Global Geopolitical Series: Key updates from across the world

Here are some key events to keep a tab on,

• Israel-Palestine-Jerusalem: On Sunday, about 1,500 members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party voted unanimously to impose Israeli sovereignty over "Judea and Samaria", referring to the Israeli name for the occupied Palestinian territory. The non-binding resolution also called for the unlimited construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank, land that Palestinians want for a future state. Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chairman Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement, “Likud's decision to impose Israeli control over the occupied West Bank represents an end to the remnants of the peace process….This decision is a blow to all previously signed agreements, and an unforgivable violation of UN resolutions, the latest of which was resolution 2334, that the West Bank, including Jerusalem, is occupied territory."
   
• Iran protests: Tensions rose in the Middle East after Iran pipeline blow last week as large-scale protests have been taking place in the country since last week. Police stations have been attacked reportedly and more than 10 people have died so far. This has been the biggest political crisis since 2008 protests against Ahmadinejad’s victory.
   
• U.S. and Pakistan: In his first tweet of the year on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw U.S. aid to Pakistan for latter’s failure to counter-terrorism and deception. He wrote, “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" In a strongly worded response, Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's foreign minister, said Trump is trying to blame Pakistan for its failure to win the war in Afghanistan. Asif told the Pakistani TV network Geo on Monday, “Trump is disappointed at the US defeat in Afghanistan and that is the only reason he is flinging accusations at Pakistan…..We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trump's 'no more' does not hold any importance. Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received."