Saudi-Palestinian Summit to Confirm Rejection of US Decision

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Reuters
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Reuters
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Saudi-Palestinian Summit to Confirm Rejection of US Decision

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Reuters
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Reuters

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to meet Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today and assure the rejection of the US decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognize it as the capital of Israel.

The visit also comes as a verification of the Saudi preliminary stance on the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem and rejection of all these changes.

Ambassador of Palestine to Saudi Arabia Bassem Abdullah al-Agha affirmed in a phone call with Asharq Al-Awsat that President Abbas's visit is an affirmation of the Saudi commitment to the Palestinian cause and Jerusalem, which will be the main focus of the Saudi-Palestinian summit talks in Riyadh today.

“The US decision on Jerusalem made a fuss although King Salman advised, alerted and warned the US side of announcing this,” Agha said, adding that Trump has killed the peace process and violated UN resolutions and directions.

Agha pointed out that the Palestinian people are acting against the decision, dictating their conscience, patriotism, Islamism and Arabism, explaining that some "described this move as a Palestinian revolution, but it is actually the world’s revolution against Trump and his Israeli counterpart Netanyahu."

“We wanted peace, but Trump and Netanyahu don’t,” Agha said. Amidst that, the Saudi positions are “preliminary and principled as Jerusalem is the heartbeat of King Salman and his Crown Prince.”
We have seen over the years Saudi Arabia's positions in the UN, UNESCO, Geneva and all international institutions, and the Kingdom's stances have always been with Palestine and Jerusalem.

The Kingdom considers the Palestinian cause an internal and external issue at the core of its policy as it has never stopped protecting the Palestinian people and cause from enemies.

The Palestinian-Saudi relations will never change, Agha said, pointing out that Saudi Arabia has never stopped supporting Palestine politically and financially.



Israel Expands Drone Use in Southern Lebanon to Intercept Civilians

An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)
An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)
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Israel Expands Drone Use in Southern Lebanon to Intercept Civilians

An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)
An armed Israeli drone flies over villages in southern Lebanon in July (Hezbollah Media)

Israeli drones are now being used for more than just tracking and targeting fighters in southern Lebanon. They’re also setting fires to forests, intimidating residents, and stopping cars at night to broadcast messages through loudspeakers.

Recent reports and social media videos show these new uses. In one troubling incident, an Israeli drone blocked a civilian in his car in the border town of Khallwat in the Hasbaya district, holding him for several minutes.

Local TV channel Al-Jadeed reported that an Israeli drone briefly held a civilian in his car and shone bright lights on him. The man was able to leave safely.

Other reports say the drone stopped the man early in the morning on his way home, using strong green lights that caused him pain.

The type of light used by the Israeli drone is not clear, but experts believe it’s not a laser.

Instead, it was likely a spotlight used to help the drone’s camera scan the driver’s face and collect information. This process involves a camera that captures the image and sends it to a computer where AI can identify the person quickly.

Experts tell Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel’s advanced technology means the bright light could be used for intimidation, to confirm the person’s identity, or to analyze body shape data.

They agree that the situation is concerning.

In another incident, a new video showed an Israeli drone dropping burning materials on forests near borders in Lebanon’s town of Adaisseh. The footage shows the drone releasing the substance, which started a fire.

Israeli drones with loudspeakers have been also flying over border villages, warning residents and broadcasting messages. Locals say the drones not only relay army statements but also insult Hezbollah and incite against the group.

This has been happening in multiple villages over the past month.

Moreover, Israeli warplanes have been striking the outskirts of Zibkin, Naqoura, and Wadi Hamoul, causing severe damage to property, crops, and forests.

The Israeli military also shelled the outskirts of Aita al-Shaab and hit areas around Naqoura and Alma al-Shaab with artillery fire.