Daily Archives: August 18, 2020

2020-08-18: News Headlines

yenisafak (2020-08-18). Gaza's only power plant shut down over Israeli fuel ban. yenisafak.com The Gaza Strip's sole power plant halted operations on Tuesday over an Israeli ban on fuel imports into the Palestinian territory, according to Gaza's energy authority. | "The power plant has shut down completely," the authority said in a brief statement. | On Wednesday, Israel banned fuel imports into Gaza as part of punitive Israeli measures over the launch of fire-bomb balloons from the strip. | Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has groaned under a crippling Israeli blockade that has deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of many vital commodities, including food, fuel and medicine. | The seaside enclave suffer…

yenisafak (2020-08-18). Netanyahu says UAE deal does not include sale of F-35 jets. yenisafak.com Israel said Tuesday that a deal to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) does not include the US sale of F-35 fighter jets to the Gulf state.In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the agreement did not include "any approval by Israel on any arms deal between the United States and the United Arab Emirates".Netanyahu said he directed Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Drammer on Aug. 3 to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to convey an explicit message of Israel's opposition to selling the F-35 and other advanced weapon systems to any country in the Middle East."The peac…

RT (2020-08-17). Israeli aircraft strike 'underground terror targets' in Gaza in response to 'explosive balloon' attacks. rt.com The Israeli Defense Forces have bombed subterranean Hamas targets in Gaza, saying the strikes came in retaliation for explosive and incendiary balloon attacks launched from the Palestinian enclave. | "Recently, IDF fighter jets and aircraft attacked underground infrastructure of the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip," the Israeli military said in a

sputniknews (2020-08-17). IDF Fighter Jets Target Underground Hamas Posts in Gaza. sputniknews.com The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted underground Hamas Posts in Gaza on Tuesday local time.

sputniknews (2020-08-17). Palestine Drops Out of Dubai World Fair After UAE-Israeli Pact. sputniknews.com GAZA (Sputnik) – The Palestinian authority said Monday it would pull out of Expo 2020 Dubai, the Middle East's first world fair, after the United Arab Emirates reached a deal with Israel.

Miko Peled (2020-08-17). "A Cynical Manipulation": On Israel's Empty Gesture of Goodwill to Beirut. mintpressnews.com While some may see Israel's gesture as an act of magnanimity, showing solidarity with an enemy country, one is hard-pressed to find words to express just how disgusting and cynical it really is.

Patrick Cockburn (2020-08-17). The Decline in Power of the Oil States. counterpunch.org President Donald Trump is cock-a-hoop over the United Arab Emirates becoming the first Arab Gulf state to normalise its relations with Israel. He needs all the good news he can get in the months before the US presidential election. "HUGE breakthrough today! Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends, Israel and the United Arab Emirates!" Trump tweeted.

RT (2020-08-17). Israeli military grounds Black Hawk helicopter fleet after spate of malfunctions. rt.com The commander of Israel's Air Force has ordered the immediate grounding of its fleet of Yanshuf helicopters from training and transport activities, as technicians try to determine the cause of recent motor issues. | The grounding comes about a month after a motor in one chopper stopped working in mid-air while IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi was on board, the Times of Israel reported. | The IDF said after that incident occurred that the immediate actions of the flight crew had meant they could handle the malfunction safely "and at no time was there a threat to the lives of the passengers." | Also on rt.com

Dr. Zuhair Sabbagh (2020-08-17). History of Settler Colonialism in Palestine. globalresearch.ca The following research article aims at exploring the issue of history of settler colonialism in Palestine. It will tackle three different settler colonial projects that were established in Arab Palestine: the German Templers, the Jewish and the Zionist. | In the …

Dr Adnan Abu Amer (2020-08-17). The Secret History of the Emirates' Relationship to Israel. zcomm.org The Palestinians have always felt that the UAE has been seeking for years to exploit their suffering and their need for financial and relief aid, to stipulate that they should not issue a position condemning any step to enhance normalisation with Israel.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-17). Following protests across the globe, Israel releases BDS activist Mahmoud Nawajaa. peoplesdispatch.org Following his release after 17 days in prison, Mahmoud Nawajaa called for the intensification of BDS campaigns "to bring to an end this system of apartheid and oppression and free all 4,700 Palestinian prisoners"

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-17). UAE rulers' betrayal not to be erased from Muslims' memories. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 17 (MNA) — Referring to UAE-Israeli tie normalization, Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said that the strategic mistake and the brazen betrayal of the UAE rulers will not be erased from the historical memories of the Muslims and freedom seekers.

sputniknews (2020-08-17). IDF Grounds Black Hawk Fleet, Launches Probe Amid Series of Mysterious Malfunctions. sputniknews.com The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is blocking its Black Hawk helicopter fleet from all non-operational flights as the military looks into a recent pattern of "technical malfunctions" – one of which involved the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief.

yenisafak (2020-08-17). Israeli foreign minister telephones Omani counterpart. yenisafak.com Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Monday telephoned his Omani counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi, according to Israel's state broadcaster.The move came days after US President Donald Trump announced a deal between Israel and the UAE to normalize their relations.The UAE is the first Gulf state and third Arab nation to have full diplomatic relations with Israel after Egypt and Jordan.Despite reports that the deal halted Israel's controversial plan to annex parts of the West Bank, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed his government's continued commitment to the annexation plan.The Gulf state of Oman…

yenisafak (2020-08-17). Disagreements delay Israeli delegation's visit to UAE. yenisafak.com Internal Israeli disagreements have led to…

yenisafak (2020-08-17). Israel president invites UAE crown prince to visit Israel. yenisafak.com Israeli President Reuven Rivlin on Monday sent an invitation to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to visit Israel. | Rivlin posted on his Twitter account a photo of the message he sent to the de facto ruler of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). | UAE authorities did not comment on the invitation. | "In my name and in the name of the people of Israel, I open the opportunity to extend to your Excellency an invitation to visit Israel and Jerusalem, as a distinguished and honored guest," Rivlin said in his message. | "The crystallized agreement between our two countries with the mediation of U…

teleSUR (2020-08-16). Israel's Army Bombs Gaza as Border Tensions Hit Up. telesurenglish.net The Israeli army Sunday bombed the Gaza Strip again in retaliation for the launching of incendiary balloons from the Palestinian territory into Israel. | RELATED: | "Israel's jets and military aircraft attacked Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, including underground infrastructure," Israel's army stated. | Military authorities also reported on clashes along the wall separating Israel and Gaza. | A dozen peopl…

RT (2020-08-16). Palestinians burn photos of Abu Dhabi crown prince and Netanyahu in protest over Israel-UAE deal (VIDEO). rt.com Palestinians have held protest rallies across the West Bank and Gaza, decrying the recent deal to normalize the ties between Israel and the UAE as a betrayal of their cause and a blow to "Arab solidarity." | Protesters carried Palestinian flags and stomped on photos of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before setting them on fire in central Ramallah in the West Bank. They also burned photos of US President Donald Trump, who brokered the deal, and Palestinian politician Mohammed Dahlan, who currently resides in the UAE. | Similar demonstrations…

sputniknews (2020-08-16). Israeli Tanks Attack Hamas Positions in Gaza Strip, IDF Says. sputniknews.com On Sunday, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement that soldiers had repelled an attempted "terror attack" against Rachel's Tomb in the city of Bethlehem, detecting "terrorists who tried to hurl a Molotov cocktail toward the Tomb area".

The Canary (2020-08-16). After launching air strikes in the strip, Israel shuts Gaza fishing zone. thecanary.co Israel has closed the Gaza Strip's offshore fishing zone after the most intense show of aggression in recent months.Israeli air strikes targeted sites allegedly belonging to Gaza's Hamas rulers, after which Palestinian fighters in Gaza fired two rockets into southern Israel. However, the military said Israel's Iron Dome aerial defence system intercepted the two rockets.Police said rocket fallout caused damage to a house in the town of Sderot, and paramedics treated a 58-year-old man for minor wounds.Meanwhile, aerial bombing from Israel has caused considerable damage so far, including in the Buriej refugee camp i…

RT (2020-08-16). Iran will change its approach to UAE over deal with 'child-murdering Israeli regime' — top commander. rt.com The freshly inked peace deal with Israel will change Tehran's attitude towards the United Arab Emirates, a top Iranian commander has warned, saying that Abu Dhabi will now be the prime suspect for any troubles in the Persian Gulf. | "Unfortunately, the UAE has reached a deal to normalize ties with the child-murdering Israeli regime," Chief of Staff for the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri said on Sunday. | Tehran's approach to the UAE will change … If something happens in the Persian Gulf region and if our national security is damaged, however small, we will hold the UAE responsible for th…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-08-16). Israeli-Emirati Peace Deal Is a Major Blow to Turkey's Regional Ambitions. globalresearch.ca Yesterday, one of the most unexpected geopolitical manoeuvres took place that no one was expecting. U.S. President Donald Trump went

Philip Giraldi (2020-08-16). The United Arab Emirates and Israel Join Hands: Great for Trump but More Bad News for the Middle East. globalresearch.ca The decision made this week by the United Arab Emirates and Israel to establish full diplomatic relations as part of a commitment to normalize the interaction between the two countries was characteristically announced by President Donald Trump because he is, …

South Front (2020-08-16). Video: Israeli-UAE Peace Deal Marks Tectonic Shift in Middle Eastern Balance of Power. globalresearch.ca The Middle East is on the brink of the new tectonic shift in the regional balance of power. The previous years were marked by the growth of the Iranian and Hezbollah influence and the decrease of the US grip on …

South Front (2020-08-16). Evolution of US-Israel Relations During Trump Presidency. globalresearch.ca Preferential treatment for Israel has long been a prerequisite for success in the corridors of power in Washington, where ambitious politicians long ago learned to fear the wrath of 'the Israel lobby', and at the same time yearn for the …

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-16). UAE summons Iran's chargé d'affaires. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — The UAE summoned Iran's chargé d'affaires to Abu Dhabi on Sunday and criticized President Rouhani's remarks on Israeli-UAE relations.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-16). Top General warns UAE against normalizing ties with Israelis. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — A top Iranian commander denounced the United Arab Emirates' decision to normalize ties with the Israeli regime, calling on Abu Dhabi to reconsider its move.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-16). UAE to suffer severely for normalizing ties with Zionists. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — Secretary-General of the International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada said that the United Arab Emirates will sustain severe damage for its normalizing ties and compromise with the Israeli regime.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-16). History will record such betrayal to Palestinians: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) — Referring to UAE-Israeli tie normalization, Iranian Ambassador to Islamabad Seyyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini said that history will record such betrayal to Palestinians.

_____ (2020-08-16). Belarus: Imperialists Run The Same Tired Old Script. popularresistance.org The Western establishment narrative managers always follow the same patterns. Just like they fixated on Hong Kong protests, while ignoring those in US-aligned France or Israel, now they're cheering on protests in Belarus. | Imperialist pundit and Obama administration Cold Warrior Michael McFaul recently tweeted the following: | "Belarusians, inside and outside of the country, have reached out to me this week to ask why the West is so indifferent to their courageous fight for democracy. I can't explain. Can you?" | I am not highlighting this tweet because it is remarkable…

sputniknews (2020-08-16). Netanyahu Says UAE-Israel Peace Deal Shows Arab Countries Won't be 'Held Hostage by Palestinians'. sputniknews.com The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel on Thursday agreed to sign a treaty to begin the process of normalising relations, in a deal said to have been brokered by US President Donald Trump. The Israeli Prime Minister claims that the new relationship between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv will lead to an agreement with the Palestinians.

sputniknews (2020-08-16). UAE Deal Brings Israel's 'Ultimate Disintegration Closer' – Advisor to Iran Supreme Leader. sputniknews.com On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced reaching a deal with the United Arab Emirates that would see Abu Dhabi beginning the process to recognize and normalize relations with Tel Aviv, with a formal signing ceremony projected to take place in Washington within a few weeks.

sputniknews (2020-08-16). Israel Closer to US 'Clean Network' by Abandoning Chinese 5G Tech, Report Claims. sputniknews.com Reports suggesting that the Trump administration is urging Tel Aviv to block China from the development of 5G infrastructure in Israel emerged in late May, falling in line with Washington's confrontation with Chinese tech giant Huawei over its alleged connections with Beijing intelligence.

yenisafak (2020-08-16). UAE phone lines to Israel open after accord to normalise relations. yenisafak.com Telephone lines between the United Arab Emirates and Israel were open on Sunday, calls made by Reuters reporters showed, after the two countries moved to normalise diplomatic relations last week.It was not clear when exactly a block on telephone calls made from the UAE to Israel was lifted, but historically calls were not possible.The UAE's Telecoms Regulatory Authority did not immediately respond to a request to comment.More Israeli news websites that were previously blocked in the UAE were also now able to be viewed on UAE internet connections on Sunday.An official in Israel's Communication Ministry told Reuter…

Jonathan Cook (2020-08-16). How the Israel-UAE Deal puts the Bogus Peace Industry Back in Business. dissidentvoice.org If there is one conclusion to draw from the agreement this week between Israel and the United Arab Emirates — with Israel temporarily "suspending" its threat to illegally annex parts of the West Bank, in return for "full normalisation" with the Gulf state — it is this: The peace industry is back in business. But this …

sputniknews (2020-08-15). Video: IDF Intercepts Rockets Fired From Gaza Strip. sputniknews.com Earlier in the day, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement that "Palestinian rioters" in Gaza "hurled explosives & attempted to approach the security fence" leading to Israel.

Ted Kelly (2020-08-15). Palestinian Liberation Movement marks global day of action. workers.org The Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network called for global Days of Resistance from Aug. 7 through 9 to protest the ongoing conquest of Palestinian land by Israeli occupation forces. In a statement announcing the action, the organization said, "Today, the program of Israeli annexation continues to threaten Palestinians in the . . . |

RT (2020-08-15). Deal with Israel won't give UAE more security, only benefits Trump — Iran's Rouhani. rt.com The leadership of the United Arab Emirates have made a "huge mistake" by sealing a deal with Israel, the president of Iran has said. He believes they win nothing from it and are only helping Donald Trump on his campaign trail.

_____ (2020-08-15). Uphold Palestinian Struggle In All Its Forms. popularresistance.org Fifty years ago, Palestinian intellectual Ghassan Kanafani put forward a clear position about the boycott of Israel. Kanafani was, at the time, not only an esteemed novelist and short story writer. He was also one of the leading spokespeople of the Palestinian armed revolution, representing the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. | "Our boycott of Israel is not based on an emotional position, but rather, it comes from the nature of our confrontation against this enemy. Boycott is in itself a statement," Kanafani wrote. | His remarks came in response to a debate between Israeli and Palestinian students…

yenisafak (2020-08-15). UAE, Israel deal against democracy in Arab world: Experts. yenisafak.com The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel made a deal earlier this week to forestall Tel Aviv's controversial plans to annex large swathes of the occupied West Bank and start a new era of normalization.Although the deal was supported by the West and regional countries namely, Egypt, Oman and Bahrain, the agreement sparked uproar in Palestine and on Arab streets.The Emirates became the third Arab country to recognize Israel after Jordan and Egypt, in a move touted as doing the Palestinians a favor.Palestinian groups, however, denounced the agreement, saying it does nothing to serve the Palestinian cause and ignore…

Gordon Duff (2020-08-15). Dissecting the Beirut coverup: Ammonium nitrate not explosive and Lebanon was nuked before. thealtworld.com We start with the text below in response to a RT cleaned this off, which reports the Israeli bombers at 30 seconds onward: | We also burn Rick Sanchez as a fake anti-Zionst who went to RT because of equally fake media prosecution. We recognize the "OP…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-15). UAE-Israel agreement, clear violation of Palestinians' rights. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (MNA) — The Secretariat of Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution in a statement on Sat. condemned the infamous Emirati-Zionist agreement to normalize relations, calling it a clear example of historic loss for the Emirati government.

sputniknews (2020-08-15). Morocco Could Become Next Arab Country to Normalise Relations With Israel, Report Suggests. sputniknews.com Since its creation after the Second World War out of the British-controlled Palestinian Mandate, Israel has received little to no recognition from the Arab world, including refusals to recognise international travel.

sputniknews (2020-08-15). UAE, Israeli Companies Sign 'Strategic Commercial Agreement' to Cooperate On Coronavirus Research. sputniknews.com On Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had reached a "historic peace agreement" on establishing full diplomatic ties. Under the deal, expected by the US president to be signed in three weeks, Tel Aviv has agreed to postpone its plans on sovereignty extension over the West Bank.

sputniknews (2020-08-15). Netanyahu Slams UNSC Decision Not to Allow Extension of Arms Embargo on Iran as 'Scandalous'. sputniknews.com On Friday, the United Nations Security Council rejected a draft resolution submitted by the United States to indefinitely extend the arms embargo on Iran, originally envisioned by the Iran nuclear deal ahead of its expiration in October, saying the draft did not obtain the necessary support to be adopted.

yenisafak (2020-08-15). EU calls Israel to abandon West Bank annexation plans. yenisafak.com Welcoming a controversial deal between Israel and the UAE to normalize relations, the EU on Friday called for Tel Aviv to abandon plans to annex areas of the West Bank."I welcome Israel-UAE normalisation; benefits both is important for regional stability," said Josep Borrell on Twitter.Stressing that suspending the annexation was a positive step, he called Israel to abandon the plans altogether."The EU hopes for resumed Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on 2-state solution based on intl' agreed parameters," he added.- Israel-UAE dealThe deal to normalize UAE-Israel ties was announced by US President Donald Trump o…

yenisafak (2020-08-15). 'Israel-UAE deal null and void for Turkey'. yenisafak.com Turkey again lambasted on Friday a recent deal between the UAE and Israel to normalize ties between the two countries, saying the agreement is null and void for Turkey."This step, which ignores the rights of Palestinians, has already been condemned in the conscience of the peoples of the region, especially the Palestinians," Communications Director Fahrettin Altun said on Twitter.Altun stressed that the agreement had clearly shown "those who are behind the wave of instability that took the region for a long time," as well as those who had been "using the Palestinian people's righteous cause for their own interes…

yenisafak (2020-08-15). Iran, Hamas discuss UAE-Israel normalization deal. yenisafak.com Iran's foreign minister and the political head of Hamas discussed on Friday a recent deal between the UAE and Israel to normalize relations.In a phone call, Iran's Jawad Zarif said Tehran stood by Palestinians and that the agreement was unacceptable, according to a statement by Hamas."We're confident that the heroic Palestinian people, Arab and Muslim worlds are strong enough to foil this agreement," Zarif said. Ismail Haniyeh, for his part, thanked Iran for defending Palestinians' rights."Palestinian people stand up for their cause and resistance," Haniyeh stressed.The deal to normalize UAE-Israeli ties was anno…

yenisafak (2020-08-15). UAE, Israel deal not surprising, but shameful. yenisafak.com The announcement of an agreement to normalize relations between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Israeli occupation state was not surprising, but it was rude in terms of form and timing.Everyone who follows news of normalization in recent years notices it is no secret the Gulf, especially the Emiratis, is persistent and stubborn to break all taboos, which Arabs believed in for decades, in their relationship to the Palestinian cause. The most important of which is that it is impossible to normalize relations with the occupation state before a just solution to the Palestinian issue is achieved. This is the es…

Ben Norton (2020-08-14). Venezuelan Guaidó coup regime pledges to restore relations with Israel, decade after Hugo Chávez broke ties. thegrayzone.com The US-backed Venezuelan coup regime of Juan Guaidó is reestablishing ties with Israel and has opened a "virtual embassy" in…