https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/moscow-accuses-israeli-leaders-of-anti-russian-rhetoric

Moscow accuses Israeli leaders of 'anti-Russian' rhetoric

Moscow regrets that "Israel" has taken an unconstructive position toward Russia in recent months, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, in recent months, we have heard, at the level of statements, absolutely unconstructive and, most importantly, biased rhetoric from the side [of Israel]," Zakharova told the Solovyov Live show.

The closing of the Jewish Agency in Russia, according to the diplomat, is a matter of the Justice Ministry.

Zakharova also stressed that the Jewish Agency issue is being handled in the courts.

'Israel' to clash with Russia

Tensions are on the rise between "Tel Aviv" and Moscow over Russia's closure of the Jewish Agency for "Israel's" work in the country, Israeli media reported on Monday.

"It is too early to speak of an explosion in the relations between Israel and Russia," Israeli media said. "The common understanding in Israel is that they are on the path to collide with Moscow."

"Israel and Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who loves being against Russian President Vladimir Putin and believes this is good for him in the eyes of the West and the United States, turned the issue into a public policy issue," Israeli Channel 13 political affairs correspondent Moriah Wahlberg said.

Russian Justice Ministry asks for dissolving Jewish Agency

Russia's Ministry of Justice has earlier requested the liquidation of the Russian branch of the Jewish Agency for "Israel", Russian media reported last week.

The Jewish Agency for "Israel", based in occupied Al-Quds, is the world's largest Jewish non-profit organization, assisting Jews in emigrating to "Israel".

Interfax reported that the court case, filed with Moscow's Basmanny District Court, is connected to unspecified violations of Russian law.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/macron-president-of-colonial-power-decries-russia-presence-i

Macron, President of colonial power, decries Russia presence in Africa

French President Emmanuel Macron boldly criticized Tuesday Russia's "influence" in Africa, deeming it a "preoccupation" for the peoples of the continent.

Macron, the president of the country that colonized numerous countries in Africa for decades, said Russia's presence in Africa was based on "misinformation, militias, and… complicity with weakened powers."

Unironically, he called France "a friend of Africa", pledging that his country will "do everything so that… this format (of Russian influence) does not spread too much" because he does not believe it to be a good thing. "I especially think it's not good for the people."

Macron's words came in Yaounde, where he was speaking alongside his Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya.

Macron landed in Cameroon on Tuesday for a three-leg tour of Africa with the aim of strengthening political ties with its former colonies amid concerns over the food supply around the world in light of the Ukraine war.

Cameroon is a very resource-rich country while also being a major food producer for Central Africa. Macron's delegation is seeking to invest in the country's agricultural sector to continue making money through Africa, the continent that carried Paris to where it is today through imperialism and colonialism.

Many countries in Africa are facing acute food and energy issues due to their dependence on Russian grain and energy, which was heavily impacted by the West's sanctions on Moscow and led to food and energy security crises all over the world.

Though they have avoided taking sides, African nations refused to join the West's stance on Moscow, not condemning the Ukraine war nor sanctioning Russia.

Russian Ambassador to Angola Vladimir Tararov said in May that the West was going so far as to exert pressure on African states that it is even resorting to immoral actions like threats.

The Ambassador explained that Western nations "are just threatening, blackmailing. This blackmail, I emphasize once again, is immoral. The countries [of Africa] are barely standing their ground to resist."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented on Africa's stance toward Ukraine, praising said stance and saying African countries take a balanced and objective position on the situation in Ukraine despite the discriminatory pressure stemming from Washington.

The top diplomat had previously announced that his country's relations with the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as the Asia-Pacific region, West Asia, Asia, Africa, and Latin America were gaining a new impetus.

Anti-French sentiment is rising in France's former West African colonies, where security concerns and political instability, largely exacerbated by Paris' still ongoing intervention, are stoking frustration and swinging public opinion against the West.

In May, the junta in Mali, another former French colony, decided to withdraw all defense treaties with France, citing "flagrant abuses" of national sovereignty.

Paris no longer possesses the legal basis for carrying out military operations in Mali after the West African nation withdrew from defense agreements with France, the Malian government said.

"Where I see hypocrisy too often, especially in the African continent… is in not being able to qualify a war as one and to not recognize who started it, because of diplomatic pressures," the French leader said. "But things have to be said, we live better by doing so."

President Biya, whose government signed a cooperation agreement with Russia in April, said the accord was "normal" and constituted only an act of managing its bilateral relations with the country

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/russians-fired-at-israeli-jets-over-syria-in-may:-tel-aviv

Russians fired at Israeli jets over Syria in May: 'Tel Aviv'

The Israeli occupation on Tuesday said its fighter jets were attacked by Russian anti-aircraft systems during a flight over Syria in May in what "Tel Aviv" said was a "one-off incident".

The Israeli occupation made the revelation amid tensions with Russia over "Tel Aviv's" support for Kiev in the midst of the Ukraine war and Moscow's dissolution of the Jewish Agency for Israel on its territories.

Top Russian officials clarified that the investigation was not a political move against the occupation. However, Israeli officials fear that it might be a sign of Moscow's dissatisfaction with "Tel Aviv's" foreign policy toward Ukraine, Israeli media said.

Israeli Channel 13 reported that a Russian-operated S-300 air defense battery opened fire on May 13 against Israeli jets as they were waging aggression on Syria. However, no aggressive jets were hit during the attack.

"It was a one-off incident," Israeli occupation Security Minister Benny Gantz told a conference hosted by Channel 13 when asked to confirm the report. The Russian launch happened when the aircraft "were no longer around", he said.

For the first time since the Israeli occupation started conducting offensives in Syria, an S-300 air defense system launched a SAM toward an aircraft of the Israeli occupation air force during the latest aggression on Masyaf, Syria, Israeli media reported on May 16.

"For the first time since the beginning of the attacks on Syria, a Russian air defense system fired an S-300 missile toward an [Israeli] air force aircraft," Israeli Channel 13 military affairs commentator Alon Ben David said.

The Russian ministry of defense had revealed two days earlier that Israeli F-16s fired 22 missiles toward a Syrian scientific research center in Masyaf and the Baniyas port, which were intercepted. The air defense systems downed 16 missiles out of the 22.

Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria deputy chief Oleg Zhuravlyov announced that six Israeli F-16s attacked on May 13 between 20:25 and 20:32 sites for the Syrian scientific research center in Masyaf and Baniyas without entering Syrian airspace.

The Israeli aggression, the Russian official said, killed three Syrian soldiers and two civilians, with two Syrian soldiers sustaining injuries. The attack also caused material damage to equipment in the research center.

>>16827054

He not she

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/chinese-military-will-not-sit-back-if-pelosi-visits-taiwan:

Chinese military will not sit back if Pelosi visits Taiwan: MoD

China's Ministry of National Defense, Tan Kefei, warned on Tuesday that the Chinese military will not sit back if US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan. His statement was made in response to a press inquiry regarding the issue.

China demands that the United States keep its promise that it would not support "Taiwan independence," Tan said, adding that if Washington insists on making the visit, the Chinese military will take strong actions to counter any external interference or "Taiwan independence" separatist scheme, and will be determined in safeguarding China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China has repeatedly explained to the United States its firm opposition to Pelosi's possible visit to Taiwan, Tan noted.

"If Speaker Pelosi visits Taiwan, it would seriously violate the one-China principle and the stipulations in the three China-U.S. joint communiques, seriously harm China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and seriously damage the political foundation of China-U.S. relations," Tan said.

It will undeniably result in extremely serious damage to the ties between the two countries and the two militaries, and would lead to further escalation of the tensions across the Taiwan Strait, the spokesperson said.

Taiwan conducts drills in "the event of a war"

Yesterday, roads have been emptied and people were ordered to stay indoors in parts of Taiwan, including Taipei, for an air-raid exercise in case of a Chinese "attack."

Sirens for street evacuation drills were sounded at 1:30 PM when towns and cities were shut down across northern Taiwan for 30 minutes.

"It is necessary to make preparations in the event of a war," Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je said in a speech after supervising the Wan An drills - Wan An means 'everlasting peace.'

In Taipei, police ushered cars and other vehicles to move to the side of the road, whereas pedestrians were told to seek shelter. On the other hand, shops and restaurants pulled down their shutters, turning off lights to avoid getting targeted at night.

China accuses US of affecting peace in Taiwan strait

The United States is undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, said Col. Shi Yi, a spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command on July 20.

The USS Benfold, a guided missile destroyer, sailed through the Taiwan Strait on July 19. "Frequent provocations and shows by the United States amply demonstrate that the US is the destroyer of peace and stability, as well as the creator of security threats in the Taiwan Strait," Shi said in a statement.

The PLA military monitored the entire route of the USS Benfold through the Taiwan Strait, according to the spokesperson.

Shi stated that the forces of the Eastern Theater Command are always on high alert to protect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.