Latest news with #Israeli-Arab
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Israel barred Saudi FM and counterparts from Ramallah
Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi called the move an example of how Israel 'kills any chance for a fair and comprehensive Israeli-Arab settlement.' Israel's decision last week to block a planned visit toRamallah by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and three other Muslim countries triggered predictable handwringing around the world, especially in those countries themselves. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, whose trip would have been the highest-ranking visit by a Saudi official since 1967, said the decision showed Israel's 'extremism and rejection of peace.' Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi chimed in as well, calling the move an example of how Israel 'kills any chance for a fair and comprehensive Israeli-Arab settlement.' A joint statement by some of the ministers who were scheduled to take part accused Israel of 'arrogance,' of 'disregard for international law,' and of pursuing 'illegitimate measures and policies that besiege the brotherly Palestinian people and their legitimate leadership.' These condemnations were loud, coordinated, and expected. But they were also, for the most part, performative — aimed more at international optics and domestic audiences than at actually changing Israel's position. Why would Israel agree to green-light a high-profile delegation intended to lend momentum to efforts to push forward a two-state solution precisely at a time when Jerusalem, in the wake of October 7, is adamantly opposed to the idea? Not only is the government opposed, but as polls show, the majority of the public is as well. AnInstitute for National Security Studies (INSS) poll in March found that support for a two-state solution declined to 24% among the general public, down from 38% in September 2024. Ten years ago, by comparison, a similar INSS poll found that 60% of the public supported the idea. In the March poll, only 15% of Jewish Israelis favored a two-state solution, a decline from 31% in September. A Jewish People Policy Institute survey from March had similar results, with only 11% of Jewish Israelis in that poll expressing support for negotiations toward a Palestinian state. The foreign ministers' visit was to come just two weeks ahead of an international conference organized by Saudi Arabia and France in New York to push for a two-state solution, with France considering unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state and urging other Western countries to do the same. In that context, the Ramallah visit was not an isolated diplomatic gesture. It was a launchpad. Allowing it to proceed would have been, in Israel's view, akin to scoring an own goal. Some argue that barring the Saudi foreign minister could further stall long-term normalization with the kingdom or sink hopes of bringing Riyadh into the Abraham Accords framework. But the Saudis themselves have made it abundantly clear: normalization is contingent on tangible Israeli steps toward Palestinian statehood. That's a line this Israeli government — and much of the public — is unwilling to cross, particularly after October 7. From the Israeli perspective, the Palestinians had a mini-state of their own in Gaza before October 7. That experiment failed — catastrophically. Hamas quickly took over, stockpiled weapons, built an underground terror infrastructure, trained a terrorist army, and launched the deadliest attack on Israel since its founding. To now replicate that failed model in Judea and Samaria would, in the minds of most Israelis at this time, be an act of sheer madness. Moreover, a look at the countries represented by foreign ministers in the delegation, at least according to some reports, reveals that Turkey and Qatar were on the list. Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan is vehemently anti-Israel, implacable in his poisonous rhetoric, and hosts Hamas leaders in Ankara. Qatar, for its part, continues to host Hamas' leadership and is a major force, if not the primary force, behind the demonization and delegitimization of Israel around the world. Why, then, should Israel allow representatives of these countries into Ramallah to make political statements that could inflame tensions and further undercut Israel in the international arena? This is especially true as June shapes up to be one of the more diplomatically challenging months Israel has faced since the war began. The upcoming French-Saudi conference in New York is likely to rejuvenate calls for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital. That's not a framework Israel is prepared to accept — and it need not play along. Not allowing the foreign ministers to visit was one way for Israel to try to prevent the move from picking up steam. Another option being floated in Jerusalem is a more muscular countermeasure: declaring that unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood will trigger Israeli unilateral responses, such as annexing certain parts of the West Bank. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer have reportedly relayed this message to some European counterparts. Whether or not Israel ultimately takes that step, the message is clear: if the international community is going to act unilaterally, so might Israel. That message needs to be delivered forcefully because Israel's diplomatic isolation, exacerbated by the war in Gaza and its humanitarian toll, has emboldened key players like France and Saudi Arabia to try to dictate terms. Jerusalem cannot allow that to happen. Blocking the visit to Ramallah is one way to push back. It sends a signal that Israel is not going to stand by quietly while others try to predetermine its security needs and future. Partial annexation — as a warning or a reality — may be another. In this environment, symbolism matters. High-profile diplomatic visits carry weight, and so does denying them. Israel has made it clear: it will not be a passive participant in a process it fundamentally rejects and believes will endanger its security, certainly not in the shadow of October 7.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Sana'a Daqqa, widow of Walid Daqqa, arrested for incitement against Israel, IDF soldiers
Along with four other terrorists, Walid Daqqa murdered IDF soldier Moshe Tamam and later made headlines by fathering a child through smuggling sperm from prison. Sana'a Daqqa, the widow of Walid Daqqa, was arrested during operational activity by police near the Nablus Gate in Jerusalem on Thursday night, an Israel Police spokesperson confirmed. She was arrested on suspicion of incitement, the spokesperson said. Daqqa was said to have published inciting material against the state and IDF soldiers "The Israel Police will reach out to any person, anywhere, who calls for incitement against the State of Israel and IDF soldiers and will bring them to justice to the fullest extent,' the spokeswoman affirmed. Police Commissioner Danny Levi ordered her arrest following a request from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, police said. Daqqa praised a number of terrorists on social media, including her husband and eliminated Hamas leader Yahya Sinar, Walla reported. Israeli-Arab PFLP terrorist Walid Daqqa, who participated in the kidnapping and murder of an Israeli soldier in 1984, was celebrated by terrorists in 2020 after he reportedly smuggled his sperm out of Gilboa Prison to father a child. Walid Daqqa's efforts were reportedly fruitful as his wife gave birth to Milad, according to Palestinian Authority TV. Amnesty International claimed he had only been allowed to see his daughter once before his death. He received extra time on his sentence for participating in phone smuggling into Ktzi'ot prison, according to Israeli media. Walid Daqqa died of cancer in 2024 after serving 37 years behind bars following Israel's refusal of his efforts to gain early release. Along with four other terrorists, Walid Daqqa murdered IDF soldier Moshe Tamam. The courts found that he had ordered the kidnapping of Tamam for ransom purposes, but ordered his murder should any complications arise, according toprevious reporting by theJerusalem Post.
Arab News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
UN appoints envoy to assess aid for Palestinians
UNITED NATIONS: The UN on Tuesday appointed an envoy to complete a 'strategic assessment' of the agency charged with aiding Palestinians, a spokesman said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed Ian Martin of the United Kingdom to review the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, to gauge the 'political, financial, security' constraints the agency faces. The organization, broadly considered to be the backbone of humanitarian aid delivery for embattled Palestinians, has withstood a barrage of criticism and accusations from Israel since Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel and the devastating war in Gaza that followed. Israel cut all contact with UNRWA at the end of January, and has accused 19 of its 13,000 employees in Gaza of being directly involved in the October 7 attacks. 'We're trying to see how in this very complex environment, UNRWA can best deliver for the Palestine refugees it serves. For the communities it serves, they deserve to be assisted by an organization, by an UNRWA that can work in the best possible manner,' spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. The review is being carried out as part of the UN80 initiative launched last month to address chronic financial difficulties, which are being exacerbated by US budget cuts to international aid programs. Not all agencies will undergo a strategic assessment, but UNRWA's operations in Gaza are unique, Dujarric said. 'We will not question UNRWA's mandate. We will see how UNRWA can better operate and better serve the communities that rely on' it, Dujarric added. The agency was created by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1949, in the wake of the first Israeli-Arab conflict, shortly after the creation of Israel in 1948. Throughout decades of sporadic but ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, UNRWA has provided essential humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Educated at Cambridge and Harvard universities, Martin has previously served the UN on missions in Somalia, Libya, Timor-Leste, Nepal, Eritrea, Rwanda and Haiti.
Iraqi News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
UN appoints envoy to assess aid for Palestinians
United Nations – The United Nations on Tuesday appointed an envoy to complete a 'strategic assessment' of the agency charged with aiding Palestinians, a spokesman said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed Ian Martin of the United Kingdom to review the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, to gauge the 'political, financial, security' constraints the agency faces. The organization, broadly considered to be the backbone of humanitarian aid delivery for embattled Palestinians, has withstood a barrage of criticism and accusations from Israel since Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel and the devastating war in Gaza that followed. Israel cut all contact with UNRWA at the end of January, and has accused 19 of its 13,000 employees in Gaza of being directly involved in the October 7 attacks. 'We're trying to see how in this very complex environment, UNRWA can best deliver for the Palestine refugees it serves. For the communities it serves, they deserve to be assisted by an organization, by an UNRWA that can work in the best possible manner,' spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. The review is being carried out as part of the UN80 initiative launched last month to address chronic financial difficulties, which are being exacerbated by US budget cuts to international aid programs. Not all agencies will undergo a strategic assessment, but UNRWA's operations in Gaza are unique, Dujarric said. 'We will not question UNRWA's mandate. We will see how UNRWA can better operate and better serve the communities that rely on' it, Dujarric added. The agency was created by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1949, in the wake of the first Israeli-Arab conflict, shortly after the creation of Israel in 1948. Throughout decades of sporadic but ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, UNRWA has provided essential humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Educated at Cambridge and Harvard universities, Martin has previously served the UN on missions in Somalia, Libya, Timor-Leste, Nepal, Eritrea, Rwanda and Haiti.
The Sun
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
UN appoints envoy to assess aid for Palestinians
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations on Tuesday appointed an envoy to complete a 'strategic assessment' of the agency charged with aiding Palestinians, a spokesman said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appointed Ian Martin of the United Kingdom to review the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, to gauge the 'political, financial, security' constraints the agency faces. The organization, broadly considered to be the backbone of humanitarian aid delivery for embattled Palestinians, has withstood a barrage of criticism and accusations from Israel since Hamas's deadly October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel and the devastating war in Gaza that followed. Israel cut all contact with UNRWA at the end of January, and has accused 19 of its 13,000 employees in Gaza of being directly involved in the October 7 attacks. 'We're trying to see how in this very complex environment, UNRWA can best deliver for the Palestine refugees it serves. For the communities it serves, they deserve to be assisted by an organization, by an UNRWA that can work in the best possible manner,' spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. The review is being carried out as part of the UN80 initiative launched last month to address chronic financial difficulties, which are being exacerbated by US budget cuts to international aid programs. Not all agencies will undergo a strategic assessment, but UNRWA's operations in Gaza are unique, Dujarric said. 'We will not question UNRWA's mandate. We will see how UNRWA can better operate and better serve the communities that rely on' it, Dujarric added. The agency was created by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1949, in the wake of the first Israeli-Arab conflict, shortly after the creation of Israel in 1948. Throughout decades of sporadic but ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, UNRWA has provided essential humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Educated at Cambridge and Harvard universities, Martin has previously served the UN on missions in Somalia, Libya, Timor-Leste, Nepal, Eritrea, Rwanda and Haiti.
