Gallant demands investigation against Netanyahu

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday called for a state inquiry into failings around the October 07, 2023 Hamas attack, saying it should investigate Gallant himself and his boss, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Gallant made the comments at a graduation ceremony for new military officers, also attended by Netanyahu, whose coalition government is already strained by infighting.

The state inquiry, he said, "must be objective, it needs to investigate all of us, those who make decisions and those who carry them out, the government, the military, and the security agencies."

"It must investigate me, the defence minister, it must investigate the prime minister," Gallant said, to cheers from the crowd.

Netanyahu has dismissed past calls to form a state inquiry into the October 07 attack, which caught Israel off guard and sparked the war in Gaza, saying that examinations into what happened should be carried out once the war ends.

Only the government can decide to form a state commission of inquiry, which has a broad mandate and its findings carry weight. The chief justice of the Supreme Court chooses its members.

Gallant has broken ranks with Netanyahu before.

Last year, after months of nationwide protests against government plans to curb Supreme Court powers, Gallant said proposed legislation should be dropped, warning the public dispute could hurt national security.

Netanyahu immediately sacked him, spurring tens of thousands of Israelis to take to the streets in support of Gallant. The veteran prime minister eventually relented and Gallant kept his job.

Gallant has since clashed with Netanyahu over Gaza strategy, prompting some members of their Likud party to call for him to be dismissed from his post.

 

 

 

 

 

Oil tanker seized by Iran in 2023 bound for Oman port

According to Reuters, a Chevron-chartered oil tanker seized by Iran more than a year ago is heading toward the Sohar port in Oman, LSEG ship tracking data showed on Friday.

On Thursday, ship tracking data showed the vessel moving to international waters, with the destination showing as Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates.

The Marshall Islands-flagged Advantage Sweet was boarded by Iran's military in the Gulf of Oman in April 2023 after an alleged collision with an Iranian boat.

There was no immediate comment from Chevron.

The US State Department called in March for the immediate release of the tanker.

To read details of the arrest click https://shkazmipk.blogspot.com/2023/04/iran-seizes-oil-tanker-in-gulf-of-oman.html

 

 

China hits back at NATO

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has hit back at NATO's "groundless accusations" that Beijing is helping Russia in its war on Ukraine. He has also warned the Western alliance against stirring up confrontation.

Wang's comments, made in a call with his Dutch counterpart, came hours after leaders of NATO member states gathered in Washington DC and issued a declaration on the war.

They accused China of being a "decisive enabler" of Russia through its "large-scale support for Russia's defense industrial base", in some of their harshest remarks yet about Beijing.

They called on China to stop "all material and political support" to Russia's war effort such as the supply of dual-use materials, which are items that can be used for both civilian and military purposes.

Western states have previously accused Beijing of transferring drone and missile technology and satellite imagery to Moscow.

The US estimates about 70% of the machine tools and 90% of the microelectronics Russia imports now come from China.

Beijing was also accused of conducting "malicious cyber and hybrid activities, including disinformation" on NATO states.

On Thursday, while speaking to the Netherlands' new foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp, Wang said "China absolutely does not accept" all these accusations and insisted that they have "always been a force for peace and force for stability".

In comments carried by state media, he said that China's different political system and values "should not be used as a reason for NATO to incite confrontation with China", and called for NATO to "stay within its bounds".

His remarks was the latest in a flurry of angry responses from Beijing.

Earlier on Thursday, a foreign ministry spokesperson said NATO was smearing China with "fabricated disinformation", while Beijing's mission to the European Union told the alliance to "stop hyping up the so-called China threat".

Beijing has long rebutted accusations that it has been aiding Russia in the war and insists that it remains a neutral party. It has called for an end to the conflict and proposed a peace plan, which Ukraine has rejected.

Besides the growing accusations of military support, observers have also pointed out that Beijing's purchases of vast amounts of oil and gas have helped prop up Russia's economy crippled by sanctions and replenish coffers drained by war spending.

Beijing's official rhetoric on the conflict often mirrors Moscow's — like them, China still does not call it a war — and Chinese President Xi Jinping has maintained a close relationship with President Vladimir Putin, with both of them famously declaring their partnership has "no limits".

Beijing has accused the US and other Western states of pouring "fuel on the fire" by supplying lethal weapons and technology to Ukraine for its defense.

In recent weeks, several countries have gone a step further and allowed Ukraine to use their weapons to hit targets inside Russia.

Biden refers to Zelenskiy as Putin

Joe Biden has been under intense scrutiny in recent days and has faced doubts, including from members and donors of his own Democratic Party, about his re-election chances after a weak and faltering performance in a debate late last month against Republican former President Donald Trump. He provided his critics yet another chance by addressing Zelenskiy as Putin at NATO Summit.

According to Reuters, US President Joe Biden on Thursday mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as Russian President Vladimir Putin before correcting himself at the NATO summit in Washington.

"And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination, ladies and gentlemen, President Putin," Biden said, referring to Zelenskiy.

While correcting himself about two seconds later, Biden added: "President Putin, you're going to beat President Putin, President Zelenskiy. I am so focused on beating Putin."

The room at the summit gasped when Biden misidentified Zelenskiy as Putin. The comments came at an event in the summit during which Biden launched an initiative with allies aimed at supporting Ukraine's security needs.

Zelenskiy responded to Biden's comments by saying, "I am better than Putin."

Biden replied: "You are a hell of a lot better," as some in the room laughed, before Zelenskiy began his own address.

Biden has been under intense scrutiny in recent days and has faced doubts, including from members and donors of his own Democratic Party, about his re-election chances after a weak and faltering performance in a debate late last month against Republican former President Donald Trump.

Biden has thus far vowed to push on with his re-election bid and refused to step aside as his party's presidential candidate, while claiming he is best positioned to beat Trump in the November elections.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended Biden on Thursday after the president's mistake. Scholz said, "Slips of tongue happen, and if you always monitor everyone, you will find enough of them."

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a press conference of his own, repeatedly avoided answering the question as to whether Biden was fit enough to run for the US presidency. He instead praised Biden's role in organizing and leading what he said was a successful meeting of the NATO alliance.

Later on Thursday, Biden held a solo press conference at the NATO summit, his first time facing press alone since November, in which he was asked about his gaffe. He responded by saying the NATO summit was successful under his leadership.

"Have you seen a more successful conference?" Biden said to reporters when asked about potential concerns among foreign officials about his fitness for re-election.

At the summit in Washington, NATO members have extended support to Ukraine to combat the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. The United States has been Ukraine's most important partner in military assistance during the war.

Earlier in the day, ahead of a bilateral meeting, Biden told Zelenskiy, "We will stay with you”.

 

Turkey disapproves cooperating with Israel

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday it is not possible for NATO to continue its partnership with the Israeli administration.

"Until comprehensive, sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation with Israel within NATO will not be approved by Turkey," Erdogan said at a news conference at the NATO summit.

Turkey also continues its diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, he said.

Erdogan said as well that he has instructed Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to start to restore relations with Syria.

Turkey will extend an invitation to Assad "any time" for possible talks to restore relations between the two neighbours, Erdogan had said on Sunday.

Regarding F-16 sales to Turkey, Erdogan said, "I talked to Mr. Biden. I will solve this problem in 3-4 weeks”.

In March, the United States Senate defeated an effort to stop a US$23 billion sale of F-16 jets and modernization kits to Turkey allowed by President Joe Biden's administration after Turkey approved Sweden joining the NATO alliance.

He also said Turkey expects solidarity from NATO allies in its fight against terrorism.

"It is not possible for us to accept the crooked relationship that some of our allies have established especially with the PYD/YPG, the extension of the terrorist organization PKK in Syria," he said.

Turkey says the YPG militia is a terrorist organization, closely tied to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group. Turkey's Western allies list the PKK as terrorist group, but not the YPG.

Turkey's goal is to become a permanent member, not just an observer, of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Erdogan also said.

The SCO is a security, political and economic club launched in 2001 by Russia and China and Central Asian states as a counterweight to Western alliances.

 

 

US hates and destroys three types of countries

This a very complicated subject but we have tried to be brief, concise and to the point. Let us say point blank that United States just can’t stand three types of countries: 1) countries not willing to accept its hegemony, 2) countries rich in mineral resources, especially energy products and 3) countries having strong social and cultural bonding.

The first category is led by China and Russia, which has a long history on conflict/ wars called ‘Cold War Era’. The later addition is Iran, which has been facing US sanctions for more than four decades because it termed United States ‘The Biggest Satan’.

In the second category most prominent are the oil and gas producing countries. These are hostage of US hegemony because of restriction on energy trade in ‘petro-dollars’ only. The countries facing extreme US hostilities include, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Venezuela and Russia.

United States suffers from worst social evils that include distance from religion, drug/ alcohol addiction, extra marital relation, abortion etc. Therefore, the US hate Muslim countries, some of them rich in energy resources, on top of the list are Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Ironically, the US foreign policy is dictated by three groups: 1) military complexes, 2) oil exploration and production companies and 3) companies owned and operated by Zionists.

The name of the game is create conflict, supply funds and arms to rebel groups and weaken the states. Till yesterday Venezuela was friend and biggest partner in oil trade, but at present it faces sanctions.

United States follows hybrid war and always chose battle grounds thousands of miles away from its borders, which include Korean Peninsula, Arabian Peninsula, Middle East and North Africa. This time Ukraine has been chosen to fight a proxy war against Russia. Let no one forget United States dropped two atom bombs on Japan in the Second World War.

The logical conclusion is, “United States is merchant of death, the biggest war monger and the biggest arms supplier, which wants to establish its hegemony around the world. It has the capacity to find and feed the touts, install and topple the governments and eliminate the agents when they become redundant”.

 

 

Know more about president Xi's wife

Looking into Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan, the wife of President Xi Jinping, one of the first things that jumps out is her impressive background.

When she and Xi married in 1987, Peng already held a prominent position in the People's Liberation Army, neither as a soldier nor a commander but as a celebrity singer whose star shined bright across the country.

Later, she served as head of the PLA's Song and Dance Troupe. She performed at home and abroad, with her final overseas bow coming in Tokyo in 2009 when her husband was serving as vice president.

This week's China Up Close offers not only insights into how Peng contributed to her husband's rise to the top of the Chinese Communist Party but also examines speculation that in recent months she has been playing a behind-the-scenes role in the military's personnel affairs.

It's a story of a husband trusting his wife and of her helping him find the rungs on the ladder to success. In general, beautiful, but considering who the couple is and the crucial matters of state they are dealing with, it's also a complex tale of political intrigue.

Perhaps this week's column in Nekkei Asia is Act I of Peng and Xi's story, with subsequent acts playing out in the months ahead.