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Biden Continues Push for Gaza Cease-Fire in Call With Netanyahu
President Biden spoke Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reiterate U.S. concerns about a widespread invasion of Rafah and discuss prospects for a deal that would secure a temporary cease-fire in Gaza and the return of some hostages that Hamas has held since October.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is headed to the Middle East with stops in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel to continue to push for a deal.
The White House didn’t provide details of the two leaders’ discussion on Israel’s planned Rafah operation, but noted that Biden had “repeated his clear position” cautioning Israeli’s leaders about the looming offensive.
The Biden administration has repeatedly warned the Israelis against conducting a full-scale ground assault against the city, which has become a refuge for more than one million Palestinians. It has also insisted any military action not be undertaken until Israel prepares a feasible plan to move much of the population out of harm’s way and ensure that aid deliveries aren’t interrupted.
Israeli officials have said that the operation, which isn’t imminent, is needed to defeat the four Hamas battalions that are still in the city and neutralize Hamas leaders who are believed to have taken sanctuary there.
During the call, Biden reiterated that Israel should allow additional humanitarian assistance to flow into Gaza and the two discussed “preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week,” according to a White House account of the conversation.
Hamas leaders have released videos of some hostages in recent days, in a move that appeared to be designed to increase pressure on the Israeli government to reach a cease-fire deal as anticipation grows for a large Israeli offensive in Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza.
White House officials also publicly pushed the prospect for a deal Sunday. “Hamas has not fully rejected it—they are still considering this proposal on the table,” said John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, speaking on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday morning.
“If we can get that in place, that gives you six weeks of peace.” He added that the White House hopes a more enduring cease-fire will follow.
The potential for progress comes as the White House contends with unrest on college campuses across the country. Biden’s team hopes that a deal that halts fighting will quiet the protest movement and help them woo back some of the voters who are deeply upset about the conflict.
See more here: Biden Continues Push for Gaza Cease-Fire in Call With Netanyahu - WSJ
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Residents, Gulf Shores mayor agree on annexation plan: ‘No desire to take over all of Fort Morgan’
In a tense meeting on Friday, more than 100 Fort Morgan residents gathered at Shell Banks Baptist Church to discuss a proposed bill in the Alabama Legislature to annex 16 properties into Gulf Shores.
However, by the end of the two-hour meeting, the residents, State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine), State Rep. Frances Holk-Jones (R-Foley) and Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft had reached a tentative solution that most people seemed okay with.
Read the rest of the story here: Residents, Gulf Shores mayor agree on annexation plan: ‘No desire to take over all of Fort Morgan’ - al.com
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Ethics overhaul a priority for House leadership as session winds down — 'I think we passed a good ethics reform bill'
As the legislative session winds to an end, House leadership is prioritizing the proposed overhaul to the state's ethics law before time runs out.
Earlier this month, the House passed House Bill 227 (HB227), sponsored by State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne). The bill would overhaul the state's ethics law, enhancing penalties for certain offenses, removing others from the criminal code and revising the role and scope of the commission and the appointment process for the commission director.
The House passed the bill with little debate. Ethics Commissioner Stan McDonald and Attorney General Steve Marshall opposed the legislation. McDonald resigned a week later after a brief public feud with Simpson.
Despite the Senate having the bill for nearly a month, leadership has yet to place the bill in a committee. The bill will have to pass committee, pass the Senate, and the House would then have to agree with any changes made to the Senate before going to the governor's desk for a signature. With five legislative days remaining in this session, time is running short to get the bill through.
House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) told reporters on Thursday that passing the legislation was at the top of his priority list.
"I think we passed a good ethics reform bill," Ledbetter said. "The Senate is certainly taking a hard look at that and we'll be meeting with Representative Simpson and kind of see where we're at."
State Sen. Pro-Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper) told 1819 News that the Senate is still reviewing the bill.
The bill would revise the definition of bribery and add a new crime of using public office for financial gain to the criminal code. It would also move bribery from a Class C felony to Class B.
The bill would keep how the commission is overseen by five commission members who serve five-year terms and are appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and Speaker of the House of Representatives. The commission would still appoint a director to oversee its operations. However, the bill would establish new five-year terms for the director and a reappointment process subject to Senate confirmation.
The bill would also:
- Transfer all criminal violations to the criminal code and authorize the ethics commission to impose private warnings, public reprimands, civil penalties, and restitution for violations of the ethics code or Fair Campaign Practices Act.
- Explicitly authorize formal and informal advisory opinions from the commission and establish specific publishing requirements, including publishing the core principles articulated in informal opinions.
- Require the commission to provide notice to a person under an ethics investigation.
- Prohibit a state legislator from sponsoring or voting on legislation that could lead to a conflict of interest.
- Prohibit a public official or public employee from taking official action that could lead to a conflict of interest and define "conflict of interest."
- Prohibit certain entities seeking to influence official action before a governmental body, including a lobbyist, termed a "prohibited source," from giving gifts to certain public servants and would prohibit public servants from accepting gifts from prohibited sources. This bill would also define "gift" as anything valued over $100, with some exceptions.
- Revise who must file a statement of economic interests and what information must be disclosed on a statement, and require the redaction of certain personal information on a statement from publication by the commission.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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