https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 13:13:14 +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/20230801-kremlin-seeks-more-info-about-talks-in-saudi-ukraine-says-moscow-unwelcome/ Tue, 01 Aug 2023 14:29:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=657113 The Kremlin said, on Monday, it needed to learn more about the purpose of talks planned in Saudi Arabia about the war in Ukraine, but Ukraine made it plain Russia was not welcome at the meeting, Reuters reports. The meeting was first reported last Saturday in the Wall Street Journal, which said Saudi Arabia would invite Western states, Ukraine and major developing countries to talks, focusing on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace plan. The paper said Kyiv and Western countries hoped that the talks could lead to international backing for peace terms favouring Ukraine. Asked about the WSJ report, Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said: "Of course, Russia will follow this meeting. We need to understand what goals are set and what will […]]]> 657113 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230711-israel-envoy-you-can-be-pro-palestine-and-a-friend-of-israel/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 17:55:01 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=651434 Deputy Director General for Latin America and the Caribbean at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonathan Peled said in an event hosted by the Wilson Center in Washington that Israel "today is to ensure, convince, and persuade governments in Latin America that the relationship with Israel is not a zero-sum game." Peled clarified how Israel's influence and reach extends well beyond its immediate region and "nowhere is that more true than in the Americas." He said that Latin American countries were the "most important force" in supporting the creation of Israel and described support for Israel on the continent as "a matter of faith" for many in the region. Peled described Israel´s longstanding and historic friendship with the Western Hemisphere where there […]]]> 651434 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230624-weighing-expansion-brics-increasingly-draws-membership-requests/ Sat, 24 Jun 2023 15:36:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=646894 The BRICS group, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, continues to attract applications from numerous countries as it explores expansion opportunities, Anadolu Agency reports. Anadolu compiled the developments regarding the enlargement process of BRICS. Amid the search for a multipolar world, Brazil, Russia, India and China laid the foundations in 2009, with South Africa joining in 2010. BRICS, while criticising the unequal structures and resolutions of the Group of Seven (G-7) and the UN Security Council, calls for reforms in international structures and norms to establish a multipolar order. With a combined population representing nearly 42 per cent of the world's population, the BRICS countries control 18 per cent of global exports. The collective gross domestic product (GDP) of […]]]> 646894 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230517-the-trump-effect-and-the-us-establishments-response-is-a-warning-for-all-americans/ Wed, 17 May 2023 15:20:06 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=637486 Following his 2020 US presidential election defeat, a new chapter has unfolded for Donald Trump as the former president finds himself embroiled in multiple investigations and legal challenges. Notably, he faces the unprecedented scenario of a former US president facing criminal charges. The investigations cover a range of allegations, including his potential role in the Capitol Hill riot on 6 January 2021; his attempt to alter the election results in the state of Georgia; and the fact that he took confidential documents that should have remained in the White House to his Florida mansion, Mar-a-Lago. Recently, New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of first degree accounting record forgery related to the Stormy Daniels case. […]]]> 637486 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230507-meet-the-first-female-kuwait-storm-chaser-hunting-tornadoes-and-flashing-lightning-bolts/ Sun, 07 May 2023 08:45:24 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=633949 Most people look forward to staying home, curled up and cosy under covers on the dreary, dark days when it is pouring outside. Many even consider it one of life's simple greatest pleasures. But for 39-year-old Sarah Al-Sayegh, her idea of all things fun and exciting, quite literally, lies within the eye of the storm. As a storm chaser who is thrilled by hunting ferocious tornadoes and flashing lightning bolts, she has felt the heat of lightning that struck a mere feet ahead of her in Colorado, and was whipped by gusting winds while watching huge rainstorms dance across the sea in Kuwait. "It's the greatest adrenaline rush capturing nature in its most breath-taking moments. We see it in movies […]]]> 633949 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230503-turkiye-gifts-puppy-to-mexico-after-search-dogs-death/ Wed, 03 May 2023 18:58:20 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=633611 Turkiye sent a German shepherd puppy as a gesture of gratitude to Mexico as the country had lent its trained sniffer dogs to help in rescue operations after the deadly earthquake in February, Turkish daily, Hurriyet, reports. According to the report, Turkiye said it hoped the puppy would carry on the legacy of Proteo, Mexico's rescue dog that died during the rescue and search operations. Mexico's Ministry of National Defence posted pictures of the dog waiting patiently for its "paws to stand on Mexican soil for the first time". Before the puppy's arrival, the Defence Ministry set up a Twitter poll asking people to choose a name for the dog, the options being Proteo II, Arkadas or Yardim. Arkadas, which is Turkish […]]]> 633611 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230502-algeria-resigns-inter-parliamentary-union-presidency-in-protest-at-israels-membership/ Tue, 02 May 2023 14:12:37 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=632844 The Algerian Parliament announced on Sunday the resignation of its deputy speaker, Mondher Boudin MP, from the presidency of the Advisory Group for Combating Terrorism in the Inter-Parliamentary Union in protest at Israel's membership of the group. The move was said to be in support of the Palestinian cause. The parliament pointed out that Algeria, represented by Boudin, was elected to the role during the 146th General Assembly meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Manama on 13 March. However, after the nomination, new members were approved by the General Assembly including Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, Mexico, Iran, India, Sweden and Israel. According to the official statement, following this development and after extensive consultations and in line with […]]]> 632844 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230417-new-israel-spyware-exposed-for-targeting-journalists-politicians-in-several-countries-shut-down/ Mon, 17 Apr 2023 13:39:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=629584 A new Israeli spyware, revealed last week for targeting journalists and opposition politicians in several countries is shutting down, reported The Times of Israel. QuaDream, founded by a former Israeli military official and former veteran employee of the NSO company, has been struggling with financial issues in recent months, but suffered a full-blown collapse, after a report published by Citizen Lab, identified the hacking tools of the Israeli firm used against advocacy agencies, opposition figures and journalists across 10 countries. According to Haaretz, employees were called for a pre-termination hearing yesterday. The staff has been reduced to only two people to ensure the safety of the remaining equipment, while the firm puts up its intellectual property for sale. Citizen Lab, […]]]> 629584 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230413-the-rise-of-the-south-can-brics-weaken-the-dominance-of-the-world-bank-and-imf/ Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:40:28 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628837 Who would have expected that the BRICS nations could rise and become the potential rival of the G7 countries, the World Bank and the IMF combined? That once seemingly distant possibility now has real prospects which could change the equilibrium of world politics. BRICS — an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — was supposedly coined by the Chief Economist of Goldman Sachs in 2001, as a reference to the world's emerging economies. It was then known as BRIC; the "S" came later, when South Africa formally joined the group in 2010. The group's first official summit was held in 2009. Back then, the discussion seemed largely abstract. It wasn't until 2014 that BRICS began taking serious […]]]> 628837 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230412-calls-for-brazil-to-look-for-paths-to-peace-in-jerusalem-the-middle-east/ Wed, 12 Apr 2023 10:58:30 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628606 The Council of Arab Ambassadors in Brazil condemned the Israeli occupation's attacks against Palestinians praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the continuous storming of the site by Israeli settlers and the targeting of many young people in different cities of the occupied West Bank. The Arab ambassadors, who met on Saturday in Brasilia, urged the Brazilian government to play a more active role with the international community and search for paths to peace in the Middle East after Israeli occupation forces stormed Al-Aqsa last Wednesday, fired stun grenades at Palestinians, injured dozens and arrested more than 400 worshippers. In a statement, they said: "The disproportionate use of violence by the Israeli forces is a desperate attempt by the Israeli government […]]]> 628606 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230411-uk-lawmakers-call-on-us-to-halt-assanges-extradition-process/ Tue, 11 Apr 2023 13:29:34 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=628297 Dozens of parliamentarians from six parties as well as independent MPs and Lords in the UK have called on the US Attorney-General to drop extradition proceedings against WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, Anadolu News Agency reports. On the fourth anniversary of Julian Assange's imprisonment, 23 British MPs and 14 Lords, wrote a letter on Tuesday, demanding Merrick Garland to close Assange's extradition process. Assange, an Australian citizen, is being held in the UK, where authorities authorised his extradition to the US last year. He is wanted for his alleged role in espionage and the dissemination of classified US military information. READ: Profile: Julian Assange He was dragged out of Ecuador's embassy building in London in 2019, where he took refuge for […]]]> 628297 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230314-psychosocial-support-tent-in-quake-hit-turkiye-named-after-mexican-rescue-dog-proteo/ Tue, 14 Mar 2023 16:45:58 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=621984 A group of volunteer teachers in earthquake-hit south-eastern Turkiye named their psychosocial support tent "Proteo", in honor of a Mexican rescue dog who died while searching for survivors in the area, Anadolu News Agency reports. The 18 volunteers went to Adiyaman province from the neighbouring Sanliurfa, both of which were hit hard by the last month's devastating quakes, and set up a psychosocial support tent for children, about two weeks ago. Speaking to Anadolu, volunteer Esra Ayyildiz expressed the warm feelings of gratitude that the team felt for the deceased Proteo. "Proteo, our dear animal friend, was our dog who came to Turkiye from Mexico for search and rescue operations, but died here." "We wanted to name our tent after him, […]]]> 621984 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230314-egypt-not-accepting-new-applications-for-tourist-companies/ Tue, 14 Mar 2023 10:36:18 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=621900 Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities has announced that it is currently not accepting any more applications for new tourism companies due to the excessive number that already exists. At the same time, tourist companies have been warned not to cancel reservations as the peak season of Ramadan, Umrah and Hajj approaches. Egypt has worked hard to reboot tourism in the country, which took a nosedive following the Arab Spring, the coronavirus pandemic,  and an ongoing crackdown by the government. In 2013 European governments warned holiday makers to stay away from Egypt's Red Sea resort as the country dealt with deadly violence, a fall out of the coup which toppled the government. READ: UN calls for release of human rights activists […]]]> 621900 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230302-multilateralism-ideal-response-to-shifting-global-system-turkiye-fm/ Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:24:42 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=618977 Multilateralism should be the MIKTA nations' response to a shifting global system marked by "global complexities and multiple crises," Turkiye's Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said on Thursday, Anadolu News Agency reports. "We are living through the transformation of the international system, marked by global complexities and multiple crises. We all believe that effective multilateralism should be our response. Not isolationism or unilateralism," Cavusoglu said, addressing the 23rd MIKTA foreign ministers meeting on the sidelines of the ongoing G-20 gathering in India's capital, New Delhi. "I am happy that the common sense of MIKTA, a grouping of Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkiye, and Australia, represents a successful practice in that regard," he said. READ: Russia discusses normalising ties between Turkiye, Syria Stressing […]]]> 618977 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230218-4-latin-america-countries-condemn-israels-decision-to-legalise-west-bank-settlements/ Sat, 18 Feb 2023 16:00:57 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615891 VII Cumbre de la @PPT_CELAC | Unidos, podemos tener una fuerza arrolladora. Para lograrlo, toda América Latina y el Caribe deben integrarse en una sola región que defienda los mismos intereses para el crecimiento de nuestros pueblos. pic.twitter.com/RcHqycwWLV — Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) January 25, 2023 It seems that the return of the left wing in Latin America has now begun to bear fruit after expectations that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula)'s victory will lead to a profound change in the political arena in Latin America and a real threat to US hegemony in the region. Internationally, a victory for Lula has represented the latest in a series of triumphs for a resurgent left wing in Latin America following […]]]> 615891 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230217-latin-american-governments-profoundly-worried-by-israels-west-bank-settlement-expansion/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 18:17:32 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=615810 The governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico said on Friday they were "profoundly worried" by Israel's decision to expand settlements in the West Bank. "Our governments express their opposition to any action that compromises the viability of the two-state solution," they said in a joint statement, noting Israel's move violated international law and calling on both sides to resume talks and refrain from escalating the violence. READ: Israel preparing for 'major battle' against Gaza, media says]]> 615810 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221231-president-erdogan-turkiye-contributed-to-establishing-global-peace-tranquility-security-in-2022/ Sat, 31 Dec 2022 15:52:33 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=603254 With its roles in the Black Sea grain initiative and the mediation in the Russia-Ukraine war, Turkiye contributed to establishing global peace, tranquility, and security in 2022, Turkiye's president said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. In his New Year's message, Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that Ankara made a very important contribution to the solution of the global food crisis by implementing the Istanbul grain export deal and securing its extension, which allows exports of food from key Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. "We contributed to the establishment of global peace, tranquility, and security. We acted as a mediator in resolving conflicts, including the Ukraine crisis," Erdogan said. Extending New Year greetings, Erdogan wishes "every member of our nation as well […]]]> 603254 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221231-reporters-without-borders-iraq-syria-at-the-forefront-of-countries-killing-journalists/ Sat, 31 Dec 2022 13:47:19 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=603244 Iraq and Syria have ranked high among the most dangerous countries for journalists, according to a report by Reporters Without Borders published on Friday. The report indicated that 1,668 journalists were killed worldwide between 2003 and 2022 – an average of 80 journalists annually. The report stated that Iraq and Syria alone recorded: "The deaths of more than one-third of the reporters who have been killed." They came before Mexico (125), the Philippines (107), Pakistan (93), Afghanistan (81) and Somalia (78), while more than 95 per cent of reporters killed are men. The years 2012 and 2013 were the worst during the past two decades as, according to RWB: "144 and 142 journalists were respectively killed, mainly because of the […]]]> 603244 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221230-2022-saw-highest-number-of-journalist-deaths-in-the-past-four-years-rsf-reveals/ Fri, 30 Dec 2022 16:21:27 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=603157 Nearly 1,700 journalists have been killed across the world over the past 20 years, an average of more than 80 a year, according to a report published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The years since 2003 have been described as the "especially deadly decades", with 2022 leading with the highest number of deaths in the past four years. This year recorded 58 killings of journalists, 13.7 per cent  higher than in 2021 when 51 journalists were killed. "Behind the figures, there are the faces, personalities, talent and commitment of those who have paid with their lives for their information gathering, their search for the truth and their passion for journalism," RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire said. According to the Paris-based media […]]]> 603157 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221013-why-nopec-is-not-a-good-idea-to-tackle-the-global-energy-crisis/ Thu, 13 Oct 2022 07:00:14 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=586014 You have probably heard of OPEC: Oil Producing and Exporting Countries. Nowadays, the news headlines are much about OPEC+, which includes OPEC members plus Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, South Sudan and Sudan. These countries are not OPEC members but they are oil exporting countries playing an important role in the international energy markets. Their role has increased significantly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last February. Last week, OPEC+ decided to cut oil production by 2 million barrels/day, and this decision has angered many in the United States. Attempts are being pursued in the US Congress to curtail both OPEC and OPEC+, in order to reduce prices for US consumers. This is the declared idea behind […]]]> 586014 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20221012-israel-protecting-mexican-human-rights-abuser/ Wed, 12 Oct 2022 18:08:29 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=586048 READ: Israel summons Mexican Ambassador over Mexico City protests outside Israeli Embassy]]> 586048 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220927-brazils-arab-latinos-project-seeks-to-strengthen-arab-latin-america-ties/ Tue, 27 Sep 2022 12:18:45 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=582799 The acceptance of difference and respect for all, regardless of race or creed, are fundamental Brazilian values which have enabled immigrants to enter Brazil and blend into society with relative ease. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Arab migrants came mainly from the Levant: Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. According to the International Organisation for Migration, there are 13 million people of Arab descent living in Brazil. Those across Latin America are an example of a sizeable group of immigrants who have integrated successfully into the host cultures. This could still be costly, though, which is why the Arab Latinos project was launched in August at the Arab Brazilian Chamber headquarters in São Paulo, with the aim of strengthening ties and […]]]> 582799 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220923-israel-summons-mexican-ambassador-over-mexico-city-protests-outside-israeli-embassy/ Fri, 23 Sep 2022 16:46:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=582168 The Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned the Mexican Ambassador in Jerusalem for a reprimand, after protesters gathered Thursday in front of the Israeli Embassy in Mexico City and vandalised its premises. "We view the issue very gravely. We expect that Mexico will fulfil its international obligations," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, Emmanuel Nahshon, said, according to Times of Israel. Demonstrators attacked the Israeli Embassy in Mexico City on Thursday, and sprayed graffiti on its walls that included "Death to Israel" and other slogans. The protesters demanded the extradition of former Mexican official, Tomas Zeron, who was involved in the disappearance of 43 students in the country in 2014. Zeron, who previously headed Mexico's Criminal Investigation Agency, currently resides in Israel. READ: Chile's […]]]> 582168 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220822-egypt-saudi-arabia-launch-bid-with-greece-to-host-fifa-world-cup-2030/ Mon, 22 Aug 2022 14:55:25 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=574714 Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Greece are planning to submit a tripartite bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. According to Egypt's Akhbar Elyom earlier this month the country's Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi held a meeting with his Saudi and Greek counterparts to finalise plans for the proposed bid. Sobhi also expressed the intention to build a large stadium in El Alamein to bolster Egypt's sporting infrastructure and meet the specifications of being a host nation. The Egyptian minister also revealed to local radio station Mega FM that "Egypt is working on applying to host the World Cup and other sports tournaments in the future". "The Egyptian state has the capabilities that qualify it to host the […]]]> 574714 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220819-fifa-sells-2-45m-tickets-for-2022-world-cup-in-qatar/ Fri, 19 Aug 2022 13:52:15 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=574174 The international football governing body FIFA said that 2.45 million tickets have been sold for the 2022 World Cup which is set to be held in Qatar. "With less than 100 days to go until the start of the greatest show on Earth, a total of 2.45 million tickets have now been sold. The first FIFA World Cup™ to be held in the Middle East and Arab world will kick off on 20 November, bringing fans from the region and across the world together in a compact and modern setting," FIFA said in a statement on its official website. The statement added that during the last phase of sales, which lasted from 5 July to 16 August, more than 520,000 […]]]> 574174 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220605-palestinians-with-links-to-the-pa-are-becoming-billionaires-while-the-rest-are-living-in-poverty-rights-activist-says/ Sun, 05 Jun 2022 08:30:41 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=559531 "I was stopped from travelling by Israel for no reason other than for my advocacy to end the daily human rights violations against Palestine," recounts Ubai Al-Aboudi, the director of the Bisan Centre for Research and Development. On 29 April, the Palestinian-American activist was attempting to cross the Israeli-controlled land border between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, to travel to Mexico to attend the World Social Forum, an annual meeting of global civil society organisations. He was banned by Israeli officials. Despite his multiple attempts to get an explanation as to why he was refused travel by the occupation, senior Israeli officials refused to provide him with an answer. "Israel couldn't have continued in its violations without international community […]]]> 559531 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220523-an-iconic-cause-for-the-wsf-with-no-free-palestine-there-is-no-other-possible-world/ Mon, 23 May 2022 17:48:59 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=557616 The last session of the World Social Forum wrapped up on 6 May in Mexico City, reporting the silencing of two further Palestinian voices who should have been present at the event that promotes the slogan "Another world is possible".  Along with other Palestinian delegates at the closing assembly, Yousef Habash, a member of the Philistia Association, confirmed: "Israeli and American authorities have banned our deputies from attending this conference." Sahar Francis, Director of the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, was prevented from boarding a plane to the United States. Ubai Aboudi, Director of the Bisan Centre for Research and Development, was detained at the border between Jordan and Israel. The Israeli occupation labelled these, and other civil […]]]> 557616 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220517-palestinians-and-their-supporters-across-latin-america-have-commemorated-the-nakba-anniversary/ Tue, 17 May 2022 12:28:26 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=555914 Many events have been held across Latin America on the 74th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, both official and popular. The Nakba — Catastrophe — was the ethnic cleansing of Palestine and the creation of the Zionist state of Israel by terror gangs helped by the British Mandate authorities. More than 750,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes and villages at gunpoint. At least 500 Palestinian towns and villages have since been razed to the ground by Israel in the effort to Judaise historic Palestine. With more than 15,000 Palestinians killed during the Nakba, the refugees fled to the West Bank, Gaza Strip and neighbouring Arab countries. They and their descendants have never been allowed to fulfil their legitimate right […]]]> 555914 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220517-un-israels-expulsion-of-palestinian-community-inhumane-illegal/ Tue, 17 May 2022 09:25:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=555888 The United Nations said yesterday that Israel's expulsion of 13 Palestinian communities in  the occupied West Bank in order to conduct military exercises is "inhumane and illegal." This came during a visit by UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Samer Abdel Jaber, to Masafer Yatta area of the southern occupied West Bank, to meet Palestinian residents at risk of forcible transfer. He was joined by officials from five UN Agencies and 11 NGOs, as well as diplomats representing 24 countries, including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkiye, the United Kingdom and the European Union joined Abdel Jaber during his visit. "Following the recent court ruling on Massafer Yatta, I call upon the Israeli government to allow residents to remain here with dignity," Abdel Jaber said. "Living here in safety is what residents wish for, as […]]]> 555888 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220323-mexico-foreign-minister-embarks-on-10-day-tour-of-middle-east-india/ Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:26:17 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=545273 Mexican Foreign Minister, Marcelo Ebrard, on Tuesday, begins a tour of the Middle East and India lasting 10 days for talks covering a jump in energy prices, investment opportunities and efforts to prevent a potential food crisis, his Ministry said, and Reuters reports. The international trip is the longest the Foreign Minister has undertaken, an official from the Ministry said. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has given priority to the domestic policy agenda, and the Ebrard tour comes as the government hopes to get an investment boost from the war in Ukraine as international capital seeks fresh destinations. Accompanied by a group of business leaders, Ebrard will make his first stop from 23 – 25 March in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, […]]]> 545273 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220303-pa-mexico-sign-deals-to-promote-sustainable-development-projects-in-palestine/ Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:31:08 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=539814 The Palestinian International Cooperation Agency (PICA) signed an agreement with the government of Mexico to build strategic partnerships and strengthen cooperation between the two countries through development programmes. According to the Wafa News Agency, technical expertise will be exchanged between PICA and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) and cooperative relations will be established in various fields including education, communications and information technology, health, environment and agriculture. In a region rife with conflicts and now battling the health and socio-economic impacts of Covid-19, AMEXCID says such projects are vital for some degree of regional stability. "The aim of developing cooperative relations as well as enhancing common interests between the two parties is to promote sustainable development and achieve […]]]> 539814 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20220216-ocasio-cortez-calls-out-israel-for-detaining-palestinian-children-in-cage-like-prisons/ Wed, 16 Feb 2022 15:48:06 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=536538 Democrat representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has accused Israel of putting Palestinian children in cage-like prisons during a campaign rally for Greg Casar, who is running for Congress in Texas. At the Democratic Socialists of America event, Ocasio-Cortez compared migrant children at the US-Mexico border to Palestinian children in the West Bank, indicating that they were both in cages. "Palestine is basically a banned word. It's censored. We don't talk about it. No one knows about it… we shouldn't allow people's humanity to be censored in the United States of America," Ocasio-Cortez said. She went on to speak against charges of anti-Semitism that she says are levelled against some of Israel's biggest critics in the House, such as US Congresswomen Ilhan Omar […]]]> 536538 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/20211221-saudi-disputes-reports-that-potential-terrorist-arrested-in-us-was-a-citizen/ Tue, 21 Dec 2021 15:27:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=521530 Saudi Arabia's embassy in the US has denied reports that a "potential terrorist" arrested in the State of Arizona last week was a Saudi national. The 21-year-old was detained by Border Patrol agents on Thursday night after illegally entering the country from Mexico. Yesterday, Yuma Sector Chief Border Patrol Agent Christ Clem tweeted that "The 21-year-old migrant from Saudi Arabia is linked to several Yemeni subjects of interest." Although he did not elaborate further on the latter. Based on the engagement with the relevant U.S authorities on this matter, the Embassy confirms that the individual mentioned here is not a Saudi citizen. We will continue to coordinate with the US govt and bring forward any facts on this matter. https://t.co/u81j7Bisa4 — Saudi […]]]> 521530 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211214-pro-palestine-mexican-congresswoman-ramirez-is-grateful-to-the-people-of-turkey/ Tue, 14 Dec 2021 09:36:24 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=520069 Julieta Ramirez is a congresswoman in Mexico, a role she took on when she was just 26 years old. She was one of the participants from Latin America at the fourth Conference of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds in Ankara earlier this month. Her political life started when she sought to improve conditions in her home town of Mexicali, a border town in Baja California. She was supported by her parents, who drove her from place to place for a youth group that organised political, ecological and social activities. At the time, she had no political party or defined ideology to follow. Ramirez went on to study law at the state university, where she collaborated with the UN and participated in the […]]]> 520069 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211130-latin-american-officials-join-parliamentarians-for-al-quds-conference/ Tue, 30 Nov 2021 11:34:55 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=516278 A delegation of parliamentarians from Latin America arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara today to take part in the two-day Parliamentarians for Al-Quds conference. The President of the Association of Parliamentarians for Al-Quds in Latin America, Ahmed Said Murad, from Brazil joined the delegation, along with Congresswoman in the Parliament of Mercosur Julie Berry, the Bolivian Minister of Justice Virginia Valasco, Uruguayan Congresswoman Sandra Lazo, Chilean Congressman Sergio Gahona, Mexican Congresswoman Julieta Ramirez, Congresswoman from Guatamala Andrea Villagren, and Brazilian Congresswoman Perpetua Almeida. Arriving following an invitation by the Turkish government, the officials will attend a conference, which aims to enhance efforts to support Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause by activating the role of parliamentarians locally, regionally and internationally. In […]]]> 516278 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211111-the-people-vs-cop26-our-fate-is-in-our-hands/ Thu, 11 Nov 2021 08:32:42 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=509372 Of all the speeches and political grandstanding at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), the words of Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, were the most profound and least hypocritical. Lopez Obrador raged against the "technocrats and neoliberals"—world leaders who hold the future of humanity in their hands. This was a direct reference to leaders of the powerful countries that "increase their fuel production, at the same time that they hold summits for the protection of the environment," while arriving in Glasgow on private jets. Indeed, hypocrisy continues to define what is meant to be a collective global fight against climate change and its ravaging, often deadly consequences. Over-consumption, inequality and unchecked capitalism were hardly the […]]]> 509372 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210926-mexico-asks-israel-to-extradite-ex-official-over-missing-students-case/ Sun, 26 Sep 2021 10:58:47 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=496847 Mexico has sent a letter to Israel's government urging it to facilitate the extradition of a former Mexican official in charge of a controversial investigation into the disappearance of 43 student teachers seven years ago, a senior official said on Friday, reports Reuters. Tomas Zeron, former head of Mexico's criminal investigation agency, has since last year been in Israel, where he went to evade a probe into his handling of the investigation into the disappearances, according to Mexican government officials. Mexican authorities and relatives of the missing youths have accused Zeron of planting evidence to support the previous administration's version of what happened to the 43 students after their abduction on the night of September 26, 2014. Zeron, who could […]]]> 496847 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210721-israels-national-security-council-looking-into-nso-spyware-allegations/ Wed, 21 Jul 2021 14:27:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=484062 Israel has set up a senior inter-ministerial team to "look into" proliferating allegations that spyware sold by a Israeli cyber firm has been abused on a global scale, an Israeli source said on Wednesday, while adding that an export review was unlikely, Reuters reported. The team is headed by Israel's National Security Council, which answers to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and has broader areas of expertise than the Defence Ministry, which oversees exports of NSO Group's Pegasus software, the source said. "This event is beyond the Defence Ministry purview," the source said, referring to potential diplomatic blowback after prominent media reports this week of suspected abuses of Pegasus in France, Mexico, India, Morocco and Iraq. On Wednesday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said […]]]> 484062 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210721-israels-pegasus-spyware-global-weapon-to-silence-critics/ Wed, 21 Jul 2021 10:01:37 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=484034 On March 2, 2017, Mexican journalist Cecilio Pineda took out his mobile phone and in a Facebook live broadcast spoke about alleged collusion between state and local police and the leader of a drug cartel. Two hours later, he was dead – shot at least six times by two men on a motorcycle, Anadolu Agency reported. It was a few weeks later that Forbidden Stories – a global network of journalists engaged in investigations – confirmed that not just Pineda, but also the state prosecutor who investigated the case, Xavier Olea Pelaez, were the targets of Israel's Pegasus spyware in the weeks and months before his murder. Pineda's phone was also never found, as it had disappeared from the crime scene by […]]]> 484034 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210719-50000-phones-on-target-list-in-global-hacking-scandal-involving-israels-nso-group/ Mon, 19 Jul 2021 11:59:41 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=483772 The notorious Israeli spyware developed by the NSO Group, Pegasus, is at the centre of an international scandal involving the alleged phone hacking of more than 180 journalists, lawyers, and human rights activists from across the world, targeted for the purpose of snooping by authoritarian regimes including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The scale of the hacking, however, uncovered from leaked data, is likely to be much higher. As many as 50,000 phone numbers were said to have been selected for surveillance using the Israeli snooping technology, according to details of the investigation uncovering the hacking by the Pegasus Project, a ground-breaking collaboration by more than 80 journalists from 17 media organisations in ten countries. The group's work was co-ordinated […]]]> 483772 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210715-israel-exploits-case-of-mexico-official-wanted-for-torture-murder-for-diplomatic-gain/ Thu, 15 Jul 2021 12:12:02 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=483307 The notorious case of former top Mexican official wanted in connection with the torture, abduction and murder of 43 students, and for embezzling $50 million of state funds, has become mired in a diplomatic tussle between Israel and Mexico over the occupation state's treatment of Palestinians. Tomás Zerón de Lucio, the former director of Mexico's equivalent of the FBI, fled to Israel following the opening of an investigation into his role in the 2014 Iguala mass kidnapping, which continues to cause a storm in Mexico to this day. Zeron headed the criminal investigation, but his report was discredited after it was discovered that crucial testimony was obtained under torture, evidence was mishandled and promising leads ignored. Zeron has dismissed the […]]]> 483307 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210512-latin-america-calls-for-sanctions-to-end-israels-apartheid/ Wed, 12 May 2021 09:30:10 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=470469 Organisations from across Latin America have come together to "strongly condemn brutal Zionist terrorism and the ongoing Israeli atrocities against believers and protesters in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound", they said in a statement. The statement said the groups also denounced "attempts to evict the residents of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and the current military attacks by the Israeli occupying forces against civilians, which are not an exception to the systematic historical oppression that the Palestinian people have endured for more than 70 years." "These is part of the Zionist plan of ethnic cleansing and Apartheid against the Palestinians, in their attempt to Judaize the Palestinian lands and the Holy City of Jerusalem," they added. READ: Resistance in Jerusalem established a […]]]> 470469 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210413-powerful-and-dangerous-israel-firm-faltering-in-bid-to-shut-down-phone-hacking-lawsuit/ Tue, 13 Apr 2021 13:46:45 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=465821 The "powerful and dangerous" Israeli spyware firm NSO Group has suffered a major setback in its bid to shut down a lawsuit over the hacking of WhatsApp. Facebook, which owns the popular messaging service, filed a lawsuit against the Israeli firm two years ago alleging that NSO marketed and maintained spyware used to compromise the accounts of journalists, human rights activists, and dissidents around the world. Though interest in the case faltered, American attention over the spyware's use was raised three months ago when the Israeli firm was labelled "powerful and dangerous" in a joint legal filing. Calls were made for the company to be held liable to US anti-hacking laws. Arguments heard yesterday before the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals […]]]> 465821 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210318-us-arrested-3-yemenis-on-terror-watchlist-at-mexico-border-in-2020/ Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:31:26 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=461690 The US Customs and Border Protection agency informed the Congress on Tuesday that four people were arrested at America's southern border on 1 October last year whose names match the FBI's Terrorist Screening Database or watch list, Axios news site reported. Axios quoted a congressional aide briefed on the correspondence as saying that three of the detainees were from Yemen and the other was from Serbia. Republican House members who visited the border on Monday claimed that an unspecified number of migrants crossing the border had names matching those on the terror watch list. However, the Washington Post said there is no indication that any bona fide terrorist has been encountered at any point along the southern border. According to Axios, the majority of migrants arriving in […]]]> 461690 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210115-mexico-to-open-200-cinemas-in-saudi-arabia-by-2023/ Fri, 15 Jan 2021 02:13:57 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=448799 Mexican Cinépolis is planning to open 200 cinemas in Saudi Arabia within two years, local media reported on Wednesday. Cinépolis recently opened two new cinemas in Saudi Arabia's cities of Jeddah and Dammam as part of the kingdom's "Saudi Vision 2030", which is reported by the government to be aimed at diversifying the country's oil-dependent economy. "In cooperation with Saudi Arabia's Al-Hokair Group and our regional partner in the United Arab Emirates, Al-Tayer Group, we will invest $300 million over five years in operating cinemas across the kingdom," Cinépolis Gulf CEO Alejandro Aguilera told SPA, adding that the project aims to "offer job opportunities to more Saudi nationals." "Cinépolis is proud to be contributing to the kingdom's 'Vision 2030' by […]]]> 448799 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200609-opec-gulf-countries-wont-continue-extended-oil-output-cuts/ Tue, 09 Jun 2020 08:29:52 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=405240 Gulf countries will not continue a reduction of oil output by an extra 1.18 million barrels per day (bpd) in July as part of an agreement made by the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Russia and other producers – a group known as OPEC+. The two groups agreed in April to cut oil supply by 9.7 million bpd in May and June. On Saturday, they said they would sustain those cuts through July. An OPEC source yesterday told Reuters that the extension would not include "additional voluntary cuts by trio Gulf producers, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait." In addition, Mexican Energy Minister, Rossio Nali, said on Sunday his country would not extend oil production cuts until the end of July. […]]]> 405240 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200412-saudi-mexican-clash-stops-record-oil-cut-deal-despite-us-pressure/ Sun, 12 Apr 2020 10:27:54 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=396485 Top oil nations struggled to finalise record output cuts at G20 talks on Friday to boost prices slammed by the coronavirus crisis, as Saudi Arabia clashed with Mexico despite US President Donald Trump's mediation offer, reports Reuters. OPEC led by Saudi Arabia and its allies led by Russia, which together make up the informal OPEC+ group, had forged a pact to curb crude production by 10 million barrels per day (bpd) or 10% of global supplies in marathon talks on Thursday. Russia and OPEC said they wanted other producers including the United States and Canada to cut a further 5%. But efforts to conclude the deal hit the buffers when Mexico said it would only cut output by a quarter […]]]> 396485 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191030-whatsapp-sues-israels-nso-for-allegedly-helping-spies-hack-phones-around-the-world/ Wed, 30 Oct 2019 02:47:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=369389 WhatsApp sued Israeli surveillance firm NSO Group on Tuesday, accusing it of helping government spies break into the phones of roughly 1,400 users across four continents in a hacking spree whose targets included diplomats, political dissidents, journalists, and senior government officials, Reuters reports. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco, messaging service WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook Inc, accused NSO of facilitating government hacking sprees in 20 countries. Mexico, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were the only countries identified. WhatsApp said in a statement that 100 civil society members had been targeted, and called it "an unmistakable pattern of abuse." NSO denied the allegations. "In the strongest possible terms, we dispute today's allegations and will […]]]> 369389 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191002-trump-suggested-soldiers-shoot-migrants-in-the-leg-to-deter-them-from-entering-the-us/ Wed, 02 Oct 2019 13:40:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=364890 A New York Times report has revealed that US President Donald Trump suggested soldiers shoot migrants crossing the Mexico border in the leg and that a moat filled with alligators and snakes be dug out to deter them from entering. After interviewing over a dozen White House and administration officials anonymously, the NYT has shed light on what took place in a meeting in the Oval Office in March. Trump reportedly told his advisers to shut down the 2,000 mile border with Mexico by midday the following day. It was in private that he talked about the snake-filled moat, adding that he wanted an electrified wall with human flesh piercing spikes. Trump ordered that the construction of the wall should […]]]> 364890