Day: July 4, 2024

The price of Kuwaiti oil went down 43 cents to reach USD 88.46 per barrel on Wednesday as opposed to USD 88.89 last Tuesday, said the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) on Thursday.

On a global scale, the price of the Brent crude futures’ contracts went up by USD 1.10 to USD 87.34 pb, as did the West Texas Intermediate, going up USD 1.07 to USD 83.88 pb.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Farid Burqan, head of the Birin Village Council east of Hebron, said that the occupation authorities have begun demolishing two houses in the village this morning, so far.

He added, the occupation authorities brought 4 bulldozers and a bulldozer to the village, accompanied by a large army force, and began demolishing the house of Asaad Yousef Burqan and the house of his brother Yaqoub Burqan.

He explained that the presence of the bulldozers and the bulldozer alongside the large army force suggests that they will demolish 7 houses that are threatened and under threat of demolition in the village under the pretext of building without a permit.

These 7 houses are owned by: Asaad Yousef Barqan, Yaqoub Yousef Barqan, Fayez Al-Faqir, Ismail Barqan, Yousef Al-Ajlouni, Jaafar Al-Qadi, and Yousef Al-Hanjouli.

Source: Maan News Agency

The American channel “MSNBC” said that if war breaks out with Hezbollah, Israel will be working against an opponent that is not only the most powerful non-governmental entity in the Middle East, but an opponent that fights more effectively than most regular armies in the region.

The channel added that Hezbollah in 2024 is larger, better armed, more experienced and politically stronger than Hezbollah in 2006.

She pointed out that what the United States should do is make clear to Israeli officials, publicly and privately, that the United States does not support the war in Lebanon and will not rescue them if they start it.

The channel stressed that American officials must realize that in any war between Israel and Hezbollah, there is a possibility that Americans will not be immune from the consequences.

She pointed out that in any war with Hezbollah, millions of Israelis would live in shelters while major cities, from Tel Aviv to Haifa, would be exposed to a barrage of missiles that would be difficult to neu
tralize.

She explained: The Israeli ground forces will fight against Hezbollah, as they have learned a lot about tactics, operations and military procedures after years of ground operations in Syria.

The channel said: It is difficult to imagine how a comprehensive war in Lebanon could achieve the goal of (returning settlers to the north), while it would result in enormous material and human damage to Israel.

She stressed that in the event of war, Hezbollah missiles could target Israel’s vital civilian infrastructure: airports, ports, electrical grids and power stations.

She noted: Hezbollah continues to boast about its ‘rebel roots,’ but it increasingly resembles an army with up to 200,000 rockets and missiles of various ranges.

The channel indicated that in any war with Hezbollah, the Israeli economy in the north would be much worse than it is today, with more Israelis withdrawing from the region to preserve their safety.

Source: Maan News Agency

Once entering Turkiye, Arabic-speaking visitors would be greeted with words that sound very familiar ” Merhaba, hosgeldiniz ” meaning ” hello , welcome” with every interaction with the locals, the words seem familiar yet pronounced differently.

This sparks the question: are these words Arabic or not? With each passing day in this country, the familiar words such as “mescit” for mosque and “Kahve” for coffee as well as the Muslim greeting As-salamu alaykum but pronounced slightly differently, with more interaction with Turkish people, the visitor would discover many words shared between the two languages.

The protocol procedure of the country when receiving an official or leader must greet the soldiers by saying “Merhaba Asker”‘(Salute Soldier) the same greeting Mustafa Kemal Atatürk the founding father of the Republic of Turkiye used when addressing Turkish soldiers.

This might awaken a curiosity to look up common words between these two languages, as there are linguistic and historical ties as well as cu
ltural influences between them.

Turkish has been influenced over the centuries by various languages, such as Persian, Kurdish, English, and French, yet its Arabic influence stands out the most, including Arabic vocabulary that is continuously used in daily life and official speeches.

According to the 2005 Turkish Dictionary, there are 6,467 Turkish words of Arabic origin, as Turkish was written in Arabic script before the Republic underwent a huge language reform in 1928 by Ataturk to erase foreign influence – particularly Arabic and Persian – changed into Latin-based Turkish alphabet.

Despite these reforms, Arabic vocabulary has persisted in the language to this day, pronounced in a distinctly Turkish manner, just like any other borrowed words from various languages worldwide reflecting the identity of the region where the language is spoken.

The dictionary also showed that Turkish was influenced by several languages with Turkish vocabulary totaling around 89,000 followed by Arabic with 6,467, French wit
h 4,974, and Persian with 1,374, which proved the widespread intermix of Turkish people across different cultures and languages over the centuries.

According to a journal by a German academic publishing house Harrassowitz Verlag, around 950 AD when Turkic tribes converted to Islam, the Turkish language underwent a significant transformation, adopting many cultural elements and vocabulary due to interactions with people in Anatolia.

It added that during the Ottoman era – lasting about 600 years – Turkish continued to be heavily influenced by Arabic and Persian “Ottoman Turkish” with the establishment of the Republic of Turkiye in 1923 and the succeeding language reform, to reshape Turkish by replacing Arabic and Persian and other foreign words.

In recent decades, Turkish vocabulary and expression have continued to evolve, incorporating numerous Arabic, Persian, French, and English words much like other countries with rich civilizations, histories, and international migration across the world.

Turkiye’s his
tory undoubtedly has been shaped by numerous civilizations since ancient times, before the advent of Islam, Islamic conquest, the Umayyad and Abbasid Dynasty, and the Ottoman Empire.

This cultural and historical legacy has graced Turkiye with a rich inventory of artifacts and treasures, with the Turkish language representing a significant part of this heritage, through vocabulary diversity derived from various languages from different corners of the earth, circulated by people who have witnessed centuries of science, culture, and art.

Source: Kuwait News Agency

Dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque today, Thursday, through the Mughrabi Gate.

103 extremist settlers and Jewish students stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, under the protection of the occupation forces.

The settlers performed their prayers during the storming of Al-Aqsa, and explanations were given about the “alleged temple” during the storming of Al-Aqsa.

Raids are carried out on Al-Aqsa Mosque daily, except for Fridays and Saturdays, during the morning and afternoon raids.

Source: Maan News Agency

Within the activities of the “Sham Writers Forum in Palestine” Association, registered and licensed by the Palestinian Ministries of Interior and Culture, and based on a prior decision by the Association’s Board of Directors in this regard, and in the context of commemorating the fifth anniversary of the founding of the “Sham Writers Forum” group, which falls on July 2, the first meeting was held in Bethlehem on Tuesday 2/7/2024 within the new cultural program approved by the Association under the name “Monthly Forum Meeting.”

It is worth noting that this program, which is launched under the slogan ‘Those Who Attended,’ was created to create a mechanism for direct communication between the members of the forum and its followers to discuss cultural, literary, and creative issues, with a focus on the type of attendees from intellectuals and those interested in cultural affairs.

The first meeting, mentioned above, was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Nirvana Restaurant in Bethlehem, near the university, and wa
s attended by poet Muhammad Shraim, writer Mike Salman, poet Muhammad Shahada, novelist Fawzi Najajreh, writer Jamil Al-Hussani, and poet Jarar Gharib.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ‘Sham Writers Forum in Palestine’ Association, poet Muhammad Shraim, began the meeting by welcoming the attendees and explaining the purpose of approving the ‘Monthly Forum Meeting’ program and its working mechanism.

Then the poet Shraim, who moderated the meeting, began inviting the writers to present their creative texts, each of which was the subject of a meaningful dialogue after the author of the text finished reading it.

In this meeting, the novelist Fawzi Najajra read two texts, one of which was a thought entitled: ‘The Cowgirl,’ and the other was a satirical story entitled ‘The Employment Committee.’

Then the writer Muhammad Shahada read two memoirs, one entitled ‘The Levant’ and the other entitled ‘Haifa.’

As for the writer Jamil Al-Hussani, he read two memoirs, the first entitled: ‘I supported the wa
r twice’ and the second entitled: ‘The poets.’

The poet Jarar Gharib read his classical poem ‘Yes, We Will Return,’ which is in opposition to one of the poems by the poet Abdul Karim Al-Karmi, ‘Abu Salma.’

He was followed by poet and writer Mike Salman, who read a poem entitled ‘The Land of Terror is My Homeland’ and a thought entitled ‘Between a Humble Sage and an Ignorant Narcissist.’

At the end of the meeting, the poet Mohammed Shraim recited his classical poem ‘O Master of Writers.’

Source: Maan News Agency

The Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at Al-Quds University has obtained academic accreditation from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), which is the internationally recognized body for evaluating and accrediting academic and scientific programs of universities in the field of medical analysis and laboratories in the United States of America.

Following this achievement, the first batch of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program was accepted to sit for the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board Examination in Medical Laboratory Sciences.

The President of the University, Prof. Imad Abu Kishk, congratulated this step, saying, ‘We express our great happiness with this distinguished achievement, which represents an international certificate of the quality of the Medical Laboratory Sciences Program at Al-Quds University. This achievement is the result of strenuous efforts by the faculty members and the university administration, and the constant keenness to d
evelop academic programs to meet the needs of the local and global labor market.’

Al-Quds University is the second university in the Middle East to obtain academic accreditation from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) in the United States, and Palestine is the third country in the world outside the United States of America to host a program that has obtained this prestigious accreditation.

This accreditation and acceptance comes within the intensive efforts made by Al-Quds University under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Imad Abu Kishk to ensure quality in all aspects of its work, and its firm commitment to providing high-quality higher education that is in line with the best international practices in the field of medical laboratory sciences and confirms the competence of faculty members and the advanced structure of the study program, which qualifies students to work in various medical fields related to analysis and laboratories.

The Medical Laboratory Sciences program
at Al-Quds University is comparable to similar programs in America, and is considered to be of the same scientific strength. Al-Quds University and the College of Health Professions are also a major source of globally qualified cadres in the field of Medical Laboratory Sciences, especially with its ability to accommodate the largest number of students, even compared to American universities.

It is noteworthy that obtaining the American Board in Medical Laboratories provides university graduates with a global career horizon that enables them to rise to the highest positions in the field of health and medical sciences, which opens the way for graduates of the program to obtain better and more competitive job opportunities in various medical fields related to analysis and laboratories, and the possibility of completing postgraduate studies at internationally recognized universities. The board exam is also a requirement for work in the field of medical laboratory sciences in many US states, and it is a vital ste
p for students who aspire to enter the field of medicine to pursue pre-medical education.

Source: Maan News Agency

Groups of settlers attacked the homes of citizens in Khallet al-Daba’ in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron, tonight, and set fire to agricultural crops.

The coordinator of the Protection and Steadfastness Committees in the southern Hebron Mountains, Fouad Al-Amur, reported that armed groups of settlers attacked the Civil Defense fire truck that arrived at the scene to extinguish the fire, and caused damage to it.

He added that an ambulance belonging to the Palestinian Red Crescent arrived at the scene to evacuate more than 3 injured citizens who sustained injuries and bruises as a result of the settlers’ attack on them.

Source: Maan News Agency

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, condemned the Israeli occupation government’s legalization of five colonial outposts and the announcement of thousands of new colonial units in the occupied West Bank.

“The European Union condemns the so-called legalization of five Israeli settlement outposts and the announcement of thousands of new settlement units in the occupied West Bank,” Borrell said in a statement on Thursday.

He added: “The European Union also strongly condemns the continued policies of dispossession implemented by the current Israeli government in the occupied West Bank.”

“The ongoing efforts to establish facts on the ground that could lead to de facto annexation” of the West Bank must stop, he continued.

Borrell stressed that “Israel’s policy of building settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories constitutes a serious violation of international law, exacerbates tensions, and undermines efforts to achieve a two-state solution,” calling on Israel to reverse these d
ecisions.

‘In line with its long-standing common position and UN Security Council resolutions, the EU will not recognise changes to the 1967 borders unless agreed by both parties,’ Borrell said.

“As its leaders expressed at the European Council last week, the EU recalls its support for the Palestinian National Authority and stresses that actions that weaken the Authority must stop,” he added.

The European Union noted the transfer of part of the Palestinian tax revenues (clearance) to the Palestinian Authority, and the short-term renewal of the compensation agreement that allows correspondent relations between Palestinian and Israeli banks and links the West Bank to the global financial system, but insists that the clearance funds must be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, in accordance with the Paris Protocol, in a timely manner, in full and without unjustified deductions .

He continued: “The European Union reiterates its firm commitment to a lasting and sustainable peace based on the two-state sol
ution, where the State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable State of Palestine live side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition.”

Source: Maan News Agency

A White House official said that Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to US President Joe Biden, met with French officials on Wednesday and discussed with them French and American efforts to restore calm in the Middle East.

“France and the United States share the goal of resolving the current conflict across the Blue Line through diplomatic means, allowing Israeli and Lebanese civilians to return to their homes with long-term guarantees of safety and security,” the official added, referring to the dividing line between Lebanon and Israel.

Source: Maan News Agency

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite, and the Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, condemned the absence of fair trials in the occupied West Bank, where the rights of Palestinians have been violated for 57 years.

A joint press release issued by them today indicated that the Israeli military commander issued three declarations related to military authority in the executive, security, public order and judicial fields in the occupied West Bank, adding that “those provisions were later amended to become a military order to establish military courts.”

They added: “In the occupied West Bank, the duties of police, investigator, prosecutor and judge are assigned to the same hierarchical institution – the Israeli army.”

They explained that the military order sets out vague procedural instructions and broad powers for military forces to manage procedures, noting that the military regime has wor
ked to control many aspects of daily life for Palestinians, including public health, education, and land and property law, and criminalizes many forms of political expression, culture, association, movement, peaceful protest, traffic violations, and other acts that can be seen as a means of opposing the occupation and its policies.

According to the experts, ‘this translates into a situation in which military judges in military courts continually provide legal and judicial cover for acts of torture and cruel and degrading treatment carried out by their colleagues in the armed forces and intelligence services against Palestinian detainees.

‘This also makes defence impossible,’ the UN rapporteurs said in their statement. ‘Guarantees of a fair and public trial, under international standards, include the independence and impartiality of courts, and require that the judicial system not be dependent on the discretionary power of any branch of government, particularly the executive and armed forces,’ the statement
said. ‘The dual court system established in the occupied West Bank, in violation of international law, has reinforced the legitimacy of the occupation and illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory through a draconian military-imposed sanctions regime that is applied only to Palestinians without due process guarantees.’

Source: Maan News Agency