UAE reiterates ‘red line’ over West Bank annexation

Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates Lana Nusseibeh addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at UN headquarters. (AP)
Short Url
Updated 28 September 2025
Follow

UAE reiterates ‘red line’ over West Bank annexation

  • Emirati official calls for immediate Gaza ceasefire in UN address
  • Lana Nusseibeh slams Israel’s ‘clear disregard’ for ‘security of Arab region’

NEW YORK: Only Palestinian statehood can bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a top Emirati official told the 80th UN General Assembly on Saturday.

Lana Nusseibeh, assistant minister for political affairs and envoy of the minister of foreign affairs, repeated the UAE’s warning to Israel over West Bank annexation proposals, adding that the world is confronting threats to national sovereignty and creeping ideologies that are “working together to destroy the foundations of progress and development.”

She said: “Nothing can justify the displacement of tens of thousands of civilians from Gaza, as well as from the West Bank.”

Her comments follow her country’s denunciation of Israeli threats to annex the West Bank. The UAE, which normalized relations with Israel five years ago, said earlier this month that any annexation attempt would represent a “red line” in the bilateral relationship.

Nusseibeh said any prospective Palestinian state must contain no elements with links to terrorism or extremism, and should restrict weapons to military use.

She also condemned Israel’s “incomprehensible mobilization” against Qatar earlier this month.

The strike, targeting Hamas negotiators in the capital Doha, showed a “clear disregard” for Qatar’s “national security and the security of the Arab region, as well as for fundamental international principles,” Nusseibeh said.

She laid out the UAE’s key demands to bring peace to Gaza: an immediate and permanent ceasefire, ending Israel’s siege, the release of hostages by Hamas and other militant groups, and the urgent, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid at scale.

“The UAE continues its role as the largest donor of aid to Gaza, mobilizing all its relations, resources and capabilities to this end,” Nusseibeh said. “We’ll continue to deliver aid to the most in need despite the restrictions and obstacles.”


Morocco’s energy ministry puts gas pipeline project on hold

Updated 03 February 2026
Follow

Morocco’s energy ministry puts gas pipeline project on hold

  • The country’s natural gas demand is expected to rise to 8 billion cubic meters in 2027 from around ‌1 bcm currently, according to ministry estimates

RABAT: Morocco’s energy ministry said on Monday it has paused a tender launched last month ​for a gas pipeline project, without giving details on the reasons for the suspension.
The tender sought bids to build a pipeline linking a future gas terminal at the Nador West Med port ‌on the Mediterranean ‌to an existing ‌pipeline ⁠that ​allows ‌Morocco to import LNG through Spanish terminals and supply two power plants.
It also covered a section that would connect the existing pipeline to industrial zones on the Atlantic in ⁠Mohammedia and Kenitra.
“Due to new parameters and assumptions ‌related to this project... the ‍ministry of ‍energy transition and sustainable development is ‍postponing the receipt of applications and the opening of bids received as of today,” the ministry said in a statement.
Morocco ​is looking to expand its use of natural gas to diversify ⁠away from coal as it also accelerates its renewable energy plan, which aims for renewables to account for 52 percent of installed capacity by 2030, up from 45 percent now.
The country’s natural gas demand is expected to rise to 8 billion cubic meters in 2027 from around ‌1 bcm currently, according to ministry estimates.