Jeddah

2024-05-07

WASHINGTON (JTA) - , the two-time presidential candidate and leading progressive senator, has announced he will run for a fourth term. Sanders, 82, an independent from Vermont, made history in 2016 as the first Jewish candidate to win a major party’s presidential primary, and ran again in 2020. In both primaries, he finished in second to the Democratic nominee. He is considered the de-facto leader of progressives in the Senate. In an eight-minute campaign launch speech posted online Monday, Sanders called to suspend US military aid to Israel during the war. He has been among the most prominent critics of Israel’s conduct in its in Gaza, although he has also drawn criticism from some on the left for not condemning Israel more harshly. “On October 7th, 2023, Hamas – a terrorist organization – began the war in Gaza with a horrific attack on Israel that killed 1,200 men, women, and children and took more than 230 hostages, some of whom remain in captivity today,” Sanders said in the video. “Israel had the absolute right to defend itself against this terrorist attack, but it did not and does not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people, which is exactly what it is doing.” Sanders, who spent months in his youth on an Israeli kibbutz, has framed his criticism of Israel around the country’s prime minister, . US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to U.S. military personnel as he departs Jeddah for Cairo, Egypt, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia March 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL) “According to humanitarian organizations, famine and starvation are now imminent,” Sanders said. “In my view, US tax dollars should not be going to the extremist Netanyahu government to continue its devastating war against the Palestinian people.” Also on Monday, in a separate post, Sanders expressed alarm at Israeli plans to invade Rafah, the last major redoubt of Hamas in Gaza, where more than a million Palestinians have sought refuge. “For months, the US has warned against an attack,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Netanyahu ignored the warnings. Now an assault is imminent. It will kill countless civilians. President Biden must back his words with action. End all offensive military aid to Israel.” Sanders’ announcement video is otherwise focused on the services he says he has provided his state, including expanded health care and flood relief, although he touches on national issues including reproductive rights. He concluded the video by saying, like other Democrats, that this year’s election is a test for democracy, an allusion to the prospects that former President Donald Trump could return to office. He also said more needs to be done on causes that he has championed, including wealth inequality and campaign finance. “Will the United States continue to even function as a democracy, or will we move to an authoritarian form of government?” Sanders says. “Will we reverse the unprecedented level of income and wealth inequality that now exists, or will we continue to see billionaires get richer while working families struggle to put food on the table? Can we create a government that works for all of us, or will our political system continue to be dominated by wealthy campaign contributors?” Sanders did not mention his age in the video. The other Vermont senator, Democrat Peter Welch, has also taken a lead in criticism of Israel’s war conduct, as has the state’s sole member of the US House of Representatives, Rep. Becca Balint, a Jewish Democrat. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-30

said they targeted the MSC Orion container ship in a drone attack in the Indian Ocean as part of their ongoing campaign against against Israel. Portugal-flagged MSC Orion was sailing between the ports in Sines, Portugal and Salalah, Oman and its registered owner is Zodiac Maritime, according to LSEG data. Zodiac is partly owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran-aligned have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and Gulf of Aden since November, forcing shippers to re-route cargo to longer and more expensive journeys around Southern Africa and stoking fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread and destabilise the Middle East. Protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, carry a Palestinian flag during a rally to show solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in Sanaa, Yemen March 8, 2024. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS) In March, the group's leader said the group was expanding its attack area to prevent Israel-linked ships from passing through the Indian Ocean toward the Cape of Good Hope. The Iran-affiliated group also targeted the Cyclades commercial vessel as well as two U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea, its spokesman said in a televised address early on Tuesday. British maritime security firm Ambrey reported earlier that a Malta-flagged container ship on Monday said it was targeted by three missiles while en route from Djibouti to the Saudi city of Jeddah. The Houthis said the Cyclades was on that route when they attacked the vessel. Ambrey assessed that the ship was targeted due to its listed operator's ongoing trade with Israel, it said in an advisory note. The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in retaliation for their attacks on vessels.   ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-29

A Malta-flagged container ship was reportedly while on route from Djibouti to the Saudi city of Jeddah, British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Monday. The (UKMTO) agency said it was informed by the Company Security Officer of an explosion in close proximity to a merchant vessel. UKMTO added that the vessel and its crew were safe and authorities are . Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the Red Sea region since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza. Ambrey assessed that the vessel was targeted due to its listed operator’s ongoing trade with Israel, it said in an advisory note. Armed Houthi followers ride on the back of a pick-up truck during a parade in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and to show support to Houthi strikes on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in Sanaa, Yemen January 29, 2024. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS) Ambrey and UKMTO received a report of the incident 54 nautical miles northwest of Yemen's Mokha. Houthi attacks in the Red Sea region have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to take longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa. The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-20

US Secretary of State is expected to announce sanctions against the IDF’s Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the next few days, according to three American sources.   The sanctions are a result of against Palestinians in the West Bank.  This will be the first time that the United States government has imposed sanctions on an for its activities in the West Bank. The sources stated that the American sanctions will prohibit the transfer of US military aid to the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, will prevent its soldiers and officers from taking part in training with the United States military, and will prevent the soldiers from this unit from participating in activities that receive American funding. The sanctions are based on a 1997 law by former Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy, which prohibits the United States from providing military aid or training to security forces, the military, or the police when there is reliable information about human rights abuses. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to a senior staff on a C-17 Globemaster as he departs Jeddah for Cairo, Egypt, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia March 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL) A senior US administration official told Walla! that Blinken's decision is based on incidents that occurred before October 7 and occurred only in the West Bank. One of the sources stated that Blinken decided not to impose sanctions on several additional units in the IDF and the Israel Police that were also under investigation because they had corrected their conduct. On Thursday, the American investigative website ProPublica reported that a special committee of the American State Department, which investigated allegations of human rights violations in the West Bank, forwarded recommendations a few months ago to Blinken to impose sanctions on several units of the IDF and the Israel Police and to prevent them from receiving American funding. At a press conference in Italy on Friday, Blinken was asked about these recommendations, and claimed that he had made a decision on the matter and that an announcement about it would be made in the coming days. The Netzah Yehuda Battalion was originally established as a special military unit for haredim (ultra-orthodox), in which all of the soldiers and officers were men. Over the years, in light of the low number of haredim who enlisted in the IDF, the unit also began to include extremist youth who held far-right positions and were not included in other combat units in the IDF. Journalist Amos Harel reported in Haaretz in September 2022 that the US State Department began an investigation into the Netzah Yehuda Battalion following several incidents in which soldiers from the battalion were involved in violence against Palestinian civilians. One of these incidents included Omar Asad, an 80-year-old Palestinian-American, who died in January 2022. Asad was arrested in his village near Ramallah at a sudden checkpoint set up by soldiers from Netzah Yehuda. After resisting the search, he was handcuffed, his mouth was gagged, and the soldiers left him on the ground in the middle of the night. A few hours later, he was found dead. After an investigation into the incident, the IDF stated that there was "a moral failure of the forces and an error in judgment, while seriously harming the value of human dignity." Following the incident, the commander of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion was reprimanded, and the company commander and the platoon commander of the soldiers were immediately dismissed. The criminal investigation opened against the soldiers was closed without prosecution. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-14

Iran informed Turkey in advance of its , a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters on Sunday, adding that Washington had conveyed to Tehran via Ankara that any action it took had to be "within certain limits." Turkey, which has denounced Israel for its campaign on Gaza, said earlier on Sunday that it did not want a further escalation of tensions in the region. The Turkish source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had spoken to both his US and Iranian counterparts in the past week to discuss the planned Iranian operation, adding Ankara had been made aware of possible developments. Earlier this week, spoke to Fidan to make clear that escalation in the Middle East was not in anyone's interest. "Iran informed us in advance of what would happen. Possible developments also came up during the meeting with Blinken, and they (the US) conveyed to Iran through us that this reaction must be within certain limits," the source said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to a senior staff on a C-17 Globemaster as he departs Jeddah for Cairo, Egypt, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia March 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL) "In response, Iran said the reaction would be a response to Israel's attack on its embassy in Damascus and that it would not go beyond this." Iran, which neighbours Turkey, had vowed retaliation for what it called an that killed seven officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Turkey's foreign ministry later confirmed the contacts in a statement, saying Ankara had called for restraint and warned of a regional war if tensions escalated further. It said Ankara would continue efforts to prevent further conflict and escalation in the region. A Turkish security source said CIA chief William Burns had spoken to Ibrahim Kalin, head of Turkey's MIT intelligence agency, over the Eid al-Fitr holidays and asked him to act as a "mediator" in the Israel-Iran tensions. The two discussed ceasefire efforts in Gaza as well, the source said, without elaborating. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-07

Many were perplexed by the seemingly yo-yo-like geopolitical moves of the United States the other week regarding Israel’s war against Hamas-ISIS. At the start of the week, loudly echoing the conduct of the Obama administration, the United States abstained instead of vetoing a Russian-Chinese backed anti-Israel . The abstention coming on the back of continuous and persistent US criticisms of how Israel is conducting the war. The UN resolution called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza without any prerequisite for the release of Israeli hostages still held by the genocidal jihadist group. Hostages - men, women, and children - who have been abused, tortured, and raped for months now. Others have already been executed. Then, at the end of the same week,reported that unnamed US officials had informed them of newly approved US arms transfers to Israel. These include heavy ordnance and the latest tranche of F-35 fighter jets. All items were approved for sale to Israel years ago, according to the report, and now given final procedural authorization for transfer. It was a move that came across as detached from the earlier UN vote and the US discontent with Israeli actions that the vote was meant to convey. Which begs the question, why even leak such mundane procedural steps in the first place. Especially when almost simultaneously the US military’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff put out a statement that could be interpreted as another attempt at publicizing the US’s discontent with Israel. It indicated that the US has not been able to provide Israel with all the weapons types that it has requested. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. was quoted as saying, “Because they’ve asked for stuff that [we]... either don’t have the capacity [for] or not willing to provide, not right now, in particular.”US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to U.S. military personnel as he departs Jeddah for Cairo, Egypt, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia March 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL) The “not right now” and “capacity” could be understood as a reference to acute shortages in the United States’ own weapons stocks. Stocks drained by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, as well as slowdowns in procurement and atrophied production with the winding down of those conflicts. More recently, the arming of Ukraine in its war with Russia has made the issue more acute. The “not willing to provide” portion of the statement, most likely refers to certain weapons Israel adds to its requests, with the knowledge that the US is not willing to export/share those items. The purpose being that those items serve as a “high bar” to be negotiated down, which eases the approval of sale of other weapons. So again, why the conflicting moves and statements by the US? Moves that do not fit the popular narrative - and one that history does not bear out - that Israel is contained in some way by the US’s ability unilaterally, and on a whim, to halt the sale and supply of certain armaments. The reason for the confusing actions and statements is geopolitical theater in the service of dueling interests. This is a central element in the management of the symbiotic yet not fully in-sync relationship between Israel and the United States. That very symbiosis serves to limit the US’s levers of pressure on Israel and vice versa. The difference being with Israel’s leverage on the United States, or in many instances lack thereof, is that it is superseded by Israel’s own fundamental national security and existential needs. One of the innumerable examples of this being Israel’s decision to destroy after informing the US of its existence, and the US refusing to attack it. The United States’ UN Security Council abstentionis one of those many instances when the two countries’ interests clash head on. For the Biden administration, numerous factors led to the decision, among them the administration’s liberal-progressive worldview, domestic politics in an election year, and the desire to placate other US allies such as Qatar. So, in this case, as in many others, diplomatic posturing, occasional media manipulation, clashing official and unofficial statements, and “back of the house” horse trading, are the norm in the geopolitical theater that is part and parcel of US-Israel relations.  Part of the flip side of the relations equation is US arms sales and transfers to Israel. These are of mutual interest to both countries, sharply reflecting the symbiotic elements of the bilateral relationship. For one thing, the deployment and use of US-manufactured weapons by Israel is a major sales and marketing tool for US defense companies. Israel’s effective and varied use of the weapons provides them a world-renowned stamp of approval as well as highly efficient battlefield testing. That is worth billions of dollars to the US defense industry and Washington. The recent arms transfers also serve to create even more urgency in Washington for the ramping up of US weapons manufacturing and procurement to replenish the United States’ own continually drained stocks. Another factor for the United States is reduced competition on global markets from Israeli-manufactured weapons systems. Those systems and platforms would be produced more widely and for new purposes, creating a more challenging marketplace for US manufacturers, if Israel were not to buy the US-produced armaments. The Lavi fighter jet program being a well-known case in point back in the 1980s. The $3 billion that the US allocates annually to Israel for arms purchases that must be made from US companies is also an indirect subsidy to the US weapons industry. As for Israel, being able to remove $3b. worth of expenses from its annual defense budget is very convenient. Even though that is no longer a very large amount given Israel’s economic prowess in recent decades and its ranking among the most prosperous countries on earth. Under the current set of circumstances between the two countries, Israel also enjoys the benefit of being able to focus its industrial base and arms manufacturing on more tailor-made and high-technology platforms, while acquiring certain US equipment [which it upgrades and adapts with indigenous systems] that is mass produced for global markets. In the last few years, a newer defense cooperation model of Israel-US joint ventures in weapons and defense systems further complicates the potential for any unilateral moves by the US that could damage the overall relationship. In the case of the Iron Dome system, the US provided part of the funding for its development and for the production of parts of the system because it wanted access to its groundbreaking technology. It would also like to benefit from continuing to manufacture elements of the system in the US for third-party customers. There are of course numerous other facets of the Israel-US relationship, from intelligence cooperation to business and trade and proverbial Judeo-Christian values. The events of the last few weeks though have underscored the more realpolitik elements of the relationship and the limits of leverage. As the United States becomes more polarized sociopolitically, continues to rapidly change demographically, and, as with much of the Western world, is gripped by a more progressive post-modern outlook, relations with the State of Israel will become more strained.  Looking forward, the State of Israel will strengthen even further the freedom of action and unilateral approach and capabilities it has lived by since 1948. In the aftermath of October 7, the country has come to understand that it must fully prioritize the original Ben-Gurion model of maximum domestic capabilities and capacities. That is why almost immediately with the outbreak of the war, the Israeli government ordered a massive ramp-up of domestic weapons production and the establishment of new production capabilities. This after years of adopting the more convenient trends of outsourcing, global markets, and commercial efficiency, which saw the reduction or closure of certain domestic Israeli production. Today, more than at any time since its reestablishment in 1948, the State of Israel has the resources and capabilities to domestically produce most, if not all, of its essential defense needs. Heavier platforms such as aircraft and certain types of ships, that could potentially be produced in Israel, will most likely continue to be purchased from foreign manufacturers in the near term. Increasingly, however, this will be done in the framework of joint partnerships with multiple countries and with reciprocal purchases being a central condition. This will strengthen and develop partnerships for the future, helping to offset any reduction in the relationship with the US or other allies whose interests grow further apart from Israel’s. The writer is an Israeli hi-tech entrepreneur and a member of the Israel Leadership Forum. He is involved with various Israel advocacy causes including working with Christian Zionist and pro-Israel Noahide groups. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-04

Voting began on Thursday in 's first election since Sheik Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah assumed power late last year, determined to push through economic reforms after a protracted deadlock between appointed governments and elected parliaments. The new Emir strongly criticized the National Assembly and the government in his first speech before parliament after taking office in December, saying they were "harming the interests of the country and its people." His reform-minded approach with scant tolerance for political bickering seemingly aims to propel the small Gulf Arab state to catch up with neighbors in weaning its economy off oil. Years-old feuding between appointed governments and the elected parliament has impeded fiscal reform, including passing a debt law that would allow Kuwait to tap international markets and mitigate its heavy dependence on oil revenues. The polls opened at noon for the fourth election since December 2020 SAUDI CROWN PRINCE Mohammed bin Salman receives Kuwait’s then-crown prince Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, in Jeddah, in 2022. (credit: BANDAR ALGALOUD/COURTESY OF SAUDI ROYAL COURT/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS) and will close at midnight local time. Kuwait bans political parties, and candidates run as independents. Sheik Meshal, 83, succeeded his late brother, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad, in December and dissolved parliament on Feb. 15, less than two months into his tenure. His decree cited the assembly's "violation of the constitutional principles" as a reason for dissolution. Kuwait's assembly packs more influence than similar bodies in other Gulf monarchies. Political deadlock, however, has led to endless cabinet reshuffles and dissolutions of parliament, paralyzing policy-making, but the Emir holds the upper hand. The government of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nawaf resigned hours after the 's December speech, and Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah formed a new one that included new ministers of oil, finance, foreign affairs, interior, and defense. Abdulaziz al-Anjeri, founder and CEO of Reconnaissance Research, told Reuters that the order of the day is to focus on accelerating reform rather than engaging in negotiations with the opposition, political groups, and grassroots organizations. "There is an emphasis on progress with essential matters instead of wasting time in stalling tactics and playing ping-pong with the parliament over issues where the constitution clearly separates powers," Anjeri said. "There will be no tolerance for any parliamentary actions perceived by the authority as a clear breach of the principle of separation of powers. Similarly, there will be zero tolerance for any government official implicated in corruption or intentional mismanagement." became the center of world attention in August 1990 when then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded it, and a U.S.-led coalition came to its rescue. Since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and U.S. calls for change in the Middle East, Kuwait's ruling family has come under pressure from both Islamists and pro-Western liberals to loosen its grip and share power. Its legislature has the power to pass and block laws, question ministers, and submit no-confidence motions, giving it more democratic essentials than other Gulf monarchies but posing the frequent risk of political deadlock. Two hundred candidates were competing in Thursday's elections, the lowest number in over five decades, and the number of voters was estimated at 835,000. Kuwait consists of five electoral districts, each with ten lawmakers. Candidates who secure the top 10 positions in each district win parliamentary seats. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-04

Energy Minister his belief that the US government is only changing their stance on Israel due to upcoming United States presidential elections, while at the Urban Corporations Convention in Eilat on Wednesday. He said, "The only change I see in the Americans' stance is because of the upcoming elections in the United States." Against the backdrop of strained relations with the United States amid discussions on the pending IDF operation in Rafah, Cohen said that "if America, our greatest friend whom I greatly appreciate, does not give Israel absolute backing - it has nothing to look for in the Middle East." Continuing to discuss the upcoming American elections and how this could possibly shift US foreign policy on Israel, the Energy Minister added, "Israel is a sovereign state, and we are the only democracy in the region. "The only change I see in the Americans' stance is because of the upcoming elections in the United States." Cohen also discussed the possibility of normalizing ties with , even without a Palestinian state. This was initially one of Saudi Arabia's red lines in entering a peace deal with Israel before the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war. This comes a day after National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reported sharp remarks in a conversation with Ron Dermer and Tzachi Hanegbi. Reports claim he is also set to embark on Saudi Arabia this week to discuss prospective deals with Israel with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. SAUDI CROWN Prince Mohammed bin Salman greets US President Joe Biden in Jeddah, last year. Strategically, the crown prince’s openness on the nuclear issue is the most reasonable way to handle the situation, says the writer. (credit: Saudi Royal Court/Reuters) "They very much want an agreement with Israel, and their primary interest is a defense alliance with the United States. There will be peace with the Saudis even without a Palestinian state." Eli Cohen served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2022 to 2024, and was replaced by Israel Katz early in 2024. He has been a member of Knesset since 2015. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-23

Israel is willing to defy the United States on Rafah if it has to, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as top Israeli officials are prepared to head to Washington this week to discuss the controversial military operation in southern Gaza. “There is no way for us to defeat Hamas without going into Rafah and eliminating the rest of the battalions there,” Netanyahu said on Friday after he met with in Tel Aviv. Blinken made his sixth trip to the region last week since the start of the Israel. The two men discussed the growing tension between their governments over the operation, which the US opposes and which Israel insists is the only way to win the war. Netanyahu stood his ground in the conversation and told Blinken, “I hope we will do it with the support of the USA, but if we have to - we will do it alone.” Blinken pushed back at Netanyahu’s words in a brief conversation with reporters Friday while he was in Israel. “We share Israel’s goal of defeating Hamas, which is responsible for the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Blinken said as he stood on the tarmac at Ben Gurion International Airport. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to a senior staff on a C-17 Globemaster as he departs Jeddah for Cairo, Egypt, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia March 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL) “As we’ve said though, a is not the way to do it. It risks killing more civilians. It risks wreaking greater havoc with the provision of humanitarian assistance. It risks further isolating Israel around the world and jeopardizing its long-term security standing, Blinken warned. He spoke about the issue with the war cabinet and is expected to hold further talks in Washington with the Israeli delegation led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzahi Hanegbi. He will also meet separately with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant who will also be in Washington, where he will also speak with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. “I will meet again with Israeli officials in Washington to discuss a different way we can achieve this objective,” Blinken stated. In Tel Aviv, Netanyahu assured Blinken that he “greatly appreciates the fact that for more than five months we have been standing together in the war against Hamas. “I also told him that we recognize the need to evacuate the civilian population from the war zones and of course also take care of the humanitarian needs and we are working to that end,” he said. Blinken said he would meet Israeli officials in Washington “to talk about a different way of achieving these objectives, objectives that we share, of defeating Hamas and ensuring Israel’s long-term security.”In Washington, US Vice President Kamala Harris said she didn’t believe it was possible to safely evacuate civilians from Rafah. "There is nowhere for those people to go and be safe," she said. At the White House US National Security Communications spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that he was not discouraged by Netanyahu’s comments that Israel would conduct a Rafah operation despite US objections.“So we believe there’s time and space to have these discussions,” he stated. Kirby maintained the purpose of the meeting was not for the US to tell Israel what to do. "We want to make sure that they make those decisions fully informed with our lessons learned from urban warfare in this kind of fighting in places like Iraq and Afghanistan," Kirby said. "Now, do they have to listen to our advice and counsel? No, but we have seen in the past where they have taken some of it on board. We hope they take this” advice, he said. “We believe that a major ground offensive is a mistake” and would be a “disaster,” he explained, pointing to the over 1.3 million Palestinians in that area, many of whom had sought refuge there to escape bombings in the northern part of the enclave. Kirby pushed back, however, at questions as to whether the Biden administration would halt military sales to Israel should its army head into Rafah over US objections. He stressed that the US would ensure that Israel could defend itself. "We're going to continue to approach this with Israel as we have in the past, which is to make sure that they have the tools they need to defend themselves against a still viable threat, while at the same time using the strength of the relationship between the United States and Israel," Kirby said. The White House has not yet seen a credible plan for the , Kirby said, adding that this would be part of the conversions US and Israeli officials would this week in Washington.Kirby did not comment on whether US President Joe Biden would take part in those talks. Rafah is only one of the topics of dispute between Jerusalem and Washington. The US has also taken issue with Israel’s handling of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, warning that the IDF has not done enough to prevent a hunger crisis in the enclave. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said on Friday that seven million pounds of food had entered Gaza on Thursday. The two governments are also at odds over plans for Gaza once the war is over.  Gallant is expected to discuss these issues in Washington. According to his office, he will also speak about the “importance of maintaining and further deepening the important cooperation between the defense establishments of both countries, as well as topics related to force build-up and maintaining [Israel’s] qualitative military edge.” ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-22

slipped on Friday and were flat on the week as the possibility of a ceasefire in Gaza weakened crude benchmarks, while the war in Europe and shrinking US rig count cushioned the fall. Brent futures for May delivery LCOc1 settled at $85.43, losing 35 cents. US crude CLc1 settled at $80.63 a barrel, falling 44 cents. Both benchmarks logged less a than 1% change on the week. "Everyone is watching for what the ," said John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital LLC, adding that successful peace talks would prompt Yemen's Houthi rebels to allow to pass through the Red Sea. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday he believed talks in Qatar could reach a Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Blinken met Arab foreign ministers and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo as negotiators in Qatar centered on a truce of about six weeks. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken steps out of a car as he departs Jeddah for Cairo, Egypt, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia March 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN) Meanwhile, the US dollar was set for a second week of broad gains after the Swiss National Bank's surprise interest rate cut on Thursday bolstered global risk sentiment. A stronger dollar makes oil more expensive for investors holding other currencies, dampening demand. While a possible ceasefire meant crude might move more freely globally, a lower US oil rig count and the potential for easing US interest rates helped support prices. "We are still keeping fresh highs on the table given broad-based expansion in risk appetite that accelerated following the mid-week Fed comments that proved less hawkish than anticipated," said Houston-based Jim Ritterbusch, of Ritterbusch and Associates. Advertisement US equities, which tend to move in correlation with oil prices, hit record highs after the Federal Reserve ended its regular meeting with no change in US rates on Wednesday. The US oil rig count fell by one to 509 this week, according to Baker Hughes data, indicating lower future supply. RIG/U Money managers, meanwhile, upped their net long US crude futures and options positions last week, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said, with combined futures and options positions in New York and London rising by 57,394 contracts to 202,624. The conflict in Eastern Europe also kept oil prices from moving lower. Russia launched the largest missile and drone attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure of the war to date on Friday, hitting the country's largest dam and causing blackouts in several regions, Kyiv said. However, chatter has emerged within the market that Russia would further discount its barrels in light of the escalation, said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho. A steeper discount could make Russian crude more attractive to international buyers. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-22

met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is expected to meet with the war cabinet on Friday, amid tensions between the two countries over Israel’s pending military operation in Rafah. The two men also spoke as an Israeli delegation led by Mossad Chief David Barnea was in Doha for talks on a deal for the release of the . The talks have been mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with support from the US. CIA Director William Burns is also in Qatar for those negotiations. The deal is expected to see the release of some 40 hostages in exchange for a six-week pause to the war, which the US hopes to expand into a permanent ceasefire that would bring everyone home. Israel and the US have been united in their belief that Hamas must be ousted from Gaza and removed from its governmental control of the enclave in light of its October 7 attack against the Jewish state.  But they have differed in their military approach, with the US insisting that an IDF military operation in Rafah, where over 1.3 million Palestinians are located, would lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.  US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks to a senior staff on a C-17 Globemaster as he departs Jeddah for Cairo, Egypt, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia March 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL) Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi are expected to lead a delegation to Washington next week to discuss the issue with the US.  The Biden administration is expected to explain that Hamas can be defeated through more limited targeted operations. Netanyahu and Dermer have both said that this is incorrect, with the Strategic Affairs Minister stating that Rafah is so essential to defeating Hamas’s existential threat that Israel would risk international isolation to destroy the terror group. The United States has also taken issue with Israel’s handling of humanitarian assistance to Gaza, warning that the IDF has not done enough to prevent a hunger crisis in the enclave.  The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said on Friday that seven million pounds of food had entered Gaza on Thursday.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-21

The United States and Saudi Arabia have made "good progress" in talks on normalizing ties between the kingdom and Israel, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday without providing a timeline for concluding a deal. "I believe we can reach an agreement, which would present a historic opportunity for two nations, but also for the region as a whole," Blinken said at a joint press conference with in Cairo. Talks on normalization had been put on ice in the immediate aftermath of the October 7 attack by Palestinian Hamas fighters and Israel's subsequent assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza, but conversations have resumed in recent months. The Biden administration has been working to secure such a deal. Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries want the creation of a Palestinian state to be part of any deal. US President Joe Biden attends the Friends of Ireland luncheon at the Capitol in Washington, US, March 15, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE) Riyadh is also looking to clinch a mutual defense pact with Washington and get US support for its civil nuclear program. During an official visit, with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah. "We had a very good discussion about the work that we've been doing for many months now on normalization, and that work is moving forward. We're continuing to make good progress," Blinken said but added that he could not offer a timeframe. A pact giving the world's US military protection in exchange for normalization would reshape the Middle East by uniting two long-time foes and binding Riyadh to Washington when China is making inroads in the region. For such a deal to advance, Israel needs to agree to a pathway for the creation of an independent Palestinian state, a prospect that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected. Washington sees any normalization deal woven into post-war planning that would include Arab countries providing security guarantees for Israel in return for the creation of a Palestinian state under a reformed Palestinian Authority. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-21

قال وزير الخارجية الأمريكي أنتوني بلينكن، إنه التقى في جدة مع ولي العهد السعودي الأمير محمد بن سلمان، ووزير الخارجية الأمير فيصل بن فرحان. وكتب في تدوينة عبر صفحته الرسمية بمنصة «إكس»، صباح الخميس، أن اللقاء شهد مناقشة الأزمة الإنسانية في غزة، والجهود المبذولة لزيادة المساعدات للفلسطينيين على الفور. وأشار إلى أنه جدد التأكيد خلال اللقاء التزام الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية بالسلام والأمن الدائمين في المنطقة. In Jeddah, I met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Prince to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and efforts to immediately increase aid to Palestinians.I reaffirmed our commitment to lasting peace and security in the region. — Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) ووصل وزير الخارجية الأمريكي أنتوني بلينكن، أمس الأربعاء، إلى مدينة جدة لإجراء محادثات حول آخر التطورات في غزة. وشدد وزير الخارجية السعودي الأمير فيصل بن فرحان بن عبدالله، خلال لقائه في جدة، مع بلينكن، على «أهمية الوقف الفوري لإطلاق النار في غزة». وذكرت وكالة الأنباء السعودية «واس»، أن بن فرحان وبلينكن استعرضا خلال اللقاء «سبل تعزيز العلاقات الثنائية والتعاون المشترك في مختلف المجالات». كما بحث الوزيران «تطورات الأوضاع في قطاع غزة ومدينة رفح، وأهمية الوقف الفوري لإطلاق النار»، وناقشا «بذل الجهود كل لضمان إدخال المساعدات الإنسانية الملحّة». ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-02-29

US President Joe Biden discussed the "tragic and alarming incident" in northern Gaza on Thursday with the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, as well as ways to secure the release of Hamas hostages and a six-week ceasefire, the White House said. said more than 100 Palestinians had been shot dead by Israeli forces as they waited for a food aid delivery, but Israel challenged the death toll and said many of the victims had been run over by aid trucks. In separate calls, Biden discussed the deadly incident in northern Gaza with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi and Qatari Emir . The leaders "grieved the loss of civilian lives and agreed that this incident underscored the urgency of bringing negotiations to a close as soon as possible and expanding the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza," the White House said. At least 112 people were killed and more than 280 wounded in the incident near Gaza City, Palestinian health officials said, as the Palestinian death toll in nearly five months of war passed 30,000. Israel disputed the account provided by Gaza health officials. PRESIDENT JOE Biden is flanked by leaders of Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait at the Jeddah Security and Development Summit (GCC+3), in July. (credit: MANDEL NGAN/REUTERS) Biden and the two leaders also underscored that the release of the remaining hostages, who were seized by Hamas militants in their Oct. 7 attack on Israel, would result in an immediate and sustained ceasefire in Gaza over at least six weeks, the White House said. They also discussed how a ceasefire could help them surge into the small seaside enclave, whose 2.3 million population is facing acute food shortages and other perils. ...قراءة المزيد

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