Latest news with #Jabarin
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Family of NYC man killed by Palestinian teen bracing to see ‘monster' freed in Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal
The family of a Queens man killed by a Palestinian teen in the West Bank is bracing to see the thug walk free as part of Saturday's hostage-prisoner exchange — fearing further attacks as once-locked away 'monsters' are released. Hillcrest-raised Israel advocate Ari Fuld was stabbed to death in 2018 by 17-year-old Khalil Jabarin — and Fuld's younger brother Hillel insisted his sibling would have been staunchly opposed to any prisoner release. Ari, 45, was against hostage exchange deals, particularly in 2011, when one Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas for five years was exchanged for 1,027 convicted prisoners, including Oct. 7 mastermind Yahyah Sinwar. He would be '100 percent against this deal,' Fuld said. Back then, 'Everyone else said, 'We gotta do the deal.' But Ari said, 'No, we don't gotta do it.'' His older brother 'would have warned us what is to come from releasing those monsters,' he added. 'The fear is you'll have another Sinwar being released, another mass terror attack, like they tried to do last night, at the hands of someone being released,' Fuld, noting the attempted bombings on multiple Israeli buses Thursday, told The Post. The younger Fuld called Jabarin's release 'painful,' but seemed resigned to it. 'I believe we have to do this now to bring our people back,' Fuld told The Post Friday, a day before Jabarin was slated to be among the 602 prisoners to be sprung in exchange for six Israeli hostages. Of those being released Saturday, 50 are serving life sentences. All told, 1,900 Palestinian prisoners are due to be returned for 33 Israelis held by Hamas in the first phase of the cease-fire's with Israel. More than 270 of the freed prisoners were serving life sentences. 'The personal price that we're paying, as difficult as it is, doesn't really change our opinion. This deal is both horrible and beautiful at the same time,' said Fuld by phone from his home in Israel, conceding he held out hope Jabarin's sentence wouldn't be commuted. 'Horrible because we're letting out these monsters. Beautiful because these poor [people] are returning to their families.' Another New York family got a scare last month when Arab social media hyped the imminent release of their loved one's killer. Israeli prisons are places where terrorists seen as heroes can jumpstart their careers, said Upper East Side native Jonathan Karten, whose uncle, an Israeli soldier, was kidnapped and murdered in 1996, for which the culprit was serving multiple life sentences. All the terrorists in leadership positions today 'came from that 2011 release,' added Karten, 28. 'They garner a lot of respect in prison, they become organizers – it's a career booster, and they leave prison with more clout and leadership positions.' Mideast analyst Joe Truzman of the Foundation for Defending Democracy said Hamas and other terrorist groups 'are very open' about who they want out of prison. 'Most of them are the top guys — bomb makers, senior Hamas members. It's not really a secret who they want out.' Fuld said his brother's impact 'continues long after he's gone.' His brother reached millions as an online activist advocating for Israel and the Jewish people. After he was stabbed, Ari shot Jabarin, moments before he could reach his next victim. 'He saved and changed lives in his lifetime, in his death, and now indirectly because of Ari, this guy is getting out and that means these people will be back in Israel to reunite with their families.
Middle East Eye
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Over 230 global NGOs say all F-35 exports to Israel are unlawful
More than 230 global civil society organisations, including those taking legal action in five different countries, are calling on governments producing F-35 fighter jets to immediately halt all arms transfers to Israel. 'The past 16 months have illustrated with devastating clarity that Israel is not committed to complying with international law,' the organisations wrote in a letter released on Tuesday. They welcomed the temporary ceasefire in Gaza, but warned that its fragility risks further Israeli violations while also highlighting Israel's use of military fighter jets in the occupied West Bank. The letter said that F-35 partner countries 'have individually and collectively failed' to stop the jets from being used to commit serious violations of international law 'despite overwhelming evidence'. 'States have either been unwilling to observe their international legal obligations and/or claimed that the structure of the F-35 programme means that it is not possible to apply arms controls to any end-user, making the entire programme incompatible with international law,' they wrote. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The letter was sent to government ministers in F-35 partner countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK where signatories have taken legal action to try to halt arms exports to Israel. Top Dutch court advised to uphold export ban of F-35 components to Israel Read More » The organisations said that 'a number of incoherent positions' had been put forward by F-35 partners, including the UK, which allow for the continued export of the fighter jet's parts and components destined for Israel while suspending other arms licences. By continuing to export these parts, even indirectly, the organisations say that all partner countries are violating international and domestic legal obligations which have been reinforced by findings at the International Court of Justice. Shawan Jabarin, the general director of Al-Haq, a Palestinian NGO which is involved in several of the legal challenges including the one in the UK, said Israeli air strikes have 'devastated Gaza', repeatedly targeting densely populated areas, alleged 'safe zones' and shelters. At least 90 percent of Palestinians in Gaza have been forcibly displaced. 'The overwhelming evidence of Israel's grave violations of international law makes the F-35 partner nations - all of which are signatories to the Geneva Conventions, with the majority also having ratified the Arms Trade Treaty - complicit in these actions,' Jabarin said. He said it was 'imperative' for states to uphold their duties under international law and 'collectively ensure that F-35 jets and components no longer reach Israel, halting further complicity in these international crimes'. Decision by consensus The F-35 programme currently has no track-and-trace capability to allow for parts destined for specific countries to be halted without disrupting the global fleet. Court documents filed last month in the UK legal challenge revealed that under a 2006 memorandum of understanding between the participating states, the F-35 programme is overseen by an executive steering board chaired by the US and composed of representatives from other countries involved. According to the court documents, the board makes decisions by consensus, so all participant states would have to agree for components being used in Israel F-35s to be limited. UK looked for ways to suspend F-35 parts to Israel, court documents reveal Read More » The UK government has acknowledged that there is a clear risk that Israel may commit war crimes using F-35s, but has said it could not suspend the parts without disrupting the entire F-35 fleet and threatening global peace and security "within weeks". Gearoid O Cuinn, director of the UK-based Global Legal Action Network which is also challenging the UK, said: "The UK government's position is that Israel can commit whatever depraved atrocity it pleases in Palestine, and nothing will stop the supply of British war plan components. "In taking this indefensible position, the UK government has shamelessly put US interests and arms contracts above its own international legal obligations.' Marte Hansen Haugan, president of Changemaker, a youth NGO in Norway, which is an F-35 partner country, said it was 'horrifying to know' that her country was among those enabling Israel to kill civilians in Gaza and the West Bank. 'The unwillingness to halt or pause the production of F-35 components reflects an interpretation of national and international law that excludes Palestinian lives,' Haugan said. Since October 2023, Israel has killed at least 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, with Palestinian civil defence officials estimating that 10,000 more bodies may still remain under rubble.
