Middle East Experience

Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai warned Sunday against transferring the investigation into Beirut Port blast to Parliament, saying such a move would lead to the..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Rai warns against Parliament role in Beirut blast probe

The UAE Foreign Minister told his Pakistani counterpart that the….
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: UAE claims new visa suspensions 'temporary coronavirus measure'

Politicians, medical professionals and health workers began receiving the vaccine from 6 a.m.
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israel's coronavirus campaign: Day 1 - in photos

By modifying its foreign policy goals, the kingdom is bracing itself for the approaching change of administration in Washington.
Source: Al Monitor
Full Article: Saudi Arabia makes major regional moves as Biden administration arrives

For decades, Christmas sales were largely underground, and Christians from the Philippines, Lebanon and other countries celebrated behind closed doors or in expat enclaves..
Source: Albawaba
Full Article: Rare Christmas sales in Saudi Arabia

In October, Indonesian diplomats and Muslim clerics stepped off a plane in China. While the diplomats were there to finalize deals to ensure millions of doses reached Indonesian citizens, the clerics had a much different concern: Whether the COVID-19 vaccine was permissible for use under Islamic law.As companies race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and countries scramble to secure doses, questions about the use of pork products — banned by some religious groups — has raised concerns about the possibility of disrupted immunization campaigns.Visit our dedicated coronavirus site here for all the latest updates.Pork-derived gelatin has been widely used as a stabilizer to ensure vaccines remain safe and effective during storage and transport. Some companies have worked for years to develop pork-free vaccines: Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis has produced a pork-free meningitis vaccine, while Saudi- and Malaysia-based AJ Pharma is currently working on one of their own.But demand, existing supply chains, cost and the shorter shelf life of vaccines not containing porcine gelatin means the ingredient is likely to continue to be used in a majority of vaccines for years, said Dr. Salman Waqar, general secretary of the British Islamic Medical Association.Spokespeople for Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have said that pork products are not part of their COVID-19 vaccines. But limited supply and preexisting deals worth millions of dollars with other companies means that some countries with large Muslim populations, such as Indonesia, will receive vaccines that have not yet been certified to be gelatin-free.This presents a dilemma for religious communities, including Orthodox Jews and Muslims, where the consumption of pork products is deemed religiously unclean, and how the ban is applied to medicine, he said.“There’s a difference of opinion amongst Islamic scholars as to whether you take something like pork gelatin and make it undergo a rigorous chemical transformation," Waqar said. “Is that still considered to be religiously impure for you to take?”The majority consensus from past debates over pork gelatin use in vaccines is that it is permissible under Islamic law, as “greater harm” would occur if the vaccines weren’t used, said Dr. Harunor Rashid, an associate professor at the University of Sydney.There's a similar assessment by a broad consensus of religious leaders in the Orthodox Jewish community as well.“According to the Jewish law, the prohibition on eating pork or using pork is only forbidden when it’s a natural way of eating it,” said Rabbi David Stav, chairman of Tzohar, a rabbinical organization in Israel.If “it’s injected into the body, not (eaten) through the mouth," then there is “no prohibition and no problem, especially when we are concerned about sicknesses,” he said.Yet there have been dissenting opinions on the issue — some with serious health consequencesfor Indonesia, which has the world's largest Muslim population, some 225 million.In 2018, the Indonesian Ulema Council, the Muslim clerical body that issues certifications that a product is halal, or permissible under Islamic law, decreed that the measles and rubella vaccines were “haram,” or unlawful, because of the gelatin. Religious and community leaders began to urge parents to not allow their children to be vaccinated.“Measles cases subsequently spiked, giving Indonesia the third-highest rate of measles in the world,” said Rachel Howard, director of the health care market research group Research Partnership.A decree was later issued by the Muslim clerical body saying it was permissible to receive the vaccine, but cultural taboos still led to continued low vaccination rates, Howard said.“Our studies have found that some Muslims in Indonesia feel uncomfortable with accepting vaccinations containing these ingredients," even when the Muslim authority issues guidelines saying they are permitted, she said.Governments have taken steps to address the issue. In Malaysia, where the halal status of vaccines has been identified as the biggest issue among Muslim parents, stricter laws have been enacted so that parents must vaccinate their children or face fines and jail time.In Pakistan, where there has been waning vaccine confidence for religious and political reasons, parents have been jailed for refusing to vaccinate their children against polio.But with rising vaccine hesitancy and misinformation spreading around the globe, including in religious communities, Rashid said community engagement is “absolutely necessary.”“It could be disastrous,” if there is not strong community engagement from governments and health care workers, he said.In Indonesia, the government has already said it will include the Muslim clerical body in the COVID-19 vaccine procurement and certification process.“Public communication regarding the halal status, price, quality and distribution must be well-prepared,” Indonesian President Joko Widodo said in October.While they were in China in the fall, the Indonesian clerics inspected China's Sinovac Biotech facilities, and clinical trials involving some 1,620 volunteers are also underway in Indonesia for the company's vaccine. The government has announced several COVID-19 vaccine procurement deals with the company totaling millions of doses.Sinovac Biotech, as well as Chinese companies Sinopharm and CanSino Biologics — which all have COVID-19 vaccines in late-stage clinical trials and deals selling millions of doses around the world — did not respond to Associated Press requests for ingredient information.In China, none of the COVID-19 vaccines has been granted final market approval, but more than 1 million health care workers and others who have been deemed at high risk of infection have received vaccines under emergency use permission. The companies have yet to disclose how effective the vaccines are or possible side effects.Pakistan is late-stage clinical trials of the CanSino Biologics vaccine. Bangladesh previously had an agreement with Sinovac Biotech to conduct clinical trials in the country, but the trials have been delayed due to a funding dispute. Both countries have some of the largest Muslim populations in the world.While health care workers on the ground in Indonesia are still largely engaged in efforts to contain the virus as numbers continue to surge, Waqar said government efforts to reassure Indonesians will be key to a successful immunization campaign as COVID-19 vaccines are approved for use.But, he said, companies producing the vaccines must also be part of such community outreach.“The more they are transparent, the more they are open and honest about their product, the more likely it is that there are communities that have confidence in the product and will be able to have informed discussions about what it is they want to do,” he said.“Because, ultimately, it is the choice of individuals.”For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Read more:Coronavirus: UK COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine allergic reactions explainedCoronavirus: US FDA approves Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use: FTCoronavirus: Moderna says CDC panel recommends its COVID-19 vaccine for adults
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Coronavirus: Concern among Muslims over halal status of COVID-19 vaccine

“To force citizens into a [COVID-19] hotel is a violation of the universal right to liberty,” Hanna Grossman said, “people should be given the chance to get checked when they arrive.”
Source: Jerusalem Post
Full Article: Israelis arriving from the UK slam Netanyahu: ‘No logic'

In a resolution supported by 614 votes, the European Parliament condemned Iran for violating human rights.The European Union demanded Iran’s release of European citizens of Iranian origin.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The EU also called for the necessity of stopping the death penalty execution against the Swedish-Iranian academic, Ahmed Reza Jalali.The countries of the Union also condemned the deterioration of human rights in Iran, stressing that the matter has become a source of severe European concern.The European Union called on Iran to stop carrying out executions and hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations. A member of the European Commission, Helena Daly, said that the Union calls on Iran on every occasion to respect its obligations under international treaties related to the political and civil rights of citizens.“Nasrin Sotoudeh was re-arrested two weeks after her release. She suffers from difficult health conditions. We demand once again for her release and for her to be able to return to her family,” she said."The European Union is closely following the development of the human rights situation in Iran, which has been deteriorating regularly over the past year. Iran’s execution of Iranian dissident Ruhollah Zam is a very frightening act. The European Union condemns this act in the strongest terms and reiterates its strong initial opposition to the death penalty under any circumstances. Once again, we demand its cancellation," she added.Daly added that Iran executes 200 people a year. "We believe that Iran must respect the accused’s rights and the necessity to stop using confessions recorded in pressure to prove charges against suspects. We demand that all those responsible for human rights violations, including the violence that was used against the demonstrators, be held accountable."Read more:Pompeo: Sanctions cut Iran's military budget by 24 percentIran’s Rouhani expects Biden presidency to resume commitments under nuclear dealIran-backed Houthi militia launches missile that lands in Yemen’s Sana’a
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: European Union condemns in 'the strongest terms' Iran’s execution of journalist

US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss the December 14 imposition of sanctions by the US on its NATO Ally Turkey for its procurement of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system, as required under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).Secretary Pompeo made clear to Foreign Minister Cavusoglu that Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 system endangers the security of US personnel and military technology and allows Russian access to the Turkish armed forces and defense industry.For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.The Secretary stressed that the goal of the sanctions is to prevent Russia from receiving substantial revenue, access, and influence, and they are not intended to undermine the military capabilities or combat readiness of Turkey or any other US Ally or partner.Secretary Pompeo also urged Turkey to resolve the S-400 issue in a manner consistent with our decades-long history of defense-sector cooperation and to re-commit itself to its NATO obligations to purchase NATO-interoperable weaponry.Read more:Turkey says France must change stance on Syria operations to improve tiesTurkey says will not turn back on S-400 purchase after US sanctions
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Pompeo urges Turkey to re-commit itself to its NATO obligations

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif came under fire after using an antisemitic slur and jokingly wishing the United States would cease to exist in an interview earlier this month.Zarif used the word “juhood” – a derogatory term for Jewish people in the Persian language – when asked about Tehran’s position toward Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an interview with an Iranian journalist Mehdi Nasiri which was posted online on December 9.“I cannot imagine any circumstances under which we would officially recognize Israel … What is our solution? [Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei] has stated the solution. It is not throwing the juhood into the sea, or a military attack … The supreme leader has said what the solution is … Our solution is a popular referendum,” Zarif said.Zarif’s use of the word “juhood” sparked backlash after the Washington-based Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) posted parts of the interview with English subtitles.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.In response, Zarif said his use of the word, which he acknowledged is of a derogatory nature, was misinterpreted.“MEMRI has sunk to a new low in taking my pejorative usage of a word to accuse me of Antisemitism. I was mocking the allegation that Iran seeks to ‘throw the Jews into the sea’ and reiterating our solution is a referendum with participation of ALL: Jews, Muslims, Christians,” Zarif said on Twitter on Wednesday.Iranian military officials regularly threaten to “annihilate” Israel. In 2018, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Brig. Gen. Hossein warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he should practice swimming in the Mediterranean, “because soon he will have no choice but to flee to the sea.”Zarif is “lying about Iran's positions on Jews and Israel,” MEMRI said on Thursday in response. “The MEMRI archives are full of research proving that the Iranian regime and its leaders are antisemitic and call openly for the annihilation of Israel.”“After listening to Zarif’s reference to Jews as “Johood”, I can unequivocally say that his use of the word in this context was antisemitic,” Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian-born Jewish Israeli Middle East commentator, said on Twitter.Zarif could have instead used words such as “Yahoodian” or “Kalimian” – words in the Persian language that are commonly used to refer to Jewish people – Javedanfar added. “But he did not. Shame on you @JZarif.”In another part of the same interview, Zarif jokingly said he wished the US would “leave planet earth,” just as it did with the Iran nuclear deal, which also sparked criticism.Read more:European Union condemns in 'the strongest terms' Iran’s execution of journalistIran’s Zarif: Israel had a ‘role’ in nuclear scientist Fakhrizadeh’s assassinationAl-Jubeir hits out at Iran’s Zarif: Saudi Arabia does not approve of assassinations“By leaving the nuclear deal, the US has forfeited its rights … America is still obligated to lift its sanctions … because it has remained a member of the UN … Of course, it had the option to [leave the UN], like it left UNESCO and other organizations. God willing, it will also leave Planet Earth,” Zarif said.Critics say such a remark, even if accompanied by a laugh, exposes Zarif’s “two-facedness” and how he conducts himself differently when speaking to a domestic audience than when he is to Western media.“When @JZarif speaks to western press, everyone sees a polished and reasonable man. In Persian, his brutal self won’t be subdued. Here he says, good humoredly too, that he hopes the US will disappear from the earth ... reformist? Only another hardliner without a turban,” Iranian author Roya Hakakian said on Twitter.
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Iran’s Zarif uses antisemitic slur, wishes for US to ‘leave Earth’ in interview