Turkish research ship returns to port after Mediterranean survey

The research vessel Oruc Reis, which returned to port after its gas exploration activities in the disputed waters of eastern Mediterranean, is seen off the coast of Antalya in this Aug. 12, 2020 file photo. (AFP)
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Updated 01 December 2020
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Turkish research ship returns to port after Mediterranean survey

  • Ankara still maintains it has rights in the area due to its long Mediterranean coastline

ANKARA: A Turkish seismic survey vessel returned to port from its gas exploration activities in the disputed waters of eastern Mediterranean on Monday morning, in a last-minute “goodwill gesture” to open room for negotiation with Greece and Cyprus in the coming days.

The presence of the Oruc Reis in the area since Aug. 10, where it has explored for potential natural gas reserves, has been at the heart of a dispute between Ankara, the EU and US.
EU leaders will decide during a Dec. 10-11 summit potential sanctions over Ankara’s activities, which Greece has called a “direct threat to peace.”
The vessel was spotted sailing just seven miles off the coast of the Greek island of Kastellorizo on Thursday.
However, Ankara still maintains that it has rights in the region due to its long Mediterranean coastline. Tensions escalated back in August when Turkey sent the vessel into waters also claimed by Greece, which has so far rejected any talks with Turkey over its maritime claims as long as the Oruc Reis remained in the area.
The Turkish Energy Ministry also announced that the ship had collected “2D seismic data of 10.955 kilometers” (7,000 miles) during its excursion.
Gallia Lindenstrauss, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, said the Oruc Reis’s return to port was likely linked to the coming meeting of the European Council as an attempt to alleviate the situation and avoid sanctions, rather than a sign of genuine desire for negotiations.
“The decision whether or not to impose sanctions on Turkey depends very much on the position of Germany. As there are strong economic ties between Turkey and Germany and also a very large Turkish diaspora in Germany, Berlin has tried to mediate between Ankara and Athens,” she told Arab News.
Lindenstrauss added, though, that two incidents may have shattered some of the goodwill toward Ankara in Berlin.
“The first was the re-sending in October of the Oruc Reis to what Greece sees as its economic waters, while German mediation efforts were in play. The second, at the end of November, was the strong negative reaction of Ankara to what happened when a German navy crew searched a Turkish cargo ship on suspicion that it violated the arms embargo on Libya, as Berlin thought the search was completely legal under the mandate of the Irini operation,” she said.
Last week, the European Parliament called for sanctions against Turkey over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Northern Cyprus, and Turkey’s continuing operations in the Eastern Mediterranean, which Brussels says are illegal.

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Gallia Lindenstrauss, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, said the Oruc Reis’s return to port was likely linked to the coming meeting of the European Council as an attempt to alleviate the situation and avoid sanctions, rather than a sign of genuine desire for negotiations.

During his daily press conference on Monday, Peter Stano, the lead spokesperson for the external affairs of the EU, said Brussels could not take steps based on a single statement or move, and added that the manners and statements given throughout this period would be taken into account w during the summit.
“It is a cat and mouse game,” said Fiona Mullen, director of Cyprus-based Sapienta Economics.
“We can assume that the EU expected Oruc Reis to return to port before the summit. But there has been no change on Varosha or the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone, so the EU will have to word the conclusions carefully to make sure any threat of sanctions remains credible,” she told Arab News.
According to Charles Ellinas, a senior fellow and energy expert at the Atlantic Council, given what happened in September when Oruc Reis was pulled back, only to return mid-October after the special European Council meeting on Oct. 1, it is difficult to take this new development at face value.
“Based on the previous experience, it looks as if Oruc Reis’ return to base may be linked to the forthcoming European Council meeting on Dec. 10, which will consider EU sanctions on Turkey. This time round, though, the EU may not take the bait. Sanctions are still likely,” he told Arab News.
Sanctions that specifically target hydrocarbon-related areas of Turkey’s economy are likely to be taken during the summit, experts note.
“The EU will also demand firmer commitments from Turkey — to stop activities in the disputed areas to enable resumption of discussions with Greece,” Ellinas said.
However, the withdrawal of Oruc Reis may also be linked to the change of presidency in the US.
“Erdogan has already started making conciliatory remarks towards the US and the EU — such as ‘Turkey is part of Europe’ and ‘Turkey-US relations are of a strategic nature,’ following Joe Biden’s election,” Ellinas said.
But, the energy expert added, remarks alone may not be enough.
“There will be a need for a reset and a willingness by Turkey to cease aggression and return to diplomacy and negotiations, without the threat of intimidation,” he said.


UN suspends all trips into Houthi-held areas of Yemen over staffers being detained

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UN suspends all trips into Houthi-held areas of Yemen over staffers being detained

  • The statement comes after the Houthis detained UN staffers
DUBAI: The United Nations on Friday suspended all travel into areas held by Yemen’s Houthi rebels after more of their staff were detained by the rebels.
The statement comes after the Houthis detained UN staffers, as well as individuals associated with the once-open US Embassy in Sanaa and aid groups.
“Yesterday, the de facto authorities in Sanaa detained additional UN personnel working in areas under their control,” the UN statement read. “To ensure the security and safety of all its staff, the United Nations has suspended all official movements into and within areas under the de facto authorities’ control.”
The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge the UN’s decision, which came as they have been trying to deescalate their attacks on shipping and Israel after a ceasefire was reached in the Israel-Hamas war.
US President Donald Trump separately has moved to reinstate a terrorism designation he made on the group late in his first term that had been revoked by President Joe Biden, potentially setting the stage for new tensions with the rebels.
The Houthis earlier this week said they would limit their attacks on ships in the Red Sea corridor and released the 25-member crew of the Galaxy Leader, a ship they seized back in November 2023.

Israel building military installations in Golan demilitarized zone

Updated 41 min 37 sec ago
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Israel building military installations in Golan demilitarized zone

  • UN: Israeli construction along Area of Separation is ‘severe violation’ of 1974 ceasefire agreement
  • Israeli forces have been operating in southern Syria since fall of Assad regime in December

LONDON: The Israeli military is building installations in the demilitarized zone between the occupied Golan Heights and Syria, satellite images published by the BBC have revealed.

Israeli forces moved into the Area of Separation agreed in the 1974 ceasefire with Syria, crossing the so-called Alpha Line following the fall of the Assad regime in December.

The satellite images, taken on Tuesday, show construction work and trucks around 600 meters inside the Area of Separation, including a track linking the site to another Israeli-administered road in the area.

Footage obtained by a drone operated by a Syrian journalist on Monday also identified excavators and bulldozers at the location.

The Israeli military told the BBC that its “forces are operating in southern Syria, within the buffer zone and at strategic points, to protect the residents of northern Israel.”

The UN Disengagement Observer Force has said Israeli construction along the Area of Separation is “a severe violation” of the 1974 ceasefire agreement.

Jeremy Binnie, Middle East specialist at defense intelligence company Janes, told the BBC: “The photo shows what appear to be four prefabricated guard posts that they will presumably crane into position in the corners, so this is somewhere they are planning to maintain at least an interim presence.”

It is not the first time that the BBC has identified Israeli forces inside the Area of Separation. Soldiers were spotted near the town of Majdal Shams, around 5.5 km from the new site, while satellite pictures taken in November found a trench being dug by Israeli personnel along the Alpha Line near the town of Jubata Al-Khashab.


Hamas says to provide names of 4 Israeli hostages on Friday for next swap

Updated 37 min 11 sec ago
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Hamas says to provide names of 4 Israeli hostages on Friday for next swap

  • Four Israeli women hostages to be freed on Saturday as part of a second release
  • Hamas has not released definitive information on how many captives are still alive or the names of those who have died

CAIRO: A senior Hamas official told AFP that his group will provide on Friday the names of four Israeli women hostages to be freed the following day as part of a second release under the ceasefire with Israel.
“Today, Hamas will provide the names of four hostages as part of the second prisoner exchange,” said Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’s political bureau based in Doha.
“Tomorrow, Saturday, the four women hostages will be released in exchange for a group of Palestinian prisoners, as agreed upon in the ceasefire deal.”
Naim also said that once the exchange takes place, war-displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza will be able to begin returning to the north of the territory.
“An Egyptian-Qatari committee will oversee the implementation of this part of the agreement on the ground,” he said.
“The displaced will return from the south to the north via Al-Rashid Road, as Israeli forces are expected to withdraw from there in accordance with the agreement.”
The ceasefire agreement was brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States after months of intense negotiations.
The truce, the second in the more than 15 months of war, began on Sunday, with the first three hostages released in exchange for around 90 Palestinian prisoners.
The war between Hamas and Israel broke out after the militants’ deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
During the attack, militants took 251 hostages, 91 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military has confirmed are deceased.
The first truce, implemented in late November 2023, lasted just one week but involved the release of 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.
Since then, Israel’s retaliatory response has killed at least 47,283 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry, figures which the UN considers are reliable.


Iraqi president calls for more global action on desertification

Updated 24 January 2025
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Iraqi president calls for more global action on desertification

  • Iraq is the world’s fifth most vulnerable country to climate change

DAVOS: Iraq’s President Abdul Latif Rashid has called for more action on desertification, amid global concerns of land degradation that has affected agricultural productivity, caused pollution in waterways and resulted in increased frequency of droughts.

“We attend many conferences, joined many groups for solving desertification but unfortunately the actual achievement has been very little to show for. I appeal to you, once we make decisions for decreasing desertification, let us act on it,” Rashid said on Friday.

Speaking during a World Economic Forum panel “On Firmer Ground with Land Restoration,” the Iraqi leader told participants that land restoration was not just an environmental imperative but also a moral duty.

“In Iraq, we face the consequences of environmental challenges. Nearly 40 percent of our land is affected by desertification, and our water resources essential for agriculture and livelihood are under severe strain. These problems are made worse by climate change, rising temperatures, reduced river flows from our neighboring countries,” the president, a British-educated engineer, said.

Iraq is the world’s fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, and there are grave concerns regarding water and food security, according to the UN.

The depletion of water resources and the spread of desertification are exacerbating Iraq’s problems, leading to conditions including scorching temperatures exceeding 50°C — recorded in 2023 — coupled with water scarcity, desertification and reduced rainfall, the global body said.

Government figures show that desertification has ravaged 71 percent of the nation’s arable land, with an additional 10,000 hectares becoming barren each year. This degradation has reduced the amount of cultivable land to just 1.4 million hectares and has led to a 70 percent decline in agricultural output.

“Iraq is taking bold and good steps to combat these challenges,” according to Rashid, who was the Iraqi minister of water resources from 2003-2010.

One of these steps was the implementation of a 10-year program to combat desertification that prioritizes reforestation, soil preservation and sustainable agricultural practice, Rashid said.

Iraq needs to plant 15 billion trees to combat desertification, establish forests and reduce greenhouse gases, its agriculture ministry said, considering the country’s forest area is only 8,250 sq km, or just 2 percent of its total area.

“We are establishing a buffer zone around our cities to prevent desertification by planting native and drought-resistant vegetation. These efforts are not just environmental but economic. Land restoration is integral to Iraq’s long-term economic plan … (our) development particularly in agriculture, energy and water security,” Rashid said.

“Additionally, we are promoting smart agriculture, diversifying crops, encouraging organic and regenerating farming and mandating sustainable land use practices through legislation,” the Iraqi leader added.

“Sustainable development is key to growth without compromising our environmental health.”

The Iraqi leader also emphasized the need for cross-border cooperation and collaboration with its neighbors — Turkiye and Iran — particularly on water resource matters.

“Iraq is engaged with negotiations in upstream countries including Turkiye and Iran to secure (an) equitable water-sharing agreement for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. These negotiations are essential for the future of our region,” he said.

Turkish and Iranian dams upstream on the shared Tigris and Euphrates rivers are cutting Iraq off from much-needed water relief. It is estimated that Turkiye’s various dam and hydropower construction projects have reduced Iraq’s water supply along the two rivers by 80 percent since 1975.

Meanwhile, Iran’s development push has led to the proliferation of dams, impacting Iraq, to about 647 in 2018 from only 316 in 2012.

“Iraq is working with many international organizations to adopt climate resilient agriculture … gaining access to expertise for funding need to succeed. Ultimately, we know that lasting solutions require local actions; mobilizing communities is at the heart of our strategy,” Rashid said.


UN denounces Israel’s use of ‘war fighting’ methods in West Bank

Updated 58 min 3 sec ago
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UN denounces Israel’s use of ‘war fighting’ methods in West Bank

  • ‘We are deeply concerned by the use of unlawful lethal force in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank’
  • UN rights office verified that at least 12 Palestinians had been killed and 40 injured by Israeli security forces since Tuesday

GENEVA: The United Nations voiced serious concerns Friday over the Israeli military’s use of force during its raid this week in the West Bank, including methods “developed for war fighting.”

The Israeli military this week launched a raid in the Jenin area, a hotbed of Palestinian militancy, days into a ceasefire in its war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“We are deeply concerned by the use of unlawful lethal force in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank,” UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan told a media briefing in Geneva.

“The deadly Israeli operations in recent days raise serious concerns about unnecessary or disproportionate use of force, including methods and means developed for war fighting, in violation of international human rights law, norms and standards applicable to law enforcement operations.

“This includes multiple airstrikes and apparently random shooting at unarmed residents attempting to flee or find safety.”

UN human rights chief Volker Turk has called for Israel to adopt and enforce rules of engagement that are fully in line with applicable human rights norms.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the objective of the operation, dubbed “Iron Wall,” was to “eradicate terrorism” in the area.

Kheetan said the UN rights office had verified that at least 12 Palestinians had been killed and 40 injured by Israeli security forces since Tuesday, adding that most of them were reportedly unarmed.

He called for all killings in a law enforcement context to be thoroughly and independently investigated.

“Those responsible for unlawful killings must be held to account,” the spokesman added.

Kheetan said that following the Gaza ceasefire announcement, Israeli settlers in the West Bank had been “attacking Palestinian villages and stoning vehicles,” with houses and cars torched.

“We are also concerned by repeated comments from some Israeli officials about plans to expand settlements further still, in a fresh breach of international law. We recall again that the transfer by Israel of its own civilian population into territories it occupies also amounts to a war crime,” he said.

“We call for an immediate end to the violence in the West Bank. We also call on all parties, including third States with influence, to do everything in their power to ensure peace is achieved in the region.”