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Palestinians pull an ambulance after a convoy of ambulances was hit, at the entrance of Shifa hospital in Gaza City, November 3, 2023. Israel has accused Hamas of concealing command centres and tunnel entrances in al-Shifa, something Hamas and the hospital denies. Blinken on Saturday will meet with the Saudi, Qatari, Emirati and Egyptian foreign ministers as well as Palestinian representatives in Amman, the Jordanian foreign ministry said. "Whoever wants to prevent a regional war, and I am talking to the Americans, must quickly halt the aggression on Gaza." Hezbollah and other state and non-state actors should not try to take advantage of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the spokesperson said.

Persons: Anas, Israel, Antony Blinken, Jordan Lebanon's, Ashraf al, Qidra, Izzat El Reshiq, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Blinken, Washington, Jordan, Lebanon's, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Nasrallah, Nidal al, Simon Lewis, Suleiman Al, Daphne Psaledakis, Rami Ayyub, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Saudi, U.S, Reuters, Israeli, Israel, State Department, West Bank, Washington, White House National Security Council, Hamas, Thomson Locations: Gaza City, Gaza, Jordan, Israel, GAZA, AMMAN, Gaza's, al, U.S, Amman, Jordanian, Washington, Lebanon's Iran, United States, Iran, Lebanon, Tehran, Iraq, Syria, In Washington, Khalidi

☆ Japan to provide $65 million additional humanitarian aid to Palestinians
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa arrives to a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in New York. Julia Nikhinson/Pool via REUTERS./File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Japan will provide $65 million in additional humanitarian aid to Palestinians out of concern over the conflict in Gaza, foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa said during a tour of Israel and Jordan on Friday. Speaking to reporters in Jordan after meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki, Kamikawa also said Japan was planning to provide material aid to war-torn Gaza. Kamikawa refrained from commenting on whether Israel's strikes on Gaza was within the limits of international law, but said that actors must comply with the spirit of protecting human rights and not cause needless civilian deaths. Reporting by Sakura Murakami; editing by David Evans and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yoko Kamikawa, Antony Blinken, Julia Nikhinson, Jordan, Eli Cohen, Riyad al, Kamikawa, Japan's, Cohen, Maliki, Lebanon's, Sakura Murakami, David Evans, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: New York, Japan, Gaza, Israel, Jordan, Palestine, Tokyo, Lebanon's Iran

☆ US, Arab Leaders to Meet Over Gaza as Palestinian Deaths Mount
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Civilians in the area are repeatedly called upon to evacuate southwards for their own safety," the military said. Israel has accused Hamas of concealing command centres and tunnel entrances in al-Shifa, something Hamas and the hospital denies. Food is scarce, residents have resorted to drinking salty water, medical services are collapsing and Gaza health officials say more than 9,250 Palestinians have been killed. "Whoever wants to prevent a regional war, and I am talking to the Americans, must quickly halt the aggression on Gaza." Hezbollah and other state and non-state actors should not try to take advantage of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the spokesperson said.

Persons: Nidal, Simon Lewis, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Ashraf al, Qidra, Izzat El Reshiq, Antony Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Israel, Blinken, Washington, Jordan, Lebanon's, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Nasrallah, Nidal al, Daphne Psaledakis, Rami Ayyub, Diane Craft Organizations: Reuters, Israeli, Saudi, Israel, State Department, West Bank, Washington, White House National Security Council, Hamas Locations: Khalidi GAZA, AMMAN, Gaza, Jordan, Gaza's, Israel, al, Gaza City, U.S, Amman, Jordanian, Washington, Lebanon's Iran, United States, Iran, Lebanon, Tehran, Iraq, Syria, In Washington, Khalidi

☆ Blinken to hear call for Gaza ceasefire from regional ministers in Jordan on Saturday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Suleiman Al-Khalidi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks at the airport after arriving from Israel, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Amman, Jordan November 3, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/Pool Acquire Licensing RightsAMMAN, Nov 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hear demands for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza when he meets Middle East foreign ministers in Jordan on Saturday, Jordan's foreign ministry said. The Arab ministers will hold a meeting ahead of their discussions with Blinken, the statement said. King Abdullah told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a phone call on Friday the international community urgently needed to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to protect civilians, the royal court said. The monarch said Israel's military campaign would not succeed and the only path to permanent peace was revived negotiations on an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Persons: Antony Blinken disembarks, Jonathan Ernst, Antony Blinken, Israel, Blinken, King Abdullah, Olaf Scholz, Jordan, Suleiman Al, Khalidi, Bill Berkrot, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, Saudi, Israel, West Bank, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Amman, Jordan, Rights AMMAN, Gaza, Jordanian, U.S, Washington

As he did last month, Blinken will stress U.S. support for Israel and try to prevent a wider Mideast war as he visits Israel and Jordan starting on Friday. He'll push for the evacuation of more foreigners from Gaza and more humanitarian aid for the territory. President Joe Biden said Wednesday he thought there should be a humanitarian “pause” in the Israel-Hamas war in order to get “prisoners” out. Political Cartoons View All 1230 ImagesU.S. officials, including Biden and Blinken, have said repeatedly that they do not believe an Israeli re-occupation of Gaza is feasible, and Israel agrees. Miller said the U.S. shares Jordan's concerns about "the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza” and that Blinken will make that a priority on his trip.

Persons: —, Antony Blinken, Jordan, Biden, Israel, Joe Biden, Blinken, Matthew Miller, what’s, Miller, ”, “, ” Jordan, Netanyahu, Sissi, ” Biden Organizations: WASHINGTON, Israel, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, ”, Saudi, U.S, State Department Locations: East, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Blinken, Palestinian, Japan, South Korea, India, Ukraine, China, Jordan, Amman, Egypt, Turkey, Washington, Qatar

Jerusalem and Gaza CNN —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday a ground incursion into Gaza will take place and that current airstrikes were “just the beginning,” as new satellite images revealed the devastation wrought by Israel’s bombs in the besieged enclave. Beit Hanoun, Gaza, on May 1 Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies Beit Hanoun, Gaza, on October 21 Satellite image ©2023 Maxar Technologies Beit Hanoun, Gaza SATELLITE IMAGE ©2023 MAXAR TECHNOLOGIESThe IDF told civilians to leave the crowded northern portion of the Palestinian enclave, where the bombardment has been especially severe. UNRWA director for Gaza Tom White told CNN that aid workers would have to decide what aspects of life-saving aid they could and could not provide to civilians. A view of the rubble and ruins of buildings that were demolished in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on October 25, 2023. US President Joe Biden said Wednesday he told Netanyahu that if it’s possible to secure the release of hostages in Gaza ahead of an Israeli ground invasion, he should do so.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, Israel, “, –, ”, Peter Lerner, Maxar, Beit, Al Jazeera, Wael Al, Al, CPJ, Youssef Alzanoun, OCHA, Gaza Tom White, Mark Rutte, Hamas –, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Biden, he’d Organizations: Gaza CNN, Israeli, Israel Defense Forces, CNN, Palestinian Ministry of Health, IDF, Protect Journalists, UN Relief and Works Agency, UN’s, US, European, Dutch, Ireland, Getty Images Qatar, Hamas, Qatari Locations: Jerusalem, Gaza, Israel, ”, Beit Hanoun, Al, Atatra, Hanoun, Ramallah, Israeli, Al Jazeera, Lebanese, Russia, Slovenia, Egypt, Germany

☆ S.Korea, Japan, US condemn North Korea's supply of arms to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Oct 26 (Reuters) - South Korea, Japan and the United States strongly condemned the supply of arms and military equipment by North Korea to Russia and said they had confirmed "several" deliveries of such weapons, a joint statement issued on Thursday said. Russia and North Korea have denied the transfer of arms from the North for use in Russia's war against Ukraine amid reports that Washington and researchers said showed movement of vessels carrying containers likely with weapons between the two countries' ports. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is North Korea's official name. North Korea is seeking military assistance from Russia to advance its own military capabilities in return for its arms support for Moscow, it said. North Korea and Russia pledged closer military cooperation when their leaders met in September in Russia's far east.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov, Kim Jong, Jack Kim, Ed Davies Organizations: Democratic People’s, Russian Federation, North, Russian, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, Japan, United States, North Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Washington, Republic of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK, Democratic People’s Republic, Korea, North, Moscow, Russia's

[1/3] French President Emmanuel Macron, left, shakes hands with Israel's President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. ... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreSummary Macron visits IsraelProposes that anti-Islamic State coalition fights HamasGives no details on planJERUSALEM, Oct 24 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Tuesday that an international coalition fighting against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria be widened to include the fight against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. Macron gave no detail on how the U.S.-led coalition of dozens of countries, of which Israel is not a member, could be involved. Macron, who warned against the risks of a regional conflict, also said the fight against Hamas "must be without mercy but not without rules". The French president, who met families of French victims at Tel Aviv airport, said freeing nine French hostages was a priority for France.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Isaac Herzog, Israel, Macron, Benjamin Netanyahu, it's, Mahmoud Abbas, Karim Emile Bitar, Tassilo Hummel, Michael Georgy, Michel Rose, Ingrid Melander, Kevin Liffey, Mike Harrison, Robert Birsel Organizations: Islamic, Palestinian, Hamas, Israeli, Daesh, France, West Bank, IRIS, Thomson Locations: Jerusalem, Israel, Gaza, JERUSALEM, Islamic State, Iraq, Syria, U.S, France, Daesh, Tel Aviv, Jordan's, Amman, Ramallah, Beirut, Paris

☆ Oil prices ease as aid convoys arrive in embattled Gaza Strip
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A crane ship helps other vessels searching for oil and natural gas near the oil platform offshore the Red Sea in Ras Behar region, Egypt on January 29, 2023. Oil prices eased on Monday as aid convoys started to arrive in the Gaza Strip over the weekend amid diplomatic efforts to contain a conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from spreading to the wider oil-rich region. "Israel agreed to hold off its attack on Hamas following pressure from the U.S.," ANZ Research said in a client note. Aid convoys started to arrive to the Gaza Strip from Egypt over the weekend, as Arab leaders and foreign ministers gathered for a summit in Cairo which was unable to yield a joint statement. In latest developments, Israel has bombarded Gaza with air strikes and its aircraft have struck Lebanon.

Persons: Israel, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Pope Francis . Organizations: Brent, . West Texas, ANZ Research, Organization of, Petroleum, Russia —, Aid, Sunday, Israeli, of France Locations: Ras Behar, Egypt, Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, U.S, Russia, Venezuela, Venezuelan, Cairo, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Lebanon

Israeli warplanes are striking targets across Gaza ahead of an expected ground offensive in the besieged Hamas-ruled territory. U.S. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom also welcomed the release of two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER WARNS HEZBOLLAH TO STAY OUT OF WARIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops stationed near the border with Lebanon, where the Israeli army and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants also have traded fire during the Hamas-Israel war. On Sunday, Associated Press journalists saw seven fuel trucks head into Gaza. Without fuel, aid will not reach many civilians in desperate need.

Persons: Israel, Biden, Austin, Josep Borrell, ” Borrell, ”, Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau of, Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Giorgia Meloni, Rishi Sunak, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, ISRAEL, Israel “, Juliette Touma, Jordan, ” Philippe Lazzarini, ” Lazzarini Organizations: West Bank, Palestinian Health Ministry, Union, WORLD, Sunday, Israel, U.S, Justin Trudeau of Canada, MINISTER, Iran Hezbollah, United Nations, Associated Press, U.N Locations: Gaza, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, israel, BRUSSELS, Luxembourg, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Iran, “, GAZA Israel, Egypt’s, AMMAN

EU officials also drafted a statement in support of the proposal for an EU summit later this week, although they cautioned the text could still change in the coming days. "There's a vital need to get water, to get food, to get medical supplies into Gaza," said Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin. Some questioned whether a pause would impede Israel's right to defend itself as it seeks to destroy Hamas positions in Gaza. But Israel has the right to self-defence," said Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky questioned "how such a ceasefire should be established with a partner inside Gaza, where the Hamas terrorist organisation now is controlling the situation".

Persons: Josep Borrell, Juan Medina, Antonio Guterres, Borrell, Micheal Martin, Annalena Baerbock, Israel, Alexander Schallenberg ., Jan Lipavsky, Andrew Gray, Bart Meijer, Jan Strupczewski, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Alison Williams Organizations: European Union for Foreign Affairs, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, U.N, United Nations, Irish, Austrian, Thomson Locations: Granada, Spain, Rights BRUSSELS, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Egypt, Rafah, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, Germany, Alexander Schallenberg . Czech

☆ Iran to host six-nation meeting on Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

IRNA news agency quoted the foreign ministry as saying the six countries wanted to talk about regional issues "without the interference of non-regional and Western countries". That was an implicit reference to the United States and the European Union, whose involvement in the search for a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has particularly annoyed Moscow. Russia's Interfax news agency said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would travel to Tehran for the meeting. More than 100,000 Karabakh Armenians have since fled, and Armenia has accused Azerbaijan of carrying out ethnic cleansing. The two countries have fought two wars in the past three decades and have so far failed to reach a peace deal despite long-running efforts by the United States, EU and Russia.

Persons: Sergei Lavrov, Maxim Rodionov, Hugh Lawson Organizations: European Union, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, MOSCOW, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Tehran, Caucasus, United States, Moscow, Ukraine, Nagorno, Karabakh, Baku, EU

They were addressing a hastily arranged gathering dubbed the Cairo Peace Summit that included leaders and foreign ministers from Europe, Africa and beyond. More than 4,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's counteroffensive, amid a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Arab countries have voiced anger at Israel's unprecedented bombardment and siege of Gaza, home to 2.3 million people and one of the most densely populated places on earth. Shortly before the summit opening, trucks loaded with humanitarian aid began entering the Rafah crossing into Gaza. Egypt has been trying for days to channel humanitarian relief to Gaza through the crossing, the one access point not controlled by Israel.

Persons: Mutasem, Abbas, Jordan's Abdullah, Israel's, Jordan's King Abdullah, Mahmoud Abbas, Olaf Scholz, Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, King Abdullah, Jordan, William Maclean, Tomasz Janowski, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Cairo Peace Summit, European Union, West Bank, British, Israel, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza City, Jordan's Abdullah CAIRO, Gaza, Cairo, Europe, Africa, United States, Israel's, Gaza ., Egypt's, Sinai, Egypt

☆ Egypt peace summit may struggle to foster unity on Gaza conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Israeli soldiers patrol an area near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel October 19, 2023. The hastily-convened Cairo Peace Summit as the conflict still rages will bring together several Arab and European heads of state and government, alongside foreign ministers. They will meet as Israel readies a ground assault on Gaza following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that killed 1,400 people. More than 4,100 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's counteroffensive, amid a growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The summit is scheduled to be opened by the Egyptian president at 10 a.m. Saturday (0700 GMT).

Persons: Amir Cohen, Zhai Jun, Mikhail Bogdanov, Olaf Scholz, Rishi Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, Charles Michel, Josep Borrell, Abdel Fattah al, Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden's, William Maclean, Edmund Blair, Philippa Fletcher, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Cairo Peace Summit, British, EU, European, Israel, U.S, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israel's, Gaza, Israel, Egypt, U.S, Cairo, China, Middle, Russia, United States, EU, Washington, Lebanon, Iranian, Rafah, Sinai

☆ South Africa says it discussed aid with Hamas leader, denies reports of support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Local publication News24 earlier reported a statement from Hamas that the group had received a call of support from South Africa's foreign minister. It said the Hamas statement did not name Pandor. South Africa's Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor attends a press conference as BRICS foreign ministers meet in Cape Town, South Africa, June 1, 2023. REUTERS/Nic Bothma/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights"We do not have a bilateral relationship with Hamas... Support for the Palestinian struggle against occupation does not equate to support for Hamas," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. South Africa has long been an advocate for peace in the region, likening the plight of Palestinians to its own under an apartheid regime that ended in 1994.

Persons: Naledi Pandor, Ismail Haniyeh, Nic Bothma, Cyril Ramaphosa's, Vincent Magwenya, Israel, Tannur Anders, Bhargav, Nick Macfie Organizations: South African Foreign, government's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa's, REUTERS, Hamas, Twitter, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Gaza, Israel, South, Cape Town , South Africa, Africa, Israel'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

☆ Tech leaders are pulling out of a CEO's conference over remarks he made about Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are." War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies, and should be called out for what they are. Israel's ambassador to Portugal, Dor Shapira, announced Monday that his country would no longer participate in the Web Summit conference as a result of Cosgrave's "outrageous statements." AdvertisementAdvertisement"We are saddened to hear that some Israelis in the tech community will no longer be attending Web Summit," a spokesperson said. "To repeat: War crimes are war crimes even when committed by allies & should be called out for what they are," Cosgrave wrote.

Persons: Israel, —, Paddy Cosgrave, I'm, Cosgrave, I’m, — Paddy Cosgrave, Dor Shapira, Shapira, Garry Tan, Y, Goshen, Ravi Gupta, Keith Peiris, Tome, Adam Singolda, David Marcus Organizations: Tech, Service, Web, AI21 Labs, Sequoia, PayPal, Web Summit, Hamas Locations: Europe, Israel, Irish, Lisbon, @paddycosgrave, Portugal, Goshen, Gaza, Palestinian

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Saturday for protection for civilians in both the Gaza Strip and Israel as the Israeli military ordered half of the Palestinian territory's population to evacuate in advance of an expected ground assault. Both stressed the importance of minimizing the harm to civilians as Israel prepared for an anticipated incursion against Hamas a week after the militant group's unprecedented attack in Israel. "None of us want to see suffering by civilians on any side, whether it’s in Israel, whether it’s in Gaza, whether it’s anywhere else." Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia is committed to the protection of civilians. After his meeting in Abu Dhabi, Blinken plans to return to Saudi Arabia and then to travel on Sunday to Egypt.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Israel, ” Blinken, “, Prince Faisal, ”, ” Faisal, ___ Baldor Organizations: —, Gaza, United Arab Emirates, Organization of Islamic Cooperation Locations: RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Saudi, Riyadh, it’s, Gaza, U.S, Egypt, Qatar, Palestinian, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Bahrain

☆ Sri Lanka president to visit China as debt talks progress - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Uditha Jayasinghe | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCOLOMBO, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit China next week as the crisis-hit country makes progress on debt restructuring talks with its biggest lender, a source in his office told Reuters on Friday. The Sri Lankan leader could also meet China's finance and foreign ministers, the source added. The president's media office and Sri Lankan foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Sri Lanka owes Chinese lenders - bilateral and commercial - around $7 billion. Sri Lanka needs to reach agreements with creditors to push forward its first review of the IMF programme, which will release a second tranche of about $334 million.

Persons: Ranil Wickremesinghe, Brendan McDermid, Wickremesinghe, Xi Jinping, Xi, Uditha Jayasinghe, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Sri, General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Monetary Fund, Forum, China's, Export, Import Bank of China, IMF, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Sri, China, Beijing, Lankan, Sri Lanka, Japan, India

☆ EU's Borrell Says Aid to Palestinian Authority Won't Be Interrupted
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

European Union foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell said Tuesday that there would be no suspension of aid payments to the Palestinian Authority, walking back EU comments on Monday suggesting there could be. After meeting with EU foreign ministers in Oman, on the sidelines of an EU gathering with Arab countries, Borrell said most member states wanted to ensure that aid payments--development and humanitarian--should continue. The EU is one of the biggest donors to the Palestinian Authority. Borrell confirmed there would be a review of the bloc’s aid payments, as the European Commission had announced on Monday. He said he was confident EU funds weren’t being used in that way.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Borrell Organizations: Union, Palestinian Authority, EU, European Commission Locations: Oman

☆ Sweden Halts Development Aid to Palestinians
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Sweden has temporarily halted development aid to Palestinian territories following a surprise attack by Hamas militants on Israel over the weekend, Development Minister Johan Forssell told a news conference on Tuesday. European Union foreign ministers are meeting on Tuesday to work out divisions among its 27 members over whether to continue aid payments to Palestinians a day after the European Commission backtracked on an announcement suspending all such aid. "We have a new situation after the 7th of October," Forssell told reporters. "Our decision today is that Sweden will ... pause development aid to Palestine until further notice." The government said it had also given the development agency SIDA the task of reviewing aid to Palestinians and to report by the start of December.

Persons: Johan Forssell, Forssell, Neighouring, Forsell, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Simon Johnson, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: European Union Locations: COPENHAGEN, Sweden, Israel, Palestine, Neighouring Denmark

Germany and Austria earlier on Monday said they were suspending bilateral development aid to Palestinians, while others such as Italy had said suspending aid was not up for discussion. It is unclear whether the suspensions in development aid will also apply to such assistance. Varhelyi said all new budget proposals for Palestinian aid were also postponed until further notice. The Israeli flag has been hoisted above the chancellor's office and the Foreign Ministry after the shock Hamas assault. Asked if Italy would follow Germany and Austria in suspending development aid, the foreign ministry spokesperson said this was not under discussion.

Persons: Amir Cohen, Oliver Varhelyi, Varhelyi, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, Alexander Schallenberg, Svenja Schulze, Rishi Sunak, Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Sarah Marsh, Markus Wacket, Angela Amante, Kate Holton, Mark Heinrich, Alison Williams, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, BRUSSELS, European, United Nations, Union, EU, EU Commission, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Austrian, European Union, Foreign Ministry, Social Democrats, Greens, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Ashkelon, Israel, Germany, Austria, Italy, BERLIN, Europe, West, Berlin, Palestinian, Berlin's, Brandenburg, United Nations, Britain, Brussels, Vienna, Rome, London

☆ EU Foreign Ministers to Hold Talks on Israel- Gaza Conflict
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

European Union foreign ministers will hold discussions on Tuesday on the situation in Israel and Gaza, the bloc's foreign-policy chief, Josep Borrell, said. The EU is one of the leading donors to the Palestinians. The bloc says its aid, which amounted to close to $316 million in 2022, is vetted to ensure it doesn't go to groups it designates as terrorist organizations, including Hamas. The meeting in Muscat, Oman, where a number of European foreign ministers are gathered for a meeting with Gulf countries, is intended "to discuss the implications and consequences" of the crisis, a spokesman said.

Persons: Josep Borrell Organizations: Union, EU Locations: Israel, Gaza, Muscat , Oman

Queries about what the move entailed and how extensive its impact on Palestinian aid would be weren't immediately answered. According to the bloc, it has provided humanitarian aid to help meet Palestinians’ basic needs since 2000 through the European Commission’s humanitarian aid department (ECHO) and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Since 2000, ECHO has provided 700 million euros of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The EU’s most populous member, Germany, and its neighbor Austria, also said they were suspending development aid for the Palestinian areas. Germany isn't suspending the humanitarian aid it provides separately via international nongovernmental organizations and the U.N., the Foreign Ministry said.

Persons: “, ”, Oliver Varhelyi, Israel, Varhelyi, weren't, ” Varhelyi, Svenja Schulze, Schulze, Israel “, Germany isn't, Christian Wagner, Alexander Schallenberg, ___ Samuel Petrequin, Geir Moulson Organizations: European Union, EU, European Commission, Palestine Liberation Organization, Humanitarian Affairs, West Bank, Ministry, Palestinian Authority, UNRWA, Development, Foreign Ministry Locations: BRUSSELS, Israel, Germany, Austria, Oslo, Muscat , Oman, Gaza, Berlin, Austrian, Brussels

☆ Morocco Calls for Emergency Session of Arab League
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Morocco, the current chair of the Arab League, has called for an emergency session for the group’s foreign ministers to discuss the security situation in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants launched Saturday's surprise attack on Israel. Over 20 nations are in the group, which was formed in Cairo in 1945 to coordinate the policy responses of Arab nations, often serving as a forum to limit regional conflicts. Historically, it has had relatively little impact. Morocco’s Foreign Ministry said discussions are under way for the meeting to be held in the coming days at its Cairo headquarters.

Organizations: Arab League, Palestinian Locations: Morocco, Gaza, Israel, Cairo

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