Palestinians in Jerusalem reject Ramadan meals provided by the UAE
Jerusalem, May 21: Jerusalemite activists have launched a hashtag on Twitter – #we are not hungry – as a rejection of Ramadan meals provided by the UAE for visitors to Al-Aqsa Mosque. They argue that the Gulf State is consorting with the Israeli occupation of Palestine, having sent a team to cyclists to participate in the international Giro d'Italia cycle race which passed through occupied Jerusalem on the 70th anniversary of the Nakba.
The Palestinian Olympic Committee has condemned the participation of UAE riders in the race. It described such participation as a precedent of such gravity that it is treason against the great struggle of the Palestinian people.
According to Hebrew-language radio in Israel, the normalisation of relations between the occupation state and the UAE is such that Minister of Communications Ayoob Kara has received an official invitation to visit the Emirates. The Israeli minister added that he is also expecting Gulf officials to visit Israel soon.
Associated Press and the Washington Post reported earlier that the ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain, Yousef Al-Otaiba and Abdullah Bin Rashed Al-Khalifa respectively, have already met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a restaurant in Washington.
Bahrain also sent a team to take part in the Giro d’Italia event. Indeed, the government in Manama sent a delegation to Israel and conducted “provocative” tours in Jerusalem a few days after US President Donald Trump acknowledge Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last December.
Commenting on Trump’s announcement, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister called it a “side” issue. “It is not useful to engage in a battle with the United States on side issues,” he tweeted. Palestinians called his statement “a model of cultural Judaisation that has infected the minds of the perverts and Zionists.”
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
