is talking to Kosovo. And the Arabs and Israelis are talking peace, which

Umar A Farooq (2020-10-21). US court grants pro-Palestinian group legal victory in terrorism case. middleeasteye.net US court grants pro-Palestinian group legal victory in terrorism case | Court rules American Muslims for Palestine not tied to groups found responsible for killing of US citizen in Jerusalem in 1996 | Wed, 10/21/2020 – 17: 38 | Demonstrators call for independent Palestinian state during protest outside White House in 2018 (AFP/File photo) | A US court ruled in favour of pro-Palestinian groups in a…

MEE staff (2020-10-21). Israeli policeman who killed autistic Palestinian charged with reckless homicide. middleeasteye.net Israeli policeman who killed autistic Palestinian charged with reckless homicide | Rights group says higher charges should have been levied; defence lawyers say killing was 'tragedy, but not a criminal offense' | Wed, 10/21/2020 – 18: 07 | Demonstrators raise portrait of Iyad al-Halak in protest against Israeli government near prime minister's residence in Jerusalem in July (AFP/File photo) | An Israeli police…

Shatha Hammad (2020-10-21). 'Paradise lost': How Israel turned the West Bank into a sewage dump for its settlements. middleeasteye.net 'Paradise lost': How Israel turned the West Bank into a sewage dump for its settlements | Untreated wastewater has destroyed the soil of Palestinian villages, causing often ancient olive trees to die and livelihoods to be lost | Wed, 10/21/2020 – 09: 14 | Residents and farmers say increasing quantities of sewage are being pumped onto their lands from the illegal settlements (MEE/Supplied) | Abdulla…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-10-21). Is the European Union Qualified to Broker Peace Between Israel and Palestine? mintpressnews.com In theory, Europe and the United States stand on completely opposite sides when it comes to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. While the US government has fully embraced the tragic status quo created by 53 years of Israeli military occupation, the EU In practice, however, despite the seeming rift between Washington and Brussels, the outcome is, essentially, the same. The US and Europe are Israel's largest trade pa…