The White House sees a hostage deal as the only viable path to a ceasefire in Gaza, and possibly ending a war. Hamas has claimed it left the hostage talks last week because of the Israeli military's operation at the Rafah crossing (Read more at Axios).
The group was set up on 12 October, days after Hamas's surprise attack on southern Israel, to "change the narrative" on Israel, including by conveying "the atrocities committed by Hamas... to all Americans". Among the business leaders in the group were the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, Dell CEO and founder Michael Dell, and Joshua Kushner, a financier and brother to Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. They urged New York City's mayor to use police to disperse a pro-Palestinian protest at Columbia University (Read more at Middle East Eye).
16 Largely symbolic vote underscores the divide in the Democratic Party over support for Israel. The lawmakers who broke ranks with their party include vocal democratic supporters of Israel such as Lois Frankel, Jared Moskowitz, Josh Gottheimer, and Ritchie Torres (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The Biden administration struggles to respond as two allies battle over who should control Gaza's lifeline. Analysts say that Egypt is unlikely to suspend its peace treaty with Israel over the dispute, but in addition to publicly criticising Israel, could quietly stonewall cooperation on security matters that both the US and Israel need (Read more at Middle East Eye).
TikTok has altered the way how a large number of Americans view Israel and its occupation of the Palestinian territories. Two American lawmakers, who co-authored a controversial law aiming to ban TikTok in the US, received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funding from the pro-Israel lobby, according to official records (Read more at TRTWorld).
The package being sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds. It’s the first arms shipment to Israel to be announced by the administration since it put another arms transfer — consisting of 3,500 bombs — on hold earlier in the month. The administration has said it paused that earlier transfer to keep Israel from using the bombs in its growing offensive in the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah (Read more at Arabnews).
Though the exact location was not disclosed, sharp eyes online revealed that the photos were taken from the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. Interestingly, the base serves as the home for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing and previously housed the US Air Force’s RQ-4 Global Hawk drones. It is believed to be connected to intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (Read more at Defense Post).
US deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the UN Security Council that there is extensive evidence that Iran is providing advanced weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles, to the Houthis in violation of UN sanctions. The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, the US Maritime Administration said late last month. Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a US-led airstrike campaign in Yemen (Read more at IrishExaminer).
Recent resistance operations in eastern Syria have established new rules of engagement that constrain both Washington and Tel Aviv’s once-untethered freedom to operate in this strategic theater. The re-establishment of the Tehran–Beirut road, was perceived by the US and Israelis as a strategic geopolitical setback to their goal of severing relations and routes between Iran and the Mediterranean (Read more at TheCradle).
A few factors may have encouraged the American president to take the risk of to suspending “advanced weapons” to Israel at this time: First is the willingness of Republican politicians to outbid him. No matter how excessive President Biden’s defense of Israel becomes; Secondly, the student uprisings on university campuses all across the US, from coast to coast, have challenged the stagnation; Thirdly, the Israeli far-right's brazen and racist speeches have alienated all neutral or moderate observers (Read more at Arabnews).
Harrison Mann, an Army major, would be the first known DIA official to quit over U.S. support to Israel. "I was afraid. Afraid of violating our professional norms. Afraid of disappointing officers I respect," Mann wrote in a letter published on his LinkedIn profile (Read more at Reuters).
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell's comments are the clearest to date from a top U.S. official effectively admitting that Israel's current military strategy won't bring the result that it is aiming for. Likening the situation in Gaza to that of a recurring insurgency that the United States faced in Afghanistan and Iraq after its invasions there following the Sept. 11 attacks, Campbell said a political solution was required (Read more at Reuters).
Sullivan said the United States wants to see Hamas defeated. He also said that Palestinians caught in the middle of the war. Biden has sought to influence Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach to the war, but Israel is a sovereign, democratic nation that ultimately makes its own decisions, Sullivan said (Read more at Reuters).
(Reuters) - A group of Harvard students said on Tuesday they would peacefully end a pro-Palestinian protest encampment after the university agreed to discuss its endowment with the protesters and begin reconsidering involuntary leaves it imposed on some (Read more at USNews).
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant briefed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken about Israel's military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah and takeover of the nearby border crossing into Egypt (Read more at Anadolu Agency).
During the Suez Crisis of the 1950s, then-President Dwight Eisenhower leveraged the threat of sanctions to convince Israel to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula - In 1983, Reagan reaffirmed that he would not send F-16 jets to Israel until Israel withdrew its forces from Lebanon - In 1992, the Bush administration threatened to withhold the delivery of $10 billion in loan guarantees to Israel if it continued building settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza (Read more at Axios).
It would provoke "anarchy" without eliminating Hamas. Asked about a State Department report issued Friday that said Israel likely has violated norms of international law in its use of US weapons, Blinken said there was still too little evidence to warrant ending all military support (Read more at Al-Ahram).
The drills, named Eager Lion, set to to help fight “terrorist organizations” and respond to “the proliferation of drones, and biological, chemical and nuclear weapons of mass destruction. The exercise is “the largest” since the first “Eager Lion” edition in 2011 (Read more at Defense Post).
“One, you have to have a clear, credible plan to protect civilians, which we haven’t seen. Second, we also need to see a plan for what happens after this conflict in Gaza is over, and we still haven’t seen that,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said (Read more at CNBC).
Israeli army is using a new AI-powered system, such as “Lavender” and “The Gospel” to decide on targets for its bombardment of Gaza. Israeli forces use Google Photos facial recognition service to scan the faces of Palestinians across Gaza for its dystopian “hit list” (Read more at Aljazeera).
The revelation from US intelligence could challenge Israel's justification for large-scale military operations in the city. However, Israeli officials have been compelled to engage in indirect negotiations with Sinwar, particularly regarding the release of captives. Sinwar's role as a negotiator is pivotal, as Hamas negotiators must obtain his approval before making concessions, according to some officials (Read more at Al-Ahram).
"The visit is a continuation of long-standing engagement between the US and this region," the official said. "Specifically, for the Department of Energy, it will move forward work both countries are doing on climate cooperation and to diversify the energy economy." (Read more at Yahoo Finance)
It is a strategic maneuver aimed at consolidating US and Israeli control over land and sea. Once the goods are offloaded at the pier, they still need to be transported across Gaza to reach the populations in need. The Netzarim Corridor’s checkpoints, also known as Route 749, could become bottlenecks for these deliveries (Read more at The Cradle).
Democratic megadonor and Israeli American Haim Saban emailed senior White House officials Wednesday asking them to pass along his criticism of Biden's recent move to pause bomb shipments to Israel over a possible ground operation in Rafah. He added: "Let's not forget that there are more Jewish voters, who care about Israel, than Muslim voters that care about Hamas." (Read more at Axios)
The report lists incidents that raise concerns about Israel's use of U.S.-made weapons in violation of international law. It also details efforts Israel made to operate in alignment with international law. Blinken said in the report, "although we have gained insight into Israel's procedures and rules, we do not have complete information on how these processes are implemented," (Read more at Axios).
It is too little, too late, to satisfy the left-leaning coalition of young voters and people of color who have led the protests against Israel's attacks, many say. But Republicans and some Democrats have accused Biden of putting the security of the U.S.'s closest ally in the region at risk (Read more at USNews).
Hamas said on Friday it would consult with other militant Palestinian factions on its strategy to negotiate a halt to the war triggered by its Oct. 7 onslaught into Israel. "We are working hard to keep both sides engaged in continuing the discussion, if only virtually," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said (Read more at USNews).
He said "if we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails." Israel says Rafah is the last stronghold of Hamas and that the army must go in if it hopes to dismantle the group and return scores of hostages captured in the Oct. 7 (Read more at ArkansasOnline).
MK-84 bombs have been used by the US military since the 1970s, first in Vietnam and then, more sparingly, in Iraq and Afghanistan due to their devastating impact on urban areas. Military experts say these deadly bombs may have already contributed significantly to the horrific death toll of the war in Gaza. This decision is the most spectacular sign to date of the mounting disagreements that are poisoning the Biden administration’s relationship with the Netanyahu government (Read more at France 24).
Just from a legal perspective within US domestic law, there’s a much wider body of rules that is being ignored right now. The US has been “selective in how it invokes international law” and “how it balances rights concerns with realpolitik”. Israeli army was acting with a “systematic disregard for international humanitarian law, and US weaponry was used in a significant number of these incidents, according to the report (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday he felt betrayed by President Joe Biden after learning that he is willing to withhold offensive weapons to Israel and accused the president of reneging on the deal they made to pass aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan last month (Read more at Politico).
Cameron said Britain “would not support some major operation in Rafah unless there was a very clear plan for how to protect people, but he said there is a “very fundamental difference” between arms shipments from the U.S. and the U.K., where the government grants individual licenses to companies wanting to export arms overseas. Moreover, the UK defense exports to Israel are responsible for significantly less than one percent of their total (Read more at Politico).
‘At no point during the war has Israel had a policy of deliberately withholding humanitarian aid from entering Gaza,’ Michael Herzog wrote to 88 lawmakers. Israel merely inspects trucks carrying goods to ensure they’re not transporting weapons or explosives, Herzog continued, adding that “there are today four humanitarian crossings from Israel to Gaza, including three to northern Gaza.” (Read more at Politico).
A senior administration official said the shipment would have consisted of 1,800 2,000-pound (900kg) bombs and 1,700 500-pound (225kg) bombs. the US was concerned about how the larger bombs could be used in a dense urban setting (Read and listen at the Skynews).
The repatriation was the largest Washington has carried out from the camps to date. Five of the 11 citizens brought back were children, and one non-U.S. citizen child. The camps are run by local authorities affiliated with the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (Read more at Stripes).
Analysts also point to wider attempts by the US to integrate Israel with the wider region fully as not having aided the Palestinian push for liberation and Statehood (Read more at TRTWorld).
"We continue to believe that a hostage deal is in the best interest of the Israeli and the Palestinian people; it would bring an immediate ceasefire and allow increased humanitarian assistance into Gaza," the US State Department's spokesperson said in an email (Read more on TRTWorld).
Two senior Israeli officials said that when the Hamas delegation was in Cairo over the weekend, the Egyptians gave them a new proposal without coordinating with Israel. One Israeli official admitted it was a mistake that led Israel to have less visibility into the talks. Israeli officials claim the Biden administration knew about the latest hostage and ceasefire deal proposal Egypt and Qatar negotiated with Hamas, but didn't brief Israel before Hamas announced it accepted it (Read more at Axios).
Brian Nelson, Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, was speaking during a four-day visit to Singapore and Malaysia, which the department said aimed to advance its work in countering financing and revenue generation by Iran and its proxies (Read more at USNews).
Kerem Shalom, the border crossing between southern Gaza and Israel has been the primary port of entry for aid deliveries. The Israeli leader "assured the President that it will be open very soon,” he said during a virtual briefing. The Israeli army said the 401st armored brigade took "operational control" of the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side (Read more at Daily Sabah).
“We are deeply concerned that your administration failed to notify Congress about this decision,” Joni Ernst, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, and Ted Budd said in the letter (Read more at The National)
United States is studying Hamas's response to a ceasefire proposal and will discuss it with allies in the Middle East in the coming hours, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. CIA director Bill Burns is in the region "working on this in real time," Miller said (Read more at Reuters).
The statement said Gallant relayed that message in an overnight conversation with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (Read more at Reuters).
Israeli officials were left scrambling as to why the shipment was withheld, Axios reported, while CNN reported that the decision was unrelated to U.S. opposition to an invasion of Rafah (Read more at The Hill).
Analysts say expelling Hamas leaders from Qatar will not help Israel because the Hamas leadership in Gaza is making the decisions over a possible ceasefire. Doha has hosted Hamas’ political leadership at the US’ request since 2012 and provided billions in cash to the Hamas authorities in recent years with the approval of the US and Israel (Read more at The Cradle).
It’s the most prominent critique yet from someone inside Biden’s orbit on the administration’s response to the war in Gaza. José Andrés, co-chairs the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, with more than 1 million X followers, called out the president to hold the Netanyahu government true to its commitments on humanitarian aid, and reiterating his calls for a cease-fire in Gaza (Read more at Politico).
The Israel Defense Forces recently told the U.S. government and aid groups that they had developed a plan to move people out of Rafah, the main to al-Mawasi, a small strip of land on the southern Gaza coast. The IDF has begun ordering tents for al-Mawasi (Read more at Politico).
there has been an uptick in money moving to Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, through the Malaysian financial system. Treasury's under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Brian Nelson, is expected to discuss U.S. concerns. The visit comes as Treasury has increased its focus on terrorist financing through Southeast Asia, including through fundraising efforts and illicit Iranian oil sales (Read more at USNews).
However, the aid was ultimately recovered and returned to the organization responsible for its distribution. Describing the incident as the "first widespread case of hijacking seen" in Gaza, U.S. State Department spokesman, Matthew Miller indicated that Hamas held the aid trucks for a period before eventually releasing them (Read more at I24).
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday he did not see any indication Hamas was planning any attack on U.S. troops in Gaza but added adequate measures were being put in place for the safety of military personnel (Read more at USNews).
The agreement is about the U.S. security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance in return for halting Chinese arms purchases and restricting Beijing’s investment in the country, even as an Israel-Saudi normalization deal envisioned as part of a Middle East “grand bargain” remains elusive. The U.S.-Saudi security accord is also expected to involve sharing emerging technologies with Riyadh, including artificial intelligence. The terms are expected to be finalized within weeks (Read more at USNews).
ICC is preparing to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. The Israeli government warned the Biden administration that if the ICC issues arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, it will take retaliatory steps against the Palestinian Authority that could lead to its collapse (Read more at Axios).
However, Israeli warns that the army will keep fighting the Palestinian militant group after any ceasefire. "Hamas needs to say yes and needs to get this done," Blinken said. Hamas's aim remains an "end to this war", said senior Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi (Read more at France 24).
Acquired in 1990, the Raytheon-manufactured system played crucial roles in neutralizing aerial threats during the 1991 Gulf War and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. But according to an IDF official, the Patriot system is becoming “obsolete,” making it difficult to maintain. The Patriot intercepted Scud missiles fired at the country from Iraq during the 1991 Gulf War. The system was operated by the US at the time. After the Patriot was officially transferred to Jerusalem that same year, it reportedly yielded poor results (Read more at Defense Post).
A US strike in Syria last year killed a civilian who was misidentified as an Al-Qaeda leader, the military command responsible for the region said (Read more at Defense Post).
He posted content on social media in support of a banned group. The statement did not identify the man or the group (Read more at The National).
First it is not violent. The takeover of the respective halls comes in the footsteps of students from previous generations at both Columbia and Princeton who opposed the Vietnam War or the apartheid regime in South Africa. Second Jewish students have not been harassed. Third, whereas some students have remained steadfast to the demands of disclosure and divestment, others have been open to various compromises (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The cost estimate for constructing the pier has surged to $320 million, a substantial increase from earlier projections (Read more at I24).
Comparisons are being made to the 1968 anti-Vietnam War protests and the role they played in costing Democrats the presidency. Through it all, the Biden White House has demonstrated only limited concern, apparently convinced that they’ll weather this storm. Should the war continue, many young voters will be hard-pressed to vote for Mr Biden. They won’t vote for Mr Trump. Most likely they’ll either vote for a third party or not at all (Read more at The National).
More than 13,080 meal equivalents of Jordanian food supplies were delivered, while the US provided over 25,000 Meals Ready to Eat. According to CENTCOM's estimates, the US has airdropped approximately 1,110 tons of humanitarian assistance into Gaza thus far (Read more at Breaking the News).
During a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden eiterated his position that an invasion in Rafah would be a “red line” for his administration, pushing Israel not to pursue a military campaign in the region without a credible plan to protect civilians in place (Read more at Politico).
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Sunday sought to play down warnings, telling US media that Israel has “agreed to listen to US concerns” before moving into Gaza's last enclave of relative respite (Read more at The National).
After Amazon and Google signed a $1.2bn contract to launch Project Nimbus, providing cloud technology to the Israeli government and the military, tech workers started to notice more Israeli use of artificial intelligence against the Palestinian people (Read more at Aljazeera).
Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) report that an internal US State Department that reportedly raised “serious questions” about Israel violating international law in Gaza (Read more at Aljazeera).
Political analyst Tamer Qarmout says university protests across the US could have a broad impact on the economy since the country’s future workforce are criticising companies they may eventually work for (Read more at Aljazeera).
Each drone estimated to be worth around $30 million (Read more at Breaking the News)
One of the two hostages Keith Siegel said, "We are in danger here. There are explosions. It's stressful and frightening, and it's been going on for a very long time ..." Both men urge the Israeli government to "reach a deal" to free the hostages (Read more at NPR).
After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video on Wednesday criticizing ongoing campus protests across the U.S. as antisemitic, the independent lawmaker said antisemitism has always existed. But to suggest that when you have a significant majority of the American people who do not want to support more U.S. military aid to Netanyahu's war machine, we're not going to suggest that all of those people are antisemitic (Read more at NPR).
US thinker, anti-racism activist and potential US presidential candidate Cornel West has appeared at university student demonstrations against the Israeli (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
The talks in Riyadh may also include UK Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, and key officials from the European Union, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar, as well as the Palestinian Authority (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
He suggested critics should focus their ire on Hamas who sparked the war with their 7 October attack on southern Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and some 250 taken hostage. But as I’ve also said repeatedly, the way Israel goes about ensuring that 7 October never happens again matters profoundly. And we’re working every day to try to minimise the damage that’s done to innocent people (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
The United States has received new information from the Israeli authorities about a specific Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) unit that Washington was reportedly going to designate for human rights allegations in the West Bank. In light of the new information, Washington is looking into whether the unit is on a path to remediation. No final decision has been made (Read more at USNews).
The visit had been tentatively planned for May 9. That would have been the first bilateral visit to Washington since 2019 when Erdogan met with then President Donald Trump, a Republican. A White House spokesperson said: “We look forward to hosting President Erdogan at the White House at a mutually convenient time, but we have not been able to align our schedules and do not have any visit to announce at this time." (Read more at USNews).
Experts say growing protest movement on university campuses could help shift US policy on Israel in the long term. It could also threaten the bipartisan backing that Israel enjoys in Washington. We’re already seeing evidence of a generation divide on Israel, and that is going to be a long-term issue for the Democratic Party (Read more at Aljazeera).
Secretary of State Antony Blinken's support for Israel's genocide has angered many officials and diplomats in the State Department. Hala Rharrit, the Arabic-language spokeswoman for the US State Department, has resigned in protest against White House support for Israel’s war on Gaza (Read more at The Cradle).
Between 80,000 and 100,000 Palestinians have crossed into Egypt from Gaza since the start of the war triggered by the Hamas. More humanitarian aid could reach northern Gaza via the floating pier, including if an Israeli ground offensive disrupts deliveries in the south (Read more at France24).
Yemen’s Armed Forces announced missile and drone attacks on two US vessels and an Israeli ship in the Gulf of Aden on 24 April (Read more at The Cradle).
Asked by a reporter if he believes the Israeli government is “a credible source” for information on the mass graves, Patel responded: “We do. We do.” Gaza’s civil defence agency says more than 300 bodies have been found buried in the courtyard of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis (Read more at Aljazeera).
It came days before Iran launched a volley of drones and missiles on Israel. Delivery is expected in 30 days. The system is available in mobile and palletized versions to protect critical infrastructure, such as power, water, information systems/data centers, and moving targets (Read more Defense Post).
These actors targeted more than a dozen US companies and government entities through cyber operations, including spear phishing and malware attacks (Read more at Defense Post).
It can also identify up to 100 aerial targets simultaneously and engage them with Sayyad-4B missiles. With the Bavar’s alleged enhanced capabilities, several Iranian officials are claiming that the system now matches or even surpasses the capabilities of the Russian S-400 missile system (Read more at Defense Post).
It followed another attack over the weekend in which rockets were fired from northern Iraq at a base in Syria that houses forces from the US-led coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group (Read more at Defense Post).
Israeli officials told Axios they are highly concerned the unprecedented decision could lead to more sanctions on other IDF units. The sanctions would ban the battalion and its members from receiving any kind of U.S. military assistance or training. A U.S. official said Blinken's determination about the Netzah Yehuda unit is based on incidents that occurred before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and all took place in the West Bank (Read more at Axios).
The denial came hours after a post circulated on Telegram messaging app groups thought to be affiliated with the armed faction that declared a resumption in the attacks some three months after they were suspended. Yesterday, at least five rockets were launched from Iraq's town of Zummar towards a U.S. military base in northeastern Syria. The attack against U.S. forces is the first since early February when groups in Iraq stopped their attacks against U.S. troops (Read more at YahooNews).
Columbia University canceled in-person classes and police arrested dozens of students at New York University and Yale. dozens of protesters were arrested at Yale and the gates to Harvard Yard were closed to the public on Monday as some of the most prestigious US universities sought to diffuse campus tensions over Israel’s war with Hamas (Read more at Arabnews).
The base at the Kharab al-Jir airport in the town of Al Ya'rubiyah in Al-Hasakah province in northeastern was targeted with unidentified kamikaze drones and rockets (Read more at Anadolu Agency).
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "we have processes within the department that are looking at that incidents that have been raised. Those processes are ongoing." (Read more at USNews)
The congresswoman from New York described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as like "an unfolding genocide." Still, she made a case for Biden's reelection despite his support for Israel, citing a "a vested interest in protecting democracy not just here domestically, but globally." (Read more at USNews)
The US Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on two organizations for fundraising on behalf of two violent Israeli extremists in the West Bank. The two groups -- Mount Hebron Fund and Shlom Asiraich – established crowdfunding campaigns to raise thousands of dollars for Yinon Levi and David Chai Chasdai respectively. At the same time, the State Department on Friday sanctioned Ben-Zion Gopstein, “the founder and leader of Lehava (Read more at Al Ahram).
Israel did not notify the US of its intention to carry out strikes in Iran on Thursday, and had previously told its closest ally that it would not strike the Islamic Republic until after the Passover holiday, a senior US official has told Middle East Eye (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The U.S. was the only nation in the 15-member U.N. Security Council to vote against the resolution. Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan expressed disappointment at the number of countries that have supported the Palestinian request. “Regardless of the Palestinians’ failure to meet the necessary criteria for UN membership, most of you sadly decided to reward Palestinian terror with a Palestinian State.” (Read more at The Time).
US has a formal vision of a deal between Israel and the leading power in the Arab and Muslim world, Saudi Arabia.The Saudis share Israel’s concerns about the Iranians and their regional proxy armies. Last weekend’s coordinated response to the Iranian attack will also have brought home the potential benefits to Saudi Arabia. A more formal U.S. security guarantee and access to top-of-the-line American warplanes are also major attractions for the Saudis in a deal with Israel (Read more at CSMonitor).
The new package of penalties is aimed at disrupting Iran’s production of drones that were used in the attack. They also target Iran’s steel industry and automotive companies that supply the country’s military. The Republican-led House this week passed a series of sanctions bills, including a bipartisan measure that would target China’s purchase of Iranian oil (Read more at Politico).
It shows that Iran’s attack isn’t halting negotiations over Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas. The initial plan had been to hold the discussion in person in Washington, but Iran’s weekend attack postponed a trip (Read more at Politico).
Furthermore, the Arab countries opened their airspace to fighter jets, shared radar surveillance information or, in some cases, provided their own forces to help. Jordan said it would allow U.S. and other countries' warplanes to use its airspace, even using its own aircraft to help intercept the Iranian threats (Read more at I24).
President Biden, since the beginning of this conflict, has worked very hard to keep this from becoming a broader regional war. If successful, this attack could have caused an uncontrollable escalation and broad regional conflict, something we have worked day and night to avoid since October 7 (Read more at CNBC).
A New York city academic explains why despite this setback, he'll keep advocating for Palestinians and other oppressed people across the world (Read more at TRTWorld).
Qatar’s embassy in Washington said t it has provided assistance to Gaza in two ways with the “full coordination” of the Israeli government. The first is a Qatar-funded fuel purchasing scheme to generate electricity in Gaza, and the second is a project in partnership with the World Food Programme that provides “$100 per month to the poorest families in Gaza”. (Read more at Aljazeera)
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that there is "still no date certain" for the meeting. The White House had said it expected the meeting to take place this week after a virtual face-to-face transpired last Monday, but Kirby said he is "not sure that it's going to actually happen this week." (Read more at Anadolu Agency)
Earlier, Netanyahu said in a video that "there is a date" for a ground invasion of Rafah, saying that "it will happen". Reiterating the U.S.' opposition to a ground invasion of an Israeli assault on Gaza city of Rafah without a credible plan, Miller said: "We have not yet seen them present a credible plan for dealing with a 1.4 million civilians who are in Rafah." (Read more at Anadolu Agency)
Israel is in the processes of buying 75 F-35s and - as of last year - had taken delivery of 36, paying for them with U.S. assistance. The United States has also helped Israel develop and arm its Iron Dome short-range rocket defense system. Washington has also helped fund the development of Israel's "David's Sling" system, designed to shoot down rockets fired from 100 kilometers to 200 km (62 miles to 124 miles) away (Read more at Reuters).
National Security Spokesman John Kirby said it is really just about rest and refit. Some national security experts see this as a possible inflection point in the war, though the direction of that turn remains unclear (Read more at CNBC).
Forty members of Congress signed a letter to Biden, dated Friday, stating that the deadly attack on World Central Kitchen aid workers necessitates investigation into whether Israel is using US weaponry “in compliance with US and international law.” The lawmaker's split with President Joe Biden highlights divisions within the Democratic Party on US-Israel policy (Read more at Huffingtonpost).
Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded to internal discontent with a letter to staff in November, saying: “I know that for many of you the suffering caused by this crisis is taking a profound personal toll.” (Read more at Arabnews).
He warned that U.S. policy would now be determined by “immediate” steps Israel must take to mitigate an “unacceptable” humanitarian situation. Biden’s tone in addressing the attack that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers was markedly more tense than previous tragedies that took the lives of United Nations staff (Read more at The Hill).
Iran retaliatory attack would include a swarm of Shahed loitering drones and cruise missiles, citing US intelligence. US President Joe Biden discussed the threat from Iran in a phone call on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Officials say the timing and target are unknown, but a proportional response to the Damascus attack would be to hit an Israeli diplomatic facility (Read more at TRTWorld).
CIA director is to travel to Cairo this weekend for talks with the head of Israel's Mossad and top Qatari and Egyptian officials to break the deadlock in negotiations. The current proposal could lead to a 6-week ceasefire and the release of 40 hostages — female soldiers and other women, men over the age of 50 and in critical medical conditions. In return, Israel would release roughly 700 Palestinian prisoners, including about 100 who are serving life sentences for killing Israelis (Read more at Axios).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's execution of these objectives is undermining the US soft power elsewhere in the region. For Israel, the stakes in the ongoing war are significantly higher than for the US because Tel Aviv’s top brass widely views it as an existential threat. Faced with limited alternatives, Netanyahu opts for confrontation, banking on enduring until the upcoming US elections in November (Read more at The Cradle).
The #BDS movement is witnessing a resurgence after many TikTok users urged their followers to boycott major brands due to their direct involvement in supporting Israeli forces. As TikTok has explained, there is a lot of pro Palestine content on its platform because their user base is broadly sympathetic to the Palestinian cause (Read more at NewArab).
Former Trump national security advisor John Bolton believes “The fact that Iran has not yet been held to account for any of it, suggests that we’re still in the very early stages of the war ... This is not a Gaza versus Israel war, or a Palestinian versus Israel war, or an Arab versus Israel war. This is an Iranian war against Israel, fought through terrorist proxies.” (Read more at CNBC).
Even former President Donald Trump went public with his belief that Israel was losing the PR battle and needed to end the conflict soon. Kirby said the U.S. would only give Israel “hours and days” to outline policy shifts and that, absent real changes, “there’ll have to be changes from our side.” Hours later, Israel opened the Erez crossing for the first time (Read more at Politico).
Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood said, "We will not hesitate to defend our personnel and repeat our prior warnings to Iran and its proxies not to take advantage of the situation - again, an attack in which we had no involvement or advanced knowledge - to resume their attacks on U.S. personnel." (Read more at MSN).
The Houthis announced the production of a 100-riyal coin to replace damaged 100-riyal banknotes issued by the Sanaa-based central bank. The central bank in Aden described the move as escalatory and the currency as “illegal”. Tim Lenderking, the US envoy to Yemen, said “We need to make this push towards the Yemen peace effort, which will help the humanitarian peace situation and Yemenis rebuild their economy.” (Read more at The National).
In 1918, the United States and its allies sought a German surrender that would neutralize its war-making capabilities without having to transform its state and society. A true solution to what contemporaries called the “German question” came only after World War II, when America and its allies demanded unconditional surrender from Hitler, occupied Germany and de-Nazified its institutions (Read more at NewYork Post).
The White House said it was "heartbroken" after several people working for World Central Kitchen, a US-based aid organisation, were killed in an Israeli military strike in Gaza. US Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza on April 1, 2024 (Read more at TRTWorld).
Some invitees turned the president down over frustrations in the Muslim community over his policy toward the Israel-Gaza war. The White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that these leaders would rather have a meeting than a dinner (Read more at USNews).
Tim Lenderking will meet regional officials to discuss ways to deescalate the crisis and “renew the focus on securing a durable peace for the Yemeni people. “The United States remains firmly committed to supporting a durable peace in Yemen and alleviating the complex humanitarian and economic crises harming the Yemeni people,” the State Department said (Read more at Arabnews).
The rare message shows the Biden administration is deeply concerned that the Israeli strike could lead to a regional escalation and the resumption of attacks by pro-Iranian militias against U.S. forces. Israel notified the Biden administration a few minutes before its air force conducted the strike but didn't ask for a U.S. green light, Israeli and U.S. officials said (Read more at Axios).
U.S. officials hope to reach a bilateral agreement with the Saudis and then possibly present it to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose side of the deal would include committing to a path toward a two-state solution. Netanyahu would then face a choice: If he agrees, he could broke a historic peace deal with Saudi Arabia. If he says no, he could be exposed as a rejectionist and lose whatever U.S. support he still has left (Read more at Axios).
Secretary Blinken emphasized that a revitalised PA is essential to delivering results for the Palestinian people in both the West Bank and Gaza. Since the war broke out in October, the United States has been pressing for the Palestinian Authority to root out corruption and bring in new faces in hopes that the PA, which has limited autonomy in parts of the occupied West Bank, can take charge of Gaza as well should Hamas stop governing the Gaza Strip (Read more at NewArab).
A dual US-Canadian citizen and six other aid workers were killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike in Gaza after delivering desperately needed food to the war-torn territory (Read more at NewYork Post).
Tim Walberg, a Republican representative from Michigan, which has a sizeable Arab community, was recorded making the comments during a meeting with his constituents. Walberg later released a statement backtracking on his remarks but did not apologise. He said his call for Gaza to be nuked was a "metaphor" to stress the need for Israel to win its war "as swiftly as possible (Read more at NewArab).
Senior Israeli officials said holding a virtual meeting is a way for Netanyahu to "save face" and have a discussion with the White House about Rafah without sending a delegation to Washington. A senior Israeli official said a second meeting, in person, is planned to take place as soon as next week (Read more at Axios).
The new arms packages include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, said the sources, who confirmed a report in the Washington Post. Washington gives $3.8 billion in annual military assistance to Israel, its longtime ally (Read more at USNews).
However, hours after Biden's Friday statement, the Washington Post reported that his government had signed off on additional bombs and warplanes for Israel in recent days worth billions of dollars. Biden also said Arab Americans have been a target of hate crimes while noting the fatal October stabbing of 6-year-old Palestinian American in Illinois, the November shooting of three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont, and the February stabbing of a Palestinian American man in Texas (Read more at USNews).
The meeting would mark the warming relations between the nations, after a period of strained ties. A U.S. official said Washington sees the meeting as an opportunity for Erdoğan to agree to a full ban on the transshipment via Turkey of dual-use goods that it says Russia uses in its war effort in Ukraine (Read more at duvarenglish).
Cairo wants help through funding and equipment if an Israeli operation into Rafah sends Gazans fleeing to its border. The Egyptian requests come as American officials deliberate with their counterparts in Qatar, Egypt and Israel to iron out a roadmap that will eventually lead to a pause in fighting (Read more at Politico).
For more than six weeks, there have been no attacks by Iran-allied militias against U.S. forces in Iraq or Syria. What really shook them up was the targeted killing of the logistics commander in Baghdad. The strike, he says, was proof of exceptionally precise locational intelligence. There are definitely calls for targeted strikes on Houthi leaders in Washington. The U.S. Air Force can do more damage in one hour than the Saudi Air Force can do in eight years (Read more CSMonitor).
Israelis are keenly aware that the close bond between their country and the U.S. is fraying over a war that they in their large majority support. Many are quick to echo Mr. Netanyahu by insisting Israel is ready to “go it alone” to “finish the job in Gaza” if need be. There is a growing sentiment that the widening breach with the U.S. is not based on a legitimate critique of the war, but on U.S. domestic politics (Read more at CSMonitor).
The contract will cover 50 System Enhancement Package 3 (SEP v3) variant tanks equipped with M240 Coaxial 7.62mm machine guns. Supporting capabilities included in the order are M88A2 HERCULES Combat Recovery Vehicles and M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicles. Maintenance, training, and other logistics services will also be provided by the US (Read more at Defense Post).
19 senators encourage Joe Biden to 'publicly outline a path' for US to recognize 'nonmilitarized' Palestinian state. The senators said they have been "particularly disappointed" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to engage on a path to a Palestinian state (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
That proposal would see Israeli forces working to curb Hamas militants’ ability to smuggle weapons into Rafah, choking off their capacity to wage further war against Israel. It’s unclear for how long Israel would stay on the border along the eight-mile stretch. Egypt have lobbied Washington to urge Israel not to invade Rafah. They worry the operation would push Gazans, including Hamas militants to flee across the border into Sinai (Read more at Politico).
Although a Washington–Ankara rapprochement is still in its nascent stage, recent developments reveal the old allies are on a positive trajectory to repair bilateral relations after a period of strained diplomatic ties. While the Turkish president is stepping up anti-Zionist rhetoric on his domestic front, his administration maintains substantial economic ties with Israel. It makes clear Turkiye's shift toward prioritizing strategic interests over ideological ones (Read more at The Cradle).
Jared Kushner, former US President Donald Trump's son-in-law suggested that Israel should remove Palestinian civilians from Gaza while it "cleans up" the territory. This sheds light on potential future implications for Gaza under a Trump presidency amidst Israel's ongoing conflict (Read more at Jordannews).
Blinken has arrived in Saudi Arabia as part of a regional tour, his sixth since the start of the war. The State Department has announced that Blinken will cap his tour by visiting Israel. He is expected to be in Tel Aviv on Friday (Read more at Aljazeera).
This is a signal that both Biden and Netanyahu are trying to avoid a public clash. Biden told Netanyahu that while he shares the goal of destroying Hamas, there must be a coherent strategy to do that. "We want to have a strategic discussion about how to defeat Hamas in a way that will be long-term. There are ways to defeat Hamas without smashing into Rafah," Sullivan said (Read more at Axios).
A day after UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini publicly complained that Israel blocked him, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel, defended the need for him and his staff to visit Gaza. Senator Chris Van Hollen, in a CBS News interview Sunday, said that Israeli charges that UNRWA is a proxy for Hamas were "flat-out lies" aimed at getting rid of the agency (Read more at Barron's).
The Biden administration sincerely wants to help ease the suffering. But he refuses to use US leverage with Israel, providing billions of dollars in weapons and other assistance. The problem is that the Israeli government knows that Biden and Congress will not withhold serious amounts of funding and therefore does not need to heed US requests (Read more at Arabnews).
Sarah Yager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement, “Given ongoing hostilities in Gaza, the Israeli government’s assurances to the Biden administration that it is meeting US legal requirements are not credible.” (Read more at Aljazeera)
The issue is expected to lead the discussions in upcoming visit of Iraqi Prime Minister to Washington. Unlike hardline Shiite militias, security officials and some politicians have voiced concern that Iraq can’t afford a complete and abrupt withdrawal of US troops from the country, even though there is a feeling today that their presence at this time causes more problems than solutions (Read more at The National).
He will visit the Middle East this week and meet senior leaders in Saudia Arabia and Egypt to "discuss the right architecture for lasting regional peace". "We've also impressed upon Israel the imperative of having a plan for Gaza for when the conflict ends, which we hope will be as soon as possible, consistent with Israel's needs to defend itself and make sure Oct. 7 can never happen again," Blinken added (Read more at USNews).
Netanyahu told lawmakers on Tuesday he had made it "supremely clear" to the U.S. president "that we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there's no way to do that except by going in on the ground" (Read more at USNews).
In a meeting with American Jewish organization executives on Tuesday, Schumer defended his call for an election and the stance that Netanyahu is a danger to Israel. Schumer only shared the content of his speech with a small circle of staff members and his wife. He alerted the White House the day before — just to ensure it wouldn't interfere with negotiations (Read more at Axios).
Egypt’s foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry said, "It is not enough for rhetoric, it is not enough to state opposition, it is also important to indicate what if that position is circumvented, what if that position is not respected" (Read more at The Cradle).
The first case, Defense for Children International – Palestine v Biden, alleged that Biden Administration, has “actively abetted” Israel to commit genocide. The case was dismissed. In another case, US District Judge in Amarillo, Texas rejected the Biden administration’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit, that alleges Biden Administration put US visitors to Israel under increased risk of harm by providing economic aid to the West Bank and Gaza (Read more at Aljazeera).
During the military drill, an air landing by US and British enemy forces on a Yemeni village was simulated. Popular groups arm themselves to resist the invasion until the arrival of the Yemeni Armed Forces (Read more at The Cradle).
Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11 attacks, and denounced Schumer’s comments as inappropriate. “We will operate in Rafah. This will take several weeks, and it will happen,” he said (Read more at Yahoo News).
Kirby, White House National Security Communications Adviser, said Biden "understands that that's up to the Israeli people" concerning whether they hold new elections. He added, the U.S. doesn't "agree with everything" Israel does, but elections up to them (Read more at Axios).
The Sinn Fein leader, who was in Washington for a St Patrick's Day reception, says we're at a tipping point and big decisions now need to be made by the United States. Ceasefire now has to be the absolute priority (Read more at Skynews).
This sea route will be the first passage in or out of Gaza in more than 75 years not controlled by either Israel or Egypt. That also opens a window of opportunity for establishing links with an EU member state and, potentially, trade ties with the rest of this powerful economic and political union. It is a clear sign that the Biden administration is recognizing and internalizing the need to take a different approach to the war (Read more at Arabnews).
Questions include who will provide security for the US soldiers erecting the pier, who will distribute the aid, and whether building the pier is necessary. Some US officials say it is redundant, as Morocco has opened a land corridor to deliver aid by truck. It is also unclear how the causeway will be anchored to the shore, as US soldiers will be forbidden from setting foot on Gazan soil (Read more at The Cradle).
Panama is the largest ship registration hub in the world. Over 8,000 vessels sail under its flag, representing about 16 percent of the global fleet. Abram Paley, the US Deputy Special Envoy for Iran said that six vessels that violated US sanctions have flown the Panamanian flag since the start of this year. In January last year, the Panamanian maritime authority withdrew its flag from over 130 Iranian-linked vessels at Washington’s request (Read more at The Cradle).
The talks underline how the Biden administration is using diplomatic channels with its foe, alongside military deterrents, in a bid to de-escalate a wave of regional hostilities involving Iranian-backed militant groups. US officials acknowledge that military action alone will not be enough to deter the Houthis, and believe that ultimately Tehran will need to pressure the group to curb its activities (Read more at Financial Times).
“Mahmoud Abbas doesn’t tolerate succession planning,” the former official, who has met with Abbas said. “He believes in perpetual resurrection.” A poll late last year showed 90 percent of Palestinians want Abbas to resign. The reason the US doesn't know who will succeed Abu Mazen is because Abu Mazen doesn't know (Read more at Middle East Eye).
"The president was very clear that the US would continue to support Israel and to assist Israel to defend itself, so I don't think that's going to change," Varadkar said after their Oval Office meeting. "But I think none of us like to see American weapons being used in the way they are. The way they're being used at the moment is not self-defense." (Read more at NewArab)
The U.S. has yet to confirm that missiles have moved from Iran to Russia. But U.S. officials are alarmed by comments by Iranian officials that suggest that a deal is imminent. One action that the Group of Seven countries are mulling is to prohibit Iran Air, the country’s national air carrier, from flying to Europe (Read more at ABCNews).
Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, said in a statement that Lebanon was facing “great instability.” (Read more at Arabnews).
Biden, who said that Schumer contacted his staff in advance of making the speech Thursday, said he wouldn't elaborate further on the comments. "I think he expressed a serious concern shared not only by him but by many Americans," Biden said. (Read more at NBCNews)
He said, "I can tell you is we're working intensively with Israel, with Qatar, with Egypt, to bridge the remaining gaps and to try to reach an agreement". When asked about a possible Israel military offensive on Rafah, Blinken said the US had not seen such plans, reiterating that Washington wants a "clear and implementable plan" to ensure civilians are "out of harm's way". (Read more at Barron's)
Some have called into question whether its impact could boomerang into a boost for Mr Netanyahu's far-right coalition as it continues to wage war in Gaza. Benny Gantz, a political rival of Mr Netanyahu, said the US senator had “erred in his remarks” and that “external intervention” was “counterproductive and unacceptable.” (Read more at The National)
The CFO of McDonald’s announced that the boycott’s impact on sales in the arab region and the Islamic world. McDonald's shares plummeted by over 3 percent, heading towards recording its biggest daily loss in five weeks (Read more at Jordannews).
Evangelicals, long Israel’s among greatest supporters in the U.S. and abroad, are traveling there as war volunteers, providing extra hands for farms struggling to harvest. Propelled by faith, the “voluntourists” say they hope to show solidarity (Read more CSMonitor).
The Biden administration asked Israel to provide the signed letter of assurances by mid-March. The Israeli war cabinet gave Gallant the green light to sign the letter of assurances (Read more at Axios).
Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in US history, in his most strident criticism of Israel, has declared that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an obstacle to peace, too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza, and endorsed Israel hosting new elections to oust his right-wing government. He also said “There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after October 7.” (Read more at Aljazeera)
Biden has begun a tricky maneuver: breaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Gaza war strategy — while sticking with Israel and its fight against Hamas. U.S. intelligence services expect large protests demanding Netanyahu's resignation and new elections in the coming weeks and months and A different, more moderate government is a possibility (Read more at Axios).
He was one of six Americans still considered held hostage in Gaza. 19-year-old Itay Chen was killed in action on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants crossed into Israel and attacked his base. His body was then taken by Hamas militants to Gaza (Read more at Axios).
8 senators, led by Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government of preventing US-funded aid from reaching the Gaza Strip's civilian population “in a safe and timely manner (Read more at Al Monitor).
Facing budget caps and new procurement delays, the Navy plans to decommission a total of 13 ships in fiscal year 2025, including ten before the end of their expected service life, for a total overall fleet of 287 ships in fiscal year 2025 (Read more at Stripes).
The airdrops were “a good way of showing to Democratic Party voters that the US cares about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Israel is not anymore under pressure to open its border with Gaza. While Israel was considering arming some Palestinian individuals or clans in Gaza to provide security protection for aid convoys after the fighting ends, 99 percent of the time, food that’s airdropped over Gaza gets immediately collected by civilians (Read more at Arabnews).
It also suggests that Israel will fail to achieve its aim in the Gaza war of completely eliminating Hamas. It appeared unusual for American spy agencies to offer their analysis of an allied leader’s political prospects in an unclassified document (Read more at Politicalwire).
US forces said they destroyed an underwater drone and nearly 20 ballistic missiles in a series of strikes against Yemen's Houthi group. The US Central Command said in a statement Monday night that the strikes were carried out after the Houthis fired two missiles towards a Singaporean-owned, Liberian-flagged merchant ship called the Pinocchio (Read more at NewArab).
He said a pending hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas which will initially allow a temporary ceasefire and enable people to get the much-needed humanitarian aid has "great value.” (Read More at TRTWorld)
It includes mainstream left-wing groups, more than 20 advocacy groups as well as organisations focused on Palestinian rights. They claim that AIPAC is readying a $100m offensive through its electoral arms (Read more at Aljazeera).
US arms sale to Israel since Oct 7 includes tens of tonnes of 155mm shells, tens of thousands of guided bombs, air-to-ground missiles of the ‘Hellfire’ model, and drones, roughly 21,000 precision-guided munitions, thousands of bunker-buster munitions, and 200 kamikaze drones. On the other hand, the US and Israel have concluded a massive arms deal that includes the supply of F-35 and F-15 fighter jets to Tel Aviv (Read more at Jordan News).
In 100 secret operations since the start of the war, this bridge involved at least 100 flights originating from US bases worldwide and hundreds of flights operated by air and sea shipping companies. Joe Biden chose not to inform Congress about these operations (Read more at Jordan News).
He said, "to Muslims across our country, please know that you are deeply valued members of our American family. To those who are grieving during this time of war, I hear you, I see you, and I pray you find solace in your faith, family, and community." He added Islamophobia has absolutely no place in the country (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
The U.S., France, and others have recently floated plans that would rely on the LAF and UNFIL to take a greater role in southern Lebanon. Yet more of the same is not the answer. The United States must acknowledge reality: its Lebanon policy is failing. And the dire consequences are coming into view (Read more at Providence).
Rather than aim to “de-escalate”—the aim should be for “stability”— a return to peace on just terms. And for decades, maintaining the peace has required the United States’ ability and will to escalate. The United States has the might to crush the Houthis. The United States can convince Iran to end these terror attacks against civilian international shipping (Read more at Providence).
Muslim organisations in New York are calling on their local mosques and spaces this Ramadan to not invite - or decline invitations from - any elected official who has not called for a ceasefire in the war on Gaza (Read more at Middle East Eye).
A day after President Biden asserted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “hurting Israel more than helping Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu dismissed that contention as “wrong.” Mr. Netanyahu said his policies represented the “overwhelming majority” of Israelis (Read more at Nepal Page).
The White House claims it wishes to build the port to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, but the port would take at least 60 days to build and that "charities have said those suffering in Gaza cannot wait that long. This military tactical port will receive Israeli approval because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been seeking this idea since the beginning of the war (Read more at The Cradle)
The officials said the administration “has yet to see any kind of humanitarian or evacuation plan from the Israeli government that seeks to ensure the safety of civilians in Rafah before launching a military operation there” (Read more at Aljazeera).
The Emirati government reportedly threatened to suspend work on an Arab–Israeli land route if aid does not reach Gaza. US plans to construct a temporary port on the shores of Gaza are reportedly the result of Emirati pressure on Washington (Read more at The Cradle).
"We are looking at the possibility of hundreds of thousands of children starving to death. The United States of America cannot be complicit in this mass slaughter of children," Sanders said. "You can't beg Netanyahu. You have to tell him 'if you want any money, you have to change your policy," he continued (Read more at Axios).
A Palestinian aid worker employed at a US charity has been killed in an Israeli attack on his shelter in Gaza’s Deir el-Balah. This is the fifth member of a US humanitarian aid group killed in the war on Gaza (Read more at Aljazeera).
Biden said, “The defence of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line [where] I’m going to cut off all weapons so they don’t have the Iron Dome to protect them. But there’s red lines that if he crosses them…”, Biden said without finishing his chain of thought, adding that his administration “cannot have 30,000 more Palestinians dead.” (Read more at Aljazeera)
CENTCOM and coalition forces determined that the the "large-scale" drone attack "presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels, US Navy and coalition ships in the region" (Read more NewArab).
Fidan said Turkey maintained its position on Syria and over the F-35s, saying Ankara was owed jets for the payment and work it did as a manufacturer. He said Turkey was open to discussing the matter but Washington needed to be "open minded" (Read more at USNews).
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fear their US patrons will abandon them in favor of closer relations with Turkiye. Turkiye has escalated its airstrikes on areas in northeast Syria occupied by the SDF in recent months. SDF would simply have to cut a deal with Damascus if the US pulls out, returning northeast Syria and its oil and wheat resources to Syrian government control (Read more at The Cradle).
He changed only rhetorically. But he has not backed away from the two pillars of President Biden’s position on the October 7 terrorist attacks: Israel has a right to defend itself and Hamas must be destroyed. There is one area where the president has changed: Prior to the war, he evinced little or no interest in a two-state solution. He has now put his administration squarely behind this idea (Read more at CFR).
In his last State of the Union address before the November elections, US President Joe Biden reiterated his administration's commitment to a two-state solution. However, Biden said that “Israel has a right to go after Hamas” for the Oct. 7 massacre and resisted calls from the progressive wing of his party to restrict US military assistance to Israel or cut off its diplomatic protection at the United Nations (Read more at Al Monitor).
An international relations and media lecturer at Israel’s Hebrew University, believes the historically close relationship between the two countries will supersede the relationships between individual administrations. I don’t remember another war that Israel fought where it received so much support from a U.S. administration. The airlifting of U.S. military equipment to Israel occurred almost immediately. It never stopped (Read more at CNBC).
he U.S. port system being envisioned for Gaza involves two separate components, the first being construction of a floating, offshore barge that would be able to accept aid deliveries. The U.S. military would then move aid from there to a floating, 550 meter causeway anchored to the shore. It may involve more than 1,000 American troops and would allow delivery about 2 million meals to Gazans daily (Read more at USNews).
The White House is seeking a full accounting of the government's weapons assistance to Israel as criticism and pressure grow across the political spectrum of U.S. support for Israel in the war in Gaza (Read more at Axios).
William Burns secretly arrived in Egypt yesterday and headed to Doha today for a meeting with Qatar’s prime minister. He will next travel to Israel (Read more at Aljazeera).
Mike Pompeo said that the Palestinian aid packed in Joe Biden's State of Union speech was to appeal to pro-Hamas democrats who wish to see Israel fail and Hamas succeed. He believes that aid will end up in the Hamas's hands (Watch the interview at Hudson).
"We believe we have come to the point that we and the broader international community must consider anew how to respond to Iran's continued stonewalling," the United States said in a statement to the Board meeting. "We cannot allow Iran's current pattern of behavior to continue." (Read more at USNews).
he U.S. Mission in Türkiye brought international education and innovation expert Geoffrey Watson to Ankara and Istanbul this week as part of its ongoing efforts to promote U.S.-Turkish cooperation in higher education and educational technology. Watson is the President and Chief Business Officer of the Minerva Project, a San Francisco-based startup that aims to revolutionize higher education (Read more at DailySabah).
The operation will not require that American troops be on the ground to build the pier. The U.S. military has "unique capabilities" and can do things from "just offshore (Read more at DailySabah).
The meeting also highlighted the necessity for the Ukraine war not to prolong further, and emphasized that the resolution should be within the "territorial and political integrity of Ukraine." He also urged the U.S. to sever its ties with the PKK's affiliated terrorist groups (Read more at DailySabah).
