Between 1/3 to 1/2 of the Palestinian deaths in Gaza were of Hamas fighters who were actively attempting to kill Israelis.
Yawn....... Israel attacked by Hamas
- Thread starter themickey
- Start date
Between 1/3 to 1/2 of the Palestinian deaths in Gaza were of Hamas fighters who were actively attempting to kill Israelis.
Hamas can only find fewer than 20 hostages left alive to perform an exchange. At this point it is pretty clear that Hamas has murdered a vast majority of the hostages.
Hamas slashes number of hostages it is willing to release in ceasefire deal, Israeli source says
https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live...s-04-16-24/h_9c9be8595035809fbe1b5f8796b0986c
Hamas has slashed the number of hostages it is willing to release during the first phase of a proposed ceasefire deal by more than half, an Israeli source close to the negotiations said.
In its latest counterproposal, Hamas offered to release fewer than 20 hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire, more than halving the number of 40 hostages that has been the basis of negotiations for months — a significant step backward in the talks.
A senior Biden administration official confirmed that Hamas is focused on those 20 for the first phase of a potential deal. The official also confirmed Hamas is telling mediators that it only has around 20 remaining hostages who are women or sick, wounded and elderly men.
Hamas also called for the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for fewer hostages, the source said, as well as a higher number of prisoners serving life sentences.
The Israeli source said the latest Hamas counterproposal signals that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, does not want a deal, seeking to exploit fissures between the US and Israel over Israeli military operations in Gaza and domestic pressure on the Israeli government.
Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim said the group had proposed “releasing (three) captured Israelis each week,” but said “no one is talking about final numbers.”
Beyond the ratio of Palestinian prisoners, Hamas is continuing to demand assurances about a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and unrestricted access for Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.
“I think part of this is Hamas thinks they're winning. Because their definition of success is survival and they've survived so far,” the Biden official said. “The longer the conflict has gone on the more recalcitrant Hamas has become rather than the other way around.”
Hamas slashes number of hostages it is willing to release in ceasefire deal, Israeli source says
https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live...s-04-16-24/h_9c9be8595035809fbe1b5f8796b0986c
Hamas has slashed the number of hostages it is willing to release during the first phase of a proposed ceasefire deal by more than half, an Israeli source close to the negotiations said.
In its latest counterproposal, Hamas offered to release fewer than 20 hostages in exchange for a six-week ceasefire, more than halving the number of 40 hostages that has been the basis of negotiations for months — a significant step backward in the talks.
A senior Biden administration official confirmed that Hamas is focused on those 20 for the first phase of a potential deal. The official also confirmed Hamas is telling mediators that it only has around 20 remaining hostages who are women or sick, wounded and elderly men.
Hamas also called for the release of more Palestinian prisoners in exchange for fewer hostages, the source said, as well as a higher number of prisoners serving life sentences.
The Israeli source said the latest Hamas counterproposal signals that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, does not want a deal, seeking to exploit fissures between the US and Israel over Israeli military operations in Gaza and domestic pressure on the Israeli government.
Hamas spokesperson Basem Naim said the group had proposed “releasing (three) captured Israelis each week,” but said “no one is talking about final numbers.”
Beyond the ratio of Palestinian prisoners, Hamas is continuing to demand assurances about a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and unrestricted access for Palestinians to return to northern Gaza.
“I think part of this is Hamas thinks they're winning. Because their definition of success is survival and they've survived so far,” the Biden official said. “The longer the conflict has gone on the more recalcitrant Hamas has become rather than the other way around.”
Indeed.
Iranian Diplomat’s UN Visit Stirs US Angst After Israel Attack
Amir-Abdollahian Photographer: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
By Augusta Saraiva April 16, 2024
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-angst-after-israel-attack?srnd=homepage-asia
Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend is complicating plans by the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister to visit New York for a United Nations session on Thursday.
Hossein Amirabdollahian would generally be entitled to a visa under the US’s agreement to host the UN headquarters. But a Republican lawmaker urged the State Department to bar him, and the department’s spokesman made it clear that Amirabdollahian will receive a grudging welcome.
“Given his ties to terrorism against Israel and US forces, Amirabdollahian should not be welcome in this country,” Republican Senator James Lankford wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken Monday. Lankford accused Amirabdollahian of ties to Hamas, adding that “Iran’s irresponsible strikes and continued threats have jeopardized Israel’s security.”
Amirabdollahian is set to attend a Security Council meeting where members are expected to vote on whether Palestine should be made a full-fledged member of the UN. The Palestinian Authority is reviving a bid that was originally turned down in 2011, and the US is almost certain to exercise its veto as a permanent member of the council even if the proposal gets enough support from other nations.
Foreign ministers from multiple Muslim countries are expected in New York in an effort to keep the momentum for the Palestinian cause going despite Israel’s continuing war in Gaza with Hamas militants, which are backed by Iran.
A spokesman for Iran’s mission to the UN confirmed Amirabdollahian’s planned visit while declining to comment on Lankford’s criticism. The spokesman said the mission hasn’t been informed of any new restrictions beyond those already imposed on Iranian delegates. They aren’t allowed to travel more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) away from UN headquarters in midtown Manhattan.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the US takes its obligations seriously as host of the United Nations, and that includes allowing diplomats from other countries — including US adversaries — to attend UN meetings.
“We do have the ability to restrict — in fact, severely restrict — the movements of certain diplomats while they’re in New York for legitimate UN meetings,” Miller said. “I would not expect to see him, for example, snapping selfies on top of the Empire State Building should he travel to New York to attend this meeting.”
This will be Amirabdollahian’s first trip to New York since Israel’s strike on an Iranian consular facility in Syria set off a new wave of tensions between Iran and Israel. Over the weekend, the US, UK and other nations’ forces helped Israel intercept almost all of more than 300 missiles and armed drones fired from Iran.
Despite the US agreement to provide diplomats access to the UN, the Trump administration blocked Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister at the time, from entering the US in 2020 to address the Security Council about the US killing of Iran’s top military commander Qassem Soleimani.
- Foreign minister to join Thursday debate on Palestinians
- GOP lawmaker urges US to reject visa to visit world body
Amir-Abdollahian Photographer: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty Images
By Augusta Saraiva April 16, 2024
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-angst-after-israel-attack?srnd=homepage-asia
Iran’s attack on Israel over the weekend is complicating plans by the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister to visit New York for a United Nations session on Thursday.
Hossein Amirabdollahian would generally be entitled to a visa under the US’s agreement to host the UN headquarters. But a Republican lawmaker urged the State Department to bar him, and the department’s spokesman made it clear that Amirabdollahian will receive a grudging welcome.
“Given his ties to terrorism against Israel and US forces, Amirabdollahian should not be welcome in this country,” Republican Senator James Lankford wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken Monday. Lankford accused Amirabdollahian of ties to Hamas, adding that “Iran’s irresponsible strikes and continued threats have jeopardized Israel’s security.”
Amirabdollahian is set to attend a Security Council meeting where members are expected to vote on whether Palestine should be made a full-fledged member of the UN. The Palestinian Authority is reviving a bid that was originally turned down in 2011, and the US is almost certain to exercise its veto as a permanent member of the council even if the proposal gets enough support from other nations.
Foreign ministers from multiple Muslim countries are expected in New York in an effort to keep the momentum for the Palestinian cause going despite Israel’s continuing war in Gaza with Hamas militants, which are backed by Iran.
A spokesman for Iran’s mission to the UN confirmed Amirabdollahian’s planned visit while declining to comment on Lankford’s criticism. The spokesman said the mission hasn’t been informed of any new restrictions beyond those already imposed on Iranian delegates. They aren’t allowed to travel more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) away from UN headquarters in midtown Manhattan.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the US takes its obligations seriously as host of the United Nations, and that includes allowing diplomats from other countries — including US adversaries — to attend UN meetings.
“We do have the ability to restrict — in fact, severely restrict — the movements of certain diplomats while they’re in New York for legitimate UN meetings,” Miller said. “I would not expect to see him, for example, snapping selfies on top of the Empire State Building should he travel to New York to attend this meeting.”
This will be Amirabdollahian’s first trip to New York since Israel’s strike on an Iranian consular facility in Syria set off a new wave of tensions between Iran and Israel. Over the weekend, the US, UK and other nations’ forces helped Israel intercept almost all of more than 300 missiles and armed drones fired from Iran.
Despite the US agreement to provide diplomats access to the UN, the Trump administration blocked Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister at the time, from entering the US in 2020 to address the Security Council about the US killing of Iran’s top military commander Qassem Soleimani.
The brazenness of hypocrisy knows no bounds with Israel and America......
........The Iranian consulate building was bombed recently in Syria, killing at least seven officials including Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a top commander in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and senior commander Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry.
At least six Syrian citizens were also killed, Iranian state television reported.
Iran and Syria accused Israel of authoring the attack.
Now if Iran had bombed a consulate building belonging to US or Israel, all hell would break loose, but because apparently Israel did this to Iran, it's not called terrorism and is basically a media nothing burger.
No, the Iranian consulate building was not bombed recently in Syria. As shown in multiple photos in the media the Iranian consulate building did not suffer any damage whatsoever in Syria. A nearby building that was being used by the IRGC to meet with Hezbollah leaders was attacked.
It is amusing to see Iran backpedal from "our consulate was attacked" to "this building was part of our diplomatic compound". No, it was not. This building was not declared in anyway to be associated with a diplomatic presence.
The Arab press has fully listed out the casualties. Only two Syrian civilians not associated with Hezbollah were killed. All the other deaths were Iranian IRGC or known Hezbollah leaders/militants. Quite the disruption of a meeting to fund and plan more terror --- and quite well deserved.
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Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus
On 1 April 2024, an Israeli airstrike destroyed the Iranian consulate annex building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria,[2][6] killing 16 people, including a senior Quds Force commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and seven other IRGC officers. Two civilians were killed in the attack.[4][5] The airstrike took place during a period of heightened tension between Israel and Iran, and amidst the Israel–Hamas war and the Israel–Hezbollah conflict.
Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus
Part of 2024 Iran–Israel conflict, Israel–Hamas war, Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war, Israel–Hezbollah conflict and the Iran–Israel proxy conflict
Iranian embassy compound after the attack: destroyed consular building on the right, adjacent to embassy building[1]
Location
Damascus, Syria33°30′14.0″N 36°15′37.6″E
Target Iranian consulate in Damascus
Date 1 April 2024 c. 17:00[2] (UTC+3)
Executed by
Outcome Iran retaliates with missile strikes
Casualties 16 killed[4][5]
7 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps soldiers
- 5 Iran-backed militiamen
- 1 Hezbollah fighter
- 1 Iranian advisor
- 2 civilians
Location of Consulate in Syria
Many countries and international organizations condemned the attack. On 13 April 2024, Iran retaliated against the attack with missile and drone strikes in Israel,[7][8][9][10] with Iran claiming it was primarily targeting the bases from which the attack on the consulate was launched.[11][12]
Contents Background
See also: Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war
Since 2013 Iran has maintained a presence of its troops in Syria in response to the Syrian civil war, as Syria is a crucial ally of Iran. Additionally, it has been involved in training and funding paramilitary forces from Hezbollah, along with foreign militias from Iraq and Afghanistan, not only in Syria but also in neighboring Lebanon.[13] Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah assets within the country.[14]
With the onset of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, Israel has increased the intensity of its attacks on Syria.[15] From 12 to 22 October 2023, Israel launched at least three attacks on airports in Syria, particularly on Damascus and Aleppo.[16][17] Notably, Israel carried out the assassination of Razi Mousavi, a senior Iranian general, in the Syrian capital of Damascus on 25 December 2023, and Brigadier General Sadegh Omidzadeh, an intelligence officer with the IRGC Quds Force, on 20 January 2024.[18][19][20]
Attack
On 1 April 2024, the Iranian consulate annex building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. Iranian ambassador Hossein Akbari alleged that the consulate building "was targeted with six missiles from Israeli F-35 warplanes".[21] The Guardian stated that Israeli warplanes were responsible for the attack.[22] The New York Times (NYT) stated that four Israeli officials anonymously confirmed Israeli responsibility for the attack.[23] Various other media outlets did not definitively attribute the attack to Israel, and the Israeli government refused to comment on the matter.[24][25][26][27]
The suspected primary target of the attack was the Quds Force commander of the IRGC, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed in the attack. According to The Guardian, Zahedi was a critical figure in the relationship between Iran and Hezbollah.[28][29] NYT reported that an anonymous source from the Revolutionary Guards said that the strike targeted a meeting between Iranian intelligence officials and Palestinian militants, including leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, who were discussing the war in Gaza.[30]
Footage and photos from the consulate area after the attack showed extensive damage, fire, and smoke.[21] Iranian media reported that the building had been completely destroyed and that the ambassador and his family, who were housed in the embassy next door, were unharmed.[31]
The unused Canadian embassy building on the other side of the consular building was also damaged in the attack, with at least some of its windows destroyed. It has been closed since 2012 because of the Syrian civil war, but it is still owned by the Canadian government.[32]
Casualties
Sixteen were killed in total, including seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldiers, five Iran-backed militiamen, one Hezbollah fighter, one Iranian advisor, and two civilians.[4][5]
In addition to Zahedi, casualties included Zahedi's deputy Brigadier General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi and five Iranian officials: Hossein Aman Elahi, Sayid Mehdi Jalalati, Ali Agha Babaei, Sayid Ali Salehi Roozbahani, and Mohsen Sedaghat.[28] Zahedi was the most senior IRGC officer to be killed since the assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the U.S. in January 2020.[33]
Analysis
The Guardian's journalists, Peter Beaumont and Emma Graham-Harrison wrote that the Israeli strike was a miscalculation that had "bulldozed through every red line to attack a location that Tehran maintains was tantamount to attacking Iranian soil."[34]
Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the Chatham House think tank stated that the Damascus attack and the “breach” of the Vienna convention was 'the straw that broke the camel’s back.’ [35]
Legality
Diplomatic premises, like homes and schools, are considered "civilian objects" under international law. Diplomatic buildings are entitled to further protections from attack or other interference by the host country under international customary law, codified in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Convention on Consular Relations.[36]
A UN-commissioned panel of experts on international law consisting of Ben Saul, Morris Tidball-Binz, Javaid Rehman, Livingstone Sewanyana, and Cecilia M. Bailliet wrote that Israel had provided no legal justification for the attack, and had failed to report it to the United Nations Security Council. Therefore, in their view, it violated Article 2(4) banning recourse to force against another state. They also issued a warning that the Israeli officials involved in the strike might have committed crimes.[37] The subsequent Irani retaliation was also, in their view, prohibited under international law, since self-defense is only justified to deter continuing armed attacks, and the strike on the Iranian Embassy had ended 12 days earlier.[38]
Others argue that these rules do not apply to Israel. According to Aurel Sari, a professor of international law at Exeter University, "unless Israel was able to justify the airstrike as an act of self-defense" it would be in violation of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. Whether self-defense permits a strike on the territory of a third country is an ongoing legal debate.[30] He argues that as a third state Israel "is not bound by the law of diplomatic relations with regard to Iran’s Embassy in Syria."[30] In the view of Yuval Shany, an international law professor at Hebrew University in Jerusalem in the Middle East, Iran has for many years blurred the lines between its diplomatic missions and its military operations and this would mean that the embassy was probably a legitimate target.[30]
Reactions
International
Main article: International reactions to the Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus
Countries that condemned the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate.
Official entities from many countries condemned the attack and considered it a violation of the international laws, including the Prime Minister of Iraq[39], the Prime Minister of Spain,[40] the President of Nicaragua,[41] and the foreign ministries of Afghanistan,[42] Algeria,[43] Armenia,[44]Brazil,[45] Belarus,[46] China,[47] Cuba,[48]Egypt,[49] Indonesia,[50] Jordan,[citation needed] Italy,[51] Kazakhstan,[52] Kuwait,[53] Lebanon,[54] Libya,[55] Malaysia,[50] Maldives,[56] Mauritania,[57]Norway,[58][59] Oman,[60] Pakistan,[61] Qatar,[62] Russia[63] (which called it a "political killing"[64]), Saudi Arabia,[65] South Africa,[66] Sierra Leone,[67]Tajikistan,[68] Tunisia,[69][70] Turkey,[71] United Arab Emirates,[72] Uzbekistan,[73] Venezuela,[74] Vietnam,[75] as well as the Spokesperson for Yemen's Ansar Allah.[citation needed] The Foreign Ministry of Kyrgyzstan expressed concern.[76]
The spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General condemned the attack.[77]
Russia requested the UN Security Council to discuss the strike.[78] A statement condemning the attack was drafted by Russia to be issued by the Security Council, but the Western member states opposed the issuance of any statement.[79][80][81][82] During the briefing in the United Nations Security Council, the representatives of many countries (such as Ecuador, Guyana, Slovenia, South Korea, and Switzerland) noted that any attack on diplomatic and consular premises violates the Charter of the United Nations as well as the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. They also expressed concern that the incident could further escalate the regional conflict. The representative of Japan only expressed concern, and the representative of the United Kingdom noted the importance of "respect ... for diplomatic premises", but also criticized Iran.[67] The spokesman of the United States National Security Council only stated that the US was not involved and had no prior knowledge of the attack.[83] The Representative of Russia criticized the statements made by the US and others including France, considering them to be double standard.[67]
The Arab League,[84] the European Union,[85][86][87] the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),[88] the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC),[89] as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)[90] also condemned the attack.
Israel
The Israeli military spokesman claimed that the building is neither a consulate nor an embassy, but a military building of Quds forces "disguised as a civilian structure in Damascus".[91] Israel told the U.S. that if a retaliatory attack by Iran would prompt a robust response from Israel.[92][93]
Seven Israeli embassies were evacuated in response to the potential threat of an Iranian retaliatory attack, after Iran publicly blamed Israel and vowed retaliation.[94] The IDF deployed GPS jamming systems within Tel Aviv to safeguard against potential aerial attacks by Iran.[95] Initial U.S. intelligence anticipated a significant attack on U.S. or Israeli assets as soon as the week of 8–12 April.[96]
Iran
Ali Khamenei leading the funeral for the IRGC soldiers on 4 April
In several cities across Iran, including the capital, Tehran, as well as Tabriz and Isfahan, large crowds of protesters gathered waving Palestinian and Iranian flags and demanding revenge.[97][98] The Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed a harsh response to the attack. Khamenei's political advisor Ali Shamkhani, said that the United States remains directly responsible.[99] Iran also sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council, saying it "reserves its legitimate and inherent right to respond decisively".[100] Syria's Foreign Minister condemned the attack, calling it a terrorist attack.[101]
On 5 April 2024, Iran told the United States to "step aside" as it prepared for retaliation against Israel.[102] On 13 April 2024, the IRGC Navy boarded the Portuguese container ship MSC Aries in the Strait of Hormuz via helicopter. It was redirected to Iranian territory. The MSC Aries is partially owned by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer and operated by his company, Zodiac Maritime.[103]
Later on 13 April 2024, the Iranian military launched an air attack, firing more than 300 standoff weapons at Israel, including at least 170 aerial drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles. The attack, which constituted the largest single drone attack in history, claimed to be a failure by Israel but a success by Iran[104], Israel claimed that it's air defenses, buttressed by those of allies, destroyed almost all the incoming weapons before they could reach their targets.
The sole casualty was Amina al-Hasoni, a 7-year-old Arab Bedouin girl in the Negev, who was critically injured by shrapnel from a downed missile. Israeli officials also said that the nearby Nevatim Airbase sustained light damage.[105][106][107] Amina's father, Muhammad al-Hasoni, called Iran’s actions “inhumane.” Stating, “May God demolish them.”[108]
Following Iran's attacks several countries evacuated embassies in Tehran and suspended their airlines' flights to the country.[109]
See also
- 1992 Buenos Aires Israeli embassy bombing, Iranian government and Hezbollah found responsible by Argentine court
- 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires (85 dead), part of Iran–Israel proxy conflict
- 2020 Assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the USA
- Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
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UNRWA head warns of ‘insidious’ Israeli campaign to dismantle agency
Appealing to the UN Security Council for protection, Philippe Lazzarini says UNRWA’s work more crucial than ever during Israel’s war on Gaza,
Published On 18 Apr 2024 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/18/unrwa-head-warns-of-insidious-israeli-campaign-to-dismantle-agency
The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned that Israel’s effort to dismantle it while a humanitarian disaster is unfolding in the bombarded and besieged Gaza Strip would have devastating consequences if successful.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Philippe Lazzarini said UNRWA’s work is now more crucial than ever and appealed for protection.
“Today an insidious campaign to end UNRWA’s operations is under way, with serious implications for international peace and security”, he told the 15-member body during a session called by Jordan.
This, Lazzarini said, is happening while Israel’s relentless bombing and “merciless siege have transformed Gaza beyond recognition”, with young children dying of malnutrition and dehydration as “a man-made famine” is tightening its grip across the Strip, where Israeli attacks have killed at least 33,899 people since October 7.
“Across the border, food and clean water wait. But UNRWA is denied permission to deliver this aid and save lives,” Lazzarini said.
“This outrage is occurring despite consecutive orders by the International Court of Justice to increase the flow of aid into Gaza – which can be done if there is sufficient political will,” he added, calling on the council to “make a difference”.
Lazzarini said that while UNRWA’s requests to deliver aid to northern Gaza are repeatedly denied, its premises and employees in Gaza are being targeted with a total of 178 UNRWA personnel killed since the start of the war.
The briefing was held as UNRWA has faced pressure over Israeli allegations that 12 members of its staff participated in the attacks led by Palestinian group Hamas inside Israel on October 7 that killed more than 1,100 people, with a number of Western countries cutting funding to the agency.
“To this day, Israel has provided no evidence to back up those claims to either the head of UNRWA or to the UN secretary-general,” Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from the UN headquarters in New York, said.
“Nevertheless, the secretary-general has ordered two investigations into the matter. One is concluded and the results are expected to be released publicly on Monday,” he added.
Many countries, chiefly the United States as the largest donor, have not reinstated their UNRWA funding during what Lazzarini called “seismic change” in the Middle East.
‘Calls are about ending refugee status of Palestinians’
Israel’s UN representative Gilad Erdan claimed it is UNRWA – and not Israel – that is “creating a sea of Palestinian refugees, millions of them, indoctrinated to believe that Israel belongs to them”.
But Lazzarini reminded that the UN agency, which was established after the creation of Israel in 1948 as a temporary solution to assist the more than 700,000 Palestinians who were forcibly expelled from their homes, is the only organisation capable of delivering much-needed assistance at scale absent a political solution to the displacement of Palestinians.
“Calls for closure of UNRWA are not about the adherence to humanitarian principles, those calls are about ending the refugee status of millions of Palestinians,” he told the council.
Lazzarini spoke shortly after the UN agency released a report that detailed abuses against Palestinians detained by Israeli forces, including agency staff.
The report detailed the testimonies of more than 100 Palestinians released from Israeli detention. Abuses included being denied food, water or toilet access for hours while detainees’ hands and legs were bound. Others said they had been inappropriately searched, beaten and groped.
The report said the actions may amount to “sexual violence and harassment”.
US Department of State spokesman Vedant Patel said Washington is calling for an investigation into the issue. Rights groups have repeatedly said that past appeals from the US – Israel’s main ally – for such investigations have proven inadequate.
During the Security Council meeting, eight European countries gave a joint statement explaining why they have continued their funding.
“UNRWA is a pillar of regional stability and a beacon of hope for millions of Palestinian children, women and men,” Luxembourg’s UN ambassador, Olivier Maes, said as he delivered the joint statement.
“[UNRWA] must be maintained and deserves our continued collective support until there is a political solution,” Maes added.
The statement also offered “sincere condolences” to a record number of 178 UN staff who have been killed by the Israeli military in Gaza since October 7.
Before the meeting, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Israel’s attempts to dismantle UNRWA go back many years.
“Long before October 7, UNRWA has been the target of a political assassination campaign by an Israeli government that wants to do so in order to kill the Palestinian refugees issue,” he said.
Source: Al Jazeera
Appealing to the UN Security Council for protection, Philippe Lazzarini says UNRWA’s work more crucial than ever during Israel’s war on Gaza,
Published On 18 Apr 2024 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/4/18/unrwa-head-warns-of-insidious-israeli-campaign-to-dismantle-agency
The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned that Israel’s effort to dismantle it while a humanitarian disaster is unfolding in the bombarded and besieged Gaza Strip would have devastating consequences if successful.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Philippe Lazzarini said UNRWA’s work is now more crucial than ever and appealed for protection.
“Today an insidious campaign to end UNRWA’s operations is under way, with serious implications for international peace and security”, he told the 15-member body during a session called by Jordan.
This, Lazzarini said, is happening while Israel’s relentless bombing and “merciless siege have transformed Gaza beyond recognition”, with young children dying of malnutrition and dehydration as “a man-made famine” is tightening its grip across the Strip, where Israeli attacks have killed at least 33,899 people since October 7.
“Across the border, food and clean water wait. But UNRWA is denied permission to deliver this aid and save lives,” Lazzarini said.
“This outrage is occurring despite consecutive orders by the International Court of Justice to increase the flow of aid into Gaza – which can be done if there is sufficient political will,” he added, calling on the council to “make a difference”.
Lazzarini said that while UNRWA’s requests to deliver aid to northern Gaza are repeatedly denied, its premises and employees in Gaza are being targeted with a total of 178 UNRWA personnel killed since the start of the war.
The briefing was held as UNRWA has faced pressure over Israeli allegations that 12 members of its staff participated in the attacks led by Palestinian group Hamas inside Israel on October 7 that killed more than 1,100 people, with a number of Western countries cutting funding to the agency.
“To this day, Israel has provided no evidence to back up those claims to either the head of UNRWA or to the UN secretary-general,” Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo, reporting from the UN headquarters in New York, said.
“Nevertheless, the secretary-general has ordered two investigations into the matter. One is concluded and the results are expected to be released publicly on Monday,” he added.
Many countries, chiefly the United States as the largest donor, have not reinstated their UNRWA funding during what Lazzarini called “seismic change” in the Middle East.
‘Calls are about ending refugee status of Palestinians’
Israel’s UN representative Gilad Erdan claimed it is UNRWA – and not Israel – that is “creating a sea of Palestinian refugees, millions of them, indoctrinated to believe that Israel belongs to them”.
But Lazzarini reminded that the UN agency, which was established after the creation of Israel in 1948 as a temporary solution to assist the more than 700,000 Palestinians who were forcibly expelled from their homes, is the only organisation capable of delivering much-needed assistance at scale absent a political solution to the displacement of Palestinians.
“Calls for closure of UNRWA are not about the adherence to humanitarian principles, those calls are about ending the refugee status of millions of Palestinians,” he told the council.
Lazzarini spoke shortly after the UN agency released a report that detailed abuses against Palestinians detained by Israeli forces, including agency staff.
The report detailed the testimonies of more than 100 Palestinians released from Israeli detention. Abuses included being denied food, water or toilet access for hours while detainees’ hands and legs were bound. Others said they had been inappropriately searched, beaten and groped.
The report said the actions may amount to “sexual violence and harassment”.
US Department of State spokesman Vedant Patel said Washington is calling for an investigation into the issue. Rights groups have repeatedly said that past appeals from the US – Israel’s main ally – for such investigations have proven inadequate.
During the Security Council meeting, eight European countries gave a joint statement explaining why they have continued their funding.
“UNRWA is a pillar of regional stability and a beacon of hope for millions of Palestinian children, women and men,” Luxembourg’s UN ambassador, Olivier Maes, said as he delivered the joint statement.
“[UNRWA] must be maintained and deserves our continued collective support until there is a political solution,” Maes added.
The statement also offered “sincere condolences” to a record number of 178 UN staff who have been killed by the Israeli military in Gaza since October 7.
Before the meeting, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Israel’s attempts to dismantle UNRWA go back many years.
“Long before October 7, UNRWA has been the target of a political assassination campaign by an Israeli government that wants to do so in order to kill the Palestinian refugees issue,” he said.
Source: Al Jazeera
There will never be an end to humans telling porkies, it began from day 1 and continues today and doesn't exempt the Jews with their Torah and holy bible.....
White House fact checks Joe Biden: The President's uncle wasn’t eaten by cannibals, he died in a plane crash
ByTuhin Das Mahapatra Apr 19, 2024
https://www.hindustantimes.com/worl...he-died-in-a-plane-crash-101713468379035.html
White House confirms President Biden's uncle died in WWII plane crash, not eaten by cannibals as claimed.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed on Thursday that President Joe Biden’s maternal uncle, Ambrose Finnegan, died during World War II when his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean and was not eaten by cannibals.
US President Joe Biden pays respects to his uncle World War II veteran Ambrose J, Finnegan, Jr. at the Veterans War Memorial in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before departing for Pittsburgh, on April 17, 2024. Biden is traveling to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to meet with steelworkers. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)(AFP)
The House press secretary said the president feels “incredibly proud” of his uncle’s service in uniform. “You saw the president, he was incredibly proud of his uncle’s service in uniform. You saw him at the War Memorial. It was incredibly emotional and important to him,” she said.
“You saw him respond to all of you when asked about the moment yesterday and his uncle who lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea.”
Jean-Pierre declined to delve further into the matter, citing the presidential plane's imminent arrival in Philadelphia, where Biden was scheduled for campaign visits.
Biden's provably false personal anecdotes
During recent campaign visits to Pennsylvania Biden claimed that New Guinea natives had consumed his uncle. “He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals at the time. They never recovered his body, but the government went back when I went down there and they checked and found some parts of the plane,” he stated.
Later, in Pittsburgh, Biden reiterated that Finnegan “got shot down in New Guinea, and they never found the body because there used to be — there were a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea.”
The official account of Finnegan's death provided by the US military contradicts Biden's narrative.
According to the Pentagon's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Finnegan's plane crashed into the ocean off the coast of New Guinea due to engine failure.
“For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea. Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircraft’s nose hit the water hard,” the agency report says.
“Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash. One crew member survived and was rescued by a passing barge. An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members.”
Biden's tendency to recount personal anecdotes with dubious accuracy or without supporting documentation is not new. Throughout his political career, he has often used such stories to connect with his audience, including Pennsylvania voters who could play a crucial role in his potential bid for a second term against former President Donald Trump.
White House fact checks Joe Biden: The President's uncle wasn’t eaten by cannibals, he died in a plane crash
ByTuhin Das Mahapatra Apr 19, 2024
https://www.hindustantimes.com/worl...he-died-in-a-plane-crash-101713468379035.html
White House confirms President Biden's uncle died in WWII plane crash, not eaten by cannibals as claimed.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed on Thursday that President Joe Biden’s maternal uncle, Ambrose Finnegan, died during World War II when his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean and was not eaten by cannibals.
US President Joe Biden pays respects to his uncle World War II veteran Ambrose J, Finnegan, Jr. at the Veterans War Memorial in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before departing for Pittsburgh, on April 17, 2024. Biden is traveling to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to meet with steelworkers. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)(AFP)
The House press secretary said the president feels “incredibly proud” of his uncle’s service in uniform. “You saw the president, he was incredibly proud of his uncle’s service in uniform. You saw him at the War Memorial. It was incredibly emotional and important to him,” she said.
“You saw him respond to all of you when asked about the moment yesterday and his uncle who lost his life when the military aircraft he was on crashed in the Pacific after taking off near New Guinea.”
Jean-Pierre declined to delve further into the matter, citing the presidential plane's imminent arrival in Philadelphia, where Biden was scheduled for campaign visits.
Biden's provably false personal anecdotes
During recent campaign visits to Pennsylvania Biden claimed that New Guinea natives had consumed his uncle. “He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals at the time. They never recovered his body, but the government went back when I went down there and they checked and found some parts of the plane,” he stated.
Later, in Pittsburgh, Biden reiterated that Finnegan “got shot down in New Guinea, and they never found the body because there used to be — there were a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea.”
The official account of Finnegan's death provided by the US military contradicts Biden's narrative.
According to the Pentagon's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Finnegan's plane crashed into the ocean off the coast of New Guinea due to engine failure.
“For unknown reasons, this plane was forced to ditch in the ocean off the north coast of New Guinea. Both engines failed at low altitude, and the aircraft’s nose hit the water hard,” the agency report says.
“Three men failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash. One crew member survived and was rescued by a passing barge. An aerial search the next day found no trace of the missing aircraft or the lost crew members.”
Biden's tendency to recount personal anecdotes with dubious accuracy or without supporting documentation is not new. Throughout his political career, he has often used such stories to connect with his audience, including Pennsylvania voters who could play a crucial role in his potential bid for a second term against former President Donald Trump.
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