News Brief

Israel has delayed the transfer of 25 armored cars to the Palestinian Authority.

The transfer of the armored personnel carriers from Russia is on hold, according to Israeli security officials, because the Palestinians plan to equip them with machine guns, The Associated Press reported Monday.

The shipment was approved two weeks ago in order to improve the image of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in advance of the Annapolis peace summit. A shipment of 1,000 rifles and 2 million rounds of ammunition also was approved.

Russia made the offer of armored vehicles two years ago, but delivery was held up due to Israeli objections.

Climate change is a real security risk to the Middle East, a new report said.

Climate change will contribute to even greater water stress in the region, according to a report released Monday by Friends of the Earth Middle East.

It is projected that climate change will cause a sea level rise that will flood Alexandria, Egypt, and displace millions of people, the organization said.

“The expected rise in sea level will make dysfunctional the coastal groundwater for 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza,” said Nader Khateeb, the Palestinian director of Friends of the Earth Middle East.

“U.S. leadership is also essential at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, if we are to avoid the most severe implications that the climate crisis presents to the Middle East,” said Ladeene Freimuth, deputy director of Friends of the Earth Middle East in Tel Aviv.

The report will be discussed at the United Nations’ annual Climate Change Conference meeting in Bali, Indonesia, through Dec. 14.