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☆ Iran is stepping up its shadow war with Israel to boost its clout — but it could backfire
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But it appears wary of provoking a wider, regional war. As part of this covert war, Iran has funded and trained a network of militias stretching across the Middle East. Iran has threatened Israel with the prospect of a wider regional war if it invades Gaza, reported Al Jazeera. But Iran faces a dilemmaIranian officials have told Reuters that Iran faces a dilemma in its response to the Israel-Hamas war. "Iranian behavior is a key factor in whether this remains contained or spreads into a wider regional war.

Persons: —, Gaza Ilia Yefimovich, Israel, Trump, Trump administration's Abraham, Iran —, Tobias Borck, Al, Alex Vatanka, Abraham, Mahmud Abbas, Xi Jinping, Jade Gao, it's, Jonathan Fulton Organizations: Service, Hamas, CNN, dpa Israel, St, The New York Times, Trump administration's, Trump administration's Abraham Accords, Royal United Services Institute, Israel, Hezbollah, Reuters, US, West Bank, East Institute, Abraham Accords, of, People, The Atlantic Council Locations: Iran, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Palestinian, Tehran, Saudi, Al Jazeera, China, Beijing

[1/3] In half a century of public life, U.S. President Joe Biden has demonstrated unwavering support for Israel. Biden, who is of Irish Catholic descent, has used similar words in the past to profess his affinity for Israel. U.S. and regional sources have expressed doubt that Israel, which vows to destroy Hamas, has yet crafted an endgame. As vice president, Biden often mediated the testy relationship between Obama and Netanyahu. "Whenever things were getting out of hand with Israel, Biden was the bridge," said Ross, now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Aaron David Miller, Barack, Golda Meir, Obama, Dennis Ross, Obama's, Ross, Israel, Lindsey Graham, Graham, Rashida Tlaib, Khaled Elgindy, Matt Spetalnick, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Israeli, Hamas, U.S, Irish Catholic, Israel, Democratic, Republican, Reuters, Democratic Party, Nazi, U.S ., Senate, Washington Institute for Near, Republican U.S, Republicans, American, Younger, ., Middle East Institute, Thomson Locations: U.S, Israel, Tel Aviv, WASHINGTON, Gaza, Palestinian, Irish, East, East Jerusalem, Iran, America, Washington

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, China, October 18, 2023. "If the United States can effectively rally the world, it’s bad for them. SUPPORT FOR PALESTINEWhile the strategies of Russia and China in the Middle East are not fully aligned they have much in common. Russia said on Thursday it was coordinating Middle East policy with China. The United States has been trying, with limited success, to persuade the global south to rally behind Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Guneev, Israel, Wang Yi, Putin, Xi, Jon Alterman, Bashar al, Assad, Jean, Loup Samaan, Carice Witte, Alterman, Ma Xiaolin, Ma, James Pomfret, Guy Faulconbridge, Don Durfee, Robert Birsel Organizations: Forum, Sputnik, Rights, Initiative, Palestinian, Middle, Center for Strategic, International Studies, PALESTINE, Middle East Institute of, National University of Singapore, United, Ukraine, Israel, Zhejiang International Studies University, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, WASHINGTON, Gaza, Russia, Moscow, United States, Israel, States, East, Africa, Latin America, Asia, Palestine, Washington, U.S, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Tel Aviv, Hong Kong

☆ Biden’s Rule of Engagement: Don’t
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Lauren Camera | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +14 min

Leaders of Egypt and Jordan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called off a planned summit with President Joe Biden. “Don’t,” he said, warning Iran as well as the U.S.-designated terror group Hezbollah that runs Lebanon and any others from intensifying the crisis by escalating their involvement. But perhaps most effective of all, experts say, is the single word Biden continues to repeat: Don’t. “When the president says, ‘Don't,’ and then moves an aircraft carrier, that looks good. Middle East analysts go back to the point that Hezbollah and Iran likely don’t want to escalate the war either.

Persons: Biden, Mahmoud Abbas, Joe Biden, ”, Mark Montgomery, –, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ” Montgomery, “ Will, Matthew McInnis, “ That’s, ” McInnis, McInnis, Lloyd Austin, Gerald R, Ford, Dwight D, Antony Blinken, Israel, ” Biden, Barack Obama, Syria’s Bashar al, Assad, ‘, Alex Vatanka, Carney, Hashem Safieddine, Netanyahu, “ It’s Organizations: Hamas, Intelligence, Defense Department, Israel, U.S, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, organization’s, Technology, Institute for, Eisenhower, Israel Defense Forces, United Arab, West Bank, Treasury, Foreign Assets Control, Target, Middle, Middle East Institute, Navy, “ Locations: Gaza, Israel, U.S, Jihad, Hamas, Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Afghanistan, Syria, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, China, Sudan, Turkey, Algeria, Tel Aviv, United States, Iraq, Eastern, Yemen, Red, Ukraine

☆ From Russia to the Middle East: Why China can’t afford another big conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Now, as Israel’s war against Palestinian militant group Hamas threatens to spiral into a broader conflict that could shatter stability in the Middle East, China has called for a ceasefire while criticizing Israel’s actions. It also highlights China’s deep economic interests in both Russia and the Middle East, which it wants to safeguard at all cost. The world’s second largest economy depends on Russia and the Middle East for much of its energy needs. The Middle East is also a cornerstone in the Belt and Road Initiative. “Regional conflagration means long instability and long instability means no business for China in the Middle East,” he added.

Persons: ”, Eswar Prasad, refiners, Vladimir Putin, Xi, Sergei Guneyev, Russia’s, Putin, Russia —, Wang Yi, Jean, Loup Samaan, Joe Biden, QatarEnergy, Ahmed Aboudouh, Antony Blinken, Blinken, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Moscow, Palestinian, Cornell University, Getty, Initiative, Shanghai’s Fudan University, United, China’s, Middle East Institute of, National University of Singapore, Wednesday, Jihad, Energy, China Petroleum & Chemical Co, Sinopec, Fudan University, Chatham House, US Department of State Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong CNN — Beijing, Ukraine, East, Palestine, Israel, United States, Russia, Beijing, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, Russian, AFP, Pakistan, Iran, Hamas, Tehran, Gaza, Qatar, China’s, Qatari, London, “, Persian, ”

☆ Biden's wartime visit to Israel got more complicated in 2 key ways before he even landed
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

President Joe Biden landed in Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning, amid the Israel-Hamas war. He'll have to address a hospital blast in Gaza that's sparked global outrage and cancelled his summit with Arab leaders. AdvertisementAdvertisementAs President Joe Biden landed on Wednesday morning in Tel Aviv, Israel, he found himself having to contend with two critical developments threatening to undermine his wartime visit. Injured Palestinians taken to Al-Shifa Hospital following Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, Gaza on October 17, 2023. All eyes are on Biden to address Gaza hospital blastThen there's the hospital explosion that Biden will most definitely be pressed to address.

Persons: Joe Biden, it's, —, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu —, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Abbas, Sisi, Ali Jadallah, John Kirby, Carl Skadian, Mr Biden, Netanyahu, Stringer, Getty Images Biden, Israel —, Slim Organizations: Service, Palestinian Authority, Associated Press, White, Shifa, Ahli Baptist Hospital, Getty, National Security, Israel Defense Forces, Middle East Institute, National University of Singapore, Air Force, Embassy, Getty Images, Hamas, Bloomberg Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, Gaza, Jordan, Egypt, Al, Ahli, Gaza City, Anadolu, Turkey, Lebanon, Lebanese, Washington

☆ An 87-year-old deal is keeping a lid on the naval war in Ukraine — for now
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Fighting between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea has picked up in recent months. The fighting is taking a toll on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which Moscow can't reinforce. Russia's Black Sea Fleet hasn't been defeated, but its losses, including the sinking of its flagship, the Moskva, weigh more heavily on Russia's war effort because of a deal signed nearly a century ago that is preventing Moscow from bringing more ships into the Black Sea. The convention distinguishes between Black Sea powers — those with a Black Sea coastline — and non-Black Sea powers. "Initially it was thought that it was a big deal that some of the Russian warships were prevented from entering the Black Sea.

Persons: —, Russia —, hasn't, Sergey Ponomarev, US Navy Arleigh Burke, OZAN KOSE, Ben Wallace, Stringer, Turkey's, Volodymyr Dubovyk, Dubovyk, Sabina Joja, Joja, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: Montreux Convention, NATO, Service, Fleet, Sea Fleet, AP, US Navy, Getty, Russian, REUTERS, Mechnikov National University, Middle East Institute, Washington DC, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn, Twitter Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Montreux, Crimea, Moskva, Sevastopol, Rostov, AFP, Turkey, Baltic, Northern, Odessa's, Ukrainian, Turkish, Romanian, Iulia, Washington, Izmail, Ankara, NATO

Mr. Biden has been planning to use the visit to show solidarity with America’s closest ally in the Middle East and to urge Israel to avoid civilian casualties. “The timing and optics of such a significant visit couldn’t be any worse,” said Charles Lister, the director of counterterrorism at the Middle East Institute. “Whatever the circumstances behind this strike at the hospital in Gaza, it doesn’t really matter at this point. They also said he believed an in-person visit could help him better understand Israel’s strategy as a ground invasion of Gaza loomed. “The failure to have an actual major strategy, I think, is the long-term biggest risk here,” Jonathan Panikoff, the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Program, said in an interview.

Persons: Biden, ”, Charles Lister, we’ve, Mr, ” Jonathan Panikoff, ” John F, Kirby Organizations: Middle East Institute, Security Initiative, NBC’s Locations: Israel, Gaza, U.S

From this viewpoint, Japan is closely watching the situation with serious concern," she added when asked about Japan's oil dependence on the Middle East, which supplies more than 90% of its needs. G7 finance ministers, who were meeting in Morocco as events escalated, issued a brief statement on the attacks on Oct. 12. Japan was "standing one step behind the United States and some European countries", added Isamu Nakashima, associate research fellow at the Middle East Institute of Japan. "The through line of Japan's Middle East policy has been maintaining the flow of energy imports from the region," said David Boling, a director at consulting firm Eurasia Group. While the United States is Japan's closest ally, when it comes to the Middle East, Tokyo will be very wary of being seen as its proxy, said Shuji Hosaka, board member of the Institute of Energy Economics Japan.

Persons: Yoko Kamikawa, Fumio Kishida, Isamu Nakashima, David Boling, Shuji Hosaka, John Geddie, Yoshifumi Takemoto, Tim Kelly, Tetsushi Kajimoto, Ekaterina Golubkova, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Kentaro Sugiyama, Alex Richardson Organizations: Petroleum, Kyodo, Tokyo, Reuters, Middle East Institute of Japan, Middle, Energy, Eurasia Group, U.S, Institute of Energy Economics Japan, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, TOKYO, Israel, Tokyo, Gaza, Iran, Hezbollah, Syria, Morocco, United States, U.S, Saudi Arabia, East

☆ Gaza explained: What to know about the enclave
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

As Israel prepares for a ground offensive into Gaza, here’s what you need to know about the 140 square-mile enclave – one of the most densely-populated territories on Earth. Israel won, but Gaza remained under the control of Egypt and the region saw an influx of Palestinian refugees from Israel. During the conflict, which became known as the Six-Day War, Israel seized Gaza and held it for nearly 40 years until 2005, when it withdrew its troops and settlers. Even before Hamas’ attacks and Israel’s retaliation on Gaza, living conditions in the enclave were dire. More people have been killed in this week’s bombardment of the enclave than during the six-week Israel-Hamas war of 2014.

Persons: Israel, Samson, Delilah, David Ben Gurion, “ Israel, ”, Bilal Saab, –, “, Tania Hary, Hary Organizations: CNN, Hamas, United Nations, Washington DC, West Bank, World Health Organization, CIA, Palestinian, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, UN, Israel, Palestinian Authority, European Union, US State Department, State Department, Middle East Institute, Rights Locations: Israel, Gaza, here’s, Egypt, Jordan, Ottoman Empire, Britain, Europe, British, Palestine, Syria, Hamas, United States, Iran, Rafah

☆ Iran-backed Hezbollah joining Israel-Hamas conflict would be a 'game changer'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Emma Graham | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah party parade to mark the last day of Ashura ceremony in Beirut. Aziz TaherAn exchange of fire between Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the armed forces in northern Israel signal that the conflict in Gaza could spread regionally. Political party and paramilitary groupHezbollah operates as both a political party and paramilitary group and is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. It holds a great deal of power in Lebanon in the form of its Shiite political party, which holds 62 seats in the country's Parliament, alongside its Iran-backed proxy militant unit. Hezbollah "do have to take into consideration public opinion in Lebanon," Maksad told CNBC.

Persons: Aziz Taher, Joseph Daher, Daher, Benjamin, Israel, Hezbollah's, Naim Qassem, Bashar Assad, Maksad Organizations: Hezbollah, Middle East Institute, CNBC, U.S, Party of God, Iran's Revolutionary Guard, doesn't, Lebanon's Party of God, Hilal, American University of Beirut, Reuters, United Nations Locations: Beirut, Israel, Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, country's, Israel's, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanese, Syria

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Despite Israeli bombardment that has brought Gaza to the brink of a humanitarian meltdown, U.S. President Joe Biden is facing little pressure at home to rein in Israel's military retaliation for an unprecedented attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. Republicans have shown near-unanimity in backing whatever military action Israel decides to take after suffering the deadliest attack on its soil in decades. Though polls continue to show overwhelming sympathy for Israel among the overall U.S. public, a Gallup survey in March found that Democrats were slightly more favorable toward the Palestinians than Israel. Biden, an avowed lifelong friend of Israel, has pledged to provide Israel with all the assistance it needs. A White House official said Biden's aides have privately discussed their concerns with Israeli counterparts.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jonathan Ernst, Biden, Israel, excoriate, Gregory Meeks, Rashida Tlaib, Karine Jean, Pierre, ”, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu, Washington’s, Khaled Elgindy, Jeremy Ben, Ami, Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle, Jeff Mason, Simon Lewis, Steve Holland, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Israeli, White, REUTERS, Rights, Israel, Democratic Party, Republicans, Democratic, House Foreign Relations, American, White House Press, Gallup, Biden, AIPAC, Middle East Institute, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israel, Washington , U.S, Gaza, Palestinian, U.S, New York, Washington, Washington . U.S, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman receives U.S. President Joe Biden at Al Salman Palace upon his arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, July 15, 2022. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took his first phone call from Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as Riyadh tries to prevent a broader surge in violence across the region. "Normalisation was already considered taboo (in the Arab world) ... this war only amplifies that," Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian said. Asked about Raisi's call with the crown prince, a senior U.S. State Department official said Washington was in "constant contact with Saudi leaders". "The Saudis are still convinced the region, and Saudi Arabia itself, needs to shift toward regional cooperation and economic development.

Persons: Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Joe Biden, Ebrahim Raisi, Israel, Normalisation, Aziz Alghashian, Abraham, Jake Sullivan, Washington, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Antony Blinken, Alex Vatanka, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Matt Spetalnick, Humeyra Pamuk, Tom Perry, Michael Georgy, Edmund Blair Organizations: Al, Saudi Royal Court, REUTERS, U.S, Hamas, normalisation, Saudi, Abraham Accords, United Arab Emirates, U.S . National Security, White, Saudi Foreign, Reuters, U.S . State Department, Middle East Institute, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Bandar, Iran RIYADH, Israel, Palestinian, Iran, Riyadh, U.S, East, Gaza, Gulf, Iranian, Palestine, Yemen, Lebanese, Tehran, Washington

☆ Israel Gaza war: How goes Hamas get its weapons? A mix of ingenuity, tenacity, resourcefulness and a key mentor, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Said Khatib/AFP/Getty Images/FILEThe Iran factor“Hamas acquires its weapons through smuggling or local construction and receives some military support from Iran,” the CIA’s World Factbook says. Video Ad Feedback Retired general explains why he thinks Iran helped support Hamas attacks 01:08 - Source: CNNBut Iran has been a mentor, too, analysts say. A senior Hamas official based in Lebanon gave details of the Hamas’ weapons manufacturing in an edited interview with Russia Today’s Arabic-news channel RTArabic published on their website on Sunday. And Tehran keeps the training of Hamas’ weapons makers current, he added. Gaza has none of the heavy industry that would support weapons production in most of the world.

Persons: It’s, –, Said Khatib, ”, Bilal Saab, Daniel Byman, Charles Lister, Byman, “, ” Ali Baraka, Mahmud Hams, Lister, ” Lister, Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, what’s, Alkhatib, Aaron Pilkington, Baraka, ” Pilkington Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Brigades, Getty, ’, Defense and Security, Middle East Institute, Transnational, Center for Strategic, International Studies, MEI, CSIS, Hamas National Relations, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hamas ’, CIA, Washington Institute for Near, Fikra, US Air Force, Middle, University of Denver Locations: Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Palestinian, AFP, Iran, Islamic Republic, Hamas, Washington, “ Iran, Lebanon, Russia, Kalashnikovs, Tehran, Iran’s, Saudi

☆ Blinken to Israel on Middle East mission to prevent a wider war
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to Israel on Wednesday on a Middle East mission to prevent a wider war from erupting after an attack and hostage-taking by Palestinian Hamas militants and an Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip. In a show of solidarity with Washington's closest Middle East ally, Blinken was due to meet senior Israeli officials, possibly including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss further boosting military support. At least 22 Americans were killed during the attack, Blinken said. Biden has stopped short of an overt plea to Israel to show restraint to avoid Palestinian civilian casualties in Gaza. It was unclear whether Blinken might make such an appeal when he meets Israeli officials behind closed doors.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Frantz, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Washington, Alex Vatanka, Biden, Mahmoud Abbas, Humeyra Pamuk, Matt Spetalnick, Simon Lewis, Michelle Nichols, Howard Goller Organizations: Hamas, White, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . State Department, Health Ministry, BANK, United, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates . U.S, Middle East Institute, Wednesday, Israel, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Thomson Locations: Israel, Washington , U.S, Gaza, East, United States, U.S, Iran, Lebanese, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, United Arab, United Arab Emirates .

☆ Ex-U.S. diplomat on Israel-Hamas conflict and the role Qatar can play
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCalls for Qatar sanctions over Hamas links misconstrue nature of relationship: Ex-U.S. diplomatGerald M. Feierstein, director for Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the Middle East Institute and former U.S. ambassador to Yemen under President Barack Obama, discusses the Israel-Hamas conflict. He says Qatar has played an "important role" in cooperating with the United States, "promoting security and stability in the region" and in mediation, which will be "useful in these kinds of very complicated situations."

Persons: Gerald M, Feierstein, Barack Obama Organizations: Arabian Peninsula Affairs, Middle East Institute Locations: Qatar, U.S, Yemen, Israel, United States

☆ Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Mideast and US leaders tried to sweep the issue under the rug. That may not work anymore
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Abbas Al Lawati | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The Palestinian issue, he said, is brought up “a lot less than you think” in negotiations with Arab states. “The international community no longer seems to care, and the Palestinians’ Arab allies are embracing the most right-wing government in Israeli history. (Netanyahu told CNN last month he believes that making peace with Saudi Arabia could eventually lead to peace with the Palestinians.) The plan was widely perceived as challenging China’s trade ambitions and would presumably have been activated after Saudi Arabia and Israel normalized ties. In the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, around three-quarters of their populations were opposed to normalizing with Israel, the poll found.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Netanyahu, Omar Rahman, Biden, Israel, Trump, “, Khaled Elgindy, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Elham, Donald, Joe, John Kirby, Mahmoud Abbas, Mohammed Al Yahya Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Saudi, Middle East Council, Global Affairs, United Arab, Abraham Accords, United, Israel, West Bank, Middle East Institute, Palestinian Affairs, Haaretz, London’s, House, National Security, Muslim Brotherhood, MBS, Palestinian, Washington Post, Washington Institute . Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, ”, Saudi, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, United States, UAE, Palestine, New York, Saudi Arabia, India, Europe, Riyadh, Washington

The surprise Hamas attack has dealt a blow to U.S. efforts to broker a landmark normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia and complicated Washington's approach toward Iran, Hamas' longtime benefactor. “Quite simply, all efforts at normalization are on hold for the foreseeable future,” said Jon Alterman, head of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, contradicting the official U.S. government line. Khaled Elgindy, a former Palestinian negotiations adviser, accused the Biden administration of leading an Israeli-Saudi normalization process that mostly bypassed the Palestinians and their hopes of ending Israeli occupation. “That sort of neglect is part of why we're seeing what we're seeing,” said Elgindy, now at the Middle East Institute. The immediate challenge is preventing the war from spiraling into a broader conflict, administration officials say, especially preventing the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah from opening a second front on Israel's northern border.

Persons: Joe Biden, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Israel, ”, Jon Alterman, John Kirby, “, ” Jonathan Panikoff, government’s, Khaled Elgindy, Elgindy, Panikoff, –, Netanyahu, Jake Sullivan, Biden’s, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Matt Spetalnick, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis, David Brunnstrom, Steve Holland, Alexander Cornwell, Parisa, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Heather Timmons, Howard Goller Organizations: Hamas, White, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Center for Strategic, International, White House National Security Council, Middle East Institute, Saudi, The Atlantic, Hezbollah, West Bank, Reuters, Atlantic Council, Thomson Locations: Israel, Washington , U.S, Saudi, Gaza, Ukraine, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Hamas, Tehran, Israeli, Riyadh, Washington, Lebanese, IRAN, Dubai

Wang Yi, China's top diplomat, said the country would continue to play a constructive role in handling global "hotspot issues". But after the killings of more than 900 Israelis in coordinated assaults by the Islamic group Hamas, China's response was muted. China is willing to maintain communication with all parties and make unremitting efforts for peace and stability in the Middle East," Wang Wenbin, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday. "The achievement of peace in the Middle East region and the just settlement of the question of Palestine are inseparable." "China is very successful in a stable environment in the Middle East when it's possible to broker reconciliation agreements between Saudi Arabia and Iran," said Jean-Loup Samaan, Senior Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore.

Persons: Washington . Wang Yi, Xi Jinping, Bill Figueroa, Wang Wenbin, COVID lockdowns, Xi, Steve Tsang, Zhai Jun, Liu Zhongmin, Yun Sun, Tuvia Gering, Jean, Loup Samaan, Samaan, Michael Martina, Don Durfee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Hamas, University of Groningen, Palestinian, Western, SOAS China Institute, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, Arab League, EU, Palestine, United Nations, Abraham Accords, Institute for Middle East Studies of Shanghai International Studies University, China Program, Stimson, Institute for National Security Studies, Initiative, Middle East Institute of, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: China, Middle East HONG KONG, BEIJING, SINGAPORE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Saudi, Washington, Palestine, Netherlands, United States, PALESTINE, China's, Beijing, Russia, Ukraine, London, U.S

☆ Hamas: What to know about the group and its strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The brazen attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel that began on Saturday will be seen as a turning point in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with far-reaching repercussions, analysts say. Israel pledged revenge, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing “mighty vengeance.” Hamas said it was prepared for all scenarios. Palestinian Hamas militants attend the funeral of their comrade in the southern Gaza Strip in August 2017. The Israeli military said Monday that Hamas had taken “dozens” of hostages and Hamas has said it has abducted more than 100 people. Hamas’ large-scale offensive shows that the group knows that the coming war may be an existential one, experts say.

Persons: Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Kobi Michael, “, ” Michael, Harakat, Muqawama, Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Mahmoud Abbas, Yoav Gallant, Khaled Elgindy, ” Elgindy, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Elgindy, Omar Rahman, ” Rahman, can’t, Abu Mazen, …, Ismail Haniyeh, Mahmoud Hefnawy, Michael, Hamas …, Saleh al Organizations: CNN, Palestinian, Hamas, Israeli, Institute for National Security Studies, Israel’s Ministry, Strategic Affairs, Islamic Resistance Movement, Oslo Accords, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, Israel, Palestinian Authority, West Bank ., European Union, US State Department, West Bank, Middle East Institute, Palestinian Affairs, “, Saudi, Middle East Council, Global Affairs, AP Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Aqsa, Jerusalem, Egypt, Oslo, United States, Iran, Palestine, Saudi, Washington, Saudi Arabia, Qatar's, Doha, Lebanon

☆ Hamas and Iran are longtime allies. Did Tehran help with its attack on Israel?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s something that we’re going to keep looking at closely.”Yet Iran’s evolving relationship with Hamas and its Palestinian militant partners, the Islamic Jihad, is well documented. Israel says Iran supports Hamas to the tune of some $100 million dollars a year. (Much of the Western world and some Arab countries consider Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad to be terrorist groups.) Therefore Iran is an asset for Hamas and Hamas is an asset for Iran,” Michael said. In April, Hamas’ senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh visited the Lebanese capital for meetings with Nasrallah.

Persons: Jon, ABC’s, Jihad –, Bashar al, Assad, Israel, Hezbollah –, Kobi Michael, ” Michael, Saleh Al, Ziad al, General Hassan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Nasrallah, Haniyeh, Marwan Naamani, “ Christian, ”, Khaled Elgindy, ” Elgindy Organizations: CNN, United Nations, –, US State Department, Hezbollah, Palestinian, Islamic, Tel, for National Security Studies, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Gaza, ”, United Arab, Revolutionary Guards, East Institute, Palestinian Affairs, Lebanese Locations: Israel, Iran, Tehran, United States, Jihad, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Beirut, Lebanon, Lebanese, Sidon, Jerusalem, Hamas, Islam, Syria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine

☆ Middle East risks prospect of fresh regional war after Hamas stealth attack on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

"To take out the leadership of Hamas, it is not going to be a matter of days or weeks. "The Israelis are going to war," Bremmer told CNBC on Monday. Ghazi Hamad, a Hamas spokesman, reportedly told the BBC that the group had direct backing for the attack from Iran. "Nobody would consider that to be hard evidence at this point," Bremmer told CNBC. Normalization no moreThe weekend attacks on Israel by Hamas militants could potentially upend efforts brokered by the United States to normalize ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Persons: Ian Bremmer, Bremmer, there're, Benjamin Netanyahu, Aqsa, Netanyahu, Ghazi Hamad, Brian Katulis, Katulis, Hamad, Al Organizations: Hamas, Eurasia Group, CNBC, Israel, European Union, Anadolu Agency, Getty, West Bank, Palestinian National Authority, Iran, BBC, Street, U.S, NBC News, Brian Katulis Middle, Iran's, Guards, Middle East Institute Locations: Israel, Gaza, Israeli, Palestinian, United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, Rafah, Palestine, —, Iran, Beirut, Lebanon, Shebaa Farms, Lebanese, Syrian, Golan, Washington, Saudi Arabia, Al Jazeera

☆ Biden’s Gulf allies want an ‘ironclad’ security pact with the US. Here’s what it might look like
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“They (the Americans) don’t want to see Saudi Arabia shifting their armament from America to another place,” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) told Fox News’ Bret Baier in an interview last month. Gulf states have over the past few years faced attacks they have blamed on Iran and its proxies, and have found the US’ response to them inadequate. Among the Gulf states, Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, was the first to be declared a MNNA in 2002. It is however unclear if the US would commit to a treaty that would require it to come to the Gulf states’ defense in case of attack. The president can offer some concessions without Senate ratification, he said, but that won’t meet Gulf states’ requirements.

Persons: Biden, don’t, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Bret Baier, Anwar Gargash, ”, ” Ali Shihabi, Saudi Arabia’s, Israel –, Joe Biden, Jean, Loup, David Des Roches, ” Des Roches, Washington’s, Gargash, Des Roches, Samaan, “ Organizations: UAE CNN, United, United States ’, United Arab Emirates, Fox News, US, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Saudi, Washington, MBS, Gulf, NATO Allies, NATO, Fifth, US Central Command, Middle East Institute of, National University of Singapore, “, Autonomy, East South Asia Center for Security Studies, Pentagon, Senate, ”, CNN Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, United States, Washington, East, Saudi Arabia, America, Saudi, New York, Iran, U.S, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Tokyo, Seoul, Bahrain, Qatar, China, Russia, Gulf

☆ A sneaky move at a Kremlin meeting may show why Putin took his time in eliminating Prigozhin
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

If so, the process of removing Prigozhin may have begun at a Kremlin meeting days after his uprising. On June 29, five days after the rebellion was called off, Putin gathered Prigozhin and his commanders in the Kremlin, according to a report in the Russian outlet Kommersant. "Reports of the meeting — and the lack of notable cases of dissension following Prigozhin's death — suggest that the meeting likely achieved its goals," Orr said. Chekalov, a senior deputy to Prigozhin, oversaw logistics, coordinating numerous Wagner activities and operations in Libya and Syria. ALEXEY DANICHEV/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesUnder Prigozhin, Wagner amassed a business empire using lucrative concessions from governments and backers in the countries where it operated.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Wagner, Prigozhin, Alexei Troshev, nodded affirmatively, Matthew Orr, RANE, Orr, Dmitry Utkin, Valery Chekalov, Anton Mardasov, Mardasov, ALEXEY DANICHEV, Prigozhin's, Pavel Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Kommersant, Reuters, French Army, Associated Press, Russia's Ministry of Defense, PMC Convoy, PMC Redut, Russian, Ministry of Defense, Getty, Belarusian Defence Ministry, Wagner PMC, SVR Locations: Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russian, Tver, Eurasia, Prigozhin, Libya, Syria, Mali, Africa, East, Russia, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Saharan Africa, Ukraine, Osipovichi

☆ Rare protests flare in regime-held Syria as Assad seeks international rehabilitation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The protests, which are taking place in areas governed by President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, have so far shown no signs of abating. The Druze are Syria’s third largest religious minority making up 3% to 4% of the country’s population, according to Minority Rights Group International. While the largest protests are clustered around al-Sir Square in Suwayda city, other, smaller ones are scattered across the governorate, Marouf said. “If protests spread deeper into regime territories, those chances (of violent crackdown) will surge.”All eyes are on Assad’s next moves. If Assad attends, it would be his first appearance on the world stage since the start of the civil war in 2011.

Persons: Bashar al, disgruntlement, Assad, haven’t, ”, Charles Lister, ” Lister, “ Long, ” Rayan Marouf, Marouf, “, ” Marouf, Hafez, Syria’s, Geir Pedersen, Pedersen Organizations: CNN, Group, Middle East Institute, UN, Arab League, Sir, UN Security Council, Sky News, ISIS, Security, United, United Arab Emirates Locations: Syria’s, Syria, Washington , DC, Russia, Iran, Suwayda governorate, Suwayda, Jaramana, Damascus, “, Idlib, Aleppo, United Arab, Dubai

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