US warns Turkey over hosting Hamas leadership

Global newspapers today addressed U.S. warnings to Turkey about hosting the leadership of the Hamas movement and the potential approach of Trump’s team toward the Middle East.

The United States warns Turkey against hosting Hamas leadership

The United States stated that it would issue a warning to the Turkish government regarding its hosting of Hamas leadership. This follows reports about the relocation of members of the political leadership of the Palestinian armed group to Turkey, according to a report published by the British Financial Times.

The U.S. warning comes as Biden administration officials seek to blame Hamas for the failure of ceasefire talks with Israel, which have been stalled for months.

An Arab diplomat told the newspaper that some Hamas officials moved from Qatar to Turkey after Doha suspended its role as a mediator in negotiations aimed at ending the war and securing the release of prisoners.

The diplomat added that it remains unclear whether the relocation of Hamas officials to Turkey, which has long been sympathetic to the group, is permanent or temporary.

Netanyahu: The Israeli army must be granted extensive powers to target Hezbollah and arms smuggling

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that any ceasefire agreement must grant the Israeli military extensive powers to target Hezbollah and arms smuggling operations, including along the Syrian-Lebanese border, according to a report by the Israeli Jerusalem Post.

In a fiery speech before the Knesset, Netanyahu vowed to continue allowing the Israeli military to target Hezbollah during negotiations. He outlined three Israeli demands for any agreement, saying, “This will happen under intense fire,” emphasizing that Israel will not allow Hezbollah to regain its pre-October 7, 2023, strength.

Netanyahu explained that the primary demand is to push Hezbollah back beyond the Litani River, far from Israel’s northern border. He noted the existence of “additional demands I won’t mention here,” stressing the necessity for the Israeli military to retain its capability to strike Hezbollah even after a ceasefire is implemented.

Netanyahu pointed out that such strikes must also target arms smuggling to prevent Hezbollah from replenishing its military losses from the past year.

Trump’s appointments provide clues about Middle East policy

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced several proposed appointments for top positions in his administration, which are expected to shape U.S. foreign policy, according to an analysis by the Saudi newspaper Arab News.

The newspaper noted that looking back at Trump’s previous statements regarding Middle East issues, the most apparent common denominator is unwavering support for Israel.

Beyond this support, it is difficult to assess the potential approach of Trump’s team toward the Middle East, as many of the appointees lack deep expertise in the region’s policies. Therefore, appointing senior officials in the State Department, Department of Defense, National Security Council, and intelligence agencies will be critical in shaping Trump’s administration’s policies toward the region.

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ANHA