Middle East & North Africa

Israel allocates extra $500m to national security ministry

28 November 2023; MEMO: The office of Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has announced that his ministry is set to receive an extra 1.8 billion shekels ($500 million) for equipment for the police, civilian response teams, the prison service and firefighters.

Palestine child prisoner details brutal beatings by Israel forces

28 November 2023; MEMO: Muhammad Nezzal, a Palestinian child released as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas, said some prisoners lost consciousness due to beatings by Israeli forces in prison, Anadolu Agency reports.

Nezzal, who was arrested three months ago in Kabatiye, affiliated with Jenin in the West Bank and placed under “administrative detention” for six months, spoke to Anadolu after being released in the fourth group of the agreement.

Israel, US spy chiefs meet Qatar PM to discuss 'building on' Gaza truce

28 November 2023; MEMO: The leaders of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel’s Mossad met Qatar’s prime minister in Doha today to build on the two-day extension of a truce between Israel and Hamas, a source briefed on the visit said.

The meeting was “to build on the progress of the extended humanitarian pause agreement and to initiate further discussions about the next phase of a potential deal,” the source told Reuters.

Turkish Prez Erdogan tells UN chief that Israel must face international courts over Gaza crimes

29 November 2023; MEMO: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today that Israel must be held accountable in international courts for the war crimes it has committed in Gaza, Reuters has reported.

Illegal Israel settlers have killed more Palestinians in West Bank since 7 October than in 2022

28 November 2023; MEMO: The number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army in the Occupied West Bank since 7 October has exceeded the number of Palestinians killed in the last year, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, Anadolu Agency reports.

It said,

"the army and settlers have since killed 242 Palestinians in the West Bank, including Occupied East Jerusalem"

Russia accuses US of ‘destructive role’ in escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict

29 November 2023; MEMO: Russia’s deputy permanent representative to the UN has accused the US of playing a “destructive role” in the latest escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict due to Washington’s Middle East policies.

Ben-Gvir threatens to dissolve Israel gov’t if bombing of Gaza stops

29 November 2023; MEMO: Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has threatened to dissolve the coalition government if the bombing of Gaza stops.

Ben-Gvir said in a post on X yesterday: “Stopping the war = dissolution of the government.”

The far-right minister’s threat coincided with talk about a possible new agreement for a long-term humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip.

Israel left premature Palestinian babies to 'die alone' after evacuating Gaza hospital

29 November 2023; MEMO: A video revealed a new crime committed by the Israeli occupation army, after it forced medical staff of Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital in Gaza without the five premature Palestinian babies who were being cared for.

The five infants were found “dead and in a state of decomposition” in Al-Nasr Hospital after being alone for three weeks, in what may amount to a horrific execution and a crime against humanity.

UAE: PM Kakar leaves for Kuwait on an official visit

ABU DHABI, Nov 28 (APP): Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Tuesday left for Kuwait City for an official visit after concluding his two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates.

At the Al-Bateen airport, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei and Pakistani diplomatic staff saw off the prime minister, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

Iran finalises deal to buy Russian fighter jets - Tasnim

DUBAI, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Iran has finalised arrangements for the delivery of Russian made Sukhoi su-35 fighter jets and helicopters, Iran's deputy defence minister told Iran's Tasnim news agency on Tuesday, as Tehran and Moscow forge closer military relations.

Iran's air force has only a few dozen strike aircraft, including Russian jets as well as ageing U.S. models acquired before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

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