Archiv: lamentations / complaints / „officials are corrupt“ / „war is bad“ / „water is wet“ / „genocide is bad for reputation“


29.11.2025 - 16:51 [ USA Today ]

Venezuelan boat strikes lack legal justification, Democrats say

There is no U.S. law that explicitly authorizes the U.S. Navy to attack or sink ships at sea outside of a congressionally authorized war or valid self-defense situation, legal experts and Democratic lawmakers say.

The strikes began in September, but Trump administration discussions about them began soon after Trump moved back into the White House in January

22.10.2025 - 11:19 [ Al Jazeera ]

UAE’s Gargash says discussions ongoing on deployment of security personnel to Gaza

Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, has addressed the situation in Gaza during in an interview at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit in Abu Dhabi.

He said much work remains to ensure…

15.09.2025 - 20:52 [ Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) ]

Final Communiqué Adopted by the Arab-Islamic Emergency Summit on the Israeli Aggression against the State of Qatar Doha, 15 September 2025 State of Qatar

We, the Leaders of States and Governments of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, meeting today, Monday, 22 Rabiʿ al-Awwal 1447 AH corresponding to 15 September 2025, in the Qatari capital, Doha, at the gracious invitation of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, and under his chairmanship, to discuss the Israeli aggression against the State of Qatar and to express our unified stance in condemning it and our full solidarity with the sisterly State of Qatar,

Expressing our profound gratitude and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, for the generous hosting, and to the sisterly State of Qatar for the excellent organization,

Guided by the principles of the Charters of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and recalling the basic principles of the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Article 2(4), which prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State,

Recalling all relevant resolutions adopted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States over past decades, which reject aggression against Member States and affirm Arab and Islamic solidarity and the security of Arab and Islamic States in the face of external threats, including those relating to the Palestinian Cause,

Reaffirming our unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and security of all Member States of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and recalling our collective duty to respond to this aggression in defense of our common security, we reiterate our categorical rejection of any infringement upon the security of any of our States, firmly condemning any aggression targeting them, and reaffirming our absolute and steadfast solidarity in confronting all that threatens their security and stability,

Noting the emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council held on 11 September 2025, which witnessed consensus in condemning the Israeli attack as a breach of international peace and security, and welcoming the press statement issued by the Council, which condemned the attack, expressed solidarity with the State of Qatar, and supported the vital role that Qatar continues to play in mediation efforts in the region, alongside Egypt and the United States, reaffirming respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar, in line with the principles of the UN Charter,

Stressing that the absence of international accountability, and the silence of the international community in the face of repeated Israeli violations, have emboldened Israel to persist in its aggressions and to further entrench its flagrant violations of international law and international legitimacy, thereby perpetuating a policy of impunity, weakening the international justice system, and threatening to dismantle the rules-based global order, posing a direct threat to regional and international peace and security,

Reaffirming our absolute support for the sisterly State of Qatar, its security, stability, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens, we declare our united stand with Qatar in confronting this aggression, which we consider a flagrant violation of its sovereignty, a blatant breach of international law, and a grave threat to regional and international peace and security,

We hereby decide to:

1. Reaffirm that the brutal Israeli blatant aggression against the sisterly State of Qatar, and Israel’s continued aggressive practices, including crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, starvation and siege, as well as settlement activities and expansionist policies, undermine prospects for peace and peaceful coexistence in the region.

2. Condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the cowardly and unlawful attack carried out by Israel on 9 September 2025 against a residential neighborhood in the Qatari capital, Doha, which included housing facilities designated by the State for hosting negotiating delegations in the framework of Qatar’s multiple mediation efforts, in addition to a number of schools, nurseries, and diplomatic missions, resulting in martyrs, including a Qatari citizen, and injuries among civilians. This attack constitutes a flagrant act of aggression against an Arab and Islamic State, a Member of the United Nations, represents a grave escalation exposing the aggressiveness of the extremist Israeli Government, and adds to its criminal record that threatens regional and international peace and security.

3. Reaffirm absolute solidarity with the State of Qatar against this aggression, which constitutes aggression against all Arab and Islamic States, and to stand firmly with Qatar in all measures it may take in response to this treacherous Israeli aggression to safeguard its security, sovereignty, stability, and the safety of its citizens and residents, in accordance with the UN Charter.

4. Reaffirm that this aggression on Qatari territory, a State serving as a principal mediator in efforts to secure a ceasefire and end the war on Gaza, and to release hostages and prisoners, constitutes a grave escalation and an assault on diplomatic efforts to restore peace. Such an attack on a neutral venue for mediation not only violates Qatar’s sovereignty, but also undermines international mediation and peace-making processes. Israel bears full responsibility for this assault.

5. Commend the civilized, wise, and responsible stance adopted by the State of Qatar in addressing this treacherous assault, its firm adherence to international law, and its insistence on upholding its sovereignty and security and defending its rights by all legitimate means.

6. Support the efforts of States engaged in mediation, in particular the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States of America, to end the aggression on the Gaza Strip, and, in this context, to reaffirm the constructive role played by Qatar and its valued mediation efforts with their positive impacts in support of endeavors to establish security, stability, and peace; to commend Qatar’s multiple initiatives at both the regional and international levels, especially in the fields of humanitarian assistance and support for education in developing and poor countries, which enhance its standing as an active and supportive partner for peace and development regionally and internationally.

7. Reaffirm the categorical rejection of any attempts to justify this aggression under any pretext whatsoever, and to stress that it constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, directly targeting ongoing mediation efforts to halt the aggression on the Gaza Strip and undermining serious efforts to reach a just and comprehensive political solution that ends the occupation and ensures the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

8. Categorically reject repeated Israeli threats of possible renewed targeting of the State of Qatar, or of any Arab or Islamic State, considering such threats provocative and a grave escalation that threatens international peace and security, and to urge the international community to condemn them in the strongest possible terms and take deterrent measures to halt them.

9. Welcome the adoption by the Council of the League of Arab States at ministerial level of the resolution entitled “Shared Vision for Security and Cooperation in the Region,” and, in this context, to reaffirm the concept of collective security and shared destiny of Arab and Islamic States, the necessity of unity in facing common challenges and threats, and the importance of beginning to put in place the required implementation mechanisms. We stress that any future regional arrangements must enshrine the principles of international law and the UN Charter, good-neighborly relations, respect for sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of States, equality of rights and duties without preference of one State over another, settlement of disputes by peaceful means, and renunciation of the use of force, while underscoring the necessity of ending the Israeli occupation of all Arab territories, establishing the State of Palestine along the lines of 4 June 1967, and ridding the Middle East of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.

10. reaffirm the necessity of confronting Israel’s schemes to impose a new fait accompli in the region, which pose a direct threat to regional and international stability and security, and the necessity of resisting them.

11. Reaffirm the condemnation of any Israeli attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people, under any pretext or designation, from their occupied territories of 1967, and to consider such acts crimes against humanity, flagrant violations of international law and international humanitarian law, and a policy of ethnic cleansing wholly rejected. In this context, to stress the necessity of implementing the Arab-Islamic reconstruction plan, both politically and technically, and to launch the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip as quickly as possible, calling on international donors to provide the necessary support and urging their active participation in the forthcoming Gaza Reconstruction Conference to be hosted in Cairo once a ceasefire is secured.

12. Condemn Israeli policies that have caused an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, whereby siege, starvation, and deprivation of civilians of food and medicine are used as weapons of war against the Palestinian people, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions; stress that these practices constitute a full-fledged war crime requiring urgent international action to put an end to them and to ensure the immediate, safe, and unimpeded entry of humanitarian assistance into all parts of the occupied Palestinian territory.

13. Warn of the catastrophic consequences of any decision by Israel, the occupying power, to annex any part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and rejecting such a move as a blatant assault on the historical and legal rights of the Palestinian people, a violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the principles of international law, and relevant United Nations resolutions, and as a nullification of all efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

14. Reaffirm the necessity of urgent action by the international community to halt Israel’s repeated aggressions in the region and to stop its ongoing violations of the sovereignty, security, and stability of States, within the framework of respecting international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions, and to warn of the grave consequences of continued international inaction in curbing Israeli aggressiveness, including its aggression against the sisterly State of Qatar, its ongoing and escalating brutal assault on the occupied Gaza Strip, its illegal settlement practices in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and its continued aggressions against States in the region, including the Lebanese Republic and the Syrian Arab Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran all constituting flagrant breaches of international law and blatant violations of State sovereignty.

15. Call upon all States to take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people, including by supporting efforts to end its impunity, holding it accountable for its violations and crimes, imposing sanctions on it, suspending the supply, transfer, or transit of weapons, ammunition, and military materials — including dual-use items — reviewing diplomatic and economic relations with it, and initiating legal proceedings against it.

16. Call upon the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to examine the extent to which Israel’s membership in the United Nations is consistent with the Charter, in view of its clear violations of the conditions of membership and its persistent disregard for United Nations resolutions, and to coordinate efforts aimed at suspending Israel’s membership in the United Nations.

17. Reaffirm the importance of commitment to international legitimacy and relevant UN resolutions as the fundamental reference for achieving international peace and security, and to reject Israeli rhetoric that exploits and promotes Islamophobia in order to justify the continuation of its violations and its pursuit of policies outside international law, including ongoing extermination and settlement projects in the West Bank, as well as attempts to distort the image of Arab and Islamic States.

18. Welcome the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the “New York Declaration” on the implementation of the two-State solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, as a clear expression of international will supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to establish their independent State along the lines of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital; and to commend the efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, which contributed to the adoption of this declaration.

19. Welcome the convening of the Two-State Solution Conference, co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, to be held on 22 September 2025 in New York, and calls for the concerted efforts of the international community to ensure broad recognition of the independent State of Palestine with East Al-Quds as its capital.

20. Commend the pivotal role played by the representatives of Arab and Islamic States that are members of the Security Council, foremost among them Algeria, Somalia, and Pakistan, in defending the Palestinian cause, in putting an end to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, securing a ceasefire, and achieving full membership of Palestine in the United Nations. It further values their effective contribution in calling for and ensuring the convening of the emergency session of the Security Council dedicated to addressing the Israeli aggression against the State of Qatar.

21. Reaffirm support for the historic Hashemite custodianship exercised by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as reaffirmed in the agreement signed between His Majesty King Abdullah II and His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine, on 31 March 2013; and further affirming that Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif, in its entirety of 144,000 square meters, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf, is the sole legitimate authority vested with exclusive competence to administer Al-Aqsa Mosque, maintain it, and regulate entry thereto.

22. Reaffirm the necessity of enabling Palestinians in Jerusalem to remain steadfast on their land, and of supporting the Al-Quds Committee chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of Morocco and its executive arm, Bayt Mal Al-Quds Al-Sharif Agency.

23. Reaffirm that a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace inthe Middle East will not be achieved by bypassing the Palestinian Cause, ignoring the rights of the Palestinian people, or through violence and targeting mediators, but rather through adherence to the Arab Peace Initiative and relevant international legitimacy resolutions. In this regard, we call upon the international community, in particular the Security Council, to assume its legal and moral responsibilities in ending the Israeli occupation and establishing a binding timetable for that purpose.

24. Mandate the Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation that are States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, consistent with their obligations under international law and, where applicable, to take all feasible measures within their domestic legal frameworks to support the enforcement of the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court on 21 November 2024 against the perpetrators of crimes against the Palestinian people; and further calls upon OIC Member States to exert diplomatic, political, and legal efforts to ensure Israel’s compliance, as the occupying power, with its binding obligations under the provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice on 26 January 2024 in the case concerning the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip.

25. Express our deep appreciation to the State of Qatar, its Amir, Government, and people, and in particular His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for their tireless efforts in hosting and organizing the meetings of this Summit with wisdom and strategic vision, and for the facilities and resources provided to ensure its success. We highly value Qatar’s active role in fostering a spirit of consultation and consensus among Member States, and its tangible contributions to supporting the course of joint action, reflecting its constant commitment to strengthening solidarity and unity.

15.09.2025 - 20:37 [ Middle East Monitor ]

Widespread criticism of draft resolution at Arab-Islamic summit in Qatar

(7 hours ago)

The draft further stated: “The Israeli attack on Qatar, and the continuation of Israel’s hostile actions, including genocide, ethnic cleansing, starvation, siege, settlement growth and expansionist policies, threaten prospects for peace and coexistence in the region, and jeopardise all that has been achieved in the path of normalising relations with Israel, including current and future agreements.”

21.08.2025 - 15:21 [ Al Jazeera ]

Global pressure failed to affect Israel’s strategy in Gaza

“This is all part and parcel of the punishment of the Palestinian people,” Ghafar, a senior fellow and director of the foreign policy programme at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told Al Jazeera.

He noted that despite “massive protests” and growing opposition to Israeli actions around the world, the global pressure has not affected the Israeli government’s strategy.

16.08.2025 - 10:43 [ United Nations ]

UN warns Gaza crisis could worsen without safe, unrestricted aid flow

In his regular daily briefing, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted that ongoing delays, bottlenecks at holding points and interference in the loading process at crossing platforms are undermining efforts to collect and distribute supplies to those in need.

“It is imperative that the UN and its humanitarian partners are enabled to deliver aid at scale, using community-based mechanisms to reach the most vulnerable,” he said.

21.07.2025 - 23:02 [ United Nations ]

Gaza: Guterres condemns killing of people seeking food as humanitarian conditions deteriorate

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is appalled by the accelerating breakdown of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing, his Spokesperson said on Monday.

23.06.2025 - 21:01 [ United Nations ]

Gaza: UN warns of ‘weaponised hunger’ and growing death toll amid food chaos

Speaking to journalists in Deir al Balah on Saturday, Jonathan Whittall, who heads the UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) in Gaza and the West Bank, said: “The attempt to survive is being met with a death sentence.”

Since Israel eased its total blockade last month, more than 400 people are reported to have died trying to reach food distribution points.

Mr. Whittall said humanitarian agencies are capable of reaching every family in the shattered enclave but are being systematically blocked. “We have a plan…but we are prevented from doing so at every turn.”

He described the situation as “weaponised hunger”, “forced displacement”, and “a death sentence for people just trying to survive”.

“This is carnage,” Mr. Whittall said. “It appears to be the erasure of Palestinian life from Gaza.”

He urged the international community to act: “We need a lasting ceasefire, accountability, and real pressure to stop this. This is the bare minimum.”

18.06.2025 - 21:51 [ European Union External Action (EEAS) / Auswärtiger Dienst der Europäischen Union ]

Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at the EP Plenary Session, Joint Debate: Situation in the Middle East

Dear President,

Honourable Members,

What was also clear from today’s meeting is that we will not let this new crisis overshadow what is happening in Gaza.

We are now 20 months into a conflict triggered by the horrific attacks of Hamas.

Israel has a right to defend itself. And Hamas should immediately release the remaining hostages. But Israel’s use of force in Gaza, the continuing deaths of civilians, and the targeting of civilian infrastructure go beyond self-defence.

Israel’s actions cannot be justified under humanitarian and international law.

At the last Foreign Affairs Council in May, it was clear that a majority of Member States were in favour of opening a review of Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of our Association Agreement.

Article 2 imposes binding obligations on the parties to observe human rights.

This review is now underway and I will present the outcome to the Foreign Ministers on Monday.

18.06.2025 - 21:48 [ Politico.eu ]

Israel is undermining ‘decades of humanitarian principles’, EU’s Kallas says

The EU is currently reviewing its Association Agreement with Israel, a deal governing trade and political relations, after a request from the majority of member countries. Kallas is due to report on the process of the review on Monday.
(…)
Some EU lawmakers reprimanded Kallas for not using the term “genocide” to describe what Israel has done in Gaza. “You’re refusing deliberately to use this term, Ms. Kallas,” The Left co-chair Manon Aubry said. “We should act, protect, sanction, and get away from your complicity because you are complicit.”

09.05.2025 - 15:45 [ Euronews.com ]

Irish PM says Gaza is ‚hell on earth‘

Ireland‘s Taoiseach Micheál Martin called the situation in Gaza ‘hell on earth’. He told The Europe Conversation that Israel is committing war crimes, and criticised the EU’s lack of response. Food and medicine have been blocked from entering the besieged area for almost 60 days.

30.03.2025 - 16:26 [ Common Dreams ]

Majority of Democratic Voters: Current Leaders Failing to Combat Trump, Defend Working Class

„Democratic voters are sending a clear message: They want leaders who will fight Trump and put working people first,“ said Danielle Deiseroth, executive director of Data for Progress, the progressive think tank behind the surveys. „The base is tired of weak opposition and business-as-usual politics.“

„This level of discontent is unsustainable for a party looking to build back in the wake of major losses—at a certain point, Democratic leaders will need to show voters that they are taking a stronger stance against Trump, or step aside for someone who will,“ Deiseroth added.

20.03.2025 - 20:32 [ Ynetnews.com ]

Ex-chief justice Aharon Barak warns: Israel is heading to civil war

Barak, who previously served as attorney general, has recently explored the possibility of a plea deal in Netanyahu’s corruption cases. “I believe an agreement can be reached,” he said. Once close to Netanyahu, Barak had often praised his commitment to the rule of law.

31.01.2025 - 23:55 [ LBCI Lebanon ]

Ceasefire violations: Israeli strikes on Lebanon seen as pressure tactic ahead of February 18 deadline

(today)

Lebanese sources believe that Israel‘s ongoing airstrikes on various areas in Lebanon are part of an effort to justify its continued occupation of certain southern regions beyond the February 18 withdrawal deadline.

29.01.2025 - 16:13 [ United Nations ]

With Israeli Laws Set to Take Effect in 48 Hours, UN Palestine Refugee Agency Chief Warns Security Council of Risks to Gaza Ceasefire, Recovery Efforts

The implementation of Israel’s legislation on 30 January — curtailing the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) — will undermine the ceasefire and sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition, a senior UN official told the Security Council today.

29.01.2025 - 14:15 [ Middle East Eye ]

Unrwa chief says Israel‘s banning of operations will undermine Gaza ceasefire

Lazzarini told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the ban would „heighten instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory at a critical moment“.

“The relentless assault on UNRWA is harming the lives and future of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory,“ he said.

“It is eroding their trust in the international community, jeopardising any prospect for peace and security.”

19.12.2024 - 21:36 [ Greg Casar, Member of US House of Representatives ]

Dear Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin,

We believe continuing to transfer offensive weapons to the Israeli government prolongs the suffering of the Palestinian people and risks our own national security by sending a message to the world that the U.S. will apply its laws, policies, and international law selectively. Furthermore, a failure to act will put Israeli lives in danger by prolonging Netanyahu’s war, isolating Israel on the international stage, and creating further instability in the region.

19.12.2024 - 21:30 [ LibertarianInstitute.org ]

Dems Call for Blinken to Live Up to Admin’s Demands of Israel, Cut Weapon Transfers to Tel Aviv

A group of Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding the administration follow through with threats to cut weapons transfers to Israel if Tel Aviv did not allow more aid into the Gaza Strip. Since early October, Northern Gaza has been under a total siege and deprived of nearly all aid deliveries.

30.11.2024 - 08:00 [ Tehran Times ]

Decisive, coordinated action needed to combat terrorism in Syria: Iran foreign ministry

Baqaei emphasized that the regions around Aleppo and Idlib, designated as de-escalation zones under the Astana Process agreements between Iran, Russia, and Turkey, are at the center of the renewed violence.

He condemned the recent attacks by terrorist groups in these areas, calling them a flagrant violation of the agreements.

07.11.2024 - 10:55 [ theHill.com ]

Sanders: Democratic Party ‘has abandoned working class people’

“Will the big money interests and well-paid consultants who control the Democratic Party learn any real lessons from this disastrous campaign? Will they understand the pain and political alienation that tens of millions of Americans are experiencing? Do they have any ideas as to how we can take on the increasingly powerful Oligarchy, which has so much economic power?” Sanders asked.

“Probably not,” he said in response to his own question.

07.11.2024 - 10:41 [ USA Tpday ]

‚The American people are angry and want change‘: Bernie Sanders slams Democrats for loss

Sanders, 83, highlighted several issues he believes the nation has failed to address under the Biden-Harris Administration, from wealth inequality and a worsening standard of living to high prescription drug prices and the lack of guaranteed medical leave.

Though he is an Independent, Sanders caucuses with the Democratic Party, and has long championed policies like Medicare for All and a higher federal minimum wage.

31.10.2024 - 18:16 [ United Nations ]

Israeli laws blocking UNRWA – devastating humanitarian impact for Palestinians?

How has the UN reacted to the adoption of the legislation?

The reaction from the UN system to the bills has been swift and unequivocal. As the news broke on Monday, several of the most senior UN officials, up to and including Secretary-General António Guterres, condemned the decision.

Mr. Guterres stressed
The acting head of the UN aid coordination office, Joyce Msuya, called the decision…
UNRWA’s Mr. Lazzarini said that…
OHCHR spokesperson Jeremy Laurence declaring that…
World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calling the development…
UNICEF chief Catherine Russell also reminded that…
while James Elder, a UNICEF staffer in the region, denounced the decision, saying

What happens next?

(…)

Mr. Guterres informed the President of the General Assembly that he had written a letter to the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, calling on his government

16.10.2024 - 23:21 [ United Nations ]

Opening Remarks of UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator at the Lebanon Response Plan Steering Committee Meeting

A Steering Committee for the Lebanon Response Plan (LRP) was formed today following the endorsement of the humanitarian and stabilization response plan for Lebanon for 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by the Prime Minister and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN. It was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers of Education and Higher Education, Public Health, Social Affairs, Energy and Water, Labor, Agriculture and Environment; alongside the Ambassadors to Lebanon of Canada, France, the EU, Germany and the charge d‘affaires for the US; as well as Representatives of UN Agencies and national and international NGOs.

Below are the opening remarks as delivered by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the LRP Steering Committee meeting:

Your Excellency, Prime Minister Mikati, esteemed ministers, honorable ambassadors, distinguished guests, dear colleagues, good morning.

We gather here today at a truly unprecedented time for Lebanon. This country has already faced many years of multi-layered crises. Over the past year, the escalation of hostilities has inflicted severe damage on communities in the South. In the last weeks, the violence has intensified, causing widespread civilian casualties, mass displacement, and extensive destruction across the country.

Healthcare and frontline workers have come under attack, as have civil defense centers and water supply systems, pushing essential services to the brink of collapse. This must stop.

23.09.2024 - 23:24 [ United Nations ]

Dramatic uptick in violence as Guterres voices grave alarm at Lebanon-Israel escalation

The UN mission which patrols the Blue Line separting Lebanon and Israel, UNIFIL, expressed „grave concern for the safety of civilians“, amid what has been the deadliest day of violence and bombing by Israel since the October terror attacks sparked the regional crisis.

Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro, Head of Mission and Force Commander of UNIFIL, has contacted both Lebanese and Israeli parties, emphasizing the urgent need for de-escalation. „Efforts are ongoing to reduce tensions and halt the shelling“, the mission added.

Any further escalation of this dangerous situation could have far-reaching and devastating consequences, not only for those living on both sides of the Blue Line but also for the broader region.

Attacks on civilians are not only violations of international law but could amount to war crimes, UNIFIL reminded.

03.09.2024 - 18:21 [ Haaretz ]

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Vile Messiah Leading a Cult of Lies and Death

Despite presiding over numerous failures – including Iran, the economy, the cost of living and October 7 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still worshipped by over a quarter of Israelis. The gap between his failings and his support has all the attributes of a cult

28.04.2024 - 07:35 [ Devex.com ]

Exclusive: USAID officials say Israel breached US directive on Gaza aid

Israel is in violation of a White House directive requiring recipients of American military assistance to comply with international humanitarian law and permit the unimpeded delivery of U.S.-funded humanitarian support, USAID officials concluded in a confidential United States paper reviewed by Devex.

The findings earlier this month follow the Feb. 8 issuance of a national security memo from the White House instructing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to “obtain credible and reliable written assurances” from U.S. weapons recipients that they will abide by international humanitarian law, and report those findings to the White House and Congress. In Israel’s case, it would only apply to offensive weapons.

10.04.2024 - 16:30 [ New York Times ]

Netanyahu Must Go

(09.04.2024)

Israel must destroy Hamas as a military and political force in the territory while minimizing harm to civilians. It must do what it can to rescue its hostages without jeopardizing the overriding goal of destroying Hamas. It must, by diplomacy or force, push Hezbollah back from Lebanon’s southern border, so that 60,000 Israelis can return safely to their homes in the north. It must take the battle directly, as it did last week in Damascus, to Hamas’s and Hezbollah’s patrons, whether in Syria, Qatar or Iran.

And for all of that to happen effectively, Benjamin Netanyahu must go.

28.03.2024 - 20:41 [ Fox News ]

Trump tells Israel to ‚finish up‘ Gaza offensive because nation is ‚losing a lot of support‘

(26.03.2024)

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2024, sat down for an interview with Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom about the ongoing military invasion — and warned that the world was growing tired of the conflict.

„You have to finish up your war. You have to finish it up. You’ve got to get it done,“ he told the newspaper.

He continued, „We’ve got to get to peace. You can’t have this going on, and I will say Israel has to be very careful because you are losing a lot of the world. You are losing a lot of support.“

28.03.2024 - 20:19 [ Washington Post ]

The U.S. and Israel have a ‘major credibility problem’

(25.03.2024)

In a testy exchange earlier this month, a senior U.S. official warned Israeli counterparts of the reputational “damage” as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza. The internal memo of the exchange involving Assistant Secretary of State Bill Russo, obtained by NPR correspondent Daniel Estrin, offered yet another illustration of the rift between the Biden administration and Israel, driven largely by growing American horror at the humanitarian toll of the conflict and Israel’s role in making it worse — even as the United States shields Israel in international forums and helps replenish its war machine.

28.03.2024 - 19:42 [ NPR.org ]

A State Department official warns Israel of ‚major‘ reputational damage in Gaza war

(22.03.2024)

„The Israelis seemed oblivious to the fact that they are facing major, possibly generational damage to their reputation not just in the region but elsewhere in the world,“ the memo says. „We are concerned that the Israelis are missing the forest for the trees and are making a major strategic error in writing off their reputation damage.“

The State Department memo recommended pressing Israeli officials on the matter „at the highest levels.“

11.11.2023 - 02:20 [ United Nations ]

‚Nowhere and no one is safe‘ in Gaza, WHO chief tells Security Council

The UN Security Council met again on Friday to discuss …

That‘s it from this latest UN Security Council meeting on the Israel-Palestine crisis, where consensus among the body‘s 15 members remains elusive.