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Syria open to meeting Hezbollah 'if interests require it', says Syrian FM

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani is in Lebanon and met President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, according to Al Jazeera. The former rebel fighters who now govern Syria fought against Hezbollah for years, as it was deployed there to support former President Bashar al-Assad. It would be the first time the two sides have met. Al-Shaibani said Syria is open to meeting Hezbollah representatives “if interests require ⁠it”, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. His visit comes as Damascus insists it does not want to intervene militarily in Lebanon despite pressure from the United States to do so. President Trump has repeatedly said Syria could “take care of Hezbollah” while criticising Israel’s failure to destroy the Lebanese armed group. Lebanese president says Syrian counterpart pledges 'new chapter' in bilateral ties Lebanese President Joseph Aoun sai...

Israeli settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque amid rising tensions

Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem under heavy police protection on Wednesday as tensions continue to simmer across the occupied West Bank, Palestinian authorities said. The Jerusalem Governorate said the settlers moved through the compound’s courtyards and carried out provocative religious rituals, including what is referred to as “epic prostration”, near Bab al-Rahma gate and the Dome of the Rock inside the complex. Groups affiliated with the so-called Temple movement circulated calls encouraging more settlers to storm the flashpoint site and raise Israeli flags inside its courtyards, the governorate added in a statement carried by the official news agency Wafa. Also Read: Pakistan condemns Israeli minister's Al-Aqsa raid The incursion came as Israeli police continued to tighten restrictions across East Jerusalem by setting up checkpoints, closing roads and limiting access for worshippers to the mosque. Since early April, the pace of such incursions has increased, with Israeli settlers performing public rituals inside the compound. Last week, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed the compound and performed Talmudic rituals alongside settlers, marking his third such incursion this year and the 16th since taking office in late 2022. Read More: Israel renews calls for Gaza occupation Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews refer to the area as Temple Mount, believing it to be the site of two ancient Jewish temples. Since 2003, Israeli police have allowed settlers to enter the mosque compound daily during two periods — morning and afternoon — except on Fridays and Saturdays. Palestinians say Israel is intensifying efforts to alter the status of East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity. Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, based on international resolutions that do not recognise Israel’s occupation of the city in 1967 or its annexation in 1980.

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