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The US, UK, and regional actors are coordinating a complex plan to establish a transitional Palestinian government in Gaza, overseen by a Board of Peace chaired by President Trump. The process involves regional negotiations, Palestinian diaspora candidates, and ongoing tensions with Hamas, amid international aid and security concerns.
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Tufan Erhurman, leader of the centre-left Republican Turkish Party, won a decisive victory in Northern Cyprus, defeating incumbent Ersin Tatar. Erhurman advocates restarting negotiations for a federal reunification, contrasting Tatar’s support for a two-state solution backed by Turkey. The election signals a potential shift in Cyprus peace efforts amid ongoing regional tensions.
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Cypriot authorities have prosecuted several individuals, including Israeli businessman Shimon Aykout, for illegal property development in the breakaway north. Aykout pleaded guilty to 40 charges related to building and selling Greek Cypriot properties, highlighting ongoing tensions over property rights stemming from the 1974 division of Cyprus. The case underscores the contentious nature of property ownership and enforcement in the region, with recent sentences serving as a warning to illegal developers.
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Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman and Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides will meet at the UN peacekeeping envoy's residence to discuss reunification efforts. Erhurman, elected in October, aims to revive stalled negotiations, while Turkey's Erdogan advocates a two-state solution, complicating prospects for reunification.
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Lebanese and Cypriot leaders signed a maritime agreement, finalizing a deal first proposed in 2007, to delineate their offshore zones. The deal aims to boost energy cooperation, attract investment, and improve regional stability, though Lebanon has yet to find commercially viable offshore gas. The agreement also leaves Syria as the last neighbor without a border deal.