Saudi Arabia demands Gaza ceasefire, Palestinian state on 1967 borders
ANKARA: Saudi Arabia has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and stressed the need to end the suffering of Palestinian civilians amid Israel's ongoing military campaign. The statement came during a joint press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan emphasised that the priority must be stopping the bloodshed in Gaza and improving dire humanitarian conditions. He stated, 'Normalisation must be part of a broader process that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state. Without that, it cannot happen.'
The minister reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's support for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, describing peace as the only viable solution to the long-standing conflict. He also revealed discussions with France to organise an international conference on Palestinian statehood and regional stability.
Prince Faisal highlighted the importance of diplomacy in resolving conflicts globally and praised Russia's consistent diplomatic stance. He expressed hope that international leadership, including that of former US President Donald Trump, could help achieve a lasting resolution.
Meanwhile, Hamas is reviewing ceasefire proposals that include Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and humanitarian relief. The group has offered to release Israeli hostages in exchange for an end to the war. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has resisted a full ceasefire, opting instead for temporary pauses to continue military operations.
Since October 2023, Israel's offensive has killed over 57,100 Palestinians, mostly women and children. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. - Bernama-Anadolu
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Sun
Netanyahu nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize in 2025
WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced he has nominated former US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. The nomination was revealed during a White House dinner, where Netanyahu presented Trump with a copy of the letter sent to the Nobel Committee. Netanyahu praised Trump's diplomatic efforts, stating, 'He's forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other.' The nomination adds to multiple previous attempts by Trump's supporters to secure the prestigious award for him. Trump has openly expressed frustration over not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize despite his involvement in key negotiations. He has highlighted his mediation in conflicts between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, as well as his role in the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations. Despite campaigning as a 'peacemaker' who would resolve conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, both wars continue under his presidency. The Nobel Committee has yet to respond to the latest nomination. - AFP
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Stocks sell off, dollar gains as Trump plans 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea
A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo NEW YORK: Major stock indexes declined while the dollar strengthened on Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled sharply higher U.S. tariffs on goods from Japan, South Korea and other countries in the latest development in the U.S. trade war. Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields rose. Trump on Monday began telling trade partners including Japan and South Korea that the higher U.S. tariffs will start August 1. Trump in April capped all of the so-called reciprocal tariffs with trading partners at 10% until July 9 to allow for negotiations. Only two agreements, with Britain and Vietnam, have been reached. "Trade, inflation and earnings are going to be the next three catalysts that will drive the market higher or lower, depending on how they unfold," said Adam Sarhan, chief executive of 50 Park Investments in New York. "But markets like certainty, and today's news increases the level of uncertainty, hence the selloff," he said. Tariffs are expected to increase prices and to slow down growth, though uncertainty over the ultimate policies may be a bigger drag as it leads businesses to postpone decisions. S&P 500 companies next week are expected to begin reporting results on the second quarter. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 422.17 points, or 0.94%, to 44,406.36, the S&P 500 fell 49.37 points, or 0.79%, to 6,229.98 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 188.59 points, or 0.91%, to 20,412.52. U.S.-listed shares of Japanese automotive companies fell, with Toyota Motor down 4% and Honda Motor off by 3.9%. Also, electric vehicle maker Tesla shares fell 6.8% after CEO Elon Musk announced the formation of a U.S. political party named the "American Party." MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe fell 5.80 points, or 0.63%, to 919.93. The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed up 0.44%. The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes was last up 5.7 basis points on the day at 4.397%. The interest rate sensitive two-year yield rose 1.9 basis points to 3.901%. The dollar's rise was most notable against the yen. It was up 1.09% at 146.130. The euro slipped 0.57% to $1.172 having rallied over 13% so far this year. The dollar index, which measures the currency against six major counterparts, rose 0.517% to 97.467, reaching a one-week high. Minutes of the last Federal Reserve meeting are also due this week. Investors are weighing how many times the Fed is likely to cut interest rates this year after jobs data for June on Thursday showed that employers added more jobs than economists had forecast. Oil prices rose as signs of strong demand offset the impact of a higher-than-expected OPEC+ output hike for August and concerns about possible tariff impacts. Brent crude futures rose $1.28, or 1.9%, to settle at $69.58. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 93 cents or 1.4%, to settle at $67.93. (Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch in New York; Additional reporting by Lawrence White in London and Wayne Cole in Sydney; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Stephen Coates)
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Trump says new tariff deadline 'not 100 per cent firm'
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump reignited his trade war by threatening more than a dozen countries with higher tariffs on Monday – but then said he may be flexible on his new August deadline to reach deals. Trump sent letters to trading partners including key US allies Japan and South Korea, announcing that duties he had suspended in April would snap back even more steeply in three weeks. Tokyo and Seoul would be hit with 25 per cent tariffs on their goods, he wrote. Countries including Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa and Malaysia were slapped with duties ranging from 25 per cent to 40 per cent. But in a move that will cause fresh uncertainty in a global economy already unsettled by his tariffs, the 79-year-old once again left the countries room to negotiate a deal. "I would say firm, but not 100 per cent firm," Trump told reporters at a dinner with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when asked if the August 1 deadline was firm. Pressed on whether the letters were his final offer, Trump replied: "I would say final – but if they call with a different offer, and I like it, then we'll do it." The US president had unveiled sweeping tariffs on imports on what he called "Liberation Day" on April 2, including a baseline 10 per cent tariff on all countries. But he quickly suspended all tariffs above 10 per cent for 90 days following turmoil in the markets. They were due to kick back in on Wednesday and Trump sent the letters in advance of that deadline. Trump's near-identically worded letters to Japanese and South Korean leaders said he would impose 25 per cent tariffs as their trading relationships with Washington were "unfortunately, far from Reciprocal." He warned of further escalation if there was retaliation against the levies. But Trump on Monday also signed an order formally extending the Wednesday deadline, postponing it to August 1. The new August date effectively marks a further delay – and Trump's latest comments threaten to compound the uncertainty over when the deadline really is. According to letters posted to Trump's Truth Social platform, products from Indonesia will face a 32 per cent tariff, while the level for Bangladesh is 35 per cent and Thailand, 36 per cent. Most countries receiving letters so far had duties similar or unchanged from rates threatened in April, although some like Laos and Cambodia saw notably lower levels. The Trump administration is under pressure to show results after promising "90 deals in 90 days." So far only two firm deals have emerged, with Britain and Vietnam, plus an agreement to dial back super-high tit-for-tat tariffs with China. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Sunday that he "won't easily compromise" in trade talks with Washington. Asked why Trump opted to start with Japan and South Korea, Leavitt said: "It's the President's prerogative, and those are the countries he chose." "This announcement will send a chilling message to others," said Asia Society Policy Institute Vice President Wendy Cutler, referring to Trump's initial letters to Tokyo and Seoul. "Both have been close partners on economic security matters," she said, adding that companies from Japan and South Korea have made "significant manufacturing investments in the US in recent years." US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that there would be more deals coming up: "We are going to have several announcements in the next 48 hours." Major US stock indexes fell from records Monday on Trump's fresh threats. The Nasdaq tumbled 0.9 per cent and the S&P 500 lost 0.8 per cent. Trump has also threatened an extra 10 per cent tariff on countries aligning themselves with the emerging BRICS nations, accusing them of "Anti-American policies" after they slammed his duties at a summit. But partners are still rushing to avert Trump's tariffs altogether. The European Commission said EU chief Ursula von der Leyen had a "good exchange" with Trump on trade when the pair spoke Sunday.
