PKK, affiliated groups urged to disarm soon

JERUSALEM: Israel’s military on Sunday announced the appointment of a new spokesman to replace Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, who became the face of the country’s war effort and is due to step down.
A military statement said that the newly sworn-in chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, “has appointed (Brig. General) Effie Defrin as the IDF spokesperson.”
As a tank battalion commander, Defrin “fought and was wounded in the Second Lebanon War” in 2006, the statement said, adding that he went on to serve in “key roles,” most recently as head of the International Cooperation Division.
Defrin’s predecessor, Hagari, became a household name after the war with Hamas erupted in October 2023, briefing the media and the general public almost daily — and sometimes several times a day.
The army announced on Friday that Hagari would be stepping down at the end of his term in March.
According to the Israeli media, he had decided to leave the army because the new chief of staff refused him a promotion.
Some statements Hagari made during the war triggered criticism from the government.
In December, Hagari apologized for publicly criticizing a bill that would protect soldiers who disclose classified information to the prime minister.
He also prompted a knee-jerk reaction from the government in June when he said that Hamas cannot be eliminated.
“To say that we are going to make Hamas disappear is to throw sand in people’s eyes,” Hagari told Israel’s Channel 13 broadcaster, adding: “Hamas is an ideology, we cannot eliminate an ideology.”
His comments were quickly rebuffed by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

AMMAN: King Abdullah II on Sunday received representatives of Syria, Turkiye, Iraq and Lebanon participating in a high-level meeting of Syria’s neighboring countries, hosted by Jordan.

During the meeting, at Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman, the king reaffirmed Jordan’s commitment to supporting Syria’s security, stability and territorial integrity, as well as safeguarding the rights of its citizens.

Discussions focused on the importance of coordinated efforts among Syria and its neighboring countries to address regional security challenges, particularly countering terrorism, maintaining border security, and curbing drug and arms smuggling.

The king also stressed the need to facilitate the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees, enabling them to take part in the country’s reconstruction efforts.

Earlier in the day, a broader regional meeting began at the King Hussein Club in Amman, bringing together foreign and defense ministers, chiefs of staff and intelligence agency directors from Jordan, Turkiye, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon.

The meeting followed days of clashes between Syrian security forces and insurgents of the minority Alawite community loyal to the deposed Bashar Assad government in Syria’s coastal province.

Participants discussed strategies for eliminating terrorism, ensuring border stability and supporting the Syrian people in rebuilding their country on a foundation that guaranteed its unity and sovereignty.

“Stability in Syria requires dialogue with the country’s various components,” said Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein at a joint news conference afterward.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan welcomed the “historic” meeting and called for cooperation to decrease tension in Syria.