ISRAEL'S MAN IN JENIN

Abbas vows to rebuild Jenin camp after deadly Israeli raid

IT'S NOT A CAMP IT'S A CITY


By AFP
Published July 12, 2023

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas made a landmark visit to the Jenin camp, in the north of the occupied West Bank, a week after the largest Israeli raid there in years

- Copyright AFP Jaafar ASHTIYEH

Hossam Ezzedine and Gareth Browne

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas vowed to rebuild the Jenin refugee camp during a rare and brief visit Wednesday, a week after a deadly Israeli raid destroyed much of the camp in the occupied West Bank.

Abbas, 87, hailed the Jenin camp as an “icon of struggle” during his first trip to the area in more than a decade, a period during which armed groups have gained popular support at the expense of his Palestinian Authority.

The two-day Israeli raid last week — the largest such operation in years, involving hundreds of troops, drone strikes and armoured bulldozers — killed 12 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier.

Israel views the densely-populated urban area, a stronghold of militant groups including Islamic Jihad and Hamas, as a “terrorism hub” and has launched frequent armed raids there since early last year.

Popular discontent with the PA, which cooperates with Israel on security, has been simmering in Jenin, and crowds last week heckled several visiting top officials of Abbas’s Fatah party, including deputy chairman Mahmoud Aloul.

On Wednesday, Abbas expressed determination to back Jenin’s reconstruction and security, describing the camp as an “icon of steadfastness and struggle” in a short address to cheering supporters.

“We have come to say that we are one authority, one state, one law,” Abbas said, warning against anyone who “tampers with the unity and security of our people”.

He vowed to oversee the reconstruction of the camp and the wider city to restore it “to what it was, or even better”.

– ‘Pride and honour’ –


As he concluded his visit, Abbas laid a wreath on the graves of Palestinians who lost their lives in recent Israeli raids.

A number of Arab countries have announced aid for the camp after last week’s offensive.

Ahead of Abbas’s arrival, hundreds of soldiers from the presidential guard patrolled the streets of the camp, an AFP journalist said, and snipers were positioned on rooftops.

His visit “is a strong and important message… that he stands with the Palestinian people in their resistance to the occupation,” Atta Abu Rumaila, Fatah’s secretary-general in the camp, told AFP.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War and its forces regularly launch raids on Palestinian cities.

Abbas travelled by helicopter from Ramallah, seat of the Palestinian Authority, for the visit which lasted barely an hour.

The Palestinian president was flanked by potential successors, including Palestinian prime minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and Hussein al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

Abbas used his speech to issue a veiled threat at armed groups “undermining” Palestinian security.

“There will be one authority and one security force. Anyone who seeks to undermine its unity and security will face the consequences… Any hand that reaches out to harm the people and their stability shall be cut off,” he said.

Prior to Abbas’s arrival, a group of children were chanting “Katiba, Katiba, Katiba” at the camp in support of local armed group the Jenin Brigades.

Alaa Washahi, 27, speaking after Abbas’s departure, defended the militants in the camp.

“The Jenin Brigades are our pride and honour… their presence is part of our existence,” said the camp resident.

“The truth is we have suffered from the negligence of (Palestinian) officials. This is what the president must see with his own eyes.”


– Deteriorating security –


The Jenin camp was established in 1953 to house some of those among the 760,000 Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes in 1948 when Israel was created, an event Palestinians call the “Nakba” or “catastrophe”.

Over time, the camp’s original tents have been replaced with concrete buildings, and it now resembles an urban neighbourhood.

The camp, which houses about 18,000 people, was also a hotbed of activity during the second “intifada” or uprising of the early 2000s.

Over the past 18 months, the security situation in the camp has deteriorated with repeated Israeli raids, and the Palestinian Authority has little real presence there.

Abbas last visited Jenin in 2012 but did not tour the camp at the time.

While the PA remains somewhat present in the city, it has largely abandoned the camp to groups such as the Jenin Brigades, which Israel alleges is backed by Iran.

Abbas had previously visited the camp itself in 2004 while running for the Palestinian presidential election after the death of leader Yasser Arafat.

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Palestine President visits Jenin after Israel attack

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addresses to the crowd during his visit to Jenin Refugee Camp, in which Israeli forces raid for two days, in Jenin, West Bank on July 12, 2023

 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency]

July 12, 2023 

Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, visited the West Bank city of Jenin on Wednesday to check on the destruction caused by a recent Israeli military attack, Anadolu Agency reports.

Abbas arrived in the city aboard a Jordanian helicopter from Ramallah city, according to the official Palestinian Television station.

The Palestinian leader visited the Jenin Martyrs Cemetery, where the bodies of Palestinians killed during last week's military raid were buried.

Abbas was received, upon arrival in Jenin, by Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh, alongside other officials.

"The Jenin camp is an icon of resistance and steadfastness," Abbas said in a speech during his visit.

"The heroic Jenin camp withstood the aggression and made sacrifices for the sake of the homeland," he added.

READ: 900 Palestinians homes damaged in Israel attack on Jenin

The Palestinian President thanked the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Algeria for their donations for the reconstruction of the Jenin camp.

"We will begin reconstruction immediately," Abbas stated.

"East Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine and we will remain steadfast and will not leave [our land]," he added.

Wednesday's visit was the first by Abbas to Jenin since 2012.

Abbas usually does not make any visits to Palestinian cities, except for Bethlehem for Christmas.

Last week, Israel concluded its largest military operation in Jenin in more than 20 years.

At least 12 Palestinians were killed, including five children, and more than 140 injured in the offensive, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The raid also left a massive trail of destruction across the West Bank city, with dozens of homes, vehicles, shops and utility lines destroyed.

READ: PA has 'lost its credibility,' Biden tells CNN

Mahmoud Abbas to make rare visit to Jenin

Abbas will meet with local residents and officials and receive a briefing about efforts to "rebuild" the city and its refugee camp.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

J POST
Published: JULY 11, 2023

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends a news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in Berlin, Germany, August 16, 2022.
(photo credit: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER)

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to visit the city of Jenin and its refugee camp on Wednesday, more than one week after the large-scale Israeli military operation there, PA presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudaineh announced on Tuesday.

Abbas will meet with local residents and officials and receive a briefing about efforts to “rebuild” the city and its refugee camp in the aftermath of the Israeli military operation, Abu Rudaineh said.

This will be Abbas’s first visit to Jenin since 2012, when he briefly visited the city to offer condolences over the death of former governor Kadoura Musa.

It will be his first visit to Jenin Refugee Camp since he was elected PA president in 2005.

Abbas will be accompanied by PLO Executive Committee Secretary-General Hussein al-Sheikh and General Intelligence Service chief Majed Faraj.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends the China-Arab summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia December 9, 2022. 

(credit: SAUDI PRESS AGENCY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

Jordanian military helicopter will transport Abbas

Palestinian sources said a Jordanian military helicopter will take Abbas and the senior officials from Ramallah to Jenin.

PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and members of his cabinet, as well as senior Fatah officials, will receive Abbas upon his arrival in Jenin, the sources said.

On the eve of the visit, hundreds of Palestinian security officers were deployed in the city and its refugee camp in a show of force designed to send a message that the PA has not lost control of the area.

The rare visit comes amid growing criticism of the PA and its security forces for failing to protect the Palestinians during the Israeli military operation. PA security forces stayed in their bases during the raid and made no attempt to engage the Israeli troops.

The visit also comes amid reports that the PA security forces have lost control of the city and its refugee camp, where Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have a strong presence.

Additionally, the PA has been denounced by several Palestinians for its continued crackdown on members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the West Bank.

The two groups said on Tuesday that the PA security crackdown on their members could sabotage efforts to hold a meeting of leaders of all the Palestinian factions in the Egyptian capital of Cairo at the end of this month. Abbas had invited the leaders of the factions to the meeting in response to the Israeli military operation. Abbas said the purpose of the meeting was to reach agreement on “a comprehensive national vision and achieve [Palestinian] unity.”

Two senior officials from Abbas’s ruling Fatah faction, Mahmoud al-Aloul and Azzam al-Ahmed, were driven away from the funerals of some of the Palestinians killed by the IDF during the operation. Aloul and Ahmed later returned to Jenin Refugee Camp and met with local residents and gunmen belonging to Fatah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Palestinian leader to make rare visit to Jenin

July 11, 2023

Gabrielle Debinski

President Mahmoud Abbas gestures during a meeting in Ramallah.

 REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas traveled to Jenin today for the first time in over a decade. Though the PA — formed after the Oslo Accords — is technically the chief security and administrative authority in the northern West Bank city, Abbas’ men have lost control of parts of the West Bank, including Jenin, which is now run by semi-autonomous rival military groups.

Why go now? Abbas’ trip comes a week after Israel conducted one of its most intense military raids in the West Bank in two decades, aimed at rooting out a new cohort of militants and their vast cache of weapons and military infrastructure.

Given that Israel and the PA are close security partners — meaning that Abbas’ men often clamp down on potential terror threats emanating from PA-governed cities — the scope of the operation in Jenin, where Israel conducted rare air raids, was an embarrassing sign of Abbas’ dwindling power and unpopularity.

Polling of the Palestinian electorate suggests that the PA is broadly seen as corrupt, too deferential to Israel, and failing to deliver for the Palestinian people. Indeed, 80% of those polled want Abbas to resign. (The 87-year-old Abbas has also refused to hold elections in the West Bank for over 15 years.)

Crucially, this rare visit comes amid growing reports that Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and is deemed a terror group by the US, is vying to take over parts of the West Bank, including Jenin. The last time the two Palestinian groups fought it out for control of Gaza in 2007, things got very, very messy …

Thomas Friedman is one step closer to abandoning Zionism


Thomas L. Friedman, Author and Columnist, The New York Times leads a Task Force session during 2019 New York Times Dealbook on November 06, 2019 in New York City

 [Mike Cohen/Getty Images for The New York Times]


Nasim Ahmed
Nasimbythedocks
July 12, 2023 

I have long held a deep fascination with the intellectual journey of individuals who undergo profound conversions. Religious or political, witnessing the gradual evolution of ideological stances, culminating in the decisive act of severing one's personal Gordian knots, is truly captivating. With my background, profession and personal interest, I have had the privilege of observing first hand the transformative journeys undertaken by Muslims who undergo profound shifts in their perceptions and practices of Islam, as well as Zionists who experience a profound disillusionment with their emotional connection to Israel.

When it comes to the latter, Thomas L Friedman and Peter Beinart are two contemporaries whose political trajectories I have watched closely. Their respective paths have been a subject of great interest and intrigue in equal measure. Beinart's, for the way he has abandoned his early certainties about Israel and Zionism; and Friedman's, not only because of his public disillusionment with the apartheid state, but also because the New York Times columnist is arguably the journalist who has most shaped US debate over Israel-Palestine in recent decades.

Although Friedman and Beinart still share major disagreements on Israel, their different paths highlight powerfully the existential crises in what's referred to as liberal Zionism. As I pointed out in a previous article commenting on a discussion between the two, both are liberal Jews and, unlike Beinart, who has had a very public political conversion regarding Israel and Zionism, Friedman has been less willing to part company with his past loyalties. That, however, does not mean that he has not become disillusioned over the direction that Israel is taking.

In that discussion, Friedman refused to use the word "apartheid" to describe Israeli policy. I argued that the main reason he is less trenchant in his views over Israel than Beinart is because, as one of the main commentators in the US on the Middle East, the NYT columnist is less concerned about the rights and wrongs of "the conflict" as much as he is about writing for his audience. "Do you want to make a point, or do you want to make a difference?" Freidman said during the exchange, shooting back with a prickly response when Beinart presented him with a charge sheet of Israeli crimes against the Palestinians, beginning with the ethnic cleansing in 1948 through to the crime of apartheid.

OPINION: Thomas Friedman shows that liberal Jews have no reason left to defend Israel

Of course, numerous factors contribute to why individuals cling to beliefs they disagree with privately but may not openly acknowledge. One significant factor is emotional attachment, as people tend to develop strong emotional connections to their beliefs. This emotional bond can create resistance to letting go, even when faced with conflicting evidence. Beliefs become intertwined with personal identity, fostering a sense of belonging and self-worth.

Furthermore, social pressure and conformity play a role. The fear of uncertainty that accompanies the relinquishment of long-held beliefs can be daunting. It requires courage for individuals to question their worldview and confront the potential fallibility of their convictions. Recognising the complexities involved, it becomes evident that the process of re-evaluating one's beliefs requires introspection and a willingness to embrace the possibility of being wrong. It is an endeavour that demands personal growth and the experience of serious discomfort.

During his discussion with Beinart, Friedman exhibited traits reminiscent of someone grappling with an ideological crisis. As I posited in my piece, Friedman, who has spent a significant portion of his career covering Israel and Palestine while often defending the occupation state, now perceives himself as a person of influence not only in the US but also in Israel. Consequently, he is cautious about expressing anything that may undermine his position. In my analysis, I proposed that Friedman's rationale lies in the belief that being at the heart of the debate, where he can potentially sway the perspectives of those he disagrees with, is more impactful than advocating from an external standpoint. It is this consideration that seemingly prevents him from undergoing a political conversion akin to Beinart's of several years ago.

Nevertheless, upon reading Friedman's article in the New York Times yesterday, it appeared evident that the 69-year-old journalist has taken yet another step towards a comprehensive political transformation. Within the piece, Friedman articulated his view that the US had initiated a process of re-evaluating its association with Israel. He spoke of "a sense of shock today among US diplomats" about the direction of Israel and the "breakdown of shared values" between Washington and Tel-Aviv.

OPINION: Remember this: it will be Israel, not Iran, which destroys any new nuclear deal

However, the most remarkable revelation in the article emerged as Friedman delved into the concept of a "shared fiction" between the US and Israel, which allows the perpetuation of the occupation state's unlawful settler-colonial policies. Whether rooted in religious or political beliefs, misguided ideological positions stem from the presence of false notions, misplaced optimism, and untruths. According to Friedman it is the shared fiction about the nature of Israel's occupation that is at the root of America's inexplicable devotion to Israel.

The US is reassessing its relationship with Israel, said Friedman, because the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu is undermining "[o]ur shared values and the vitally important shared fiction about the status of the West Bank that has kept peace hopes there just barely alive." Friedman went on to explain that one of the most important Israeli and American shared interests was the shared fiction that the occupation of the West Bank was only temporary and one day there could be a two-state solution.

Washington did not feel the need to worry about the now more than 500,000 Israeli settlers, argued Friedman, because one day there will be a Palestinian state. "Because of that shared fiction, the US has almost always defended Israel in the UN and the International Court of Justice in The Hague against various resolutions or judgments that it was not occupying the West Bank temporarily but actually annexing it permanently," said Friedman. "This Israeli government is now doing its best to destroy that time-buying fiction."

The idea of a shared fiction is key to understanding why US support for Israel has been based on nothing more than false beliefs, false hope and bare-faced lies. It's been apparent for decades that the settlements were meant to be permanent, which is why every human rights group has now decided to call Israel out for its imposition of apartheid. It is fiction to have believed and continue believing that Israel was ever interested in peace; that it would end its occupation and allow Palestinians to have their own state. It was all a lie from the beginning.

OPINION: The Israel you knew, has not 'gone' it never existed

I am delighted that Freidman has mustered the courage to call Israeli policies "apartheid" just as I am thrilled to see him admit that US relations with Israel have been built on a "fiction". Such revelations undoubtedly bring individuals like Friedman one step closer to completing their political conversion and abandoning Zionism.

Israel says 'not aware' of US decision to reassess ties

People demonstrate outside the US Embassy in Tel Aviv praising US president's comments over the Israeli government's controversial judicial reform bill, on March 30, 2023 

[JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images]

July 12, 2023

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is facing a new crisis with US President Joe Biden, amid protests in Israel against a government plan for judicial overhaul, Anadolu Agency reports.

Despite close intelligence and military cooperation between Tel Aviv and Washington, ties between the two leaders remain lukewarm and, at times, tense.

Although the Netanyahu government was formed in December 2022, the Israeli Premier was never invited by Biden to the White House, unusual US behaviour towards Israel.

Biden and Netanyahu are at odds on a host of issues, including relations with the Palestinians, a planned judicial reform in Israel and Iran.

Biden's views on the Netanyahu government were evident during an interview the American President made with CNN.

The US President said that Netanyahu's coalition government has some "of the most extreme members" he has seen in Israel.

READ: Israel minister accuses Biden of fuelling anti-government protests

Biden also considered that "Israeli ministers who want to settle everywhere in the West Bank are part of the problem."

Biden's criticism

Biden's statements drew fire from several Israeli ministers and members of the Knesset (Israel's parliament).

"Biden is rude. Even former President Barack Obama did not dare to speak in this way," an unnamed source close to Netanyahu told Israeli Channel 13.

Far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir also opened fire on the US President.

"President Biden must internalise that Israel is no longer another star in the American flag," he said on Twitter. "In what way am I an extremist? By handing out weapons to the citizens of Israel so that they can defend themselves? In that, I give full backing to our soldiers and officers?"

"I invite Biden to tour Jerusalem and Hebron to see that our extremism is extreme, immense love for the State of Israel," he added.

Danny Danon, a Knesset member from Netanyahu's Likud Party, was also critical.

"I respect the USA, our great friend overseas, but the policy of the State of Israel will be determined only by the government in Jerusalem that was democratically elected by the people of Israel," he said.

"The American people understand very well that, in a democratic country, policy is determined only by an elected government," Danon added.

Israeli opposition leader and former Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, however, came out to defend the US President.

"President Biden was right when he said that this is the most extremist government in Israel's history," Lapid told Channel 13.

"Instead of dealing with security, the economy and foreign relations, they are trying to corrupt the country and dismantle our democracy," he said.

Sympathy for Israel

Nadav Tamir, CEO of J Street Israel, said Biden's criticism comes from a "place of sympathy" for Israel's future.

READ: Things are 'off the rail' in Israel, warns outgoing US Ambassador to Tel Aviv

"President Biden has a record of more than 50 years of support for the State of Israel. When he says that the current government is 'one of the most extreme he has seen' we should listen to him, both to his words and to his tone," he said in a statement.

Biden's criticism comes from "a place of sympathy and sincere concern for the future of the State of Israel as a democratic state," Tamir said.

"This is also the message of President [Isaac] Herzog's invitation to the White House, in contrast to avoiding giving Prime Minister Netanyahu an invitation.

It is "a message whose essence is, we love Israel but disapprove of its anti-democratic government," he said.

Strategic asset

Itamar Eichner, an analyst in the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, said Biden's criticism was a "clear message" to Netanyahu.

"The harsh statements of the American President, who has been a staunch supporter of Israel for many years, are a clear message to Netanyahu against the real owners in his government," he said, in reference to Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich.

"The problem goes beyond relations between countries. In fact, it touches on the question of whether Israel is still a strategic asset for the United States," he added.

Eichner said that Biden's message to Netanyahu was "clear".

"The US condition for expanding normalisation between Israel and Arab countries is that the Palestinians must also enjoy advantages. But in the current security situation, it is difficult to see this happens," he added.

With US mediation, four Arab countries – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco – normalised ties with Israel in 2022.

Eichner said Biden's invitation to the Israeli President to the White House was a sign of his disappointment at Netanyahu.

"It was a message to the Israeli public that Biden is not against the State of Israel, but against the extremist government that controls it," he added.

Israel suffered a resounding defeat in the battle of Jenin

July 11, 2023

Palestinians march with Palestinian flags as they protest against Israel's ongoing airstrikes and raids on the second day in Jenin, in Hebron, West Bank on July 04, 2023 

[Mamoun Wazwaz/Anadolu Agency]


Motasem A Dalloul
abujomaaGaza
July 11, 2023 
Middle East Monitor

After 48 hours of pounding the one square kilometre Jenin refugee camp, one thousand Israeli occupation troops from the most elite units equipped with helicopters, drones, bulldozers and more than 250 armoured vehicles retreated. They left behind a trail of death and destruction: 12 Palestinians were killed and more than 100 were wounded; 300 homes were completely destroyed and between 400 and 500 were damaged.

Israeli military and political figures declared that the military offensive on Jenin and its refugee camp was intended to kill or detain "terrorists" – Palestinian resistance fighters – who set off from Jenin to carry out attacks against Israeli targets in the occupied West Bank and the apartheid state itself.

They announced that one objective of the offensive was the destruction of "terror" infrastructure, including factories producing improvised explosive devices. The Israeli media said that two of the unannounced aims of the massive offensive were to reimpose the control of the Palestinian Authority security services over the territory (this was security collaboration between the PA and the occupation state at its most obvious) and get the Palestinian people to turn against the legitimate Palestinian resistance fighters.

The goals of the two-day Israeli "operation" in Jenin were "fully achieved," claimed Defence Minister Yoav Gallant following the withdrawal. "We brought down the terror factory that was built in Jenin. These were many dozens of sites that hosted bomb workshops, labs, weapons caches, as well as security means guarding the entrances to the camp." Bragging about the alleged achievements, he insisted that, "We have the capability to copy this to other locations [in order to counter] terrorism."

OPINION: Jenin is just the start: Did Palestinians finally bury the ghosts of the past?

Al Jazeera reported a spokesman of the Israeli occupation army as saying that, "The operation was difficult and complicated, but it achieved big results."

The Palestinian resistance fighters disagreed. "The resistance is strong and the Israeli operation failed to achieve its goals," they said in a joint statement. "The Israeli occupation forces failed to detain fighters who exchanged fire with them at point-blank range."

In separate statements, the Palestinian political factions and their military wings also said that the Israeli occupation authorities failed to achieve their objectives, because the resistance fighters defeated the Israeli troops. In doing so they were backed by people across Jenin and its refugee camp, mainly in the areas that suffered the most destructive Israeli attacks.

It was not only the Palestinians who believe that Israel was the biggest loser in Jenin; many others do as well, not least Israeli analysts and media. The offensive against Jenin achieved nothing, Al Jazeera reported a leading Israeli newspaper as saying; the only surprise throughout the offensive was the use of lethal force by the Israeli occupation army.



However, said Haaretz, the resistance surprised everyone by its ability to be involved in a continuous exchange of fire that lasted for 48 hours, using new weapons that damaged Israeli military equipment. The fighters demonstrated their successful coordination and cooperation during the operation.

The newspaper also pointed out that the Palestinians were able to carry out resistance attacks at the same time that the offensive was taking place. This was a reference to an attack near the illegal settlement of Kedumim in the occupied West Bank, in which an Israeli soldier was killed, and another attack in Tel Aviv which wounded eight people.

OPINION: The madness of the Israeli right-wing

"We have to say the truth," admitted Israeli Channel 13 TV. "The problem of Jenin was not resolved… We failed to reinstate the sovereignty of the PA and its security services in Jenin… It is still the inspiration for fighters." The Israeli media reiterated that the Israeli occupation army did not start the offensive before getting intelligence about the fighters, their potential movements and their weapon caches.

According to the Israeli reports, the army justified its inability to kill or detain as many fighters as it had planned by claiming that they either fled the battle or hid among civilians. However, hundreds of videos on social media showed fighters moving on the streets of Jenin.

Regarding the intention to incite the people against the resistance and the reinstatement of the PA, Foreign Policy cited anonymous Israeli "senior political sources" as telling reporters that the goal of the latest Jenin operation was "to prepare the ground for the return of the Palestinian Authority." However, it added that, "In the wake of Israel's withdrawal from Jenin, Palestinians seemed defiant, claiming victory, attacking the PA for its weakness and praising those martyred in the Israeli incursion."

Reuters reported that the Palestinian fighters paraded in Jenin following the Israeli withdrawal and angry crowds confronted senior PA officials, accusing them of weakness, after one of the largest Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank in years. At a funeral of some martyrs, the crowds confronted PA officials, chanting: "Get out! Get out!" They forced them to leave under the protection of guards who used tear gas to push the crowds back.

A group of fighters taking refuge in one of the evacuated houses found a letter from its owners explaining the entry and exit points of the house; telling them where to find food and water, and even cash if needed. "I do not care about anything in the house," wrote the owner, "I am only concerned about your safety. Feel free to do anything for the sake of your safety."

OPINION: The extraordinary Palestinians of Jenin will not surrender

According to the Deputy Leader of Hamas, Saleh Al-Arouri, "As usual, the Israeli occupation is losing. We do not count the victory with the number of fatalities and the size of damage, but with the inability of the Israeli occupation army to achieve its goals compared with the development of the Palestinian resistance and its capabilities."

On the basis of the latter, it is obvious that the occupation state suffered a resounding defeat in the latest battle of Jenin.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

 

The EU Ozempic probe is expanding. What you should know

By Staff  Reuters

Posted July 11, 2023 2:58 pm

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Tuesday it has extended its probe into Novo Nordisk’s NOVOb.CO diabetes drugs Ozempic and weight-loss treatment Saxenda, following two reports of suicidal thoughts, to include other drugs in the same class.

The agency began its review on July 3 after Iceland’s health regulator flagged the reports of patients thinking about suicide and one case of thoughts of self harm after use of Novo’s drugs.

There have been issues of suicidal thoughts linked to another class of weight-loss drugs, which have hobbled previous attempts by the drug industry to develop lucrative weight-loss drugs.

Sanofi’s weight-loss drug Acomplia, which never won U.S. approval, was withdrawn in Europe in 2008 after being linked to suicidal thoughts.

The EMA said on Tuesday it will now investigate the class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which trigger a feeling of fullness after eating. The review is expected to complete in November, according to the agency.

2:14New regulations to protect B.C. supply of diabetes drug

Drugmaker Eli Lilly’s LLY.N shares closed down 3.1%. Its diabetes drug Trulicity also belongs to the same class.

Novo’s weight-loss drug Wegovy, which contains active ingredient semaglutide, is also part of the review.

Other GLP-1 drugs include Sanofi’s SASY.PA Suliqua and AstraZeneca’s AZN.L Bydureon. Both are approved in Europe for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Sanofi said it has not identified any safety concerns related to “suicidal ideation” from use of its GLP-1 receptor agonist. However, the company has started an investigation and will share all relevant information with the European health regulator.

Lilly and AstraZeneca did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

The European health regulator is also investigating GLP-1 drugs for possible risk of thyroid cancer.

(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija and Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru and Maggie Fick in London; Editing by Maju Samuel, Shinjini Ganguli and Shounak Dasgupta)

 

For the first time in decades, Angolan giraffes now populate a park in Angola

July 11, 20234:52 PM ET

Heard on All Things Considered

By 

Megan LimTranscript

Giraffes wait in a truck before they are unloaded at Iona National Park in Angola.

Casey Crafford/Courtesy of African Parks

Fourteen Angolan giraffes walk into a truck ... and then travel more than 800 miles to their historical homeland, where they had been locally extinct for decades. The migrant giraffes rode unsedated for more than 36 hours this week from Namibia to their new home in Iona National Park, in Angola.

Who are they?

• These 14 juvenile giraffes come from a private game farm in Namibia. At an estimated 2-3 years old, they stand about 3.5 meters high. (That's roughly 11 1/2 feet tall.)
• Giraffes' height and plant-based diet means they play an important role in managing ecological balance and pollinating trees and shrubs.
• Giraffe populations in general have been on a decline due to "habitat loss, poaching, and other human-induced factors" according to African Parks.

What's the big deal?

• It's a logistical feat years in the making to arrange the transfer of animals this large. Once herded, they had to be loaded into a specially designed truck, and then driven very carefully across national borders to their final home – not to mention the politics involved in getting the government support and permits needed for the endeavor.
• It's a step toward restoring biodiversity at the parks. Thirty years of civil war in the region took its toll, so the return of these giraffes is also symbolic of recovery.
• The Giraffe Conservation Foundation estimates an Africa-wide population of about 117,000 giraffes. That's one giraffe for every four elephants, for context. With proper protection by the national parks, hopefully that number grows

What are people saying? Stephanie Fennessy, executive director of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, spoke to NPR's Adrian Florido about the initiative.

On what happened to the giraffes in Angola:

They used to live in Angola, Namibia, Botswana and parts of Zambia. But during the civil unrest and civil war in Angola, giraffes are really easy animals to poach, and there's a lot of meat on them. So they were really war fodder and went extinct during the civil unrest in the country.

On the importance of returning these giraffes to their native territory:

I mean, obviously, any animal is important for biodiversity and for conservation and to have the right mix of animals in the country. So giraffes are landscape shapers, they're pollinators, so they're an important part of the ecosystem. But it's also obviously a prestigious project. I mean, Angola without Angolan giraffes sounds a little bit ridiculous, doesn't it?

On their release into their new habitat:

It's always amazing to see giraffes put their first steps into a new environment, where they have been locally extinct for a long time. I mean, it's really emotional. Obviously, the move has been really stressful years in the making. We started with feasibility studies basically two years ago. So when it finally happens, it's just a big relief and you're exhilarated. It's really, really exciting. And yeah, the giraffes are doing well. We tagged most of them with the GPS satellite tracker, so I can sit now here in my office and look where they move and they are just exploring their new habitat and finding their feet.

So what now?

Now that Angola is peaceful again, conservationists hope this move is just the beginning of efforts to reintroduce wildlife — here and at other African parks. These 14 giraffes will need to be monitored to ensure they're thriving, but there are ongoing discussions on bringing other animals into the park. "Fourteen is a great start," says Fennessy. "But to really have a feasible, satellite population, it would probably be helpful to bring some more. But let's first see how these ones go and then be taken from there."

China’s Zijin is in talks with Argentina to turn lithium into battery cathode

China’s Zijin Mining Group is in advanced talks to build a plant in Catamarca that will turn some of the nation’s huge lithium reserves into cathodes used to make electric-vehicle batteries

China’s Zijin Mining Group Co. is in advanced talks to build a plant in Argentina that will turn some of the nation’s huge lithium reserves into cathodes used to make electric-vehicle batteries.

Zijin has agreed to partner with Camyen, the provincial mining company of Catamarca — part of South America’s lithium triangle — and a unit of state-run energy firm YPF SA in the project, according to two people familiar with the matter who aren’t authorised to speak publicly.

The plant would produce 50,000 metric tons a year of lithium iron phosphate for cathodes, with operations set to begin as soon as next year, the people said. Zijin’s Tres Quebradas lithium mine in Catamarca is scheduled to come online in the fourth quarter.

A representative at Zijin didn’t reply to calls. Spokespeople for YPF and Catamarca didn’t respond to requests for comment.

An investment in the manufacturing of cathode material for batteries would be a big win for Argentina. The nation wants to propel itself along the electric-vehicle supply chain, turning its vast lithium deposits into a sophisticated domestic industry and avoiding a repeat of Latin American resource curses. The region’s history is full of examples of raw materials getting exported with little added value, putting a ceiling on investments and job creation.

The Zijin-led project would come at a time when the race to unearth South America’s lithium is throwing open a new front in the global tug of war between China and the United States. The European Union has also been moving to secure regional lithium supply deals. Policy-makers in Argentina have discussed a requirement to keep a portion of production in country for local processing, although that proposal has been shelved for now, the people said.

Among other Chinese investments in Argentina, Ganfeng Lithium Group Co is the majority owner of Minera Exar SA, which recently became the South American country’s first lithium project in years to enter production. Ganfeng also spent almost US$1 billion last year to acquire another Argentine project.

China has shown a willingness to help Argentina with its downstream ambitions. Chinese carmaker Chery Inc wants to build a US$400-million EV and battery plant in Argentina, while Jujuy Province said it’s been in talks with suitors from China to make cathodes there. Across the Andes in Chile, Chinese electric-car juggernaut BYD Co is also working on a cathode project.

Meanwhile, Argentina is trying to gain access to US President Joe Biden’s new electric-vehicle tax credits despite not meeting the requirement of being a US free-trade partner.

Besides the cathode project with Zijin, Camyen and YPF have teamed up on exploration in Catamarca. Livent Corp. will supply lithium from the same province to a small-scale battery-cell factory run by YPF, which is spearheading the development of national battery expertise.

Bahrain: Free Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace after two years of hunger strike

Bahrain|Free Expression & the Law

11 July 2023
Joint Statements



Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace (R, in red), greets another leading Bahraini activist in the village of Jidhafs, near Manama, Bahrain, 26 February 2011; at the time he had just been released after having been jailed for six months. JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images

In a joint letter, IFEX and rights groups renew calls for the immediate release of the prominent Bahraini human rights defender.

This statement was originally published on gc4hr.org on 8 July 2023.

King of Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa,
Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa,

8 July 2023

Joint Letter: Free Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace after Two Years of Hunger Strike

Your Majesties,

We, the undersigned, write to you again to express grave concern for the well-being of Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace, an academic, award-winning human rights defender and blogger serving a life sentence in Bahrain solely for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

We previously wrote to you on January 15, 2023, and August 13, 2022, urging you to secure Dr. Al- Singace’s immediate and unconditional release and, in the meantime, ensure that he receives adequate health care, is protected from torture and other ill-treatment, and that his academic work be transferred to his family. Our requests have neither been met nor acknowledged, and Dr. Al-Singace’s deteriorating health is one of increasing concern.

July 8, 2023, marks an astounding two years since Dr. Al-Singace began his hunger strike in response to the prison authorities’ confiscation of his manuscript on Bahraini dialects of Arabic that he spent four years researching and writing. During his hunger strike, he has been sustaining himself only on multivitamin liquid supplements, tea with milk and sugar, water, and salts.

Dr. Al-Singace has been held in solitary confinement within his room in Kanoo Medical Centre, where he has been prohibited from going outside, exposure to direct sunlight, and receiving the physiotherapy he requires for his disability. He has also been deprived of necessary examinations, including MRI scans of the shoulder and head, physiotherapy, and treatment for joints, vision, prostate, and tremors. Authorities have refused to provide Dr. Al-Singace with necessary items, such as medical slippers to prevent falling in the bathroom and a hot water bottle to relieve pain.

The deliberate denial of healthcare has placed Dr. Al-Singace’s life in grave danger and amounts to a failure to provide healthcare in line with Bahrain’s obligations under international human rights law. His treatment also constitutes a violation of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

As of June 23, 2023, Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace decided to suspend family visits and telephone calls, the only means of communication with his family, in protest of continued medical negligence and prevention of treatment in light of his declining medical condition. Additionally, authorities continue to limit his access to information by banning English and Arabic newspapers and reducing the number of accessible TV channels.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted an opinion on Dr. Al- Singace’s case during its ninety-sixth session on 27 March–5 April 2023. The ruling confirms repeated allegations of torture at the hands of the Bahraini government, states that his arrest was unlawful, and finds that he was “subjected to enforced disappearance” (Para 80).

Dr. Al-Singace’s case “follow[s] a familiar pattern of arrest without a warrant, pretrial detention with limited access to judicial review, denial of access to lawyers, forced confessions, torture and ill treatment and denial of medical care. The Working Group recalls that, under certain circumstances, widespread or systematic imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty in violation of the rules of international law may constitute crimes against humanity” (Para 112). These damning findings illustrate clear breaches of international law and necessitate the immediate release of Dr. Al-Singace.

In light of the above, we renew our call for you to release Dr. Al-Singace immediately and unconditionally, and in the meantime, to ensure he is held in conditions that meet international standards, receives his medication without delay and has access to adequate healthcare, in compliance with medical ethics, and ensure that his arbitrarily confiscated research is immediately transferred to his family members.

Sincerely,
ALQST for Human Rights
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB)
Amnesty International
Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD)
British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES)
CIVICUS
English PEN
European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR)
Front Line Defenders
Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
Human Rights First
IFEX
International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
PEN America
PEN International
Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED)
REDRESS
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Scholars at Risk