August 24, 2021

2021.08.25 國際新聞導讀-俄羅斯普丁總統企圖擴大俄國在中東的影響力、輝瑞獲得美國FDA正式批准可上市銷售、美國CIA局長到喀布爾與塔利班領導人會面、50萬劑輝瑞疫苗抵達巴勒斯坦

29 minutes

俄羅斯接待約旦國王，暗示與阿聯酋達成協議

俄羅斯有意將其角色從中國迅速擴大到阿富汗，跨越中東到地中海，這對以色列產生了重大影響。

作者：SETH J. FRANZMAN

2021 年 8 月 24 日 17:11

2021 年 7 月 25 日，俄羅斯總統弗拉基米爾·普京 (Vladimir Putin) 出席在俄羅斯聖彼得堡舉行的海軍日閱兵式。

（圖片來源：人造衛星/阿列克謝·尼科爾斯基/克里姆林宮）

週一，約旦國王阿卜杜拉二世會見了俄羅斯總統普京。據俄羅斯媒體報導，他們討論了敘利亞和阿富汗的局勢。“當然，我們希望就最緊迫的問題交換意見……它們是敘利亞局勢正常化和阿富汗目前的升級，”普京說。

這些評論是在俄羅斯的一次重要軍事活動和俄羅斯與阿聯酋的接觸，以及向印度交付 S-400 以及俄伊關係日益密切之際發表的。

這是俄羅斯擴大其在中東和阿富汗的作用的一部分。伊朗塔斯尼姆媒體稱，俄羅斯一直在與土耳其討論協調與塔利班的關係，俄羅斯可能會在今年晚些時候或2022年與中國和伊朗舉行聯合軍事演習。據伊朗媒體報導，俄羅斯大使宣布，這三個國家的演習將側重於海上安全和打擊海盜。

“除了俄羅斯、伊朗和中國，印度、敘利亞和委內瑞拉等國也將參加這次演習。” 俄羅斯也將支持伊朗申請加入上海合作組織。該組織越來越被視為俄羅斯和中國對日益衰落的美國全球霸權的平衡。“莫斯科和德黑蘭在一些國際和地區問題上的立場相似，”報告稱。

據塔斯尼姆媒體報導，俄羅斯駐德黑蘭大使還指出，俄羅斯和伊朗正在就武器進行談判。“他說，在聯合國解除對伊朗的武器禁運後，德黑蘭和莫斯科正在就廣泛的武器進行談判。俄羅斯駐伊朗大使補充說：“與伊朗的軍事技術合作已有 50 多年的悠久歷史。”

在伊朗討論之後，俄羅斯希望擴大與約旦的關係。與國王的會面是這項工作的一部分。“普京強調，儘管冠狀病毒大流行，俄羅斯和約旦之間的關係在各個領域都在發展，包括經貿關係和政治對話。

他指出，由俄羅斯農業部長德米特里·帕特魯舍夫 (Dmitry Patrushev) 擔任主席的政府間委員會正在積極開展工作，”塔斯媒體在莫斯科表示。普京說：“我們還共同努力抗擊大流行並克服其影響。”

俄羅斯領導人和約旦國王在會後散步時檢查了軍事裝備。“俄羅斯總統解釋說，這些武器既供應給俄羅斯軍隊，也出口。用他的話來說，與外國武裝部隊的同事直接接觸有助於建立信任。”

塔斯社媒體指出，參加會談的俄羅斯代表團包括外交部長謝爾蓋·拉夫羅夫、國防部長謝爾蓋·紹伊古、農業部長德米特里·帕特魯舍夫和總統助理尤里·烏沙科夫。

2021 年 7 月 22 日，約旦國王阿卜杜拉二世在美國眾議院議長南希佩洛西 (D-CA) 的歡迎下發表講話。（來源：REUTERS/ELIZABETH FRANTZ）

會議的背景是周一在俄羅斯開幕的陸軍 2021 國際軍事技術論壇。塔斯社還報導說，普京周一通過視頻會議下令在三個造船廠為俄羅斯海軍放下六艘戰艦。

俄羅斯和中國希望擴大他們的海軍，以向美國提出對等的挑戰。俄羅斯海軍雖然是俄羅斯軍隊重要的歷史力量，但也經歷了許多挫折，需要現代化。

“我們將繼續提升俄羅斯海軍實力，完善基地體系和海軍基礎設施，將最先進的武器裝備裝備在艦艇上，在演習和長途航行中訓練艱鉅任務，在戰略要地懸掛俄羅斯國旗。世界海洋，”普京說。海軍很重要，因為俄羅斯用它在黑海和地中海投射力量。

俄羅斯正在向土耳其出售S-400防空系統，俄羅斯在敘利亞防空方面發揮著重要作用。最近，莫斯科批評了它所稱的以色列對敘利亞的空襲。俄羅斯還表示，今年將向印度提供S-400。空中和太空防禦公司 Almaz-Antey 的副首席執行官維亞切斯拉夫·齊爾卡恩 (Vyacheslav Dzirkaln) 週一在國際軍事技術論壇 Army-2021 上告訴媒體，印度的交付正按計劃進行。

俄羅斯國防部副部長亞歷山大·福明（Alexander Fomin）週一在與阿聯酋國防部長賈貝里·穆巴拉克·賽義德（Al Jaberi Mubarak Saeed）會談時表示，俄羅斯也在尋求與阿聯酋開展更多合作。塔斯社也報導了這些會談，並指出“我們俄羅斯不僅準備提供設備和軍備，還準備分享技術並在貴國領土上安排本地生產，”一名俄羅斯國防官員說。

俄羅斯希望進入阿聯酋市場，該市場自去年亞伯拉罕協議以來就與以色列建立了關係。福明稱讚阿聯酋“發展自己的產業，高科技產業”。他說，俄羅斯和阿聯酋應該在“主要是政治的方向”發展關係。

塔斯媒體稱，阿聯酋國防和國防工業部副部長出席了此次活動。“首先，我謹代表阿聯酋國防部長向您個人致以最誠摯的問候。他希望這個展覽，這個論壇能夠進一步發展並擴大規模，”阿聯酋國防官員說，據塔斯媒體報導。它沒有點名阿聯酋官員。

這些文章清楚地表明，俄羅斯有意通過軍火交易、新艦艇和國際合作，迅速擴大其作用，從中國到阿富汗，從中東到地中海。這對以色列有重大影響。以色列和俄羅斯有著友好的關係，但美國對俄羅斯和中國進軍中東感到擔憂，儘管美國一直表示要縮水並專注於亞洲。美國副總統卡邁勒·哈里斯身在東南亞，但她面臨著繼阿富汗之後美國在世界上扮演的角色的嚴峻問題。

Russia hosts Jordan’s king, hints at UAE deal

Russia’s interest in rapidly expanding its role from China to Afghanistan, across the Middle East to the Mediterranean, has major ramifications for Israel.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN

AUGUST 24, 2021 17:11

Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends the Navy Day parade in Saint Petersburg, Russia July 25, 2021.

(photo credit: SPUTNIK/ALEXEI NIKOLSKY/KREMLIN)

King Abdullah II of Jordan met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. They discussed the situation in Syria and Afghanistan, according to Russian media reports. “Of course, we hope for an exchange of views on the most pressing matters…They are the normalization of the situation in Syria and the current escalation in Afghanistan,” Putin said.

These comments come during an important military event in Russia and Russian outreach to the UAE, as well as S-400 deliveries to India and Russian-Iran ties which are growing.

It is part of Russia’s interest in expanding its role in the Middle East and in Afghanistan. Russia has been talking to Turkey about coordinating relations with the Taliban, and Russia may hold a joint military drill with China and Iran later this year or in 2022, Iran’s Tasnim media said. The Russian ambassador announced that the exercises of the three countries will focus on maritime security and the fight against piracy, Iran’s media reported.

“Apart from Russia, Iran and China, countries such as India, Syria and Venezuela will also participate in this exercise.” Russia will also support Iran’s application to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. This organization increasingly is seen as a Russian and Chinese balance to declining US global hegemony. “Moscow and Tehran have similar positions on some international and regional issues,” the report says.

The Russian ambassador in Tehran also noted that Russia and Iran are negotiating on weapons, Tasnim media reports. “He said that after the lifting of the UN arms embargo against Iran, Tehran and Moscow are holding talks on a wide range of weapons. The Russian ambassador to Iran added: ‘Military-technical cooperation with Iran has a long history of more than 50 years.’”

After the Iran discussions, Russia wants to expand its relations with Jordan. The meeting with the king is part of that work. “Putin stressed that despite the coronavirus pandemic relations between Russia and Jordan are developing in all areas, including trade and economic ties and political dialogue.

He noted that the intergovernmental commission, chaired by Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev, is working actively,” Tass media said in Moscow. “We are also working jointly to combat the pandemic and overcome its impacts,” Putin said.

The Russian leader and the king of Jordan examined military hardware during a walk after the meeting. “The Russian president explained that these weapons are both supplied to the Russian army and exported. In his words, direct contacts with colleagues from the armed forces of foreign countries help build up trust.”

The Russian delegation to the talks included Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev, and presidential aide Yuri Ushakov, Tass media noted.

Jordan's King Abdullah II speaks after being welcomed by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to the US Capitol in Washington, US, July 22, 2021. (credit: REUTERS/ELIZABETH FRANTZ)

The context for the meeting is the Army 2021 international military-technical forum which opened on Monday in Russia. Putin gave a command via a video conference to lay down six combat ships for the Russian Navy at three shipyards on Monday, Tass also reported.

Russia and China want to expand their navies to present a peer-to-peer challenge to the US. Russia’s navy, while an important historic arm of the Russian military, has had many setbacks and needs modernization.

“We will continue ramping up Russia’s navy potential, perfect the basing system and navy infrastructure, fit the most advanced weaponry and equipment on ships, train difficult tasks at drills and in long-distance voyages as well as display the Russian flag in strategically important regions of the world’s oceans,” Putin said. The navy is important because Russia uses it to project power in the Black Sea and Mediterranean.

Russia is selling the S-400 air defense system to Turkey and Russia plays an important role in Syrian air defense. Recently Moscow has critiqued what it alleges are Israeli air strikes in Syria. Russia also says the S-400 will be provided to India this year. The deputy CEO of the air and space defense company Almaz-Antey, Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, told media at the International Military-Technical Forum Army-2021 on Monday that the Indian deliveries are on schedule.

Russia is also seeking more work with the UAE, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said during talks with his UAE counterpart Al Jaberi Mubarak Saeed on Monday. Tass reported these talks as well, noting that “we, Russia, are ready not only to supply equipment and armaments but also share technologies and arrange local production on the territory of your country,” a Russian defense official said.

Russia wants to enter the UAE market, which has established relations with Israel since last year’s Abraham Accords. Fomin praised the UAE for “developing its own industry, the hi-tech industry.” He said Russia and the UAE should develop relations in “directions, primarily political.”

Tass media said that the UAE deputy minister for defense and defense industry was at the event. “First of all, I would like to convey my best greetings on behalf of the defense minister of the United Arab Emirates to you personally. He wishes this exhibition, this forum to develop further and grow in its dimensions,” the UAE defense official said, according to Tass media. It didn’t name the UAE official.

The articles clearly indicate Russia’s interest in rapidly expanding its role from China to Afghanistan, across the Middle East to the Mediterranean via arms deals, new ships and international cooperation. This has major ramifications for Israel. Israel and Russia have amicable ties, but the US looks with concern on Russia and China moving into the Middle East, even as the US has been indicating it wants to draw down and focus on Asia. US Vice-President Kamal Harris is in Southeast Asia but she has faced tough questions about the US role in the world after Afghanistan.

卡塔爾如何成為阿富汗的權力掮客——分析

卡塔爾在塔利班重返阿富汗的過程中發揮了關鍵作用。它還在飛往喀布爾的航班中發揮著關鍵作用。

作者：SETH J. FRANZMAN

2021 年 8 月 24 日 18:19

在最近這份未註明日期的講義中，從阿富汗撤離的人員抵達卡塔爾多哈的烏代德空軍基地。

（圖片來源：路透社）

卡塔爾在塔利班重返阿富汗的過程中發揮了關鍵作用。它還在飛往喀布爾的航班中發揮著關鍵作用。這兩項看似矛盾的政策都贏得了廣泛讚譽。然而，這是卡塔爾的方法：將自己表現為一個可以與極端主義團體合作的權力掮客，同時支持這些團體，同時似乎也支持穩定並與處理這些團體留下的混亂的國家合作。

因此，卡塔爾將自己定位為每個人都需要在阿富汗工作的國家。它既飛來記者報導喀布爾的混亂，又為喀布爾的美國人提供“保護”。防止卡塔爾主辦的塔利班組織。卡塔爾還主持了特朗普政府在 2020 年初推動阿富汗的“和平”會談，將阿富汗政府置於一邊，並確保塔利班取得勝利。

據賈里德·蘇巴報導，8 月 22 日至 23 日，共有 16,000 人從喀布爾撤離，其中約有 11,000 人被美國軍用飛機撤離。與此同時，《華盛頓郵報》報導稱，“最近幾天，卡塔爾駐阿富汗大使護送一小群美國人進入 [喀布爾] 機場。” 報告稱，卡塔爾官員在該市的不同地點會見美國人，“然後大使陪同他們確保安全通行”。

卡塔爾現在是喀布爾所有事物的首選國家。德國外交部長海科·馬斯於 8 月 23 日向他的卡塔爾同事、外交部長穆罕默德·本 [Abdulrahman] Al Thani 表示感謝。馬斯“感謝卡塔爾繼續支持促進德國公民和外國國民從喀布爾安全過境到德國。” 他說，“卡塔爾發揮了真正的領導作用。” 事實是，截至 8 月 23 日，是美國確保了跑道附近區域的安全，以便飛機可以進出，而阿聯酋實際上從喀布爾撤離的人比卡塔爾還多。但卡塔爾將自己定位為發揮“領導作用” ，”正是因為它多年來幫助東道主塔利班順利開展公關活動，並將他們重新轉變為國際社會的可口之地。

卡塔爾擁有龐大的公關機器，以及西方智庫和媒體的眾多支持者。這部分是通過其自己強大的媒體部門，例如半島電視台。它現在被稱讚在喀布爾發揮了關鍵作用。然而，從塔利班的聲明中可以看出，美國必須在 8 月底前離開，基本上是在向華盛頓發號施令，美國退縮了，而被卡塔爾接待多年的塔利班感覺就像獲勝者。卡塔爾“幫助”疏散和接待塔利班的煙霧和鏡子使其能夠對雙方起到很好的作用。

2018 年 12 月，加沙的哈馬斯公務員在收到卡塔爾支付的工資後展示美元鈔票。（來源：IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS）

這可能會引起人們的關注，因為美國有線電視新聞網 8 月 24 日報導稱，“拜登政府在整個撤離過程中一直與塔利班官員定期接觸，無論是在阿富汗實地還是在卡塔爾多哈。”

據報導，中央情報局局長最近會見了塔利班聯合創始人兼副領導人阿卜杜勒·加尼·巴拉達爾。這“相當於美國現任政府與塔利班之間的最高級別直接交流”。塔利班被卡塔爾助產成這種新的體面。然而，如果塔利班不完全是猶太教的，不再構成威脅，那麼就不清楚為什麼卡塔爾和其他據稱是美國夥伴的國家可以在喀布爾自由行走，而美國人必須就地避難，等待救援人員撤離。

在某些方面，這提醒我們對待美國的雙重標準。在美國干預索馬里期間，來自沙特阿拉伯或巴基斯坦等穆斯林國家的軍隊似乎不像臭名昭著的黑鷹墜落事件中的美國人那樣成為攻擊目標。如果阿富汗的情況是這樣，卡塔爾軍隊、土耳其軍隊和其他人受到歡迎或更安全，那麼美國為什麼不在十年前就退出阿富汗戰爭，讓其他北約夥伴，如土耳其，這些不是阿富汗的目標？塔利班，在喀布爾工作，而美國進行空襲？

是不是因為美國的伙伴和盟友，比如卡塔爾和土耳其，經常扮演雙方的角色，與美國的對手或反美團體合作，同時也從西方獲得美國裝備和正面報導？激進化，然後同時獲得報酬以緩和。

顯而易見的是，卡塔爾將自己設計成阿富汗的權力經紀。這是在多哈-安卡拉軸心夥伴關係發展的幾年裡，因為兩國都支持強硬的穆斯林兄弟會，並且都容忍哈馬斯等團體，或從敘利亞的 Ahrar al-Sharqiya 到阿富汗的塔利班的極端分子。

伊斯蘭國崛起後，該地區的大部分地區開始拒絕極端主義，穆斯林兄弟會在埃及被逐出權力機構，其他極端主義團體也受到了打擊。然而，當特朗普政府選擇通過卡塔爾會議使塔利班合法化時，2015 年至 2020 年間極右翼伊斯蘭組織的暫時邊緣化在阿富汗掀起了新風。在這裡，卡塔爾能夠成為美軍在阿富汗的關鍵保證人。簡而言之，如果美國希望軍隊安全，那麼卡塔爾可以成為中間人，從而控制塔利班和美國的政策。

最終的結果是一個獲得授權的卡塔爾，它向土耳其和巴基斯坦等國家發出了一個信息——這些國家與極端主義反西方團體調情，但也希望與美國保持密切聯繫——雙方都受益，因為這對雙方都至關重要。

在美國離開阿富汗後，卡塔爾將扮演什麼角色還有待觀察。它是否會繼續擁有它所擁有的影響力，或者美國已經離開的事實是否會讓卡塔爾不得不與俄羅斯、中國、土耳其和巴基斯坦等更大的參與者競爭影響力。目前，這個海灣小國繼續發揮著巨大的作用。它的定位很好，擁有一個美國基地，似乎既能幫助正在逃離的阿富汗人，例如 9 名阿富汗女性機器人團隊成員，又能收容導致她們逃離的極端分子。雖然因幫助阿富汗人逃離在半島電視台獲得最高收視率的極端分子而受到稱讚，但目前尚不清楚這些可憐的阿富汗人是否會在卡塔爾獲得任何居留或難民身份，或者只是為了臨時公關而被剝削，然後被送往其他地方國家。

土耳其也自稱收容難民，正在修建一堵牆將阿富汗人拒之門外，並將貧窮的敘利亞人作為僱傭兵送往利比亞等地，以對抗土耳其的外國戰爭。對難民的這種憤世嫉俗的操縱往往適合既接受極端分子又接受反對極端分子的西方國家的國家。

How Qatar became the power broker of Afghanistan - analysis

Qatar has been playing a key role in the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan. It has also been playing a key role in flights to Kabul.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN

AUGUST 24, 2021 18:19

Evacuees from Afghanistan arrive at Al-Udeid airbase in Doha, Qatar in this recent undated handout.

(photo credit: REUTERS)

Qatar has been playing a key role in the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan. It has also been playing a key role in flights to Kabul. It has won widespread praise for both, seemingly contradictory, policies. However, this is the Qatar methodology: presenting itself as both a power broker that can work with extremist groups, while backing those groups, while also appearing to back stability and work with the countries dealing with the chaos left behind by these groups.

As such, Qatar positions itself as the country that everyone needs in order to work in Afghanistan. It both flies in journalists to cover the chaos at Kabul and provides “protection” for Americans in Kabul. Protection against the very group, the Taliban, which Qatar hosts. Qatar also hosted the “peace” talks that the Trump administration pushed for Afghanistan in early 2020, sidelining the Afghan government and making sure the Taliban would triumph.

On August 22-23 a total of 16,000 people were evacuated from Kabul, around 11,000 by US military aircraft, Jared Szuba reported. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported that “in recent days, the Qatari ambassador to Afghanistan has escorted small groups of Americans into the [Kabul] airport.” The Qatari officials meet Americans at various points in the city and “the ambassador then accompanies them to guarantee safe passage,” according to the report.

Qatar is now the go-to country for all things Kabul. Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas thanked his Qatari colleague, Foreign Minister Mohamed bin [Abdulrahman] Al Thani,” on August 23. Maas “expressed gratitude for Qatar’s continued support in facilitating safe transit of German citizens and foreign nationals from Kabul to Germany.” He said that “Qatar has taken on a real leadership role.” The fact is that it is the US that has secured the area near the runways so planes can come and go and the UAE has actually evacuated more people from Kabul than Qatar, as of August 23. But Qatar positions itself as taking a “leadership role,” precisely because it helped host the Taliban for years to smooth their public relations campaign and transition them back into a palatable place for the international community.

Qatar has a huge public relations machine and many supporters in Western think tanks and in media. This is partly through its own powerful media arms, such as Al Jazeera. It is now being praised as playing a key role in Kabul. However, as we can see from announcements by the Taliban saying the US must leave by the end of August, basically dictating terms to Washington, the US is on its back foot, and the Taliban, who were hosted for years by Qatar, feel like the winners. The smoke and mirrors whereby Qatar “helps” the evacuation and hosts the Taliban enables it to play good cop to both sides.

A HAMAS CIVIL servant in Gaza displays US dollar banknotes after receiving her salary paid by Qatar, in December 2018. (credit: IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS)

This might raise eyebrows because CNN reported on August 24 that “the Biden administration has been in regular contact with Taliban officials throughout the course of the evacuation process, both on the ground in Afghanistan and in Doha, Qatar.”

The head of the CIA reportedly met Taliban co-founder and deputy leader Abdul Ghani Baradar recently. This “amounts to the highest-level direct exchange” between the current US administration and the Taliban. The Taliban were midwifed into this new respectability by Qatar. However, if the Taliban were not totally kosher and no longer a threat, then it is unclear why Qatar and other countries that are supposedly US partners, can walk freely in Kabul, but Americans must shelter in place and wait for help being evacuated.

In some ways this is a reminder of the double standards by which the US is treated. During the US intervention in Somalia, troops from mostly Muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, seemed to not be targeted the same way as Americans during the infamous Black Hawk Down incident. If that’s the case in Afghanistan, whereby Qatari troops, Turkish troops and others are welcomed or safer, then why didn’t the US just leave the Afghan war a decade ago and let other NATO partners, like Turkey, who are not targets of the Taliban, do the work in Kabul, while the US carried out an air campaign?

Is it because US partners and allies, such as Qatar and Turkey, regularly play both sides, working with US adversaries or anti-American groups, while also getting US equipment and positive coverage from the West? Radicalizing and then getting paid to moderate at the same time.

What is clear is that Qatar engineered itself into power brokerage in Afghanistan. This comes during years in which the Doha-Ankara axis partnership has grown because both countries support the hard-right Muslim Brotherhood and both tolerate groups like Hamas, or extremists from Ahrar al-Sharqiya in Syria to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

After the rise of ISIS much of the region began to reject extremism and the Muslim Brotherhood was ejected from power in Egypt and other extremist groups were checked. However the temporary sidelining of far-right Islamist groups between 2015 and 2020 got new wind in Afghanistan when the Trump administration choose to legitimize the Taliban via the Qatar meetings. Here, Qatar was able to become a key guarantor for US forces in Afghanistan. In short, if the US wanted troops safe then Qatar could be the intermediary and thus control both the Taliban and US policy.

The end result is an empowered Qatar, and it sends a message to countries like Turkey and Pakistan – that flirt with extremist anti-Western groups but also want close ties to the US – that playing both sides has benefits because they become essential to both.

It remains to be seen what role Qatar will play after the US leaves Afghanistan. Will it continue to have the leverage it had, or will the fact the US has left, leave Qatar having to compete for influence with much bigger players like Russia, China, Turkey and Pakistan. For now the small Gulf country continues to play an outsized role. It has positioned itself well, hosting a US base and appearing to both help Afghans who are fleeing, such as nine Afghan women robotics team members, while hosting the extremists that caused them to flee in the first place. While being praised for helping the Afghans flee the same extremists that got top ratings on Al Jazeera, it is unclear if those poor Afghans will get any residency or refugee status in Qatar, or just be exploited for temporary PR, and sent on to some other country.

Turkey, which also sells itself as hosting refugees, is building a wall to keep Afghans out and has sent poor Syrians as mercenaries to die in places like Libya to fight Turkey’s foreign wars. That cynical manipulation of refugees tends to be the one that suits countries that both embrace extremists and embrace the Western countries that are against the extremists.

阿爾及利亞與摩洛哥因“敵對行動”而分裂，拉皮德的評論 - 報告

阿爾及利亞外交部長指責摩洛哥利用以色列國家統計局集團開發的 Pegasus 間諜軟件來監視公民和政客。

通過路透社，耶路撒冷郵報STAFF

2021 年 8 月 24 日 21:38

一名示威者揮舞著阿爾及利亞國旗

（圖片來源：路透社/克里斯蒂安哈特曼）

阿爾及利亞外交部長拉姆丹·拉馬姆拉週二在新聞發布會上表示，阿爾及利亞正在與摩洛哥斷絕外交關係，指責其鄰國採取“敵對行動”，包括 - 據以色列媒體報導 - 以色列外交部長亞伊爾·拉皮德訪問摩洛哥對阿爾及利亞的聲明。

摩洛哥和阿爾及利亞幾十年來關係緊張，主要是在西撒哈拉問題上，兩國邊界自1994年以來一直關閉。

“摩洛哥王國從未停止對阿爾及利亞的敵對行動，”他說。

無法立即聯繫到摩洛哥外交部置評。穆罕默德六世國王呼籲改善與阿爾及利亞的關係。

拉馬姆拉說，切斷外交關係從周二開始生效，但每個國家的領事館將保持開放。

阿爾及利亞上週表示，致命的野火是它標記為恐怖組織的組織所為，據稱其中一個組織得到了摩洛哥的支持。

拉馬姆拉引用了他所謂的摩洛哥對其中一個尋求阿爾及利亞卡比利地區自治的組織的支持，並表示拉巴特監視了阿爾及利亞官員，未能履行雙邊義務，包括在西撒哈拉問題上的義務。

2016 年 6 月 3 日，在阿爾及利亞廷杜夫，西撒哈拉波利薩里奧陣線領導人穆罕默德·阿卜杜拉齊茲 (Mohamed Abdelaziz) 的葬禮上，撒哈拉土著人民做出了反應（圖片來源：REUTERS/RAMZI BOUDINA）

阿爾及利亞支持為西撒哈拉尋求獨立的波利薩里奧運動，摩洛哥將其視為自己領土的一部分。

不過，以色列的事情也是拉瑪拉在發布會上具體說明的。他解釋說，摩洛哥的外交部長是拉皮德評論背後的真正策劃者，並聲稱這實際上是“從一個阿拉伯國家向另一個國家發送了侵略性信息”，據伊內特說。

拉皮德在訪問拉巴特以開啟以色列外交使團時發表的具體評論是指對阿爾及利亞與伊朗關係的擔憂以及對哈馬斯的支持。坎報導。

據 Ynet 報導，Lamamra進一步指責摩洛哥利用以色列國家統計局集團開發的 Pegasus 間諜軟件來監視阿爾及利亞公民和政客。

阿爾及利亞還幫助推動以色列重新獲得其在非洲聯盟的觀察員地位，甚至形成了一個集團，據總部位於倫敦的新阿拉伯媒體報導，該集團包括南非、突尼斯、尼日利亞、利比里亞和塞舌爾等。

Algeria splits with Morocco over 'hostile actions,' Lapid's comments - report

Algerian foreign minister accused Morocco of utilizing Pegasus spyware developed by Israel's NSO Group to spy on citizens and politicians.

By REUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

AUGUST 24, 2021 21:38

A demonstrator waves an Algerian flag

(photo credit: REUTERS/CHRISTIAN HARTMANN)

Algeria is cutting diplomatic relations with Morocco, Foreign Minister Ramdane Lamamra said on Tuesday at a news conference, accusing its neighbor of "hostile actions," including - according to Israeli media - the visit of Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to Morocco, where he made statements against Algeria.

Morocco and Algeria have had strained relations for decades, mainly over the issue of Western Sahara, and the border between the two countries has been closed since 1994.

"The Moroccan kingdom has never stopped its hostile actions against Algeria," he said.

Morocco's Foreign Ministry could not be immediately reached for comment. King Mohammed VI has called for improved ties with Algeria.

The cutting of diplomatic relations is effective from Tuesday but consulates in each country will remain open, Lamamra said.

Algeria last week said lethal wildfires were the work of groups it has labeled terrorist, one of which it said was backed by Morocco.

Lamamra cited what he called Moroccan support for one of those groups, which seeks autonomy in Algeria's Kabylie region, and said Rabat had spied on Algerian officials and failed to meet bilateral obligations including over Western Sahara.

Indigenous Sahrawi people react during the funeral of Western Sahara's Polisario Front leader Mohamed Abdelaziz in Tindouf, Algeria June 3, 2016 (credit: REUTERS/RAMZI BOUDINA)

Algeria backs the Polisario movement that seeks independence for Western Sahara, which Morocco regards as part of its own territory.

However, the matter of Israel is also something Lamamra specified at the press conference. He explained that Morroco's foreign minister was the true mastermind behind Lapid's comments, and claimed that this was effectively "sending an aggressive message from one Arab country to another," according to Ynet.

The specific comments made by Lapid during his visit to Rabat to inaugurate Israel's diplomatic mission were referring to fears about Algeria's ties with Iran and support for Hamas. KAN reported.

Lamamra further accused Morocco of utilizing the Pegasus spyware developed by Israel's NSO Group to spy on Algerian citizens and politicians, Ynet reported.

Algeria also helped lead a push against Israel regaining its observer status in the African Union, even forming a bloc that, according to the London-based New Arab outlet, included South Africa, Tunisia, Nigeria, Liberia and the Seychelles, among others.

中央情報局局長周一在阿富汗會見了塔利班領導人

中央情報局的一位代表說，該機構沒有發表評論。白宮沒有回應置評請求。

通過路透

2021 年 8 月 24 日 16:15

威廉伯恩斯作為中央情報局 (CIA) 局長的提名人，出席了在華盛頓國會山舉行的參議院情報委員會聽證會，

（照片來源：TOM WILLIAMS/POOL VIA REUTERS）

兩名美國消息人士稱，美國總統喬拜登週一派遣中央情報局局長會見塔利班領導人，這是自塔利班佔領阿富汗首都以來的最高級別外交接觸。

美國官員和熟悉政府活動的消息人士周二告訴路透社，中央情報局局長威廉伯恩斯在喀布爾會見了塔利班領導人阿卜杜勒加尼巴拉達爾。兩人都不願透露姓名。

會議召開之際，拜登政府在 8 月 31 日撤離的最後期限之前，在喀布爾機場的混亂中撤離了美國公民和其他盟友。

華盛頓郵報援引不願透露姓名的美國官員的話說，首先報導了這次會議。

中央情報局的一位代表說，該機構沒有發表評論。白宮沒有回應置評請求。

塔利班戰士身著制服在阿富汗扎布爾省 Qalat 的街道上游行，圖片來自於 2021 年 8 月 19 日上傳的社交媒體視頻（圖片來源：REUTERS）

拜登上週表示，美軍可能會在下週的最後期限後留在阿富汗，以便撤離美國人。

週一，兩名塔利班消息人士告訴路透社，不會延長西方軍隊撤離的最後期限。

CIA director met Taliban leader in Afghanistan on Monday

A CIA representative said the agency had no comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

By REUTERS

AUGUST 24, 2021 16:15

William Burns as a nominee for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director, attending his Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington,

(photo credit: TOM WILLIAMS/POOL VIA REUTERS)

US President Joe Biden sent the head of the CIA to meet the Taliban's leader on Monday in the highest level diplomatic encounter since the militant group took over the Afghan capital, two US sources said.

CIA Director William Burns met Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul, a US official and a source familiar with government activity told Reuters on Tuesday. Both spoke on condition of anonymity.

The meeting came as the Biden administration evacuated US citizens and other allies amid chaos at Kabul airport ahead of an August 31 deadline to pull out.

The Washington Post, citing US officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, first reported the meeting.

A CIA representative said the agency had no comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Taliban fighters march in uniforms on the street in Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, in this still image taken from social media video uploaded August 19, 2021 (credit: REUTERS)

Biden last week said US troops may stay in Afghanistan past the deadline next week in order to evacuate Americans.

On Monday, two Taliban sources told Reuters it would not extend the deadline for Western forces to leave.

聯合國維權負責人稱有塔利班處決的報導，數百萬人感到恐懼

此外，一位阿富汗高級外交官描述了一種“不確定和可怕”的情況，數百萬人在挨家挨戶搜查的報導中擔心自己的生命安全。

通過路透

2021 年 8 月 24 日 12:39

塔利班戰士身著制服在阿富汗扎布爾省卡拉特的街道上游行，這張靜態圖片取自 2021 年 8 月 19 日上傳的社交媒體視頻

（圖片來源：路透社）

聯合國最高人權官員米歇爾巴切萊特週二表示，她收到了關於塔利班在阿富汗犯下的嚴重侵犯人權行為的可信報告，包括對平民的即決處決和對婦女的限制以及反對他們統治的抗議活動。

巴切萊特敦促聯合國人權理事會應巴基斯坦和伊斯蘭合作組織（OIC）的要求召開緊急會議，建立密切監測塔利班行動的機制。

“一條基本的紅線將是塔利班對待婦女和女孩的方式，”她在日內瓦論壇上說。

巴切萊特在應巴基斯坦和伊斯蘭合作組織 (OIC) 的要求舉行的論壇緊急會議上說：“婦女、記者以及過去幾年出現的新一代民間社會領導人都非常擔心。” ）。

她說：“鑑於此前塔利班統治下的嚴重違法行為以及近幾個月發生的殺戮和針對性襲擊的報導，阿富汗的不同種族和宗教少數群體也面臨著暴力和鎮壓的風險。”

來自被罷免政府的阿富汗高級外交官納西爾·艾哈邁德·安迪沙呼籲對塔利班的行動負責，他描述了一種“不確定和可怕”的情況，數百萬人擔心他們的生命安全。

聯合國獨立人權專家在一份聯合聲明中表示，由於“塔利班繼續挨家挨戶搜查”，許多人躲藏起來，害怕遭到報復。

他們說：“搜查、逮捕、騷擾和恐嚇，以及沒收財產和報復的報導已經出現。”

理事會將審議巴基斯坦代表伊斯蘭合作組織（OIC）提交的一項決議草案，該草案對有關違規行為的報導表示關切。

但它沒有點名塔利班，也不會設立實況調查團來調查他們。

相反，它呼籲巴切萊特在其 2022 年 3 月的會議上向論壇報告，並敦促各方尊重人權法，包括“婦女充分和有意義的參與”和少數民族。

“我們希望有一個更強大的文本，它非常簡約，我們很失望，”一位西方外交官告訴路透社，因為文本的激烈談判仍在繼續。

在日內瓦聯合國人權理事會緊急會議上，納西爾·艾哈邁德·安迪沙大使還呼籲建立一個基礎廣泛的政府，包括該國所有族裔群體和女性代表。

繼這些報導之後，中國駐日內瓦聯合國特使周二表示，美國軍隊和其他聯盟夥伴的軍隊應對他們在阿富汗犯下的侵犯人權行為負責。

“美國、英國、澳大利亞和其他國家必須對其軍隊在阿富汗侵犯人權的行為負責，本屆會議的演變應該涵蓋這個問題，”中國駐阿富汗大使陳旭在一次緊急會議上說。阿富汗人權理事會。

他說：“美國等國打著民主和人權的旗號，對其他主權國家進行軍事干預，把自己的模式強加於歷史文化迥異的國家。”他說，這帶來了“巨大的痛苦”。

UN rights boss says has reports of Taliban executions, millions fearful

Furthermore, a senior Afghan diplomat described an "uncertain and dire" situation where millions of people fear for their lives amid reports of door-to-door searches.

By REUTERS

AUGUST 24, 2021 12:39

Taliban fighters march in uniforms on the street in Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, in this still image taken from social media video uploaded August 19, 2021

(photo credit: REUTERS)

The top UN human rights official Michelle Bachelet said on Tuesday that she had received credible reports of serious violations committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan, including summary executions of civilians and restrictions on women and on protests against their rule.

Bachelet urged the UN Human Rights Council, holding an emergency session at the request of Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to set up a mechanism to closely monitor Taliban actions.

"A fundamental red line will be the Taliban's treatment of women and girls," she told the Geneva forum.

A Taliban fighter runs towards crowd outside Kabul airport, Kabul, Afghanistan August 16, 2021, in this still image taken from a video. (credit: REUTERS TV/via REUTERS)

"There are grave fears for women, for journalists, and for the new generation of civil society leaders who have emerged in the past years," Bachelet told the forum's emergency session, held at the request of Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

"Afghanistan’s diverse ethnic and religious minorities are also at risk of violence and repression, given previous patterns of serious violations under Taliban rule and reports of killings and targeted attacks in recent months," she said.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, a senior Afghan diplomat from the deposed government, called for accountability for Taliban actions, describing an "uncertain and dire" situation where millions of people fear for their lives.

Independent UN human rights experts, in a joint statement, said that many people were in hiding fearing reprisals as "the Taliban continues to search homes door-to-door."

"Searches, arrests, harassment, and intimidation, as well as seizures of property and reprisals, are already being reported,” they said.

The council will consider a draft resolution, submitted by Pakistan on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), that voices concern at reports of violations.

But it does not mention the Taliban by name, nor would it set up a fact-finding mission to probe them.

Instead, it calls on Bachelet to report back to the forum at its March 2022 session and urges all parties to respect human rights law including "the full and meaningful participation of women" and of minorities.

"We were hoping for a stronger text, it is extremely minimalist and we are disappointed," a Western diplomat told Reuters as heated negotiations continued on the text.

Addressing an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ambassador Nasir Ahmad Andisha also called for the creation of a broad-based government that includes all of the country's ethnic groups and female representatives.

Following these reports, China's envoy to the UN in Geneva said on Tuesday that the US army and the militaries of other coalition partners should be held accountable for alleged rights violations they committed in Afghanistan.

"The US, UK, Australia, and other countries must be held accountable for the violation of human rights committed by their military in Afghanistan and the evolution of this current session should cover this issue," China's ambassador Chen Xu told an emergency session of the Human Rights Council on Afghanistan.

"Under the banner of democracy and human rights the US and other countries carry out military interventions in other sovereign states and impose their own model on countries with vastly different history and culture," he said, saying this brought "great suffering."

“以色列的農產品改革將摧毀工業”——Yachin CEO

Pini Gurevich：我們無法與從歐洲進口的罐頭價格競爭。

通過耶路撒冷郵報STAFF

2021 年 8 月 24 日 20:25

Yachin 首席執行官 Pini Gurevich 表示，農產品改革對該國的包裝蔬菜、蜜餞和冷凍蔬菜行業構成了生存威脅，包括旱地農民。

他說，蔬菜罐頭行業將無法與從農業補貼或免稅的歐洲和第三世界國家進口罐頭的價格競爭。

作為該計劃的一部分，以色列將承認歐洲水果和蔬菜標準，並減少對從歐洲進口的產品的監管。財政部和農業部表示，該計劃遵循經合組織的建議，每年可為以色列人節省約 27 億新謝克爾，或每戶 840 新謝克爾。

他說，《安排法》將導致以色列工廠關閉和以色列工業消失。

旱地農民協會首席執行官大衛·利維說：“《安排法》對 300 名旱地蔬菜種植者來說是一個沉重的打擊。”

農民在黎巴嫩邊境抗議，2021 年 8 月 17 日（圖片來源：對方提供）

農民也走上街頭抗議，稱改革將摧毀數千人的生計，而對生活成本沒有影響。

‘Israel's produce reform will wipe out industry’ - Yachin CEO

Pini Gurevich: We can’t compete with price of canned imports from Europe.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

AUGUST 24, 2021 20:25

FARMERS BLOCK Bilu junction in protest of the produce reform last month.

(photo credit: YOSSI ALONI/FLASH90)

The produce reform poses an existential threat to the country’s packaged vegetables, preserves and frozen vegetables industry, including dry land farmers, said Pini Gurevich, CEO of Yachin.

The vegetable canning industry will not be able to compete with the price of canned imports from Europe and third world countries where agriculture is subsidized or duty free, he said.

As part of the plan, Israel will recognize European standards for fruits and vegetables, and regulation of produce imported from Europe will be reduced. The program follows OECD recommendations, and it could save Israelis some NIS 2.7 billion a year, or NIS 840 per household, the Finance and Agriculture ministries have said.

The Arrangements Law will lead to the closure of Israeli factories and the erasure of Israeli industry, he said.

David Levy, CEO of the Dryland Farmers’ Association, said: “The Arrangements Law is a severe blow to 300 dry land vegetable growers.”

Farmers protest along border with Lebanon, August 17, 2021 (credit: Courtesy)

Farmers have also taken to the streets in protest, saying the reforms will destroy the livelihoods of thousands, with no impact on the cost of living.

別無選擇：以色列導遊遊行抗議關閉

以色列的入境導遊行業夾在最近兩項不同的政府決定之間，這些決定幾乎無法謀生。

由ZEV 存根

2021 年 8 月 24 日 18:55

導遊在 2021 年 8 月 24 日從凱撒利亞到耶路撒冷的遊行中抗議關閉。

（圖片來源：陳偉林）

由於沒有遊客，沒有更多的政府支持，也沒有工作，以色列導遊部門的代表正從凱撒利亞遊行到耶路撒冷，抗議他們的處境。

“由于冠狀病毒，我自去年 3 月以來只工作了 12 天，”參加遊行的耶路撒冷導遊科比·庫珀 (Kobi Cooper) 說。“我比大多數導遊都幸運，因為我將在 10 月之前繼續領取失業救濟金，因為我已經 45 歲了，但這僅占我正常收入的 38%。人們非常關心他們將如何養家糊口。我認識很多轉行或離開以色列的人。”

庫珀說：“我有三名同事因為這種情況而自殺。”

色列的入境導遊行業夾在最近兩項不同的政府決定之間，這些決定幾乎無法謀生。一方面，該國基本上對外國遊客關閉，他們是他們的麵包和黃油。另一方面，財政部長阿維格多·利伯曼 (Avigdor Liberman) 為啟動勞動力市場而採取的強硬態度意味著 45 歲以下的人不再可以獲得失業救濟金，並且不再向獨立工作者提供補助金。

財政部官員曾表示，財政部不願對其個別部門的政策進行例外處理。

“這意味著如果你不到 45 歲，你什麼也得不到，如果你超過 45 歲，你每個月都會越來越少，直到 10 月這些福利將結束，”另一位抗議的導遊 Yoav Rotem 說。

“人們告訴我，我應該去找一份不同的工作，”羅特姆說。“他們不明白的是，我們整個夏天都在為遊客做好準備，因為政府說他們可以來。我正在為 7 月份的一個小組做準備，但那從未發生過。”

自大流行開始以來，Rotem 和其他人一直在抗議關閉冠狀病毒，但隨著失業救濟金的終止，事情開始變得緊張起來。

旅遊部最近提出的一項倡議提出，通過尋找 400 名導遊擔任公共交通工具的引座員，指導他們戴口罩和其他信息來解決這個問題。

“這些類型的解決方案並不嚴重，”Rotem 說。“那不是我們賴以生存的工作類型或薪水。”

在由一小群導遊帶領的為期四天的抗議遊行中，穿插在特拉維夫和沿途其他地方舉行的更大規模的抗議活動，以及政治領導人家外的即興“日出咖啡”。

“今天早上，我們遊行到旅遊部長約爾·拉茲沃佐夫（Yoel Razvozov）的家，他出來和我們一起喝了幾分鐘咖啡，”羅特姆說。” 他說他認為全國祇有大約100名導遊受此影響，他無能為力。我們知道以色列實際上有 1,500 到 3,000 名入境導遊。”

代表入境導遊的組織 Moreshet Derech 估計，實際上可能有多達 6,000 名獲得許可以不同語言與外國人合作的導遊。

“他向我們尋求解決方案，”Rotem 補充道。“這很容易。6 月，以色列允許在膠囊中操作的試點小組，並報告沒有從他們那裡爆發 COVID。在所有限制條件下將它們帶回來，這樣我們就可以確保每個人都安全。”

庫珀指出：“這個人應該是我們在政府中發聲的人，致力於尋找安全可靠的開放國家的方法。” “這非常令人沮喪。”

“我們的抗議有兩個主要信息，”庫珀說。“首先，這裡的旅遊業可以像在其他國家一樣安全可靠地開展。如果來自國外的人採取了與其他人相同的 PCR 檢測、疫苗和其他預防措施，那麼他們的安全性並不比其他任何人差。事實上，真正的問題不是遊客，而是從國外回來的以色列人不遵守隔離規定。”

其次，庫珀說，導遊需要經濟上的確定性。“你在 5 月份告訴我們這個國家將開放，我們預訂了團體。然後，當您說要進行為期一周的隔離時，一切都被取消了。如果你關閉我們，我們需要得到報酬。”

“我們甚至不尋求贈款，只是為我們的損失支付遣散費，”Rotem 補充道。“以色列做出的決定給旅遊業帶來了非常成問題的局面。”

“成為入境導遊的主要是新移民，他們擔任該國一些最好的大使，用他們的母語與遊客交談，”庫珀說。“對我們大多數人來說，這不僅僅是一份工作，而是一種召喚。被禁止從事我們的工作，感覺就像我們靈魂的一部分被帶走了。”

Out of options: Israeli tour guides march in protest of closures

Israel's inbound tour guide industry is sandwiched between two different recent government decisions that have made earning a living virtually impossible.

By ZEV STUB

AUGUST 24, 2021 18:55

Tour guides protest closures on a march from Caesaria to Jerusalem, August 24, 2021.

(photo credit: WAI LAM CHAN)

With no incoming tourists, no more government support and no work, representatives from Israel’s tour guide sector are marching from Caesarea to Jerusalem to protest their situation.

“I have had only 12 days of work since last March because of coronavirus,” said Kobi Cooper, a Jerusalem-based tour guide on the march. “I’m luckier than most tour guides because I’ll keep getting unemployment benefits through October because I’m over 45 years old, but that only covers 38% of my normal income. People are very concerned about how they are going to be able to feed their families. I know a lot of people who have switched professions or moved away from Israel.”

Cooper said, “I have three colleagues who have killed themselves because of the situation.”

Israeli tour guides are seen protesting outside the Knesset as low tourism and no government benefits puts them in crisis, on July 6, 2021. (credit: ZEV STUB)

Israel’s inbound tour guide industry is sandwiched between two different recent government decisions that have made earning a living virtually impossible. On the one hand, the country is essentially closed to the foreign tourists who are their bread and butter. On the other hand, Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman’s hard-line approach to kick-starting the labor market means that unemployment benefits are no longer available for people under 45, and that grants for independent workers are no longer available.

Finance Ministry officials have said that the treasury is unwilling to make exceptions to its policies for individual sectors.

“That means if you are under 45, you are not getting anything, and if you are over 45, you are getting less and less each month through October, when those benefits will end,” said Yoav Rotem, another tour guide protesting.

“People tell me I should go get a different job,” Rotem said. “What they don’t understand is that we spent the summer getting ready for tourists because the government said they would be able to come. I was preparing for a group coming in July, but that never happened.”

Rotem and others have been protesting the coronavirus closures since the beginning of the pandemic, but with the ending of unemployment benefits, things are coming to a head.

A recent initiative proposed by the Tourism Ministry offered to solve the problem by finding 400 tour guides to work as ushers on public transportation, instructing them about wearing masks and other information.

“These types of solutions aren’t serious,” Rotem said. “That’s not the type of work or the kind of salary we need to survive.”

The four-day protest march by a small cadre of tour guides is interspersed with larger protest events in Tel Aviv and other locations along the route, as well as impromptu “sunrise coffees” outside the homes of political leaders.

“This morning, we marched to the home of Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov, and he came out and had coffee with us for several minutes,” Rotem said. “ He said he thought that there were only about 100 tour guides in the country affected by this, and that he couldn’t do anything to help. We know that there are actually between 1,500 and 3,000 inbound tour guides in Israel.”

Moreshet Derech, an organization representing inbound tour guides, has estimated that there may actually be as many as 6,000 tour guides licensed to work with foreigners in different languages.

“He asked us for solutions,” Rotem added. “That’s easy. In June, Israel was allowing in pilot groups that operated in capsules, and reported no COVID outbreaks from them. Bring those back, with all the restrictions, so we can make sure everyone stays safe.”

“This is the person who is supposed to be our voice in the government, working to find ways to open the country safely and securely,” Cooper noted. “It was very frustrating.”

“Our protest has two main messages,” Cooper said. “First, tourism can be done in a safe and secure way here just like in other countries. If a person from abroad has taken the same PCR tests, vaccines and other precautions as others, they are no less safe than anyone else. In fact, the real problem isn’t the tourists, it’s the Israelis coming back from abroad and not following quarantine rules.”

Second, Cooper said, the tour guides need financial certainty. “You told us in May that the country would be open, and we booked groups. Then, when you said that there would be a week-long quarantine, it all got canceled. If you shut us down, we need to be paid.”

“We aren’t even looking for grants, just severance pay for our losses,” Rotem added. “Israel made decisions that created a very problematic situation for tourism.”

“The people who become inbound tour guides are mainly new immigrants who are working as some of the country’s best ambassadors speaking to tourists in their native languages,” Cooper said. “For most of us, it’s not just a job, it’s a calling. And being barred from doing our work feels like part of our souls have been taken away.”

輝瑞 COVID 疫苗終於獲得 FDA 的全面批准

該疫苗現在將以 Comirnaty 的名義正式上市*輝瑞股價上漲約 5%，BioNTech 股價上漲超過 9%。

通過路透社，耶路撒冷郵報STAFF

2021 年 8 月 23 日 20:53

在這張 2020 年 10 月 31 日拍攝的插圖中，在顯示的輝瑞標誌前可以看到貼有“COVID-19/冠狀病毒疫苗/僅注射”標籤的小瓶和一個醫用注射器

（圖片來源：路透社/DADO RUVIC/插圖/文件照片）

美國藥品監管機構週一完全批准了輝瑞公司/BioNTech SE COVID-19疫苗，使其成為第一個獲得食品和藥物管理局驗證的疫苗，因為衛生當局在無情的大流行期間努力贏得疫苗懷疑者的支持。

在FDA，這給了兩劑疫苗緊急使用授權十二月，給予其充分批准使用的基礎上，從兩家公司的臨床試驗和生產審核更新數據的人16歲以上。公共衛生官員希望這一行動能讓未接種疫苗的美國人相信輝瑞的疫苗是安全有效的。

一些美國人，尤其是保守派，對疫苗的懷疑態度根深蒂固。由高傳染性 Delta 變體驅動的 COVID-19 病例在美國疫苗接種水平較低的部分地區激增。

“FDA 的批准應該讓人們更加相信這種疫苗是安全有效的，”尋求提高疫苗接種水平的總統喬拜登在推特上寫道。

在 FDA 宣布這一消息後不久，五角大樓表示正準備讓美國軍事人員強制接種疫苗。美國衛生官員預計，FDA 的全面批准也將促使更多州和地方政府以及私人雇主強制實施疫苗接種。

FDA 代理專員珍妮特伍德科克說：“雖然數百萬人已經安全地接種了 COVID-19 疫苗，但我們認識到，對於一些人來說，FDA 批准疫苗現在可能會給接種疫苗注入更多信心。”

美國已有超過 2.04 億人接種了輝瑞疫苗。FDA 的批准將輝瑞注射劑的保質期從六個月延長到九個月。它還證實疫苗會增加心臟炎症的風險，特別是在第二次注射後一周內的年輕男性中。

該批准使醫生更容易為可能受益於針對COVID-19 的額外保護的人開出第三劑輝瑞的標籤外疫苗。

輝瑞股價上漲約 2.5%，BioNTech 股價上漲超過 10%。

另外兩種獲得緊急使用授權的 COVID-19 疫苗（由 Moderna Inc 和強生公司製造）尚未獲得 FDA 的完全批准。

去年 12 月，FDA 授予輝瑞疫苗的緊急使用授權，適用於 16 歲及以上的人群——這使其成為在美國獲得此類支持的第一槍——並於 5 月進一步授予了 12 歲及以上人群的緊急使用授權。

輝瑞和 BioNTech 表示，他們計劃在獲得所需數據後儘快申請對 12 至 15 歲兒童的全面批准。

輝瑞預計將在今年秋天提交數據，以支持基於較小劑量的 12 歲以下兒童的緊急使用授權。

代表兒童醫生的美國兒科學會不鼓勵 12 歲以下兒童接種疫苗。

輝瑞的注射已在包括英國和歐盟在內的其他地方獲得了有條件的監管批准。

美國遭受重創

美國在報告的 COVID-19 病例和死亡人數方面領先世界。超過 625,000 名美國人死於這種疾病，其中最近幾周平均每天有 600 多人死亡。

根據疾病控制與預防中心 (CDC) 的數據，71% 的 12 歲及以上美國人（有資格接種 COVID-19 疫苗的人群）至少接種了一劑，60.2% 的人已完全接種疫苗。對於整個人群，包括尚未批准疫苗的 11 歲以下兒童，60.7% 的美國人至少接種了一劑疫苗，其中 51.5% 的人完全接種了疫苗。

在輝瑞的臨床試驗中，對大約 12,000 名疫苗接種者進行了至少六個月的隨訪。

輝瑞首席執行官 Albert Bourla 在一份聲明中表示，FDA 的批准“在我們迫切需要疫苗的時候肯定了我們疫苗的有效性和安全性”。

該疫苗現在將以 Comirnaty 的名義銷售。

FDA 於 8 月 13 日授權為免疫系統受損的人接種第三劑輝瑞和 Moderna 疫苗。輝瑞的注射劑尚未被授權更廣泛地用作助推器。

週日發表的一項研究顯示，與接種兩次疫苗的人相比，第三劑輝瑞疫苗顯著提高了以色列 60 歲及以上人群免受感染和嚴重疾病的保護。

Pfizer COVID vaccine finally wins full FDA approval

The vaccine will now be officially marketed under the name Comirnaty * Pfizer shares were up around 5% and BioNTech shares were up more than 9%.

By REUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

AUGUST 23, 2021 20:53

Vials with a sticker reading, "COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only" and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken October 31, 2020

(photo credit: REUTERS/DADO RUVIC/ILLUSTRATION/FILE PHOTO)

"This FDA approval should give added confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective," President Joe Biden, who has sought to increase vaccination levels, wrote on Twitter.

Shortly after the FDA's announcement, the Pentagon said it is preparing to make the vaccine mandatory for US military personnel. US health officials expect that the FDA's full approval also will prompt more state and local governments, as well as private employers, to impose vaccine mandates.

"While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated," said Janet Woodcock, the FDA's acting commissioner.

More than 204 million people in the United States have received the Pfizer vaccine. The FDA's approval extends the shelf life of Pfizer shots from six months to nine months. It also confirms that the vaccine increases risk of heart inflammation, particularly among young men in the week following their second shot.

The approval makes it easier for physicians to prescribe a third dose of Pfizer's vaccine off-label for people who may benefit from additional protection against COVID-19.

Pfizer shares were up around 2.5% and BioNTech shares were up more than 10%.

The two other COVID-19 vaccines given emergency-use authorization - made by Moderna Inc and Johnson & Johnson - have not yet received full FDA approval.

The FDA gave emergency-use authorization to Pfizer's vaccine for people age 16 and older in December - making it the first shot to gain such backing in the United States - and gave further emergency-use authorization for people age 12 and up in May.

Pfizer and BioNTech said they plan to apply for full approval in children ages 12 to 15 as soon as required data is available.

A boy receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at Jerusalem’s Misgav Ladach Hospital on June 6, as Israel began its coronavirus vaccination campaign for 12-to-15 year olds (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)

Woodcock said the FDA is not recommending that children under age 12 get the vaccine now because it needs to ensure it is safe for them, telling reporters it "would be a great concern if people vaccinate children because we don't have the proper data."

Pfizer is expected to submit data this fall to support the shot's emergency-use authorization for children under 12 based on smaller doses.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, representing children's doctors, discouraged having children under 12 receive the vaccine.

Pfizer's shot has received conditional regulatory approval elsewhere including Britain and the European Union.

US HIT HARD

The United States leads the world in reported COVID-19 cases and deaths. More than 625,000 Americans have died from the disease, including an average of more than 600 daily in recent weeks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 71% of Americans age 12 and older - the population eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines - have gotten at least one dose and 60.2% are fully vaccinated. For the entire population, including children up to age 11 for whom no vaccines are yet approved, 60.7% of Americans have received at least one dose and 51.5% of them are fully vaccinated.

In Pfizer's clinical trial, approximately 12,000 recipients of the vaccine have been followed for at least six months.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement the FDA's approval "affirms the efficacy and safety profile of our vaccine at a time when it is urgently needed."

The vaccine will now be marketed under the name Comirnaty.

The FDA on Aug. 13 authorized a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for people with compromised immune systems. Pfizer's shot has not yet been authorized for more widespread use as a booster.

A third dose of Pfizer's vaccine has significantly improved protection from infection and serious illness among people age 60 and older in Israel compared with those who received two shots, a study published on Sunday showed.

Palestinians receive 500,000 coronavirus vaccines from US

Donation made through internationally-backed COVAX mechanism; vaccines arrive as Palestinians see fourth wave of infections sweep West Bank, Gaza

By AARON BOXERMANToday, 10:31 pm

A shipment of vaccines from the US via the COVAX mechanism arriving in the West Bank, on August 24, 2021. (WAFA)

Around 500,000 coronavirus vaccines reached Ramallah on Tuesday, as part of an American-backed effort to provide doses to the Palestinians through the COVAX international vaccine initiative.

“We were pleased to provide 500,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to help save Palestinian lives,” tweeted United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday afternoon.

Around 300,000 of the doses are to remain in the West Bank, while 200,000 will be sent to the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority Health Ministry Mai al-Kaila said at a press conference in Ramallah.

The vaccines were sent to the Palestinians through the COVAX mechanism, a World Health Organization program that seeks to provide coronavirus doses for poor and middle-income countries.

The Palestinians have struggled to obtain enough vaccines to immunize their population and prevent the collapse of their health care system. Around 729,000 Palestinians have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and 442,000 have received two doses, al-Kaila said on Tuesday.

“We’re sharing these vaccines to save lives and bring an end to the pandemic. So we’re allocating 80 million doses of the United States’ domestic vaccine supply to the world,” said Stacy Barrios, who currently serves as Acting Palestinian Affairs head at the US Embassy in Jerusalem.

Palestinian Authority Health Minister Mai al-Kaila addresses reporters at a press conference in Ramallah, on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. (WAFA)

The shots arrive in the West Bank and Gaza as Palestinians see a steep rise in infections among their mostly unvaccinated public. There are currently 10,591 active cases in Palestinian areas: 6,190 in the Gaza Strip and 4,401 in the West Bank.

Moreover, little testing is being done in both Palestinian regions. In the Gaza Strip, around 27 percent of coronavirus tests came back positive, indicating that the virus was likely spreading widely undetected.

Just two weeks ago, there were only 2,280 active cases among Palestinians. For months, their communities saw a relative lull in coronavirus cases, even as the infection spiraled out of control in Israeli cities.

Palestinians receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the West Bank city of Hebron, on March 27, 2021. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

But health officials warned that a fourth wave of infection was likely, especially after Palestinian schools re-opened last week. And since mid-August, the virus has returned with a vengeance.

Palestinians have cobbled together their coronavirus doses in piecemeal shipments from an eclectic array of sources. Aside from COVAX, the PA, which has limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank, has a contract with Pfizer to import some 4 million doses. Around 1 million have arrived so far, the PA Health Ministry said in early August.

Another 105,000 Palestinians who work in Israel were vaccinated by the Israeli government at checkpoints across the West Bank. Several other countries — China, Russia, and India — also sent token amounts of their national coronavirus vaccines as a goodwill gesture.

In June, the PA called off a deal to receive 1 million Pfizer vaccines from Israel in exchange for later doses, after the Palestinians said that the shots were expiring too soon.

Palestinians from the Ministry of Health receive a shipment of the Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine doses sent by the United Arab Emirates, after the Egyptian authorities allowed entry to Gaza through the Rafah crossing in the southern Gaza Strip, on February 21, 2021. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

In Gaza, Palestinians have received some vaccines from COVAX. They have also received shipments of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine from the United Arab Emirates. The doses were coordinated by Mohammad Dahlan, an exiled Palestinian politician considered a close associate of Abu Dhabi’s rulers.

But Palestinian health officials said that they have also encountered vaccine hesitancy among wide segments of the population, in both the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

“As of right now, we have doses available. Anyone over 18 who wants to be vaccinated can be vaccinated, with Pfizer and AstraZeneca and Sputnik. But we don’t see enough people coming to be vaccinated,” Bethlehem health directorate chief Shadi al-Laham told The Times of Israel last week.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 329,204 Palestinians have fallen ill from the coronavirus, and another 3,914 have died, according to official PA statistics.

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Palestinians receive 500,000 coronavirus vaccines from US

Donation made through internationally-backed COVAX mechanism; vaccines arrive as Palestinians see fourth wave of infections sweep West Bank, Gaza

By AARON BOXERMANToday, 10:31 pm

A shipment of vaccines from the US via the COVAX mechanism arriving in the West Bank, on August 24, 2021. (WAFA)

Around 500,000 coronavirus vaccines reached Ramallah on Tuesday, as part of an American-backed effort to provide doses to the Palestinians through the COVAX international vaccine initiative.

“We were pleased to provide 500,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to help save Palestinian lives,” tweeted United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday afternoon.

Around 300,000 of the doses are to remain in the West Bank, while 200,000 will be sent to the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority Health Ministry Mai al-Kaila said at a press conference in Ramallah.

The vaccines were sent to the Palestinians through the COVAX mechanism, a World Health Organization program that seeks to provide coronavirus doses for poor and middle-income countries.

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Palestinian Authority Health Minister Mai al-Kaila addresses reporters at a press conference in Ramallah, on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. (WAFA)

Palestinians receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the West Bank city of Hebron, on March 27, 2021. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

But health officials warned that a fourth wave of infection was likely, especially after Palestinian schools re-opened last week. And since mid-August, the virus has returned with a vengeance.

In June, the PA called off a deal to receive 1 million Pfizer vaccines from Israel in exchange for later doses, after the Palestinians said that the shots were expiring too soon.

But Palestinian health officials said that they have also encountered vaccine hesitancy among wide segments of the population, in both the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 329,204 Palestinians have fallen ill from the coronavirus, and another 3,914 have died, according to official PA statistics.

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