Syrian forces struggle to enforce Druze region truce
Reuters reporters heard gunfire from inside the city of Sweida and saw shells land in nearby villages.
There were no immediate, confirmed reports of casualties.
The government had said security forces were deploying in the southern region to try to keep peace, and urged all parties to stop fighting after nearly a week of factional bloodshed in which hundreds have been killed.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said "Arab and American" mediation had helped restore calm, before the clashes escalated.
He criticised Israel for air strikes during the week.
The fighting is the latest challenge to the control of Sharaa's jihadist-dominated government, which took over after rebels toppled autocratic president Bashar al-Assad in December.
It started last week as clashes between the Druze - a religious minority native to southern Syria, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and parts of Lebanon and Jordan - and Syrian Bedouin tribes.
Government forces then arrived to try to quell tensions, clashing with Druze gunmen and attacking the Druze community.
Saturday's violence once again pitted Druze against Bedouin, witnesses said.
The fighting has drawn in neighbouring Israel, which carried out air strikes in southern Syria and on the Defence Ministry in Damascus this week while government forces were fighting with the Druze.
Israel says it is protecting the Druze, who also form a significant minority in Israel.
But Israel and the United States differ over Syria.
The US supports a centralised Syria under Sharaa's government, which has pledged to rule for all citizens, while Israel says the government is dominated by jihadists and a danger to minorities.
In March, Syria's military was involved in mass killings of members of the Alawite minority to which much of Assad's elite belonged.
In a statement on Saturday, the Syrian presidency announced an immediate ceasefire and urged an immediate end to hostilities.
The interior ministry said internal forces had begun deploying.
Sharaa said Syria would not be a "testing ground for partition, secession or sectarian incitement".
"The Israeli intervention pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatened its stability," he said in a televised speech.
Sharaa appeared to blame Druze gunmen for the latest clashes, accusing them of revenge attacks against Bedouins.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Sharaa of siding with the perpetrators.
"In al-Shara's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority - Kurd, Druze, Alawite, or Christian," he posted on X.
US envoy Tom Barrack announced on Friday that Syria and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire.
Barrack, who is both US ambassador to Turkey and Syria envoy for the US, urged Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis, together with other minorities, to "build a new and united Syrian identity".
Israel has attacked Syrian military facilities in the seven months since Assad fell and says it wants areas of southern Syria near its border to remain demilitarised.
On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel had agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to Sweida for two days.
Mansour Namour, a resident of a village near Sweida city, said mortar shells were still landing near his home on Saturday afternoon, and that at least 22 people had been wounded.
A doctor in Sweida said a local hospital was full of bodies and wounded people from days of violence.
"All the injuries are from bombs, some people with their chests wounded. There are also injuries to limbs from shrapnel," said Omar Obeid, director of the hospital.
Sectarian clashes have escalated in Syria's predominantly Druze region of Sweida, with machine gun fire and mortar shelling ringing out after days of bloodshed as the Islamist-led government struggles to implement a ceasefire.
Reuters reporters heard gunfire from inside the city of Sweida and saw shells land in nearby villages.
There were no immediate, confirmed reports of casualties.
The government had said security forces were deploying in the southern region to try to keep peace, and urged all parties to stop fighting after nearly a week of factional bloodshed in which hundreds have been killed.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said "Arab and American" mediation had helped restore calm, before the clashes escalated.
He criticised Israel for air strikes during the week.
The fighting is the latest challenge to the control of Sharaa's jihadist-dominated government, which took over after rebels toppled autocratic president Bashar al-Assad in December.
It started last week as clashes between the Druze - a religious minority native to southern Syria, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and parts of Lebanon and Jordan - and Syrian Bedouin tribes.
Government forces then arrived to try to quell tensions, clashing with Druze gunmen and attacking the Druze community.
Saturday's violence once again pitted Druze against Bedouin, witnesses said.
The fighting has drawn in neighbouring Israel, which carried out air strikes in southern Syria and on the Defence Ministry in Damascus this week while government forces were fighting with the Druze.
Israel says it is protecting the Druze, who also form a significant minority in Israel.
But Israel and the United States differ over Syria.
The US supports a centralised Syria under Sharaa's government, which has pledged to rule for all citizens, while Israel says the government is dominated by jihadists and a danger to minorities.
In March, Syria's military was involved in mass killings of members of the Alawite minority to which much of Assad's elite belonged.
In a statement on Saturday, the Syrian presidency announced an immediate ceasefire and urged an immediate end to hostilities.
The interior ministry said internal forces had begun deploying.
Sharaa said Syria would not be a "testing ground for partition, secession or sectarian incitement".
"The Israeli intervention pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatened its stability," he said in a televised speech.
Sharaa appeared to blame Druze gunmen for the latest clashes, accusing them of revenge attacks against Bedouins.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Sharaa of siding with the perpetrators.
"In al-Shara's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority - Kurd, Druze, Alawite, or Christian," he posted on X.
US envoy Tom Barrack announced on Friday that Syria and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire.
Barrack, who is both US ambassador to Turkey and Syria envoy for the US, urged Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis, together with other minorities, to "build a new and united Syrian identity".
Israel has attacked Syrian military facilities in the seven months since Assad fell and says it wants areas of southern Syria near its border to remain demilitarised.
On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel had agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to Sweida for two days.
Mansour Namour, a resident of a village near Sweida city, said mortar shells were still landing near his home on Saturday afternoon, and that at least 22 people had been wounded.
A doctor in Sweida said a local hospital was full of bodies and wounded people from days of violence.
"All the injuries are from bombs, some people with their chests wounded. There are also injuries to limbs from shrapnel," said Omar Obeid, director of the hospital.
Sectarian clashes have escalated in Syria's predominantly Druze region of Sweida, with machine gun fire and mortar shelling ringing out after days of bloodshed as the Islamist-led government struggles to implement a ceasefire.
Reuters reporters heard gunfire from inside the city of Sweida and saw shells land in nearby villages.
There were no immediate, confirmed reports of casualties.
The government had said security forces were deploying in the southern region to try to keep peace, and urged all parties to stop fighting after nearly a week of factional bloodshed in which hundreds have been killed.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said "Arab and American" mediation had helped restore calm, before the clashes escalated.
He criticised Israel for air strikes during the week.
The fighting is the latest challenge to the control of Sharaa's jihadist-dominated government, which took over after rebels toppled autocratic president Bashar al-Assad in December.
It started last week as clashes between the Druze - a religious minority native to southern Syria, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and parts of Lebanon and Jordan - and Syrian Bedouin tribes.
Government forces then arrived to try to quell tensions, clashing with Druze gunmen and attacking the Druze community.
Saturday's violence once again pitted Druze against Bedouin, witnesses said.
The fighting has drawn in neighbouring Israel, which carried out air strikes in southern Syria and on the Defence Ministry in Damascus this week while government forces were fighting with the Druze.
Israel says it is protecting the Druze, who also form a significant minority in Israel.
But Israel and the United States differ over Syria.
The US supports a centralised Syria under Sharaa's government, which has pledged to rule for all citizens, while Israel says the government is dominated by jihadists and a danger to minorities.
In March, Syria's military was involved in mass killings of members of the Alawite minority to which much of Assad's elite belonged.
In a statement on Saturday, the Syrian presidency announced an immediate ceasefire and urged an immediate end to hostilities.
The interior ministry said internal forces had begun deploying.
Sharaa said Syria would not be a "testing ground for partition, secession or sectarian incitement".
"The Israeli intervention pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatened its stability," he said in a televised speech.
Sharaa appeared to blame Druze gunmen for the latest clashes, accusing them of revenge attacks against Bedouins.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Sharaa of siding with the perpetrators.
"In al-Shara's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority - Kurd, Druze, Alawite, or Christian," he posted on X.
US envoy Tom Barrack announced on Friday that Syria and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire.
Barrack, who is both US ambassador to Turkey and Syria envoy for the US, urged Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis, together with other minorities, to "build a new and united Syrian identity".
Israel has attacked Syrian military facilities in the seven months since Assad fell and says it wants areas of southern Syria near its border to remain demilitarised.
On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel had agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to Sweida for two days.
Mansour Namour, a resident of a village near Sweida city, said mortar shells were still landing near his home on Saturday afternoon, and that at least 22 people had been wounded.
A doctor in Sweida said a local hospital was full of bodies and wounded people from days of violence.
"All the injuries are from bombs, some people with their chests wounded. There are also injuries to limbs from shrapnel," said Omar Obeid, director of the hospital.
Sectarian clashes have escalated in Syria's predominantly Druze region of Sweida, with machine gun fire and mortar shelling ringing out after days of bloodshed as the Islamist-led government struggles to implement a ceasefire.
Reuters reporters heard gunfire from inside the city of Sweida and saw shells land in nearby villages.
There were no immediate, confirmed reports of casualties.
The government had said security forces were deploying in the southern region to try to keep peace, and urged all parties to stop fighting after nearly a week of factional bloodshed in which hundreds have been killed.
Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa said "Arab and American" mediation had helped restore calm, before the clashes escalated.
He criticised Israel for air strikes during the week.
The fighting is the latest challenge to the control of Sharaa's jihadist-dominated government, which took over after rebels toppled autocratic president Bashar al-Assad in December.
It started last week as clashes between the Druze - a religious minority native to southern Syria, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and parts of Lebanon and Jordan - and Syrian Bedouin tribes.
Government forces then arrived to try to quell tensions, clashing with Druze gunmen and attacking the Druze community.
Saturday's violence once again pitted Druze against Bedouin, witnesses said.
The fighting has drawn in neighbouring Israel, which carried out air strikes in southern Syria and on the Defence Ministry in Damascus this week while government forces were fighting with the Druze.
Israel says it is protecting the Druze, who also form a significant minority in Israel.
But Israel and the United States differ over Syria.
The US supports a centralised Syria under Sharaa's government, which has pledged to rule for all citizens, while Israel says the government is dominated by jihadists and a danger to minorities.
In March, Syria's military was involved in mass killings of members of the Alawite minority to which much of Assad's elite belonged.
In a statement on Saturday, the Syrian presidency announced an immediate ceasefire and urged an immediate end to hostilities.
The interior ministry said internal forces had begun deploying.
Sharaa said Syria would not be a "testing ground for partition, secession or sectarian incitement".
"The Israeli intervention pushed the country into a dangerous phase that threatened its stability," he said in a televised speech.
Sharaa appeared to blame Druze gunmen for the latest clashes, accusing them of revenge attacks against Bedouins.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Sharaa of siding with the perpetrators.
"In al-Shara's Syria, it is very dangerous to be a member of a minority - Kurd, Druze, Alawite, or Christian," he posted on X.
US envoy Tom Barrack announced on Friday that Syria and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire.
Barrack, who is both US ambassador to Turkey and Syria envoy for the US, urged Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis, together with other minorities, to "build a new and united Syrian identity".
Israel has attacked Syrian military facilities in the seven months since Assad fell and says it wants areas of southern Syria near its border to remain demilitarised.
On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel had agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to Sweida for two days.
Mansour Namour, a resident of a village near Sweida city, said mortar shells were still landing near his home on Saturday afternoon, and that at least 22 people had been wounded.
A doctor in Sweida said a local hospital was full of bodies and wounded people from days of violence.
"All the injuries are from bombs, some people with their chests wounded. There are also injuries to limbs from shrapnel," said Omar Obeid, director of the hospital.
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Sydney Morning Herald
4 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Israel's denials don't change the fact that children are starving
The Israeli embassy says there's no starvation in Gaza. That the images are fake. That the dying children aren't real (' Israel's denial of starvation reports in Gaza 'beyond comprehension' ' July 29). But they are real. And we know it. Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper, calls this a policy of starvation. It has documented the blockade of aid, the bombing of bakeries, the shootings at food queues. Wasted bodies. Children dying slow, preventable deaths. Journalist Gideon Levy goes further – he calls this denial 'no less vile than Holocaust denial.' Because it erases the victims. Because it adds insult to the unimaginable cruelty. So how many more must die before Australia acts? Before we impose sanctions? Cut military ties? Recognise Palestine? How many photos of starving children do we need before Anthony Albanese does more than speak? Words don't fill empty stomachs. Lila Malagi, Flinders (Vic) The Deputy Israeli ambassador should read the two reports released on Monday by two Israeli human rights groups, the Israeli-Palestinian human rights group B'Tselem, and the Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, which have concluded that Israel's conduct in Gaza constitutes genocide against the Palestinian population. Or is this just another case of fake news? Joe Collins, Mosman Israel's denial of starvation in Gaza is to be warmly welcomed. It is such a blatant untruth that it reinforces our scepticism about all of Israel's assertions. A government that is prepared to brazenly contradict the plain and heart-breaking evidence clearly cannot be trusted. Claims that the devastation of Gaza and the slaughter of its people are in self-defence, that civilians are never targeted, only Hamas terrorists, that Israel's army is the most moral in the world, that Hamas is solely responsible for the failure of ceasefire negotiations, and so many more, all without evidence, cannot be taken seriously. We should be grateful that Israel's relentless public relations campaign has been so nakedly exposed. Tom Knowles, Parkville (Vic) If the Israeli government insists that the starvation inside Gaza is Hamas propaganda, then why not let the international press in to report independently? Wayne Fitness, Rankin Park Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Australia Amir Meron should be informed that the international media is poised to descend on Gaza and reveal the starvation hoax. It's ready when you are, Amir. Garry Feeney, Kingsgrove In all the talk on Israel and Hamas and Palestine, there has been little mention of the horrors of October 7, 2023, when more than 1200 men, women and children, including citizens from 30 countries were slaughtered by Hamas. Girls and women were sexually assaulted, and physically and mentally damaged. And there are still hostages being held by Hamas. Selwyn Suchet, St Ives Chase No, Alex Nikulin (Letters, July 28), my point is not that 'the picture of the starving child is fake news', but that media outlets have a duty and responsibility to uphold factual integrity. Printing context-lacking photos risks legitimising anti-Jewish hatred under the guise of political criticism. In the case of Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq, his mother is reported to have told the media that her son suffers from a muscular disorder that results in wasting. In other words, Muhammad's condition stems from a medical disorder, rather than an embargo by Israel on food distribution. George Fishman, Vaucluse Building bridges Presumably the NSW government profited from the closure of the Sydney Harbour Bridge when Hollywood and the Formula 1 organisers came to town (' Pro-Palestine activists vow court action over march on Harbour Bridge ', July 29). Rather than Sydney 'descending into chaos', the record shows we revelled in the excitement of those particular Sunday mornings in 2005, on one occasion seeing Mark Webber zoom across the bridge a dozen times. Notice periods aside – since the premier could counter-offer a future date for a protest march – does our desire for entertainment and profit trump the human and compassionate urge to peacefully protest over a human catastrophe which we cannot unsee: the preventable starvation and killing of thousands of innocent children and adults? C'mon, Premier Minns. Jane Woolford, Marrickville Premier Minns, surely you see that a couple of hours of disruption for Syndeysiders is meaningless against the suffering of the people of Gaza. As governments worldwide stand by, bound up by their fear of antisemitic accusations, seemingly powerless to act, everyday people are feeling anguish and outrage, in need of a collective voice and sense of action. Why wouldn't our most well-known landmark be the right location to show that Australians are not blind or numb to this atrocity? Kathryn Bates, Ashfield Until a letter writer Dale Bailey wised me up, I'd thought the main function of the Harbour Bridge was to allow people to get from one side of the harbour to the other, while collecting revenue (Letters July 29). But then, I'd once thought the Opera House steps were mainly for starstruck groups taking selfies. Now, our bridge is seen as a possible 'leverage' opportunity for controversial causes. Thankfully, Premier Minns sees it differently. Rosemary O'Brien, Ashfield Coal mining doomed Correspondent Bruce Johnson thinks we will have a choice about giving up our income from coal and gas (Letters, July 29). He is mistaken. Just last year, China installed about 300 gigawatts of new green generating capacity. For comparison, our total capacity, according to the market operator, is about 65 gigawatts. China will need a total of about 1500 gigawatts for its large population and will reach that capacity in renewables in a few years. It will then begin to reduce coal generation to just enough for firming, so it will shut down hundreds of generators and the price of coal will plummet, leaving our mines as worthless, stranded assets. The only remaining coal exporters will be low-wage producers like Brazil and Indonesia. What our government does about mine approvals or net-zero targets is irrelevant in the face of this market shift. A more important question is who will pay to remediate our bankrupt mines? And where will the 18,000 workers go? Alan Stanley, Upper Corindi Correspondent Bruce Johnson is correct that the export revenue from coal and gas is $55 billion and $90 billion respectively, but how much of that revenue remains in Australia? The gas extraction sector is more than 90 per cent foreign owned, and it has been determined that they pay no royalties on over half of their exports and invariably pay no company tax. The net benefit to Australia is a much smaller number. Graeme Finn, Campsie Danger on wheels With proposed legislation regulating e-bikes and e-scooters being considered by the state government, the concerns of your writer about the need for enforcement of penalties is timely (' Reckless food delivery riders making footpaths 'lawless' ', July 28). Given that many such riders are unlicensed and may not carry any ID, the only effective penalty would appear to be provision for police and council rangers to seize and impound illegally used e-vehicles. They would then only be returned with proof of ownership and payment of a penalty. Lee Cook, Orange As an e-bike rider, I would like the option of taking it on a train at some time. I have a reputable brand for electronics and would be happy to get the equivalent of a 'test and tag' once a year to prove it is safe, with an appropriate, easily visible tag (' E-bikes and e-scooters face Sydney train and metro ban', July 27). Graeme Finn, Campsie I have recently witnessed two incidents while doing school drop-off with my grandchildren – a rider on an e-scooter in the middle of the road without a helmet while using his mobile phone in one hand and vaping with the other, and a young mother with a baby in a carrier on her back and a young child in front of her on the e-scooter on their way to school. Again, no helmets. Colleen Northam, Taree Good news stories I agree with Peter Hartcher and his views on journalism (' Good journalism can seek solutions ', July 29). I subscribe to a weekly newsletter called Fix the News. It reports stories that do not hit the mainstream. For example, Senegal has eliminated trachoma, which can cause blindness. A new six-in-one vaccine has been developed to protect against diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, polio, pertussis and type-B influenza. New Zealand engineers have worked out how to turn Earth's most abundant mineral, olivine, into zero-waste battery materials, and global coal cargoes shrank by 6 per cent in the first half of this year. The sum of this news leaves me with feelings of hope, rather than despair. News outlets could do more to promote these stories. Tom Meakin, Port Macquarie Peter Hartcher's article is a refreshing take on what news could be. The gruelling reporting of death, corruption, misery and self-interest is depressing. While such reporting won't go away, balancing it with meaningful writing on how we can contribute to societal improvement will lift our outlook, our mental health and our world. Might the Herald lead by starting a daily double page spread of positive news? I'm sure it will become the go-to section (after the letters pages, of course). Wayne Duncombe, Lilyfield I have written here so many times highlighting that journalism has become reporting opinions about issues but not offering a solution (what next, what should we do). It has taken Peter Hartcher to tell us that we have a media problem and there are people trying to do something about it. Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill Healthy masculinity Apparently, men lifting weights at Bondi is a public safety issue. 'Too much testosterone', we're told (' Tension over the Bondi Beach gym crackdown ', July 29). Right. Because the real danger is men getting strong together, instead of sulking alone watching Andrew Tate videos. Outdoor gyms offer routine, connection and a sense of purpose. Mocking that only pushes men toward isolation and resentment – fertile ground for misogyny. If we want fewer angry, disconnected men in society, let's stop treating healthy masculinity like a liability. Walter Lee, Ashfield Unhappy new year It is a sad time when North Sydney Council chooses to charge people $50 to watch the iconic fireworks (' Council debates charging for NYE Sydney Harbour fireworks ', July 29). Their greed has successfully removed the 'happy' from 'happy new year'. It would be interesting to know just how many of the councillors will pay the $50 if they choose to watch themselves. Peter De Silva, Essendon (Vic) Given that North Sydney Council received $10 million from a federal government grant originally designed to build female change rooms and upgrade community swimming pools in rural and regional areas, might it discount the price charged for us country folk for New Year's Eve fireworks? Graham Fazio, Cootamundra Who nose best? Emily Kowal's article on the so-called childcare 'mouth taping incident' goes too far (' Sydney childcare centre censured for taping toddlers' mouths shut ', July 29). Taping the mouth is a common way to encourage nostril rather than mouth breathing. Asthmatics breathe through their mouths and so do kids with allergies, and that's a bad thing. If they learn to keep their mouths closed and breathe through the nose, allergies and reactions to things like carpets, dust and cat dander decrease dramatically. I got over my own asthma as an adult using this method. So did my son. It's a Russian system called Buteyko. The article suggests it's some weird cult practice and dangerous, which it isn't. People could avoid a lot of ENT surgery if they breathed through their noses more. Karen Halabi, Tamarama Downsizing disincentive Jane Caro's article on downsizing was a good read (' Downsizing was just the best move ', July 29). She mentions the benefit of the tax incentives for downsizers to boost their super funds. However, over the horizon is a looming additional tax on unindexed super balances above $3 million. This new tax may mean that seniors and retirees will not want to downsize and put their excess cash into super while they can stay in their current home tax-free. The unintended consequence could be more pressure on the housing market, unless of course the government decides to tax the family home. Wilfred Gay, Middle Cove Sky's the limit An egregious example of harbour exploitation, as described by Richard Spencer (Letters, July 29), lies in Taronga Zoo's latest attempt to Disneyfy its operation. A new Sky Safari is certainly needed, but Taronga's plans to build pylons 10 storeys tall in the middle of the route are clearly an attempt to create a totally non-zoological entertainment – 'views from the Heads to the Blue Mountains' – that will stick out like a sore thumb above the trees on its harbour slopes. It will be illuminated and run night and day. Odd that everyone else on the harbour slopes is restricted to eight metres in height so that views from the harbour remain a delight. Jeremy Eccles, Clifton Gardens Tariff tanty Another day, another tariff tantrum from you-know-who (' Trump signals tariffs of up to 20 per cent ', July 29). It is a mystery to me why we are not getting together with Canada, Mexico, Japan, Britain, the EU, India and any other nation that wants in to create a trading bloc that sells to America anything it wants, but only buys from it if no other supplier is available, and sell only to each other. Also, no retaliatory tariffs. Why should we punish ourselves they way the Americans are punishing themselves? Nicholas Triggs, Katoomba Refund required If the US can't supply the Virginia-class nuclear submarines as stated in the AUKUS agreement, do we get back the $1.6 billion we have already paid? Daniela Catalano, Haberfield Land clearing Unfortunately, many people of NSW believe that they have the right to do whatever they like on their private land, while the 'leaders' they elect allow the ongoing devastation of this once-magnificent landscape and the unique wildlife it nourished (' NSW land clearing on par with Indonesia ', July 29). As usual, there's a handful doing the right thing – environmental groups, progressive crossbenchers, protesters and activists, who, in this shamelessly capitalist climate, are treated as radicals or criminals. If you are not protesting, lobbying, donating or voting for change, you are complicit in the extinctions and carnage we are facing. Marie Healy, Hurlstone Park Cheaper childcare The response by David Rose for more council-run childcare centres piqued my interest (Letters, July 29). I recently asked our local councillors why childcare services could not be restored in the Pittwater ward, given that the merged Northern Beaches Council has nine council-run centres in the former Manly and Warringah wards. I was assured that Pittwater residents were not subsidising childcare provided elsewhere on the northern beaches because the services were 'cost neutral'. If these services are indeed cost neutral, then why the heck are we not establishing more centres for struggling parents, especially given that this council recently increased rates by 25 per cent? Wendy Janssens, Newport
Sky News AU
34 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
‘Intimidate and keep away': TV host slams planned Sydney Harbour Bridge pro-Palestine protest
Sky News host Chris Kenny slams plans for a pro-Palestine march to take place on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 'So, the pro-Palestinian mob, the anti-Israel mob want to march across the Sydney Harbour bridge,' Mr Kenny said. 'And while a pride march in Gaza would almost certainly end in death at the hands of the Hamas Islamist extremists, this sort of march is a legacy that the pro-Palestinian mob are keen to leverage now. 'Yep, unity is the last thing this protest would foster. "The protesters were there to intimidate and keep away, grieving Jewish Australians.'
Sky News AU
34 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
‘There is no starvation in Gaza': Benjamin Netanyahu denies famine claims
Sky News host Chris Kenny discusses the current situation in Gaza relating to the population's starvation, saying the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies that Gazans are starving. 'International pressure is growing on Israel,' Mr Kenny said. 'But around the world, people are not accepting the information coming from Israel; they are forming their views based on other sources.'
