Rilek1Corner

Tag: Judaism

  • Lee Hsien Loong To Visit Palestine As Part Of Middle East Trip

    Lee Hsien Loong To Visit Palestine As Part Of Middle East Trip

    AMMAN, JORDAN – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong begins his official visit to Jordan on Saturday (April 16).

    He will then travel to Israel on Monday, and to the Palestinian Territories on Wednesday.

    This is Mr Lee’s first official visit to Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Friday.

    “The visit will affirm Singapore’s good relations with Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, and underscore Singapore’s commitment to support the capacity building efforts of the Palestinian people,” the statement added.

    While in Jordan, Mr Lee will be hosted to lunch by King Abdullah II. He will meet Prime Minister and Defence Minister Abdullah Ensour, who will also host him to dinner.

    Mr Lee will also meet Chief Advisor for Religious and Cultural Affairs Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad Bin Talal. He will also meet Singapore students studying in Jordan.

    In Israel, Mr Lee will call on President Reuven Rivlin and meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    He will also meet Leader of the Opposition Isaac Herzog and former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shimon Peres.

    In addition, Mr Lee will meet leaders of major Israeli technology companies and visit the Hebrew University, where he will receive an honorary doctorate.

    He will also witness the signing of an agreement between Hebrew University and Singapore’s National Research Foundation to facilitate research collaboration in Singapore.

    In the Palestinian Territories, Mr Lee will meet Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority Rami Hamdallah, who will host him to lunch.

    Mr Lee will also lay a wreath at the mausoleum of the first President of the Palestinian National Authority, Yasser Arafat.

    PM Lee will be accompanied by Mrs Lee, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli, Minister of State for Communications and Information and Education Janil Puthucheary, and MPs Liang Eng Hwa and Intan Azura Mokhtar.

    During Mr Lee’s absence, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean will be the Acting Prime Minister.

     

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • Walid J. Abdullah: Give Peace A Chance – Non-Muslims Must Be Objective On Facts Of Palestine Issue

    Walid J. Abdullah: Give Peace A Chance – Non-Muslims Must Be Objective On Facts Of Palestine Issue

    On the Palestinian question:

    Yesterday i saw a video of a father hugging his deceased child. I must say that video broke my heart. I do not dare share it here because it is really not for the faint-hearted.

    One wonders what more the Palestinians have to go through before the world starts to give a damn.

    I hope non-Muslims understand why the Palestinian issue is so close to the hearts of many Muslims: not only is it because of the status of Palestine as a holy land in Islam (which admittedly is a factor nonetheless), it is also because we firmly believe it is the biggest injustice of the modern era. Study the issue with an open mind and heart and you will see that the issue is really not a complicated one: as Dr Norman Finkelstein asserts, the more knowledge one has of the matter, the more one realizes just how unambiguous the issue is.

    The situation is made worse when one knows just how nice and hospitable the Palestinians are: anyone who has been to the place will attest to the warmth and hospitality of the Palestinians (both Muslim and Christian).

    Yet, somehow this problem has persisted for decades. Yet, Netanyahu can lecture the world at the UN for not taking his country’s security seriously. Yet, in the US, president after president, and presidential candidate after candidate, go out of their way to prove to the electorate that they are a ‘friend of Israel’.

    I believe in the intrinsic goodness of most humans, which is why i believe that most people, if given enough information about the facts, will sympathize with the Palestinians.

    And i believe that one day, i will step into a Palestine that is free. And if i don’t, at least my children will. God-willing.

     

    Source: Walid J. Abdullah

  • Religious Leaders Conducted Prayers For Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix

    Religious Leaders Conducted Prayers For Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix

    SINGAPORE: With the gaze of the motor racing world set to be firmly focused on Singapore next week with the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, the organisers have left nothing to chance to ensure it runs smoothly.

    A ceremony was held at the race’s Marina Bay Street Circuit on Wednesday (Sep 10), where religious leaders from Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Sikhism, Judaism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and the Baha’i faith conducted prayers for good weather and the safety of the 23 drivers and their teams, race officials and spectators.

    “As we gear up and put the finishing touches to the Marina Bay Street Circuit, we will not leave anything to chance,” said Mr Colin Syn, deputy chairman of Singapore GP, the event’s promoters and organisers.

    “We are honoured to have the religious leaders representing various faiths with us here today to participate in this tradition to bless the track and pray for the event.”

    The tradition, which started with the inaugural race in 2008, was continued as the finishing touches were put to the 5.065km circuit for this year’s edition.

    Coming into the Singapore Grand Prix, Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg leads the drivers’ championship with 238 points, ahead of team-mate Lewis Hamilton (216) and third-placed Daniel Ricciardo (166) of Red Bull.

    Last year’s Singapore Grand Prix winner, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull, is sixth with 106 points.

    Mercedes also lead the constructors’ championship with 454 points, ahead of Red Bull (272) and Williams (177).

    Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/track-blessing-tradition/1356396.html