International
Biden tells Netanyahu that the future of US support will depend on the protection of civilians in Gaza
US President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that the future support of the United States for the war in Gaza will depend on the “concrete” actions he takes to minimize the damage to civilians in the Gaza Strip and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers.
The two leaders spoke this Thursday by phone, in what is their first direct contact since the attack that on April 1 killed seven co-workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK), the NGO founded by Spanish chef José Andrés.
According to the White House in a statement, Biden took advantage of the call to ask Netanyahu to announce and implement “a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps to address the damage to civilians, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers.”
He then warned that his Government’s future policy regarding Gaza “will depend” on the actions that Israel takes to comply with those requests and considered that the attacks on humanitarian workers and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, where 33,000 people have died, “are unacceptable.”
Biden also stressed to Netanyahu that “an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians,” and urged him to empower his negotiators to conclude an agreement without delay for the hostages to return home.
Biden’s words imply a hardening of tone, although already in recent months he has been critical of Israel’s military strategy in Gaza.
However, in practice, your Government has not modified the support it has provided to Israel since the beginning of the conflict.
In fact, this same Thursday, The Washington Post newspaper reported that the United States approved on Monday – the same day that the attack on WCK took place – a new weaponry package to Israel that includes 2,000 small and medium-diameter bombs.
The White House statement did not mention that delivery of weapons and it is only said that both also talked about Iran’s threats to Israel. In this regard, Biden made it clear that the United States strongly supports Israel in the face of those threats.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that President Joe Biden asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to have a ceasefire in Gaza to protect innocent civilians.
During today’s telephone conversation with Netanyahu, Biden told him that “an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians,” Blinken said at a press conference in Brussels, after having participated in a NATO ministerial meeting.
He also urged him to allow his negotiators to conclude “an agreement without delay to return home the hostages” kidnapped by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas after its attack on Israel on October 7, in which about 1,200 people also died.
“If we don’t see the changes we have to see, there will be changes in our policy,” Blinken insisted.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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