Durchaus als historisch zu bezeichnen ist hingegen das Versagen der libanesischen Regierung. Sie nimmt mit ihrem Versuch, die Hisbollah zu entwaffnen, nicht nur in Kauf, dass die libanesische Bevölkerung der israelischen Kriegs- und Annexionsmaschinerie ausgeliefert wird. Sie riskiert auch einen Bürgerkrieg.
Archiv: Abrüstung / Entmilitarisierung / Zivilisierung / demilitarization/ civilizing
MEETING FOR PEACE WITH THE COMMUNITY OF BAMENDA
In this regard, I would like to express gratitude to all those, particularly the lay and religious women, who care for individuals traumatized by violence. It is an enormous task that goes unseen day by day, and as Sister Carine reminded us, it is also dangerous. The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet a lifetime is often not enough to rebuild. They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found. Those who rob your land of its resources generally invest much of the profit in weapons, thus perpetuating an endless cycle of destabilization and death. It is a world turned upside down, an exploitation of God’s creation that must be denounced and rejected by every honest conscience. We must make a decisive change of course — a true conversion — that will lead us in the opposite direction, onto a sustainable path rich in human fraternity. The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters! They are the descendants of Abraham, as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Let us look into each other’s eyes: we are this immense people! Peace is not something we must invent: it is something we must embrace by accepting our neighbor as our brother and as our sister. We do not choose our brothers and sisters: we simply must accept one another! We are one family, inhabiting the same home: this wonderful planet that ancient cultures have cared for across millennia.
Pope warns of world ravaged by ‘tyrants’ in the wake of Trump attacks
Pope Leo warned that the world is being ravaged by “tyrants,” in forceful comments made after US President Donald Trump attacked the pontiff for his stance on the war with Iran.
Leo has emerged as strong critic of the conflict and his speech again preached a message of peace and rebuked leaders using religious language to justify war.
“The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters,” Leo said in a speech during a visit to Cameroon’s largest city, Bamenda, on Thursday.
Lebanon: Joint Foreign Ministers‘ Statement, 14 April 2026
We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks of Hezbollah against Israel which must cease immediately. We also condemn in the strongest terms the massive Israeli strikes on Lebanon conducted on 8 April which, according to the latest information shared by the Lebanese authorities, resulted in the death of more than 350 persons and wounded more than 1000. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.
We also condemn in the strongest terms the attacks against UNIFIL and we reiterate that the safety and security of UN peacekeepers must be ensured at all times.
We express our full solidarity and our steadfast support for the Lebanese people and authorities. We stand ready to provide emergency assistance to the more than one million displaced persons in Lebanon, in coordination with the Lebanese government.
We reaffirm the importance of respecting for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). We will continue to support the Lebanese state to exercise its full sovereignty over the whole Lebanese territory. In this context, we commend the decision of the Lebanese government to ban Hezbollah’s military activities, as well as its decision to reinforce the full imposition of state authority over Beirut and to have the sole monopoly on weapons, and we encourage full and swift implementation.
17 Staaten rufen Israel und Libanon zur Einigung auf
Neben Großbritannien und Frankreich sind die weiteren Unterzeichnerstaaten Australien, Belgien, Dänemark, Finnland, Griechenland, Island, Kroatien, Luxemburg, Malta, Norwegen, Portugal, Schweden, Slowenien, Spanien und Zypern.
In der Erklärung verurteilen die Außenminister auch „in den schärfsten Worten“ die Angriffe der pro-iranischen Miliz Hisbollah auf Israel sowie die „massiven israelischen Luftangriffe auf den Libanon am 8. April, bei denen nach den jüngsten von den libanesischen Behörden veröffentlichten Informationen mehr als 350 Menschen getötet und über 1000 verletzt wurden. In Washington sollen heute Verhandlungen zwischen Israel und dem Libanon beginnen.
Tell Democrats in Congress to Insist That Schumer and Jeffries Step Aside
The Democratic leadership in Congress has failed to provide real leadership against a war-crazed Trump administration. Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries have not acted to prevent war on Venezuela or the current war on Iran. They worked to delay a vote on Iran until after the war had started, while failing to clearly oppose it before or after the launch of the war. Schumer and Jeffries have shown that they cannot be trusted to prevent more wars, more threats of wars, or the transfer of another half a trillion dollars a year into the war machine.
It’s time for congressional Democrats to replace Schumer and Jeffries with leaders who are willing and able to challenge the runaway militarism that has dragged our country into launching yet another insanely destructive war.
The form below enables you to quickly send a clear message to the Democrat(s) who represent you in the House and/or Senate.
Coalition of Antiwar Groups Launches National Campaign Calling for Jeffries and Schumer to Step Aside from Leadership
A coalition of antiwar groups launched a national campaign Wednesday for constituents to urge Democrats in Congress to remove Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer from their posts as minority leaders.
The coalition includes RootsAction and Peace Action, the nation’s largest grassroots peace network, as well as World BEYOND War and the Progressive Democrats of America – Greater Middle East Alliance.
“Schumer and Jeffries have failed their party and country through wobbly leadership when firmness and clarity are needed in opposing a reckless and costly war,” said Jeff Cohen, cofounder of RootsAction. “The Democratic base sees a weak and confused party leadership as Trump demands billions more to attack Iran. While the party needs strong leaders in Congress, both Schumer and Jeffries have shown that they’re not up to the job.”
Gaza stabilization force proposal by U.S. gets pushback from Russia, China and Arabs
Russia, China and Algeria voiced their opposition to that draft, and all but two of the other Security Council members submitted amendments, one of the diplomats said.
The sticking points surrounded the pathway to an independent Palestinian state and timeline for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, according to two of the diplomats.
Russia Counters U.S. Plan for Gaza With Its Own Proposal at U.N. Security Council
The Trump administration wants the Security Council to adopt a U.S. resolution that has the 20-point American plan annexed, effectively making it international law. The American resolution seeks to provide a mandate for an international stabilization force and a governing board. Arab countries, in particular, which are concerned with being seen as occupiers, have called U.N. support necessary for their participation in such a force.
Russia, as one of the five veto-holding powers of the Security Council, could block the U.S. resolution.
MK Odeh in Berlin: Germany – Recognize Palestine
According to Odeh, “Every hostage returned from Gaza is a victory. Every child and family who survived Gaza is a victory. But that is not the victory Netanyahu wants.” He said, “What has been achieved and at what price? Palestinian cities have been erased from the map. Tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza were killed, including 20,000 children. Hundreds of thousands were left without homes. This is not a victory. This is devastation,” and called on “those responsible for crimes against humanity” to be held accountable.
“The Israeli state was already like Sparta – now it has become a super Sparta. If this is victory, what does defeat look like?” Odeh wondered. Odeh also urged Germany to recognize a Palestinian state, saying that the only request he had of U.S. President Donald Trump when he came to address Israel’s Knesset in October was to recognize a Palestinian state. “So, I ask you too: Germany – recognize Palestine! Recognize that there are two people in our shared homeland, both with the right to self-determination,” he cried out, to great applause.
Regarding Germany, Odeh said that Berlin “carries the scars of the 20th century and stands as a living reminder of how far human cruelty can go when power is absolute. When racism is normalized and people are dehumanized. But a city like Berlin can be both a graveyard for history, resistance culture and rebirth,” he said. Odeh also said the history of Berlin teaches that “silence in the face of injustice is deadly. It was silence that made the greatest crime of the century possible. And yet, today we see silence return, dressed up in diplomatic language.”
Palestinian President Abbas meets with Mattarella and Meloni during his visit to Italy – video
„At this time, it is particularly important to be able to engage in dialogue with you, confirming the great friendship that binds Palestine and Italy, which has been further consolidated during this period with a special closeness,“ Mattarella said, addressing Abbas. According to the President of the Republic, „we must proceed with great concreteness for humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of Gaza, and toward the creation of two states in the region. These objectives require the disarmament of Hamas and the strong involvement of Arab countries.“ In the Middle East, in Gaza, „we must act quickly to prevent those who do not want peace, on both sides, from reorganizing. It is essential to support the Sharm el-Sheikh peace plan, maintaining respect for the ceasefire on both sides,“ Mattarella stated.
United Nations Security Council: PERMANENT AND NON-PERMANENT MEMBERS
The Council is composed of 15 Members:
Five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly (with end of term year):
– Algeria (2025)
– Denmark (2026)
– Greece (2026)
– Guyana (2025)
– Pakistan (2026)
– Panama (2026)
– Republic of Korea (2025)
– Sierra Leone (2025)
– Slovenia (2025)
– Somalia (2026)
U.S. Seeks Two-Year U.N. Mandate for Gaza Stabilization Force
It is not clear whether the draft would have enough support at the Security Council to be approved. Nine of the 15 members would need to vote in favor of it, and all five permanent members, including Russia and China, would have to abstain from a veto.
The draft is largely in line with Mr. Trump’s plan, which was first presented in September. It says the force would operate under the guidance of an international body known as the “Board of Peace,” and that its mandate would expire on Dec. 31, 2027. The draft suggests that date could be extended.
Scoop: U.S. seeks UN approval for Gaza security force with broad two-year mandate
The U.S. sent several UN Security Council members a draft resolution on Monday for the establishment of an international force in Gaza for a duration of at least two years, according to a copy obtained by Axios.
Vance says Gaza needs peacekeepers, security setup before Hamas disarms
The US vice president, JD Vance, on Monday said that security infrastructure needs to be in place and international peacekeepers need to deploy to Gaza before Hamas disarms.
“Before we actually can ensure that Hamas is properly disarmed, that’s going to require… some of these Gulf Arab states to get forces in there to actually apply some law and order and some security-keeping on the ground,” Vance told reporters.
“We don’t even have the security infrastructure in place, meaning the Gulf Arab states, our allies, don’t have the security infrastructure in place yet to confirm that Hamas is disarmed,” he added.
UK sees lessons from Northern Ireland that could aid the fragile Gaza ceasefire process
The Irish Republican Army eventually agreed to put its arsenal “beyond use” by way of a secret process supervised by an international commission. Disarmament ran in parallel to efforts to resolve political disputes at the heart of the conflict, something that more than three decades of U.S.-led peace efforts in the Middle East have failed to accomplish.
It was slow going: The first batch of IRA weapons was decommissioned in 2001 and the last in 2005, seven years after the Good Friday Agreement. Several other British loyalist and Irish republican militant groups also disarmed as part of the process.
“The British might be able to counsel patience and pragmatism,” said Niall O Dochartaigh, a professor of political science at the University of Galway. “The IRA leadership had to be helped in various ways to make that argument (for disarmament) within the organization.
“Ultimately, decommissioning only happened in the Irish case once the IRA was satisfied that there was a political settlement bedded down,” he added.
Egypt expected to lead global stabilisation force in Gaza, say diplomats
A European and US-backed UN security council motion to give a planned international stabilisation force robust powers to control security inside Gaza is being prepared, with the strong expectation that Egypt will lead it, diplomats have said.
The US is pressing for the force to have a UN mandate without being a fully fledged UN peacekeeping force and will operate with the kind of powers given to international troops operating in Haiti to combat armed gangs.
Turkey, Indonesia and Azerbaijan are also being billed alongside Egypt as the main troop contributors.
No Kings protests: What to expect at Saturday‘s marches around the country
No Kings organizers estimated that more than 5 million people turned out for the June protests. They speculate that Saturday‘s event could be even bigger.
Planning under way for international force in Gaza, say US advisers
Among the countries the U.S. is speaking to about contributing to the force are Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Qatar and Azerbaijan, said the adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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After Hamas killed seven men in Gaza City it accused of collaborating with Israel, the advisers said there were discussions to establish safe zones for civilians to prevent such incidents.
Presidency statement on field executions carried out by Hamas in Gaza
The Presidency held Hamas fully responsible for these crimes that harm the supreme interests of the Palestinian people, as they seek to entrench Hamas’s control over the Gaza Strip, provide pretexts to the occupation, obstruct reconstruction, deepen division, and hinder the establishment of a free and independent State of Palestine.
SHOCKING: Video Shows Hamas Fighters Executing Alleged Collaborators in Gaza City | AH1G
A disturbing video from Gaza shows Hamas fighters executing seven men accused of collaborating with Israel. Reuters verified the footage’s location in Gaza City and confirmed it was filmed Monday. Hamas sources admitted responsibility, vowing zero tolerance for “traitors” as fighters reemerge on Gaza’s streets following the ceasefire.
Saudi Arabia, US, UAE and Egypt underscore restoration of peace and ending suffering of people in Sudan
The meeting was convened at the invitation of the United States. The ministers have engaged in extensive consultations on the conflict in Sudan, recalling that it has provoked the world’s worst humanitarian crisis and poses grave risks to regional peace and security.
The ministers committed to the shared set of principles with regard to ending the conflict in Sudan:
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, US call for 3-month truce in Sudan, followed by 9-month transitional period to end ongoing civil war
The conflicting parties of Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia have committed war crimes and atrocities since mid-April 2023. On September 9, 2025, the UN Human Right Council submitted a report documenting that dozens of detainees have reportedly killed due to torture and the systematic deprivation of food and medical treatment since June.
It has been estimated that the war claimed the lives of 150,000 people by June 2024. As of July 2025, 12 million people had been forced to flee their homes, including 7.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs)—more than half of whom are children, said Migration Policy Institute on July 17, 2025.
Here is the full text of the joint statement:
Press conference – Parliament House, Canberra
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Today, I can confirm that at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, Australia will recognise the State of Palestine. Australia will recognise the right of the Palestinian people to a state of their own, predicated on the commitments Australia has received from the Palestinian Authority. We will work with the international community to make this right a reality. Australia is making this statement today, following our Cabinet meeting, as part of a co-ordinated global effort, building momentum for a two-state solution. Over the past fortnight I have discussed this with Prime Minister Starmer, President Macron, Prime Minister Luxon and Prime Minister Ishiba – as well as Prime Minister Netanyahu last Thursday and President Abbas last Tuesday. A two-state solution is humanity’s best hope to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and to bring an end to the conflict, suffering and starvation in Gaza. The international community’s vision for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East always encompassed two states living side by side with internationally recognised borders, a State of Israel and a State of Palestine with security for the people of both nations. This is the plan Australia was the first member of the United Nations to vote for back in 1947, when we proudly supported the creation of the modern State of Israel as a state for the Jewish people alongside a state for the Palestinian people.
Australia Joins Growing Effort to Recognize Palestinian Statehood
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia said on Monday that the move was “part of a coordinated global effort building momentum for a two-state solution.”
He said Australia’s recognition would be “predicated” on “detailed and significant” commitments he had received from the Palestinian Authority’s leader, Mahmoud Abbas, to demilitarize, hold general elections and ensure that Hamas plays no role in a future Palestinian state.
Arab League backs call for Hamas to disarm for a two-state solution
As part of an end to the Gaza war, they said Hamas „must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority.“ The declaration came at a two-day United Nations conference in New York.
Israel / Palestinian Territories : Joint statement of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs – New York Call
Joint Statement
29 July 2025
We, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain,
Condemn the heinous and antisemitic terrorist attack of October 7th, 2023;
Demand an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages of Hamas, including the remains, as well as ensuring unhindered humanitarian access;
Reiterate our unwavering commitment to the vision of the two-State solution where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions, and in this regard stress the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority;
Express grave concern over the high number of civilian casualties and humanitarian situation in Gaza and emphasize the essential role of the United Nations and its agencies in facilitating humanitarian assistance;
Welcome the commitments made by the President of the Palestinian Authority on June 10th where he (i) condemns the October 7th terrorist attacks (ii) calls for the liberation of hostages and disarmament of Hamas (iii) commits to terminate the prisoner payment system (iv) commits to schooling reform, (v) commits to call for elections within a year to trigger generational renewal and (vi) accepts the principle of a demilitarized Palestinian State;
Ahead of the meeting of the Heads of State and Government that will take place during the high-level week of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80) in September 2025, we, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain,
Have already recognized, have expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognize the State of Palestine, as an essential step towards the two-State solution, and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call;
Urge countries who have not done so yet to establish normal relations with Israel, and to express their willingness to enter into discussions on the regional integration of the State of Israel;
Express our determination to work on an architecture for the „day after“ in Gaza which guarantees the reconstruction of Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and its exclusion from the Palestinian governance.