Israelis rally against West Bank annexation plan
Israelis rally against West Bank annexation plan /node/1686116/middle-east
Protesters gather in Tel Aviv's Rabin Square on June 6, 2020, to denounce Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank. (AFP)
https://arab.news/mcew3
Updated 07 June 2020
Demonstrators waved Israeli and Palestinians flags and held placards against the occupation of the West Bank
One demonstrator called for more solidarity between Palestinians and Israelis
TEL AVIV: Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv Saturday night against the government's plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, an AFP reporter said.
Demonstrators waved Israeli and Palestinians flags and held placards against the occupation of the West Bank and the possible annexation of parts of it, in a rally organized by leftwing NGOs and political parties.
US President Donald Trump's controversial Middle East plan, unveiled early this year, gives Israel the green light to annex Jewish settlements and other strategic territory in the West Bank.
As part of a recent agreement to form a coalition government with Benny Gantz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can submit the Trump plan to his cabinet and to parliament as early as July 1, for possible endorsement.
The plan also envisions the creation of a Palestinian state, but on reduced territory and without meeting the key Palestinian demand of having its capital in east Jerusalem. The Palestinians have rejected the plan outright.
One demonstrator called for more solidarity between Palestinians and Israelis.
"We have done so much damage to each other, the Palestinians and the Jewish" people, Anat Schrieber told AFP.
"We are brothers — we belong here, both of us, we can do so much more together than separately."
Another rally attendee, identifying herself as Eden, called for "justice to Palestinians and peace to both people, Israelis and Palestinians."
"In an apartheid reality there cannot be peace for us or them, nor can there be justice."
An annexation of the territories would violate international law and likely inflame tensions in the volatile region.
"I am afraid of the annexation plan," Eden said. "I think it will lead to riots and even war." The plan "will not achieve anything... (and) has no connection to peace," she contended.
Topics: West Bank Israeli annexation plan Palestine
Iran asks watchdog not to publish 'unnecessary' nuke details /node/1794016/middle-east
Updated 7 min 50 sec ago
Iran's nuclear department asked IAEA to avoid publishing details on its nuclear program that may cause confusion
On Saturday, Germany, France and Britain pressed Iran to back off its plan to develop uranium metal
TEHRAN, Iran: Iran urged the United Nations' nuclear watchdog to avoid publishing "unnecessary" details on Tehran's nuclear program, state TV reported Sunday, a day after Germany, France and Britain said Tehran has "no credible civilian use" for its development of uranium metal.
"It is expected the international atomic energy agency avoid providing unnecessary details and prevent paving ground for misunderstanding" in the international community, the statement said. It did not elaborate.
On Saturday, Germany, France and Britain pressed Iran to back off its plan to develop uranium metal, calling it "the latest planned violation" of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. The goal of the deal is to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, something Iran insists it does not want to do.
"Iran has no credible civilian use for uranium metal," they said in a joint statement. "The production of uranium metal has potentially grave military implications."
On Thursday, the IAEA said Iran had informed it that it had begun installing equipment for the production of uranium metal. It said Tehran maintains its plans to conduct research and development on uranium metal production are part of its "declared aim to design an improved type of fuel."
Iran reacted to the European statement Sunday saying Iran informed the UN nuclear watchdog nearly two decades ago of its plans for the "peaceful and conventional" production of uranium metal. It also said it provided updated information to the agency two years ago about its plans to produce silicide advanced fuel.
The statement said uranium metal is an "intermediate product" in the manufacture of uranium silicide, a fuel used in nuclear reactors that is safer and has more power capability than uranium oxide-based fuel, which Iran currently produces.
The three European nations alongside the US, Russia and China signed the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that prohibited research and production of uranium metal.
President Donald Trump in 2018 unilaterally withdrew the US from Iran's nuclear deal, in which Tehran had agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. After the US then ramped up sanctions, Iran gradually and publicly abandoned the deal's limits on its nuclear development.
President-elect Joe Biden, who was vice president when the deal was signed during the Obama administration, has said he hopes to return the US to the deal.
Topics: Iran