Brics special envoys on middle east meet

Palestinians say that move disqualifies the U.S. from being an impartial broker between them and the Israelis, as both peoples lay claim to the ancient city as their capital. Trump’s decision proves the U.S. administration’s “moral bankruptcy,” lead negotiator Saeb Erekat wrote in an opinion piece in the Israeli daily Haaretz on May 17. Trump has maintained that the borders of Jerusalem will be finalized only through direct negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians. … [Read more...] about Palestinians: Trump Envoys’ Middle East Trip ‘Waste of Time’

A united front is, then, likely to persist, even though rights groups and experts say it’s objectionable and possibly counterproductive to letting Arab societies thrive. In Washington, Rothkopf wrote that Mohammed “cannot be a credible partner of a state to which values matter.” From the UAE, his employers will continue to say things like, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by its leadership, always has been and remains to be, a nation built on just and fair state institutions.” … [Read more...] about How Saudi-Friendly Middle East Dictators Are Handling The Jamal Khashoggi Scandal

The references to ancient ties are a staple of the marketing surrounding OBOR – and the land and maritime territory grabs that it represents. In the South China Sea, where China claims most of the body of water as part of its “Maritime Silk Road,” Xi Jinping has repeatedly claimed that international waters belong to China because they have done so since ancient times. In a Xinhua propaganda piece on OBOR in 2015, the state outlet claimed, “for thousands of years, the Silk Road Spirit … has been passed from generation to generation, promoted the progress of human civilization, and contributed greatly to the prosperity and development of the countries along the Silk Road.” … [Read more...] about Xi Jinping Heads to Middle East to Sell One Belt, One Road

In 1993 a statement from the Friends of Ireland in the US said: "On this St Patrick's Day, the Friends of Ireland in the US Congress join with Irish Americans... in calling for renewed efforts to achieve peace, reconciliation and justice in Northern Ireland." … [Read more...] about State papers: Ex-US President Carter mooted as potential special envoy to NI

A confederation plan was first put forward in the 1980s by Jordan’s former King Hussein and former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The idea was to create a confederation between the West Bank and Jordan if Israel would cede its land claims back to the 1967 borders, according to Haaretz. Although much of the plan was initially accepted, it was eventually abandoned due to disagreements between all sides. … [Read more...] about Palestinian and Jordanian Leaders Reject Donald Trump’s Confederation Plan for Middle East Peace