SRN NEWS

Israel’s New Parliament Opens With Fight Over Speaker and Push for October 7 Inquiry Eisenkot’s allies seek control of the Knesset and move to reverse Netanyahu-era legislation, but disagreements over Arab party support and military conscription complicate efforts to form a government By Gabriel Colodro / The Media Line Israel’s newly elected parliament opened Tuesday with a challenge to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and a legislative push to establish a state inquiry into the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, as Gadi Eisenkot’s allies sought to exercise their parliamentary majority before forming a government. Eisenkot’s Yashar party submitted a petition backed by 67 lawmakers demanding a vote to replace Ohana, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party. Ohana subsequently announced that the vote would take place November 17, with former Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahana, a Yashar lawmaker, nominated as his successor. https://themedialine.org/top-stories/israels-new-parliament-opens-with-fight-over-speaker-and-push-for-october-7-inquiry/ Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

Israel’s 26th Knesset Sworn in as Opposition Calls for New Speaker, Netanyahu Demands Unity Government   By The Media Line Staff  Israel’s 26th Knesset was sworn in Tuesday in Jerusalem, as opposition lawmakers launched an effort to replace Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a national unity government to confront continuing threats from Iran.  The ceremony, during which all 120 lawmakers took the oath of office, was marked by political confrontations and appeals for unity, with President Isaac Herzog urging the newly elected parliament to avoid another election and address the country’s military conscription dispute.  The Yashar party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, announced that 67 lawmakers had signed a formal request to remove Ohana and nominate former minister Matan Kahana as his replacement. The Change Bloc had earlier secured the 61 signatures needed to initiate the process, with a vote expected next week.  Addressing the new parliament, Netanyahu warned that Iran was seeking to rebuild its nuclear program despite the damage inflicted by Israeli military operations.  “Iran has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel. After we pushed back the immediate existential threat posed by the Iranian nuclear program, Iran is working to revive that program.”  Netanyahu argued that permanently eliminating the threat required overthrowing Iran’s leadership and called on lawmakers to set aside political differences and establish a national unity government.  His speech turned confrontational when Naftali Bennett, chairman of B’Yachad, interrupted Netanyahu’s demand for an investigation into foreign interference in the elections.  “What about investigating the events of October 7? What about your Qatari advisers? Why don’t you declare Qatar an enemy state?” Bennett demanded.  Netanyahu also criticized the Arab political parties, prompting Democrats chairman Yair Golan and several Arab lawmakers to leave the chamber.  Earlier, Herzog had called for a comprehensive investigation into the October 7 massacre and urged parliament to address the burden of military service, including the responsibilities of regular soldiers and reservists.  Ohana, meanwhile, warned that Hamas remained a threat despite suffering severe losses and urged political cooperation on national security.  The ceremony also included a tribute to newly elected MK Elisha Medan, who lost both legs during the war.   Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

Cypriot Gas Could Ease Egypt’s Energy Crisis but Leave Reliance on Israel Intact Egypt is looking to Cyprus for relief from costly gas imports, but delayed projects, commercial disputes, and plans to expand Israeli supplies could keep the countries economically intertwined for years By Waseem Abu Mahadi / The Media Line [CAIRO] Egypt’s government has deepened cuts to natural gas supplies for fertilizer producers, increasing the reduction from 20% to 33% on November 8 as it struggles with the rising cost of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG). Cairo is looking to Cyprus for additional pipeline supplies, but the projects’ schedules and export commitments suggest that Israeli gas will remain essential to the Egyptian economy for years. Misr Fertilizers Production Co. (MOPCO) disclosed the latest cut to the Egyptian Exchange on Sunday. Abu Qir Fertilizers said Monday that it was redistributing gas between production units to keep two of its three plants running at full capacity. https://themedialine.org/top-stories/cypriot-gas-could-ease-egypts-energy-crisis-but-leave-reliance-on-israel-intact/ Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

 Gulf States Agree To Establish Joint Military Command Center in Kuwait By The Media Line Staff Defense ministers from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries agreed Tuesday to establish a forward military command center in Kuwait and assign forces to support its operations, seeking to strengthen their collective defense capabilities following Iranian attacks against Gulf states. The decision came during the 23rd meeting of the GCC Joint Defense Council in Manama, Bahrain, chaired by Bahrain’s Minister of Defense Affairs, Lt. Gen. Abdullah bin Hassan Al Nuaimi, and follows a summit in Jeddah last April, where Gulf leaders called for closer military cooperation and greater preparedness to confront regional security threats. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi said the new facility would operate under the GCC Unified Military Command, bringing together military personnel and resources from member states to improve operational coordination and their ability to respond to shared threats. He emphasized that Gulf leaders regarded the defense of member states’ sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity as a collective responsibility, requiring closer integration of military capabilities, intelligence-sharing and operational planning. The announcement comes against a backdrop of regional hostilities that Al Budaiwi said had demonstrated the importance of cooperation among Gulf armed forces. He condemned Iranian attacks against GCC countries, particularly those affecting civilian areas and critical infrastructure, while praising the coordination demonstrated by member states in responding to the strikes. Al Budaiwi also commended the professionalism and operational readiness of Gulf military personnel confronting what he described as Iranian aggression, saying their cooperation reflected a shared commitment to protecting the region’s security and stability. During his remarks, the secretary-general paid tribute to service members killed while performing their duties, offered condolences to their families and wished those wounded a speedy recovery. He separately condemned attacks attributed to Yemen’s Houthi movement against Saudi Arabia, including incidents involving locations considered sacred by Muslims, and reaffirmed the GCC’s support for the kingdom’s efforts to protect its security and territorial integrity. The agreement includes the allocation of military forces to the Kuwait command center, which will coordinate operations under the GCC’s existing unified military structure. Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

By Field Level Media Nov 11 (Field Level Media) – General manager John Spytek flashed a reflective smile and spoke with optimism on Tuesday, explaining the Raiders’ motives hours after starting quarterback Kirk Cousins was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. Seated to the GM’s immediate left, with the silver brim of his cap shading his eyes from view, was Raiders coach Klint Kubiak. It was hard to tell whether he blinked through a blank stare, but it was nearly certain he didn’t smile after subtracting Cousins from the roster and accelerating the arrival of rookie No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza as an NFL starter. Kubiak and Cousins worked together prior to this season. Kubiak was the Vikings’ quarterbacks coach in 2019-2020 and offensive coordinator in 2021, while Cousins was in his first stint with the team (2018-2023). Spytek insisted the Raiders (4-5) are not “punting on this season or looking forward to 2027.” Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and national title at Indiana as a junior, was selected with the top pick in April with a plan to let him get comfortable behind Cousins. Mendoza has appeared in one game this season, completing 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards against New England in Week 5. Cousins has 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 97.1 passer rating. “We have a lot of belief in this team, and the guy that’s going to be playing quarterback now too,” Spytek said. The Raiders “never made one call on Kirk Cousins” and discussed the option of trading him to the Vikings with the 38-year-old before making the deal that sent him back to Minnesota, where he played six seasons and went to three Pro Bowls. But netting a third-round pick and sensing Mendoza can handle the role, Spytek moved forward. “He passed every test. I want to stop short of saying he’s earned it but he put us in a position where we had to make a really hard decision today with his growth as a teammate, as a leader, as a quarterback,” Spytek said. Kubiak has worked with Cousins before; they’re close in age and will remain close, making the trade challenging for the first-year coach. “I have a special relationship with him, working with him for four years now, couldn’t have picked a better guy to kick us off. He earned the right to be in this conversation with his production. That put him in this position. We’re going to miss Kirk. I just love coming to work with him every day.” (–Field Level Media) Brought to you by www.srnnews.com