https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 13:08:12 +0000 en-GB Middle East Monitor 30 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/favicon.png?fit=32%2C32&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com 32 32 116394717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230728-uk-big-ride-for-palestine-heads-for-south-wales/ Fri, 28 Jul 2023 11:23:44 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=656014 An annual charity cycle ride is coming to South Wales for the very first time this summer. More than 300 cyclists from across the UK and Europe have registered to take part in the four-day Big Ride for Palestine which will start in Swansea on 3 August and finish in Bristol. The ride is set to raise £75,000 for charities helping Palestinians. The Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA) specialises in working with children who have been traumatised by living under Israel's brutal military occupation and siege. The Amos Trust and Gaza Sunbirds plan to sponsor para-cycling races in Gaza to help the Palestinians realise their dream of forming a team for the Paralympics in 2024. "I've witnessed the daily oppression […]]]> 656014 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230727-sister-sinead-shuhada-misunderstood-much-maligned-much-loved-and-muslim/ Thu, 27 Jul 2023 16:45:30 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655960 Headlines and photographs of the singer Sinéad O'Connor told us that the iconic star had died. What followed have been well-deserved eulogies, despite some glaring omissions. Sinéad was beautiful, brave and talented, and an uncompromising rebel who often railed against the Establishment and has never been forgiven by some for ripping up a photograph of the Pope on live TV more than thirty years ago. The singer, who has died at the age of 56, was also a Muslim convert who chose the name Shuhada, although you'd never know it from the obituaries published in the Islamophobic media. Very little mention was made of her chosen faith. Some elements of the Jewish media flirted with the idea that her inspiration […]]]> 655960 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230727-irish-singer-sinead-oconnor-passes-away/ Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:50:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=655615 Legendary Irish singer and activist Sinead O'Connor died yesterday aged 56, her family has said. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead," the singer's family announced in a statement. The cause of her death is not yet known, but she is said to have been found unresponsive at her home in London and pronounced dead at the scene. Her family added in the statement that they were "devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time." Born in Dublin, Ireland, Sinead converted to Islam in 2018 and changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat. She was best known for her 1990 cover song Nothing Compares 2 U, which drove her to global stardom and topped […]]]> 655615 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230630-irish-deputy-calls-out-israeli-sportswashing/ Fri, 30 Jun 2023 17:30:26 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=648374 READ: Irish activist walking 2,200 miles from UK to Palestine]]> 648374 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230615-zionists-fume-as-ryanair-announces-arriving-in-palestine-on-flight-bound-for-tel-aviv/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 11:54:54 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=644872 Low-budget Irish airline RyanAir has come under fire on social media by pro-Israel users following a report on Tuesday by World Israel News (WIN) alleging that a flight attendant announced that the flight, bound for Tel Aviv was "approaching Palestine." According to the report, citing Channel 14 News, passengers on the flight from Italy were shocked after the flight attendant "repeatedly described their final destination as Palestine," in both Italian and English. "Passengers on a Ryanair flight from Italy to Tel Aviv were shocked after a flight attendant repeatedly described their final destination as #Palestine." https://t.co/rv7Szfyazi — Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) June 15, 2023 One passenger was quoted by the Israeli broadcaster as saying: "We didn't [buy tickets] on the airline to deal with […]]]> 644872 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230528-irish-activist-reaches-france-on-his-walk-from-uk-to-palestine/ Sun, 28 May 2023 13:00:51 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=640020 Sixty-five-year-old Irish activist, Mick Bowman, is on a long, arduous walk from Calais to Palestine to raise awareness about the plight of refugees and human rights violations in the Occupied Territories. As of yesterday, he was in Coublanc, a commune in France and should reach the Swiss border in two weeks. Mick began his 2,200-miles journey from Calais on 16 April last month. "So, my route will see me go through Switzerland to northern Italy, Albania and Greece to Istanbul, hopefully by mid-October. And then I'll need to fly to Amman in Jordan, from where I'll be walking to the West Bank," he said. Inspired by the book Walking to Jerusalem: Blisters, hope and other facts on the ground by […]]]> 640020 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230527-eu-diplomatic-missions-call-on-israel-to-halt-west-bank-violations/ Sat, 27 May 2023 12:34:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=640141 European Diplomatic missions in Jerusalem on Friday called on the Israeli occupation to halt all confiscations and demolitions in the occupied West Bank. In a press statement, the consortium of missions urged: "Israel, as the occupying power, to halt all confiscations and demolitions and to give unimpeded access to humanitarian organisations in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem." Members of the consortium include the Consulates General of Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK, and the Representative Offices of Denmark, Finland, Germany and Ireland, as well as the Office of the European Union (EU) Representative to the West Bank and Gaza. The diplomatic missions called on Israel to: "Return or compensate for all humanitarian items funded by the […]]]> 640141 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230512-jet-orders-boom-as-airlines-fear-shortage/ Fri, 12 May 2023 16:45:52 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=636000 Plane makers cannot build them, but airlines cannot stop buying them. Even as they wrestle with industrial problems preventing the delivery of jets sold before the pandemic, Airbus and Boeing are totting up billions of dollars of new orders stretching beyond 2030, amid a rebound in air travel. From Air India to Ireland's Ryanair, and a new national airline in Saudi Arabia, a handful of carriers have placed firm or provisional orders for 700 jets. Turkish Airlines' surprise announcement on Thursday that it plans to order 600 jets in June spells what would be the fourth mega-deal in a few months – upstaging Air India's record order for 470 Airbus and Boeing jetliners. Turkiye's national champion last month announced a 10-year strategic plan, including a goal of […]]]> 636000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230502-irish-mp-calls-for-an-end-to-israeli-apartheid/ Tue, 02 May 2023 17:17:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=633249 READ: Israel strike kills Syria soldier, puts Aleppo Airport out of service]]> 633249 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230427-ireland-palestine-agree-to-enhance-cooperation-in-all-fields/ Thu, 27 Apr 2023 13:09:35 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=631734 Palestinian and Irish diplomats agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation and coordination in all fields. The Palestinian Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs, Amal p, and the Irish Deputy Secretary-General for International Affairs and Political Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sonia Hyland, met in the context of the third session of political consultations between the two sides. During the session, Jado highlighted the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, including violations by the Israeli occupation authorities and their continuous crimes against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem and the besieged Gaza Strip, such as killings, arrests and the seizing of land and private property. The Palestinian diplomat also mentioned the Israeli policy of the […]]]> 631734 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230323-cash-strapped-lebanon-splashes-out-on-new-airport-terminal/ Thu, 23 Mar 2023 14:29:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=624375 Despite facing one of the worst economic crises in the world, Lebanon will construct a $122 million terminal at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, officials are reported saying. Upon its completion in four years time it will be operated by a leading Irish airport company. Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamie is reported saying that the terminal will bring in private sector investments worth $122 million and will handle 3.5 million passengers annually when operations begin in 2027. The airport currently handles eight million passengers a year, and the plans are to reach 20 million in 2030. READ: Action needed or 14% more children will face crisis hunger levels, charity says "The project opens more horizons for air aviation between Lebanon and the world," caretaker Prime Minister Najib […]]]> 624375 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230309-ireland-to-withdraw-troops-from-un-force-stationed-in-golan-heights/ Thu, 09 Mar 2023 13:59:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=620697 Ireland will withdraw its 130 infantry troops who form part of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the occupied GOlan Heights. Irish Defence Minister, Micheal Martin, informed the government that the UNDOF – tasked with monitoring activity along the ceasefire line in the aftermath of the 1973 war – will be withdrawing to join the EU Battlegroup. READ: UNHCR: UK legislation on illegal migrants a breach of international law "That assessment has now been completed, and the military advice provided to me was that the Defense Forces should reduce our commitments with UNDOF in preparation for our participation in the EU Battlegroup," he said. According to the Irish Examiner, they are due to return home in April and will […]]]> 620697 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230217-irelands-bohemian-fc-donates-profits-to-palestine/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 17:53:29 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615800 READ: Celtic fans show support for the lions of Nablus, Palestine]]> 615800 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230127-teacher-revives-art-of-letter-writing-to-connect-students-across-the-world-with-children-in-gaza/ Fri, 27 Jan 2023 17:16:07 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=609748 Before this digital age of social media texts and direct messages, it was commonplace to receive heartfelt handwritten letters from a pen pal, a postcard from overseas or annual colourful festive cards. It is an experience the Berkeley, California-based teacher, Heather La Mastro, aimed to rediscover with her students at the Jewish Community Centre of the East Bay in 2018. The letters, she revealed to them, will be addressed to children in Gaza. "It was a sweet moment. I had let them know of an opportunity to connect with children who are living in a war zone leading difficult lives and gave all 15 of them an individual choice to take part," explained Heather. "I pulled out 15 yeses from […]]]> 609748 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230124-ireland-calls-on-israel-to-pay-compensation-after-destroying-eu-funded-buildings/ Tue, 24 Jan 2023 09:25:21 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=608952 The Irish foreign minister demanded on Monday that the Israeli authorities should pay compensation for their systematic destruction of buildings funded by the European Union in occupied Palestine. Michael Martin told the Irish Times upon his arrival in Brussels to attend a regular meeting of EU foreign ministers that, "I don't think it's acceptable that on an ongoing basis, the European Union is contributing very significant aid to Palestinians and to Palestinian infrastructure, for it to be habitually destroyed." The ongoing settlement issue — and particularly Masafer Yatta — is not acceptable in terms of the mass expulsion of people, the Irish minister added. "And that is, in our view, unacceptable from a humanitarian perspective [and] is provocative." READ: Israel: far-right […]]]> 608952 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230118-france-concerned-about-health-of-french-irish-citizen-held-in-iran/ Wed, 18 Jan 2023 10:46:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=607211 The ministry of foreign affairs in Paris has called for the immediate release of French-Irish citizen Bernard Phelan who has been detained in Iran since October last year, Anadolu has reported. According to the ministry yesterday, Phelan is one of seven French citizens who were arrested "arbitrarily" by the Iranian authorities. The authorities in Paris are "concerned" about his health and fate because it is not clear if the Iranian authorities are following up on his medical condition. The French authorities are in talks with the Irish government to help secure Phelan's immediate release. The government in Tehran has not made any comment about his case. Iran announced last May that it had detained two French citizens on suspicion of […]]]> 607211 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230110-morocco-bans-cattle-imports-from-uk-and-northern-ireland/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 13:28:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=605191 The Customs and Excise Administration in Morocco has decided to stop imports of cattle from the UK after the discovery of some disease animals, 24 Hours has reported. The measure came into force on 1 January and will last a year. The report added that this decision was made by the Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture, due to the health status of livestock in the UK and Northern Ireland. In a related matter, a controversy erupted in Morocco in November after a number of members of the House of Representatives called for the reversal of a government decision banning the sale of cows for slaughter, in order to preserve dairy cows. This was in light of the crisis that the sector […]]]> 605191 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230105-lebanon-court-charges-7-over-attack-that-killed-irish-un-soldier-judicial-sources/ Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:05:33 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=603974 Lebanon's military tribunal, on Thursday, charged seven people over an attack last month that killed one Irish soldier serving in a United Nations peacekeeping force, three Lebanese judicial sources told Reuters. On 15 December, a vehicle driven by troops from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was fired on as it travelled in southern Lebanon, Reuters reports. Private Sean Rooney, 23, was killed in the incident, the first fatal attack on UN peacekeepers in Lebanon since 2015. The Lebanese military in late December detained one suspect, a supporter of Hezbollah, the powerful armed group that controls the southern part of Lebanon where the attack took place. He has been charged with murder, according to one judicial source. The […]]]> 603974 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221218-saudi-arabia-urges-swift-probe-into-killing-of-un-peacekeeper-in-lebanon/ Sun, 18 Dec 2022 14:33:13 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=601256 Saudi Arabia has called for a swift investigation into the killing of an Irish peacekeeper in southern Lebanon, reports Anadolu Agency. A soldier with the UN peace mission UNIFIL was killed and three others injured when their vehicle came under fire in southern Lebanon on Wednesday. Lebanese media said a problem occurred between local residents and a UNIFIL patrol over the convoy's route, where gunshots were heard. In a statement late Friday, the Saudi Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack on the UNIFL forces and called for "an immediate and transparent investigation" into the circumstances of the attack. The statement reiterated the kingdom's "total rejection of all forms of violence" and affirmed support for the UNIFIL mission. UNIFIL is a […]]]> 601256 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221216-irish-soldier-killed-in-lebanon/ Fri, 16 Dec 2022 12:23:04 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=601109 An Irish UN peacekeeper was killed and several others were wounded after unidentified attackers opened fire on a convoy in southern Lebanon, Irish and Lebanese military officials said yesterday according to Reuters. The news wire said a pair of armoured vehicles carrying eight Irish UNIFIL peacekeeping troops was fired at as they drove north toward Beirut on Tuesday night from the town of Al-Aqbiya. Irish UNIFIL confirmed that one peacekeeper was killed and three were wounded but did not share further details, the report says. "Our thoughts are also with the local civilians who may have been injured or frightened during the incident," UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said in a statement. The UNIFIL force has been present in southern Lebanon […]]]> 601109 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221027-arabic-to-english-book-translations-grow-since-2010/ Thu, 27 Oct 2022 12:00:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=589837 The number of Arabic books translated into the English language has risen significantly since 2010, according to new research carried out by the British-based Literature Across Frontiers (LAF) presented at the recent Frankfurt Book Fair. Between 2010 and 2020, the study found that there were 596 Arabic-to-English literary translations published in the UK and Ireland across multiple genres, including fiction and non-fiction. By way of contrast, just 310 works were translated between 1990 and 2010; the number has almost doubled in half the time. However, despite the progress, the researchers said that there is still a long way to go in achieving mainstream visibility for Arabic literature in the Anglophone world, which has been inhibited in part by xenophobia. "Arabic […]]]> 589837 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221026-the-futility-of-war/ Wed, 26 Oct 2022 08:29:32 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=589560 When is a war not a war? Well, it depends on who is calling and firing the shots. As a young journalist, the first war I ever covered, albeit intermittently, was in Northern Ireland. I was told to refer to Operation Banner euphemistically as "The Troubles" because the UK government did not want the outside world to know that it was embroiled in a full-scale civil war. What else would you call the 1969 deployment of the British Army in Northern Ireland? By the time I was sent to cover the tail end of the conflict over 3,500 people had been killed before the Good Friday, or Belfast, Agreement was signed in 1998. Of the dead, 1,441 were British soldiers […]]]> 589560 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220912-london-bridge-has-fallen/ Mon, 12 Sep 2022 09:24:36 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=579170 The official and secret code for implementing the plan for events following the death of Queen Elizabeth II was "London Bridge is down". This was the signal for "Operation Unicorn" to swing into action, which has happened since the monarch's death was announced last Thursday. The plan covered everything from announcements about her death to her funeral and beyond. The image of the kingdom had to be preserved at all costs, and royal protocol had to be followed. Flags were lowered to half-mast over public buildings; church bells rang out and artillery gun salutes were fired in the capitals of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Normal television and radio services were […]]]> 579170 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220907-urc-chief-defends-sponsorship-deal-with-qatars-state-airline/ Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:21:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=578301 The United Rugby Championship [URC] has indicated its willingness to bring games to Qatar in the future, local Irish media reports. According to the report, the Chief Executive of the United Rugby Championship, Martin Anayi, said they were fully aware of international criticism of Qatar over treatment of migrant workers and human rights issues when tying down a three-year deal with their State airline. "I believe the link will have a lot of positives in bringing different cultures together," Anayi said. Highlighting the importance of sponsorship with Qatar Airways, believed to be worth several million dollars, he said this sponsorship was a big step forward for the organisation. "Our view around these issues, obviously, we ask the right questions, I […]]]> 578301 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220903-egypt-presidency-buys-new-plane-for-500m-triggers-controversy/ Sat, 03 Sep 2022 13:28:29 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=577408 The Egyptian president has purchased a new presidential jumbo jet at the cost of $500 million, triggering fierce debate on social media over the timing of the purchase, which comes amidst a severe economic crisis. Egypt has been struggling to generate foreign currency for imports and to tackle inflation, which has been hitting the country hard for years. Egypt has acquired a Boeing 747-8 aircraft, seen last week in Shannon in Ireland, where it was undergoing painting work by International Aerospace Coatings (IAC). In 2020, Simple Flying, an aviation news website, reported that German airliner Lufthansa sold one of its Boeing 747-8 passenger planes to an "unidentified customer". READ: Egypt, Greece sign protocol to support bilateral military cooperation The website revealed that the […]]]> 577408 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220820-9-european-countries-concerned-about-israel-closing-palestine-ngos/ Sat, 20 Aug 2022 09:16:35 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=574378 Nine European countries on Friday expressed their "deep concern" after the Israeli army closed the offices of Palestinian NGOs in the occupied West Bank, accusing them of being "terrorist" organisations. In a joint statement, spokespersons for the nine countries' foreign ministries wrote: "We are deeply concerned by the raids which took place in the morning of 18 August, as part of a worrying reduction of space for civil society." "These actions are not acceptable," noted the statement. The countries expressing their concerns include Germany, Italy, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden. On Thursday at dawn, Israeli forces raided the city of Ramallah in the West Bank and closed the offices of seven Palestinian human rights NGOs. The […]]]> 574378 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220808-israel-faces-wide-international-condemnation-for-attack-on-gaza/ Mon, 08 Aug 2022 12:51:40 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=572022 Israel faced international condemnation from around the world for its latest military offensive against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip before a ceasefire brokered by Egypt came into force on Sunday night. Arab and Islamic organisations have joined national governments in condemning the attacks and calling for international protection for the Palestinian people. Russia expressed its deep concern on Saturday over the developments in the Gaza Strip, affirming its support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state on the 1967 borders based on the resolutions of the UN Security Council and General Assembly. "The Israeli Air Force attacks on the Gaza Strip on Friday led to a new phase in the escalation of tension […]]]> 572022 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220725-former-irish-soldier-jailed-for-joining-daesh/ Mon, 25 Jul 2022 13:54:21 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=569188 A former soldier in the Irish Defence Forces, Lisa Smith, was jailed for 15 months on Friday for being a member of the Daesh terrorist group, BBC reported. According to the report, 40-year-old Smith was found guilty in May by a non-jury Special Criminal Court in the Irish capital Dublin. She, however, was acquitted of a separate charge of financing terrorism. Smith was a member of the Irish Defence Forces from 2001 to 2011. In 2011, she applied for discharge from the army because of inconsistencies between her military service and her interpretation of Islam, such as not being able to wear a hijab. In 2015, she traveled to the Daesh-held territory in Syria, gave birth to a daughter in […]]]> 569188 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220722-adala-demands-eu-for-collective-decision-against-israels-banning-of-palestinian-rights-organisations/ Fri, 22 Jul 2022 14:12:31 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=568778 Human rights group Adalah yesterday called on the European Commission to take an official and unanimous position against Israel's designation of six Palestinian NGOs as "terrorist" organisations. Adalah's demand came after the foreign ministers of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Spain announced their continued support for the organisations following a review conducted by the EU's European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), which it said found "no suspicions of irregularities and/or fraud" and "did not find sufficient ground to open an investigation". Adalah said in a statement that through the allegations, Tel Aviv had wanted to cut funding for the NGOs, to separate civil work from the Palestinian national struggle. It also stressed the importance of stopping the […]]]> 568778 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220713-9-europe-countries-refuse-to-stop-cooperation-with-palestinian-ngos/ Wed, 13 Jul 2022 12:47:53 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=566499 Nine European countries expressed their refusal to stop cooperating with six Palestinian NGOs that the Israeli occupation designated as terrorist organisations in October, due to the lack of evidence proving the claim. In a joint statement, the spokespersons of the foreign ministries of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden said: "Accusations of terrorism or links to terrorist groups must always be treated with the utmost seriousness. The designations needed therefore to be assessed carefully and extensively." The countries noted in their statement that they did not receive substantial information from the Israeli occupation authorities justifying reviewing the countries' policies towards the six Palestinian NGOs based on the Israeli decision to designate these NGOs as terrorist […]]]> 566499 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220513-irish-foreign-minister-shocked-by-images-from-palestinian-journalists-funeral-procession/ Fri, 13 May 2022 18:45:40 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=555373 A top Irish Cabinet Minister, on Friday, declared himself "shocked" Friday by images of violence emerging from the funeral procession of slain Palestinian journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. Video clips from her funeral procession showed Israeli riot police clashing with mourners and firing tear gas as people carried her coffin outside a Jerusalem hospital. "We were all shocked after seeing the images of the funeral, which seemed extraordinary in terms of the policing of the funeral today," Irish Defense and Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, told a press conference in Madrid. "Every country has the obligation to protect journalists, particularly in conflict zones," he added. OPINION: Israel's assassination of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was not the first, nor will it be the […]]]> 555373 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220513-15-european-countries-urge-israel-to-stop-plans-for-more-illegal-settlements-in-west-bank/ Fri, 13 May 2022 18:41:33 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=555370 Fifteen European countries, on Friday, urged Israel to stop plans for more illegal settlements in the West Bank, according to an official statement, Anadolu News Agency reports. "We are deeply concerned by the decision of the Israeli Higher Planning Council to advance plans for the construction of more than 4,000 housing units in the West Bank," said spokespersons for the foreign ministries of France, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain and Sweden. "We urge the Israeli authorities to reverse this decision," the statement added. "The new housing units would constitute an additional obstacle to the two-State Solution," it added. The statement said the Israeli settlements are in "clear violation of international law […]]]> 555370 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220420-children-make-up-26-9-of-turkiyes-population/ Wed, 20 Apr 2022 09:10:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=550006 Children made up 26.9 per cent of Turkiye's population in 2021, down from 27.2 per cent in 2019, official figures showed today. There were 22.74 million children in Turkiye in 2021, of an overall population of 84.7 million, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said. "According to population projections, the proportion of child population was expected to be 26.6% in 2025, 25.6% in 2030, 23.3% in 2040, 20.4% in 2060 and 19% in 2080," it added. The ratio was 48.5 per ent in 1970, 41.8 per cent in 1990 and 35.2 per cent in 2000. "The EU average proportion of child population was 18.2% in 2021," TurkStat said. The EU country with the highest proportion of children was Ireland with 23.9 per […]]]> 550006 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220406-irish-auto-parts-manufacturer-leaves-ukraine-relocates-to-morocco/ Wed, 06 Apr 2022 09:55:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=547008 An Irish factory which specialises in electrical parts and car cables has decided to suspend its activities in Ukraine and relocate to other countries, including Morocco, the Moroccan television website SNRTnews reported. According to the station, Aptiv, which is based in Dublin, will move production to Poland, Romania, Serbia and Morocco. "The process of moving production outside Ukraine will take more than six weeks," it added. Since the outbreak of the Russian war on Ukraine, car sales have been suspended in Ukraine, and several factories employing tens of thousands of workers have shut down. On 24 February, Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine, amid international condemnation which led to the imposition of tough economic and financial sanctions on Moscow. READ: Morocco […]]]> 547008 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220306-russia-vs-israel-irish-mp-slams-western-hypocrisy/ Sun, 06 Mar 2022 20:07:18 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=540300 The Irish government has been criticised by Richard Boyd Barrett MP for what he described as its "double standards" when dealing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine compared with Israel's occupation of Palestine. "It took five days for sanctions against Putin and his thugs but imposing sanctions for 70 years of oppression of the Palestinians would 'not be helpful'," said the left-wing lawmaker from the People Before Profit Party. "You're happy to correctly use the most strong and robust language to describe the crimes against humanity of Vladimir Putin but you will not use the same strength of language when it comes to describing Israel's treatment of the Palestinians." The MP listed Israeli violations against Palestinian rights, including assaults on Gaza […]]]> 540300 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220105-uae-joins-four-others-to-take-seat-at-the-un-security-council/ Wed, 05 Jan 2022 12:48:07 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=524492 The UAE along with four other countries – Albania, Brazil, Gabon and Ghana – have assumed responsibilities as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. Although the two-year term commenced on 1 January, the first working day started after the New Year holidays. The five countries were elected in June, replacing Estonia, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Vietnam. They will be joining the other non-permanent countries who are currently in the middle of their two-year terms: India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway. Ahead of the UAE's successful bid, it issued a statement promising to be a "constructive partner" in addressing some of the "critical challenges of our time", such as promoting gender equality, combating terrorism and "harnessing the potential […]]]> 524492 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211108-ireland-embassy-cites-2010-mossad-operation-as-reason-not-to-trust-israel-but-deletes-tweet/ Mon, 08 Nov 2021 16:52:36 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=508427 Ireland's Embassy in Israel expressed its distrust of Israel and its anger at the intelligence agency, Mossad's forging of Irish passports a decade ago, in a tweet which it later deleted. Responding to a Twitter user—under a Jerusalem Post article which reported Irish Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, saying Israel had not proven six Palestinian NGOs banned by Israel were terrorist organisations —the Irish Embassy in Israel yesterday stated that "Diplomatic relations might count for something, but if they have been abused to forge our passports for use in assassinations, it might be understandable that trust could be affected." The incident the embassy was referring to was that of the Mossad's assassination of Hamas commander, Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, in a Dubai hotel room, […]]]> 508427 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211102-irish-fm-will-raise-settlement-expansion-concerns-during-his-visit-to-israel/ Tue, 02 Nov 2021 16:27:35 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=507201 Irish Foreign Minister, Simon Coveney, will be travelling to Israel after raising concerns over illegal settlement construction, as well as the blacklisting of six Palestinian human rights and civil society groups as terrorist organisations. It will be the foreign minister's fifth trip in the last four years and his first since Israeli Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, took office in May, reported The Jerusalem Post. "During this visit, I will meet with a range of Israeli and Palestinian political leaders, representatives of UN agencies and civil society," said Simon Coveney. "I will speak clearly and frankly about negative trends, including violence, demolitions, evictions and settlement activity that are causing ongoing suffering and threaten to erode the prospect of a negotiated two-state […]]]> 507201 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211029-a-shared-struggle-stories-of-palestinian-and-irish-hunger-strikers/ Fri, 29 Oct 2021 14:24:47 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=505985 Without oral testimonies, a good part of history is thrown into oblivion. What remains, then, is the reported, or publicised façade, one that disseminates a rudimentary sketch while abandoning the protagonists. Palestinian political prisoners face similar oblivion. Once in a while, international media sensationalises hunger strikes and the furore dies down once an agreement is reached. To read beyond the reports, it is necessary to look at the anti-colonial struggle and what is at stake when liberation is denied. In the foreword to "A Shared Struggle: Stories of Palestinian and Irish Hunger Strikers" (An Fhuisegg, 2021), Richard Falk writes, "Symbolic politics have often, eventually, controlled the outcomes of prolonged struggles against oppressive state actors." Prevailing at all costs, as Falk […]]]> 505985 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211028-european-countries-urge-israel-to-halt-building-plans-in-west-bank/ Thu, 28 Oct 2021 16:32:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=505884 Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Holland, Norway, Poland and Sweden released a joint statement on Thursday insisting that Israel halt its plans to expand settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, Anadolu News Agency reports. "We urge the Israeli Government to revoke its decision to advance the construction plans for around 3,000 new homes in the West Bank settlements," said the statement, which was released by Spain's Foreign Affairs Ministry. The 12 European nations highlighted that Israel's plans "violate international law and undermine the efforts going into making a two-state solution a reality." They called on all parties to respect the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which states that Israel's settlement activity is a "flagrant violation" of international law […]]]> 505884 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211026-hunger-strikes-from-gandhi-to-al-singace-are-the-last-resort-in-the-struggle-for-freedom/ Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:32:46 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=504986 Hunger strikes are a new-old phenomenon resorted to by those who lack any other means to claim their rights, express their opinion or defend themselves. They are often the last resort in the struggle for freedom. The phenomenon is growing in prisons wherein detainees face injustice and are unable in other ways to influence the conditions under which they are being held. These may include hygiene, health care, food or even the number of prisoners in each cell. They may also be a protest against the treatment meted out by prison officials or the confiscation of personal property. Those who go on hunger strike face the potential for serious physical and psychological damage. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is famous for using […]]]> 504986 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211019-the-cultural-genocide-in-palestine-on-sally-rooneys-decision-to-boycott-israel/ Tue, 19 Oct 2021 10:00:14 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=502516 The pro-Israel crowd on social media was quick to pounce on award-winning Irish novelist, Sally Rooney, as soon as she declared that she had "chosen not to sell … translation rights of her best-selling novel, 'Beautiful World, Where Are You' to an Israeli-based publishing house". Expectedly, the accusations centered on the standard smearing used by Israel and its supporters against anyone who dares criticise Israel and exhibits solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people. Rooney's laudable action was not in the least 'racist' or 'anti-Semitic'. On the contrary, it was taken as a show of support for the Palestine Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS), whose advocacy is situated within anti-colonial and anti-racist political discourses. Rooney, herself, has made it clear […]]]> 502516 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211012-award-winning-irish-novelist-refuses-to-publish-new-novel-in-hebrew/ Tue, 12 Oct 2021 09:55:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=500726 Best-selling and award-winning Irish novelist Sally Rooney has decided not to publish her new novel in Hebrew, saying she is supporting the cultural boycott of Israel, Haaretz and other media reports said yesterday. Rooney's new novel Beautiful World, Where Are You? explores the life and romance of intellectual, urbane millennials and topped the New York Times bestseller list when it was published in September. Modan Publishing House, which has published two books for Rooney, has told Haaretz that Rooney won't allow her new book to be published in Hebrew because she supports an Israel boycott and does not want to work with an Israeli publisher. "Firstly, I was very proud to have my previous two novels translated into Hebrew by Katyah Benovits. I would like to thank […]]]> 500726 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211006-ex-un-rights-official-urges-uae-to-release-ahmed-mansoor/ Wed, 06 Oct 2021 12:13:10 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=499504 Former UN human rights commissioner Mary Robinson today urged the United Arab Emirates to free a pro-democracy campaigner jailed in 2018 for criticising the government on social media, Reuters reported. Rights groups say Ahmed Mansoor, who is serving a ten-year sentence, may be suffering treatment amounting to torture. The UAE has denied mistreating him. "He is regarded by the human rights community as a brave human rights defender," said Robinson while addressing a climate event at the Expo Dubai world fair. "This [releasing him] would be a timely move also called for by the parliament of the European Union." When contacted for comment, the UAE Foreign Ministry referred Reuters to an earlier statement in which it rejected a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report voicing […]]]> 499504 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211002-book-launch-a-shared-struggle-stories-of-palestinian-and-irish-hunger-strikers/ Sat, 02 Oct 2021 09:00:38 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=496809 A Shared Struggle: Stories of Palestinian and Irish hunger strikers details the personal experiences of 24 Palestinian and 7 Irish hunger strikes in their fight to win their basic rights. Watch the launch for this remarkable book, highlighting the plight of Palestinian and Irish hunger strikers and the intersectionality of the Palestinian-Irish struggle against settler-colonialism. The stories in A Shared Struggle provide an answer as to why a prisoner might choose starvation (sometimes to death) over accepting humiliating prison conditions. The contributors to this book hope that it will serve as another bridge that connects Palestine with Ireland and make more people across the world aware of the plight of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails today. Get your copy of the book: […]]]> 496809 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210924-pro-israel-treason-in-ireland/ Fri, 24 Sep 2021 16:16:07 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=496698 Treason is commonly defined as the betrayal of a trust or allegiance, especially to one's country or government. But what about when one faction of the government or establishment betrays another? Who will be regarded as the real traitor then depends on the balance of political power. One historical example that comes to mind is that of Edward VIII, Britain's Nazi King. This extraordinary individual was portrayed in Netflix's drama The Crown. He has also been the subject of several documentaries over the years, including this one. In 1936, Edward famously abdicated in favour of his brother George VI, the father of Britain's current Queen Elizabeth II. The story put about at the time was that Edward gave up his […]]]> 496698 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210827-germany-to-donate-29m-to-palestine-education-sector/ Fri, 27 Aug 2021 13:38:30 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=490988 Germany has donated €25 million ($29.4 million) to the education sector in Palestine in support of its development including school renovations, new equipment and staff employment. The Palestinian Minister of Education, Marwan Awartani, and the Director of the German Development Bank Office, David Kunze, signed the deal today in Ramallah, during which Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh was also in attendance. The grant is provided by Germany, in partnership with Ireland, Finland and Norway, to fund projects towards the education sector in Palestine. Shtayyeh praised Germany for its aid, which he said "will cover the building and renovation of schools and the pre-school education, and will provide schools with equipment, as well as help capacity building of educational staff." READ: […]]]> 490988 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210825-memo-in-conversation-with-danny-morrison/ Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:00:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=490678 Join us for a live conversation with Danny Morrison, co-editor of 'A Shared Struggle: Stories of Palestinian and Irish Hunger Strikers'. Morrison co-edited the book with Asad Abu Sharkh, a Palestinian-Irish academic, living in Dublin, whose family lived in Rafah refugee camp. At the age of 22 Danny Morrison (born in Belfast, 1953) became the youngest editor of the Sinn Féin paper Republican News. He was imprisoned several times and twice charged with IRA membership, and is a former elected representative to the Stormont Assembly. During the 1981 hunger strike he was spokesperson for Bobby Sands who died on 5 May after 66 days without food. Danny is the author of several books and an editor and commentator on politics and culture.]]> 490678 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210802-the-politics-of-cheering-and-booing-on-palestine-solidarity-and-the-tokyo-olympics/ Mon, 02 Aug 2021 18:17:30 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=486625 When the Palestinian Olympic delegation of five athletes – adorned in traditional Palestinian attire and carrying the Palestinian flag – crossed into Tokyo's Olympic Stadium during the inauguration ceremony on 23 July, I was overcome with pride and nostalgia. I grew up watching the Olympics. All of us did. Throughout the month-long international sports event, the Olympics were the main topic of discussion among the refugees in my refugee camp in Gaza, where I was born. Unlike other sports competitions such as football, you did not need to care about the sport itself to appreciate the underlying meaning of the Olympics. The entire exercise seemed to be political. However, the politics of the Olympics is unlike daily politics. Indeed, it […]]]> 486625 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210617-northern-ireland-trained-oman-police-ahead-of-protest-crackdown/ Thu, 17 Jun 2021 15:04:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=478069 Northern Irish police have been implicated in Oman's suppression of rare protests last month. The demonstrations erupted over rising unemployment and corruption and are said to be the largest of their kind in the sultanate since the 2011 Arab Spring. It has now been revealed that four Northern Irish police officers provided virtual public order training to the Royal Oman police forces some months before the protests, between December of last year and February of this year. According to the investigative news sites, The Detail and Declassified UK, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been training Omani police on "how to deal with protestors" since 2015, having established ties with the force the year prior. One exiled political activist who runs the Omani […]]]> 478069