Latest news with #Libi
Middle East Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Israeli press review: MP glorifies killed contractor for ‘wiping out' Gaza homes
Killed contractor lauded for destroying Gaza The Israeli army announced on Thursday that David Libi, a 19-year-old heavy equipment operator, was killed in an explosion during a military operation in the northern Gaza Strip. Libi, from the settlement of Malachi Shalom in the occupied West Bank, was employed by the Israeli army through Libi Construction and Infrastructure, a company recently sanctioned by the UK. Zvi Sukkot, a member of the Israeli parliament from the Religious Zionist Party, paid tribute to Libi, calling him a 'friend' and praising his role in the destruction of Palestinian homes. 'He fell bravely today fighting against the Nazis in Gaza at the age of 19,' Succot wrote on X, adding: 'With God's help, the State of Israel will avenge his blood.' New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Sukkot emphasised the importance of Libi and other heavy equipment operators in the military campaign, describing them as 'directly responsible for the greatest achievement of the war in wiping out tens of thousands of homes that endangered our fighters and changed the face of the Gaza Strip'. He noted that while they may not receive the same recognition as pilots, 'they are among the people to whom the entire nation of Israel owes the most'. Sukkot also highlighted that many of the operators come from settler communities. In a separate eulogy shared in a settler group chat, Libi and others were described as sending a message to Gaza's residents: 'You have nothing to look for here anymore. The best thing for you would be to find a boat or raft and try to sail to Greece, Europe or Morocco. Because here, you have no future.' Palestinian drivers attacked by football fans Two Palestinian bus drivers were attacked in Jerusalem by Beitar Jerusalem fans on Thursday, following their team's defeat in the Israel State Cup final. Footage of the attack circulated online, but police have yet to arrest any suspects, according to Haaretz. Israeli hooligans provoke clashes in Amsterdam after chanting anti-Palestinian slogans Read More » Ahmad Karain, one of the drivers assaulted, told Haaretz that dozens of Beitar fans 'realised I was an Arab after speaking to me and suddenly began shouting 'Death to Arabs', cursing and attacking me. More and more joined in constantly'. Beitar Jerusalem is a football club known for its association with the Israeli right wing. According to Karain, another driver, Muhammad Sayaj, came to his aid and was also attacked. 'The police only arrived after 20 minutes, maybe even half an hour, and they rescued me from there. 'I was terrified; I feared I might not survive. This isn't the first time drivers have been attacked, but it was the most brutal incident.' In recent years, and especially since the start of the war in Gaza, attacks on Palestinian drivers in Israel have increased. Koach LaOvdim, a workers' union, warned of escalating violence against drivers. 'Every day brings us closer to the murder of a driver or inspector.' Palestinian 'murdered in racist attack' by Jewish Israelis Fouad Alyan, a resident of Beit Safafa in occupied East Jerusalem, was killed last week after allegedly being run over by a Jewish driver. According to eyewitness accounts, Fouad and his cousin were attacked by two Israeli Jews while sitting in a public park in Jerusalem. How racist discourse fuels Israel's settler colonial genocide Read More » Fouad's cousin, Alaa Alyan, told Haaretz: 'Someone came with a cane and started threatening us. We left the park, but they began chasing us in a car and tried to catch us.' The two attempted to escape on Fouad's motorcycle, which was forced on to the pavement. 'The man chasing us accelerated, mounted the pavement and ran us over,' Alaa said. Fouad was critically injured and pronounced dead at the scene, while his cousin sustained minor injuries. Initially, the police treated the incident as a criminal matter rather than a racially motivated attack. Relatives of Fouad told Ynet that the two 'were sitting in a public park when Jewish individuals approached and told them Arabs were not allowed there'. They expressed their 'hope the truth will be known, and that the real story behind this murder, racism, will not be ignored'. Family members described Fouad as 'a respectable man who had good relations with everyone who knew him' and said he was 'murdered in cold blood'.
Daily Record
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Livingston 1 Ross County 1: Livi fan spitting claim mars Premiership play-off final first leg as Martindale blasts 'vile' incident
The Lions were pegged back by a controversial late penalty, which sparked ugly scenes amongst the home support By Ian Steven Livingston's first leg playoff tussle against Ross County descended into chaos at the final whistle as a Libi fan was accussed of spitting in the face of a Ross County coach and overshadowed what was a finely-poised contest. With Staggies celebrating their late Ronan Hale penalty to cancel out Danny Wilson first-half opener, a man from the home support approached the Ross County bench and appeared to spit at assistant manager Carl Tremarco, prompting a revolted Davie Martindale to lament: 'It's disgusting, it's vile, it's disappointing. ' The club were quick to apologise to Ross County with manager Martindale visibly frustrated with an element of discordant behaviour creeping into Scottish football recently. Martindale said: 'I'm not really too versed on it, but if it was what I've heard, it's disgusting, it's vile, it's disappointing. It's no reflection on our full fan base. It's an individual, so really disappointing. 'I've been feeling football's been getting out of hand the last two or three years. I say this old analogy, I'll pay my money and I can shout what I want. This all comes from remember, maybe not just this incident, but I do feel there's an entitlement there. 'Certain parts of fan bases that they feel they can come shout abuse. I can come to a football game. I pay my money and I can do what I want. Don't believe in it. Don't agree with it. I think it's the only sport in the world that you can come and abuse your own players, fellow players, it isn't representative of our fan base. I've been here 11 years and really that's the first time that I've known that something like this has happened, so really disappointing. 'You were seeing it in the relegation we went through, my wife couldn't even go and sit in the stand. My daughter couldn't even go and sit in the stand.. We're going through a tough time. Does that give people the right to come and abuse you at games of football? 'If you come away and you're abusing people at games of football, shouting, abuse at them, I think then it lays the foundations for all the things to happen, bottles to be thrown, fans confronting players. 'I do feel that it's kind of growing because I don't think we're dealing with the problem on the stands. Is it really OK to pay your money and come and shout abuse at people? I don't get it, I genuinely don't get it. It shouldn't be allowed anywhere near football in any form. 'So we've gotta start setting the tone. We've gotta start setting the line in the sand, what's acceptable and what's not. "We are sitting here talking about that, but it doesn't represent our fan base. It's happened. It's happened, but I'm sure the club will deal with it. And I should apologise for everybody at the club. I'm sure I speak for everybody at the club to Don Cowie's staff because it's unacceptable and it shouldn't even be happening.' Livingston had looked poised to take a slender lead to the Highlands after Danny Wilson slammed home a Stephen Kelly penalty in the first half, and despite calls for a spot kick for a foul on Lewis Smith, the Lions could not extend their lead, with Wilson giving away a cheap penalty in injury time after VAR intervened, leaving Martindale frustrated with the officiating. He added: 'We were unlucky not to win. I thought we created enough chances. They had a lot of set plays. The game was pretty direct. We dealt with them fairly well. 'Jerome comes up there big save. I don't think they cause any problems outside the set plays. And even then we score from a set play. So we dealt with them fairly well. Ironically, we score with a set play, but I felt we built the game quite well. At times they came and pressed, but I felt we built the game quite well. 'I thought we had the better opportunities in the game. And we probably should have had another goal. If we'd looked after the ball a wee bit better, finishing and execution. I think we got a couple of transitions in the game and we just need to take care in that final third, a wee bit more care. 'So I thought we tried to build the game but create some half decent chances. Just final thought. I'm obviously disappointed, but I think it's a penalty from Danny. I that I think it's soft, but I think it's a penalty. 'So you want to go and grab the opposition player shirt in your box, you're going to ask for trouble. But again, I'll caveat that with, I thought it was a penalty for Smithy as well, so I thought it was a penalty on Smithy. Okay. Disappointed. We are so late in the game, but the game's very much of a muchness and if I'm really honest, I feel we would have to score up there anyway. 'And again, that's not really changed. I think we'd need to go up there. We'd need to score. I don't think you're getting a win now. It's an aggregate win over two legs and being honest with you, nothing's really changed for that perspective when we go there. And we need to score.' The sides go again on Monday night in Dingwall for the second leg.
The Journal
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
UK sanctions 'godmother' of Israeli settler movement featured in Louis Theroux documentary
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT has announced sanctions against the 'godmother of the settler movement', along with other key individuals and organisations supporting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Foreign Secretary David Lammy made the announcement yesterday as he revealed the UK will be suspending free trade negotiations with Israel. It comes amid swirling international condemnation of Israel's renewed military offensive in Gaza, coupled with its sustained 11-week aid embargo into the strip. The EU, along with Canada, also threatened to take action over the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Gaza, with the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas promising to act after 'a strong majority' of its 27 member states also backed a review of its trade agreement with Israel. The United Nations warned yesterday that if aid supplies into the region continue to be impeded, 14,000 Palestinian babies could die of starvation. Posted to the UK Government's official website on Tuesday, sanction plans revealed by Westminster will target three individuals, including 'high-profile extremist settler leader' Daniella Weiss. Weiss, leader of Israel settler organisation Nachala, and labelled the 'godmother of the settler movement' by journalist Louis Theroux, appeared in his recent documentary 'The Settlers' which explored the actions of Jewish settlers in the West Bank, also known as the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Advertisement A group of armed Jewish settlers raids the Old City area of Hebron, West Bank. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo In the documentary, Weiss denies that settler violence against Palestinians takes place, and even shoves Theroux, prompting him to call her a 'sociopath'. Weiss has responded to the sanctions placed on her, promising that hundreds of Jewish Israeli families 'are prepared and ready to implement settlement in Gaza – immediately'. The UK's measures will introduce travel bans and financial restrictions against her and two other individuals – Harel Libi and Zohar Sabah. Libi is the owner of a construction company and has been involved in 'perpetuating acts of aggression and violence' against Palestinians in the West Bank, according to Westminster. His company Libi Construction and Infrastructure has supported the establishment of outposts (settlements built without Israeli authorisation) and will face an asset freeze as a result. Sabah is the owner of an illegal farming outpost built by Libi – Coco's Farm – and has been implicated in 'threatening, perpetrating, promoting and supporting, acts of aggression and violence' against Palestinians. He will be subject to an asset freeze and travel ban. The Nachala movement will also face an asset freeze for its funding of illegal outposts and forced displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
