Israel firm on ceasefire conditions, and US pushes Israel on Lebanon
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Middle East Eye
42 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Israel's Ben Gvir puts photos of Gaza destruction in prisons
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has unveiled the newest addition to prisons holding Palestinians: posters displaying images of their destroyed homes. In a video posted to Ben Gvir's Telegram channel on Wednesday morning, the minister is seen standing in front of one of the large images, which are several metres tall and wide. Ben Gvir can be seen gesticulating proudly towards a street full of destroyed buildings in Gaza with Palestinians standing beside the rubble. Prisoners are reportedly forced to walk past the posters as they go for their daily yard time. Ben Gvir even claims that one of the prisoners recognised his home among the destruction. The video was released with a caption that said the photos were being displayed so the Palestinian prisoners 'understand that you don't mess with the people of Israel'. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters It is the latest move in an escalating pattern of Israeli abuse of Palestinians in its custody. Last week, another video was released in which Ben Gvir was filmed visiting Marwan Barghouti, the most prominent Palestinian prisoner, and threatening him that Israel will 'obliterate' anyone who opposes it. Israel's Ben Gvir seen threatening Marwan Barghouti in prison in new video Read More » Over 10,000 Palestinian prisoners are being held in Israeli prisons, according to the watchdog Addameer, more than double the number before Israel began waging genocide in Gaza in October 2023. Since the war began, abuse of those prisoners has grown in frequency and intensity. Organisations that have collected the testimonies of current and former prisoners detail patterns of torture and abuse that include starvation, physical violence, sexual assault and extreme levels of mass solitary confinement. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha), the United Nations Satellite Centre and the UNHCR's Shelter Cluster, Israel has destroyed or damaged 92 percent of housing units within Gaza, 70 percent of all structures, and left 1.3 million of Gaza's 2.2 million population in need of emergency shelter. Satellite footage shows how the southern Gaza cities of Rafah and Khan Younis have been levelled. Ben Gvir ends the video pointing to the image of Gaza in ruins, saying: 'This is how it should look'.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
French President Emmanuel Macron says Israel's Gaza offensive will lead to 'disaster'
Israel to call up 60,000 reservists for offensive to seize Gaza city Jordan's King Abdullah calls for increased efforts to achieve Gaza ceasefire Germany condemns Israel's escalation of Gaza war Hamas fighters claim to have killed Israeli troops in Gaza ambush At least 62,122 Palestinians killed and 156,758 wounded in Gaza since war began
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Israel and Australia's war of words: How did we get here?
Unprecedented tension is placing significant strain on historically close ties between Israel and Australia. Canberra has been ramping up criticism of its ally over the devastating war in Gaza. Australia was one of the first countries to recognise Israel in 1949 and has been one of its staunchest supporters. Now the two are locked in a war of words and tit-for-tat visa restrictions in a dramatic escalation of their diplomatic row. How did we get here? Recognising Palestine It started when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on August 11 that Australia would recognise a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly next month. The situation in Gaza has gone 'beyond the world's worst fears', he added. France, Canada and the UK have also announced plans to recognise Palestine in September, dealing a major blow to Israel's long-held opposition to Palestinian statehood. Visa ban A week later, the Australian government cancelled the visa of Simcha Rothman, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's coalition who opposes Palestinian statehood and has called for Israel to annex the occupied West Bank. Knesset member Mr Rothman had been scheduled to visit Australia at the invitation of a conservative Jewish organisation. His visa was revoked by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke just 24 hours before he was due to arrive. 'If you are coming to Australia to spread a message of hate and division, we don't want you here,' Mr Burke told local media on the visa ban, which denies the Israeli legislator entry for three years. It came in response to 'inflammatory remarks' made by Mr Rothman, including calling Palestinian children 'enemies' and his assertion that Palestinian statehood would lead to the destruction of Israel. On the same day as his trip was cancelled, Israel retaliated by revoking the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority. 'I have decided to revoke the residency visas of Australia's representatives to the Palestinian Authority,' Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in a post on X. 'I also instructed the Israeli embassy in Canberra to carefully examine any official Australian visa application for entry to Israel.' He also accused the Albanese government of 'choosing to fuel' anti-Semitism. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the move was 'unjustified' and said Israel was 'undermining international efforts towards peace and a two-state solution '. Personal attack Mr Netanyahu then lashed out at Mr Albanese, accusing him of 'betraying Israel'. 'History will remember Albanese for what he is: A weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews,' wrote Mr Netanyahu on X. The Australian Prime Minister seemed unaffected by Mr Netanyahu's criticism. 'I don't take these things personally. I engage with people diplomatically. He has had similar things to say about other leaders,' he said during a media briefing. Mr Burke was more stern in his response to Mr Netanyhau. 'Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry,' he said, in the harshest language used against Israel to date. Simmering tensions Despite the swift escalation, tension between Canberra and Israel has been simmering since last August, when Australia officially reinstated the term 'occupied Palestinian Territories', in line with UN Security Council resolutions. Ms Wong said the decision reaffirmed their commitment to a two-state solution. But as Israel's aggression in Gaza escalated in recent months, with images of starving children flooding social media and mounting deaths of people seeking aid, so did Australia's criticism. 'The situation in Gaza has gone beyond the world's worst fears,' Mr Albanese said in July. 'Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. 'Israel's denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored.' Back in 1949, Australia, under prime minister Ben Chifley, played a considerable role in the creation and recognition of Israel. It could be on the way to playing a similar role for Palestine.
