US VP Harris assures Israel’s Netanyahu of ‘unwavering commitment’ amid Iran standoff
March 5, 2021, 10:52 am

US VP Harris assures Israel’s Netanyahu of ‘unwavering commitment’ amid Iran standoff

ice President Kamala Harris hosts a virtual town hall at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 18, 2021. (AFP)

US Vice President Kamala Harris emphasized the United States’ “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security,” in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, the White House said.

She “underscored the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to the US-Israel partnership,” the statement read.

“The Vice President and Prime Minister agreed on the importance of continuing close cooperation and partnership on regional security issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and the regime’s dangerous regional behavior,” the White House said.

President Joe Biden’s administration took steps to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal which former President Donald Trump abandoned in 2018 and subsequently announced additional sanctions on Tehran.

The Iranian regime demanded that all Trump-era sanctions on Iran be lifted before taking any real action to return to the deal.

Israel was not a party to the 2015 deal and has longed opposed any “soft” US approaches towards its long-time foe Iran.

Tel Aviv has powerful advocates within the US Congress and Netanyahu has threatened to take unilateral military action on Iran if he deems diplomacy a dead end, which leaves Washington with a difficult balancing act to figure out.

Earlier on Thursday, Israel's Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Tel Aviv would not hesitate to act independently if the international community failed to stop Iran’s “nuclear escalation.”

source: Tuqa Khalid

Image source: AFP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”