Al Joumhouria” News Summary”
Al Joumhouria” News Summary”
Tuesday, 23-Apr-2024 00:12

Israeli shelling of southern Lebanese villages continued while the field conditions remained unchanged. Internally, there is anticipation regarding the next step of the ambassadors of the "Quint" committee and whether it will lead to a solution to the presidential vacancy crisis.

 

Parallelly, French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed France's efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Lebanon. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares expressed concern about the conflict spreading to Lebanon.

 

In a special episode on Al-Jadeed TV with journalist Samar Abu Khalil, President Elias Michel El Murr announced the completion of his mission at Interpol and expressed his desire to serve his country by launching a political movement called the "Republic Movement." He emphasized the importance of political and economic challenges in Lebanon and declared his support for Suleiman Frangieh for the presidency. He noted Hezbollah's reluctance for war and supported opening the southern front. He expressed frustration over the distribution of benefits to parties and stressed the importance of protecting Lebanon from external interference and displacement. He emphasized that the Orthodox community is an established sect and not rewards to appease parties. He affirmed that the displacement issue could be resolved through cooperation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

 

At the government palace, Prime Minister Najib Mikati received EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi and presented the file of the displaced, urging assistance to facilitate their return.

 

Regionally, the war on Gaza entered its 199th day, with Israeli forces continuing airstrikes and attacks.

 

Israeli Military Intelligence Branch Chief, Major General Aharon Haliva, made a significant statement before his resignation, suggesting that "the worst may not have come yet." In parallel, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid described the resignation of the Israeli Military Intelligence Branch Chief as "honorable and justified" and suggested Netanyahu do the same.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated increased military and diplomatic efforts in the coming days to secure the release of captives.

 

The Israeli army stated: "We have initiated a military operation in the corridor between the northern, central, and southern parts of the Gaza Strip." The Israeli police reported injuries to several pedestrians in a hit-and-run operation in Jerusalem.

 

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit said: "I advise Netanyahu not to test Egypt or test the firmness of the Aswan granite."

 

In his first official visit in 12 years, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Baghdad, held extensive talks, and stated that developments between Israel and Iran increase the risk of war spreading and divert attention from Gaza.

 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani reiterated that "Iran cannot stand idly by in the face of those who commit this crime, and it will not tolerate jeopardizing its national security, and it will respond to any hostile act targeting its interests."

 

Internationally, in a notable development, Washington is considering imposing sanctions on additional Israeli military and police units alongside the "Yehuda Battalion." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant and Minister Benny Gantz about "Israel's security" without addressing the expected sanctions on the "Yehuda Battalion."

 

Poland's President stated that they are prepared to deploy nuclear weapons if NATO decides to bolster its Eastern Front against Russia's deployment of new weapons. In contrast, the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov affirmed that the Russian army would take all necessary measures if Washington deploys nuclear weapons in Poland.

 

Leader of the French Nationalists, Florian Philippot, criticized Western sanctions against Russia, emphasizing their harm to Europe.

 

Economically, the World Economic Forum expects the space economy to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035, as the world increasingly relies on communication and transportation technologies.

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