Biden says he doesn’t know whether Israeli PM is holding up peace deal to influence 2024 US election

Biden says he doesn’t know whether Israeli PM is holding up peace deal to influence 2024 US election
US President Joe Biden speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House in Washington on Oct. 4, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 05 October 2024
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Biden says he doesn’t know whether Israeli PM is holding up peace deal to influence 2024 US election

Biden says he doesn’t know whether Israeli PM is holding up peace deal to influence 2024 US election
  • Biden’s comments comes a week after Netanyahu rejected a 21-day Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire proposed by the US, France and other allies
  • The Israeli PM went on to order a ground invasion on Lebanon, in a major escalation of its war with Hezbollah

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden had terse words for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn’t know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a Mideast peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election.
“No administration has helped Israel more than I have. None. None. None. And I think Bibi should remember that,” he said, referring to the Israeli leader by his nickname. “And whether he’s trying to influence the election, I don’t know, but I’m not counting on that.”
Biden, in a rare appearance in the White House press briefing room, was responding to comments made by one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, who told CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal in part because of US politics.
“I don’t think you have to be a hopeless cynic to read some of Israel’s actions, some of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s actions, as connected to the American election,” Murphy said.
Biden and Netanyahu have long managed a complicated relationship, but they’re running out of space to maneuver as their views on the Gaza war diverge and their political futures hang in the balance.
For Biden, a diplomatic deal would help resolve a deep divide among Democrats over the war and shore up support for Vice President Kamala Harris, making one fewer global conflict for her to manage should she win next month. Netanyahu has his own political concerns closer to home: His far-right coalition would abandon him if he stopped the war, and he could lose power and have to face his own legal problems. And Israel has been decimating Hezbollah’s leadership, so there is little incentive to stop now.

 

Biden has long pushed for a diplomatic deal, and he and his aides have indicated several times over the past few months that such an agreement was close. But it never seems to materialize, and in some cases, Netanyahu has publicly resisted the prospect while US and Israeli officials continue to talk in private about eking out a deal.
Just last week, the US, France and other allies jointly called for an immediate 21-day Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, and expected Israel to welcome if not fully endorse the plan. Instead, Netanyahu publicly rejected it, telling leaders gathered for the UN General Assembly that Israel would “continue degrading Hezbollah until all our objectives are met.”
Israel has pressed forward on two fronts, killing top Hezbollah leaders and pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. And the nation has vowed to retaliate for Iran’s ballistic missile attack this week.
Oil prices rose 5 percent Thursday as concerns mounted that Israel would hit Iranian oil facilities as payback; a surge in gas prices so close to the election would be a blow to Harris, particularly after strong economic news Friday.
Biden said there had been no decision yet on what type of response there would be toward Iran, though “I think if I were in their shoes, I’d be thinking about other alternatives than striking oil fields.”
He pushed back against the idea that he was seeking a meeting with Netanyahu to discuss the response to Iran. He isn’t, he said.
“I’m assuming when they make a decision on how they’re going to respond, we will then have a discussion,” he said.




A man walks amid the rubble of a building leveled in an overnight Israeli airstrike that targeted the neighborhood of Moawwad in Beirut's southern suburbs on October 3, 2024. (AFP)

But Netanyahu has grown increasingly resistant to Biden’s public charm offensives and private pleading, prompting the president’s more assertive pushback. And Biden has in turn publicly held up delivery of heavy bombs to Israel and increasingly voiced concerns over an all-out war in the Middle East.
Despite their long acquaintanceship, the two are not close or particularly friendly. When Biden was visiting Israel as vice president under Barack Obama, he and other US officials were taken aback by an Israeli government announcement of new Jewish settlements in the West Bank, something the administration strongly opposed.
Nevertheless, Biden has remained consistent in his support for Israel’s defense and security. In the aftermath of the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, he hugged Netanyahu on the tarmac of the airport in Tel Aviv. Since then, with few exceptions, Biden has supported ongoing and enhanced US arms transfers to Israel while at the same time cautioning the Israelis to be careful in their responses to avoid civilian casualties.
“The Israelis have every right to respond to the vicious attacks on them, not just from the Iranians, but from everyone from Hezbollah to Houthis,” Biden said Friday. “But the fact is that they have to be very much more careful about dealing with civilian casualties.”
Biden has also ordered the US military to step up its profile in the region to protect Israel from attacks by Hamas, Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and Iran itself. In April, and again earlier this week, the US was a leading player in shooting down missiles fired by Iran into Israel.
By contrast, Republican Donald Trump and Netanyahu have had a much more cordial relationship. Trump hosted Netanyahu in July. While president, Trump initiated policy changes that Netanyahu applauded, including recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, moving the US embassy there from Tel Aviv, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and rescinding a decades-old US legal determination that Jewish settlements in the West Bank were inconsistent with international law.
 


Health minister begins official visit to Greece

Health minister begins official visit to Greece
Updated 1 min 13 sec ago
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Health minister begins official visit to Greece

Health minister begins official visit to Greece
  • Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel will hold meetings with his Greek counterpart Adonis Georgiadis
  • Al-Jalajel: Visit exemplifies the strong Saudi-Greek relations, enhances cooperation in mutual areas of interest and paves the way for future partnerships in healthcare innovation

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Health Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel began his official visit to the Hellenic Republic on Thursday.

He will hold meetings with his Greek counterpart, Adonis Georgiadis, and pharmaceutical industry leaders.

The visit includes tours of Greek pharmaceutical facilities, aimed at exploring collaboration opportunities in drug research, development and local drug manufacturing.

“This visit exemplifies the strong Saudi-Greek relations, enhances cooperation in mutual areas of interest and paves the way for future partnerships in healthcare innovation,” Al-Jalajel said, highlighting the visit’s strategic importance for the healthcare sectors of both countries.

During the visit, Al-Jalajel will evaluate various healthcare initiatives, focusing on emergency response systems, telemedicine platforms and virtual healthcare solutions.

It aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 healthcare transformation goals, seeking to leverage international expertise to enhance service efficiency. Key areas of potential collaboration include virtual medicine, emergency services, digital health and enhancing healthcare services in tourist islands.


Saudi Arabia’s GACA ushers in new era of passenger experience with AI

Saudi Arabia’s GACA ushers in new era of passenger experience with AI
Updated 8 min 30 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia’s GACA ushers in new era of passenger experience with AI

Saudi Arabia’s GACA ushers in new era of passenger experience with AI

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority is revolutionizing the passenger experience by incorporating artificial intelligence into its services, in alignment with the nation’s strategic aviation plan, a senior Saudi official said.

At the 2024 Global Civil Aviation Forum in Shanghai, Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Dahmash, vice president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation for Quality and Passenger Experience, highlighted the authority’s ongoing initiatives designed to improve passenger satisfaction.

A session dedicated to GACA’s role in enhancing the passenger experience featured international experts and focused on the authority's efforts to align with Saudi Arabia's aviation strategy and Vision 2030.

The discussion underscored Saudi Arabia's use of data analytics and AI to transform the aviation sector, supporting the National Aviation Strategy and the broader Vision 2030 objectives. This approach is part of the Kingdom's goal to achieve excellence in both aviation services and infrastructure.

The National Aviation Strategy serves as a roadmap to solidify Saudi Arabia’s position as a global leader in tourism, business travel, and logistics. Built around three core pillars — empowering national tourism, improving domestic aviation, and aligning with Vision 2030 — the strategy aims to enhance interconnectivity, increase the market share of national carriers, and expand airport infrastructure.

By leveraging its strategic location and investment potential, Saudi Arabia’s aviation strategy directly contributes to Vision 2030, which aims to strengthen services and bolster the travel and logistics sectors.

Al-Dahmash noted that to achieve the National Aviation Strategy’s ambitious goals, which include tripling passenger traffic to 330 million annually by 2030, Saudi Arabia is prioritizing major infrastructure projects.

This includes constructing new airports, such as the King Salman International Airport, and expanding existing ones to accommodate the surge in passenger numbers. Alongside this, there is a strong focus on improving operational efficiency and enhancing the overall passenger experience.

In this context, GACA is actively developing and implementing programs to meet evolving passenger expectations. One such innovation is the introduction of AI-powered systems that manage and monitor passenger flow, tracking wait times across Saudi airports.

Additionally, the “Bagless Traveler” initiative is transforming the travel process by enabling passengers to complete check-in and baggage handling from their accommodation. During its pilot phase, the service successfully assisted over one million passengers, with more than 2 million bags processed without incident.

Al-Dahmash also emphasized the importance of regulatory frameworks that GACA has implemented, noting that these efforts have significantly improved services at Saudi airports, leading to higher levels of passenger satisfaction. This success has garnered recognition, with several airports receiving local and international awards.

Moreover, GACA has presented its innovative passenger experience programs at global conferences, sharing its best practices with civil aviation authorities worldwide, demonstrating how others can leverage these advancements for similar success.


UK urged to honor ICC’s arrest warrants against Israeli leaders

UK urged to honor ICC’s arrest warrants against Israeli leaders
Updated 7 min 15 sec ago
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UK urged to honor ICC’s arrest warrants against Israeli leaders

UK urged to honor ICC’s arrest warrants against Israeli leaders
  • Warrants issued on Thursday against Israel’s ministers, officials of Hamas

LONDON: The British government has been urged by the Council for Arab-British Understanding to immediately honor International Criminal Court arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The ICC issued the warrants on Thursday for Netanyahu, Gallant, and officials of Hamas, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory.

CAABU director Chris Doyle emphasized the gravity of the situation, accusing the UK government of failing to hold Israel accountable for its actions in violation of international law.

Doyle said: “This decision highlights how woefully the UK government has handled the situation of Israeli atrocities and war crimes.

“It now must demonstrate, with concrete action, that this government will honor its pledge to uphold respect for international law and the ICC by abiding in full with the ICC decision.”

Doyle also called for immediate measures, including a full arms embargo on Israel, the cessation of military and security cooperation, and an end to arms sales while atrocities were allegedly being carried out in Gaza.

CAABU warned that failure to comply with the ICC’s warrants could severely damage the UK’s international standing, making it complicit in alleged crimes against humanity, including forced displacement, apartheid, and genocide.

“The UK’s reputation globally would be trashed,” Doyle cautioned.

The organization stressed that the ICC’s warrants represented a crucial step toward justice and accountability for Palestinians. However, Doyle stressed the need for swift action.

He said: “There is no time to wait; justice delayed is justice denied. The UK needs to uphold international law, accountability, and ensure justice with immediate effect by complying with these arrest warrants.”

Britain said it respected the independence of the ICC, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said on Thursday.

“We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court, which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern,” the spokesperson told reporters.

“There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, which are terrorist organizations. We remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire to bring an end to the devastating violence in Gaza.”


Budget Saudi bags four prestigious awards

Budget Saudi bags four prestigious awards
Updated 18 min 4 sec ago
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Budget Saudi bags four prestigious awards

Budget Saudi bags four prestigious awards

Budget Saudi, the Kingdom’s leading car rental company, has been commended for its commitment to delivering world-class transportation and logistics services.

It bagged four honors at the 2024 World Business Outlook – Endorsing Excellence Awards, spotlighting the company’s ongoing efforts to transform the Saudi transportation sector.

Budget Saudi received the award for “Best Customer Experience Services in Transportation and Logistics in Saudi Arabia.”

Three members of the company’s leadership team were also recognized with individual leadership awards.

The honor highlights Budget Saudi’s ongoing work to curate memorable journeys and experiences for its customers and consumers around the Kingdom.

Leveraging a state-of-the-art fleet of over 38,000 vehicles and an extensive network of close to 100 retail stations across 30 cities, Budget Saudi is firmly established as the largest rental and leasing network in the Middle East and North Africa.

Held on Nov. 2 at Marriott Marquis, Queen’s Park in Bangkok, the ceremony brought industry leaders from around the world together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of exceptional leaders across a diversity of markets and sectors. 

The gathering also shone a light on the accomplishments of Budget Saudi leadership team.

Fawaz Danish, president and Group CEO, received the “Excellence in Transformational Business Leadership in Saudi Arabia” award.

Dr. Mohammed Ravish Tatli, Group CFO, was named the “Best CFO in Merger & Acquisition in Saudi Arabia.”

Anil Mathew Abraham, VP Operations, Sales & Marketing, was commended as the “Most Efficient Marcom Leader in Saudi Arabia.”

Fawaz Abdullah Danish, president & Group CEO, Budget Saudi, said: “With our history in Saudi Arabia tracing back nearly five decades — being the first publicly traded car rental company in the Kingdom — we are as deeply rooted in the country as we are deeply committed to empowering the people, communities and businesses we serve with world-class services.

“We are so pleased to have been recognized by the World Business Outlook – Endorsing Excellence Awards. Not ones to rest on our laurels, we look forward to raising our standards even more and contributing to the development of the Saudi transportation industry. We are honored, thankful and inspired to do even better — today, tomorrow and in the years to come.”

Budget Saudi said its success at the awards builds on the company’s recent acquisition of Auto World — one of the major car leasing companies in Saudi Arabia.

Budget Saudi said that it “underlines the company’s commitment and leadership team’s drive and vision to achieve unprecedented growth, creating a legacy of innovation in the transportation industry.”

To learn more about Budget Saudi and its sustainability initiatives, visit: https://www.budgetsaudi.com


Museums Commission signs deal with National Center for Palms and Dates

Museums Commission signs deal with National Center for Palms and Dates
Updated 16 min 18 sec ago
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Museums Commission signs deal with National Center for Palms and Dates

Museums Commission signs deal with National Center for Palms and Dates
  • It aims to highlight the Kingdom’s cultural and historical identity

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Center for Palms and Dates on Thursday during the International Dates Conference and Exhibition at the Roshan Front in Riyadh.

The MoU, signed by the director general of partnerships and business development at the commission, Khaled Baasiri, and the CEO of the center, Dr. Mohammed Al-Nuwairan, aims to highlight the Kingdom’s cultural and historical identity and enhance integration between government agencies to achieve the strategic objectives of Saudi Vision 2030. It aims to harness joint capabilities and expertise to develop the palm and dates sector, enhance its cultural value, and contribute to strengthening the national economy, in an effort to achieve fruitful cooperation between the two parties.

The agreement came within the framework of the two organizations’ efforts to provide an enriching cultural, educational and tourism environment for the community.

Al-Nuwairan said that the partnership aimed to achieve key goals that served the interests of both sectors alike.

“Through this cooperation, we seek to raise the heritage and cultural value of dates globally, as well as achieve promising economic income,” he said.

Al-Nuwairan said that there was a clear mechanism that had been agreed on with the commission. This included developing cultural and educational programs and interactive workshops inside museums and schools, with the aim of educating students and the public about the stages of palm cultivation, processing dates and linking them to the environmental heritage of the Kingdom.

Baasiri said that the commission was working on designing integrated cultural paths, including visits to historical farms, establishing a museum specializing in palm trees and dates, and holding exhibitions that told the story of palm trees and dates in the Kingdom.

“Palm trees and dates are of great importance in our Arab culture, as they are a symbol of authenticity and generosity, and this importance has made them an essential element of the museum narrative, whether in public or specialized museums,” he said.

Baasiri said that the commission would work to expand cooperation with intersecting government agencies and to learn about community desires from different parties, which contributed to diversifying cultural presentation methods and innovating smart display methods that contributed to achieving common strategic goals.

The move is part of making museums vital places that preserve heritage and present it in ways that contribute to enhancing knowledge and awareness among local and international visitors.