Sultan Al-Khulaifi Today's latest from Al Jazeera
Dr Sultan Al-Khulaifi is a senior researcher at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, where he focuses on issues of conflict mediation and... more resolution. He holds a PhD in Politics from the University of Glasgow. Dr Al-Khulaifi's research primarily examines Qatari foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on its role in conflict mediation and peacebuilding. His work seeks to deepen understanding of Qatar's diplomatic strategies and its contributions to resolving regional and international disputes
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Al Jazeera
2 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
The Alaska summit was a spectacular distraction
Say you are the president of the United States and the relationship with a significant chunk of your political base has become less than blissfully harmonious. What do you do? Well, one option is to stage a summit, accompanied by much fanfare, with the president of Russia, ostensibly in order to end that country's war in Ukraine. And this is precisely the manoeuvre that was pulled by US President Donald Trump, who on Friday rolled out the red carpet in Alaska for his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The short-lived encounter was ultimately anticlimactic, with Trump offering the incisive assessment that 'There's no deal until there's a deal.' Fox News reported that Trump had rated the much-anticipated meeting with Putin a '10' out of 10 and that he particularly 'appreciated the Russian president's comments when he claimed he would not have invaded Ukraine had Trump won the 2020 presidency'. Fox went on to add that neither head of state had bothered to specify the 'reasoning behind these comments'. At any rate, the no-deal talks constituted a convenient distraction from current intra-MAGA strife, which owes to a couple of factors. There is, for example, the matter of the files relating to the late Jeffrey Epstein, the financier and convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019. When US Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed Trump in May on the Justice Department's review of the content of the so-called 'Epstein files', she reportedly informed the president that his name appeared therein. Despite having pledged while on the campaign trail to declassify the Epstein files, Trump changed tack earlier this year and angrily dismissed the investigation as a 'hoax'. He went as far as to insult many of his Republican followers as 'stupid' and 'foolish' for continuing to insist that the Epstein details be released. On July 12, the president took to social media with his signature preference for manic capitalisation to berate those demanding declassification: 'We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein.' And yet this is not the only headache facing the 'PERFECT Administration' from within Trump's own MAGA base, many of whose prominent members have become vocally critical of Israel's genocide in the Gaza Strip, which Trump persists in aiding and abetting. The genocide, which will mark its two-year anniversary in October, has officially killed nearly 62,000 Palestinians thus far – although the true death toll is undoubtedly many times higher. Apparently, Israel's behaviour was entirely palatable to much of the US political establishment when it simply consisted of unending massacres, slaughtered and mutilated babies, bombed hospitals, and razed neighbourhoods. Now that mass starvation has been visibly added to the genocidal mix, however, Israel seems to have crossed a red line even among formerly staunch devotees. As per Gaza's Ministry of Health, the death toll from malnutrition has hit 251, including 108 children. Images of skeletal Palestinians have flooded the internet, and the United Nations World Food Programme has categorised food shortage in Gaza as 'catastrophic'. Furthermore, according to the UN, the Israeli military has killed at least 1,760 Palestinians since late May alone, as they sought aid, including at sites run by the nefarious so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Backed by the US and Israel, the GHF has not only served Israel's plans for mass displacement and forced eviction of Palestinians; the aid distribution hubs have also functioned as a sort of one-stop shop for indiscriminate killing – which, after all, is the whole point of genocide. And while Trump has intermittently chided Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the disagreeable optics of the whole spectacle, it has not been sufficient to appease the scrutiny of the likes of right-wing US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a traditional ally of the president known for such antics as wearing a hat imprinted with the words 'Trump Was Right About Everything!' In a social media post last month, Greene – a leading figure in Trump's MAGA movement – was unexpectedly explicit in her condemnation of 'the genocide, humanitarian crisis, and starvation happening in Gaza'. Other MAGA fixtures like far-right influencer Laura Loomer – a self-defined 'proud Islamophobe' and general bona fide sociopath – wasted no time in responding to Greene's post: 'There is no genocide in Gaza.' Anyway, political tensions and infighting were at least temporarily removed from the spotlight by the Trump-Putin extravaganza in Alaska. It's hardly the first time the old art of distraction has come in handy – Trump's pal, Netanyahu, is the master of this trade. His commitment to waging genocide in Gaza has more than a little to do with his desire to stave off domestic opposition and avoid dealing with the assorted corruption charges in which he is presently embroiled. And while the Alaskan red-carpet stunt provided little to write home about, distraction may yet prevail as folks ponder what the hell that was all about. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.
Al Jazeera
3 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Israeli military bombs power plant near Yemeni capital Sanaa
The Israeli navy has carried out attacks on a power plant near the Yemeni capital Sanaa, according to Israeli media reports. Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV reported on Saturday that the 'aggression' damaged generators at the Hezyaz power plant, sparking a fire that was later contained. The country's deputy prime minister confirmed emergency crews managed to prevent further damage. Residents in Sanaa also reported hearing at least two loud explosions. The Israeli military claimed that the site was being used by Houthi fighters. But it did not present evidence to justify hitting a civilian power station, raising concerns that the strike may constitute a war crime. In a statement carried by Israeli outlets on Sunday, the military said the assault was a direct response to repeated Houthi attacks, including missiles and drones launched towards Israel. The Houthis have repeatedly fired rockets and drones at Israel since 2023 in response to Israel's genocide in Gaza. Israel has retaliated by bombing Yemen's infrastructure, including Hodeidah port, a vital lifeline for humanitarian aid deliveries. Israel has also attacked Yemen's international airport, claiming it was being used by Houthis. Most Houthi projectiles aimed at Israel have been intercepted, but the exchanges have widened the regional fallout of Israel's war on Gaza. The United States and the United Kingdom have also carried out bombings in Yemen as the Houthis attacked ships linked to Israel passing through the Red Sea. Houthis said the move, which disrupted global trade passing through the waterway, was in response to Israel's war and blockade of Gaza. In May, Washington announced a surprise truce with the group, halting its bombing campaign in exchange for an end to Houthi attacks on US-linked vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis insisted the deal did not apply to their operations against Israel. US forces had carried out hundreds of air raids in Yemen, killing more than 250 people, before the ceasefire was declared. US President Donald Trump said the truce would 'stop the bombing'. The deal appeared to blindside Israel, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressing his country would 'defend ourselves alone' if necessary.
Al Jazeera
4 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Israel bombs Gaza City as part of takeover plan
Israel bombs Gaza City as part of takeover plan NewsFeed Heavy Israeli air strikes have hit a home in Gaza City's Zeitoun neighbourhood, where shrapnel from another attack wounded a child. Israel's military is intensifying its bombardment following its plan to take over Gaza City and forcibly displace Palestinians south. Video Duration 02 minutes 25 seconds 02:25 Video Duration 01 minutes 21 seconds 01:21 Video Duration 01 minutes 59 seconds 01:59 Video Duration 00 minutes 39 seconds 00:39 Video Duration 00 minutes 57 seconds 00:57 Video Duration 01 minutes 11 seconds 01:11 Video Duration 02 minutes 06 seconds 02:06
