Middle East 'doomed' without Palestinian state, King of Jordan - Newstrends
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Middle East ‘doomed’ without Palestinian state, King of Jordan

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King Abdullah II of Jordan

Middle East ‘doomed’ without Palestinian state, King of Jordan

King Abdullah II of Jordan has warned that the Middle East is doomed unless there is a peace process leading to a Palestinian state.

The king was speaking in an exclusive interview for BBC Panorama, as he prepared to attend a summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh on President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan for the region.

The summit is taking place on the day Hamas released the last living Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel.

“If we don’t solve this problem,” King Abdullah said, “if we don’t find a future for Israelis and Palestinians and a relationship between the Arab and Muslim worlds and Israel, we’re doomed.”

King Abdullah said the region had seen many failed attempts at peace and that the implementation of a two-state solution – the creation of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, alongside Israel – was the only answer.

“I hope we can move things back, but with a political horizon, because if we don’t solve this problem, we’re going to be at it again,” the king said.

Israel has repeatedly rejected a two-state solution. At the United Nations General Assembly last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was emphatic in his opposition.

“In fact, they effectively had a Palestinian state – in Gaza. What did they do with that state? Peace? Co-existence?”

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“No, they attacked us time and time again, totally unprovoked, they fired rockets into our cities, they murdered our children, they turned Gaza into a terror base from which they committed the October 7 massacre,” he added, referring to the Hamas-led attacks two years ago that triggered this Gaza conflict.

However, it was at the same UN assembly that President Trump called King Abdullah and other regional leaders to a meeting to outline his peace plan.

“The message he gave all of us was that, ‘This has to stop. It has to stop now.’ And we said, ‘You know, Mr President, if anybody can do it, it’s you,'” King Abdullah said.

Referring to the violence of the last two years, including Israel’s war with Iran and the Israeli attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar last month, King Abdullah asked: “How close have we come to regional, if not a southern-northern divide conflict that would have encompassed the whole world?”

Speaking of Netanyahu, the Jordanian leader said he did not “trust a thing he says”. But he believed there were Israelis with whom Arab leaders could work to build peace.

As for Hamas and its acceptance to hand over governance of Gaza to an independent Palestinian body under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, the king said he been assured by those “that are working extremely close to them, Qatar and Egypt, [who] feel very, very optimistic that they will abide by that.”

But the king warned that the “devil was in the detail” of the Trump mediated agreement, and that once a ceasefire had been achieved in Gaza it was vital that the US president remained engaged with the process.

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“In our discussions with President Trump, he knows that it’s not just Gaza, it’s not just a particular political horizon. I mean he’s looking at bringing peace to the whole region. That doesn’t happen unless the Palestinians have a future.”

Jordan has had a peace treaty with Israel since 1994, despite opposition from many in the country. More than 50% of the country’s population is of Palestinian descent, including the King’s wife, Queen Rania. The two countries co-operate on security issues.

The peace treaty was signed by the current monarch’s late father, King Hussein, with the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin was assassinated by a Jewish extremist the following year. I asked King Abdullah if he believed he would see a final peace agreement including a Palestinian state within his own lifetime?

“I have to, because the alternative would mean probably the end of the region. My father, I remember towards the end of his life, used to say, ‘I want peace for my children and their children.’ I have two grandchildren; they deserve that peace. How awful would it be for them to grow up to say the same thing that my father said years ago?”

“And I think that’s what galvanises me and many of us in the region, that peace is the only option. Because if it doesn’t come about, how often is the West, America in particular, dragged into this? It’s been 80 years. And I think it’s time for all of us to say enough is enough.”

More than 67,000 people have been killed by Israel’s military in Gaza since 7 October 2023, according to health ministry officials in the Hamas-run territory.

History does not offer much reason for hope, but King Abdullah believes this is a moment of genuine possibility.

With additional reporting by Alice Doyard, Suha Kawar and David McIlveen

Middle East ‘doomed’ without Palestinian state, King of Jordan

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Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

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Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside
Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

A man who reportedly visited the headquarters of luxury car manufacturer Bugatti in search of employment allegedly drove away in the company chief executive’s £2 million sports car after discovering that its keys had been left inside.

The incident involved Mate Rimac, the Croatian businessman and chief executive of Bugatti, whose personal Bugatti Chiron was stolen from the company’s production and technology campus near Zagreb, Croatia.

The suspect, a Croatian man in his mid-30s, reportedly entered the facility looking for a job before spotting the high-performance vehicle with its keys inside and driving away.

Rimac disclosed the incident in a series of posts on Instagram, explaining that he had routinely left the keys inside his vehicles because he considered Croatia a safe place.

He admitted that the habit had continued for years without any incident until the Chiron disappeared.

The theft was discovered after an employee alerted colleagues that an unfamiliar person had driven away in the expensive vehicle.

Rimac immediately contacted the police and used the car’s built-in tracking and telemetry system to monitor its movements.

The tracking technology provided information about the vehicle’s location, speed and fuel level, allowing the Bugatti team to follow its journey and share updates with law enforcement officers.

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After discovering that the stolen vehicle was heading towards Slovenia, Rimac jumped into a Porsche 911 and pursued it.

The pursuit continued across borders, with the Chiron eventually reaching Austria. Rimac and his team maintained communication with the police through a group chat, providing updates that helped Austrian officers locate and intercept the vehicle.

The suspect was subsequently arrested in Austria, where Rimac later met him at a police station.

According to the Bugatti boss, the man explained that he had initially visited the company’s premises to seek employment but decided to take the car after noticing that its keys were inside.

Rimac said he was not planning to press charges against the suspect. However, he acknowledged that the man could still face prosecution because of the high value of the stolen vehicle.

The CEO also revealed that he had considered giving the suspect a lift home to his family but police officers did not allow him to do so.

The recovered Chiron sustained some damage during the incident, although Rimac said it could be repaired.

The businessman thanked the Austrian police for their intervention, saying he was relieved that nobody was injured during the incident.

He also admitted that the experience had taught him an expensive lesson, promising never again to leave the keys inside his vehicles.

The Bugatti Chiron, unveiled in 2016, is one of the world’s most powerful luxury hypercars. The model has a starting price of about €2.4 million, equivalent to approximately £2 million, and a manufacturer-limited top speed of 420 kilometres per hour.

Bugatti operates under Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture in which Rimac Group holds a majority stake.

The unusual theft has attracted international attention because of the vehicle’s value, the suspect’s reported reason for visiting the facility and the extraordinary cross-border pursuit involving the Bugatti chief executive.

Job Seeker Steals Bugatti CEO’s £2m Car After Finding Keys Inside

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Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

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Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has given opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot the first opportunity to form the country’s next government, dealing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a major political setback after a closely contested general election.

Herzog announced his decision on Saturday, November 7, 2026, following consultations with political parties elected to the 26th Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, emerged with the highest number of recommendations from lawmakers, receiving the backing of representatives from factions controlling 67 seats, compared with 46 seats for Netanyahu. Representatives of another faction controlling seven seats did not recommend either candidate.

The decision followed the October 27 general election, which left neither Netanyahu’s governing bloc nor the opposition grouping with the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist coalition secured 53 seats, while the four-party opposition alliance led by Eisenkot won 48. The two Arab-led parties made significant gains, securing a combined 19 seats, placing them in a potentially decisive position in negotiations over the next government.

Eisenkot is expected to receive the formal mandate from Herzog at a ceremony at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, November 8.

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Under the Israeli government-formation process, he will have 28 days to negotiate a coalition, with the possibility of a further 14-day extension.

The former military chief will face difficult negotiations because his opposition alliance does not have enough seats to govern independently. Although the Arab-led parties have endorsed him, Eisenkot has previously expressed reservations about forming a coalition with them.

One possible route is to establish a minority government with support from Arab-led lawmakers on confidence votes and key legislation. Another option would involve reaching an agreement with ultra-Orthodox parties that have traditionally aligned with Netanyahu.

However, both options could create tensions within Eisenkot’s own political alliance, particularly among members who oppose relying on Arab parties or making concessions to religious parties.

A broader national unity government involving Netanyahu’s Likud party is another possibility, although the two leaders have significant disagreements over key political and security issues.

Eisenkot has previously ruled out serving in a government alongside Netanyahu, while criticising the prime minister’s handling of the war in Gaza and his reliance on far-right political partners.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, had sought to prevent an opposition-led government from emerging with the support of Arab-led parties.

Shortly before Herzog announced his decision, Netanyahu called for a national unity government and warned against the formation of an administration dependent on what he described as supporters of terrorism, referring to the Arab-led parties.

His comments drew criticism from Eisenkot’s political camp, which accused the prime minister of using divisive language to undermine the opposition’s efforts to form a government.

The Arab-led parties, which represent a significant section of Israel’s Palestinian citizens, have indicated their willingness to support efforts to end Netanyahu’s long tenure in office.

Their combined 19 seats could provide Eisenkot with the parliamentary backing needed to overcome the deadlock, although securing a workable arrangement remains uncertain.

Eisenkot, 66, served as chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces from 2015 to 2019 before entering politics in 2022. He later served as an observer in Netanyahu’s wartime cabinet following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

He subsequently became one of Netanyahu’s most prominent critics, particularly over the conduct of the war in Gaza, the government’s security decisions and the influence of far-right politicians.

If Eisenkot fails to form a government within the stipulated period, Herzog may give another candidate the opportunity to try. If the process remains unsuccessful, Israel could be forced into another general election.

Netanyahu will remain prime minister in a caretaker capacity until a new government is sworn in.

Herzog’s decision therefore represents an important development in Israel’s political transition, but the final outcome will depend on whether Eisenkot can overcome divisions among opposition parties and secure sufficient parliamentary support.

Netanyahu Faces Political Setback as Israeli President Picks Rival to Form Government

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White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

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White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders
U.S. President Donald Trump
White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

The White House has reaffirmed the United States government’s policy recognising only two sexes, male and female, under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The administration restated its position in a message published on its official X account on Friday, November 6, 2026, declaring that the United States government officially recognises only two genders.

“It is the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male & female,” the White House stated.

The latest declaration reinforces Trump’s position on gender identity and his administration’s efforts to make biological sex the basis for federal government policies, official documents and administrative procedures.

Trump formally established the policy on January 20, 2025, through an executive order titled Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.

Under Section Two of the executive order, the President declared that it was the policy of the United States to recognise two sexes, male and female.

The directive defined sex as an individual’s unchangeable biological classification as either male or female, distinguishing it from gender identity.

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It also instructed federal agencies to adopt the definitions when interpreting and implementing federal laws, regulations and government policies.

Among other measures, the executive order directed government agencies to review and remove official statements, policies, regulations and communications considered inconsistent with the administration’s position.

It further required federal agencies to ensure that official forms requesting information about an individual’s sex provided only male and female options.

The policy marked a significant departure from measures introduced under former President Joe Biden, whose administration expanded federal recognition of gender identity in several areas of government operations.

In 2022, the Biden administration introduced an X gender marker option on US passports, allowing applicants who did not identify as male or female to select the alternative designation.

Trump’s executive order sought to reverse such measures and restore biological sex as the basis for federal government recognition.

The administration has maintained that the policy is intended to protect sex-based rights and ensure consistency in the interpretation of federal laws.

However, the policy has generated considerable debate over transgender rights, gender identity, discrimination and the legal recognition of transgender and non-binary people in the United States.

The White House’s latest declaration did not announce a new executive order or additional regulatory measures but reaffirmed the administration’s existing position on an issue that continues to attract political, legal and social debate.

 

White House Reaffirms US Policy Recognising Only Two Genders

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