Dermer Meets Witkoff Amid Gaza Ceasefire Efforts; Trump's Trade Moves Spark Global Response; Erdogan's Actions Raise Democracy Concerns

Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Washington on Tuesday to discuss Gaza and Iran. This occurred after Egypt proposed a new ceasefire. The US is pressuring Qatar and Egypt to convince Hamas to accept this deal. Dermer's visit also included participation in the US-Israel Strategic Consultative Group (SCG), focusing on Gaza and Iran. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic met with US trade officials to avert US tariffs on EU goods. These meetings occurred as some countries prepare tariff concessions ahead of Trump's April 2 announcement of a reciprocal tariff plan. India is open to cutting tariffs on over half of US imports, valued at $23 billion, in the first phase. Trump indicated potential tariff breaks for some countries but provided no specifics. Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul's mayor and a rival to Turkish President Erdogan, was arrested on March 19. This action raises concerns about Turkey's democracy. Imamoglu's arrest follows a period where Erdogan's government has been criticized for controlling the courts, security, and media. The EU Commission urged Turkey to uphold democratic values.