US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on Wednesday, described Hezbollah as a risk to Middle East stability and conferred with Israel about the Iranian-backed Lebanese group ahead of a trip to Beirut. Pompeo has been on a regional tour to promote the Trump administration’s policy against Iran. Meeting Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem, Pompeo listed Hezbollah, Palestinian Hamas and Yemen’s Houthis as “entities that present risks to Middle East stability and to Israel.” In public remarks at the meeting, Pompeo said: “They are determined to wipe this country off the face of the planet and we have a moral obligation and a political one to prevent that from happening. You should know that the US is prepared to do that.” The US top diplomat’s visit to Jerusalem is widely seen in Israel as a boost for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just three weeks before a closely contested Israeli election, Reuters said. … [Read more...] about Pompeo says Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis present risks to Middle East stability
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Pompeo on Middle East tour to counter Iran, boost Netanyahu
Top US diplomat Mike Pompeo sought Wednesday to bolster a united front against Iran during a Middle East tour that will include talks with key ally Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israeli elections. The US secretary of state kicked off his regional tour in Kuwait where he met Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on the first stop of a trip that will also take him to Israel and Lebanon. Pompeo told reporters on the flight from the United States that he would discuss "strategic dialogue" and the need to combat "the threat posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran" with leaders in the region. He will also push for a greater role for the Middle East Strategic Alliance, a US-sponsored Arab NATO aimed at uniting Washington's Arab allies against Tehran. After Kuwait Pompeo will fly to Israel where an election campaign is in its final weeks with Netanyahu locked in a close battle with centrist rivals. While Washington insists it is not interfering in Israeli politics, his visit is seen … [Read more...] about Pompeo on Middle East tour to counter Iran, boost Netanyahu
Former Turkish Foreign Minister on situation in Middle East
Baku, Azerbaijan, Mar. 15 By Matanat Nasibova – Trend: When discussing the Middle East agenda in global politics, it is first and foremost necessary to take into account the fundamentally important factor of terror, said former Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin during his speech at the VII Global Baku Forum, Trend reports. He noted that the right of the inhabitants of the region for a better and quality life was significantly suppressed by the leading global players. "Intra-ethnic conflicts, which occurred periodically, also played a role of no small importance in this. As for the situation in the Middle East, this region was often subjected to serious upheavals, particularly in the past decade. They occurred with the participation of the major world powers. The level of security in the region seriously decreased due to terror. In parallel, I would note the presence of a factor of military and political intervention, which eventually led to the emergence of aggressive forces … [Read more...] about Former Turkish Foreign Minister on situation in Middle East
Kushner Middle East Peace Deal Could Be ‘Travelling Back in Time’
Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, a property developer, has been given the task of coming up with a proposal to get the peace process going again in the Middle East. Kushner has reportedly put the final touches to his plan but has been told not to unveil it until after Israelis go to the polls next month. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was charged with corruption earlier this month, is trying to fend off the challenge of former chief of staff Benny Gantz and his new centre-left Blue and White Party. Jacob Eriksson, Al Tajir Lecturer in Post-War Recovery Studies at the University of York, said there was little optimism on the Palestinian side about the Kushner plan and few in the West Bank or Gaza saw him as an impartial referee. — wayne.jpg (@35mmPapi) 7 March 2019 "President Trump and Jared Kushner have a strong relationship with the … [Read more...] about Kushner Middle East Peace Deal Could Be ‘Travelling Back in Time’
Tillerson Blasted Kushner for ‘Endangering’ US in Middle East, New Book Claims
Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law and point man for the Middle East, is said to have drawn the ire of top White House officials over perceived conflicts of interest between his business dealings and his role in the Trump administration. According to Kushner, Inc., a yet-to-be released book by investigative reporter Vicky Ward already seen by The Guardian, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Kushner in June 2017 that his support for the Saudi-led blockade of Qatar, which hosted some 10,000 American troops, "had endangered the US". Gary Cohn, formerly Trump's chief economic adviser, is said to have lashed out at Kushner shortly after the latter took office in January 2017. Kushner, who had by then stepped down as the CEO of real estate developer Kushner Companies, had a meeting with executives from the Chinese financial conglomerate Angbang, which was exploring an … [Read more...] about Tillerson Blasted Kushner for ‘Endangering’ US in Middle East, New Book Claims