Latest news with #Israelis
Hindustan Times
6 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Belgium asks ICC to look at war crimes claims against two Israelis
Belgium said Wednesday it would ask the International Criminal Court to look into accusations of war crimes levelled against two Israelis who travelled to a Belgian music festival this month. Belgium asks ICC to look at war crimes claims against two Israelis The pair were briefly held for questioning by prosecutors upon attending the electronic dance music festival near Antwerp, following a complaint filed by pro-Palestinian groups who identified them as Israeli soldiers and accused them of violations in Gaza. Authorities initially said they took action after concluding that Belgian courts had extraterritorial jurisdiction over war crimes cases. But after analysing the complaints the federal prosecutor's office said on Wednesday that the justice ministry would refer the cases to the ICC, which is already investigating possible violations of humanitarian law in the Palestinian Territories. "This decision was taken in the interest of the proper administration of justice and in accordance with Belgium's international obligations," the office said. The two Israelis, who have not been named, were held after travelling to Tomorrowland, one of the world's largest electronic dance music festivals. The Israeli foreign ministry described the pair as "an Israeli citizen and an IDF soldier." "The ministry of foreign affairs and the IDF dealt with this issue and are in touch with the two," it added in a statement. Both men were released after questioning by the Belgian authorities and their current whereabouts are unclear. The Hind Rajab Foundation , a Belgian pro-Palestinian organisation which triggered the investigation, welcomed the referrals but argued Belgium "should have gone further" and prosecuted the pair directly or extradited them to the ICC. "We now urge the ICC to act without delay," it said in a statement. The ICC opened an investigation in 2021 into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Palestinian Territories, including in Gaza. In 2024, the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the campaign against Hamas in Gaza. At the same time, the ICC issued arrest warrants against three senior Hamas leaders over the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war. All three have since died. The ICC collects potential evidence for many different sources and under its founding statute, anyone individuals, NGOs, institutions or governments can submit whatever they like. It is then up to the prosecutor to decide how credible the source and the information is and whether to use it in a potential case. mad-ub/ec/jxb This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
L'Orient-Le Jour
an hour ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israeli rights groups break taboo with accusations of genocide
When two human rights groups became the first major voices in Israel to accuse the state of committing genocide in Gaza, breaking a taboo in a country founded after the Holocaust, they were prepared for a backlash. B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel released reports at a press conference in Jerusalem on Monday, saying Israel was carrying out "coordinated, deliberate action to destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip". That marked the strongest possible accusation against the state, which vehemently denies it. The charge of genocide is deeply sensitive in Israel because of its origins in the work of Jewish legal scholars in the wake of the Nazi Holocaust. Israeli officials have rejected genocide allegations as antisemitic. So Sarit Michaeli, B'Tselem's international director, said the group expected to face attacks for making the claim in a country still traumatised by the deadly Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza. "We've looked into all of the risks that we could be facing. These are legal, reputation, media risks, other types of risk, societal risks and we've done work to try and mitigate these risks," said Michaeli, whose organisation is seen as being on the political fringe in Israel but is respected internationally. "We are also quite experienced in attacks by the government or social media, so this is not the first time." It's not unrealistic "to expect this issue, which is so fraught and so deeply contentious within Israeli society and internationally to lead to an even greater reaction," she said. Israel's foreign ministry and prime minister's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Shortly after the reports were released on Monday, government spokesperson David Mencer said: "Yes, of course we have free speech in Israel." He strongly rejected the reports' findings and said that such accusations fostered anti-semitism abroad. Some Israelis have expressed concern over Israel's military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, destroyed much of the enclave and led to widespread hunger. An international global hunger monitor said on Tuesday a famine scenario was unfolding in the Gaza Strip, with malnutrition soaring, children under five dying of hunger-related causes and humanitarian access severely restricted. "For me, life is life, and it's sad. No one should die there," said nurse Shmuel Sherenzon, 31. But the Israeli public generally rejects allegations of genocide. Most of the 1,200 people killed and the 251 taken hostage to Gaza in the Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel were civilians, including men, women, children and the elderly. In an editorial titled "Why are we blind to Gaza?" published on the mainstream news site Ynet last week, Israeli journalist Sever Plocker said images of ordinary Palestinians rejoicing over the attacks in and even following the militants to take part in violence made it almost impossible for Israelis to feel compassion for Gazans in the months that followed. "The crimes of Hamas on Oct. 7 have deeply burned — for generations — the consciousness of the entire Jewish public in Israel, which now interprets the destruction and killing in Gaza as a deterrent retaliation and therefore also morally legitimate." Israel denies there is a genocide Israel has fended off accusations of genocide since the early days of the Gaza war, including a case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice in the Hague that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned as "outrageous". While Israeli human rights groups say it can be difficult working under Israel's far-right government, they don't experience the kind of tough crackdowns their counterparts face in other parts of the Middle East. Israel has consistently said its actions in Gaza are justified as self-defence and accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields, a charge the militant group denies. Israeli media has focused more on the plight of hostages taken by Hamas, in the worst single attack on Jews since the Holocaust. In this atmosphere, for B'Tselem's Israeli staff members to come to the stark conclusion that their own country was guilty of genocide was emotionally challenging, said Yuli Novak, the organisation's executive director. "It's really incomprehensible, it's a phenomena that the mind cannot bear," Novak said, choking up. "I think many of our colleagues are struggling at the moment, not only fear of sanctions but also to fully grasp this thing." Guy Shalev, executive director of Physicians for Human Rights Israel, said the organisation faced a "wall of denial". It has been under pressure for months and is expecting a stronger backlash after releasing its report. "Bureaucratic, legal, financial institutions such as banks freezing accounts including ours, and some of the challenges we expect to see in the next efforts will intensify," he told Reuters.
News18
an hour ago
- Politics
- News18
Drawing A Line In The Sand: Can UN Conference's Two-State Solution End Israel-Palestine Conflict?
The seven-page 'New York Declaration' outlines a phased plan to end not only the war in Gaza but also the eight-decade conflict between Israel and Palestine A United Nations conference has advocated for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. France and Saudi Arabia have led this initiative, laying out the parameters for a Palestinian state. UN chief Antonio Guterres has described the two-state solution as the 'only realistic, just, and sustainable solution for peace in the Middle East". The seven-page 'New York Declaration" outlines a phased plan to end not only the war in Gaza but also the eight-decade conflict between Israel and Palestine. The plan aims to culminate in an independent, demilitarised Palestine that peacefully coexists with Israel and integrates into the wider Middle East region. High-level representatives at the UN conference have urged Israel to commit to establishing a Palestinian state. According to the declaration, the co-chairs, France and Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the Arab League, and 15 countries leading the working groups have agreed 'to take collective action to end the war in Gaza". The meeting comes at a time when reports indicate severe starvation and famine plaguing Gaza, exacerbated by Israeli policies and practices—a claim repeatedly denied by Israel. The conference was postponed from June and downgraded from world leaders to ministers. For the first time, the conference has established eight high-level working groups to examine and make proposals on various topics related to a two-state solution. The declaration condemns Israeli attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, highlighting the 'siege and starvation" that have caused a devastating humanitarian crisis. It also reports that Israel's ongoing offensive against Hamas has resulted in over 60,000 Palestinian deaths. The conference plan envisions the Palestinian Authority governing and controlling all Palestinian territory, supported by a transitional administrative committee established after a ceasefire in Gaza. It also advocates for the deployment of 'a temporary international stabilization mission" under UN auspices to protect Palestinian civilians, support the transfer of security to the Palestinian Authority, and provide security guarantees for both Palestine and Israel. Monitoring the ceasefire and future peace agreements will be a priority. Without directly naming Israel, the document criticises 'illegal unilateral actions" that threaten the realisation of an independent Palestinian state. This comes amid reports of Tel Aviv's plans to annexe the West Bank. The New York Declaration also condemns 'the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians" in southern Israel on October 7, 2023—the first condemnation of Hamas by Arab nations. These attacks resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 civilians, mostly Israelis, and the taking of 250 hostages, 50 of whom are still held. A crucial question remains: can a two-state solution be achieved without cooperation from Israel and its ally, the United States? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has opposed the two-state solution and rejected the meeting on nationalistic and security grounds. The United States has also boycotted the meeting, calling it 'unproductive and ill-timed". India has joined 120 nations calling for a two-state solution. These talks follow French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement at the United Nations General Assembly in September that France will formally recognise the state of Palestine. Recently, the UK's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer extended his support but was quickly criticised by Netanyahu, who accused him of 'appeasing terrorists" after Starmer stated that the UK would recognise Palestine unless Israel took urgent steps to end the war in Gaza. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Ireland among 15 nations to call for two-state solution in Gaza
Ireland has signed a joint statement of foreign ministers to call for an immediate Gaza ceasefire and the implementation of a two-state solution, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said. The meeting took place at the High-level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in New York this week. The other signatories were: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain. The conference was attended by over 130 UN Member States. The meeting highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the urgent need for a ceasefire, release of hostages and unimpeded humanitarian access into and throughout Gaza. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade said the conference demonstrated that there is another way forward, adding that the "international community demands an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal" as well as urgent humanitarian aid for Gaza. Mr Harris added that they were ready to take "concrete steps" to implement the two-state solution. "Ireland is doubling down on our commitment to achieve a just, lasting peace where Israelis and Palestinians live side by side in peace and security. We will continue to do all in our power to work for that peace." Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment Emer Higgins represented Ireland at the conference. Recognition of Palestinian state The 15 Western nations also called on countries worldwide to move to recognise a Palestinian state, according to France's top diplomat. President Emmanuel Macron announced last week he would formally recognise Palestinian statehood in September, provoking strong opposition from Israel and the United States. France is hoping to build momentum around the formal recognition of a Palestinian state. Yesterday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the UK will formally recognise the State of Palestine in September unless Israel takes various "substantive steps", including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza. Mr Starmer's move, paired with Paris, would make the two European allies the first G7 nations to do so. In the joint statement, the nations affirmed their "unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-state solution". Nine of the signatories which have not yet recognised the Palestinian state expressed "the willingness or the positive consideration of their countries" to do so, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Seventeen countries, plus the European Union and Arab League, during the conference joined calls for Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war in the Palestinian territory.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
The continuation of the war in Gaza disgraces Israel
THE WAR Israel waged against Iran was short, with precision strikes, clear goals and results that enhanced its military prestige. The war against Hamas in Gaza has become endless, indiscriminate and militarily pointless. It is turning Israel into a pariah. This newspaper has called for a ceasefire since 2024. Now, after weeks of talks in Qatar, the time has come for America to use all its power to bring about a negotiated end to the fighting. That is essential in order to avoid mass starvation. It is also in Israel's national self-interest and would open up a genuine chance to build a government for Gaza that excludes what is left of Hamas. The situation is dire. Over 60% of buildings are damaged and 2m people have been displaced, many of them crammed into the centre of the strip. Although predictions of famine in 2024 by aid groups and the UN proved wrong, the threat today is real and urgent. Israel has sought to open corridors to supply aid, bypassing the UN-run system that Hamas may profit from. However, the volumes of food reaching Gazans are disgracefully low. Even if more convoys arrive, people will starve without a ceasefire. The hellscape they live in, overrun by trigger-happy Israeli forces, gangs and Hamas, is too dangerous to walk through to pick up supplies. The war now has no military logic. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) control about 70% of the strip. Hamas is defeated. Its leaders are dead, its military capacity is a tiny fraction of what it was on October 7th 2023 and its fighters are contained in pockets making up 10-20% of the territory. Hamas's backer, Iran, is humbled. Operations by the IDF are achieving little. The inadequate provision of aid to civilians on terrain that is, in effect, under occupation is a war crime. A plan by hardliners in Israel's government to corral Gazans into a permanent 'humanitarian city' would amount to ethnic cleansing. Many Israelis agree that a ceasefire is needed. Although only 21% of them believe in a two-state solution, over 70% want the hostages to be released and the war to be over. The IDF's generals do, too, and believe the humanitarian-city plan is illegal. An overwhelming majority of politicians outside the ruling coalition want a ceasefire and recognise the huge damage now being done to Israel's global standing. The ruling coalition itself, led by Binyamin Netanyahu, no longer has a majority in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and faces an election within 15 months. Mr Netanyahu has prolonged the war in Gaza in order to prevent hardliners from bringing down his coalition, but that strategy has run its course. He needs to pivot. The gap between the two sides in the talks has shrunk as an enfeebled Hamas has made concessions. The remaining differences include issues such as the stationing of the IDF inside Gaza during the initial 60-day phase of a ceasefire agreement. These are resolvable. The weakness of Hamas means that the 60-day period could be used to create a new governing body, backed by the Palestinian Authority. This could take control of Gaza in the second phase, with Western and Arab support. Because the past two years have shown up Hamas's incompetence, cynicism and utter indifference to Palestinian life, many Gazans would support this. Two things need to happen. Qatar must force Hamas's remaining leaders, many of whom live in Doha, to sign a ceasefire deal, using the threat of expulsion and a further funding crackdown. And Donald Trump must force Mr Netanyahu to end the war, using all the clout America has as Israel's ally. White House pressure has ended most of Israel's wars since independence in 1948. Granting it so much latitude in this conflict has demonstrated that America is still essential. Mr Trump's furious intervention in June brought the Israel-Iran war to an end. He must immediately deploy that anger and muscle for the good of Gaza. Editor's note (July 29th): This photograph, which originally illustrated our leader, was wrongly captioned. It omitted to say that Muhammad al-Matouq, an emaciated 18-month-old child, suffers from a pre-existing condition. We have replaced it because we are unable to know to what extent the decline in his health was caused by the incipient famine in Gaza, his lack of medical care or the inevitable progression of his underlying illness. Subscribers to The Economist can sign up to our Opinion newsletter, which brings together the best of our leaders, columns, guest essays and reader correspondence.
