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The Palestinian Authority is intent on pursuing full membership at the United Nations, even as the White House urges Ramallah to step back.
The administration of US President Joe Biden has reportedly stressed to the Palestinian Authority that Washington will likely veto any attempt to pursue a vote on full membership at the UN Security Council. The PA announced weeks ago that it would make another push on the issue at next month’s UN General Assembly.
The Palestinians have enjoyed non-member observer state status since 2012, garnered through a vote at the General Assembly, where no country holds veto power. Ramallah has attempted several times since then to secure full membership but has failed to get the Security Council to even hold a vote, which requires the support of nine of the 15 members.
Longstanding US policy maintains that full Palestinian membership in UN agencies is counterproductive and an end-around to negotiating a settlement with Jerusalem.
American law would cut direct funding for the Palestinian Authority should it join the United Nations as a full member. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1990 bars US funding “for the United Nations or any specialized agencies thereof which accords the Palestine Liberation Organization the same standing as member states.”
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As Iran and world powers move closer to renewing the nuclear deal, former Israeli senior intelligence officials have warned that the IDF must urgently begin preparations for a possible military confrontation vis-à-vis the Islamic Republic and its proxies.
In an interview with local media, former head of the Defense Ministry’s Political-Military Affairs Bureau Amos Gilad and former national security adviser Maj. Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror said that efforts to prevent the signing of a nuclear agreement at this point will yield no result, and therefore Israel should prepare accordingly.
According to Brig. Gen. (ret.) Yossi Kuperwasser, former head of the IDF Military Intelligence’s Research Division, “although the US promised to use whatever means necessary to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, at this stage it will no longer be able to prevent it as Iran is too close to the target.
Late last week, Benny Gantz became the first Israeli defense minister to visit the headquarters of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) in Florida, where he discussed Israeli-US cooperation against common threats, including Iranian aggression.
“Israel’s cooperation with CENTCOM and the countries of the region is a game changer in the ability to maintain security, stability and peace in the Middle East, especially vis-à-vis Iran and its proxies,” Gantz said, according to an official statement, adding that Israel and the US “will continue to deepen cooperation” in order to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
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IDF troops, along with the Shin Bet and Israel Border Police forces, operated in multiple locations throughout the West Bank overnight on Saturday and arrested four people wanted on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities, as well as confiscated illegal weapons.
During a raid in the Palestinian village of Bayt Awa near Hebron, one person wanted on suspicion of terrorist activities was arrested by security forces, and an illegally acquired M16 weapon and ammunition were seized.
In addition, IDF soldiers operated in the city of Nablus, arresting two wanted individuals suspected of terrorist activities.
In the Jenin area, security forces encountered gunmen and exchanged fire, with no casualties reported to Israeli troops. In the Palestinian town of A-Ram, located just outside of Jerusalem, a fourth person was arrested on suspicion of terror.
IDF and Israeli security forces thwarted a weapons smuggling attempt in the Jordan Valley.
Last weekend, these 10 handguns and 3 suspects—among them the head of the smuggling operation—were detained. They were transferred for further processing. pic.twitter.com/ZC2KL7rFzo
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 28, 2022
All four suspects have been transferred for further questioning, along with the confiscated weapons.
Also on Saturday, a six-year-old girl was wounded by a stray bullet in the West Bank community of Kochav Yaakov.
According to Israel Defense Forces, the bullet was apparently fired from the direction of Ramallah. The girl was hit while playing in the yard and was lightly wounded.
She was taken to hospital and remains in stable condition, authorities said.
The IDF has launched an investigation into the incident.
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Known far and wide as the “green club,” the Rovers were the first professional sports team in the world to be certified as carbon-neutral by the United Nations. They offer no meat or dairy products at their concession stands — though fans can bring their own. The club also follows and promotes environmentally-friendly policies.
The club plays some of its games under the sponsorship of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society — a marine protection nonprofit whose tactics have stirred controversy — and the organization’s black Jolly Roger flag flies above the manicured grass.
But there’s another standard flying high — the Palestinian flag. Dale Vince, the club’s owner, fiercely promotes Palestinian issues and is challenging the old maxim of not mixing politics with sports.
This month, a local newspaper published an article accusing Vince of being antisemitic.
And while Vince asserts that he does not support boycotting the Jewish state’s soccer clubs, he continues to support Jeremy Corbyn — the former Labour Party leader known for his staunch support of the Palestinians whose tenure was marred by accusations of systemic antisemitism within the party and who isolated many Labour supporters with his extreme tactics.
Recommended Reading
- Israel May Need a Paradigm Shift on Iran (Jacob Nagel, Israel Hayom)
- Europe’s Got Some Nerve When It Comes to Israeli Counter-Terror Operations (Sara Haetzni-Cohen, Jewish News Syndicate)
- Poll: Israeli Voters Have Less Confidence in Major Parties (i24NEWS)
- Life-Saving Breakthrough for Heart Disease at Hadassah Medical Center (Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, Jerusalem Post)
- Explore the Nearly 2,000-Year-Old Jewish Metropolis of Usha in the Western Galilee (Aviva and Shmuel Bar-Am, Times of Israel)
Featured Image: Credits by Shutterstock: Mahmoud Abbas – a katz; The White House – turtix; Flag of UN – Alexandros Michailidis
