Board of Peace: Hamas has Agreed to relinquishing all its weapons for Israel to withdraw from Gaza

The report of the board of Peace for Gaza confirmed that Hamas has Agreed to relinquish all of its weapons and for Israeli forces to withdraw from Gaza.

The Reports: 

The Board of Peace and the mediating countries of Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, and the United States today are pleased to announce that Hamas has agreed to a detailed Roadmap for implementing the next phases of the Gaza ceasefire.

The agreement concludes months of intensive, good faith negotiations to advance President Donald J. Trump's vision for establishing new governance, security, humanitarian relief, reconstruction, and economic recovery in Gaza as set out in the Comprehensive Peace Plan and U.N. Security Council Resolution 2803.

The Roadmap represents a historic breakthrough. For the first time, Hamas officially has committed to an actionable plan for relinquishing all its weapons, which will be followed by Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

It holds the promise of delivering significant benefits to the people of Gaza, who have waited for too long for a better future, and security to the people of Israel.

Our focus now turns to implementation. The Board of Peace has worked closely with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). It will soon begin a phased transition toward full authority, backed by the International Stabilization Force (ISF), and will accelerate implementation of the rule of law, security, and humanitarian improvement in Gaza

 

A Roadmap for Completing the Implementation of President Trump’s Comprehensive Peace Plan in Gaza




Principles:




1. All parties reaffirm their commitment to President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to achieve peace in Gaza, which constitutes, together with the UN Security Council Resolution no. 2803 (2025), the agreed upon international framework guiding the implementation of this process. Through this process, the parties aim at ending the cycle of destruction, securing the complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip, restoring normal life, enabling Palestinian governance, reconstruction, security, recovery and economic development, rehabilitating damaged sectors and facilitate launching a credible political path that achieves self-determination and Statehood.




2. Israel shall fully complete, without delay, all remaining commitments under Sharm Sheikh Protocol, particularly the cessation of military operations as detailed in annex (1). Hamas and the Palestinian factions shall complete the cessation of all military operations in accordance with Sharm Sheikh Protocol and the Peace Plan. In parallel, the timetable and implementation mechanisms of this Roadmap (“Implementation of Phase 2”) shall be prepared within 14 days after all parties approve the Roadmap, which could be extended by a decision by the International Verification Committee (IVC). Upon the completion of the timetable and implementation mechanisms, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) shall enter the Strip and start to assume its responsibilities. The IVC, that shall be established by the Board of Peace (BoP), comprising representatives from the guarantors, BoP and the International Stabilization Force (ISF), shall certify that both parties fulfill their commitments under the Roadmap before proceeding to the implementation of Phase 2.




3. Progression from one phase to the following one shall be contingent on the verified completion of the commitments of the previous phase. This verification shall be done by the IVC, which shall also observe any violations by either party through an enhanced monitoring mechanism.




4. Hamas and other factions agree that all civilian governance and security functions in Gaza shall be handed over to NCAG in accordance with President Trump’s Comprehensive Peace Plan in Gaza. They also assert that NCAG shall enjoy full independence in carrying out its responsibilities and that the factions shall not interfere in NCAG affairs during the transitional period, in accordance with UNSC Resolution 2803 (2025).




5. Upon fully assuming its responsibilities in Gaza, NCAG shall maintain the continuity of civilian institutions and public services.




All civil servants shall be treated lawfully, fairly and with dignity with respect to their rights. Those whose services are terminated or who are retired during the transitional period shall receive their rights in accordance with the Palestinian law.




With international support, NCAG shall carry out a comprehensive audit of the financial and administrative affairs in Gaza, and protect, recover and administer public assets and resources.




NCAG shall seek to assess the legitimate commitments to suppliers, contractors and other parties – up to a total amount of no more than $400M USD - and address them.




The implementation of these measures will be undertaken gradually, within three years, in accordance with priorities determined by the NCAG.




Any unresolved financial rights, liabilities or claims shall be addressed within the context of a wider national process later, and in accordance with the relevant Palestinian law

Tehran declares Islamabad Agreement, MoU with US terminated, says the framework has officially collapsed after Trump’s remarks in Turkey

The Islamic Republic of Iran has declared the Islamabad Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with the United States terminated, saying the framework has officially collapsed after President Trump’s remarks.

Tehran says the development gives it a broader mandate to confront the United States, Israel, and what it describes as their regional and global proxies. US bases in the middle east have been targeted in response to the US airstrike against iran by the US military.

US President Donald Trump had on Wednesday in Turkey, said the truce with Iran is over.

"For me, the truce with Iran is over. They are evil, sick people, and we must get rid of them. They are a cancer."

Trump, stated that, as far as he is concerned, the truce with Iran is over. Tehran has stated that any passage through the waterway must be coordinated with the Iranian military. The United States has responded with attacks on Iran, while Tehran is sending drones and missiles to U.S. bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia strongly condemns repeated Iranian attacks against Kuwait and Bahrain, affirming that these acts constitute a violation of state sovereignty and international law. The same Kingdom supported the joint US and Israel's unprovoked attacks against the Islamic Republic.


According to U.S. government sources, the U.S. Navy is expected to relaunch its naval blockade operation against Iran within the next few hours.


The plan would not only bar the Islamic Republic from exporting petrochemical products and natural gas but also prevent commercial vessels from operating from Iranian ports. The sources further indicated that the operation would be more extensive than previous efforts and would be accompanied by daily airstrikes against military targets in Iran.


Trump didn’t wait for Washington. He reportedly gave the green light to strike Iran while attending the NATO summit in Turkey. Diplomacy just took a back seat to military force. Trump warns the US could take out Iran's electricity and water plants if necessary, but says he does not want to do so.


He said Israel would have been “blown to pieces” by Iran without him as president and Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister, saying the two had made “a lot of progress” with Iran.


“If you had other prime ministers, you know what? There wouldn’t be an Israel right now,” Trump told reporters at a NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday. “It would have been blown to pieces by Iran.”


“If you had a weak prime minister ... And if you had a different president, I guarantee there wouldn’t be an Israel. Israel wouldn’t exist today if you didn’t have me as president,” Trump added.


“We’ve made a lot of progress with Iran, too,” Trump said. “Wiped out their military, but they should have been done 47 years ago.”


Certainly, Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz in the event of any fresh attacks on the country and strike at least two enemy targets for every Iranian target hit, Press TV reported Wednesday citing an informed source.


The source said Iran would give a “powerful response” to any threat and would not distinguish between the United States and its regional partners


Trump, in a strategic move to booster the middle eastern front against Iran and proxy allies, lifted all sanctions against Syria.

On the seemly success of his efforts to mobilise NATO allies to joining the war against Tehran, Trump said the United States might abandon efforts to reach a nuclear agreement with Iran, saying it could achieve its objectives without one.

"I don't know if we're going to have a deal," Trump told reporters in Ankara. "We may just do it without a deal, because you know what, it's easier."

Trump said Iran's leaders "lie and they cheat" and accused them of reneging on commitments after negotiations.

"They'll never build a nuclear weapon under our deal," he said. "But I don't know if we're going to have a deal."

Trump also criticized former US President Barack Obama's nuclear agreement with Iran, calling it "one of the worst tragedies" in the Middle East and saying, "Our deal is a wall to a nuclear weapon. His deal was a road to a nuclear weapon."

French President Emmanuel Macron Wednesday said he believed meetings under the 60-day ceasefire between Iran and the United States would continue despite Iranian strikes on US bases in the Persian Gulf.

Macron said the strikes violated the interim accord and that Iran had been mistaken to carry them out. Both Trump and Iranian leaders said separately on Wednesday that the agreement was "over".

On his own part, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he hoped the US-Iran memorandum of understanding would help bring peace to the region.

“Türkiye remained optimistic but cautious,” Erdogan said at a press conference at the NATO Summit in Ankara alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

Erdogan warned that measures “must be taken against provocations.”

According to an online report, a source close to Iran's chief negotiator says Iran is preparing a massive, coordinated strike on Israel—hundreds of drones and missiles, including new, never-before-seen weapons—following intelligence that Israel could attack as early as today, per some Iranian outlets.

The source pointed to Hegseth's abrupt Israel trip cancellation and Trump's warning — "I will probably hit them hard again tonight" — as confirmation that escalation is imminent.

The source also emphasized Netanyahu's political calculus: facing October elections, he needs a show of strength — and a strike on Iran would boost his standing. Israel's refusal to withdraw from Lebanon and its willingness to act alone has convinced Tehran that an attack is coming. Iran is preparing accordingly.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for the United States and Iran to return “back to the ceasefire” and implement a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Starmer warned that the economic situation in the United Kingdom and elsewhere would worsen if the violence continued.

“Household bills are likely going to be impacted if we don’t get that situation as quickly as possible,” he said.

The latest US strikes were a “serious violation” of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, CBS News reported citing government sources inside Iran

Iran has now suspended all talks on a final nuclear settlement with the US, per Iranian source to TASS.

This follows Iran's earlier termination of the Memorandum of Understanding

NATO Submit: Trump in Turkey declared an end to U.S. Sanctions on Ankara (Photos)

US President Donald Trump has arrived in Ankara, declared the end of U.S. sanctions on Turkey. “We don’t sanction friends.”

Turkish President @RTErdogan officially welcomed Predident Trump to the country.

President Trump said the US will consider selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, saying Ankara “has been, in many ways, much more loyal than other countries.”

President Trump again confirms that Turkey could have joined the war and likely would have sided against Israel. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly opposed the sale of F-35s to Turkey, warning that Turkey remains a major long-term challenge to Israel's security.

American President is paying an official visit to Türkiye ahead of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, with an official ceremony at the Turkish Presidential Complex.

Photos:

Iranian State Media: US, Israeli Forces copied Iran’s Shahed-136 drone, carried out false-flag attacks on regional targets to spread doubt, falsely blame Iran, and create division with neighboring countries

 

Iranian Military authorities have said the US and Israeli Force have copied Iran’s Shahed-136 drone, carried out false-flag attacks on regional targets to spread doubt, falsely blame Iran, and create division with neighboring countries

According to Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, a message to neighboring countries and Muslim populations states:

The United States and Israel, militarily and politically defeated against Iran, have resorted to deception.

They allegedly copied Iran’s Shahed-136 drone and carried out false-flag attacks on regional targets to spread doubt, falsely blame Iran, and create division with neighboring countries.

Iranian authorities emphasize that their defensive doctrine is legal and rational, targeting only U.S. and Israeli interests, with official statements issued for any strike.

Recent malicious attacks falsely attributed to Iran occurred in friendly neighboring countries such as:

Turkey

Kuwait

Iraq

Iranian officials call on governments and populations to avoid being deceived by divisive provocations and to maintain unity and cooperation to force foreign aggressors to desist.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi has insisted that the Strait of Hormuz is open to all ships except US and Israeli ones, and said there is "nothing wrong" with the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Irani President Announces that region will experience safety, United States must evacuate from the region.

If you want the region to be safe then the American forces have to leave the GCC otherwise get ready for your destruction at our hands. 

And Trump said he has won the war ? Delusional orange monkey. 

Iran is just starting and my friend Doctor Pezeshkian has made it clear for you.

The Iran–U.S. negotiations are scheduled for Friday in Oman.

 

The Donald Trump administration has reportedly agreed to Iran’s request to move the talks from Turkey to Oman

Erdogan says US-Turkey relations ‘not healthy’ and failed to ‘start well with Biden'

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said Ankara’s ties with Washington remain “not healthy.”

US continues to act towards Turkey in a manner that’s not “honest,” Erdogan has said, urging the US to “sort out” the non-delivery of F-35 jets.

He said America did not act honestly, and it [still] isn’t acting so. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday, Turkey’s president touched on the frosty relations between his government and the US, signaling it was up to the latter to fix the situation.

The ongoing F-35 debacle remains the main problem in bilateral ties, according to Erdogan, with Turkey kicked out of the 5th-gen fighter program by Washington after Ankara opted to purchase Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft systems. For Turkey, “the S-400 business is over,” and it’s not possible to somehow revert the purchase.

“We bought F-35s, we paid $1.4 billion, and these F-35s were not given to us. The United States needs to first sort this out,” the president said.

I cannot say that a healthy process is running in Turkish-American ties.

The change of US administration, with President Joe Biden taking over early this year, has apparently done little to warm up Turkish-US relations.

“I can’t say we started well with Mr. Biden,” Erdogan said. “We, Turkey, act honestly. Our stance is honest, but unfortunately America did not act honestly, and it [still] isn’t acting so.”

I worked well with George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, but I cannot say we started well with Joe Biden,"  Erdoğan said, expressing discontent with the incumbent United States President.

"After 19 years in office, I can’t say that we have reached a good position with the U.S.," he added.

"The U.S. must understand that Turkey won’t step back from the S-400 deal," Erdoğan further said, referring to the Russian missile defense system that led to a row between Turkey and the U.S.

Answering a question about Turkey’s stance on the latest developments in Afghanistan, Erdoğan also pointed out the U.S.’s failure and indifference to the situation.

He underlined that the U.S. made their decision without input from Turkey, and thus could not expect Turkey to pay the price for the country’s irresponsible behavior.

Erdoğan said: "It is unthinkable for Turkey to open doors and accept them (Afghan migrants). Our country is not an open-air corridor. It is not easy to accept such a thing. This action has a price and cost."

"The United States cannot say, 'Open the doors and let the Afghan people enter Turkey.' It is the U.S. that has to pay the price here. The U.S. needs to take steps in this regard," he added.

"Biden is transporting weapons to YPG terrorists operating in Syria," he also added, referring to the U.S. support to the PKK-linked terrorist group.

Turkey and Russia signed the S-400 contract back in late 2017, following years of Ankara’s failed attempts to procure modern anti-aircraft systems from its NATO allies. The $2.5-billion deal encompassed delivery of four full S-400 batteries, including various vehicles and launchers, and a cache of missiles. The deliveries began back in 2019 and have already been completed.

Ankara’s move invoked a furious reaction in Washington, with senior US officials repeatedly trying to press Turkey into abandoning the deal. Ankara has not bowed to the pressure, however, and has ended up being kicked out of the F-35 program, while the country’s defense sector has been targeted by US sanctions.

Moscow and Ankara have been in talks over procuring a second batch of the S-400 system. Back in August, Erdogan said his nation had “no hesitations” about the purchase, while Russia’s state-owned arms company Rosoboronexport indicated that the new contract would likely be signed by the end of this year.

US seeking further dialogue with Turkey on Russian-made S-400 bilaterally and through NATO, diplomat says

(Sputnik) - The United States will continue discussions with Turkey bilaterally and through NATO on issues related to Ankara’s purchase of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems, US mission to NATO Charge d’Affaires Douglas Jones told reporters on Monday.


"The United States has been very clear about how we view Turkey’s purchase of the S-400. We oppose the purchase of the S-400," Jones said during an online briefing. "We will continue to discuss with Turkey issues related to the S-400 both through our bilateral contacts with Turkey and here at NATO. And we will continue to work here at NATO together as we plot the way ahead."

Jones reiterated the United States’ stance that the presence of "a large Russian weapon system such as the S-400" has no place in NATO.
"It also contravenes commitments that allies made to each other that we would wind off the dependency on Russian weapons systems," he said.

Jones praised Turkey as "a very valued ally" in NATO and a strong supporter of the alliance and a major contributor to its operations.

The purchase of S-400 batteries has been a major flashpoint of tensions in US-Turkey relations since 2019. The United States demands that Turkey abandon the deal in favour of US-made Patriot systems. It has suspended Turkey's participation in the F-35 jet program and imposed sanctions on the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

Russian agricultural exports soar by 30% as China and Turkey ramp up purchases

RT: Exports of Russian agricultural products have increased by 28.1 percent in the first two months of 2021 against the same period a year ago, amounting to $4.51 billion, the Russian Agricultural Ministry reports.


Foreign sales of grains rose 86.4 percent to $1.916 billion, while exports of fat-and-oil products saw a modest growth of 9.2 percent to $787 million, according to the ministry. Exports of meat and dairy products grew by 32.8 percent to $154 million.

Meanwhile, sales of fish and seafood dropped 27.2 percent to $521 million. Exports of the food and processing industry also saw a decrease of 5.1 percent to $394 million.

The list of top consumers of Russia’s agricultural products is still topped by China, which has raised its imports of Russian food supplies to $822 million since the beginning of the year. That’s 24.4 percent more than the nation purchased within the same period in 2020.

China’s share in the total volume of shipments of agricultural products from Russia is currently at 18.2 percent.

Turkey, the second biggest importer of Russian agricultural goods, increased its purchases by 35.5 percent to $687 million. The nation accounts for 15.2 percent of Russia’s overall agricultural sales.

The European Union ranks third, accounting for 10.4 percent of Russian food imports. The bloc purchased $470 million worth of agricultural produce from Russia, marking a year-on-year drop of 3.5 percent.

Egypt, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Mongolia remain the other major buyers of food products from Russia.

RT Source

Russia, Turkey to develop military ties despite US sanctions says Foreign Minister Lavrov

#BREAKING Russia, Turkey to develop military ties despite US sanctions: Foreign Minister Lavrov pic.twitter.com/TOR9TiJpmQ

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 29, 2020

Sergey Lavrov made the statement  in Sochi during a joint press conference with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as bilateral agreemet to the effect was signed between the two countries.

 

Turkey allegedly bans Armenian gov’t sites over Karabakh dispute

Russia disagrees with Turkey's position on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Russian foreign minister says

The Turkish Zaman newspaper reported that the authorities in Ankara took a new measure against Armenia within the framework of their support for Azerbaijan in Karabakh.

The report confirmed that Turkey has recently banned the official websites of the Armenian government and its ministries on the Internet.

The Agos news site issued in the Turkish and Armenian languages ​​in Turkey, stated that it is no longer possible to access the websites of the official Armenian authorities in Turkey.

Turkey has not commented on these allegations.



Sources: RT, Zaman

Turkey vows to give Greece 'answer it deserves' over east Med dispute: Erdogan

#BREAKING Turkey vows to give Greece 'answer it deserves' over east Med dispute: Erdogan pic.twitter.com/rMcET6PF7t

— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 14, 2020

Turkey on Wednesday vowed to give its NATO ally Greece the "answer it deserves" over their energy dispute in the contested waters in the eastern Mediterranean. "We will continue to give Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration -- who fail to keep their promises at the EU and NATO platforms -- the answer they deserve on the ground," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech to parliament.

The United States and Germany, both allies of Turkey, have labelled the gas exploration mission a "provocation" and urged Ankara to recall the ship.

But Turkey has defied international calls and sent its research vessel Oruc Reis back to the region.

Erdogan said the drillship Yavuz would also return to the eastern Mediterranean after maintenance at the port.

He warned that plans that disregard the interests of Turkey and the breakaway northern Cyprus would not succeed.


fo/wdb

Photos: Syrian Arab Airforce strikes on Turkish backed terrorist logical sites in the western Idlib

 

Syrian Arab Airforce strikes on Turkish backed terrorist logical sites in the western #Idlib countryside. #Syria #SyAAF #Syrianarmy🇸🇾please feel free to follow for daily Syrian Arab Army updates🇸🇾 pic.twitter.com/5SxF0rlSbH

— Steele M (@SteeleSyAA) September 28, 2020

NIGERIANS: Why you should Become A VTU Owner, Make Money Per Seconds

 

Turkey's Erdogan converts another former church into mosque

A month after the former cathedral Hagia Sophia was converted from a museum into a mosque, another Istanbul church-museum, renowned for its exquisite Byzantine mosaics, will undergo the same transformation.

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, ordered Friday that the 700-year-old Chora Church -- currently the Kariye Museum -- be turned into a fully functioning mosque.

The building’s history mirrors that of the famous former Byzantine cathedral Hagia Sophia.

Holy Savior in Chora is a 4th-century Greek Orthodox church whose structure was originally part of a monastery in Byzantine Constantinople.

The church’s current form, instead, dates from the early 14th century. It is highly valued for its masterful mosaics and frescoes.

After the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the church was taken for Muslim worship, and the wall paintings and mosaics thinly covered with dye and lime.

In 1945, the secular Turkish republic declared the building a national monument, and extensive restoration and conservation work was carried out on the former church’s artworks before it opened as a museum in 1958.

Like Hagia Sophia, the building is designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In November 2019, Turkey’s top administrative court, the Council of State, ruled the structure should return to use as a mosque, on the basis that the museum was unlawful for violating the Ottoman declaration that the building be used for Muslim worship.

This ruling was used as precedent for the court’s controversial July decision to convert the former cathedral Hagia Sophia from a museum back into a mosque.

Erdoğan ordered Aug. 21 that Chora Church, a much-visited site in the Fatih district of Istanbul, be turned into a mosque and opened for Muslim worship.

Other church-museums in Turkey, including less notable Hagia Sophias in the towns of İznik and Trabzon, have also been converted back into mosques in recent years.

Historian Fabrice Monnier told French newspaper Le Figaro that he believed the situation with Chora Church was different from that of other mosque reconversions, because of the size of its paintings and mosaics.

“Its beautiful mosaics and frescoes cover almost all the church’s walls and domes,” he said. “It would be hard to imagine it being returned into a mosque without totally covering them over.”

The Hagia Sophia and Chora decisions are thought to be an effort by Erdoğan to appeal to Muslim voters after the president’s party, AK, lost the Istanbul mayoral election in 2019.

By Hannah Brockhaus

Turkey's President Erdogan announced the good news: A tremendous natural gas source was discovered in the Black Sea basin

 

President Erdogan says Turkey has made the biggest natural gas discovery in the country's history. estimated 320 billion cubic meters GAS.

Erdogan made the disclosure on Fridayin what he called "good news" that Turkey has discovered natural gas reserves in the Black Sea. 320 billion cubic meters of natural gas was discovered in the first field. Research is underway. The reserve will be at the service of the nation in 2023, the president said.

#BREAKING Turkish President Erdogan announces the discovery of a massive natural gas pocket in Turkey's Black Sea territorial waters. pic.twitter.com/6zHJGGXf6i

— Yusuf Erim (@YusufErim34) August 21, 2020

According to the President, Natural gas find in Black Sea biggest ever in Turkish history, reserve estimated at 320 billion cubic metres .

Turkey wants to begin using gas resources by 2023, data shows strong possibility of other natural gas finds in Black Sea , Erdogan said.

Erdogan added that they're expecting similar news from Mediterranean Sea as well.

We are decisive in solving Turkey's energy problems at the root source

Turkey discovers massive gas reserve in Black Sea, Erdogan promises good news

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Turkey has found a large amount of gas recently, in a disclosure that may help it reduce its dependence on energy imports if the discovered materials can be commercially extracted.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told executives in the energy sector on Wednesday, he will announce “good news” on Friday, which will mark the beginning of a “new era” for Turkey.

Erdogan did not give details, but two sources told Reuters that he was talking about a gas discovery in the Black Sea, and one of them explained that the size of the reserves may meet Turkey’s energy needs for twenty years.

The Turkish exploration vessel Fatih has been operating since late July in the “Tuna-1” exploration area, which is about 100 nautical miles north of the Turkish coast on the western Black Sea.

There has been a discovery of natural gas in the well (Tuna 1), an expected reserve of 26 trillion cubic feet or 800 billion cubic meters, and it meets Turkey’s needs for about 20 years.

But he warned that the start of production could take approximately seven to ten years, and he estimated the investment costs between two and three billion dollars.

Officials, including Energy Minister Fatih Donmaz, did not give details of the expected announcement on Friday, saying that Erdogan would reveal the “surprise” himself.

Large Turkish military reinforcements enter northwestern Syria after Russian airstrikes

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According to the report, a massive Turkish military convoy entered northwestern Syria on Wednesday, entering the country from the neighboring Hatay Province.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said over 450 Turkish military vehicles entered northwestern Syria, where they reportedly made their way to the agreed upon deescalation zone.

According to the SOHR report, the Turkish military convoy consisted of armored vehicles and heavy weapons. 

The arrival of these Turkish reinforcements comes just a day after the Russian Air Force launched heavy airstrikes over the Idlib Governorate.

According to a Syrian Arab Army (SAA) source, the airstrikes were carried out in response to the militant attack on the Turkish patrol along the M-4 (Aleppo-Latakia Highway) Highway on Monday.

How Russian general was killed in roadside bombing attack in east Syria

The incident was said to have taken place in Deir ez-Zor province, northeastern Syria. A Russian major-general was killed and two troops were injured in Syria Tuesday after vehicles they were traveling in were hit by an improvised explosive device (IED), the Russian Ministry of Defence has announced.

The blast was said to have taken place near the At-Taim oil field, about 15 km outside the city of Deir ez-Zor, with the Russian convoy said to have been hit while returning from a humanitarian action.

“As a result of the explosion, three Russian servicemen were injured. During evacuation and while receiving medical assistant, a senior Russian military advisor with the rank of major-general died from the serious injuries sustained,” the MoD said.

The military said the IED involved was placed on the side of the road along which the Russian convoy was traveling.

The family of the senior officer will receive all possible assistance and support, according to the MoD, with the major-general to be awarded posthumously for his service.

The Russian ground contingent in Syria consists of Military Police forces, whose mission includes separating Turkish and Syrian forces in the country’s north, assisting in humanitarian aid deliveries, and occasionally, helping Syrian Army forces destroy terrorist remnants.

This includes forces operating in Deir ez-Zor province. 

On Saturday, Russian forces deployed a mobile water treatment plant in Deir ez-Zor city. On August 6, the Russian military reported “an aggravation of the situation in the areas of the province of Deir ez-Zor” outside the control of the Syrian government owing to poor conditions in US-occupied areas of the province.

On Monday, Syrian and US forces engaged in a skirmish in neighbouring Hasakah province, with the incident leaving one Syrian soldier dead and two others injured.

Hasakah and Deir ez-Zor contain the vast majority of Syria’s energy resources, which the Syrian government considers vital for its efforts to rebuild the country. 

In addition to Syrian Army and Russian forces (which are deployed in accordance with international law), US troops and Turkish-backed militias also operate in the area, as do the remnants of Daesh (ISIS)* and other terrorist groups, with the concentration of these forces in close proximity leading to regular confrontations, some of them violent.

Over 120 Russian servicemen have been killed in operations in Syria since Russia began its anti-terrorist operation in the country in September 2015.



Source: Sputnik

World leaders praise the historic deal as Palestinian leadership, Iran, Turkey accuse UAE of betraying Al-Aqsa over peace with Israel

World leaders voiced hope Friday that a historic deal between the UAE and Israel could kickstart moribund Middle East peace talks, even as the Palestinians and their supporters denounced the move to normalise ties as a betrayal of their cause, according to AFP reports.

According to  AMN report, the Palestinian leadership called on the United Arab Emirates to immediately withdraw from the “shameful declaration of normalization” with Israel, describing it as “a betrayal of Al-Aqsa,”

The official spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, said that the Palestinian leadership calls for an immediate meeting of the League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to reject the announcement of the Emirati-Israeli normalisation.

He said that “the Palestinian leadership considers the Emirati-Israeli normalisation to destroy the Arab Peace Initiative and an aggression against the Palestinian people.”

“The Palestinian leadership affirms that the PLO is the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,” he added.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the ‘historical’ move to normalize ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Going by the announcement, it was only the third of such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, and raised the prospect of similar deals with other pro-Western Gulf states.

The deal sees Israel pledge to suspend its planned annexation of Palestinian lands, a concession welcomed by European and some pro-Western Arab governments as a boost for hopes of peace.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed Israel was not abandoning its plans to one day annex the Jordan Valley and Jewish settlements across the occupied West Bank.

News of the agreement was broken by US President Donald Trump, in a tweet hailing a "HUGE breakthrough".

He said leaders from the two countries would sign the deal at the White House in around three weeks, evoking memories of previous US-mediated Middle East accords.

The Palestinian leadership rejected the deal as a "betrayal" of their cause, saying they would withdraw their ambassador from the Emirates.

Following Friday prayers in Jerusalem, worshippers outside the Al-Aqsa mosque walked on pictures of UAE strongman Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

In the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, people set fire to pictures of Sheikh Mohamed, Netanyahu and Trump.

In Ramallah in the West Bank, Jihad Hussein, said: "The Palestinian people have been stabbed in the back by the Emirates leadership."

"But neither this agreement nor anything else will undermine our will to fight for the freedom and independence," he added.


- 'Full normalisation' -


Establishing diplomatic ties between Israel and Washington's Middle East allies, including the oil-rich Gulf monarchies, has been central to Trump's regional strategy to contain Iran, also an arch-foe of Israel.

Tehran on Friday condemned the deal as an act of "strategic stupidity" that would only strengthen the Iranian-backed "axis of resistance".

Under the deal, Israel and the UAE "agreed to the full normalisation of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates", according to a joint statement Friday evening by Trump, Netanyahu and Sheikh Mohamed.

They added that Israel would "suspend declaring sovereignty" over occupied Palestinian West Bank areas -- an idea proposed in Trump's controversial peace plan unveiled earlier this year.

Sheikh Mohamed quickly stressed in a tweet that an agreement has been "reached to stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories".

But Netanyahu insisted shortly afterwards that he had only agreed to delay, not cancel, the annexations, that the plans remained "on the table" saying he would "never give up our rights to our land".

Among other US allies in the Gulf, both Bahrain and Oman put out statements backing the normalisation deal.

The European Union said normalisation would benefit both Israel and the UAE, but foreign policy spokeswoman Nabila Massrali stressed the bloc's commitment to a two-state solution.

"We are, of course, ready to work on the resumption of the negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians," she said.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a longtime critic of Israel and frequently at odds with western powers, threatened to suspend diplomatic relations with the UAE or withdraw Ankara's ambassador.

There was no immediate word from regional heavyweight and Emirati ally Saudi Arabia.


- Annexation relief -


The controversial Trump plan, unveiled in January, had offered a path for Israel to annex the Jordan Valley and Jewish settlements across the occupied West Bank, communities considered illegal under international law.

The Palestinians had rejected the plan outright as biased and untenable, as did Israel's Arab neighbours, and it sparked fears of further escalation in a tense region.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said he hoped Israel's suspension of annexations under the plan could help realise a two-state solution with the Palestinians.

Annexation would "effectively close the door" on negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian leaders and "destroy the prospect" of a viable Palestinian state, he said.

The deal marks a major foreign policy achievement for Trump as he heads into a difficult campaign for re-election in November.

Sources: AFP, AMN

France deploys warship, fighter jets to Mediterranean amid growing tensions with Turkey

Greece got the "first response" from Turkey in the ongoing Mediterranean Row, Erdogan Says

France announced Thursday that it will deploy two warplanes, and reinforce its presence in the eastern Mediterranean with one of its warships.

The French Ministry of Defense said that France will send two Rafale fighter jets and the naval frigate Lafayette to the eastern Mediterranean as part of plans to increase its military presence in the region, amid indications of tension with Turkey, the Reuters News Agency reported.

Earlier in the week, French President Emmanuel Macron called on Turkey to stop drilling for oil and gas in disputed waters in that region, which led to an escalation of tensions with Greece.

Macron had rejected Turkey’s “dangerous and unilateral” steps, expressing his grave concern about the tensions caused by the “unilateral” Turkish decision to drill in the eastern Mediterranean region.

A statement by the French presidency stated that Paris decided to temporarily reinforce its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, in order to respect international law.

Macron called for the opening of a “peaceful dialogue” between Turkey, its neighboring countries and NATO partners.


Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Greece got the "first response" from Turkey in the ongoing Mediterranean crisis, hinting at the recent incident between Russian and Greek frigates.

"We said that if you attack Oruc Reis, the consequences would be great. And today, they received the first response", Erdogan said, speaking in Ankara.

The Turkish-Greek tensions escalated this week after Turkey's Oruc Reis research vessel began exploration drilling in Greek-claimed waters in the Mediterranean on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the Greek Armyvoice.gr news portal reported, citing sources, that Greek naval frigate Limnos and Turkish frigate Kemalreis (F-247) "touched" each other in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The incident happened in close proximity to Oruc Reis. The area is heavily patrolled by both Turkish and Greek vessels.

Tensions between two NATO allies increased again earlier in August, after Greece and Egypt signed a maritime deal on an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the eastern Mediterranean. Ankara then slammed the agreement as "null and void," saying that Athens and Cairo share no sea border, and claimed that the area of the EEZ was in fact located on Turkey’s continental shelf. The Greece-Egypt deal prompted Turkey to resume seismic research in the eastern Mediterranean.

LIBYA WAR: Greece, Egypt strengthen ties amid Mediterranean tension with Turkey

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi received on Thursday evening, a phone call from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss several issues, including the ongoing conflict with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean

According to a statement of the official spokesperson for the Egyptian presidency , published on Facebook, the contact dealt with some regional files, particularly the developments of the Libyan issue and Turkish drilling in the eastern Mediterranean.

The statement said: “The president reviewed the constants and limitations of the Egyptian position towards the crisis in Libya, especially with regard to undermining illegal foreign interventions in the Libyan issue, which further exacerbate the security situation in a way that affects the stability of the entire region.”

He continued: “The Greek Prime Minister praised the sincere Egyptian efforts and tireless efforts aimed at settling the conflict and restoring peace in all Libyan lands.”

Mitsotakis stressed the importance of working to return to the political track as an original solution to the Libyan crisis, in line with the relevant UN resolutions and the outputs of the Berlin Conference, while rejecting any external interference in this regard.

The two sides also discussed the recent seismic surveys Turkey has been conducting in the eastern Mediterranean, which Greek has condemned due to territorial disputes with Ankara.

AMN