Islamic Jihad Holds First New Politburo Meeting in Cairo

Palestinian Islamic Jihad members take part in a military show marking the 32nd anniversary of the organization's founding, Gaza City, (File photo: Reuters)
Palestinian Islamic Jihad members take part in a military show marking the 32nd anniversary of the organization's founding, Gaza City, (File photo: Reuters)
TT

Islamic Jihad Holds First New Politburo Meeting in Cairo

Palestinian Islamic Jihad members take part in a military show marking the 32nd anniversary of the organization's founding, Gaza City, (File photo: Reuters)
Palestinian Islamic Jihad members take part in a military show marking the 32nd anniversary of the organization's founding, Gaza City, (File photo: Reuters)

Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement will hold talks with Egyptian officials where it will submit a number of requests, announced member of the movement’s politburo Nafez Azzam.

Azzam noted that the talks will discuss the most important Palestinian issues, adding that the movement will hold a meeting that includes all the members of the new political bureau, and then begin its visit to a number of friendly countries.

Islamic Jihad elected members of the new bureau in September last year, including Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhala, elected to replace Ramadan Shallah who is in a critical health condition.

The Jihad delegation arrived in Cairo from abroad and Gaza, along with a delegation from Hamas to discuss the truce.

Israeli sources spoke of tangible progress between Israel and Hamas to achieve a long-term truce.

Islamic Jihad issued a statement, of which Asharq Al-Awsat received a copy, announcing the most important issues that it will discuss with the Egyptian side during the delegation’s visit, led by Sec-Gen Nakhala.

The statement announced that the visit to Cairo comes within the framework of strengthening relations with the Egyptian officials. It also pointed out that they will discuss releasing Palestinian detainees held by the Egyptian security services.

Egypt arrests a number of Palestinians affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements.

In March, Egypt released eight Hamas members after years of detention, including four members of al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the movement. They were released during the three-week visit of the head of Hamas politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, to Cairo.

Jihad will also ask Egyptian officials to exert pressure and guarantee that the Israeli occupation will stop the ongoing Zionist aggression against the Palestinian people.

Egypt sponsored the ceasefire agreement in the last round after commander Baha Abu Ata was killed.

The movement condemned recent statements of Palestinian leaders and media analysts about the delegation’s visit to Cairo, pointing out that the statements aim to normalize relations with the Zionist enemy and spread rumors about the visit.



UN Security Council Says Peacekeeping Force Should Remain on the Israel-Syria Border

Israeli army humvees move in the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on December 21, 2024. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
Israeli army humvees move in the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on December 21, 2024. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
TT

UN Security Council Says Peacekeeping Force Should Remain on the Israel-Syria Border

Israeli army humvees move in the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on December 21, 2024. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)
Israeli army humvees move in the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on December 21, 2024. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP)

The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a resolution extending the UN peacekeeping force on the Israel-Syria border and underscoring that there should be no military activities in the demilitarized buffer zone.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israeli troops will occupy the buffer zone for the foreseeable future. Israel captured the buffer zone shortly after the collapse of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, The Associated Press said.
The resolution adopted Friday stressed that both countries are obligated “to scrupulously and fully respect” the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement that ended the 1973 war between Syria and Israel and established the buffer zone. The resolution was co-sponsored by the United States and Russia.
The Security Council extended the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force monitoring the border area, known as UNDOF, until June 30, 2025 and called for a halt to all military actions throughout the country including in UNDOF’s area of operations.
The resolution expresses concern that ongoing military activities in the area of separation have the potential to escalate Israeli-Syrian tensions and jeopardize the 1974 ceasefire. It also expresses alarm that violence in Syria “risks a serious conflagration of the conflict in the region.”