World

Top Israeli minister: ‘No such thing’ as Palestinian people

A firebrand Israeli minister claimed there’s “no such thing” as a Palestinian people as Israel's new coalition government, its most hard-line ever, plowed ahead on Monday with a part of its plan to overhaul the judiciary.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition said it was pushing a key part of the overhaul — which would give the coalition control over who becomes a justice or a judge — before the parliament takes a monthlong holiday break next week.

The development came a day after an Israeli and Palestinian delegation at a meeting in Egypt, mediated by Egyptian, Jordanian and US officials, pledged to take steps to lower tensions roiling the region ahead of a sensitive holiday season.

It reflected the limited influence the Biden administration appears to have over Israel’s new far-right government and raised questions about attempts to lower tensions, both inside Israel and with the Palestinians, ahead of a sensitive holiday season.

As the negotiators were issuing a joint communique, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich delivered a speech in Paris saying the notion of a Palestinian people was artificial.

“There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation. There is no Palestinian history. There is no Palestinian language,” he said in France late Sunday. He spoke at a lectern draped with what appeared to be an image showing the map of Israel that included the occupied West Bank, Gaza and Jordan.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said that Smotrich’s appearance with the icon was a “reckless inflammatory act and a violation of international norms and the peace treaty" between the two countries.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Smotrich's remarks were “conclusive evidence of the extremist, racist Zionist ideology that governs the parties of the current Israeli government.”

A far-right settler leader who opposes Palestinian statehood, Smotrich has a history of offensive statements against the Palestinians. Last month, he called for the Palestinian town of Hawara in the West Bank to be “erased” after radical Jewish settlers rampaged through the town in response to a shooting attack that killed two Israelis. Smotrich later apologized after an international uproar.

His remarks on Palestinians were reminiscent of those made by late Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir that caused an uproar in 1969. She later told The New York Times that she meant there had never been a Palestinian nation. But critics say the comments continue to tarnish her legacy.

During Sunday’s talks in Egypt, a Palestinian gunman carried out another shooting attack in Hawara, seriously wounding an Israeli man.

The new violence, along with Smotrich’s comments, illustrated the tough challenges that lie ahead in soothing tensions after a year of deadly violence in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and more than 40 Israelis or foreigners have been killed in Palestinian attacks during that time.

Sunday’s summit was held ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins this week. The Jewish festival of Passover is set to take place in April, coinciding with Ramadan.

The upcoming period is sensitive because large numbers of Jewish and Muslim faithful pour into Jerusalem’s Old City, the emotional heart of the conflict and a flashpoint for violence, increasing friction points.

Large numbers of Jews are also expected to visit a key Jerusalem holy site, known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as the Temple Mount — an act the Palestinians view as a provocation.

Clashes at the site in 2021 helped trigger an 11-day war between Israel and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.

On Monday, Israeli police closed the offices of a Palestinian radio station in east Jerusalem, saying it worked for official Palestinian Authority media in violation of the 1994 interim agreements between Israel and the Palestinians.

The heightened tensions with the Palestinians coincide with mass demonstrations inside Israel against Netanyahu’s plans to overhaul the judicial system. Opponents of the measure have carried out disruptive protests, and the debate has embroiled the country’s military, where some reservists are refusing to show up for service. Netanyahu has rejected a compromise by Israel's figurehead president.

During his call with Netanyahu, Biden appealed for caution, the White House said, “as a friend of Israel in the hopes that there can be a compromise formula found.”

The president “underscored his belief that democratic values have always been, and must remain, a hallmark of the US-Israel relationship," the White House said, and added that "fundamental changes should be pursued with the broadest possible base of popular support.”

Netanyahu's government says the plan is meant to correct an imbalance that has given the courts too much power over the legislative process. Critics say the overhaul would upend the country's delicate system of checks and balances and push Israel toward authoritarianism. They also say Netanyahu could find an escape route from his corruption trial through the overhaul.

The protests, along with the rising violence with the Palestinians, have posed a major challenge for the new government. So far this year, 85 Palestinians have been killed, according to a tally by The Associated Press.

The number of Israelis killed during the same period rose to 15 on Monday after Or Eshkar, 33, died. He was shot in the head at point-blank range by a Palestinian in Tel Aviv on March 9.

Israel says most of the Palestinians killed have been militants. But stone-throwing youths protesting the incursions and people not involved in the confrontations have also been killed.

Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek those territories for their future independent state.

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World

Saudi Fund for Development Celebrates 50 Years of Global Impact with Over $20 Billion in Development Contributions

The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) celebrated its 50th anniversary in Riyadh today, under
the theme “50 Years of Global Impact.”The event brought together key development partners to
reflect on the SFD’s significant contributions to sustainable development worldwide. Over the
past five decades, the SFD has allocated over $20 billion, financing more than 800 development
projects and programs in vital sectors, including social infrastructure (education, healthcare,
water and sewage, and housing and urban development), communication and transportation
(roads, railways, airports and seaports), energy, agriculture, mining and industry, and others.
Since its inception in 1974, the SFD has been the international development arm of the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia and has provided critical support to over 100 developing nations around the
world. With a strong focus on supporting countries to achieve the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), the SFD has played a pivotal role in driving sustainable development in Least
Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
During the event, SFD Chairman H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb emphasized the importance of
collaboration in driving global development. He highlighted that SFD’s success is deeply rooted
in its partnerships, with 27 development projects and programs in 23 developing countries in
2023 co-financed with other funders. He also underscored the need to forge new partnerships and
strengthen existing ones to create a world where every individual has the opportunity to reach
their full potential.
Reflecting on this significant milestone, the SFD CEO , Mr. Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-
Marshad, stated: “As we celebrate five decades of impactful work, we are committed, now more
than ever, to supporting developing countries on their journey to economic self-reliance and
resilience. Our goal is to ensure that all children can go to school, that education is not a
privilege but something every child should have access to, and that families have access to
healthcare and basic vital services. Equally, we focus on critical infrastructure development, like
building roads and enhancing airports and sea ports, so that countries can thrive and engage in
economic activities and trade. This work is not just about financing; it’s about tangibly
improving lives, creating opportunities, empowering communities, and building a more
prosperous future.”
On the sidelines of the 50 th Anniversary Gala, the SFD and the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
signed a new $25 million agreement to co-finance a renewable energy development project in the
Solomon Islands. This marks the first project for SFD in the Solomon Islands. The primary aim

of the project is to develop renewable energy infrastructure, reduce dependency on fossil fuels,
and promote sustainable development in the region.
This agreement builds on SFD’50 years of transformative impact through development projects
that have spanned Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern
Europe.
This includes key projects such as the Metolong Dam in Lesotho, which received $25 million in
funding and now provides potable water to 280,000 people, enhancing water security and public
hygiene and health in the region. This is just one of the 433 projects across Africa, with a total
funding of $11.5 billion, which focuses on critical areas such as infrastructure and water security.
In Asia, the SFD has funded 271 projects with a total funding of $7.8 billion. One notable
example is the SFD’s contribution to the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project in Pakistan, which
has an overall project cost of $240 million. The projects contributes to the country’s energy
security and flood resilience by generating 800 megawatts of renewable energy and storing 1.6
million cubic meters of water.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the SFD has financed 21 projects, totaling $951 million
USD. This includes rehabilitating the Water and Sewage System in Havana, Cuba, where the
SFD has allocated $35 million to enhance public infrastructure. Another significant initiative is
the rebuilding of St. Jude Hospital in Saint Lucia, supported by $75 million funding, which will
contribute to providing high-quality health services to citizens in a modern and sophisticated
facility and providing sufficient medical supplies and equipment to support the effective
operation of the hospital.
In Eastern Europe, the SFD has contributed to 14 projects with a total investment of $303
million. A key initiative is the construction of the Tirana-Elbasan-Chokos-Chalf-Ploce Road,
where the SFD provided $73.8 million to rebuild essential roads and bridges, thereby boosting
regional economic activities.
During the celebration, esteemed speakers shared insights on the SFD’s pivotal role in global
development, and in championing critical partnerships and collective action and response.
Keynote speakers included:

 HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, Founder and Trustee of the King Faisal
Foundation
 H.E. Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khateeb, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the SFD
 H.E. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group
 H.E. Muhammad Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank

These global development leaders emphasized the SFD’s commitment to fostering sustainable
growth in countries and communities with the most pressing developmental needs. The gala was attended by more than 500 people, including ministers, heads of regional and international organizations, ambassadors, representatives of the United and other distinguished
guests. As the SFD looks to the future, it reaffirms its mission and pledge to drive international
development efforts, on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to contribute to global
stability, social progress, and economic prosperity for future generations.

World

Jordan warns of escalation in southern Lebanon

Jordan warned on Sunday of the increasing escalation in southern Lebanon and a potential regional war in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah discussed supporting Lebanon, its security, stability and the safety of its people and institutions, noting the need to adhere to Security Council Resolution 1701 to reduce and prevent further escalation and protect the region from the risk of slipping into a regional war.

Qudah added that the Israeli war on Gaza and the failure to reach an exchange agreement that leads to an immediate and permanent ceasefire puts the entire region at risk of the conflict expanding.

He discussed launching an effective international movement that imposes an immediate cessation of the aggression on Gaza.

World

China issues guidelines for coordinated digital, green transformation

China’s Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission and nine central departments have issued new guidelines for the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Published on Saturday, the guidelines focus on two main areas: promoting the green, low-carbon development of digital industries and accelerating the green transformation of various sectors through digital technology.

They aim to accelerate the coordinated transformation toward digital development and green growth, promote the integration of emerging technologies with green, low-carbon industries, and enhance traditional industries using digital and green technologies.

Outlining fundamental principles, the guidelines specify the roles of authorities, industry associations, universities, research institutes and businesses in driving this transition.

They provide a three-part framework covering the basic capacity, technological systems and industrial systems for digital-green integration.

Regions are encouraged to focus on high-quality development, develop new quality productive forces, leverage local resources and create specialized industries and functional advantages to accelerate coordinated digital and green development.