Potential US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the relocation of the US embassy are reportedly motivated by domestic political considerations related to renewed pressure from Republicans and evangelical Christians regarding US policy towards the Jewish state.
The Yedioth Ahronoth report came on Thursday just a day after the White House downplayed reports that Trump would announce the embassy’s relocation.
“This is a premature report. We have nothing to announce,” said White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, AFP reported.
Israel’s Channel 2, meanwhile, reported on Wednesday that Israeli government officials believe it is extremely likely that Trump would announce the embassy move in the coming days.
In a speech on Tuesday marking the 70th anniversary of United Nations Resolution 181, which endorsed the establishment of a Jewish state in what was then British Mandatory Palestine, Vice President Mike Pence said that Trump is “actively considering” moving the embassy.
Responding to the reports, the Palestinians are threatening violence.
Palestinian spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said on Friday that a US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel or moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem are “equally dangerous to the future of the peace process and would take the region into the square of instability.”
Abu Rudeineh had earlier said that “east Jerusalem, with its holy places, is the start and the end for any solution that would save the region from destruction.”
He stressed that “any just solution” to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should ensure that east Jerusalem is the capital of the independent Palestinian state, adding that “failure to reach a solution to the Palestinian issue will prolong the state of tension, chaos and violence that are prevalent in the region and the world.”
He claimed that the region is facing difficult choices and the crises of the region are coming up to a difficult test, and that these serious challenges “affect the essence of the entire Arab existence.”
Hamas on Saturday said US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would lead to an “escalation” of the “Jerusalem intifada,” the Times of Israel reported.
The terror group said that the US’ recognition of Jerusalem as the Jewish state’s capital would constitute “flagrant aggression” against the city and “a barefaced violation of international law.”
Such a move would serve as a cover for a Jewish takeover of the city, Hamas alleged, calling on the Palestinians to resist any such action through renewed violence and terrorism.
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Former Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, a northern Nigeria socio – political organization , Aliko Mohammed has said that the time has come for Nigeria and the north in particular to stop depending on oil as the main stay of the economy.
Although Muhammed appreciated the effort of the present administration in diversifying the economy, he called on Nigerians to support the efforts to achieve the desired objectives.
He was speaking at the Arewa Youth Forum, (AYF) 2017 edition of the Annual Leadership lecture series and Honors Night in Kaduna.
Muhammed, who is also the patron of Farmers Association of Nigeria, noted that agriculture is the sure bet towards achieving self sufficiency in the north and Nigeria as a whole.
He called on the region to take advantage of the arable agricultural land and feed itself instead of depending on oil revenue from the federal government.
His words, “What the north need to do first is for us to feed ourselves, at a point Nigeria was importing 1 billion worth of rice, now because of lack of foreign exchange we are producing some of the rice locally.
“The government is trying in the area of agriculture, it is beginning to take its rightful place, through the Anchor borrowers plan, billions of naira is coming from the CBN to the farmers which is good.
“As the Patron, farmers association, I think the government is trying in the area of agriculture, it is left for the farmers to arrange themselves and source the money.”
He said, “As leaders of tomorrow, that they can organize an occasion like this shows all they need to do is to mobilize themselves in different sectors. They need to make sure that Nigeria is self sufficient.”
On his part, National President of AYF, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, said the theme: ‘Nigeria’s current realities: Socio-economic development and Milestones’, is part of AYF contribution to national unity and policy direction of the country.
“By so doing and through this event, the Arewa Youth Forum will recognize and encourage exemplary leaders who have promoted positive values and excelled in their various fields of endeavour.
“I am happy to inform you that recently and within the period of September 2014 to October 2015, the AYF implemented the 1st cycle of US Department of State fully funded ‘Conflict Mitigation and Peace Building Project in four-4 States of Northern Nigeria, namely Kaduna, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Taraba.
“The project was AYF noble contribution to the Federal and State Government’s efforts to help the nation in addressing and mitigating the security and peace building challenges.
“We are happy to report that the project has achieved its desired objectives because it has served as an avenue where over one thousand Youth across these four states and twelve communities were trained as Community Peace Ambassadors and Actors.
“We are glad to also mention that through this program, we were able to reconcile between fighting communities and groups, particularly in Nasarawa and Bauchi States, thereby enhancing their peaceable Co existence with one another”, he said.
Gombe (Nigeria) – A Non-Governmental Organization, Gamji Members’ Association has asked present leaders and politicians in northern Nigeria to imbibe the spirit of togetherness for peace and unity in the region and the country in general.
The National President of the NGO, Abdullahi Bala Isa made the call at a memorial lecture in honour of Late Ibrahim Jalo Waziri, second Speaker of the Nigeria’s House of Representatives organized by the Association in Gombe on Saturday.
He said there is the need for the leaders to come together and take steps to build on the legacy of peace, unity, justice and fairness of the past leaders, noting that Late Ibrahim Jalo Waziri was a leader who, during his sojourn contributed immensely to the development of northern region and the entire country.
“He is a realist and a compassionate leader of unwavering disciples, he was a simple leader in every sense of the world, in the northeast region, I can confidently point out, the mere mention of his name evokes nostalgic memories of him, particularly of his devotion and dedication to the development of the downtrodden
“Today is 30 years after his death, memories of his virtues are fresh in the mind of those who witnessed and appreciate his gifted exemplary qualities, and he was indeed a great leader worthy of emulation,” Isa said.
Also speaking the State Chairman of the Association, Sani Sabo said that late Ibrahim Jalo Waziri was cherished, love ,respected and worthy of emulation by all.
“Gombe state is blessed with numerous past leaders who have impacted on the state, region and the country at large. We therefore hope to organise more memorial lectures so as to create a medium were exemplary leadership qualities will be inculcated in the minds of the youth”
Representative of the family, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Waziri thanked the association for honouring their late father with a memorial lecture after 30 years of his death.
“The family is indeed grateful to Almighty Allah for bestowing them with a father whose watch word over his household is discipline, humility, hard work, religious, and respect for others irrespective of background,” Waziri remarked.
Kaduna (Nigeria) – The Bwatiye (Bachama) ethnic group in Adamawa State, northeast of the country, has warned that terrorist activities of herdsmen are undermining the security of lives, property and by extension, the sovereignty and corporate existence of Nigeria, as a nation.
The Bwatiye gave the warning while reacting to a statement credited to the Muslim Council in Adamawa State which was supported by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, over the recent herdsmen/farmers clash in Numan Local Government area.
The Muslim Council in Adamawa State had alleged that “Bachama has a militia and also embarked on genocide and ethnic cleansing”.
But, reacting in a statement made available to AFRICA PRIME NEWS, the Bwatiye frowned at what it called weighty words/phrases mischievously used to incite well meaning Nigerians and tarnish the good name of the peace loving people saying, “it is self-serving, lies and name calling”.
The statement signed by the Vice National President, Pene DA Bwatiye, H.O Tadouno, said it was the Fulani herdsmen that established a terrorist militia, which has been terrorizing farmers, eating crops and destroying livelihood all over Nigeria.
According to the statement, it is in the public domain that terrorist activities of the herdsmen in most parts of Nigeria have been more dastardly and gruesome.
It said, the attacks in Adamawa state have been incessant, predictable and preventive, accusing security agencies of being lackadaisical and slow to respond even when contacted on time.
It also added that there have been on going and repeated herdsmen raids on several villages resulting in the killing of many farmers in some local government areas warning that their silence should not be misconstrued for weakness in the face of injustice.
It however endorsed the globally clamour for the establishment of the ranching system of animal husbandry as a solution to herdsmen/farmers clash pointing out that the open and unregulated grazing has become an old fashion.
While pledging loyalty to Nigeria as indigenous people, the statement said, they are awaiting patiently for government to set up a judicial panel of inquiry into the clashes.
BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE PRESS STATEMENT.
PRESS RELEASE BY PENE DA BWATIYE ON THE RECENT HERDSMEN AND FARMERS CLASH IN NUMAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ADAMAWA STATE
1st DECEMBER, 2017
Gentlemen of the Press
Pene Da Bwatiye wishes to respond to self serving statements, lies and name-calling issued by the Chairman of Muslim Council of Adamawa State on the 23rd November, 2017. The statements were insidiously backed by Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and one Senator Danjuma Goje of Gombe state on the floor of the House.
They all alluded to the fallacy that the Bachama extraction of the Bwatiye people had a “Militia” and that our people embarked on “Genocide” and “Ethnic Cleansing”. These are weighty words/ phrases mischievously used to incite well meaning Nigerians and tarnish the good name of our peace loving people. Rather than keeping quiet therefore, we say without fear of contradiction that the world over, it is the Fulani herdsmen that established a terrorist militia which has been terrorizing farmers, eating crops and destroying livelihood all over Nigeria—believed to have killed more innocent people than their dreaded cousins in terror, the Boko Haram and yet without arrest.
Forward to facts of history already in your records as well as the public domain, terrorist activities of cattle herdsmen in most parts of Nigeria have been more dastardly and gruesome. In recent times, 27 persons were killed while asleep in Nkie don community of Bassa Local Government area of Plateau state; 102 people were killed and over 50, 000 houses burnt by rampaging herdsmen in 25 communities where 215 others were brutally wounded. The same herdsmen in Benue State also killed over 500 people and 30, 000 others displaced in Buruku, Kwande, Agatu and other environs of Gboko. In nearby Taraba state, 11 persons were killed and 15, 000 others displaced in Bali Local Government area. This wave of brutality by herdsmen in the southern part of the country did not leave out 40 persons killed in Nimbo Uzo-Uwani Local Government area in Enugu state.
Back home in Adamawa state, these attacks have been incessant, predictable and preventive. In all cases however, security agencies have been lackadaisical and slow to respond even when reports reached them on time. Cases at hand have been Bwatiye villages of Wonamo Koh and its adjoining towns: Goron, Ndikajam, Tabongo, No-ine in Girei Local Government area which were attacked severally by Fulani herdsmen in 2016 resulting in the deaths of 72 people including a Divisional Police Officer where a whole village was burnt down to ashes and property worth billions of Naira carted away. No arrest was made.
Cheap as these herdsmen found weakness of state security services not to arrest and prosecute the aggressors in the villages surrounding Kwa-ine, a Bwatiye settlement, this same band of rampaging herdsmen attacked and killed 11 people including 9 mobile policemen. Still no single herdsman was arrested. This is today repeated by the killing of additional 5 policemen by the same herdsmen at the outskirt of Bolon in Demsa Local Government area even after the recent IGP’s visit to Numan.
Following this Boko Haram styled raid in 2016, the twin villages of Kodomun in Demsa Local Government bordering Numan were attacked by the same herdsmen. The timing of the cowardly attack was most sensitive resulting into the deaths of over 39 Bwatiye (Bachama people including women, children and the aged) who were gathered in their cemetery bury their kin.
These last three incidents attracted a lot of media coverage and the government of Adamawa state set up an Administrative panel of inquiry instead of the Judicial panel to look into the causes of the attacks. As we put on notice today, the victims’ relations still await some closure in form of expected justice from the concluded work of the panel.
It is very important to note that in all three instances that affected our communities, the attacks were said to be reprisals for ‘said previous attacks by farmers in the communities. We shall in due course establish the fact that in all cases of the herdsmen/Farmer clashes in these parts, the Bwatiye farmer has never risen to confront anyone without provocation of cattle eating crops and destroying farms.
We see that at every turn our people have been left in the lurch in the scheme of things on top of which their subsistence farmers are being maltreated with impunity over their only source of livelihood by a people more favored by authorities who have chosen to live in the past in spite of all advancement around them.
Let us now return the matter of the press conference by the Muslim Council of Adamawa state.
It is not by chance that the ignoble role of Fulani herdsmen is being decried and condemned in strong terms across all the geo-political zones of this country and the West African sub-region and someone has the guts to defend them.
It is very instructive and gratifying that the very first paragraph of the press release is an open admission that terrorism in Nigeria and the Northeast in particular is the ‘stocking trade and an exclusive preserve of some self-appointed Muslims’. Is it not unfortunate that in the name and cause of Islam, ‘a religion of peace’ that an adherent of the faith will enter a holy ground and blow up fellow Muslims in a declared war to further propagate Islam?
It is noteworthy that over 20, 000 Nigerians and foreigners have been brutally wasted in this manner over the past several years and most of them are Muslims. We shall later ask who is more inclined to genocide and religious cleansing against Muslims. With great concern over this, we must at this point register our profound condolence to families of the victims of the Mosque bombing in Mubi. This is an evil act so cruel, inhuman and misdirected comparable only to destructive acts by herdsmen against farming communities in Nigeria.
The entire world knows the fact that no Bwata (Bachama person) has ever designed to go a killing mission. The Bwatiye can make bold to say that having lived peacefully for several decades with Muslims in central town of Numan and even with the Nomadic Fulani that traverse our land, we are proud of our peaceful disposition and the earned respect of all the non-Bwatiye. The Hausa settlers whose grandparents made Numan their home are known to our people with whom there have been successful marriages and kindest political gesture of being elected into Numan Local Government Council.
Gentlemen of the press, these opening comments are intended to establish from the onset that that our people are not inclined to terrorism and have been very accommodating of all Nigerians who chose to live and carry their trade including herding cattle and fishing.
It is easy to note that the Muslim Council in tandem with Miyetti Allah organization are ever quick to see every conflict in the light and coloration of being anti-Islam. No one should be deceived- the evidence in each case cannot be overlooked as nearly 20 % of our people particularly those of the Bata extraction on the eastern fringe of the Benue river into Cameroun, are Muslims.
The current issue of the highly unfortunate killings of several men, women and children on both sides, has its origin in the clash between a farmer whose wife was raped and his crops on farm eaten up by a herdsman. The Muslim Council in their statement chose to ignore this truth as their tradition in such situations.
The root cause of the spontaneous reaction was when a Fulani herdsman carrying an AK 47 rifle approached a farm and demanded that the farmer vacate his farm so the herdsman can feed on the farmer’s four months’ toil awaiting harvest. Naturally the farmer resisted the inordinate aggression and in the ensuing argument the herdsman turned his weapon on the poor farmer in front of his wife. Later on the brother of dead farmer was equally shot. His dead body was discovered two days after. Then came the hue and cry of carnage by the Muslim community which without autopsy or separation of the corpses included some Bwatiye victims in the given collective burial.
It is worthy of note that since the bloody Monday killings by bomb in Mubi and mayhem in the outskirts of Numan and the visit of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to Numan, there have been on going and repeated herdsmen raids on several villages: three farmers in Jada Local Government area, another farmer in Wonamo Koh and the gruesome murder of Mr Livinus Ethan, a staff of the Local Government in Girei.
On the heels of all these disturbances, we pose to ask, who arms and sponsors these terrorists group without detection, arrest and prosecution?
What do they want to achieve?
Open and unregulated grazing has become old fashion. What is being clamoured for all over the world and across the country as a solution to herdsmen and farmers’ clashes, is ranching system of animal husbandry. We therefore align ourselves to that suggestion in order to end the costly avoidable bloodshed and destruction to property.
With this in mind we want to categorically state that the terrorist activities of herdsmen are undermining the state security of lives and property and by extension the sovereignty, integrity and corporate existence of Nigeria as a nation.
While we patiently wait for the government to set up a judicial panel of inquiry, we as people will collectively continue to pledge our loyalty to Nigeria as indigenous people. However, let our silence not be misconstrued for weakness in the face of injustice.
Media captionHR McMaster: ‘There isn’t much time left’ to address threat from North Korea
White House national security adviser HR McMaster says the US is “in a race” to address the threat from North Korea.
The potential for war is increasing every day but armed conflict is not the only solution, he told a defence forum.
His comments came three days after North Korea carried out its first ballistic missile test in two months, in defiance of UN resolutions.
The latest missile flew higher than any others previously tested, before falling into Japanese waters.
Tensions have heated up in recent months over the north’s continued development of its nuclear and missile programme, in spite of global condemnation and international sanctions. Pyongyang conducted its sixth nuclear test in September.
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Media captionA statement read on North Korean state-run TV blamed the “reckless nuclear war mania of the US” for any possible escalation
The Pentagon was also reported to be scouting sites on the west coast of America to deploy extra defences, amid claims from North Korea that its latest missile could reach the whole of continental United States.
President Donald Trump’s national security adviser gave his unscripted comments at a forum in California on Saturday.
“There are ways to address this problem short of armed conflict, but it is a race because he’s getting closer and closer, and there’s not much time left,” Mr McMaster said, in reference to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
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Media captionHow would war with North Korea unfold?
He singled out China, urging the Beijing government to enforce a total oil embargo on the north to make it difficult to fuel missile launches.
“We’re asking China to act in China’s interest, as they should, and we believe increasingly that it’s in China’s urgent interest to do more.”
“You can’t shoot a missile without fuel,” he added.
North Korea, meanwhile, has accused the US and neighbouring South Korea of being warmongers ahead of large-scale joint air exercises between the two allies that begin on Monday.
“It is an open, all-out provocation against the DPRK [North Korea], which may lead to a nuclear war any moment,” an editorial in the ruling party’s Rodong newspaper said.
North Korea said the Hwasong-15 missile it fired on Thursday, which reached an altitude of 4,475km (2,780 miles) and flew 950km in 53 minutes, could have been tipped with a “super-large heavy warhead” capable of striking the US mainland.
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Media captionNorth Korea says the latest missile is capable of reaching Washington DC
However, while analysts agree the missile could have travelled more than 13,000km on a standard trajectory and reached the US, they have cast doubts over whether the missile would have been able successfully to carry a heavy warhead that distance.
They do not believe North Korea has mastered the technology to prevent the warhead from breaking up as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere.
Reuters news agency reported on Sunday that research was under way to locate new sites on the US west coast for the possible installation of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) anti-ballistic missiles, similar to those already deployed in South Korea to protect against potential attacks from the north.
It quoted two congressmen, who said the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) was aiming to install extra defences, although no details on locations or timing were given.
However, the MDA, which is part of the US defence department, says it has not yet received instructions to deploy Thaad systems.
Two Thaad systems have already been deployed to South Korea and the US Pacific territory of Guam, which is 3,400km from Pyongyang.
In August, Kim Jong-un announced plans to fire medium-to-long-range rockets towards Guam, where US strategic bombers are based alongside more than 160,000 US citizens.
Thaad systems are able to shoot down short and medium-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight using hit-to-kill technology where kinetic energy destroys the incoming warhead.
Note: This story is auto-generated from BBC syndicated feed and has not been edited by AFRICA PRIME NEWS
Gombe (Nigeria) — Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria, says the unity of the country is not negotiable, but must be strictly backed by justice and fairness by whoever is governing the nation.
Fayose stated this Friday, while speaking with Journalists in Billiri town, northeast Nigeria, at a cultural fiesta and conferment of the traditional title of ‘Tafidan Tangale’ Chiefdom on Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State.
Governor Fayose said, Nigeria deserves leadership that believes in the entire country, not sectional.
“As much as we believe in the unity of Nigeria, we must continue to add justice and fairness, no section in Nigeria should be oppressed by the leadership of our country, the unity of Nigeria not negotiable”.
The Governor commended the people of Gombe state for displaying their rich culture, saying, “well this is a very good culture, there could be culture without foot drivers of such culture, the governor of Gombe state Dankwambo has demonstrated good leadership by promoting rich culture of his own people,” he said.
He therefore called on others to emulate the rich culture displayed by the people of Gombe state for unity and progress.
Image copyrightAFP/Getty ImagesImage caption In Yemen, eleven million children are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance
The United Nations has appealed for a record $22.5bn (£17bn) in humanitarian aid for 2018.
The global aid appeal aims to raise funds to help 91 million of the world’s most vulnerable people, out of 136 million in need, a UN statement said.
More than $10bn is needed to address the humanitarian crises in Syria and Yemen alone, it added.
The UN also said needs are rising substantially in a number of African countries.
Driven by conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, the number of people in need of humanitarian aid has increased by more than 5%, according to UN co-ordinator Mark Lowcock.
The targeted fund is a 1% increase on the amount requested last year. By the end of November, the agency had raised nearly $13bn – which the UN says is record levels of funding.
More than a third of the fund requested is to address the needs created by the devastating civil war in Syria: $3.5bn to provide humanitarian aid inside the war-ravaged country and $4.2bn to help the 5.4m registered Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries.
In Yemen, which is facing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, the UN says $2.5bn is needed to assist those most desperately in need.
The UN has acknowledged they aim to cover the needs of only half of the 20 million people in Yemen who are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Eleven million of those are children and 400,000 are affected by severe acute malnutrition.
A plan for zero tolerance of plastic pollution of the oceans may be agreed by nations at a UN environment summit.
Governments are being asked to move towards a legal treaty banning plastic waste from entering the sea.
At the moment ships are prohibited from dumping plastic overboard but there’s no international law against plastics flooding into the sea from the land.
Experts say ocean plastics are an obvious subject for a global treaty: plastics present a large-scale threat.
Plastic pollution doesn’t recognise international borders.
Delegates in Nairobi preparing the way for the UN’s environment ministers meeting next week are said to be in broad agreement on the need for tougher action to combat the plastics crisis.
They are setting up a working party to explore options for global action to tackle plastic waste and microplastics.
The US has volunteered to take part, but is traditionally resistant to agreeing any international laws.
Mirror, mirror
One idea is to mirror the model of the Paris climate agreement.
In that deal, the framework of reporting emissions cuts and agreeing long-term goals is legally binding – but the national actions themselves are voluntarily determined.
Environmentalists say getting better information on how much plastic is flowing into the sea from what sources would be a major step.
The UN has already committed to substantial reduction of plastic waste by 2025 but a resolution led by Norway says the long-term aim must be for zero plastic waste.
It also wants to clean up of existing plastic from beaches. It says this is better value for money and better for the environment than some of the large-scale clean-up experiments currently in the mid Pacific – which it fears may harm wildlife.
Cleaning up beach plastic is especially important, it says, because abrasion breaks down large plastics into very harmful microplastics.
Norway also favours attempts to clear up “ghost” fishing gear discarded in the seas.
The conference will also hear that stronger leadership and co-ordination is needed – either from a strengthened UN Environment Programme, or perhaps even a new UN plastics agency.
Cautious progress?
Norway wants governments to compile an assessment of exactly how much waste plastic is getting into the sea from their territory. It admits this won’t be easy.
A source close to the talks told BBC News: “There are many questions to be solved. Should there be a legally binding instrument prohibiting plastic from the land?
“If not, what other sort of overarching action should there be? We are grappling with this huge issue in its early stages.”
China – the world’s biggest plastics polluter – is said to be cautious about being bound by global rules.
Other big polluters like India and Indonesia are said to be generally supportive about the resolutions.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently applauded the clean-up of plastic from a beach in Mumbai, saying: “It is our duty to protect the environment for our future generations.”
Eirik Lindebjerg from WWF said the Nairobi meeting could prove a turning point in the plastics crisis. He told BBC News: “The treaties on climate change and biodiversity were initiated in this forum – so it has a track record of making things happen.
“Plastics is one of those issues that clearly needs global agreement with maybe eight million tonnes ending up in the ocean.
“Plastic flows are huge and damaging; they flow across borders. We absolutely have to stop allowing plastics into the ocean – and this meeting looks like it could prove a very important start.”
The meeting will also discuss pollution of the air and water. A global ban on lead in paints may be approved.
