Qatar: Al Udeid US Air Base

According to a CNN report the United States has quietly reached an agreement that extends its military presence at a sprawling base in Qatar for another 10 years.

The deal, which has not been announced publicly, highlights Washington’s reliance on the tiny Gulf country that has recently played a central role in mediating the release of Americans from captivity in Gaza and Venezuela.

The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, is the biggest US military installation in the Middle East and can house more than 10,000 American troops.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin personally visited Al Udeid and thanked Qatar for their increased spending on the base.

Austin made no mention of the renewal and the Biden administration has not publicized it – at a time when Qatar has come under growing scrutiny for hosting senior Hamas leaders.

Qatari officials have countered that it was only after a US request during the Obama administration that Hamas was allowed to open a political office in Doha.

The base has been a pivotal hub for the US Central Command’s air operations in or around Afghanistan, Iran and across the Middle East. The Qatari and British Air Forces also operate from the base.

The extension comes as the US has bolstered its presence in the region amid escalating threats from Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

After Hamas kidnapped some 240 hostages from Israel on October 07, 2023 Qatar has been the primary go-between with Hamas to broker the initial release of scores of the Israeli and international hostages. It continues to be central in the talks to try to revive hostage negotiations, coordinating with the CIA and Israel’s Mossad, as well as Egypt.

Their part in the months of negotiations over Americans detained by Venezuela was less public but came to light after President Nicolas Maduro released 10 Americans last month in exchange for a close ally accused by the US of laundering hundreds of millions of dollars.

Qatar’s involvement in both sets of negotiations has been seen as an extension of the mediating role the country has taken on with other US enemies, including Iran and the Taliban. 

Its vast oil and natural gas wealth, coupled with ability to act as a facilitator, allow Qatar to punch above its weight.

While their hosting of Hamas leadership was no secret, the brutality of the October 7 massacre in Israel has ignited criticism of Qatar and calls for them to expel Hamas.

President Joe Biden has spoken about his conversations with Qatar’s emir but at times hasn’t given them the credit they feel they deserve.

Biden did not mention Qatar in a November op-ed in The Washington Post, while Egypt and other Middle East allies were referenced. Nor did Biden highlight Qatar’s part in the release of the detainees in Venezuela in his official statement.

Thousands of Afghans were flown from Kabul to Al Udeid during the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. US military personnel struggled to provide for the massive influx of refugees from what Biden called “one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history.”

Qatar has committed billions of its own funds upgrade the facilities for US Airmen at the base. Al Udeid became CENTCOM’s main air base in 2003, shifting forces and assets from the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where the presence of a large number of American military personnel was more sensitive and controversial.

“We’ll do this through Qatar’s commitment to contribute significant resources to increase capabilities here at Al Udeid Air Base, and that will support both of our forces for years to come,” Austin added.

 

 

QatarEnergy to charter 19 new LNG vessels

According to a Reuters report, QatarEnergy, CEO Saad Al Kaabi announced on Sunday that the company has finalized a number of charter contracts with several Asian ship owners to bolster its shipping fleet by 19 LNG vessels ahead of a massive expansion in LNG output.

In a ceremony at its Doha headquarters state-owned QatarEnergy signed contracts to charter six vessels from CMES LNG Carrier Investment, six vessels from Shandong Marine Energy and three vessels from MISC Berhad. Those 15 vessels will be built at South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries.

An additional four vessels will be operated by a joint venture of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Hyundai Glovis and are being built by South Korea's Hanwha Ocean shipbuilders.

The agreements signed on Sunday bring the total number of ships QatarEnergy has contracted to 104, the company said, 43 of which will be chartered by affiliate QatarEnergy Trading.

The 19 new LNG vessels announced on Sunday will each have a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters.

QatarEnergy's North Field expansion will boost its position as the world's top LNG exporter. It includes eight LNG trains that will ramp up Qatar's liquefaction capacity from 77 million tons per annum (mtpa) to 142 mtpa by 2030, an 85% increase in production.

Turkey: Opposition heads for victory

According to a BBC report, Turkey's main opposition party is closing in on victory in the main cities of Istanbul and Ankara, in high-stakes local elections.

Istanbul's opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who won the city in 2019, said that he was "very happy" so far.

A year after Recep Tayyip Erdogan secured a third term as president, he had made it his goal to win back the city where he grew up and became mayor. But the night belonged to the opposition as it closed in on victory.

With 80% the vote counted in Istanbul, Imamoglu was almost 10 points ahead of his rival from Erdogan's AK Party.

In the capital Ankara, his colleague in the secular opposition CHP, Mansur Yavas, was so far ahead of his rival that he declared victory when less than half the votes were in.

President Erdogan, 70, had led his party's election campaign in Istanbul, vowing a new era in Turkey's biggest city. The outcome was being as a significant blow for the man who has led Turkey for the past 21 years.

Significantly, the opposition CHP was also leading in many of Turkey's other big cities, including Izmir and Bursa, and the resort of Antalya.

Crowds in Istanbul, a megacity of almost 16 million people, gathered outside one of the main town halls. They waved Turkish flags and banners showing Imamoglu's picture alongside Turkey's founding father Kemal Ataturk.

"I can say that our citizens' trust and faith in us has been rewarded," said Imamoglu.

Both he and Mansur Yavas are seen as potential candidates to run for the presidency in 2028.

"Everything is going to be great," Imamoglu supporters chanted as they danced to drums and clarinets in Sarachane, one of Istanbul's oldest districts.

Istanbul's incumbent mayor had first used the slogan when he won the city from Erdogan's party five years ago. Some of the banners in Sarachane used his current slogan, "Full speed ahead".

"They're only local elections but the opposition's victory in big cities is a significant show of force against the ruling party," Imamoglu supporter Yesim Albayrak, 25, told the BBC.

I am now hoping the country will become a more secular country, respecting human rights, women's rights and children’s rights.

Mehmet Bankaci, 27, told the BBC there was a need for change in Turkey, "If Imamoglu or Mansur Yavas had been the CHP candidate in last year's presidential election, they definitely would have won."

Five years ago, Imamoglu overturned years of AK Party rule in Istanbul with the backing of a unified six-party opposition. But that fell apart in the wake of last year's presidential election defeat and the AK Party had high hopes of overturning his 2019 victory.

Ahead of Sunday's election in Istanbul, the vote was seen as too close to call, with the incumbent mayor facing a strong challenge from AK Party candidate Murat Kurum.

But the ruling party has been unable to shake off an economic crisis that has seen inflation rates of 67% and interest rates at 50%.

Erdogan's AK Party has had more success in areas of the south-east devastated by the February 2023 double earthquake. It is leading in the cities of Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep.

About 61 million Turkish voters were eligible to take part in Sunday's election and turnout was estimated at more than 76% across the country's 81 provinces.

Tankers Haul Russian Diesel to Brazil

According to Bloomberg tankers laden with millions of barrels of Russian diesel are floating off the coast of Brazil — with more on the way.

Ships holding at least 3.2 million barrels of diesel-type fuel from Russian ports are idling in waters off the world’s fifth largest country.

It’s not clear why the cargoes are getting held up. However, the glut is the latest sign of snarls in the delivery of petroleum from Russia at a time when US and UK sanctions are tightening.

Diesel cargoes are also being held in tankers in the Mediterranean and Gulf of Guinea, while crude is backing up outside Indian ports.

While the glut is notable — 3.2 million barrels would meet about two weeks of the Latin American country’s imports — there doesn’t appear to be a complete halt in the discharge of cargoes from Russia in Brazil. Of the vessels off the nation’s coast, at least two are Sovcomflot PJSC tankers.

There are also at least 3.3 million barrels of diesel currently being transported toward Brazil, much of it across the Atlantic. It seems unlikely traders would continue sending the cargoes if they weren’t able to unload.

Other vessels are signaling Brazil, but their movements suggest they may not be heading to the country anytime soon. The nation has also imported diesel-type fuel from the UAE and Kuwait this month.

 

Bowman demands removal of Netanyahu from office

Congressman Jamaal Bowman had choice words for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Saturday comments, calling him a maniac who needs to be removed from office. 

The progressive Democrat initially discussed the Biden administration transferring 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs, 500 MK82 500-pound bombs and 25 F-35A fighter jets to Israel without notifying lawmakers, an arms package reported exclusively by the Washington Post on Friday. 

Bowman said that Congress should have absolutely been notified. 

He then criticized Israel’s handling of the war and the number of civilian casualties in Gaza, and slammed Israel’s leader for being a barrier to getting peace in the Israel-Hamas war.

“The majority of Gaza has already been destroyed through acts of collective punishment by this maniac, Benjamin Netanyahu,” Bowman told MSNBC’s Alex Witt on Saturday. 

“I’m 100% with Senator Schumer. He needs to be removed. He is a blockade to a pathway to peace. And we need a ceasefire right now. That’s what we should be focused on humanitarian aid, not weapons.” 

Bowman, during his response, referenced Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s remarks from two weeks ago when he called for new elections in Israel and criticized Netanyahu over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. 

The progressive Democrat renewed calls for a ceasefire, increased delivery of aid and said the ongoing situation in Gaza is a humanitarian crisis. 

“We have hundreds of thousands of children starving to death in Gaza right now, as we speak, the majority of the American people support a permanent ceasefire,” Bowman said.

“The majority of my district supports a permanent ceasefire. We need a permanent ceasefire. We need to bring in hundreds of trucks that are five miles away from Gaza right now of aid, to save as many lives as possible. There’s a humanitarian crisis.” 

GCC unveils vision for regional security

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has launched its Vision for Regional Security during a ceremony at the group's General Secretariat in Riyadh. This landmark initiative, presented by Jasem Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the GCC, signifies a profound commitment to ethical values and unity, aiming to build a hopeful and prosperous future for the region.

The Vision for Regional Security, highlighted by Albudaiwi as more than just a political commitment, is founded on the principles of dialogue, cooperation, coordination, and respect for diverse perspectives. These principles are deemed essential for confronting challenges and ensuring the common security upon which the GCC's aspirations for a better future are based.

The ceremony, attended by senior officials from the foreign ministries of GCC countries, diplomats, and experts, marks a pivotal step toward achieving international security and peace.

The GCC's dedication to tackling political, security, and economic challenges both regionally and globally was reiterated, emphasizing the importance of collective action and sincere will in establishing lasting peace.

Albudaiwi outlined the vision's strategic objectives, which focus on preserving regional security, ensuring stability and prosperity, promoting international peace, and fostering economic and environmental sustainability. The vision comprises several pillars, including security and stability, economic development, and environmental and climate change, addressing a wide array of challenges from geopolitical shifts to cultural and social issues.

This vision represents a call to action for all parties to collaborate toward a secure and prosperous future, reinforcing the GCC's role as a reliable partner in political, security, and economic spheres on the global stage.

Global oil refining capacity at risk

More than a fifth of global oil refining capacity is at risk of closure, energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie found in analysis published on Thursday, as gasoline margins weaken and the pressure to reduce carbon emissions mounts.

Of 465 refining assets analyzed, the consultancy ranked about 21% of 2023 global refining capacity at some risk of closure.

Europe and China house the greatest number of high-risk sites, putting about 3.9 million barrels per day (bpd) of refining capacity in jeopardy, Wood Mac found, based on its estimate of net cash margins, cost of carbon emissions, ownership, environmental investment and strategic value of refineries.

There are 11 European sites that account for 45% of all high-risk plants.

About 30 European refineries have already shut down since 2009, data from industry body Concawe shows, with nearly 90 still in operation.

This spate of closures has been brought on by competition from newer and more complex plants in the Middle East and Asia as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gasoline margins are expected to weaken by the end of this decade as demand declines and sanctions on Russia ease while expected carbon taxes should also start to bite.

Operating costs could go up so much that "closure may be the only option", said Wood Mac senior oils and chemicals analyst Emma Fox.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's huge Dangote oil refinery could bring to an end decades-long gasoline trade from Europe to Africa worth US$17 billion a year, heaping pressure on European refineries already at risk of closure from heightened competition.

The Dangote refinery, with capacity of up to 650,000 bpd, began production in January but was not included in Wood Mac's analysis.

The seven high-risk sites in China are small-scale independent refineries. Sometimes called 'teapots', these refineries are subject to more stringent government regulations and compete with larger integrated sites that are typically state-owned and more complex.

Enough is Enough, Muslims must stop trading with United State and its allies, immediately

Since October 2023 Israel has killed nearly 35,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children. It has been using munitions mainly supplied by the United States of America and its allies.

The US has also vetoed resolutions seeking ceasefire in Gaza.

Lately, the super power has approved sending more munitions to facilitate genocide by Israel in Gaza.

During these days Muslim countries have done nothing except requesting United States and its allies to request Israel to stop killing.

Enough is enough; the time has come for the joint army of Muslim countries to attack Israel.

If they are afraid of taking military action against Israel, they should suspend trade with the United States and its allies immediately, at the least.

On top priority Muslim countries should stop selling oil to United States and all those countries which are supplying munitions to Israel to kill Gazans  

Pakistan Stock Exchange benchmark index up 2.84%WoW

The week ended on March 29, 2024 witnessed bullish trend at Pakistan Stock Exchange. Overall, the first four trading days cumulatively added around 2,000 points pts, with the benchmark index closing at 67,005 points, up 2.84%WoW on Friday, following a slight profit-taking session noted on the last trading day of the week.

Positivity loomed over the successful last review of IMF’s SBA, the new incumbent government's steps and commitment towards reforms. A new tax regime ordered for retailers and wholesalers, piloting initially in major cities, aimed to broaden the tax base. While similar taxation measures have failed previously, if successful this time, these could set the stepping stone for tax base broadening.

With FTSE Russell retaining Pakistan in the secondary emerging market for the next six months, further optimism prevailed.

Inflation outlook also presented a positive stance, with March 2024 CPI expected at 20.6%YoY, turning current real interest rates into positive territory after 38 months.

GDP growth for 2QFY24 was reported at 1.0%YoY, supported by a 5% annual growth in the agriculture sector, but dragged down by a 0.8%YoY contraction in industrial activity.

On the political front, reconstituting economic councils/committees, with the exclusion of the finance minister from heading CCI and previously from ECC (which eventually reverted), is causing confusion among the investors and likely to cause some delays in initiating reforms.

Smuggling of petroleum products from Iran is on the rise again as indicated by OCAC and PALSP, which is likely to hit adversely local refineries.

Overall, market participation improved with daily traded volume averaging at 330.7 million shares as compared to 323.5 million shares a week ago, up 2.2%WoW.

Other major news flows during the week included: 1) Tax collection gap rose to whopping PKR 5.8 trillion, 2) Government borrowed PKR181.3 billion debt in a week; 3) M2 was up by PKR149.4 billion in a week, 4) foreign investors’ profit repatriation during 8 month of the current financial year rose 237%YoY to US$759.2 million and 5) Weekly SPI was almost flat.

Transport, Woollen and Tobacco were amongst the top performing sectors, while Jute, Leasing co., and Textile weaving were amongst the worst performers.

Major selling was recorded by Companies with a net sell of US$7.6 million. Insurance absorbed most of the selling with a net buy of US$9.0 million.

Top performing scrips of the week were: PTC, KTML, SCBPL, FFBL and THALL, while laggards included: SHEL, PGLC, PIBTL, ASL and FCEPL.

Emerging risks include additional taxation and increases in international prices. Policy rate story could again come into focus. Analysts expect the first rate cut in the final quarter of the current fiscal year.

China holds Boao Forum for Asia

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2024 opened on Thursday in Boao town located next to the eastern coastal city of Qionghai in Hainan Province, in the South China Sea.

Ban Ki-moon, chairman of the BFA and former United Nations Secretary General, was the first speaker in the opening ceremony of the conference.

In his address, Ban Ki-moon reviewed the challenges facing the world today and encouraged the participants to think about reality with a dialectical perspective and to collectively create the future through responsible actions.

Ban Ki-moon concluded that the urgent climate crisis has led to a historic consensus at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, but the reality requires the world to take more effective actions to make further progress.

He expressed concern about the uncertain trends in geopolitical and geo-economic spheres, as well as the restructuring of global supply, trade, and investment flows, while inclusive globalization is being sacrificed.

Recalling his years of work at the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon mentioned that he has witnessed both good times and difficult periods. In the "good times," the world enjoyed the benefits of global peace dividends and rapid globalization, while in the "bad days," the world divided into opposing camps and blocs.

He emphasized that under no circumstances should we return to the "bad days," and the only way forward is unity, cooperation, multilateralism, globalization, and an open world economy.

Ban Ki-moon stated that global crises compel us to work together. We face common challenges and should share responsibility. He called upon leaders from Asia and around the globe to step forward, speak truth to power, and take decisive actions, to shape the future through words and deeds, and to live up to the high expectations of the people.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the president of the Supreme Privy Council to the King of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit, Daren Tang, director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and Mathias Cormann, Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) were among the other speakers of the ceremony.

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), initiated by 25 Asian countries and Australia (increased to 28 in 2006), is a non-profit organization that hosts high-level forums for leaders from government, business and academia in Asia and other continents to share their vision on the most pressing issues in this region and the world at large.

BFA is modelled on the World Economic Forum held annually in Davos, Switzerland. Its fixed address is in Boao, Hainan Province, China, which has been the permanent venue for the annual conference since 2002.

Vietnam: Exports boost GDP growth to 5.66%

Vietnam's gross domestic product grew 5.66% in the first quarter from a year earlier as exports boomed. This was despite higher shipping costs due to turmoil in the Red Sea.

Growth in the January-March quarter was faster than the expansion of 3.41% in the corresponding period last year, but slower than the fourth-quarter growth of 6.72%. First-quarter numbers are generally lower because of festival holidays.

The Southeast Asian nation, a manufacturing hub and key exporter of smartphones, electronics and garments, is seeking to shore up business activities after missing last year's growth target on weak global demand and brief power shortages. It has set a target of 6.0% to 6.5% GDP growth this year.

The manufacturing and construction sector grew 6.28%, while the services sector expanded 6.12% in the quarter from a year earlier, the General Statistics Office (GSO) said in a report.

Goods exports from Vietnam grew sharply in the quarter, despite Red Sea shipping disruptions, which official estimates show boosted costs by 55% to 73% for cargoes from the country.

Goods exports in the quarter grew 17% from a year earlier to US$93.06 billion, while imports were up 13.9% at US$84.98 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of US$8.08 billion.

Shipments of electronics rose 30% from a year earlier, while smartphone exports increased 10% and garments 7.9%, the GSO said.

Industrial production in the quarter rose 5.7% from a year earlier, the GSO said, adding that March consumer prices rose 3.97% from a year earlier and retail sales in the January-March period rose 8.2%.

Last week, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh reassured foreign investors there would be no repeat of last year's power shortages for their factories, as Vietnam ramps up coal imports.

Vietnam's electricity output in the first quarter grew 11.4% from a year earlier to 65.5 billion kWh, the GSO said.

 

Dar included, Aurangzeb excluded from CCI

Reportedly, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has excluded Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue as a member of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and included Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar. This has been done for the first time in the history of Council.

In the past finance minister was not always included in the CCI, yet energy minister and planning minister were included because they deal with matters of concern with provinces.

According to the notification issued by the Secretariat of Council of Common Interests on March 25, 2024, in exercise of powers conferred under Article 153 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the president on the advice of prime minister, has constituted eight Member Council of Common Interests, with effect from March 21, 2024 that include Prime Minister (Chairman); Chief Minister Balochistan (Member); Chief Minster, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Member); Chief Minister, Punjab (Member); Chief Minister, Sindh (Member); Ishaq Dar, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Defence and  Engr Amir Muqam, Minister for States& Frontier Region (SAFRAN).

The new notification supersedes Secretariat of CCI’s notification of January 9, 2024 issued during the term of caretaker government. Caretaker prime minister included the then Finance Minister, Dr Shamsha Akhtar, Minister for Privatisation, Fawad Hasan Fawad and Minister for Law and Justice, Ahmad Irfan Aslam as Members of the CCI.

Analysts argued that presence of finance minister and law minister in Council of Common Interests is critical as these two portfolios are required to respond to different queries raised by the provinces during the meeting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also conferred control of Cabinet Committee on Privatisation (CCoP) to Ishaq Dar against past practice of giving it to the Finance Minister.

The caretaker government of Anwaarul Haq Kakar gave the chairmanship of CCoP to Privatisation Minister Fawad Hasan Fawad aimed at expediting actions on decisions of PC Board.

Earlier, Cabinet Division has issued a notification of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif himself. However, after massive criticism from the media, the notification was withdrawn and a new one issued giving the chairmanship to the finance minister.

 

US urges fair legal process for Arvind Kejriwal

The United States has reiterated that it encourages a transparent legal process in a corruption case against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller said that the US was closely following actions taken against opposition parties in India.

Miller's remarks came hours after India summoned a US diplomat over a similar comment he made earlier.

Kejriwal, who was arrested last week, has denied any wrongdoing.

Hours before his arrest, India's main opposition Congress party had held a press conference saying that its bank accounts were frozen by the tax department ahead of the general elections.

Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress have accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of political vendetta.

The BJP denies the allegation, saying investigative agencies were doing their work independently.

Miller told reporters that US was also aware of the Congress party's allegations that the freezing of their bank accounts would make it challenging to effectively campaign in the upcoming elections.

"We encourage fair, transparent, timely legal processes [in both cases]. We don't think anyone should object to that," he added.

India's foreign ministry had summoned US acting deputy chief of mission, Gloria Berbena, to protest against similar remarks by Miller.

India had also issued a statement saying that in diplomacy, states are expected to be respectful of the sovereignty and internal affairs of others.

"India's legal processes are based on an independent judiciary which is committed to objective and timely outcomes. Casting aspersions on that is unwarranted", the statement added.

The US is the second country to comment on Kejriwal's arrest. Last week, the German foreign ministry said it hoped that Kejriwal would get a fair and impartial trial as India is a democratic nation.

India reacted strongly to these remarks as well and summoned a German diplomat to raise its objections.

Indian opposition leaders have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP of using investigative agencies to cripple their parties and stifle dissent before the elections.

In January, the Enforcement Directorate (ED — India's financial crimes agency) arrested top opposition leader Hemant Soren in a corruption case, hours after he resigned from the position of the chief minister of Jharkhand state.

Soren and his party denied any wrongdoing and accused the BJP of stifling opposition. The BJP has rejected his claim.

Amnesty International has also said that that the crackdown on peaceful dissent and opposition in India has now reached a crisis point.

Kejriwal is the third AAP leader to be arrested over the alleged corruption case related to a now-scrapped liquor policy in Delhi.

The BJP has alleged that the policy — which ended the government's monopoly on alcohol sales — gave undue advantages to private retailers.

The ED has accused AAP leaders of receiving kickbacks to be used in state elections. The party denies the allegation.

Who Supply Israel Murder Weapons?

Over 9,000 Palestinian women have been killed since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip. Mothers have been the largest share of Israeli killings, at an average of 37 mothers per day since October 07, 2023.

The numbers above, from the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza and the Red Crescent Society respectively, only convey part of the suffering experienced by 2.3 million Palestinians in the Strip.

There is not a single section in Palestinian society that has not paid a heavy price for the war, although women and children are the ones who have suffered most, constituting over 70% of all victims of the ongoing Israeli genocide.

These women and their children are killed at the hands of Israeli soldiers, but they are murdered with US-western supplied weapons.

We are told that the world is finally turning against Israel, and that the west’s nod of approval to Tel Aviv to carry on with its daily massacres may soon turn into a collective snub.

This claim was expressed best in the March 23 cover of the Economist magazine. It showed a tattered Israeli flag, attached to a stick, and planted in an arid, dusty land. It was accompanied by the headline “Israel Alone”.

The image, undoubtedly expressive, was meant to serve as a sign of the times.

Its profundity becomes even more obvious if compared to another cover, from the same publication soon after the Israeli military conquered massive Arab territories in the war of June 1967. “They did it,” the headline, back then, read. In the background, an Israeli military tank was pictured, illustrating the west-funded Israeli triumph.

Between the two headlines much, in the world and in the Middle East, has changed. But to claim that Israel now stands alone is not entirely accurate, at least not yet.

Though many of Israel’s traditional allies in the west openly disown its behavior in Gaza, weapons from various western and non-western countries continue to flow, feeding the war machine as it, in turn, continues to harvest more Palestinian lives.

Does Israel truly stand alone when its airports and seaports are busier than ever receiving massive shipments of weapons coming from all directions?

Almost every time a western country announces that it has suspended arms exports to Israel, a news headline appears shortly afterwards, indicating the opposite. Indeed, this has happened repeatedly.

Last year, Rome had declared that it was blocking all arms sales to Israel, giving false hope that some western countries are finally experiencing some kind of moral awakening.

Alas, on March 14, Reuters quoted the Italian Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto as saying that shipments of weapons to Israel are continuing, based on the flimsy logic that previously signed deals would have to be ‘honored’.

Another country that is also ‘honoring’ its previous commitments is Canada, which announced on May 19, following a parliamentary motion that it had suspended arms exports.

The celebration among those advocating an end to the genocide in Gaza were just getting started when, a day later, Ottawa practically reversed the decision by announcing that it, too, will honor previous commitments.

This illustrates that some western countries, which continue to impart their unsolicited wisdom about human rights, women’s rights and democracy on the rest of the world, have no genuine respect for any of these values.

Canada and Italy are not the largest military supporters of Israel. The US and Germany are. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, in the decade between 2013 and 2022, Israel has received 68% of its weapons from the US and 28% from Germany.

The Germans remain unperturbed, even though 5% of the total population of Gaza has been killed, wounded or are missing due to the Israeli war.

Yet, the American support for Israel is far greater, although the Biden Administration is still sending messages to its constituency – majority of whom want the war to stop – that the president is doing his best to pressure Israel to end the war.

Though only two approved military sales to Israel have been announced publicly since October 07, the two shipments represent only 2% from the total US arms sent to Israel.

The news was revealed by the Washington Post on March 06. It was published at a time when US media was reporting on a widening rift between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“That’s an extraordinary number of sales over the course of a pretty short amount of time,” a former senior Biden Administration official told the Post. Jeremy Konyndyk reached the obvious conclusion that the “Israeli campaign would not be sustainable without this level of US support”.

For decades, the US military support to Israel has been the highest anywhere in the world. Starting 2016, this unconditional support exponentially increased during the Obama Administration to reach US$3.8 billion per year.

Immediately after October 07, the weapons shipments to Israel reached unprecedented levels. They included a 2,000-pound bomb known as 5,000 MK-84 munitions. Israel has used this bomb to kill hundreds of innocent Palestinians.

Though Washington frequently alleges to be looking into Israel’s use of its weapons, it turned out, according to the Washington Post, that Biden knew too well that Israel was regularly bombing buildings without solid intelligence that they were legitimate military targets”.

In some ways, Israel ‘stands alone’, but only because its behavior is rejected by most countries and peoples around the world. However, it is hardly alone when its war crimes are being executed with western support and arms.

For the Israeli genocide in Gaza to end, those who continue to sustain the ongoing bloodbath must also be held accountable.

 

US refuses to support Pak-Iran gas pipeline

The news that United States could impose sanctions on the country if it goes ahead with Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline has been received with utter disappointment. It is likely to increase hatred against the super power, which is alleged of toppling Iman Khan Government in Pakistan.

According to DAWN, the US said on Tuesday it does not support a Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project from going forward and cautioned about the risk of sanctions in doing business with Tehran.

A day earlier, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik had said that Islamabad would seek exemption from US sanctions over the gas pipeline project.

The Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline is a long-term project between Tehran and Islamabad, and has faced delays and funding challenges for several years.

“We always advise everyone that doing business with Iran runs the risk of touching upon and coming in contact with our sanctions, and would advise everyone to consider that very carefully,” a US State Department spokesperson told reporters in a press briefing.

“We do not support this pipeline going forward,” the spokesperson added, saying that Donald Lu, the State Department’s top official for South and Central Asia, had said as much to a congressional panel last week.

 

 

Israel warns European countries against Palestinian state recognition

According to Reuters, Israel has told four European countries that their plan to work toward recognition of a Palestinian state constituted a prize for terrorism that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the conflict between the neighbours.

Spain said that in the name of Middle East peace, it had agreed with Ireland, Malta and Slovenia to take first steps toward recognizing statehood declared by the Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

Gaza has long been under the rule of the Islamist group Hamas, which rejects peace with Israel and attacked it on October 07, 2023 triggering a devastating war that has stoked violence in the West Bank, where Israel has extensive Jewish settlements.

"Recognition of a Palestinian state following the October massacre sends a message to Hamas and the other Palestinian terrorist organizations that murderous terror attacks on Israelis will be reciprocated with political gestures to the Palestinians," Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on X.

"A resolution of the conflict will only be possible through direct negotiations between the parties. Any engagement in the recognition of a Palestinian state only distances reaching a resolution and increases regional instability."

Israel governing coalition includes pro-settlement far-rightists has long ruled out Palestinian statehood. That has put it at loggerheads with Western powers which support its goal of defeating Hamas but want a post-war diplomatic blueprint.

Pakistan: Smuggled Iranian oil affecting local supply chain

According to a DAWN report, the increasing scale of smuggling of petroleum products has brought the country’s oil supply chain — from import to refineries and from marketing companies to pipeline transport network — to its knees.

With a massive drop in registered sales, the country’s oil industry has sought emergent action from the prime minister and other state agencies to stop the smuggling of petroleum products that they claim is not only threatening their survival but is estimated to be causing over PKR120 billion in direct annual revenue loss to the government at the rate of about US$36 million per month.

Three major petroleum market stakeholders — Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC), 22-member Oil Marketing Companies of Pakistan (OMAP) and Pak-Arab Pipeline Company (Papco) that transports various products through pipelines — have separately approached the federal government with unprecedented foul play in petroleum trading and sales.

In an urgent communication to the government on Monday, chairman of the 39-member OCAC representing all the local refineries and larger marketing companies Adil Khattak said it was a pressing issue that posed a severe threat to the oil industry, and consequently jeopardized the stability of government revenue streams.

The staggering influx of 4,000 tons of smuggled fuel daily into Pakistan, as confirmed by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), was bleeding the nation of approximately US$35.6 million per month. This national crisis demands swift and aggressive action.

The sales trend of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) during 2022-23 starkly resembled the figures recorded during the tumultuous pandemic period in 2019-20, the OCAC chief said.

The GDP growth of 6.11% in FY22 to a contraction of 0.3% in FY23 may partly explain this downturn. However, the year-to-date sales of petrol and HSD have further plummeted by approximately 6.5% in July-February 2023-24 when compared to FY23, casting doubts on the veracity of projected GDP growth rate of 1.7% for FY24.

Similarly, the month-to-date sales figures of petrol and HSD in March exhibit an alarming 12% and 21% decline, respectively.

“Such high negative variances signify product glut, lower refinery throughput, choking of White Oil Pipeline (WOP) and restrained sales volumes.

Based on this, Khattack said the illicit trade had disrupted the entire supply chain of petroleum products, adversely affecting the refinery health, WOP operations, and the profitability of OMCs.

The unchecked proliferation of substandard smuggled petroleum products not only drains the government revenue but also fuels a shadow economy, making it increasingly challenging to monitor and regulate illicit activities, says the OCAC chairman, who also leads Rawalpindi-based Attock Refinery besides other Attock Group companies.

OMAP Chairman Tariq Wazir Ali also said the smuggling of Iranian petroleum products into Pakistan was inflicting severe damage on the country’s economy and unjustly impacted OMCs operating within the legal framework, dutifully paying taxes and duties.

He demanded swift and decisive actions to eradicate this smuggling, reinforcing the rule of law and safeguarding the interests of legitimate businesses that play a vital role in Pakistan’s economic development.

Papco Chief Amr Ahmed said against a guaranteed 45% throughput, the utilization has struggled at 34%. The government should ensure to achieve 900,000 tons of petrol input into WOP between now and end-June 2024 to yield an annualized 45% mark.

 

Biden, Netanyahu on collision course

Relations between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sank to a wartime low on Monday with the US allowing passage of a Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations and drawing a sharp rebuke from the Israeli leader.

Netanyahu abruptly scrapped a visit to Washington this week by a senior delegation to discuss Israel’s threatened offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah after the US abstained in a Security Council vote that demanded an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the release of all hostages held by the Palestinian militants.

The suspension of that meeting puts a major new obstacle in the way of efforts by the US, concerned about a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, to get Netanyahu to consider alternatives to a ground invasion of Rafah, the last relatively safe haven for Palestinian civilians.

The threat of such an offensive has increased tensions between longtime allies the United States and Israel, and raised questions about whether the US might restrict military aid if Netanyahu defies Biden and presses ahead anyway.

"This shows that trust between the Biden administration and Netanyahu may be breaking down," said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator for Republican and Democratic administrations. "If the crisis is not managed carefully, it’s only going to continue to worsen."

Biden’s decision to abstain at the UN, coming after months of mostly adhering to longtime US policy of shielding Israel at the world body, appeared to reflect growing US frustration with the Israeli leader.

The president, running for re-election in November, faces pressure not just from America's allies but from a growing number of fellow Democrats to rein in the Israeli military response.

Netanyahu confronts domestic challenges of his own, not least his far-right coalition members’ demands for a hard line against the Palestinians.

He also must convince hostages’ families he is doing everything for their release while facing frequent protests calling for his resignation.

As Netanyahu's office announced the cancellation of the visit, he said the failure of the US to veto the resolution was a clear retreat from its previous position and would hurt Israel's war efforts.

US officials said the Biden administration was perplexed by Israel's decision and considered it an overreaction, insisting there had been no change in policy.

Washington had mostly avoided the word ceasefire earlier in the nearly six-month-old war in the Gaza Strip and had used its veto power at the UN to shield Israel as it retaliated against Hamas.

But as famine looms in Gaza and amid growing global pressure for a truce in the war that Palestinian health authorities say has killed some 32,000 Palestinians, the US abstained on a call for a ceasefire for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends in two weeks.

The challenge now for Biden and Netanyahu is to keep their differences from escalating out of control, analysts say.

Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said there was no reason this should be a mortal blow to relations. "So I don’t think the door is closed to anything," he said.

Signalling that the two governments remain in close communication, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, on a visit separate from the one Netanyahu's delegation scrubbed earlier, went ahead with high-level meetings in Washington on Monday.

But the US abstention adds to a deepening rift between Biden and Netanyahu, who have known each other for years but have had a testy relationship even in the best of times.

Earlier this month, Biden said in an MSNBC interview that a Rafah invasion would be a red line, though he added that the defense of Israel is critical and there is no way "I’m going to cut off all weapons so that they don’t have the Iron Dome (missile defense system) to protect them."

Netanyahu dismissed Biden's criticism and vowed to press forward in Rafah, the last part of the Gaza Strip where Israeli forces have not carried out a ground offensive, though US officials say there are no signs of an imminent operation.

That was followed last week with US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the country’s highest-ranking Jewish elected official, describing Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace and calling for new elections in Israel to replace him.

Biden called it a "good speech."

But Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Wednesday he was thinking of inviting Netanyahu, who spoke by videolink to Republican senators last week, to address Congress. That would be seen as a jab at Biden, giving Netanyahu a high-profile forum to air grievances against the US administration.

Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse told Reuters that Netanyahu appeared to be working with Republicans to weaponize the US-Israel relationship in favor of the right wing.

Biden’s 2024 re-election bid limits his options: he needs to avoid giving Republicans an issue to seize on with pro-Israel voters, while also halting the erosion of support from progressive Democrats dismayed by his strong backing for Israel.

Netanyahu, aware that polls show him being soundly defeated in any election held now, knows there is wide support for continuing the war in Gaza among an Israeli population still deeply traumatized. He appears willing to risk testing Washington's tolerance.

All members of Netanyahu's emergency unity government support continuing the war until Hamas is destroyed and the hostages are returned, and there has been little sign of willingness to meet US calls for moderation, despite the growing risk of international isolation.

Hard-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Israel was a partner but the United States was not its patron state.

Pakistan Day reception in Washington

Discussions at the Pakistan Day reception at the embassy underscored the importance of political unity in Pakistan, while the PTI’s protests dominated conversations among the guests.

Ambassador Masood Khan also acknowledged the necessity of political stability in Pakistan when he addressed his guests, “We continue to work for political cohesion in our country and economic development.”

The other speaker, USAID Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Asia Michael Schiffer, emphasized Pakistan’s long-term development aspirations. “Enhancing Pakistan’s economic growth is a bedrock of our work,” he declared.

Ambassador Khan assured the audience both sides were working to recalibrate ties structured around trade, investment, green energy, healthcare, education, and science and technology.

Schiffer identified sustainable economic growth, greater access to energy, gender equality, strengthening peace and inclusion, education, and health as shared objectives.

Ambassador Khan said, “Together, we would continue to work for regional and global security and counter transnational threats, especially terrorism.”

Over 450 guests, including ambassadors of friendly countries, other diplomats and military attaches, high-ranking officials from the US State Department, the World Bank, IMF, US lawmakers, think tank scholars, media representatives, and members of the Pak-American community, attended the event.

 

Pakistan: IMF reaches staff level agreement

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Nathan Porter, visited Islamabad from March 14-19, 2024, to hold discussions on the second review of Pakistan’s economic program supported by an IMF Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). At the conclusion of the discussions, Porter issued the following statement:

“The IMF team has reached a staff-level agreement with the Pakistani authorities on the second and final review of Pakistan’s stabilization program supported by the IMF’s US$3 billion (SDR2,250 million) SBA approved in January 2024. This agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board, upon which the remaining access under the SBA, US$1.1 billion (SDR 828 million), will become available.

“Pakistan’s economic and financial position has improved in the months since the first review, with growth and confidence continuing to recover on the back of prudent policy management and the resumption of inflows from multilateral and bilateral partners. However, growth is expected to be modest this year and inflation remains well above target, and ongoing policy and reform efforts are required to address Pakistan’s deep-seated economic vulnerabilities amidst the ongoing challenges posed by elevated external and domestic financing needs and an unsettled external environment.

“The new government is committed to continue the policy efforts that started under the current SBA to entrench economic and financial stability for the remainder of this year. In particular, the authorities are determined to deliver the FY24 general government primary balance target of PRs 401 billion (0.4% of GDP), with further efforts towards broadening the tax base, and continue with the timely implementation of power and gas tariff adjustments to keep average tariffs consistent with cost recovery while protecting the vulnerable through the existing progressive tariff structures, thus avoiding any net circular debt (CD) accumulation in FY24. The State Bank of Pakistan remains committed to maintaining a prudent monetary policy to lower inflation and ensure exchange rate flexibility and transparency in the operations of the FX market.

The authorities also expressed interest in a successor medium-term Fund-supported program with the aim of permanently resolving Pakistan’s fiscal and external sustainability weaknesses, strengthening its economic recovery, and laying the foundations for strong, sustainable, and inclusive growth. While these discussions are expected to start in the coming months, key objectives are expected to include: 1) strengthening public finances, including through gradual fiscal consolidation and broadening the tax base (especially in undertaxed sectors) and improving tax administration to improve debt sustainability and create space for higher priority development and social assistance spending to protect the vulnerable;

2) restoring the energy sector’s viability by accelerating cost reducing reforms including through improving electricity transmission and distribution, moving captive power demand to the electricity grid, strengthening distribution company governance and management, and undertaking effective anti-theft efforts;

3) returning inflation to target, with a deeper and more transparent flexible forex market supporting external rebalancing and the rebuilding of foreign reserves; and

4) promoting private-led activity through the above mentioned actions as well as the removal of distortionary protection, advancement of SOE reforms to improve the sector’s performance, and the scaling-up of investment in human capital, to make growth more resilient and inclusive and enable Pakistan to reach its economic potential.

 

Pakistan exports to European Union states fall

Pakistan’s exports to European countries have fallen in the current fiscal year despite a GSP+ status that allows duty-free entrance into European markets for the majority of its products.

In absolute terms, Pakistan’s exports to European countries dipped 6.89%YoY in the first eight months of the current fiscal year to US$5.411 billion from US$5.812 billion in the corresponding period last year.

The decline was mainly attributed to reduced demand for Pakistani goods in western, southern and northern Europe.

In FY23, exports to the EU had dropped 4.4% to US$8.188 billion from US$8.566 billion a year ago.

In October 2023, the European Parliament unanimously voted to extend the GSP+ status for another four years until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan, to enjoy duty-free or minimum duty on exports to the European market.

Western Europe, which includes Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Belgium, accounts for the largest portion of Pakistan’s exports to the EU.

There has been a significant decrease of 13.2% in exports to this region. The export value was reported at US$2.609 billion in the first eight months of FY24, down from US$3.006 billion during the same period last year.

While exports to western, southern and northern Europe have seen a decline, there is a silver lining in the form of an uptick in exports to Eastern Europe. The exports saw an increase of 8.2% to US$407.6 million in 8MFY24 against US$376.68 m over the corresponding months of last year.

Exports to southern Europe saw a paltry decline of 1.1% to US$1.971 billion in 8MFY24 from US$1.993 billion over the corresponding period of last year. Exports to Spain grew 4.66% to US$966.95 million in 8MFY24 from US$923.85 million a year ago.

Exports to Italy declined 3.36% to US$733.79 million from US$759.36 million.

Exports to northern Europe have not done well, recording a 3.04% dip. The export to this region was reported at US$423.732 million, down from US$437.03 million in the corresponding period last year.

Before Brexit, Pakistan’s major export destination was the United Kingdom. In the post-Brexit period, Pakistan’s exports to the UK slightly went up to US$1.351 billion in 8MFY24 from US$1.329 billion.

In FY23, Pakistan’s exports had dipped by 10.63% to US$1.966 billion to the UK from US$2.20 billion a year ago.

The British government has assured Islamabad of no change in the post-Brexit scenario which is evident from the inclusion of Pakistan in its preferential market access scheme.

US opposition of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline

While US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu’s recent testimony before a Congressional panel contained no bombshells about the cipher saga, the American diplomat’s replies to questions from lawmakers about the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline should certainly be cause for concern.

American reservations over the gas project clearly infringe on Pakistan’s sovereign right to take independent foreign policy decisions.

Lu told lawmakers that it was an American goal to ensure the pipeline is not completed. Using highly undiplomatic language, he observed that if they [Pakistan] get in bed with Iran, it will be very serious for our relationship.

The Foreign Office reaction to these comments was measured, as the spokesperson told the media that there was no room for discussion on a third-party [US] waiver, while the pipeline plays an important role in Pakistan’s energy security.

It is hoped that the state remains steadfast in upholding its commitments to the project, and rejects unwarranted foreign pressure.

Until the caretaker government gave the go-ahead for revitalizing the pipeline last month, the scheme had been in the doldrums for over a decade, mainly out of concern over attracting America’s wrath.

Pakistan should be the best judge of its energy requirements, and unsolicited advice such as that offered by Lu should be rejected with thanks. The American official also questioned how Pakistan would procure the financing to complete the scheme. Again, that should be Pakistan’s headache, not anyone else’s.

The fact is that the Iran pipeline appears to be a viable energy project, as the other major regional scheme — the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline — is in deep freeze particularly after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. Moreover, if Pakistan reneges on the deal with Iran, it risks entering a messy litigation process, and paying a hefty US$18 billion in penalty.

Lu’s comments should also serve as a warning to our policymakers of the demands some of our friends may make of us in future as geopolitical turbulence increases.

For instance, today, Washington has issues with CPEC and the Iran pipeline; tomorrow it could let its displeasure be known regarding our relations with Moscow or other American foes.

Pakistan should be ready to face such criticism, and take decisions that are in the national interest.

Pakistan values its ties with the US and other Western states. But this does not mean relations with other states/ blocs should be held hostage to the whims of its Western partners.

However, it is also true that Pakistan can only take truly independent decisions when it does not have to depend on others to keep its economy afloat.

India and China can ignore US strictures about not trading with Russia because of their economic heft. Pakistan must heal itself if it wants to achieve true sovereignty.

Courtesy: Dawn

United States has ruined Haiti and Honduras

Haiti and Honduras have made headlines in the last few weeks. Honduras’ former president, Juan Orlando Hernández, was just convicted in a US court of drug trafficking. He faces life in prison. Haiti is a nation without a government, as armed groups have united against the US-backed, unelected Prime Minister installed after the assassination of their president in 2021.

US intervention in Haiti, Honduras and other countries is one of the principal drivers of people seeking asylum in the United States, as they flee violence, poverty and persecution at home. This point is almost never mentioned in the US press. To understand and ultimately solve the immigration crisis, Americans need to understand what their government has long done in their name, with their tax dollars–arming and propping up brutal regimes abroad.

In both cases, what is missing from mainstream news coverage is the role of US intervention that brought them to this point. “The crisis in Haiti is a crisis of imperialism,” University of British Columbia Professor Jemima Pierre, a Haitian American scholar, explained on the Democracy Now! news hour. 

In her NACLA Report article headlined, Haiti as Empire’s Laboratory, she describes her home country as the site of the longest and most brutal neocolonial experiment in the modern world.

Haiti was the world’s first Black republic, founded in 1804 following a slave revolt. France demanded Haiti pay reparations, for the loss of slave labor when Haiti’s enslaved people freed themselves. For more than a century, Haiti’s debt payments to France, then later to the US, hobbled its economy.

The United States refused to recognize Haiti for decades, until 1862, fearful that the example of a slave uprising would inspire the same in the US.

In 1915, the US invaded Haiti, occupying it until 1934. The US also backed the brutal Duvalier dictatorships from 1957 to 1986. Jean-Bertand Aristide became Haiti’s first democratically-elected president in 1991, only to be ousted in a violent coup eight months later. The coup was supported by President George W. Bush and later by President Bill Clinton.

Public pressure forced Clinton to allow Aristide’s return in 1994, to finish his presidential term in 1996. Aristide was reelected in 2001.

“In 2004…the US, France and Canada got together and backed a coup d’état against the country’s first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide,” Jemima Pierre continued. “The US Marines… put him on a plane with his security officials, his wife and aide, and flew them to the Central African Republic.”

Democracy Now! traveled to C.A.R. in 2004 covering a delegation led by Transafrica founder Randall Robinson and US Congress member Maxine Waters who defied US policy and escorted the Aristides back to the Western Hemisphere. Aristide confirmed to Democracy Now! then that he had been ousted in a coup d’état backed by the United States. Aristide then went to live in exile in South Africa for the next seven years. In response to allegations that gangs are currently controlling Haiti, Professor Pierre said, “The so-called gang violence is actually not the main problem in Haiti. The main problem in Haiti is the constant interference of the international community, and the international community here is, very explicitly, the US, France and Canada.”

The Biden administration is reportedly now considering the transfer of Haitian asylum seekers to the controversial US Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba – a repeat of some of the worst US policies in its long history of exploitation of Haitians. Honduras, meanwhile, currently has a democratically elected president, Xiomara Castro. Her husband, Manuel “Mel” Zelaya, was elected president in 2006, then ousted in a US-backed coup in 2009. In the following years, Honduras descended into a narco-state, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee violence, seeking asylum in the United States and elsewhere.

In 2013, Juan Orlando Hernández was elected president amidst allegations of campaign finance violations, then again in 2017 in an election widely considered fraudulent.

Shortly thereafter, his brother Juan Antonio Hernández was arrested in Miami for drug trafficking. Then, following Xiomara Castro’s election, Juan Orlando Hernández himself was arrested and extradited to the US for cocaine trafficking. On March 8th, he was convicted in US federal court, and is currently awaiting sentencing.“

The evidence was chilling,” history professor Dana Frank, who was in the courtroom, said on Democracy Now! “This litany of assassinations of prosecutors, assassinations of journalists, corruption of the police, the military, politicians, the president, his brother, you name it. And it was like the curtain was drawn back, and you could see the day-to-day workings of this tremendous violent, corrupt mechanism that was the Juan Orlando Hernández administration…this was what happened after the 2009 coup that opened the door for the destruction of the rule of law in Honduras.”

Courtesy: Information Clearing House

Growing number of countries ready to recognize Palestine

The leaders of Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Malta have announced they stand ready to recognize the State of Palestine as the only way to achieve peace and security in the war-ridden region.

The four leaders gathered on the margins of a summit in Brussels on Friday to discuss their readiness to recognize Palestine, adding they stand ready to do so when it can make a positive contribution and the circumstances are right.

“We are agreed that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region is through implementation of a two-state solution, with Israeli and Palestinian States living side-by-side, in peace and security,” a joint statement by the four heads of government reads.

Speaking after the summit, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said he believed a lot could be done in the next week to strengthen political backing for a Palestinian state in the United Nations. Golob added he was sure that the moment when conditions for establishing a new government in Palestine will be ripe could be a few weeks, maybe a month away.

Nine of the EU’s 27 member states currently recognize Palestinians’ right to a state according to the so-called 1967 borders, which includes the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

Malta, along with eastern states such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia, have recognized the Palestinians’ right to statehood since 1988. In 2014, Sweden became the first member state to unilaterally recognise Palestinians’ right to statehood while a member of the bloc.

The Slovenian premier confirmed a representative also attended the meeting on behalf of the Belgian government, seen as another staunch supporter of Palestinians’ fight for statehood.

Belgium currently holds the 6-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, responsible for overseeing its work and therefore likely restricted from signing such declarations.

Although the European Union supports the two-state solution – which would deliver statehood for Palestinians – and is the single biggest donor of aid to Palestinians, it has not yet unanimously backed the recognition of a Palestinian state.

“The debate on the recognition of Palestine was not on the table,” European Council President Charles Michel explained on Friday.

“But I will share with you what I think about it. I think that if the idea is to start a kind of process so it’s possible to take into account steps that could be made on both sides – by the Palestinian Authority, for instance, and by Israel – then it could be a useful process.”

Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, both Ireland and Spain have repeatedly expressed readiness to recognize Palestine, and spearheaded efforts to toughen the EU’s stance on Israel in response to the excessive loss of life in Gaza.

In a breakthrough on Thursday, the EU’s 27 leaders unanimously called for a ceasefire in Gaza for the first time since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas.

Last November, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez vowed that his newly formed government would make the recognition of Palestinian statehood its main priority in terms of foreign policy.

Speaking after the Brussels summit on Friday, Sánchez suggested to reporters that Spain preferred to move in lockstep with other EU countries rather than recognizing a Palestinian state unilaterally, an idea it has flirted with in the past.

“We want to take this step united. It’s a decisive step in order to lay the foundations of a lasting peace,” he said, adding that the EU should carefully calibrate the right moment to take the step.

Sánchez also suggested that the fact the four leaders represented all sides of the political spectrum – with Spain and Malta governed by centre-left parties, Slovenia by a Liberal party, and Ireland by a centre-right party – showed there was broad political consensus that the recognition of Palestine is necessary for any future peace process.

In February, Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also confirmed a group of member states were in talks to formally recognize Palestine to enable a more equal negotiation to happen when the war raging in Gaza comes to an end.