WORLD BRIEFING: March 15, 2024
US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer has called for new elections in Israel, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prioritising his "political survival" above the country. Mr Schumer, a Democrat and the highest-ranking Jewish official in the US, said Mr Netanyahu had "lost his way". He warned that huge civilian casualties in Gaza risked alienating allies and turning Israel into a global "pariah". It is a sharp escalation in US criticism of Mr Netanyahu's government. Officials in Washington, including President Joe Biden, have broadly avoided directly criticising Mr Netanyahu's approach to the conflict, which began when Hamas gunmen stormed into southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and taking 253 others hostage. However, cracks have begun to emerge in the coalition in recent weeks, with the president warning Israel against expanding its invasion into the city of Rafah, which he called a "red line". Nonetheless, the White House was quick to distance itself from Mr Schumer's comments. Spokesperson John Kirby said that while the Senate leader had a right to his opinion, administration officials were focused on working with Israel on its defence - BBC
Hamas has presented a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators and the U.S. that includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for freedom for Palestinian prisoners, 100 of whom are serving life sentences, according to a proposal seen by Reuters. Hamas said the initial release of Israelis would include women, children, elderly and ill hostages in return for the release of 700-1,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, according to the proposal. The release of Israeli "female recruits" is included. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Thursday a new Gaza truce proposal presented by Hamas to mediators was still based on "unrealistic demands". His office said an update on the issue would be handed to the war cabinet and extended security cabinet on Friday. Egypt and Qatar have been trying to narrow differences between Israel and Hamas over what a ceasefire should look like as a deepening humanitarian crisis has one quarter of the population in the battered Gaza Strip facing famine.
A morning Russian missile attack on Odesa has left at least two dead and several injured the strikes targeted residential areas and reported a tourist district. The southern Ukrainian port city has been subject to frequent attacks over the past weeks
French President Emmanuel Macron on March 14 warned Western powers against showing any signs of weakness to Russia as he reiterated his position that sending Western troops into Ukraine shouldn't be ruled out. In an interview on French national television, Macron was asked about the prospect of sending Western troops to Ukraine, which he publicly raised last month. "We’re not in that situation today," he said, but added that "all these options are possible." Macron, who is the commander in chief of the country's armed forces, declined to describe in which situation France would be ready to send troops - RFE/RL
The Kremlin jammed satellite signals on an RAF plane carrying the Defence Secretary in a 'wildly irresponsible' act of electronic warfare following his visit to Poland. Russia jammed the signals on Grant Shapps' plane as it flew near its Kaliningrad enclave yesterday. The RAF Dassault Falcon 900's primary GPS system and its satellite communications were blocked for approaching 30 minutes. The attack took place on his return journey from Poland. Details of the Defence Secretary's flight out to the UK's NATO ally was tracked on social media. Mr Shapps was conducting a day trip to eastern Europe to meet UK troops taking part in Exercise Steadfast Defender – the biggest NATO manoeuvres since the Cold War - Daily Mail
President Biden on Thursday said he opposes a deal that would see Japan's Nippon Steel take over U.S. Steel, a proposed takeover that has become a political lightning rod for the presidential race in midwestern swing states. The $15 billion deal was announced in December, and has been fiercely opposed by the United Steelworkers union. U.S. Steel is based in Pennsylvania — a battleground state for 2024 — and has operations in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and other states as well. The White House said Biden had called the president of the union to relay his message. "It is important that we maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers," Biden said in a statement released by the White House on a day that visited Saginaw, Mich., for a campaign event - NPR
