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UN Chief Condemns Israeli Law Blocking Electricity, Water for UNRWA Facilities

A girl stands in the courtyard of a building of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Askar camp for Palestinian refugees, east of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on December 31, 2025. (AFP)
A girl stands in the courtyard of a building of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Askar camp for Palestinian refugees, east of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on December 31, 2025. (AFP)
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UN Chief Condemns Israeli Law Blocking Electricity, Water for UNRWA Facilities

A girl stands in the courtyard of a building of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Askar camp for Palestinian refugees, east of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on December 31, 2025. (AFP)
A girl stands in the courtyard of a building of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Askar camp for Palestinian refugees, east of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on December 31, 2025. (AFP)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned on Wednesday a move by Israel to ban electricity or water to facilities owned by the UN Palestinian refugee agency, a UN spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the move would "further impede" the agency's ability to operate and carry out activities.

"The Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations remains applicable to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), its property and assets, and to its officials and other personnel. Property used ‌by UNRWA ‌is inviolable," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the ‌secretary-general, ⁠said while ‌adding that UNRWA is an "integral" part of the world body.

UNRWA Commissioner General Phillipe Lazzarini also condemned the move, saying that it was part of an ongoing " systematic campaign to discredit UNRWA and thereby obstruct" the role it plays in providing assistance to Palestinian refugees.

In 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning the agency from operating in ⁠the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency.

As a ‌result, UNRWA operates in East Jerusalem, ‍which the UN considers territory occupied ‍by Israel. Israel considers all Jerusalem to be part ‍of the country.

The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has long had tense relations with Israel, but ties have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza and Israel has called repeatedly for UNRWA to ⁠be disbanded, with its responsibilities transferred to other UN agencies.

The prohibition of basic utilities to the UN agency came as Israel also suspended of dozens of international non-governmental organizations working in Gaza due to a failure to meet new rules to vet those groups.

In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom said on Tuesday such a move would have a severe impact on the access of essential services, including healthcare. They said one in ‌three healthcare facilities in Gaza would close if international NGO operations stopped.

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Arab World

Lebanon Prepares for Possible Negotiations with Israel: Forming Delegation and Coordinating with Syria

A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)
A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)
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Lebanon Prepares for Possible Negotiations with Israel: Forming Delegation and Coordinating with Syria

A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)
A plume of smoke billows following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 13, 2026. (Reuters)

Lebanon has started to make preparations ahead of the possibility of holding direct negotiations with Israel, based on an initiative proposed by President Joseph Aoun to end Israel’s war on Lebanon.

Diplomatic and political contacts have also been intensifying amid the rapid developments in Lebanon and the region.

Aoun held a joint telephone call with his Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday to address the developments. They agreed to keep channels of communication open to follow up on issues, said the Lebanese presidency.

For his part, Macron underscored the importance of coordination launched by the Lebanese and Syrian leaderships, saying France will continue to support it. Sharaa backs the Lebanese authorities’ efforts to reclaim full control of its territories.

Macron called on Israel to cease its attacks on Lebanon, while accusing Hezbollah of making a “major mistake in dragging Lebanon into a confrontation with Israel.”

Ministerial sources close to the presidency told Asharq Al-Awsat that the call was made at Macron’s request, who believes that negotiations should cover various paths and should not be limited to just talks between Lebanon and Israel.

They should also include negotiations between Syria and Israel, border issues and pending affairs between them. Negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, Syria and Israel and between all three could lead to connected results, especially over the border, notably the Shebaa Farms.

Lebanon has yet to receive a receptive response from the concerned parties, particularly Israel and the United States, which should sponsor any possible talks.

Regardless, the sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that Lebanon has kicked off steps to engage in negotiations with Israel. It has started to form a delegation that will head to Cyprus should negotiations get a green light.

The delegation will include Ambassador Abdel Sattar Issa, who was chosen by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to represent Sunnis, former Ambassador Simon Karam, who will represent Maronites, Shawki Abou Nassar, who will represent the Druze. Discussions are underway to name an Orthodox representative.

No Shiite has been named to the delegation, said the sources, with parliament Speaker Nabih Berri refusing to name one. He instead said that the Mechanism committee should handle talks until a ceasefire is reached.

On the diplomatic level, Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi received a telephone call from Hamish Faulkner, Minister for the Middle East and North Africa at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to discuss the situation in Lebanon.

Faulkner expressed his country’s solidarity with Lebanon, saying it was ready to offer humanitarian support and work with the concerned parties towards a ceasefire.

Raggi also received a similar phone call from his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares.

Arab World

US Military Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq

An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)
An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)
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US Military Refueling Plane Crashes in Iraq

An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)
An F-16 fighter jet being refueled in the air by a US Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker (CENTCOM)

An American military refueling plane taking part in the operation against Iran crashed in Iraq and rescue efforts were underway, US Central Command said Thursday.

It was not immediately clear if there were any casualties. A US official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation, said the KC-135 aircraft that crashed had at least five crew members aboard.

The crash was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire, the military said in a statement, which described the plane as “a loss.”

US Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said that two aircraft were involved and that one landed safely and the other went down in western Iraq.

A second US official, who similarly spoke on condition of anonymity, said the other plane involved also was a KC-135 tanker.

“More information will be made available as the situation develops,” Central Command said. “We ask for continued patience to gather additional details and provide clarity for the families of service members.”

The tanker is the fourth publicly acknowledged aircraft to crash as part of the US military’s operations against Iran. Last week, three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire.

All six crew members safely ejected from the F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition after being recovered, the US said.

Seven American troops have been killed in combat during the Iran war so far, while about 140 US service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week.

Both President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have warned that the Iran war would likely claim more American lives before it ends.

Arab World

French Soldier Killed in Drone Attack in Iraq

A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)
A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)
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French Soldier Killed in Drone Attack in Iraq

A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)
A plume of smoke rises following an interception of a drone in Erbil on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Shvan HARKI / AFP)

France’s president said Friday that a French soldier has been killed in a drone attack in Iraq.

The attack targeted Erbil in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, President Emmanuel Macron said on the social platform X.

Macron identified the soldier as Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins from Varces.

“To his family, to his brothers in arms, I want to express all the affection and solidarity of the nation,” Macron said. “Several of our soldiers have been wounded. France stands by their side and with their loved ones.”

France said earlier that six soldiers were hurt in a drone attack in Erbil.

French troops are in Iraq as part of a multinational counterterrorism mission supporting local forces in their fight against ISIS militants.