Middle East & North Africa

AMMAN, Mar 26 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan’s Foreign Ministry, yesterday, condemned Israel’s announcement, to offer tenders for building over a thousand new settlement units, in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Sinan Al-Majali, said in a statement that, constructing these units constitutes a clear violation of international law, notably Security Council Resolution 2334.

He emphasised that, Israel’s settlement policy undermines the foundations of peace and efforts to achieve a two-state solution, based on international legitimacy.

DUBAI, March 26 (Reuters) - Standard Chartered (STAN.L) plans to sell its Jordanian business to Arab Jordan Investment Bank (AJIB) (AJIB.AM), the two parties said on Sunday, as the emerging markets-focused lender presses ahead with plans to exit seven markets in Africa and the Middle East.

The bank entered into an agreement with AJIB, subject to central bank approval, which will see Standard Chartered's corporate, commercial and institutional banking, consumer lending and private banking businesses migrated to AJIB.

JERUSALEM, March 26 (Reuters) - A top lawmaker from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party echoed on Sunday a call by the defence chief to pause a contested judicial overhaul, and raised the possibility that the government's parliamentary majority could be eroded.

Dissent from the premier's own party and cabinet has compounded months of unprecedented mass protests by Israelis who fear the package of reforms could endanger court independence.

RAMALLAH, March 25 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army on Saturday night sealed off the northern West Bank district of Nablus following a drive-by shooting attack that wounded two Israeli soldiers in the town of Huwara, Palestinian security sources said.

The sources told Xinhua that following the shooting attack, Israeli army forces imposed a total siege on the district and blocked the roads leading to Nablus and many of the neighboring towns and villages to deny Palestinian vehicles access.

25 Mar 2023; MEMO: Algeria and France have ended their diplomatic crisis and agreed to "reinforce mutual cooperation," news agencies reported on Friday. This came following a phone call between the presidents of both countries.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to reinforce contact between the two countries: "In order to avoid facing misunderstandings," the French presidency announced.

25 Mar 2023; MEMO: The National Democratic Assembly (NDA) on Friday condemned the "cowardly attack" on the house of the Salesian Sisters (of Saint John) in the city of Nazareth several days ago, Arab48.com reported.

In a statement, the NDA asserted: "Such repeated attacks reflect the police's unwillingness to fight crime and violence in the Arab communities."

25 Mar 2023; MEMO: Between Thursday and Friday morning, the Syrian National Earthquake Centre recorded 34 tremors hitting Syria and Turkiye with intensities ranging between 4.1 and 4.9 magnitudes, with a depth of 67.5 kilometres.

25 Mar 2023; MEMO: Senior Israeli army officials have warned of a major crisis in light of "tangible threats of multi-front escalation," Akka news website reported on Friday.

26 Mar 2023; MEMO: Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Saturday called on the government to halt legislation on changes to the judiciary, saying the bitter dispute over the measures poses a danger to national security, Reuters reports.

"The deepening split is seeping into the military and security agencies – this is a clear, immediate and real danger to Israel's security. I will not facilitate this," Gallant said in a brief televised statement.

26 Mar 2023; MEMO: A top lawmaker from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party echoed on Sunday a call by the defence chief to pause a contested judicial overhaul, and raised the possibility that the government's parliamentary majority could be eroded, Reuters reports.

Dissent from the premier's own party and cabinet has compounded months of unprecedented mass protests by Israelis who fear the package of reforms could endanger court independence.