Nazareth Hit by Powerful Earthquake
Published on: 25.1.2019ICEJ News Briefs
The city of Nazareth, famous for being the childhood home of Jesus Christ, was the epicentre of a powerful earthquake late Thursday evening which was felt all over the Galilee region and as far south as Jerusalem. Residents of Nazareth and surrounding communities reported hearing loud explosions during the tremors which lasted for several seconds. It was the latest seismic event in the north of Israel following a series of similar sized quakes in recent months.
Israel and UK Sign ‘Post-Brexit’ Free Trade Deal
In another defeat for the movement to Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) Israel, British diplomats attending the World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland announced on Thursday that they had finalized their first post-Brexit deal free trade deal with the Jewish State. “I’m delighted that as Britain prepares to leave the European Union and to ensure continuity for our businesses in both directions, we’ve reached agreement in principle today with our colleagues in Israel,” Britain’s Secretary for International Trade Liam Fox as he stood next to Israel’s Economy Minister Eli Cohen.
“Israel has been one of the most cooperative and productive partners in this relationship where our trade is already strong and set to go further,” Fox added. “For us, the continuity as we leave the European Union will be a precursor to an even more ambitious agreement in the future.”
In another defeat for the BDS movement, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem announced this week that it will be opening three centers at universities in the US city of Chicago, the Chinese city of Shenzhen and the Paraguayan city of Asunción to marker technological solutions developed at Hebrew University in these strategic markets.
Irish BDS Bill Draws Sharp Rebukes
Ireland’s parliament advanced legislation on Thursday which would criminalize the sale of goods or services originating beyond the borders Israel had previous to the 1967 Six Day War. In a letter to politicians, Paul Coulter of the ICEJ said, “As an Irish citizen who loves Israel and the Jewish people, I am both appalled and ashamed at this measure. Appalled at the bill’s thinly veiled antisemitism, and ashamed of my fellow countrymen who are promoting it. Criticism of Israel is not automatically antisemitic, but to uniquely single out Israel for criticism and boycott is.”
“It is disturbing and disappointing that the initiators of the law are focusing on a hypocritical attack on Israel, rather than on dictatorships that slaughter their citizens,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said. “This is a clear expression of obsessive discrimination that should be rejected with disgust.”
Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’ Coming After Israeli Elections
Senior officials in the Trump Administration in the US spoke on condition of anonymity to the Jerusalem Post this week, saying that the Administration’s so-called “Deal of the Century” plan for resolving the decades old conflict between Israel and the Palestinians shortly after Israel’s upcoming election on 9 April. “Longer is not our friend,” one official said. “It is hard for us to imagine a set of circumstances where the plan is never released. We have every intention of releasing it.”
Today’s video shows a panel discussion of the US role in the Middle East in light of recent events