https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ex-iof-chiefs:-israel-faces-internal-existential-threat

Ex-IOF chiefs: 'Israel' facing 'internal existential threat'

Five former chiefs of staff of the IOF, according to The Times of "Israel", Ehud Barak, Moshe Yaalon, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz, and Gadi Eisenkot, argued in a rare joint interview during the inauguration of a library that the disintegration of Israeli internal social cohesion poses a threat to “Israel” greater than Iran turning into a nuclear threshold state.

The five ex-chiefs, during the interview that was aired on Friday, as reported by The Times of "Israel", were asked about the JCPOA agreement revival between the US and Iran. Current Security Minister Benny Gantz insisted that “Israel will survive regardless of whether an agreement is reached or not."

“So, I think that the people of Israel will prosper and the State of Israel will continue to be here and we will be the strongest (country in the region),” he said, further insisting that “even if there is an agreement, this is not the end of the story and we will know how to get an ‘upside’ out of anything if we have to. We will defend ourselves and act in our interests no matter what happens."

On the topic of whether “Israel” continues to believe the slogan that Iran will not be allowed, now or ever, to obtain a nuclear weapon, Gantz said he had asked US President Joe Biden whether the US is willing to use force to hinder Iran’s obtaining of a nuclear weapon. The US President said, “as a last resort, but yes,” Gantz claimed.

He further added that “the Americans, as the leaders of the Western world, should be committed to this matter, not because it is a problem for the State of Israel. It is not our personal problem. As world leaders, they are committed to this and I hope they will stand behind their words,” The Time of "Israel" reported.

"Israel" and the alleged Iranian nuclear threat

When asked if "Israel" had the ability to attack and shut down Iran's nuclear program, Eisenkot claimed that only ongoing Israeli involvement over the last 25 years had so far stopped it.

Eisenkot argued that “the fact that Iran today does not have a military nuclear capability is only thanks to the thinking 25 years ago and a great deal of action. The Israeli military, political, secret operations, and diplomatic activities — this is what prevented Iran from acquiring a nuclear capability.”

He further noted that “there is no debate about the goal — to prevent an Iranian nuclear capability — because it would change the strategic balance in the Middle East in a very serious way. I think everyone agrees on that,” he claimed.

On his part, Barak was questioned if "Israel" made a mistake by not striking Iran while he was Security Minister under then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was clear, according to The Times of "Israel", that Barak had supported the strike at the time.

In the past, Barak claimed that Netanyahu planned to attack Iran's nuclear facilities in 2010 and 2011 but was thwarted from doing so by his ministerial colleagues, particularly Yaalon and his army chief of staff Ashkenazi as there was no internal agreement within “Israel” given a number possible consequences.

Furthermore, Barak said that a significant failure was the absence of a plan to deal with Iran following former US President Donald Trump’s refusal to pull out of the original nuclear deal.

“One of the historical failures of 2018 is that when Trump withdrew from the nuclear agreement — with very strong encouragement from Jerusalem — Israel and the US should have prepared, together, separately, or in a coordinated manner, at least two ‘plan Bs’ of what to do with the Iranians,” Barak said.

However, he also shared Gantz's views that while "Israel" should continue to do all in its power to halt Iran if that country reaches the nuclear threshold, it will be able to cope with Tehran.

The existential threat comes from within

Yaalon made a statement, as reported by the Israeli online newspaper, that “Israel’s” greatest existential threat comes from internal strife.

“I say that in the face of the Iranian threat we will know what to do. There has been no conventional existential threat to the State of Israel for years. There is an internal existential threat,” Yaalon admitted.

The newspaper reported that Eisenkot and Barak agreed with Yaalon’s argument, while Gantz and Ashkenazi did not oppose it.

“The thing that most endangers the State of Israel in my eyes is the lack of solidarity in Israeli society,” said Eisenkot, who recently declared that he was going to join Gantz’s political party, adding, “Yes. I think that the national and social resilience of the State of Israel is the key element in our ability to protect national security.”

Part 1

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Barak claimed that “all living chiefs of staff, almost all living Mossad heads and all living Shin Bet chiefs” agreed with Yaalon's argument.

He further explained, “All the people who are involved in, or were at the head of the security apparatus, understand today that there is a more serious threat to the future of the State of Israel than from Iran, Hezbollah, or Hamas.”

To consolidate his agreement with Yaalon, Barak said, “This threat is what is happening within us — the risk of losing the internal cohesion, the internal solidarity and slipping into a situation with fanatics on the one hand and those who lose faith in Zionism on the other.”

The discussion also had political connotations because two of the five were actively campaigning against Netanyahu in the impending elections in November and all five had expressed their political opposition to him recently.

When the interviewer questioned the five ex-chiefs about Netanyahu being the "elephant in the room" and that every one of them has been avoiding all mention of him and is actively going to vote against him in the upcoming elections, Barak said, “I suggest that in a conversation about Ben-Gurion, we don’t also talk about Netanyahu. It diminishes the subject of the conversation.”

Ashkenazi voiced his agreement with Barak and Yaalon and said, “I would add that also the heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, except for one, won’t (vote for him) either.”

It is worth noting that the divide over the Iran nuclear deal runs roughly between Israeli officials, becoming more salient as the US pushes for the deal’s revival.

This dispute has a direct impact today on escalating internal divisions which threaten the occupation’s national security.

Part 2 - End

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ukrainian-presidential-aide:-peace-talks-with-moscow-death-s

Ukrainian Presidential Aide: Peace talks with Moscow "death sentence"

Ukrainian Presidential Adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, described on Friday attempts to hold peace negotiations with Russia as a death sentence for Ukraine.

"[Ukrainian] President Volodymyr Zelensky is definitely against it [negotiations], and the Ukrainian society is adamant there, because we fully appreciate the risks," Podolyak told US newspaper The Hill, considering attempts to negotiate with Moscow a "death sentence" for Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that Turkey has emerged as the lead mediator between Russia and Ukraine, hosting several rounds of negotiations since the start of the war.

Talks hit a roadblock after Zelensky said Russian troops must give up the territories under their control.

In July, Russian presidential aide, Yuri Ushakov, pointed out that the Ukrainian negotiation delegation did not maintain any contacts with Russia after inking the grain deal in Istanbul, and that if the Russian-Ukrainian talks take place, the conditions for them would be completely different.

Lavrov: Door to negotiations open

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had indicated that Moscow is prepared to resume full-scale negotiations with Kiev, however, Ukraine's leadership has made it obvious that it is hesitant to begin the process.

"We do not have any preconceptions about resuming negotiations [with Kiev] on a broader range of issues, but it is not up to us. Because the Ukrainian authorities, starting with the president and ending with his countless advisers, have consistently stated that there will be no negotiations until Ukraine defeats Russia," Lavrov had said following talks with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

Russia and Ukraine have already held negotiations in Istanbul, however, the talks have yielded no results to end the war.

Ukraine: Negotiations with Russia 'extremely difficult'

Podolyak had previously said that the talks with Russia were "extremely difficult", claiming that "The Russian side adheres to its traditional tactics of public pressure on the negotiation process, including through certain public statements."

On its part, the Russian Foreign Ministry had said that the main goal of the European Union in Ukraine is to continue the proxy war down to the last Ukrainian. The Ministry's remarks come after EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell's statements, which asserted that the Ukrainian conflict will end on the battlefield.

"The theses about the need for a political solution, in support of negotiations, have disappeared from the EU lexicon. It is clear why: a political solution will interfere with their main goal — to continue the proxy war till the last Ukrainian," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/stoltenberg:-nato-eyes-arctic-militarily-economically-as-ice

Stoltenberg: NATO eyes Arctic militarily, economically as ice melts

In a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that climate change is making the High North, the Arctic region, militarily and economically more attractive for the alliance.

"Climate change is making the High North more important because the ice melting and it becomes more accessible both for economic activity and for military activity," Stoltenberg said.

He noted that NATO is concerned about Moscow's activity in the region and that the new strategy of the bloc "identifies Russia's capabilities in the high North as a strategic challenge for the whole Alliance." At the same time, Stoltenberg said that when Finland and Sweden join NATO, "seven out of eight Arctic nations will be NATO members."

Stoltenberg wrote on Thursday for the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail about the cooperation between China and Russia in the Arctic posing a strategic challenge to the values ​and interests of the alliance, adding that Moscow "has significantly increased its military activity in recent years" in the region. He added that China is also expanding in the region, calling itself a "near-Arctic state" and planning to create a "Polar Silk Road" that links it to Europe through the Arctic.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu previously said that the official participation of Helsinki and Stockholm in NATO strategic planning and the possible provision of the territory of these states for the deployment of strike weapons would change the security conditions in the Baltic region and the Arctic, and would require a revision of approaches to the defense of Russian territory.

The Arctic region covers the territories of the eight Arctic states: Canada, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, the Russian Federation, and the United States. In 1996, the said states established the Arctic Council to tackle issues related to the region.

In recent years, ice melting caused the debate on the strategic application of the region and risks for the security of Russia and NATO countries to increase, which led both Moscow and NATO to strengthen their northern fleets.

Both parties are also highly interested in developing new trade and shipping routes. For Russia, it is the Northern Sea Route that connects China and Europe and runs along the Russian Arctic coast from the Kara Sea, along Siberia, to the Bering Strait.

For the US and Canada, it is the Northwest Passage that runs along North America's northern coast via waterways through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago to Europe.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/four-israeli-f-16s-fired-missiles-at-syrian-science-center

Four Israeli F-16s fired missiles at Syrian Science Center - Russia

Four Israeli F-16s fired missiles on Thursday at a Syrian research center near Masyaf, causing the destruction of two missiles and seven guided aerial bombs, Major General Oleg Egorov, deputy head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties in Syria, said.

"On August 25, from 19:16 to 19:30, four Israel Air Force F-16 tactical fighters from the eastern Mediterranean struck four cruise missiles and 16 guided aerial bombs at targets on the territory of the Syrian Research Center in the city of Masyaf. The air defense on duty of the Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab Republic destroyed two missiles and seven guided aerial bombs from the Russian-made Pantsir-S1 and S-75 systems," Egorov said at a briefing, noting that the Israeli airstrikes also damaged the warehouses of special equipment of the Syrian Research Center.

TASS news agency, citing a senior Russian officer said that Syrian forces shot down 2 missiles and 7 guided bombs out of 20 that Israeli warplanes launched Thursday towards Masyaf, Syria.

On Thursday, Sputnik reported that violent explosions were sounded in the vicinity of the Masyaf area in the western countryside of the Hama governorate caused by the Syrian air defenses' response to Israeli aggression in the area.

According to the agency's reporter, the Israeli aggression was carried out by warplanes that fired a number of missiles toward some targets in the vicinity of the Misyaf area, west of Hama.

SANA news agency confirmed also that the Syrian air defenses engaged hostile targets in the surroundings of the cities of Hama and Tartous.

The reporter pointed out that all the sounds of explosions that were heard in the vicinity of the city of Tartus and its surroundings were caused by the Syrian air defenses' response to the Israeli missiles.

Two civilians were wounded as a result of yesterday's Israeli occupation air strikes on the western Hama and Tartus regions, according to SANA.

Hundreds of Israeli airstrikes against Syria

"Israel" has carried out hundreds of airstrikes against Syria in the last few years, completely violating the integrity and sovereignty of Syria and neighboring countries, such as Lebanon.

It is noteworthy that on June 10, Israeli air attacks destroyed the runways, control tower, reception rooms, and hangars of Damascus International Airport, forcing Syrian officials to cease flights and conduct extensive repairs.

Russian Deputy Representative to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyanskiy, revealed that the Israeli airstrikes that hit Damascus International Airport received tacit US approval.

"It may seem that Israel received a carte blanche to engage in illegitimate unilateral action upon silent approval of Washington that basically blocked all opportunities to have the peace process recovered," Polyanskiy said.

According to current and former US officials, "Israel" secretly coordinates with the US on many of the airstrikes it conducts in Syria.

Behind the curtains, current and former officials say that for several years, many Israeli missions have been reviewed in advance for approval by senior officials at US Central Command and the Pentagon.

This means that the formal coordination was previously unknown, and the secrecy surrounding it demonstrates how Washington has sought to support its Israeli ally.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gantz-to-sullivan:-israel-against-presented-nuclear-deal

Gantz to Sullivan: 'Israel' against presented nuclear deal

The Israeli occupation Security Ministry said on Friday that Security Minister Benny Gantz presented measures to prevent Iran from obtaining alleged nuclear weapons at a meeting with White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in the United States.

Earlier in the week, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that Iran had agreed to some concessions as part of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) negotiations with the US to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement.

In a statement, the Israeli ministry said that "Gantz told Adviser Sullivan that Israel is against a nuclear deal as it has already been presented to interested parties and highlighted several measures that are decisive in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons."

According to the Israeli Security Ministry, Gantz stressed the need to develop defensive and offensive potential against Tehran's nuclear program and its alleged "aggression in the region" regardless of the discussion about a possible deal.

The Israeli occupation minister arrived on an official visit to the US on Thursday and held a series of meetings at the CENTCOM headquarters in Florida as tensions reportedly grew between the allies over the Iranian deal.

It is noteworthy that in early August, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian pointed out that nuclear weapons have no place in the Islamic Republic’s doctrine and contrast with the country's religious beliefs and policies.

Tensions in US-Israeli relationship: Axios

Tensions are mounting in the relationship between the Israeli occupation and the United States amid reported progress in efforts to revive the JCPOA, Axios reported.

"A deal might be closer than it was two weeks ago but the outcome remains uncertain as some gaps remain. In any case, it doesn’t seem to be imminent," a US official told Axios on Saturday.

According to Israeli officials cited by Axios, there has been "intense" dialogue behind closed doors between "Israel" and the US in recent days, with the discussion becoming "more difficult".

White House officials have been trying to reassure their Israeli counterparts that there have been no new concessions to Iran, Axios said citing US officials.

However, senior Israeli officials said that Israeli occupation Prime Minister Yair Lapid told the White House that the EU draft goes beyond the 2015 deal and crosses the Biden administration’s red lines.

The nuclear agreement is critical to ending unilateral US sanctions on Iranian oil exports and allowing Tehran's legitimate return to the export market for oil.

The European Union had proposed easing sanctions on Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) in order to revive the Iranian nuclear deal, US media reported earlier in the month.

The proposal, brokered by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in coordination with US officials, is not seeking the suspension of sanctions against the IRGC but may "significantly limit their effectiveness."

Iran announced Wednesday that it had received a response from the US to its proposals on a final EU draft on the revival of the 2015 accord, marking another step taken closer toward an agreement.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-mixed-top-secret-docs-with-magazines-other-items:-fbi

Trump mixed top secret docs with magazines, other items: FBI

Fourteen of the 15 boxes recovered from former President Trump's Florida estate contained classified documents, many of which are top secret, mixed with miscellaneous newspapers, magazines, and personal correspondence, reported an FBI affidavit on Friday.

The court documents outlined the FBI's justification for searching the property this month, including "probable cause to think that evidence of obstruction will be found," and stated that no area at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort was authorized for the storage of secret material.

The 32-page affidavit is the most thorough account to date of the federal papers kept at Mar-a-Lago even after Trump departed the White House. It is highly redacted to protect the safety of witnesses, law enforcement personnel, and "the integrity of the current investigation." It also highlights how serious the government's worries were that the records were there unlawfully.

Classified documents improperly stored

The document clarifies how the haphazard retention of classified top secret government records and the apparent failure to safeguard them, despite months of entreaties from US officials, has exposed Tump to fresh legal peril just as he lays the groundwork for another potential presidential run in 2024.

“The government is conducting a criminal investigation concerning the improper removal and storage of classified information in unauthorized spaces, as well as the unlawful concealment or removal of government records,” an FBI agent wrote on the first page of the affidavit.

Federal agents are looking into possible violations of a number of laws, including one that regulates gathering, distributing, or losing defense material under the Espionage Act, according to documents that have previously been made public. The other laws cover the destruction, alteration, or fabrication of records in federal investigations as well as their concealment, mutilation, or removal.

Trump has consistently asserted that he fully cooperated with government officials despite abundant evidence to the contrary. Additionally, he has won over Republicans by portraying the investigation as a politically driven witch hunt designed to hurt his chances of winning reelection. On his social media page on Friday, he reiterated that theme and stated that he and his representatives had a tight working relationship with the FBI and "gave them much."

What is the redacted affidavit?

The redacted affidavit doesn't adequately explain the circumstances surrounding the search or the items that were taken, so they renewed their request for the appointment of an impartial special master to examine the records taken from the home late on Friday, according to Trump's legal team.

The affidavit covers a different group of 15 boxes that the National Archives and Materials Administration removed from the house in January rather than the 11 sets of classified records that were found during the August 8 search at Mar-a-Lago. According to the affidavit, the Archives sent the case to the Justice Department after discovering "a lot" of classified information.

The affidavit made the case to a judge that a search of Mar-a-Lago was necessary because of the situation that includes highly sensitive material found in those 15 boxes. Of 184 documents with classification markings, 25 were at the top secret level, the affidavit says.

Some of them had distinctive markings that indicated they contained information obtained from extremely private human sources or from the gathering of electronic "signals" permitted by a special intelligence court.

Some of the classified records were mixed with other documents, including newspapers, magazines, and miscellaneous print-outs, the affidavit says, citing a letter from the Archives.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/war-to-continue-even-if-ukraine-drops-nato-hopes:-medvedev

War to continue, even if Ukraine drops NATO hopes: Medvedev

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said, on Friday, that Moscow would not end its military campaign in Ukraine even if Kiev formally renounced its NATO ambitions.

Medvedev, now the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, also stated on French television that Russia was willing to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky under certain conditions.

Even before Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, Moscow clearly stated that Ukrainian membership in NATO was unacceptable.

"Renouncing its participation in the North Atlantic alliance is now vital, but it is already insufficient in order to establish peace," Medvedev said as quoted by LCI television.

He stated that Russia would continue the campaign until its objectives were met. It is worth noting that the Russian President has constantly stated Moscow’s plan to "denazify" Ukraine.

After February 24, Russia held several rounds of talks with Ukraine to end the war, however, no progress was made.

"This (talks) will depend on how events unfold. We were ready before to meet (Zelenskiy)," Medvedev said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he said US lethal weapons already supplied to Ukraine, such as HIMARS multiple-rocket launchers, do not yet pose a significant threat.

That could change, he says, if US-supplied weapons can hit targets at greater distances.

"It means that when this sort of missile flies 70 km, that is one thing," he added. "But when it's 300-400 km, that is another, now that would be a threat directly to the territory of the Russian Federation."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ukraine-withdraws-from-atomic-cooperation-agreement-with-rus

Ukraine withdraws from atomic cooperation agreement with Russia

The Ukrainian government withdrew from an agreement with its Russian counterpart regarding scientific and economic cooperation on atomic energy, according to Verkhovna Rada Taras Melnichuk, a Ukrainian government representative.

"The agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Russia on scientific and economic cooperation on atomic energy, signed on January 14, 1993 in Moscow, has been voided," he said.

Most recently on August 23, the Russian Finance Ministry announced that Ukraine withdrew from an agreement with Russia that avoids double taxation of income and property and prevention of tax evasion.

Kiev has also rendered several agreements with neighboring country Belarus void, including inland navigation, defense enterprise cooperation and cooperation between the two ministries of interior.

In July, Minsk's national air defense systems intercepted missiles fired by the Ukrainian armed forces at military sites in Belarus.

"Three or more days ago, they launched missiles from the Ukrainian territory in an attempt to strike military facilities in Belarus, but Pantsir systems intercepted all missiles fired by the Ukrainian armed forces," said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko called the attempted attack a provocation designed to pull his country into war. He also noted that there were no Belarusian boots on the ground in Ukraine and that he wanted Minsk to have no part in the conflict.

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Holy macaroni!

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/bad-blood-shrouds-israel-as-top-officials-fight-over-iran-de

Bad blood shrouds 'Israel' as top officials fight over Iran deal

In yet another feature of mounting internal divisions in “Israel”, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid was taken aback by Mossad chief David Barnea's harsh warnings about an emerging Iran nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, as per Israeli media.

Barnea called the nuclear deal, as quoted by reporters, “a strategic disaster” for “Israel”, stressing that the United States “is rushing into an accord that is ultimately based on lies.”

The message was considered harsher and more critical of the US position than previous statements from “Tel Aviv”.

In further detail, Israeli Channel 12 news said that Lapid had met with Barnea between the Mossad chief's briefing to reporters and the publication of the remarks, which took Lapid by surprise.

Barnea briefed reporters at 11 am, on the condition that his remarks not be published until 8 pm. During that time gap, Barnea and Lapid had a pre-scheduled meeting, which was announced by the Prime Minister's office.

Lapid was aware of Barnea's media briefing, but they had not coordinated the comments, and Barnea's statements differed from talking points circulated by the Prime Minister's office several days ago and from the message Lapid has been attempting to convey, as per Israeli Channel 12.

Lapid called the Mossad chief shortly after Barnea's comments were published, telling him he had gone off script in how he criticized the US and asked him for clarification. Whether Barnea was reprimanded or not remains unclear.

Trying to downplay Barnea's anti-US comments, Israeli media claimed there was an intentional inaccuracy in reporting Barnea's words to make it seem that he had directly criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the Iran issue, when he had not done so, as per Israeli claims.

Israeli Channel 12 reported that the Mossed has told Lapid that a new Iran deal will most likely be inked in the coming days or weeks.

In response, the channel reported, the Israeli army and Mossad are planning a series of attacks against Iran, including a strike on its nuclear program, which Iran has been confirming its peacefulness for a long time now.

The US has recently responded to Iran's comments on the EU draft agreement to restore the nuclear deal on Wednesday.

It is worth noting that the divide over the Iran nuclear deal runs roughly between Israeli officials, becoming more salient as the US pushes for the deal’s revival.

This dispute has a direct impact today on escalating internal divisions which threaten the occupation’s national security.

A US-Israeli divorce

Amir Bohbot, a military affairs commentator for the Israeli Wallah website, has lately said that "Israel will not sit in the audience amid the developments in the negotiations between Iran and the United States over the nuclear deal."

Bohbot added that a conflict might soon begin between the United States and "Israel" over the issue, maintaining that even if they try to keep it behind the scenes, it will appear to the public.

According to Bohbot, "The Iranians are cleverly leading the Americans by the nose," which does not make the United States militarily reliable, he added.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/china-firmly-rejects-us-lawmakers-taiwan-visit

China firmly rejects US lawmaker's Taiwan visit

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday that China strongly opposes a US lawmaker's visit to Taiwan.

Amid high tensions with China, Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn is on a visit to Taiwan from August 25 to 27, as per Xinhua.

Responding to a media query, the spokesperson stated that the US legislator's visit to Taiwan violates the One-China policy and the provisions of the three China-US joint communiqués, as well as the US commitment to maintain only non-official ties with Taiwan.

The spokesperson said there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of it, adding that the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing all of China.

“We will not waver in opposing ‘Taiwan independence‘ separatist activities and external interference. We urge the relevant US politician to abide by the One-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communique, immediately stop all forms of official interactions with Taiwan and immediately stop sending wrong signals to ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” the spokesperson added.

The Chinese official concluded by saying that China will continue to take strong measures to resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Tensions near Taiwan remain high because China opposes any direct foreign official contact with the island it considers to be its sovereign territory.

The visit of a US congressional delegation to Taiwan earlier this week was condemned by China's Ministry of Defense as a violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The delegation arrived in Taiwan two weeks after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's divisive visit to Taipei, which strained US-China relations significantly.

Beijing regards Taiwan as its sovereign territory and promises that it will eventually be reintegrated with the mainland under the "one country, two systems" model. Taiwan has been governed independently since breaking away from mainland China in 1949.

Although the US officially claims to support the One China Policy, it has long maintained unofficial relations with Taipei, including the supply of arms to the island.

China carried out fresh military drills around Taiwan, Beijing said, days after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to the island, which escalated tensions between the two powers.

Pelosi's visit led China to announce ending cooperation with the United States on several issues, such as climate change, anti-drug efforts, and military talks.

In response to another visit to Taiwan, China announced new military maneuvers surrounding Taiwan, as a team of US politicians met with the island's leader only weeks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative trip.

The secret two-day visit came as Beijing launched warships, missiles, and fighter jets into the waters and skies surrounding Taiwan.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/pentagon-signs-182-mln-contract-for-3-nasams-systems-for-ukr

Pentagon signs $182 mln contract for 3 NASAMS systems for Ukraine

The Pentagon signed a $182 million contract with Raytheon arms manufacturer for the purchase of NASAMS short-and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems for Ukraine, the US Defense Department announced on Friday.

"Raytheon Co., Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was awarded a $182,295,333 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 23, 2024," the statement said.

The money designated as part of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) will be used to make the purchase.

Earlier this week, the United States said Kiev will receive close to $3 billion in military aid. Six NASAMS systems are specifically included in the new package.

As the Washington administration highlighted, USAI will include the provision of weapons and equipment as part of the upcoming round of military aid. This suggests that the Pentagon reached agreements with producers rather than supplying specific equipment and means straight from American inventories.

US sends Ukraine NASAMS part of $2.98 billion arms package

Two days ago, US President Joe Biden said the newly instated $2.98 billion military assistance will allow Ukraine to acquire air defense systems, artillery systems and munitions, drones, and other equipment “to ensure it can continue to defend itself over the long term.”

The announcement came as Ukraine celebrated its 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union, marking Ukraine’s independence day holiday and the six-month point in the war.

“I know this independence day is bittersweet for many Ukrainians as thousands have been killed or wounded, millions have been displaced from their homes, and so many others have fallen victim to Russian atrocities and attacks,” Biden stated.

This package brings the US military assistance for Kiev since the start of the war in Ukraine to almost $13.5 billion in total.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/russia-to-allow-dpr-lpr-ukrainian-citizens-to-remain-in-russ

Russia to allow DPR, LPR & Ukrainian citizens to remain in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Saturday a decree which grants citizens of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and Ukraine the right to stay in Russia for an indefinite amount of time, and to work with no permit with some conditions, according to an official website which provides legal information.

The decree read: "Establish that: citizens of the DPR, LPR and Ukraine: have the right to temporarily stay in the Russian Federation without limiting the terms established by the Federal Law of July 25, 2002 'On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation,' subject to their passage in the manner and terms determined by this Federal Law, mandatory state fingerprint registration, photographing, as well as medical examination for the presence or absence of the fact of use of narcotic drugs."

Furthermore, the decree granted LPR, DPR, and Ukrainian citizens the right to work in Russia with no work permit or patent given the conditions to work are met. The Russian President also signed a decree on social payments to citizens who were forced to flee the aforementioned regions, arriving in Russia, including pensioners and the disabled, according to the website.

This comes against a background of reports earlier this month that Ukraine was applying a forceful evacuation of the population from the territories in the DPR.

The evacuation was intended to “delegitimize” the referendum that the separatist authorities plan to hold after liberating the entirety of the territory.

According to the Ukrainian authorities, the Ukrainian government planned to evacuate about 220,000 people before the start of winter. An evacuation task force was set up to manage departures.

“Those who have decided to evacuate should call the administration (…), people will come to pick them up and transport them to the place of evacuation,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.

Responding to people who did not wish to leave their homes, Vereshchuk said “that (the decision) is their personal responsibility, but I repeat, there will be no gas, heating, and electricity."

In June alone, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that more than 25,000 people have been evacuated to Russia from dangerous areas in the DPR and LPR as well as Ukraine over a span of 24 hours.

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