Egypt expert warns Gaza war’s impact on Egyptian-Israeli ties ‘impossible to ignore’ LONDON: Israel’s war in Gaza could have a lasting effect on its ties with Egypt, Middle East Institute expert Mirette Mabrouk has cautioned. The warning came during a panel discussion to mark the 45th anniversary of the peace deal signed between the two … Read more
JERUSALEM: Muslims worshippers flocked to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound for the second Friday prayer of Ramadan under the heavy presence of Israeli police, a sign of lurking tensions in the holy city.“We feel lucky to be at Al-Aqsa while hundreds of thousands are deprived of access to it,” said Mustafa Al-Sheikh, a 62-year-old Palestinian who … Read more
LONDON: Hopes are fading fast for the restoration of funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, which provides assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and across the region, after reports that the suspension of US donations could be made permanent. Fourteen donors, including Germany, the UK, and the US, paused funding a little … Read more
JERUSALEM/CAIRO/RAFAH, Gaza: Palestinians prepared for Ramadan in somber mood with heightened security measures by Israeli police and the spectre of war and hunger in Gaza overshadowing the normally festive Muslim holy month as talks to secure a ceasefire stalled.Thousands of police have been deployed around the narrow streets of the Old City in Jerusalem, where … Read more
Veteran Saudi diplomat warns of consequences of Israel’s Gaza war, regional spillover risk DUBAI: With no end in sight to Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, a veteran Saudi diplomat has warned that the conflict could contribute to regional terrorism and spill over into neighboring countries. Dr. Ali Awadh Asseri, a former Saudi ambassador to Lebanon and … Read more
RIYADH: Inspired by intimate conversations with 37 women, Saudi artist Dania Al-Saleh and French-Swiss artist Catherine Gfeller present their striking exhibit “Woven Dreams” at L’Art Pur Foundation, which runs until April 6. The exhibition features multimedia artworks that reflect the stories of the interviewed women through the breadth of their diverse experiences, aspirations and contributions … Read more
GAZA STRIP: A humanitarian airdrop in the north of the Palestinian territory on Friday killed five people and wounded ten others, a medic at Gaza’s largest hospital said.The casualties were taken to Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital, the emergency room’s head nurse, Mohammed Al-Sheikh, told AFP.Sheikh said the deadly airdrop occurred north of the coastal Al-Shati refugee … Read more
GENEVA: Expanding Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories constitutes “a war crime” and risks eliminating “any practical possibility” of a viable Palestinian state, the United Nations rights chief warned on Friday. Volker Turk said there had been a drastic acceleration in Israel’s illegal settlement building in the occupied West Bank, at the same time … Read more
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief delivered several tonnes of dates this week to vulnerable families in Yemen and Pakistan. There were 100 tonnes of dates given to the Yemeni High Relief Committee on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Jamal Balfaqih, general coordinator of the committee, expressed “appreciation for the Kingdom’s support in humanitarian, … Read more
YEMEN: The UK Maritime Trade Operations authority on Wednesday reported “irregular activity” in the Red Sea near Yemen, and urged vessels to exercise “caution” when passing through the area. The UKMTO, which is part of the British Royal Navy, stated on its website that a merchant vessel was hailed on maritime VHF radio for about … Read more