Excerpts: Syrian Turkish Boycott Office. Britain's Tony Blair warns on
radicalized Islam. Israeli psychic Uri Geller comes home. Palestinians play
down dismantling threat.Saudi building world's largest desalination plant.
Egypt gets 10 Apache Choppers from US.Jordan's draft anti-terrorism law
April 23, 2014 Jordan's draft anti-terrorism law April 23, 2014

+++SOURCE: The Syria Report 21 April ’14:”Syria to Set-up Turkey Boycott
Office “
SUBJECT:Syria to boycott Turkey as it does Israel
TEXT:The Syrian Ministry of Economy is preparing to establish a Turkish
boycott office working on the same lines than the existing Israel Boycott
Office.

+++SOURCE:The Syria Report 21 April ’14:”Food Contracts Worth EUR 230mn
Signed Under Iranian Facility “
SUBJECT: Iran financing Syria food contracts
TEXT:The Syrian government has signed food import contracts worth EUR 230
million under an Iranian credit line granted last year.


+++SOURCE: A Arabiya News 23 April ’14:”(Brtain’s)Blair:West must confront
radicalized Islam as growing threat:, Associated Press,London
SUBJECT: Britain’s Tony Blair warns on radicalized Islam
AP author’s heading note.”The former British prime minister said that
tackling "a radicalized and politicized view of Islam" should be at the top
of the global political agenda”
FULL TEXT:The West should set aside its differences with Russia and China to
focus on the growing threat from radical Islam, Tony Blair said Wednesday[23
April], in a speech that included a call to support Egypt's military
government against its Muslim Brotherhood opponents.

The former British prime minister said that tackling "a radicalized and
politicized view of Islam" should be at the top of the global political
agenda.

He said many in the West seemed "curiously resistant" to face up to a force
that "is undermining the possibility of peaceful co-existence in an era of
globalization."

Blair, Britain's prime minister between 1997 and 2007, is now Middle East
envoy for the Quartet of the United Nations, the European Union, the U.S.
and Russia.

In a speech in London, he said that "whatever our other differences, we
should be prepared to reach out and co-operate with the East, and in
particular Russia and China," to combat Islamic extremism.

Blair's political legacy in Britain is tarnished by his decision to lead the
country into the divisive invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Blair acknowledged the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan had undermined
Western willingness to intervene in the Middle East. But he called for the
West to engage with the region, saying "we have to stop treating each
country on the basis of whatever seems to make for the easiest life for us
at any one time."

Blair argued that "on the fate of Egypt hangs the future of the region."

He defended the coup that overthrew the elected Muslim Brotherhood
government of Mohammad Mursi last year, saying "the Muslim Brotherhood
government was not simply a bad government. It was systematically taking
over the traditions and institutions of the country."

He said the protest that led to Mursi's ouster "was not an ordinary protest.
It was the absolutely necessary rescue of a nation. We should support the
new government and help."


+++SOURCE: Al Arabiya News 23 April ’14:”Spoon-bending psychic Uri Geller
helps Israelis defy disasters”, by Reuters
SUBJECT: Israeli psychic Uri Geller comes home

QUOTE:”Uri Geller is the beaming new face of Israeli disaster readiness”

FULL TEXT:Celebrity psychic Uri Geller is the beaming new face of Israeli
disaster-readiness, starring in army-sponsored TV and Internet
advertisements on how to take shelter from missile attacks or earthquakes.

Launched on Wednesday[23 April], the campaign marks Geller's return to his
native country from Britain and aims to keep Israelis vigilant, though
public fears of any imminent war with Iran, Syria or Lebanese and
Palestinian guerrillas have receded.

"I decided to do something else, to save lives and help emergency
preparations in Israel, which my family and I are making our home base after
43 years abroad," Geller told Reuters.

The 67-year-old entertainer is best known internationally for mental tricks
such as bending spoons and stopping watches.

In the ads, Israelis are invited to submit their location at the military's
Home Front Command website, where pre-recordings of Geller will
"telepathically" inform them where and how quickly to seek cover if air-raid
sirens sound.

Such shelters are also meant to provide protection in the event of
earthquakes.


+++SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 23 April ’14:”Palestinians play down threat to
dismantle PA”, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Palestinians play down dismantling threat

FULL TEXT:RAMALLAH – The Palestinians on Tuesday[22 April] played down a
threat to dismantle the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which is
Israel’s interlocutor, if US-sponsored peace talks remain deadlocked.

“No Palestinian is speaking of an initiative to dismantle the Palestinian
Authority (PA),” chief negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP.

“But Israel’s actions have annulled all the legal, political, security,
economic and operational aspects of the prerogatives of the Palestinian
Authority.”

Palestinian negotiators had warned that they may hand responsibility for
governing the occupied territories back to Israel if peace talks remain
stalled, a senior Palestinian official said Sunday.

He said the Palestinians had told US peace envoy Martin Indyk that unless
Israel releases Palestinian prisoners as agreed and freezes settlement
building, they could dismantle the Authority, which was set up following the
Oslo peace accords in the 1990s and was intended to pave the way towards the
establishment of an independent state.

US State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki criticized the threat as
“extreme” and warned that any such move would affect American aid to the
Palestinians.

The warning from the Palestinians came ahead of planned unity talks between
the Palestine Liberation Organization, which like the PA is headed by
President Mahmoud Abbas, and the Hamas movement ruling Gaza.

“The Palestinian Authority, which yesterday was talking about its
dismantlement, is today talking about unity with Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

“They need to decide... Do they want to dismantle themselves or to unite
with Hamas? When they want peace (with Israel) they should let us know.”

Indyk is to take part in a fresh attempt to salvage the peace talks at a
meeting in Jerusalem later on Tuesday with Israeli and Palestinian
negotiators, according to a Palestinian source. – AFP

+++SOURCE:Saudi Gazette 23 April ’14:”World’s largest desalination plant
goes on stream in Ras Al Kahair” by Khaled Al-Balahidi
SUBJECT: Saudi building world’s largest desalination plant
FULL TEXT:RAS AL-KHAIR – Minister of Water and Electricity Abdullah
Al-Hussayen commissioned the first phase of world’s largest desalination
project here on Tuesday[22 April].

The plant for production and pumping of desalinated water and generation of
electricity is located in the Ras Al-Khair Industrial City, 75 km north-west
of Jubail. The plant is set to generate 15,000 jobs.

Al-Hussayen, who is also chairman of the SWCC board, said that the project,
which is estimated to cost a total of more than SR27 billion, consists of
the largest desalination pumping plant ever built in the history of SWCC.

“The plant has the production capacity of 1.025 million cubic meters of
desalinated water per day and electricity production capacity of 2,600 MW.
The plant will supply 1,350 MW of electricity to Maaden, and 1,050 MW to
Saudi Electricity Co., in addition to 200 MW to be used within the plant,”
he said.

A total of 800,000 cubic meters of water will be supplied to Riyadh city
while another 100,000 cubic meters to Al-Washm, Sudair, Majma, Al-Zulfi and
Al-Ghat regions. A total of 100,000 cubic meters will be supplied to the
regions located north of the Eastern Province, including Hafar Al-Batin,
Qaisoomah, and Qaryat Al-Olya.


+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 23 April ’14:”US Lifts Freeze, Will Deliver
Apache Choppers to Egypt”, Agence France Presse
SUBJECT: Egypt gets 10 Apache Choppers from US

QUOTE: “US … concluding Cairo has upheld its peace treaty with Israel”

FULL TEXT:The United States will lift a suspension on the delivery of Apache
helicopters to Egypt after concluding Cairo has upheld its peace treaty with
Israel, U.S. officials said Tuesday[22 April].

Despite concerns about Egypt's failure to embrace democratic reforms
following the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi, the U.S. government will
provide Cairo with 10 Apache aircraft, the Pentagon said.

Hagel informed Egyptian Defense Minister General Sedki Sobhy of President
Barack Obama's decision in a phone call earlier Tuesday[22 April], spokesman
Rear Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.

The choppers are meant to bolster "counter terrorism operations in the
Sinai," he said.

"The secretary noted that we believe these new helicopters will help the
Egyptian government counter extremists who threaten U.S., Egyptian, and
Israeli security," the statement said.

The move was part of broader U.S. efforts to help countries counter terror
threats in the region, it said.

To signal its displeasure with Cairo's crackdown on dissent, the Obama
administration had imposed a temporary freeze on the delivery of major
weapons to Egypt, including the Apache helicopters as well as fighter jets
and other hardware.

Hagel told his counterpart that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will
"soon certify to Congress that Egypt is sustaining the strategic
relationship with the United States and is meeting its obligations under the
1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty," Kirby said.

The certifications are required before U.S. government funds can be
allocated to Egypt, he said.

Hagel, however, told the Egyptian minister that "we are not yet able to
certify that Egypt is taking steps to support a democratic transition,"
Kirby said.

Hagel "urged the Egyptian government to demonstrate progress on a more
inclusive transition that respects the human rights and fundamental freedoms
of all Egyptians."

Kerry delivered a similar message to Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy,
according to State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.


+++SOURCE: Jordan Times 23 April ’14:”Lower House adopts anti-terrorism
bill, keeps death penalty”, by Khaled Neimat
SUBJECT: Jordan’s draft anti-terrorism law
SUBJECT: In a rare case concerning such an important law, the lawmakers. .
.okayed it in one day”

FULL TEXT:AMMAN — Lower House on Tuesday[22 April] endorsed the draft
anti-terrorism law, maintaining the death penalty for certain crimes tagged
as terror acts.

In a rare case concerning such an important law, the lawmakers debated the
bill and okayed it in one day, through morning and evening meetings.

This swift endorsement by the Lower House was due to the fact that
Parliament will end its current ordinary session on May 3, with only two
meetings left on the agenda, according to Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh.

Those who commit terrorist crimes that result in the death of innocent
people, partial or total damage of facilities and buildings, and entail the
use of explosives, poisons, chemical, biochemical or radioactive materials,
face the death sentence, according to the draft bill.

But violations of a milder nature are punishable by five years to life
imprisonment, the draft bill stipulates.

Meanwhile, a provision in the draft bill states that a person who joins or
builds contacts with armed groups and militias, or attempts to recruit
others to these illegal organisations, inside or outside the country, will
be penalised.

The Lower House also agreed on a provision stipulating that financial
activities in support of terrorist or extremist groups, inside or outside
the country, will be labelled acts of terrorism that fall under the
jurisdiction of this law.

Among the crimes listed under this terrorist bill are any acts that expose
Jordan to aggression or harm its relations with foreign countries.

Using the Internet, establishing websites or publishing any materials with
the intent of facilitating, supporting or encouraging terrorist activities
also fall under the bill, as endorsed by the MPs.

In addition, dealing with, manufacturing, holding or storing explosives of
any type for the purpose of using them in terrorist crimes is similarly
subject to the punishments entailed in the draft bill.

Another article says that any attempt on the life of the King, the Queen or
Crown Prince, or any act that entails armed insurgency against legitimate
authorities is listed as a terrorist crime.

During the morning session, Minister of Interior Hussein Majali said the
draft bill considers only hostile actions against legitimate authorities as
terrorist crime, “but not those against illegitimate authorities”.

His remarks came in response to several MPs’ remarks on excluding actions of
resistance against Israeli authorities from this bill.

“The [Israeli] occupation is not a legitimate authority,” hence resisting it
is not considered an act of terrorism, Majali explained.

MP Mohammed Saudi, head of the Lower House Financial Committee, said that
certain provisions in this draft bill hold people accountable for their
intentions only.

However, Minister of Justice Bassam Talhouni defended the draft bill saying
it will help judges when they deal with crimes related to terrorism, noting
it determines specific penalties for well-identified terrorist activities.
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Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA