Middle East & North Africa

On their day of release, Israel places Palestinian prisoners in administrative detention

11 Oct 2019; MEMO: Israeli occupation authorities are placing Palestinian prisoners in administrative detention on the last day of their formal sentence, reported human rights group B’Tselem.

As the group explains in their latest briefing, Israeli occupation authorities use two procedures to imprison Palestinians from the West Bank: “criminal and administrative”.

Jewish terrorist involved in Duma operation prepares to join Israel army

11 Oct 2019; MEMO: Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Thursday that a Jewish terrorist who participated in the killing of members of the Dawabsheh family in the village of Duma, in the occupied West Bank, is currently located in an Israeli military establishment in preparation to join the Israeli army. Thus, Israel follows a policy of integrating terrorists who kill Palestinians in cold blood, as in the case of the killer and soldier to be, Elor Azaria.

Missiles hit Iran oil tanker off Saudi coast

11 Oct 2019; MEMO: An Iranian tanker was been hit by two missiles in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia today leading to an oil leak which is now under control, Iranian state news agency IRNA has said.

The Sabiti tanker was set ablaze and suffered heavy damage and was leaking crude about 96 kilometres from the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

“The leak of oil has stopped and the situation is under control,” IRNA said.

Turkey Says Four Killed, 70 Injured In Mortar, Rocket Fire From Syria

ANKARA, Oct 11 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Up to four civilians, including a child, were killed and 70 injured, in Turkish border towns, by mortars and rockets fired from Syria, local officials said.

“A nine-month old Syrian national and a civil servant working at the local tax office have been killed” in mortar and rocket fire that hit border towns of Akcakale and Ceylanpinar, a statement of the governor’s office of the southeastern province of Sanliurfa said.

Trump doubts public wants US involved in Syria

BEIRUT (AP) — As Turkey’s military incursion into Syria continues, President Donald Trump is telling reporters the U.S. has only two choices: Hit Ankara hard with financial sanctions or send in U.S. troops to stop the fighting between Turkish and Kurdish forces.

Trump says Turkey knows he does not support the invasion.

But he also says he doesn’t think the American people want to send troops there. He is telling reporters, “I hope we can mediate.”

Earlier Trump tweeted a third option: “Mediate a deal between Turkey and the Kurds!”

Turkey presses Syrian assault as thousands flee the fighting

AKCAKALE, Turkey (AP) — Turkey pressed its air and ground assault against U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in northern Syria on Thursday for a second day, pounding the region with airstrikes and an artillery bombardment that raised columns of black smoke in a border town and sent panicked civilians scrambling to get out.

Iran parliament speaker cancels Istanbul visit over Turkey offensive in Syria

10 Oct 2019; MEMO: Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani has cancelled his scheduled visit to the Turkish city of Istanbul following yesterday’s decision by Ankara to launch military operation “Peace Spring” in north-east Syria against Kurdish militias to establish what it calls a “

Palestinian PM in Egypt to discuss ‘economic disengagement’ from Israel

10 Oct 2019; MEMO: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh praised Egyptian efforts to support the Palestinian economy during a visit to Cairo, reported Asharq Al-Awsat.

Shtayyeh was speaking at a press conference alongside his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly.

Egypt activist Alaa Abdul Fattah beaten in prison

10 Oct 2019; MEMO: Prominent Egyptian activist Alaa Abdul Fattah has told his lawyers that he has been beaten, threatened and robbed inside prison.

Alaa is one of the key figures of the 2011 revolution. He was released from jail in March this year after serving five years for allegedly organising an illegal protest. A condition of his release was that he would be on probation for five years and was required to sleep in a police station every night.

Israel settlers raid Al-Aqsa Mosque, Ibrahim Mosque on Yom Kippur

10 Oct 2019; MEMO: Hundreds of Israeli Jewish settlers yesterday raided Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City and thousands raided the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron’s Old City, Wafa news agency reported.

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and Jewish Rabbi Yehuda Glick led the Jewish settlers to Al-Aqsa Mosque and performed Talmudic rituals, marking the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur or Atonement Day.

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