Netanyahu says Israel probably killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar
JERUSALEM, May 21 (Reuters) - Israel has probably killed Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
An Israeli air strike on a hospital in southern Gaza targeted Sinwar earlier this month but his death had not so far been confirmed either by Israel or Hamas.
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The Guardian
31 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Australia sanctions two ‘extremist' Israeli ministers for inciting violence against Palestinians
Australia has joined the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Norway in placing financial sanctions and travel bans on two Israeli government ministers, over what Penny Wong described as 'inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank'. The Magnitsky-style sanctions on Israel's national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, were in response to serious human rights violations and abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank, including Israeli settlements considered illegal under international law, the governments said in a joint statement. Israel's foreign minister has branded the move 'outrageous', and the US has condemned the sanctions, but Wong said settler violence in the West Bank undermined prospects of reaching a two-state solution and peace in the Middle East. 'These two ministers are the most extreme proponents of the unlawful and violent Israeli settlement enterprise,' Australia's foreign affairs minister told ABC Radio National. 'Along with the United Kingdom, with Canada, with New Zealand and Norway, we have determined that it is important together to send a very clear message that these activities and the the impingement on the rights and human rights of Palestinians in the West Bank are not acceptable.' In an unexpected move, news of which broke overnight (Australian time), the Albanese government joined several allies in levelling the targeted financial sanctions and travel bans. The men were sanctioned in relation to a range of public comments and actions, including marching through Jerusalem's Muslim Quarter with a group that chanted 'death to Arabs' and 'may your village burn'. Ben-Gvir last month said Israel would 'occupy the entire territory of the Gaza Strip' and encourage migration of Gazans elsewhere, while Smotrich in February said ''With God's help we will work to permanently bury the dangerous idea of a Palestinian State'. The sanctions make it an offence to make assets available to a sanctioned person, require the freezing of any assets in Australia, and prevent them from entering Australia. Wong said the actions of the two ministers 'go against the notion of a two-state solution.' 'We do think that's important for peace and security in the region,' she said of moves toward a two-state solution. In a joint statement alongside foreign ministers of the other countries, Wong said that settler violence had led to the deaths of Palestinians and the displacement of whole communities. 'Settler violence is incited by extremist rhetoric which calls for Palestinians to be driven from their homes, encourages violence and human rights abuses and fundamentally rejects the two-state solution,' the joint statement read. 'Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights. Extremist rhetoric advocating the forced displacement of Palestinians and the creation of new Israeli settlements is appalling and dangerous. These actions are not acceptable. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'We have engaged the Israeli Government on this issue extensively, yet violent perpetrators continue to act with encouragement and impunity. This is why we have taken this action now – to hold those responsible to account. The Israeli Government must uphold its obligations under international law and we call on it to take meaningful action to end extremist, violent and expansionist rhetoric.' Guardian Australia has contacted Israel's embassy in Australia for comment. Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, described the decision as unacceptable and said it was 'outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures'. Speaking about the British government's decision specifically, Smotrich said: 'Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not allow it to do so again.' Ben-Gvir said: 'We passed Pharaoh, we will also pass [Keir] Starmer's wall.' The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, urged that the sanctions be reversed, saying the US condemned the action. 'These sanctions do not advance U.S.-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,' he said in a statement. 'We reject any notion of equivalence: Hamas is a terrorist organisation that committed unspeakable atrocities, continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and prevents the people of Gaza from living in peace. 'We remind our partners not to forget who the real enemy is. The United States urges the reversal of the sanctions and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel.' The joint statement from Australia and allies had noted the ministers' 'unwavering support for Israel's security and we continue to condemn the horrific terror attacks of 7 October by Hamas'. 'Today's measures are targeted towards individuals who in our view undermine Israel's own security and its standing in the world. We continue to want a strong friendship with the people of Israel based on our shared ties, values and commitment to their security and future,' the statement said. 'We continue to be appalled by the immense suffering of civilians, including the denial of essential aid. There must be no unlawful transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or within the West Bank, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip. We will continue to work with the Israeli Government and a range of partners.'
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Huckabee suggests Muslim countries should give up land for Palestinian state
The US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has suggested Muslim countries should give up some of their land to create a future Palestinian an interview with the BBC, Huckabee said Muslim countries have "644 times" more land than Israel. "So maybe, if there is such a desire for the Palestinian state, there would be someone who would say, we'd like to host it," he a separate interview with Bloomberg, Huckabee said the US was no longer pursuing the goal of an independent Palestinian state. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce later said the president was responsible for US policy in the Middle East, adding the ambassador "speaks for himself". The ambassador also called a two-state solution "an aspirational goal". Later this month at the United Nations in New York, French and Saudi diplomats will host a conference aimed at laying out a roadmap for an eventual Palestinian he did not say where any future Palestinian state could be located specifically or whether the US would support such an effort, Huckabee called the conference "ill-timed and inappropriate"."It's also something that is completely wrongheaded for European states to try to impose in the middle of a war," he said, arguing that it would result in Israel being "less secure"."At what point does it have to be in the same piece of real estate that Israel occupies?," he told the BBC's Newshour programme. "I think that's a question that ought to be posed to everybody who's pushing for a two-state solution."Asked if the US position was that there could not be a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Huckabee said: "I wouldn't say there can never be, what I would say is that a culture would have to change."Right now the culture is that it's OK to target Jews and kill them and you're rewarded for it. That has to change."The "two-state solution" is a formula for peace between Israel and the Palestinians that has generally received international backing, including from multiple US administrations. It proposes an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with East Jerusalem as its capital. It would exist alongside rejects a two-state solution. It says any final settlement must be the result of negotiations with the Palestinians, and statehood should not be a has previously been a strong supporter of the idea of a "greater Israel", seeking permanent Israeli control of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and using the biblical term "Judea and Samaria" for the West of his language echoes positions frequently taken by ultranationalist groups in Israel. Some in this movement, including far-right ministers in the Israeli governing coalition, have argued for the expulsion of Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and Gaza, saying any future Palestinian state could exist in Arab or Muslim countries. If such a policy was enacted, rights groups and European governments argue it would be a clear violation of international law. The ambassador also strongly criticised US allies for sanctioning two far-right Israeli ministers over "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities" in the occupied West sanctioning of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich was part of a joint move announced by the UK, Norway, Australia, Canada and New Zealand on Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Israeli officials had "incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights". The men were banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK registered strong objections to the move, and Huckabee called it a "shocking decision.""I have not yet heard a good reason for why these two elected ministers have been sanctioned by countries that ought to respect the country's sovereignty and recognise that they have not conducted any criminal activity," he war in Gaza began after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 251 others are now 56 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be October 2023, at least 54,927 Palestinians have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run ministry of health. The UN estimates that more than a quarter of them are children.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Britain sanctions two far-right Israeli ministers over inciting violence against Palestinians
BRITAIN has slapped sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers it accused of inciting extremist violence against Palestinians. Foreign Secretary David Lammy joined Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Canada in imposing travel bans and asset freezes on Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. 3 3 The move, branded 'outrageous and unacceptable' by Israel's foreign minister, risks a row with Donald Trump's US administration, which is leading Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks. Mr Lammy and his four counterparts accused the two ministers of using 'monstrous' rhetoric. In a joint statement, they said the pair 'incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights'. Both must be held to account, they said, for calling for the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza so it could be re-settled by Jewish Israelis, as well as using extremist and violent language in pushes to annex the West Bank. Mr Ben-Gvir and Mr Smotrich have threatened to withdraw from their government to force fresh elections if Israel ends its war against Hamas. Asked if the UK would urge PM Benjamin Netanyahu to sack them, Mr Lammy said: 'The Israeli government will make their own determination.' The Tories' Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said of the sanctions: 'The Conservative Party had always been committed to supporting a two-state solution — delivered in the right way, and at the right time — and will work with the Government to support efforts to achieve this.' Mr Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, pledged last night: 'We survived Pharaoh, we will survive Keir Starmer as well.' Finance minister Mr Smotrich added: 'Britain has already tried once to prevent us from settling the cradle of our homeland, and we will not allow it to do so again.' No 10 said: 'Ben-Gvir and Smotrich do not speak for all Israeli people, but have a long history of dangerous and extremist views.' Israel is expected to debate its response to the sanctions next week. 3 Death of Hamas chief Mohammad Sinwar could cause DECIMATED terror group to implode
