"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)
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).
"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).
The cost estimate for constructing the pier has surged to $320 million, a substantial increase from earlier projections (Read more at I24).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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)
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).
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).
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).
Council on American-Islamic Relations calls for federal investigation into a real estate event which advertised properties in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. They are deemed illegal under international law. The event's website advertises properties located in several Israeli cities. It also lists the following Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank: Neve Daniel, Efrat, Ma’ale Adumim (Read more at Middle East Eye).
US activist, academic and presidential candidate Cornel West said, "I stand in deep solidarity with my Palestinian brothers and sisters." (Read more at NewArab)
Former president’s rhetoric shows voters seeking to punish Joe Biden for backing Israel face dilemma in upcoming election. Donald Trump has voiced explicit backing for Israel’s war on Gaza, suggesting that he supports the goal expressed by the hardline government in Tel Aviv of continuing the assault until “total victory” (Read more at Aljazeera).
The United States on Tuesday revised language in a draft United Nations Security Council resolution to back "an immediate ceasefire of roughly six-weeks in Gaza together with the release of all hostages. The third revision of the text - first proposed by the US two weeks ago - now reflects blunt remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris (Read more at TBS News).
She called for Hamas to accept terms for an immediate ceasefire. In a post on X, Ms Harris said she "reiterated" support for Israel's "right to defend itself" and discussed the need to increase the flow of aid into Gaza (Read more at Skynews).
The strong messages Gantz received in private, signal the White House has lost its patience and is ratcheting up pressure on the Israeli government. Gantz, who is considered a more moderate member of the Israeli war cabinet, tried to reassure Harris and Sullivan that Israel won't go into Rafah without evacuating the civilian population and stressed Israel has ways to do it, but also realized the White House doesn't believe the previous assurances received from Netanyahu about this issue (Read more at Axios).
Hamas says Israel does not want a ceasefire deal, and it is up to the US to pressure Tel Aviv to agree to end the fighting in Gaza. Israel says it is interested only in a temporary truce. Hamas says it wants any deal to lead to a permanent end to the war, the release of Palestinians held captive in Israeli jails, and all Gaza residents be allowed to return during the truce. (Read more at The Cradle).
Speaking before his meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the State Department, the top U.S. diplomat also said there was an opportunity right now to achieve an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war but that the onus was on the Palestinian militant group to engage in those talks (Read more at USNews).
Three Houthi drones and a missile fired towards a US destroyer in the Red Sea. There were no injuries or damage to the ship (Read more at The National).
The US administration’s decision to host war cabinet minister Benny Gantz is a calculated step aimed at “strengthening the moderate axis” in the Israeli governmen. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is upset about the visit (Read more at Aljazeera).
Although she urged Hamas to accept a deal, she directed the bulk of her comments at Israel in what appeared to be the sharpest rebuke yet by a senior leader in the U.S. government over the conditions in the coastal enclave. Her comments reflected intense frustration, if not desperation, within the U.S. government about the war, which has hurt President Joe Biden with left-leaning voters as he seeks re-election this year (Read more at USNews)..
Lebanon's deputy parliament speaker said that he believed the timing of his visit pointed to progress in efforts to secure a Gaza truce "within the next few hours or days". Lebanon's caretaker prime minister said that a halt to fighting in the Gaza Strip as early as this week would trigger indirect talks to end hostilities along Lebanon's southern border with Israel (Read more at USNews).
The war has also reignited previously-dormant advocacy groups such as Pro-Israel America. It’s also supercharged fundraising on all sides of the conflict. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), the nation’s only federal Palestinian-American lawmaker, raised a staggering $3.7 million in the final three months of 2023, her largest-ever single quarter fundraising haul (Read more at Politico).
For example, Israel lists a number of fundraising campaigns hosted by Michigan-based LaunchGood, a nonprofit that crowdsources funding for some of the largest Muslim charities in the world and the U.S. hasn’t taken action against any of the campaigns or charities on the fundraising platform. They have undergone scrutiny by the Western governments that regulate them (Read more at MSN).
The approximately 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulphate fertiliser that the vessel was carrying presents an environmental risk in the Red Sea (Read more at The National).
A senior US official said on Saturday that Israel had broadly accepted the plan and it was now up to Hamas to agree to release captives for the deal to take effect. In addition to halting Israel's war, Hamas wants new truce terms to ensure immediate humanitarian relief for Gazans, an Israeli withdrawal and the return of Gazans displaced from the north (Read more at Al Ahram).
An American convict who has spent 40 years behind bars worked in prison for over a month, earning a total of $17.74 and selflessly donated to the people of Gaza. He worked as a janitor for a mere 13 cents per hour, accumulating around this small amount for his 136 hours of labour. His altruistic gesture captured the hearts of people globally through a social media post, resulting in a tremendous outpouring of support and assistance from the community (Read more at TRTWorld).
The talks, first reported by Reuters, are expected to span topics including reducing Palestinian civilian casualties, securing a temporary ceasefire, the release of hostages held in Gaza and increasing aid to the territory, a White House official said (Read more at USNews).
The Houthi Transport Ministry in Yemen said on Saturday there had been a "glitch" in undersea communication cables in the Red Sea as a result of actions by U.S. and British naval vessels (Read more at USNews).
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement the entities - a subsidiary of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and an organization affiliated with Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU) - aimed to "stoke socio-political tensions and influence the U.S. electorate during the 2024 U.S. election" (Read more at Reuters).
US drone activity spans Baghdad, as well as provinces like Anbar, Nineveh, Erbil, and northern Babylon, despite a temporary cessation of attacks by Iraqi armed factions. the continued US drone operations pose a challenge to the Iraqi government's efforts to ease tensions with armed factions (Read more at NewArab).
The US claimed that it did not 'have all the facts on the ground' concerning the massacre on Palestinians queueing for aid by the Israeli military. The US was the only country out of 15 to not back Algeria's statement on the massacre in Al-Rashid Street that killed at least 112. US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said that he wanted the wording to reflect "the necessary due diligence with regards to culpability." (Read more at NewArab).
One of them said, "I don’t even care if Trump wins or loses. I just don’t want Biden to win. I don’t want to bubble Biden on my ballot in November. I will vote for Trump because I can." Another one said, "I will vote for Trump not because he’s amazing - because he is not. But because 30,000 innocent people didn’t die under his watch." (Read more at Middle East Eye)
The C-17 and C-130 are best suited for the job. The wind plays a large role in ensuring that they land where they should. There is no guarantee that the aid will not end up in the hands of Hamas. President Joe Biden told reporters that the U.S. was also looking at the possibility of a maritime corridor to deliver aid into Gaza. One possible option is shipping aid by sea from Cyprus (Read more at USNews).
According to observers, Barzani’s visit marks a shift in the Biden administration’s policy and a desire to push for a more active US engagement with Erbil. The United States is hoping to transform Kurdistan into a major centre of gravity for American influence in Iraq, where the government is working to end the mission of US-led forces there (Read more at The Arab Weekly).
The Senate voted 79 to 13 against a resolution of disapproval of $23 billion sale of 40 Lockheed Martin F-16s and nearly 80 modernization kits to Türkiye, introduced by Republican Sen. Rand Paul. Before the vote, Paul criticized Türkiye's government and said allowing the sale would, what he called, embolden its "misbehavior." Backers of the sale said it was important for Washington to keep its word to a NATO ally (Read more at Daily Sabah).
Both presidents stressed the need to avoid the expansion of the conflict in the region. Egypt urged the UNSC member States to provide protection for the Palestinian people. Biden praised Egypt's intense political efforts to reach a truce and its pioneering role in providing humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. They also discussed strengthening the strategic bilateral partnership (Read more at Al Ahram).
The congressional leaders cited a recent poll from Data For Progress that found 77 per cent of Democrats, 69 per cent of Independents and 56 per cent of Republicans wanted "a permanent ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza". Not only is a ceasefire good policy, it is good politics (Read more at The National).
The Pentagon said Mr Austin was quoting Hamas numbers and that the US is not keeping track of Gaza casualty figures. Pentagon press secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder said that absent being on the ground in Gaza, the Pentagon has no way to corroborate tolls given by Israel or Gaza authorities (Read more at The National).
Biden walked back his previous remarks about a possible ceasefire in Gaza by Monday. White House deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton said the U.S. asked the Israeli government to thoroughly investigate the aid convoy incident. USAID Administrator Samantha Power said two crossings is not enough and we need more crossings into Gaza so that vitally needed humanitarian assistance can be dramatically surged (Read more at Axios).
The US urged Israel to allow Muslims to worship at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem during Ramadan after a far-right minister proposed barring Palestinians from the occupied West Bank from praying there (Read more at Al Ahram).
This move underscores the growing concern within the White House about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The administration was skeptical of such an idea early in the war, but support for it has been growing (Read more at Axios).
The Biden administration gave Israel until mid-March to sign a letter that gives assurances it will abide by international law while using U.S. weapons and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. If the assurances aren't provided by the deadline, U.S. weapon transfers to the country will be paused (Read more at Axios).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday pushed back against President Biden's recent warning that Israel will lose support worldwide if its "incredibly conservative" government continues down its current path. Netanyahu cited a recent Harvard-Harris poll that found more than 80% of those surveyed in the U.S. supported Israel more than Hamas in the current conflict. But a recent AP/Norc poll showed that 50% of U.S. adults surveyed in January said they believed Israel's actions had gone too far (Read more at Axios).
During a guest appearance on Late Night With Seth Myers on US TV, US President took the opportunity to say that he was a Zionist. He did so several times before: During a Senate debate in 1986, he said "were there not an Israel, the United States of America would have to invent an Israel to protect her interests in the region". Last year, during his visit to Israel he said: "I don't believe you have to be a Jew to be a Zionist, and I am a Zionist" (Read more at NewArab).
The testimony from Shapiro and Tim Lenderking, the US envoy for the conflict in Yemen, marked the first congressional testimony by US officials since President Joe Biden ordered strikes against the Houthis last month. This was the most detailed public accounting of the airstrikes so far (Read more at YahooFinance).
