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Now Israel want Saudi Crown Prince MBS to visit Tel Aviv

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Arab monarchs apprehensive of public ire

In another step forward in Saudi Arabia-Israel relations, the Israel’s Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz want Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, to visit Tel Aviv and extend invitation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the Kingdom.

This was disclosed by his spokesman Arye Shailcar, who called the proposed visit as a historic trip involving two nations with no official diplomatic ties.

According to AFP report from Jerusalem, the minister’s spokesman Arye Shalicar disclosed that Katz issued the call during an interview with Elaph, a news website run by a Saudi businessman on Wednesday.

However, the website did not carry the invitation call in its online publication. Shalicar could not comment on why, but says Katz had indeed made the comments.

“He said that he asks the king to invite (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu officially to Riyadh, and he asks MBS, Mohammed bin Salman, the son, to come and visit Israel,” Shalicar says of Katz, who is also transportation minister.

Katz made the call because “he wants regional peace — that’s part of his three-layered program,” his spokesman said, referring to security and economic cooperation leading to eventual peace.

During the Wednesday interview the Israeli Intelligence minister referred to Saudi Arabia as a leader of the Arab world and issued a warning to Lebanon and Hezbollah.  

The Lebanese resistance group has played important role in defeating Daesh (IS) terrorists in Syria and Iraq. Israel and Hezbollah fought a war in 2006, while the group had forced Israel to withdraw its forces from south Lebanon in 2000.

Katz said if Hezbollah initiates a war against Israel, “this time all of Lebanon will be a target.” He further threatened, “What happened in 2006 would be a picnic compared to what could happen… I say Lebanon will return to the stone age.”

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken several times with pride about growing contacts with “moderate Arab states”.

In June, Israel’s defence minister Avigdor Liberman had called for a deal with Arab countries including Saudi Arabia as a pre-requisite for agreement to resolve the Palestinian conflict. Two months back Liberman underlined the need for “a full regional agreement with all moderate Sunni states, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.”

Earlier in October, an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, had confirmed to AFP that a Saudi prince who was widely reported to have visited Israel in September was Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In Novermber, the Elaph news website also interviewed Israeli military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot when he announced his country’s readiness to cooperate with Saudi Arabia to face Iran’s plans “to control the Middle East.”

It has been difficult for Saudi monarchs to manage people’s outrage on the Israeli suppressive moves against Palestinians. But at the same time they are told that “Iranian threat” may be countered with Israeli help in the region. There have been reports of Israeli arms and jets being used in bombing campaign against Yemen.

During the ongoing worldwide protests against US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital, there have been no reports of protests in Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries. The Imams of two grand mosques in Mekkah and Madinah also remained silent on the issue.

On Wednesday, during OIC Extraordinary Summit in Istanbul, especially held to discuss the US President Donald Trump’s Jerusalem move, Saudi Arabia was represented by the minister of religious affairs while 22 heads of states and governments and more than thirty foreign ministers participated in the 57-nation body meet.

The Egyptian government headed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has also been maintaining ties with Israel. Cairo and Amman have peace agreement with Israel.

According to New Arab news website report published on Wednesday, the Egyptian President was embarrassed on Al-Azhar’s Grand Imam Ahmed al-Tayeb’s “unilateral” condemnation of Trump’s Jerusalem move. Tayeb and his Christian counterpart had also cancelled their proposed meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence.

Few years back some Arabic language daily published from a European capital carried a survey saying that most Arab people were supportive of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah and Iranian leadership for their anti-Israel and anti-US stance. This has made Arab monarchs more apprehensive about people’s response if they openly hug Israeli leadership.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

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India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

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US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

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The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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