JERUSALEM/AMMAN: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stopped an Israeli lawmaker from taking on a Jordanian counterpart in a fist-fight on Wednesday over a diplomatic crisis between the two neighbors.
The July 23 shooting to death of two Jordanians by an Israeli Embassy guard who said he was acting in self-defense has outraged Amman, stirred up pro-Palestinian sentiment in the kingdom and prompted US mediation efforts.
Oren Hazan, a member of Netanyahu’s rightist Likud party, had tweeted on the day of the shooting that Jordanians “who we keep supplied with water and whose butts we defend day and night” needed “re-education.”
His comments prompted a challenge from a similarly fiery lawmaker in Jordan. “Let him meet me, if he is a man,” Yahya Soud said on Twitter.
They were due to square off against each other on Wednesday morning on the border.
As the appointed time neared, both men posted images of themselves on social media driving to the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
But Hazan’s journey was cut short after Netanyahu’s office ordered him to turn around. A statement from the prime minister’s office did not say why Netanyahu had stopped the fight from proceeding. There was no immediate comment from Jordan.
Hazan said on Twitter he was disappointed the encounter had not taken place. Soud told reporters he had been “serious about going down to the bridge and busting this dirty man’s nose.” Netanyahu stepped in, Soud said, because Israelis “can’t face up to Jordanians.”
In 1994, Jordan became the second of only two Arab countries to make peace with Israel.
Netanyahu calls off fistfight between Israeli, Jordanian lawmakers
Netanyahu calls off fistfight between Israeli, Jordanian lawmakers
Punjab minister urges clerics to denounce Gaza-linked fast-food chain attacks in Pakistan
- Azma Bokhari says attacks are not helping the oppressed people of Palestine but hurting Pakistan
- The government has arrested over 150 attackers and promised strict action against others involved
ISLAMABAD: A senior minister in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Sunday urged religious scholars to publicly condemn recent attacks on an international fast-food chain, warning that such actions were damaging the country’s image and hurting its own citizens.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari’s remarks came a day after the federal government said over 150 people had been arrested for attacking the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlets amid rising anti-American and anti-Israel sentiment in the country over the war in Gaza.
Protesters have vandalized KFC branches in multiple cities, with at least one employee killed during the unrest, asking people to show solidarity with their Muslim brethren in the Palestinian territory who have been killed in great numbers since the beginning of the war in October 2023.
“I believe that all our forums where respected religious scholars are present should come forward more strongly on this issue and speak up,” the provincial minister said at a news conference in Lahore.
“Attacking these food chains is not helping the oppressed people of Gaza,” she continued. “It is hurting Pakistan.”
Bokhari noted that international franchises like KFC provided jobs to thousands of locals in Punjab and other parts of the country.
“Now tell me this: if the 25,000 Pakistanis working here lose their jobs, will that benefit the people of Gaza?” she asked. “Or have these incidents helped the oppressed people of Gaza in any way? No, it’s causing harm — harm to Pakistan’s image.”
She also referenced the killing of a KFC employee in Sheikhupura, questioning what his fault was.
Bokhari accused “an extremist group” of organizing the attacks and said the government would take strict action against those involved.
On Saturday, Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudry said 12 police cases had been registered against the attackers in Punjab alone, with 142 arrests made. Another 15 suspects had been detained in Islamabad, he added.
“It cannot happen that someone brings investment into Pakistan, gives its people employment, pays 100 percent tax, and also spends on welfare, education and health activities, and then someone attacks it,” he said.
He maintained such incidents would be treated with the same seriousness as militant attacks, adding the government and interior ministry were “available 24 hours” to respond.
Pakistan does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel but has consistently voiced support for the Palestinian cause.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an immediate end to Israel’s military campaign, while Pakistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations has repeatedly urged accountability for Israeli “war crimes.”
Closing Bell: Saudi benchmark index edges up to close at 11,626
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose on Sunday, gaining 73.62 points, or 0.64 percent, to close at 11,626.60.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR3.57 billion ($953 million), as 199 of the stocks advanced and 37 retreated.
Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, gained 264.47 points, or 0.92 percent, to close at 28,978.19. This comes as 46 of the listed stocks advanced while 34 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index gained 5.14 points, or 0.35 percent, to close at 1,474.53.
The best-performing stock of the day was Alistithmar AREIC Diversified REIT Fund, whose share price surged 10.00 percent to SR7.26.
Other top performers included Saudi Cable Co., whose share price rose 9.90 percent to SR135.40 as well as Saudi Printing and Packaging Co., whose share price increased 9.89 percent to SR11.56.
Riyadh Cement Co. led the declines, dropping 3.15 percent to SR33.80.
Leejam Sports Co. slipped 2.03 percent to SR135.20, while Almoosa Health Co. edged down 1.21 percent to SR163.20.
On the announcement front, Almarai Co. reported a first-quarter net profit of SR731.19 million for 2025, up 5.62 percent year on year, driven by a 6 percent rise in revenue, according to a Tadawul filing.
The company noted that higher energy costs partially offset the earnings growth. Almarai shares closed 1.90 percent higher at SR53.30.
Jarir Marketing Co. posted a net profit of SR217.3 million in the first quarter of 2025, down 0.91 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to a Tadawul filing.
The marginal decline came despite a 2.7 percent increase in both sales and gross profit, as well as a rise in other income, with higher selling and marketing expenses weighing on earnings.
Its shares closed flat at SR12.82.
Altharwah Albashariyyah Co. signed a binding agreement to acquire 100 percent of Amjad Watan through a mix of cash and share issuance, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals, the company said in a Tadawul filing.
The deal includes SR7 million in cash, 95,804 shares worth SR5 million, and 536,501 conditional shares valued at SR28 million, to be transferred upon meeting performance targets.
Shares of Altharwah Albashariyyah closed 3.57 percent lower at SR46.05.
Calligraphy captivates Arabic speakers, non-speakers alike, say enthusiasts
- Traditional script is universal language appreciated for artistry, even if not understood
- New fonts to be used by individuals, organizations in formal settings
RIYADH: Arabic calligraphy occupies a global artistic status that captivates Arabic speakers and non-speakers alike, enthusiasts have told Arab News.
The Ministry of Culture last week introduced two fonts based on Arabic calligraphy that are intended to be used by individuals and organizations in formal settings and for artistic works: Al-Awwal and Saudi.
Abdulrahman Al-Shahed, a founding member of the Saudi Arabic Calligraphy Association, told Arab News that the introduction of the fonts was “a welcome step that contributes to renewing the presence of Arabic calligraphy in digital and contemporary contexts, without separating it from its spiritual and aesthetic roots.”
He described the introduction of the fonts as “a call to rediscover calligraphy as a living identity.”
Arabic calligraphy “amazes viewers with its abstract beauty and contemplative spirit,” Al-Shahed said.
He noted that “many non-Arabs don’t read the letters, but they feel them and their beauty,” adding that Arabic calligraphy was consequently a universal visual language.
It has been evolving for more than 1,400 years, and each generation adds its own influence to the artform, expressing its own spirit and time, he said.
Abdul Adeem Al-Shali, a member of the Fine Arts Group in Qatif, told Arab News that “there is a growing interest among a large segment of non-Arabic speakers in the Arabic language and its letters and words.”
He added: “This interest demonstrates the magic of the Arabic letter and its appeal to the eye of the average recipient, let alone someone with artistic awareness.”
Many foreigners have masterfully drawn calligraphy. The American calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya, who converted to Islam and learned calligraphy in Istanbul, gained widespread fame, for example.
He held numerous calligraphy exhibitions in America and other Western countries, receiving praise from those interested in the art, said Al-Shali.
The arts enthusiast is optimistic about the future of Arabic calligraphy and urged those in charge of art colleges, calligraphy institutes, and Arabic language colleges at universities to “preserve this great heritage and teach it to current generations with great care.”
Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, the minister of culture, said that the new typefaces were a tribute to the Kingdom’s rich cultural and artistic heritage, his ministry adding that they were based on historic “inscriptions and Qur’anic manuscripts.”
The design of Al-Awwal highlights the spirit of calligraphy in ancient inscriptions in the Arabian Peninsula.
The Saudi takes into account the artistic principles of the Al-Awwal script and makes it more contemporary.
A group of local and international experts was responsible for their design, with support from the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, and the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy Initiative.
Arabic calligraphy originated in the Arabian Peninsula and was influenced by the cultural and political conditions in the region and ancient rock art from pre-Islamic civilizations and languages. It spread with the migration of Arabs during the Islamic expansion.
The new typefaces “reflect the historical depth of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is considered the cradle of ancient human civilizations and the home of various calligraphy and inscriptions, ranging from Musnad, Nabataean, and Thamudic,” the Ministry of Culture said, referencing some of the ancient civilizations from the peninsula.
Pakistani religio-political party relocates pro-Gaza march after Red Zone sealed in Islamabad
- Jamaat-e-Islami shifts Gaza march to Expressway after initially planning to rally outside the US embassy
- JI leaders promise a ‘sea of people’ in Islamabad, urge government not to block roads across the city
ISLAMABAD: A popular Pakistani religio-political party shifted its Gaza Solidarity March from outside the United States embassy to Expressway between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, its spokesperson confirmed Sunday, after authorities sealed all routes to the Red Zone in the federal capital that houses embassies and sensitive government buildings.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) announced to organize the march toward the US diplomatic mission in Islamabad during its recent rallies in Karachi, Lahore and other Pakistani cities to protest Washington’s support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The party has also given a call for a nationwide strike against Israel’s war on April 22.
“JI will now hold the Gaza March on Islamabad Expressway near Zero Point, where a stage will be set up at the H-8 overhead bridge, and the party chief, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, along with other central leaders, will address the gathering,” Aamir Baloch, the JI spokesperson for foreign media, said in a statement.
He promised “a sea of people” in Islamabad as the march to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza proceeded.
“We urge the government to refrain from underhand tactics and ensure all routes remain open,” he told Arab News in response to a question about road closures across Islamabad.
The Islamabad administration issued a traffic advisory earlier in the day, saying all roads to the Red Zone had been closed except for two entry points.
“Containers are placed at all major Red Zone access points, including D-Chowk,” the administration said in a statement. “Only Margalla Road and Bari Imam gates are open.”
Responding to these developments, the JI general secretary, Amirul Azeem, said in a video message his party’s march would remain peaceful like its recent demonstrations in other parts of the country.
“The government of Pakistan has decided to stop this march,” he said. “I request the people of Pakistan to actively participate in it.”
Pakistan does not maintain diplomatic ties with Israel and has consistently condemned its military actions in Gaza, particularly the killing of thousands of unarmed Palestinian women and children. Islamabad has also urged the resumption of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory and called for renewed negotiations aimed at a two-state solution.
It has long supported the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has killed over 51,000 people and injured more than 116,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
De Bruyne ‘surprised’ over Man City exit
- Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he was “a bit surprised” to be told his glittering Manchester City career will finish at the end of this season
LONDON: Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he was “a bit surprised” to be told his glittering Manchester City career will finish at the end of this season.
De Bruyne recently announced he will leave the Etihad Stadium once the current campaign is over, bringing the curtain down on a memorable era in Manchester for the Belgian midfielder.
The 33-year-old arrived from German club Wolfsburg in 2015 and has been instrumental in City’s incredible success during boss Pep Guardiola’s reign.
De Bruyne has won six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and the 2023 Champions League — which capped an incredible treble-winning season.
Guardiola hinted it was his decision to end De Bruyne’s stay after the playmaker’s struggles with injuries and inconsistent form over the last two seasons.
City have dipped dramatically this term, surrendering their four-year spell as champions and were reduced to focussing on the battle to qualify for the Champions League.
But De Bruyne admitted he was shocked not to receive a new contract offer because he believes he can still shine at the highest level.
“I have not had any offer the whole year, they just took a decision,” he said after City’s 2-0 win at Everton on Saturday.
“Obviously, I was a bit surprised but I just have to accept it. Honestly I still think I can perform at this level like I’m showing but I understand clubs have to make decisions.
“Maybe if the team didn’t struggle and I came back like I did this year and bedded in like normal then maybe they take another decision.”
De Bruyne said he has not made any decisions about his future as he is concentrating on the race to secure a top-five spot to extend City’s run in the Champions League into a 15th successive season.
He has already been linked with moves to Major League Soccer in the United States but he hasn’t ruled out staying in the Premier League or joining a major European club.
“I feel like I still have a lot to give. Obviously I know I’m not 25 any more but I still feel like I can do my job,” he said.
“I’m open for anything. I have to look at the whole picture. I’m looking at sporting, family, everything together, what makes the most sense for me and my family.
“I like to compete. That’s what I feel so I can’t say that I want to quit because I still feel that whenever I’m in training I want to beat the guys.
“I feel like I’m doing really well and that’s why I’ve also played a lot lately.”
De Bruyne applauded off at Goodison Park after Saturday’s win, with his performance a bright spot in another spluttering City display.
“It’s something really rare to come out and get an applause from another team so I just want to say thank you to them. I think they appreciate the way that I play,” he said.
