#minister - israeli deputy ambassador meeting

[thoughtlessarse]

A senior Scottish minister has said his government will refuse to meet with Israeli officials until there is peace in Gaza after furious criticisms of a meeting earlier this month. Angus Robertson, Scotland’s external affairs secretary, apologised on Monday after senior figures in the Scottish National party reacted angrily to his decision to hold a secret meeting with Daniela Grudsky Ekstein, Israel’s deputy ambassador to the UK. Critics called for Robertson to be suspended and demanded an urgent debate at next month’s SNP conference, accusing him of trying to normalise relations with Israel. One veteran Holyrood backbencher, Christine Grahame, reportedly protested to John Swinney, the first minister. She said her constituents were shocked the meeting had happened, and described Robertson as “a liability”. The crisis intensified on Monday after another SNP minister, Ivan McKee, told the BBC that Robertson should reflect on what he said to the diplomat, and agreed the government should clarify its stance on the Gaza crisis and Israel’s conduct. Speaking after a cabinet meeting on Monday, Robertson said he agreed to the meeting because it was a chance to express his government’s “clear and unwavering” calls for a ceasefire. In a short statement issued four days after the meeting took place, his officials said it included discussions about rising antisemitism, renewable energy cooperation and culture. They said the meeting was held in secret at Israel’s request. Robertson said on Monday that in hindsight he should have restricted the meeting solely to discussions about Gaza.

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[eretzyisrael]

by Jack Elbaum

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will be holding a gathering to “pay tribute” to Iran’s late president, Ebrahim Raisi, next Thursday, just days after his death, despite still not formally condemning the Iran-backed terror group Hamas’ massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Raisi died on Sunday along with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and several other in a helicopter crash in the mountainous region of northwestern Iran.

The now-deceased Iranian president has for decades been accused of major human rights abuses, most notably for his role on a so-called “death committee” that sentenced thousands of political prisoners to death in 1988, when he was deputy prosecutor of Tehran. In that role, Raisi earned the nickname “the butcher of Tehran.”

Raisi, a hardline Islamist, was widely considered a potential successor to Iran’s so-called “supreme leader,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the highest power in the Iranian regime.

The decision to swiftly honor Raisi stands in stark contrast to the UNGA’s muted reaction to Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel — where Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped over 250 others as hostages.

In a letter sent on Tuesday, UNGA president Dennis Francis wrote, “I have the honor to inform you that a plenary meeting of the General Assembly to pay tribute to the memory of the late President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Excellency Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 10 am, in the General Assembly Hall.”

Francis added that “Member States are encouraged to deliver regional group statements” to help pay tribute to Raisi.

This is not the first act of deference for the late Iranian president. Earlier this week, the UN Security Council stood for a moment of silence in memory of Raisi. Then, the UN flag was also lowered to half-staff.

Outraged at the decision, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan wrote on X/Twitter that then UN was “founded to prevent atrocities, but today it salutes mass-murdering dictators!”

In contrast, the UNGA did not pass its first resolution in response to the Israel-Hamas war until Oct. 27 — 20 days after Hamas’ initial massacre. It called for an immediate ceasefire and demanded widespread humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. The resolution garnered 120 votes in favor, 14 opposed, and 45 abstentions.

However, the UNGA failed to adopt an amendment to the resolution condemning the Oct. 7 attacks.

The UN Security Council has similarly pushed resolutions concerning Israel and Gaza that did not denounce Hamas over the Oct. 7 atrocities.

It also took the UN Women organization until December to condemn the sexual and gender-based violence against girls and women that took place on Oct. 7.

The inability of UN member states to condemn the mass murder of Jews in Israel but quickly mourn the passing of Raisi — the president of a country that Western intelligence agencies have consistently labeled the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism — has reinforced for many critics the belief that the UN is biased against Israel and sympathetic to authoritarian regimes.

After the UN lowered its flag in honor of Raisi, US Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said, “The UN and the Biden administration should honor the victims of the Iranian regime, not the Butcher of Tehran. Tributes to Raisi are a slap in the face to all those who suffered under his reign.”

Anne Bayefsky — director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust, and president of Human Rights Voices — told Fox News Digital that “one might say this sign of UN respect for mass murderers and terrorist executioners is not a surprise,” because it has consistently refused to condemn Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks.

[jordanianroyals]

24 June 2024: King Abdullah II and France President Emmanuel Macron, in Paris, discussed the ongoing dangerous developments in Gaza and the catastrophic humanitarian situation.

During a meeting at the Élysée Palace, the two leaders renewed the call on the international community to increase humanitarian aid flow to Gaza through all possible means, stressing their commitment to continue providing aid to the Strip.

His Majesty and President Macron reaffirmed the need for an immediate ceasefire, and the protection of civilians.

The meeting, attended by Queen Rania and Brigitte Macron, covered regional developments, with the King warning against a spillover of the conflict, which would threaten international security, and stressing that the two-state solution is the only way towards just and comprehensive peace.

His Majesty and President Macron also stressed the importance of supporting Lebanon’s stability and security.

Meanwhile, the King warned of the continued targeting of relief institutions in Gaza, commending France’s support for UNRWA, which has a pivotal role in providing vital services to nearly 2 million Palestinians in the Strip.

Turning to developments in the West Bank, His Majesty warned against extremist Israeli settler violence against the Palestinians, as well as unilateral measures in violation of the historical and legal status quo at Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites.

The two leaders discussed relations between Jordan and France, expressing keenness on enhancing cooperation in all fields.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, and Jordan’s Ambassador to France Lina Al Hadid attended the meeting.

[theculturedmarxist]

[...]

In the meantime, while Iran was coordinating with the resistance groups on the military front, China and Saudi Arabia shifted gear on the diplomatic track. On Thursday, even as the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading for Arab capitals after talks in Tel Aviv, seeking help to get the hostages released by Hamas, China’s Special Envoy on the Middle East Zhai Jun contacted the Deputy Minister for Political Affairs of the Saudi foreign ministry Arabia Saud M. Al-Sati on the Palestine-Israel situation with focus on the Palestine issue and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, in particular. The contrast couldn’t be sharper. 

On the same day, an extraordinary event took place in the Chinese foreign ministry when the Arab envoys in Beijing sought a group meeting with Special Envoy Zhai to underscore their collective stance that a “very severe” humanitarian crisis has emerged following Israel’s attack on Gaza and “the international community has the responsibility to take immediate actions to ease the tension, promote the resumption of talks for peace, and safeguard the Palestinian people’s lawful national rights.” 

The Arab ambassadors thanked China “for upholding a just position on the Palestinian question … and expressed the hope that China will continue to play a positive and constructive role.” Zhai voiced full understanding that the “top priority is to keep calm and exercise restraint, protect civilians, and provide necessary conditions for relieving the humanitarian crisis.” 

After this extraordinary meeting, the Chinese Foreign Ministry posted on its website at midnight a full-bodied statement by Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi titled China Stands on the Side of Peace and Human Conscience on the Question of Palestine. This reportedly prompted a call by the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to Wang Yi. 

Interestingly, Blinken too called Wang Yi from Riyadh on October 14,     where, according to the state department readout, he “reiterated U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself and called for an immediate cessation of Hamas’ attacks and the release of all hostages” and stressed the importance of “discouraging other parties (read Iran and Hezbollah) from entering the conflict.”

Succinctly put, in all these exchanges involving Saudi Arabia — especially, in Blinken’s meetings in Riyadh with Saudi FM and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while the US focused on the hostage issue, the Saudi side instead turned the attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The state department readouts (here and here) bring out the two sides’ divergent priorities. 

Suffice to say, a coordinated Saudi-Iranian strategy backed by China is putting pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire and to de-escalate. The UN’s backing isolates Israel further.

Benjamin Netanyahu’s exit is to be expected but he won’t throw in the towel without a fight. US-Israel ties may come under strain. President Biden is caught in a bind, harking back to Jimmy Carter’s predicament over the Iran hostage crisis in 1980, which ended his bid for a second term as president. Biden is already backtracking. 

Where do things go from here? Clearly, the longer the Israeli assault on Gaza continues, the international condemnation and demand to allow a humanitarian corridor will only intensify. Not only will countries like India which expressed “solidarity” with Israel lose face in the Global South, even Washington’s European allies will be hard-pressed. It remains to be seen whether an invasion of Gaza by Israel is anymore realistic at all. 

Going forward, the Arab-Iran-China axis will raise the plight of Gaza in the UN Security Council unless Israel retracted. Russia has proposed a draft resolution and is insisting on a voting. If the US vetoes the resolution, the UN GA may step in to adopt it. 

Meanwhile, the US project to resuscitate the Abraham Accords loses traction and the plot to undermine the China-brokered Saudi-Iranian rapprochement faces sudden death.

As regards the power dynamic in West Asia, these trends can only work to the advantage of Russia and China, especially if the BRICS were to take a lead role at some point to navigate a Middle East peace process that is no longer the monopoly of the US. This is payback time for Russia. 

The era of petrodollar is ending — and along with that, the US’ global hegemony. The emergent trends, therefore, go a long way to strengthen multipolarity in the world order. 

[grandmaster-anne]

Court Circular | 22nd March 2023

Buckingham Palace

The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP (Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury) had an audience of The King this afternoon. The Queen Consort, Colonel-in-Chief, The Rifles, this afternoon received General Sir Patrick Sanders upon relinquishing his appointment as Colonel Commandant and Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes upon assuming the appointment. By command of The King, Mr Alistair Harrison (Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps) called upon Her Excellency Mrs Vanessa Eugenia Interiano Elfarnawany at 8 Dorset Square, London NW1, this morning in order to bid farewell to Her Excellency upon relinquishing her appointment as Ambassador from the Republic of El Salvador to the Court of St. James’s.

St James’s Palace

The Duke of Edinburgh, Patron, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, this morning held a Meeting via video link with Israeli National Award Operators in Israel.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

The Princess Royal, Patron, UK Harbour Masters Association, this afternoon attended the Thirtieth Anniversary Spring Conference at the John McIntyre Conference Centre, 18 Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh, and was received by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh (Councillor Robert Aldridge, the Rt Hon the Lord Provost). Her Royal Highness, Honorary Patron, the Scotland Malawi Partnership, later attended a Youth and Schools Festival at Edinburgh City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh. The Princess Royal, Patron, Scotland’s Churches Trust, afterwards received Colonel James Erskine at the Palace of Holyroodhouse upon relinquishing his appointment as Chairman and Professor Adam Cumming upon assuming the appointment. Her Royal Highness, Past Master, the Royal Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh, this evening launched the Community Grants Scheme at the Merchants’ Hall, 22 Hanover Street, and was received by Mr Peter Hillier (Deputy Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh). The Princess Royal, Chancellor, the University of Edinburgh, subsequently held a Student Enterprise Dinner at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Kensington Palace

The Duke of Gloucester, Vice Patron, National Churches Trust, this morning received Sir Philip Rutnam (Chairman) and Mrs Claire Walker (Chief Executive). The Duke of Gloucester and The Duchess of Gloucester, President, this evening attended a performance by the Royal Academy Opera of “Le Nozze Di Figaro” at the Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1.

[head-post]

Arab countries, China, Iran condemned Israeli minister’s statement on dropping nuclear bomb on Gaza

China, Iran and several Arab countries have condemned the Israeli minister’s words that a nuclear strike on the Gaza Strip is an option for war between Hamas and Israel.

On Monday, at the opening of a UN conference aimed at establishing a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East, many ambassadors condemned and criticised remarks by Israel’s Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu, who later called his remarks in a Sunday radio interview “metaphorical”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly disavowed the remarks and suspended him from cabinet meetings.

Israel has made no comment on its nuclear capability. Israel is believed to have nuclear weapons and a former employee of its nuclear reactor served 18 years in an Israeli prison for passing details and photographs of Israel’s alleged nuclear arsenal programme to a British newspaper in 1986.

Geng Shuang, China’s deputy ambassador to the UN, said he considered the statements “extremely irresponsible and alarming” and subject to universal condemnation. He called on Israeli officials to retract the statement and join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Read more HERE

[mariacallous]

Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry reported that the “release of foreign hostages located in the Gaza Strip” was discussed during a meeting with Abu Marzook, one of the leaders of Hamas. “Issues connected to securing the evacuation of Russian and other foreign citizens from [the Gaza Strip]” were also raised, reports Russian state news agency Interfax.

The ministry’s statement refers to Hamas as the “Islamic Resistance Movement” and calls Abu Marzook, one of the group’s ideologues, a “member” of the movement’s “politburo.”

The ministry’s statement did not mention that Hamas had taken the hostages, which included Russian citizens. Russia’s Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov previously reported that the hostages “allegedly” include three Russian citizens, who also hold Israeli passports.

There was also no mention of the Russian citizens who were killed in the October 7 attack on Israel launched by Hamas. According to Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, 23 Russian citizens were killed, and another four were reported missing. On October 20, Anatoly Viktorov said that 20 Russian citizens were killed, and seven missing.

According to the Israeli government, more than 1,400 people were killed in the attack by Hamas, and approximately 200 taken hostage. Hamas claims that more than 7,000 people have been killed as a result of the Israeli Defense Forces’ counterattack on the Gaza Strip. This information has not been independently verified.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry statement also didn’t specify who exactly participated in the talks with Abu Marzook. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not plan to meet with the Hamas delegation.

Iran’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani also arrived in Moscow on October 26. He conducted talks with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister Mikhail Galuzin, and Special Representative for the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov.

The Foreign Ministry’s statement reads that the “regional agenda was thoroughly discussed, with a focus on the unprecedented escalation in the Palestine-Israel conflict zone. The need for the cessation of hostilities in and around the Gaza Strip and the swift provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected population in Palestine was reaffirmed.” The statement did not mention the Israeli or Russian citizens affected by the conflict.

[interkomitet]

US updates Israel on Iran nuclear talks as national security advisers meet in DC

The Israeli and American national security advisers met in Washington on Tuesday to discuss concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and US efforts to reenter the deal between Tehran and world powers.

The meeting between National Security Council chairman Meir Ben-Shabbat and his US counterpart Jake Sullivan marked the first in-person meeting of high-level officials from the two countries since US President Joe Biden entered the White House.

“The US and Israeli officials discussed their serious concerns about advancements in Iran’s nuclear program in recent years. The United States updated Israel on the talks in Vienna and emphasized strong US interest in consulting closely with Israel on the nuclear issue going forward,” a readout from the White House said.

“The United States and Israel agreed on the significant threat posed by Iran’s aggressive behavior in the region, and US officials underscored President Biden’s unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself,” the statement added.

Ben-Shabbat and Sullivan head the bilateral strategic group aimed at Israeli-US cooperation in the effort to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The group has convened virtually twice in recent months.

According to the White House on Tuesday, another such bilateral group would be established, with a focus on Iranian drones and missiles. “The United States and Israel agreed to establish an inter-agency working group to focus particular attention on the growing threat of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Precision Guided Missiles produced by Iran and provided to its proxies in the Middle East Region,” it said.

Also attending the session at the Israeli embassy in Washington on Tuesday were Israeli Ambassador to the US Gilad Erdan; Biden’s nominee for Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf; and NSC Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk.

Mossad intelligence agency chief Yossi Cohen was also seen entering the embassy. Channel 12 reported that Cohen and Erdan were slated to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, also to discuss the Iran nuclear issue.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi earlier this week canceled his participation in the security delegation to Washington amid rising tensions on the Gaza border.

Following the meeting between Sullivan and the Israeli officials, the White House on Tuesday also condemned rocket fire from Gaza on Israel and clashes in Jerusalem between Jews and Arabs.

“The two sides also shared concerns about recent violent confrontations in Jerusalem and the US officials welcomed Israel’s recent calls for calm. The US strongly condemned the recent indiscriminate rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel. US officials affirmed this administration’s continued support for efforts to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians and a two-state solution to the conflict,” it said.

Indirect talks in Vienna between Iran, the US and other major powers are aimed at reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that has been on life support since former president Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018. Trump’s administration subsequently issued a host of sanctions against Iran as part of its “maximum pressure” strategy aimed at coaxing Tehran into a stricter agreement to curb its nuclear weapons program.

Biden has sought to reenter the US into the JCPOA, but has refused to do so until Iran returns to compliance with the agreement. Following Trump’s withdrawal, Iran engaged in a rush to enrich uranium, recently ramping up levels to an unprecedented 60 percent, in a policy that has been vehemently opposed by the international community.

Israel has urged Biden to maintain Trump’s policy of “maximum pressure” and claimed that returning to the JCPOA now would squander the leverage accumulated by the US as a result of the sanctions that have damaged the Iranian economy.

Jerusalem was calling for a new deal that also addresses Iran’s ballistic missile program along with its support for terror groups in the region.

The US supports such goals but has argued that it cannot reach a new, expanded deal without first returning to the existing pact. Moreover, Washington points out that Iran is now closer to producing a nuclear bomb than it was before Trump left the JCPOA.

Israel is generally concerned that the US is rushing too quickly to return to the 2015 accord and is ignoring the concerns of Israel and other Middle Eastern countries, notably those in the Gulf.

Asked Friday whether the bilateral meetings might impact the administration’s position on rejoining the deal, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said: “No.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the Israeli delegation of security officials to voice objection to the US return to the Iran nuclear deal, but not to hold talks on the details. Netanyahu emphasized in a meeting with the delegation on Thursday that Israel is not a party in the nuclear agreement with Iran, and not committed to it.

“Israel is committed to its own security interests only and will act accordingly,” an Israeli official said.

“If in the future there are serious contacts on Iran’s part over an improved agreement, Israel will state its position on the characteristics and content that such an agreement should have,” the official added.

A blast at Iran’s Natanz nuclear plant earlier this month has been blamed on Israel, while the US denied involvement.

http://interkomitet.com/press/international-news/us-updates-israel-on-iran-nuclear-talks-as-national-security-advisers-meet-in-dc/

[news-of-the-day]

11/27/20

Election/Transition news:

The Trump administration gave in and started the transition process, and Trump himself said he would concede if the Electoral College chooses Biden. Although the race has been called by all news organizations, it hasn't formally declared Biden the winner (the electors vote on December 14th and the official count is January 6th). (NYT, CNN, AP)

Biden announced more names for his team: Former Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken for Secretary of State, Former Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen for Secretary of Secretary, former Deputy Secretary of HS Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of HS, former Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines for Director of National Intelligence, Jake Sullivan for National Security Advisor, and longtime diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield for UN ambassador. A lot of these people are from the Obama administration. (NYT)

There's a lot going on on the state level about election results, so I'll give some highlights: Milwaukee County completed its recount at the Trump campaign's behest, and Biden's win increased. Pennsylvania certified its results, a state judge told them to stop, and then a state appeals overturned that and said to certify it. I tried to keep on top of what's going on in Michigan, but it's very confusing since some counties certified and then reneged and then re-certified, but I think the state as a whole has certified for Biden. (Washington Times, NPR, CBS)

Republicans flipped four more seats for the House, making a net gain of nine. We're still waiting on the results of seven more seats, but with the current count the Democrats are still in control. Eyes are still on Georgia for their Senate runoff on January 5th because the winners decide who controls the Senate. (NYT, WSJ)

Corona news:

Current cases are ~62M, current deaths are ~1.4M. (Worldometer)

AstraZeneca says its vaccine is 63-90% effective (depending on how it's administered), however it's not admitting there were mistakes during the testing process and more time would be needed. (NYT)

Russia announced that its Sputnik V vaccine will be produced in Brazil, China, South Korea, and mostly in India. They say it's 95% effective, but the clinical trial was never completed. (Die Welle, NYT)

The FDA authorized the experimental antibody treatment given to Trump when he was hospitalized for COVID. (Washington Post)

The US Supreme Court struck down NYS' restriction on attendance at places of worship, partly because it allowed businesses to stay open in the same areas and it did not take into account the size of the facility. (SCOTUS Blog)

Unemployment claims rose to 778K last week. (WSJ)

Australia's largest airline, Qantas, says it will require passengers traveling internationally to prove they have been vaccinated. It's uncertain whether the industry as a whole will embrace this. (CBS)

Other news:

There are reports that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Secretary of State Pompeo met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, although Saudi Arabia is denying it and Israel is making no comment, possibly because King Salman wasn't informed of it. No normalization or anything came of it naturally, but it's still a major diplomatic feat. (Middle East Eye)

A top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated near Tehran, and a few of his ambushers were also killed. Iran believes Israel was involved. (Al Jazeera)

Believe it or not, the G20 summit meeting happened during all of this, but little was accomplished. (NYT)

Fighting continues in Ethiopia with government forces readying to attack the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle. Meanwhile refugee camps across the border in the Sudan have swelled. (Al Jazeera)

Trump pardoned Michael Flynn. (NPR)

Famous soccer player Diego Maradona died at age 60 from a heart attack, and former NYC mayor David Dinkins died at age 93. (NYT)

[trunewsofficial]

Kushner, Perry Met With Zelensky Before Ukraine’s $400M Military Aid Was Delayed

More than a month before President Trump’s now heavily scrutinized phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and at the same time an almost $400 million U.S. military aide package was being discussed and ultimately delayed, two senior administration officials, Special Advisor Jared Kushner and U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, met privately with the comedian-turned-leader, and discussed issues related to energy and security. The meeting took place at a tax-payer funded VIP dinner on June 4th, 2019 at the Brussels residence of U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, and was part of the embassy’s annual celebration of Independence Day, which though hosted one month early, included a glitzy event at the Autoworld vintage car museum in the heart of Belgium’s capital. Texas’ former Governor and Kushner attended both events, and were personally pictured with President Zelensky at the dinner, at which President Trump’s son-in-law was sat directly next to the foreign leader. Also in attendance at this invite-only dinner, according to records published by the U.S. Mission to the European Union, were other foreign leaders such as Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă and her Vice Prime Minister Ana Birchall; Polish President Andrzej Duda; Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze; Belgian Interior Minister Pieter De Crem; Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for the European Integration, Olena Volodymyrivna Zerkal; European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cańet; European Parliament President Antonio Tajani; and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. The U.S. delegation was no less robust and included U.S. State Department Counselor Ulrich Brechbuhl; Acting Assistant for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Secretary Philip T. Reeker; U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium Ronald J. Gidwitz; U.S. Ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher; and NATO Special Operations Headquarters Commander, Vice Admiral Colin J. Kilrain. In addition to diplomatic officials, a lone entertainer was invited, comedian Jay Leno. At the time of the dinner, President Zelensky was on his first foreign trip as leader of Ukraine, and Kushner had just departed London, where President Trump was making a state visit. Both officials were on a quest to secure support from the European Union, Kushner for the long anticipated Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, and President Zelensky for accession to membership in the bloc, a move he described at the time to European Council President Donald Tusk as a “powerful blow against Russian authoritarianism,” and their “imperial project.” An unnamed source in President Zelensky’s administration quoted by Interfax-Ukraine and the Kyiv Post confirmed that Kushner spoke to Ukraine’s leader during the trip, and said that “they discussed a wide range of issues, ranging from security to energy.” Additionally, a report published by the Financial Times on June 5 also asserts President Zelensky met with Kushner as well as with Secretary Perry, but gives no detail as to what was discussed. It is not clear if these reports were referring to an additional meeting aside from the U.S. EU embassy event where photos confirm direct interaction between President Zelensky, Secretary Perry and Kushner. A White House official with knowledge of the dinner told TruNews that this dinner was the meeting being referenced, and that President Zelensky arrived late and left early, and no additional meetings took place. Secretary Perry’s role in the Brussels dinner is made clearer when examining his mention in the whistleblower complaint released Thursday morning by the House intelligence Committee. According to the complaint, unnamed U.S. government officials allegedly told the whistleblower that Secretary Perry was sent to President Zelensky’s inauguration on May 20 in place of Vice President Mike Pence at the instruction of President Trump, who ordered the VP to cancel the trip to make it clear that President Trump himself would not meet with the Ukrainian leader until he saw how he “chose to act” in office. While in Ukraine on this state directed visit, Secretary Perry told reporters to expect a sanctions bill to materialize soon penalizing companies involved in Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the gas pipeline being construction across the Baltic Sea to Germany which directly threatens the profits and domestic siphoning of the Gazprom Soyuz pipeline which traverses Ukraine. Other members of the U.S. delegation led by Secretary Perry, who returned on May 23 to brief President Trump at the White House, included Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson; U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker, who also presently serves as executive director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership; and Ambassador Sondland, who also attended the Brussels-Kushner-Zelensky dinner. These same officials gathered at the White House on July 10th along with National Security Advisor John Bolton and his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Danylyuk, who directly advises President Zelensky on national security, to “discuss opportunities for increased energy security cooperation.” On July 26th, one day after the infamous Trump-Zelensky phone call, envoy Volker, Ambassador Sondland, and former U.S. ambassador to the Ukraine, William B. Taylor, met in Kiev with National Security & Defense Council Secretary Danylyuk and President Zelensky. According to Ukrainian television outlet Hromadske the parties discusses the “current situation in the area of Operation of the Joint Forces,” referring to military cooperation between the U.S. and it's most strategic ally in Eastern Europe. It is of note that envoy Volker reportedly resigned following the publication of President Trump's July 25th phone call with President Zelesnky, and other White House officials are seeking independent legal counsel related to their role in the negotiations with Ukraine. On the subject of military aid, the Kushner-Perry-Zelensky-Brussels dinner in June eerily coincides with what the Washington Post, quoting unnamed administration officials, described as the beginning of “discussions about Ukrainian aid.” As noted by the Post, President Trump has frequently requested the withholding of aid from foreign governments when he concludes they are “not doing their part,” with past examples being Central American countries failing to sufficiently halt the inflow of illegal immigrants through America’s southern border. Relevant congressional officials were notified on February 28th and May 23rd, the last being only one week before Kushner and Secretary Perry’s meeting with President Zelensky, that President Trump intended to release large contingents of military aid to Ukraine to support their ongoing civil war against separatists in the North Eastern region of their country, and deter further alleged Russian provocations. As part of the $693 billion U.S. Defense Department budget for Fiscal Year 2019, which ends October 1st, Congress approved a total of $391 million in military aid for Ukraine, and this was split into two funds; the larger administered by the Pentagon for the delivery of sniper rifles, counter-artillery radar systems, ammunition and grenade launchers; and the other by the U.S. State Department for maritime security and NATO interoperability. This money reportedly sat dormant in U.S. accounts and was not transferred to Ukraine until September 11th, 2019. Quoting three unnamed senior administration officials whose accounts cannot be independently verified by TruNews, the Post reported that President Trump directed his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, to “hold back” the money “at least a week” before the infamous phone call between he and President Zelensky on July 25. Officials at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), previously overseen by Mulvaney, conveyed President Trump’s order to the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon through an interagency meeting, according to an anonymous source quoted by the Post who was aware of the “internal deliberations.” During these deliberations, the Post’s unnamed source noted that officials explained that the president had “concerns,” and wanted to analyze whether the money even needed to be spent before it was sent to Ukraine. Additionally, the Post claims that Trump Administration officials were then instructed to continuously lie to Congress about the status of the almost $400m military aid package, by telling them delays were part of an “interagency process,” without providing any additional information. This “pattern” as the Post describes it, continued from July to September 11, when the funds were finally released, just under two months from the Trump-Zelensky phone call, and just over three months from Jared Kushner and Secretary Perry’s meeting with the Ukrainian President in Brussels. This date also coincides with the resignation of former national security adviser John Bolton, who according to the Post fought unsuccessfully with President Trump to release the almost $400 million military aide package to Ukraine sooner, after President Trump and his embattled lawyer Rudy Giuliani had said they were instead “primarily concerned with corruption.” It is also one month after top Pentagon official, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy John Rood, wrote to four congressional committees that the Department of Defense had “certified that the Government of Ukraine has taken substantial action to make defense institutional reforms for the purposes of decreasing corruption and increasing accountability." This verification was required by law to release $250 million of the congressionally approved military aid package to Ukraine. Two unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters that the Trump administration expects that $220 million of the $250 million of the Pentagon-portion of the congressionally approved military aid package for Ukraine for fiscal year 2019 will be spent by Monday, September 30th, the official deadline before the money defaults back to the U.S. and requires a re-approval by Congress for the FY2020. The Pentagon has confirmed that the majority of the $250 million Ukrainian military aid package would be committed before the deadline, but U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has refused to comment on why the White House decided to delay the funds since June. Though no records have yet been provided, the Pentagon’s NATO Foreign Military Sales office is required by law to publish the name(s) of the companies which have agreed to fulfill these weapons contracts, deals which would have been rushed and incurred at an inflated cost for both the governments of the Ukraine and U.S., yet be incredibly profitable for anyone aware of the delay, short term spending need, and stocked to fulfill them. According to Congressional records the U.S. has provided $1.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014, when Russian forces were deployed to secure the strategic port of Sevastopol in Crimea, following the elections calling for annexation. At the time, Joe Biden, the focus of the now-infamous July 25 Trump-Zelensky call, by his own admission made a similar threat to halt congressionally approved military aide to Ukraine if Obama administration demands were not met. According to Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who visited Ukraine in early September and spoke directly with President Zelensky and his administration, the “entire” administration was concerned “that the aid that was being cut off to Ukraine by President Trump was a consequence for their unwillingness, at the time, to investigate the Bidens.” “I don’t think it really matters . . . whether the president explicitly told the Ukrainians that they wouldn’t get their security aid if they didn’t interfere in the 2020 elections,” Senator Murphy said. “There is an implicit threat in every demand that a United States president makes of a foreign power. . . . That foreign country knows that if they don’t do it, there are likely to be consequences.” (Photo credit: U.S. Embassy to the European Union) source https://trunews.com/stream/kushner-perry-met-with-zelensky-before-ukraines-400m-military-aid-was-delayed

[kiet029]

Commandant Ram Vinod Prasad (Head-National & International Collaboration, KIET) met Her Excellency Rony Yedidia Clein, Minister, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel

KIET has always been working to explore new opportunities for the learning and growth of our students and provide them with global platforms to explore the world.

In the same line, Commandant Ram Vinod Prasad, Head-National & International Collaboration, KIET Group of Institutions, met Her Excellency Rony Yedidia Clein, Minister, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Israel and discussed 'How KIET can collaborate with Academia and Industries of Israel'.

The meeting was fruitful and Her Excellency Rony Yedidia Clein assured that the embassy will facilitate KIET in establishing a deep connection with some Israeli universities to establish a joint R&D supported by DST-GoI and Israel Innovation Authority (IIA), Govt of Israel and to avail (I4F) India-Israel Industrial R&D &Technological Innovation Fund.

KIET Group of Institutions, Delhi NCR

Website: www.kiet.edu | Toll-Free: 1800 313 0056

#kiet_group_of_institutions #KIETGZB #kietengineeringcollege #KIET #AKTU #AICTE #TopEngineeringCollege  #student  #KIETGroupofInstitutions #TopEngineeringCollegesinDelhiNCR #BestEngineeringCollegesinDelhiNCR #Collaboration #Israel #Ambassador #IsraelAmbassador #Research #Innovation #ResearchandDevelopment #opportunities #StudyAbroad #Abroad

[thoughtlessarse]

President Joe Biden warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the US will not take part in a counter-offensive against Iran, an option Netanyahu’s war cabinet favors after a mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory, according to officials. The threat of open warfare erupting between the arch Middle East foes and dragging in the United States put the region on edge, triggering calls for restraint from global powers and Arab nations. “The Middle East is on the brink. The people of the region are confronting a real danger of a devastating full-scale conflict. Now is the time to defuse and de-escalate,” United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a Security Council meeting called on Sunday (14 April) in response to the strikes. Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood called on the council to unequivocally condemn Iran’s attack. “Let me be clear: if Iran or its proxies take actions against the United States or further action against Israel, Iran will be held responsible,” he said. Still, Biden told Netanyahu the US would not participate in any Israeli counter-offensive against Iran over the attack, a White House official said.

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That'll be a great disappointment to the fascists in Tel Aviv. They've been trying to get the US to attack Iran for decades now. No doubt any US help will be covert. Should Trump get in, you can forget covert help. I wouldn't put the use of nukes past him, and he'd probably blame Israel.

[eretzyisrael]

(A drone is launched during a large-scale drone combat exercise of Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in Semnan, Iran January 4, 2021. Picture taken January 4, 2021

(photo credit: IRANIAN ARMY/WANA/REUTERS)

The drone Israel shot down near the border with Jordan on Tuesday was Iranian, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday.

“While we were busy fighting, a few days ago, Iran sent an armed drone into Israel from Iraq or Syria,” Netanyahu told German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who was in Jerusalem. “Iranian forces launched an armed drone, which our forces shot down at the border between Israel and Jordan.

“I think that says everything about the real patron of terror in the Middle East and the world – Iran,” Netanyahu added, showing Maas a piece of the drone.

The IDF shot down a drone that was approaching the Israeli-Jordanian border, traveling toward the Emek HaMa'ayanot Regional Council in northern Israel, on Tuesday.

IDF units collected the fragments of the destroyed aircraft for further examination.

At the time, residents of Beit She'an - which sits within the regional council - were instructed to lock themselves in their homes for nearly an hour, before the IDF announced that the area had been secured, and that it was again safe for people to leave their homes.

Netanyahu said he described to Maas how Israel is fighting on multiple fronts, and that Iran is behind all of them.

“Not only does Iran totally support Islamic Jihad in Gaza and give it all its funding, it also gives weapons to Hamas and Hezbollah,” he stated. “They provide the infrastructure on which terrorist organizations depend.” Iranian Quds Force Commander Sardar Ismail Qaani wrote a letter of support to Hamas's Qassam Brigades Commander Mohammed Dief this week, according to Iranian news site Khabar Online. Qaani wrote that Dief was "faithful to your promise to the enemy. The usurper tasted the fear, defeat and humiliation... This war has ushered in a new phase in the battle with the enemy...The equation is that the enemy cannot isolate Quds [Jerusalem] without receiving a tough response." World powers continued negotiations with Iran in Vienna throughout the time that Hamas and other Gazan terrorist groups rained rockets on Israel with Iranian material support. The goal of the negotiations is for Iran to return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, as the 2015 nuclear deal is known, and for the US to lift sanctions placed on Iran since 2018. Russian Ambassador to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov tweeted photos from ongoing talks with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi on Wednesday, and on Thursday said that, while negotiations for Iran to return to the JCPOA would not be completed by their May 21 target date, "the talks will continue until successful outcome." Enrique Mora, the EU official leading indirect talks between the US and Iran, said Wednesday that he was confident talks were “on the right track” and a deal will be reached as a fourth round of negotiations adjourned. However, diplomats from Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3, were more reserved in their assessments of the talks’ progress, saying “there are still some very difficult issues ahead.”

Maas, Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek and Slovakian Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok paid a solidarity visit to the region, as Operation Guardian of the Walls continued on Thursday.

“Germany stands with Israel and its right to defend itself,” Maas said ahead of a meeting with Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi. “I came to Israel to show solidarity and support Israel after the rocket fire from Gaza. Israel has the right to defend itself.”

“Israel’s security and that of the Jewish residents here are not negotiable,” he stated.

Maas added that he has been following the humanitarian situation in Gaza with great concern, but that he is aware of Israeli efforts to bring humanitarian aid to the coastal enclave.

In recent days, Hamas twice shelled humanitarian aid convoys from Israel into Gaza, killing two civilians and injuring 10, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Maas also said that Germany supports efforts to bring about a ceasefire, and that he has been in contact  with the US, Egypt and others towards that aim.

“We need to look to the future and make sure there is sustainable peace in the region that allows for a situation in which Israelis and Palestinians can live here with self-determination. The current situation is one of uncertainty that only serves to strengthen those who spread hate and terror,” Maas stated.

Maas met with Ashkenazi, who also accompanied him to Petah Tikva to see a home that was destroyed by a Hamas rocket and receive a security briefing from Home Front Command commander Maj.-Gen. Ori Gorodin.

Soon after, Kulhanek and Korčok visited the same house.

Kulhanek said he was “speechless” after seeing the destruction terrorism against Israel has wrought.

“In these days, Israel needs its friends in the world, and we are here to show strong friendship,” he stated. “The Czech Republic proudly waved an Israeli flag over its government institutions as a sign of identification with and support for Israel. Israel has the full right to defend itself.”

Korčok said that Israel and Slovakia are “true friends,” and that he is in Israel to show the power of that friendship.

“Hamas shooting must stop. Israel has the right to defend itself,” he said.

Ashkenazi thanked the foreign ministers for their countries’ support, and said that raising an Israeli flag over the Czech Foreign Ministry and Bratislava’s City Hall is “heartwarming and cannot be taken for granted.”

Asheknazi explained that the current round of fighting is different from the past: “Hamas’s missile attack on Israel broke out following a brutal attempt by Hamas to strengthen its political status and take over the Palestinian agenda and Palestinian Authority leadership.

“Hamas chose to do this through terrorist attacks and shooting missiles and rockets at Israeli civilians in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the south. [Hamas] is doing this from populated areas, in backyards and schools, while using residents of Gaza as human shields. Hamas is committing a double war crime,” he said.

Ashkenazi pointed out that Hamas rockets have destroyed electric lines into Gaza, and then Hamas shot at Israeli Electric Company staff that tried to fix them.

“This is another example of how Hamas harms the population of Gaza and cynically takes advantage of its distress,” Ashkenazi said.

Maas also met with Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who updated him on developments in the fighting against Hamas and progress towards the goal of attaining long-term quiet and security for Israelis.

The German foreign minister also plans to meet with President Reuven Rivlin and will go to Ramallah to meet Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh. He plans to return to Germany on Thursday.

[jordanianroyals]

12 January 2024: Crown Prince Hussein met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at Istana Palace.   He conveyed the greetings and congratulations of His Majesty to the Singaporean president on his election win late last year, stressing Jordan’s keenness to work more closely with Singapore, and to further enhance the deep-rooted strategic relations between the two countries, based on shared values.   He commended the expanding ties between the two countries over the past decades, which were deepened further through the exchange of visits, expressing pride in the level of cooperation between Jordan and Singapore in various fields. (Source: Petra)

The Crown Prince highlighted the importance of the agreements signed between the two countries on Thursday, covering wide areas of mutual interest.   His Royal Highness commended the Singaporean model in progress, modernisation, and human resource development.   For his part, the Singapore president stressed the deep-rooted ties between the two countries and commended the exchange of high-level visits.   The meeting also covered developments in the Middle East, with the Crown Prince noting that Jordan continues to dedicate its efforts towards peace and security, despite the difficult situation in the region.   His Royal Highness thanked Singapore’s president for his country’s humanitarian response in Gaza and its donations to UNRWA, in light of the unprecedented humanitarian crisis that Gazans face as a result of the ongoing war.   The Crown Prince reiterated Jordan’s steadfast belief that the region will not reach peace nor stability and will keep witnessing consecutive and growing cycles of violence in the absence of a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.   His Royal Highness stressed the need to coordinate with Singapore and other partners and friends to counter violence in the region and the world.   The Crown Prince also pointed to interfaith dialogue as an issue of utmost priority, noting that interfaith harmony is a value that Jordan and Singapore share.   Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh, Planning Minister Zeina Toukan, Jordan’s Ambassador to Singapore Samer Naber, and Director of the Office of the Crown Prince Zaid Baqain attended the meeting.   A number of ministers and senior officials attended the meeting from the Singaporean side.   Earlier, an official welcoming ceremony was held for His Royal Highness, accompanied by Her Royal Highness Princess Rajwa Al Hussein, upon arrival at Istana Palace, where they were received by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching.

[zeamex]

Biden’s relationship with Netanyahu, spanning four decades, blows hot and cold.

Biden’s relationship with Netanyahu, spanning four decades, blows hot and cold.

President Biden’s meeting on Thursday with Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Israeli prime minister, is the latest episode in an often fraught relationship that goes back four decades. The two men first had regular contact in the 1980s, when Mr. Biden was a senator and Mr. Netanyahu was the deputy Israeli ambassador in Washington. Mr. Biden has since often spoken fondly of Mr. Netanyahu, despite…

[antisemitism-eu]

Belgium: Israel's ambassador turns table on Brussels' Gaza reprimand

Via Ynet News:

After being lashed by Belgium and Luxembourg over Israeli policies and its 'disproportionate' use of force during latest wave of unrest, Ambassador Simona Frenkel refuses ‘to listen with a bowed head', tells top diplomats, 'your one-sided positions don’t contribute to peace.' Israel's Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg Simona Frenkel chastised representatives of the two countries’ foreign ministries Wednesday after being summoned to be reprimanded herself following Monday's deadly clashes between the IDF and some 40,000 Gazan protestors. “It seems that the Belgian Foreign Ministry belongs to a school of thought according to which when an ambassador is summoned for a conversation or a reprimand, he is supposed to behave like a child who has misbehaved, to listen with a bowed head and not to respond,” Frenkel wrote in a report sent to the Foreign Ministry. “I responded and fired back against Belgium: Your one-sided positions do not contribute to peace.” Frenkel was first invited to a meeting with Deputy Director-General of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anick Van Calster, who recently visited Israel. Van Calster opened by saying that she had been instructed by Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders to invite Frenkel in order to clarify the Belgian position, to voice objections to events that occurred on Monday on the Gaza border and to protest against what was described as a “disproportionate” use of force. Calster also expressed anger over statements made by Frenkel during an interview with the country’s RTBF radio station, in which she described those killed in Gaza during the wave of unrest as terrorists. “Regarding the independent investigation committee: There has never been an investigation committee that was independent when it comes to our affairs. All of them were political, where there is an automatic majority of people against Israel,” she replied. (...) “Moreover, Belgium is the last to claim an independent investigation committee since its Prime Minister Charles Michel has determined even before the committee has been established that Israel had to be punished, You have already predetermined the outcome,” Frenkel argued. She also defended her comments on the radio, drawing Van Calster’s attention to the fact that doubts had already been cast on whether a Gazan baby had in fact been killed by Israeli forces during the protests. “You raised an outcry because I described them all as terrorists, but this morning we now know that regarding the 8 month old baby who was killed and allegedly hit by the IDF, even the journalists in Gaza are moderating their positions and are saying that she may have already been dying beforehand and was deliberately brought to the fence,” Frenkel noted, before offering what she described as “proof” that the Hamas terror group was responsible for the violent protests. 

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