Arab Parliament reaffirms support for Palestinian rights
Solidarity with Palestinian people
In a statement marking the 49th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day, Al Yamahi praised the Palestinian people's struggle as a symbol of resilience, steadfastness, and justice. He reiterated the Arab Parliament's solidarity with Palestinians in defending their land, history, sanctities, and national identity.
Call for peace based on international resolutions
Al Yamahi emphasised the need for peace based on UN resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, advocating for a two-state solution with Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.
Condemnation of ongoing violations
The statement also condemned the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing targeting Palestinians, resulting in numerous civilian deaths and missing persons. He highlighted the continued efforts to forcibly displace Gaza's population and ongoing violations in the West Bank and Jerusalem, including settler militia attacks.
Rejection of displacement and annexation plans
The President firmly rejected any plans aimed at displacing the Palestinian people or annexing their land, affirming the Parliament's commitment to international law and Palestinians' right of return and dignified living on their land.
Support for Gaza's reconstruction
Al Yamahi reaffirmed support for Arab positions and Egypt's plan to rebuild Gaza, stressing the importance of a comprehensive reconstruction process that ensures Palestinians remain on their land.
International responsibility for Palestinian rights
He called on the international community, the UN Security Council, and regional parliaments to oppose displacement and annexation plans, halt violations, support humanitarian efforts, and enable Palestinians to exercise their legitimate rights.
Urging a fair resolution to the Palestinian cause
Al Yamahi urged the application of international justice to achieve a fair, sustainable resolution to the Palestinian cause, ensuring the end of occupation, the establishment of an independent state, the right of return, and the resolution of the refugee issue.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
35 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
US sanctions four ICC judges over Israel and Afghanistan investigations
The administration of US President Donald Trump on Thursday issued sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over investigations into the US and its ally Israel. The sanctions build on the designation of ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan in February, carried out under an executive order issued shortly after Trump assumed office. "This is an escalation in a series of attacks by the US government against this global judicial institution, which was created to end impunity for the worst crimes," said Meg Satterthwaite, the UN's special rapporteur on the independence of judges, speaking to Middle East Eye. "It is shocking to see a country that has for decades championed the rule of law using a tool usually reserved for corrupt or criminal actors against judges of this global judicial body." The sanctioned judges, all women, are: ICC Second Vice-President Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou (Benin), Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru) and Beti Hohler (Slovenia). New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Gansou and Hohler have been sanctioned in connection with their decision as pre-trial judges to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November over charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. The US and Israel are not state parties to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC in The Hague in 2002. Both states have opposed the court's investigation into the situation in Palestine, launched by the ICC's previous prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, in 2021. 'It is shocking to see a country that has for decades championed the rule of law using a tool usually reserved for corrupt or criminal actors against judges of this global judicial body' - Meg Satterthwaite, UN rapporteur The court's jurisdiction was based on the accession of the state of Palestine to the Rome Statute in 2015. Accordingly, the court can investigate Israeli individuals for crimes committed in occupied Palestine, which includes the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. However, Israel and the US have challenged the court's jurisdiction, saying they do not recognise Palestine as a state, and that Israel is best placed to investigate itself under the principle of complementarity as set out in Article 17 of the Rome Statute. Trump's order of 6 February reiterated this view and described the arrest warrants as an abuse of power, an allegation refuted by the ICC. The ICC is the only permanent international court tasked with the prosecution of individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. 'President Trump's sanctions on ICC judges aim to deter the ICC from seeking accountability amid grave crimes committed in Israel and Palestine and as Israeli atrocities mount in Gaza, including with US complicity,' Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, told MEE. Under Netanyahu's government, Israel has faced accusations of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The US is the largest supplier of arms to Israel and has backed its offensive in Gaza since October 2023, triggering accusations of aiding and abetting alleged crimes. Israel's war on Gaza has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, forcibly displaced most of the 2.1 million population and made the enclave largely uninhabitable. Obstruction of justice Experts who spoke with MEE in the aftermath of Trump's order have suggested that the ICC should bring charges of obstruction of justice against the US president and any individuals behind the sanctions, based on Article 70 of the Rome Statute. The article prohibits offences against the administration of justice, including: "Impeding, intimidating or corruptly influencing an official of the Court for the purpose of forcing or persuading the official not to perform, or to perform improperly, his or her duties; and retaliating against an official of the Court on account of duties performed by that or another official." UN rapporteur urges EU to use legal powers to protect ICC from Trump sanctions Read More » The ICC has jurisdiction over Article 70 offences, irrespective of the nationality or location of the accused individuals. The Slovenian foreign ministry reacted to the sanctioning of Hohler, saying it will support her in carrying out her mandate. It also said it would propose the activation of the EU Blocking Statute. The statute primarily focuses on shielding EU operators, such as the Netherlands-based ICC, from certain US sanctions considered to have extraterritorial reach, like those against Cuba and Iran. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot has also said his government would ask the EU to activate the statute. "While this would be the first time the blocking statute is applied in defense of the ICC, Belgium believes it is essential to protect the Court's independence and its crucial role in delivering justice for the gravest crimes," he said on Friday. The pre-trial chamber that issued the Netanyahu and Gallant decision included Gansou and Hohler, as well as French national Nicolas Guillou. It remains unclear why Guillou has been excluded from the sanctions. Legal scholar Kevin Jon Heller, who is Khan's war crimes advisor, argued that the US has sanctioned individuals who are perceived to be nationals of weaker states. 'The US seems to have sanctioned only the judges who come from smaller and less powerful states,' Heller said. The two other judges, Bossa and Ibanez Carranza, have been sanctioned for being part of the 2020 appeals chamber that authorised the ICC's investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan since 2003. This included actions by the Taliban, Afghan National Security Forces, and US military and CIA personnel. Heller pointed out that Canadian judge Kimberly Prost was part of the same panel as the Ugandan judge Bossa and the Peruvian judge Ibanez Carranza, but she has been excluded from sanctions. 'The US seems to have sanctioned only the judges who come from smaller and less powerful states' - Kevin Jon Heller, legal advisor to Karim Khan 'That supports the 'weak state' explanation, because Judge Prost (Canada) was part of the same AC and is still an ICC judge,' he wrote on X. In response to the ICC's decision to investigate crimes in Afghanistan, the previous Trump administration imposed sanctions on ICC officials, including then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, and revoked her US visa. But since 2021, the ICC has shifted its strategy under current prosecutor Khan, deprioritising investigations into alleged crimes by US forces - a move widely denounced by human rights groups. Khan stated that the focus would instead be on crimes committed by the Taliban and the Islamic State - Khorasan Province, citing resource constraints and the need to concentrate on those most responsible for the gravest crimes. In January 2025, Khan applied for arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders for the crime against humanity of persecution on the grounds of gender. No applications for arrest warrants for US nationals have been made by the prosecutor. What is the impact of sanctions? The sanctions will have a wide-ranging financial impact on the affected judges, particularly on any property in the US and any transactions involving US citizens. 'As a result of today's sanctions-related actions, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC),' the State Department said. The three ICC judges who issued the historic Netanyahu arrest warrant Read More » 'Additionally, all individuals or entities that are owned, either directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.' The ICC denounced the sanctions, saying they aim at hindering its efforts to bring justice to victims of atrocities worldwide. 'These measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe,' a statement by the ICC read, saying the sanctions will affect all situations being investigated by the court beyond Palestine. 'These sanctions are not only directed at designated individuals, they also target all those who support the Court, including nationals and corporate entities of States Parties.' Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the Netherlands 'disapproves' of the sanctions and stands behind the court and its officials. However, he has yet to announce specific measures to protect the sanctioned officials. MEE has reached out to the Dutch and Slovenian foreign ministries for comment.
Middle East Eye
35 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
French woman files complaint against Israel over killing of grandchildren in Gaza
A grandmother has filed a complaint for murder and genocide against Israeli authorities, accusing them of responsibility for killing her two Palestinian-French grandchildren in Gaza. Israeli forces killed six-year-old Abderrahim Abudaher and nine-year-old Janna Abudaher in northern Gaza on 24 October 2023. Their maternal grandmother, Jacqueline Rivault - a French national living in France - filed the complaint on Friday in Paris alongside the Ligue des Droits de l'Homme (LDH). The filing, submitted to the crimes against humanity unit of the Paris judicial court, accuses Israeli authorities of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. This is the first complaint brought before the French courts based on the passive personality principle - that is, based on the victims' French nationality - to address the issue of responsibility for these crimes, the LDH said. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters This civil action complaint seeks the appointment of an investigating judge. The victims' French nationality could trigger the direct jurisdiction of the French courts and lead them to rule on these accusations of "genocide". "This complaint aims to contribute to preventing and prosecuting those responsible, whether soldiers or politicians, for the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip, which indiscriminately affects the entire civilian population of the enclave," the LDH said. According to the 43-page complaint, which has been shared with Middle East Eye, the "extreme violence" and "regular bombardments" by the Israeli army on Gaza after 7 October led the family to take refuge in a house in the northern Gaza Strip, between Fallujah and Beit Lahia. There, the house was targeted by "two F16 missiles fired by the Israeli army," one of which hit "through the roof and the second directly into the bedroom where the family was staying". First Gaza genocide cases against French nationals filed in Paris Read More » Abderrahim died "instantly" and Janna shortly after being transferred to the hospital, according to the complaint. Their younger brother, Omar, was seriously wounded but still lives in Gaza, as does his mother, Yasmine Z. The complaint accuses the Israeli authorities of genocide because the bombing is presented as part of a plan to "eliminate the Palestinian population and subject them to conditions of existence likely to bring about the destruction of their group". Though it is filed against unknown persons, it specifically names Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, members of the Israeli government and the Israeli army. The complaint notes that the intention to eradicate the Palestinian people was evident from the statements made by political and military leaders, in particular Netanyahu. The aim of the complaint, explained Rivault's lawyer Arie Alimi, is to ensure the arrest of those responsible. "Those who were involved, in one way or another, in acts that could be classified as crimes against humanity or genocide, must know that upon leaving Israel's borders, they can be arrested anywhere," he said. Rivault's only daughter, Yasmine, had gone to Gaza to do humanitarian work. It was there that she met her husband. Her mother said the French government "should have evacuated the French nationals living in the Gaza Strip". The 'weapon' of criminal law The LDH said The complaint is intended to have a political impact and is one of many efforts aimed at bringing "these crimes" to an end as soon as possible. Its president, Nathalie Tehio, qualified criminal law as 'a weapon that allows us to try to stop this infernal mechanism of genocide that we are witnessing." The LDH is part of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), which was among the first groups to to declare that Israel was committing genocide, followed by Amnesty International a year later and Human Rights Watch. In January 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) called on Israel to prevent any act of genocide. The Hind Rajab Foundation: Pursuing Israeli soldiers worldwide for Gaza war crimes Read More » Since then, a number of legal actions have been taken in connection with "genocide" accusations against Israel, for example in Switzerland, the Netherlands and Germany. In France, three complaints have been filed in recent months against French-Israeli nationals accused of genocide or complicity. Last December, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), along with three Palestinian organisations, filed a complaint against French-Israeli soldier Yoel O. He is accused of posting a video on social media showing detained Palestinians in white jumpsuits, blindfolded and handcuffed - one of whom appears to show visible signs of torture. The man behind the camera can be heard insulting the detainees in French. No judicial investigation has been opened in France to date. On Friday, the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office opened a judicial investigation into French-Israelis suspected of involvement in blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza between January and May 2024. The probe includes charges of complicity in genocide, incitement to genocide, and complicity in crimes against humanity, AFP reported, citing a source close to the case. The investigation follows a complaint filed in November 2024 by the French Jewish Union for Peace (UJFP) and a French-Palestinian victim. The complaint accuses individuals of organising and participating in actions to block humanitarian aid to Gaza - specifically by physically obstructing aid trucks at Israeli-controlled border crossings. The civil action names figures reportedly with French nationality from two pro-Israel groups, Israel is Forever and Tzav-9.
Middle East Eye
4 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Netanyahu admits Israel is backing gangs in Gaza to counter Hamas
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admitted his country is arming gangs in Gaza, which have been accused by aid groups of stealing lifesaving humanitarian aid, in a bid to counter the Palestinian movement Hamas. Netanyahu said on Thursday his government had "activated" powerful local clans in the enclave on the advice of "security officials," hours after former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman alleged the gang that Israel was backing was affiliated with the Islamic State group. "We made use of clans in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas… What's wrong with that?' Netanyahu said in a video posted on X. "It's only good. It saves the lives of Israeli soldiers." Hours earlier, Netanyahu's office said that "Israel is working to defeat Hamas in various ways, on the recommendation of all heads of the security establishment." Read more: Netanyahu admits Israel is backing gangs in Gaza to counter Hamas
