Theresa Fallon
“Many people would like to see China play a constructive role, but I think now that we're in the third year of the war, this idea is wearing a bit thin.”
7 hours ago
Mahjoob Zweiri
“What we have witnessed in the past few hours is that they talk about an agreement on the first stage. It could be understood that Hamas wants to release itself from the pressure globally, including the United States. So, they are giving concessions on the first stage, which leads to 40 days of ceasefire and exchange of captives. I think 33 old and sick captives. And then moving on to other stages. But we are seeing that we are going back to the main conditions, which means we are still talking about the main principles [complete ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza] that Hamas talked about. As the time of some sort of agreement on the first stage came, the Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to say actually, there is no agreement: We will go to Rafah regardless of any agreement. It reflects the divisions within the Israelis and crisis within the Israeli politics. On the other hand, Hamas has been more cautious. They do not want to show real progress made but they also do not want to say things have not changed. I think it's obvious some change has happened otherwise we would not expect [CIA chief] William Burns to be in the region.”
7 hours ago
Theresa Fallon
“Many people would like to see China play a constructive role, but I think now that we're in the third year of the war, this idea is wearing a bit thin.”
7 hours ago
Mahjoob Zweiri
“What we have witnessed in the past few hours is that they talk about an agreement on the first stage. It could be understood that Hamas wants to release itself from the pressure globally, including the United States. So, they are giving concessions on the first stage, which leads to 40 days of ceasefire and exchange of captives. I think 33 old and sick captives. And then moving on to other stages. But we are seeing that we are going back to the main conditions, which means we are still talking about the main principles [complete ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza] that Hamas talked about. As the time of some sort of agreement on the first stage came, the Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to say actually, there is no agreement: We will go to Rafah regardless of any agreement. It reflects the divisions within the Israelis and crisis within the Israeli politics. On the other hand, Hamas has been more cautious. They do not want to show real progress made but they also do not want to say things have not changed. I think it's obvious some change has happened otherwise we would not expect [CIA chief] William Burns to be in the region.”
7 hours ago
“Today the UN is like a retired superhero who has forgotten what he could do. He considers himself a burden, a weak, frail, useless old man whose life was in vain. [Russia fueling the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine and Russia's occupation of the Crimean Peninsula] Isn't it evidence of an international crime? Isn't it proof of impunity and disrespect for international law? Moreover, the Russian Federation itself officially declares it. And it forces our citizens of Ukraine to take part in the elections to the Russian parliament. And if the UN does not react efficiently and strongly to this, is that proof that it is too late to revive the UN?”