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UAE President offers condolences to Saudi King on passing of Prince Faisal bin Turki

UAE President offers condolences to Saudi King on passing of Prince Faisal bin Turki

Khaleej Timesa day ago

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has offered condolences to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, on the passing of Prince Faisal bin Turki bin Saud Al Kabeer Al Saud.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, dispatched similar messages to the Saudi King.
Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Abdullah bin Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, also offered their condolences.

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Israel's disconnection with allies and partners has rarely been clearer
Israel's disconnection with allies and partners has rarely been clearer

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Israel's disconnection with allies and partners has rarely been clearer

Tuesday's decision by the UK to impose sanctions on two ultra-nationalist Israeli ministers means Britain has joined Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Norway in taking the extraordinary step of introducing travel bans and financial restrictions on members of an ostensibly friendly government to these countries. Perhaps even more extraordinary was the response from one of the ministers concerned. A statement issued by the office of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich the same day confirmed that Israel cancelled a waiver that allowed the country's banks to work with Palestinian ones. Instead of retaliating against the UK directly, Mr Smotrich instead authorised a move that threatens to paralyse Palestinian financial institutions. Such intransigence – and its deeply embedded position within the current Israeli government – explains why more and more of the country's allies and trade partners are losing patience and taking action. Tuesday's sanctions are the latest example of Israel's increasing isolation and the substantial diplomatic and political cost it is paying for its war of collective punishment in Gaza and continuing military occupation of Palestinian land. The fact that Mr Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are determined opponents of a just political settlement of the conflict also highlights the disconnection between Israel's current leadership and most of the international community. Next week, hundreds of diplomats will gather in New York for a UN summit on the two-state solution, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France. Israel's leadership has already said it will not attend; that is its choice, but it is a poor one. Determinedly opposing the majority of international opinion – that is in favour of an equitable settlement – puts the onus on Israel to provide a realistic alternative that does not involve further displacement or other illegal policies. If it cannot, then it will be clear that Israel, which is currently led by a divided and precarious coalition with an uncertain future, is on a collision course with the international community, one that may even try the patience of a much more capricious and transactional White House. The coming UN summit must be bold and ambitious, holding fast to the overall framework of a solution that most of the international community supports: an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the return of the remaining Israeli hostages, the release of Palestinian detainees as well as a process that leads to Palestinian freedom coupled with security guarantees for Israel. Sanctions on individual Israeli ministers are a statement that the country needs to think hard about where it is headed It is a source of frustration that the case for this position has to be made time and again. Arab nations have already said they are ready to play their part, as was made clear in the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. Last September, while speaking on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said 57 Muslim and Arab countries were 'willing to guarantee the security of Israel in the context of Israel ending the occupation' and allowing for the emergence of a Palestinian state. However, what the world is witnessing right now on the streets of the West Bank and in the rubble of Gaza is what the absence of a peace process looks like. More partners of Israel are making it clear that this situation is simply unsustainable. Sanctions on individual Israeli ministers are a statement that the country needs to think hard about where it is headed.

UN adopts resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire, aid access and release of hostages
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time2 hours ago

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UN adopts resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire, aid access and release of hostages

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Thursday calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, days after the US vetoed a similar measure in the Security Council. A total of 149 countries voted in favour while 12, including the US, Israel and Argentina, opposed the resolution. And 19 countries abstained. The resolution, presented by Spain, demands the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the return of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. It underscored the need for accountability to ensure Israel's adherence to international law but stopped short of explicitly calling for sanctions. In addition, it 'strongly condemned any use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and the unlawful denial of humanitarian access', and further stressed the obligation to avoid depriving Gaza's civilians of basic survival needs, 'including by wilfully impeding relief supplies and access'. Before the resolution's passage, Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour declared the measure's language to be the 'strongest to date' but stressed that words must now turn into decisive action. 'Israel's continuing defiance of international law, UN resolutions and global condemnation demands an immediate response,' Mr Mansour said. He urged member states to stamp their national authority: 'Use the tools available to you, each and every one of you. 'No arms, no money, no trade to support the oppression, ethnic cleansing and land theft against Palestinians." While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they serve as a significant indicator of global opinion. Previous UN calls to end the war between Israel and Hamas have gone unheeded. Unlike the Security Council, where permanent members such as the US have the power of veto, the General Assembly operates on a majority vote. There has been increasing international pressure over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where thousands have been killed and millions face severe shortages of food, water and medical supplies. With the vote taking place days before an international conference at the UN aimed at reviving two-state negotiations, the text also reiterated the General Assembly's 'unwavering commitment to the two-state solution … where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security". The vote comes more than 77 years after the General Assembly's 1947 resolution partitioned British-ruled Palestine into Arab and Jewish states. Israel declared independence in 1948, sparking a war with neighbouring Arab nations, while Palestinian statehood remains unrealised. The US is now urging countries to boycott next week's UN conference, co-sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia. When asked by The National about Israel's attendance in next week's summit, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said 'absolutely not". "We will not take part in this conference," he said. 'I was very happy to see that the United States decided also not to participate in this circus." Mr Danon also took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron. 'When Mr Macron arrives at the UN, I will ask him if he has solved all the problems in France and Europe. If he thinks coming here and pushing this conference will actually be constructive, it's not constructive.' He also criticised the resolution for not demanding the immediate release of the 55 hostages still being held, not condemning Hamas 'for the atrocities' it committed on October 7, and not holding the militant group accountable. In October 2023, the General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza, with 120 votes in favour. By December 2023, support grew significantly, as 153 countries voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Later that month the assembly increased its call, adopting a resolution, with 158 votes in favour, demanding an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire.

Israel 'could very well' strike Iran, Donald Trump says
Israel 'could very well' strike Iran, Donald Trump says

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  • The National

Israel 'could very well' strike Iran, Donald Trump says

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Israel may well strike Iran but stressed that he had cautioned against an attack while nuclear talks with Tehran continue. Mr Trump's comments come as the US has authorised the departure of non-essential personnel from Iraq and elsewhere as fears grow that Israel may attack Iran's nuclear sites. 'I don't want to say imminent, but it looks like it's something that could very well happen,' Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. The prospect of military action in the Middle East comes as the US-Iran nuclear talks appear to be stalled over whether Tehran would be able to continue to enrich uranium in any capacity. Mr Trump this week said he was less confident a deal could be reached, and Tehran on Wednesday threatened to hit US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out. But Mr Trump on Thursday said the US and Iran are 'fairly close to a pretty good agreement'. 'We've had very good discussions with Iran. It's got to be better than pretty good, though, but it's got to be – I prefer an agreement, as long as I think there is an agreement, I don't want [Israel] going in, because I think that would blow it,' Mr Trump said. In another sign that a strike on Iran may not be imminent, US special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff plans to travel to Oman on Sunday for a sixth round of talks with Iran. 'Discussions are expected to be both direct and indirect, as in previous rounds,' a source said. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed to Iranian news outlet Tasnim that a delegation from Tehran would attend the talks. Tehran on Wednesday threatened to hit US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, and if it were attacked over its nuclear programme, amid mounting speculation that Israel could strike the country's uranium enrichment sites. Further fuelling tension, Iran on Thursday said it has built and will activate a third nuclear enrichment plant, after the UN's atomic watchdog agency censured Tehran for failing to comply with non-proliferation obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. The US State Department has begun preparing to evacuate non-essential staff from the American embassy in Baghdad. At the same time, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth authorised the departure of military dependents from locations across the region. The US embassies in Kuwait and Bahrain have not changed their staffing levels, the State Department said. Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations on Thursday said in an advisory note that the situation in the Middle East remains 'highly volatile'. The UKMTO has advised ships to use caution when passing through the Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz.

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