Two Palestinians Killed in West Bank Clashes

Palestinians sit in a shelter at the rubble of their house destroyed in the three-day Israel-Gaza fighting, in Gaza City, August 14, 2022 - Reuters
Palestinians sit in a shelter at the rubble of their house destroyed in the three-day Israel-Gaza fighting, in Gaza City, August 14, 2022 - Reuters
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Two Palestinians Killed in West Bank Clashes

Palestinians sit in a shelter at the rubble of their house destroyed in the three-day Israel-Gaza fighting, in Gaza City, August 14, 2022 - Reuters
Palestinians sit in a shelter at the rubble of their house destroyed in the three-day Israel-Gaza fighting, in Gaza City, August 14, 2022 - Reuters

Two Palestinians were killed early Thursday in separate clashes with the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement that Samer Khaled, 25, from Al-Ain camp in Nablus, suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the neck, and Yazan Afana, 26, from Qalandia camp outside Jerusalem, died after being shot in the heart.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said Khaled was killed when Israel soldiers stormed Balata refugee camp near Nablus, in the northern West Bank.

Afana was killed during an operation in Al-Bireh, near Ramallah, the health ministry said.

A Palestinian official said the death of Afana was linked to fire from Palestinian militants, rather than the Israeli army.

The army said in a statement that its soldiers arrested six wanted men in operations throughout the West Bank overnight.

"During the operation (in Balata), the forces responded by firing after a shot was fired at them," the army statement said, AFP reported.

"There are claims of a dead Palestinian," it added.

The army said that during the operation in Al-Bireh, its forces were attacked with stones and Molotov cocktails and responded using "riot dispersal means".

It added that in this case too it had been informed of the death of a Palestinian.

On Tuesday, four Palestinians and two Israelis were injured in separate incidents near Nablus, the scene of recurrent violence in recent months.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967, when it captured the territory from Jordan.



Iraq’s Sudani Confirms Election Bid, Invites Syria’s al-Sharaa to Arab Summit in Baghdad

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
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Iraq’s Sudani Confirms Election Bid, Invites Syria’s al-Sharaa to Arab Summit in Baghdad

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Sulaymaniyah Forum (Asharq Al-Awsat) 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced his intention to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections and confirmed that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has been officially invited to attend the Arab League Summit in Baghdad, scheduled for May 17.

Speaking at the Sulaymaniyah Forum on Wednesday, al-Sudani addressed political leaders and government officials, presenting his government’s accomplishments and vision. He emphasized Iraq’s renewed efforts to assert its role in the Arab world, saying: “We aim to host a successful Arab summit in Baghdad that reflects the country’s strategic importance and provides a platform for addressing critical regional issues”.

Al-Sudani noted that the summit will be an opportunity to build joint mechanisms to deal with shared challenges.

“President Ahmad al-Sharaa is welcome in Baghdad. We’ve extended an official invitation for his participation,” he said.

On regional tensions, particularly between the United States and Iran, al-Sudani stressed the importance of diplomacy.

“We have officially welcomed both direct and indirect negotiations between the two sides, and we hope they lead to peaceful outcomes that serve regional stability,” he underlined.

Turning to domestic politics, al-Sudani confirmed he will run in the November 2025 elections but declined to name the coalition he will represent. He urged voters to distinguish between effective political programs and what he called the “recycling of failed and corrupt agendas.”

He credited the progress of his government to support from key political alliances, particularly the State Administration Coalition and the Coordination Framework.

Meanwhile, Iraqi political parties are beginning to shape their election strategies, following the Electoral Commission’s announcement that it has opened registration for candidate lists. Sources suggest the Coordination Framework may splinter into four main groups due to internal disagreements, though alliances with smaller factions are seen as more viable.

On the sidelines of the forum, al-Sudani met with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. The two leaders stressed the importance of keeping Iraq neutral amid regional conflicts and supporting peaceful resolutions.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s office said both parties agreed on maintaining strong coordination between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to safeguard national unity and serve Iraq’s long-term interests.