Britain Joins France In Palestinian State Push; Abbas Praises Starmer's Stand, Netanyahu Fumes
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Hans India
18 minutes ago
- Hans India
Initiatives like IMEC needed especially in times of volatility, uncertainty: Italy's envoy Talo'
New Delhi: The ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor project was started with a "lot of hope" and such initiatives are needed especially in times of volatility and uncertainty driven by global security challenges, Italy's envoy for IMEC, Francesco Talo' said. In an exclusive interview to PTI Videos at the Italian Embassy here on Wednesday, he also said that less than a month after its launch in New Delhi in 2023, there was a "terrible attack" against Israel on October 7, and this impacted the project. "Therefore, things were slipping, frozen. But, now there is a renewed interest," the envoy said. The Israel-Hamas conflict still goes on, and the Middle East (or West Asia) region has seen wide-scale volatility and uncertainty over the last two years, including the recent twelve-day military confrontation between Israel and Iran in June. "I would say that especially in times of volatility or uncertainty, we need projects like this (IMEC). We need to have a differentiation. We need to be ready to play on different grounds. So, not to be conditioned only by one route, by one interlocutor," Talo' told PTI in the interview. Cautioning that in times of great inter-dependence today, he underlined that one needs to be on one hand "not too dependent" on any one option, and on the other hand, need to live in a system of inter-dependence. Talo', a seasoned diplomat, visited India earlier this week to take part in a meeting of representatives of countries which are partners in the IMEC initiative. He also met India's deputy National Security Advisor. "I have had meetings with part of the administration, especially with people in the National Security Council and the external affairs ministry. And I'm planning to meet other people today (Wednesday) in order to better understand the importance of our partner India," he added. So it's good that in this very city, the "first meeting" among the special envoys of IMEC was held, the diplomat said. "I was here when the initiative was launched in September 2023. I was with my Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. And, we had a clear vision of a great opportunity for our countries, for our shared interests," Talo' said, adding, IMEC was started with a "lot of hope" and it was very much linked to the idea of having important political and economic results. And, this is the moment really to have a "transition" from a phase of conferences, interviews, and some public events to a "more concrete phase of action", he asserted. Billed as a pathbreaking initiative, the IMEC envisages a vast road, railroad and shipping networks among Saudi Arabia, India, the US and Europe with an aim to ensure integration among Asia, Middle East and the West. The IMEC initiative was firmed up on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023. An agreement was signed by India, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the US and some other G20 partners for the corridor. EU signatories Italy, France, and Germany are partners in this transnational connectivity project. Many strategic affairs watchers have described the IMEC as perhaps an answer to China's massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a mega infrastructure and connectivity project that will involve a large number of countries. Asked about his views on BRI, Talo' described it as "another project" and different from IMEC. "They are different by nature. Their members are different. So, I don't want to.. I don't like the idea of presenting IMEC as something against them. It's something for us, for our partners, for our peoples. And, then there can be other initiatives," he said. Italy had joined BRI in 2019. According to international reports, it had announced its withdrawal from it, four years later. Talo' emphasised that when it comes to realising the IMEC vision, there are financial challenges and practical infrastructure challenges. "It involves several countries. We all know that it's not going to be simple," he said. "But it could be a great opportunity, because we see great prospects of growth for all of us," the envoy said. Talo' underlined that one cannot have real security and peace "when only one nation is rich". There is need for entire region to grow, and of course innovation can somehow be the lead for these changes for the better. "We are already seeing this in India," he said. The Gulf countries are also important protagonists, actors in innovation. "We can do it all together, and this will also benefit countries which have more problems," the envoy said, adding, this can somehow also "contribute to the peace process". During the interaction, he also shared the reasons for Italy pitching its coastal city of Trieste as a "possible principal hub" in this corridor. Also, India, the Middle East, and at least Italy and the Mediterranean countries in the same region, which "I like to call the Indo-Mediterranean region, we have a common interest that is an area of growing prosperity where, for instance, navigation and trade is free and open", Talo' said. Italy, along with three other IMEC partner countries are also part of the powerful G7. "Of course, the G7 countries can offer a contribution... Furthermore, I think it's important to take into account the role of the European Union with its Global Gateway initiative. So, the idea is that IMEC can be put under the umbrella of the Global Gateway," he said. In November 2024, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in his address, on the occasion of inauguration of the new Chancery of the Embassy of India in Rome, had referred to the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The minister had said that this connectivity corridor, which was agreed to in principle during India's presidency of the G20, will be a game changer between Europe and Asia.
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First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
Palestinian issue on brink: Has time for two-state solution come?
While militant outfits must recognise Israel's right to exist, the Israelis must understand that peace in itself is a bountiful reward for them read more France, Spain, Ireland, Norway and even the UK have been more than eager to support and recognise the cause and state of Palestine. Image: REUTERS The terror attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023, on Israelis, killing more than 1100 and injuring hundreds, were unprecedented. More. Importantly and perhaps beyond the imagination of Hamas, they were able to take 250 hostages. The conscience of the world was shaken and shocked. The majority of the countries, including India, condemned and sympathised with the Jewish state. Israelis were shocked not only by the incident but also by the failure and breach of their highly acclaimed security, military and intelligence systems and networks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The ultra-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose the path that they have always chosen to deal with Palestinian insurgency — use of a forbidding and disproportionate force which should teach the lessons for generations to come. Carpet bombing and indiscriminate killing of nearly 60,000 Palestinians, displacing over 1.2 million, and the blockade of the humanitarian assistance and aid to the starving hapless Gazans frittered away the global sympathy during the past nearly two years that Israel had earned. Israel is still fighting in Gaza, whose fate itself is uncertain. Nearly fifty hostages and the dead bodies of some hostages still remain and are used as negotiating leverage by the decimated Hamas. Over time two things have happened. Hamas, due to the Israeli response, was able to once again bring the Palestinian issue to the forefront, especially in the Arab world, which had developed certain 'Palestine fatigue' and was beginning to look at the relationship with Israel pragmatically. The Abraham Accords overtly and security cooperation covertly have become the norm in West Asia as far as Israel is concerned. But the Arab street also lightened up seeing the plight of ordinary Palestinians whose Nakba was being designed by both Trumpian Riviera and Netanyahu's planned exodus of them to other countries, including in Africa, in exchange for some key support in return, especially from the US. But this has further backfired. Palestinians claim the 'River to the Sea', like the Jews. Finding an acceptable outcome, despite the historicity and injustices, has been an intractable issue, especially as the major powers have stayed partisan and the regional powers complicit by default. But developments in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war forced the Saudis to take the lead for the 'two-state solution' and effectively polarised the regional countries and the Arab League to make it a precondition for normalisation of ties with the Jewish state. Although the US stayed committed to its iron-domed relationship with Israel and Netanyahu has been invited to the White House four times during Trump 2.0 to show support and to stabilise the region, there is an increasing discomfort even in the current administration as more and more Europeans are becoming more vocal in favour of the two viable states. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD France, Spain, Ireland, Norway and even the UK have been more than eager to support and recognise the cause and state of Palestine. France also recognised the Palestinian state, with the tally reaching nearly 150 out of 193. Brazil declared its intent to join South Africa at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to prove the genocidal case against the Netanyahu government. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu and others and even filed for an investigation against Hungary for its failure to apprehend Netanyahu during his visit to Budapest. Turkey and Brazil are imposing sanctions on Israel. Malaysia even called for the expulsion of Israel from the UN as if they really bothered about it. PM Anwar Ibrahim denounced 'barbarism", demanding global sanctions and Palestinian state recognition. Qatar and Saudi Arabia condemned statements by the Israeli Minister of Justice and the Knesset resolution regarding the annexation of the 'Occupied' West Bank. Saudi Arabian and Indonesian leaders conferred on Palestine. Egypt and Jordan — the two treaty allies — even contemplated military action against Israel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Turkey's intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, met with a Hamas delegation for a meeting intended to send a message that Ankara continues to be willing to host members of the group and conduct a strategy that involves backing Hamas. Turkey's President Recep Erdogan used flowery language against Netanyahu: 'PM Netanyahu has long left Hitler behind in terms of genocide'. Despite that, China and Turkey remained major trade partners of Israel. Tel Aviv had even proscribed the entry of UN Secretary-General António Guterres due to his comments on the largest number of UN personnel killed in the ensuing war. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) — the aid-distributing agency — was banned by Israel. Despite Israel's military engagement and military successes against Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as their benefactor Iran, the domestic discontent against his government has increased due to the hostages still in Hamas custody. Hamas is losing not only its fighters but also political leverage as the time passes and the plight of Gazans remains precarious. Hence, the continuation of Hamas in the day-after scenario is bleak, as even the Palestine Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa asked that Hamas must disarm and give up control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority to restore security in the war-torn territory while speaking at the UN conference. As such, the Arab countries have had no sympathy with the Iranian proxies, which provided Tehran with an asymmetric regional-political-military advantage. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Domestic discontent and opposition against Netanyahu and his right wingers have also increased. Former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has alleged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deliberately aiming to prolong the war in Gaza to coincide with national elections since two of his coalition partners dropped him. Likewise, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid commented, 'In the State of Israel, as of today, there is a minority government. A minority government cannot send soldiers into battle. A minority government cannot decide who will live and who will die. A minority government cannot decide on the fate of Gaza or conclude a settlement with Syria or with Saudi Arabia. It has no authority, it has no right, and it is an illegitimate government. The time has come for elections. Now.' China's role in this whole West Asian conflict has been somewhat lackadaisical and limited to occasional statements. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, 'Whoever sees the Israeli war on Gaza as a war against terrorism is politically and morally blind.' The Chinese Foreign Minister further accused the US, saying, 'America commits genocide with two wings: weapons to Israel and vetoes in the UN Security Council.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the same way, the Australian prime minister said, 'Israel is committing war crimes by killing the children and denying aid to Gaza.' Canada, like the UK, intends to recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September. The Netherlands officially labelled Israel as a national security threat for the first time over political interference, especially with regard to the ICC. However, the US, as expected, dismissed such recognitions, which will complicate the ceasefire efforts. President Trump, on French President Macron's move to recognise Palestine as a state, disregarded it, saying, 'He's a different kind of a guy; he's okay; he's a team player pretty much. But here's the good news: what he says doesn't matter. It's not going to change anything. … this statement doesn't carry any weight.' Hope it is not prophetic. Although Israeli Defence Forces could continue to pound the Gazans or want to annex the West Bank, the impunity from this unilateralism may have run its course. Even Trump appears confused by the turn of events when he says that Israel has to make a decision. He was unhappy when the ceasefire deal fell through, and the new one is still wanting. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Umpteen efforts have been made to arrive at a reasonable ceasefire deal with the support of Qatar, Egypt and the US. In fact, after being frustrated with undue delays and complexities of the two intransigent actors, Trump's Middle East Envoy had direct talks and deals with Hamas and the Houthis. In the most recent, even if highly tenuous deal under a US-backed plan, Hamas would release 10 hostages and 18 bodies over 60 days in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, increased aid, and talks to end the war, with US guarantees as long as negotiations remain serious. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, generally hawkish, also said any opportunity to free captives held in Gaza should not be missed, after US President Donald Trump said 'Israel' had agreed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire. These are yet again in a limbo. Meanwhile, the recognitions or readiness by several countries have evoked utter condemnation by the Israeli establishment. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel will not permit the creation of a Palestinian state under current conditions, regardless of international pressure. In a direct rebuke to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Netanyahu said, 'Starmer rewards Hamas's monstrous terrorism and punishes its victims.' He warned, 'A jihadist state on Israel's border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW,' adding, 'Appeasement always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen.' The two-state solution appears an anathema to them. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The UN conference for the implementation of the two-state solution and the issue of Palestine was co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia. 17 nations—including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, the EU, and the Arab League—signed a joint declaration urging Hamas to disarm and end its rule over Gaza. The 'New York Declaration' calls for Hamas to hand control to the Palestinian Authority 'in line with the goal of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State'. They also condemned the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians on October 7 while decrying Israeli seizures, starvation and killing of Gazans and settler violence in the West Bank. Possible deployment of foreign forces has been envisaged in the day-after scenario. India, which has expressed its deepest concerns on the continuing humanitarian crisis in Palestine while providing assistance, had recognised the State of Palestine as early as 1988 and was the first non-Arab country to do so. It has been a supporter of the Palestinian cause even as it developed a closer and strategic partnership with Israel since 1992. At the high-level conference, the Indian statement of support by Ambassador P Harish was categorical and reiterated the contours yet again, which include an immediate ceasefire, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian assistance, the release of all hostages, and the path of dialogue and diplomacy, and there is no alternative to these measures. India is a votary for a stable arrangement that caters to the security needs of both sides. A sovereign, viable and independent State of Palestine within recognised and mutually agreed borders living side by side in peace with Israel is a prerequisite for enduring peace and sustainable development. Hope the sanity prevails on all concerned for their own benefit. While militant outfits must recognise Israel's right to exist, the Israelis must understand that peace in itself is a bountiful reward for them. Gandhi's ideas have a relevance here: 'An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.' The author is the former Indian Ambassador to Jordan, Libya and Malta and is currently a Distinguished Fellow with Vivekananda International Foundation. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views.
NDTV
30 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Move Population, Bomb City": Inside Netanyahu's Gaza Takeover Plan
Gaza: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet is expected to meet on Thursday to finalise a decision on the expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza, despite serious misgivings from senior military officers. The phased plan proposes conquering vast stretches of the Gaza Strip, potentially over five months, again displacing around a million Palestinians, according to a report by The Times of Israel. Netanyahu has said Israel must "complete" the defeat of the Palestinian group Hamas in order to secure the release of hostages still held in Gaza since the October 2023 attack that triggered the war. On Wednesday, the Israeli military issued new enforced displacement orders in parts of Gaza City, in the north, and Khan Yunis in the south, adding to fears that the Netanyahu government is preparing to order the full occupation of the Palestinian territory later this week. The military spokesman said ground troops were preparing to "expand the scope of combat operations". The Israeli media, citing officials speaking on condition of anonymity, have also predicted an escalation of operations, including in densely populated areas where hostages are believed to be held, such as Gaza City and refugee camps. Inside Israel's Plan Israel's plan reportedly focuses on first seizing Gaza City and expanding aid distribution centres in coordination with the United States. It aims to destroy what remains of Hamas in the Gaza Strip and pressure the group into freeing 50 hostages it is still holding-- of whom, around 50 are believed to be alive, according to a report by the Times of Israel. The execution will begin with the Israeli military taking over Gaza City and camps in the central Strip, driving around half of the enclave's population southward toward the Mawasi humanitarian zone, the report said. In the first phase of the plan, Israel would issue an evacuation notice to around 1 million residents of Gaza City-- roughly half the strip's whole population-- giving them time for the establishment of civilian infrastructure in central Gaza, including hospitals and camps for evacuees, according to Channel 12 news. In the next phase, Israel will reportedly launch a military offensive in the area. During this time, US President Donald Trump is expected to announce the acceleration of humanitarian aid in coordination with Israel, the report continued. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Bloomberg News Wednesday that there are orders to fast-track the addition of 12 aid sites to the four currently operated by the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. "A quadrupling over two months, if possible. It's all about funding...I think there's still some question about areas of the north that may depend on whether the IDF can clear those areas and make it safe," the US Ambassador said, signalling that this would be coordinated with Israeli military advancements. The expansion is to last between four and five months and would reportedly be funded by approximately $1 billion in donations from the US and other countries. Per a Kan report, the plan was to expand to the camps in central Gaza, where the IDF has barely manoeuvred so far, in addition to Gaza City in the Strip's north. These are the areas where hostages are believed to be held, and Israel wants to avoid any harm to them. The report added that mediators Egypt and Qatar were pressuring Israel, via the US, not to implement the plan, while also urging Hamas to resume negotiations. During the cabinet meeting likely to be held at 6.00 pm on Thursday, Netanyahu is reportedly expected to seek a mandate to authorise himself and Defence Minister Israel Katz to make operational decisions Alternate Plans Per a Channel 12 report, the second plan on the table is to align with a proposed US-led framework for a comprehensive deal. If the plan advances, Israel may pause operations, but officials see it as an unlikely possibility. Kam reported that an alternative plan to avoid the full conquest is to encircle Gaza City and the central Gaza camps, block aid to those areas and launch pinpoint raids, aiming to wear Hamas down. However, there is a downside to the plan because it takes time Netanyahu has reportedly shot down this plan. Military's Warning As the war nears its 23rd month, signs of a rift over Israel's strategy have emerged between the Military and the Netanyahu government, as it works to prepare the new plan. According to Israeli media, the military is concerned that expanding its operations could endanger the 20 hostages who are still alive. Israeli Army Radio reported on Monday that military chief Eyal Zamir has become increasingly frustrated with what he describes as a lack of strategic clarity by the political leadership, concerned about being dragged into a war of attrition with Hamas militants. On Tuesday, Netanyahu held a three-hour meeting with security chiefs, including Zamir, to discuss options for the continuation of the war, the premier's office said in a statement. At the meeting, Zamir warned that a full occupation would be like "walking into a trap", public broadcaster Kan reported. Channel 12 television said the armed forces chief suggested alternatives to a full occupation, such as encircling specific areas where Hamas militants are believed to be hunkering down. Netanyahu Government's Pushback Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said in a post on X that while "it is the right and duty of the chief of staff to express his position in the appropriate forums", the military is bound by any decisions made by the government. "Once decisions are made by the political echelon, the IDF will execute them with determination and professionalism," Katz said, using an acronym for the Israeli military.
