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Blogger Alexander Lapshin’s wife appeals to Israel PM

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Israeli Russian blogger Alexander Lapshin’s wife, Ekaterina, has petitioned to Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, with the request to urge the Azerbaijan leadership to release her spouse.

“Dear Mr. Prime Minister, as the head of the state, you have a big international influence, and thus, you can and must help the citizen of Israel who served in TZAHAL [i.e. the Israel Defense Forces], and now is in a difficult situation.

“You have released Gilad Shalit by paying a high price for him. Your brother fell while saving the Israelis and Jews in Entebbe.

“Now, the time has come to help a blogger and a reporter who got involved in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan while carrying out his journalistic duties, and as a result, found himself in an Azerbaijani prison.

“Taking into account the good relations between Azerbaijan and Israel, the joint military and economic programs, you have an opportunity to petition to [Azerbaijan] President [Ilham] Aliyev with a request and help the Israeli to be in freedom.

“This is a very dangerous precedent because if a blind eye is turned on this, later many Israelis can appear in such a situation, due to visiting disputed territories and for visiting our territories in Jerusalem or the Golan Heights, which the international community does not recognize as Israeli.

We realize that you are focused on global issues, such as the Iranian threat. But rendering assistance to your citizens is no less an important commitment, since we do not abandon our own, not solely in the battlefield, but anywhere.

“We expect your intervention, since you can and you must [intervene],” specifically reads the petition by Lapshin’s wife.

After his visits to Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in 2011 and 2012, blogger Alexander Lapshin was “blacklisted” by Azerbaijan.

In June 2016, however, he paid a visit to Azerbaijan–but with a Ukrainian passport–and, subsequently, he published several articles criticizing the Azerbaijani authorities.

Afterward, Azerbaijan issued an international search for this famous blogger. On December 15, 2016, Lapshin was detained in the Belarusian capital city of Minsk, and based on this search.

On January 26 of the current year, the Minsk city court dismissed the blogger’s appeal of the Belarusian General Prosecutor’s Office decision to extradite him to Azerbaijan.

On February 7, the Supreme Court of Belarus dismissed the appeals that were filed into this case, and upheld the aforesaid decision by the General Prosecutor’s Office.

On the evening of the same day, the famous blogger was extradited to the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku, where he was taken into custody.

According to analysts and human rights defenders, however, Alexander Lapshin’s case may become an appalling precedent that curtails the freedom of speech of foreigners and the freedom of movement of Armenian citizens.

Israeli official: Knesset will sooner or later recognize #ArmenianGenocide

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The Israeli Knesset will sooner or later recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edlestein noted the aforementioned on Thursday at the meeting with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia on Foreign Relations, Artak Zakaryan.

Edelstein underscored the importance of the development of inter-parliamentary ties and the age-long friendship between the Armenian and Jewish peoples, the NA press-service informed Armenian News – NEWS.am.  He expressed readiness to further exert every effort towards enhancing the cooperation in all spheres, in particular, culture, tourism, economics and especially agriculture. Edelstein also stressed the importance of the role of Armenian and Jewish communities in the development of the state.

According to the Speaker, Knesset will sooner or later recognize the Armenian Genocide. In this context, he expressed regret over the fact that the Israeli parliament has not so far officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. However, in his words, a number of steps have been taken in this direction recently.

“I am not at all proud of the fact that Israel has not so far recognized the Armenian Genocide, but I should mention that certain progress has already been recorded in this direction,” he stressed.

 

The Israeli official also expressed hope that in the future it will be possible to find peaceful solutions to unresolved conflicts. He promised to contribute to the process of organizing private meetings between Armenian and Israeli officials, as well as maintaining active inter-parliamentary ties.

Artak Zakaryan, for his part, stressed the important role of the inter-parliamentary ties in the development of interstate relations, implementation of joint programs in the spheres of mutual interest, as well as in terms of long-term political cooperation.

He also underscored the importance of the memorandum of cooperation signed recently by Armenian NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan and his Israeli counterpart Yuli Edelstein, as well as the recently formed Armenian-Israeli Public International Forum.

Zakaryan expressed hope that the results of the second forum, which is to be held in Tel-Aviv on January 19, may ne significant, contributing to the mutually beneficial public relations in a number of spheres.

Apart from this, the Committee Chairman riefed the Knesset Speaker on the situation in the region and Armenia’s position on their resolution.

By the end of the meeting, Edelstein wished success to the Armenian NA in holding the upcoming elections, expressing hope that the ties will remain active in the newly-elected parliament.

Syrian Army warns Israel it will respond after military airport bombed near Damascus

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Syrian state news agency SANA says Israeli jets have bombed the Mezzeh military airport west of Damascus, accusing Tel Aviv of supporting terrorism. The airport was rocked by multiple explosions, with ambulances rushing to the scene.

The Syrian Arab Army has warned that there will be repercussions for Israel for the “flagrant attack” on the military base, state TV said, citing a Syrian army command spokesman. It also linked the alleged strike to Israel’s “support of terrorist groups.”

The army said several missiles were fired at the Mezzeh airport’s compounds from the Lake Tiberias area in northern Israel at about 12am Friday. The strike reportedly damaged one of the compounds of the crucial military facility.

The Mezzeh airport is located west of Damascus, just 5 kilometers from the Presidential Palace, the official residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

This is the second time in two months the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has being accused by the Syrian government of targeting Syrian positions from Israeli territory.

On December 7, SANA reported that “several surface-to-surface missiles” were launched by the IDF from the Golan Heights. At the time, the source in the Syrian armed forces slammed the attack as a “desperate attempt” by Israel to endorse terrorists.

On Thursday, at least nine people were killed and several others injured as result of a suicide attack in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood in Damascus. The terrorist had reportedly detonated an explosive belt near the al-Muhafaza sports club, SANA reported. RT’s Lizzie Phelan reported, citing a National Defense Forces (NDF) commander on the ground, that allegedly as many as five perpetrators took part in the attack, out of which three managed to escape and one was killed by a sniper.

https://youtu.be/EwHHbFV_Ej4

Breaking News: As Syria defeating ISIS, Israeli jets bombing Syrian military airport near Damascus

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Syrian state news agency SANA says Israeli jets have bombed the Mezzeh military airport west of Damascus, accusing Tel Aviv of supporting terrorism. The airport was rocked by multiple explosions, with ambulances rushing to the scene.

The Syrian Arab Army has warned that there will be repercussions for Israel for the “flagrant attack” on the military base, state TV said, citing a Syrian army command spokesman. It also linked the alleged strike to Israel’s “support of terrorist groups.”

Breaking News: Jerusalem ramming attack: Four killed as truck slams into crowd

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Four people were killed and 15 wounded after an industrial truck driven by a terrorist, rammed into a group of people adjacent to the Armon Hanatziv promenade in Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon.

Among the fatalities were three women and one man in their 20s. The terrorist was shot dead by security personnel at the scene.

The footage shows the moments leading up to the the truck ramming into a group of Israelis visiting an observation post in the capital’s Jewish neighborhood Armon Hanatziv. 

Police have confirmed that the perpetrator was neutralized. Authorities suspected terror motives in the incident. Police Commissioner, Insp.- Gen. Roni Alsheich, identified the attacker as a resident of east Jerusalem.

Israel’s attorney general orders criminal probe against Netanyahu

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Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has approved the opening of a full criminal investigation into the financial activities of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid allegations of bribery and fraud.

Netanyahu will be investigated following a nine-month police inquiry into two unspecified matters, and will be summoned to give evidence in the coming days, Israel’s Hebrew-language Channel 10 television network reported.

An unnamed spokeswoman from Israel’s so-called Justice Ministry said in a statement that checks in the matter “are still ongoing and this is neither confirmation nor denial of what has been alleged.”

“The attorney-general, the police and prosecutors are working in close cooperation and a public announcement will be made in due course about the investigation,” she said.

Netanyahu has long been the subject of scrutiny over his financial dealings.

Mandelblit recently ordered an investigation into claims that Netanyahu accepted 1 million euros (about $1.1 million) from accused French fraudster Arnaud Mimran in the form of donations during his 2009 campaign.

In May, Comptroller Yosef Shapira issued a critical report on Netanyahu’s foreign trips, some of which were taken with his wife Sara and children, from 2003 to 2005, when he was the Israeli finance minister.

The Israeli prime minister is also under investigation over the billion-dollar purchase of three submarines from Germany, where media have reported “a serious conflict of interest” on the part of Netanyahu.

Reports emerged last month that Netanyahu’s personal lawyer and one of closest confidants, David Shimron, was representing the German arms manufacturer ThyssenKrupp, which is making the submarines.

Channel 10 later disclosed an email it claimed was proof that Shimron used his close relationship with Netanyahu to lobby for the deal.

A separate probe is also underway in Israel into accusation that Sara Netanyahu misused public funds for private expenses.

Netanyahu of Israel gift to Azerbaijan, weapons of mass destruction

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BY YARON WEISS

The Israeli government’s support for Azerbaijan is unacceptable and disgraceful. Many Israelis are concerned about the cooperation between Israel and one of the darkest dictatorships in the world. Earlier this year, Zehava Galon, one of the leaders of the opposition in Israel, accused Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s Defense Minister, as a “foreign agent” collaborating with the government of Azerbaijan.

Many Israelis feel empathy and solidarity towards Armenia. The two nations have suffered genocide. Armenia is a small country surrounded by enemies as Israel. However, the Israeli government’s policy is the opposite of the feelings of Israeli citizens. It seems that the Israeli government sells its values for money.

Netanyahu warned the world that Iran is a dangerous country and threatens to exterminate Israel. He demands to impose sanctions on Iran. But at the same time, he sells weapons to Azerbaijan who threatens Armenia.

Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia is similar to Iran’s aggression against Israel.

Even in the past, Israel has sold weapons to dictatorships. As a result, oppressed nations began to hate Israel. Everyone remembers the cooperation between Israel and South Africa during apartheid regime. It is no coincidence that South Africa’s Goverment is hostile toward Israel.

In the seventies, Israel sold weapons to the Shah of Iran. Later, the weapons turned against Israel. This is what is likely to happen with Israeli weapons in Azerbaijan.

Two months ago, I visited in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), and met a courageous and determined people. Nothing in the world will change the fact that Artsakh has been and will be forever Armenian. No drones and no sophisticated weapon systems can subdue the courage of the Armenians. We will continue to demand that the Israeli government stop selling weapons to Azerbaijan. We will continue to demand that the Israeli government will adopt a moral foreign policy. It is proven that relationships between countries based on shared values persist for a long time.

We have seen in the past that giving priority to material interests alone without moral partnership do not hold for long. I believe that in the end, common sense will prevail.

The question is, how many victims will there be until that time?

Jewish Groups Protest Azerbaijan’s Hanukkah Party

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A protest organized by human rights group Freedom Now was held outside a Hannakuh party hosted by Ilham Aliyev’s Azerbaijani regime at Trump International Hotel on Dec. 14, 2016 (Photo: Video Screenshot)

WASHINGTON—A protest organized by human rights group Freedom Now was held on December 14 outside a Hannakuh party hosted by Ilham Aliyev’s Azerbaijani regime at Trump International Hotel – to “highlight the continued repression of civil society and independent voices in Azerbaijan.”

The controversial party – which has been sharply criticized in both the Jewish American and Israeli press – was co-hosted by the Embassy of Azerbaijan, Washington, D.C. and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to celebrate “religious freedom and diversity.”

“We strongly condemn Azerbaijan’s egregious violations of human rights,” said Freedom Now founder Jared Genser. “Hanukkah is the story of good triumphing over evil and the rededication of the Holy Temple. If Jewish leaders attend this celebration, they should take the opportunity to perform the mitzvah rabah (great deed) of pidyon shivuyim (redemption of captives) and urge Ambassador Elin Suleymanov to have his government release its political prisoners.” Earlier this week, Genser had an op-ed in The Forward entitled “A Hanukkah Freedom Party With Human Rights Violators” about this event.

“Activists who protest the government’s religion policy are often arrested and given lengthy prison terms based on false charges. Azerbaijan’s lack of respect for religious freedom has prompted the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to categorize it as a Tier 2 country, indicating serious violations,” read Freedom Now’s press statement on the protest. “Other countries in this category include Afghanistan, Cuba, Russia, and Turkey.”

Source: asbarez

Iran opposed to Israeli-Azerbaijani cooperation – Armenian analyst

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The Israeli-Azerbaijani cooperation agreements, signed in the course of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Baku, run counter to not only Armenian but also Iranian interests, according to Vardan Voskanyan, an Armenian expert in Iranian studies.
Speaking to Tert.am, Voskanyan said he expects very tough reactions by the Islamic Republic on the level of both the clergy and the political elite, as well as the society at large .
“Given the Iranian policy actions, however, those steps will not be planned for the short-term perspective; they will have far-reaching objectives,” he noted.

As part of his working trip to Azerbaijan, Netanyahu met with President Ilham Aliyev to a range of cooperation documents addressing, among other things, the agricultural sector and procedures for evading double property tax.
Voskanyan noted that Iranian politicians later issued threats to the Azerbaijani leadership, urging it to revise its regional cooperation perspectives with Israel. “I think it may be treated as a considerably hazardous move by Azerbaijan, as the country pins great hopes on Iran in an attempt to achieve Armenia’s isolation through imitated cooperation. Iran now sees that any long-term cooperation with Azerbaijan is doomed to failure,” he added.

According to the expert, the Israeli and Azerbaijani top officials must have considered also an anti-Iranian plan of actions at the recent meeting. “One doesn’t have to be gifted with a special wisdom to realize that the Israeli prime minister’s Baku visit agenda included included also an anti-Iranian plan of actions. No public statement will be issued with respect to those actions, but the Iranians are quite skilled and experienced enough to need additional explanations as to possible hazards,” he added.
Voskanyan noted that the two countries maintain close relations in almost all areas, including military security. In his words, Azerbaijan used Israeli drones in Nagorno-Karabakh during the four-day fighting in April. “The Israeli armament is used not only against Armenia but also Iran. So the hazard is an equal concern for both us and the Iranians,” he added.

 

The expert stressed the importance of closer Armenian-Iranian relations against the backdrop of the recent development.s “Possibilities of cooperation need to be revised with respect to areas that might not have been considered before. I think it has to be included into both countries agenda as the threats stemming from Azerbaijan are pose an equal hazard to Iran and Armenia,” he added.

 

Hripsime Hovhannsiyan

Israel: Netanyahu to visit Muslim Azerbaijan, to Build drone factory in Baku Against Christian Armenia.

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Iranian university students in the Ardabil Province protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned trip to the Republic of Azerbaijan, December 12, 2016.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is to begin a rare visit to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan amid media fanfare, but protesters have already taken to the streets to condemn his presence in the Muslim countries.  

The two-day tour, which is to begin on Tuesday, is the first by an Israeli prime minister to the region in a quarter century.

Members of the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan gathered in front of the country’s Foreign Ministry in Baku on Monday, venting their anger at Netanyahu’s planned visit to their country.

The Times of Israel has billed the trip as a vehicle to “bolster trade, [and] political support” with the two Muslim countries.

Azerbaijan, which supplies 40 percent of Israel’s oil, is a notable trade partner of the regime. Baku has also maintained controversially strong military cooperation with Tel Aviv.

The two sides have previously signed an agreement on the sale of 1.6 billion dollars worth of Israeli drones, anti-aircraft systems, and missiles to the Caucasian country which borders Iran and Russia.

The Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd has announced in the run-up to Netanyahu’s visit that it would build a drone factory in Baku, while reports pointed to the republic’s interest in Israel’s Iron Dome missile system.

The Jerusalem Post has described the bilateral partnership as an “iceberg,” with no more visible part than a tip. “The invisible parts of this ‘iceberg’ are mutual benefits,” it wrote in an opinion piece.

Netanyahu will, however, reportedly spend no more than seven hours in Azerbaijan, after which he will head to Kazakhstan with a reported agenda to discuss the potential provision of military training and technologies for the Asian country.

The trip comes amid considerable criticism, even among the traditional allies, of Tel Aviv’s persistent expansion of illegal settlements on the occupied Palestinian territories.

Azerbaijan shares an extensive border with Iran. On Monday, university students in Iran’s Azeri-speaking Ardabil Province held a rally to condemn the visit and Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians.

The protesters chanted “down with Israel” and denounced the visit as an unwelcome inroad into a Shia Muslim country.

Source: presstv.com