Latest news with #Ramla
Hans India
30-06-2025
- General
- Hans India
CIO launches one-million child tree planting movement
Vijayawada: The Children Islamic Organisation (CIO) has launched an environmental campaign across the country titled 'Hands in Soil, Hearts with India', with a big goal of getting one million children across India to plant and care for trees between June 25 and July 26. Addressing a press conference at the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind State office its AP president Muhammad Rafeeq said, 'CIO, a national platform for the all-round development of children based on Islamic values, believes that care for nature must begin early and that children can change things when given the right guidance. This campaign seeks to start a spirit of care, responsibility, and love for nature in every child and aims to make tree planting a joyful and purposeful act of national service.' Elaborating further, Ramla stated, 'The reason behind this campaign is clear: the Earth is getting hotter, few trees are left, and air quality is worsening. Talking about how the campaign will unfold, AP secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Mohamed Gous Nizami said, 'As part of this initiative, children will plant trees in schools, madrasas, mosques, neighbourhood parks, and even in front of their homes. Each child will be encouraged to name their tree, care for it like a friend, and record their experience through drawings, crafts, poetry.' Discussing the collaboration with the government and slogans to be used in the environmental campaign, CIO state convener Firdouse Aqtar stated, 'In order to scale this campaign effectively, CIO is actively collaborating with government departments to provide healthy saplings, identify suitable planting locations, offer educational resources on plants and animals, and protect green zones.
The Independent
18-06-2025
- The Independent
Israelis stranded in Cyprus find shelter and kosher meals with help of rabbis and residents
Yossi Levitan was only making a brief stopover to visit his brother in Cyprus. His travel plans didn't include slicing mushrooms for kosher meals at a local Jewish community center to help feed thousands of other stranded travelers. Levitan is one of approximately 6,500 people who are in Cyprus attempting to reach Israel, located about 470 kilometers (292 miles) from the island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. Initially, 2,400 passengers aboard Israel-bound flights were stranded in Cyprus after their aircraft were abruptly diverted last week to avoid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran. Since then, thousands more have traveled there in hopes of using Cyprus, the nearest European country, as a depot to find a flight or chartered boat that will take them back to their families in Israel. Levitan, 44, has a flight booked next week and said he is eager to rejoin his eight children and one grandchild in Ramla, 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Tel Aviv. His eldest daughter, 18, recently gave birth and is looking after her siblings with help from her grandparent. 'We're waiting for the moment when we can get back,' Levitan said. "In the meantime, we here are helping however we can all the people who are stuck her in Larnaca, in Cyprus.' Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin, the Jewish faith's leader in Cyprus, said the island's 14 rabbis mobilized from the moment the first 2,400 people arrived aboard at least 10 Israel-bound passenger aircraft that were diverted to Cyprus' main airport in Larnaca on June 12. Finding accommodation all at once for so many people at the height of the tourist season was a huge challenge. There also was the issue of providing hundreds of kosher meals, which was handled by the community center, or Chabad, he said. 'Above to this, new flights have started to arrive from Hungary, from Rome, from Georgia, from New York, all people who are on the way ended up here with the hope that since Larnaca and Paphos are the closest nearby neighbor of Israel, once the flights will begin, they will be the first shuttle to go,' Raskin said. Locals have provided shelter while doctors have treated travelers in need, he said. Some were desperate to return to Israel right away, Raskin said, including two mothers with kids with special needs. Thankfully, they departed Wednesday aboard a pair of EL AL aircraft that landed at Ben Gurion airport. 'To take people back to Israel, obviously there are priorities. Priorities would be elderly people, single mothers, nurses, people who need medical issues," he said. "Anyone that is in urgent would get a priority to go on the flight.' Raskin pulled out all the stops to secure a seat on the same flight for a groom whose wedding was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. He later got a message that the young man was able to attend the ceremony promptly at 4 p.m. A few who could afford it and weren't prone to seasickness rented boats or yachts for the 20-hour trip to Israel. But arranging boat trips has been a fickle affair, Raskin said, as many voyages were cancelled at the last minute. Raskin has vaulted into the role of coordinator for thousands of Israelis who see Cyprus as a springboard to Israel. 'Why this should be like a gate of a door to Israel?" he said. 'It's like I'm being now at the western wall of Israel.' But he advised against more people using Cyprus as a stopover to catch a short flight or boat ride to Israel, given the difficulties faced by those who are already there. "Do not come. We don't have enough rooms, we don't enough beds now in Cyprus to accommodate, unfortunately,' Raskin said. 'So if someone is in Budapest or in Vienna and you have a place to stay, to eat, stay there, you are safe there, don't rush to come. Once things will get better, yes, welcome.'
Associated Press
18-06-2025
- Associated Press
Israelis stranded in Cyprus find shelter and kosher meals with help of rabbis and residents
LARNACA, Cyprus (AP) — Yossi Levitan was only making a brief stopover to visit his brother in Cyprus. His travel plans didn't include slicing mushrooms for kosher meals at a local Jewish community center to help feed thousands of other stranded travelers. Levitan is one of approximately 6,500 people who are in Cyprus attempting to reach Israel, located about 470 kilometers (292 miles) from the island nation in the Mediterranean Sea. Initially, 2,400 passengers aboard Israel-bound flights were stranded in Cyprus after their aircraft were abruptly diverted last week to avoid ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran. Since then, thousands more have traveled there in hopes of using Cyprus, the nearest European country, as a depot to find a flight or chartered boat that will take them back to their families in Israel. Levitan, 44, has a flight booked next week and said he is eager to rejoin his eight children and one grandchild in Ramla, 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Tel Aviv. His eldest daughter, 18, recently gave birth and is looking after her siblings with help from her grandparent. 'We're waiting for the moment when we can get back,' Levitan said. 'In the meantime, we here are helping however we can all the people who are stuck her in Larnaca, in Cyprus.' Rabbi Arie Zeev Raskin, the Jewish faith's leader in Cyprus, said the island's 14 rabbis mobilized from the moment the first 2,400 people arrived aboard at least 10 Israel-bound passenger aircraft that were diverted to Cyprus' main airport in Larnaca on June 12. Finding accommodation all at once for so many people at the height of the tourist season was a huge challenge. There also was the issue of providing hundreds of kosher meals, which was handled by the community center, or Chabad, he said. 'Above to this, new flights have started to arrive from Hungary, from Rome, from Georgia, from New York, all people who are on the way ended up here with the hope that since Larnaca and Paphos are the closest nearby neighbor of Israel, once the flights will begin, they will be the first shuttle to go,' Raskin said. Locals have provided shelter while doctors have treated travelers in need, he said. Some were desperate to return to Israel right away, Raskin said, including two mothers with kids with special needs. Thankfully, they departed Wednesday aboard a pair of EL AL aircraft that landed at Ben Gurion airport. 'To take people back to Israel, obviously there are priorities. Priorities would be elderly people, single mothers, nurses, people who need medical issues,' he said. 'Anyone that is in urgent would get a priority to go on the flight.' Raskin pulled out all the stops to secure a seat on the same flight for a groom whose wedding was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. He later got a message that the young man was able to attend the ceremony promptly at 4 p.m. A few who could afford it and weren't prone to seasickness rented boats or yachts for the 20-hour trip to Israel. But arranging boat trips has been a fickle affair, Raskin said, as many voyages were cancelled at the last minute. Raskin has vaulted into the role of coordinator for thousands of Israelis who see Cyprus as a springboard to Israel. 'Why this should be like a gate of a door to Israel?' he said. 'It's like I'm being now at the western wall of Israel.' But he advised against more people using Cyprus as a stopover to catch a short flight or boat ride to Israel, given the difficulties faced by those who are already there. 'Do not come. We don't have enough rooms, we don't enough beds now in Cyprus to accommodate, unfortunately,' Raskin said. 'So if someone is in Budapest or in Vienna and you have a place to stay, to eat, stay there, you are safe there, don't rush to come. Once things will get better, yes, welcome.'
Arab News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israeli court rejects appeals to release eight pro-Palestine activists arrested aboard Gaza-bound boat
LONDON: An Israeli court ruled to keep in detention eight pro-Palestine activists who were arrested this week by the Israeli navy aboard the Madleen ship, which was bound for Gaza. The British-flagged vessel, operated by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had 11 activists and a journalist on board, including the Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, who was carrying aid for Palestinians in Gaza as an act of solidarity amid the Israeli attacks. Israel released Thunberg on Tuesday following pressure from European governments. However, eight activists from Turkiye, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Brazil remain in the Ramla detention center, according to the Wafa news agency and lawyers from the Haifa-based Adalah legal center. On Wednesday, an Israeli court rejected the appeals made by Adalah's lawyers to release the eight activists and ruled to keep them in custody. The activists are Suayb Ordu from Turkiye; Mark van Rins from the Netherlands; Pascal Moreras, Riva Fiard, member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan, Yanis Mohammadi, all from France; Tiago Ovila from Brazil; and Yasmin Ajar from Germany. Adalah said that the Israeli court based its decision to continue the detention on the grounds of their 'illegal entry into Israel.' The legal center emphasized that none of the Madleen's activists intended to enter Israel or its territorial waters as they planned to depart from Sicily and reach Gaza's territorial waters, which are part of the state of Palestine, via international waters. The Israeli navy intercepted the Madleen ship early on Tuesday morning, detaining the activists and taking them to Israel. Adalah said that the court has scheduled a detention review hearing for July 8 if authorities have not deported the activists by that date. Following her release and deportation from Israel on Tuesday, Thunberg said: 'I was very clear in my testimony that we were kidnapped on international waters and brought against our own will into Israel.' 'This is yet another intentional violation of rights that is added to the list of countless other violations that Israel is committing,' she said.
Irish Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Hearing scheduled in July for Irish pro-Palestinian activist detained in West Bank
A hearing in Israel for an Irish woman who is the subject of an Israeli deportation order has been scheduled for next month, according to the pro-Palestinian activist group she was volunteering with in the West Bank. According to the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), Máire ní Mhurchú, also known as 'D' Murphy (70), was brought to a hearing on Wednesday. She is currently detained in Givon Prison in the Israeli city of Ramla after challenging the deportation order made against her following her arrest in the West Bank last weekend. The group said she was not given legal representation or an opportunity to obtain legal advice and refused to participate in the proceedings. Her hearing has been scheduled for July. READ MORE According to an ISM statement, Ms Murphy 'informed her family, via a phone call she was allowed to make, that she was deliberately given the wrong number for her lawyer. 'The last time Murphy was able to speak to the lawyer was on Monday, and as of today we still do not know the outcome of the hearing. These tactics of denying legal advice are not new to activists standing in solidarity with Palestinians as Israeli authorities continue to act with impunity.' The Israeli police and the Israeli ambassador responsible for Ireland, Dana Erlich, did not respond to a request for comment. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin said c it is providing consular assistance and, as per protocol, does not comment on the details of individual cases. Ms Murphy was detained by Israeli police on May 31st near Khalet al-Daba'a, a Palestinian village that has been largely demolished by Israeli forces, along with Swedish activist Susanne Björk (48). Ms Björk left Israel on Monday after a deportation order was also made against her. Both women deny that the grounds on which the orders were made against them and, in particular, deny failing to comply with an order to leave a military zone by Israeli soldiers. A video provided to The Irish Times shows the women at Khalet al-Daba'a speaking with three Israeli soldiers who handed them back their passports and told them 'to have a good walk and a good day.' Ms Murphy, who is from Cork but lives in Wales, is a founding member of Swansea Palestine Community Link and was previously detained in 2011, when she travelled to Israel with the group.
