Mauritania to establish ties with Israel in Trump-brokered White House talks: Report
President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani is expected to sit down with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of a mini US-Africa summit.
Mauritania, a member of the Arab League, broke off ties with Israel in 2010 following Israel's assault on Gaza. That war, the first of several devastating offensives, triggered widespread outrage across the Arab world. The latest move comes as Israel is committing a widely documented genocide in Gaza.
The Trump administration has long pushed normalisation deals between Arab and African states and Israel, framing them as economic partnerships - while critics argue they provide political cover for Israel's ongoing occupation and war crimes in Palestinian territories.
Mauritania is one of nine African countries that either do not recognise Israel (including Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Libya, Somalia, and Tunisia) or have suspended ties, such as Mali and Niger.
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani (AFP)
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Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Netanyahu says he wants Israel to take military control of all of Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday Israel intends to take military control of all of Gaza, despite intensifying criticism at home and abroad over the devastating almost two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave. "We intend to," Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News when asked if Israel would take over the entire coastal territory. "We don't want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it. We don't want to be there as a governing body." He said that Israel wanted to hand over the territory to Arab forces that would govern it. Netanyahu made his comments to Fox News before the outcome of a meeting he was due to have on Thursday with a small group of senior ministers to discuss plans for the military to take control of more territory in Gaza. The security cabinet session follows a meeting this week with the head of the military, which Israeli officials have described as tense, saying the military chief had pushed back on expanding the campaign. Opinion polls show that most Israelis want the war to end in a deal that would see the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas-led Palestinian militants. Netanyahu's government has insisted on total victory over Hamas, which ignited the war with its deadly October 2023 attack on Israel from Gaza. The idea, pushed especially by far-right ministers in Netanyahu's coalition, of Israeli forces thrusting into areas they do not already hold in the enclave has generated alarm in Israel. The mother of one hostage urged people on Thursday to take to the streets to voice their opposition to expanding the campaign. The Hostages Families Forum, which represents captives held in Gaza, urged military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to oppose widening the war and the government to accept a deal that would bring the war to an end and free the remaining hostages. Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the military would carry out the government's decisions until all war objectives were achieved. Israeli leaders have long insisted that Hamas be disarmed and have no future role in a demilitarised Gaza and that the hostages be freed. The UN has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel's military operations in Gaza "deeply alarming" if true. There are 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom Israeli officials believe 20 are alive. Most of those freed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Talks toward a ceasefire that could have seen some more hostages released collapsed in July. A senior Palestinian official said Hamas had told Arab mediators that an increase in humanitarian aid entering Gaza would lead to a resumption in ceasefire negotiations. Israeli officials accuse Hamas of seizing aid to hand out to its fighters and to sell in Gazan markets to finance its operations, accusations that the militant group denies. Videos released last week of two living hostages showed them emaciated and frail, stirring international condemnation. Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades but now controls only fragmented parts, insists any deal must lead to a permanent end to the war. Israel says the group has no intention of going through with promises to give up power afterwards. Multiple displacements The Israeli military says it controls about 75 per cent of Gaza. Most of Gaza's population of about 2 million has been displaced multiple times over the past 22 months and aid groups are warning that the enclave's residents are on the verge of famine. "Where should we go? We have been displaced and humiliated enough," said Aya Mohammad, 30, who, after repeated displacement, has returned with her family to their community in Gaza City. "You know what displacement is? Does the world know? It means your dignity is wiped out, you become a homeless beggar, searching for food, water and medicine," she told Reuters. Close to 200 Palestinians have died of starvation in Gaza since the war began, nearly half of them have been children, according to Gaza's health ministry. Rabeeha Jamal, 65, a mother of six, has remained in her house in Gaza despite warnings in the past from the Israeli military to leave. For now, she said she intends to stay. "Not until they force us, if the tanks roll in, otherwise, I will not go running in the street to be killed later," she said, calling for an end to the war. "We don't have anywhere to go." Netanyahu is under intense international pressure to reach a ceasefire agreement, but he also faces internal pressure from within his coalition to continue the war. Some far-right allies in his government have advocated a full occupation of Gaza and for Israel to re-establish settlements there, two decades after it withdrew. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich told reporters Wednesday that he hoped the government would approve the military taking control over the rest of Gaza. About 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages taken to Gaza in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities. More than 61,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's assault on Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry, which said 98 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire across the enclave in the past 24 hours.
Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
UAE, Russian Presidents discuss bilateral strategic partnership in Moscow
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, to discuss enhancing the strategic partnership between the two countries, in addition to regional and international issues of common interest. The two leaders met on Thursday at the Kremlin as part of Sheikh Mohamed's official visit to Russia. During the meeting, Sheikh Mohamed and Putin reviewed progress in UAE-Russia cooperation, particularly in the fields of the economy, trade, investment, space, and energy, as well as other areas that serve the development-focused priorities of both countries and reflect their aim to bolster their strategic partnership. Sheikh Mohamed shakes hands with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov as Vladimir Putin presents members of the delegation during a meeting at the Kremlin. Reuters Sheikh Mohamed stated that UAE-Russia relations are based on mutual trust and respect, as well as deep-rooted and constructive engagement spanning more than 50 years. His Highness affirmed the UAE's commitment to building effective partnerships with other countries and enhancing international cooperation to address shared global challenges and foster prosperity and development for all. Sheikh Mohamed and Putin also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. In this regard, His Highness affirmed the UAE's steadfast commitment to strengthening peace and stability while advancing diplomatic solutions both regionally and globally. Sheikh Mohamed being presented Russian local food during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow. WAM The two sides also discussed the importance of the Russia-Arab summit, scheduled to be held in October at the direction of His Excellency Putin, in strengthening Russia's relations with the Arab world. Sheikh Mohamed and Putin reviewed developments in the Middle East, underscoring the need to intensify efforts towards achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution with the aim of promoting stability and security for all. Vladimir Putin greets members of the UAE delegation as he attends a meeting with Sheikh Mohamed at the Kremlin in Moscow. Reuters His Highness also expressed his appreciation to Putin for facilitating the UAE's mediation concerning the exchange of over 4,000 prisoners between Russia and Ukraine, emphasising the UAE's continued willingness to further advance this humanitarian effort. For his part, Putin welcomed Sheikh Mohamed to Russia, expressing his appreciation for the UAE's ongoing mediation efforts on prisoner exchanges. Sheikh Mohamed and Vladimir Putin speak during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow. Reuters Putin stated that Russia attaches great importance to developing its relations with the UAE, noting that the two countries' cooperation continues to grow, especially in the economic and investment fields. Putin hosted a luncheon for His Highness and the accompanying delegation. While arriving earlier at the Kremlin, His Highness the President was received by Putin. The national anthems of both countries were played, and Sheikh Mohamed greeted senior officials lined up to welcome him, while Putin greeted members of the delegation accompanying His Highness. On the sidelines of the visit, the two countries signed the Trade in Services and Investment Agreement (TISIA). The agreement was signed on behalf of the UAE by Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, and on behalf of the Russian side by Maxim Reshetnikov, Minister of Economic Development. The UAE-Russia TISIA complements the Economic Partnership Agreement signed between the UAE and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, in addition to Russia. It provides a special bilateral cooperation framework focusing on services and investment, including in the areas of financial technology, healthcare, transportation, logistics, professional services, and others. Suhail Mohammed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, and Andrey Nikitin, Russian Minister of Transport, also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of land transport. The delegation accompanying His Highness the President attended the talks, including Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; Ali Bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of Supreme Council for National Security; Dr Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade; Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Minister of Investment; Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Adviser to the President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs; Dr. Ahmed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the President's Office for Strategic Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office; and Dr Mohammed Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Ambassador to the Russian Federation, along with a number of senior officials. The talks were also attended by ministers and senior officials from the Russian side. Sheikh Mohamed departed Moscow at the conclusion of his official visit to Russia, with military aircraft escorting His Highness' plane through Russian airspace. WAM
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Netanyahu says his plan is to take control of all of Gaza
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News on Thursday that his plan is to militarily occupy the entirety of the Gaza Strip. "Will Israel take control of all of Gaza?" Fox's Bill Hemmer asked. "We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of Gaza and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas, and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel," Netanyahu responded. "We want to liberate ourselves and liberate the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas. And you were in the Gaza Strip - you met Palestinians who are fighting Hamas," he added, alluding to a tour the Israeli military provided Fox News on the border with Gaza. It was unclear whether Netanyahu was referring to the militia known as The Popular Forces, led by convicted drug trafficker Yasser Abu Shabab. "[Palestinians] can rid themselves of this awful tyranny that not only holds our hostages, but holds 2 million Palestinians in Gaza hostage. That's got to end," Netanyahu said. "Are you saying today that you will take control of the entire 26-mile Gaza Strip as it was 20 years ago this month in 2005?" Hemmer asked. "Well, we don't want to keep it," Netanyahu said. "We want to have a security perimeter. We don't want to govern it... We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly without threatening us and giving Gazans a good life. That's not possible with Hamas. The only way that you're going to have a different future is to get rid of this neo-Nazi army," he continued, before referencing several allegations about the 7 October 2023 attacks that have never been proven, including the "burning of babies" by Hamas. "They are really cruel to their own people, because when we try to take them away from the combat zones, they shoot them," he said. "They want people to be civilian casualties. They want a starvation policy that they themselves are trying to put into being, and we're doing everything to reverse that". Some 200 Palestinians have been starved to death in Gaza ever since Israel closed all crossings and banned food, water, and medicines from entering the enclave in March. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed - mostly in Israeli air strikes - since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel 22 months ago. Those attacks killed just under 1,200 people.
