New Zealand considering recognition of Palestinian state, foreign minister says
Peters said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's cabinet would make a formal decision in September and present the government's approach at the U.N. Leaders' Week.
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Reuters
24 minutes ago
- Reuters
Israel's Smotrich approves settlement splitting East Jerusalem from West Bank
Aug 14 (Reuters) - Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich approved plans overnight for a settlement that would split East Jerusalem from the occupied West Bank, a move his office said would bury the idea of a Palestinian state. It was not immediately clear if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed the plan to revive the long-frozen E1 scheme, which Palestinians and world powers have said would lop the West Bank in two and will likely draw international ire. In a statement headlined "Burying the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich's spokesperson said the minister would give a press conference later on Thursday about the plan to build 3,401 houses for Israeli settlers between an existing settlement in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel had frozen construction plans there since 2012 because of objections from the United States, European allies and other world powers who considered the project a threat to any future peace deal with the Palestinians.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Truck drivers, doctors and bakers: ordinary Yemenis turn to veteran journalist when justice fails
When dozens of gas tankers near Yemen's southern city of Aden were held up at a checkpoint by soldiers demanding heavy bribes, the frustrated drivers and traders turned to a man they trusted: Fatehi Bin Lazreq, a prominent Yemeni journalist. Known for using his media outlets and social media platforms to demand accountability, Bin Lazreq posted about the drivers' ordeal on Facebook. It quickly went viral, generating thousands of likes and comments. Within hours, the post prompted a phone call from the prime minister and another senior official, both pledging to resolve the issue. Soon, the tankers were able to move on. A few days later, a doctor in Aden contacted Bin Lazreq after her clinic was shut down by a health official, allegedly in retaliation for organising a medical conference without his involvement, despite prior approval from the health ministry. Bin Lazreq posted a video of the doctor's account of what happened, which triggered a wave of public support. The clinic was reopened. 'One of the most visible outcomes of the war [in Yemen] is the fragmentation of the country into small enclaves, each controlling a section of the road,' Bin Lazreq tells the Guardian from his home in Aden. 'To survive, these groups impose levies on passing vehicles and people – fees that have crushed traders,' he says, referring to the tankers being held up. The journalist knew that privately contacting key figures in the military and security services, a method he typically uses before going public, would not work in this case. The officials and other armed groups denied any connection to the soldiers blocking the tankers. 'We had to expose those soldiers through the media because we knew they wouldn't relinquish the 30m Yemeni rials [about $19,000] they were demanding from the 50 tankers.' Bin Lazreq has been on the frontlines of reporting since the war began more than a decade ago. Based in Aden, he covered the Iran-backed Houthis' brief occupation of the city in early 2015 and their eventual defeat by Saudi-led Yemeni forces. When anti-Houthi factions later turned their weapons on each other, Bin Lazreq stayed behind, continuing to report on the fighting and document human rights abuses through his Aden Al-Ghad Media Foundation, which includes a news website, a radio, a print newspaper, and a human rights foundation. Using his media outlet and a Facebook page with 600,000 followers, the Yemeni journalist has spent nearly a decade exposing corruption, reporting on human rights abuses in Aden and other cities, helping to secure the release of prisoners, and raising funds for impoverished individuals and struggling institutions. He says he realised the power of his reporting in the aftermath of Aden's 'liberation' in 2015, when he began shedding light on the injustices occurring in the city. 'When I first began reporting on the situation, my voice was quiet and drew little attention,' he says. 'I soon realised that people tend to rally behind louder, more assertive voices.' The main reason people turn to him is the collapse of state institutions during the war, a breakdown that persists as the conflict drags on. 'The weakness of state institutions has pushed people to seek out journalists – those who can speak up, draw attention, and help bring action or solutions to their problems,' he says. He urges the world not to let Yemen's decade-long war be overshadowed by the coverage of Gaza, Syria and Ukraine. 'Thirty to 40 million Yemenis are suffering in the absence of a functioning state and its institutions. The international community must push for and support efforts to end the war,' he says. While acknowledging the power of social media as a tool for accountability, Bin Lazreq also emphasises the important role of traditional media. 'Social media is powerful, but traditional media remains strong as well,' he says. 'Radio, newspapers and online news platforms have all played a vital role in exposing injustices and defending victims across Yemen.' Sign up to Global Dispatch Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team after newsletter promotion His work has not been without repercussions. He was arrested in 2017 after reporting on levels of corruption and claims he was tortured. His office was also attacked by unknown individuals. Even so, and despite the fighting, he refuses to take extra security precautions in Aden: 'I drive a regular car and am not accompanied by bodyguards. 'I'm convinced that if someone decides to eliminate you, they will – regardless of how well-protected you are. In fact, excessive security can sometimes attract the very danger it's meant to prevent.' To ensure the authenticity of the complaints he addresses, Bin Lazreq has a strict policy of not investigating anonymous cases. 'I don't accept any complaint unless the person submits it in person and provides all necessary evidence, documentation and witnesses to support their case,' he says. 'I do my best to appear unaffiliated with any political party. I believe that all parties have had both setbacks and successes, and that they were all born out of the war – and will probably fade when the war ends.' He says he receives a phone call every five minutes – some from people seeking justice, others from hungry families asking for financial help to feed their children, and still others from parties wanting to respond to accusations made in his posts. The constant stream of calls and complaints creates an overwhelming emotional burden – one he tries to ease through daily exercise and brief trips to Egypt, he says. 'I work in Aden for no more than four months, then book a flight to Egypt, where I spend 10 days doing almost nothing but sleeping. I only wake up to shower, eat, reply to a few messages, and then go back to sleep. 'That's my routine for those 10 days – my way of recovering. When travel isn't possible, I switch off my phone and retreat to my house in Abyan,' he says, referring to his home province. As for the future, Bin Lazreq has no plans to stop. 'Freeing prisoners, stopping violations and restoring rights are what motivate any journalist to keep going,' he says. 'The moment a journalist feels their voice no longer makes a difference, they begin to lose momentum. I haven't stopped, because my presence is strong and my impact on society is clear.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Albanese says ‘Hamas will engage in propaganda' amid confusion over statements on Palestinian statehood
Anthony Albanese has warned media about Hamas propaganda, amid confusion regarding statements reportedly made by the terrorist group in relation to Australia's pledge to recognise a Palestinian state. Nine newspapers reported on Wednesday that the Hamas co-founder and senior official Sheikh Hassan Yousef had welcomed the decision, praising Australia's 'political courage' and calling on other countries to follow its example. But the group later said Yousef was in jail and not able to communicate with media outlets. Nine clarified on Thursday that the statement was from Yousef's office not the man himself. Australian Associated Press reported that Hamas's foreign relations chief, Istanbul-based Dr Basem Naim, had poured cold water on the veracity of the Yousef statement. 'Sheikh Yousef is in an Israeli jail for years now. I'm very surprised ... I doubt it's true,' he said referring to the statement attributed to Yousef. Guardian Australia reported the government's response to Nine's Wednesday report and the quotes attributed to Yousef. Critics of the Albanese government, including the federal Coalition and conservative media commentators, seized on the statement attributed to Yousef when attacking Labor's decision to recognise Palestine. The opposition's foreign affairs spokesperson, Michaelia Cash, claimed Albanese should 'hang his head in shame after being praised today by the terrorist group Hamas'. The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, pointed to 'the Hamas co-founder praising our prime minister for this decision'. Nine clarified on Thursday the statement had been issued by Yousef's political office in the West Bank, which it said 'issues statements on his behalf', and that Yousef was in prison. A statement on an English-language Telegram channel, purportedly run by Hamas, stated that Yousef was 'being held in poor conditions and is cut off from the outside world, with no means of communication with local or international press outlets'. It denied he had made any statement on Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state. AAP reported Naim referred to the Telegram statement, confirming its veracity. Albanese on Thursday said: 'Hamas do not want a two-state solution.' 'What they want is one state,' the prime minister said. 'And I noticed in the [Telegram] statement that's made today, they say that the alleged statement from the person yesterday is someone who's been in prison in Israel since October 2023 and has no means of communication. 'What that should be is a warning to the media, of being very careful about the fact that Hamas will engage in propaganda. Because what is happening is the international community is united about isolating Hamas, about supporting a peaceful way forward.' Ley on Thursday again claimed the terrorist group had given 'full-throated praise of the prime minister'. The government on Wednesday cautioned against legitimising the statement attributed to Yousef, with a spokesperson claiming Hamas 'always tries to manipulate facts for their own propaganda'. 'Media have a responsibility to make professional judgments to not promote propaganda of terrorist organisations to get cynical headlines,' they said. Nine on Thursday said the earlier statement attributed to Yousef had been provided by his political office in the occupied West Bank 'which issues statements on his behalf'. Nine said Yousef's office 'confirmed it had released the statement and that Youssef was still in jail'. Nine on Wednesday initially reported: 'Yousef, one of Hamas' most senior leaders in the occupied West Bank, said in a statement to this masthead.' Nine later added a clarification noting 'this story has been updated to clarify the statement was issued by Sheikh Hassan Yousef's office and that he is held in prison. A subsequent statement issued via a Telegram channel in Hamas's name has also been added to the story'. Nine declined to comment further. The ABC on Wednesday reported on a statement attributed to the Hamas media director, Ismail Al-Thawabta, that Australia's move to recognise a Palestinian state 'reflects a growing global awareness of the necessity to end the injustice suffered by our people for decades'. 'We call on the Australian government to translate this recognition into concrete actions — by exerting diplomatic pressure to end the Israeli occupation,' the ABC reported Al-Thawabta as saying. Guardian Australia sought comment from Al-Thawabta and the Hamas-run Ministry of Information in Gaza. – Additional reporting Australian Associated Press
