Latest news with #PalestinianRights
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
GCC Sec-Gen: Israeli Approval of Settlement Construction in West Bank Violates Palestinian Sovereignty
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi expressed his strong condemnation and denunciation of the Israeli occupation forces' approval to build 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, SPA reported. According to a press release issued by the GCC Secretariat General, Secretary-General Albudaiwi stressed that this approval is a blatant violation and a flagrant challenge to the principles of international law and international legitimacy. He added that these provocative practices represent a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region and undermines international efforts aimed at resuming the peace process. Albudaiwi affirmed the GCC's complete rejection of any attempts to impose a new reality on the sovereignty of the brotherly Palestinian people over all their occupied territories. He reiterated the commitment of the GCC countries to support the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, foremost of which is the establishment of their independent state on the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Singapore PM: Israel's aid restrictions ‘unacceptable', may be breaching humanitarian law
SINGAPORE, May 31 — The restrictions imposed by Israel on the delivery of humanitarian supplies to Gaza are completely unacceptable and cannot be justified, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Friday. 'In our opinion, it may even be a likely breach of international humanitarian law,' he said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on his first state visit to Singapore since Thursday. Wong said that while Singapore recognised Israel's security concerns, its response however has gone too far and resulted in a terrible humanitarian disaster. He said Singapore has joined countries around the world in calling for an immediate ceasefire, unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, the protection of civilians, and the return of hostages. Wong added that beyond the current crisis, Singapore supports the right of the Palestinian people to their own homeland. 'This must be achieved through a negotiated two-state solution, as it remains the only path to a comprehensive, just, and durable solution to the long-standing Israel-Palestine conflict,' he said. Wong said Singapore would participate in international efforts towards a lasting solution to the conflict, including the international conference led by France and Saudi Arabia scheduled for next month. — Bernama
The National
2 days ago
- General
- The National
Provocation in Jerusalem will not deter the dream of a Palestinian state
In diplomacy, as in life, actions have consequences. It should not be surprising, therefore, that this week's loutish display of impunity by juvenile delinquents on Jerusalem Day led to international rebuke for Israel, including the country's ambassador to the UAE being summoned over what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called "deplorable and offensive" attacks on Palestinians in the city. As ugly as those scenes were – throngs of young men chanting racist slogans as they were allowed to harass Palestinian residents by uncharacteristically passive Israeli police officers – they were arguably less provocative than the sight of Israeli ministers holding an extraordinary Cabinet meeting in Silwan, a Palestinian neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem. The fact that these developments were followed by official confirmation on Thursday that 22 new settlements had been approved in the West Bank suggests that Israel's current leadership feels it can weather any criticism. Such an assumption would be a mistake. While Gaza burns, the West Bank remains under a violent military occupation and the streets of historic Jerusalem are overrun by thuggish supremacists, many Israelis are taking to the streets to demand peace and a different course for their country. The Israeli government's relationships with allies and partners continue to fray. The EU – Israel's largest trading partner – is to review its association agreement. On Wednesday, the UK told a UN Security Council meeting that it strongly opposed Israel's 'wholly disproportionate' actions in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire. On the same day, US President Donald Trump – usually a firm backer of Israel – said he had warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against carrying out a military strike on Iran that would set back Washington's efforts to broker a new nuclear deal. Scenes of starving Gazans corralled behind metal fences and children fleeing burning schools are spurring criticism of Israel far beyond the world of diplomacy and politics. Increasing numbers of high-profile artists, musicians, filmmakers and performers are calling for an immediate ceasefire, reflecting the reality that Israel's leadership is increasingly losing the battle for public opinion. The voices of Jews inside of Israel and in across the world calling for a ceasefire and for a path to peace must not be ignored. Scenes of starving Gazans corralled behind metal fences and children fleeing burning schools are spurring criticism of Israel far beyond the world of diplomacy and politics At the same time, the process of creating more so-called facts on the ground, such as the new settlements or the Silwan meeting – attempts to consolidate and normalise the illegal occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank – are running into the brick wall of political reality. Despite all attempts to deter it, the international community is not abandoning the idea of a Palestinian state. Last Sunday, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed that his would be the latest EU member to recognise Palestine. Next month will see a major UN conference dedicated to the two-state solution. In the UAE too, the need for a political settlement was made clear by Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed, who told the Arab Media Summit on Wednesday that the Emirates remained committed to the Palestinian cause as well as a two-state solution. If there is one message that can cut through the deluge of suffering this war has produced, it is the need for serious re-engagement with the idea of peace. A ceasefire and a return to political dialogue that can realise the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians and Israelis alike ought not to be considered a pipe dream. It is, in fact, what the vast majority of those affected by this conflict, and their honest brokers, want.
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Mahmoud Khalil claims he was detained by Trump admin after right-wing group tipped off ICE and Ted Cruz
There is evidence to 'strongly suggest' that federal officials acted on tips and lobbying from right-wing and pro-Israel advocacy groups to detain Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil in March, according to a Freedom of Information Act request filed Thursday. 'For years, these anti-Palestinian doxxing groups have served as agents of repression, weaponizing inflammatory rhetoric and conflating criticism of Israel with hate speech in order to chill activism for Palestinian rights,' Ayla Kadah, an attorney the Center for Constitutional Rights, which is representing Khalil as he appeals his case, said in a statement. 'Now, evidence seems to point to the Trump administration colluding with them,' she added. The FOIA request seeks information from federal offices involved in immigration enforcement and investigation, like the FBI and the Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security. It accuses federal lawyers of relying on posts from online monitoring groups that claim to be tracking antisemitism, though some critics say the groups engage in unsafe doxxing campaigns. The Independent has contacted these agencies for comment. The FOIA request pays particular attention to the Zionist group Betar USA, and whether its calls to deport students influenced the effort to detain and deport Khalil. The advocacy group is known for publicly naming pro-Palestinian activists on social media and urging their deportation, and has claimed to have shared 'thousands' of targets with the Trump administration. (The administration has not publicly confirmed any contacts with the group.) Betar has also handed out mock pagers to pro-Palestine activists, a seeming reference to the likely Israeli exploding pager operation that killed both Hezbollah fighters and civilians. The FOIA request points to alleged ties between Betar and federal officials. Ross Glick, then the head of the group, has claimed he spoke with Senator Ted Cruz in the days before Khalil's March 8 arrest, as well as briefed Senator John Fetterman and aides for Senator James Lankford. 'I absolutely deny any involvement with this group whatsoever,' Senator Fetterman said in a statement to The Independent. 'I do not support private organizations coming up with deportation lists, and in any event, I would never participate or assist in that.' Betar shared a video of Glick briefly speaking with Fetterman at the Capitol in late 2024. The Independent has contacted the offices of Cruz and Lankford for comment. 'The correlation is clear, and not a coincidence: to date, not a single reported visa revocation and detention of an individual based on pro-Palestine activism occurred absent prior doxxing,' the FOIA request reads. The federal government does not accuse Khalil of breaking any laws; rather, Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a rarely used, controversial provision of federal law to declare Khalil's activities could harm U.S. foreign policy interests and then stripped his green card. The FOIA request, in part, seeks to probe what kind of information the State Department used from federal officials in reaching this decision. The Independent filed a similar FOIA request shortly after Khalil's arrest, with no response thus far from federal officials. Khalil, who is married to a U.S. citizen and held legal permanent resident status at the time of his arrest, is currently being kept at a detention facility in Louisiana. He is challenging his imprisonment in immigration and federal court. This week, a federal judge in New Jersey held that the administration's decision to revoke Khalil's green card was likely unconstitutional, though the court stopped short of ordering Khalil's release. "The Secretary's determination deserves, and gets the highest respect,' Judge Michael Farbiarz wrote. 'But arbitrary enforcement can also be a danger, when one person is given the job, if his determination veers too far away from the standard set down by Congress. Here, the Secretary's did."
Emirates 24/7
3 days ago
- General
- Emirates 24/7
MoFA summons Israeli Ambassador, condemns in strongest terms offensive, deplorable violations in occupied Jerusalem
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) summoned the Israeli Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, to condemn in the strongest terms the deplorable and offensive violations against the Palestinian people that took place in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque and in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. The UAE underscored that these provocative, arbitrary practices represent dangerous incitement against Muslims, and are a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the holy city. The UAE stresses that the continued attacks by Israeli extremists and their incitement to hatred and violence constitute a systematic extremist campaign, that not only targets the Palestinian people but the entire international community, further escalating tensions at a time when efforts should be focused on ending the ongoing tragedy in the Gaza Strip. The UAE calls on the Israeli government to assume full responsibility, condemn these hostile acts, hold perpetrators accountable without exception to ministers and officials, and take urgent steps to prevent the exploitation of Jerusalem for agendas of violence, extremism and incitement. The UAE reiterates that failure to act will be seen as tacit approval that will only further deepen the cycle of hatred, racism, and instability. Furthermore, the UAE emphasised the need to respect the custodial role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan over the holy sites in accordance with international law and historical status, and not to compromise the authority of the Jerusalem Endowment Administration that manages the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Qubbat Al Sakhrah, and the surrounding courtyards. The Ministry emphasises the UAE's categorical rejection of all practices that violate resolutions on international legitimacy and threaten further escalation. The UAE underscored the need to respect the status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the importance of protecting all holy sites in Jerusalem, which symbolise coexistence and peace. Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.
