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Shtayyeh: Palestinian-Saudi Consensus on Arab Peace Initiative

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh meeting in Ramallah with the new non-resident Saudi ambassador to Palestine and Consul General in Jerusalem, Nayef bin Bandar al-Sudairi (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh meeting in Ramallah with the new non-resident Saudi ambassador to Palestine and Consul General in Jerusalem, Nayef bin Bandar al-Sudairi (Wafa)
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Shtayyeh: Palestinian-Saudi Consensus on Arab Peace Initiative

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh meeting in Ramallah with the new non-resident Saudi ambassador to Palestine and Consul General in Jerusalem, Nayef bin Bandar al-Sudairi (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh meeting in Ramallah with the new non-resident Saudi ambassador to Palestine and Consul General in Jerusalem, Nayef bin Bandar al-Sudairi (Wafa)

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh, in a statement on Wednesday, affirmed the existence of consensus that the Arab Peace Initiative is the acceptable basis for all parties regarding the Palestinian issue.

Shtayyeh made these remarks following his meeting in Ramallah with the new non-resident Saudi ambassador to Palestine and Consul General in Jerusalem, Nayef bin Bandar al-Sudairi.

The premier said the Saudi position “is exceptional in its clarity regarding the Palestinian issue, and there is agreement that the Arab Peace Initiative is the acceptable basis for all parties.”

Shtayyeh further emphasized that the appointment of a Saudi ambassador to Palestine conveys a significant message, indicating the alignment of both sides, and underscoring the robust and strategic nature of Palestinian-Saudi relations.

“The rise and progress of the Kingdom is good for Muslims and Arabs and good for Palestine in particular,” said Shtayyeh.

“We are happy with the pioneering and advanced Saudi role in the region and the world, because this pushes the Palestinian cause forward, amid a state of international double standards,” he added.

The prime minister then accused the Israeli government of moving from secular Zionism to religious Zionism.

According to Shtayyeh, this has led to an intensification of settlement activity, an intensification of the raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque, greater aggression, and more killing.

“Israel is waging four wars against us: a war on land by seizing it, a war on people by killing and displacing our people in Jerusalem and elsewhere, a war on money with illegal and unaudited deductions from our money, which has put us on the brink of collapse, and finally a war on the narrative through an attempt to Judaize Jerusalem,” explained the premier.

Shtayyeh observed that despite the Palestinian Authority's view of a lack of a political pathway and the absence of a viable partner within an extremely right-wing Israeli government, Palestinians are actively striving to stabilize their internal affairs and pursue reconciliation efforts.

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Türkiye Sends Massive Military Reinforcements to Northern Syria

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
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Türkiye Sends Massive Military Reinforcements to Northern Syria

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler attends the "Free Fire 2024" training on Thursday (Turkish Ministry of Defense)

Türkiye has sent major military reinforcements to its positions across various fronts in northwestern Syria, amid concerns over Israel expanding its attacks from Gaza to Lebanon and its strikes on targets in Syria.

In this context, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a secret parliamentary session on Thursday to discuss developments and threats to national security in light of Israel’s growing attacks and their proximity to Türkiye’s southern borders.

During the session, Defense Minister Yasar Güler and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan presented an overview of the situation in the region, focusing on Israeli strikes and potential threats to the country’s national security. The meeting will remain classified for 10 years.

Güler warned against dragging the region into significant turmoil due to Israel’s efforts to spread “state terrorism” in Lebanon. He stressed that this situation compels his country to be prepared for all possible scenarios and to adopt preemptive policies.

In the past two weeks, the Turkish army has sent significant military reinforcements, including convoys of equipment, soldiers, and logistical supplies, to areas controlled by Turkish forces, the Syrian National Army, which is loyal to Ankara, and areas controlled by Hayaat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Friday that Türkiye had sent massive reinforcements, including over 190 military vehicles, such as armored vehicles, tanks, personnel carriers, and trucks loaded with logistical equipment and ammunition. These were distributed across several strategic fronts in Idlib and Aleppo provinces, amid Ankara’s efforts to maintain its influence and prevent the outbreak of large-scale confrontations between the Syrian army and opposition forces.

The Turkish reinforcements coincided with HTS’s preparations for a major military operation against Syrian government-controlled areas to expand its control in the countrysides of Latakia, Hama, Idlib, and in the city of Aleppo and its western countryside, an area known as the “Putin-Erdogan” zone.

In response, the Syrian army has also sent significant reinforcements to the frontlines with HTS, particularly in Aleppo and Idlib.

According to SOHR, Türkiye has firmly rejected any military action by HTS and warned that it will not allow any wounded HTS fighters to be treated on Turkish soil. It also said that the country would block any military supplies from passing through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing in northern Idlib, which is a lifeline for northern Syria.

Alongside the heavy military build-up, Turkish military command has issued orders for all its forces and allied factions in northern Syria to be on full alert and to raise their level of preparedness.

A Turkish military official said on Thursday that his country is closely monitoring the situation and that no significant displacement toward the border with Syria has occurred amid the Israeli escalation in Lebanon.

He emphasized that Türkiye’s military operations in northern Syria are focused on two main objectives: combating terrorist organizations, referring to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), the largest component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and preventing new waves of displacement from within Syrian territory.

In light of these developments, Moscow announced that it is preparing to hold the 22nd round of the Astana peace talks for a political solution to the Syrian crisis, after a 10-month pause.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin said preparations are underway to organize the meeting in Kazakhstan’s capital, according to the Russian news agency TASS.

The 21st round of Astana talks took place on Jan. 25, with the participation of the three guarantor countries (Russia, Türkiye and Iran), as well as delegations from the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition. Representatives from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq also attended as observers, along with representatives from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.