Arab League Demands a Halt to Weapons Exports to Israel

A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Arab League Demands a Halt to Weapons Exports to Israel

A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A previous meeting of the Arab League (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Arab League has demanded a halt to arms export to Israel, saying that countries that continue to provide Tel Aviv with weapons are complicit in killing Palestinians and destroying their homes and infrastructure.

The Arab League opened an emergency meeting in Cairo on Monday to discuss Israel's deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip. The meeting was chaired by Morocco and held at the level of permanent representatives at Palestine's request.

The League formed an ad hoc committee of the permanent representatives and General Secretariat to examine possible Arab measures that could be undertaken at the legal, economic, political, and diplomatic levels to activate and implement the resolution.

The meeting issued a 26-item resolution, during which it condemned the ongoing Israeli crimes in the Gaza Strip and the systematic destruction of infrastructure, describing what Tel Aviv is doing as "a crime of genocide."

The resolution called on the UN Security Council to assume its responsibilities to preserve international security and peace.

It called on the Security Council to adopt a binding decision to stop the widespread and systematic Israeli crimes that threaten regional and international peace and security.

During the meeting, the Palestinian representative, Ambassador Mohannad al-Aklouk, referred to the joint extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit held in Riyadh on Nov. 11 and its call for taking political, diplomatic, economic, and legal action to force Israel to stop its aggression against Palestinians.

Aklouk called for "more diplomatic and political measures and activating economic and legal tools."

In turn, Jordan's representative, Ambassador Amjad al-Adaileh, said the Israeli extremist government's expansionist intentions and displacement agendas in occupied Palestine have never been clearer and more arrogant than they are today.

Adaileh asserted that it has become clear that the most extremist and racist government in the history of the occupation is racing against time to implement its agendas.

The diplomat said that since Oct. 7, Israel has been seeking to consolidate the occupation and eliminate the remaining chances of achieving peace based on the two-state solution, placing the Palestinian people before two options that have no third choice: either death or displacement.

The Arab League resolution accused the US of following a double standards policy, saying it should adopt stances that are consistent with international and humanitarian law by calling for a full and sustainable ceasefire.

The resolution warned of the danger of forced displacement of about two million Palestinians in Gaza, cautioning against Tel Aviv's intentions to complete their displacement outside the Palestinian territories by systematically pushing them towards the Egyptian border.

"The Arab countries cannot tolerate the recurrence of the Nakba scenario of 1948 and will adopt all legal, diplomatic and economic steps to prevent displacement of the Palestinian people," according to the resolution.

The resolution recalled the UN Security Council Resolution 2720 (2023) calling for immediate unhindered aid delivery on a safe and large scale across Gaza.

Egypt's Permanent Representative, Ambassador Mohamed Arfi, said that the massacre against Palestinian people constitutes compelling evidence of double standards and global shame and stressed that Cairo continues to support Palestinian rights.

The League's Council denounced the deadly Israeli attacks on Palestinian refugee camps and homes in the West Bank, the detention of thousands of Palestinians daily, and the attacks and intimidation perpetrated by Jewish settlers against Palestinians under Israeli police protection.

The Council also condemned the 100+ day siege of the Israeli occupation authorities on the al-Aqsa Mosque, which undermined the freedom of worship, as well as the repeated incursions into and desecration of the site by Jewish settlers.

The Assistant Secretary-General and President of the Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Sector, Saeed Abu Ali, confirmed in his speech that the Palestinians are being subjected to systematic attacks against all international laws and divine laws.

Abu Ali underscored the need to redouble efforts and take necessary measures to halt the ongoing crime and bring an end to the genocide war.

The League lauded the efforts of South Africa to prosecute the Israeli occupation entity at the International Court of Justice for violating its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG).

It called on the peace-loving, law-abiding countries to back the legal steps initiated by South Africa, welcoming the decision of the Libyan Presidential Council to join the genocide case against Israel.

The Council renewed condemnation of the Israeli aggression on Syria and Lebanon, including the latest attack in Damascus on Saturday.

It warned that such attacks undermine the sovereignty of Syria and pose a serious threat to regional and international security.

The Council stressed that the only way to regional stability is through recognition of the Palestinians' legitimate and inalienable rights, notably the right to establish an independent, fully sovereign, and viable state within the pre-June 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital city.

It praised the Qatari-Egyptian mediation efforts aiming to reach a durable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and deliver aid to the residents in Gaza.

The League also appreciated the call of Algeria, a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, to hold an emergency session by the Council to discuss the Israeli plans for the forcible evacuation of the Gazans.

It appreciated the UAE's successful lobbying during its term as a non-permanent member of the Council (2022-2023) for the Palestinian question, which led to the adoption of the Council resolutions 2712 and 2720 last year.



Train Collision in Egypt’s Giza Province Kills 4 and Injures 88, Health Ministry Says

People stand at the site of a train collision in al-Ayyat in Giza governate southern Cairo on November 8, 2026. (AFP)
People stand at the site of a train collision in al-Ayyat in Giza governate southern Cairo on November 8, 2026. (AFP)
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Train Collision in Egypt’s Giza Province Kills 4 and Injures 88, Health Ministry Says

People stand at the site of a train collision in al-Ayyat in Giza governate southern Cairo on November 8, 2026. (AFP)
People stand at the site of a train collision in al-Ayyat in Giza governate southern Cairo on November 8, 2026. (AFP)

Two passenger trains collided some 76 km (47 miles) south of Cairo on Sunday, killing at least four people and injuring 88, Egypt’s health ministry ‌said.

The state ‌railway authority ‌said ⁠a train traveling ⁠from Giza to Fayoum hit the back of another heading from Cairo to Aswan, derailing ⁠several carriages.

President Abdel ‌Fattah ‌al-Sisi ordered a ‌swift investigation and said ‌anyone found negligent should be held accountable, according to a separate ‌statement.

Emergency crews were clearing the wreckage ⁠to ⁠restore services on the Cairo-Upper Egypt line, the railway authority said, without giving any indication of how long this would take.


Israel Deports 14 Activists on Palestinian Solidarity Mission

French-Palestinian lawyer and member of European Parliament Rima Hassan holds a Palestinian flag upon arriving to join a rally in her support at Place de la Republique in Paris on June 12, 2025. AFP - THIBAUD MORITZ
French-Palestinian lawyer and member of European Parliament Rima Hassan holds a Palestinian flag upon arriving to join a rally in her support at Place de la Republique in Paris on June 12, 2025. AFP - THIBAUD MORITZ
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Israel Deports 14 Activists on Palestinian Solidarity Mission

French-Palestinian lawyer and member of European Parliament Rima Hassan holds a Palestinian flag upon arriving to join a rally in her support at Place de la Republique in Paris on June 12, 2025. AFP - THIBAUD MORITZ
French-Palestinian lawyer and member of European Parliament Rima Hassan holds a Palestinian flag upon arriving to join a rally in her support at Place de la Republique in Paris on June 12, 2025. AFP - THIBAUD MORITZ

Israel said on Sunday it had deported 14 Western activists who had gone to the occupied West Bank on solidarity missions with Palestinians facing violence from Israeli settlers.

Israeli authorities arrested them on Friday near Ramallah after an altercation between the activists and settlers, according to the Human Rights Defenders Fund, a group that provides legal support to activists who visit to support Palestinians.

The activists had gone with hopes of protecting Palestinians during their annual olive harvest, which has been hit by a surge of attacks by Israeli settlers who have beaten and stolen from the farmers, AFP said.

"Fourteen foreigners who were staying in Israel on tourist visas were deported after being detained by security forces," Israel's Population and Immigration Authority said in a statement.

They were deported for "having violated legal provisions" of their visas and "disrupting public order", it said.

The activists came from the United States, Canada, Italy and Germany, it added.

A spokeswoman for the agency said that the last of the activists was deported Sunday morning.

Israeli police said that three Palestinians were also arrested. A police statement accused the foreign activists of "provocative activities" aiming to trigger clashes and of backing "anti-Israeli media campaigns".

But Sharona Weiss, the head of international advocacy at the Human Rights Defenders Fund, told AFP that the foreigners had been accompanying Palestinian farmers on their land "when settlers arrived and began attacking them".

A journalist and a 77-year-old activist were among those expelled, she said. The group said another 15 foreigners including a journalist had been expelled the week before.

The deportations come amid growing international criticism of violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.

The Israeli rights group Yesh Din said it has documented more than 850 acts of violence committed by settlers during the five-week olive harvest.

Settlers have also attacked journalists covering the olive harvest, including photojournalists for AFP and The Washington Post, and beat up a visiting French mayor.

Israel has voiced anger over international criticism and ordered the closure of the British consulate after London imposed sanctions on products from Israeli settlements.


Palestinian Authority Arrests Brokers Over Alleged Sale of Jericho Homes to Settlers

Settlers stand on the roof of one of eight homes they said they purchased in Jericho last Thursday (AP). 
Settlers stand on the roof of one of eight homes they said they purchased in Jericho last Thursday (AP). 
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Palestinian Authority Arrests Brokers Over Alleged Sale of Jericho Homes to Settlers

Settlers stand on the roof of one of eight homes they said they purchased in Jericho last Thursday (AP). 
Settlers stand on the roof of one of eight homes they said they purchased in Jericho last Thursday (AP). 

The Palestinian Authority has arrested several property and land brokers suspected of facilitating the transfer of homes in Jericho to Israeli settlers, amid fears the move could mark the beginning of what has been described as a “Jewish invasion” of one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Palestinian security forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Anwar Rajab said several suspects had been detained in connection with homes seized by settlers in Al-Duyuk al-Tahta, west of Jericho.

Security sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the brokers were suspected of facilitating the transfer of the properties as part of a plan to enable settlers to take control of an entire neighborhood. The suspects were remanded in custody for 15 days pending investigation.

The case emerged Wednesday when 20 Jewish families entered eight homes they claimed to have legally purchased through the Nachala settlement movement, with the involvement of the Binyamin Regional Council, in an operation described as secret.

The houses are located in Area C of the occupied West Bank, near the archaeological site known as the Hasmonean Palaces.

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that the purchases had been arranged in secrecy, with only a small number of people involved. Even some participants’ wives were reportedly surprised by the move.

Settlers who arrived at the site said they were reestablishing Jewish settlement in Jericho, which Jews regard as their gateway into Palestine.

The takeover sparked an uproar in the Palestinian territories, raising questions about how the properties had been transferred, whether the transactions were illegal, particularly as some of the homes stand on government-owned land, and where the Palestinian Authority had been during the process.

The site lies in Al-Duyuk al-Tahta, within Area C, but very close to Area A, which is under Palestinian administration. Establishing a settlement outpost there would therefore carry serious geographical and political implications.

The Palestinian Authority responded immediately by forming a crisis committee and launching an arrest campaign.

Palestinian Security Forces Investigate Property Transfers

In a statement, Palestinian security forces said investigations into the settlers’ seizure of homes in the Al-Duyuk area of Jericho governorate were ongoing, under close supervision by the relevant authorities and the Public Prosecution.

They said legal measures would be taken against anyone found to be involved, in accordance with established procedures.

The security forces warned citizens against dealing with documents, papers or information circulated on social media about the case or similar incidents, saying such material could be intended to sow confusion and disrupt investigations.

They urged residents and media outlets to rely exclusively on official sources and avoid rumors or unreliable information, some of which was intended to incite discord and disputes within Palestinian society.

The statement reaffirmed the security services’ commitment to protecting citizens and their property and maintaining security and public order. It said any official developments would be announced through authorized channels.

The security forces stressed that they would not allow the case to become a source of rumors or tolerate attempts to undermine public security, threaten property, mislead public opinion or exploit the investigation to spread disorder.

The statement followed the widespread circulation of forged documents seeking to implicate a Palestinian Authority figure, triggering heated debate on social media.

Before the security forces issued their statement, the Palestinian Land Authority rejected claims that preliminary sale transactions, official documents or powers of attorney existed in connection with the properties.

It said such practices formed part of Israeli occupation policies aimed at seizing more land and forcibly displacing residents.

The authority stressed that any action taken by a third party concerning state property constituted a violation of state ownership. It said no allocation, lease or other transaction had been authorized for Plot 14.

According to land records predating 1967, one of the two plots on which the buildings stand belongs to the state, while the other belongs to its historical owners.

The Land Authority maintained that the occupation could not confer property rights and that any measures taken under its authority were null and void, carrying no legal effect.

Israeli Commander Accused of Prior Knowledge

As Palestinian authorities continued their arrests and investigations, a separate controversy erupted in Israel.

Although the Israeli military initially said the operation had not been coordinated with it, Israeli security sources familiar with the matter told Haaretz that Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, head of the military’s Central Command, had known in advance about plans by settlers and the Nachala movement to take over Palestinian homes west of Jericho.

According to the sources, Bluth met the settlers a day before they entered the properties and asked them to keep the operation secret and not inform field officers until the takeover was complete.

The sources said he had spoken with senior settler leaders involved in the operation, asked them not to disclose his prior knowledge and “wished them success.”

The allegations gained further attention following remarks by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who also accused Bluth of assisting settlers involved in attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The Israeli military dismissed the accusations as “offensive and baseless.”

Since the settlers entered the homes, the army has had to divert three combat platoons to protect them after the settlers attacked Bedouin residents in a nearby area and forced them to leave.

Israel’s Walla news website reported Saturday that the entry of Israelis into homes near Jericho had prompted two families from the local Bedouin community to abandon their temporary shelters.

The report said the army had contacted the families and offered assistance to prevent their departure, but both decided to leave.

The Israeli military said it had tried unsuccessfully to persuade the families to stay and would therefore work to prevent Jewish settlers from taking over the two vacated homes.

Senior Israeli military officials warned of the risk of further escalation.