Egyptian President al-Sisi and CIA Director Burns discussed mediation efforts for a Gaza cease-fire and urgent humanitarian aid entry, with ongoing negotiations facing challenges.
Egypt, CIA focus on Gaza cease-fire talks and aid Read More »
A UN rapporteur urged the suspension of Israel’s UN membership on Wednesday, citing repeated violations of international law and the occupation of Palestinian territories. “I do believe that the impunity that has been granted to Israel has allowed it to become a serial violator of international law,” Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, said at a news conference. Albanese said she recommends that the General Assembly consider the suspension of Israel’s credential as a member of the UN until it ends violating international laws and withdraws the occupation, which she said is “clearly unlawful.” She said the creation of the Israeli state “came at a huge price for the Palestinians” and it has never been addressed, and that since 1967, Palestinians have been increasingly segregated and repressed. “Israel, in the pursuit of realizing Greater Israel, is attempting to reduce physically or spiritually … the presence of the Palestinian identity in the occupied Palestinian territory,” he said, adding that 75% of Gaza’s population are refugees. “They’re not from Gaza. They’re from modern-day Israel and therefore the presence is a continuous reminder for Israel of what I call its original sin, in fact, that its creation doesn’t matter the justification behind it,” she said. Albanese said Israel has no right to be in the occupied Palestinian territory. “The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to withdraw, unconditionally, totally, rapidly as possible its military presence, dismantling the colonies, stopping the seizing the exploitation of natural resources on the occupied Palestinian territory and making also reparations,” Albanese added. Albanese issued a report earlier this week that accused Israel of a systematic campaign of forced displacement, destruction and acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. In the report submitted to the UN General Assembly, Albanese described the “long-term, intentional, state-organized forced displacement and replacement” of Palestinians, particularly following the escalation of violence after Oct. 7, 2023. The report focused on “genocidal intent, contextualizing the situation within a decades-long process of territorial expansion and ethnic cleansing aimed at liquidating the Palestinian presence in Palestine.” Regarding attacks against Albanese because of the report, she said special rapporteurs get attacked when they scrutinize the human rights records of member states. “What it seems in the case of Israel is (that) there is a cohort who echoes and reverberates what Israel says and does, and there is an army of minions at work to produce, literally — fabrications have one and only one objective, to distract the attention from where it should stay,” she said.
Rapporteur urges Israel’s UN membership suspension Read More »
The African Union Commission has condemned Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA and called on the UN to take decisive action.
African Union calls for UN action on Israel’s UNRWA ban Read More »
Over 101,500 Palestinians injured in Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7, 2023, Gaza’s Health Ministry says
Israel kills 102 more in Gaza, death toll exceeds 43,000 Read More »
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) condemned Israel’s decision Monday to ban it from operating in the country, calling the passage of the legislation “unprecedented” and warning of severe repercussions for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza. “The vote by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) against UNRWA this evening is unprecedented and sets a dangerous precedent. It opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X. Israel’s decision is part of an “ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees,” he added, saying the legislation would further devastate Palestinians, who have faced “more than a year of sheer hell.” Lazzarini expressed concern that the ban would deprive over 650,000 Palestinian children in Gaza of an education, threatening “an entire generation.” He called the Knesset’s passage of the bills “collective punishment,” stressing that the legislation would only escalate the challenges Palestinians already face. “Putting an end to UNRWA and its services will not strip the Palestinians of their refugee status,” Lazzarini said, noting that this status is protected under a separate UN General Assembly resolution until a “fair and lasting solution” is reached for Palestinians. He also emphasized the wider impact of the ban, cautioning that if the laws go unchallenged, they could “weaken our common multilateral mechanism established after World War 2.” Earlier, the Israeli Knesset passed a law banning UNRWA from operating in the country, which could affect its work in Gaza. “The Knesset plenum approved Monday evening in its second and third readings a law to cut official ties with and halt the activity of UNRWA, some of whose operators are suspected of participating in the massacres (by the Palestinian group Hamas) on Oct. 7 (last year),” said a report by Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily. The vote saw 92 out of 120 Knesset members in favor of the ban, with 10 opposed. A separate bill from Knesset members Ron Katz, Yulia Malinovsky and Dan Illouz, which was approved by lawmakers in a 87-9 vote, mandates that Israel cut all ties with UNRWA, barring any cooperation or privileges the agency previously held. The legislation will take effect in 90 days. Israel has accused UNRWA employees of complicity in the Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border incursion by Hamas, alleging that the agency’s educational programs “promote terrorism and hatred.” UNRWA, headquartered in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, denies the accusations and asserts that it remains neutral, solely focusing on supporting refugees. The Israeli army has continued a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since the attack by Hamas last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire. Over 43,000 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 101,100 others injured, according to local health authorities. The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
UNRWA condemns Israeli ban, calls move ‘dangerous precedent’ Read More »
South Africa has submitted new evidence to the UN’s top court, alleging that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
South Africa files new evidence against Israeli genocide at UN Read More »
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated on Saturday that without a ceasefire in Gaza, there “will be no peace or security” in the region. During a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Abdelatty condemned Israel’s actions, emphasizing that “in the twenty-first century, we cannot accept a policy of starving over 2.2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.” Sybiha criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, linking it to various global crises. “This war in Ukraine is not just about Ukraine; it’s about restoring a world order based on international law,” he said. He also announced that Ukraine is planning another Global Peace Summit, inviting Russian representatives to participate. Israel’s Netanyahu rejects Egyptian cease-fire initiative in Gaza Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected an initiative proposed by Egypt on Sunday for a short-term cease-fire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced the proposal, according to Israeli media. “We proposed a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip for two days to exchange four (Israeli) hostages for some (Palestinian) prisoners, and then negotiations would take place over 10 days to turn the cease-fire into a permanent truce,” al-Sisi said during a joint press conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in the capital Cairo. Despite the support of most Israeli ministers for the Egyptian proposal, Tel Aviv decided to reject the deal due to opposition from Netanyahu, who emphasized that “negotiations will take place only under fire,” according to Israel’s Channel 12. The channel confirmed that Israel’s security establishment also supported the proposal. Israel estimates that around 101 of its citizens are still being held captive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza amid concerns that some of them may have already been killed in indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes across the densely populated area. Efforts led by the US, Egypt and Qatar to secure a cease-fire and facilitate a prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas have so far stalled, with Netanyahu refusing to consider ending the conflict. The Israeli army has continued a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border incursion by Hamas last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire. Nearly 43,000 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 100,000 others injured, according to local health authorities. The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
Egypt warns no peace in region without Gaza ceasefire Read More »
Over 600 million women and girls are now affected by war, marking a 50% increase in a decade, and they fear being forgotten amid a global backlash against women’s rights, according to top U.N. officials. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted in a recent report that progress in women’s rights is eroding amid escalating armed conflicts. He noted that the goals of equal participation in peace negotiations, outlined in a Security Council resolution from 2000, remain largely unmet. Guterres pointed out that women’s leadership in peace efforts is being undermined, with decision-making predominantly male-dominated. He warned that as long as patriarchal structures persist, achieving peace will remain challenging. The report revealed alarming statistics: the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled in 2023, cases of conflict-related sexual violence rose by 50%, and the number of girls affected by serious violations increased by 35%. Sima Bahous, head of UN Women, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the lack of attention to women’s voices in peace initiatives. She highlighted the dire situations faced by women in places like Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan, and Myanmar, expressing that 612 million affected women and girls wonder if they have been forgotten by the international community. Bahous stressed the urgent need for action, noting that many women in conflict zones face severe food insecurity and high maternal mortality rates. Women’s participation in peace negotiations remains low, with less than 10% involvement in peace processes overall. To address these issues, U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed announced a “Common Pledge on Women’s Participation in Peace Processes,” calling for concrete commitments to include women as mediators and ensure their meaningful involvement in peace negotiations. Ambassadors at the meeting highlighted a persistent lack of political will to support women’s roles in peace processes, underscoring the need for renewed commitment from member states.
Over 600 million women and girls affected by war, U.N. warns Read More »
South Africa and Somalia have condemned the aggression and called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian aid.
South Africa, Somalia denounce Israeli aggression on Iran Read More »
Egypt proposes a two-day Gaza cease-fire to exchange hostages for prisoners, aiming to establish a lasting truce.
Egypt seeks temoporary Gaza truce for Israel hostage swap Read More »
