Jerusalem row: Palestinian leadership suspends recognition of Israel

AL JAZEERA
January 16, 2018

The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) has decided to suspend its recognition of Israel until the latter recognises the State of Palestine on its 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

During a meeting in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah late on Monday, the PLO, which is an umbrella of major Palestinian political parties, also said that the Oslo Accords, signed with Israel in the early 1990s, "no longer stand".

In the final statement read after the meeting, the PLO's Central Council, the second-highest Palestinian decision-making body, said that it would renew its decision to "stop security coordination [with Israel] in all its forms" and called on all Arab states "to sever all ties with any state that recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and transfers its embassy to it".

The meeting comes following a decision in December by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Breaking with decades of US policy in favour of a two-state solution, Trump's declaration dealt a blow to the Palestinian leadership, which for more than two decades has unsuccessfully attempted to establish a state on the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

The PLO meeting in Ramallah was organised to lay out the Palestinian strategy to confront the US in the wake of its Jerusalem decision.

According to Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, the PLO rejected the US' "deal of the century" for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and affirmed it would find "other international pathways under the auspices of the United Nations to sponsor solving the Palestinian cause".

At the start of the two-day meeting, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas slammedTrump's peace proposal, saying: "Now we say 'No' to Trump, we won't accept his plan - we say the 'deal of the century' is the slap of the century," referring to the US president's pledge to achieve the "ultimate deal".

After officially recognising Israel's existence in 1988, the PLO and Israel signed the Oslo Accords in 1993 and 1995 meant to lead to the creation of an independent Palestinian state through the establishment of an interim Palestinian government - the Palestinian Authority.

The Oslo deals also gifted Israel complete control of the Palestinian economy, civil and security matters in over 60 percent of the West Bank, and introduced the controversial security coordination between Israel and the PA.

The PA says the only answer to more than 70-year-old conflict is the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

But since the signing of the Oslo Accords, the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories has only intensified, making it difficult for Palestinians to envision such a solution.

Currently, between 600,000 to 750,000 Israeli citizens - or 11 percent of the Israeli population - live in the occupied Palestinian territories - encouraged by the right-wing Israeli government which offers them incentives to move there.

Guarded by heavily armed Israeli soldiers, they have taken up large swaths of Palestinian private land.

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News Network
April 20,2020

Sharjah, Apr 20: Air Arabia announced on Monday it will operate new repatriation flights from four cities in India to Sharjah carrying UAE nationals back home.

The special flights will operate from Mumbai and Delhi to Sharjah International Airport on April 20 while special flights will operate from Kochi and Hyderabad to Sharjah International Airport on April 22.

Air Arabia remains committed to bring stranded citizens back home as well as supporting requests to operate repatriation flights and is working closely with UAE authorities in this regard, the airline said.

Air Arabia announced earlier that it’s operating a mix of repatriation flights as well as cargo flights during the month of April to multiple destinations.

Further information about the repatriation and cargo flights is available on the website or can be obtained by contacting the Air Arabia call centre on 06 5580000 or respective travel agent.

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News Network
April 24,2020

Dubai, Apr 24: The UAE reported 525 new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The Ministry of Health and Prevention said the total number of confirmed cases in the UAE is now 9,281.

MOHAP reported 8 deaths taking the total number of deaths in the country to 64. 123 recoveries have also been announced.

According to the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the latest cases were detected through its intensified investigation and examination procedures.

The ministry conducted over 32,000 additional COVID-19 tests among citizens and residents.

The ministry offered its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. It also wished a speedy recovery to all patients and called upon the general public to strictly adhere to preventative measures out of concern for the health and safety of all.

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News Network
May 5,2020

Dubai, May 5: A Saudi ministerial decision issued on Monday allows companies in the private sector to reduce salaries by 40 per cent and allows termination of contracts owing to the economic hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to daily newspaper Al Sharq Awsat.

The new decision was still not published by the cabinet according to the newspaper.

The decision which the newspaper saw a copy of was signed by Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to regulate the labour contract in the current period, allows employers to reduce the employees salaries by 40 percent of the actual effective wage for a period of 6 months, in proportion to the hours of work and allowing the termination of employee contract after 6 months of the COVID-19 circumstances.

The new decision has also included a provision in which the employer would be allowed to cut wages even he or she benefits from the subsidy provided by the goverment, such as those for helping pay workers wages or exemption from government fees.

The decision also stressed that employers are not allowed to terminate any employee, unless three conditions are met.

1.            First the passing of six months since the measures of salary cut has been taken

2.            Reducing pay, annual leave and exceptional leave were all used

3.            Company proves that its facing financial troubles due to the circumstances.

The memo, which goes into affect as soon as its published in the government’s official newspaper, ensures that the employee will receive his/her salary if on annual leave within the period of 6 months.

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