Saudi Arabia terms Israel blocking of Ramallah meeting extremism

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Sunday that the Israeli government’s refusal to allow a delegation of Arab ministers to Ramallah in the occupied West Bank showed its “extremism and rejection of peace,” reports the Saudi Gazette.

Addressing a press conference in Amman after attending the extraordinary meeting of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza Strip, Prince Faisal also underscored that the creation of an independent Palestinian state is the only viable solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Prince Faisal said, "The committee praised the reform agenda that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is working on."

He stressed that the Palestinian Authority is facing a party that does not want any solutions. "The Palestinian Authority continues to fulfill its duties, and is committed to the agreements. The authority is considered the rational party in the crisis," he said.

Prince Faisal emphasized the importance of the international community's understanding of the true nature of Palestinian positions, which adopt a reformist approach to internal affairs, even in the most difficult circumstances.

 "This is aimed to fulfill their responsibilities toward the Palestinian people first, and then toward their neighbors and the international community," he said.

The Saudi minister criticized Israel's negative approach toward protecting Palestinian rights. "We see nothing but violence, and in Gaza we see nothing but a war of extermination, and in the West Bank there are successive steps clearly aimed at weakening the Palestinian cause."

He reiterated the Kingdom's position that those who adopt the approach of "no solution except through a two-state solution" must adopt positions that support this approach, including recognition of Palestine.

Prince Faisal emphasized that Israel's actions, such as the refusal of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee's entry to the Palestinian city of Ramallah, clearly demonstrate the extent of Israel's understanding of the international position on the importance of alternative solutions. In the same context, he presented a viewpoint on the rumors, emphasizing the importance of countries that adopt a public policy stating that there is no solution to the Arab-Palestinian-Israeli conflict except through a viable two-state solution, underlining this position and allowing for the recognition of Palestine. This would send a clear message to Israel about the need to move forward in finding a path to establishing this state, reconciling and coexisting with it.

Saudi foreign minister also stressed that European positions on Israel are not sufficient, saying, "As Arabs and Muslims, we will not accept any solution other than the establishment of a Palestinian state."

It is noteworthy that the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee on Gaza announced the postponement of its planned visit to Ramallah, scheduled for Sunday, due to Israel's obstruction of its mission by refusing the delegation's entry into the airspace of the occupied West Bank, which is controlled by Israel, according to a statement issued by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Jordan to attend the meeting of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee and supporting efforts to end the war and blockade on Gaza, as part of the committee's ongoing world tours.

The Saudi minister said that the Palestine issue figured highly during his meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah.

Iran Nuclear Deal: Who is dictating the terms?

According to the Saudi Gazette, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi delivered a new US proposal to Iran on Saturday in an effort to revive stalled indirect nuclear negotiations, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed. After reading the terms a question arises, who is dictating the terms? United States or Israel.

Araghchi said in a post on X that Al-Busaidi made a “short visit” to Tehran to convey “elements of a US proposal,” adding that Iran would deliver an “appropriate response” consistent with its principles, national interests, and the rights of its people.

The proposal follows the fifth round of indirect talks between Washington and Tehran, held on May 23 in Rome under Oman’s mediation.

Araghchi described that round as “one of the most professional,” highlighting that Iran had clearly expressed its positions during the discussions.

According to Araghchi, both sides exchanged views in Rome, and Oman presented its proposals, which were taken back to Washington and Tehran for review.

No date has been set for a sixth round of negotiations amid sharp divisions over Iran’s uranium enrichment program.

On Friday, The Wall Street Journal quoted unnamed US officials as saying the Trump administration plans to present Iran with a formal proposal — described as a “term sheet” — demanding a halt to uranium enrichment as a precondition for a potential agreement.

One senior official reportedly warned, “If they don’t accept these terms, it’s not going to be a good day for the Iranians.”

Analysts believe the US proposal is designed to address Israeli security concerns, as Israel remains strongly opposed to any Iranian nuclear capability.

Meanwhile, earlier on Saturday, Iran dismissed a new report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that claimed Tehran has doubled its stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% purity.

The IAEA estimated Iran now holds 408.6 kilograms—an amount potentially sufficient for nine nuclear weapons if further enriched.

Iran labeled the report “baseless” and accused the agency of engaging in political maneuvering.

The IAEA’s findings have heightened international concern, as tensions escalate across the region.

Israeli media have reported that Tel Aviv is preparing for potential strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

However, US President Donald Trump has reportedly urged Israel to refrain from any military action, fearing a broader regional conflict.

Donald Trump: America’s Embarrassment

On July 09, 2017, I read an interesting blog by Margaret Kimberley titled ‘America’s Embarrassment’.  I picked up a few paragraphs from that and copy pasted those. I salute Margaret, her lines look as fresh as written today.

Donald Trump is a national embarrassment. Corporate media pundits have declared this statement to be true and millions of people are in agreement. As a candidate and as president Trump has certainly deviated from the norms of acceptable public behavior, but how much does that really matter?

Many Americans love to brag that theirs is “the richest country in the world.” There are certainly big banks, rich individuals and trillions of dollars in the treasury but the masses of people rarely benefit from this wealth. This country routinely ranks near the bottom when compared to other “developed” nations in any measure of how it treats its people. It is now considered a “second tier” nation in terms of the wellbeing of its citizens.

It is certainly unusual to have such a decidedly boorish president. Trump literally pushes other presidents aside, engages in public feuds with celebrities and makes anyone an enemy who dares to oppose him or his policies. He makes up terms like “bigly” and “modern presidential” and excoriates the press when they criticize him. Condemning this kind of behavior is the lowest hanging fruit.

Trump can be blamed for quite a lot during his first six months in office. His travel ban against citizens of seven nations is an unconstitutional exercise in Islamphobia and has been struck down by federal judges. Trump bans Libyans from traveling to the United States, but Obama destroyed that country and created an ongoing humanitarian disaster.

The concluding remarks are most interesting, “The list of reasons to be embarrassed about America is very long and it existed before Trump was inaugurated. He has surely added to that ledger, but legitimate cause for concern shouldn’t be pushed aside in favor of phony outrage about optics. President Trump is an ill- mannered, impulsive, happily uninformed bigot. Most of his predecessors were better behaved and followed rules of public relations. But they filled the jails, ended the right to public assistance, killed millions of people abroad, kept wages low and used a variety of schemes to make the rich even richer. Despite his obvious shortcomings Donald Trump is not the worst among them. And that is the most embarrassing fact of all”.

Why genocide in Gaza can’t be stopped?

The situation in Gaza is extremely complex and the most tragic. Many around the world view the events as a genocide or use similar language to describe the mass civilian deaths and destruction. However, stopping it has proven exceptionally difficult for several interlocking reasons that include:

Geopolitical Support and Impunity

Israel receives strong diplomatic, military, and financial support from the United State. and some European countries. This often translates into vetoes at the UN, delays or blocks to ceasefire calls, and a general lack of enforcement of international law. Israel has historically not faced major consequences for military actions in Gaza, leading to a perception of impunity.

Power Asymmetry

Israel has one of the most advanced militaries in the world; Gaza, governed by Hamas and containing millions of civilians, is heavily blockaded and lacks basic infrastructure. With no army, air force, or functioning economy, most of Gaza’s population are civilians who cannot flee or defend themselves, which worsens the humanitarian crisis but doesn’t shift the balance of power.

Hamas and Israeli Security Policy

Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by many countries. Its attacks on Israeli civilians on October 07, 2023 are used to justify Israel's military campaigns, often without sufficient distinction between combatants and civilians. Israel’s strategy includes weakening Palestinian national aspirations or displacing populations, under the guise of fighting terrorism.

Weak International Institutions

The UN has condemned actions by both sides but lacks enforcement power. Security Council vetoes paralyze action. Many countries call for peace or ceasefire but do not intervene directly, militarily or diplomatically.

Media and Narrative Control

There is intense contestation over how the conflict is framed. Terms like “genocide,” “ethnic cleansing,” or “self-defense” are politically charged, and mainstream media coverage often reflects the stance of powerful governments, making unified international pressure difficult.

Humanitarian Aid Blockages

Even humanitarian ceasefires often collapse or are partial, and aid is restricted or bombed, leading to mass famine, disease, and collapse of health systems, which intensifies civilian suffering.

Lack of Political Will

Regional divisions, internal politics, arms industry interests, and fear of confronting powerful allies all contribute to a lack of coordinated pressure on Israel to halt its military operations. Many legal scholars, UN experts, and human rights organizations argue that the scale and intent of destruction in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide. Genocide is defined not just by killing, but by the intent to destroy a group in whole or in part, through killing, causing serious harm, or creating unlivable conditions. Stopping the violence in Gaza is not only about humanitarian urgency — it is blocked by a mix of political alliances, military interests, narrative control, legal ambiguity, and lack of enforceable global mechanisms. Many around the world are calling for action, but meaningful international intervention remains elusive.

Rulers US hostages

One of the narratives is that Israel is adamant at killing all living in Gaza and occupy the enclave into settlements. It is also being said that the strip in rich in fossil oil/ gas. The situation took a twist when US President Donald Trump expressed intention to convert Gaza into a tourist resort. It is also being said that the rulers of oil rich country are ‘hostage” of United States. They presented a luxury plane worth US$400 million to Trump on his visit to the Middle East, but could not convince him to stop genocide in Gaza.

 

Trump aims to destroy Iranian nuclear sites

US President Donald Trump's threat to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities is a clear red line and will have severe consequences, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Friday.

"If US seeks a diplomatic solution, it must abandon the language of threats and sanctions," an unnamed Iranian official said, adding that such threats "are open hostility against Iran's national interests."

Trump has told reporters on Wednesday at the White House, “I want it (nuclear agreement) very strong where we can go in with inspectors, we can take whatever we want, we can blow up whatever we want, but nobody getting killed. We can blow up a lab, but nobody is gonna be in a lab, as opposed to everybody being in the lab and blowing it up.”

Trump has repeatedly threatened to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities if diplomacy fails to resolve a decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.

Trump said on Friday that an Iran deal was possible in the "not-too-distant future."

 

 

 

 

 

Yemen strikes Ben Gurion Airport once again

The Yemeni Armed Forces announced on Friday the execution of a military operation targeting Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and have warned they will continue enforcing an air and maritime blockade unless the siege on Gaza is lifted. The attack was conducted using a hypersonic ballistic missile, reports the Tehran Times.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, confirmed that the operation successfully achieved its objectives.

He said it forced “millions of occupying Zionists to flee into shelters and brought air traffic at the airport to a halt.”

Saree emphasized that the operation reaffirms the Yemeni Armed Forces’ ongoing religious, moral, and humanitarian duty toward the Palestinian people.

He stated that Yemen will persist in enforcing a blockade on Israeli air navigation to and from Ben Gurion Airport and will respond to any Israeli aggression against Yemen with further military support operations in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people.

Israeli media had reported detecting a ballistic missile launched from Yemen, which led to the suspension of air traffic at Ben Gurion Airport. This coincided with air raid sirens sounding across wide areas.

Israeli police also reported receiving alerts about fragments from a missile falling in southern Jerusalem (occupied al-Quds) and a nearby settlement.

The government in Sanaa has vowed that the Israeli aggression will not deter Yemen from its ongoing military operations in support of Gaza.

The leader of the Ansarallah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, also declared that “Israeli aggression on Sanaa International Airport will not stop Yemeni operations in support of the Palestinian people.”

He added that the Yemeni Armed Forces are preparing to escalate their operations in the coming phase to increase their effectiveness and impact on the Israeli enemy.

On Wednesday, Israeli warplanes launched several airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport, only about ten days after it had resumed operations following a previous Israeli attack.

This latest attack by the Yemeni Armed Forces is part of a series of military actions aimed at imposing an aerial blockade on the Israeli occupation regime. The repeated missile attacks have specifically targeted Ben Gurion Airport.

In recent weeks, these operations have led to repeated disruptions in air traffic and prompted several international airlines to suspend flights to and from Tel Aviv.

Yemen maintains that these attacks are being carried out in support of the Palestinians in Gaza and has pledged to continue launching strikes until the US-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza ends and the blockade on the coastal strip is lifted.

 

PSX benchmark index up 0.49%WoW

Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained range-bound throughout the week, weighed down by uncertainty regarding potential revenue measures in the upcoming Federal Budget FY26, trading within the thin range. Benchmark index gained 588 points or 0.49%WoW to close at 119,691 points on Friday, May 30, 2025.

Market participation improved, with average daily traded volumes rising by 34.6%WoW to 662 million shares, up from 492 million shares a week ago.

The IMF concluded its staff mission last week on the Federal Budget FY26, stating that discussions on the upcoming budget proposals were constructive, while further deliberations will continue.

GoP raised PKR720 billion from T-Bills auction, with cutoff yields for 6-month falling to 11.18%, which was at a 38-month low.

China has assured Pakistan of US$3.7 billion in refinancing in June 2025, which will facilitate Pakistan to meet IMF's foreign exchange reserves target of US$14 billion by the FY25 end.

The government is reportedly close to finalizing a financing agreement aimed at retiring circular debt in the power sector.

PKR depreciated marginally by 0.02%WoW to close at 282.02/US$.

Foreign exchange reserves held by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) increased by US$70 million to a 19-week high of US$11.5 billion.

Other major news flow during the week included: 1) Weekly inflation recorded a decline of 0.81%, 2) FBR to levy 18% sales tax in FATA/PATA region, 3) GoP considering exempting import of equipment and machinery for up-gradation of refineries under Brownfield Refinery Policy, 4) GoP considering reduction of GST on packaged milk, and 5) SBP raised PKR187 billion through floating rate PIBs.

Jute, Textile Weaving, and Paper & Board were amongst the top performing sectors, while Automobile Assembler, Transport, and Food & Personal Care were the laggards.

Major selling was recorded by Foreigners with a net sell of US$5.6 million. On the other hand, Brokers and individuals absorbed most of the selling with a net buy of US$6.4 million.

Top performing scrips of the week were: KTML, PKGP, KEL, PTC, and APL, while laggards included TPLRF, RMPL, GADT, SAZEW, and AGL.

According to AKD Securities, market is expected to remain positive in the coming weeks, with developments around the upcoming federal budget likely to drive short-term sentiment, along with room for rate cut in the upcoming MPC meeting as forecast for FY26 inflation at 7.0%.

The benchmark index is anticipated to sustain its upward trajectory, primarily driven by strong earnings in Fertilizers, sustained ROEs in Banks, and improving cash flows of E&Ps and OMCs, benefiting from falling interest rates and economic stability.

Top picks of the brokerage house include, OGDC, PPL, PSO, FFC, ENGROH, MEBL, MCB, HBL, LUCK, FCCL, INDU, and SYS.