Latest news with #DaniaKoleilatKhatib
Arab News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Letter to the Editor: In response to Dr. Dania Khatib's column (July 10, 2025)
Ukraine stands for freedom of speech and independent media. However, it is with a bitter regret that we noted the recent publication of an op-ed by Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib, who suggested to the public several observations which we believe are inaccurate and risk misleading readers on fundamental issues. The publication itself and a range of narratives outlined therein require a response from the Ukrainian side. Ukraine profoundly appreciates our rich and consistently growing partnership with Saudi Arabia in line with the Kingdom's unwavering commitment, in particular, to international law, its rules and fundamental principles. In this context, it would be relevant to make several points thus dispelling Dr. Dania Khatib's publication through the prism of our bilateral partnership with undisputable facts to set the record straight. First of all, the Russian military aggression against Ukraine in no way can be considered as a legitimate deterrence. We believe that invading an independent state, partly occupying sovereign territories, killing peaceful civilians and destroying domestic economies represent a blatant and outrageous violation of the UN Charter's provisions and international law, which all the UN member states are obliged to respect. It would be appropriate to recall all the UN resolutions having been adopted since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and in the period 2022-2024. None of the 140 countries that unanimously deplored Russian violations ever talked of this so-called 'deterrence.' Secondly, it is vital for me to firmly reject the notion that Ukraine is 'destroyed' or on the verge of collapse, as well as the allegation that a sovereign state being subject to external pressures as a weaker part of the war leading to a hypothetical surrender. Despite the struggles posed against Ukraine, our state remains steadfast in its pursuit of a prosperous future. To demonstrate our resilience, it is useful to remember the crystal clear figures of our economic partnership with the Kingdom during the time of the full-scale aggression. When bilateral trade turnover grows by 17 percent, this speaks for itself not of a country being destroyed but a determined nation committed to resist. We have a joint ambition to develop partnership into the future, which is codified in the joint statement issued after the official visit of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to the Kingdom in March 2025. The reinvigoration of the Ukrainian-Saudi Joint Business Council of chambers of commerce and industry, as well as dynamic high-level exchanges between Ukrainian and Saudi companies, demonstrate the high pace of our cooperation. Moreover, we have retained our responsibility as a key food security guarantor in the world by widely supplying wheat and corn to the countries affected. All these facts do not describe the country in ruin. On the contrary, Ukraine is simultaneously implementing national priority interests and sympathetically meeting the dire needs of struggling countries. Far from the term 'destroyed,' Ukraine refused to fall a victim of Russian aggression but displayed incredible tenacity to defend its people and land. The final point is around criticism of weak and unreliable West. We want to make it clear: Ukraine stands against aggression with consistent support of our strategic partner the United States and the broad international coalition of the West. Their political support, economic and security assistance empowered Ukraine to withstand all brutalities of the war. The unity we have seen — politically, economically and militarily — is unprecedented and cannot be underestimated. Ukraine is confident in the West and grateful to all who extend us a hand of help in time of a challenge. Similarly, the humanitarian assistance of the Kingdom plays a pivotal role in protecting our civilians from the consequences of the Russian invasion. The bottom line is that, with all due respect, a contributing columnist may attempt to offer her fresh look on a complex set of issues; however, one principle must persist to be imperative: rock-solid facts, in my opinion, should not be misinterpreted and distorted in a way that undermines the foundations of international law, sovereign state vital national interests and much valuable partnerships across the globe that Ukraine treasures so much. Anatolii Petrenko Ambassador of Ukraine to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Arab News
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Israeli aggression pushing Syria into Turkiye's arms
Israel last week bombed Syrian military bases, claiming that it was a warning for Turkiye to keep its assets away. However, Tel Aviv does not understand that its belligerence only increases Syria's need for Turkish protection. Syria condemned the unprovoked and unjustified strikes. However, Israel does not care. Its military success — namely decapitating Hezbollah's leadership — has increased its confidence and arrogance. The Israelis now feel they can subjugate everyone around them. In addition to its military success, Israel is backed by a new US administration that will empower it like no other administration before. Therefore, it plans to take advantage by maximizing its gains and setting new parameters over the course of the four-year window it now has. Subjugating neighboring states and emerging as the regional hegemon is becoming increasingly clear as Israel's intended goal. This way, it will impose its will on everyone and be free to move whenever and wherever it wants within the neighborhood. Israeli leaders have even bluntly spoken about a new Middle East — a Middle East that they shape and control. Though its declared enemy is Iran, Turkiye is also bad news for Israel. In fact, any strong country in the neighborhood is bad news for Israel. Last week's strike was supposed to be a warning for Turkiye to keep its hands off Syria and leave the country as a playground for Israel. Tel Aviv is flexing its muscles in front of the Turks, while its discourse is saying it does not seek confrontation. However, Israel's actions are inviting a confrontation. Its continuous harassment of Syria and breaches of the country's sovereignty make Turkish intervention a necessity and not a luxury for Damascus. The Israeli aggression started as soon as the rebels took Damascus. Turkiye was not in the picture at that stage. Its allied forces were still in the northeast. According to one Western diplomat I spoke to, Israel went into Syria because it could. The fact that the world remained silent in the face of its atrocities in Gaza, while the West, particularly the US, kept supplying it with arms despite the civilian death toll, gave Israel the impression it could do whatever it wanted whenever it wanted to. Subjugating neighboring states and emerging as the regional hegemon is becoming increasingly clear as Israel's intended goal Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib This is bad news for the region, even those countries that have good relations with Israel. Israel is so arrogant that it feels it does not need to have a good relationship with anyone. It can just impose its will on anybody it wants. Though it is in the best interest of Israel to have a good relationship with Egypt, it simply does not seem to care. It is now putting pressure on Cairo to dismantle its military structures in Sinai, while there is a serious threat from the Israeli side to push the Palestinians into that region. Egypt therefore faces a double threat from Israel. Israel, supported by the Trump administration, has declared its intention to transfer the Gazans to Egypt — and yet they are asking Cairo to remove its reinforcements at the border. Israel last month set up an agency to advance the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. Is it now asking Egypt to clear the way for forcible displacement? In fact, the actions of Israel only make Egypt want to further increase its reinforcements in the Sinai. Israel is burning bridges with everyone. Countries that were thinking of normalizing with it are now thinking of strengthening ties with their neighbors in order to contain Israeli expansionism. Therefore, Tel Aviv is unlikely to find any allies in the region. With its aggression in Syria, Israel is putting those countries that want Syria to be stable on edge — and this is not only Turkiye. However, for Turkiye, Syria is more than an economic or a political issue, it is a prime security issue. Israel has been poking the Druze in the south of Syria in order to encourage separatism. This effort did not start with the collapse of the Assad regime, it has been ongoing for several years. It was hoping that the Druze would declare independence, or seek autonomy of some sort, and that Israel would control their entity. This endeavor has largely failed, although it has succeeded in creating some disturbances in Syria. Meanwhile, Israel's foreign minister has been in Brussels trying to convince European leaders that Syria needs to become a federation. Of course, it would be a federation in which Tel Aviv would engage with the Kurds and the Druze and create a permanently weak and unstable country. Fortunately, these Israeli calls have not been answered. Turkiye will not accept a federal Syria. For Ankara, this would be an existential threat. A federal Syria would empower Kurdish separatism at home. When the rebels took over Damascus, Turkiye was reluctant to get involved, but it has now been pushed to interfere. Syrians, on the other hand, were fed up with the Iranian and Russian interference in their country as they want Syria to be a sovereign, independent state. With such a belligerent neighbor, the Syrians can have no stability without a protector that can create a deterrent to Israel Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib They want to live in a peaceful state. As soon as Ahmad Al-Sharaa took over, he announced that he would comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement with Israel. Nevertheless, Israel immediately started bombing the country, destroying its military installations. The aggression did not stop there. Israel encroached into the southern part of the country. Hence, with such a belligerent neighbor, the Syrians can have no stability without a protector that can create a deterrent to Israel. The Syrians, like everyone else, know that Israel does not abide by any agreement. They saw how Tel Aviv last month unilaterally broke the Gaza ceasefire at the end of phase one. How will they believe in any deal with Israel when they are facing an arrogant foe that reneges on its commitments whenever it suits its interests? The logical thinking of Al-Sharaa or anybody else is in his place is to seek to balance them out. Al-Sharaa definitely does not want to be at the mercy of a merciless neighbor. Does Israel think that by bombing Syria it is going to block a defense agreement between Turkiye and Syria? On the contrary, it has pushed Syria to want such a deal even more and to accelerate its implementation. While Israel is thinking that it can subjugate its neighbors — foes and friends alike — it is pushing everyone on to the same page to face its expansionism. All countries in the region know that, if Syria is subjugated, it will only be a matter of time until they are next.
