Middle East

US top diplomat to travel to Saudi Arabia to discuss Gaza war

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia next week to discuss a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, the State Department announced on Saturday.

UN expresses concern over students arrests at US universities

The UN human rights office has voiced concern about the detention of hundreds of students during demonstrations in support of Palestine at several US universities.

Israel turns down US calls for investigating into Gaza mass graves

Israel will not carry out further probes into mass graves found at Gaza hospitals, as it has already investigated the matter and found no wrongdoing by its troops, Spokesman for the Israeli army Nadav Shoshani has told Politico. Hundreds of Palestinians' bodies have been discovered from the graves.

US will not sanction Israeli army units accused of rights violations in West Bank: Report

ABC News reported that the United States decided that three Israeli army units accused of committing "gross human rights violations" in the West Bank prior to 7 October will remain eligible for US military aid "because of steps Israel says is taking to address the problem".

More Americans have little, no confidence in Israeli PM: Survey

An increasing number of Americans have little to no trust in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of world affairs, a new poll revealed.

Iran, China defense chiefs call for Gaza ceasefire

Iranian Defense Minister General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani had blamed the catastrophic situation in West Asia and the rising tensions there on the destabilizing moves of the US and its support for the Zionist regime. 

Younger Americans less likely to support military aid to Israel: Report

As universities across the US continue to see pro-Palestinian protests, data show that only about 7% of younger Americans strongly favor the US providing military aid to Israel in its war against Hamas, while 29% strongly oppose it.

Over %50 of Americans unhappy with congress voting $61bn to Ukraine

A total of 51% of Americans disapprove of the decision by the US House of Representatives to support President Joe Biden's $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, while only 39% think otherwise, the Daily Express US has reported, citing a poll conducted by the Washington-based Democracy Institute.

High-profile North Korean delegation makes rare public visit to Iran

North Korean officials are making a rare visit to Iran, the state-run KCNA news agency has reported. The last time officials from Pyongyang made a publicly announced trip to Tehran was in 2019.

US Senate passes Ukraine, Israel funding after months-long stalemate

The US Senate on Tuesday passed a package to provide billions in aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law after a rocky six months of political battles.

US says looking into alleged Israeli human rights abuses in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated Washington is looking into allegations of human rights abuses by Israel in its war on the besieged Gaza Strip. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's carnage in Gaza over the past seven months.

US forced Israel to abandon larger-scale attack on Iran: Report

Israeli leaders planned a “much more extensive counterstrike on Iran” after Tehran launched a drone and missile barrage on Israel last weekend, but were pressured to pare down the operation by the US and its allies, the New York Times has claimed in a report.

Global military expenditure reaches all-time high of $2,443bn in 2023: Report

World military expenditure increased by 6.8% in 2023 year-over-year and reached a new record high of $2,443 billion, with the three largest spenders being the US, China and Russia, according to new data published on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Israel’s organized crimes against Palestinians in Gaza clear examples of genocide, war crimes: Iran

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has strongly condemned the massacre and mass burial of civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip by Israeli soldiers as blatant examples of genocide and war crimes.

Palestine President Abbas says he will “reevaluate” U.S. relations after UN veto

President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas has stated that the authority will "reevaluate its relations with the U.S." after Washington vetoed the Palestinians' bid to become a full member state at the United Nations.

US House approves aid for Ukraine, Israel

US House lawmakers in both parties have joined forces to send a massive package of foreign aid to the Senate, ending a long and bitter stalemate over the fate of the legislation and all but ensuring the delivery of billions of dollars in new help to embattled allies across the globe.

Over 14k kids killed in Israel’s war on Gaza Strip: UNICEF

A spokesman for the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has stated more than 14,000 Palestinian children have so far been killed in Israel’s ongoing war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

EU and US sanction extremist Israeli settlers

The European Union and the United States have imposed tough new sanctions against key figures said to be behind extremist violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.

White House considering over $1bn in new arms for Israel

The Wall Street Journal daily has reported that the administration of US President Joe Biden is considering more than $1bn in a new weapons deal with Israel which would include "tank ammunition, military vehicles and mortar rounds".

US vetoes Palestinian push for full UN membership

The United States vetoed a widely supported resolution at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) that would have paved the way for the state of Palestine to gain full membership at the UN.

Over 13,800 children killed in Gaza since outbreak of war: UNICEF

More than 13,800 children have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in early October 2023, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell has stated.

Putin: Iran’s response to Israeli attack best way to punish aggressor

In a recent telephone exchange between Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, both leaders condemned the aggressive actions of the Zionist regime against the Iranian consulate in Syria.

Italy warns Israeli retaliation for Iran military operation could lead to spiral of violence

Italy has warned that any retaliation by Israel for Iran’s missile and drone attacks over the weekend could lead to a spiral of violence, local media has reported.

Zelensky calls on West to treat Ukraine like Israel

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the collective West to become involved in the conflict with Russia and protect Kiev similar to how it aided Israel during the Iranian missile and drone attacks over the weekend.

US House passes series of bills aimed at “squeezing Iran financially” after Israel attack

The Republican-led US House has voted in favor of a series of bills aimed at squeezing Tehran financially in response to an unprecedented drone and missile attack launched by Iran against Israel over the weekend.

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