ANKARA: Turkiye appreciates Sweden’s steps so far to to get approval to join NATO but is not even “halfway” through fulfilling a list of commitments it made to secure Ankara’s support, the Turkish foreign minister said Thursday.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a Swedish court’s decision not to extradite a man wanted by Turkiye for alleged links to a 2016 failed coup had “poisoned” a positive atmosphere in negotiations on Sweden’s membership in the military alliance.

RAMALLAH: Washington has informed Tel Aviv that it will not grant entry visas to the US for Israeli security personnel or settlers who engage in violence in the West Bank, according to Israeli sources.

The US also indicated it may reduce its military aid to Israel, or may not grant annual guarantees for $33 billion in assistance for the next 10 years, if used against Palestinians in the West Bank.

This development coincided with incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announcing success in forming a new government.

AL-MUKALLA, Yemen: A group of Chinese diplomats is visiting Yemen’s southern city of Aden for the first time in eight years, the latest in a series of foreign visits to the country’s temporary capital and seat of the internationally recognized government. 

The Chinese delegation, led by Chu Ch’ing, the acting Chinese ambassador to Yemen, met with Prime Minister Maeen Abdul Malik Saeed and other government officials, and also visited the Chinese Consulate in Aden. 

SANTIAGO: Chile plans to open an embassy in the Palestinian territories, President Gabriel Boric said late on Wednesday, which could make the Andean country one of only a handful to have an embassy-level office in the territories that are contested with Israel.
Chilean Foreign Minister Antonia Urrejola confirmed the plan on Thursday but said there was no timeline in place yet and that Chile continues to recognize both Palestine and Israel as legitimate states.

BEIRUT: Hezbollah is to remove structures it was building close to the southern Lebanese town of Rmeish following pressure from residents and Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, who accused it of encroachment.
The party’s Green Without Borders environmental organization has been told to remove all of the facilities, which encroached on properties owned by the Al-Ameel, Al-Alam and Al-Hajj families. The developments had angered local people, municipal authorities and religious leaders.