The New Arab https://www.newarab.com The New Arab en https://www.newarab.com/node/3894219 https://www.newarab.com/news/dozens-israelis-block-gaza-aid-convoys-kerem-shalom <![CDATA[Dozens of Israelis block Gaza aid convoys at Kerem Shalom]]> Dozens of Israelis blockaded the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing into Gaza on Thursday, including far-right groups, families, relatives of captives and even a group of schoolchildren, part of an ongoing movement aimed at disrupting aid delivery to Palestinians in the war-torn enclave.

A scuffle broke out between Israeli border police and a group of young men, believed to be activists affiliated with the Zionist NGO Im Tirtzu. The activists, who had formed a human barricade by sitting on the ground with linked arms next to the Gaza border wall and started a bonfire, refused to disperse.

Three people were arrested for attacking officers, violating a military order, and violating public order, according to Israeli media reports. The New Arab contacted Israeli police for confirmation.

One video shared online showed around 15 children arriving off a coach early on Thursday carrying rucksacks and bottles of water, to join the demonstrators at Karem Abu Salem.

Since January, various groups of Israeli activists have been organizing demonstrations to block convoys from entering the war-torn enclave. Many of the protesters claim that the aid is boosting Hamas fighters and believe that there is no need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

Videos online posted by Israeli journalist Chezki Baruch from Israel National News showed police reprimanding a number of young men who were sitting down by the border fence. The officers had to physically drag the individuals away after they refused to move.

Some of those in the video can be seen wearing black t-shirts with "Returning to the Gaza Strip" written in Hebrew, referring to the January conference calling for Israelis to resettle in Gaza, which was attended by far-right Israeli politicians.

The protests have disrupted an already clogged aid distribution system at a critical time for the people of Gaza, who are facing widespread hunger and disease. Aid agencies have called on Israel to open further border crossings and to address the protests, which have been ongoing for weeks.

UK-based charity Oxfam said in March that "the frequent blocking of the only entry point open from Israel at Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) by Israeli protestors has either caused severe delays or brought the trickle of aid and supplies entering to a complete halt".

Israeli authorities have claimed to be controlling the demonstrators which include far-right Jewish groups, relatives of captives remaining in Gaza, army reservists, and families with young children.

In some cases, people have set up tents and camped out, playing music and cooking communal food. Since the war began, calls have grown louder from some of Israel's far-right politicians for the resettlement of Israelis in Gaza, a move that would be illegal under international law.

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2024-03-28T17:55:56 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3895069 https://www.newarab.com/news/unrwa-suspends-teacher-lebanon <![CDATA[UNRWA suspends teacher in Lebanon]]> Dozens of people protested outside the Beirut office of the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) on Wednesday after it put a staff member on administrative leave over possible violations of staff conduct regulations.

School teacher Fathi al-Sharif was put on leave for three months without pay as the UN agency investigated alleged activities "that are in violation of the Agency's regulatory framework governing staff conduct," the agency told Reuters in a statement.

UNRWA said it could not discuss further details. It did not say whether he was accused of joining an armed group.

Sharif spoke at the protest on Wednesday, where a crowd had gathered to support him. Several people told Reuters that he had been accused of links to Palestinian faction Hamas, which carried out a deadly attack in Israel on 7 October.

"The job can go, and we will stay!" he told those gathered.

UNRWA, which provides essential services, including education and health, to Palestinian refugees across the region, has been in crisis.

Israel informed the UN that it will no longer approve UNRWA food convoys to the north of Gaza, where famine is possible by May, according to a UN-backed report published last week. An Israeli government spokesman said on Monday Israel would stop working with UNRWA altogether in Gaza.

Earlier this year, Israel accused 12 UNRWA employees in the Gaza Strip of taking part in the Hamas-led attack on Israeli soil on 7 October that left 1,200 people dead, with more than 130 still held captive by the group.

Israel launched a land, sea and air offensive in response that the Gaza Health Ministry say has left more than 32,000 Palestinians dead.

Israel's allegations prompted a suspension of funding by more than a dozen donors, many of whom have resumed funding.

They also sparked an investigation by a UN oversight body and a separate review process by UNRWA, which its Lebanon representative Dorothee Klaus told Reuters would examine safeguards protecting its neutrality and independence.

She said she expected her branch of the agency would be consulted in a possible review of whether staff in Lebanon were affiliated with armed groups.

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2024-03-28T17:23:47 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894841 https://www.newarab.com/news/ex-us-senator-and-pro-israel-stalwart-joe-lieberman-dies <![CDATA[Ex US Senator and pro-Israel stalwart Joe Lieberman dies]]> Former pro-Israel US senator and Democratic Party vice presidential nominee Joe Lieberman died on Wednesday at age 82 in New York City after suffering complications from a fall, his family said.

"His beloved wife, Hadassah, and members of his family were with him when he passed," the statement said. "Senator Lieberman's love of God, his family and America endured throughout his service in the public interest."

Lieberman was the Democratic Party's vice-presidential nominee in the 2000 election, which Republican George W. Bush won over Democrat Al Gore. Lieberman was the US's first Jewish candidate on a major party presidential ticket.

While the former senator was a loyal supporter of Israel, he did critique the Israeli government in 2019 for denying entry to Democrat Reps Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar.

Pro-Israeli organisation AIPAC said "the pro-Israel movement will always be indebted" to Lieberman and "his leadership was essential and critical in promoting policies that strengthened the bonds between the United States and Israel".

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the former senator as a "matchless champion of the Jewish people and the Jewish state".

Lieberman became an independent after accusing members of the Democratic Party of saying "explicitly antisemitic things".

He failed in a bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, hurt by his support for the Iraq War.

A centrist, Lieberman was first elected to the US Senate in 1988. He lost the state's Democratic primary in 2006 but retained his seat by winning the general election as an independent candidate.

In a further break from the Democratic Party, Lieberman endorsed Republican Senator John McCain for president in a speech at the Republican National Convention 2008.

However, Lieberman would later back Democrats Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020 in their presidential bids.

Lieberman retired from the Senate in 2013 after four six-year terms.

(Reuters)

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2024-03-28T16:26:05 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894437 https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-settlers-dressed-soldiers-kill-palestinians <![CDATA[Israeli settlers 'dressed as soldiers' kill Palestinians]]> Eyewitness testimonies suggest a disturbing trend of illegal Israeli settlers disguising themselves as soldiers to attack Palestinians in rural areas of the West Bank.

On the afternoon of 19 March, 40-year-old farmer Fakher Bani Jaber from Khirbat al-Tawil, a small village in the northern occupied West Bank, was shot at point blank range by what appeared to be four soldiers. Local witnesses said the assailants were actually Israeli settlers.

While settler violence in the West Bank is not new, violence has exploded since 7 October, with Fakher Bani Jaber being the 24th Palestinian killed by Israeli settlers since then, according to a report by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab's Arabic-language sister edition.

A total of 434 Palestinians have been killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during this period, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The relentless violence has drawn international condemnation, with Britain following the US in placing sanctions on a number of violent extremist settlers earlier this year.

"[Imagine] seeing a settler transform in a matter of minutes into a soldier wearing the official uniform to kill you before returning to his usual state […] this is exactly what we are experiencing today in the Palestinian countryside. But the question is: Where are these settlers getting their weapons and military outfits?" said Aqraba municipality head Salah Jaber said. Aqraba is a village southeast of Nablus in the northern West Bank.

"The answer is simple and shows the close cooperation between the two sides against us." 

Locals who witnessed the crime stated that after Jaber's murder, his assailants fled toward a nearby settlement outpost.

Sixty-year-old farmer Samer Mohammed Khudr reported witnessing the entire incident, asserting he was certain the perpetrators were settlers. He recognised one of them—a long-bearded religious settler known for previous attacks on the inhabitants.

He added that the village is used to soldiers invading the area but that the soldiers "come in their military jeeps, not on foot as the four settlers did, likewise the regular soldiers don't run away when a clash with them has occurred. We can easily distinguish between the behaviours of the two parties".

Despite the villagers' certainty, ambiguity remains regarding the possibility that the settlers might belong to Israel's "regional defence battalions".

Since 7 October Israel has drafted thousands of settlers into what are termed "regional defense battalions", with Haaretz reporting in January that several thousand settlers were now serving in the Israeli army and stationed in the West Bank. The Israeli military said the move was necessary due to the redeployment of its regular forces from the West Bank to fight in Gaza or on the Lebanese border, which had left the settlements without their usual military protection.   

Additionally, Jerusalem-based journalist Jessica Buxbaum has pointed out that some settlers are currently serving as reservists in the Israeli army, having been called up since 7 October to fight in the ongoing assault. 

This article is based on an article by Samer Khawira which appeared in our Arabic edition on 27 March 2024. To read the original article click here.

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2024-03-28T16:15:53 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894733 https://www.newarab.com/news/six-months-lebanese-displaced-israel-want-go-home <![CDATA[Six months on, Lebanese displaced by Israel want to go home]]> When fighting between Israel and Hezbollah started on the 8 of October, Mustafa Seyed was worried. Hezbollah had launched rockets "in solidarity" with Hamas-led surprise attack on Israel, and Israel responded by shelling Lebanon – kicking off fighting that has since spread to nearly the whole country.

Seyed's house was situated on the outskirts of Beit Leif, a small village about two kilometres from the Israeli-Lebanese border, a conspicuous target for Israeli bombs.

He decided to move his two wives and 11 children to a friend's home nearby and wait for the hostilities to stop. After ten days of steadily increasing fighting, Seyed telephoned a friend in the city of Sour, some 20 kilometres away, who told him about a shelter that had been set up to receive displaced people.

Six months later, Seyed and his family are still stuck in the displacement centre with little optimism that they will be able to leave anytime soon.

They are some of the over 91,000 people displaced from their homes in southern Lebanon by the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

"The help is not enough; we are provided three meals a day here, but what about our daily needs? I have gone into debt to the local store to buy basic things," Mustafa Seyed told The New Arab from a displacement centre in Sour.

Authorities from the municipality repurposed the first floor of a local school to house fleeing families a few weeks after clashes began.

The school's interior is completely dark save for the light which filters in from the windows – there is only a few hours of electricity a day. Lines of clothes hang across the school's courtyard, usually occupied by playing schoolchildren.

Seyed pointed to the meagre supplies he has in the two school classrooms which house his 14-member family – some bread, lettuce, and foam mattresses laid on the floor.

His situation is not unique among the some seven hundred and ninety displaced across five shelters in the municipality. Sickness is common among the displaced residents, who share just two bathrooms per center and are in close contact.

Two of Seyed's daughters have infections, their cheeks swollen from lymph node infections. Though the municipality will cover part of their treatment, he cannot afford the remaining US$400 for their treatments.

How long will this last?

Most of the 24,000 who were displaced to Sour have either stayed with friends and relatives or have managed to rent homes by themselves. However, even outside of the shelters, displaced residents are facing similar challenges.

"People left their homes without their belongings – they didn't expect this to last so long," Bilal Kashmar, the media coordinator for the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) unit in Sour, told TNA.

"There is not enough to secure their daily needs, we can only give them the basics. Even the shelters are not intended for long term stays," Kashmar said.

Six months on, fighting is still displacing residents anew as the scale and intensity of clashes steadily increase, pushing even those who were determined to remain out of their homes.

As Kashmar speaks, a frazzled woman comes in, explaining she is newly displaced from the border town of Marwahain. Kashmar patiently explains the steps she must take to register and receive shelter, as if from a script.

He shows a storeroom where pallets of water bottles, boxes of food aid and bags of sanitary products are kept. The supplies are given out daily, but Kashmar says that what they are doing does not keep up with the pace of needs.

"Emergency aid is not enough, we need more from international donors, especially for those outside the shelters," Kashmar added.

Children traumatised

Nancy Faraj and her family tried to remain in their homes as long as possible. Their home town of Bint Jbeil, known as the "capital of the resistance" due to it never falling to Israel in the 2006 war, remained relatively unscathed until late December. Then, airstrikes and shelling began to occur on a regular basis.

Faraj and her two children would hear the sounds of warplanes and nearby shelling around them – but she still tried to maintain a sense of normalcy in the home.

"Whenever we heard planes or drones, we turned the TV as loud as possible, and the children covered their ears. The adults would refrain from screaming so as not to scare them," Nancy Faraj told TNA.

One day, the house next door was targeted in an Israeli strike, and Nancy knew that they had to leave. She came to Sour with her family and stayed in a displacement shelter for a month and a half before renting out an apartment in a neighbouring city.

Despite her attempts to shield her children from the realities of the war, they still suffer from psychological distress.

Her oldest child has begun wetting the bed and has a phobia of going back to his home. Faraj took him to a therapist, which stopped the bed wetting. Any mention of Bint Jbeil, however, induces fear in her son, who reminds Faraj that there is a war going on there.

Kashmar says that signs of stress among the children are common. Psychologists from local associations have been brought in to assist, but he says it is not enough.

According to the UN, around 10,000 children in the south of Lebanon have been prevented to going to school due to cross-border clashes.

Residents are not optimistic that life will return to normal anytime soon, and that they will be able to restore a sense of normalcy for their children.

"I'm afraid that the situation will last a long time. I think that it will," Faraj said.

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2024-03-28T16:02:04 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894621 https://www.newarab.com/news/hamas-preparing-israel-ground-assault-rafah <![CDATA[Hamas 'preparing' for Israel ground assault on Rafah]]> Hamas is gearing up for an anticipated Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a leader from the Palestinian group said on Thursday.

“The resistance has begun preparing for the Israeli manoeuvre aimed at invading Rafah,” the Hamas leader said to The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on condition of anonymity.

“The Rafah operation will not be a walk in the park as the occupation leaders assume … fighters from all factions are fully prepared to inflict significant losses on the [Israeli] occupation army.”

Despite Israel's earlier announcement of plans last month to invade Rafah at the onset of Ramadan, the offensive was halted following warnings from the US and other allies of Israel.

The New Arab reported on Wednesday, citing an Egyptian source, that Israel had notified the Egyptian government about its plans to carry out the Rafah assault after Eid al-Fitr, scheduled for 9 April.

While the Hamas leader did not confirm this, he asserted that “all indicators received by the resistance, whether through intermediaries or on the ground, point to an Israeli determination to carry out the Rafah operation”.

This comes as Israel asked the US on Thursday to reschedule a crunch meeting to discuss its military operation in Rafah days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly cancelled a planned visit to Washington.

Netanyahu postponed the original scheduled meeting in response to the US's failure to veto a United Nations Security Council resolution that demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The US is attempting to talk Israel out of a ground offensive on Rafah or is at least attempting to get Tel Aviv to find a way of conducting its assault while guaranteeing the protection of the 1.3 million Palestinians crammed into the city.

Netanyahu said last week that Israel is ready to go ahead with the attack with or without US support.

On this matter, the Hamas leader said: “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leading the entire region to an explosion, which, if it occurs, no party will be able to control its repercussions.”

The UN said that any type of Israeli ground assault on Rafah “could lead to a slaughter” in the city.

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2024-03-28T16:01:11 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894545 https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqi-communications-ministry-urges-government-ban-tiktok <![CDATA[Iraqi communications ministry urges government ban on TikTok]]> In a proactive move aimed at safeguarding societal values, the Iraqi Ministry of Communications has formally requested the government to take action against the TikTok social media platform.

Iraq's Minister of Communications, Hayam al-Yasiri, announced this pivotal step during a press conference held on Monday in Baghdad.

Citing concerns about TikTok's impact on Iraqi society, al-Yasiri emphasised that the application has contributed to "the erosion of the country's social unity". She stated that the Ministry of Communications has submitted a formal request to the Council of Ministers to block TikTok, highlighting its lack of educational value and its role primarily as an entertainment platform.

Importantly, al-Yasiri clarified that the decision to block TikTok rests with the government, specifically the Council of Representatives or the Council of Ministers. She pointed out that similar actions have been taken by several countries, including the United States and Canada, underscoring the global recognition of the challenges posed by the platform.

This call for action comes in the wake of a recent decision by the Supreme Federal Court in Iraq concerning the regulation of offensive online content. TikTok, known for hosting content creators who have faced legal repercussions, falls within the scope of the court's directive, aligning with the ongoing efforts of Iraqi authorities to address derogatory content on social media platforms.

While acknowledging TikTok's popularity among Iraqi internet users, with an estimated 32 million users out of a total of over 36 million internet users in the country, al-Yasiri emphasized the need for responsible regulation. She reiterated her commitment to upholding Iraqi societal values and protecting its citizens from harmful influences.

In response to activists' concerns about potential censorship, al-Yasiri affirmed the government's commitment to freedom of expression. 

Al-Yasiri also stated they will request financial and legislative support from the Council of Ministers and Parliament to enhance the ministry's capabilities beyond its jurisdiction. She highlighted the ministry's efforts to block pornographic websites, noting a significant decrease in visits from over half a billion to 89 million. The minister emphasized the need for advanced examination devices to improve blocking efficiency.

Kurdish journalist Awder Omar told The New Arab that he is against banning the application because it is like other social media platforms that can be used for good or bad.

Meanwhile, he said he had documented several social issues, including divorce and bankruptcy, as the result of using TikTok unproperly. He also indicated that others have invested in the platform for commercial advertising and even calling people for the Islamic religion.  

"I am against the idea of banning the application, but the Iraqi authorities can censor inappropriate content," Omar added. 

As discussions continue on the appropriate course of action regarding TikTok, the Iraqi Ministry of Communications remains steadfast in promoting a safe and responsible online environment for all citizens.

Iraqi activist Ziad Hameed stated, "The TikTok application influences the behaviour of children and teenagers, especially since it has created celebrities whose actions are unacceptable, sometimes using inappropriate vocabulary. Therefore, it needs regulation, but the idea of banning it is illogical because it does not contain any pornographic or terrorist content."

Hameed added in an interview with Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, TNA's Arabic sister website, "The Iraqi authorities disclaim responsibility for holding accountable some affiliated with parties and armed factions who issue sectarian statements and declare loyalty to foreign entities, but they focus on what is known as derogatory content produced by unemployed youth engaging in profitable activities through TikTok," pointing out that "It is possible to hold the offenders accountable without shutting down or blocking the application."

This move signals a proactive approach by Iraqi authorities to addressing emerging challenges in the digital age and ensuring that online platforms align with the country's cultural values and societal norms.

On 25 September 2023, Iraqi blogger Noor Alsaffar, also known as Noor BM, was tragically shot and killed by an unidentified assailant in Baghdad's al-Mansur district. With a sizable following of over 370,000 on Instagram and TikTok, Noor challenged societal norms by sharing videos of himself dressed in women's attire, accompanied by dance performances.

In February 2023, two Iraqis were sentenced to prison for sharing "indecent" social media content following the formation of a committee by the interior ministry to monitor online content against Iraqi societal values. YouTuber Hassan Sajamah received a two-year prison term, while TikTok user Om Fahad was sentenced to six months by the misdemeanour court, according to Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council.

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2024-03-28T15:14:47 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894455 https://www.newarab.com/news/egypt-urged-end-serious-abuses-sudanese-refugees <![CDATA[Egypt urged to end 'serious abuses' of Sudanese refugees]]> Several human rights organisations have jointly called on the Egyptian authorities to end "serious abuses" against Sudanese refugees and asylum seekers who have fled an ongoing civil war at home.

A total of 27 local, regional, and international groups asserted in a joint statement on Wednesday that "Sudanese asylum seekers have been detained in inhuman conditions, stood unfair trials and forcibly returned to Sudan in violation of Egypt's international obligations, well-established human rights principles and agreements, and Egypt's constitution."

Such conditions have been exacerbated after a decree was passed by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in August last year that stipulated that foreigners unlawfully living in the country could apply for residency and be given a three-month grace period to legitimise their status.

The National Security Sector's approval is required first for the status of refugees to be legalised. After, a foreigner must have an Egyptian sponsor and pay a fee worth US$1,000 for residency or its equivalent in the local currency.

The statement said that arrests and deportation campaigns began in late August 2023 and are ongoing nationwide in the capital, Cairo, as well as Giza, Aswan, the Red Sea, Marsa Matrouh, Alexandria provinces and along the country's southern border.

"While detained, they are denied access to their families, advocates, and [the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] UNHCR. Detainees live in inhumane conditions in detention centres, denied visits and access to health care. Authorities have prevented UNHCR from registering detainees' names," the groups said.

"In some cases, the authorities even deported Sudanese who are registered with UNHCR in Egypt and those with valid residency…who are waiting to register," the statement added.

Detainees may be released from detention only after the approval of the competent administrative body, such as the Passport and Immigration Sector and the National Security Sector at the Ministry of Interior.

"On the Egyptian-Sudanese border, Egypt's restrictions on Sudanese migration have resulted in an irregular migration movement. This comes with high risks that include exploitation, suspicions of trafficking, and fraud. Thus, instead of protecting asylum seekers, Egypt has adopted a punishment policy," the rights groups said.

"In locations at or near the border, Egypt's Border Guard Forces, affiliated with the Egyptian army, detain Sudanese migrants, including women and children, in camps that are not registered in Egypt as legal detention centres. In these camps, detainees are not allowed to communicate with the outside world and are denied access to UNHCR services and legal counsel," according to the rights groups.



Already home to about four million Sudanese citizens as per official accounts, Egypt has long been a favoured destination for refugees fleeing wars and economic hardships, either as a refuge or a transit country en route to Europe.

Before the war broke out, well-off Sudanese families commonly visited Egypt for healthcare services at private hospitals or sent their children to study at Egyptian universities.

Since the war first broke out in Sudan in April last year between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), thousands of Sudanese people have crossed the border into Egypt to seek refuge.

Even though Cairo has not directly involved itself in the fighting, the Egyptian regime is known for having strong ties to the Sudanese army.

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2024-03-28T14:55:03 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894435 https://www.newarab.com/opinion/easter-gazas-christian-community-faces-extinction <![CDATA[This Easter, Gaza's Christian community faces extinction]]> For the first time in its history, Gaza’s Christian community is under threat of extinction.

Gaza is home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, dating back to the first century, and the third oldest church in the world. Despite constant threats to survival, the community has persisted for two millennia.

But now, extinction may be unavoidable this time due to Israel’s indiscriminate war and imposed famine, which has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza. There are only about 800 Christians left in Gaza.

The Western world, which often champions the rights of the religious minorities in the region, is eerily silent.

Since the beginning of the Israeli attack on Gaza, the small Christian minority has been impacted in the same way as their fellow Palestinians. Most Christians have historically lived in Gaza City, an area, like other parts of north Gaza, that was systematically targeted at the very beginning of the war and is currently suffering from a lack of access to food and aid.

Although there is no reliable estimate on the number of Christian homes fully or partially destroyed, the Christians sheltering at the churches indicate to me that Israel has destroyed some 80% of their houses and killed more than 3% of the population.

"While all Palestinians in Gaza are facing a genocidal attack, the Christian community is particularly vulnerable due to its small size and the disproportionate number of casualties"

The displacement comes full circle

The experience of lost lives and livelihoods is reminiscent of our experience during the Nakba: the majority of Christians in Gaza are from families who survived ethnic cleansing in 1948. Those families, forced out of Lod, Jaffa, Majdal, among other places, eventually found shelter with those originally from Gaza City.

Like the rest of the Palestinians in Gaza, they had to experience forced displacement again during this war, sheltering in the only two churches, the Greek-Orthodox Saint Pyrophorus and the Catholic Holy Family, and attempting to find temporary sanctuary.

But even these historic churches were not able to protect them from Israel’s assaults. On 18 October, an Israeli airstrike targeted a building within Saint Pyrophorus Church compound, killing 18 Palestinian Christians, including women and children.

The strike killed the entire family of Abd and Treq Souri and the three kids of Ramiz Sori and others. It is considered one of the worst massacres of Christians in the region.

The Holy Family Church was equally not immune from the Israeli attacks. Although it did not witness as much damage as the Saint Pyrophorus, its Mother Teresa Convent was also partially destroyed.

Then, on 16 December, Israeli snipers shot and killed a mother and her daughter who were seeking shelter in the church, and shot eight more Christians who attempted to try to help the two women.

In addition to the direct killings by Israel at the churches, other Christians in Gaza have died from lack of access to health care and supplies, as Israel has imposed a complete blockade of humanitarian aid. 

One of these is my father, who suffered a heart attack but was unable to access medical help due to the Israeli tanks surrounding the Holy Family Church where my family is sheltering.

The causes of exodus

In the West, people often ask me why the number of Christians in the Middle East is decreasing and why we are leaving. Usually, they were waiting for us to blame the Muslims for their “persecution of Christians.”

But this explanation is not only an oversimplification but also incorrect. No one can deny the occurrence of sectarian discrimination, in some cases, by the Muslim majority against the Christians minorities, but it is often not the primary cause of the mass exodus of indigenous Christians from the land.

Instead, the mass exodus of Christians is caused by scenarios similar to Gaza today: the brutality of wars that make it harder for Christians to survive.

In 1948, Palestinian Christians, like Muslims, were ethnically cleansed from Mandatory Palestine and never allowed back; this was the biggest hit for the number of Christians in Palestine.

Other Western-backed wars and the “War on Terror” have also significantly contributed to the exodus of Christians in the Middle East.

"The Christians of Gaza are facing imminent danger of famine and starvation, and if they survive, there will be very little left to stay for in Gaza"

Take, for example, Iraq, which had over 1.5 million Christians before the American invasion in 2003. The invasion and years of war harmed the Christians like Muslims, and it also created the conditions for the emergence of radical groups like the Islamic State that see religious minorities as a prime target. Today, Iraq has just 150,000 Christians left.

Today, we are witnessing the same episode of assault on Middle Eastern Christians in Gaza, where Israel has killed 3% and displaced another 3% from the Strip. All remaining Christians in Gaza have been forced to leave their homes and shelter at the churches for survival.

The Christians of Gaza steadfastly remain in their churches. They refused to obey the occupation orders to move south. When I was talking to those sheltering at the church, one said that they, “left in 1948 and were never allowed back” and refuse to “repeat the same mistake.”

But with Lent and Ramadan occurring at a similar time, the Christians of Gaza are facing imminent danger of famine and starvation, and if they survive, there will be very little left to stay for in Gaza.

Living under Israel's occupation

Since Israel’s inception, Palestinian Christians have experienced harsh treatment from the various occupation regimes.

In Bethlehem and the West Bank, Christians deal with the confiscation of their land under Israel’s settler-colonial policies. In Jerusalem, Christians wrestle with the policies of Judaisation of the city and the erasing of their presence.

Before the war, Christians in Gaza felt a sense of discrimination by the illiberal Hamas government. However, they have also suffered like all Gazans from the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip.

They have struggled with the permit regime imposed on them by the Israeli occupation. Palestinian Christians are accustomed to visiting the holy sites on Easter and Christmas. However, such visits were always challenging due to the Israeli blockade of Gaza. Rarely did Israel grant them entry permits, and when it did, only half of the family could receive them.

Those permits became the only hope for Christians to escape the dire situation in Gaza to the West Bank. Yet, for Israel, they were used as more means to control the Christian population, as it believed that by making their lives unattainable, the Christian population would leave the country instead.

While all Palestinians in Gaza are facing a genocidal attack, the Christian community is particularly vulnerable due to its small size and the disproportionate number of casualties. It is not clear whether the Christians in Gaza have any future, even if they can survive the famine and the onslaught.

Many members are considering leaving Gaza City after 174 days of Israeli bombardment has made it uninhabitable.

Meanwhile, Western powers have failed to stop Israel from committing atrocities in Gaza and violating international humanitarian law. Worse yet, many are actively complicit in Israel’s genocide.

They have shown their indifference to the Christian minority in Gaza despite paying lip service to the rights of minorities in the region.

Khalil Sayegh is a political analyst focused on Palestinian politics and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is also the co-founder of the Agora Initiative. Khalil holds a Master's degree in Political science from the American University in Washington, DC, where he researched democratization in the Middle East and Political Violence.

Follow him on Twitter: @KhalilJeries

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@newarab.com

Opinions expressed here are the author's own, and do not necessarily reflect those of their employer, or of The New Arab and its editorial board or staff.

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2024-03-28T14:54:23 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894457 https://www.newarab.com/news/who-tunisias-jailed-candidate-presidential-election <![CDATA[Who is Tunisia's jailed candidate for presidential election?]]> In Tunisia, a hundred opposition figures have announced their backing for Essam Chebbi, a political prisoner, in the forthcoming presidential elections. This move comes as the opposition aims to unite behind a single candidate to enhance their chances of challenging current strongman Kais Saied's rule.

The proposal, put forward by former minister Ayachi Hammami, intends "to put an end to the state of confusion and silence in the public scene (...) and to push and break the barrier of fear," stated Wisam Sghaier, a spokesperson of the Republican Party, to local media on 25 March.

"Chebbi is currently in prison, yet he is responding positively to the nomination. He might face further persecution after this announcement," he added.

Who is Issam Chebbi, Tunisia's jailed candidate?

Issam Chebbi, 66, head of the Republican Party, was arrested last February near a shopping centre while he was out with his wife. Subsequently, the police searched his home.

Since then, he has been held in custody on 'conspiring against the state.' Over twenty other opposition figures have faced similar accusations. According to lawyer Dalila Ben Mbarek, a year after their arrest, the state has yet to present concrete evidence to substantiate their alleged conspiracy.

On 12 12 February, Chebbi, along with five other political prisoners, initiated a hunger strike to protest against a year of "unjust detention and injustice."

Chebbi, a lawyer and activist, has been part of the Republican Party, a centrist liberal party, since its inception in 2012. 

Chebbi is the brother of Nejib Chebbi, leader of the National Salvation Front coalition of opposition groups. Since Saied took over all the extraordinary powers in the country in June 2021, the coalition has been advocating for the end of his authority.

If Chebbi officially enters the elections, slated for October or September, he wouldn't be the first candidate to campaign for the Presidency from prison.

In 2019, Nabil Karoui entered the presidential race despite being detained for money laundering and tax evasion, charges which he denies. He was eventually released midway through the race after Tunisia's electoral commission cautioned that Karoui could contest the election results since he was not afforded equal opportunities.

Despite controversy, Karoui's supporters regarded him as a champion of Tunisia's poor.

While Karoui and Chebbi represent opposing figures, Chebbi's candidacy could also potentially lead to his release, along with numerous other political figures in Tunisian prisons.

Would the Islamists also support Chebbi?

The political landscape in Tunisia has long been deeply divided, particularly between Islamist parties and other political factions. 

However, since President Saied's coup in 2021, Islamists and liberals have set aside their differences and united against the current political establishment.

Nonetheless, the impending presidential elections may bring their ideological rivalry back to the forefront.

"We should not be prisoners of past disagreements and ideological battles, and there is indeed a difference with Ennahda (the largest Islamist party in Tunisia)," remarked Mohamed El-Hamdi, an opposition figure, who is also facing legal charges of conspiracy against state security, to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab's Arabic-language sister publication.

"The real question today is, is that field for political differences and debates still possible? This field is gradually shrinking," he added, arguing that Saied's rule has left no space for political differences, converting the North African state to a one-man rule.

Nevertheless, El-Hamdi argues that Ennahda should be held accountable for its role in the political crisis during its decade in power. Ennahda party has yet to address Chebbi's nomination.

"The Chebbi candidacy initiative has made progress since its launch, and its outlines are beginning to take shape. We remain optimistic," he concluded.

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2024-03-28T14:43:49 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3893881 https://www.newarab.com/news/germany-quiz-would-be-citizens-israel-new-test <![CDATA[Germany to quiz would-be citizens on Israel in new test]]> Future German citizenship tests will include questions about the creation of Israel and Berlin's alleged obligations to the Middle Eastern nation

In the new test, which applicants must pass to acquire German nationality, candidates could be asked the founding year of Israel or Germany's alleged particular historical obligation to it, according to the Spiegel weekly.

The punishments for Holocaust denial, the name of the Jewish place of worship, and the membership requirements for Jewish sports clubs would also be among the possible questions, according to the magazine.

"Anti-Semitism, racism and other forms of contempt for humanity rule out naturalisation," German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told Spiegel in its Thursday edition.

"Anyone who does not share our values cannot get a German passport," Feaser said in the report first published on the magazine's website.

Israel was established in 1948 amid a campaign of mass ethnic cleansing that pushed some 750,000 Palestinians from their homes.

The brutal episode, known as the Nakba ("catastrophe" in Arabic), is viewed as continuing to this day as Israel's military campaign forcibly displaces Palestinians in Gaza and settlers seek to take over areas in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Germany is widely viewed as having an anti-Palestinian bias, an issue which appears to have deepened since Israel's war on Gaza began in October.

The Israeli military campaign in the enclave has so far killed 32,552 people.

The International Court of Justice found in January that Israel was plausibly breaching the Genocide Convention in Gaza.

"The spectre of authoritarianism hangs over Germany once again, this time in the name of a crusade against what it labels as anti-Semitism, applied blindly against all forms of criticism of Israel," Berlin-based freelance journalist Timo Al-Farooq wrote in a December opinion piece for The New Arab.

"Crackdowns on protests, often violent; undemocratic changes to laws tampering with assembly, speech and citizenship rights and freedoms; and a relentless anti-Palestinian cancel procession sweep across the country, sparing no Arab nor even Jewish critics of Israel."

The New Arab published a short documentary titled "Germany's Palestine problem" in July last year. The film explored issues of censorship and racism.

"Many sources we spoke to said that they felt that Germany was shifting historical guilt onto Palestinians," the presenter said in the eight-minute video.

"They said that Germany is so intent on not being seen as anti-Semitic that it will defend Israel and Zionism at all costs, including racism to Palestinians."

Germany recently agreed to ease strict citizenship laws, reducing the time needed to be able to apply for a passport and making dual nationality more available.

The overhaul of Germany's citizenship legislation was a key pledge made by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's centre-left-led coalition government when it came to power at the end of 2021.

The change to the law was put forward in August last year but came under scrutiny following the outbreak of the Gaza war on 7 October and in the context of a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Germany.

In addition to a commitment to the constitution, applicants will now also be required to make a commitment to protecting Jewish life in Germany.

Under normal conditions, candidates will be able to apply for citizenship after five years in Germany, as opposed to eight previously.

Those who are particularly well integrated and have very good German language skills will be able to obtain nationality after just three years.

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2024-03-28T14:29:17 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894425 https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-strikes-rafah-escalate-fear-ground-assault <![CDATA[Israeli strikes in Rafah escalate fear of ground assault]]> Israel bombed at least four homes in Rafah on Wednesday, raising new fear among the more than a million Palestinians sheltering in the last refuge on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip that a long-threatened ground assault could be coming.

One of the airstrikes killed 11 people from a single family, health officials said.

Mussa Dhaheer, looking on from below as neighbours helped an emergency worker lower a victim in a black body bag from an upper storey, said he had awakened to the blast, kissed his terrified daughter, and rushed outside to find the destruction. His father, 75, and mother, 62, were among the dead.

"I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say. I can't make sense of what happened. My parents. My father with his displaced friends who came from Gaza City," he told Reuters.

"They were all together, when suddenly they were all gone like dust."

At another bomb site, Jamil Abu Houri said the intensification of air strikes was Israel's way of showing its disdain for a UN Security Council resolution last week demanding an "immediate" ceasefire.

Next up, he fears a ground assault on Rafah, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to carry out despite warnings from his closest ally, Washington, that this would wreak a humanitarian disaster.

"The bombing has increased, and they have threatened us with an incursion, and they say that they have been given the green light for the Rafah incursion. Where is the Security Council?" Abu Houri said.

A US official said on Wednesday Israel had asked to reschedule a meeting in Washington to discuss its plans for Rafah, days after Netanyahu abruptly cancelled the talks over the passage of a Gaza ceasefire resolution by the UN Security Council that the US decided not to veto.

The US abstention from the vote pointed to frustration with Netanyahu, who rebuked Washington over the move.

More deadly airstrikes

Another Israeli airstrike in Rafah on Wednesday afternoon killed four Palestinians, including a woman and a child, and injured other residents, Gaza health authorities said.

Just west of Gaza City in the enclave's north, seven people were killed in an airstrike on a house, health officials said.

The Israeli military says it is targeting armed Hamas militants who use civilian buildings, including apartment blocks and hospitals, for cover. Hamas denies doing so.

Separately, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where bloodshed has worsened in parallel with the Gaza war, three Palestinians were killed and four wounded by Israeli fire during a raid in Jenin overnight, the Palestinian health ministry said.

Over 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's air and ground offensive in Gaza, according to the health ministry there, with thousands of other dead believed buried under rubble and over 80 percent of the 2.3 million population displaced, many at risk of famine.

The war erupted after Islamist Hamas militants broke through the border on 7 October and rampaged through nearby communities, killing 1,200 people and abducting 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israeli forces just north of Rafah kept the two main hospitals in Khan Younis, Al-Amal and Nasser Hospital, under a blockade imposed late last week. In the north, they were still operating inside Al Shifa, the enclave's largest hospital, which they stormed more than a week ago.

Israel says the hospitals have been lairs for Hamas gunmen, which Hamas and medical staff deny. The Israeli military has said it killed and captured hundreds of fighters in a battle in Al Shifa. Hamas says civilians and medics were rounded up.

Gaza's health ministry said wounded people and patients were being held inside Al Shifa's human resources department, which was not equipped to provide them with healthcare.

Residents living nearby have reported hearing constant explosions in and around Al Shifa and columns of smoke coming from buildings inside the premises.

International mediation has failed to secure a ceasefire and exchange of prisoners so far as the two sides stick to irreconcilable demands. Hamas wants an end to the war and total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until its Islamist foe is eradicated.

(Reuters)

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2024-03-28T14:24:36 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894237 https://www.newarab.com/features/moroccos-moudawana-reform-puts-womens-rights-ballot-box <![CDATA[Morocco's Moudawana reform puts women's rights in ballot box]]> For many Moroccans, Saïd Saadi embodies the struggle for women's rights in Morocco. Now a researcher of political economy and a retired professor, Saïd looks back on his activist-filled adolescence as the spark for his career, one filled with fighting social injustice and misogyny. 

Saïd Saadi soon became involved in the Progress and Socialism Party (PPS) and joined Abdrerrahman Youssoufi's leftist government as Secretary of State for Social Protection, Family and Childhood in 1998.

In office, Saïd pushed for policies that empowered women and ensured their full contribution to Morocco's economic development.

The reactions were heated. Saïd faced staunch opposition and personal attacks, mainly from conservatives and Islamists.

"This isn't an opportunity to be missed. It comes at a time in Morocco where public debate is possible and political Islam is at its weakest point in years after the PJD heavily lost elections in 2021 after two terms in government"

The first reform of the Moudawana in Morocco

In March 2000, demonstrations for and against women's rights whipped the Moroccan media into a frenzy and diverted much-needed debate. Supporters gathered in Rabat, Morocco's capital, while Islamists drew counter-protestors in Casablanca.

But despite facing opposition, Saïd Saadi's social reform was ultimately approved by King Mohammed VI and a new Moudawana — Morocco's Personal Status Law — was passed three years later.

The reform came into effect during a tense period in Morocco, following terrorist attacks in Casablanca in May 2003. As a result, the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) — which opposed the law — adopted a low profile. 

The new legislation voted in Morocco's parliament in 2004 gave women the right to ask for divorce and allow them to marry without a tutor. It restricted polygamy and raised the minimum legal age of marriage to 18. However, it also kept a provision for judges to grant special authorisations.

Child marriage remains a problem in Morocco. In 2021 there were 19,000 cases of child marriage, according to Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi.

Twenty years later, with Morocco set to embark on a new reform of the Moudawana, the original architect of the bill Saïd Saadi tells The New Arab that he is "cautiously optimistic," adding "the context is more favourable than that of the 2000s for a thorough reform." 

Can Morocco evolve?

King Mohammed VI, the highest religious authority in Morocco, pointed to the limits of the first reform in his throne speech in 2022. "The Family Law was a major step forward. However, it is no longer sufficient. Experience has shown that there are many hurdles which stand in the way of completing this process and achieving our objectives," Mohammed VI declared.

It remains to be seen how progressive the next bill will be and if it will tackle the most controversial subject in Morocco, inheritance equality. In Morocco, a woman inherits half of a man's share.

However, the bill is moving. On March 26, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Judicial Council and the Public Prosecutor Office submitted the first pilot of the proposal and began the process of turning King Mohammed VI's 2022 speech into law. Morocco now awaits the next steps.

On the street, Moroccan activists and civil society organisations demand that the new Moudawana keeps in tune with the country's societal evolution, with women playing an ever-increasing role.

After pro-democracy protests shook the country in 2011, a new constitution was voted in, granting equal rights to men and women in Article 19. Activists therefore argue that the 2004 Moudawana is in contradiction to the constitution and must now evolve.

"I will continue to fight so that full equality between men and women is respected and effective in our laws and practices"

Like Saïd Saadi, Mohammed* has been a human rights campaigner and defender since his youth, under the late King Hassan II. Mohammed also fervently believed in the February 20 Movement, a Moroccan protest movement born out of the Arab Spring. 

"I'm in favour of reforming the Moudawana because it will recognise that our current law isn't equitable for women. Reform will open up more possibilities for change in the legislation to ensure true equality for men and women. In Morocco, we've inherited several laws that flout the fundamental principle of equality between humans," Mohammed told The New Arab.

"I have three daughters and I don't have any sons. My brothers hardly know my daughters. They've only seen them a few times in their lives," Mohammed adds, alluding to the archaic inheritance law (taasib) allocates inheritance to the male relative closest to the deceased and entitles distant family members to a portion of the inheritance.

Mohammed's fears are shared with many men in Morocco. Gender inequality affects not only women but their relatives and loved ones as well. However, unlike Mohammed, most don't publically call for the end of the taasib, which is a major taboo and a red line for the conservative section of Morocco's society. As a result, the stories of exclusion and dispossession resulting from inheritance inequality are endless. 

"In my family, a father died leaving a wife, three daughters and two sisters. One of his sisters kicked his wife and daughter out of their house. This has been going on for over ten years now," says Mustapha*, a human rights activist. "It's so important to impose gender equality as men and women have the same responsibilities today, especially when it comes to finances."

Saadik Kabbouri, a member of the Moroccan Association of Human Rights (AMDH), explains the story of a close, late friend. "Members of his family, who never visited him, attended the funeral. After three days, the male members of the family demanded their share of the inheritance. Fortunately, he knew that this would happen and sold what he owned before his death and had a notary document it." For Saadik, the current legislation is an "insult to women". 

To circumvent predatory family members, an increasing number of Moroccan fathers, usually educated, have gone around the current law by making sure that their daughters' inheritance is secured through donations and passing over their inheritance throughout their lives. 

"I will not let the Moudawana, other laws, or obscurantists decide the fate of my daughter," Mohammed says. "I will do everything in my power to make sure that their rights are preserved, even if it means going around these laws through donations or sales. I will continue to fight so that full equality between men and women is respected and effective in our laws and practices," Mohammed told The New Arab defiantly. 

'An opportunity not to be missed'

Over the last few years, there has been a growing debate in Morocco about inheritance rights. In a bold move, the National Council for Human Rights called for reform in 2015, drawing heavy criticism from Islamists. And in March 2018, a hundred notable Moroccan personalities signed a petition to repeal the taasib

This time, however, activists are optimistic that repealing the taasib could be a major step forward for the country and will prevent a considerable number of family disputes. Because the taasib is not explicitly stated in the Quran, they are hopeful for reform.

This isn't an opportunity to be missed. It comes at a time in Morocco where public debate is possible and political Islam is at its weakest point in years after the PJD heavily lost elections in 2021 after two terms in government. 

"I'm convinced that the reform will move forward in the right direction this time. Like all reforms in Morocco, it will be gradual, but it will open up a breach for the emancipation of Moroccan women," concludes Mustapha.

*Name has been changed for anonymity

Ilhem Rachidi is a freelance journalist focusing on protest movements and human rights issues, mainly in North Africa

Follow her on Twitter: @RachidiIlhem

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2024-03-28T13:57:53 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894051 https://www.newarab.com/news/egypts-al-azhar-calls-enforcing-lasting-gaza-ceasefire <![CDATA[Egypt's Al-Azhar calls for enforcing lasting Gaza ceasefire]]> Egypt's Al-Azhar, the Muslim world's foremost religious institution, called for enforcing a permanent end to hostilities in Gaza amid the deadly Israeli onslaught on the besieged strip that has entered its sixth month.

In an official statement, the highest Sunni Islamic authority in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) hailed a ceasefire resolution passed by the UN Security Council (UNSC) earlier on Tuesday and called for its enforcement during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Azhar said the UNSC's resolution was "long-delayed" as a result of what it described as "the intransigence of some of the world powers backing Israel."

Over 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed so far since Israel's attack last October, with hundreds of thousands more facing an imminent famine.

Al-Azhar further called for international pressure to implement the resolution as Israel continues its aggression, possibly expanding its invasion onto the bordering city of Rafah. 



The Cairo-based institution further called for "maintaining efforts and pressure to prosecute Israeli officials over war crimes and genocide they had committed against the Palestinians."

Al-Azhar and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi are known to have disagreed on various religious interpretations and political policies.

Egypt's proximity to and historical relationship with the Gaza Strip, as well as its relations with Israel, have given Cairo a pivotal role in the region's affairs.

In January this year, Azhar had voiced full support for South Africa in its International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel, which accused it of committing genocide against the Palestinians at a time when Egypt took no decisive stance towards the trial.

Egypt and Israel have technically been at peace since the late 1970s, sharing solid diplomatic, economic, and security ties – despite widespread opposition from the Egyptian public.

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2024-03-28T12:44:24 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3894091 https://www.newarab.com/news/airstrip-being-built-yemeni-island-during-war <![CDATA[Airstrip being built on a Yemeni island during the war]]> As Yemen’s Houthi rebels continue to target ships in a Mideast waterway, satellite pictures analysed by The Associated Press show what appears to be a new airstrip being built at an entrance to that crucial maritime route.

No country has publicly claimed the construction on Abd al-Kuri Island, a stretch of land rising out of the Indian Ocean near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. However, satellite images shot for the AP show workers have spelt “I LOVE UAE” with piles of dirt next to the runway, using an abbreviation for the United Arab Emirates.

Both the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea to which it leads have become a battleground between the Houthis and US-led forces in the region as Israel's war on Gaza rages — potentially allowing a nation to project its power into the area.

The construction comes as the presence of troops from the Emirates in the Socotra Island chain to which Abd al-Kuri belongs — and that of the separatist force it backs in southern Yemen — have sparked clashes in the past.

In response to the AP's questions, the United Arab Emirates said Thursday that “any presence of the UAE on Socotra Island is based on humanitarian grounds that is carried out in cooperation with the Yemeni government and local authorities.”

"The UAE remains steadfast in its commitment to all international endeavours aimed at facilitating the resumption of the Yemeni political process, thereby advancing the security, stability, and prosperity sought by the Yemeni populace,” it added without elaborating.

The Yemeni Embassy in Washington and Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition fighting the Houthis, did not respond to questions.

Abd al-Kuri is about 35 kilometres (21.75 miles) long and about 5 kilometres (3.11 miles) at its widest point. It sits closer to the Horn of Africa than it does to Yemen, the Arab world's poorest nation, which has been at war for years.

Along that widest point sits the airstrip construction. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analysed by the AP showed trucks and other vehicles grading the runway on March 11, turning part of its sandy features a dark brown. Planet Labs images of the site shot for the AP on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday showed vehicles in different positions and active work being done there, possibly including paving the site.

The runway, running north to south, measures about 3 kilometres (1.86 miles). It can accommodate attack, surveillance, and transport aircraft, including some of the heaviest bombers.

According to Planet Labs imagery, Construction could be seen in the area in January 2022, with a diagonal, shorter runway carved out of the sand. The first signs of the more extended north-south runway construction were in July 2022, but work was halted.

This month, there's been increased activity on Abd al-Kuri, including construction at the northern edge of the runway, close to the water, and the movement of heavy vehicles.

That works corresponds with a report last week by Abu Dhabi's state-linked broadcaster Sky News Arabia, which claimed to quote an anonymous US defence official as saying America had “strengthened our missile defences on Socotra Island” in anticipation of the rebels attacking US bases. Socotra is the main island of the Socotra chain, about 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Abd al-Kuri.

The US military told the AP it is not involved in the construction of Abd al-Kuri, nor is there any American “military presence” elsewhere in Yemen. US special forces have launched raids in the past in Yemen, while a two-decade American drone strike campaign has targeted the country’s local al-Qaeda affiliate.

No air defence batteries were immediately discernible in satellite imagery around the Abd al-Kuri Island site. However, what appeared to be piles of dirt at the site had been arranged to spell “I LOVE UAE” just east of the runway.

The island of Socotra, a UNESCO World Heritage site home to the rare Dragon Blood tree, has long been a strategic port given its location on a key East-West trade route for cargo and energy shipments from Asia and the Middle East onward to Europe. The Soviet Union once used Socotra as an anchorage for its surface fleet and submarines when South Yemen, a Communist nation based in Aden, ruled the island from 1967 until 1990.

The island has felt far removed from the chaos that has gripped Yemen in the decades since, from unification to civil war to the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels' sweeping entrance into the capital in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition that includes the UAE entered the Yemen war in 2015 on behalf of the country's exiled government and has been caught in a grinding, nearly decadelong conflict since.

In 2018, the UAE deployed troops to Socotra Island, sparking a dispute with Yemen's exiled government. Two years later, clashes broke out between Yemeni separatists backed by the UAE and other forces there.

Meanwhile, Iranian-linked media and the Houthis have alleged without providing evidence that the Emiratis allowed Israel to operate from Socotra as well. Israel has not acknowledged any presence there, and the Israeli prime minister’s office declined to comment.

Since November, the Houthis have attacked ships, saying they want to force Israel to end its war on Gaza. The vessels targeted by the rebels, however, largely have had little or no connection to Israel, the US or other nations involved in the war. The insurgents also have fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

When President Joe Biden entered office in 2021, he pulled support from the Saudi-led coalition, declaring: “This war has to end.” But in January, the US began launching airstrikes targeting the Houthis over their attacks on shipping, a near-daily campaign of attacks that continues today.

The airfield on Abd el-Kuri isn't the first mysterious airstrip to begin construction amid Yemen's war. In 2021, the AP reported that an airfield was being built on Mayun Island, also known as Perim Island. This island sits in the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea.

Then, military officials with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which the Saudi-led coalition has backed since 2015, said the UAE was building the runway. The Saudi-led coalition battling the Houthis later acknowledged having “equipment” on the island, while a militia leader and nephew of Yemen’s late strongman president Ali Abdullah Saleh acknowledged that his Emirati-backed troops were stationed there.

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2024-03-28T12:39:47 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3893697 https://www.newarab.com/news/israeli-troops-shoot-dead-two-unarmed-palestinian-men <![CDATA[Israeli troops shoot dead two unarmed Palestinian men]]> Two unarmed Palestinian men were shot dead and buried by Israeli soldiers as they attempted to return to their homes in northern Gaza, new video footage shows.

In footage obtained and published on Wednesday by Al Jazeera Arabic, two men holding what appears to be white cloth can be seen walking separately along the beach near the Nabulsi roundabout, southwest of Gaza City, before they are shot dead in two attacks by Israeli troops.

The findings come just a week after a separate video was published by Al Jazeera Arabic showing a group of unarmed young men in Khan Younis in south Gaza hit and killed by an Israeli drone strike, which triggered widespread outrage.

In the video, shot from above and looking down on the strewn beach landscape, one of the men can be seen waving what appears to be a white cloth, as he comes into the view of the Israeli troops.

Positioned approximately 20 meters behind, the second man turns around upon noticing the military presence, also waving his hands in the air and seemingly holding a white cloth

An Israeli armoured vehicle then pursues the man as he walks away some distance ahead. The soldiers in the vehicle open fire and he falls to the ground.

Subsequently, a bulldozer enters the camera's view, scooping up the bodies, including the first man's. It carelessly pushes them into sand and piles of rubbish, observed by several nearby soldiers

Nearby, a group of Palestinians with a donkey and cart witnesses the atrocity.

Ramy Abdu, chair of Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, a Geneva-based human rights organization, described the footage as "shocking" in a post on social media site X.

"Shocking footage aired by Al Jazeera shows the execution of two Palestinian civilians as they attempted to return to northern Gaza. The footage depict Israeli soldiers burying the civilians after killing them," Abdu wrote.

The revelations come just a few days after the UN Security Council voted to implement an immediate ceasefire in Gaza as global concerns grow over the devastating humanitarian conditions in the besieged enclave, where more than 32,000 people have been killed.

Israel has repeatedly defended itself against accusations of genocidal intent in its offensive in Gaza after challenges at the World Court, although a UN rights expert declared earlier this week that there were "reasonable grounds" to determine that Israel had committed several acts of "genocide" in Gaza.

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2024-03-28T12:16:47 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3893801 https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-executes-13-children-near-gazas-al-shifa-report <![CDATA[Israel 'executes' 13 children near Gaza's Al-Shifa: report]]> The Israeli military "executed" 13 children by "direct shooting" over a week in and around Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital, a rights group said on Wednesday.

Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor declared it a war crime and crime against humanity, further describing it as "part of the genocide that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip have been experiencing for the past six months".

The Israeli army has conducted "systematic and horrifying" military operations in and near the Gaza City hospital, including extrajudicial executions and the deliberate killing of civilians, Euro-Med Monitor added.

The organisation reported that its field team received "identical testimonies" concerning the killings and executions of Palestinian children aged four to 16.

It added: "Some of the fatal shootings occurred during an Israeli army siege while the victims' families were inside their homes; others occurred when the victims attempted to escape via routes that the Israeli army had designated as 'safe' after forcibly evacuating them from their homes and places of residence."

Islam Ali Salouha, who lives near Al-Shifa, said Israeli forces killed his nine-year-old son Ali and six-year-old son Saeed Muhammad Sheikha, according to Euro-Med Monitor.

Salouha said this happened in front of their families and other locals, and that the Israeli forces specifically targeted the children with live rounds.

The current Israeli raid of Al-Shifa began around 10 days ago.

Euro-Med Monitor called for the UN special rapporteur on arbitrary or extrajudicial executions to urgently act to probe and document the killings carried out by Israeli forces in and near Al-Shifa.

It also urged the rapporteur to press for effective accountability measures for those who carried out and ordered these actions.

"Euro-Med Monitor draws attention to the need of protecting Palestinian children, who are more vulnerable to the ongoing Israeli crimes in the Gaza Strip and who are not being afforded any protection under international law," the rights group said.

"Instead, the Israeli army has turned them into a clear and present target for murders, executions, and indiscriminate targeting, in addition to denying them food, shelter, and medical care."

Since Israel's war on Gaza began on 7 October, at least 53 schools have been completely destroyed, a report by the Occupied Palestinian Territory Education Cluster, which is co-led by UN children's agency UNICEF and the NGO Save the Children, has found. The report used satellite imagery.

Israel's military campaign has so far killed 32,552 people in the Palestinian enclave.

The International Court of Justice in January said that Israel was plausibly breaching the Genocide Convention in Gaza.

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2024-03-28T11:43:39 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3893889 https://www.newarab.com/features/how-online-hate-speech-fuels-anti-refugee-sentiment-egypt <![CDATA[How online hate speech fuels anti-refugee sentiment in Egypt]]> When Amani Mabyuo, a 50-year-old Sudanese refugee living in Egypt since 1999, was shopping at a grocery store in Cairo, an Egyptian woman loudly complained that refugees had ruined her country. She then bullied her with taunts and jibes until she gave up her space at the till. 

This type of incident is now relatively common in Egypt. It's also a real-life example of how rising xenophobia and anti-refugee sentiment are fuelled by misinformation spread on social media.

"I have seen online posts about refugees being the reason why rent prices are high in Egypt. There's also misinformation campaigns about landlords evicting Egyptians to rent to Sudanese because they pay more, and that the UNCHR supports them financially," Amani told The New Arab.

"In a 2023 case study of various accounts on X, Dina proved that they [anti-refugee accounts] are part of an organised network that highlights and amplifies the pro-government hashtag, #Egypt_Supports_Human_Rights"

Since war broke out in Sudan in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF), about 450,000 Sudanese have crossed the border into Egypt to seek shelter.

While the Sudanese constitute the largest diaspora of refugees and migrants in Egypt — followed by Syrians — the North African country hosts nine million refugees and migrants, whom pro-state social media users now accuse of fueling the country’s worst currency crisis and economic woes.

Online hate speech has skyrocketed in Egypt’s online sphere, with many hashtags demanding the deportation of refugees in Egypt going viral on X — formerly known as Twitter.

#Stop_the_Refugees_Chaos,#Boycott_Refugees_Shops,#Deportation_of_Refugees_is_the_People’s_Demand, and #Deporting_Refugees_Is_National_Duty are among some of the hashtags that trended at different times over the past year on X as the country grappled with issues ranging from the depletion of the country’s foreign reserves to the sugar crisis

How online hate speech leads to real-life violence in Egypt

Farah Amer, monitoring and evaluation officer at the Egyptian delegation of Terre des Hommes (TdH), told The New Arab that Egyptians suffering from the economic crisis channel their frustration into blaming refugees. 

“Online hate speech could potentially trigger people and influence them to the point where it could easily transfer to reality in the form of violence,” Farah explained. 

A German study conducted in 2017 on the relationship between social media — particularly Facebook — and hate crimes concluded that there is a correlation between spikes in online anti-refugee sentiment and increased incidents of anti-refugee violence.

Nour Khalil, executive director of Refugees Platform in Egypt, an independent organisation that supports “people on the move”,  told The New Arab that this is not the first time online campaigns targeting refugees have emerged. 

“Some Egyptian officials adopt the same hate speech; Egypt’s officials often blame the presence of refugees for the exacerbating economic crisis,” he said, adding that “these online campaigns are always associated with a political event or a message that the state is attempting to tout. They attribute the administrative and economic failures of the Egyptian state to the most vulnerable groups who won’t be able to defend themselves.” 

While Nour refused to offer a conclusive statement as to whether these campaigns are mobilised by the government, he believes that these campaigns are impossible to become so systemic without the knowledge of Egyptian security authorities.

The University of Oxford published a report in 2020 saying that Egypt ranked number 17 out of 81 countries for having a ‘high cyber troop capacity’— defined as “government or political party actors tasked with manipulating public opinion online." 

Nour added that these accounts are not always operational, they only typically engage in coordinated campaigns. “They are either uniformly attacking a particular opponent, launching simultaneous attacks on human rights organisations, or simultaneously posting tweets, posts, and publications in support of the Egyptian state.”

"The lack of safety and poverty in Egypt has driven many Sudanese back to their country where conflict between warring parties continues to rage on"

The Egyptian government has never directly addressed the claims of mobilising people online to smear dissidents or accuse refugees of the government's failures, but it has repeatedly accused the Muslim Brotherhood group of employing online techniques that target the Egyptian state. 

Egypt’s law prohibits inciting racism or intolerance on social media, which includes personal blogs and social media accounts with more than 5000 followers.   

Are anti-refugee accounts part of an organised network?

Some of the accounts that are breeding this content appear to have a few things in common; exhibiting nationalist tones in their photos, usernames, and bios. Some of them, The New Arab learned from Dina Sadek, a Middle East research fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), are part of an organised network. 

In a 2023 case study of various accounts on X, Dina proved that they are part of an organised network that highlights and amplifies the pro-government hashtag, #Egypt_Supports_Human_Rights. 

“We monitored and identified a large number of accounts in this network that follow a similar pattern of posting coordinated content,” Dina told The New Arab.

“An X user, suspected to be the ringleader of the network, has several accounts with different handles used interchangeably and changed occasionally, including @Bassemelmassry, @BassemElMssry2, @BassemElMassry1, @bassembekhet2, and @bassembekhet3,” Dina explained.

Some of the accounts that DFR identified, including that of the alleged ringleader, have been found to amplify hashtags promoting hate speech against refugees in Egypt and demanding their deportation. 

Looking closely, Dina explained, “You will notice that, for months, they have amplified content and hashtags in support of the Egyptian government. These accounts exclusively promote pro-government content, indicating their coordinated behaviour of pushing and amplifying specific narratives.” 

TikTok trolls and attacks

Hosam El-Din Kanaan, an Egyptian-Syrian whose TikTok account has thousands of followers, was the target of online discrimination. “This is a Syrian man who lives and illegally works in Egypt and owns an unlicensed shop, benefiting from all services for free at the expense of Egyptians,” wrote one such X user on a video Hosam had posted on his Tiktok account.

“I do not even live in Egypt, I live in Turkey,” Hosam told The New Arab. “I lived in Egypt from 2014 to 2015, and I wish I could return,” adding, “There are a lot of Syrians in Egypt but none of them are exploiting other [Egyptians].”

Community paralegal and Sudanese activist and refugee Butrus Anyuon told The New Arab, “I saw a video that’s been circulating on chat groups between Sudanese people about how refugees are ruining the country, demanding the closure of the borders and not allowing more refugees in Egypt,” he said, adding that this video was shocking and disturbing to many of the Sudanese diaspora in Egypt.

The lack of safety and poverty in Egypt has driven many Sudanese back to their country where conflict between warring parties continues to rage on.

Some of the refugees, on the other hand, are nonchalant about these online campaigns and how they may affect them. “I believe I am protected by law against violence so the online hate speech does not affect me,” Ayda Suliman, an Eritrean refugee in Egypt and the president of the Eritrean Single Mother Initiative told The New Arab, adding that “hate speech is coming from a place of ignorance and unawareness”.

This article is published in collaboration with Egab 

Nadin Muhammed is a freelance journalist, writing on social issues, migration, and disinformation.

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2024-03-28T11:20:30 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3893871 https://www.newarab.com/news/us-official-quits-state-dept-over-israel-gaza-war-support <![CDATA[US official quits State Dept. over Israel Gaza war support]]> A US State Department official working on human rights issues in the Middle East resigned Wednesday in protest over Washington’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza, highlighting further discord within the Biden administration.

Annelle Sheline, 38, left her position as a foreign affairs officer in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor just a year into her role, with nearly half of that period overshadowed by Israel’s devastating assault on the Palestinian enclave.

During an interview with The Washington Post, Sheline shared that her work concentrated on advocating for human rights across the Middle East and North Africa, a task made challenging by the complexities of Israel's conflict and its numerous moral, legal, security, and diplomatic consequences for the United States.

She explained her efforts to voice concerns through dissent cables and in staff meetings, but ultimately determined it was futile “as long as the US persists in supplying Israel with an uninterrupted flow of arms”.

“For the past year, I worked for the office devoted to promoting human rights in the Middle East. I believe strongly in the mission and in the important work of that office,” Sheline wrote in an op-ed for CNN.

“However, as a representative of a government that is directly enabling what the International Court of Justice has said could plausibly be a genocide in Gaza, such work has become almost impossible.”

Particularly troubling for the Biden administration is Sheline’s assertion that the State Department has ample evidence of Israel violating international law in Gaza and that the US is therefore breaching its own domestic laws by continuing to fund Israel.

“My colleagues and I watched in horror as this administration delivered thousands of precision-guided munitions, bombs, small arms and other lethal aid to Israel,” Sheline writes.

“We are appalled by the administration’s flagrant disregard for American laws that prohibit the US from providing assistance to foreign militaries that engage in gross human rights violations or that restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid.”

Sheline’s exit marks the most notable resignation from the State Department since Josh Paul, the former director responsible for US arms transfers, stepped down from his position shortly after the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza.

The Biden administration has come under increasing scrutiny on multiple different fronts due to its support for the Israeli war, with over 32,500 Palestinians killed so far, the vast majority of whom are civilians.

A Gallup poll released on Wednesday found that 55 percent of Americans now oppose Israel’s war, a 10 percent increase since the last survey was conducted by the pollsters in November.

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2024-03-28T11:05:00 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3893561 https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-pounds-southern-gaza-besieges-al-shifa-10th-day <![CDATA[Israel pounds southern Gaza, besieges Al-Shifa for 10th day]]> The southern Gaza Strip came under intense Israeli bombardment overnight, despite international pressure for an immediate ceasefire in the Palestinian territory where famine is looming.

In central Gaza, Israeli military said it was continuing its attack on the Al-Shifa Hospital for a 10th day. Israeli forces have mposed a brutal siege on Gaza's largest medical centre, killing a number of civilians, including at least 13 children, according to the Euro-Med monitor.

Besieged Gaza is in desperate need of aid, and the United States said it would continue airdrops despite pleas from Hamas to stop the practice after the group said 18 people had died trying to reach food packages.

A fireball lit up the night sky in the southern city of Rafah, the last remaining urban centre in Gaza not to have been attacked by Israeli ground forces. About 1.5 million people are crammed in the area, many having fled south towards the border with Egypt.

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2024-03-28T09:32:08 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891553 https://www.newarab.com/news/dragon-ball-theme-park-planned-saudi-arabia <![CDATA['Dragon Ball' theme park planned in Saudi Arabia]]>

A theme park based on Japan's "Dragon Ball" manga franchise will be built in Saudi Arabia's new high-end tourist attraction of Qiddiya just outside Riyadh, authorities said on Friday.

The announcement comes two weeks after fans of the massively popular and influential series were shocked by news of the death of its creator Akira Toriyama, aged 68.

The 500,000-square-metre (125-acre) park will allow fans to "live the adventures at the heart of the action, experiencing the journey from the first Dragon Ball series to the latest Dragon Ball Super", according to a press release by the Qiddiya Investment Company.

First serialised in 1984, "Dragon Ball" is one of the best-selling manga franchises of all time and has spawned countless anime series, films and video games.

Toriyama's death this month from a blood clot on the brain sparked an outpouring of grief from around the world, including tributes from French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin.

In a press release on the official Dragon Ball website, authorities in Qiddiya did not give an opening date for the park and also did not say how much construction would cost.

The statement said the attraction would be split into seven themed zones based on the magical dragon-containing balls that are central to the series.

The park will have at least 30 rides and include a 70-metre (230-foot) dragon at the centre of the site, it said.

The Qiddiya "entertainment city" project, featuring high-end theme parks, motorsport facilities and a safari area, is under construction near the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Shares of Toei Animation, which produced the "Dragon Ball" anime series, surged 6.7 percent on Friday.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-28T02:18:02 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891653 https://www.newarab.com/news/us-uk-sanction-gaza-now-media-channel <![CDATA[US, UK sanction Gaza Now media channel]]> US and UK authorities unveiled sanctions on Wednesday against two people and three companies related to the popular media channel Gaza Now over alleged fundraising efforts "in support of Hamas".

The Treasury Department said in a statement that Gaza Now, whose popular Telegram channel has more than 1.8 million followers, and its founder Mustafa Ayash, started fundraising for Hamas after the group's October 7 attack, which Israeli authorities say killed over 1,000 people.

Israel's military campaign on the same day has killed at least 32,414 people in Gaza, most of them women and children.

"Treasury remains committed to degrading Hamas' ability to finance its terrorist activities, including through online fundraising campaigns that seek to funnel money directly to the group," US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement.

The Treasury Department accused the group of "having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Hamas."

The US also unveiled sanctions against Aozma Sultana, the director of two companies that allegedly gave "thousands of dollars to Gaza Now and advertised Gaza Now as a partner during a joint fundraiser shortly after the October 7 terrorist attack."

The Treasury Department's actions are being carried out alongside similar actions by the UK authorities.

"The UK Government has announced a full asset freeze against two individuals suspected of providing financial support for Gaza Now - a news agency that promotes the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist groups," the UK Treasury said in a statement.

"All funds and economic resources in the UK belonging to or controlled by Sultana and Ayash have been frozen," they added.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-28T00:28:02 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891931 https://www.newarab.com/news/un-expert-francesca-albanese-stands-gaza-genocide-report <![CDATA[UN expert Francesca Albanese stands by Gaza genocide report]]> A UN expert who determined that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza on Wednesday said that she had faced threats over her work but insisted it only made her more determined to push ahead.

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, said this week there were reasonable grounds to believe Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

Israel, which has long been highly critical of Albanese and her mandate, denounced her report as an "obscene inversion of reality".

Asked about the blowback at a news conference in Geneva, Albanese acknowledged that "it has been a difficult time".

The independent expert, who was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2022 but who does not speak on behalf of the United Nations, said she had "been attacked since the very beginning of my mandate".

"I do receive threats," she acknowledged, but said that she had received "nothing that so far I have considered needing extra precautions".

And the pressure merely encourages her "not to step back", Albanese said.

Israeli visa ban

Israel last month announced a visa ban on Albanese over comments denying that Hamas's October 7 attack was "anti-Semitic".

Albanese on Wednesday reiterated that she had found no evidence that the October 7 attacks were "propelled by anti-Semitism", adding that she wants Israel to behave "in accordance with international law".

The expert, who has argued the attack was motivated by Israeli oppression acknowledged that her comments were not "strategic" but said that she stood by her report.

Albanese said that when she eventually does leave her post, it will not be because of her critics.

"It won't be because they vilify or they mistreat me in the public discourse."

'Nothing justifies what Israel is doing'

Albanese said that she "of course" condemned Hamas and its brutal attack on Israel, but added: "Nothing justifies what Israel is doing".

Israel's military campaign has killed at least 32,400 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, and has spurred a humanitarian catastrophe and UN warnings of a looming famine.

Albanese has called for an "international protective presence" in Gaza and has also demanded that other countries impose sanctions and an arms embargo to stem the violence.

Countries, she stressed, have obligations under the UN Genocide Convention to act "immediately" when a risk of genocide is detected.

Albanese said she next intended to investigate the possible "complicity" of the United States, Israel's main backer, and also other countries.

"The genocide has already been committed," she said, but added that "we can still save lives and we can still halt the descent into the abyss."

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T21:53:48 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891881 https://www.newarab.com/podcast/poor-reviews-irans-theatrical-elections <![CDATA[Poor Reviews for Iran's Theatrical Elections]]> At the start of March polling stations for Iran's legislative elections opened, and yet, very few Iranians turned up. 

It was a record low turnout, with just 40.64 percent of eligible voters casting their ballot.

The low turnout reflected the discontent in the country, and the poor quality of candidates on offer. 

This week on The New Arab Voice, we look at the Iranian elections. Why was the turnout so low, and what does it mean for the regime’s legitimacy. How did the Iranian regime seek to control the elections, and how do the different branches help to support the control of the deep state. And also, what can the recent election tell us about the plan to choose a successor for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 

Joining this week, we speak with Alex Vatanka (@AlexVatanka) the founding Director of the Iran Program at the Middle East Institute (@MiddleEastInst), and Ali Vaez (@AliVaez), the Iran Project Director at International Crisis Group (@CrisisGroup). 

This podcast is written and produced by Hugo Goodridge (@hugogoodridge). 

Theme music by Omar al-Fil. 

To get in touch with the producers, follow then tweet us at @TNAPodcasts or email podcast@newarab.com

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T19:15:04 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891509 https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-lawmakers-call-government-halt-israel-arms-sales <![CDATA[UK lawmakers call on government to halt Israel arms sales]]> Over 130 UK lawmakers have called on the British government to halt arms sales to Israel.

The letter, sent to Foreign Secretary David Cameron and Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, said the case for doing so was "overwhelming".

Signatories included Labour MP Zarah Sultana, Stephen Flynn, the head of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, and independent MP and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

They were joined by members of the House of Lords, the UK's upper house of parliament, including Conservative Nosheena Mobarik, Liberal Democrat Jonathan Oates, and the Green Party's Natalie Bennett.

"We write as cross-party parliamentarians calling on you to immediately suspend export licences for arms transfers to Israel," the lawmakers' letter said.

It added that the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch were among those to say Israel has carried out serious breaches of international law in Gaza.

No 'business as usual'

The parliamentarians' letter noted the International Court of Justice's finding in January that Israel was plausibly violating the Genocide Convention.

"In this context, 'business as usual' for UK arms exports to Israel is totally unacceptable," the letter said.

"Both domestic and international law… require the government to prevent the transfer of military equipment where there is a clear or overriding risk that such exports might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law or international human rights law."

The letter charged that UK-made weapons were being used in Gaza, saying the government authorises export licences for Israeli F-16 warplane parts.

Israel's war on Gaza has so far killed 32,490 people, the enclave's health ministry said on Wednesday.

United Nations experts last month called on states to stop arms transfers to Israel, including export licences.

'Man-made catastrophe'

Afzal Khan, a Labour MP who signed the letter, told The New Arab that the "horrific" situation in Gaza was a "man-made catastrophe".

"It is weapons that are sold by the UK that have helped create this," he said.

"We cannot sit back and watch the Israeli army commit egregious human rights abuses against Palestinians, knowing the UK has played some part – however small – in aiding this.

"It's clear the UK has a moral imperative to suspend arms sales to Israel immediately whilst there are allegations of war crimes being committed."

Khan said he was pleased to co-sign the letter to Cameron and Badenoch calling on the government to do so.

"I will continue to lobby the Conservative government to put their morals before money and impose an immediate arms embargo against Israel," he added.

In response to a request for comment, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office directed The New Arab to remarks made on Tuesday by government minister Andrew Mitchell.

"All exports are regularly assessed against clear criteria. We regularly review Israel's adherence to international humanitarian law and act in accordance with that," he said.

Protesters demanding the UK halt arms sales to Israel were set to demonstrate outside Britain's defence ministry on Wednesday evening, according to a press release from the group Revolutionary Socialism in the 21st Century.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T17:54:21 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891423 https://www.newarab.com/news/celebrities-urge-uk-government-end-arms-export-israel <![CDATA[Celebrities urge UK government to end arms export to Israel]]> Celebrities like Brian Cox and Annie Lennox are calling on Wednesday for the UK government to stop issuing arms licenses and exporting weapons to Israel immediately.

Oxfam's open letter to Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron states that stopping arms is "just one crucial step towards helping to secure a permanent and immediate ceasefire for all Palestinians and Israelis".

The letter highlights,"British arms sold to Israel are potentially being used to commit such serious violations of international law," criticising the UK's ongoing sales as complicity in the daily slaughter of civilians  in Gaza.

"An immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire is vital to stop the death and destruction. Ending arms sales is a crucial step towards this. A ceasefire is the only meaningful way to deliver aid, and the safest way to get hostages out," the letter further asserts. 

Signatures also include comedians Aisling Bea and Nish Kumar and singer-songwriter Paloma Faith.

Even before and especially since the onset of Israel's war on Gaza, campaigners have pressed the UK to cease its arms sales to Israel

Since 7 October, the Israeli military has killed over 32,000 Palestinian civilians, injuring over 74,000.

The Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) reports that recent UK arms exports to Israel encompass components, equipment, and technology for aircraft and radar systems.

Additionally, the campaign notes that British firms manufacture 15 percent of the components for every F-35 Israel employs in Gaza, contributing at least £336 million to the industry since 2016.

UK's criteria for arms exports mandate stopping shipments when there's a "clear risk" of violating international humanitarian law. It's contemplating restrictions on arms to Israel amid concerns that a ground invasion of Rafah could breach these laws

The UK's criteria for arms exports include stopping shipments when there's a "clear risk" of violating international humanitarian law and is considering restricting some arms exports to Israel, believing Tel Aviv could breach international humanitarian law if it were to launch a ground invasion of Rafah.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T17:34:14 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891427 https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-looking-assault-rafah-after-eid-egyptian-source <![CDATA[Israel looking to assault Rafah 'after Eid': Egyptian source]]> Israel will not launch its anticipated ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah until after Eid al-Fitr, according to an Egyptian source who spoke to The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister outlet on Wednesday.

Israel has reportedly informed the Egyptian government of its intentions to proceed with the Rafah operation, without specifying an exact date but indicating it will not occur before the Muslim holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan around 9 April.

The source told Al-Araby-Al-Jadeed that “security communications between the Egyptian and Israeli sides are ongoing on an almost daily basis, yet the Israeli side refrains from revealing its true intentions concerning the Rafah operation".

“Cairo has received assurances that, should a military operation in Rafah be executed, it will be aimed at specific objectives,” the source added.

Although Israel previously announced plans to invade Rafah at the start of Ramadan last month, the offensive did not occur amid warnings against the planned attack from the US and other Israeli allies.

However, according to the Egyptian source, Israel will go ahead with the attack on the southern city and will not accept a permanent ceasefire.

“The Egyptian side knows that there will not be a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip because Israel … will not allow Hamas to improve its field conditions, replenish its forces, gain time, and catch its breath,” the source said.

Last Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the Israeli army's preparations for a ground military operation in Rafah city but noted “it will take some time”.

Following that, in an unprecedented action at the UN Security Council, the US abstained from voting on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the remainder of Ramadan.

Subsequently, Israel cancelled the scheduled visit of a delegation to Washington, which was to discuss US alternatives to the Rafah operation, though Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was permitted to meet US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday.

In the meeting, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reiterated US “opposition to a major ground operation in Rafah”, according to a State Department spokesman.

Similarly, on Monday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated “Egypt's absolute rejection and its unequivocal and indubitable warning against any Israeli military operation in Palestinian Rafah, due to the humanitarian disaster it entails, which would spiral out of control and lead to unprecedented complications.”

Rafah is crammed full of 1.3 million Palestinians, the majority of whom are refugees from other parts of the enclave targeted by Israel.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T17:08:18 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891303 https://www.newarab.com/opinion/beyond-bystanderism-why-palestine-cause-us-all <![CDATA[Beyond bystanderism: Why Palestine is a cause for us all]]> Attempting to pen down this article has become an exercise in perpetual frustration. Each effort to put pen to paper is violently interrupted by a relentless stream of new war crimes, each one more harrowing than the last.

The ink has barely dried on one atrocity before another one is committed.

As I write this, it has been 173 days of brutality and death visited upon Palestinians in Israel’s war on Gaza; 173 days of children butchered, women undergoing caesareans without anaesthetic to the melody of mass extermination, and men forced to undergo their own personal excavation of horrors as they search for their sons and daughters under the rubble – often unearthing only fragments, mere echoes of their offspring in the form of scattered limbs.

It has been 173 days of the world watching like silent spectators as humanity’s moral compass is killed along with the Palestinians.

"Gaza has become the world's first live-streamed genocide, and it is a chilling indictment of our collective failure to act"

Observing the reactions to the latest chapter of horror unfolding in Gaza at the hands of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) paints a grim picture of a voyeuristic world drenched in apathy as it stands by watching scenes of civilians stripped naked and humiliated by soldiers, of children whose faces have been disfigured beyond recognition, and of infants dying of forced famine.

Last week, in the latest breach of international law, the occupation army invaded the Al-Shifa Hospital complex during Ramadan – a holy month of fasting for Muslims – and executed dozens of Palestinians.

Witnessing the men rounded-up, standing naked and blindfolded by the IOF, was jarringly reminiscent of the images leaked from Iraq’s Abu Ghraib Prison in 2004. It also evoked scenes from the Holocaust era when the Jewish people were similarly stripped naked as they awaited their fate.

Meanwhile, on the global stage, policymakers are still engaging in endless deliberations over whether to call for a ceasefire, issuing tepid statements condemning the terrors of this “conflict,” all the while funnelling funds to the Israeli government’s army and in the same breath air-dropping performative aid into Gaza.

Today, Gaza has become the world's first live-streamed genocide, and it is a chilling indictment of our collective failure to act.

While the Palestinian cause had initially gained a barrage of allies at the onset of this ‘conflict’,the trend seems to have simmered as our feeds transition from a sea of Palestinian content to a mix between a burning Gaza and the latest food or style trends that influencers push on us.

On the ground, however, the shrieks of children as they are amputated without anaesthetic haven’t stopped.

The instances of fathers and mothers breaking down as they cling to their child’s lifeless body have persisted. The pleas for help from doctors struggling to save infants in incubators, who have run out of oxygen, are deafening.

More than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s relentless war on Gaza —a figure that many experts deem incomplete as it fails to encompass those trapped under the rubble and the unreported casualties.

International NGO OXFAM describes the unfolding tragedy as “the deadliest rate of conflict of the 21st century.”

As alarming as the state of Israel’s blatant disregard for international law is, it is our reaction to the ongoing genocide that is truly shocking.

Where there should be rage, there is silence; where anger should live, disinterest resides.

The world’s apathy towards the Palestinian genocide is representative of bystanderism on a global scale. We’re flooded with a stream of unspeakable horrors while debates continue to rage on among the public and in distant chambers of power.

A few months ago, halfway across the world, another incident was taking place parallel to the Gaza war. A man was sentenced to nine years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman on the London tube. No one intervened on the woman's behalf, which prompted an outcry on social media.

"When scenes coming out of the ongoing massacre in Gaza do not galvanise us because it does not 'concern' us, we are paving the way for a detachment that will eventually trickle down into our day-to-day lives"

On X, one user remarked, "Bystanderism is so bad in London (…). We all have a responsibility to do something if we see something terribly wrong happening. You are accountable for your inaction."

He was right.

But is it not the exact definition of bystanderism when the desperate cries of thousands of innocent men, women, and children fall on deaf ears?

It is no shock then that onlookers would not react to a woman being sexually assaulted when they haven’t reacted to the sight of bleeding children and men being crushed by bulldozers.

This apathy towards Palestinians has a ripple effect in our daily lives.

As I write this, I grapple with whether it is too graphic, whether I should tone it down. But why would I need to tone anything down? I am reporting what the whole world is bearing witness to.

If you are uncomfortable, then congratulations, you’re human. It is human to be uncomfortable with genocide.

By allowing ourselves to become desensitized to a genocide documented so thoroughly in real time, we run the risk of losing our collective humanity; when scenes coming out of the ongoing massacre in Gaza do not galvanise us because it does not “concern” us, we are paving the way for a detachment that will eventually trickle down into our day-to-day lives.

Following the holocaust, German pastor Martin Niemöller said, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist; then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist; Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Today they are coming for the Palestinians; will you speak out or does it still not concern you?

Dina Khadr is a freelance journalist. Her areas of interest include geopolitics, social justice, and women's rights in the MENA region. Her writing has appeared in Womena, Grazia Middle East, CairoScene, and others.

Follow her on Instagram: @Dinakhdr9

 

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@newarab.com

Opinions expressed here are the author's own, and do not necessarily reflect those of their employer, or of The New Arab and its editorial board or staff.

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2024-03-27T16:55:22 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891263 https://www.newarab.com/analysis/how-israeli-settler-outposts-are-surging-west-bank <![CDATA[How Israeli settler outposts are surging in the West Bank]]> In the last five months of Israel’s ferocious assault on Gaza, Jewish settlers have been intensifying the illegal construction of outposts in the occupied West Bank, whether by force, threat, or military decree.

Between October and January, settlers in the Palestinian territory built at least 15 outposts and 18 roads that only Jewish Israelis are permitted to use, along with hundreds of meters of fences and multiple roadblocks.

Outposts consist of makeshift encampments built without government approval by members of Israel's settler movement seeking to enforce an Israeli presence on occupied Palestinian land. Located in Area C of the West Bank - approximately 60 percent of the territory under full Israeli control - they are illegal under both international and Israeli law.

However, they are often authorised retroactively by Israeli courts as settlements.

In a January report, Peace Now, an Israeli group monitoring settlement developments, documented an unparalleled rise in settlement activities in the aftermath of the war in Gaza. Settlers have been pushing their presence across the West Bank by establishing or re-establishing outposts beyond areas near existing settlements, paving roads cutting through private Palestinian land, and erecting barriers along them.

"Between October and January, settlers in the West Bank built at least 15 outposts and 18 roads that only Jewish Israelis are permitted to use, along with hundreds of meters of fences and multiple roadblocks"

This increasing outpost and road construction activity has effectively translated to the annexation of large swathes of Palestinian-owned land and restrictions on Palestinian movement in a clear move to expel Palestinians from the surroundings.

Exploiting the ongoing military aggression in Gaza, Israeli settlers have persisted in taking control of sizeable parts of Area C, thus further fragmenting the West Bank and marginalising the Palestinian presence.

“In times of war, settlers take advantage of the situation to start building illegal outposts,” Mauricio Lapchik, Peace Now’s director of external relations, told The New Arab, observing that his organisation reported a similar surge in outposts during the years of the Second Intifada in the early 2000s.

These actions have been accompanied by an escalation of settler violence since Hamas’ attack on southern Israel on 7 October, with assaults and harassment against Palestinian residents and the destruction of their property occurring almost daily, often without army or police intervention.

“This massive push to build roads and outposts, and destroy resources for Palestinians, is so much in coordination with the Israeli state,” Lara Kilani, a member of Good Shepherd Collective pursuing justice in the Holy Land, told The New Arab.

Settlers are being “emboldened” by the state in their violent displacement efforts, she said, citing the case of Al Sukhun village in the Jordan Valley, which was ethnically cleansed last week after Israeli settlers, with the support of the state, erected an outpost near the village 10 days before.

Kilani noted that the near-total lockdown imposed by the Israeli military in the West Bank has facilitated the expansion of outposts, with dozens of Palestinian villages and towns sealed off. Meanwhile, major roads have been almost exclusively accessible only to settlers or Israeli soldiers, who have blocked traffic and prevented economic activity, harassing Palestinian farmers and shepherds in the process.

Settler attacks have intensified since Tel Aviv unleashed its offensive on Gaza, building on decades of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory that culminated in a record-high year for settlement construction and outpost legalisation in 2023. This trend has caused many Palestinians to move in search of safety and to protect their livelihoods.

In 2023, 26 new illegal outposts were erected, of which at least 10 were set up during the war. Some 1,345 Palestinians were forced to flee from their homes as a result of violent attacks by settlers following the establishment of outposts, according to data from Israeli human rights group B'Tselem. Around 21 Palestinian communities were uprooted, 16 of them after 7 October.

Since the conflict began, over 1,240 Palestinians from at least 20 herding communities in the West Bank have been forcibly displaced amid settler violence and access restrictions, based on UN sources.

The UN humanitarian affairs office recorded 650 attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians up to 18 March. During that period, at least nine Palestinian residents were killed by settlers and more than 400 were killed by Israeli military forces.

“The underlying effort behind outpost or road construction and settler violence is to disrupt the economic means that allow Palestinians to remain on their lands,” Kilani said, explaining that outposts are increasingly set up in the proximity of rural communities, away from settlements, with the purpose of grabbing more land and resources from Palestinian villagers.

"Since the Gaza war began, over 1,240 Palestinians from 20 herding communities in the West Bank have been forcibly displaced, while 650 settler attacks on Palestinians have been recorded"

In the current military and political environment, settlement construction and land grabs carry on completely unchecked. The election of the present right-wing government was seen as a blessing for the settler movement and Jewish settlers are quickly expanding their presence in the West Bank, now numbering some 700,000 people, which makes up 10 percent of Israel's nearly 7 million population.

Peace Now’s spokesman pointed to “major developments” that paved the way for rampant settlement activity. Last year, Netanyahu’s government transferred administrative powers relating to settlement land administration from military authorities to civilian officials.

Leader of the Religious Zionism party Bezalel Smotrich, a settler himself, was appointed as finance minister as well as an additional minister in the defence ministry, assuming authority over the military units in charge of civilian policy in the West Bank. This gives him unprecedented influence on settlement planning approval, which could facilitate annexation, according to the UN.

The far-right minister last May presented a two-year plan under which half a million more settlers would move to the West Bank.

Earlier this month, Israel's settlement-planning authority approved projects for nearly 3,500 new housing units throughout the West Bank, the first move of such kind since 7 October.

The Israeli cabinet announced last Friday the confiscation of 8,000 hectares of Palestinian land in the Jordan Valley in east of the West Bank. The Settlement Directorate, headed by Smotrich, declared the confiscated lands “Israeli lands” for implementing settlement projects.

Lapchik highlighted that Smotrich represents “the interests of the settlers” and pointed out how the Israeli state effectively acts as if it is responsible only for the security of settlers, instead of fulfilling its obligation as an occupying power to protect the occupied population in accordance with international law.

“This government is probably the most pro-settler one in Israel’s history,” the spokesperson said, referring to the cabinet’s plans for taking over more parts of the West Bank. The essence of its annexation aims, he suggested, is enshrined in the coalition’s agreements which state that “the Jewish people have an exclusive right on all the land” between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.

The Peace Now activist warned that Israel’s ongoing process of annexation of parts of the occupied territory poses an “existential threat” to the future of Israel and the future of a Palestinian state. “If this government accomplishes its plans, in the years to come we’re going to see the creation of one Jewish supremacist state from the river to the sea,” he said.

"If this government accomplishes its plans, in the years to come we're going to see the creation of one Jewish supremacist state from the river to the sea"

Kilani raised serious concern over the whole settlement enterprise in action, beyond the short-term acceleration in settlement construction, when discussing how more facts on the ground threaten to reshape the demography of the Palestinian territory.

“It’s about this underlying infrastructure that enables and supports these actions, and thus creates a long-term vision of what the West Bank will look like over the next years.”

Alessandra Bajec is a freelance journalist currently based in Tunis.

Follow her on Twitter: @AlessandraBajec

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2024-03-27T16:40:36 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891169 https://www.newarab.com/news/ben-gvir-accuses-biden-preferring-hamas-sinwar-israel <![CDATA[Ben-Gvir accuses Biden of preferring Hamas' Sinwar to Israel]]> Israel's far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has accused US President Biden of supporting "Israel's enemies" including Hamas leaders and staunchly pro-Palestine progressive American politicians.

Speaking to The New York Times, the minister said that the administration leans more toward Yahya Sinwar, Hamas's leader in Gaza, and Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian-American Democratic Congresswoman who represents a district in Michigan, than its long-time ally Israel.

It comes after the US abstained from a vote at the UNSC calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, leading to an angry response from Israel.

"Presently, Biden prefers the line of Rashida Tlaib and Sinwar to the line of Benjamin Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir," Ben-Gvir said.

"I would have expected the president of the United States not to take their line but rather to take ours."

Tlaib is vocal in her pro-Palestine stance and has even confronted Biden over his support for Israel in 2021. The Congresswoman was one of the many who protested for a ceasefire during President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech.

Sinwar was elected as the new head of the bureau in 2017 and re-elected four years later and is believed to have "orchestrated" the Hamas 7 October attacks in Israel.

The Ben-Gvir also added that Biden has "constantly sought to impose restrictions on Israel and talks about the rights of the other side" that includes "terrorists who want to destroy us [Israel]".

The minister had also critiqued the administration for its handling of the war on Gaza, saying presidential candidate Donald Trump would grant Israel more "freedom" to fight Hamas.

While the US has provided strong support to Israel throughout the war, by supplying arms and diplomatic backing, tensions have been rising between the two nations.

Washington on Tuesday denied claims by Israel that the UN Security Council resolution on a Gaza ceasefire had damaged indirect truce negotiations with Hamas, as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled an Israeli delegation visit to Washington.

Biden earlier said he told Netanyahu the two of them were headed for a "come to Jesus" meeting over the issue of getting humanitarian aid into Gaza and imposed sanctions on some Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

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2024-03-27T16:34:53 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891237 https://www.newarab.com/news/ireland-join-south-africa-genocide-case-against-israel <![CDATA[Ireland to join South Africa genocide case against Israel]]> Ireland said on Wednesday it would intervene in South Africa's genocide case against Israel, in the strongest signal to date of Dublin's concern about Israeli operations in Gaza since Oct. 7.

Announcing the move, Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said that while it was for the World Court to decide whether genocide is being committed, he wanted to be clear that Hamas' Oct. 7 attack and what is happening in Gaza now "represents the blatant violation of international humanitarian law on a mass scale."

"The taking of hostages. The purposeful withholding of humanitarian assistance to civilians. The targeting of civilians and of civilian infrastructure. The indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The use of civilian objects for military purposes. The collective punishment of an entire population," Martin said in a statement.

"The list goes on. It has to stop. The view of the international community is clear. Enough is enough."

In January the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court, ordered Israel to refrain from any acts that could fall under the Genocide Convention and to ensure its troops commit no genocidal acts against Palestinians, after South Africa accused Israel of state-led genocide in Gaza.

Israel and its Western allies described the allegation as baseless. A final ruling in South Africa's ICJ case in The Hague could take years.

Martin did not say what form the intervention would take or outline any argument or proposal Ireland plans to put forward.

Martin's department said such third party interventions do not take a specific side in the dispute, but that the intervention would be an opportunity for Ireland to put forward its interpretation of one or more of the provisions of the Genocide Convention at issue in the case.

The Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 being taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed more than 32,000 people, according to health authorities in Gaza.

Long a champion of Palestinian rights, Ireland last week joined Spain, Malta and Slovenia in taking the first steps toward recognising statehood declared by the Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip.

Israel told the countries that their plan constituted a "prize for terrorism" that would reduce the chances of a negotiated resolution to the conflict between the neighbours.

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2024-03-27T16:22:11 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890883 https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-army-probes-deadly-attack-gaza-msf-aid-shelter <![CDATA[Israel army probes deadly attack on Gaza MSF aid shelter]]> The Israeli army is probing a February attack on a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) aid shelter in a so-called "humanitarian" zone in Gaza.

The incident killed two people and left seven injured, British broadcaster Sky News reported.

The media outlet said the site had been housing 64 people, among them MSF drivers and their relatives.

The Israeli military said it was carrying out an "examination" of the 20 February episode following an investigation by Sky.

It claimed its troops "fired at a building that was identified as a building where terror activity is occurring", although the army had not offered proof for the allegation, Sky said.

"After the incident, reports were received of the death of two uninvolved civilians in the area," the army reported.

"The [army] regrets any harm to civilians and does everything in its power to operate in a precise and accurate manner."

According to the military, an investigation has begun.

MSF said it "refutes any allegations of terror activity occurring in MSF-run structures".

"It is a civilian space, and this shows that nowhere is safe," it added.

The humanitarian group said the shelter was "used by humanitarian personnel and their family members" and had displayed an identifying MSF flag, while the Israeli authorities had been informed.

The MSF facility is situated in Al-Mawasi, an area in the south of Gaza which the Israeli military has claimed is a "humanitarian" zone.

Sky said the evidence and experts it had spoken to indicate the shelter was hit by a round from an Israeli tank.

The broadcaster quoted a witness as saying they heard "loud noises" sounding like the track of a tank.

"The loud noises were getting louder as the tanks were getting closer to our shelter… and by the time I got back to the designated place… the whole building was shaking violently," the witness said.

Two other witnesses reported hearing tanks and gunshots.

Jihad Al-Agha recounted seeing "fire light up" inside the building and he believed the tanks were about 20 metres from his location. Abu Hasmed Al-Aghar reported going "towards the sound of women and children's screams", adding that he "saved them from the inside, the fire".

Based on images secured by Sky, Amael Kotlarski, weapons team manager at intelligence company Janes, said: "I'd say whatever came through the window, came from an upward angle and detonated either on impact with the roof, or air bursted just below it.

"Given the damage on the roof, I'm inclined to the latter rather than the former."

Chiron Resources director Chris Cobb-Smith, who was as an artillery officer in the British army, indicated a tank round had been used.

"It's difficult to draw definitive conclusions merely from imagery however I believe the damage is the result of a tank round being fired directly into the building," he said.

"Only a tank shell would cause that type of damage. Only a tank would have the ability to launch a projectile at that range and at that trajectory and bearing."

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2024-03-27T16:21:35 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891157 https://www.newarab.com/news/china-uae-turkey-raise-bank-scrutiny-over-russia-oil-deals <![CDATA[China, UAE, Turkey raise bank scrutiny over Russia oil deals]]> Russian oil firms face delays of up to several months to be paid for crude and fuel as banks in China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) become more wary of US secondary sanctions, eight sources familiar with the matter said.

Payment delays reduce revenue to the Kremlin and make them erratic, allowing Washington to achieve its dual policy sanction goals - to disrupt money going to the Kremlin to punish it for the war in Ukraine while not interrupting global energy flows.

Several banks in China, the UAE and Turkey have boosted their sanctions compliance requirements in recent weeks, resulting in delays or even the rejection of money transfers to Moscow, according to the eight banking and trading sources.

Banks, cautious of the US secondary sanctions, started to ask their clients to provide written guarantees that no person or entity from the US SDN (Special Designated Nationals) list is involved in a deal or is a beneficiary of a payment.

The sources asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue and because they are not allowed to speak to media.

In the UAE, banks First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) have suspended several accounts linked to the trading of Russian goods, two sources said.

UAE's Mashreq bank, Turkey's Ziraat and Vakifbank and Chinese banks ICBC and Bank of China still process payments but take weeks or months to process them, four sources said.

Mashreq bank declined to comment. UAE's FAB and DIB banks, Turkey's Ziraat and Vakifbank, China's ICBC and Bank of China did not reply to requests for comments.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said payment problems exist when asked about reports that banks in China have slowed payments.

"Of course, unprecedented pressure from the United States and the European Union on the People's Republic of China continues," Peskov told a daily conference call with reporters.

"This, of course, creates certain problems, but cannot become an obstacle to the further development of our trade and economic relations (with China)," Peskov said.

US executive order

The West has imposed a multitude of sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Dealing with Russian oil is not illegal as long as it is sold below a Western-imposed price cap of $60 per barrel.

Russian oil exports and payments for it have been disrupted in the first months of the war but later normalised as Moscow re-routed flows to Asia and Africa away from Europe.

"Problems returned from December after banks and companies have realised the threat of U.S. secondary sanctions is real," one trading source said.

The source was referring to a US Treasury executive order published on Dec. 22, 2023, which warned it could apply sanctions for the evasion of the Russian price cap on foreign banks and called on them to boost compliance.

It became the first direct warning about a possibility of secondary sanctions on Russia, putting it on par with Iran in some areas of trade.

Following the US order, Chinese, UAE and Turkish banks that work with Russia have increased checks, started asking for extra documentation and trained more staff to make sure deals were compliant with the price cap, the trading sources said.

Additional documents can also include details on the ownership of all companies involved in the deal and personal data of individuals controlling the entities, so that banks can check on any exposure to the SDN list.

In the end of February UAE banks had to rise payment scrutiny as they were asked to provide data to the US correspondent banks and the US treasury if they have transactions that go to China on behalf of a Russian entity, according to one banking source familiar with the matter.

"This meant delays in processing payments to Russia," one of the sources said.

One source said one payment had been delayed by two months, while another said the delays amounted to two to three weeks.

"It has become tough and not even for the dollar transactions. Sometimes it takes weeks for a direct yuan-rouble transaction to be executed," one of the traders said.

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2024-03-27T16:10:21 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891093 https://www.newarab.com/news/gallant-tells-us-ensure-israel-has-regional-military-edge <![CDATA[Gallant tells US to ensure Israel has regional military edge]]> White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan held a second day of talks on Tuesday with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as the US presses its case against Israel launching a ground offensive in Rafah.

The White House meeting came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly blocked an Israeli delegation from meeting American counterparts when the US allowed a UN resolution demanding a Gaza ceasefire to be approved by abstaining from a vote on it.

Gallant said on Tuesday he stressed with US officials the importance of US-Israeli ties and of maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region, including its air capabilities.

Gallant was speaking to reporters during his second day of meetings with senior US officials in Washington at a time when wartime relations between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have sunk to a new low.

US President Joe Biden is trying to prevent Israel from launching a ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah because of dire humanitarian conditions there and the risk of civilian casualties.

Rafah is the last refuge for about half of Gaza's 2.3 million population, many of them forced to cluster there because of fighting elsewhere.

More than 32,000 people have been killed in Gaza, Palestinian authorities estimate, since Israel launched an operation there in response to Hamas militants' killing of 1,200 people in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre, briefing reporters on Air Force One, said Sullivan pledged "ironclad" US support for Israel and that the two officials discussed the need for Israel "to do more to sustain and expand humanitarian assistance going into Gaza."

"It's critical that Israel do whatever is possible to prevent civilian casualties and to conduct operations as strategically and precisely as possible and target operations to protect civilians in Rafah," she said.

Biden, addressing a crowd in Raleigh, North Carolina, was briefly interrupted by protesters shouting for the need for an increase in assistance into Gaza.

"They have a point. We need to get a lot more care into Gaza," Biden said.

Gallant also raised the prospect of a "local alternative" to replace Hamas' governance of Gaza after the war. He did not specify details and his comments come amid closed door negotiations between US and Arab officials over a future Gaza.

US officials have been trying for weeks to negotiate a deal in which sick, elderly and wounded hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a six-week ceasefire and the release of some Palestinian prisoners.

A US official said on Monday that progress has been made in recent days in the negotiations. 

(Reuters)

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2024-03-27T15:45:04 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3891081 https://www.newarab.com/news/iraq-raises-car-fuel-prices-taxes-celebrities <![CDATA[Iraq raises car fuel prices, taxes celebrities ]]> In a strategic manoeuvre to overhaul fiscal strategies, the Iraqi government raised prices on two critical types of automotive fuel and extended its tax reach to encompass select companies and celebrities. However, the move has sparked widespread anger among Iraqis, highlighting growing discontent over economic policies.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani presided over a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, during which it was decided to raise prices on car fuel by approximately 30% for premium gasoline and 25% for super quality fuel. The adjustments are slated to take effect by early May.

The council's decision entails an increase in the price of premium gasoline from 650 to 850 dinars per litre, and super gasoline from 1000 to 1250 dinars per litre, commencing 1 May. While government sources denied immediate plans to raise prices on regular and poor-quality gasoline, scepticism among Iraqis regarding potential future hikes looms.

The announcement ignited a storm of reactions on social media, with platforms like X (formerly Twitter) witnessing a surge in calls to oppose the decision. While some welcomed the move, arguing it primarily affects affluent individuals who use premium fuel for luxury vehicles, others voiced vehement opposition, citing the broader impact on the populace.

Speculations abound regarding the motives behind the price hike, with some Iraqi economists suggesting pressure from international entities like the World Bank. However, official statements from such institutions regarding the matter are yet to surface.

In a groundbreaking development, the General Tax Authority in Iraq disclosed plans to extend tax collection to 85 new entities, previously exempt from such obligations. The list includes taxi companies, advertising firms, celebrities, hotels, and restaurants.

According to Ali Wael Alawi, the head of the General Tax Authority, taxes will be imposed on sectors like airport taxis, Careem taxis, and car rental companies, which were previously untouched by taxation. The cabinet has greenlit a 15% tax on these entities, marking a significant shift in fiscal policy.

While objections arose from certain quarters, several economic experts highlighted the potential benefits of taxing these categories. They anticipate enhanced state revenue, strengthened oversight mechanisms, and improved collaboration among Iraqi institutions beyond the tax authority.

Dargham Mohammed Ali, an economic expert, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab's Arabic sister language, about the need for coordination and licensing mechanisms to effectively regulate tax collection from these sectors.

He underscored the significance of these revenues as supplementary income for the state budget, diversifying income sources beyond oil-dependent sectors.

As Iraq navigates these fiscal adjustments, the repercussions of these decisions on the economy and public sentiment remain the subject of intense scrutiny and debate.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of Iraq's recent fiscal manoeuvres, shedding light on the implications for citizens and the broader economic landscape.

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2024-03-27T15:35:07 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890579 https://www.newarab.com/news/turkey-denies-arms-exports-israel-amid-war-gaza <![CDATA[Turkey denies arms exports to Israel amid war on Gaza]]> Turkey has denied allegations of military collaboration with Israel after some media outlets claimed the country continues to export gunpowder, weapons and ammunition to the country.

Online magazine The Cradle mentioned a report from Trading Economics that in January, the country exported almost $319 million in goods to Israel including precious metals, chemicals, insecticides, nuclear reactor parts, gunpowder, explosives, aircraft parts, and weapons and ammunition.

The Karar daily reported that Turkish trade activity with Israel is primarily driven by companies affiliated with the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD), which is known for supporting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan but these claims have been strongly denied by Ankara.

"It is not possible for the Republic of Turkey, which has always supported Palestine, to carry out or engage in any activity that would harm the Palestinians," Turkey's national defence ministry said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"The Ministry of National Defence does not have any activities with Israel, including military training, exercises, and defence industry cooperation."

The ministry noted that Israel's war on Gaza has targeted hospitals, schools, places of worship, refugee camps and civilians.

The Turkish Communications Directorate's Centre for Countering Disinformation (TCDCCD) had also refuted the allegations by examining the social media posts.

"The products in the 93rd chapter of the alleged export list are not war weapons and ammunition but ungrooved rifle spare parts and accessories and fishing equipment used for individual purposes such as sports and hunting," TCDCCD said on X. The products exported under the military goods category were "gel fuel and lighter fluid" in the 36th chapter of the export list.

The organisation has also included data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), saying there have been no exports of rifles for sports and hunting purposes since May 2023, which already had low figures.

Öyküm Hüma Keskin, Fact-Checker for Teyit hakkında - one of the main independent fact-checking outlets in Turkey - said that claims about the export data report being false is untrue.

"When we examine this table, we confirm that in the first three months of 2024, exports were made to Israel under the title of 'gunpowder and explosives' (Chapter 36) and under the title of 'arms and explosives' (Chapter 93) are 'hunting and fishing equipment'," Hüma Keskin said.

The ministry of trade press release stated that items sold under the heading 'gunpowder and explosives' include 'gel and lighter fluid', while those under 'weapons and explosives' are 'hunting and fishing equipment'.

"We cannot access information from open sources, such as which company sent which goods to whom under these categories. Therefore, we cannot confirm the goods by open sources," the fact checker added.

"The shared data on social media only cover the first three months of 2024, and this shows that trade with Israel continues. Turkey does not currently have an embargo in place, so the trade is not secret."

NATO member Turkey has condemned Israel over its war on Gaza, with Erdogan calling Hamas a liberation group as opposed to a "terrorist organisation" and Ankara recalling its ambassador to Israel.

Turkey and Israel have for decades collaborated on security issues, but under Erdogan the two countries have had more fraught ties due to the president's support for the Palestinian cause and ongoing Israeli abuses against the Palestinians.

Relations became particularly strained following the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid when Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish pro-Palestine activists. Another member of the flotilla died in hospital after four years in a coma.


This story has been updated to include quotes.

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2024-03-27T15:19:31 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890849 https://www.newarab.com/news/majority-americans-now-oppose-israels-war-gaza <![CDATA[A majority of Americans now oppose Israel's war on Gaza]]> A majority of Americans now oppose Israel's war on Gaza, for the first time since the assault on the enclave began in October.

A Gallup poll released on Wednesday found that 55 percent of Americans now oppose the war, a ten percent increase since the last survey was conducted by the pollsters in November.

Only one-third of Americans now support Israel's brutal operation in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, a sharp decrease since the last poll was conducted in November when around half of respondents backed the military campaign.

The growing opposition in the US to Israel's war on Gaza follows the confirmed Palestinian death toll tripling from 10,000 on 5 November to 32,490 on Wednesday with many more feared dead.

Gaza's limited aid access, due to an Israeli blockade, has resulted in biblical-scale food shortages with distressing images emerging of children and adults dying of malnutrition in the north of the enclave.

Added to this is footage of the utter devastation unleashed in Gaza being beamed into American homes, with nearly three-quarters of respondents saying they are following the "Hamas-Israel" situation closely, and one-third saying "very closely".

The change in American public attitudes toward the humanitarian crisis in Gaza comes as the US political establishment takes an increasingly critical view of Israel's conduct in the Gaza war.

Leading US officials have warned Israel against an unplanned assault on the border city of Rafah, where around half of Gaza's population is huddled, with even threats to withdraw arms supplies if the offensive goes ahead.

This week, Washington abstained from a UNSC vote demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, leading to a diplomatic crisis with Israel.

Other polls indicate a change in views among the traditionally pro-Israeli American public, with large-scale protests and civil action among pro-Palestine activists and workers since October.

An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that half of US adults believe Israel's war on Gaza had "gone too far".

Opinions are divided along political partisan lines with Democrats far more likely to oppose Israeli military action than Republicans, but even then both surveys indicate a significant swing against Israel among both supporters of parties.

In other countries with pro-Israeli governments, the public has also turned decisively against the Gaza war, with a majority of British, as early as November, saying Israel should stop its offensive and pursue a ceasefire.

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2024-03-27T15:17:06 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890633 https://www.newarab.com/news/us-denies-israeli-claims-about-unsc-ceasefire-resolution <![CDATA[US denies Israeli claims about UNSC ceasefire resolution]]> The US on Tuesday denied Israeli claims the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza has damaged separate truce negotiations.

This comes after Hamas announced its rejection of the latest truce plan put forward by mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt at talks in Doha.

The group said in a statement that it was sticking to its original demands for “a permanent ceasefire that would lead to a full withdrawal” of Israeli forces from Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes.

Israel then withdrew its delegation from the talks.

The office of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying Hamas’s position “clearly demonstrates its utter disinterest in a negotiated deal and attests to the damage done by the UN Security Council's resolution”.

However, the US quickly countered the Israeli narrative, with State Department spokesman Matthew Miller clarifying that Hamas’s response had been prepared prior to the UNSC resolution.

“That [Israeli] statement is inaccurate in almost every respect and it is unfair to the hostages and their families,” Miller told reporters in Washington.

“The description of Hamas's response that has been aired in the public is all from news reports. It's not the actual substance of the response. I can tell you that response was prepared before the UN Security Council vote, not after it.”

Israel is furious with the US following Washington’s abstention that allowed the UNSC to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza.

The resolution mandated not only a halt to hostilities but also the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the swift delivery and expansion of humanitarian aid efforts for the starving Palestinian enclave.

The US, a key ally and military backer of Israel, which has vetoed all previous ceasefire resolutions, initially critiqued the resolution for not condemning Hamas over its allegedly initiation of the conflict on 7 October.

However, demonstrating its growing frustration with Israel’s approach to the war, the US chose to abstain from the vote, saying it was in full agreement with the resolution’s principal demands.

There are fears that Israel could walk away entirely from negotiations in defiance of the US’s decision to let the UNSC ceasefire resolution pass, but Qatar, Egypt and the Biden administration claim this is not the case.

The three interlocutors describe the current situation as a “pause” in negotiations and expect the talks to resume in a few days, according to Axios.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T14:56:23 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890653 https://www.newarab.com/features/what-1860-damascus-massacre-teaches-us-about-coexistence <![CDATA[What the 1860 Damascus massacre teaches us about coexistence]]> "Let us finish the Christians, let us exterminate them," shrieked the mob outside the Damascus Citadel. 

Soon after, the Citadel — which housed thousands of Christians who'd fled their homes — was sacked, leaving hundreds dead. The Christian quarter of old Damascus was reduced to rubble; the pack of stray dogs roaming the streets searching for food was all that was left. 

The 1860 outbreak of anti-Christian violence was a shocking and shameful episode in Damascus’s history. Centuries of co-existence, tolerance and diversity were brought to an abrupt halt in a matter of a few days.

"The Damascus Events makes for a compelling and essential reading because it not only shows what happened but what is possible"

What happened?

The events of 1860 are scarcely remembered outside of Syria and remain poorly understood, however, they are essential in understanding modern Syria.

For the first time, Eugene Rogan, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History at the University of Oxford, has explored the events of 1860 in compelling detail in his book The Damascus Events: The 1860 Massacre and the Destruction of the Old Ottoman World.  

The 1860 massacre, which unfolded over eight days in July, left in its wake 1,500 burnt homes, 270 homes destroyed by looters, 200 shops destroyed, and 2,500 dead — roughly 15% of the Christian population in Damascus, with an estimated $10.8 million worth of damage.

"The Damascus massacre was a genocidal moment, but it was not a genocide," Rogan writes. "Outside the city walls, working-class Christians in the Al-Maydan quarter were protected by their Muslim neighbours, and as a result, the quarter witnessed no communal violence during the Events. Within the city walls, a small but influential group of Muslim notables of Damascus rescued as much as 85 percent of the Christian population from mob violence."

The Damascus massacre was made possible by the extraordinary breakdown of law and order and the failure of local governing elites to do anything anything to stop the killings. Indeed, it was days into the massacre before the governor of Damascus Ahmad Pasha wrote to Istanbul informing them of the events and to request extra troops.

Who was to blame?

The massacre occurred at a time of heightened tension in the Levantine region going back a few decades. Increased intervention by European states in the Middle East saw different powers claiming to be the protectorate of different Christian communities in the Ottoman Empire. This weakened Ottoman sovereignty and transformed the fortunes of the region’s Christian population.

Levantine Christian communities grew wealthy while their Muslim counterparts grew poorer. Local laws no longer applied to Christians as they came under the law of the country which declared them a protectorate. For example, a Catholic person living in Syria could take a Muslim person to a French court due to their religious difference. And more often than not, the French authorities would side with the Catholic individual.

Legally, there was very little recourse for the Muslim in question. Christians were seen as replacing Muslims economically, and there were stories about Christians openly mocking Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. 

Rumours that Christians were planning to massacre Muslims during religious holidays fed into a sense of fear and anxiety. The outbreak of the Mount Lebanon Civil War in 1860 between Druze and Christians — which caused instability in the region — also gave some Sunni Muslim Syrians ideas after they heard about the massacres the Druze faction had carried out against Christians. Tension, fear and opportunity made the Damascus massacre possible.

"The 1860 massacre, which unfolded over eight days in July, left in its wake 1,500 burnt homes, 270 homes destroyed by looters, 200 shops destroyed, and 2,500 dead — roughly 15% of the Christian population in Damascus, with an estimated $10.8 million worth of damage"

However, we do need to be cautious here, as Rogan points out. The Damascene mob that attacked the Christians were not solely Sunni Muslim Damascene Arabs, a large chunk came from outside the city, and included Bedouin, Kurds, Druze, Yazidis and others.

Some Christians would convert to Islam when confronted by the mob, which would sometimes save them and sometimes not, depending on which mob they encountered. Those who converted and survived were encouraged to return to Christianity by the Ottomans after Istanbul regained control of the city.

Many Muslims protected Christians from mob violence, in particular the exiled Algerian religious leader and revolutionary fighter Abd Al-Qadir Ibn Muhyi Al-Din or Emir Abdelkader. Emir Abdelkader not only negotiated with different Muslim and Druze factions to stop the killing of Christians but also took up arms and got his fellow exiled Algerian fighters to patrol and protect Christian neighbourhoods and fight off the angry mobs.

But despite these individual efforts, the local governing elites failed to protect the Christian population, which the Ottomans would later punish them for.

What does the 1860 Damascus massacre teach us?

The Damascus Events is a chilling, heartbreaking and terrifying account told masterfully by Eugene Rogan that leaves the reader with a sense of the fragility of inter-communal relations in historically mixed cities like Damascus.

While coexistence and tolerance were the historical norms in Syria, a change in socio-political circumstances, the spreading of rumours and the weaponisation of grievance, was enough to undermine centuries of living together.

While The Damascus Events is a painful read, it does offer some nuggets of hope from annals of history. Muslim and Christian communities in Damascus were once again brought together during the rebuilding phase and with the help of Ottoman policy. As a result, Damascus thrived once again.

The Sublime Port’s investments in Damascus helped reduce tension by making sure no community was left behind but also encouraged integration between Muslims and Christians.

“They shared opportunities that came with the building boom, the modernisation of markets, the opening of new schools,” Rogan writes, “By 1888, Damascenes had their eyes firmly on the present and the future, and had every reason to hope that their children would enjoy a better future.”

The Damascus Events makes for a compelling and essential reading because it not only shows what happened but what is possible.

Usman Butt is a multimedia television researcher, filmmaker and writer based in London. Usman read International Relations and Arabic Language at the University of Westminster and completed a Master of Arts in Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter

Follow him on Twitter: @TheUsmanButt

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T14:04:45 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890673 https://www.newarab.com/analysis/real-price-egypts-eu74-billion-agreement-eu <![CDATA[The real price of Egypt's €7.4 billion agreement with the EU]]> The EU agreed last week to loan Egypt €7.4 billion in a cash-for-migration-control agreement with Cairo, after Brussels feared a migration wave arising from crises in Sudan and Gaza.

The funding pushes Egypt closer to the EU than ever before and gives President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi the incentive to implement even harsher policies towards migrants.

The EU claims the funding will help address Egypt’s long-term economic stability as well as mitigate the impacts of regional crises. But critics fear the funding will legitimise the regime’s actions towards refugees, in breach of international law.

“Security forces in Egypt carry out arbitrary and systematic raids against migrants, mostly based on racial profiling,” Rasmus Alenius Boserup, Executive Director at EuroMed Rights, told The New Arab.

"Critics fear the funding will legitimise the regime's actions towards refugees, in breach of international law"

“At border areas and inside the country, thousands are arrested and detained in different premises, from prisons to police stations, in inhumane conditions. After being detained, many are forcibly deported in contravention of international law.”

Egypt hosts an estimated 9-10 million refugees, with real numbers likely to be even higher following the Sudanese war, the Gaza crisis and the ongoing economic crisis in Syria. The nation itself has suffered a difficult few years and the majority of Egyptians have been pushed closer to the poverty line as food prices have risen around 50% in the past year. 

Since the outbreak last year of fighting in Sudan and the worsening of the economic crisis in Egypt, human rights groups claim the situation for refugees in Egypt has deteriorated further. 

“Especially since August 2023, hundreds of reports documented the systematic arrest of refugees and migrants, arbitrary detention, and forcible return campaigns carried out by the Egyptian authorities, especially against Sudanese,” Boserup said.

Effects on Egypt's foreign policy

With the exception of the $6 billion agreement with Turkey at the height of the migrant crisis in 2016, the EU has never given nearly as much money to a partner state. The financial exchange transforms Sisi into a close ally of the union.

The significance of the agreement from an EU perspective was shown by the appearance last week of Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni in Cairo, as well as the prime ministers of Poland, Austria, Cyprus and Greece. 

“The presence of six European leaders today shows how deeply we value our relationship. We share our strategic interests in stability and prosperity,” Von der Leyen told Sisi in a press conference.

"With the exception of the $6 billion agreement with Turkey at the height of the migrant crisis in 2016, the EU has never given nearly as much money to a partner state"

But for Egypt, the funding is just one of a string of multi-billion pound transactions, meaning it will dilute the EU’s power to persuade Egypt to pursue meaningful political reform. In recent weeks the sovereign has received $50 billion of funding including a $35 billion investment from UAE investors in exchange for land, an $8 billion package from the IMF and $6 billion from the World Bank.

“Behind this deal, Egypt has a great amount of money to change its international situation, tackle poverty, rising inflation, but in general the EU deal will not change Egypt’s foreign policy,” Giuseppe Dentice, head of the MENA desk at the Centre for International Studies, told The New Arab. “It is a purely economic deal.”

Human rights concerns

President Sisi has had a bleak record on refugee treatment since his tenure officially began in 2014. Human rights groups are concerned the EU’s funding will validate his policies.

“In any cooperation with the Egyptian government, the EU should prioritise human rights and accountability benchmarks – also in its budget support – without blankly legitimising Sisi’s authoritarian rule, under which Egypt’s human rights situation has deteriorated steadily since 2014,” Boserup told TNA.

“When it comes to migration specifically, the EU maintains a wrongful and short-sighted approach to boost border management.”

The EU has been criticised for lending to authoritarian rulers like Sisi and Tunisian leader Kais Saied, in exchange for migration control and turning a blind eye to the policies the leaders implement. 

“The deal, like many others, offers no conditionality on human rights or political reforms,” Dentice said. “It is focused solely on Egypt’s economy as the EU wants to contain the economic situation in Egypt.”

If the EU continues to push its border policies onto third-country states like Egypt, there are concerns that migrants will face more deadly crossings.

“Externalisation agreements like the one between EU and Egypt have the effect of making migratory routes more dangerous and lethal,” Boserup said.

“With the humanitarian crises developing in Egypt’s neighbourhood, Egypt will be pressured to boost its border control capacity at the southern borders with Sudan, as well as the border with Libya – through which many Egyptians transited to take the sea from the eastern Libyan coast,” he added.

“The consequences of EU policies – and funding – aimed to enhance border management in third countries are always the same: migratory routes become more dangerous, people on the move encounter increasing risks – especially crossing the Sahara desert – and the number of deaths en route rises.”

"Externalisation agreements like the one between EU and Egypt have the effect of making migratory routes more dangerous and lethal"

Money talks

The EU said it stands ready to “secure long-term macro-economic stability and sustainable economic growth” in Egypt. Yet there are questions over the long-term effectiveness of lending to the IMF’s second largest debtor, without enforcing any meaningful reforms.

“For me, the new money is very positive for Egypt in the medium term,” Dentice said. “But in the long-term, without political and social reform, Egypt will continue to face the same problems.”

For the past few decades, Egypt’s economy has been defined by overspending by the state, budget deficits, overindebtedness and a reliance on third-party donors like the Gulf States, IMF and World Bank to prop up the economy.

President Sisi has again fallen into the trap of over-borrowing, plunging the nation into an economic crisis and needing a bailout from sponsors which will not fix the long-term debt problem.

While the loan from the EU will address short to medium-term debt repayment needs, the chance to turn around Egypt’s long-term economic prospects further shrinks as Egypt’s $164.73 billion external debt burden swells as new debt floods in and there is less incentive to tackle structural problems.

“Even with this large amount of money, I don’t see Egypt’s long-term transformation as there is no clear vision from its leadership,” Dentice said.

Lara Gibson is a Cairo-based journalist closely following Egypt's economic and political developments.

Follow her on Twitter: @lar_gibson

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T13:56:49 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890155 https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-pro-palestine-group-shuts-down-israeli-owned-arms-factory <![CDATA[UK pro-Palestine group shuts down Israeli-owned arms factory]]> Pro-Palestine activist group Palestine Action "shut down" one of the top global manufacturers of military drones on Tuesday in protest at Israel's war on Gaza.

Eight activists blockaded all three access points into the Instro Precision weapons factory in Discovery Park Kent, owned by Elbit Systems, the Israeli arms manufacturer.

Founded in 2020, Palestine Action believes in using direct action tactics to shut down and disrupt multinational arms dealers, mainly targeting UK-based companies accused of providing arms to Israel.

Its primary campaign is #ShutElbitDown, which has been conducting weekly protests blockading arms suppliers nationwide.

The campaign had allegedly forced its subsidiary factory in Manchester to shut down, while Elbit claimed it was part of a company restructuring.

Elbit Systems’ biggest customer is the Israeli Ministry of Defence and provides up to 85 percent of the land-based equipment used by the Israeli military and almost 85 percent of its drones.

It manufactures most of its equipment in Israel, the US, Europe, and Brazil.

The Israeli military has so far killed over 32,000 Palestine civilians and injuring over 74,000 in its bombardment on Gaza.

Bezhalel Machlis, Elbit’s CEO said the company had "ramped up production" to support the Israeli military during the war on Gaza, which used its services "extensively".

According to Palestine Action, Elbit regularly exports weapons to Israel under the categories ML5s (Weapons Sights) and ML11s (Electronic Equipment).

The company’s Hermes 450 and 900 drones are considered cornerstones of Israel’s military operations, and it manufactures ammunition and surveillance technology, including its separation wall.

Its 450 drone wrongfully identified a group of young boys playing on a beach in Gaza as "Hamas militants" and another drone fired two missiles killing them in 2014.

 

The New Arab has approached Instro Precision for comment.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T13:45:40 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890545 https://www.newarab.com/opinion/ramadan-keep-bloodsoaked-politicians-out-our-mosques <![CDATA[This Ramadan keep bloodsoaked politicians out of our mosques]]> Like every year in our society that demands hollow acts of inclusion and representation, this year’s Ramadan was marked with the usual messages welcoming in the Holy Month from politicians and institutions who seem to forget Muslims exist for the other eleven months of the year.

But this time, Number 10’s standard social media post was taken a step further as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited London Central Mosque (also known as Regent’s Park Mosque) in person on the first day of Ramadan.

In footage filmed on the site of one of the UK’s most prominent mosques, Sunak can be seen shaking hands with the director general and wishing a “blessed Ramadan” to British Muslims.

Like many British Muslims, I was incensed when I saw this stunt. I was in disbelief that a leading figure in the aiding and abetting of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, a politician who has consistently supported Israel and downplayed the atrocities inflicted on the Palestinian people, could be hosted by an Islamic place of worship and sanctuary.

"What do we do with this political leverage that we now hold? Is our goal to simply get a seat at the table, and if so, what are we trying to achieve when we actually get there?"

In fact, so many people shared these sentiments that London Central Mosque’s phone lines became inundated with complaint calls and were eventually shut down.

This, however, was more than a politically tactless event that disastrously misjudged (or disregarded) the feelings of its intended audience. We mustn’t simply write this off as a faux pas.

It has exposed a deep-rooted problem at the heart of our communities as British Muslims and now, in a political climate that is more fraught than ever, we must interrogate how we can move forward.

It has never been clearer that we have the potential to hold significant political sway in this country. The Labour Party is rapt in internal panic at its haemorrhaging of the Muslim vote ahead of the upcoming General Election - according to Muslim Census, there has been a 66% decrease in potential Labour votes, from 71% to just 5%.

It finally seems that a political elite that long took the Muslim vote for granted are finally waking up to the prospect of Muslims abandoning Labour at the next ballot box, even if it is through sheer desperation to cling to a once loyal fanbase.

But what do we do with this political leverage that we now hold? Is our goal to simply get a seat at the table, and if so, what are we trying to achieve when we actually get there?

Is there any merit in representation for its own sake without at least attempting to dismantle the status quo whilst we are rubbing shoulders with the upper echelons of power?

There was another controversial event held this Ramadan that encapsulates this conundrum: the Annual Iftar in Parliament. Although a regular presence in Ramadans of recent years, this year’s event struck many, including myself, as particularly contentious and insensitive.

Just weeks before, the Speaker of the House of Commons had blocked a ceasefire vote in the name of keeping MPs safe from ‘threats’ (read: pro Palestine Muslims).

For Muslims - particularly those in positions of influence in the media and public life - to break fast with some of the MPs who have been most supportive of Israel in recent months, like Wes Streeting and even the Speaker of the House Lyndsey Hoyle himself, smacks of a weakness amongst our ranks that must be addressed if we ever want to use our political influence as a community to actually advocate for our own needs and demands.

What does it say if Muslims will chomp down on samosas in the heart of a system that not only oppresses us at home but sanctions our brutal elimination overseas?

If we’ll engage in the optics of extravagant banquets hosted in rooms where the walls are lined with portraits of our former colonisers whilst our siblings in Gaza face famine, rape and murder?

"If we, as a Muslim community in Britain, want to use our political weight seriously then we need to start being more selective, more intuitive, about what we participate in"

It seems even more important to be conscious of the weight of our actions now during Ramadan: a time in which we should be especially in tune with the collective suffering and issues of the global Muslim Ummah.

As we train our bodies to survive without food and drink during the day, curb our desires and bad habits for God and instead focus our efforts on religious worship, shouldn’t we also be setting aside our careerism and egos to act in the name of something greater than getting a selfie in Parliament? Something more important than hosting bloodstained politicians at our mosque?

I am aware that it’s all well and good criticising these events from afar - as many, like me, have taken to social media to do of late. But how do we actually utilise our political leverage to get our collective voices heard? What’s the practical next step here?

Well, for one, many British Muslims have spent the last six months boycotting brands who have shown loyalty to Israel, from McDonalds to Starbucks.

It’s high time that we see boycotting the institutions that mass produce our subjugation as an extension of this campaign.

Why should the politicians who deal in our destruction get to pose with us in photographs that they can use to sanitise their Islamophobic image?

Why turn ourselves into fodder for a political system predicated on our oppression and violent elimination, to give ourselves, our time, our presence, our morals, just so our hijabs and beards, foreign names and ethnic roots can be used as a tick-box diversity exercise?

If we boycott, if we refuse to attend and make it known that, as a whole, the Muslim community will not buckle to invites for hollow inclusion then perhaps those in power would have to think more carefully about how their actions and views alienate a much-needed proportion of the electorate.

Likewise, if we attend with the intention that we will make our voices known there: if we use these events to approach politicians on their voting histories, to protest in these sacred political spaces against the subjugation we face, then at least our presence has done something more than given us an impressive LinkedIn post.

Politicians shouldn’t get to assent to our genocide abroad whilst partying with us at home and then rest assured on the knowledge that for all the Muslims that boycott and protest, there will always be those who sell out for a seat at the table.

If we, as a Muslim community in Britain, want to use our political weight seriously then we need to start being more selective, more intuitive, about what we participate in and what we abstain from; who we invite and who we exclude.

The government needs to know they can’t break our spirits domestically and internationally and still expect us to break bread with them each Ramadan.

Nadeine Asbali is a secondary school teacher in London.

Follow her on Twitter: @najourno

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@newarab.com

Opinions expressed here are the author's own, and do not necessarily reflect those of their employer, or of The New Arab and its editorial board or staff.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T13:08:55 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890521 https://www.newarab.com/news/tunisia-sentences-four-death-murder-chokri-belaid <![CDATA[Tunisia sentences four to death for murder of Chokri Belaid]]> A Tunisian court on Wednesday sentenced four people to death and two to life in prison on charges of participating in the murder of prominent political leader Chokri Belaid 11 years ago, which sparked mass protests against the then ruling Islamists.

Belaid, a leftist politician, had been a fierce critic of the Islamist Ennahda party which led the government at the time, accusing it of turning a blind eye to violence by extremists against secularists. He was shot dead in his car by gunmen on Feb. 6, 2013 in what was viewed as the first political assassination in Tunisia in decades.

Belaid's assassination sparked huge, violent protests at an already turbulent time shortly after the Arab Spring in 2011, when protests erupted first in Tunisia and then across the region toppling several long time autocrats.

Months after Belaid's assassination, Mohamed Brahmi another leftist was shot dead by gunmen, and mass protests and political pressure forced the government led by Ennahda to step down.

The Islamist-led government had said those involved in the assassination of Belaid and Brahmi belonged to the jihadist Ansar al-Sharia, an organization that it had classified as a "terrorist group" in August 2013. Eighteen suspects in total were sentenced on Wednesday.

Belaid's family and secularist politicians accused Ennahda party leaders of being behind the assassination, an allegation strongly denied by the party, whose leader Rached Ghannouchi has been in jail on unrelated charges since last year.

While Belaid had only a modest political following, his criticism of Ennahda policies struck a chord with Tunisians fearing that religious radicals would snuff out freedoms won in the first of the revolts that rippled through the Arab world.

Abdelmajid, the brother of Chokri Belaid said he was satisfied the perpetrators had been sentenced but was looking forward to further hearings, although there has been no confirmation that any such hearings will take place.

"Soon, second trial sessions will begin and will include leaders from the secret apparatus of Ennahda that planned the assassination," he said.

Ennahda said the case had demonstrated conclusively that the party was not responsible for the killing.

"The details concluded by the judicial circles clearly show evidence of the innocence of the Ennahda," the party said on Wednesday in a statement.

It added that this verdict should restore respect to those who have been affected by false political accusations, especially Ghannouchi.

The Ennahda leader was jailed last year along with other critics of President Kais Saied's decision to shut down parliament in 2021 and rule by decree. Saied argued that he was saving Tunisia from chaos.

Ennahda called for the opening of a new page of reconciliation and an end to what it called strife, exclusion and hatred.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T13:01:07 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890469 https://www.newarab.com/news/tunisia-arrersts-kwongang-ex-head-migrant-students-group <![CDATA[Tunisia arrersts Kwongang, ex-head of migrant students group]]> Tunisian authorities have arrested a Cameronian pro-migrant activist as the North African state continues its crackdown on Sub-Saharan migrants.

Christian Kwongang, the former leader of The Association of African Students and Interns in Tunisia (AESAT), disappeared on 19 March after he went to a police station to "retrieve his residence permit," according to AESAT.

"At the latest update, Christian Kwongang is detained at the El Ouardia centre [a southern district of Tunis] without any official reason," stated AESAT in a press release on 26 March, as it called on authorities to clarify the reasons behind the student's arrest.

Kwongang, enrolled at the private university UPES in Tunis, was "going to pick up his permanent residence permit" when he was detained at the police station and then transferred to El-Ouardia centre.

He was allowed to make a phone call, during which he explained that he was questioned about his pro-migrant activities. 

El-Ouardia migrants' centre in Tunis, where Kwongang is reportedly detained,  is meant to serve as a reception centre to "welcome and orient" new arrivals to Tunisia. Yet, the conditions inside the centre have long been obscured due to the prohibition of access by NGOs and lawyers.

Since its inauguration, the operation of El-Ouardia Center has been unclear.

Between 2011 and 2013, the centre was open to humanitarian organisations. However, since 2013, only organisations that have an agreement with the Ministry of the Interior have been able to access it.

The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) deemed the centre a "lawless area where people are arbitrarily deprived of their liberties."

Last March, The New Arab spoke to several migrants in the centre who said they were subjected to physical violence and forced to sign repatriation papers.

The centre has never officially addressed the accusations.

The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), an NGO specialising in migration issues, has called for Kwongang's "urgent release" as he is being detained "outside any legal framework."

Since 25 July 2021, when President Kais Saied suspended parliament, the centre has only been used for detaining migrants and operates at maximum capacity.

In El-Ouardia, detention and liberation become administrative rather than judicial matters. A detainee cannot appeal their case or ask for judicial support, like help from a lawyer; instead, the decision to detain the person is taken by a public servant explains FTDES, which continues to call for closing El-Ouardia.

The NGO "fears that Kwongang might be paying for his pro-migrant activism" following Saied's infamous speech.

Last February, President Saied denounced the arrival of "hordes of clandestine migrants" in Tunisia as part of a plot "to change the demographic composition" of the country.

Saied's conspiracy led to clashes between citizens and migrants, a surge of racism, and, later on, the deportation of hundreds of black migrants to the Sahara zone, where they were left to fend for themselves.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T12:56:39 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887631 https://www.newarab.com/analysis/inside-israeli-far-right-movement-starve-gaza <![CDATA[Inside the Israeli far-right movement to starve Gaza]]> On 15 December 2023, the Israeli cabinet announced that it would allow the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing.

The announcement overturned a previous decision by Israel to put Gaza under total siege in retaliation for the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.

Allowing the entry of humanitarian aid, however, did not sit well with some families of the captives taken on 7 October.

Claiming they had lost faith in Netanyahu, they organised a convoy of 30 people on 9 January 2024, demanding that the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza be conditional on the release of the captives.

According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, this initial convoy was organised by the family of the hostage Omer Wenkert, as well as other families. Some people in the convoy carried the picture of Avinatan Or, who was also kidnapped on 7 October.

"Tsav 9 and Jewish Truth used the increased media attention to fundraise for their activities, all the while advocating and contributing to starvation within the Gaza Strip"

While this first convoy was eventually stopped by the police, a movement quickly sprung up to build on its momentum.

Over the next two months, two different groups of protesters formed to demand the return of the hostages.

A first group, called the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, called on its government to hasten the return of the abductees from Gaza by protesting in Tel Aviv.

second group, more right-wing and more militant, chose to stage protests at the Karem Abu Salem crossing instead, with the goal of blocking the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Among this second group was the Tsav 9 (Order 9) movement, which has been previously linked with a far-right-influenced grouping of hostage families called the Tikva Forum.

While international media did cover the actions and messaging of this second group of protesters, it failed to give a critical perspective on its tactics.

The New Arab (TNA) looked into the right-wing group of protesters stationed at Karem Abu Salem, and identified another movement within it that has evaded public scrutiny so far.

This movement, called Jewish Truth, is linked with a yet-to-be-founded political party, which advocates for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to the east of the Jordan River.

Tsav 9 and Jewish Truth used the increased media attention to fundraise for their activities, all the while advocating and contributing to starvation within the Gaza Strip.

In a briefing paper published on 15 March, UK-based charity Oxfam said that “the frequent blocking of the only entry point open from Israel at Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) by Israeli protestors has either caused severe delays or brought the trickle of aid and supplies entering to a complete halt”.

“If protests persist, there will continue to be a breakdown of the supply chain of goods entering Gaza,” the report added.

Meanwhile, both the UN’s Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk and the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell have accused Israel of using famine as a weapon of war. Turk added that this could amount to a war crime.

Order 9

The movement takes its name from “Order 9”, a category of military order that allows Israel to immediately call up its army reservists for 25 days “when there are urgent security needs, a serious harm to public peace, life or property or [a] fear of such harm”.

While the group is just one among the many who protested the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, most Israeli Jews agree with its position.

According to a poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute between 12 and 15 February, 68% oppose the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gazans.

“You cannot expect the country to fight its enemy and feed it at the same time,” Order 9’s spokesperson Rachel Touitou told TNA during a visit to Karem Abu Salem in late February.

The movement is well-organised. Besides its website and its multiple social media pages, Tsav 9 uses the instant messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram to coordinate shuttles and ride shares to the crossing for protests.

The group finances its activities by raising funds on social media, calling on donors to “enlist in the fight remotely”.

One of these fundraisers, hosted on the crowdfunding platform JGive, has raised some NIS 278,686 ($75,947) at time of publication.

Based on posts shared on social media, the group is using at least three other crowdfunding platforms. This suggests that the total amount raised could be much higher.

Jewish Truth

Another group that has used the blockades to raise funds for its activities is Jewish Truth, an Israeli non-profit.

Wire transfers in support of the aid blockade protests can be made to the bank account of Jewish Truth, according to posts shared on social media.

However, little is known publicly about Jewish Truth.

On 3 March, left-wing Member of Knesset (MK) Ofer Cassif mentioned the group in a letter sent to Israel’s attorney general.

"According to a poll conducted by the Israel Democracy Institute between 12 and 15 February, 68% oppose the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gazans"

In it, Cassif asked the attorney general to “order an investigation and punishment of the organisers of these illegal blockades, led by the ‘Order 9’ organisation and the ‘Jewish Truth’ association”.

TNA contacted the office of MK Cassif, which said that their complaint was reassigned to Deputy Attorney General Sharon Afek on 12 March.

TNA also contacted the spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice, who referred us to the police. The police did not respond to our request for comments at the time of publication.

Israeli investigative journalist Israel Frey suggested that the mastermind of Jewish Truth is Baruch Ben-Yosef, a suspect in the assassination of Palestinian American activist Alex Odeh in California in 1985.

Based on the charity’s records, however, Ben-Yosef is simply the legal advisor of the non-profit.

Instead, The New Arab was able to establish links between Jewish Truth and far-right politician Baruch Marzel.

Marzel was the “right-hand man” of US-born rabbi Meir Kahane, and the spokesperson of Israeli Jewish supremacist political party Kach.

Most notably, Marzel was barred from running for elections in the Knesset in 2015. The decision was confirmed by the Israeli Supreme Court in 2019 due to Marzel’s “incitement to racism”.

Since 2004, Marzel has been a proponent of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank to locations east of the Jordan River.

In November 2022, Marzel announced his intention to form a new, even more extreme party. 

The new party would sit to the right of Jewish Power, the far-right party of the Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Itamar Ben-Gvir.

However, as pointed out by Israeli online newspaper The Times Of Israel, it was not clear if the new party had garnered the requisite 100 signatures to establish the new party.

TNA could not establish if Marzel did eventually register a new party since the announcement in 2022.

"All the groups were able to disrupt the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza with total impunity, leading many, including Israeli officials, to suspect they had the tacit approval of the Israeli government"

Meanwhile, the website for Jewish Truth was registered in June 2022.

An archived copy of the website - now suspended - from February 2023 introduces Jewish Truth as a movement whose goal is - among others - “the transfer of the enemies from Israel”.

“There is no difference between Ahmed Tibi, Mansour Abbas, Ofer Cassif and Dov Hanin,” the website adds.

Tibi, Abbas, Cassif and Hanin are current and former Members of the Israeli Knesset. While they all come from different political parties, they are all associated with the Joint List, a political alliance of four Arab-majority Israeli political parties.

The website also lists Yehezkel Hasson as the CEO of Jewish Truth.

According to the non-profit’s records, Hasson chairs the board of directors at Jewish Truth. Sarah Marzel, Baruch Marzel’s wife, sits on the board too.

The New Arab asked Hasson about his role within Jewish Truth, as well as the movement’s role in the aid blockade protests.

In an email, Mr Hasson said: “The trending and politically biased questions at best indicate ignorance and lack of knowledge. Or lies at worst”.

"One of the fundraisers for Tsav 9, hosted on the crowdfunding platform JGive, has raised some NIS 278,686 ($75,947) at time of publication"

Mr. Hasson seems to have some political aspirations. On 19 May 2023, he announced his intention to run for election as head of the local council of Kiryat Arba, near Hebron.

Kiryat Arba, like all Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, are illegal under international law.

TNA was not able to determine the amount of funding Jewish Truth has received as part of its fundraising effort during the aid blockades. 

Total Impunity

All the groups were able to disrupt the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza with total impunity, leading many, including Israeli officials, to suspect they had the tacit approval of the Israeli government.

According to Lebanese newspaper L'Orient-Le Jour, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich supported the protesters’ actions, after he blocked the transfer of flour shipments into the Gaza Strip.

On 17 February, Haaretz revealed that the police have refrained from taking action against the demonstrators, potentially on the order of minister Ben-Gvir.

The US State Department, for its part, felt compelled to criticise the actions of the Israeli ministers.

In a press conference on 5 March, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said “you have seen ministers in the Israeli Government block the release of flour from the port at Ashdod; you have seen ministers of the Israeli Government supporting protests that blocked aid from going in to Kerem Shalom”.

He added: “So all of those things are obstacles coming from ministers inside the Israeli Government that we have called out, that we have said are unacceptable, and that we have said should end”.

"On 20 March, members of the Tsav 9 movement protested in front of the West Bank Headquarters of UNRWA, the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, calling for its eviction from its East Jerusalem offices"

According to the Turkish state-run Anadolu agency, Miller’s comments raised questions about the legality of the US’ ongoing support of Israel.

Indeed, section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act prohibits the US from providing security assistance or arms sales to any country that “prohibits or otherwise restricts, directly or indirectly, the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance”.

As a consequence, during his State of the Union on 7 March, US President Biden announced his decision “to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelters”.

According to Biden, “a temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day”.

While some analysts view the pier plan to be, at best, a stunt, the announcement has had a chilling effect on the desire of the protesters to continue their blocking of the entry of aid.

On 17 March, one of the administrators of the coordination groups on WhatsApp referred to Biden’s announcement as a “renewal of international pressure on Israel to be sold to the slaves of Ahasuerus (Joe Biden) and to Haman's anti-Semitic genocidal lust that is spreading throughout the world".

According to the Hebrew Bible, Haman, an adviser in the court of King Ahasuerus, wanted to kill all the Jews in the Persian empire. The Jewish festival of Purim, which occurred in late March this year, commemorates the failure of Haman’s plan.

“Understand that our goal never began and ended with blocking trucks. But our goal is - to bring total victory to Israel,” the post added.

Indeed, Tsav 9 and Jewish Truth have set their sights on new targets.

On 20 March, members of the Tsav 9 movement protested in front of the West Bank Headquarters of UNRWA, the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, calling for its eviction from its East Jerusalem offices.

Jewish Truth, on the other hand, gathered its top brass over Purim to prepare for their next protest.

On 28 March, the group will stage a protest in front of the house of Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, to demand that Jewish rituals be allowed on the Temple Mount complex.

This article relied on previous reporting in The New Arab by Jerusalem-based journalist Jessica Buxbaum.

Anas Ambri is a researcher at The New Arab Investigative Unit.

Follow him on Twitter: @AnasAmbri

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2024-03-27T12:49:20 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890401 https://www.newarab.com/news/abdel-halims-family-sues-ad-tampering-heritage <![CDATA[Abdel Halim's family sues ad for 'tampering with heritage']]> An Egyptian court has halted the broadcast of a recently launched TV commercial after the family of late legendary singer Abdel Halim Hafez filed a lawsuit against its creators, accusing them of "tampering with musical heritage."

Local news outlets reported that the judge ruled on Tuesday that a specialised committee be assigned to review the family's accusations after inspecting the advertisement in question presented by their lawyer on a flash drive,

A TV commercial for a newly launched tourist destination in the Mediterranean North Coast unleashed shockwaves across Egypt over actress and singer Malak El-Husseini's "poor performance" of a popular song, "Dokko El-Shamasy", which was initially performed by iconic Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez in a film last century



The lyrics used in the controversial TV commercial are part of Qadi El-Gharam ("the Love Judge"), first introduced in a 1969 film called "Abi Fawk Al-Shagara" (My Father is on the Tree), also starring late renowned actress Nadia Lutfi and late celebrated actor Emad Hamdi.

The musical arrangement of this new version of the famous song—performed and shot inside a studio—has been altered in a way that outraged fans of the late Abdel Halim Hafez, including prominent figures and contemporary artists. They described the remix as "an attempt to distort his musical legacy."

For her part, Husseini posted earlier this week on her Instagram page that she is "proud of every project" she has ever taken part in as a defence of the ad.  

At the time of publication, Abdel Halim Hafez's relatives and the advertising agency that produced the TV commercial could not be reached for comment.

Arguably the most popular romantic singer of his generation, Halim, also referred to as "the Dark-Skinned Nightingale," also recognised as one of "the Great Four of Arab Music" along with three other legends: Umm Kolthoum, Mohamed Abdel-Wahab and Farid El-Atrash.  

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T12:45:24 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890261 https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-risk-sanctions-if-it-ignores-unsc-gaza-truce <![CDATA[Israel 'at risk of sanctions' if it ignores UNSC Gaza truce]]> Israeli international law experts have warned that Israel could face sanctions if it ignores a UN Security Council's (UNSC) resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Haaretz  reported on Tuesday.

The UNSC resolution passed on Monday lacks a mechanism for implementing sanctions on Israel without another vote, which would almost certainly face a US veto. However, experts warn that individual countries could use the resolution as a means to enact their own sanctions on Israel.

"Countries, not the Security Council, imposed sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, including cutting off economic relations, aviation connections, and isolation from the banking system," Dr. Tamar Hostovsky Brandes of Israel’s Ono Academic college said.

"The decision taken in the UN Security Council, the orders given by the International Court of Justice against Israel, and the advisory opinion to be published by the Court in The Hague regarding the legal consequences of Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories, all these create the image of a state that does not respect international law."

Professor Eliav Lieblich from Tel Aviv University said that if Israel does not comply with the UNSC decision, it will be further isolated from the international community.

"Failure to comply with the decision will prompt other countries to consider imposing sanctions on Israel, for example, stopping arms transfers to Israel," Lieblich said. 

However, Roy Schondorf, former Israeli Deputy Attorney General for International Law at the Ministry of Justice, said the entire issue on the international stage was “political" and does not indicate a significant change among Israel's Western allies

"If countries wanted to, they could take action against Israel, just as they could have done before the decision," Schondorf said.

The UN Security Council resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during Ramadan, after 14 countries voted in favour of it.

The US abstained, marking a shift in its policy of thwarting ceasefire resolutions at the UN since the beginning of Israel's current war on Gaza.

The resolution also demanded "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages", as well as ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and other humanitarian needs to Gaza.

Israel’s war and siege on Gaza has killed over 32,000 people and has left vast swathes of the enclave unliveable, with famine now looming over the Palestinian territory.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T12:38:48 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890463 https://www.newarab.com/news/france-denies-supplying-arms-gaza-war <![CDATA[France denies supplying arms for Gaza war]]> France's defence minister on Tuesday denied allegations from investigative journalists that France supplied components for ammunition used by the Israeli army in its Gaza campaign.

Marseille-based firm Eurolinks had sold Israel M27 links, metal pieces used to join rifle cartridges into ammunition belts for machine guns, investigative websites Disclose and Marsactu wrote.

Such ammunition "could have been used against civilians in the Gaza strip," they claimed.

The investigative outlets' reporting was supported by photos of the links which they said were taken on October 23, weeks after Hamas' bloody October 7 attack on Israel that triggered the intense Gaza fighting.

AFP was unable to verify the reported shipment.

But Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu told reporters in Paris that Eurolinks' license to export to Israeli firm IMI Systems "only covers re-export to third countries" rather than use by the Israeli army.

Left-wingers have called for France to follow Canada's example and stop all arms exports to Israel.

MP Mathilde Panot, a leader of the France Unbowed (LFI) opposition party, described the exports as a "massive scandal", accusing Lecornu of "lying" in a recent parliamentary hearing.

The minister told the National Assembly lower house's defence committee last month that France's policy on arms for Israel was "irreproachable", with recent deliveries covering items like "ball bearings, glass, cooling systems" and sensors.

"In general, these are arms planned to be re-exported from Israel to other customers," he added at the time.

Lecornu said he had ordered civil servants to be "even stricter" in examining exports to Israel since October 7.

France did issue licenses for parts for Israel's "Iron Dome" missile defence system, he acknowledged.

 

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T12:38:33 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890309 https://www.newarab.com/features/veiled-threat-targeted-othering-british-muslim-women <![CDATA[Veiled Threat: The targeted othering of British Muslim women]]> Never has my existence as a mixed-race visibly Muslim British woman been conveyed so perfectly in a book as Nadeine Asbali's Veiled Threat

Published by Biteback Publishing in January 2024, the British Libyan journalist and secondary school teacher's latest book is a treatise on the multi-layered biases and challenges faced by British Muslim women today, exploring the intersections of gender, misogyny, race, economics, politics, feminism, motherhood, and education.

Of course, she also looks at the biggest challenge to visible British Muslim women of all — Islamophobia, and it's perhaps fitting that just before Nadeine finished Veiled Threat Israel's war on Gaza began, leading to ever-rising displays of anti-Muslim hate crimes throughout the UK.

"Nadeine went from being a white-passing teenager whom no one paid a second glance to an inaugurated member of the "extra security checks" club at the airport"

The chapters of Veiled Threat are peppered with Nadeine's memories as a mixed-race English Libyan child growing up in Northampton and her experiences as a secondary school teacher.

Through personal anecdotes, Nadeine demonstrates Islamophobia, classism, racism, and misogyny in theory and practice. For example, at the age of 14 when Nadeine started wearing the hijab, she explains how there was a seismic shift in how she was treated upon returning to the UK from her summer holidays in Libya. 

Nadeine went from being a white-passing teenager whom no one paid a second glance to an inaugurated member of the "extra security checks" club at the airport when British immigration officers pulled her into a side room and asked her to remove her hijab to have her bun searched.

Becoming a Muslim threat overnight

In Veiled Threat, Nadeine recalls how a girl she barely spoke at school told her that she could not look at her the same way anymore, and how her favourite teacher started calling her by the only other hijab-wearing pupil's name. Even other Muslim schoolgirls were dubious, asking her if it was a prank. 

It marked the beginning of what would be a lifelong sentence of isolation, judgement, and Islamophobia. And when Nadeine moved into the workplace, she was constantly undermined, underestimated, and misconceived as being oppressed and subjugated — the shared experience of many visibly Muslim women in Britain today. 

Many hijab-wearing British Muslim women — myself and Nadeine included — wanted to move past writing about the hijab — the West is just so obsessed with it. But as Nadeine explains in Veiled Threat, while British Muslim women try so hard not to be defined by their wearing of the hijab, Britain's treatment of us makes it incredibly hard not to feel defined by it. 

Nadeine argues that the world's most politically contested garment needs to be written about now more than ever, with double standards on the rise, anti-hijab laws dominating Europe, and proposed prayer bans in British schools. 

You're called elegant and chic if you wear a co-ord set or a long silk kimono if you're white in France. However, if you are a hijab-wearing teenage girl you face being turned away from your school gates. Veiled Threat illustrates how visibly Muslim women experience a unique, added layer of Islamophobia that non-hijab-wearing Muslim women and Muslim men do not. 

"I know not all Muslims will have that aspect of being mixed-race, but for Muslim women reading Veiled Threat, I hope it feels like they're finally seeing some of their thoughts on the page," Nadeine tells The New Arab.  

"For Muslim leaders who don't wear the hijab, I'd like them to realise that there is an actual difference in how we are viewed, we aren't a monolith and we don't experience Islamophobia in the same way," Nadeine explains.

"Sometimes when Muslims come up on TV, they'll invite a Muslim but not a visibly Muslim woman. There's this assumption that we all experience Islamophobia in the same way, but I want to show through Veiled Threat that there's a really specific way that visibly Muslim women experience it, and that's what I want to tell everyone.

"For non-Muslim women reading my book, I want them to feel uncomfortable and have to grapple with how they perceive Muslim women and realise the inherently Islamophobic way that they see us, even if they think they're feminists."

"We need to oppose the notion that it's not Britsh to be outwardly Muslim, fight the idea that it's not British to pray at lunchtime, and reject the belief that it's not British to wear the hijab"

Arguably the most relevant challenge faced by British Muslim women today is the intersection of Islamophobia and white feminism.

According to Veiled Threat, white feminism functions as a tool of imperialism and a major part of Britain's secular agenda. Nadeine argues that white feminism believes that British Muslim women lack agency because of their male British counterparts, yet at the same time takes agency away from British Muslim women, as white feminists determine what's best for them, rather than leaving it up to British Muslim women to decide for themselves.

"As I wrote in my book, white feminism has replicated the role that men have in the patriarchy. Instead of men telling us, 'Oh, you can't do that', it's white women saying, 'You're not a proper feminist if you do that', and that's harder to stand up against because Britain views ideas of modesty and faith as regressive and outdated," Nadeine told The New Arab.

Double standards and forced values

In Veiled Threat, Nadeine Asbali explains that Muslims in Britain exist in a dichotomy: either as a "palatable Muslim" or an "unapologetic Muslim". 

The first type of Muslim succumbs to the pressures of proving that they are British. They speak perfect English, they forgo outward displays of Muslim-ness and overachieve by doing so. Conversely, the "unapologetic Muslim" is not the opposite but a British Muslim who leads a normal life without going out of their way to appease a society that views them as a threat. In addition, they refuse to shed their religious identity, beliefs, and practices.

"I do understand where it comes from because I saw my dad and friends behave like that. They needed to prove a point that they deserve to be here, and that they're not like the others," shares Nadeine.

"But for our generation, especially our children, I think that we should reject this notion of being palatable and proving our 'British excellence' because it feeds into this idea that we are other. Why should I have to do that? Another person who is white doesn't have to prove anything! As a mother of a young child, I want to instil in him that he doesn't need to prove to anyone that he belongs here or that he needs to earn his place here.

"We need to oppose the notion that it's not Britsh to be outwardly Muslim, fight the idea that it's not British to pray at lunchtime, and reject the belief that it's not British to wear the hijab."

"What we're experiencing as British Muslims with Gaza is linked: secularism in schools and criminalisation of protests. The British state is saying, 'we're going to legitimise your slaughter abroad, and you're going to watch it in silence.'"

As a secondary school English teacher, Nadeine is privy to the forced agenda of secularism at the school level. Being a visibly Muslim English teacher, Nadeine explains how her presence challenges the status quo. In some of the schools that Nadeine trained and worked at she was the first Muslim woman the schoolchildren had ever met. 

"Being an English teacher is challenging the status quo because from my experience most English departments tend to be quite white, even here in East London. There's a mentality among white teachers of thinking the local community has outdated views and that they need to push things like feminism and secularism. They still have this preconception that Muslim women might go to university, but afterwards will get married and will give up work and stay at home."

What does Palestine mean to British Muslims?

Nadine was in the final round of book edits when Israel's war on Gaza began. The British government's blatant support of Israel and the knock-on effect of rising Islamophobia against British Muslims has meant that Nadeine has seen many of her arguments play out in front of her. Because of this, Nadeine has included extra passages in her book about Gaza, Prevent, state surveillance and the effects of British foreign policy. 

"I had finished writing my book and it was in the publisher's hands. Then everything in Gaza started happening and I suddenly thought that my book was already out of date as what is happening now is so relevant to the book. I also didn't want to censor myself and not speak about Palestine because that's in complete opposition to what the book is about," Nadeine explains to The New Arab

"Palestine is integral to British Muslim identity," she adds. "I don't think the average white Brit understands why it's such a deep issue for us. There’s the religious side of it; Palestine is a special place for Muslims. But then there's just something on a whole other level that hits you differently when you see children, women and men who look like you and your children, not only being massacred but massacred by a Western ally and under the watch of the country you live in. It’s such a dystopian thing to be watching and such a disenfranchising feeling.”

"What we're experiencing as British Muslims with Gaza is linked: secularism in schools and criminalisation of protests. The British state is saying, 'we're going to legitimise your slaughter abroad, and you're going to watch it in silence'," Nadine explained.

“Our rights in the UK and the US are being slowly stripped away. I spoke about this in the book, but in the most recent review of Prevent they wrote that, ‘We haven't focused enough on Islamism, we need to focus even more on it.’ That goes hand in hand with Palestine. All this suggests that any outward support of Palestine is going to trigger Prevent and it’s going to be seen as extremism.”

Yousra Samir Imran is a British Egyptian writer and author who is based in Yorkshire. She is the author of Hijab and Red Lipstick, published by Hashtag Press

Follow her on Twitter: @UNDERYOURABAYA

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T12:03:55 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890201 https://www.newarab.com/news/hezbollah-and-israel-trade-strikes-7-dead-lebanon <![CDATA[Hezbollah and Israel trade strikes as 7 dead in Lebanon]]> An Israeli airstrike on a paramedics centre in south Lebanon killed seven of its staff early on Wednesday and triggered a rocket attack from Lebanon that killed one person in northern Israel, officials said.

The strike on the village of Hebbariye came after a day of airstrikes and rocket attacks between Israel's military and Lebanon's Hezbollah group along the Lebanon-Israel border, raising concerns of further escalation along the frontier that has been active for the past five months of Israel's war on Gaza.

The airstrike after midnight Tuesday hit an office of the Islamic Emergency and Relief Corps, connected to Lebanon’s Sunni Muslim al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a political group and Hamas ally. It was one of the deadliest single attacks since violence erupted along the border.

The paramedics association listed the names of seven volunteers who were killed in the strike. It said the strike was "a flagrant violation of humanitarian work."

Hebbariye resident Ali Noureddine told The Associated Press that the seven dead were pulled out from the rubble before sunrise Wednesday.

Hezbollah condemned the attack in a statement early on Wednesday prior to the launch of its retaliatory attack which killed an Israeli man in the occupied Golan Heights.

"Hezbollah strongly condemns the sinful aggression and the heinous crime committed by the Zionist occupation forces," the Shia Muslim political group said in a statement on its Telegram channel.

The Israeli military said it struck a military building in Hebbariye and killed a member of Lebanon's Sunni Muslim al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, and several other militants. It said the man was involved in attacks against Israel.

Hours later, Hezbollah said it retaliated against the airstrike by firing dozens of rockets Wednesday morning on the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona and a military base there.

Rescue services in Israel said that a 25 year-old man was killed when a direct hit sparked a fire in an industrial park in Kiryat Shmona. Footage from the scene showed thick black smoke pouring out of a building.

Another person was lightly injured. Around 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon toward northern Israel, according to the Israeli military.

Nada Khleif was in her small bakery in Hebbariyeh when the strike heavily damaged her business and a nearby apartment, where two of her relatives were unharmed.

"The bakery was my only means of living. It is gone now," she said.

Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group began launching rockets toward Israel one day after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7. The near-daily violence has mostly been confined to the area along the Lebanon-Israel border, and international mediators are scrambling to prevent an all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel.

In recent weeks, Israel has struck deeper into Lebanese territory and raising concerns that the fighting could spill over into total war. 

Thousands of civilians in south Lebanon have been displaced from villages in the south since October and are reliant on aid handouts.

The fighting has killed nine civilians and 11 soldiers in Israel. Nearly 240 Hezbollah fighters and about 40 civilians have died in Lebanon.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T11:57:02 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890051 https://www.newarab.com/news/ghassan-abu-sittah-elected-university-glasgow-rector <![CDATA[Ghassan Abu Sittah elected as University of Glasgow rector]]> British-Palestinian doctor Ghassan Abu Sittah has been elected as rector of the University of Glasgow in the UK.

Abu Sittah secured 4,172 – or some 80 percent – of first-preference votes, leaving his competition in the dust. His nearest rival, Paul Sweeney, a Labour Party member of the Scottish parliament, won just 430 first-choice ballots, while current rector Rita Rae came in fourth and final place with 234.

Abu Sittah, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, will serve for three years starting next Monday and will be tasked with representing the University of Glasgow's students.

"In standing for rector, I aim to give Glasgow University students the opportunity to declare their opposition to Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, to stand against the complicity of our government in solidarity with Palestine," Abu Sitta said in his election manifesto.

"As a Glasgow alumnus, I know how passionate this university's students are about standing against injustice.

"I also know – having worked as a war surgeon during 4 wars in the Gaza strip, including for 43 days since October 2023 – the severity of the humanitarian crisis facing the people of Gaza."

Muhammad Idrees Ahmad, an associate editor at New Lines magazine, praised Abu Sittah's election.

"Well done, Glasgow!" he said on X, formerly Twitter. "You always make us proud."

Abu Sittah made four pledges in his manifesto, promising to pressure the university to condemn Israel's genocide in Gaza.

The International Court of Justice in January found that Israel was plausibly breaching the Genocide Convention in the Palestinian enclave, where its military campaign has so far killed over 32,400 people.

Abu Sittah, whose work in conflict zones extends beyond Gaza to countries such as Syria and Yemen, also called in his manifesto for the University of Glasgow to divest from the arms trade.

He added that he was dedicated to building new ties and reinforcing existing partnerships with leading Palestinian universities.

The renowned surgeon called for the replacement of the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, which has been adopted by the University of Glasgow.

"While I am absolutely committed to tackling all forms of antisemitism, it is my belief that, by linking criticism of Israel to antisemitism, this definition threatens academic criticism of Israel and Palestinian solidarity events," Abu Sittah said.

He added that he would call for the IHRA definition to be replaced with the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism.

"A vote for me is a vote of solidarity with the Palestinian people," Abu Sittah's manifesto said.

Voting ran from 9am local time on Monday until 4pm on Tuesday.

All registered University of Glasgow students were eligible to cast ballots in the election.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-27T11:47:09 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887825 https://www.newarab.com/news/new-york-times-rows-back-claims-7-oct-sexual-assault <![CDATA[New York Times rows back claims of 7 Oct. sexual assault]]> A leading American publication has faced scrutiny for publishing unverified sexual violence allegations against Israeli women during the Hamas-led 7 October attack ,prompting the outlet to row back on its own story.

The New York Times published a lengthy investigation in December which detailed multiple accounts of sexual violence allegedly committed by Hamas fighters, including rape and mutilation gathered from interviews with witnesses, relatives of the victims, emergency workers and officials.

However, one allegation detailing the sexual assault of two teenagers at Kibbutz Be’eri, based on testimony from an unnamed Israeli military paramedic, has since been debunked as false following the release of a new video by the Israeli military.

In an article published on Monday titled 'Israeli Soldier’s Video Undercuts Medic’s Account of Sexual Assault', the incident is debunked by the video's footage and members of the kibbutz who said that the video proves a sexual assault against the young women did not take place.

Residents of Kibbutz Be’eri, which suffered some of the worst attacks on 7 October when 97 residents died, said that the two girls who were found dead inside their home were shot dead but not sexually assaulted.

According to the report, the video from the Israeli military depicts the bodies of two female victims with blood stains on clothing and on the floor. A third dead body is in a nearby room, the report said.

The findings, which are not the first time The New York Times has come under fire for its coverage of the war, are in contradiction to the account of the paramedic interviewed for the New York Times December article.

The testimony of the unnamed Israeli paramedic was also reported by other international news outlets, including The Associated PressThe Washington Post, and CNN.

The paramedic described seeing two women's bodies, one had "bruises by her groin" and the other "had her face flat on the ground, with pyjamas pulled to her knees, her bottom exposed and semen smeared on her back".

The paper reported that the paramedic was only authorised to speak to the press on condition that he remained anonymous because he was from an "elite unit".

But the Kibbutz community members and relatives of the two teenage victims, said the video confirmed that the girls were not sexually assaulted but just shot.

The New York Times said it presented the findings to the paramedic that raised the story, but he "declined to say whether he still stood by the account, saying he would like to put the attacks behind him".

One of the residents from the kibbutz quoted by the New York Times called the story "false" following months of thinking that the girls had been sexually assaulted before they died.

The New York Times issued an update on Monday to the December article: "Newly released video viewed by The Times showed the bodies of two teenage girls in Kibbutz Be’eri fully clothed, undercutting this account from an Israeli military paramedic who recovered bodies in multiple locations after the Oct. 7 attack".

The same conclusion was presented earlier in March in an article by The Intercept which also interviewed members of the kibbutz who said The New York Times article about the kibbutz was wrong.

Sexual assault against women and girls was central to a recent United Nations report, stating there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, occurred in multiple locations in southern Israel on 7 October.

The report, however, noted that the expert team, which included a forensic pathologist and digital and information source analysts, was not able to verify various allegations of sexual violence on 7 October, including related to Kibbutz Be’eri.

"At least two allegations of sexual violence widely repeated in the media were unfounded due to either new superseding information or inconsistency in the facts gathered," the report said.

The team also encountered challenges with some testimonies including where statements were retracted, or sources doubted their recollections or previous assertions that had appeared in the media.

Throughout the war, misinformation has been rife and there have been various instances where major international news outlets have reported unverified information which has later been found to be false.

Whether women in Israel and Gaza have been subject to sexual violence has also been tangled up in misinformation and experts attest that gathering evidence of rape is highly challenging while war is still ongoing.

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2024-03-27T10:54:25 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3890047 https://www.newarab.com/news/multiple-strikes-across-gaza-lebanon-reels-attack <![CDATA[Multiple strikes across Gaza as Lebanon reels from attack]]> Gaza faced a barrage of strikes across the tiny enclave throughout Wednesday with attacks reported in Gaza City and Rafah, killing dozens of civilians and wounding others.

Gaza's authorities issued a warning to citizens against going to collect aid at the Kuwait or al-Rashid roundabouts because of dangers of Israeli attacks. Palestinian news agency Wafa said two people were killed by Israeli forces while collecting aid at the Kuwait roundabout.

South Lebanon reeled from heavy bombardment overnight Tuesday when Israeli jets struck a medical centre in the town of Hebbarieh near the border, which killed seven emergency workers in one of the worst attacks since fighting broke out in October.

The Israeli military said it "struck a military compound" belonging to the Jamaa Islamiya organization "who advanced attacks against Israeli territory".

Mohyddin Kourhani, director of the Emergency and Relief Service of the Lebanese Ambulance Association, told The New Arab that seven bodies of "medical volunteers" were pulled from under the rubble in Habbariyeh.

"They were young men, college students," Kourhani said. "The building is in a residential area, next to the Mukhtar’s office, you can see among the rubble that there is only medical equipment present there."

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2024-03-27T10:01:18 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3889349 https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqi-court-acquits-officer-hisham-al-hashimis-murder <![CDATA[Iraqi court acquits officer in Hisham al-Hashimi's murder]]> An Iraqi court has acquitted a police officer previously convicted and sentenced to death for leading a group that fatally shot the renowned security analyst and government advisor Hisham al-Hashimi over three years ago in Baghdad, Judicial officials revealed to Reuters on Monday.

Al-Hashimi, a trusted advisor to former Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and who advised the government on strategies to combat the Islamic State group and reduce the influence of Iranian-backed Shia factions in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen, was gunned down outside his family home in Baghdad on 6 July 2020, by assailants riding a motorcycle.

A former officer in the Iraqi interior ministry, Ahmed Hamdawi, 38, confessed on Iraqi state media television in June 2021 that he had killed Al-Hashimi.

Hamdawi was sentenced to death by the Rasafa Criminal Court in May 2023 after being convicted of the crime.

However, Iraq's Federal Cassation Court decided in January to annul the sentence and refer the case back to "a competent investigating court." 

The court issued its ruling after a retrial on Wednesday. One of the attorneys at the session stated that the court dropped the charges against Ahmed Hamdawi due to insufficient evidence, declaring that his previous confessions were not admissible for conviction.

Media outlets were not permitted to attend the session, as confirmed by the lawyer reading from the judgment. Ahmed Hamdawi denied all accusations against him, with the judges finding no legal basis to prosecute him. The judge decided to release him unless he was wanted in another case.

The decision has sent shockwaves across the nation, reigniting accusations of judicial incompetence, lack of independence, and susceptibility to political and security influences.

His death sent ripples of outrage throughout Iraq and the broader Middle East, with many demanding justice for the outspoken critic of influential political and militia factions.

Following al-Hashimi's murder, government officials told Reuters that he had been advising on plans to diminish the influence of Iran-backed groups and to bring smaller, quasi-military groups that oppose Iran under greater state control.

They asserted that al-Hashimi's killing was directly linked to his recent work concerning Iran-backed groups.

Officials from quasi-military groups allied with Iran deny any involvement in the murder. Some supporters of the Islamic State group celebrated his killing, but no group claimed responsibility and the government did not point fingers at any specific organisation.

Iraqi sources have revealed disturbing details, suggesting that the very parties and militias criticized by al-Hashimi may have exerted influence over the retrial process. 

These groups, now part of a pro-Iran cabinet led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, allegedly to have played a decisive role in securing Hamdawi's freedom, allowing him to swiftly exit the country via Baghdad International Airport, with speculation pointing to Iran as his likely destination.

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2024-03-27T09:36:06 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3889071 https://www.newarab.com/news/jordan-police-beat-arrest-protesters-near-israeli-embassy <![CDATA[Jordan police beat, arrest protesters near Israeli embassy ]]> Jordanian anti-riot police beat and arrested dozens of demonstrators trying to march towards the heavily guarded Israeli embassy in the capital Amman, witnesses and residents said on Wednesday.

More than two thousand protesters gathered late on Tuesday, the third day of demonstrations which have been marred with clashes, after baton wielding police pushed back hundreds of angry crowds seeking to storm the embassy compound in the affluent Rabae district of Amman.

The Israeli embassy, where protesters gather daily, has long been a flashpoint of anti-Israel protests whenever Israel launches attacks on Palestinians.

Many demonstrators chanted slogans in support of Hamas. Jordanian authorities are alarmed that Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza could broaden the popularity of the Hamas movement among Jordanians.

"Oh Hamas...All of Jordan's people are behind you," the protesters chanted.

Passions have run high among Jordanians, many of whom are of Palestinian origin, over the carnage in Gaza as Israel's relentless bombing campaign has led to tens of thousands of civilian deaths and flattened many parts of the densely populated enclave.

Jordan has seen some of the biggest outpourings of public anger in the region since the war began in October.

Authorities in Jordan say peaceful protests are allowed but they would not tolerate any attempt by "mobs" who sought to exploit anger against Israel to create havoc or try to reach a border zone with the Israeli occupied West Bank or Israel.

Amnesty International last month called on Jordanian authorities to end what it said was a sweeping crackdown that has seen hundreds of people arrested for expressing their support for Palestinians in Gaza or criticising Jordanian government polices towards Israel.

Many demonstrators slam perceived inaction by authorities, saying their compatriots in Gaza were being left to face Israel's military ruthlessness alone.

Jordan's peace treaty with Israel is widely unpopular among many citizens who see normalisation as betraying the rights of their Palestinian compatriots.

(Reuters and The New Arab Staff)

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2024-03-27T01:48:05 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3888857 https://www.newarab.com/news/us-refuses-halt-gaza-airdrops-18-die-stampedes <![CDATA[US refuses to halt Gaza airdrops as 18 die in stampedes]]> The United States said Tuesday it would continue airdrops of aid to besieged Gaza, despite pleas from Hamas to stop the practice after it said 18 people had died trying to reach food packages.

Hamas demanded that Israel, which is besieging and relentlessly bombing Gaza, instead allow more aid trucks to enter the devastated territory, which the United Nations has warned is on the brink of a "man-made famine" after nearly six months of war.

At least 32,414 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, most of them women and children, since last October, according to the territory's health ministry.

Israeli attacks continued on Tuesday, a day after the UN Security Council passed its first resolution calling for an "immediate ceasefire" and urging the release of the roughly 130 hostages Israel says remain in Gaza.

12 people including some children were killed when an air strike hit a displacement camp late on Tuesday near the southern city of Khan Yunis, according to the health ministry.

And Israeli forces were continuing an assault on Gaza City's largest hospital, and their forces have surrounded two other medical facilities in Khan Yunis.

The Palestinian Red Crescent warned that thousands were trapped in the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis and "their lives are in danger".

Israel's war has shattered Gaza's infrastructure and aid agencies say all of its 2.4 million people are now in need of humanitarian help.

Six people were killed in stampedes and 12 others drowned off the territory's Mediterranean coast trying to salvage aid packages, Gaza's authorities and the Swiss-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said.

"People are dying just to get a can of tuna," Gaza resident Mohamad al-Sabaawi told AFP, holding a can in his hand after a scramble over an aid package.

'Imminent famine'

Hamas in a statement called for "an immediate end to airdrop operations" and "the immediate and rapid opening of land crossings".

The UN children's fund, UNICEF, said vastly more aid must be rushed into Gaza by road rather than air or sea to avert an "imminent famine".

UNICEF spokesman James Elder pointed out that the necessary help was "a matter of kilometres away" in aid-filled trucks waiting across Gaza's southern border with Egypt.

The US National Security Council said in a statement later they would continue trying to get aid in on the road.

But the statement added that airdrops were "one of the many ways that we are helping to provide desperately needed aid to Palestinians in Gaza, and we will continue to do so".

AFPTV footage showed crowds rushing towards aid packages on Tuesday parachuting from planes sent by Jordan, Egypt, the UAE and Germany.

'Political isolation'

Israeli troops meanwhile continued its strikes on Gaza with no sign of a let-up, with the military saying its jets had struck more than 60 targets.

The Security Council resolution passed Monday demanded a ceasefire for the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan that should lead to a "lasting" truce.

Israel's top ally the United States, which had blocked previous resolutions, abstained from the vote, prompting Israel to cancel a planned visit by senior officials.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said Israel was experiencing "unprecedented political isolation" and losing US "protection" at the Security Council.

Washington has baulked at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's determination to launch an assault on Rafah, a southern city where most of Gaza's population is now sheltering.

The US has also expressed increasing concern over the humanitarian toll.

Ahead of a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said that in Gaza "the number of civilian casualties is far too high, and the amount of humanitarian aid is far too low".

Officials from the Hamas and Israel are in indirect mediated talks in Qatar aimed at sealing a ceasefire and the release of around 130 Israeli hostages captured on October 7

But both Hamas and Netanyahu said the talks were failing and blamed each other.

Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday the talks were "ongoing", adding there had been no "development that would lead to thinking that one of the teams has pulled out of the negotiations".

Attacks on hospitals

On the ground in Gaza, dozens of Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles surrounded the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where thousands of displaced people have sought refuge, witnesses said.

The health ministry said shots were fired around the sprawling complex, but no raid had yet taken place.

At Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital, the territory's largest, Israeli troops have been engaged in heavy fighting for nine days. Israel claims to have killed 170 Palestinian militants and detained hundreds but Palestinian civilians trapped inside say they are the targets.

On Monday, the Israeli military claimed to have killed about 20 fighters in a day around Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, in combat and air strikes.

Palestinians living near Al-Shifa have reported corpses in the streets, constant bombardment and the rounding up of men who are stripped to their underwear and questioned.

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2024-03-27T00:43:01 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3888751 https://www.newarab.com/news/isis-k-poses-greatest-security-threat-germany <![CDATA[ISIS-K 'poses greatest security threat to Germany']]> The Islamic State branch known as ISIS-Khorasan, which US intelligence says appears responsible for the mass shooting attack near Moscow, poses the greatest Islamist extremist threat to security in Germany, its interior minister said on Tuesday.

"The threat level is still high," Nancy Faeser said in a statement. "It was already high before the attacks in Moscow and has remained consistently high."

She spoke four days after camouflage-clad gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons at concertgoers outside the Russian capital, killing at least 139 people and injuring 180 in an attack claimed by Islamic State.

Germany will introduce temporary border controls as part of ramped-up security around soccer's 2024 European Championship that it will host this summer, she said. "Security is of course our top priority at this tournament."

It starts on June 14 and is set to attract an estimated 2.7 million fans to stadiums and up to 12 million at public viewing events.

"We have ramped up our security measures in the police (forces), but also in the intelligence services," Faeser said.

(Reuters)

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2024-03-26T23:23:20 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3888595 https://www.newarab.com/news/two-killed-new-israeli-airstrikes-eastern-lebanon <![CDATA[Two killed in new Israeli airstrikes on eastern Lebanon]]> Fresh Israeli strikes on eastern Lebanon on Tuesday killed two people, Lebanese official media said, after the deepest raid since cross-border hostilities erupted between Israel and Hezbollah last October.

The Israeli army said it had struck Hezbollah targets "deep inside Lebanese territory" near the town of Zboud, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) from the Israeli frontier.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said "an Israeli strike targeted the Wadi Faara region", a similar location to the one reported by Israel.

Israeli forces have exchanged near-daily fire with Hezbollah following the outbreak of Israel's indiscriminate war on Gaza in October.

Hezbollah says it is acting in support of its ally Hamas, while Israel has also targeted Hezbollah and Hamas officials in Lebanon, including with strikes deep into Lebanon.

An AFP correspondent said after the raid around Wadi Faara the army and Hezbollah had blocked access to the area.

A Lebanese security source, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media, said the strikes targeted an uninhabited area where Hezbollah has positions.

The NNA later reported that a separate "Israeli strike" near Iaat, close to the eastern city of Baalbek, killed two people and wounded another.

In recent days, Israeli strikes have targeted the Bekaa valley, a Hezbollah stronghold deep inside Lebanese territory, where Baalbek and Iaat are located.

An AFP correspondent saw a building belonging to Hezbollah in flames and two people being taken away on stretchers, with a number of ambulances rushing to the scene.

Hezbollah later said one of its fighters was "martyred on the road to Jerusalem", the phrase it uses to refer to members killed by Israeli fire, without specifying where or when they died.

Hezbollah strikes

Hezbollah in separate statements claimed a string of attacks on Israeli targets Tuesday, including one with guided missiles it said targeted the Meron air control base in northern Israel.

It also said it fired "more than 50 Katyusha rockets" towards a barracks in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Since the cross-border hostilities began, at least 330 people have been killed in Lebanon, most of them Hezbollah fighters but including at least 57 civilians, according to an AFP count.

At least 10 soldiers and seven civilians have been killed in northern Israel, according to the military.

The hostilities have raised fears of all-out conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which last went to war in 2006.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-26T22:24:06 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3888369 https://www.newarab.com/news/countries-un-rally-behind-expert-who-accused-israel-genocide <![CDATA[Countries at UN rally behind expert who accused Israel of 'genocide']]>

The UN expert who concluded Israel was committing acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip received broad support at the United Nations on Tuesday, with countries speaking up to back her and her report.

Francesca Albanese, the special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, told the UN Human Rights Council that countries should impose an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel.

Expanding in person on her report released on Monday, Albanese said Israel was characterising the entire Gazan population as "targetable, killable and destroyable", and had ostentatiously laid bare its "genocidal intent" to "rid Palestine of Palestinians".

Dozens of diplomats, mostly representing Arab and Muslim countries but also Latin America, took the floor to defend her mandate and her work.

Pakistan, speaking for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, backed her call for sanctions and an arms embargo.

"We commend your courage in documenting... acts amounting to genocide in Gaza," Islamabad's representative said.

"The occupation force's dangerous and ruthless push for a final solution to the Palestinian question is plain for all to see, as its forces encircle Rafah like vultures and its ravenous land grab continues unabated in the West Bank."

Egypt, speaking for Arab group countries, affirmed their support for Albanese's mandate and said they were gravely concerned about Israel's "structured and systematic attack to make the Gaza Strip uninhabitable".

And Qatar, on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, thanked Albanese for her report and demanded the international community "put an end to genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli war machinery".

Genocidal intent

In her speech, Albanese told the top UN rights body that Israel had "destroyed Gaza".

"When genocidal intent is so conspicuous, so ostentatious, as it is in Gaza, we cannot avert our eyes: we must confront genocide, we must prevent it and we must punish it," she said.

"The genocide in Gaza is the most extreme stage of a long-standing settler-colonial process of erasure of the native Palestinians."

Special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council, although they do not speak on behalf of the UN.

In response, Russia said it was "horrified" by Israel's military operation that had seen "civilian infrastructure targeted" while China said it was was ready to facilitate peace talks.

The European Union called for "proper and independent investigations on all allegations" and while appalled by the civilian death toll, said that it recognised what it called "Israel's right to self-defence".

 

US and Israeli rejection

Albanese's speech concluded to applause in the chamber. Israel was not present, nor was its chief ally the United States.

Israel has long been harshly critical of Albanese, and on Monday immediately rejected her report as an "obscene inversion of reality".

The United States called her mandate "biased against Israel".

In the rights council on Tuesday, the only firm support for such positions came from pro-Israeli non-governmental organisations.

The World Jewish Congress said Albanese's mandate "seeks to entrench divisions and a one-sided narrative instead of pursuing a balanced and inclusive approach".

The European Union of Jewish Students said Albanese's "resignation is imperative" for the council to retain any credibility on issues concerning Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Israel's indiscriminate war on Gaza has left the territory in ruins and killed at least 32,400 people, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the territory.

It began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on October 7 which resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-26T21:19:17 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887381 https://www.newarab.com/news/airstrikes-syria-kill-iranian-adviser-who-team-member <![CDATA[Airstrikes in Syria kill Iranian adviser, WHO team member]]>

A series of airstrikes in eastern Syria on Tuesday killed more than a dozen people, including an Iranian military adviser and a team member working for the UN's World Health Organization, officials and reports said.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the airstrikes in Syria's eastern province of Deir Az-Zour that borders Iraq.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the strikes killed 15 people including an Iranian adviser with Tehran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, two of his bodyguards as well as nine Iraqi fighters from an Iran-backed group and two Syrians working with the Iranians. It added that a Syrian engineer was also killed.

Iran's state news agency confirmed that a Revolutionary Guard member was killed in Syria.

Dama Post, a pro-regime media outlet in Syria, said the strikes targeted the provincial capital of Deir Az-Zour that carries the same name, and the towns of Mayadeen and Boukamal. It said 20 people, including women and children, were among the dead.

The World Health Organization said one of its team members, engineer Emad Shehab, was killed in one of the strikes that hit his building. It said Shehab, 42, served as a WHO focal point for water, sanitation, and hygiene in the province since 2022.

There was no claim of responsibility for the strikes. Israel frequently launches strikes on alleged Iran-linked targets in Syria but rarely acknowledges them.

In neighbouring Lebanon, the state-run National News Agency reported an Israeli airstrike on the northeastern village of Zboud in the region of Hermel.

It said the strike hit a mountainous area, without giving details or whether there were casualties.

The Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Israel's air force struck a military complex used by Hezbollah's aerial unit in Zboud. He said the strike hit several buildings and an airstrip.

Adraee said that strike was in retaliation for Hezbollah firing rockets at Mount Meron air traffic control base in northern Israel.

Earlier on Tuesday, Hezbollah said its fighters fired missiles toward the base in Mount Meron in retaliation for an airstrike on east Lebanon on Sunday that killed a Syrian citizen.

Later in the day, Hezbollah said it fired more than 50 rockets on an Israeli command center in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights in retaliation for the strike on Zboud.

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2024-03-26T17:33:16 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887467 https://www.newarab.com/news/moscow-teens-saved-over-100-crocus-city-hall-attack <![CDATA[Moscow teens 'saved over 100' from Crocus City Hall attack]]> Russian schoolboys Islam Khalilov, 15, and Artyom Donskoy, 14, have been praised for saving scores of people from the Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow last week.

When the attack began, the students were working as cloakroom attendants. Along with other employees, they directed people towards the exits and away from dead ends.

Khalilov filmed himself running towards the scene of the attack and directing people towards the exits, while Donskoy was seen escorting another group out of the burning building.

Islam recalled to Russian radio that he was "very scared" but wanted to make sure no one was left behind before fleeing the scene himself.

Donskoy recalled how they found themselves at a dead end and decided to direct others towards the right direction.

"The guys and I saw this and decided to take everything into our own hands, we turned the people around and led them in the right direction," Donskoy said

"Just there, an emergency exit was opened, and everyone went through it. My colleagues and I tried to make sure that all the people got out and evacuated and that we didn't leave anyone behind," adding that they were the last to leave as a result.

Russia honoured the teenagers with bravery awards on Monday in a ceremony officiated by Russia's commissioner for children's rights. They were also rewarded with new laptops and certificates from their school.

According to Russian state news agency TASS, Islam will also receive an award from the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims in Russia. Russian rapper Morgenshtern has also said he would send the teenager a million roubles ($11,000).

Over 130 people were killed and over 100 injured when as many as five gunmen armed with automatic weapons shot at concertgoers in the Crocus City Hall – the deadliest attack in Russia for two decades.

The gunmen, reportedly dressed in camouflage uniforms, entered the building, opened fire and threw a grenade or incendiary bomb, according to a journalist for the RIA Novosti news agency at the scene.

The Islamic State group's Afghan offshoot, known as ISKP or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack through the group's Amaq news agency.

While The United States and France say intelligence suggests the group was behind the attack, Russian officials have accused Ukraine and its Western allies of being behind the attack.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-26T17:30:41 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887255 https://www.newarab.com/analysis/will-famine-gaza-force-end-israels-war <![CDATA[Will famine in Gaza force an end to Israel's war?]]> The looming famine long warned about in Gaza as a result of Israel's war increasingly appears to be materialising.

report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released last week warned of imminent famine in North Gaza, with severe food crises expected to spread throughout the strip by mid-March to May.

About 210,000 people in northern Gaza face catastrophic conditions, categorised as IPC Phase 5, the most severe level.

Overall, this phase could affect up to 1.1 million people, half of Gaza's population, if the conflict continues. As a result, with 20% of the population facing extreme food shortages, two out of every 10,000 people could die daily from starvation or related causes.

"The turning point will be if Israel proceeds with its plan to invade Rafah, which will result in even greater disaster"

But Gaza has already witnessed its first victims of famine. The Gazan Health Ministry said that at least 27 children have died from malnutrition and dehydration, with the actual starvation death toll likely much higher and expected to increase.

Four out of 10,000 children per day could die due to starvation or to the interaction of malnutrition and disease.

This crisis wasn't unexpected. United Nations agencies have long warned it was coming as Gaza was already grappling with food insecurity.

Before the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, about 500 lorries used to enter Gaza daily. Today, only about 150 are allowed into the strip, which isn’t enough to meet demand, not even with additional aid from airdrops and sea.

The IPC's announcement has shaken part of the international community. Among the others who expressed concerns, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres defined the famine as an "entirely man-made disaster," while Europe Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accused Israel of provoking famine in Gaza and using starvation as a weapon of war, calling on Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

However, international criticism has left Israel unmoved. While the UN Security Council on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the month of Ramadan, and emphasised the need for more humanitarian aid, it remains to be seen if mass starvation will be the turning point that forces the international community to comprehensively halt Tel Aviv’s war.

Rafe Jabari, a French-Palestinian political science analyst, told The New Arab that it would be difficult for the United States, the United Kingdom, the EU, and other partners to withdraw political, diplomatic, and military support to Israel following the 7 October attack.

"I'm not very optimistic about a shift at this current moment. Some voices are rising from the international community, but they are only urging Israel to act according to international law. I think the turning point will be if Israel proceeds with its plan to invade Rafah, which will result in even greater disaster," he said.

Yara Asi, an assistant professor of global health management and informatics at the University of Central California, told TNA that the famine in Gaza is the result of the international community's inaction in the face of documented Israeli war crimes and human rights violations over decades.

"This international community's pushback seems to be only a louder verbal condemnation. Until we see countries taking action, famine won't be a breaking point to stop Israel. I have been waiting for a breaking point my entire life," she said.

The humanitarian toll of Israel's war in Gaza is pressuring Western governments, according to Andreas Krieg, senior lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King's College London and CEO of consulting firm MENA Analytica.

He told TNA that Israel's reluctance to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza is eroding its global standing, as well as altering Western perceptions of the country. Many from the international community now view Israel's actions as contrary to democratic principles and emphasise the futility of military solutions against Hamas.

"Until we see countries taking action, famine won't be a breaking point to stop Israel"

“The resort to airdrops and the construction of an artificial pier to deliver aid into Gaza indicate that Israel is not cooperating and is deliberately weaponising humanitarian aid, which is something that nobody, even those who support Israel, can endorse because it constitutes a war crime," he said.

But something is slowly changing. Canada has become one of the first countries to take a major step to act against Israel's interests by halting the approval of new arms export permits, despite having authorised over $21 million worth of permits since 7 October.

The UK is also considering restricting some arms exports to Israel if it launches an offensive on Rafah.

Krieg suggests that the international community could halt arms sales, following Canada's steps, escalating Israel's isolation. Arab states like the UAE could influence trade routes, increasing pressure on Israel. However, as Israel perceives the conflict as existential, it might not give up.

"These combined efforts aim not to change Israel but to create conditions for Netanyahu to be replaced by someone more moderate and responsive to external pressure," he said.

The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is using famine as a weapon to achieve several goals, according to Jabari and Asi, who believe that it serves to exert pressure on Hamas, sway the population against Hamas, and force Palestinians to leave Gaza.

"Netanyahu's goal is not only winning the war against Hamas. He wants to eliminate the essence of the Palestine question, which is the perspective of a Palestinian state," Jabari said.

Israel's reluctance to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza reflects not only Netanyahu's government but also the sentiments of some Israeli citizens. A February survey by the Israel Democracy Institute found that 68% of Jewish-Israelis respondents opposed such aid, while 85% of Palestinian-Israelis supported it.

Asi explained that famine is only the latest stage of a restrictive food policy pursued by Israel in Gaza over the years. Prior to 7 October, Gaza faced high poverty and food insecurity due to Israel's 2007 blockade, which restricted imports, including arbitrary bans on items like strawberries and chocolate.

Reports suggested Israel limited calorie intake to prevent famine and further damaged Gaza's food sovereignty by targeting agricultural land, production facilities, and infrastructure since 2008.

The blockade - Asi continued - has led to widespread unemployment, limiting residents' purchasing power for nutritious food, and with Israel now targeting humanitarian agencies like UNRWA, the situation has worsened, reflecting an acceleration of longstanding policies under Israeli control since 2007.

"Famine is only the latest stage of a restrictive food policy pursued by Israel in Gaza over the years. Prior to 7 October, Gaza faced high poverty and food insecurity due to Israel's 2007 blockade"

This explains why, without coordination with Israel, the international community and aid agencies are limited in assisting Palestinians in Gaza.

At a political level, Jabari suggests Israel's stance also reflects disagreements between Netanyahu and the US administration in terms of humanitarian aid, and the two-state solution.

However, Netanyahu's focus on weakening the Palestinian presence through the use of famine may potentially fuel support for Hamas and resentment from the international community.

Asi argued that the international community "has many levers that it has refused to pull" against Israel to mitigate the suffering in Gaza, such as halting arms sales, compelling Israel to open borders and humanitarian corridors, and enforcing ceasefires.

"While we keep hearing about the predicted famine, there have already been several dozen deaths from starvation. This is happening with the complicity and full knowledge of the international community. I believe this will be a stain moving forward on the so-called 'rules-based order' that we tried to build after World War II," she said.

Krieg said that the future of the relations between the EU and Israel hinges on Israel's political direction and adherence to international norms.

"Prolonged conflicts like this one will stain Israel's history and risk alienating younger generations in Europe, potentially straining future diplomatic relations. New generations are witnessing what is happening at this time, and that will leave a stain on the relations between the West and Israel. And I think this is Israel is burning its ties with the West, especially with the younger generations.”

Dario Sabaghi is a freelance journalist interested in human rights.

Follow him on Twitter: @DarioSabaghi

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2024-03-26T16:58:53 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887309 https://www.newarab.com/news/saudi-arabia-have-its-first-ever-miss-universe-candidate <![CDATA[Saudi Arabia to have its first ever Miss Universe candidate]]> Saudi Arabia will have its first-ever Miss Universe competitor this year, with renowned model Rumy Alqahtani named as the kingdom's candidate for the 2024 international competition.

Riyadh-born Alqahtani has already competed in, and won, beauty pageants across the world, including most recently Miss and Mrs Global Asian in Malaysia.

The 27-year-old model and influencer has already been crowned Miss Saudi Arabia, Miss Middle East, Miss Arab World Peace, and Miss Woman (Saudi Arabia), according to Harper's Bazaar Arabia.

Alqahtani will now become the kingdom's first representative for Miss Universe, an international beauty pageant that has been running since 1952.

Dressed in a sequin ballgown, donning a Miss Universe Saudi Arabia sash, and beside the Saudi flag, Alqahtani announced the news to her 1 million followers on Instagram.

"I am honoured to participate in the Miss Universe 2024 competition. This is the debut of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the competition," she wrote.

Saudi Arabia is fairly new to the world of fashion and modelling, with reforms by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman seeing fashion shows and other forms of entertainment in the kingdom after years of tight social restrictions.

One of the kingdom's best-known models is Shahad Salman, dubbed the Saudi Winnie Harlow, who like her model hero has vitiligo, has also featured in fashion magazines globally.

A number of Arab countries, such as Lebanon and Bahrain, have taken part in Miss Universe competitions, which do not feature a swimwear section unlike the rival Miss World.

It also has a traditional costume section, where participants can display their national dress.

In 2021, Miss Universe was held in Israel, despite calls for a boycott from BDS and Arab campaigners.

 

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2024-03-26T16:35:50 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887011 https://www.newarab.com/features/despite-inflation-and-gaza-egyptians-rekindle-ramadan-magic <![CDATA[Despite inflation and Gaza, Egyptians rekindle Ramadan magic]]> In the heart of Cairo, as the last rays of sun cover the congested street that leads to Sayedat Zeinab Mosque, young men begin gathering chairs and tables outside the mosque and organise them in line for Ramadan. 

At the same time, a group of volunteers enter the scene with big casserole dishes and begin to serve the long queue of people who have begun gathering, waiting to break their fast for iftar

Tables of Mercy or Ma'edat Al Rahman can be seen in most neighbourhoods in the Muslim world. However, in Egypt, they have special importance and are found almost everywhere you go.

Whilst they are typically meant for low-income families, anyone coming during magrib is encouraged to join, no matter their status. However, this year, the tables are fuller than usual. 

"Ramadan holds special cultural significance for Egyptians. You can see it in our streets, through our alleyways, in the windows of homes, or on TV"

The shadow of Egypt's economic crisis over Ramadan

Egyptians are still coming to terms with one of their country's worst economic crises. In August 2023, annual inflation hit a record 39.7 percent. On March 6, one week before the beginning of Ramadan, Egypt secured a deal with the International Monetary Fund leading it to devalue its currency from 30EGP to almost 50EGP to the dollar, a value loss of almost 70 percent. 

For many, the announcement came as a bitter reminder of the country's last IMF deal in 2016, where a similar policy of devaluation reduced real wages by 40 percent over the following three years and pushed the poverty rate up to over 30 percent of the population.

"The number of people coming to our tables has increased this year, life is getting harder," Mohamed, one of the volunteers, tells The New Arab. "There's also different types of people coming. Before, people used to feel embarrassed. Now more people from the middle classes are also coming."

The Egyptian charity Mersal Foundation explained to The New Arab that inflation has affected social well-being. "Over the past few months, we've had dozens of visitors asking about social assistance, with the numbers increasing significantly before Ramadan."

Fortunately charity is in abundance during Ramadan, 'the month of good deeds'. Muslims are asked to donate to charity whilst they are fasting or to volunteer at charitable initiatives. Mohamed and his friends, street owners from the Sayedat Zainab neighbourhood, each leave their stands unattended during Ramadan to help feed the hundreds of people who sit at the tables every evening. 

Keep Palestine in your prayers

Beyond Egypt's economic woes, Ramadan in Egypt has been overshadowed by Israel's war on Gaza. "The atmosphere this year isn't the same as previous ones. Most of us are sad," Ahmed, a student at Al-Azhar University told The New Arab. 

As a sign of solidarity, many streets across Egypt are decorated with Palestinian flags. One such neighbourhood is Al Haram, where Ghassan, a Palestinian from Gaza, now lives. Ghassan and his family crossed from Gaza into Egypt a few days before the Israeli offensive started to receive medical treatment. Since then, they've been stuck in the country with no way to stay financially afloat. 

"This Ramadan feels strange for us," Ghassan says with a lifeless gaze. "It's the first time that our family eats alone. We usually go to my older brother's house and bring something to eat and share with our five other brothers and their families." 

While walking through the streets of Cairo to eat iftar with his family, Ghassan thinks about how his loved ones in Gaza. "There is no food, and when there is, people are afraid of being bombed whilst breaking their fast." 

For Ghassan, signs of affection like the Ramadan decorations in Palestine’s honour make him feel more at ease. “Governments aside, there is love present between the peoples, it is a fraternal connection.”

Many Egyptians are using their Ramadan zakat or charitable deeds to campaigns directed towards sending resources into Gaza. “Mersal sent more than 100 trucks with a variety of medicines, medical supplies, food, blankets, clothes, and water,” says the foundation’s spokesperson. “We provide these medicines and supplies after communicating with the doctors in the hospitals there and with the Palestinian Red Crescent.”

Why Ramadan in Egypt is special

Despite the economic crisis, Egyptians remain grateful for another Ramadan in the country where it is said to be "something different."

"This month is the most special of the year," says Razan, an Egyptian living in Cairo. "The month holds spiritual significance for Muslims. It's a month to get closer to God, to master the Quran, and to go to the mosque. But Ramadan holds special cultural significance for Egyptians. You can see it in our streets, through our alleyways, in the windows of homes, or on TV."

Ramadan is felt in every corner of Egypt due to the country's influence in fostering Ramadan cultural traditions which later spread throughout the Muslim world. 

The traditional Ramadan fanoos or lanterns became popular after they had been used by Egyptians over a thousand years ago to light the way for the arrival of Fatimid caliph Al Mu’izz li-Din Allah Al Fatimy on the fifth night of Ramadan. Ever since, Cairo’s streets have been full of giant lanterns on the days prior and during the holy month, and they have become an icon for the entire Muslim community.

Likewise, other iconic Ramadan symbols such as the mesaharaty – the person that wakes people up with drums and music during the night for them to have their last tastes of food before fasting – or the cannon fire marking the end of the fast, were first recorded in Egypt.

As a result, Ramadan in Egypt keeps its magic year after year. A month that feels like a breeze of air to most Egyptians who struggle to visualize a better future; a short period of calm that they use to pray to God to ease the way for whatever comes ahead. 

Bianca Carrera is a freelance writer and analyst specialising in Middle Eastern and North African politics and society at Sciences Po Paris. She has written for Al Jazeera, The New Arab, Al-Quds Al-Araby, EU Observer and others. She is based between Spain, Morocco and Egypt

Follow her on Twitter: @biancacarrera25

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2024-03-26T16:11:29 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887295 https://www.newarab.com/news/protests-continue-front-israel-embassy-amman <![CDATA[Protests continue in front of Israel embassy in Amman]]> Demonstrators gathered for the second day of protests in front of the Israeli embassy in Amman, Jordan, on Tuesday, condemning Israel's targeting of hospitals in Gaza and urging the Jordanian government to take stronger action against Israel.

The night prior, on Monday, thousands of protesters broke past a security cordon in front of the Israeli embassy before being dispersed by tear gas and police swinging batons, leaving several injured.

At least two hundred protesters were arrested on Monday, the vast majority of which were released overnight, according to Khaled al-Juhni. the office director of the Islah parliamentary bloc, affiliated with the Khazab group and Islamic Action Front, who attended the protest.

Demonstrators chanted slogans against the presence of the Israeli embassy in Jordan and called for the 1994 Wadi Arab peace treaty between the two countries to be severed.

"There were men, women, young and old people all there in solidarity with Palestine. They were denouncing the [Israeli] escalation in Al-Aqsa mosque, their blockade on al-Shifa hospital and their assaults on the dignity of people," Khaled al-Juhni told The New Arab.

Protests have been continuous since Israel's war on Gaza started in response to Hamas's 7 October surprise operation.

More than 32,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, have been killed since the start of Israel's military operation.

Jordan has allowed some protests but has cracked down on any demonstrations that approached the Israel-Jordan border or embassies.

According to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), Jordan arrested or harassed likely hundreds of pro-Palestine protesters since October.

"Jordanian authorities are trampling the right to free expression and assembly to tamp down Gaza-related activism," Lama Fakih, the Middle East Director at HRW, said.

One of the protesters arrested at Monday's demonstration was al-Juhni's 19-year-old son, who he said he has not been able to locate since.

"I am worried about him. I have asked the government where he is, but they won't answer me. This is a form of psychological torture for the families," al-Juhni said.

Mismatch between rhetoric and reality

Jordan's government has been outspoken in condemning Israel's assault, presenting a UN resolution that called for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as expelling the Israeli ambassador to Jordan.

Jordanians have said that the Jordanian government's actions have not matched up with its rhetoric and have called for it to cancel the peace treaty and be more insistent on bringing in aid to Gaza.

They have accused Jordan of facilitating a "land bridge" of products from the Arab Gulf to Israel, which they say contravenes the Houthi-led sea blockade of Israel. Protesters have also called for Jordan to ban exports of Jordanian produce to Israel.

The Jordanian government has denied the existence of the so-called land bridge, nor that the country's produce exports support Israel in any fashion.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-26T16:09:03 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887193 https://www.newarab.com/news/un-expert-says-israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-calls-arms-embargo <![CDATA[UN expert says Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, calls for arms embargo]]> A United Nations expert told the global body's Human Rights Council on Tuesday that she believed Israel's military campaign in Gaza since 7 October amounted to genocide and called on countries to immediately impose sanctions and an arms embargo.

Israel, which did not attend the session, rejected her findings.

"It is my solemn duty to report on the worst of what humanity is capable of and to present my findings," Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, told the UN rights body in Geneva, presenting a report called "The Anatomy of a Genocide".

"I find that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of the crime of genocide against Palestinians as a group in Gaza has been met," she said, citing more than 30,000 Palestinians killed among other acts.

"I implore member states to abide by their obligations, which start with imposing an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel and so ensure that the future does not continue to repeat itself," she said, prompting a burst of applause.

Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva claimed the war was against Hamas and not Palestinian civilians.

"Instead of seeking the truth, this special rapporteur tries to fit weak arguments to her distorted and obscene inversion of reality," it said.

Albanese is one of dozens of independent human rights experts mandated by the United Nations to report and advise on specific themes and crises. Her views do not reflect those of the global body as a whole.

(Reuters)

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2024-03-26T15:58:22 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3887113 https://www.newarab.com/news/palestine-australia-win-again-asia-qualifying-w-cup <![CDATA[Palestine, Australia win again in Asia qualifying for W. Cup]]>

Australia thrashed Lebanon 5–0 and became the first team to advance to the third round of Asia qualifying for football's 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

An early goal from Kusini Yengi in Canberra sent the Socceroos on the way to a fourth successive win in Group I and ensured progress to the next stage with two matches to spare.

Palestine stayed second in the group after beating Bangladesh 1–0 and on course for a first appearance in the third round of qualifying.

Michel Termanini scored Palestine's winner in Dhaka four minutes into stoppage time.

Palestine has seven points, five more than Lebanon and six clear of Bangladesh.

With less than two minutes on the clock, the impressive Craig Goodwin crossed from the left for Yengi to score his first goal for Australia from close range.

Australia put the game beyond Lebanon in the first three minutes of the second half. Bassel Jradi knocked in an own goal following a corner and Goodwin fired home a third.

John Iredale came off the bench to make it 4–0 midway through the second half with his first international goal, and Goodwin added his second and Australia's fifth with nine minutes remaining thanks to an Iredale assist.

"It means the world to me personally, and to the boys," Iredale said. "We set out to score more goals tonight and we’re pleased we did that.

"Craig Goodwin's got an unbelievable left foot, and having him in the squad really boosts our quality. I was really pleased to help him get his second goal."

The North Korea-Japan qualifier in Pyongyang was canceled by FIFA after Korea said it couldn't host the game.

The top two teams from each of the nine groups in the second round progress to the third round where six of Asia's increased automatic allocation of eight World Cup places will be on offer.

]]> ]]>
2024-03-26T15:30:53 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886669 https://www.newarab.com/news/arab-nations-welcome-unsc-resolution-ceasefire-gaza <![CDATA[Arab nations welcome UNSC resolution for ceasefire in Gaza]]> For the first time, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has passed a resolution calling for an "immediate" ceasefire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

While the US abstained, the remaining 14 council members voted for the resolution on Monday which called for truce leading to a "lasting, sustainable ceasefire" and demanded that Hamas free captives seized on 7 October.

Many Arab nations welcomed the resolution:

Palestine

Palestine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the UNSC's resolution for a ceasefire, calling it a step in the right direction in stopping the war on Gaza.

It urged the UNSC to assume its responsibilities in protecting Palestinian civilians and to fulfill its legal obligations in securing a ceasefire that extends beyond Ramadan and to increase the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates // The ceasefire must always be permanent and sustainable#Gaza_under_attack#CeasefireNow#Palestine#Israeliwarcrimes pic.twitter.com/vR9DfJYstK

— State of Palestine - MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) March 25, 2024

Algeria

Amar Bendjama, Algeria's ambassador to the UN, said the council was "finally shouldering its responsibility as the primary organ responsible for maintaining international peace and security" and "responding to the calls of the international community".

"We look forward to the commitment and the compliance of the Israeli occupying power with this resolution for them to put an end to the bloodbath without any conditions to end the suffering of the Palestinian people."

Bahrain

The Kingdom of Bahrain has also welcomed the UNSC's resolution, saying the resolution was a "pivotal step towards a permanent ceasefire, providing protection for civilians, and opening safe and sustainable humanitarian corridors…especially food, medical and relief supplies, and rejecting the forced displacement of the population", Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The ministry also reiterated the kingdom's "unequivocal position" call to end the war on Gaza, accept Palestine as a full member of the United Nations, and grant Palestine their "legitimate" right to establish an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital, by the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative and international legitimacy resolutions.

Egypt

Egypt has also welcomed the UNSC resolution, with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying in a statement: "The Arab Republic of Egypt welcomes the Security Council's adoption of a resolution demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during the month of Ramadan—for the first time since the beginning of the crisis and following the Security Council's repeated inability to reach a resolution demanding a permanent ceasefire."

The ministry also added the country's call for an "immediate implementation of the ceasefire".

Qatar

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the resolution. In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, the ministry hopes the resolution will permanently cease hostilities in the strip.

Statement | Qatar Welcomes UN Security Council resolution Calling for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan#MOFAQatar pic.twitter.com/9GjGkbV7mL

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 25, 2024

Iraq

The Iraqi foreign ministry has welcomed the resolution, stressing the importance of the parties' complying with international law, expanding the flow of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians, and enhancing their protection.

"The Ministry reiterate its calls on the international community to assume its responsibility towards stopping the Israeli occupation's attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip and affirm the necessity of ending the suffering of the Palestinian people and enabling them to obtain their rights of living in safety," the Foreign Ministry added.

Jordan

Jordan's foreign ministry spokesperson, Sufian Qudah, has welcomed the resolution and hopes it will end the hostilities.

Qudah also stressed that Israel must adhere to the decision and highlighted the significance of the resolution as a foundation for future peace efforts.

Kuwait

The State of Kuwait welcomed the resolution, reaffirming its position in supporting Palestine, and its political right and right to self-determination, and establishing an independent state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The ministry also condemned the UNSC for its inability to carry out its responsibilities to stop the war on Gaza during the past five months.

Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the resolution, saying the decision "constitutes the first step towards halting Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip", while calling on Israel to implement the provisions of the resolution, providing Palestinians with aid and assistance.

The minister also renewed his call on countries to exert pressure on Israel to stop its bombardment against southern Lebanon.

Somalia

Somalia has applauded the UNSC's call for an immediate ceasefire, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, as a "crucial advancement towards enhancing peace and stability in the region" and called on all stakeholders to ensure the resolution's success.

The statement, posted on X, reads: "Somalia vehemently advocates for an end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip, the safe return of displaced individuals to their homes and the realization of a viable two-state solution."

#Somalia welcomes #UNSC Resolution No. 2728, concerning the #Gaza situation, applauding its call for an immediate ceasefire, particularly during #Ramadan, as a crucial advancement towards enhancing peace and stability in the region.
🔗➡ https://t.co/iFCGHKh5d1#Somali #Palestine pic.twitter.com/MdnsIsEgb5

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇸🇴 (@MOFASomalia) March 25, 2024

Libya

Libya has also welcomed the resolution, highlighting the country's support for Palestine and their pursuit of an independent state, and calling on the international community to fulfill their responsibility towards Israel's war on Gaza.

"Libya's steadfast stance in all Arab and international forums calling for effective action to achieve a permanent and lasting cessation of aggression against Gaza and contribute to alleviating the suffering of Palestinians," the statement read.

Oman

Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the resolution in a statement, affirming the country's support for all UN resolutions related to establishing peace in the region and calling on the Security Council to implement its resolutions, protect Palestinian civilians, and recognise the state of Palestine following international law.

Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomed the resolution in a statement on X.

The country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs renewed its call on the international community to take responsibility for stopping Israel's war on Gaza and the necessity of ending the suffering of the Palestinian people, and providing them with hope. It also emphasised the need for the creation of an independent Palestinian state.

#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the issuance of the UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the holy month of Ramadan, leading to a permanent and sustainable ceasefire, and the release of all hostages. pic.twitter.com/XUlPxHpv7E

— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) March 25, 2024

Tunisia

The Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the UNSC resolution, calling for the importance of respecting the decision and to implement it "immediately and conditionally" while also calling for the protection of Palestinian civilians and to put an end to the siege.

The ministry also called for the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza as well as stressing the "legal and moral duty and responsibility" to end the war and give Palestinians the right to an independent state.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE has "strongly welcomed" the UNSC's adoption of a resolution with the hope it will lead to the end of the war in Gaza.

The nation also stressed the importance of returning to negotiations for a two-state solution while affirming that the UAE will continue to intensify efforts to end the suffering in Gaza with its partners.

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2024-03-26T15:25:09 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886765 https://www.newarab.com/news/australian-broadcaster-under-scrutiny-pro-israel-bias <![CDATA[Australian broadcaster under scrutiny for 'pro-Israel' bias]]> Australia's top broadcaster has come under fire for showing a "pro-Israel bias" in its reporting of the Israel-Gaza war, according to internal documents, which come as the outlet reels under accusations of unlawfully sacking a senior journalist.

The documents, first reported by Al Jazeera, show that staff members at Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) were concerned that coverage was "favouring the Israeli narrative over objective reporting".

It noted that ABC's reporting on the conflict does not include the words 'war crimes', 'genocide', 'ethnic cleansing', 'apartheid' or 'occupation' to describe Israel's actions in Gaza or the West Bank, but freely uses 'terrorist', 'barbaric', 'savage' and 'massacre' when describing Hamas' 7 October attack.

The concerns are detailed in a three-page summary of a meeting reported to have taken place in November, a month after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.

The letter is signed by "Concerned ABC journalists and staff" and addressed to "managers and colleagues". Al Jazeera said it obtained a copy through a freedom of information request to the ABC.

In January, the broadcaster came under pressure for allegedly unlawfully sacking journalist Antionette Lattouf after the radio presenter shared a report on her social media from Human Rights Watch alleging that Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza.

The Sydney Morning Herald later revealed that a pro-Israel lobbying group had written several letters to ABC's executive, including chair Ita Buttrose, calling for Lattouf's dismissal.

The meeting document shows several details highlighted by the staff members which suggest that the network has favoured an Israeli narrative of the conflict.

"We mention the number of Israeli hostages in many stories, but we never mention the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israel."

"We regularly quote sources referring to highly contested claims made by Israel, but not those made by Palestinians and their supporters," the letter detailed.

It also shows that ABC journalists are allowed to use 'Palestinians' but not 'Palestine' despite the United Nations recognition of the State of Palestine.

"This alone is a clear message sent by the ABC to all our audiences that we are in fact taking a side. It violates our impartiality, because it is the Israeli narrative and the Israeli narrative alone, which denies the existence of Palestine."

The staff said there was an "explicit distrust of Palestinian sources" and acceptance of Israeli facts and figures "with no ifs or buts".

"Several examples were given during yesterday's meeting highlighting our tendency to afford Israeli spokespeople a wide berth to tell and shape a story, virtually unchallenged, while distrusting Palestinian/Arab sources," the letter read.

It goes on to voice alarm that ABC's coverage of the war is at risk of losing public trust and risks "further decreasing audience numbers".

The revelations come against a backdrop of controversies embroiling the outlet in relation to its coverage of the five-month-old conflict.

Last week, a second vote of no-confidence in ABC's Managing Director David Anderson was held by Australia’s Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance union over the sacking of Lattouf.

The Australian-Lebanese writer and broadcaster was abruptly dismissed three days into a five-day contract to present ABC Radio Sydney in December.

She subsequently lodged a case against ABC alleging unfair termination, and that she was sacked for race reasons which the broadcaster has denied.

ABC has argued that she was not sacked and paid for the shifts she carried out.

Lawyer Josh Bornstein, who is representing Lattouf, said the unlawful termination was based "on both political opinion and race".

However, Lattouf lost an appeal in February that sought to force the broadcaster to reveal the emails relating to her dismissal between executives.

A series of WhatsApp messages published in Australian media in January revealed that a group called 'Lawyers for Israel' had written several letters to ABC executives complaining about Lattouf and calling for her to be fired.

She was one of more than 100 journalists in Australia who signed a letter calling for greater scrutiny of the reporting of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Australia's media has traditionally shown favour towards Israel, as have its political establishment, for many years.

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2024-03-26T15:21:49 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886885 https://www.newarab.com/news/two-moscow-attack-suspects-travelled-freely-because-no-arrest-warrant-turkish-official <![CDATA[Two Moscow attack suspects travelled 'freely' because no arrest warrant: Turkish official]]> A Turkish security official on Tuesday said two of the Moscow concert hall attack suspects travelled "freely" to Russia as no arrest warrants were issued against them.

Russian authorities detained 11 people in connection with Friday's attack, which saw camouflaged gunmen storm into Crocus City Hall, open fire on concert-goers and set the building ablaze, killing at least 139 people.

Two of those, Tajik nationals Rachabalizoda Saidakrami and Shamsidin Fariduni, "were able to travel freely between Russia and Turkey since there was no warrant for their arrest", the official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The two had both spent time in Turkey shortly before the attack and entered Russia together on the same flight from Istanbul, the official said.

The Islamic State group has said it was responsible for the Moscow attack, and IS-affiliated media channels have published graphic videos of the gunmen inside the venue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday acknowledged for the first time that "radical Islamists" were behind last week's attack at the concert hall, but suggested they were linked to Ukraine.

Turkish authorities, meanwhile, have rounded up scores of suspects with alleged links to IS extremists in nationwide raids, a government minister said on Tuesday.

During simultaneous raids carried out in 30 cities across the country, 147 suspects were detained, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on social media.

'Radicalised in Russia'

Turkish authorities established that one suspect, Fariduni, entered Turkey on 20 February and returned to Russia via Istanbul airport on 2 March.

The suspect checked into a hotel in Istanbul's conservative Fatih neighbourhood on 21 February and checked out six days later.

During his initial questioning, he admitted to have travelled to Turkey because his visa in Russia had expired, according to the Turkish official.

Fariduni posted eight times on his social media account on 23 February, with the location set as "Aksaray Istanbul", and the pictures apparently showing the Fatih Mosque, the official said.

The other suspect, Saidakrami, arrived in Istanbul on 5 January. He checked into a hotel in Fatih the same day and checked out on 21 January.

He then returned to Moscow on 2 March on the same flight as Fariduni, according to the Turkish official.

"We assess that both individuals became radicalised in Russia given the short amount of time they spent in Turkey," he told AFP.

The official said Turkey would continue to fight all terror groups including IS, "without interruption".

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the deadly Moscow attack in a phone call with Putin last weekend, with whom he has forged close ties.

Erdogan told Putin Turkey was ready to cooperate with Moscow in the fight against terror, according to his office.

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2024-03-26T14:40:40 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886827 https://www.newarab.com/opinion/dont-call-it-israel-palestine-why-language-matters <![CDATA['Don't call it Israel-Palestine': Why language matters]]> Amid gruesome graphic images streaming out of Gaza for months, it seems something as rarefied and minute as a hyphen doesn’t matter.

Who cares about punctuation when more than 32,000 Palestinians men, women, and children are being slaughtered by Israeli bombs, tanks, and snipers every day, not to mention lack of food, water, medicine, electricity, and the list goes on.

Do we not have bigger things to worry about than language?

We do, in fact, need to worry about words. This genocide comes at the tail-end of decades of a dehumanisation campaign that starts with words (witness Israeli politicians calling Palestinians “human animals”), and all the trappings around them - such as punctuation. Punctuation is a subtle meaning-maker and eye-guide, helping us navigate the thickets of text.

Tragically, dots and dashes played a key role in the illegal occupation of Palestine, but they can also contribute to its liberation. Language matters, and detail does. Here’s why.

"Dots and dashes played a key role in the illegal occupation of Palestine, but they can also contribute to its liberation"

Punctuation, like any human thing, had to be invented at some point by someone, discerning the need to divide text into manageable parts, flagging up grammatical relationships, as well as sensible places for pausing and breathing.

Just because the necessity for commas and colons seems obvious now doesn’t mean that it has always been so: the history of punctuation in ancient languages and in the West has been a sinuous one of millennia.

Its counterpart in non-Western languages like Arabic is decidedly younger.

For over a thousand years, Arabic got along with two kinds of punctuation: the Quranic recitation notes, as well as a vast array of idiosyncratic symbols separating and decorating text such as a stylized flower, eye, or teardrop.

This ornamentation merely held paragraphs apart but gave no more nuanced indications as to syntactical relationships within a sentence. Such light-touch punctuation meant Arabic remained a reserve for the highly-educated, so well-trained that they didn’t need any further crutches in the form of question marks or commas.

Owing to their full array of punctuation aids for inexperienced readers, European languages seemed more accessible without excessive schooling. By the end of the nineteenth century, the overbearing presence of French in its North-African colonies and the French-influenced levant had Arab literati concerned about foreign discourse choking off writing in Arabic.

They proposed a language reform, at the forefront of which was punctuation.

In 1893, Lebanese writer Zeynab Fawwaz suggested importing those “signs that add a hidden meaning incommunicable by words” in an article for the Egyptian newspaper al-Fata.

Punctuation was a key to unlock the treasured mysteries of the text. Urdu perfectly captures this magical power in its term for punctuation, ramoz-e okaf, “code of signs”.

After some experimentation with completely novel marks, writers like Ahmad Zaki simply imported the French repertoire wholesale, turning the face of the comma and question mark around in keeping with the direction of Arabic script from right to left like so: ؟.

Tragically, however, at the same time as Zaynab Fawwaz and colleagues sought ways to reform text in Arabic through punctuation with the express goal of stilling the wave of writing in European languages, that very same punctuation became a tool for colonial oppression nearby: in Palestine.

Settler-colonialism in Palestine started much earlier than the holocaust: throughout the nineteenth century, Jewish Europeans fled persecution at home, pledging allegiance to the British-led project of a Jewish nation state in the Middle East.

While Palestinian Jews spoke Arabic like their neighbours, the foreign settlers arrived with their multitude of languages, unable to communicate with one another. Creating one shared unifying speech was at the heart of the Zionist endeavour, yet Hebrew was not a spoken language but reserved for worship, literature, and law.

Rather than biblical Hebrew, Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe spoke Yiddish, a mixture of German, Slavic languages, and Hebrew.

"Most media outlets will push the two sides into uncomfortable textual proximity by writing about the 'Israeli-Palestinian' conflict. But the hyphen suggests an equality that is uncalled for"

But Yiddish was not elevated enough for early Zionists. There needed to be a Hebrew revival turning a language that had lain dormant for thousands of years into a modern spoken and written version that contained words like “newspaper” or “car”.

Linguist Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, who had experienced violent anti-semitic attacks in Russia, made it his life’s work to provide the budding Zionist state with its national language.

He settled in Palestine in 1881, raising his son entirely in yet-broken Hebrew as the first native speaker after thousands of years. Ben-Yehuda invented words, encouraging Jewish newspapers and schools around the world to promote his Frankenstein-language.

Just like Zaynab Fawwaz, Ben-Yehuda understood that Hebrew readers would need dots and dashes to navigate its written complexities. And, just like his Arab counterparts, he imported punctuation wholesale from European languages.

The curious – and crucial – difference, though, is how those marks prove both the artificial nature of Hebrew and its foreign origins: Arabic and Hebrew are from the same semitic language family. They’re written from right to left, and both lack vowel systems.

Arabic native-speakers truly adapted punctuation by turning the question mark and comma around. Early Zionists, however, stuck to their native Polish and German, allowing the marks to face the “wrong” way until today: ?מה שלומך (“How are you?”). Quotation marks also stuck around in their German fashion until the 1970s, the opening pair at the bottom of the line, the closing pair at the top.

Their faces turned towards Europe, Hebrew punctuation marks come as relics of settler colonialism.

Even after more than a century of aiding and abetting occupation, punctuation still has a troublesome role to play in how we talk about Palestine.

Most media outlets will push the two sides into uncomfortable textual proximity by writing about the "Israeli-Palestinian" conflict. But the hyphen suggests an equality that is uncalled for.

Hyphens provide bridges, connecting words in order to create an intimate bond owing to some inherent or desired attraction. Such word-sharing becomes offensive in the context of Israel’s decades long brutal occupation and settler colonialism, when goliath seeks to exterminate the David.

The hyphen falsifies grossly imbalanced power relationships, subtly getting our eyes used to the implication that the two sides are equal, that one is referring to the same neutral entity, just under a different name.

Encounter this spelling often enough, experience it seeping into your subconscious, and you will start to believe it.

"There is no innocent punctuation. Punctuation is what we make it"

Instead of the equalising hyphen, an increasing number of institutions like the Red Cross or Human Rights Watch and Zionism-critical magazines like Jewish Currents have adopted the forward slash as preferred punctuation with which to hold apart the coloniser and the colonised: “Israel/Palestine” replaces the hyphenated version in order to highlight the separate nature of the two while alluding to the same geographical location.

The forward slash establishes an effective visual barrier, not only clearly distinguishing between settler and native, but also reclaiming Israel’s racially segregating West Bank wall. At least on the page.

There is no innocent punctuation. Punctuation is what we make it. It either drives or destroys colonisation.

The devil, in this case, is indeed in the detail. Let’s attend to the small print. Let’s forward-slash.

Dr Florence Hazrat is a researcher of language and literature. She published a biography of the exclamation mark, and writes a newsletter on the role of punctuation in daily life.

Follow her on X (Twitter): @FlorenceHazrat

Have questions or comments? Email us at: editorial-english@newarab.com

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.

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2024-03-26T14:17:41 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886567 https://www.newarab.com/news/algeria-pushes-palestine-full-membership-un <![CDATA[Algeria pushes for Palestine full membership at UN ]]> Algeria vows to secure permanent full membership for Palestine in the United Nations (UN) following the adoption of the long-awaited ceasefire resolution in the Gaza Strip.

"Algeria will soon return to address the Security Council, once again, to ensure that Palestine is in its rightful place as a full member of the United Nations," said Algerian representative to the UN, Amar Ben Jamai, on Monday.

Palestine has been accepted as an observer state of the United Nations General Assembly in November 2012. As of 2 June 2023, 139 of the 193 UN member states have recognised the State of Palestine.

The United Nations Security Council passed its first resolution on Monday, urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as the United States refrained from exercising its veto power, in a shift from its stance in the past months.

The resolution, supported by 14 members, "calls for an immediate ceasefire during the month of Ramadan," which ends in two weeks. It also demands "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" held by Hamas since 7 October.

"The bloodbath has continued for far too long," said Amar Bendjama, the ambassador from Algeria, the Arab bloc's current Security Council member and a sponsor of the resolution.

Israel has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians since 7 October, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Meanwhile, more than 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and conditions under Israeli siege and bombardment have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine, according to the UN.

While the new resolution remains 'a positive' step after almost six months of bloodshed, human rights activists continue to pressure for a permanent ceasefire in the strip as the sole solution to end the massacring of Palestinian people.

Algeria has tried to pass several permanent ceasefire resolutions in the strip for months. However, the US had repeatedly blocked such resolutions that put pressure on Tel Aviv to end its assault on Gaza, blaming Hamas instead for the ongoing war in the strip.

Russia has also tried to push for using the word "permanent" regarding the ceasefire. It had complained that dropping the word could allow Israel "to resume its military operation in the Gaza Strip at any moment" after Ramadan, which ends on 9 April.

Meanwhile, Algeria has assured that the ceasefire resolution marks just the initial step toward fulfilling the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

It has also held the Security Council responsible for compelling Israel "to comply with this resolution, to immediately stop the killing, unconditionally, and to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people."

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2024-03-26T14:08:59 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3885841 https://www.newarab.com/news/iran-russia-china-behind-conspiracies-kate-middleton <![CDATA[Iran, Russia, China 'behind conspiracies' on Kate Middleton]]> Iran, China, and Russia have been accused of being behind "wild conspiracies" about Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, in a bid to "destabilise" the UK.

Questions about the health of the princess have spread online since she disappeared from public view in December with Kate revealing on Friday evening that she is being treated for cancer.

This silence and a photoshopped image of Kate released by the palace before this revelation led to a slurry of online rumours about her fate with the UK government saying that hostile states have taken advantage of the confusion.

"Part of the modus operandi of hostile states is to destabilise things – whether that is undermining the legitimacy of our elections or other institutions," a senior government source told The Telegraph.

The government has been alarmed by disinformation being spread online about Kate Middleton, even after she told the nation she has cancer in a video address, and particularly about "hostile powers" being involved in the campaign.

Social media analysts have noted bots are likely used on salacious stories on the royals and given the sensitive position they hold in British public life, believe hostile parties, such as Russia, could be behind some of the disinformation.

Fears about foreign interference via social media are particularly high at present in the UK as it is an election year, with local elections taking place in May and a general election at some point in 2024.

UK Foreign Minister David Cameron has accused Iran and its proxies of contributing to an "extremely high" level of "danger and insecurity", The Telegraph reported.

British MPs have also raised the issue of alleged Iranian interference in elections and using social media to spread propaganda.

The possibility of Chinese interference in the general election has been raised by Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, while the UK is preparing new sanctions on Chinese figures accused of meddling in UK politics, including with the leak of voters' details.

"The Government has regular and ongoing dialogue with social media companies to discuss a range of issues including disinformation," a government spokesperson told the British daily.

"We are also working across government to ensure we are ready to respond to threats, including through our Defending Democracy Taskforce.

"When fully implemented, under the Online Safety Act, platforms will be required to swiftly remove illegal misinformation and disinformation as soon as they become aware of it."

Iran has also accused the UK of interference in its domestic affairs and issued tit-for-tat sanctions on British officials.

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2024-03-26T13:46:02 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3859901 https://www.newarab.com/analysis/how-displaced-palestinians-face-limited-access-eu-asylum <![CDATA[How displaced Palestinians face limited access to EU asylum]]> After the 7th of October, Palestinians living under UNRWA’s five areas of operations (Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan) face unprecedented risks.

Not only are their lives being threatened by daily shelling and attacks in Gaza - more than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed in Israel's war, including 13,000 children - but their most fundamental rights to enjoy asylum are also at stake.

“If Israel succeeds in opening the borders to Egypt, massive displacement can become real with secondary influx to Libya and to Europe,” Lex Takkenberg, advisor with the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and non-resident professor at Fordham University, told The New Arab.

According to him, the potential scale of displacement could be bigger than the 2015 crisis - when millions of Syrians escaping the war sought refuge in neighboring countries and in Europe.

“The EU should be mindful that in this case we are talking about five areas of origin where UNRWA has operations. Even in Jordan stability would be at risk,” Takkenberg added.

"If Israel succeeds in opening the borders to Egypt, massive displacement can become real, with a secondary influx to Libya and to Europe"

In October and December, Israel announced evacuation orders for more than a million Palestinians trapped in Gaza and established 'safe zones', but aid delivery led by Israel has been a disaster with recurrent episodes of crowds of civilians stamped and being shot at.

“In this evacuation plan, why there are no safe zones also in the West Bank and inside Israel?”, Special Rapporteur for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, questioned during an online seminar held by Oxford University Refugee Study Center this month.

In the south of Gaza, the border with Egypt is currently allowing restricted passage of Palestinians “cleared” by Israeli security. Fees involved in the crossing have been abusively increasing - up to $ 10,000 - and are being managed by private actors to the detriment of national authorities.

Feeble response from Arab states

While Egypt has signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, it excludes Palestinian refugees, based on concerns for their right to return to Palestine, while the UNHCR (the UN agency for refugees) has a limited space of operations in Egypt.

“Durable solutions do not exclude the right of return. Palestinians cannot be held hostage to infinite cycles of displacement and dispossession,” said Takkenberg, in reference to the UN framework for solutions for refugees, which includes return to the country of origin, integration in the host country, or resettlement in a third location.

In practice since the establishment of Israel, Palestinians have enjoyed rights similar to nationals only in Jordan. Syria has also extended rights to work, education and health, as well as to travel, for Palestinians, while in Lebanon they still cannot own property, work in several professions, or have full access to health and education.

“I don’t see Arab states doing much for Palestine at the moment. South Africa is doing instead,” noted Albanese in reference to the ongoing proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) initiated by the African country against Israel in December last year.

While historically Arab states have recognised the State of Palestine and hosted Palestinian refugees, they have come up with a common set of standards for the treatment of Refugees in 1965: the Casablanca Protocol.

The Protocol regulates the right to work on par with citizens, the right to leave and return, the issuance of travel documents, and the right to equal treatment to citizens of the League of Arab States (LAS).

“The League needs to live up to their commitment under the Casablanca Protocol and provide Palestinians with all the rights guarantees under the Protocol. This reminder is more urgent than ever in light of the mass killing and destruction in Gaza, but also in light of the increased settler and IDF violence against Palestinians in the West Bank,” argued Susan Akram professor of Law at Boston University in an interview with The New Arab.

"Durable solutions do not exclude the right of return. Palestinians cannot be held hostage to infinite cycles of displacement and dispossession"

The UNRWA factor

UNRWA, the UN agency overseeing aid to Palestinians, has since 1950 been considered a stability factor in the Middle East. While not fully assuming a protection role, UNRWA has been crucial in delivering daily life-saving relief and services.

Since 7 October, the agency has been subject to major defunding from 16 donor states and increased limitations to its operations, orchestrated by Israel in Gaza and in the West Bank. As a result, UNRWA has said it could cease operating by the end of February or early March, if funding isn’t renewed.

“There is a clear campaign to extinguish UNRWA especially in the Occupied Territories,” said Special Rapporteur Albanese.

This translates into putting Palestinian refugees at dire risk, with around 5.7 million recognised as refugees under UNRWA. Most were displaced during the Nakba in 1948 with the creation of the State of Israel, and many have endured further displacement in 1967, in the 1970s, and more recently after 2011 with the Syrian conflict.

“The cuts to UNRWA's funding by its biggest donors also have serious ramifications for UNRWA's services to Palestinian refugees in all of its service areas, not only to Gazans; Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are also affected,” said Professor Susan Akram.

As Israeli allegations were not supported by evidence, Canada, Sweden, and Australia have re-committed to resuming payments to UNRWA, while other countries have increased donations.

“However, the US provides approximately half of all UNRWA's revenue, so the loss of that single source of aid is hugely consequential,” added Professor Akram.

The agency, in fact, has been suffering from chronic funding issues long before the current crisis, and the calls for its reform have centered around a revised mandated focused on protection and advocacy towards Palestinians right of return, compensation and restitution.

“Everything is up in the air since the 7th of October, but the 2016 New York Declaration has reiterated Palestinians rights of return, and it is an opportunity for a paradigm shift,” affirmed Takkenberg.

Europe's response

In January, with the escalation of violence in Gaza, the EU Court of Justice (CJEU) in a groundbreaking move advised that Palestinians can apply for asylum in Europe arguing that assistance from the UN agency has “ceased”.

This means that Palestinians can apply for refugee status without having to prove that they are specifically targeted. The fact that there is no safety in Gaza is sufficient to prove their eligibility for protection.

“The Advocate General's Opinion at the CJEU is an extremely important application of the Court’s jurisprudence on Article 1D and Palestinian claims as stateless refugees,” explained professor Akram.

“This is an enormous relief for Palestinians from Gaza in Europe, who in reality have nowhere to return, and an affirmation that there is nowhere safe in Gaza, let alone anywhere within UNRWA's areas of operation.”

Despite the CJEU opinion, the situation is still quite messy among European countries at the moment. “There is inconsistent application of asylum policies and registry, incurring in risks of invisibility even,” said Takkenberg.

Examples range from recent cases of Palestinians from Gaza in The Netherlands facing challenges for requesting family reunification after immigration authorities announced a freeze on requests, to UK courts granting asylum to a Palestinian citizen of Israel on the grounds of his race, faith and the “apartheid regime” in Israel.

“It would be crucial to have a focal point at European Council of Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) for unifying procedures and advise on policy,” added Takkenberg.

Safeguarding Palestinian refugees’ right of asylum could also be an opportunity for Europe to recognise both its former responsibilities as a colonising power in the Middle East and the Palestinian right of return.

“The UK and other governments can recognise Palestinian nationality and re-commit to their right to return as nationals of Palestine per the Lausanne Treaty of 1924 and Britain's own codification of that treaty during the mandate in the British Palestine Citizenship Orders of 1925,” said Akram.

For Special Rapporteur Albanese, international power dynamics ongoing in Palestine are emblematic of the Global South-Global North relation.

“This settler-colonial practice and mindset, from European countries and the US, is unacceptable,” she said.

Carolina Montenegro is a journalist based between Italy and The Netherlands who specialises in International Refugee Law.

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2024-03-26T12:59:36 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886433 https://www.newarab.com/features/no-work-gaza-starts-full-time-job-staying-alive <![CDATA[With no work, Gaza starts the full-time job of staying alive]]> "Sometimes I wake up and think my dreams have come true. But then I remember that I live in Gaza," sighs Yousef Almassri, a recent graduate of IT.

"Today Gaza is like a graveyard. Israel has crushed our hopes and dreams, and finding work is nearly impossible. There's no peace, no employment, and nothing good to hold onto."

Before the war started, Yousef had his heart set on a career in IT. "I love the world of apps and working with clients around the world. In a place like Gaza, remote working is often the best option," Yousef explains. "But now even freelancing is impossible."

"What am I guilty of? Is it because I'm a Palestinian born in Gaza?"

More than 200,000 jobs in Gaza have been lost since Israel's onslaught began, leaving Yousef and many others deeply worried about their future. "My livelihood has come to a grinding halt," says Youssef, the sadness evident on his face. "There hasn't been steady electricity for more than five months. I haven't even charged my laptop."

Gaza forced to go offline

Internet connection remains unreliable across the Gaza Strip with frequent internet and communication blackouts. Such instability has rendered Yousef's IT skills useless. "IT freelance work used to be a major source of income for my family due to my father's low salary and my brother's tuition fees. Now we lack any means of support and no help to meet our needs.

"How can I support my family members who are dying before my eyes? If we're not killed by the bombs, we'll die from a lack of food," Yousef sobbed, tears flooding down his cheeks.

Feeling guilty about not leaving Gaza

Alaa Badah, a third-year pharmacy student, lives a stone's throw away from Yousef. And like her neighbour, Alaa is deeply concerned about her future and is filled with guilt and regret.

"Three years ago, my aunt's husband suggested that I marry his son who lives in a different country and continue my studies," Alaa told The New Arab.

"I turned him down as I wanted to finish my studies in Gaza. But staying here has ended up being an awful decision. I still feel so guilty, even though I don't want to live away from my parents or leave my country."

In Gaza, when one conflict comes to a close another opens, forcing students like Alaa to focus on staying financially afloat and alive rather than studying or being creative. Israeli bombs have already flattened Alaa's university campus, killing professors and destroying her department's facilities. 

Left with a sour taste

Mahmoud Matouq, the owner of the now-destroyed Matouq's restaurant in Gaza, wistfully recalls the sights and sounds of his packed establishment. "I still remember the way the shadow of the restaurant would be illuminated by different colours. It was a popular restaurant going back generators and visitors used to have a good time. Now these memories haunt me."

Israel's five-month assault on Gaza not only targets so-called military installations but also civilian infrastructure, with business owners like Mahmoud losing everything he has. In Gaza, where over 50% of Palestinians lack a source of income, such devastation quickly scuppers the Gazan's aspirations. 

"They set fire to my restaurant and they burned my soul along with it. "What am I guilty of? Is it because I'm a Palestinian born in Gaza?" Mahmoud sighed, his voice tinged with hopelessness. 

Eman Alhaj Ali is a Gazan-based journalist, writer, and translator from the Al-Maghazi Refugee Camp

Follow her on X: @EmanAlhajAli1

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2024-03-26T12:43:56 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886263 https://www.newarab.com/news/us-francis-scott-key-bridge-collapses-after-ship-collision <![CDATA[US: Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses after ship collision]]> A major bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed early on Tuesday after being struck by a container ship, sending multiple vehicles and people plunging into the frigid harbour below.

Dramatic footage showed a 300-metre vessel hitting the Francis Scott Key Bridge in the state of Maryland, bringing the steel-built structure crashing into the Patapsco River.

Lights from what appear to be vehicles could be seen on the road surface as the bridge warped and crashed in sections, with the third tranche cantilevering upwards before it, too, tumbled into the water.

As daylight broke over the search-and-rescue operation with divers in the water looking for survivors, the horrifying extent of the incident became apparent.

Twisted stanchions of steel lay draped over the deck of the ship, on which stacks of containers teetered precariously – adding a further dimension of danger to rescue and recovery work.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the incident was an "unthinkable tragedy," adding: "We have to be thinking about the families and people impacted, folks who we have to try to find."

He described images of the collision as "like something out of an action movie".

The footage appeared to show the ship going dark twice in the moments before the collision, possibly indicating some kind of power failure on board.

There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the disaster, but Baltimore's Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there was "no indication" of terrorism.

The White House said there was "no indication of any nefarious intent".

It said: "Our hearts go out to the families of those who remain missing as a result of this horrific incident... Senior White House officials are in touch with the governor and mayor to offer any federal assistance they need."

Baltimore is home to one of the busiest ports in the United States, handling around $80 billion worth of cargo last year, including a large volume of vehicles.

If the bridge's collapse hampers access to the Port of Baltimore, it could have a significant economic impact.

Maryland's transportation secretary, Paul Wiedefeld, told reporters that "vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore is suspended until further notice", adding that the facility was "still open for truck transactions".

A huge emergency response swung into action after the collision, which happened around 01:30 local time (05:30 GMT), with first response vehicles crowding the shoreline.

Water temperatures were around 9 Celsius (48 Fahrenheit), narrowing the window of survivability.

Baltimore's fire chief James Wallace said sonar had "detected the presence of vehicles" in the harbour, but declined to estimate how many.

One person was taken to hospital in "a very serious condition," he said, adding a second person recovered from the water was uninjured.

"We may be looking for upwards of seven individuals," he said.

The container ship that crashed into the bridge "lost propulsion" as it was leaving port, and crew on board notified Maryland officials they had lost control of the vessel, ABC News reported, citing an unclassified US intelligence report.

"The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel and a collision with the bridge was possible," ABC quoted the report by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as saying.

"The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse."

'Sound of thunder'

A man who identified himself as a former Baltimore fire department worker said he could see the bridge from his bedroom window.

"We were awakened by what appeared to be an earthquake and a long, rolling sound of thunder," he told local media.

"I saw some emergency lights in the area and decided to drive up… what was in progress was a multi-jurisdictional response to a disaster."

The 1.6-mile (2.6-kilometre), four-lane bridge spans the Patapsco River southwest of Baltimore.

It opened in 1977 and carries more than 11 million vehicles a year, around 31,000 a day.

It is a major part of the road network around Baltimore, an industrial city on the US East Coast next to the capital Washington.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency, a move that will ease the release of federal resources.

Shipping giant Maersk said the "DALI", which was en route from Baltimore to Colombo in Sri Lanka, was being operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group, and carrying cargo belonging to Maersk customers.

"We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected," a Maersk statement said.

"We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed."

All crew, as well as pilots – the specialised mariners who navigate vessels around port areas – have been accounted for with no reports of any injuries, Synergy said.

"Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response," US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said on social media.

(AFP, Reuters)

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2024-03-26T12:41:52 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886345 https://www.newarab.com/news/why-algeria-holding-presidential-elections-early <![CDATA[Why is Algeria holding presidential elections early?]]> Algeria has announced that it will hold presidential elections earlier than usual, sparking suspicion about the state of political rule in the North African country.

The brief release published on Thursday, 21 March, reads: "It was decided to hold an early presidential election, scheduled for Saturday, 7 September 2024. The electoral body will be convened on 8 June 2024."

However, it did not further articulate the reasons for advancing the elections by three months.

The announcement was made shortly after a meeting chaired by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, attended by the Prime Minister, the heads of both chambers of Parliament, the Chief of Staff of the Army, and the President of the Constitutional Court.

The decision has stirred up a storm in the country, prompting thousands of commentators to express their confusion on social media using the hashtag "Ma fhemna walou" ("We didn't understand anything").

Local media has shied away from delving into speculations on the surprise announcement amid the dire state of freedom of speech and the mass arrests of journalists and human rights activists in the country.

While advancing the election date under the Algerian constitution is perfectly legal, it's not common for the country's leadership to do so.

This would be the second time that the North African state held an early presidential election. The first time was in September 1998. However, President Liamine Zeroual asserted he would not be a candidate then.

Thursday's statement has not contained such clarification. However, many commentators already assume President Tebboune will not seek a second term.

"We don't have a crystal ball, but as things stand, Tebboune will not be a candidate," wrote Samir Larabi, a university professor and journalist, in a Facebook post, who assumed that the position stems from a "fragile position" of Algiers.

But who would be the candidates for Algeria's presidency?

After the Hirak, Algeria's uprising, the state retracted to an authoritarian rule where the army maintained influence, just like under the ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Today, Tebboune, 78, stands alone in the political scene while his opponents remain jailed or exiled.

The only rival candidacy announced so far is Zoubida Assoul, a lawyer and leader of the Union for Change and Progress (UCP), a small opposition party.

However, she must collect the signatures of 600 elected officials or 75,000 citizens to qualify for the race.

Advancing the elections will make her mission and that of any potential candidate harder – which has led to speculation that the announcement from the presidential palace was set to catch opponents off guard and ensure Tebboune's victory.

Meanwhile, some North African analysts speculate that the early elections are "another episode of Moroccan-Algerian rivalry."

"The presidency in Algeria understood that France, and notably President Macron, was turning away from Algeria to try to reconcile with Morocco and that a visit by the French president to Morocco was announced after Ramadan," added Kader Abderrahim, an expert in the Maghreb, in an interview with RFI.

Algeria's Tebboune is set to visit Paris "late September, early October." Holding an election in December would have meant having an Algerian president nearing the end of his term on an official visit to Paris – a president with no mandate to negotiate better terms with Parisة and with the risk of being accused of seeking the support of his country's former coloniser.

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2024-03-26T12:35:45 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886087 https://www.newarab.com/news/netanyahu-cancels-delegation-washington-over-us-unsc-vote <![CDATA[Netanyahu cancels delegation to Washington over US UNSC vote]]> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled an official delegation visit to Washington in response to the US' abstention in a UN Security Council vote on Monday calling for a Gaza ceasefire, in another sign of growing tensions between the two allies.

The US has vetoed almost every call for a Gaza ceasefire at the UN since the war began in October but on Monday allowed a motion for an 'immediate ceasefire' for the month of Ramadan by abstaining. The vote passed with the other 14 countries on the UNSC voting in favour, ending a long battle for unanamity on the issue with a round of applause from the chamber.

An Israeli delegation was due to head to the US to discuss plans for Israel’s expected offensive in Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where around 1.5 million displaced civilians are sheltering and living off meagre aid supplies.

But on Monday night, a statement from Netanyahu’s office claimed the US was harming Israel's stated aim of destroying Hamas, and that the vote undermined attempts to retrieve the around 100 captives in Gaza.

"In light of the change in the US position, PM Netanyahu decided that the delegation will remain in Israel," the statement read.

"Today's resolution gives Hamas hope that international pressure will force Israel to accept a ceasefire without the release of our hostages."

Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared the US decision was "a moral and ethical mistake" in an interview with Israel’s Army Radio on Tuesday.

In response, White House security advisor John Kirby described Netanyahu's decision as "disappointing" and said that the administration was "kind of perplexed by this" during a press briefing on Monday.

"It's a nonbinding resolution. So, there's no impact at all on Israel and Israel’s ability to continue to go after Hamas," Kirby said.

He added that the decision to abstain "does not represent a change at all in our policy", saying that the US did so because the motion did not condemn Hamas.

The disagreement comes while Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant is in Washington for meetings with top security aid Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Although the US is Israel's staunchest supporter, its brutal offensive in Gaza has become a point of contention in recent weeks.

There has been speculation that Washington might consider withholding military aid if a ground invasion to Rafah went ahead but Kirby on Monday said that the US is still providing Israel with "the capabilities they need to defend themselves".

He also said that the subject was one of the reasons for Gallant's visit.

Israel's near six-month war on Gaza has killed over 32,000 people and left the majority of the coastal enclave uninhabitable.

Earlier this month, a UN-backed report found that northern Gaza was submerged in famine-like conditions, while aid agencies have warned that thousands more will die if the Rafah invasion goes ahead.

The UN Security Council resolution, which was tabled by ten non-permanent members, called for an "immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan respected by all parties" which leads to "a lasting sustainable ceasefire".

It also demanded the immediate release of captives in Gaza and ensuring access to UN medical and humanitarian needs.

Netanyahu's decision to pull the Washington delegation will be taken as a clear sign of its unhappiness at the UN Security Council vote, which broke a five-month impasse in which the US vetoed several calls for ending the war.

The decision has also added to domestic tensions between Netanyahu and his war cabinet partners.

Senior Minister Benny Gantz said that the delegation should still go ahead, and that the premier should meet with President Biden.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Yair Lapid criticised the prime minister’s decision as "harmful" and "unnecessary" in a series of posts on X on Monday.

"There is one question we should ask ourselves about the crisis that Netanyahu has led to with the US: Is it good for Israel or bad for Israel? The unequivocal answer is: Bad for Israel," Lapid wrote.

He said Israel should coordinate with "the biggest power in the world and our most important ally".

Israel's war cabinet has been marked by bitter divisions between members while a key Israeli official quit the government on Tuesday.

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2024-03-26T12:11:08 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3885935 https://www.newarab.com/news/singapore-told-israel-erase-quran-gaza-settlements-post <![CDATA[Singapore told Israel to erase 'Quran' Gaza settlements post]]> Israel's embassy in Singapore  on Sunday deleted a social media post that used the Islamic holy book, the Quran, to justify Jewish settlements on Palestinian land, after orders from the Singaporean government.

The now-deleted post was on the embassy's official Facebook page, claiming that Israel is mentioned in the Quran 43 times while Palestine is not mentioned once.

It also cited "each and every archaeological evidence" that links Israel to the Jewish people and allegedly proves that they are the indigenous people of the land.

These comments were perceived as sanctioning illegal settlements by claiming the whole of historic Palestine, including the occupied West Bank and Gaza, as Israeli territory.

It was posted on the Israeli embassy's official Facebook page on Sunday and removed the same evening after uproar from the host country, The Straits Times reported.

Singapore's Law and Home Affairs Minister Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam called the post "completely unacceptable" and said he was "very upset" when he was informed about it.

Shanmugam also said he asked Singapore's foreign ministry to tell the Israeli embassy that the embassy must "immediately" take the post down.

"The post is wrong at many levels. First, it is insensitive and inappropriate, it undermines the safety and security and harmony in Singapore," Shanmugan said, saying this was why the government intervened, something they don't usually do.

"Posts like these can power inflamed tensions and can put the Jewish community here [in Singapore] at risk, the anger from the post can potentially spill over into the physical realm."

The minister also said it is wrong to "selectively" use religious texts to make a political point, especially during Israel's war on Gaza and an "astonishing" attempt to rewrite history.

He urged the writer of the post to look at the UN's resolutions to see if Israel's actions have been consistent with international law.  

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan also condemned the post, saying it was highly inappropriate.

A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy told The Straits Times that the post was put up without the "necessary approvals", and the person who published the post has been punished and will face further disciplinary action.

While Singapore had condemned the Hamas attacks on Israel, the country has also said that Israel's military response "has now gone too far" – where over 32,000 Palestinians have died and over 74,000 injured.

Israel continues to expand its settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal in international law.

The Israeli government has invested in building towns and expelled Palestinians with approximately 380,000 Israeli settlers living illegally in the West Bank, according to figures from Israeli human rights group B’tselem.

Since splitting from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore has fostered close diplomatic relations with Israel and developed extensive security cooperation.

Neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia have no relations with Israel and have strongly condemned the war on Gaza.

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2024-03-26T11:49:06 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886023 https://www.newarab.com/news/un-aid-chief-griffiths-step-down-june-health-reasons <![CDATA[UN aid chief Griffiths to step down in June for health reasons]]> United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths, who recently pushed for more humanitarian access to Gaza, plans to step down at the end of June for health reasons, a UN spokesperson said on Monday.

Griffiths is a British diplomat who has headed the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) since 2021.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, did not disclose the nature of Griffiths' health concerns.

"He advocated tirelessly for life-saving aid to reach those most in need and for the resources needed to do so," Haq said in a statement.

"A skilled diplomat and mediator, he has played a key role in leading the humanitarian response of United Nations and partners and negotiating solutions to some of the most intractable crises."

In a post on X, Griffiths said he had informed Guterres of his intention to step down in June but did not provide a reason for his decision.

"To everyone at @UNOCHA, it's been the privilege of my life. I am deeply in your debt," he wrote.

"To all partners and supporters, thank you for championing the cause of people in crises."

Griffiths had previously served as the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for Yemen, and as an adviser to all three of the UN Secretary-General's special envoys for Syria, among other roles.

(Reuters)

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2024-03-26T11:32:18 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3886091 https://www.newarab.com/news/palestine-activists-obstruct-greece-military-parade-gaza <![CDATA[Palestine activists obstruct Greece military parade for Gaza]]> Eight people were arrested in the Greek capital of Athens on Monday after a military parade celebrating the country's independence day was briefly obstructed by pro-Palestine activists, local media reported.

Footage showed protesters waving Palestinian flags and blocked the path of an army tank as it paraded down an Athens street before police rushed to tackle the activists.

Police removed the protesters to the side of the street, with footage showing at least one being dragged across the road.

Greece, once considered friendly to the Palestinian cause, backed Israel's onslaught on Gaza after Hamas' 7 October attack, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visiting his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in the first weeks of the Israeli bombardment and siege.

"I come here not just as an ally but as a true friend," Mitsotakis told Netanyahu during their 23 October meeting in Tel Aviv.

"Greece, from the very first moment, supported the right of Israel to defend itself in line with international law."

Notably, the Greek premier did not visit Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In the same month, Greece was among 45 states that abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an "immediate, durable, and sustained humanitarian truce" in Gaza, where around 10,000 people had been killed by Israeli forces at the time.

That figure has since risen to over 32,000 with the real death toll likely to be much higher.

Athens' stance appears to be at odds with large sections of Greece, where thousands have rallied in support of the Palestinians and protested against potential Greek military involvement.

After the first month of Israel's brutal assault on Gaza, Greece appeared to shift its rhetoric on the war in line with other European states, amid growing public pressure.

In November, Athens pressed the need to protect civilians, and in December backed a UN resolution calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire".

There have been mass protests in Europe against Israel's war on Gaza, with growing anger over the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians.

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2024-03-26T11:27:58 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3885827 https://www.newarab.com/features/sudan-conflict-has-become-death-wish-journalists <![CDATA[The Sudan conflict has become a 'death wish' for journalists]]> It was Fa'ez Abu Bakr's sense of duty that drove him to document military checkpoints in Sudan's war-stricken capital, Khartoum. Yet, for all his resolve, standing a few feet away from a checkpoint, Fa'ez still hoped for the best. 

"Rapid Support Forces (RSF) soldiers opened fire without warning. I was shot in the back before I could escape," the video journalist told The New Arab. "I was detained on charges of treason in June 2023 in a makeshift detention centre where I was tortured, beaten with clubs, and hosed down for two days before I was released."

Since the outbreak of hostilities between the paramilitary RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in April 2023, journalists have suffered escalating violations at the hands of both factions. Covering the conflict has now become a death wish. 

"It is obvious that both [the RSF and the SAF] show little concern for the freedom of the press and the lives of journalists documenting the civil war"

Fa'ez is among more than 249 Sudanese journalists who were documented victims of threats, torture, or death in the wake of the conflict, as per the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS).

“I left Sudan in December after the RSF took hold of Al-Jazirah state,” Fa'ez tells The New Arab. “I couldn’t feel secure after what happened, and so I packed my belongings and sought refuge in Kenya with the hope of returning one day to a Sudan that is safe and prosperous.”

Journalists in Sudan are caught in the crossfire

According to Fa'ez, neither side of the conflict acknowledges the notion of independent journalism, often levelling accusations against those who practice it, which puts the lives of journalists covering the war and its harrowing aftermath in grave danger.

“It is obvious that both [the RSF and the SAF] show little concern for the freedom of the press and the lives of journalists documenting the civil war,” Secretary of the SJS, Mohammed Abdulaziz, says. “The syndicate is applying pressure on both sides to respect these fundamental rights.”

According to Mohammed, SJS data revealed a surge in infractions against journalists in Khartoum and Darfur, where hundreds faced various injustices ranging from unlawful arrests to murder. The systemic targeting has forced the majority of media institutions to cease operations, leaving 90 percent of Sudanese journalists with unpaid dues and no viable source of income.

Fa'ez describes the financial situation of most journalists as precarious, with many having lost essential equipment such as cameras, microphones, and laptops.

“Since the start of the war, not a single institution has provided journalists with protective equipment such as bulletproof vests and helmets,” Mostafa Saeed, a photojournalist in Omudurman, one of the capital’s most populous cities, tells The New Arab. “We are also not receiving any financial compensation for the work we do.”

After an artillery shell reduced his family home to rubble, Mostafa had to leave Omudurman in Khartoum for the relatively safer Port Sudan in the Red Sea state.

“Working as a journalist in Omudurman was dangerous. There is no protection from either warring faction, and reporters are often accused with grave charges such as espionage, which carry penalties ranging from imprisonment to execution,” Mostafa explains. “The disruption of communications and the internet has also left us incapable of carrying out our daily duties."

In February, internet observatory Netblocks reported that all three of Sudan’s main internet providers went offline, severing communication for millions of Sudanese trapped in war zones or seeking refuge for their safety.

"At the start of the conflict, we worked with regional and international partners to evacuate journalists trapped in dangerous conflict areas,” Mohammed recounts, “but the communications blackout has posed a significant challenge to these efforts.”

The SJS released the first annual report on press freedom state in Sudan in September 2023, documenting violations against journalists and media institutions. Mohammed stated that the syndicate will continue to monitor and track crimes committed against journalists to ensure their safety and security, but journalists told The New Arab that they fail to see tangible results.

“Sure, the SJS issues statements of condemnation, but there’s nothing more to it. We are left stranded with no legal or financial support,” Fa'ez says.

One photographer, who wished to remain anonymous, told The New Arab that many in his professional circle refrained from identifying as journalists at RSF or SAF checkpoints out of fear for their lives, describing how carrying the SJS membership card can cost a journalist their life.

Female journalists are under attack

In August 2023, the joint statement Sudanese Media: Four Months of Violations from several media organisations in Sudan warned against increased violence against female journalists, who are especially “vulnerable to gender-based violence,” which exacerbates the gender disparities already prevalent within Sudanese society.

RSF soldiers threatened and harassed Nadine Al-Sirr, a journalist from Omdurman, because of her work and gender, but out of love for her hometown, she decided to stay despite the odds and help her community heal during this difficult time. 

“I have a chronic heart condition, which made me suffer even more,” Nadine tells The New Arab. “At one point, I just couldn’t bear the physical and psychological stress anymore. I had to leave.”

Nadine left for the city of Shendi, in northern Sudan. However, upon arrival, she was faced with more harassment and tight surveillance by the SAF. Her profession made her a suspect, and authorities were quick to deem her a traitor spying for the RSF. With her movement severely restricted and her life endangered, Nadine left Sudan for Uganda in August 2023.

While investigating the conditions of displaced women in a government-run shelter, a photojournalist, who wished to remain anonymous, found herself unexpectedly detained and interrogated by state security officers, despite prior approval from shelter management. She believes that the situation escalated because she was a woman.

"The SAF officers deleted the recordings but didn't take any further action because I had shown cooperation. I was fortunate because I was only recording audio and didn’t bring my camera," she says. 

Nadine recounts how she stopped covering any war-related stories out of fear for her life, but she struggled to believe how even a humanitarian piece on victims of the war nearly got her arrested.

“There are countless incursions that need to be reported, but because we’re trapped here within Sudan, we can’t do anything about it,” she states. “Perhaps those who have managed to escape can tell you all about it, but for those of us here, fear has muffled our voices.”

This article has been published in collaboration with Egab.

Faris Alsheghail is a freelance Sudanese journalist and photographer based in Khartoum

Follow him on X/Twitter: @faris_alshegail

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2024-03-26T10:42:56 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3885825 https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-minister-saar-quits-netanyahus-unity-government <![CDATA[Israel minister Saar quits Netanyahu's unity government]]> A veteran Israeli minister who joined Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's emergency unity government after the Gaza war broke out said on Monday he had resigned after not being included in the highest-level war cabinet.

Gideon Saar joined the unity government along with several other members of the opposition to help manage the war, which has so far killed more than 32,300 people in Gaza.

The International Court of Justice found in January that Israel had plausibly breached the Genocide Convention in the enclave.

Saar's departure, along with another of his allies, is not expected to affect the stability of Netanyahu's government, which still controls a clear majority in parliament.

Saar was once a rival to Netanyahu in the right-wing Likud party before joining a more centrist bloc led by former military chief Benny Gantz.

Together they entered the emergency government. Gantz became a member of the small-forum, decision-making war cabinet while Saar was left out.

"I can't carry the responsibility if I do not have, in my judgment, a real possibility to influence the direction of policy. I simply do not see any benefit in this," Saar said in broadcast remarks.

His resignation did not come as a surprise, as Saar had broken up the alliance with Gantz earlier this month.

(Reuters, The New Arab)

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2024-03-26T10:39:48 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3883135 https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqi-oil-ministry-iocs-kurdistan-clash-over-oil-seizure <![CDATA[Iraqi oil ministry, IOCs in Kurdistan clash over oil seizure]]> The Iraqi oil ministry issued a rebuke on Monday in response to recent assertions made by foreign oil producers in the Kurdistan region, denouncing them as unwarranted interference in Iraqi affairs.

Since 23 March 2023, oil exports from the Kurdistan region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline have ceased following a ruling in favour of Baghdad by a Paris-based arbitration court against Ankara. The ruling stated that Ankara breached a 1973 agreement by permitting Erbil to commence independent oil exports in 2014. 

The ongoing closure of the pipeline has led to significant losses for both Baghdad and Erbil, as it has effectively halted the daily export of 450,000 barrels of crude oil, representing approximately 0.5% of the global oil supply. These barrels remain in limbo due to legal and financial hurdles.

The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) alleged on Saturday that the Iraqi federal government had not taken necessary action to reopen the pipeline. They asserted that despite a year-long hiatus, there had been negligible progress in resuming exports.

The Iraqi oil ministry, however, blamed international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the Kurdistan region for the pipeline's continued closure. They emphasised that Baghdad did not decide to halt the process and highlighted the federal government's significant detriment due to the export halt.

"One of the main reasons for the current export halt is the refusal of foreign companies operating in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to officially hand over their production to the regional government for export in accordance with the prevailing Federal Budget Law," the ministry said in a statement in response to  APIKUR. "This includes companies affiliated with the aforementioned association. Export can be resumed shortly if these companies deliver the oil produced from fields in the region in accordance with the law."

The ministry cited foreign companies' refusal to officially hand over their production to the Iraqi government for export, citing the federal budget law's requirement. This law mandates that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) deliver its oil production to Baghdad for export, with reports indicating daily production of 200 to 225 thousand barrels in the Kurdistan region, unbeknownst to the oil ministry.

Under Article 13 of the Iraqi federal budget, the Kurdistan region must provide a minimum of 400,000 barrels of crude oil daily to Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) for export or domestic use.

Iraq's Supreme Federal Court ruled on Wednesday, 23 February, that the KRG should hand over all oil and non-oil revenues to Baghdad.

Furthermore, the ministry highlighted that contracts between the KRG and IOCs remained unapproved by the federal government. They also stressed the need to request copies of these contracts for review, emphasising that the IOCs have yet to respond. 

The ministry questioned the demand for compliance with unseen contracts, which it deemed contradictory to legal decisions. The ministry noted the Kurdistan Region's Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), under which IOCs cover production costs while the KRG receives the majority of profits.

Additionally, the ministry addressed discrepancies in production costs, with Kurdistan region IOCs allegedly seeking three times the federal government's estimated production cost per barrel.

Regarding outstanding debts, APIKUR claimed the KRG owed IOCs over US$1 billion between September 2022 and March 2023, mainly stemming from prepayment schemes.

However, the Iraqi oil ministry said it would not recognise such claims.

"The claims demanded by companies include what they call paying off previous debts in billions of dollars, which are amounts unknown to the federal government and do not align with the contexts of borrowing according to the constitution and current laws," the ministry clarified. 

Despite previous calls from the Iraqi federal government to resume Kurdish oil exports and efforts to negotiate with Kurdistan Region IOC representatives, the ministry lamented the foreign companies' inflexibility.

Concluding, the ministry criticised APIKUR's statement for interfering in Iraqi sovereignty and urged foreign companies to respect Iraq's laws and judicial decisions instead of meddling in its internal and external affairs. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to visit Iraq by late March or early next month to discuss bilateral political, security and economic issues.

Several pending issues, including the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), water, and the export of Iraqi oil through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, are expected to be addressed during the visit.

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2024-03-26T09:01:38 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3885539 https://www.newarab.com/news/dozens-killed-gaza-strikes-drownings-talks-fail <![CDATA[Dozens killed in Gaza strikes, drownings as talks fail]]> Twelve people, including children, were killed in an Israeli strike on a displacement camp in southern Gaza on Tuesday evening, while a further twelve drowned as they tried to reach aid dropped by a US aircraft in the sea near Beit Lahia north of Gaza. 

There was no sign of a let-up in the war in the Gaza Strip, despite the UN Security Council demanding a resolution an "immediate ceasefire" for the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan, leading to a "lasting" truce the previous day.

It also demands that Hamas and other militants free hostages they took during the unprecedented 7 October attacks on Israel, though it does not directly link the release to a truce.

The UN resolution was adopted after 14 countries voted in favour. Israel's closest ally the United States abstained.

An Israeli delegation left Doha on Tuesday, however, without reaching any agreement on a ceasefire.

In southern Gaza's Rafah, where over half of the enclave's population has sought refuge, witnesses said Israeli jets bombed the city on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was in Tehran for talks with Iranian officials, state media reported.

 

Featured image: Momen Faiz/NurPhoto via Getty-archive

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2024-03-26T08:59:10 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3884859 https://www.newarab.com/news/us-raises-concerns-rafah-offensive-israels-gallant <![CDATA[US raises concerns on Rafah offensive with Israel's Gallant]]> Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised US opposition to a major ground operation in Rafah with Israel's defence minister on Monday, after a delegation to discuss Washington's concerns was scrapped earlier in the day.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to send the delegation to Washington but cancelled it after the United States abstained on a UN Security Council resolution that demanded an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan.

In his meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in Washington, Blinken reiterated US "opposition to a major ground operation in Rafah," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Such a move "would further jeopardise the welfare of the more than 1.4 million Palestinian civilians sheltering there," Miller said.

Netanyahu's determination to launch a ground operation in Rafah, the city on Gaza's southern border where most of the territory's population is sheltering, has become a key point of contention.

Blinken "underscored that alternatives exist to a major ground invasion that would both better ensure Israel's security and protect Palestinian civilians," Miller said.

The two additionally "discussed the need to immediately surge and sustain additional humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza," he added.

Israel claims to be targeting Hamas in its onslaught, but its military operation has killed over 32,000 Palestinians - mostly women and children, and has destroyed most of the territory's infrastructure, leaving scores displaced and homeless. 

Israel said earlier in the day that the United States abstention "hurts" both its war effort and attempts to release hostages.

It was "a clear retreat from the consistent position of the US," Netanyahu's office said.

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2024-03-26T04:21:17 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3884511 https://www.newarab.com/news/battered-gazans-sceptical-over-un-ceasefire-call <![CDATA[Battered Gazans sceptical over UN ceasefire call]]> Bilal Awad, a 63-year-old displaced Gazan, welcomed Monday the UN Security Council's call for a ceasefire but did not believe it would bring a respite in Israel's war in Gaza.

Without forceful action from "Israel's supporter" Washington, which abstained in the vote to its close ally's chagrin, the Israeli government is unlikely to budge, Awad said.

The vote triggered an angry reaction from Israel, which says it must "destroy Hamas" and would not stop before hostages are released.

Monday's resolution was the first Security Council demand for "an immediate ceasefire" since the deadly war began, and was endorsed by 14 members - all but the United States.

It calls for a truce for the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which many called "a positive step" but criticised it for being "insufficient".

Yet Awad, who like the majority of Gaza's 2.4 million people has sought refuge in the southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border, wanted more.

"If Israel defies the world, this is a blow to America, Israel's supporter. America's decisions become mere ink on paper if it does not stop Israel by force."

Israel's ruthless military campaign has killed at least 32,333 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Gaza, and has damaged and destroyed much of the enclave's infrastructure.

Rafah's population has ballooned with the arrival of many Palestinians like Awad, displaced by nearly six months of war and seeking refuge in the south, unable to leave the besieged coastal strip.

The city is now home to around 1.5 million Palestinians, up from several hundred thousands before the war, with many living in makeshift displacement camps.

Israel has vowed to pursue its offensive against Hamas into the densely packed area, a pledge that has spurred fears of worsening an already heavy civilian death toll and humanitarian crisis.

Qassem Muqaddad, speaking in Rafah, said he was not excessively optimistic after the UN vote.

"We hope that this decision will be effective, and that the major powers will use their strength and authority... against Israel if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire," said 74-year-old Muqaddad.

"This is what we hope for, but we are not very optimistic that Israel will agree to this decision, because Israel has disregarded many (UN) resolutions."

Israel spoke out against the resolution immediately on Monday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the United States for failing to veto it and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said his government had "no moral right to stop the war while there are still hostages held in Gaza."

Ihab al-Assar, a 60-year-old man displaced from Gaza City in the north, commended Washington's stance.

"The decision is in favour of the Palestinian people, and hopefully, Israel will comply with it," he said.

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2024-03-26T03:33:18 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3884133 https://www.newarab.com/news/lebanon-hamas-allied-official-survives-israeli-strike <![CDATA[Lebanon: Hamas-allied official survives Israeli strike]]> An Israeli drone strike on eastern Lebanon targeted a Lebanese official from a Hamas-allied group who escaped the attempted killing, a Lebanese security source said Monday.

Lebanon's official National News Agency said the strike Sunday near the village of Suwairi in the Bekaa Valley killed a Syrian civilian in his vehicle.

The security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the target was Mohammad Assaf of Jamaa Islamiya, a Lebanese militant group closely linked to Palestinian group Hamas.

Assaf was travelling on the road that was struck at the time of the attack, said the source, who had initially identified the target as a Hamas official in Lebanon.

Israeli forces along its northern border with Lebanon have exchanged near-daily fire with Hezbollah, since Tel Aviv's military operation began in Gaza on October 7.

Israel has also targeted Hezbollah and Hamas officials in Lebanon, including in strikes deep into Lebanese territory.

The strike in the Suwairi area, near Lebanon's border with Syria, was the first Israeli attack there in nearly six months of war.

On January 2, a strike widely blamed on Israel killed Hamas's deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri in a southern Beirut suburb that is a Hezbollah stronghold.

According to another security source, pre-dawn Israeli strikes on Sunday wounded four people, including a Hezbollah member, in Baalbek, further north in the Bekaa Valley.

The cross-border violence since early October has killed at least 326 people in Lebanon, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also 57 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced by the violence in Lebanon's south and Israel's north.

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2024-03-26T00:52:07 +0000
https://www.newarab.com/node/3883803 https://www.newarab.com/news/un-expert-accuses-israel-acts-genocide-gaza-war <![CDATA[UN expert accuses Israel of acts of 'genocide' in Gaza war]]> A UN rights expert on Monday said there were "reasonable grounds" to determine that Israel has committed several acts of "genocide" in its war in Gaza, also evoking "ethnic cleansing".

Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, said there were clear indications that Israel had violated three of the five acts listed under the UN Genocide Convention.

"The overwhelming nature and scale of Israel's assault on Gaza and the destructive conditions of life it has inflicted reveal an intent to physically destroy Palestinians as a group," she said in a report, which was immediately rejected by Israel as an "obscene inversion of reality".

Albanese, an independent expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but who does not speak on behalf of the United Nations, said she had found "reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of... acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza has been met".

The report, entitled "Anatomy of a Genocide", listed those acts as: "killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to the group's members; and deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part".

'Outrageous accusations'

Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva said the country "utterly rejects the report", describing it as "simply an extension of a campaign seeking to undermine the very establishment of the Jewish State".

"Israel's war is against Hamas, not against Palestinian civilians," it said in a statement, slamming Albanese's "outrageous accusations".

Israel's relentless bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza has since killed more than 32,300 people, mainly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian territory.

South Africa has already filed a complaint against Israel before the International Court of Justice, alleging its assault on Gaza amounts to a violation of the genocide convention.

The court has yet to rule on the underlying issue, but earlier this year ordered Israel to do everything it could to prevent genocidal acts during its campaign and also to allow in humanitarian aid.

'Ethnic cleansing'

In Albanese's report, which she is due to present to the Human Rights Council on Tuesday, she maintained that Israel's "genocidal acts" followed "statements of genocidal intent".

Statements by some senior Israeli officials spelling out an intent to forcibly displace Palestinians and replace them with Israeli settlers, she said, indicated that "evacuation orders and safe zones have been used as genocidal tools to achieve ethnic cleansing".

The report also found that Israel was treating all Palestinians and their infrastructure "as 'terrorist' or 'terrorist-supporting', thus transforming everything and everyone into either a target or collateral damage".

"In this way, no Palestinian in Gaza is safe by definition," it said.

"This has had devastating, intentional effects, costing the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians."

The report also stressed that Israel's mistreatment of the Palestinians had not begun on October 7.

"Israel's genocide on the Palestinians in Gaza is an escalatory stage of a longstanding settler colonial process of erasure," it said.

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2024-03-25T22:25:03 +0000