https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 13:31:30 +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/20230705-number-of-asylum-applications-in-the-eu-reaches-highest-6-year-record/ Wed, 05 Jul 2023 14:44:29 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=649999 The number of asylum applications in the European Union reached 996,000 in 2022, the highest in six years, according to an annual report published by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) on Tuesday. Most asylum seekers in Europe come from Syria, Afghanistan, Turkiye, Venezuela and Colombia. The number of Ukrainians who fled their country due to the Russian war was counted in a separate census. Around four million of them live in the European Union, with special temporary protection status. The Russian invasion of Ukraine caused forced displacement of unprecedented levels in recent decades in Europe, and added pressure on already-saturated reception systems. Many of the 27 member states of the European Union, including Italy, Poland and Sweden, are […]]]> 649999 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230503-the-palestinian-cause-and-argentinas-equidistant-policy/ Wed, 03 May 2023 14:07:00 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=632759 Although geographically distant, Argentina has a history of solidarity with Palestine. Before the approval of the UN Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, the South American country was a contender as a possible location for a "national home for the Jews". This idea appeared in Theodor Herzl's The Jewish State published in 1896. Argentina was identified as one of the options for the Zionist project, along with Palestine, due to the fertility of its lands and its small population at that time. According to the Zionist ideologue, Argentina was "one of the most fertile countries in the world, [that] extends over a vast area, has a sparse population, and a mild climate." Herzl believed that, "The Argentine Republic would derive […]]]> 632759 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230424-descendants-of-ottomans-in-latin-america-los-turcos/ Mon, 24 Apr 2023 12:52:03 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=630888 Many Ottomans who migrated from the Ottoman Empire to Latin American countries in the 19th century in search of a better life and were described as "Los Turcos" (Turkish people) have achieved significant success in many fields from politics to business, from art to literature. There were various waves of migration from the Ottoman Empire to Latin America from 1860 to the end of World War I, while World War II forced even more people to migrate to Latin America. Some immigrants were first greeted by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and preferred to stay in Latin America, although they set off for the US hoping to see the Statue of Liberty. Immigrants who arrived […]]]> 630888 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230328-palestinian-activists-gather-from-across-latin-america-to-boost-cause/ Tue, 28 Mar 2023 14:54:39 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=625060 The Palestinian Latin Forum has participated in the second conference of the Palestinian National Union (UPAL) held recently in Barranquilla, Colombia. The conference lasted for three days and was attended by Palestinian and foreign delegations from various countries across Latin America, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia and El Salvador. The aim of the conference was to renew Palestinian activism in Latin America, building trust and cohesion across its broad spectrum of Palestinian society, seeking a more effective role and building a political entity that represents all Palestinian communities across the continent. The conference also attacked the Palestinian Authority and the Oslo normalisation process and affirmed its rejection and lack of recognition of both. It also stressed its refusal […]]]> 625060 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230318-panama-detains-head-of-brazil-palestine-institute/ Sat, 18 Mar 2023 10:32:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=623017 Panamanian authorities on Thursday evening detained President of the Brazil-Palestine Institute (IBRASPAL) Ahmed Shehada at Tocumen International Airport and withdrew his Brazilian passport, Quds Press reported. Shehada was travelling to Colombia to participate in the second conference for the Palestinian Union in Latin America, taking place between 17 and 19 March in Barranquilla. Brasil 247 reported that Shehada was questioned by Panamanian intelligence, who failed to confiscate his mobile phone. According to Brasil 247, ministers from the government of Brazilian President Lula da Silva asked the Foreign Ministry to contact the Brazilian Embassy in Panama to obtain support for Shehada, who is a Brazilian citizen. Following these contacts, Panama decided to deport Shehada back to Brazil. READ: Universities are building bridges between Brazil […]]]> 623017 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/20230120-colombia-renames-main-street-after-state-of-palestine/ Fri, 20 Jan 2023 11:08:52 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=607497 The Municipal Council of the Colombian capital, Bogotá, approved on Thursday, by an overwhelming majority, a proposal to rename one of the city's main streets the "State of Palestine" Street. The proposal was presented in cooperation with the Embassy of Palestine several times over the years, and was approved by a majority of votes during discussion at the Fifth Committee last year. A representative of Humane Colombia, Ana Teresa Bernal, said the proposal is a recognition of Palestine as a State and people, as well as its right to exist. Over the years, the Israeli lobby has worked tirelessly to thwart the proposal under the pretext that Jewish residents live in the same street, which negatively impacts their psychology. The […]]]> 607497 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/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/20220624-colombia-elects-1st-leftist-president-in-its-history-a-great-supporter-of-palestine/ Fri, 24 Jun 2022 09:48:07 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=563372 In Colombia, where  some 13,000 Palestinians reside, the leftist candidate Gustavo Petro has won the presidential election after he defeated his far-right rival Rodolfo Hernandez. The 62-year-old's victory represents a major revival for Colombia's progressive left in Latin America as it joined left-wing parties in Chile, Peru, Mexico and Argentina for the first time. According to figures published by Colombia´s electoral authority, Petro won 50.44 per cent of the votes compared to the 47.31 per cent achieved by his opponent. "Today is a day of celebration for the people. Let them celebrate the first popular victory. May so much suffering be cushioned in the joy that floods the heart of our country today ," Petro said on Twitter. Petro was […]]]> 563372 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211029-colombia-recognises-moroccos-sovereignty-over-western-sahara/ Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:26:11 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=505994 Colombia yesterday recognised Morocco's sovereignty over the Western Sahara. During a visit to Rabat yesterday, Colombian Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marta Lucia Ramirez, highlighted her country's support for Morocco's position on the Western Sahara, adding that the Colombian embassy in the North African country will extend its jurisdiction to all "Moroccan territory, including southern provinces." The official also signed a Visa Exemption Agreement which will allow Colombian nationals to travel to Morocco without visas from 28 November. Con el Canciller de Marruecos, Nasser Bourita, se logró Acuerdo de Exención de Visas, con el propósito que nuestros nacionales puedan visitar, hacer turismo y encontrar oportunidades de negocio en este país. Entra en vigor el 28 de noviembre del […]]]> 505994 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210610-egypt-one-of-10-countries-apple-will-not-offer-feature-protecting-users-web-browsing-data/ Thu, 10 Jun 2021 11:29:51 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=476867 Egypt is one of ten countries where Apple Inc will not be offering its new private relay service, a feature which will prevent service providers and advertisers from being able to access a user's web browser behaviour. Apple announced the private relay service at its annual software conference on Monday. The private relay will also not be offered in China, Belarus, Colombia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda and the Philippines. One Twitter user wrote, "@Apple Thank you for helping some dictatorships." Why Apple has excluded Egypt is not clear yet, Madr Masr said in a Twitter post that Apple has said that it is not offering the service in China for "regulatory reasons". In 2018 Apple moved digital keys […]]]> 476867 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210513-israels-attacks-on-palestinians-qualify-as-state-terrorism/ Thu, 13 May 2021 14:47:00 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=470686 The Palestinian cause is a trickling genocide, slow but relentless, the president of the Confederation of Palestinian Communities in Latin America and the Caribbean (COPLAC) said Wednesday, Anadolu Agency reported. In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Rafael Araya Masry said "there are grounds to talk about state terrorism carried out by Israel" in the ongoing airstrikes in Gaza which have left at least 67 people dead, including 17 children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. "It's not for nothing that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has launched an investigation against Israel for war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip with its bombings but adding a factor that is not minor: the colonization of the Palestinian territories. Colonization is a war crime," Masry […]]]> 470686 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/20210210-amnesty-uk-has-failed-to-support-rights-advocates-in-egypt/ Wed, 10 Feb 2021 14:53:06 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=455455 A new report by Amnesty International says that health workers, lawyers, journalists and rights activists in several countries including Egypt have failed to get support or funding from British embassies during the coronavirus pandemic. The report was published amid a surge in attacks on human rights defenders and calls on the UK government to do more to protect them, including developing a strategy to guide its global work on rights advocates. Interviews with 82 human rights defenders from Egypt, Afghanistan, Libya, Colombia, Russia, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines revealed that they were targeted because of their work protecting and promoting human rights. It found that only six per cent had been offered help in response to threats against them. In Egypt, journalists, medics […]]]> 455455 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210107-lebanese-colombian-extradited-from-west-africa-to-us/ Thu, 07 Jan 2021 13:04:24 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=446524 A Colombian man of Lebanese descent will be extradited to the US to face money laundering charges, a Cape Verde court ruled on Monday. Special envoy to Venezuela Alex Nain Saab Moran, 48, will now be extradited to the US to face prosecution for money laundering offences related to a bribery scheme allegedly sanctioned by President Nicolas Maduro's government. Under the scheme, Saab, who has often been described as President Nicolas Maduro's front man, and his associate Alvaro Pulido Vargas were awarded a government contract to construct low-income housing units, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) reported. The contract allowed the pair to take advantage of the government-controlled exchange rate and obtain low priced US dollars by submitting fake import documents for goods they never imported. According […]]]> 446524 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200821-colombia-accuses-venezuela-of-trying-to-acquire-iran-missiles/ Fri, 21 Aug 2020 11:51:23 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=417776 Colombian President Ivan Duque has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of seeking to purchase missiles from its ally Iran. "There is information from international intelligence agencies which work with us showing that there is an interest from the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro to acquire some medium- and long-range missiles through Iran," Duque said. According to the right-wing Colombian leader, the missiles "have not yet arrived" in Venezuela, but the country's Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino had been put in charge of Venezuela's "approaches" to Iran over acquiring the weapons. Duque also reiterated frequently made accusations that Maduro sends weapons made in Russia and Belarus to Colombian armed groups and supports former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel […]]]> 417776 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191224-11-presidents-in-latin-america-have-had-arab-origins/ Tue, 24 Dec 2019 13:47:38 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=377717 Unique in the modern era, there have been 11 presidents in Latin America with Arab origins (ten plus one President-elect), a result of more than a century of Arab migration to the region. Throughout this period, Arab migrants have been considered as a significant and important section of society. All 11 presidents are of either Lebanese, Syrian or Palestinian origin. Carlos Menem Carlos Menem is the longest ruling president among those with Arab origins. He governed Argentina for ten years, from 8 July 1989, to 10 December 1999. Menem was born to Syrian parents who migrated to Argentina. He studied law, supported the exiled Argentine leader in Spain, Juan Perón, and protested against dictatorship. Having won the 1989 presidential election, […]]]> 377717 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191220-palestine-and-the-stifling-status-quo/ Fri, 20 Dec 2019 00:50:34 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=377089 "All attempts at trying to limit UNRWA's mandate or defund it or attack it have failed, and we hope that the international community will continue to come to the rescue." These were the words of senior Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) official, Dr Hanan Ashrawi, in response to the news that the United Nations has voted to extend the mandate of the agency responsible for the welfare of Palestinian refugees. It is easy to fall into the trap of celebrating the American-Israeli defeat and the supposed triumph of the international community following the overwhelming vote – 169 in favour, 9 abstentions and with the US and Israel voting against it – on December 13. After all, the US and Israel have […]]]> 377089 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190524-israeli-who-headed-colombia-child-prostitution-ring-arrested-in-portugal/ Fri, 24 May 2019 09:28:40 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=345092 An ex-Israeli soldier wanted in Colombia for heading a child prostitution ring and sex trafficking offences has been arrested in Portugal. Forty-five-year-old Assi Ben-Mosh – also known as Assi Moosh – was arrested near the Portuguese capital Lisbon on Wednesday during an operation by Spain's Guardia Civil police force. The Guardia Civil said in a statement that Ben-Mosh is thought to have been hiding on the Spanish island of Ibiza, and then in Barcelona, before eventually being arrested in Portugal this week. It added that Ben-Mosh had been using a fake Israeli ID, the Times of Israel reported yesterday. Ben-Mosh is wanted by Colombian authorities for running a child prostitution ring in the small fishing village of Taganga, located on […]]]> 345092 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190120-yemen-explosion-kills-5-mine-clearance-experts-including-a-brit/ Sun, 20 Jan 2019 13:50:31 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=324598 Five foreign mine clearance experts were killed in an explosion in Yemen's eastern Marib city on Sunday, according to local sources. A number of mines exploded inside the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance MASAM in the city, a source with the center told Anadolu Agency. "The landmines were gathered by the experts to be disposed, but they exploded," the source said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. A security source said Deputy Programme Manager at Masam Johan 'H' den Haan, a Briton of South African origin, was among those killed in the explosion. The other dead experts were from Colombia and African countries, the source said, without giving further details. There was no comment […]]]> 324598 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180809-new-colombia-government-to-review-decision-to-recognize-palestine/ Thu, 09 Aug 2018 03:44:13 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=301416 Colombia's new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos' recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday, Reuters reports. President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos' decision, which was detailed in a 3 August letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said. "Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law," new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement. Santos decided to recognise Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign state," according to the […]]]> 301416 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180731-ex-israel-soldier-heading-child-prostitution-ring-wanted-by-interpol/ Tue, 31 Jul 2018 12:57:22 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=300178 Three Israelis were arrested over the weekend in Colombia, along with 15 others, on suspicion of involvement in sex trafficking in the tourist city of Cartagena that included the sexual exploitation of more than 250 women and girls, Israel's Ynet news reported. It's reported that Colombian authorities also asked Interpol to arrest a former Israel soldier deported from Colombia for running a child prostitution ring. Authorities claimed that even after his expulsion, 44-year-old Israeli citizen Assi Ben-Mosh continued to manage his illicit operations in Colombia from afar. Mosh was deported to Israel after it was discovered that he was part of a group of ex-Israeli soldiers that had turned a small fishing village in Taganga into a "sex and drug […]]]> 300178 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180731-netanyahu-visits-colombia-and-the-international-community-perfects-its-silence/ Tue, 31 Jul 2018 09:57:05 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=300121 As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Colombia for the inauguration of the country's new President, Iván Duque Márquez, the international community should clarify its role once and for all as an intentional accomplice working against Palestinian rights. The last few weeks have been fraught with comments regarding Israel's Jewish Nation State Law, yet the discrepancies between words and action have dominated the public sphere. While Israel is following a set schedule to advance its colonisation of Palestine, the international community and its organisations are still floundering over past decisions and seeking to make amends, even though it is clearly too late. #ApartheidIsrael Last year, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) report — "Israeli Practices Towards […]]]> 300121 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180427-colombia-denies-having-a-polisario-diplomatic-representation-on-its-territory/ Fri, 27 Apr 2018 00:50:14 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=287190 287190 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171129-ex-israel-soldier-heading-child-prostitution-ring-deported-from-colombia/ Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:21:02 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=267175 A former Israeli soldier was deported from Colombia for alleged links to a criminal network suspected of drug trafficking, child prostitution and tax offenses that spanned across several countries in Latin America. Forty-three-year-old Assi Moosh was expelled by Colombia and returned to Tel Aviv under escort by immigration officers last weekend. In a statement confirming the deportation, security officials said: "Police in Santa Marta, capital of the Magdalena department, hereby announce the removal of an Israeli citizen who owns a spa hotel frequented by many foreign tourists. Deportation procedures have been commenced as per law and will be carried out due to the Israeli's conduct, which has harmed Colombia's national security." Colombian news agencies reporting on the deportation revealed details […]]]> 267175