Human Rights

18 Dec 2021; MEMO: Israeli settlers on Friday attacked several Palestinian villages near Nablus city in northern occupied West Bank, Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Jihad Salah, the head of Burqa village council in northwestern Nablus, said the settlers assaulted the village using firearms.

He added that they set the village's barracks on fire and stoned a number of Palestinian homes.

18 Dec 2021; MEMO: Head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem Archbishop Atallah Hanna announced on Friday that Christians must not stay silent regarding the Israeli occupation's crimes against Palestinians, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported.

18 Dec 2021; MEMO: The Palestinian secular group Fatah on Friday called on Palestinians to unite and defend their land, homes and properties against the terrorism of the Israeli occupation army and settlers.

Wafa News Agency reported Fatah Spokesperson Osama Al-Qawasmi stating: "Israel and its settlers have escalated aggression and terrorism against Palestinians."

Gurugram, Dec 17 (PTI) A heated exchange of words took place over offering 'namaz' in the open here on Friday with right wing activists asking those who arrived for the prayers to chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'.

Several videos on the clash, which are said to be shot in Udyog Vihar, also show police arriving at the venue and holdings talks with the two groups.

Srinagar, Dec 17 (PTI) Former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah Friday lashed out at the Jammu and Kashmir administration for changes in the land use laws, claiming the new policy would adversely impact the people of the Union Territory.

Mehbooba Mufti, the PDP president, alleged the new laws enabling conversion of agricultural land to nonagricultural purposes reveals designs to engineer demographic change in Jammu and Kashmir.

17 Dec 2021; MEMO: The United States has backtracked on its pledge to the Palestinian Authority (PA) to reopen its consulate in occupied East Jerusalem, the Times of Israel revealed yesterday.

The Israeli daily said that it has been seven months since the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken notified PA President Mahmoud Abbas of the Biden administration's plan to reopen the US Consulate in Jerusalem. No progress has since been made on the plan.

16 Dec 2021; MEMO: The US Senate passed a bill Thursday that bans goods from China's Muslim majority Xinjiang region produced with forced labour, Anadolu Agency reported.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act unanimously cleared the upper chamber of Congress. It cleared the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The main sponsor of the bill, Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from the state of Florida, hailed the passage on Twitter.

17 Dec 2021; MEMO: UK MP Robert Jenrick said that legislation would be passed to outlaw Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The comments were made at the Leadership Dialogue Institute (LDI), described on its website as a 'private diplomatic channel' to strengthen ties between the UK, Israel and Australia.

Jaipur, Dec 16 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said those who indulge in divisive politics should think about the future of the country.

He said Pakistan became a nation on the basis of religion but was divided into two countries.

He said Bangladesh was created in 1971 despite the fact that majority population was Muslim.

Doing politics in the name of religion is easy, provoking people in the name of caste is easy, spreading hate is easy but difficult to take back when it is spread.

Mathura (UP), Dec 16 (PTI) A petition has been filed at a local court here seeking prohibition on namaz at the Shahi Idgah, located close to the temple in Shri Krishna Janmasthan here.

In recent months, some organisations have moved the courts here seeking the 'removal' of the Idgah claiming it is built in the "actual birthplace" of Lord Krishna.

The court has been requested to pass an injunction order restraining the Muslim community from offering namaz in Shahi Masjid Idgah and on adjacent road, Mahendra Pratap Singh, the petitioner said in his application.