The Beginning of Israel - Gulf relations
Watch the trailer to the film 'The Oslo Diaries' by Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan
Tel Aviv - Israel and UAE agreed on a historic deal on Thursday, brokered by President Trump, agreeing to a 'full normalization of relations' between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv committing to suspend further annexation of the West Bank. Through the deal, UAE becomes the third Arab state to recognize Israel's existence, along with Egypt and Jordan.
President Trump came out on Twitter after the deal, calling it a "Huge Breakthrough". "Now that the ice has been broken, I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates," he said. Prime Minister Netanjahu, later in a press conference, said he agreed to 'delay' the annexation in the occupied West Bank, but would "never give up our rights to our land".
Hamas described the deal as a "treacherous stab in the back", while The Palestinian Authority slammed the agreement as “a betrayal of Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa, and the Palestinian cause,” demanding its retraction. Condemnations of the deal also came from other states, including Turkey and Iran, while Oman has backed the deal, an indication that it might also follow suit.
The news comes to light amid several political factors playing out in each of the countries involved. The deal acts as a foreign policy victory for Donald Trump as he prepares for reelections in November. For Benjamin Netanyahu, it is a way to increase his approval ratings as he stands on trial for corruption charges. For UAE, it is a way to improve its image with Washington and the West, as it deflects allegations against its involvement in human rights abuses in Yemen.
Tel Aviv city hall light with flag of the United Arab Emirates following the deal
Watch the trailer to the film 'The Gatekeepers' by Dror Moreh
Kamala Harris: The First Black / Asian / Woman Vice-President?
Kamala Harris, Sean Penn, and Hilary Swank at Cinema for Peace's Help Haiti Home Gala in Los Angeles 2012
Washington - US Presidential candidate Joe Biden announced this week that he has picked Kamala Harris as his running mate in the coming November elections. Kamala Harris was a speaker at Cinema for Peace Los Angeles for Sean Penn's J/P Haitian Relief organization, along with the likes of George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio.
If Joe Biden is to win the elections, the United States would have its first female vice president, its first bllack vice president, and its first Asian American vice president all at once. At the same time, Joe Biden's nomination has already given rise to a 'Never Biden' movement from the 'progressives' among the Democrat voters, who are mostly supporters of Bernie Sanders and Elisabeth Warren. Rejecting Elisabeth Warren as his running mate, who was a candidate earlier along with Kamala Harris could further lead to a split in democrat voters, paving the way for Trump. Democrats are pushing to avoid just that.
Kamala Harris at Cinema for Peace Los Angeles
Watch the trailer to the film 'Ice on Fire' by Leila Conners
Baghdad - Climate Change and Global Warming are not the challenges of tomorrow, but of today. The temperature of more than 120 degrees is considered life-threatening. Last month, Baghdad hit 125.2 degrees (51°C) breaking the five-year-old record of 123.8 degrees. This article from The Washington Post gives a 'chilling' outlook on life in Baghdad at the moment. A recent study states that if the policy towards Climate Change is 'Business as usual', in 2050, parts of the United States would resemble the weather now experienced in Baghdad.
Furthermore, While the whole world is still struggling to fight the pandemic and avoid a potential second wave, this article from Greenpeace explains how the melting arctic could lead to the release fo deadly diseases that are hidden in the permafrost.
On a positive note, on the World Elephant Day this week, Singapore began destroying US$13 million worth of illegal ivory, in a move to combat the illegal wildlife trade and to disrupt the global supply chain of illegally traded ivory.
Watch the trailer to the film 'The Ivory Game' by Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson
Watch the trailer to the film 'The Elephant Queen' by Victoria Stone and Mark Deeble