Daily News Brief

July 5, 2023

Top of the Agenda

Israel’s military announced today that it has pulled its forces out (NYT) of the West Bank city of Jenin following a large-scale raid that killed at least twelve Palestinians and one Israeli soldier. Thousands of people have fled their homes since violence broke out on Monday. In Tel Aviv yesterday, eight people were wounded in a car-ramming and stabbing attack that the militant group Hamas said was in response to aggression in Jenin. 

Ahead of the withdrawal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incursion was “not a one-off” (AP) incident. Israeli forces said all of those killed were militants. Even before this week’s raid, 2023 was on track (FT) to be the deadliest year in the West Bank since 2005. 

Analysis

“[The Israeli] government’s leaders promised to expand Jewish settlements in occupied territory and to offer up a tougher response to violence. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the occupied West Bank, has increasingly lost control of hotbeds of militancy in areas under its authority,” the New York Times’ Aaron Boxerman and Isabel Kershner write.

“Israel’s large-scale military raid into the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank this week had undeniable similarities with the second Palestinian uprising of the early 2000s — a period that claimed thousands of lives. [But the current fighting is] more limited in scope, with Israeli military operations focused on several strongholds of Palestinian militants,” the Associated Press’s Tia Goldenberg writes.

This Backgrounder by CFR’s Kali Robinson looks at U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Pacific Rim

China’s announcement that it will require a license to export two metals widely used in semiconductor manufacturing came as a response (Reuters) to recent export restrictions introduced by the United States and the Netherlands.

Australia/Indonesia: During a bilateral meeting in Sydney with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a $33 million fund for climate investment and five-year business visas for Indonesians traveling to the country. The Indonesian government said it signed a pledge (Bloomberg) to cooperate with Western Australia on critical minerals through 2025.

South and Central Asia

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi denounced countries that “use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies.” The comments echoed recent Indian criticisms (Indian Express) of Pakistani policy and China’s decision to block Pakistan-based groups from being listed as terrorists at the UN Security Council. 

Afghanistan: The Taliban government issued a one-month deadline (Reuters) for beauty salons to close, the morality ministry said. Restrictions on women in public places have grown since the Taliban took over the country in 2021.

This Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland looks at how the Taliban has ruled Afghanistan.

Middle East and North Africa

Chinese company WeRide now plans to test its vehicles (TechCrunch) on roads throughout the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the permit. The UAE also rolled out a new national policy to bolster the electric vehicle market.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Forty-two African countries received around 38 percent (Bloomberg) of all development credit extended by India in the last decade, the managing director of the Export-Import Bank of India said. Altogether, African nations have become second only to Asian countries among recipients of Indian credit.

South Sudan: President Salva Kiir said that he will run for reelection in a delayed vote scheduled for next year (Africanews, AFP). He has led the country since it gained independence from Sudan in 2011.

Europe

Jens Stoltenberg has been secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since 2014. Yesterday’s decision to extend his tenure (Politico) until October 2024 comes ahead of next week’s alliance summit in Lithuania. 

This Backgrounder by CFR’s Jonathan Masters explains NATO.

China/Russia/Ukraine: Chinese President Xi Jinping personally warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against using nuclear weapons in Ukraine during Xi’s state visit to Moscow in March, unnamed Western and Chinese officials told the Financial Times.

This article by CFR fellow J. Andrés Gannon explores three scenarios if Russia goes nuclear in Ukraine.

Americas

The Chinese company BYD plans to invest $624 million (Bloomberg) in a plant in Brazil’s Bahia state that is expected to start operations by 2024.

Trinidad and Tobago: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is attending (MercoPress) a summit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Port of Spain today. The event marks the fiftieth anniversary of the group’s founding and is set to include discussion of how to respond to the ongoing crisis in Haiti.

United States

U.S. President Joe Biden will voice his support (AP) for Sweden’s entry into NATO during an official visit by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson today. 

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