Cairo, Doha Discuss Joint Relations, Regional Issues

Egyptian Ambassador to Qatar, Amr Sherbini meets with Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad Al Muraikhi in Doha. (Sherbini’s twitter account)
Egyptian Ambassador to Qatar, Amr Sherbini meets with Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad Al Muraikhi in Doha. (Sherbini’s twitter account)
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Cairo, Doha Discuss Joint Relations, Regional Issues

Egyptian Ambassador to Qatar, Amr Sherbini meets with Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad Al Muraikhi in Doha. (Sherbini’s twitter account)
Egyptian Ambassador to Qatar, Amr Sherbini meets with Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Soltan bin Saad Al Muraikhi in Doha. (Sherbini’s twitter account)

Cairo and Doha held talks on bilateral relation and regional issues as part of efforts to bolster Egyptian-Qatari ties.

Egyptian Ambassador to Qatar, Amr Sherbini met on Sunday with Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Soltan bin Saad Al Muraikhi.

They tackled means to bolster bilateral ties, as well as regional and international issues of common interest.

An Egyptian foreign ministry statement said Al Muraikhi welcomed Sherbini’s appointment as Egypt’s new ambassador to Doha.

He hailed the ongoing development of relations between their countries after they mended ties following a diplomatic and economic rift that lasted four years.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain mended ties with Qatar earlier this year by signing the AlUla Declaration.

Since then, Egyptian and Qatari foreign ministers have exchanged visits and Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi held bilateral talks with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Baghdad in August.

The Egyptian foreign ministry highlighted the rapprochement with Qatar, hoping cooperation can be further bolstered in the future.



UN Peacekeepers Say Troops Attacked by Individuals in South Lebanon

A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (Archive - AFP)
A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (Archive - AFP)
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UN Peacekeepers Say Troops Attacked by Individuals in South Lebanon

A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (Archive - AFP)
A joint force from UNIFIL and the Lebanese army in Naqoura near the Israeli border (Archive - AFP)

United Nations peacekeepers said rock-throwing individuals confronted them during a patrol on Tuesday in south Lebanon, calling repeated targeting of their troops "unacceptable".

The UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL), deployed since 1978 to separate Lebanon and Israel, sits on a five-member committee to supervise the ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

In a statement, UNIFIL said peacekeepers conducting "a planned patrol" coordinated with the Lebanese army were "confronted by a group of individuals in civilian clothing in the vicinity of Hallusiyat al-Tahta, in southern Lebanon".

"The group attempted to obstruct the patrol using aggressive means, including throwing stones at the peacekeepers," the statement read, adding that "one peacekeeper was struck" but no injuries were reported, AFP reported.

The situation was defused when the Lebanese army intervened, allowing the peacekeeping force to continue its patrol.

"It is unacceptable that UNIFIL peacekeepers continue to be targeted," the statement added.

UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti told AFP a Finnish soldier was slapped during the confrontation.

A witness, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said an altercation ensued between locals and the Lebanese army, who were searching for the man who slapped the peacekeeper.

One man opposing the army was injured and hospitalized, the witness said.

In a statement, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said he "strongly condemns the repeated attacks" on UNIFIL forces and called for the attackers to be stopped and held accountable.

There have been several confrontations between people in south Lebanon, where Hezbollah holds sway, and UN peacekeepers in recent weeks.

Confrontations are typically defused by the Lebanese army and rarely escalate.

In December 2022, an Irish peacekeeper was killed in a shooting at a UN armoured vehicle in the south. Hezbollah surrendered a man accused of the crime, but he was released around a year later.

The November ceasefire agreement, which sought to end over a year of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, states that only Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers may be deployed in the country's south.

Israel is supposed to have fully withdrawn its troops from Lebanon according to the deal, but has remained in five positions it deems strategic and has repeatedly bombed the country.