Tag: Palestinia

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UN panel considers Palestinian bid for full membership

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had initially submitted a UN membership application in 2011, though it wasn’t deliberated upon by the Security Council…reports Asian Lite News

The President of the United Nations Security Council, on Monday, forwarded an application by the Palestinian Authority seeking full membership of the UN to its membership committee for consideration. Vanessa Frazier, Malta’s Permanent Representative to the UN, disclosed that the 15-member committee is slated to deliberate on Palestine’s status and make a decision by the end of the month. Frazier emphasized the importance of adherence to the council’s procedural norms, highlighting that any council member can present a resolution for membership voting at any time.

The membership committee convened on Monday afternoon to initiate the evaluation process. Its task involves scrutinizing the application’s merits before determining whether to advance it to the Security Council for a vote. For approval, the application necessitates at least nine affirmative votes, devoid of any vetoes from the council’s five permanent members: the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK.

The urgency of granting full UN membership to the State of Palestine was underscored by the Arab group of nations at the UN, who articulated it as pivotal for advancing conflict resolution efforts in the region based on a two-state solution. Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the UN and current President of the Arab Group, expressed hope for requisite support in this endeavor.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had initially submitted a UN membership application in 2011, though it wasn’t deliberated upon by the Security Council. However, the subsequent year, the General Assembly accorded the “State of Palestine” the status of a non-member observer state.

Despite the recent submission of a letter by the Palestinian Authority to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urging reconsideration of the membership application, current US legislation poses a significant hurdle. Granting full UN recognition to a Palestinian state would necessitate the cessation of funding to the UN and its agencies by the US, in compliance with existing laws.

The discourse surrounding Palestine’s UN membership evoked strong reactions, with Israel’s UN Ambassador, Gilad Erdan, vehemently opposing it, labeling it as rewarding criminal acts. This sentiment was echoed by Russia’s Permanent Representative, Vasily Nebenzia, who questioned the credibility of objections from parties rejecting the two-state solution. Meanwhile, Palestine’s Permanent Observer at the UN, Riyad Mansour, reiterated the imperative of recognition and membership for ending the occupation, emphasizing the need for global solidarity to achieve peace.

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-Top News UAE News

UAE receives 15th group of wounded Palestinians

Expressing gratitude, the relatives of the patients thanked the UAE and its wise leadership for this noble humanitarian initiative, which serves as a unique model of solidarity and support among sisterly nations…reports Asian Lite News

The 15th group of wounded Palestinian children and cancer patients arrived in the UAE on Friday in implementation of the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to provide medical treatment for 1,000 injured children and 1,000 cancer patients from the Gaza Strip at the UAE’s hospitals.

Departing from Al Arish International Airport in the Arab Republic of Egypt, the plane landed at Zayed International Airport, carrying 27 patients in urgent need of medical assistance, accompanied by 60 family members.

Upon landing, medical teams swiftly transferred the wounded and those in need of immediate care to hospitals for treatment, while other cases and their companions were transferred to their residence in the Emirates Humanitarian City.

Expressing gratitude, the relatives of the patients thanked the UAE and its wise leadership for this noble humanitarian initiative, which serves as a unique model of solidarity and support among sisterly nations.

They praised the UAE’s swift response as a testament to its commitment to supporting Palestinians during challenging times. Furthermore, they commended the tireless efforts of medical and volunteer teams who provided unwavering support to the patients throughout their journey.

Since the onset of the crisis, the UAE has been a steadfast supporter of Gaza, launching “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3” to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The UAE has also established a 150-bed field hospital in Gaza and the Floating Hospital in Al Arish port, equipped with 100 beds, operating rooms, intensive care units, radiology, laboratories, pharmacies, and medical cabinets.

24th aid airdrop in north Gaza

The Joint Operations Command of the Ministry of Defence announced the implementation of the 24th airdrop of humanitarian and relief aid as part of the “Birds of Goodness” operation.

Two C17 aircraft belonging to the UAE Air Force and a C130 and C295 aircraft belonging to the Egyptian Air Force participated in the airdrop operation.

The airdrop was carried out over inaccessible isolated areas in the northern Gaza Strip via four aircraft carrying 84 tonnes of food and relief aid, bringing the total amount of aid airdrops to 1,321 tonnes since the beginning of the operation.

The Birds of Goodness operation is part of “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3” to support Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

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Palestinian PM Submits Government Resignation

Shtayyeh’s government was formed by a presidential decree in April 2019 and was entrusted with Palestinian reconciliation and preparing for elections…reports Asian Lite News

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday said that he submitted his government’s resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas.

In the weekly cabinet meeting held in Ramallah, Shtayyeh said, “The decision to resign comes in light of the developments in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem,” noting that his government worked under challenging circumstances, Xinhua news agency reported.

Shtayyeh’s government was formed by a presidential decree in April 2019 and was entrusted with Palestinian reconciliation and preparing for elections.

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Shiite Militia Leader Warns of Impending Confrontation with US

The US said the attack was carried out by Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella term for pro-Iran Shiite Islamic armed groups in Iraq…reports Asian Lite News

The leader of an Iraqi armed Shiite militia has said that the current period of calm among Iraqi armed groups in their conflict with US forces is a “temporary tactic”, stressing that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq did not abandon its support for the Palestinians.

Akram al-Kaabi, secretary general of the Iranian-backed al-Nujaba Movement, said in a statement on Sunday that the current calm is only a tactic for repositioning and deployment, stressing, “It is only the calm before the storm”.

He said that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq “is an essential part in the battle to confront the Zionist aggression (the Israeli military campaign) and its supporter America against the Gaza Strip”, Xinhua news agency reported.

Al-Kaabi also said that there is high-level coordination between different “open fronts” against the Americans and Israelis in the region, stressing that “any calm on one front and ignition on another is an intentional, purposeful and coordinated strategy”.

“Although the Islamic resistance did not reject the government’s negotiations to schedule the US withdrawal from Iraq, we affirm that the US occupier is a liar, a deceiver, and an arrogant one,” the statement said.

Days after fighting broke out between the Gaza-ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Israel in the Gaza Strip on October 7, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq launched rocket, drone, and mortar attacks on military bases housing US forces in Iraq and Syria.

On January 27, Iraq and the United States began the first round of dialogue to discuss ending the US-led international coalition’s mission in Iraq, but later three US soldiers were killed in an attack on a military base near Jordan’s border with Syria. The US said the attack was carried out by Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella term for pro-Iran Shiite Islamic armed groups in Iraq.

The death of the US soldiers prompted the US forces to retaliate by striking some headquarters of Iranian-backed armed groups affiliated with the Iraqi paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, killing and wounding dozens of them.

Later, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq suspended their attacks on US bases to pave the way for the Iraqi government to hold negotiations with the US-led coalition to end their presence in Iraq.

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UK to pause funding for UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees

Prior to the UK’s action, countries including the US, Canada, and Australia have also announced temporary suspension of their new funding for the UNRWA…reports Asian Lite News

The UK is “temporarily pausing any future funding” for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the British government has said in a statement.

It came after Israel accused some of the UN agency’s employees of participating in the attack launched by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

The country’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in the statement on Saturday that the UK was “appalled” by the allegations, and the funding for the agency would be halted “whilst we review these concerning allegations”.

Prior to the UK’s action, countries including the US, Canada, and Australia have also announced temporary suspension of their new funding for the UNRWA.

Hussein Al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, on Saturday urged countries that have announced the suspension of support for the UNRWA to reconsider their decisions to avoid political and humanitarian risks.

He said on the social media platform X that “especially at this time, amid the ongoing (Israel’s) aggression against the Palestinian people, we are in desperate need of support from this international organization”.

The UNRWA said on Friday that it had decided to “immediately terminate the contracts” of the staff members involved and “launch an investigation”.

The UNRWA, established as a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly in 1949, serves to support the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees and is entrusted with the mission of providing humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestinian refugees in the agency’s operational areas until a just and lasting solution to their plight is achieved.

Meanwhile, A senior Palestinian official has urged countries that have announced the suspension of support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to reconsider their decisions to avoid political and humanitarian risks.

Hussein Al-Sheikh, secretary-general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said on the social media platform X on Saturday that “especially at this time, amid the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people, we are in desperate need of support from this international organization”.

The US and Canada on Friday announced a temporary suspension of their new funding for the UNRWA after Israel accused some of the UN agency’s employees of participating in the attack launched by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

In a statement posted on his X account, Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz praised the US and Canada’s decisions to pause funding for the UN agency, saying, “We commend the US administration’s decision to halt funding for the UNRWA after it became clear that some of its employees were involved in the heinous massacre (Hamas attack) that occurred on October 7 last year.”

On Saturday, Australia announced that it would join the US and Canada in pausing the funding for the UNRWA. Later in the day, UK also announced to pause its funding to the UN aid agency.

The UNRWA, established as a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly in 1949, serves to support the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees and is entrusted with the mission of providing humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestinian refugees in the agency’s operational areas until a just and lasting solution to their plight is achieved.

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UAE to Treat Palestinian Kids and Families

President Shiekh Mohmed and King Abdullah II of Jordan addressed efforts to respond to the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip…reports Asian Lite News

The President has announced the medical treatment for 1,000 Palestinian children accompanied by their families from the Gaza Strip at UAE hospitals.

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed the provision of medical treatment at UAE hospitals for 1,000 Palestinian children accompanied by their families from the Gaza Strip. This comes as part of the UAE’s enduring efforts to extend assistance to those in need around the world.

The announcement came in a phone call yesterday between H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The initiative to host children from the Gaza Strip and provide them with medical treatment prior to their safe return home is an extension of the UAE’s continued efforts to offer relief assistance to the Palestinian people, particularly children, in response to the grave humanitarian conditions they are facing.

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Spoljaric also discussed the importance of enabling the safe, unimpeded, and sustained delivery of relief and medical aid to civilians in Gaza, as well as the need to intensify regional and international efforts to strengthen the humanitarian response to address the needs of those affected by the current crisis.

MBZ, Jordan King discuss Gaza

President Shiekh Mohmed and King Abdullah II of Jordan addressed efforts to respond to the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. In this regard, they emphasised the need for urgent international action to stop the dire escalation and provide full protection for civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law. They also underscored the importance of ensuring the delivery of aid by enabling international humanitarian organisations to perform their duty and opening safe and sustainable humanitarian corridors.

The two leaders stressed the need to spare the region the consequences of a new spiral of violence and work towards establishing a clear political horizon for a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace that ensures stability and security for all. They expressed their strong commitment to intensifying collaboration to bring about peace in the region, drawing from both countries’ longstanding efforts to promote harmonious coexistence and regional collaboration for the benefit of all communities.

Additionally, he underscored the critical importance of lifting the blockade on the Gaza Strip, highlighting the urgent need to address deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza. His Majesty commended the UAE’s efforts in this regard, noting its proactive role in the UN Security Council to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza.

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Palestinian Journalist Killed in Israeli Airstrike

Radio France said his wife and one-year-old daughter were injured…reports Asian Lite News

A Palestinian journalist has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, state media reported on Monday.

According to the official Palestinian press agency WAFA, Roshdi Sarraj was a fixer, a translator for foreign journalists, at French national public radio broadcaster Radio France and had been working with its correspondents since May 2021, CNN reported.

His family members were also injured in the strike that targeted a house in Gaza City and they were transferred to Al-Shifa hospital, according to WAFA.

Radio France said his wife and one-year-old daughter were injured.

In its latest report, the New York-based nonprofit Committee to Protect Journalists said that at least 22 journalists have been killed since the Hamas launched its massive assault on Israel on October 7.

Of the 22 slain journalists, 18 were Palestinian, three Israelis and one Lebanese, according to the report released on October 20.

While eight reporters were injured, three others have been reportedly missing or detained. 

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Sunak, Palestinian President discuss Gaza situation over phone

The statement noted that Sunak affirmed that Britain continues to support “a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state existing alongside a safe and secure Israel…reports Asian Lite News

In a phone call on the ongoing Mideast conflict, Britain’s prime minister and the Palestinian president on Monday agreed on the importance of avoiding further regional escalation.

During the phone call with Mahmoud Abbas, Rishi Sunak expressed his condolences for the deaths of Palestinian civilians, said a statement by the UK Foreign Office,

Reiterating the UK’s position, Sunak said: “Hamas does not speak for ordinary Palestinians.”

Sunak and Abbas agreed on the importance of avoiding further regional escalation and ensuring calm in the West Bank.

“The Prime Minister committed the UK’s support for the Palestinian Authority in trying to establish peace and stability,” said the statement, adding that the two leaders discussed support for Gaza, including humanitarian aid and measures to protect civilians.

They also agreed that the international community “must intensify” efforts to break the cycle of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, it said.

The statement noted that Sunak affirmed that Britain continues to support “a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state existing alongside a safe and secure Israel.”

Abbas’ Fatah movement is a rival to the Hamas group for leadership in the Palestinian territories, with Hamas in control of the Gaza Strip, which launched an attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7

Ten days into the conflict with Palestinian group Hamas, Israeli bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip has continued, with over 1 million people – almost half the total population of Gaza – having been displaced, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

Gaza is undergoing a dire humanitarian crisis, with no electricity, while water, food, fuel, and medical supplies are running out, as civilians flee to the south following Israel’s warning to evacuate northern areas.

The fighting began when Hamas on Oct. 7 initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air. It said the incursion was in retaliation for the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and increased settler violence.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the Gaza Strip. Since then the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza has risen to 2,750, including 750 children.

PM dials Erdogan

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a call on Monday that Western countries should refrain from “provocative steps” regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Turkish presidency said.

Erdogan also told Sunak that Western powers must “remember the unkept promises to Palestine and do what is necessary”, the presidency said on social messaging platform X. It said the two also discussed the resolution of the “grave humanitarian crisis” in Gaza.

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16 Opposition leaders meet Palestinian envoy

Following the meeting, Adnan Abu al Haija, the Ambassador of Palestine expressed hope that India will play a role in stopping the siege on Palestinians in Gaza…reports Asian Lite News

Amid the Israel-Hamas war, a delegation of 16 opposition leaders, including parliamentarians and politicians, met the Palestinian Ambassador in New Delhi and expressed solidarity with the Palestinians. The delegation emphasised the need to step up efforts by the international community to arrive at a peaceful resolution.

“The international community must exert pressure on Israel to abide by international laws and respect the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people,” the delegation’s resolution read.

“We strongly condemn the indiscriminate bombing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel, which we believe amounts to an attempt to genocide. We urge an immediate cessation of all hostilities to prevent further loss of innocent lives and the destruction of homes and infrastructure,” the resolution added.

“We have come to meet Palestine ambassador to express solidarity with the Palestinians. India has been sharing good ties with Palestinians traditionally. We are friends with Palestine. In this time of difficulty when imperialist forces and Israel are oppressing them, we are standing with them,” Rajya Sabha MP Javed Ali Khan said.

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Shahid Siddiqui said that the traditional position on Israel was that of Mahatma Gandhi, Ram Manohar Lohia, Jayprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

“The policy of India, which was that of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Lohia, Jayprakash Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, that we believe in the rights of Palestine. We recognise Israel but Palestine should get right to a its own nation. The attack on them in Gaza is against the rules of the United Nations and international law,” Siddiqui said.

CPI (ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said that the ongoing violence in Gaza is nothing short of an “openly declared genocide”.

“We came here to express our solidarity on behalf of Indian people. Right now, we all know whatever happened on the 7th of October but it has not stopped there. Right now what is happening in Gaza is nothing short of a very openly declared genocide. We cannot allow this to go on like this,” Bhattacharya said.

Following the meeting, Adnan Abu al Haija, the Ambassador of Palestine in India expressed hope that India will play a role in stopping the siege on Palestinians in Gaza.

“We discussed the situation in Gaza and in Palestine in general and they presented their solidarity with the Palestinian people… We hope India will play a good role in stopping the siege on our people of Gaza and putting pressure on the Israeli government for humanitarian aid to our people in Gaza,”

The opposition MPs and other politicians emphasised on the need to bring about “peaceful resolution” of the conflict in Gaza.

“We, the undersigned, believe that violence is never a solution as it leads to a cycle of destruction and suffering. Therefore we emphasise the need for increased efforts by the international community in bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict,” read the press resolution by some MPs and politicians.

“The international community must exert pressure on the state of Israel to abide by international laws and respect the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. We call for intensified diplomatic efforts and multilateral initiatives to ensure a lasting peace in the region,” the statement added.

The Hamas-run health ministry said on Monday that some 2,329 Palestinians have been killed and another 9,042 have been wounded in Israeli retaliatory airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

The Israel Defense Forces has said it has killed some 1,500 Palestinians in Israeli territory after they breached the border fence and rampaged murderously in southern Israel, killing over 1,300 people, mostly civilians. (ANI)

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Congress party extends support for Palestinians

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya lashed out at the CWC resolution and accused the Congress of being “hostage to minority vote bank politics.”…reports Asian Lite News

The ongoing Israel-Palestine violence has spilled onto India’s domestic politics with the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) taking contrasting positions.

The Congress in its resolution passed by the Congress Working Committee (CWC) – the party’s highest decision-making body on Monday, has said that reiterates its “long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people.”

On the other hand, the BJP has used the war to mount an attack on previous UPA governments headed by the Congress, raked up Pakistan-based terror and said what Israel is facing today, India suffered from 2004-14 due to the Congress’s “minority vote bank politics.”

At least 700 Israelis and 370 Palestinians have been killed since October 7 in fierce battles and air strikes between Israel and Hamas, as fighters from the Palestinian militant group fired hundreds of missiles and overran military and civilian locations inside Israel, along the border with Gaza, and the Israeli military hit Gaza city with a barrage of missiles and bombs.

At the CWC meeting on Monday, the Congress’s resolution stated the party’s “long-standing support” to the Palestinians.

“..The CWC expresses its dismay and anguish on the war that has broken out in the Middle East where over a thousand people have been killed in the last two days,” the resolution said.

“The CWC reiterates its long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people to land, self-government and to live with dignity and respect. The CWC calls for an immediate cease-fire and for negotiations to begin on all outstanding issues including the imperative issues that have given rise to the present conflict.”

The CWC resolution reiterating the party’s support to Palestinians comes a day after the party MP and general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh in a post on X (formerly Twitter) took a similar position.

Ramesh said that the party condemns the “brutal attacks” on the people of Israel but added that the party has always believed that the “legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a life of self-respect, equality and dignity must be fulfilled only through a process of dialogue and negotiations while ensuring the legitimate national security interests of the Israeli people.”

Meanwhile, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya lashed out at the CWC resolution and accused the Congress of being “hostage to minority vote bank politics.”

“Congress’s CWC resolution on Israel war is a classic example of how Indian foreign policy was hostage to Congress’s minority vote bank politics, until Modi happened,” Surya said on X.

“Also, a reminder on how quickly things will go back to zero if we aren’t vigilant in 2024.”

BJP has been vocal about the conflict and in its support of Israel and Surya’s position appears to be in line with that. Hours after the violence started on October 7, the BJP had invoked the war between Israel and Palestine to attack the previous UPA governments led by the Congress, and accused the party of not acting on Pakistan based terror and being “weak kneed”.

The party’s X handle shared a video with the caption on October 7 that said: “What Israel is facing today, India suffered between 2004-14. Never forgive, never forget…”

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