Day: June 16, 2020
US, China to hold top-level talks on tensions: reports
AFP/File / MANDEL NGAN US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Chinese Politburo member Yang Jiechi shake hands following a meeting in Washington in November 2018 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet a top Chinese official in Hawaii Wednesday in the powers’ first senior-level talks since tensions skyrocketed over the coronavirus pandemic, reports […]
Despite annexation plan, top UAE official urges greater cooperation with Israel
Addressing US-Jewish group, Minister of State Anwar Gargash says Abu Dhabi disagrees with Jerusalem on Palestinian issue, but is ‘decoupling the political from the non-political’ By Raphael Ahren 17 June 2020, 1:01 am 1 Edit A senior official from the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday called for increased cooperation with Israel and explained his country’s […]
New missile attack targets airport hosting US forces in Iraq
BEIRUT, LEBANON (10:20 A.M.) – A new missile attack was reportedly at an Iraqi military base that is hosting the U.S. Armed Forces, local sources said on Tuesday. According to the sources, at least two Katyusha missiles targeted the an near the Baghdad Airport, causing a brief explosion in the process. The sources said two […]
Ahead of new sanctions, US pledges Assad will not secure ‘military victory’
Congress’ Caesar Act targets firms dealing with Mideast country on verge of economic collapse The United States on Tuesday warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that he will never secure a full victory and must reach a political compromise, on the eve of stinging new sanctions. The war-torn nation has seen an intensifying economic crisis and on Wednesday […]
Hezbollah: New US sanctions aim to ‘starve’ Syria, Lebanon
American law targets companies that deal with Assad’s regime, which the Lebanon-based terror group, Iran and Russia support in conflict By Agencies Today, 11:56 pm 0 Edit BEIRUT, Lebanon — New US sanctions against the Syrian government aim to “starve” the country and its neighbor Lebanon, the head of the Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah said […]
U.S. wants face-to-face meeting with Iran on prisoners
Arshad Mohammed, Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States would like a face-to-face meeting with Iran to discuss prisoner releases and it wants the U.N. Security Council to impose an indefinite arms embargo on the Islamic Republic, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Tuesday. The two adversaries disagree on many issues, including U.S. President […]
Settlement boycott bill left out of new Irish government’s plans
Despite apparently dropping the settlement boycott bill, the government of Ireland, one of Israel’s biggest critics in the EU, does not plan to let Israel off easy on the matter more broadly. LAHAV HARKOV JUNE 16, 2020 13:52 Flag of Ireland The draft program for the new Irish government for the next five years, published […]
Greek PM leads inter-government visit to Israel
Israel looks forward to traveling to Greece and Cyprus from Aug. 1 without covid-19 quarantine, said PM Binyamin Netanyahu in a joint statement with visiting Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday. They signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in tourism, agriculture and cyber. The cabinet ministers of both governments held a joint cabinet session […]
Europeans push for Iran rebuke at nuclear watchdog over inspections
VIENNA/PARIS (Reuters) – Major European powers want to admonish Iran at the U.N. nuclear watchdog over its ongoing refusal to give access to inspectors at sites suspected of activities that may have been part of a nuclear weapons programme, a draft resolution showed. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has issued two reports this year […]
EU foreign policy chief says Mediterranean tensions worsening
EU foreign affairs commissioner Josep Borrell voiced concern on Monday over escalated tensions in the eastern Mediterranean due to Turkey’s drilling efforts in the region, Greek newspaper Kathimerini said. “The situation in the eastern Mediterranean is becoming worse,” Kathimerini cited Borrell as saying. “Greece and Cyprus have been rightly complaining about the fact that there […]
Inside Turkey’s foreign minister’s pro-Iran and ‘Islamic’ worldview
At the center of the worldview advanced by Turkey is the foreign minister and his attempts to portray some Islamic countries as “brothers” while sidelining or denigrating other countries. SETH J. FRANTZMAN JUNE 16, 2020 11:54 Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was all-smiles greeting his Iranian counterpart on Monday. He called Mohammad Javad Zarif of […]
Turkey drew up plans to invade Greece and Armenia – secret documents
It is believed that the plans were prepared as a contingency regarding developments in Syria, wanting to maintain offensive and deterrence capabilities on the western front while moving troops. JERUSALEM POST STAFF JUNE 16, 2020 11:24 Turkey developed a plan for a possible invasion of Greece named after an 11th century Turkish military commander, Nordic […]
US considers using aid to force Jordan to extradite J’lem terrorist
The Trump administration said it is weighing “all options” to pressure Jordan into extraditing Ahlam Aref Ahmad Al-Tamimi. ALEX WINSTON JUNE 16, 2020 11:00 The United States is considering withholding aid to Jordan in an attempt to force through the extradition of a terrorist wanted in connection with a terrorist attack that killed American citizens, […]