Latest news with #Israel-Jordan
Scroll.in
24-07-2025
- Scroll.in
Vandana Vasudevan
Stories written by In a new book, women share experiences of using ride-hailing services and bike taxis in South Asia An excerpt from 'OTP Please!: Online Buyers, Sellers and Gig Workers in South Asia' by Vandana Vasudevan. Vandana Vasudevan · 11 minutes ago Memories from a trip to the Israel border: At the crossroads of conflict, quietly the river flows Biblical sites and barbed wire and soldiers guarding the Israel-Jordan border is how I remember a visit from the winter of 2011. Vandana Vasudevan · Oct 14, 2023 · 09:00 am
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Bengal students stuck in Israel reach Jordan, wait for flight to Del
Kolkata: The first batch of Bengal students stranded in Israel is scheduled to board a flight from Amman, Jordan, after the Indian govt started the evacuation operation. More than 20 students from Bengal crossed the Israel-Jordan border amid heavy security and threats of missile strikes. On Monday, five buses — two from Haifa and three from Tel Aviv, carrying Indian students stuck in Israel — left for Jordan. Amaresh Das, a resident of East Midnapore and a post-doctoral research scholar with the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, got onto the bus from Haifa early in the morning. The entire 60km stretch from Haifa to Jordan was calm on Monday. But it suddenly changed when the bus was crossing the Jordan River. "A total of five buses carrying Indian students were travelling together. The bus from Tel Aviv was behind us. The embassy officials were trying to send the buses to the Jordan side as soon as possible. Suddenly, there was an extreme alert of sirens. We got down from the bus at the nearest shelter and got inside that," recounted Das. When they reached the border, there was a huge crowd waiting to cross. The document checking and visa processing had to be hurried. "We were nearly 150 people in five buses, and everyone was tense. We knew we had to rush to Amman now," Das said. On Sunday, some of the students missed the flight from Amman, and the officials also wanted to ensure that nobody missed a flight. "We don't know when we will reach New Delhi. The details are not shared with us as yet. We will have to make our own arrangements from Delhi to reach Kolkata," Das said. "We heard that the first flight from Jordan carrying Indian students under the evacuation operation left Amman in the afternoon. But we are yet to get any news of the second flight departing. Meanwhile, there were fresh missile attacks in central Israel," said Sayantan Maiti. Barrackpore resident Maiti, who is pursuing research in surface chemistry of diamonds at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, is scheduled to be evacuated on Tuesday. "I am yet to get a call or confirmation from the Indian embassy in Israel. I think it might get delayed by a day now," he said.
India Today
23-06-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Operation Sindhu: First batch of 160 Indians evacuated from Israel through Jordan
With Israeli airspace closed and commercial flights suspended, the Indian missions in Israel and Jordan jointly evacuated 160 Indian nationals in the first batch under Operation Sindhu on Sunday, according to an embassy missions organised the first batch of evacuation from Israel as the Indian nationals living in Israel constantly grappled with the sounds of sirens, frequently taking cover in bunkers and fortified safe rooms from incoming missiles and drones from first group of 160 Indian nationals evacuated from Israel have successfully crossed the Israel-Jordan border and are now safe in Jordan," officials told PTI. "Arrangements have been made for their return to India, with a special evacuation flight scheduled to depart early tomorrow morning," they Indian nationals reached the Jordanian border for evacuation earlier, the embassy sources told Indian embassy in Amman is looking after their accommodation and launched Operation Sindhu last week to bring back Indians from Iran and Israel as hostilities between the two nations the urgency of the situation, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv last week set up a 24/7 control room to oversee all facets of the evacuation efforts, the source control room directed Indian nationals to register via an online portal and compiled a detailed database of Indian citizens across Israel, it priorities were determined based on medical emergencies, the presence of young children, women, and students. Embassy officials proactively contacted registrants by phone and email to confirm travel details and allocate them to specific evacuation flights," the source situation on the ground is being closely monitored at the highest levels of the government, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi actively receiving real-time updates on the safety and security of the Indian nationals, the source said."This operation underscores India's unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad. Operation Sindhu is yet another testament to India's emergence as a credible 'first responder' in international crises," a statement from the Indian mission Indian nationals scheduled to be evacuated in the first batch gathered at designated assembly points in Tel Aviv and Haifa early Sunday morning and were then taken by road to the Sheikh Hussein Bridge on the Israel-Jordan border, some 120 kilometres from completing immigration and border formalities at the Israel-Jordanian border, the group proceeded to Amman Airport, another 120 kilometres Shukla, a researcher from Hebrew University who was evacuated on Sunday morning, praised "the smooth and carefully planned process" by the embassy under "difficult circumstances", and told PTI: "I have completed the visa process and have already moved to the Jordanian side. The embassy was extremely helpful in facilitating our journey, and we were looked after well."advertisementThe Israeli and Jordanian governments extended crucial support in ensuring the safe and orderly transit of Indian nationals across the border, the mission in Tel Aviv Embassy of India in Jordan played a key role in receiving the evacuees at the border to further facilitate their onward journey to Amman Airport, it flights from Amman to New Delhi have been arranged by the Ministry of External Affairs to safely fly Indian nationals flights are also planned to leave from Egypt in the coming days, as there are many Indians living in the south of Sindhu joins the ranks of previous high-profile evacuation missions such as Operation Ganga, Operation Devi Shakti, Operation Kaveri, and Operation Ajay, which successfully brought home Indians from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Israel, respectively."These efforts reflect not only India's growing global stature but also its operational readiness and deep sense of responsibility toward its diaspora," an embassy official said."The Government of India continues to accord the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. The government will continue to monitor the situation closely. The embassy remains continuously in touch with the community to extend all feasible assistance," the official Indian mission in Israel once again reached out to its citizens on Sunday to register for ongoing updates and assistance, and provided a 24/7 helpline are over 40,000 Indian nationals in Israel working as caregivers, construction workers, students, professionals and others. Tune InMust Watch
Middle East Eye
21-06-2025
- Business
- Middle East Eye
Jordan urged to cancel Israel gas deal after supply halted amid Iran war
The suspension of Israeli gas supplies to Jordan, triggered by recent attacks on Iran, has reignited calls in Amman to cancel the gas agreement with Israel. The production halt - resulting from disruptions at the Leviathan gas field - is being cited by the Jordanian National Campaign to Overturn the Gas Agreement with the Zionist Entity, known by its slogan "The Enemy's Gas is Occupation", as grounds to terminate the deal. The campaign, a coalition of public figures, political parties and professional associations opposed to normalisation with Israel, views the current situation as a legal and political opportunity to annul the agreement under the force majeure clause. This clause permits cancellation without financial penalties if unforeseen events prevent the fulfilment of contractual obligations. Under the terms of the Israel-Jordan gas deal, force majeure refers to circumstances beyond the control of either party - such as natural disasters, armed conflict or political unrest - that render the implementation of the agreement unfeasible, they say. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "What is happening now clearly constitutes a case of the other party failing to meet its contractual obligations," the campaign told Middle East Eye. "This opens the door to cancelling the agreement without legal or financial consequences. In fact, doing so is a duty dictated by national sovereignty and the safety of our citizens." The group called on the Jordanian government to act swiftly and begin developing sovereign domestic energy resources instead of relying on Israeli gas. 'Triple crime' The gas agreement, signed in 2016 and implemented in 2019, stipulates the import of natural gas extracted from the Leviathan field, located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Haifa. Valued at approximately $10bn over 15 years, the deal entails Jordan receiving around 300 million cubic metres of gas per year, in return for long-term payments made to Israel. Critics argue that importing gas from Israel is unacceptable for several reasons, foremost among them opposition to normalisation with the Israeli state. According to the campaign, making Jordan dependent on Israeli gas constitutes a "triple crime". 'Black day': Hundreds rally in Jordan over 'treasonous' gas deal with Israel Read More » First, they argue, the deal exposes national sovereignty to political blackmail. Second, it channels $10bn of public money into the Israeli economy. Third, it deprives Jordan of the opportunity to invest those funds in sustainable, home-grown energy alternatives. Saleh Al-Armouti, Jordanian MP and head of the Islamic Action Front parliamentary bloc, echoed these concerns. He told MEE that the interruption of gas supplies provides Jordan with solid legal grounds to cancel the agreement or pursue compensation worth billions of dollars. "It is the legal right of the Jordanian state to file a lawsuit demanding compensation for the damages caused by the supply cut-off, based on the terms of the agreement," Al-Armouti said. He added that Jordan has viable alternatives to Israeli gas. "We already have infrastructure like the floating terminal in Aqaba, which costs millions annually without being fully utilised, as well as domestic sources such as the Risha gas field and the Attarat oil shale project," he added. Emergency plan In response to the cut-off in supply, Jordanian authorities have activated an emergency plan, which includes the temporary suspension of gas supplies to certain factories connected to the national grid. Jordan's national electricity company sought to reassure the public, stating that the country's fuel reserves for power generation are sufficient to last at least 20 days, even with the halt in gas supply from Leviathan. Government spokesperson and Minister of Government Communication, Mohammad Al-Momani, said authorities responded by switching to heavy fuel oil as an alternative, "as part of the emergency strategy developed by the Ministry of Energy". 'There are no strategic, long-term solutions in place' - Musa Al-Saket, economic expert Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, echoed these remarks, saying that despite the regional escalation, "the electrical system in Jordan remains stable and secure". Speaking on Thursday, Al-Kharabsheh announced that the government had activated alternative supply routes, including the import of 100 million cubic feet of gas per day from Egypt, to compensate for the shortfall. He added that Jordan is incurring additional costs to bolster its stockpile of petroleum derivatives, but emphasised that power stations are fully capable of switching to alternative fuels without compromising grid efficiency. On Friday, an Israeli energy ministry spokesperson said limited gas exports to Egypt and Jordan had resumed, using "surplus" supplies not required for domestic consumption. However, large-scale shipments remain unlikely in the near future. Lack of long-term solution Economic expert and member of the Amman Chamber of Industry, the engineer Musa Al-Saket, warned of the consequences of a continued suspension in natural gas imports, cautioning that a prolonged disruption could severely affect Jordan's industrial sector - particularly by increasing production costs. "The government and the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) have outlined short-term alternatives lasting 20 to 30 days, but there are no strategic, long-term solutions in place," Al-Saket told MEE. "Most industries lack independent emergency plans, as they depend heavily on public-private partnerships within the energy sector." Al-Saket called for broader approval for the installation of renewable energy systems and urged increased investment in domestic energy sources, including the Risha gas field, oil shale projects and solar energy. According to data from the Ministry of Energy, Jordan in 2023 relied on imported natural gas for approximately 61.1 percent of its electricity generation, compared to 26.28 percent from renewable sources (solar and wind) and 12.62 percent from heavy fuel oil. The country's power stations consume around 1.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day, while installed renewable capacity stands at roughly 2,681 megawatts - meaning any sustained disruption in gas supply could pose a threat to the stability of the power grid. Jordan is contending with mounting economic challenges amid ongoing regional instability, driven by Israel's wars on Gaza, Lebanon and now Iran. The repercussions extend far beyond energy. Tourism - a cornerstone of the Jordanian economy - has been severely impacted, with rising tensions deterring international visitors. Jordan's geographical location - lying along the flight paths of Iranian missiles and Israeli fighter jets - has heightened its exposure to regional security threats and prompted costly defensive measures to safeguard its airspace and sovereignty.
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Log on to portal: Embassy to students stuck in Israel
Kolkata: A day after India announced Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Israel, a number of students from Bengal have started registering themselves with the Indian embassy for evacuation. Nilabja Roychowdhury, a research scholar with the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Safed, has registered with the embassy in Israel for evacuation. Roychowdhury, who was not ready to evacuate and had decided to wait, said on Friday: "The embassy officials will take care of the visa, and the journey to Jordan is also likely to be arranged by them." While Safed, located in northern Israel, was not much at risk, the unpredictable situation has prompted him to change his mind. Aniruddha Bera, a research fellow at Tel Aviv University, who was also hoping for the situation to improve, has also registered himself with the Indian embassy. "The situation is under control so far, but I have registered myself with the embassy," he said. Divya Mukhopadhyay, a resident of Khardah, who is pursuing post-doctoral research in plant pathology at the University of Jerusalem, initially decided to stay back for a few more months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2 & 3 BHK Homes Near Padur, OMR Starting @ ₹72.50 Lakh* TVS Emerald Undo He has only four months left to complete his research. But the evolving situation prompted him to rethink his decision. "The students will be taken to the Israel-Jordan border by Indian embassy officials. From there, they will be flown out of Jordan," said Subhomoy Mukhopadhyay, Divya's uncle. "I spoke to my son on Friday morning. He said that his name didn't appear in the first list. Although he has not taken a final decision about leaving Israel, he is likely to be included in the second allotment if he opts to return. He told us that things are still normal for him — he's attending classes," said Sudhamoy Mukhopadhyay, his father. Sankhanava Kundu, who moved out of Israel after completing his research at the University of Haifa a few months back, said, "When everyone decided to move out of Israel last year, seven of us stayed back. The university was closed, and most of the students left Israel. We decided to finish our project, come what may. We were self-alert and were very responsive to sirens. It took us immense courage to stay put there, and the Indian Embassy was constantly in touch with us. But we sailed through," he said.
