DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

The president also stressed the urgency of getting relief to Palestinian civilians in Gaza who lack food, water and medicine. Israel appeared to be getting closer to a full-scale invasion of Gaza, a densely populated enclave ruled by Hamas. The Israeli military has massed troops and equipment near the Gaza border. The command will come," Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told troops gathered at the Gaza border on Thursday. [1/8]Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, as seen from Ashkelon, in southern Israel, October 19, 2023.

Persons: Khan Younis, Biden, Joe Biden, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Ayman Safadi, Amir Cohen, David Satterfield, General Antonio Guterres, Gaza's, Issam Abdallah, Crescent, Abu Obeida, Al, Nidal al, Cynthia Osterman, Stephen Coates, Howard Goller Organizations: Israel, Wednesday, Israeli, REUTERS, Middle East, State Department, Hamas, United Nations, Palestinian, Gaza's Hamas, Pentagon, U.S . Navy, Hezbollah, Bank, West Bank, Thomson Locations: West Bank, Lebanon, U.S, Yemen, Israel WASHINGTON, GAZA, JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, kibbutzes, Jordanian, Amman, Tel Aviv, Egypt, Ashkelon, Rafah, FLASHPOINTS, Khan, Iran, Lebanese, Manara, Nur, Tulkarm, Al Jazeera, Gaza , Washington, Jerusalem

☆ Jordan fears 'the worst is coming' in Gaza war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi speaks during a news conference with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock following a meeting, in Amman, Jordan October 19, 2023. REUTERS/Alaa Al Sukhni Acquire Licensing RightsAMMAN, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Jordan's foreign minister said on Thursday the country feared the worst was yet to come in the Israel-Hamas war, with no signs of success in efforts to de-escalate tensions. "The decision to end the war is not with us, it's with Israel and we must exert all efforts to end it," Safadi said. Fears of a widening war also cast a shadow on a meeting between Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday in Cairo. "We won't allow Israel to export the crisis it created to Jordan," Safadi said.

Persons: Ayman Safadi, Annalena Baerbock, Al Sukhni, Safadi, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah al, Israel, Jordan, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Deepa Babington Organizations: Jordan's, German, REUTERS, Rights, Palestinian, West Bank, Jordan, Thomson Locations: Amman, Jordan, Israel, Gaza, Cairo

☆ Jordan Says Deep Skepticism About Israel and U.S. Assessments Over Gaza Hospital Blast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

There is deep skepticism across the Middle East about Israel and U.S. assessment of the Gaza hospital blast, Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said Wednesday. Israel, the U.S. government and independent security experts said Wednesday the preliminary evidence for a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital compound pointed to a local militant group, casting doubt on Palestinian claims that an Israeli airstrike was responsible. "Nobody is buying that narrative in this part of the world," Safadi told NBC News. Earlier Wednesday, Safadi told CNN that Jordan believes that Israel was responsible. "Everybody here believes that Israel is responsible for it.

Persons: Ayman Safadi, Safadi, Jordan, Israel, it's Organizations: NBC, CNN Locations: Israel, U.S, Gaza

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq issued statements condemning Israel and accusing its military of bombing the hospital. People gather in Tahrir Square to protest the Gaza hospital blast in Baghdad, Iraq, on October 17. One group made an attempt to “reach it,” but a security source told CNN that security forces dealt with them and pushed them away. Jordanian security forces also used tear gas to disperse the protesters, according to two activists and videos posted to social media. TAP said “mass protests were held on Tuesday night,” in several areas “in solidarity with the Palestinian people” and against Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

Persons: Israel, Jihad, Murtadha, CNN’s Ben Wedeman, Protesters, Zohra Bensemra, Tayyip Erdogan, Joe Biden, Ayman Safadi, Safadi, “ can’t Organizations: CNN, Al, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Israel Defense Forces, Palestinian Islamic, United Arab, West, Anadolu Agency, US State Department, Security, Reuters, TAP, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Jordan’s Foreign Affairs, IDF, UN, Episcopal, Al Ahli Baptist Hospital Locations: Israel, East, North Africa, Gaza City, Ahli, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Kuwait, Tunisia, West Bank, Ramallah, Gaza, Tahrir, Baghdad, Amman , Jordan, Jordanian, Beirut, Iran, Tehran, France, England, America, Esfahan, Qom ., Tunis, Istanbul, Turkish, ”, Jerusalem, Al Ahli, Al

Now Biden's only stop will be Israel, where he's expected to huddle with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has been preparing for a potential ground invasion of Gaza in response to Hamas' attacks on Oct. 7, which killed 1,400 Israelis. Outrage over the hospital explosion scuttled Biden's plans to visit Jordan, where King Abdullah II had planned to host meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. He said Biden would have an opportunity to speak to the Arab leaders by phone as he returned to Washington. The visit to Israel coincides with rising humanitarian concerns in Gaza, where Israel has cut off the flow of food, fuel and water.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Jordan, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, John Kirby, Biden “, ” Kirby, ”, “, King Abdullah II, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdel Fattah el, Abbas, Kirby, Ayman Safadi, It's, Antony Blinken, Blinken's, Matthew Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, White House, Air Force, Al, Hamas, Gaza Health Ministry, Bank, Embassy, Associated Press Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington, Ahli, Al Ahli, Ramallah, Beirut, Lebanon, Amman, Jordan, Iran, Ukraine, Tel Aviv, —

☆ Biden snubbed by Middle East allies as Arab world seethes over Gaza hospital blast
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Jordan, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority canceled a planned meeting with Biden less than 24 hours before he was supposed to meet them for a four-way summit in the Jordanian capital, Amman, on Wednesday. The cancellation followed a massive blast in Gaza’s Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital that reportedly killed hundreds of Palestinians. Palestinian officials blamed Israel for the hospital blast, while Israeli officials said it was caused by a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket. Egypt on Wednesday declared three days of mourning for the Gaza hospital victims. Israel ruled Gaza from 1967 to 2005 and it settled Jews there during that period.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Israel, ”, Ayman Safadi, Al, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel “, Abdul Khaleq Abdulla, “, Biden’s, King Abdullah, Jordan, Gazans, Olaf Scholz, Abdel Fattah el, Sisi, ” Sisi, Timothy Kaldas, Sisi’s, Sameh Shoukry, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, ” Shoukry, ” Kaldas, CNN’s Akanksha Sharma, Hamdi Alkhshali, DJ Judd, Eyad Kourdi, Tim Lister, Chloe Liu, Ben Wedeman, Celine Alkhaldi, Abeer Salman Organizations: UAE CNN —, United, United States ’, Palestinian Authority, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Israeli, National Security, CNN, Israel, West Bank, Wednesday, United Arab, Islamic, Tahrir Institute, Middle East Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, United States, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Jordanian, Amman, Gaza’s Al, Ahli, Al Jazeera, Tel Aviv, Washington’s, Gaza, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Ramallah, United Arab Emirates, Egypt’s Sinai, Washington ,, Europe

Abed Khaled/AP Bodies of Palestinians killed in the blast at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital lie in front of the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on October 17. Yousef Masoud/The New York Times A morgue worker arranges body bags at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on October 12. Tamir Kalifa/The New York Times/Redux Palestinians walk amid the rubble following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 10. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters Palestinian citizens inspect damage to their homes caused by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on October 8. It was at the time… when there were reports of an explosion at the hospital in Gaza City,” he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Daniel Hagari, Jihad –, Gaza –, Israel misfired, Ashraf Al, ” Al, Qudra, Abed Khaled, Ariel Schalit, Mohammed Abed, Kfar Aza, Ilia Yefimovich, Khan, Mustafa Hassona, Mahmoud Khaled, Samar Abu, Fatima Shbair, Dor Reder, Violeta Santos Moura, Shir Torem, Wahaj Bani Moufleh, Antonio Macías, Macías, Francisco Seco, Mohammed Saber, Eli Albag, Liri, Mohammed Talatene, Sergey Ponomarev, Hatem Ali, Dor Kedmi, Mahmud Hams, Saher, Hatem Moussa, Abraham Cohen, Valentin Ghnassia, Ghnassia, Alexi J . Rosenfeld, Yuri Cortez, Yousef Masoud, Ibrahim Hams, Bashar Taleb, Baz Ratner, Jack Guez, Abed Rahim Khatib, Yahya Hassouna, Mapal Adam, Abed Zagout, Tamir Kalifa, Agha, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Reuters Itzik, Miriam Shafir, Dor Shafir, Savion Kiper, Maya Alleruzzo, Mohammed Salem, CNN Sergey Ponomarev, Eden Guez, Atef Safadi, Ohad, Mohammed Soboh, Said, Noam Elimeleh Rothenberg, Belal Khaled, Amir Cohen, Ilai Bar Sade, Erik Marmor, Ali Jadallah, Oren Ziv, Ronen Zvulun, Majdi, Ramez Mahmoud, Roi Levy, Alleruzzo, Tali Touito, Jalaa Marey, Oded, Khan Younis, Ahmad Hasballah, Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa, Tsafrir, Ahmad Gharabli, Ilan Rosenberg, Eyad Baba, Itai Ron, Hadas Parush, Volker Turk, – horrifically, ” Turk, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordan, Mahmoud Abbas, ”, Ayman Safadi, Al, Stringer, Hagari, ” Hagari, UN Riyad Mansour, Antony Blinken, Israel “, Sameh Shoukry Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Al, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Palestinian Health Ministry, CNN, Hamas, Israel Defense Forces, Israel, Palestinian Ministry of Health, “ Ambulance, Shifa, Getty, Palestinian, AP, New York Times, Reuters, West Bank, Aris Messinis, Haim, Mount, Mount Herzl Military, Nova, Anadolu Agency, Nova Festival, Ben Gurion, Rockets, Israel's, United Nations, Reuters Police, Reuters Rockets, UN Human, Biden, Palestinian Authority, White, West, Embassy, UN, IDF, Islamic Jihad, Islamic, Jihad, UN Security, “ Locations: Gaza, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ahli, Gaza City, Jihad, Al, Sderot, Israel, Rafah, AFP, Gan, Kfar, Khan Younis, Anadolu, North Sinai, Egypt, Samar, Samar Abu Elouf, Beit Kama, Haifa, Cyprus, Nablus, West, Lebanon, Kfar Saba, Israeli, Be'eri, Rehovot, Mount Herzl, Kibbutz Be'eri, Modiin Maccabim, Kfar Aza, Ashkelon, Mount Herzel, Yassin, Palestinian, Beitar Ilit, Ramat Gan, Kiryat Shmona, Itai, Beit Hanun, Rishon Lezion, Jordan, Amman, Al Jazeera, East, North Africa, Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, West Bank, Ramallah, Jordanian, Lebanese, Beirut, Pakistan, ”

☆ Biden calls off Jordan leg of Mideast trip after leader summit canceled
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Christina Wilkie | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. President Joe Biden (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) hold a joint press conference in Bethlehem, West Bank on July 15, 2022. WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will no longer visit Jordan as part of his Middle East trip this week, after a leaders summit on humanitarian aid for Palestinians was abruptly canceled Tuesday. The decision was made as unrest across the region swelled, in response to the deadly bombing of a hospital in Gaza. Biden had been scheduled to meet in with Jordan's King Abdullah, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Palestinian Authority president Mahmound Abbas after first visiting Israel. In deciding not to travel to Jordan, the White House also considered "the days of mourning announced by President Abbas," for victims of the hospital attack, the official said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mahmoud Abbas, Biden, King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah El, Mahmound Abbas, Ayman Safadi, Abbas Organizations: West Bank, WASHINGTON, Palestinian Authority, Israel, Hamas, White, CNBC, IDF, Israeli Defense, NBC News Locations: Bethlehem, West, Jordan, Gaza, Jordanian, Ahli, Gaza City, Israel

☆ Jordan cancels summit with Biden, Sisi and Abbas in Amman
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMMAN, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Jordan has cancelled a summit it was to host in Amman on Wednesday with U.S. President Joe Biden and the Egyptian and Palestinian leaders to discuss Gaza, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said. Biden was expected to make a whirlwind trip to Israel where he would later head to Jordan and according to Jordanian officials meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Jordan's peace treaty with Israel is widely unpopular among many citizens who see normalisation as a sellout of the rights of their Palestinian brethren. The Israeli embassy, where protesters gather daily, has long been a flashpoint of anti-Israel protests at times of turmoil in the Palestinian territories. Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Additional reporting by Muath Freij; Editing by Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jordan, Joe Biden, Ayman Safadi, Safadi, Israel, Biden, Abdel Fattah al Sisi, Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah, Abdullah, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Muath Freij, Grant McCool Organizations: U.S, Gaza, Thomson Locations: AMMAN, Amman, Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Gaza ., Palestinian

☆ Analysis: Biden's Middle East mission was thrown into turmoil even before he left
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

A devastating blast at a hospital in Gaza believed to have killed hundreds of people prompted Jordan to cancel the second leg of Biden’s trip. And like any major presidential intervention in a troubled world, Biden’s visit carries the possibility of failure that could damage his political standing at home. Hamas accused Israeli forces of attacking the hospital and killing between 200 to 300 people. A global outpouring of support for Israel risks overshadowing the growing human toll of its attacks against Hamas targets in Gaza. Clashes have already broken out in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank after the Gaza hospital blast.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Jordan, he’d, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, –, Biden, he’ll, David Axelrod, CNN’s Oren Liebermann, Zachary Cohen, Israel, King Abdullah, Abdel Fattah el, Mahmoud Abbas, ”, Ayman Safadi, Antony Blinken, Israel Biden, Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, ” Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, ” Trump Organizations: CNN, West, –, Israel Defense Forces, Islamic, Zachary Cohen Tuesday, Biden, Andrews Air Force Base, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Jordan’s, White, Hamas, Israel, Fury, Trump Locations: Washington, Gaza, Israel, Amman, West Bank, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Tunisia, Middle East, United States, Maryland, Jordan, Al Jazeera, Egypt, Ramallah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, New York

☆ Jordan says Palestinian displacement pushes region to 'abyss' of wider conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot Acquire Licensing RightsAMMAN, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Jordan said on Saturday any move by Israel to impose a new displacement of Palestinians would push the region to the "abyss" of a wider regional conflict. Israel's push to move the entire population to leave their homes was a "red line" that Arabs would confront, Safadi said. "This will bring the region into the hell of war ... we have to end this madness," he added. The war's continuation also threatened to lead to its spread on other fronts, Safadi said, adding that "violence would breed more violence and destruction". Safadi said the king had also emphasised Jordan's refusal to accept the displacement of Palestinians from their land.

Persons: Khan Younis, Ahmed Zakot, Jordan, Ayman Safadi, Israel, Safadi, King Abdullah, Antony Blinken, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Muath Freij, Emelia Sithole, Sharon Singleton, Helen Popper Our Organizations: United Nations, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Canadian, U.S, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Europe, Amman, East Jerusalem

☆ Arab States Say Palestinians Must Stay on Their Land as War Escalates
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

It reflects deep-rooted Arab fears that Israel's latest war with Hamas in Gaza could spark a new wave of permanent displacement from land where Palestinians want to build a future state. Some 700,000 Palestinians, half the Arab population of what was British-ruled Palestine, fled or were driven from their homes, many spilling into neighbouring Arab states where they or many of their descendants remain. Israel contests the assertion it drove Palestinians out, pointing out it was attacked by five Arab states the day after its creation. Palestinians and Arab states say a deal should include the right of those refugees and their descendants to return, something Israel has always rejected. After an emergency Arab League meeting on Wednesday, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said all Arab states agreed to confront any attempt to displace Palestinians from their homeland.

Persons: Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Maya Gebeily, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, Gilad Erdan, Israel, Erdan, U.N, Khan Younis, Mariam al, Ayman Safadi, Aidan Lewis, Tom Perry, Aiden Nulty, Michelle Nichols Organizations: Hamas, West Bank, Israel, Arab League, United, United Nations, Muslim, Royal United Services Institute, Jordan's Locations: Maya Gebeily AMMAN, BEIRUT, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Egypt, Jordan, British, Palestine, Gaza City, United States, Farra, Sinai, Israeli, Rafah, Cairo, Khalidi, Amman

Persons: Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Vladimir Putin, Alexei Danichev, Jordan, Israel, Gazans, Jordan's King Abdullah, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, Gilad Erdan, Erdan, U.N, Khan Younis, Mariam al, Ayman Safadi, Maya Gebeily, Suleiman Al, Aidan Lewis, Tom Perry, Aiden Nulty, Michelle Nichols Organizations: Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Hamas, West Bank, Israel, Arab League, United, United Nations, Muslim, Royal United Services Institute, Jordan's, Thomson Locations: Russia, Africa, Saint Petersburg, Egypt, AMMAN, BEIRUT, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Jordan, British, Palestine, Gaza City, United States, Farra, Sinai, Israeli, Rafah, Cairo, Khalidi, Amman

☆ Britain agrees deals on clean energy, critical minerals with Zambia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Alaa Al SukhniLONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday said it had agreed deals with Zambia on clean energy and critical minerals as foreign minister James Cleverly ends a four-day visit to Africa to deepen ties. "The UK-Zambia Green Growth Compact and our landmark agreement on critical minerals will support investment between UK and Zambian business, creating jobs in both countries," Cleverly said. Zambia is a major copper producer, and also has deposits of critical minerals such as cobalt, manganese and nickel. Last year Britain emphasised the importance of diversifying its supply chains in a critical mineral strategy. Britain has agreed to deepen collaboration on critical minerals with other countries such as the United States, Japan, Australia, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia.

Persons: James, Ayman Safadi, Sukhni, Alistair Smout, William James Our Organizations: British, Jordan's, REUTERS, Sukhni LONDON, Thomson Locations: Amman, Jordan, Britain, Zambia, Africa, Niger, Zambian, United States, Japan, Australia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia

☆ Jordan strikes Iran-linked drugs factory in southern Syria - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The sources said one strike hit an abandoned drug facility in Syria's southern Deraa province linked to the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is allied to Syria's government. Ramthan, a major drug dealer in southern Syria, has recruited hundreds of Bedouin transporters who join the ranks of Iran-linked militias that hold sway in southern Syria, Jordanian and regional intelligence sources say. He had been sentenced to death on several occasions in recent years in absentia by Jordanian courts for drugs trafficking, judicial sources say. The incident comes only days after Safadi threatened to strike inside Syria if Damascus would not rein in smuggling. The Iran-linked drug war posed a threat not only to Jordan's national security but also to Gulf countries, Safadi said.

☆ Arab nations set to rehabilitate Syria’s pariah president in defiance of US
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Officials and analysts have said that Syria’s re-admission into the Arab League, while symbolic, comes with the hope that it could pave the way for President Bashar Al Assad’s rehabilitation internationally, and potentially the removal of crippling sanctions against his regime. Arab states have argued that the status quo in Syria is untenable and has caused them a headache at home. Syria has over the past decade turned into a narco-state, exporting highly addictive amphetamines across the border to Jordan and to Saudi Arabia. It’s unclear if the US will stand in the way of Arab states’ efforts to bring Syria back into the regional fold. “The US will not impose a veto on their allies when it comes to normalization with Assad,” said Hellyer.

CNN —Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi believes there are enough votes among Arab League members for Syria to return to the organization, adding that it is “only the beginning” of bringing a political end to the Syrian crisis. If Syria’s membership is approved, the Syrian delegation at the high-level Arab League summit on May 19 is “very likely” to be presided by President Bashar Al Assad, the official told CNN. Safadi said that “everybody” in the Arab League is on board to end the Syrian crisis, but there are differences on what the best approach is. The foreign ministers of Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Jordan met in the Jordanian capital Amman on Monday to discuss how to normalize ties with Syria. According to a statement issued after the meeting, Syria has agreed to help end drug trafficking across its borders with Iraq and Jordan.

☆ Arab ministers discuss how to normalise ties with Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMMAN, May 1 (Reuters) - A group of Arab foreign ministers held a landmark meeting with their Syrian counterpart in Jordan on Monday to discuss how to normalise ties with Syria as part of a political settlement of the country's more than decade-old conflict, officials said. Jordan has called on Syria to engage with Arab states jointly on a step-by-step roadmap to end the conflict, tackling the issues of refugees, detainees, drug smuggling and Iran-backed militias in Syria - all of which affect its neighbours. Amman has been fighting armed groups smuggling narcotics from Syria, including the highly-addictive amphetamine captagon. Arab states and those most impacted by the conflict are trying to reach consensus on whether to invite Assad to the Arab League summit on May 19 in Riyadh, to discuss the pace of normalising ties with Assad and on what terms Syria could be allowed back. Washington, which said it would not change its policy towards the Syrian government which it terms a "rogue" state, has urged Arab states to get something in return for engaging with Assad.

☆ Jordan to host talks on Syria's return to Arab League
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Meeting brings Syrian FM together with group of Arab statesJordan seeks an Arab-led peace road mapAMMAN, April 30 (Reuters) - Jordan will host a meeting of Arab foreign ministers and Syria's top diplomat on Monday to discuss Syria's return to the Arab League as part of a broader political settlement of Syria's more than decade-old conflict, officials said. The meeting comes two weeks after talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, failed to reach agreement on Syria's possible return to the Arab fold. Arab states and those most affected by the conflict are trying to reach consensus on whether to invite Assad to the Arab League summit on May 19 in Riyadh, to discuss the pace of normalising ties with Assad and on what terms Syria could be allowed back. Officials said the Jordanian initiative calls on Damascus to engage with Arab governments collectively on a step-by-step road map to end the conflict. At the Jeddah meeting there was resistance to the move to invite Assad to the Arab League summit, with Qatar, Jordan and Kuwait saying it was premature before Damascus accepts to negotiate a peace plan.

☆ King Abdullah meets Israeli PM Netanyahu in surprise Jordan visit, royal court says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMMAN, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a surprise trip to Jordan on Tuesday for talks with King Abdullah, who the royal court said underlined the need for Israel to respect the status quo of the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir toured the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, which Jews revere as the Temple Mount, under heavy security this month. It is hopeful that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden will pressure Israel to preserve the status quo in the Al-Aqsa mosque, whose upkeep is paid for by Jordan. Officials told Reuters that King Abdullah is expected to visit Washington at the end of January. Blinken underscored the importance of preserving the historic status quo at the site, according to a statement by the State Department.

☆ King Abdullah meets Israeli PM Netanyahu in surprise Jordan visit -royal court
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

☆ Blinken to host 'Blue Pacific' event amid competition with China
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Campbell said circumstances for the Pacific islands countries were "much more dire" than in the past. We're going to seek to do that as we go forward, building on the existing institutions and engagements of the Pacific." The Blue Pacific event, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, will come ahead of a Sept. 28-29 summit U.S. President Joe Biden plans to host with Pacific island leaders, which Campbell said reflected "a desire to demonstrate clearly our larger commitment to the Pacific going forward." U.S.-China competition for influence in the Pacific islands has intensified this year after China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, prompting warnings of a militarization of the region. read morePacific island leaders said this month Washington should accept their priorities, making climate change - not superpower competition - the most urgent security task.

Search resuls for: "Ayman Safadi"

22 mentions found