Latest news with #PalestinianSecurityForces
West Australian
2 days ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Aaron Patrick: Penny Wong can't answer the pivotal question about Gaza
When Foreign Minister Penny Wong was asked the pivotal question about her Government's recognition of a Palestinian state - why would Hamas give up power? - the woman who spent more than a year working on a historic shift in Australian policy had no answer. 'I speak for Australia,' she told Sarah Ferguson on the 7.30 program Monday evening. 'We are working to deliver a change in the cycle of violence that we have seen, and to work with others to try and provide some hope in what has been a very dark time.' Senator Wong, though, was clearer about another crucial point: Australia's recognition is not conditional on any actions by the Palestinians. The decision has been made, come what may. There was a different emphasis earlier Monday, when Anthony Albanese referred to the 'conditions' he had placed upon the Palestinian Authority's leader, Mahmoud Abbas. The Prime Minister said Mr Abbas had promised to reform the corrupt but largely compliant institution, which Australia will, in a month's time, consider represents a new country, the State of Palestine. 'And the conditions are ones that are consistent with the declaration in June, that recognition of the State of Israel, which of course the Palestinian Authority would argue had occurred with the Oslo Accords,' Mr Albanese said. He was referring to a letter sent in June by Mr Abbas to French President Emmanuel Macron that said: 'Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces.' Mr Abbas said he was 'ready to invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilisation/protection mission with a (UN) Security Council mandate'. In other words, the nominal Palestinian leader was asking for the international community to give him the Gaza Strip, from which the Palestinian Authority was violently ejected in 2007. Rather than the agreement towards peace Mr Albanese portrayed the conversation as, Mr Abbas seems to have repeated the offer he made to Mr Macron. On Monday, two months after the French president posted Mr Abbas' Hamas denunciation on X, Mr Albanese claimed credit: 'This is one of the commitments Australia has sought – and received – from President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority.' Mr Albanese's grasp of the intricacies of Middle East politics, and geography, has been questioned by people who have discussed the region with him in private. On Tuesday, appearing on the Sunrise program, he did not appear to know or remember that Israel abuts the Mediterranean Sea. 'Hamas don't support two states,' he said. 'They support one state. In their own words, 'from the river to the sea', from the Jordan river to the ocean.' In the US, a Democratic diplomatic veteran of the conflict did not agree with the switch. Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said recognising a Palestinian state before Hamas was removed 'would fortify proponents of terror on the Palestinian side and rejectionists of Palestinian statehood on the Israeli side.' Mr Albanese and Ms Wong say their decision was influenced by a call from 22 Arab countries on July 31 for Hamas to stop fighting and release its hostages. As anti-Israel fervour swept through the streets of the Western world, the Arab position was seen as tacit recognition of Hamas's responsibility for the war. The Arab's position showed that Hamas is being isolated, and a combination of Western pressure on Israel's right-wing government and international support for the Palestinian Authority could help remove it from power, end the violence in Gaza and bring peace closer, Mr Albanese and Ms Wong argued. 'We need to make sure that Hamas is isolated,' the Prime Minister said on Monday. 'The comments by Arab League nations have made it clear that that is their position as well.' There's an important problem with the position. Hamas is not an Arab-sponsored organisation. It is funded by Iran, the Persian power seen as a destabilising force across the Middle East by most Arab leaders. Iran's Islamist leaders are extreme anti-Semites impervious to Arab pressure. Why they would stop funding their Hamas proxies in a war against what they call the Zionist Entity is unclear. Without Iranian pressure, why Hamas's remaining leaders would retire from war and politics is a question not even Australia's formidable Foreign Minister could answer. Amid arguments about the pros and cons of international recognition, less symbolic steps towards peace seem to be happening. A regional media outlet, Sky News Arabia, reported Egypt, Qatar and Turkey are drawing up a cease-fire and hostage-release for consideration by Hamas. The deal would require the release of all hostages, and the bodies of some who have died, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The Israeli army would move to less aggressive posture and Hamas fighters would pause attacks while negotiations were held for a permanent cease-fire. The impetus for the renewed peace effort appears to be a desire to avoid another mass Israeli incursion into Gaza, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu foreshadowed on Sunday. Which suggests that, sadly, violence rather than talk can bring an opponent to the negotiating table.
France 24
10-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Abbas calls for Hamas disarmament, international forces in letter to Macron
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has said that Hamas"must hand over its weapons" and called for the deployment of international forces to protect "the Palestinian people", France announced on Tuesday. In a letter addressed on Monday to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who this month will co-chair a conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, Abbas outlined the main steps that he thinks must be taken to end the war in Gaza and achieve peace in the Middle East. "Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces," wrote Abbas. He said he was "ready to invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilisation/protection mission with a (UN) Security Council mandate". The conference at UN headquarters later this month will aim to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution – Israel currently controls large parts of the Palestinian territories. "We are ready to conclude within a clear and binding timeline, and with international support, supervision and guarantees, a peace agreement that ends the Israeli occupation and resolves all outstanding and final status issues," Abbas wrote. "Hamas has to immediately release all hostages and captives," Abbas added. In a statement, the Élysée Palace welcomed "concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move towards the implementation of the two-state solution". Macron has said he is "determined" to recognise a Palestinian state, but also set out several conditions, including the "demilitarisation" of Hamas. In his letter, Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to reform the Palestinian Authority and confirmed his intention to hold presidential and general elections "within a year" under international auspices. "The Palestinian State should be the sole provider of security on its territory, but has no intention to be a militarised State." France has long championed a two-state solution, including after the October 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militants Hamas on Israel. But formal recognition by Paris of a Palestinian state would mark a major policy shift and risk antagonising Israel, which insists that such moves by foreign states are premature.
Business Recorder
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Mahmud Abbas tells Macron supports demilitarisation of Hamas
PARIS: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has said that Hamas 'must hand over its weapons' and called for the deployment of international forces to protect 'the Palestinian people', France announced on Tuesday. In a letter addressed on Monday to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who this month will co-chair a conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, Abbas outlined the main steps that he thinks must be taken to end the war in Gaza and achieve peace in the Middle East. 'Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces,' wrote Abbas. He said he was 'ready to invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilisation/protection mission with a (UN) Security Council mandate.' The conference at UN headquarters later this month will aim to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution – Israel currently controls large parts of the Palestinian territories. 'We are ready to conclude within a clear and binding timeline, and with international support, supervision and guarantees, a peace agreement that ends the Israeli occupation and resolves all outstanding and final status issues,' Abbas wrote. 'Hamas has to immediately release all hostages and captives,' Abbas added. In a statement, the Elysee Palace welcomed 'concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move towards the implementation of the two-state solution.' Macron has said he is 'determined' to recognise a Palestinian state, but also set out several conditions, including the 'demilitarisation' of Hamas. In his letter, Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to reform the Palestinian Authority and confirmed his intention to hold presidential and general elections 'within a year' under international auspices. Israeli gunfire kills 17 people near Gaza aid site, health officials say 'The Palestinian State should be the sole provider of security on its territory, but has no intention to be a militarised State.' France has long championed a two-state solution, including after the October 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militants Hamas on Israel. But formal recognition by Paris of a Palestinian state would mark a major policy shift and risk antagonising Israel, which insists that such moves by foreign states are premature.
The Sun
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Abbas tells Macron supports demilitarisation of Hamas
PARIS: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has said that Hamas 'must hand over its weapons' and called for the deployment of international forces to protect 'the Palestinian people', France announced on Tuesday. In a letter addressed on Monday to French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who this month will co-chair a conference on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, Abbas outlined the main steps that he thinks must be taken to end the war in Gaza and achieve peace in the Middle East. 'Hamas will no longer rule Gaza and must hand over its weapons and military capabilities to the Palestinian Security Forces,' wrote Abbas. He said he was 'ready to invite Arab and international forces to be deployed as part of a stabilisation/protection mission with a (UN) Security Council mandate.' The conference at UN headquarters later this month will aim to resurrect the idea of a two-state solution -- Israel currently controls large parts of the Palestinian territories. 'We are ready to conclude within a clear and binding timeline, and with international support, supervision and guarantees, a peace agreement that ends the Israeli occupation and resolves all outstanding and final status issues,' Abbas wrote. 'Hamas has to immediately release all hostages and captives,' Abbas added. In a statement, the Elysee Palace welcomed 'concrete and unprecedented commitments, demonstrating a real willingness to move towards the implementation of the two-state solution.' Macron has said he is 'determined' to recognise a Palestinian state, but also set out several conditions, including the 'demilitarisation' of Hamas. In his letter, Abbas reaffirmed his commitment to reform the Palestinian Authority and confirmed his intention to hold presidential and general elections 'within a year' under international auspices. 'The Palestinian State should be the sole provider of security on its territory, but has no intention to be a militarised State.' France has long championed a two-state solution, including after the October 7, 2023 attack by Palestinian militants Hamas on Israel. But formal recognition by Paris of a Palestinian state would mark a major policy shift and risk antagonising Israel, which insists that such moves by foreign states are premature.
Al-Ahram Weekly
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
West Bank on the brink
Fears are growing that the West Bank could face the same fate as Gaza in the face of growing Israeli aggression and the silence of the international community Many Palestinians believe that the ceasefire in Gaza will have far-reaching implications for the West Bank and Jerusalem. Israel's extreme-right government, which failed to achieve its declared objectives in Gaza following the outbreak of the war on Gaza on 7 October 2023, is now seeking a new semblance of victory. The West Bank, particularly its northern regions, appears to be fertile ground for this pursuit. The recent Israeli military operation in Jenin, dubbed 'Iron Wall,' exemplifies this effort. Israel launched a broad assault targeting all aspects of life in the city of Jenin and in the Jenin Refugee Camp, with scenes of displacement mirroring the devastation seen during the Gaza offensive. The Israeli forces even targeted public hospitals in a bid to secure a victory in Jenin that had eluded them in Gaza. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the operation's goal was to 'eradicate terrorism and bolster security in the West Bank.' Israel was acting against what he described as 'the Iranian axis' and its extensions in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the West Bank, he said. Palestinian Authority (PA) officials view Israel's actions in the West Bank as an attempt to claim victory following its defeat in Gaza because they aim to maintain the Israeli government's standing with its domestic audience and preserve the fragile unity of its governing coalition. The fragility of this was exposed when the Otzma Yehudit Party withdrew immediately after the Gaza ceasefire agreement. Religious Zionism Party leader and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also laid out a series of demands of Netanyahu, including expanding settlements and initiating military operations in the northern West Bank, with the possibility of further escalation in the region. The Israeli offensive in Jenin coincided with efforts made by the Palestinian Security Forces to restore order and address armed groups affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, allegedly linked to Iran. The Israeli authorities have reportedly facilitated the flow of weapons to these groups, creating a pretext for carrying out ethnic-cleansing operations in the West Bank starting with Jenin similar to those seen in Gaza over the past 15 months. A Palestinian security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Palestinian Security Forces had nearly succeeded in curbing lawlessness and armed demonstrations. However, Israel intervened to disrupt these efforts, he said, maintaining a justification for its aggression and potential war crimes in the West Bank. The official said that Israel, through US intermediaries and the High Security Coordination Committee, had demanded that the PA halt its security operations in Jenin. When the PA refused, Israeli forces launched a large-scale surprise operation on Tuesday last week, attacking the Palestinian Security Forces from the ground and air, targeting personnel and equipment, injuring several officers, and eventually forcing a withdrawal. The official warned of a far-right agenda led by religious Zionist parties in Israel, which advocate the establishment of a 'Kingdom of Israel' in Judea and Samaria, terms used by these parties to refer to the northern and southern West Bank. This vision prioritises these regions over the coastal cities of historic Palestine and seeks to exclude non-Jews as a prelude to this kingdom's establishment, hinting at plans for the mass displacement of Palestinians. Journalists covering the Israeli aggression in Jenin describe the military assault as the most intense since 2002. Journalist Noor Al-Fares, speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly from Jenin, said Israeli forces had launched an unprecedented attack on the Refugee Camp from multiple fronts, including aerial strikes. The forces had indiscriminately fired on the camp, besieging the public hospital, and storming it in a way reminiscent of their tactics in Gaza. The escalation has thus far claimed at least 16 Palestinian lives, injured over 50, and led to the arrest of dozens. Israeli forces have also razed infrastructure, destroyed streets, and demolished dozens of homes, signalling a potential escalation with devastating consequences. Thousands of residents of the Jenin Refugee Camp have been forced to flee on foot amid the ongoing Israeli military assault. Seeking shelter in the city of Jenin, they have been received by local institutions and families, as the violence and humanitarian crisis worsen. The war in the West Bank is not confined to Jenin. Israeli forces have been conducting nightly raids across Palestinian cities, villages, and refugee camps, raising fears of a broader escalation. These operations are compounded by settler violence, often carried out under the protection of Israeli forces. According to a report by the independent Palestine News Network (PNN), Israel is waging a brutal campaign in the West Bank by empowering settlers and imposing strict closures. On Sunday night, Israeli forces sealed off roads between Palestinian cities, leaving thousands stranded and vulnerable to settler attacks. This wave of aggression, marked by arson, assaults, and property destruction, continues unchecked amid an alarming global and regional silence. One such attack occurred in the villages of Jinsafut and Al-Funduq east of Qalqilya. Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli forces injured several Palestinians, set vehicles ablaze, and damaged businesses and homes. The Palestinian Authority's Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission has reported a sharp increase in Israeli restrictions in the West Bank, including the installation of additional checkpoints and roadblocks. Amir Dawood, director of Documentation and Publishing at the commission, reported that 146 metal gates have been erected across the West Bank since 7 October 2023, with 17 added in 2025 alone. Dawood explained that these checkpoints are not merely security measures but tools to reshape Palestinian geography, turning cities into isolated enclaves. The total number of checkpoints now stands at 898, ranging from permanent and temporary roadblocks to earth mounds and concrete barriers. He also highlighted the dual nature of the attacks: the settlers deliberately inflict harm on people and properties, while the Israeli military enforces further control through checkpoints, cementing the Israeli Occupation's grip on Palestinian land. Analyst Najeeb Faraj attributes the escalation in the West Bank to internal Israeli political dynamics. Netanyahu faces significant pressure from both domestic protests against his policies and tensions within his coalition government. The operation in Jenin, Faraj suggests, is meant to serve as a distraction from these internal challenges and an attempt to project strength to the Israeli public. Netanyahu has been threatened by the resignation of Minister of Internal Security Itamar Ben Gvir, who declared that he would not remain in a government that allowed 'Palestinian terrorism' to prevail. This tightened the political horizon for Netanyahu's ruling coalition, forcing him to submit to the finance minister, who imposed stringent conditions that Netanyahu had no option but to accept. Smotrich has outlined his conditions for remaining in Netanyahu's coalition that include resuming military operations in Gaza if Hamas' rule is not dismantled, intensifying the conflict, and annexing parts of the Gaza Strip. Regarding the West Bank, his demands include expanding the settlements, seizing more Palestinian land, approving settlement master plans, and conducting military operations to displace Palestinians, particularly in the northern West Bank. While international organisations and Western countries such as France have expressed concern over Israel's actions, activists argue that these responses fall short of addressing the severity of the situation. Munther Amira, a Palestinian rights activist, criticised the international community's silence, particularly in the face of US President Donald Trump's calls to relocate Palestinians to Jordan and Egypt. Amira warned that such proposals are a 'recipe for further wars and violence' and accused far-right Israeli officials like Smotrich of viewing them as an opportunity to advance settlement expansion. UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has also raised the alarm about the potential for genocide in the West Bank. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she stated that 'the genocidal crimes Israel is committing against Palestinians won't stop at Gaza unless forced to' do so. The escalation in the West Bank, coupled with settler violence and stringent military control, paints a grim picture for the Palestinians. With the international community largely silent, fears are mounting that the West Bank could face the same catastrophic fate as Gaza if urgent action is not taken. * A version of this article appears in print in the 30 January, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Short link:
