The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Tel Aviv

  • Hamas fires rockets at Tel Aviv as Israel expands Gaza ground operations

    Hamas fires rockets at Tel Aviv as Israel expands Gaza ground operations

    Hamas fired its first barrage of rockets in months into Israeli territory yesterday, as Israeli troops expanded ground raids in the northern Gaza Strip in what looked increasingly like a slide back into full-scale war.

    There were no reports of casualties from the rockets, which were fired at Tel Aviv.

    The Israeli military said they were either intercepted or fell in open areas.

    But the barrage served as a show of resilience from the Palestinian armed group despite more than a year of war with Israel.

    A two-month ceasefire collapsed this week with an Israeli aerial bombardment of Gaza, which the military said had targeted Hamas.

    Read Also: Nigerian Idol return for season 10 as Iyanya joins judges

     Israel argued that the truce could not continue unless Hamas released more hostages, while Hamas accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement.

    The United States, which had been seeking to broker an extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, has thrown its weight behind the Israeli offensive.

    Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson, told reporters yesterday that President Donald Trump “fully supports Israel” and “the actions that they’ve taken in recent days.”

    The renewed Israeli assault has killed more than 500 people in Gaza in three days, including scores of children, the Gaza health ministry said. The figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

  • Israel has not cut ties with Paraguay– FM

    Israel said on Thursday the decision to close its Embassy in Paraguay does not mean it has broken off all ties to the South American Nation.

    The action amounts to a diplomatic downgrade and another Israeli embassy on the continent will take over the duties of the embassy in Asuncion, a source in Jerusalem said.

    Israel announced on Wednesday that it was shuttering its embassy after Paraguay reversed its nearly four-month old decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

    The Foreign Ministry in Asuncion said the change of plan was due to concerns that the relocation to Jerusalem would have a negative impact on peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians.

    Read Also: Two dead, 68 ill from West Nile virus outbreak- Israel

    Luis Castiglioni, who became Paraguay’s foreign minister after President Mario Abdo Benitez was sworn into power in August.

    He said that the embassy’s decision had been taken unilaterally and without proper consultation.

    Paraguay announced in May it was following the United States and Guatemala in moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

    The move by Washington was denounced by much of the world as prejudicing possible peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, who claimed the eastern half of Jerusalem for their future capital.

  • U.S. embassy will move to Jerusalem within a year

    U.S. embassy will move to Jerusalem within a year

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that the U.S. will move its embassy from Tel Aviv  to Jerusalem within a year.

    The prime minister’s timeline drastically differs from that offered earlier by White House officials, who said the move would take at least three to four years due to stringent security measures and other requirements.

    Netanyahu made this known to Israeli reporters on a flight from Dehli to Gujarat during a state visit to India, the Times of Israel reported.

    A spokesman for the prime minster confirmed the content.

    “My confident assessment is that it will move much faster than people think, within a year from today,” Netanyahu said, according to the Times of Israel.

    President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Dec. 6 and initiated a process to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.

    Read Also: Israel set to cede parts of Jerusalem in peace deal

    Israel occupied the eastern half of Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed the territory in a move that was not internationally recognised.

    Israel has long claimed that Jerusalem as its “undivided capital,” while the Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

    Trump’s controversial decision sparked protests in some countries and was rejected in a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution.

    The recognition was welcomed in Israel, and Guatemala has since announced it will follow the US in moving its embassy to the city.

    Arab foreign ministers are set to meet on Feb. 1 in Cairo to discuss steps against Trump’s recognition, the Arab League had earlier said.

    dpa/NAN

  • Russia, Vatican disagree with Trump over Jerusalem

    Russia, Vatican disagree with Trump over Jerusalem

    Russia and the Vatican disagree with the decision of President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv, Alexander Avdeyev, the Russian ambassador to the Vatican City has said.

    Avdeyev recalled that Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, in one of his recent statements said that the status quo of Jerusalem, which is a place of pilgrimage and worship for Jews, Christians and Muslims, should be respected.

    “This is a city of three Abrahamic religions and it should not be politicised by recognition as a capital.

    “I draw attention to the fact that this statement was made by the Pope, who usually expresses his position very carefully in order not to offend anyone.

    “So we can see a clear disagreement with the U.S. decision here. We have the similar position,” Avdeyev told Sputnik.

    On December 6, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to launch the process of moving the U.S. Embassy, which is currently located in Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem.

    The step has prompted criticism from a number of states, first and foremost Middle Eastern states and Palestine, and triggered a wave of protests in the region.

    On December 7, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Jerusalem’s legal status.

    The document called on UN member states to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the city.

    The diplomat also said that Russia and the Vatican share similar views on the world and the threats posed to it in the 21st century.

    “We have much in common in our vision of the threats and dangers of the 21st century. This is an important issue that unites us.

    “First of all, I speak about the threat of any terrorism, criminal, religious or separatist one. The second threat is the weakening of non-proliferation regimes.

    “Of particular concern is the drug trafficking and the separation into rich and poor in the world,” Avdeyev said.

    The Russian diplomat added that the two states also had a common view on the threats posed by social and economic inequality and terrorism, which were behind migration.

    According to the diplomat, unregulated globalisation that was closely tied with neoliberal values could result in “a significant deformation of the civil societies.”

    Avdeyev added that the two states were supportive of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and backed the negotiating process and dialogue as a path toward these goals.

    The ambassador also said that the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church were concerned over the destruction of the moral and ethical values of the Christian civilisation.

    (Sputnik/NAN)

  • Global outcry trails U.S recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

    Global outcry trails U.S recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

    Traditional United States allies are among a growing chorus condemning President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

    Saudi Arabia called it “unjustified and irresponsible,” while France and the United Kingdom said they did not support the decision.

    But Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, hailed it as “a historic day,” the BBC reports.

    President Trump’s move reversed decades of U.S policy.

    The fate of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Palestinians.

    Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, denounced Trump’s move as “deplorable.”

    Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are expected to hold a day of strikes and protests on Thursday.

    The United Nations Security Council is to discuss the issue on Friday after eight of the 15 nations called for an emergency session.

    The Arab League is to meet on Saturday.

    The U.S President said on Wednesday he had “judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the United States of America, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”

    Read Also: Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel capital

    Trump said he was directing the U.S state department to begin preparations to move the U.S embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

    Despite warnings of regional unrest over any such move, the decision fulfils a campaign promise and appeals to Mr. Trump’s right-wing base.

    “Today, I am delivering,” the U.S leader said.

    Recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was “nothing more or less than a recognition of reality,” he added. “It is also the right thing to do.”

    He said the U.S still supported a two-state solution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict, if approved by both sides, which would essentially see the creation of an independent Palestinian state living alongside Israel.

  • Igiebor chose Tel Aviv over Malaga, Almeria

    Igiebor chose Tel Aviv over Malaga, Almeria

    Norwegian-Nigerian agent Atta Aneke has confirmed that Spanish clubs Almeria and Malaga had explored the possibility of signing Nosa Igiebor before he joined Maccabi Tel Aviv on a three-year deal late July.

    The relegation of Real Betis from La Liga at the end of the 2013 – 2014 campaign, coupled with the Super Eagles midfielder’s poor grasp of the Spanish language, contributed to his decision in seeking new pastures .

    ”There was concrete interest from other Spanish clubs including Almeria and Malaga. He did not join any of them and signed for Maccabi Tel Aviv simply because they showed genuine interest.

    ”Maccabi Tel Aviv are a good team, with good setup and Nosa loves the city.

    ”Yes, signing for Maccabi Tel Aviv is a good step for him. They have a good management, ” says Atta Aneke to SL10.ng.

    Though Maccabi Tel Aviv failed to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League, Nosa’s move to the Israeli champions afforded him the opportunity of playing in Europe’s elite club competition for the first time in his career.

    The Maccabi Tel Aviv number 40 chalked up 85 minutes of playing time in both legs of the third qualifying round tie against Maribor.

  • Group condemns Israeli offensive in Gaza

    Group condemns Israeli offensive in Gaza

    Muslim Awareness International (MAI) has condemned the ongoing onslaught by Israeli government against innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

    MAI urged international community and good-spirited fellows of the world to mount pressure on Tel-Aviv to stop the bombardment.

    A statement its Director Luqman Balogun, an engineer said it is worrisome, though not surprising, that Israel could carry out horrific crime against the Palestinians in Ramadan, Muslims’ holiest month.

    “In the last one week, hundreds of lives, including that of 18 members of the same family have been lost and properties worth billions of dollars vandalised by the occupation government, yet the world shows apathy,” Balogun said.

    He chided the United States and the international community for their double standard and unconditional support for Israel.

    Balogun said: “We are not happy with the reaction of the United States that Israel has the right to defend itself by killings civilians in Gaza, as this would not bring an end to the crisis. It would rather fuel Israeli aggression to kill more people, in the name of fighting HAMAS. We believe that the world has been bias when it comes to Palestine especially the HAMAS leadership in Gaza.

    “It is high time Israel and the international community stopped seeing HAMAS as a terrorist organisation if truly they want peace in the Middle East. It is a great injustice to compare HAMAS with other terrorist organisations. HAMAS is a legitimate government in Gaza. It won the mandate to govern the people since 2006 with a landslide victory, and despite Israeli’s siege, the government has always been on the side of its people by providing dividends of democracy.”

    MAI called on United Nations to investigate Israeli’s regime for unjustified military action against humanity.

    “This is not just about Muslims; it is about humanity, because there are Christians in Palestine who are also victims of Israel aggression. Humanity is one irrespective of who they are. The world should collectively decry Israel and mount pressure on its leaders to stop the show of shame and disregard to human lives,” he said.

    We urged the UN to enforce its resolutions against the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the settlements conflicting with international law in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

     

  • Nigerian pilgrims invade Tel Aviv market

    Nigerian Christian pilgrims currently in Israel went on a shopping spree at the Jaffa Market in Tel Aviv on Monday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the items bought by the pilgrims range from shoes, bags, fabrics, ornaments, Dead Sea health care products, cosmetics and religious articles.

    Tel Aviv, which lies along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, is the largest city in Israel.

    The pilgrims had earlier visited the St. Peter’s Church at Jaffa, where they prayed for peace and divine intervention on the security challenges in Nigeria.

    “With the situation of things in Nigeria, only God can solve the problem and we have to seek his intervention,’’ Venerable Peter Ogunmuyiwa, the pilgrims’ Spiritual Guide told NAN.