Latest news with #IsraelGazaWar
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Starmer to recall cabinet for emergency meeting on Gaza
Sir Keir Starmer is set to recall cabinet ministers from their summer breaks for an emergency meeting on Gaza, according to reports. The Government is under intense pressure from Labour MPs over its stance on the Israel-Gaza war as the humanitarian situation in the strip worsens. Images of starvation have led to growing condemnation of Israel and calls for a ceasefire have intensified. Sources told The Guardian of the Cabinet recall as they insisted the Prime Minister is 'horrified' by images of starving civilians. They also told the newspaper that formally recognising a Palestinian state was a matter of 'when not if', days after French president Emmanuel Macron said he would use a speech in September to recognise Palestine. Sir Keir is expected to push Donald Trump to take a tougher stance against Israel when they meet at the president's Turnberry golf course in Scotland later on Monday. David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, will also attend a conference on the two-state solution in New York this week where the pathway to a Palestinian state is expected to be discussed. Talks on a Gaza ceasefire have come to a standstill in recent days after the US accused Hamas of acting in bad faith. Steve Witkoff, Mr Trump's Middle East envoy, announced on Thursday that the US was bringing home its negotiators, saying Hamas 'clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire'. He added the US would now 'consider alternative options to bring the hostages home', without clarifying what they would be. A ramping up of aid supplies and the return of more Israeli hostages were expected to form part of any truce. Angela Rayner is leading attempts in cabinet to persuade Sir Keir to formally recognise Palestine and a third of backbench Labour MPs have also pressed the Prime Minister to back the move. He has previously disappointed them by insisting any recognition would have to come at a time when it would be most beneficial to any peace process. He said on Thursday that Palestinians have an 'inalienable right' to a state of their own. Pressure on Sir Keir is likely to intensify after Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana launched a new hard-Left party to challenge Sir Keir. The pair have accused the Government of enabling genocide and are expected to link up with several independent pro-Gaza MPs. Last week, a committee of MPs said Sir Keir should 'immediately' recognise a Palestinian state 'while there is still a state to recognise'. The recommendation was made by Parliament's foreign affairs committee, led by Dame Emily Thornberry, the veteran Labour MP, in a new report on the Gaza conflict. She told The Guardian of the talks: 'Netanyahu only listens to Trump, and even then only sometimes. But somebody has to talk to the Israelis and nothing is going to move in this awful situation without him. 'Trump needs to hear that he has the strength of 10 presidents, that only he can get a ceasefire. 'But it's high risk for Keir as it could anger him and it's not even clear whether it would work. But he has to try, this is the moment it has to be done. 'Trump also needs to hear that allies, including the UK, French and Saudis, are prepared to work together to put together peace proposals but they will only work if they result in two states: Israel and Palestine.' Conservative MP Kit Malthouse, a former cabinet minister and critic of Israel, told the newspaper: 'Every moment of inaction is a deliberate choice. These two leaders hold the power to end the starvation and killings in Gaza, to halt the violence in the West Bank, and to bring the hostages home with a permanent ceasefire. 'If they fail to act, history will not only remember the atrocities, it will remember that they had the means to stop them and chose not to.' Critics of immediate recognition have said that it should not happen until Hamas is removed from any leadership role in Gaza and all Israeli hostages are released. Israel's government has characterised any recognition by the UK and France as a 'reward' for Hamas's Oct 7 2023 atrocities.
The National
6 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Columbia University reaches $200 million settlement with US federal government
Columbia University has agreed to pay the US government $200 million in a settlement over what the Trump administration called a wave of anti-Semitism on campus and a 'violation of federal law'. The embattled university has faced pressure from the administration over protests at its New York campus in 2023, at the start of Israel's war in Gaza, and 2024. An encampment on the university's main lawn for almost two weeks drew international attention. Columbia will pay the settlement over three years. In exchange, the university said in a statement, the federal government will unlock 'billions in current and future grants'. It was one of the first universities targeted by the administration over alleged anti-Semitism on campus amid protests against the Israel-Gaza war. In March, the Trump administration froze funding to several high-profile universities. Columbia said in its statement that the settlement codifies a set of reforms it announced in March, including a review of several of its Middle East studies programmes and identification of students who participate in protests on campus. Only one month after taking office for his second term as president, Donald Trump led a charge against Columbia, and eventually several other Ivy League and top-tier American universities, to block government grants on the pretext that it was in breach of laws against discrimination applicable to universities that receive federal funding. Mr Trump called the settlement a 'penalty', on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, and said the school had been 'violating federal law'. He also said Columbia will pay 'over $20 million to their Jewish employees who were unlawfully targeted and harassed'. Columbia does not admit to wrongdoing, but 'the institution's leaders have recognised, repeatedly, that Jewish students and faculty have experienced painful, unacceptable incidents, and that reform was and is needed', the university said in its statement. Last week, Columbia announced it will adopt a controversial definition of anti-Semitism set by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance that has also been adopted by Harvard and NYU. The 'working definition' is accompanied by various examples of anti-Semitism, including 'applying double standards' to the conduct of the state of Israel or 'claiming that the existence of a state of Israel is a racist endeavour'. Student protesters and members of the Arab and Muslim communities on campus have alleged discrimination, harassment and doxxing by the university or its affiliates based on their political views and personal backgrounds. This week, the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition, a collective of student groups engaged in pro-Palestine actions, filed a lawsuit against the university alleging a violation of due process and 'overstepping their jurisdiction to censor pro-Palestinian speech'. The university said in its statement that the agreement with the federal government 'preserves Columbia's autonomy and authority'. Its response to the threats from the Trump administration over several months has drawn a backlash and claims of capitulation. Acting president Claire Shipman, the third head of the university since 2023, said in a message to the Columbia community on Wednesday that the lack of federal funding to the school 'would jeopardise [its] status as a world-leading research institution'. 'Following the law, attempting to resolve a complaint, is not capitulation,' Shipman said in a video statement released by the university in June. She had said Columbia would move to restore its government funding 'if possible'. By contrast, fellow Ivy League university Harvard took the US government to court in proceedings that began this week. On Wednesday, the State Department launched an investigation into whether Harvard should remain eligible to sponsor international student visas. 'Visa sponsorship is a privilege, and sponsors whose conduct tarnishes our nation's interests will lose that privilege,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Wrong side of history': senator hits out at sanction
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi has doubled down on her silent protest about the Israel-Gaza war, accusing parliament of "cracking down on black and brown women" after she was sanctioned by the upper house. As Governor-General Sam Mostyn delivered her speech in the upper house on Tuesday for the opening of the 48th parliament, Senator Faruqi held a sign that read: "Gaza is starving. Words won't feed them. Sanction Israel". The government's Senate leader Penny Wong introduced a motion on Wednesday to disapprove of the Greens senator's conduct. It also requests an apology for "unparliamentary conduct" in addition to not supporting her as a potential Senate representative on any delegation during this term. "What she wants most of all is attention," Senator Wong said. "Australians expect us, their elected representatives, to uphold our democratic institutions, to demonstrate a degree of respect for each other as they do, and a respect for our institutions." Labor and the coalition voted in favour of the sanction, while the Greens and WA senator Fatima Payman voted against it. Senator Faruqi accused her colleagues of being on the "wrong side of history" for a lack of action against Israel over its response in Gaza following the October 7 attack by Hamas in 2023. "You are more focused on cracking down on black and brown women," she said, before later accepting calls to withdraw the comment. "The Greens will not be silent as this genocide unfolds. "You will not be able to intimidate me or any of my colleagues, and we will never stop fighting for freedom, for Palestine." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said people elected to the parliament have a responsibility to act like an adult. "There's a place for demonstrations, and it's not on the floor of the Senate or the House of Reps, for that matter," he told the ABC. Coalition Senate leader Michaelia Cash criticised the Greens senator for her "breach of respect". "It was deliberate, prolonged and clearly intended to politicise a solemn and ceremonial event," she said. "Rules without enforcement are meaningless ... and institutions without discipline become irrelevant." Pro-Palestinian protester Shane Bazzi was taken out of the upper house by security guards after he began shouting from the public gallery while the motion was being discussed. "Shame, shame," he yelled while being removed. Hundreds of protesters called for sanctions on Israel on the lawns of parliament during its opening with one woman arrested, according to the Australian Federal Police.
The Guardian
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Daily Telegraph headline about Labor and Hamas breached accuracy rules, Australian Press Council finds
A Daily Telegraph headline that said 'Labor backs Hamas' breached press standards while failing to take into consideration 'heightened community sensitivities' due to the Israel-Gaza war, the Australian Press Council has found. In publishing the article headed 'To keep peace at home, Labor backs Hamas', the Murdoch tabloid breached the APC rules because it did not take reasonable steps to ensure factual material was accurate and not misleading, the watchdog said. 'Publications need to take great care in order to satisfy the reasonable steps standard in the context of heightened community sensitivities around the Israel/Palestine conflict and on matters of significant public interest,' the APC said. The article reported that the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, was backing a United Nations vote calling for an 'irreversible pathway' to a two-state solution in the Middle East. The former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma told the Telegraph the move was a play for domestic votes. Sign up to get Guardian Australia's weekly media diary as a free newsletter 'These potential changes in Australia's UN voting pattern are against our national interests,' he was quoted saying. 'They will do nothing to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East. 'All they do is reward Hamas for its terrorist acts.' News Corp Australia defended the article by saying the headline reflected the opinion of Sharma and readers would view the headline as accurately reflecting the senator's view. 'The publication also said that readers can discern the difference between an opposition senator's criticism of government decision-making, as opposed to the editorial direction of the publisher,' the adjudication said. But the APC found that given an absence of inverted commas the headline was presented as statement of fact 'with the clear implication being that the Labor government is 'backing' Hamas'. 'The Council considers that the headline goes beyond what was said by Senator Sharma in his criticisms of the government support for a two-state-solution in the Middle East,' it said. Sign up to Weekly Beast Amanda Meade's weekly diary on the latest in Australian media, free every Friday after newsletter promotion 'Accordingly, the Council concludes the publication failed to take reasonable steps to ensure factual material is accurate and not misleading in breach of general principle 1.' Traditionally, it is subeditors and editors rather than reporters who write headlines. The article, which was printed on page three and published online on 4 December, remains online. The adjudication was printed on page 14 of Wednesday's newspaper. News Corp is the biggest funder of the self-regulatory council, which most Australian publications belong to. Newspapers have been regulated by the industry-funded body since 1976. But its findings have been openly mocked by journalists and publications it has found to have breached standards, including News Corp, which has allowed its journalists to call the body 'foolish' and 'idiots'. Guardian Australia is not a member of the Australian Press Council but it has an independent readers' editor who investigates complaints and publishes corrections and clarifications.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Stop The Killing': Malaysian PM Anwar Urges Trump To Rein In Israel Amid Gaza Attacks
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has publicly urged U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence over Israel to immediately halt attacks in Gaza. Calling the humanitarian crisis a "test of shared humanity," Anwar condemned the killing of children and starvation caused by indiscriminate bombings. He appealed for global unity, stressing that every nation must speak with one voice to end the brutality and ensure aid reaches Gaza. Watch#AnwarIbrahim #GazaCrisis #Trump #StopTheKilling #IsraelGazaWar #HumanityTest #CeasefireNow #MalaysiaForPeace #HumanitarianAid #MiddleEastCrisis
