1 sept 2019
Seventeen-year-old Palestine refugee, Ismail Ajjawi, who was admitted to the Harvard University incoming freshman class of 2023 and issued a visa to the United States, was denied entry to the country when he arrived at Boston Logan International Airport, on August 23.
Ajjawi graduated this spring, from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Deir Yassin High School, in El Buss refugee camp, south of Tyre, Lebanon. He achieved the highest score in the life science stream of the Official Lebanese Baccalaureate exams in the south region and eighth highest in all of Lebanon. El Buss camp is one of twelve Palestine refugee camps in Lebanon where the UNRWA provides services.
Ajjawi explained that his school was surrounded by the camp, and, as suc, it “suffers from many difficulties, the most important being the housing density that leads to the construction of houses very close to each other. In this atmosphere, it is really difficult for students to concentrate on their studies.
There are a limited number of scholarships [after high school] and each year the amount is reduced. A large proportion of students are unable to study. I advise all my classmates to study hard and maintain their studies, so that they can achieve their dreams as I have been able to achieve mine.”
“Ismail Ajjawi is obviously an extremely talented and determined student and young man,” said Dr. Caroline Pontefract, the UNRWA Director of Education, “who, despite all odds, has gained a place in one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Ismail wants to study physical and chemical biology towards a career medicine which he had always dreamed of.
As such, he is a beacon of hope for hundreds of thousands of UNRWA students and representative of what UNRWA strives to achieve through its education programme: to realize the potential of every student and ensure that they acquire the values and principles that underpin the programme and UNRWA as a UN Agency.”
UNRWA educates 530,000 Palestine refugee children at 709 elementary and preparatory schools across its five fields of operations. The Agency also employs over 22,000 educational staff, the majority of whom are Palestine refugees, as teachers. UNRWA students consistently outperform their peers in public schools on national and international standardized tests. The Agency’s school systems across the Middle East were deemed by the World Bank to be a ‘global public good’.
UNRWA supports Ismail and all Palestine refugees who strive, against all odds, to achieve their full potential through higher education.
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty.
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA programme budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall.
PNN further reports that the UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s programme budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
The UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.4 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
Ajjawi graduated this spring, from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Deir Yassin High School, in El Buss refugee camp, south of Tyre, Lebanon. He achieved the highest score in the life science stream of the Official Lebanese Baccalaureate exams in the south region and eighth highest in all of Lebanon. El Buss camp is one of twelve Palestine refugee camps in Lebanon where the UNRWA provides services.
Ajjawi explained that his school was surrounded by the camp, and, as suc, it “suffers from many difficulties, the most important being the housing density that leads to the construction of houses very close to each other. In this atmosphere, it is really difficult for students to concentrate on their studies.
There are a limited number of scholarships [after high school] and each year the amount is reduced. A large proportion of students are unable to study. I advise all my classmates to study hard and maintain their studies, so that they can achieve their dreams as I have been able to achieve mine.”
“Ismail Ajjawi is obviously an extremely talented and determined student and young man,” said Dr. Caroline Pontefract, the UNRWA Director of Education, “who, despite all odds, has gained a place in one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Ismail wants to study physical and chemical biology towards a career medicine which he had always dreamed of.
As such, he is a beacon of hope for hundreds of thousands of UNRWA students and representative of what UNRWA strives to achieve through its education programme: to realize the potential of every student and ensure that they acquire the values and principles that underpin the programme and UNRWA as a UN Agency.”
UNRWA educates 530,000 Palestine refugee children at 709 elementary and preparatory schools across its five fields of operations. The Agency also employs over 22,000 educational staff, the majority of whom are Palestine refugees, as teachers. UNRWA students consistently outperform their peers in public schools on national and international standardized tests. The Agency’s school systems across the Middle East were deemed by the World Bank to be a ‘global public good’.
UNRWA supports Ismail and all Palestine refugees who strive, against all odds, to achieve their full potential through higher education.
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty.
UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA programme budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall.
PNN further reports that the UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s programme budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
The UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5.4 million Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA across its five fields of operation. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight.
UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
Still image from a video of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaking to reporters upon arrival in Moscow on September 1, 2019
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is in the Russian capital of Moscow for high-level talks on a wide range of issues, including the recent Israeli assaults on regional countries.
"In addition to bilateral talks on bilateral cooperation, we will hold talks [with Russians] on regional issues" such as the Israeli regime's recent assaults against regional states, Zarif told reporters upon arrival in Moscow on Sunday.
He made the comments amid escalation of tension along the occupied territories' borders with Lebanon, after the Hezbollah resistance movement attacked Israel’s military vehicles earlier in the day, leaving a number of Israeli forces dead or injured.
The Israeli artillery units also struck the southern part of Lebanon shortly after an Israeli drone violated the Lebanese airspace, and dropped incendiary material that sparked a fire in a forest at the border.
In his Sunday comments, Zarif highlighted other subjects to be discussed during his Monday talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
"We are on the verge of the Astana talks in Turkey, and there is a need for coordination. We also need coordination on the Yemen issue."
He said the "serious developments in Afghanistan" will also be on the agenda of his Monday talks.
"Iran's special envoys for Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria in the delegation visiting Russia, and will hold talks with their counterparts," Zarif added.
The top diplomat said he will also brief the Russian "friends" on the latest developments regarding the Iran nuclear deal, particularly the recent talks held in France.
"We have common stances on the JCPOA with Russia and China and many other global developments," he said.
The talks on the 2015 nuclear deal will come as Iran has given other parties to the deal, especially Europe, until Thursday to fulfill their commitments under the accord; otherwise Iran will take the third step of reducing its obligations.
Tehran rowed back on its nuclear commitments twice in compliance with articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA.
Tehran says its reciprocal measures will be reversible as soon as Europe finds practical ways to shield the Iranian economy from unilateral US sanctions which were imposed last year when President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal.
The Europeans have already missed a 60 day-deadline set by Tehran, prompting Iran to go for the second phase of cutting its commitments on July 7, which marked the start of a second such deadline for them.
As a first step Iran increased its enriched uranium stockpile to beyond the 300 kilograms set by the JCPOA.
In the second step, Tehran began enriching uranium to purity rates beyond the JCPOA limit of 3.76 percent.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is in the Russian capital of Moscow for high-level talks on a wide range of issues, including the recent Israeli assaults on regional countries.
"In addition to bilateral talks on bilateral cooperation, we will hold talks [with Russians] on regional issues" such as the Israeli regime's recent assaults against regional states, Zarif told reporters upon arrival in Moscow on Sunday.
He made the comments amid escalation of tension along the occupied territories' borders with Lebanon, after the Hezbollah resistance movement attacked Israel’s military vehicles earlier in the day, leaving a number of Israeli forces dead or injured.
The Israeli artillery units also struck the southern part of Lebanon shortly after an Israeli drone violated the Lebanese airspace, and dropped incendiary material that sparked a fire in a forest at the border.
In his Sunday comments, Zarif highlighted other subjects to be discussed during his Monday talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
"We are on the verge of the Astana talks in Turkey, and there is a need for coordination. We also need coordination on the Yemen issue."
He said the "serious developments in Afghanistan" will also be on the agenda of his Monday talks.
"Iran's special envoys for Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria in the delegation visiting Russia, and will hold talks with their counterparts," Zarif added.
The top diplomat said he will also brief the Russian "friends" on the latest developments regarding the Iran nuclear deal, particularly the recent talks held in France.
"We have common stances on the JCPOA with Russia and China and many other global developments," he said.
The talks on the 2015 nuclear deal will come as Iran has given other parties to the deal, especially Europe, until Thursday to fulfill their commitments under the accord; otherwise Iran will take the third step of reducing its obligations.
Tehran rowed back on its nuclear commitments twice in compliance with articles 26 and 36 of the JCPOA.
Tehran says its reciprocal measures will be reversible as soon as Europe finds practical ways to shield the Iranian economy from unilateral US sanctions which were imposed last year when President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal.
The Europeans have already missed a 60 day-deadline set by Tehran, prompting Iran to go for the second phase of cutting its commitments on July 7, which marked the start of a second such deadline for them.
As a first step Iran increased its enriched uranium stockpile to beyond the 300 kilograms set by the JCPOA.
In the second step, Tehran began enriching uranium to purity rates beyond the JCPOA limit of 3.76 percent.
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This satellite image from a classified US press briefing document purports to show what Trump insisted was a failed space launch by Iran
US President Donald Trump, known for his erratic tweeting, has seemingly given away important details about American’s military satellite after posting an image of what he said was a failed Iranian space rocket launch. The American head of state posted a satellite image on Friday that allegedly showed a launching pad in Iran’s Semnan province littered with debris from what was said to be Iran’s Safir (Ambassador) space launch vehicle. |
“The United States of America was not involved in the catastrophic accident during final launch preparations for the Safir SLV Launch at Semnan Launch Site One in Iran,” Trump said. “I wish Iran best wishes and good luck in determining what happened at Site One.”
Iran reacted refuted the claim by arranging a tour of the Nahid 1 satellite, which is due to be launched into orbit on board the Safir soon.
On Saturday, however, American experts warned that the Republican head of state might have caused a huge security risk by publishing the photo and revealing exciting details about America’s fleet of spy satellites currently orbiting the Earth.
Washington had until now kept notoriously secretive about its spy satellites but Trump’s image, which he seems to have shot with his smartphone from a classified print copy presented at a security briefing, gave experts enough material to shed light on their operations.
Astronomer Marco Langbroek used the angle of the image to identify exactly which satellite took the image. He concluded that, given the possible time of the photo on 9.44 am UTC on August 29, and the angle it was taken, the satellite in question is optical reconnaissance satellite USA 224.
“It is a very good match so there is no doubt in my mind that it is an image taken by USA 224,” Langbroek said in a tweet.
Cees Bassa, another astronomer, said the satellite was some 382 kilometers from the launch pad when it took the photo.
Bassa noted that USA 224 is makes use of a 2.4-meter mirror, which rival the Hubble space telescope and can produce “the sharpest images of the Earth’s surface.”
Meanwhile, Brian Weeden, from the space advocacy organization Secure World Foundation, was able to work out the exact resolution of the image.
He noted that while private satellites are only allowed by law to release images with a resolution of up to 25 centimeters, the photo shows that USA 224 has a resolution of at least 10 centimeters, if not better.
“This will have global repercussions,” Joshua Pollack, a nuclear proliferation expert, told CNBC. “The utter carelessness of it all. So reckless.”
Trump remained defiant against the criticism, saying he had an “absolute right” to release the photo.
Iran reacted refuted the claim by arranging a tour of the Nahid 1 satellite, which is due to be launched into orbit on board the Safir soon.
On Saturday, however, American experts warned that the Republican head of state might have caused a huge security risk by publishing the photo and revealing exciting details about America’s fleet of spy satellites currently orbiting the Earth.
Washington had until now kept notoriously secretive about its spy satellites but Trump’s image, which he seems to have shot with his smartphone from a classified print copy presented at a security briefing, gave experts enough material to shed light on their operations.
Astronomer Marco Langbroek used the angle of the image to identify exactly which satellite took the image. He concluded that, given the possible time of the photo on 9.44 am UTC on August 29, and the angle it was taken, the satellite in question is optical reconnaissance satellite USA 224.
“It is a very good match so there is no doubt in my mind that it is an image taken by USA 224,” Langbroek said in a tweet.
Cees Bassa, another astronomer, said the satellite was some 382 kilometers from the launch pad when it took the photo.
Bassa noted that USA 224 is makes use of a 2.4-meter mirror, which rival the Hubble space telescope and can produce “the sharpest images of the Earth’s surface.”
Meanwhile, Brian Weeden, from the space advocacy organization Secure World Foundation, was able to work out the exact resolution of the image.
He noted that while private satellites are only allowed by law to release images with a resolution of up to 25 centimeters, the photo shows that USA 224 has a resolution of at least 10 centimeters, if not better.
“This will have global repercussions,” Joshua Pollack, a nuclear proliferation expert, told CNBC. “The utter carelessness of it all. So reckless.”
Trump remained defiant against the criticism, saying he had an “absolute right” to release the photo.
29 aug 2019
Yisrael Katz, David Ben Basat and Ambassador Marlene Inemwin Moses
Oceania island of Nauru, which numbers only 10,000 citizens, regularly votes in favor of Israel at UN; move follows negotiations conducted by PM Netanyahu and FM Katz
The tiny Pacific island of Nauru has become the latest country to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, following in the footsteps of a number of countries, with the U.S. at their head.
The declaration came after diplomatic negotiations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz and the Nauruan embassy in Israel, with the help of the honorary consul of Nauru in Israel, David Ben Basat.
The government is soon to approve plans to help relocate several embassies and foreign government agencies to Jerusalem, Nauru's mission included.
Nauru is a small island country with just 10,000 citizens some 4,500 km from Australia, but has seat at the United Nations and a right to vote at the forum just like China and the U.S.
The tiny island is one of Israel's most dedicated allies and regularly supports Israel at UN votes despite pressure from Arab countries.
Nauru's UN ambassador, Marlene Inemwin Moses recently attended a dinner in Israel thrown in her honor by Ben Basat. Foreign Minister Katz, who was also present, asked the ambassador what could be done to help with Nauru's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Inemwin said she'd consult woth then-president Waqa.
After a few days, Moses said that Waqa had instructed her to publish a letter stating Nauru officially recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Waqa visited Israel two years ago, and stated that Israel is always in his heart. He also claimed that Nauru has only a handful of embassies around the world, but its Foreign Ministry would not rule out an embassy in Israel as well.
After the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, both Australia and the Czech Republic followed suit, while Guatemala moved its existing embassy to the capital.
Katz has vowed to continue to "strengthen Jerusalem's international status," saying Israel intends to take action to encourage more countries to recognize Jerusalem as the capital and move their embassies there.
Honduras is also to open a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem on Sunday, which is supposed to turn into an embassy at a later date.
Oceania island of Nauru, which numbers only 10,000 citizens, regularly votes in favor of Israel at UN; move follows negotiations conducted by PM Netanyahu and FM Katz
The tiny Pacific island of Nauru has become the latest country to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, following in the footsteps of a number of countries, with the U.S. at their head.
The declaration came after diplomatic negotiations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz and the Nauruan embassy in Israel, with the help of the honorary consul of Nauru in Israel, David Ben Basat.
The government is soon to approve plans to help relocate several embassies and foreign government agencies to Jerusalem, Nauru's mission included.
Nauru is a small island country with just 10,000 citizens some 4,500 km from Australia, but has seat at the United Nations and a right to vote at the forum just like China and the U.S.
The tiny island is one of Israel's most dedicated allies and regularly supports Israel at UN votes despite pressure from Arab countries.
Nauru's UN ambassador, Marlene Inemwin Moses recently attended a dinner in Israel thrown in her honor by Ben Basat. Foreign Minister Katz, who was also present, asked the ambassador what could be done to help with Nauru's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Inemwin said she'd consult woth then-president Waqa.
After a few days, Moses said that Waqa had instructed her to publish a letter stating Nauru officially recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Waqa visited Israel two years ago, and stated that Israel is always in his heart. He also claimed that Nauru has only a handful of embassies around the world, but its Foreign Ministry would not rule out an embassy in Israel as well.
After the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, both Australia and the Czech Republic followed suit, while Guatemala moved its existing embassy to the capital.
Katz has vowed to continue to "strengthen Jerusalem's international status," saying Israel intends to take action to encourage more countries to recognize Jerusalem as the capital and move their embassies there.
Honduras is also to open a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem on Sunday, which is supposed to turn into an embassy at a later date.
Members of the Jewish community and their supporters hold a "Jews Say #CloseTheCamps" protest and vigil
The majority of American voters disagree with US President Donald Trump’s comments to attract Jewish voters in the United States ahead of the 2020 presidential election, a new poll find.
According to the Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday, 59 percent of voters disapproved of Trump's last week remarks, suggesting that Jews not voting for him are displaying “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty."
Those who disagreed included 56 percent of independents, 25 percent of Republicans, and 86 percent of Democrats surveyed.
The poll surveyed 1,987 registered voters from August 23-25 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
According to recent exit polls, more Jews have voted for Democratic candidates than Republicans in recent elections.
“He's totally blown away that all his pandering to the hard right of American Jewish politics on Israel is not winning him any support among American Jews.
In fact, it's backfiring,” Joel Rubin, a deputy assistant Secretary of State during the Obama administration, told The Hill last week. “His broader social agenda and economic agenda and world view is never popular [among Jewish Americans] to begin with… But now he's just lashing out because he thinks that he's providing gifts and he should get rewards.”
Hailed as a “great friend to the Jewish people” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump has raised the US support for the Tel Aviv regime in part by recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel and Syria’s Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
Trump’s comments came amid his row with Muslim Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), which involved asking Israel to block them from visiting Palestinian territories.
Related: Jews voting Democrat clueless or disloyal: Trump
Jews blame Trump for rising anti-Semitism: Poll
The majority of American voters disagree with US President Donald Trump’s comments to attract Jewish voters in the United States ahead of the 2020 presidential election, a new poll find.
According to the Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday, 59 percent of voters disapproved of Trump's last week remarks, suggesting that Jews not voting for him are displaying “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty."
Those who disagreed included 56 percent of independents, 25 percent of Republicans, and 86 percent of Democrats surveyed.
The poll surveyed 1,987 registered voters from August 23-25 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
According to recent exit polls, more Jews have voted for Democratic candidates than Republicans in recent elections.
“He's totally blown away that all his pandering to the hard right of American Jewish politics on Israel is not winning him any support among American Jews.
In fact, it's backfiring,” Joel Rubin, a deputy assistant Secretary of State during the Obama administration, told The Hill last week. “His broader social agenda and economic agenda and world view is never popular [among Jewish Americans] to begin with… But now he's just lashing out because he thinks that he's providing gifts and he should get rewards.”
Hailed as a “great friend to the Jewish people” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump has raised the US support for the Tel Aviv regime in part by recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israel and Syria’s Golan Heights as Israeli territory.
Trump’s comments came amid his row with Muslim Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), which involved asking Israel to block them from visiting Palestinian territories.
Related: Jews voting Democrat clueless or disloyal: Trump
Jews blame Trump for rising anti-Semitism: Poll
28 aug 2019
This file picture shows fighters from the Iraqi pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known by the Arabic word of Hashd al-Sha’abi, in an undisclosed location in Iraq.
An Iraqi lawmaker has called on the Baghdad government to forge an alliance with countries that have protracted disputes with the United States in order to strike Israel in the wake of recent airstrikes in the country against the positions of pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known as Hashd al-Sha’abi.
“The persistence of the Israeli regime and its targeting of military sites within our territory have not occurred unexpectedly, but rather under the auspices of the United States. They (Americans) opened the Iraqi airspace for them, and orchestrated all of this scenario.
They are partners to the targeting of our territory,” the Arabic service of Russia’s Sputnik news agency quoted Mansour al-Baiji, a member of the State of Law political coalition, as saying in a statement released on Wednesday.
He then called on Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, President Barham Salih and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi to refrain from "condemnation and denunciation," and instead “strike up alliances with the great powers that have disputes with (the United States of) America and bolster relations with Russia and China in a bid to ensure international protection” for Iraq.
On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said his country’s armed forces were fully prepared to respond firmly to any act of aggression launched either from outside or inside Iraq.
“The prime minister pointed to the high readiness of our armed forces to defend Iraq, its citizens and state institutions in addition to diplomatic missions operating in Iraq. He also stressed the Iraqi forces’ readiness to respond firmly and by all means available to any aggression launched either from outside or inside Iraq,” Abdul-Mahdi’s media office said in a statement released following a cabinet session in the capital Baghdad.
The statement added, “Abdul-Mahdi also touched on the ongoing diplomatic contacts with all neighboring countries besides Arab and regional states as well as the international community in order to explain the position of Iraq and mobilize regional and international support for solidarity with it and its just position and its policy in support of peace and stability.”
The remarks came a day after the spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Baghdad government would take all available diplomatic and legal actions to prevent the violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Also on Monday, Iraq's military said it has launched an investigation into a purported Israeli strike that killed two Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters near the town of al-Qa’im close to the country's western border with Syria.
An investigation is ongoing now to determine what happened with the strike,” the spokesman for Iraq's Joint Operations Command, Brigadier General Yahya Rasoul, told AFP.
Sayf al-Badr, the spokesman for the Iraqi Health Ministry, said in a statement that at least one person was killed and 29 others were wounded in a powerful explosion, which rocked a military base in southern Baghdad on August 12.
An ammunition warehouse reportedly exploded inside a federal police military base, named Falcon, in Owerij area near the southern district of Doura.
Arabic-language al-Ahad TV television network reported on July 19 that a drone had dropped explosives onto a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Units near the town of Amerli, located about 170 kilometers north of the capital, in the early hours of the day, killing at least one PMU fighter and injuring four others.
Video footage broadcast by Iraqi channels showed a blaze burning at the site and plumes of thick smoke billowing.
Additionally, the Iraqi al-Etejah television network reported that an American B350 reconnaissance plane had flown over the area a few days earlier.
The Israeli regime has a record of attacking the forces fighting Daesh in Syria.
In June 2018, Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters came under attack in Syria’s border town of al-Hari, in the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr, as they were chasing Daesh terrorists out of the area.
Both the Syrian government and Hashd al-Sha’abi declared back then that the attack near the Iraqi-Syrian border had been deliberate and could only have been carried out by either Israel or the United States.
An Iraqi lawmaker has called on the Baghdad government to forge an alliance with countries that have protracted disputes with the United States in order to strike Israel in the wake of recent airstrikes in the country against the positions of pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), better known as Hashd al-Sha’abi.
“The persistence of the Israeli regime and its targeting of military sites within our territory have not occurred unexpectedly, but rather under the auspices of the United States. They (Americans) opened the Iraqi airspace for them, and orchestrated all of this scenario.
They are partners to the targeting of our territory,” the Arabic service of Russia’s Sputnik news agency quoted Mansour al-Baiji, a member of the State of Law political coalition, as saying in a statement released on Wednesday.
He then called on Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, President Barham Salih and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi to refrain from "condemnation and denunciation," and instead “strike up alliances with the great powers that have disputes with (the United States of) America and bolster relations with Russia and China in a bid to ensure international protection” for Iraq.
On Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said his country’s armed forces were fully prepared to respond firmly to any act of aggression launched either from outside or inside Iraq.
“The prime minister pointed to the high readiness of our armed forces to defend Iraq, its citizens and state institutions in addition to diplomatic missions operating in Iraq. He also stressed the Iraqi forces’ readiness to respond firmly and by all means available to any aggression launched either from outside or inside Iraq,” Abdul-Mahdi’s media office said in a statement released following a cabinet session in the capital Baghdad.
The statement added, “Abdul-Mahdi also touched on the ongoing diplomatic contacts with all neighboring countries besides Arab and regional states as well as the international community in order to explain the position of Iraq and mobilize regional and international support for solidarity with it and its just position and its policy in support of peace and stability.”
The remarks came a day after the spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Baghdad government would take all available diplomatic and legal actions to prevent the violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Also on Monday, Iraq's military said it has launched an investigation into a purported Israeli strike that killed two Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters near the town of al-Qa’im close to the country's western border with Syria.
An investigation is ongoing now to determine what happened with the strike,” the spokesman for Iraq's Joint Operations Command, Brigadier General Yahya Rasoul, told AFP.
Sayf al-Badr, the spokesman for the Iraqi Health Ministry, said in a statement that at least one person was killed and 29 others were wounded in a powerful explosion, which rocked a military base in southern Baghdad on August 12.
An ammunition warehouse reportedly exploded inside a federal police military base, named Falcon, in Owerij area near the southern district of Doura.
Arabic-language al-Ahad TV television network reported on July 19 that a drone had dropped explosives onto a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Units near the town of Amerli, located about 170 kilometers north of the capital, in the early hours of the day, killing at least one PMU fighter and injuring four others.
Video footage broadcast by Iraqi channels showed a blaze burning at the site and plumes of thick smoke billowing.
Additionally, the Iraqi al-Etejah television network reported that an American B350 reconnaissance plane had flown over the area a few days earlier.
The Israeli regime has a record of attacking the forces fighting Daesh in Syria.
In June 2018, Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters came under attack in Syria’s border town of al-Hari, in the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr, as they were chasing Daesh terrorists out of the area.
Both the Syrian government and Hashd al-Sha’abi declared back then that the attack near the Iraqi-Syrian border had been deliberate and could only have been carried out by either Israel or the United States.
Members of the pro-government Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or Hashd al-Sha’abi carry the coffin of their comrade Kazem Mohsen, known by his nom de guerre Abu Ali al-Dabi, during his funeral procession in Najaf, Iraq, August 26, 2019
A senior Iraqi official says the recent Israeli drone attacks targeting a pro-government military force in the Arab country had the backing of the Saudi regime and were launched from the areas controlled by US-backed Kurdish militants in neighboring Syria.
The official, who has knowledge of the latest intelligence briefing from Baghdad’s security services, told the Middle East Eye news portal on Tuesday that the attacks were conducted from bases belonging to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed anti-Damascus alliance of mainly Kurdish militants.
“The drone attacks were launched from SDF areas with the financing and backing of the Saudis,” said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.
The latest such drone attacks struck Sunday a convoy of Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or Hashd al-Sha’abi near the Iraqi town of al-Qa’im close to the Syrian border.
It killed Kazem Mohsen, 45th PMU Brigade logistical support chief who was also known by his nom de guerre Abu Ali al-Dabi, and severely wounded another fighter.
The PMU said the United States was providing air support to Israel for the strikes.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iraqi source said the plan to target the PMU was hatched during a visit by Saudi Arabia’s Persian Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan to the SDF-held Syrian area in June.
Sabhan, he added, offered funds to the SDF in return for their base being used as a launchpad for the strikes.
The Iraqi official also stressed that northern Syria was used to launch the attacks as Israeli drones do not have the range needed to hit targets in Iraq from the occupied territories.
“Israeli personnel were operating the drones from SDF-controlled bases,” he said.
He further noted that the Iraqis were initially skeptical of Tel Aviv's role in the attacks because of doubts about the capability of Israeli drones to reach Iraq.
The Israeli attacks began on July 19 when a drone dropped explosives onto a PMU base near the town of Amerli, in Salahuddin Province, killing at least one resistance fighter and injuring four others.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted on Thursday at possible Israeli strikes in Iraq.
A senior Iraqi official says the recent Israeli drone attacks targeting a pro-government military force in the Arab country had the backing of the Saudi regime and were launched from the areas controlled by US-backed Kurdish militants in neighboring Syria.
The official, who has knowledge of the latest intelligence briefing from Baghdad’s security services, told the Middle East Eye news portal on Tuesday that the attacks were conducted from bases belonging to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed anti-Damascus alliance of mainly Kurdish militants.
“The drone attacks were launched from SDF areas with the financing and backing of the Saudis,” said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity.
The latest such drone attacks struck Sunday a convoy of Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or Hashd al-Sha’abi near the Iraqi town of al-Qa’im close to the Syrian border.
It killed Kazem Mohsen, 45th PMU Brigade logistical support chief who was also known by his nom de guerre Abu Ali al-Dabi, and severely wounded another fighter.
The PMU said the United States was providing air support to Israel for the strikes.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iraqi source said the plan to target the PMU was hatched during a visit by Saudi Arabia’s Persian Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan to the SDF-held Syrian area in June.
Sabhan, he added, offered funds to the SDF in return for their base being used as a launchpad for the strikes.
The Iraqi official also stressed that northern Syria was used to launch the attacks as Israeli drones do not have the range needed to hit targets in Iraq from the occupied territories.
“Israeli personnel were operating the drones from SDF-controlled bases,” he said.
He further noted that the Iraqis were initially skeptical of Tel Aviv's role in the attacks because of doubts about the capability of Israeli drones to reach Iraq.
The Israeli attacks began on July 19 when a drone dropped explosives onto a PMU base near the town of Amerli, in Salahuddin Province, killing at least one resistance fighter and injuring four others.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted on Thursday at possible Israeli strikes in Iraq.
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