UN conference ends with push for two-state solution, 'New York Declaration'
Held from July 28-30, the meeting brought together senior officials from nearly 130 countries and ended with the adoption of the 'New York Call' and 'New York Declaration' in support of the two-state solution.
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New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Thousands protest Gaza war across West Bank cities
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Thousands of Palestinians protested in the occupied West Bank's major cities Sunday against the war in Gaza and in support of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. One of the largest marches took place in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority located just north of Jerusalem, with hundreds gathering at the main square, waving Palestinian flags. Many protesters carried photos of Palestinians killed or imprisoned by Israel, as well as photos depicting the hunger crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip, where UN-backed experts have warned that a "famine is unfolding." "My son is in (Israel's) Megido prison and he suffers from many things, such as the lack of medicine the lack of food," Rula Ghanem, a Palestinian academic and writer who took part in the march, told AFP. She told AFP that her son had lost 10kg and suffered from scabies in jail. The number of Palestinians jailed by Israel skyrocketed after the start of the war in Gaza, some for violent acts, but some also for posting political statements on social media, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees' and Ex-Detainees' Affairs says. The commission's spokesman Thaer Shriteh told AFP: "The international community is a partner in all this suffering, as long as it does not intervene quickly to save the Palestinian people and save the prisoners inside the prisons and detention centre." A group of protesters dressed as skeletons and carried dolls around to symbolise the Gaza war's dire effect on children, who are most at risk of malnutrition. Israel has heavily restricted the entry of aid into Gaza, which was already under blockade for 15 years before the war began. UN agencies, humanitarian groups and analysts say that much of the trickle of food aid that Israel allows in is looted or diverted in chaotic circumstances. "We hope that our stand today will have an impact in supporting our people in Gaza and the hungry children in Gaza," said 39-year-old Tagreed Ziada, one of the protesters at the Ramallah march. Protests were held Sunday in other major Palestinian cities such as Nablus in the north and Hebron in the south, with many government employees receiving a day off to attend the demonstrations.
Malay Mail
7 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Armed ‘bandits' abduct over 50 villagers in Nigeria's latest mass capture
KANO, Aug 3 — Gunmen kidnapped more than 50 people in north-west Nigeria in a mass abduction, according to a private conflict monitoring report created for the United Nations and seen by AFP today. 'Armed bandits' targeted the village of Sabon Garin Damri in Zamfara state Friday, the report said, the latest attack in a region where residents in rural hinterlands have long suffered from gangs who kidnap for ransom, loot villages and demand taxes. The report said this was the first 'mass capture' incident in the Bakura local government area this year, 'the recent trend of mass captures in Zamfara has been concerning,' noting 'a shift in bandit strategy toward more large-scale attacks in northern Zamfara.' A Zamfara police spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Nigeria's 'banditry' crisis originated in conflict over land and water rights between herders and farmers but has morphed into organised crime, with gangs preying on rural communities that have long had little or no government presence. The conflict is worsening a malnutrition crisis in the north-west as attacks drive people away from their farms, in a situation that has been complicated by climate change and western aid cuts. Last month, bandits in Zamfara killed 33 people they had kidnapped in February despite receiving a US$33,700 (RM144,137) ransom, while three babies died in captivity, officials and residents told AFP. Bandit-jihadist cooperation Since 2011, as arms trafficking increased and the wider Sahel fell into turmoil, organised armed gangs formed in north-west Nigeria, with cattle rustling and kidnapping becoming huge moneymakers in the largely impoverished countryside. Groups also levy taxes on farmers and artisanal miners. Violence has spread in recent years from the north-west into north-central Nigeria. Two weeks ago, Nigerian troops killed at least 95 members of an armed gang in a shootout and airstrikes in the north-west state of Niger. But the military is overstretched. While improved cooperation between the army and air force has aided the fight, analysts say, airstrikes have also killed hundreds of civilians over the years. Bandits, who are primarily motivated by money, have also increased their cooperation with Nigeria's jihadist groups, who are waging a separate, 16-year-old armed insurrection in the north-east. The recent emergence of the Lakurawa jihadist group in the north-west has worsened violence in the region. Governments of affected states have been forced to recruit anti-jihadist militias fighting the militants in the north-east to assist in countering the bandits. — AFP
New Straits Times
10 hours ago
- New Straits Times
'New York Declaration' risks being unjust if it imposes conditions solely on Hamas
KUALA LUMPUR: The 'New York Declaration' on the Israel-Palestine conflict risks being unbalanced and unjust if it imposes conditions solely on Hamas without binding Israel to any legal commitments, Parti Keadilan Rakyat's International Bureau said. Its chairman Dr Maszlee Malik said Malaysia must remain cautious in responding to the declaration, brought forward by France and Saudi Arabia at the United Nations on July 30, as it places disproportionate obligations on Palestinians while ignoring Israel's long-standing violations of international law. "Malaysia must remain steadfast in supporting the establishment of an independent, sovereign and internationally recognised Palestinian state, consistent with UN Resolution 242 (1967). "The real solution can only be achieved if Israel fully complies with international law and ends its illegal occupation of Palestinian territories," he said in a statement today. The declaration once again highlighted the proposal to implement a Two-State Solution (2SS) as a means to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict. Maszlee said that past failures of the two-state solution were not due to Palestinian rejection, but Israel's refusal to adhere to UN resolutions and international justice. He said any transfer of power in Gaza should only take place through a free and fair election under international supervision, rather than being dictated by external powers. "The principle of sovereignty and the right to self-determination belong exclusively to the Palestinian people, not other states," he said. He said Malaysia's position on the declaration must reflect its commitment to international law and human rights, while balancing global diplomatic considerations with domestic sentiment. He said all parties, including Israel, must be held accountable for violations of international law. "If there are clauses in the declaration that contradict Malaysia's foreign policy or undermine principles of justice, then abstaining from those sections should be considered. "While we support efforts to end the humanitarian crisis and advance peace, these processes must be grounded in justice and adherence to international law." Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said on Friday that Wisma Putra was reviewing the declaration and would release a statement on the matter.
