June, 2022

• 3 June

  Turkey Spoils the Big NATO Party

  

  Complacency has been the hallmark of NATO expansion. Over time, it has even become a form of derision, notably directed against Russia. As with many historical matters, records ignored can be records revisited, the second time around sometimes nastier than the first. With the Ukraine conflict raging, a few of …

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• 3 June

  US, UK to deliver advanced longer-range missile systems to Ukraine

  

  US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that Washington will deliver advanced longer-range missile systems HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) to the Ukrainian army, as part of yet another $700 million in military aid that the White House announced on May 31. This latest tranche brings the total direct …

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• 3 June

  Terrorist attacks unsurprising given Palestinian suffering – EU envoy

  

  “What do you think a child who sees the houses of their parents, their brothers and sisters demolished?” Terrorist attacks against Israelis should not be surprising given the depth of Palestinian suffering from the 74 years of conflict with Israel, according to European Union Representative Sven Kühn von Burgsdorff. “When …

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• 3 June

  What stopped Hamas from attacking Israel on Jerusalem Day?

  

  “Instead of rockets, Hamas chose to attack Israel with fiery statements,” said a Palestinian journalist, adding that Gazans were expecting war. Since the beginning of the week, Hamas officials have been struggling to explain why their group did not respond to the Flag March, which took place in the Old …

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• 3 June

  Netanyahu was ready to give up Golan for peace with Syria, new book claims

  

  A 2011 deal would have required the Assad regime to end its ties to Hezbollah, Hamas and IRGC if it wanted the Golan back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considered a deal with Syria that would have seen Israel give up control of the Golan and have a demilitarized zone established …

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• 3 June

  The Long Arm of Authoritarianism

  

  How Dictators Reach Across Borders to Shut Down Dissent Last year was a particularly dangerous time to be a Belarusian political dissident—not just in Belarus, but anywhere in the world. In 2021, after months of violently cracking down on peaceful opposition protests at home, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko began exporting …

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• 3 June

  Could Turkey-Israel rapprochement lead to gas agreement?

  

  The Cyprus conflict stands as a major stumbling block before potential plans to carry Israeli gas to Europe via Turkey. The visit to Tel Aviv on May 26 by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and the news that Turkey and Israel are planning to re-establish formal diplomatic and economic relations …

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• 3 June

  Can Sudan replace Ukraine as breadbasket for MENA region?

  

  Despite Sudan’s agricultural and animal resources, political instability is hindering the country’s potential to benefit itself and the region. Sudan’s Minister of Trade and Supply Amal Saleh Saad says her country can secure food for the Arab world and compensate for the shortages of Ukrainian and Russian wheat caused by …

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• 3 June

  OPEC+ alliance agrees to production increase

  

  Pressure on Saudi Arabia, Russia and other major oil producers has boosted production amid high prices. An alliance of major oil exporters announced a big increase in production today. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies agreed to boost production by 648,000 barrels a day for July …

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• 3 June

  Saudi crown prince balances Turkey visit with stops in Greece and Cyprus

  

  Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to visit Turkey as part of a regional tour shows that the kingdom has no intention to upset Greece and Cyprus while mending fences with Turkey. A forthcoming visit by the Saudi crown prince could have made Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan all smiles — had …

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