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Austin, Gallant Discuss Israeli Military Operation in Khan Younis

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meets with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on March 9, 2023 (File/Reuters)
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meets with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on March 9, 2023 (File/Reuters)
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Austin, Gallant Discuss Israeli Military Operation in Khan Younis

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meets with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on March 9, 2023 (File/Reuters)
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin meets with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, on March 9, 2023 (File/Reuters)

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin raised on Thursday with his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, the need for a credible plan to ensure the safety of and support for the more than one million people sheltering in Rafah in the Gaza Strip before any military operations proceed there.

In a phone call, the two sides discussed the Israel military operations in Khan Younis, a Pentagon readout said.

Austin also raised the need to improve the deconfliction process with humanitarian groups.

He stressed the importance of more aid reaching Palestinian civilians, as looting and violence hinder access to humanitarian convoys in Gaza.

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Arab World

France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
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France Declines to Comment on Algeria’s Anger over Recognition of Morocco’s Claim over Sahara

French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)
French President Emmanuel Macron and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. (AFP file)

Paris declined to comment on Algeria’s “strong condemnation” of the French government’s decision to recognize Morocco’s claim over the Sahara.

The office of the French Foreign Ministry refused to respond to an AFP request for a comment on the Algeria’s stance.

It did say that further comments could impact the trip Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is set to make to France in late September or early October.

The visit has been postponed on numerous occasions over disagreements between the two countries.

France had explicitly expressed its constant and clear support for the autonomy rule proposal over the Sahara during Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne’s visit to Morocco in February, reported AFP.

The position has helped improve ties between Rabat and Paris.

On Thursday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry expressed “great regret and strong denunciation" about the French government's decision to recognize an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region "within Moroccan sovereignty”.

Algeria was informed of the decision by France in recent days, an Algerian foreign ministry statement added.

The ministry also said Algeria would draw all the consequences from the decision and hold the French government alone completely responsible.