Indonesian President Joko Widodo will send FIFA President to hold talks with FIFA officials about hosting the U-20 World Cup, after the draw that was scheduled for Friday was canceled due to the Bali governor's call to exclude Israel from the tournament.
There is no official diplomatic relationship between the two countries, and support for the Palestinian cause in the largest Muslim-majority country has raised tensions over hosting Israel.
In a video clip posted on the Internet, Widodo said on Tuesday that he would send FIFA President and Minister of State Eric Tohir to hold talks with FIFA, in light of doubts about the host country.
No date was set for Tuhir, the former president of the Italian club Inter, to meet with FIFA officials.
The meeting will be held in the Qatari capital, Doha, according to what was revealed by the official of the Indonesian Federation, Eko Rahmanto, to Agence France-Presse.
The draw for the tournament, which will be held between May 20 and June 11, 2023 in six cities with the participation of 24 teams, was scheduled for Friday in Bali, but the International Federation (FIFA) canceled the event without giving reasons or setting a new date, according to what the Indonesian Federation announced on Sunday.
Officials said a possible factor in the cancellation of the lottery was Bali Governor Ian Koster's call to exclude Israel over its policies toward the Palestinians, in a letter to the Ministry of Youth and Sports last month.
The International Federation did not respond to a request for comment.
Israel is scheduled to participate after qualifying for the first time to the finals, while Jakarta pledged to protect its participation.
The organizers hoped that hosting Israel's matches on the Hindu-majority island of Bali would lead to solutions, but Koster's opposition cast more doubts.
About 100 conservative Muslim demonstrators marched in the capital, Jakarta, this month to protest Israel's participation.
While FIFA did not comment on the cancellation of the lottery draw, the country's president called for politics not to conflict with sports.
Widodo's intervention comes after football officials in Jakarta feared losing the right to host the first major tournament, and isolating the country spherically through exposure to sanctions from the International Federation if they failed to resolve the issue.
The country is hosting the tournament after one of the worst stadium disasters in football history, which led to the death of 135 people in a stampede in the city of Malang, east Java last October, including more than forty children.
Officials are trying to polish the game's reputation after being suspended by the International Federation in 2015 for a year, due to government interference in the game.

(AFP) - Scotsman Scott McTominay scored a new brace and led his country to a 2-0 victory over its Spanish guest on Tuesday, inflicting its first loss under the supervision of its new coach, Luis de la Fuente, in the second round of Group A competitions of the 2024 European Cup qualifiers. .
McTominay imposed himself as a star for the second match in a row, after scoring two goals from his country’s hat-trick against Cyprus in the first round of the qualifiers, raising his tally to 4 goals in two matches.
Scotland topped the group with a full score of 6 points, 3 points ahead of Spain, while Norway, tied with Georgia 1-1 earlier today, after losing 3-0 against Spain at the start of the qualifiers, ranks fourth with a point equal to Georgia, who played their match The first after she missed the first round.
The champion and runner-up of each of the ten groups, in addition to three teams from the European Nations League and the host country, qualify directly for the finals scheduled for the summer of 2024 in Germany.
The new coach of the "La Roja" team, de la Fuente, who replaced Luis Enrique after the disappointing exit from the World Cup in Qatar in the final price against Morocco with a penalty shootout 0-3 after they tied negatively, made 8 substitutions compared to the match that he won against Norway on Saturday.
At Hampden Park, Scotland opened the scoring after 7 minutes, after defender Pedro Burrow fell on the left flank to take advantage of Andrew Robertson and pass the ball back to McTominay inside the area, who shot past goalkeeper Arisabalaga Kepa.
The "La Roja" team almost equalized the score, but Joselo's header, who scored two goals within 106 seconds against Norway, hit the crossbar (23).
Boro tried to make up for the mistake he had made, hitting a ball from 25 meters with his right foot, which was narrowly blocked by goalkeeper Angis Gun (29), before Scotsman Lyndon Dykes won his struggle with Garcia, entered the area and hit a falling ball, "Loeb", which passed over the goal a minute before the half-time whistle ( 45+1).
McTominay added a second personal goal for him and his team at the start of the second half, after a pass from Kieran Tierney was intercepted by the Spanish defense, and the “Red Devils” player followed it up on the fly into the net (51).
Goalkeeper Kiba crossbar saved Spain from a third goal after a free kick by John McGinn (57).
Within the same group, the Norwegian national team, without its star striker, the giant Erling Haaland, who was absent due to injury, failed to win the second match in a row, after falling into a 1-1 draw against Georgia.
Georgia, seeking to qualify for the finals of a major tournament for the first time in its history, prepared for its continental match with a landslide victory over Mongolia 6-1 in a friendly on Saturday.
French coach Willy Sagnol contributed to the development of the Georgian national team in the last 12 months, as he led it to the second classification in the Nations League competition.
Since its exit from the group stage in 2000, Norway has failed to qualify for the European Cup final 5 times, while it has only achieved an orphan victory in its last six matches in various competitions.
Norway failed to win against Georgia after it had previously won the three previous matches that brought them together, knowing that the last meeting between them, before this evening, dates back to May 1999 in the European Cup 2000 qualifiers (Norway won 1-0).
In Batumi, the visiting team opened the scoring early through Spanish Real Sociedad striker Alexander Sorloth (15), before the hosts equalized through French second-division Metz striker Georges Mikotadze in the second half (60).
The Italian star of Napoli, Khvica Kvaratskhelia, played the match without succeeding in scoring.
In Group D, Croatia compensated for its 1-1 draw with Wales in the first round by defeating its host Turkey 2-0, scored by Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic (20, 45 + 4).
Croatia, runner-up to the World Cup Russia 2018 and third to Qatar 2022, topped the group with 4 points, equal to Wales, who defeated its guest Latvia 1-0, with a goal by Kiefer Moore (41).
Turkey, which returned with a valuable victory from Armenia 2-1 at the start of the qualifiers, froze at 3 points in third place, while the latter was absent from the competitions of this round.
In the ninth group, Switzerland achieved its second victory in a row by dropping Israel 3-0. It was scored by Robin Vargas (39), Zaki Amdouni (48) and Sylvain Widmer (52).
Switzerland has not missed the European Cup finals since 2012 and the World Cup since 2002, and it seems a strong candidate to obtain one of the two group nine cards to the 2024 German finals.
Switzerland, which defeated Belarus 5-0 in the first round, equaled 6 points with Romania, which inflicted its second consecutive loss on Belarus by defeating it 2-1.
The third Kosovo fell into the trap of a tie for the second consecutive match against Andorra 1-1, after tying with Israel with the same result in the first round.

Canada unveiled Tuesday a budget aimed at making the country a "superpower" for clean energy and developing its capabilities in producing rare earths and electric cars in the world.

In the face of the rising cost of living, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland also announced specific assistance for the poorest, which will benefit 11 million Canadian families, and the launch of a new dental care plan for the nearly nine million Canadians who do not have health insurance.

Justin Trudeau's government has granted large tax breaks ranging from 15 to 30 percent to a wide range of power generation sectors, from marine energy to the nuclear sector as well as the extraction of base metals for electric batteries.

The announced measures also build on past tax breaks and investments in "clean economy" projects, such as producing hydrogen from renewable sources.

Freeland said the world was going through "the most significant economic transition since the Industrial Revolution," referring to the fight against climate change.

"Today and in the years ahead, Canada must seize this historic moment, this incredible opportunity before us, or we will be left behind as democracies around the world build the clean economy of the 21st century," she added during her budget presentation to Parliament.

With these tax breaks likely to reach more than 80 billion Canadian dollars (54 billion euros) in the next decade, Ottawa hopes to close the gap with the billions that the United States has allocated for electric cars, batteries and renewable energy projects.

The International Energy Agency says the clean technology sector is expected to be worth more than $630 billion worldwide by 2030, more than three times the current level.

Ottawa's budget includes billions of dollars to attract more private investment in this sector. It also promises to keep energy prices and carbon credits as negotiated in the event that market prices fall below the minimum stipulated in the contracts.

For its part, the Canadian Labor Conference expressed its "concern that a 3 percent cut in funding for the public health sector could have a significant impact on workers and the services that people depend on."

Canada will see weak economic growth in 2023, as the government forecasts in its budget, while emphasizing the risk of a "moderate recession" in a worst-case scenario.

Ottawa currently expects its gross domestic product to grow by 0.3 percent this year before rising to 1.5 percent in 2024. However, the government does not rule out the possibility of a contraction (0.2 percent) in 2023.

According to the draft budget, public debt will rise next year to 43.5 percent of GDP, then gradually decrease to less than forty percent by 2027-2028.

The Egyptian national team, led by its star Mohamed Salah, put forward the 2023 African Cup of Nations in football, scheduled for Ivory Coast early next year, by defeating host Malawi 4-0 on Tuesday, while defending champions Senegal and Tunisia won the qualification ticket.
And to the host Ivory Coast, six teams have so far secured their qualification: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, South Africa, Burkina Faso and Senegal.
Egypt, the record holder for the number of titles (7, the last of which was in 2010), raised its tally to nine points from four matches at the top of Group D, with a goal difference from Guinea, while Malawi and Ethiopia were equal with three points.
The "Pharaohs" now need one point from one of their matches against hosts Guinea in June or at home to Ethiopia in September, to ensure official qualification.
And it took turns to score the goals of Egypt, absent from the last World Cup in Qatar, each of the midfielder Tariq Hamed (34 years) with a powerful shot from outside the area, scoring his first international goal (4), Omar Marmoush after a turmoil inside the area after a corner kick carried out by the English star Liverpool Mohamed Salah (16), Salah with a powerful shot from inside the area after exchanging the ball with striker Mustafa Mohamed (20) and Ahmed Sayed “Zizou” after a cross from Mohamed Hani (49).
This is the first time that Egypt has scored four away goals since 2015 against Chad (5-1).
His Portuguese coach, Roy Vittoria, said, "The Egyptian national team was the best back and forth against Malawi, and deserves to get six points in the two matches.. I am happy with Mohamed Salah's brilliance and his scoring of two goals in the two Malawi matches, and my greatest happiness came after the collective performance of the players."
Tunisia, holders of the 2004 title, reached the finals for the 21st time in its history and the 16th in a row (a record), by defeating its host Libya 1-0 in Benghazi in Group X, with Haitham Jouini's goal from a header after a corner kick (16).
The "Carthage Eagles" raised their tally to 10 points from four matches, a point ahead of Equatorial Guinea, which went a long way towards qualification, with its third successive victory at the expense of Botswana 3-2, noting that the champion and runner-up of each group guaranteed their qualification to the finals.
Tunisia coach Jalal Al-Qadri bemoaned the missed opportunities.
And the Tunisian national team, which achieved its fourth successive victory, is the only one that has not conceded a net so far in the qualifiers.
Senegal secured its place in the continental finals for Group Twelve, after beating its host Mozambique with a clean goal scored by Boulaye Dia in the 18th minute, after a pass from star Sadio Mane.
With this victory, the defending champion raised its tally to 12 points at the top of the group, to secure official qualification, while Mozambique remained second with 4 points, against Rwanda (two points) and Benin (one point).
In the same context, the South African national team also qualified for the finals after defeating its Liberian host 2-1, to return after its absence from the previous edition.
Zakeli Libasa (19) and Mihalali Mayampila (54) scored for Bafana Bafana, while William Jebor scored Liberia (35).
And the South African national team raised its score to 4 points, to ensure qualification with Morocco from the eleventh group, after the exclusion of Zimbabwe.
On the other hand, the rise of the Mali national team was postponed after losing to Gambia Saqr-1 from Group G, with a goal scored by Omar Colby (79).
The Gambian team raised its tally to 6 points behind the Congo, while the Mali team leads the group with 9 points, while the South Sudan team lies at the bottom of the standings with three points.
Burkina Faso qualified by drawing 1-1 with its host, Togo, in Group Two, which witnessed Cape Verde's victory over its host, Eswatini, 1-0. Burkina Faso raised its score to ten points, compared to 7 for Cape Verde, which is close to qualifying.
In Group C, Cameroon, the defending champion five times, most recently in 2017, suffered its first loss against Namibia 1-2 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Scored for the winner Peter Shaluleli (55) and Absalom Eibondi (79), and for Cameroon Vincent Aboubakar (72).
Namibia took the lead with five points from three matches, one point ahead of Cameroon, in a group that eliminated Kenya due to its international ban.
Namibia coach Colin Benjamin valued his country's victory, saying, "We achieved a very impressive victory over the strong Cameroon team. I congratulate our players for their hard work, in order to score all the points in the Cameroon match."
In turn, Cameroon coach Rigobert Song expressed his disappointment after the defeat of the "Untamed Lions": "We failed to take advantage of the opportunities that were available to us in the match, which made the Namibia national team punish us."
The conflict intensified in the ninth group, with Mauritania tied with its guest, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1-1, as Gabon leads (7 points), by a point from Sudan, two from Mauritania and three from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Argentine captain and star Lionel Messi crossed the 100-goal barrier with his country by scoring a hat-trick in a landslide victory over submerged Curaçao by 7-0 on Tuesday in Santiago del Estero in an international friendly football match, the second for the Albiceleste at home, after winning the world title in Qatar.
Seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, Messi scored his hat-trick in 20 minutes, taking his tally of international goals to 102.
It is Messi's seventh hat-trick with his country, and he scored his first international goal 17 years ago, specifically in March 2006 when Argentina lost to Croatia 3-2 in a friendly match.
Messi consolidated his position in third place in the list of historical scorers in the world, behind his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo (122) and Iranian Ali Daei (109).
Messi also moved away from his closest pursuers on the list of historic scorers for Argentina, Gabriel Batsiuta (56 goals) and Sergio Aguero (41).
Messi, 35, opened the scoring in the 20th minute, and Italian Fiorentina striker Nicholas Gonzalez scored the second three minutes later, before the "flea" added his second and third personal goal for his country in the 33rd minute.
Chelsea midfielder Ansu Fernandez added the fourth goal after two minutes (35), which is the same time that the French star Paris Saint-Germain needed by scoring the third and fifth personal goal for Argentina (37), ending the first half festival.
Juventus winger Angel Di Maria added the sixth goal from a penalty kick (78), and Seville defender Goncalo Montiel concluded the festival with the seventh goal (87).
Argentina played the second match since winning the World Cup for the third time in its history when it beat France 4-2 on penalties in the final, which ended in an exciting 3-3 draw in regular and extra time.
Argentina beat Panama on Thursday with a clean double, including Messi's second goal in the 89th minute, raising his tally of international goals to 99.

The Israeli forces launched, at dawn and Wednesday morning, a campaign of arrests among citizens in separate areas of the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem .

Those forces carried out a massive incursion into the city of Nablus , covering several areas, and concentrated in the eastern region and the outskirts of the Old City.

The Israeli forces arrested Anan al-Sudani from his house in the old Askar camp, east of Nablus, after besieging him and demanding that his son surrender, who was not arrested because he was not at home.

They also surrounded a house in the vicinity of the eastern cemetery on the outskirts of the Old City, before arresting Abdullah Abu Safi, while Abdullah Ammar Faraj was arrested south of Nablus.

A young man was slightly wounded by shrapnel from a bullet, and was treated on the field in the old Askar camp, according to the Red Crescent in Nablus.

Resistance fighters clashed with the occupation forces during their storming of Nablus.

In Ramallah , the Isralei forces arrested Ali Atta "Al-Rimawi" and Wahbi Al-Rimawi, after storming their homes in the town of Beit Rima, northwest of Ramallah.

The Israeli forces stormed the towns of Zababdeh, Qabatiya and Marka in Jenin , amid being fired upon by the resistance fighters.

And those forces arrested the young Qusay Maali.

In Hebron , the citizen, Abdullah Muhammed Sweilem Tamizah, was arrested after his house was raided and searched in the town of Beit Ithna.

In Bethlehem , the Israeli forces arrested Mahmoud Radwan Hamamreh, from Beit Sahour, while he was crossing the "Container" military checkpoint.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Abu Jamous, from the village of Al-Auja, north of Jericho, was arrested.

In occupied Jerusalem, the Israeli forces arrested the young men, Jihad Shadi Bishara, Muhammad Shadi Bishara, Abd al-Rahman Rami Hijazi, Abdullah Muhammad Hijazi, and Abd Ashraf Zahayqa, all from the town of Jabal al-Mukabber. While they arrested Saeed Ramadan Dabash, after they raided his house, And I searched him in the town of Sur Baher.

Two shepherds were injured, this morning, Wednesday, when settlers attacked their homes east of Bethlehem .

According to local sources, a group of settlers assaulted shepherds in their homes in the Kisan wilderness area, beating and wreaking havoc with their property, which led to the injury of Ali Youssef Abyat (70 years old), and his son Jihad, in his thirties, with bruises and wounds.

Walking 8,000 steps, or about 6.4 kilometers, once or twice a week contributes to a significant reduction in the risk of early death , according to a study published Tuesday.

It is already known that regular physical activity reduces the risk of death, but the study published in the journal "Jama Network Open" deals with the health benefits of vigorous walking just a few days a week.

Researchers from Kyoto University and University of California, Los Angeles analyzed data on 3,101 American adults.

The researchers found that those who walk eight thousand steps or more once or twice a week are 14.9 percent less likely to die over a ten-year period than those who do not walk that much.

Those who walked such long distances three to seven times a week had a 16.5 percent lower risk of dying.

The benefits of walking distances of 8,000 steps or more once or twice a week are most evident in people over the age of 65.

The scientists noted that the study showed "a link between the number of days a person walks 8,000 steps or more per week and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and all other causes."

They conclude from the study that "people can achieve significant health benefits from walking just a few days a week."

The researchers based this study on the daily steps recorded by the participants between 2005 and 2006 and then studied their mortality rate ten years later.

632 of those included in the study did not reach the limit of walking eight thousand steps at least one day a week, while it was found that 532 people walk this amount or more once or twice a week, and that 1937 people walk this distance from three to seven times a week. .

Americans walk an average of 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day, according to data from the Mayo Clinic, which stresses that walking as a regular physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.

Today (Tuesday), the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to summon the Chargé d'Affairs of the Iraqi Embassy in the Kingdom of Bahrain and withdraw him to the Ministry's headquarters, at Bahrain's request.

Ahmed Al-Sahhaf, spokesman for the ministry, told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), "Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein directed the return of the Iraqi Chargé d'Affaires to the Kingdom of Bahrain to the ministry's center in Baghdad."

Al-Sahhaf added, "This measure comes to enhance the status of Iraqi diplomacy, which the ministry pursues in preserving diplomatic norms."

Al-Sahhaf did not give any details about the reason for summoning the Iraqi Chargé d'Affairs and withdrawing him from Bahrain.

The Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today (Tuesday) that it had summoned Chargé d'Affaires at the Iraqi Embassy in the Kingdom, Moayad Omar Abdul Rahman, and handed him a letter of protest for what it described as his "repeated violations of diplomatic norms."

According to the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the Bahraini Foreign Minister, Dr. Abdullatif Al-Zayani, informed the Iraqi Chargé d'Affairs of the ministry's strong condemnation of his recent unacceptable behavior that contradicts the diplomatic protocols in the Kingdom, and contradicts his diplomatic duties, as it is an unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom. Bahrain contradicts the principles governing relations between states enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.

Bahrain is witnessing a multibillion-dollar economic revival based on the implementation of new mega projects, which contribute to putting the kingdom in a position to compete with its wealthy neighbours, while at the same time consolidating stability in it after more than a decade of turmoil.

The road does not appear to be paved for the smallest Arab Gulf states located near the wealthy Emirates and gas-rich Qatar, while it is linked to Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter and the largest Arab economy, by a 25-kilometer bridge.

Bahrain, which consists of 30 islands and which has witnessed unrest since the 2011 demonstrations, is undergoing a major modernization and reform process aimed at diversifying its revenues, benefiting from a great Gulf economic momentum against the backdrop of high oil prices and various plans to diversify the economy.

Numerous construction sites are spread across the kingdom, while Bahrain, an oil producer outside the Organization of Exporting Countries (OPEC), aspires to reduce dependence on crude, which provides 80 percent of its revenues, most of which come from refining.

"The plan is clear: we want to grow and we want to grow faster than the world," Khalid Ibrahim Humaidan, chief executive of Bahrain's Economic Development Board, told reporters in Manama this month.

Bahrain may find in announcing the resumption of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which Manama accuses of fueling unrest there, an impetus for its efforts to achieve stability.

"In an optimistic scenario, the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement will increase and create a more favorable environment for political reconciliation within Bahrain, which in turn may lead to defusing instability from the economic factor," Justin Alexander, an economist on Gulf affairs from the Gulf Economics consulting group, told AFP.

Bahrain enjoys a rich heritage in the trade and business sector dating back to decades ago when it was seen as a pearling center.

However, its historical status has been weakened in light of intense regional competition, especially from Dubai and Doha, but also due to internal economic challenges since the collapse of oil prices in 2014.

The 2011 demonstrations, which coincided with the "Arab Spring" uprisings, ended with a campaign against demonstrators who demanded an elected government. Bahrain banned opposition parties and imprisoned political opponents, which sparked widespread international criticism.

In 2018, wealthier Gulf states agreed to support Bahrain's economic ambitions with $10 billion in loans, sparking a new construction wave in the country.

In addition to plans to build tourism and sports centers, including diving headquarters and a city of games under the sea, Bahrain announced a new passenger terminal at its international airport that can accommodate up to 14 million passengers annually, more than double the previous capacity.

It also opened one of the largest conference centers in the Gulf, hoping to host major events.

A fiscal balance program in the Kingdom aims to achieve a balance in the budget by 2024, while Bahrain's Vision 2030 focuses on reducing dependence on modest resources of oil and gas and developing new sectors such as tourism.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Finance on Monday, the economy grew by 4.9 percent last year, the highest since 2013.

The country, which has a population of 1.4 million people, about half of whom are foreigners, aspires to raise the level of tourism's contribution to the GDP from 7 to more than 11 percent within a few years.

"We are confident that we will continue on this path and achieve the results we desire," said Humaidan, who was speaking on the sidelines of the annual Formula One Grand Prix.

Bahrain, a country about the size of New York City, has a relatively low tax system and modern infrastructure.

The small country is an ally of the West and is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. Its strategic location along major shipping routes makes it an important logistical hub in the Middle East, but also puts it at the center of regional conflicts.

"Bahrain has tried to develop new sectors such as financial technology (...). However, since the 2011 protests, tensions in Bahraini society have become a source of concern for investors," says Alexander.

But after the agreement brokered by China this month to end the seven-year-old dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Tehran said last week that it also welcomed the restoration of relations with Bahrain.

At the same time, reformists from a young, Western-educated generation led by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa (54 years old) are carving out their position as a force for change in the country.

Despite the passage of 20 years, the scene that is still fresh in the memory of the world, especially Iraq , to this day, is the one in which Colin Powell , then US Secretary of State, claimed on February 5, 2003, in a session of the UN Security Council, that Iraq possessed chemical weapons with a tube in his hand. Test filled with white powder.

On March 20, 2003, the United States launched a special military operation in Iraq without the approval of the United Nations. Since that time, the picture has changed completely in Iraq as a result of the bloody war that lasted about 8 years, which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands and caused the displacement of millions of other Iraqis.

Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi, who threw his shoes at former US President George W. Bush during a press conference in Baghdad in December 2008 to protest America's invasion of Iraq, wrote on his account on the micro-blogging site ((Twitter)) "I mourned the death of Colin Powell without saying He is being tried for his crimes in Iraq, but I am sure that God's court will await him," according to Al-Jazeera Net in an article published in 2021.

Al-Zaidi believed that Powell did not acknowledge the mistake he made before the UN Security Council, but rather saw it as an "inaccurate" and "painful" talk and a "black point" in his professional history.

For the United States, the issue of weapons of mass destruction was secondary to its desire to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. BBC Arabic quoted Luis Rueda, head of the Iraq Operations Group at the CIA, as saying in an article published on March 14, "We would have invaded Iraq, even if Saddam Hussein had only a rubber band." And a paperclip...we were going to say he was going to use these things to goug out your eye."

Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmoud Kasuri recalled, in statements to Sputnik news agency, his experience as a representative of Pakistan in that session to discuss Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction, stressing that Washington adopted a policy of unilateral measures to invade Iraq, which caused it harm.

Regarding the positions of the member states of the UN Security Council, Kasuri stated that it was clear to the US administration at the time that it was unable to obtain the Council's support in the Iraqi file. The former diplomat stated that "there was a massive backlash, and I think America's reputation suffered greatly from that; first there was Afghanistan, then there was Iraq, and it actually had a very negative effect on the United States."

On the 20th anniversary of America's invasion of Iraq, many netizens expressed their anger on social media, and "Lawyer .. Zaid Al-Tikriti" said on his account on the website ((Twitter)) that "the arguments and allegations invoked by America regarding weapons of mass destruction, It was nothing but a cover for the occupation of Iraq and the destruction of its infrastructure and foreign affairs, in addition to wreaking havoc and destruction on the whole of Iraq."

And "Hanan Abdullatif" indicated in her tweet that "the most heinous crime in the modern era is the crime of America and the coalition countries' invasion and occupation of Iraq under the pretext of weapons of mass destruction, the repercussions of which are still standing in terms of crimes and violations committed against the Iraqi people without punishing the real perpetrators."

Murtada al-Misani published a series of pictures showing American soldiers transporting and destroying Iraqi cultural monuments, and wrote, "The twentieth anniversary of America's occupation of Iraq under the pretext of the existence of weapons of mass destruction and their danger to humanity. These are some pictures of the weapons of destruction that America took from Iraq in order to save humanity," where the words formed The images are ironic and a bitter contrast.

The experience of the Iraqis has proven that this American lie cost Iraq a heavy price that it is still paying to this day. The invasion of Iraq led to the loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives and the destruction of their present and future, and this was repeated in Syria, Yemen and Libya.

The actions of the United States have greatly damaged its reputation throughout the Middle East. In January of this year, the Center for Arab Studies in Doha, Qatar, published its “2022 Arab Opinion Index,” which indicated that 78 percent of Arabs believe that the United States “poses a destabilizing threat to the region.”

Razzaq Hameed, 30, a shop owner in Iraq, said, "The war is a lie based on their belief that there are weapons of mass destruction, but the war is not because of weapons of mass destruction, but because of the invasion of Iraq," adding, "They never brought democracy. They killed innocent people. They are the ones who fought democracy and brought us war and destruction."

Between 2003 and 2021, about 209,000 Iraqi civilians were killed in wars and violent conflicts, and about 9.2 million Iraqis became refugees or were forced to leave their homeland, according to Statista, a global statistical database. Many believe that the disaster began with a test tube filled with white powder.

With many US officials acknowledging that Iraq did not possess chemical weapons or weapons of mass destruction, one of the netizens asked on Twitter, "What is the use of regret? ... The war was absurd and hundreds of thousands were killed for no reason..."

The Central Statistical Organization said that the general index for producer prices recorded an increase of 2.47% during the month of February, compared to the previous month, and the general index reached 108.45, compared to 105.84 during January 2023.

The Census indicated, in a press release today, Wednesday, that the producer price index for locally consumed commodities from local production recorded an increase of 2.63%. 2019 = 100).

The producer price index for domestically exported commodities increased by 1.03%, and the PPI for domestically exported commodities reached 109.55 2023, compared to 108.43 in January 2023 (base year 2019 = 100).

The prices of commodities produced by the activity of agriculture, forestry and fishing increased by 7.62%, the relative importance of which constitutes 29.94% of the product basket, as a result of the increase in the prices of commodities within the activity of non-permanent crop cultivation by 13.79%. The average price of each of; Cauliflower 1.61 shekels/kg, cabbage 1.51 shekels/kg, greenhouse cucumber 2.77 shekels/kg, small zucchini 2.58 shekels/kg, eggplant 2.20 shekels/kg, thin green beans 3.18 shekels/kg, green hot pepper 5 shekels/kg , green onions with leaves 6.78 shekels/kg, dry garlic 2.93 shekels/kg, and dry onions 1.64 shekels/kg, despite the decrease in the average price of each of; Green peas 3.76 shekels/kg, green beans 1.72 shekels/kg, and tomatoes 1.74 shekels/kg.

The prices of commodities within the animal production activity increased by 4.95%. The average price of each of; Fresh eggs 16.74 shekels/2kg, large live broiler chicken 10.54 shekels/kg, live baladi goats 30.95 shekels/kg, and live baladi sheep 29.22 shekels/kg.

The prices of commodities within the activity of growing permanent, perennial crops increased by 2.06%. The average price of each of; Small clementines amounted to 1.96 shekels/kg, oranges 1.99 shekels/kg, and strawberries 4.78 shekels/kg.

While the prices of commodities within the fishing activity decreased by 6.51%.

The prices of water supply, sanitation activities, and waste management and treatment increased by 3.74%, with a relative importance of 1.50% of the product basket.

The prices of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supplies increased by 2.13%, the relative importance of which constitutes 8.23% of the product basket.

The prices of mining and quarrying industry products increased by 0.55%, with a relative importance of 1.41% of the product basket.

The prices of commodities produced by the activities of the manufacturing industries increased by 0.11%, the relative importance of which constitutes 58.92% of the product basket, due to the increase in the prices of commodities produced within the following activities; Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products by 3.30%, manufacture of basic iron and steel by 2.31%, manufacture of grain mill products by 2.13%, and manufacture of shaped metal products except for machinery and equipment by 1.36%, despite the decrease in the prices of manufacturing vegetable and animal oils and fats by 1.04%, and the prices of manufacturing items of concrete, cement and plaster by 0.31%.

Morocco faces the dilemma of striking a balance between defending its "strategic" alliance with Israel without abandoning the Palestinian cause , which still enjoys popular support, after the most right-wing government in Israel's history came to power.

This problem arose recently when King Mohammed VI rebuked the Islamic Justice and Development Party (parliamentary opposition), in response to a position in which he condemned the bias of Moroccan diplomacy in favor of Israel.

In a statement, the royal court described this behavior as "irresponsible" and included "serious fallacies" on the part of the party, which accused Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita of "defending the Zionist entity in some African and European meetings."

The royal palace confirmed that Morocco's position on the Palestinian issue is "irreversible."

Rabat also regularly confirms its commitment to the Palestinian cause, which "is one of the foreign policy priorities of His Majesty the King, Chairman of the Jerusalem Committee," which is concerned with preserving the Islamic character of the city.

In the context, the Moroccan foreign minister said, "The kingdom condemns and always rejects every irresponsible act and every act that could be inflammatory or have a negative impact," commenting on the recent statements of an Israeli minister from the extreme right, in which he denied the existence of the Palestinian people.

Moroccan journalist and writer Jamal Amiar, who wrote a book on "Morocco, Israel and Moroccan Jews," considers that "establishing relations with Israel while supporting the Palestinian cause is not a contradiction, if we are defending the two-state solution."

Morocco defends the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, alongside the State of Israel.

Rabat normalized its diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv in December 2020, within the framework of the Abraham Accords, which included several Arab countries under the auspices of the United States.

In exchange, Rabat obtained recognition from Washington of "Moroccan sovereignty" over Western Sahara, the territory claimed by the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria.

Amiar believes that "the Abraham Accords changed the facts and are still changing many things very quickly."

The pace of partnership between the two countries has accelerated since then, especially in the field of military equipment (drones) and cybersecurity, in an arms race with Algeria in a context of tension between the two neighbors.

If economic cooperation is still far from ambitions, trade exchanges between Morocco and Israel increased in 2022 (+32 percent) in favor of Israel, and the number of Israeli tourists who visited the Kingdom increased (200,000 Israeli visitors), according to official figures.

For his part, Amiar mentions that "the partnership with Israel is based on common security interests and old relations that enabled the building of trust between the two countries."

This partnership is also based on the presence of some 700,000 Israelis who hail from Morocco and have maintained strong ties with their country of origin.

For his part, Zakaria Abu al-Dahab, professor of international relations at Mohammed V University in Rabat, considers that "this human and cultural link reinforces the idea of strengthening relations with the Hebrew state, regardless of the political and geopolitical circumstance."

However, the arrival of a current of the extreme right to power in Israel, against any resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians, and violence in the occupied territories, after an obstacle to this rapprochement.

"Any continuous deterioration in relations between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank or Gaza cannot, of course, but negatively affect public opinion's attitude toward relations with Israel," Amaar explains.

If the response to pro-Palestinian militant activities has weakened in Morocco, sympathy for this cause is still wide.

Recently, a hundred civil society figures appealed to the Moroccan government to put an end to normalization.

Zakaria Abu al-Dahab believes that "Moroccan society, with all its currents, is not necessarily convinced of normalization, which could be at the expense of the Palestinian cause."

But could the continuation of the confrontations in the West Bank undermine the foundations of the Abraham Accords?
In the opinion of the university professor, "In a turbulent context, which is further complicated by the situation in the Middle East, such as the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the vision becomes unclear."

This is confirmed by the fact that the Negev summit, which was supposed to bring together this month in the kingdom the foreign ministers of the United States, Israel, Egypt, Morocco, the UAE and Bahrain, was postponed, according to diplomatic sources.

Saudi Arabia has adopted a strategy for the aviation sector based on expanding significantly to obtain a share of the market that is dominated by huge companies in other Gulf countries , and in this context it announced the launch of a new national airline and a large order to purchase Boeing aircraft.

The project falls within the framework of the Kingdom's attempts, which have been closed for decades, to become a center of attraction for the business and tourism sectors, but experts in the aviation sector believe that its success in the field of aviation in particular is not guaranteed, despite the great official support.

Earlier this month, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler, officially launched Riyadh Air, which aims to turn the Saudi capital into a "gateway to the world," in the words of state media.

Just two days later, officials announced that Riyadh Airlines and Saudi Airlines, the kingdom's current national carrier based in Jeddah, would buy 78 long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The deal, which the White House estimated at $37 billion and could later reach 121 aircraft, is the fifth-largest deal in terms of commercial value in Boeing's history.

The CEO of "Riyadh Air" Tony Douglas told AFP that the company will serve the international, regional and local markets, which puts it in direct competition with "Emirates Airlines" and "Qatar Airways".

Independent aviation expert Alex Macheras said the Saudi expansion raises difficult questions about how Riyadh Air can capture market share, especially at a time of increasing non-stop flight options that bypass the Middle East altogether.

"Replicating and building on the successful business models of neighboring Gulf airlines will be challenging in a crowded market where passengers have so many choices," Macheras said.

Saudi Airlines, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, was founded in 1945 and received its first plane as a gift from US President Franklin Roosevelt.

At that time, foreigners were entering the Kingdom, especially through Jeddah on the Red Sea coast, and Jeddah is the "gate to Mecca", and a major point of arrival for millions of Muslims who perform the rituals of Hajj and Umrah every year.

Foreign embassies did not move to Riyadh, in central Saudi Arabia, until the eighties.

These days, Riyadh is at the heart of Prince Mohammed bin Salman's comprehensive reform agenda as part of Vision 2030, his economic and social reform project based on stopping the dependence of the world's largest exporter of crude oil on fossil fuels and opening up to social changes.

Officials say the aim is to rival Dubai, an important Gulf business hub, and they expect Riyadh's population of now eight million to rise to 15 or 20 million by 2030.

Last November, plans were announced for a new airport in Riyadh that is set to handle 120 million passengers annually by 2030, up from about 35 million today.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan told AFP that the expected growth makes the current model for Saudi Arabia, which has two main centers, Jeddah and Riyadh, insufficient.

"Jeddah alone needs an airline to focus on Hajj and Umrah, and therefore there is a need for an airline that focuses on Riyadh," Al-Jadaan said.

"There is a need to ensure that there is a suitable airport that welcomes people and an airline that is able to connect many of the destinations that investors need," he continued.

"The question about the rate of demand in this equation has not yet been settled, and the Saudis need to be completely confident in the outcome in order to proceed with the order to purchase large aircraft," said Robert Mogielnicki, a researcher at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

The location of the airports in the Middle East, which is convenient for flights to Europe, Asia and Africa, has contributed to their rise as major hubs.
Airports Council International predicts that the region's airports will see 1.1 billion passengers by 2040, compared to 405 million in 2019.

In addition to "Riyadh Aviation", Saudi Arabia will also launch "Neom Aviation", which will be based in the future city of the same name, to start operations in 2024.

Saudi Arabia's expansion strategy depends in part on taking advantage of its population of roughly 35 million, which officials see as a huge advantage over rivals in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar with much smaller populations.

Macheras said the Boeing order indicates that Riyadh Airlines' vision "appears to be long-haul oriented, consistent with its goals of being a transit hub airline." Regional competitors are watching these developments closely.

A source in Qatar Airways, who preferred not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said, "Riyadh Airlines will certainly acquire a share of the market in the region and the Asian markets in particular." "We are ready to confront a very rich tycoon who is in the making," he added.

Perhaps Riyadh Air will be best served by its owner: the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, which Macheras said will "stake on what will inevitably be a very large initial stage of capital" ahead of the inaugural flights in early 2025.
"It is clear that Riyadh Airlines, although it is a latecomer to the sector, sees that there is a place for another company at the table, and wants to assure the rest of the world that Saudi Arabia is open for business," he said.

Defense for Children International - Palestine affirmed today, Wednesday, that the excessive and lethal force used by the Israeli  forces against Palestinian civilians during their incursions into Palestinian areas affected children mainly, noting that it documented testimonies of children in Jenin who are still living in constant tension and anxiety.

In a report, the movement confirmed that, in addition to violating the right to life of 17 children since the beginning of this year, the practices of the Israeli forces have left significant effects on other children, which appeared in their behavior, thinking, and academic achievement, violating their rights guaranteed by international laws, and threatening their psychological and social security.

In this regard, Defense for Children International documented the reality of a number of children from Jenin governorate, who are the most targeted by the occupation forces, in terms of incursions and the number of martyrs.

Among the 17 children killed since the beginning of this year, six are from Jenin governorate, in addition to using children as human shields, and detaining others for long hours in their homes and using them as military barracks and sniper and observation points, during the storming of the city and its camp, which greatly affected the children.

The child (Y.A., 17 years old) told Defense for Children International: “While my colleague Mahmoud Al-Saadi (17 years) and I were heading to school in the morning, the occupation army stormed the camp and started shooting from all directions. He was martyred (January 21, 2022). We were planning together to graduate from school and go to university and study together, but all of that was shattered. I hate school and its way.”

As for the child (W.Z., 16 years old), he said: “The Israeli raids into the camp have become routine. The army enters at any time, so I can no longer leave the house, and I am afraid of the army’s raids while I am outside the house. I used to go out and meet friends in the alleys of the camp, where there is no place.” For fun or play, let alone when leaving the house is a matter that threatens my life, the details of our lives have become limited to preserving the minimum limits of life with caution, caution, anticipation and tension.

The child (M.N., 17 years old) said: "In every raid, there are martyrs, shooting, destroying homes, and destroying property. Bullets penetrated the walls of our house. Danger pursues me while I am in bed. When I want to move inside the house, I have to crawl on my stomach for fear of sniper bullets, or A stray bullet. Death is more merciful than this fear and anxiety. For more than a year I have not been able to sleep normally or for enough hours. Sometimes I wake up to the sound of bullets and explosions, and other times I wake up due to nightmares. I no longer distinguish between dream and reality.

As for the child (RA, 15 years old), he indicated that the camp "has become full of pictures of martyrs, and behind every martyr there is a story and memories. I saw from the window of the house young men who were wounded by the bullets of the occupation and left to bleed until they died, and I also saw the bodies of martyrs completely burnt. I became afraid of Moving even at home. In the past, I used to hate the night because of the repeated intrusions, but now I hate the whole day, day and night. The camp was narrow in the past, and with its narrowness it accommodated us, our dreams, and our friends, but now it has narrowed to its minimum limits. Our dreams have been suffocated, suffocated by the occupation. With every raid in which a friend is martyred, even our days as ordinary students have become a terrible burden. The camp, the street, and the school are filled with our memories with martyred friends.”

He added: "The Israeli forces killed our teacher, Jawad Bawakna. He was the teacher closest to us. He sent us energy and hope through his activities and his constant movement full of vitality. He had a great ability to support us psychologically in light of these conditions in the camp. Today, we lost one of the most important sources of psychological support. School has become a painful memory for our loved ones, and we are trying as much as we can to stay away from it.”

In one of the incursions into the Jenin camp, the Israeli occupation forces surrounded a house and took the father away from his wife and two children, Tolin (two years old) and Misk (a year old). Putting the family's life in grave danger.

The father of the two girls said to Defense for Children International: "The behavior of his two daughters changed radically after this incident, especially Tolene, who turned from an active and asking questions into a secluded child attached to her mother and distracted, afraid of any sound or movement, except for the frequent nightmares and bouts of crying that afflict her." ".

Defense for Children International affirmed that the practices of the Israeli forces, including killing, arresting, storming and setting up military checkpoints, and many other violations against the Palestinian people, exploiting the policy of impunity that accompanies the protection and immunity from accountability that it enjoys, has led to the deterioration of the situation of children in Palestine. And negatively affected their access to their rights, in addition to the psychological effects of Israeli violations remain in the hearts of people who have been directly harmed or harmed.

More than 15.5 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded among children in the United States since the outbreak of the pandemic, according to the latest reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association.

The report stated that more than 66,000 cases of COVID-19 were recorded among children during the past four weeks, while more than 13,000 cases of COVID-19 were recorded among children in the week ending March 23.

Over the past 6 months, the weekly number of reported COVID-19 infections among children in the United States has steadied, averaging around 30,000, according to the report.

He added that it is likely that the recorded cases of Covid-19 among children are "much less" than the actual infections among them.
He also stressed that there is a need to collect more age-specific data to assess the severity of disease associated with the new variants, as well as assess potential long-term effects.

It is important to realize that there are immediate effects of the pandemic on children's health. But most importantly, we need to identify and address the long-term effects on the physical, mental and social well-being of this generation of children and young adults, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The United States warned Beijing on Wednesday against any "exaggerated reaction" to stops by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in New York on her way to Central America and in Los Angeles on her way back.

"There is absolutely no reason for China to use this as an excuse to overreact or to put more pressure on Taiwan," a senior US official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

From Wednesday, the President of Taiwan will go to Guatemala and Belize, during which she will stop in the US.

Beijing regards Taiwan as Chinese territory, but has not been able to unite it with the rest of its territory.

In the name of the "one China" principle, Beijing believes that no country should establish official relations with Beijing and Taipei at the same time, and it has expressed its opposition to any official exchanges between the island and the United States.

And in August 2022, a visit to Taiwan that she made on the personal initiative of Nancy Pelosi, who was then Speaker of the US House of Representatives, angered Beijing, which in response to this move organized large-scale military maneuvers around Taiwan.

For its part, Washington considers that the Taiwanese president's stay on US soil does not in any way violate the US policy on "one China" and that it is just a "transit" even if she meets with personalities.

"This is a private and unofficial visit," the US official stressed, respecting "a longstanding practice."

The official declined to confirm the possibility of a meeting in California between Tsai Ing-wen and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who hails from this western state.

Washington, which announced its diplomatic recognition of Beijing in 1979, is Taiwan's strongest ally and a major arms supplier.

On Wednesday 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.

On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden described his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin 's announcement of the deployment of nuclear weapons in Belarus as "dangerous."

"It is a dangerous and troubling announcement," Biden told reporters at the White House.

US President Joe Biden considered that the Israeli government , which is facing a large-scale protest movement against the draft judicial amendments, which was recently "frozen", cannot "continue this path."

On the sidelines of a visit to North Carolina, the US President said, "They cannot continue this path, and I think I have understood my position," explaining, on the other hand, that he does not intend "in the short term" to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the White House.

The US State Department announced on Tuesday that a US official visited China last week, in a move that reflects a shy resumption of dialogue, nearly two months after Washington abruptly canceled a visit by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken .

Rick Waters, who heads a new body in the US State Department called "China House" concerned with overseeing US policy towards China, visited the capital, Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, according to what was announced by the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vedant Patel, in a statement to reporters.

Patel said Waters "met with his counterparts" and established US personnel in China.

Patel played down the importance of the visit and did not want to reveal the topics discussed or the results of the talks.

Blinken was scheduled to visit Beijing in early February, and he was supposed to be the highest-ranking US official to visit China in nearly five years.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden had agreed to visit during talks they held on the sidelines of the G20 summit that was organized in November and hosted by Bali, where they agreed to work to contain the escalating tensions between the two largest economic powers in the world.

But Blinken canceled the visit after the United States announced the monitoring of a Chinese balloon flying in its airspace, which it said was for espionage purposes.

Since then, tensions have escalated, and Xi publicly accused the United States of seeking to "contain, encircle and suppress China," and went to Moscow to cement relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

At dawn on Wednesday, the first group of citizens in the Gaza Strip left through Beit Hanoun "Erez" checkpoint, to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque .

The first group includes dozens of citizens over the age of 55, who were allowed by the occupation authorities to enter to visit Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan.

Thousands of citizens registered with the Civil Affairs to obtain an opportunity that is unlikely to be repeated for them in light of the strict occupation measures against the Palestinians.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog continues, on Wednesday, the negotiations that he started yesterday evening with the various parties to try to reach an agreement and a broad consensus regarding what is known as the "judicial reforms" that Benjamin Netanyahu's government sought to pass and temporarily suspended them due to widespread protests.

Yesterday evening, Herzog met with representatives of the government coalition parties, the There is a Future party led by Yair Lapid , and the National Camp led by Benny Gantz .

Today, Herzog will meet with representatives of the Arab parties, as well as the Israeli left.

It was reported that the meeting yesterday, during which it was agreed to establish mechanisms to start negotiations, and there were no serious moves yet, as Herzog will meet with representatives of each party separately in the coming days.

Herzog will try to bridge views to prevent the return of protests and the deterioration of conditions inside Israel.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced, at dawn on Wednesday, that it had successfully launched the "Ofek 13" spy satellite, into space, from central occupied Palestine.

According to a statement by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the new satellite is developed with high intelligence capabilities, and when it enters Earth's orbit, it will undergo a series of tests to ensure its level of performance.

Israel usually uses these missiles to spy on Iran , Arab countries, and others.

US President Joe Biden told reporters that the Israeli government cannot "continue on this path" in its judicial reform plan and confirmed that he would not invite its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House "in the near term."

It is noteworthy that this is the first time that Biden has personally spoken about the judicial reform that created a crisis inside Israel, which has witnessed massive demonstrations during the past few months, forcing Netanyahu to suspend the legislation on Monday, the beginning of a strike that affected the Israeli official and private sectors, while the United States called for building Broad consensus on the judicial reform plan.

Experts believe that Biden's statement that he will not invite Netanyahu to visit the White House in the foreseeable future, but confirms the extent of the strained relations between the US administration and the Israeli government at the present time.

In response, Netanyahu said in a statement reported by Hebrew media, "Israel is an independent state that makes its decisions by the will of its citizens and not on the basis of external pressure, including from our dearest friends. I have known President Biden for more than 40 years and I appreciate his many years of commitment to Israel. The alliance between Israel and the United States is strong and always overcomes the differences of opinion that appear from time to time. The time is between us, and the government under my presidency is committed to strengthening democracy by restoring the appropriate balance between the three powers that we seek to achieve with broad agreement." like he said.

President Biden told the New York Times earlier this year that any substantive changes to the Israeli judicial system must be based on consensus to gain legitimacy from the public and be sustainable.

"Like many strong supporters of Israel, I'm very worried. I'm worried that they (the Israelis) are doing it right," Biden said in North Carolina, where he launched his campaign to invest in America. "They can't continue down this path; I've kind of made that clear." .

"I hope the prime minister will act in a way that he's trying to find a real compromise, but that's not clear yet," Biden added.

And the American Axios website stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the US president later on Tuesday, saying, "Israel is an independent state that makes its decisions based on the will of its citizens and not on the basis of external pressure, including from our dearest friends."

According to Axios, Netanyahu said in a statement that he has known Biden for 40 years and appreciates his commitment to Israel. He added that the US-Israel alliance is strong and always overcomes differences that appear from time to time.

According to Axios, the US ambassador to Israel, Tom Nides, said in a statement to Israel's Army Radio that the United States welcomes Netanyahu's decision to suspend the legislation, but added that the Israeli prime minister may be invited to the White House after Passover, "but he retracted part of his remarks and said that it had not been decided." date for such a visit.

A White House National Security Council spokesman said there was no plan for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to visit Washington at this time.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemned the settlers' storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque , under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "the kingdom's condemnation and rejection of the blatant incursion carried out by Israeli settlers into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, amid the protection of the Israeli occupation forces," stressing that "these practices undermine peace efforts and contradict international principles and norms in Respect for religious sanctities.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry reaffirmed the Kingdom's firm position in supporting all efforts aimed at ending the occupation and reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, enabling the Palestinian people to establish their independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Amidst the feelings of sadness and pain experienced by the Jenin governorate as it received the blessed month of Ramadan , with the farewell of 35 martyrs and dozens of wounded and many times more among the detainees, the grieving woman is still trying desperately to restore the atmosphere of normal life, especially in light of the high rates of unemployment and poverty, and the deterioration of the living conditions of the majority of society's segments.

Since the beginning of the month of fasting, the picture appears painful and difficult in the homes of the families of the martyrs who have recently ascended, and with sadness and pain, the mother of the martyr Jamil Al-Amouri from Jenin camp said, "How do we rejoice in Ramadan, and the most precious loved ones, the Israeli deprived us of them, on the first day we all cried and we were unable to eat a table Breakfast, I did not and will not understand my life without the beloved of my heart and my life is beautiful, whom they killed in cold blood.

As for the poet Israa Abboushi, she told Al-Quds.com: “Unfortunately, a painful and difficult atmosphere prevails in the current Ramadan, and in the face of the injustice and arrogance of the occupation and its crimes. It is lonely, despite the difficult economic situation, and despite the anticipation of repeated incursions, as not a week passes that we live quietly, and despite the devastation in the educational process and the lack of security and law, the overwhelming character of the month of Ramadan this year is the departure of its best youth.

In conversations with Al-Quds.com, during her tour of the streets of Jenin, the people affirmed the different conditions and conditions, and the historical researcher Moufid Jalghoum says, "We used to receive the month of Ramadan every year, with joy, joy and many preparations, but the situation this year is different from previous years. For several reasons, the most important of which is the Israeli and the incursions of its army, settlers, and special forces into the areas of the West Bank, and the resulting large increase in the number of martyrs and wounded, and attacks on the property of Palestinian citizens, which made the joy of celebrating the advent of Ramadan unattainable.

He added: "Also, the financial hardship that the National Authority has been going through for more than a year, and the consequent inability to pay a full salary to employees for several months, which cast a shadow on the purchasing power of the average Palestinian citizen who used to decorate his house with various types of Decorations, as well as other equipment, especially food.

Before the month of Ramadan, prices were normal, but they quickly changed and rose dramatically, as in the meat sector, which is considered one of the most important equipment for breakfast tables. However, merchant Tamer Naji from the city of Jenin, who works with his father who owns the Al-Aqsa butchery, explained that the reason for the rise is from Sources of import and distribution, after the prices of calves and cattle have risen, and the distributor has no power over the price. Despite this, and in appreciation of the conditions of the citizens, we sold a kilo of veal for 54 shekels, and the citizens must be relieved so that everyone can buy their basic needs, as we are facing great economic and political pressures We hope that all problems will be resolved and that Ramadan will be good for us.” He said.

Kamal Zaidan, the owner of the epic of glory, confirms this, explaining that the distributors have nothing to do with the rise, and he said: "The companies, importers and distributors are the ones who control the prices that rose with the advent of the blessed month."

And the high prices affected the prices of chicken, whose price jumped rapidly, along with other materials such as rice, flour, oil, etc., and the owner of the chicken farm, Basil Merhi, said: “We continued to sell at the same normal prices until the quantities were spent, and they quickly increased from the sources of supply, and this affected rates Selling and paying citizens to buy turkey meat and others, although it also increased.”

The increase affected all kinds of vegetables and fruits, and citizen Latifa Hussein said: "The prices are very expensive, and I can only buy a few of our needs, and this is a great injustice to us, and from the first day I can only buy the basic needs."

The female citizen, who supports a family of 7, added, "We did not prepare for Ramadan, as we and many other people did in other years. There is no liquidity and the labor force has no work, and all kinds of vegetables are expensive."

As for the citizen, Asmaa Taher, she said: "Even the things necessary for Ramadan, I cannot buy them because of the exorbitant price that includes everything. We have a family of 5, including a sick child, and my husband has been unemployed for months, and I do not know how I will manage my family's affairs."

The Israeli forces authorities intend to demolish the house of the prisoner Osama Al-Taweel (22 years old) from the city of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank.

The Israeli authorities gave the family of the long-captive prisoner until next Sunday to submit an objection to the decision.

The Israeli authorities notified the family of the demolition of the house, and gave them an opportunity to appeal the notification before the Israeli courts.

The Israeli forces accuse the prisoner, Al-Taweel, of carrying out the shooting attack at the “Shafi Shomron” checkpoint, near the town of Deir Sharaf, west of Nablus, on 10/11/2022; That led to the killing of the soldier Ido Baruch.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced, on Tuesday evening, that the Mossad provided intelligence information to the security services in Greece , which led to thwarting attacks against Israeli targets.

According to a statement from Netanyahu's office, this information led to the dismantling of the cell that planned the attacks, accusing Iran of directing it to carry out the attacks.

The Greek police announced that they had arrested two Pakistanis aged (27-29 years) on suspicion of planning to strike Israeli targets in central Athens .

A Greek security source said the Pakistanis were of Iranian origin.

"Following coordinated actions of the Greek police and the National Intelligence Service, a terrorist network that was planning from abroad to launch strikes against carefully selected targets on Greek soil was dismantled," the police said in a statement.

She added that the detainees "chose their target, after exploring the area and planning the attack," noting that they "received final instructions" for implementation.

The White House confirmed, on Tuesday evening, that there are currently no plans for a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu .

A spokesman for the National Security Council at the White House said, “Visits by Israeli leaders are a long tradition, and it is possible that Netanyahu will visit Washington at any time, but there are no plans currently.

US Ambassador Tom Nedis said, in statements reported by Israeli media this morning, that he expected an invitation for Netanyahu to visit the White House after the "Passover" holiday.