Israel tightens its military measures north of Jerusalem and east of Ramallah

This morning (Sunday), Israeli forces tightened their military measures north of Jerusalem and east of Ramallah in the West Bank, causing obstruction of citizens’ movement.

The Palestinian News and Information Agency (Wafa) quoted local sources as saying, “The occupation forces stopped vehicles at the Jaba military checkpoint north of occupied Jerusalem, and subjected citizens to checking their identities.”

The sources added that this came in conjunction with the installation of a military checkpoint at the entrance to the town of Yabrud, east of Ramallah.

Sources in the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Lebanese Embassy in Washington was officially informed by the US State Department of the decision to consider the Lebanese Consul in Detroit, Ibrahim Sharara, as persona non grata, and to force him to leave US territory within a maximum period of 48 hours.

Information had indicated that the decision came against the backdrop of his political positions, specifically after the publication of an American media report of old posts attributed to Sharara on social media sites.

This came at a time when Lebanon was awaiting what the electoral transformations in the United States and Israel would lead to, so that it could build on what it required, without deviating from its adherence to the “Framework Agreement” as the only diplomatic option for negotiating with Israel under American auspices.

It was reported in Baghdad yesterday that Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi directed the cancellation of the contracts of 3 companies at Mosul Airport in northern Iraq, due to their links to armed parties, and their transfer to international companies.

The Iraqi News Agency (INA) quoted a source as saying that Al-Zaidi directed the cancellation of the “Sky Plus” company’s contract to rent “counters” at Mosul Airport, due to its “association with armed parties.” The source added, “The Prime Minister also directed the cancellation of the rental contract for the unroofed indoor garage at Mosul International Airport, with Sama Airport Company, due to its association with armed parties.”

The Prime Minister also canceled the taxi rental contract at Mosul Airport with the Al-Faisal Al-Shamekh Company on the grounds of its “association with armed parties.”

Simultaneously, media outlets close to the government published information about what they described as the “Phalange Investment Network,” which they said worked with the help of merchants and businessmen, and included the acquisition of real estate in Baghdad.