Sweden, Russia support UNESCO measure condemning "Israeli occupation of Jerusalem"

Russia and Sweden supported the measure.  Sweden was the only Western and democratic regime to support it.

The measure passed thanks to all the countries who abstained.  In Europe these include: Albania, Spain, Estonia, France and Slovenia


Via UN Watch:

The resolution on Jerusalem, despite a passing mention of “the three monotheistic religions,” ignores Jewish and Christian religious and historical ties to the city, condemning Israel for excavations of the Jewish capital that have revealed the ancient City of David, along with pottery inscriptions, coins and artifacts connected to Jewish life during and before the time of Jesus.

“Once again, the United Nations agency for education, science and culture is being hijacked by genocidal regimes and serial human rights abusers like Sudan, Iran, Algeria, Qatar, and Russia,” said Neuer.

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Kosovo arrests 19 in Islamic State plot to attack Israel soccer match

From The Times of Israel:

Kosovo police on Wednesday said they had arrested 19 people they suspected of being involved in an Islamic State plot to carry out terror attacks in Kosovo and neighboring Albania, including an assault during a football match between Albania and Israel this past weekend.

Police said the arrests were made over the past 10 days and that the suspects had planned “synchronized terror attacks,” without going into further detail.

“They were planning to commit terrorist attacks in Kosovo and also [an attack] against [the] Israeli football team and their fans during the Albania-Israel match,” Kosovo police said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that weapons, explosives, ammunition and a drone were seized during the sweep.

The police said the suspects were communicating and receiving orders from an Islamic State member, Lavdrim Muhaxheri, the self-declared “commander of Albanians in Syria and Iraq.”

Last week, a Kosovo court ordered seven of the suspects detained for a month while the investigation continued. The seven belonged to one network that notably planned to attack a stadium in the northern Albanian town of Shkodra during the country’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Israel last Saturday, according to media reports.

Police said at the time that they were plotting “terrorist attacks” with their counterparts from Albania and Macedonia against the same targets in the two countries.

According to local media reports, the network in Kosovo consists of around 30 members and is a branch of a wider group in Albania and Macedonia, of which some remained at large. 

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Kosovo holds Islamist suspects over plot to attack Israel soccer match

Via Times of Israel:

A Kosovo court on Friday ordered seven people suspected of plotting Islamist terrorist attacks to be detained for a month, officials said, as media reports said they planned to attack a weekend football match involving Israel.
 

The order follows a series of arrests in Kosovo and neighboring Albania and Macedonia in which a total of 15 suspected Islamic extremists have been detained.

The seven belonged to one network that notably planned to attack a stadium in the northern Albanian town of Shkodra during the country’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Israel on Saturday, media reported.

The match will now be held in the central town of Elbasan for “security reasons.”

Earlier this week Israel said the Islamic State group had been planning attacks in the Balkans and specifically warned its citizens not to attend the upcoming Israel-Albania football match.

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Albania: 4 held for plot to bomb Albania-Israel soccer match this weekend

Via Times of Israel:

Four people were arrested in Albania on suspicion of plotting to place bombs at a soccer match between the Israeli and Albanian national teams, scheduled for the weekend
 

The World Cup 2018 qualifying game, which was scheduled for Saturday night at a stadium in the city of Shkoder near the Albanian capital Tirana, is to be relocated amid concerns over terror threats to attack the game, local officials said Tuesday.

It will now be moved to a venue in the city of Elbasan, Haaretz reported.

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