Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
US, Israel resolve issue of visas for visiting Christians, after row went public |
2025-07-22 |
[IsraelTimes] US Ambassador Huckabee says Israel will ‘completely restore the long-standing process’; last week, he threatened to declare Israel no longer welcomes Christians US Ambassador Mike Huckabee said Monday that a solution had been reached on the issue of visas for visiting Christian groups, after a furious letter from him leaked to the press last week. Leaked? And who would be so malicious? In the letter, Huckabee threatened to declare that Israel no longer welcomes Christians, over what he said was Jerusalem’s failure since January to approve tourist visas for evangelical missions, after launching investigations into several Christian groups at the start of 2025.On Monday, Huckabee posted on X: "I am delighted to report that the issue has been resolved to everyone’s satisfaction and the strong support that Israel enjoys from American evangelicals will continue. "I’m convinced the Interior Minister was not fully aware of the change being imposed and I’m grateful he has personally intervened to completely restore the long-standing process," he continued. "Attorney Calev Myers, an Israeli attorney who represents some 150 Christian groups in Israel, was instrumental in outlining the request and the Prime Minister’s Office was supportive and involved in the resolution, along with the Minister of the Interior," Huckabee said. The Prime Minister’s Office has been silent regarding the visa affair. Prior to Huckabee’s announcement, Myers told The Times of Israel that a solution had been reached, and credited "the hard work and fruitful cooperation between the US ambassador, the Ministry of Interior, and the Prime Minister’s Office." "The Evangelical Christian organizations active in Israel, which represent the vast majority of Zionists in the world today, will receive all of the visas they need through a streamlined and efficient application process," Myers said. The US ambassador fired off a seething letter to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel last Wednesday, in which he asserted that at the start of 2025, the Interior Ministry launched investigations into several evangelical Christian organizations with long ties to Israel, including the Baptist Conference in Israel and the Christian Missionary Alliance. In the letter, Huckabee informed Arbel that these organizations were required to complete lengthy questionnaires and that they had still not received new visas for religious leaders to travel to Israel, despite submitting their applications at the beginning of the year. Copies of Huckabee’s letter were also sent to Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. The private exchange that quickly turned public was followed by an apparent Israeli strike on Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppressionand disproportionate response... ’s sole Catholic church on Thursday that killed three people and injured several, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, drawing international condemnation and expression of "deep sorrow" from Israel. The military said the church was struck by accident, and that it was investigating what happened, and Netanyahu’s office issued a statement expressing regret. Earlier last week week, Huckabee weighed in on unchecked settler violence in the West Bank for the first time, calling on the Israeli government to investigate the "terrorist killing" of a 20-year-old Paleostinian-American in the village of Sinjil last week. On Saturday, Huckabee visited the Christian Paleostinian town of Taybeh in the West Bank, which has been the scene of several attacks by settlers in recent weeks. |
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Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
Huckabee threatens to declare Israel not welcoming Christians, as visa row blows open |
2025-07-18 |
Oy. Hopefully this is a tempest in a teapot. [IsraelTimes] US envoy pens scathing letter to interior minister, accusing Israel of blocking Christian groups from entering Israel and threatening reciprocal steps against Israeli visa seekers US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has threatened to publicly declare that Israel no longer welcomes Christian groups to Israel over what he said was Jerusalem’s failure to approve tourist visas for evangelical missions. The threat was issued in a letter that Huckabee sent to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, which was leaked to Hebrew media on Thursday. Arbel pushed back on the allegations in a response letter that was obtained by The Times of Israel. Huckabee in his letter sent on Wednesday even threatened to order his embassy to take reciprocal measures against Israeli tourists seeking visas to enter the US. Given Huckabee’s longstanding support for Israel and close ties with the current government in particular, the rhetoric in his letter represented a shockingly quick deterioration. But the issue at hand — the ability of Christian groups to tour Israel — is one that is close to Huckabee’s heart, given that he has led countless such trips as an evangelical pastor over the past half a century. The back-and-forth letters that were leaked to the press came almost two months after the two men met on May 27 to discuss problems encountered by Christian Zionists seeking to visit Israel. "It is with great distress that I to you my profound disappointment [that the] meeting held in your office has not resulted in what I had hoped to be [the start] of a resolution of the issue of routine granting of visas for Christian organizations," Huckabee wrote in the letter which was partially shown on Channel 12’s broadcast. According to the Ynet news site, Huckabee wrote to Arbel that at the start of 2025, the Interior Ministry launched investigations into a number of evangelical Christian organizations with long ties to Israel, including the Baptist Conference in Israel and the Christian Missionary Alliance. Huckabee told Arbel that these organizations were made to fill out long questionnaires and that they have still not received new visas for religious leaders to travel to Israel since the start of the year. "It would be very unfortunate if our embassy were forced to publicly announce throughout the United States that the State of Israel does not welcome Christian organizations and their representatives, and instead engages in harassment and negative treatment of them. We are also obligated to warn Christians in America that their generous donations are being met with hostility, and that tourists should reconsider their travels," the US envoy wrote, Huckabee wrote in the letter, according to the Belaaz Jewish news site. Huckabee sent copies of his letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. In addition to threatening a public announcement that Israel no longer welcomes Christian groups, Huckabee said he would warn American Christians that their donations are not received warmly, and that tourists should reconsider any plans to visit Israel if the issue is not resolved. "Unfortunately, if the Israeli government continues to cause bureaucratic harassment, I will have no choice but to instruct our consular department to explore the possibility of reciprocal treatment of Israeli citizens applying for visas to the United States. This is certainly not the relationship that the State of Israel wants to have with its best partner and friend on Earth," Huckabee wrote. After receiving the letter, Arbel — of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party — responded, saying that he was "particularly surprised" by the way in which the envoy raised his concerns. "Every request that was personally brought to the attention of my office has been addressed within an exceptionally short timeframe," Arbel insisted. "In my view, this course of action deviates from accepted working norms and does not reflect the direct and constructive relationship we have established, he said, adding that the relationship between the two countries is "among the most valued and significant partnerships." "I greatly appreciate your consistent support for Israel and your steadfast commitment to our partnership. For this reason, I believe it is incumbent upon us to act in a spirit of coordination, mutual trust, and respect — even when misunderstandings or difficulties arise," Arbel concluded. The private exchange that quickly turned public came on the heels of an apparent Israeli strike on Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppressionand disproportionate response... ’s sole Catholic church on Thursday that killed three people and injured several, according to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, drawing international condemnation and expression of "deep sorrow" from Israel. The military said the church was struck by accident, and that it is investigating what happened. Earlier this week, Huckabee weighed in on unchecked settler violence in the West Bank for the first time, calling on the Israeli government to investigate the "terrorist killing" of a 20-year-old Paleostinian-American in the village of Sinjil last week. Related: Mike Huckabee 07/16/2025 US envoy urges Israel to probe ‘terrorist murder’ of Palestinian-American in West Bank Mike Huckabee 07/09/2025 Trump says he knew Milley was an 'idiot' after suggesting US leave military equipment in Afghanistan Mike Huckabee 07/04/2025 Hamas has 'no future' in Gaza, says US envoy to Israel |
Link |
Home Front: Politix |
First Judge Nominated by Trump in Second Term Confirmed by Senate |
2025-07-18 |
Senator Mitch McConnell showed the way, but the Republicans can do it without his leadership now. [Townhall] The Senate on Monday confirmed the first judicial nominee of President Trump’s second term.Whitney Hermandorfer will now be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, the Cincinnati-based bench that hears appeals from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee Hermandorfer, of Tennessee, was confirmed by a 46-42 vote along party lines. She will replace an Obama pick, Judge Jane Branstetter Stranch. Twelve senators did not vote. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) called the confirmation of Hermandorfer "a boon to the federal judiciary." "As the Director of the Strategic Litigation Unit in Tennessee, she’s led major cases on civil rights and the separation of powers and is widely praised for her legal mind, impeccable qualifications, collegial nature and constitutionalist philosophy. I was proud to lead Ms. Hermandorfer’s nomination through the Senate Judiciary Committee and am confident she will be an excellent federal judge," Grassley said. According to the White House, when nominated earlier this year, Hermandorfer was the director of the Strategic Litigation Unit in the Office of the Tennessee Attorney General. She had previously served as an associate at Williams & Connolly, LLP in Washington, D.C., and clerked for Justices Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett of the Supreme Court, now-Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh when he was on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Judge Richard J. Leon of the D.C. District Court. "I am pleased to announce the nomination of Whitney Hermandorfer to serve as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit," Trump wrote in May when he nominated her. "Whitney has been serving the Great People of Tennessee, in the Attorney General’s Office, where she has strongly litigated in Court to protect Citizens from Federal Government Overreach. A former Co-Captain of the Princeton University Women’s Basketball Team, Whitney is a staunch defender of Girls’ and Women’s Sports. She has a long history of working for Judges and Justices who respect the RULE OF LAW, and protect our Constitution, including Justice Samuel Alito and two fine Supreme Court Justices I appointed in my First Term. Whitney is a Fighter who will inspire confidence in our Legal System. Thank you Whitney!" During her confirmation hearings, Hermandorfer said in reference to judicial power that "[I]t is an extraordinary power, the Article III power, to decide cases...With that power, again, comes great responsibility and humility to understand the proper role of a judge is to interpret the law and not make the law or bend the law to whatever policy preferences the judge might have individually." Related: Judicial nominee: 2024-12-19 ''Buy a Spine'': Sen. Kennedy Gets NCAA Prez to Bend Knee on Key Point in Heated Exchange on Trans Athletes Judicial nominee: 2024-11-23 'Conveyor belt of radicals': GOP slammed over Senate absences that helped Biden score more judges in lame duck Judicial nominee: 2024-10-27 Fetterman calls Trump's support in Pennsylvania ‘astonishing: ‘You can see the intensity' |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Verkhovna Rada approved the composition of the new government of Ukraine |
2025-07-18 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] On July 17, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the composition of the new government of the country headed by Yulia Svyrydenko. This was reported by the Ukrainian publication "Strana.ua". “The candidates for the future Defense Minister [ Denis ] Shmyhal and Foreign Minister [ Andriy ] Sybiha have yet to be approved separately,” the publication says. The previous government of Ukraine consisted of 21 people. Now there are three fewer departments in Ukraine. In particular, the Ministry of Defense has received the powers of the disbanded Ministry of Strategic Industries, and its former head German Smetanin will head the Ukroboronprom concern. As reported by the Regnum news agency, on July 12, the head of the Kiev regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced upcoming personnel changes in the ministries of Ukraine. In particular, he announced personnel changes in the Ministry of Defense. On July 16, the country's government, headed by former Prime Minister Shmyhal, resigned. 261 parliamentarians voted for Shmyhal's resignation, with 226 required. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Trump's Girl and the Abolition of Unity. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is being squeezed into a weapons workshop |
2025-07-17 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Denis Davydov [REGNUM] The Verkhovna Rada votes for the resignation of Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal with fights and shouts, and then a new government will inevitably be formed. Regnum News Agency reported that this would happen a month ago - all this time, the bargaining for seats continued, and the rotation in power shifted a little. However, the logic of the political process was preserved, and the forecast regarding the candidacy of the new head of government (it will be headed by the current Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko ) and the change in the leadership of the Ministry of Defense turned out to be correct. The new Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, according to the plan of the Office of the President, should appear as early as Thursday, July 17, and illegally, since the candidate should have been nominated by the parliamentary majority, and not by Zelensky, who announced it to everyone as a given. In addition to “rearranging the beds,” there will be several consolidations in the cabinet—it is obvious that maintaining entire ministries that produce nothing but information noise is pointless. Therefore, the “optimization” will affect such a funny institution as the Ministry of National Unity, and a separate ministry for strategic industries of Ukraine will be merged with the Ministry of Defense. The minister of the cabinet of ministers will disappear - this position was introduced back in 2003, when Leonid Kuchma abolished the institution of state secretaries. The new head of the cabinet was to be responsible for organizing the work of the government and coordinating the activities of ministries. Finally, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and the Ministry of Ecology will become a single entity - this will make it easier for the new boss to control the money. All of these are symptoms of a serious illness, in which both the system of state administration and the spheres that are subject to management are. But we should start with the person of Sviridenko, because if we talk about symptoms, then she is the main pimple, signaling the state of the whole organism. And at the same time, she is the key person, explaining, if not everything, then a lot about what is happening. "ONE MAN BAND" Yulia Anatolyevna is a representative of the very same managerial elite that foreign organizations have been systematically preparing for Ukraine for many years. The career growth of the girl from Chernigov cannot be called rapid, but in 10 years she has climbed the management ladder from the Chernigov Regional State Administration to the Cabinet of Ministers and the President's Office. And this happened thanks to the right connections. After graduating from university, having worked in a company whose ultimate beneficiary, by a strange coincidence, is the main Turkish entrepreneur and philanthropist, CEO of Baykar Defence, Lutfü Haluk Bayraktar, Sviridenko went to accounting courses at the Kyiv School of Economics. This non-profit organization was created back in 1996 specifically as a training ground for the countries of the collapsed Soviet Union. Its founders are The Economics Education and Research Consortium (EERC) and the foundation of Victor Pinchuk, the son-in-law of the second president, an oligarch and a systemic conductor of the interests of American Democrats and the Soros foundation in Ukraine. At that time, the President of the KSE was already the future Minister of Economy, Timofey Milovanov, who himself received a master's degree in economics from the EERC, continued his education in the United States and worked there for some time in the field of education, so that after the victory of the Maidan he could immediately become a top official in his homeland. The talented girl caught the eye of a foreign agent, so she was immediately placed in the State Property Fund of Ukraine to improve her skills. And over the next few years, she successfully completed several prestigious international training programs. In particular, she completed two management training programs in Germany and a private sector growth strategy program organized by the Swedish International Development Agency Si2. In 2015, when the victorious Maidan was building a system of power for itself, Yulia Anatolyevna was sent to help one of the owners of the Chernihiv region, a major agricultural businessman Valeriy Kulich, who became the richest governor in the country. Before the “revolution of dignity,” Kulich was a people’s deputy from the Party of Regions, but he practically changed his masters by agreeing to head the region—Sviridenko became his advisor, director of the Department of Economics, and then oversaw decentralization issues as deputy governor. "When I came to the Regional State Administration, even in the foreign economic department there were no people who knew English. Yulia was qualitatively different from other employees at that time," Kulich later said, after three years he had a falling out with Petro Poroshenko * and left his position. In 2018, she became acting head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration, holding the position for five months and sitting out until her new appointment in Kulich’s business. Well, Milovanov invited her to Zelensky's team, nominating his protégé for the position of his deputy in the Ministry of Economy - even then, Sviridenko was known as a "one-man band" who had no problems with communication. By the way, in addition to English, she has known Chinese since her student years, and later learned Japanese as well. So, as a proven and loyal employee, she remained in office after the minister was replaced, and at the end of 2020, she moved to the Presidential Office, where she dealt with economic issues and became part of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group to resolve the conflict in Donbas. To feed her, she was introduced to the supervisory board of the NAK Naftogaz of Ukraine, and in addition, Sviridenko received a “ration” from the owners through the KSHE: she is regularly paid fees for some teaching activity - last year alone, she earned 3.1 million hryvnia (about 5.8 million rubles) here. Already on November 4, 2021, Yulia Anatolyevna returned as "Yermak's person" to the Ministry of Economy, heading it as a minister, combining it with the position of first vice-prime minister. Under her hand, in particular, were such murky programs personally important for the Zelensky family as "National Cashback" and the All-Ukrainian mental health program "How are you?" of Elena Zelenskaya. In 2022, it was Sviridenko who headed the joint Interdepartmental Working Group on the implementation of state sanctions policy, the purpose of which was to develop and introduce new sanctions against Russia. She joined the ongoing negotiations in European countries, effectively as a top diplomat, and after the arrival of the Trump administration, she led the dialogue on the so-called "Ukraine-US minerals agreement." Her signature is under the final documents transferring Ukrainian natural resources to colonial management. So the position of the head of government is a very logical step in her career: a reliable and loyal person should lead the "post-war restoration" in favor of foreign owners. REARRANGING THE BEDS The fact that Yulia Sviridenko has built “constructive and effective” relations with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is decisive for the current rotation of prime ministers: there were no other candidates in principle. "She will be one of the main contacts with the Trump administration on economic issues, first of all," says well-known Ukrainian political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko. At the same time, the almost Prime Minister enjoys the full trust of Zelensky and the head of his Office, who essentially runs the government manually. So it is not surprising that Zelensky personally summoned Sviridenko and outlined her priority tasks. The main thing, according to him, is to increase the production of domestic weapons, secure contracts for the production of the necessary volumes of all types of drones, carry out deregulation in order to “free up domestic economic potential,” and ensure the implementation of social support programs for Ukrainians. “We have determined what results can be achieved in the first six months of the new government’s work,” Zelensky summed up after the meeting, and in principle it is clear that task No. 1 is to scale up weapons production and collect money from the population. Other tasks are either impossible to accomplish or deeply secondary, as indicated by the proposed new composition of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers. This is what Sviridenko confirmed, stating that in her new position she needs to carry out a reduction in “non-critical government spending and duplication of functions of government institutions… and the complete concentration of government resources for the defense of Ukraine and recovery after military action.” And “clearer instruments of social support” concern military personnel – former and current. Therefore, the record holder for the longest tenure as head of government, Shmyhal, is moving to the Ministry of Defense and is taking over the system of the abolished Ministry of Strategic Industry - this is a huge enterprise, where an executive, loyal and completely unambitious Lviv resident would be more useful. And the current minister Rustem Umerov, as reported by IA Regnum, is being kicked out of his post and, as expected, will be sent as ambassador to the States - the untouchable agent of influence who conducted negotiations with the Russian delegation against the will of his superiors is being returned home. Umerov's family lives in Florida, his father and brother have a business there, and in general, as we said, Sviridenko should now be in charge of coordination with the Trump administration. Therefore, either a new leader of the group will appear at the next negotiations with Russia, or Kyiv will show that it does not intend to talk anymore. Digital Transformation Minister Mikhail Fyodorov will probably become the first vice-president — he and the prime minister will work on drones together. And there is simply no replacement for such a specialist in the country. The most curious thing about the current “reform” is the liquidation of the Ministry of Food – it is known to be headed by Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Chernyshov, whose triumphant flight abroad and strange return as a suspect in a corruption criminal case became a prelude to the admission that there is no unity, and there is no point in suffering any longer. The Ministry of Economy will be merged with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and the Ministry of Ecology into a single Ministry of Resources, which will be headed by Alexey Sobolev, Sviridenko's deputy. Everything is clear here: key economic areas will be under the general manager's control, and this is optimization. And ecology figures here for a reason, since considerable funds are spent through this ministry on demining territories and other restoration activities, which the “one-man band” also managed to do. All other changes are of little importance and are rather decorative. In general, one thing is clear: the main body of executive power is shrinking together with the state and reducing its activities to the minimum necessary. And subsequently it must make the transition to a new regime of existence under the complete control of foreign states. That is why they raised such valuable specialists as Yulia Anatolyevna. |
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
Zelensky nominated Shmyhal for the post of Ukrainian Minister of Defense |
2025-07-17 |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [Regnum] The head of the Kiev regime, Volodymyr Zelensky, has nominated Denys Shmyhal for the post of Minister of Defense of Ukraine. He announced this on July 16 in a Telegram channel. "Today I have already signed and submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine documents on the appointment of Denis Shmyhal as the new Minister of Defense. Strategic industries will also be managed through the Ministry of Defense," he announced. Zelensky also noted that the state concern Ukroboronprom will be headed by German Smetanin (Minister for Strategic Industries). As reported by the Regnum news agency, on July 16, the Verkhovna Rada dismissed Shmyhal and the entire Ukrainian government along with him. 261 MPs voted for the prime minister's resignation. No one voted against, and four more abstained from voting. The new prime minister is Yulia Svyrydenko, who held the post of deputy prime minister of Ukraine. Zelensky had previously, on July 14, admitted that he sees Shmyhal as the head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. The head of the Kiev regime drew attention to the candidate's enormous experience. Shmyhal has headed the Ukrainian government since 2020. |
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Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
Doha talks stuck on IDF withdrawal; Palestinian officials say discussions nearing collapse |
2025-07-13 |
![]() Here we go again. [IsraelTimes] Hamas rejects proposal showing continued Israeli control over parts of Gaza, including Rafah buffer zone, sources tell ToINo significant progress has been made in the ongoing hostage negotiations in Doha since Wednesday, an Arab diplomat and a second source familiar with the negotiations told The Times of Israel on Friday, as Palestinian officials said the talks were on the verge of collapse. The result of the negotiations will either be a hudna that Hamas will quickly break or no ceasefire at all. Thus far they have not progressed beyond none at all, in which Israel is happy to oblige them. But the ritual, accompanied by a soundtrack of hysterical anti-Bibi protesters at home and Jew-hating protesters around the world, has become excessively tiresome. While Israel agreed to ease some of its demands regarding the redeployment of its troops during the 60-day truce under discussion following US pressure, the new series of maps depicting the partial withdrawal of IDF troops was not sufficient to satisfy Hamas, the two sources said.The new maps still envision Israel maintaining control of roughly one-third of Gaza’s territory, including a three-kilometer (1.86-mile) buffer zone in Rafah to create a highly controversial “humanitarian city” to which Gaza’s entire population will be herded, checked for weapons and be barred from leaving as Israel will seek to encourage their emigration outside of the Strip. Channel 12 reported that Hamas agreed to expand the buffer zone Israel wants to create along much of the Gaza perimeter from 700 meters to one kilometer. However, Israel is still demanding that it be expanded to as much as two kilometers. Amid the apparent stalemate on the issue, the US is urging Hamas to move on to discuss other remaining issues — something the terror group has refused to do until disagreements regarding Israel’s partial withdrawal from Gaza are solved. “The negotiations in Doha are facing a setback and complex difficulties due to Israel’s insistence, as of Friday, on presenting a map of withdrawal, which is actually a map of redeployment and repositioning of the Israeli army rather than a genuine withdrawal,” a Palestinian official told AFP on Saturday. “Hamas’s delegation will not accept the Israeli maps… as they essentially legitimize the reoccupation of approximately half of the Gaza Strip and turn Gaza into isolated zones with no crossings or freedom of movement,” the source said. FAFO: this is what losing the war looks like, guys. Next time don’t start a war you are guaranteed to lose. Palestinian officials told the BBC and AFP that negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas are on the verge of collapse and are being held up by Israel’s proposals to keep troops in the Strip.That’s one way to look at it… One Palestinian official told the BBC that Israel “bought time” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington to meet US President Donald Trump, and that the decision to send a team to Qatar without a strong mandate was an act to deliberately stall the discussions.Another way to see it is that The war would end the moment Hamas returned all the hostages, laid down their arms, and marched themselves out of the Gaza Strip — so much cheaper and easier than working to 10/7, so we know y’all are capable of it. Israel’s delegation to Doha does not include the senior-most officials who have been involved in talks — Mossad chief David Barnea, acting Shin Bet head “Shin,” and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Army Radio reported earlier this week.Gaza is only one of the fronts of this war, so the big guys have much more than Hamas on their plates A Palestinian official told AFP that Israel was “stalling and obstructing the agreement to continue the war of extermination.”Another said mediators had asked both sides to postpone the talks until the arrival of Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Doha. It is unclear if or when that will happen. The second Palestinian source told AFP that “some progress” had been made in the latest talks on plans for releasing Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and getting more aid to Gaza. GHF: ISRAEL SHOULD MEET ITS COMMITMENT TO LET NEW AID SITES OPEN Meanwhile, the controversial Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation issued a statement Friday asking Israel to abide by its commitment to allow the opening of additional distribution sites. “GHF also continues to press the Government of Israel to live up to its commitment to allow us to open additional sites, including in the north of Gaza,” GHF said. The statement also welcomed reports of an agreement between Israel and the European Union to scale up humanitarian aid in Gaza, along with ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire in the Strip. Since late May, Israel has handed authority over aid distribution in Gaza to the GHF, in a stated effort to prevent aid supplies from reaching Hamas. Israel and the United States have publicly urged the UN to work through the GHF, but the UN has refused. |
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Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
Netanyahu quietly leaves White House without announcement of breakthrough in Gaza talks |
2025-07-09 |
A taste. It’s a long article. [IsraelTimes] PM’s second sit-down with Trump in as many days ends with no public component; Witkoff delays Doha trip in sign talks not yet ripe after expressing optimism deal can be reached this weekPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrapped up his second White House meeting with US President Donald Trump ...The tack in the backside of the Democratic Party... in as many days without any public announcement of a breakthrough in the ongoing Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppressionand disproportionate response... ceasefire and hostage release talks, which was the primary topic of the sit-down. The possibility of such a declaration appeared to rise after the meeting was publicly added to Netanyahu’s schedule just hours in advance, with Trump saying they would discuss the Gaza Strip while US special envoy Mideast Steve Witkoff expressed hope a deal could be reached this week. But as Netanyahu and Trump met for over an hour in the Oval Office along with US Vice President JD Vance, two sources familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel that Witkoff decided to push back his flight to Doha, where he had been slated to join ongoing proximity talks between Israel and Hamas ![]() Witkoff initially was slated to fly to Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... on Tuesday, the sources said, adding that a new departure date had yet to be scheduled. The US envoy informed mediators that he still plans to travel to Doha in order to help bring the deal across the finish line, with his decision to push back the trip indicating that a significant amount of progress still needed to be made. The Saudi Asharq News outlet cited unnamed "informed sources" who reported that the fifth round of proximity talks in Qatar ended Tuesday night without significant progress. A Paleostinian official told the news site that talks were "at a standstill," charging that the Israeli negotiations team is "limiting itself to listening rather than negotiating" and consulting on "every issue" with Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, the lead Israeli negotiator who is accompanying the premier in Washington. The Paleostinian official claimed the Israeli team lacks authority to make actual decisions, "a continuation of the stalling policy of Netanyahu to obstruct any potential agreement." Shortly before Netanyahu met with Trump on Tuesday, a delegation of senior Qatari officials held talks with Witkoff for three hours at the White House to discuss the hostage negotiations, a source familiar with the matter said. After the conclusion of his meeting with Trump, Netanyahu said the discussions "focused on efforts to free our hostages." "We are not letting up for a moment, and this is possible because of the military pressure exerted by our heroic soldiers," he said in a video shot in the Blair House. "Unfortunately, this effort is exacting a painful price from us, in the loss of our best sons." Netanyahu stressed that Israel is determined to achieve all of its goals in Gaza -"the release of all our hostages, both living and dead; the elimination of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities; and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel." He also discussed "the implications and possibilities" of the operation Israel and the US carried out against Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneouslytaking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militiasto extend the regime's influence. The word Iranis a cognate form of Aryan.The abbreviation IRGCis the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA).The term Supreme Guideis a the modern version form of either Duceor Führeror maybe both. They hate with Trump and Vance, said Netanyahu. "Opportunities are opening up here for expanding the circle of peace, expanding the Abraham Accords," he said. "We are working on this with full vigor." STICKING POINT(S) Four sources familiar with the negotiations told The Times of Israel that the US is more optimistic than Egyptian and Qatari mediators about the chances that a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal can be reached this week. Witkoff told news hounds earlier Tuesday that he is hopeful a deal can be reached this week, and that three of the four sticking points were resolved during the past three days of proximity talks in Doha. A source familiar with the matter said the three issues Witkoff suggested have been solved were Hamas’s demand for guarantees from the mediators that the ceasefire will remain in place even if talks on the terms of a permanent ceasefire have not wrapped up by the end of the 60-day truce under discussion; Hamas’s demand for aid to be surged into Gaza through UN-backed mechanisms; and terms of the hostage-prisoner swap. The source noted that while progress was made on the first two issues, the identities of Israelis and Paleostinians to be released in the deal have not yet been discussed by the negotiators in Doha, with Hamas insisting that other matters be resolved first. However, a hangover is the wrath of grapes... the number and identities of those being released are not considered as thorny an issue as the others, the source said, speculating that this was why Witkoff grouped the hostage-prisoner swap component of the deal with the issues that have already been resolved. Regarding the issue of aid, negotiators in Doha offered initial backing for clauses in the agreement that would prevent the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation from operating in areas where the IDF has withdrawn from, a source familiar with the negotiations told The Times of Israel. Only the UN and international organizations that are not connected to either Israel or Hamas will be responsible for distributing aid in areas where the IDF is no longer located, the source said. |
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Europe | |
Macron's Secret Fear: Why He's Asking Russia to Influence Iran | |
2025-07-06 | |
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov [REGNUM] A few days ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron had telephone conversations. The first substantive conversation since autumn 2022 was initiated by Paris and largely concerned the Iranian issue. ![]() A little later, Le Parisien came out with a sensation: Macron’s sudden outburst was provoked by fears that Iranian missiles would reach Paris.
WITHIN REACH Macron's main secret fear, which French journalists have emphasized, is retaliatory strikes from the Iranians. In the early days of Israel's Operation Lion Force, Tehran threatened Tel Aviv's Western allies (including France) that any assistance to the latter in repelling Iranian attacks would be regarded as entering the war. This would give Iran the moral right to strike European targets in the Middle East. And a little later rumors began to spread that Iran had expanded the boundaries of a possible retaliatory operation, preparing (if the situation deteriorated sharply) to strike directly at Europe. And to use “the newest missiles” for these purposes. Most likely, they were talking about the Kheibar Shekan series of missiles, first introduced in 2022. The declared range of their upgraded version (Kheibar Shekan 2), which entered service shortly before the conflict, exceeds 2,000 kilometers, which is enough to reach the territory of France. The Ghadr-110 and Sajil-2 missiles have similar characteristics. And the heavy Khorramshahr-4 missile is capable of traveling more than 4,000 kilometers, which leaves Tehran with the hypothetical opportunity to strike any part of France, including the capital. WORKING FOR THE AUDIENCE However, Le Parisien journalists seriously exaggerated. Tehran did not plan to strike French territory and thereby provoke all NATO countries to enter the conflict at the same time. However, he was still able to seriously frighten the Elysee Palace by threatening the country with a possible withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) – following the example of the DPRK. Such statements should not be considered empty bravado, especially since Tehran is only a few symbolic steps away from withdrawing from the Treaty. In particular, contacts with the IAEA have already been reduced to a minimum, surveillance cameras at the country's key nuclear facilities have been dismantled, and a draft law on withdrawal has been developed, which the Iranian parliament, if necessary, can pass in a few days. All of this has created serious concerns in Paris that Tehran could embark on the path to developing nuclear weapons, although Iranian officials have strongly denied these plans. It is no coincidence that in his conversation with Putin, Macron at least several times emphasized the immutability and inviolability of the NPT. Apparently counting on Moscow using its authority to keep the Iranians from taking ill-considered steps and finally ending the negotiations on the “nuclear deal.” PRISONER EXCHANGE The Elysee Palace also has other pressing issues related to Tehran on its agenda. In particular, the need to repatriate two French citizens, Cecile Coler and Jacques Paris, who were accused of organizing unrest in Iran in 2022 and are still being held in the “political” prison of Evin. Efforts by the Elysee Palace to pressure reformist Iranian officials – including President Masoud Pezeshkian – to release their fellow citizens have been unsuccessful. Instead, Tehran has hardened its position over time, accusing the Evin prisoners of working for Israeli intelligence. Given the general tightening of the Iranian law enforcement authorities' attitude towards "Israeli agents" after "Lion Force," the fate of the French is unenviable: with a high degree of probability, they, like other arrested pro-Israeli figures, will soon be sentenced to death. Macron, who built his political image, among other things, around his readiness to defend the interests of French citizens at any cost, absolutely cannot allow this to happen. And since neither generous promises nor threats have ultimately worked, the only remaining way out is to seek the organization of an exchange process, in which Russia could act as a mediator. Unlike Tehran’s other foreign policy partners, Moscow enjoys a significant “credit of trust” in the eyes of the Iranian authorities, reinforced by the conclusion of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty in early 2025. This makes it a suitable guarantor of the transparency of the hypothetical exchange procedures. Tehran has something to demand from France. For example, it could include in the exchange list a group of ethnic Azerbaijanis who were collecting data on military logistics in Cyprus and were arrested by European security forces in late June. It is also possible to request the return to their homeland of Iranian activists detained in the United States several days ago, or to demand the extradition of several army defectors who previously moved first to Israel and from there to Europe. In all cases, this will require France to urgently work with its allies to persuade them to comply with Tehran's demands, which, unlike Macron, has nothing to lose regardless of the outcome of the deal. That is why the Elysee Palace is trying to buy time and is waiting for Moscow to help it in a gentlemanly manner in this matter. | |
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Africa Horn |
Al-Shabaab seizes key town as Somalia marks 65 years of independence |
2025-07-05 |
[Garowe] Even as Somalia celebrates its 65th independence day, the country continues to lose strategic towns to al-Shabaab![]() fighters, in yet another indication of struggles on the frontlines over the last three months. It is not long since the snuffies took over Adan Yabaal town from the Somali National Army (SNA) following confrontations on the frontlines in the country. Somalia has been fighting to restore stability for the last three decades. According to military reports, the snuffies seized control of the town of El Qohle, located about 13km from Moqokori in Somalia's Hiran region, following weeks of festivities with government troops and allied Mawisley clan militias. The Macawislay fighters work closely with the Somali National Army and regional forces to bolster security within central and southern regions. The government of Somalia maintains that it is still able to restore order and control in the country. On Tuesday, al-Shabaab released images purporting to show its fighters in control of El Qohle town, Hiran region. There were no signs of Mawisley militias or the Somali National Army, who were seen within the vicinity of the town. Military theorists believe that the town is the last defensive position before Moqokori, a strategic logistics base for Somali army units and allied Mawisley militias over the past three years. The snuffies have been fighting hard to retake Moqokori. The setbacks come as the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) continues with the drawdown of peacekeepers from the country ahead of full exit as part of compliance with the Somali Transition Plan (STP). Currently, we have about 11,000 soldiers serving in AUSSOM after the reduction from 22,000. However, those who apply themselves too closely to little things often become incapable of great things... the Troops Contributing Countries want this number to be increased, but the US, as one of the major financial partners, is not keen to continue funding the mission. Related: Moqokori: 2025-06-14 Al-Shabaab Seizes Strategic Area Amid Fierce Clashes in Central Somalia Moqokori: 2025-06-12 Somali Forces Launch Major Military Push in Middle Shabelle region Tuesday Moqokori: 2025-06-09 Heavy clashes erupted Saturday in Hiran region as Somali army, local militia battle Al-Shabaab, push continues Sunday |
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Africa Subsaharan |
Tanzania's Prime Minister steps down ahead of elections |
2025-07-05 |
[AFRICANEWS] Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has announced he will not seek re-election in October's parliamentary polls, ending his chances of being re-appointed to the role. Majaliwa, 64, had earlier said he would defend his seat for a fourth term but made a surprise announcement on Wednesday, saying his decision was guided by God and made ''in good faith.'' ''It is time to allow others to build on what we have started,'' he said, without giving further reasons for his withdrawal. Appointed prime minister in 2015, Majaliwa was seen as a potential successor to the late President John Magufuli. He remained in office under President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking re-election under the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party. His exit comes shortly after Vice-President Philip Mpango announced his retirement in May, raising speculation that President Samia is consolidating her control within CCM as she shapes her leadership team for a potential second term. Political analysts suggest Majaliwa's departure could be part of an effort to balance regional and religious representation in government. Tanzania has a Christian majority, while both Samia and Majaliwa are Moslems. Majaliwa, a former teacher and junior minister under ex-President Jakaya Kikwete, is credited with ensuring a smooth political transition after Magufuli's death in 2021. He will remain a senior CCM official and support Samia's re-election bid. Meanwhile, ...back at the Council of Boskone, Helmuth ordered the space pirate fleet to attack Zemblonia... tensions remain high between the government and the opposition. The main opposition party, Chadema, has been banned from the elections after refusing to sign a code of ethics and demanding electoral reforms. Its leader, Tundu Lissu, currently faces treason charges. Related: Tanzania: 2025-06-25 People Return to Sabiid and Caanoole as Somali Forces Secure Areas Tanzania: 2025-06-14 Al-Shabaab Seizes Strategic Area Amid Fierce Clashes in Central Somalia Tanzania: 2025-06-08 Body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta recovered by IDF from south Gaza’s Rafah Related: Kassim Majaliwa 04/01/2021 Tanzania Ports Authority Boss Arrested for Questioning On Graft Claims Related: John Magufuli 06/02/2023 Africa's New Ideology: Against LGBT, Against Covid, Against Colonialism John Magufuli 03/20/2021 Samia Suluhu Hassan becomes Tanzania's first woman president John Magufuli 03/18/2021 Tanzanian President John Magufuli dead at 61 Related: Samia Suluhu Hassan 09/03/2021 Slain Tanzanian gunman was a terrorist, police say Samia Suluhu Hassan 04/01/2021 Tanzania Ports Authority Boss Arrested for Questioning On Graft Claims Samia Suluhu Hassan 03/20/2021 Samia Suluhu Hassan becomes Tanzania's first woman president Related: Jakaya Kikwete 03/20/2021 Samia Suluhu Hassan becomes Tanzania's first woman president Jakaya Kikwete 11/03/2015 Zanzibar crisis hots up, parties call for calm Jakaya Kikwete 09/14/2013 Roman Catholic Priest Injured In Zanzibar Acid Attack |
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Africa Horn |
Somalia: Al-Shabaab is claimed to have captured two villages near Moqokori after Macawisley forces retreated |
2025-07-04 |
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]How soon until the Somali National Army retakes them again, dear Reader?
Related: Moqokori: 2025-06-14 Al-Shabaab Seizes Strategic Area Amid Fierce Clashes in Central Somalia Moqokori: 2025-06-12 Somali Forces Launch Major Military Push in Middle Shabelle region Tuesday Moqokori: 2025-06-09 Heavy clashes erupted Saturday in Hiran region as Somali army, local militia battle Al-Shabaab, push continues Sunday |
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