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State Dept. Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: US, Israel Cooperating to Detect Iran Militias in S.Syria

Israeli troops are pictured in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on the border with Syria on January 3, 2020. (Getty Images)
Israeli troops are pictured in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on the border with Syria on January 3, 2020. (Getty Images)
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State Dept. Official to Asharq Al-Awsat: US, Israel Cooperating to Detect Iran Militias in S.Syria

Israeli troops are pictured in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on the border with Syria on January 3, 2020. (Getty Images)
Israeli troops are pictured in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on the border with Syria on January 3, 2020. (Getty Images)

The United States reiterated its support to Israel in its complete right to defend itself in wake of Israeli strikes last week against Iranian militia positions in Syria.

A State Department spokesman told Asharq Al-Awsat that Washington continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself amid the threat Iran poses to it from Syria.

He revealed that bilateral cooperation is underway with Tel Aviv to detect threats in border regions with Syria.

Echoing repeated demands by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the official stressed the need for the Iranian regime to withdraw its Revolutionary Guard corps forces, Hezbollah fighters and other Tehran-backed groups from Syria in order for peace and stability to be restored.

The malign and destabilizing actions committed by the Iranian regime in Syria are enabling the Bashar Assad regime to carry out its atrocities against the Syrian people and prolong the conflict that has claimed the lives of half a million people and displaced 11 million others, said the spokesman.

If Iran were indeed concerned about the livelihood of the Syrian people, then it should support the political process in line with United Nations Security Council 2254 instead of continuing the bloodshed in the country, he added to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Moreover, the spokesman said that the American administration was well aware that the Assad regime still possesses chemical weapons and was ready to use them.

The regime has used such weapons against its own people over 50 times since the conflict erupted in 2011, he revealed.

All options are on the table for Washington to deal with the regime, he added, vowing that it will continue to employ all means at its disposal to deter the future use of chemical weapons.

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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
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FAO Official: Gulf States Shielded Themselves from Major Shocks

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics Division at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told Asharq al-Awsat that global hunger increased sharply during the coronavirus pandemic, noting that the GCC countries were able to shield themselves from major shocks affecting food security.
Laborde added that global hunger affected over 152 million people, with no improvement in the past two years.
Today, 733 million people suffer from chronic hunger, and 2.3 billion face food insecurity, according to the UN annual report on “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World.”

Laborde explained that the global economic crisis has worsened food insecurity, keeping hunger levels high.
Alongside this, climate shocks and conflicts are major causes of hunger. He also pointed out that food insecurity is closely tied to inequality, and the economic crisis, rising living costs, and high interest rates are deepening existing inequalities both within and between countries.
On whether economic diversification in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is boosting food security, Laborde said: “A move towards a more diversified economy and enhancing the ability to rely on various sources of food supplies are key drivers of food security resilience and stability.”
“GCC countries have managed to shield themselves from major shocks, primarily due to their high income levels and ability to cover import costs without difficulty,” he explained.
Regarding the FAO’s outlook on reducing global hunger, Laborde insisted that ending hunger will require a significant increase in funding.
When asked for suggestions on how governments could enhance food security, Laborde said: “Despite global figures remaining stable, improvements are seen in Asia and Latin America, showing that the right policies and conditions can reduce numbers.”
“Hunger is not inevitable. Investing in social safety nets to protect the poor, along with making structural changes to food systems to be more environmentally friendly, resilient, and equitable, is the right path forward,” emphasized Laborde.
The annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, published on Wednesday, said about 733 million people faced hunger in 2023 – one in 11 people globally and one in five in Africa.
Hunger and food insecurity present critical challenges affecting millions globally.
The annual report, released this year during the G20 Global Alliance for Hunger and Poverty Task Force ministerial meeting in Brazil, warns that the world is significantly lagging in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2—ending hunger by 2030.
It highlights that global progress has regressed by 15 years, with malnutrition levels comparable to those seen in 2008-2009.
Despite some progress in areas like stunting and exclusive breastfeeding, a troubling number of people still face food insecurity and malnutrition, with global hunger levels rising.