Daily Archives: 19. September 2024


19.09.2024 - 22:32 [ Human Rights Watch ]

Lebanon: Exploding Pagers Harmed Hezbollah, Civilians

(September 18, 2024)

“Customary international humanitarian law prohibits the use of booby traps – objects that civilians are likely to be attracted to or are associated with normal civilian daily use – precisely to avoid putting civilians at grave risk and produce the devastating scenes that continue to unfold across Lebanon today. The use of an explosive device whose exact location could not be reliably known would be unlawfully indiscriminate, using a means of attack that could not be directed at a specific military target and as a result would strike military targets and civilians without distinction. A prompt and impartial investigation into the attacks should be urgently conducted.”

19.09.2024 - 22:17 [ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) / Büro des Hohen Kommissars für Menschenrechte ]

Comment by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on explosions across Lebanon and in Syria

Geneva, 18 September 2024

Widespread simultaneous explosions across Lebanon and in Syria yesterday, where detonating pagers killed at least 12 people – including two children – and left thousands of people injured, are shocking, and their impact on civilians unacceptable. The fear and terror unleashed is profound.

At this extremely volatile time, I appeal to all States with influence in the region and beyond to take immediate measures to avert further widening of the current conflicts – enough of the daily horrors, enough of the suffering. It is high time leaders stepped up in defence of the rights of all people to live in peace and security. The protection of civilians must be the paramount priority. De-escalation is today more crucial than ever.

Simultaneous targeting of thousands of individuals, whether civilians or members of armed groups, without knowledge as to who was in possession of the targeted devices, their location and their surroundings at the time of the attack, violates international human rights law and, to the extent applicable, international humanitarian law.

There must be an independent, thorough and transparent investigation as to the circumstances of these mass explosions, and those who ordered and carried out such an attack must be held to account.

19.09.2024 - 21:43 [ Sydney Morning Herald ]

Mass pager attacks ‘a terrifying violation of international law’

The experts, led by University of Sydney law professor Ben Saul, the UN’s special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, labelled the exploding pagers “a terrifying violation of international law”.

“These attacks violate the human right to life, absent any indication that the victims posed an imminent lethal threat to anyone else at the time,” the experts said in a joint statement issued from Geneva late on Thursday night.

“Such attacks require prompt, independent investigation to establish the truth and enable accountability for the crime of murder.”

19.09.2024 - 21:15 [ ardmediathek.de ]

tagesschau 20:00 Uhr, 19.09.2024

Hisbollah-Chef Nasrallah droht nach Explosionsserien im Libanon mit Vergeltung, Explosionsserien im Libanon laut Experten wohl aus israelischen Geheimdienst Mossad zurückzuführen, …

19.09.2024 - 20:30 [ theNationalnews.com ]

Fourteen countries oppose UN resolution to end Israel‘s occupation of Palestine

The resolution urged Israel to „comply with international law and withdraw its military forces, immediately cease all new settlement activity, evacuate all settlers from occupied land, and dismantle parts of the separation wall it constructed inside the occupied West Bank“. It also demanded Israel return land and other assets it has seized since 1967.

Apart from the US, Argentina, Hungary and Paraguay also voted against the resolution. Other opposers were: Oceania‘s Palau, Micronesia, Nauru, Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu and Papua New Guinea, East Africa‘s Malawi and Europe‘s Czechia.

19.09.2024 - 19:42 [ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic - Gov.cz ]

Czechia’s Explanation of Vote on the UN resolution – 18th of September

Czechia’s Explanation of Vote on the UN resolution regarding the advisory opinion of the ICJ on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in OPT, including East Jerusalem, and from the illegality of Israel’s continued presence in OPT. Stated by Ambassador to the United Nations, Jakub Kulhánek, on September 18, 2024

Mr. President,

Allow me to begin by reiterating Czechia‘s unwavering support for the people of the West Bank and Gaza in their pursuit of political aspirations for their own future statehood.

My country also stands ready to support any meaningful efforts to end violence in the region.

However, for these efforts to succeed, they must be the result of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, as this offers the only viable path to lasting security and peace for all.

19.09.2024 - 19:31 [ Middle East Monitor ]

Germany defends sitting out vote on UN resolution for Israel to end Occupation of Palestine Territories within a year

“It sets an unrealistic deadline for ending the Occupation and disregards the fact that direct negotiations between the parties are required in order to achieve a sustainable solution,” it said.

The resolution does not sufficiently take into account Israel’s right to self-defence as it does not mention its legitimate security interests, it added.

19.09.2024 - 19:23 [ Mission permanente de la France auprès des Nations unies à New York ]

France voted in favour of the draft resolution submitted by Palestine

STATEMENT BY MR NICOLAS DE RIVIERE,
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF FRANCE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

TO THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH)

New York, September 18, 2024

Madam President,

France is committed to the respect of international law. We reaffirm our full support of the International Court of Justice. As the Court indicated in its advisory opinion of July 2024, the settlements in the Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, constitute a violation of international law.

States have therefore the obligation not to recognise the situation resulting from the illegal presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. France will not recognise the illegal annexation of these territories.

We will ensure compliance with Security Council Resolution 2334, which aims to draw a distinction between the internationally recognised territory of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.

In that spirit, France voted in favour of the draft resolution submitted by Palestine. We would have preferred it to stick completely to the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, but we commend the efforts undertaken to improve the initial draft.

France calls on this Assembly to condemn the flagrant violation of international law constituted by the terrorist attacks committed on 7 October 2023. We reiterate our solidarity with the Israeli people and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.

The continuation of Israeli settlements is a major obstacle to the two-state solution. This is the only way to guarantee a just and lasting peace. It is the only way to guarantee Israel’s long-term security. This entails the establishment of a Palestinian state, as well as a resumption of the peace negotiations.

19.09.2024 - 19:11 [ Common Dreams ]

In Overwhelming Vote, UN General Assembly Demands Swift End to Israeli Occupation

„The vast majority of countries have made it clear: Israel‘s occupation of Palestine must end, and all countries have a definite duty not to aid or assist its continuation,“ said GJN‘s Tim Bierley. „To stay on the right side of international law, the U.K.‘s dealings with Israel must drastically change, including closing all loopholes in its partial arms ban and revoking any trade or investment relations that might assist the occupation.“

19.09.2024 - 18:51 [ CNN ]

See the moment Israeli jets fly over Beirut while CNN reporter is on air

CNN Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman reacts to Israeli jets flying over Beirut, Lebanon, as Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah delivered an address in response to a wave of explosions across the country.

19.09.2024 - 18:40 [ APNews.com ]

What to know about the two waves of deadly explosions that hit Lebanon and Syria

Just one day after pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded, more electronic devices detonated in Lebanon Wednesday in what appeared to be a second wave of sophisticated, deadly attacks that targeted an extraordinary number of people.

Both attacks, which are widely believed to be carried out by Israel, have hiked fears that the two sides’ simmering conflict could escalate into all-out war.

19.09.2024 - 02:21 [ Amnesty International ]

Israel must implement UNGA resolution by ending its unlawful occupation of Palestinian Territory

Responding to the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution today demanding that Israel end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) within 12 months, in compliance with the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) July advisory opinion, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said:

“Today’s resolution makes crystal-clear that Israel’s 57-year occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in flagrant violation of international law, cannot be allowed to continue any longer.