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Bennett Obstructs Gantz-Abbas Meeting

Protests in Tel Aviv against the government's decision to impose restrictions to control the coronavirus pandemic (AFP)
Protests in Tel Aviv against the government's decision to impose restrictions to control the coronavirus pandemic (AFP)
    Tel Aviv - Nazir Magali
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Bennett Obstructs Gantz-Abbas Meeting

Protests in Tel Aviv against the government's decision to impose restrictions to control the coronavirus pandemic (AFP)
Protests in Tel Aviv against the government's decision to impose restrictions to control the coronavirus pandemic (AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is preventing Defense Minister Benny Gantz from meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli television Channel 12 reported.

The channel said that Gantz has spoken to Abbas twice since the current government's formation and agreed with him to meet soon. But Bennett disagreed, leaving Gantz disappointed.

It quoted him as saying: "The meeting with Abbas, in these circumstances, is of great importance in promoting and strengthening security cooperation."

Sources close to Bennett revealed that officials in the Yamina party expressed their fears that the resumption of direct dialogue with the Palestinian Authority, and other demands of the Biden administration regarding the Palestinians, would lead to the collapse of the government coalition.

They told Israel Hayom newspaper that party officials expect the US administration to present several demands after approving the general budget next November.

The sources added that Washington accepted the Israeli government's request to wait until the budget is approved.

They indicated that passing the draft budget in the Knesset will be the most critical test of the stability of the cabinet. If passed, the government will complete its mandate, and then it will be easy to take unpopular decisions, such as resuming relations with the PA.

The eight parties of the government coalition agreed that it should focus on economic and social issues, including the coronavirus pandemic, rather than being preoccupied with major political issues.

Back then, Bennet said he will not meet the demands of the right-wing parties in the government, including the Yamina party, to annex the Jordan Valley and impose Israeli sovereignty over the settlements.

In addition, the goals of the left parties, such as Labor and Meretz, and that of the Islamic movement to freeze settlement construction and relaunch negotiations based on a two-state solution will not be achieved, according to Bennet.

According to government sources, the US administration does not want to impose de facto measures that sabotage the two-state solution.

They explained that decisions to expand settlements in the West Bank by establishing new neighborhoods or converting outposts into permanent settlements are de facto measures.

Last Friday, US media published statements by a senior official in the State Department in Washington, commenting on the government's intention to approve 2,300 residential homes in settlements and about 900 Palestinian homes throughout the West Bank.

The US official considered these projects a violation of the two-state solution and called on the Israeli and Palestinian sides to refrain from unilateral decisions and measures entirely.

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Arab World

Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.