The State Department on Friday announced a $7 billion arms sale to Israel, circumventing the congressional review process, according to Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The announcement, which includes thousands of Hellfire missiles and bombs, comes days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met President Donald Trump and other top administration officials in Washington, DC.
Asked by an Israeli reporter if he supported “Israeli sovereignty” over “Samaria, which many believe is the Biblical homeland of the Jewish,” otherwise known as the West Bank, Trump said, “Well, we are discussing that with many of your representatives … who do like that idea, but we haven’t take a position on it yet. We will be making an announcement on that specific topic over the next four weeks.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu couldn’t keep the smirk off his face.
And no wonder.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday proposed moving Gazans to a “good, fresh, beautiful piece of land” in another country, offering a vision of mass displacement that would likely inflame sentiments in the Arab world as he prepared to welcome Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.
The world is ruled by religious fanatics with nukes. If a normal person says they’re the second coming of Jesus Christ they get medicated and institutionalized. If you make equally insane religious claims on the Senate floor, they let you run an empire.
Nach dem Sturz von Machthaber Assad ist noch vieles unsicher in Syrien. Am Rand seiner Ukraine-Reise hebt der CDU-Vorsitzende Merz die starke Rolle von Türkiye hervor. Die EU und Deutschland sollten gemeinsam mit Ankara die Region „befrieden“.
With the eruption of the Syrian revolution in 2011, Hamas chose to remain neutral in the civil strife that followed, putting it at odds with Damascus.
By 2012, the group’s leadership were forced to leave Syria after being pressured to publicly support Assad, a position they refused to take.
The group eventually voiced its support for the Syrian revolution, effectively severing its ties with Assad.
Nearly 10 years later, Hamas restored relations with Assad’s government, sending a delegation to meet the toppled president in the Syrian capital in 2022.
Czechia’s Explanation of Vote on the UN resolution regarding the advisory opinion of the ICJ on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in OPT, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel’s continued presence in OPT. Stated by Ambassador to the United Nations, Jakub Kulhánek, on September 18, 2024
Mr. President,
Allow me to begin by reiterating Czechia‘s unwavering support for the people of the West Bank and Gaza in their pursuit of political aspirations for their own future statehood.
My country also stands ready to support any meaningful efforts to end violence in the region.
However, for these efforts to succeed, they must be the result of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, as this offers the only viable path to lasting security and peace for all.
Starmer‘s Labour party had said it would seek a security and defence treaty with Germany if it won the July 4 general election, which it did by a landslide — propelling him to the premiership.
– The initial arrests sparked a movement on college campuses across the country, including at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and the University of California, Los Angeles.
– More than 2,100 protesters have been arrested at colleges and universities in recent weeks, including students, faculty, and outside agitators.
For now, Trump has called the recent protests “antisemitic” and “far worse” than the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. Biden has similarly condemned “the antisemitic protests” and “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians.” (…)
Like their association of civil rights and peace demonstrators with communism throughout the Cold War, politicians on both sides of the aisle are now broadly hurling claims of antisemitism against anyone protesting Israel’s war in Gaza, many of whom are Jewish.
The purpose then, as it is now, is to intimidate administrators into a false political choice: Will they protect students’ right to demonstrate or be seen as acquiescent to antisemitism?
In addition to Biden‘s campaign, the coalition said that the campaign for former US President Donald Trump also refused the invitation.
Biden’s comments came during a discussion with his fellow presidents at a star-studded fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall in New York intended to display Democratic party unity ahead of a general-election rematch with Republican Donald Trump. The presidents, though, were interrupted at least four times by pro-Palestinian protesters, highlighting the tensions within the party over Biden’s handling of Israel’s war with Hamas and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
„Warm congratulations to H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation.
Look forward to working together to further strengthen the time-tested Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia in the years to come,“ the Prime Minister wrote.
(13.02.2024)
The Washington Post analyzed satellite imagery, airstrike data and U.N. damage assessments, and interviewed more than 20 aid workers, health-care providers, and experts in munitions and aerial warfare. The evidence shows that Israel has carried out its war in Gaza at a pace and level of devastation that likely exceeds any recent conflict, destroying more buildings, in far less time, than were destroyed during the Syrian regime’s battle for Aleppo from 2013 to 2016 and the U.S.-led campaign to defeat the Islamic State in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, in 2017.
US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to discuss the situation in Israel and Gaza, according to the White House, Reuters reported.
In just over two months, the offensive has wreaked more destruction than the razing of Syria’s Aleppo between 2012 and 2016, Ukraine’s Mariupol or, proportionally, the Allied bombing of Germany in World War II. It has killed more civilians than the U.S.-led coalition did in its three-year campaign against the Islamic State group.
Both before and after October 7, the empathy Biden is known for has rarely extended to Palestinians. Rashid Khalidi, the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, said such statements are missing “to the degree that I don’t really think he sees the Palestinians at all.” In contrast, Khalidi added, Biden sees Israelis “as they are very carefully presented by their government and their massive information apparatus.”
A former Biden administration official shared a similar perspective with me. “The President does not seem to acknowledge the humanity of all parties affected by this conflict,” this person said. “He has described Is
The 11 Arab countries that proposed and endorsed the plan are: Palestine, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Libya and Yemen.
However, the organisation has refrained from explicitly disclosing the identities of those who voted against or chose to abstain.
The rejection by four member states underscores the challenges in achieving a unified stance on critical issues.
„It’s really scary for me,“ she said. „Because here is deal. Perception is reality. And so when you look at the data provided in this poll, it takes about how people feel. And when people decide whether their going to the poll or not going to the poll, it is all about how you feel in that moment. And so while the facts may not align with their feelings, they’re feelings are dictating their reality, their reality is that they feel better or felt better when Trump was in office.“
She said Democrats were trying to push back and argued that it was an issue of „perception.“ Crockett also said people didn‘t understand civics in this country.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett
Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump are both deeply — and similarly — unpopular, according to the poll. (…)
Concerns about the president’s advancing age and mental acuity — 62 percent also said Mr. Biden does not have the “mental sharpness” to be effective — are just the start of a sweeping set of Biden weaknesses in the survey results.
(October 31, 2023)
The US and Israel are exploring options for the future of the Gaza Strip, including the possibility of a multinational force that may involve American troops if Israeli forces succeed in ousting Hamas, people familiar with the matter said.
(31.10.2023)
Or: peacekeeping force modeled on MFO. Or: temporary UN governance.
(18.02.2023)
The talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which are backed by the U.S., were held before the U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council Working Group gathering in Riyadh, which was focused on defense and security, Bloomberg reported several anonymous sources involved in the meetings as saying.
More meetings between the two countries are expected to occur this weekend in Prague, during the Munich Security Conference, according to several of the sources.
(February 26, 2022)
Following the 2015 Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war, Israel set up a „deconfliction mechanism“ with the big power to prevent them clashing inadvertently during Israeli strikes against Iranian deployments and arms transfers in the neighbouring Arab state.
„Our military officials discuss the practical issues of this substantively on a daily basis. This mechanism has proven to be useful and will continue to work,“ the Russian embassy in Israel said in a statement.
During the phone call, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed “the latest developments in Palestine and the possibility of release of civilians” with the exiled Haniyeh, the foreign ministry says in a readout.
(05.10.2023)
The Biden administration hopes Israeli opposition parties will consider joining the coalition in place of its far-right members in case the latter opposes any concessions towards the Palestinians as part of a potential Saudi agreement
Saudi Arabia would be willing to boost oil production next year in a move aimed at earning goodwill with Congress toward a normalization agreement with Israel that would include a key mutual defense pact and weapons deal with Washington, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
According to the report, which cited Saudi and US officials, Riyadh has told the White House it would be willing to increase oil production if crude prices are high to help secure the deal.
(February 26, 2022)
Following the 2015 Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war, Israel set up a „deconfliction mechanism“ with the big power to prevent them clashing inadvertently during Israeli strikes against Iranian deployments and arms transfers in the neighbouring Arab state.
„Our military officials discuss the practical issues of this substantively on a daily basis. This mechanism has proven to be useful and will continue to work,“ the Russian embassy in Israel said in a statement.
Plus on a personal level, it appears humiliating and degrading for anyone to be forced to „kneel“ and serve as Bibi‘s powerless slave ministers. Gantz wants to be PM, not spend what remains of his political career pouring Miss Piggy‘s pink champagne for her.
The Biden administration hopes Israeli opposition parties will consider joining the coalition in place of its far-right members in case the latter opposes any concessions towards the Palestinians as part of a potential Saudi agreement
Karhi this week became the second Israeli cabinet member to formally visit the Saudi capital, heading a 14-member delegation to a UN Universal Postal Union conference.
Notably, the Israeli delegation did not have any representatives from the Israel Postal Company.
Saudi Arabia has also been seeking security guarantees, including reportedly a defense treaty, with the United States in return for normalizing with Israel.
A senior Gulf diplomat also recognized that Riyadh is willing to settle for less than a two-state solution before normalizing ties with Israel, in light of the other measures Saudi Arabia is hoping to secure from the Biden administration as part of a deal, such as a NATO-like mutual defense pact, access to top-notch military equipment, and support for a civilian nuclear program.
A senior Palestinian official Hussein al-Sheikh confirmed that al-Sudairi would be visiting Ramallah.
“We welcome His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the State of Palestine, who will present his official credentials to His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas within a few days,” al-Sheikh tweeted Monday.
Israeli sources speaking to the WSJ acknowledged concerns about nonproliferation safeguards and the potential for a regional nuclear-arms race. But the one expert who was reported as thinking “the idea is worth exploring,” is an executive at an organization that depends heavily on Saudi funding, a potential financial conflict of interest that wasn’t disclosed by the WSJ to its readers.
The WSJ quoted Brian Katulis, described as “vice president of policy at the Middle East Institute think tank in Washington,” supporting the controversial idea.
(21.09.2023)
“The question is whether the U.S. sitting on the sidelines, crossing its arms and scolding countries in the region for pursuing civilian nuclear energy is a more effective strategy than starting a discussion that aims to build trust and confidence among key actors in the region like Israel and Saudi Arabia.”
Katulis said, “The risk of some hostile leader getting these capacities is one we’ve seen and managed in a number of places around the world, including Pakistan.”
“It’s not an ideal situation in those instances,” he said, “but the risks can be managed.”
„They talk and talk, that‘s what politicians do“ Netanyahu said, stressing that at the moment of truth, the determining question is whether he himself will accept the agreement. „I don’t think people understand how our system works. My coalition partners join me, I didn‘t join them,“ Netanyahu added.
He noted that there were “major issues” with a proposal that uranium enrichment be permitted on Saudi soil, but told CNN that if the various core components of an accord were resolved, the agreement would garner “a groundswell of support, on the right, on the left and from the international community.”
If the obstacles can be overcome, he added, “I’ll carry my coalition, and the country with it.”
In an interview with Fox News, bin Salman added that he hopes the deal will “reach a place that will ease the life of the Palestinians” – but stopped short of calling for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, which has been Riyadh’s official stance for two decades.
Netanyahu has made tightening relations with Saudi Arabia a linchpin of his premiership, although it is unclear what kind of concessions toward Palestinians would be allowed by his right-wing coalition.
Amid reports that Netanyahu directed top Israeli nuclear experts to partake in negotiations over a U.S.-Saudi deal, Lapid says a stance allowing Saudi enrichment is ‚reckless,‘ and warns it will trigger a ‚Middle East nuclear arms race‘
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the prospects of such an accord “a transformative event.” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan commented this month that while the negotiations weren’t close to being finalized, the sides have settled on a “broad understanding of many of the key elements.” President Biden will no doubt speak about the diplomacy with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
(19.09.2023)
Prince Mohammed is also asking the Biden administration to help his country develop a civilian nuclear program, which some U.S. officials fear could be cover for a nuclear weapons program to counter Iran.
Any treaty with Saudi Arabia that is similar to the American pacts with East Asian allies is sure to draw strong objections in Congress.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
On encountering the Israeli delegation, the Ukrainian leader made note of the „very big team“ receiving him, which included Israel‘s Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan and Mossad chief David Barnea.
Russian news agencies said Kim and Putin had no plan to sign official documents after they concluded a one-on-one meeting, which was followed by talks in an extended format. The two leaders were also offered an official dinner, according to Russian news agencies.
The Kremlin earlier said Putin and Kim would touch on bilateral ties and economic cooperation during the summit, but added their talks may involve sensitive issues that would not be made available publicly.
Nordkoreas Machthaber Kim Jong-un und Russlands Staatspräsident Wladimir Putin sind am östlichen Weltraumbahnhof Kosmodrom Wostotschny in Russland zum ersten Mal seit vier Jahren und fünf Monaten zusammengekommen.
Lapid told the Americans he was vehemently opposed to allowing Saudi Arabia to carry out any nuclear enrichment on its soil.
The report said Gantz and Bennett were believed to have also highlighted the dangers of a regional nuclear race if the Saudis had their own program.
(Sept. 1, 2023)
The State Department said U.S. diplomats in Saudi Arabia had first heard reports of a dramatic increase in lethal violence against migrants and asylum seekers by that nation’s border forces in the summer of last year and had immediately asked officials at “high levels” of the Saudi government to investigate.
The department made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday night to The New York Times in response to questions posed early this week about the U.S. government’s knowledge of the reported violence and its working relationship with Saudi Arabia’s border forces.
(30 August 2023, 10:27 pm)
Earlier this month, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer said in an interview that Israel does not necessarily have a problem with a Saudi civilian nuclear program. Netanyahu’s office later issued a statement downplaying the remark, although a source close to the premier was quoted by Hebrew media reiterating that Israel “doesn’t rule out” the idea of Riyadh enriching uranium.
“You have countries in the region that can have civilian nuclear power. That’s a different story than a nuclear weapons program,” Dermer said in an interview with PBS.
(17.08.2023)
The report came a week after two Democratic lawmakers told The Times of Israel that they were “dumbfounded” by US President Joe Biden’s decision to pursue the normalization agreement in addition to potentially accepting Israel into the US Visa Waiver Program, in what will shore up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government at a time when they believe it is egregiously undermining the administration’s interests with its judicial overhaul and antagonizing policies toward the Palestinians.
(Aug. 17, 2023)
Riyadh’s demands about a civilian nuclear program could also create unique political hurdles in Congress. Saudi Arabia is seeking a partnership that would allow the country to enrich its own uranium, a demand that if it were to exceed the tight restrictions outlined in the Atomic Energy Act, would require the approval of both the House and Senate.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a new combat vehicle factory in Zalaegerszeg in southwest Hungary, Orban said the drones will be produced in cooperation with Israeli defense technology company UVision, and with a German partner that he did not specify.
„Israeli leaders have a long tradition of visiting Washington. President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu have known each other for a long, long time. I expect the prime minister will visit at some point,“White House national security spokesman John Kirby said told reporters in May.
Netanyahu‘s visit to the American capital would also coincide with a push by the Biden Administration to push through a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Without a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, the Israeli prime minister‘s situation in the polls will remain dire and the economy will weaken further. Biden needs to tell him: If you want an agreement with Riyadh, stop the coup
Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said Tuesday that if the United States were to agree to a defense pact with Riyadh as part of a potential normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel, it would reassure Gulf nations that they are protected from Iranian aggression, rendering their nuclear ambitions “unnecessary.”
(March 19, 2023)
In general, the Saudis wish to present themselves as Iran’s equals, and if Iran can enrich uranium, say the Saudis, then so can we. In addition, the Saudis want to keep all their nuclear options open, even if they are not intending to work on the development of nuclear weapons immediately.
Recently, top Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, after stops in Riyadh and Jerusalem and voicing strong support for Saudi-Israel normalization, said that he would support the Biden administration plan to meet Saudi prerequisites, culminating in Saudi Arabia formally acknowledging Israel.
Beyond a defense pact, the Saudis also have raised requests with the US for civilian nuclear capabilities, advanced weaponry, and beyond. Israeli agreement would be crucial for these components. Historically, Israel has been wary, particularly regarding the nuclear aspect
(Jul 11, 2023)
In April, Saudi Arabia made a commitment to provide financial assistance and subsequently awaited the arrival of the aid package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) before depositing it into the State Bank of Pakistan.
This much-needed support will help bolster the central bank‘s dwindling foreign exchange reserves, which had declined to a level barely sufficient to cover a month‘s worth of regulated imports.
In the days ahead of the summit, the Ukrainians set out their intent. “Our goal in Saudi Arabia is to develop a unified vision of the formula and to work out the possibilities of holding the future Global Peace Summit,” they said, referring to Ukraine’s peace plan. (…=
t’s a work in progress, but he sees where he wants to go and part of that involves one of the Middle East’s thorniest issues: Saudi’s rapprochement with Israel.
On that, Saudi negotiations with the US are underway, and reportedly include domestic energy nuclear power plants, F-35 fighter aircraft and security guarantees for the desert kingdom.
(August 3, 2023)
Oil prices gained about 2% on Thursday as Saudi Arabia and Russia took steps to keep supplies tight into September and possibly beyond.
Iran did not provide a reason for launching the drill, though such snap exercises have happened in the past.
Thousands of Marines backed by advanced U.S. fighter jets and warships are slowly building up a presence in the Persian Gulf. It’s a sign that while America’s wars in the region may be finished, its conflict with Iran over its advancing nuclear program continues to worsen, with no solutions in sight.
The dispatch of the troop-and-aircraft-carrying USS Bataan to the Gulf, alongside stealth F-35 fighters and other warplanes, comes as America wants to focus on China and Russia.
Washington has sent ships, planes and marines to boost security around Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran has resumed harassing and seizing ships trying to pass through vital waterway
The deal between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia wasn‘t opposed by Netanyahu, but all countries aiming for a military nuclear program did so under the guise of a civilian program. Just look at Iran
New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, in a piece published on Thursday, said Biden was considering whether to pursue a U.S.-Saudi mutual security pact that would involve Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, one of Biden’s most trusted aides, was in Jeddah this week with Middle East envoy Brett McGurk discussing the possibility of a normalization deal, White House officials said.