(November 19, 2024)
Joe Biden genehmigt der Ukraine, mit amerikanischen Raketen Ziele in Russland zu beschießen. Damit riskiert er einen Weltkrieg.
Kurz vor der Amtsübergabe eskalieren die US-Demokraten nochmal. Ihnen scheint völlig egal zu sein, dass Kamala Harris auch wegen der Ukraine-Politik die Wahl verloren hat.
(November 21, 2024)
Bereits Ende August hatte der Spiegel unter dem Titel „Wladimir Putin und seine Schauermärchen von den roten Linien“ Verniedlichung betrieben. Die Autorin Ann-Dorit Boy, die laut Spiegel auch „Public Information Officer bei UN OCHA in Kiew“ war, schreibt:
„Die Erkenntnis, dass Putins Drohungen leer sind, ist nicht neu. Der Kreml hat in seinem Krieg gegen die Ukraine schon viele angeblich rote Linien gezogen. Militärhilfe von Drittstaaten sollte tabu sein, später Angriffe auf die Brücke zur Halbinsel Krim, die Lieferung von weitreichenden Raketen und Marschflugkörpern und F-16-Kampfjets. Alle diese Linien sind überschritten worden. Passiert ist nichts.“
(November 22, 2024)
Desperate to bolster Ukraine’s standing in the war before the transition of power on January 20, the Biden administration is looking at a range of serious escalations. “US and European officials are discussing deterrence as a possible security guarantee for Ukraine, such as stockpiling a conventional arsenal sufficient to strike a punishing blow if Russia violates a cease-fire.” The article continues, “Several officials even suggested that Mr. Biden could return nuclear weapons to Ukraine that were taken from it after the fall of the Soviet Union.”
According to some officials who spoke with the Times, the administration believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin won’t significantly escalate the war until Trump returns to the Oval Office.
(November 24, 2024)
„Trump’s Vow to End the War Could Leave Ukraine With Few Options
…
Several officials even suggested that Mr. Biden could return nuclear weapons to Ukraine that were taken from it after the fall of the Soviet Union. That would be an instant and enormous deterrent. But such a step would be complicated and have serious implications.“
“Whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas,” the POTUS said shortly after the international tribunal issued the arrest warrants against the Israeli leaders on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security,” he added. Earlier today, the White House released a separate statement over the matter in which they outrightly rejected that court’s ruling.
(November 21, 2024)
The ICC issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. Let me be clear once again: whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security.
„There should be more in the dock, in my view. And it‘s taking ages. This is because the political pressure on the international justice system is extreme.
„And we see pressure on the prosecutor, pressure on the judges. Israel is trying to obstruct it by moving exceptions against the independence of the judges. And the US is making pressure through open threats,“ she added.
According to Albanese, the failure to issue arrest warrants is putting international justice on the edge.
„We might lose what we have, what we have built. Multilateralism is on the edge, and international law is on a knife‘s edge.
„It‘s about us, all of us students, doctors, professors, journalists, ordinary people in the street to protect it if our elected government officials don‘t do that.“
In this episode of One on One, journalist and news editor Sondos Asem is sitting down with Francesca Albanese, an outspoken international human rights lawyer and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. She is the 8th person to hold that role, and the first woman.
She is a self-described “reluctant chronicler of Genocide”, as she has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s onslaught on Gaza since 7 October. Within the past year, she has submitted two reports to the UN human rights council, where she outlined her legal opinion on why the attacks on the Palestinian population constitute genocide.
Middle East Eye spoke to her on 13 November, during her visit to London, where she was invited to speak at several university campuses.
(October 15, 2024)
One rogue nation cannot declare war on the UN itself and continue to get away with it
(October 15, 2024)
One rogue nation cannot declare war on the UN itself and continue to get away with it
(November 6, 2024)
Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced that Malaysia is preparing a draft resolution for the UN General Assembly to expel Israel from the United Nations.
“We are also studying (a proposal)… after the violation of laws, principles and UN decisions, for Israel to be expelled as a member of the UN,” Anwar told parliament in a special address on Monday.
Israel systematically infringes its duties towards the UN repeatedly violating the protections afforded to UN bodies such as the UNRWA and UNIFIL. This includes causing the death of UN workers, and bombing UN facilities. Furthermore, it resolutely refuses to engage with UN Mechanisms by not allowing visits from the UN Secretary-General, UN Special Rapporteurs, and the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry, among others. Within the halls of the UN, Israel also repeatedly issues defamatory statements against the organisation. These actions reflect a complete disregard for UN systems and are in breach of international law.
Israel’s systematic denial of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and relentless appropriation of Palestinian land have led to a critical, historical juncture in which the Israeli state is pursuing genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinians with ruthless, unprecedented force and determination. The very existence of the Palestinian people hinges on ending Israeli impunity and, at long last, realizing their right to control their own political, social, and economic destiny. Additionally, the gravity of the illegalities caused by Israel has raised serious questions about the legitimacy of the international legal system as a whole, threatening its continued integrity.
The General Assembly and its Member States can and must take meaningful action on both fronts —the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the integrity of the international legal system—without delay by unseating the Israeli government from the Assembly, in accordance with the Assembly’s authority to approve the credentials of Member State delegations.
Unseating a state government’s delegation is an exceptional action, but , in this case, it is grounded in precedent—specifically, the unseating of South Africa’s apartheid government from the General Assembly in 1974—and in law. Fifty years ago, the General Assembly exercised its authority under the credentialing rules to unseat South Africa’s delegation, concluding that the government was unrepresentative and therefore illegitimate due to its failure to provide representation to its indigenous Black population. Even though South Africa’s apartheid practices were central to this decision, the removal of the South African delegation was also implicitly grounded in the right of self-determination, which was denied to the country’s Black population by the very nature of apartheid.
As demonstrated by the ICJ’s July 19, 2024 advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s policies and practices in the OPT, the case for unseating Israel’s government for lack of representativeness is just as strong as it was in the case of South Africa, if not stronger.
)November 8, 2024)
More than 500 scholars and practitioners of international law, international relations, conflict studies, politics, and genocide studies have called on the UN General Assembly and its member states to unseat Israel from the assembly.
(November 6, 2024)
Israel‘s abrogation on Sunday of its 1967 agreement with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has intensified calls for Israel‘s expulsion from the world body or, at least, its suspension from General Assembly participation. This action followed the October 28th ban by Israel‘s parliament on UNRWA’s operations in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel‘s banning of UNRWA should represent an opportunity for those concerned about the standing of the United Nations, to remind Israel that U.N. members who have no respect for international law deserve to be delegitimized. This time, words must be accompanied by action. Nothing else will suffice.
I have three urgent requests to prevent this devastating outcome:
First, I ask that Member States act to prevent the implementation of the legislation against UNRWA.
Changes to UNRWA’s mandate are the prerogative of the General Assembly, not individual Member States.
Second, I ask that Member States ensure that any plan for a political transition delineates UNRWA’s role.
The Agency must progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political solution, and hand over its services to an empowered Palestinian administration.
Finally, I ask that Member States maintain funding to UNRWA, and do not withhold or divert funds on the assumption that the Agency can no longer operate.
The cost of providing critical services, including education and healthcare, during a transition will be immense.
I must also alert Member States that abruptly dismantling the Agency will cost more than half a billion dollars in staff separation indemnities alone.
(November 6, 2024)
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini addressed the UN General Assembly, describing a critical moment for the agency as new Israeli legislation threatens its operations. Lazzarini urged member states to oppose the legislation, support UNRWA’s continued operation, and ensure sustained funding to prevent a humanitarian disaster.
(November 7, 2024)
“Without intervention by member states, UNRWA will collapse, plunging millions of Palestinians into chaos,” Philippe Lazzarini warned during a special session requested by Palestine after the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, passed on Monday two laws to ban the agency’s activity and any Israeli official’s contacts with it within three months.
(November 7, 2024)
„Der israelische Feind zielte auf ein Auto, als es den Awali-Checkpoint in Sidon passierte“, erklärte die libanesische Armee. Dies habe zum Tod von drei Insassen geführt. Bei den Verletzten handle es sich um vier malaysische UNIFIL-Soldaten und drei libanesische Soldaten.
Österreichische UNO-Soldaten seien auch im Konvoi gewesen, aber nicht verletzt worden, teilte das Verteidigungsministerium der APA auf Anfrage mit.
In its latest accusation, UNIFIL said the IDF used excavators and a bulldozer to destroy part of a fence and concrete structure at a U.N. peacekeeping position in southern Lebanon on Thursday. Peacekeepers had also observed Israeli troops this week removing a barrel that marks blue line, it said.
„The IDF‘s deliberate and direct destruction of clearly identifiable UNIFIL property is a flagrant violation of international law and resolution 1701,“ UNIFIL said, referring to a U.N. resolution that mandates a cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon after a previous war.
(October 15, 2024)
One rogue nation cannot declare war on the UN itself and continue to get away with it
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 …
Jordan filed a formal request Tuesday for the Arab League to convene this emergency meeting to formulate a collective response to Israel‘s ban on UNRWA.
Unrwa’s commissioner-general, Philippe Lazzarini, has warned that the Knesset vote „opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law“.
In a letter to the president of the UN General Assembly, Lazzarini added that „under such physical, political and operational attack“ Unrwa’s fulfilling of its mandate will become impossible without the intervention of the General Assembly.
(…)
Back in 1974 the General Assembly voted to suspend South Africa from participation in its work due to international opposition to its apartheid policies.
It worked with South Africa, it will work with Israel.
Continuation of the Security Council Open Debate.
28 October 2024
Statement of the Secretary-General on Israeli legislation on UNRWA
I am deeply concerned by the adoption today by the Knesset of Israel of two laws concerning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which, if implemented, would likely prevent UNRWA from continuing its essential work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as mandated by the UN General Assembly.
Israel’s parliament has voted to ban a nearly eight-decade-old United Nations agency that provides essential services for Palestinian refugees, a move that could have devastating consequences for millions of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.
On Monday, the Knesset passed two bills; one barring UNRWA from activity within Israel, and another banning Israeli authorities from any contact with UNRWA – revoking the 1967 treaty that allows UNRWA to provide services to Palestinian refugees in areas under Israel’s control.
(October 27, 2024)
The UN’s top humanitarian official warned on Saturday that the entire population of northern Gaza is at risk of dying, calling for an immediate stop to “blatant disregard for basic humanity” by Israeli forces.
“What Israeli forces are doing in besieged north Gaza cannot be allowed to continue,” said Joyce Msuya, acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, in a statement posted on the social media platform X.
Hospitals have been hit, health workers detained and first responders prevented from rescuing people trapped under the rubble, she noted.
“Shelters have been emptied and burned down…families have been separated, and men and boys taken away by the truckload,” she added.
(October 25, 2024)
“Under the Geneva Conventions, States have an obligation to act when a serious violation of international humanitarian law has been committed,” Türk said. “Under the Genocide Convention, State parties also have the responsibility to act to prevent such a crime, when risk becomes apparent.
“For months, I have pleaded with all parties to the conflict, as well as all States, particularly those with influence in the region, to act to stop the carnage and destruction, to ensure the prompt and unconditional release of all hostages, and to ensure international humanitarian and international human rights law are respected. But still this goes on and on and on.
“Now, the international rule of law is being progressively dismantled,” he added. “Either the world ashamedly fails those who so desperately need help, or we stand united and put a stop to this.
(October 25, 2024)
Türk erinnerte daran, dass Staaten nicht nur verpflichtet sind, gegen Kriegsverbrechen vorzugehen. „Nach der Völkermordkonvention sind die Vertragsstaaten auch dafür verantwortlich, Maßnahmen zu ergreifen, um ein solches Verbrechen zu verhindern, wenn eine Gefahr erkennbar wird“, sagte er. „Ich flehe Sie an, den Schutz der Zivilbevölkerung und die Menschenrechte an erste Stelle zu setzen und dieses Minimum an Menschlichkeit nicht aufzugeben“, appellierte er an Staats- und Regierungschefs.
In the name of humanity, the Secretary-General reiterates his calls for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, and accountability for crimes under international law.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed shock at the “harrowing levels of death, injury and destruction” in north Gaza amid an ongoing intense Israeli military operation, his Spokesperson said on Sunday.
For a year now, since the war began, the international community has shown utter impotence to stop the indiscriminate attack on civilians in the Gaza Strip. Now, when it is clearer than ever that Israel intends to forcibly displace northern Gaza’s residents by committing some of the gravest crimes under the laws of war, the world’s nations must take action.
Without immediate, decisive action from the international community, without using every tool available – political, legal, economic – the mass killings in the northern Gaza Strip will continue and the suffering of its besieged civilians will grow. All international bodies and institutions must act now to compel Israel to stop the war and end the carnage.
The reported incident occurred on 13 October, when the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) said two Israeli Merkava tanks broke through the gates of one of its bases. The tanks left after 45 minutes, following complaints from Unifil.
The Financial Times does not specify in its report where the incident took place, but on that same day, two tanks were reported to have hit the post of a Unifil base in Ramya, a town in southern Lebanon. Unifil said its peacekeepers were being treated for skin irritation and gastrointestinal reactions.
Within the next hour after the tanks left, several rounds were fired 100 metres north of the Unifil base, and the rounds emitted a „smoke of suspected white phosphorous“ that ultimately injured 15 peacekeepers.
It’s like yes asshole, it’s very nice to be living in the imperial core that’s receiving the benefits of mass murder and imperialist extraction, and it’s less nice to live in the countries where the murder and extraction is happening. That’s the entire fucking point here.
It can be nice to live in the western world, but the western world is not nice. Ours is the most savage and thuggish civilization on this planet, and it’s not even close.
The Democratic Party really does look ready to lose yet another easily winnable election by running yet another awful, murderous candidate with awful, murderous policies, and then once again blame their loss on everyone in America who is a better person than they are.
The old world is dying once again, but the US-Israel axis is wrong to suggest it is slaying monsters. It is the monster
The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has said that an Israeli army bulldozer demolished an observation tower and the perimeter fence of a UN position earlier on Sunday in Marwahin, in the southern part of the country.
CAIRO, October 20, 2024 (WAFA) – Ambassador Muhannad Al-Aklouk, the Permanent Representative of Palestine to the Arab League, said that Palestine has urgently requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council at the level of permanent representatives, as soon as possible.