Examples of continuous Israeli harassment/murder of Palestinians

[angelburst29]

Wonder what Netanyahu is up to - that he needs to self-isolate (disappear) for another week?

Israel's Netanyahu back in isolation after minister gets coronavirus

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is returning to self-isolation for another six days after his health minister was diagnosed with coronavirus, the premier's office said on Thursday.

Israelis told to wear face masks in public, mark religious holidays with close family only
All Israelis should wear face masks while in public as a precaution against the coronavirus, and upcoming Jewish, Muslim and Christian holidays should be marked only with immediate family, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.

Holy Land custodian urges Israel to let clerics celebrate Easter in Holy Sepulchre

Easter celebrations should be permitted inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, even if only by a small number of clerics abiding by anti-coronavirus guidelines, a senior clergyman said on Wednesday.

Israel links coronavirus aid for Gaza to recovering soldiers
Israel on Wednesday linked any assistance it might offer for the Gaza Strip's efforts against coronavirus progress in its attempt to recover two Israeli soldiers lost during the 2014 war in the Palestinian enclave.

1.5 million Israelis using voluntary coronavirus monitoring app

Around 1.5 million Israelis have downloaded a mobile app in the past week that alerts users who have crossed paths with a coronavirus patient, according to the Health Ministry, helping to improve tracking of the pandemic

 

[angelburst29]

The continuing saga of the Israeli election between Netanyahu and Gantz ... (throw them both out and start out with new candidates?)

Israel's Netanyahu, Gantz say near unity deal to end political deadlock

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and political rival Benny Gantz were nearing a deal on Tuesday to form a national emergency government to battle the coronavirus crisis and end the country's unprecedented political deadlock.

Israel's Netanyahu, Gantz miss government deal deadline, deadlock persists
A countdown to a fourth election in Israel in more than a year of political deadlock began on Thursday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and main rival Benny Gantz missed a deadline to form a government.

Israel to ease some coronavirus restrictions, Netanyahu says

Israel will gradually ease its coronavirus lockdown from Sunday by letting some businesses reopen and relaxing curbs on movement after a slowdown in infection rates, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Orthodox church forsakes Via Dolorosa procession in Jerusalem

The streets of Jerusalem's Old City were eerily quiet on Friday, after Greek Orthodox church authorities cancelled the traditional Easter procession along the Via Dolorosa amid a nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

 

[angelburst29]

Two devils occupying the same throne - no different then - two Pope's in Rome?

Explainer: Netanyahu hangs on in unity government in deal after inconclusive Israeli elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival Benny Gantz have signed an agreement for a unity government under which they will take turns leading Israel after three elections that neither won.

Netanyahu and rival Gantz clinch Israel power-sharing deal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his centrist election rival Benny Gantz signed a deal on Monday to form a national emergency government, ending a year of unprecedented political deadlock.

Israel's Netanyahu, rival Gantz sign unity government deal: joint statement
Israeli media reported they would take turns as prime minister, with Netanyahu going first.

Published on Apr 20, 2020 (3:33 min.)

 

[sToRmR1dR]

US to give Israel 'green light' to annex Jordan Valley within months: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that the United States may soon approve Israel's move to annex parts of the West Bank. During a

www.almasdarnews.com

2020-04-27

Iran: Israeli expansionsim result of Trump's shameful deal of century

Iran says Israel

www.presstv.com

26 April 2020

 

[Laurs]

Two devils occupying the same throne - no different then - two Pope's in Rome?

Well, some people came out protesting against this farce:

'Several thousand Israelis rallied Saturday (25th April) to demonstrate against a unity government deal reached last week that leaves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in power as he prepares to go on trial for corruption charges, the AP reports. The protesters oppose having Netanyahu as prime minister as long as he is a criminal suspect. The protesters say the unity government agreement, which gives Netanyahu influence over the appointment of judges and legal officials, "crushes democracy" and is meant to rescue Netanyahu from his legal troubles. Netanyahu is scheduled to face trial next month on charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes. He denies the charges.
Netanyahu and former military chief Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, signed the power-sharing agreement after negotiations for what they termed a "national emergency" government meant to steer the country through the coronavirus outbreak. The agreement delivered Netanyahu a significant boost as he fought to hold on to power while fending off the corruption charges. His party will gain influence over judicial appointments, which could help Netanyahu if his case reaches the Supreme Court.'

This Political Protest Includes Social Distancing

Thousands of people oppose the new unity-government deal in Israel

www.newser.com

And the protesters kept 'a safe distance' while protesting of course

 

[angelburst29]

Arab foreign ministers condemn Israeli plan to annex parts of occupied West Bank
Arab countries on Thursday condemned Israel's plan to de facto annex parts of the occupied West Bank as a "new war crime" against Palestinians, the Arab League said in a statement after a video conference of foreign ministers.

Fly-past, flags on rooftops mark Israel's independence day under lockdown

Military jets flew in formation over Tel Aviv's deserted parks and streets on Wednesday, cheered on from rooftops by flag-waving residents in face masks as Israel marked its independence day under lockdown.

As US Approaches Record Deficit, Israel Asks for Record Handout
April 29th, 2020 - Breaking Defense, a digital magazine that covers military issues, reports that Israel may ask for its U.S. aid early, possibly in a lump sum that could be as high as $7.6 billion.

The report is by Breaking Defense Israel correspondent Arie Egozi, an Israeli citizen who served in the Israeli military and is close to the Israeli security establishment.

Egozi’s article states that because of the coronavirus pandemic, “Israel’s Ministry of Defense and high command have hammered out an emergency plan for an appeal to Washington.”

The article, which carries a Tel Aviv dateline, reports: “Sources here say the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing Israel to ask Washington to make major changes to the [aid] agreement, including a request to receive the annual allocation $3.8 billion earlier than planned.”

U.S. aid to Israel is normally disbursed in October, in a lump sum that is deposited to an interest-bearing Israeli account in the New York Federal Reserve Bank. (Since the U.S. has been operating at a deficit, this means that the U.S. government borrows the money and pays interest on it long after it has gone out.)

$14,000 per minute - In addition to receiving the aid earlier than usual, a “senior source” quoted by Egozi suggests that Israel may request that the aid expected for 2024 also be disbursed this year.

If that happens, it would work out to nearly $21 million per day, or $14,460 per minute to Israel from American taxpayers suffering from a devastating hit to the U.S. economy.

Moreover, it is highly likely that when 2024 comes around, the advance would be forgiven, as have numerous U.S. “loans” to Israel, and Israel would get the aid again.

The current aid to Israel is based on a 2016 agreement by the Obama Administration to give Israel $3.8 billion annually for the next 10 years – a total of $38 billion, touted as the largest such aid package in U.S. history. Overall, Israel has received more U.S. aid than any other country, on average, 7,000 times more per capita than others.

While the Obama Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a non-binding agreement, Israel has received this sum every year since it was signed. Israel advocates in Congress are currently seeking to cement it into a law that would permit this amount to go even higher in the future.

A ‘wild idea’ Egozi reports that the former president of Israel Aerospace Industries, Joseph Weiss, said asking for the money ahead of time is “a wild idea,” but said it “makes sense in the special conditions created [in Israel] by the pandemic.”

However, it’s unlikely that this would make equivalent sense to Americans, who have been at least as hard hit by the pandemic.

Over 26 million Americans so far have lost their jobs, and many U.S. companies are facing bankruptcy. A comment below Egozi’s article suggests how Americans would respond to a massive outlay to Israel this year:

Why do Americans put up with all this money going to Israel when millions of them have no healthcare, no job, and are eating from food banks?”

To deflect such outrage, Israel partisans in the U.S. typically defend the aid by saying that it eventually goes to U.S. defense companies. However, they fail to mention that millions of dollars go to Israeli companies that compete with American businesses, often leading to job losses in the U.S. No other country receiving U.S. military aid is allowed to do this.

In addition, many Americans feel that Israel should use its own money to purchase its weaponry, as the U.S. does. They point out that if Americans wished to subsidize weapons companies, the U.S. government could simply purchase items for American use.

Similarly, a growing number of Americans object to the uses Israel makes of U.S. weapons, regularly deploying them in violation of both international law and U.S. law (also this).

However, the pro-Israel lobby in the U.S. is extremely influential in both political parties, and U.S. media rarely report on aid to Israel, so the lump sum could slip through without notice.

An administration official recently said that Israel would not need to worry about money “even if there is a depression.”

Triple the normal amount A critic of the aid, former CIA officer Philip Giraldi, points out that Israel is not an ally, and that it has often “done damage to the United States.”

Giraldi, who is currently executive director of the Council for the National Interest (CNI), notes that Israel often spies on the U.S. and has stolen American technology. It also tried to sink a U.S. Navy ship, killing 34 Americans and injuring over 170.

Giraldi feels that Egozi’s article is unclear and suggests that Israel may ask for even more money this year. He says he “would not be surprised” if they seek advances for additional years, receiving possibly triple the normal amount.

Giraldi is asking people to sign a petition by CNI calling on Congress to “stop the money to Israel.” The petition states:

…We need to take care of Americans and not send our tax money to a wealthy foreign country. Israel has already received billions of dollars from American taxpayers. It has received over $10 million per day, year after year. This year it’s time to keep our money home.”

How Are You Gonna Pay For It? Stop Giving Money to Israel
April 28th, 2020 - Did you know that the U.S. government has done something odd with your tax dollars? The ones you get so furious and indignant about when they’re used to feed anybody who’s hungry? It has given over 280 billion of those dollars to the government of Israel (not counting classified hush-hush super-secret amounts).


Source
Israel is not a poor country. It is certainly not the poorest in the world. Why is it the top recipient of “aid.”

It isn’t. Its military is. Most of those billions of dollars are for weapons, and most of those weapons have to be bought from U.S. weapons dealers — you know, the ones crammed into close quarters risking the spread of a deadly disease because their jobs have been deemed “essential.”

Economists tell us that military spending reduces jobs, that you get more jobs by never taxing the money, or by taxing it and spending it on anything else. That has to be even more strongly true when funneling the money through a foreign military. So, this scheme is the opposite of a domestic jobs program. It also has some surprising corrupting influences on U.S. state governments, which themselves pile more billions onto the mountain of free loot for the Israeli military.

A new book by Grant Smith called “The Israel Lobby Enters State Government: Rise of The Virginia Israel Advisory Board,” recounts how the state of Virginia has created a state agency called the Virginia Israel Advisory Board which uses state funds to launch Israeli companies in Virginia at the expense of Virginia companies in Virginia, while boosting Israeli imports to Virginia, and — last but not least — enriching its members with state funds. Oh, and also “attempting to insert Israeli government propaganda into the curriculum in the K-12 system” of Virginia schools at public expense.

It’s not all weapons. Have you ever bought Sabra hummus? You can’t answer no if you’ve paid taxes in Virginia.

Well, one might ask, (as is perhaps implicitly asked by the silence of Virginia media outlets) what’s so wrong in a completely corrupt political ecosystem with spreading a bit of the corruption to Israel as a sort of fifty-first state? After all, there was a Holocaust 75 years ago, and there were fascists chanting about Jews in Charlottesville 3 years ago. Surely worrying about corruption only when Israel gets in on it is Antisemitic just as worrying about Trump’s worldwide corruption only when Russians are involved is Russophobic.

I have 10 responses to that.

1) I worry about all corruption everywhere, oppose giving free weapons to any country on earth, and just wrote a book highlighting 20 of the worst governments armed and trained by the U.S. military. Israel wasn’t in that list by virtue of not technically being a dictatorship. No other nation is in this list because no other nation gets the deal from the U.S. and Virginia that Israel does.

2) Some of the motivations for arming Israel with money that’s desperately required for human and environmental needs are a lot crazier than misguided anti-Antisemitism. They involve Islamophobia, militaristic madness, and magical schemes to bring back Jesus at the expense of destroying the world — including destroying you, dear reader.

3) As Grant Smith points out, “Under the Symington and Glenn amendments now incorporated into the Arms Export Control Act, no U.S. president knowing about Israel’s nukes is supposed to approve aid transfers, absent specifically issued waivers. Rather than comply with the law, presidents pretend they don’t know Israel has nukes and issue agency wide gag orders threatening any government employee who talks about it.”

4) Israel uses its weapons for horrific wars against the trapped and brutalized people of illegally occupied territories.

5) Israel uses its weapons to enforce a vicious Apartheid state.

6) Israel uses its weapons to train U.S. police departments in how to treat the U.S. public as a wartime enemy.

7) Israel pushes the United States toward illegal, murderous, catastrophic wars and programs of sanctions.

8) The United States is already too big and doesn’t need another state from thousands of miles away that gets the privileges without the responsibilities of inclusion in the federal system.

9) The United States has colonies in the Caribbean and the Pacific and Washington D.C. that should be given priority as 51st state.

10) Global unity and survival come through cooperation among all nations, not the imperial expansion of one.

 

[angelburst29]

Netanyahu is using every trick in the black book to stay in power but ... I think he's coming to the end chapter of his terroristic rein?

Knowing the close affinity between VP Pence, Pompeo and Netanyahu, I suspect the drama started by American media outlets over
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was "to act as a diversion", due to Netanyahu's Political and legal problems hitting the airways?

Israel's Supreme Court discusses Netanyahu's fate as prime minister

Israel's Supreme Court began a two-day hearing on Sunday to determine whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's indictment on criminal charges disqualifies him from forming a new government.

Netanyahu 'confident' U.S. will allow West Bank annexation in two months

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced confidence on Sunday that Washington would give Israel the nod within two months to move ahead with de facto annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank.

Israel's Elbit Systems gets $103 million electronic warfare contract

Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems said on Sunday it won a contract worth about $103 million to supply electronic warfare (EW) suites for an air force of an Asian country.

 

[angelburst29]

I wonder what Pompeo and Netanyahu are up to now?

Pompeo, resuming travel, to visit Israel to meet coalition government

May 08, 2020 - WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Israel in a show of support for the new coalition government, resuming travel after a coronavirus suspension, the State Department announced Friday.

The top US diplomat and staunch supporter of Israel will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his centrist rival turned partner Benny Gantz in Jerusalem on May 13, the day the government is expected to be sworn in.

 

[angelburst29]

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel on Wednesday to mark the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem and energize the Trump administration’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan push, despite ongoing regional unease over the coronavirus.

Mike Pompeo visits Israel to mark move of U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, meets Israeli Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz in Jerusalem, Wednesday, May 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, Pool)

Fears of a widening Mideast economic crisis largely overshadowed the single-day visit, which came amid Israel’s controversial preparations to annex dozens of Jewish settlements that have been established in the West Bank over the last several decades.

In a brief press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr. Pompeo vowed to continue efforts to achieve the landmark Middle East plan outlined by the Trump administration early this year, calling it a “vision for peace.”

The six-hour visit was his fist overseas trip in nearly two months amid travel precautions that have limited U.S. diplomatic movements since the coronavirus global pandemic was announced.

Israel delays swearing in of unity government

Israeli flags lie on the ground alongside signs showing the faces of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and ex-rival Benny Gantz (L) with a caption in Hebrew reading "Israeli ashamed", during a demonstration protesting against the new Israeli government expected to be sworn-in later after nearly 18 months of political gridlock, outside the Knesset (Israel's parliament) in Jerusalem, on May 14, 2020. (AFP)

JERUSALEM: Israel postponed the swearing in of its unity government, which had been set for Thursday, following a request for a three-day delay by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Gantz agreed to Netanyahu’s request,” the statement said.

Netanyahu and former military chief Gantz agreed to a three-year coalition government last month, after more than 500 days of political deadlock and three inconclusive elections in less than a year.

Through the three weeks since the pact was signed, leaders from various parties have haggled for key positions.

Under the coalition deal, Netanyahu will serve as prime minister for the coming 18 months, a victory for a leader due to stand trial from May 24 on corruption charges, which he denies. Gantz will be alternate prime minister — a new position in Israeli governance — for the first half of the deal, before he and Netanyahu swap roles.

The 35th government since Israel’s creation in 1948 includes representatives from across the political spectrum.
Cabinet posts have been assigned to the left-wing Labour party, Blue and White, Likud and leaders from conservative ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.

Cabinet post disputes delay Israeli government inauguration

The planned inauguration on Thursday of an Israeli unity government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been postponed until Sunday, in last-minute wrangling over cabinet appointments, an official statement said.

Palestinian hits Israeli soldier in car-ramming and is shot dead: military

An Israeli soldier shot dead a Palestinian on Thursday who drove deliberately at high speed towards troops in the occupied West Bank, injuring one of them, the military said.

Palestinians look to a digital future to connect with their past

Virtual reality tours have replaced flag-waving rallies as Palestinians facing coronavirus restrictions create digital spaces to lament the
loss of their physical homeland in 1948.

 

[angelburst29]

Pompeo wears US flag facemask to Israel – here are the pics

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo arrives in Israel on May 13, 2020. (State Department Photo by Ron Przysucha)

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=268014630977123

LIVE: U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu deliver statements at Israeli Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem.

 

[angelburst29]

Netanyahu isn't wasting any time in promoting his agenda's?

Netanyahu's new Israeli government approved, eyes West Bank annexations

Israel's parliament approved on Sunday Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new unity government, ending more than a year of political deadlock, but he still faces a trial starting next week for alleged corruption.

EU to try to head off Israel annexations of West Bank

Construction works in the Jewish settlement of Givat Zeev, near the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Ramallah.PHOTO: AFP

May 17, 2020 - BRUSSELS (AFP) - EU countries are planning to issue Israel with a warning not to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, to try to head off a diplomatic clash.

The bloc is alarmed by the incoming Israeli unity government's plans to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank, which it says would violate international law and harm the chances of peace with the Palestinians.

But there is no agreement among EU countries over what punitive action to take should Israel press ahead with the move, which has the support of US President Donald Trump.

In an interview with AFP, Luxembourg's veteran Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said he had discussed a declaration with his EU counterparts during video talks on Friday (May 15).

"A very large number of countries on Friday supported a draft text that we drew up with my Irish counterpart Simon Coveney in which we warn against an annexation that would be a violation of international law," Asselborn told AFP.

He said Austria and Hungary had refused to sign the declaration, so it could not be issued in the name of all 27 EU states. "But the fact that a very large number of countries support this line is a success," he said.

His comments followed that of the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell who said Friday the EU would use "all our diplomatic capacities" to try to dissuade Israel's incoming government from going ahead with the move.

China's envoy to Israel found dead at home, likely of natural causes: official

China's ambassador to Israel was found dead in his residence on Sunday and initial indications were that he had died of natural causes, an Israeli official said.

Du Wei, 57, became Ambassador to Israel in February, according to the Embassy's website.

China's envoy to Israel found dead at home, likely of natural causes: official
China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying posted a tweet expressing "deepest condolences" at her colleague’s death. The tweet provided no information about the death.

An Israeli policeman and a man stand near the entrance of China's ambassador to Israel, Du Wei's house, in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, Israel

An Israeli policeman cordons off an area near the house of China's ambassador to Israel, Du Wei, in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, Israel
An Israeli police spokesman confirmed the ambassador's death at the residence in coastal Herzliya, adding only that police were at the scene "as part of the regular procedure".

Chinese ambassador to Israel found dead at home: Police

Chinese Ambassador to Israel Du Wei was appointed to the post in February.PHOTO: CHINESE EMBASSY IN ISRAEL WEBSITE

May 17, 2020 - JERUSALEM (AFP, REUTERS) - China’s ambassador to Israel was found dead in his home in a Tel Aviv suburb on Sunday (May 17), Israeli police said.

Mr Du Wei, 57, who had arrived in Israel in mid-February, was found dead in his Herzliya home, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP, adding that police were investigating.

Mr Du’s wife and son were not with him in Israel.

As part of the regular procedure, police units are at the scene,” a police spokesman told Reuters.

The Chinese foreign ministry said it would only comment when it had "solid" information.

Mr Du had previously served as Ambassador to Ukraine, according to his biography on the embassy’s website.

The Haaretz daily said initial reports stated that staff had found Mr Du dead in his bed and that there were no signs of violence.

It quoted a first aid service as saying the cause of death appeared to be a cardiac incident.

A spokesman for the medical service would not provide any official information.

Israel’s Channel 12 TV, quoting unidentified emergency medical officials, said initial indications were that Du died in his sleep of natural causes.

Mr Du had undergone a 14-day home quarantine on arrival in Israel because of the new coronavirus outbreak, according to an interview with local media in May.

On April 2, Israel Hayom, the top-circulation Hebrew newspaper, published an editorial by Mr Du on the theme that "Collaboration is the Cure for the Virus".

China and Israel, a strong US ally, have boosted cooperation in the high-tech and other sectors, leading Washington to urge Israel to limit Chinese investment in its strategic sectors.

Chinese embassy spokesman Wang Yongjun in a recent Jerusalem Post commentary rejected the claim and called Sino-Israeli cooperation a "win-win" situation.

Comment: Interesting "the timing" of this death and "Mike Pompeo's recent visit to Israel on Wednesday to mark the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem" AND "Israel's parliament approval on Sunday of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new unity government"?

 

[Alejo]

Comment: Interesting "the timing" of this death and "Mike Pompeo's recent visit to Israel on Wednesday to mark the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Embassy move to Jerusalem" AND "Israel's parliament approval on Sunday of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new unity government"?

I found this timing rather interesting as well, specially with this brand new China-US war going on, I don't want to throw any unfair accusations ( :P) But it has been known for quite a long time that one of the main beneficiaries of most conflicts that the US gets into, is Israel.

So, while it's true that it would seem rather obvious for Israel to do something like this right in their territory, I mean everyone would suspect them immediately. It's also not that crazy for them to feel emboldened enough to do something like this in such an overt manner. But it could also be simply quite a coincidence with interesting symbology

 

[angelburst29]

Envoy’s family say Du Wei suffered a heart attack but commentators say ‘something smells fishy here’!

Mystery surrounds Chinese ambassador’s death in Israel

1 / 2
Chinese Ambassador Du Wei.

2 / 2
Israeli medics and members of security enter the cordoned-off home of Chinese ambassador Du Wei, where he was was found dead, in Herzliya on the outskirts of Tel Aviv on May 17, 2020. (AFP)

May 17, 2020 - Mystery and speculation on Sunday surrounded the death of the Chinese ambassador to Israel.
The body of Du Wei, 57, was found by an assistant early on Sunday at his home in Herzliya, a coastal town north of Tel Aviv.

The official line from both Israeli and Chinese officials was that there were no suspicious circumstances in the diplomat’s death.

“While there is little detailed information coming out, it seems both sides are sending a message that this was a natural death and that there is no external intervention,” commentator Wadie Nassar told Arab News.

The ambassador’s own family told medical sources they believed Du had suffered a cardiac arrest, but that did not stop the rumor mill from going into overdrive.

Spy movie
Comments from readers under an online article in the Jerusalem Post included: “Something smells fishy here.” Another said there was “a long list of suspects,” and the envoy’s death was like something in a spy movie, or the US murder investigation show CSI.

Others suggested a link to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s whirlwind visit to Israel last week, during which he was overtly critical of China, and demanded that Israel stop sharing confidential military information with Beijing.

Speculation was fueled by a cryptic statement from an Israeli official, who said: “Police are investigating this as death by natural causes.” If Du died from natural causes, it was not immediately clear what police were investigating.
Du had been in Israel only since February, but already had a high profile defending his country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Du, 57, had previously served as ambassador to Ukraine, according to his biography on the embassy’s website. Du’s wife and son were not with him in Israel.

 

[sToRmR1dR]

'Israel is waiting on US carte blanche to start a military operation to annex the West Bank.'

Israel awaits US authorization to annex West Bank

Despite public pronouncements in defense of annexation, Washington has not given Israel carte blanche to start a military operation

theduran.com

Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Lucas Leiroz - July 3, 2020

 

[angelburst29]

On July 2, Fatah and Hamas representatives announced the decision to jointly defend interests of the Palestinian state based on the Palestine Liberation Organization platform.

Russia content with Fatah, Hamas intent to act on PLO basis, says Lavrov

© Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, July 3, 2020 - Russia is content with the statement made by the Palestinian movements of Fatah and Hamas to pursue common interests on the basis of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday at a meeting with President of the Libyan House of Representatives (elected permanent parliament in the country’s east) Aguila Saleh.

"One of the key issues that need to be resolved for our common efforts to succeed is to restore the Palestinian unity. In light of this we are satisfied with yesterday’s press conference of Fatah and Hamas representatives, as they announced the decision to jointly defend interests of the Palestinian state based on the Palestine Liberation Organization platform," Lavrov noted.

Russia hopes that "all Arab representatives" will actively back this trend, he added. "We believe that international community efforts are as necessary as ever to lay down conditions for immediate resumption and reboot of direct Israeli-Palestinian talks under the auspices of the international mediator quartet with an active participation of Arab states," the minister stressed.

Trampling the international law basis for the Israeli-Palestinian settlement "will put an end to prospects of the two-state solution and will be fraught with most unpredictable ramifications for security across the whole region of the Middle East and North Africa," Lavrov emphasized.


Palestine to negotiate with Israel only if it freezes annexation, says ambassador
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 17 it was time to annex some of the Palestinian territories on the West Bank, later, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Palestine was terminating all agreements with Israel and the US.

Talks between Palestine and Israel are possible only if Israel freezes the process to annex parts of the West Bank, Palestinian Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal told an online conference on Thursday.

"In spite of all the difficulties, we are eager to continue the political process of the settlement, but I openly say that the negotiations are possible only if Israel freezes the process of annexation," the diplomat said. "We won’t accept individual auspices of the US any longer. I hope that the Middle East Quartet (Russia, the US, the European Union and the United Nations) will assume the mediatory role, we are ready for such process of negotiations," the diplomat stressed.


France says Israeli annexation of West Bank 'could not be left without consequences'
PARIS, July 1, 2020 - France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that any Israeli annexation in the occupied West Bank would be in violation of international law and would have consequences.

“Annexation of Palestinian territories, whatever the perimeters, would seriously throw into question the parameters to resolve the conflict,” Jean-Yves Le Drian told a parliamentary hearing.

“An annexation decision could not be left without consequences and we are examining different options at a national level and also in coordination with our main European partners.”