Middle East & North Africa

14 June 2019; MEMO: Israeli authorities are pressing ahead with plans to demolish an entire Palestinian neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, human rights NGO B’Tselem reported, which will leave 550 homeless.

Wadi Yasul, located between the neighbourhoods of Abu Tur and Silwan, is home to 72 Palestinian families.

According to B’Tselem, the Jerusalem Municipality has “issued demolition orders for all the neighbourhood homes so all the families there are facing the threat of expulsion.”

14 June 2019; MEMO: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has stated that Turkey will retaliate if the US imposes sanctions on it over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defence system.

RABAT, June. 14 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan Younes M'Jahed was elected on Thursday as the new president of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), said a report by Asharq al-Awsat news webstie on Friday.

The vote took place at the 30th Congress of IFJ in Tunis from June 11 to 14.

This is the first time that an Arab and African journalist is elected to this position.

M'Jahed was recently elected as President of the National Press Council in Morocco.

TEHRAN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday that the attacks on two oil tankers in the Sea of Oman earlier on the day were "suspicious."

"Reported attacks on Japan-related tankers" occurred while the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was meeting with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "for extensive and friendly talks," Zarif tweeted on Thursday.

The Iranian foreign minister called for regional dialogue, saying that "Iran's proposed Regional Dialogue Forum is imperative."

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Latest on Mideast developments amid rising tensions in the Persian Gulf region (all times local):

3:55 p.m.

Iran’s U.N. Mission is calling for an urgent dialogue among all countries in the Persian Gulf region to ease tensions following attacks on two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

A statement late Thursday from the mission also called on the international community to prevent “the reckless and dangerous policies and practices of the U.S. and its regional allies in heightening the tensions in the region.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Latest on Mideast developments amid rising tensions in the Persian Gulf region (all times local):

1:40 p.m.

China is urging all parties to exercise restraint after the suspected attacks on two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Friday that countries should “avoid further escalation of tensions.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military on Friday released a video it said shows Iran’s Revolutionary Guard removing an unexploded limpet mine from one of the oil tankers targeted near the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting the Islamic Republic sought to remove evidence of its involvement from the scene. Iran denies being involved, accusing the U.S. instead of waging an “Iranophobic campaign” against it.

The U.S. Navy rushed to assist the stricken vessels in the Gulf of Oman, off the coast of Iran, including one that was set ablaze Thursday by an explosion.

13 June 2019; MEMO: The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem yesterday rejected an Israeli Supreme Court ruling against an appeal it filed to annul the sale of a property agreed in 2004.

The deal is related to the church’s property in Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem as well as the Muslim Quarter in the occupied holy city.

13 June 2019; MEMO: Israeli police this morning arrested the director of the restoration and reconstruction department of the Islamic Waqf, which cares for the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

Bassam Al-Hallaq was detained along with Taha Oweidah, an engineer, and Mohammad Hidra, a member of the compound’s staff.

TEHRAN, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday ruled out any negotiations with the United States over the spiky issues between the two countries, the leader's official website said.

"Iran has no trust in America," Khamenei said at his meeting with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

"Iran will never repeat the bitter experience of previous negotiations with the United States within the framework of the JCPOA (Iranian nuclear deal)," he added.