Egypt and France Collaborate on Environment, Discuss COP27

The Egyptian Minister of Environment meets with the French Ambassador and several French companies’ representatives. (The Ministry of Environment)
The Egyptian Minister of Environment meets with the French Ambassador and several French companies’ representatives. (The Ministry of Environment)
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Egypt and France Collaborate on Environment, Discuss COP27

The Egyptian Minister of Environment meets with the French Ambassador and several French companies’ representatives. (The Ministry of Environment)
The Egyptian Minister of Environment meets with the French Ambassador and several French companies’ representatives. (The Ministry of Environment)

Egyptian Minister of Environment Yasmin Fouad stressed the deeply-rooted ties between Egypt and France and reviewed with the French ambassador the latest environmental developments, climate change, and biological diversity.

The head of the French chamber of commerce and representatives of several French companies in Egypt also attended the meeting between Fouad and French Ambassador to Cairo Marc Barety.

In press statements, the ambassador noted that climate change has become a challenge facing the whole world.

Barety commended the efforts exerted by Egypt to support climate change and said he was looking forward to the upcoming climate summit (COP27).

The Egyptian Minister noted that Egypt’s hosting of the summit next year will provide a chance for further negotiations on the responsibilities of developed countries.

She said a higher committee concerned with the climate summit will include a workgroup to facilitate the participation of the private sector and civil society organizations in preparations for the event.

The summit will give all business sector companies the opportunity to be involved in climate-related work and contribute to Egypt’s change to a friendlier environment in the development and business processes, added the minister.

Fouad also said the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Tourism are working hand in hand to support environmental tourism in Egypt.



Israeli Defense Minister Says He Will End Detention without Charge of Jewish Settlers

Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)
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Israeli Defense Minister Says He Will End Detention without Charge of Jewish Settlers

Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)

Israel’s new defense minister said Friday that he would stop issuing warrants to arrest West Bank settlers or hold them without charge or trial — a largely symbolic move that rights groups said risks emboldening settler violence in the Israeli-occupied territory.

Israel Katz called the arrest warrants “severe” and said issuing them was “inappropriate” as Palestinian militant attacks on settlers in the territory grow more frequent. He said settlers could be “brought to justice” in other ways.

The move protects Israeli settlers from being held in “administrative detention,” a shadowy form of incarceration where people are held without charge or trial.

Settlers are rarely arrested in the West Bank, where settler violence against Palestinians has spiraled since the outbreak of the war Oct. 7.

Katz’s decision was celebrated by far-right coalition allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. National Security Minister and settler firebrand Itamar Ben-Gvir applauded Katz and called the move a “correction of many years of mistreatment” and “justice for those who love the land.”

Since Oct. 7, 2023, violence toward Palestinians by Israeli settlers has soared to new heights, displacing at least 19 entire Palestinian communities, according to Israeli rights group Peace Now. In that time, attacks by Palestinian militants on settlers and within Israel have also grown more common.

An increasing number of Palestinians have been placed in administrative detention. Israel holds 3,443 administrative detainees in prison, according to data from the Israeli Prison Service, reported by rights group Hamoked. That figure stood around 1,200 just before the start of the war. The vast majority of them are Palestinian, with only a handful at any given time Israeli Jews, said Jessica Montell, the director of Hamoked.

“All of these detentions without charge or trial are illegitimate, but to declare that this measure will only be used against Palestinians...is to explicitly entrench another form of ethnic discrimination,” said Montell.