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Malki: Palestinian Authority Will Rule Gaza After War

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki speaking at the Third Antalya Diplomatic Forum (AP)
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki speaking at the Third Antalya Diplomatic Forum (AP)
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Malki: Palestinian Authority Will Rule Gaza After War

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki speaking at the Third Antalya Diplomatic Forum (AP)
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki speaking at the Third Antalya Diplomatic Forum (AP)

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki expressed hope on Saturday for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip before the Holy month of Ramadan and he criticized Western countries for not regarding Palestinians as human beings.
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the Third Antalya Diplomatic Forum held in south Türkiye, Malki said it was important to announce a ceasefire before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
“It is important not only because Ramadan is a holy month, but also because the number of innocent Palestinians killed and injured is increasing by the day,” he said, adding that if “we are serious about saving lives, we have to act quickly."
Regarding who will govern Gaza after the war, Malki affirmed, “Us, the Palestinian Authority. That's for sure. No doubt about it.”
Commenting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements about the future of governance in Gaza, he said, “Who cares about Netanyahu? Netanyahu is an occupier (and) has no political or legal weight to say so.”
“He is saying it solely to undermine the discussion, but he has no political or legal weight,” Malki added.
“His statement has no significance, and I ignored them... so please ignore them the way that I ignored them,” he said.
Regarding Western countries' stance on events in Gaza, the FM said these countries do not regard Palestinians as human beings, possibly because they do not value Palestinian lives.
Palestinians’ lives may be less important than those of others, he noted.
Malki added that Israel has tried to “dehumanize Palestinians since day one” to have a simple way to kill them, affirming that it appears that the West is still living in the era of colonialism, as evidenced by their behavior and actions.
Unfortunately, he said, “they are unable to rid themselves of their ugly past. As a result, “they judge us precisely from that perspective.”
The FM then expressed sadness over considering Palestinians' killings, as well as the destruction of hospitals, shelters, schools, churches, and mosques as normal.
Malki also praised the achievements made at the Moscow meetings, held last Thursday in the presence of representatives of Palestinian factions, most notably Fatah, Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad.
He said the meeting was capable of solving the basic problem faced by the Palestinians in previous talks. “All participants agreed that the PLO is the body that represents all the Palestinian people,” he added, pointing out that the coming period will witness more internal Palestinian dialogues on elections.
“The conditions are now fit for reaching an internal agreement, and we feel responsibility from everyone,” the FM noted.
Meanwhile, the Gaza Contact Group panel formed during the Riyadh Arab-Islamic Summit held a meeting on the sidelines of the Antalya Forum, with the participation of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Egyptian FM Sameh Shourky, and Al-Maliki.
In his opening remarks at the panel, Fidan asserted that Israel's actions constitute war crimes, destabilizing the international order.
“Now we are taking this problem into our own hands. We are really taking this job with a regional responsibility. In fact, as a result of this kind of thinking, the Gaza Contact Group was commissioned at the joint OIC-Arab League Summit and is working to take responsibility for the ongoing war in Palestine”, Fidan said.
He added that the Contact Group is continuously pressuring countries supporting Israel and its attacks, aiming to increase humanitarian aid and cease-fire support from a few Western countries.
He also pointed out that the "yes" vote in the UN sessions on the humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza increased from 121 votes in October to 153 after that.
Fidan opposed the hegemony narrative, stating that the current war does not provide security for Israel, emphasizing Palestinians' need for security and self-defense.
He noted that there is another obstacle, saying international calls for a cease-fire and calls for a two-state solution have no impact on Israel.
“It is important to go to the 1967 borders. Only then will the people of Israel truly achieve sustainable security,” the FM said, underlining that Israel will not be safe unless it declares that it does not want to acquire the Palestinian territories.
The Turkish diplomat also noted that Egypt has always been at the heart of the Gaza issue and its role in international humanitarian assistance has been admirable.
For his part, Shoukry emphasized the need for a permanent solution to Israel's Gaza attacks, stating that they have caused “severe instability and insecurity in the region.”
He noted that there were difficulties in the passage of aid from Rafah due to Israeli attacks; they tried to keep the crossing open from the first stage.
Shoukry also noted that Cairo was working to convince the Israeli government to provide support to the Gazans.
“Our efforts have always been blocked. There have been manipulative and restrictive studies, especially related to the amount of aid that can be distributed. There is a very heavy pressure on our brothers in Gaza,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Oncu Keceli, the Turkish Foreign Ministry's spokesperson said that Israeli officials will be brought to justice "sooner or later" for their crimes in the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
“We are closely following the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice,” Keceli said in a statement on his X account.
Responding to accusations published by Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz concerning a meeting between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the head of the Hamas Movement, Ismail Haniyeh, Keceli said, “We are convinced that sooner or later all members of the Israeli government will be brought to justice for the crimes they are committing in Gaza.”

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Arab World

Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon, 8 Dead in Attacks on Cars South of Beirut

Lebanese rescuers and army soldiers inspect the wreckage of a vehicle that was hit in an Israeli strike in Jiyeh town, south of Beirut, Lebanon, 13 May 2026. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanese rescuers and army soldiers inspect the wreckage of a vehicle that was hit in an Israeli strike in Jiyeh town, south of Beirut, Lebanon, 13 May 2026. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
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Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon, 8 Dead in Attacks on Cars South of Beirut

Lebanese rescuers and army soldiers inspect the wreckage of a vehicle that was hit in an Israeli strike in Jiyeh town, south of Beirut, Lebanon, 13 May 2026. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH
Lebanese rescuers and army soldiers inspect the wreckage of a vehicle that was hit in an Israeli strike in Jiyeh town, south of Beirut, Lebanon, 13 May 2026. EPA/WAEL HAMZEH

The Israeli military said it launched a new wave of strikes across southern Lebanon Wednesday, despite a truce with the Lebanese government to halt fighting with Hezbollah.

"The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure in several areas in southern Lebanon," the military said, hours after issuing fresh evacuation warnings for six villages in the Tyre region.

 

Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern area of Burj al-Shamali, as seen from the city of Tyre on May 13, 2026. (Photo by KAWANT HAJU / AFP)

 

Israeli strikes also targeted several cars on a major highway linking Beirut to southern Lebanon, state media reported.

The attacks took place near Jiyeh and Barja. Eight people, including a woman and her child, were killed in the attacks, the Public Health Emergency Operations Center said.

On Saturday, similar strikes targeted two other cars in the same area.

Israel has kept up airstrikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah despite a truce since April 17 aimed at halting the fighting.

On Tuesday, 13 people were killed in attacks on towns in the south, according to Lebanon's health ministry, which said a total of 380 people had been killed since the start of the ceasefire.

The violence came with Lebanon and Israel due to hold a new round of direct negotiations in Washington on Thursday, brokered by the United States.

 

Arab World

Defections Hit Sudan’s RSF … Has the Breakup Phase Begun?

Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan welcoming Major General Al-Nour Al-Qubba, who defected from the Rapid Support Forces (Sovereignty Council)
Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan welcoming Major General Al-Nour Al-Qubba, who defected from the Rapid Support Forces (Sovereignty Council)
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Defections Hit Sudan’s RSF … Has the Breakup Phase Begun?

Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan welcoming Major General Al-Nour Al-Qubba, who defected from the Rapid Support Forces (Sovereignty Council)
Sudanese Army Commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan welcoming Major General Al-Nour Al-Qubba, who defected from the Rapid Support Forces (Sovereignty Council)

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are facing a growing wave of defections, raising questions over the future of the paramilitary group’s military cohesion and tribal alliances as the conflict with the Sudanese army enters its fourth year and turns into a prolonged war of attrition.

The latest and most prominent defection came from senior field commander Ali Rizqallah, known as “Al-Safana,” one of the RSF’s leading battlefield commanders in Darfur and Kordofan.

His departure follows a series of similar moves in recent months, including the defection of Major General Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, known as “Al-Nour Al-Qubba,” and field commander Bishara Al-Huwaira, who left RSF ranks in North Kordofan weeks ago. Before them, Abu Aqla Keikel, commander of the Sudan Shield Forces, became one of the first high-profile defectors in late 2024.

Observers say Al-Huwaira’s defection carries particular military significance because of his position in the Bara area near El-Obeid, the Sudanese army’s main stronghold in North Kordofan. The area is a strategic junction linking western Sudan with the east and center of the country and serves as a key corridor for supplies, fuel and fighters.

Local reports said Al-Huwaira joined the Sudanese army with a force of between 11 and 15 fully equipped combat vehicles, in what was seen as another blow to the RSF despite efforts by its leadership to downplay the impact.

After Al-Nour Al-Qubba defected in April, there was speculation that Al-Safana would be the next commander to leave, especially after reports emerged that he had withdrawn from the battlefield and traveled abroad. He later appeared in a video denying those reports before formally announcing his defection weeks later.

Sources said Al-Safana had left the frontlines for Uganda before traveling to India for medical treatment. He later appeared in a video from an undisclosed location believed to be in India, announcing he had left the RSF.

Although Al-Safana said he was not aligning himself with any armed faction, sources close to the Sudanese army expect him to formally join the military. RSF sources, meanwhile, insisted that the move posed no real threat to the force or to the “Sudan Founding Alliance” project run by the RSF in areas under its control.

RSF leaders say the departure of some commanders has not altered the balance of power on the ground, stressing the group still controls territories it captured during the war and that field units linked to those commanders continue to fight under its banner.

But analysts say the defections carry significance beyond their immediate military effect because of the RSF’s structure, which relies heavily on tribal loyalties, local alliances and influential field commanders, particularly in Darfur.

Unlike conventional armies with centralized command structures, the RSF has relied since its inception on tribal alliances and armed groups with overlapping loyalties. While that structure helped it expand rapidly, it also left it vulnerable to internal divisions and shifting allegiances as the war dragged on.

Analysts also attribute the defections to growing tensions within the RSF leadership, where commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, and his brother Abdel Rahim Dagalo control military decision-making, reportedly sidelining some field commanders.

While the defections are unlikely to immediately shift the military balance, observers say they could deepen internal instability within the RSF and gradually weaken its military and tribal cohesion.

Arab World

Aoun Awards Al-Bukhari the National Order of the Cedar: Saudi Arabia Remains a Steadfast Supporter of Lebanon

President Joseph Aoun awards Ambassador Waleed Al-Bukhari the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanese Presidency)
President Joseph Aoun awards Ambassador Waleed Al-Bukhari the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanese Presidency)
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Aoun Awards Al-Bukhari the National Order of the Cedar: Saudi Arabia Remains a Steadfast Supporter of Lebanon

President Joseph Aoun awards Ambassador Waleed Al-Bukhari the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanese Presidency)
President Joseph Aoun awards Ambassador Waleed Al-Bukhari the National Order of the Cedar (Lebanese Presidency)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun affirmed that Saudi Arabia remains a steadfast supporter of Lebanon, praising the role of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, meanwhile, commended the considerable efforts made by Saudi Ambassador Waleed Al-Bukhari to strengthen and deepen bilateral ties between the two countries.

Aoun made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with the Saudi ambassador at the presidential palace in Baabda where he awarded the diplomat the National Order of the Cedar, rank of Grand Officer, on the occasion of the conclusion of his diplomatic mission in Lebanon and in recognition of his efforts to enhance Lebanese-Saudi relations.

Aoun said that the ties binding Lebanon and Saudi Arabia transcend longstanding historical and brotherly relations, stressing that the Kingdom has, throughout the years, remained a constant pillar of support for Lebanon under all circumstances. He added that Saudi Arabia’s generous initiatives reflect its enduring commitment to the country’s stability and prosperity.

The Lebanese president also praised the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying their vision has contributed to promoting development and stability across the region.

Al-Bukhari thanked the president for awarding him the decoration and expressed hope that Lebanon would regain its pioneering regional role, and that its people would enjoy lasting security and stability.

The Ambassador also met Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri during a farewell visit that, according to a statement issued by the Speaker’s office, included discussions on the general situation in Lebanon and bilateral relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

In a separate farewell meeting, Salam received the diplomat at the Grand Serail, where he praised “the significant efforts exerted by Ambassador Al-Bukhari in consolidating and advancing bilateral relations between Lebanon and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the pivotal role he played during a delicate period in our nation’s history.”