Riyadh deputy governor receives Mexico's ambassador
The ambassador visited to say farewell on completion of his tenure in the Kingdom.
Prince Mohammed praised the ambassador's efforts in strengthening and advancing relations between the two countries and wished him success.
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Al Arabiya
28 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Israel parliamentary panel demands compensation for Israelis stranded during Iran conflict
The head of an Israeli parliamentary committee told the Finance Ministry on Thursday to come up with a compensation plan by next week for Israelis stranded abroad during last month's conflict with Iran or the panel would impose one. Tens of thousands of Israelis were unable to return to the country for much of the 12-day conflict that began in mid-June since Israel's airspace was largely closed due to daily incoming rocket fire from Iran. Both foreign and Israeli carriers were forced to halt flights to Tel Aviv. Many stranded travelers incurred heavy costs despite either receiving money back for the cancelled flights or a seat on a so-called rescue flight from one of Israel's airlines. The Economic Affairs Committee has been debating the issue for a week and representatives from Israel's carriers said they have received increasing numbers of compensation claims. A Finance Ministry representative told the committee that the ministry was reviewing data to propose a compensation framework. 'If the Finance Ministry doesn't complete its review soon, the committee will issue a decision that, in cases of third-party claims, could serve as a basis for the courts to hold the state liable,' said David Bitan, head of the economics committee and a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party. 'I can make that decision – but I want a compromise.' Uri Sirkis, CEO of Israeli carrier Israir, said he worried that under a final framework airlines would not be compensated. 'We've suffered millions in damages. This wasn't a commercial incident or error, and there's no reason for us to bear it alone,' he told the panel, referring to the Israel-Iran conflict. Oz Berlowitz, CEO of Israir rival Arkia Airlines, also accused the state of shirking its responsibility, leaving airlines and citizens without support. 'We are receiving hundreds of claims and will have to pass them on to the state as a third party if we are forced to pay compensation,' he said, adding that passenger claims amounted to millions of dollars.
Arab News
28 minutes ago
- Arab News
Turkiye's Erdogan risks alienating voters as PKK peace advances
ANKARA: President Tayyip Erdogan risks losing support among nationalist Turkish voters in making peace with Kurdistan Workers Party militants, whose burning of weapons last week was dismissed by some as a stunt. A backlash to Erdogan's call on Saturday for wide parliamentary support for the process underlines the challenge he faces in balancing nationalist and Kurdish demands, with a failure to do so potentially jeopardizing the plan's success. Erdogan's own future is also at stake: his term runs out in 2028 unless parliament backs the idea of early elections or a change in the constitution to extend a 22-year rule in which he has raised NATO member Turkiye's profile on the world stage. He insists that personal political considerations play no role. 'The doors of a new powerful Turkiye have been flung wide open,' he said on Saturday of the symbolic initial handover of arms. While his AKP party's far-right nationalist coalition partner MHP drove the peace process, smaller nationalist parties have condemned it. They recalled his years condemning the pro-Kurdish DEM party as being tied to the 40-year PKK insurgency that the PKK now says is over. Erdogan's comments about 'walking together' with DEM drew a cool response from the pro-Kurdish party itself, with DEM lawmaker Pervin Buldan saying there was no broad political alliance between it and the AKP. AKP spokesperson Omer Celik reaffirmed the president's nationalist credentials in response to a request for comment on his statement, saying the process 'is not give-and-take, negotiation, or bargaining.' Parliament is convening a commission tasked with deciding how to address Kurdish demands for more autonomy and the reintegration of fighters complying with the February disarmament call of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. The nationalist opposition IYI Party is refusing to take part, with its leader Musavat Dervisoglu describing the peace process at the weekend as a betrayal after a conflict which has killed more than 40,000 people. 'We will not allow the Republic to be destroyed, we will not allow the Turkish homeland to be divided, we will not surrender to betrayal,' he said. Umit Ozdag, head of the opposition Victory Party, also sought to stir nationalist passions, slamming the commission as a bid to legitimize the PKK and dismissing the event where 30 PKK members burned their guns as a 'barbecue party.' 'You don't just burn 30 rifles and call it a day. Weapons are surrendered, and PKK members interrogated one-by-one.' A senior Turkish official said the gun burning was an 'irreversible turning point.' It is part of a five-stage process culminating in legal reforms and social reconciliation by early 2026, according to another Turkish source. NUMBER CRUNCHING While those parties could not derail the peace process alone, Erdogan, a shrewed political operator, is likely to closely monitor public reaction as the commission starts its work. A private June survey by the Konda pollster seen by Reuters showed that only 12 percent of respondents believe the PKK, designated as a terrorist group by Turkiye and its Western allies, has abandoned the insurgency that it launched in 1984. It also showed potential candidates for the opposition CHP, now subject to a wide-ranging legal crackdown, beating Erdogan in head-to-head votes in an election. Erdogan critics say the peace process is aimed at drawing Kurdish support for a new constitution that would both boost their rights and allow him to be a candidate in 2028. He says reform is needed because the constitution is outdated rather than for any personal reasons and he has not committed to running again. It is unclear whether the commission will propose constitutional change, but such changes require the support of 400 MPs in the 600-seat assembly with the potential for a referendum if more than 360 MPs vote in favor. The AKP-MHP alliance has 319 seats, while DEM have 56. Any move to hold early elections would also require 360 votes, but that — and the peace process itself — would depend on keeping DEM on board. After meeting the justice minister on Wednesday, DEM's Buldan said she had insisted that PKK disarmament proceed in lock-step with legal changes. 'The minister expressed commitment to ensuring the process proceeds legally and constitutionally,' she said, adding that there was no specific timeline for disarmament.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
EU pledges $46.4bn for MENA renewables, borders, and migration
JEDDAH: Renewable energy, border security, and migration pathways in the Middle East and North Africa will receive €42.5 billion ($46.4 billion) from the EU from 2028, it has been announced. This doubled financial commitment, under a new funding instrument, aims to enhance stability and cooperation in the region. Speaking during a press conference in Brussels on July 17, EU Commissioner for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Suica said the increased budget reflects the bloc's strategic shift toward deeper cooperation with countries in region. 'This is a strong financial toolbox, with which we will invest in stability, security and prosperity, through mutually beneficial partnerships with our Southern neighbors in the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf,' she said, emphasizing that the Mediterranean is not only a region of challenges but also one of opportunities. Suica further noted that the EU will support partner countries in addressing the underlying causes of socio-economic fragility, which she said are central to political instability and radicalization. She added that the bloc will also confront the challenges of the green transition by investing in renewable energy projects, benefiting citizens on both sides of the Mediterranean. 'These increased funds will enable us to respond more effectively to an increasingly volatile geopolitical context right at our doorstep,' the commissioner said. She stressed that the stability and prosperity of the Mediterranean are directly linked to Europe's own. 'Their safety is our safety. Their success is our shared success. Their protection of borders is also ours.' Suica described the Multiannual Financial Framework as an instrument that will strengthen the union, both internally and internationally. 'This new framework enables us to better protect our interest on a global stage and protect our values and interests in an increasingly complex geopolitical context,' she concluded.
