The Times of Israel is liveblogging Friday’s events as they happen.
Iranian sources say China pressing Tehran to rein in Houthi attacks on shipping
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Chinese officials have asked their Iranian counterparts to help rein in attacks on ships in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis, or risk harming business relations with Beijing, four Iranian sources and a diplomat familiar with the matter say.
The discussions about the attacks and trade between China and Iran took place at several recent meetings in Beijing and Tehran, the Iranian sources say, declining to provide details about when they took place or who attended.
“Basically, China says: ‘If our interests are harmed in any way, it will impact our business with Tehran. So tell the Houthis to show restraint’,” says one Iranian official briefed on the talks, who speaks to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The Chinese officials, however, did not make any specific comments or threats about how Beijing’s trading relationship with Iran could be affected if its interests were damaged by Houthi attacks, the four Iranian sources say,
While China has been Iran’s biggest trading partner for the past decade, their trade relationship is lopsided.
Chinese oil refiners, for example, bought over 90% of Iran’s crude exports last year, according to tanker tracking data from trade analytics firm Kpler, as US sanctions kept many other customers away and Chinese firms profited from heavy discounts.
Iranian oil, though, only accounts for 10% of China’s crude imports and Beijing has an array of suppliers that could plug shortfalls from elsewhere.
The Iranian sources say Beijing had made it clear it would be very disappointed with Tehran if any vessels linked to China were hit, or the country’s interests were affected in any way.
But while China was important to Iran, Tehran also had proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, besides the Houthis in Yemen, and its regional alliances and priorities played a major role in its decision making, one of the Iranian insiders say.
Pentagon chief and Gallant discuss Gaza war, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin spoke Thursday with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant about the Israeli military campaign against Gaza-ruling Hamas and cross-border skirmishes between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, his office says.
A statement from the US Defense Department says Austin “reiterate[d] US support for Israel’s right to defend itself and the importance of ensuring uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.”
“Secretary Austin reaffirmed the US commitment to the pursuit of diplomacy to resolve tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border and the shared goal of avoiding regional escalation,” the readout adds.
Blinken speaks with South African FM before ICJ rules in genocide case against Israel
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a phone call with his South African counterpart Naledi Pandor, before the International Court of Justice rules on whether or not to order emergency measures against Israel in its war against Hamas.
Friday’s ruling by The Hague-based court, which Pandor is slated to be in attendance for, is in response to South Africa’s charge that Israel is committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip. Among the measures South Africa requested is an immediate halt to Israel’s military operation against Hamas, launched in response to the Gaza-ruling terror group’s shock October 7 onslaught.
A readout from the State Department says that during their phone call Thursday, Blinken and Pandor discussed “the conflict in Gaza, including the need to protect civilian lives, ensure sustained humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and work towards lasting regional peace that ensures Israel’s security and advances the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.”
“The secretary reaffirmed support for Israel’s right to ensure the terrorist attacks of October 7 can never be repeated,” it adds.
The statement noticeably does not mention South Africa’s ICJ case, which Blinken has previously called “meritless.” Speaking to reporters earlier Thursday during a tour of Africa that does not include a stop in South Africa, he said “those views stand,” while stressing Washington’s relations with Pretoria would not suffer.
“Of course, our relationship with South Africa is vitally important and it is a very broad and deep relationship covering many, many issues,” Blinken said.
“When we have a disagreement on one particular matter, it doesn’t take away from the important work that we are doing together,” he added.
Federal jury convicts man for defacing Michigan synagogue with swastika, other graffiti
MARQUETTE, Michigan — A federal jury has convicted a man on two counts for with defacing one of Michigan’s oldest synagogues with a swastika and other graffiti in 2019, prosecutors say Thursday.
Nathan Weeden, 23, of Houghton has been found guilty of conspiring against rights and damaging religious property, prosecutors say.
Swastikas and symbols associated with The Base, a white supremacist group, were sprayed on the outside of Temple Jacob in Hancock in the Upper Peninsula, prosecutors say. Weeden and co-conspirators dubbed their plan “Operation Kristallnacht,” which means “Night of Broken Glass” and refers to November 9-10, 1938, when Nazis killed Jews and burned their homes, synagogues, schools and places of business.
“This defendant shamelessly desecrated Temple Jacob when he emblazoned swastikas — a symbol of extermination — on their Temple walls,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the US Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division says in a news release. “Such conduct is unacceptable and criminal under any circumstances but doing so in furtherance of a self-described ‘Operation Kristallnacht’ conspiracy is beyond disgraceful.”
A message seeking comment was left with Weeden’s attorney.
Two co-conspirators of Weeden were previously convicted in the case.
The construction of Temple Jacob was completed in 1912.