On Thursday in Berlin , Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the criticism of the controversial judicial reform program as "absurd," while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his concern in this regard.

At the German Chancellery, Schulz did not hide his "grave concern" about reforming the Israeli judiciary, which his critics see as a threat to democracy, which Netanyahu categorically rejects.

The reform program, which aims to limit the powers of the Supreme Court, has led to a deep division in the Jewish state. On Wednesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog warned of the danger of a "civil war".

"As a partner of democratic values and a close friend of Israel, we are following the discussions very carefully and with great concern, and I will not hide it," Schulz said during a joint press conference with Netanyahu in Berlin.

He urged Netanyahu to reconsider the settlement proposed by the Israeli president, which was rejected by the Israeli prime minister and his coalition on Wednesday.

"We will be happy, as friends of Israel, if the last word has not yet been said on this proposal," Schultz said.

Faced with questions from journalists during the press conference, which started one hour late, Netanyahu rejected several times any danger to the country's democracy.

"It is being said that I am a ruler who abolishes democracy. It will not take long to realize that this is absurd and absurd," he said.

The visit of the Israeli leader put the German government under pressure, so that Netanyahu's opponents asked Berlin to cancel the visit.

Germany and Israel established strong diplomatic relations in the decades following World War II, and Berlin pledged to preserve the Israeli state after the Holocaust committed by Nazi Germany.

Successive German governments have described Israeli national security as a major priority in foreign policy, which Schulz confirmed Thursday.

On Thursday, Netanyahu will meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, before leaving Berlin in the evening.

Steinmeier said during a trip to Tallinn, Estonia, on Wednesday that he planned to discuss the controversial reforms with Netanyahu.

Since the announcement in early January of the reform plan that the most right-wing government in Israel's history wants to implement, weekly mass demonstrations have taken place across the country to denounce what critics describe as an anti-democratic aberration.

Liat Tzvi, 52, a researcher at Tel Aviv University, told AFP during Thursday's gathering, "I fear that this place will turn into a religious state, that the Jewish laws will be occupied and that democratic freedom as we know it will no longer exist."

Meanwhile, around 500 people gathered in the afternoon near the famous Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin.

"We will fight for democracy. Democracy is a must, we cannot abandon it," said Gilat Fish, an Israeli who has lived in Bonn for five years and came to Berlin to demonstrate.

Herzog made troubling remarks on Wednesday about the state of the country.

And he warned that "anyone who believes that a real civil war that kills human lives is a limit that we will not reach, has no idea what he is talking about," stressing that he is convinced that "the majority of Israelis want a compromise."

Herzog continued, "Exactly now, in the seventy-fifth year of the independence of the State of Israel, the abyss is close. Today I tell you what I told them: Civil war is a red line. I will not allow it to happen."

The Israeli prime minister and his allies see reform as necessary to rebalance elected officials and the Supreme Court.

They consider unelected Supreme Court justices to be politicized and have more power than elected representatives.

On Tuesday, the Israeli Knesset approved, in a first reading, a clause allowing the cancellation of some Supreme Court decisions, and it had already adopted other provisions in February that were condemned.

عين الرئيس الجزائري عبد المجيد تبون الخميس أحمد عطاف وزيرا للخارجية خلفا لرمطان لعمامرة، في إطار تعديل وزاري شمل نحو 10 وزارات، بحسب بيان تلاه المتحدث باسم رئاسة الجمهورية.

وتم تعيين أحمد عطاف (70 سنة) الذي سبق أن شغل المنصب بين 1996 و1999 قبل وصول عبد العزيز بوتفليقة للحكم. وكان قبلها شغل منصب وزير مكلف بالشؤون المغاربية والإفريقية. وهو دبلوماسي متخرج من المدرسة الوطنية للإدارة التي تخرج منها تبون نفسه.

وتولى رمطان لعمارة (71 سنة) رئاسة الدبلوماسية في حزيران/ يونيو 2021 خلفا لصيري بوقدوم، وسبق له شغل المنصب بين 2013 و2017. وخلال الأسابيع الأخيرة لحكم بوتفليقة بداية 2020 تولى منصب نائب رئيس الوزراء مكلفا بالشؤون الخارجية.

وبدا واضحا غياب رمطان لعمامرة (71 سنة) في الأيام الأخيرة خاصة عندما لم يستقبل مسؤول السياسة الخارجية للاتحاد الأوروبي جوزيب بوريل خلال زيارة للجزائر، الأحد والاثنين.

وشمل التعديل الوزاري11 حقيبة منها المالية بتعيين لعزيز فايد مدير الميزانية خلفا لابراهيم جمال كسالي. وكذلك تم تعيين رئيس اللجنة الأولمبية عبد الرحمان حماد وزيرا للشباب والرياضة خلفا لعبد الرزاق سبقاق.

وكان آخر تعديل وزاري أجراه تبون في حكومة أيمن بن عبد الرحمان، في ايلول/سبتمبر مسّ خاصة وزارة الداخلية بتعيين إبراهيم مراد مكان كمال بلجود الذي أصبح وزيرا للنقل ثم غادر في هذا التعديل.

أدانت وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية، اليوم الخميس، استمرار الاقتحامات الإسرائيلية للمدن الفلسطينية المحتلة والاعتداء عليها، والتي كان آخرها العدوان على مدينة جنين اليوم.

وشدد الناطق الرسمي باسم الوزارة السفير سنان المجالي، على ضرورة وقف إسرائيل للإجراءات الأحادية كافة، وحماية المدن الفلسطينية من هذه الاعتداءات المتكررة والمتواصلة.

وأكد موقف الأردن الرافض لهذه الاعتداءات، وضرورة وقف التصعيد والحملات ضد الشعب الفلسطيني وبشكل فوري، محذراً من عواقب هذا التصعيد الذي لن يؤدي إلا لمزيد من التدهور والعنف، وتقويض الجهود الرامية إلى تحقيق التهدئة.

At least five people were killed in a helicopter crash in a remote area in northern Iraq , as the authorities of the autonomous Kurdistan region announced Thursday, stressing that among the dead were "members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party."

In response to a question by AFP about this incident, the details of which have not yet been known, a source in the PKK, which Ankara and its Western allies classify as "terrorists", said that the organization is "investigating" the matter without confirming or denying that the dead or the helicopter belonged to the group or not. .

And the Anti-Terrorism Service in the Kurdistan region announced in a statement that a Eurocopter AS350 helicopter "crashed" on Wednesday night in the Dohuk region, "which led to the killing of all its passengers."

For his part, the official responsible for communication with foreign media in the Kurdistan Regional Government, Lawk Ghafouri, confirmed that "at least five people were killed," adding that "the investigation is still ongoing by security officials to determine who the helicopter belonged to and the reasons for the accident."

"Some of the passengers who were killed in the accident are members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, according to the preliminary investigation," he told AFP.

The PKK rebels are active in training camps and bases for them in northern Iraq, which is repeatedly bombed as a result of this conflict, as Ankara, which has established military bases in northern Iraq for 25 years, repeatedly launches air strikes and military operations against the organization.

Ankara, for its part, denied that the helicopter belonged to it, according to a statement by the Turkish security forces.

On February 10, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) announced a "suspension" of its military actions in Turkey, following the devastating earthquake that struck the country.

Turkish military operations in northern Iraq exacerbate pressure on relations between Ankara and the central government of Iraq in Baghdad, which accuses Turkey of violating its territorial sovereignty, even though the two countries are important trading partners. Iraq has repeatedly demanded that Turkey withdraw from its territory.

Civilians find themselves in the line of fire as a result of this conflict. In July 2022, nine Iraqi civilians were killed in a bombing that targeted a tourist resort in the Kurdistan region. Baghdad held Turkey responsible, while Turkey denied this.

Also, in early March, a number of Yazidi fighters linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in drone strikes attributed to Turkey in the Sinjar region.

A month earlier, eight missiles targeted a Turkish base in northern Iraq, without causing any casualties.

أخطرت قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي، اليوم الخميس، بهدم ووقف العمل والبناء في منشأة صناعية، وغرفتين زراعيتين، في بلدة دير بلوط غرب سلفيت.

وبحسب مصادر محلية، فإن تلك القوات سلمت المواطن جميل عبد الوهاب عبد الله، إخطارين أحدهما لهدم منشأة صناعية، وآخر بوقف العمل والبناء في غرفة زراعية.

فيما سلمت المواطن ناجي حسني موسى إخطاراً بوقف البناء في غرفة زراعية في المنطقة الغربية من البلدة.

The Spanish judiciary rejected a lawsuit filed by Morocco against a Spanish journalist who accused the kingdom of spying on him using the Israeli Pegasus software.

And the Madrid Court of First Instance considered, in a decision seen by Agence France-Presse, Thursday, that the journalist was not defamed in Morocco, and therefore rejected the kingdom's lawsuit.

In response to a question from Agence France-Presse, the office of the kingdom's lawyer, Ernesto Diaz Bastian, indicated that it intends to appeal the ruling.
This lawsuit, filed by the Moroccan authorities against Ignacio Sombrero (68 years old), represents a new episode in the "Pegasus case", which was revealed in July 2021 by an investigative media coalition that confirmed that 50,000 people around the world had been exposed to espionage through Pegasus from governments, including the Moroccan government.

The Israeli company "NSO Group" developed the Pegasus software, which was sold to many countries, and it allows access to messages, data, and even the operation of the hacked phone's camera and microphone.

Among the 180 journalists on the list of personalities targeted by Pegasus is the Spaniard Sembrero, who has been writing about the Maghreb for more than two decades and is considered an expert on Morocco.

The journalist has confirmed repeatedly since 2021, in interviews and before a committee of the European Parliament, that he is convinced that Morocco is responsible for hacking his phone, admitting at the same time that he has no evidence of that.

The Moroccan authorities have always asserted that they do not possess Pegasus software.

Judge Sonia Lins Muñoz said in the text of the March 10 decision that the statements made by Ignacio Sombrero in interviews were the result of "the publication of a journalistic investigation by an international group about people who were spied on by Pegasus software" and are justified by "the seriousness of the facts that led to the opening of a criminal investigation.

And the judge continued, "Because of all this, (Morocco's) request is rejected," and the decision also bears the costs of litigation on the kingdom.

The Jordanian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Kharabsheh, said today, Thursday, that his country is working to double the electric power exported to Palestine , which currently amounts to about 80 megawatts.

Al-Kharabsheh added, in a statement to reporters, after his talks with a Palestinian delegation headed by the head of the Palestinian Energy Authority, Dhafer Melhem, that the Al-Rama station, which was opened on the Jordanian side in August last year, worked to raise the capacity of supplying the Palestinians with electricity from 40 megawatts to 80 megawatts, and work is currently underway on it. Increasing levels of cooperation in various fields of energy.

He expressed his hope to move to the stage of doubling the electrical generation capacity on the Palestinian side, stressing Jordan's readiness to provide all possible forms of support that the Palestinians need in this field to upgrade the electrical system in Palestine.

Kharabsheh indicated that the talks with the Palestinian side come within the framework of the recommendations of the Jordanian-Palestinian Higher Committee to increase cooperation with our Palestinian brothers in various fields of energy, especially providing them with electric energy. energy, leading to an integrated Palestinian electricity system.

For his part, Melhem said in a joint statement with Minister Kharabsheh that the Palestinian side is working according to a strategy that stipulates the need to diversify energy sources and reduce dependence on one source. He started in 2008 by drawing 20 megawatts of electricity from Jordan, then 40 megawatts, followed by 2022 by raising it to 80 megawatts. The fourth phase aims to increase the energy imported from Jordan to reach 160 megawatts, according to the development of loads on the Palestinian side.

Melhem stressed the need to complete the infrastructure in Palestine to deliver electricity received from Jordan to other Palestinian governorates.

He said, "The Palestinian delegation is visiting Jordan to continue discussing areas of cooperation, especially in the field of energy, and to strengthen the Palestinian-Jordanian connection, which has now reached the city of Ramallah and many of its population centers. We look forward to strengthening this cooperation to deliver electricity to all governorates of Palestine."

He added, "The talks also focused on exchanging expertise and training in all energy fields, especially in the field of electricity and importing oil derivatives via Jordan, which contributes to diversifying energy sources in Palestine and enhances its disengagement from the Israeli occupation network."

In turn, the General Manager of the Jordanian National Electric Power Company, Amjad Al-Rawashdeh, said that the company is pursuing aspects of cooperation to provide the Palestinian side with part of its electrical energy needs through the Al-Rama station, by adding a transformer with a capacity of 80 megawatts in the station to enhance the reliability of the electrical energy supply, which qualifies them to increase reliability on the Jordanian side.

Al-Rawashdeh added: "The National Electric Power Company, in cooperation with the Palestinian side, is working to raise the training capabilities of the Palestinian brothers to meet their training needs and support their future plans and their growing needs for additional electric energies."

On Thursday evening, the victims of the "scaffolding" collapse at a construction site in the Ramat Gan area near Tel Aviv were unveiled, this afternoon.

According to Maariv newspaper, the two workers who were killed in the accident are Mustafa Hamada (48 years old) and Ali Hamada (35 years old), both of whom were from Al-Samou’ in Hebron .

Seven Palestinian workers were wounded in the accident.

On Thursday, the United Kingdom announced the immediate ban of the TikTok application on government agencies, due to security concerns.
"We will ban the use of TikTok on government agencies," Minister of State Oliver Dowden, whose portfolio includes cybersecurity, told Parliament, which would be done with "immediate effect".

Critics of the app, which allows sharing short videos, which is very popular among young people, accuse the Chinese authorities of giving access to user data around the world, which TikTok denies.

The British minister said it was a "precautionary" measure, adding, "We know there is already limited use of TikTok within the government, but it is a matter of good cyber hygiene."

"Given the special risks associated with government agencies that may contain sensitive information, it is wise and appropriate to restrict the use of certain applications," especially those that access and store "a large amount of data," he added.

This approach, "based on the specific risks of government agencies", follows similar bans taken notably by the United States, Canada and the European Union, Oliver Dowden said.

On Wednesday, China urged the United States to stop "unprovoked attacks" on TikTok, after the US government asked the Chinese parent company, "ByteDance", to give up its shares in the application, or face a ban for reasons of national security.

According to the Wall Street Journal and other American newspapers, the White House has issued an ultimatum stating that if TikTok remains owned by the Chinese group ByteDance, it will be banned in the United States.

TikTok confirmed to AFP that the US government had requested that the owner of the app give it up.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told the press Wednesday that Washington "has not yet presented evidence that TikTok threatens the national security of the United States."

"The United States should stop spreading false information on data security issues, stop unprovoked attacks (against TikTok) and provide an open, fair, appropriate and non-discriminatory work environment" for foreign companies, he added.

اعتقلت الشرطة الإسرائيلية، الخميس، شابًا مقدسيًا بزعم العثور على أسلحة وعبوات ناسفة بحوزته.

وبحسب بيان للشرطة الإسرائيلية، فإن عملية الاعتقال تمت في صور باهر جنوب القدس المحتلة، وعثر في حقيبة معه على أسلحة وعبوات محلية الصنع.

وأشارت إلى أنه نقل للتحقيق، وسيمدد اعتقاله.

On Thursday , the European Parliament called on the Tunisian authorities to "immediately release" the journalist and director of a private radio station , Noureddine Boutar , and "other arbitrarily detained persons," condemning the "authoritarian approach" of President Kais Saied.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution Thursday, by a wide majority, in which it expressed "deep concern about President Saied's authoritarian approach and his exploitation of the disastrous social and economic situation in Tunisia to overturn the course of the country's historic democratic transition."
He also called on members of the European Parliament to "end the ongoing repression against civil society organisations."

They urged EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and member states to publicly denounce the serious deterioration in the human rights situation in Tunisia, and called for the suspension of EU support programs for the Ministries of Justice and Interior.

In early February, the Tunisian authorities launched a campaign of arrests against personalities, including former ministers and well-known businessmen such as Kamal Latif and Noureddine Boutar, director of the private and most followed radio station "Mosaique FM" in Tunisia.
The president describes the detainees as "terrorists" and accuses them of "conspiring against the internal and external security of the state."

Amnesty International considered the campaign of arrests, unprecedented since Saied's monopoly of the authorities on July 25, 2021, "politically motivated."

In addition, the European Parliament strongly condemned, in its decision, "President Said's racist speech against immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa and the attacks that followed."

On February 21, the Tunisian Presidency published a communiqué containing statements by Saied confirming the presence of "hordes" of illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan African countries and accusing them of being a source of "violence and crime" as part of a "criminal project" aimed at "changing the demographic composition" of Tunisia. .

Saeed's statements sparked controversy in the country, many immigrants were attacked, and hundreds were deported to their countries.

أقامت وكالة بيت مال القدس الشريف، معرضا للصور يخلد أهم انجازاتها في المدينة المقدسة بمناسبة عيدها الفضي، وذلك على هامش أشغال الدورة التاسعة والأربعين لمجلس وزراء الخارجية لمنظمة التعاون الاسلامي، الذي افتتح أشغاله اليوم بنواكشوط.

وضمَّ المعرض لوحة تحمل خارطة القدس وُزعت عليها مشاريع المؤسسة في المجالات الاجتماعية المختلفة كالتعليم والصحة والإسكان ومشاريع المساعدة الاجتماعية والتنمية البشرية والشباب والثقافة وغيرها.

وتصدرت صور صاحب الجلالة الملك محمد السادس، رئيس لجنة القدس المعرض، عربون تقدير وإجلال للجهود المُقدرة التي يبذلها جلالة الملك لنصرة القدس وفلسطين، كما جاء في ورقة تقديم المعرض، التي تم توزيعها على الزوار مع تقرير إنجازات الوكالة على مدى 25 عاما باللغات العربية والفرنسية والانجليزية.

كما عرضت الوكالة لوحات أخرى لبرامج التنمية البشرية، ومنصة (الدلالة) للتجارة الاجتماعية والتضامنية للتسويق الرقمي للمنتجات ذات المنشأ الفلسطيني، فضلا عن لوحات لبرامج المساعدة الاجتماعية والشباب والطفولة.

تشكل مشاركة وكالة بيت مال القدس الشريف، التابعة للجنة القدس في الدورة التاسعة والأربعين لمجلس وزراء الخارجية مناسبة لتسليط الضوء على دور المملكة المغربية، بقيادة صاحب الجلالة الملك محمد السادس في دعم القضية الفلسطينية عموما، وقضية القدس على الخصوص، وذلك من خلال الجهود السياسية والتحركات الدبلوماسية، وكذلك من خلال عمل ميداني متواصل يروم صيانة الهوية الحضارية للمدينة المقدسة وتحسين الأوضاع الاجتماعية والمعيشية للساكنة المقدسية ودعم صمودها وبقائها في القدس.

ووزعت الوكالة، بالمناسبة، تقريرا يستعرض البرنامج الحافل للاحتفاء باليوبيل الفضي للمؤسسة هذه السنة، والذي يتضمن سلسلة من الأنشطة والفعاليات المتنوعة الرامية إلى تعزيز إمكانات الدعم لفائدة القدس والمقدسيين من جهة، ومن جهة أخرى لاستحضار إنجازات وأنشطة ومبادرات المملكة المغربية الممتدة على مدار 25 سنة لفائدة مدينة القدس الشريف، وكذا المشاريع المنجزة خلال هذه الفترة والتي بلغت كلفتها 64 مليون دولار توزعت على عدد من القطاعات، كالإعمار والصحة والتعليم، ومشاريع همت المساعدة الاجتماعية الموجهة للأيتام والأرامل والمسنين والأشخاص في وضعية الإعاقة.

ويحذو وكالة بيت مال القدس الشريف إرادة قوية للاستمرار في العمل لصالح القدس كما أرادها جلالة الملك، من أجل الحفاظ على المدينة المقدسة كأرض سلام وتعايش، يعم فيها الأمن والاستقرار وفقا لروح نداء القدس، الذي وقعه أمير المؤمنين صاحب الجلالة الملك محمد السادس، مع قداسة البابا فرنسيس، بابا الفاتيكان في الرباط بتاريخ 30 مارس 2019.

The Presidency, the Prime Ministry, and Palestinian factions and parties condemned, on Thursday, the new occupation crime in Jenin , as a result of which 4 citizens were killed.

The official spokesman for the Palestinian Presidency , Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said that the new massacre aims to detonate the situation and drag the region into a square of tension and violence, and it is a continuation of the Israeli aggression against our people.

Abu Rudeineh added that these continuous Israeli acts of aggression confirm that Israel is not at all interested in calming the situation and preventing its eruption, contrary to all international efforts seeking to prevent escalation in the holy month of Ramadan, blaming Israel alone for the results of these aggressive policies.

Abu Rudeineh said that condemnations are no longer enough, and what is required is practical measures on the ground by the American administration to stop the unilateral Israeli measures, and to provide international protection for our people.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said that the killings and intimidation would not have continued, had it not been for the absence of accountability for the killers and their sense of impunity.

For his part, the President of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh , condemned the execution, and said, "The policy of field executions carried out by the occupation army against Palestinian civilians, with clear orders from the fascist right-wing government, is considered prejudices and field decisions aimed at killing and inflicting more Palestinian victims."

He considered that this crime is part of the open and multi-form war against our Palestinian people, and a war crime and a continuation of the occupation's policy of organized state terrorism.

For his part, the spokesman for the "Fatah" movement, Abdel Fattah Doula, said that the crime of executing the martyrs is part of the fascism of the army and the occupation government and a blatant challenge to the international community and humanitarian law that does not prosecute the perpetrators of massacres against the Palestinian people, which gave the green light to the "Ben Gvir" government. To carry out more killings of Palestinians.

A state added: The international system must protect the face of humanity from this reckless and reassuring behavior from punishment, and assume its professional and moral responsibilities in providing protection for the Palestinian people and prosecuting criminals.

For his part, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said that the occupation's crime in Jenin is an expression of the occupation's inability to end the intifada in the West Bank.

He added: This pure blood will be in Jenin today, fuel for the escalation of the act of resistance, and the occupation will pay the price for its crime.

For his part, the Islamic Jihad spokesman for the West Bank, Tariq Ezzedine, said that this heinous crime will not go unanswered.

He believed that this operation was an attempt by the occupation to restore its security image, which was broken by the resistance.

He added, "We will not back down or be complacent until the occupation pays the price, avenges our martyrs, and leaves our land."

While the Popular Front mourned the four martyrs, saying: "The crimes of the occupation would not have reached this serious extent had it not been for the state of Arab impotence and international complicity and the full support and protection provided by the American occupation administration, and the wager of the authority's leadership on security meetings that bring nothing but massacres and destruction to our people." .

For its part, the Democratic Front condemned the assassination, saying that "what the occupation is planning at the security meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh in terms of security arrangements to cover up its crimes and barbaric aggression against our people and to besiege, stifle and uproot the popular and armed resistance."

She said, "The Palestinian Authority's continued jumping on the bloody results of the understandings of the Aqaba-Sharm al-Sheikh track is a denial of our people's struggles and sacrifices," calling on the authority to withdraw from the meeting and stop its policy of domination, exclusivity, and marginalization of national bodies.

Thursday , the European Central Bank adhered to the decision to raise the planned interest rate, with its focus on combating high inflation, despite the market turmoil due to fears of a widening banking crisis.

The Bank raised key interest rates by half a percentage point, as it had previously pledged. However, he abandoned the use of a reference that was approved in previous statements related to the need to raise prices "significantly" in the future.

Under the auspices of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud , the King Faisal Prize will hold on Monday, March 20, 2023 in Riyadh, the award ceremony for its winners at its forty-fifth session this year.

The award secretariat announced earlier the winners of the forty-fifth session 2023, as the award for serving Islam was awarded, jointly: to Professor Dr. Choi Young Kil - Hamed of the Korean nationality, and Sheikh Nasser Abdullah Al Zaabi of the Emirati nationality, and the Islamic Studies award was awarded to Professor Dr. Robert Hillenbrand of Britain, while the British nationality was awarded to Dr. Professor Abdel-Fattah Kilito, a Moroccan citizen, was awarded the Prize for Arabic Language and Literature.

As for the medicine award, it was awarded jointly to Professor Dr. Dan Hoon Buruk, an American, and Professor Dr. Sarah Catherine Gilbert, a British national. The science award was jointly won by Professor Dr. Jackie Yi-Ru Ying of the United States, and Professor Dr. Chad Alexander Merkin, an American.

The General Secretariat of the Award stated that the nomination door for the forty-sixth session 2024, in the five branches of the award, is available until the end of the current month of March, which is the last date for receiving nominations.

The topics for this session were identified as follows:

First: The Islamic Studies Prize: on the topic “Islamic Systems and their Contemporary Applications”.

Second: The Arabic Language and Literature Award: on the subject of “the efforts of institutions outside the Arab world to spread the Arabic language.”

Third: Medicine Prize: in the subject of "Treatments for Peripheral Disabilities".

Fourth Science Award: in the "Science of Life".

As for the Service to Islam Award, it is an award of appreciation, given to those who have a pioneering role in serving Islam and Muslims, intellectually, scientifically, and socially, through actions, activities, programs, and projects that have an impact on the Muslim community.

The award receives nominations by airmail or e-mail:

[email protected]

Or through the online nomination portal for the award:

www.kingfaisalprize.org/nomination

The General Secretariat made available information about the nomination and all its conditions through the award website:

www.kingfaisalprize.org

It is noteworthy that the King Faisal Prize was awarded for the first time in 1979, and more than 290 scholars, belonging to 45 countries, won it. A number of its winners won prestigious international awards later.

The Emirati National Security Adviser, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, discussed with the Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, in Abu Dhabi, developments in the Gulf region, about a week after Tehran and Riyadh agreed to resume relations.

In China, Admiral Shamkhani led his country's talks with Saudi Arabia, which led last Friday to the two influential regional powers announcing an agreement to end the severance that has been going on since 2016 within two months.

The Emirates News Agency said that Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed and Shamkhani discussed Thursday "the various aspects of bilateral relations and opportunities to strengthen and develop them in a way that serves the mutual interests of the two countries, especially in the political, economic and trade fields."

The two sides also discussed "a number of issues of common concern and exchanged views on them and the importance of making efforts for the stability and prosperity of the region," according to the agency.

For its part, the Iranian news agency "IRNA" quoted Shamkhani as saying during the meeting, "Cooperation and rapprochement must replace hostility and divergence" in the region, adding, "We must try to enhance security, peace and prosperity for the peoples of the region through dialogue, interaction and expansion of political, security, economic and cultural cooperation." .

Relations between Riyadh and Tehran were severed in 2016 when Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed an opposition Shiite cleric named Nimr al-Nimr.

The UAE, an ally of Saudi Arabia, was among the Gulf countries that downgraded its relations with Tehran following the attacks of protesters against Saudi interests, but it maintained important economic relations with it.

And last August, the UAE confirmed its decision to return the ambassador to Tehran with the aim of achieving "the common interests of the two neighboring countries and the region."

It is noteworthy that the UAE is a major player in the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen in support of the government and in the face of the Houthis allied with Tehran. Abu Dhabi was hit by these rebels.

Riyadh and Washington accuse Tehran of providing them with weapons to attack neighboring countries, which the Islamic Republic denies.

On Wednesday, a Saudi official said that the Iranian-Saudi talks in Beijing resulted in "concrete commitments" regarding Yemen, which has been mired in war since 2014, but he did not disclose them.

"Iran is the main supplier of weapons, training and propaganda programs to the Houthis and we are the main victim of these missiles and drones and other things. So Iran can do a lot and should do a lot," he said, adding that Iran should stop "supplying weapons to the Houthis."

4 citizens were killed and 18 were injured, on Thursday, by Israeli occupation forces' bullets, in the city of Jenin, in the northern West Bank.

According to the Ministry of Health, 4 of the injured are in serious condition.

Wissam Bakr, director of Jenin Hospital, told Al-Quds.com that the martyrs were: Nidal Khazem (28 years old), Youssef Shreim (29 years old), Omar Awadin (16 years old), and Luay Al-Zughair (37 years old).

A special force from the occupation army infiltrated the city center of Jenin, specifically Abu Bakr Street crowded with citizens, and executed two young men on the spot.

The youths attacked a vehicle used by the Special Forces before military reinforcements arrived and pulled it, and the force participating in the operation withdrew.

According to the Hebrew channel Reshet Kan, the target of the operation was Nidal Khazem, a relative of the martyr Raad, who carried out the Dizengoff operation a year ago, indicating that he was responsible for a series of shooting operations and was planning new attacks.

The most important US pollster, Gallup, found that after a decade in which Democrats showed a growing affinity for the Palestinians , sympathy in the Middle East is now more with the Palestinians than with the Israelis, 49% to 38%, according to the poll. Published by Gallup on Thursday, March 16, 2023.

"Today's positions reflect an 11-percentage-point increase over last year in Democrats' sympathy for the Palestinians. At the same time, the percentages of those who sympathize more with the Israelis (38%) and those who do not support one side (13%) have fallen to new lows," the site says. .

According to the poll, sympathy for the Palestinians hit a new high among political independents, rising six points to 32%. Still, more independents leaned towards Israelis (49%).

As for the opinions of Republicans, they did not change, with nearly eight in 10 (78%) sympathizing more with the Israelis, while 11% supported the Palestinians.

The latest findings are from Gallup's February 1-23 update of the annual Global Affairs Poll.

Nationwide, the sympathy gap in the Middle East is narrowing

As a result of partisan shifts this year, sympathy for the Palestinians among American adults reached a new high of 31%, while favoring no side reached a new low of 15%. 54% of Americans identify more with Israelis similar to last year's 55% but the lowest since 2005.

The resulting 23-point gap in Americans' sympathy for Israel versus the Palestinians represents Israel's weakest advantage in this question in the direction of the Gallup World Affairs Poll. It is also the first time that Israel does not have a better advantage of 2 to 1 over the Palestinians in American sympathy.

The most significant changes in public opinion on this issue have occurred in the past five years, as support for the Palestinians has increased and support for Israel has decreased as well as ambivalence about the conflict.

Partisan differences aside, Gallup continues to see generational differences in the way adults in the United States view the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Net sympathy toward Israel - the percentage more sympathetic to Israelis than to Palestinians - is strongly positive among older generations, including Baby Boomers (+46 points) (1946-1960), Generation X (+32) and Silent Generation (+31) . By contrast, millennials are now evenly split, with 42% sympathizing more with Palestinians and 40% with Israelis, yielding a -2 point net sympathy for Israel.

There are very few adult members of Generation Z (ages 18-22) in the latest survey to report, but the limited available data suggests that their views on this question are similar to those of millennials.

Today's difference reflects a sharp decline in recent years in net sympathy for Israel among millennials, while net sympathy for Israel has been consistent at a higher level among the three oldest generations.

The advantage over Israel remains strong

In addition to the sympathy question, which focuses on the Israeli and Palestinian people, Gallup asks Americans whether their general views of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, as two states, are favorable or unfavorable. This is part of a longer list of countries ranked each year.

In line with previous years, Americans view Israel much better than they do the Palestinian Authority, 68% versus 26%. Israel's current positive rating is lower than Gallup's annual readings over the past decade, but matches the average since 2001. The PA's current rating is on par with the slightly elevated level seen since 2021, which is above the 19% average recorded since 2001.

Also, as is typical, Israel is viewed favorably by a majority of party groups - 82% Republicans, 67% Independents, and 56% Democrats. Conversely, relatively few of the three groups view the PA favorably: 36% of Democrats, 28% of independents, and 9% of Republicans.

The slight increase in positive ratings for the PA over the past decade has been exclusively among Democrats (up 16 percentage points since 2013) and Independents (up 14 points).

minimum

Americans' views on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are becoming more polarized as Democrats increasingly sympathize with the Palestinians, while Republicans maintain their strong alliance with the Israelis. The escalation in Israeli-Palestinian hostilities over the past year, which has resulted in the deaths of a significant number of Palestinians, can partly explain the recent shift in perspective for Democrats. But the Democrats' waning religiosity may be a factor in the long-term trend. Sympathy for Israel has historically been closely linked to religion, with those who attend religious services weekly having more sympathy for Israelis than those who rarely or never attend.

Regardless of the reasons why Democrats (and, to a lesser extent, independents) have changed views on the conflict, majorities across all generations and partisan groups still view Israel favorably and look more positively toward Israel than they do toward the Palestinian Authority. This suggests that while mainstream democrats may want to meet the needs of the Palestinians, they want solutions that respect Israel's needs as well.

The Authority for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs reported that the military court of the occupation ordered the release of the leader of the Popular Front , Nasser Abu Khudair .

The authority stated that the occupation court decided to release al-Maqdisi Abu Khudair on the condition that he be placed under house arrest until the next trial date on the 21st of this month.

Two workers were killed and four others were injured when a building "scaffolding" collapsed in a seven-storey construction workshop near the occupied city of Tel Aviv .

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, two workers were killed and four others were injured, two of whom were in serious condition.

The paramedics provided field treatment to the injured and transferred the wounded to the Israeli hospitals.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced that he will not meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria, according to an interview published Thursday by a Russian media.

The statements were published the day after Al-Assad met his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, seeking to repair relations between Erdogan and Al-Assad, which were severed since the outbreak of the war in Syria in 2011.

Al-Assad told the Russian RIA Novosti news agency that "(any meeting) is linked to reaching a stage in which Turkey is clearly and without any ambiguity ready for a complete exit from Syrian territory."

The Syrian president added that Turkey should "stop supporting terrorism," referring to the opposition fighting groups that control areas of northern Syria, some of which receive training and support from Turkey.

"This is the only case in which there can be a meeting between me and Erdogan," al-Assad continued.

He added, asking, "Besides, what is the value of the meeting and why did we not hold it, if it will not achieve final results regarding the war in Syria?"

For his part, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday, "In order to hold such a meeting (between Assad and Erdogan), several preparatory meetings must first be held, and this process is under way."

Diplomats from Iran, Russia, Turkey and Syria are scheduled to meet in Moscow this week as a prelude to a meeting of foreign ministers of these countries, according to Turkish media.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Bashar al-Assad established friendly relations in the first decade of the twenty-first century, after years of disagreements between their two countries.

However, the war in Syria, which left about 500,000 dead and millions displaced, strained relations again between Damascus and Ankara, which supported factions opposed to Assad.

Erdogan has repeatedly expressed his willingness to meet Assad.

At the end of December, the Turkish and Syrian defense ministers met in Moscow in the presence of their Russian counterpart for the first time since 2011.

The "Hamas" movement called on the national authority to reverse its decision to participate in the Sharm el-Sheikh security meeting with the occupation, which is considered disrespectful to the blood and sacrifices of the martyrs.

Hazem Qassem , spokesman for the "Hamas" movement, said in a statement issued by the movement, today, Thursday, "We deplore the Islamic Resistance Movement" Hamas ". This is considered a disdain for the blood of our Palestinian people, which was violated by the occupation army and its fascist settlers, and an Israeli attempt to strike at the ongoing and escalating revolutionary situation in the West Bank.”

The statement added that this meeting only serves the agenda of the occupation in consolidating its power and control over the Palestinian land, calling for stopping security coordination with the occupation, not betting on the mirage of American promises, and siding with the national consensus and the will of the Palestinian people to resist until the fascist occupation is defeated from our entire soil. National, and the establishment of our Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

Protests and demonstrations were renewed in separate parts of Israel, against the plan to weaken the judiciary , amid violent quarrels that erupted during the protests in Tel Aviv.

And Israeli media reported that the occupation police used pepper gas and tear gas to separate the demonstrators and their opponents, and minor injuries and suffocation were reported.

According to the website of "Yedioth Ahronoth" newspaper, the fights broke out in separate areas in Tel Aviv, which witnessed demonstrations in front of the embassies of Germany, the United States, Britain and France, in protest at the reception of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich .

Hundreds of demonstrators in Tel Aviv closed the "Ayalon" road network, which caused a suffocating traffic crisis, while the police tried to suppress them and prevent them from walking and demonstrating on the street, which they worked to open after it was closed for more than an hour by the demonstrators.

Several marches and protests were organized in several areas across Israel, where dozens of demonstrations and vigils were organized at the main roads and axes that were closed and traffic was obstructed.

The organizers of the protests began to escalate their protest steps, after the Netanyahu government rejected the settlement proposal presented by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and the government's insistence on continuing legislation to undermine the Supreme Court and weaken the judiciary.

Workers in the high-tech sector joined the protests by participating in demonstrations at about 15 crossroads. Students on the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem organized a demonstration, and other demonstrations at Tel Aviv and Bar-Ilan universities.

Demonstrations were organized in different areas in Tel Aviv and in front of the US embassy in occupied Jerusalem, in the city of Ramat Gan and towns in the Sharon region, Raanana, and Bnei Brak, where a vehicle was documented traveling recklessly towards the participants in the protests.

Israeli navy veterans closed the crossing road leading to the port of Haifa, using five yachts and a small boat, while students and parents demonstrated in the city of Raanana, while university students demonstrated in front of Tel Aviv University, in conjunction with a demonstration of students and teachers in Haifa.

Protest organizers are planning another demonstration, which will start at seven o'clock in the evening, from the center of Tel Aviv towards several streets, during which the demonstrators will carry torches.

And the Israeli President Herzog presented, on Wednesday evening, a proposed blueprint to end the crisis of the plan to weaken the judiciary, which the coalition that forms the government headed by Netanyahu continues to legislate, without a majority for the coalition in the Committee for the Appointment of Judges, while the coalition opposed the plan and considered it “one-sided”, while the opposition agreed to it. .

يواصل الأسير الشيخ خضر عدنان (44 عامًا) من بلدة عرابة جنوب جنين، إضرابه عن الطعام لليوم (40) على التوالي، رفضًا لاعتقاله، وسط ظروف صحية صعبة في (عيادة سجن الرملة)، بعد نقله من زنازين (الجلمة) مؤخرًا بعد تدهور وضعه الصحيّ.

ويعد الأسير عدنان من أبرز الأسرى الذين واجهوا الاحتلال بأمعائه الخاوية على مدار سنوات، حيث نفّذ خمس إضرابات سابقة، وهذا الإضراب السادس الذي يخوضه، علمًا أن أربعة من إضراباته كانت ضد اعتقاله الإداريّ.

The Moroccan opposition and Islamist Justice and Development Party denied on Wednesday that it has an "internal partisan agenda" regarding Israel, following criticisms directed at it by the Royal Court, stressing that its views come within the "framework of freedom of opinion and expression."

On Monday, the Royal Court denounced the party's "irresponsible" behavior after the latter accused the Moroccan Foreign Ministry of siding with Israel.

A statement issued by the royal court said, "The General Secretariat of the Justice and Development Party recently issued a statement that includes some irresponsible abuses and serious fallacies, with regard to relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Israel, and linking them to the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories."

And the party's statement issued on Wednesday night said, "The General Secretariat confirms that the party's practices, positions, and reports are restricted by what the constitution authorizes for any political party, in terms of the parties establishing and practicing their activities freely within the scope of respecting the constitution and the law, and within the framework of freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed in all its forms by the constitution."

The party's general secretariat said, after an extraordinary meeting, that "the party's positions are consistent and frequent in supporting the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people and rejecting normalization" between Morocco and Israel, stressing that "the party finds no qualms in accepting the observations and warnings issued by His Majesty."

The party "categorically denied" that its criticism was linked to "any internal or electoral party agenda, nor any fallacies, political outbids, or any blackmail."

The statement added that the party "will remain aligned, as it has always been, behind His Majesty the King to defend territorial integrity, national sovereignty, and the supreme interests of our country in light of the inclusive constitutional constants."

The statement added that the party's criticism of the foreign minister "who appears to be defending the Zionist entity in some African and European meetings" comes "as a member of the government, subject, like the rest of his colleagues in the government, to criticism and monitoring on the basis of the government program."

Morocco normalized its diplomatic relations with Israel in December 2020 within the framework of what is known as the "Abraham Accords" between the Hebrew state and Arab countries under the auspices of Washington.

But Morocco regularly reaffirms its commitment to the Palestinian cause, and the Moroccan monarch heads the Jerusalem Committee charged with preserving the city's legal status and its religious and cultural character.

Rabat supports the two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Today, Thursday, a citizen was injured and bruised, as a result of settlers' attacks on the citizens, and the settlers destroyed agricultural crops in Masafer Yatta , south of Hebron.

According to press sources, a group of settlers from "Ma'on and Khafat Ma'on" attacked the citizens in the village of Tuba and the poor in Masafer Yatta, which resulted in the injury of a citizen with moderate injuries and bruises.

In the context, settlers destroyed the agricultural crops of the people in the "Qawawis" area, and grazed their livestock on wheat and barley crops, which caused the destruction of a large part of those crops, which belong to a number of families, including Abu Aram and Al-Hamamda.

The President of Al-Quds University , Prof. Imad Abu Kishek , a delegation from the American Harvard University, represented by its president, Professor Lawrence Bacco, on the university's main campus, in a unique first visit by the prestigious Harvard president to a Palestinian university, in the presence of a number of vice presidents and assistants.

The visiting delegation included Harvard Vice President for Public Affairs Dr. Paul Andrew, Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development Dr. Brian Lee, Director of Community Engagement Adele Fleet Paco, International Relations Officer Dr. Mark Schwartz, and Co-Vice President and Executive Director of the Harvard Alumni Association Sarah Carmon.

In turn, the President of Al-Quds University, Prof. Dr. Imad Abu Kishk accompanied the delegation on his unique and important visit, which is the first of its kind in the country's universities, speaking about the history of the university's faculties, programs and global partnerships in unique academic programs that keep pace with technology, digitization and market requirements around the world, which has produced an advanced and recognized academic, professional and research level for its students. And its academics in various scientific and human disciplines.

The two parties discussed the need to enhance joint cooperation at the level of academic programs, student and academic exchange, and projects of common interest, in order to develop a partnership plan capable of raising the research and entrepreneurial level of students and graduates.

This was accompanied by Prof. Abu Kishk visited the delegation on an introductory tour of the university's faculties, facilities, and research and professional centers, with the aim of informing them of their workflow that represents their vision at various levels, and introducing them closely to their students.

This unique visit by the prestigious Harvard President is the first to Al-Quds University and Palestinian universities in general, which confirms its achievement of a prestigious position among international universities, when it advances to the first Palestinian positions in leading international rankings.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs, Chairman of the Committee for Renting Housing for Palestinian Pilgrims , Hussam Abu Al-Rub , said that the committee formed by the Council of Ministers has completed the process of renting housing for pilgrims in the northern governorates of Medina, according to the specifications and standards set by the competent committee.

Abu Al-Rub explained in a press statement, today, Thursday, that the committee went to Saudi Arabia a few days ago, and included members of the specialized technical committee in the ministry, in addition to representatives from the ministries of finance, tourism and antiquities, and the Financial and Administrative Control Bureau.

He added that 4- and 5-star hotels were rented in the northern central area of the Prophet's Mosque, and all hotel services were provided with an open buffet breakfast for 4 days.

Abu Al-Rub stressed that the directives of the Palestinian leadership and the instructions of the Minister of Endowments, Sheikh Hatem Al-Bakri, recommended the need to choose nearby hotels that provide comfort for pilgrims.

He pointed out that the Housing Rental Committee worked hard for the benefit of the pilgrim, taking into account the preservation of the distinguished level achieved by the State of Palestine in the services of pilgrims at all levels, especially the capacity and readiness of hotels to receive pilgrims according to specific entry and exit dates.

Abu Al-Rub said that the committee will go to Makkah Al-Mukarramah in order to complete the procedures for renting accommodation for pilgrims in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and the headquarters of the Palestinian Hajj delegation.

Source: The official news agency "Wafa"

عاد التفاؤل الخميس إلى الأسواق الأوروبية حيث بدا أن المستثمرين استعادوا الثقة بعد جهود البنك المركزي السويسري والإعلانات الصادرة عن بنك كريدي سويس، لكن الأزمة انتقلت إلى أسواق آسيا.

وفي الساعة 8,35 ت غ سجل انتعاش بنسبة 1,43% في بورصة باريس و1,26% في بورصة فرانكفورت و1,27% في بورصة لندن و1,21 في ميلانو، بعدما تراجعت بأكثر من 3% الأربعاء.

لكن الأسواق الآسيوية تأثرت بشكل متأخر بالاضطرابات الأخير المرتبطة ببنك كريدي سويس، إذ انخفضت بورصة طوكيو بنسبة 0,8% وهونغ كونغ بنسبة 1,9%.

ومع ذلك، قد تكون الجلسة في أوروبا متقلبة حتى صدور بيان في وقت مبكر من بعد الظهر من البنك المركزي الأوروبي الذي يُنتظر أن يحسم قراره بشأن رفع سعر الفائدة بمقدار نصف نقطة لكبح التضخم، ولا يُستبعد أن ينتهج مقاربة أكثر ليونة للتخفيف عن البنوك.

منذ انهيار مصارف اميركية الأسبوع الماضي، عمّ التوتر الأسواق المالية. وبعد عودة الثقة الثلاثاء في متانة النظام المصرفي، تزعزع استقرار البورصات الأربعاء جراء تسجيل سهم كريدي سويس أكبر انخفاض في تاريخه بلغ حوالي -25% عند الإغلاق.

The Governor of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salameh , appeared Thursday for the first time before European investigators, as part of investigations centered on his wealth and suspicions of money laundering, according to a judicial source told AFP.

Salameh attended around 10:30 am (8:30 GMT) to the Palace of Justice in Beirut, shortly after the arrival of the European delegation headed by French Judge Aud Bourizi, amid tight security measures inside and around the Palace of Justice, according to an AFP correspondent.

The hearing began in the presence of his lawyers, including a French lawyer.

And a judicial source had reported earlier that the European delegation had a list of 100 questions that it intended to direct to Salameh through the first investigating judge in Beirut, Charbel Abu Samra. It is likely that the hearings for Salameh "as a witness" will last three days "without any action being taken against him."

Investigators from France, Germany and Luxembourg are looking into money laundering and embezzlement cases in Lebanon linked to Salameh. In January in Beirut, they heard witnesses, including bank managers and current and former employees of the Banque du Liban.

The European investigations focus on the relationship between the Banque du Liban and the “Fore Associates” company, which is registered in the Virgin Islands and has an office in Beirut, and its economic beneficiary is Raja Salameh, brother of the Governor of the Banque du Liban. It is believed that the company played the role of intermediary to purchase treasury bonds and Eurobonds from the Central Bank of Lebanon by receiving a subscription commission, which was transferred to Raja Salameh's accounts abroad.

A year ago, the European Judicial Cooperation Unit "Eurojust" announced that France, Germany and Luxembourg had frozen 120 million euros of Lebanese assets following an investigation targeting Salameh and four of his close associates, including his brother, on charges of money laundering and "embezzlement of public funds in Lebanon worth more than $330 million." and 5 million euros, respectively, between 2002 and 2021.

Salameh was absent from a session that was scheduled for Wednesday, on the pretext that he had not received an answer about a memorandum he submitted, in which he considered that “the presence of international judges in Lebanon and the investigation of financial files with him contradicts national sovereignty.” However, the Lebanese judiciary rejected the content of the memorandum and set a date for his interrogation, Thursday.

The wealth of Salameh, one of the longest-serving central bank governors in the world who has served as the architect of Lebanon's financial policies since taking office in 1993, has been the focus of a local investigation in Lebanon since April 2021.

And after the prosecution in February against Salameh, his brother, and his assistant, Marianne Howayek, the Lebanese state, represented by the head of the Cases Authority in the Ministry of Justice, Judge Helena Iskandar, filed a personal claim against them for “crimes of bribery, forgery, use of counterfeiters, money laundering, illegal enrichment, and tax evasion.”

The judge requested that several measures be taken against the defendants, including “arresting them, seizing their real estate properties, and freezing their bank accounts,” in addition to “freezing the accounts of their spouses and minor children with Lebanese and foreign banks,” and preventing them from disposing of their real estate.

Salama denies the accusations against him, considering that his prosecution comes in the context of a political process to "tarnish" his image. And he confirms that he accumulated his wealth from his previous work for two decades in the global financial institution "Merrill Lynch" and from investments in several fields, apart from his work at the head of the governorship of the Banque du Liban.