The ICC issued the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of committing “crimes against humanity and war crimes…reports Asian Lite News
Israel filed a notice with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague of its intention to appeal the arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Israel also requested to delay the execution of the arrest warrants, which were issued last week, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Israel’s notice of appeal reveals in detail how the decision to issue the arrest warrants was baseless and devoid of any factual or legal basis,” the statement said.
“Israel denies the authority of the ICC and the legitimacy of the arrest warrants,” it added.
The ICC issued the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of committing “crimes against humanity and war crimes” between at least October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024, in Gaza.
Speaker Mohammed Ahmed Al Yamahi underscored the need for global efforts to hold those responsible for crimes against the Palestinian people accountable, ensuring international protection for Palestinians and safeguarding their legitimate and just rights.
The Arab Parliament has welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Mohammed Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, stated that this decision represents a victory for international legitimacy and a clear call to hold accountable all those implicated in grave violations of international law and humanitarian principles.
He emphasised that such action is crucial, especially in light of Israel’s ongoing violations against the defenceless Palestinian people, marking an end to the impunity that encourages the occupation to commit further crimes and perpetuate genocide.
Al Yamahi reaffirmed the Arab Parliament’s full support for the International Criminal Court and all international institutions striving for justice. He underscored the need for global efforts to hold those responsible for crimes against the Palestinian people accountable, ensuring international protection for Palestinians and safeguarding their legitimate and just rights.
The Speaker of the Arab Parliament urged the international community, signatories to the Rome Statute, and non-signatory states to uphold the application of international law and support the ICC in achieving justice, as it serves as a deterrent and a means to halt the ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people.
Meanwhile, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that EU member states are obliged to implement an arrest warrant against Israeli and Hamas leaders issued by the ICC.
“The states that signed the Rome convention are obliged to implement the decision of the court. It’s not optional,” said Borrell on Saturday after a workshop in Nicosia organised by the “Two-State Coalition for Israel and Palestine,” an Israeli-Palestinian activist organisation.
Borrell, who was the keynote speaker at the event, made the remarks when asked by journalists to comment on the arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged crimes against humanity, Xinhua news agency reported.
Asked to comment on a report that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has invited Netanyahu to visit the country, Borrel said that “the arrest warrants issued by the court have to be implemented also by Hungary…by all members of the European Union. And if they don’t, then there is a legal case of not fulfillment of the legal obligation”.
He also rebuffed accusations from Israel that the warrants were ‘anti-semitic’, saying that a phrase alluding to the “darkest periods of history” should not be used lightly.
“Every time someone disagrees with the policy of one Israeli government he is being accused of anti-semitism…. This is not acceptable,” Borrell said.
There has been a mixed response by EU member states to the ICC warrants, with France and Germany saying that they are considering the issue and some countries saying that they would arrest those named in it.
Borrell will travel to Lebanon on Sunday for a series of bilateral talks with Lebanese leaders and United Nations representatives.
Observers warned that Washington’s failure to pressure Israel to end the Gaza war would push the Middle East towards a wider regional conflict…reports Asian Lite News
Vice President Kamala Harris has skirted a question on whether Benjamin Netanyahu can be considered a “close ally” of the United States, as critics accuse the Israeli prime minister of stymying Washington’s stated goal of de-escalation in the Middle East.
In an excerpt of an interview with CBS News’s 60 Minutes, which was released on Sunday, Harris was pressed on what the US is doing to get its top ally to end its military offensive in the Gaza Strip and stop its attacks on Lebanon.
Harris, the Democratic candidate in November’s presidential election, said the US has been applying pressure on Israel – as well as on Arab leaders in the region – to reach a Gaza ceasefire deal and would continue to do so.
“The work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel,” she said, without providing details. Harris was then asked if the United States had a “real, close ally” in Netanyahu.
“I think, with all due respect, the better question is, do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is ‘yes’,” she replied.
The exchange highlights the continued refusal by President Joe Biden’s administration to change tack and curtail its staunch support for Netanyahu’s government as the Israeli military bombards the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. For months, analysts have accused Netanyahu of holding up a possible Gaza ceasefire agreement for his own political purposes.
Observers also warned that Washington’s failure to pressure Israel to end the Gaza war would push the Middle East towards a wider regional conflict – and rights advocates had urged the Biden administration to impose an arms embargo on the Israeli government.
Washington provides Israel with at least $3.8bn in military aid annually, and Biden has greenlit $14bn in additional assistance to the US ally since Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip began in October of last year. To date, more than 41,800 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks Gaza.
At least 1,100 people also have been killed in Lebanon since the Israeli military – which had been trading fire with Lebanese group Hezbollah across the Israel-Lebanon border for months – recently escalated its bombardment of the country. Amid the mounting violence, the Biden administration has repeatedly said it favours diplomacy and wants to see a de-escalation. But senior US officials have also said they support Israel’s “right to defend itself”.
“Obviously attacks, targeted attacks on civilians, could not be justified, but Israel does have the right to go after terrorists,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters last week, when asked about deadly Israeli bombings in Lebanon. “They need to take actions to mitigate civilian harm. They’re required to do that under international humanitarian law, in Lebanon as they are anywhere else,” Miller added.
Walz supports Israel’s right to defend itself
Democratic Party’s Vice President nominee Tim Walz expressed his firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself, in his interview to Fox News on Sunday.
His opinion becomes significant as it comes just a day ahead of the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre in Israel, which resulted in the deaths of over 1200 Israelis at the hands of the terrorist organisation Hamas.
Giving his first solo interview ahead of the US General Elections due early in November this year, Walz called for Israeli hostages to be released and to bring an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza but said that “Iran is at the heart of this,” noting “their proxies that bring disruption throughout the region.”, the Hill reported.
According to Al Jazeera, Walz has taken a more conciliatory approach towards the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Earlier this year in March, he told Minnesota Public Radio, “Israel has the right to defend itself, and the atrocities of October 7 are unacceptable, but Palestinian civilians being caught in this, has got to end.”
During the vice-presidential debate too, this was observed. Walz quoted, “Israel’s ability to be able to defend itself is absolutely fundamental, and ending the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
Tim Walz’s opinions become significant as he has served in the American military for over 20 years.
His views on America’ role in Israel are, as he says, “an absolute, fundamental necessity for the United States to have the steady leadership there”.
He has expressed his displeasure over Donald Trump warming up ties with Vladimir Putin and North Korea, saying that this brings “fickleness around holding the coalitions together”.
In his interview to Fox News, he said, “We have always said we reserve the right to protect American troops, our allies in the region, and that there is consequences for Iran,” he later added. “So what you’re seeing right now is the ability to work with our allies, the ability to make sure Iran does not further, and every administration has dealt with them for 45 years now.”
Under President Joe Biden, US saw increased sanctions on Iran. Earlier this year, the White House in a press statement noted that the, “United States has sanctioned over 600 individuals and entities–including Iran and its proxies, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Kataib Hezbollah.”
According to the data provided by the American Congress, before retiring, Walz served overseas with his battalion to conduct strikes against al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
Walz is notably the highest ranking enlisted soldier ever to serve in the American Congress. His views thus gain momentum as Israel intensifies bombardment of northern Gaza and southern Beirut to target both the Hamas and Hezbollah.
A recent poll by the Washington Post, it was found that 39 per cent of Americans hold a favorable image of Walz as the future vice president. (ANI)
Macron also told Netanyahu his belief that it’s now time for a ceasefire…reports Asian Lite News
Paris, Oct 7 (IANS) French President Emmanuel Macron and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone conversation about the Middle East situation after the latter criticised the French leader’s call for an arms embargo on Israel.
A statement from the Elysee Palace noted that the two leaders acknowledged their different opinions on Sunday and emphasised their mutual desire for better understanding.
Macron also told Netanyahu his belief that it’s now time for a ceasefire, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
“The arms deliveries, the prolongation of the war in Gaza, and its extension to Lebanon cannot produce the security expected by the Israelis and by everyone in the region. We must immediately produce the decisive effort that will allow us to develop the political solutions necessary for the security of Israel and everyone in the Middle East,” read Elysee’s statement.
On the eve of the first anniversary of the Hamas’ attack on Israel, Macron also reaffirmed the solidarity of the French people with the Israeli people, especially the victims, the hostages and their loved ones.
France-Israel relations became strained over the weekend after Macron’s radio interview on Saturday evening, where he stressed the need to prioritise a political solution and called for halting the supply of weapons to Israel for its operations in Gaza.
Netanyahu strongly condemned the stance, saying: “President Macron and other Western leaders are now advocating for arms embargoes on Israel. Shame on them.” He vowed that Israel would prevail regardless of external support.
The French government announced that Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot would meet with Israeli officials on Monday to further discuss the situation.
Indian PM expressed India’s commitment to supporting efforts for early restoration of peace and stability…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and discussed recent developments in West Asia. Modi expressed India’s commitment to supporting efforts for early restoration of peace and stability.
Modi called it crucial to prevent recent escalation and ensure the safe release of all hostages.
In a post on X, Modi stated, “Spoke to Prime Minister @netanyahu about recent developments in West Asia. Terrorism has no place in our world. It is crucial to prevent regional escalation and ensure the safe release of all hostages. India is committed to supporting efforts for an early restoration of peace and stability.”
In October last year, Israel launched a counter-offensive against Hamas after hundreds of Hamas terrorists burst into Israeli borders, killing over 1200 people and taking over 250 hostages, out of which 100 continue to be in captivity.
The war has spiralled into the region lately, with Houthi rebels in Yemen also targeting Israel and other countries in the Red Sea. Israel has also continued striking Hezbollah in Lebanon. As the conflict heads towards escalation, all major countries have called for a ceasefire and hostage deal, while also stressing for a two-state solution as a means to achieve durable and sustainable peace in the region.
On September 27, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the war with Hamas can end if the latter lays arms and releases the hostages, while asserting that Israel will continue its fight until it achieves “total victory.”
Issuing a stern warning to Iran, Netanyahu said there is “no place” in Iran, where the “long arms” of Israel cannot reach, while adding that it is true for the “entire Middle East.”
In his address at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Netanyahu accused Hamas of stealing humanitarian aid and selling it to people at higher rates.
He said, “This too has to end, and we are working to bring it to an end.”The Israeli PM said that if Hamas stays in power, it will regroup, rearm and “attack Israel again and again and again”. “Hamas has got to go.”
Stressing that the war will end if Hamas lays down its arms, he said, “As far as hostages, I have a message for Hamas captors. Let them go, all of them. Those alive today, must be returned alive and the remains of those whom you brutally killed must be returned to their families. Those families here today and those in Israel.”
He also asserted the need to defeat Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. “This war can come to an end now, all that has to happen is for Hamas to surrender, lay down its arms and release all the hostages. But if they don’t, we will fight until we achieve total victory. There is no substitute for it. Israel must also defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon,” he added.
Netanyahu said Israel has brought home 154 of these hostages, including 117 alive, and pledged to not rest until all the hostages are brought home. He pointed out the hostage families in attendance and asked them to stand up. He narrated the stories of each of the hostages represented by their families, including those whose bodies were taken to Gaza.
“I can promise you, we will return your loved ones home. We will not spare that effort until that holy mission is accomplished,” he said. At the start of his address, Netanyahu said that he did not intend to participate in the UNGA. However, he decided to come here as he heard the “lies and slanders levelled by many speakers at this podium.”
He said, “I didn’t intend to come here this year. My country is in war fighting for its life. But, after I heard the lies and slanders levelled at my country by many of the speakers at this podium. I decided to come here and set the record straight. I decided to come here to speak for my people, for my country, to speak for truth and here is the truth – Israel seeks peace, Israel yearns for peace, Israel has made peace and will make peace again.”
“Yet, we face savage enemies who seek our annihilation and we must defend ourselves against these savage murderers. Our enemies seek not only to destroy us. They seek to destroy our common civilisation and return all of us to a dark age of tyranny and terror,” he added. (ANI)
Intensive airstrikes from Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) inside Lebanon continue unabated’ more than 90,000 people displaced from their homes in Lebanon…reports Asian Lite News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Thursday to continue “full force” strikes against Hezbollah until the group halts its cross-border rocket attacks, dampening hopes of a ceasefire proposal recently advanced by US and European allies.
With intensive airstrikes from Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) inside Lebanon continue unabated, and more than 90,000 people displaced from their homes, the Jewish state refused to heed calls for a ceasefire with Hezbollah.
In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said that “the report on a ceasefire is untrue.”
The office said that Netanyahu “didn’t even respond to” the ceasefire proposal, which was brokered by the United States and France.
Also on Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel would not consider a truce, Xinhua news agency reported.
“There won’t be a ceasefire,” he wrote on social media platform X. He said the country would continue its fight against Hezbollah “until victory and until residents could return to their homes in the north.”
Hezbollah Commander killed
In a significant blow to Hezbollah, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) announced the elimination of Muhammad Hussein Srour, Commander of the organisation’s Aerial Command, in a precision airstrike in Beirut.
Sharing a post on X, the IDF wrote, “Eliminated: Commander of Hezbollah’s Aerial Command, Muhammad Hussein Srour, in a precise IAF strike in Beirut.”
The IDF further said that Srour was responsible for advancing numerous aerial terrorist attacks targeting Israeli civilians. “Srour advanced and directed numerous aerial terrorist attacks aimed at Israeli civilians. During the “Iron Swords” war, he executed several terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers using UAVs and explosive devices,” the post said.
“In recent years, Srour led the manufacturing project of UAVs in southern Lebanon and established UAV manufacturing and intelligence gathering sites in Lebanon, located adjacent to civilian infrastructure in Beirut and southern Lebanon,” the post added.
The IDF also said that Srour’s role extended to the commander of the surface-to-air missile unit, as well as the “Aziz” Unit of the Radwan Force. It said, “He was also the commander in the surface-to-air missile unit, commander in the “Aziz” Unit of the Radwan Force and Hezbollah’s emissary to Yemen and the Houthi terrorist regime’s Aerial Command.”
UNSC holds emergency meeting
Requested by France, the UN Security Council on Wednesday convened an emergency meeting on Lebanon, the second meeting on the country’s deteriorating situation in less than a week, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres saying that “hell is breaking loose in Lebanon.”
In his remarks, Guterres urged the Security Council “to work in lock-step” to end the escalating violence between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants across the Blue Line, a buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah and Israel must pull back from the brink of a potentially catastrophic regional war, he insisted, adding that there was now massive civilian displacement from southern and eastern Lebanon towards the Lebanese capital of Beirut, while the Israelis have endured repeated attacks from Hezbollah with more than 8,300 rockets, drones and increasingly high caliber missile attacks on military targets and residential areas.
90,000 displaced
Lebanon violence has displaced more than 90,000 people from their homes, with 70,000 cramming into 400 schools and other sites, UN humanitarians said.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) tallied the number of displacements since Monday with data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which reported it expects the numbers to increase, Xinhua news agency reported.
OCHA said it is gravely concerned over the safety of civilians on both sides of the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Syria estimated that more than 10,000 people — both Lebanese and Syrians — have crossed from Lebanon into Syria due to the hostilities.
The office said the world body and its partners provide food, water, mattresses and hygiene kits. The recent escalation of violence is also affecting education, health, and other vital civilian facilities in Lebanon.
OCHA said Lebanon’s Ministry of Education postponed the start of the school year until October 14, which affects thousands of students nationwide.
The office said Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday damaged four more water stations, bringing the total number of such facilities impacted since October 2023 to 24, affecting access to clean water for more than 250,000 people.
OCHA said the fighting forced 18 primary healthcare centres to close on Thursday.
Together with this commitment to Israel’s defence, Biden also stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region….reports Asian Lite News
US President Joe Biden discussed new American military deployments to counter Iranian threats of direct attack against Israel during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night.
“The President reaffirmed his commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis,” the White House said in a statement after the call.
Together with this commitment to Israel’s defence, Biden also stressed the importance of ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region.
US Vice President Kamala Harris also joined the call.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has geared up for any Iranian assault against Israel after the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday.
Sources in the Israeli Defence Minister’s office told IANS that after Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s remarks about a retaliatory attack on Israel to avenge the killing of Haniyeh, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has prepared itself for any eventuality.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his wife, Mrs. Sara Netanyahu, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Official White House Photo by Shealah D. Craighead)
The meeting will be their first since the end of Trump’s presidency…reports Asian Lite News
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said on Tuesday, a sign the two men are looking to improve ties.
“Looking forward to welcoming Bibi Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida,” the former U.S. president said in a post on Truth Social, using Netanyahu’s nickname.
The meeting will be their first since the end of Trump’s presidency, during which the two forged close ties, and comes at a time of strains also between Netanyahu and Democratic President Joe Biden over Israel’s war against Hamas militants in Gaza.
Late on Tuesday, Trump posted a letter written to him by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from a day after the former U.S. president had been shot at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Abbas wished Trump “strength and safety,” according to the letter Trump posted. In the same post Trump also said that he looked forward to meeting Netanyahu and working toward achieving peace in the Middle East.
Netanyahu had angered Trump when he congratulated Biden on his victory over Trump in the 2020 election. Trump has falsely claimed the election was stolen from him by voter fraud.
Netanyahu had requested the in-person meeting with Trump during his visit this week to Washington, Politico said on Monday. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a speech on Wednesday, Netanyahu will seek the renewed support of Congress for Israel’s military operations in the Palestinian enclave. This week he will also meet both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who on Sunday entered the 2024 presidential race after Biden pulled out.
The Israeli leader appears to be hedging his bets about the November U.S. election. Polls show the race is tight. Most analysts believe a second Trump administration would give Netanyahu a freer hand in the Gaza war.
Netanyahu and Trump were mostly in sync ideologically and on policy during Trump’s 2017-2021 term. The U.S. moved its embassy then from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a long-held conservative goal that delighted Israelis and infuriated Palestinians.
Trump has criticized Netanyahu for the security failures around the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas cross-border attack on Israel and has said Israel must quickly secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas and finish the war in Gaza.
In his social media post, Trump praised Netanyahu’s role in the Abraham Accords, landmark U.S.-brokered agreements signed during the Trump years that normalized bilateral relations between Israel and both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
“During my first term, we had Peace and Stability in the Region, even signing the historic Abraham Accords – And we will have it again,” Trump said on Truth Social.
He said Harris, as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, was “in no way capable of stopping” world conflicts.
Netanyahu’s estimate came a day after he toured the Gaza division and held a security assessment meeting, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant…reports Asian Lite News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that his country is in “the final stage” of eliminating Hamas’ armed force in the Gaza Strip.
“We are advancing towards the completion of the elimination” of Hamas, he said on Monday during a meeting with cadets from Israel’s National Security College, according to a statement released by his office as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Netanyahu’s estimate came a day after he toured the Gaza division and held a security assessment meeting, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and the army’s senior command, on Israel’s nine-month-long offensive in Gaza, “with emphasis on the fighting in Rafah, as well as the continuation of military pressure on Hamas,” according to Netanyahu’s office.
On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces ordered a mass evacuation of civilians from the eastern Khan Younis, signalling that ground forces might soon resume their offensives in the southern Gazan city, presumably to fight Hamas forces that have regrouped in the area.
Israel completed a large-scale attack in Khan Younis in early April and subsequently withdrew most of its forces.
Netanyahu stated he would only agree to a deal that would see Hamas removed from power in the Gaza Strip…reports Asian Lite News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that intense fighting against Hamas is “very close” to an end.
In an interview with Israeli Channel 14 TV news, Netanyahu on Sunday said that “the intensive phase of the war in Rafah is about to end”, and the Israeli forces were “very close” to concluding the “intensive phase” in the entire Gaza Strip.
However, he said, this does not mean an end to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, and operations will persist with the fighting against Hamas targets, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Israeli news broadcaster.
After the conclusion of the “intensive phase” in Gaza, “we will continue northward,” Netanyahu said, referring to Israel’s warnings of launching a full-fledged war against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
He said that any agreement to secure a ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli and Hezbollah forces have traded fire since October 7, 2023, “will have to meet our terms.”
He stated he would only agree to a deal that would see Hamas removed from power in the Gaza Strip and the release of about 100 hostages who are still held in the Palestinian enclave.
