Members of the US Congress, in a letter addressed to US President Joe Biden and his Secretary of State, called for a shift in US foreign policy to ensure stopping the crimes committed by Israel against the Palestinian people .

Senator Bernie Sanders collects signatures from members of the House of Representatives and Senate, to send them to President Biden.

The letter expressed the signatories' concern about the rapid escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank, and the alarming actions of the new far-right Israeli government.

The letter urged immediate action to prevent further loss of life, calling on the Biden administration to make a shift in US policy in recognition of the exacerbation of violence after the Israeli government seized more land and denied the rights of the Palestinians.

The letter indicated that the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu includes far-right and anti-Palestinian individuals and parties, noting National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's public statements of violence against the Palestinians, and the positions of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich regarding the recent attacks on the town of Huwwara, and his declaration that the town must be "erased." in its entirety.

The letter considered that the anti-democratic Israeli government seeking to dismantle the rule of law constitutes a threat to Israelis and Palestinians alike, and in addition to the outright hateful and anti-Palestinian policies, the Israeli government is trying to destroy the independent Israeli judiciary, and this would threaten the rights of all citizens of Israel, and allow for more corruption from Prime Ministers, and open the way towards further annexation.

The letter emphasized the importance of clear US steps to change the political situation to pave the way for peace, calling for making sure that US taxpayers' money does not support projects in the settlements. and determining whether the defense material of US origin was used in violation of existing US laws, including for a purpose not authorized under Section 4 of the Arms Export Control Act, or to commit or support serious human rights abuses by the government of Israel in violation of the provisions of the Arms Export Control Act Foreign Aid and the US Leahy Laws.

The letter called on the Biden administration to ensure that all future foreign assistance to Israel, including weapons and equipment, is not used to support gross human rights abuses, including by strengthening end-use monitoring and financial tracking.

On Thursday, the Israeli General Security Agency, the Shin Bet , announced that it had arrested two settlers from Nablus settlements who attacked a Palestinian family on the night of Purim in the town of Huwwara , while they were in a vehicle that was stopping outside a shop.

According to a Shin Bet statement, the detainees threw stones at the vehicle from a short distance, and one of them used an ax to break the vehicle's windows and attempt to attack its passengers.

After interrogating them, today he filed an indictment against them on charges of deliberately committing a terrorist act for racist motives.

The Shin Bet accused the two detainees of belonging to a group of violent settlers who are working to attack Palestinians and disrupt the activities of the Israeli army to thwart Palestinian attacks.

He considered that these activities increase unrest, escalate the situation, and pose a threat to the reality of life in the region, as well as a threat to "state security," pledging to work against it alongside the police and the Israeli army.

The dismissed Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant , said on Thursday that there is a possibility of a flare-up in the various arenas and fronts in the region.

During his visit to the Shin Bet headquarters, in the presence of its chief, Ronen Bar , Galant indicated that there are new arenas that may emerge in the event of a confrontation on various fronts.

He added, "We are in a complex security period... Iran is waging a war of attrition against Israel and at the same time advancing its plans to obtain military nuclear weapons."

He praised the Shin Bet's efforts to thwart the attacks that preserved the security of "Israel".

He refused to comment explicitly on his dismissal decision, but called for unifying the discourse.

It is noteworthy that Gallant did not receive any official letter of his dismissal, amid mediation efforts to keep him in office and resolve the differences between him and Benjamin Netanyahu.

Our first Palestinian national football team finished in the third level of the Asian Cup draw , along with Bahrain, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and Lebanon.

The draw will be held on May 11, while the finals will be played in January 2024 in the State of Qatar.

Our team, according to the Football Association, will play two friendly matches against Indonesia and China next June, in addition to participating in the "Merdeka Cup" tournament in Malaysia, along with Lebanon, India and the host team, which will be held during the FIFA Days in October. next.

The national team is participating in the second round of the joint Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup, which is scheduled to take place from 16 to 21 November 2023.

Today, Thursday, the two prisoners, Mahmoud Talhameh and Anas Shadid , announced their hunger strike in rejection of their administrative detention.

According to the "Mahjaht al-Quds" Foundation, the two prisoners announced their strike during the hearing to confirm their administrative detention in the Israeli "Ofer" court, without any charges being brought against them.

For 23 years, the Akl family has been missing on all occasions, especially the blessed month of Ramadan, its captive son, Muhammad Jamal Salim Akl, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment 17 times, so an atmosphere of sadness and pain prevails in her life and her home in the city of Jenin , but to break the cycle of suffering, and an expression of faith in God and her adherence to hope Khadija, the sixty-year-old mother, Khadija "Umm Alaa", is keen on his presence at every breakfast and suhoor table, so she sits in the place designated for him and next to her is his large picture, and before eating her breakfast, she kisses him and calls him, and shares with her family, especially his sick father, prayer and supplication to the Lord of the Worlds to honor him with a close relief.

And she says: "No matter how long his absence is, and how severe the pain of his separation is, and the injustice of the jailer and the occupation increases, Muhammad's spirit will come with us, and, God willing, soon, he will decorate our lives, our occasions, and the tables of the coming Ramadan with his freedom and his return to us."

Since the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan, the spirit and soul of the father, Jamal Akl, refuses to eat food like everyone else, but to preserve his life in light of his suffering from a chronic disease that affected his health and movement, until he began to use a tool to help move, and to continue standing for the pleasure of his liver, which he considers "everything". Life”, he is forced to take a little for the sake of medicine.

And his father says: "Whenever it is time to break the fast, my wife does not stop crying continuously, day and night due to the absence of Muhammad Nawara, the life, the spirit and the flower of the house.

He adds, "We live in the most difficult moments during the month of Ramadan. In many cases, we lose the ability to eat, our son, and all prisoners are deprived of everything, especially freedom."

And he continues: "How can our hearts and consciences accept eating and living comfortably when our heroes waste their lives in the occupation prisons that stole their lives? And every day that passes in Ramadan, our suffering worsens, and we have nothing but patience and supplication to the Lord of the Worlds."

Even the stories and stories of Ramadan that the father, Akl, tells his grandchildren who do not know their aunt and uncle, because of the unjust occupation policies. It inspires us with determination and hope. Since birth, he was distinguished by his big heart. He was affectionate and different from his generation. He is the second in our family of 11 members. He completed his studies until the eighth grade and left education to help me, due to illness, to support the family.

The captive's mother adds: "My husband has been suffering from a blood clot for 35 years and his health condition is difficult. He sacrificed his future to share the care of the family, which has always been targeted by the occupation, especially in the first intifada. His cousin Maher Omar Aqel, the most prominent leader of the Fatah movement, was assassinated by the occupation forces." In the prime of his youth after his liberation from the occupation prisons.

And she continues: "No one in the family was spared the arrest of his cousins, Maher's brother Aqel, and Muhammad Qassem Aqel, and other of our relatives. Even Alaa, the first of my sons, was arrested, and we have always experienced the bitterness of suffering at the prison gates, or because of the occupation's pursuit of them."

The mother, Umm Alaa, recounts, "After the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, Muhammad was affected by the practices and crimes of the occupation, so he participated in the confrontations and marches, and with the escalation of Israeli repression and the successive fall of the martyrs, he became involved in the armed resistance in secret."

She adds, "We did not notice anything about him. He worked during the day with his father, and at night he sneaked in with his comrades to join them in resisting the occupation silently. He also participated in the battle of Jenin camp in April 2002."

And she continues: "After the massacre, we discovered that Muhammad was at the heart of the battle. He participated in confronting the occupation and escaped death and arrest. Many of his friends told us about his heroism and struggle."

Shortly after the battle of "April", the occupation raided the house of Muhammad's family, and began to pursue him, and the raids and ambushes were repeated, but he refused to surrender, especially when the campaign to pursue him intensified after the occupation accused him of involvement in several commando operations, and his mother says: "The pursuit continued until he was surrounded and arrested in A major special operation on the morning of 2/12/2002, and he spent a long period of time in the cellars of interrogation under torture in Al-Jalama prison, and the happiest moments of my life were when I saw him alive after his arrest, but the prison administration bothered us, and continued targeting him and punishing him with isolation, and during that he was sentenced to life imprisonment 17 Once".

Muhammad did not suffer from any health problems before his arrest, and his mother says: "His health began to deteriorate during and after the interrogation, and he suffered from an ulcer in his stomach and they refused to treat him. ".

And she adds: "He withstood heroism and challenge, and he and his fellow prisoners are still fighting the battle of freedom, and we all stand with them. Prisons and judgments do not frighten us. Our children are heroes and they chose the path of struggle for the freedom of their people, and they realize the result: martyrdom or imprisonment, so the Lord of the Worlds honored them by escaping from the methods of death that The occupation masters it and writes for them a new life, during which they prove that they are stronger than the occupation and its prisons.”

And she continues: "Muhammad rejoiced us by completing his education and graduating with a bachelor's degree, and I felt when I received it from him during a great festival, that the hour of great joy is near, and our message to him and the prisoners is congratulations and blessings in Ramadan, and continuous prayer until the bars are broken and we rejoice in their freedom in the next feast, so that the feast becomes two feasts."

Today, Thursday, a young man was injured when settlers attacked him in the Al-Maarajat area, north of Jericho .

According to local sources, the settlers assaulted the young man, Amjad Kaabneh, while he was driving his agricultural tractor, and threw stones at him, which led to the smashing of the windows of his tractor, and he sustained minor injuries.

Russian security services announced Thursday the arrest of Ivan Gershkovich , a reporter for the American Wall Street Journal, on charges of espionage.

The FSB said in a statement carried by Russian agencies that it had "thwarted the illegal activity of the accredited correspondent of the Moscow office of the American Wall Street Journal, American citizen" Ivan Gershkovitch.

The security service stated that the journalist was suspected of "spying" for Washington and collecting information about a "company belonging to the Russian military-industrial complex".

Before starting his work in the American daily newspaper in 2022, Gershkovich was a correspondent for Agence France-Presse in Moscow, and before that a journalist for the English-language Moscow Times.

The journalist is of Russian origin and is fluent in the Russian language, at the age of 31, and his parents reside in the United States.

On Thursday morning, Israeli bulldozers demolished a house in Al-Nuwaimeh village, north of Jericho .

According to local sources, these bulldozers, accompanied by the occupation forces , stormed the lands of the "Turaifat" Arabs in Al-Nuwaimeh, and demolished the house of the citizen, Atta Dawood Zayed Tarifat.

The sources pointed out that the area of the house is 150 square meters, and it houses about 5 people. The occupation had notified him of demolition about a month ago, under the pretext of not having a permit.

Paris Saint-Germain will try to restore its balance after losing at home to Rennes 0-2 in the last round, when it receives Lyon, who is in tenth place, in the twenty-ninth stage of the French Football Championship , which opens Friday with Marseille’s second meeting with its guest, Montpellier.
Attention will be focused on Saint-Germain coach Christophe Galtier, whose fate is in the wind after his team was satisfied with competing for the local league title, after leaving the European Champions League final price at the hands of Bayern Munich (0-1 in the first leg and 0-2 in the forth), It is the French Cup at the hands of arch-rivals Marseille.
After a fiery start for Galtier, who came from Nice at the beginning of the current season, the performance of the capital team has declined a lot in recent months, which has drawn a question mark about its fate at the end of the current season.
Galtier does not look for excuses for the reason for the decline in his team's level, but there are "explanations", he said, especially the injury suffered by eight players, including four of the main players, namely the Brazilian Neymar, the Italian Marco Verratti, the Spaniard Sergio Ramos and Presnel Kempebe.
But Galtier, who is usually tactful in his press conferences during difficult times, began to make some mistakes, according to critics, by criticizing the young players in the team and sparing some big names such as Verratti, for example, who has been making disappointing performances in recent weeks.

Also, the apathy between the club's supporters and the Argentine star Lionel Messi, who was booed after his meager performance in front of Rennes and went straight to the dressing room, while his colleagues went to greet the team's supporters who continued to support the team, does not make the coach's task easier.
Messi, 36, whose contract with St. Germain expires on June 30, is still in the midst of negotiations with St. Germain to extend his contract, but so far no formal agreement has been reached between the two parties amid the American interest of Inter Miami, which is owned by the former English star. David Beckham, Saudi Arabia and his former club Barcelona to seek his services.
According to a source close to Saint-Germain, the club's board of directors has recently seemed reluctant to continue the adventure with the world champion, especially in light of the dissatisfaction of the team's supporters and the need to direct the sports project in another direction.

On the other hand, Marseille wants to increase the pressure on Saint-Germain, who leads it by 7 points, ten stages before the end of the league.
Marseille will receive Montpellier XI at its Velodrome stadium, and its dependence will be primarily on Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez, the best scorer in his ranks, with 12 goals, including 7 in his last ten matches.
His Croatian coach, Igor Tudor, praised him by saying, "We are lucky to have Alexis with us."
He continued, "I have always loved him, he loves football and always wants to win. He arrives at training two hours before the others and does not gain a single gram, that is the difference."
However, Tudor is aware of the difficulty of his team's mission to snatch the title from Saint-Germain, saying, "If (Saint-Germain) decides to win, he will win. They have Kylian Mbappe, a player for whom I have great respect. Messi is in my opinion the best player in history and Neymar is very strong, but Mbappe is the best player He's in the world right now and the team just isn't the same without him."
He added, "We beat them (in the cup) when he was absent, but when he returned to the team, they beat us (in the league)."
Marseille's task will not be easy against Montpellier, who scored 16 points out of 18 in the last 6 league matches.
The stage is witnessing a strong match between Lens III, nine points behind the leader, and its host, Rennes, fifth, while Monaco, fourth, receives Strasbourg, fifteenth.
Nice VII hopes to continue its series without losing in 13 matches, since the appointment of Didier Degard as its coach last January, when it visits Angers, who are in last place.

The highest court of the United Nations will issue its ruling Thursday in a case between Washington and Tehran , which seeks the release of about two billion dollars in frozen assets in the United States .

This ruling, which will be issued by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, comes amid renewed tensions between the two countries after the recent US air strikes that targeted pro-Iranian groups in Syria and Tehran's support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The ruling of the court, which was formed after World War II to adjudicate disputes between member states of the United Nations, will be issued from 15:00 (13:00 GMT).

The rulings of the International Court of Justice are binding and not subject to appeal, but this body has no means of implementing them.

Thus, countries can turn to the United Nations Security Council if another country does not comply with a resolution.

Iran began the procedure in 2016, saying the frozen funds were crucial for the country, which is facing economic hardship after sanctions imposed by the West over its nuclear programme.

And the American judiciary allowed Iranian funds to be seized to compensate American victims, according to it, for terrorist attacks that were instigated or supported by the Islamic Republic.

Washington referred in particular to the killing of 241 American soldiers on October 23, 1983, in two suicide attacks targeting the American and French units of the Multinational Security Force in Beirut.

Tehran denies any responsibility and says the US seizure of its financial assets is illegal.

Iran based its request on a bilateral treaty signed between Tehran and Washington in 1955, before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that overthrew the pro-US shah and ended diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Shortly after its withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear agreement in 2018, Washington announced that it would formally end the 1955 treaty, and after Washington suspended its implementation, Iran cannot therefore rely on it, according to the United States.

This ruling comes at a time when relations between the two countries are witnessing new tension.

Iran described US air strikes targeting pro-Iranian groups in Syria, in response to a deadly drone strike, as an "aggressive and terrorist attack."

At least 19 fighters, most of them Syrians, were killed as a result of these strikes that took place last week in eastern Syria, according to the latest toll reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Washington explained at the time that it launched strikes after an attack by an "Iranian" march on a "maintenance facility at a coalition forces base near Hasakah in northeastern Syria," which led to the death of "an American contractor, and the wounding of five American soldiers and another American contractor."

Jerusalem - Media of the Olympic Committee: Our national baseball team entered the list of the international classification of the game, after its brilliance in the recent West Asian Championship, during which it achieved the silver medal by becoming the runner-up of the tournament.

Our national team ranked 65th in the international rankings, consisting of 85 countries, and 11th in the Asian continent.

Ahmed Tafesh, President of the Federation, expressed his happiness that Palestine entered the FIFA classification for the game for the first time, pointing out that this achievement was crowned by the efforts of the Federation family and its tireless work in the homeland and diaspora.

Tafesh stressed that the federation will work to accumulate this achievement and prepare for the next stage, according to a professional technical plan aimed at developing the game and its components.

The Central Bureau of Statistics announced an increase in the gross domestic product at constant prices by 2% in Palestine during the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to the corresponding quarter of 2021.

He explained, in a statement issued today, Thursday, that the past year 2022 witnessed an increase in the gross domestic product by 4% compared to the previous year.

Preliminary estimates indicated an increase in the gross domestic product at the annual level by 4% in Palestine, compared to the previous year 2021, and during the fourth quarter of 2022, the GDP increased by 3% compared to the previous quarter of the same year, as the highest rate of increase was in agriculture, forestry, and fishing. Fish by 19%, then the activity of wholesale and retail trade, repair of vehicles and motorcycles, construction, public administration and defense by 4% each, then the activity of financial activities and insurance activities, transportation and storage by 2% each, then the activity of information and communications by 1%.

The statistics indicated that this increase was offset by a decrease in the services activity by 2%, and the mining activity, manufacturing industry, water and electricity by 1%.

She indicated that the GDP of Palestine increased by 2% during the fourth quarter of 2022 compared to the corresponding quarter of 2021 at constant prices, which excludes the effect of seasonality, noting that the base year is 2015. The value of GDP during the fourth quarter of 2022 at constant prices in the West Bank West Bank, $3,331 million, and $690 million in the Gaza Strip.

High per capita GDP

According to the statistics report, the per capita GDP in Palestine at constant prices amounted to $788 during the fourth quarter of 2022, recording an increase of 2% compared to the third quarter of 2022, as the per capita GDP in the West Bank at constant prices amounted to $1,143. During the fourth quarter of 2022, with an increase of 2% compared to the third quarter of 2022. In the Gaza Strip, the per capita GDP reached $315 during the fourth quarter of 2022, recording an increase of 3% compared to the third quarter of 2022.

Today, Thursday, the Prisoners' Club confirmed that about (4,800) prisoners are held in 23 Israeli prisons.

In a statement, the club stated that 29 female prisoners are languishing in "Damon Prison", while 170 children are languishing in (Ofer, Megiddo, and Damon) prisons.

While the number of old prisoners arrested before the signing of the Oslo agreement reached (23) prisoners, the oldest of them is the prisoner Muhammad Al-Tus, who has been detained since 1985. In addition, there are (11) prisoners who were released in the (Wafaa Al-Ahrar) deal, who were re-arrested by the occupation, and they are among the old prisoners who They were arrested before (Oslo) and released in 2011 and re-arrested in 2014, most notably the prisoner Nael Al-Barghouti, who is serving the longest period of detention in the history of the captive movement, and who entered his (43rd) year in the occupation prisons , of which he spent (34) years continuously.

The club said: "The number of prisoners who were sentenced to life imprisonment is (554) prisoners, and the highest prisoner sentence among them is the prisoner Abdullah Al-Barghouti, whose term is (67) life."

The number of martyrs of the captive movement since 1967 has reached (236), in addition to hundreds of prisoners who were martyred after their liberation from diseases they inherited from prisons.

While the number of martyred prisoners whose bodies are being held is (12) prisoners.

The club confirmed that the number of sick prisoners reached about (700) prisoners who suffer from diseases of various degrees and who need intensive follow-up and health care, including at least (24) prisoners and detainees who suffer from cancer and tumors of varying degrees. And Musa Soufan, Ahmed Abu Awwad, and Ali Al-Hroub).

While the number of administrative detainees reached about (970), until the end of February.

The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, announced on Wednesday that he is working on a security plan for a compromise that guarantees the safety of the Moscow- controlled Zaporizhia nuclear plant , warning of an increase in military activity around it.

Concerns persist about the safety of the nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, which has been repeatedly bombed since Russian forces invaded last year.

Grossi said during his second visit to the largest nuclear plant in Europe that he is working to reach a settlement that would be appropriate for Moscow and Kiev.
"I am trying to prepare realistic procedures for proposing it so that it will be approved by all parties," he said during a press tour organized by Moscow at the station.

"We must avoid a catastrophe. I am optimistic and I think it is possible," said Grossi, who arrived at the nuclear plant in a Russian armored vehicle surrounded by heavily armed soldiers.

But he warned of escalating military activity at the site, appealing to Moscow and Kiev to agree on "principles" to secure its protection.
Grossi said the visit to the nuclear plant was "extremely beneficial".

"The idea is to agree on certain principles and certain commitments, including not attacking the station," he told AFP separately.

Moscow and Kiev accused each other of bombing the Zaporizhia station, raising fears of a catastrophe.

Ross soldiers stationed at the station told AFP during Grossi's visit on Wednesday that they were preparing for a possible attack by Kiev.

They added that their main task is to "prevent the armed takeover" of the site by Ukrainian "vandals".
Ukraine denies any such plans.

The United Nations has called for a demilitarized zone around the nuclear site.

Grossi said his team had previously focused on the possibility of setting up a security zone around the plant.

"The concept is now evolving," he added, with his team focusing on protecting the station itself rather than "territorial aspects that might pose particular problems."

Accompanied by about 30 journalists, Grossi toured the huge, fortified nuclear plant, where he was briefed by its Moscow-appointed director, Yuri Chernyshuk, about the damage it had sustained as a result of the hostilities.

This is Grossi's second visit to Zaporizhia since the start of the war in February 2022, where a team of IAEA experts has been deployed since September.

Earlier this week, Grossi met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said it was not possible to restore safety at the plant with Russia in control.

The Russian news agency Tass quoted Rinat Karcha, a consultant in the Russian "Ross-Energo-Atom", which operates the station, as saying on Wednesday that he did not expect the talks to achieve a breakthrough.

"We are under no illusions that Grossi's visit will change anything dramatically. For us, this is a normal event," he added.

The Zaporizhia plant needs electricity from a stable source to ensure basic nuclear safety functions.

But it suffered from frequent power outages during the war, which worried the International Atomic Energy Agency and the international community.

The Russian invasion caused devastation in large areas of the country, and despite the passage of more than 13 months since the invasion, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday maintained a defiant tone.

"Russia must withdraw from every square meter of Ukrainian territory," Kuleba said in a virtual session ahead of the Democracy Summit, which was launched by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

"There should be no misinterpretation of the semantics of the word withdrawal," he added.

In the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, fighting in recent months has focused on the eastern city of Bakhmut, where Kiev has said it is holding out to exhaust Russian forces.

General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a news conference in Washington that Russia had made "absolutely no progress" on Bakhmut in the past three weeks or so.

"It is a massacre of the Russians," he added.

The main military objective of the Russian invasion is the complete capture of Donetsk, which it already claimed it annexed last year, even as fighting continues there.

On Wednesday, the Russian authorities confirmed that Melitopol, the capital of the Russian occupation, was bombed in the part it controls from the Zaporizhia region, and reported that the bombing hit a train depot without causing any injuries. It also reported a power outage.

The Russian authorities said that the strikes were carried out using the American mobile high-precision HIMARS missile system, while the city is located more than 65 kilometers from the front.

M. Hisham Al-Omari: The company made huge efforts to achieve this achievement and refused to add more costs to our people in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem Electricity Company succeeded in extracting a decision from the Israeli Services Authority to purchase a reduced tariff for subscribers living in East Jerusalem by up to 6%, after long and deep negotiations with the Israeli supplier that lasted for more than 10 years.

The Chairman and General Manager, Eng. Hisham Al-Omari, revealed in a press statement issued this evening, Wednesday, that the company and its board of directors made huge efforts and rejected the request of the Israeli Services Authority to add more costs to the Jerusalemite citizen, through its repeated request to raise the tariff for our subscribers in Jerusalem.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors described this achievement as "great and important" and that it was achieved in difficult circumstances from which the company suffers and financial pressures due to the continuation of thefts and infringements, stressing that the Jerusalemite citizen will experience reduced prices in the tariff rate during the coming period, which will enhance his steadfastness in the Holy City, and that the amounts The savings that the company will save from this decision will go in favor of development projects and infrastructure projects.

On Thursday morning, dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque , under the strict protection of the Israeli police.

The settlers made provocative tours inside the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and performed Talmudic rituals.

Settler groups storm Al-Aqsa on a daily basis, except for Friday and Saturday.

Last Wednesday, the Chinese capital, Beijing, hosted a symposium on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of the founding of the Organization for Development and Cooperation for Global Energy Interconnection ( JEDCO ), during which the development history and achievements of the organization in the past seven years since its establishment were reviewed, as well as the path of development and cooperation in the future.

Representatives of energy sector organizations, energy companies, research institutions, and experts from well-known universities participated in the symposium, expressing their appreciation for the organization's tangible contributions to accelerating the transformation of the energy sector, combating climate change, and promoting sustainable development during these seven years.

Wu Xuan, Secretary-General of the Organization for Development and Cooperation for Global Energy Interconnection, said that "Jedco" has been working to present the "Chinese initiative" to the United Nations, governments, international organizations, companies and other institutions since its establishment, as it succeeded in holding the Global Energy Interconnection Conference and the United Nations high-level symposium On the global energy interconnection, and substantive activities on the global energy interconnection of the United Nations Climate Conference and other hundreds of large conferences, which push the global energy interconnection to become a global solution to major challenges such as climate change, and contribute to the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and promote the concept of building a community of shared future for mankind.

Wu added that JEDCO has established seven regional offices on five continents and 65 representative offices in the main countries of the world, and established the first electronic platform called "Energy Interconnection World" in the world that focuses on enhancing cooperation for the development of energy and electricity at the global level, which combines Promote projects, information services and other functions, offering new collaboration approaches for governments and corporations, projects and funds, online and offline.

Paul van Son, Chairman of the Organization for Development and Cooperation Council for Global Energy Interconnection in the UAE, and Chairman of the Desertec Industrial Initiative for Solar Electricity Generation (DII), said in his speech via video that JEDCO is one of the most important partners for " DII," and in the past seven years, the two sides have endeavored to strengthen cooperation in the development of renewable energy, electrical interconnection and energy storage technology, adding that he hopes to deepen cooperation between the two sides to advance the joint construction of global energy interconnection.

Ahmed Ali Al-Ibrahim, CEO of the Electricity Interconnection Authority in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, said in his speech via video link that in recent years, the authority has achieved fruitful cooperation results with the Organization for Development and Cooperation for Global Energy Interconnection, as the two sides have in-depth cooperation in building electrical interconnection networks. Gulf region and study joint planning, expressing his desire to continue to strengthen cooperation with the "Jedco" organization in the future.

The Organization for Development and Cooperation for Global Energy Interconnection, which was established in 2016 and is headquartered in Beijing, is considered the first international energy organization launched by China. They represent 141 countries and regions.

US President Joe Biden welcomed Wednesday a "tremendous opportunity" to increase economic integration with Argentina, when he received the head of the South American state, Alberto Fernandez, at the White House .

"This meeting is an opportunity to confirm that there is nothing beyond our ability to achieve if we work together," Biden said, sitting next to his Argentine counterpart in the Oval Office.

And the two countries enter the "next century of our partnership" after 200 years of diplomatic relations, according to what Biden added, pointing to "a tremendous opportunity to increase our economic integration."

He pointed out that Fernandez's visit was scheduled for last summer, but it was canceled due to his infection with Covid.

The Argentine president thanked his host for the American support in the relationship between Buenos Aires and global economic bodies. The International Monetary Fund recently announced a new agreement from Argentina that paved the way for the disbursement of $5.2 billion.

Fernandez stressed his country's desire to cooperate with the United States in combating climate change, saying that Argentina is facing the worst drought in its history.

In front of reporters, he later expressed his "satisfaction" with the visit and "confidence that the doors were opened for strategic cooperation with the United States."

Biden seeks to strengthen the relationship with a South American country at a time when Beijing is trying to enhance its influence in Latin America.

Fernandez said that his talks with Biden did not address the issue of China, but he did not specify if it was addressed during broader talks between the Argentine delegation and the American team.

The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) and Boeing are now aiming to conduct the first manned flight test of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in July, according to a press conference held on Wednesday.

For the flight test, the Starliner spacecraft will be launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, southeastern United States.

On board the test flight will be two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams, and this flight is expected to demonstrate the comprehensive capabilities of the "Starliner" system, according to (NASA).

After the success of the manned test flight, NASA will begin the final certification process for the Starliner spacecraft and systems for manned patrol flights to the space station.

It is worth noting that the Starliner spacecraft has carried out two unmanned flights so far.

In light of the fierce attack waged by the settlers against the citizens, and the attacks against them, as a result of which massacres took place, as happened in the town of Huwwara , south of Nablus, talking, in conjunction with the 47th anniversary of Land Day , about activating guard or protection committees is necessary to enhance the steadfastness of citizens in their homes and lands.

About ten years ago, guard or protection committees were formed, with the escalation of settler attacks, and they seemed to decrease and increase in frequency according to need, especially in areas adjacent to settlements and close to bypass roads, but activists and observers believe that the need has become urgent for them, warning that if things are left unchecked and confronted For the settlers, they might dare break into the heart of the cities and carry out attacks.

The threat of settlers may reach the heart of cities

The director of the Popular Action Department in the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, Abdullah Abu Rahma, confirms in an interview with Al-Quds.com that in light of the escalation of settler crimes, the reactivation of the guard committees has become an important and necessary matter, especially at this stage, and everyone should be aware of this. Danger, otherwise settlers will reach the heart and centers of cities.

Abu Rahma says: "The threat of settlers threatens everyone, and in all areas, which requires everyone to unite and repel settler attacks, which have recently concentrated in areas south of Nablus and northeast of Ramallah, and it has become necessary to activate guard committees and involve the local community from the targeted village and other villages." Neighborhood, pumping morale and strengthening the steadfastness of the people," stressing that the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission is fully prepared to provide logistical support in the context of providing self-defense equipment "knifes, sticks, and others."

Awareness and organization are important

Abu Rahma stresses that it is necessary to raise awareness of the importance of the People's Protection Committees, the importance of organizing them, and training these committees on the ease of communication when attacks occur and how to respond to them, in addition to the importance of recruiting international solidarity activists to convey the picture as it is.

Abu Rahma stresses that the areas where there are guard committees have less damage resulting from settler attacks, as preparing for any attack reduces these losses, and therefore it is required to activate these committees, and they are present in many areas, but their work varies between ebbs and flows, but In light of the presence of more organized settlers with their attacks, it is necessary to organize and activate the guard committees, so that the response to the attacks will be faster.

Abu Rahma asserts that in conjunction with "Earth Day, it has become necessary to form guard and protection committees that provide security and safety for the citizens, spread morale among them, and not leave them and their lands." When you do not find someone to strengthen you to steadfastness, this may push you to emigrate against your will. Resilience and defiance, and confronting the settlers' plans.

Urgent need!

The official responsible for the settlement file in the northern West Bank, Ghassan Douglas, confirms in an interview with Al-Quds.com that activating the guard committees has become an urgent need and requires a binding factional decision to activate them, and the need to raise awareness of their importance. Citizens must also unite more and work to facilitate the tasks of the guard committees.

For his part, the coordinator of the popular committees to resist the wall and settlements in southern Hebron, Ratib al-Jubour, told Al-Quds.com: “Recruiting specific people to be in the guard committees is an important matter, and the need for people to unite with them and support them, but they must be supported financially and unloaded, in order for them to live.” , with the need to continuously monitor their work.”

Al-Jabour points out that the role of the factions in the guard committees is very weak, which necessitates an active review of their role, which requires the official authorities to create certain formations as guard committees in order to provide protection for the Palestinian people.

Organization and preparation

In an interview with Al-Quds.com, the director of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission's office in the northern West Bank, Murad Ishteiwi, stresses the necessity of activating the protection and guard committees, as it has become an important issue, in an attempt to achieve safety and security for citizens, and he says: "The protection committees need to be organized into groups and supported logistically."

Shteiwi explains that the guard committees did not stop their work, but the settlers use some of their time to attack, which requires reorganizing the guard committees, and this matter is everyone's responsibility, as it is necessary to work effectively towards organizing them, and for the factions to take the issue of the guard committees seriously.

According to the human rights researcher and activist against settlements, Bashar Al-Qaryouti, the protection committees face, in an interview with Al-Quds.com, trained settlers who provide them with full capabilities, while the guard committees try to confront the settlers with simple capabilities consisting of stones, naked bodies, and anger! Stressing that these committees need to provide them with protection tools such as flashlights and tools that intimidate settlers, such as warning sirens and others.

Al-Qaryouti says: "In recent years, settlers have launched their attacks with full protection from the occupation army. Indeed, many settlers are armed, and pose a threat to the lives of citizens, and what is noticed is their attack in large numbers."

Al-Qaryouti believes that there must be a role for the factions in strengthening and activating the protection committees, through daily shifts, and for homeowners who are attacked, so they have an early warning process to confront those settlers.

Danger threatens the Bedouins

The director of the "Al-Baydar" Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights, Hassan Malihat, said in an interview with Al-Quds.com that the settlers have become a real threat to people's lives, and the formation of protection committees is an important matter, especially in the patriarchal communities, where more than one incident was caught of settlers breaking into Bedouin tents.

Malihat stresses that the protection committees in the areas of Bedouin communities are an important matter, and the areas have become dangerous, being remote areas, and the people are currently playing a guard role for fear of incursions and attacks on them, and crimes may occur against them, as a prelude to their displacement from those communities.

Ukraine aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the country to 50 percent to enhance energy security, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Galushenko said Wednesday.

"We must promote the development of renewable energy sources and accelerate energy transition. This is a matter of national security and the safety of electricity transmission," Galushenko was quoted by the press service of the Ministry of Energy as saying.

And he added that the transition to green energy will allow for the decentralization of electricity generation, reduce the vulnerability of the energy system, and increase the security of energy supplies.

It is worth noting that between 2011 and 2021, the share of renewables in Ukraine increased from 4 percent to nearly 14 percent.

It is reported that Ukraine's energy strategy has set a goal of increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the energy mix to 25 percent by 2035.

On Wednesday , the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a "historic" resolution asking the International Court of Justice to express its opinion on the "duties" of countries in the field of combating climate warming , after a years-long struggle led by Vanuatu and a youth initiative in the Pacific.

Cheers rang out to welcome the adoption of the resolution, which was seen as a victory that climate justice advocates are counting on to increase pressure on polluting countries that are not doing enough to address the emergency caused by climate change.

With the adoption of this decision unanimously by more than 130 countries, the International Court of Justice will have to give its opinion on the "duties of states" to protect the climate system "for present and future generations" because of climate warming, which constitutes an "unprecedented challenge with repercussions for civilization" as a whole.

"Together, you are writing history," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said from the rostrum of the General Assembly, considering that even if the decision to be issued by the international tribunal is non-binding, it could help the leaders of the planet to "take the most courageous and most powerful climate measures they have ever taken." The world desperately needs it."

"It is a clear and powerful message (...) On this day, the peoples of the United Nations (...) have decided to put aside their differences and work together to address the major challenge of our time: climate change ".

"It's a victory for people and communities around the world who are on the front lines of the climate crisis," said Pacific Islands Climate Action Network Regional Policy Coordinator Lavitanalaghi Ciro.


The Vanuatu government launched this "historic initiative" in 2021 after a campaign initiated by university students in Fiji two years earlier.

A week ago, experts at the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that from 2030-2035, warming will reach a threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era.

The Paris climate agreement stipulated that global warming should be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Experts considered this a dangerous reminder of the urgent need to move radically during the current decade to ensure a "viable future" for humanity.

And if the Paris Agreement provides for non-binding national commitments for countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the resolution approved by the General Assembly provides for other mechanisms such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Although the opinions of the International Court of Justice are not binding, they carry considerable legal and moral weight and are taken into account by national courts.

Vanuatu and the parties supporting it hope that the Court's opinion, expected within two years, will prompt governments to accelerate their action on their own initiative or through prosecutions targeting them around the world.

"This will be an important tool for holding states accountable," Harjit Singh of NGO Climate Action Network told AFP, welcoming in advance "one of the biggest achievements of climate diplomacy in recent times."
However, his enthusiasm is not shared by everyone.

"I don't see what a useful opinion the court can issue. On the other hand, I imagine scenarios in which this effort backfires," Benoit Meyer, an expert in international law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told AFP. He talked about the possibility of a "catastrophic scenario" in which the court would issue a "clear and specific opinion, but contrary to the wishes of the applicants."

No country objected to the resolution, which was adopted unanimously, knowing that China and the United States, the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases, are not among its transmitters.

"We have serious concerns that this process would complicate our collective efforts and not bring us closer to achieving these common goals," said US Representative Nicholas Hill, stressing that he preferred diplomacy to a "judicial path" that would exacerbate differences.

During the Paris climate agreement negotiations, the Americans obtained a clause stating that the agreement "cannot form the basis of any liability or compensation."

This issue constitutes a fundamental point in the discussion about “loss and damage” and its financing, and it is a basic demand for the poorest countries, which bear the least amount of responsibility in this.

The General Assembly resolution refers to the "actions" of countries responsible for warming and their "duties" to the small island states as well as to present and future generations.
The adoption of the resolution was a very moving moment for the young people in the Pacific who are behind the initiative.
"This initiative was an opportunity to do something bigger than us, bigger than our concerns and important for future generations," said Cynthia Honyohe, who heads the nongovernmental organization Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change.
"I want to be able to show a picture of my island to my child one day," said the young woman, who is from the Solomon Islands.

The jury charged with examining the case of former President Donald Trump paying money to cover up a scandal will stop carrying out its task during most of April, according to US media reported Wednesday, indicating that any possible indictment will not happen for weeks.

Trump announced on March 18 that he would be charged three days later in the case of paying money to a pornographic actress to cover up an affair he had with her.

And the jury, which also has to consider other cases, and which will stop working on the Christian and Jewish Easter holidays and Eid al-Fitr, in addition to a two-week vacation scheduled from April 10, and therefore will not consider the case again before the end of the month, according to the Washington newspapers. Post and Politico, citing sources close to the file.

According to the "Washington Post", the civilian jury assigned to decide whether or not there is an indictable case will resume hearing the Trump case on April 24.

The investigation centers around the payment of $130,000 in 2016 to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, in exchange for covering up an affair she says she had with Trump a decade ago.

Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, testified before the jury, noting that in 2019 he confirmed to a congressional committee that he paid the money at the express behest of the Republican candidate, who returned the amount to him as soon as he entered the White House.

The New York court is seeking to determine whether Trump is guilty of falsifying statements - a misdemeanor - or violating campaign finance laws - which constitutes a criminal offense (punishable by up to four years in prison).

And if charges are brought against Trump, 76, it will set a precedent in the United States, because no US president has ever been charged, whether he was in office or left the White House.

Such a development would cause a major shake-up in the 2024 presidential election campaign, which Trump intends to run in an effort to win the presidency again.

Trump denies the case and calls it a "witch hunt".

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen (from Maryland) said he is in contact with US President Joe Biden's administration about measures the United States can take to better hold Israel accountable.

"We've had discussions with the Biden administration about some things the United States could do, including reversing some of the actions that the Donald Trump administration took in the last weeks of The Trump administration has blurred the lines between Israel and the West Bank" with regard to Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in 2019 that the settlements "do not, in and of themselves, conflict" with international law.

Pompeo also later changed the US traditional position on labeling settlement products, which had always indicated that they were produced in the occupied West Bank, to "Made in Israel", which is also contrary to international law.

The policy on being able to label settlement products as “Made in Israel,” effectively blurring the distinction between goods produced in Israel itself and the West Bank. The potential denunciation of Pompeo's settlement doctrine through word and deed, and a return to past US positions, has been floated as an important step Biden could take to send a message to Israel.

Regarding the position of the US State Department on what Senator Van Hoppen said on CNN, the official spokesperson for the ministry, Vedant Patel, responded by saying: “What I would like to say is that we are, first, communicating with our partners in Congress on a number of issues in terms of It relates to different parts of the world, but I don't have any policy to look at it or any procedure to predict that it's coming down the shaft or anything like that."

The administration of former US President Donald Trump had proposed what it called the "Deal of the Century" on January 28, 2020, which granted Israel the right to confiscate 30% of the occupied West Bank lands, including the Jordan Valley, in addition to taking many steps that legalized settlement. .

In his CNN interview, Van Hollen also welcomed President Biden's rare rebuke of Netanyahu, noting that he was glad "that President Biden has expressed his concerns about what is happening in Israel in an effort to undermine an independent judiciary."

It is noteworthy that Van Hollen, during his questioning of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, indicated, "The Biden administration appears weak due to its failure to hold Israel accountable for provocative steps and policies," publicly challenging the administration to consider the steps it was already willing to take beyond verbal condemnation.

At dawn on Thursday, the Israeli forces launched a campaign of arrests among citizens in separate areas of the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem .

Those forces carried out incursions into a number of areas, including Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Hebron, and others.

Two young men were wounded, which were described as light and medium, during clashes that took place in the town of Qabatiya , south of Jenin, which witnessed a raid that lasted about 3 hours, amid armed clashes with the various resistance groups.

Those forces arrested the editor, Mahmoud Nazzal, and Moatasem Ziyad Nazzal.

In Nablus, the Israeli forces arrested Ahmed Hamayel from the town of Beita and subjected him to a field investigation before re-releasing him at a later time, while they arrested the young man, Ismail al-Najjar, from the village of Yatma.

In Hebron, the Israeli forces arrested the released prisoner, Muhammad Ahmed Abu Maria, after they raided his house in the town of Beit Ummar.

Clashes broke out between the young men and the occupation forces, during which poison gas bombs were fired, as a result of which a number of civilians suffocated.

While the released prisoner, Nour Sarsour, was arrested from the town of Betunia, west of Ramallah.

In occupied Jerusalem, the Israeli forces arrested the two young men, Ahmed Abdullah Al-Saqa and Youssef Mazen Shehadeh, after they stormed the Qalandia camp.

In Tulkarm, the Israeli forces arrested Ahmed Amjad Odeh.

The young man, Hamada Abdel Wahhab, was arrested from Deir Ballut, near Salfit.

They also stormed Marhaba roof area in Al-Bireh, as well as the town of Azzun in Qalqilya.

The young man, Ruwaid Muhammad Araysi (24 years old), was killed after midnight, as a result of being shot by unknown persons in the occupied city of Nazareth .

According to the Hebrew website Ynet, Araysi is the son of the deputy mayor of Nazareth.

The crime took place in the Safafra neighborhood of Nazareth, where the Israeli police opened an investigation into his circumstances.

This is the second crime within hours, after the killing of the young man, Idris Odeh, in Jaljulia yesterday evening.

The site pointed out that the number of victims of crimes among the Palestinians in Israel has reached 41 since the beginning of the year.

Yesterday evening, Wednesday, Abd al-Rahman Nasser al-Masri, a resident of Khan Younis governorate in the southern Gaza Strip , was stabbed by another young man from the same governorate, in the city of Uppsala , the fourth largest city in Sweden .

According to family sources, another young man from the Al-Masry family was injured in the incident after a fight broke out between them.

The Swedish police spokesman said that those involved in the incident had been arrested, and an investigation had been opened into its circumstances.

The family of the young man accused of murder condemned the crime, and affirmed its commitment to the family of the dead man with all the consequences of this crime from the legal, legal and customary perspectives.

Two Syrian soldiers were wounded, at dawn Thursday, as a result of Israeli shelling that targeted some points in the vicinity of the capital, Damascus .

According to a statement by the Syrian army, the Israeli forces carried out an air attack with a number of missiles from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting some points in the vicinity of Damascus.

He pointed out that the air forces repelled the aggression and shot down some missiles, wounding two soldiers and causing some material losses.

Saudi Arabia has agreed to join the Chinese-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a "dialogue partner", according to state media, on Wednesday, in a new sign of the Gulf kingdom's growing ties with the giant Asian country.

The Saudi Council of Ministers approved the decision in a session chaired by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The move grants Riyadh "the status of a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," which is based in Beijing.

The Shanghai Organization was established in 2001 as a political, economic and security organization for Central Asia in the face of Western institutions.

In addition to China, the organization includes eight member states: Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and other countries of the former Soviet Union in Central Asia.

It also includes other countries that have the status of observer or partner in the dialogue, such as Iran, Egypt and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia's accession comes less than three weeks after the disclosure of an important agreement sponsored by Beijing to resume diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran after a seven-year break.

Iran and Saudi Arabia, two regional rivals, have been embroiled in regional proxy disputes, most notably the war in Yemen.

Riyadh made it clear that despite its involvement in previous rounds of bilateral talks with Tehran, the mediation of Chinese President Xi Jinping formed a "bridge" between the two prominent regional powers in the Gulf.

China's intervention raised questions given the kingdom's historically close partnership with the United States, despite the strained relationship over issues including the kingdom's human rights record and the oil production cut approved by OPEC Plus last year.

Saudi Arabia and Iran are preparing to reopen their embassies in Tehran and Riyadh, with a meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers expected before the end of Ramadan, Saudi media reported Monday.

In Washington, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel downplayed the importance of the move, noting that it had been expected for a long time.

"Every country has its own relationships," Patel said.

On Tuesday, Xi hailed the recent improvement in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, during a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country's de facto ruler.

In his first comment on the agreement, Xi stressed that the China-sponsored dialogue "will play a major role in promoting regional unity and solidarity."