The day after Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel, Secretary of State Antony Blinken went on television to reiterate the Biden team’s claim that a grand bargain with the Saudi government “would really change the prospects for the entire region far into the future.”
In reality, a U.S.-Saudi mutual defense pact was a terrible idea before the Gaza war began, and it would be disastrous now.
@lauraches21
Replying to @CraigMurrayOrg
Let‘s be honest. We all know how reliable „Israeli intelligence“ is its just another pathetic way of deflecting and giving the UN/UNRWA less credibility due to their witness statements read out yesterday.
@CraigMurrayOrg
Yes. I assume this was planned in advance including with the neoliberal states who leapt in.
@bigbaddommie
Replying to @CraigMurrayOrg
The 12 have also been sacked
@CraigMurrayOrg
Sacked before the investigation. It is disgraceful.
– USA
– Canada
– UK
– Finland
– Australia
– Italy
Driving the news: A senior Israeli official said the Shin Bet and Israeli military intelligence provided information that pointed to the active participation of UNRWA staffers and the use of the agency‘s vehicles and facilities during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
„This was strong and corroborated intelligence,“ the official said. „A lot of the intelligence is a result of interrogations of militants who were arrested during the Oct. 7 attack.“
ICJ President Joan Donoghue noted that the court had found sufficient evidence of dispute for the genocide case and said it would not throw it out.
Israel has also been ordered to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and has been asked to report back to the court within a month about how it is upholding the court’s orders.
Here are some global reactions:
Am Samstag, den 27.01. 2024, ist es soweit: Unser Parteitag in Berlin und die Aufstellungsversammlung zur EU-Wahl!
Am Vormittag soll zunächst der Parteivorstand gewählt werden: Den Vorsitz sollen Wagenknecht und die frühere Linken-Fraktionschefin Amira Mohamed Ali übernehmen. Beide werden auch beim Parteitag sprechen.
Am Nachmittag will die Partei ihr Programm zur Europawahl am 9. Juni beschließen und ihre Kandidatenliste aufstellen.
We have seen France and Jordan dropping in several tons of medical aid for the hospitals unable to cope with the endless conveyor belt of maimed and dying civilians.
If the world’s cries for a level of humanitarian aid to reach the people via land borders are still ignored, then the world has a responsibility to get even more support to the people by any means necessary. If they will not let us help by land or sea, then we must try by air.
The Department of State has temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them.
(…)
The United States has reached out to the Government of Israel to seek more information about these allegations, and we have briefed Members of Congress.
(26.01.2024)
„The Israeli Authorities have provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on Israel on 7 October.
“To protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay. Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.
Friday’s ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) drives something bigger and more powerful than a D9 bulldozer through the western position supporting Israel’s blitzkrieg on Gaza, which has continued for nearly four months.
The ruling establishes that what is going on in Gaza is not a war aimed at disabling an enemy militant group, but an operation aimed at disabling a people, and a nation. There can be no more momentous legal judgement in the history of the conflict, certainly in the current century.
This judgement reestablishes the morality, impartiality and standing of international law, and will show the impunity that Israel has been granted by its major arms suppliers and backers for what it is: a license to kill.
In response to the court‘s decision, Riyadh al-Maliki, Palestinian minister of foreign affairs, said that Palestine „welcomes“ the order and that it is an „important reminder that no state is above the law“.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also welcomed the court‘s decision, and called „on all parties to implement the interim measures it has decreed“.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the injunction was „valuable,“ and that Turkey „will continue to follow the process to ensure that war crimes committed against innocent Palestinian civilians do not go unpunished.“
(26.01.2024)
(26.01.2024)
“Today’s decision is an authoritative reminder of the crucial role of international law in preventing genocide and protecting all victims of atrocity crimes. It sends a clear message that the world will not stand by in silence as Israel pursues a ruthless military campaign to decimate the population of the Gaza Strip and unleash death, horror and suffering against Palestinians on an unprecedented scale,” said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
“However, the ICJ decision alone cannot put an end to the atrocities and devastation Gazans are witnessing. Alarming signs of genocide in Gaza, and Israel’s flagrant disregard for international law highlight the urgent need for effective, unified pressure on Israel to stop its onslaught against Palestinians. An immediate ceasefire by all parties remains essential and – although not ordered by the Court – is the most effective condition to implement the provisional measures and end unprecedented civilian suffering.
Click to jump to an expert analysis:
Celeste Kmiotek: The ICJ puts the countries supporting Israel on notice
Thomas S. Warrick: A blow to the argument that death and destruction are sufficient to establish genocide
Tuqa Nusairat: The ruling shows how isolated the US is in its support of Israel
Shalom Lipner: The ruling is unlikely to change Israel’s warfighting or narrative
Elise Baker: Israel’s continued failure to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza risks genocide
Gissou Nia: The ICJ’s decision pushes talk about ‘genocide’ from the rhetorical to the factual and legal
Lisandra Novo: The ICJ’s order to preserve evidence could impact war crimes cases elsewhere
Alexander Tripp: South Africa is putting its ideals on the world stage
Alyssa T. Yamamoto: The ICJ embraces another case brought by a state not directly affected by violations
Akila Radhakrishnan: It didn’t call for a cease-fire, but the ICJ did rule that Israel must drastically curtail its operations
Rayhan Asat: This case could have implications for a future genocide case against China