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Pentagon Agrees to Compensate Israel for Selling F-35s to UAE

US Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to the Pentagon, Sept. 22, 2020 (Photo: US State Department)
US Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to the Pentagon, Sept. 22, 2020 (Photo: US State Department)
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Pentagon Agrees to Compensate Israel for Selling F-35s to UAE

US Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to the Pentagon, Sept. 22, 2020 (Photo: US State Department)
US Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper welcomes Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to the Pentagon, Sept. 22, 2020 (Photo: US State Department)

Israeli Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz has reached an agreement with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper to form a committee in the Pentagon that would ensure Israel’s military supremacy and to compensate the Israeli army for the decision to conclude a modern arms deal with the UAE army.

In a statement, the US Department of Defense said that Esper promised Gantz that the United States “would maintain Israel’s qualitative edge in the Middle East.” He made the promise at the beginning of a Pentagon meeting with the Israeli leader.

According to the statement, Esper stressed that Israel was America’s most important strategic partner in the Middle East.

“Our partnership is built over generations based on shared values, shared interests, and shared concerns,” he said.

Sources, who accompanied Gantz during his visit to Washington, said that the latter did not only discuss the arms deal with the UAE, but also “the common vision for dealing with the Iranian file and the requirements of this vision at the current stage.”

Gantz also met during his 24-hour visit with the US president’s advisor and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, and the US Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley.

“We are grateful for the US efforts to bring peace and its commitment to Israel’s military supremacy,” he said following his meeting with Kushner.

According to sources in Tel Aviv, Gantz carried a series of new demands made by a team composed of the Ministry of Security and the Army Command headed by General Tomer Bar, a candidate to lead the Israeli Air Force.

A report by Reuters on Tuesday revealed that the United States and the UAE were hoping to have an initial agreement on the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to the Gulf state in place by December.

Sources close to the negotiations said the goal was to have a letter of agreement in place in time for UAE National Day celebrated on Dec. 2.

On Wednesday, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman reassured Israelis that the country’s Qualitative Military Edge (QME) was not at risk.

“The Emirates have been trying to get F-35s for six or seven years,” said Friedman in a recorded interview.

“The delivery time is probably another six or seven years from now,” he added.

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Gulf

New Saudi Humanitarian Aid Crosses Rafah Crossing En Route to Gaza

The shipment includes a large quantity of food baskets and tents. SPA
The shipment includes a large quantity of food baskets and tents. SPA
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New Saudi Humanitarian Aid Crosses Rafah Crossing En Route to Gaza

The shipment includes a large quantity of food baskets and tents. SPA
The shipment includes a large quantity of food baskets and tents. SPA

A new shipment of Saudi humanitarian aid, provided by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), crossed the Rafah border crossing on Thursday.

The shipment includes a large quantity of food baskets and tents in preparation for delivery to those affected in the Gaza Strip, as part of the Saudi popular campaign to aid the Palestinian people in the enclave.

The relief supplies come as an extension of the humanitarian efforts delivered by the Kingdom through KSrelief to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, who are facing humanitarian conditions that threaten children and women amid cold weather and difficult living conditions.

Gulf

IMCTC Signs Cooperation Memorandum with Saudi Fund for Development

The deal was signed on behalf of IMCTC by its Secretary-General Major General Mohammed Al-Moghedi, while SFD was represented by its CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad - SPA
The deal was signed on behalf of IMCTC by its Secretary-General Major General Mohammed Al-Moghedi, while SFD was represented by its CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad - SPA
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IMCTC Signs Cooperation Memorandum with Saudi Fund for Development

The deal was signed on behalf of IMCTC by its Secretary-General Major General Mohammed Al-Moghedi, while SFD was represented by its CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad - SPA
The deal was signed on behalf of IMCTC by its Secretary-General Major General Mohammed Al-Moghedi, while SFD was represented by its CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad - SPA

The Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) signed a cooperation memorandum with the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) in Riyadh, as part of efforts to strengthen strategic partnership and integrate the two sides’ efforts in supporting development projects and initiatives in the coalition’s member states.

The memorandum was signed on behalf of IMCTC by its Secretary-General Major General Mohammed Al-Moghedi, while SFD was represented by its CEO Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad, SPA reported.

The memorandum aims to establish a general framework for cooperation and coordination between the two sides that supports the implementation of sustainable development projects in member states, enhancing their readiness and capacity to confront challenges related to terrorism through a scientific methodology and institutional integration aligned with each side’s mandates.

The areas of cooperation include joint action in managing the coalition’s projects and initiatives across member states, aligning these projects with SFD's activities and programs, exchanging expertise through specialized workshops, benefiting from shared studies and reports, and highlighting the efforts of both sides in regional and international forums.

Gulf

UN Secretary-General Visits KSrelief Headquarters in Riyadh

Al Rabeeah discussed with Guterres topics of mutual interest related to humanitarian and relief affairs - SPA
Al Rabeeah discussed with Guterres topics of mutual interest related to humanitarian and relief affairs - SPA
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UN Secretary-General Visits KSrelief Headquarters in Riyadh

Al Rabeeah discussed with Guterres topics of mutual interest related to humanitarian and relief affairs - SPA
Al Rabeeah discussed with Guterres topics of mutual interest related to humanitarian and relief affairs - SPA

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and his accompanying delegation visited the headquarters of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) in Riyadh on Thursday.

During the visit, he met with Advisor at the Royal Court and KSrelief Supervisor-General Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, as well as a number of the center’s senior officials, in the presence of Saudi Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz Alwasil, SPA reported.

Al Rabeeah discussed with Guterres topics of mutual interest related to humanitarian and relief affairs, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation between KSrelief and the various UN organizations.

During the meeting, a visual presentation was given on the center’s projects and programs, which have so far reached 3,881 projects in 109 countries, with a total value exceeding $8 billion.

These include specialized initiatives such as the Prosthetic Programs, the Masam Project for clearing landmines in Yemen, the program for reintegrating Yemeni children previously associated with armed conflict, in addition to voluntary medical programs, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Programme, and the establishment of digital humanitarian, volunteer, documentation, and international registration platforms, among many other significant humanitarian initiatives.

Guterres then toured the permanent exhibition in the center’s main hall, which features an interactive map showing countries benefiting from KSrelief projects, audiovisual storytelling stations showcasing impactful humanitarian stories, a screen highlighting the center’s volunteer programs, and a section allowing visitors to write humanitarian messages.

The exhibition also includes virtual reality goggles that let visitors experience the daily lives of refugees and displaced people.

He also met with several Saudi medical volunteers participating in medical missions implemented outside the Kingdom and listened to their personal experiences in carrying out the center’s volunteer projects.

Afterward, he visited the offices of KSrelief’s partner organizations and international agencies, where representatives briefed him on their joint work with the center.

Guterres later affirmed in a press statement to SPA that the Kingdom has maintained its firm commitment to providing humanitarian assistance, particularly during these challenging times in which humanitarian aid is, regrettably, no longer as widespread globally as it once was.

Guterres noted that KSrelief stands as a prominent model of generosity, dedication, efficiency, and the exceptional quality of services it provides to those affected and most in need in numerous countries, including Yemen, Somalia, Syria, and others. He added that visiting the center offers a clear view of the remarkable humanitarian work it carries out and reflects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to this noble approach.

He also praised the center’s success in building an extensive global network of partnerships, demonstrating its professionalism and leadership in humanitarian work.