AL -MONITOR
The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012
September 27, 2024
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Welcome back to the Daily Briefing.
Intense strikes on the Israel-Lebanon border continue despite a push by the United States and France for a cease-fire. Plus, Turkey is embroiled in a massive political legal case upending New York City politics.
That and more in today's edition.
Thanks for reading,
Gabrielle (@gsdebinski)
Israel discussing Lebanon cease-fire proposal as tit-for-tat strikes continue
Men check the destruction following an overnight Israeli air strike in Baalbeck in eastern Lebanon, on September 27, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
A day after the United States and France called for a 21-day cease-fire to allow room for a diplomatic breakthrough, the situation on the Israel-Lebanon border continues to spiral. Hezbollah fired a barrage of rockets Friday toward Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city, and unleashed a flurry of drones toward Israel’s northwestern coast.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army said it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets overnight and into Friday morning, and Lebanese media reported the Israeli Air Force conducting airstrikes in the Bekaa Valley region. The United Nations said on Thursday that some 90,000 Lebanese have been forced to flee their homes amid the bombardment, with 30,000 going to neighboring Syria.
Rhetorical gymnastics: Upon arriving in New York Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to dismiss the cease-fire proposal, saying Israel had not agreed to any pause, vowing “to continue the fighting with full force, and according to the plans presented to him.” After the White House publicly said the Israeli premier had reneged on his word, Netanyahu appeared to hedge Friday, saying, "Israel appreciates the U.S. efforts in this regard because the U.S. role is indispensable in advancing stability and security in the region." Netanyahu's office said US-Israeli talks on the proposal would continue in the coming days.
Know more: Against this backdrop of US-Israeli tensions, the State Department unlocked an additional $3.5 billion in funding to enable the Israeli military to purchase more American-made weapons this week. The additional funds — approved by Congress in April — were part of a larger $8.7 billion package finalized during negotiations between senior US and Israeli officials at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Jared Szuba reports.
As Israel finds itself increasingly isolated diplomatically, Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly this morning just two months after delivering a speech to a joint session of the US Congress where he defended Israel's war in Gaza.
Turkey-related charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams
Mayor Eric Adams arrives for a press conference at 1 Police Plaza on April 18, 2023, in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted Thursday on five federal charges — including bribery and soliciting unlawful campaign donations — primarily linked to his dealings with Turkish businessmen and government officials.
What we know: Adams stands accused of accepting kickbacks starting in 2016, during his time as borough president, and while serving as mayor, since 2022, in exchange for green lighting policy decisions benefiting the Turkish government. Part of the indictment centers on allegations that Adams coerced city officials into providing a permit for a 36-story Manhattan high rise, housing the Turkish consulate, that would not have passed fire safety inspections. Adams stands accused of having accepted more than $100,000 in free flights as part of the quid pro quo.
String of Middle East–linked indictments: Adams’ tussle with the law comes after the senior Democratic senator from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, was found guilty in July of acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. He accepted cash, cars and gold bars in exchange for using his powerful position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to advance Cairo’s interests.
Why it matters: Any corruption case involving New York City officials will always attract global interest given the state’s stature as a global economic heavyweight. New York’s gross domestic product in 2023 came in at $1.78 trillion, which if it were a nation-state would rank it among the top 10 largest economies in the world.
UAE's upgrade to US 'major defense partner' will not deter China
US President Joe Biden shakes hands with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 23, 2024. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP)
The White House announced this week that it was designating the United Arab Emirates a “major defense partner,” a status that gives the Gulf state greater access to the US-made tech needed to help Abu Dhabi fulfill its ambitions of becoming a global AI leader.
How is Beijing, one of Abu Dhabi’s closest economic partners, responding to the development? With apparently scant concern, reports Joyce Karam. UAE-China ties remain robust, with Chinese firms involved in the construction of two of the world’s largest solar energy projects in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Abu Dhabi and Beijing reached nearly $95 billion last year, compared to the Gulf state's trade with the United States, which came in at $31.4 billion during the same period.
Bottom line: The United States remains the Emirates’ partner of choice when it comes to regional security and technological advancement, Joyce writes. Still, amid the war in Ukraine, Abu Dhabi has proved adept at balancing relations with China, Russia and the United States and Europe.
Also on our radar
Russian S-400 missile air defense systems parade through Red Square during the rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade, central Moscow, May 7, 2022.
Turkish official says no shift in US position on Turkey's acquisition of Russian S-400s
A Turkish Defense Ministry official on Thursday vehemently denied a report in Greek media that Turkey might transfer its Russian-made S-400 missile defense system to Incirlik Air Base as part of a pathway to its reentry to the F-35 fighter jet program. The United States had booted Ankara from the program after it purchased the Russian hardware in 2019 and sanctioned Turkey over the $2.5 billion deal with the Kremlin, stoking further tensions between the two NATO countries.
Al-Monitor’s Ezgi Akin reports that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had sought a meeting with Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit this week but was rebuffed.
Achaemenid-era clay tablets returned from the United States and on display at Iran's National Museum in Tehran on October 2, 2019
US returns to Iran latest batch of ancient clay tablets
The United States has returned to Iran more than 1,000 clay tablets dating from the Achaemenid era, marking the sixth such handover of its kind. Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency said Thursday evening that the tablets, 1,100 in all, had been housed at the University of Chicago and were brought back by President Masoud Pezeshkian, who had attended the UN General Assembly gathering in New York.
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