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British newspapers published on Sunday morning covered numerous Middle Eastern issues, including the latest developments in the murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as a report on Israel’s parliamentary elections scheduled for tomorrow Tuesday.
We start with The Independent and a report by Andrew Bancom, the newspaper’s US correspondent, on the developments in the Khashoggi case, as Bancom quotes lawyers for Khashoggi’s fiancé, Hatice Genghis, saying they were able to inform Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of a lawsuit against him in Washington – which opens the door to legal action against him.
Cengiz’s lawyers said they were able to do so by using a number of non-traditional media such as WhatsApp messages and express mail to communicate with Saudi authorities, as well as by posting in the international edition of the New York Times and Al-Quds. Al-Arabi newspapers, and sending notices to bin Salman lawyers registered in the United States.
Genghis filed a lawsuit last year against the 35-year-old emir, accusing him and others of kidnapping Khashoggi, drugging him, torturing him, and then murdering him.
According to the Bancom Report, the trial documents state that “the horrific torture and murder to which Khashoggi has been subjected has left human consciousness around the world in shock.
The Saudi crown prince denied the claims and insisted he had no connection with the murder of Khashoggi, who was last seen alive when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Bancom pointed to a report released by the CIA earlier this year indicating that bin Salman knew of and approved of a plan to kill the 59-year-old journalist.
Bancom cited Faysal Gil, one of Genghis’ lawyers, and the organization ‘Without ‘ Saying: “This is an important moment. The crown prince’s lawyers have appeared in court, and that means proceedings in the case can continue.”
The names of three of bin Salman’s lawyers appeared in court documents: Michael Kellogg, who previously represented the Saudi government; Andrew Shane and Gregory Gerber Raboy.
Lawyer Andrew Shane declined to comment on The Independent, saying that the policy of the law firm “Kellogg’s, Hansen, Todd, Vigil & Frederick” does not allow its team of lawyers to speak to the press about the cases that She defends.
According to Bancom, the civil lawsuit, brought against a number of Saudi officials with the crown prince, aims to implement two US laws: the Foreign Tort Cases Act and the 1991 Protection of Victims of Torture Act.
“This trial aims not only to hold the crown prince and other Saudi officials responsible for the murder of Khashoggi, but also to send a message to the kingdom’s government and others that it will pay the price for killing journalists. and activists outside the law, ”said Faisal Gil mentioned.
And US President Joe Biden had pledged his election campaign to hold those responsible for Khashoggi’s murder accountable. But after the CIA report was released, Biden withdrew from punishment of bin Salman, even though his administration imposed sanctions on other Saudi officials.
Biden defended by saying he was the president who released the report during his tenure, after others refused to release it, in reference to his predecessor Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
Netanyahu ruled Israel for more than a fifth of his life
In the Times, we read a report from the newspaper’s Israel correspondent, Ancel Pfeffer, on the Israeli elections scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday.
Pfeffer begins by saying that Benjamin Netanyahu ended this week setting a record by completing his fifteenth year as Prime Minister of Israel, which he would have led for more than a fifth of his life as an independent state .
The author noted that Tuesday’s legislative elections are the fourth in Israel in two years. It is the one by which Netanyahu aspires to obtain four more years as prime minister.
According to an opinion poll released last week, 55% of Israelis expressed their desire to leave Netanyahu for the job. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, his trial scheduled to resume on April 5 – just thirteen days after the election.
Netanyahu lost his closest international ally about two months ago when President Donald Trump left the White House.
Nonetheless, the 71-year-old Netanyahu appears confident in winning the election. According to Pfeiffer, he assures members of his Likud party that they are “one step away from the formation of a stable right-wing government under his leadership.”
The writer monitors the difference between Netanyahu’s political opponents and their recognition of that difference. Pfeffer quotes an expert in organizing electoral campaigns for the benefit of an opposition party: “Bibi besieges us.
According to Pfeffer, Netanyahu is betting on two main factors: one of them is the success of the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine which has helped the Israelis come out of the third extended full shutdown – a success that is fading into the shadow of images that can still be blocked. in the mind of the Israeli voter, the failures of his government to deal with the epidemic in its infancy.
As for the second factor Netanyahu is betting on, according to the writer, it is the opposition division, made up of ten political parties, some of which are struggling to obtain a quorum for electoral representation by obtaining 3.25% of the votes. voice in what is called the threshold.
Pfeffer, moreover, expects Israeli opposition parties to disagree with each other on a consensus on a common candidate for prime minister.
The writer believes that unless the leaders of the opposition parties find a way to converge and agree on an alternative candidate for Netanyahu, the latter will remain in office even if the recent opinion polls do not obtain. not a reassuring majority of Likud. Netanyahu will then find an opportunity to attract dissidents from these divided parties in his interest in the election, in a way that will ensure him to move forward with setting records.
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