Latest news with #Equality
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Depriving Gazans of human dignity': Over 20 nations and EU call for immediate ceasefire, urge political roadmap for lasting peace
A group of 28 countries, along with the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, has jointly called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, warning that the humanitarian crisis has reached devastating new levels. The joint statement, shared on the official website of Australian foreign minister Penny Wong, called for an urgent political process to ensure long-term peace and security in the region. The signatories condemned the Israeli government's handling of aid in Gaza, saying, "the Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity." The statement noted that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access food and water, and criticised what it called the 'drip feeding' of aid. "We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid." the statement said, cited by ANI. 'The Israeli Government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,' it added. It also condemned Hamas for the continued detention of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attacks, and called for their 'immediate and unconditional release.' The statement said that a negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of securing their return. The signatories urged Israel to immediately lift restrictions on humanitarian aid and allow UN agencies and NGOs to carry out their lifesaving work safely and effectively. The statement also strongly opposed any proposed forced displacement of Palestinians under the guise of a 'humanitarian city', calling such measures a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Criticising Israel's ongoing settlement expansion, it warned that the newly announced E1 settlement plan would sever Palestinian territories and pose a 'flagrant breach' of international law, effectively destroying hopes for a two-state solution. 'This must stop,' the statement read, referring also to the sharp rise in settler violence across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. The joint appeal concluded with a united call for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. It reaffirmed support for the mediation efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, and warned that continued bloodshed serves no purpose. 'We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region,' the signatories pledged. Foreign ministers from countries including the UK, Canada, France, Japan, Germany, and the Nordic nations, as well as EU representation, signed the statement, marking one of the most extensive international appeals for an end to the Gaza conflict to date.
Scoop
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Impotent Effusions: The Joint Statement On Gaza
Impotence takes various forms. Before the daily massacres, incidents of starvation and dispossession of Palestinians taking place in the Gaza Strip with primeval cruelty, international impotence in the face of actions by the Israeli state has become a mockery of itself. The calls to end the war in Gaza grow in number, even among Israel's allies, but little in substance is being done about it. What matters are statements that speak to a wounded conscience that do little to alter anything on the ground. One such statement, released on July 21, proved to be yet another one of those flossy effusions made by, as Macbeth might have said, idiots, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. The idiots numbered many: 28 international partners, including the foreign ministers of 27 states and, obviously not wanting to miss out, the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management. All, bar Australia, were from Europe. 'We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.' The statement goes on to mention the drearily obvious. 'The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.' The 'drip feeding of aid and inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of food and water' deserved condemnation. The deaths of over 800 Palestinians (the numbers are most certainly higher) while seeking aid was 'horrifying'. Even here, the language lacked rage. Israel's 'denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable.' The government 'must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.' To that end, Israel was called upon to restore the flow of aid and enable the work of the United Nations and humanitarian NGOs to resume in the Strip. This is obviously something that the Netanyahu government is conscious of avoiding, given the systematic program of controlled starvation and deprivation being inflicted. To add balance, the statement also notes the plight of the Israeli hostages still held by Hamas, their continued detention also something to be condemned. They were to be immediately and unconditionally released with a negotiated ceasefire being the best way of doing so. The signatories do go so far as to acknowledge the dangers and intentions of Israel's administrative measures that seek 'territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel's Civil Administration, if implemented, would divide a Palestinian state in two, marking a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution.' The West Bank is also recognised in similar light, with the signatories urging a cessation to the violence taking place against Palestinians and a halt to the building of settlements across the territory 'including East Jerusalem'. These statements are always interesting for what they omit. No toothy measures to address the maltreatment of Palestinian civilians are stipulated, other than an encouragement of 'a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end'. A benign, most unthreatening promise is made: the prospect of taking 'further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region.' This may be code for recognition of a Palestinian state, fanciful given the systematic pulverisation of the people who would inhabit it. The signatory list also omits Germany and, most importantly of all, the United States, Israel's arch guardian and evangelical sponsor. The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, gave us a flavour of feelings in Washington about the signatories in a post on X. 'How embarrassing for a nation to side [with] a terror group like Hamas & blame a nation whose civilians were massacred for fighting to get hostages released.' In another post that made a vague shot at justifying the unjustifiable, the ambassador absolved Israel in its conduct; only the militant group Hamas deserved exclusive blame. The nations in question had 'put pressure on @Israel instead of savages of Hamas! Gaza suffers for 1 reason: Hamas rejects EVERY proposal. Blaming Israel is irrational.' The Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar, ever lurking in the twilight of alternative reality, reasoned the statement away, much as relatives would the views of a demented, unloved aunt. 'If Hamas embraces you – you are in the wrong place.' Praise from the group was itself 'proof of the mistake they [the signatory countries] made – part of them out of good intentions and part of them out of an obsession against Israel.' While the various foreign ministers were flashing their plumage of principles and international humanitarian law, the Israeli Defense Forces had busily commenced an operation on a part of Gaza they have yet to level: Deir al-Balah. Given its importance as a humanitarian hub that still houses UN staff and guesthouses, more slaughter is imminent. Till Israel assumes the status of a pariah state it seemingly craves to become, its rogue army confined and depleted, its economy humbled and isolated, the industrial appetite for slaughter and dispossession will only continue. The Palestinians will be left to be relics of moral anguish, banished to the footnotes of bloodied history along with many more statements of concern and sheer impotence.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Watch: Calls for Government to create a Commissioner for Future Generations
Coalition 2030, a group of civil society groups and trade unions, has held an event in Dublin city centre to urge Government to enact a bill that would lead to the creation of a Commissioner for Future Generations. The Commission for Future Generations Bill had been under scrutiny by the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth prior to the General Election last November, but has not yet been put back on the Government's agenda. "The climate crisis, demographic shifts, and widening inequalities make long-term thinking essential. Ireland co-led the negotiations for the 2030 Agenda and has a global reputation to uphold in sustainable development," Coalition 2030 Coordinator David Rossiter said at the event. Members of the UN Youth Delegation, GOAL, INTO, Social Justice Ireland, Irish Environmental Network, and the Disability Federation, were among the groups in attendance.
The South African
14-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
G20's ability to respond to multilateral tests 'critical'
The G20 countries' ability to respond collectively to mounting challenges facing the multilateral system will determine both the speed of global recovery and the future of sustainable development. This is according to National Treasury Director-General, Dr Duncan Pieterse, who delivered remarks at the opening session of the G20 Finance Track meetings being held in KwaZulu-Natal this week. 'The multilateral system is being tested, and our collective ability to respond, will shape the pace of our recovery, but also the prospects for inclusive and sustainable development. 'As the G20, we have the responsibility to demonstrate leadership, and our Presidency places a very strong emphasis on strengthening the role of the G20 in delivering concrete solutions, fostering a more stable and effective and resilient international financial architecture, enhancing debt sustainability, addressing liquidity challenges, as well as strengthening multilateral development banks, and ensuring financing for development,' Pieterse said. He added that the meetings take place at a time of heightened global economic uncertainty. 'While there are signs of resilience in some areas, various challenges remain: uneven growth trajectories, elevated debt levels, persistent inflationary pressures, and the complex implications of tightening financial conditions. 'At the same time, various long-term transitions including digitalisation, climate finance and demographic shifts are reshaping the foundations of our economies,' the DG noted. Pieterse explained that this week, sessions have been dedicated in line with 'our commitment to deepen policy dialogue at the Deputies level'. 'These discussions are instrumental in shaping the outcomes of the Finance Track, and reaffirming our commitment as the Presidency to Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,' he said. On Monday, the sessions kicked off with an update from the Council of Europe Development Bank on its monitoring and reporting framework. '[This framework] is a critical tool for tackling the implementation of the G20 MDB roadmap as it enables MDBs to assess how they are working better as a system, enhancing their effectiveness and maximising developmental impact. 'This will be followed by a pandemic response financing simulation exercise that will be facilitated by the World Bank and the objective of this exercise is to simulate a coordinated pandemic response financing scenario, enabling participants to explore practical mechanisms for mobilising and deploying resources rapidly and effectively during a global health emergency,' he said. On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank will give updates on the global sovereign debt roundtable. 'This discussion is geared towards promoting information exchange between the GSDR and the G20 to enhance the effectiveness of both platforms while respecting the distinct roles. 'Significant progress has been made on the GSDR work, including the publication of the GSDR playbook on sovereign debt restructurings during the Spring Meetings in April, and another important milestone that was achieved was the publication of a G20 note on the steps of debt restructuring under the common framework,' Pieterse explained. On the same day, the Chairperson of the Africa Expert Panel, led by former Minister of Finance for South Africa, Trevor Manuel, will give an update on the work of the panel. '[This] section will provide Deputies with an overview of the work of the Panel, which…aims to advance Africa's collective development interest within the G20 Finance Track. We will be getting an update from Minister Manuel on this so that we can ensure that we align African priorities with the global economic reform efforts that we are discussing in the G20,' he said. Over the next two days, the delegates will have sessions dedicated to the drafting of a communique. 'We really want to thank the G20 members for very constructive inputs and engagements thus far, which started last week virtually, and we believe that those engagements have set a very strong foundation for our discussions over the next two days. 'We are very pleased with the collaborative spirit shown during the virtual discussions, and we believe that we are able to achieve agreement in most of the areas which will enable us to provide the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors with an opportunity to achieve the first Communique under South Africa's Presidency,' Pieterse concluded. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Mint
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Women's cricket team gets rousing welcome at India House in London
London, Jul 6 (PTI) The Indian women's cricket team, which is in England for T20I and ODI series, received a rousing welcome at a community gathering at the India House here. The Indian team and the support staff led by head coach Amol Muzumdar gathered on the grounds of the High Commission of India on Saturday evening. Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami welcomed the 'genuine heroes' who inspire Indians around the world with their performance and also their passion and commitment to cricket. 'What they have done is to revolutionise sport and to revolutionise the idea of participation in everything in India,' said Doraiswami. 'Today there is nothing that young Indian women feel they cannot do because of you and an earlier generation of cricket players… You have magic with you and you share it with us everywhere you play on the field, for which we are very, very grateful,' he said while addressing the squad. 'When you look at our cricket team, our hockey team or any of our sports teams, these represent India at its best. 'These are not just our best sports people, but these are girls who represent India from every corner of our country. These are girls who carry the message of an opportunity that sports gives to every corner of the country,' he said. Shivani Uberoi, the Indian-origin Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Lead at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), highlighted the influence of the cricketers across both nations. 'The skills that you have, the talent that you have just really makes every match so exciting… you are not just role models for girls in India, you are models for girls in England and everywhere. So, thank you so much,' said Uberoi. UK Immigration Minister Seema Malhotra highlighted how the achievements of the Indian team are celebrated with vigour among the diaspora communities in Britain. 'What is so important in today's modern world is that we find time for physical wellbeing, which is important for our mental wellbeing and in building leadership and character. And, in all of those areas, you are a true inspiration,' the British Indian minister said. All-rounder Jemima Rodrigues went on to display her talent as a singer by crooning a few lines of the song 'Yeh Dosti' from 'Sholay' as she joined some of her teammates in a light-hearted conversation session with India's Deputy High Commissioner to the UK, Sujit Ghosh. 'The first support always came from here [England], when you all sold-out the stadiums at Lord's [Cricket Ground] and everywhere we played in 2017. 'Just keep turning up for the games, we have two more left (in the T20I series) – in Manchester and Birmingham. Your support means everything to us,' said vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. Muzumdar reflected upon the 'warmth and hospitality' the squad receives when they tour England and pledged to continue to display entertaining cricket. 'I would like to vouch, on behalf of my team, that they would be playing a brand of cricket that would entertain all of you. Also, I vouch that every one of them will be true ambassadors of our country,' he said. India are leading the five-match T20I series 2-1, and their next fixture is at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
