Media Summary
Prime Minister Johnson demands immediate release of Zaghari-Ratcliffe in call with Iranian President
BBC News, The Telegraph, and The Independent report on the latest developments surrounding Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. According to a health report, Zaghari-Ratcliffe needs urgent treatment for her mental health following her 5- year imprisonment in Iran. The report was based on an evaluation carried out by the human rights charity Redress, which spoke to Zaghari-Ratcliffe virtually while she was under house arrest in late 2020. Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke on the phone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani yesterday, demanding the immediate release of the Zaghari-Ratcliffe. A Downing Street statement read: “The Prime Minister raised the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other British-Iranian dual nationals detained in Iran and demanded their immediate release.” A podcast from The Guardian featuring diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour and Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband, Richard Ratcliffe, explores the question of when Nazanin will be allowed to return to the UK.
Several papers dedicate coverage to the 10-year anniversary of the Syrian civil war. What began as a peaceful uprising has now left nearly half a million people dead, with many more displaced, devastated Syrian cities and severely impacted surrounding countries. BBC News and Reuters feature a timeline of the events and key developments over the last decade. The Times explores the impact of the migrant crisis on Europe, which the paper says has led to the rise of populist politicians in the West. The Associated Press reports on the millions of displaced Syrians and the devastating impact of the war. Of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million, 6.5 million are displaced within the country while 5.6 million refugees are in neighbouring countries and Europe. The Economist reports on how 10 years of catastrophic fighting has divided to the country, and whether it can be whole again.
BBC News, The Independent and The Associated Press report on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cancelled visit to the UAE. Israeli officials cite a disagreement with neighbouring Jordan over the use of its airspace for the cancelled visit.
Seth J. Franzman writes for The Spectator about “Israel’s changing global fortunes”. He writes: “For many years Israel has attempted to re-brand itself using public diplomacy and showcasing its tech sector and vibrant society. However, these accomplishments were often overshadowed by the perception of Israel as a conflict zone. The change in perception has come slowly and Israel’s success in vaccinating the public is one example of how the country stands out.”
The Telegraph reports that Israel has begun vaccinating Palestinians with Israeli work permits. Israel will vaccine around 100,000 Palestinians at various checkpoints across the West Bank. The majority of Palestinians with such permits rely on their work in Israel for their livelihood and would be unable to work because many Israel employers require their workers be vaccinated. 48-year-old Nassim told the paper: “If I’m not vaccinated I may be locked down, and that means I may not work. It’s necessary for me.”
The Telegraph reports that Nasser al-Qudwa, the nephew of Yasser Arafat, was ejected from Fatah after criticising the party and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Al-Qudwa has now announced his intention to form a new political party ahead of the Palestinian elections this summer. Abbas was reportedly angered by al-Qudwa comments, thus prompting his removal from the party.
The Independent reports that Saudi Arabia’s Special Criminal Court has upheld the six-year sentence of Loujain al-Hathloul, a prominent Saudi women’s rights activist. While al-Hathloul was released last month, three years into her six-year sentence, the court said her release was under the condition that she remain under a five-year travel ban.
The Guardian reports that residents in the province of Marib, in Yemen, are facing mass displacement. An intensifying Houthi rebel offensive could leave more than 2 million people trapped, the worst displacement of the war to date. The intensified fighting is further exacerbating the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Yasmin al-Qadhi, head of the Marib Girls Foundation, said :“If the Houthis seize Marib, all manner of conflict will manifest and transform the war into sectarian, ethnic, and regional struggles… it will take life, and with it the people, to a hell that burns everyone with its fire, directly or not.”
Ynet reported the first virtual US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group meeting led by national security adviser Jake Sullivan and his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben-Shabbat, took place yesterday. National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in a statement that “the two sides shared perspectives on regional security issues of mutual interest and concern, including Iran, and expressed their common determination to confront the challenges and threats facing the region”.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla spoke to Channel 12 News, where he revealed the background to Israel receiving the first doses of the vaccines. He said: “I was impressed with the obsession of your prime minister, he called me 30 times.” He added that he believes young people will be able to be vaccinated against the coronavirus in approximately six months. The vaccines for children aged five to 11 will be ready by the end of the year. Bourla said Pfizer will be able to produce up to 2.4 billion vaccines by the end of the year. The pharmaceutical giant has not yet tested its vaccine on children younger than 12. The only company that has begun that trial is AstraZeneca.
This morning Kan News reports that the coronavirus infection rates has continued to drop. The number of patients in serious condition has declined to 625, where it was two and a half months ago. Officials are now leaning toward the position that severe restrictions on gatherings or movement will not be imposed over Passover. Restrictions might even be lifted to allow sporting and cultural events to take place. Maariv notes that of the 2,507 people that were tested yesterday, only 3.1 per cent were positive for COVID-19.
Israeli Hayom reports on a “possible sign of warming relations between Turkey and Israel” as an aid to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Dr. Hakan Yurdakul, together with Israeli Foreign Ministry representatives attended a European Jewish Parliament conference, which focused on a renewed agenda between the former allies. In his address to the conference, Yurdakul said both countries would benefit from the establishment of an economic committee for regional cooperation to explore areas of mutual interests “for a better future”. Yurdakul is a board member of the Turkish Presidency’s Committee for Economic Policies.
Maariv includes its latest polling ahead of the election. The Likud receives 27 seats, Yesh Atid: 20, Yamina: 11, New Hope: 10, Yisrael Beiteinu: 8, Joint List: 8, Shas: 8, United Torah Judaism: 7, Labour: 5, Blue and White: 4, Meretz: 4, Religious Zionists: 4, and United Arab List: 4. When asked, ‘Who do you consider more suitable to serve as prime minister?’ Netanyahu outperforms Saar by 4 per cent, Lapid by 9 per cent and Bennett by 2 per cent.
In the commentary in Yediot Ahronot, Sima Kadmon highlights strange comments yesterday by the leader of Shas, Aryeh Deri who said that Yamina had decided to join a Netanyahu government after the elections, adding that Bennett would probably be angry with him for revealing this. For Kadmon, this message must have been coordinated with Likud. She writes: “If I were Bennett, the first thought that would come into my mind is that aside from Deri’s trying to give Shas voters the sense that Netanyahu is going to win, this was another way for Netanyahu to minimise Bennett’s party… Netanyahu knows what everyone realises, which is that after the elections, Bennett’s options will be limited: if his party is large enough, he will be able to demand an alternating premiership arrangement with Netanyahu, and if he doesn’t get it, he can join a government that is led by Saar and Lapid. If Yamina is small, he will have no alternative but to join a Netanyahu government… as it seems now, Netanyahu prefers Bennett small, even if that means that his bloc does not have 61 seats. The reason is simple: if Bennett does not have enough seats to bring Netanyahu the desired 61 seats, Netanyahu will take the country to fifth elections.”