Author: Steven Sahiounie

A political source confirmed to Israel Hayom that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist that “Israel” will be able to resume battles after the implementation of the ceasefire (if one is reached). The source reported that Netanyahu “continues to insist on receiving formal written approval from the United States for this principle,” according to the Israeli website. Israeli media reported earlier that Netanyahu was holding political consultations aimed at ensuring that a prisoner exchange deal would not affect the government coalition. The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation website, Makan, reported that Netanyahu plans to request that Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel…

Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Mohammad Mustafa, discussed with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné, advancing efforts to halt the ongoing Israeli genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, intensifying humanitarian relief efforts, and curbing the escalation of Israeli occupation army and settler attacks in the West Bank. During a meeting at his office in Ramallah on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Mustafa stressed the urgent need for France and the United Kingdom to officially recognize the independent, sovereign State of Palestine and support the implementation of the International Court of…

Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit – the highest type of visits in the diplomatic protocol – to Azerbaijan on August 18-19. It will be the Russian leader’s third in-person meeting with Azerbaijan counterpart Ilkham Aliyev this year. Although Putin and Aliyev maintain regular contacts. The Russian president last visited Baku in September 2018. Nevertheless, the two leaders regularly see each other on the sidelines of various international summits and events. Their previous in-person conversation took place in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana in July, where they both attended events held within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization…

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees says Israel’s new evacuation orders in the Gaza Strip have shrunk to only 11 percent of the so-called humanitarian zone for Palestinians in the besieged territory. UNRWA released the figure in an X post on Saturday, a day after the Israeli military gave Gaza residents sheltering in the safe zone in north Khan Yunis and east Deir al-Balah an order to leave in just a few hours. The occupation’s army also issued another evacuation order for Maghazi and Zawayda refugee camps in central Gaza. “Thousands of families continue to be displaced in…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken left Saturday on a mission to the Middle East to push ahead a Gaza ceasefire deal, as cautious optimism rises.The top US diplomat, who is putting off vacation plans for his ninth trip to the Middle East since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, will fly to Tel Aviv ahead of expected meetings with the Israeli leadership.He has routinely visited Arab states on previous trips but no further stops were immediately announced.Blinken flew out of Andrews Air Force Base after two days of ceasefire talks urged by President Joe Biden brokered with Egypt and…

The United States should immediately sit at the negotiating table with Russia, Ukraine and other stakeholders, said Jill Stein, who was approved as the Green Party’s US presidential candidate earlier in the day. “We need to decompress this conflict as quickly as possible, and we need to get back to negotiations with Russia, Ukraine and other players. What Russia essentially wanted was neutrality from Ukraine. That is absolutely simple,” she said at a new conference following her nomination. “We need to engage in basic diplomacy. This is not rocket science. This is basic diplomacy. It’s basic conversation that could readily…

Multiple forest fires continue to burn in western Türkiye’s Aydin, Izmir, and Manisa provinces, with firefighters working tirelessly to contain the spreading flames. In Aydin’s Bozdogan district, aerial and ground teams are combating a fire that broke out in the upper parts of Alhisar neighborhood on Friday. The blaze has intensified near the border of Mugla’s Kavaklidere district, affecting several villages. Authorities have evacuated some homes in Ormepinar neighborhood as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, Izmir province is battling fires in three districts. A major blaze in Karsiyaka, which started on Thursday, has spread to residential areas and an industrial zone,…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to meet with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy during his visit to “Israel” on `saturday, a decision provoked by Labour’s recent decision to renounce the United Kingdom’s objections to the Internationcal Criminal Court’s arrest warrants against Netanyahu and his Security Minister, Yoav Gallant. The UK reportedly requested several meetings with Netanyahu, all of which were rejected under claims of “scheduling conflicts”. According to Israeli Channel 13, Lammy’s visit primarly aimed at discussing the impending retaliatory attacks by Hezbollah and Iran, as “Israel” hoped to gain London’s support in countering any response. Last month, Labour premier Keir Starmer…

Former US President Donald Trump has rehired key members of his 2016 campaign staff, dug down for debate prep with ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, and named his sons and significant funders to run his formal transition team, as polls show the Republican is tied with Vice President Kamala Harris. Corey Lewandowski, who led Trump’s victorious 2016 campaign, will return to assist Trump in his attempt at victory again in November, according to a statement from campaign co-managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita on Thursday. Lewandowski will be joined by Taylor Budowich, Alex Pfeiffer, Alex Bruesewitz, and Tim Murtaugh, all of whom were…

Germany has stopped providing military help to Ukraine, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Saturday, citing the government’s budget. The report stated that considering that Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, has ordered austerity measures, the military ministry would not be able to approve any fresh requests, but previously agreed aid to Ukraine will still be provided as originally planned. According to the report, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner sent a letter to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on August 5 with a related request. As per the report, the suspension is already in place and could make things worse for Ukraine on the…