Israel mulls Gaza escalation; Lebanon pushes to disarm Hezbollah
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Arab News
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Saudi Arabia condemns planned Israeli occupation of Gaza
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Friday issued a condemnation of Israel's declared occupation of the Gaza Strip, describing it as a flagrant violation of international law and a continuation of 'barbaric practices and ethnic cleansing' against the Palestinian people. In a statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom denounced what it called systematic displacement, inhumane policies, and war crimes by Israeli occupation forces, warning that such actions deepen regional instability and erode global peace frameworks. Israel earlier approved a plan to take over Gaza City, marking another escalation of its 22-month offensive launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemns the Israeli occupation authorities' decision to occupy the Gaza Strip and denounces the continued perpetration of forced displacement and ethnic cleansing against the brotherly Palestinian people,' the statement read. Riyadh said the actions taken by Israeli authorities represent a disregard for history and international norms, stressing that the Palestinian people have a legitimate right to their land – rights protected under international law and humanitarian conventions. The Kingdom expressed frustration at what it described as the failure of the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to take decisive action. 'Continued inaction by the international community and the UN Security Council threatens to undermine the legitimacy of the international system and emboldens war criminals,' the statement said, adding that this failure contributes to 'genocide and forced displacement being carried out in plain sight.' Israel's military offensive has already killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, destroyed much of Gaza and pushed the territory of some 2 million Palestinians toward famine. Saudi Arabia has emphasized the need for an immediate and coordinated global response, urging nations to impose sanctions on Israeli authorities and work to restore justice and peace for Palestinians. The Kingdom also reiterated that peace cannot be achieved without a just resolution to the Palestinian issue. It called for renewed efforts to implement a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. 'Saudi Arabia affirms the importance of mobilizing international efforts to achieve a two-state solution, leading to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,' the ministry said.
Arab News
13 minutes ago
- Arab News
EU chief says Israel must reconsider Gaza control plan
BRUSSELS: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen called on Israel on Friday to reconsider its plan to further extend the military's control over the Palestinian territory of Gaza. 'The Israeli government's decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered,' she said on X. The Israeli government's decision to further extend its military operation in Gaza must be reconsidered. At the same time, there must be the release of all hostages, who are being held in inhumane conditions. And humanitarian aid must be given immediate and unhindered access to… — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) August 8, 2025 She also urged the release of all hostages and the 'immediate and unhindered access' for humanitarian aid in Gaza. 'A ceasefire is needed now.'
Arab News
13 minutes ago
- Arab News
Israeli airstrike kills Palestinian official and bodyguard in east Lebanon
BEIRUT: An Israeli airstrike on eastern Lebanon killed a number of people, including a senior member of a Palestinian group and his bodyguard as they were on their way to Syria, news reports and his group said Friday. The Thursday afternoon airstrike near the Lebanese border crossing of Masnaa killed Mohammed Wishah, a member of the central committee of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the group said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Senior PFLP official Marwan Abdel-Al mourned in a post on social media the death of Wishah and his bodyguard, Mufid Hussein. 'We have lost two of the most loyal comrades who gave their precious souls to freedom,' Abdel-Al wrote. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the airstrike on east Lebanon killed six people and wounded 10, without identifying the victims. Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, Israel has targeted Palestinian officials in Lebanon, including PFLP members. Three FPLP members were killed in an airstrike on a Beirut apartment last September. A FPLP official said Wishah had been in Lebanon to meet with other officials with the group and was on his way back to Syria when the airstrike happened. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to not being authorized to speak to the media. The PFLP statement said Wishah was born in the Gaza Strip in 1954 and spent five years in Israeli jails shortly after he joined the Palestinian group in 1973. For many years, the leftist and secular PFLP has been the second-largest member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah group. On Friday morning, an Israeli drone strike hit a car in a coastal highway in south Lebanon killing citizen journalist Mohammed Shehadeh, NNA said. Hezbollah later said Shehadeh was one of its members. Since the 14-month Israel- Hezbollah war ended with Israel has carried out scores of airstrikes on Lebanon mainly targeting Hezbollah members.
