Daily Archives: September 17, 2020

2020-09-17: News Headlines

Andrew Korybko (2020-09-17). The 'Israeli'-Emirati Alliance: Geopolitical Impact on Africa. globalresearch.ca The misleadingly described "peace" deal between "Israel" and the UAE will enable the self-professed "Jewish State" to use the latter's military and civilian port infrastructure in the Gulf of Aden, thus challenging recent Turkish inroads in this part of the …

Chris Jones (2020-09-17). Hope and Fear: Refugees on Greece's Samos Island, September 2020. globalresearch.ca Roger came by the house yesterday evening. In his early 20s Roger is from Gaza. He's full of energy and ideas and has been like this since he arrived in Samos over a year ago. His days are full of …

Abdel Bari Atwan (2020-09-17). No 'peace' without the Palestinians. thealtworld.com White House theatrics, Trump's delusions and Gulf regime collusion cannot 'end' the Arab-Israeli conflict | The missiles fired at Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip while the UAE and Bahraini foreign ministers were signing 'peace treaties' with Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House were an affirmation: these agreements are worthless, and the only people capable of ending the Arab-Israeli conflict, by peace or by war, are the people of Palestine — with the backing of their Arab and Muslim brothers and sisters and supporters of justice worldwide. | President Donald Trump, who oversaw the theatrics in the…

Miko Peled (2020-09-17). Why Arab Leaders Are Suddenly Groveling at the Chance to Normalize Ties with Israel. mintpressnews.com Arab leaders understand that relations with Israel provide access to US Empire and all that comes with it, including much desired US-made weapons and other perks such as security and economic cooperation.

MEE staff (2020-09-17). US considering 'appointing' Mohammed Dahlan as next Palestinian president: Friedman. middleeasteye.net US considering 'appointing' Mohammed Dahlan as next Palestinian president: Friedman | US ambassador to Israel also says freeze on West Bank annexation is temporary and Arab-Israeli conflict will be over within a year | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 10: 55 | David Friedman predicted that the normalisation deals marked the beginning of the end of the Arab-Israeli-conflict (AFP) | The United States is considering supporting…

MEE staff (2020-09-17). Israeli firm provided phone-hacking services to Saudi Arabia: Report. middleeasteye.net Israeli firm provided phone-hacking services to Saudi Arabia: Report | The report by The Marker says that Cellebrite was also active in the kingdom at the time of Jamal Khashoggi's murder in October 2018 | Thu, 09/17/2020 – 11: 02 | Cellebrite says its technology serves 154 countries and that it has been used to make convictions in 5 million cases of serious crime (AFP) | A controversial Israeli security firm…

Ramzy Baroud (2020-09-17). The 'Desaparecidos' of Palestine: Gantz Escalates Israel's War on the Dead. dissidentvoice.org On September 2, the Israeli government approved a proposal that allows the military to indefinitely withhold the bodies of Palestinians who have been killed by the Israeli army. The proposal was made by the country's Defense Minister, Benny Gantz. Gantz is the main political rival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also serves the role …

_____ (2020-09-17). Occupation Of UK Factory Involved In Israeli Drone Manufacture. popularresistance.org Direct action protests against Israel's largest weapons company have escalated in the UK, with an occupation of a factory building engines for drones used by Israel's army entering its third day on Wednesday. | Protests were also held outside Elbit System UK's London headquarters and at its landlord's main offices, as new solidarity group Palestine Action escalated its campaign to shut down the company's operation in the UK. | Elbit Systems UK is part of the high-tech weapons group that supplies more than 80 percent of the Israeli army's military drones, including the Hermes 900 and Hermes 450…

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-17). Activists occupy Elbit Systems factory in UK. peoplesdispatch.org The factory of the Israeli weapon company Elbit Systems in Shenstone, UK, is under occupation by protesters belonging to Palestine Action. They have demanded the shut-down of all sites of Elbit Systems in the UK.

Fight Back (2020-09-17). Palestinians slam Arab regimes' 'normalization' with Zionist occupation. fightbacknews.org Chicago, IL – On September 15, the Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine (CJP) held a press conference to reject the charade that was happening the same day in Washington, DC, where the Trump administration was holding a signing ceremony for a 'peace' arrangement between Israel and both the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. | CJP represents all of the major Palestinian organizations in Chicago. They spoke against the Arab regimes' 'normalization' with the Zionist Israeli enemy. Solidarity activists with the American Friends Service Committee and the Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy and othe…

Marwa Osman (2020-09-17). Yankees Going Home—MES EP.72. thealtworld.com The top U.S. general in the Middle East Frank McKenzie confirmed plans for partial troop drawdowns in both Iraq and Afghanistan before the Nov. 3 election, as President Donald Trump seeks to fulfill a campaign promise to end what he calls "America's endless wars". The U.S. plans to cut the troop presence in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,000 by the end of September. To discuss this issue with us from London is Patrick Henningsen founder of the 21st century wire news website. | The announcement that Bahrain would establish full diplomatic relations with Israel leaves open the possibility that more Arab states will follow. B…

_____ (2020-09-17). New Ambassador Attracts the Usual Enemies: Doug Macgregor Feels the Wrath of the Jewish Lobby. strategic-culture.org There is an old saying that allegedly came out of the French Revolution, that revolution, like the god Saturn, devours its own children. It was reportedly uttered by Georges Danton at the trial that preceded his execution and could be applied equally to the demise of Trotsky after the Russian Revolution. It meant that the leaders that drove the dramatic political developments frequently get a taste of power and become resistant to any further change. They often end up turning on their own former followers who have different ideas on how to run the country. | Nearly all the top-level political appointees that have…

yenisafak (2020-09-17). Stage is set for stronger Turkey-Bangladesh ties: Top diplomat. yenisafak.com The current level of bilateral relations between Ankara and Dhaka is ready for takeoff, said Bangladesh's top diplomat on a visit to Turkey, stressing that a slight push by the two governments is needed to get things going.In an inclusive interview with Anadolu Agency in Ankara during his four-day visit to Turkey, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said the economy and trade will be the key focus of bilateral relations.He also talked about the Rohingya refugee crisis, Dhaka's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and plan to revive the economy.On the normalization agreements with Israel and Arab states, Mo…

_____ (2020-09-17). Protests And Rockets As Gulf States Sign Deals With Israel. popularresistance.org At a White House ceremony on Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain officially established diplomatic relations with Israel. | The signing of the US-brokered Abraham Accords formalizes decades of clandestine relations between Israel and the two Gulf states. | US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Emirati foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani all spoke before the signing. | Al Nahyan and Alzayani also signed separate treaties with Trump and Netanyahu.

Andrew Korybko (2020-09-16). The US-Brokered Mideast 'Peace' Deals Aren't Really What They Seem. thealtworld.com The loud applause that followed the US-brokered Mideast "peace" deals between "Israel" on one hand and the UAE & Bahrain on the other is misplaced since there was never any real state of war between the "opposing" sides to begin with, but presenting these accords as a "breakthrough for peace" is meant to pressure those remaining countries that refuse to recognize the self-professed "Jewish State" by portraying them as "obstacles to peace" so that they too consider abandoning their principled support for Palestine in exchange for positive media coverage and other perks such as economic support. | There's No "Peace…

Kathryn Shihadah (2020-09-16). Life Under Seige: The Blockade on Gaza Turns Fourteen and Is Still as Illegal as Ever. mintpressnews.com With no foreseeable end in sight, Israel's blockade on Gaza not only runs afoul of international law, but it has also already been on the radar of the United Nations and human rights groups for well over a decade.

MEE and agencies (2020-09-16). Hamas warns Israel of escalation following air strikes on Gaza. middleeasteye.net Hamas warns Israel of escalation following air strikes on Gaza | Tensions coincide with Israel's signing of normalisation deals with the UAE and Bahrain in Washington | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 08: 19 | Israeli air strikes against Gaza took place in the early hours of Wednesday after rocket fire from Gaza (AFP) | Hamas warned Israel it would face a military escalation on Wednesday after its warpl…

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-16). Zionist enemy to pay for aggression: al-Qassam Brigades. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 16 (MNA) — Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas Movement, has issued a statement on Wednesday in reaction to the aggressions of the Israeli regime against the Gaza strip.

yenisafak (2020-09-16). Nearly 3,500 Palestinians killed during Netanyahu era. yenisafak.com During the prime ministry of Benjamin Netanyahu, who signed an agreement with the UAE and Bahrain to normalize relations, nearly 3,500 Palestinians, including many women and children, were martyred and thousands of others injured in the attacks of Israeli forces.Netanyahu, shown as one of the chief architects of Israel's oppression and violations against Palestine, served as the prime minister during the two bloody attacks on the Gaza Strip under the blockade by the Israeli army.According to the data of the Israeli rights group B'Tselem, nearly 3,500 Palestinian Palestinians have been martyred in the attacks of t…

yenisafak (2020-09-16). 1982 Beirut massacre still haunts survivors. yenisafak.com "We unwittingly came to Lebanon and we will return to our homeland Palestine whenever possible." | About one square kilometer (less than half a square mile) in size, the Sabra and Shatila camp, located west of Beirut, is home to 12,000 Palestinian refugees, according to unofficial data.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-16). Palestinians protest against UAE and Bahrain signing "normalization" deals with Israel. peoplesdispatch.org Hundreds of protesters throughout the occupied territories denounced the US mediated deals as betrayal of the Palestinian cause, and vowed to continue their fight against the Israeli occupation…

MEE and agencies (2020-09-16). Dubai's DP World and Israeli group to jointly bid for Haifa port privatisation. middleeasteye.net Dubai's DP World and Israeli group to jointly bid for Haifa port privatisation | UAE and Israeli companies sign agreements to potentially open direct shipping line between two countries | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 17: 52 | Haifa Port will need to be upgraded to compete with port being built in area by China's Shanghai International Port Group (AFP/File photo) | Dubai Ports (DP) World announced on…

Rayhan Uddin (2020-09-16). Al Jazeera staff hit out at US decision to register it a foreign agent under FARA. middleeasteye.net Al Jazeera staff hit out at US decision to register it a foreign agent under FARA | AJ journalists criticise "politically motivated attack", and question timing amid Israel-UAE normalisation deal | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 13: 51 | Doha-based media network Al Jazeera said it was "deeply disappointed" by the US decision to register it as a foreign agent (AFP/File photo) | Staff at AJ+, Al Jazeera's US-based a…

Ali Harb (2020-09-16). UAE-Israel deal voices support for Trump's 'deal of the century'. middleeasteye.net UAE-Israel deal voices support for Trump's 'deal of the century' | The accord does not mention the two-state solution and makes no reference to the holy sites in Jerusalem, unlike the previous announcement | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 01: 57 | Palestinians had forcefully rejected Trump's plan to end the conflict, known as 'deal of the century' (AFP) | The normalisation agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Israel…

Joe Gill (2020-09-16). Occupation of UK factory involved in Israeli drone manufacture enters third day. middleeasteye.net Occupation of UK factory involved in Israeli drone manufacture enters third day | A direct action group is pushing to end the UK's military complicity with Israel's human rights abuses

| Wed, 09/16/2020 – 11: 37 | Activists scaled the building at UAV Engines factory, where engines for Elbit Systems drones are built in Shenstone, near Birmingham (Palestine Action) | Direct action protests against Israel's…

Eds. (2020-09-16). CBC doubles down on erasing Palestine. mronline.org Activists are determined to hold the broadcaster to account for minimizing Palestine's national identity…

MEE staff (2020-09-16). Trump tells American Jews: 'We love your country', and asks for their votes. middleeasteye.net Trump tells American Jews: 'We love your country', and asks for their votes | US president suggests American Jewish leaders see themselves as Israelis during pre-Rosh Hashanah presidential call | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 21: 05 | Throughout his presidency, Trump has made many concessions to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP/File photo) | In a call with American Jewish leaders, President Donald Trump spen…

Thomas Klikauer — Nadine Campbell (2020-09-16). The Anti-Racist Feminist and the Corporate CEO. counterpunch.org In 2016, the former corporate leader and TV show host Donald Trump became US president. In the night that his victory was announced, previous Ku Klux Klan (KKK) leader David Duke described the event as one of the most exciting nights of my life. A year later, the FBI revealed that hate crimes increased for a second consecutive year, with attacks targeting Muslim and Jewish people as well as the LGBTQ community.

Sondos Asem (2020-09-16). Arab normalisation with Israel: Who is next? middleeasteye.net Arab normalisation with Israel: Who is next? | Trump has said five countries might follow in the UAE and Bahrain's footsteps – but which ones was he referring to? | Wed, 09/16/2020 – 12: 47 | From left, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif al-Zayani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, and UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan hold up signed agreements at the…

Tom Anderson (2020-09-16). A new campaign is challenging UK complicity in Israeli apartheid, and it really means business. thecanary.co In the early hours of the morning of Monday 14 September, a group of Palestine solidarity organisers set up a blockade at the gates … | By | In the early hours of the morning of Monday 14 September, a group of Palestine solidarity organisers set up a

_____ (2020-09-16). 'Palestinian Self-Determination Not For Sale'. popularresistance.org As US President Donald Trump brought together leaders from Israel, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to sign deals to establish diplomatic relations, just outside of the White House, hundreds of Palestinians, civil rights and advocacy groups gathered in protest of the occasion, accusing the leaders of ignoring the voices of Palestinians. | Coming together with waves of Palestinian flags, donning traditional keffiyehs, and some wearing masks with the words "Free Palestine", the demonstrators shouted slogans: "No hate, no fear, Bibi is not welcome here", and "Occupation is a crime, normalisation is a crime".

yenisafak (2020-09-16). US congresswoman honored for helping Palestine. yenisafak.com A US congresswoman has been honored for defending the rights of Palestinians in the face of Israeli human rights abuses."Honored to receive the Champion of Palestinian Rights Award from @AMPalestine today as part of Palestine Advocacy Day," US Democratic Representative Betty McCollum said Tuesday on Twitter, referring to the group American Muslims for Palestine (AMP)."Advancing peace human rights for Palestinian children all children should be a shared priority! #HR2407."House of Representatives Resolution 2407 is the Promoting Human Rights for Palestinian Children Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act, a…

CJPME (2020-09-16). Regarding Possible ICC Investigation into Alleged Israeli War Crimes, Canadians Reject Double Standard for Israel. globalresearch.ca Amid growing controversy over a possible International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into Israel, newly published results from a survey conducted by EKOS Research Associates show that Canadians do not want Israel to be treated differently than other countries when it …

Steven Sahiounie (2020-09-16). Israeli-Arab Re-election Gift to Trump. globalresearch.ca President Trump hosts a signing ceremony today in Washington which joins Bahrain, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Israel in the 'Abraham Accord' which establishes full diplomatic relations between Israel and the Persian Gulf monarchies, and portends the possibility that other …

WSWS (2020-09-16). Trump stages sham Mideast "peace" ceremony on White House lawn. wsws.org The overriding significance of the Israel-UAE-Bahrain accords is the further consolidation of a US-led anti-Iran axis in the Middle East.

Philip Weiss (2020-09-16). U.S. Is in Middle East 'to Protect Israel' Not for Oil, Trump Says. globalresearch.ca Four days ago, Donald Trump said the U.S. isn't involved in the Middle East for oil, but because we "want to protect Israel." The comments have gone all but unreported in the mainstream press. | Trump made the comment during

Peoples Dispatch (2020-09-16). Palestinians protest normalization of ties with Israel. peoplesdispatch.org Hundreds of Palestinians across the occupied territories came out on the streets on September 15 protesting the "normalization" of ties with Israel by the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Mehr News Agency (2020-09-16). VIDEO: Palestinians slam Bahrain's ties with Zionist Regime. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Sep. 16 (MNA) — Palestinians held a rally in Ramallah against the normalization of relations between Bahrain and the Zionist Regime on Wednesday.

Staff (2020-09-16). Trump's "Peace" Deals Will Worsen Oppression in Middle East, Legal Scholar Says. truthout.org As the Trump administration celebrates deals establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, we speak with Palestinian American legal scholar Noura Erakat, who says Trump's "peace" agreements are a sham. "This is not about advancing any kind of meaningful, enduring peace, but instead about entrenching a geopolitical alliance that would otherwise increase oppression for people of the Middle East," says Erakat, assistant professor at Rutgers University and auth…

yenisafak (2020-09-16). Palestinian inmate contracts COVID-19 in Israeli prison. yenisafak.com Another Palestinian detainee has been infected with coronavirus in an Israeli prison, raising the total count to 31, according to a Palestinian commission on Wednesday. In a statement, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-detainees Affairs said Eyad Abu Hashhash, who is held at the prison of Ashkelon, tested positive for COVID-19.The prisoner was transferred to Remon prison in southern Israel for isolation, it said.Around 4,500 Palestinians, including 41 women and 140 minors, are currently held in Israeli prisons, according to Palestinian figures.

Ted Snider (2020-09-16). Peace Plans That Have Nothing to Do With Peace. commondreams.org Protesters from multiple Palestinian rights organizations demonstrate outside the White House on September 15, 2020 in Washington, DC The groups gathered to protest the signing of the Abraham Accords that will normalize relations between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/peacedealprotest.jpg

Sarah Lazare (2020-09-16). "Colonizing the Atmosphere": How Rich, Western Nations Drive the Climate Crisis. commondreams.org "As of 2015, the Unit­ed States bore respon­si­bil­i­ty for 40% of ‚Äã'excess glob­al car­bon diox­ide emis­sions,'" writes Lazare. "And the Glob­al North (defined as the Unit­ed States, Cana­da, Europe, Israel, Aus­tralia, New Zealand and Japan) is respon­si­ble for 92%." (Photo: Elizabeth Stilwell/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/climate_action_0.jpg

Nauman Sadiq (2020-09-16). Gulf-Israel Accord: The Kings Have No Clothes. globalresearch.ca In a solemn ceremony at the White House today, President Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of UAE and Bahrain for the signing of the accord establishing formal diplomatic relations between the three countries. | Oman …

Staff (2020-09-15). Headlines for September 15, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Doubles Down on Climate Crisis Denial as West Coast Burns, World's Largest Vaccine Maker Says It Could Take 5 Years for Universal COVID-19 Vaccination, Trump Calls COVID-19 "The Plague" in April Interview with Woodward as He Called for U.S. to Reopen, Nevada City Fines Venue That Hosted Trump Rally Which Violated State's Coronavirus Restrictions, Appeals Court Gives Trump Greenlight to End Immigration Protections for 400,000 TPS Holders, Whistleblowing Nurse Says Georgia Immigration Jail Performing Forced Hysterectomies, Palestinians Form Unified Front as Israel, UAE and Bahrain Sign Deal Normalizing Relati…

_____ (2020-09-15). To Succeed, Struggles Have To Be Connected, Not Localized. popularresistance.org In this video, Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, and Fayrouz Sharqawi, Global Mobilisation Coordinator of Grassroots Al-Quds discuss the situation in contemporary Palestine. What do the people of Palestine think in 2020? They talk about former chairman of Palestine Liberation Organization Yasser Arafat's numerous visits to India. They also talk about how Israeli army's recent airstrikes and healthcare crisis due to Covid-19 in the Gaza city are dismantling the life of the people there.

RT (2020-09-15). Injuries reported after rockets fired from Gaza, as Bahrain & UAE sign peace deal with Tel Aviv at the White House. rt.com Multiple rockets have been fired from Gaza towards Israeli cities during the UAE-Bahrain peace deal signing in Washington. Israeli anti-aircraft defenses have been activated, and at least six people were reportedly injured. | Rocket warning sirens were activated in southern Israeli cities late on Tuesday, as the ceremony to sign a US-brokered deal between Tel Aviv, Bahrain, and the UAE was underway in Washington. | The sirens were sounded in the coastal cities of Ashkelon and Ashdod. Footage from the scene shows damaged vehicles and shattered glass at the site of the rocket impact. | From the scene of the rock…

Brett Wilkins, staff writer (2020-09-15). For Palestinians and Their Supporters, Arab-Israeli Pacts Are 'A Stab in The Back' Amid Ongoing Oppression. commondreams.org From the West Bank and Gaza to Washington, D.C. and beyond, Palestinians and their allies stress that only an end to Israel's illegal occupation can bring peace to the Middle East. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/headline/thumbs/demo.jpg

RT (2020-09-15). 'Humanitarian crisis' unfolds on Ukraine-Belarus border as Jewish pilgrims left stranded after Kiev tightens Covid-19 restrictions. rt.com Hundreds of Hasidim pilgrims, seeking to visit a venerated rabbi's grave in Ukraine's Uman to mark Jewish New Year, have reportedly become stuck between Belarus and Ukraine after Kiev tightened border controls over coronavirus. | Between 1,000 and 2,500 pilgrims are stranded at several border crossing points, according to media reports. Roughly a half of them crossed the Belarus frontier yet were unable to enter Ukraine, where they were met by a strong militarized border guard force. | –ù–∞ –≥—Ä–∞–Ω–∏—Ü–µ &nd…

RT (2020-09-15). UAE hopes normalization deal dispels Israeli doubts over US F-35 sale, despite Netanyahu's open opposition. rt.com The United Arab Emirates has said a request to buy US F-35 warplanes has been on the table since before it agreed to normalize ties with Israel, despite Benjamin Netanyahu's vocal opposition to any such sales to the Gulf state. | The Abraham Accord agreement should dispel "any grain of doubt" over the UAE buying stealth F-35 fighter jets from the US, the Gulf state's minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said on Tuesday. | The UAE seeks to modernize its military, and "our request for the F-35 and other systems pre-dates this [normalization] agreement," he said. The country's existing F-16 jets…

RT (2020-09-15). Merkel 'ashamed' of persistent anti-Semitism in Germany, as she attends anniversary of country's largest Jewish group. rt.com On the anniversary of the founding of Germany's main Jewish group, Chancellor Angela Merkel slammed the increasingly "visible and uninhibited" racism and anti-Semitism in the country. | On Tuesday, Merkel attended celebrations for the 70th birthday of the Central Council of Jews. The organization was originally formed in 1950 to represent Jews who survived the Nazi regime but also to help mend the ties between Israel and Germany. | Speaking at the event, Merkel expressed her happiness at seeing the community "flourishing," but also used the platform to condemn the persistent anti-Semitism in Germany. She calle…