Israeli assault on Al-Khalil displaces nearly 5,000
Palestinians ........as crackdown enters sixth day
October 28th, 4:45 pm
(PressTV)
Nearly 5,000 Palestinians have been displaced - as Israeli
forces continued their military assault on the occupied
West Bank city of Al-Khalil.
Nearly 5,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced.. as
Israeli forces intensify their assault on Al-Khalil for a 6th
consecutive day on Wednesday, raiding homes,
escalating arrests, and imposing tighter
movement restrictions --- across the
southern West Bank governorate.
Al-Khalil Municipality said Tuesday evening that 4,969
Palestinians from 780 families had been displaced
by the ongoing Israeli offensive.
Additional Israeli troops and military vehicles entered
towns across the governorate and Al-Fawwar
refugee camp around midnight, searching
homes and intensifying restrictions.
Media cameras captured Israeli soldiers stopping and
searching Palestinians and subjecting them to harsh
treatment near the al-Jalda roundabout.
The Palestinian Prisoner Society reported that Israeli
forces ---- arrested 85 Palestinians in Al-Khalil
governorate between Friday and Monday.
The offensive began on Friday after two Palestinians
attacked an Israeli checkpoint, killing two Israeli
soldiers and wounding three others.
Israeli forces expanded operations into several other
governorates. In Tulkarm, troops arrested journalist
Hamza Salama Al-Safi, previously released in a
prisoner exchange, along with his brothers,
Mu’min and Mustafa.
In Qalqilya, 11 Palestinians, most of them former prisoners,
were arrested after home searches. Israeli troops also
raided Tammun, south of Tubas, and Salem, east of
Nablus, where homes were searched.... amid a
heavy military deployment.
A separate Israeli military raid on Burin, south of Nablus,
triggered confrontations with local youths. According to
Quds News Network (QNN), Israeli forces converted six
residential buildings and a cafe into a military barracks
and field ''interrogation facilities'', in recent incursions.
In Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, Israeli military fired
stun grenades and tear gas while deploying troops
across several neighbourhoods.
In Al-Shuyoukh, north of Al-Khalil, four Palestinians
picking olives were arrested by the regime forces.
They were identified as brothers Abdullah, Abdul
Basit and Muhammad Al-Mashni, along with
Ayoub Al-Mashni --- they were reportedly
taken to the Asfir settlement.
In Masafer Yatta, south of Al-Khalil, Israeli settlers
assaulted a Palestinian, injuring his face. Israeli
forces arrested another Palestinian ---- after
settlers attacked him near the village.
Movement restrictions were tightened around occupied
al-Quds. Israeli forces established a checkpoint near
the entrance to Al-Ram on Tuesday night, while
troops.... closed the entrances and exits to
Hizma, northeast of the city, preventing
vehicles from entering or leaving.
The developments come amid escalating Israeli military
operations, arrests and settler violence across the
occupied West Bank, including East al-Quds,
since Israel launched its genocidal war
on Gaza in October 2023.
During the last three years, Israeli forces and settlers have
killed more than 1,210 Palestinians, injuring around 13,350
others in the occupied West Bank.
_____________________________________
Political deadlock looms as exit polls
show Israeli parties falling short of
Knesset majority: Reports
October 28th, 3:33pm
(PressTV)
Exit polls from the Israeli regime’s general election
reportedly indicate that both competing parties
are projected to fall well short of securing a
parliamentary majority.
Results from the polls emerged early on Wednesday,
a day after the election, projecting 27 seats for
Netanyahu’s Likud, ahead of Yashar, led by
his principal challenger, a former military
chief Gadi Eisenkot, which is expected
to win 21 or 22 seats, various Israeli
outlets reported.
Nevertheless...... the two blocs are projected to be
roughly level, with Netanyahu’s camp potentially
holding around 50 seats, approximately 11
short of a working majority... in the 120-
member Knesset (Israeli parliament).
According to observers, the results -- raise the
possibility of prolonged political uncertainty
and another election within months.
Netanyahu would likely remain
caretaker prime minister
during that period.
Turnout among Palestinian voters was particularly
high ------- with the two Arab political groupings,
projected to win about 18 seats combined.
If.. the projections hold, Arab parties could prove
decisive in determining whether the opposition
can form a ruling coalition. However ....some
opposition officials have ruled out working
directly with Arab representatives.
The Joint List, a political alliance of Arab-majority
parties is, meanwhile, reportedly less likely to
formally join an Israeli-led ruling coalition
without a commitment to resume
negotiations........ with the
Palestinian Authority.
Netanyahu, Eisenkot trade accusations
Speaking to Likud supporters earlier.. Netanyahu
claimed his bloc had won -- a “decisive majority”
among voters. He also rejected the prospect of
a ruling coalition dependent on Arab parties.
Eisenkot called on the prime minister to retire,
saying, “The coalition of failure has lost” the
settlers’ “trust.”
His campaign focused on Netanyahu’s responsibility
for the failures during the historic al-Aqsa Storm
resistance operation of October 7, 2023, when
resistance fighters stormed the occupied
territories, encircled military outposts,
and ensnared hundreds of Zionists.
The Netanyahu bloc’s electoral failure comes
---- despite two major endorsements by US
President Donald Trump in recent days.
Under the Israeli regime’s political guidelines, a party
head designated by the president receives 28 days
to form a ruling coalition, with a possible 14-
day extension.
According to experts, the opposition’s ability
to cooperate with Arab parties - will
potentially - prove crucial.
_______________________________________
Araghchi: New aggression in Persian Gulf
will have ‘devastating’ impact on markets
October 28th, 2:26pm
(PressTV)
The Iranian foreign minister has warned that
renewed Israeli aggression in the Persian
Gulf could severely disrupt the global
energy markets.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned
that any renewed Israeli-instigated military
aggression in the Persian Gulf region
could have a “devastating impact”
on global energy markets.
In a post on X, Araghchi said the impact of any such
action on international markets remained a major
concern ---- for gas suppliers and consumers.
He added --- that Iran’s energy diplomacy had advanced
at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit,
where discussions focused on global gas markets
and energy security.
The summit, held in Moscow on Tuesday, also provided a
platform for Iran and Russia to explore ways to deepen
bilateral cooperation.
Meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of
the summit, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stressed
that the regional countries could resolve their challenges
through their own cooperation, without US intervention.
Meanwhile, Iran’s acting Oil Minister Hamid Bovard pushed
back against US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s
controversial prediction that Iran could face fuel
shortages this winter, dismissing his advice
that Iranians stockpile supplies.
“Instead of advising Iranians to stock up on fuel, the US
treasury secretary should worry about its price for
his own people,” Bovard wrote on X.
He said that while Iran was advancing gas diplomacy
in Moscow, the US was scrambling......... to secure
diesel supplies.
Bovard added that Bessent’s advice would be better
directed at US citizens, who, he said, were bearing
the cost of the present US President, Donald
Trump’s “adventurism.”
The remarks come amid escalating tensions between
Tehran and Washington, with Iran warning: that any
renewed US-Israeli aggression would be met with
a far more painful response.
Trump -- has threatened military action after the US
midterm elections, telling reporters that “anything
is possible” when asked about a potential attack
on Iran.
Previous rounds of US-Israeli aggression failed to
achieve their stated "objectives," while Wthe US’
illegal sanctions campaign -- has failed to force
Tehran to submit to US demands.
The disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has further
exposed the wider economic consequences of
the war - and heightened concerns....... over
global energy supplies.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s war on Yemen poses
a further threat to regional maritime security,
with the Bab al-Mandeb Strait ..emerging as
another flashpoint for shipping and global
energy transportation.