Author: Steven Sahiounie

How Many Countries Can Netanyahu Not Enter After the ICC’s Decision? Following the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) issuance of arrest warrants on Thursday against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes since October 7, 2023, the question arises: How many countries might Netanyahu be unable to visit? According to the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, 123 member states are obligated to cooperate with its decisions, including arresting and surrendering individuals subject to ICC arrest warrants when they enter their territories. These countries include: Conversely, there…

International Reactions to the ICC’s Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu In an unprecedented and dramatic development, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity. This decision has elicited a wide range of international responses, with countries and organizations adopting varied stances on the matter. International Support Arab and Islamic World Stance Legal and Political Implications This arrest warrant for Netanyahu marks a historic moment, reflecting the complexities of international law and its enforcement. It serves as a test of the willingness of nations…

Russian Shock Over U.S. Veto on Gaza Ceasefire Resolution The Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that “Moscow is shocked” by the U.S. “veto” against a UN Security Council draft resolution concerning an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Nebenzya elaborated: “We were shocked after the United States used its veto power against real efforts to save the lives of Palestinians and Israelis.” The United States used its veto power in the UN Security Council, blocking a resolution drafted by the ten non-permanent members calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This is…

Egypt Bolsters Economic Ties with New Agreements with UAE and China Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Abu Dhabi Ports Group and the General Authority of the Suez Canal Economic Zone for the development of industrial land in East Port Said. Additionally, he observed the signing of an agreement between the Industry Modernization Center, the Emirati company EneRCap, and GSU for the study of establishing a factory for energy storage batteries. Another agreement was signed between the Industry Modernization Center, the Chinese company G.I. Solar, and GSU for the establishment of…

Erdogan Criticizes Biden’s Decision on Ukraine Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed opposition to Washington’s decision to allow Kyiv to target deep within Russian territory with American missiles, describing it as incorrect and likely to escalate tensions. This statement was made by Erdogan on an airplane returning from the G20 Summit in Brazil, in response to a journalist’s question about the implications of the U.S. administration’s decision. Erdogan stated: “First and foremost, we do not consider this decision correct, nor do we approve of it. From the very beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, we believed it would not end…

Hochstein: Progress on Ceasefire Negotiations and Visit to Israel Special U.S. Envoy to the Middle East Amos Hochstein has announced that there has been progress in ceasefire negotiations, stating he will travel to Israel to attempt to conclude the discussions. After his meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Hochstein commented, “Today’s meeting represents additional progress,” but he refused to discuss the negotiation results and pending issues publicly. Hochstein: Progress on Ceasefire Negotiations and Visit to Israel He added, “We have discussed and made progress, and I will head to Israel to try to reach a conclusion,” emphasizing, “We are…

Casualties from Israeli Attack on Palmyra, Syria A military source from the Syrian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday evening that 36 people were martyred and 50 others injured due to an Israeli airstrike targeting the city of Palmyra in the Syrian Desert. The Syrian News Agency quoted the source saying, “Around 15:13 pm today, the Israeli enemy launched an aerial attack from the direction of the Al-Tanf area, targeting several buildings in the city of Palmyra in the Syrian Desert.” The source added: “This resulted in the martyrdom of 36 individuals, over 50 others injured, and significant material damage to…

Iran-Saudi-China Tripartite Committee Meeting to Monitor Beijing Agreement The second meeting of the tripartite joint committee between the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and China was held in Riyadh today, Tuesday, to follow up on the Beijing Agreement. The meeting was chaired by Waleed Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with participation from the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran led by Majid Takht Ravanchi, Deputy Foreign Minister, and the Chinese delegation led by Deng Li, Vice Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China. Both the Iranian and Saudi…

Western Reluctance to Discuss Middle East Issues at G20 Summit Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during a press conference following his participation in the G20 Summit, stated that the West was hesitant to discuss Middle East issues for inclusion in the G20 declaration. Lavrov explained, “Certainly, the West was reluctant to discuss this topic, but they well understood that without it, there would be no section on conflicts.” He pointed out that “one of the paragraphs is filled with detailed assessments confirming the catastrophic and disastrous situation for the residents of Gaza.” The minister emphasized that “there were attempts to…

Putin Issues Decree to Update Russia’s Nuclear Doctrine Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree today, Tuesday, updating the country’s nuclear doctrine. The presidential decree states that “with the aim of improving Russia’s state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence, I have decided to adopt the document ‘Foundations of the State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence’.” The decree will come into effect from the date of its signing today, November 19. The updated Russian nuclear doctrine confirms that the state’s policy on nuclear deterrence is defensive in nature, that Russia makes all…