Closing summary
Israel was poised to again miss a deadline for withdrawing its troops from southern Lebanon after the military said it would remain in five “strategic points” in the country. Hezbollah secretary general Naim Qassem said yesterday that any Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil after 18 February would be considered an occupying force. “Everyone knows how an occupation is dealt with,” he said.
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a day after meeting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rubio was received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). On the agenda is likely to be Donald Trump’s plans to move millions of Palestinians out of their territories in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Jordan – a proposal opposed by MBS and widely condemned as an endorsement of ethnic cleansing.
An alternative to Trump’s plan to “take over” the Gaza Strip is being prepared by Egypt in conjunction with the World Bank. The process would be handed over on an interim basis to the control of a social or community support committee. No member of Hamas would sit on the committee.
The EU plans to tell Israel next week that Palestinians uprooted from their Gaza homes should be ensured a “dignified” return and that Europe will contribute to rebuilding the shattered territory, according to a document seen by Reuters.
The Israeli military said a drone strike in southern Lebanon killed Mohammad Shaheen, the head of Hamas’ operations department in Lebanon. The army accused Shaheen of “recently planning terror attacks, directed and funded by Iran, from Lebanese territory against the citizens of the state of Israel.” Hamas confirmed Shaheen’s death but described him as a military commander.
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Saudi crown prince receives Marco Rubio in Riyadh
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has received Marco Rubio in Riyadh, in the first visit by the US secretary of state since he started in his new position last month. He will discuss the future of both Gaza and Ukraine. Rubio is expected to press the Saudi leadership to suggest a realistic vision for postwar Gaza after Riyadh rejected Donald Trump’s proposal for the effective ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza.
Yesterday, Rubio visited Jerusalem where he met Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said his government is working closely with the US to implement Trump’s Gaza “take over” proposal, despite it being dismissed as dangerous, illegal and unworkable by many lawyers.
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