April 2022 - Page 5 of 33

Turkish court sentences Erdogan critic Kavala to life in jail

The panel of three judges also sentenced seven other defendants to 18 years in jail each on charges of aiding the attempt to topple the government.

The judgement is almost certain to attract a chorus of condemnation from Turkey’s main allies in the Nato defence alliance.

The court’s ruling drew boos from a packed audience that included Western diplomats who have been trying to stress the importance of rights issues and judicial independence in their relations with Ankara. Emma Sinclair-Webb of Human Rights Watch called it “the worst possible outcome to this show trial”.

“Today, we have witnessed a travesty of justice of spectacular proportions,” Amnesty International’s Europe director Nils Muiznieks added. Kavala’s attorneys immediately vowed to appeal.

‘Conspiracy theories’

The Paris-born philanthropist told the court by video link form his high-security prison near Istanbul that he viewed the entire process as a “judicial assassination”.

“These are conspiracy theories drafted on political and ideological grounds,” Kavala told the court moments before the sentence.

The three judges took less than hour to issue their sentence in one of Turkey’s most high-profile trials in years.

The marathon hearing has been gnawing on Turkey’s strategic but tempestuous ties with its main Western allies since Kavala’s unexpected arrest in Oct 2017.

The 64-year-old was then best known as a soft-spoken businessman who was using a part of his wealth to promote culture and projects aimed at reconciling Turkey and its arch-nemesis Armenia.

But President Recep Tayyip Erdogan portrayed him as a leftist agent of the Hungarian-born US billionaire George Soros who was accused of using foreign money to try and topple the state.

“We can never be together with people like Kavala,” Erdogan declared in 2020.

Alternating charges

Tens of thousands of people ended up being jailed or stripped of their government jobs in the purges that followed the coup attempt. But the seemingly arbitrary nature of the alternating charges filed against Kavala made him into a symbol for international rights groups — as well as Western governments — of Erdogan’s increasing authoritarian streak in the second decade of his rule.

Kavala was first charged with funding a wave of 2013 protests that some analysts view as the genesis of Erdogan’s more authoritarian streak in the latter half of his 20-year rule. That count did not stick.

A court acquitted and released him in February 2020 — only for the police to arrest him before he had a chance to return home to his wife.

Another court then accused him of being involved in the failed but bloody 2016 coup attempt that unleashed a years-long crackdown in which tens of thousands were either jailed or stripped of their government jobs. Kavala ultimately ended up being charged with both counts.

His treatment prompted the Council of Europe to launch rare disciplinary proceedings that could ultimately see Turkey’s membership suspended in the continent’s main human rights grouping.

In escalation of rhetoric, Moscow cites ‘real’ risk of nuclear war

In a marked escalation of Russian rhetoric, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was asked on state television about the importance of avoiding World War Three and whether the current situation was comparable to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

“The risks now are considerable,” Lavrov said, according to the ministry’s transcript of the interview.

“I would not want to elevate those risks artificially. Many would like that. The danger is serious, real. And we must not underestimate it,” Lavrov said.

“Nato, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy. War means war.”

Lavrov’s remarks came as US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin was set to convene a meeting of more than 40 countries at a German air base to discuss arming Ukraine to help it fight off Russia’s latest military assault in the east.

“The next several weeks will be very, very critical,” Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley told reporters travelling with him. “They need continued support in order to be successful on the battlefield. And that’s really the purpose of this conference.”

The aim is to coordinate aid that includes heavy weapons such as howitzer artillery, as well as killer drones and ammunition, General Milley said.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he regarded Russia’s scaremongering as a sign of weakness.

Russia had lost its “last hope to scare the world off supporting Ukraine,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter after Lavrov’s interview. “This only means Moscow senses defeat.”

Britain also played down the Russian threat.

“Lavrov’s trademark over the course of 15 years or so that he has been the Russian foreign secretary has been that sort of bravado. I don’t think that right now there is an imminent threat of escalation,” Armed Services Minister James Heappey told BBC Television.

The US State Department on Monday approved the potential sale of $165 million worth of ammunition to Ukraine. The Pentagon said the package could include ammunition for howitzers, tanks and grenade launchers.

Moscow’s ambassador to Washington told the United States to halt shipments, warning Western weapons were inflaming the conflict.

Guterres to Moscow

US Secretary General Antonio Guterres was due in Moscow on Tuesday to meet President Vladimir Putin and Lavrov, the highest profile peace mission since the war began, although Western countries have said they have little hope of a breakthrough.

Russia’s two-month-old invasion of Ukraine has left thousands dead or injured, reduced towns and cities to rubble, and forced more than five million people to flee abroad.

Moscow calls its actions a “special operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West call this a false pretext for an unprovoked war of aggression.

War rages in South, East

Russia has yet to capture any of Ukraine’s biggest cities. Its huge invasion force was forced to pull back from the outskirts of Kyiv in the face of stiff resistance last month. But it has since announced new war aims to focus mainly on the east, and sent more troops there for an assault on two provinces where it has backed a separatist revolt.

“It is obvious that every day — and especially today, when the third month of our resistance has begun — that everyone in Ukraine is concerned with peace, about when it will all be over,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said late on Monday.

“There is no simple answer to that at this time.”

Ukraine’s general staff said on Tuesday that Russia’s offensive continued in the eastern Kharkiv region with Russian forces trying to advance towards a village called Zavody.

While focusing on the east and south, Russia has also been striking targets in other parts of Ukraine with missiles and air strikes. Its defence ministry said it had destroyed six facilities powering railways used to deliver foreign weapons to Ukrainian forces.

The head of Ukraine’s state rail company said one railway worker had been killed and four injured by Russian missile strikes on five railway stations on Monday.

Ukrainian forces have repelled five Russian attacks and killed just over 200 Russian servicemen, said the Ukrainian military command in the southern and eastern sectors. Five tanks were also destroyed, along with eight armoured vehicles, it said in a statement. The reports could not be verified.

Russia is probably attempting to encircle heavily fortified Ukrainian positions in the country’s east, the British military said in an update on Tuesday.

Reports say the town of Kreminna has fallen, with heavy fighting in the south of the city of Izyum, as Russian forces try to advance towards the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, Britain’s defence ministry said on Twitter.

The governor of Russia’s Belgorod border province, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said Ukraine had fired on two villages across the frontier and at least two people were wounded.

560 fighters killed

Russia pummelled Ukraine with missiles, aircraft and artillery overnight, killing at least 560 Ukrainian fighters and destroying dozens of armoured vehicles, rocket systems and other military equipment, the defence ministry said.

Russian aircraft struck 87 different military installations while rockets and artillery rained down on Ukrainian positions, destroying S-300 missile systems, a Tochka U short-range ballistic missile system, BUK-M1 and Osa-AKM missile systems.

“About 500 enemy personnel, 59 armoured vehicles, artillery guns and cars were destroyed, as well as more than 60 militants of the nationalist ‘Donbas’ group in the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the defence ministry said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a defiant speech at a military parade on Monday night, vowing to ramp up the country’s nuclear arsenal.

The parade, to mark the armed forces’ founding anniversary, also displayed banned intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

In March, North Korea tested its largest-known ICBM for the first time since 2017.

It sparked wide condemnation from the international community.

The US also imposed several sanctions on the country after the test. ICBMs, designed for nuclear arms delivery, extend North Korea’s strike range as far as the US mainland.

The parade also featured submarine-launched ballistic missiles in addition to hypersonic missiles.

However, Mr Kim has been undeterred by the condemnation so far.

“We will continue to take steps to strengthen and develop our nation’s nuclear capabilities at the fastest pace,” he said, adding that their nuclear forces “must be ready” to be exercised anytime, according to a report by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The announcement was made at a parade marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the North Korean army

North Korea’s nuclear weapons were fundamentally a deterrence tool against war but could be used for other means, he said, echoing previous rhetoric that the country would strike back if attacked.

Kim Jong-un wants North Korea to be accepted as a legitimate nuclear state. He also wants the crippling sanctions on his country to be lifted. But he knows neither are likely to happen.

Diplomacy with the US has stalled. President Biden has said he will only look at lifting sanctions if North Korea agrees to give up its nuclear weapons. Kim Jong-un has responded by forging ahead with his nuclear programme, testing an array of increasingly sophisticated weapons.

North Korea has always claimed the reason it has nuclear weapons is to prevent a war. But recently it has started to talk about using these weapons in battle. This was the suggestion in Mr Kim’s speech, when he vowed that any military seeking confrontation with North Korea would “cease to exist”.

But this show of force is as much about bolstering his popularity as it is his security. North Korea is not just isolated from the international community. It sealed itself off from the world during the pandemic, and its economy is in a bad way. Weapons are one area where Mr Kim can show his people he is making progress.

Parade pictures released by state media show that the Hwasong-17 was among the weapons displayed at the parade. North Korea claimed to have test fired the massive ICBM for the first time in March.

South Korean experts have questioned the success of the test launch.

Typically, Pyongyang showcases its new weapons at its military parades which often feature long processions of tanks, artillery and soldiers.

Monday’s military parade was closely watched as North Korea has tested several missiles this year, heightening tensions on the peninsula.

In addition, satellite images have showed North Korea firing up activity at its nuclear testing facility in Punggye-ri in March, stoking fears the country would resume testing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles.

The Hwasong-17 missile was also put on display in the parade

The recent election of South Korea’s new president Yoon Suk-yeol, who has voiced a harsher line on North Korea’s actions, has frayed relations.

South Korean defence minister Suh Wook earlier this month said the South had the capacity to strike the North’s missile launch points – sparking a furious reaction from Pyongyang.

In 2018 Kim Jong-un put in place a moratorium on long-range ballistic missile and nuclear tests, following talks with then US President Donald Trump.

But in 2020, Mr Kim announced he was no longer bound by this promise.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has repeatedly said it is willing to resume talks without preconditions, but has so far shown little interest in engaging North Korea, which has demanded an end to sanctions.

Mr Biden has instead prioritised relations with South Korea and Japan, and thrown his support behind efforts by the South’s outgoing president Moon Jae-in to smooth relations between the two countries.

The average food bill could increase by £271 this year as prices continue to rise, research suggests.

Grocery prices were 5.9% higher in April than a year ago, the biggest increase since December 2011, according to research company Kantar.

It said shoppers were turning to discount retailers Aldi and Lidl as pressures on budgets grows.

Supply chain issues, the Ukraine war and rising raw material costs are all contributing to soaring food prices.

Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: “The average household will now be exposed to a potential extra £271 per year.

“A lot of this is going on non-discretionary, everyday essentials which will prove difficult to cut back on as budgets are squeezed. We’re seeing a clear flight to value as shoppers watch their pennies.”

Aldi was the fastest growing retailer during the period the data covers, with its sales increasing by 4.2% over the 12 weeks to 17 April.

This was closely followed by Lidl, which was up 4%.

More than one million extra shoppers visited the two retailers respectively over the period compared with this time last year, with both achieving record-breaking market shares, according to Kantar.

Tesco was the only other retailer to increase its market share, growing by 0.3 percentage points to 27.3% of total grocery sales.

Supermarkets are facing a fierce battle for customers as the soaring cost of living hits household budgets.

On Monday, Morrisons and Asda, who have both been losing customers to Aldi and Lidl, said they were cutting prices on hundreds of products.

Meanwhile Iceland boss Richard Walker told the BBC that the cost of living was the “single biggest domestic issue” facing the country, adding that he would offer a “constant drum beat” of deals to help shoppers cut costs.

Rising inflation

The latest inflation figures showed that UK prices are rising at their fastest rate for 30 years, with increased energy, fuel and food costs all contributing.

Firms are increasingly passing on the higher costs they are facing to customers.

On Tuesday, budget fashion chain Primark warned it would have to introduce “selective price increases” across some of its autumn and winter clothing ranges because of these higher costs.

Last month, retailer Next also said its prices for homeware items would jump 13% and its fashion prices will rise by 6.5% in the second half of this year.

Nestle, the maker of KitKats and Nesquik cereal, also increased prices by more than 5% in the first three months of the year because of rising costs.

Kantar said food prices were rising fastest in markets such as dog food, fresh lamb and savoury snacks, but were falling in spirits.

It said there was also evidence of some customers stocking up on certain products due to limited availability and increased prices linked to the war in Ukraine.

Last weekend some supermarkets introduced limits on how much cooking oil customers are able to buy, with supplies being hit by the war.

The majority of the UK’s sunflower oil comes from Ukraine and disruption to exports has led to some shortages and an increased demand for alternatives.

Kantar said the cooking oil market grew by 17% in April, with sunflower oil up 27% and vegetable oil up 40%.

Tesco is among the supermarkets limiting the amount of cooking oil customers can buy

Meanwhile, for the first time since the pandemic began supermarket sales are falling – by 0.6% compared with two years ago, Kantar said.

However, this compares with the start of the first national lockdown in the UK, when only essential shops like supermarkets were allowed to open.

Kantar said the easing of Covid restrictions, with many returning to the office, as well as restaurants and pubs, may also have had an impact.

Online grocery sales were also down by almost 15% compared with 2021.

“It is to be expected that sales are down compared with last year when restrictions were still in place,” Mr McKevitt said.

“While the number of trips we’re making to the supermarket has remained steady this year, people aren’t buying as much when in store and the average basket size has dropped by 4.5% to £22.39.”

Angela Rayner has said she was “crestfallen” after a paper printed claims from Conservative MPs that she tries to distract the PM by crossing and uncrossing her legs.

Speaking to ITV, Labour’s deputy leader said she had felt “really down” about how the story would impact her sons.

However, she added she had been “overwhelmed” by the support she received from colleagues.

The story has been widely criticised, with the PM calling it “sexist tripe”.

A source close to the whips office – which is in charge of discipline among Conservative MPs – has said: “Questions are being asked around the palace and if the anonymous source is identified action will be taken.”

The UK press regulator Ipso has said it is exploring possible breaches of its code of practice after receiving 5,500 complaints about the article.

The piece quotes an unnamed Conservative MP saying Ms Rayner “knows she can’t compete with Boris’s Oxford Union debating training, but she has other skills which he lacks”.

The story said: “Tory MPs have mischievously suggested that Ms Rayner likes to distract the PM when he is in the despatch box by deploying a fully clothed parliamentary equivalent of Sharon Stone’s infamous scene in the 1992 film Basic Instinct.”

Appearing on the Lorraine programme, the Ashton-under-Lyne MP said that when speaking in Parliament she was focused on “doing a good job” and that she felt like she held her own against the prime minister.

Watch: James Heappey slams “idiot colleague” for Rayner claims

‘Not cool’

She accused the article of being “steeped in classism”, suggesting she was “thick” as she had attended a comprehensive school, and insinuated she was “promiscuous” for having a child at sixteen.

The article described the Labour MP’s background as “a socialist grandmother who left school at 16 while pregnant and with no qualifications before becoming a care worker”.

Many MPs have since also condemned the tone of the newspaper’s reporting.

Ms Rayner also said she felt “fearful of the story coming out thinking that’s what people will think of me” but that she was “heartened” by the response.

She added that she had chosen to wear trousers while appearing on the programme as she feels “like I’m being judged for what I wear”.

Speaking earlier, Armed Forces Minister James Heappey described the Conservative colleague who gave the quote about Ms Rayner as an “idiot” and says “people are being put off” coming into politics because of their gender, adding: “That is not cool.”

Mr Heappey said “Westminster is in a bad place right now” and that “men have to call this out”.

Harriet Harman – Ms Rayner’s predecessor as Labour’s deputy leader – said the quotes were “sexist briefing” and “an age-old way to shut people up… it’s rooted in the idea that women should just shut up and stay home and don’t have a right to be in Parliament”.

Police have named a motorcyclist who was killed in a crash on the A72 in the Borders on Saturday

Brian Wilson, 60, of Newtongrange, died at the scene of the incident involving his motorbike and a Mini near Innerleithen just before 16:00.

The male driver and his female passenger were not injured. The road was shut for about six hours.

A 46-year-old man was arrested over road traffic offences and is expected to appear at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Mr Wilson’s family said they were “utterly devastated” and he would be “sorely missed”.

Police Scotland Sgt Scott Kirkpatrick said: “Our thoughts are very much with Mr Wilson’s family and friends.

“I’d like to thank those who stopped at the scene to assist and to those who have already provided statements, however, we would still urge anyone who witnessed the crash and has not yet come forward to contact us.”

Ilhan Omar deems it necessary to raise Kashmir issue in US Congress

LAHORE: After meeting victims of Indian ceasefire violations and seeing them suffer, US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar said that raising the Kashmir issue in Congress has become more necessary than before.

Talking to a reporter at a hotel about her bold stance on Kashmir and Palestine, The News reported that Omar said: “Having met the Kashmiri people in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), who nurse bullet wounds due to ceasefire violations by India, was an incredible experience and this firsthand experience has put me under an obligation to stand for human rights and human dignity.”

The US congresswoman said she had always taken up questions regarding Kashmir and Palestine in Congress, however, she never had the opportunity to visit the place in person. “It was incredibly awful to meet the people firsthand and ask them how they want to be in partnership with me as a lawmaker and advocate of human rights,” she added.

She said after meeting the people in person and seeing them suffer, it became crucial to raise the issue in Congress on an urgent basis rather than listening to it from others.

‘Fight for the cause of weak and exploited’

About herself, Omar said her story was of trial and triumph. “I was born in Somalia but had to flee the country due to civil war and lived for four years in generous Kenya before me and my family were sponsored to reach the United States of America. Here I was able to continue my studies and live in a community of warm-hearted people, although Minnesota is very cold, for the past 20 years,” she said.

“I represent the people of my community in the US Congress. I am someone who has experienced oppression and violation of human rights at a young age, and since I have been put into a position of power by people, I deem it my duty to advocate for those who don’t have that power.”

Omar said living with people who were disenfranchised and faced economic challenges, had not had full opportunity to educational opportunities, and those who were dealing with Islamophobia and racial discrimination, had prepared her to fight for the cause of the weak and exploited.

Visit to Pakistan

The US congresswoman said the Pakistani diaspora provided a strong bond between Pakistan and the US, and noted that those relations had bolstered over the past 75 years. She said Americans had benefited from the entrepreneurial spirit of the Pakistanis, their innovation, and their focus on advancing technology and healthcare. For many Americans, she said, their first interaction with Pakistanis was when they had met them.

Recalling the experience of her first visit to Pakistan, Omar said: “I have been humbled by the generosity of political leaders in Pakistan, who put their differences aside and welcomed me with open arms during my visit to the federal capital.”

She dismissed negative stories that people might have heard about Pakistan and said they would be pleasantly shocked to know how smooth and joyful her trip had been. “I enjoyed every bit of my stay,” she added.

She said she was fascinated to find a church, a Sikh temple, and a Hindu temple in close proximity to a mosque when she visited the Walled City of Lahore, which was the best exponent of cultural harmony. She pointed out that visiting Pakistan would help people get over their misgivings about the country. Omar thanked the Pakistani government and the people for the warmth, generosity and hospitality, saying she had been treated as a family during her maiden short visit to the country.

About her visit to Lahore, Ilhan Omar fondly said: “I have seen Lahore in movies from the age of five but it has been an incredible experience to visit Lahore in person and see Punjabi culture. “It was like the fulfilment of a wish list. Once I share my experiences on social media, all those who come across my experiences will love to buy a ticket and fly to Lahore,” she added.

She said she enjoyed spicy Pakistani food. Her husband, Tim, is also fond of Pakistani food and his US-Pakistani friends provided it plenty.

Climate change: a real issue

On climate change, the US congresswoman said it was a real issue and the United States, as a global leader, thinks it important to make investments in the global community to ward off the challenges of climate change. “There have to be investments in renewable energy to ensure our younger generations inherit a planet that is livable,” she said, adding that she would fight the exploitative use of water of Punjab rivers by India as she had done in the case of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Omar’s message to Pakistanis

In her message to the Pakistani diaspora in the US, she said their participation in the civil society and electoral process was vital to make a niche on the political scene in the US.

To Pakistani girls and women, the US congresswoman said the youth had limitless potential. “Women need to realise their inner potential to ensure their external liberation; they need to believe in their power, and society would not change unless they are ready to fight for themselves and the rights of others,” she maintained. She urged women from Pakistani minorities to take an active part in politics.

During her four-day visit at the invitation of the Pakistan government, Omar visited the Line of Control (LoC) in AJK, met the president, the prime minister, cabinet members and leaders of political parties. She also visited the Walled City of Lahore.

Pakistan, Iraq to sign deals on cooperation in various sectors

Pakistan and Iraq will sign 10 agreements to promote such cooperation in coming June, which will mark the beginning of a new era in enhancing bilateral relations, the ambassador told APP on Sunday.

These agreements would be signed on tax and tariff exemptions, economic and trade cooperation, coordination against human trafficking and other crimes, besieds air connectivity, he said.

Ambassador Lafta said there was a huge potential for the development of bilateral trade between the two countries in near future. He said Iraq was a free market, offering vast opportunities for Pakistani investors, from which the local business community could benefit from.

He expressed the hope that the current $100 million bilateral trade would be doubled, which would require cooperation in the petroleum and tourism sectors as well as more air travel facilities.

According to him, talks are also under way to make air connectivity more effective in both the countries and agreements will be signed in this regard.

The ambassador said that in order to improve economic and trade cooperation, it was necessary to know each other’s markets and in this regard exhibitions and seminars should be organised to boost interest of business class and investors from both countries.

He said that about 200 businessmen had gone to Iraq to participate in the trade exhibition this year.

In response to a question, the ambassador said that 200,000 Pakistanis visited the Iraqi cities of Karbala, Najaf and Baghdad every year and locals in those cities did not leave any stone unturned in their service and love.

In addition, there was a need to attract Pakistanis for traditional tourism in the tourist areas of Iraq, which would boost tourism on both sides, he added.

He said: “We want to promote mutual cooperation with Pakistan in petro-chemical and other fields of energy and in this regard technical support and mutual cooperation can be extended in every possible way.”

Ambassador Lafta said there were numerous investment opportunities for Pakistani companies in the construction sector in southern Iraq.

The ambassador said Pakistan is a youth-majority country and the youth in Iraq and Pakistan need to be made aware of the historical religious ties between the people of both countries.

Responding to a question, he said Arab countries were not new to Pakistan and Pakistan’s relations with the Middle East, especially Iraq, would be of utmost importance in future. The official agreed that there was need for awareness on both sides in this regard.

World Bank roadmap to mitigate Ukraine war impact on developing countries

This roadmap will support developing countries as they address the human and development setbacks caused by compounding crises — impacts of the war, including food and fuel price shocks, and disruptions to trade, supply chains and foreign direct investment, Covid-19 pandemic and climate change.

According to the document titled ‘Global Impacts of the War in Ukraine’, seen by Dawn, the WBG management will explore with its board of executive directors to put in place a 15-month crisis response envelope of around $170 billion for the period between April 2022 and June 2023.

In concert with its development partners, the WBG surge crisis response will provide focused support for developing countries as they confront the impacts of the war. In addition to addressing the impact of the war in Ukraine, the proposed surge financing will sustain WBG high impact support for responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, accelerating climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as promoting durable economic recovery through GRID. Strong partnerships at the international and national level will be integral to WBG crisis response and client engagement.

Israel says committed to status quo at Jerusalem site

His comments follow violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories that has killed 38 people since late March, with tensions further fuelled by the clashes in Jerusalem and consequent exchanges of fire between Israel and the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

“Muslims pray on the Temple Mount, non-Muslims only visit,” Lapid said, using the Jewish term for the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.

Palestinian Muslims have been angered by an uptick in Jewish visits to the Al Aqsa compound, where by long-standing convention Jews may visit but are not allowed to pray.

“There is no change, there will be no change — we have no plans to divide the Temple Mount between religions,” Lapid told journalists.

Palestinian protestors have repeatedly clashed with Israeli riot police at the Al Aqsa compound since the middle of the month, leaving hundreds injured as Ramazan coincided with Jewish Passover.

Attacks by Palestinians and Israeli Arabs have since late March killed 14 people in Israel, while 24 Palestinians have died, including perpetrators of attacks and also in raids by Israeli security forces in the occupied West Bank.

The recent violence in east Jerusalem sparked fears of another armed conflict similar to an 11-day war last year between Israel and the militant group Hamas, triggered by similar unrest at Al Aqsa.

Late Sunday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke with US President Joe Biden and “updated him on the efforts to stop the violence and incitement in Jerusalem,” a statement from the Israeli premier’s office said.

Palestinian officials and militants have repeatedly accused Israel of seeking to divide Al Aqsa into Jewish and Muslim sections or visiting times, as with another sensitive holy site in nearby Hebron. They have voiced anger at repeated incursions by Israeli security forces into the mosque compound. But Lapid blamed renewed tensions at the site on “terrorists” trying to incite violence.

Month: April 2022