https://www.middleeastmonitor.com Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa Tue, 08 Aug 2023 13:42:37 +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/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/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/20211011-turkish-fm-meets-counterparts-from-6-countries-at-nam-summit/ Mon, 11 Oct 2021 17:06:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=500688 On Monday, the Turkish foreign minister met his counterparts from Azerbaijan, Russia, Nepal, Guatemala, Lebanon, and Iraq during his visit to Serbia, reports Anadolu Agency. Mevlut Cavusoglu arrived in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, on Sunday to attend a 2-day summit marking the 60th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), a forum of 120 developing world states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. "We continued our bilateral talks on the margins of the Non-Aligned Summit with the Foreign Ministers of Nepal, Guatemala, Lebanon, and Iraq," he said in a tweet. On his meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, Ceyhun Bayramov, Cavusoglu said they discussed bilateral relations and preparations for the Turkic Council Summit in Istanbul on […]]]> 500688 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/20210224-israel-gives-countries-that-recognise-jerusalem-as-its-capital-covid-vaccine/ Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:03:49 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=457862 Israel is to send covid vaccines to the occupied West Bank and a number of countries who have improved their relations with the occupation state, Haaretz has reported. It is unknown how many doses of the vaccine Tel Aviv plans to distribute, but the recipients are expected to be the Czech Republic, Hungary, Guatemala and Honduras, the occupied West Bank and one other unnamed country. The Czech Republic, Hungary, Guatemala and Honduras have all recognised occupied Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital. "In light of the successful vaccination campaign in Israel, the leading country in the world in inoculating the population, Israel has received many requests from the countries of the world to assist with the supply of vaccines," a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said. However, Meretz […]]]> 457862 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20201026-us-welcomes-guatemala-estonia-sanctions-on-hezbollah/ Mon, 26 Oct 2020 14:02:09 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=430755 The US welcomed decisions by Guatemala and Estonia to sanction Lebanese Hezbollah on Saturday. Guatemala said it would designate Hezbollah a terrorist organisation last week. While Estonia's foreign ministry announced additional sanctions on Hezbollah, banning the organisation's members and affiliates from entering the European state, last Thursday. Urmas Reinsalu, Estonian minister of foreign affairs, said in a statement: "Hezbollah poses a considerable threat to international – and thereby Estonian – security." "With this step Estonia stands by the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and Lithuania as well as other countries who have concluded that Hezbollah uses terrorist means and constitutes a threat to the security of many states." Estonia is the fifth European Union (EU) member state this year to break […]]]> 430755 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/20191206-political-implications-of-continued-contacts-between-abbas-and-mashal/ Fri, 06 Dec 2019 04:58:06 +0000 , Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=375105 375105 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191120-faroe-islands-defies-denmark-to-recognise-jerusalem-as-israels-capital/ Wed, 20 Nov 2019 00:39:15 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=372850 Following the lead of the US and Guatemala, the Danish realm of Faroe Islands will recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, with intentions to establish its representation there defying the wishes of Copenhagen. Faroese Foreign Minister Jenis av Rana told the Danish-language newspaper Politiken last week that he plans to open a diplomatic office in Jerusalem after the funds are allocated. Denmark has registered its objection to the move, and has no plans to move its own embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to the report. READ: US softens stance on Israel's illegal settlements Earlier this year Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed enthusiasm in allowing "more elbow room" for the Faroes' own foreign policy, even in areas "where they […]]]> 372850 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190729-israel-prepares-14m-plan-to-help-foreign-embassies-move-to-jerusalem/ Mon, 29 Jul 2019 08:29:40 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=355485 Israel's Foreign Ministry is preparing a plan worth 50 million shekels ($14.2m) to help countries move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel Hayom reported yesterday. Described as a "national diplomatic and strategic goal of the first order", the plan's implementation is important to encourage countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem, the newspaper said. It is set to be presented to the cabinet for a vote in the coming weeks, Israel Hayom continued. It comes as the Foreign Ministry found that a number of countries would be willing to move their embassies in exchange for development assistance or help improving their relations with the US. Other countries, the report said, such as Honduras and El Salvador, which agreed […]]]> 355485 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190522-turkey-ready-to-share-migration-management-experience/ Wed, 22 May 2019 07:52:50 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=344668 Turkey's foreign minister said Tuesday that Ankara is ready to share its experiences of migration management with Central American countries which are dealing with similar situations, reports Anadolu Agency. "Even though there is no world war, still there are almost 70 million displaced people," Mevlut Cavusoglu told the Turkey-Central American Integration System (SICA) Third Political Forum of Foreign Ministers. "This is one of the major challenges of our world today." "At the regional level, we try our best to address existing crisis. In Syria, for example, we use effective diplomacy in Astana and Geneva to end this long war that has caused tremendous suffering. READ: Over 470 irregular migrants held in Turkey "We also launch operations to clear an area of 4,000 square […]]]> 344668 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190325-honduran-president-calls-jerusalem-israeli-capital-not-moving-embassy-yet/ Mon, 25 Mar 2019 04:49:34 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=334997 Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez on Sunday called Jerusalem Israel's capital, saying the Central American country would open a trade office there, but he stopped short of announcing plans to move his embassy from Tel Aviv, Reuters reports. Hernandez has in recent months signalled that his government is mulling moving the Honduran embassy to Jerusalem, and made his comments on the holy city during his appearance at a conference on U.S.-Israeli relations in Washington. "Today I have announced the first step, which is to open a trade office in Jerusalem, the capital of the state of Israel, and this will be an extension of our embassy in Tel Aviv," Hernandez said in a statement issued by his government. "I've said that […]]]> 334997 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190308-israel-citizen-to-contest-guatemala-presidency/ Fri, 08 Mar 2019 14:43:59 +0000 Middle East Monitor https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=332320 An Israeli is to stand in the upcoming presidential election in Guatemala, the Times of Israel reported. Yitzhak Farhi, who grew in the Central American country, is among the founders of the National Advancement Party (PAN) which fielded two presidents in the 1990s. The 58-year-old moved to Israel 12 years ago but will be moving back to Guatemala to fun in  the June elections. If he fails in his bid to serve as government chief, Farhi plans to return to Israel, he told Ynet News. שאיפות גבוהות: הכירו את יצחק פרחי – הישראלי מרעננה שרץ לנשיאות גואטמלהhttps://t.co/qJ5RruGBGp pic.twitter.com/utPclsZdPy — ידיעות אחרונות (@YediotAhronot) March 7, 2019 Guatemala opened its embassy to Israel in occupied Jerusalem in early May. The move came […]]]> 332320 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20181012-fourth-guatemala-city-to-name-square-jerusalem-capital-of-israel/ Fri, 12 Oct 2018 12:36:28 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=310337 Four cities in Guatemala have renamed streets, squares and parks "Jerusalem the capital of Israel", YNet news reported on Wednesday. In May, Guatemala became the second country to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognise the holy city as Israel's undivided capital. The move came after US Donald Trump announced his administration's decision to make the move. This month, San Jose will become the fourth Guatemalan city to inaugurate a square named "Jerusalem the Capital of Israel", following in the footsteps of the cities of Guastatoya in June, San Diego in August and Tiquisate in September. Though numerous cities around the world have streets named after regions or cities in other countries, this is the […]]]> 310337 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180907-guatemala-city-to-name-all-streets-after-places-in-israel/ Fri, 07 Sep 2018 11:47:21 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=305501 A city in Guatemala is to name all its streets after places in Israel in a show of support for the Jewish State after Paraguay's decision to relocate its embassy back to Tel Aviv. Puerto Barrios, situated on Guatemala's east coast, passed a unanimous measure to name all the streets in the city after Israeli cities and communities. Mayor of Puerto Barrios, Licenciado Hugo Sarceño, explained the move by saying: "We believe that everyone who helps the State of Israel will be blessed by God. We are great supporters of the State of Israel, we love the citizens of Israel and are interested in deep cooperation between our countries. The connection isn't just between governments, but between the peoples of […]]]> 305501 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180524-arab-league-cancels-deals-with-guatemala-over-jerusalem-embassy-move/ Thu, 24 May 2018 09:15:10 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=291055 The Arab League has severed ties with Guatemala following the latter's decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem. Arab League spokesman, Mahmoud Afif, said in a statement yesterday that the decision is in accordance with the results of the recent Arab League meeting which condemned Guatemala for moving its embassy to Jerusalem and vowed to take appropriate political and economic measures against it. Afif explained that Guatemala had been informed of the Arab League's decision, adding that moving the embassy "is a flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions and it threatens international peace". Read: Rabat suspends twin city plan with Guatemala over Jerusalem move In his statement, Afif stressed that the Arab League calls on […]]]> 291055 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180516-guatemala-president-opens-embassy-in-jerusalem/ Wed, 16 May 2018 09:24:31 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=289673 Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales this morning inaugurated his country's embassy in occupied Jerusalem, two days after the US relocated its mission from Tel Aviv. According to the Israeli media, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined Morales to cut a blue and white ribbon at the site of the new embassy. "It is not a coincidence that Guatemala is opening its embassy in Jerusalem two days after the US. You are always among the first," Netanyahu said, recalling that Guatemala was the second nations, after the US, that recognised the State of Israel in May 1948, the Times of Israel reported. "We share so many goals and values even though were are so far away," he added. READ: Paraguay, Honduras to open […]]]> 289673 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20180503-guatemala-embassy-in-israel-opens-in-jerusalem/ Thu, 03 May 2018 10:17:55 +0000 https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/?p=287811 Guatemala opened its new embassy to Israel in occupied Jerusalem on Monday ahead of its official inauguration later this month, Haaretz reported yesterday. The embassy was moved to the Israeli Malha Technology Park and the Guatemalan flag was raised there. The official opening ceremony will take place two days after the US embassy is inaugurated in the city on 14 May. "I was moved to see the flag of Guatemala waving in Jerusalem in advance of the opening of the Guatemalan embassy later this month," Haaretz reported Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu saying. "Dear friends, welcome back to our eternal capital." After announcing his country's move to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem in March, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales told the American […]]]> 287811