[craig nigrelli]
IN THE MIDDLE EAST– IRAQ IS NOW ACCUSING ISRAEL OF VIOLATING ITS AIRSPACE WHEN IT CARRIED OUT A SERIES OF STRIKES ON IRAN OVER THE WEEKEND.
IN A STATEMENT RELEASED MONDAY MORNING, AN IRAQI GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON SAID IRAQ HAS SENT A LETTER TO THE UNITED NATIONS TO CONDEMN THE PURPORTED BREACH.
ON SATURDAY — ISRAEL STRUCK MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE IRAN IN RESPONSE TO IRANIAN missile ATTACKS ON ISRAEL EARLIER THIS MONTH.
IRAN HAS ALSO CLAIMED ISRAEL USED IRAQI AIRSPACE TO CARRY OUT THE ATTACKS — AND ACCUSED THE U-S OF BEING IN ON IT.
AMERICAN OFFICIALS HAVE SAID ISRAEL **DID NOTIFY** THE U-S ABOUT THE STRIKES — BUT THE U-S WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED.
ACCORDING TO THE IRAQI STATEMENT, IRAQ’S PRIME MINISTER HAS TOLD THE COUNTRY’S FOREIGN MINISTRY TO RAISE THE ALLEGED ISRAELI VIOLATION WITH U-S OFFICIALS.
MEANTIME IN GAZA OVER THE WEEKEND — AN ISRAELI STRIKE KILLED SEVERAL PEOPLE AT A SCHOOL THAT’S BEING USED TO SHELTER DISPLACED PALESTINIANS.
THE ISRAELI MILITARY CLAIMS IT WAS TARGETING HAMAS OPERATIVES — AND A HAMAS COMMAND CENTER WAS EMBEDDED IN THE COMPOUND.
MEANWHILE — EGYPT’S PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED SUNDAY HIS COUNTRY HAS PROPOSED A TWO-DAY CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.
DURING THE PROPOSED CEASE-FIRE — FOUR HOSTAGES, HELD IN GAZA, WOULD BE FREED.
ISRAEL AND HAMAS HAVE NOT YET RESPONDED TO THE PROPOSAL — BUT CEASE-FIRE TALKS ARE BEING HELD IN QATAR.