Egypt and Qatar Aim to Strengthen Cooperation on Regional Developments

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Doha on Saturday (Egyptian cabinet presidency)
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Doha on Saturday (Egyptian cabinet presidency)
TT

Egypt and Qatar Aim to Strengthen Cooperation on Regional Developments

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Doha on Saturday (Egyptian cabinet presidency)
Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani meets Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Doha on Saturday (Egyptian cabinet presidency)

Egypt and Qatar on Saturday emphasized the significance of continuing their cooperation to address the challenges posed by the ongoing regional developments.
Egyptian Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, highlighted the joint coordination between both countries on the various issues currently under consideration, with a focus on advancing the mutual interests of both nations.
Madbouly’s remarks came after holding talks with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the 22nd edition of the Doha Forum 2024, held in Qatar on Saturday and Sunday.
A statement by the presidency of the Egyptian cabinet said Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani expressed his appreciation for the important and pioneering role played by the Egyptian state in both the global and regional contexts, particularly in light of the current developments in the region.
He also emphasized the importance of continued cooperation and solidarity between Egypt and Qatar in addressing the challenges posed by ongoing regional developments.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad also reiterated his commitment to maintaining open and permanent communication channels with the Egyptian government.
The Emir then referred to his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi last month on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The two officials discussed several issues of mutual interest, particularly the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation in light of regional events.
The Emir also highlighted the recent visit of the Qatari Prime Minister to Egypt, stressing the importance of building on this visit and advancing the ongoing work on joint cooperation files between the two countries.
Late last month, Sisi met with Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, in Cairo. The two sides discussed the joint endeavors of both nations to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, facilitate the release of captives, and ensure the unconditional provision of humanitarian and relief aid to the enclave.
They also emphasized the importance of coordinated actions to support the Palestinian people and uphold their legitimate rights to establish a sovereign and independent state in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions while safeguarding Palestinian national interests.
For over a year, Egypt, Qatar, and the US have spearheaded mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas to end the war in the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday, Madbouly conveyed the warm greetings of Sisi to Sheikh Tamim.
He expressed the President's sincere desire to further enhance cooperation and coordination between the two countries across various sectors, building on the significant progress achieved in the Egyptian-Qatari bilateral relations at political, economic, and investment levels in recent months.
Madbouly affirmed that consultations will continue with Qatari government working teams to implement the agreements made during the Qatari Prime Minister's visit to Egypt at the end of November.
The PM also expressed hope that the discussed projects will be implemented promptly.
During a meeting last month in Cairo, Madbouly and his Qatari counterpart reviewed ways to enhance cooperation at all levels, especially in the political, economic, investment, trade and humanitarian fields, in a way that meets the aspirations of the two brotherly peoples.
Madbouly had announced that Egypt and Qatar will collaborate on a significant real estate investment project in the country's North Coast region.
He said the project is expected to be a major boost to Egypt's tourism and real estate sectors.

 



EU Urged to 'Act Now' on West Bank Settlement Project

The Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya (foreground) and the Israeli settlement of Shilo (background), north of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, are pictured on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
The Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya (foreground) and the Israeli settlement of Shilo (background), north of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, are pictured on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
TT

EU Urged to 'Act Now' on West Bank Settlement Project

The Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya (foreground) and the Israeli settlement of Shilo (background), north of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, are pictured on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
The Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya (foreground) and the Israeli settlement of Shilo (background), north of Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, are pictured on May 6, 2026. (Photo by Zain JAAFAR / AFP)

More than 400 former diplomats, ministers, and senior officials on Wednesday urged the European Union to "act now" against Israel's "illegal" settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The open letter comes as Israel intends to move forward with E1, a new construction project covering around 12 square kilometers (4.6 square miles) with some 3,400 housing units in the occupied West Bank.

The move would further separate east Jerusalem, occupied and annexed by Israel and predominantly inhabited by Palestinians, from the West Bank.

"The EU and its member states, together with partners, must take immediate action to deter Israel from further advancing its illegal annexation of Palestinian land in the West Bank," said the letter signed by more than 440 figures, including former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and former Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt.

The signatories called for targeted sanctions, such as visa bans and business restrictions, on "all those engaged in illegal settlement activity", calling for measures against those promoting or implementing the E1 scheme.

The Israeli government plans to publish an initial tender on June 1 for the construction of housing for up to 15,000 "illegal settlers", AFP quoted the letter as saying, urging the EU and its member states to "act now".

The plan has been condemned by international leaders, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres's spokesman saying it would pose an "existential threat" to a contiguous Palestinian state.

Excluding east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis live in the occupied West Bank in settlements that are illegal under international law, among some three million Palestinians.

In 2025, the expansion of Israeli settlements reached its highest level since at least 2017, when the United Nations began tracking data, according to a UN report.

There has been a spike in deadly attacks by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank since the start of the Iran war on February 28, Palestinian officials and the United Nations have said.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.


Israel Army Says Striking Hezbollah Targets across Lebanon

An Israeli soldier gestures next to a tank, on the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon, May 3, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem
An Israeli soldier gestures next to a tank, on the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon, May 3, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem
TT

Israel Army Says Striking Hezbollah Targets across Lebanon

An Israeli soldier gestures next to a tank, on the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon, May 3, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem
An Israeli soldier gestures next to a tank, on the Israeli side of the border with Lebanon, May 3, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem

Israel's army said Wednesday it had begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas of Lebanon, despite a truce with the neighboring country intended to halt fighting with the Iran-backed militant group. 

"The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites in several areas in Lebanon," a military statement said. 

It came shortly after the army reported "several incidents" during which drones exploded near Israeli soldiers operating in Lebanon's south.  

Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa valley killed four people, with local media reporting the attack took place before the Israeli army issued a warning to evacuate the area along with 11 other towns. 

"An Israeli enemy raid on the town of Zellaya in West Bekaa resulted in four martyrs, including two women and an elderly man," the ministry said. 

Lebanese state media said the attack struck the house of the town's mayor, killing him and three members of his family. 

 


US Wants 'Concrete Actions' on Iran from Next Iraqi PM

Members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary group Kataeb Hezbollah mourn a comrade who was killed in a strike in Basra, during the funeral in Baghdad on April 8, 2026. AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP/File
Members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary group Kataeb Hezbollah mourn a comrade who was killed in a strike in Basra, during the funeral in Baghdad on April 8, 2026. AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP/File
TT

US Wants 'Concrete Actions' on Iran from Next Iraqi PM

Members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary group Kataeb Hezbollah mourn a comrade who was killed in a strike in Basra, during the funeral in Baghdad on April 8, 2026. AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP/File
Members of Iraq's pro-Iran paramilitary group Kataeb Hezbollah mourn a comrade who was killed in a strike in Basra, during the funeral in Baghdad on April 8, 2026. AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP/File

The United States is looking for "concrete actions" by Iraq's next prime minister to distance the state from pro-Iran armed groups before resuming financial shipments and security aid, a senior official said Tuesday.

Iraq's ruling coalition has put forward Ali al-Zaidi as the next leader and he quickly received a congratulatory call from President Donald Trump, who had threatened to end all US support if former frontrunner Nouri al-Maliki took office.

But a senior US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Zaidi must address the "blurry line" between pro-Iran armed groups in the Shia-majority country and the state, AFP said.

Washington suspended cash payments for oil revenue, which have been handled from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in an arrangement dating to the aftermath of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, as well as security assistance over a spate of attacks on US interests.

Resuming full support "would start with expelling terrorist militias from any state institution, cutting off their support from the Iraqi budget (and) denying salary payments to these militia fighters," the official said.

"Those are the type of concrete actions that would give us confidence and say that there's a new mindset."

The official said US facilities in Iraq suffered more than 600 attacks after February 28, when the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran.

The attacks have come to a standstill since a shaky April 8 ceasefire between the United States and Iran, with the exception of Iranian strikes in Iraqi Kurdistan.

"I'm not underestimating the severity of the challenge or what it would take to disentangle these relationships. It could start with a clear and unambiguous statement of policy that the terrorist militias are not part of the Iraqi state," the official said.

"Certain elements of the Iraqi state have continued to provide political, financial and operational cover for these very terrorist militias," he added.

The United States piled pressure on Iraq after it appeared that Maliki would be the next prime minister. During his previous stint in office, relations deteriorated with Washington over accusations of being too close to Iran's Shia clerical government and fanning sectarian flames.

Attacks by armed groups in Iraq have struck the US embassy in Baghdad, its diplomatic and logistics facility at the capital's airport and oil fields operated by foreign companies.