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01.05.2026 - 22:52 [ Time Magazine ]

Exclusive: Democrats Explore Suing Trump If He Ignores Congress on Iran War

(April 28, 2026)

The emerging discussions mark the clearest sign yet that Democrats, repeatedly blocked in their attempts to restrain the war through floor votes, are searching for new ways to force a constitutional reckoning over who decides when America goes to war.

(…)

While it’s unclear how Republicans will ultimately vote, Schiff urged caution about relying on the courts. “The Supreme Court has been very selective about offering Congress standing to any litigation,” he says. “It‘s not a strategy I would want to rely on…

17.04.2026 - 18:03 [ Common Dreams ]

In Dead of Night, Johnson Tries—But Fails—to Ram Through Domestic Spying Bill for Trump

In the 228-197 final vote, a total of four Democrats—Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, and Thomas R. Suozzi of New York—joined with all but 25 Republicans who voted to pass a 10-day extension. Twenty GOP members voted against it, while five did not vote.

Ahead of the votes—including on separate versions asking for a 5-year and then 18-month extensions of Section 702—opponents of any clean extension, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), said anyone opposed to warrantless spying on Americans must vote no.

17.04.2026 - 17:43 [ Bangor Daily News ]

Jared Golden: I won’t seek reelection. Here’s why.

(November 5, 2026)

With that in mind, my calculus is straightforward: I know that if I were to continue my campaign, I would prevail. My record of winning the most challenging district held by any Democrat — of outperforming the top and bottom of the ticket four times — speaks for itself. Regardless of what angry partisan commentators may say, I retain the trust of the coalition of Democrats, independents and Republicans that has repeatedly defied the trends of political polarization by electing me.

I don’t fear losing. What has become apparent to me is that I now dread the prospect of winning. Simply put, what I could accomplish in this increasingly unproductive Congress pales in comparison to what I could do in that time as a husband, a father and a son.

17.04.2026 - 17:37 [ MainePublic.org ]

Rep. Golden casts pivotal vote against resolution limiting Trump‘s war powers in Iran

In a statement, the Marine Corps veteran said the U.S. and Iran are currently negotiating „over critical questions of national security and international order“ during a tenuous ceasefire.

„I believe we must maintain a strong negotiation position over Iran’s nuclear program, freedom of movement in the international waters at the Strait of Hormuz, and how to achieve a durable peace between our two nations,“ said Golden, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee. „At this moment, a resolution like this would weaken our hand.“

17.04.2026 - 17:32 [ Antiwar.com ]

House Narrowly Defeats Iran War Powers Resolution as Thousands More US Troops Head to Middle East

The bill failed in a vote of 213-214, with just one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (ME), joining Republicans to kill the legislation. Only one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), voted in favor, while Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), who supported a previous War Powers Resolution, voted “present.” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who previously suggested she might support the bill, didn’t vote.

29.01.2026 - 19:13 [ New York Times ]

Trump and Schumer Move Toward Possible Deal to Avert a Shutdown

The Senate would pass those bills before a Friday midnight deadline, and Congress also would consider a short-term extension for homeland security operations, which would prevent an interruption of services by the Transportation Security Agency, Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

That stopgap bill would provide time for talks between lawmakers and the White House to draft a new homeland security spending bill that would include new restrictions that Democrats have demanded on the tactics of immigration enforcement officers and more accountability for those accused of using excessive force.

29.01.2026 - 19:12 [ CNN ]

Trump administration considers new guidelines for immigration officials in Minnesota

The Trump administration circulated a draft memo this week regarding potential new guidelines for federal immigration officers on the ground in Minnesota, including plans to avoid engaging with “agitators” and only targeting immigrants facing criminal charges or convictions, officials familiar with the talks told CNN.

The draft memo comes as the White House and Department of Homeland Security have had multiple behind-the-scenes discussions this week about how to best conduct immigration operations in the state moving forward.

08.01.2026 - 17:10 [ Organisation Amerikanischer Staaten / Organization of American States (OAS) ]

Speech by OAS Secretary General, Albert R. Ramdin, during the Special Meeting of the Permanent Council to consider recent events in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

I would like to emphasize that the Americas have historically aspired to remain a zone of peace and that safeguarding this condition continues to be in the collective interest of all member states. Now, with respect to Venezuela, our commitment is clear. Morally, we owe the Venezuelan people our solidarity. Strategically, a stable, democratic, and prosperous Venezuela is in the interest of every single member state around this table.

At a minimum, we share responsibility for finding solutions that deliver concrete improvements to people‘s lives, respecting the inalienable right of the Venezuelan people to determine their own government and their own leadership in a representative democracy.

(…)

We can support a democratic transition in depth, strengthen institutions, supporting institutional reforms, assisting election readiness, building capacities, observing electoral process and so much more.

03.10.2025 - 18:44 [ Dawn.com ]

Dar asserts Trump’s Gaza peace plan ‘not ours’ but says no room for politicking

However, despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s initial welcoming of the plan, Dar had later made it clear in so many words that the plan for Gaza would not be acceptable if the am­e­ndments — jointly pro­posed by eight Muslim co­u­n­tries — were not included.

(…)

He said that during Monday’s meeting between Trump and Netanyahu, a 20-point plan was announced. He said that he then spoke to the Saudi foreign minister, who said that the urgent points put forth by the eight countries were accepted but some things still required further engagement.

Quoting the Saudi minister, he said that at that point there were two choices: to continue and perhaps Israel will continue its bloodshed, or we let Trump’s plan be implemented and issue a joint statement.

03.10.2025 - 13:04 [ Reuters ]

Trump‘s 20-point Gaza plan ‚not ours‘, says Pakistan‘s foreign minister

Changes were made in the plan, Dar told Pakistani lawmakers in parliament.

„I have made it clear that these 20 points which Trump has made public are not ours. These are not the same as ours. I say that some changes have been made in it, in the draft we had,“ he said.

29.09.2025 - 23:11 [ theHill.com ]

Trump would head Gaza ‘board of peace’ in new postwar plan

As chair of the “transitional” body, Trump would oversee the framework and funding for redevelopment of the Gaza Strip until a time when the Palestinian Authority, the governing body in the West Bank, has met conditions to assume governance in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military would slowly scale back its presence.

“This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conducive to attracting investment,” according to the plan.

29.09.2025 - 23:04 [ theGuardian.com ]

Postwar Gaza authority potentially led by Tony Blair ‘would sideline Palestinians’

The draft for the so-called Gaza International Transitional Authority (Gita) puts substantial flesh on reporting of the ideas that Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are reported to have been circulating, including that Blair “wants” the role of running Gaza.

Palestinian critics who have seen the proposal – and who have long viewed Blair with suspicion – warned that Gita would be a “disaster” for Palestine, creating an alternative jurisdiction in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

15.09.2025 - 20:52 [ Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) ]

Final Communiqué Adopted by the Arab-Islamic Emergency Summit on the Israeli Aggression against the State of Qatar Doha, 15 September 2025 State of Qatar

We, the Leaders of States and Governments of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, meeting today, Monday, 22 Rabiʿ al-Awwal 1447 AH corresponding to 15 September 2025, in the Qatari capital, Doha, at the gracious invitation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, and under his chairmanship, to discuss the Israeli aggression against the State of Qatar and to express our unified stance in condemning it and our full solidarity with the sisterly State of Qatar,

Expressing our profound gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, for the generous hosting, and to the sisterly State of Qatar for the excellent organization,

Guided by the principles of the Charters of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and recalling the basic principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State,

Recalling all relevant resolutions adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States over past decades, which reject aggression against Member States and affirm Arab and Islamic solidarity and the security of Arab and Islamic States in the face of external threats, including those relating to the Palestinian Cause,

Reaffirming our unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and security of all Member States of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and recalling our collective duty to respond to this aggression in defense of our common security, we reiterate our categorical rejection of any infringement upon the security of any of our States, firmly condemning any aggression targeting them, and reaffirming our absolute and steadfast solidarity in confronting all that threatens their security and stability,

Noting the emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council held on 11 September 2025, which witnessed consensus in condemning the Israeli attack as a breach of international peace and security, and welcoming the press statement issued by the Council, which condemned the attack, expressed solidarity with the State of Qatar, and supported the vital role that Qatar continues to play in mediation efforts in the region, alongside Egypt and the United States, reaffirming respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar, in line with the principles of the UN Charter,

Stressing that the absence of international accountability, and the silence of the international community in the face of repeated Israeli violations, have emboldened Israel to persist in its aggressions and to further entrench its flagrant violations of international law and international legitimacy, thereby perpetuating a policy of impunity, weakening the international justice system, and threatening to dismantle the rules-based global order, posing a direct threat to regional and international peace and security,

Reaffirming our absolute support for the sisterly State of Qatar, its security, stability, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens, we declare our united stand with Qatar in confronting this aggression, which we consider a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, a blatant breach of international law, and a grave threat to regional and international peace and security,

We hereby decide to:

1. Reaffirm that the brutal Israeli blatant aggression against the sisterly State of Qatar, and Israel’s continued aggressive practices, including crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, starvation and siege, as well as settlement activities and expansionist policies, undermine prospects for peace and peaceful coexistence in the region.

2. Condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the cowardly and unlawful attack carried out by Israel on 9 September 2025 against a residential neighborhood in the Qatari capital, Doha, which included housing facilities designated by the State for hosting negotiating delegations in the framework of Qatar’s multiple mediation efforts, in addition to a number of schools, nurseries, and diplomatic missions, resulting in martyrs, including a Qatari citizen, and injuries among civilians. This attack constitutes a flagrant act of aggression against an Arab and Islamic State, a Member of the United Nations, represents a grave escalation exposing the aggressiveness of the extremist Israeli Government, and adds to its criminal record that threatens regional and international peace and security.

3. Reaffirm absolute solidarity with the State of Qatar against this aggression, which constitutes aggression against all Arab and Islamic States, and to stand firmly with Qatar in all measures it may take in response to this treacherous Israeli aggression to safeguard its security, sovereignty, stability, and the safety of its citizens and residents, in accordance with the UN Charter.

4. Reaffirm that this aggression on Qatari territory, a State serving as a principal mediator in efforts to secure a ceasefire and end the war on Gaza, and to release hostages and prisoners, constitutes a grave escalation and an assault on diplomatic efforts to restore peace. Such an attack on a neutral venue for mediation not only violates Qatar’s sovereignty, but also undermines international mediation and peace-making processes. Israel bears full responsibility for this assault.

5. Commend the civilized, wise, and responsible stance adopted by the State of Qatar in addressing this treacherous assault, its firm adherence to international law, and its insistence on upholding its sovereignty and security and defending its rights by all legitimate means.

6. Support the efforts of States engaged in mediation, in particular the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States of America, to end the aggression on the Gaza Strip, and, in this context, to reaffirm the constructive role played by Qatar and its valued mediation efforts with their positive impacts in support of endeavors to establish security, stability, and peace; to commend Qatar’s multiple initiatives at both the regional and international levels, especially in the fields of humanitarian assistance and support for education in developing and poor countries, which enhance its standing as an active and supportive partner for peace and development regionally and internationally.

7. Reaffirm the categorical rejection of any attempts to justify this aggression under any pretext whatsoever, and to stress that it constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, directly targeting ongoing mediation efforts to halt the aggression on the Gaza Strip and undermining serious efforts to reach a just and comprehensive political solution that ends the occupation and ensures the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

8. Categorically reject repeated Israeli threats of possible renewed targeting of the State of Qatar, or of any Arab or Islamic State, considering such threats provocative and a grave escalation that threatens international peace and security, and to urge the international community to condemn them in the strongest possible terms and take deterrent measures to halt them.

9. Welcome the adoption by the Council of the League of Arab States at ministerial level of the resolution entitled “Shared Vision for Security and Cooperation in the Region,” and, in this context, to reaffirm the concept of collective security and shared destiny of Arab and Islamic States, the necessity of unity in facing common challenges and threats, and the importance of beginning to put in place the required implementation mechanisms. We stress that any future regional arrangements must enshrine the principles of international law and the UN Charter, good-neighborly relations, respect for sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of States, equality of rights and duties without preference of one State over another, settlement of disputes by peaceful means, and renunciation of the use of force, while underscoring the necessity of ending the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories, establishing the State of Palestine along the lines of 4 June 1967, and ridding the Middle East of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.

10. reaffirm the necessity of confronting Israel’s schemes to impose a new fait accompli in the region, which pose a direct threat to regional and international stability and security, and the necessity of resisting them.

11. Reaffirm the condemnation of any Israeli attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people, under any pretext or designation, from their occupied territories of 1967, and to consider such acts crimes against humanity, flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and a policy of ethnic cleansing wholly rejected. In this context, to stress the necessity of implementing the Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan, both politically and technically, and to launch the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip as quickly as possible, calling on international donors to provide the necessary support and urging their active participation in the forthcoming Gaza Reconstruction Conference to be hosted in Cairo once a ceasefire is secured.

12. Condemn Israeli policies that have caused an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, whereby siege, starvation, and deprivation of civilians of food and medicine are used as weapons of war against the Palestinian people, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions; stress that these practices constitute a full-fledged war crime requiring urgent international action to put an end to them and to ensure the immediate, safe, and unimpeded entry of humanitarian assistance into all parts of the occupied Palestinian territory.

13. Warn of the catastrophic consequences of any decision by Israel, the occupying power, to annex any part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and rejecting such a move as a blatant assault on the historical and legal rights of the Palestinian people, a violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the principles of international law, and relevant United Nations resolutions, and as a nullification of all efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

14. Reaffirm the necessity of urgent action by the international community to halt Israel’s repeated aggressions in the region and to stop its ongoing violations of the sovereignty, security, and stability of States, within the framework of respecting international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions, and to warn of the grave consequences of continued international inaction in curbing Israeli aggressiveness, including its aggression against the sisterly State of Qatar, its ongoing and escalating brutal assault on the occupied Gaza Strip, its illegal settlement practices in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and its continued aggressions against States in the region, including the Lebanese Republic and the Syrian Arab Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran all constituting flagrant breaches of international law and blatant violations of State sovereignty.

15. Call upon all States to take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people, including by supporting efforts to end its impunity, holding it accountable for its violations and crimes, imposing sanctions on it, suspending the supply, transfer, or transit of weapons, ammunition, and military materials — including dual-use items — reviewing diplomatic and economic relations with it, and initiating legal proceedings against it.

16. Call upon the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to examine the extent to which Israel’s membership in the United Nations is consistent with the Charter, in view of its clear violations of the conditions of membership and its persistent disregard for United Nations resolutions, and to coordinate efforts aimed at suspending Israel’s membership in the United Nations.

17. Reaffirm the importance of commitment to international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions as the fundamental reference for achieving international peace and security, and to reject Israeli rhetoric that exploits and promotes Islamophobia in order to justify the continuation of its violations and its pursuit of policies outside international law, including ongoing extermination and settlement projects in the West Bank, as well as attempts to distort the image of Arab and Islamic States.

18. Welcome the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the “New York Declaration” on the implementation of the two-State solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, as a clear expression of international will supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to establish their independent State along the lines of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital; and to commend the efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, which contributed to the adoption of this declaration.

19. Welcome the convening of the Two-State Solution Conference, co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, to be held on 22 September 2025 in New York, and calls for the concerted efforts of the international community to ensure broad recognition of the independent State of Palestine with East Al-Quds as its capital.

20. Commend the pivotal role played by the representatives of Arab and Islamic States that are members of the Security Council, foremost among them Algeria, Somalia, and Pakistan, in defending the Palestinian cause, in putting an end to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, securing a ceasefire, and achieving full membership of Palestine in the United Nations. It further values their effective contribution in calling for and ensuring the convening of the emergency session of the Security Council dedicated to addressing the Israeli aggression against the State of Qatar.

21. Reaffirm support for the historic Hashemite custodianship exercised by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as reaffirmed in the agreement signed between His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, on 31 March 2013; and further affirming that Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif, in its entirety of 144,000 square meters, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, is the sole legitimate authority vested with exclusive competence to administer Al-Aqsa Mosque, maintain it, and regulate entry thereto.

22. Reaffirm the necessity of enabling Palestinians in Jerusalem to remain steadfast on their land, and of supporting the Al-Quds Committee chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco and its executive arm, Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency.

23. Reaffirm that a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace inthe Middle East will not be achieved by bypassing the Palestinian Cause, ignoring the rights of the Palestinian people, or through violence and targeting mediators, but rather through adherence to the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international legitimacy resolutions. In this regard, we call upon the international community, in particular the Security Council, to assume its legal and moral responsibilities in ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a binding timetable for that purpose.

24. Mandate the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation that are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, consistent with their obligations under international law and, where applicable, to take all feasible measures within their domestic legal frameworks to support the enforcement of the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court on 21 November 2024 against the perpetrators of crimes against the Palestinian people; and further calls upon OIC Member States to exert diplomatic, political, and legal efforts to ensure Israel’s compliance, as the occupying power, with its binding obligations under the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice on 26 January 2024 in the case concerning the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip.

25. Express our deep appreciation to the State of Qatar, its Amir, Government, and people, and in particular His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for their tireless efforts in hosting and organizing the meetings of this Summit with wisdom and strategic vision, and for the facilities and resources provided to ensure its success. We highly value Qatar’s active role in fostering a spirit of consultation and consensus among Member States, and its tangible contributions to supporting the course of joint action, reflecting its constant commitment to strengthening solidarity and unity.

10.01.2025 - 10:25 [ Antiwar.com ]

US, Israel Cheer as Lebanon Elects Joseph Aoun as President

Aoun’s election happened only after former Interior Minister Suleiman Frangieh, the main alternative candidate, withdrew and endorsed Aoun.

Electing a president requires a two-thirds majority of parliament, which was met after Frangieh’s endorsement gave Aoun the support of Hezbollah and Amal Movements. Many media reports see Aoun’s election as a sign of Hezbollah’s weakness, despite most Hezbollah MPs supporting him.

10.01.2025 - 10:20 [ Middle East Eye ]

Who is Joseph Aoun, Lebanon‘s army chief turned president?

Securing 99 of the Lebanese parliament’s 128 votes, Aoun garnered widespread support across Lebanon’s political spectrum, despite initial reservations from Hezbollah and its allies.

While political statements from Aoun are rare, he recently emerged as the US and Saudi Arabia’s favoured candidate for the Lebanese presidency.

The local and international push gathered momentum following Israel’s two-month offensive in Lebanon last year, which killed over 4,000 people and displaced over a million.

21.12.2024 - 07:14 [ TKP.at ]

Gaza-Deal zwischen Saudis und Netanjahu?

„Als Gegenleistung für ihre Unterstützung und ihr Geld, so sagte mir der Israeli, würden die Vereinigten Staaten der saudischen Führung ein erweitertes Verteidigungsabkommen anbieten, das Saudi-Arabien in ihren nuklearen Schutzschirm einbeziehen würde – für den Fall, dass der Iran, Israels letzter verbliebener Feind, in den Besitz einer Atombombe gelangen sollte. “
(…)
„Der Israeli sagte mir, dass das saudische Paket einen zusätzlichen Anreiz enthält: Die Saudis würden wegschauen, wenn die Israelis Bombenangriffe durchführen, einschließlich der Bombardierung militärischer Ziele im zerrissenen Syrien, und würden Israel Zugang zu einem Flugplatz innerhalb der saudischen Grenzen gewähren. Auf diese Weise könnten israelische Bomben, die zumeist von den Vereinigten Staaten geliefert werden, innerhalb von Minuten, nicht Stunden, auf wichtige iranische Ziele abgefeuert werden.“

21.12.2024 - 00:37 [ Seymour Hersh ]

THE NEW CEASEFIRE EQUATION: Saudi Arabia’s entry into talks between Israel and Hamas may change Gaza’s future

In return for its support and money, the Israeli told me, the Saudi leadership would be offered an expanded defense treaty by the United States that would include Saudi Arabia in its nuclear umbrella—its zone of protection—in case Iran, Israel’s last standing enemy, were to acquire a nuclear bomb.
(…)
There is an added inducement in the Saudi package, the Israeli told me: the Saudis would look the other way as the Israelis conduct bombing raids, including bombing of military targets inside fractured Syria, and would give Israel access to an airfield within Saudi borders. This would bring Israeli bombs, most supplied by the United States, within minutes, and not hours, of key Iranian targets.

21.12.2024 - 00:12 [ Middle East Eye ]

Israel, Saudi Arabia closer to normalisation deal: Report

(December 18, 2024)

Israel and Saudi Arabia have reached a breakthrough in talks around normalising relations, Haaretz reported on Tuesday, adding that the normalisation could be related to an elusive ceasefire deal that would bring about an end to Israel‘s war on Gaza.

Sources familiar with the negotiations told Haaretz that rather than Israel agreeing to Saudi Arabia‘s demand for the recognition of a Palestinian state, the two sides agreed that Israel would give a vague commitment on a „path towards Palestinian statehood“.

17.12.2024 - 22:16 [ Middle East Eye ]

Germany joins US, UK in making diplomatic contact with Syria‘s HTS

Germany plans talks with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said, joining the United States and Britain in establishing contact with the group after it led the overthrow of Syria‘s Bashar al-Assad.

16.12.2024 - 20:50 [ New York Times ]

German Government Collapses at a Perilous Time for Europe

The collapse of the government, just nine months before parliamentary elections had been scheduled, was an extraordinary moment for Germany. The elections, now expected on Feb. 23, will be only the fourth snap election in the 75 years since the modern state was founded, reflecting a new era of more fractious and unstable politics in a country long known for durable coalitions built on plodding consensus.

10.04.2024 - 17:06 [ Jerusalem Post ]

Gantz: ‚We will enter Rafah and go back to Khan Yunis‘

National Unity chairman Benny Gantz said during a press conference in Sderot on Wednesday that Hamas was militarily defeated following the IDF‘s operation in Gaza.

„From a military point of view – Hamas is defeated. Its fighters are eliminated or in hiding. Its abilities are cut off, and we will continue to strike what remains.

10.04.2024 - 17:00 [ Times of Israel ]

Gantz: Hamas has been defeated militarily but we’ll fight against remnants for years to come

However, “from a military point of view – Hamas is defeated. Its fighters are eliminated or in hiding” and its capabilities “crippled,” he continues, stating that “victory will come step by step” and that Israel “will not stop. We will enter Rafah. We will return to Khan Younis. And we will operate in Gaza. Wherever there are terrorist targets – the IDF will be there.”

10.04.2024 - 16:30 [ New York Times ]

Netanyahu Must Go

(09.04.2024)

Israel must destroy Hamas as a military and political force in the territory while minimizing harm to civilians. It must do what it can to rescue its hostages without jeopardizing the overriding goal of destroying Hamas. It must, by diplomacy or force, push Hezbollah back from Lebanon’s southern border, so that 60,000 Israelis can return safely to their homes in the north. It must take the battle directly, as it did last week in Damascus, to Hamas’s and Hezbollah’s patrons, whether in Syria, Qatar or Iran.

And for all of that to happen effectively, Benjamin Netanyahu must go.

19.03.2024 - 20:26 [ White House ]

Readout of President Biden’s Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

The President affirmed the need to defeat Hamas in Gaza while also protecting the civilian population and facilitating the safe and unhindered delivery of assistance throughout Gaza. The President and Prime Minster agreed to have their teams meet soon in Washington to exchange views and discuss alternative approaches that would target key elements of Hamas and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground operation in Rafah.

19.03.2024 - 20:05 [ Axios ]

Scoop: Biden privately told Bibi he‘s not trying to push him out

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a briefing with reporters on Monday that Netanyahu „did raise his concerns about a variety of things that have come out in the American press.“

Sullivan added that from Biden‘s perspective „this is not a question of politics. It‘s not a question of public statements. It‘s a question of policy and strategy.“

One source said the fact that Netanyahu aired his grievances with Biden helped to somewhat clear the atmosphere.

16.03.2024 - 20:46 [ Washington Post ]

Schumer said out loud what many of Israel’s friends are thinking

“I spent two months thinking about this and wrestling with it,” Schumer told me in an interview Friday. Far from being an attack on Israel, Schumer said, it was an attempt to shore up support for the Jewish state, particularly among young Americans who have known Israel only under Netanyahu’s leadership.

16.03.2024 - 20:33 [ New York Times ]

Biden Embraces Schumer’s Speech Castigating Netanyahu

(15.03.2024)

But sometimes in Washington, the most telling indicator is not a public statement but the absence of one. Mr. Biden could have asked Mr. Schumer to hold back, so that he did not endanger the president’s future ability to deal with Mr. Netanyahu, with whom he now barely speaks. He could have said the United States should not express an opinion on the inner workings of Israel’s democratic processes. He did none of that.

Lawmakers and aides who have spoken with Mr. Biden in recent weeks say his anger at Mr. Netanyahu is now eating away at his reluctance to go public with his critiques.