https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israel-fears-hezbollah-response-to-karish-gas-extraction-att

"Israel" fears Hezbollah response to Karish gas extraction attempts

Israeli media reported Monday that the IOF is anticipating Hezbollah’s possible response to the placement of the new Energean platform in the Karish field, a contested maritime zone, to extract gas. On Sunday, the new platform was installed, at a distance of 80km away from Haifa, by the British-Greek exploration company Energen.

Israeli government-funded Kan TV channel said that these preparations come in light of the Lebanese warnings against any Israeli "aggressive action" in the disputed waters.

The Israeli channel stated that the occupation security services conducted a session to assess the situation after the Energean platform left the port of Singapore, heading to occupied Palestine last May.

Furthermore, media sources reported that agreements signed between "Israel" and Energean stipulate that the security measures of the platform fall within the company's responsibilities, while the maritime security of the Karish field falls on the shoulders of the IOF.

Additionally, the Israeli occupation navy is preparing to secure the area by means of naval vessels situated both above and below the surface of the sea, including submarines. The IOF also pointed out that they are "working to transfer the Iron Dome system in its naval version to the region."

Previously, and upon installation of the platform, British-Greek Company Energean announced that it would begin extracting gas within three months, according to Israeli daily Haaretz. Moreover, Kan indicated that "the Israeli Navy is guarding the platform," and that it “secured its transmission since its exit from the Suez Canal, it has come from Singapore."

Last week, the Israeli Knesset's Economic Affairs Committee approved an order prohibiting navigation within 1,500 meters of the new gas platform.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/all-of-us-need-saudi-arabia:-israeli-minister-to-saudi-newsp

Jeddah-based Saudi newspaper Arab News has published a lengthy interview with Israeli Minister Esawi Frej, the first Israeli government minister to be interviewed by the English-language news outlet associated with the Saudi royal family.

Israeli media suggested that the timing of the interview appears to coincide with contacts between “Israel” and Saudi Arabia to improve bilateral relations.

"All of us need Saudi Arabia!"

In the interview, Frej said: “The Saudi leadership would be central to any solution in the future and His Royal Highness King Salman and the Crown Prince (Mohammed bin Salman), I believe that they will play a central role in any renewed peace process in the future.”

“All of us need Saudi Arabia,” he tersely stated.

Frej made the comments in light of a tripartite low-profile normalization deal between Saudi Arabia, “Israel”, and the US, which began with opening up its airspace to Israeli airlines. In exchange, “Israel” will approve the transfer of sovereignty over the Red Sea islands Tiran and Sanafir from Egypt to the Saudis.

The United States, for its part, is expected to gradually lift its boycott of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom Washington finds responsible for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"Peace" is not a priority for “Israel”

When asked how optimistic he is about the prospects for "peace" in his lifetime, Frej admitted that the process is not a priority for Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's coalition government, which includes Frej's own Meretz party.

“This government is a complicated government. Our policy is not there,” he stated.

All this is happening as Israeli occupation forces have considerably accelerated the killing and persecution of Palestinians, after getting a green light from Israeli senior authorities.

Al-Aqsa Mosque was not spared the aggression from Israeli forces, and was stormed numerous times, and worshippers were attacked viciously.

A normalization cheerleader

Frej, a strong supporter of the normalization agreement, believes the Palestinians made a huge mistake by refusing to join the normalization deals that swept a number of Arab countries, most notably Gulf states such as the UAE and Bahrain.

“I think the Palestinians should be part of this movement. I believe they made a mistake not to be part of the Abraham Accords because, as I said in the past, there is a blessing in movement and the Palestinians should be part of this movement,” he said.

"Israel" not an apartheid regime?

On the Israeli murder of Palestinian correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh in Jenin in May, Frej simply brushed it off as "an error," adding that Israeli authorities still do not know "who killed Shireen" despite the torrent of international and Palestinian reports and investigations that proved the IOF's responsibility for the assassination.

In a superbly tone-deaf statement, the Israeli official added that losing Abu Akleh was a "huge mistake", but that they need to "try to think forward for the future.”

Frej also highlighted the stark division within “Israel” by saying: “We have a lot of problems. We know that we have a lot of problems, but this is a problem you cannot translate (into saying) Israel is an apartheid state”.

For the longest time, Saudi Arabia claimed that it is not a supporter of normalization, citing its past support for Palestine and condemnation of Israeli violations against the Palestinian people. However, Saudi Arabia's real-world practices reveal another aspect of its relationship with "Israel," one of rapidly-emerging normalization. This shameless interview by the Saudi-owned paper is just the latest chapter of this process.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ukrainian-troops-burn-wheat-and-grains-as-they-leave-mariupo

Ukrainian troops burn wheat and grains as they leave Mariupol

Despite the looming danger of global food shortage, Ukrainian troops set fire to tons of grain in storage facilities in Mariupol hoping to impact food security in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Yan Gagin, the adviser to the chairman of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), said "There is a large amount of grain on the territory of the Mariupol port, this is both corn and wheat. Judging by the smell and appearance, it is unsuitable for further use… And this is due to the fact that the enemy, retreating from the port, set fire to the granaries so that this grain would not go to the Donetsk People's Republic, so that it would be impossible to use it in any way.”

According to Sputnik, firefighters have been trying to contain the fire for several days within the Mariupol grain storage facility -which could contain up to 57,000 tons of grain-, thus spoiling all grains and leaving them unfit even for cattle consumption.

Recently, wheat and grain exports have become a global concern as many countries have either banned exports or limited and taxed wheat exports, due to national and global food security threats. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), slower growth and faster inflation threaten the global economy amid the conflict in Ukraine.

"The conflict is a major blow to the global economy that will hurt growth and raise prices," an article was written by Alfred Kammer, Jihad Azour, Abebe Aemro Selassie, IIan Goldfajn, and Changyong Rhee said.

While countries like Egypt, Lebanon, and Turkey are all threatened by wheat prices and limitations of exports, Ukrainian troops have chosen to burn food instead of allowing the DPR to consume and export the grains. This further plays a role in the climate crisis tragedy as it increases carbon emissions and counters all efforts for sustainable consumption of natural resources across the globe.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/is-biden-avoiding-israels-fragile-coalition-by-postponing-hi

The postponement of US President Joe Biden’s visit to “Saudi Arabia” and “Israel” is worrying the latter as it could lead to the cancellation of the trip altogether.

Biden has been expected to visit Saudi Arabia and “Israel” in a trip that has been initially set to ameliorate US-Saudi and Saudi-Israeli relations. However, Biden decided, on June 4th, to further postpone it till July, with no specific dates announced.

As stated by sources, the postponed trip will see “an expansion, a "broader trip to the Middle East." Further to that, a senior administration official told NBC News the US is “working on a trip to Israel and Saudi Arabia for a GCC+3 Summit.”

Israeli newspaper Haaretz wrote on Sunday that Biden avoid coming to “Israel” given the fragile state of the current governing coalition. This poses a threat to US-Israeli relations in the long run in case the current coalition collapses.

If the coalition survives until July, then Biden’s visit could be marketed as an act of support for the existing government. However, if the fragile coalition headed by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett does not survive and collapses prior to the visit, the entire plan could be canceled.

The likely successor in the case of the coalition's collapse would be former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had a fractured relationship with former President Barack Obama. At the time, Biden was Vice President and consequently had a fractured relationship with Netanyahu as well.

Furthermore, the report’s statement that Biden’s focus in his first Middle East trip is Saudi Arabia as it scores high on US priority relations in its war against Russia. "Israel" has historically been the US’ closest ally and its primary focus in the Middle East. However, this appears to no longer be the case.

The aforementioned not only outlines the fragility of the current government’s coalition, nor the shifting priorities of the US in the region, but also that “Israel's” regional role is dwindling vis-à-vis the US’ interests in the ongoing global conflict.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/economics/germany-to-face-high-costs-as-russia-imposes-sanctions

Germany to face high costs as Russia imposes sanctions

German taxpayers and gas users could face an increased cost, approximately €5 billion ($5.4 billion), since Russia imposed sanctions against Gazprom Germania and its subsidiaries, the Welt am Sonntag weekly reported, citing industry representatives.

Last month, in May, Russia stopped supplying Gazprom Germania the German subsidiary of Gazprom. The decision came after Berlin put the company under trustee management following the Ukraine war.

As a result, the Bundesnetzagentur energy regulator, acting as a trustee, had bought replacement gas to fulfill supply contracts with German municipal utilities and regional suppliers.

The Economic ministry spokesperson estimated that an extra 10 million cubic meters per day are required to fulfill the needs of the market. The spokesperson further added, in an email response, that "the quantities are procured on the market and at market prices. No information can be given on the exact amounts due to commercial confidentiality."

The cost, currently about €3.5 billion ($3.7 billion) a year, could increase as further costs are likely to arise from the filling of the Rehden natural gas storage facility as ordered by Robert Habeck, the Economy Minister.

Moreover, the Welt am Sonntag report stated that costs are likely to reach consumers as they will be passed down to them through energy suppliers. This could start impacting consumers as early as October.

One thing that is definitively confirmed by the ministry’s spokesperson, is that energy supplies are not at risk.

https://english.almayadeen.net/latestnews/2022/6/6/sheikh-naim-qassem:-we-are-ready-to-apply-pressure-deter-and

Highlights

Sheikh Naim Qassem: We are ready to apply pressure, deter and use appropriate means, including force, to protect our rights.

https://english.almayadeen.net/latestnews/2022/6/6/deputy-secretary-general-of-hezbollah:-the-party-is-ready-to

Highlights

Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah: The party is ready to act as soon as the Lebanese government announces "Israel's" violation of Lebanon's borders.