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Media Summary

UK summons Iranian ambassador

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BBC News and Reuters report that the UK summoned the Iranian ambassador over new court proceedings against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Thomas Drew, the Foreign Office director general for the Middle East, expressed the UK’s “grave concern” over Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s return to court. According to a FCO spokesperson, Drew called for Iran to end her “arbitrary detention”. A Foreign Office statement after the meeting said: ““We have made it clear to the Iranian ambassador that his country’s treatment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is unjustified and unacceptable, and is causing an enormous amount of distress.”

The Guardian reports that detained British-Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert has been moved to Tehran’s Evin prison. This comes after she was removed from Qarchak women’s prison over the weekend, leaving her whereabouts unknown for several days.

BBC News and The Independent report that the Trump administration will now allow US citizens born in Jerusalem to put ‘Israel’ on their passports. Previously, Jerusalem was listed without a country due to its contentious status as Israel’s capital. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the decision was in keeping with the Trump administration’s policy to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The Independent reports that the sister of Loujain al-Hathloul, a Saudi women’s rights activist who successful campaigned to allow Saudi women to drive, is “terrified” about her sister’s safety. Loujain has been on a hunger strike and her family has been unable to get in touch with her. Lina al-Hathloul, Loujain’s sister, told the paper: “She is the only inmate who is being blocked from contacting her relatives. The prison always tells her it’s a general policy which does not only affect her but when she talks to other detainees, it is clear they are allowed to have calls. The prison authorities are punishing her and her family.”

Anthony Loyd reports from inside the al-Hawl camp in Syria for The Times about the ISIS detention camp that has become a breeding ground for jihadists and coronavirus as the facilities administrators are losing control. Loyd writes that “It is safe to say the al-Hawl camp has surpassed Guantanamo Bay for injustice and inhumanity.”

The Guardian reports that New Zealand has slammed Qatar over pelvic examinations carried out on women on 10 flights out of Doha after baby was left in an airport bathroom. New Zealand’s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement that “We were extremely concerned to learn … that a New Zealand national was involved in the appalling incident involving female passengers on several Qatar Airways flights” calling the examinations “completely unacceptable.”

The Times reports that the Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to sell 50 F-35 fighter jets to the UAE. The deal must now go through Congress where the Senate foreign relations and House foreign affairs committees can review, block and approve weapons sales. The chairman of the House foreign affairs committee, Eliot Engel, expressed his concern over the sale of the aircraft to the UAE because it “would significantly change the military balance in the Gulf and affect Israel’s military edge.”

Tim Ogden argues in The Spectator that it is time to expel Turkey from NATO. He writes that “Turkey is making fewer attempts to disguise its increasingly Islamist and authoritarian tendencies, and is actively working against Western interests.”

The Economist reports on Israel’s plans for a new airport and the growing dispute over its location. “The choice has come down to two air-force bases: Ramat David in the north or the much larger Nevatim in the south.” Israel’s air force would prefer the new commercial airport be built in the north, rather than in the middle of the Negev desert where the air force enjoys ‘almost exclusive access.’ However, officials in the south and northern residence want to see the new airport in the south.

All the Israeli media cover the 25th  anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Haaretz quotes Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech at a special session in the Knesset “Twenty-five years after Rabin’s assassination, incitement to murder the prime minister and his family persists and no one says a word… We remember the national tragedies that have befallen us in the more distant past, when unbridled zealots took the law into their own hands. If we allow people on the margins to behave this way, then today, too, we may find ourselves at the edge of an abyss….We all must condemn destructive displays of incitement to violence and mockery on any side. We must strongly condemn any expression of political or other violence on the part of any camp. A hail of bullets in a city plaza never was nor will ever be allowed to take the place of a decision made by the people at the ballot box.” Maariv quotes Former prime minister Ehud Barak commented on Netanyahu’s speech on Twitter:“Netanyahu is befouling the memorial ceremonies for Yitzhak Rabin. The man who led the incitement that preceded the murder is whining like a scared child. Relax, Netanyahu. Nobody is threatening you. The peace brought by Rabin and Begin is the real peace, and without it, normalised relations with countries that never fought against us would not have been possible. Shame on you, go.” The papers also quote President Rivlin speaking at the official memorial ceremony at the president’s residence, Rivlin said that “the country is split like the Red Sea between two camps, and the hatred is simmering underfoot…It is unacceptable that signs should be raised that call for the deaths of citizens. It is unacceptable that journalists should live under threat. It is unacceptable that citizens should strike citizens.” The papers also cover the continued protest demonstrations against Netanyahu that were held last night throughout Israel, some of them including memorials for the late Yitzhak Rabin. The Black Flags movement issued a statement: “For the 19th consecutive week, citizens are taking to the street to protest the most unsuccessful prime minister in the State of Israel’s history. His horrific speech in the Knesset only further proves the extent to which Netanyahu is a danger to the State of Israel’s future. We will continue until he leaves.” Activists in the Movement for Quality Government are planning a large protest demonstration tomorrow night at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv.

All the newspapers prominently cover the prospect of schools partly reopening on Sunday. Kan Radio News reported the coronavirus cabinet decided last night to postpone reopening high street shops until the following  Sunday, November 8, unless the daily number of new COVID-19 cases drops to 500. It also decided that this Sunday, in addition to first to fourth grades, guest houses, B&Bs, hair and cosmetic salons and businesses described as one-on-one such as personal training and driving lessons, as well as synagogues limited to ten worshippers, would also reopen. Ministers Edelstein, Katz, Amir Peretz and Merav Cohen were opposed to the decision to keep street stores closed. Katz and Peretz demanded that they reopen on Sunday, while Edelstein demanded waiting longer, and Cohen agreed with him.

Ynet covers the resumption of the Israel-Lebanon talks over their disputed maritime border.  The talks are mediated by the US and hosted by the UN in a tent in a southern Lebanese border town. According to Lebanese media, the Lebanese delegation offered a new map that pushes for an additional 1,430 square kilometres (550 square miles) to be included in Lebanese territory. This is on top of the already disputed 860 square kilometre (330 square mile) area of the Mediterranean Sea that each side claims is within their own exclusive economic zones. An Israeli official said the Israeli delegation wouldn’t discuss Lebanon’s maximalist proposal, which effectively lays claim to parts of Israel’s Karish gas field. The UN, US released a joint statement, “Building on progress from their October 14 meeting, on October 28 and 29 representatives from the governments of Israel and Lebanon held productive talks mediated by the United States and hosted by the Office of the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon… The United States and UNSCOL remain hopeful that these negotiations will lead to a long-awaited resolution.” Lebanese and Israeli officials have declined to formally comment on the secret, indirect talks. During the opening ceremony, the Lebanese delegation did not attend lunch and refused to appear in a joint photo with the Israeli team and the US and UN.

Maariv includes its latest opinion poll, asking; If elections were held today, for which party would you vote? The Likud: 28 seats, Yamina: 21 seats, Yesh Atid-Telem: 17 seats, Joint List: 12 seats, Blue and White: 10 seats, Shas: 9 seats, Yisrael Beiteinu: 9 seats, United Torah Judaism: 8 seats, Meretz 6 seats.