The Press Roundup

 

January 23, 2024 (Tuesday)

Curated Summary

Saudi Arabia won't normalize relations with Israel without path to Palestinian state, foreign minister says (Time)

• Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, stated that the kingdom will not normalize relations with Israel or contribute to Gaza's reconstruction without a credible pathway to a Palestinian state. This puts them at odds with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejects Palestinian statehood and advocates for open-ended military control over Gaza.
• The dispute over Gaza's future poses a major obstacle to any plans for postwar governance or reconstruction in the region. It also creates a divide between the United States and its Arab allies, who support a Palestinian state, and Israel.
• Before the recent conflict, the U.S. had been trying to broker an agreement in which Saudi Arabia would normalize relations with Israel in exchange for U.S. security guarantees, aid in establishing a civilian nuclear program, and progress in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, the current war has complicated these efforts.
• The Palestinians seek a state that includes Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and annexed east Jerusalem. Israel views Jerusalem as its capital and the West Bank as its historical and biblical heartland. The last round of peace talks broke down nearly 15 years ago.
• The current war between Israel and Hamas has resulted in a high death toll, with over 25,000 Palestinians killed and more than 60,000 wounded. The Israeli military claims to have killed around 9,000 militants. The conflict has also led to tensions in the region, with Iran-backed groups attacking Israeli and U.S. targets.

Why Iran does not want a war (The New York Times)

• The war in Gaza has expanded into conflict in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and the Red Sea, raising fears of a larger regional conflagration.
• Iran has been present in each of these arenas and there are concerns about whether Iran and its powerful military will enter a wider war.
• Iran has provided funding, arms, or training to Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, who are all engaged in conflicts with Israel and attacking ships in the Red Sea.
• Iran has launched its own strikes in retaliation for a deadly bombing, targeting Israeli spy headquarters in Iraq and the Islamic State in Syria.
• Despite asserting its military strength, Iran's leaders have publicly stated that they do not want to be drawn into a wider war and have avoided direct military action against Israel or the United States.
• Iran's focus is on domestic issues that have been preoccupying the regime, which is why they prefer proxy warfare as a strategy.

Israe proposes two-month pause in fighting as part of hostage deal: Axios (The Defence Post)

• Israel has proposed a pause in fighting with Hamas for up to two months as part of a deal to free all the hostages in Gaza.
• The deal would be implemented in multiple stages, starting with the release of women, men over 60, and those in critical medical condition. Subsequent phases would involve the release of other groups of hostages, including women soldiers, younger civilian men, male soldiers, and the bodies of dead hostages.
• The deal would also include the release of some Palestinian prisoners held in Israel, but not all of them. Israeli troops would reduce their presence in major cities in Gaza, allowing residents to return to the devastated north of the territory. The deal is expected to take around two months to implement.

Pak-Afghan trade resumes as Torkham border reopened (Pakistan Observer)

• Torkham, a key trade crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan, was closed for 11 days due to tighter controls requiring drivers to have visas and passports. However, after successful negotiations, the border was reopened for drivers from both countries without a visa and passport until March 31, after which valid visa and travel documents will be mandatory.
• Tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan has escalated, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of failing to root out militants staging attacks from their soil. Pakistan specifically accused Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of involvement in most terror attacks and urged Kabul to take a tough stance against the banned outfit. Afghanistan, on the other hand, rejected these allegations.

NATO signs &1.8 billion ammunition deal to benefit Ukraine (The New Daily)

• NATO has signed a 1.1 billion euro contract for artillery rounds, some of which will be supplied to Ukraine due to ammunition shortages.
• The contract is likely to yield about 220,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, with the first deliveries expected at the end of 2025.
• The shells will be supplied by French arms maker Nexter and Germany's Junghans.
• Belgium, Lithuania, and Spain are identified as the buyers who will either pass on the shells to Ukraine or use them to stock up their own inventories.
• Since July, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has agreed deals worth around 15 billion euros to address military stock shortfalls.
• NATO defense ministers will discuss ways to step up industrial production to enable continued Western support for Ukraine. 

Baloch protesters call off sit-in outside Islamabad's national press club (Dawn)

• Baloch protesters, who had been camped outside Islamabad's National Press Club (NPC) since December, called off their sit-in on Tuesday.
• The NPC had initially requested the removal of the Baloch rights camp, but later withdrew the request due to severe criticism from all quarters, including journalists. The protesters were demonstrating against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
• The organisers of the sit-in accused the police of harassing their supporters and profiling them, as well as registering first information reports against them.
• Dr Mahrang Baloch, one of the protest organisers, expressed dismay and called on the journalist and media community to stand with the neglected voices.

Blinken pledges US$ 45 million to boost coastal West Africa security (Malay Mail)

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged an additional 45 million in financing to help fight conflict and bring stability to coastal West Africa, which has been affected by jihadist insurgencies. This funding will supplement the 300 million that the US has already invested in the region over the past two years.
• Blinken's visit to Africa aims to discuss US-African partnerships over trade, climate, infrastructure, health, security, and other issues. Security challenges in West Africa, the fallout of a coup in Niger, and Russia's growing influence in the region are among the key topics during his trip.
• Ivory Coast, one of the coastal West African countries impacted by Islamist insurgencies, received praise from Blinken for its leadership in the fight against extremism and violence. President Alassane Ouattara expressed appreciation for the USA's support in intelligence and the fight against terrorism.
• The US has increased military training by 15 times and is investing in civil protection in Ivory Coast. However, security in the region remains a challenge.

Why has Beljium vowed to back the ICJ's verdict on Gaza 'genocide'? (Aljazeera)

• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is expected to deliver a preliminary verdict on South Africa's genocide case against Israel, and the European Union (EU) leaders have different interpretations of the case.
• Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, who are allies of Israel, rejected the claims made by South Africa at the ICJ. Hungary condemned the case, while France, which has the largest Muslim and Jewish minorities in Europe, also does not support the ICJ case against Israel.
• Other EU nations have remained silent on the court case. Slovenia has announced its support for another ICJ case against Israel regarding Palestinian rights. Ireland has adopted a cautious stance, and Spain's minority left-wing party supports South Africa's case. Belgium has also expressed support for the ICJ's decision.