Middle East & North Africa

Iran: US to blame for lack of agreement on nuclear deal

19 April 2022; MEMO: Iran yesterday said a deal to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers was not in sight, adding that the US was to blame.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters that "more than one issue is still pending between Iran and the United States."

He explained that messages coming from Washington "are far from providing solutions that could lead to an accord."

Arab MK receives hundreds of death threats after criticising occupation

19 April 2022; MEMO: Head of the National Democratic Alliance, Member of the Israeli Knesset Sami Abu Shehadeh, said he received hundreds of death threats following his criticism of Israel's occupation and its aggression on Palestinians, Arab48 reported yesterday.

Israel closes Ibrahimi Mosque to Palestinian worshippers, holds concert for settlers

19 April 2022; MEMO: Illegal Israeli settlers held a concert at the Ibrahimi Mosque in occupied Hebron yesterday to mark Passover, after occupation forces banned Palestinian worshippers from accessing the Muslim holy site.

The Palestinian Islamic Endowments in Hebron said the Ibrahimi Mosque would close at 10pm on Sunday and would remain closed for two days. This, it said, was a blatant encroachment on its sanctity and a provocative violation of Muslims' right to access their place of worship.

Iran Says Interactions With Israel Can’t Ensure Arab States’ Security

TEHRAN, Apr 18 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri, yesterday criticised some Arab states for normalising ties with Israel, saying, interactions with Israel can not ensure these countries’ security.

History has proven that aggression and occupation will never lead to order, stability and calm, Bagheri told a meeting with Iranian army commanders, according to the foreign ministry’s website.

Because of its occupying and aggressive nature, Israel has caused insecurity and tensions, he noted.

Israel’s Arab Party Mulls Quitting Coalition Over Al-Aqsa Mosque Tensions

JERUSALEM, Apr 18 (NNN-PNA) – Israel’s Islamic party of Ra’am, said yesterday that, it considered quitting the coalition government, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, to protest against the police actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra’am party, told the Israeli-Arab A-Shams Radio that his party, which has four seats in the 60-seat coalition, was mulling resigning, in protest of the police actions at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, injuring and arresting hundreds of Palestinians over the past three days during the clashes.

Israel’s Arab Party Mulls Quitting Coalition Over Al-Aqsa Mosque Tensions

JERUSALEM, Apr 18 (NNN-PNA) – Israel’s Islamic party of Ra’am, said yesterday that, it considered quitting the coalition government, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, to protest against the police actions at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Mansour Abbas, chairman of the Ra’am party, told the Israeli-Arab A-Shams Radio that his party, which has four seats in the 60-seat coalition, was mulling resigning, in protest of the police actions at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, injuring and arresting hundreds of Palestinians over the past three days during the clashes.

Israel says it shot down a rocket launched from Gaza

JERUSALEM, April 18 (Reuters) - A rocket was launched on Monday from the Gaza Strip at Israel, which shot it down, the Israeli military said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility from any Palestinian faction. Monday's launch was the first such attack from Gaza in seven months, Israel's Kan radio said.

Algeria reports no new daily case for 1st time since COVID-19 outbreak

ALGIERS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Algerian Health Ministry said on Sunday that no new COVID-19 cases were reported over the past 24 hours for the first time since the outbreak of the disease two years ago.

The overall number of cases stabilized at 265,739, and the death toll remained at 6,874, while the number of recoveries reached 178,335, according to the ministry.

Algeria registered its highest 2,521 daily infections on Jan. 25, 2022, while a record daily death toll of 49 was reported on July 28, 2021.

Two Palestinians wounded by Israeli troops in West Bank raid

JERUSALEM (AP) — Two Palestinian men were critically injured by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, the latest incident in a wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The Israeli military were conducting an arrest raid in the village of Yamun, west of Jenin in the northern West Bank, when dozens of Palestinians started throwing rocks and explosives at the troops, who returned fire.

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