Trump says it's time for US to recognize 'Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights'. President Donald Trump on Thursday overturned longstanding US policy regarding the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, announcing "It is time" for the US to "Fully recognize Israel's Sovereignty" over the region.
The announcement hands Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a significant foreign policy victory, less than three weeks before Israelis head to the polls to decide whether he should remain in power. The move comes just days before Netanyahu is set to join Trump at the White House and follows weeks during which Netanyahu has renewed his push for the US to recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 and formally annexed the territory in 1981. But that annexation has not been recognized by the international community, which has regarded the Golan Heights as occupied territory and Israeli settlements there as illegal under international law. Ref. CNN.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard seized a British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, US and Iranian officials say
The development comes amid a dispute between Iran and the Trump administration over claims that the US shot down an Iranian drone, also in the strait, and marks the latest escalation between the US and Iran. Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Donald Trump wouldn't say whether the latest ship seizure by Iran crosses a "Red line" or how the US might respond. Ref. USAToday.
Israel bars US Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from entering the country. Shortly after President Trump encouraged Israel to bar Omar and Tlaib from visiting the country, Israeli officials publicly confirmed that the congresswomen would be denied entry. Omar and Tlaib had planned to travel to Jerusalem and the West Bank, among other stops, this weekend. Source 8y.
Israel grants Rep. Rashida Tlaib permission to visit family in West Bank a day after barring lawmaker's visit. Israel’s interior minister granted a request Friday by Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) to enter the Israeli-occupied West Bank on humanitarian grounds. It came a day after Israel announced it would block Tlaib and fellow Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar (Minn.) from entering the country on a planned trip this weekend following a tweet from President Donald Trump urging the country to not allow them to visit. Israel’s decision sparked widespread criticism. Ref. USAToday.
Iran further reduces nuclear deal compliance, warns 'not much time left' to save accord. For the third time since the Trump administration abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal last year, Iran on Saturday took steps to distance itself from the accord with world powers, accelerating its nuclear activities after accusing European signatories to the deal of failing to provide a solution to Washington's crippling oil sanctions. "Europeans should know that there is not much time left to save the agreement," Iranian official Behrouz Kamalvandi said Saturday during a news conference. Source 1q.