UN experts demand 'immediate dismantling' of GHF
The experts described the organisation as an "utterly disturbing example of how humanitarian relief can be exploited for covert military and geopolitical agendas in serious breach of international law".
"The credibility and effectiveness of humanitarian assistance must be restored by dismantling the GHF, holding it and its executives accountable, and allowing experienced and humanitarian actors from the UN and civil society alike to take back the reins of managing and distributing lifesaving aid."
They concluded with demands for UN Member States to impose a complete arms embargo on Israel "due to its multiple violations of international law", end trade agreements that could harm Palestinians alongside holding coporations accountable.
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Arabian Business
an hour ago
- Arabian Business
Trump's global tariffs take effect, India hit hardest with 50% over Russia oil trade
A sweeping series of new US tariffs targeting more than 90 countries officially came into effect at midnight in Washington, in what is now the most significant protectionist trade action by the United States since the 1930s. The move marks a significant escalation in President Donald Trump's push to overhaul global trade rules under his principle of 'reciprocal tariffs,' targeting countries he says impose unfair barriers on US exports or fail to align with Washington's foreign policy agenda. 'IT'S MIDNIGHT!!! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!,' Trump wrote on Truth Social moments before the deadline passed. The original tariff deadline of July 9 was extended to August 1, and the new tariffs officially kicked in on August 7. India hardest hit India is among the hardest-hit nations, with a total of 50 per cent tariffs imposed on a wide range of goods. An initial 25 per cent tariff took effect today, with an additional 25 per cent scheduled for August 27. Trump linked the move directly to the nation's ongoing oil trade with Russia. 'India has not been a good trading partner. They do a lot of business with us, but we don't do business with them… They are buying Russian oil and fueling the Russian war machine,' Trump wrote on August 6. 'India is our friend, but their tariffs on American goods are FAR TOO HIGH. Their obnoxious non-monetary trade barriers are unacceptable. Starting Friday, they will face an extra penalty. America First!' he added in a July 30 post. India has condemned the move, calling it 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,' and vowed to protect its national interests. Indian export sectors reacted sharply. Shares of major textile and seafood exporters such as Gokaldas Exports, KPR Mill, and Avanti Feeds dropped 3–4 per cent in early trading. Kerala-based seafood exporters expressed concern they may be priced out of the US market altogether. Semiconductors face 100% import tariff Also taking effect is a 100 per cent tariff on all foreign-made semiconductors, unless they are produced in the US or by firms with ongoing investment in US-based manufacturing. The move is part of the administration's broader effort to bolster domestic chip production and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. While chipmakers like TSMC, Samsung, and SK Hynix have large operations in Asia, officials in South Korea and Taiwan say those companies may be exempt from the new rules due to current US investment commitments. The White House has not yet clarified its position. Prices of consumer electronics — including laptops, smartphones, and gaming consoles — are expected to rise by 18–20 per cent as a result of the tariff. US-based firms like Nvidia, which already manufacture chips domestically, may benefit from the policy shift. Wider global impact The tariff rollout impacts countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas: Brazil: Faces a 50 per cent tariff on exports to the US after Trump accused President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of undermining American tech firms and called the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro a 'witch hunt.' Laos and Myanmar: Penalised with a 40 per cent tariff, both nations have strong manufacturing ties with China — a pattern reflected in several other targets of the policy. Canada: Tariffs rose from 25 per cent to 35 per cent after the White House accused Canada of 'failing to cooperate' in reducing the cross-border flow of fentanyl and other drugs. 'I am announcing a 50 per cent TARIFF on Copper, effective August 1, 2025, after receiving a robust NATIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT,' Trump wrote in another Truth Social post. 'Copper is necessary for Semiconductors, Aircraft, Ships, Ammunition, Data Centers, Lithium-ion Batteries, Radar Systems, Missile Defense Systems, and even Hypersonic Weapons. THIS IS, AFTER ALL, OUR GOLDEN AGE!' Some US allies have managed to negotiate partial relief from the measures. The European Union reached a framework agreement that allows a 15 per cent tariff on goods from the bloc, while Japan and South Korea also secured reductions. Last week, Trump announced a 'full and complete' trade deal with South Korea that sets a 15 per cent tariff on South Korean imports, in exchange for $350 billion in US-controlled investments, $100 billion of which is in energy purchases, and full market access for American goods including cars, agriculture, and trucks. Japan signed a strategic trade agreement with the US in July, accepting a 15 per cent tariff in exchange for $550 billion in US-directed investments and expanded access for American agricultural and automotive exports. Taiwan, a major US trading partner, however, remains in negotiations with Washington after receiving a temporary 20 per cent tariff, with talks focused on semiconductor cooperation and potential pledges for further US investment. Mexico, meanwhile, was granted a 90-day extension on further tariff hikes as trade negotiations continue. The country, however, still faces a 25 per cent tariff during this period, especially linked to fentanyl concerns. Middle Eastern countries, including Gulf states, are largely excluded from punitive tariffs due to their energy exports being exempt, though Iraq, Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia face new levies of up to 30 per cent amid stalled trade talks. Economic disruption expected The average US tariff rate now stands at 15.2 per cent, up from just 2.3 per cent in mid-2024 — a historic jump. The Biden-era tariffs, which were rolled back or frozen, have now not only been reinstated but expanded under Trump's new framework. According to estimates from multiple market research groups, the new tariffs are expected to significantly increase prices across a variety of consumer categories: CATEGORY EXPECTED PRICE INCREASE Clothing & Apparel 36–37% Leather Goods 39–40% Electronics 18–20% Fresh Produce 6.7% Coffee Significant (Brazil hit 50%) Furniture & Appliances 3–5% Automobiles 4–6% The average American household is projected to face $2,400 to $2,700 in additional annual costs due to higher import prices. Low-income families are expected to be the most impacted, given their reliance on affordable imports from tariffed countries. A broader strategy The White House says the goal of the tariffs is to rebuild America's industrial base and restore fairness to global trade. Trump's approach combines economic and geopolitical objectives, applying tariffs not only to correct trade imbalances but also to influence foreign policy decisions — as seen with India's oil purchases and Canada's drug control efforts. In multiple posts, Trump has highlighted his 'America First' vision and the need for trade partners to 'play fair or pay.' 'The August first deadline is the August first deadline — It stands strong, and will not be extended. A big day for America!!!' Trump wrote on July 30. 'Starting Friday, they will face an extra penalty. America First!' he added in another post aimed at India. While the long-term economic effects remain to be seen, the short-term impact is already being felt through market volatility, rising prices, and renewed diplomatic tensions. Trade officials from multiple countries have confirmed ongoing negotiations with the US, but the new tariffs have already redrawn the landscape of global commerce. Trump's use of emergency powers under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs is facing multiple legal challenges, with a federal appeals court reviewing the case and a potential Supreme Court showdown expected.
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Smotrich poses next to 'Death to Arabs' graffiti in illegal West Bank settlement
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posed near graffiti that called for "Death to Arabs" on Thursday, as he visited an illegal West Bank settlement that was recently recognised by the Israeli government. Smotrich's visit to Sa-Nur, which sits south of the Palestinian city of Jenin, came after the Israeli government quietly recognised the settlement as one of four that would be placed under the control of the Shomron Regional Council. Sa-Nur, Kadim, Ganim and Homesh were evacuated unilaterally by Israel in 2005, without coordination with the Palestinian Authority, during Israel's "disengagement" from Gaza and parts of the occupied West Bank. Images from Thursday's visit showed Smotrich standing near a wall bearing the slogans: "The people of Israel return to Sa-Nur!" and "Death to Arabs." The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Smotrich had told settlers who accompanied him on the visit that Israelis will "return to the places we evacuated in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip". New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters A version of the photo later shared by the Shomron Regional Council had the racist graffiti cropped out. In response to the initial photograph, Gilad Kariv, a parliamentarian from the Democrats Party, called the image not just a "Hasbara [public diplomacy] disaster, it is a moral disaster." "This photo may have been taken on top of the hill at Sa-Nur, but it reflects the abyss into which the Netanyahu, Smotrich and Ben Gvir government is dragging us - an abyss of annexation, terrible violence and international isolation," Kariv said. Extremist Israeli politicians and right-wing settlers hold Gaza annexation conference Read More » Smotrich has vowed to restore evacuated settlements like Sa-Nur as part of his broader push to expand settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, despite international opposition and concerns over escalating tensions. In May, Israel's government approved the construction of 22 new settlements in the West Bank, including the legalisation of nine unauthorised outposts. The Sa-Nur settlement has symbolic and geographical importance due to its location near the ancient Palestinian village of Sanur, which includes the ancient fortress of Al-Jarrar and a vast agricultural meadow known as Maraj Sanur. Jamal Juma', a coordinator at the Palestinian grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign, told Middle East Eye that Israel's government was hell-bent on reoccupying areas they withdrew from in 2005. "They've already reoccupied Homesh, so that's why this criminal settler minister was there [in Sa-Nur] to declare the return of settlers," Juma' said. "With all that's going on in the West Bank - colonisation, ethnic cleansing and the siege on Palestinians - [Israel is] fast taking steps towards finishing their plan to ghettoise Palestinians and annex the West Bank," he added. Far right in ascendancy Israel's far right is ascendant in the wake of the war on Gaza, and has several ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet. Last month, Smotrich vowed that "Gaza will be entirely destroyed" and its Palestinian population will "leave in great numbers to third countries". How Netanyahu's plan to occupy Gaza is bringing the Israeli army to its knees Read More » He also declared that Israel would "apply sovereignty" in the occupied West Bank before the next Israeli general elections in October 2026. A majority of Israelis back the expulsion of all Palestinians from territory controlled by Israel, according to a recent poll by Pennsylvania State University. The survey, conducted in March and published by Haaretz newspaper, found that 56 percent of Israelis support the forced expulsion of Palestinian citizens of Israel. Last month, Israel's parliament approved a non-binding motion that called for the annexation of the occupied West Bank. The symbolic gesture does not affect the legal status of the West Bank, but it will help build momentum towards a possible move on the territory, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967.
Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Palestinian child killed during aid airdrop in south Gaza
Al Jazeera is reporting that at least one child has been killed attempting to retrieve relief supplies during an aerial aid delivery in Khan Younis, south Gaza. As Israel controls land entrances to Gaza and refuses to allow adequate aid into the territory over land, several countries have dropped aid over the territory from the air. Aid groups criticise the strategy as inefficient and incapable of providing the level of food and other resources needed by Palestinians in Gaza. Cindy McCain, director of the World Food Programme (WFP), criticised the relief distribution method late on Wednesday, writing on X: "We can't airdrop our way out of an unfolding famine. Not in Gaza."
