Global Geopolitical Series: Key updates from across the world

Here are some key events to keep a tab on,

• Israel-Palestine-Jerusalem: Palestinian Authority, which is responsible for the peace negotiations on behalf of the Palestinians insisting that the peace talks be held under Russia in Moscow or in Sochi. While PA isn’t ruling out U.S. participation, it refuses to accept the United States as the sole mediator in the process.    
   
• U.S. Russia collusion: Special counsel Robert Mueller, who has been investigating allegations of Russian meddling in the U.S. election of 2016 has brought charges against 13 Russian nationals saying that they have been working for months if not years to meddle in the election and possibly to make Donald Trump the President.  
   
• Israel-Iran: The relation between Iran and Israel continue to deteriorate especially after last week’s event, when an advanced Iranian drone took off from T4 airbase in Syrian province of Homs, which allegedly entered into Israel’s airspace, which was then spotted by Israel and was intercepted near the town of Beit She’an by an Apache attack helicopter after it had flown 1.5 minutes into Israeli territory. The event escalated when Israel sent an F-16 fighter jet to strike at the launch site of the drone. The fighter jet met with massive anti-aircraft firing. Over 20 missiles were reportedly fired at the F-16 jet, which was hit and crashed. This led to an extensive retaliation by Israel with additional strikes against both the Syrian missile batteries and Iranian military targets.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Iran, the biggest enemy of Israel. There have been reports of clashes since last week’s event.
   
• U.S. Turkey relations:  The U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson at his meeting with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu acknowledged that the relation between the Two NATO partners is at a crisis point. Mr. Tillerson said that the relation is too valuable and both the countries need to work together to resolve their differences, especially with regard to Syria. Mr. Cavusoglu who also acknowledged the need to resolve differences amicably, added that some of the promises the US made were not kept, alluding to Turkey's demand that the US-backed YPG leave the Syrian town of Manbij and move east of Euphrates River.