Taha stressed the ICCIA’s role in encouraging economic growth in its member states
Updated 19 July 2023
Arab News
RIYADH: Hissein Brahim Taha, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, has encouraged the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture to focus on launching programs to boost small, medium, and micro firms and help aid digitization, investment and tourism.
His comments came during the 35th meeting of the board of directors of the ICCIA which took place on July 17-18 in Baku, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Taha stressed the ICCIA’s role in encouraging economic growth in its member states by promoting inter-trade and investment, agriculture, rural development, food security, tourism, Islamic financial services, infrastructure development, and women and youth employment.
The secretary-general also urged the board of directors to review and approve various agricultural programs and projects, in addition to the recommendations that will be submitted to the OIC’s Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development, which will be held in Doha in October.
The meeting focused on proposals and projects in the fields of investment, tourism, the halal industry, and capacity building that will be presented to the ICCIA’s General Assembly for certification.
It also resulted in the signing of a memorandum of intent with four Azerbaijani partner institutions to hold a halal forum in Baku.
Ukraine’s Zelensky tells UN Russia must be forced into peace
Updated 2 sec ago
Zelensky has sought the support of Western leaders for what he calls a “victory plan” to end the war “This war can’t be calmed by talks. Action is needed,” Zelensky said, thanking nations who have provided Ukraine support
UNITED NATIONS: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that the war between Russia and Ukraine cannot be calmed by talks alone, but that Russia must be forced into peace. Zelensky has sought the support of Western leaders for what he calls a “victory plan” to end the war that began when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of his country in February 2022. Zelensky said the war would end one day but not because “someone got tired of the war” or through a trade with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a reference to proposals that Ukraine cede some territory seized by Russia to settle the conflict. “This war can’t be calmed by talks. Action is needed,” Zelensky said, thanking nations who have provided Ukraine support. “Putin has broken so many international norms and rules that he won’t stop on his own, Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what’s needed, forcing Russia into peace, as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the UN Charter,” Zelensky said. Ukraine faces an uncertain future. A victory by former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 US election could prompt a reset of Washington’s policy on Ukraine, which relies heavily on US military and financial support. Opinion polls show a tight race. Zelensky has said that if his plan is backed by the West, it will have a broad impact on Moscow, including a psychological one that could help compel Putin to end the war diplomatically. Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia spoke up at the meeting to reject the council hosting Zelensky. “Western countries could not refrain from poisoning the atmosphere once again, trying to fill the air time with the hackneyed Ukrainian issue,” Nebenzia said of the meeting. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the 15-member council that Russia’s war in Ukraine was a clear violation of the founding UN Charter. “I strongly condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian facilities – wherever they occur and whoever is responsible. They all must stop immediately,” he said. “And I remain deeply concerned about the safety, humanitarian needs and basic human rights of people residing in occupied areas.”
Why Israel’s assault on Lebanon’s Hezbollah puts Iran’s IRGC in an unprecedented dilemma
Since Hamas chief Haniyeh was killed in Tehran in July, there has been intense speculation about a direct conflict between Israel and Iran
Now with the situation in Lebanon rapidly escalating, the IRGC is under mounting pressure to come to the aid of its Hezbollah allies
Updated 2 min 19 sec ago
Robert Edwards
LONDON: As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, global attention is glued to the latest escalation taking place in the Middle East between Israel and Hezbollah, which has brought the region yet another step closer to all-out war.
On Monday, nearly 500 people, including 35 children, were killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, according to the country’s Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it had hit about 1,600 Hezbollah targets, killing a “large number” of militants.
Further strikes were carried out on Tuesday, making these the deadliest attacks Israel has carried out on Lebanon since the 2006 war.
The Israeli strikes came less than a week after coordinated sabotage attacks targeting Hezbollah’s communication devices killed 39 people and wounded almost 3,000. Hezbollah has responded with fresh rocket attacks deep into Israeli territory.
On Monday, nearly 500 people, including 35 children, were killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon. (AFP)
There are now fears of a looming Israeli ground offensive into southern Lebanon.
“Although a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah is a real possibility, both parties still prefer a diplomatic solution,” Hanin Ghaddar, the Friedmann Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute’s Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics, wrote in Foreign Policy this week.
“Israel is trying to keep its attacks targeted, and Hezbollah is trying hard not to provoke Israel or be forced to use and waste its most valuable military assets — namely, precision missiles — which Iran regards as an insurance policy.”
Indeed, much of what happens next hinges on how Hezbollah’s key backer, Iran, chooses to respond.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced the UN’s “inaction” against Israel, describing it as “senseless and incomprehensible,” amid surging tensions across the Middle East.
People gather at the site of an Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs. (Reuters)
“In my meeting with the Secretary General of the United Nations, I said the UN inaction against the crimes of the occupying regime is senseless and incomprehensible,” Pezeshkian said in a post on social media platform X.
“I expressed my deep concern about the spread of the conflict in the entire Middle East,” he added.
Earlier, Pezeshkian told CNN that Iran’s ally Hezbollah “cannot stand alone against a country that is being defended and supported and supplied by Western countries, by European countries and the US.”
He called on the international community to “not allow Lebanon to become another Gaza,” in response to a question on whether Iran would use its influence with Hezbollah to urge restraint.
Iran understands better than any other nation, perhaps, the meaning of the word “restraint.”
There are now fears of a looming Israeli ground offensive into southern Lebanon. (AP)
Despite intense speculation about a direct military conflict between Iran and Israel following the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, there remains little sign that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps intends to exact revenge for the humiliation.
Now with the situation in Lebanon rapidly escalating, the IRGC may have little option but to come to the aid of its Hezbollah allies, if only to protect a regional asset that has long been seen as its insurance policy against a pre-emptive Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear program.
“President Pezeshkian doesn’t really speak for the IRGC or the hard side of Iranian power,” Paul Salem, vice president for international engagement at the Middle East Institute, told Bloomberg Television on Tuesday.
Israel’s advanced missile defense systems make a successful large-scale Iranian attack unlikely. (AP)
“It’s often the case in Iran that they send soft messages in one area and hard messages in another. But it is also true that Iran does not want Hezbollah to go into an all-out war with Israel. It wants to preserve Hezbollah as a long-term deterrent for Iran itself, not for Hamas or anything related to the Palestinian issue.
“I think it’s trying to calm the situation, de-escalate the situation. I doubt very much that they would join any escalation of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. I think they will keep their powder dry and to avoid being dragged into it, although they would certainly try to resupply and support Hezbollah.”
On Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denounced the UN’s “inaction” against Israel. (AP)
The IRGC’s avoidance of a direct conflict with Israel appears to be rooted in a complex web of strategic, military, and political considerations.
While Iran faces pressure to respond to Israeli provocations, the risks of escalation, the deterrent power of the US military, internal political and economic challenges, and the benefits of proxy warfare have all likely contributed to Tehran’s cautious approach.
As long as these dynamics remain in place, Iran is likely to continue relying on its proxies and asymmetric warfare, rather than risking an all-out war with Israel.
INNUMBERS
• 558 People killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Monday and Tuesday, including at least 50 children and 94 women, and a further 1,835 injured, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
One of the primary reasons for the IRGC’s hesitancy to engage directly with Israel is the fear of sparking a broader conflict. Iran is acutely aware that any significant military action could result in severe retaliation not only from Israel but potentially from the US as well.
Moreover, Israeli military superiority is a major consideration. Israel’s advanced missile defense systems, such as the Iron Dome and the David’s Sling, make a successful large-scale Iranian attack unlikely.
The IRGC may have little option but to come to the aid of its Hezbollah allies. (AFP)
Past experiences, such as Israel’s interception of Iranian drones and missiles in April, highlight the difficulties Iran faces in overcoming Israeli defenses. The Iranian leadership, particularly the IRGC, understands that a failed or underwhelming attack would further embarrass the regime and weaken its regional standing.
Instead of engaging in direct military action, Iran has perfected the use of proxy warfare to counter Israeli influence. Tehran’s network of proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and various Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, allows it to strike at Israeli interests while maintaining plausible deniability.
This strategy minimizes the risks of a direct confrontation with Israel and the US, while still enabling Iran to project power and influence in the region.
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish children watch as smoke billows following rocket fire from Lebanon into Israel. (Reuters)
By relying on proxies, Iran can avoid the full consequences of a direct attack on Israel. This approach allows Tehran to engage in a shadow war, in which it can exert pressure on Israel without provoking a broader military response.
Proxy warfare also allows Iran to maintain its regional clout without overstretching its own military capabilities.
Iran is keenly aware of the shifting geopolitical landscape, particularly with the upcoming US presidential election and ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza. Iranian leaders may believe that a direct attack on Israel could undermine their diplomatic efforts and isolate the country further on the international stage.
Iran is keenly aware of the shifting geopolitical landscape, particularly with the upcoming US presidential election and ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza. (AFP)
Tehran is also cautious about giving former US President Donald Trump a reason to re-enter the political fray. Many in Iran’s leadership see Trump as a dangerous adversary, whose return to power could spell the end of any diplomatic progress made under the administration of Joe Biden.
So, if the IRGC is not prepared to risk all-out war with Israel, how is Hezbollah likely to respond? In a thread posted on X, Michael Young, senior editor at the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center, said the militia has little option but to negotiate.
“There is much talk of Israel wanting an all-out war in Lebanon. In fact, what we’re seeing today was long expected for when Israel redeployed its troops to the north. We’re in an escalation to affect the outcome of negotiations, not to provoke an all-out war,” he said.
A woman who fled from southern Lebanon sits inside a shelter in Beirut. (Reuters)
“The Israelis are effectively telling Hezbollah: If you want an all-out war, then go ahead and provoke one, and you will be responsible for Lebanon’s destruction. But if you don’t want one, you will have to keep up with our escalations, which you cannot do.
“Hezbollah tried to ‘keep up’ (on Monday) by bombing northern Israel, to underline that no Israeli would return to the north for as long as the Gaza war continued. Israel today is replying that it will depopulate large parts of the south and Beqaa in response to this effort.
“But all this must be understood as preparations for negotiations.”
Biden calls for end to Gaza war during final UN address
President calls for 2-state solution, warns against escalation on Israeli-Lebanese border
Biden demands end to Sudan’s civil war, discusses ending US occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan
Updated 24 September 2024
Benedict Spence
LONDON: US President Joe Biden called for an end to the war in Gaza in his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, adding that the world is at “another inflection point in history.”
Addressing the annual meeting of world leaders and dignitaries for the fourth and final time, the outgoing president called for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, warned against an escalation in violence on the Lebanese border, touched upon the need for conflict resolution in Sudan, and talked up the need for international cooperation to tackle issues such as poverty, war and climate change.
“I know many look at the world today and see difficulties and react with despair, but I don’t, I won’t,” he said.
“As leaders, we don’t have the luxury. I recognize the challenges, from Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan and beyond: war, hunger, terrorism, brutality, record, displacement of people, climate crisis, democracy at risk.”
Biden, 81, told the UNGA that his administration is working “to bring a greater measure of stability to the Middle East,” adding that the world “shouldn’t flinch from the horrors” of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, but that neither should it accept the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
“Terrorists invaded a sovereign state, slaughtering and massacring more than 1,200 people — including 46 Americans — in their homes and at a music festival.
“Despicable acts of sexual violence, 250 innocents taken hostage. I’ve met with the families of those hostages. I’ve grieved with them. They’re going through hell,” he said.
“Innocent civilians in Gaza are also going through hell: thousands and thousands killed, including aid workers. Too many families dislocated, crowding into tents, facing a dire humanitarian situation. They didn’t ask for this war that Hamas started.
“I put forward, with Qatar and Egypt, a ceasefire and hostage deal. It has been endorsed by the UN Security Council. Now is the time for the parties to finalize its terms, bring the hostages home and secure security for Israel and Gaza, free of Hamas, ease the suffering in Gaza and end this war.”
Biden added: “Since Oct. 7, we’ve also been determined to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire region. Hezbollah, unprovoked, joined the Oct. 7 attack, launching rockets into Israel. Almost a year later, too many on each side of the Israeli-Lebanon border remain displaced.
“Full-scale war isn’t in anyone’s interest; even in a situation that has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible. In fact, it remains the only path to lasting security, to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes and the border safely.
“And that’s what we’re working tirelessly to achieve as we look ahead, to address the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians in the West Bank, and set the conditions for a better future, including a two-state solution, where the world, where Israel, enjoys security and peace and full recognition, and normalizes relations with all its neighbors, (and) where Palestinians live in security, dignity and self-determination in a state of their own.”
Biden said: “Progress toward peace will put us in a stronger position to deal with the ongoing threat posed by Iran. Together, we must deny oxygen to its terrorist proxies, which have called for more Oct. 7s, and ensure that Iran will never, ever obtain a nuclear weapon.”
He also called for an end to the civil war in Sudan. “Gaza isn’t the only conflict that deserves our outrage,” he said.
“In Sudan, a bloody civil war unleashed one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Eight million (people are) on the brink of famine, hundreds of thousands are already there. Atrocities in Darfur and elsewhere.
“The US has led the world in providing humanitarian aid to Sudan and with our partners, who have led diplomatic talks to try to silence the guns and abort and avert a wider famine, the world needs to stop arming the generals, to speak with one voice and tell them, ‘Stop tearing your country apart. Stop blocking aid to the Sudanese people. End this war now.’”
Biden discussed how the conflicts the US entered at the start of the century in Iraq and Afghanistan had been drawn to a close on his watch as president.
“We were attacked on 9/11 by Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. We brought him justice. Then I came to the presidency in another moment, in a crisis and uncertainty. I believed America had to look forward: New challenges, new threats, new opportunities were in front of us.
“We need to put ourselves in a position to see the threats, to deal with the challenges and to seize the opportunities as well. We need to end the era of war that began on 9/11.
“As vice president to President (Barack) Obama, he asked me to work to wind down the military operations in Iraq, and we did, painful as it was.
“When I came to office as president, Afghanistan had replaced Vietnam as America’s longest war. I was determined to end it, and I did. It was a hard decision, but the right decision.”
Three killed, two wounded in Russian attacks on east Ukrainian towns
An artillery strike on the strategic hub of Pokrovsk hit a residential area and killed two
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians
Updated 24 September 2024
Reuters
KYIV: Russian attacks on two towns in Ukraine’s east killed three people and wounded two more, regional authorities said.
An artillery strike on the strategic hub of Pokrovsk hit a residential area and killed two middle-aged men, according to Donetsk regional prosecutors.
Russia has long been pressing on the Pokrovsk front and stepped up its assaults in recent months, getting as close to its outskirts as 8 kilometers (5 miles).
Earlier in the day, Russian guided aerial bombs damaged two unspecified infrastructure facilities in Kostiantynivka, the Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin said on Telegram. One person was killed and two wounded, he added.
Kostiantynivka lies some 12 km from Chasiv Yar, a town on high ground where Ukrainian forces are attempting to stave off Russian westward advances.
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians, although thousands have been killed since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. It says its strikes on infrastructure are legitimate and aimed at reducing Ukraine’s ability to fight.
Sri Lanka’s new leader appoints the first female prime minister in 24 years
The last woman to serve as prime minister, the second most-powerful position after the president, was Sirimavo Bandaranaike
She was also the world’s first female head of government when she took up the post in 1960, and served three terms until 2000
Updated 24 September 2024
AP
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday swore in an opposition lawmaker as his prime minister, making her the country’s first woman to head the government in 24 years.
Harini Amarasuriya, 54, a university lecturer and activist, comes from a similar background as Dissanayake and both are members of the Marxist-leaning National People’s Power coalition.
His victory in Saturday’s election over ex-President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa came as Sri Lankans rejected the old political guard whom they blamed for pushing the country into an unprecedented economic crisis.
The last woman to serve as prime minister, the second most-powerful position after the president, was Sirimavo Bandaranaike. She was also the world’s first female head of government when she took up the post in 1960, and served three terms until 2000.
Dissanayake’s first major challenge will be to act on his campaign promise to ease the crushing austerity measures imposed by his predecessor Wickremesinghe under a relief agreement with the International Monetary Fund, after Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt.
Wickremesinghe has warned that any move to alter the basics of the bailout agreement could delay the release of a fourth tranche of nearly $3 billion.
Sri Lanka’s crisis was largely the result of staggering economic mismanagement combined with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which along with 2019 terrorism attacks devastated its important tourism industry.
Sri Lanka’s politics have mostly been dominated by men since the island nation introduced universal suffrage in 1931. It’s a trend seen in most countries globally — in 2023, a Pew Research Center analysis found only 13 of the 193 member states of the United Nations had women as the head of government.
Bandaranaike’s younger daughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga, later became the country’s first and only female president, holding office from 1994 to 2005.