Three members of UN commission on Israel resign
The three members of a United Nations commission charged with investigating human rights abuses in Israel and the Palestinian territories have resigned, saying it is time to renew the body, a UN spokesperson said Monday.
The three-person commission was created in 2021 and has been sharply criticized by Israel.
South Africa's Navi Pillay, 83, who once headed the international tribunal for Rwanda, cited her age in a letter announcing her resignation.
Australia's Chris Sidoti, 74, said in his letter it was an 'appropriate time' to renew the commission, while India's Miloon Kothari, in his late 60s, just said it had been 'an honour' to serve.
Jurg Lauber, the head of the UN's Human Rights Council, asked the council's member states to propose new members by August 31.
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Canada News.Net
an hour ago
- Canada News.Net
Truth, first casualty of war: no more so than in Gaza
We are living in truly extraordinary times. We recently witnessed the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, being sanctioned by the United States for doing her job – that is, documenting Israel's abuses against Palestinians during its ongoing military assault on Gaza. Of course, silencing and censorship have been the modus operandi of the pro-Israel camp since October 2023. In the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack on Israel, they came for all those who insisted that the history of Palestine and Israel did not begin on October 7, 2023, and for pointing to the longer history of occupation, settler colonialism, or the siege of Gaza since 2007 – they were silenced, censored, and punished. Those were the days of the now‑discredited reports of "beheaded babies". Across the US and Europe, some faced death threats and social media attacks, while others were reprimanded by employers and line managers for criticising Israeli policies or publicly expressing pro-Palestinian views. In schools across Maryland, Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, teachers were suspended and student clubs shut down for pro-Palestine activism. University professors in the US and the United Kingdom were reported to the police for "liking" or sharing pro-Palestinian social media posts. In May 2024, Maura Finkelstein became the first tenured academic to be dismissed for anti-Zionist speech. She was fired from Muhlenberg College after posting a Palestinian poet's work. Between October 2023 and now, there have been scores of such cases around the world. Only a few days ago, four adjunct professors at the City University of New York were dismissed for their Palestine solidarity activism. While the foreign press has been banned from entering Gaza, Palestinian journalists there have been treated as legitimate military targets by Israel. On average, 13 journalists have been killed per month – a toll higher than that of "both World Wars, the Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia and the United States war in Afghanistan combined". It is the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded. Elsewhere, journalistic voices – especially those of Middle Eastern or North African descent – have been systematically silenced for supporting the Palestinian cause or criticising the Israeli government. This includes Australian radio host Antoinette Lattouf, who was dismissed in December 2023 after posting a Human Rights Watch report alleging that "Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza". Palestinian-Canadian journalists Yara Jamal (CTV) and Zahraa al-Akhrass (Global News, during maternity leave) were both sacked in October 2023, following pressure from Honest Reporting Canada. Briahna Joy Gray and Katie Halper were also fired from Hill News for statements critical of Israel. Gray announced on X: "The Hill has fired me … there should be no doubt that … suppressing speech – particularly when it's critical of the state of Israel." Beyond dismissals, Western media executives have shaped the narrative, repeating Israeli propaganda, mischaracterising Palestinian activism as pro-Hamas or anti-Semitic, portraying Israelis as victims far more often than Palestinians, and whitewashing Israeli war crimes in Gaza. The BBC, in particular, has faced repeated criticism for its pro-Israel bias. From the language used in headlines to the disproportionate airtime given to Israeli officials, its reporting has consistently been accused of downplaying Palestinian suffering and mirroring Israeli government talking points. Staff resignations, open letters, and public protests have all challenged the broadcaster's editorial stance on Gaza. At Upday, Europe's largest news aggregator owned by Axel Springer, employees were instructed to "colour the company's coverage of the war in Gaza with pro‑Israel sentiment". Internal documents obtained by The Intercept revealed staff were told not to "push anything involving Palestinian casualty tolls" unless "information about Israel" was given "higher up in the story". After October 7, students at Harvard were subjected to terrifying doxxing campaigns labelling them anti-Semitic or terrorist sympathisers, their photos and personal data shared publicly. As Israel's scholasticide continued in Gaza, the silencing spread on campuses across the US and Europe. Palestine solidarity encampments saw students demanding their institutions cut ties with Israeli universities and the military‑industrial complex. They faced brutal police crackdowns, suspensions, and some were denied graduation. Universities swiftly imposed new restrictions on gatherings and protests to curb student Palestine solidarity. Now, under a Trump administration, such suppression is public policy, extending to threats of arrest, denaturalisation and deportation for pro‑Palestinian voices, including lawmakers like NYC mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani. Trump falsely labelled him "illegal", branded him a "communist", and threatened arrest if he obstructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "operations" – echoing GOP Representative Andy Ogles's call for denaturalisation and deportation, citing alleged misrepresentations in Mamdani's naturalisation without any evidence. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the Justice Department had received related requests. We have also seen Palestinian flags banned at sporting and music events. Individuals have been refused entry into public venues and businesses for wearing a keffiyeh. The International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was warned that he and the ICC would be "destroyed" if they did not drop the case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Four ICC judges were sanctioned by the US government. Academy Award‑winner Susan Sarandon was dropped by her talent agency, UTA, for remarks at a Palestine solidarity rally. Melissa Barrera was dismissed from the cast of Scream VII for social media posts describing Israeli actions as genocide and ethnic cleansing. Spyglass Media Group stated it has "zero tolerance for antisemitism … including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion". Recently, performers like Bob Vylan and Irish group Kneecap used their platforms at music festivals to show solidarity with Palestine. The group now faces terror charges. Vylan's shows in Europe were cancelled, and his US visa revoked, putting an upcoming tour of the country in doubt. The pro-Israel camp also launched a campaign against the Glastonbury Festival after both artists performed there in June. They targeted the BBC for airing the performances live and pressured organisers to distance themselves from the musicians. The backlash made clear that even major cultural institutions are not safe from censorship efforts. Adding to this troubling trend, widely respected Israeli‑American historian and genocide scholar Omer Bartov has become a focal point of a fierce backlash. In an op‑ed for The New York Times, titled "I'm a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It", Bartov declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, pointing to the systematic infrastructure destruction, forced population shifts and rhetoric by Israeli leaders, arguing it matches both UN and legal definitions of genocide. Since then, he has been slammed by pro‑Israel factions, accused of misapplying the term, and urged to be "cancelled", a campaign he rebuts by highlighting that many genocide studies experts share his conclusion. The reputational assault currently faced by Bartov demonstrates how even the world's leading genocide experts are now being targeted for naming Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide. This may already appear to be an extensive campaign of suppression. But consider: what does it say about Israel's position if it relies so heavily on censorship? Nonetheless, it remains insufficient. For Israel's sake, every student, academic, activist, musician, artist or lawmaker who criticises its policies must now be branded a terror supporter. Every civil society organisation, human rights group or international body documenting Israeli abuses must be labelled anti-Semitic. Only then can we claim we saw nothing. Only then can we say we heard nothing. And only then can we justify why we did nothing when the genocide was ongoing in Gaza.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
U.S. envoy doubles down on support for Syria's government and criticizes Israel's intervention
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the U.S. Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) BEIRUT — A U.S. envoy doubled down on Washington's support for the new government in Syria, saying Monday there is 'no Plan B' to working with the current authorities to unite the country still reeling from a nearly 14-year civil war and now wracked by a new outbreak of sectarian violence. Tom Barrack took a critical tone toward Israel's recent intervention in Syria, calling it poorly timed and saying that it complicated efforts to stabilize the region. Barrack, who is ambassador to Turkiye and special envoy to Syria and also has a short-term mandate in Lebanon, made the comments in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press during a visit to Beirut. He spoke following more than a week of clashes in the southern province of Sweida between militias of the Druze religious minority and local Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes. Syrian government forces intervened, ostensibly to restore order, but ended up siding with the Bedouins before withdrawing under a ceasefire agreement with Druze factions. Hundreds have been killed in the fighting, and some government fighters allegedly shot dead Druze civilians and burned and looted their houses. In the meantime, Israel intervened last week on behalf of the Druze, who are seen as a loyal minority within Israel and often serve in its military. Israel launched dozens of strikes on convoys of government forces in Sweida and also struck the Syrian Ministry of Defense headquarters in central Damascus. Over the weekend, Barrack announced a ceasefire between Syria and Israel, without giving details. Syrian government forces have redeployed in Sweida to halt renewed clashes between the Druze and Bedouins, and civilians from both sides were set to be evacuated Monday. U.S. envoy says Israeli intervention 'came at a very bad time' Barrack told the AP that 'the killing, the revenge, the massacres on both sides' are 'intolerable,' but that 'the current government of Syria, in my opinion, has conducted themselves as best they can as a nascent government with very few resources to address the multiplicity of issues that arise in trying to bring a diverse society together.' At a later press conference he said the Syrian authorities 'need to be held accountable' for violations. Regarding Israel's strikes on Syria, Barrack said: 'The United States was not asked, nor did they participate in that decision, nor was it the United States responsibility in matters that Israel feels is for its own self-defence.' However, he said that Israel's intervention 'creates another very confusing chapter' and 'came at a very bad time.' Prior to the conflict in Sweida, Israel and Syria had been engaging in talks over security matters, while the Trump administration had been pushing them to move toward a full normalization of diplomatic relations. When the latest fighting erupted, 'Israel's view was that south of Damascus was this questionable zone, so that whatever happened militarily in that zone needed to be agreed upon and discussed with them,' Barrack said. 'The new government (in Syria) coming in was not exactly of that belief.' The ceasefire announced Saturday between Syria and Israel is a limited agreement addressing only the conflict in Sweida, he said. It does not address the broader issues between the two countries, including Israel's contention that the area south of Damascus should be a demilitarized zone. In the discussions leading up to the ceasefire, Barrack said 'both sides did the best they can' to came to an agreement on specific questions related to the movement of Syrian forces and equipment from Damascus to Sweida. 'Whether you accept that Israel can intervene in a sovereign state is a different question,' he said. He suggested that Israel would prefer to see Syria fragmented and divided rather than a strong central state in control of the country. 'Strong nation states are a threat — especially Arab states are viewed as a threat to Israel,' he said. But in Syria, he said, 'I think all of the the minority communities are smart enough to say, we're better off together, centralized.' A Damascus deal with Kurdish forces still in play The violence in Sweida has deepened the distrust of minority religious and ethnic groups in Syria toward the new government in Damascus, led by Sunni Muslim former insurgents who unseated Syria's longtime autocratic ruler, Bashar Assad, in a lightning offensive in December. The attacks on Druze civilians followed the deaths of hundreds of civilians from the Alawite minority, to which Assad belongs, earlier this year in sectarian revenge attacks on the Syrian coast. While interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa has promised to protect minorities and punish those who target civilians, many feel his government has not done enough. At the same time, Damascus has been negotiating with the Kurdish forces that control much of northeast Syria to implement an agreement that would merge the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces with the new national army. Barrack, who spoke to SDF leader Mazloum Abdi over the weekend, said he does not believe the violence in Sweida will derail those talks and that there could be a breakthrough 'in the coming weeks.' Neighbouring Turkiye, which wants to curtail the influence of Kurdish groups along its border and has tense relations with Israel, has offered to provide defence assistance to Syria. Barrack said the U.S. has 'no position' on the prospect of a defence pact between Syria and Turkiye. 'It's not in the U.S.'s business or interest to tell any of the surrounding nations with each other what to do,' he said. Hezbollah disarmament remains a thorny issue Barrack's visit to Lebanon came amid ongoing domestic and international pressure for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to give up its remaining arsenal after a bruising war with Israel that ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement in November. Speaking at a press conference in Beirut Monday, Barrack said the ceasefire agreement 'didn't work.' Israel has continued to launch near-daily airstrikes in Lebanon that it says are aimed at stopping Hezbollah from rebuilding its capabilities. Hezbollah has said it will not discuss disarming until Israel stops its strikes and withdraws its forces from all of southern Lebanon. While the U.S. has been pushing for Hezbollah's disarmament, Barrack described the matter as 'internal' to Lebanon. 'There's no consequence, there's no threat, there's no whip, we're here on a voluntary basis trying to usher in a solution,' he said. He added that the U.S. 'can't compel Israel to do anything' when it comes to the ceasefire. Abby Sewell, The Associated Press
CBC
17 hours ago
- CBC
Tariff deadline approaches, Palestinians killed while seeking aid, 20 years of same sex marriage in Canada, and more
We are now just days away from a trade deal deadline with the United States. Canada has until August 1st to cut a deal. If it doesn't, the Trump-administration is threatening steep tariffs on many Canadian exports. The U.S. commerce secretary says free trade with Canada is alive and well. But even if a deal is struck, it is likely some tariffs are here to stay. Also: It's been one of the deadliest days in Gaza for Palestinians seeking aid. Dozens are dead after a large crowd gathered around a UN convoy carrying food. It comes as Israel's military plans to step up its ground offensive in the territory. And: 20 years ago today, Canada made it legal for same sex couples to get married nationwide. But while legalized same sex marriage is a significant civil rights victory - advocates say the fight for true equality is still ongoing. Plus: Hong Kong businesses targeted for pro-democracy view, empty crown land in B.C., and more.
