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Category: israel

  • Chris Hedges Report: The Palestine Laboratory: Exporting Occupation Technology

    Filmmaker, author and journalist Antony Loewenstein documents how Israel has used Gaza as a weapons showcase. Spyware, killer drones, robot dogs and other weapons are debuted in Gaza and field-tested on the civilian population, demonstrating their effectiveness to regimes around the world that await their chance to purchase them.

    Loewenstein joins host Chris Hedges on this episode of The Chris Hedges Report to chronicle what he has learned from writing The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World and producing The Palestine Laboratory, a documentary based on the book.

    The post Chris Hedges Report: The Palestine Laboratory: Exporting Occupation Technology appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • Israel forcibly evicts two Palestinian families from their home of 55 years

    Last week, the Israeli occupation forcibly evicted the Odeh and Shweiki families from their East Jerusalem home after 55 years. Despite having legal purchase documents proving their ownership of the house in Batan al-Hawa, Silwan, the eviction went ahead. The East Jerusalem evictions are becoming far too common.

    East Jerusalem evictions

    Police evicted residents from their home, and a removal company loaded their belongings onto trucks. Jewish settlers moved in, raising the Israeli flag. The settlers had claimed Jews owned the land in the late 19th century. The court ruled in the settlers’ favour and dispossessed the families.

    In 1948, when ‘Israel’ was created, around 20,000 Palestinians fled homes in West Jerusalem. 2,000 Jews left East Jerusalem, mainly from the Old City’s Jewish quarter. The Legal and Administrative Matters Law allows Jews alone to reclaim property in East Jerusalem, allegedly owned by them before 1948, but denies the same right to Palestinians. Many Palestinians who lost homes in 1948 became refugees. They can never return. This law underpins ongoing East Jerusalem evictions in areas such as Silwan, and Sheikh Jarrah.

    Palestinians appealing a demolition order on their homes never win

    While Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, the Israeli occupation regards the entire city as its capital. So these evictions form part of the occupation’s ethnic cleansing campaign, to increase East Jerusalem’s Jewish population and character. This process is known as Judaization, and ‘Israel’ achieves this through demolishing Palestinians’ homes, and through settlers taking them over.

    Israeli anthropologist, Jeff Halper, is Director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). He says: 

    It’s all political, and Palestinians have no way of defending themselves. They could go to court and try to appeal a demolition order, but it never succeeds, and costs lots of money.

    Similarly, settlers go to court claiming Palestinian properties once belonged to Jews. More than 75 percent of Palestinians in East Jerusalem live below the poverty line, lacking resources for expensive legal battles. Settlers always win in court, justified or not, even with forged documents.

    Palestinians pay the occupation around £20,000 to demolish their homes.

    There is no compensation for demolished homes. Instead, Palestinian families must pay the authorities around £20,000. If Palestinians demolish their own home, it costs less, so many are forced to do this.

    Settlers, working with the occupation’s police, target vulnerable Palestinians, whose homes face demolition. They often offer to buy homes and relocate Palestinians. But those Palestinians forced to sell by settlers are branded collaborators, and their safety becomes at risk.

    Halper explains:

    Once settlers move in, the house becomes legal, so doesn’t get demolished. But if you don’t cooperate with them your house will be demolished. So you lose your home anyway.

    Judaization of Silwan is also occurring via development of the so-called illegal “City of David” archaeological and tourist park. ‘Israel’ is constructing this colonial project on occupied territory, aiming to replace Silwan entirely.

    ‘City of David’ tourist attraction—a colonial project erasing neighbourhood of Silwan

     Halper says 88 homes have demolition orders to make way for the park’s tourist facilities. 

    As it moves down the hill, they are taking over a whole valley. It’s the use of planning for political purposes. It seems friendly. It’s all biblical and looks great, but the purpose is Judaization.

    The illegal city of david settlement photo

    In 1984, archaeologist and Hebrew University President Benjamin Mazar admitted: “Biblical archaeology was part of Zionist idealism”.  Zionist archaeologists use their selective archaeology to reinforce their claims to Jerusalem, and attempt to reshape and rewrite history. Although Jerusalem has a 5000 year archaeological record, Zionists are obsessed with finding archaeological remains from the “biblical era”, ignoring all others- including Roman, Persian, Byzantine, Islamic and Ottaman periods. They also erase the history of all other groups- including Palestinians- highlighting only the Jewish story. The park’s purpose is to reinforce false Jewish claims, and rewrite history.

    Settlers controlling Silwan aim to replace Palestinians with Jews

    Most settlers in Silwan are members of the wealthy, influential Elad settler’s association.

    Elad is licensed to run the park, so these settlers have a lot of authority. They also handle demolition orders and have the power to issue them, for the park’s expansion.

    During a 2020 court case against a Silwan resident, Elad’s founder, David Be’eri, confirmed: “We are a foundation whose goals are to house Jewish families in the City of David….This is a main part of the foundation’s goals”.

    Trump officially recognised Jerusalem as the capital of ‘Israel’ in 2017. According to Halper, this move gave Judaization political legitimacy internationally. The US does not consider East Jerusalem to be occupied, so home demolitions are treated as local issues not political ones.

    The Judaization of East Jerusalem is accelerating. Since the US accepts, recognises and supports this process, Europe will not sanction the criminal Israeli regime. Yet again, it continues its policies with impunity.

    Home demolitions: the preferable way to ethnically cleanse East Jerusalem

    ‘Israel’ prefers to ethnically cleanse Palestinians with demolition orders rather than directly raiding a Palestinian home, as legal proceedings are quieter. This strategy keeps demolitions less visible internationally and helps Israel avoid criticism. It is very effective.

    Halper says:

    We estimate that Israel’s demolished around 60,000 Palestinian homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since 1967. But it’s all under the radar, and Israel does not get criticised.

    Almost all Palestinian construction is illegal under Israeli policy. This is because the occupation refuses 99 percent of Palestinian requests for building permits in East Jerusalem and most of the West Bank. Unable to get permits, families have no option except building without them, so many homes become “illegal” by default. This lets the Israeli occupation demolish them at any moment, even after decades. The justification is based solely on planning law- part of the wider strategy to keep Palestinian communities insecure and vulnerable.

    Palestinians in East Jerusalem face ongoing threats. The Israeli regime blocks legal channels, declares homes to be illegal, and acts with impunity while the world is silent. But their fight to stay continues, despite increasing efforts to fracture their community and strip away their heritage.

    East Jerusalem evictions remain a stark reminder of how the occupation weaponises law to erase Palestinian presence in their efforts to ethnically cleanse the city.

    Featured image supplied via author

    By Charlie Jaay

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gaza patients: 900 people died waiting for treatment

    The health crisis in Gaza is no longer a crisis that can be dealt with by first aid or crisis management. What is happening today exceeds the human body’s capacity to endure and challenges the most basic remnants of human dignity. Here, in this besieged strip of land, Gaza patients have all received a death sentence.

    In hospitals that are barely standing on their ruins, patients wither away before their doctors’ eyes, without treatment, equipment or even a dose of painkillers, as if they were living through chapters of a slow death silently written for them. Despite the world’s talk of a ceasefire, the reality is that the extermination continues, but with more subtle and cruel means.

    Gaza patients tragedy

    World Health Organization reports reveal a tragedy that transcends language: 15,600 patients are awaiting medical evacuation, including 4,000 children whose lives are slipping away moment by moment due to lack of care. More than 900 patients have died while stuck between hope and closed borders—they died because a permit was not issued, because the world did not act.

    In the background, there are cancer patients—about 10,000 people—whose treatments have been interrupted, their lives halted as their medical equipment has. As for kidney patients, the chaos has claimed the lives of nearly 650 of them, in a series of tragedies that the dilapidated health sector cannot break.

    Doctors describe the situation in shocking terms: “ongoing health genocide.” More than 56% of essential medicines are unavailable, and hospitals lack equipment, power, and safe environments for treatment. The human stories speak louder than the numbers: children with amputated limbs without care, cancer patients suffering in silence, and others dragging their frail bodies to intermittent dialysis sessions, not knowing if they will be enough to extend their lives for another day.

    All this can only be described by its true name: slow murder and deprivation of the right to life. The patients who die at the gates of the crossings, in queues, and in dark medical corridors are not statistics in reports; they are faces, names, and stories that were not given a chance to survive.

    Unless safe routes to treatment are opened and hospitals are brought back to life, Gaza patients will continue to die—with a quietness that resembles the world’s silence, and with a cruelty that no human body can bear.

    Featured image via UN News

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Spread of neurological diseases and malnutrition among children in Gaza

    Health officials in Gaza warned today of an unprecedented spread of neurological and infectious diseases — as well as malnutrition — among children. This comes as a result of the ongoing aggression and siege and the lack of medical resources. This threatens the lives of thousands of children, while exposing them to permanent disabilities. This unfolding Gaza health crisis has children paying the heaviest price.

    Ahmed Al-Fara — director of the paediatric department at Khan Yunis Hospital — confirmed that Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disease, is experiencing an unprecedented global outbreak this year, with nearly 200 cases recorded compared to one case per year before the war broke out. He explained that the disease — known as ascending flaccid paralysis — begins with symptoms such as tingling and weakness in the lower limbs and loss of the ability to stand, before spreading to the respiratory system — leading to death if not treated urgently.

    Gaza health crisis

    Al-Fara pointed out that tests have confirmed that severe water contamination is the main cause of the outbreak — with cases concentrated in the Mawasi Khan Yunis area. He added that the disease is not hereditary or contagious, it often appears after gastroenteritis or vaccination. He stressed that the shortage of medicines and difficulty in accessing appropriate treatment have already killed many children who could have otherwise been saved. The children suffering from malnutrition were most at risk of death.

    On another note, Munir Al-Barsh — Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza — revealed a catastrophic spread of anaemia among children under one year of age, with an infection rate of 82%. The ministry has also recorded 156 cases of deformities since the start of the war as a result of deprivation of specialised medical care, along with a 40% drop in births compared to the period before the aggression.

    Al-Barsh warned that the Israeli occupation is practising what he described as ‘health engineering’ by preventing the entry of medicines and basic supplies for the childhood programme. He notes that this continued deprivation threatens to produce an entire generation suffering from disabilities, deformities and chronic health complications — making children more vulnerable to disease and early death.

    This tragic reality reflects the ongoing impact of the war and siege on Gaza, where children are paying the highest price. Officials called on the international community and humanitarian organisations to intervene— for without immediate intervention, the Gaza health crisis will escalate into a generational catastrophe with irreversible consequences for children.

    Featured image via Human Rights Watch

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gaza shelters crisis: 288,000 Palestinian families left in dire conditions after tents flood

    Human suffering in the Gaza Strip has worsened in recent days — with tens of thousands of families facing heavy rains with torn tents and virtually no shelter.

    The United Nations announced on Tuesday that around 17,000 families have been directly affected by the weather conditions over the past three days, with children forced to sleep in the rain without adequate clothing, amid widespread malnutrition and weakened immunity.

    The Government Media Office in Gaza described the humanitarian situation as ‘the most serious since the start of the Israeli aggression,’ stressing that hundreds of thousands of displaced people are facing severe cold without shelter or means of protection. This comes as a result of the occupation which prevents the entry of basic shelter materials and disrupts the implementation of the ceasefire.

    Gaza shelters

    According to the statement, more than 288,000 Palestinian families are living in harsh conditions after tens of thousands of tents were flooded with water, reflecting the extent of the international failure to provide the basic necessities of life for the population. The office warned that civilians urgently need 300,000 tents and mobile homes. In addition, basic supplies including blankets, plastic tarpaulins, heating and flooring are needed to prevent tents from turning into mud pools. They lack as well mobile sanitation facilities, insulation materials, energy and lighting supplies.

    The statement accused Israel of continuing to restrict and prevent the entry of these urgent humanitarian supplies — in clear violation of international humanitarian law — which exacerbates the suffering of civilians. The office called on the international community, the US president and mediating countries to take immediate action to compel the occupation to fulfil its humanitarian obligations and expedite the distribution of materials that have recently been approved for entry.

    For its part, the United Nations confirmed on Monday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains difficult, noting that its attempts to bring tents to those in need have been rejected at least nine times since 10 October, according to its spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. ‘People are struggling to access the essentials needed to survive,’ Dujarric said at a press conference, noting that humanitarian teams conducted a rapid assessment of the affected areas over the weekend and provided limited initial assistance.

    Food security

    Regarding food security, Dujarric explained that partners working in the sector reported that the increase in food parcels entering Gaza in recent days could allow for the resumption of the distribution of two food parcels and one bag of flour to all areas of the Strip.

    With humanitarian challenges mounting and living conditions deteriorating, warnings continue of a deeper catastrophe that could trigger new waves of displacement, starvation and disease if urgent steps are not taken to secure the basic needs of the population and ensure unimpeded access for aid.

    Featured image via OCHA

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Huckabee Welcomed Man Imprisoned for 30 Years for Spying for Israel Into Embassy

    President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, reportedly welcomed a man convicted of spying on the Navy for Israel into the U.S.’s Jerusalem embassy for a “friendly” meeting this summer. The New York Times reports that Huckabee met with the spy, Jonathan J. Pollard, in July. Three U.S. officials discussed the incident with the Times, as well as Pollard himself, who said “it…

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    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • UN: Israel Has Committed 10K Violations in Lebanon in One Year of Ceasefire

    Israeli forces have committed thousands of violations of Lebanese air and land space over the past year since the implementation of Israel’s ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah, according to UN peacekeepers. According to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, Israeli forces are responsible for over 7,500 air violations and nearly 2,500 ground violations in the past year.

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Gaza archaeology: Israel destroys an 800-year-old Palace, steals over 20,000 artefacts

    During two years of war and destruction in Gaza, Israel wasn’t satisfied with destroying homes and killing civilians — it launched a systematic campaign against Palestinian heritage. The Pasha Palace, one of Gaza’s most prominent historical landmarks, was looted at first by Israel, with around 20,000 rare artefacts stolen, before most of it was then destroyed. Gaza archaeology is another victim of the genocide.

    Amid the rubble, technicians and heritage workers are working to recover the scattered pieces. They are engaging in restoration attempts to try and save what remains. It is an uphill battle to try and preserve the historical identity of the city.

    Gaza archaeology—widespread destruction and a rich history

    Hamouda Dahdar, a cultural heritage expert at the Heritage Preservation Centre in Bethlehem, told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that the palace is one of Gaza’s most prominent historical landmarks, dating back to the Mamluk era, 1250-1517. He added that more than 70% of the palace has been destroyed. I used to house important archaeological artefacts dating back to the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman eras,

    Al-Dahdar said that the palace was extensively damaged during previous Israeli operations before its withdrawal in 1994 from Gaza City. The government in Gaza later restored it and converted into a museum.

    Systematic destruction and looting

    Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the government media office in Gaza, confirmed that the Israeli army has implemented a systematic policy of destroying archaeological sites — with the aim of erasing Palestinian identity. He explained that more than 316 archaeological sites and buildings have been completely or partially destroyed, most of them from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods — some even dating back to the Byzantine era and the first period of migration.

    He noted that thousands of artefacts disappeared during the invasion of the palace, stressing that the loss of these artefacts constitutes a serious cultural crime that affects national identity and human heritage.

    The philosophy of Islamic architecture

    The palace is located in the Daraj neighbourhood, east of the Old City, and is a prominent example of Mamluk architecture. It consists of two separate buildings with a large garden in between, and its main entrance is decorated with a carved double lion emblem, the symbol of the Mamluk state and the Muslim victory over the Mongol and Crusader invasions.

    The palace features geometric decorations carved in stone — such as star-shaped plates, as well as pointed and semi-circular arches and horseshoes — reflecting the development and richness of Islamic architecture in Palestine.

    Historical stages and multiple names

    The palace has been known by many names throughout its history:

    1. Mamluk era: ‘Dar al-Sa’ada’ (House of Happiness).
    2. Ottoman era (1556-1690): ‘Qasr al-Radwan’ (Radwan Palace), named after the ruling family.
    3. 1799: During Napoleon’s campaign, part of it was used as ‘Napoleon’s Fortress’ — a temporary headquarters for French forces.
    4. British era (1918): Police station named ‘Al-Debouya’.
    5. Egyptian administration (1959-1967): Administration of the ‘Princess Feryal’ school, before it was converted after the 23 July 1952 revolution into the ‘Al-Zahra’ secondary school for girls.

    The palace previously underwent three phases of restoration by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, funded by the United Nations Development Programme in 2005, 2010 and 2014, in preparation for its conversion into a government museum.

    Gaza archaeology—urgent rescue project

    Archeologists are working in coordination with local institutions and the Heritage Preservation Centre in Bethlehem on an “urgent rescue” project. It includes salvaging the remaining artefacts, conducting preliminary treatments, and preserving parts of the building that can be restored in the future.

    The Pasha Palace is not just a historic building, but represents the cultural memory of an entire people. The destruction and looting of the palace is evidence of a systematic policy aimed at erasing Gaza’s historical identity. Palestinian archaeology experts are making strenuous efforts to save what remains of the eight-century-old legacy, as a cornerstone in preserving Palestine’s history and culture.

    Featured image supplied via author

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Israel used banned cluster bombs in Lebanon, new evidence shows

    Munition remnants found in Lebanon belong to widely outlawed cluster bombs, experts have said. Six different experts claim the remnants, found in two locations in the country, are of the deadly bombs. The Guardian said it is the first evidence of Israeli use in 20 years.

    Each bomb contains smaller ‘bomblets’ which, if they don’t go off immediately, effectively become a minefield.

    The Guardian said:

    two different types of Israeli cluster munitions found in three different locations: south of the Litani River in the forested valleys of Wadi Zibqin, Wadi Barghouz and Wadi Deir Siryan.

    124 nations are signed up to the global convention on cluster bombs. The treaty prohibits all: “use, stockpiling, production and transfer of cluster munitions”. Specifically:

    Separate articles in the Convention concern destruction of stockpiles, clearance of contaminated areas, assistance to victims, submission of transparency reports, and adoption of domestic legislation.

    Israel is not a signatory. An IDF spokesperson refused to confirm or deny it used the bombs in this case, but say its use of weapons was always “lawful”.

    Israel attacked Lebanon in October 2023 and the country’s south remain devastated after months of bombing. The assault was additional to the genocide in Gaza, where other forms of unexploded ordnance (UXO) remain a deadly threat to life and limb.

    A deadly legacy costing Gazan lives

    On 19 November, the Canary’s Alaa Shamali reported on the Israeli unexploded munitions left across the zone. Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of the Government Media Office in Gaza, said:

    unexploded ordnance poses immediate and long-term dangers, most notably the possibility of sudden explosion when moved or touched, the spread of deadly shrapnel, damage to property, and disruption of humanitarian and field work.

    The bombs affect relief and rescue efforts, and:

    Children, displaced persons and workers are most vulnerable to these dangers.

    The last time Israel was found to have used cluster bombs was also in Lebanon, during the 2006 war. Israeli’s investigation of itself exonerated its occupation forces of wrongdoing. Human Rights Watch reported:

    an estimated 4 million submunitions [cluster bomblets] on south Lebanon, the vast majority over the final three days [of the 2006 attack] when Israel knew a settlement was imminent.

    In 2024, Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) published an excellent survey of the mortars, missiles, bombs, drones and lethal AI systems Israel uses in Gaza. You can read it here.

    Israeli bombing continues despite official ‘ceasefire’ arrangements. And the various kinds of unspent bombs present a terrible danger to Gazans and Lebanese communities alike. But it is worth recalling, this is just the latest layer of legacy munitions littering a landscape scarred by decades of colonial policing in the region.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Joe Glenton

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Trump Is Making Inroads in His Sly Attack on Free Speech

    Rooting out terrorism and antisemitism was the supposed reason that plainclothed ICE agents arrested doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk on a street in Somerville, Massachusetts, after she coauthored an op-ed calling on Tufts University to divest from companies with ties to Israel due to the killing and starvation of Palestinian civilians. There is an international movement to boycott, sanction…

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    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Mercenary firm which ran deadly armed GHF ‘aid’ points in Gaza is recruiting again

    The same lethal private military firm which brought armed ‘aid’ points into Gaza is recruiting ex-soldiers. According to Drop Site News, UG Solutions is finding new personnel to implement Trump’s colonialist Gaza ‘peace’ plan. Violence from personnel at the heavily-armed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) ‘aid’ sites killed or wounded over 20,000 Palestinians:

    For the four and half months that GHF operated in Gaza, more than 2,600 Palestinians seeking food were killed and over 19,000 wounded by Israeli forces or security contractors at or near aid distribution sites.

    The sites were dismantled after a U.S.-brokered “ceasefire” agreement went into effect in Gaza on October 10.

    Days after the UN voted, an former army officer said he had interviewed for a UG job in Gaza. The individual told Drop Site that a company official told him in a job interview in late October:

    that 12 to 15 sites were being planned to open in Gaza and that the company was ‘going to need a lot more guys’.

    Gaza: aid delivery or kill zone?

    GHF sites were also used to collect data for the IDF as part of its occupation program. Ex-army whistleblower Anthony Aguilar explained in some detail how biometric data was collected at the locations:

    And the new project is offering big money. A UG official told the interviewee:

    the salary would be $800 per day for a “static guard” and $1,000 per day for “mobile guard” duty, plus a $180 per diem.

    The role would involve “pulling security”.

    UG Solutions senior vice president of government affairs Jennifer Counter told Drop Site:

    UG Solutions is preparing for a wide range of potential scenarios in Gaza, ranging from an advisory role based on our experience from January 2025 to the present day, to a robust security presence in support of humanitarian aid delivery and possible technical assistance to the International Security Force.

    In July 2025, footage of GHF contractors using live rounds against Gazans queueing for aid went viral.  In September, it emerged some American GHF contractors were members of a fascist ex-military biker gang. As well as being lawless and unaccountable, the global mercenary racket is immensely profitable. Some estimates suggest the industry is worth USD 241.31 billion in 2025 and expect it to rise to USD 251.93 billion in 2026. 

    The precise aims of UG’s next mission in Gaza are unclear. But their track record says it won’t be good for the besieged locals. The fact it is a private, for-profit affair means it will be difficult to hold accountable. And the potential involvement of ex-military figures with a track record of open fascism should be of concern to us all.

    Featured image via YouTube screenshot/FRANCE 24 English

    By Joe Glenton

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Thousands of Gazans Disabled by Genocide Still Can’t Access Treatment

    The Gaza Strip is facing an ever-deepening crisis in medical care and rehabilitation. In September 2024, the World Health Organization estimated that nearly a quarter of the injured — more than 22,000 people — had sustained wounds that resulted in the loss of limbs or permanent disabilities. By September 2025, that number had almost doubled: More than 41,800 people in Gaza now require long…

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    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Europe complicit in the destruction of Palestine

    The UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, has sharply criticised the European Union (EU) and its member states for their stance, or lack thereof, on Israel’s war on Gaza and related policies.

    In remarks made before the EU in Brussels on Tuesday, Albanese delivered a blistering critique.

    Silence is complicity, trade is profit

    She slammed the union for becoming a ‘cover’ for member states to ‘shirk their legal obligations’ towards the Palestinians.

    She highlighted the ongoing trade deals between the EU and Israel, describing these as ‘extremely dangerous’ in light of Germany and Italy’s resistance to suspending such cooperation.

    Commenting on military cooperation between EU countries and Israel, the UN official, in her words, said the EU is ‘not only complicit, but a participant in the destruction of Palestine.’

    Her argument was clear. Continuing to export and import weapons, alongside joint scientific research within the Horizon programme, makes a mockery of the EU’s supposed commitment to human rights.

    Albanese also slammed recurring debates over the two-state solution as futile. She urged the need to stop ‘daily deaths in Gaza and the West Bank’. Refusing to hold back, or sanitise her critique, she described the situation in the West Bank as ‘ethnic cleansing with violence unprecedented in nearly 80 years.’

    She said that attacks by Israeli settlers ‘have been documented for three decades,’ adding that ‘80% of Gaza’s remaining population — some 1.9 million people — are submerged in water and have lost their homes‘.

    She asked:

    Was it necessary to destroy everything to satisfy Israel’s desire for revenge?

    Albanese expressed shame over Europe’s position, accusing European countries of opportunistic manoeuvres — ‘talk[ing] greedily and act like vultures’ at the negotiating table — she rued.

    A world inured to Palestinian suffering

    On the question of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, Albanese identified inconsistencies between what has been proposed and international law.

    On Monday, the UNSC adopted US draft resolution 2803 on ending the war in Gaza, supported by 13 members, with Russia and China abstaining. The resolution welcomes Trump’s 20-point plan to end the conflict, issued on 29 September 2025.

    According to the Palestinian Wall and Settlements Authority, settlers carried out 7,154 attacks in the West Bank over the past two years, resulting in the deaths of 33 Palestinians and the displacement of 33 communities.

    Unspeakable deaths

    They have also reported that the combined violence of the Israeli army and settlers has killed 1,076 Palestinians, injured  10,760 others and led to more than 20,500 arrests since the start of the war until Tuesday, according to official data.

    According to Palestinian figures, the ceasefire ended a war that had been ongoing since 8 October 2023, with a combined death toll of 69,000 deaths and over 170,000 wounded in Gaza. The majority are children and women, while the United Nations estimated the cost of reconstruction at around $70 billion.

    Commenting on her inclusion on the US sanctions list, Albanese said that its impact on her was:

    Nothing compared to the torment suffered by the Palestinians [though it] affects her more than one can imagine.

    Washington added her name to the list in July 2025, while the UN has strongly condemned the decision.

    Featured image via Reuters

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Gaza’s children battle against hunger and disease on World Children’s Day

    On World Children’s Day, Gaza remains an open wound in the collective memory of human kind.

    The lives of thousands hang in the balance, grappling between life and death. Children have bore the brunt of suffering, enduring trauma, and the deepening humanitarian crisis.

    Gaza’s youth and children should in school, playing with their friends. Laughter and screams of joy have instead fallen silent, muffled beneath unspeakable suffering.

    They face a grim reality; dilapidated tents and makeshift schools amid crumbling infrastructure.

    Their basic rights to protection and healthcare provisions have altogether collapsed under the weight of war and siege.

    Battling for survival

    As slogans championing children’s rights circulate social media platforms, Gaza is facing the most complex humanitarian disasters in modern times.

    Childhood is no longer measured in school years or grades, but by a child’s ability to survive another day.

    The crisis has been broadcast before global audiences. We see their small bodies battling against hunger, cold and disease — dreams bigger than themselves crushed by constant fear.

    Mothers wade through treacherous terrain, crossing long distances in search of antibiotics or milk for their newborns — supplies which, due to arbitrary restrictions imposed by Israel, may never enter the Strip.

    In the face of paper protections, international silence looms like a heavy shadow over a future stolen in plain sight.

    The children of Gaza face not only face disease. Their health system is devastated, unable to treat the simplest cases.

    An uninhabitable city, and escalating health crisis

    Recent UN reports point to acute malnutrition and waterborne diseases due to contaminated water, poor hygiene, and unsanitary conditions.

    The lack of safe drinking water and the collapse of sewage systems, is transforming Gaza into a breeding ground for diseases long eradicated.

    Field doctors report widespread rashes, intestinal diseases and flaccid paralysis threatening the lives of infants, while hospitals are severely hampered by the lack basic services, from electricity to essential equipment.

    According to World Health Organisation data, rates of acute malnutrition are increasing at an alarming rate. In July 2025, approximately 12,000 children below the age of five were diagnosed with acute malnutrition — the highest monthly figure recorded since 2023.

    More than 2,500 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and though they require intensive care, resources are limited.

    A report by UNICEF stated that 5,119 children aged six months to five years were admitted for treatment for malnutrition in May 2025 alone. They documented 636 severe cases requiring close medical monitoring, but hospitals face a severe shortage of nutritional medicines and essential treatments.

    Emergency vaccination campaigns continue, with UNICEF carrying out a shipment of emergency vaccines in early November to prevent the outbreak of polio and other preventable diseases.

    Arrested development

    Education is no longer an inalienable right.

    Countless schools have been partially or completely destroyed, or repurposed as shelters.

    With formal education disrupted, reports indicate that hundreds of thousands of children have been out of school for months, putting an entire generation at risk of loosing critical skills.

    Education is no longer a pathway towards securing the future. It’s a lifeline vital for survival, extended to fewer and fewer in Gaza.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Palestinians In Gaza Reject UN Security Council Approval Of Trump’s Plan

    The UN Security Council voted on Monday in favor of a U.S.-backed resolution establishing an “International Stabilization Force” (ISF) in Gaza under a “Board of Peace” headed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

    Under a two-year mandate, the stabilization force is reportedly planned to have an “executive” role in Gaza, not just as a peacekeeping force. The ISF is being established under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which means it is being granted the authority to disarm Palestinian resistance factions, aligning with Israeli demands, and could be established unilaterally, without the approval of the Palestinians.

    The UN Security Council resolution voted 13-0 in favor of the resolution, with two permanent members, Russia and China, abstaining from the vote.

    The post Palestinians In Gaza Reject UN Security Council Approval Of Trump’s Plan appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • Israel turns a football pitch into a mass grave for 13 children

    Tuesday evening was unlike any other in the Ain al-Hilweh camp in Lebanon. Israel other, far more coldblooded plans for the residents there.

    The boys used to gather in the enclosed pitch every day, the ball rolled between their feet, and laughter rose above the echo of light blows on the walls. Children and boys under the age of 20 came to the only place where they were allowed to be… children.

    The game was exciting, simple, like their lives, crowded with hardship but full of hope. They thought of nothing but scoring a goal, winning a game, or seizing a moment of joy that makes them forget life in the refugee camp, even for a little while — but that game was never completed.

    Israel strikes — the moment that changed everything

    As the ball was kicked towards the goal, a terrifying explosion rang out, walls collapsed, laughter stopped, and the place was filled with dust and screams.

    The playground that had been their refuge turned into a graveyard — 13 young boys who had entered the place innocently left it as martyrs.

    Israel claims it struck a “Hamas training compound.”

    Deliberate targeting of children… from Gaza to Ain al-Hilweh

    What happened on the football pitch is not an isolated incident. The scene brings to mind images of children in Gaza who were killed inside their schools, at the gates of shelters, in bread queues, and on the beach while playing football as well or flying kites.

    Classrooms were targeted as if they were barracks, tents as if they were military sites, and hospitals as if they were legitimate targets. Children were always a target — in their homes, in their streets, in their little dreams that found no place to live.

    Today, the same scene is repeating itself, this time in Ain al-Hilweh. It is as if targeting Palestinian children has become a constant, wherever they are: in Gaza, in the West Bank, in the camps, and the diaspora refugees.

    They went to play… and returned as martyrs

    These boys did not go to a battlefield, nor to a military site. They went to a football pitch.
    To a small space that gave them a simple right: the right to dream… and to run after a football.

    But the missile that fell on their heads ended everything — the match was over with the score rendered irrelevant. Traces of the ball remained melted on the rubble — bearing witness to a new massacre added to a long record of massacres targeting Palestinian children wherever they are.

    Featured image via Quds Press

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Anti-genocide activists scale Glastonbury Pyramid Stage to demand festival drop Allianz

    Early on Wednesday morning, four activists from the ‘Boycott Bloody Insurance’ campaign climbed the scaffolding structure of the well-known ‘Pyramid Stage’ at the site of the Glastonbury Festival before raising a Palestine flag and unveiling banners demanding Glastonbury Allianz boycott.

    Glastonbury Festival: Boycott Allianz.

    The action calls on the festival’s organisers to cut ties with Allianz, which insures the event, because of Allianz’s financial backing of weapons manufacturers, fossil fuel giants and corporations complicit in the oppression and killing of Palestinians.

    Glastonbury Allianz

    Glastonbury Allianz boycott

    One activist said the protest was out of love for the event but that the festival had gone astray from its original principles:

    We love Glastonbury. So we’re here to help it live up to what it stands for. The festival should be a beacon of peace, not a billboard for a company that finances imperialism, genocide and climate chaos.

    The protest follows a series of escalating, yet still ignored, appeals to Glastonbury organisers in recent months to ask them ‘amicably’ to reconsider their choice of insurer. When no action was taken, Boycott Bloody Insurance published an open letter with hundreds of signatories including artists, then by a petition that gained thousands of signatures. Subsequently, festival staff and organisers received mass emails from campaigners – and now activists have taken this visible stand from the festival’s most iconic structure.

    The Pyramid Stage has been considered a symbol of artistic and political expression ever since it was famously topped by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) logo in the 1980s. Today’s protest continues that tradition and calls attention to the deep hypocrisy of a festival celebrated for peace and justice partnering with an insurer that bankrolls violence and destruction across the world.

    Allianz: An Insurer Of Death

    The protesters point out that Allianz provides insurance to, and invests in, companies fuelling imperialist wars and environmental devastation, including:

    • Elbit Systems – Israel’s primary arms supplier, providing drones, ammunition, and surveillance systems used in the ongoing bombardment and occupation of Palestine, including attacks on people in Gaza
    • Textron – a US weapons manufacturer responsible for cluster munitions and attack helicopters used in imperialist-backed violence from Yemen to Gaza
    • Chevron – one of the world’s worst fossil fuel corporations, driving catastrophic climate change while continuing to extract and pollute amidst global climate breakdown
    • Marubeni – a Japanese conglomerate financing new coal power plants across Asia, directly undermining global efforts to prevent climate collapse

    Allianz’s involvement in harmful business extends beyond the Gaza genocide — it has investments totalling more than $43m in Serco Group’s migrant detention centre. Allianz has profited from immigration detention centres and the criminalisation of refugees by successive governments. It is also complicit in regimes and corporations that abuse the human rights of those displaced by war and climate disaster.

    Allianz’s Role in Genocide and Ecocide

    By underwriting these companies, organisers say that Allianz provides the essential financial backing that allows them to operate — without insurers like Allianz, these corporations would struggle to function at all. Allianz’s investments and policies therefore help sustain the machinery of massacre, enabling the ongoing genocide in Palestine and the destruction of ecosystems worldwide.

    A spokesperson for Boycott Bloody Insurance said:

    Allianz hides behind greenwashing and corporate responsibility rhetoric. But the reality is that their money is soaked in the blood of Palestinians, of communities on the frontlines of extraction, and of all life being pushed to the brink by climate collapse.

    Glastonbury Festival has always been a symbol of hope, peace, and solidarity. Continuing to partner with Allianz betrays those values.

    Featured image provided by the author

    By Skwawkbox

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Evidence Shows Israel Used Weapon Banned for Its Civilian Impact on Lebanon

    Israeli forces used a munition widely banned for its impact on civilians amid their war in Lebanon, new reporting finds as Israel carries out new assaults in Lebanon despite the ceasefire agreement. Photo evidence of Israeli munitions remnants from three different locations in southern Lebanon suggests that the weapons were cluster munitions, The Guardian reported Wednesday…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Gaza unexploded ordnance turns destroyed neighbourhoods into deadly “undemarcated minefields”

    Gaza unexploded ordnance has created dangerous levels of contamination across the Strip. Ismail al-Thawabta, director general of the Government Media Office in Gaza, warned that the munitions litter destroyed neighbourhoods, directly threatening civilian lives and exposing the population to constant danger.

    Al-Thawabta said that preliminary official assessments indicate that there are approximately 20,000 shells, rockets and heavy ammunition scattered inside destroyed buildings, on top of rubble and in the soil. He explained that these huge quantities have turned the destroyed areas into something resembling ‘undemarcated minefields’, where movement is fraught with danger.

    He added that current estimates indicate tens of thousands of remnants of shells, rockets, aerial bombs and cluster bombs, as well as artillery ammunition, guidance components and large explosive objects. This is complicating the efforts of the teams responsible for dealing with them and increasing the likelihood of injuries and explosions at any moment.

    Gaza unexploded bombs

    Al-Thawabta explained that unexploded ordnance poses immediate and long-term dangers, most notably the possibility of sudden explosion when moved or touched, the spread of deadly shrapnel, damage to property, and disruption of humanitarian and field work.

    This debris also prevents medical and relief teams from reaching a number of areas and prevents many residents from safely returning to their homes or carrying out their daily work and activities.

    He noted that children, displaced persons and workers are most vulnerable to these dangers, especially in areas where there is active movement in search of basic necessities.

    He said that the continued presence of these munitions exacerbates human suffering and causes economic and social paralysis that hinders reconstruction and affects all health, educational and humanitarian services.

    Al-Thawabta explained that the volume and density of munitions scattered inside destroyed buildings and mixed with debris, in addition to the presence of buried or hidden munitions that are difficult to detect, pose significant challenges to explosive ordnance disposal teams.

    These teams already suffer from a lack of resources and specialised technical capabilities.

    He called for urgent support to enable these teams to carry out detection and dismantling operations in accordance with the required safety standards.

    Without immediate international action, the Gaza unexploded ordnance will continue to endanger every step civilians take.

    Featured image by Emad El Byed on Unsplash

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • X reinstates translation from Hebrew after mockery for hiding genocidal language

    The X social media platform has reinstated its ‘translate post’ option for posts in the Hebrew language, which it had reportedly disabled, supposedly, because its AI, Grok, was being too literal – only with Hebrew, mind you – and making us all wrongly think that Israelis say lots of racist, genocidal, war-criminal stuff, giving the colony a bad rep.

    Riighht.

    Grok itself helpfully summarised the action that X had taken and claimed that it was doing so to ‘limit inflammatory content spread’ – and that it was not inflammatory because the posts actually contain inflammatory content, but because Grok was being too literal and we were all taking the literalness too, well, literally:

    Unfortunately for X, words mean things

    As commentator Wally Rashid pointed out, plenty of people were quick to identify examples of this excessively ‘literal’ content, like former US marine Ken O’Keefe:

    It’s fair to say that there was a fair degree of skepticism among its users about X’s excuse reasoning:In response to more questioning, Grok admitted that by translating from Hebrew it had been amplifying “calls for violence”, but still claimed that this was because its translations were “inaccurate or literal” – presumably as in ‘literally calling for violence’; it denied that it was “targeting any group” but then slipped up and admitted that the surges had been in “Hebrew hate speech”, not the other languages it was translated into:

    Challenged to say whether it had targeted any other languages in the same way, Grok had to admit it had not – mysteriously, only Hebrew posts were the issue – leading to questions about why the hate-posters’ accounts weren’t being deleted as per usual practice:

    However, it seems that the widespread scorn and derision was too much of an embarrassment, perhaps because it drew more attention to the flood of genocidal speech from the relatively tiny population of Israeli Hebrew-speakers. At the time of writing, the translation option is back on Hebrew posts, even those of the most blatantly genocidal posters like ‘security minister’ Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose posts can again be read in England in all their deranged ‘glory’:

    Featured image via X

    By Skwawkbox

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Anti-genocide activist Strecker asks for ‘quiet show of support’ at ‘terror’ trial next week

    Jersey-based anti-genocide activist Natalie Strecker has asked for those who wish to attend her trial in Jersey next week for supposed ‘terrorism’ over posts supporting international law.

    Strecker was arrested a year ago, and charged in January, apparently for expressing support for the right of Palestinians to resist occupation. The right to resist “by all available means” is recognised and unequivocally guaranteed under international law, but the Starmer regime has treated it as an expression of support for a ‘proscribed’ terrorist group, which Strecker is adamant that she has never done.

    Natalie Strecker asks for moral support

    Starmer is waging a ‘lawfare’ war of state terrorism against journalists and activists who expose and oppose Israel’s genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza, primarily using the Terrorism Act in an attempt to criminalise humanitarians opposing Israel’s mass murder of Palestinians civilians. Strecker has published a video message in which she asks supporters not to protest outside the court when her trial begins on Thursday 27 November, but instead for those able to get to the court to stand outside in a “quiet show of support:

    Solidarity with Natalie Strecker and the dozens of activists being persecuted by the Starmer police state – to protect Israel and its interests – who face potential sentences of up to fourteen years in prison for being human beings and, in some cases, have already been held as political prisoners for more than a year awaiting trial.

    Featured image via X/Natalie Strecker

    By Skwawkbox

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • UN Security Council Gives US ‘Mandate’ Over Palestine

    The United Nations Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution that gives the world body’s imprimatur to Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, a territory he said publicly should be ethnically cleansed to develop a Mediterranean resort.

    The council voted 13 nations in favor with two abstentions from China and Russia, which could have vetoed Trump’s plans.

    The resolution essentially revives the colonial mandate system of the League of Nations after the First World War, and the United Nations’ trusteeship system after the Second World War, both schemes in which colonial powers remained in charge of a colonized territory while it was supposed to wean it towards independence.

    The post UN Security Council Gives US ‘Mandate’ Over Palestine appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • Ex-UN Official Decries Resolution Backing Gaza Force As ‘Colonial Outrage’

    A former senior UN human rights official has denounced the Security Council’s adoption of a resolution backing a US plan for foreign forces and governance in Gaza, calling it a “colonial outrage”.

    Craig Mokhiber, former director of the New York office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), described the vote as a “day of shame” for the UN and accused governments worldwide of being “on their knees before the US empire and its violent Israeli client”.

    He criticised the “horrific” resolution as a violation of international law.

    “This proposal has been rejected by Palestinian civil society and factions, as well as by defenders of human rights and international law everywhere,” Mokhiber said on X.

    The post Ex-UN Official Decries Resolution Backing Gaza Force As ‘Colonial Outrage’ appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • Join Us In Italy To Support The Nationwide Strike Against Israel

    Western nations will do nothing to halt Israel’s ongoing slaughter of Palestinians. They will do nothing to alleviate the hunger and disease that is decimating Palestinians in Gaza. Our nations have been, and remain, full partners in the genocide. They will remain partners until the genocide reaches its grim conclusion.

    Unless we stop them.

    At least 242 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israel since the “ceasefire” was announced. The first major ceasefire breach led to Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 100 Palestinians, including 46 children, and wounded 150 others.

    The post Join Us In Italy To Support The Nationwide Strike Against Israel appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • More Horrific Than Abu Ghraib And Guantánamo

    On June 19, 2024, Khaled Mahajneh, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, became the first lawyer to visit a notorious detention facility for Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, located inside the Sde Teiman military base in the Negev Desert, one of several detention facilities established after October 7, 2023 to hold Palestinians seized in Gaza.

    Speaking to +972 Magazine a week after his visit, Mahanjeh drew a pertinent comparison with the treatment of Muslim prisoners in the US’s post-9/11 “war on terror”, but concluded that Israel’s behavior was even worse.

    The post More Horrific Than Abu Ghraib And Guantánamo appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • ‘We lose many patients’: Inside Gaza’s last hospitals

    Since October 2023, at least 34 hospitals in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed by Israel. In that same time, as the humanitarian need for urgent medical care in the Gaza Strip dramatically increased, Israeli forces detained at least 405 Palestinian healthcare workers, according to NGO Healthcare Workers Watch. In this on-the-ground report, TRNN takes you inside one of Gaza’s last functioning hospitals.

    Editor’s note: This report was filmed at Al Shifa Hospital in June 2025, before it was destroyed.

    Credits:

    • Producers: Belal Awad, Leo Erhardt
    • Videographers: Ruwaida Amer, Mahmoud Al Mashharawi
    • Video Editor: Leo Erhardt
    Transcript

    Dr. Moataz Harara – HEAD OF EMERGENCY ROOM AT AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL: 

    Hospitals have become targets for the Israeli occupation and the Israeli army. Many hospitals have been destroyed. They have been taken out of service and burned. Doctors, nurses, and medical teams have been kidnapped from hospital premises. It’s become difficult at times to convince some medical staff to remain in the hospital. They tell you: “Maybe the Israelis will come at night and kidnap me like they did my colleague?” 

    Narrator: 

    The abduction – or worse – of Gaza’s medical workers is a documented reality. According to NGO Healthcare Workers Watch: Since October 2023, Israeli forces have detained at least 405 Palestinian healthcare workers, including 28 specialist doctors – among them surgeons, pediatricians, and ICU specialists. Twenty staff were kidnapped from hospitals during military raids; while others were detained while evacuating. Two senior physicians reportedly died in detention from torture, their bodies are still being held by Israeli authorities. 

    Dr. Moataz Harara – HEAD OF EMERGENCY ROOM AT AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL: 

    All resources, capabilities, and supplies have been exhausted. Before, to treat one patient, the whole hospital would come to your aid to treat one patient with a serious injury. Now, hundreds of serious injuries arrive, and you might find one staff member working on one patient. Or you find one doctor treating ten patients, and they are all serious injuries. Of course, this affects the quality of the work; we lose many patients. 

    Dr. Sara Khodr Al Hin – EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR AT AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL: 

    There’s a shortage of medicine and a shortage of space, so we’re forced to treat patients in the corridors. We are admitting around 800 people every day in the Emergency Room, every 24 hours. 

    Dr. Moataz Harara – HEAD OF EMERGENCY ROOM AT AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL: 

    The air strikes, artillery, and tank fire have not stopped—this is one problem. We have faced an additional problem, which is the injured people waiting for aid, because they went to the aid distribution sites in Netzarim or Zikim. Those injured at the aid distribution sites come in large numbers because they are all gathered in one place. So, any strikes or shootings create huge casualties. Imagine that in one or two hours, you get 100 or 200 injured people. If we accept more cases, we will have to admit them on the floor and treat them on the floor. 

    Narrator: 

    The dangers at aid distribution sites are catastrophic. According to the UN Human Rights Office: Between the 30th and 31st of July – over the course of one day – 105 Palestinians were killed and 680 injured near aid routes in Zikim, Khan Younis, and GHF sites.

    Since May, at least 1,373 people have died while seeking food. The OHCHR states most killings were committed by Israeli forces, with no evidence those targeted posed any threat. 

    Dr. Moataz Harara – HEAD OF EMERGENCY ROOM AT AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL:  

    Medical teams are the only people who are still working in Gaza, compared to other institutions. Imagine a doctor arrives, and he’s hungry—he hasn’t eaten, he’s thinking about his children, his family—how to get food for them: bread, flour, water. They are suffering just like everyone else, and to that, they have to witness a lot of injuries, wounds, corpses, body parts, and blood. It’s been about two years that they have been witnessing these scenes. Of course, it’s had an impact on their mental state. 

    Dr. Sara Khodr Al Hin – EMERGENCY ROOM DOCTOR AT AL-SHIFA HOSPITAL: 

    Medicine is a humanitarian profession. It used to be hard before; now, it’s even harder. Mostly, doctors don’t find time to rest, working sometimes for more than 24 hours. I believe that my role is still active and important, in the service of the sick, even though the challenges have increased in light of these circumstances. But we are ready to continue—even until our last breath.

    This post was originally published on The Real News Network.

  • UN Security Council approves US draft resolution on Gaza, Hamas responds

    The UN Security Council have approved a US draft resolution that, for the first time, includes explicit references to the possibility of developing a political process leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state. The proposal involves the implementation of a comprehensive reform plan within the Palestinian Authority institutions and tangible progress in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

    The resolution was supported by 13 countries, while Russia and China abstained from voting. The resolution provides for the establishment of a Peace Council to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza during the transitional phase, until the reform of the Palestinian Authority is completed.

    The council aims to provide an environment capable of creating the conditions necessary for the realisation of the right to self-determination and the establishment of a Palestinian state. However, Hamas rebuffed the plans, claiming that the proposal does not consider the magnitude of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

    Gaza peace plan involves resumption of aid

    The resolution emphasised the importance of resuming humanitarian aid to Gaza in full coordination with the Peace Council, stressing the need to use it for civilian purposes only and to ensure that it is not diverted from its intended purpose. The resolution also authorises participating states, in cooperation with the Peace Council, to establish operational entities with international powers to manage transitional governance in Gaza. The provision for these entities, is that they must operate under the authority of the Council and are funded by voluntary contributions and donors.

    It also called on the World Bank and international financial institutions to support reconstruction efforts, including the establishment of a special fund for this purpose.

    The resolution included the establishment of a temporary international stabilisation force operating under unified command and in coordination with Egypt and Israel, with key tasks including:

    • Disarming Gaza
    • Protecting civilians
    • Training the Palestinian police
    • Securing humanitarian corridors.

    The resolution stated that as the stabilisation force expanded its presence and control on the ground, the Israeli army would begin withdrawing from the Gaza Strip according to pre-agreed criteria and timetable.

    Monitoring commitments and international support

    The Security Council urged states and international organisations to provide financial, logistical and human support to both the Peace Council and the Stabilisation Force to ensure the implementation of their tasks. The resolution also required the Peace Council to submit a biannual report on progress made in Gaza at the humanitarian, administrative and security levels. The resolution set the end of 2027 as the date for the end of the Peace Council’s mandate and the end of the international civil and security presence in the Strip.

    During the voting session, the US representative said that the humanitarian situation in Gaza had reached ‘hell on earth’ levels over the past two years, warning that the international community was at a ‘crossroads’. He explained that the draft resolution was based on US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, stressing that the draft was ‘not just a promise’ but included ‘clear guarantees for a ceasefire’. He stressed that any vote against the draft would mean, in his words, ‘voting in favour of a return to war’.

    Hamas rejects the resolution and considers it international guardianship

    For its part, Hamas announced its rejection of the resolution, considering that it does not meet the minimum political and humanitarian rights of the Palestinian people and does not reflect the magnitude of the tragedy that the Gaza Strip has witnessed over the past two years of war of extermination and crimes of occupation.

    The movement affirmed in its statement that the resolution imposes a mechanism of international guardianship on Gaza and paves the way for its separation from the rest of the Palestinian geography. Instead, argue Hamas, such a proposal serves the goals of the occupation that it failed to achieve militarily, and constitutes a violation of the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Hamas stressed that the weapon of resistance is a legitimate right linked to the continuation of the occupation, and that any discussion about it must be an internal national matter linked to a political process leading to the end of the occupation.

    Loss of claim to neutrality

    It also warned that entrusting any international force with tasks that include disarming the resistance would cause it to lose its neutrality and turn it into a party biased towards the occupation. They stressed that any international force must limit its role to border control and monitoring the ceasefire, and must operate under the supervision of the United Nations only and in full coordination with Palestinian institutions. The movement affirmed that humanitarian aid and the opening of crossings are inherent rights that cannot be subject to political blackmail, emphasising the role of the United Nations and UNRWA in providing relief.

    Hamas concluded its statement by calling on the international community to stop the genocide, begin reconstruction, end the occupation, and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

    Featured image via YouTube screenshot/Al Jazeera English

    By Alaa Shamali

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • UN Security Council Approves Trump’s US-Israeli “Peace Plan” for Gaza

    On Monday, the United Nations Security Council approved the Trump administration’s “peace plan” for Gaza. The resolution calls for the establishment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to demilitarize and govern Gaza while Israel withdraws from the area. It also includes the formation of a ‘peace board’ in line with Trump’s plan, stipulating the deployment of international forces to…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Stormont ‘Israel’-linked funds under review after Speaker decision

    The Speaker for the North of Ireland Assembly Edwin Poots has determined that the Executive must review Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald’s decision to end state help to companies supplying weapons to so-called ‘Israel’.

    Archibald had issued her instructions in October after conducting a review of Invest NI’s role in providing financial assistance to companies producing weaponry for use by the Zionist entity. The report into the matter stated:

    Following a review of its internal controls, Invest NI concluded that no additional measures or amendments are required.

    Archibald said at the time:

    The review is categorical – Invest NI does not support the manufacture of arms or their components for Israel. I welcome this finding.

    However, as an additional precaution, she urged measures be put in place to:

    …eliminate any risk of public funds being used to support the manufacture of arms or components that are used for genocide.

    The Sinn Féin minister also pledged to:

    …not engage in the British Government’s trade talks with Israel while it continues to illegally occupy and impose apartheid on Palestine.

    Stormont-Israel connection: Archibald’s measures were weak to begin with

    As covered by the Canary, it is very likely the report into Invest NI was highly misleading, as it only examined whether arms are being sent directly to the illegitimate settler-colony. The F-35 program operates by having parts made all over the world, then assembled into warplanes, many of which will end up in Zionist hands. Therefore, even if components aren’t shipped directly to so-called ‘Israel’, companies in the north of Ireland are still almost certainly helping to construct the death machines used to slaughter innocent Palestinians.

    Nonetheless, Archibald’s weak response was still too much for many unionists, who seemingly can’t stand the thought of the Gaza holocaust ceasing. Archibald firstly faced a legal challenge from the Unionist Voice Policy Studies think tank, then a petition launched by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to have her policies related to trade with the Zionist pseudo-state reviewed.

    In a letter addressed to “All Assembly Members”, Poots lays out his reasons for referring the matter to the Executive. The procedure first requires 30 signatures to go to the next step – consultation of parties at Stormont. In this instance, Poots received 31, all from unionist parties. It seems all of the DUP’s 26 MLAs signed the document. From there, Poots notes:

    …the receipt of 30 signatures required me to do two things. Firstly, to consult the political parties in the Assembly. Secondly, it was then for me to decide ONLY whether the decision referenced in the petition was of public importance – in which case it is required to be referred to the Executive.

    The Speaker, who was formerly leader of the DUP, then:

    …wrote to all the parties and independent Members in the Assembly seeking their views on whether the subject of the petition was one of public importance.

    Rarely used ruling dragged out due to DUP’s craving for mass death

    He notes that many of the responses he received queried Archibald’s authority to take the action she did; this is likely in relation to whether she is entitled to rule on international trade, which is not a matter devolved to Stormont by Britain. Poots was not required to consider this, however, only whether it was a matter of public importance. It’s hard to find clear guidance on how exactly “public importance” is determined, or what factors Poots took into consideration, as he only makes reference to noting:

    …the frequency with which Members have raised matters regarding relations with Israel in the Assembly.

    While little can be gleaned from publicly available documents, Urgent Questions guidance for the British Parliament (which influenced the construction of Stormont rules) suggest factors like recency and imminence play a role “public importance” rulings, along with whether it has “more than a local or temporary significance”. Matters like financial cost and whether there is exceptional public interest are also likely to guide decisions.

    By whatever arcane process Poots came to his determination, the infrequently used mechanism now ensures the north of Ireland has taken a step backwards into the mire of assisting a genocide. The former DUP MLA pointed out:

    This is a procedure which has been rarely used – this is the first such valid petition to be received in more than ten years.

    Robinson talks shite as he gloats over prospect of assisting genocide

    One can think of the hundreds of issues debated in Stormont over that period, but the one to most exercise the DUP is that which retreated from profiting off mass slaughter of innocent children. The party’s leader Gavin Robinson delighted in the possibility of remaining involved in dismembering infants by the tens of thousands, saying:

    The Economy Minister attempted to act unilaterally on an issue that is both significant and controversial. The Executive is the forum for collective decision making. It is where major policy shifts are scrutinised and agreed. On such a serious matter such as our trade with Israel, there is no space for Ministerial solo runs fed by political posturing.

    Our petition was lodged to protect both the integrity of the devolved institutions and the thousands of workers whose livelihoods depend on our Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space sectors. We remain determined that no Minister should be permitted to undermine a strategically important part of our economy or to stray into areas that are the clear responsibility of the United Kingdom Government.

    There you have it in black and white – a straightforward declaration that profit for local companies trumps human life in Gaza. He’s also gone for the cynical politician’s classic nugget of shit – the false dichotomy – claiming it’s either businesses going under here OR genocide there. It could clearly be businesses here AND no genocide there if these factories were repurposed to make something useful like civilian aircraft parts, rather than playing a role in the Terminator-esque deathscape that Zionism has created in Gaza.

    Upcoming Executive ruling a measure of whether it’s fit for purpose

    The Irish News quotes Archibald’s response to Poots’ ruling, as she commented on her previous action:

    It is based on the principle that public funds must not support the manufacture of arms or components used for genocide.

    She also referred to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry which has determined that the lawless settler-colony is committing genocide in Gaza.

    The Executive must now rule on Archibald’s decision based on whether there was “contravention of the [Ministerial] Code” and “whether it relates to a significant or controversial matter”. Needless to say, if the Ministerial Code allows you to assist genocide or it’s considered uncontroversial to do so, then it’s clear this is just another piece of Stormont that needs major reform.

    Featured image via the Canary

    By Robert Freeman

    This post was originally published on Canary.

  • Samsung Users Report ‘Unremovable’ Israeli Bloatware Appcloud On Devices

    South Korean tech giant Samsung has come under fire after users flagged that its devices contained what cybersecurity experts are calling bloatware across multiple regions globally.

    Bloatware is a pre-installed application that runs on a device’s operating system. Initially, the software, AppCloud, was reported to be pre-installed in Samsung Galaxy A and M series phones across West Asia and North Africa.

    But now, users from Europe and South Asia have reported that the bloatware also comes pre-installed on their devices, and is “unremovable”.

    Uninstalling bloatware requires root access, the highest level of control in a computer system.

    In February, SMEX (formerly Social Media Exchange), a digital rights organisation based in Beirut, reported that AppCloud secretly harvests user data and lacks an accessible privacy policy, raising legal and ethical concerns due to its ties to the Israeli firm ironSource.

    The post Samsung Users Report ‘Unremovable’ Israeli Bloatware Appcloud On Devices appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.