JERUSALEM: President Mahmoud Abbas indicated on Thursday that he supports delaying the first Palestinian elections in 15 years.
The decision would likely spare Abbas’s Fatah party an embarrassing defeat and be quietly welcomed by Israel and Western countries.
Speaking at the start of a meeting of Palestinian factions to decide the issue, Abbas focused his remarks on the voting in east Jerusalem, where Israel has yet to say whether it would allow voting by mail as in past elections and has enforced a ban on Palestinian Authority activities, including campaign events.
“We will take the proper decision to preserve all our rights in east Jerusalem, our eternal capital, including the right to hold parliamentary elections there,” he said in a lengthy speech before the closed-door part of the gathering.
A final decision is expected late Thursday or early Friday.
Cancelling or postponing the vote over Jerusalem could be seen as a pretext, as only a small number of voters in the city would actually require Israel’s permission and several candidates have suggested workarounds.
Abbas said the Palestinian Authority has repeatedly sought assurances from Israel and called on the European Union to exert pressure, to no avail. He said it received a letter from Israel on Thursday saying it could not take a position on the elections because it does not yet have a government of its own following last month’s elections.
The Islamic militant group Hamas, which stands to gain influence in the elections, had earlier rejected the idea of postponing them, saying the Palestinians should explore ways of “forcing the elections in Jerusalem without the permission of or coordination with the occupation.”
It also issued a veiled warning to Abbas without mentioning him by name, saying Hamas “will not be party to any postponement or cancelation and will not provide cover.”
The responsibility for any such decision “will rest with those who take it in response to the veto of the occupation,” it said.
Hamas is expected to perform well in the May 22 parliamentary elections because of widening divisions within Fatah, which has split into three rival lists.
Israel has not said whether it will allow voting in east Jerusalem but has expressed concern about Hamas’ growing strength. Israel and Western countries view Hamas as a terrorist group and would likely boycott any Palestinian government that includes it.
Israel captured east Jerusalem, along with the West Bank and Gaza, in the 1967 war, territories the Palestinians want for their future state. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally and views the entire city as its capital, barring the Palestinian Authority from operating there. The Palestinians consider east Jerusalem their capital.
According to interim peace agreements reached in the 1990s — which were rejected by Hamas — some 6,000 Palestinians in east Jerusalem submit their ballots through Israeli post offices. The other 150,000 can vote with or without Israel’s permission.
Fatah has said the elections cannot be held without Israel giving express permission for east Jerusalem residents to vote. Its opponents have called for creative solutions, such as setting up ballot boxes in schools or religious sites.
But Abbas appeared to rule that out on Thursday, joking that the Palestinians would not vote in “the Hungarian Embassy.”
The dispute has taken on greater import since the start of the holy month of Ramadan, as Muslim protesters have clashed with Israeli police over restrictions on gatherings.
The elections, and a presidential vote planned for July 31, offer a rare opportunity for the Palestinians to empower a new leadership and potentially chart a different course in their stalled, decades-long struggle for independence.
The 85-year-old Abbas and his inner circle of Fatah figures, now in their 60s and 70s, have dominated the Palestinian Authority for nearly two decades. They have failed to advance Palestinian hopes for statehood, heal a 13-year internal rift with Hamas, lift the Israeli-Egyptian blockade of Gaza or empower a new generation of leaders.
The last elections, held in 2006, saw Hamas win a landslide victory after campaigning as a scrappy underdog untainted by corruption. That sparked an internal crisis culminating in Hamas’ seizure of Gaza the following year, which confined Abbas’ authority to parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Hamas’ popularity has fallen in the years since, as conditions in Gaza have steadily deteriorated. But it has remained unified and disciplined even as Fatah has split into three rival parliamentary lists.
Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist and has fought three wars with it since seizing control of Gaza. It has also carried out scores of attacks over the last three decades that have killed hundreds of Israeli civilians.
Palestinian leader indicates elections will be postponed
https://arab.news/r87m5
Palestinian leader indicates elections will be postponed
- Decision is likely spare Fatah party an embarrassing defeat and be welcomed by Israel and Western countries
- Israel has not said whether it will allow voting in east Jerusalem but expressed concern about Hamas' growing strength
Amina Muaddi promotes ‘fuzzy’ collection
DUBAI: Jordanian Romanian luxury shoe designer Amina Muaddi is busy promoting her winter drops, with K-Pop star Rose wearing her heels in a recent photo shoot.
Muaddi took to Instagram to reshare Rose’s posts, where the star is seen being photographed for her latest single, “Number One Girl,” wearing a Lupita crystal slipper in green.
The designer’s latest collection, titled Drop 24/25, launched in October. Over the weekend, she used Instagram to promote winter-friendly shoes including the Veneda stretch boot, the Anok bootie and the Lila slipper.
In September, Muaddi unveiled her latest heels on none other than Rihanna, as the singing star was spotted at Milan Fashion Week. Muaddi created a custom pair of Anok mules in a shade called butter satin and Rihanna attended shows by Ferragamo, The Attico and Gucci, wearing each of the brands as she sat in the front row. She also turned heads at the Dior show during Paris Fashion Week last month, while French Saudi model Amira Al-Zuhair graced the runway for Danish fashion label Ganni.
Muaddi, a regular at Dior fashion shows, opted for a classic white button-down shirt and a sleek black satin pencil skirt. She accessorized her look with a pair of dark round sunglasses and a small textured blue Dior handbag.
Since launching her eponymous footwear line in August 2018, Muaddi has attracted a loyal following of celebrities including Dua Lipa, Gigi Hadid, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber. Her brand, known for its distinctive footwear, bags and jewelry, has quickly become a favorite among the fashion elite.
Since the launch, Muaddi has enjoyed a series of successful events, notably her collaboration with Rihanna’s Fenty collection. Their partnership earned the Collaborator of the Year award at the 34th FN Achievement Awards in 2020.
A year later, Muaddi’s influence and success were further recognized when she was named one of Women’s Wear Daily and Footwear News’ 50 Most Powerful Women.
‘Foreign interference’ not behind Syria flareup: Turkiye
ANKARA: Turkiye, which backs militant factions in Syria, rejected Monday any suggestion that “foreign interference” was behind the offensive launched by Islamists in the country’s north.
“It would be a mistake at this time to try to explain the events in Syria by any foreign interference,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a joint press conference in Ankara with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
The recent flareup which saw Damascus losing swathes of territory in northwestern Syria, including Aleppo, during a lightning offensive by militants, was due to the government’s failure to engage in dialogue with armed opposition groups, he said.
“The lack of talks between [Damascus] and the opposition has brought the problem to this point,” he said, describing it as “a mistake to ignore the legitimate demands of the opposition.”
“Damascus must reconcile with its own people and the legitimate opposition,” he added.
Turkiye did “not want an escalation of the civil war,” said the minister who told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call Sunday that Ankara would support moves “to reduce tension” in Syria.
Araghchi said it was crucial “to protect the achievements of the Astana process” to end Syria’s civil war, which groups Ankara, Moscow and Tehran, and pledged to convene fresh ministerial talks in the Kazakh capital “soon.”
The last such meeting took place in mid-November.
“Syria must not become a center for terrorist groups,” warned Araghchi in reference to the militant factions that staged last week’s attack.
Fidan also said it was “important that terror organizations do not take advantage of the instability” although he was referring to Kurdish-led rebels that Ankara sees as an offshoot of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The PKK has led a led a decades-long insurgency against Turkiye.
Turkish troops and Turkiye-backed militant factions control much of northern Syria, and Ankara is concerned that the recent outbreak of fighting could swell the flow of people fleeing across the border.
“We don’t want civilians to be killed or cities bombarded or people being displaced. We want these displaced people to be able to go back. The flow of refugees must be reversed,” he said.
Turkiye is already hosting some 3.2 million Syrian refugees, according to UN data.
Syria’s Bashar Assad on Monday branded the Islamist-led offensive as a bid to redraw the map of the region in line with US interests in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian.
Both Iran and Russia, which have backed Assad since Syria’s civil war broke out in 2011, have said they will help Damascus fight back after losing Aleppo, with Tehran confirming it would keep its military advisers in Syria.
Traders welcome decision to keep Khunjerab Pass linking Pakistan, China open year-round
- High-altitude Khunjerab Pass is closed from Nov. 30 to Apr. 1 each year due to harsh weather
- This year, border crossing has been opened from Dec. 1 for all kinds of trade and transportation
KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: In a first, the high-altitude Khunjerab Pass, the only land-connected route between China and Pakistan and a major trade station between the two nations, will remain open year-round for all types of trade and transportation, officials confirmed on Monday, with businesses welcoming the move.
At over 4.600 meters above sea level, Khunjerab, which connects Gilgit-Baltistan with China’s Xinjiang region, is the highest paved international crossing in the world and an important gateway to South Asia and Europe.
The pass is located in the Karakoram and holds a significant strategic position on the northern border of Pakistan, specifically in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Hunza and Nagar Districts. China mainly imports textiles, agricultural products and daily commodities through the pass, and exports plants and herbs.
Due to high altitude and harsh weather conditions, the border was previously open only between April to November and remained closed from December to March. Last October, however, Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing that the pass would be converted into an all-weather border.
“The Government of the People’s Republic of China has formally concurred to the year-round opening of the Khunjerab Pass,” a latest notification from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
“Consequently, operation of the Khunjerab-Sost border crossing are hence forth expanded from 1st April – 30thNovember each year to year-round operation,” the statement said, instructing all relevant agencies and government departments to continue their operations at the port from Dec. 1.
Confirming the development, Faizullah Faraq, the spokesperson for the Gilgit-Baltistan regional government, said authorities were “utilizing all resources” to clear the roads of snow on the Pakistani side to ensure smooth functioning of trade and transport activities.
The Gilgit-Baltistan region in northern Pakistan, flanked by soaring mountain ranges and glaciers, is also a major tourist destination in the country.
“The year-round opening of the border will also help in the promotion of tourism,” Faraq added. “The economic engagement of people of both regions [China and Pakistan] is associated with this border. So the local economy will be uplifted.”
Speaking to Arab News, Muhammad Iqbal, the president of the GB Importers and Exporters Association, welcomed the decision.
“The historic decision to keep the border open for the whole season will help boost import and export trade, and commerce between Pakistan and China,” he said. “For traders, this decision will ensure uninterrupted access to the Chinese market. This route will also give access to Central Asian and other countries and people-to-people contact between Pakistan’s G-B and China’s Xinjiang province will be enhanced.”
Imran Ali, the president of the Gilgit-Baltistan Chamber of Commerce, said “new avenues of development” would be opened by keeping the border open throughout the year.
“More than 20,000 people, including traders and laborers, are associated with this border, and due to this decision, business activities will be increased and traders and locals will directly get benefits,” he added.
According to APP, Pakistan’s state-run news agency, Khunjerab Pass recorded over 50,000 inbound and outbound passengers between Apr. 1 and the end of October, while import and export cargo volume reached 40,900 tones, up 42.6 percent and 72.7 percent year-on-year respectively.
China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan. The two countries collaborate on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with more than $65 billion pledged for road, rail, and other infrastructure developments in the South Asian nation.
Two dead in attack on Sudan displacement camp: activists
- The Zamzam camp, south of the regional capital El-Fasher, was hit by heavy rocket and artillery fire from the RSF on Sunday morning
- Both sides face accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians, shelling residential areas, and blocking or looting aid
Port Sudan, Sudan: At least two people were killed when Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces attacked a camp for displaced people in the North Darfur region, activists said on Monday.
The Zamzam camp, south of the regional capital El-Fasher, was hit by heavy rocket and artillery fire from the RSF on Sunday morning, said the local resistance committee in El-Fasher.
The “indiscriminate” attack killed at least two people and wounded a dozen others, said the committee, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid in Sudan.
The northeast African country has been gripped by a war between the regular army and RSF that has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 11 million since April last year.
Both sides face accusations of war crimes, including targeting civilians, shelling residential areas, and blocking or looting aid.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, after visiting Sudan and neighboring Chad last week, called for immediate international action to address the crisis.
“It is a tough situation out there, the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world. And I’ve been talking to local people to host communities,” Fletcher said in a weekend statement.
Nearly 26 million people — about half the population — face the threat of mass starvation in Sudan as both warring sides have been accused of using hunger as a weapon of war.
“These numbers are staggering, and we cannot turn our backs,” Fletcher said.
Saudi Arabia establishes ‘Friends of the Chair’ group to advance COP16 outcomes
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia aims to secure concrete outcomes from COP16 by establishing a “Friends of the Chair” group tasked with drafting the Riyadh Policy Declaration, a key outcome document of the conference.
Osama Faqeeha, Saudi deputy minister of environment and adviser to the COP16 presidency, announced the formation of the group, emphasizing its role in shaping the conference’s ministerial declaration.
“The Friends of the Chair group will be facilitated by a group representing the COP presidency, and a report on the outcomes of its work will be submitted directly to me in my capacity as president,” Faqeeha said.
This initiative underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to ensuring collaborative and actionable results from the conference.
A Friends of the Chair group is an informal working body established during international conferences to assist in drafting key outcome documents or resolving complex issues. It is composed of representatives selected to support the conference presidency’s objectives.
Gender equality and sustainable land management were among the major themes discussed at COP16.
Hungary’s representative highlighted the critical importance of women in addressing challenges like desertification, land degradation, and drought, commending COP16 for its gender-focused initiatives.
“We particularly welcome the efforts made by the UNCCD secretariat and the global mechanism to promote gender equality and empowerment of all women in the implementation of the convention, considering the crucial role of women in reaching these objectives,” the Hungarian representative said.
Hungary’s remarks were part of broader discussions on pressing global issues, including drought resilience, sand and dust storms, and sustainable land use.
These conversations reflected a growing international consensus on the need for gender-inclusive approaches to climate resilience and sustainability.
Azerbaijan also contributed to the dialogue, emphasizing the importance of sustainable land management in achieving global climate and biodiversity targets, particularly those under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 15.
“SDG 15, target three, which aims to strive toward land degradation neutrality by 2030, is a driving force for many countries to strengthen policies for sustainable land management,” the representative said.
Azerbaijan further called for expanding the scope of the UNCCD to include all terrestrial ecosystems beyond the current focus on arid and semi-arid regions.
“We encourage UNCCD to take further actions to consider the full range of terrestrial ecosystems for the UNCCD to be fully recognized as a global document,” the representative added.
They also highlighted priorities like drought preparedness, wildfire management, and public-private partnerships to advance regional cooperation and sustainability.
Running from Dec. 2 to 13, the first few days of COP16 are set to see a number of high-profile summits, ministerial dialogues, and announcements to address the pressing challenges associated with land degradation, degradation and drought.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to be among the attendees, as is the President of the World Bank Ajay Banga.
