U.S. meeting on Middle East brings together Israel, Gulf Arab states

WARSAW (Reuters) - A U.S.-sponsored Middle East conference aimed at building a coalition against what Washington sees as the threat posed by Iran also produced signs of a warming of ties between Israel and some Arab countries on Wednesday. Foreign ministers and other officials from more than 60 countries were gathering for the conference in Warsaw, which was starting on Wednesday evening and whose agenda included Iran, conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Israeli-Palestinian peace.

On the sidelines, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Oman’s foreign minister. “Many are following this (Omani) lead, and may I say, including at this conference,” a video released by Netanyahu’s office showed him telling Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, whose Gulf state hosted the Israeli leader in October. Oman does not formally recognize Israel. Nor do Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, which also sent envoys to Warsaw and which share Israel’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and involvement in several regional flashpoints.

Speaking to Netanyahu, bin Alawi said: “People in the Middle East have suffered a lot because they have stuck to the past. Now we say, this is a new era, for the future.” Netanyahu - who has been trying to play up his diplomatic gains ahead of Israel’s April election - has frequently hinted at warmer ties with Gulf Arab states. A photo-op with Netanyahu and senior figures from Arab countries in Warsaw would be a win for Washington as it seeks to ratchet up pressure against Tehran. The Iranians say it is U.S.-aligned forces in the region, and not they, who are belligerent. Leading European countries Germany and France opted not to send their foreign ministers over concerns the meeting could highlight big-power tensions over Washington’s decision last year to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions against Tehran.

Vice President Mike Pence is leading the U.S. delegation, accompanied by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House advisor Jared Kushner. “We’re trying to expand the number of nations who are engaged and have a stake in the future of a peaceful and prosperous Middle East,” Brian Hook, the State Department’s special representative for Iran, told Reuters. Arab nations and Israel faced a common threat of Iranian regional aggression and Washington was working closely with these nations to counter this, he said. “Iran isn’t behaving like a normal country. They have a very expansionist foreign policy and that destabilizes other countries,” said Hook when asked whether the absence of Germany and France’s top diplomats at the meeting mattered. EU policy chief Federica Mogherini, a key player in the Iran nuclear deal, will also not attend the two-day conference due to scheduling issues, an EU official said, although Pompeo will travel to Brussels on Friday to meet with her.

ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PLAN Kushner, who is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, will brief delegates behind closed doors on Thursday on U.S. plans for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. Palestinian officials, viewing the current U.S. administration as having a pro-Israel bias, declined to attend the conference. Hosting the meeting is a chance for Poland’s conservative government to bolster ties with Washington at a time when it is increasingly isolated within the EU amid a dispute over its adherence to rule-of-law standards. Transatlantic cooperation was necessary to resolve problems in the Middle East, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said. “The European Union alone does not, in my opinion, carry sufficient political weight to try to really influence the situation in the Middle East,” he told reporters.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-summit/u-s-meeting-on-middle-east-brings-together-israel-gulf-arab-states-idUSKCN1Q22E2

GOP puts AOC's deleted summary of her Green New Deal into the Congressional Record

House Republicans have entered into the congressional record a controversial blog entry about the "Green New Deal" that was temporarily featured on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's website, and then removed. "Yesterday we entered into the record the frequently asked questions and the overview that were posted and then deleted from Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez's website," Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said Wednesday. "It's very important the American people see and that there be transparency about what they're pushing."

The deal, introduced as a resolution last week by Ocasio-Cortez, urges the U.S. to transition to 100 percent renewable energy across all sectors by 2030. But a summary published online by the liberal firebrand went further by saying the country needs to move toward eliminating air travel and ending beef consumption. As a result, Ocasio-Cortez has questioned whether her office was the target of a misinformation campaign.

Cheney, who serves as House GOP Conference Chair, on Wednesday also encouraged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to hold a vote on Ocasio-Cortez's deal to test whether Democrats really support the measure. "We call on Speaker Pelosi to put this up for a vote on the floor," Cheney said. "We think Democrats need to be held accountable. If they support this as they say they do and as their presidential candidates do, then let's have a vote on it and see to what extent they're all going to get behind moving toward this kind of fantasy."

House Republican efforts to pressure Pelosi into scheduling a vote on the deal comes after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday vowed to bring it up in the Senate. McConnell's move could force some Democrats, including contenders for the party's presidential nomination, to take a stand on the framework. "We've really seen the reality of what the Democrats have proposed," Cheney said. "The extent to which this would be fundamentally devastating for the economy, we're going to continue to make sure people understand that, that they know what's in this deal."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/gop-puts-aocs-deleted-summary-of-her-green-new-deal-into-the-congressional-record

Man who ambushed the press at Trump's El Paso rally won't be charged

The man who ambushed reporters during President Trump's campaign rally in El Paso, Texas, Monday night will not face charges, according to local law enforcement. The El Paso County Sheriff's Department told the Washington Examiner Wednesday the unnamed suspect is not facing criminal charges for breaking into the media section at the rally and pushing over reporters and cameramen because media companies never filed a report of the incident. A sheriff's office spokesperson said they do not have a name of the suspect because none of the victims came forward to file a formal complaint, which would have propelled an investigation and charges. "[T]he reporter did not file a report with the Sheriff’s Office so we do not have any information on him," spokesperson Christina Acosta wrote in an email.

On Monday, the man ran down five steps in the press area then jumped onto a crowded platform where dozens of press people were gathered, watching the president speak on stage. The suspect elbowed and knocked over standing cameras then began fighting people. A BBC reporter standing on the platform said his cameraman appeared to be the focus of the attacker. According to police, the BBC did not file a complaint or report with local law enforcement. Secret Service escorted the man out of the El Paso County Coliseum following the incident and a Trump campaign official in the media section confirmed afterward it was a non-media person who had intentionally gone after reporters. Paul Danahar, BBC News Americas bureau editor, told the Washington Examiner in an email Tuesday he had written the White House and Trump campaign about the incident and would not be saying anything else about it. The Trump campaign, White House, El Paso Police Department, and Secret Service did not respond with information on the incident.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/man-who-ambushed-the-press-at-trumps-el-paso-rally-wont-be-charged

BBC Published story here:

Trump supporter attacks BBC cameraman at El Paso rally

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-us-canada-47208909

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I knew it form the moment we all watched it go down..I wish they would have reported it as a crime for one reason: Then it would be very public disinformation outing them for the liars they really are.

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NOTABLE