Middle East

Moroccans protest 1-yr-old normalization with Israel

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A protester burns an Israeli flag in front of the parliament building in the capital Rabat on October 6, 2023, during a rally against the now-one-year-old detente between the country and Israel.

Moroccans have staged a protest against the now-one-year-old detente between the country and Israel, saying they stand by Palestinians’ rights.

The rally was held in front of the parliament building in the capital Rabat on Friday.

Morocco and Israel resumed their relations last December. Rabat had cut its ties with Tel Aviv two decades ago following eruption of the second Palestinian Intifada (Uprising).

The detente came as part of the Abraham Accords, a series of rapprochement deals mediated by the United States between the occupying regime and some regional Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

The protesters shouted slogans against the Israeli regime and the country’s authorities over the normalization.

The participants expressed outrage at Israeli forces and illegal settlers’ near-daily violations against the al-Aqsa Mosque’s compound — located in the holy occupied city of al-Quds’ Old City — at which non-Muslim worship is forbidden.

They also denounced the occupying regime for its retaining its crippling all-out land, aerial, and naval blockade of the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip.

The protest had been called by Morocco’s National Society of Endeavor for Liberation of Palestine.

“Today, we came together again to say Moroccans are still steadfast in their support for the Palestinian people,” said Abdul-Qader al-Alami from the society.

“The Moroccans sympathize with the Palestinian people and what they (the Palestinians) experience in terms of [Israeli] violation and crime all over Palestine,” he added. “We also express our opposition to normalization and normalizers, and consider it (the detente) to be a source of encouragement for the occupying regime to continue its crimes.”

Middle East

Islamic Jihad vows to keep fighting Israel until Palestine freed

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The head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement has underscored their determination to continue their resistance against Israel despite all the challenges, saying they won’t retreat until they achieve a victory over the occupying regime.

Addressing a mass festival in the Gaza Strip celebrating the 36th anniversary of the movement’s establishment on Friday, Ziad al-Nakhalah said the resistance force will continue to act as a supporter of all the Palestinian people, and as an extension of the valiant resistance in the West Bank and its fighting brigades.

“We, the Hamas movement, and the resistance forces in Palestine will remain united until our people’s goal of freedom and liberation is achieved,” he said.

Nakhalah stressed the importance of maintaining unity among all the resistance forces in the region, adding, “For sure, victory is for resilient nations.” 

Condemning Normalization deals with Israel

The resistance leader criticized the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority for being influenced by the US and Israel, saying it’s an example of what’s happening in the entire Arab world.

He said Israel kills the Palestinians with American weapons, and the Palestinian Authority’s security forces act on Israeli’s decisions to arrest Palestinians.

Nakhalah slammed the normalization deals between some Arab governments and the Israeli regime, saying Arab regimes are “submitting to the Zionist project and falling into line with the enemy.”

Nakhalah lamented that over 30 years have passed since the signing of the Oslo Accords, and despite all the injustices Palestinians have faced in recent decades, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) continues working with the regime.

He was referring to a deal signed in 1993 in the US, which marked the first time the Israeli regime and the PLO recognized each other, and was meant to resolve the Palestine conflict.

Palestinians have long criticized the accords for jeopardizing the Palestinian cause and failing to stop Israel’s colonial projects and Judaization schemes across the occupied territories.

Islamic Jihad unveils new drones

The Islamic Jihad marked its foundation anniversary on Friday simultaneously in Gaza, a camp in Tulkarm in the West Bank, Damascus, and Beirut.

On Tuesday, the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, held a military maneuver in the Gaza Strip.

And on Wednesday, they marched through Gaza City and held a parade in the strip with their rockets and drones. The parade showcased new homegrown drones, including the Sahab attack and reconnaissance drone, the Sayyad attack drone and the Hudhud photography and reconnaissance drone. 

Islamic Jihad forces have in recent years been involved in several confrontations with the regime, most recently in May, when five days of Israeli aerial assaults killed at least 33 Palestinians in Gaza, including several Islamic Jihad leaders.

The resistance group responded by firing over 1,000 rockets toward occupied territories. 

Middle East

Egypt strongly condemns deadly drone attack in Syria

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Egypt has strongly condemned a deadly drone attack on a military academy in Syria’s western city of Homs, expressing solidarity with the Syrian nation.

A drone attack on Thursday targeted the Homs Military Academy during a graduation ceremony for military cadets, leaving at least 89 dead and more than 270 wounded.

The gruesome act of terrorism, carried out by drones laden with explosives, shook Syria and sparked international outrage. 

In a statement on Friday, Egypt’s foreign ministry said that Egypt “condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attack.”

“Egypt extends its sincere condolences and sympathy to the government, the people of the brotherly state of Syria, and the families of the victims, praying to God to shower them with His mercy, and expressing its wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured,” the statement added.

It also stressed that Cairo “renews its firm position rejecting all forms of violence and terrorism,” while “calling on the international community to intensify efforts to eradicate terrorism from its roots and dismantle the sources of its support and financing.”

The aerial aggression killed civilians, including six children, as well as military personnel, and according to Syria’s health ministry, there are concerns the death toll could rise as many of the injured are in serious condition.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, which is considered as one of the deadliest attacks on the war-torn country’s army in years. However, the Syrian army on Thursday blamed foreign-backed “terrorist groups” for the attack, vowing to “respond with full force.”

The Syrian government has declared three days of mourning starting from Friday.

Several countries have so far condemned the deadly attack.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian denounced the attack in a phone call with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on Thursday.

During the call, Iran’s top diplomat stressed that Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi also decried the regimes that support terrorists and provide them with advanced military equipment to commit their atrocities.

Ali Al-Khatib, the vice president of the Shia Islamic Supreme Council of Lebanon, also on Thursday strongly condemned the attack.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose country significantly helped Syria confront foreign-sponsored terrorism in the Arab country, also vowed on Friday to help Damascus fight terrorism.

“We resolutely condemn this cruel crime which murdered many women and children. We hope that its masterminds will be justly punished. We intend to continue to closely interact with our Syrian partners in fighting all forms and manifestations of terrorism,” Putin said in a message to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.

Middle East

Israeli troops attack Palestinian mourners, injure over 50

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Israeli forces have attacked hundreds of Palestinians attending the funeral procession of a youth in the West Bank, injuring over 50.

The crowd was mourning the 19-year-old Labib Dumaidi, who in the early hours of Friday succumbed to injuries sustained in a raid by Israeli settlers on the town of Huwara, south of Nablus.

Palestinian media said the Israeli forces attacked Palestinians to prevent them from continuing the procession, firing live bullets, rubber-coated metal bullets, stun grenades and tear gas at them.

The reports said 51 citizens were injured, including 19 citizens who were hit with rubber bullets, two of them in the head, and three who were hit with live bullets in the foot.

The Palestinians were chanting slogans against the use of violence by Israeli forces and settlers, and in support of the resistance. The mourners also called for avenging the blood of Palestinians.

The procession started from Rafidia Hospital in the city of Nablus and ended in Dumaid’s birthplace in Huwara.

Hamas resistance movement on Friday offered its condolences over the death of Dumaid in a statement.

It said the uprising of Palestinians throughout the occupied land, and in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular, is escalating. The statement stressed that Palestinian resistance will eventually put an end to Israeli occupation.

Israel has escalated its violence against Palestinians recently, particularly after a right-wing cabinet led by Benjamin Netanyahu came to power.

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed this year in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza. The majority of these fatalities have been recorded in the West Bank.

The United Nations said 2023 is the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since it began keeping track of fatalities almost two decades ago.

Previously, 2022 had been the deadliest year with 150 Palestinians killed, of whom 33 were minors, according to the UN.

Middle East

Iran-UAE ties based on political, economic security

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Ghalibaf made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Emirati counterpart Saqr Ghobash in the UAE on Friday.

Saying that expanding ties with neighbors is the priority of the foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ghalibaf cited that such a policy can lead to the expansion of bilateral relations and the establishment of stable peace and security.

Referring to the admission of Iran and the UAE into the BRICS, he further stressed that this event is a great opportunity to expand bilateral relations between BRICS member states in the political, economic, and social areas.

Touching upon the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Iranian parliament speaker once again emphasized that Iran opposes the war and believes that the US and NATO are responsible for this situation.

He also stressed the need for the two countries’ parliamentary friendship groups to be in constant contact.

Ghobash, for his part, hailed Tehran’s policy of establishing peace and security in the region and added that the UAE and Iran have the will to take joint measures in this regard.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Emirati official stressed that the BRICS group has proved that the world today is moving toward multi-polarization and countries can follow the path of development through cooperation.

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Middle East

Syria attack result of foreigners' support for terrorists

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In a message to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, Ebrahim Raeisi offered condolences over Thursday’s terrorist drone attack on a Syrian military college which left dozens killed and injured.

The continuation of terrorist attacks in Syria in recent months is rooted in the intelligence, security, and logistical support for the terrorists with the aim of preventing the formation of stability and establishment of security in this country, he said.

Contributing to the creation of opportunities for ISIL and Takfiri terrorists to conduct operations in Syria is in line with the aggression of the Zionist regime against the national sovereignty of Syria, Raeisi added.

The Iranian president went on to say that undoubtedly, the responsibility for this tragic incident lies with the foreign supporters of terrorist groups, including the occupiers of Syrian territories, who prevent the effective fight against terrorism.

The president also called on the related international entities, especially the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), to fulfill their obligations in this regard.

At least 100 people were killed on Thursday in a drone attack on a military academy in Syria.  

Civilians and military personnel were killed in the attack on the military academy in the central province of Homs, Syria’s defense ministry said, adding that “terrorist” groups had used drones.

Syria’s defense and foreign ministries vowed to respond “with full force”.

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Middle East

Raeisi: Backers of terrorists responsible for 'criminal' drone strike in Syria

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi says foreign-backed supporters of terrorist groups, including the occupiers, are responsible for a “criminal” drone attack on a military academy in Syria’s western city of Homs.

Thursday’s aerial assault came just after the end of a graduation ceremony for officers, and wounded both military personnel and their families.

The Syrian health ministry said on Friday that the death toll has risen to 89, including 31 women and five children, adding that 277 people were injured in the attack.

In a message to his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad on Friday, Raeisi offered his condolences to the president, government, army and the nation of the friendly country of Syria over the terrorist incident.

“This criminal move showed that those who oppose security, stability and development in the region still continue with their terrorist and brutal approach,” the Iranian president said.

He added that such terrorist and savage behavior has suffered the oppressed Syrian nation over the past years.

He added that the continuation of terrorist attacks in Syria in recent months was the outcome of “intelligence, security and logistical support” for terrorists with the aim of preventing the establishment of stability and full security in the Arab country.

Efforts to help Daesh and Takfiri terrorists survive and carry out their acts in Syria are complementary to the Israeli regime’s aggression against the national sovereignty of Syria, he said.

Raeisi emphasized that international bodies, particularly the United Nations Security Council, are expected to fulfill their responsibility in dealing with such acts of terrorism.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Syrian army on Thursday blamed foreign-backed “terrorist groups” for the attack that was carried out by “explosive-laden drones”, and vowed to “respond with full force.”

The Syrian government has declared three days of mourning starting from Friday.

Firm determination of international community necessary for terror fight: Iran parliament speaker

Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf also extended his condolences to his Syrian counterpart over the terrorist attack that killed tens of people, including both military and civilians.

In a message to Speaker of Syrian People’s Assembly, Hammouda Sabbagh on Friday, Qalibaf said such “inhuman” measures further highlighted the significance of firm determination of the international community and cooperation among the regional countries in order to fight the sinister phenomenon of terrorism in a “decisive and responsible” way.

Middle East

4 Palestinians martyred by Zionists in Occupied WB

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According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the 19-year-old Labib Dumaidi succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Friday as he was shot in the heart by a Zionist settler in Huwara Town, south of Nablus.

That came as settlers, backed by the Israeli regime’s forces, launched a provocative raid on Huwara on Thursday evening, and performed Talmudic rituals near the scene of an alleged shooting attack on a settlers’ vehicle in the area.

The raid sparked clashes with Palestinians in which the Zionist troops used live ammunition, tear gas, and sound bombs against the protesters.

Dumaidi lost his life just hours after the Israeli regime’s military said that its forces shot dead another Palestinian during clashes that followed an alleged shooting attack that purportedly left one settler injured.

Earlier on Thursday, Hudhayfah Fares and Abd al-Rahman Atta were also killed during clashes with Zionist troops following an attack on a number of settlers’ vehicles in Tulkaram.

The armed wing of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, identified the two as its members.

The group noted that the operation came as part of attacks conducted in retaliation for the Israeli regime’s crimes against Palestinians and their sanctities.

Over the past months, the Israeli regime has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories, killing dozens of Palestinians and arresting many others.

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed this year in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza. The majority of these fatalities have been recorded in the West Bank.

The United Nations said 2023 is the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since it began keeping track of fatalities almost two decades ago.

Previously, 2022 had been the deadliest year with 150 Palestinians killed, of whom 33 were minors, according to the UN.

The rising number of fatalities last year prompted UN experts to condemn the treatment of Palestinians, including attacks on their homes and destruction of their properties.

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Middle East

Palestinians face 'sharp rise' in Israeli settler violence, rights group warns

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An international human rights organization has warned about a “sharp increase” in violent assaults by extremist Jewish settlers across the occupied Palestinian territories “under the political cover” of the Israeli regime.

EuroMed Rights, a network of 68 human rights organizations, institutions and individuals based in 30 countries across Europe and the Mediterranean region, on Thursday presented its report at the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The rights organization representative said the number of settlers’ attacks in the first half of the current year reached 1,148, “nearly equaling the total number of attacks recorded in the (entire) previous year (2022), which was 1,187.”

She added that such violence is committed “under the political cover of the Israeli regime.”

This increase indicates an unprecedented level of violence, with almost no accountability or punishment measures in place, the representative said as EuroMed shared her video on social media, without mentioning her name.

She noted that far-right Israeli ministers’ “provocative rhetoric” is a “major contributor to the significant increase in settler violence, as the Tel Aviv regime supports settlers in various ways, including protecting them from security or judicial prosecution.”

She called upon the international community “to be present on the ground to protect vulnerable Palestinian communities at risk of displacement, as well as to take concrete steps to pressure Israel to end its military occupation.”

In September, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said over 1,100 Palestinians from 28 communities have been displaced since 2022, citing soaring violence and prevention of access to grazing land by illegal Israeli settlers.

More than 700,000 Israelis live in over 279 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds.

While all Israeli settlements are illegal under international law, the occupying regime has stepped up settlement expansion in blatant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The last round of Israeli-Palestinian talks collapsed in 2014. Among the major sticking points in those negotiations was Israel’s continued illegal settlement expansion.

Middle East

Syria holds funerals for victims of military academy drone attack

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Syria has held the first funerals for dozens of victims of a drone attack that hit a military academy in the Western city of Homs.

On Friday, relatives and officials, including Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas, gathered in Homs to bid farewell to the 30 victims, including both military forces and civilians.

The drone attack targeted a graduation ceremony for officers at the military academy on Thursday.

The Syrian health ministry said on Friday that the death toll has risen to 89, including 31 women and five children, adding that 277 people were injured in the attack.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Syrian army on Thursday blamed foreign-backed “terrorist groups” for the attack that was carried out by “explosive-laden drones”, and vowed to “respond with full force.”

The Syrian government has declared three days of mourning starting from Friday.

Iran ready to deepen cooperation with Syria on counter-terrorism

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri condemned the attack in a letter to Syria’s Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas and the Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces, Abdul Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim.

He also expressed the readiness of Iran’s armed forces to deepen cooperation with Damascus in the fight against terrorism.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also denounced the attack in a phone call with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on Thursday.

During the call, he stressed that Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi also decried the regimes that support terrorists and provide them with advanced military equipment to commit their atrocities.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates strongly condemned the terrorist attack, expressing its opposition “to all forms of violence and terrorism that aim at destabilizing the security and stability” of the country.

Egypt also decried the attack, calling on the international community to intensify its efforts to uproot terrorism and drain all sources of terrorism funding.

Also in the region, the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement said the “heinous crime” confirms “the nature of the battle that has been ongoing for more than a decade” in Syria against foreign-backed terrorist groups.

The movement noted that the attack took place as life has almost returned to normal in Syria, reaffirming its support for Damascus in its anti-terrorism fight.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance movement, Islamic Jihad, stressed that Syria will remain steadfast and will manage to thwart plots aimed at undermining its unity.

For its part, Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement said the US and Israel are behind all “malicious plots” against Syria because of its stances, including its support for the resistance axis and the Palestinian cause and its opposition to normalization with Israel.

Russia, Belarus, and Venezuela have also condemned the attack and have expressed their sympathy to the bereaved families.