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US says Palestinian state should come via talks, not unilateral recognition

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U.S. President Joe Biden believes a Palestinian state should be achieved through negotiations, not unilateral recognition, the White House said on Wednesday after Ireland, Spain and Norway said they would recognize a Palestinian state this month, Reuters reported.

Washington's reaction appeared to signal U.S. dismay that the three European nations announced an intent to proceed with unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state, which does not exist in practice.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told a regular news briefing each country could make its own decision on recognition of a Palestinian state, but that Biden thinks direct negotiations by the parties is the best approach.

"President Biden believes that a two-state solution that guarantees Israel's security and also a future of dignity and security for the Palestinian people is the best way to bring about long-term security and stability for everyone in the region," Sullivan said.

"President Biden ... has been equally emphatic on the record that that two-state solution should be brought about through direct negotiations through the parties, not for unilateral recognition."

Sullivan had been asked if the United States was concerned that other nations might follow suit in recognizing a Palestinian state. He said the U.S. would communicate its consistent position to partners "see what unfolds."

WAR IN GAZA

Decades of U.S. efforts have failed to achieve a "two-state solution" with Israel living alongside a Palestinian state encompassing the West Bank, ruled by the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Gaza, ruled by the Hamas Islamist movement since it seized the coastal strip from the PA in a brief 2007 civil war, read the report.

Israel began an offensive in Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 253 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since then, health officials in the Hamas-run enclave say.

Israel is now attacking Rafah in southern Gaza, saying it wants to root out Hamas militants. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have fled Rafah since the start of the assault, and the main access routes for aid into Gaza have been blocked, Reuters reported.

Sullivan said he was briefed on Israeli plans to minimize civilian harm in Rafah during a weekend visit to the region, and Washington will track whether the assault causes widespread death and destruction or is more precise and proportional.

"We now have to see what unfolds from here," he said.

He said aid was flowing in from a pier in Gaza, and that it was wrong for Israel to withhold funds from the West Bank.

The Biden administration also hopes to broker an arrangement leading Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize relations. As part of that process, Saudi Arabia has demanded the Gaza conflict end and a path to a Palestinian state, something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be likely to find hard to accept.

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Afghanistan exported more than 2,500 tons of pine nuts in 1402

Afghan pine nut is mostly exported to China, India, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

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The Ministry of Industry and Commerce says that in the past solar year (1402) more than 2,500 tons of pine nuts worth $27 million were exported to neighboring countries and beyond.

Afghan pine nut is mostly exported to China, India, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

“The total weight of black pine nut exports during 1402 was 2,523 tons and the value was $27 million, mostly to China, India, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United States, Britain, Australia, the Netherlands, and other countries,” said Abdul Salam Javad Akhundzada, the spokesman of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

Officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock say that since last year, pine nut production has increased in the country and they have also expanded artificial forests to harvest more pine nuts.

“In order to revive pine nut forests, according to last year's development budget, pine trees have been planted on approximately 1,500 hectares of land.
There used to be pine trees on these lands, but they were cut down or destroyed in a fire,” said Misbahuddin Mustain, the spokesperson of the Ministries of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock.

Experts say that currently China buys most of Afghanistan's pint nuts, but the government must find new markets so that it can be sold at a better price.

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IEA says deportation of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has intensified

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A committee of the High Commission for Addressing the Problems of Migrants said the process of forced expulsion of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has intensified.

However, members of the committee emphasized, in their meeting with the Prime Minister's administrative deputy, that they have managed the resettlement of the returnees well in cooperation with relevant institutions.

In the meeting, Abdul Salam Hanafi, the administrative deputy prime minister, said that as winter approaches, committees should seek to ensure that the returnees will not face problems.

Experts say that the refugee hosting countries should treat Afghan migrants according to international laws, and take into account the current conditions of the country.

“To reduce immigration and increase economic stability, creating employment opportunities, increasing investment, giving various types of loans to people and issuing securities can be effective,” said Asifa Stanikzai, a migration expert.

Iranian officials have said that they deport 3,000 Afghan immigrants from the country every day and they plan to deport two million Afghan immigrants by the end of this year.

Forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan has been a serious challenge in the last three years, but according to experts, the Islamic Emirate has been able to manage the process to some extent.

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Iran executes 13 Afghans in October, 49 in total since January

Last month, Iran carried out at least 166 executions in October alone bringing the total in the first 10 months of 2024 to at least 651

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Iran Human Rights reported this weekend that in the first 10 months of 2024, Iran has executed 49 Afghan nationals, 13 of whom were executed in October alone. 

According to IHR, the number of executions of Afghan nationals has increased in the past three years. 

In 2022, 16 Afghan nationals, including a juvenile offender and a woman, were executed. 

In 2023, this number increased to 25. 

This year, the trend has accelerated further.

IHR warned that Iran may take advantage of the rising conflict between Iran and Israel to escalate the number of executions in the coming months.

Last month, Iran carried out at least 166 executions in October alone bringing the total in the first 10 months of 2024 to at least 651.

This marks the highest number of executions recorded in a single month since Iran Human Rights began documenting executions in 2007. 

Among those executed were the 13 Afghan nationals, six women, and an Iranian-German citizen.

The organization has called on the international community, media, and civil society to closely monitor and respond to what they say is an “alarming rise in executions”.

IHR also stated that since the presidential election and the recent escalation in Iran-Israel tensions, the number of executions has surged, with at least 353 people having been executed between August and October - since President Massoud Pezeshkian took office.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has not yet commented on the number of Afghan nationals executed.

The Iranian government does not disclose the number of Afghans it executes or the reasons behind most cases. 

However, it is widely believed that a significant portion of these executions are related to drug charges.

Human rights organizations have criticized the Iranian government for conducting such executions, arguing that these actions violate international laws and the right to life.

Amnesty International says that the death penalty, without exception, constitutes a violation of the right to life as articulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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