PARIS/BEIRUT: French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will visit Lebanon next week to discuss the political crisis there with senior officials, two sources aware of the matter said on Friday.
The trip comes after Paris said it had started putting in place measures to restrict entry to France for some Lebanese officials on the grounds that they were blocking efforts to find a solution to Lebanon’s political and economic crisis.
The two sources said Le Drian would travel on May 5 and hold meetings on May 6.
He has requested meetings with President Michel Aoun and Shiite Hezbollah ally and Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, according to a note sent by the embassy.
Le Drian has also asked to meet Gebran Bassil, the leader of Lebanon’s biggest Christian political bloc and Aoun’s son-in-law, who is under US sanctions for alleged corruption and his ties to Hezbollah.
France has spearheaded international efforts to rescue Lebanon from its deepest crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, but after eight months has failed so far to persuade squabbling politicians to adopt a reform roadmap or form a new government to unlock international aid.
France’s foreign ministry did not confirm or deny Le Drian’s planned trip.
With the European Union, Paris has been working on creating a sanctions regime for Lebanon that could ultimately see asset freezes and travel bans.
However, that is likely to take time. As part of efforts to raise pressure on key Lebanese actors, France intends to stop issuing visas to certain officials, diplomats have said.
Diplomatic sources have said that Bassil could be one of those targeted, although he has no specific ties to France.
France’s Le Drian to head to Lebanon May 5-6 for crisis talks
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France’s Le Drian to head to Lebanon May 5-6 for crisis talks
- French Foreign Minister would travel on May 5 and hold meetings on May 6, two sources said
- France has spearheaded international efforts to rescue Lebanon from its deepest crisis
Arab-European ministerial statement: We endorse efforts toward achieving a Gaza ceasefire
RIYADH: A joint statement from Arab and European foreign ministers highlighted critical priorities in addressing the ongoing conflict in Gaza, following a meeting in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday.
The statmenet called for the urgent need to halt all unilateral violations in Palestinian territories. The meeting was chaired by Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Farhan and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
Ministers reiterated their support for efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. They emphasized the importance of establishing a unified Palestinian government in both the West Bank and Gaza.
Recognizing the significance of internal unity among Palestinians, the ministers have called for concerted efforts to overcome divisions and work towards a common goal of self-governance and statehood.
The statement also called for adopting a reliable and irreversible path towards implementing the two-state solution.
The meeting was attended by foreign ministers and representatives from Bahrain, Portugal, the European Union, Algeria, Jordan, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, the Arab League, Slovenia, France, Palestine, Qatar, Egypt, and the United Kingdom.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum special meeting in Riyadh.
Israel police say Turk shot dead after stabbing officer in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM: A Turkish national stabbed and moderately wounded an Israeli police officer in annexed east Jerusalem before being shot dead on Tuesday, police said.
Police said that a “terrorist armed with a knife arrived in the Old City of Jerusalem, on the Herod’s Gate Ascent street, charged at a border police officer and stabbed him with a knife.”
It said another officer at the scene “neutralized the terrorist” and the attacker was later pronounced dead.
Netanyahu vows to invade Rafah ‘with or without a deal’ as ceasefire talks with Hamas continue
- Netanyahu said Israel would enter Rafah to destroy Hamas’ battalions there “with or without a deal”
- The international community have raised an alarm over the the fate of civilians in Rafah
TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Tuesday to launch an incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering from the almost 7-month-long war, as ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas appear to be gaining steam.
Netanyahu’s comments came hours before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Israel to advance the truce talks — which appear to be one of the most serious rounds of negotiations between Israel and Hamas since the war began. The deal is meant to free hostages, bring some relief to the population and avert an Israeli offensive into Rafah and the potential harm to civilians there.
Speaking to a group of bereaved families and one organization representing families of hostages held by militants, Netanyahu said Israel would enter Rafah to destroy Hamas’ battalions there regardless of whether a truce-for-hostages deal was struck or not.
“The idea that we will stop the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question,” Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office. “We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate Hamas’ battalions there — with or without a deal, to achieve the total victory.”
Netanyahu has faced pressure from his nationalist governing partners not to proceed with a deal that might prevent Israel from invading Rafah, which it says is Hamas’ last major stronghold. His government could be threatened if he agrees to a deal because hard-line Cabinet members have demanded an attack on Rafah.
But with more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people sheltering there, the international community, including Israel’ top ally the US, has warned Israel against any offensive that puts civilians at risk.
It was not clear if Netanyahu’s comments were meant to appease his governing partners or whether they would have any bearing on any emerging deal with Hamas.
Netanyahu was addressing the Tikva Forum, a small group of families of hostages that’s distinct from the main group representing the families of captive Israelis that has indicated it prefers to see Hamas crushed over the freedom of their loved ones. Families and their supporters have demonstrated in the thousands every week for a deal that would bring the hostages home, saying it should take precedence over military action.
The current deal being discussed, brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar, would see the release of dozens of hostages in exchange for a six-week halt in fighting as part of an initial phase, according to an Egyptian official and Israeli media. Hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel would also be released.
But a sticking point remains over what happens next. Hamas has demanded assurances that an eventual release of all hostages will bring a complete end to Israel’s nearly seven-month assault in Gaza and a withdrawal of its troops from the devastated territory. Israel has offered only an extended pause, vowing to resume its offensive once the first phase of the deal is over. The issue has repeatedly obstructed efforts by the mediators during months of talks.
Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected stopping the war in return for hostage releases, and says an offensive on Rafah is crucial to destroying the militants.
The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. Israel says the militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.
The war in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. The war has driven around 80 percent of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.
Blinken heads to Jordan to push Gaza aid
- Blinken flew to Amman after talks with Gulf Arab leaders in Riyadh
- The US top diplomat will meet Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi
RIYADH: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed Tuesday to Jordan where he will discuss ways to boost aid deliveries into Gaza and quietly thank the kingdom for its help during recent Iran-Israel clashes.
Blinken flew to Amman after talks with Gulf Arab leaders in Riyadh, part of his seventh tour of the region since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
The US top diplomat will meet Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi as well as the UN humanitarian aid and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag.
Later in the day, Blinken will head to Israel where he will discuss the latest negotiations aimed at securing a temporary ceasefire and a release of hostages.
President Joe Biden’s administration, despite criticism abroad and rising fury on US university campuses, has supported Israel in its relentless campaign against Hamas but also urged its ally to do more to protect civilians.
“President Biden has insisted that Israel take specific, concrete, measurable steps to better address humanitarian suffering, civilian harm and the safety of aid workers in Gaza,” Blinken told Gulf Arab foreign ministers in Riyadh on Monday.
“We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings, an increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the US maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks,” Blinken said.
“But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza,” he said.
Biden warned Israel that future support was at stake after an April 1 Israeli strike killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, the charity founded by celebrity Spanish-American chef Jose Andres.
The United States said that Israel has since taken steps to avoid such deaths in the future, including coordinating more directly with aid groups working in Gaza.
But the situation remains dire in Gaza, where the vast majority of residents have fled their homes and the United Nations has warned of looming famine.
The Biden administration is addressing the crisis by building a temporary pier to bring in aid, an extraordinary step to deal with concerns about a friendly country and major recipient of US assistance.
Jordan, which has diplomatic relations with Israel and a large Palestinian population, is especially sensitive to tensions in the Palestinian territories.
Earlier in April, Jordan shot down Iranian drones fired at Israel in response to a deadly air strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria.
Jordan, while working with the United States, has insisted that it does not want to be caught in the middle of the conflict.
Houthis claim attack on Greek merchant vessel off Yemen
- Houthis had targeted MV Cyclades with three anti-ship ballistic missiles and three drone strikes
- Earlier, the UKMTO reported explosions near a commercial ship sailing off the Yemeni coast northwest of Mokha
DUBAI: Yemen’s Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on Monday along the Red Sea shipping route, including on a Greek commercial vessel, according to a British maritime agency and the US military.
The US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said the Houthis had targeted MV Cyclades, a Greek commercial vessel flying the Maltese flag, with three anti-ship ballistic missiles and three drone strikes.
“Initial reports indicate there were no injuries and the vessel continued on its way,” CENCOM posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Earlier, the UK Maritime Safety Agency (UKMTO) reported explosions “in close proximity” to a commercial ship sailing off the Yemeni coast northwest of Mokha.
“Vessel and crew are reported safe,” the agency, run by the Royal Navy, added.
Maritime security firm Ambrey said the Malta-flagged container ship was en route from Djibouti to Jeddah and was likely targeted “due to its listed operator’s ongoing trade with Israel.”
Houthi militia claimed responsibility for firing at the Cyclades, MSC Orion and two US vessels.
The Iran-backed group, which controls the Yemeni capital Sanaa and much of the country’s Red Sea coast, has launched a flurry of attacks against ships since November.
It says their campaign is in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war.
CENTCOM also said that US forces shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Red Sea on Monday morning as it was headed on a flight path “toward USS Philippine Sea and USS Laboon.”
“The UAV presented an imminent threat to US, coalition, and merchant vessels in the region,” it wrote on X, adding that there had been no injuries or damage reported by US forces or nearby commercial ships.
Since January, the United States and Britain have launched repeated strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the ship attacks.
