عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Former US Ambassador to Israel Accuses Biden of Helping Hamas

President Joe Biden, escorted by Col. Angela Ochoa, commander of the 89th Airlift Wing, arrives to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday March 19, 2024, en route to Nevada. (AP)
President Joe Biden, escorted by Col. Angela Ochoa, commander of the 89th Airlift Wing, arrives to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday March 19, 2024, en route to Nevada. (AP)
TT
TT

Former US Ambassador to Israel Accuses Biden of Helping Hamas

President Joe Biden, escorted by Col. Angela Ochoa, commander of the 89th Airlift Wing, arrives to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday March 19, 2024, en route to Nevada. (AP)
President Joe Biden, escorted by Col. Angela Ochoa, commander of the 89th Airlift Wing, arrives to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday March 19, 2024, en route to Nevada. (AP)

Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman strongly criticized President Joe Biden’s handling of Israel, calling it “disgusting” and accusing the administration of “supporting Hamas”.

Speaking to Israel's Channel 14, Friedman noted that no one is paying attention to Biden's statements and actions in the world as much as Hamas’ leader in Gaza Yahya al-Sinwar

It is well known that Hamas cannot militarily defeat Israel, stressed Friedman.

Therefore, the Palestinian group’s hopes are pinned on the US exerting pressure and forcing Israel to stop the war, he explained, adding that this is the worst message Biden could send to Hamas amidst negotiations.

Friedman attributed Biden's policy to “narrow partisan interests,” suggesting it aims to court Arab voters in states like Michigan and Minnesota.

When asked about former President Donald Trump’s potential actions if re-elected president and his approach to the Gaza conflict, Friedman avoided a direct answer.

He emphasized Trump’s likely shift in policy towards Iran, contrasting Biden’s approach, which he criticized for not imposing sanctions effectively.

Friedman anticipated Trump would pursue a tougher stance, expand Abraham Accords agreements, and intensify counterterrorism efforts.

Friedman was Trump’s ambassador to Israel.

Sources in Tel Aviv confirmed that Biden had a tense phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, their first in over a month.

Biden didn’t try to ease tensions, maintaining a confrontational tone and expressing concern about Netanyahu’s actions.

He advised against provoking a confrontation with the US administration.

Biden also told Netanyahu that the US prefers not to invade Rafah and supports efforts to neutralize the Hamas leadership without civilian casualties.

He emphasized the need for a detailed plan for any military action and expressed concern about disrupting negotiations in Doha with a sudden invasion of Rafah.

They agreed to send an Israeli political-security-strategic delegation to clarify Israel’s plans in this regard.

Moreover, Biden requested that the Israeli delegation to Doha be constructive and empowered to facilitate successful negotiations.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
TT
TT

Libya Says UK to Analyze Black Box from Crash That Killed General

Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Military personnel carry portraits of the Libyan chief of staff, General Mohamed al-Haddad (2-R), and his four advisers, who were killed in a plane crash in Türkiye, during an official repatriation ceremony at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tripoli, Libya, 27 December 2025. (EPA)

Libya said on Thursday that Britain had agreed to analyze the black box from a plane crash in Türkiye on December 23 that killed a Libyan military delegation, including the head of its army.

General Mohammed al-Haddad and four aides died after a visit to Ankara, with Turkish officials saying an electrical failure caused their Falcon 50 jet to crash shortly after takeoff.

Three crew members, two of them French, were also killed.

The aircraft's black box flight recorder was found on farmland near the crash site.

"We coordinated directly with Britain for the analysis" of the black box, Mohamed al-Chahoubi, transport minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU), said at a press conference in Tripoli.

Haddad was very popular in Libya despite deep divisions between west and east.

Haddad was chief of staff for the Tripoli-based GNU.

Chahoubi told AFP a request for the analysis was "made to Germany, which demanded France's assistance" to examine the aircraft's flight recorders.

"However, the Chicago Convention stipulates that the country analyzing the black box must be neutral," he said.

"Since France is a manufacturer of the aircraft and the crew was French, it is not qualified to participate. The United Kingdom, on the other hand, was accepted by Libya and Turkey."

After meeting the British ambassador to Tripoli on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour said a joint request had been submitted by Libya and Türkiye to Britain "to obtain technical and legal support for the analysis of the black box".

Chahoubi told Thursday's press briefing that Britain "announced its agreement, in coordination with the Libyan Ministry of Transport and the Turkish authorities".

He said it was not yet possible to say how long it would take to retrieve the flight data, as this depended on the state of the black box.

"The findings will be made public once they are known," Chahoubi said, warning against "false information" and urging the public not to pay attention to rumors.

Arab World

STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
TT
TT

STC Says Handing over Positions to National Shield Forces in Yemen's Hadhramaut, Mahra

National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)
National Shield forces in Hadhramaut. (National Shield forces)

Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in Yemen began on Thursday handing over military positions to the government’s National Shield forces in the Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen.

Local sources in Hadhramaut confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the handover kicked off after meetings were held between the two sides.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources said the National Shield commanders met with STC leaderships to discuss future arrangements. The sourced did not elaborate, but they confirmed that Emirati armored vehicles, which had entered Balhaf port in Shabwah were seen departing on a UAE vessel, in line with a Yemeni government request.

The National Shield is overseen by Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) Chairman Dr. Rashad al-Alimi.

A Yemeni official described Thursday’s developments as “positive” step towards uniting ranks and legitimacy against a common enemy – the Houthi groups.

The official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, underscored to Asharq Al-Awsat the importance of “partnership between components of the legitimacy and of dialogue to resolve any future differences.”

Meanwhile, on the ground, Yemeni military sources revealed that some STC forces had refused to quit their positions, prompting the forces to dispatch an official to Hadhramaut’s Seiyun city to negotiate the situation.

Arab World

One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers

Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
TT
TT

One Dead as Israeli Forces Open Fire on West Bank Stone-Throwers

Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)
Israeli troops during a military operation in the Palestinian village of Qabatiya, near the West Bank city of Jenin, 27 December 2025. (EPA)

The Israeli military said its forces killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank in the early hours on Thursday as they opened fire on people who were throwing stones at soldiers.

Two other people were hit on a main ‌road near the ‌village of Luban ‌al-Sharqiya ⁠in Nablus, ‌the military statement added. It described the people as militants and said the stone-throwing was part of an ambush.

Palestinian authorities in the West Bank said ⁠a 26-year-old man they named as ‌Khattab Al Sarhan was ‍killed and ‍another person wounded.

Israeli forces had ‍closed the main entrance to the village of Luban al-Sharqiya, in Nablus, and blocked several secondary roads on Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority's official news agency WAFA reported.

More ⁠than a thousand Palestinians were killed in the West Bank between October 2023 and October 2025, mostly in operations by security forces and some by settler violence, the UN has said.

Over the same period, 57 Israelis were killed ‌in Palestinian attacks.