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Ukraine Deepens Gulf Security Ties with New Defence Pacts in UAE and Qatar

  The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, meets President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in Doha, Qatar. Ukraine has expanded its defence partnerships in the Gulf, securing new agreements with both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy toured the region amid rising regional tensions. These deals focus on countering missile and drone threats and reflect Kyiv’s effort to leverage its battlefield expertise to build long‑term security ties.  During a rapid diplomatic tour of the Gulf, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy secured new defence cooperation agreements with both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The accords come as regional tensions escalate due to ongoing Iranian missile and drone activity, prompting Gulf states to seek partners with advanced air‑defence capabilities. In Qatar, officials announced a defence cooperation agreement that includes collaboration on countering missile threats and unmanned aerial systems. Ukr...

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Israel Approves New Parcel of West Bank Land for Settlement

 

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has declared 800 hectares in the occupied West Bank as state land. This move aims to facilitate the use of the ground for settlement building. The announcement comes on the same day that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite growing international opposition, the Israeli government remains determined to press ahead with settlement construction in the West Bank.

The designation of 1,976 acres of land in the Jordan Valley as state land follows a similar decision regarding 300 hectares (740 acres) in the Maale Adumim area of the West Bank. The latter area is crucial to the Palestinians’ vision of a future independent state.

Last month, the United States stated that Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank was inconsistent with international law, aligning with the global consensus that considers these settlements illegal. Israel, however, disputes this view, citing historical and Biblical ties to the land. Meanwhile, the Palestinians view the expansion of settlements as a deliberate Israeli policy aimed at undermining their aspiration for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned this latest move, describing it as “a continuation of the extermination and displacement of our people from their homeland.”

Despite the controversy, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s declaration underscores the government’s commitment to settlement building in the West Bank. The situation remains highly contentious, with implications for regional stability and peace efforts.

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